shingled. There was a saw mill built in 1846 at
Mill Stream, and ships’ ways were set up at
the end of Fort Street, a salt house to the
south, with stables just in front of the Royal
Victoria Theatre.

“The Puget Sound Agricultural Company
moved to Victoria about the same time as Chief
Factor James Douglas made Fort Victoria his
permanent headquarters; Macaulay Point farm
was established in 1849, Langford in 1851,
Viewfield and Craigflower in 1853.”

All of this, although prosaic enough to-
day, demonstrates that the corner of what
are now Bastion and Government streets of
Victoria is perhaps one of the most historic
spots in all British Columbia.

On the 13th of January, 1849, the British
government granted all Vancouver Island to
the Hudson’s Bay Company, in the hope of
encouraging settlement, the Company agree-
ing to bring out intending settlers in their
ships, open up coal mines, construct roads
and administer the new territory for the
Motherland.

newly arisen responsibilities like a veteran.
In 1858 he was made Governor of the
Crown Colonies of British Columbia and
Vancouver Island, and was sworn in at Fort
Langley on November 19th, 1858 by Judge
Begbie, whom Douglas in turn swore in as
Chief Justice of British Columbia. This was
perhaps Fort Langley’s greatest bid for fame.

In 1866 the two colonies were joined
under the common title of British Columbia,
and in 1871 Canada’s far western Province
entered Confederation.

Chief Factor James Douglas had served
the Hudson’s Bay Company and the Crown,
faithfully and well. Like Sir George Simp-
son he was more than a fur trader, he was
an Empire builder. In 1863 he was knighted
for his services and he died at Victoria in
1877, in the fulness of his years and honours

The name of the Douglas fir is often attri
buted to Sir James Douglas, but this is in-
correct. Douglas fir was named after David

Fort Camosun (Victoria), with Steamer “

In August of that year, Richard Blan-
shard was appointed first Governor of the
new Crown colony, although he did not
arrive at Victoria until the next year. Blan-
shard was disappointed with the new post;
this primitive settlement was not at all what
he had bargained for. There was not even
habitation for the Governor. He resigned
his post, and the next year Douglas became
Governor of the colony, and a legislative
assembly was established.

And then gold was discovered on the
Fraser River, and in a twinkling the whole
situation changed. Now was the need for a
firm hand and James Douglas faced the

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Beaver’ anchored in the harbour.

—Photo courtesy Provincial Archives, Victoria, B. C.

Douglas, a famous botanist who visited the
country in the early days, got acquainted
with many of the fur traders, and finally
lost his life in the Hawaiian Islands where
he was gored to death by a bull.

Dr. JOHN McLOUGHLIN

Names continually crop up in historical
material of this nature, but apart from the
allusion made to such individuals in the par-
ticular article, the reader is left high and dry
as to any further knowledge of the person
referred to.

In the foregoing story, repeated referen-
ces have been made to Dr. John McLoughlin,

James Douglas, and other important traders.
James Douglas has already been dealt with
here biographically. A few notes on Dr.
McLoughlin, Chief Factor Roderick Finlay-
son, may not be amiss here.

Dr. John McLoughlin, named by the
Indians, “White Eagle,” was born October
19th, 1784, at Riviere du Loup, 120 miles
from Quebec. His father was Irish, and his
mother apparently French-Canadian, but of
Scottish descent on her father’s side.

Dr. McLoughlin joined the service of the
North West Company in the capacity of
physician in the year 1807, soon after his
student days were over.

At the time of the Seven Oaks massacre,
in 1816, he was stationed at Fort William,
and was sent west to aid the Nor’ Westers
on the Red River.

As a physician and as a man, he was
strongly opposed to bloodshed and quarel-
ling. After the retaking of Fort Douglas,
he was among the captives sent down to
Eastern Canada. The boat on which he was
carried capsized and seven of its occupants

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BACK NUMBERS

There are a few back numbers (1, 2, °

and 6) of THE SHOULDER Strap still on hand.

These may be obtained by readers at 35c per

copy. Send stamps ot P.O. Later it will be

impossible to obtain copies, and these should
be held for binding.

Address: THE SHOULDER STRAP, 1015 Victoria Drive,

Yard Phone, 75

Vancouver, B. C.

Page Fifteen