▁was ▁named ▁for ▁Captain ▁K uper ▁after ▁he ▁survey ed ▁the ▁area ▁from ▁ 1 8 5 1 – 1 8 5 3 . ▁ ▁Th et is ▁Island ▁and ▁Th et is ▁Lake ▁are ▁named ▁for ▁the ▁survey ▁ship . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁sail ors ▁from ▁the ▁Th et is ▁built ▁a ▁trail ▁through ▁the ▁forest ▁linking ▁the ▁Es qu im alt ▁Har bour ▁with ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Har bour ▁and ▁Fort ▁Victoria . ▁The ▁trail ▁would ▁eventually ▁be ▁p aved ▁and ▁is ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁Old ▁Es qu im alt ▁Road ▁( it ▁runs ▁parallel ▁to ▁and ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁Es qu im alt ▁Road ). ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 4 ▁several ▁ships , ▁including ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁and ▁ ▁set ▁out ▁from ▁Val para í so ▁and ▁sa iled ▁across ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁stopping ▁at ▁Mar ques as ▁Islands ▁then ▁on ▁to ▁Hon ol ulu ▁where ▁they ▁met ▁a ▁French ▁fleet ▁of ▁war ships . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁August ▁the ▁combined ▁fle ets ▁sa iled ▁to ▁Russia ▁to ▁eng age ▁in ▁the ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Pet rop av lov sk ▁at ▁which ▁Commander - in - Ch ief ▁Pacific ▁Station ▁David ▁Price ▁died . ▁Captain ▁of ▁the ▁P ique ▁Frederick ▁William ▁Er sk ine ▁Nicol son ▁was ▁bre v ett ed ▁and ▁took ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁naval ▁forces ▁from ▁ 3 1 ▁August ▁ 1 8 5 4 ▁until ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁the ▁next ▁Commander - in - Ch ief