Deserters Group facts for kids
The Deserters Group is a small cluster of islands located off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. These islands are part of the Queen Charlotte Strait region. Two of the islands in this group are Deserters Island and Wishart Island.
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The Mystery of the Deserters Group
Why is it Called the Deserters Group?
The Deserters Group gets its name from a fascinating story from the past. It's about eight men who were part of the crew on a ship called the Norman Morrison. This ship belonged to the Hudson's Bay Company, a very old trading company.
One day, while their ship was docked in Suquash Harbour, these eight men decided to leave. They had heard exciting news about gold being found in the Cariboo region of British Columbia. They wanted to go find their own gold!
What Happened to the Deserters?
Sadly, the story of the deserters doesn't have a happy ending. There are two main versions of what happened to them after they left the ship. Both stories involve local Indigenous people.
One story suggests there was a misunderstanding. The ship's captain offered money for the return of the deserters. However, some people might have misunderstood this offer. They might have thought the captain meant money for their heads, not for bringing them back alive. Because of this, the men were killed instead of being captured and returned to the ship.
Another story says that representatives from the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Rupert offered a reward for the deserters. This reward was for them "dead or alive." However, the Governor at the time, Richard Blanshard, later said in his report that this story was "baseless," meaning it wasn't true.
Islands Named After the Deserters
Even though their story is sad, some of the deserters are remembered through the names of places. One of the deserters was named James Wishart. Today, Wishart Island and the nearby Wishart Peninsula are named after him. Another deserter, A. Willoughby, has a place named after him too: Willoughby Rock, which is located just north of the Deserters Group.
