No. 33

I beg leave to lay before you a paper which may not be
without interest to Your Lordship. It is a genuine Petition
written by an Indian boy and signed by seventy Chiefs
representing so many villages. The Chinook is an exact
translation of each English sentence which precedes it. I
think it a very satisfactory state of things when the
Aborigines who so vastly outnumber us in this Colony where
no troops are stationed, thus adopt the mode of petitioning
instead of redressing their real of imaginary grievances by force.

2. The Indian Chiefs came down from Lytton on the North,
Douglas on the west, the whole of the Lower Fraser in our
proximity, and even from the Land of the Euclatows on the
Coast, to see me and protest against certain action proposed
to be taken by some Members of the Legislative Council. The
Natives petition, first,

That the Law which prohibits the
sale of spirituous liquors in their villages be not repealed.
I replied that the Liquor Law of the Mainland should not only
be maintained here but extended over Vancouver Island.

Secondly, the Indians pray that their Reserves be not
interfered with. A Resolution requesting me to curtail such
Reserves having passed the Council. A few of these Reserves
are doubtless too large, but they shall not be reduced without
my personal inspection. I replied merely, according to their
own mode of expression, that "My heart was as good to the
Indian as to the white man."

Thirdly, they beg that the heavy duty on their canoes
navigating the Fraser be abolished. I told them I had already
proposed to the Gentlemen there (pointing to the Council Room)
to relieve them from this payment great as is our financial
embarrassment the charging the Natives for the navigation
of our great river struck me as manifestly unjust.

3. All the Chiefs who set their Mark to the Petition and
many others assembled on the lawn of Government House. I was
received with loud cheers which were repeated at the end of my
statement.

4. I wish I could report matters, as regards the Indian
Population to be as satisfactory on Vancouver Island as on the
Mainland. The Council is at present, however, engaged in
extending the Laws of British Columbia affecting the Natives over
the whole Colony.