[howay] the raison D'ETRE OF FORTS YALE AND HOPE 61 



be despatched as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made, 

 to select a convenient spot near the mouth of the Quequealla for a 

 small establishment surrounded with stockades to consist of a dwelling 

 house and two stores, which will be requisite for the accommodation 

 of the Brigades passing and repassing to the Interior. It is not 

 expected that the establishment will be completed during the present 

 winter, as the labour of opening the road and levelling it with the 

 spade will be severe and occupy much time. I would therefore 

 recommend that our own men, and as many Indians as can be induced 

 to assist, should be employed upon the road, whenever the services 

 of the former can be spared from the duties of the establishment; 

 and the latter may be engaged to commence operations as soon as 

 Mr. Peers reaches the Quequealla. The road is after all the main 

 object and we trust it will be completely opened by the time the snow 

 is sufificiently melted next summer to permit the passage of the 

 Brigade, which will probably occur about the beginning of the month 

 of July. 



Mr. Peers will endeavour to communicate during the winter or 

 spring with the officer in charge of Fort Kamloops — -in order that he 

 may be made acquainted with our plans — ^the progress made in opening 

 the road, and have an opportunity of co-operating from the other side 

 of the range of mountains and of furnishing every assistance in his 

 power to advance that important object. I have now written Mr. 

 Tod to send an Indian guide to meet Mr. Peers on the So-au-qua, and 

 to conduct him from thence by the best route into the Shimilkameen 

 Valley, a part of the road which is better known to the Shooshwaps, 

 than to the Indians of Eraser's River. As soon as the road is finished 

 Mr. Peers will proceed with two or three men to meet the Brigade in 

 order to conduct it to the Banks of the Eraser's River. The Interior 

 Outfits will be sent from Fort Victoria in the spring and may be 

 forwarded in whole or in part to the establishment at the Quequealla, 

 provided the Indians in that neighbourhood evince no unfriendliness 

 of disposition, and you think the goods may be left there without any 

 risk, on the contrary let every thing remain in store here until the 

 arrival of the Brigade. Were it in our power to forward the entire 

 outfit to the establishment above, it would be a great saving of time 

 to the Interior Brigade, but while duly estimating the importance of 

 that object, we must not overlook the more important consideration 

 of preventing difficulties with the Indians — -which more than any 

 other cause are likely to proceed from a rash confidence in their 

 honesty and forbearance. I therefore advise you to be very cautious 

 and not to excite their cupidity by leaving too much in their power. 



