Elliot to Young, Colonial Secretary

Lillooet B.C.
Dec. 10th 1862

W.A.G. Young Esquire
Colonial Secretary

Sir,

It causes me much sorrow to inform His Excellency that three distinct cases of Small Pox have occurred in the town, one of which proved fatal on the 5th instant, the victim being a Mr. [Hiram?] Robinson of Beaver Lake. In the other two cases, one man has recovered and gone away, while the third is still here under medical treatment but is progressing favorably. The disease was not contracted here in any of the cases, the men already having it on their arrival from the Upper Country, where I understand their have been several cases some of which have resulted fatally. The Indians are reported as suffering severely from Small Pox on the Bonaparte and in other localities. I have had a considerable number vaccinated, and have given instructions for all Indians to be kept out of the town during the prevalence of the disease.

The town is otherwise healthy with the exception of the men in consumption, who have been a heavy burden on a few individuals for better than three months.

The inhabitants have acted throughout, with the greatest liberality, [two illegible words] has to be paid for hospitals and men kept constantly in attendance on the patients.

The weather has been exceedingly moderate up to this, the mercury not having exhibited a greater amount of cold than seven degrees below freezing and that only for one day.

A large quantity of provisions are stored in town, and not many miners wintering here to consume them. As well as I have been able to ascertain there is about of

Flour.......[illegible]........50,000
Beans............"...............50,000
Flour.............."..............40,000

and all other goods in proportionately large quantities, not speaking of those still on there way from Douglas, affording a pleasing contrast to the deplorable scarcity of last year, and promising an earlier supply for the miners bound for the Upper Country in the ensuing spring.

I have the honor to be
Sir
Your most obedient servant
A.C.Elliott