CHAPTER IV.
"THE MOTHER OF GOLD."
From Victoria to the mouth of the Frazer river is about seventy miles,and thence to New Westminster is at least another sixteen. As thesteamers which used to ply between the two young cities in '62 were byno means ocean racers, none of the passengers on board the S.S._Umatilla_ were in the least degree disappointed, although the shadowsof evening were beginning to fall before they passed the Sandheads, andran into the yellow waters of the Frazer.
Very few of those on board had eyes for scenery. A rich-looking bar ora wavy riband of quartz high up on a mountain-side would have attractedmore attention from that crowd than all the beauties of the Yosemite,and even had they been as keen about scenery as Cook's tourists, therewas but little food for their raptures in the delta they were entering.The end of a river, like the end of a life, is apt to be ugly and dull,and the Frazer exhibits no exception to this rule. Child as she is ofthe winter's snows and the summer's sun, she loses all the purity of theone and the gleam of the other long before she attains her middlecourse, and at her mouth this "mother of gold" is but a tired, dull, oldriver, sordid and rich with golden sands, glad, so it seems, to slip byher monotonous mud-banks and lose herself and her yellow dross in thepurifying waters of the salt sea.
As Corbett gazed upon the wide expanse of dun-coloured flood, he saw nosign even of that savage strength of which he had heard so much, exceptone. Far out, and looking small in the great waste of waters, was astranded tree--a great pine, uprooted and now stranded on a sunken bank,its roots upturned, its boughs twisted off, and its very bark torn fromits side by the fury of the riffles and whirlpools of the upper canyons.To Corbett there was something infinitely sad in this lonely wreck,though it was but the wreck of a forest tree. Had he known the greatsullen river better he would have known that she brought down manysadder wrecks in those early days--human wrecks, whose wounds were notall of her making, though the river got the evil credit of them.
As it was, the first sight of the Frazer depressed him, and hisdepression was not dispelled by the sight of New Westminster. The ideaof a new city hewed by man out of the virgin forest is noble enough, andwhilst the sun is shining and the axes are ringing, the life and energyof the workers makes some compensation for the ugliness of their work.But it is otherwise when the sun is low and labour has ceased. Then"Stump-town" seems a more appropriate title than New Westminster, and anew-comer may be forgiven for shuddering at the ugliness of the newframe-houses, at the charred stumps still left standing in the mainstreets, at the little desolate forest swamps still left undrainedwithin a stone's-throw of the Grand Hotel, and at all the baldness andbeggarliness of the new town's surroundings. To Ned Corbett it looked asif Nature had been murdered, and civilization had not had time to throwa decent pall over her victim's body. Certainly in 1862 New Westminstermight be, as its citizens alleged, an infant prodigy, but it was not apicturesque city.
However, as the S.S. _Umatilla_ ran alongside her wharf, a voice rousedCorbett from his musings, and turning he found Cruickshank beside him.
"What do you think about camping to-night, Corbett?" asked the colonel."It will be rather dark for pitching our tent, won't it?"
Now, since the poker-playing incident Corbett had not spoken toCruickshank. Indeed he had not seen him, and he had hardly made up hismind how to treat him when they met. That Cruickshank had a good manyobjectionable acquaintances was clear, but on the other hand there wasnothing definite which could be alleged against him. Moreover, for thenext month Ned and the estate-agent were bound to be a good dealtogether, and taking this into consideration, Ned decided on the spurof the moment to let all that had gone before pass without comment.Cruickshank had evidently calculated upon Corbett taking this course,for though there had been a shade of indecision in his manner when hecame up, he spoke quietly, and as one who had no explanations to make orapologies to offer.
"Yes, it is too dark to make a comfortable camp to-night," assentedCorbett. "What does Chance want to do?"
"Oh, I vote for an hotel," cried Steve, coming up at the moment. "Let usbe happy whilst we may, we'll be down to bed-rock soon enough."
"All right, 'the hotel goes,' as you would say, Steve;" and together theyoung men followed the crowd which streamed across the gangway to thewharf.
There the arrival of the S.S. _Umatilla_ was evidently looked upon asthe event of the day, and a great crowd of idlers stood waiting for thedisembarkation of her passengers; and yet one man only seemed to bethere on business, the rest were merely loafing, and would as soon havethought of lending a hand to carry a big portmanteau to the hotel asthey would have thought of touching their hats.
This one worker in the crowd was an old man in his shirt sleeves, whocaught Ned by the arm, as he had caught each of his predecessors, assoon as his foot touched the wharf, and in a tone of fatherly commandbade him "Go up to the Mansion House. Best hotel in the city. It's theminers' house," he added. "Three square meals a day every time, anddon't you forget it."
Ned laughed. The last recommendation was certainly worthy ofconsideration, and as no one else seemed anxious for his patronage heturned to Cruickshank with, "Is it to be the Mansion House?"
"Oh yes," replied the latter, "all the hard-fists stay with Mike."
"How long do you mean to stay here anyway?" asked Chance.
"Four or five days,--perhaps a week," replied Cruickshank. "There is aboat for Douglas to-night, but we could not buy the horses and thestores so as to be ready in less than a couple of days."
"That is so. We shall have to stay a week then?" asked Steve.
"Unless you like to intrust me with the purchase of your train. I couldhire a man to help me and come on by the next boat if you wantparticularly to catch this one--"
The eyes of Corbett and Chance met, and unluckily Cruickshank saw theglance, and interpreted it as correctly as if the words had been spoken.
Corbett noticed the flush on the man's face and the ugly glitter in hiseye, and hastened to soothe him.
"Oh no, colonel, it is deuced good of you," he said; "but we wouldrather wait and all go together. We are looking to you to show us a gooddeal besides the mere road in the next six weeks. But what are we to dowith our packs now?"
"We can't leave them here, can we?" asked Chance, pointing to wheretheir goods lay in a heap on the wharf.
"I don't see why not," growled Cruickshank; and then addedsignificantly, "Murder or manslaughter are no great crimes in the eyesof some folk around here, but miners are a bit above petty larceny;" andso saying he turned on his heel and left Chance and Corbett to shiftfor themselves.
"Better take care what you say to that fellow," remarked Corbett,looking after the retreating figure; "although I like him better in thatmood than in his oily one."
"Oh, I think he is all right; at any rate you won't want my help tocrush him, Ned, if he means to cut up rough."
"Not if he fights fair, Steve; but I don't trust the brute--I neverdid."
"Just because he plays cards and calls himself a colonel? Why, everyoneis a colonel out here. But to blazes with Cruickshank anyway. Come andget some grub."
And so saying Steve Chance entered the principal hotel of NewWestminster, down the plank walls of which the tears of oozing resinstill ran, while the smell of the pine-forest pervaded the whole house.
The "newness" of these young cities of the West is perhaps beyond theimagination of dwellers in the old settled countries of Europe. It ishard for men from the East to realize that the hotel, which welcomesthem to all the comforts and luxuries of the nineteenth century, wasstanding timber a month before, that the walls covered with paper insome pretty French design, and hung with mirrors and gilt-framedengravings, were the homes of the jay and the squirrel, and that theformer tenants have hardly had time yet to settle in a new abode.
And yet so it is: we do our scene-shifting pretty rapidly out West, andthough there may not be time to perfect anything, the general effect iswonderful in the extreme.
The Westminster hotel was a gem of its class, and even Ned and Steve,who had become fairly used to Western ways, were a little aghast at thecontrast between the magnificence of some of the new furniture and thesimplicity of the sleeping accommodation, as illustrated by the rows ofminers' blankets neatly laid out along the floor. Luckily Cruickshankhad cautioned them to take their bedding with them, or they might havebeen obliged to pass a cheerless night in one of the highly-gildedarm-chairs, which looked as comfortless as they were gaudy.
The old tout upon the wharf, who owned what he advertised, had notmisrepresented his house. As he had said, the meals were square enougheven for the hungry miners who swarmed around his board, and though itwas dull to lie upon their oars and wait, Steve and Ned might have foundworst places to wait in than the Mansion House. For at Westminster adelay arose, as delays will the moment a man begins packing or touchescayuses out West. Of course there were a few horses to be bought, butequally, of course, everyone in the city and its suburbs seemed to knowby instinct that Corbett & Co. were cornered, and must buy, however badthe beasts and however high the prices.
An old Indian, one Captain Jim, who with the assistance of all hisfemale relatives used to pack liquor and other necessaries to the mines,had part of an old train to sell, horses, saddles, and all complete, andfor the first three days of their stay at Westminster Corbett & Co.expected every minute to become owners of this outfit. But the businessdragged on, until the noble savage upon whom they had looked as the typeof genial simplicity had become an abomination in their eyes, and theyhad decided to leave the management of him to Cruickshank, resolvingthat if the train was not bought and ready to be shipped on the nextboat to Douglas that they would go without a pack-train altogether. Inthe meanwhile they had to get through the time as best they could,assisted by the Cariboo poet, who had stayed on like themselves atWestminster.
To Chance this was no hardship; what with a little sketching, a littlepoker, and a great deal of smoking, he managed to get through the dayswith a good deal of satisfaction to himself. As to Ned, the delay andinaction disgusted him and spoilt his temper, which may account in somemeasure for an unfortunate incident which occurred on the second day ofhis stay at the Mansion House.
As the day was hot and he had nothing to do, the big fellow had laid outhis blankets in a shady corner and prepared to lie down and sleep theweary hours away. Before doing so he turned for a minute or two to watcha game of piquet, in which Roberts appeared to be invariably "piqued,repiqued, pooped, and capoted," as his adversary, a red-headed Irishman,announced at the top of his voice.
Tired of the game, Ned turned and sought his couch, upon which twostrangers had taken a seat. Going up to them, Ned asked them to move,and as they did not appear to hear him he repeated his request in alouder tone. Perhaps the heat and the flies had made him irritable, anda tone of angry impatience had got into his voice which nettled the men,one of whom, turning towards him, but not attempting to make room,coolly told him "to go to blazes."
As the man turned, Ned recognized him as Bub Cruickshank, the brotheror cousin of the Colonel; but it needed neither the recognition nor thelaugh that ran round the room to put Ned's hackles up.
Without stopping to think, he picked up the fellow by the scruff of hisneck and the slack of his breeches and deposited him with the leastpossible tenderness upon an untenanted piece of the floor.
Before he had time to straighten himself, the dislodged Bub aimed afurious kick at Ned, and in another minute our hero was in the thick ofas merry a mill as any honest young Englishman could desire. Time aftertime Ned floored his man, for though Bub knew very little of the use ofhis hands he was a determined brute, and kept rushing in and trying toget a grip of his man at close quarters, and, moreover, it was a case ofone down the other come on, for as soon as Ned had floored one fellowand put him _hors de combat_ for a short time, his companion took up thebattle.
"Take care, Corbett,--take care of his teeth!" shouted Roberts all atonce; and Ned felt a horrible faint feeling come over him, robbing himfor the moment of all his strength, as Bub fastened on his thumb.
For a moment the Shropshireman almost gave up the battle. Those onlywho have suffered from this dastardly trick of the lowest of Yankeeroughs, can have any idea of the effect it has upon a man's strength.But Corbett was almost as mad with rage at what he consideredunsportsman-like treatment as he was with pain, so that he managed towrench himself free and send his man to earth again with anotherstraight left-hander.
Meanwhile the red-haired Irishman, who had been playing piquet withRoberts, had lost all interest in his game since the fight began, andwas fairly writhing in his seat with suppressed emotion.
At last flesh and blood (or at least _Irish_ flesh and blood) couldendure it no longer, so that, jumping up from his seat, he took Ned justby the shoulders and lifted him clean out of the way as if he had been ababy, remarking as he did so--
"You stay there, sonny, and let me knock 'em down awhile."
But the poor simple Celt was doomed to disappointment. The truth wasthat Ned had been greedy, and taken more than his share of this innocentgame of skittles, so that, as Mr. O'Halloran remarked sorrowfully atsupper, he did but get in "one from the shoulther, and thin them twomurtherin' haythens lit right out."
When the scrimmage was over Roberts took Ned on one side, and afterlooking at the bitten thumb and bandaging it up for his friend, he gaveNed a little advice.
"Fighting is all very well, Mr. Corbett, where people fight according torules, but you had better drop it here. If you don't, some fellow willget level on you with the leg of a table or a little cold lead. If youmust fight, you had better learn to shoot like old Rampike."
"Where is old Rampike now?" asked Ned, anxious to turn the conversation,and feeling a little ashamed of his escapade.
"Rampike went right on by the boat that met the _Umatilla_. He got a jobup at Williams Creek, and will be there ahead of us."
"Then you mean to come up too, Roberts, that's right," said Corbettgenially.
"Yes, I am coming up with your crowd. I met the count in town last nightand borrowed the chips from him. I am thinking that if you make apractice of quarrelling with Cruickshank and all his friends you willneed someone along to look after you."
"But who is the count, and why could you not have borrowed the moneyfrom us?" asked Corbett in a tone of considerable pique.
"The count! Oh, the count is an old friend, and lends to most anyone whois broke. It's his business in a way. You see, he is the biggest gamblerin the upper country. Skins a chap one day and lends him a handful ofgold pieces the next. He'll get it back with interest from one of useven if I don't pay him, so that's all right;" and honest Robertsdismissed all thought of the loan from his mind, as if it was the mostnatural thing in the world for a professional gambler to lend animpecunious victim a hundred dollars on no security whatever.
Luckily for Ned his fellow countryman took him in hand after this, andwhat with singing and working managed to keep him out of mischief. ForRoberts found Corbett work in Westminster which just suited his youngmuscles, though it was as quaint in its way as Roberts' own financialarrangements in their way.
It seemed that in the young city there was no church and no funds tobuild one, but there was a sturdy, energetic parson, and a mob of noisy,careless miners, who rather liked the parson; not, perhaps, _because_ hewas a parson, but because he had in some way or other proved to themthat he was a "man."
Had they been on the way down with their pockets full of "dust" theboys would soon have built him anything he wanted, whether it had been achurch or a gin-shop. I am afraid it would have mattered little. As itwas they were unluckily on their way up, and their pockets were empty.
But as the will was there the parson found the way, and all through thatweek of waiting Ned and a gang of other strong hardy fellows likehimself made their axes glitter and ring on the great pines, clearing asite, and preparing the lumber for the first house of God erected
in NewWestminster.
Who shall say that their contribution had not as much intrinsic value asthe thousand-dollar cheque which Croesus sends for a similar object. Agood deal more labour goes to the felling of a pine ten feet throughthan to the signing of a cheque, anyway.
Gold, Gold, in Cariboo! A Story of Adventure in British Columbia Page 4
