Richard Hicks. 21

Fort YALE, British CoLUMBIA,
June 3rd, 1859.

To His Excellency James Douglas, Esq., C.B., ete.
Governor of Vancouver's Island and British Columbia.

Srr,—Perhaps you are not aware that much of the discontent and
stampede from this Country or from the upper part of Fraser River is
on account of the incapacity of the Officials at the Forks and Lytton
City. Your instructions are not carried out. Tyranny and oppression
are practiced to the utmost extent. The Country can never be developed
under such men as Mr. Trevailott. According to miners’ statements
made to me, is that when application is made for water for fluming or
mining purposes they are charged a fee of one pound ten shillings for
recording, and then only a limited quantity of water, which deprives
other miners working on the same or adjoining ground. Miners cannot
afford to cut ditches miles long without a sufficiency of water to sell
to repay them for the immense outlay. The consequence is the flats
cannot be worked ; the mines lay dormant; the revenue suffers severely ;
hence the disaffection and stampede.

No men from any Country will be satisfied to stay in the mines
unless practical men are appointed over them as rulers. Mr. Travel-
lott is a man of gross intemperance. Mr. Townsand, a very respectable

-man residing here, told me a few days ago that Mr. Travelliott was
lying on the ground in his cabin unable to speak or take care of himself ;
his officers also, three in number, were in the same condition. This
is not the only instance he has been found in the same plight. I think
it my duty to inform Your Excellency because you are blamed publicly
for keeping such a man in office, and I would gladly avoid the News-
papers getting hold of the facts. No such man can have the goodwill
and confidence of those around him; in fact, he ought to be a good
example to his fellow-creatures.®

Another circumstance I will mention. Mr. Travillott has appointed
a notorious highway robber of the name of Brown to the office of Police-
man. This man was committed to Fort Yale for robbery and attempt
at murder last November. The prosecutor, however, was, I believe,
drowned in February last; hence the felon escaped.™

(59) Hicks is quite wrong. The origin of the advance into the upper mining regions was the
firm faith that the miners had that higher up the river rich diggings would be found; that the
fine gold found in the vicinity of Hope and Yale was but the “‘ tailings ’’ from the richer deposits
above.

(60) It is probable that there was more than a modicum of truth in the allegation of intem-
perance made against Travaillot; but we have here the fault-finding of a disgruntled man whose
incompetence and unfaithfulness had brought about his discharge. It seems likely, from Downie’s
“Hunting for Gold,’ p. 242, that Travaillot left the service shortly after this date.

(61) This would appear to be the same man as is mentioned by Governor Douglas in his
letter to Lytton, December 24, 1858. See B.C. Papers, Part IL, p. 46.