...at the suggestion of “Soseiah” the
Camegin chief, who, with a number of his
people, received us on landing, the sailors
and marines were thrown a little back in
order to conceal their numbers, as he
expressed a fear that the Camegins would
be afraid to come if they saw so large a
force. These arrangements being completed
and the ground occupied, we were prepared
to receive the Indians as they arrived...

At first one or two only appeared and then
the main body... They landed a little
beyond, and rushed up the hill, in a state
of... excitement, shouting and dashing their
arms about, like people who expected to be
attacked, This was a most trying moment
for the troops could hardly be restrained
from firing a volley among them, which
would have been attended with the most
fatal effect. The excitement over, the
murderer was produced by his friends
armed cap 4 pie, and was heard in his
defence, which went to declare that he was
innocent of the crime laid to his charge.

I listened to all that was alleged in his
defence, and promised to give him a fair
hearing in Nanaimo. He was on those terms
surrendered and sent on board the steamer
under an efficient guard, I afterwards
addressed the Indians who were assembled,
on the subject of their relations with the
Colony and the Crown,7

From Cowichan, the expedition proceeded to
Nanaimo to bring the second Indian into

custody. The Indians tried to barter, by
payment of furs, for the life of this individual
whose father was chief of the Cowichans.
Douglas explained the requirements of British
law and the son of the Cowichan chief was
brought into custody with the help of the
Voltigeurs police force. Both Indians were
convicted and executed in Victoria.

Governor Douglas‘s application of British law
in such matters was generally viewed as just. He
was considered a loyal servant to the Queen
who saw the importance of imposing an orderly
system of law and government.

Another incident involved a white settler who
was shot but not killed by a Cowichan Indian.
Douglas formed a search patty. While pursuing
the offender, Douglas was shot because the gun
misfired. He maintained his position and gave
no order for his men to fire. The chief reacted
by giving orders to his men to seize the
offender and hand him over. On this occasion,
Douglas was intent on making an example of
the man, who was hanged after a short trial.

Increasing demands for justice led to the
governor’s appointment of three justices of the
peace in March 1853. Their jurisdiction included
petty disputes, civil and criminal cases. These
magistrates did not act appropriately, according
to Douglas, and their jurisdiction was restricted.

Later that year, the governor and his council set
up a Supreme Court of Civil Justice. This court
had jurisdiction in all matters of law and equity
when the disputed amount exceeded £50
sterling. David Cameron,* Douglas’s

7 Douglas, Sir James, private papers, second series, (C. 13) Bancroft Collection, cited in Sage, Walter N., Sar James
Douglas and British Columbia (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1930), pp. 178-79.

8 The governor had faith in his brother-in-law’s firmness and integrity, although he lacked the legal training and
background that may have been considered suitable for this new position. Prior to this appointment, Cameron
was a clerk at the Nanaimo coalfields of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Era of Colonial Rule (1849-1870)