RBCM Golden Reads discussion

1) This Western-inspired tale takes place in gold-fevered Oregon and California circa 1851. Could deWitt have as effectively told this story against the backdrop of gold-fevered Fraser River of 1858 or the later rushes in the Cariboo? Why?/Why not?

2) In chapter 36 Eli and Charlie wonder about the fully laden crew-abandoned ships in the San Francisco harbour: men are abandoning secure paid jobs for hard-fought and often illusive gains; that the real money to be made is from the men working the rivers NOT from working the rivers; and, that inflation is rampant because “thrift and sensible spending don’t exist anymore”.
History tells us that crew abandonment was a very large problem for ship masters/owners during the California gold rush. Why did this not happen in Victoria? Or did it?
In what ways did the BC gold rush inspire/mirror the inflationary and avaricious behaviour seen by the Sisters brothers?

3) There are many dramatic and often farcical characters in this story. Can a comparison be made to any of the historical characters presented in the last book we read (The Trail of 1858)?

4) What would have happened if Hermann Kermit Warm’s illumination invention had worked without the lethal consequences it did have?

5) What was the relevance of the 2 “Intermissions” to the book’s narrative/story or character development? (the young girl who poisoned dog and almost Charlie)

Hi Kim,

Regarding your question about ship crews deserting for the gold rush, this was indeed a problem in Victoria and farther north. Dr. Helmcken wrote about a "miserable affair" at Fort Rupert (north end of Vancouver Island), involving desertion of both Hudson's Bay Company coal miners from that fort, and crew from one of the HBCo's vessels, attempting to get to the California gold fields. The latter were killed by a few First Nations men; the following conflicting reports and attempts at British justice had devastating effects.

Desertion continued during B.C.'s gold rushes, for the Royal Navy as well. Victoria residents were sometimes charged with harboring deserters, including Mrs. Dodd, the widow of a HBCo ship's captain. She was represented in court by John Work Jr., on behalf of her "guardian", Dr. Tolmie. (Dodd's house in Gordon Head was built in the same period as Helmcken House.)

Thank you Vanessa.
Our group had a good discussion about this last Friday and your comments were enlightening and helpful.

You're welcome -- I'm glad they were helpful and added to the discussion.