Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-09-10
LETTER FROM SIN JUAN.

SAN JUAN ISLAND, PoRr TOWNSEND ? o., W.
AuGusT Z, 1856.
EpiroRs OF LgpGER,-slRs g. The Ses ;ioi
of the U. s. District Court at Port Townsend
required on the part of my clients an absenc
from San Juan, at the moment OF the leayin
of the Express for Government by which yo
will have been advertised ofthe stirring event
of this island, two weeks before this reache
you. As my two sons arc on the island, ant
myself mostly at Port Townsend, l have no
mixed personally in these matters of San Jual
further than now and then word of advice
| think named in every letter written for tn,
press, the neglect of our Government in not af
fording protection to settlers, from incurson
of Indians of British territory-the butchery
not unfrequently, of the insulated settler OF
the land, and wholesale piraces upon the wa
ter. That we have no adequate force to repe
invasion, but by concentration of volunteers
at immense sacrifice of crops and means of sus
tenance. Tho butcheries around the Islands
and especially San Juan, had driven away al
hope OF settling in safety, notwithstanding tn,
impression that the Hudson Bay Company
used their moral control to prevent any regu-
lar ineurSiOn of these creatures, horrible in
look as in deed.
So far as San Juan Island concerne we had no
projection from death for one hour, but in the
moral aid and strong arm of the Hudson Bay
Company.
Unfortunately ~ one of our settlers had
nannoyed by certain ten yearod boar, be-
longing to%he Company's station. The boar
making appropriation of potato patch, which
the aforesaid settler deeming needful to his
own stomach, took issue with the boar as to
right of property finally shot the boar, and
Immediately went to the chief factor of the
Company, stated frankly what he had done
and asked to PAY for the boar. Now knew
that same old boar; and he certainly was a
great 'bole," but rather elderly. l. have no
doubt the Company's gentlemanly agent Mr..
Griffin would have sold, on other occasion,
that same old boar for five to ten dollars the
price OF young cnes in the eounry, but the
'sinsult to the II. b. Coz required an addition
Of 800, and 800 was asked, not in the "usual
gentlemany manner of the agent aforesaid.
That afternoon, British armed steamer
landed Mr.. Dallas, who is son-in-law to Mr..
Douglass, the controlling Drectorofthe Com
pany, with another Director, Dir. Tolmie and
a third chief trader, who with Mr.. Griffin,
s'aforesad, =" proceeded somewhat in state to
to the cabin of the man that shot the boar;
and by tho way Zen pdsSdat) ever after this
s'the man that shot the boar. ''the man that
shot the boar, ''TnE man that SHOT tie boar
will be esteemed by the servants and Com
pany as the most extraordinarily daring man
that eyer dared the IL. b. Co. After Il short
''parley," Mr.. Dallas told tie man that shot
the boar that he must be taken to Victoria,
which the aforesaid ''man that shot the boar
declined to do, and not i'll those respectful
words usual to be used by menials to the high
dienitaries Of the Company aforesaid. Being
alone, he stepped into his log cabin fertilization
and commanded CATER glance at certain caps)
the aforesaid dignitaries to 'crack the whip
Whereupon the effort was responded in order
as Mr.. Dallas informed ''the man that shot the
boar, " to have it done by certain soldiers and
armed forces her Britannia Majesty, under
the controle usage, bidding order and subject
TO all the whims 70 the very whsical gentlemen
of the Hudson Bay Company Wherupon the
dignitaries aforesaid, retired from
the field Of action. have named before that
an ''insult' to the II. B. Company was no
joke to the settlers of San Juan. They depended
upon them and not upon our Government for
protection from Nothern Indians.
They (the settlers) became Informed through
the servants Of the Company, that semi-oloial
instructions that ssif the Bostons get into
trouble with Indians YOU must keep away, y
had been given by the Company or their agent
to their servants. q hope that this may never
be confirmed; think it impossible that.such
instructions had been given. 1t is not in Mr..
Grifiinis nature (unbdden) to thus excite an
lndinn foray.) Some two dead bodies of
Americans murdered by the Indians iloated on
the island, and others are missing. Petition
by the few settlers for military aid had been
thought about, hut the small force
here seemed to forbid the hope-but it nop
became iAperatiyely necessary, in the fear at
least, that II. B. Company would not afford
them protection, but rather encourage the In
dams to drive them off the island, ''they were
with the II. B. & Co.'s rights, and
Mr.. Griffin certainly did say, or am badly in
Iormed that he regretted that he had ever
permitted an American officer" to come OH the
Island. | suppose he the aforesaid gentleman,
could have prevented it.
The settlers petitioned for military aid to
General Harvey who seems to be thoroughly
of this country's necessity for more
md more naval and military forces. The Gen
eral promptly placed Captain Pickett and his
officers, and company of Semen, on the island
Of San Juan. Now, this was esteemed by the
aforesaid Hudson Bay Company, as an insult
almost equal to that committed by "the man
hat shot the boar and they the aforesaid
Company, directed her Britannia Majesty's
orces here, (Gov. Douglass, being Vice
Admiral, to command) to capture and carry to
Victoria, first, Captain Pickett and his com
oany, and then 'the man that shot the boar.
Capt. Picket respectfully declined to receive
my invitation to that effect, but published
rider No. l, which you have doubtless pub
ished ere this reaches you.
My aim has been to give you statement of
he facts as they occurred up to the period
when the whole country here became excited
~ tile threat of the IL. B. Co. No one intell-
,ent man believes the British Government ca
,able, if truly advised, of committing the
olles that have occurred.
The British armed forces have been so long
bout the Island, that they begin to believe
hat they the Ii. b. Company owned it.
Had the British landed their marines, &C.,
200 in number, there is no doubt that Captain |
Pickett, his worthy officers and so men, would
very one of them died just there, alongside
# "some' of the enemy. OF the GO Island /
ettlers, every man was prepared to lie down
here. Whether this wonld have moved our
Atlantic brethren" or whether we should
the few left in these parts) have been carried
o Victoria with the man that shot the boar,
$ an even question-but haven't found any
'ody ready to go. P. X. II.
T. S.-The British have just established a
}ustom House on the Island-the first seizure
makes ga row. or palmer fight. Several
torres are starting, wharyes building, &C.; the
,rettiest Island in the United States.
Grs- The apple crop in New Jersey is every
where progressing finely, and the orchards are
very where loaded down with this luscious 4
ruit and wa hnva avarv renann now IN hone