Fort Victoria Oct 5th/56

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Sister Mate

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How is it that you who used to write me so often are so long time silent? How is it that weeks, months, Nay! even years roll by and not a line comes from a sister whom I ever loved and to whom I was always kind? Does the new relation you have entered into so absorb your attention that a brother renegade and an exile cannot receive a thought? Does a new love so overwhelm your soul and fill every avenue of our heart that every former tie of affection is banished and every fraternal feeling even is utterly subdued? Or do the cares of domestic life occupy every moment of your time that in two years you are unable to tell a brother in a short half hours conversation of your feelings, your hopes or your aspirations? Does some black cloud of calumny rest upon one who ever scorned to do a mean act or does foul suspicion stain my character and blot it that shame deters you from speaking to me? Perhaps some Monomania like the slavery question or religious excitement has carried you away that you are lost in the cloud of dark mysterious obscurity that such excitements are wont to wrap around their victims and enthral them. But I will yet believe that it is none of these but mere neglect with which you are afflicted and that being reminded by a hint you will amend and be so neglectful no more.

Vancouver’s Island holds me still far off from the Penates of my father’s hearth and beyond the protection of my country and Gods. Not choice but necessity brought me here in search of a healthful clime and flying from disease. Necessity stayed me home when I would have left and could have done better by far by so doing could I have arranged my affairs. Necessity still retains me as I have property which I cannot dispose of without a great sacrifice and in all probability I shall not be able to escape for some time yet. I’m still doing business at my trade but yet very poorly payed of late. I have a house and town lot upon which I’ve sunk a good deal of money which if I could dispose of I would quickly leave the English Territory. 

It is a lonely life I’m living among people wanting all the refined feelings and manners of those whom I made my associates while “in the land of the Free and in the home of the Brave” and they despise an American and hate him the reason for which I can explain when I have more leisure. The climate is temperate, never extremely hot and never severely cold, and the weather generally fine and the country itself is pretty enough but wanting in almost everything that makes life pleasurable. There is much scenery that is beautiful if beheld with one’s friends with taste to admire what is sublime and grand in nature’s great work house. At our feet lay the waters of the great, the restless, the Eternal Ocean and in the distance stand sublime the mountains upon whose summits the snow never melts. But the waters of that sea which today are so calm, so smooth, so peaceful, will be lashed to fury by the wind tomorrow and become the grave of our friends and among and beyond those hills upon whose summits rests the white mantle the emblem of innocence lurk the wary, the watchful, the cunning, the treacherous children of the forest. The scourge of The Plains and wo! to the poor victims who are not protected from their vengeful ire. Mary there is more romance than reality in the stories we read about the enduring friendship and the gratitude and the lofty principles of natural honor possessed by the Savages of North America. There is not a crime or a mean act which they will hesitate to do. Thieving they are brought up to from infancy and become perfectly adept in the science. Falsehood is spoken before the truth, though the truth would better answer the purpose, and gratitude is a sentiment unknown to them.

I’m not prejudiced. I was strongly inclined in their favor by early instructions and reluctantly was compelled by the force of conviction to acknowledge to the truth on mingling with them and noticing their habits and proving them by having dealings and connections with them.

Believe me Mary, they are a perfidious race and it is impossible for Governments in their dealings with them to act in accordance to the regulations by which civilised nations profess to be guided and governed.

Formerly I could but very seldom write, wanting stamps by which to prepay the Postage of my letters through Jonathon’s Dominions. But of late my time has been so taken up by the constant pressure of business, that it is impossible for me to often write and my hand is out, too, and I cannot put together facts of sufficient interest and importance or ideas and thoughts of my own, momentous enough to warrant trespassing often on the indulgence of my friends. How are you doing and how enjoying the blessings of life in the Prairie State and how do you grace the dignified and matronly station of a Parson’s wife to which you are advanced.

To Mr. Smith, I should say The Reverend, give my respects and say to him that a letter would be acceptable from his hand and anything of the times and Seasons and Prospects of affairs in your vicinity which would be instructive will be gratefully and thoughtfully perused.

Don’t neglect to write immediately, and to all my acquaintances in the West my respect and best wishes for their greatest good.

Your Brother affectionately and in haste

Whit Chase