Extracts from the Affidavit of Francis Tarbell.
I, Francis Tarbell, of the City of Olympia, County of Thurston, and Territory aforesaid, do solemnly declare upon oath, that I am a native-born Citizen of the United States, aged forty-one years. I went to Victoria, Vancouver’s Island, on the 14th July, 1858, and continued to reside there, doing business as a wholesale merchant, up to 1866. In 1862 I became a Director in the Victoria and British Columbia Steamboat Company, and from my connection with said Company, and my business, I became thoroughly acquainted with the Vessels, Steamboats, Route, &c., used by the Steam and other vessels, to and from said City of Victoria. From that knowledge I declare positively and without reserve, that the Canal de Haro was the only channel used by Vessels going to the Gulf of Georgia from Victoria, or from sea-voyages via Straits of Juan de Fuca. In the last fourteen years I have probably been five hundred times to New Westminster at the mouth of Fraser’s [Page 164] River, in British Columbia. In these trips or voyages, no other channel but the Haro Canal was ever used. * * * * *I am well and intimately acquainted with Capt. McNeil, Capt. Swanston, Capt. Lewis, and Capt. Ella. I was well acquainted with Capt. Wm. A. Morrat in his life-time. These were all old Captains formerly in the employ of the Hudson’s Bay Company. From their statements to me, and from other sources, several of them were here, if not all, before 1840. In my eight years’ residence in Victoria, I was in company with these men a great deal, conversing very freely on the subject of Steamboats, Routes up the Coast, Trade of the Coast, &c. It was in the direct line of my business to learn these mat ters. I freely inquired as to their knowledge, and they freely communicated with me. I have been told frequently by all those gentlemen that the channel now used to reach the Gulf of Georgia in going from Victoria to Nanaimo, Fraser’s River, or to the Northern Coast, or in returning from the same to Victoria, has been invariably used by the Vessels of the Hudson’s Bay Company since Fort Victoria was established. * * *[83]Affidavits on the canal de Haro.Haro channel used by Hudson’s Bay Company since establishment of Fort Victoria.
I am also positive that Captain McNeil has told me on several occa sions that he used the same channel when sailing a Vessel for the Hudson Bay Company long prior to 1846; and I have heard him make the same statement in regard to the vessel he brought out from Boston before he went into the Company’s service. I am also positive that he has told me that after going into the Company’s employ, long anterior to 1846, he passed through this channel in the steamer Beaver, of which he was Captain, about the time Capt. Wilkes made his survey of these waters. * * * *Hudson’s Bay Company used Haro channel before 1846.
Before me, Joseph H. Houghton, Clerk of the Supreme Court of said Territory, came Francis Tarbell, who, being first duly sworn, did depose and say that he had carefully read the foregoing statement, and knew the contents thereof; that the same had been dictated by him; and that so much thereof as was stated from his own knowledge was true, and so much thereof as was stated on information he verily believes to be true.
[seal of the sup. court.]