I think the Indians-or Si-washes,' as they are called here, a name derived from the French sauvage— of Vancouver's Island are, with the exception of the Diggers, dirtier and wilder-looking than any I have seen; but they give very little trouble, and are quiet and contented, so long as they have a coloured blanket to dress in. I used to be much amused with one of them, whose ideas were evidently far grander than those of his neighbours, as he always paraded up and down the streets in a full suit of naval uniform, including a cocked-hat and feathers. Both the uniform and the hat he had embellished with more gold lace than could possibly have fallen to the share even of the Lord High Admiral in the days of Queen Elizabeth; but it added considerably to the respect he inspired among his tribe. His proud martial appearance was, moreover, heightened by floating streamers of red riband with which he decorated his long black greasy hair, and which at a distance gave him the appearance of a drunken recruiting sergeant, who had dressed himself in the wrong uniform, and hung himself out as a

scare-crow.

The Australians have a superstition that boring the ears of children is sure to give them large and beautiful eyes. The Indians, I think, must have the same idea, with the addition that boring their noses will give them large and beautiful mouths.

They have undoubtedly succeeded as far as size goes, but their beauty may be questioned, and I do not think anyone who has ever seen these people could answer the question, Who can tell where the lips end or the smile begins?'

Victoria, and indeed British Columbia in generalthat is, as far as my very limited experience goes-is most hospitably inclined: everybody seems glad and willing to do the honours of the country to strangers, and you are seldom at a loss for pleasant companions for shooting excursions and trips of all sorts up the coast and across to the mainland. One of the pleasantest expeditions we made was up the Fraser River. But I must reserve that for another chapter.

CHAPTER XX.

UP THE FRASER.

New Westminster-Stumps-Halcyon days-Fishing-A pantherFerns-Sal-lal-Burrard Inlet-Steam saw-mills-Up the FraserAnonymous gifts-Providence-Wood-cutters-Hope-A silver-mine -Rapids-Yale-Hudson's Bay Company-Christianised Indians— Missionaries-A waggon-road-A trail-Fatal accident-Hell's Gate -Suspension-bridge-Scenery to Boston Bar-Indian larders-Salmon -Fishing establishments-Boundary line-Haro Straits-The Driard House-British Columbia.

THE Gulf of Georgia, which we had to cross before reaching the mouth of the Fraser River, is flecked all over with lovely islands, thickly wooded, and in many places affording rich pasture-land. The beauty of this archipelago is best seen when coasting up Vancouver's Island towards Nanaimo and Comox, an excursion we were to make after our return from the Fraser. The angle at which we crossed the Gulf made the distance about fifteen miles; and as a strong wind was blowing and there was a heavy swell, the passage bore a most unpleasant resemblance to that between Dover and Calais.

The entrance to the Fraser is graced by immense mud-flats, which are connected with rich bottom-lands

extending far into the interior, and forming a delta of great agricultural importance. New Westminster, the capital of British Columbia, and the only town on this delta, is situated very picturesquely at a distance of about twenty miles from the mouth of the Fraser and seventyfive from Victoria. It was dark when we arrived; so we could, therefore, form no opinion of the merits of the town till the following morning. Then the feeling was forced upon us that a more desolate, forsaken-looking place we had never seen.

The site is a splendid one: a magnificent stretch of the river, with gently sloping hills rising behind the town, and covered with fine forests. But close round the town the huge cedars and pine trees have been cut down or burnt, and the huge blackened stumps give it a very dismal, neglected appearance. These stumps are left standing in every direction, in the straggling streets, around the church, and in the ill-kept gardens. The houses for the most part are empty, and ruin and decay are the chief features (besides the stumps) of this now 'deserted village.'

Once it was a gay, flourishing little town, with plenty of society and amusements; but that was in the 'golden days,' when the Government House was occupied, when sappers and Marines filled the little barracks, and nuggets rolled down from the mines of Cariboo. The energy and varied talents of one man alone keeps New

Westminister from fading away into utter oblivion. He is magistrate, captain of the Volunteers, general authority on Government matters, school inspector, and town-councillor; he plays the harmonium in the church, attends to church business, manages the school feasts, rings the church bells,' and in fact is the presiding genius of the place. He put his house at our disposal as headquarters during our visit, and turned what would otherwise have been rather a melancholy sojourn into an extremely pleasant one. There are only two walks in New Westminister; one goes to Burrard Inlet, and the other follows the bank of the river to an old rifle range, and crosses the Brunette, a small stream that runs into the Fraser. In this stream we one day saw a number of large trout and white fish; so a day's fishing was arranged, which resulted in a perfectly empty bag, the fish, as usual, declining a fly, and even the ground-bait which we temptingly displayed. We were gratified, however, by the sight of a big panther which walked out of the wood and across the road close to us. It would have been a capital shot, as it moved along quite slowly and gracefully, never even turning his head to look at us; but, of course, I had not my gun with me, and if I had had it I should most probably have seen a fish walking across the road.

1 This peal of bells was originally intended for the church in Victoria, but by mistake it was sent from England to New Westminster, where it has remained ever since.