White, John
On 2 October 1862, John White, a British subject born in Ireland, gave a statement of the circumstances which led to his detainment in the village of Kithrahtlah. According his account, he left New Westminster in July with four Americans named William Fullard, Baker, Charlie, and Adams. They embarked on a canoe trip, stopping for a First Nation guide in Nanaimo before continuing on to Stikine River. After passing Fort Rupert, White overhead a conversation between the four men indicating their plans to rob him then do away with him.1 The next day, White noticed them making signs to each other in the canoe and handling their knives. They then landed on an island, but White refused to go any further with them, so the men left him there with only his clothes and a little flour. Two days after, three First Nations men came along, robbed White, and then brought him into their canoe. Later, they landed on a beach, and one of them shot White while he was making a fire. White ran and hid from them in a bush for several days, after which he crawled back to the beach where he met a First Nations couple. These individuals brought White into their house, gave him food, and treated him very well. John stated that they saved my life and did everything in their power for me except give me up.2
Commander Pike, who landed in Kithrahtlah on 3 October, received White from the First Nations that had been caring for him. He also took upon himself to award the couple, a man by the name of Quoshawahl and his wife, Aylash, $15 for their humanity in rescuing White and providing him food and shelter for more than six weeks.3
Mentions of this person in the documents