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CORRESPONDENCE OF JUDGE BEGBIE FROM
JANUARY, 1859, TO MARCH, 1859.

LANGLEY,
Ist January, 1859.

To His Excellency James Douglas, Esq.,
Governor of British Columbia, etc.,
Victoria, Vancouver's Island.

Sir,—I would again bring before the notice of Your Excellency
most respectfully the present state of the town of Langley.

On Christmas Eve a man by the name of Joseph Miller went into
the house of Mr. W. B. Bolton, for the purpose of taking a drink as
he says, and that he had no sooner entered the house when he was
knocked down, and kicked in the face and severely cut about the head;
his trouser pocket containing $340 in dust was cut out, his watch cut
from the guard, and, in fact, the man was very much abused, and, as
far as I can learn, by a party of men who appear to have very little
means of obtaining a livelihood.

The same parties, I hear, have expressed their intentions of arming
themselves and going out for the purpose of killing the H.B. Co.’s
Cattle.t

I would also most respectfully inform Your Excellency that the
constant firing of pistols and guns is getting dangerous, particularly
during the night-time. The practice of gambling is becoming very
glaring, and to endeavour to prevent the same would, I fear, be useless.
There is also another daily occurrence; that of parties losing Boats
and Canoes up the River by having them stolen from them and brought
down here and sold; the rightful owners then claiming them. I have
endeavoured to the best of my ability to settle those which have come
before my notice, and even then my opinion has not given much satis-
faction to the parties concerned; and in this matter I am particularly
at a loss how to act.

In regard to the tax on cutting wood, at present I am unable to
collect any sum whatever ; parties cutting seem totally regardless of the
consequence and expenses of non-payment; and in my own opinion
I would most respectfully call the attention of Your Excellency to this
point, as when cases come to be tried parties who are guilty may excuse

(1) In the vicinity of Fort Langley the Hudson’s Bay Company had for over twenty years

carried on farming operations on a constantly increasing scale. Their cattle roamed over what is
now known as Langley Prairie.