"Uplands," the Ancient H.B.C. Farm on Vancouver Island

Onetime Natural Park and Grazing Ground Now Being Subdivided at Victoria

By C. H. FRENCH, District Manager for B.C.

When Victoria was established by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1843 all that tract of land between Cadboro Bay and The Willows was a park, being studded here and there with beautiful oak trees and plentifully supplied with grass in which the elk loved to scamper about.

Farm Required to Support Post

At all Hudson's Bay Company's forts, the self-supporting feature was always given first consideration. At Victoria it was not only necessary to raise sufficient grain, butter and beef to support the Fort, but also sufficient to supply Russian America, or Alaska as we now know it. Uplands was one of the first farms established to gain those ends.

The farm buildings were always just where they now are, but the road leading to them was different, in that where it now takes a bend where the golf links association put up their sign, it continued straight through the cultivated fields to the farm buildings. An examination will show the trees and rocks still marking this road.

Riding to Uplands for the View

The officers at the Fort had saddle horses and it was to the uplands they went when desiring a ride on horseback. Many officers of Her Majesty's ships immediately on landing made arrangements for a horseback ride to this wonderful piece of country.

It has an elevation—without seeming to climb—sufficient to present perhaps the finest marine view to be found anywhere. The view was obtainable from almost any part of the thousand acres contained in the farm.

The handsome oak and maple trees were just sufficiently scattered not to obstruct the view of the Olympic Mountains to the south; San Juan and other islands to the east and southeast, which were overlooked by glorious Mount Baker, always standing out as if a sentinel clothed in white, guarding a country so rich in minerals, lumber and fish that its equal has yet to be discovered.

Looking north, towards James and Salt Spring Islands, one is almost speechless with admiration of the beauty that is stretched before the eye.

Indian Villages Are at Strategic Points

Indian villages were in earlier times established only at points where the food supply was abundant, but in this particular instance the village was established for strategic reasons. There were two points occupied by Indians; one toward the northern side of the bay, where the present Cadboro Bay Hotel is to-day located, and the other just inside the point, east of the present Yacht Clubhouse. Those living on the north side of the bay were the custodians of a portage from Telegraph Bay to Cadboro Bay, while the Indians on the south side of the bay were the real defenders of the tribe as a portage from there to Rock Bay had to be blocked to all enemies as it was to this point that retreats were made and where also was stored their winter supply of food.

The Songhees Had a Magic Spring

The Songhees on the southeast end of Vancouver Island had, I believe, the most strategic situation of any tribe on the coast. From their central village at Concordance Arm the all-important route was by Cadboro Bay, principally because the great spring that was regarded by them as possessing certain medicinal qualities was located at that point.

This spring was surrounded by willows and was so carefully camouflaged that one could hardly find it, excepting that the ground from the spring to the waterfront was more or less wet. In the improving of Uplands, this spring was drained in some way and, I am told, does not show on the surface now, but probably is diverted to the sea beach.