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1850

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Fort Victoria Post Journal March 1849

1849 March

Thursday 1^st March. Had some more snow this morning with the wind from the North^d. The snow is now 8 ins deep on the ground which will bear hard on our cattle. Thomas arrived this afternoon from the Mill with a skow load of boards for the N{ew}. Estab^t. People & Indians employed at various jobs about the Ft.

Friday 2^nd Keen frost over night with clear weather throughout the day. Wind Northerly. Trade, a few raccoons & some articles of provision. Had two men for the last two days trying to get in some of the oxen last received from Nisqually for work but without success, they being so exceedingly wild that there is no getting near them. Cows with their calves are now being daily brought in.

Saturday 3^rd Very keen frost over night, weather beautifully clear throughout the day. Wind Northerly. The frost and snow having interrupted our ordinary operations this week nothing appears worth noting down here. The people were employed cutting & carting fire wood, thrashing grain with horses &c & hauling fence poles with oxen & bringing in wild oxen for training ∞ work ∞ the Mill. Scarf & Minie still on sick list.

Sunday 4^th Had some frost over night with clear pleasant weather till the afternoon, when it became overcast & mild with the wind light from the Eastward.

Monday 5^th The wind now appears to have veered round to the Southward & may expect a thaw. Had some rain in the afternoon. Sent Dupuis with two hands to prepare his Dairy & get things arranged there for milking the cows. Deroche thrashing grain with horses, two hands groving Granary plank. Trade unworthy of notice.

Tuesday 6^th Raining all day with a light breeze from the Eastward. People employed as yesterday as ∞ labor book. Some minks and raccoons were traded to day from Kawitchins. M^cPhail is daily bringing in cows with their calves & has now got 25. Dupuis will be ready to commence operations at his place tomorrow. Not having employment for the blacksmith for want of iron had him thrashing out grain with horses in the barn & his assistant groving plank for the Granary. Deroche, Minie and Scarf on the sick list, the former from a kick which he rec^d to day from one of the young horses.

Wednesday 7^th Blowing fresh from the South West & thawing. The Cadboro was taken along side the Salt Store Wharf this afternoon & 300 bus. salt shipped on board of her for Nisqually. Dupuis' cows that M^cPhail had at his Dairy, were taken over to the former's place to day & straw & other items carted over there. People employed as usual. Trade, some oil from Sanetch.

Thursday 8^th Had a heavy fall of snow over night. Weather clear and pleasant all day, wind variable. Had all the property packed for Nisqually shipped to day on board the Cadboro & she is now ready to sail for that place. No trade worth noticing.

Friday 9^th Keen frost over night & generally clear throughout the day, wind light and variable. Early this morning the Cadboro sailed for Nisqually, being her first trip this season. People employed at their usual occupations as ∞ labor book. No trade worth noticing. Minie whose leg does not appear to be getting better was sent to Nisqually by the Cadboro.

Saturday 10^th Had some frost over night, weather generally clear all day with the wind from the Eastward. The result of the week's labor at this place as follows: 100 bus. wheat thrash^d, 30 plank ∞ Granary flooring straight edged & groved, 20 acres of land ploughed & the mill complement of men same as last week. M^cPhail & Dupuis are daily bringing in cows with their calves, the latter with an Indⁿ ass^t is now stationed at his Dairy.

Sunday 11^th Had a heavy fall of snow over night with the wind blowing fresh from the South East, some snow fell in course of the day also with the wind blowing strong from the South West in the afternoon. Nothing remarkable.

Monday 12^th The snow still continues to fall, the wind blowing strong from the South^d & Eastward. Operations in hand as last week & people employed as ∞ labor book. Deroche on the sick list.

Tuesday 13^th Keen frost over night with fine clear weather all day, wind light and variable. People employed as yesterday. M^cPhail & Dupuis have taken some more cows with calves in to day. Nothing done in the way of trade.

Wednesday 14^th Keen frost over night which left a coating of ice over the harbour this morning. Wind light from the Northward & Eastward. People employed at their usual occupations. No trade worth noticing.

Thursday 15^th Frosty weather still continues, with the wind Northerly. Clear throughout the day. People employed at various occupations about the Establishment. M^cPhail has now got 26 cows with calves & Dupuis 17. One of the Nisq^y wild oxen, after much trouble was taken in to day & yoked. Had 4 ploughs under way ploug^g potatoe field.

Friday 16^th Blowing strong from the South West with weather generally clear. Operations in hand going on as yesterday. About 4 pm the B^qu Columbia made her appearance at Rocky point from England & the packet was got on shore at 8pm when we immediately set about preparing the papers for sending them on to Vanc^r via Nisqually. The tide not being suitable for entering the harbour the B^qu anchored for the night at p^t Ogden.

Saturday 17^th Fine pleasant weather but occasionally overc^t, wind Southerly. About 10 Am Thomas Ouamtany with a crew of six Indians left this {place} in a canoe with the English packet ~~and~~ for Nisqually & is to proceed with it direct to Fort Vancouver. The canoe was conveyed as far as p^t. Wilson by the ship's boat in charge of Mr. Nevin.

Sunday 18^th Blowing fresh from the South West with weather generally clear. The Rev^d Mr. Stains {Staines}who came out by the B^qu as Chaplain for the Company is lodged on shore here & performed divine service. Nothing remarkable.

Monday 19^th Blowing fresh from the South^d and East^d. Had some packages discharged from the Columbia in course of the day principally salt and other sundries from the Sand^h Islands. Mr. Nevin returned from p^t Wilson this forenoon, which he left yest^y about noon & left T{h}omas safely on his way to Nisqually with the packet.

Tuesday 20^th Overcast with occasional showers of sleet and rain, wind blowing fresh from the South West. Had two men preparing the Rev^d Mr. Stain{e}'s property for conveyance across the portage from Nisqually to Vanc^r which route he intends to take to the thither place. The others employed as usual. We could not land any thing to day from the Columbia the weather being too wet.

Wednesday 21^st Blowing strong from the South West over night which continued throughout the day with frequent showers of sleet & snow. Had two skow loads of goods discharged to day from the Columbia. Walker a blacksmith who came out by the Columbia resumed duty at this place last Monday. Beauchamp & him were employed to day making firesteels & half axes. No trade worth noticing.

Thursday 22^nd Blowing a gale from the South West & frequent showers of snow & hail which prevented our making much progress in discharging cargo. Only about 50 packages were landed to day. People employed much the same as usual. No trade.

Friday 23^rd Still blowing strong from the South West with showers of sleet & snow. During the interval between the showers we got about 70 packages landed from the Columbia. The dairy men continue daily to bring in the cows with their calves, Harvey and Crawford caulking the new boat & the rest of the people opening drains in the fields, disc^g cargo &c. No trade worth noticing. The Rev^d Mr. Stain{e}s abandoned his resolution of proceeding to Vanc^r via Nisqually & shall therefore remain here until the Columbia sails for Col^a River.

Saturday 24^th Weather to day milder than it has been for some time back Wind light from the Eastw^d. Several packages were landed this forenoon from the Columbia. The most of the people we have got here having been kept about the Ft. disch^g cargo. No results of our out doors' work this week appear worth noticing. About noon the Cadboro arrived from Nisqually & broug^t letters from that place & Ft. Vancouver. She brought as cargo some beef & shingles.

Sunday 25^th Overcast with the light winds. Winds from South^d & Eastward. The Rev^d Mr. Stain{e}s had divine service in the hall to day. No other occurrence worthy of notice.

Monday 26^th Overcast with heavy rain this afternoon, wind blowing fresh from the South East. Some packages were discharged from the Col^a and Cadboro in course of the day. People emp^d much the same as last week. Our horses & oxen are now become so much faded with incessant & hard work, that they are now fairly done up & as our provender is now getting scarce & Fenton intending to leave us soon, I gave orders to stop the Mill & put up its new gearing, which is to be regretted as there is now abundance of water in the Mill Stream. Minie who went to Nisq^y by the Cadboro for medical advice returned by the same vessel & circulat^d flattering accounts amongst our people of the fortunes some are realizing in Cali^f.

Tuesday 27^th Blowing strong from the South West all night & continued so all day with a shower of snow. Had several packages landed to day from the Columbia & 70 bbls discharged from the Cadboro & 400 bus. salt shipped on board of her for Ft. Langley. Late last night our interpreter arrived from Nisqually where he delivered the Eng^h packet safely to Dr. Tolmie. Harvey employed filling up Mr. Stain{e}'s room, Crawford making oars for the Cadboro & Scarth on the sick list.

Wednesday 28^th Blowing strong from the South West with sleet in the evening. Shipped all the packages we had on hand here for Langley on board the Cadboro, except the powder which will be sent on board to morrow. People employed much the same as yesterday.

Thursday 29^th Fine pleasant weather with light airs. Had a skow load of property landed to day from the Columbia & every thing for Langley shipped on board of the Cadboro. One of our oxen had been shot @ Clover point by some Indians, who quarrelled with the Songes yest^y. We had the meat taken to the Ft. Another of the oxen last brought from Nisqually was found dead having been overstrained in breaking him in.

Friday 30^th Mild weather with some rain in the evening, wind South East. Had a few packages landed from the Col^a. A courier arrived this forenoon from Ft. Langley & brought letters from Mr. Yale to the 16^th inst. giving an acc^t of the destruction of the most of his grain by fire last Nov^r, he also mentioned that Fraser's River was then blocked up with ice. The Cadboro will therefore remain here until Monday morning.

Saturday 31^st Mild weather with a fresh breeze from the Eastward. Our people having been kept this week also principally employed discharging and shipping cargo, very little else has been done. The mill gang was putting up the new gearing to the Saw Mill. One of the mill oxen was found dead this morning, caused no doubt by hard work & having but little to eat. Poor old Scarf is now quite blind & is consequently confined to the house, in fact he has been so for the last four months. We sowed a few seed in the garden this forenoon being the first this season.

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