Polynesian., 1858-09-04


have been soon exhausted, and the deluded victims
permitted to depend on charity. or snlrve.
Those "Britishers," so apt to be surred for their
imputed selhshness, must have received rather an
unfavorable impression of the magnanimity of the
"Bostons," in this matter. When their interfer-
ence became necessary to prevent the latter from
starving each other, they must have formed queer
idea of JOnathan's regard for his fellow creatures
in general, and his duped eountrymen in particu-
lar.
1t is probable, however, that when the HudsOn's
Bay Company refused to put -four up to $50 per
barrel, and other articles of food in proportion to
suit the views of San Francisco spectators, they
foresaw that should they do so. the market would
become thoroughly overstocked, as to prevent a
fair profit from being realised. As it is, there is
chance of such being the case. Vast amounts of
goods have been shipped to Victoria, well us to
WhatcOm, Sehome. and other ports adjacent, and
more is still going. Victoria being free port,
there is a strong inducement to ship all sorts of
merchandise thither, particularly bonded articles,
on which the duty may be high. Owing to this
state of the case we should not be surprised To see
the Victoria market, before long, ruling far below
that of San Francisco, and the re-importatisn of
many of the goods now in transit thither.
II will require Customs officers tn be on the alert
when this reflux begins to take place. Goods sub
Jet to thirty per cent. duty would bear Fraser
river trip exceedingly well, and leave something of
a margin over cost Of importation.-S. F. Prices
Current.
From the s F. Timesl
VICTORIA, July %, 1858.
To speak of Esquimalt as a town, would simply
be to buresque the place, it consisting Of three or
four miserable cloth shanties hudded together in
the middle of the highway, and covered, was
everything about them, with fine yellow dust, which
lies ancle deep in all the thoroughfares and flies
up like down pucked from gOsng, on the slight
est disturbance. About these shabby booths cook
ing is carried on by means of fryingpa or the
still more primitive process of broiling on stick,
while within, on plank, is displayed decoction
of coffee about the complexion OF tar, offset with
few chunks of dessicated gingerbread. Altngeth-
er forlGrn as is the appearance OF Esquimalt, yet
it has an admirable harbOr which, of course, alone
imparts to 1t Importance. The surface of the ad-
lcent shores is rough, being composed of granite,
much broken up, and covered wherever there is
sufficient soil tn promote their growth, by trees OF
the spruce and cedar family. An execrabe road
from this point brings you to the town of VictO-
ria, handsomely situated on commanding plateau,
but so often depicted | will spare your readers
additional description No great amount of build
ing is now going on here, and real estate is in
condition of quictude. predict if it moves at all,
il will be downward. just every is in
Of suspense, afraid to build, unwilling to sell
awaiting further developments in relation to the
will linger; should they be unlavOrIble, they will
be prrcipitaied, while if favorable present prices
NAV POSSIBLY be maintained. | don't know as
can describe the prevalent feeling here better than
by saying everything here appears to be skHiSh.
In regard tn the mines. IL is now pretty well set
tied that the bars Fraser river, from Hills Bar
down, will pay at least fair, and in many cases
large wages, when the water goes down. was on
that stream two days ago, and found it had fallen
three feet within the preceding week and many of
the miners had got to work ard were doing WELL
Others were waiting for further subsistence of
the water, 50 as to get into their claims, when
the, expected to do equally we'll. The size of
claims this river, as now fixed 10y miners, is 20
f.et wide running all the way back from the water
Every claim that promises to pay for working is
now taken up. 1t will, therefore, be useless for
others to 60 there in hopes To get claims. The ae-
counts SO far from Thompson river are by no means
and no dry diggings Of any import
ance have vet been found anywhere in the Fraser
river country. From that portion Of this stream,
however, lying above Thompson river we have well
accounts of rich bars having been
found, while at the same time new route To that
section of the country has lately been opened via
Harrison Lake and River, which, when improved,
as the government intends doing, will enable all
supplies requisite for large mining population to
be forwarded over it. On Saturday last the steam
propeller Umatilla left this place, and entering
Harrison River and Lake, passed through their
entire length without difficulty, a distance of so
miles from Fraser river. The navigation of these
waters is here looked upon u matter of great
Importance, it adds fifty miles of water comnn-
nicItion IN Il direction towards what is now con-
sdered the most valuable portion of the gold fields
viz: the Upper Fraser river. Gov. Douglass, on
heing informed of the success of this undertaking,
assured large collection of miners whom he ad-
dressed on the subject yesterday morning, that he
sI.. 8 -,
ready begun, with Vi W to building a wagon road
over it, and advised all persons hereafter going to
the mines to proceed this way. This shows the
confidence the company themselves have IN the
route, and am of opinion loaded wagons will pass
from the mouth Of the LilloOet river, at the head
Of Harrison Lake, to the upper waters of Fraser
river, in less than three MONTHS while a mode Of
conveyance by means of canoes and pack trains
will at once be established. The Umatila leaves
this afternoon for Harrison Lake, and we learn
more passengers and freight have offered than
she can possibly carry. 1t is safely owing to
the enterprise and sagacity of Capt. AinswOrth
owner of the Umatila, that the public is indebted
for this important discovery, and these additional
faciltirs fIr reaching what is now looked upon
the richest. and hitherto almost inaccessible por-
tions of the mines. ID.
e At length it seems, there is a fair prospect
Of the opening Of the Tehauntepec route.-Accnrd-
ing to the Sacramento Union, the Hon. j. C. Nc
Kibhen received q letter by this mail from New
York dated July 7th, from which it makes the fol-
lowing extracts:
The Tehauntepee Country are now in full tide Of
pr sprriy-the mail contract has been delivered to
it. Benjamin and La Sere were here last week
and succe, ded in getting all the money they want
ed. They purchased the Quaker City. one Of the
hest built and fastest steamships out of this port,
fr $4,000 cash. The contractor for the river
bats WAS here last week, and is to meet me here
IN Thursday, to execute the contract. The river