The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-04-18
The Gold Region of British
Column i0. .---------
From the London rrnss Correspondent. -..rF +
44AJo sVIcfoRlA, vANCorvER ISLAND,
November 20, 1861.
THE LOCALE OF rHE D1ua1Nas.


TIE LOCALE OF THE D1aarNas. vi
have not written much on the subject
of British Columbia of late because the
accounts which reached Us throughout the
summer and autumn were Of 30 glowing q
character, and gave 80 superlative descrip-
ton of the wealth of the upper gold country,
as appeared fabulous. The reports from
Cariboo were really 80 extravagant in
character that l did not feel justified in Civ
ing circulation to them on hearsay evidence.
Being now, however, in possession of proofs
OF the general accuracy Of the very Aatter-
ing reports which regularly reached Victo.
ria by every succeeding steamer from Brit
ish Columbia during the whole period of the
mining season just over, feel justified in
communicating them.
The portion of British Columbia which
has yielded nearly all the gold produced
this year, and which is destined to attract
the notice of the world to degree not
hitherto accorded to the country in the
aggregate, is newly discovered district
called Carib0o IA corruption of "Cerfbeuf,"
large species of reindeer that inhabits the
country. The district is about 500 miles
10 the interior, north. Tor northeast rather)
from the coast of British Columbia and the
mouth of Fraser river. 1t is not far from
the sources or " head waters" of the south
branch of Fraser river and the Rocky
mountains, and forms patch o. country
a broken, rugged mass of mountains and
streams, fifty miles from north to sonth, and
thirty miles from east to west, as far as yet
known from recent exploration-round
three sides of which the south branch of the
Fraser makes great bend or semicirce
from its source to its junction with the north
branch, near Fort George trading station
of the Hudson's Bay Company, in about
lat $50 Sc sec. n. For the sake of accu.
racy, l should mention that this branch of
the Fraser, although popularity called the
south branch land which the Hudson Bay
Company called the north branch from the
nortaerly direction OF the first portion of its
course), is really the main body of the riv-
er. Its sources are at distance of some
sixty or seventy miles westwardly from the
main chain OF the Rocky mountains. The
bend of the river, which embraces the new
mineral region within, its curve, runs
course northwest 100 miles, and then takes
asouthwest course of about SO miles in
length. This large section of country is
believed, from the appearances presented on
various parts of the surface, to be aurifer.
Gus, both in quartz (gold matrix) and in
placeres, throughout its whole extent but
the portions hitherto "prospected" las the
miners phrase is for the search for, and for
the discovery of gold) are confined to the
dimensions given above-5O by 80 miles.
Fraser river does not acquire its great
velocity in this part of its course, which
runs through a comparatively level coun.
try until it enters the regions OF the cas-
cades and other mountains through which
its waters rush with an impetuosty which
causes many distractions to navigation.
Consequently the river is navigable to Fort
Alexandria for large steamers and for
steamers of light draught of water, say
three to four feet, up to Swift river, dis.
lance of As miles, and which is within 40
miles OF Antler, in CariboO-a fact which
will facilitate the traffic of next year by
shortening the land carriage of the present
route. Cariboo is 10 New Caledonia, as
known in the division of the districts west
of the Rocky mountains. In the Hudson's
Bay Company, when they had the license
of trade with the Indians In the country
which now forms the colony of British Co.
lumbia. cannot state the geographical
position OF Carboo with accuracy, but the
centre of that portion of the district which
was the scene of this seasons mining may
be taken as lying between the sources of
Antler creek, Swift Tor Cottonwood) river,
and Swamp river. all of which flow and run
in opposite directions, from a chain of
mountains called "The Bald Mountains"
traversng the district. The central point
10y correction of Arrowsmitb's map) is
in north latitude $50 20 min., west loDgi-
tude 1919 40 min.
PROSPECTS IN MAY.
10 May the miners got to work on Antler
Greek and some of the new haGds-raw at
the work-"took out gold to the value OF
200 dollars day each, while new claims
were daily opened with like prospects OF
success" One man, working with rocker,
very slow and inefficient implement, took
out 400 dollars (e8O) in one. day; while two
men washed up sixteen ounces worth G54
5s) apiece in one day, also with rocker.
A Mr.. Smith earned 81 pounds (wortn
9lS5 Is in one day. His claim averaged
26 to 80 ounces q day. What are called
"bench claims, terraces situated 100 feet
above the water OF the creek, were yielding
from four to eight ounces of gold to each
rocker every day. Few claims yielded less
than $50 to $l0O day to each hand.
Confidence in the mineral wealth of the
district was inspired from the first. 1t was
seen to exhibit all the characteristics of
rich gold region, and bore striking resem.
blance in all its features to the richest re-
gion OF California in l849. In the early
part of this month May, there were five
feet of snOw on the ground, but this did not
prevent several miners from getting to
work. A company of five men were get.
ting out 81 ounces day. Two men had
got out 5000 in two days. AS the miners
constructed "humes," which economical
manual labar and enabled them to discard
the slow and tedious rocker, the results
were much higher, amounting to all sorts of
amounts from GlOO to G5O0 day to o
company composed of three to five and six
men.
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