; 16 The Fraser River Mines.

sh My sincere and earnest desire is to conduct myself with honour,
ap integrity, and usefulness; that course I have and will continue to
an pursue.
|

Mr. Hickson will give Your Excellency some valuable information.

i I have the honor to be
; Your Excellency’s
Most obt. Hble. Servt.

Ricwarp Hicks.
Wednesday night, Nov. 17, 1858.

Captain Whannell and Lady arrived this evening about five o’Clock.
Mrs. W. I very much like. She appears like a fine young English
Lady. The Captain is busy making his house arrangements. I have
afforded him every assistance.*

Is it Your Excellency’s desire that a Cottage residence should be
built for their use? if so, I should feel obliged for your assent.

To His Excellency the Governor of British Columbia.
May IT PLEASE Your EXCELLENCY:

I received your communication this morning dated November 11th.
I am deeply sorry that Your Excellency should be annoyed with
; continued complaints of my conduct. I assure you, Sir, as I live, they
| are entirely unfounded and false in every respect. As to dissipation,
which I presume means drinking, I must say that I never have been
in that state since I left England. I am much blamed by Gentlemen
here and elsewhere for not indulging more than I do. God knows, Sir,
I have had no time to devote to my own comfort. I have not entered
any gambling house since I have been in Fort Yale, on the contrary
I have been their greatest enemy.*®
With regard to the charges made against me by I. C. Hawley,
I have to state that a more scandalous and false accusation never was
before uttered and sworn to. I have from pretty good authority
learn’d that certain parties are doing all in their power to harrass and
cause disunion amongst the Officials appointed by Your Excellency, and,
Sir had I not taken a firm stand and combat’d all their base designs
they would have given our Government much trouble and inconve-
nience. I allude to their efforts to declare this an Independant Colony.

ag
S

ae Na iteaeitll,

: (47) “Captain ’’ Whannell was the resident magistrate at Yale. A i i
\ Australia, see the letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Ross dated May 9, 1859; and Sesion
in California, see Hicks’s subsequent letter, June 3, 1859.

(48) At the very time that this letter was written Whannell alleges that Hicks was dis-
gracefully drunk on the street of Yale and had to be taken home by the police, and that later
he was in a gambling-house acting very familiarly with its inmates. ‘See the third charge against

im, post, p. 75.