The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-17 00:00:00

of this goldfield likely to be limited to these rivers
and their sources. Coarse gold was found about six
weeks since by some packers while exploring for a
mule route around Lake Seton. It, was discovered
on a large creek flowing into the outlet of the lake
at a point about 15 miles from the Fraser. The dust
was apparently of high standard value. At two
places on the Lillooet River bars have been found
that will warrant working with a sluice. The first
of these is on the east side of the stream, 10 miles
above Port Douglas, were a partyare now washing
with sluices with very satisfactory results. When
I passed the spot they had been at work but two
days ; the first day three men took out 14 dols. 50c.
the next day, 18 dols. They showed me the gold,
which was fine, like that found on the Lower
Fraser. The other bar is 20 miles above Port
Douglas. It is very extensive, and promises to pay
as well as the one first named, though it has not
yet been worked. Bars similar to these are abun-
dant on the Lillooet, and the fact of these having
been prospected was owing to the accident of a log
cabin having been built near them, and not because
they seemed more likely to contain gold than the
others. For 100 miles above the Pavilion, and be-
yond what is termed the Canoe Country, the banks
of Fraser River have been proved to pay even bet-
ter than below, the gold being coarser and more
easily saved, as well as more plentiful. It will
thus be seen that the goldfields of British Columbia
ascertained to be paying, to say nothing of rumoured
discoveries beyond, are tolerably extensive. They
do not, it is true, rival those of California or Aus-
tralia in magnitude, but that they cover a large
scope of country, and will give employment to a
large population, is settled beyond controversy or
question.

" RICHNESS OF THE MINES.

" To claim that the Fraser River mines are as
rich, or that labour has been generally as well
rewarded in them as in the mines of California at
an early day, would be idle. I might say much in
explanation of the numerous failures that attended
the first adventurers to these mines, without mak-
ing myself their apologist—how the miners came too
soon and in too great numbers—how the river kept
up, and of the many disadvantages under which
they laboured ; all might be enlarged upon were it
not now well known to the public. In regard to
this section, however, I may say those pioneers who
worked here last winter and spring uniformly made
large wages, and that those who came in since have
been able to remain, paying the enormous prices
they have done for provisions, which proves that they
must have had good paying claims most of the
time. The cost of living here, with other necessary
expenditures, could not have been less than 4 dols.
a day to the man, yet I find all have been able to
defray their current expenses, while many have
accumulated large sums—sufficiently large, in a
majority of cases, with those who have been here
any length of time, so lay in a winter's stock of
provisions, even at the present high prices. That
better average wages can be made here than in any
part of California at present there is no doubt. This
can be done even with the present want of ditches and
indifferent appliances for taking out the gold. These
diggings, owing to the fineness of the dust and the
difficulty of saving it, require to be worked with
sluices—a mode that has been introduced to but a
limited extent as yet, owing to the want of lumber,
as well as of wheels or ditches for supplying water.
When sluices shall have been generally brought
into use more than twice the amount now
realised can be taken out to hand. Another cause
that will tend to render these mines highly
remunerative in the aggregate is, that every
man will be able to secure a claim, and that
but little capital will be required for starting
operations ; hence every one will enjoy the full
fruits of his own labour and none need remain
idle. For this winter, owing to the lateness with
which provisions have been got in, not much will
be done, no one here expects it ; the utmost that
will be aimed at, as a general thing, will be to make
enough to pay expenses of living, to prospect a
little, and be on hand at the breaking up of winter.
With the coming of spring large operations will be
entered into, and all here entertain the most san-
guine anticipations, or rather, I should say, fullest
confidence as to the results.
" THEIR DURABILITY.
_

" That these mines will be found not only rich
and extensive, but also lasting, I am fully satisfied.
Apart from their vast extent of surface, the dig-
gings, at one time thought to be shallow, are now
known to run down ward in many localities to a
good depth. It has lately been ascertained that not
only the bars along the river, but many of the
lower benches or table lands contain sufficient gold
to pay, where water can be brought upon them,
which, in most cases, can easily be done. These
benches are not only numerous, but often of great
extent, and would afford employment for a large
number of men for many years to come. Little or
no search has been made as yet for drift digging or
quartz, though there are abundant indications that
both, of a paying character, exist. Fine ledges of
quartz, in fact, present themselves almost every-
where, though no thorough examination has been
made of their quality. The banks of Bridge River
consist of alternate strata of slate and quartz rock,
the most favourable possible geological formation
for gold. I would venture, then, after having seen
considerable of the mines in this quarter, to express
the confident opinion that they will prove suffi-
ciently extensive, productive, and lasting to warrant
a large immigration to this country in the ensuing
season, and that British Columbia is destined to
become another great gold-producing region, rank-
ing next to California and Australia in the amount
she will hereafter annually yield of this precious
commodity."
The only criticism I will make upon this letter
is, that other published accounts recently received
from Fort Yale confirm much of what it and the
first letter contain.
The same correspondent writes a third letter
from Port Douglas on the Lilooet route, of which
I lately spoke, as now travelled to the Upper Fraser
River country, because it avoids the delays and
dangers of the navigation of that river. He says
many of the miners are coming down from the in-
terior and abandoning mining for the winter, owing
to the cold and the high price of provisions—" some
to spend a couple of months at Port Douglas or at
Victoria, returning to the mines in February—
others going to Washington Territory, Oregon, or
California, most of these also intending to come back
in the spring, their convictions almost uniformly
being favourable to the countryas a mining region."
He says Port Douglas is increasing rapidly, and, not-
withstanding the very exorbitant prices of provi.
sions and of clothing, and the unreasonable rates of
freights and of land-carriage, " several parties,
some of them formerly prominent business men in
San Francisco, are now making preparations for
establishing themselves in trade at Port Douglas."
This is a significant fact. Finally, this observant
and enterprising traveller winds up with the follow-
ing opinion of the prospects of the country :—" In
closing I cannot refrain from repeating the lan-
guage of encouragement I have already held. Let
none be discouraged—let none whose lot has been
cast in and whose interests have been linked with
those of British Columbia despair. After carefnlly
and somewhat extensively surveying this vast field
I am satisfied it is destined soon to become the
theatre of great enterprises and industrial opera-
tions—the scene of activity and business, the home
of a great and thriving people . Just at present
trade is a little stagnant, and the labour
market depressed. But this is not to last—
the end is very nigh. Now is the winter of our
discontent.' A few months will initiate a new
order of things, and the sun of prosperity will arise,
not soon to set, on the industry and progress of
British Columbia."
Very considerable quantities of gold-dust are
continually arriving in Victoria, but I have no
means of ascertaining the amount. The produc-
tiveness of the mines is now quite settled is the
affirmative.

Immigrants have not yet arrived in large num-
bers, and it is much to be wished that the arrivals
will be gradual, so as not to overstock the popula-
tion suddenly.
I am this instant informed that four persons have
certainly lost their lives from exposure to the cold
in Fraser River. They abandoned their boats and
endeavoured to walk along the bank to Langley,
but had to succumb before they could reach this
place. This sad fate could have been averted had

there been suitable steamers on the river to ply
from Langley to Fort Hope, instead of the weak
and inefficient American boats of which I spoke at
the beginning of my letter.
At Victoria business is pretty brisk. There are
two, and sometimes three, steamers engaged in car-
rying merchandise to Langley. Immigrants are
coming in by every vessel from San Francisco, and
full confidence is entertained in the future growth
and prosperity of the place. The Orestes, with
500 passengers from Australia for Victoria, had to
put in for refreshment at Honolulu, and may be
soon expected. The major portion of the immi-
grants for this place and British Columbia are
bullied into remaining in San Francisco by the
prejudiced stories told them of the failure of the
gold mines, and of the frightful severity of the
climate. All this will soon find its level. For my
own part, I am glad that population does not pour
into the country prematurely as happened in Califor-
nia in its early days. All classes of emigrants will find
spring and summer the best seasons to arrive in.
Work will be more abundant in and about Victoria,
money will more freely circulate than at present,
and the mills will be accessible and the weather
agreeable. A sudden influx of population into a
new country is a thing I view with horror.
The flagship Gacges is still here. It was sup-
posed she would have sailed immediately after the