Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/206



196 ANDREW FISH

.tory for the farmer. Cutler put in some potatoes, and, as supplies had mostly to be procured from Victoria by row- boat, they had more than ordinary value. Not far off was the Company's establishment, with its accompaniment of live- stock roaming pretty much at large. One of jfche^ hogs r having done some damage to the potatoes, was shot by Cutler. His explanation was that he did it under an impulse of irritation. In any case he went to Mr. Griffin (the Company's agent) and offered to pay any reasonable sum that might be asked. Mr. Griffin angrily demanded one hundred dollars which Cutler would not pay. That same day, "Mr. Dallas, one of the directors of the Hudson's Bay Company," and two other gentlemen, along with Mr. Griffin, came to Cutler's house (their visit had nothing to do with the pig incident originally), and after some verbal wrangling,

"Mr. Dallas . . . stated this was British soil, and if he, Cutler did not make the reparation demanded one hundred dollars he would take him to Victoria; their steamer [the Hudson's Bay Company's steamer Beaver] was in port, and they had a posse at their command." The deposition says farther that "their manner and lan- guage were both insulting and threatening." 27 This incident affords the reason for the occupation so far as it (the occupation) does not refer to defence against the Indians. A somewhat different account of it is given by other witnesses.

Apparently as the result of this encounter a magistrate was appointed 1>y the I British authorities to reside on the island. Mr. John K. DC Courcy was commissioned Justice of the Peace, and took up his duties almost at the exact time at which Pickett landed his forces. In considering the question of who was responsible for disturbing the status of 1855, it would be well to note that the instructions issued to Mr. De Courcy by the Colonial Secretary for Vancouver Island, Mr. William A. G. Young, were dated July 27 the day of Pickett's landing. The policy outlined was determined, and the instructions issued,

27 Cutler's deposition is given in Ex. Doc. No. 65, 36th Cong., 1st Sess. p. 53.