Cariboo Gold Rush – The Stampede that Made BC

In 1858, some 30,000 gold seekers stampeded to the Fraser River. Scores perished during the gruelling journey, but some made their fortune and many pressed on northward to the Cariboo. This is a fascinating account of the first gold strikes, the miners who made them, and the incredible efforts to build roads to the Cariboo goldfields. Here are the stories of the legendary Williams Creek diggings, which yielded over $2.6 million in 1862, and creeks with names like Lightning, Jack of Clubs, and Last Chance. Also included are excerpts from the richly descriptive journals of Walter B. Cheadle, who provides an often humorous first-hand account of Cariboo life in 1863.