BRITISH COLUMBIA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 71, 6 November 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

The following particulars gleaned from the passengers by the Alice Thorndike , will bo read with interest. At Victoria, Vancouver’s Island, all the passengers were landed in good health, only one accident having occnrcd during the passage, by which a man had his leg broken, but by the surgical skill of Captain Thorndyke, he made a good recovery. The township of Victoria is described by the diggers who have returned as being a very attractive and prosperous little city, rather excelling Dunedin in its natural situation, and in the public spirit exhibited in its improvements. From it they crossed Puget Sound to the coast ofllrilish Columbia, and thence proceeded to the Cariboo diggings which had attracted them to the country, and which have of late been exciting so much interest in the home country. Two routes are adopted to these diggings, either by Fraser River, which fine steamers arc now plying at cheap rates, or by a line of hikes and portages, which is the route more usually adopted. Dcyond the termination of these natural facilities for communication, the tracks arc described as being almost utterly impassable, preventing all access to the diggings except on foot, and even then the difficulties are so great as to render the diggings practically unapproachable. The distance altogether from the coast is between six and seven hundred miles, and for a considerable distance the track runs through almost impenetrable bush, and at so slow a level in the creeks that for miles the road is more than knee deep with mud. Everything in the shape of supplies is necessarily carried on the backs of men, who become'‘used up” after very few journeys. According to the description of the passengers by the Alice Thorndyke several of whom have had extensive experience in California, Australia, and Xew Zealand, (hey never were in a country characterised by such difficulties; even the worst parts of Xcw Zealand, they speak of as a mere trifle compared with the most accessible portions of country surrounding the Cariboo diggings. As a natural consequence of this, provisions, at the time the Xew Zealand diggers arrived there exceeded by threefold the prices which were recently so much the subject of remark on the opening of (he Dunstan digginsg. A more serious matter was the fact that, exceedingly rich as some of (he first claims had been there were not a score of claims being wrought, and the few thousands who had been attracted to the spot werorealisingnothing but the greatest disappointment, aggravated by very serious privations. Out of the original claims a considerable quantity of gold had been obtained and it was expected that, at the proper season, ninch more would again be produced ; but those who have returned by the Alice Thorndyke, do not anticipate, from their observation of the country, that it is at all a country richly and generally auriferous ; but, supposing it were, the winter season is so much of an Arctic character to the summer so brief, and the creeks so flooded during the summer by thy melting of the snow, that the working period of the year is absolutely limited to a few weeks. In consequence of all this, scarcely one of the Xew Zealand diggers remained on the ground, and all but those who were unable to return have either come back by the Alice Thorndyke, or were shipping by the Lady Youny, which also took passengers from this in the early part of (he year. On her return passage the Alice Thorndyke, touched at. tire Savage Islands, which - Captain Thorndyke considers to a very good place of call. There the vessel was surrounded by two of three hundred eanoes, the natives supplying freely

pigs and produce of the island, but it was with difficulty Captain Thomdykc got clear of the crowd ; and tour of the natives, who refused to go ashore, ho was obliged to bring on with him, and they are now on board. At present the Alice ThonulijJce lies just inside the Heads, having been towed there by the Lady Darkly, on Saturday forenoon. Her cargo consists of the well-known fine timber obtained on the Oregon , British Columbia, and Vancouver's Island coasts. —Otago Daily Times, Oct. 20.