The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-23
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
NOTES or n TRIP TO CARIBO0.
BY NORTHWEST.

inst twenty-four hours ago. To-day l spent
in exploring, not for new mines, but rather
among the old ones. And now propose to
mass AN hour in writing Of what have seen
and learned.
cARBoo.
Cariboo is a district of country far mp among
4ba mountains in British Columbia, so named
from n b,deous wild animal that inhabits this
Snhospitable territory. To put the whole sub
ieot in a nutshell, the colony is one vast
waste. made up of a series of upheavals Of
stone. or irregular mountain ohasms of gra-
mite. interspersed with narrow, barren Gre
vices, ironically called valleys, and when a
few unfortunate adventures have stopped
because they could 60 no farther, and pretend
to play farmer. These valleys, with two or
three microscopic exceptions, are as bleak and
sterile as the sandy beach along the northern
shores of the Atlantic, washed by old oceans
restless waves, coeval with the autumn's
chilly winds. For agricultural purposes the
province is absolutely valueless. The mines
are its only source Of wealth.
The popular mind was first directed to the
country by the discovery of gold along the
banks of the Fraser river. The tocsin sounded,
the cry rang wildly throughout the habitable
glObe-Away to the gold mines of the North
Who has not heard of Fraser river of its
buried treasurer of the fabulous fortunes there
for all who would come, see, and gather! All
have heard; yes, and more, all have heard o.
the disappointments, of the blighted hopes and
expectations, of the utter ruin, that cry
wrought. The misfortune was, the gold was
always in the distance, while the disappoint-
ment and sorrow was brought home to the
anguish of thousands of generous, true, and
loving hearts. The moral: contentment should
come with the Just reward of honest industry,
30 the total disregard of all cries of fabulous
fortunes 10 De rsp,,g ,,,v made in distant lands,
WILLIAMS CREEK.
The valley of Williams creek is about two
miles long and from quarter to half mile
wide above and below the canon 1t contains
about two thousand men, chiefly miners.
They are divided off in what may be called
their camps. The FIRST, or one farthest up the
stream, is dignifed by the name of Richfeld;
She second is Baskerville; the third Cameron
ton. Along the base of the mountain, on
NAAASANAAs
are situated rows of stately buildings, ranging
all the way from seven by nine to eight by
ten feet in size, and from eight to ten feet
high-in many of which are domiciled half-a-
dozen hardy, honest miners, of brawny
arms, brave hearts, and indomitable wills.
They deserve rich rewards for the toll and de-
privations they suffer, but alas alas ! how
few of the great mass succeed in accomplishing
the object of their ambtiOn-a great fortune.
Williams creek was discovered by a man OF
that name, in the spring of the year 1861.
Previous to that time, mining in British
Columbia had been confined to Fraser river
The first claims were located in Richdeld, the
hest of which paid well at the outset and
caused an immense rush of population. Fra
ser river Honey and Antler creeks, lost all
their charms, their dggings were left in dis
gust for the great centre of attraction, where
gold of the finest quality could be scooped up
by the shovelfull. After all the claims had
been taken up in the valley (Which is not more
than half-a-mile long) above the Corrlan,
prospecting to a considerable extent was car
Tied on there; but no gold was found az
length an idea presented itself 10 the hlhu ol
an Old California miner, that by some strange
convulsion of nation the bed Of the creek had
been changed, and that by tunnelllng into the
earth a distance of two or three hundred feet
the old bed would be reached, and that large
deposits of gold would be found A number
of resolute men formed themselves into All
association under the name of the Black Jack
Company, and ran tunnel into the mountain,
in a sort of incline direction, for distance of
two hundred feet, where they struck bed
that proved the theory of the old Californian
TO be correct. The claim was the richest ever
fOund in the valley.
While this work of tunnelling was going on
great rush was made down the creek for the
valley below the cahOns and claims were
taken up on both sides for a distance of a
mile and a half. The first pay that was
struck in this camp (called BaskerVille) was
by the Basker Company, which, after sinking
shaft about fifty feet, came upon a vein that
has thus far paid every man connected with
1t for his labor, as well as the money expended
an reaching it. Immediately adjoining this
are several others that are generally regarded
as good claims.
Below this camp is the celebrated Cameron
claim, located in the winter OF 1862, and which
for short time paid at the rate of $1,000 per
foot; near by is the Raby mine, which, am
told, has yielded over a quarter of a million of
dollars. In close proximity is the Prince OF
Wales, which paid well for a couple of years,
but Is now worthless, having been completely
worked out. 1t is this uncertainty about gold
mining That makes the business so hazardous;
Ihey are hable to cease yielding at any mo-
mehI' MOI 80 with silver mining; they never
run out There is no authentic instance on
record, where Well-defned lode of silver
N