Moody and some of the officers take a day excursion up the Pitt River.
| 26th Tuesday – Went ?
? excursion up the Pitt River and to the head of the lake at the ? –
about 25 miles from Queenborough. The steamer we went in was
called the "Enterprise". It had its paddle at the stern and
the wheel for steering by the fore part and only drew about 18
inches of water – The country all the way was beautiful particularly
when we got into the lake where the high mountains on both sides
covered with snow gave it a most magnificent appearance. There
appeared no open ground, every spot being covered with timber,
back up to the tops of the mountains –
On returning our paddle shaft broke and it was with
the greatest difficulty we could get on. When we got close to Queenborough we felt all of a sudden a tremendous shock and
discovered that the steamer had run right onto a sand bank and
that forward she was high and dry; so we took a small boat and
pulled back to the camp –
Luard arrived –
--From the Journal of Lt. Lempriere, RE,
in the RE Camp. |
{Note: Luard returns from his hospitalization in Victoria.}
Compare Lempriere's version of this trip to Burnaby's description of the
same.
| "...Turn to the map
of the Fraser river and you will see on the North or right bank the
entrance of the Pitt River. Up this we had an excursion the other
day, on board the stern-wheel boat "Enterprise". These stern wheel
boats are quite the peculiarities, and are built for the purpose of
navigating swift streams. The captain of the Enterprise, one Wright,
is the most coolly reckless man in the colony. He steams along at
more "full pressure" on, suddenly a snag goes clean through the
ship's bottom. "Mr. Doane, Blankets." is all he says, and
straightaway the hole is plugged up with the blankets and she goes
on again. Mr. Doane is the attendant sprite, always on the look out
for these little emergencies. The other day when the Enterprise was
"turned up", she had 15 big holes in her bottom, all more or less
assuaged with blankets. The entrance of the Pitt is broad and deep,
flat meadows on either side and the high hills rising suddenly on
all sides. We pursue a winding course between the flats, and soon
come to an advance guard of two little rocky islands. On every side
lots of wild geese, ducks and divers. Now and then a canoe lying
silently on the water with one or two Indians fishing, after about 8
miles we begin to get among the hills, and thence on to the head of
the river and the lake from which it rises, about 22 miles in all,
we make our way though masses of rock, mountains, rising quite
abruptly from the deep bosom of the lake, so much so that for miles
you could hardly find a place to land safely, remains of snow in
deep patches; and most curious, leaping cascades hiding in the snow
and leaping out again, then hidden and coming forth some fifty feet
below till they poured at last into the water. These barren
mountains were dotted over with a few pine trees, but in every part
you could see the cold rocks beautifully tinted with red and yellow
lichens, and with the fresh young ferns just budding forth. I was to
tell you of echoes; on sounding the whistle of the steamer, (and bye
the bye, the whistles are not sharp and shrill like ours, but a sort
of bellow), the noise was repeated once or twice, distinctly; and
then after a silence of some seconds was taken up again in the
distant hills and died away by degrees in the "far off". There was
something most interesting in this trip, because it is quite thought
that soon the highway to the mines will be up this river and lake. You wonder in looking, how it's possible to find any exit from this
nest of mountains, but as you proceed, you can see a valley between
two ranges, through which a little stream steals shyly into the main
channel, and it is here that expectation points. If it should turn
out, the importance is not to be estimated.
We got back from our excursion about 10 o'clock at night. The
Yankee Captain all the way most amusing, very learned in "drinks" of
course, and one of his chief panaceas before dinner was a raw egg
dropped into a glass of sherry and bolted down in a lump, very
pleasant too, for I tried it."
--24th April, 1859,
Robert Burnaby to his brother |
Dr. Seddall writes to
Captain Gosset, Colonial Treasurer - the first of MANY letters on the
same theme.
| Queenborough, 26th
April, 1859 Sir,
Having been directed in London to draw my regimental Pay
through the Commissariat Department at this station, I have the
honor to request that you will make arrangements to enable me
to draw it (at the rate of ten shillings per diem) at the end of
every month.
I have the honor to enclose my last pay certificate from Sir
John Harkland whereby you will perceive that pay is to me since the
28th of January inclusive.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant
J. Vernon Seddall
|
The Department Office in Victoria keeps up with its correspondence.
Department of Lands and Works
Victoria
26th April 1859Sir,
I have the honor to report for the information of His
Excellency the Lieut. Governor that the following letter was left
here by Mr. Partridge also that Mr. C. Teitman has given notice of
his intentions to enlarge 7 Lots but cannot deposit the Title deeds
they being in San Francisco. I find in looking thro the Books that
the numbers are correct and the amounts paid. Am I to enter them in
the Book, I think it just to do so, but wait your instructions.
I have this day received the seal from Mr. Bowerman Act.
Consul. The letter I enclose. This day Mr. Linker paid into the
Treasury 135$ on Langley Lot.
I forward a parcel of letters for Officers and Men of RE list
enclosed. A gentleman, name unknown, left them here this afternoon
and one for Col. Moody which I handed to Her Excellency Mrs. Colonel
Moody.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your obedient Servant
EB Doggett |
Note: The Bowerman that Dogget refers to might be
HM Bauerman, a civilian geologist attached to
the Boundary Commission. If so, it certainly sheds an interesting light on Bauerman's activities in the Colonies...
|
