1. Spencer to Secretary to the Admiralty
Reporting Proceedings
N
o 21 of
1863
4 May l863
Sir,
I have the honor to report for the information of my
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that on the date of
my last communication N
o 16 of
15th April 1863
consequent on the enclosed copy of a letter from
Governor
Douglas, I despatched Her Majesty's Gun Boat "
Forward" in
furtherance of His Excellency's wishes to endeavour to
apprehend the murderers of the persons therein mentioned,
and I beg to enclose a copy of Lieutenant and Commander
the Hon.
H.D. Lascelles' report of proceedings by which it
will be seen that he has succeeded in capturing two of the
Indians suspected of being concerned in the outrage and
that he had considered it necessary to fire into a Village
belonging to the Lamalcha tribe, who it appears returned
the
the fire, occasioning I regret to say, the loss of a first
class Boy of the "
Forward". From all the information that
I have been able to gather respecting the above named
Indians, they appear to consist of all the outcasts of all
the different tribes on the Coast, and are in fact little
better than a nest of Pirates.
Kuper Island on which they
have located themselves being admirably adapted from its
situation for the purpose of capturing the numerous small
Trading Vessels which are in the habit of passing through
the inner passage up the Coast.
On the receipt of
Lieutenant Lascelles' letter I
immediately directed
Lieutenant Commander E.H. Verney to
proceed with the "
Grappler" to place himself under the
orders of
Lieutenant Lascelles conveying
Dr Turnbull,
Assistant Surgeon of Her Majesty's Ship "
Topaze" in the
event of any medical assistance being required, with further
instructions for "
Forward" not to employ force with the
other Tribes if it could possibly be avoided, and on the
return of HMS "
Devastation" on the
3rd Instant I
ordered
ordered
Commander Pike also to proceed to
Cowitchan, with
a view of displaying more force in order to give confidence
to the Settlers in the neighbourhood, who appear to be
much alarmed by the warlike attitude of the Indians, and
at the same time endeavour by peacable means to induce
the Chief to give up the other suspected Indians.
Commander Pike will direct "
Forward" to remain at
Cowitchan
for the present for the protection of the Settlers and Her
Majesty's Gun Boat "
Grappler" will proceed to
New Westminster
to lay down the buoys at the entrance of the
Frazer River
in compliance with the requisition of His Excellency in the
latter part of his despatch.
I have also to enclose for their Lordship's information
the copy of the letter of proceedings of
Commander Pike of
Her Majesty's Ship "
Devastation" during his absence in search
of the vendors of illicit spirits to the Northwards, on which
service he appears to have been eminently
successful successful, and to have
carried out his orders in a very zealous and satisfactory manner.
Copies of the correspondence received from this Office,
as also from
Lieutenant Lascelles have been forwarded for
the information of His Excellency
Governor Douglas who has
been absent on an Official Visit to
British Columbia, and with whom
I have been unable to communicate personally. His Excellency
may be expected to return to
Victoria in the course of a few days.
To The Secretary of the Admiralty
Whitehall
The information and complaint of
John Henley of
Victoria in the
Colony aforesaid taken
this tenth day of April in the year of
our Lord One thousand, eight hundred and sixty three, before me
Augustus Frederick Pemberton Esquire, one of Her Majesty's
Justices of the Peace for the said Colony of
Vancouver Island
and its dependencies, who being sworn upon his Oath, saith
Last Saturday about two o'Clock in the Afternoon I encamped
on a little Island about three or four miles from
Salt Spring
Island, it is a long narrow Island, with high mountains in the
middle, I was accompanied by a man named
Bill Brady, I went
to Hunt, and returned, about half an hour after dark. In the
meantime five Indians had arrived, three men and two women.
We had supper, then
Brady cooked some bacon and made some
tea for the Indians, he gave them two cakes of bread, and
about half a cup of sugar. We then went to sleep. The Indians
also lay down close to our tent. About an hour after we had
been asleep, I was awakened by shots fired. There were four
shots fired. Three at me and one at
Brady. The first shot hit
me in the thigh, the second shot hit me in the Arm, a third
shot hit me in the private parts.
Brady had his thigh shattered
by one shot, and he was not able to move afterwards. He lived
until the third day and died about three o'Clock in the afternoon.
After I was wounded I got my rifle Gun, and fired several Shots,
perhaps half a dozen, I don't remember how many, I was so much
excited. The Indians retreated and I saw a party which I suppose
to be the same leave the Island, the second day after this occurred.
We did not leave because it rained so hard, I started the morning
of the fourth day on a boat by myself and I reached
Oak Bay about
two o'Clock the same day, travelling with the tide. A Policeman
fetched me from
Mr Tod's House at
Oak Bay to the Hospital. One
of the Indians had a glass eye, that is the ball of the eye was
white, he was about sixteen years of age. One had large projecting
lips, the third one is a well looking but his teeth are a little
undershot, none of these men were older than sixteen years. I
have seen the undershot Boy at
Cowitchan, he was present when
Brady and I went to buy a
whale whale boat at
Victoria. This boy was
one who shot at me. One of the women was an old woman full of
wrinkles, she might be forty years of age, the other woman was a
well looking girl about sixteen years of age, with long black hair
reaching down to her waist, and thin small lips with good pretty
teeth.
Brady was raised in the States he had been round here
since fifty eight. He has been hunting this winter with me.
We had intended to have cut hay on the Island, on which we landed.
The Indians told us they came from
Cowitchan.
Brady was not a
Whisky seller to Indians. We had no spirits with us, and were not
in the habit of carrying spirits with us. I am a half bred
Cherokee, born and raised in Texas. I came to
Victoria last fall.
(Enclosure in
Spencer to Admiralty,
4 May 1863.)
Letter of Proceedings
25 April 1863
Sir,
In obedience to your orders I proceeded to
Victoria at 9
a.m. on Wednesday the
15th Instant, and placed myself under
the orders of His Excellency the Governor a copy of which I enclose.
Having taken on board
Mr Smith the Superintendent of Police
I left
Victoria at 3 P.M. and anchored off the Royal Marine Camp,
San Juan for the night. Thursday the
16th I proceeded to
Miner's
Bay,
Active Pass and from information there received searched the
shore of
Saturna Island for the scene of the supposed murder of
Mr Marks and found the remains of the Boat with the stove, and
several portions of the young woman's dress, and returned to the
Anchorage at
San Juan for the night.
On
On
Friday the 17th I searched
Piers Island for the body
of the man
Brady, but failed in finding any traces of it, and
anchored in
Cowitchan Harbor for the night.
Saturday the 18th
we remained at
Cowitchan, and started on
Sunday 19th to
intercept the canoes returning from a Blanket feast at
Chemainus
having received information that Indians suspected of the murder
were among them whose names the Superintendent of Police had.
With some trouble, being obliged to fire some blank Guns to bring
them to we searched them all, and captured two of the Indians
suspected, and anchored for the night in
Bird's Eye Cove.
On
Monday 20th I left the Anchorage at 8 a.m. and
proceeded to
Kuper Island with a view of arresting several Indians
known to have been connected with the recent murders, and as
they had declared their intention of resisting any attempt to
arrest them, I had the rifle plates up, and the men's bags put
in the
intervening intervening places, on arriving at the place, I found
they had a strong log house, in the centre of the Village
loopholed. I then sent a message on shore by a canoe to say I
wished to speak to the Chief, who returned an answer that he would
not come, nor would he give up the murderers. I told him through
the Interpreter a very valuable Half Bred Cherokee Indian whose
services I secured at
Cowitchan that if the Chief was not on
board before the flag which we hoisted was hauled down giving
them a quarter of an hour I would fire on the Village. The Chief
answered that he would not come, and was not afraid of us. At
the end of the appointed time I hauled down the flag and fired
into the Village which they deserted immediately and opened
a very sharp fire of musketry on us from the two points at the
entrance of the Bay, by which I regret to say that one Boy
Charles F. Gliddon was killed being shot through the head whilst
acting as powderman at the
Pivot Pivot Gun. Though the Gun Boat was
hit in several places, we sustained no other injury. The firing
last[ed] about half an hour when having thrown a few shells into
the woods, and knocked the Village down, as much as possible I
went over to
Chemanos Bay for the night. The following morning
I returned to Village Bay and found that most of the Indians
had left in the night, I completed the destruction of the place
with a few shot and shell and returned to
Cowitchan.
This tribe called the Le Malcha are the terror of the Coast,
both to Indians and white men, and make a boast of the number of
white men they have killed.
Having remained at
Cowitchan all Wednesday on Thursday I
proceeded to search
Portland Island and
Moresby Island, and some
smaller ones for the body of
Brady but found no trace of it. The
information
in in deposition is so very vague I stopped at
Miner's
Bay and returned
Mr Marks' Boat &c and proceeded to this place
for coal.
Having communicated with H.M. Surveying Steamer
Beaver off
Active Pass we proceeded together and anchored here at 6.30 P.M.
I propose starting to visit the
Comox settlement tomorrow,
and on my way back to
Esquimalt to call again at
Kuper Island and
Cowitchan.
Mrs Marks who is in great distress at the loss of
her husband and daughter I have promised a passage to
Victoria with
her Children.
(Enclosure in
Pike to
Spencer,
4 April 1863.)
4 April 1863
Sir,
Also that the liquor was when the vessel become a wreck,
landed and stored on
Hornby Island, to await reshipment. I
had also at
Victoria received notice from
Mr Tedcomb that
the Captain of the "
Explorer" had on board some 400 gallons
of spirits that were seizable.
On the
31st Ulto I despatched a boat with
Mr
Simpson Master and
Mr Daw Boatswain to examine into the truth
of this information and I enclose a copy of their report.
On receiving this I proceed[ed] in H.M.S. "
Devastation" to
Hornby Island on the
3rd Instant and anchored near the
spot where the cargo was landed.
He had no paper or document of any kind to show, stating
that they had all been lost at the time of the wreck.
Laying
She had a landing Warrant for a few dry goods only.
I consider the "
Explorer" had she been met at sea, would
have been liable to seizure for a breach of the Custom's Laws
of
British Columbia, and I have considered this quantity of liquor
seizable on the following grounds.
1. It was shipped on board a vessel bound to a port in
British
Columbia without the Skipper or Master having any documents
to show the right to ship them.
2. They have been shipped on board a vessel bound for Russian
Territory contrary to the IX
th article of the treaty which says
that the liberty of commerce shall not apply to Spirituous liquors.
3. That now (by His Excellency's orders) liquor cannot be
shipped on board a vessel bound for Russian Territory.
For the beforementioned reasons, and the strong conviction
in my own mind that this liquor is intended for sale to the
Indians between this and
Stickeen, I have deemed it advisable
to seize it and send it to
New Westminster to your custody.
I also
As H.M.S. "
Devastation" is just commencing a voyage to
Fort Simpson, and it would be extremely inconvenient to detach
a boat and boats Crew to take this liquor to
New Westminster
I have hired a small sloop belonging to
Dr Benson of
Nanaimo at
Five dollars a day to perform that duty.
(Enclosure in
Pike to
Spencer,
4 April 1863.)
April 3 1863
Sir,
In compliance with your orders we left
Nanaimo in the
2
nd Cutter on the night of
March 31st to proceed to
the N.E. point of
Hornby Island, where the Schooner "
Explorer"
was wrecked, and arrived there about 11 a.m. on the following
morning.
We examined the Cargo saved from the wreck of the "
Explorer"
and in addition to the quantity of liquor shipped by
Mr Adam Ross,
and a Keg of Brandy marked D.G. Bentinck Arm for which there were
proper documents. We found One Cask Islay Malt said by
Moses Phillips to contain
78 Gallons |
78 Gallons |
One Cask of Gin about |
42 " |
Three Casks of Gin each about 30 Gal. |
90 " |
Two " " " " 40 Gal. |
80 " |
One " " Brandy |
42 " |
(This Cask was not full the [Burig?]
having been started at some previous time.) |
Six Cases of Gin each containing 12 Bottles |
& 1 Case containing 2 bottles in all 72 about |
12 1/2 " |
Total number of Gallons about |
344 |
Moses Phillips informed us that one 40 Gallon Cask of Spirits
was lost entirely when the vessel was wrecked.
We did not open any packages nor gauge
any any Cask but put down
the quantities judging from the size of the Cask, and from what
Moses Phillips said each contained.
The Schooner
Nanaimo Packet arrived about the same time.
We boarded her examined her papers, and cargo and found them
correct. She had a small quantity of Flour and Rice for
British
Columbia, and some lumber for
Comox, all belonging to
Moses Phillips, and her landing Warrant authorized her to ship the
dry portion of the Cargo saved from the
Explorer but none of
the liquor.
In answer to our questions
Moses Phillips stated that he
hed purchased the liquor intending to take it to
Stickeen and
set up a store.
That when the
Explorer's cargo was shipped he did not know
of any law against taking liquor to
Stickeen, and that it was
contrary to treaty to do so, but he acknowledged that he knew
the Governor's orders on ths point when he left
Victoria in the
"
Nanaimo Packet" to take on board the
same liquor saved from
the wreck of the "
Explorer".
He stated that before leaving
Victoria in the "
Explorer" he asked the Custom House Officer if any landing Warrant was necessary
or if there was any duty to pay on the liquor he was shipping for
Stickeen and that he was told that none was required.
In reply to a question as to what he intended to do with the
Cargo when shipped with the
Nanaimo Packet, he stated that he
intended to go first to
Comox and build a House with the lumber
he had brought from
Victoria Victoria to land part of the cargo, and to
leave
Mr Hart, his Partner to keep a store there, while he
proceeded on his voyage to
Bentinck Arm and the Northward.
He said in reply to our remarks that he did not know that
he could not set up a store in
Comox without first obtaining a
license, but at the said time said he had applied for one before
leaving
Victoria and he had told his Agent to apply for one and
forward it to
Comox.
We told him that having this liquor without proper papers from
the Custom House was contrary to law, and that it was seizable
in consequence, and that we should seize the liquor and detain
him till the arrival of H.M.S. "
Devastation" which we did.
The schooner "
Ino" arrived on the same day to take on board
the portion of the "
Explorer's" Cargo belonging to
Mr Adam Ross.
Her papers were correct.
Mr Ross stated that when a passenger on the
Explorer, he
heard
Moses Phillips and his partner
Jack Hart say they intended
to trade liquor to the Indians for furs, that they could get a
Marten's skin for a bottle of liquor, and that he had heard them
calculating the probable profits of their voyage and had heard
them say that it was no good going North to trade without liquor.
He also states that
Mr Walker who was a passenger at the same
time heard them say the same.
Considering the facts that the portion of the Cargo belonging
to
Moses Phillips consists of little else than Spirits, and the
way in which he prevaricated when question[ed] as to their
destination we are left but one conclusion, that it was his
intention to barter liquor for furs with the Indians along the coast.
We have &c
F.O. Simpson, Master
W.T. Daw, Boatswain
(Enclosure in
Spencer to Admiralty,
4 May 1863)
Letter of Proceedings
N
o 3 of
1863
28 April 1863
Sir,
I have the honor to report further my proceedings
since my letter No 2 of the 4th April 1863.
Proceeding next morning through the Narrows, and up
Johnstone's Straights I arrived at
Cormorant Island at 3 p.m.
I dropped an anchor and sent
Mr Simpson on shore to search
for spirits which I had reason to suppose had been secreted
on shore by a man named
George Collins, for the purpose of
trading it to the Indians at
Fort Rupert, and to those who
might pass the Island.
At 4.30 I again weighed and proceeded and anchored at
7 P.M. off
Fort Rupert.
Immediately on arrival I sent on shore to search for more
liquor, and to arrest
George Collins if he could be found.
I was informed that the whole Camp was in a state of drunken
phrensy from the effects of liquor sold to them by
Collins, who
had brought it from
Cormorant Island.
The first part of this statement, I on landing found to be,
a fact and the report of
Mr Simpson, a copy of which I have
the honor to forward (Enclosure N
o 1) fully details the occurrences
at
CormorantIsland Island and
Fort Rupert. At these two places I
seized in all about 70 Gallons of pure Alcohol and some small Kegs
of mixed spirits, and I detained
George Collins until the Police
authorities could be communicated with.
I received information that same evening that the sloop
"
Kingfisher" had been trading large quantities of spirits on the
N.W. Coast of
British Columbia. This information was given by a
man named
Edwin Hall who had! acted as master of her during part of
the Voyage.
Next morning she arrived at
Fort Rupert, and I at once
detained her upon the information I had received, and sent her
in charge of an Officer and Crew to
New Westminster. She had
only 52 bottles of spirits remaining. The Master and Owner did
not deny having broken the law, alleging as a justification that
He sold better spirits than the other Traders, and upon my arrival
at
Fort Simpson I found plenty of evidence to corroborate
Hall's
information upon which I had detained her (Enclosure N
o 2) as a
copy of the report of the Officers who examined her.
Next morning I proceeded across
Millbank sound and up
Finlayson's Canal. I this day fell in with and examined the
schooner
Nonpareil from
Stickeen, her papers were in perfect
order, and no subsequent information has been received of her
having called at any place in
British Columbia, except
Bentinck
Arm, for which place she had a landing Warrant or of her having
committed
any any breach of the Custom's laws.
I found shelter that evening in a Bay of the Eastern shore
of the Channel between the East side of
Hawkesbury Island and
the main land, dropping the anchor in 32 fms and making the
Ship's stern fast to the trees with a Hawser.
Next morning
the 11th I proceeded up the Channel east
of
Hawkesbury Island off the North end of which I stopped, being
about 8 miles to the southward of
Kittimatt River.
A strong breeze was blowing with heavy snow squalls, no
anchorage could anywhere be found, I therefore detached the
first Cutter and Gig to go to
Kittimatt before news of our presence
could reach that place, and was compelled to return in the ship,
down the Channel to find anchorage.
Just to the Northward of the Inlet below
Port Staniforth I
found a convenient Anchorage in 20 fms calling it
Bishop's cove
and remained there the night until 4 a.m. next morning when I again
proceeded up the Channel to
Kittimatt and at 8 a.m. picked up the
Cutter, bringing down 221 Gallons of Alcohol.
The circumstances under which it was seized will be found
in the copy of
Lieutenant Singleton's report (Enclosure N
o 3)
which I beg to enclose.
At
Kittimatt I landed and detained
Louis Morris, who had
been left in charge of the store belonging to
Barrowitz, the
Master of the "
Langley" and I explained to the Chief of the
Kittimatt Tribe that the house and property which was left there
in charge of an Indian who had traded spirits for
Barrowitz on a
former occasion must be inspected, and that he would be held
responsible should any outrage or robbery be committed by his
people.
As I could find no Anchorage whatever off
Kittimatt I was
compelled to return down the Channel.
As
As it was reported that the "
Langley" was expected next
day at
Kittimatt, I detached the Cutter to proceed down
Douglas
Channel to intercept her, should she be coming up, and returned
in the ship for the night to
Bishop's Cove.
In consequence of this I started for
Nass at Daylight the
following morning (
the 15th) and proceeded up
Portland
Inlet, as far as thick fog and snow would allow, towards the
mouth of the
Nishka or
Nass River. Then I sent up the Cutter
away with
Lieutenant Singleton, who towed the "
Langley" out
and brought her alongside.
On examining her I found in her hold about 36 Gallons
of pure Alcohol and two
Casks of Rum which the Master had made that morning.
The "
Langley" and "
Petrel" had been I found laying together at
Nass trading at the same rates
For a Marten |
1 1/4 Gallons |
" " Bear |
2 " |
" " Minx |
1/8 " |
" " Beaver |
1/2 " |
For an Otter |
3/4 Gallons |
" a Sea Otter |
10 Gallons and 8 Blankets |
Drunkenness and fighting had been the order of the day
among the Indians while the Vessels laid there, one Chief
was shot dead, and others wounded, some of the better disposed
Indians fearing for their lives and property had endeavoured
to send the Vessels away, but were prevented by the threats of
other Indians, under whose protection the Vessels were trading.
In entering
Duncan Bay the Ship grounded on the edge of the
sandbank which skirts
Tugwell Island. The engines being at the
time stopped, the Vessel had very little way. The leadsman
gave on the Starboard side 10 Fms 5, 2 1/2 and the ship grounded
in 12 feet under the Bows and Starboard Paddle Box, 15 feet on
Starboard Quarter, 18 Feet under Port Paddle Box, drawing at
the time 13 ft. 11 in. forward and 14 ft. 10 aft. Sail was set
forward and an Anchor laid out on Port Quarter, and in about
an hour, the Ship was hauled off, and anchored in 7 1/2 fms
without having sustained the least injury.
I remained at
Metlahkartlah five days giving the Lord
Bishop time to carry out his intentions with the regard to the
Indians, who under
Mr Duncan had embraced Christianity and
receiving Wood for fuel at 1 3/4 dollars the Chord, four
Chords being equal to one ton of Coals.
At
At
Metlahkartlah I also received two other Indians who had
witnessed the traffic in and landing of Spirits by both the
"
Kingfisher" and "
Petrel."
The last day's detention was caused by thick foggy weather
but on the morning of the
23rd I left
Metlahkartlah, and
and proceeded down
Chatham Sound and
Greenville
Canal following
the same route, by which I had proceeded north, and arriving
at
Fort Rupert on
Sunday the 26th.
Mr Moffatt informed me, that during our absence the
schooner "
Nonpareil" had been there, and traded a quantity of
Spirits to the Indians, the usual amount of drunkenness and
disorder being the result of her visit, indeed Indians told
me themselves that there is hardly a man among them now, who has
either Blankets or Skins left. It seems that on the approach
of the "
Devastation" at
Millbank all the tins of alcohol were
landed and reembarked after her departure, which accounts for
none being found when
Captain Lewis searched her. The Master
I since find is the same man who was Master of the
Hamley,
when searched last autumn, and though I cannot hear of any
case of his part of infringement of the Laws of
British
Columbia, yet I am of opinion that the charge of selling
alcohol at
Fort Rupert could be most clearly proved against
him, should it be thought necessary to make an example.
One or two Indians can be found there who are quite
willing to come to
Victoria and state the fact that they
received liquor for skins and blankets, and
Mr Moffatt can
powerfully support their statements, having himself seen these
men on board the Schooner with Blankets and furs, and empty
tins, and buckets, and return without furs, and blankets
and their buckets and tins full of liquor, a
feast feast being
immediately held in the houses of these same men.
An example of this sort would no doubt have a salutary
effect, as
Fort Rupert is the central spot at which large quantities
of Alcohol are constantly sold by these vessels, and thence
retailed by the Indians, among the numerous villages which are
scattered about
Johnstone's Straits.
Off
Entrance Island I cast off the "
Langley" and the "
Petrel"
which I had towed thus far, and sent them, with the witnesses to
New Westminster, and proceeded to this place to coal, after which
I shall immediately leave to rejoin your broad pendant at
Esquimalt.
I have the honor to state that I have sent a copy of this
letter to His Excellency the Governor for his information.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obed
t Servant
J.W. Pike
Commander
(Enclosure in
Pike to
Spencer,
28 April 1863.)
7 April 1863
Sir,
In compliance with your order I landed on
Cormorant Island
yesterday afternoon to search for Liquor.
On landing I went into a Long House of a Man known by the
name of
West or
West Houston, and searched it. I found a bottle
containing a small amount of Old Tom, and a tin measure containing
a small quantity of Alcohol and Water.
I next proceeded to search the Indian Huts but found no
liquor in them.
Supposing any liquor they might have had would have been
concealed immediately on the Ship heaving in sight, I went with
the men into the Bush immediately at the back of the houses, and
after searching some time found a small cask containing a
quantity of Alcohol and Water, and soon afterwards found five
cases, each containing two five gallon tins of Alcohol. These
cases were hid in different places.
Immediately on finding the Spirits I told
Houston I should
send him on board to see you, and was about doing so, when you
came on Shore.
After further search, we discovered a tin can containing a
quantity of Alcohol and Water, I sent all the Spirits on board the Ship.
On our arrival at
Fort Rupert yesterday evening I went on
shore accompanied by
Captain Lewis according to your orders to
capture
Collins if we could find him.
On the search we met
Mr Moffat who informed me that
Collins was then in the Indian Village, and had been selling liquor to the
Indians for some days past, in consequence of which they were all drunk.
We proceeded to the Village, accompanied by
Mr Moffatt, who saw
Collins enter one of the Lodges. We followed him and found
the door bolted, when we gained an entrance he had escaped the back way.
I next proceeded to search for liquor and after a considerable
length of time discovered a case of Alcohol and one Five Gallon
tin full of Alcohol and one five gallon tin half full. One Keg
about 10 Gallons, half full of Alcohol and Water, a very small Keg
containing a small quantity of the same mixture, and a measure
and funnel in which alcohol had been.
I seized the liquor and sent it on board the Ship.
This liquor was hid away and covered with a mat on the top of
one of the side Bunks which
Collins was said to have been occupying,
and which was full of Blankets and property belonging to
Collins.
On the morning of the
7th I went on shore to endeavour
to detain
Collins and after some time went into a house at the
end of the village but saw no one in it.
Observing the flooring was loose, I
pulled pulled it up and discovered
Collins underneath covered with two Blankets and a Mat. I
informed him I should detain him which I did, and conveyed him
on board the ship.
In the house I found a tin measure, and a keg which smelt
of Alcohol.
(Enclosure in
Pike to
Spencer,
28 April 1863.)
12 April 1863
Sir,
In obedience to your orders of yesterday's date I proceeded
in the 1
st Cutter with the 2
nd Gig in Company to
Kittimatt.
I searched a house in charge of
Louis Morris who stated
that he was landed there from the Schooner "
Langley" about the
21st February last. After searching the house and premises
some little time
Mr Daw Boatswain found a concealed cellar on
the back part of the house, on one side of the Kitchen, where
after pulling down some planking the following Cases &c of
liquor were discovered under the house. One Cask containing
about 30 Gallons of a manufactured compound called Rum, 12 Cases
and 1 Tin of Alcohol about 185 Gallons, which I immediately
seized and placed in the Cutter. I then shoved off from the shore,
and encamped for the night at a deserted Indian Village.
A second careful examination was made of
Morris' house
and I feel certain that there was not any more liquor, than
what I have seized.
On questioning
Morris he admitted the liquor to have been
landed by
Barrowitz (or Barronowitz) from the
Langley.
This morning I proceeded in the 2
nd Gig to the Indian
Village at the head of the Inlet, and directed
Mr Daw to proceed
to the Ship with the liquor and all the stores.
When
When I arrived at the mouth of the River leading to the
Village, I found that it was impossible to get up in the Gig,
so I sent her back to the encampment and went up to the Village
in a Canoe.
I found no establishment there of any kind, the Chiefs
stated that no Trader was there, or had been, at that spot, and
that the only trading establishment, was the one in charge of
Louis Morris.
I therefore returned to the encampment in the Canoe and
returned on board the Ship with the 2nd Gig.