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.
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
.
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.