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Victoria Post Journal July 1846

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1846 July

      Wednesday 1st July.  Alternately clear and cloudy. wind blowing fresh from the South West.  Our people employed as usual except Gabriel and Lazard who were squaring oak for the fur press. Several articles were sold to day for cash to the officers & men of H. Majesty’s Ships now here.  Cape Flattery George could not leave to day with the high wind.  28 1/4 tons coals dischd to day. 

      Thursday 2nd  Wind and weather same as yesterday.  5 of the men were squaring rafters, 3 mowing grass & the others as usual.  Friday still on the sick list. Sundries to the amount of about £ 30 were sold to the officers & men belonging to H. M's. Ships.   Fur trade of no importance. One of the officers of the surveying ship having got lost in the woods three days ago we had to send Thomas with 6 Indians in search of him, who found him bewildered in the woods.  Gabriel & Lecuyer were all this day in quest of a wild ox intended to be slaughtd use of the Cormorant & arrived in the evening without finding him. 

      Friday 3rd  Overcast with very little wind.  Men employed as usual except Lecuyer who was hoeing potatoes part of the day with the plough.  The ox which could not be caught yesterday was to day shot & taken in use of the Cormorant. Several sheep were to day sold for ready money together with other sundries from the Shop.  The Pandora left this morning for Port Discovery.  A bill of £ 14-15-1 was cashed for one of her officers at 4/6 the dollar.  28 tons of coals were discharged yesty & 28 tons to day from the Brig.  All the coals are now disch'd from that ship. 

      Saturday 4th  Fine pleasant weather with a strong breeze from the South West.  Operations going as usual.  Work this week as follows: 46 rafters sq'd, 58 boards 12 ft long sawn,  some hay mowed, 8 window shutters made, 15,200 shingles split & some of the hay turned & potatoes hoed by Indians & sundry other jobs performed about the EstabtCoté arrived this morning about 9 AM from Vancr {&} Nisqually & brought letters from those places. Late at night the Cadboro arrived from Vancr

      Sunday 5th  Fine & warm, light variable airs.  The pinnace and barge of the Fisgard left this {place} for P{ort} townsend.  John & Walter Ross left by the same conveyance to Nisqually, the former to obtain medical advice & the latter as assistant to Dr. Tolmie. Captain Kellett & Gordon had a ride to Cedar Hill & came back in the evening. 

      Monday 6th  Generally clear with light winds as yesty.  Men employed as follows: 4 dischg Cadboro, 4 sqg, 3 making hay, 2 hoeing potatoes & the others as usual.  Early this morning the canoe that came with Coté from Nisqually, left for that place. Several goods that came by the Cadboro for Nisqually were to day transferred to the Rosalind which is to go there by the order of Captain Duntz{e}.  Were busy to day preparing the Nisqually Ot.   George the Cape Flattery Chief that left this {place} last Friday was murdered by a party of Tlalums about Rocky point & his property taken by them, which will of course lead to an interruption of our trade with the Natives of C{ape} Flattery. 

      Tuesday 7  Weather still continues fine. 2 men were to day planing shingles, 3 putting boards on the diagonals of Store #6, 4 sundry duties about stores.  The Nisqually Ot. has been to day packed up & shipped on board of the Rosalind & the Cadboro was receiving salt for Ft. Langley.  The Herald left for P. Discovery. Captain Kellett left two of his officers here to watch the tide staff. 

      Wednesday 8th  Beautiful weather, with light winds from the Westward.  The Langley Ot. has this morning been shipped on board the Cadboro & {word deleted} left for Fraser River at 10 A.M..  Every thing intended for Nisqually {word deleted} having been shipped on board the Rosalind last night, that vessel has this morning been towed out of the harbour. In Early this morning the barge & pinnace of the Fisgard arrived & brought a letter from Dr. Tolmie announcing the delivery of 39 sheep to Lieut. Patterson on the launch for this place which were made over to the surveying vessel in Port Discovery. 

      Thursday 9th  Occasionally overcast, wind light from the South West.  About 11 A.M. the Cormorant Steamer left for Nisqually, having the Brig Rosalind & the Fisgard’s two boats in tow.  We are again clear of ships for a time & will enable us to direct more of our attention to the out door work of the Establisht.  Four hands preparing oak for fur press, Garipie hauling out timber with oxen on the other side, Charpentier carting hay & the others squaring logs for the saw & hoeing potatoes.  9 beavers & otters have been traded to day from Tsawetsoot. About eight of our engaged Indians whose time expired have been paid the balance due to them to day. 

      Friday 10  Clear weather till 2 P.M. when the weather became cloudy.  Wind light from the Eastward.  The people employed as yesterday, making fur press, squaring, hoeing potatoes &c. No trade of any importance. 

      Saturday 11  Beautiful weather. Our people employed as usual; week's work as follows: 300 shingles planed, 15 rafters sqd,  34 rafters, 29 logs the saw, & 5 beams hauled out the oxen with 5 pieces oak sqd & hauld out for the fur press, potato field No. 1 hoed, some hay made & 5 loads taken out, diagonal boards put up on Store #6.  Nothing done in the way of trade.  2 bales of furs recd the Cadboro got wet & had them dried.  Each man's allowance for the week is as follows: 10 lbs cornflour, 4 qts. pease, {illegible} 21 lbs salt salmon. 3qts pease & 2qts flour to Indian women half {two words illegible} 

      Sunday 12  Fine pleasant weather with a fresh cooling breeze from the Westward.  Nothing transpired of any consequence, except the arrival of a party of Kawitchins in the evening with some few furs & other trifles for trade.  

      Monday 13  Wind and weather same as yesterday. Operations in hand as follows: making fur press, hoeing potatoes, pit sawing, carting hay &c.  About 3 P.M. one of the Herald's boats arrived from Port Discovery, in charge of Lieut. Cooper, the Purser, Mr. Woodward and Mr. Payne Midsn accompanied him.  One of our oxen has this evening been killed for that ship’s company.  

      Tuesday 14  Occasionally overcast & blowing strong from the South West.  All hands employed much the same as yesterday.  The ox killed yesterday was weighed this morning the weight was 450 lbs & all given to the Purser of the Herald.  The boat belonging to that ship that arrived yesty left about 10 A.M.  The two gentlemen whom Captain Kellett left here to mark the tide also left this {place}. So that we are once more clear of visitors. Four Indian lads were this evening engd for 6 months. 

      Wednesday 15th  Generally overcast with a light breeze from the South West.  People employed the same.  A party of Songes whom we sent to Cedar Hill on Monday for the shingles returned to day with 7 canoe loads for which they were paid in ammunition. Several articles were to day sold our people for cash.  Fur trade quite dull at present. 

      Thursday 16th  Overcast with rain throughout the day.  The people employed at their usual occupations.  The fur press has been finished this evening.  No trade in furs.  Francois Satakarata with an Indian was sent this afternoon to assist McPhail at the Dairy.  Dupuis being required for other purposes. 

      Friday 17  Raining almost all night & during the forenoon.  13 canoes of Cape Flatteries arrived this morning & brought some sea otters & oil which we have not as yet reced from them.  The American sailor deserter accompanied them, wh he appears to have conformed to the habits of the Indian since his sojourn among them, being much interestd about their property & securing their canoes acting in short as their hired servant. He has got a fair one as partner & is said to be now in the family way, consequently we cannot keep him here at present. 

      Saturday 18th  Beautiful weather with light variable airs. Week's work as follows: 75 1in boards 12ft long sawn, the fur press & mould completed, the potatoes hoed, 18 loads of hay carted home & a qty of hay mowed, the ridge boards put on Store #6 & sundry iron work made by Minie , all the shingles split at Cedar Hill taken home by Indians & a raft of hewn timber taken out of woods & rafted home.  1 large sea otter, 5 small & 2 pups were traded to day from the Cape Flattery Indians with a qty. of oil of about 150 gns. 

      Sunday 19  Generally overcast & mild.  The Natives of Cape Flattery left this evening & the American deserter remained behind having concealed himself until they left.  Weena Cu mullu an Indn slave who from Mill bank but a Native of Kawitchin who followed the people from Ft. McL was employed here for some time last year but so he had visited the Clalums afterwards & was sold by them to a Cape Flattery Chief who claimed him as his property Weena Camallu not willing to accompany his new master back again deserted from  him on his arrival here & hid himself in the woods behind.  In order to secure the services of Weenna Camalla who is a very useful Indn & at the same time keep on friendly terms with the Cape Flattery I had him reclaimed for 1 gun & 1 shot which was paid this morning to his Cape Flattery owner   Wena Cumalla is to remain here employed until he {deletion} is enabled to pay for the above articles out of the wages he receives. 

      Monday 20th Raining almost all day with but little wind.  6 men were resquaring rafters sq'd by [Chirpal] and the Islrs sometime ago in the woods & in the afternoon putting up scaffolding the roof of No. 5,  Allard and two hands cutting out rafters do, 2 men for sometime carting hay till rain {put} a stop to that operation, 3 ploughing & the others employd as last week.   Mr. Holland is confined to the house with a headache & Ouamtany is also laid up. Had a gang of Indians emptying the well at C{lover} point hollow. No trade worth noticing except 2 deer this morning from a Kawitchin.

 

      Tuesday 21st  Fine pleasant weather wind light from various quarters.  9 men were adjusting & putting up rafters in Store #5 & erecting scaffolding on do, the others as usual.   Mr. Holland still confined to his bed with an affectation of the kidneys & Ouamtany also still unwell.  4 deer & some dried fish were traded from Kawitchins, in furs only1 bear skin & 1 raccoon in cash $2 from Fort inmates.  

      Wednesday 22nd  Weather serenely beautiful with light variable winds.  The people employed as usual except Minie and Gagnon who were making cradles mowing wheat.  A ship was seen crossing this morning from P. Dis Covery which went in to Canal de Arro supposed to be H.M's. Ship Herald Captain Kellett. Mr. Holland still confined to his bed but Ouamtany got over his complaint & was today performing duty.  We had some of the Ft. furs aired & dusted to day as also one of the Vancr bales. 

      Thursday 23rd  Weather fine as yesterday. We had 11 bales of the furs brought by the Cadboro aired & dusted to day. Mr. Holland still unable to leave his bed, I had therefore to take Gagnon as Ass't. Store Keeper. Ouamtany and a gang of Indians turning & gathering up hay, Charpentier & Gabriel carting do. & the others as yesty except Coté & Kaau who were pit sawing.  

      Friday 24th   Overcast this morning & afterwards cleared up into a fine pleasant day. Operations same as yesterday. About noon the Cadboro arrived here from Ft. Langley with a load of wheat, pease, furs, &c, a skow load of which was discharged this afternoon. Mr. Holland still unable to leave the house. 8 small land otters were traded to day from a Kawitchin.  Captain Scarborough is still also unwell, so much so that he could not leave his ship to come on shore. 

      Saturday 25th  Fine weather with heat very oppressive.  The result of our operations this week are as follows: 102 boards 12 ft. long, 40 pieces 4 x 5 in 6ft long & 6 rafters 25 ft long sawn, the rafters put up on Store # 5 & 6, cradles reaping wheat made, hay cut & carted as usual, about 20 acres of new land ploughed & sundry jobs performed by Minie in the Shop & out side.  Late last night the Pandora arrived from Port Discovery and is now anchd at the entrance of the harbour.  Mr. Clavering & some of the officers were on shore to day amongst whom was the doctor who visited Mr. Holland. {word deleted} Had about 500 bus wheat dischd from the Cadboro

      Sunday 26th  Fine weather still continues, wind blowing fresh from the South West.  In consequence of a note reced this morning from Captn Kellett two horses with two men were sent to Cedar Hill to bring him & Lieut. Wood across.  The latter returned with the men but Capt Kellett deferred his visit until Tuesday. 1 ox has this evening been killed for the use of the Pandora & sent to that ship. 

      Monday 27  Weather same as yesterday.  All the Cadboro's cargo from Ft. Langley has this evening been discharged.  We began after breakfast to reap some of the spring wheat in ground during winter as an experiment being a little green but finding it to be too much so we discontinued the operation.  Late in the evening Mr. John Ross arrived from Victor Nisqually with letters from that place which give no information about the Cadboro’s destination.  He shall however proceed to Nisqually with the empty barrels & salmon for that place. 

      Tuesday 28  Warm weather.  About 11 A.M. the Cadboro left this {place} for Nisqually.  4 of the men planing shingles, 4 squaring, 2 ploughing & the others as usual.  Trade, 1 deer.  The Indians are now beginning to steal our potatoes & sell them to the ships. 

Wednesday 29th  Had a little rain this afternoon, wind blowing fresh from the South West.   Sent six hands this morning to a distance of about 8 miles to mow hay intended for the use of the Fisgard, 3 planing shingles, 4 pit sawing, 1 driving oxen, 1 carting hay, 1 clearing away rubbish from under the New Store & Allard putting up scaffolding roof of No. 5.  Several dollars were to day reced from the Ft. inmates for dry goods.  Snitlum & the Nisqually chief who arrived with Mr. Ross left this morning for Nisqually.  H.M's. Ship Herald is said to be at anchor at the entrance of the harbour. 

      Thursday 30th  Generally overcast, little or no wind.  [Kahouni] & Lecuyer, sick list.   Mr. Holland is also still confined to his bed.  Several officers of the Herald were to day on shore.  People employed much the same as usual. Goods were sold to day, principally to our people to the amount of about $40. 

      Friday 31st  Fine pleasant weather, wind light & variable. Captain Kellett with some of his officers were to day on shore & made some purchases out of the Shop.  Two oxen were to day slaughd for use of the Herald.   People employed as yesterday. 

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