Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-08-20
Daily Sir9in''ln.
Vancouver Island.

cR'Ied, Qundrn anu vancouver lsland. ~ IN nhlnnE
body ot land about twice the six" ol Long Island.
lying oil the coast Of British America. in the Same
latitude Us Cape Clear, in the south of Ireland
1t il separated from the mainland by Queen Chars
lotte's Sound, the Gulf Of Georgia. aud the Strait
ot juan de fuca. the latter nnmcd after an
cicnt mariner who visited these in advance of
Capt Cook. and who once believed ~ have
discovered the vrritablo North Vest Passage. Its
existence ~ an island was not known until tho
year l,S2, when an American vessel sailed Though
the channel between it and the mainland; its his
tory is almost entirely devoid Of interest In tho
latter part of the last century, tho Spanish, being
excited by the Of the English traders in
North-Westcrn America, seized upon the island,
and undertook to establish II colony ON Nootka
Sound. on the west coast; hut no uncertain were
they of their claim to tho territory. that when in
l103. Capt. Vancouver, who had previously sailed
with Cook, visited Nootkn Sound to urge the claims
Of the English no, crnmcnt, he was received with
great poltcncss hy Captain Quadrn. the Spanish
Comnandnnt. and the possession was curtcousy
made o,cr to England nitcr short diplomatic
rarlcy
Quadras name preceded that of Vancouver in
naming the island md is found on nl but the
most recent maps. Vancouver was IA brave and
skillful navigator Of much experience. and VI is
l"ter that his name should hc thus pcrpetuntcd
thnn that of the Spanish commandant, who. not
withstnnling his prior claim, mn intcropcron
the premises. In 1870 the Island made over
to the ludsons Bay Company to coloniac hut so
far from their having accomplished this, IL still
mans uncx porcd. and the physical features of its
interior are rs little known those Of Central
Airicn. At the end of the year 1854, tho white
population numbered but 40 souls. of whom
about loo were in the ser, lee of the Iludson's
Bay Company
The shore Of Vancouver lslnnd IL lower than
most other parts OF the northwest const of Ameri.
ca. presenting an alienation ofrocky ellis and
sandy beaches. 4 short distance baek of the shore
there il II line of large detached undiscovered ",h
pine trees; and Il little further IN the uuexplorcd
interior s range of lofty rugged mountains,
whose SUBMITS nrc covered with eternal SHOW
It's climate s said to be mild in inter, though
the Summer heat equals that OF tho tropics. In
the latter season rain is unknown. aud tho
little streams on tho island dry up aud disappear,
while tho long, luxurant grass, which has sprung
up rs though by magic, becomes dried and parch-
o., aud ready I" ignite upen the first application
Of fire. Tho Winter season. however, lasts q ght
months, during which spncc heavy rnns fall in
cessnntly. accompanied with violet thunder
storms and iogs oi rcmarkaLlc den ity and dnra-
ton Notwithstanding this nclomency tho soil of
the island is said to be very fortilo and susrcpt
bile Of cultivation, the shrrtncsS Of the Summer
season being compensated by the rapidty Of veg
ctablc growth. Asyot. however, scarcely five
hundred acres under cultivation, aud the ~, i'll
contradiction Of tho theory of Henry &. Ca,eyarc
situated only in the valleys near the ara-shorc.--
The Hudson Bay Company sell tho land ut rl
sterling per 20 acres, the purchaser being bound to
supply one settler for every section oi2o that
he buys.
As regards its native productions. Vancouver
Island is but sparsely supplied with vegetables
that may be eaten. The Indian inhabitants gath
ar the tdrrssIi escuie;ta, the roots Of which,
about tho sizc Of onions, they bury in tho earth
to for food in tho Winter. The sweet blac
berries of the Guaithcria. which resemble black
berries are their tavorite fruit. in addition 10
these they have rasphcrries. goosehcrrics, straw
berries, crnb-arples. wild cherries and Eqniscfnm
hyemaic. the latter making excellent fodder for
cattle. Its fauna comprises two species OF bears.
three of deer, black and whiio wolves. small pan
thcrs squirrels, raccoons. land and sea otters and
beavers. Tho fur trade has never yet been
prosecuted to any extent, the annual export OF
skins from the island amounting to only few
hundred dollars. Tho forests are lofty and dense.
Two species of oak abound, and tho pine trees are
reported to some mos attain the enormous dimen-
sions of $50 feet in high. and ~ feet in circum-
ference. The ship sphrs produced on Nancou-
yer Island said tobe, in point of size and
comparative strength, the most valuable in the
world
Within the last ten Years coal has been found in
abundance on the islnnd, and thus derives addition
nj Importance from the possibility that 1t may ut
some future day n ncoal depot Tor the steam
marine of the Pacific. The first excavations were
made in tho vicinity Of Fort Rupert but the seam
averaging scarcely six inches i'll thickness, the
works mt that place were abandoned upon the dis
coycry in 1850, ofthc mincralat Aanamo. on the
east coast The Spaninrds appear. however. to
have been the original discover Of coal on Nan-
cuuyer Island, the ruins OF IL fortified mInc are
still remaining ut Matchousin. in the extreme south.
4, Nanamo the bed is from six to seven feet thick,
lying within fifty feet of the surface and is sup
Has
|. has been extensively mined by the lludson's
Bay Company. tho daily excavation of IA single
luborcr averaging two tuns. The coal IN delivered
ON board of vessels Mt sl per tun, and in 1854 it
brought S2S per tun in San Francisco
The native population numbers about L 900,
and comprises % different tribes. Of which the
Clayoquots, 1000 in number, are the lnrgcst.--
Four languages are spoken on the Island. none Of
which bear any resemblance to the dialects OF the
mainland. Slavery is praetsed by the inhabitants,
those prisoners of war that are not belcaded for
the qualification Of their victors being consigned
to lifelong servtude. The natives, particularly
those on the west coast are tall and well formed,
with coarse black hair, which they suffer to grow
without molestation. They have long noses, prom
inent cheek bones, large mouths and eyes, and
small low fOreEeads--owing to tho custom that
prevails Of binding strips Of bark around the
heads Of young infants, habit that must have a
great effect on their moral and intellectual deve-
opmept. The color of their skin is reddish brown;
and the women almost. without exception, en-
dowed with tlat noses. When the females are old
enough they sold, and many Of the wealthier
own many as ten or dozen wives for
which they pay prices varying frcm ten woolen
blankets to q musket apiece. Abortion is univer-
sally resorted to to prevent too great increase of
family, and though the women are generally fruit
full they seldom bear as many three children
The dress of the males consists Of bear skins, and
they have rings hung from their ears and noses.-
The women wear shirts made of wool or ibcrs of