Volume 36, No. 3 BRITISH COLUMBIA Summer 2003 $5.00 HISTORICAL NEWS ISSN 1195-8294 Journal of the British Columbia Historical Federation

Sex trade Women’s pages Story of a gun Mission among the Nuu- Chah-Nulth Breakfast at Noon Remembering Ted Affleck and Jim Spilsbury Prince George Conference

Woman from Nootka. Drawing by Thomás de Suria, 1791 Museo de America, Madrid America, Museo de British Columbia Historical News British Columbia Historical Federation Journal of the British Columbia Historical Federation PO Box 5254, Station B., Victoria BC V8R 6N4 Published Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Under the Distinguished Patronage of Her Honour The Honourable Iona Campagnolo. PC, CM, OBC Editor: Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Fred Braches PO Box 130 Honorary President: Melva Dwyer Whonnock BC, V2W 1V9 Phone 604.462.8942 Officers [email protected] President: Jacqueline Gresko Book Review Editor: 5931 Sandpiper Court, Richmond BC V7E 3P8 Anne Yandle Phone 604.274.4383 [email protected] 3450 West 20th Avenue First Vice President: Patricia Roy Vancouver BC, V6S 1E4 Department of History, University of Victoria Phone 604.733.6484 PO Box 3045, Victoria BC V8W 3P4 [email protected] [email protected] Subscription Secretary: Second Vice President: Roy J.V. Pallant Joel Vinge 1541 Merlynn Crescent, North Vancouver BC V7J 2X9 561 Woodland Drive Phone 604.986.8969 [email protected] Cranbrook BC V1C 6V2 Secretary: Ron Hyde Phone/Fax 250.489.2490 #20 12880 Railway Ave., Richmond BC V7E 6G2 [email protected] Phone: 604.277.2627 Fax 604.277.2657 [email protected] Recording Secretary: Gordon Miller Publishing Committee: 1126 Morell Circle, Nanaimo BC V9R 6K6 Tony Farr Phone 250.756.7071 [email protected] 125 Castle Cross Road, Treasurer: Ron Greene Salt Spring Island BC V8K 2G1 PO Box 1351, Victoria BC V8W 2W7 Phone 250.537.1123 Phone 250. 598.1835 Fax 250.598.5539 [email protected] Copy editing: Helmi Braches Past President: Wayne Desrochers Proof reading: Tony Farr 13346 57th Avenue, Surrey BC V3X 2W8 Layout and Production: Fred Braches Phone 604. 599.4206 Fax. 604.507.4202 [email protected] Editor: John Atkin Subscription $15.00 per year 921 Princess Street, Vancouver BC V6A 3E8 For mailing outside Canada add $10.00 Phone 604.254.1429 Fax 604.254.2207 [email protected] Please send correspondence regarding Member at Large: Alice Marwood subscriptions to the subscription secretary in #311 45520 Knight Road Cranbrook. Chilliwack BC V2R 3Z2 Some back issues of the journal and copies of [email protected] articles are available from Fred Braches, Member at Large: Patrick Dunae PO Box 130, Whonnock BC V2W 1V9. History Department, Malaspina University College Phone 604.462.8942. [email protected] [email protected] Single copies of recent issues are for sale at: Committees Arrow Lakes Historical Society, Nakusp BC Historical Trails and Markers: John Spittle Book Warehouse, Granville St. Vancouver BC 1241 Mount Crown Road, North Vancouver BC V7R 1R9 Books and Company, Prince George BC Phone 604.988.4565 [email protected] Gibson Coast Books, Gibsons BC W. Kaye Lamb Essay Scholarships Committee: Robert Griffin Galiano Museum 107 Regina Ave., Victoria BC V8Z 1J4 Phone 250.475.0418 [email protected] Gray Creek Store, Gray Creek BC Publications Assistance: Nancy Stuart-Stubbs Royal Museum Shop, Victoria BC 2651 York Avenue, Vancouver BC V6K 1E6 Phone 604.738.5132 [email protected] Writing Competition—Lieutenant-Governor’s Award: This publication is indexed in the CBCA, Helmi Braches published by Micromedia. PO Box 130, Whonnock BC V2W 1V9 Phone 604.462.8942 [email protected] ISSN 1195-8294 Production Mail Registration 1245716 Publications Mail Registration No. 09835 Our Web site Member of the British Columbia Association is hosted by Selkirk College in Castlegar, BC of Magazine Publishers Web Co-ordinator & Web Master: Christopher Garrish

While copyright in the journal as a whole is vested in the British Columbia Historical Federation, copyright in the individual articles belongs to their respective authors, and articles may be reproduced for personal use only. For reproduction for other purposes permission in writing of both author and publisher is required. Volume 36, No. 3 BRITISH COLUMBIA Summer 2003 $5.00 HISTORICAL NEWS ISSN 1195-8294 Journal of the British Columbia Historical Federation

2 How Agreeable Their Company Would Be: The Meaning Subscribe! It’s worth it! of the Sexual Labour of Slaves in the Nuu-chah-nulth– This is my last issue as editor and pro- European Sex Trade at Nootka Sound in the Eighteenth ducer of BC Historical News. Starting with Century the fall issue, John Atkin will take over. I by Elliot Fox-Povey want to thank all who never stopped send- ing me articles and columns and all who 11 The Women’s Pages: Letters from Friends, a House Full of enjoyed reading them. A special thank you Visitors, or a Source of Help to those who made it possible to do this by Norah L. Lewis job: my wife Helmi in the first place and also book editor Anne Yandle, proofreader 17 “On the West Coast of Vancouver Island:” A Little-Known Tony Farr, Cathy Chapin for her maps, and Account of “Charles Haicks’s” Missionary Joel Vinge who manages the subscriptions, by Jim Manly treasurer Ron Greene, the friends at Polar Printing Inc. in North Vancouver and Mail- 21 The Station Agent’s Rifle o-Matic in Burnaby. I thank you all for your by Edward Villiers enthusiastic and efficient co-operation. 25 Early Prince George: Through the Eyes of a Young Boy It seems not so long ago that Ron by Eldon E. Lee Welwood and his team let me take over the Federation’s flagship from Naomi Miller. I can’t thank them enough for their trust. I 28 BOOK REVIEWS enjoyed doing this more than I can say. 34 REPORTS Now it is my turn to pass the helm to a Edward (Ted) L. Affleck by Bruce M. Watson successor. A.J. Spilsbury by Howard White John Atkin is well qualified to be the Noon Breakfast Point: What’s in a Name by John E. (Ted) Roberts next editor. He is a historian, heritage ad- 37 WEB SITE FORAYS by Christopher Garrish vocate, author, and a well-known heritage walking tour guide. John co-founded and 38 TOKEN HISTORY by Ronald Greene served as vice-president and president of The Kaiserhof Hotel Heritage Vancouver and sat on the board 40 STEAMBOAT ROUND THE BEND by Ted Affleck of directors of the Heritage Society of Brit- The Brief Career of the Okanagan Sternwheeler Fairview ish Columbia. He continues to promote 42 ARCHIVES AND A RCHIVISTS Vancouver’s history and heritage through Maps and BC History by Frances Woodward a monthly television spot, lectures, and walking tours. He works closely with the 44 CONFERENCE 2003, PRINCE GEORGE Vancouver Museum, the Dr. Sun Yat Sen 48 FEDERATION NEWS Chinese Classical Garden, and the Archi- tectural Institute of BC. His next book, Vancouver Walks (with Michael Kluckner) will be published in May. I am sure that under John’s direction “The News” will continue to flourish. “Any country worthy of a future should be interested in its past.” the editor W. Kaye Lamb, 1937

1 How Agreeable Their Company Would Be1 The Meaning of the Sexual Labour of Slaves in the Nuu-chah-nulth– European Sex Trade at Nootka Sound in the Eighteenth Century by Elliot Fox-Povey

Elliott Fox-Povey lives in N THE morning of 8 August 1774, Nuu- terms of established Nuu-chah-nulth social hi- East Vancouver, Coast chah-nulth people near the Hesquiat erarchy. The Nuu-chah-nulth struggled to limit Salish Territory, and is Peninsula paddled canoes to the Span- sexual contact with Europeans and largely redi- currently enrolled in the O ish ship Santiago, intercepting the first Europeans rected Europeans’ sexual aggression toward en- PDP program at Simon 2 slaved women for the profit of Nuu-chah-nulth Fraser University. He to observe the Nuu-chah-nulth coast. The Nuu- approached the eight- chah-nulth exchanged fur, clothing, and sardines slave owners. The sex trade at Nootka Sound, eenth-century Nuu- for pearl shells and Spanish knives until, less than primarily the sale and purchase of the sex of slaves, chah-nulth–European a day after trading had begun, bad weather forced could be seen as the earliest documented and most sex trade looking for the the ship to move.3 Four years later, on 29 March frequent act of violence between Europeans and unreported agency and 1778, Europeans again entered Nuu-chah-nulth Natives of the Northwest Coast. Yet the sex trade dignity of the Native territory at Nootka Sound, very near Hesquiat, has been excluded from the discussion of vio- women workers. and Nuu-chah-nulth people once again paddled lence associated with European visits to the out to them and initiated trading.4 This time the Northwest Coast, as historians have focused only 1 “…how agreeable their on violence stemming from intercultural con- Company would be to us exchange was drawn out over an entire month, & how profitable to so trading relations and preferences developed flict, ignoring this serious violence, which resulted themselves.” Quotation considerably further. In need of repairs and sup- from intercultural collaboration. The European– from the 6 April 1778 plies, the European ships, the Discovery and the Nuu-chah-nulth sex trade also deserves serious journal entry of Chief historical examination because of the long-term Surgeon David Samwell Resolution, which carried an expedition of Brit- of Captain Cook’s ish led by Captain James Cook, anchored in a persistence and impact of the trade such as in- Expedition; six days after cove near the village of Yuquot. The Nuu-chah- creased slave “value” and raiding, and the spread contact. See David nulth sought metal most of all, but also obtained of new epidemic venereal diseases. Samwell, “Journal” in The 5 The Nuu-chah-nulth had no sex trade prior Journals of Captain James various manufactured items. The British sailors Cook on his Voyages of also sought what they desired: primarily natural to contact with Europeans beyond small, secret Discovery, vol. 3, ed. John materials to repair and resupply their ships for gifts between individuals, but the organized sale Cawte Beaglehole, their northern voyage, but also sex with women.6 of sex to Europeans seems to have come about (Cambridge: Hakluyt through adaptation not imposition.7 The Nuu- Society, 1967-1974), 1095 The great resale profit made by Europeans on (6 April 1778). sea otter furs endowed that trade item with sin- chah-nulth were highly skilled and experienced 2 Juan Pérez, “Letter,” Juan gular importance for the intense relationship that traders. Both the eagerness with which they ini- Pérez on the Northwest followed, and for historical analysis of early Eu- tiated trade with European expeditions,8 and the Coast: Six Documents of His sharpness with which they conducted such trad- Expedition in 1774, ed. & ropean–Native contact on the Northwest Coast. 9 trans. Herbert K. Beals, Although the sex trade developed parallel to this ing attest to this. For example, from the very (Portland: Oregon maritime fur trade up and down the coast, and start of the trade with European ships, the peo- Historical Society, 1989) far outlived it, the sex trade has received little ple of Yuquot utilized their existing trading rela- 88-90, 146. tionships among regional Nuu-chah-nulth groups 3 Perez 89. A Nuu-chah- serious historical attention. This essay examines nulth account was the nature and historical treatment of the eight- and their key geographic location to limit com- recorded fifteen years later eenth-century European–Nuu-chah-nulth sex petition and exchange a quantity of furs well by Joseph Ingram. See trade at Nootka Sound, from its beginning with beyond local resources for their own profit.10 Also, Joseph Ingram, “Letter to Esteban Jose Martinez Cook’s expedition in 1778 through its like other peoples of the Northwest Coast, the (1789),” Juan Pérez, ed. & destabilization in the 1790s during the Spanish Nuu-chah-nulth had a well-established system trans. Herbert K. Beals, occupation and Vancouver’s expedition, when Eu- of human ownership.11 Slaves, usually captives 215-217. ropean maritime trade peaked in the area. taken in raids on other coastal groups, performed 4 Richard I. Inglis and James C. Haggarty, “Cook to The organized sale and purchase of sex was labour, could be killed or punished at will, and Jewitt: Three Decades of introduced by Europeans, but developed through contributed generally to the wealth and high sta- Change in Nootka Nuu-chah-nulth interest in trade and on the tus of their owners.12 When Europeans proposed

2 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 Left: Sutil and Mexicana at Juan de Fuca. Detail of a drawing by José Cardero.

were probably of the Yuquot-Tahsis confederacy; however, since the sources I am using are often vague about which people they are describing, I avoid such specific terms and refer to “the Nuu-chah- nulth at Nootka Sound” or “at Yuquot” or “Maquinna’s people.” The term “Europeans” is used in this essay to identify both the Euro-American and European visitors to Nuu-chah-nulth territory. 5 James Cook “Journal” in The Journals, vol. 3, ed. John Cawte Beaglehole, 302; and others. 6 Samwell 1094. William Bayly quoted by John Cawte Beaglehole ed., The Journals, 311 (footnote). 7 Twentieth-century informants report this to Philip Drucker. See Drucker, Philip, The Northern and Central Nootkan Tribes–Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 144, (Washington, DC: Museo Naval Madrid Museo Naval U.S. Government Printing Office, 1951) 309. It is also a trade in sex with women, slavery provided Nuu- Sound,” Le Castor Fait Tout: Johnston, (Seattle: asserted by John Lutz, chah-nulth elites with a class of sex workers who Selected Papers of the Fifth University of Washington “The Erotics of were outside of Nuu-chah-nulth social rules of North American Fur Trade Press, 1979) 91-94. But Exploration,” paper sexual modesty, and whose work would only re- Conference, 1985, ed. Bruce Inglis & Haggarty 214- presented to the 1997 G. Trigger, Toby Morantz, 215 question whether meeting of the Canadian affirm existing wealth relationships. and Louise Dechêne, these political groupings Historical Association at British sailors, for their part, carried the ex- (Montréal: Lake St. Louis can be known to have Memorial University of pectation of purchasing sex into every port; the Historical Society, 1987) existed at that time, or Newfoundland, 13; Fisher men aboard Cook’s ships were particularly at- 197-8; Barry M. Gough, even whether the village “Cook and the Nootka” “Nootka Sound In James later called Yuquot was 95; Robin Fisher, Contact tuned to such a relationship as they had come Cook’s Pacific World,” called this by the and Conflict : Indian- directly from the islands of the South Pacific Sound Heritage VII/1 inhabitants when Cook’s European relations in British where sex with Native women was widely avail- (1978) 15; and others. expedition visited. Columbia, 1774-1890, 2 nd able.13 Nearly every observation of Nuu-chah- On Terminology: The Nuu- McMillan claims the ed. (Vancouver: University chah-nulth people who Mowachaht confederation of British Columbia, nulth women documented by men of the expe- encountered both Perez’s began after 1804. See Alan 1992) 19. No source was dition reveals their concern with how attractive and Cook’s expeditions D. McMillan, Since the found that denied this. or “modest” (either how desirable or how avail- have been called Time of the Transformers: the 8 Inglis & Haggarty 213. able) the women were.14 For example, William Mowachaht and Ancient Heritage of the Nuu- According to Gough 20, Muchalaht. See Robin chah-nulth, Ditidaht, and “even before the ships Bayly noted they were “exceedingly modest and Fisher “Cook and the Makah, (Vancouver: UBC entered the inner reaches reserved,” Lieutenant James Burney, on the other Nootka,”Captain James Press, 1999) 199. Most of of the harbour, Natives hand, that they were “Jolly, likely Wenches.”15 The Cook and His Times, eds. the Nuu-chah-nulth had approached the vessel, Robin Fisher and Hugh mentioned in this essay one line Captain Cook himself wrote on Nuu- >>>

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 3 crying ‘Macook’-will you &c….” William Bayly to the forecastle chah-nulth women was spent wondering whether trade?” On one of the first “Journal” in The Journals, accommodation of the their looks qualified them “being call’d beauties.”16 ships after Cook’s, vol. 3, ed. John Cawte sailors, attention shifted Alexander Walker Beaglehole, 302. increasingly from The documented observations of later European remarked on the skill, 11 Leyland, Donald exploration to traders at Nootka Sound evaluate Nuu-chah- experience, and eagerness Aboriginal Slavery on the sexploration.” See Lutz 8. nulth women in just the same terms.17 to trade of the Yuquot Northwest Coast of North Bartroli makes the point Some men documented more than just their people. See Alexander America (Berkeley, Calif.: that at first only officers Walker, An Account of a University of California may have been able to own visual evaluation and interest of the women Voyage to the North West Press, 1997); and others. I afford to buy sex from the at Nootka Sound. David Samwell, surgeon on Coast of America in 1785 & have avoided referring to Nuu-chah-nulth. See the Discovery, documented how openly eager some 1786, eds. Robin Fisher slaves of the Nuu-chah- Bartroli 127-128. of the men were to buy sex from young women. and J. M. Bumsted, nulth as themselves Nuu- Unfortunately, Bartroli too (Vancouver: Douglas & chah-nulth since many regresses into wild Just a week after first contact, on 6 April 1778, McIntyre, 1982) 41, 42. were members of other speculation, suggesting Samwell wrote: “Hitherto we had seen none of 9 McMillan claims the Nuu- groups until they were that regular sailors would their young Women tho’ we had often given the chah-nulth people Cook’s captured, and slaves were not have purchased sex at [Nuu-chah-nulth] men to understand how agree- expedition encountered likely not considered Nootka Sound because already had a very intense citizens or persons of the they did not have private able their Company would be to us & how prof- sense of trade. See group where they lived. cabins, and the climate of itable to themselves, in consequence of which McMillan 179. James R. 12 Donald. Nootka Sound would they about this time brought two or three Girls 13 Gibson, Otter Skins, Boston Samwell; Lutz; Paige leave the ground too 18 Ships, and China Goods: the Raibmon, Lectures, Simon soggy to lie on, and they to the Ships.” But the exchange did not end Maritime Fur Trade of the Fraser University, Burnaby, would have had too great there. Samwell claimed that over the following Northwest Coast, 1785- British Columbia, 14 and a fear of cannibalism to three weeks while their ships were anchored at 1841, (Montreal: McGill- 16 November 2001. receive oral sex. Nootka Sound, himself and other “young Gen- Queen’s University Press, 14 Raibmon, Lecture 16 20 Charles Clerke, “Journal” 1992) 114, 121. Nov 2001. in The Journals, vol. 3, ed. tlemen” so often paid the price of “a Pewter plate Sophisticated protocol, 15 Bayly quoted in Tomas John Cawte Beaglehole, well scoured for a Night” with a young woman relatively extreme sense of Bartroli, “Captain Cook 1326. brought to the ship that when “leaving this Har- ownership, Inglis & on Canada’s Pacific Coast: 21 Samwell 1095. bour [were] not being able to muster a plate to 22 Haggarty 201-202. John A Preliminary Account,” Clerke 1326. 19 Rickman, on Cook’s (Bennett Library, Simon 23 Lieutenant James Burney eat our Salt beef from.” expedition, claimed, “these Fraser University, MS, quoted in Akrigg & Both Samwell and Charles Clerke, commander people certainly carry on 1978) 125; James Burney Akrigg, 24; King, of Discovery, noted that the European men first a traffic with strangers.” quoted in George P. V. “Journal” in The Journals, scrubbed many of the women brought on board See John Rickman, Journal Akrigg & Helen B. vol. 3, ed. John Cawte of Captain Cook’s Last Akrigg, British Columbia Beaglehole,1405; Edgar for sex. Clerke explained how “a Girl, who was a Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, Chronicle, 1778-1846: quoted by John Cawte Week or 10 days on board the Ship, with one of (London: E. Newbery, Adventure By Sea and Land, Beaglehole ed., The 1781) 246. (Victoria, BC: Discovery Journals, 311 (footnote). 10 Fisher “Cook and the Press, 1975) 24. Fisher 24 Fisher, “Cook and the Nootka” 91; and others. “Cook and the Nootka” Nootka” 96. In George Bayly writes, “It was 94. Lang’s essay about the evident that they 16 Cook 311. development of the engrossed us entirely to 17 For example, see Walker Northwest Coast trade themselves, or if at any 86; Portlock’s journal of language Chinook, he time they allowed King George and others recognizes European– Strangers to trade with us referred to by Lutz; Puget Nuu-chah-nulth it was always managed the refered to by Gibson 235; communication for the trade for them [sic] in and Howay’s Voyages of the sex trade as responsible for such a manner that the Columbia in Gibson 371. the early adoption of the price of their articles was 18 Samwell 1094-1095. Jargon word for women always kept up while the 19 Samwell 1095. Although “B tšman” from the Value of ours was Lutz uses of (Officer) ‘Nootka’ “B´uu´ma.” See lessening daily. We also Samwell’s accounts of George Lang, “The Price found that many of the initiating sex trade at of Prostitution,” Making principals of those about Nootka Sound, he Wawa, 21 as they would frequently officers: “On the March 2002. be gone from us four or quarterdeck almost all the 25 Edgar quoted in Bartroli five days at a time and attention was to the 125. then return with a fresh ‘virgin land.’ But as you 26 Bartroli 125. cargo of skins curiosities moved through the ship 27 Ellis quoted in Bartroli Museo de America, Madrid America, Museo de

4 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 Archivo del ministerio de Asustos Exteriores, Madrid. Asustos Exteriores, del ministerio de Archivo the Officers, was taken great pains with to be got to barter themselves.26 William Ellis, another sur- Above: View of Nootka clean if possible.”20 Samwell described “taking as geon, reported on some women at Nootka Sound Bay from the shores of the much pleasure in cleansing a naked young Woman who “were quite at the service of anybody who Spanish establishment. Drawing by José Cordero. from all Impurities in a Tub of Warm Water, as a would pay them handsomely.”27 A few men did, young Confessor would to absolve a beautiful he claimed, negotiating a sex trade with women Virgin who was about to sacrifice that Name to apparently acting under their own agency.28 himself.”21 Several other men described the sex But most reports of the sex trade between Opposite page: Natzapi trade similarly, if less explicitly. Clerke wrote that Cook’s expedition and the people at Nootka of Nootka, Maquinna’s women “were offer’d by the [Nuu-chah-nulth] Sound, and reports of the sex trade in the years brother-in-law. Detail of a Men for dalliance to our People, and by some to follow, describe not working women, but a drawing by Tomás de accepted.”22 Several of the men who did not di- trade in the sex of slaves.29 Ellis observed in an- Suria. rectly describe the trade in sex, did reveal in their other incidence where sex was traded, that “the journals that they saw their fellow sailors strip women did not dare look up, appeared quite de- and wash Native women on board ship.23 Bayly jected and were totally under the command of recorded among other vocabulary learned for the those who brought them.”30 He believed they purpose of trading with the Nuu-chah-nulth, were probably foreign captives who were con- words for female and male genitals and the all sidered slaves.31 William Bayly, the astronomer of important verb meaning “to Roger,” that is, to Cook’s expedition, stated that sex with women have sex.24 at Nootka Sound was only possible by paying Some women may have sold sex to the men men who leased or “let out” women of “the lowest of Cook’s expedition under their own agency. class.”32 Samwell claimed he had paid not the Thomas Edgar claimed that “the women have women themselves but men “who generally ac- not the least Objection to bartering their Fa- companied them made the Bargain & received vours.”25 Writing some time after the fact, George the price of the Prostitution.”33 An observer at Gilbert wrote that women in Nootka Sound had the Spanish garrison at Nootka Sound in 1792, come alongside Discovery in canoes, he believed, José Moziño, noted that while sexual contact by Notes continue >>>

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 5 125. Emphasis added. non-slave Nuu-chah-nulth women was strictly chah-nulth–European relations without mention- 28 Bartroli 125. My controlled, “The standard is not the same for ing anything about sexual contact.38 But of those argument below for recognizing the violence women of the lower class. The taises [chiefs] them- that do, most recognize this contact was prima- of this sex trade entirely selves prostitute these women, especially to for- rily characterized by European men purchasing hinges on the question of eigners, in order to take advantage of the profit sex with slave women from their owners.39 How- (or lack of) agency on the earned from this business.”34 ever, even they have ignored the meaning of these part of most women performing sexual services, As slaves, not only did the women receive no facts: that Nuu-chah-nulth – European contact not on any notions of a payment for their sexual services, but they also involved the widespread organization of Euro- necessary relationship did not do the work by choice. Although Samwell pean men receiving sex from Native women who between violence and sex called the men who brought and traded the had no power to refuse or control over condi- work. 29 For further arguments that women “their Fathers or Other relations,” he re- tions, and received no pay. Beginning with sex with slave women was alized the women did not act freely.35 He says Samwell’s journal entry of 6 April 1778, report the dominate sexual that “in their behaviour [they] were very modest on the first “girls” brought aboard, the sex trade service traded at Nootka and timid,” and when their services had been ne- at Nootka Sound may be the earliest documented Sound, see Donald 233; and Fisher and Bumsted’s gotiated they were “prevailed upon to sleep on and most frequently occurring act of violence editorial note in Walker board the Ships, or rather forced to it by [those] between Europeans and Natives of the North- 231. who brought them on board.”36 Alexander Walker, west Coast. Discussions of violence between Eu- 30 Ellis quoted in Bartroli 125. amongst the earliest sea otter fur traders who be- ropeans and the Nuu-chah-nulth, however, gen- 31 Bartroli 125-6. gan flooding into Nootka Sound in 1786, gave a erally ignore the sex trade. The violence of the 32 Bayly quoted by clear account of the sex trade as a trade in the sex trade has not registered because it does not clearly Beaglehole ed., The of slaves. He observed that after some negotia- appear to be intercultural conflict like the de- Journals, 311 (footnote). 33 Samwell 1095. tion with Nuu-chah-nulth men, “three or four struction of the Nuu-chah-nulth village of Opisat 34 José Mariano Moziño, poor wretches were produced for prostitution. by a European trading ship, or Maquinna’s attack Noticias de Nutka: An These were the dirtiest drabs in the Village, and on the Boston.40 It is not even as clearly conflictual Account of Nootka Sound in appeared neither to be the Wives nor Daughters as petty theft from a ship, or a disrespectful atti- 1792, 2nd ed, trans. & ed. Iris H. Wilson Engstrand, of any of our acquaintances. It is probable from tude of Europeans at a Native ceremony. The sex (Vancouver: Douglas & the unusual contempt with which they were trade was the result of successful intercultural col- McIntyre, 1991) 43. treated, and the fatiguing offices about which they laboration between high status Nuu-chah-nulth were constantly employed, that these Women people and European men. That it was the ex- Below: Petroglyph of a were Captives, taken in War, and reduced to a tension of a system of violence within Nuu-chah- 37 sailing ship and vulvic state of Slavery.” Such descriptions of the women nulth culture does not make it any less violence image at the Wedding slaves dominate the accounts of sex trade at by Europeans upon Native women. Rocks site near the Makah Nootka Sound. Although most women providing sex to the village of Ozette. Many historians have considered early Nuu- Europeans received no pay for their work, the Nuu-chah-nulth men negotiating the exchange certainly did. Samwell claimed that the Nuu- chah-nulth traders, after bringing those first few “girls,” “found that this was a profitable Trade [and] they brought more young women to the Ships.”41 Nuu-chah-nulth traders took full advantage of the sex trade. By nearly all accounts, the prices they charged were higher than the British sailors paid for sex elsewhere, and perhaps higher than what the Nuu-chah-nulth received for other items and services.42 According to Bayly, through trading sex, the traders were able to obtain items “they wanted, which they could not otherwise get.”43 Similarly, Walker noted that the Nuu-chah- nulth traders only produced women for sex with the Europeans “after a great deal of Art was used, and those articles which they held in the greatest esteem, were liberally given” by the European men.44 The early commercial importance assigned Courtesy Allam Macmillan.

6 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 Left: A view in Ship Cove, Nootka Sound, 1778. Drawing by John Webber.

35 Samwell 1095. 36 Samwell 1095. 37 Walker 87. 38 McMillan, Inglis & Haggarty, Duff, Gough, and Jones lead discussions about early Nuu-chah- nulth –European contact without mention of sexual contact. See Wilson Duff, The Indian History of British Columbia, Volume 1: The Impact of the White Man, 2nd ed. (Victoria: British Columbia Provincial Museum, 1969); See Laurie Jones, Nootka Sound Explored: A Westcoast History, (Campbell River, British Columbia: Ptarmigan Press, 1991). Inglis & Haggarty (201)

The British Library, London. The British Library, and McMillan (180) are particularly thorough in Walker and his shipmates, for example, had in- to the sex trade by Nuu-chah-nulth traders is their discussions of the deed been invited to purchase sex, they soon various items of trade, demonstrated by the manner by which Walker found out it was not with the Nuu-chah-nulth except sex. McMillan even and his shipmates were greeted upon entering traders’ wives. The Nuu-chah-nulth traders acted discusses the European the Nootka Sound. Like Cook’s expedition, originated venereal as though they were negotiating a price for sex they were met with many canoes, but instead diseases among the Nuu- with their wives but then stopped short, Walker chah-nulth (192), and of ceremony, the Nuu-chah-nulth men lamented, only “to raise a laugh against us.”46 De- provides the figure 1 “laughed heartily, passed their jokes on us with photograph of the Makah spite being made the butt of jokes for their lack great freedom, and gave us to understand, that sailing ship and vulva of understanding Nuu-chah-nulth rules about for Iron, we might have their Wives (or petroglyph (168) without sexual contact and the sex trade, Walker and his mentioning sexual Women) explaining their meaning by many shipmates remained eager to purchase sex, and contact. Richard Hough indecent actions.”45 Nuu-chah-nulth traders recognizes the sex trade, when they had offered enough in exchange, they seem to have identified European visitors with declaring, “these Nootka were sold the sexual services of slave women.47 their desire for sex, as implied by the rock carv- natives were quick to pick The behaviour of Nuu-chah-nulth people who up lessons and in future ing of a European ship sailing into a giant vulva, were not directly involved in the sex trade also (and in ever increasing found in the territory of the Makah, southern numbers) girls were contributed to maintaining this monopoly. Per- relatives of the Nuu-chah-nulth. Moreover, provided” but not that haps expressing their own lack of interest, non- though only a few European ships had visited these “girls” who were slave women largely abstained from even light provided were slaves. See since Samwell first expressed his eagerness to sexual contact with European men. The journals Richard Hough, The Last buy sex, they recognized the profit to be made Voyage of Captain James of visiting Europeans, concerned always with and appeared quite confident about control- Cook, (New York: William evaluating the sexual availability of Native women, Morrow & Co., 1979), ling their new trade. commonly remarked upon the modesty and chas- 136-137. Nuu-chah-nulth traders were able to charge 39 tity of the non-slave Nuu-chah-nulth women.48 Fisher “Cook and the such a high price because they held with the Nootka”; Lutz; Cole The women rejected, complained one British sea- visitors a near monopoly on heterosexual sex. Harris, “Social Power and man, even “the most trifling attacks of gallantry.”49 Cultural Change in Pre- Sexual contact was generally not available to Similarly, outside of purchasing sex, Walker and Colonial British Europeans at Nootka Sound during the sea his shipmates seemed to experience some diffi- Columbia,” BC Studies otter trade, except by paying Nuu-chah-nulth Nos. 115/116 (Autumn/ culty even talking to Nuu-chah-nulth women. men for sex with enslaved women. While Winter 1997/98): 45-82; >>>

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 7 Akrigg & Akrigg. Fisher, Canoeing women his ship accidentally encoun- ers but without granting her favors to any one.”56 intent on his argument of tered, “kept at a considerable distance, and re- The corresponding persistent rejection by non- collaborative social change, 50 says that “this European fused to enter into conversation with us.” Walker slave Nuu-chah-nulth women, which generally vice brought little described another particularly disappointing oc- limited Europeans’ opportunity for sexual con- demoralization to Indian casion when their interest was not only rejected, tact to sex with slaves purchased from Nuu-chah- society” as long as only but Nuu-chah-nulth men were called to inter- nulth traders, served to reinforce Nuu-chah-nulth slave or low status women were sex workers as they vene: “When it was dark, we went ashore, and hierarchy. The absence of competition from non- “did not break Indian found a few Women. These being alarmed, made slave women not only ensured the high prices social sanctions by going a noise, and several Men immediately appeared. for the slave sex trade, but limiting European aboard ships.” See Fisher Finding nothing by poverty [as nothing was avail- sexual contact to slave women also protected es- Contact and Conflict 20. 40 For discussion of these able to them] and suspicion…we hastened back tablished Nuu-chah-nulth social order. It pre- events see McMillan 185, to our Boat.”51 Even among people at Nootka served the sexual modesty expected of non-slave 188. Fisher especially is Sound with whom the Europeans had established women by shielding them from European sexual concerned with a daily familiarity, Walker believed the Nuu-chah- aggression. But it also reaffirmed the subjugation identifying conflict or 52 uncollaborative social nulth “Men watched us suspiciously.” of slaves, and funded the wealthy, high status slave change, not violence in Familiarity with the European men likely gave owners. As long as sexual contact was generally itself. See, for instance, the Nuu-chah-nulth reason to be suspicious. De- limited to a trade of the labour of those of the Fisher “Cook and the Nootka” 96. spite being turned down everywhere, except lowest status within Nuu-chah-nulth society 41 Samwell 1095. when purchasing sex with slaves, European men (slaves), to profit those of the highest status (slave 42 Bayly quoted by persisted in their pursuit of sexual or romantic owners), it supported rather than threatened the Beaglehole ed., The contact with Nuu-chah-nulth women. Limiting established Nuu-chah-nulth social hierarchy. Journals, 311 (footnote). Walker 87. Fisher “Cook sexual contact with Europeans at Nootka Sound Although the sex trade serviced internal so- and the Nootka” 94. served not only the commercial monopoly, but cial order, the new economic opportunities of 43 Bayly quoted by it also shielded non-slave women from European the trade likely contributed to increased Nuu- Beaglehole ed., The sexual aggression. Walker remarked with surprise chah-nulth inter-group violence. The early Span- Journals, 311 (footnote). 44 Walker 87. that “the frequent attempts, that were made to ish practice of “saving” child slaves from supposed 45 Walker 42. Walker later debauch the [non-slave] Women, and the tempt- Nuu-chah-nulth cannibalism by purchasing them realized it was certainly ing bribes that were offered for this purpose, were from traders at Nootka Sound led to an increased not their wives that were with very few exceptions constantly rejected.”53 “supply” of such children, and possibly increased being offered. 57 46 Walker 87. Such a threat were Walker and other European raiding. Similarly, the sex trade endowed the 47 Walker 87. men perceived by the Nuu-chah-nulth, that on owning of female slaves with an increased com- 48 Cook 313; Bayly quoted the occasions they came upon a village when the mercial value, and thereby motivated for inter- by Beaglehole ed., The men were away, “the Women shut us out of their group raiding, and even the raiding weaker groups Journals, 311 (footnote); Archibald Menzies, Journal houses, and barricaded the doors with Chests and only for the purpose of obtaining captives, which of Vancouver’s Voyage Planks. This was said to be the effect of the Mens had not been the purpose of raiding before the [Dec.1790 - Feb.1794], 2 jealousy, although it appeared to me more natu- trade.58 By the 1860s, slavery throughout the vols. (BCPA) July 20, ral to suppose it to be procured from the fears of Northwest Coast was largely fuelled by the sex 1792; John Jewitt Captive 59 of the Nootka Indians: the the Women, who took this method of freeing trade. Certainly the sex trade with Europeans Northwest Coast Adventure themselves from our coarse importunities.”54 increased the economic motivation for high sta- of John R. Jewitt, 1802- The sailors of Vancouver’s voyage tried to ini- tus Nuu-chah-nulth people to acquire and main- 1806, ed. Alice W. Shurcliff tiate sex with women and were similarly rejected tain a large number of slaves, such as the nearly & Sarah Shurcliff Ingelfinger, (Boston: Back in 1792, after six more years of intense trading fifty slaves considered Maquinna’s most valuable Bay Books / Northeastern contact between the Nuu-chah-nulth and Euro- possession in 1803.60 University Press) 89; and peans. Menzies reported from Discovery that, At the peak of trading intensity at Nootka others. “none of them [women near Nootka Sound] Sound in the early 1790s, there were signs that 49 A crewmember of the Chatham quoted by Fisher, would suffer any of our people to offer them any the tight control exercised over sexual contact Contact and Conflict, 19 indecent familiarities, which is a modesty in some with Europeans may have slipped. Even though (footnote). measure characteristic of their Tribe.”55 Peter Puget’s sailors were disappointed, the fourteen- 50 Walker 41. Puget described the fruitless advances of sailors year-old girl’s exchange of smiles for gifts indi- 51 Walker 54. 52 Walker 85. from Chatham upon a fourteen-year-old Nuu- cates a change from the complete rejection of 53 Walker 87. chah-nulth girl who had “contrived by an Ex- sexual or romantic contact by non-slave women 54 Walker 85. cellent Management and distribution of her smiles described earlier by Walker and others. Men of 55 Menzies, 20 July 1792. to receive innumerable presents from her Admir- Captain George Vancouver’s expedition, who vis-

8 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 Left: Houses at Nootka, 1778. Drawing by John Webber. The British Library ited Nootka Sound two years in a row, declared a dropped prices—which may indicate non-slave change between 1792 and 1793 in the cheap avail- women became widely involved, negotiating, ability of sex. Having unsuccessfully solicited for perhaps even profiting themselves. Even if the sex all along their circumnavigation of Vancou- changes to the sex trade were mostly about in- ver Island, Puget was impressed by the ease in ter-group competition, or the withdrawal of non- which the men purchased sex when he returned slave women rather than indicative of a more sig- to Nootka Sound in 1793. He wrote: nificant loss of control by the trading men and 56 I must confess I was much surprised to find so great slave owners the Nuu-chah-nulth terms, the es- Peter Puget quoted in Gibson 122. an alteration here in the women’s ideas of chastity tablished sex trade was threatened. 57 Christon I. Archer, in the space of six months…then an indelicate ex- Nuu-chah-nulth elites had been struggling to “Seduction before pression would shock most of the women and I maintain control over sexual contact with Euro- Sovereignty: Spanish believe at that time only two or three out of the peans since the first Europeans established them- Efforts to Manipulate the many that frequented the Cove, were known to Natives in Their Claims to selves year-round in 1789. In the early 1790s, the the Northwest Coast,” dispose of their favors, and those at very exorbitant powerful regional chief Maquinna apparently prices, but now lost to all sense of shame, there were From Maps to Metaphors: needed to take extreme measures to limit sex with The Pacific World of George few out of those that frequented the Cove that would Europeans. Although displaced from Yuquot since Vancouver, eds. Robin not openly barter their stinking charms for a few Fisher and Hugh old buttons.61 the building of a Spanish garrison there in 1789, Johnston, (Vancouver: Maquinna refused an invitation by the Spanish Also on Vancouver’s expedition, Thomas UBC Press, 1993) 127- in 1791 to return his people to the village, re- 159. 153; Inglis & Manby wrote of his experience bathing women Haggarty 212. portedly because he believed the men of the 58 during his 1793 stay in Nootka Sound. In his 63 Donald 225, 250; Lutz 14. Spanish garrison would violate the women. In 59 opinion, they were “by no means as bashful as Donald 234. 1792 a Spanish servant boy was killed, according 60 [on] our last visit.”62 Jewitt 65. Gibson 235. to Puget because of a sexual relationship with a 61 Peter Puget, “Copy of The changes in the sex trade so notable to local Nuu-chah-nulth woman.64 Maquinna even- M.S. Journal kept on men of Vancouver’s expedition could be explained Board the Armed Tender tually did return with his people to the preferred as the effects of increased competition between Chatham, During Captain site of Yuquot, only to abandon it again in the slave owners: Yuquot may no longer have been Vancouver’s Voyage in the summer of 1794 because of the sexual relation- Discovery, 1791-4,” (BCPA) occupied by a single Nuu-chah-nulth group. Or ships between non-slave women in his commu- May 15, 1793, p.87. perhaps non-slave (and therefore “modest”) 62 A letter from Manby, also nity and Spanish men.65 Such sexual contact, out- women were further withdrawn from the view on Vancouver’s expedition, side the controlled trade of sex with slaves, de- of visiting Europeans. On the other hand, the quoted by Lutz 11. fied the social order and was considered, at least 63 Archer “Seduction” 143, journals of Vancouver’s expedition describe by Maquinna, a serious threat. 153. Archer’s sources are changes that occurred in the sex trade in 1793— Spanish journals and This loss of control by Nuu-chah-nulth elites increased the availability of sexual contact, letters seldom considered over European–Nuu-chah-nulth sex did not just by anglophone historians.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 9 64 Archer “Seduction” 323, affect those who profited from the sex trade. Af- caused not just illness but sterilized many it did note 107. ter less than a decade of intensive European– not kill.71 These epidemics contributed to the 65 Archer “Seduction” 158. 66 Peter Webster, “The Nuu-chah-nulth maritime trade, incidence of massive reduction in the population of the Nuu- Spanish At Yuquot,” in theft, land appropriation, hostage taking, murder, chah-nulth and the general amalgamation of pre- “The Contact Period as and the destruction of an entire village had all viously independent political units.72 Recorded by Indian Oral been recorded. But European sexual aggression After the early 1790s Nuu-chah-nulth con- Traditions,” eds. Barbara Effrat and W. J. Langlois. may have reached new levels with the year-round trol was re-established over both territory and Sound Heritage VII/1 European presence of the Spanish garrison at sexual contact as the Nuu-chah-nulth–European (1978): 60. Some explicit Nootka Sound, and the corresponding loss of maritime trade declined. The much-anticipated details quoted in my essay control over sexual contact. According to Ahousat withdrawal of the Spanish73 and more favourable were removed at the request of the editor of Nuu-chah-nulth elder Peter Webster, who traces sea otter trading elsewhere on the Northwest BC Historical News. the story back to the people at Yuquot, Spanish Coast (where sex trade had also been established) 67 Moziño 84. Christon I. men at the garrison regularly raped and muti- meant far less European presence in Nuu-chah- Archer, “Spanish lated Nuu-chah-nulth girls: “They used to pull nulth territory. Chief Maquinna and his people Exploration and Settlement of the them into the blacksmith’s without any ro- at Yuquot reasserted Nuu-chah-nulth control Northwest Coast in the mance…. The blacksmith had that red-hot iron most dramatically in 1803 when they captured 18th Century,” Sound always ready for those that refused.66 Webster the European trading ship, Boston, and murdered Heritage VII/1 (1978): 33- 53. Spanish Exploration 52, claims many of these girls died from their inju- all but two members of her crew. This action, describes the mood of ries, and that the parents could, at that time, do which Webster recognises as revenge for the sexual isolation and frustration nothing to stop the Europeans. Although the violence of the Spanish, ended the flow of Euro- felt at the Spanish Spanish records do not document this particular pean ships and effectively ended the threat of garrison, particularly from 74 the summer of 1792 when practice, a Spanish observer at the garrison, José sexual contact with Europeans. Although the Vancouver and Bodega y Moziño, admitted that the men had treated the action against Boston effectively ended the sex Quadra effectively agreed local Nuu-chah-nulth with brutality, “insulted trade there, the dominant Nuu-chah-nulth terms on a Spanish withdrawal, them at various times, crippled some and of the sex trade had already been re-asserted. until their actual 67 abdication of the post in wounded others, and did not fail to kill several.” According to Boston crewmember John Jewitt, March of 1795. Sexual contact with Europeans also brought who was Maquinna’s captive for two years, Nuu- 68 Samwell 1083. Also see suffering and death to the Nuu-chah-nulth chah-nulth society would only allow the sexual Lutz 14; Harris 51; Gibson through sexually transmitted diseases. Many of services of slave women to be sold.75 At least un- 238; Archer “Spanish Exploration” 50; the men of Cook’s expedition were infected with til the end of the nineteenth century, Europeans McMillan 192. See syphilis, gonorrhoea, and “yaws” which they had continued to recognise the purchase of sex with Bartroli 44, on “yaws.” just spread among the populations of the South slave women as the dominant form of sexual 69 Espinosa y Tello, A Spanish Pacific Islands before they stopped at Nootka contact with the Nuu-chah-nulth.76 Voyage to Vancouver…1792, 68 trans. Cecil Jane, (London: Sound for the first time. Walker, in 1786 was The nineteenth-century sex trade at Nootka The Argonaut Press, 1930) concerned about the effects of diseases introduced Sound demonstrates the power of the Nuu-chah- 115. Moziño 43, expressed to the Nuu-chah-nulth through sex with Euro- nulth to establish and largely maintain control similar concerns. peans. A Spanish sailor at Nootka Sound observed over a European-introduced trade. It is also one 70 McMillan 192. 71 McMillan 192. in 1792 that “the natives are already beginning of the earliest, and most common examples of 72 McMillan 193. to experience the terrible ravages of syphilis, European violence upon Native people, not even 73 Archer “Spanish which threatens them with the appalling fate recognized as violence because it occurred Exploration” 52; Archer which overtook the ancient inhabitant of Cali- through intercultural collaboration rather than “Seduction” 153. 74 Webster 60. fornia, a race which has become almost extinct conflict. Native control over social change has 75 Jewitt 65; Gilbert M. owing to this disease.”69 Chief Cassacan of the usually been taken as supporting the idea that Sproat, Scenes and Studies of Ditidaht, relatives of the Nuu-chah-nulth imme- the early European contact on the Northwest Savage Life, ed. Charles diately to the south, was reported in 1791 to be Coast was lucrative and enriching for Native peo- Lillard, (Victoria: British 70 Columbia: Sono Nis Press, “troubled with the venereal.” Such accounts of ple. But the early history of Nuu-chah-nulth – 1987 (1868)) 69. the spread of European-introduced sexually trans- European sexual contact exposes the problem 76 Donald. mitted diseases through Nuu-chah-nulth society with such a classless evaluation. There were those This paper was submitted suggest that although sex with slaves may have whose company was provided, and others for last year for the W. Kaye been considered shameful in Nuu-chah-nulth whom it was profitable. For Native people at Lamb Essay Scholarship on culture, limiting sexual contact with Europeans Nootka Sound in the late eighteenth century, how recommendion by Dr. to the slave class did not segregate their owners you were affected by the Nuu-chah-nulth–Eu- Paige Raibmon of Simon Fraser University. and other members from the effects. Syphilis ropean sex trade depended on your class situation.

10 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 The Women’s Pages Letters from Friends, A House Full of Visitors, or a Source of Help by Norah L. Lewis

IFE could be difficult if not overwhelm- hawks that preyed on their herds and flocks. In Norah Lewis, a retired ing for British Columbia residents living addition, many women sought seasonal work in educator, was a member on scattered farms and ranches, in log- British Columbia’s numerous fish canneries or of the Canadian Child- L 1 ging or mining camps, up isolated inlets or along fruit packing plants. hood Project. Her trap lines or transportation routes during the Uprooted and relocated to new areas, women recent book Freedom to first two decades of the twentieth century. Gov- were unable to draw on traditional support net- Play: We Made Our Own Fun, is a study of the ernment and church reports, travellers’ obser- works—their mothers and older women, their games and activities of vations, diaries, autobiographies, and commu- peer group, or religious and cultural associations. Canadian children nity and family lore confirm there were many But these women were pragmatists—quick to during the pre-television physical, economic, and emotional demands on take stock and determine which neighbour gave years. settlers who moved into rural areas. Few were wise council and who could be called upon to totally prepared for life on a Cariboo ranch, a help in an emergency. Those unable to over- Bulkley Valley farm, or a small fishing commu- come setbacks struggled on, often to the detri- nity such as Porcher Island’s Oona River. ment of their physical and mental health. Oth- Women were often left alone or with small ers simply packed up and moved on. children as husbands and older sons and daugh- Although far from urban centres, rural resi- ters worked away to earn money necessary to dents were able to follow national and interna- support the family and build up the family in- tional news and recent events through the pages vestment. Such women were frequently sepa- of weekly and monthly newspapers and maga- 1 rated by miles if not by days from their closest zines. Included among these publications were “Aloha Twin,” FHWS, 1 December 1915; Sunset, neighbour or nearest store. Furthermore, reach- the Family Herald and Weekly Star (FHWS), The Ibid., 21 August 1907. ing either might be accomplished only by boat, horse, or walking, although many women were quite capable of operating a boat or handling horses. Other women, however, were equally iso- lated from their neighbours by language, cul- ture, or religion. Life on the frontier could be lonely indeed. These rural women of British Columbia were a diverse group that included long-time resi- dents, migrants from other parts of Canada, and immigrants from the United States, Great Brit- ain, Europe, and Hawaii. They came to British Columbia as members of settlement groups, as extended or nuclear families, or as individuals seeking land, financial success, political or reli- gious freedom, employment, adventure, or per- haps a husband. Many experienced a shift from their traditional roles as wives and mothers look- ing after their families, houses, gardens, and poul- try to what was deemed man’s work, such as helping with fishing, haying, or the cattle roundup. A significant number, including “Aloha Twin,” the Wray girls of Nelson Island, and “Sun- set,” supplemented their family income and lar- der through their hunting, fishing, and trapping skills. They also shot wolves, coyotes, eagles, or

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 11 2 Walter Wicks, Memories of Farmers’ Advocate (FA), Free Press Prairie Farmer ers were often very lonely. Those women who the Skeena (Seattle: (FPPF), and the Grain Growers’ Guide (GGG). received little or no personal mail likened the Hancock, 1975), 29. 3 “Effie Jennie,” FHWS, The FHWS and FA were considered national women’s pages to letters from friends or a house 1901; Sage Brush, Ibid., 7 papers, whereas the FPPF and GGG tended to full of visitors. Margary Thrasher, a teacher at January 1905; focus on western concerns. Such newspapers Snowshoe, BC, in the 1930s, felt that the “Home “Bluebird,” Ibid., 12 April were popular among both English-speaking and Loving Hearts” page provided contact with oth- 1904; “A BC Rancher,” Ibid., 24 May 1905: non-English speaking families. Walter Wicks re- ers and helped keep lonely women from climb- “Mountain Rose,” Ibid., called that after two years of schooling in Eng- ing the walls of their cabins. 15 April 1908; “Graham,” lish he read the weekly FHWS aloud to his Ger- Second, the women’s pages were one of the Ibid., 11 January 1911; man immigrant parents, and an elderly Burnaby few outlets where aspiring writers under pseu- “Virgina No. 1,” Ibid., 11 February 1914. resident recalled the FHWS as the only news- donym, could satisfy their creative urges and, 4 “Bachelor Brother,” paper in her Russian-speaking home.2 perhaps, see their letters in print. They were FHWS, 24 Mar.1915; “T. These newspapers had something for every- probably experiencing the greatest adventures one: information relating to livestock, grain and of their lives and they wanted to share it with fruit production, commodity markets, and edi- fellow readers. In 1903, “Effie Jennie” described torial pages where writers, more of whom were the mountains, beaches, parks, busy seaport, and male than female, expressed their views on po- growing commercial district of sixteen year old litical, economic, or social issues of the day. Col- Vancouver. “Sage Brush” noted that the Nicola umnists responded to questions on medical, vet- Valley was good cattle ranching country with erinary, and legal matters. The latest writings of its dry climate and rolling hills. There was no authors such as Lucy Maud Montgomery, James railway to Nicola, but they did have telephones. Oliver Curwood, Ralph Connor, and Arthur In 1905, “Bluebird,” a migrant from Ontario, Conan Doyle were published in serial form. The wrote of the mild winters of the Okanagan. The advertisement section listed land, machinery, and same year “A BC Rancher,” living in the Yale livestock for sale, jobs and teaching positions area, gave a lengthy report of his success at mixed available, as well as a myriad of miscellaneous farming. “A BC Rancher” was unmarried, and items for sale or trade. And there were a reli- it would be interesting to know how many gious page, columns that catered to bird watch- young women wrote to express their interest in ers and sky watchers, and advice to the love- him and his ranch. Other writers indicated that lorn. The children’s pages printed stories, com- British Columbia was changing. In 1908, ics, patterns and instructions of things for young- “Mountain Rose” reported that cleared land sters to make, and clubs to which children could near Kootenay Landing was selling for $50 an write to join and perhaps have their letters pub- acre, and cultivated land suitable for fruit trees lished. and small fruits for $250 an acre. In The women’s pages, “Prim Rose at Home” 1911,”Graham,” of Graham Island, reported de- (Family Herald Weekly Star), “Ingle Nook Chats” velopment of mineral, timber, and fishing re- (he Farmer’s Advocate), “Home Loving Hearts” sources and noted the temperate climate of the (Free Press Prairie Farmer), and “The County Queen Charlotte Islands. And in 1914, “Virgina Homemaker” (Grain Growers’ Guide), provided No 1” wrote that Fort George (population information on homemaking, gardening, cook- 2,200) was a progressive town with electric lights, ing, baking, food preservation, and poultry rais- very good fire protection, a dozen autos, and ing. As women were usually responsible for their two cabs. British Columbia was growing and family’s health, writers also shared their knowl- developing.3 edge and lore on pregnancy and child birth, in- Third, the women’s pages were an avenue fant care and child rearing, treatments for their through which readers could seek and receive own health problems, and the care and treat- specific information. Who better to ask than a ment of illnesses and injuries of family mem- reader that lived in the area? Only women who bers. Over the period 1900 to 1920, hundreds were family heads could file for homesteads, al- of women (and a few men), wrote to the wom- though women could purchase or lease land and en’s pages of weekly newspapers and thousands many did so. When single women heard that read the letters that were published each week. twenty acre bush lots were for sale in Southern Why were the women’s pages so important BC, they expressed their interest in acquiring in the lives of so many rural women? First, read- such property. “Brother Bachelor” responded

12 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 West Kootenay Power Archives. Courtesy Aguila Corp. Archives. Power Kootenay Power West that the average cost of such a lot was $300 dol- been cut. Furthermore, teachers from other Above: An unidentified lars an acre, and that it would cost another $200 provinces had to secure British Columbia cer- woman fishing at the lower an acre for heavy clearing, as a large logging tification. Schools were often isolated, and other falls of the Kootenay River, engine, blasting powder, an experienced blaster, than one or two families rural children were 1897. a cable, and an experienced cabler would be re- generally of mixed blood. A few women wrote quired. It would be, he considered, a very ex- to warn others of the difficulties of life as do- pensive move for a woman. Others inquired mestic workers, and of husbands who gambled, about work or teaching opportunities. In 1905, invested unwisely, or abused their wives.4 businessman T. Lynch of Fernie offered “reli- Fourth, and most important, the women’s able information” to those seeking good work pages provided a vital but growing support net- opportunities, “particularly teachers, who receive work based on a trust relationship among fe- from $25 to $75 per month and no trouble to male editors, letter writers, and readers. Lonely find employment.” In response to an inquiry by women longed for the friendship, advice, con- an Ontario teacher whether the wages in BC solation, and support of other women who they were worth the sacrifice of home and friends, believed understood their hopes and fears, shared “Western Teacher” responded with an emphatic their joys and sorrows, and experienced the same “no”. She also noted that a new system for fi- gains and losses as they did. On those occasions nancing schools had come into effect 1 January when women came together, whether over tea 1906, and in many cases teachers’ salaries had at a neighbour’s home, in the women’s powder

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 13 room of a nearby town, or at a community or “doctor book.” Such books claimed to be ed- social event, they discussed and shared advice ited by a physician or a registered nurse, and on the problems and issues that touched their described the physiology and anatomy of the lives and shaped their world. For some, how- human body, offered advice on hygiene, indi- ever, there were no other women with whom cated how to identify specific illnesses or con- to share their concerns, so they wrote to the ditions, and recommended treatment. Drugs “dear editors” and their “dear sisters.” could be purchased at a local pharmacy or Writers used pseudonyms that often told through Eaton’s Mail Order Catalogue. Child care much about their mental, emotional, or finan- and health care information was also available cial situations as they described their lives, sought through bulletins and pamphlets distributed by and offered advice, and raged against the injus- the British Columbia Board of Health, insur- tices that they experienced or saw perpetrated ance companies, drug companies, and newspa- against others. They demanded dower laws and per columns. Patent medicines offered cures from property rights to protect themselves and their every affiliation known to man or beast, although children. They struggled to make their shacks they often contained cocaine, strychnine, or and cabins into homes, to feed and care for their opium, and had a higher alcohol content than families, and still maintain a semblance of dig- good quality whiskey. But practical women nity. They were incensed that their husbands, turned to what they had on hand—the con- sons, or brothers were paid a dollar a day fight- tents of their cupboards, pantries, and gardens ing for king and country, while immigrant men to treat family illness. Turpentine, for example, from enemy countries could demand and get was rubbed on sore and aching muscles, vinegar higher wages than their loved ones. used as part of cough syrup, a drop of kerosene Editors and readers generally responded with on a teaspoon of sugar cut phlegm, honey eased compassion, encouragement, and suggestions as sore throats, goose grease rubbed on the chest to how or where women could seek advice or eased congestion, black pepper controlled Lynch,” Ibid., 26 April assistance. As editors kept records of writers’ diarrhea and ginger eased an upset stomach. And, 1905; “Western Teacher,” Ibid., 24 January 1906. names, addresses, and pseudonyms, they were able of course, mustard plasters were used to relieve 5 Norah L. Lewis, “Goose to forward letters, clothing, bedding, garden congestion of the lungs. Herbs, roots, flowers, Grease and Turpentine: seeds, reading materials, and sometimes money bark, and sulphur were also common ingredi- Mother Treats the from those readers willing to share with those ents in medical recipes recommended by read- Family’s Illnesses,” Prairie Forum 15 (Spring 1990): whose need was deemed greater than their own. ers. Did these medical recipes work? Obviously 67-84. One of the major concerns of letter writers some did. And if they did not mothers were com- 6 “Christina,” FPPF, 2 July was the lack of health professionals and health forted to know that at least they had tried to 1912; Ibid, 15 January care facilities in their area. The Provincial Board treat the problem.5 1913; Linda Rassmussen, of Health was aware of their needs and strove to Childbirth was probably the experience most expand health services into growing rural areas. feared by women. It could proceed normally or At the same time Roman Catholic, Anglican, be fraught with complications detrimental to and Presbyterian churches operated health serv- both mother and infant. Women were often ices in areas as diverse as Victoria, Pender Har- poorly informed about childbirth. Pregnancy bour, Hazelton, Francois Lake, Bella Bella, and was euphemistically referred to as “expecting a McBride. Mission boats carried physicians on little stranger,” “the family way,” or “my sick- their visits to settlements and settlers along the ness.” The local midwife was usually called to coast. The Victorian Order of Nurses included attend the birth. There appear to have been such rural areas as part of their responsibility. For many, women in many communities. Although they medical and health services could be hours if may or may not have had any formal training, not days away. Furthermore, physicians were through working with physicians and using their called only in dire emergencies and hospitals accumulated wisdom and common sense, they were viewed by many as a place to die rather were recognized as competent nurses or mid- than a place to heal. For some struggling set- wives. When no midwife was available, women tlers, physicians and hospitals cost more than they could turn to their First Nations neighbours for could afford. advice and help. For instance, my mother-in- Many families relied on a general-purpose law, Ruth Wray Lewis, remembered that her home-care manual euphemistically called the

14 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 mother Sarah Wray of Left: Cooking over open Nelson Island was the fire, 1912. only white woman in the area, and that it was her father John Wray, assisted by the local First Nation’s midwife, who successfully de- livered his wife’s last three babies, Ruth’s youngest siblings. As the number of health professionals grew and health services in- creased, growing num- bers of women gave birth in maternity homes or hospitals. Letter writers ad- vised pregnant moth- ers to avoid crowds, keep calm, use Indian Women’s Balm, rub oil on their abdomens and thighs for fifteen minutes a day, or take a daily dose of boiled linseed oil flavoured with lemon for the last month of their preg- nancy. One woman offered her unused box of medicine to a poor and needy ex- pectant mother. We do not know why she had not used it herself. Others wrote to sug- gest steeped spikenard, cohosh, or the leaves City of Richmond Archives. City of Richmond of summer savory to reduce the pains of childbirth. In July 1912, away. Lillian Laurie, women’s editor for the FPPF, “Christina,” a reader living in the Quesnel area, sent a sample of the root to the University of wrote to offer free to expectant mothers a lo- Manitoba for testing. She was informed that it cally grown root, which she later identified as belonged to a group of plants used in medicines Devil’s Club. It was, she said, used by local First elsewhere but not in Canada. “Christina” may Nations women for several medical purposes in- have later started a small business of packaging cluding easing the pains of childbirth. It was and selling the root at $1.00 a box.6 “perfectly harmless, though it is powerful for In May 1910, “Farmer’s Wife,” an English im- allaying pain in confinement.” Those who used migrant who served as midwife to her neigh- it, and many wrote for it, claimed it relaxed the bours, sent Lillian Laurie an article entitled “Ma- woman’s muscles, made labour easier, shortened ternity Complete Without a Washing Day,” in time in labour, and made the afterbirth come which she told women how to prepare for and

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 15 attend a birth. She asked Laurie to send copies could prove fatal to an already sick child. One to women who requested it. Laurie could not worried mother wrote to inquire what she keep abreast of women’s demands, so she re- should do when her twenty-seven month old quested readers to write out by hand copies for son had another bilious attack. She had given those who requested copies. She had the article him half of her last morphine pill (also opium- typewritten but she still could not meet the de- based) when he took ill, and the second half a mand. In 1912, a paper entitled “Preparation for few hours later. The columnist responded that Maternity,” written by physician Mary E. giving a child morphine could kill him, but such Crawford, was available free from the Free Press was this mother’s desperation that she used what Prairie Farmer. The need for this article declined was available.9 only with the decrease in home births.7 Considering the difficulties and slowness of When their infants died, mothers mourned communication and travel, it is amazing how and editors and readers sympathized. In 1903, a rapidly advice could be transmitted from one grieving nineteen-year-old mother, “Maid O’the mother to another and to what lengths women Mist,” wrote that her two babies, one just over a would go to help a “dear sister.” On 14 January, year and the other an infant, had recently died 1909, “Anxious Mother” wrote the FA asking in spite of her efforts. She was emotionally and readers how to prepare modified cow’s milk, as physically drained. Editor Lilly Emily F. Barry her infant was not gaining weight. Two weeks responded with compassion and encouragement. later the women’s page carried instructions from Her story was repeated many times in many two readers for making modified milk as de- families. “Siawash 2” reported she had lost three scribed in The Care and Feeding of Infants by children, but that she had since found a “dear Luther Emmett Holt, a well-known and re- little man” two years old with no parents. She spected New York physician and child care spe- noted “such a comfort he has been to us.” Adopt- cialist. One woman offered to loan “Anxious ing or fostering children was not a rare event. Mother” her own copy of Holt’s book. On 18 “Flynn Valley,” a recent migrant from Alberta, April, “Anxious Mother” wrote to thank read- offered her daughter and son, age three and six, ers and to say her infant was gaining on modi- to some kind lonely couple to care for because fied milk. On 22 April, the editor advised women she could not cope. Such an appeal would prob- that arrangements had been made whereby ably be met with offers from a number of fami- mothers could purchase their own copies of lies willing to take children into their homes.8 Holt’s book through The Farmers’ Advocate. The Bacterial infections were a common cause of willingness of women to share advice, encour- infant illnesses and deaths, particularly during agement, or material goods through the wom- the summer months when, without refrigera- en’s pages was repeated time and time again.10 tion, keeping cow’s milk sweet and water pure For lonely women the women’s pages pro- was a problem. In articles and columns on child vided an opportunity for contact among “dear and infant care, printed on or near the women’s editors” and “dear sisters.” Under the anonym- pages, health professionals advised mothers to ity of pseudonyms, those who wrote were breast-feed, or at least use proper precautions in spokeswomen for thousands of women who only the preparation and storage of cow’s milk, read letters written by others. Editors and writ- thereby preventing dysentery (cholera infantum ers offered compassion that was sincere, advice or summer complaint). Women shared medical that was pragmatic, and generosity that encour- recipes they had tried or that they thought would aged women to share with those less fortunate prevent or control dysentery in infants, such as than they. Could lonely women have survived giving infants sweetened tomato juice, adding without the support they received through the pulverized egg shells to milk, beating egg whites women’s pages? Obviously, yes. They drew on into water or giving the infant barley or rice their own strengths and limitations and they took water. One of the most common, and perhaps justifiable pride in their ability to adapt and cope. most dangerous, treatments was to give a sick But women appreciated the practical advice and youngster a dose of castor oil to clean the bowel suggestions of editors and letter writers, and for and thereby eliminate the cause. Other desper- some the women’s pages were akin to letters ate mothers added one or two drops of lauda- from friends, a house full of visitors, and a source num to the castor oil. Opium-based laudanum of practical help.

16 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 “On the West Coast of Vancouver Island” A Little-Known Account of “Charles Haicks’s” Missionary by Jim Manly

Jim Manly is a retired United Church minister living with his wife, Eva, near Nanaimo. From 1980 to 1988 he served as Member of Parlia- ment for Cowichan- Malahat-the Islands.

Left: Melvin Swartout and his boat. United Church British Columbia Archives BCCA 1-174. BCCA Archives BritishUnited Church Columbia

N THE latter part of the nineteenth century, “On the West Coast of Vancouver Island” can- 1 two ministers wrote fictional accounts of their not be considered an objective account of mission If at all, people today work in the frontier areas of western Canada. remember Swartout, I activity but it does picture the way Melvin because his name was The better known of the two is the Rev. Charles Swartout understood himself and his work. Like given to a United Church Gordon, using the pseudonym “Ralph Connor,” Ralph Connor, Charles Haicks writes from the mission boat in the whose novels Black Rock in 1898 and The Sky Pilot perspective of a sympathetic but somewhat more middle years of the in 1899 became best sellers and made him Cana- twentieth century. worldly friend of the missionary. In reality there is 2 Melvin Swartout (Charles da’s best-known author. With an uncomplicated little difference and no tension between the voice Haicks), “On the West morality and a spiritual outlook concerned with of Charles Haicks and that of the missionary, here Coast of Vancouver active service rather than introspection or dogma, named “Harry Winston,” an idealized version of Island,” copied from a Gordon’s books spun a good yarn that romanti- transcript loaned by Swartout himself. Comparing this account with a Alfred W. Carmichael, by cized the church’s place among settlers and min- fragmentary journal, which Swartout kept till C. E. Browne, March, ers of Alberta and British Columbia. 1896,3 and with the extensive file of letters he wrote 1954, BC Archives, Like Ralph Connor, the pseudonym “Charles to the Rev. Peter MacKay, secretary of the For- Victoria. Swartout’s grandson, Charles Haicks” was the creation of a Presbyterian mis- eign Mission Committee in Toronto, we see that Thomson of Sechelt, BC, sionary. Melvin Swartout worked among the Nuu- most of the events described in “On the West Coast has a copy of the Chah-Nulth peoples on the West Coast of Van- of Vancouver Island” took place before 1898.4 There typescript that he couver Island from 1894 until he drowned in is no evidence indicating when Swartout began graciously loaned to me. 1 Alfred Carmichael, a close 1904. Under the pseudonym “Charles Haicks,” to write his fictional account but I suspect that it friend of Swartout’s, has he fictionalized his experiences in a text called was some time after Ralph Connor’s work first provided a helpful “On the West Coast of Vancouver Island” that he began to appear in 1899. introduction to the hoped would win support for his work. The manu- typescript in which he Swartout’s letters to the Toronto office deal says that his life provided script was never published: however, in the BC largely with administration and personnel issues, the pattern for Charles Archives is a typescript made from Swartout’s but the fictional account and his journal are an manuscript.2 >>>

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 17 Haicks and he details a invaluable resource, giving background material missionary; at a deep level the chief recognized number of episodes as well as some records of day to day events. It that Christianity as practised took people away from which he had shared with Swartout. But perhaps he helps the reader to understand some of the diffi- community values toward those of individualism. took the identification a culties and dangers Swartout faced as he travelled You want my people to become Christians. Yes, bit too literally. On page around Barkley Sound by canoe and rowboat. The Missionary, I do know what a Christian is. The 64 of the BC Archives’ book recounts some of the West Coast legends Haidahs are Christians, and the Tsimsheans, and copy, where Haicks speaks of himself as a and mythology although we need to remember some other tribes. A Christian is a man who remittance man, that Swartout was not an anthropologist and heard never eats with his friends, but always sits alone Carmichael has penciled all such stories through a missionary filter. with his wife to eat. He never invites the other a comment in the margin, Haicks’s account of Harry Winston’s mission- Indians to eat with him. He never gives a “Up to this point I might potlatch. That is a Christian, and, Missionary, I do ary work reflects Melvin Swartout’s lifelong op- have been Charles Haicks not want you to try to make Christians of my as I visited and made position to liquor. His older brother Lou, a young people.... You know this is our law, and we do several of the trips man of great promise, had died of alcohol abuse not want to give it up. Our fathers before us described. I was never a and Swartout saw liquor and gambling as a most ‘remittance man.’ I do not have potlatched, and we want to do as they did. know who was the man destructive force in the villages where he worked. It is good to call our friends together and give described by Melvin Winston faced particularly difficult challenges them presents.7 Swartout in this chapter.” when sealing schooners brought liquor to induce Harry Winston replied: 3 Swartout’s journal is in the possession of hunters to sign on as crew members. In one scene I do not understand your potlatches. I do not Swartout’s great- of drunken debauchery, with the implicit caption know whether they are idolatrous or not. Until granddaughter, Lynn “Heroic missionary disarms drunken Indian,” I know I cannot speak…. If, however, your cus- Martens of Burnaby, BC. Winston’s colleague Rutherford steps in front of a tom is simply social, and is not meant as wor- 4 United Church of ship, I see no harm in it. Certainly I do not ob- Canada Archives, Toronto. man who is about to kill another with his knife. 5 “On the West Coast of More attractive than this muscular Christian ject to your inviting your friends to eat with Vancouver Island,” 226. approach was Winston’s attempt to enlist the help you. Christians also do the same. Nor do I see 6Ibid., 82. of those community leaders who recognized the any harm in giving away money, or other 7 Ibid., 35. presents at a potlatch.”8 8 Ibid., 36. problem. At an assembly Winston spoke: 9Thomas Crosby, Among the I am going to trust you. If you get drunk, I will We see a great difference when we compare An-ko-me-nums Or not inform against you or in any way seek to Winston’s open attitude with that of Thomas Flathead Tribes of Indians of get you in trouble. Nor do I want to bring a Crosby, the Methodist missionary. At Nanaimo, the Pacific Coast, (Toronto: white policeman here. We are men, and we some of the leading chiefs promised support if only William Briggs, 1907), 105 ought to know what is good and what is they could continue to dance. Crosby replied “No, 10 “On the Westcoast of evil....I want you all to stop drinking and also I cannot have anything to do with the old way, the Vancouver Island,” 117. aid me in keeping the stuff away from this place. dance, the potlatch, etc., it is all bad.”9 While I want no one to get into trouble, if a Haicks discusses the origin of the Chinook word man, either a white man or an Indian, brings potlatch and relates a legend of its origin; he points liquor here to sell, he must be prosecuted. Is this out how potlatches involving feasting and gift- not right? giving are held to mark the important milestones The Natives agreed to this. “They liked also the of life both for the individual and for the commu- idea of being trusted. It was a new one to them, nity. Summarizing the importance of the potlatch, 5 and they all promised to try and reform.” he says, “Take from the Indian this much loved Haicks acknowledges the settler society’s preju- institution and he is no more an Indian.”10 He dice that called the Natives “irredeemably lazy” depicts a wedding potlatch in positive terms de- because they lived and worked to a different scribing the elaborate preparations and the formal rhythm. “Yet,” he says, “I noticed that in all mat- invitation. The English words into which Haicks ters pertaining to their own subsistence they were translates the final invitation, “Come for all things 6 industrious enough.” He describes their commit- are now ready,” is a direct quotation from ment to fishing, “…arising at the first sign of light, Luke14:17—one of Jesus’ parables of the messianic they at once proceed to work, leaving the ques- banquet. Women dance “with a graceful, spring- tion of breakfast to be settled sometime during ing motion;” a male dancer “skipped back and forth the day.” across the room with such ease and grace that his As seen by Haicks, Winston takes a “live and let feet scarcely seemed to touch the ground.” Dur- live” attitude to the potlatch. In one memorable ing another dance the “acting…was perfect.” In scene the chief of the She-shahts speaks to the concluding this section, Haicks leaves open the

18 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 possibility that even the missionary may have joined in the final dance on the last day: Again and again the dancers slowly circled around the room, some in standing pos- ture, others bending or going on all fours, but all moving grace- fully and in perfect harmony to the ac- companying music, in which all, actors and audience joined. It was an inspiriting sight and a fitting close to the great

potlatch.11 HP 036664 Archives BC Although Swartout wheedling you with soft words and kind deeds, Above: Melvin Swartout himself didn’t always take such a positive view, this but he is laying a trap by which your children and the Ucluelet Indian passage shows that at his best he could appreciate will be separated from you and your potlatches School. potlatches at their best. Whatever his views of the and dances will cease.14 potlatch, however, Swartout had nothing good to Read in the light of today’s court cases con- say of the Klo-kwan-na, or wolf-dance. Haicks says cerning Residential School abuse, these words, that all missionaries seemed to regard the Klo-kwan- whether based on an actual warning at the time na as “utterly bad and demoralizing, if not defi- or a product of Melvin Swartout’s imagination, nitely idolatrous.” However, because of mission- take on an eerie and prophetic significance. ary pressure “its more objectionable features are As a good Presbyterian, Winston set himself being gradually eliminated.”12 steadfastly against everything he considered super- “On the West Coast of Vancouver Island” also stitious or idolatrous. He opposed belief in the shows how Protestant missionaries relied on power of Native doctors, or medicine men, who schools as an entry to First Nations communities. “are able to cause a stick, or a stone, or a nail, or But school, with its accompanying discipline, in- any small object to become a chee-hah and fly into volved a radical change for First Nations children the body of a victim, where it rushes about, in- as compared to the freedom they used to enjoy. In ducing severe pain, internal rupture, and, finally traditional culture they were never punished ex- death. The object thus cast into the body of a per- cept by an appeal to fear. Haicks says in contrast to son is called a ‘min-nook-eck’”15 the Victorian dictum that children should be seen Native doctors could remove as well as cast min- but not heard, “In all things pertaining to his wel- nook-ecks and sometimes the same doctor who had fare he is consulted as gravely as though he were a cast the min-nook-eck was called on to remove it— senior member of the family, and his expressed for a sum. Thus the doctor could hold entire tribes preferences often carry weight farther than in in fear. In the old days, says Haicks, when some- matters concerning himself.”13 one was suspected of casting min-nook-ecks, a group While many people welcomed the schools, oth- of men would be deputized to do away with him. 11 Ibid., 118-126. ers were opposed. Haicks records a traditional The white man’s law of course regards this as 12 Ibid., 129. This comment Native doctor, Yalh-kay, who warned the people murder and so the doctors were able to “terrorize argues for a late date in that in the future their children, the neighborhood with impunity.”16 Later in a writing since Swartout was strongly opposed to ...would be forcibly taken from their parents contradictory comment, Haicks says, “in a white the Klo-kwan-na when he and placed in prison-like schools where they community, if the law could not be invoked to rid first arrived. would be taught to despise the institutions of the community of such a pest, Judge Lynch would 13 Ibid., 72. 14 their fathers…. Do you think the white man have found for him a strong rope and a tree.”17 Ibid., 181. 15 Ibid., 99. loves you? Is his kindness disinterested? He is Although Haicks admits that some Native doc- 16 Ibid., 103.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 19 17 Ibid., 109. tors may not have been malicious, he maintains seen a ghost which, according to Yalh-kay, meant 18 An interesting sidelight that they are likely frauds. that he would soon die. Soon James, who had never to this story is the statement by Haicks— As the narrative develops, Charlie, a well-trav- been in good health, did take sick. Mild at first, the although the typescript elled Native who spoke English, talked to Haicks illness progressed and James died. After the simple indicates that this was about the return of Yalh-kay, the diabolical doctor Christian burial of his one convert, Winston had crossed out in the who, with his supernatural powers, had plans for no argument left. “It was a contest between Christ manuscript—that a coroner wouldn’t be killing four people, including James, the one Chris- and Satan. Whose was the victory will only be interested in an inquest tian convert, and Charles Haicks himself. revealed at the end. But, in the meantime, the house unless a large fine could When Andrew, a promising schoolboy, fell sick was destroyed.”22 be collected. “The policy his father removed him from Yalh-kay’s care and Apart from a few general comments about ma- was not so much the prevention of crime as placed him with Winston where he soon regained terial progress, education and a slight curtailment the making of a revenue health. But, after another brief contact with Yalh- in the use of alcohol, this is the end of Haicks’s out of it.” (p 114) This, of kay, Andrew came in from play, went straight to account. Some sentence fragments are followed course, is exactly the bed and fell into a deep sleep from which he could by a note that the “last page of the manuscript charge that Haicks makes 23 against the Native not be aroused. He then “began to shudder and appears to be missing.” To say the least it is an doctors: they would only gasp for breath” and had a series of spasms. Within odd ending; missionary stories usually ended on a provide a cure in return a few hours he was dead. The Natives believed triumphant note celebrating Christian victory. for money. 18 19 “On the West Coast of that Yalh-kay had killed the boy with witchcraft. The fictional story of James and his death closely Vancouver Island,” 97-98. The missionary felt a particular need to oppose follows that of Septice, the real-life convert whose 20 Ibid., 236. taboos around death, such as the obligation to re- brief career Swartout detailed in his letters. Septice 21 Ibid., 248. move and cover a dead person as soon as possible, had been an active, committed convert, helping 22 Ibid., 282. 23 Ibid., 284. to carry the body out feet first, so it cannot look at with church services, prayer meetings, and evan- the living and try to “induce their spirits to join gelistic work; his death was a severe blow to him.” The corpse had to be taken out not through Swartout and his fellow workers. a door but through a window, “which must then There is no clear evidence to indicate when be immediately closed, preventing the spirit from Swartout started writing his pseudonymous ac- finding its way back to the abode of the living.”19 count of missionary work but the death of Septice Mentioning the name of a recently dead person (James) seems to have created a log-jam beyond was taboo. A dead person’s most valuable belong- which he could not pass in his writing. Presum- ings had to be sacrificed or the “spirit of the de- ably, if Swartout had lived longer, he would have parted might, at any moment lay claim to its former found the time and the emotional energy to re- possessions, and woe to the man who had the te- solve this problem and bring his book to publica- merity to brave its displeasure.”20 tion. This became the focus of a major struggle be- In retrospect, perhaps it is to Swartout’s credit tween Winston and traditional culture, particularly that he could not overcome the emotional barrier as represented by Yalh-kay. Following tradition, of Septice’s death because to do so would have people wanted to destroy a recently built house required a certain smoothing over of uncomfort- after the owner had died; Winston, however, suc- able facts and a falsification of his own feelings. cessfully argued against this. Some time later a lit- There was no triumphant ending and Swartout tle girl took sick and died. It was reported that was honest enough to let the facts stand. one evening at dusk, running past this house, she Through Charles Haicks, Melvin Swartout had seen the ghost of the dead owner looking out presents an idealized picture of his missionary work the window. People believed this to be the cause and an idealized picture of what he thought mis- of the girl’s death and there was renewed agitation sionary attitudes should be towards First Nations to have the house destroyed. culture. A more objective account of Swartout’s In order to discredit the taboo, Winston per- work remains to be done.
suaded James, who happened to be a relative of the dead man, to move into the house. At a meet- ing with those who wanted to destroy the house, Winston said, “Let the Christian live in the house. It is a contest between Christ and Satan. If Satan wins, you may have the house.”21 Following this a rumour spread that James had

20 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 The Station Agent’s Rifle by Edward Villiers

N THE spring of 1948, British Columbia was When I drove the last bolt out on the west No one knows the suffering its greatest flooding since 1894. end the track jumped three feet. Contrary to history of Savona better Dikes were bursting in the Fraser Valley and my foreman‘s warning I decided to walk back than Ed Villiers, the I across the bridge. When I got over to the other rivers were overflowing their banks everywhere author of about forty of in the interior. side I rolled a smoke and took only two puffs little known, well- on my cigarette when out she went. On Sunday night, 30 May 1948, the engineer researched, informative, and entertaining of Canadian National Railways’ westbound pas- The pier tipped over and steel rails—scream- ing like banshees—whipped from each end! booklets on Savona, senger train felt a distinct bump as his steam lo- available through Esther comotive passed over the Thompson River Spikes rained down! And two ninety foot steel spans crashed into the river! One was carried French, PO Box 154, Bridge west of Deadman’s Creek. When he ar- two hundred yards downstream. Savona BC V0K 2J0. rived half an hour later at Ashcroft he reported the bump to the night operator who passed the In addition to the rails the bridge also carried report along to the engineer of an eastbound down valuable telegraph and telephone wires that freight train waiting at the Ashcroft siding. connected Vancouver with eastern Canada. The The engineer of the eastbound freight stopped taut wires had been dragged down to the surface his train when he reached the bridge and climbed of the river and were in danger of being snapped down out of the cab. In the beam of his locomo- by logs and other debris swirling downstream. tive’s headlight he walked part way across the deck Each wire had been connected to a glass insu- of the steel span and saw a distinct dip in the lator mounted on a small round wooden bracket track over an undermined concrete pier. attached to a cross arm that had been bolted to The swollen Thompson River had begun to the bridge. erode the river bed around a huge cement pier All of the wires had broken free except one. near the eastern end of the bridge. The engineer But that one wire, still attached to its insulator returned to his train, asked the other four crew connected to the cross arm, was holding the rest members to get out and walk across the bridge, down. If this one wire could be freed then all of then climbed back into the engine’s cab and the wires would spring up well above the surface slowly took his train across alone. His was the last of the water and communications across the train to cross that bridge for a year. country could be saved. During the night the pier continued to lean However there was no way anyone could get further over and it became apparent that the out to the middle of the river to free it. John had bridge was soon going to topple into the river. an idea. He suggested someone take the motor Section man John McLeod vividly remembers car back to Savona and borrow a rifle and a box what happened the following morning, 31 May of bullets from the station agent. He would try 1948, when his four-man section crew arrived and shoot the thin wooden peg in two that held by a motorized track car from Savona: the insulator. Within half an hour the foreman returned with By this time the pier was leaning over so bad a rifle and John lay down on the embankment that the tracks were almost on edge. We dis- connected the rails at the east end and when and carefully took aim. The target was about an the last bolt was driven out of the fish plate inch and a half in diameter. As each bullet hit the the track jumped two feet toward the bridge. small round peg the wood splintered and weak- Now the rails had to be undone at the west ened. Suddenly it broke in two releasing all the end. wires into the air. The communication lines had I took a track wrench and a spiking maul, and been saved. a tool to drive out the last bolt, and started The rifle John used was a .22 calibre Winches- across. The bridge was now on a 60 degree an- ter semi-automatic, an expensive gun for its cali- gle. I walked hanging on to one rail, with my bre, and rather uncommon since it was fitted with feet down on the bottom rail. a brass tube in the stock that could be pulled from the butt for reloading. At the end of the day

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 21 the gun was delivered back to Savona’s CNR station agent, parts he saw two feet sticking out from under a pile of rusty Robert Dillabough. fenders. He lifted a fender and saw a body. It was Diane Phipps. Fourteen years later, on 16 October 1962, at 6:45 P.M., a He fled the scene and called police. pretty nineteen-year-old girl named Diane Phipps walked out Police believe the girl had been forced from Dixon’s car, the front door of her parents’ house in Nanaimo and waved driven seven miles south by the killer, then murdered on a good-bye to her mother. “Don’t be late,” her mother called lonely bush road. She had been shot once between the eyes, out as Diane walked toward the front gate. “Have a good and then beaten to death with a boulder. She had not been time,” shouted her father who was working in his garden at sexually molested. Police ruled out the theory that the killer the side of the house. could have been a jealous lover since the couple had been Diane had a date with Leslie Dixon, a young man she had going together for about a year. been going steady with for about six months. She had re- The killings would become known as the Lovers’ Lane cently started a new job as a practical nurse at St. Paul’s Hos- Murders and created headlines in the Vancouver newspapers pital over in Vancouver, working three days straight and two for the next week. The RCMP had little to go on—no mo- days off, and this was her third trip back home to Nanaimo. tive, no weapon, no suspects. They believed they were look- Wearing a new black sweater and skirt, Diane walked to a ing for a criminal psychopath. They received a call from a girlfriend’s house where she spent the next couple of hours young woman living on Harewood Road, not far from where visiting before her boyfriend called around and picked her Diane’s body was found. up. Dixon was tall and good looking and like Diane was also She told police that she had been watching a late night 19 years old. He had quit school in grade ten and was work- television show when a man knocked at her door about one ing as a service-station attendant in Nanaimo. His big inter- A.M. on the night of the murder. He told her that his car was ests were bowling and cars. stuck in the ditch just up the road and asked for the use of her The couple drove to a gas station where Dixon bought truck to pull him out. two dollars worth of gas then drove through Nanaimo, toot- The man climbed into the box of the truck as she drove a ing the horn to various friends. They stopped briefly to talk couple hundred yards down the road where the man hooked with a mechanic at the garage where Dixon worked. A little a chain from her truck to his car. She pulled it out of the ditch after ten o’clock they were seen by two of Dixon’s friends and as the stranger unhooked the chain he told her to go heading down Departure Bay Road towards Piper’s Lagoon, home. The next day she heard about the double murder and five miles north of Nanaimo. Piper’s Lagoon was a favourite called the police. parking spot for young people—a lovers’ lane. Officers examined the piece of gravel road and noted that They hadn’t seen each other for a week and as they sat in tire tracks had swerved suddenly off the road and hit a rock. the car laughing and talking they were unaware that a man They theorized that the driver of the car was the murderer was standing nearby in the shadows watching them. He ob- and that Diane Phipps was still alive at that time and had served them for a while and listened to Diane laugh. Then yanked at the steering wheel. With a description of the quietly he slipped away and returned with a gun. stranger and of his car they felt certain it wouldn’t be long The following morning, when Leslie Dixon didn’t return before they made an arrest. home, his mother sent his two brothers, Vic and Ron, to search The Nanaimo City Council offered a reward of $3,500— for him. At ten A.M. they found Leslie sitting in his car at later increasing it to $5,000—for information leading to the Piper’s Lagoon. His head was lying back and they thought he arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for was asleep. When Vic shook him he fell over. He had been the murders of Diane Phipps and Leslie Dixon. The reward shot twice in the back of the head at close range. was equivalent to a year’s wages. But despite the most inten- There was no sign of Diane although her purse and coat sive murder investigation in the history of British Columbia, were in the car beside her boyfriend’s body. Dixon’s wallet the reward went unclaimed and the police were completely was still in his pocket, its contents untouched. The contents baffled. of Diane’s purse were also intact. Robbery, obviously, was not Three months following the murders the weather turned a motive for the crime. The police brought in tracking dogs bitterly cold. For the first two weeks of 1963 the temperature and called in investigators from Victoria but they were unable on Vancouver Island seldom rose above the freezing mark. It to locate a murder weapon or determine the whereabouts of was so cold that up in the Cariboo a woman and her little girl Diane Phipps. froze to death on the Alexis Creek road. Lakes everywhere At two o’clock that afternoon Darrell Morgan, a Nanaimo were frozen over. On January 29 a young boy was playing on resident, was in a rubbish dump four miles south of Nanaimo the ice on Long Lake, five miles north of Nanaimo, when he retrieving a hacksaw he had left there on the weekend while saw a gun lying in the mud beneath the clear ice not far from searching for scrap metal. As he walked by a stack of old car shore. He loosened a rock from the beach, smashed a hole in the ice, and pulled out a .22 calibre rifle. Excitedly, he ran

22 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 home with the gun and asked his father to clean it up and let him keep it. As he wiped the mud and water off the gun the father noted that it was a Winchester semi- automatic rifle in excellent condition. Why would anybody throw away such an expensive gun? He was suspicious. He took it down to the Nanaimo detachment of the RCMP who immediately sent it to Regina for ballistic tests. A short time later a report came back that this was the gun that killed Leslie Dixon and Diane Phipps. The police were sure now that the case could be solved quickly. They had a description of the murder suspect, a description of his car, and now the murder weapon. But a year passed and the gun’s owner could not be traced. The police re- mained baffled. On Saturday 18 April 1964—almost a year and a half after the gun was found—the Vancouver Sun published an article in its “Weekend Magazine” describing the murders and appealing to people across Canada for information on the rifle used in the two slayings. The newspaper included with its story three photographs of the gun, including a close-up pic- ture of the butt end of the stock showing where a brass tube could be pulled for loading. The gun was described as a Winchester .22 calibre semi- automatic rifle, model 63, serial number 41649A, manufactured on 5 October 1940, and sold in 1942—but the purchaser’s name was unknown. The article added: The rifle is expensive for a weapon of this caliber, and is consequently rather uncommon. Anyone having knowledge of persons who have possessed rifles of this description is requested to inform the nearest police department or R.C.M.P. detachment immediately. Any information offered will be held in the strictest confidence. The newspaper story resulted in a flood of tips. One of those tips led police to the original owner of the gun—Robert Ralph Dillbough, a former Canadian National Railways station agent at Savona. When police arrived at Savona they learned that Mr. Dillbough, the gun’s original owner, had died ten years earlier on 15 March 1954. The disposition of his estate, including the rifle, had been handled by D.T. Rogers of a

Right: This is the .22 rifle that was used, to murder a young Nanaimo couple in 1962. Fourteen years earlier, it was used to save communication lines west of Savona during the flood of 1948.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 23 Kamloops law firm. Some assets of the estate were Ingram, through his lawyer, confessed that he had sold privately while other assets, including this shot Diane Phipps between the eyes and then rifle, were sold at a public auction. The auction beaten her head in with a rock. The admission had taken place in Kamloops on 19 February was made to an all-male Assize Court jury min- 1955. utes after a previous jury had found him fit to The auctioneer was George Shelline, but when stand trial for capital murder. He was charged police went to interview him they learned he only with the girl’s murder. had been killed in an accident a year after the Following his admission of guilt three psychia- auction took place. The police searched his records trists told the Court that in 1962 Ingram would but were unsuccessful in finding the name of the have been suffering from a disease of the mind. gun’s buyer. Once again they had come to a dead The prosecutor suggested to the jury that they end. had no alternative but to find Ingram not guilty The police checked 60,000 vehicle registra- by reason of insanity, stating that “Ingram was in tions seeking a car described by the witness. They such a deranged state of mind at the time of the screened every rental car in British Columbia. killings he was not able to appreciate the nature They interviewed thousands of people, took 200 and quality of his acts and could not have formed written statements, examined 2,000 gun invoices, an intent.” and sought the help of the FBI in the United The following day a judge ordered Ingram to States and Interpol in Europe. They toted up more be held in close custody indefinitely, or as Sec- detective man hours on this murder investiga- tion 545 of the Criminal Code put it, “until the tion than any murder probe in British Columbia pleasure of the Lieutenant-Governor is known.” history. But they still did not have a suspect. He was transferred to maximum security con- So the Vancouver Sun ran another story about finement at the Forensic Psychiatric Institute of the case. This time the newspaper asked for per- Riverview mental hospital—then known as sons who had attended the Kamloops auction to Essondale—at Coquitlam, and remained in close come forward. The story was carried across confinement for the next six years. Canada by the Canadian Press news service. Again In 1971 doctors considered his mental condi- police received a flood of tips. This time one of tion had improved so dramatically that he was them led to the arrest of a suspect, a 35-year-old granted unsupervised ground privileges. In May North Vancouver baker named Ronald Eugene 1974 he escaped from the hospital but returned Ingram. Ingram had formerly lived in Nanaimo voluntarily after being free for four days. He es- and together with his brother, Wallace, owned caped again in August 1975. But this time he was Parklane Bakery on Harewood Street. In early not recaptured for eight months. 1965, he and his wife and three children left In November 1976, the Vancouver Sun reported Nanaimo and moved to North Vancouver. that the doctors at Riverview hospital ruled him Ingram had never been a suspect in the case sane and that a provincial review board recom- nor had he ever been interviewed by police. mended he be released. Despite pleadings from Equipped with a chain saw, police went to the his lawyer, the provincial cabinet still refused to Parklane Bakery and cut out a section of a re- grant him his freedom. taining wall at the rear of the building where I have searched through subsequent newspa- Ingram used to shoot at rats. Slugs retrieved from per archives without being able to learn whether the wall matched those in the murder weapon. Ingram was finally released and allowed to rejoin Ingram’s car was also examined, and although two his wife and family, who were now living in Ed- years had elapsed since the murders, human blood monton. Nor did I learn who, if anyone, received stains were found in the vehicle. the reward for his arrest. Ingram was taken into custody on 7 August I do know, however, that the clue that solved 1965 and brought to Oakalla Prison in Burnaby. this case was a rifle—the same rifle once owned A few hours later he attempted to commit sui- by a station agent in Savona, the same rifle that cide by plunging his head into a plugged water- saved the trans-Canada communication wires filled toilet bowl. When found by a guard he had from being broken following the collapse of the no apparent pulse but responded to inhalator Thompson River Bridge in the flood of treatment. Six weeks later, on 20 September 1965, 1948.

24 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 Early Prince George Through the Eyes of a Young Boy by Eldon E. Lee

Eldon E. Lee, a retired obstetrician and gynecologist, lives in Prince George. He is the author of a number of books including They Were Giants in Those Days: Stories from the Heart of the Cariboo.

Left: George Street looking south, 1920s. Courtesy Eldon E. Lee Courtesy Eldon E.

N 1929 at age six I was introduced to the vi- the Fraser River just downstream from the north- brant energetic town of Prince George which ern end of the railway bridge. Johnson’s or Goat Iwas bursting with optimism and enthusiasm Island at that time stretched right up to the bridge over the imminent construction of pulp mills and and we boys could climb down the bridge and the completion of the PG Railway from the south. jump onto the island, which would not be possi- At that time Prince George was hardly more than ble any longer, since meanwhile the island has a village but to a young lad coming from Cali- eroded away and the tip lies 200 feet below the fornia by way of an isolated ranch near Williams bridge. Lake it seemed like a gigantic city From the Auto Court we moved to an up- Family roots existed in Prince George where stairs apartment on Third Avenue just one block my great-uncle James McLane had established a off George Street over the office of a taxi firm business on Central Street in 1912. A second owned by the McLanes. Next door was a cloth- great-uncle, Charles McLane, arrived from Cali- ing store owned by Sam Salvo, an Italian, who fornia in 1916. Their mother followed in 1918 soon returned to his homeland. And next to him to look after her boys. My own mother was in- was the Embassy Cafe. The Assmans had a gen- vited to come up to Prince George in 1919 for eral store also on this block. Around the corner company to her grandmother. A teenager, she on George Street was Mayor Patterson’s Cloth- went to Miller Addition High School from 1919 ing Store where I bought my first ever pair of to 1921 before returning to California. winter boots. (In California we did not need At the beginning of the school year, Septem- winter boots). Nearby was the Astoria Hotel ber 1929, my mother brought me to Prince owned by Bill Bellos. Bellos was an enterprising George since there was no school near the ranch. Greek who brought in a huge bulldozer with a We lived for a time at McLane’s Auto Court on brushcutting blade. He claimed to be able to clear

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 25 land for farming for 28 dollars an acre and went and Columbus Hotel with friends Jimmy broke doing this. Zimarro and Steve Prudente. In poor weather The town essentially centered on two-storey we rode around the hotel lobbies until Mr. commercial buildings along George Street and Zimarro booted us out. All the city sidewalks were Third Avenue with scattered houses radiating out- constructed of rough boards and there was a raised ward. There were also some commercial build- sidewalk from the end of George Street to Patricia ings along Central Street, mainly towards the Boulevard in downtown Prince George. water tower on the rise of land above the Nechako Silent pictures were shown twice a week at River. West of Central was a pine forest where the Strand Theatre, which was across Third Av- blueberries grew in profusion each summer. enue from where we lived. Several of us urchins South Fort George existed as a separate small pooled our money to buy one ticket and the boy community with the BX paddle wheel boat on admission scooted down and loosened the exit beached and decaying on the Fraser River bank door so the others entered free. of what is today Paddle Wheel Park. I still have a Oh yes, I became an entrepreneur selling news- scar on my left knee resulting from a cut sus- papers on the street for five cents apiece, crying tained in climbing over the old BX. out “Prince George Citizen” and “Edmonton My introduction to Prince George was a happy Journal.” I was supposed to give the money to one when my mother took me to the store of my mother but would succumb to temptation her old friend from 1921, Ina Allen, later Ina occasionally and spend it on treats at Candy Allen’s Johnson. She plied me with chocolate bars and Confection store on George Street. made me feel welcome. When Ina’s supply was I remember saving 75 cents to purchase a pair depleted I found that by taking a burlap sack to of roller skates from Jake Leith, who had a hard- Assman’s store I could exchange it for a candy ware store on Third Avenue and subsequently bar. There was a supply of these sacks as coal was making a nuisance by skating up and down the delivered in them. wooden sidewalks. I came to Prince George for schooling and to The winters were fearfully cold and all heat Miller Addition School I went. The school was came from wood- and coal-burning stoves. A stack situated just west of Connaught Hill and here of wood 150 metres long was piled along the my academic path was shaped in the formidable upper reaches of Third Avenue where the present presence of Miss Eliza Milligan. She firmly be- Auto Wash is located. During weeks of cold lieved that sparing the rod spoiled the child, par- weather smoke rose straight up from every chim- ticularly boys, and soon discerned that my edu- ney and frost crystals hung in the air. Of course cation needed attention particularly when I said we urchins walked to school, all bundled up and “zee” instead of “zed”. wearing winter boots. When we arrived at school I must admit that I was no angel and received we were half frozen with frosted cheeks and feet timely correction with firm applications of her feeling like chunks of ice. With warmth we ex- 16-inch leather strap applied to the open palm perienced the misery of chilblains. of the hand. Apart from the schoolroom I re- Springtime was a glorious happening. The flat ceived a good deal of learning in the schoolyard. area below George Street flooded each year and Of course there was a school bully, Nat Cheer, we built rafts and sailed along amid deserted build- and a code for a new boy, which I learned through ings and outhouses invariably getting thoroughly experience. I once stood up to Nat’s harassment soaked. Then it was marble playing time with and hit him as hard as I could. I took a thrashing aggies, blue babes, and dough babes. The marble in return but it was worth it. He later became a playing experts soon won all the marbles in the friend. Through such experiences one learns to game of “keeps” and at that point the sport lan- adjust in life. This is important as bullies exist in guished. every sphere of life. Later my Air Force flying We boys also had a game of “chicken”. Stand- instructor turned off the motor in the air so that ing a hundred feet apart on First Avenue we slung he could better berate me for my inadequacies. cobble stones, the size of walnuts at each other. My school experience helped maintain my bal- The object was to duck and avoid the stones but ance. on one occasion a new boy was struck and went On weekends I rode my small bicycle along home crying to his mother. She descended on us the wooden sidewalks outside the Europe Hotel

26 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 with great wrath as we scattered. There were some real characters in Prince George in those days. One was Dick Corless who did construction and ran a funeral parlour, back of which we boys congregated and dabbled with flying an airplane. There was Jack Dolly, a tall spastic individual who lurched along the sidewalk selling newspapers. We learned to keep out of his way. He also had a queer little mother, plump and doll-like, who kept a sharp eye out for Jack’s welfare. Then there was Pete Poulson, the town’s drunk living in a shack close to First Avenue on Quebec Street. The boys used to throw stones at his outdoor privy and Dick Corless, finding him drunk one night, placed him in a coffin in the funeral parlour to the consternation of those com- ing to pay last respects. A stir was created one summer evening when the wives of two prominent citizens raced from Third Avenue to the Prince George Hotel in scant attire. They were known to take a drop. Dr. Lyon, a respected physician, always drove the biggest car imaginable about town. He was not very knowledgeable about cars and routinely demol- ished the traffic signal in the centre of George Street. In wet weather puddles lay in the main streets and his car splashed the common folk with mud from spinning tires. There was scandal: Billy Bexon, a town coun- cillor absconded with Dr. Trefry’s wife and Jimmy McLane appropriated someone else’s mate and moved her and son into his Auto Court. There were various other notorious happenings. Police- man Gray was shaking down the Chinese busi- nesses until they complained to council that it Courtesy Eldon E Lee was costing them too much for protection. The There were difficult things but there were good Above: Eldon Lee (age 6) startled city council terminated the luckless con- things also. Mr. Mallis at the Sunday School of and his brother Todd, 1930. stable and charged him with extortion. Knox Church gave a feeling of reverence for holy I learned about life. The wife of Jake Leith things and I experienced a lot of love and encour- died of unchecked diabetes before insulin was agement from home. Also, I did well in school, generally available, leaving Nathan and Bessie either because of Miss Milligan or in spite of her. without a mother. Pappas’s business folded but I learned civic responsibility when on an impulse he subsequently established a large fur outlet in I lined up a dozen empty whiskey bottles on a pile Vancouver. Bill Bellos’s land clearing scheme went of lumber behind the Prince George Hotel and under and the longed-for pulp mills and railroads shattered them with stones. A prominent citizen did not materialize. Soon came the Great De- made me pick up every fragment and gave me a pression and with it the impoverishment of stern lecture on public conduct as well. Charles McLane and indirectly our ranch in the They say it takes a whole village to raise a child Cariboo. Personally I had some scary situations. I and my own experiences seem to confirm this, was approached by a tramp on the way home for I received a lot of love, encouragement, and from school and had to run to escape, I got hit direction from the experiences encountered in by a car, and bitten by lawyer Wilson’s large dog. Prince George. I trust that this atmosphere con- I also had a tooth pulled by dentist Dr. Hocking tinues to this day.
for one dollar. BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 27 Book Reviews Books for review and book reviews should be sent to: Anne Yandle, Book Review Editor BC Historical News, 3450 West 20th Avenue, Vancouver BC V6S 1E4

Alden L. Todd Abandoned: The Story of the Greely by unpublished letters, reveal the larger pic- ture of bureaucratic lethargy and bungling Abandoned: The Story of the Creely Arctic Arctic Expedition, 1881–1884 Expedition, 1881–1884, that delayed the final rescue attempt. Alden L. Todd. Fairbanks, Alaska: University reviewed by Carol Lowes. When a rescue party at last reached the of Alaska Press, 2001 . 323 pp. Illus., maps. $ expedition in 1884, eighteen men lay dead Goody Niosi 22.95 paperback. and another died on the way home. Magnificently Unrepentant: The Story of REVIEWED BY CAROL LOWES For Greely and his five fellow survivors, Merve Wilkinson and Wildwood, the ordeal was far from over. Their trium- reviewed by Arnold Ranneris. This recent reprinting of author Alden Todd’s harrowing 1961 account of the phant homecoming, to national and inter- Ian Baird and Peter Smith national acclaim, was soon to be devastated Ghost on the Grade: Hiking and Biking sufferings imposed upon an American expe- by malicious accusations of murder and can- Abandoned Railways on Southern dition sent into the Canadian High Arctic nibalism when six of the exhumed dead were Vancouver Isand, during the First International Polar Year of found to be mutilated. reviewed by Ken Wuschki 1881 will interest a wide audience. The publishers have brought back into To the author’s credit, he neither accuses William J. Wheeler, ed. nor excuses any one member of the expedi- Flying Under Fire: Canadian Fliers Recall circulation an important annal of arctic ex- ploration. Much more than a story of geo- tion but, rather, lets the record speak for it- the Second World War, self. He provides material enough for the reviewed by Mike Higgs. graphical discovery and scientific achieve- ment, this is also a poignant and pathetic, yet reader to draw certain conclusions regarding Robin Percival Smith often heart-warming tale of man’s capacity these gruesome revelations, but those requir- Captain McNeil and his Wife the Nishga to endure against all odds. Compelling in its ing more should refer to the introduction by Chief, the famous explorer and anthropologist reviewed by Pamela Mar. integrity, the author’s research is exhaustive in pursuit of the truth regarding a glorious Vilhjalmur Stefansson, who offers a grim yet Naomi Miller venture that went horribly wrong. logical explanation of what likely happened. Fort Steele: Gold Rush to Boom Town, Under the command of Lt. Adolphus This finely written and moving work is reviewed by Ron Welwood. Washington Greely, the twenty-five men of supplemented by helpful maps and stunning Derek Hayes the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition worked engravings of key episodes during the Greely First Crossing: Alexander Mackenzie, His diligently together that first winter of 1881. Expedition. Expedition Accross North America, and Greely proved a stern but kindly commander, the Opening of the Continent, Reviewer Carol Lowes is a member of the Map whose concern for his men’s morale provides reviewed by Brian Gobbett. Society of BC. Her great-great-uncle, James some of the book’s lighter moments (the vari- Murray, lost his life in the High Arctic as oceanog- Danda Humphreys ous sporting contests, the impudent camp rapher aboard Vilhjalmur Stefansson’s ill-fated On the Street Where You Live, Vol. III, “newspaper ,” and the grand Thanksgiving HMCS Karluk voyage of 1913. Sailors, Solicitors and Stargazers, dinner make delightful reading). But he was reviewed by George Newell. plagued from the start by discontent and jeal- Eunice M.L. Harrison ousy amongst his commanding officers. The Judge’s Wife: Memoirs of a British When the pre-arranged supply ship failed to Columbia Pioneer, reach the expedition in the summer of Magnificently Unrepentant: The reviewed by Donna Jean McKinnon. 1882—and again the following summer— Story of Merve Wilkinson and Bruce Braun discontent festered into insubordination and, Wildwood Intemperate Rainforest: Nature, Culture, eventually, into mutiny as the men were Goody Niosi. Surrey: Heritage House, 2001. & Power on Canada’s West Coast, forced to endure a third winter marooned 236 pp. Illlus. $18.95 paperback. reviewed by Cara Prior. without hope of survival. REVIEWED BY A RNOLD RANNERIS Howard Overend Todd skilfully weaves the story from all Residents of Vancouver Island have be- Book Guy: A Librarian in the Peace, points of view. Official expedition journals come aware of a local hero in our midst. He reviewed by Arnold Ranneris. and private diaries of the doomed men al- is Merve Wilkinson, owner and operator of Shirley Hewett low us to witness every part of their ordeal: a forestry operation near Ladysmsith called The People’s Boat: HMCS Oriole: Ship of the horrors of frostbite and slow death by Wildwood. His name has become synony- a Thousand Dreams, starvation, the individual heroism and brav- mous with enlightened forestry. Merve reviewed by Philip Teece. ery, the descent into criminal behaviour in Wilkinson was born in 1913 to English im- the effort to survive. At the same time, gov- migrants who came to Nanaimo, but soon ernment and naval documents, augmented

28 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 moved to a better life away from the coal authors Ian Baird and Peter Smith have cap- otic, and strongly motivated in those distant mining operations of nearby Wellington. tured this web in a very accessible book for days. There are many other benefits for the Merve was raised in the spacious fields and those who enjoy experiencing history reader, not least the exposition of an open- forested areas around Quennell Lake. This through hiking and biking. hearted and almost simplistic notion of duty, would become his lifetime home. Covering eleven railway operations from duty to King and Country, which pervades From the beginning Merve had a natural Nanaimo south to William Head, the authors the words and actions of the writers. From affinity with the environment; this concern provide a brief historical background for each our viewpoint at the start of the twenty-first was focused by attendance at a Youth Train- one and then quickly turn the focus toward century, we feel, on reading these accounts, a ing Course at UBC in the 1930s, but his real accessing each route in person. They have blend of nostalgia and surprise at a mental- introduction to sustainable forestry was achieved something that is unique for mak- ity long obsolete today, but still only sixty through a Swedish correspondence course. ing history appealing to a broader range of years in the past. “The Swedish course in forestry was a god- people—having them experience what took Each of the twelve accounts has been pre- send,” he said, and he embraced to the full its place. viously published in the Journal of the Cana- central principle: “what you leave in the for- Through walking and cycling these tenu- dian Aviation Historical Society. One of them, est is more important than what you take ous networks people can start to begin to and surely the most interesting, is by a woman out.” He set about applying this to Wildwood understand that British Columbia’s history who flew as a pilot with the ATA, or Air and demonstrated that good forest practices is more than dusty books and stuffy muse- Transport Auxiliary, in England. In her ac- could be applied here. This happened at a ums. Rather, it is a part of our everyday lives count, she artlessly uses the word “girl” to time when clear-cutting and slash-and-burn in terms of railways, roads, buildings, cem- describe herself and her fellow-pilots, in a methods were all too common. eteries, and parks—a subtle perspective of way that would be “inappropriate” today, but While Wilkinson’s ecological approach history through cultural artifacts of the eve- it is perfectly in period. As a delivery pilot, gradually gained recognition locally, it was ryday experience. she was only required to take aircraft from not until 1986 when a CBC radio program Baird and Smith make a good effort for one place to another, but the variety of them “Pacific Report” interview expanded aware- an interactive experience with history: men- is astounding. ness of Wildwood in British Columbia and tioning some prominent milestones in a rail- Other stories in this anthology are absorb- beyond. There are many other stories in the way’s history, such as Premier John Oliver’s ing in a variety of ways. They include ac- book: friendships and marriage and family, driving the first spike on the Canadian Na- counts of artillery-spotting in tiny Austers, gains and losses in relationships, participa- tional line from Victoria to Duncan in 1918. slow little machines whose duty was to re- tion in the 1990s Clayoquot disobedience, This enables the adventurous reader to re- port the fall of shells around a target. The finding a soul mate in late life, receiving the flect on today’s Galloping Goose Trail past optimum position for the spotter was on the Order of Canada and the Order of British when the bicycle tires are rolling along the line joining the gun and its target, which Columbia. route in the Luxton area. meant that the Auster and the shell shared The book is delightful reading. The biog- As the final spike is being driving into the same airspace. We also read of the ap- rapher lets Wilkinson’s life speak for itself Vancouver Island’s railway history with the palling Avro Manchester, a bomber that at from many excerpts from his journals. Pho- potential closure of the Esquimalt and one stage had bombdoors that closed (after tographs are interspersed throughout. It will Nanaimo Railway this year, Baird and Smith the bombs had been released) by the action please conservation enthusiasts, but also peo- have succeeded in keeping the Island’s rail of rubber bungee-cords, and of exploits fly- ple who like biography. It should have a place history alive for people who want a casual ing the Typhoon and Whirlwind, of torpedo in all British Columbia libraries. understanding of this period. operations in the Mediterranean, of attacks on the Tirpitz, and of the peculiar trade of Reviewer Arnold Ranneris is president of the Reviewer Ken Wuschki, a student at Kwantlen being a winch operator in a target-tug air- Victoria Historical Society. College in Richmond, is majoring in history. craft. The tugs towed a target (in the form of a drogue) on a long wire cable, for fighters Flying Under Fire: Canadian Fliers to shoot at using live ammunition. Exuber- Recall the Second World War ant gun-play was of course discouraged, but Ghosts on the Grade: Hiking and nothing can inhibit the exuberance of the Selected and edited by William J. Wheeler. Biking Abandoned Railways on writing in this book, the triumph of fact over Calgary: Fifth House, 2001. 256 pp. Illus. fiction. Southern Vancouver Island. $21.95 paperback. Ian Baird and Peter Smith. Victoria: Herit- Flying Under Fire is well illustrated, with REVIEWED BY MIKE HIGGS. age Architectural Guides. 2001. Distributed many contemporary photographs of aircraft by Empire Books, 630 Oliver Street, Victo- This admirable book, which is an anthol- and crews. It has an excellent glossary. It is ria, BC V8S 4W3. ogy of the reminiscences and recollections printed to a high standard, with a durable of twelve brave Canadians who served in the glossy cover, and will be an invaluable source- REVIEWED BY KEN W USCHKI. RCAF during the Second World War, re- book when all of the contributors have made In the silky fashion of a spider web the quires careful reading. Each memoir—the their last landing. And the part of it that can derelict railways of Southern Vancouver Is- average length is sixteen pages—gives a re- be perceived but not actually seen, the spirit land weave a story of the rise and fall of com- freshingly direct, personal and up-close pic- of adventure and sacrifice, is eternal. munities and industries in the forests. And ture of what it was like to be young, patri- Reviewer Mike Higgs is a retired CP Air pilot.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 29 Captain McNeill and his Wife the that he will follow this up. There is the odd Also, biographical squibs not only provide a proofreading slip, and the oft-mistaken spell- glimpse into the lives of some “Steelites” but Nishga Chief ing of the name “Norman Morison” with also add character to the book. Robin Percival Smith. Surrey: Hancock “rr” instead of the correct single “r”. But Naomi Miller has well served the British House, 2001. 256 pp. Illus. $18.95 paperback. Robin Smith has drawn out much more of Columbia Historical Federation both as REVIEWED BY PAMELA MAR. McNeill’s life than has been seen before. President and as editor of British Columbia The name of American-born Captain There is a lot of research in this interesting Historical News. Now as an interpreter at Fort William John McNeill is a familiar one to book, but it would have been much improved Steele Heritage Town (declared a provincial those who live on Vancouver Island. During with a lot of critical editing and an essay on park in 1961), she relates with enthusiasm his tenure at Fort Rupert as Chief Trader for the sources consulted. and knowledge, many historical vignettes to visitors. This inexpensive publication is just the Hudson’s Bay Company, he had innu- Reviewer Pamela Mar lives in Nanaimo. merable problems. His relations with the men an expansion of those tales and thus it adds employed there and with the native popula- to the material used in Fort Steele’s histori- tion are recognized as stormy. In setting out Fort Steele: Gold Rush to Boom Town cal reconstruction. Naomi Miller. Surrey: Heritage House Pub- the extent of McNeill’s work with the HBC Reviewer Ron Welwood is past president of the lishing, 2002. 240 pp. Ilus., maps $18.95 pa- as seen through his letters to various offi- British Columbia Historical Federation and an perback. cials, the ships’ logs, and his journals, Robin avid student of Kootenay history. P. Smith has shown just how difficult and REVIEWED BY RON W ELWOOD fractious this could be. While McNeill has If you are at all intrigued by the history generally been recognized as a stern and au- and character of Fort Steele, this book will thoritarian figure who brooked no nonsense, help to satisfy that curiosity. Anecdotes, facts First Crossing: Alexander Macken- the Company on the whole thought highly and figures are sequentially outlined chapter zie, His Expedition Across North of him, as can be seen in their correspond- by chapter. America, and the Opening of the ence. He was a loyal servant, putting the The East Kootenay region in the Rocky Continent Company’s needs before his own and some- Mountain Trench of southeast British Co- Derek Hayes. Vancouver: Douglas & times being treated shabbily despite his te- lumbia was first occupied by Kootenay McIntyre, 2001. Illus. 320 pp. $50.00 hard- nacity. As a mariner he was often away from (Ktunaxa) and Shuswap (Kinbasket) peoples cover. his family for long periods. prior to the discovery of gold. The gold rush REVIEWED BY BRIAN GOBBETT The words “...and His Wife the Nishga on Wildhorse Creek in 1864 changed this Chief ” in the title of the book are a little landscape in more ways than one. A settled In her monumental British Columbia: a misleading, as there is not a great deal about community slowly grew on the banks of the History (1958) Margaret Ormsby gave voice Matilda, and some of what Robin Smith Kootenay River in the vicinity of John to the frontier character of the Pacific North- writes is drawn from his interpretation, as he Galbraith’s cable ferry. Although named Fort west, entitling the first two chapters “Ap- acknowledges. We know so little about the Steele, the town was actually a North West proach from the Sea” and “Approach from history of Native women that it would have Mounted Police post occupied for one year the Mountains.” Separated from more well- been wonderful had there been more facts by Major Samuel Benfield Steele and his men travelled routes by distance and geography, to draw on. Smith’s use of imagination in who came to maintain law and order be- British Columbia, in her words, “stood apart dealing with conversations between various tween the Natives and the newcomers. from the civilized world until late in the characters is backed by the written record, Fort Steele: Gold Rush to Boom Town out- eighteenth century.” Subsequent surveys of makes for pleasant reading, and moves the lines events between 1864 and 1906. Archi- the history of British Columbia (perhaps story along. val records and weekly newspaper reports because they have been long in coming) have The juxtaposition of Captain Vancouver’s from The Prospector of Fort Steele (1895-1904) reflected much different historiographic charts made in the 1790s with contempo- and Cranbrook (1905-06) provided the au- trends, and have emphasized the role of the 1 rary Canadian and United States’ ones is very thor with an ample supply of anecdotal and “first British Columbians” while interesting and provides focal points for the factual information (“including building, downplaying the “heroic” achievement of story. The collection of photographs brings mining, politics, businesses, social events, explorers such as Alexander Mackenzie. together many of the main characters and births, marriages, and deaths”). Derek Hayes, author of the award-winning there are photographs and sketches of the The reader could be distracted by some Historical Atlas of British Columbia and the Pa- various HBC forts that McNeill knew. The awkward sentences, grammatical or typo- cific Northwest (1999), objects to this trend in photos give a glimpse of his large family, graphical errors that should have been spot- First Crossing, claiming that it “is all too com- though sadly there is none of Matilda. Her ted and corrected by a vigilant editor. More mon for Canadians to complain that their death in the early 1850s must have preceded detailed maps would have been useful to history is unexciting and that there are no the general use of the camera. His second readers unfamiliar with regional locations real Canadian heroes” (p. 11). Alexander wife, Martha, also a Nishga Chief, whom he cited (e.g. Bummer’s Flats, Westport, etc.). Mackenzie, in his mind, was one such indi- married in 1852, sits stately with four of the However, historic photographs, illustrations, vidual. McNeill daughters, and Smith remarks that a short bibliography, and an extensive, seven- In retracing the steps of the “heroic” Mac- she was every bit as colourful as Matilda, but page index provide good directional points. kenzie, Hayes emphasizes the explorer’s two that that is another story. It is to be hoped most famous journeys while in the employ-

30 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 ment of the North West Company: the ca- dians (1999), notes that Mackenzie visited umes II and III) indicating the locations of noe trip to the Arctic Ocean in 1789 and his Philadelphia in 1798 and donated a sea-ot- the streets that form the basis for each chap- 1793 venture down the Fraser river to ter skin blanket to the American Philosophi- ter. There are some comments on source present-day Alexandria and then overland to cal Society, an organization that aggressively materials, a bibliography, and an index. the Pacific, ultimately ending his westward pursued knowledge of indigenous societies As in the previous volumes, the subtitle is journey not far from present-day Bella Coola. and of which Thomas Jefferson was a promi- but a teaser. The cast is more extensive. In Relying heavily (although uncritically) upon nent member. Although there is no indica- her introduction, the author elaborates: “The Mackenzie’s journals (although we only have tion that the British explorer and Jefferson people who populate these pages include a single hand-written copy of the first expe- ever met, Wallace notes that Mackenzie’s pres- sailors and saloon-keepers, lawyers, bankers dition and published versions of the second), ence in Philadelphia is significant, particu- and businessmen, architects and astronomers, Hayes emphasizes the Herculean mental and larly in light of the trans-continental rush for doctors, politicians, postmasters, even a poet physical strength that were prerequisites for spoils upon which nineteenth-century or two.” One chapter, “Fan Tan Alley; If These such journeys. The second journey covered America was about to embark and its attend- Old Walls Could Only Talk” is about the more than 2,300 miles in total, with the re- ant consequences for aboriginal peoples. In Chinese community. The book, in the pub- turn trip from Bella Coola to Fort Fork contrast, while Hayes surmises that Jefferson lisher’s words, “introduces us to more of the (which even Mackenzie noted “proceeded read sections of Mackenzie’s published travel colourful characters who were drawn to the at a considerable rate”) taking only thirty- accounts carefully in ascertaining the diffi- city during the second half of the nineteenth three days. The text is necessarily brief, how- culties in crossing the Rocky Mountains (p. century.” ever. Instead, much of First Crossing is dedi- 268), there is little appreciation that in doing Again the publishers and the author have cated to the beautiful reproduction of maps, so, the American president was participating produced a handsome and valuable book. historical and contemporary photographs, in the construction of an imperial knowl- There is a feeling for the history of the city, and various illustrations and paintings appar- edge that would ultimately refashion the especially the social and business aspects. Be- ently depicting the life of the explorer or western half of North America. tween the lines a community is developing, miscellaneous facets of Native culture. Al- Too little attention has been given to and the subjects of the articles are the people though these images are not always accom- the study of colonial explorers. In spite of its responsible in large part for the form that panied by a critical commentary and some- purposeful attempt to entrench Mackenzie that development takes. Once more the pho- times lack correlation with the main text, into a Canadian mythology (which I see as a tographs are an integral part. they constitute an important collection of fault but Hayes would obviously endorse), Reviewer George Newell lives in Victoria. relevant visual material. this is an entertaining and valuable resource This is an aesthetically pleasing volume for those interested in the life and travels of and Hayes has compiled a compelling col- Alexander Mackenzie. lection of historical and contemporary im- 1 R.L. Carlson uses the term “first British The Judge’s Wife: Memoirs of a ages. The text is perhaps more problematic. Columbians” in broadly describing the Mackenzie is presented as one of “our coun- indigenous population of British Columbia in British Columbia Pioneer try’s major historical figures” (p. 11), a fore- the opening chapter of Hugh J.M. Johnston, Eunice M.L. Harrison. Vancouver: Ronsdale runner of Canadian Confederation (p. 11), ed., The Pacific Province: A History of British Press, 2001. 295 pp. Illus. $19.95 paperback. Columbia (Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, who grew up bilingual “in true Canadian REVIEWED BY DONNA JEAN MCKINNON style” (he spoke Gaelic and English as a child) 1996). The Judge’s Wife is a book of the writings (p. 40). If Hayes wishes to resurrect Harold Reviewer Brian Gobbett once spent a summer of an observant, interested, and interesting Innis’s argument from the 1920s that the tree planting near Mackenzie, British Columbia, woman of privilege, Eunice Harrison, who North West Company and the opening of an “instant town” created in 1968 and named came to the interior of BC in 1860 with her the west was a principal vehicle of the drive after the famous explorer. family. toward Confederation, a more critical and Except for some early girlhood adventures substantial discussion is necessary. As Barry in the Cariboo, most of the stories in this Gough notes in First Across the Continent: Sir book tell of the years following her marriage Alexander Mackenzie (1996), Mackenzie was On the Street Where You Live, Vol. to Victoria lawyer Eli Harrison. After mar- concerned with imperial power and com- III; Sailors, Solicitors and Stargazers rying, Eunice Harrison assumed her station mercial expansion and never imagined him- of Early Victoria in society and took responsibility for her fam- self as a nation builder (pp. 205-206). Moreo- Danda Humphreys. Surrey: Heritage House, ily and its social standing in Victoria while ver, little attention is devoted to a critical 2001. 186 pp., Illus., maps. $34.95 hardcover. Eli travelled extensively in Lillooet, the discussion of the interaction between Mac- REVIEWED BY GEORGE NEWELL. Cariboo, and later Nanaimo where he was kenzie and the indigenous peoples he en- This volume continues in the format of county court judge. countered. Perhaps because Hayes relies heav- its preceding two volumes—in this instance Her stories not only include the kind one ily upon Mackenzie’s own writings, too of- bringing together forty-two articles written expects from a woman of her time and her ten aboriginal peoples are presented as mere for newspaper publication. Two or more pho- position, but also include others that reveal obstacles to the explorer’s greater mission and tographs accompany each article, and there her curiosity and spirit of adventure. In one achievement. Recently, anthropologist are ten maps of the Greater Victoria area (four episode, she tells of her decision to join her Anthony F.C. Wallace, in Jefferson and the In- applicable to Volume I, three each for vol- husband in the Cariboo.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 31 “Several years of close attention to do- those who had watched them on TV and goes even further in his search for the unu- mestic life without a real change made me seen their pictures in magazines and sual and in chapter five treads rather effec- on second thought welcome adventure even newspapers. However, Bruce Braun argues tively on some sacred British Columbian of the most robust sort”, (p. 109). that these were not objective reflections of ground in his critical analysis of the work of Other stories are rich in the detail of so- the truth of Vancouver Island’s west coast. Emily Carr. Chapter six examines the prob- cial life in Victoria from balls to at-homes, Rather, he argues that “precisely because lems associated with creating clear distinc- weddings, and regattas on the Gorge; others nature is something that must be represented tions between untouched ancient rainforest give readers a fascinating insight into the lay- (it cannot simply speak for itself), the act of and modified landscapes. out of houses, and the heating, bathtubs, laun- representation becomes that much more Residents of BC are rather proud of their dry, and other housekeeping routines of the important, for it necessarily constructs that “Beautiful British Columbia,” and therefore time. However, Harrison’s interests never lin- which it speaks for.” These representations nature in the province is very political terri- gers solely on the domestic sphere as her of the rainforest established and supported tory. But Braun resists the idea that cooler commentaries on social and political trends unequal power relationships among heads will be able to find a more “accurate” of the day reveal. She writes of architectural governments, forest industrialists, environ- representation of Clayoquot Sound. Instead, developments in Victoria, including the new mentalists, and First Nations peoples. he identifies the politics of nature and ex- parliament buildings and courthouse, the Braun is a political geographer, and in the poses hidden assumptions. He also highlights building of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo book he draws on post-colonial theory and representations that offer a different politics Railway, and early water rights in the BC the rich literature on the politics of nature in of nature: the paintings of First Nations art- interior (from her husband’s memoirs). Other his deconstruction of artifacts such as maps, ist, Yuxweluptun; the First Nations operated stories tell of the acquaintances she made with paintings, and brochures that portray Ahousaht Wild Side Heritage trail; the Sci- people of Native, Chinese, Japanese, and Sikh Clayoquot Sound. The Intemperate Rainforest entific Panel for Sustainable Forest Practices heritage. is divided into six sections. In the first chap- in Clayoquot Sound. As a result, The Intem- Even though she lived for another 46 years, ter he explains that Braun is most concerned perate Rainforest is an important contribution Harrison’s memoirs end in 1906 with a tale with revealing British Columbia’s colonial to a better environmentalism. Because this of escape from San Francisco during the great present, that is, the ways in which the colo- book offers so much, it is disappointing that earthquake. Some details of her later life are nial practices of marginalization and displace- very few people besides scholars will be able provided in the book’s introduction by the ment of First Nations concerns have contin- to slog through the rather dense prose. equally engaging writing of Dr. Jean Bar- ued to operate. In so doing, he attempts to There are other problems. Braun uses man, who had earlier included some of provide opportunities for a fairer and more Donna Haraway’s concept of the modest Harrison’s excerpts in her book, The West effective environmentalism. witness, the invisible and apparently objec- Beyond the West. Barman’s introduction places The second chapter argues that First Na- tive recorder, to criticize George Dawson, Harrison and her experiences in context not tions people had been conceptually Emily Carr, and the producers of On the Wild only with respect to the period in which she marginalized in the early process of coloni- Side. However, Braun himself is conspicu- lived, but also respecting the period follow- zation. He uses as an example the writings ously absent from The Intemperate Rainforest. ing the Second World War in which she com- of George Dawson of the Geological Survey We never get a clear understanding of what piled her writings, and it gives shape to the of Canada which separated Aboriginal peo- (besides academic work) shapes his politics personal stories that follow. ples from their forest contexts. This enabled and perceptions. I was also sometimes con- forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel to estab- cerned by Braun’s treatment of aboriginal Reviewer Donna Jean McKinnon is Past Presi- lish itself as the proper steward of the rain- peoples. The concerns of the Nuu-chah-nulth dent of the Vancouver Historical Society. forest. This position was reinforced through are sometimes automatically given more le- the scientific rhetoric they employed in their gitimacy than those of non-aboriginal peo- Intemperate Rainforest: Nature, displays and exhibits. ples. I was most concerned by one particular But Braun does not stop with the usual instance. Braun uses the example of a white Culture, & Power on Canada’s West suspects of government and industry. He ar- protester who claimed to speak for nature. Coast gues that those who are usually considered He very carefully explains the inherent dan- Bruce Braun. Minneapolis: University of the allies of First Nations people in their fight gers in this practice. A few pages later, he Minnesota Press, 2002. 347 pp. Illus. US$ for recognition of land claims also partici- writes, “...Native people do not lose their 68.95 hardcover. pate in their marginalization. By including claim to speak for nature as soon as they be- REVIEWED BY CARA PRYO R. aboriginal peoples in a way that relegates gin to modify their environments....” The The Intemperate Rainforest examines them to a pre-modern past and ignores mod- contradiction here is troubling. representations of British Columbia’s famous ern activities, present concerns of aboriginal These problems aside, The Intemperate Clayoquot Sound. Environmentalists from all peoples can be ignored. In the third chapter, Rainforest is a rich and worthwhile read. I over the world flocked there in 1993 in order Braun finds examples of this in a coffee table heartily recommend it. book, On the Wild Side, produced by the to lay themselves in front of logging Reviewer Cara Pryor is a PhD student in the Western Canada Wilderness Committee; equipment and bring attention to a part of Department of History, UBC. the world that for them represented one of chapter four gives the example of the ad- the last remnants of pristine wilderness. They venture tours that have become so popular left powerful David and Goliath images with on Canada’s west coast and elsewhere. Braun

32 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 Book Guy: A Librarian in the Peace way, a high point in the year... tive. Typical of the Navy’s creative uses of the This is a delightful book—well written, ship have been her crowd-thrilling partici- Howard Overend. Victoria: TouchWood personal, personable, and inspiring. It is the pation in BC’s annual Swiftsure Race, her Editions, 2001. Illus. 284 pp $l8.95 paper- story of a man who made a difference to goodwill visits to California, Hawaii, and back. many people by the sense of purpose and Alaska, and her re-enactment of Captain REVIEWED BY A RNOLD RANNERIS adventure he brought to his vocation. It is Cook’s 1778 voyage to Nootka Sound. This is a delightful adventure narrative by warmly recommended to all public libraries A major delight in the new book is a librarian who loved his profession, the peo- and to people who love the northern part of Hewett’s focus on the people—the hundreds ple he worked with and served, and the land- BC, and to readers who enjoy a good narra- of individuals—who have been connected scape in which he worked. Howard Overend tive adventure story and books themselves. with this ship during her long career on our was the librarian in charge of the Peace River Four pages of notes at the end of the book coast. Shipboard snapshots include a youth Branch of the BC Public Library Commis- give appropriate added references. Photo- who would later become a federal fisheries sion for l3 years (1958–1972). Then it was a graphs add vividness to the text. My only minister, a Canadian prime minister, and land rich in natural resources and genuine suggestion is for a map to give a sense of (perhaps) your own brother or sister. people, but scarce at the time in cultural re- relatedness of places. The book also provides an intimately de- tailed look at the old ship herself, her design, sources such as books to enliven the days and Reviewer Arnold Ranneris is a librarian and presi- construction, the rigging and handling of her long nights of the northern winters. The au- dent of the Victoria Historical Society. thor has drawn from his files, records, and I huge sail area, and the structural problems suspect a diary, the accounts and details of that an ageing vessel must inevitably face. what it meant to be a pioneer in his chosen From an archival source in the eastern United way. He also drew from his love of the vast The People’s Boat: HMCS Oriole: States Hewett has found (and here repro- outdoors of the BC Peace Bloc to put the Ship of a Thousand Dreams duced) the original 80-year-old plans for the narrative in this context. Photographs are Shirley Hewett. Surrey: Heritage House, Oriole. My one very small quibble about this sprinkled throughout the book and give 2002. 174 pp, Illus. $26.95 paperback. fascinating book is a regret that the selected added interest. Humorous stories and details REVIEWED BY PHILIP T EECE. plan sheets do not include the naval archi- tect’s drawings of Oriole’s actual lines. keep the narrative light and lively. The stunningly elegant sail-training ship Reading The People’s Boat, however, is a Chapter titles such as “The Great Peace Oriole has been a feature of the maritime nostalgic adventure. I know that thousands Country,” “Books by a Dam Site,” “Packed scene around Victoria (and in my own life) of British Columbia coast watchers will find They Them Their Caravan,” “Back of the since I was a child. Thus, like the many thou- it highly satisfying. Northern Beyond,” give only a hint of the sands of others who have admired the gra- story. However, the real delight for me (a li- cious old ketch on our coast during the past Reviewer Philip Teece, a retired Victoria librarian, brarian) is the way in which Overend inter- half-century, I’m delighted to see her his- is the author of A Shimmer on the Horizon, twines people and places and books. I also tory in print. about his own coastal sailing adventures. enjoyed his rich prose descriptions: Shirley Hewett has worked hard to re- September with its cool overnight frosts cover all the details of the ship’s story, and to and warm afternoon sunshine brings a good effect. TAPHO FILES change to the Peace River scene. Combines A veritable archive of documentation and Tapho Files is a quartertly full of articles about have shorn the fields of undulating gold and no fewer than 130 historic photographs, carry cemeteries of all sizes, ages, and importance left only a stiff, flaxen stubble to warm the us through the ship’s eventful life from her as well as segments on symbolism, epitaphs, cooling earth. Roadside grasses, tall and fresh launching in 1921 to her triumphant vic- monuments, stories of people and their burial and green in midsummer, are now the col- tory in the Victoria-to-Maui Race in 2000. sites. Contact A Sense of History Research our of honey and poplars rattle their yellow Characteristic of Oriole herself and of Shirley Sevices Inc., 1405–69 Jamieson New West- leaves and shed them in swirls to the ground. Hewett’s reporting is prominent mention of minster, BC V3L 5R3. Another chapter entitled “The Shooting Oriole’s capture of the “Byrd Award for the . of JFZ” is particularly memorable. It is the Crew having too much Fun.” account of the “shooting” of an NFB docu- She was built as a private yacht for To- ARROW LAKES HISTORICAL SOCIETY mentary “Journey from Zero”, by the au- ronto distilling magnate George Horace Bugles on Broadway, the last book of Arrow thor and three other men tracing the long Gooderham. Her long association with the Lakes Historical Societies Centennial Series, trip of the bookvan from Mile Zero (Dawson British Columbia coast began after can be ordered from the Arrow Lakes His- Creek) north 900 miles along the Alaska Gooderham’s death; in 1954 her new own- torical Society office in Nakusp, Box 819, Highway in the autumn of 1960. From the ers, the Royal Canadian Navy sailed her from Nakusp BC, V0G 1R0. Phone and fax is 250. text: Halifax via Panama to Esquimalt Harbour. 265.0110 or home phone 250.265.3323. At the Peace River Branch there is an air In the same year the Navy at Esquimalt ini- Price is $45 plus $10 for shipping. It is also of expectancy. Cartons of books that have tiated its junior officer program HMCS Ven- available in Kaslo at the Moyie and Fern’s been packed during the brief summer have ture; Oriole assumed her role as the seagoing Flowers, at Olivers Book Store in Nelson, grown to a veritable mountain…and ready venue for Venture’s trainees. Grizzly Books and Serendipity Shop in to load on the blue-green library van. For it As Shirley Hewett shows us, Oriole’s train- Revelstoke, and Meritxell Book Store in is time once more to go up the Alaska High- ing ventures have been varied and imagina- Nakusp.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 33 Reports

Edward (Ted) L. Affleck The second lasting memory stems from ing in short measures. While working for the an event that took place on the same trip Institute of Chartered Accountants and then several days later. For my own research, I had as an assistant professor at UBC, he chroni- made contact with a few museums and his- cled the history of chartered accountants in torical organizations along the way. At the British Columbia, not once but twice. As an destination, with pen in hand ready for the accountant, he was generous with his time. interview, I introduced the other guy—Ted During his retirement years, he filled out tax Affleck. I hadn’t anticipated Ted’s reputation forms for free for a host of friends, many of preceding us for, as soon as I mentioned his whom are probably sitting here now. name, the interview was lost. All wanted to It was in the 1960s that Ted followed his talk to him: the other guy. I couldn’t get a interest in acting in amateur theatre, some- word in edgewise. This same scene happened thing he had begun at University. It was at distressingly more than once. Ted was a re- this time he met and married Jean Galbraith, spected historian. His research was impecca- a talented actress, and also my cousin. They ble and his facts were dead on. He was a man had 26½ years of happily married life to- of meticulous detail and had a justifiably good gether before Jean’s untimely death in 1989. reputation. On 1 November 1965, daughter Carolyn was These two unusual memories, for what- born and, four years later, in 1969, to com- ever reason, represent the quintessential Ted plete the domestic picture, an energetic Courtesy Caroline Affleck Courtesy Caroline and yet there was so much more to him. bouncing baby, David, was brought into the So, just who was Ted Affleck? He was a family. Eulogy presented by Bruce M. Watson on 24 complex man, a man of many talents. Ted recorded some of Jean’s excellent quilt March 2003 at a memorial service in St. Faith’s Anglican Church, Vancouver, attended by a Our Ted emerged as Edward Lloyd Affleck making in a book that he published in 1987. large audience with as many differing interests on 5 April 1924 in Nelson in the middle of Jean’s book and many others were published as were personified in Ted Affleck. the roaring twenties and coincidently in the through Ted’s own Alexander Nicolls Press, a declining years of steamboating in that area. name derived from Ted’s maternal grandpar- HANK you for coming to celebrate As the country was racing toward and into ent. The press was the launching pad for Ted’s Ted Affleck’s life. All of us have dif- the Great Depression of the 1930s, Ted was lifelong interest in steamboats and Tferent memories of Ted and what he experiencing first-hand the thrill of riding paddlewheelers originally emanating from his meant to all of us. all the Canadian Pacific Railway beloved Kootenay District of British Colum- For me, two memories of the quintessen- sternwheelers still in service in the Kootenay bia. Over time, the net was cast wider and tial Ted Affleck come to mind. Both took and Arrow lakes. eventually covered an area from Oregon to place in 1992 when we were on a historical When the rest of the country was eco- the Yukon. He was known as “Steamboat Ted” research trip along the Columbia, Snake, and nomically crippled, Ted was accompanying to some in the Kootenay area. I won’t go Kootenay rivers. We had stopped for the night his father, a civil engineer and land surveyor, through the numerous publications, but he at the Massacre Rocks campsite in the desert on field trips into the rugged backwoods of garnered two awards, one from the British part of Idaho. the area. He was acquiring a sense of land Columbia Historical Federation and another Fairly early in the evening, Ted was ban- and water and the historical soul of the place. from the British Columbia Underwater Ar- ished from the tent because of his outrageous After attending school in Nelson, he went chaeological Society for his writing. snoring, the offending loudness of which he on to graduate from UBC in Vancouver with There was also the musical Ted. One day strongly denied. honours in chemistry. Nothing short of hon- in the 1970s, he bought a viola and taught He settled himself on his mattress at a ours would have suited Ted. He graduated himself how to play it. The initial sound to neighbouring site out of earshot under the just in time in 1945 to spend a brief period young daughter Carolyn’s ear was that of a open skies. In the morning he enthusiasti- with the Pacific Infantry Battalion. “sick cow” but practice makes perfect and cally described a memorable night of a won- At the end of the war he entered teacher the eventually accomplished player played derful scene, after the snakes and lizards had training at UBC and between 1946 and 1950 with the Brock House Music Makers, spend- retreated under their rocks, of a crystal clear taught high school in Alberni, Kelowna, and ing much time entertaining seniors. sky, billions of twinkling stars, and shooting Mission. For the next two years he studied Not only did he play the viola, he steeped comets. After taking all this in, he said, he librarianship in Seattle and worked as a sci- himself in opera, something upon which he had a deep sleep, the best sleep he had had in ence librarian in Eugene at the University of had become hooked from the age of ten from a long time. He talked about this for days Oregon. It was here that he was able to con- the movies of Jeanette Macdonald and Nel- after. That was Ted. He always had a rich sense nect with the rivers of that area. son Eddy. One did not disturb Ted Affleck of everything around him. Back in Vancouver, Ted entered the ac- when he was listening to “Saturday After- counting profession and, being Ted, did noth- noon at the Opera” on the CBC. Part of it

34 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 was that he was listening to see if he won yet Our mutual passion for history resulted telephones under the name Spilsbury and another prize on the “Opera Quiz.” At the in an instant friendship and we would spend Hepburn. This later changed to Spilsbury and mention of an aria, Ted would spontaneously hours on the phone fitting historical minu- Tindall and became one of the best known sing it. No prompting required. And, of tiae into the larger picture. From our research manufacturers of radio telephone equipment course, if Ted was interested in something, trips during the summers, I also have fond in Canada. he wrote about it, two publications alone for memories of us sitting on hillsides visually During the Second World War Spilsbury the Greater Vancouver Operatic Society. He reconstructing fur trade routes, forts, river acquired a Waco Standard floatplane to serv- spent decades putting together information boat slips, and even battles. He became my ice his radio route and “accidentally” founded on the forgotten Golden Oldies of opera from historical mentor. Queen Charlotte Airlines. By 1952 QCA was the 1600s. The essence of it was recently pub- When I think of Ted, however, I still think surpassed only by Air Canada and Canadian lished as “Forsaken Phantoms of The Op- of him, lying in his sleeping bag staring at Pacific in terms of scheduled air miles flown. era” in the prestigious Opera Quarterly, some- the stars at Massacre Rocks revelling in the In 1955 Spilsbury sold it to PWA but con- thing of which Ted was fiercely proud. A world around him. tinued at the helm of his radio firm, renamed much larger version is still waiting to be pub- We will miss his character, his sense of fun Spilsbury Communications, until well into lished. As Ted took his opera very seriously I and irony, his meticulous insistence on accu- his seventies. used to purposefully, and some might say racy, his love of music and many, many more Spilsbury had been painting evocative evilly, intentionally elicit a look of utter dis- things. Ted Affleck’s legacy will certainly live landscapes of the coast since his twenties and dain from him when I would, for example, on in all of us. in his retirement became a member of the refer to Madame Butterfly as Madame —Bruce M. Watson Canadian Federation of Artists and had sev- Butterball. I always felt a certain tone of ir- eral successful exhibitions. In 1987 he began reverence was a healthy necessity in the pres- a fourth career as writer, recounting his coastal ence of Ted. A. J. Spilsbury experiences in Spilsbury’s Coast, his flying Ted also sang in numerous choral groups experiences in The Accidental Airline, and his such as the Brock House Seniors Choir. He pleasure boating experiences in Spilsbury’s also sang with the choir in this very church. Album, illustrated with his own photography. In addition, with his sense of drama and the- He received many awards from both the com- atrical flair, he sang in operettas. Many of you munications and transportation industry as would have seen him bounding around the well as the Order of British Columbia and stage in period costume in many produc- the Queen’s Jubilee Medal. tions ranging from the Pirates of Penzance to —Howard White Die Fledermaus, to mention a few. He was most proud, however, of having joined the Japan tour of Aida as a member of the chorus Noon Breakfast Point: in 1986. What’s in a Name He was truly a man of many talents. “...we again visited the Shoals, whose edge we traced I first met Ted in the 1960s around the to a Bluff which for distinctions sake we shall call time he married Jean but it wasn’t until the Noon Breakfast Point; therefore we have now de- 1980s that I became reacquainted with him Spittle John termined their Extent. From the Low Point of yes- at an extended family gathering in New Above: In 1988 Jim Spilsbury received a terday they take an irregular NW Direction for 15 Westminster. At that gathering someone sug- Certificate of Merit for Historical Writing for his Miles. The edge is much indented, forming Spits, gested putting together a family tree, maybe book Spilsbury’s Coast at the joint conference of that however extend but a very trifling Distance something we could have ready for my fa- the Historical Society of Alberta and the British th into the Channel.” (Entry in Puget’s rough jour- ther’s 90 birthday in 1989. Ted launched into Columbia Historical Federation at Banff. nal for 13 June 1792) it with great enthusiasm and became instru- mental in helping to put together three OASTAL pioneer Ashton James (Jim) ANY British Columbia place monumental family trees. For two years we Spilsbury died Sunday, 20 April, at names honour men or events of searched many archives and interviewed rela- Cthe age of 97. Spilsbury earned his some historic consequence; oth- tives. When I would be stonewalled by some M spurs as a BC legend in several different are- ers note an obvious scenic splendour, while tight-lipped elder, Ted would say, “Bruce, nas, spending his early childhood in some remain enigmatic and are either ignored you’ve got to ask the right questions.” And Whonnock, then following his parents to or forgotten. Noon Breakfast Point, in lati- so I learned interview techniques, the Ted Savary Island, where the family squatted on tude 49° 15.9’ North, longitude 123’ 15.8’ Affleck style. Largely through his efforts, these the beach for 10 years. West, and recognized by many boaters as the family trees were ready in time for the 1989 Although Jim only completed elementary southwest tip of Point Grey, is one of the lat- gathering. Luckily Ted had tempered my school, he became an expert in the emerging ter. The name has more to do with back-break- exuberance and sheer glee at unearthing fam- field of radio and established a radio sales and ing toil than the morning diversion of feed- ily skeletons with a much more reasoned repair business serving coastal communities ing the inner man, though we know that food guarded writing, for which I thank him. during the 1920s and 1930s. Later he partnered held a great interest to the sailor who thought with Jim Hepburn and began building radio it up.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 35 prepare the next day’s provisions. The men all Robert Burnaby huddled in the open boats until their depar- ture three hours later. Some of Robert Burnaby’s letters were The trip from Birch Bay to their Point Grey published in BC Historical News 31:2 and breakfast spot had taken 32 hours, with the 32:2. Thanks mainly to the efforts of author men on the oars taking but one short break and historian Pixie McGeachie the collec- for lunch at Point Roberts, before falling into tion of surviving letters has now been pub- an exhausted sleep for three hours on the hard lished under the title Land of Promise, Robert thwarts of the boats and then continuing across Burnaby’s letters from Colonial British Colum- the Gulf. Puget’s journal records that they, bia, 1858–1863. Unfortunately the book is “...visited the Shoals whose edge we traced only available from the publisher, the City of to a Bluff which for Distinctions Sake we shall Burnaby and Burnaby Village Museum. call Noon Breakfast Point….” As was the ear- Write to City of Burnaby, 4949 Canada Way, That man was Lieut. Peter Puget, who with lier case with “Strawberry Level,” Vancouver Burnaby BC, V5G 1M2, Attention Jim Wolf, his boat’s crew had their breakfast meal at did not agree and chose to name the spot af- Planning Department. Noon on 12 June 1792 (corrected dating), on ter his friend, Capt. George Grey of the Navy. what is now Point Grey. They had arrived in In 1981 I prevailed upon the Canadian Per- Hart House the Discovery’s launch, together with Capt. manent Committee on Geographical Names The first printing of Life with the Moores of George Vancouver who was in the ship’s yawl, to officially designate the location of Noon Hart House, edited by Harry Pride and pub- or pinnace, after a six hour row across the Strait Breakfast Point in recognition of the arduous lished by the Burnaby Community Herit- of Georgia from one of the Gulf islands, where day’s work undertaken by the crews of Van- age Commission, sold in less than two they had taken a few hours rest in the early couver’s boats, to serve as a memorial and a weeks—they had to print another run. The morning hours. In his journal, Puget recorded reminder to all who trace their passage under book records the environment and lifestyle that the “Fourth Boat Expedition–Pinnace and oars or sail. These men truly had hearts of oak in the Hart House neighbourhood in Launch” had left their anchorage in Birch Bay and put the “British” in British Columbia. Burnaby around 1900. Interested? Write to at four o’clock in the morning of 12 June John E. (Ted) Roberts Harry Pride, 3770 Fir Street, Burnaby BC, (Vancouver’s dating, actually 11 June) on an V5G 2A5 or phone him at 604.433.4797. examination of the coast northward. Their course took them into Semiamoo Bay, where Puget described the point of the bay at the entrance to Drayton Harbor as being “fine low level land and produces large Quantities of tolerable flavoured Strawberries & an abundance of Wild Onions”, to which he gave the de- lightful name of “Strawberry Level.” His commander, who took it upon himself to assign names to geographic locations along the coast, did not share Puget’s enthusiasm and the name is not mentioned in his jour- nal nor on the charts. We know it today as Tongue Point. The little flotilla crossed Boundary Bay and enjoyed lunch at the tip of Point Roberts before attempting to move the survey for- ward northward along the coast. Here the shallows at Roberts and Sturgeon Banks pre- vented a landing and the boats’ crews spent until nearly nine o’clock at night, trying to find a channel through the delta to affect a landing, though Puget did note that “two places held much the Appearance of large Rivers”. The tide and current forced the boats almost into the middle of the Gulf where Spittle John the decision was taken to head for the west- Above: Vancouver Historical Society’s 2003 Incorporation Day lunch, celebratimg Vancouver’s 117th ern shore to seek an anchorage. It was not birthday was a great success. Highlighting the event was the presentation by VHS President Joanne until one o’clock at night that they were able Savory (right), of this year’s Certificate of Merit to Dr. Jean Barman (left)“...for her outstanding to come to a grapnel on a tiny beach that work in illuminating and preserving British Columbia’s and Vancouver’s social, educational, aborigi- provided only space enough to build a fire to nal, and women’s history.”

36 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 Web Site Forays AWARDS 2002 by Christopher Garrish W. KAYE LAMB ESSAY SCHOLARSHIP Annually the Federation awards a $750 Supernatural British Columbia scholarship for an essay written by students at BC colleges and universities on a topic EARS ago I was enrolled in a geogra- Hauntings.” Close to my heart is the story of relating to British Columbia’s history. MARKI phy class at my local community col- the horse carriage sounds heard around the SELLERS, a social activist and history student lege that was conducted by a profes- old Guisachan Farmlands in Kelowna. The Y at Simon Fraser University, was the winner sor who unabashedly believed in the presence land was once the property of Lord and Lady of this year’s essay scholarship for her paper of Sasquatch in British Columbia. While never Aberdeen—whose fruit plantings in the area “Negotiations for Control and Unlikely Part- having seen one himself, he was full of anec- proved pivotal in the early establishment of a nership: Fort Rupert, 1849-1851.” The paper dotal evidence of their existence, such as an fruit industry in the Okanagan. I wonder: Are was recommended for the scholarship by Dr. incident involving a CN Rail crew that struck the Aberdeens on that carriage? It is also pos- Paige Raibmon of Simon Fraser University. an infant Sasquatch in the Kootenays. As the sible to read about similar hauntings across Bob Griffin reported that “The committee story went, the men retrieved the limp body the province. The society is promising to have felt that this was a very well written and ar- from the side of the tracks, transported it to dozens more of these stories posted in the near gued paper. The issues regarding the miners the next small town where it was confined, future as it builds its on-line archive. at Fort Rupert and the conflict with the only to see the “mother” come a few hours Next on my list is the BC Scientific Nahwitti have been discussed in the litera- later to free her injured “child” and retreat Cryptozoology Club , that is committed to the combining the conflicts into a connected is- Where am I going with this story? Well, exploration, research, and investigation of sue was innovative and considered sufficient truth be told, I thought it would act as an cryptozoological animals from all over the reason to justify the committee’s selection.” effective segue into the topic “Supernatural globe. While the Club’s focus is not Marki Sellers’s article appeared in the winter British Columbia” that I have chosen for this geographically confined to British Columbia, edition (36:1) of British Columbia Historical edition of “Web Site Forays.” While I have they do provide one of the better databases News. made past claims about being a stickler for out there on such local phenomena as content, given the nature of this topic, the his- Ogopogo, Cadborosaurus, and the BEST ARTICLE AWARD torical utility of the sites profiled below should aforementioned Sasquatch. Particularly Each year a certificate of merit and fifty be used at the reader’s own discretion. interesting for me was the story behind the dollars are awarded to an article published One of the more noteworthy sites out there discovery, in 1937, of a Cadborosaurus body in BC Historical News that best enhances is UFO*BC based out of inside the stomach of a recently harvested knowledge of BC history and provides read- Delta. The organization is actually registered whale off the Queen Charlotte Islands. The ing enjoyment. This year the judges decided as a non-profit society in BC, and serves the story comes complete with pictures of the odd to grant this year’s Best Article certificate to role of gathering information about UFO serpentine shaped creature with a “camel- LIBERTY WALTON for her article “How Shall sightings in BC and the Yukon, investigating shaped” head. How such an animal ever came I Frame Myself?,” published in the fall issue of them as fully as possible, and then attempting to be named after a small bay on the outskirts 2002 (35:4). Judges commented this “is a to make the public aware of the phenomenon. of Victoria is beyond me. delightful walk through time using the style There are a number of links on the main page Finally, to round things off, I have decided changes of a dress to mark milestones along to areas covering recent sightings, historical to cover a site for those of you who remain the way. This is a unique approach to pre- cases, news reports (did you know that Ter- skeptical of the subject matter covered so far. senting history. The article is well written and race is a hotspot for sightings?), and other re- The British Columbia Society for Skeptical comes across as being developed by a writer lated subjects. One of my favourite tales con- Enquiry , also known who takes pleasure in putting her research cerns a 1937 incident in Smithers involving as BC Skeptics, aims to bring rational, “open- on paper for readers to enjoy.” two BC Provincial Police officers on the trail minded” debate to issues concerning the par- of a suspect. Upon coming to a cave the offic- anormal. To be more precise, I believe their BC HISTORY WEB SITE PRIZE ers entered only to discover what they thought aim is to debunk all talk of UFOs, Crop Cir- The BC History Web Site Prize is awarded were the skeletons of four dead men. Upon cles, and other related fields. Unfortunately, jointly by the Federation and David Mattison closer inspection, however, the skeletons the site is a little crude in terms of navigabil- to recognize Web sites that contribute to the turned out to be alien. ity, and does not have much to present in the understanding and appreciation of British The second site I would like to introduce way of content other than some recent .pdf Columbia’s past. This year’s award goes to the you to is the BC Ghosts and Hauntings Re- files of their newsletter; The Rational Enquirer. SAMSON V MARITIME MUSEUM Web site. search Society Web page . Nevertheless, BC Skeptics remains a home- Samson V was a sternwheeler that worked The Society’s site contains a number of inter- grown outlet for those who refuse to believe on the Fraser River and is now a museum in esting sections from a “Photo Gallery,” to an in the more Supernatural aspects of British New Westminster. The Web site shows in- “Investigations” site, but, the most interesting Columbia.
formation on the museum, the vessel’s his- I found to be were the pages on “BC tory, educational papers, and the restoration and maintenance process.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 37 Token History by Ronald Greene

The Kaiserhof Hotel that the name of the hotel was changed into Kaiserhof. I have not been able to determine The Kaiserhof Hotel in Victoria operated under this name whether Kostenbader operated the hotel and bar for just two years: from late 1912 to the end of 1914. That 1 for Max Leiser, or whether he leased the facility Max’s newspaper obituary tokens issued by it have survived is due to the inventiveness (Victoria Daily Colonist, 6 and ran it on his own account. Kostenbader had of a group of schoolboys, who in the 1920s, after the hotel’s April 1935, p 1) gave a first appeared in the Victoria City Directory for figure of $1,000,000, but ownership and name had changed, used the then obsolete the Registrar of tokens for a game and saved a number of tokens over the 1912, listed as a steward at the Prince George Companies files years. Hotel, but in January 1912 he was already the (BC00733, 1910, president of the Deutscher Verein, or German Club, microfilm B5124, British The story of the Kaiserhof Hotel starts with which would indicate that he had been in Victo- Columbia Archives) Max Leiser, who had been persuaded by his ria for some time. indicate a figure of brother Simon, of Simon Leiser & Company, to $604,000 paid in cash, In the years immediately before the First World which was still a tidy sum come to Victoria in 1887. On his arrival Max War the city was very favourably disposed to in 1912. Several others bought half the business of Germany and, in general, to things became shareholders at Urquhart & Pither, wholesale liq- Germanic. Large quantities of Ger- the same time, acquiring uor merchants, which then be- various, but minor man capital were flowing into Brit- amounts of stock. Max came Pither & Leiser. The part- ish Columbia, much of it through Leiser resigned as a nership prospered. In March 1912 the hands of Count Constantin Alvo director 7 May 1915 and William Purser Geoghegan, of von Alvensleben, who was said to sold his remaining share. Blackrock, Ireland, interested in The date looks have connections to the Kaiser. The suspiciously as if the investing in British Columbia, Deutscher Verein was very active and 1 document was purchased the firm. Mr. popular. So popular that, when the backdated—see the events Geoghegan was the brew master club celebrated the Kaiser’s birth- of 8 May 1915 further for the Guinness Brewery, al- down—but it was day in January 1912, those that ac- submitted to the registrar though by this time he was 69 cepted invitations and participated in festivities 2 by 13 May 1915. years of age and retired. The partners, Luke Pither included the Lieutenant-Governor, the Premier, 2 Information courtesy of and Max Leiser, each retained one share and re- Mr. Justice Gregory, Commander Hose, Col. Jim Geoghegan, a family mained directors for a time, although they re- genealogist. Wadmore, and Major W. Ridgeway Wilson—three 3 His farm was later tired from the day-to-day operation of the firm. senior local military people—, and three mem- acquired by Arthur G. After the partners sold out Luke Pither moved bers of the legislature.5 Lambrick, see “Token to Gordon Head where he lived quietly and The Kaiserhof operated its German Beer Gar- History,” BC Historical maintained a model farm.3 But Max Leiser was News 34:4. den, an open-air café beside the hotel, on 4 City of Victoria Retail not interested in retiring and looked elsewhere Blanshard Street—the Carnegie Library was the Liquor Licence Register, for business opportunities. He invested heavily only other occupant of the block. An advertise- 1906 to 1917, Victoria in Victoria real estate, and by June 1912 purchased ment in 1913 promoted “the ideal 35¢ lunch” City Archives. the Klondike Hotel on the southwest corner of 5 Victoria Daily Colonist, 27 which included a stein of beer. June 1914 saw a January 1912. Blanshard and Johnson Streets. The Klondike wholesale licence issued to Mr. Kostenbader for 6 The date of the change of Saloon had operated there since 1891, although name is not given in the the Germania Importing Company. it was operated as a “no-name” saloon by John However, with the start of war between Great Licence Register, but the Draut until 1899. It then had several operators Daily Colonist reported the Britain and Germany in August 1914 sympathies name Blanshard among until 1906 when Harry Rudge took over. changed swiftly and significantly. The wave of anti- the hotels whose licences Leiser had the Klondike rebuilt by Thomas German sentiment caused the royal family to were renewed at the Hooper, a Victoria architect. It now became a meeting of 9 December adopt the English name, Windsor, and by the end four-storey brick hotel, faced in terra cotta, and 1914. Victoria Daily of 1914 the Kaiserhof Hotel had became the Colonist, 10 December was named the Max Leiser Building, of which Blanshard Hotel.6 Whether this was an astute 1914. Leiser retained the ownership until he died in 7 political and business move or a patriotic gesture According to Terry 1935. On 11 September 1912, Frederick W. Reksten, The Dunsmuir remains unknown. A number of German nationals Saga, his body was not Kostenbader acquired the liquor licence of the had left for the still neutral United States after 4 found. Klondike Saloon. It may have been at this time the outbreak of the war, but Mr. Kostenbader

38 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 N O. 3 piano being pushed out the second-storey win- Left: Frederick W. dow. The mob then returned to the Blanshard Kostenbader was already Hotel, sacked it, and inflicted considerably more president of the Deutsche damage. The total damage was reported at $20,000 Verein (German Club) in Victoria around 1912. in the newspaper. Windows were smashed in other premises of local businesses with German names or associations as well: Messrs Simon Leiser & Co., Moses Lenz8, and the business formerly man- aged by Carl Lowenberg, former German con- sul, all suffered damage. The police and soldiers 8 Moses Lenz was born in stood by, watching as spectators, with the fire chief Wisconsin, son of Jacob Lenz. Jacob and Moses refusing to put fire hoses onto the mob. Eventu- Lenz and Gustav Leiser ally a call for troops brought an armed detach- formed a partnership of ment into town just before midnight. Guards were Lenz & Leiser, dry goods placed at the damaged premises and in front of merchants. After Jacob retired and Gustav died Pither & Leiser just in time to save that business Moses continued the from loss. The police, backed by the military, then business, operating under proceeded to end the riot. Attempts to repeat the his own name by 1912. riot on Sunday were quickly stopped before more Moses was the brother of Caroline, Mrs. Simon than a few windows were broken. The Wednes- Leiser, and Sophia, Mrs. day papers reported some convictions for pos- Max Leiser. sessing goods stolen during the riot. 9 Victoria Daily Colonist, 15 BC Archives Archives HP62758 BC June 1916, reports: On 14 June 1916 the licence for the Blanshard “Applications for transfers 9 Hotel was transferred to Thomas J. Williams and were granted as follows: the hotel was renamed the Cecil Hotel. Frederick Cecil, from Mr. A.J. was still listed as the proprietor of the Blanshard Kostenbader appears to have left Victoria and McColl to Mr. T.J. Williams ….” The Hotel in the 1915 City Directory, published in April British Columbia. I don’t know where he went, Licence Register 1915. but Alvo von Alvensleben had moved to Seattle, mentions the transfer By May 1915 the local newspapers were daily and Kostenbader may also have moved to the from A.J. McCool, but running photographs of men killed or wounded United States. not to him. This confounds matters as I in action, local men appearing on page one. Anti- In 1920 Messrs. Grant and Wilson became the have no other record of German feeling (“Anti-Hun” feeling as it was proprietors of the Cecil Hotel. Charles Wilson either an A.J. McColl or called at the time) was running high. On the had a son named Billy and it is to him that we an A.J. McCool, and morning of Saturday, 8 May 1915, the readers of owe the survival of the Kaiserhof tokens. About neither name appears in either the 1915 or 1917 the Victoria Daily Colonist were greeted with the 1926 Billy, who attended a small private boys City Directories. following headline in massive type: “Submarine school on Rockland Avenue called the Colle- Gets Over 1,400 Victims.” Below it was a large giate School, took bags full of the tokens to school photograph of the Lusitania. The entire front page and with his classmates devised a game they called was devoted to the sinking of the vessel. There “Flipping Kaiserhofs”. Several of these “boys” still THE TOKENS: There are were fifteen Victoria residents on board the had a few of the Kaiserhof tokens forty years later four denominations, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cent. The Lusitania, including Lieutenant J. Dunsmuir, the when I tracked them down.
tokens are unusual in popular son of the Hon. James Dunsmuir, former that the denomination Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia. Jimmy was formed by a cut-out. “Boy” Dunsmuir was one of those lost in the The only other British sinking.7 Columbia tokens that That evening, a crowd of initially 150 gath- have this characteristic ered outside the Blanshard Hotel. Soon the mob are those of the St. swelled to five hundred, followed by a curious Francis Hotel, and S.S. crowd of two or three thousand. A riot started at Yosemite. Dies for one the hotel but at first little damage was done. The denomination of the Kaiserhof and the St. cry, “to the German Club,” was raised and the Francis Hotel tokens mob surged down to the former premises of the have come out of a Deutscher Verein, which were quickly wrecked, a Seattle maker’s shop.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 39 Around the Bend by Edward L. Affleck The Brief Career of the Okanagan Sternwheeler Fairview In September of last year Ted Affleck sent me the text for three columns for the “Steamboat Round the Bend” series and he promised to do at least three more for the series “given sufficient health.” The first two of these articles appeared in the winter and spring issues. This is unfortunately the last of the three and the end of this series. Unfortunately he could not add more to the series We have a number of other manuscripts of Ted Affleck on file that will be published in following issues, with kind permission of his daughter Carolyn..

ROM the early decades of the nine- teenth century, the Hudson’s Bay FCompany brigade trail, a pack trail for horses and mules, served as the link between South and North Okanagan. From Osoyoos the trail climbed up into a high grassy watered trench west of the bluffs that line Vaseux, Skaha, and Affleck and Helga Martens. L. Courtesy Edward Okanagan Lakes. Today a pleasant coun- try road takes one north through this idly by the miners and prospectors who Penticton. The CPR, alas, showed no trench from the ruins of the Fairview were active in camps in South Okanagan inclination either to risk their prize Ab- mining camp through Meyers Flat, White and Similkameen. The smaller steam- erdeen on the shallow, sinuous channel Lake, the Marron Valley, and Shingle powered vessels then on the Lake fre- between Okanagan and Skaha Lake to Creek Valley into Prairies Valley and Gar- quently had to resort to pushing a deck reach Okanagan Falls or to build a rail- net Valley west of Summerland on the barge to carry any significant load, a prac- way south of Okanagan Falls at a time way to Peachland. Mining activity in tice which slowed a vessel down and ren- when large-scale mining activity in South Okanagan around 1890 prompted dered both vessel and barge somewhat South Okanagan was still in the specu- a demand for water transport down vulnerable during rough weather. The lative stage. Okanagan Lake as a low-cost means of fraternity in the booming mining camp W. J. Snodgrass, a charismatic Yankee freighting superior to horseback. This of Fairview, four kilometres up the hill with a determination to put Okanagan caused Penticton at the foot of Okanagan west of present-day Oliver, was particu- Falls on the map, had in 1893 badgered Lake to become a transfer point for the larly quick to express the view that if a M.P. John Mara into securing some Fed- mining camps to the south. A somewhat shallow-draft sternwheeler with ad- eral Government financing for the clear- backbreaking wagon road was built south equate carrying capacity could be ing of snags in the Okanagan River and west of Penticton to climb up to worked from Okanagan Landing channel between Penticton and Skaha the trench where existing trails could be through to Okanagan Falls at the foot Lake. Snodgrass then had the pint- sized developed to handle wagon traffic. of Skaha Lake, the agonizing 41-kilo- steam launch Jessie shipped up from New In 1893 the Canadian Pacific Rail- metre hauling distance over the primi- Westminster and worked her between way commissioned the stout tive road from Penticton to the Fairview Penticton and Okanagan Falls, some- sternwheeler Aberdeen to work on Camp could be almost cut in half. A times pushing a small scow to deal with Okanagan Lake between its railhead at wagon road or better still, a railway, from overloads. Louis Holman built a small Okanagan Landing and Penticton. The Okanagan Falls south and west to Meyers screw steam launch, Miramichi, and also ability of the Aberdeen to carry heavy Flat would be much easier to negotiate attempted the channel. How much the loads with speed and ease was noted av- than the existing wagon road out of success of Snodgrass with his vessel of

40 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 limited carrying capacity influenced oth- ers is open to question, but a local syn- WINNERS OF THE 2002 COMPETITION dicate, more susceptible than the CPR to the blandishments of the mining pro- FOR WRITERS OF BC HISTORY moters, agreed to risk some capital in the building of a small sternwheeler to LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR’S MEDAL work down to the nascent mining trans- Francis Mansbridge portation centre of Okanagan Falls. Fore- Launching History: The Saga of Burrard Dry Dock most among this syndicate was William B. Couson, engineer on the Aberdeen, a Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd. man Captain Joseph Weeks described as 2ND PRIZE “...a genius at toggling up steamboat A. Terry Turner and Susan Hulland machinery. He could make an old en- Impressions of the Past: The Early History of the Communities of Crawford Bay, gine run where ninety-nine men out of Gray Creek, Kootenay Bay, Pilot Bay and Riondel, on the East Shore of a hundred would fail.”1 The sternwheeler Kootenay Lake, BC Fairview rose on the ways at Okanagan The Riondel & Area Historical Society. Landing over the spring of 1894 and was RD ready for service by the first week of 3 PRIZE August. She made her debut with a E.G. Perrault moonlight cruise on Okanagan Lake Tong: Tong Louie, Vancouver’s Quiet Titan. with Captain Thomas Riley, another in- Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd. vestor, in command. Riley had sold his HONOURABLE MENTION interest in the Penticton, a small screw- Kathryn Bridge propelled vessel which he had worked Phyllis Munday Mountaineer previously on the Lake, picking up scraps XYZ Publishing. of business not taken up by the Aberdeen. With the Fairview, Riley sought to per- Ian M. Thom petuate this rival freight and passenger E. J. Hughes service. On 11 August 1894, Riley set Douglas & McIntyre and the Vancouver Art Gallery. out in the Fairview, bound for Okanagan Falls. The trip down the channel below Penticton was not a success. Yes, the chan- nel was fairly clear of snags, but alas, the channel before venturing again down to to the waterline in minutes, her hull and real threat to navigation turned out to Okanagan Falls. The CPR, not relishing machinery a total loss. Couson pocketed be the overhanging branches of trees lin- any competition, fenced off access from his losses and moved to the Hawaiian ing the sinuous banks of the channel. The its Okanagan Landing railway station to Islands, while Riley became a mate on steamer had limited room to negotiate, the rival wharf used by the Fairview. Af- the Aberdeen. Later in the year the ea- and one branch succeeded in impaling ter a so-so summer, the Fairview was laid gerly awaited Federal Government ap- the pilothouse of the Fairview. Pilothouse up in the fall and not brought out again propriation for clearing the Okanagan askew, the Fairview limped back to until the following June. On 1 July 1896, River banks was forthcoming. The short Okanagan Landing. Please Mr. Mara, flags and pennants flying, the Fairview unhappy career of the Fairview should another appropriation, this time to clear worked an excursion to Kelowna spon- have warned off further speculation in overhanging branches from the banks of sored by the Vernon Lacrosse Club. It building sternwheelers to work all the the channel. was 1:00 A.M. on 2 July before a still way from Okanagan Landing to Over the 1894-1895 winter, William rowdy crowd of excursionists disem- Okanagan Falls, but over the next fif- Couson, assisted by versatile shipwright barked back at Okanagan Landing. teen years two more sternwheelers, the William McKissock, tinkered with the Messrs. Couson and Riley had barely Greenwood City and the Kaleden, were to Fairview, lengthening her 55-foot hull to reached their respective houses at the be built for this purpose with equally make her a more steady steamer in rough Landing before flames were spotted unhappy results.
weather. Throughout the 1895 year, the shooting out from the upper works of Fairview was fairly active in jobbing on 1. Weeks, Joseph B. “Steamboating on the Fairview. Thanks probably to a care- Okanagan Lake, awaiting Federal Gov- Okanagan Lake” in Sixth Report (1935) of less smoker, the tinder-dry vessel burned the Okanagan Historical Society. ernment money to clear the Okanagan

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 41 Archives and Archivists Editor Frances Gundry

Maps and BC History of the coast for many years. Espinosa’s At- ing the Second Word War he was an advi- las was the first Spanish publication of sor to the British Ministry of Production Rare Books and Special Collections charts of the North West Coast. Duflot de in London and NewYork, and for ten years (RBSC) is one of two map collections in Mofras’ Atlas includes one of the first maps was responsible for the Guinness interests the UBC Library, the other being the Map to depict the geography of the area be- in British Columbia. Library, which recently moved its refer- tween the coast and the Rockies. There is also a small collection of maps ence and BC collections to the Walter C. Judge Howay was a founding member and plans in the cartographic archives Koerner Library. RBSC has one of the of the Historic Sites Board of Canada, and from the Taylor Engineering Co. Ltd. and largest collections of pre-1900 maps in the British Columbia Historical Associa- the Granby Company’s Dolly Varden Western Canada, and is the home of three tion—now British Columbia Historical Mine and other mining claims. major collections of historical maps, in- Federation—and was the first to write on cluding one of the largest collections of ROGERS-TUCKER COLLECTION many British Columbia historical topics. Japanese maps of the Edo period (1600- In 1961 funds were donated in memory His collection is particularly rich in books, 1867) outside Japan. The other two col- of a former faculty member, Dr. Gilbert manuscripts, maps, and photographs relat- lections are the Howay-Reid and the Norman Tucker (1898-1955), to set up a ing to the history of pre-Confederation Rogers-Tucker. In addition, RBSC has a collection of historical maps, with emphasis Canada and the Pacific Northwest, includ- large collection of cartographic archives, on French Canada and the Pacific. Dr. ing the voyages of exploration and the fur that is, maps accompanying private papers Tucker, a native of Vancouver, was a pro- trade. If a publication was not available for and university archives. fessor of Canadian history at UBC from his library, he often acquired a copy. If there 1948 until his death. Basil Stuart-Stubbs, HOWAY-REID COLLECTION was no English translation, he had one then head of Special Collections, with the The map collection began in 1931 made. In this way he acquired a sizeable advice of professors Coolie Verner and A. when the Valedictory Class of Arts donated collection including maps, in original or L. (Bert) Farley, was able to develop a rep- a large collection of books, manuscripts, copy form, of Western Canada and the resentative collection of the work of many newspapers, photographs and maps relat- Pacific Northwest. Howay’s friend, Reid, important cartographers prior to 1850, ing to Pacific Northwest history. It was was a lawyer and historian, and a founding such as Ortelius, Mercator, Jansson, Jaillot, greatly enlarged by the bequests of Judge member of the British Columbia Histori- Robert deVaugondy, Delisle, Bellin, Jefferys, Frederic William Howay in 1944, and his cal Association, and was also instrumental Faden and the Arrowsmiths. friend Dr. Robie Lewis Reid in 1945. Both in launching the British Columbia Historical Dr. Farley, a professor of Geography, men were interested in the voyages of ex- Quarterly. wrote his doctoral dissertation on the his- ploration, and had copies of the published There is a wide range of maps in torical cartography of British Columbia, journals of Cook, Vancouver, Mackenzie Howay’s collection, including Delisle’s and published two atlases on the province. and others. maps showing the mythical geography of Basil Stuart-Stubbs was University Librar- Howay had a fine copy of Jose Espinosa de Fonte, British Admiralty charts, Span- ian from 1964 to 1981 when he became y Tello’s Relacion del viage hecho por las goletas ish voyages of exploration, blueprints of Director of the School of Librarianship. Sutil y Mexicana en el ano de 1792 and its the site of an Hudson’s Bay fort, photo- He collaborated with Dr. Verner, a profes- accompanying Atlas para el viage…(Madrid, copies of the manuscript maps in the Brit- sor of Adult Education whose avocation 1802). Reid had Duflot de Mofras’ Explo- ish Columbia Department of Legal Sur- was the history of cartography, on The ration du territoire de l’Oregon, des Californies veys, and promotional maps for new Brit- Northpart of America, a cartographical his- et de la Mer Vermeille (Paris, 1844) with its ish Columbia “cities.” tory of Canada that was published a few accompanying atlas in his library. About the same time as the Howay and days before Verner’s death1 in 1979. The publication of Cook’s Voyage Reid bequests, Mrs. A. J. T. Taylor presented Coolie Verner added a number of in- brought the North West Coast to the at- the Library with her husband’s Arctic col- teresting items to the Historical Map Col- tention of the world, and his charts were lection, much of which had been assem- lection over the years, culminating with used extensively by later explorers and car- bled with the help of his friend, the Arctic the bequest of his library, map collection tographers. Vancouver’s voyage established explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson. Taylor, a and papers in 1979. His map collection, Britain’s claim to the North West Coast, native of Victoria, was a prominent engi- consisting of some 400 maps, including and his charts, which combined the re- neer in British Columbia involved in build- originals and some photocopies, was used sults of surveys by the Spaniards as well as ing the Lions’ Gate Bridge, the British extensively in research for the Glenbow- his own, remained the most detailed maps Properties, and the Capilano Estates. Dur- Alberta Institute exhibition2 on the open-

42 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 ing of the Canadian West. In addition, Dr. tor’s Map Series published by the Provin- Verner provided for a trust fund to assist cial Government, as well as in the maps History Helps in the development of the collection. produced by various auctioneers and land Two significant collections have been developers. An invitation to visit Gwen Szychter’s Web donated to Special Collections in the past RBSC has the largest collection of fire site and admire what an enthusiastic researcher, historian, and au- decade. The L. Stanley Deane Collection insurance plans of British Columbia mu- thor does and has done for her community. of about 300 maps, plus books and atlases, nicipalities. These plans, which can be one Gwen’s free e-mail newsletter “History Helps” was received in 1994. The maps include sheet showing a town, mill or cannery to is now in its third year and contains a wealth works by such notable cartographers as 15 multi-sheet volumes showing the city of interesting information on the history of Blaeu, Robert de Vaugondy, Jansson, and of Vancouver, provide wonderful detailed Delta and beyond. Subscribe and let others Hondius. Two atlases donated by Dr. Deane “pictures” of places in the past. But this is know about the site and the newsletter. are composite world atlases by John Senex, another story. published ca. 1708-1711, and Vincenzo FINDING MAPS IN RBSC Coronelli, published ca. 1650-1718. In Fire in Nelson Historical maps in RBSC are cata- 1998 Dr. Miguel P. and Julia G. Tecson logued, and may be found in the Library’s On Sunday 4 May at four o’clock in donated their collection of maps and prints online catalogue at . Cartographic archives structed and partially refitted 40-foot Bonne, and Robert de Vaugondy. have fonds or collection level entries in Forest Service boat, and an entire CARTOGRAPHIC A RCHIVES the online catalogue, such as the British wooden shed area at the back of the mu- The Cartographic Archives includes Columbia Electric Railway Company seum went up in flames. Nelson’s fire maps from the University Archives, includ- (BCER). These entries are for the col- department responded instantly and in ing plans of the campus, and architectural lection as a whole, and refer users to the large numbers and the cinder block mu- plans by Sharp and Thompson (later inventory of the collection to find the seum, archives, and art gallery building Thompson, Berwick, Pratt and Partners), maps in that collection. If there is an was saved. the university architects. Many maps are online inventory of the maps in a collec- There was no water damage, but from fonds (i.e. archival collections) in the tion, such as the BCER, there is a link smoke affected the museum quarters. Manuscript Collections in RBSC, which from the entry to the inventory, which is Within 48 hours, insurance representa- include several collections relating to the available on the RBSC website were on the scene. The museum collec- such as timber cruises and mining claims, Rare Books and Special Collections is lo- tion was moved to a vacant building and as well as engineering drawings for ma- cated in the Main Library of the Univer- has undergone a pressurized ionized air chinery in the salmon canneries. sity of British Columbia. wash decontamination process. The mu- —Frances Woodward seum building is under repair but may A FEW NOTABLE BC MAPS Reference Librarian / Map Librarian be open to visitors this summer. Plans Trutch’s Map of British Columbia to the are underway to retain the museum and th Rare Books and Special Collections. 56 . parallel, north latitude, compiled in 1870, art gallery’s high profile in the commu- was updated in January 1871 and published University of British Columbia Vancouver BC nity, so do include Nelson in your cul- in London in October, provides a picture tural itinerary this summer. of British Columbia at the time of con- Nelson has been in search of a new federation, including all the roads, trails, 1 For an obituary, see Edward H. Dahl, “Professor combined building for the Museum, forts, and other settlements. Lt. J. I. Lang, Coolie Verner 1917-1979,” Cartographica, v.17 Archives, and Art Gallery for many years R.E., surveyed the Greater Victoria area (Spring 1980): 118-120; for a bibliography of and has undergone two capricious and his work, see Frances Woodward, “Coolie in 1887-1888 for the War Office which unsuccessful Recreation and Cultural resulted in Vancouver Island, British Colum- Verner’s publications relating to the history of cartography and carto-bibliography,” Centre referendums in recent years. Just bia, an Ordnance Survey style map in 6 Cartographica, v.17 (Spring 1980): 120-122; for a prior to the fire, city officials started to sheets. There are many maps of the gold review, see Edward H. Dahl and Conrad E. contemplate re-locating the museum to Heidenreich, “A critical analysis of The fields, from the Fraser River in 1858 to the city’s fine Victorian city hall, with the Klondike in 1897-98. The settlement Northpart of America, a facsimile atlas of early Canadian maps,” Cartographica, v.17 (Spring the city hall moving on to vacated or a process was very important, as can be seen 1980): 1-23. down-sized provincial government 2 in the maps of the British Columbia Rail- Javorski, Mary. The Canadian West Discovered: an building. It’s definitely moving time in way Belt showing lands along the Cana- exhibition of printed maps from the early 16th to early th Nelson! dian Pacific Railway, and in the Pre-emp- 20 centuries. Calgary: Glenbow Museum, 1983. 75 p., ill. —Frances Welwood

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 43 Conference 2003, Prince George

Remarks by The Honourable Iona Campagnolo, pc, cm, obc, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, at the Awards Banquet at the University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George.

President of BC Historical Federation, Mr. Wayne nificent administrator we may occasionally immemorial that was lived here before the Desrochers, President of the University of North- forget that Dr. Jago is also a historian of rank, arrival of the first explorers. In addition, I ern British Columbia, Dr. Charles Jago and Mary with his 16th and 17th Spanish history ex- recall the sort of history that was a staple of Jago, Vice President Dr. Deborah Poff and Dr. pertise. Perhaps, it is done in the same man- my younger life on the Skeena River and in Alex Michaloff, distinguished historians, Mem- ner that the Spanish exploratory history of Prince Rupert, when we could rely on hear- bers of the Historical Federation, Sponsoring Part- our province is eclipsed if not forgotten in ing of the exploits and actions of the Euro- ners, P.G. Oral History Group, UNBC Admin- commemorating the British predominance pean-based community, while others were istrators, faculty, students and staff, fellow North- in that field. The Victors, as they say, write invisible and denied opportunity to partici- erners: history but your federation is proving that pate. Later, working in radio in Prince Rupert history is in balance. in the 1960s, we could expect an occasional ACKNOWLEDGE with respect the customs I am very pleased to have this opportu- media story emanating from our region with- and culture of the Carrier-Sekani First nity to speak with you on northern history, out our input, from an outside production INations and all their Peoples in whose being written from a northern perspective, crew flown in and out as quickly as possible, traditional territories we meet this evening. which I observed as both old and new Prince bringing all their clichéd views to bear on It is nearly a historical event for me to be George, passed before me in the parade this the story of the day. That such records now able to join you at this conference and awards morning. Having lived a good part of my pass for “historic research” is a matter of con- event, as I have not had the opportunity to life in close proximity, if not always directly cern for us who lived its reality and who were visit my favourite university since assuming in the north, I confess to some opinions on acutely aware of its distortion at the time. In this post and I look forward to next year’s the matter, however as you are all aware, Lieu- those years the invariable formula of “report- celebration of the 10th anniversary of the tenant-Governors have no public opinions, ing on the North” followed a familiar pat- University of Northern British Columbia. so that perhaps explains your instructions that tern: beginning with references to some We will meet then with due ceremony and I speak for no more than three minutes and hopeless economic situation, a few salmon not a little historic nostalgia. It is always a then am invited to reflect on personal his- and timber, followed by a nod to the local certain delight for me to be “home” again in tory! (A topic on which I might speak for “town fathers” (there being few “town moth- “our” North, in the company of so many three days!) ers” in those days), and then by vigorous, us former University of Northern British Co- When I think of the history of northern versus them parochial “streeters”, mainly from lumbia colleagues. Because he is such a mag- British Columbia, I try to envision the time town characters, and a few sidebar salutes to the hard-living, hard-drinking, tough little “frontiersy” men, with a few of the “feisty” women of the region. These reports inevita- bly concluded with negative references to First Nations, and perhaps a beautiful sunset thrown in to demonstrate a lack of ill will. It was always a wonder to me that those doing such “reports” managed to complete them in record time, most of it social, with little reference to any “on the ground” expertise in a determined effort to not let anything interfere with their stereotypical preconcep- tions. As your conference addresses Work and Society: Perspectives on Northern British Columbia History, I am delighted that as im- portant decision makers, you are charged with weighing, measuring, and sifting histo- ry’s values—accepting that each one of us see the value through the prism of our own perspectives. Fred Braches

44 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 As I said, when I think of Northern his- History is on every hand. I recently vis- masterpiece of hard research, fine photo- tory, I try to envision it in terms of “time ited Powell River, there I was told: embed- graphs, and accessible writing. I remember immemorial,” knowing that the length of ded in a log pond breakwater, lay the pa- very clearly the day that the Prince Rupert habitation on this land is a constantly shift- thetic hull of the once proud Union Steam- Drydock was towed out of the harbour, tak- ing target, starting now at 10 millennia and ship Cardena. That rusted hulk conjured a ing with it jobs and futures, but leaving be- extending to some twenty-two thousand flood of memories of our northern coast, in hind a record of unparalleled ship building years. With the explorers, in 2005 in support of the Second World War. Fort St. James will celebrate a The prize winners this evening 200th anniversary, followed by bring us into closer contact with Fort George in 2007; theirs is the who we are as people and where beginning of the recorded human we have come from, and even a record on this land as seen through glimpse of where we might be go- European lenses. So while your re- ing. The West Coast has often been corded references are few, as portrayed as an exotic contrasting Northerners you have a particu- element to “real” civilization: we, the lar challenge to embrace the oral counterculture, sometimes have traditions, reaching back through been an ethnological treasure trove the mists of time to link it with to be plundered. But it was people the subsequent literary voice. such as you gathered here tonight In my opinion we are search- who have worked to rebalance the ing for a new and more inclusive accounts of the history of this prov- story of the great “coming to- ince of this region. I think of the gether of peoples” that is today’s great Margaret Ormsby who first British Columbia. Research attests broke the respectability barrier by that the more diverse people are, giving an authoritative voice to au- the more creative and innovative thentic and inclusive British they are: here in the most diverse Columbians who had been previ- province in the world’s most di- ously ignored or marginalized as verse nation we are especially en- “eccentrics”. Northerners including couraged to find new ways to tell myself are often portrayed as eccen- our story. We seek to extend the Spittle John trics; I tend to think of myself as record, to preserve some of its truths and to particular of the Canadian Pacific “Princesses” simply “Northern!” My sincere congratula- include what would have been recovered and Canadian National “Princes,” now all tions to tonight’s winners, Terry Turner, Susan with what would otherwise be lost by join- vanished, and the many voyages I took as a Hulland, and Francis Mansbridge! In terms ing non-traditional records into the written child, aboard our own miniature “cruise of your Federation’s work: BC remains su- record to preserve the reality of British Co- ships” in terms of the luxury of white linen, premely rich and beautiful and challenging! lumbia and its unique human family. sterling silver, fine food, and beautiful scen- As you convene this conference you must In this, I believe we have been very well ery that today summons the world but then be awed by the magnificence of the sources served by the presence of inspired leadership was a contrast to our near-colonial lives at a that surround you. As a representative of Her of the University of Northern British Co- salmon cannery in the summer. The Union Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of lumbia. It is appropriate that the historical vessels also doubled as logging, ore, cannery, Canada, and on behalf of all your fellow citi- federation should meet here in this institu- freight, mail, and passenger boats, and were zens of this remarkable province, I thank you tion that by its presence has so invigorated blacked out during the Second World War, for preserving our whole heritage through the writing of the northern history from a with families singing war songs around the all the history that surrounds us and for the northern perspective and has led the way piano in the lounge and talk fearful of Japa- ever-lengthening tapestry that you are weav- toward a far more inclusive interpretation of nese submarines marauding along the coast, ing that is the tale of all our people.
our past. For example, the famed Nisga’a through which we stealthily travelled. We agreement has given us a whole new per- were secure in the knowledge however; that ception on the reality of Aboriginal Rights we were in the protective embrace of our and Title issues, which when I was a girl was fisherman’s “Gum Boot” navy, which Canada Above: The Honourable Iona Campagnolo, pc, a concept whispered about in so called “radi- considered adequate to Pacific Defense at the cm, obc, Lieutenant Governor of British cal circles”. In cooperation with all the Col- time, as of course, the Atlantic was given pri- Columbia, speaking to the attendants of the leges and University Colleges of the North ority. Awards Banquet at Prince George. and particularly in partnership with Wilp Wil Tonight the British Columbia Historical Opposite page: Listening to Susan Hulland’s Hoesk Nisga’a, UNBC and its associates are Federation makes its annual awards. The Lieu- acceptance words for the 2nd prize.. Her Honour blazing a new post secondary trail that I know tenant-Governor’s medal goes to Francis stands in the centre. On the right are the will ultimately have many branches and pro- Mansbridge, whose magnificently docu- Honorary Aide-de-Camp, and Terry Turner. Helmi foundly affect the way that our history is re- mented history of the Burrard Drydock is a Braches is standing behind Susan Hulland. corded.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 45 Yvonne Klan Yvonne Fred Braches Stephanie Desrochers Fred Braches Fred Braches Fred Stephanie Desrochers

46 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 Conference Impressions by Rosemarie Parent

RINCE GEORGE, gateway to the north, and unique artifacts in the process of restora- The banquet and book awards presenta- was a wonderful site for this year’s an- tion. All the groups had excellent guides with tion was held in the Administration Building Pnual conference, jointly hosted by the endless knowledge. atrium, which provided a lovely setting for University of Northern British Columbia Saturday morning the AGM was held at the evening. The Honourable Iona (UNBC), the Prince George Library, and the UNBC. Treasurer Ron Greene reported Campagnolo, Lieutenant-Governor of BC, College of New Caledonia. There were also amongst other things that since we no longer was the honoured guest, piped in by a local many volunteers not tied to these institutions would receive the yearly $4,000 grant from piper to the head table. Her Honour, a gra- who helped to make the whole weekend one BC Heritage Trust, we have to find other cious lady, gave an inspiring speech on North- to remember. means to cover the cost of producing BC His- ern BC, her home in her early years. After For all travelling from different parts of BC, torical News if we want to avoid a general in- the Lieutenant-Governor presented the especially to first-time visitors to Prince crease in the subscription fees. John Atkin will awards to the winners of the book competi- George and area, the weather co-operated to replace Fred Braches as editor starting with tion a sumptuous buffet meal was offered, pre- make the trip most enjoyable. Eighty delegates the September issue. John has many talents pared in the kitchens of UNBC. and some friends were there to take part in and we are fortunate that he is willing to take To end the evening Dr. Morrison presented the tours and programs. Thursday, during the on the task. More volunteers will be involved an entertaining and informative talk about day, two workshops were provided with grants with the production and distribution of the the Bullion Pit Mine near Likely. The im- from the Canada’s National History Society. magazine. pressive scar left by mining is some 120 me- Melva Dwyer, who arranged the workshops, Secretary Ron Hyde reported a continu- tres deep and it has very steep walls. The site reported that with 56 registrations, the classes ing growth in membership. We have now is unknown to most visitors to the area. After had to be repeated. Linda Willis presented the more than fifty member societies represent- the talk, Terry Simpson, representing workshop on the preservation of historic pho- ing around 4,000 members. Seven societies Nanaimo, the host of the 2004 conference, tographs that she also gave so successfully in joined us recently. accepted the traditional yardstick from Revelstoke last year, and Dr. Maija Bismanis Helmi Braches, who heads the Historical Ramona Rose. Wayne Desrochers passed on spoke on “marketing your museum, gallery Book Writing Competition, told us that 39 the Federation’s gavel to the new president, and historic site.” books had been accepted for the competi- Jacqueline Gresko. This concluded another Thursday evening at the College of New tion and named this year’s winners. The win- great conference. Caledonia, as people registered for the con- ners of the BC History Web site prize, the W. Thanks go to all the workers on the or- vention, a delectable display of wonderful hors Kaye Lamb Essay scholarship, and the Best ganizing committee and the many volunteers d’oeuvres, desserts, and punch made by Chef Article Award were also announced who did such a fine job.
Graham and the students of the Culinary Arts Each member society read their reports Programme were eagerly sampled. Welcom- and transcripts will be produced for all mem- <<< Photos on opposite page ing words were spoken by Dr. David Holm ber societies. Nelson brought the sad news of Top left: Peter Trower and Yvonne Klan...there of the Conference Committee, who is a His- arson in the wooden addition at the back of is poetry in their lives and work. tory Instructor of the College, Sonja Pighin their museum. It is thought that if it had not Top right: Overlooked in the pomp and of the Lheidli T’enneh Nation, acting Mayor been raining recently, the museum would have circumstance of the Federation’s awards banquet Sherry Sethen, College President Dr. Terry also been destroyed. was another, less formal, ceremony—the repatria- Weninger, and lastly Ramona Rose of UNBC The election saw Dr. Jacqueline Gresko tion of the Phoenix Hotel spittoon. The spittoon Archives, who headed the Conference Com- nominated as president and Dr. Patricia Roy had somehow made its way to Duncan where it mittee. as First Vice President. New members at large came to the attention of Cowichan’s Myrtle Friday morning, a bus tour was provided are Alice Marwood and Dr. Patrick Dunae, Haslam. Myrtle felt that it rightly belonged in its to Lheidli T’enneh cemetery and the church and Second Vice President Roy Pallant. Sec- original homeland and contacted Boundary’s Alice at Shelley outside the town centre. When the retary Ron Hyde, Recording Secretary Glanville, left, who was delighted to receive it on town of Prince George was started at the site Gordon Miller, and Treasurer Ron Greene behalf of the Boundary Museum. of the traditional Native village the inhabit- returned to their respective offices. Hard Middle left: Alice Glanville and Uncle Ben. ants were removed to Shelley, outside town, working Melva Dwyer, an active member of Middle right: Eighteen years of past presidents where the church now stands. Other delegates the executive for many years, is now our Hon- of the Federation. From left: Wayne Desrochers, chose the walking tour after viewing slides of orary President. Ron Welwood, Myrtle Haslam, Alice Glanville, the heritage sites to be seen in Prince George. After a lunch there was a selection of eight John Spittle, and Leonard McCann. In the afternoon, many participated in a different sessions with speakers on several top- bus trip of the East Line with stops to exam- ics regarding history of the area. Talks were Bottom left: Our new president Jacqueline ine the sites of historic sawmill communities. given by students or instructors of the UNBC Gresko, hardly willing to stand still for a minute. Others visited the Prince George Railway & and local archivists and were very interesting Bottom right: Upper Fraser: a wonderful sky Forestry Museum that has many interesting and well presented. and the railroads that played such an important part in the development of this area.

BC HISTORICAL NEWS - SUMMER 2003 47 W. KAYE LAMB Federation News Essay Scholarships Deadline 15 May 2004 THE W ORLD OF SIR JAMES DOUGLAS BC HISTORICAL NEWS The British Columbia Historical Federation To celebrate the bi-centenary of the birth of Aside from John Atkin a number of volun- awards two scholarships annually for essays the first Governor of British Columbia, the teers will assist in all kinds of work needed written by students at BC colleges or Canadian Unity Council sponsored a bus to produce and distribute the journal. These universities on a topic relating to British tour of Fort St. James from Prince George volunteers include Anne Yandle (book re- Columbia history. One scholarship ($500) on the Sunday following the conference. views), Tony Farr (proofreading), Cathy is for an essay written by a student in a first- There was no charge for the day tour and Chapin (maps), Joel Vinge (subscriptions), or second-year course; the other ($750) is for an essay written by a student in a third- admission to the Fort was free. Many of the Ron Hyde (Federation and members mat- or fourth-year course. delegates profited from this generous offer ters), and Ron Greene (treasurer) as well as To apply for the scholarship, candidates and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. A report Eileen Mak (distribution), and Diana Breti must submit (1) a letter of application; (2) about their discoveries is scheduled for the (copy editing). an essay of 1,500-3,000 words on a topic fall issue of BC Historical News. A warm thank relating to the history of British Columbia; you to the Canadian Unity Council and their (3) a letter of recommendation from the director Gisèle Yasmeen. professor for whom the essay was written. Applications should be submitted before NEW MEMBERS 15 May 2003 to: Robert Griffin, Chair BC The Federation welcomes new members Historical Federation Scholarship Commit- Bella Coola Valley Museum Society, Hud- tee, PO Box 5254, Station B, Victoria, BC son’s Hope Historical Society, UNBC V8R 6N4. Northern BC Archives, and Fort Nelson The winning essay submitted by a third- Historical Society. or fourth-year student will be published in THE NEW EXCUTIVE BC Historical News. Other submissions may Congratulations to Melva Dwyer for her be published at the editor’s discretion. well-deserved nomination as Honorary President of the Federation. A welcome to our new executive members: First Vice Presi- BC History dent Patricia Roy, Members at Large Alice Web Site Prize Marwood and Patrick Dunae, and Editor The British Columbia Historical Federa- John Atkin. tion and David Mattison are jointly spon- CORRECTION soring a yearly cash award of $250 to rec- Apologies to readers and to Chuck Davis and ognize Web sites that contribute to the un- derstanding and appreciation of British Co- Ronald Greene for inadvertently introduc- lumbia’s past. The award honours individual ing two small but important errors to their initiative in writing and presentation. articles in the previous issue (36:2). Nominations for the BC History Web The British Columbia gold coins described Site Prize for 2003 must be made to the in Ron Greene’s “Token History,” (36:2) were British Columbia Historical Federation, unknown until 1883 and not 1983. Web Site Prize Committee, prior to 31 De- An incorrectly-placed “em-dash” in the first cember 2003. Web site creators and authors paragraph of Chuck Davis’s “A Palace of En- may nominate their own sites. tertainment,” (36:2) suggests that “The Jazz Prize rules and the on-line nomination form can be found on The British Co-

Singer” was shown in the Orpheum in 1927. Fred Braches lumbia History Web site: . opened—with Al Johnson’s feature, “The Jazz guests to the University of Northern British Singer,” pounded another nail....” The “Jazz Columbia in Prince George. Best Article Award Singer” was never shown in the Orpheum. A CERTIFICATE OF MERIT and fifty dollars will be awarded annually to the author of MANUSCRIPTS submitted for publication in BC Historical News should be sent the article, published in BC Historical News, to the editor John Atkin. Submissions should preferably not exceed 3,500 words. that best enhances knowledge of British Co- Submission by e-mail of the manuscript and illustrations is welcome. Otherwise lumbia’s history and provides reading en- please send a hard copy and if possible a digital copy of the manuscript by ordi- joyment. Judging will be based on subject nary mail. All illustrations should have a caption and source information. It is un- development, writing skill, freshness of ma- terial, and appeal to a general readership in- derstood that manuscripts published in BC Historical News will also appear in any terested in all aspects of BC history. electronic version of the journal.

48 BC HISTORICAL NEWS - VOL. 36 NO. 3 British Columbia Historical Federation Organized 31 October 1922 Affiliated Groups Kootenay Lake Historical Society The British Columbia PO Box 537, Kaslo BC V0G 1M0 Historical Federation is an Archives Association of British Columbia Langley Centennial Museum umbrella organization Women’s History Network of British Columbia PO Box 800, Fort Langley BC V1M 2S2 embracing regional Northern B.C. Archives - UNBC Lantzville Historical Society societies. c/o Box 274, Lantzville BC V0R 2H0 Member Societies Lions Bay Historical Society Box 571, Lions Bay BC V0N 2E0 Alberni District Historical Society London Heritage Farm Society PO Box 284, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 7M7 6511 Dyke Road, Richmond BC V7E 3R3 LOCAL HISTORICAL Anderson Lake Historical Society Maple Ridge Historical Society SOCIETIES are entitled to PO Box 40, D’Arcy BC V0N 1L0 22520 116th Ave., Maple Ridge, BC V2X 0S4 become Member Societies Arrow Lakes Historical Society Nanaimo & District Museum Society of the BC Historical PO Box 819, Nakusp BC V0G 1R0 100 Cameron Road, Nanaimo BC V9R 2X1 Federation. All members of Atlin Historical Society Nanaimo Historical Society these local historical PO Box 111, Atlin BC V0W lA0 PO Box 933, Nanaimo BC V9R 5N2 societies shall by that very Bella Coola Valley Museum Society Nelson Museum PO Box 726, Bella Coola BC V0T 1C0 fact be members of the 402 Anderson Street, Nelson BC V1L 3Y3 Federation. Boundary Historical Society North Shore Historical Society PO Box 1687, Grand Forks BC V0H 1H0 c/o 1541 Merlynn Crescent, Bowen Island Historians AFFILIATED GROUPS are North Vancouver BC V7J 2X9 organizations with PO Box 97. Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0 North Shuswap Historical Society specialized interests or Bulkley Valley Historical & Museum Society Box 317, Celista BC V0E 1L0 objects of a historical Box 2615, Smithers BC V0J 2N0 Okanagan Historical Society Burnaby Historical Society PO Box 313, Vernon BC V1T 6M3 nature. 6501 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby BC V5G 3T6 Princeton & District Museum & Archives Chemainus Valley Historical Society Box 281, Princeton BC V0X 1W0 PO Box 172, Chemainus BC V0R 1K0 Qualicum Beach Historical Society MEMBERSHIP FEES for Cowichan Historical Society 587 Beach Road, both classes of member- PO Box 1014, Duncan BC V9L 3Y2 Qualicum Beach BC V9K 1K7 ship are one dollar per Delta Museum and Archive Revelstoke & District Historical Association member of a Member 4858 Delta Street, Delta BC V4K 2T8 Box 1908, Revelstoke BC V0E 2S0 Society or Affiliated Group District 69 Historical Society Richmond Museum Society with a minimum member- PO Box 1452, Parksville BC V9P 2H4 Minoru Park Plaza, 7700 Minoru Gate, ship fee of $25 and a East Kootenay Historical Association Richmond BC V6Y 7M7 maximum of $75. PO Box 74, Cranbrook BC V1C 4H6 The Riondel & Area Historical Society Finn Slough Heritage & Wetland Society Box 201, Riondel BC V0B 2B0 9480 Dyke Road, Richmond BC V7A 2L5 Salt Spring Island Historical Society Fort Nelson Historical Society 129 McPhillips Avenue, PO Box 716, Fort Nelson BC V0C 1R0 Salt Spring Island BC V8K 2T6 Fraser Heritage Society Silvery Slocan Historical Society Box 84, Harrison Mills, BC V0M 1L0 Box 301, New Denver BC V0G 1S0 Galiano Museum Society Surrey Historical Society 20625 Porlier Pass Drive Box 34003 17790 #10 Hwy. Surrey BC V3S 8C4 Galiano Island BC V0N 1P0 Terrace Regional Historical Society Gray Creek Historical Society PO Box 246, Terrace BC V8G 4A6 Box 4, Gray Creek, BC V0B 1S0 Texada Island Heritage Society Gulf Islands Branch BCHF Box 129, Blubber Bay BC V0N 1E0 c/o A. Loveridge S22, C11, RR # 1 Trail Historical Society Galiano Island BC V0N 1P0 PO Box 405, Trail BC V1R 4L7 Hedley Heritage Society Union Bay Historical Society PO Box 218, Hedley BC V0X 1K0 Box 448, Union Bay, BC V0R 3B0 Hudson’s Hope Historical Society Vancouver Historical Society QUESTIONS about PO Box 98, Hudson’s Hope BC V0C 1V0 PO Box 3071, Vancouver BC V6B 3X6 Jewish Historical Society of BC membership should be Victoria Historical Society directed to: 206-950 West 41st Avenue, PO Box 43035, Victoria North Ron Hyde, Secretary, Vancouver BC V5Z 2N7 Victoria BC V8X 3G2 BC Historical Federation, Kamloops Museum Association Williams Lake Museum and Historical Society 207 Seymour Street, Kamloops BC V2C 2E7 113-4th Avenue North #20 12880 Railway Ave. Koksilah School Historical Society Williams Lake BC V2G 2C8 Richmond BC V7E 6G2 5213 Trans Canada Highway, Yellowhead Museum Phone: 604.277.2627 Koksilah, BC V0R 2C0 Box 1778, RR# 1, Clearwater BC V0E 1N0 E-mail: [email protected]

British Columbia Historical Federation is a charitable society under the income tax act Return Address: Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40025793 British Columbia Historical News Publications Mail Registration No. 09835 Joel Vinge, Subscription Secretary 561 Woodland Drive Cranbrook, BC V1C 6V2

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs.

CONTACT US: THE BRITISH COLUMBIA BC Historical News welcomes HISTORICAL FEDERATION stories, studies, and news items INVITES SUBMISSIONS OF BOOKS dealing with any aspect of the history of British Columbia, and FOR THE TWENTIETH ANNUAL British Columbians. COMPETITION FOR WRITERS OF BC HISTORY. Please submit manuscripts for 2003 publication to the new Editor, Any book presenting any facet of BC history, published in 2003, is eligible. This BC Historical News, John Atkin, may be a community history, biography, record of a project or an organiza- 921 Princess Street, tion, or personal recollections giving a glimpse of the past. Names, dates and Vancouver BC V6A 3E8 places, with relevant maps or pictures, turn a story into “history.” Note that Phone: 604.254.1429 reprints or revisions of books are not eligible. Fax: 604.254.2207 The judges are looking for quality presentations, especially if fresh material is E-mail: [email protected] included, with appropriate illustrations, careful proofreading, an adequate Send books for review and book index, table of contents and bibliography, from first-time writers as well as reviews directly to the Book Re- established authors. view Editor, BC Historical News, The Lieutenant-Governor’s Medal for Historical Writing will be awarded to an Anne Yandle, 3450 West 20th individual writer whose book contributes significantly to the recorded his- Avenue, Vancouver BC V6S 1E4, tory of British Columbia. Other awards will be made as recommended by Phone: 604.733.6484 the judges to valuable books prepared by groups or individuals. E-mail: [email protected] Winners will receive a Certificate of Merit, a monetary award and an invitation to the BCHF annual conference to be held in Nanaimo in May 2004. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: All books must have been published in Please send correspondence about 2003 and should be submitted as soon as possible after publication. Two subscriptions to copies of each book should be submitted. Books entered become property Subscription Secretary, Joel Vinge of the BC Historical Federation. Please state name, address and telephone 561 Woodland Drive number of sender, the selling price of all editions of the book, and, if the Cranbrook BC V1C 6V2 reader has to shop by mail, the address from which it may be purchased, Phone/Fax: 250.489.2490 including applicable shipping and handling costs. E-mail: [email protected] SEND TO: BC Historical Federation Writing Competition PO Box 130, Whonnock BC V2W 1V9 Subscriptions: $15.00 per year For addresses outside Canada add $10.00 DEADLINE: 31 December 2003