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Fort Victoria Post Journal June 1849

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1849 June

      Friday 1st June.  Overcast with a little rain, wind Southerly.  About 10 Am Mr. McNeill with the Indians who left with him arrived from Nisqually where he left Mr. Douglas, who is to take his passage on the Cadboro for this place. Some of the passengers Harpooner landed to day & are employed fitting up lodgings for themselves within the Fort. 

      Saturday 2nd  Generally overcast with a warm and refreshing shower of rain.  People employed principally taking in cattle for the Inconstant. Poles have been hauled out of the woods this week for a calf park at Dupuis' Dairy.  Some four or five of our men have erected lodgings for themselves within outside the Ft. to make room for the passengers to be landed here from the Bqu Harpooner.  In the evening all the passengers were landed & took up their lodgings on shore, except Dr. Benson who remains on board until his room is fitted up on shore. 

      Sunday 3rd  Fine warm weather. Had a larger congregation at church to day than usual, all the emigrants having attended. 

      Monday 4th  Fine weather with a strong breeze from the South West in the afternoon.  All our transactions with the Inconstant were settled to day & that vessel left about two p.m. for Valparaiso.  A few packages were landed to day from the Harpooner & the work of discharging seems to go on but slowly on board.  Several Tlalums and Cape Flatteries arrived in course of the day.  We intended to have sent Thomas with the Indians this morning to erect a park for the calves at Dupuis' Dairy, but the Indians would not go, a report having spread amongst them that Tsoughelum was in the neighbourhood, watching for some of them. 

      Tuesday 5th  Clear weather with a fresh breeze from the South West.  People employed principally discharging cargo.  No trade in furs, but sold some goods for cash to our people.  Mr. Muir & party were to day employed preparing tools for excavating a rock at the Salt Store where we intend making a slip for hauling up vessels for repairs and making the new vessel.  Yates has been employed with the other carpenters repairing the skows.  Captain Grant's men will be employed tomorrow, a few days having been allowed them after such a long voyage. 

      Wednesday 6th  Beautiful weather with light variable airs.  People employed as usual, discharging cargo.  About 2 pm. the schooner Cadboro arrived from Nisqually with Mr. C{hief} F{actor} Douglas' family, a french Padre, Mr. Mcarthur & some men as passengers.  Some horses, a bull & some few sheep were taken on as cargo.  Trade, 1 sea otter from a Cape Flattery Indian. 

      Thursday 7th Fine pleasant weather with light variable winds.  People employed about various operations about the Establishment.  Trade unworthy of notice. 

      Friday 8th  Generally overcast with a fresh breeze from the South West.  People employed squaring sills for a new office, shipping ballast on board the Harpooner, coopering salmon barrels, &c.  The men who came out for Captain Grant were engaged to day for the company's service. 

      Saturday 9th  Had heavy rain over night, fine pleasant weather throughout the day, wind South East.  The principal results of our week's labor is having discharged a considerable portion of the Harpooner's cargo.  People variously occupied.  No trade in furs.  The miners are employed preparing a slip for hauling up & launching vessels for repairs. 

      Sunday 10th  Beautiful weather with light variable winds.  This day passed away as usual. 

      Monday 11th  Fine clear weather, with light variable winds.  People employed at various jobs about the Establishment: discharging cargo from the Harpooner &c.  No trade worth noticing. 

      Tuesday 12th  Fine pleasant weather with a light breeze from the South West.  People employed as yesterday building the office, discharging cargo, &c.  No trade of any consequence. 

      Wednesday 13th  Pleasant weather but became overcast in the evening, wind southerly.  Munroe who has been engaged as gardner was to day employed with two men trenching the ground in the orchard, the others employed as usual.  Every thing for Nisqually is now shipped on board the Cadboro & that vessel is now ready to sail.  Had to send for more ballast this afternoon for the Harpooner.  

      Thursday 14th  Raining heavily over night & continued more or less throughout the day,  wind variable.   Early this morning the Cadboro left for Nisqually.  Received no cargo to day from the Harpooner except a skow load of bricks, as we had to send for some ballast for her to the entrance of the harbour.  People employed as usual. 

      Friday 15th  Had some rain over night, fine pleasant weather throughout the day, wind from the Southd and Westward.  People empd principally building the office & discharging cargo.  Seven of our men are at present on the sick list, with influensa and other complaints.  Trade unworthy of notice. 

      Saturday 16th  Had some more rain this afternoon with the wind from the Southward & Eastd.  People employed principally as usual. The most of our people having been for the greater part of the week on the sick list no great result of labour appears for this week.  The cargo has been discharged from the Harpooner, the frame work of the office fitted & put up & sundry other operations performed about the Establisht.  No trade worth noticing. 

      Sunday 17th  Fine clear weather with a light breeze from the South West. Nothing remarkable occurred. 

      Monday 18th  Weather clear & pleasant as yesterday with a strong breeze from the Southd and westward.  People employed shipping goods on board the Harpooner for Columbia River, building the office, &c.  No trade worth noticing.  Five of our men are still on the sick list with the influensa and other ailments.  The miners are employed leveling down the rocks at the Salt Store for a slip for ship building. 

      Tuesday 19th  Beautiful weather with a strong breeze from the South West attended with a slight shower of rain.  People employed as usual.  Mr. Douglas and myself paid a visit to day to the mill party, some of whom we found ill with the prevailing complaint. Coté & two men being all we found at work were employed putting up a park for some cows we intend sending there & sawing some pieces for buildings.  There are some packages still remaining unshipped on board the Harpooner for Columbia River almost all the crew of that vessel having been away for water assisted by some of our hands.  No trade of any consequence. 

      Wednesday 20th  Fine pleasant weather with light variable airs.  People employed as usual.  Some Cape Flattery Indians arrived in course of the day & brought 30 gns. oil for trade & some sea otters & other furs. 

      Thursday 21st  Fine pleasant weather but occasionally overcast, wind light from the South West.  The people employed much the same as yesty.  2 large sea otters & 30 gns. oil were traded this forenoon from the Cape Flattery Indns.  All the mill men are on the sick list with the exception of two who are employed repairing the dam. 

      Friday 22nd  Weather still continues fine and pleasant with light variable airs.  People employed at various jobs about the Establishment.  2 bear skins & other trifles were traded from Tlalums.  Several of our people are still laid up with the influensa. 

      Saturday 23rd  Beautiful weather as yesterday with light variable airs.  People employed at various jobs as labor book.  The principal result of the week's work is as follows: a quantity of ballast shipped on board the Harpooner & goods shipped on board of her for Cola River, various articles of furniture made by the carpenters & the office put up & weather boarded & sundry other jobs performed about the Ft. and farm.  No trade in furs, but sold goods for cash to the amt of 150 dollars. 

      Sunday 24th  Weathers still continues fine & pleasant.  Nothing remarkable. 

      Monday 25th  Fine weather & blowing fresh from the South West.  Early this morning the Harpooner got under weigh, but soon afterwards by some mismangt or other got upon a rock in the Harp harbour along side of a buoy placed up and which detained her there all day.  People employed the same as usual, as labor book.  Sent three hands to the Mill to day with 15 cows to remain there with the American bull lately imported from Nisqually.  Four m deer were to day traded from the Songes, the first they have brought us for some time back. 

      Tuesday 26th  Weather generally overcast with some light refreshing showers.  Early this morning the Bqu Harpooner left for Columbia River & was out of sight at Rocky point about 2 pm.  The people employed much the same as usual.  Two canoes of Cape Flattery Indians arrived in course of the day but brought little for trade.  Supplied the Sale Shop to day with sundry articles to complete the Coast Servant's Orders. 

      Wednesday 27th  Overcast with rain, which began pouring pretty heavily in the evening.  People employed much the same as usual except Deroche who was employed with two Indians emptying the well.  No trade in furs worth noticing. 

      Thursday 28th  Warm weather with slight drizzling rain, wind light from the South East.  People employed variously as labor book, hoeing & weeding potatoes, making various articles of furniture.  Some few furs were traded from some Nitinat Indians who arrived last night by way of Kawitchin.  Faita's wife who departed this life this morning was this evening consigned to the tomb. Had the greater part of the Ft's. Simpson & Stikine Orders packed to day. 

      Friday 29th  Fine clear weather with a strong breeze from the South West.  People employed much the same as usual, as labor book.  One of the men who had deserted from the Harpooner came to the Establishment yesterday and reported himself.  He was of course delt with according to law in such cases, by being confined in prison. No trade worth noticing.  We are now making up the Servants' Orders for the NW Coast to be in readiness for shipment on the Bqu Columbia when she arrives. 

      Saturday 30th  Occasionally overcast with a strong breeze from the South West attended with a shower of rain.  The result of the week's labor is principally as follows: the potatoe field nearly weeded & partly hoed, the two sides of the office weatherboarded & some improvements affected about the Mess House, the Coast Servant's Orders packed & wheat ground for the week's rations.  No arrivals & no trade worth noticing. 

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