and the point of his nose is actually coming in contact with that of his chin—he still continues to talk & I suppose will do so till the end of his quitting the Country—but he does not know what to do with his family . . . Poor Work is always complaining and I doubt not he has some cause, but bating [barring?] his delicate state of health which gives me much anxiety at times, I am inclined to believe that not a few of the evils of which he complains are merely imaginary. For instance he frets and worries at the idea of being superceded in his charge by a person subordinate to himself—Now when I leave this—were they to put a shoe-black in my place it would not give me one moment's uneasiness. Another striking fault of our worthy friend, and which tends not a little to increase his habitual anxiety is his want of decision, but if he does not take decisive measures soon to clear out, were it only for a season he will in all probability fall victim to
hypochrondisy.26
Thus does "Dr." Tod diagnose the ailment of his friend and prescribe a remedy.
Two years later, from his station at Thompson's River in New Caledonia, Tod sent Ermatinger another bit of news of John Work. "Poor dear Work is still in the usual way and as undecided as ever about going out while every letter I get announces the birth of another child."27
In 1849 John Work was transferred to Fort Victoria as one of the managers of the Hudson's Bay Company affairs west of the Rocky Mountains, and in 1853 he was appointed by Chief Factor James Douglas a member of the Legislative Council of Vancouver Island. The appointment was confirmed from London in 1854.
Until the formation of this colony Mr. Work had always expressed a fond intention of spending the evening of his days in his native land, the north of Ireland, but the prospect of a civilized home on this Island under British institutions induced him to settle here where he acquired considerable property and became one of the earliest and most enterprising farmers in Victoria District.28
In 1850 John Work purchased a large tract of land near Fort Victoria. All of this land now lies within the limits of the city of Victoria. Street names in certain districts bear names of the Work children, and there is a Work Street and a Wark Street as well.
While residing in Victoria, John Work nevertheless seems to have retained for several years supervision of Fort Simpson, and while so engaged made two or more voyages to the northward in connection with the discovery of gold on Queen Charlotte Island. He was accompanied on one of these trips by "Old Pierre," that is, Pierre Legace, his father-in-law, always a reliable companion on the trail and a veteran of the California expedition.29
John and Josette took with them to Victoria their large family and built for their first home a log residence. Later a mansion which they called "Hillside" was erected. This structure is still standing and was located and identified in 1941. It has been altered and removed from its original site in a grove of oak trees to a new situation across the street.
During the residence of the family at Fort Simpson, Work was distressed at the lack of educational facilities for his children. He made the experiment of sending the elder daughters, Jane and Sarah, to Oregon, where they resided for a year in the family of the Reverend David Leslie, a Methodist missionary. But this course did not prove satisfactory, and eventually he took
