“In August, 1860, I entered Barclay Sound, on the western coast of Vancouver Island, with two armed vessels, manned by about fifty men, for the purpose of taking possession of the district now called Alberni. Near the beach was a summer encampment of a tribe of natives. In the morning I sent a boat for the chief, and explained to him that his tribe must move their encampment, as we had bought all the surrounding land from the Queen of England, and wished to occupy the site of the village for a particular purpose. He replied that the land belonged to themselves, but that they were willing to sell it. The price not being excessive, I paid him what was asked, — about £20 worth of goods, — for the sake of peace, on condition that the whole people and buildings should be removed next day.”
The savages — being ten to one of the English, with their
faces blackened — made resistance, with bold threats, but
concluded to move off when their attention was called to
the cannon on the vessels. Sproat visited and saluted them
in their new resting-place, and the chief said to him: —
“Our families are well, our people have plenty of food; but how long this will last we know not. We see your ships, and hear things that make our hearts grow faint. They say that more King George men will soon be here, and will take our land, our firewood,our fishing-grounds; that we shall be placed on a little spot, and shall have to do everything according to the fancies of the King George men.” Sproat replied that more King George men were coming, but that the land would be bought at a fair price. The chief rejoined, “We do not wish to sell our land, nor our water: let your friends stay in their own country.” Sproat said: “My great chief (Victoria), the high chief of the King George men, seeing that you do not work your land, orders that you shall sell it. It is of no use to you. The trees you do not need; you will fish and hunt as you do now, and collect firewood, planks for your houses, and cedar for your canoes. The white man will give you work, and buy your fish and oil.” — “But we don't care to do as the white man wishes,” said the chief. “Whether or not,” replied Sproat, “the white man will come. All your people know that the whites are your superiors. They make the things which you value. You cannot make muskets, blankets, or bread. The
