34 MAYNE, PALMER, AND BEGBIE [Dec. 12, 1859. 



mentioned. He also has "brought back a large amount of local in- 

 formation, numerous mineral specimens, and an explanatory map of 

 the country he visited. 



Mr. Justice Begbie, who had held a circuit in these same districts, 

 and had seized the opportunity of making a reconnaissance of them, 

 also reports the results of his observations as to the capabilities of 

 ihe country for transit, the ground suitable for cultivation, &c. 



In speaking of some mutual complaints between whites and 

 Indians that were made to him at a village on the Upper Fi-aser, he 

 goes on to say : — 



" On the other hand, many cases of cattle stealing were alleged by the 

 whites of all nations against the Indians, and stealing, indeed, of anything 

 which could by possibility be eaten. For even the cattle which Indians stole 

 they did not attempt to sell or make use of otherwise than as food, and it was 

 admitted on all hands that many hundreds of Indians had died of absolute 

 starvation during the winter. The Indians said that the salmon had failed 

 them now for three years together. The whites alleged, what is obvious to 

 everybody, that the Indians are extremely averse to work, except under the 

 pressure of immediate hunger, and that they are so improvident as rarely to 

 look beyond the wants of a day, and never to consider the wants of a winter 

 Ixiforehand. If I may venture an opinion, I should say this is much more 

 true of the savages who have never been brought into contact with civilization 

 than with those who have had even a little acquaintance with the whites. We 

 found almost everywhere Indians willing to labour hard for wages, bargaining 

 acutely for them, and perfectly acquainted with gold dust and the minute 

 weights for measuring one and two dollars' worth. The circumstances are 

 inconsistent with an utter heedlessness for next day's requirements, for in all 

 cases we had to find these Indians in provisions as well as wages ; and the 

 amount for the most abject drudgery to which human labour can be put, viz. 

 carrying burdens, being 8s. per day and provisions, pretty uniformly wherever 

 we went, shows of itself a very high average rate of profit as the wages of 

 labour in British Columbia. If this is the average remuneration of the most 

 unskilled, what ought skilled labour, supported by capital, to earn ? It was 

 the uniform practice of storekeepers to entrust these Indians with their goods, 

 generally 100 lbs. of flour, beans, or pork, and provisions for their own sub- 

 sistence. Thefts were said to be unknown, and great care taken of their 

 burthens; and these individuals who work I found extremely fleshy and 

 hearty. My impression of the Indian population is, that they have far 

 more natural intelligence, honesty, and good manners than the lowest class — 

 say the agricult^u•al and mining population — of any European country I ever 

 visit€d, England included." 



Mr. Justice Begbie's recapitulation of the chief points he observed 

 were : — 



'* 1st. The ready submission of a foreign population to the declaration of 

 the will of the Executive, when expressed clearly and discreetly, however 

 contrary to their wishes. 2nd. The great preponderance of the Californian or 

 Californianized element of the population and the paucity of British subjects. 

 3rd. The great riches, both auriferous and agricultural, of the country. 

 4th. Tlie great want of some fixity of tenure for agricultural purposes ; and 

 5th. The absence of all means of communication, except by foaming torrents 

 in canoes or over goat-tracks on foot, which renders all productions of the 



