Shloomack

The Province of 8 August 1926 includes an interview with Jason Allard, who, claimed the Province reporter Victor Harbord Harbord, "knows all there is to be known of Fraser Valley Indians." Jason Allard, (almost 80) told him a Gothic tale about "Slough Moug" and his brother "S'Mamqua," originally from Nanaimo, who settled at Stave Lake "and murdered everyone that ventured into their territory."

The account refers to an article by a Mr. S.A. Fletcher that I found in The Province of 27 June 1926. Click here for a transcript. Fletcher reminisced about his early years fishing and hunting at Pitt Lake, "long before the gas engine was thought of," and told the story of his encounters with old Chief Swampkwa and the widow of his brother Shloomack. [A 1878 census (see May postings) shows the spelling of the name of the chief as Tsa mem.kwah.]

Old Chief Swamkwa, who saw his people diminish around him, "did not like the white man: he had been cheated and abused by them," but there is no reference to Slumach's end in this account and nothing that would hint at a violent reputation of this old gentleman or his brother Shloomack. Nor is there any reference to gold in Fletcher's story.

It still looks as if Jason Allard's phantasmagorical story is the first where Slumach is connected with the gold in Pitt Lake country.

S. A. Fletcher may have been Sidney Ash Fletcher, who died in December 1934, 78 years of age, at New Westminster. A Sidney Ashe [sic] Fletcher appears from 1903 until 1911 as collector for the Provincial voters list for Delta, Dewdney and Richmond and New Westminster city.

Twelve O'clock Sharp

Twelve O'clock Sharp was written and published by Michael Eisele in 2006. "This book contains fifteen stories written in a literary style, which never lack suspense, nor a whiff of mystery."

In one of the stories in the book called "A Lesson," Slumach appears at his hanging in New Westminster. Peter Slumach, his nephew, becomes the inheritor of the secret mine and is the one "walking the streets of New Westminster with bulging pockets, seldom sober, always boisterous." The story leads on to the Thompson area. "Slumach's fabulous mine, originally said to be located in the Pitt Lake distrct, somehow managed to relocate to an area north of Ashcroft, between Deadman and Bonaparte River; home of rattling snakes, howling coyotes, and screaming eagles."

Click here for more of the story and enjoy.

Bee's Niece

On 24 May, I posted on this blog that, at the time of Slumach's trial, Bee was described "as in the habit of blustering at and threatening everyone with whom he came in contact," and it was said, that there was "bad blood between Slumach and Bee." But there are no particulars about that "bad blood" and what really caused Slumach to shoot Bee may remain unknown.

That has not stopped some to present their own theories.

In their video "Seekers of Gold" (see post of October 23) Friesen and Nicholson suggest that Bee and Slumach "fought for the gold." Something similar was proposed in articles in The Columbian of June 1961 by Elmer McLellan, Columbian's City Editor. McLellan suggested that Bee got shot because he came too close to Slumach's gold cache that McLellan thought to be at Sheridan Hill. Of course, without evidence that Slumach had anything to do with gold, both ideas are just that: ideas.

In 1988, Jim Christy had a different idea. He suggested that "Slumach hadn't killed Bee because the man was on his trail, no, Bee was attempting, albeit too late, to defend the honour of his niece." That would surely explain the "bad blood" between Slumach and Bee, but the court records show that Slumach did not act in self-defence. He was not threatened or attacked by Bee.

Click here to read a transcript of Christy's article "Slumach's Gold," published in BC Outdoors January/February 1988.

Chronicles of valley and coast mines

In Slumach’s Gold (Rick Antonson et al) is noted on page 113 : “[Rob] Nicholson’s research revealed that…a man named Shotwell and a partner named Harrington showed up in Ruskin … in 1911 having returned from a long trek into the Pitt Lake country.” Nicholson’s source (often neglected by researchers) is Charles A. Miller’s self-published book The Golden Mountains, 1973.

Click here to read the part of chapter 12 of the book (Volcanic Brown’s Last Trip) relating to the appearance of Shotwell and Harrington in Ruskin. There is much more interesting information in these "chronicles of valley and coast mines." Daryl Friesen sells original copies of The Golden Mountains for $20.00. Go to http://www.bc-alter.net/dfriesen/goldmountain.html

Seekers of Gold

I just found two video clips on YouTube showing Daryl Friesen and T.W.Patterson talking about the the search for Lost Creek Mine. Look at Seeker of Gold part 1 and part 2 if you feel you need a refresher about the mystery.

Conjectures

On 6 September, "Jackson" wrote on Clubtread Forum

In regards to Fred Branches [sic] yeah I know of him and have talked to him by email a couple of times. It's his passion to find the truth of Slumach. He is a really nice guy. But Slumach is not the be all and end of the Lost mine saga.

The truth about Slumach is he is just one of many to find gold in those mountains and he did find gold. How much and where is the question? ... Slumach did however bring gold into New West. ... The first mention of his find was in the paper back in 1889. I believe Fred has the article on his site about the Indian coming into New West with a good showing of gold. That indian I believe is Slumach and this is where the legend starts

The newspaper article is from the Mainland Guardian of 10 November 1869 and not 1889. Yes, I agree that, until we find some earlier evidence, the story of the Indian who found gold in a little stream on the north side of Pitt Lake, is probably the first publication linking the area with gold and the start of the legends.

But why would that Indian be Slumach? Slumach only became part of the Pitt Lake gold saga in 1926. The question is not how much and where Slumach found gold. but if he found gold at all. The truth is, that there is no evidence that he found any or did "bring gold into New West." And those "many to find gold in those mountains"? Many searched for it but only a few are rumoured having found gold there.

By the way, I am equally interested in the legendary figures, such as Jackson, who probably never existed.

Jack Mould missing?

Campbell River Mirror, 12 September 2007

The 71-year-old prospector (Jack Mould) is missing after mysteriously disappearing while gathering fresh water from the Southgate River.

http://web.bcnewsgroup.com/portals-code/list.cgi?cat=23&paper=6&id=1062499

Jack Mould and the Curse of Gold, Elizabeth Hawkins and Jack Mould
ISBN: 0-88839-281-8

http://www.hancockhouse.com/products/curgol.htm