himself. Judge Begbie was known for his quiet wit.
One tale told among the old timers is that the Judge
was trying a case of assault, and in pronouncing
judgment on the culprit, said, “And I fine you one
hundred dollars!” The prisoner, a bit smart, and
wanting to upset the dignity of the judge, replied,
“That's easy, I've got that in my pocket!” Judge
Begbie listened, and replied, “And six months in
jail, see if you have that in your pocket, too!”

In the summer of 1858, Governor James Douglas
appeared to deem the Fraser River gold discoveries
of sufficient importance to warrant an offcial visit.
He found that the Fraser was fairly swarming with
goldseekers. Fully ten thousand people were em-
ployed on the river and its tributaries. Their mining
methods were primitive; transportation was difficult.
Living expenses were high and great hardships were
being endured. Yet the rewards were immensely
tich. For instance, Governor Douglas found that at
Hill’s Bar in the Yale District, and near ihe present
town of Yale, some three thousand men were at work.
One man, with four assistants, was taking out $400.00
per day; another $32.00 a day out of ground which
had been washed to a depth of eighteen inches;
large numbers, many of them wholly inexperienced,
were making from $15.00 to $25.00 per day.

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