Hi,
Yes the canal wasn't finished until around 1913 give or take a few years (1913 is stuck in my head it may have been a year or two later)
Major ports back then, or at least my best guess for his landing.
California if he had a bit of money, New Orleans if he had less and any east coast port if he were even poorer. The reason I am saying this is it was a terrible trip cross country from the east coast, dangerous, rough etc.
It was not a trip you'd take if you could avoid, sea trips were no princess cruise back then but were FAR better than a train or stagecoach trip. I'm not positive the transcontinental was complete at 1870 his year of arrival.
So it may have been a stagecoach/horse only trip.
Before sticking to the 1870 date and searching for his arrival then, I'd make sure.
Make a timeline for him. Then check for mining claims,voters lists and other documents in BC that list last address/year of immigration etc.
check sessional papers, he signed this petition;
Petitions Against the 'Settlement Act'
from Nanaimo and Comox
from the Sessional Papers of the British Columbia Government, 1883-4
PETITION
(Nanaimo)
To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of the, Province of British Columbia. GENTLEMEN: We, the undersigned Electors of the constituency of Nanaimo, in the Province of British Columbia beg respectfully to, protest against the passage, by the Legislative Assembly of the Province, of the Bill entitled the "Settlement Act," and beg to submit for your consideration our objections thereto, as follows, viz.:- 1. That the "Settlement Act" virtually creates a monopoly, inasmuch as it makes no stipulation that the Dominion Government shall transfer the Railway Reserve to the Railway Company under provisions thaf shall secure to the public,the right to purchase Agricultural, Timber and Coal Lands at any fixed price or in any definite quantity, or that the regulations provided for the purchase of Coal Lands from the Dominion Government in other parts of the Dominion have not been made to apply to the Vancouver Island Railway Reserve; 2. That the said Act discourages coal mining by exempting from taxation, until occupied, all the lands to, be transferred to the proposed Railway Company; 3. Your Petitioners would impress upon your consideration the necessity of amending the Act so, as to provide against the - possible creation of a monopoly in the chief resources of the Province; And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c
NFS may be able to help.
http://www.members.shaw.ca/nfhs/No Date Surname Forename Parent Names/Frame No. Sex Parish GROS Data Image Extract
1 13/11/1841 HINKSMAN WILLIAM JOHN HINKSMAN/ELSPETH HUTCHISON FR413 M NEWBURGH 450/00 0002