Judge Begbie. BS)

received applications from his friends for leases so early as the 15th
Octr., the first public intimations having been given on the 19th Octr.
He granted to one ditch company 500 inches of water on Hill’s Bar,
and then to another compy- (in which he was a partner) all the water
from the same brook beyond 200 inches. Notwithstanding his denial
of recording ditch claims, I find page after page of them. I submit
that the most proper means of satisfying town lessees whose claims
have been jumped wod. be by portions of his acre,** as far as it will go.
His ditch claim, wch I thought might be valuable, he has sold.

Another Indian was brought up to-day charged with murder of a
“ Boston man’”’®> last summer. But it appeared pretty clear that the
accuser, also an Indian, had got up the charge out of jealousy; and the
case was dismissed. He was from a tribe above the Big Cafion and the
only interpreter we could trust was Martin, a carrier Indian, Mr. Nicol’s
servant, who seems a first-rate fellow. I gave him a warning in
French, wch Martin interpreted in about ten minutes of a very elo-
quent harangue in such gutturals as I never heard, and as seemed really
very dangerous for his back teeth; the poor wretch, who had tried to run
for it at first, seemed quieted and impressed, and thankful to get off.

Sunday night. The mail has been hourly expected all day, but
has not arrived, and this mail, wch, by the bye, is said to be slow and
irregular, closes to-night—did in fact close last night.

Believe me,
Yours very truly,
Matt. B. BEGBIE.
To His Excellency the Governor.

(84) See on this subject Mr. Hicks’s claim to this land in his letter of May 18, 1859, ante,
. 19. He does not appear to have obtained it.
(85) Meaning, in the Chinook jargon, an American.