, 1858-05-14

The steamer Panama brought up ITO
passengers to Bellingham Bay, and the
Constitution about l2O.
Mr. Titon states that the Hudson Bay
Co. have within short time taken in at
least 500, 900 of gold dust for goods.
We learn that it is the intention Of the
commissioners Of the trail at Whatcom to
procure the services Of Capt. De Lacy to
Immediately mark out, examine and report
upon the route to Thompson river.
FRAzER's RIVER GoLD MINES,
april 29h, 1858.
FRIEND PLUMER:-We have arrived in
these mines at last, after one of the hardest
trips on record. 1 shall not attempt to
give you narrative of the difficulties and
dangers of travelling on this river, as it
would be impossible for me to do justice to
it at present. 1t was next to impossible to
get up when we came, and when the river
rises to its full height no canoe or boat can
possibly get up or down.
We are now located 80 miles above the
junction Of Frazer's and Thompson's rivers,
on Frazer's river. The distances up are as
follows: From the mouth Of Frazer's river
to Fort Langley, 80 miles; from there TO
Fort Hope, 60 miles; from Fort Hope to
Fort Yale, one days travel; from Fort
Yale to the Forks, 8 days travel, and from
the forks to where we are, 80 miles; max
ing in all about 200 miles. About one
fourth of the canoes that attempt to come
up are lost on the rapids, which extends
from Fort Yale nearly to the Forks. A
few days ago six men were drowned by
their canoe being upset in attempting to go
down. There is more danger in going down
than in coming up. There can be no doubt
about this country being immensely rich in
gold. Almost every bar on the river from
Fort Yale up, will pay from three to seven
dollars day, to the man, at the present
stage Of the water, and when the river gets
low, which will be about next August, they
will pay very we'll One hundred and nine
ty-six dollars was taken out by one man,
last winter, in few hours, but the water
was then at its lowest stage. The gold on
the bars is all very fine and hard to save in
a rocker, but with quicksilver properly
managed, good wages can be made almost
anywhere on the river as long as the bars
are not actually covered with water. We
have not been able to find place yet where
we can work anything but rockers; If we
could get sluice to work here, we could
make from IL to l6 dollars a day each
We only commenced work yesterday, and
we are satisfied when we get fully under
weigh, we can make from S. to 81 per day,
each. The prospect is better as we go up
the river, on the bars; the gold is not any
coarser but there is more Of it. There are
men ct work here who have been 80 miles
higher up and who say they made from $40
to SIC day, aud that it can be made on
high bars where the water will not trouble
them until it obtains its highest point
There is also in that region, diggings Of
coarssr gold on small streams that empty
into the main river; few men have been
there and proved the existence Of rich dig
gings, by bringing specimens back with
them. The Indians all along the river from
Fort Hope up have a considerable quantity
of gold in their possession. that they say
they dug themselves; but those above us
will not point out the place where they get
it, nor allow small parties Of men to go up
to look after it. have seen pieces 10 their
possession that weighed 81. The Indians
on the river as far up as where we are have
been very friendly, and presume they will
remain 50, but those above US are disposed
to be troublesome. We have been 20 miles
above here on bar which was paying SIS
a day, but the Indians went into a camp
about mile above us, and forcibly took
the provisions and arms from q party of
four men and cut two Of the party severely
with their knives in the row. The came
into our camp the same day and insisted
that we should trade with them or leave
their country. All the white men that
we're scattered along the river, in that sec
tion, collected together, and as the bar
there was not large enough for all to work
on, all hands moved down here. This bar
is large enough for a hundred men towork
on all summer; there are now about 4O men
on it.
We design, at present, to remain here
until we can get one hundred men together,
when we will move up above the Falls and
do just about as we please without regard
TO the Indians. There can be no doubt OF
the existence Of rich mines Of coarse gold
in many parts of this country, but there
has not been men enough here yet to even
prospect it. We are at present, the high
est up of any party of white men on the
river, aud we must go higher to be satisfied.
Five or six dollar dggings won't do while
there is better in the country. l don't ap-
Drehend any danger from the Indians at
present. but there will be h-ll to pay after
= while.
We are determined to remain here, III
possible until the river falls, when good dig.
gings can be found any where. l would
not advise any body to come here until
about the last of July, when think they
can get up the river without much difficult
ty. There is pack trail from Fort Hope,
but it cannot be travelled until the snow is |