The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-29 00:00:00

•
0 . ' 'i' :s V li
.._,
...{.____,/ , '".-' :0 -••••""/1.0...":";/:./. .e.
, n r 7 ' ? ' ' ' ' ' ' ~
' 1 * ''''
......,...7",
...---- \ '
. '
- • _ __--- ,
''.---- ( NEWSPAPER
,/,,zl.---
~,,-,- 1:144\--,,,,..i.
.*•!--t-1"-ti'-'..:-.. • it4iik \ ',o,
•"...'- • /#•;PZ
t. - r'-ro. CETI •3r .....z..-: ,
k\."`l:\ t,, ?, ' iritC `;‘1..../-`7.-1 &it:, ,-i111:‘' rii • ' ~....."' 14 'l, ' pia,- A -
4 • (411
f ,••
(1:•,, ' , ve -,--
.' ,
:-. f•-.',>\,•,N il-, --',-
-,.., 1 ( ~ g
s, .I. ' 0 *,--A '}--._,,,.. ~?'.... r , .
. . ~§ -, ' h:4,
ta..,3-F , pt - / ,
' ' A */,' ' „ ri„
1.- - -,, -'4->"-V, -fr , 9?,,.' ,I I,` Rq• 11$ti : AV\u, \ 030 ~ 0 ',..tt '''' w-' • ~ cis,
~,,,-.A.„ ,t
02.1. ', , 2 ,0154- •..
, , 1 ago. The island is covered'
ttrheetsim.
Tbthreor PlajkOlifk4j.letor49l4.49.l:,l,
t.„,"(:::-
.orric„...„
I never saw such magnificenWit ,
---,, l, 4,),/r.,
PSI.. ..,f, .c*."(if '''''
'"-
_, ,
_....
.o.
.....4 . „1„, , , , ...:, ..1.,,, , e (90 , y .4 -,73
\ s ~,. '' r
,I'.- ..,- '. ",•::- ---'"'-' - ,*,'4'o , 4'4 bt iI: , , ' $ „04,,10,, l'&., ...o.'„ All- 'l' , °IT • 47
'..ba ,--:: .ia- '''--' :'''
~, (.., .. / /I" .
•
4",-n• •••t. --,
....2 ~N, I.ol'` a' ' \ ~. . . .
~, i •,..„...... -. ,
41-110'• L-
, + hloar:ing for cutting the timber for exports ilc.-.sia -se,
ri 47::,,
newspapers notice it as the best timber of' e'khaAjl)i.,_\"o"it
' cptantiges.

There is gold all over the island, but in sm all
I have found a little near here. There is plenty of chance
for enterprising men with a small capital, and oho for
good mechanics. Anyone who is willing to work is .store to
get on well. Labourers are paid Ss. and 9s. per day,-. me-
chanics from 12s. to 20s. I should not fear of doing well
out here if I could but settle,
There is a good and regular traffic with the Sandwich
Islands, San Francisco, Port Townsend, on the American.
side; Fraser's River, New Westminster, and many ships
straight from England and China. There are several
wealthy Chinese merchants, and a great number of poorer
Chinese. They have a part of the town to themselves.
They are capital washermen, and they are very useful, as
t licie are wry few women here to wash for us. We pay
them 6s. and (SS, per dsy for washing.
I must now close my rambling account of the Island of
Vancouver's, and say a fesr words about the poor native
Indians who were once masSers of this part of the globe.
It is not known how many Indians there are exactly,but
I think it is computed at 18,G00 or 20,000. I have seen
much of them since we have been here. There are seve-
ral villages belonging to different tribes round here, and
a great number were down here I:son the north a month
or two ago. Some of them come to trade skins, furs,
fish, and mats, for goods out of the stores. They
are principally paid in blankets. Alf Indian's chief
wealth is in his number of blankets. I am Merry to say that
the majority of them are filthy, lazy, and disgusting in the
extreme ; great drunkards and thieves, very' crafty and
deceitful. They appear to learn nothing of the' white man
but his worst vices. The northern tribes bring darn crowds
of women to sell to white men, or to force them into pro-
stitution. Scenes are daily enacted openly round. Tictoria.
that I should not have thought could possibly take place in
a land where civilisation has begun its work. I think the
worst characters in our seaport towns would blush at the
treatment the poor Indians receive at the hands of the low
Yankee ruffians that infest this: place. We saw the Indians
come in ; they had to leave their arms with us while they
stayed. They all looked fine healthy people, but when
they went away it was a most distressing sight to see the
poor creatures crouching in their canoes, with features
shrunken and emaciated through disease and the effects of
the dreadful poison white men Sell to them and earl it
whiskey. What can the missionary be expected to do
when such fiends are working against them ? There is a
strict law against selling them whiskey, but they cannot
stop the traffic. Some of the tribes are becoming rather
better. There are several good men at work among them.
Tho school here, I hope, will do much. I was there one
Sunday. What a curious assemblage—tottering old men,,
young men and women, children and infante—in all about,
130, repeating and singing, " There is a Happy Land," in
English. the rest of the instruction was carried on in
Chinese, thetrading language of the Hudson Bay Company.
I know a little of it, but not much. There were Many in-
telligent faces in the motley group; many had rings through
their ears and noses, and on their ankles and wrists. Some
of the women had seven or eight armlets on each arm, end
scores of silver rings on their fingers, pieces of bone and
silver stuck in their under lips, and nearly all painted, and'
many half naked.
The Rev. Mr. Garrett is the superintendent; he is assisted
by some other gentlemen and some ladies. A Mr. Duncan
is doing much good ; he is away now with some tribe. He
is a friend of Mr. Brown, of the G.N.R. School at Don-
caster; they were at the Highbury Training Institution
together. Mr. Duncan has a great number of converts to
the temperance cause, amongst them nearly all one tribe.
The Roman Catholics are doing a good deal with them, too,
especially in the temperance movement. They appear to be
quite proud of their pledge. The bishop has; addressed
them in Chinvok, he was not long in learning that curious
jargon. Some of the Indians are very clever. One man in
Victoria is a capital silversmith. I have seen some risags he
made; they are really first-rate. I very often walk round
to the Indian village; they like to talk to any one in anis
form. They have a wholesome dread of King George men,
as they call all English, Irish, and Scotch. They cannot
bear Boston men (Americans). They have many curious
ceremonies, especially when any one is sick. They are great
gamblers. I have seen them sit on their heels in it circle a.
whole day gambling for blankets. Theyare capital marksmen.
with a rifle or bow and arrow. Most of the Indians round
here are Flatheads. I have seen the poor little infants
lashed down to the board that causes the deformity; it is
considered a mark of distinction. No white man's child is
allowed to have its head flattened. The poor little things
tumble about the canoe naked in the roughest weather, tuid
seem quite happy.
But I am afraid I am tiring you, sir, with my remarks',
but I think you will like to know a little of the poor creatures
we hear so much about, and to whom we are responsible for
much.
We are ordered away to Barclay Sound, round on the
west coast of the island. There is a new colony just spring-
ing up. An Enelish firm is going to erect saw mills, &c.
We err. going to awe the Indians a little, I believe. The
bishop is going with us 10 visit this new flock. I shall
postpone finishing this until next mail, so that I can add a
little more information respecting this little England. We
have not much convenience to offer the bishop, but he may
not have an opportunity again for some time.
We are now I yingEF,iqullieittlll;latthlaanrbo
chollir.,
aNftoevr. 1860.
trip,,
of
which I will say a little. The Bishop and Capt. Stamp, the
manager for the firm, and our pilot, came en board on
Thursday evening, October 17, and we steamed out of the
harbour at daybreak next morning. We met with fine!
weather and smooth seas, so none were at all affected. We,
anchored for the night in a small bay open to the Pacific.,
The bishop held a short service on board. Next morning
we entered the Barclay Sou ndfand about noon the Albur-
nio Canal. This is a fine natural canal, about 30 miles
long, and will average three-quarters of a mile in width,
with plenty of water for large ships. The country on either
side is mountainous, and well wooded, stocked well with
deer and game. Everyone admired the scenery, the bishop
in particular. We arrived at the end of the canal, where
the Somass River empties itself, at five p.m. The settlers,
about forty in all, have been out two months. There
is a large store, and several houses and sheds built.
I think there will be a nice village. They have got ac
fine engine and saw mill, and they hope to have it
working by Christmas. They are doing a little
trade with the Indians in oil, fish, and skins. The
bishop and party went to visit the Indian village,
and the second Sunday he addressed them in the large
store, having picked up a few words of their language from
the Indian agent during the week ; they do not know made
Chinvok. The bishop is a very energetic man; he has had
many services both on board and in the large store on shore.
He does not care for trifles. One night he held a tallow
candle in his hand to read by, refusing the services of a
man sent to hold the light. He spoke much on the respon-
sibility of the settlers, on their own account and their
treatment of the natives, on the importance of prayer, and
ister
should be, sent to them as soon as possible. We were there
the observance of the
riwtthe
such
uSa
efts:
hhbu
oicpfia
kakpnstseh.egm, go into
lots pie
nre
Landed
moo
pose
niEssdoi
s presents.ez icdwiguhtithenraheaevtwt ars
hlmcoTamwipinhi,
nine days. I was out shooting nearly every day. Our
party shot a good number of geese, ducks, and grouse.
We all enjoyed ourselves exceedingly, and were well satis-
fied with our trip. We left on the Monday morning, and
called in at an Indian village. The commander and bishop
paid them a visit. We then steamed out into the Pacific,
but we were obliged to put back again, it was so rough.
We started again next morning ; it was still rough, and
many were sea-sick, but we reached an anchorage in the
Straits, Port San Juan, when we remained all night. Got
under way at daybreak, and called into a settlement at
Sooke. There is a fine harbour, and a large sawmill bee
longing to a Scotchman, who has also a large farm.
We should have stayed there for the night for the Bishop
to hold a service, but I believe it was declined, all the ed..
tiers being; Scotchmen. We had a stroll round the settle-
e ip
hisesree
;mwuechw,
earned
awbelelivtoe :mostocjimuuna
hnaldbt harrirbovu.edr the to
rather small, with water only for
and
it, we all enjoyed
lashnenuencnnthgtof.orwre Idiotuhnirnes::-Vt9trniecgrst
letters, the mail haVing
I hope we shall soon pay them an o tenttuere.
ch
The rigging was
than any I have seen on the island. Wtheelyeft are
a eto
neat
nrel absence. t fineroar
nn d.
sh I
could have sent a few gene England.
finest harbours in the world, well sheltered,
s is
one of the
water and plenty of room ; it is distant three
plenty of
from Victoria by land and about four miles by sea.
miles
The
re are several stores and hotels here, and a good pier.
The mail boats can run close in shore to unload. We some-
times are stationed here and sometimes at Victoria. We
have been to visit the corps of Marines on the island of San
Juan, the disputed territory, twice. The Americans have
tits..
smalle
vVsteeisCstemorie.da hrikoarlunlbedu
a like force on another part of the island, and are on the
most friendly terms with our men. The officers visit each
other in their respective quarters. We do not know how
the dispute will terminate.
I have been living on shore at the Marine Barracks here
with a party of men from the ship. We obtained permis•
sion from one of the settlers here to build a house on his
land, and to cut, down timber for the purpose. I undertook
have had the planning of everything.
It
oel
haveaire
i gtaolctwt' and
I
aaygsooond substantial framing and roof up, but
remaining
ru
nre:trip,
e anam afraid, will
boardpr, eventan d tou us
holdfin is hoiunrg
school
htohoilsmseeeat
.•
son. d'i'e want the house to spend a few hours in instead of
ings in, for we have no room on board. I had a capital
time of it. I had my gun, and wont out shooting very
often. Took the men on board every Sunday fokprovisions
and service. I hope to finish, and then the men will have
somewhere to go beside the whiskey shop when they go
ashore.
I have commenced a school, and the commander haft
given the Government allowance to buy books. Very few
of the men were provided with Bibles, and we cannot get
good ones under 6s. or Ss., and they are American editions,
not such good plain print as the cheap English books. it
is a great pity that we cannot get, Bibles for the men when
they really appear desirous of reading them, and are anx-
ious for instruction. The commander wants to commence&
Bible class for the men, and when we can get a supply of
books I think it will be sure to succeed.
I must now conclude, and hoping that this will find you
in good health, I remain, reverend sir, your humble and
obliged servant.

piticE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

a complete separation of slave States from free, fol-
lowed by a collision. People cling convulsively to
the hope that the,ni. reparation will be partial and
peaceful, and that the severed fragments will bere-
constructed into a new and more permanent union.
I see little in the tone of sentiment here to induce
me to think that, if the border slave States elect to
join their fortunes to the South, the disintegration
of the Republic will be either peaceable or without
a violent and deadly collision. If on the other hand,
the border States remain in the Union they will, I
think, control the ardour of the North, and pre-
vent an immediate collision. I give you these spe-
culations for what they are worth,premising that you
arejust as well able to form a sound opinion on
these questions in London as we are here.
I may add, that -the friends of the Union rely
upon delay and discussion/ to save the Border
States. Since writing the above I have seen seve-
ral leadingifriends of the Union from this section,
ifllMbrrinSgewthael.
who say that they are ready to go into the can-
vass
Republican
the
party basis
will
Seward 's
propositionsspeee speech, i f the
for-
ward in the form of practical measures, and com-
mit themselves to their support. They say that
they have the strength to compel a submission of
the question to a popular vote and public discus-
sion, and they feel confident of winning. But suc-
cess, they say, depends upon an absence of force
and collision: Only one-third of the voters of Ala-
bama, they say, voted in the choice of members of
the Convention of that State, and yet the Conven-
tion has hurried the State out without giving the
people any opportunity to vote upon the question
directly. They say that they have already pre-
vented such precipitation in Virginia, and that
they have the power to prevent it in the other
Border States. For the rest they rely upon dis-
cussion, moderation, and good temper. I give you
their views for what they are wort.'.

VANCOUVER'S ISLA3(D, BRITISH
COLUMPIA.

The annexed letter) which arrived by the last
mail, is from a yo,:ag
naval engineer to a clergyman
who has take. much interest in his welfare. It
contains recent information of a highly interesting
and useful chiracter as to the state of this new
colony.

Victoria, Vancouver's Island, British
Columbia, Oct. 10, 1860.

Rev, and dear Sir,—Aithough I have had comparatively
no duty to monopolise my time, yet events seem to have
crowded so on each other that I have never felt at liberty
to sit down to answer your kind letter received before leav-
ing England. lam afraid that now I shall fulfil your re-
quest very imperfectly, but I hope sir, you will excuse and
correct any mistakes I may make, for you will remember
that writing and composition were always my weakest
points, especially at examinations.
Any remarks on our long voyage would, I think, be un-
necessary, for I believe that my father has had the honour
of telling you a little of our doings since leaving Old Eng-
land. I will therefore proceed to give what little informa-
tion I possess respecting " this new land of ours."
Most people that I have spoken with here agree with me
in pronouncing this to be a delightful country. The climate
is much superior to England, and then there is something
so enchanting and agreeable in the picturesque wildness
of these grand old forests, and something so soul-stirring
in the:air of freedom that surrounds the rambler in these
endless solitudes, which until very lately were sacred to the
red man and the wild deer—that even the usual discom-
forts attending bush life, and the heavy drain on iho
Pocket for simple necessaries, are quite overlook* or
thought compensated ' for by the enjoyments arising
from all that is strange and beautiful. This is perhaps,
colouring the account a little, but I cannot speak too highly
so far as my own experience goes. I have always been
partial to woodland scenery, and here I can,enjoy myself
to my heart's content, for I can go ashore nearly every
day either alone or in company. The country is open to
all ; no fear •of trespassing. I have a gun, and there is
plenty of game, and no game laws : in the winter the ducks
and geese aro by thousands. I have a nice Indian canoe,
and I paddle about the harbour or anywhere I choose.
But I have had what I ought to be most thankful for,
good health. Since I left England I have never been ill
a day, except from sea sickness. I think this climate will
suit me very well. Rheumatics are rather prevalent in
the winter, and I think that is almost the only sickness
here.

-looking
In most parts of the island the settlers can easily supply
themselves with sufficient deer and grouse to live upon. I
have shots at deer, but I have never got one; they get into
the bush, and we have no dog. The Indians supply us
chiefly. We buy deer, ducks, geese, grouse, salmon, and
potatoes very cheap in the season ; we give about 2d par lb.
for salmon, and other things in proportion. We generally
barter for biscuit or old clothes.
I have been some distance into the interior, and round
to all the farms. The accounts are pretty good. The soil
is very rich, and an extra crop may be gathered to what is
usual in England. But the island would not be worth
much if entirely dependent upon its agriculture, for the
soil though rich is shallow, and the fields aro few and far
between. Rocks are everywhere to be met with. The
island appears to be one huge rock, with a thin covering of
soil, and that broken up into patches. Neither do sheep
farms or cattle rearing pay very well, for there is no grass
grown for winter use, and it is very cold, so the poor
things die of cold and hunger.
As we have not bad any winter since 1858 and 1859, I
expect we shall feel the cold very much. We had a little
cold weather in the Straits of Magellan, but not much,
for it was their summer, though the snow covered the hills.
We were a long time in the tropics.
I do not know much respecting the gold fields. We
hear little of them just now. There was a little excite-
ment last month, and a small rush of speculators up the river
to Rock Creek, where a vein of silver quartz had been found.
There has been an average supply of gold from Frazer River
but nothing very extraordinary. The grand excitement was
over before we arrived. At one time there were 20,000
miners and others living in tents where Victoria now stands.
Flour was as high as Bd. per lb., hay 4d. per lb., and other
things in proportion. Many men made immense fortunes.
One hotel here cost 6d. per brick, and they small ones.
I was quite surprised to find Victoria so large as it is.
There are some very nice buildings already, mostly of wood,
but now many stores are being built of stone and bricks,
some having very nice iron fronts. The Government houses
are built of brick, and look very well. Victoria boasts of
two Churches, one large Wesleyan Chapel, a Roman Ca-
tholic Church, and a Congregationalist Chapel, a Collegiate
ahefine, matterlvell
School and Indian School, Government houses, police
offices, jail, and a theatre, several fine streets, many fine
shops and stores, two fire companies (both volunteers); one
is called the Hook and Ladder Company. They aro on the
American principle, and are supported by voluntary contri-
butions. Within the last week or twe a corporation has
been formed as is England, Mayor, Council, &c. ; there is
an efficient body of police, both English and Indian; there
are Courts of Justice much the same as in England. We
have had one case of capital punishment, and that was
since we arrived. An Indian was hanged for killing a
coloured man; the Yankee part of the community wanted
him to be reprieved, insisting that it was to murder to kill
negroes, but Old England triumphed, and gave another
assurance to the poor persecuted negro that her sons, though
so far away, still recognised him as a man and a brother.
There has been a great dispute here about the coloured
people attending places of worship. One minister—l was
about to say a Christian minister—refused to allow them
to mix with his congregation, and if they attended his
ohurch (Congregational) they were obliged to huddle up in
one remote corner; but Mr. Cridge, the minister of Christ's
Church, took up their cause and opened his church doors
to as many as liked to come, and I am pleased to see a good
proportion of coloured people in every meeting I 11±..1.av a.
attended. There are a great number of them in Ir,iceroring:
many very respectable, some of the p;ettiest housesbuttheir at-
tendinging to them. A case was tried here in court
of° Lam here ; their
gallery. There are a great number
the theatre, where they are
There has been a little
children attend the bishop's school•
children to be excused
dispute there. They wish their.ho
will not allow that. I
about
ed in the
attending prayers, sad the bishop
I do not know much about the Government, but I think
of Assembly is composed of members elected by
the House .
The Governor, :of course, is elected by the
the people•
Governor Douglas is a Scotehman, and was for
Queen.
withd not otthe
ni. know
st
merly in the Hudson Bay Company's service ; he is
Ile
and I think be
thoroughly acquainted with the country and the different
tribes of Indians, and of course is well qualified to treat
is pretty well liked. He paid us a visit. I was introduced
to him.

I must not forget to mention the two sources of the
island's future wealth—the coal fields and the extensive
forests of excellent timber. A great quantity of coal is
supplied from Nanimo, a place to the northward from here,
distant 90 miles. There is a considerable export down the
coast as far as San Francisco. The Yankees tried all they
could to run them down, but it was no use. The coal is of
average steaming quality. We have a settlement there,
and a resident minister, The Bishop was there a short tin()