BISHOP CRIDGE'S CHRISTMAS STORY.
Some years ago the _Colonist_ requested several "old timers"
to write for the Christmas number a description of Christmas as it
was observed in the early days in this city.
The following were those who wrote: The Venerable Bishop Cridge, Hon.
Dr. Helmcken, Hon. D. W. Higgins, and the author of these
reminiscences. I was so much interested myself in these stories (as I
am in all Christmas stories), I decided, with the consent of the
writers, to reproduce them in my book; not only as interesting, but
as very instructive, describing, as they do, life in the pioneer days
of the colony.
[Portrait: Rev. Edward Cridge, 1859.]
In essaying to write an account of my first Christmas at Victoria, I
am met at the beginning with the inconvenient fact that I kept no
journal, my only written records relating simply to my ministry or to
things purely personal or domestic. What I write, therefore, is not a
history, seeking materials from any and all sources of information,
nor a biography, dealing with the writer's proper business in life,
but a narrative of incidents occurring to memory, interesting to the
reader only because they refer to the early history of our beloved
city.
Another thing has to be considered, namely, that as, after fifty
years and more, the remembered incidents of a particular day or
season would occupy but a few lines to relate, such a season may
properly be regarded in relation to things going before and things
following after.
In this view, my memory carries me back to a very happy day, April 1,
1855, when the good sailing ship _Margius of Bute_, chartered by
the Hudson's Bay Company to bring its freight and passengers,
including myself as chaplain and district minister of Victoria, my
wife and servants, to this far-off island, calling at Honolulu by the
way, cast anchor off Clover Point, so terminating a voyage of about
six months' duration from London. The next day, having moved to the
inner harbor, we made our first acquaintance with several Victorians,
who came on board to give us and our _compagnons de voyage_ a
cordial welcome. That same morning we received an invitation from His
Excellency Governor Douglas to luncheon, who also sent a boat to take
us ashore; the boatman was good John Spelde, concerning whom I
curiously remember my wife telling me that her domestic, Mary Ann
Herbert, referred to him later in the day as the "man with the
fingers," he having lost three of those members in the firing of a
salute on some ceremonial occasion.
After the luncheon, never to be forgotten for the cordial welcome of
His Excellency and Mrs. Douglas and their interesting family, not to
say the delicious salmon and other delicacies after shipboard fare,
we were conducted to the Fort, which was to be our temporary abode
till the Parsonage, which then began to be built, should be finished.
I have no recollection of the impression produced on my mind as we
entered by the south gate the large square fenced in by tall
palisades and frowning bastions, only I am certain I had no fear of
being imprisoned in this stronghold of the great Adventurers; on the
contrary, I distinctly remember that as, proceeding past the central
bell-tower to our rooms, on the north side, east of the main
entrance, we entered the spacious, though empty, apartments
destined for our reception, my wife fairly danced for joy at our
release from the long and tedious confinement on shipboard. The very
emptiness of the rooms was a charm. It was the new home to which from
her mother's house in London only a few days before sailing together
to the other end of the world, I had brought her, and what bride does
not joy to see her work awaiting her, though the house be empty and
bare! With the help of our two servants, and local carpenters,
supplies from the Company's stores, and our ample outfit, she soon
effected a transformation.
I remember also, something of the evening and night of that first
day; the tea and fresh milk and bread and butter; and how, when
settling ourselves to sleep for the night, we saw a large white rat
crossing the stovepipe which ran through our bedroom from the great
Canadian stove in the sitting-room. It is curious how trifling things
cleave to the memory, while the monotonous things of everyday life,
which are our proper business, give no signal.
The next morning I was introduced to several officers and cadets of
the company messing at the Port: W. J. Macdonald, now our well-known
representative in the Senate; B. W. Sangster, Farquhar, Mackay,
Newton, Sangster (Sangster's Plains Postmaster), also to Chief Factor
Finlaison, who lived in a house in the southwest corner of the Port;
and Dr. Helmcken, now, for reasons of state, the Hon. J. S. Helmcken,
residing with his wife in the house which he still occupies; later J.
D. Pemberton, who returned from England, bringing his sister, Miss
Pemberton.
Looking back now to my first Sunday service, I have no recollection
of it as distinguished from other similar services to follow.
From my written records only I find that the text of my sermon on
the occasion was, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to
every creature," and that I referred in the conclusion to the Crimean
War just ended; but there is pictured in my memory the figure of a
man coming past the bell-tower with a prayer book under his arm,
"going to church." Him I was afterwards to know as good John Dutnall,
a dear and faithful friend to me as long as he lived.
The church services were held in the messroom. There was no
instrument and no organized choir. Of those whose voices contributed
to this part of divine worship I think only Mrs. W. J. Macdonald
survives.
As to my first Christmas Day, which this year ('55) fell on a
Tuesday, I can remember nothing of it as distinguished from other
Christmas Days to follow (more than fifty in number); but my records
say that my text was, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, goodwill towards men." But where we dined, what we had for
dinner, or how we spent the day, my wife might have told, but I
cannot. I know that we spent many Christmas evenings at the
Governor's very pleasantly, and this may have been, and probably was,
one of them. I remember that one New Year's Eve there was a violent
snowstorm, which hindered me from holding a service at Craigflower,
as I had intended, but my records show what I do not in the least
remember, that I preached at Craigflower on New Year's Day. I also
remember that by Christmas Day we had moved into the Parsonage, and
that my two sisters, who had arrived at Esquimalt from England, a
week before, were with us on that day. I remember a good deal about
the Parsonage in those early days. It was almost in the country.
As it was at first unfenced, my wife was often afraid at noises. One
night we heard a scraping, and she was sure that someone was breaking
into the house. I tried to persuade her that burglars did not
announce their presence in that open fashion. However, to reassure
her, I reconnoitred, and found it was only an old sow rubbing her
back against an old shed nearby.
The Parsonage ground was all wild, but the soil good, and as it was
my future home, the task of trying to make it a worthy appendage of
the district church was a pleasant one. My servant, James Ravey, was
a good gardener, but rather more inclined to the useful than the
ornamental. When my wife wanted to enlist his interest in flower
gardening, he remarked that the flowers he had liked best were
cauliflowers. However, she had her way, he nothing loath. Dr.
Helmcken liberally supplied us with a variety of flowers from his
well-kept garden, among which I remember daisies--not the wee,
modest, crimson-tipped flowers, but variegated beauties, gorgeous
through ages of culture. There was not a wild daisy in the country;
but now they are spreading everywhere, as if when left alone they
preferred their natural state. The Governor also took a kindly
interest in the work, offering valuable hints as to the planting of
fruit trees, etc. Mr. Work, of Hillside, also sent me a fine lot of
young ornamental trees, which flourished well. A good gardening book
was loaned me of the company--a long loan, I think, as I have
possession of it still.
So the garden, though nothing to boast of in the artistic point of
view, yielded abundance of fruit.
[Portrait: Bishop and Mrs. Cridge.]
But if it were pleasant to get into the Parsonage, it by no means
follows that life in the Fort was dreary; on the contrary, some
of our happiest hours were spent there. Besides my satisfaction with
the present and hopes for the future, coupled with the companionship
of one who had full possession of my heart and life, we were forming
and cementing friendships which were to endure for many a long year.
Not only this--there were pleasant musical and social evenings. There
were voices and instruments; Mrs. Mouat, with the piano brought out
with her from England; Mr. Augustus Pemberton, lately arrived from
Ireland with his flute; Mr. B. W. Pearse, with his violin; I did what
I could with my 'cello, the instrument my father had and played when
a boy.
It was also during those early days that we, my wife and I, had our
first experience of the Governor's delightful riding parties on
Saturday afternoons, when the officers of the Company and friends,
their wives and daughters, rode merrily across the country unimpeded
by gates or bars. I remember the first, when my wife, who did not
ride, had her first drive in the Governor's carriage--a homemade
vehicle, without springs, as befitted the times and the place; our
destination was Cadboro Bay, which we reached by a trail which,
beginning near the Fort, lay all through open country without a house
or field till we arrived at the Company's farm at that beautiful
spot; and though I cannot remember what we did there on that day, I
remember well that on many another day I had to send man and horse
there for meat for my family.
On another occasion our ride lying along the Saanich trail, when near
the North Dairy farm the Governor called a halt; a man stepped out
and fired up into a tree and a grouse fell dead; he reloaded and
fired up into the same tree again and another grouse fell dead.
I, if no one else in the party, was astonished at conduct so
different from that of birds in civilized countries. Whether it was
the proper time for grouse-shooting I know not, for I have no record
of the date, nor, indeed, of the occurrence. Perhaps the Natural
History Society might be able to explain why the second bird behaved
as it did. I think it was in the same ride that another halt was
called, it being reported that a bear was in a thicket near the
trail. All listened and looked, and when I remarked to the Governor
that I thought I heard the creature roar, His Excellency said, "Bears
do not roar!" I believe he was right, for though we read in both
versions of the Bible, "We all roar like bears," I have reason to
believe that the translation is incorrect, besides believing also
that the man whose life is largely spent in the wilds is more likely
to be right on such a point than the scholar in his study. Perhaps
the Natural History Society may throw some light on this question
also: "Do bears roar?"
In those early days there were frequently several men-of-war in
Esquimalt harbor at once. Being the only Protestant clergyman then in
the Island, I often visited them and had much pleasant intercourse
with the officers. But my memory serves me little as to particulars.
I find the following entries:
"Aug. 28, '55.--Attended a prayer meeting on board H. M. S.
_Trincomalee_."
"Sept. 9, '55.--_Trincomalee_ sailed and _President_
arrived."
"Oct. 28, '55.--The Reverend Holme, Chaplain of H. M. S.
_President_, preached for me in the afternoon at the Fort."
"Aug. 11, '55.--H. M. S. _Monarch_ arrived."
"Sept. 14, '56.--Mr. Green, Chaplain of the _Monarch_, preached
for me in the afternoon;" also "on Sept. 21." These last two
sermons were preached in the district church (called "Christ Church,"
after my church in London), it having been opened and divine service
held therein the month before.
"Aug. 30, '56.--The Governor went in the _Trincomalee_ to
Cowichan to demand the Indian who had lately shot a white man." The
wounded man was brought to the Fort, where I visited him. He
recovered and was sent away to be safe from the Indians' vengeance.
The Indian who shot him was delivered up by his tribe, was tried and
executed in their presence.
"Aug. 21, '56.--Held a prayer meeting at the Parsonage, with Mr.
Cook, the gunner, and Mr. Price, midshipman, both of the
_Trincomalee_.
"Aug. 24, '56.--Held a prayer meeting with Mr. Cook, of the
_Trincomalee_, in the Craigflower school-room."
From the above records it would appear that the _Trincomalee_
was in these waters over a year at this period. I think her presence
had to do with the Russian war. It was after Admiral Price shot
himself on account of some error he had committed in the war. I
remember the Governor saying to me one day, that he had received
instructions from the Home Government to build a hospital at
Esquimalt for some wounded sailors expected down from Petrapolowski,
but had not been told where the money was to come from. The hospital
was built, however, but I do not remember that any wounded were
brought; but I remember visiting afterwards a sick Victorian, who
died there. The present naval hospital is, I believe, the one I refer
to.
About this time I remember an American ship-of-war coming with a
United States Commissioner on board to settle with Governor Douglas
the boundary between the British and American territories on the
mainland, and his attending divine service in the district church,
and my including the United States President in the church prayers.
I remember also my wife's inviting Lieutenant Parry, of one of H. M.
ships, to stay a few days with us at our rooms in the Fort, he being
in delicate health and having just heard of the death of his father,
Sir Edward Parry, the celebrated Arctic navigator and explorer.
As the latter died in July, 1835, the visit referred to would be
shortly after this. I have still the gold pencil case he gave me as a
memento of his visit. He died not long afterwards, and I had some
correspondence in reference to the sorrowful event with Bishop Parry
(his brother, I think).
I remember also, though the names escape me, the captain of one of
the ships telling me a thrilling story of his recently finding the
remains of a Captain Gardiner and his party, who had been starved to
death on some shore in the neighborhood of Cape Horn, a tragedy which
caused widespread interest and pity at the time.
At this time there were no local newspapers. Mails were received from
England once a fortnight, fetched by canoe from the American side;
ships from England once a year. The opening of the annual box from
friends there was an exciting event to my wife. _The Otter_
(Capt. Mouat) was occasionally sent to San Francisco for requisites.
In the same vessel I remember our going with Governor Douglas to San
Juan Island, then in possession of the British, and Mr. Griffin, the
Company's officer in charge there, presenting my wife with a
beautiful fawn, which we brought back with us.
I know not what the population of Victoria might be at that
time, though I think two hundred would be the outside; the population
on the whole island being about six hundred. You could, I think,
count the houses on each of the four principal streets--Government,
Fort, Yates, Johnson--on the fingers on one hand. I only remember
three on James Bay side, to reach which, there being no bridge to
connect with Government Street, you had to go round by where the
Church of Our Lord now stands.
For reasons which will presently appear, I regard the Christmas
season of 1855 as the ending of a first chapter of the very
remarkable history of this province of British Columbia, to be
followed by another in the ensuing year destined to include events
which the most far-seeing at the time could not possibly have
imagined. I write simply as an observer, included, indeed, in the
great movement, but not, strictly speaking, a working part of it. A
time was coming, as we now know, when a flood of people was suddenly
to overflow our city, sweeping onward to and over the mainland like a
tidal wave from the great ocean of life; but whether it was by some
fortunate chance decree of an overruling Providence, it did not come
till the city was better than of old and prepared to deal with it.
The time had now come when the dual government--the _imperium in
imperio_--was to cease, and the people to stand in direct relation
to the sovereign. Influenced, as we have reason to believe, by
complaints of the settlers, it was decided by the Home authorities to
grant them a free constitution after the English model, so far as
popular representation was concerned. And so it came to pass that
within eight months after Christmas, 1855, the newly-elected
representatives of the people were, in the name of Her Majesty the
Queen, called together by the Governor in a room within the Fort,
and by him, with counsel and prayer, commended to the long-coveted
duties of legislation. Thus was a small shoot of an Empire
unsurpassed for the freedom of its subjects well and truly planted in
the western shore of the vast possessions of Great Britain, this side
of the provinces in the East, and now did the people, rejoicing in
their freedom, begin to look for expansion and progress. But with
what hope? What was the prospect of their reaching the conditions
which we see to-day?
[Portrait: Bishop Cridge.]
Looking at the more than twenty years it had taken to reach their
present population of six hundred souls; looking at the
inaccessibility of the Island to all but a few adventurous or wealthy
immigrants; allowing also full force to the new attraction of a land
whose people enjoyed the privilege of self-government; I think the
most sanguine in that day could not have expected such a result as we
see to-day in a less period than centuries to come. To us who know
what brought it to pass; to us who know that the real efficient cause
of the marvelous effect was the strongest passion and incentive to
adventure that ever actuated the mind of man, it all seems natural
and easy; but to the six hundred in 1856 it would have seemed a
dream. At the same time it must, I think, be admitted that such a
sudden inrush must have endangered, if not the independence, at least
the peace and order of the community on which it fell. For what, we
may ask, might have been the consequence if the cry of gold for the
picking up had been raised earlier, in the time, say, of the dual
government, when, as is well known, the people were discontented with
a government which, excellent as it confessedly was for the times,
had its own profit first of all to be considered, instead of
coming, as it did, to a people which, rejoicing in its newly-found
freedom, was not to be reckoned on for favoring any schemes of
wildness or riot? I do not suggest any danger of invasion or
overthrow of the government when hundreds of thousands of
gold-seekers from the neighboring country filled the streets of our
little city; England's far-reaching arm sufficed to cope with that;
but I do suggest danger to law and order afterwards. For this the
presence of warships in Esquimalt harbor could afford but slight
remedy. The remedy must be in the people themselves and in the
administration of law. A little leaven leavens a great lump, but in
this case the leaven of discontent being removed, the lump remained
uncontaminated. That this was how order was restored will appear from
what followed after the suppression of the disorder which broke out
among the miners at the beginning.
Mr. Augustus F. Pemberton, commissioner of police, was staying at my
house when, after he had gone to bed, a message came from the Chief
of Police that the town was in an uproar, and that the miners were
threatening to take the city. Mr. Pemberton immediately repaired to
the Governor's and reported. His Excellency's first impulse was to
fix on his sword; but he changed his mind and sent a messenger
express to order a gunboat from Esquimalt. Meanwhile Mr. Pemberton
went into the city and conferred with the miners till the gunboat
arrived, and thus ended the matter.
As I went with Mr. Pemberton to the Governor's house and to the city
on this occasion, I write as an eye-witness. I may say that my
impression is that there was no serious intention on the part of the
miners as a body to take the city by force. I knew too many of
them afterwards, of good and peaceable conduct, to think it. But it
was well that the disorderly among them should begin their education
in English law by this prompt display of force.
I now note a singular condition of things, as conducive to the
continuance and perpetuation of the order thus restored. The miners
at this time to the number, it was computed, of some ten thousand,
were encamped in the open spaces of the city, waiting for the most
suitable time for proceeding to the mainland in their search for
gold. I do not remember how long the time was that they waited, but
it was certainly some weeks. And what I wish emphatically to say is,
that this interval afforded them a unique opportunity of learning
what British law and order meant. Mr. Pemberton was their teacher.
Fearless, untiring and vigilant, he suppressed every disorder as it
arose. There was need.
A man was killed in a duel on Church Hill. Thenceforth it was at a
man's peril to be found with a revolver on his person, and so the
odious practice fell into disuse.
The effect of this practical education in obedience to law on the
thousands thus gathered together in one place can easily be imagined.
Not only did they become peaceable and orderly, and even friendly,
while here, even meeting in a body to hear the Governor's advice as
to their movements, but wherever they were scattered abroad on the
mainland, lawlessness was a thing unknown among them as a body, and
they wrought as if they remembered the Governor's parting words which
still seem to sound in my ears: "There is gold in the country, and
you are the men to find it!"
Thus I think it is plain that Mr. Pemberton was practically the real
exponent of British law and order in that arduous time. We do not
forget what is due on the mainland to Matthew Baillie Begbie, Chief
Justice, who dealt rigidly with offenders committed for trial before
him. His inflexible administration of the law struck terror into the
hearts of evildoers. Still less must we forget the man at the helm
and master of the ship, His Excellency Governor Douglas, who, by
his sagacity, penetration, and godly fear, coupled with his long
experience of personal rule over men, ever knew what to do and when
to do it.
Thus from Victoria went forth an influence for law and order
throughout the land, which will not soon pass away. Our little city
has ever been noted as being English in character and law-abiding in
conduct. May she remain so. She does well to rejoice and be thankful
for the natural beauties which so richly adorn her site. Let her also
so continue to follow the right, the good, the loving and the true,
that she may for this also be as a city set on a hill whose light
cannot be hid.
Regarding, as I do, the six hundred islanders with the patriotic
Governor at their head as the real foundation of the things to come
in the second chapter of their history, I have written from memory
such names as my position enabled me to become acquainted with at
that early period, intending to add them to this paper, but space
forbids.
And now I should earnestly desire to send my Christmas greetings to
the people of Victoria; first to the few dear old friends that remain
of the old Fort days, and next to those who have come later, from all
of whom I have received kindnesses which God alone can repay. May His
blessing rest on all and each one not only of our beloved city, but
on the whole of this our Province of British Columbia, for we are all
one, as the name imports.