1859-11-01
TUESDAY
Court opened at 10 – Bad attendance
of Grand Jurors – Steamer Eliza Anderson
having past arrival – Pollard discharged by
proclamation Got from Begbie Bibles for
£20- to send to A.D.N. drawn on his brother
Thos S Begbie 4 Mansion House place London
Dined with the Colonel – Wrote to A.D.N. &
enclosed 1st of exchange – Letter fr Mamsey, enclosure
from the Captain
[overwritten text]
Posted
letter to Mamsey
A D Nicoll with
first of exchange for
£20- amt
Thos Begbie
1859-11-02
WEDNESDAY
The Moody went up to Hope, Begbie
& Bushby started for Victoria per E. Anderson
spent day with Engineers & dined – called on
the Col & Mrs Moody the former suffering from
bad head ache – Went up the Brunett in
canoe with Seward & Seddal & Sheepshanks
shot 4 grouse –
1859-11-03
THURSDAY
Wrote letters – spent most
of the day with the Colonel & Mrs Moody
Walked with Dewdney –
1859-11-04
FRIDAY
Eliza Anderson arrived with large
Mail 6 months old by [left blank] 188 days fr
Southampton – some old Tyrone Papers which
were posted in April – great anxiety about
the New Caledonia – several days from Victoria
& no account of her – dined at the Colonels
Palmer arrived from Colvil – wet night
[overwritten text]
Thursday 9 months
I left my dear
friends I wonder
when I shall
see them again
1859-11-05
SATURDAY
Left New Westminster at 11- in canoe
but found it impossible to get on – changed
into boat – with Huntoon & Chas Moss & pulled
ourselves to Langley where we arrived in time
for Dinner at the Rectory – The whole place
looking deserted & melancholy – Heavy
shower for hail at starting
1859-11-06
SUNDAY
Very cold night
Heavy fall of snow the first [illegible]
of Winter Church at 11- only 4
Karnakers – I know this is the H.C. day
at Mountfield. How I wish I was there
also – Crickmer went to Upr Langley to
have service on sandspit – a stupid
day –
1859-11-07
MONDAY
Went to Upr Langley & pd
Newton $104-50 also to Mass $9-50 for fish
Walked out to Farm to see about horse, Bedford
just returned from cattle hunting with one calf
which he mamalused – quite uncertain
whether horse can be got or not but Bedford
promised to do his best – came back to Rectory
with Crickmer –
1859-11-08
TUESDAY
Heavy fall of snow 6 inches
deep. Went to Fort to see about getting
horse ready &c, Bedford in his usual
disobliging way did not have him sent in
arrange with Pollard to keep mule at the
mouth of Harrison river – snow balling –
Steamer did not come – dined & slept at
Fort.
1859-11-09
WEDNESDAY
[no entry]
1859-11-10
THURSDAY
[no entry]
1859-11-11
FRIDAY
[no entry]
1859-11-12
SATURDAY
[no entry]
1859-11-13
SUNDAY
[no entry]
1859-11-14
MONDAY
[no entry]
1859-11-15
TUESDAY
Started in canoe with Pringle
Landvoigt Huntoon – & 2 savages – at 7½ O.C.
got two more Indians at ranchree, rained
nearly all day – arrived at Hope at 6 P.M.
Found Elliot in my quarters – where he had
been waiting for Steamer since Thursday
Dined at Restaurant – very tired –
1859-11-16
WEDNESDAY
Up at 6 – Wet day
Held court at 11- John Thomas fined
for assault – on [D’lbert Croye] – Elliot lay in
bed nearly all day – Making up accounts
Issued Miner Certificates – Wrote letter
to the Capt. Elliot dined with Pringle
the latter in a great state of excitement about
Yale Miss – & meetings on bars –
Posted letter to Capt enclosure to Mamsey in newspaper
[overwritten text]
Posted 2nd
of exchange to
A.D.N. with enclosure
to Teresa
2nd letter to
advise brother of
Begbie
1859-11-17 *
THURSDAY
Up at 7- wet day. Wrote to
Begbie – Connell &c &c – Making
up accounts & did not stir out the
whole day – about 50 miners arrived
on their way to Victoria – Wrote my
application for land on the
Flat adjoining Capt Lempriere
lot –
1859-11-18 *
FRIDAY
Greys boat arrived at 10- AM
Seized Curtey – freight. Walked
with Elliot – Accounts –
Ogilvy & Charles spent the
evening – Raining nearly all
day –
1859-11-19
FRIDAY
Wet day
Wrote a number of letters
Anxious for the arrival of
Steamer – & longing for my letters
1859-11-20
SUNDAY
Steamer Col Moody arrived
with mail – Letter from dearest Mamsey
with good news about Chaw – one also
fr George Arthur – Church at 11- very
good sermon on the 103 Psalm Pringles
delight at hearing of the birth of his daughter
Service at 6½ –
1859-11-21
MONDAY
Steamer left at 8½ – Elliot Ogilvy
& Mrs – on board – stupid old mule could n
ot be found – Issued Commission Miners free
certificates – & registered 1 claim – Walked
to river with Charles returned by mill
race – got wet – Smith came up &
remained till 1. A.M. to my great annoyance
1859-11-22
TUESDAY
James Urne commenced to work at
the Court house – snow & slight frost –
hair cut – walked with Charles
he & Smith came up in the
evening much to my annoyance
1859-11-23
WEDNESDAY
Hard frost – lots of skating
but too busy to go – Issued
Free mining certificates – Walked
with Charles Carpenter getting on
with court room very slowly –
Constable Higman getting more
useless every day –
1859-11-24
THURSDAY
Hard frost – Indians
call with ducks & trout to sell
Worked at my room all day
preparing & having it cleaned – commenced
to write to Mamsey – Skating all
through the day –
1859-11-25 *
FRIDAY
Blowing hard through the night
very frosty – Walked with Charles on
the Smass trail to see the skating
but they had all left. Dined at the
Fort & Played a rubber at dummy whist
1859-11-26
SATURDAY
Held court – Issued
mining certificates – making up
accounts – small mail from
Victoria – Heard of the Steamer
Col Moody getting aground at Sea
Bird bar. – a great nusence all
chance gone of getting the mails
regularly for the Winter.
1859-11-27
SUNDAY
No Church – Pringle at Victoria
Went to hear Robson – no sermon
very cold – Walked with Charles to
Coquhalla – dined at Fort –
Freezing hard –
1859-11-28
MONDAY
Posted my letter to Mamsey
Wrote some letters, held court.
Went out to skate with Smith
Charles & Findlason – some good
sport Smith & Charles got ducks
Smith & Findlason spent the evening
1859-11-29
TUESDAY
Up at 6- a slight
thaw – & weather mild – fine day
Walked to Coquhalla – Writing –
Trying to get my rooms in order
1859-11-30
WEDNESDAY
Heavy fall of snow
Indians go to the winter houses
Everything looks as if we were going
to have a dreary season of it –
If I were back at home once more
it would take a deal to induce me to
leave it
Back to Peter O’Reilly’s 1859 Diary
Peter O’Reilly’s 1859 diary has been transcribed by volunteers and staff of the Vancouver Island Local History Society and is for informational purposes only. Researchers interested in this diary are advised to consult the original document housed at the Royal British Columbia Museum & Archives, found in MS-2894, the O’Reilly family fonds.