I have the honor to inform your Lordship that H.M.S. Daedalus, under the command of Captain G Wellesly, visited this colony on the 22nd of September last, on my informing Captain Wellesly that three murders had been committed by the Indians and also of my inability to
take any measures for the punishment of the murderers, he consented to
proceed with the Daedalus to Fort Rupert, near which the murders were
committed, to give any assistance that might be required. On my arrival
at Fort Rupert, I found that the officer of the Hudson Bay company who had been dispatched by Dr Helmcken to make enquiries respecting the murder, had on his return given a totally false account of the result of those enquiries, asserting that he owed no obedience except to the
Hudson's Bay Company, he shortly afterwards crossed the straight to a
post of the company's and made a statement of the real facts to Mr
Douglas a chief factor of the company, of this declaration I was not
furnished with a copy till after my arrival here a few days ago, and not
till the investigation was concluded. Thus his conflicting stories were
in circulation at once, which being traced to the same source, raised
suspicions of foul play, and caused the report that I have previously
mentioned viz. that the unfortunate men had been murdered by order of
the Hudsons Bay Company; A deposition that has since been made me on
oath, backed by the evidence of an Interpreter and several of the Indian
chiefs, was perfectly conclusive not only as to the tribes but as to the
very persons of the murderers. On the 11. October Dr Helmcken visited the Newitty camp about 12 miles distant, and demanded by name the murderers for trial, the whole tribe took up arms they acknowledged
the murder and offered furs in payment, but refused to surrender the
guilty parties, declared themselves hostile, and threatened the lives of
the magistrate and his party pointing their guns at them; on learning
this I applied to Captain Wellesly for assistance and he dispatched the
boats of the Daedalus on the 12th to apprehend the murderers by force
if necessary, they returned on the 13th and I have the honor to
enclose your Lordship a copy of the report, by which you will see that
the whole tribe had deserted their camp, which was burnt by the officer
commanding the boats. I have offered a reward for the apprehension of
three of the murderers, the fourth who was present being a boy of only
nine years of age.
The Daedalus left me at Fort Rupert on the 14th Inst. to proceed to San Francisco, being unable to remain longer on account of shortness
of provisions —
With regard to the disturbances that had taken place among the
Honble Hudsons Bay Company's servants they have completely
subsided, insomuch so that Dr Helmcken did not find it necessary to
publish the proclamation of which I sent your Lordship a copy. The disturbances had been occasion : edoccasioned by the bad quality of food which had been served out to the English labourers, as well as by two miners being
actually placed in irons illegaly for some days, for refusing to perform
some work. The miners made me a written complaint on the subject
demanding redress, but they left the Island before I was able to take any notice of it.
I regret to say that Dr Helmcken has declined acting any longer as magistrate, on the ground that the  only causes are
between the Hudson's Bay Company and their servants, and as being a paid
servant of the former, he cannot be considered an impartial person; this
objection is good against all servants of the company holding
commissions, as they can be removed from the colony at a moments notice
by their employers and are kept in the greatest subjection —
There are at present no settlers at all in the Island, Mr Grant left for the Sandwich Islands some days ago.