October

1859-10-17
MONDAY 
Court opened at 19-  Jury sworn 
in the case of Smith v. Way.  Matter settled 
Coleman v. Solomon.  Cary looses his temper 
& rushes out of court.  Went to Hope with 
Pringle – Steamer just arrived – Letter from 
Mamsey & one fr A.D.N.  How grieved I am 
to hear of Charlotte’s Illness – God grant 
it may not be serious – I am longing for the 
next letter – Held Court in the afternoon – 

1859-10-18
TUESDAY 
Uneasy all night 
& had all sorts of unpleasant dreams about 
home.  Posted letter to Mamsey & Gazett 
to the Capt.  Begbie Bushby & Cary arrive  
Cary goes on direct to Victoria.  Court opened 
at 11- no cases discharged at 3- P.M.
Elliot arrived from Yale – wet evening
Cards at Oglivie’s –

1859-10-19
WEDNESDAY 
Court opened at 
11-  Elliot appeared in two 
cases – Very wet day could 
not stir out – Busy in the 
evening at my accounts.  How I 
long for next mail.

1859-10-20
THURSDAY 
Busy at accounts.  Walked 
with Begbie Elliot Ogilvie & Bushby 
to Quecqualla – to select a site for a bridge – 
[left blank] got into boat & could not return in
a great fright about him – sent for canoe 
boat filled with water & had to swim for it 
& saved himself manfully.  Morning disputes 
settled –  – Very wet day

1859-10-21 *
FRIDAY 
Went to Cornish bar with Begbie 
to see Coe’s ditch & decided that he 
should be allowed to run it out to the bar 
on compensating those who had claims 
there – walked home by the trail – riding 
Ogilvey mare over bar – registered 
James M. Thorpe as free miner  
Packing & wrote letters to Gosett 
Young &c &c – Fine day –

1859-10-22 *
SATURDAY 
Begbie ill during the 
night & not able to start as we intended  
Issued Miners Certificates – Committed 
Indian [left blank] for 7 days with hard labour.  
Begbie in bed all day.  Dined alone & 
stat with Begbie – Elliot & Bushby dined 
with Ogilvie – Read – Felt lonely & thinking 
of home a great deal – 

1859-10-23
SUNDAY 
Turned in at 1 AM  Begbie feverish  
up early – Elliot went to Yale with Ogilvy  
Robson preached in Court house every 
word of which can be heard distinctly in my
room.  Pringle arrived from Yale very late & 
read service in HBC store – only Bushby Constable 
Chisholm & myself – Fine day

1859-10-24
MONDAY 
Up at 5-  Busy morning held 
court at 8-  Started for Douglas in canoe  Bushby 
Begbie Elliot – very wet day – Harrison river at 2 P.M.  
Steamer expected hourly – George Williams applied 
for license Pollard applied presented Elliot with 
Bread & butter, stopped at an Indian house 8 miles 
from the lake – clothes & blankets soaked  sat at 
fire all night – the savages very friendly, but 
a most unpleasant odour – wretchedly uncomfortable – 

1859-10-25
TUESDAY 
Beautiful morning 
bathed, & started at 8- reached the mouth 
of lake at 10- hoisted sail, but wind failed
immediately & took again to the oars – Camped 
again at our old ground at 4½ – beautiful spot 
& most comfortable dinner & tent – Higher fire
Bushby insisted on Elliot taking more gin
Commenced letter to dearest Mamsey

1859-10-26
WEDNESDAY 
Started at 8- very rough obliged to 
put to shore half an hour after starting 
again on our journey at 1- PM  reached 
Douglas at 4½ – Met Gaggin & Franklin 
very cold, no fire slept in Government house  
Begbie no quite so grumpy as of late

1859-10-27
THURSDAY 
Court opened at 11-
An Indian tried for shooting at [left blank]
a frenchman with intent to murder – found 
guilty on very magnificant evidence – sentenced 
to death.
Rode out with Begbie & Mitchel to see Grant  
dined & slept – What a really good fellow 
he is – & Mrs Grant such a nice person  
A monstrous shame to leave them in such a 
place, the only married man of the lot.

1859-10-28
FRIDAY 
Walked on trail with Grant to Hellen 
lake – a capital job they have made of it 
Begbie as usual giving directions – Grant 
shoots him up much to our delights – dined 
at the Camp & rode back to Douglas – 
walked with Gaggin through the new Government 
house – a most uncomfortable building – Begbie 
Mitchel Franklin play whist – Turned in early – 

1859-10-29
SATURDAY 
Started at 9-  fine morning 
met Pollard at 12- the Bridge river at 3½.
Pettibone let us have a read of the Colonist in 
which we saw the arrest of Cary &c for 
refusing to give bail – Begbie indignant with 
Pemberton – Camped at 5-  delightful spot  
Bushby & self bath – Turned in at 8-

1859-10-30
SUNDAY 
Up at 5- start at 7-  How I hope this may 
be our last Sunday’s travelling – mouth of river 
at 1- PM  Williams Paid $10- on account of 
his license – our savage jumped out of the 
canoe at the Smass – & left us to work our 
way to Langly which we reached at 7- P.M.
Supped & slept at the Fort – Read the 
service. [deletion] I hope dear Charlotte is well 
enough to be at Cappagh – I wonder if I shall 
ever be with them – It is what I wish most for in this world

1859-10-31
MONDAY 
Left Langley for New 
WestMinster at 8- A.M. arrived at 
noon – Spalding holding Inquest with 
reference to the death of three white men 
who had been murdered – Court 
adjourned till 10 AM tomorrow – Dined 
at Spaldings slept at Treasury – 
Called on Mrs Moody & the Engineers
[overwritten text]
Scandal very rife 
about Kitty & James