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The

of the gain Historical and History Society

VERNON, B.C. 1931

SB-CON D pR|/v TIN &

#

PRICE $1.00

(Established 1925)

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THE FIFTH ANNUALlO.f'OR'***»

of the OKANAGAN HISTORICAL

and NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

G O

Honorary President, Price Ellison

President, Leonard Norris

First Vice-President, Charles D. Simms

Second Vice-President, F. M. Buckland

Third Vice-President, J. S. Galbraith

Secretary-Treasurer, James Coleman

Editor, J. C. Agnew

Paleontologist, Max H. Ruhmann

DIRECTORS: M. 8. Middleton, Allen Brooks, Thomas G. Norris, G. C. Tassie, Donald Graham, H. M. Walker, H. B. D. Lyson, M. P. Williams, H. F. Beattie

Honorary Member, Mrs. S. L. Allison

VERNON, B.C., 4th Sept., 1931 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

List of Members

Abbott, E. T., Armstrong Cooper, Frederick, Vernon Andrews, George, Enderby Cossitt, F. B., Vernon Atkinson, W. S., Vernon Catt, H. C, Lumby Christian, F. E., Lumby Barnes, F. H., Enderby Clarke, L. R., Vernon Boyne, Frank, Vernon Curtis, Richard, Vernon Berry, A. E., Vernon - Collins, Mrs. F. E., Armstrong Blurton, H. J., Mara Corrigan, Dr. C. W., Vernon Bullock-Webster, W. H., Victoria Campbell, Angus, Vancouver Brooks, Allen, Okanagan Landing Cayley, Judge H. S., Vancouver Beddome, J. B., Vernon Bloom, C. D., Lumby Dunne, Fintan, Armstrong Burtch, Henry, Kelowna Duncan, Mrs. M., Vernon Barnes, Stanley, Vernon Deeks, W. H., Vernon Buckell, E. R., Salmon Arm Downing, W. G., Vernon Bearisto, H.K., Vernon Denison, R. H., Vernon Brown, N. R., New Westminster Dalgleih, R. L., Okanagan Mission Beaven, M. H. C, Lumby Dewdney, W. R., Penticton Brent, William, Lavngton Dobie, George, Vernon Briard, John E., Vernon Davis, Ernest, Victoria Bell, James, Mara Bell, George, Vancouver Boyle, H. H., Penticton Edgar, Joseph- Vernon Blair, W. T., Penticton Edwards, James G., Vernon Billings, Aubrey, Vancouver Estabrooks, Otto, Penticton Bagnall, Guy P., Vernon Earle, R. R., Vernon Bulman, Thomas, Vernon Baldwin, Dr. S. G., Vernon Fletcher, R. J., Armstrong Butters, T. H., Lumby Fletcher, T. W., Vancouver Fleming, Archie, Vernon Cathcart, H., Victoria Fitzmaurice, R., Vernon Campbell, John, Vernon Finlayson, Frederick, Mabel Lake. Campbell, T. J. R, Kelowna Fallow, H. J., Vernon Campbell, Bert. R., Kamloops Fifer, A. J., Armstrong Casorso, Joseph, Kelowna Foote, H. B., Vernon Clarke, Robert L. S., Vancouver Fulton, Clarence Vernon Cochrane, Maurice, Vernon French, Percy E., Vernon Coombs, H. P., Vernon Carswell, Robert, Kamloops Gellatly, Mrs. Dorothy, Westbank Caesar, N. H., Okanagan Centre Goodfellow, Rev. John, Princeton Costerton, John, Vernon Grist, F., Oliver OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

Goldie, James, Okanagan Centre Kerr, James, Greenwood Galbraith, Horace, Vernon Keary, W. H., New Westminster Groat, Benjamin, Brampton Kennedy, W. F., Victoria Grant, Adam, Vernon Kruger, Mrs. C, Penticton Gait, H. B., Vemon Godfrey, A., Vernon Knox, Dr. W. J., Kelowna Graham, T. W., Vernon Knowles, W. R., Lumby Grant, J. A., Vernon Gardom, Basil, Dewdney Lang, Hamilton, Vernon Graham, Donald, Armstrong Lang, A. H., Ottawa Lang, Grant, Peachland Handcock, Claude S., Grindrod Langstaff, J., Vernon Hall, R. S., Kelowna Lloyd-Jones, David, Kelowna Harding, Henry, Armstrong Lloyd, Miss Maud H., Oyama Hassard, Frank, Enderby le Gallais, Miss, Vernon Hassen, Matt., Armstrong Lefroy, C. B., Vernon Hawkins, Charles, Enderby Lynch, James M., Republic, Wash. Heggie, Hugh A., Vernon Larsen, S. T., Rock Creek Heggie, George, M.P.P., Vernon Lander, A., Midway Henderson, E., Coldstream, Vernon Ley, R. W., Vernon Helmer, R. H., Nicola Landridge, Miss H. W., Vancouver Howse, A. E., Princeton Lee, J. H., Lumby Heighway, J., Lumby Harris, W. S., Vernon Macdonald, J. C, Victoria Hey, Leonard, Vernon Murray, F. J., Armstrong Haywood, Milford, Vernon Middleton, M. S., Vernon Hayes, Thomas, Armstrong Morkill, George H., Vernon Hill, T. P., Coldstream, Vernon Mellish, Thomas, Armstrong Hayhurst, W. T., Armstrong Megaw, Earle, Vernon Hayhurst, A. E., Vernon Meighan, Miss Zlllah May, Tacoma Howe, A. T., Vernon Mowat, J. J., Vernon Horn, J. J., Kelowna Mutrie, James T., Vernon Harvey, Oliver, Vancouver Morley, William, Vernon Herdsman, James, Vernon Morley, H. B., Penticton Hunter, W. T., Summerland Montgomery, W. J., Penticton Hamilton, Mrs. S. H., Vernon Moore, A. W. Penticton Herbert, Gordon D., Vernon Moffat, J. J., Vernon Hall, William, Vernon Milne, Miss Helen M., Vancouver Mangott, Stephen, Fairview Irvine, Dr. W., Oyama McGusty, R. M., Vernon McDonell, Leslie, Vernon Johnson, Mrs. Cecil, Vernon McDougall, R. J. Penticton Jameson, J. E., Armstrong McNair, David, Vernon Jones, Hon. J. W., Victoria McLarty, H. R., Summerland Jackson, W., Lumby McKenzie, Hon. W. A., Victoria Johnson, Mrs. G. A., Fernie McKenzie, W. G., Vernon

Kennard, H. B., Okanagan Centre Neill, Richard W., Vernon Kerr, R. D., Midway Norris, T. A., Lumby 4 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

Norris, John, Langley Simms, James G., Vernon Norris, Robert, New Westminster Simms, Charles D., Vernon Nolan, Mrs. A., Vernon Swanson, Judge J. D. Kamloops Smith, A., Vernon Ormsby, Miss Margaret A., Vernon Seymour, S. P., Vernon Owen, Walter, New Westminster Simmons, John, Vernon Ootmar, Dr. G. A., Kelowna Smith, Miss V. E., Okanagan Mission Smith, T. K., Armstrong Pringle, J. F., Calgary Swift, Reuben, Vernon Pease, R. A., Kelowna Spyer, Sidney, Coldstream, Vernon Procter, W. G., Mabel Lake Sweet, Mrs. Kenneth, Glenemma Peters, William, Okanagan Landing Stewart, L. L., Vernon Found, W. C, Vernon Pound, Rev. A. N. C, Lillooet Tripp, L. E., Vernon Pope, C. A., Victoria Tuck, D. C, Vernon Pout, Harry, Vernon Trench, W. R., Kelowna Piper, H., Vernon Power, John, Penticton Powley, W. R., Kelowna Verrall, Hugh A., Vernon Parham, H. J., Penticton Wilcox, J. C. Salmon Arm Richards, Leonard, Kelowna Worth, Harry, Trinity Valley Rose, George S., Kelowna Wilde, A C, Vernon Robison, Miss P., Vernon Wood, Mrs. Angus, Lumby Robinson, J. M., Naramata Wilmot, J. C, Vernon Rankine, Alexander, Vernon West, J. C, Vernon Rolston, W. J., Vernon Whitehead, G., Vernon Robinson, Dell, Vernon Wilson, F., Vernon Richardson, L. M., Vernon Watkins, Joseph, Vernon Rourke, W. R., Vernon Walker, H. M., Enderby Robertson, W. H., Victoria Wollaston, F. E. R., Vernon Rogers, A., Vernon Wiglesworth, J. R., Armstrong Rosoman, Graham, Enderby White, John, Vernon Richmond, Hector, Vernon Williamson, C. F., Penticton Ricardo, W. C, Vernon Wood, W. Wentworth, Vernon Ross, M. D., Penticton Warner, F. C, Mabel Lake deWolf, F. G., Vernon Steedman, Mrs. A. H., Salisbury, Eng. Webster, J. L., Vernon Shatford, W. T., Monrovia, Cal. White, Bryson, Vernon Shatford, S. A., Vernon Walsh, Anthony, Okanagan, Vernon Smith, W. A., Vernon Smith, Alexander, Vernon Young, B. F., Armstrong Schubert, James A., Tulameen Young, Frank, Armstrong Shields, W., Lumby Young, Vance, Armstrong OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The Mary Victoria Greenhow CAPTAIN JOSEPH B. WEEKS As mentioned in our third annual fair little boat which he named the Report, the first steamboat on Oka­ "Jubilee". nagan Lake was the "Mary Victoria The "Inland Sentinel" of Kamloops Greenhow". She was named after has this to say in its issue of the Mary Victoria, the only daughter of 24th September, 1887 (Saturday): "On Thomas and Elizabeth Greenhow. Thursday last (September 22nd) that Miss Greenhow later married Samuel part of the shores of Okanagan Lake O'Neill. due south of our village, presented a T. D. Shorts, her Master and prin­ lively scene. The event was the cipal owner, was a very honourable launching of the 'Jubilee', with new man in business transactions. He boiler and engine, fully equipped. At was a native of Upper Canada (On­ about 12 o'clock a party of about tario) and had spent much of his twenty left (Priests' Valley) to wit­ early manhood in the United States, ness the launch and to render what both Western and Eastern, and had assistance lay in their power to help followed many occupations. He had the enterprising and energetic Cap­ ranched, run a saw mill, kept a fish tain Shorts in floating the steamer. market in California, and was in the Exactly at 3.30 the launch of the gold rush into Cassiar where he 'Jubilee' was successfully made amid claimed to have cleaned up $6,000.00 cheers from the crowd. A short spurt in one winter which he took back down the Lake proved the excellent with him to Philadelphia, where he sea-going qualities of the boat". had it specially minted into $20.00 During the summers of 1888, 1889 gold pieces and returned to him. Once and 1890, there was lots of freight he was a pedlar and at one time he to move on Okanagan Lake. A large stood on the street corners in Phila­ amount of supplies was being taken delphia and sold self-threading into Similkameen by way of the Lake. needles, and as he had a good vocab­ The goods were hauled to the Head ulary and a most persuasive tongue, of the Lake, taken down the Lake no doubt he made an efficient sales­ in boats and thence by pack train. man. To facilitate the handling of freight On a return trip with the Mary along this route, Wood and Rabbitt Victoria Greenhow, in the fall of the storekeepers at Lansdowne, and 1886, Shorts had reached Okanagan Captain Shorts built a store house on Mission, where he left the boat on a point at the lower end of the Lake the beach and went across the fields which for a long time was known as to Lequime's store for a fresh supply "storehouse point", now Crescent of coal oil. On his return he found Beach, near Summerland. Shorts also she had been badly damaged by fire. built' a barge to tow behind his He managed to get her as far as steamer to handle the overflow which Okanagan Landing under her own could not be carried on the boat. power, where he had her converted The Jubilee was frozen in at Oka­ into a wood-burner. But this change nagan Landing in December, 1889, in the construction of the boiler did and lay there until the spring of 1890, not work well. In the summer of when the engine and boiler were 1887, with the help of John Hamilton, taken out of her and placed in the a ship carpenter, he built a clinker- barge, which was named the "City built boat in length about thirty feet of Vernon". In the fall of 1889, with eight feet beam into which he Shorts sold his ranch at Shorts Point, placed the machinery from the Mary and that winter he went to Vancou­ Victoria Greenhow, making a very ver to arrange for the building of a 6 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY new steamboat. The contract was let With the surplus of the upper to McAlpine and Allen of Vancouver work of the Penticton went the board tor the wood work, and for the en­ with the name on it which had gine and boiler to the Doty Engine adorned the front of the pilot house. Company, and in April, 1890, the keel Owing to the hexagonal shape of the of the "Penticton" was laid on the pilot house the board was in three beach at Okanagan Landing just pieces. About this time an old west of where the Hotel now stands, Frenchman, Frank Stevens—Frenchy and by September, 1890, the new boat he was usually called—was living in was ready for service. a cabin at Caesar's Landing, and he got the board and nailed it up to When the Penticton was in com­ the front of the cabin, but nailed it mission Shorts had no further use so as to read, Pentontic. As far is for the City of Vernon and he sold I am aware it is still there. it to Alexander McAuley, who later The Wanderer was sold to Walter owned the Kalamalka Hotel, and D'Aeth, who in turn sold her to Wil­ Alexander Grant, who was a cousin liam (Hoodlum) Smith, who took her of Mark, Henry and Roland Hill of overland to Long Lake, named her Spallumcheen, and they named her the "Violet" and used her for towing the "Mud Hen" owing to her propen­ logs from the east shore of the lake sity to seek the bottom of the lake. to the outlet of the lake at the en­ When McAuley and Grant bought trance to Long Lake Creek, where the City of Vernon they owned a the logs were sawn into fire wood ranch about five miles below Okana­ which was hauled to Vernon. I do gan Landing. It was on this place not know what became of the hull, later owned by Price Ellison that the but the last I heard of the engine stone was quarried for the new court it was being used for the rather in­ house at Vernon. glorious but necessary purpose of McAuley and Grant sold the Mud sawing wood. Hen to Ashton, Caesar and Valentine. The Inland Sentinel is in error in She was leaking so badly that N. H. saying the Jubilee was fitted with a Caesar had a new boat built 40 feet new engine. The boiler was new but long with nine feet six inches beam, the engine was the one taken from and placed the engine and boiler the Mary Victoria Greenhow. from the Mud Hen in her, and named Strictly speaking, the Mary Victoria her the "Wanderer". The upper Greenhow, Jubilee, City of Vernon, works of the Wanderer were built Mud Hen, Wanderer and Violet were from the surplus of the Penticton all one, since the name "Mary Vic­ when that boat was converted by the toria Greenhow" was the only name Lequime Bros, into a tow boat. registered.

The Steamer Penticton CAPTAIN JOSEPH B. WEEKS When Captain Shorts sold his prop­ returned to Vancouver, and when the erty at the mouth of Shorts Creek boiler and engine arrived, these were he decided to build a new boat. The hauled in to Okanagan Landing with contract for the wood work of the teams, probably from Kamloops. To new vessel was given to McAlpine show how resourceful men were, by and Allen of Vancouver, and for the force of circumstances, in those days, machinery to the Doty Engine Com­ it may be stated that Captain Shorts pany. and Henry Coibeck, who had been When the work on the hull was engineer on the "City of Vernon", well advanced in the spring of 1890, unaided, succeeded in raising the en­ it was found that the boiler and en­ gine and boiler up the side of the gine would not arrive until sometime vessel and lowering them into posi­ in July. The contractors accordingly tion with no other appliances than 0-0-NAGAN*HISTOkB5AL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

an antiquated "crab" or hand wench, on the Okanagan Mine, near Pentic­ and a couple of jack screws. When ton, and I believe part of the old the machinery was in position the hull may still be seen near the Gov­ contractors returned and finished the ernment wharf at Penticton. upper works of the vessel and by With the sale of the Penticton, September, 1890, she was ready for Shorts' career as a steamboat captain service. j terminated. His later years were de- The particulars of her dimensions, I voted to mining and prospecting. etc., as registered, are: Length, 70 | While he was on the lake, many feet; Beam, 16 feet; Gross tons, 49.69; | stories were told of him, some true, Net tons, 33.79. Register Number, some apocryphal, and some of them 96,994. Registered in New Westmin­ very humorous. The Vernon News ster as a twin screw freight and pas­ in its issue of the 15th June, 1893, senger boat to carry 25 passengers. bears this testimony to his enterprise: Registered owners Thomas Ellis of "What Balboa was to the Pacific so Penticton and Thomas Shorts, equal in a measure was Captain Shorts to share each. the Okanagan, but he differed from While Shorts was Captain of the the early navigators in that his early Penticton she never ran on schedule, voyages were not voyages of discovery. and those who wished to travel on 'We were the first that burst her were sometimes put to consider­ Into that silent sea' able inconvenience. She was sold in had been the proud boast of many 1892 for $5,000.00 to Leon Lequime, a proud navigator who, for the nonce, who operated her that summer. She was less a public benefactor than was was tied up during the winter of Captain Shorts with his load of beans 1892-3—one of the most severe win­ and bacon for the lone prospector ters on record—and during the sum­ and weary rancher down the lake." mer of 1893 she was operated by It was away back in the early Captain Thomas Riley, Alexander eighties that Captain Shorts conceiv­ Dow, Allen Gilles, Jules McWha, Har­ ed the idea of a freighting business ry Coibeck and William Donaldson. on Okanagan Lake. He got Pringle In the meantime the Kelowna Saw and Hamill, of Lansdowne, to build Mill Company had been formed and for him a snug row boat capable of had taken over the saw mill business carrying two and a half tons, and formerly carried on in Kelowna by this boat he christened the "Ruth Lequime Bros., and they used her as Shorts" in honour of his mother. It a tow boat on the lake up to 1902, was 22 feet keel and furnished with when she was dismantled and the a small sail, but the principal pro­ machinery taken out of her and the pelling power was a white ash breeze hull beached near the place where which had its Aeolian abode in the the grandstand now stands in the stout muscles of Short's arms and City Park at Kelowna, when it was back. In the numerous trips of the burnt up in 1905. craft the skipper was not hampered In 1892 a new boat was built named by any time schedule. When pushing the "Kelowna," and the machinery off with his load of passengers and taken from the Penticton was placed freight, if asked by any of them when in her. This boat was registered in he would get there he invariably New Westminster. Register Number, replied, "Haven't the slightest idea, 111,790. Gross tons, 65.38; Net tons, but rest assured we'll fetch up there 4.46; Length, 78 feet; Beam, 18 feet; some time". The time taken for the draft, 5 feet 6 inches. Built by Kes­ round trip was generally nine days, wick & Son; Registered owner, David and wherever night overtook him, the Lloyd-Jones. Ruth Shorts was pulled ashore and The Kelowna was used by the Kel­ the crew camped for the night. For owna Saw Mill Company until 1911, three years, in fair weather and in when she was sold to S. C. Smith, foul, Shorts ran his boat, and at last of Vernon, who was then operating became so accustomed to the oafs a saw mill near Naramata. She was that he could row from morning to afterwards dismantled at Penticton, night without weariness. A passenger and the boiler was used for a time once a month was about the extent 8 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

of the travel, but all these years the 1890, 18th Jan. Crown Grant to Captain was accumulating wealth. Thomas D. Shorts. The Greek mariner, in ancient 1890, Feb. 3rd. Conveyance—Thomas times, cried out to Neptune in a D. Shorts to John Scott Montagu storm: and Granville Hare (Viscount Ennis­ 'Thou canst save or thou canst more). Consideration mentioned in sink, the deed, $4,000.00. Nevertheless I will keep my rudder 1902, 6th Jan. Conveyance—The hon­ straight", ourable John Scott Montagu and and Captain Shorts, when the sky Granville Hare (Viscount Ennismore) was lowering and the mountains to Sir John Poynder Dickson Poyn­ soowled down on his vessel labouring der. in a heavy sea, was wont to cast out 1903, 12th Oct. Conveyance (less 29.80 the anchor, and say: "There! Cap­ acres)—-Sir John Poynder Dickson tain Shorts has done his duty, now Poynder to Murray McMullin, let Providence look after the rest." 1904, 21st May. Conveyance (29.80 Thus will be seen the indomitable acres)—Sir John Poynder Dickson perseverance displayed in, building up Poynder to Robert Napier Dundas. a freight trade, and making of Oka­ 1906, 19th Dec. Conveyance (29.80 nagan Lake a commercial highway. acres)—R. N. Dundas to Louis Laila­ To one man belongs that honour, and voix. that man was Captain Shorts, who 1907, 25th March. Conveyance (Less accumulated a fortune of some $6,000 29.80 acres)—Murray McMullin to in pulling on the oars and lost it in James Dunsmuir. steam." 1907, 31st July. Conveyance (29.80 His property on Shorts Greek, after acres)—L. Lailavoix to The Htmour-* it was sold, was much in the public able James Dunsmuir. eye, owing to the frequent changes in 1907, 17th Oct. Conveyance—The ownership. The devolution of the Honourable James Dunsmulr to title runs thus: Laura Miller Dunsmuir. 1883, July 23rd. Pre-emption record 1908, 20th Nov. Conveyance—Laura No. 1165 issued in KJamloops to T. Miller Dunsmuir to Sara Byrd Au­ D. Shorts for land which was after­ dain. wards surveyed as Lot 686, Kamloops 1909, 5th Oct.* Conveyance—Sara District, now known as Lot 686, Oso­ Byrd Audain to James Cameron Dun yoos District. Waters.

The "Red Star" CAPTAIN ANGUS CAMPBELL In dealing with the history of the Dow and Allen Gilles were working "Red Star" it must toe borne in mind on O'Keefe's ranch. They conceived that there were two steamers of that the idea of using the old boat on name in the Okanagan Valley. Okanagan Lake as a freighter. Ac­ From the Department of Marine, cordingly the same year they got B. Ottawa, we learn that the Red Star F. Young of Armstrong to haul the (No. 1) Official number, 90787, was hull which was then lying on the built at Victoria, B.C., in 1887. Par­ shore of the river at Enderby, to the ticulars: Length, 33 feet; Breadth, 9 Head of the Lake. From there it was feet; Depth, 3 feet; Gross tons, 14; taken to Okanagan (Landing, the hull Net tons, 10. Registered owner, J. lengthened by twenty feet and fitted Nickols of Victoria, B.C. This vessel up as a screw steamer with new boil­ was sunk in the Spallumcheen River ers and engine, complete. Nicholles In 1888, and early in the same year and Renouf, of Victoria, furnished the she was raised and the machinery machinery, and the Mill Company at taken out of her. In 1889 Alexander Enderby, to secure better facilities OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

for shipping wheat on the lake, were, son toy rail. When we got to Nelson more or less, backing up Dow and we had a new boiler put in her with Gilles in the venture. a capacity of 125 pounds pressure, In 1891 they sold her to Lequiime and used her for towing. I never Bros, of Kelowna, who used her as a knew a small boat that could do as camp-tender and for towing logs. much work as this one, and Captain While Dow and Gilles had her they Troupe of the C.P_R. was of the same did very well with her and made opinion. She was a money maker money, tout they neglected to keep while I had her, and she gave me my up the payments on "the machinery, first start in this country. The twen­ which was bought on time, and this ty feet added to her length by Dow caused some trouble after she was and Gilles was never shewn in her owned by Lequime Bros. One day on Register. Always her length was giv­ her arrival at Kelowna, the engineer, en as 33 feet, instead of 53 feet. I Henry Coibeck, received instructions sold her once for $3,000.00 and later to take the machinery out of her as •bought her back. This vessel had quickly as possible. He succeeded in many names and many owners. She doing this in about twelve hours. The was owned in turn by J. Nickols, R. job was hardly completed when the P. Rithet, Dow and Gilles, Lequime Sheriff arrived. The story is told Bros., Couson and Campbell, Camp­ that later the Sheriff located the ma­ bell and Hultonan, Captain Reid, Mr. chinery in a shed and put in a bailiff Busk, Mr. Calson, George Hale, and after seizure to watch it, tout some of Captain Reid was her registered own­ the iboys induced the Bailiff to go er when her Register closed out in with them to the Hotel, where he 1915. She was known as the Red was treated so royally that he forgot Star, then the Okanagan, then Lucy, all about it. Later, when he returned and later rechristened Red Star. to the shed, it had disappeared; some one in the meantime had dug a hole The Red Star No. 1 when she came in the soft sand in the floor of the from Victoria was a screw steamer shed and buried it. Whether this is and when she was put on the run true or not, it is true that the build­ between Sicamous and Enderby it ing in which it was stored was burnt was found that she drew too much down, damaging, if not the engine, water. Accordingly, R. P. Rithet had at least the boiler, very materially. a flat-bottomed scow-shaped stern­ It was in this condition when we wheeler built of light draft and plac­ bought it. The hull was anchored ed the machinery taken from the off the Kelowna Saw Mill, where it Red Star in her. The machinery was had been for some time, and the not suitable for a stern-wheeler and machinery was lying among the debris to overcome the difficulty the paddle of the burnt building when W. B. wheel was driven with a chain and Couson, engineer on the Aberdeen, sprocket wheel. and I bought it from Lequiine Bros, This was the vesseL Red Star No. 2, for $100.00 in May, 1894. We took which was so well known during the the hull and machinery to Okanagan time the S. & O. Ry. was under con­ Landing and repaired the hull, and struction. Duncan Gordon Cumming Couson, who was something of a was Captain of her. For about two genius with steamboat machinery, years she carried an immense amount soon had her in running order with of freight between the two points, the pressure in the boiler reduced by and many passengers. When the rail­ the Inspector to 85 pounds. road was built, she was taken off the run. The Enderby correspondent Two months after we bought her of the Vernon News, as reported in from Lequime Bros., Couson sold his its issue of the 23rd Feb., 1893, has half interest to a man named Hult- this to say of her: "The old Red Star man. Hultman and I ran her on looks as if her days were numbered. Okanagan Lake until July, 1895, when She lies on a sand bar on the oppo­ we loaded her onto two flat cars and site side of the River from the Mill took her to Revelstoke, thence by and looks as if she was about half water to Robson, and thence to Nel­ under". 10 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The Indians of the Okanagan Valley MARIA BRENT The Indians of the North Thompson you, will shun and gossip about you. and the Okanagan Valley belong to "It is bad to be quarrelsome: Peo­ the Salish division, and while there ple will have no dealings with you, are separate tribes within that divi­ they will avoid and dislike you. Your sion each speaking its own language, wives will leave you. they are of the same stock and have "It is good to toe pure and cleanly. the same characteristics. E. O. S. "It is good to be honest, truthful Scholefield, in his History of British and faithful. Columbia, has this to say of the "It is good to be brave, industrious Salish Indians: and faithful. "We are sometimes too prone to "It is good to be hospitable, liberal imagine that life among primitive and friendly. peoples is wholly debased and vile, "It is good to be modest and soci­ and that paganism has no virtues of able: Your family and friends will its own. That nothing can 'be farther be proud of you, and everybody will from the facts of the case, the ethical admire and esteem you." •precepts and teachings of such people "People who inculcate such sound, as the Salish make 'perfectly clear. practical morality and such virtues Following are some of the precepts in the minds of their children as as held and taught by the Thompson these can scarcely be called debased, River Indians: or said to be greatly in need of in­ "It is bad to steal: People will structions from ourselves." despise you and say you are poor. In fact from the foregoing one They will laugh at you and will not would think that, in some things, the live with you. white man might well take a leaf "It is bad to be unvirtuous: It will out of the Indian's book; and some (make your friends ashamed of you such thought seems to have been and you will toe laughed at and gos­ present in the author's mind, for later siped about. he remarks: "We assumed a grave "It is bad to lie: People will laugh responsibility when we undertook to at you and when you tell them any­ civilize these races". thing they will not believe what you One trait which the Salish Indian say. has in common with all other Indians "It is bad to be lazy: You will al­ is his hatred of domination, of any­ ways be poor and no woman will care thing which interferes with his per­ for you. You will have few clothes sonal freedom. When the whites first and you will 'be called 'Laay One'. invaded North America along the At­ "It Is bad to commit adultery: Peo­ lantic coast, they tried to make slaves ple will avoid you and gossip about of the Indians, but they found it was you. Your cfriends and children will not profitable; the Indians never be ashamed, and people will laugh made satisfactory slaves. In captivity and scoff at them. they scon died, and this fact was "It is bad to boast If you are not pleaded as a reason for importing >?reat: People will dislike you and negroes from Africa. The negroes laugh at you. They will call you while held in slavery increased and 'coyote', "proud' or *vain'. multiplied rapidly while the Indians "It is bad to be cowardly: People became extinct. You can, by force, will laugh at you and insult you and make a slave of an Indian, but you mock you. They will impose on you can't make him like it. and trade with you without paying In watching the play on the stage, you. Women will not want you for "Uncle Tom's Cabin", in the scene in a husband; they will call you 'woman' which the villain, Legree, is abusing or 'coward'. and maltreating his slaves, one feels 'Tt is bad to be inhospitable or instinctively that if they were Indians stingy: People will be stingy with instead of negroes, Legree would soon OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 11 have a knife driven into his back, a most exact account of his trust. and the perpetrator of the deed, if The store often remains without any­ unable to escape, would await with one to watch it, the door unlocked stoic composure, death or whatever and unbolted, and the goods are never punishment might be meted out to stolen. The Indians go in and out, him, and no other denouement of the help themselves to what they want, situation would seem natural The and always scrupulously leave in place meek sutomissiveness implied in the of any article they take its exact words of the old hymn, value.'" "God bless the squire and his rela­ Simon Fraser, also, was much im­ tions pressed with the faithfulness and And make us contented with our honesty of the Salish Indians of the stations," interior with whom he came in con­ has no place in the Indian charac­ tact. ter. None of the Indians, however, re­ The Jew and the Indian have much ceived much consideration at the in common. Both are individualistic, hands of the whites. There is a world and both have a tenacious hold on of meaning in Whittier's well-known life. It is hard to exterminate or lines: hold either in subjection. "Beside the scared squaw's birch It was given to few white men to canoe know the Salish Indians when they The steamer smokes and raves, were at their best, when they were And village lots are staked for sale living their own fife in their own way Above old Indian graves", before they came into contact with, and perhaps this gentle Quaiker poet and were contaminated 'by, the whites. himself, delighting in the rapid de­ But the few men of understanding velopment of the West, would have who did, men like Father De Smet, seen little to object to in squaring off Father Morice, Alexander Ross and a townsite by encroaching upon an Simon Fraser, speak highly of them. Indian graveyard. To quote from Scholefield's History, These people are not at their best. page 582: When a revolution occurs, the worst "Father De Smet has the following traits in the character of a people to say of the Kootenays which to a are soon manifest, and this was clear­ large extent aipplies to all the stocks, ly shewn at the time of the French or rather did when we first came In Revolution. But who could be so un­ contact with them, but particularly just as to judge the French people to the Salish: by what took place then? When the " The beau ideal of the Indian Revolution had burnt itself out, how­ character, uncontaminated by contact ever, the people and the country still with the whites, is found among remained. The social, commercial and them. What is most pleasing to the intellectual life of the nation, which stranger is to see their simplicity had been disrupted, soon readjusted united with sweetness and innocence, itself, and the lives of the people keep step with the most perfect dig­ soon resumed their normal course. nity and modesty of deportment. The As Carlyle has told us, after the peo­ gross vices which dishonour the red ple of Paris had cut their king's head man on the frontiers are utterly un­ off, they were rather surprised on known among them. They are honest the morrow to find that France was to scrupulosity. The Hudson's Bay still France. But the Indians never Company, during forty years it has had a chance to come back. The been trading in furs with them, has invasion of their country by the never been able to perceive that the whites not only disrupted their usual smallest abject has been stolen from mode of living, and crumpled up and them. The Agent takes his furs destroyed their old-established cus­ down to Colville every spring, and toms and usages that had endured does not return before autumn. Dur­ for centuries, but it deprived them ing his absence the store is confieded of their country as well. They were to the care of an Indian who trades soon exiled to the Reservations. The in the name of the Company, and on Salish Indian of the Okanagan Valley the return of the Agent renders him today is an expatriate, a man with- 12 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY out a country, although still dwelling at Oliver and the Head of the Lake. in the land of his forefathers. It Canada needs her Indians. They will be many years yet before these are not the same as the whites; they people fully recover from the shock are different. There are admirable of this double catastrophe. traits of character which are more The immediate hope for them lies marked in the Indian than in the in the education of the children. white man. Among these are self- President Garfield once said he never reliance and independence of judg­ saw a boy but he felt like taMng off ment. Canadians are too easily led, his hat to him, for, he said, he never they are too prone to follow blindly knew what possibilities might lie tout- any leader who may present himself, toned up beneath the boy's ragged without stopping to think for them­ jacket. Nor should we toe too super­ selves. If this were not so, the affairs cilious when we notice those chubby- of this country would not be in their cheeked, tolack-eyed little imps of present deplorable state. The Indian children to be found playing about is independent. He will not surrender on the Reservations; we do not know his private judgment into the keeping what splendid men and women some of anyone no matter who or what of them might make if they were they are; and he refuses to recognize properly trained, if they were educat­ class distinctions. ed and their mental faculties drawn When all the different races which out and developed, and they were now dwell within the confines of Can­ given a chance in life. Without edu­ ada are finally fused into one race— cation they are doomed irrevocably the future Canadian race—it will be to the narrow and unprofitable life all the better for the infusion of the their parents now lead. We hope blood of this virile individualistic therefore the people of this valley race; but we have wasted our Indian will support the splendid work now tribes as we have wasted our forests being carried on in the Indian schools and fisheries and much else.

Mr. and Mrs. Lequime LEON LEQUIME I was never able to get much defin­ Pyrenees Mountains. She came to ite information from my parents al­ California in 1854, and was married though, I believe, I asked about as shortly after to my father. My broth­ many questions as the average young­ er, Bernard, was born in Jameston in ster. What I know came to me 1856. mostly from conversations I overheard. The Fraser River gold excitement My father was born in Bordeaux, the drew the family north, and in 1858 capital of the Department of Gironde, they came to Strawberry Island, an in France, in 1818. Left an orphan island in the Fraser River about half at the age of two, he was cared for way between Hope and Yale. It was toy an elder brother until he was here, on Strawberry Island, the second twelve. He then shipped aboard a son, Gaston, was born. sailing vessel, and for fifteen years In 1860 the mining camp at the he followed the occupation of a sailor. mouth of Rock Creek was booming This was followed by seven years In and my parents, travelling by boat the Marines. At the expiration of his to Hope, walked over the trail from term of service, about 1852, he came Hope to Rock Creek. It was while to California, and after a short resi­ they were living there that the baby, dence in San Francisco, he settled Gaston, was drowned in a miner's in a mining town called Jameston. ditch, and a third son was born in My mother was born in France in 1861, also named Gaston. By the 1831, in a village called Bau, situated first of November, 1861, Rock Creek near the Spanish frontier in the was deserted; and in the late summer OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 13 of that year my father and mother parents of Pierre Fratessa, knew each walked from Rook Creek to Okanagan other in France; but as far as I Mission, packing their clothes ana know, there is no foundation for this. belongings on a horse and the two As far as I am aware, none of the children on a cow. They settled near Lequimes ever knew any of the Fra- the Mission of the Oblate Fathers. tessas until Dorothy met Pierre. After the family came to Okanagan On the 10th December, 1891, Gas­ Mission it prospered, and my father ton's widow, the former Marie Louise soon became a successful trader and Gillard, was married to F. H. Barnes. stockraiser. My sister, Aminade, was Mr. and Mrs. Barnes moved to Ender­ born in 1866, and I was born in 1870. by in 1896, and have lived there since. In 1885, my brother, Gaston, married Note: The Vernon News of the Miss Marie Louise Gillard, and one 18th May, 1893, has this to say of child, Dorothy, was born to them or. Mrs. Lequime's first visit to Vernon: the 10th of May, 1886. Gaston died "In speaking recently of the length in 1889 from an injury received while of time since Mrs. Eli Lequime had riding after cattle. been in Vernon, we find that we had In 1888 my father sold out, and been misinformed, when we placed taking his daughter, Aminade, and it at twenty years. It was in fact his grandchild, Dorothy, moved to her first visit. The nearest she had San Francisco, where my mother been to Vernon before, was a visit joined him a year or two later. Both she paid to Thomas Wood at the my parents died in San Francisco; south end of Long Lake. Thirty- my father in 1898, and my mother three (33) years ago, Mrs. Lequime in 1908. After my mother's death, landed at Okanagan Mission with but my sister took charge of her niece, little money to start on, but by and had her well educated. She later patient industry and careful economy became a trained nurse, and it was she has since seen her possessions while acting in this capacity she met grow until now she has the satisfac­ Pierre Fratessa, a young business man tion of knowing, not only that old of San Francisco, and married him. age has been provided for, but to After the marriage, my sister went each of her family may be left a to live with Mr. and Mrs. Fratessa, rich patrimony; and While she hasr and has lived with them ever since. thus done well for herself, she has It has been sometimes said that also aided a great many other set­ the older people, my parents, and the tlers, and helped them along." Ed.

Early Days in Similkameen A Paper read by the late Henry Nicholson before the Kettle River and South Okanagan Pioneer Society My reminiscences of early days on and I arrived at the old Hudson's the Similkameen may not be very Bay Post at Keremeos. It was a interesting to the public owing in a beautiful September afternoon in 1872. measure to the uneventfulness of The day had been intensely hot, arid what might be called the patriarchal now, as the sun was westering, the period of the settlement, resembling valley was bathed in a haze so quiet somewhat that of the Boers of South and lifeless as to be oppressive, and Africa before the war, neither troub­ the solitude of this narrow valley ling nor being troubled with the out­ surrounded with steep and rugged side world, excepting the ever-mo­ mountains, with here and there mentous question, the price of beef. masses of black pine, with its benches I well remember my first glimpse covered with sage brush and cactus, of the Similkameen Valley when, after and its bottom lands luxuriant with a long and fatiguing ride from Prince­ wild herbage, the home of flocks of ton, my partner, Barrington Price, prairie chicken, but with no sign of 14 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

man's handiwork, was all the more were held on the bench now occupied noticeable to us who had just arrived by one of Manuel Barcelo's farms. from the Old Country with its busy It was here that the famous race took life. place, in 1874, between Barrington In the early seventies, beef was Price's "Mountain Chief" and Aleck king, and the lady-finger potatoes McConnel's "Bugler Dick," for the were the great farming product of the Keremeos Derby Stakes. An immense valley. It was a free life in those gathering of whites and Indians wit­ days; all too free with no restraining, nessed the race, and the excitement no refining influences, and with few and cheering which took place when events to mark the lapse of time. J. C. Haynes declared the "Chief" The principal events of our lives may the winner, reminded one of an old •be briefly summarized as the arrival countryside meeting. What a pictur­ of the mail carrier every three esque crowd the Indians were with months, the arrival of the pack trains their many-colored blankets, bedecked with the welcome supplies, the cattle trappings and ornamental head-gear, drives to Hope, an occasional race and how thoroughly they enjoyed the meeting, and the annual trip to Fort sport. The Indians were keen judges Hope or Victoria. From the middle of horse flesh as we often found to of June to the middle of November our cost when they matched some the Hope trail was open for pack "calico" cayuse against the white trains and cattle, bound for the Vic­ man's horse. The Indian has changed toria market, from the well-known very much since that date. I suppose, ranches of Ellis, Haynes & Lowe, evolutionized with his surroundings, Richter, Barcelo, Allison, and others, the blanket and buckskin hat have keeping the trail alive. given place to store clothes, and now Stock raising being almost the sole Mr. Indian and his better half, Darby industry, to foe a cattleman was the and Joan alike, may foe met driving aspiration of every youngster who in their buggy. could sit a horse; but to boss a drive Farming in those days was undoubt­ was a coveted honor for the favored edly primitive. We found nature in few. It was not an easy matter to the rough, and did little to disturb get a band of cattle safely over the her. The building of a flour mill mountains, and only the most careful toy Barrington Price to 1877 led to herding ensured a successful drive. the raising of wheat by the Indians To the uninitiated, the boss driver as well as the whites, and it was only might appear to be a very mild then that we realized how wonder­ though somewhat reticent person, his fully productive the soil was; the answers being mostly monosyllabic, bench land with a sufficiency of water and that this placid disposition was yielding splendid crops. With im­ the result of his occupation; but let proved conditions on the ranches, so­ anything go wrong with the drive, cial conditions began to change, and then would be seen what a reserve change very fast. The old careless of eloquence he possessed. R. L. Caw­ way of living was soon found to be ston was one of the most successful not good enough, and we who were cattlemen of these days, having a living as bachelors soon esteemed it happy, jovial disposition, he could a great pleasure and privilege to be always get good men to work for him allowed to sit at a well-spread table and get good work done; but let presided over by a kindly hostess, anything go wrong with the drive; such as we found in various homes well, he was gifted with a flow of in the valley. invective that would make a chee- The Granite Creek gold excitement chaco's hair curl. was at its height in the summer of In a country where a horse was 1885. The creek for about four miles as indispensable to a man as his legs, was very rich, being very narrow with horse racing would be a natural con­ little fall to it; it was more like a sequence, and the Sunday gatherings ground sluice in the mountains than at the store would witness many a anything else, and as the diggings trial of nags. The bench below the were shallow, the cream of the pay present town of Keremeos was the was soon taken out. A considerable usual track, but the big race meetings town soon sprang into existence, with OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 15

some business houses and a great and he was very proud of the letter number of saloons, restaurants, gam­ he received from the great Home bling houses, etc. In fact it was a Ruler in which he was thanked in typical mining town, money was plen­ courteous terms for the gift. That tiful and was squandered in the usual letter later on became famous in the miner-like fashion, and life in the camp. Whenever Pat Synon fore­ camp was gay, lurid and splendid. gathered with his fellowmen to the Considerable gold was also taken out saloons he always produced it, and of some of the neighbouring creeks, then each one of the boys would Slate, Collins and Bear creeks, and insist on reading it aloud to the others. The gold was generally coarse; crowd, and each time it was read a one- and two-ounce nuggets occasion­ round of drinks would follow, and so ally rewarded some lucky miner. I on. W. E. Gladstone was said to be recall, among the more fortunate ones, a teetotaller, and known to be a a young Londoner who had paid his friend of all Irishman, and he prob­ last dollar to record his claim, and ably would never have written that having borrowed a rocker that same letter had he known how often it afternoon, took out over $400.00, and would cause his friend and admirer, he subsequently left the camp with Pat Synon, to fall by the wayside. about $11,000.00. On the upper dis­ Although the life of the creek was covery claim, over $800.00 was taken short, the rush of miners into Gran­ out in one day, and a little below ite Creek was important, because this claim Tom Fay had a fraction many of the miners who came in to (25 feet) which he worked with a mine for placer gold remained in the rocker, banking the dirt in the fore­ country to prospect for gold-toearing noon and washing it in the afternoon, quartz, and soon Fairview and Camp and with the sun shining on the dirt, McKinney were booming. Among the gold could be plainly seen in the these men were Stephen Mangott, gravel. Genial old Pat Synon, a true Fred. Gwatkins, George Shehan, and son of the Emerald Me, had a claim others. All of these men have done which he called the "Gladstone". One much for the advancement of the day he found a particularly fine nug­ mining industry in the southern part get which he sent to W. E. Gladstone, of British Columbia.

Early Days in British Columbia B. F. YOUNG When Abraham Lincoln was shot generally a feeling of relief and ela­ in the old Ford theatre in Washing­ tion abroad in the land when the ton, on the night of the 14th April, news of Lincoln's assassination shock­ 1865, I was serving in a volunteer ed the country. regiment In Philadelphia, and I re­ He died on the following day, the member very well the intense excite­ 15th, but he was not buried until the ment which prevailed in the city 4th of May. In the meantime the when the news reached us. body, in its journey from Washington The people of the United States to Springfield, HI., lay in state in, were not a military or war-like people, successively, Philadelphia, Baltimore, but when the civil war broke out, one New York, and other cities. While of the most sanguinary wars in his­ it was lying in state in Philadelphia tory was fought, and for four years it was our corps which had to fur­ it profoundly affected the lives of the nish the guard of honour, and I with people. others had to take my turn in stand­ General Lee had surrendered at ing at the bier while thousands filed Appromattox on the 9th April, and past it to take a last look at their this nightmare was practically at an great President. end, and among the soldiers every one Following the war, the commercial was talking of home, and there was depression was great, the currency 16 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

was depreciated, and business seemed he said he didn't know. That night to be at a standstill. While we were we landed in Port Townsend. and the in the army we got $13.00 per month, next day five of us who wished to go but after the war men working on to Victoria hired a fishing smack to farms could not get more than $8.00 take us across the Strait. The wind, per month, and other wages were in which had been so boisterous on the proportion. In 1869 I was living in ocean, now failed us altogether, and Pittsburgh, and determined to go west. we had to row most of the way. I am not sure of my dates, but I In 1870, things were not very bright have a memorandum which shows in the Colony. Cariboo had been de­ that, in April, 1870, I was in Fort clining for some years and the Big Scott, Mo., and more or less at ran­ Bend diggings in the Kootenay had dom I took a ticket for San Diego, proved to be something of a flash in Cal.—one place seemed to be about the pan, and business conditions were as good as another. On the train depressed. When I first saw the I became acquainted with a Scotch­ water front in Victoria I would not man who had some mines in north­ have given $500.00 for the whole lot. ern B.C., somewhere in the Peace The wharves were broken down, the River, he said, and he told me he freight sheds were out of repair, and would give me $6.00 per day if I went everything looked neglected and ruin­ with him and worked in his mine. ous. That settled it. When I got to San I paid the fare for one of my Francisco I got a refund of the un­ companions to Yale and from there used part of my ticket, and intended I walked to Cache Creek. It was on to sail on the same ship to Victoria this trip I first met George Whelan, with the big Scotchman, tout on get­ who afterwards farmed at Ellison. ting down to the wharf in the morn­ Thomas Spence, after whom Spences ing I found that I had missed the Bridge was named, was then Govern­ ship by about two hours, and with the ment road boss on the Cariboo Road ship went the big Scotchman and my above Clinton. He had hired George chance of making $6.00 per day. I Whelan in Vicitoria to work on the never saw that man again, and never roads, and George was walking in. He knew his name. On the train we ad­ and I travelled together for three dressed him as "Big Dick" and let it days. While we were at Cache Creek go at that. As the next regular sail­ Thomas Spence passed through, and ing of a passenger steamship did not I missed seeing him. The next day take place for a month, I took pas­ I got the loan of a horse, and when sage on the schooner "Clara Light" I arrived in Clinton I had but one bound for Port Townsend. We had dollar in my pocket. It took 75 cents a very rough trip. The master of the of that to feed my horse, and with vessel, Cap't Mitchell, a fine man, the last two bits I had I bought a said he had 'been sailing on the stick of licorice at Foster's drug store. Pacific coast for twenty years and Later I met Spence and put the he had never seen anything like it. proposition up to him. I told him It took us nineteen days to make the I was broke and that he or some trip. The last day we were out, when one else would have to give me work I woke up in the morning, everything or give me something to eat, and I was so still that I supposed we were added that I was not particular in port and tied up to the wharf, which, but I wanted either one or the but on going on deck the nearest other and that without loss of time. land was still far off. On the ocean He laughed, and locking the fingers I had often admired the men at the of his hands over his stomach and wheel. They were so alert and watch­ twirling his two thumbs around very ful, and very skilful too in easint rapidly (a funny habit he always the vessel off when a particularly had) he looked me over and then big wave threatened to break over the said, "Boy, you had better go up to deck, but on this occasion I found the green timber". It was at the the pilot fast asleep sitting with his "green timber" the work on the roads back to the wheel and one arm was going on, and right there and through the spokes, and when I woke then I was fairly launched on my him up and asked him where we were career in B.C. I never wanted for work OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 17

after that. George Whelan and I holes or blocked up, or the harness worked together on the road for some might break, or the stage coach itself months. George was a very powerful might break down; but that made man and did more work than any no difference, a driver was supposed other, and was said to get double to overcome small difficulties of that wages. sort and finish the trip on time. One The next year I went in with day, Governor Trutch, his Lady and George Cookie as a partner in his secretary arrived in Yale. William ranch at Cache Creek. After my Dodd, who later kept a store in Lam­ experience on that ranch I never want bly's wheat shed in Enderby, the to have anything more to do with father of Leonard Dodd, Government irrigation. Always there was some­ Agent at Princeton, was the B.X. thing going wrong, the ditches were Agent in Yale at the time, and he giving way or the flumes were break­ gave me instructions to take the party ing down, or something was going to Boston Bar, about 25 miles below wrong. E. M. Furstineau worked for Yale. When I arrived back with the us for a while. It was some time in party in the evening, he gave me 1872 I commenced to drive stage. One instructions to proceed at once to of the drivers, John McKay, now liv­ Cache Creek, about 110 miles up the ing up the Fraser River above Lytton, road from Yale. I drove all night wanted to run his race horse "Cariboo and got into Cache Creek just as the Charlie" at the Barkerville races, and down stage from Barkerville was he asked me to drive one trip for leaving for Yale. I never knew why him. From that time on until I was I was sent to Cache Creek that night married I drove stage. I never saw No explanation was given me either John McKay after that until three at Yalo or Cache Creek, and it would years ago I met him in Kamloops not have been etiquette to inquire too at a bull sale. closely. My instructions were to go My regular route was from Barker­ to Cache Creek and I went there, ville to Yale, but once a week I was and that was that. It was a big day's detailed to take the stage from Cache work, nevertheless, to drive a stage Creek to O'Keefe's. One day at for 160 miles in one day. Of course O'Keefe's I met E. M. Furstineau, and along the road the relays of horses on the next trip in he was waiting were always ready for me. for me with a saddle horse, and we For some years the mail was taken rode out to his ranch just across the from Cache Creek to O'Keefe's and road from where I now live, and there from O'Keefe's taken to the Mission I saw one of the finest fields of wheat on horse back. The contract for car­ I ever saw in my life. The up-shot rying the mail in this way was in of it was that I paid his debts and Alex Vance's name although it was he gave me a half interest in his generally understood that he held it ranch. John Ussher, who was after­ for the B.X. Company for whom he wards shot toy the McLeans, drew up was working at the time. I knew him the agreement between us. E. M. very well and he was a fine man. Furstineau built the Lansdowne Hotel Vance Creek north of Lumby was and opened it on the first day of named after him, and so was my sec­ July, 1885. His funeral took place ond son. He was killed on the range on Sunday, the 16th September, 1888. just south of George Anderson's ranch Driving stage in those days was at the south end of Swan Lake. I hard work, but I liked it. From the stayed at his place the night 'before time the driver took over the team he was killed. He seemed to have a in the morning until he delivered his presentment of his fate, for he said freight and passengers in the evening to me a short time before that he his time was fully occupied. The expected to foe picked up dead some horses we had were small, mean to day on the range. handle, and tough. A horse in those days which weighed 900 or 1,000 In 1883 a Mrs. S. M. Bright bought pounds was considered to be a good- 220 acres near Lumby, and for years sized horse. And we were supposed after this land was known as the to get through on time. The weather "Bright Place". According to the might foe bad and the roads full of Victoria Colonist, this lady was the widow of Stephen Bright, a brother 18 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY of the famous John Bright, who, with standing near the corner of the City Cobden, had so much to do with the Hall in Vernon. Her application to repeal of the Corn Laws to England. purchase is dated 24th October, 1883, She was a friends of the two Bennets, and her Crown Grant for the land, Preston and Frederick. Frederick Lot 8, Group 1, was issued on the Bennet and Moses Lumby then owned 4th January, 1884. I knew this lady what is now known as the Stepney very well and she was often at our Ranch, and Mrs. Bright was staying house, and I still have her photo­ with them. Moses Lumby took her graph, which is an interesting re­ for a drive up the Coldstream valley, minder of early days. and when crossing the creek near In 1886 I hauled the 'Mary Victoria Lumby, she (according to the late Greenhow", the first steam .boat on Mrs. Peter Bessette) saw some very Okanagan Lake from Lansdowne to beautiful trees, and decided on the the Head of Okanagan Lake for Cap­ spot to buy the land. The trees were tain Shorts, and in 1889 I hauled the the White Spruce (Picea Canadensis) "Red Star" No. 1 from Enderby to the and there is a specimen of them now Head of the Lake for Gilles and Dow.

Mrs. B. F. Young MARGARET A. ORMSBY, MJ_. In the death of Mrs. B. F. Young Miss Mackin, then 18 years of age, which occurred on the 3rd December, took upon herself the task of nursing, 1930, the Okanagan Valley lost one through its early infancy, the moth­ of its most widely known and highly erless child. When it was about three respected pioneer women. years old the father gave it in charge The late Mrs. Young, whose maiden of the Sisters in the convent in Vic­ name was Annie Ellen Mackin, was toria to raise. That child, Annie born at St. Anicet, Quebec, in 1852. Christian, the first white child born St. Anicet is the birthplace of the at Okanagan 'Mission, is a well-known Christian torothers, the well-known and highly respected lady now living family of Okanagan pioneers, Joseph, at Salmon Arm, Mrs. J. D. Cameron. Louis, Thomas, Charles and John Mr. and Mrs. Cameron were married Christian. The eldest Christian, Jo­ on the 8th October, 1888, at Okana­ seph, was mining on Rock Creek in gan Mission by Father Caron. 1860, and the following year he and When Miss Mackin was relieved of Eli Lequime came to Mission Creek her charge, she went to live with and settled there. In 1869 Joseph Mrs. Bell at Clinton, and for a time Christian returned to St. Anicet, and she lived with Mrs. James Campbell while there married Miss Annie Cur- at Cache Creek. It was here that ran, an aunt of Miss Mackin, and Mr. Young first met his future wife. Miss Mackin came out to British At that time Simeon Duck and Alex­ Columbia with her uncle and aunt. ander Pringle owned what is now The party reached the Pacific coast known as the Senator (Bostock Estate by way of Panama, and when they near Kamloops. Pringle had a sister arrived at San Francisco, instead of staying with him, and Miss Mackin continuing on to Victoria toy sea, they and Miss Pringle were great friends, went up the Sacramento Valley and and for a time Miss Mackin lived for a time stayed with Miss Mackin's with Miss Pringle. B. F. Young was uncle. From the Sacramento Valley then driving the weekly stage between they travelled by stage to the Dalles, Cache Creek and Priests' Valley. They Oregon, and from the Dalles they were married on New Year's Day, made their way into the Okanagan 1876. John Tait was then Hudson's Valley on horse toack. Bay Factor at Kamloops, and they On the 25th April, 1870, a child was were married in his house by Rev. born to Mr. and Mrs. Christian, an James Turner, the well-known pioneer event which cost the mother her life. Methodist Missionary. OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCLETY 19

Five months after the wedding, on womanhood of Eastern Canada of a the 1st of June, Mr. Young, who has past generation. Her whole life was lived longer on his pre-emption than devoted to the home and family. She any other man who ever came into was endowed with a graciousness and the valley, pre-empted the land he tact which made her an ideal hostess, is now living on, and it was to this and the hospitality of her home was home he brought his bride a few proverbial. months later. Mrs. Young was a true She and the late Mrs. A. L. For­ pioneer and bore bravely the hard­ tune, who died on the 13th Novem­ ships inseparable from pioneer life ber, had much in common. They for which always bear more heavily on a number of years were the only the women folk than on the men. white women in Spallumcheen, and Mrs. Young is survived by her hus­ being of the type of women they were, band, three sons and two daughters, their influence for good was marked. eleven grandchildren, and one great­ Their presence, especially within the grandchild. Her eldest son, Arthur, circle of their friends and acquaint­ is in charge of the Consolidated ances, tended to soften and ameliorate School building at Armstrong. The the rather crude life which prevailed second son, Vance, lives on the old in the valley in early days. They homestead, and the youngest son, each lived on the same place after Frank, lives on a farm near by. Her coming into the valley until their eldest daughter, May, married J. F. death. It is rather remarkable that Pringle, a nephew of the Alexander these two women, the first white wo­ Pringle and Miss Pringle above-men­ tioned, and of John Pringle of Grand men in the Spallumcheen Valley, Prairie. One of Mrs. Pringle's most should have died within twenty days prized possessions is her mother's of each other, and as if to further old trunk brought from St. Anicet, and mark the parallel, on the day of her packed in on a horse from the Dalles. funeral, as on the occasion when Mrs. They live in Calgary, and he is su­ Fortune was buried, it was a mild perintendent of elevators for the Al­ early-winter afternoon. The same berta Pacific Grain Company. The mantle of snow covered the fields, and second daughter, Lillian, married Dr. still clung to the nearby forest trees, Colin M. Henderson, of Montreal, a while a group of pretty much the nephew of the late A. L. Fortune. same friends and neighbours gathered The third daughter, Annie Elva, mar­ around the open grave to .pay the ried Norman Stevenson, later going last sad tribute of respect to her to New Zealand, where Mrs. Steven­ whose long life of 78 years was so son died on the 1st May, 1926. The full of changes and vicissitudes, so youngest child, Carl, died in infancy. beset with privations and hardships bravely faced, and so replete with Mrs. Young was a remarkable wo­ man, and a splendid type of the duties faithfully performed.

The Aurora in the Okanagan MRS. S. L. ALLISON To me, it seems very strange that dry branches, and was frightened; but the Encyclopaedia Britannica should Belle, the nurse, told me to look up at question the fact that the Aurora at the sky and see the merry dancers. times emits a sound. I have heard Such they really seemed to be, for the it frequently and very plainly. columns of light that were dancing Once when a child in Scotland in across the sky seemed to be like going up Union street in the City of dancers with castanets. Ever since, Aberdeen with our old nurse who was I have loved to watch the Aurora. I bringing me home from a children's found out later that the term then party at Bishop Skinner's, I heard a used by the nurse, 'merry dancers,' is crackling noise just like fire among a term in common use in Scotland 20 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY and in the north of England, to crimson darting through it; the designate a certain form of the whole was of varying colors and vi­ Aurora. brating, a dome of living light. I When we were living at Sunnyside, sat with the boys and watched it for near Westbank, on Okanagan Lake, more than two hours. There was no I heard the Aurora quite frequently, sound, but the awed voices of the over the mountains across Okanagan men. It was like a glimpse of the Lake from where we lived. Great col­ "Beauty of the Lord," and we all felt umns of light would appear and re­ it to be such. main stationary, but vibrating, and Again at Keremeos in 1915 there then with a swishing sound they appeared in the sky an immense would move over to Okanagan Mission scimitar which changed its position which is east of Westbank, and then from time to time, but not its shape. back again. As I recollect it, the As the war was on at the time many sound heard in Scotland was a crack­ regarded it as an omen. No sound ling sound, but at Sunnyside it was accompanied this auroral display more of a rustling or swishing sound. either. Once when we were living at Alli­ In auroral displays, the Okanagan son, near Princeton, I saw one of the Valley is singularly favored. grandest sights imaginable. My hus­ band was away from home and I NOTE:—J. C. Macdonald, comptrol­ and the children had been in bed for ler of Water Rights for the province, some time when I was aroused by the has this to say regarding the aud­ sound of voices and some one tapping ibility of the Aurora: "I was much at the window. I went to investi­ interested in the discussion of the gate and there stood R. L. Cawston, audibility of the Aurora. Like C. A. Harry Hobbs, William McKeown and Pope, I was surprised that there was William Elwell. They said: "Come any doubt about the matter. While out, please do, you must not miss this I cannot give exact dates, I have sight." I slipped on my dressing gown heard the crackling sound both in and slippers and joined them and the Maritime Provinces and in Sas­ witnessed a sight never to be forgot­ katchewan. I have only noticed it in ten. Above us was a vast dome of very still weather, when the Aurora rosy light with shafts of gold and was most prominent."—Ed.

The Audibility of the Aurora CLAUDE S. HANCOCK I read with much interest the ar­ nothing in the sky in fact, but this ticle in our last report on the audi­ arch, with fingers of mauve and la­ bility of the Aurora, and wish to add vender darting along it from west to my experience with regard to this east with a swishing, crackling sound phenomenon. suggestive of silk drawn over a cor­ One night in the summer of 1892, rugated surface. These fingers of I was camped with another man in mauve and lavender did not appear the Black Hills of Wyoming. In that anywhere in the sky except along the high altitude and clear air the stars luminous streak. are very bright, so bright in fact that I was quite a youngster at the time, one can see to read by starlight. On and had not been long out from Ire­ this particular night a luminous land, and to me this luminous streak streak appeared in the sky running was an unusual phenomenon, and from northwest to southeast, and nothing more. On the other hand my crossing the zenith, or near to the companion, Nick Hoffman, was an old zenith. It was like a pearl arch. j man who had mined for gold in There was no sign of the Northern j California in 1849 and therefore a Lights in any other part of the sky; ! "forty-niner," and had fought In- OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 21

dians and generally roughed it in the ticed that every time one of those west for a great number of years, and fingers of light moved forward with a I was amazed to see how frightened swish, it made the old fellow jump. he became. Men like him who have Assuming that this was an unusual lived mostly out of doors, and camp­ form of the Aurora (and I cannot im­ ing out, for a great number of years, agine it to have been anything else), are very quick to notice any unusual there were two men in the Black appearance in the sky, and perhaps Hills of Wyoming that night, who some of them are more or less super- were thoroughly convinced that at stituous. Be that as it may, I no­ times, the Aurora is audible.

Enderby ZILLAH MAY MEIGHAN To obtain more information about I "Orate pro anima Albini de Enderby the three English villages with the [qui fecit fieri estam ecclesiam cum common name, Enderby, the home of campanile qui obiit in Virginia Sancti those phantom ladies, the Brides of Matthio appostoli Anno MCCCCVII," Enderby, we applied to the authorities and another slab bears in Norman of the town of Horncastle, in Lincoln­ French, the words: "Thomas Enderby shire. The town clerk, R. Chatterton, et Agnes sa feme gysont ysy, Dieux in response to our appeal, very kindly do lour almes pom- sa grace eyt and courteously sent us some five mercy." pages of extracts from Kelly's Direc­ There is no post office and no rail­ tory of Lincolnshire. From the ma­ way station in any of the three vil­ terial so furnished, we learn that lages; it is therefore no wonder that while it is correct to say the three we failed to locate the name when villages lie between Horncastle and poring over long lists of English post Spilsby, Wood Enderby would lie well offices and English railway stations. to the south of a line drawn between Margaret A. Ormsby has furnished the two towns, and that: the translations of the two inscrip­ Mavis Enderby is a parish and vil­ tions; that of the Latin is: "Pray for lage 3 miles west-by-north of Spilsby. the soul of Albinus de Enderby who Area of the parish, 1167 acres. Popu­ caused the erection of this church lation in 1921, 100. The Church of St. with its belfry, and who died on the Michael is an ancient ediface of green eve of St. Matthew the Apostle in the sandstone, and the Register of the year 1407," and of the Norman Church dates back to the year 1597. French: "Thomas Enderby and Agnes A Wesleyan chapel was built there in his wife are lying here. May God's 1876. grace have mercy on their souls." Wood Enderby is a parish and vil­ They seem to have made much of lage four miles south-by-east of this name, Enderby, in old times and Horncastle. Area, 815 acres; popula­ it is a pretty name, and musical. It tion in 1921, 114. The Church of is a name which seems to go well St. Benedict is a small building partly with things beautiful and harmonious of green sandstone and its Register —Gothic churches with their belfrys, dates back to 1561, and that: deep, far-reaching green glades, state­ Bag Enderby is a village and parish ly high-born dames with their cava­ six and a half miles northwest of liers dancing the minuet to the sound Spilsby and eight miles northeast of the spinet, and such things—and from Horncastle. The area of the we can understand those people who parish is 627 acres and the population in centuries gone by, cut it deep into is 1921 was 30. The Church of St. the stone of their sepulchral slabs, Margaret is very ancient, the Register and scattered abroad in the land. dating back to 1561. In the floor of R. Chatterton, in his letter, has the church are several sepulchral this to say of the villages: "All three slabs, one of which is inscribed: villages are obviously of great age, 22 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY and probably have not changed for ale served to him in a pewter mug in hundreds of years. Wood Enderby the tap room by a rosy-cheeked bar particularly, is typically an English maid, who for tuppence extra will village, and in all three the habits furnish him with a long Church War­ and pursuits of the inhabitants are den clay pipe with enough tobacco truly rural." What delightful old thrown in to fill it, and, if she hap­ villages they must be. If any of our pens to be in a particularly amiable members should find themselves in mood, will sometimes chuck the the vicinity, we hope they will not weary way-worn traveller under the fail to visit them, and record their chin to cheer him up and make him feel at home, and then promptly slap impressions. We are sure if anyone his face if he gets fresh. We would visited them, he would be well repaid recommend our men members to for his trouble. think it over seriously; the roast beef While it is true, the only buildings in these inns, they say, is a dream. mentioned in these descriptive pages In the meantime, and always, we are the three churches and the would like to know more about that Weslayan chapel, yet it is in just such delectable land—the land which has villages as these that the old English given us those three haunting lines: inns are to be found of which we read, so cosy and comfortable. Inns "Play uppe, play uppe, O Boston bells where the guest is served his meals Play all your changes, all your swells in the kitchen, and has his pint of Play uppe 'The Brides of Enderby'".

The Naming of Enderby GRAHAM ROSOMAN In the year 1887 the name, Enderby, Lincolnshire." When she had finished, was suggested for this town by the Mrs. Lawes exclaimed: "Why not call late Mis. Frances Lawes. Up to that our town Enderby?" The suggestion time it had been known under var­ so pleased those present that the ious appellations. The Indians called name was agreed to and submitted the place Spallumcheen, the townsite to Ottawa, and when the post office surveyed and plotted by the govern­ was opened on the 1st November, ment was called Belvidere, but the 1887, the name was Enderby. majority of the people in the valley This account of the selection of usually referred to it as Lambly's the name, Enderby, was given me by Landing, or, the Steamboat Landing. Mrs. Oliver in 1898, and when telling The little group of hopeful, interested me of it, she recited a part of the people then residing here, had often poem mentioned with great facility. discussed the question of a suitable The poem seemed very familiar to name for their little town. her, and evidently it was one of her One afternoon in the early summer favorites. Her manner of telling of of 1887 when the Spalluncheen river the incident was so obviously sincere was in flood and was overflowing its that the writer has no doubt of its banks and the lower part of the town authenticity. was inundated. Mrs. Lawes was en­ Mrs. Lawes afterwards wrote to tertaining some of her friends to af­ Jean Ingelow telling her of the se­ ternoon tea, and as the ladies sat on lection of the name, and several let­ the verandah enjoying the scene, the bright green of the trees and bushes ters passed between the two ladies, and the vast expanse of water shining but contrary to what is sometimes in the sun, one of them, Mrs. Oliver, said, Jean Ingelow never visited En­ prompted, no doubt by the sight of derby. Mrs. Oliver's husband was the flood, recited Jean Ingelow's later killed in an accident in the poem, "High Tide on the Coast of j Enderby grist mill. OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 23

An Old Newspaper We had the good fortune to be at the Port of Victoria and eight shown the first number of the Vic­ cleared. The following article is ori­ toria "Colonist," issued on the 11th ginal: December, 1858, Amor De Cosmos, "Unwritten poetry—Far dbwn in the editor and proprietor, published depth of the human heart there is a weekly at $5.00 per year, single copies foundation of pure and hallowed 25 cents. It consists of four pages, feeling from which at times wells up each 9 by 13 inches, and four columns a tide of emotion which words are to the page. powerless to express, which the soul This copy was the property of J. alone can appreciate. Full many Langstaff, of Vernon who had the hearts overflowing with sublime paper framed between two sheets of thoughts and holy imaginings, need glass so that the whole paper can be but the 'pen of fire' to hold enrap­ read, fore and aft, without taking it tured thousands in its spell. The out of the frame, and he generously 'thoughts that breathe' are there but donated it in this condition to ttje not the 'words that burn.' Nature's University of B.C. through the Gif^* own inspiration fills the heart with Committee of the Class of 1931. I emotions too deep for utterance, and The paper itself is not very inter­ the poetry of the heart lies forever esting; it gives little insight into con­ concealed in its own mysterious ditions as they were in the Colony shrine. then, or the lives of the people. Near­ Unwritten poetry—It is stamped up­ ly the whole of the front page is tak­ on the broad blue sky; it twinkles in en up with a review of a book which every star. It mingles in the ocean's had been recently published by A. surge, and glitters in the dew drop Waddington, "The Fraser Mines Vin­ that gems the lily's bell. It glows in dicated." Pages two and three are the gorgeous colours of the decline of nearly all taken up in defining what day, and rests in the blackened crest the policy of the paper will be, crit­ of the storm-cloud. It is on the moun­ icizing the actions of the Govern­ tain's height and in the cataract's ment, and reporting the proceedings roar—in the towering oak, and in the of the House of Assembly/ while page tiny flower; where we can see the four contains mostly, political news Hand of God, there beauty has her from Eastern Canada. There is less dwelling place." than one column of advertisement, If anyone thinks Amor De Cosmos and from the shipping news we learn was incapable of fine writing, let him that from the 7th to the 11th of "stuff that into his corn cob and set December, twelve vessels had arrived fire to it."

The Camels in British Columbia W. T. HAYHURST In 1862 a number of camels were the horses and mules. An appeal brought into British Columbia from was made to Governor Douglas to California for use as pack animals on have their use on the road prohibited, the Cariboo road. They made regu­ and they did so much damage in lar trips for about a year, but in the stampeding pack trains of horses and end they had to be taken off the road. mules that the owners were threaten­ The rocks on the road were too hard ed with suits for damages. on their feet, and they had to be re­ When they were taken off the Cari­ gularly shod with boots of canvas or boo road they gradually became dis­ raw hide, moreover, in British Co­ persed. Some were brought down to lumbia, as elsewhere, they frightened the Coast where they were sold and 24 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

taken back to the States; some were back on the same ship which brought used as pack animals on the trail the third lot. from Hope to Kootenay; some were The first lot of fifteen Bactrian turned out on the North Thompson, camels from Manchuria were land­ and some for years were kept at ed at San Francisco on the 25th July, Grand Prairie. (1). 1860. They were brought over on To most men who had never seen a the "Caroline E. Foote" and consign­ camel outside of a circus, there was ed to M. Frisius, who acted for Otto something strangely incongruous in Esche as his agent. For two weeks the appearance of these animals un­ they were exhibited in a tent on der the bull pines of Grand Prairie. Bush street, San Francisco (admis­ Most men have always associated the sion 50c, children half price). On camel, through pictures or eastern i fche tenth of October they were of- scenes, with life in the desert; with!fered for sale at auction. The bid- life in the Sahara, Egypt or Arabia' dmg> however, was slow; the first and with Bedouins in tents, Sheiks in dav onlv two were sold, one for $425.00 flowing robes, and pilgrimages to • and one for $475.00 Finally M. Mecca, and here they seemed much! ^isms^ sold ^ten of^ them to Julius out of their natural setting. Many a Bandman. Julius Bandman and H. traveller passing along the road Neilson were commission merchants through Grand Prairie, and coming and importers in San Francisco, and on them unexpectedly, has stared at later they acted as agents for Otto them in astonishment looked, rubbed Esche. his eyes, and looked again. The second lot of ten reached San Francisco on the 15th Nov. 1861. They While they were on Grand Prairie, came over in the "Caroline E. Foote" no use was ever made of these huge, ungainly, though docile brutes. In under the command of Captain An­ spring they had to be sheared the drew I. Worth, who brought over the same as sheep. They were made to first lot in July, 1860. kneel down during the process, and In September, 1861 Otto Esche was the hair was used by the housewives at de Castries Bay in Siberia. While in the neighborhood for stuffing pil­ there he chartered the bark "Dollart" lows and mattresses. None of them for $4,500.00. He put 44 camels on were ever killed for food, although board of her and took passage on her there are two pretty well authenticat­ himself. They were three months in ed instances of this being done. At crossing the Pacific. When they the 150-mile house Alder and Barry landed at San Francisco on the 26th killed and dressed one, but the people January, 1862, only twenty of the there would have none of it; they forty-four camels were alive. He sued were probably prejudiced. The camels the Dollart and her owners for the never had any friends on the Cariboo loss of the camels and was awarded load from the time they first came $6,240 damages or $260.00 for each there, frightening the horses and animal lost. The Dollart was sold on stampeding the pack trains right and the 29th March, 1862, for $6,500.00 to left. In 1870 one was killed in Koot­ satisfy the judgment. enay for food and was pronounced to In the spring of 1862 Mr. Call­ be "most delicious when fried." If it breath went from Victoria to San was eatable at all it was bound to be Francisco to inquire into the suit­ "delicious." Probably the last time ability of camels as pack animals in anyone ever ate camel's flesh was the British Columbia; and in the suit of last time he had to. Otto Esche against the Dollart when it was tried in the District Court in The camels in B.C. came originally San Francisco, Julius Bandman, above from China, from either Mongolia or referred to, was called as a witness. Manchuria, and were brought to Cal­ Part of his evidence reads: "We ifornia by Otto Esche. (Julius Bandman and H. Neilson) are Otto Esche was a merchant in San agents of Mr. Esche—we were con- Francisco. He went to China in the signees of these camels. I have re- spring of 1860 and stayed there until ceived various lots of camels. We the fall of 1861. While there he sent sold the last lot of 23 camels, some over two lots of camels and came from the Dollart and some from the OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 25

Foote. The twenty-three sold for Their appearance on the wharf $6,000.00, purchased by Mr. Callbreath, caused great wonder and a 'hy-you of Victoria, British America." (2). waw waw' among the Indians who It has been claimed that the camels seemed in great perplexity to under­ brought into British Columbia were stand the precise nature of the extra­ purchased in Nevada, driven to San ordinary animals." Francisco and from there shipped to It is surprising how little comment Victoria, and that they were part of appeared in any of the newspapers the importations of the American published in British Columbia at the Camel Company. time of the arrival of the camels. This seems improbable. We have Cariboo was at its height, and the the direct testimony of Julius Band- Civil War was on in the United mann that he sold some of the States, and no one seemed to be in­ camels which came over on the Dol­ terested in anything but the war lart to Mr. Callbreath, and Otto and the mines. The above extract Esche appears to have been acting for jfrom the British Columbian was himself throughout. In the agree­ about the only comment made. ment entered into at the time the The camels brought over by Otto Dollart was chartered in Siberia, the Esche were not the first camels two parties to the contract, as des­ brought into the United States. In cribed in the agreement are: "Cptn. 1856-7 the U. S. government brought J. H. C. Muggenborg, Master of the 76 camels into Texas from countries Hanoverian Bark 'Dollart' for and bordering on the Mediterranean, on behalf of himself and owners of mostly Egypt. Major Wayne acted said vessel of 311 tons register now for the government in buying them, lying the the Bay of de Castries and and they were brought over in the Mr. Otto Esche, merchant at Nicol- U.S. ship "Supply" under command aefsky," and in the notice of the sale of Lieut. David D. Porter. The first of the Dollart signed by the U. S. lot of 35 which cost on an average of Marshall, Wm. Rabe, the sale is said $250.00 each, were landed at Indian- to be "at the suit of Otto Esche Ola, Texas, on the 14th May, 1856, and against the bark 'Dollart,' her tackle, the second lot of 41 were landed on apparel and furniture." The Ameri­ the 10th Feb. 1857. These were for can Camel Company was a New York use in the Army Transport Service. Company incorporated in 1854. It was Of these 76 camels 28 were taken probably incorporated for the purpose on an expedition to southern Cali­ of importing camels from the Medi- fornia, a distance of 1200 miles, by terrean into Texas. If any camels General E. F. Beale. The expedition were imported by it into North Am­ left San Antonio, Texas, on the 25th erica, they are not mentioned by any June, 1857, and the time required was of the authorities we have been able five months, an average of less than to consult so far. eight miles per day. General Beale However, be this as it may, we expressed himself as well satisfied know that the Dollart landed in San with their performance on the trip, Francisco on the 26th Jan. 1862, and and reported to the government: "I by April 10th, of the same year some look forward to the day when every of the camels which came over on mail route across the continent will her were on their way to Victoria on be conducted and worked together the steamer "Hermann" under com­ with this economical and noble brute." mand of Captain George S. Wright, After they reached California no one where, according to the Daily Press seems to have accomplished any­ newspaper, of Victoria, she arrived on thing worth while with them and as the I4th April with 22 Bactrian they were a source of expense to the camels on board consigned to Cal­ government, General Beale recom­ breath (sic). The "British Colum­ mended that they be sold. He wrote bian," of New Westminster, has this to the government that they were to say of their arrival there: "Camels, of no earthly use to the government 21 in number, arrived by the steamer or anyone else," and that it was cost­ Enterprise on Monday (May 5th) and ing $500.00 per month to keep them. went up to Douglas yesterday on the Why it should have cost, in Southern barge in tow of the Flying Dutchman. California, $500.00 per month to keep 26 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

28 animals, which thrived on the the home stretch on a mule. coarsest herbage, is not clear. But About one thousand people attended they were sold. They were sold at the race, the admission being 50 cents. Bernicia, Cal., on the 28th February, McLeneghan and Dealing helped to 1864, to Samuel McLenehan, but for collect the money at the gate, but what price we do not know. They handed it over to someone to count. soon became dispersed after the sale, The receipts were only $180.00, which throughout California. Some were would indicate that about two-thirds sold to circuses, some to Zoological of the people paid no admission or parks, and General Beale, who still that someone had levied a heavy retained his admiration for the camel, commission for collecting and caring bought some of them. None of them for the gate receipts, while the two reached British Columbia as far as men were trying to entertain the we are aware. The camels from the restless crowd." (3). Mediterranean were dromedaries, The camels when they were brought camels with one hump only. into British Columbia were worth, After Samuel McLeneghan bought roughly, $250.00 each. At the time them he took ten of the best to Ne­ Cariboo was booming and all pack vada. While en route he staged an and draught animals were high- exhibition and dromedary race at the priced. The following news item is State Fair then being held at Sacre- taken from the "British Columbian" mento, which is thus described in of the 24th April, 1862: "The sale of "Camels in Western America." mules at Langley was well attended "The camels were prepared for the and good prices obtained. Mules race track after being exhibited to the brought as high as $480.00 a pair." curious public for a few days. The This sale took place just about the day before the race, an advertisement, time the camels arrived. The U.S. 'Great Dromedary Race' appeared in Army camels were sold in southern a newspaper, announcing that ten California in Feb. 1864, which was dromedairies would take part in a just about the time the camels were fast race, and that the beneficiary, taken off the Cariboo road. From O. W. Dealing, would ride the fastest this date on the price of camels animal. The race took place April 7. dropped. We know of one in British One of the dromedaries, 'Old Tule' Columbia which was sold for $35.00, was first placed on the track, being and Fred S. Perrine, in a letter pub­ led by the owner who rode a horse. lished in the "Oregonian," Portland, They decided to run Old Tule once Ore., of date the 14th Feb. 1927, says around the track to measure his gate, those of the U. S. Army camels re­ and incite the other camels which tained in Texas which were not cap­ were soon to enter the race. They tured by the Confederate soldiers, started off McLeneghan on his horse, were sold at Camp Verde, Texas, in and Dealing in the rear applying a 1866 for $31.00 each. huge whip to Old Tule with great, Many particulars regarding the vigor. The trio raced around the half camels brought into California from mile track before a delighted crowd, China, were disclosed in the evidence Tule coming in with mouth and nose given in the suit of Otto Esche against covered with white foam. Then six the "Dollart," but these particulars of the camels were driven around the lay buried in the records of the U. S. track by some horsemen preparatory District Court, in San Francisco, un­ to tiie race. Satisfied that the per­ til last year, 1930, when they were un­ formance would be a success, McLen­ earthed by A. A. Gray, and given to eghan now placed all ten animals on the public for the first time, in a the track. He kept to his horse, but pamphlet "Camels in Western Amer­ Dealing rode a camel which was the ica," published by the California His­ striking feature of the exhibition. torical Society of San Francisco. This When the animals were going at full pamphlet is the work of three men, speed, and one-half around the track, A. A. Gray, Francis P. Farquhar and McLeneghan became alarmed, fearing William S. Lewis, and is a valuable that Dealing would fall off, and contribution to the history of the rushed ahead and stopped the race, camels in North America. The fol­ Dealing dismounted and came down lowing extract is taken from page 21* OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 27

"When the camels were stationed at in Central Asia. The term "Bactrian Fort Tejon (in southern California) camel is used to distinguish the camels two of them engaged, one night, in a of Central Asia (Camelus bactrianus) deadly combat, and clubbed each which have two humps from the other so fiercely with their ponderous camels of such countries as Syria, forefeet that one of them was killed Arabia and Egypt (Camelus drome- before the soldiers could get them un­ darius) which have one hump. All der control. Lieutenant Sylvester the camels brought into Texas were Mowry, wishing to preserve the evi­ camels with one hump, and all the dence that these noble brutes were camels brought into California from once domiciled in California, sent the China were camels with two humps. skeleton to Washington, D.C." It is (4). now in the Smithsonian Institution in We hope to be able in our next that city. No effort was ever made, Report to give the date with some de­ however, to secure a skeleton of one gree of certainty, of the death of of the B.C. camels for the Provincial the last camel in British Columbia, Museum in Victoria. but want of space prevents us from The camels we had in British Co­ dealing with this subject further for lumbia are often referred to as "Bac­ the present. trian" camels, but this means no more (D—W. S. Lewis in the Washing­ than that they were camels with two ton Historical Quarterly for 1928. humps. Bactrian means of or be­ (2)—A. A. Gray in "Camels in longing to Bactria, and Baetria is Western America." the name of a very ancient kingdom, (3)—Ibid. the cradle of the Zoroastrian religion (4)—The Americana, Vol. 11.

Water Power in the Okanagan Valley ERNEST DAVIS, C.E. The first recorded right to use wa­ No. 4A (22) ter in the development of power in CHAS. A. VERNON, Coldstream Creek the Okanagan Valley was acquired by Recorded this 25th day of Septem­ Chas. A. Vernon in the year 1871, ber, 1871, in the favour of Chas. A. and it was the second recorded right Vernon (1000) one thousand inches of for such a purpose in the Province, water to be diverted from Cold­ it having been preceded by a right stream Creek for irrigation and mill recorded to use the waters of Soda purposes. Creek in the Cariboo issued to John Pro., A. J. Bushby, SM. R. Adams in the year 1867. The "John Boyd" third recorded right to develop power was acquired by the Pavilion Mill No. 23 Company in 1872 to use the waters of June 20th, 1872 Pavilion Creek near Lillooet. PAVILION MILL CO., Pavilion Creek The wording of these rights as The right of all the unappropriated copied from the official records at water in Pavilion Creek and the lake Victoria is as follows: in Marble Canyon for mill purposes, No. 31 said water to be diverted from Pa­ Nov. 1st, 1867 vilion Creek at some point between JOHN R. ADAMS, SODA CREEK the 20 and 22-Mile Posts. 500 Yards from the Fraser (Sgd.) Edwin Tynon The right to 400 inches of water to Clerk of the Bench be diverted from Soda Creek at a point about 500 yards from its mouth for the purposes of driving a grist Each of these three rights appear mill. to have been acquired to develop (Sgd.) E. H. Sanders, SM. power for the milling of grain, al- 28 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY though the one at Pavilion was later of the penstock was a Little Giant used to saw lumber. double runner turbine with 10% inch Of the three rights, only the one wheel. It is doubtful whether 10 at Soda Creek is now recognized for horsepower was developed at this the development of power, although plant. as would be expected, the original NOTE—F. E. R. Wollaston, mana­ machinery has been replaced by more ger of the Coldstream Ranch, informs modern equipment. us that when A. E. Ashcroft, C.E., Whilst the records do not disclose was surveying the Grey Canal, he the form in which power was devel­ came across the remains of an irri­ oped at the Coldstream and Pavilion gation ditch which was probably the it is probable that it was similar to first irrigation ditch in the northern that at Soda Creek, which was as end of the Okanagan Valley. This follows: Forebay and diversion dam ditch was for diverting water from 50 feet long on crest by 8 feet high, the gulch across the valley from and penning back in a pond 170,000 cubic north of the present Coldstream ranch feet of water. From the dam there buildings. It was at the mouth of was 300 feet of flume 3 feet wide by this gulch that the Vernon Bros, built one foot deep on a high trestle to the their first house. We can find no vertical penstock of 2 feet by 2 feet record authorizing the diversion, and square and 51 feet high. At the base probably there was none. — Ed.

Low Water in Our Small Lakes W. WENTWORTH WOOD The water in numerous small lakes sideration is not always gven to the scattered over the southern interior enormous loss by evaporation. of British Columbia, is now at a very Trautwine's Engineers' Manual is a low stage, and some of the lakes have standard work, and in dealing with dried up. For instance, Python Lake, the loss by evaporation in reference three miles south of Kamloops, a few to the maintenance of a water supply, years ago was a lake 1500 feet long it gives the average loss from this by 500 feet wide with a depth mea­ cause at from 3.5 ft. to 4 ft. The loss sured through the ice of 16 feet at is greater in running water than in the deepest place. This lake was still water; greater in shallow lakes tapped for irrigation purposes and where the sun's rays warm the bottom about two feet drawn off, leaving of the lake, and greater still in lakes about 14 feet at the deepest point. where the surface is constantly whip­ The lake is now dry. So marked ped into waves. After these and has the change been in these lakes other facts are considered, we have that people have asked, rather anx­ as a rough working rule that three iously, what the reason is for the and one-half to four feet is the aver­ change. It has even been suggested age loss by evaporation during the that the change in the level of these whole year. The loss is greatest dur­ lakes indicate the lowering of the ing the summer months, but in win­ water table, that is; the lowering of ter, once the thermometer is above the level of complete saturation below freezing there is still some loss by which the soil is incapable of ab­ evaporation. sorbing more water. As an off-set to this loss by evapor­ During a series of wet years this ation, we must add the total precipi­ Water Table rises, and during dry tation during the year, which, of years it falls. In a dry country like course falls on the surface of the this the higher it is the better for lakes as it does on the land. The the crops, provided, of course, that it yearly precipitation as recorded at does not rise too close to the sur­ the observatory on the Coldstream face. In dealing with the conserva­ Ranch, near Vernon, for the past tion of water, perhaps sufficient con­ twenty years is on an average barely OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 29

15 inches, on higher levels it was, no Chinook each winter, but since 1906, doubt greater. Assuming that the though we have had thaws during yearly precipitation of rain and snow the months of January and February, is 18 inches and accepting the above we have not had one old-fashioned mentioned rule of 3 ft. 6 in. to 4 ft. chinook wind. The question that in­ as the loss by evaporation, our lakes terests us now is why the Chinooks would require an addition of from 2 ;have failed to appear for so many ft. to 2 ft. 6 in. of water from outside years, and when, if ever, will they sources each year to maintain them come again. at their normal level. The catch basin We are not dealing with the water of most of the lakes is small, and un­ table here. The water table and less they are fed by springs, it is ne­ facts relating thereto lie outside the cessary that each winter, the snow scope of this article; but when all be melted suddenly so that the water the facts are considered we think the from the melted snow is sluiced off drying up of our small lakes can be into the lakes before it evaporates or viewed without uneasiness or appre­ sinks into the ground, to maintain hension. If we have a reasonably them at a given level. heavy fall of snow this winter, fol­ From 1900 to 1906 the writer was lowed by a marked Chinook wind, in charge of the field work of the such as we had in the winter of 1902, irrigation system of what is now every small lake will be filled to known as the B. C. Fruitlands Com­ the brim. Should this occur it would pany, of Kamloops, B.C. Cruising for be as well to bear in mind that most lakes suitable for storage, the erec­ of our small lakes rest on a sand or tion of dams, and the maintenance of fine gravel floor, and that during the irrigation systems were amongst many years the very fine material his duties. Besides the main storage held in suspension in the water, basin on Jameson Creek, small dams gradually settled and formed a near­ were erected at lower levels, and from ly water-tight floor on the bottom of the lakes so dammed water was drawn the lake. off up to 1906. But today the outlets of these lakes are feets above the le­ When a lake goes completely dry vel of the lakes. The main canal this tight floor or coating soon be­ five feet on the bottom, and four feet comes cracked and destroyed by a deep, followed along the foot-hills for joint action of the sun and wind, and about sixteen miles, crossing many when the lake begins to fill up the dry gulches. A Chinook wind in the loss by seepage is great. The In­ winter of 1901-2 filled this ditch to dians have a saying: "Once a lake overflowing with gravel for about two goes completely dry, the bottom falls miles, washed down with the rush of out." water. The following summer to It Is a fact worth noting that the prevent a reoccurance of this trouble forest trees in this country both ac­ flumes were built across the dry celerate and retard evaporation. The gulches, and thereafter in winter bull pine, especially, is well adapted when a chinook wind threatened men for catching and retaining the falling were sent at once to keep the water snow on its numerous bunches of pine courses under the flumes clear of needles. When these trees are small boulders or other obstructions. and grow thickly, the proportion of the snow held as it were in suspen­ About the year 1900 the lakes had sion, is great, and the evaporation reached their highest levels, and this would be less if they were removed level was approximately stationary and the snow allowed to fall to the until 1906. Since that year they have ground, where it would be less ex­ become lower and lower and many posed to the wind. On the other have passed out of existence. The hand all trees in summer shade the rainfall during the summer months ground from the sun's rays and re­ makes little difference to the water- tard evaporation. levels of our small lakes that are not It is a well-known fact that on our fed by springs, unless it takes the benches, where there is a heavy form of a cloud burst. stand of fir or cedar, and the land is From 1900 to 1906 there was a real wet, and sometimes even boggy in 30 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

spots, when the land is logged off and to the sky during the winter months, the sun let in, the land becomes dry, and covered with thick foliage in sum­ and the springs disappear. mer, the amount of water in our If all our forest trees were deci­ lakes and rivers would be greater duous trees, presenting naked branches than it is.

The Explorations of Captain Houghton L. NORRIS On two occasions the government ber and thick brush with which both sent Captain Houghton to explore the banks of the river and the hill sides mountains to the east of the Cherry were covered, interfering considerably Creek mines with a view to locating a with travelling on snow shoes to suitable route for a trail or road from which we were compelled to resort Cherry Creek to the Arrow Lakes. almost immediately after passing the One was in the fall of 1864 and the Silver Mines, and I do not estimate other in the spring of 1865; but on the average distance travelled by us neither occasion did he succeed in per day at more than five miles. Our accomplishing anything worth while. course lay nearly E.S.E. and on the It has sometimes been said that it fifth day we reached the source of was on one of these expeditions the the main branch of Cherry Creek, and incident occurred which gave to Sugar encamped close to the base of the Lake its name; but no mention is 'Gold Range Mountains', where it made of any such incident in any of heads. the letters and reports of Captain "Perceiving we had not hit off the Houghton to which we have had right pass in the mountains and judg­ access. ing we were somewhat too far to the The report he made to the Gov­ north, I determined upon ascending ernment, following his trip into the to the summit and following the ridge hills in the spring of 1865, reads in in a southerly direction with a view part as follows: to striking the head of another large "Quesnel Mouth, fork of the creek, the mouth of which "British Columbia, we had passed early on the previous "June 20th, 1865 day and which I now felt confident "Sir: was the one we should have followed. "I have the honour to report that About a mile of steep ascent, on I have explored the pass between the the next morning, brought us to the Head of Okanagan Lake and the Co­ top of the ridge, and about two miles lumbia River in the direction of the further of hard travelling over bald Kootenay mines, and beg to submit ground gave us a view of the Colum- the following particulars for the in­ ba Valley now about five or six miles formation of His Excellency, the Gov­ distant, and approximately some seven ernor. or eight hundred feet below us. "Just then the weather, which up "I started from my house near the to the present had been tolerably Head of Okanagan Lake on the 15th mild, suddenly changed, a violent April, last, accompanied by Mr. Du­ storm springing up from the west­ teau, a neighboring settler, and Mr. ward, and driving the fine snow in C. Phillips, having an Indian to pack clouds like dust, so thickly as to ren­ our provisions, etc., to the Silver der it impossible to see in any direc­ Mines on Cherry Creek, at which tion, and therefore quite impossible point the trail terminates. to proceed further during its continu­ "Here, dismissing the Indian, we ance. So, wrapping ourselves in our proceeded up the river, carrying about blankets, we sought shelter behind a 12 days' provisions with our blankets, small rock (the only protection the etc. We made but slow progress vicinity afforded) and thus partially owing to the quantities of fallen tim­ screened from the fury and piercing OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 31

coldness of the blast, we awaited its storm, one of them so severely as to cessation or abatement. endanger the loss of part of it, and "So situated we remained for forty- rendering travelling a most tedious eight hours, during the whole of and painful operation which, but for which time the storm continued with­ the absolute necessity of the case, I out a moment's relaxation, never af­ believe I never could have endured. fording us the least opportunity of "We therefore started for home improving our position, which, with without delay, and on the night of a scant supply of blankets and no the fifth day I succeeded in reaching fire, was anything but enviable. the Silver Mine, where I awaited the "The wind then ceasing as suddenly arrival of one of my horses, Messrs. as it commenced, the weather then Phillips and Dueau having gone resumed its previous character, and ahead with directions to send one released us from our awful situation, up for me immediately. with hearts thankful for a providen­ "Meantime I had every kind atten­ tial escape from a horrid fate, which tion from Mr. Girouard, who, fortun­ must have awaited us had the storm ately for me, was located there, taking continued for a few hours longer. charge of the Silver Mine for the "After having partaken of some re­ Company." freshments which we badly needed Like Moses, he was permitted to view the promised land, but did not (not having tasted food or water for enter it; he got cold feet and quit. nearly fifty hours), with a view to In August, 1862, W. G. Cox reported ascertaining as nearly as possible our to the Government that there were position, relative to the Columbia two trails between Okanagan Lake River and Lake Okanagan, I dis­ and the Columbia, and in a sketch patched Mr. Duteau to the summit of he sent in about the same time, he a high peak of the mountains, lying shows one running up Mission Creek to the northwards of us, and myself and another by way of Cherry Creek. ascended another lying to the south Although Captain Houghton headed of us from which I could command two expeditions into the hills he did an extensive view in every direction. not succeed in reaching the Columbia. "From this point I plainly saw the No doubt the storm raged just as pass, the object of my explorations, he says, and the reason he turned about five miles to the south'ard and back was because he had his feet several hundred feet below us, and frozen and had to turn back; but it ascertained I had conjectured rightly, seems strange, since the Government that the other part of the creek was was paying for this work, they did the right one to have followed, as I not select some capable man who was could now see that its source was experienced in finding his way right on the summit of the 'divide', through the mountains, especially as which at this point cannot be more there were many such available at than four or five hundred feet above the time. the level of the Lake at the head of It was for the information of Gov­ which the pass strikes the Columbia, ernor Douglas the report was written, and which from the fact of another and as he was an experienced ex­ large lake lying about ten miles above plorer and had travelled much in the it, I presumed to be the lower Arrow mountains, and no doubt had a pretty Lake. good general idea of the topography "From the same point I also saw of the country between Okanagan and the arm of Lake Okanagan which I the Columbia, from Cox's letter and ascertained by the compass to lie other sources of information, we can about W.N.W. of the pass. easily imagine how far it would go "Having noted these and other with him when Houghton makes the minor particulars, I returned to the extraordinary statement that he reach­ camp with the intention of proceeding ed one point where he could see both direct to the Columbia River, and the Arrow Lakes and the arm of then returning by the pass in ques­ Okanagan Lake. tion, but I was unfortunately pre­ The report continues for two or vented from so doing by finding, on three pages making suggestions as to regaining the camp, that both of my the best plan to adopt to find the feet had been frozen during the pass he saw, but perhaps the Gov- 32 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY ernor did not pay very much atten- does not say why it was necessary tion to his recommendations. He f0r hirn to travel from Priests Valley came out in April and his report is dated the 20th June. The excuse to the mouth of the Quesnel before he makes for the delay was that he sending it in. Captain Houghton was, had been in bed for a whole month no doubt, a brave soldier, but explor­ recovering from frost bites; but he ation was not his strong suit.

The Keremeos Columns REV JOHN GOODFELLOW At a recent meeting of the Simil­ But in addition to the excellence of kameen Boards of Trade, held in the soil, and the supply of water, Keremeos, the secretary, E. A. Mor- Keremeos has other natural assets. rissy, said: "Thirty-seven years ago Among these are the famous columns I packed my blankets into British which antidate all local history. In Columbia. Then I thought this prov­ describing this group of basaltic col­ ince was 'a sea of mountains', but umns, Professor E. Odium writes now I know it to be a land of pleas­ (April 7th, 1930): "Long ago when I ant valleys." Mr. Morrissy may be visited the 'B.C. Giants Causeway' I an old-timer now, but he keeps a felt deeply impressed with it from weather eye open on the future, and many angles—educational, scenic and has been one of the moving spirits as a tourist attraction. From every in securing the reservation of the viewpoint it will prove to be a great columns area for park purposes. B.C. asset". And, in a footnote, he The story of Keremeos touches our adds: "The Giants Causeway in provincial history at many points, North Ireland (Fingal's Cave on the dealing as it does with Indans, trap­ Isle of Staff a) wonderfully alike and pers, miners, railwaymen and farmers. perhaps formed by the same action, The name, of course, is Indian. It but pigmies compared with the B.C. is said to mean "a channel in the Giants Causeway". The columns are mountains". The name is descrip­ estimated to be over a hundred feet tive, for the town of today nestles in height, and together about three by the Similkameen River, and the hundred feet across. In the centre sage-brush slopes beyond the orchard they are upright, but tend to slope lands are often swept by the winds Inward from both sides. They might that course through "the channel in well be described as a vast pipe organ the mountains". Local legends tell in stone. us of peace and war before the White Although the exact location is de­ Man came. Stone relics and rock scribed in a subsequent paragraph, it paintings puzzle the student, who might be as well to state that visitors would reconstruct the story of the should locate the Richter home. past. Having done this, they will proceed The old Hudson's Bay trail from up the hill to the rear of the house. Hope passed Keremeos before the The climb will take about two hours. Dewdney trail was dreamed of. There As one ascends the hill, the valley was a Company store, and until re­ of Similkameen unrolls itself. From cently the old Mill was an historic Princeton to Keremeos the valley runs landmark. from west to east. Then it turns Mining activity at Olalla, Fairview south. On the right side of the valley and neighboring points is reflected in running south, rises the great peak of the story of Keremeos. Chopaka with its covering of snow. There had been settlers in the dis­ Crater mountain is to be seen on the trict since the H.B.C. days, but after south side of the valley running east the Keremeos Land Company was and west. formed, the valley was settled, and One naturally wonders how such a the Great Northern Railway ran a formation originated. One old-timer branch through to Princeton. declared emphatically that no one OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 33 34 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY would ever persuade him that the a board in and for the locality de­ columns were not fashioned by hu­ scribed below to be called the Kere­ man hands. This suggested to us the meos Columns Park Board, to man­ race of giants that (according to In­ age, regulate and control the Provin­ dian legend) roamed these parts. But cial Park hereby reserved during science sums the whole process up in pleasure. a single sentence: "The stresses to "All that certain parcel or track which the cooled rocks were subjected of land situated in Similkameen Divi­ resulted in a net-work of cracks or sion of Yale District, which may be 'Joints' of a roughly hexagonal shape, more particularly described as follows: similar to the cracks produced in dry "Commencing at the south-east cor­ mud under certain circumstances". ner of Lot 2116-S, Similkameen Divi­ The following letter from the Lands sion of Yale District; thence east 20 Department has reference to the es­ chains; thence south 120 chains more tablishment of the Keremeos Columns or less to a point due east of the Park: N.E. corner of Lot 2963; thence west Victoria, B.C. to the said N.E. corner of Lot 2963, "August 7th, 1931 and continuing west along the north "E. A. Morrissy, Esq., boundary of Lot 2963 and its produc­ "Secretary Keremeos Board of tion westerly to a point due south of Trade, tioned Lot 2116-S; thence north 120 "Keremeos, B.C. the S.W. corner of the above men- "Sir: chains more or less to the said S.E. "For your information I have to corner of said Lot 2116-S; thence advise you that an order-in-council east along the south boundary of said was approved on the 31st ult., recom­ Lot 2116-S to the point of commence­ mending that the following described ment—containing 720 acres more or land be reserved and set aside for less. park purposes to be known as the 'Keremeos Columns Park' and that "Your obedient servant, William Schmock, Mrs. Mary Lintott R. TTNHILL, and John R. Campbell be appointed "Assistant Superintendent of Lands."

Voter's List for the Rock Creek Polling Division, 1875 Armstrong, Hugh, Penticton, Labour­ Mendoza, Francisco, Similkameen Val­ er, Resident. ley, Stock Raiser, Resident. Barcelo, Manuel, Similkameen, Stock Nicholson, Henry, Similkameen Valley, Raiser. Stock Raiser, Resident. Cawston, Richard Lowe, Osoyoos Price, Barrington, Similkameen Val­ Lake, Stock Raiser, Resident. ley, Stock Raiser, Resident. Cole, Thomas, Similkameen Valley, Shuttleworth, Henry, Similkameen Farmer, Pre-emptor. Valley, Farmer, Pre-emptor. Ellis, Thomas, Penticton, Stock Raiser, Suprennant, Francois, Similkameen Freeholder. Valley, Stock Raiser, Resident. Kruger, Theodore, Osoyoos Lake, Richter, Frank, Similkameen Valley, Trader, Pre-emptor. Stock Raiser, Resident. McCauley, Joseph, Grand Prairie, Kettle River, Stock Raiser. BARRINGTON PRICE, McConnell, James, Grand Prairie, Collector. Kettle River, Stock Raiser. Sept. 15th, 1875. OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 35 Early Days at Enderby F. H. BARNES I came into the Okanagan Valley in Moffat, the manager, received a tele­ 1885, the year Thomas Spelman, who gram from the R.N.W. Mounted Po­ kept the Cosmopolitan Hotel there, lice that his body had been found died. I held down a pre-emption in a field near McLeod. The circum­ claim for a while and trapped and stances indicated that, while near the was otherwise engaged until 1896, city, he took a short-cut through a when I moved to Enderby as manager field and, being taken with a sudden of the saw mill then owned by Smith illness, he died, and the body, being and McLeod. Lambley's old wheat off the road, remained undiscovered warehouse was still standing, and for for some time. a while I used part of it boarded off About one o'clock on the morning as an office, while part of it was used of 22nd September, 1893, Henry Oliver as a horse stable. The end of this was killed in the Enderby mill. He famous building came gradually; it was watching the night miller adjust­ kept getting into worse and worse ing one of the machines at the repair until finally the roof fell in time. The belt had been thrown off under the weight of snow. the driving shaft, and Oliver was The big grist mill was built in 1887 standing on it or had one foot in and, in 1896, the one at Armstrong, a loop of it, when the belt caught and in the meantime another grist on the driving shaft, drawing Oliver mill had been built at Vernon, and down. When released he had his the valley was over-supplied with right leg wound around the shaft grist mills. F. V. Moffat, who was three times. He died eight hours later. manager of the mill at Enderby from His widow, Mrs. Oliver, the lady who the 13th July, 1903, until it was shut was really responsble for the name, down, and therefore well qualified to Enderby, being adopted, married again. give an opinion on such matters, in Her present address is Mrs. M. D. his letter to this Society of the 12th Wells, 122 Cedar Street, Santa Cruz, November, 1928, says that the largest Cal. Her son is now superintendent crop of wheat raised in the valley, of the heating, light and power plant while he was manager at Enderby, of Lethbridge, Alberta. was 5,000 tons, and that the capacity The Enderby mill building was five of the three mills was 600 barrels per storeys high, built in two sections of day of 24 hours. A little calculation the same height, with a space be­ therefore will show that the three tween of about six feet. The late mills were capable of grinding the Noah H. Kenny was sent out by Gait entire crop in 64 days. and McCulloch, of Gait, Ontario, to The first shipment of Canadian instal the machinery, and when the flour to the Orient, shipped from a job was completed, he remained here British Columbia port, was manufac­ until his death. tured at Enderby. It consisted of 40 When G. R. Lawes lost control of sacks marked "J3, Kobi, Japan," and the grist mill he squatted on some was shipped on the 28th January, vacant Government land and built 1904. thereon a large log house which for The first head miller in the Enderby many years stood across the head of mill was Donald M. Mclntyre, from Cliff street on a bench, and he lived Brampton, Ontario, who secured the in this house until his death It was situation through answering an ad­ unsurveyed land when he moved onto vertisement inserted in the eastern it, and later was surveyed as the newspapers by Rashdale and Lawes. S.W. Yi Sec. 26, Tp. 18, Range 9. He He was a fine man, esteemed and obtained his entry on the 29th April, well liked by all who knew him. He 1897, and his patent on the 11th May, went to Alberta in the early part of 1904. He died in the Vernon hospital 1904 to buy wheat, and while there on the 4th September, 1922, aged 77 he disappeared, and for about two years. weeks no trace of him could be found, When a name was being sought and on the 5th February, 1904, F. V. for the town, Ahoolo was suggested 36 OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

as well as Enderby. This would have ling agent of Tacoma, Wash. The been a good name, being the name of Company ceased to do business, and the Indian chief on the Reservation was struck off the Register of Joint near Enderby; but since they had to Stock Companies on the 31st May, go out of the valley for a name, they 1923. could not have done much better than R. D. Kerr, in our last Report, men­ Enderby. It compares favourably tions having found a skeleton which with such stupidities as Eldorado, was supposed to be that of Smart New Westminster, etc. It has been Aleck, but on that occasion the skull said that G. H. Rashdale was born was not found. I and Charles B. near Enderby and that this was one Pooler found it about two years after­ of the deciding factors when the wards. We had camped about half name was selected, but this is not so. a mile from where the skeleton was He was born in Suffolk, not Lincoln­ found, to prepare our mid-day meal, shire. G. H. Rashdale died in Nelson, and while preparing the meal we B.C., of pneumonia on the 21st Janu­ noticed it behind a log. We took it ary, 1897, aged 31 years. to Vernon and handed it over to W. Both G. R. Lawes and G. H. Rash­ Dewdney, the Government agent. dale were fine men, and much sym­ Milton and Cheadle, in their book pathy was felt for them when they "The North-West Passwg.- !>y Land", lost most of their money in the grist mention having found a skeleton un­ mill. der peculiar circumstances, on the The Columbia Flouring Mills Com­ North Thompson, in 1863. The skull pany was registered as a joint stock of that skeleton was also missing. company with limited liability on the 1st June, 1903. The capital stock was Ten years later, in 1873, James Dick­ $100,000.00, divided into 1,000 shares ey, a railway engineer, when in the of $100.00 each. The first sharehold­ same vicinity, came across the skele­ ers were T. H. Lawson, F. V. Moffat, ton. He also found the skull about R. P. Rithet, W. A. Lawson and R. 150 yards away. In both cases, no J. Ker, all of Victoria except F. V. doubt, the head was carried off by a Moffat, who is described as a travel­ wild animal.

Editorial Notes JAMES C. AGNEW, C.E. In an article in our last Report— attend the closing exercises of the "The Brides of Enderby"—the state­ Government Indian Day School at ment appears that "there are three the Head of Okanagan Lake. The small villages between Spilbury and display of drawings by the Indian Horncastle". This was an error. We boys, and fancy bead-work by the gave the name as it was given to us, Indian girls and women, was surpris­ but the name is Spilsby, not "Spil­ ingly good. The ladies' buckskin bury". gloves with designs worked in silk, It has been decided that, for the which took the first prize, was sent to purposes of this Society, the Okana­ our one, and only, Honourary Mem­ gan Valley shall be taken to mean ber, Mrs. S. M. Allison, of Vancouver, all that portion of British Columbia who, in a letter, expressed her pleas­ which is drained by the Okanagan ure at receiving this tangible proof and Spallumcheen Rivers and their of the skill retained by the Indian tributaries, and, for the purpose of girls and women in doing work of this definition, the Spallumcheen Riv­ this sort. We hope our members will er shall mean the river flowing from back up the good work being done Mabel Lake to Shuswap Lake. in this school. The drive through the On the 25th June, last, some 19 or Reservation, the picturesque surround­ 20 automobiles brought a considerable ings of the school itself, and the number of people from Okanagan singing and open air exercises of the Centre, Vernon, and elsewhere, to Indian boys and girls, under the su- OKANAGAN HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 37 perintendence of the teacher, Anthony Paleontology and Stratigraphy, who Walsh, all contributed to make the described it as a very interesting afternoon a pleasant one for the vis­ Echinoid, or Sea Urchin. itors. A very clearly defined and beautiul A remarkable fossil was found last "Chinook Arch" was seen from Ver­ July by R. M. Gosnell, a boy of eleven non on Sunday, November 22nd, 1931. years of age, about 20 feet from the It consisted of a bank of dark, slate- shore of Loon Lake on the north-east coloured clouds extending to the zen­ quarter of Section 9, Township 9, ith with a space of open sky below. Range 9, W. 6th M., about half way At its highest point the axch was not from Enderby to Salmon Arm. The more than 10 or 12 degrees above the affidavits of R. M. Gosnell and his mean horizon, and it extended along father, W. B. Gosnell, were secured, from about due west to due south. proving the finding of the stone. This Usually when a "Chinook Arch" ap­ fossil is a very perfect one of its kind. It was sent to the University of B.C. pears, the sky below the bank of for identification, where it was iden­ clouds is clear and blue, but on this tified by M. Y. Williams, Professor of occasion it was a pale saffron.

THE END.

THE PENTICTON HERALD r