In preparation for our final research paper, we were to find a primary source on the topic we wanted to discuss, and analyze it. This was my first formal analysis of a primary document, because in high school it was “use whatever”. From this project I learned about the importance of primary documents and how they can easily persuade opinions. As well this was my first time using footnotes, however I could not get them to transfer over to this site. I believe it is not compatible so I just used an citation. 

   

 

      The Cariboo Gold Rush has always intrigued me. Thousands of people all gathering in one place in a hopes of doing a little mining and striking rich. Such a big obsession for a bunch of metal. Many people were bankrupt after failure in the gold fields, as very few actually struck into the worlds wealth. Some barely made enough to even cover the costs of their trip. As well the journey had moments of danger. Although a big question for me was, how difficult and unbarring was being a gold miner? Fortunately I have come across the diary of an American gold miner who did come from San Francisco to experience the Cariboo Gold Rush first hand in 1862. His name was S.G. Hathaway, and he did prove that being a gold miner was not for the feeble minded after his dreams and positivity to the gold rush was torn.

      S.G. Hathaway was like many people of his time. A goal to go into the Cariboo, stick a claim, and strike rich. This was a very popular idea of the time because being very wealthy is always a sign of status and as settlements are still developing, having a load of money would come in handy. However the big veins of gold had already been claimed when S.G. Hathaway and many others began their journey. This was a problem as money was a problem. Huge journeys like going to the gold fields required much expensive supplies, “We bought 50 lbs of flour, 18lbs Bacon, 32 lbs Beans- 100 lbs in all, for which we paid $90”,, and not prospecting enough gold would make you lose profit. Rations of course would be the most important part of a journey. Without adequate nutrition, working all day mining is going to be pretty hard. Many miners had to cut their adventures short due to lack of money, leading to a lack of rations. As well the journey to the Cariboo was dangerous. It was not only dangerous due to wild animals, but environmental hazards were making their appearances all over the Cariboo, “Could not sleep for nervousness, and about midnight the overloaded trees began to fall crashing down all around us”,. Also because people are scum, petty thief made making an honest living difficult, “But my chief fear is of being robbed on my way down,- many have been robbed and some murdered on the down trails”,. Unsanitary work conditions also played an important role of deterring many prospectors. All day of working hard in the dirt caused many miners to get ill and develop nasty injuries. Injuries to back, knees, and shoulders were caused from working to hard in poor conditions and many miners, like S.G. Hathaway, developed boils and cysts.

      Our story for S.G. Hathaway came to an unfortunate end, one that we did not want to see. S.G. Hathaway set out on the 3rd of June in 1862 to gold mine in the Cariboo and become wealthy, but he was unable to make this dream a reality. S.G. Hathaway barely made enough money to make a profit after all he spent on his trip. It was hard work for a small chance to be one of the fortunate ones to find a huge vein of gold. Many people had dreams, but almost all were crushed by the unrelenting trials of the Cariboo. Miners were unprepared for what they had to go through. They had little than enough money to even start, yet to finish with what they started with was for most impossible. Thieves made life difficult and in the Cariboo, and what we come to know as Canada, had unforgiving weather conditions. This terrible weather went hand in hand with the injuries that many miners had to suffer. Now today, we are able to see why so many gold miners failed. Life was very difficult for those men and some women, and most were unable to hurtle these challenges.This frustration, sorrow, and anger led to most miners hanging their picks, throwing down their hats, and leaving the Cariboo without a thought in their mind.

 

Hathaway, S.G. Cariboo Gold Rush: Hathaway, S.G.-1862 Diary, (Heritage Branch,        Province of British Columbia, 2001).