The Terror of the Coast. Chris Arnett
of extensive coal deposits at Nanaimo. In early August 1852, he “carried out the project which [he had] long entertained, of a canoe expedition, through the Canal de Arro and along the East Coast of Vancouver’s Island, for the purpose of examining the country and communicating with the native tribes, who inhabit that part of the Colony.” 37 Douglas soon discovered that he was literally entering uncharted territory where, up until Lempfrit’s mission, few Hwunitum had ventured. Using the latest map of Vancouver Island as a chart, Douglas soon noted its “extreme incorrectness” beyond Cowichan Head on the east coast of the Saanich Peninsula. “From that point,” he wrote, “all resemblance to the Coast ceases.” 38
Passing beneath the prominent steep slopes of the south end of Salt Spring Island, Douglas was informed that the place was called Tsuween (land [mountain] comes down to the water). 39 Douglas anglicized the Hul’qumi’num place name to “Chuan” and used it to refer to the entire island.
Proceeding up the Arro Canal (Sansum Narrows), Douglas’ canoe expedition “touched at the Cowegin [Cowichan] River, which falls into the Canal … and derives its name from the tribe of Indians which inhabit the neighbouring country.” 40 Douglas was impressed by the extent of Cowichan agriculture. “These Indians,” he wrote, “partially cultivate the alluvial Islands near the mouth of the river, where we saw many large and well kept fields of potatoes, in a very flourishing state, and a number of fine cucumbers which had been raised in the open air, without any particular care.” 41
North of the Cowichan territory, Douglas briefly explored the mouth of the Chemainus River which he recognized as being smaller than the Cowichan River, and “navigable to a short distance only from the Coast. It is inhabited by a branch of the Cowegin [Cowichan] Tribe, whom we did not see.” 42 Douglas then proceeded to Nanaimo where he examined the coal deposits and experienced “a feeling of exultation in beholding so huge a mass of mineral wealth.” 43
Upon his return to Fort Victoria, Douglas was optimistic that further exploration of the east coast of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands would benefit the colony. In his August 17 letter to Sir John Packington, Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, Douglas wrote that:
A correct survey of these channels will remove many of the difficulties that would at present be experienced by sailing vessels navigating these straits and, should Her Majesty’s Government, at any time, direct surveys to be made in this quarter, I think the Arro Archipelago will be found to have peculiar claims to their attention, as there is a prospect of its soon becoming the channel of a very important trade. 44
The relative isolation of Hul’qumi’num First Nations from overt Hwunitum influence on Vancouver Island’s east coast and the adjacent islands was over. The discovery and development of the Hudson Bay Company’s coal mining operations at Nanaimo focused Hwunitum attention on securing title to the valuable coalbearing deposits. On August 24, 1852, with the vast majority of the Nanaimo people away at the Fraser River sockeye fishery, Douglas instructed Joseph MacKay “to proceed with all possible diligence to Wintuhuysen Inlet, commonly known as Nanymo [Nanaimo] Bay, and formally take possession of the coal beds lately discovered there for and in behalf of the Hudson’s Bay Company.” 45 Professional miners began work after September 6 under the direction of Scottish immigrant John Muir, and six days later the first commercial shipment of coal from Nanaimo territory left Colvilletown, as the new settlement was called, for Fort Victoria. 46 Upon their return from the Fraser River fishery, some of the Nanaimo people also began actively gathering coal from surface deposits “with a surprising degree of industry” to trade “for clothing and other articles of European manufacture.” 47 Douglas himself returned to the area less than five months later, only this time he did not travel in a canoe, but aboard the Hudson’s Bay Company steam vessel Beaver in command of a military expedition.
On November 5, 1852, at the Lake Hill sheep station near Fort Victoria, an employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company, Peter Brown, was shot several times in the chest and killed by a Nanaimo man named Siamasit and an unknown Cowichan companion, after Brown “had insulted the squaws of the Indians.” 48 When Douglas learned of the attack he immediately informed Company headquarters in London of his plans to secure the suspects in the killing, believed to be “two Indians of the Cowegin [Cowichan] tribe”:
I propose dispatching messengers to the chiefs of the Cowegin tribe tomorrow to inform them of the foul deed that has been committed, and to demand the surrender of the criminals. I shall also offer a reward for their discovery. Should these measures fail, I shall be under the painful necessity of sending a force to seize upon the murderers. 49
At Esquimalt, Captain Augustus L. Kuper, commander of the thirty-six-gun British frigate Thetis, acknowledged Douglas’ request for assistance, informing him “that in the event of your finding it necessary to resort to more stringent measures to enforce the surrender of the murderers, you may depend upon my hearty cooperation in this matter, as at all times when you may consider it to be necessary for the security and benefit of the colony of Vancouver Island.” 50
Douglas sent his ultimatum to the Cowichan on November 7, and within a few days “Soseeah [Tsosieten] the Chief, who possesses the greatest degree of influence with his people,” arrived in Victoria to confer with the Hwunitum leader:
... he expresses the utmost regret, that such an unhappy event should have taken place, as his people are not disposed to quarrel with the whites to whom they are under so many obligations, and he assured me that all his Tribe, with the exception of one little party called Thlim Thlimclits [Clemclemalits] who are related to one of the assassins have resolved to give up the murderers, and should the latter attempt to screen them from justice, the rest of the Tribe are not disposed to aid or assist them in any manner in resisting the Queen’s authority. 51
This came as welcome news to Douglas, who was desirous “to avoid implicating the Tribe in the guilt of individuals … The Thlim Thlimclits [Clemclemalits] may also see the folly of taking part with the murderers, and shun a contest, which would be disagreeable to us, and calamitous to them.” 52
The attack on Brown raised fears among the Hwunitum of Fort Victoria and the surrounding farms that an all-out attack by Cowichan warriors against the colony was imminent. Douglas stopped the sale of gunpowder to Hwulmuhw and announced that he was suspending all trade with the Cowichan until the matter was resolved. Another month was to pass when, after learning the identities of the two killers and realizing that their relations would not give them up, Douglas organized a military expedition to secure their capture.
Although the campaign was to take place “at a very unfavorable season,” it could not be delayed as the departure of the warship Thetis from the colony was imminent. “I feel convinced,” wrote Douglas, “of making the present attempt to capture the murderers, in order to alarm the Indians and to prevent further murders and aggressions, which I fear may take place if the Indians are emboldened by present impunity. Every exertion will be made to avoid hostilities and to bring the Indians to a friendly compromise and unless the Queen’s authority be speedily respected the tribe will be neither molested or attacked.” 53
At 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 4, 1853, the expeditionary force left Esquimalt under Douglas’ command. The Thetis was thought to be too large to navigate the uncharted waters of Sansum Narrows, so the Hudson’s Bay Company steam vessel Beaver was detailed to tow the brigantine Recovery and the pinnace, barge, and launch of the Thetis to Cowichan Bay. On board the various craft were one hundred and thirty sailors and marines of the Thetis under the command of Lieutenants John Moresby and Arthur Sansum. The regulars were accompanied by the local Hudson’s Bay Company militia—ten men of the Victoria Voltigeurs— under the command of Joseph MacKay. 54
After stopping at the Saanich village of Tsawout, where Douglas made a speech and “distributed a few presents among the chiefs” to reassure them of his peaceful intentions, the force was delayed another day “in consequence of a violent head wind and strong ebb.” 55 Finally, on Thursday morning, January 6, the British flotilla arrived