The following tariff of charges, collected by the _Times'_
correspondent, is now only valuable in a historical point of view, as,
under the healthy competition of the Californian merchants, prices have
already found their own level:--
"Canoes are very scarce; the price has risen from 50 dollars and 80
dollars to 100 dollars each. Many parties have built light boats for
themselves, but they did not answer."
"We have got up, but we had a hard time coming."
"Jordan is a hard road to travel; lost all our outfit, except flour.
Our canoe was capsized in the falls, and was broken to pieces. Six
other canoes capsized and smashed the same day near the same place.
Poor whites and two Indians belonging to these six canoes drowned."
Provisions high up the river are exorbitant of course, as they can only
be brought up in canoes requiring long "portages." Here's the tariff at
Sailor's Bar and other Bars:--"Flour, 100 dollars a-barrel, worth in San
Francisco 11 to 12 dollars; molasses, 6 dollars a-gallon; pork, 1 dollar
per pound; ham, 1 dollar 25 cents per pound; tea at one place, 1 dollar
per pound, but at another, 4 dollars; sugar, 2 dollars per pound; beans,
1 dollar per pound; picks, 6 dollars; and shovels, 2 dollars each.
There were no fresh provisions." I should have been greatly surprised
to hear that there had been.
"At Fort Hope there was nothing to be had but dried salmon."
"At Fort Langley plenty of black flour at 9 dollars a-hundred, and salt
salmon, four for 1 dollar." What lively visions of scurvy these
provisions conjure up! The acme of extravagance was not arrived at,
however, until the poor miner came to purchase auxiliaries to his
rocker. At Sailor's Bar "rocker irons were at an ounce of gold each (16
dollars), and at Hill's Bar, 30 dollars each." This "iron" is simply a
plate of thin sheet-iron, measuring 18 inches by 20 inches, perforated
with round holes to let the loose dirt pass through. I priced one of
them, out of curiosity, at a carpenter's shop in San Francisco this
morning--2 and a half dollars. In England this thing would be worth 2
shillings. At Sailor's Bar it would be worth 3 pounds, 4 shillings, and
at Hill's Bar it would fetch 6 pounds. Quicksilver was also
outrageously high, but not being of such prime necessity as "rocker
irons," didn't come up to their standard of value. At one place it was
sold at 10 dollars per pound; but at Fort Langley a man bought one
pound, paying 15 dollars for it, and had to carry it a great distance.
The price in San Francisco is 60 cents the pound (half-a-crown), and on
Fraser's River, 3 pounds. "Nails brought, from 1 dollar to 1 dollar 50
cents per pound. One lot of a dozen pounds brought 3 dollars, or two
bits a-nail," which, being interpreted into Queen's English, means 1
shilling a-nail! These are some of the outgoings which tax the miner's
earnings in a new unpeopled country; but these are not his only
drawbacks. "There being no boards to be had, we had perforce to go in
the woods and fell and hew out our lumber to make a rocker," causing
much loss of time. Then came the hunt for nails and for the
indispensable perforated "iron," which cost so much. But worst of all
the ills of the miner's life in New Caledonia are the jealousy and
audacious thieving of the Indians, "who are nowise particular, in
seizing on the dirt of the miners."
"The whites" being in the minority, and the Indians being a fierce
athletic set of rascals, "suffered much annoyance and insult" without
retaliating. What a trial to the temper of Oregon men who used to shoot
all Indians who came within range of their rifle as vermin in California
in 1848 and 1849!
The difficulties of access to the mines will soon be ameliorated, as
small steamers are to be put on the river, to ply as far up as the
rapids will permit them; but as to the Indian difficulties, it is much
to be feared they will increase until a military force is sent into the
country to overawe them. The prices of provisions and of mining tools
and other necessaries will soon be regulated by the competition of the
San Francisco merchants, and the miners will not be long subjected to
exorbitant rates. They have a vast advantage in the proximity of San
Francisco, abounding, as it does, in supplies for all their wants. When
I recall our early troubles and victimisings, I almost cease to pity the
victims of the "rocker irons," at 6 pounds a-plate. In 1849 I paid 1
dollar 50 cents for the simple luxury of a fresh egg. I might have had
one laid on the Atlantic board, or in Chile or the Sandwich Islands, for
less, it is true; but these required French cookery to "disguise" their
true state and condition, and I being then "fresh" myself was somewhat
particular. Even this did not cap the climax, for I paid a sum in
American currency equal to 16 pounds sterling for a pair of boots the
day I was burnt out by the first fire--in the same year. And such a
pair! They were navvy's boots, and worth in England about 15 shillings.
The New Caledonians must not complain, for we have endured more (and
survived it too) than they are likely to suffer.
TABLE OF DISTANCES FROM VICTORIA (VANCOUVER'S ISLAND) TO THE LOWER
PORTION OF THE MINES.
The estimates may be relied upon as very nearly correct.
+===================================================+========+
| |Miles. |
+---------------------------------------------------+--------+
|To mouth of Fraser River across the Gulf of Georgia| 90|
+---------------------------------------------------+--------+
|To Fort Langley (HBC posts on Fraser River) |25 to 30|
+---------------------------------------------------+--------+
|To Fort Hope (HBC posts on Fraser River) | 67|
+---------------------------------------------------+--------+
|To Fort Yale (HBC posts on Fraser River) | 12|
+===================================================+========+
Steam navigation is established throughout. The steamer _Surprise_
performed the trip from Victoria to Fort Hope in twenty-four hours; her
return trip occupied fifteen and a-half hours running time.