84. "War" against the Tsimshian. The first strike.

In effect, by the late 1850s, the many northern natives continuously visiting Lekwungen territory for trade constituted a second immigrant colony. This loosely defined second social entity operated under native rather than European rules. Derivative of the H.B.C.'s Victoria presence, most Northern nations had established an outpost here of some nature by 1862. These footholds seem established under the usual native rules for sharing a resource as guests; as, for example, the Tsilhqot'in once visited Bella Coola or Campbell River in great numbers before Europeans even arrived.

In April 1859, an observer counted some 2,235 Northerners at Victoria. Over 1500 of these occupied 111 established dwelling places, an average of 14 people in each. This seems more or less the average throughout B.C., excepting lodges and longhouses. This density explains the rapid spread of any epidemic disease once it had gained access to a house. The Tsimshian, from the Skeena and area on the north Pacific coast, typically were the largest resident northern contingent at Victoria. In 1859, of the visiting natives occupying structures other than tents, almost 700 were Tsimshian. Adding those in tents, this implies a population well over 1000 at Victoria. They were there to do business with the H.B.C., with the growing influx of miners and with other native nations. For example, in April 1862 Tsimshian entrepreneurs brought down several canoes and soon sold out. Tsimshian canoe making resembled a small vehicle manufacturing industry. Even after smallpox, a few came down again in 1863.

In 1859, confirming his true attitude to natives as "savages" and "barbarians," Douglas wrote to Lord Lytton,

(We) have been visited lately by large numbers of savages from the Queen Charlottes and the Northern Coast, 105 large canoes…about 1500 persons including women and children. The presence in the settlement of these barbarians is troublesome and disagreeable though in smaller numbers they might be useful to the white settlers (through cheap labor,) as it is their numbers far exceed the demand.

According to Douglas, then, there were just too many natives for anything but a nuisance; yet, today, apologists for genocide and lawyers for the crown, explicitly and implicitly, suppose there were hardly any Indians at all in British Columbia and vacant space everywhere. On Douglas' clearly expressed view, these "savages" and "barbarians" might have some residual use if their numbers could be reduced. One supposes that, if these same sentiments had been expressed, say in Rwanda, Canadian historians might then accurately identify in them an incipient genocide friendly sentiment if, afterward, tens of thousands suddenly died.

We have no reason to suppose the Northerners' population or its Tsimshian component in 1862 was any less than in 1859. Nor any reason to suppose Douglas had changed his sentiment toward the too- numerous "savages" and "barbarian" Calibans. Indeed, the 1862 population was probably larger. One party alone of 1000 Tsimshian and Heiltsuk arrived in March.510 One observer said, on the Reserve area itself (without counting the Northerners' village north of town or other camps,) there had been 2000 Northerners in 300 huts, tents and lodges. Lodges were artifacts of permanent settlements, rather than mere transitory camps. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, lodged on the outskirts and in town. The Fort Simpson H.B.C. manager specifically noted more Tsimshian females than usual leaving his locality in spring 1862 "…to prostitute themselves in Victoria." An impartial observer nearby provided this gloss on the practice of native prostitution, "These women are never known to seek such degrading intercourse" but they would "permit it" for gain if trained to it by European men. Tsimshian women had many talents, according to Dr. Helmcken, and were prized for their industry. These women undoubtedly brought goods to undercut H.B.C. prices. Without smallpox, persecution, racial prejudice, economic discrimination and residential schools, British Columbia today would feature a large, vibrant, well-capitalized and well- accepted indigenous business community.

In sum, the 1862 Northerners at Victoria may have numbered 3000, compared to perhaps 5000 resident Europeans. The Northerners population probably peaked, as a rule, in late April. The mining population then presented the maximum number of customers. Douglas had no means of governing these separate native communities, except so far as they would tolerate European wishes and be persuaded to some end. It was a population too large to be forced into any behavior pattern against its interests, without violence. It presented a challenge, then, to Douglas' authority and to the European vision right at Victoria. If one wanted to suppress this competing social