Victoria--The Rush there from California--Contrast to San Francisco under Similar Circumstances--The Assiniboines see the Wonders of Victoria--Start for Cariboo--Mr. O’B. and the Assiniboine are Reconciled--The Former re-establishes his Faith--Farewell to the Assiniboine Family--Salmon in Harrison River--The Lakes--Mr. O’B.’s Triumph--Lilloet--Miners’ Slang--The “Stage” to Soda Creek--Johnny the Driver--Pavilion Mountain-- The Rattlesnake Grade--The Chasm--Way-side Houses on the Road to the Mines--We meet a Fortunate Miner--The Farming Land of the Colony--The Steamer--Frequent Cocktails--The Mouth of Quesnelle--The Trail to William’s Creek--A Hard Journey--Dead Horses--Cameron Town, William’s Creek. Victoria is very beautifully situated on the shores of a small rocky bay--an indentation in the promontory which is formed by the sweeping round of the sea into the land-locked harbour of Esquimalt. The site was originally chosen by Sir James (then Mr.) Douglas, Governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s territories west of the Rocky Mountains, for the establishment of head-quarters, in place of Fort Vancouver, when Oregon passed into the possession of the United States in the year 1844. Fourteen years afterwards, when the news of the discovery of gold on the Fraser caused such excitement in California, the only buildings were the Company’s Fort, and one or two houses inhabited by their employés. In the course of a few weeks 30,000 people were collected there, waiting for the flooded Fraser to subside, and allow them to proceed to the diggings. Amongst this immense assemblage of people-- the majority of them the most desperate and lawless of the Californian rowdies--Governor Douglas, without the aid of a single soldier or regular police-force, preserved an order and security which contrasted most forcibly with the state of things in San Francisco and Sacramento under similar circumstances. The city wore a very thriving aspect when we visited it, and could already boast of several streets. The whole traffic to and from British Columbia passing through it, has rapidly enriched its merchants, and handsome brick stores are fast replacing the original wooden buildings.