Douglas Treaties Document #1: Claim of Aboriginal Ownership

Chief David Latasse was present at the treaty negotiations in Victoria in 1850. His

recollections were recorded in 1934 when he was reportedly -105 years old:

For some time after the whites commenced building their settlement they ferried their

supplies ashore. Then they desired to build a dock, where ships could be tied up close to

shore. Explorers found suitable timbers could be obtained at Cordova Bay, and a gang of

whites, Frenchmen and Kanakas [Hawaiians] were sent there to cut piles. The first thing

they did was set a fire which nearly got out of hand, making such smoke as to attract

attention of the Indians for forty miles around.

Chief Hotutstun of Salt Spring sent messengers to chief Whutsaymullet of the Saanich

tribes, telling him that the white men were destroying his heritage and would frighten

away fur and game animals. They met and jointly manned two big canoes and came down

the coast to see what damage was being done and to demand pay from Douglas.

Hotutstun was interested by the prospect of sharing in any gifts made to Whutsaymullet

but also, indirectly, as the Chief Paramount of all the Indians of Saanich.

... As the two canoes rounded the point and paddled into Cordova Bay they were seen

by camp cooks of the logging party, who became panic stricken. Rushing into the woods

they yelled the alarm of Indians on the warpath. Every Frenchman and Kanaka dropped

his tool and took to his heels, fleeing through the woods to Victoria. As they ran they

spread the cry that the Indians were on the warpath.

Douglas hastened to meet the two chieftains and found that the party, with scarcely a

weapon other than a few fish spears, were camping in harmony with the white members

of the logging detachment. All that was asked was pay for trees cut and damage wrought,

which Douglas promptly agreed was right and proper. He ordered two bales of blankets

brought from the fort and gave each chief one of them. There was no suggestion that the

compensation was for anything other than the timber, no suggestion of title to any land

was involved in that matter. That fact is important in view of claims made later, that other

big talks for use of land, in which similar small payments of goods and trade were made to

Indians to pay for title to land given by the Indian chieftains.

Source: Chief David Latasse interviewed by Frank Pagett, "105 Years in Victoria and

Saanich!" Victoria Daily Times, 4 July 1934.

Douglas Treaties Document #2: Governor Douglas' Motives

Governor James Douglas writing to the Hudson Bay Company, 18 March 1852:

The Steam Saw Mill Company having selected ... the section of land marked on the

accompanying map north of Mount Douglas, which being within the limits of the Sanitch

Country, those Indians came forward with a demand for payment, and finding it

impossible, to discover among the numerous claimants, the real owners of the land in

I thought it advisable to purchase the whole of the Sanitch Country, as a

question measure that would save much future trouble and expense.

Grant Keddie, Songhees Pictorial: A History; Q/ the Songhees People as Seen by Outsiders,

1790-1912 (Victoria: Royal BC Museum, 2003), p. 49.

Douglas Treaties Document #3: Mutual Benefit

Chief David Latasse was present at the treaty negotiations in Victoria in 1850. His

recollections were recorded in 1934 when he was reportedly 105 years old:

In the years around 1 850 the Indians considered that there was lots of land and had no

thought of or fear of extensive settlement by white men. The whites were welcomed, they

provided a fine market for the large amount of fur which the tribesmen annually collected.

The trade goods the whites gave in return for the furs were highly regarded. The whites at

that time also had no idea of asking the Indians to give up their lands. Areas proposed to

be used by whites were limited and the gifts of blankets and trade goods were nominal

annual dues.

Source: Chief David Latasse interviewed by Frank Pagett, " 105 Years in Victoria and

Saanich!" Victoria Daily Times, 4 July 1934.

Douglas Treaties Document #4: Governor Douglas' Promises

Governor James Douglas describes purchasing land, May 1852:

Douglas then "informed the natives that they would not be disturbed in the possession of

and that they were at liberty to hunt over the their Village sites and enclosed fields..

unoccupied lands, and to carry on their fisheries with the same freedom as when they

were the sole occupants of the country”

Source: James Douglas in Grant Keddie, Songhees Pictorial: A History of the Songhees

People as Seen by Outsiders, 1790-1912 (Victoria: Royal BC Museum, 2003), pp. 48-49.

Douglas Treaties Document #5: Land for Blankets

Chief David Latasse was present at the treaty negotiations in Victoria in 1850. His

recollections were recorded in 1934 when he was reportedly 105 years old:

I forget how long it took to build the fort and the other structures, but Douglas went

away for a while. I am not sure whether it was at his first visit that he arranged for the

withdrawal of the Songhees to the other side of Victoria Harbor, but I think not

well remember hearing that Douglas called a meeting of the four sub-chiefs of the

Songhees, heads of the groups living at Clover Point, at Cadboro Bay, at Cordova Bay

and at Mud Bay [James Bay]. I remember the sense of wealth shared by the Mud Bay

group when, after they had agreed to abandon Mud Bay and remove to the old Songhees

reserve on the Inner Harbor, Douglas gave the sub-chief a bale of fifty blankets for

distribution among the families of the group. He also gave the other groups presents for

waiving their rights of assembly at Mud Bay.

Source: Chief David Latasse interviewed by Frank Pagett, " 105 Years in Victoria and

Saanich!" Victoria Daily Times, 4 July 1934.

Douglas Treaties Document #6: Terms of the Treaty

Chief David Latasse was present at the treaty negotiations in Victoria in 1850. His

recollections were recorded in 1934 when he was reportedly 105 years old:

It is in this matter that the Indians claim they have been unjustly treated. When Douglas

met with Chief Hotutston in 1852, and discussed with him and his sub-chiefs the

allotment of lands to the Hudson's Bay Company, it was arranged that lands not needed

by the natives might be occupied by the whites. The Indians were to have reserved to

their use some choice camping sites, were to have hunting rights everywhere and fishing

privileges in all waters, with certain water areas exclusively reserved to the use of the

tribes.

In return for the use of meadow lands and open prairie tracts of Saanich, the white people

would pay to the tribal chieftains a fee in blankets and goods. That was understood by us

all to be payable each year. It was so explained to us by Joseph McKay, the interpreter

for Governor Douglas. The governor himself solemnly assured us that all asked to be

ratified would be entirely to the satisfaction of the Indians. He also stated that the only

object of the writing was to assure the Hudson's Bay Company peaceful and continued

use of land tracts suitable for cultivation. That was accompanied by [a] gift of a few

blankets. We all understood that similar gifts would be made each year, what is now called

rent.

Source: Chief David Latasse interviewed by Frank Pagett, " 105 Years in Victoria and

Saanich!" Victoria Daily Times, 4 July 1934.

 

Saanich Tribe South Saanich

Know all men that we, the chiefs and people of the Saanich Tribe, who have signed our names and made our marks to this deed on the sixth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, do consent to surrender, entirely and for ever, to James Douglas, the agent of the Hudson's Bay Company in Vancouver Island, that is to say, for the Governor, Deputy Governor, and Committee of the same, the whole of the lands situated and lying between Mount Douglas and Cowichan Head, on the Canal de Haro, and extending Thence to the line running through the centre of Vancouver Island, north and South.

The conditions of our understanding of this sale is this, that our village sites and enclosed fields are to be kept for our own use, for the use of our children, and for those who may follow afer us and the land shall be properly surveyed hereafter. It is understood, however, that the land itself, with these small exceptions, becomes the entire property of the white people for ever; it is also understood that we are at liberty to hunt over the unoccupied lands, and to carry on our fisheries as formerly.

We have received, as payment, Forty-one pounds thrirteen shillings and four pence.

In token whereof, we have signed our names and made our marks at Fort Victoria, on the 7th day of February, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.

(Signed)

Whut-Say-Mullet his X mark and 9 others

Witness to signatures, (signed)

Joseph William McKay, Clerk H.B. Co's service

Richd. Golledge, Clerk

 

 

 

Saanich Tribe - North Saanich

Know all men, that we the chiefs and people of the Saanich Tribe, who have signed our names and made our marks to this deed on the eleventh day of February, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, do consent to surrender, entirely and for ever, to James Douglas, the agent of the Hudson's Bay Company in Vancouver Island, that is to say, for the Governor, Deputy Governor, and Committee of the same, the whole of the lands situated and lying as follows, viz: - commencing at Cowichan Head and following the coast of the Canal de Haro North-west nearly to Saanich Point, or Qua-na-sung; from thence following the course of the Saanich Arm to the point where it terminates; and form thence by a straight line across country to said Cowichan Head, the point of commencement, so as to include all the country and lands, with the exceptions hereafter named, within those boundaries.

The conditions of our understanding of this sale is this, that our village sites and enclosed fields are to be kept for our own use, for the use of our children, and for those who may follow afer us and the land shall be properly surveyed hereafter. It is understood, however, that the land itself, with these small exceptions, becomes the entire property of the white people for ever; it is also understood that we are at liberty to hunt over the unoccupied lands, and to carry on our fisheries as formerly.

We have received, as payment [amount not stated]

(Signed)

Hotutstun his X mark and 117 others.

Witness to signatures, (signed)

Joseph William McKay, Clerk H.B. Co's service

Richd. Golledge, Clerk