Читать книгу The Rocks and Rivers of British Columbia - Walter Moberly - Страница 3

Table of Contents

In the year 1854 I had the pleasure of forming a very intimate acquaintance with the celebrated Canadian painter, Mr. Paul Kane, of Toronto, after his journey across the mountains and visit to the Pacific Coast; and during that and the succeeding years, up to 1858, I was almost daily in his studio or house. Mr. Kane gave me long and most minute descriptions of the various places he had visited, and shewed me all his sketches, paintings, &c., &c., which he had collected.

His descriptions of the country interested me very much, and I decided to go there and see the Western or Pacific Coast, and try if such a thing as an overland communication could not be accomplished. Mr. Kane was on intimate terms with Sir George Simpson, Governor of the Hudson Bay Company, and I asked him to introduce me to Sir George, which he did. In my interview with Sir George I fully explained to him my wish to see Vancouver Island and British Columbia, and the ultimate object I had in view. Sir George at once most kindly offered me a letter of introduction to Mr., afterwards Sir James Douglas, at that time the head of the Honourable Hudson Bay Company on the Pacific Coast, and afterwards the first Governor of the Crown Colony of British Columbia. About this time I heard of gold having been discovered in British Columbia, and one fine morning, with Sir George Simpson’s letter in my pocket, I started for New York, to catch the steamer for the Isthmus of Panama. On my reaching New York, I ascertained the first steamer for the Isthmus would be the Moses Taylor, at that time generally known as The Rolling Moses, and that I could get the top bunk in a miserable state-room—only five tier of bunks—by paying the full fare of 375 dollars, through to San Francisco. Money was scarce with me, and I walked up to the St. Nicholas Hotel, where I was staying, in anything but a happy state of mind. I lit a cigar and considered the situation, and at last concluded to go to St. Louis and join an emigrant train and go overland by Salt Lake City. With this intention I went to call upon a friend, and told him the position I was in. His answer was, “I have the very thing for you, come along.” We went down to a steamboat office and found a new company was going to send the old steamer Hermann, round the Horn, to Vancouver Island, in a few days, and that she would touch at Rio Janeiro and other ports in South America, on her way. This was very encouraging, as I should have the opportunity of seeing something of South America, and of enjoying a pleasant passage. I accordingly engaged a very comfortable state-room, and saw what I could of New York, until the sailing of the steamer. The steamer anchored out in the harbour, and the passengers went on board in a small tender, late in the evening. Everything was in a state of confusion, but I managed to get the key of my state-room, put in my luggage, and later on went quietly to bed, awakening next morning to find we were some distance out of New York harbour, in calm and delightful weather.