^^ . ........ ..-W ■^mmmmmmmm^^m^ ^mmmmmmmmm^^m mimmmm^mmmm^m m^mmmmmmm^ mmmmmmmmwmmm wm^mmp^^mmm pmmmm^mmmA ^ Ä-ff^^f ^^^^ •j« , -J ' ■ • .1 r v " v-;-; ■ • , --.-v,/. C.'/ k V: 'S. r .'i' - «r r L IJ ^ V . . • '"t- f - ■ ■ J-«-« -iL 'i -T-. "ix. ..l9C'*r.-r- r.-jar-T J .r-s".'» .. • L-. i. c^-r-tt.- -' ..'i ......' ■ '' '-.-rii-.- .....' . ^'' ■ •: i- " ^... • - AT". : . ' ... - - i ' 5' K - v . - ».' - - ________ f * . --..iT. . , f Made in the Years 1788 and 1789, FROM CHINA TO THE NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. TO WHICH ARE FREFIXKU, AN INTRODUCTORY NARRATIVE o F A Voyage performed in 1786, from Bengal, in the Ship Nootka; _ _OBSERVATIONS ON THE PROBABLE EXISTENCE NORTH W E S T P A S S A G E-, and some account of THE TRADE BETWEEN THE NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA AND CHINA ; AND THE LATTER COUNTRY AND GREAT BRITAIN. BY JOHN U E A R E S, ESQ, LONDON: PRINTED AT THE Eagrisrsp^tc PwWt AND SOLD BY J, WALTER, N" 169, PICCADILLV, OPPOSITE OLD BOND STEEIT. m.uccxc, ■ ^ ^ A -Y .••' ; KŽ^i ^xAaY 3-MT 'TI; aaAM UT.HO^'^IiT OTAKrnO • ... YÄOY^UilOMTXI VIA • - - 3 o • • I , • ^ ^ ^^ v; H^^y-Vfi'" - ■ , • • ^V. "?) *!O .. ■ • • jyy-rT'i saTTA a^TvfiÄi . . i • ■ ' ' " . fljo tru^s^w .t^iOiLjyjf r« ajoi /Vl/. TO THE RIGHT HON^"-' LORD HAIV KESBU RY, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE, lie. ^c, WHOSE COMMERCIAL ERUDITION AND OFFICIAL STATION, RENDER 11 IM THE BEST JUDGE, and, t h e r e f o r fj THE MOST HONOURABLE PATRON. OF ALL WORKS WHICH TEND TO PROMOTE THE INTERESTS, AND ENLARGE THE BOUNDARIES, OF BRITISH COMIilERCE-, THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED, WITH THE GREATEST RICSI'ECT, BV HIS LORDhifP'i MOST OBLIGED, AND FAITHfUL HUMBLE SERVANT, y 0 B N M E A R E S. hut Ü T 1 ■ a^oa -.sc .-r^Aoä 3Ht ^ö-r-Amiüxk V. C i t r. ^ ' e ff ■% ^ 1 \ - -r X if - ■ "" y ^ O n T ^ O M a H-t. OT Qi^lT.tOMl-/ s^Ägv.' T^^ m. .t; j o J ti o 'f l a Af. v. .VC O V -i. •'. •" . R E F A C E. II E wiAies of friends,—the polltical clrcumftances of the moment,—and, as I have beea made to believe, the public expeftation, have induced me to add the following Voyages to thofe which have already been publiQied, to improve the navigation and extend the commerce of the Britifli Empire.—I do not pretend to be the rival,—but rather confider myfelf an humble follower of thofe eminent navigators whofe reputation is become a part of the national fame; and though I may be permitted, as it were, to envy their fuperior talents and advantages, I moft fm-cerely add my feeble tertimony to that merit, which has ranked them among the illulhious names of ray country. Indeed I feel it a duty 1 owe myfelf, as well as to moderate the fanguine -expeftation which may have arifen refpefting the hiftory Vi p fi E F A C E. of tliofe Voyciges In which I have been engaged, and may be faid to have condu61ed, to obfervc, that they were Voyages of Com-merck, and not of Discovery ; and that whatever novelty they jpay poiTefs, or original information they may beÜow, arofe out of, and form, as it were, an incidental part of a commercial undertaking. The velTels committed to my command, were fitted out in the ports of the Eaft, by the commercial zeal of Biitilh fiibjefts in tl^at part of the globe.—It was my office, under their fpirited and confidential encouragement, to explore new regions of Trade;—the interell therefore of thofe patriotic merchants and gentlemen, who had entrurted a very confiderable property to my care and controul, and the honour of gaining a fmall portion of that reputation which is due to thofe who promote the extenfion of the Britiili commerce, were the fole incentives to my zeal, and alone fupported me under the difficulties, and amidll the dangers I encountered in difcharging my duty. When I was ftruggling with the üorms of the Pacific Ocean,—when I was locked up in ice, and fuffering the accumulated wretchednefs of that fituation on the fliores of America,—or when I was engaged in advancing the principal objeÄ of the Voyage,— and availing myfelf of any accidental opportunity which occurred, of exploring thofe dubious coalls, I little thought it would be my future lot to give the hiftory of tliis part of my maritime life to the world.—If I liad looked forward to the poffibility of futh an event, I fhould e. vil I flloukl have enlarged my obfervatlons, and been more minutely attentive to a variety of objefts wliicli were but curforily remarked; and qualified myCelf, during every part of my Voyages, to have given them all the interert they were capable of receiving, and all the information ihey were capablc of producing. But without endeavouring to deprecate criticifm by an affefted humility, or defying it by an unbecoming confidence, I Üiall venture to exprefs my hopes,—that this Volume will be found to contain information ufeful to commerce, and inllručlions which future navigators may not difdain to confider ; that the following pages will afford fome entertainment to men who are curious in examinincr the various modes of human life ; and that there are many paffages in them which will heighten the feelings of thofe who " fit and think on what a failor ftiffers." The Memoir on the China Trade, &c. muft fpeak for itfelf The Obfervations I have ventured to make on the pofiibility of a North Weft PalTage, muft alfo be fubmitted to the candid confidera-tion of invettigating minds.—It is, however, proper to add, that in fupporting my opinion on that fubjeft, I have had occafional recourfe to the corroborating arguments of Mr. Dalrymple, in his admirable pamphlet on the Fur Trade, &c. That every poffible attention has been employed to render this Work, in fome degree, worthy of the public favour, will, I trull, appear I to Vm PREFACE, tO every candid reader of it.—For its inaccuracies, though, I truft, they will not be found to be very numerous, I muil reft for excufe on the very great hafte in which it was necefTarily prepared to meet the public impatience ;—and I am difpofed to flatter myfelf that the indulgence I afk will not be denied me. JOHN MEARES. J^tVtmher 16, 1790. An LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF wales. Antrim, MoA Noble Marquis of An-an, Right Hon. Earl of Annaly, Right Hon. Lord Annefley, Right Hon. Richard Adams, Mr. Aftell, Will. Thornton Efq. Clapham Alexander, Robert Efq. Banker Allen, John Efq. Auft, G. Efq. Secretary of State's OfFicc Aflbciated Tinners in the County of Cornwall^ 20 Copies B Buckingham, The Moft Noble Marq. of Banks, Sir Jofeph, Bart. Prefideiit of the Royal Society Brühl, His Excellency Count, Saxon Ambaflador Baflet, Sir F. Bart. 'Tehldy Park, Cornzvali Bayntun, Sir Edward, Bart. Beale, D.inlel Efq. China Be ft land, Mr. Great Marlborough-ßrtet Brook, Mr. Birmingham Bowater, Captain Hampion-court Brook, George Efq. Brown, Auguftus Efq. Bride, Patrick Efq. Bank Direftor, Ireland Burflon, Beresford Efq. King's Counfel Brabazon, Capt. Lambert of the Kavy Barrett, Rev. John Ball, John Efq. Dublm d Ball, George Efq. ditto Bolton, Richard Efq. ditto Binns, John Efq. ditto Batten,-Efq. Penzance, Cornwall Bolitho, Thomas Efq. Chyandour, ditto Bofville, William Efq. Batcman, Nathaniel Efq. Berry. Kingfmill Efq. Howland-ßreet Beate, Thomas Efq. Baldwin, Mr. Bookfeller, 25 Copies Becket, Mr. Bookfeller, 10 Copies Bcw, Mr. Bookfeller, 6 Copies Boofey, Mr. Bookfeller, 3 Copies Byrn, Mr. James Bookfeller, Dublin, 6 C. C Charlemont, Right Hon. Earl of Clonmell.Rr. Hon. Lord Vifc. Chief Juf- tice Court of King's Bench, Ireland Carleton, Right Hon. Lord, Chief Jiiftlce of the Court of Common Pleas, dir/o Cioncurry, Right Hon. Lord Clanbraffil, Right Hon. Lord Chetwynd, Hon. Mr. Jermyn-fireet Chalmers, George Efq. Chief Clerk of the Board of Trade Coombe, Hcrvey Efq. Great Rußhßreet Collinfon, Michael Efq. Gmfuenor Place Cook,Thomas Summers Efq. Dazming-ß. Cabell, William Efq. India Board Clowes, William Efq. Warrington Cox, Mr. Shoe-lane Cox, J. Henry Efq. China Carver, Mr. Birmingham Clark, Mr. Upper Grofaenor Jireet Curtis, Wiüiani Efq. Alderman & M. P. Colvillf, William Efq. a Direftor of the Bank, Ireland Crothwaite, Leland Efq. ditto, ilitto Chattcrton, James Efq- King's Counfel Conolly, James Efq. Campbell, George Efq. Cunningham, Thomas Efq. Coles, Richard Efq. Cunnach, Mr. Penzance, Cornwall Cotton, John Efq. Lo~dO Layton Cunningham, Waddle Efq. Chalmer, Wm. Efq. Chief of the Swedifli Supra Cargoes at Canion Cadell, Mr. Bookfeller, 6 Copies D Donoughmore, Right Hon. Lord Delvin, Right Hon. Lord Donnithorne, Nicholas Efq. St, JgHiS, CorKwali Denny, Sir Barry, Bart. Dering, Sir Edw. Bart. Day, Rev. Archdeacon Drummond, James Efq. China Davifon, Alexander Efq. Harpur-flreet Dunnage, John Efq. Fhilpot-lane Daniel, R. A. Efq. Truro, Cornwall Dawfon, Mifs Sufanna Grofvemr-fquare Dick, Samuel Efq. Diredor of the Bank, Ireland D'Olier, Jeremiah Efq. Duquery, Henry Efq. Ireland Duigenan, Patrick Efq. King's Counfel, Ireland Donoughmore, David Efq. Downes, William Efq. Dickfon, Stephen Efq, Daubuz, C. L. Efq. Conrwall Davifon, George Efq. ^ehec Dcfenfans, Mr. Charloite-fireet Dclemalne, John Efq. Berner's-ßreel Dclemaine, Henry Efq. ditto Dairy m pie, Alexander Efq. Ddafield, Jof. Efq. Cißle^ßreet Dafhwood, Captain 3d Regiment Guards Dilly, Mr. Bookfeller, 6 Copies E Effingham, Right Hon. Earl of Edwards, John Efq. Hale, Cornwall Efle, Charles Efq. Etches, Richard Cadinan Efq, Etches, William Efq. Etches, John Efq. Egerton, Mr. Bookfeller, 6 Copies Edwards, Mr. Bookfeller, 10 Copies Evans, Mr. Bookfeller, 6 Copies F Falmouth, Right Hon. Lord Vif. Trego- than, Cornwall ' Fitzgibbon, Right Hon. Lord, Lord High Chancellor of Ireland Fitzgerald, Right Hon. Lord Charles Fitzgerald, Right Hon. James, Prime Serjeant of Ireland Flood, Sir Frederick Bt. Ireland Franklin, Governor, Norton-ßreet Frankland, R. Efq. For fter, George Efq. Plumbtree-ßreet Forfter, Richard Efq. Kennington Lane Fofter, Robert Efq. Fitzhugh, Thomas Efq. China Fitzhugh, William Efq. Cbim Fox, G. C, Efq, Falmouth, Cornxvall Fox, George Efq. Perran, ditto Fox, Edward Efq. IVade-bridge, ditto Freire, Chev. de, Portuguefe Miniftcr, 2 C Fry, William Efq. Wallingtottj S^rry Felix, D. Efq. Qintm Fiflier, Mr. Richard Newcaßle Favvkener, William Efq. Clerk of the Privy Council Frafer, James Efq. Golden-fquare Faulder, Mr. Bookfellcr, 12 Copies G Gosford, Right Hon. Lord Vlfc. Gould, Sir Charles Bjrt. Horfe Guards Grant, Hon. John, Chief Juftice of Jamaica Geil, Captain Upper IVmipok-fl'eet Gray, Richard Efq. Somerfei Place Gariiaulr, Captain Goif, Jofeph Efq. Gautier, Cornelius Efq. Gray, Dr. William Gould, William Efq. Grote, George Efq- Threadneeäe-ßreet Gregor, Francis Efq. Reßortnel-park, Corn, Goddard, AmbrofeEfq. M. P. Saville-roza Gordon, Robert Efq. Clarges-ßrett Gardner, Mr. Bookfeller, 6 Copies H Hawkefbury, Right Hon. Lord Howard Right Hon. Lord Harberton, Right Hon. Lord Hutchinfon,Rr. Hon. John Hely, Principal Sec. of State, and Provoft of Trinity College, Dublin Hobart, Rt. Hon. Mr. Sec. to His Excellency the Lord Lieut, of Ireland Hamilton, Hon. Arthur Cole, M. P. Hamilton, B;iron Hibbert, William Efq. Lime-ßreet Harrifon, A. El'q. Caßle-ßreet Humphreys, O. Efq. St. James's-ßreet Howell, David Efq, Hartley, Travers Efq. Prefident of the Chamber of Commerce, Irehtid Hoffman, G. G. Efq. ditto, dino Hamilton, Sackville Efq, Hone, Jüiepli Elq. Hayes, Samuel Efq. Jtm Dak Harrifon, Captain Harris, Mr, Thomas Baßnghall-ßrect Hülfe, Colonel Harper, Colonel Hunt, George Efq. Bodmin, Cornwall Hawkins, John Adair, Great Malbro-ßr. Hunter, Robert Efq. ILing'i Arms Vard^ Colemaa ßreet Harlow, Mrs. Bookfeller, 3 Copies Hookham, Mr. iz Copies Holl, Mr. Bookfeller, IVevceßer, 6 Copies I Jaffray, Alexander Efq. Prefident of the Chamber of Commerce, Ireland James, Mr. John St. Agnes, Cornzvall Johnfon, Mr. J. Bookfeller, 6 Copies Jefferey, Mr. Bookfeller, 6 Copies K Kingfton, Right Hon. Earl of Kirkpatrick, Lieutenant James, at Col. Kirkpatrick's, Stade Houß, Kent Kingfbury, Thomas Efq. Kay, Mr. Bookfeller, 3 Copies Kearfley, Mr. Bookfeller, 3 Copies L I-eeds, His Grace the Duke of Leitiftcr, His Grace the Duke of Lauderdale, Right Hon. Earl of Latouche, Right Hon. David Governor of the Bank of Ireland Latouche, John Peter Efq. B;inker Latouche, James Digges Efq. ditto Lemon, Sir W. Bart, Carclew, Cornwall I-emon, Major Horfi-Guards Lowndes, William Efq. Upper Clapton Lane, Thomas Efq. Lane, Henry Eki- Hampton-conn Lcitb, Rev. Lockhart, Chigwell Le Mefurier, P. Efq, Aid. and M. P. Lyons, Robert Efq. Lind fey, John Efq. Lyte,Henry Efq. Lofack, Richard Efq. Sloane-ßrect Lancc, Dam to put to Sea,—Lofes an Anchor and departs for America* America.~-^Some Accou?it of Magindanao, —Aflronomical Obfercaiiom^ Anchorage, _'^he yuiage of Sarnboingan.—Spanijh Force arid Power.—Defcription of a Ball given by the Governor, and the Mafiners of the People.—Nautical Obfervaiions on the Pqffage between the China Seas and the Nor 1 hern Pacific Ocean,—Danger of navigating the China Seas.—Account of the feveral Paffages between the two Oceans^ ivitb Directions, ^c.—PaJfage between Formofa and the Philippines.—BaJhee Iflcs :—Defcription of them. — — — 34 CHAP. V. Departure of the Felice from Sarnboingan,—Pafs the Felice's Iflcs.—Mention of the Orders and Inßru3 ions given by the Merchants Proprietors for performing the Voyage.— Extraordinary Change in the Temper of the Buffaloes received on board.—Pafs the Ißand of Magindanao.—Rapidity of the Currents.—Efcape the Ijknd of Providence.—Pafs the Talour Iflands,—Ifland of Sanguir.—See the North Cape—Impoßbility of IVeathering it.—hwariablenefs of the Trade Winds in the Pacific Ocean.—Bear up to Leeward of the North Cape.—Pafs the Ijland Riou.—The Channel between Mor in t ay and the Ifland of Jelolo.—Fragrance of the Air.—Pafs the Southern Extremity of Morintay.—Reach the Sea.—The Latitude of Morintay afcertained. — — — 6 a CHAP. VI. Shifs Courfe purfued to the Eaflward—Currents fet her to the Ifland of Wagicw.—Symptoms of the Scurvy among the Crew.—Wind veersyforthefirfl Time, to the North Weft— Pafs Wagiew and the dangerous Tatee Ifles.—Freewill Ifles feen.—Natives come on hoard.^Their Joy at feeing Iron.—Some Account of thofe Ifles.—Their Latitude and Longitude, i^c.—Theflrong Currents in their Vicinity. — — 74 CHAP. VII. F^xtreme Heat of the Weather.—Vcry tempefluous.—Spring the Foremafl.—Lofs of fotne of the Cattle.—Lofe all the Goats.—Deflru&ion of many of the Plants intended for the Sandwich iflcs.—Rcafons for pointing the Shifs Courfe to the North Wefl, is c.—Mode of vieiiuiliing the Crew.—Occupations on Board.—Intention of Building a Veffel of fifty Tons in King Gc-orge's Sound.—Catpenters complete her Moulds and Model.—Chinefc Carpenters igncrnnt of Ship-building.—Great Burthen of the Chinefe Junks.—Party feleSted to remain in King Georges Sound.—Experience the Tail of a Tuffoon.—Change of the Mon-foons.—Terrible Eflccis ofTuffoons in the Chinefe Seas and Northern Pacific Ocean. 83 CHAP. VIII. Land feen, hut prevented from approaching it.—Difcovery of Iflands^zvhich we named Grampus Iflcs—Fed thefVcather extremely cold, with the probable Reafon of it—Number of Birds Birits feen.—Pafs by great ^mntilies of Rock-iveed.—Dijcover a fiupendms Rock^ tvhieh wc tiiimed Lot's Wife.—The Rafter of an Hotiß, and a Piece of Came feen floating on the Water.—Tempefiuotis Weather.—Weather becomes Jhrmy as the American Coaß is ap^ proathed.—Crofs the Tracks of the Refdution and Difcovery.—Error of the Ship's Reckonings l^c.—/1 Sea Parrot feen for the firß Time.—Extraordinary Brightnefs in the Af-mofphcrr, and to what Caufe attril'uted.—The Coaß of Amcrica feen.—Princefs Royal fails cut of King George's Sound.—Dißrefs of the Felice, ^c.—Anchor in Friendly Cove^ in King George's Sound. — — — — 93 CHAP. IX. The commodious Situation of Friendly Cove, in King George's Sound.—Cr eat Numbers of the Natives afemlile to lievj the Ship.—The Joy of Comekela on bis Arrival, ^c,—Hannapa a Chief, comes on board.—(Comekela prepares to go onßjore.—His Drefs, iäc.—Eviploy-vients of the Creiv.'—The Arrival of Maquilla, Chief of King George's Sound, with Cal-lictim, a P erf on the next in Ra>ik to him.-~A Defcription of their Drejfes, and the Ceremonies they prailifed on feeing the Ship,—Leave obtained to build an Houfe and Veffel.— Ca!I i cum attaches himfelf to the Ship, and is appointed Prote£Jor of the Party on Jhore, hy Maquilla.—An Hsufe built.—Keel of a Veffel laid.—Some Account of the Murder of Callicum by the Spaniards, in the following Tear. — — ic8 ■C H A P. X. Methods employed by the Natives to advance the Price of Sea Otter Skins.—ConduH of Comekela—Made a Chief through our Influence —His Marriage.—The Magnificence of the Entertainment on the Occafon^—Maquilla and bis Chiefs affe£l our Drefs and Manners. Vahuilfle Prefent of Maquilla.—A Grhidflone ßo'en.—An human Hand offered for ^^jg^—Narrow Efcape of the Natives on the Qccafion.—Melancholy Löfs of Part of the Crezv of the Imperial Eagle, in I'jZ'j.Sufpicion that Maquilla is a Cannibal.—Extraordinary Pillow of Callicum.—The Inhabitants of Friendly Cove remove to a fmall Dißance. 1 — — — — — >19 CHAP. XI. Ship prepares io put to Sea.—Pinnace ßolen by the Natives.—hnpoßbility of recovering her. __Some Uneafmeffes on hard the Ship.—Oßcers and Party intended to be left on ßjore^ landed.—Provifions made for equipping the new Vejfel.—A formal Viftt to Maquilla, and Renewal of the Treaty, is made acquainted with the probable Time of the Iphi- 8ENiA*s Arrival.—Requeßs a Letter for the Captain.—Our Aßonißjment at his KnoW' ledge, and by what Means it was obtained.—Story of Mr. Maccay.—Callicum arrives from hunting the Sea Otter.—Articles, which had belonged to Sir Jofeph Banks, in his Pojfejm.—The Ship puts io fea>^Plan of future Proceedings, (^e. — 127 CHAP. CHAP. XXII. Account of the DißriSI of Nootka cmtinued,—Vegetable Produ£iions.—Great Plenty of IVtid Fruits—Eßulent Roots, i^c.— ^adrupeds—Deer—Foxes—Martens—The Ermine— Squirrel, t^c. —Marine Animals:—The Wbalr^ Sword-Fißj, Srals, i^e, —Particular Account of the Sea Otter.—'Various Kinds of Birds,—Aquatic Fowls.—Fißj of various Kinds.—Manner of taking fome of them,—Reptiles.—-InfeEls.—Minerals.—ConjefJurcs concerning Mines ill Ibis Country, išc. i^c, — ■— — 236 CHAP. XXIII. The Perfons of the Inhabitants defcribed.—The Manner in which they treat their Infant Children —Their Averfton to Beards.—Dreffes, Male and Female.—Various Kinds of —Their Maßs, and the Ufes of them.—Difpofition and Temper of the Natives.—An horrid Cujiom of killing a Slave every Month, for the Purpofe of eating him.—The Ceremonies ufed on this Occafion,—Circumßance which led. to the Difovery of this PraHice, ^c, 249 CHAP. XXIV. Employments of the Men of Nootka.—They confifi, in general, of hunting different Marine ' and Land Animals.—Killing the Whale, (^c. defcribed.—Method of hunting the Sea-Otter, the Seal, i^c,—Their more domeßic Occupations.—Making Implements for Fißing ami IVar.—Their Canoes :—A Defcription of ibem.—A particular Manner of Fißing.—Employments of the Women.—Manner of colleHing and preferring the Rocs of Fifi).—The Difpofition of the People to War.—Cußom of exchanging their Women.—Religion, Išc. 258 CHAP. XXV. The proceeds on her Voyage.—Atrive off O'xhyhee.—Heave to in Tce-yah-yah Bay. The prcfcnt State of that Ißand.—Prefent, in the Name of Tianna, to the Chief of it.— Leave Owhyhee.—Improvement in falling Provifions.—Pafs the Iflands of Mowee, Ra-nai, Morotoi and IVoahoo.—Arrive off Atooi.—The political State of that Iß.ind.—Arrive at Onecheow.—Proceed on the Voyage.—Make the Ißand of Botol Tobago Xima.—Round the Rocks of Ville Rete.—Make the Coaß of China.—Anchor in the Roads of Macao. 2'jz CHAP. XXVI. VOYAGE OF THE IPHIGENIA CAPT. DOUGLAS. Condu^i of the Governor of Samhoingan to Captain Douglas, after the Departure of the Fe-iicE.—The A fails from Samboingan.—Arrives off a fmall Ißand, now named Johnfione's Ißand, —Tawnee, a Sandwich Ißander, dies.—Pafs through the -Pclewißes, išc. 28 7 CHAP. XXVII. Set the Ißand of Awluk.—See Land, which is miß aken for Trinity Ißand.—A mofl violent Gale.-^Defcription of the Land,—See the Ißand of Kodiak.^Arrive off Trinity Ißand. — I Vißted Vifiird hy two Camcs.—Satd the Joliy-hoat on Shore, to try fir Fijh.—See Cape Grevilk. —Pafs ihe Darren Ijknds.—Receive a Vifit from a Ruffian and fame Kodiak Hunters.— Run up C/ok's River.—Communication zvitb the Natives.—JVeigb anchor, andfieer to the South End of Montague Ijland.—Stand in for Snug-corner Day, ^c. ^c. — 301 CHAP. XXVIII. Sail from Snug-corner Bay.—Pafs Kaye's Ijlaiid.—Clofe in u-ith Cape Suckling.-—Send the Long'koat into Eberings Bay.—See Ijlands of Ice.—Purchafe a great Number of Sea-Otter Skins, rj' the Natives of Crofs Cape.—A fmgular Example of the Poix:er of the Jl 'omen among them.—Steer into Sea-Otter Day,—Pafs Douglas Jjland.—Euter a Day, called Mearcs's Day.—Pafs Rofe Point.—Join iht Felice at Nootka, ißc, — 317 CHAP. XXIX. The Iphic.enia and N. America leave Nootka Sound.—Arrive off the Ifland of Mozvee. — Lianna receives his Brother on board.—Arrive offOivhyhee.—A Vifit from the King.— Anchor in Karakakooa Day.—Ceremony of receiving Captain Douglas on Shore.—The N. W. American;/;/ Iphigenia part from their Cables.— SufpeEl the Natives of this Aä ofTreachcry.—The Divers employed, and recover the Cables, ^ßc.—Tianna leaves the Ship, to fettle in Oivhyhee.—Account of the late Change in the Government there, iSct 334 CHAP. XXX. Arrive off IVoahoo.—Reception given by Titeeree to Captain Douglas.~Proceed to Atooi.—-Taheo, the Sovereign, retires up the Country.—Returns, and viftts the Iphigenia.— Captain cautioned of fecret Deßgns againft him.—Proceed lotvards Oneebeo-w.—Forced hy contrary Gales to IFoahoo.—Arrive at Owbyhee.—Alliance entered into by the Princes of the neighbouring Ijlands.—Aßßance given by Captain Douglas to the Sovereign oj Owhyhee, and Tianna.—t Owhyhee.—Difpute among the Seamen at IFymoa Bay.—Proceed to Oiieeheffivfor Tarns.—^it the Sandwich Ijlands, išc. — — 347 CHAP. XXXI. Proceed to the N. IF. Coaß of America.—Pafs Bird Ijland,—Arrive at Nootka Sound.—Ar-rivalofa Spanijb Ship.—Seizure of the Iphigenia, i^c.—She is obliged to leave Nootka, and proceeds lo the Northzvard.—Anchors off a Village, named Fort Pitt.—Defcription of Buccleugh's Sound.—Anchor in Haines's Cove__A/t Account of Mae Intire's Bay.— Examine Cox's Channel.—A Defign formed by tlie Natives to get Poffeffton of the Sbip.—~ Trade ivith the Natives ofTatanee.—Return to the Sandwich Ijlands.—Efcape from a DeßgnoftheKingandCbiefsofOiLbyhce—Proceed to China.-^Arrive at Macao, ^c. 359 TABLES of the Route of the Felice, Ise.—The Variation of Compass; and Meteorological Observations during the Voyage — — 373 APPENDIX, containing Official Papers^ ^c. t % » t A (^IIAUT ofiho NüRTHKKN TACIFIC OCE AN^, Comainiiio- the N.K C OAST^oI ASIA jv NAV C^OAS'l' oC AMJCKT (M,l':.\pioro(liu 177» ijjihhy (^ainaiii (\)oJv,an(l I'lirilitr ]':xplüre{l in ijm John Meares. ^io no 11(11) I no rirzid-Tjic^-.aji. ■ ii>i) you ■J 10 r s K X '7 y .v.; M o J Ai 7" i> TVx n rs I \ ()|lH)l(lWl'ji| Ct 00I1 M TlfK I SK.l swrilwMVHi-.-ini ^ fO „. fnp'l'»akin'hni1 IfipfH'iruiiii' Rivp?'*'^"^»^ S S\ l MO J .1}/) J .1 K r/r / R y ^LLfhinv N 0 liiilTnIo lakft A Ji V r 1 (■ T r^'orsi A S A jHkiKsk 60 r 7'» H r./k f f- i- A J J'/ y.Mnlp'fovi' I' Snihc hüinJn Kiisl I'lipi'^JJ". A ......... A A.\.\I)1K YiJ ^i'Mqh. ' CkTln-'ft^X^^l.sU' M E 11 Koniid h Cthli-llli'iJr Hoy .iiiaiL t i WlttflU-kt^i A Oiotnioj «Toiiuli (■jl A'lilJ&i i I A rnLiK^Ti •ivim.'lti^ TVNtiVSl /if" TmiisT? OulltHlosknt* v'J tlOt'VS^Jwlilü'l WAIF. H i m. M s K A 7'r.v a ril'' , t ..VmiarAf O K O T f/ti/ f ,1' D K S K tVArhnl i>«4(fl «f / , Kttnnfttin.f/ivi S v. A or K A M T s C j! A 1 K A ^ Mrx'Yf v • A ^.■ß/i/t/.i////, % ('(>/' v K R 'I'licyi' » hpft '/>'01;'/VTnllTiTninfli Ism.t.vs /-1 f fn/in ii!r/Tir/(hHftr | CM.lilri..:umh,. % T >,„ . I ' " ' ■ rco L 1'MHi ( T .1/ r' o o L t 'J.AU-äi^il K A L if t r A .v -t" " iS \" T S"'' "' i i /i fi'" Ii l'j K A II F A ft'C ft / «J' Siiiiily De.t! rt y 11 r K j: M o jV (/ o /. .v ^IVlM]. M .1 AC .V T A LVAf' Toxo H V H »s« I Jvi—Tlii-«' vt'O^^istirs VfnieViroih I * i^-Ol.NattwjclKlli.i R 1 1 1 ..........-S... T 4 fk L/l ZvfliKiimv 1 ________^ 'lti(iH)siiiai' 1 , WllAN« llAV / fs t« A' »r. M )>/«A/i' .rAim Oh /, ti ' M,:li.riiiil 4 kiBis ^ / JM't '"'H. /i ^ % / "IfliilMenliw«?'''^'''' C.ßlajüo I C. MeJi 'vV^t/KVi«wfrv I.Y Vnntlil t.Ch„h,l>> "Tftt>' 'J 1 i K 1 > 1 OJiilhi« T H K iim^t ^. huhimftn f. -bti/amtaij i itmiJ, Nifohar;'!" . A/,™ //;' ■ ^ , S iicn v^^ A o / 1 I .l/'ütlli-iJ- * i W |i. ':i 1. .1 ..■ /J ^.'-.iioUii .............'7'^........\ .....\„-'ii vi^r—C T V.1 ' . A Utfiimmo LftfS^ .Iik//.™ ..ItfVt' ».»■■'•'''"'''''"i •'./"'«/.'iw^"»'.'^'''''' i/'f"», /ifiiAc Ajji^ .yjinmlw X 1) 1 I/. f./» ■ '/.livti/ii o U N K O v'«» »Vi Isi-Ki^ lOl) l/fi^VWit \ 'Vnr.i? K, Mntnqiliuino If -i',•■■ ■ J»»«' Unjtttfti.t ..... £ p Sf/H lA' ^ /■/ iJ [ \ K s ' ^"jK- - ^ * ' ______ .r.AtfT/V/ffft/ .fitrtVH /, SO Cj i// .Wiihiti/iii t*" imno J jFiii'ii r.ili oktSJiS '■•' ,Iil'r.n K A X .StrdilN "'il», _ f(fl'.L,mt ' C K 1.1 J,, WlUDWW >»I.l'.17l!5 I: ' ■ ' ■ » J * ^FW/f//T'X' /. tfr ^(l/if IVsi'ndoivN .Hutt,^!^ , K(ji'inoctiai. LINI-. ^ / JlWyc /f(> 130 If' --------V- /Mi/ 170 i!«(> S 10 SAO '«,•50 7 /i.iva-/, '..M .vr.i .('.\l.inui:' rin.A /'„/«„r. . ■ ■ CHAP. xir. The Chiefs Hanna and Detootche vifit the Ship on her Way to the Rcßdeme ofWicananipy išc.—IVicananißj pilots the Ship into bis Roadfled.—Numbers hf the Inhabitants come off to the Ship —The Country and Village of Wicananißa defcribed.—Vißt paid to the Chief. —Defcription of his Houfe.—Their Ingenuity a fubjcB of Aßoni/hvtent.—Immenfe Family of Wicananiflj,—liis IVives; Iheit Beauty, ^c.—Brißi Trade carried on zvitb the Natives.—Murder of a Stranger by the People of the Village.—Ihe Ship obliged by had IVeather to enter the Inner Port, named Port Cox. — 134 CHAP. XIII. the People of fVicananißj lefs civilized than thofe at Nootka.—Certain neceffary Precautions occafion a Coolnefs bet-ween us and the Chief—Good Underfiandiftg reßored.—Ufe of Fire Arms known tothefe People.—The Village removes to a fmall Dißance.—Treaty beizveeit Wicananiß, Hanna and Detootche.—Good Confequences refulting to us from the Treaty.— Prefents made to and received from IVicananißj.—Prrfent an'i-ves from King George^s Sound, ^c—Prepare for Sea.—The Felice proceeds on her Voyage.'^Defcription of Port Cox, i^c. — — — — — 144 CHAP. XIV. Purfue our Courfe to the Southward.—Numerous Villages frated on the Shore.—The Inhabitants come off to the Ship.—Difcover the Straits of John de Fuca.—Their Extent and Situation.—Tatootche comes on board,—Bad Behaviour of the Natives.—Purfue our Courfe along the Coaß.—Short Account of the Straits of John de Fuca.—Paffed the Ißand of Tatootche and numerous Villages .—Dangerous Coaß,-Violence of the South Eaß St07'ms.—■ Cape Flattery.—Village of Claßet.—Ship enters the Bay of ^eenhithe.—Savage Appearance of the Place.—See the Village of ^itemiitett,—Definition Ifle.—Danger cf the Ship, ö'f. — — — — — 150 CHAP. XV. Our Progrefs along the Coaß--D if cover Shoalwater Bay.—Natives come off'.—Their honeß Dealing.—Purfue our Courfe--Deception Bay.—Difference between the Spanißj Charts of Maurelle and the real Situation of the Coaß.—Ueautijul Appearance of the Country.— Pafs ^lickfand Bay and Cape Look-out—See three remarkable Rocks.—Clofc cur Progrefs to the Southward.—Future Plan of Proceeding.—Parts left unexplored h Captain Cook now viftted.—Purfue our Courfe to the North.—Anchor in Port Fffingham._A Defcription of it, i^c. — — — — _ CHAP. XVI. Takt Pofeßon of the Straits of de Fuca in the Name of the King of Great Britain.—Vfucd by the Natives—Long-boat equipped andfent on an Expedition.—Strangtrs refort to the Ship, ^ —Anxiety —Anxiety on Account of the Long-boat^ zvhkh at length arrives,—Reafon of her quick Jsctuni.—Canfiibt wlib the Natives oj the Stmits of de Fuca.—Dißance advanced up the Siyaits of de Fuca.—Pafition of I hem.—Humnn Heads offered U fale.—Prepare for Sea.— Leave I'ort FJJingkam.—Account of the Fort and Sound.—Frogreßof the new Vejfel, X73 C M A P. XVII. Aiixielj: of the Party on Shore.—Reports fpread by the Natives.—Tmprovement made in the Hülfe, yc.—Jßonißt/ien/ of the Natives at the Building of the Vejel.—Our Obfervation of the Hübbath an Obječt of Curioßty to them.—-Some Knozvlcdge of their Religion derived from them.—Deftgn of proceeding iJgain to Port Cox.—Our Intentions frußtated.—Mutiny on Boa)d. 1'be Ferfons coticerned in it turned on Shore, ^ — 183 C H A P. XVIII. CoiuiuSl of the Party on Shore, rcfpcüing the Mutiny.—1'he Mutineers go to live with MaquiUa and Callicum—Arcßripped of their Cloaths, and made to work.—Princefi Royal feen in the Ofßng.—Prepare for Sea.-~^nt King George's Sound a fecomi Time.—Maquilla and Callicum pvepare for War.—Arms lent to them.—strength of Maqnilla's Forces.—He departs on his Expedition to the Northward.—Inßrußions given to the Party on Shore, b^c, — 190 CHAP. XIX. Sail for Port Cox.—Meet the Frincefs Royal.—Anchor in Port Cox,—H^icananißi removed to ciioquatt.—Long-boat fent there with Prefents, —Defcription of Clioquatt.—fVicananiß arrives on board, to take his Leave.— PFis Son propofes to embark with us, which we decline.—Put to Sea, and Anchor again in King George's Sound.—Arrival of the Ifhi-GENiA.—Ttantid's affeBionate Behaviour, l^c.—Arrival of Maquilla and Callicum from their Expedition, — — — — — 199 CHAP. XX. TZv Crew of the Ifhigenia employed on the nezv Feffel.—Inhabitants prepare to retire to their IVinter ^larters.—F)ifpofitions relative to the exiled Part of the Crew—-Maquilla and Callicum pay us a Fiftt previous to their Departure.^A Sail fien in the Oßng, which proves to be the American Skop fVaß.iingion,—Some Account of her Voyage, i^t.—'The newVeffel named and launched.—Orders delivered to the IpmotiiiA,—"Fianna embarks on board her.-^^it King George's Sound, and proceed to the Sandwich IJlands — — 211 C H A P. XXI. General Account of the Nations feen on the North IVeficrn Coaß of America.—Their Situati«n, VillageSy Population, &c.—Knowledge of the People to the Southward of ^eenhithe, in a great Degree conjeSlural.—Some Account of the American Continent, from Cape Saint James to the Soulh-vard,—Climates—Seafons—Winds—Storms—Harbours—Navigation, i^C. — — — — — 246 CHAP. INTRODUCTORY VOYAGE OF THE 0 C AP^. ME ares, from CALCUTTA, TO THE NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA, In the Years 1786, and 1787, IT might, perhaps, prove unintcrefling to the reader were I to enter upon the hiftory of this commercial expedition,—or to dwell on the patriotic fplrlt of many diflinguiflied perfons at Bengal which fupported it, as well as thofe honourable marks of zealous friendfliip and liberal confidence, which accompanied its confignment to my care.—It might alfo be equally unimportant to others to be informed of the oppofition it received,—the arts employed to fruftrate it,—and the various, as well as painful difficulties I had to furmount in the arrangement of it:—I fliall, therefore, proceed at once to relate the principal occurrences of the voyage which it occafioned. ^ » Ontheaoth of January 1786, two veffels were purchafed for the purpofe of this expedition, which were named the Nootka, of 200 tons, and the Sea Otter, of joo tons. The former was commanded by myfelf, the latter by William Tipping, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy. ^ • By 11 INTRODUCTORY VOYAGE. B}'' the iotli of February, they were ready for fea, when two offers were jnade to the committee, who were appointed to arrange the neceffary preparations for the voyage, on the part of the general body of proprietors: the one was to freight the Sea Otter to Malacca with opium, which would be a gain of about three thoufand rupees ;—The committee, therefore, did not hefitate an inftant in acccpting it; and the Sea Otter was 1 in med lately difpatclicd on her voyage :— From Malacca Captain Tipping was to proceed to the North Weft Coaft of America, and tlie neceffary arrangements were made for our meeting there. The other offer was to convey Mr. Bnrke, Pay-maflcr General of the King's Forces In India, with his fuite, to Madras, for which he propofed to pay the fum of three thoufand rupees.—This advantage was not to be refufed, and. accordingly^! had the honour of conveying him thither. On the 2d of March, we got under fall and proceeded as far as the governor's-garden, where in the evening we received, Mr. Burke and his fuite oi2-board.- On the 12th of March we loft fight of land, and proceeded on our voyage to Madras, where we arrived on the 27th, without the intervention of any occurrence worthy of relation.—Our paflage was efteemed extremely quick at that particular feafon of the year.—After landing our paflengers and procurijig, additional fupplies of flores and provifions, by the kind affiftance of Jof. Dupree Porcher, E£q. we prepared, to put to fea, which we accordingly did 011 the 7th of April, the very day that his Excellency Sir Archibald Campbell arrived to take upon him the government of Madras. At this placc we rece'ived every mark of klndnefs, attention and encouragement. Nor among the many to whom we are aill gi-ateful for favour and for frlendfhip^ can we liefitate.to mention the names of Mr. Burke, Mr. Porcher, and Mr. Boyd, as well as to acknowledge the peculiar obligations we received from his Excellency Governor Davldfon, It: It may not lie improper to mention tliat, at the time of our leaving Bengal, ■all kinds of ftores were fo extremely fcarce, that the fhip was but barely equipped for one year; and as for provifions, we had not oii board fufEcient for twelve months, and nothing was more apparent than the impofTibility of completing a voyage of this nature In fuch a ftatc. We had, indeed, looked to Madras in fome meafure, for the afiifiance we received, which was to compleat our equipment for eighteen months. With refpea to the number of our crew we were flrongly manned, but they were chiefly of a defcrlption that iieccirity rendered acceptable. The whole amounted to forty Europeans, including the purfer, furgeon, five officers, and boatAvain, and ten lafcars whom wc took in at Madras. But all our exertions were fruitlefs in obtaining a carpenter, and the want of fuch an artizan was moft feverely felt In every part of the voyage. It was the 23d of May before we arrived at Malacca :—our pafTage was un-"ufually tedious, and afforded time for the fcurvy to make its appearance. In this early part of our voyage we loft the boatfwain, who was one of the beft men in the fhip, and, in our fituation and clrcumllances, proved an irreparable misfortune. On our arrival at Malacca we were informed that Captain Tipping had failed for America, having compkated his bufinefs there. Here we wooded, watered and took in the neceffary refreflimcnts, not_only to fupply the provifions already cxhaufted, but to enable us to give every poflible afliftance to Captain Tipping, when we fhould meet him on the Coaft of America. On the 29th we put to fea, after faluting the Dutch Fort with nine guns, which compliment was returned with an equal mark of refpea. In a very few days we efTefted our entrance into the China Seas, andpurfued our courfe with a ftrong South Weft Monfoon, till the zid of June, when the Bafhee Iflands were feen bearing Eaft South Eaft half Eaft, dlftant nine leagues. But it was the 16th before we could come to an anchor, at Grafton Ifle, which xve then did, in a fmall and pleafant bay, hi fix fathoms of water, and about a quarter of a mile from the fhore, ^ ^ This iv introductory voyagt. This bay :s furrounded by high land, which is cultivated to the fum-mits, and the plantations, &c. being divided into inclofures neatly fenced in, afford a very pleafing view. A large village was fituated on a gentle eminence near the water ; fine groves of trees were fancifully difperfed on the fides of the mountains, while a rapid rivulet glided through the valley ; the whole forming a fcene of uncommon beauty. About four years before, the Spaniards had taken poffeffion of thefc Ifles, in the expectation of finding the bowels of them enriched with the precious metals. The governor and his garrifon, &c. treated us with great civility, nor did they, in the leaft, interfere with our little trading communications with the natives,—who appear to be a moft inoffenfive race of people. We remained here four days, during which time we obtained great plenty of hogs, goats, dircks, fowls, yams, and fwect potatoes, in return for unwrought iron. On the i ft of July we took our leave of the Bafhee Iflands, and fleered to the North Eafl, a courfe along the Japan Ifles, but without feeing any land. The charts lay down ifles which we mufl: have gone over, according to the fituatlon in which they are placed. After paffing the latitude of 25" North, we had one continual fog, which was oftentimes fo thick, that it was impoflible to fee the length of the veflel. tl^e of Auguft, having laid to the preceding night, we judged that we were near land, and in the morning, at day-light, we got fight of it, through the Fog Banks, when we found it to confift of the Ifles of Amluc and Atcha. We flood in for the former, and anchored there for two days, during which time we were vifited both by the Ruffians and the jiativcs. In ourpaffage to Ounalafchka we were driven among five iflands where 'dangers furrounded us on all.fides, and without being able to fee our way, but we providentially efcaped them. It had. Indeed, been one continued fog ever fince we crofi'ed the latitude of 35°, and from that time we had not been able to make more than two obfervations. We very fortunately had a time piece on board, which proved of the greatefl utility. * The introductory voyage. The five ifles among which we had been fo much embarraffed, are defcribed in Coxe's Ruffian Dlfcoveries by the names of Pat Sopka :—that writer alfo menftons the 'deftradlion which many of the Ruffian Navigators have found between thefe ifles and Kanifchatka. They are uninhabited, and feem to be nothing more than huge mafles of entire rock. Two of them bear a ftrong refemblance to each other, and poflefs rather a correal form of a fugar loaf. On the 5th of Auguft in the afternoon we found ourfelves furrounded by a great number of canoes, which, from the drefs and manners of the people in them, we were certain muft belong to fome of the ifles, though we imagined ourfelves to be too far to the Southward for them to come off. This little fleet was engaged in the bufinefs of whale fifliing, and after flopping a fhort time to examine the veflel, which they did with every appearance of extreme admiration, they left us and paddled off to the Northward. We now fleered a little more to the Southward, as we fuppofcd that the current had fet us to the Northward of our reckoning. The fog continued to be fo veiy tJiick, that it was impoffible to fee any objeft at twenty yards diftance from the fhip ; — but from the nunlber of canoes \vc had pafled, there was every reafon to fup-pofe we were in the neighbourhood of land, which muft, in all probability, have been the ifland of Amouchta. The following night we were alarmed by hearing the furge of the fca upon the fliore ;—we inflantly tacked, and when we had flood on about two hours, we were re-alarmed with the fame noife. We tacked again and as foon as it was day.light, we caught a glimpfe of the land, over the maft-head, which appeared to be covered with fnow. But the fog again became impervious to our fight, as it were, to cncreafe the horrid fufpenfe of our fituation._ During, four days of gloom in our minds, as well as in the air, we were continually endeavouring, but in vain, to obtain a paflage, but every way apperired to be blocked up againft us. The hoarfe dafliing of the furge drove us from one fide, in order to be re-impelled by the fame alarming warnings on the other other. We had, linked, every reafoii to believe that we had pafled by fome narrow hilet into a gulph furrounded with fatal (hores, and from which there was no return but by the channel through whlcli we entered. Though we were frequently within an hundred yards of the rocks, foundings were inipradticable, and the ileepnels of tlie fhorc rendered our anchors of no ufe. On the 5th ill the morning, the fog cleared away, and gave us a moft awful pl'ofped of dangers which our happy experience was fcarce fuflicient to convincc us that it wac pofTible to have cfcaped. We now faw ourfeives furrounded with land of a tremendous height, which was covered two-thirds down its fides with fnow ; while the coaft was Inacceflible from the lofty, perpendicular rocks which formed a regular wall, except where the violent beating of the fea had made thofe excavations which, with the rife and fall of a prodigious fvvell, occafioned the warning noife that proved our prcfervation. We now faw two open channels, one to the Soutliward, through which WC llw d been driven, and another to the North Weft. Indeed if we fteered at all to that point we (hould at once have got clear of our alarming fituation : but we had been all along apprehenfive of getting to the Northward of thefe ides, being aware of the difficulty of getting again to the Southward, the currents being well known to take a Northerly dircfliou in the fummer ; and then we might have been detained an uncertain length of time, till a ftroLig Northerly ■wind arofe to drive us back—the South Werterly winds being the moft generally prevalent ui thefe feas at this period of the year. Finding it, however, impoffible^o go to the Southward, by the channel through which we came, on account of the ftrength of the current, we bore up and went to the Northward, and having got as far to the Eaflward as Ounalaflika, we were fo fortunate as to-meet with a ftrong North wind, which enabled us to get through between Unamah and Onalaftika. lu thefe ftralts the current could not run lefs than feven knots an hour, which caufed a mofl: tremendous fea. I When When we got rouud to the South ilde of the ifland, a Ruffian came oä to us and piloted our ihip into an harbour adjacent to that in wjiich Captaui Cook refitted. The Ruffians on thefe Ifles, came from Ochotlk and Kamfchatka In galleots of about 50 tons burthen, having from fixty to eighty men each. They heave their vclVds up in fome convenient place, during their Nation here, which is for eight years; at the end of which time they are relieved by another party.— They hunt the fea-ottcrs and other animals whom nature has cloathed ni furs. The natives of the diiTerent diftrias are alfo employed in the fame occupations-, and are obliged to give the fruits of their toil, as a tribute to the Emprefs af Ruflia, to whom this trade exclufively belongs.—In return, they receive fmall cjuantities of fnufF, of which they are Immoderately fond ; and, obtaining that favourite article, they are content with their wretched condition, from whencc, as far as refpečls any exertion of their own, they will never emerge. As to iron, or any other European commodity, it is as. fcarce with them, as with their continental neighbours.. 1 » The houfes of the Ruffians are conflrufled upon the fame principles as thofe of the natives, but on a plan of larger extent. They confift of cavities dug in' the earth, and a ftranger might be in danger of falling into thenij. without having the Icaft fufpicloii tiiat he was within the vei-ge of any habitation ;■ as the only entrance into thefe fubterraneous places of refidence, is through a round hole at the top of them,, and by a port with flcps cur in it, as the means of defccnt. Indeed, fuch an accident happened, on the firft evening of our landing, to the firil officer and furgeon of the Nootka-.—On their return from a Ruffian village, they fuddenly dlfappeared through one of thefe lioles, and iutrijded themfelves, In a very unexpeaed manner, to an houfehokl of the natives. The fright on the occafion was mutual;—the one hurrying out of the place as faft as their fears could carry them, leaving the fallen gentlemen, in expedatlon that the invaded people, with whofe mild and amiable mamiers they were not then acquainted. qualnted, would inftantly give the alarm, and call their friends to revenge the innocent invafion by murder and maflacre.—They found, however, on their return above ground, that the natives had fled In extreme confufion and affright to the RulTian village. The next morning, the accident was explained; and a fmallprefent of tobacco made the poor people ample recompence for the alarm of the preceding evening. The fides of thefe dwellings are divided into copartments'for the purpofe of fleeplng,—the Ikins of animals ferving them for their beds ; and in the center is the place for drefling and eating their vi£luals. In the very cold weather, they ufe lamps infteadof wood ;_as there are no trees on the ifiands, wood muft be a very fcarce article, having no other fupply, hut the accidental drifts of it from the continent. Their diet confifts entirely of fifli with the oil of the fame for fauce. This manner of living is common both to the Ruffians and the natives, except that the former boil their food, and the latter eat it in a raw ftate. We have frequently feen them eat, or rather devour, the head of a cod or a halibut. Immediately after it was caught, with all the figns of voracious fatisfaftion. The only vegetable thefe tflands produce is wild cellery, which the natives eat as it is pulled out of the ground. Though the Ruffians have been fo long fettled on thefe iflands, they have produced no kind of cultivation whatever. They have not any of the domeftic fowls or animals, except dogsnor had we an opportunity to examine whether this want of comforts and conveniencies, which are of fuch eafy attainment, arofe from local barrennefs, or their own indolence. Their fole dependance for food, is on the produce of the fea and the rivers, which, however, afford them great abundance of excellent fifh ; and, if a proper judgment may be formed from the flrong and healthy appearance of the natives, or the colonics, they do not want a more wholefome or flrengthening fuftenance. The The natives of thefe ifles, which are known by the appellation of the Fox Iflands, are a fhort and (lout race of people, with full round countenances, that bear no traces of a favage dlfpofition.—They do not cut, fcarrify, or iu any manner disfigure their faces, like the natives of the continent; and are, to all appearance, of an harmlefs and inoffenfive character. Jealoufy, at leaft, ig not among their ordinary paflions, as they difcover no fymptoms of difpleafure at any attentions which Grangers may be difpofed to pay to the female part of their community. / The only animals on thefe iflands are foxes, fome of which are black, and whofe Iklns are very valuable. While we lay here, we endeavoured to engage the Ruffians to trade with us ; but they fet too high a value on their furs to difpofe of them to us, at leaft for any thing we had to give in return; more particularly as they expedled to be relieved the following year. The harbour we entered is fituated about ten or twelve miles from that where Captain Cook refitted, and lies in the latitude of 54° 2' North ; longitude, 193" 25' Eafl: of Greenwich. On the 20th day of Auguft, we failed from Ounalalhka, in order to run down the continent, till we ftiould pafs the Shumagln Iflands, as Captain Cook defcribes Kodlak one of the Southern. Indeed, we wifhed to be clear of the Ruffian fettlements, as we knew nothing was to be got in the vicinity of them, before we went on the coafl. * On the 27th of Auguft, we arrived in fight of the Schumagins ; and at about four leagues from the fliore, a great number of canoes came off to us, which we obfervedto be of the fame conftruftion as thofe of the Fox Ifles; and that the drefs and manners of the people in them were the fame as the natives of thofe iflands. Ji It appears that the Ruffians, wherever they are fettled, from fome political reafon, as we fuppofe, prohibit the natives from keeping cauoes of a fize to carry ^ more more than one perfon. Thefe canoes are generally about twelve feet In length, lharp at each end, and aboüt twenty inches broad, tapering tea point: their depth in the center, where the man fits, is about twenty inchcs. The canoes of this make extend from the ftraits of the two continents along the coaft ns far as Cape Edgecumbe. Some of them are made to carry three perfoiis ; but, in general, not more than one or two. The frame is compofed of very thin ftnps of the pine wood, faftened together with whale finews, and is then covered" with the Ikln of the feal or fea-co;v, which is previoiifly robbed of Its hair. The bottom. of the Ikln-frock, which the natives wear, ties over the hole of the canoe, ■where the man fits, and' prevents the fmalleft drop of water from getting In,. Thefe veüels are paddled at a prodlgioxis rate, and go-out in any weather,. It was now the 2Sth of Auguft, and no advantage had' yet arlfen from tho^ voyage; but as we fuppofed ourfelves to be at the termination of the Ruffian fet-tlements, and had'a large track of coaft to run down, we expe^ed to have made an advantageous trade beförethe winter fet: in, which was now haftlly approaching. With thlsdefign, we purpofed to make one port to the Weflward of Cook's River,—and, la coaling along, we faw a large opening, which appeared to be formed by an ifland; we accordingly fleered in for it,—and, when we were in with it, it appeared of very great extent, taking a Noi th Eafterly courfr. As we now thought ourfelves clear of the Rufhans, we were in continual expeOa-tloiiofbelng vifited by the natives, and commencing the advantageous part tf our voyage; though we arc at a lofs how to reconcile it, that fo hrge a ftrait fliould not have been obferved' by Captain Cook. Having continued our courfe Tip It, about twenty leagues, a canoe came off to us fi^om the inland fide, with three people in Vt, one of whom came on board, who proved to be a Ruffian feaman.—He was a very intelligent man, and Informed us that this was the ifland ofKodiak, that the crews of three galliots w^ere on duty there, and that there was another ifland of the fame name along the coaft. This Tliis intelligence was by no means pleafing, as It daflicd at once all our hopes of obtaining any trade, at any ijitermediate place, between Cook's River and the Schomagin lües. We thereibre continued our paflage through the flraits, which were named Petrie's Strait, in honour of Wm. Petrie, Efq. and found it brought us out near that point forming Cook's River, anddiftuiguiOied by the name of Cape Douglas on Captain Cook's chart. Thefe ftraits are upwards often leagues in length and about fifteen in breadth, and cut off a very large traft of continent from the former charts. We anchored under Cape Douglas, and foon after feveral canoes came off to us of the River Indians. They fold us two or three otter Ikins. for which they received fome picccs of unwrought iron, about a pound, perhaps, for each Ikin. They appeared to be greatly rejoiced to fee us, and offered us every thing they had in their boats as prefents. Thefe people by refufing tobacco plainly proved that they had no conneäion with the Ruflians, and b/ frequently pronouncing the word Englifh, EngUlh, it appeared alfo that the Nootka was not the firfl: veflel of our country which had been feen by them. Indeed it afterwards appeared that the King George and Queen Charlotte from London had been thera before us. The canoes very fhortly left us to go up the river in fearch of more Ikins, and the following day we faw two large boats coming down the river, with about eighteen men in each. They proved to be Ruflians who had been up Cook's River on a trading voyage ; and each boa,t had a brafs field-piece with fmall arms for each man. They had left their fummer refidence which is tlue lower ifland in Cook's River, and were proceeding to their winter quarters on the ifland of Kodiak. It was now the 20th of September, and the weather extremely boifterous fo that we determined to quit the river, where we had been dctaiued by feveral heavy gales of wind, and proceed to Prince William's Sound, and, if pradlicable, to winter there. On our arrival at Snug Corner Cove, in Prince WiU Ham's Sound, as named by Captain Cook, the weather was very violent, and during the three days we lay there not a native appeared ; which circumftance led us to conclude, that the natives had retired from the coaflr, or were gone to the Souths ^ 2 ward xu introductory voyage. ward for rhe winter. In our excurfiotis on fhore, we faw fome wood which had l)€cn frefh cut, and by an edge tool; we alio found a piece of bamboo, which fully iatisfied us tliat fome vcffel muft have very lately preceded us; and as our appointed rendezvous, with our confort the Sea Otter, was at this place, we very naturally concluded that (he had been here, and was failed for China. This was ä fituation pregnant with difficulties :—the coaft was to all appearance without Inhabitants, fo that if we remained here during the winter, there was no profpeft of our being able to procure trade or refrefliments. On the other hand, the bad weather had fet in, with continual gales of wind, accompanied with fleet and fnow; and if we quitted our prefent fituation, it was very doubtful whether we fhould be able to make another, and therefore be obliged to run for the Sandwich Ifles, which would, in all probability, have put an end to the voyage, as our feamen were becoming extremely diflatisfied. In this fituation it was determined to prefer an inhofpitable winter in Prince William's Sound, to all the comforts of the Sandwich Iflands, from whence, it v^'as with göod reafon imagined, that it would have been a matter of great difficulty, if ,jiot wholly impraaicable, to perfuade the feamen to return to the Coafl of Amedca. Under thefe difficulties wc hbouied; but as the object of the voyage and the intereft of the proprietors were deeply concerned in fupporting the }iard(hips which threatened us, and the mortifications we Ihould experience, we refolved to bear the one and to fubmlt to the other. A very little reflection on the limited power of a mercantile officer, and the want of a due fubordination in a mercantile fliip, will enable any one to believe that In remaining here, we were not at leaft deficient in zeal for the interefts of thofe who promoted and fupported this commercial expedition. • On the 4th day, feveral canoes, came off to us, and the natives behaved in a very friendly^ and affable manner. They mentioned feveral Englifh names, which appeared to be thofe of the crew of the Sea Otter.— They alfo made us underftand that a vcflcl, with two mafts, had failed from 3 thence thcnce but a few d^ys before, and that they bad plenty of ikins, which they explained to us, by pointing to the number of the liairs of their heads. They alfo informed us, after their manner, that if we would ftay, they would kill plenty of otters for us during the winter.. Being now fatisfied that the Sound was inhabited, nothhig but a good h.ir^ hour was wanting to determine us to ftay here daring the fevere feafon ; and the next day the boats found a very commodious one, about fifteen miles Eafl North Eaft, from wlaere we lay. Accordingly, on the 7th ot Oftober, the veflcl was ren^oved to the place appointed ; fhe was then unrigged, and the people began to work on fhore to ere£l a log-houfe for the armourers to work, in ; which, from the prefent ftate of the veflcl, might alfo be uleful in containing lumber. The natives now favoured us with their dally vifits, and never failed to exert their very extraordinary talents in the art of thievery. They would cm-ploy fuch a flight of hand in getting iron materials of any kind, as is hardly to be conceived. It has often been obferved when the head of a nail either in the (hip or boats flood a little without the wood, that they would apply their teeth in order to pull it out. Indeed, if the different lofles we fuf-tained, and the manner of them were to be related, many a reader would have reafou to Ajfpedl that this page exalted the purloining talents of thefe people, at the expence of truth.. It was now the middle of O^ober and we had colle^ed a few ikins. The natives alfo aflembled in greater numbers, and became fo very troublefome as to perplex us very much, in regard to the manner in which wc (hould conduft our-felves towards them. Policy and humanity both Inftruaed us to avoid, If polfible, any violent corredives, but it very often happened, that our peopk who were employed on fliore in wooding and eretting the houfe, were obliged to come off to the Ihip, as the natives would comc down from the woods behind lünd them, nud endeavour to take nwLiy whatever tools they had In ufe.—As the veflel lay fo near the place where the people were at work, that we could talk to them, we did not allow them fire-arms, unlefs they were accompanied with a careful officer, left an improper ufe fliould be made of them; and we had hitherto found that the firing a muf(juet from the fliip would at all times drive the natives a-way. On the 25th of October, a large party of Indians were perceived coming into the creek, and as there appeared to be a greater number than we had feen aflem-bkd before, we called to our people to come on board, and they not coming h-nme-diately, the Indians got up a-breaft of the veflel, and immediately landed where they were at work:—at tlie fame moment another party joined them from the woods.—As the natives in the canoes went on fhore in fpite of all our fignals to prohibit them, two of our guns were ordered to be pointed at them, which had the defired effeft; as they were at this time endeavoiiring to take away the axes from our people on fliore. But on perceiving the preparations we were making, they cried out in their ufual manner, laule-lauU, or friend, friend, and extended wide their arms as a token of amity, Having got all our people on board, it was thought to be ii proper opportunity to difperfe the natives, who were now aflembled in fuch confitlerable numbers, by fhewing them the power of our cannon, and accordingly a twelve pound was fired with grape fliot, which difplayed its effeČls upon the water to their extreme aftoniihment, and indeed threw them into fuch a panic, that one half of them overfet their canocs from friglit.— A three pound field piece was then difcharged from tiie fliore, with a round (hot, which grazing along the furface of the water to a confiderable diftance, convinced them that it was in mir power to throw the fhot to whatever point, and in whatever direaion wc thought proper. While they were deliberating, as it were, in a ftate of no common apprelitnfion, we made them underftand that it was not our intention to do them any injury while they (hey condu£led themfelvcs to us in an honeft and friendly manner, and that It was our wifh to engage in trade with them, by purchafmg their ikins with fuch articles as we had got for that propofe. Thefe articles were then offered to their attention, when, after repeated (houts of joy, fuch as were drefled^ in furs, inftantly ftrlpped themfclves, and In return for a moderate quantity- of large fpike nails, we received fixty fine fea-otter Ikins. To conciliate their frlendfliip, the principal men among them were prefented with beads of various colours, and thejpromifed to bring us Ikins as faft. as they could procure theiru This attempt was certainly pre-meditated-, as thefe people never make war upon each other in thofe large boats» which they employ folely to carry away their old men, women, and clilldren, on^ the approach of an enemy ; and they are called by them the womens' boats. They now made ufe of them for the purpofe of landing a- great number at once, that they might be certain of cutting off the retreat of our workmen. But though this fcheme proved abortive, we had no reafon to fuppofe that they would, or perhaps could refift an opportunity of flealing any article, of which iron compofed a part, fo powerful was the temptation that affumed the form of that favourite metak Such, however, was the prefcnt appearitnce of our affairs, that we defifted from carrying on our operations on fhore. We therefore began to cover the veflel with fpars, and dole it in all round the fides, which we got done above one half from aft, forward but the falls of fiiow became fo frequent, and deep on the fhore, that we were prevented frona complcating it, which \va: a very great Inconvenience as the part that was covered always afforded a place to walk in, as well as prevented a great deal of cold from flriking through the deck. It alfo formed a very fufliclent fortification had that been ne-ceffary as we were boarded and netted all round, ten feet above the gunwhale ; fo that we fhould have been able to have defended ourfelves againft any attack that could have been made upon us ; though the ice, which was forming all round us, gave the natives no inconfiderable advantage : but, whatever might be 3 the the inclinations of our favage neiglibours, the operations of our great guns had fiightened them into the mofT: amicable demeanour towards us. On the 3 [ft day of October the thermometer fell to 32, and the mornings and evenings were very Iharp, Till this period, we had caught a great plenty of falmon, but we now found they were leaving the fmall rivers. At two hauls of tlie feine in a pond, between the neighbouring hills, we caught as many as we could fait for the winter ufe ; and, for our daily confumption, two men vi^ere difpatched every morning, and in two hours they would bring down ^is many as they could carry. The method of taking them may appear rather ridiculous, but it is managed by following the drain of water from the pond, to where it emptied itfelf into the fea, and knocking the fith on the head with clubs, as they were going up or coming down ; and as the channel was not above a foot in depth, this bufinefs proved good fport to the failors, as well as a fourceof luxurious provifion for the table. The days of plenty were however drawing nigh to a conclufion. The ducks and geefe which had alio afforded us a conftant fupply, were now forming into flocks and paffing away to the Southward,—The natives had alfo brought us occafionally fome of the mountain flieep which were the only land animals we faw amongfl: them, and we had depended for fome affift-ance at lead from them on the article of provifion during the winter ;—inftead of hlch, by tl le j th of November, not one of the feathered tribe was to be feen, nor was it poffible to go into the woods, the ground being, at this time, covered with at leaft five feet of loofe dry fnow.—The fifh had alfo left the creeks and coves, and ice began to torm everywhere around us.—The ftupendous mountains wViich met our eye on every fide, were now white with fnow to the very edge of the water, while the natives had no other means of fupport but the -whale fiHi and blubber which they had prepared for their winter provifions.—But fnice the 2d of November, the ice, from the vefiel to the fliore, had been capable of bearing, and our people had commenced the amufement of (kaiting and other diverfions on ir^ which not only afforded them confidcrable recreation, but contributed contributed greatly to the prefervation of their health, till the Ttiow bccainc as deep on tlie ice as it was on tlie fliore. During the months of November and December we all enjoyed an cxccllcnt ftate of health.—The natives alfo continued their friendly behaviour to us, except in their incorrigible difpofition to ftealing, which they never failed to bdulge when any opportunity offered, and which the mofl attentive vigilance on our part could not always prevent. The thermometer, during the montli of November, was from 26° to and in December it fell to 20°, where it continued the greateH: part of the month. We had now at noon but a very faint and glimmering light, the meridian fun not being higher than 6°, and that obfcurcd from us by hills 22* high to the Southward of us. While vvc were thus locked in, as it were, from the chearful light of day, and the vivifying warmth of folar rays,—no other comforts prefented thcmfelves to compenfate, in any degree, for the fcene of defolatlon which cncircled us, — While tremendous mountains forbade almoft a figlit of the iky, and caft their noč^urnal fiiadows over us in the midft of day, the land was impenetrable from the depth of fnow, fo that we were excluded from all hopes of any recreation, fuppoi t, or comfort, during the winter, but what could be found In the fliip and in ourfelves,—-This, however, was only the beginning of our troubles. f The new year fct In 'with added cold, and was fiicceedsd by fome very-heavy falls of fnow, which Lifted till the middle of the month. Our dccks were now incapable of refifling theintenfe freezing of the night, and the lower parts of them were covered aa inch thick with an hoary froft, that had all the ■appearance of fnow, notwithftaiiding three (ires were kept conftantly burp/nTy twenty hours out of the twenty-four; fo that when they were firft lij^htcd the decks were all afloat.. For fome time we kept in the ftres night and day, but the fmoke whicli proceeded from a temporary ftove, made out of one of the forges, was fo very troubJeforae, that the people, who were now fiUlhig ill, were fully coiivniced that this continual Imoke was the caufe of their ficknefs. After t]]e heavy fall of fnow we had twelve down with the fciirvy, and towards the end of the montli four died, and the number encreafed to twenty-three who were confined to their beds, amongfl: whom was the furgeon, wJiowas extremely ill. The firfl officer on finding himfelf flightly atfcfted in tiie brealT:, a fymptom which generally foreboded a tatal determination in a very few days, got rid of it by continually chewing the young pine branches, and fwallowing the juice ; but, from the uuplcafant tafte of this medicine, few of the fick could be prevailed upon to pcrfift in taking it. At the latter end of February tlie diforder had encreafed, and no lefs than thirty of our people were fo ill tiaat none of them had fufficient flrength to get out of their hammocks : — four of them died hi the courfe of the month.— Indeed, at this time, our neceflaries were fo far exhaufted, that if the more violent fymptoms of the diforder had abated, there was a want of proper food &c. to complete the cure. Thcfe melancholy circumüances were rendered more affličting by the hopelefs minds of the crew ; for fuch was the general difcou rage meat amongft them, that they confidercd the flighteft fymptom of the diforder to be a certain prelude to death. During the months of January and February tlie thermometer continued for the greater part at 15% though it fometimes fell to 14°. Notwithftand-ing this extreme cold, we were vifited as ufual by the natives who had no other cloathing but their frocks, made of the Ikins of fea-otters and feala, though chiefly of the latter, with the fur on the outfide.—Jkit whatever pro-tečlion thefe drefles gave to their bodies, their legs remained uncovered, and without any apparent inconvenience.—They appeared to be as much diftreiTcd for provifions as ourfelves, and as we had feveral cafks of tlie whale blubber which had been colleaed for oil, they ufcd, whenever they came on board, under a prctence that the wcatiicf was too boiflerous for them to engage iu whale whale hunting, to entreat a regale of tliis luxurious article ; which was always granted to their great comfort and fatisfadtion.— In their opinion it was owing to onr not taking the fame delicious and wholefome aouriflimenr» that fuch a terrible and alarming fickiiefs prevailed amongft us. I We were at firft very much furprifed at fcheir being informed of the death of our people, and the places where we had buried them.—They particularly pointed to the edge of the fhore between the cracks of the ice, where with confiderable labour we had contrived to dig a fhallow grave for our boatfwaiti, who from his piping had attrafted their particular notice and refpe£t.—Wc indeed, at firft imagined that they contrived to watch thcfe melancholy ceremonies in order to dig up the bodies for a banquet, as w^e had no doubt but that they were a canlbal tribe. We however foon after dlfcovered that they obtained their intelligence from the conftant watch they kept, to prevent any other bands of natives from comhig to trade with us, without giving them a {Iiare of their profits, whatever they might be. As they paid us dally vifits, we at firfl imagined that their place of habitation, was at no very great diftance, though we Iiad never been able to difcovcr it; but we now learnt that they were a vagrant people, without any fixed place of abode, fleeplng where they could, and when they had the inclination ; and that tJiey made no diftiniftlon between the night and the day, wandering about as much during the one as the other.—They never made any fires in the nigJit for fear of being furprifed by thofe tribes with whom they fecmed to be in a coiitiiuuil ftate of hoftility, and who muft have come acrofs the ice to attack them • for as they had no knowledge of the ufe of fnow Hioes, the woods w-ere whollv impafTable. The month of March brought no alleviation of our diftrefles : —Itwas as cold as the months which preceded it. In the early part of it there fell a great deal of fnow^, which encreafed the number of the fick, and the violence of the ^ ^ dlforder 5tX introductory voyage. cliforderm thofe wlio were already afRIdetl by It.—In tlie courfe of this month we had the melancholy office of performing the kfl: im perfect ohfequies to the remains of the furgeon and the pilot. Thcfe were heavy misfortuiies, and tlie lofs of the former, at a moment when medical knowledge was fo neceflary^ miifl be confidcrcd by all who read this page, asa coufummate affličlion. The firft officer finding ^ return of his complaint, applied to the fame means of relief which had before been fo fuccefsful,—exercKe and the juice of the pine tree.—He made a dcco£tion of the latter which was extremely naufeous, and very difficult, though very much diluted, to keep on the ftomach :—it operated repeatedly as an emetic, before it became a progrcffive remedy : — and perhaps this very cfFečt, by cleaafing the ftomach, aided the future fiilutary operations of this anti-fcorbutic medicine. The fecond officer and one or two of the feamen perfifllng in the ftme regimen, found fimilar benefit, and were recovered from a very reduced flate ; but it is one of the unfortunate fymptonjs of this melancholy diforder, to be averfe to motion, and to find palii bordering on anguifh, ux attempting to ufe that exercife which is the predominant remedy. Having loft our furgeoii, we were now deprived of all medical aid.—Every ndvantage the fick could receive from the moft tender and vigilant attention,, they received from myfelf, the firft officer and a feaman, who were yet in a flate to do them, that fervice. But ftill we continued to fee and lament a gradual diminution of our crew from this terrible diforder. Too often did I find myfelf called to affift in performing the dreadful ofKce, of dragging the dead bodies acrofs the Ice, to a fliallow fepulchre which our own hands had hewn out for them on the fhore. The fledge on which we fetched the wood was their hearfe, and the chafms in the ice their grave ;—But thefe im-perfe£t rites were attended with that fincerity of grief which does not always follow the gorgeous array of funeral pride to fepulchral domes. Indeed, the only happlnefs; or, to exprefs myfelf with more accuracy, the only alleviation of our wretchediiefa was when we could abfent ourfelves from tJie vefltl, and get .3. away introductory voyage. 5cxi away from hearing the groans of our afflicted people, id order to fintl rdlef in a folltary review of our forlorn fituatlon. Ail our cordial provifioiis liad long been exhausted ;—we had nothing to flrengtlien and fupport the fick but bifcuit, rice, and a fuiall quantity of flour, but no kind of fugar or wine to give with them. Of fait beef and pork there was no deficiency ; but, even if it had been a proper food, the averfioii of the people to the very fight of ir, would have prevented its i^Uutary effects. Fifh or fowl was not an olFer-ing of the winter here. A crow or a fea-gull were rare delicacies, and an eagle, one or two of which we killed, when they leemed to be hovering about-, as if they would feed upon us, Inftead of furniflning vis with food, was a feaft hideed.—Our two goats, a male and female of the fame age, and who had been our companions throughout the voyage, were at length reluctantly killed^ and ferved the fick, with broth, &c. made of their flefli, for fourteen days. Though we were at the latter end of March, there was, as yet, no change in the weather;—the cold ftill continued its inhofpitable feverity:—we now, however, began to derive fome hopes from feeing the fun, which had been fo long obfcured from us, jufl peep at noon over the fummits of the mountains. The thermometer had, during this month, been for the moft part at 15° and 16°, though it had fometimes rifen to 17°. The early part of the month of April was very frofly, with violent winds. Towards the middle of it, we had fome very heavy Southerly gales» which produce the fummcr in thefe high latitudes, as the Northerly ones prevail throughout the winter. The change of wind produced, as maybe lujipofed, a fenfible alteration in the air; but it brought heavy fliowers of fiiow, and did not-become ftationary ; fo that with the return uf the North wind, it became as cold as ever. In üiort, duriiig the latter part of this montii there Was a continual, combat of tliefe oppofing winds, which were the more difagreeable, as It oc-cailoned thick and hazy weather. While the South wind prevailed, the fick. people grew worfcj, and in the coorfe of this month, four Europeans and three- I^afcara- introductory VOYAGE. L-afcars tiled. The fecond officer and the feamaii who entered upon the pine juice regimen, were now lo f;ir recovered as to get upon deck to receive the fliort but welcome vifit of the fnn. This circumftance induced many of the fick men to apply to the decodion, and fome of them were perfuaded to continue it; but, in general, it was negleded, with a determination to die at their cafe, (accordin^E^ to their manner of cxpreffion) rather than be tormented by fuch a naufeous and torturing remedy. Towards the end of the month, in the mid-day fun, the thermometer raifcd to 32", but at night it fell below the freezing point to 27". During the laft three days in this month, the natives brought us fome herring and fea-fowl. The fifh, I myfelf diftributed to the fick, and no words can exprefs the eager joy which animated tlieir ])aggard countenances on receiving fuch a comforta-Lie and refrefliing meal:—and every encouragement was, of courfe, given to the natives to procure a conftant fupply of this ftrengthening food. Thefe people now began to confole us with an aiTuranee that the cold would foou be gone. They had, indeed, always made us uuderftand, that the fummer would commence about the middle of May, by counting the jiumber of moons. The fun now began to make a large circle over the hills, and at mid day it was exceedingly reviving. The fupplies of flfh were alfo frequent, and we began to feel hopes, that the remaining part of us would get out of this defolate abode, and return again to our country. Tliefe cir-cumflanccs gave ilicli a turn to the fpirits o-f the people, that many of them confented to be brought upon deck to feel the rays ot the fun, who fainttd when they approached the air. It is very fingular that many of them who preferred uftoniOiing fpirits, and would fay or do any thing, who appeared In fliort, as if they were free from all diforder, while they were in bed, would from the mofl: trifling motion, or only touching tlie fide of their hammocks, be liii-jwn into fuch agonizing pains, and fucccffivc faintings, that every moment might introductory voyage. miglit be fuppofed to be their lafl. In this ftate thev would remain for ner.r half an hour, before they recovered. By the 6th of May, there was an aftoiiifliuig changc in. every thing around lis ; the feamen who had not been very much reduced, recovered miraciiloufly, from drinking the decoftion. We had now as much fiHi as we could eat, with a great variety of fea-fowl, with which the natives daily provided us.—-We had alfo, feen feveral flights of geefe and ducks pafs over us, but none bad as yet come within our reach. On the 17th, a company of the natives, with the King of the Sound, named Shenoway, came on board with great form, to congratulate us on the return of fiimmer.—They alfo informed us that they had feen two veflels at fea, an article of intelligence which we fcarce knew how to believe, though It was confirmeJ by tlie ilmilar and fubfequent information of others of tiie natives ; but, on the 19th, this doubtful account was verified by the arrival of two canoes conducting a boat, in which was Captain Dixon of the Queen Charlotte from London, which, with her confort the King George, Captain Portlock, he had left at Montagu Ifle, to comc in qucfl: of us, on the informa:-tion of the Indians. If all the circumftances are confidered,—this mufi: be mentioned asa molT: extraordinary meeting; and when the horrid fitiiatlon of the Nootka and her crew is called into reflection, their ilcknefs and their forrow,—their defolate fituation fo long continued,—and the chillitig appreheiifions that, from the ftate of tlie crew and the rtate of the (lilp, even when the weather relaxed, and the feafon bccame favourable, they might not pofiefs the means of quitting it;—when all thefe items of misfortune are brought to one aggregate of evil, it is not a matter of furprile that Captain Dixon fhould be welcomed as a guardian an<-el with tears of joy. Nor lhall 1 deny that we received confiderable affiftance and fcrvlce from Captain Portlock, whofe embaflador lie was__And h.re I fliould fliould have concluded this part of my fubjea: ; but as the latter gentleman in the account of his voyage, has thought proper to reprefent himfelf as pof-lefilng the virtues of a Samaritan, and that he exercifed them all upon me, I have thought proper to ftate the hiftory of his condud with all the ne-ccl?ary vouchers, that the public may be in pofleffion of the truth, and be enabled to judge of the extent of the obligations I owe to the juflice, the liberality, and the humanity of Captain Portlock'*. By the 12th of May, the meridian fun became very powerful, and the Southerly winds being fet in, the air was foft and pleafant. The thermometer during the day and in the fliade flood at 40*, though at night it fell to the * In May, 17S7, Captain A. Portlock arrived in l!ic King Georp;e in an harbour in Prince William's Sovind, as did (lie Qjjccn Charlotte,Captain Dixon, wlio was difpatclicd v,'it)i llie boats on a trading trip, and arrived in Sjiug Corner Cove, witli (lie long-boat of the King George and two wlialc boats, Tliey were informed by the natives, tliat avcird was at andior near them, whicli they iinderrtood to be t!ie Nootka, Captain Meares. On tliis intelligence, Captain ■Dixon was conduced by the natives, and arrived onboard the Nootka late in tlie evening. Wlicn our mutual furprife was in fome mcafure abated, Captain Dixon was informed by me of my condition, and the misfortunes v hieb wc had encountered. Tov.hichhe replied, that it only lay in Captain Porllock's power to lend IIS llie alliflance he faw we fo much wanted, and that lie propnfcd to depart very early in ihe niorniiig to the (hips, v.bieli weredidant near 10 Ita^iics: be alfu added lie was certain that Captain fortlock would put to Tea immediately on Iiis heantig tliis intelligence of us. r made Captain Dixon fcnfible of our fituation, and that I Iiad no boat cajiable of prneccditig dovn to the fliips; i thfi-etorc roqiicfted to knov/ if lie would {;ivc me a palllige, is order tlutt I mi^ht lay before Captain Portlock the hiflory of om- dirh-cHL'Sj but Cr.ptain Dixon very lioncflly informed nic,lli;tt tiioiigh lie wouldmoftalTuredty accommodate me witli a pallage, yet lie did i-ot shink tliat Captain Portlock would fend up a boat in return. I then conddt-red, iliat, if I went down, and the flitps firjiild ncvertliclefs fail, leaving me to get back as 1 could, I (lioiild be in a Hate of the inodaccu-iwilaifd misfortune ; —-and, tliongli my going down would have been fome tie on Captain Portlock to fend me back to my (lilp in one of his boats, yet the difSance between us being fo great, it would take up fome days of his time, which might 6c to the detriment of his voyage : I tlierefore, on this conflJeration, waved going, and inilantly w rote to Captain ■JVil at the ftameful advuntnse he proj^ofcd to tAc of n,y liclplefs fiti.ation. However, for what could 1 do J Inipdlcd by cri.el ncceflity, 1 .-.gieed to tl.cfe hard conditions, wi,h a provifo, that he gave me his honour to let mc have another man from Imn, and the probability of a boy ; and as he informed me that he had a quantity of porter cn board for the Japan market, .ind other articles, fuch as A,gar, chocolate, &c. ttiaflic would let me have as much of thofc articles as 1 wanted, at tlic Canton price, as he did not n,can to go to Jap»n :-all Ms lie afT^red me that he ^ ould comply with :-in ret.rn, T pledged my honour not to trade, or thermit my people i_lhe heads and iron were accordingly rent him. Before I finiJhed my v.r.t, he fixed the next day to fend the man, perhaps the boy, and ccrtainly the porter, «!>ich to would have been aii mvaluable ar<,«,ntion, on account of oi,r fcorbutic habits of body, and laving nothing but faltcd beef to exifl on down to the jflands, the very idea of wliich we naufeattd. 11,c next day his carpenter came on board, who began to caulk the deck, and examine .he pumps. Captain Portlock employed alfo limx of his people to brew beer and cut wood for us. Captain P^rtlack had done all this with fo many profeflions, that it was all for the good of l.is owners, and appeared r r ■ th it I really ^^ as (Icccived by hmi. fo friendly to me, ttui J "--'"j His carpenter whe« caulking r^^t of our deck nac tiiea at^out fifty pounds of oakum of bis own, we having none of tUat article, or men to pick itto rcptace this, 1 fcnt on board feverat Icngtlis of an old cable, about 11 fathoms, when one of Captain PoriUck's people came on board with a meflage that l,e wanted lo fathoms of cable more, to replace the oakiim : Airjirifed at this declaration, I fcnt my firfl officer on board, to explain toCapt«in Portlock that t really had no more junk or old cubic in the (liip. and that if he perfiftcd in his demand, I nmft ruin a cable to comply with it, and that I thought what he had already received was a full etjuivalent. Seon after I received from Captain Portlock the following letter, " ^ ^ I SHOULD be glad if you would fend me the other eight bars of fquare iron to make up the number we had agreed on ; if you have not ftiuare iron at liand I mufl nwke flat iron doj but 1 believe you have lufficient of either fort, eafiiy to be got at. One of the twelve bars that I have received, my armourer lias oftd in lengtltenlng your^ pump-fpcars, and fitting the boxes; thcretorc I may fay the number received, in/lead of twenty fervlccs. She remained with us near four months, and appeared to be very-contented with her condition. She had informed us that flie belonged to a tribe who lived to the Southward, and it was our intention to have coafted it along the enfuing fummer, in queft of furs, und reftored her to her own people, had not the diftrelTes which have been already related prevented us from purfuing any defign of that nature. With what truth wc know not, but flie always reprefented the natives of the Sound, as the moft favage of any inhabitants of the Coaf):, and continually repeated, that it was the fear of our great guns alone, which prevented them from killing and devouring us. During the intenfe froft in January and February, we were vifited by fonae intermediate tribes, who lived in the neighbourhood of her people, by whom flie Iwcnty, is only eleven. In confeejuencc of wjis, on paiii of forfeiting the Aim of i ooo/. of good and lawful money of Great Britain, to the faid A. Portlock, his heirs, exectUors, attd aHigns, for the life of t]ie Proprietors of the faid Hiip King George. Ill witnefs uiiercof we have hereunto fubfcribed our hands tlie day and year above-mentioned. As I hail good reafon to apprehend furtiier demands from the illiberal and fordid fpirit of Captain Portloclc, T prepared immediately to put to fea; but, before I could effefl my purpofe, the fame oflicer wlio had brought me the bond came on board once more, witli a peremptory demand that the two men, whom I had received on my firft interview whli C.iptain Portlock, flmuid be returned to the Kin^J George. On being informed that Captain Portlork determined to korp the bond, as well as the articles with which I may be faid to have very dearly purthafcJ thefe men, I refiifcd to let them _vvlicn I was informed, that forcc ^vould be employed to compel my fubmiHion to the demand ho brought. My anfwer to this menace wasj That as I had fulfilled every engagement on my part, I Jhould inliff on my rglit to ihe men ; and that if Captain Portlock, ■whom 1 dcfcribed in ihc moft decided and unequivocal terms, fliould make any attempt on ihefliip, I was determined to repel force by force.—On this the officer departed; and in about half aji hour returned, with a meffaKC from his Captain that I might keep the men ; but without accompanying it with any apology for his conduft. When the vclTel was imder Tail, Captain Portlock tltought proper to fend me a Sandwicji Jfland cap and cloak as a prc-fent; which I returnej. Euch There are to be found here all the different kinds of firs which grow on the other fide of America.—There is alfo fnake root and ginfeng, fome of which the natives have always with them as a mcdicine, though we never could procure any quantity of it. The woods are thick and fpread over about two-thirds of the afcent of the mountains, which terminate in huge mafles of naked rock. The black pine, which grows in great plenty, is capablc of making excellent fpars. We faw alfo a few black currant bulhes when we entered the Sound in September, but no other kind of fruit or any fpecies of vegetable. At that time, indeed, the high grounds were covered with fnow, and the lowlands were an entire fwamp from the ftreams of melted fnow which flowed from above, E The Such was the conduft of Captain Portlock. ■ To obfcrvc upon It unneceirai ily lengthen an article, ali cady foo long. Every one is capable of determining upon the tcnderners or the cruelty of this man's demeanour to me.-^ Whether it demands deteftation or prjufe, is left to the judgment of tjiofe who read the pages which contain tliis faithful and unexaggerated account of it. Tif Lftttrs ^Captain Portlock to me are np'iedfnm the originals tn my poßeßw ; and, having mfirtcd them, it may -te exfe^led that Ifiould puili/b tboje mihicb I fuirale to him i—thej are tberejvre added, ( No. I.) To Capt. N. Portlock, Commanding the KlffC Georch. • 1 I MAKE no doubt, but that yoii will be fiirprifed on thepcnifal ef a letter from a bro- r officer in tlfis diftant part of the globe ; and as Captain Dixon has been fo good as to ofl'er a conveyancc of this to y«U, 1 could not omit the favourable moment tliat providentially offers itfel/. Some few days ago, the natives informed me of the arrival of two ftips in this Sound, which, this evening, we found to fce faft, by the arrival of Captain Dixon on board the Nootka. I had wrote a note a few days ago, whirh I intrufted to one of the natives, to deliver on board one of the (hips, which he promifed to do for a cerliun rew ard. Before I proceed further, Sir, it will te twceflary to give you fomc account of ourfelves; Captain Dixon will give yoll a proper account of the fize of the (hip, and fo forth. I tiled from Bengal, in company with the Sea Otter, of 150 tons, ray confort, commanded alfo by a lieutenant of lhen»vy, whofe name is Tipping, in the month of March 1786 ; tlie Government of Bengal being chiefly concerned in tlte jtxxiv introductory voyage. The only animals we faw were bears, foxes, martins, mountain-flieep, and the ermine.—Of the latter we only killed two pair, which were of a different fpecies. Of geefe there were a great quantity in the feafon, with various other fowls of the aquatic fpecies; but except the crow and the eagle we faw no birds that were the natives of the woods. The article wh^ch the natives eftcem moft is Iron, and they would prefer fuch pieces, as approached, in any degree, to the form of a fpear.—Greea glafs beads are alfo much fought after, and at times thofc which were red and blue.—They were very fond of our woollen jackets, or any of the old cloatlis belonging to the feaxnen. They (he expedition. TIic Sea Otter returned to China In September, ivith the cargo of furs procured on tlie coafl: I determined to x^'inter; and accordingly cliofe tlie harbour wliere Capt»in Diiton found us. My complement of men and officers were, foiu-mates, gunner, purfcr, furjjeon, boatfwain, carpenter, forty men and boys, jvith acrew flrong, able, and healthy. I thought myfelf fafe and fecure; but the calamities wjilch we have fuf-fered (luring a long, fevere winter, dcflitutc of all frefh provlfiuns, will, lam fure, fill you with tender concern. To fucli a height did it arrive, that it was often the cafe, that myfelf and officci:s had alone to bury the dead, which wc tfleeledwith infinite dilTlculty, from the rigid and impenetrable frofts. We arrived here the J5lh of September, and were completely froze in by the ift of November. About Chririma« ,he fcurvy made its appearance amongft us, and raged with fuch fury, that it fwept off the third and 4th officei-s, fur-geon, baitfwain, carpenter, cooper, and the greateft part of the crew. In iliort, no one on board was exempt from it, either more or lefs; and it is but three weeks ago, that what few were left have been able to crecp about. Such lias been our dKirelTed fixation at prefent we have, independant of the officers, but five men before the mart capabSe of »loing duty, and four fick, which compofe the wliole of our rem3ining numbers. I have given you. Sir, but a ßiort recital of our «nisfortunes; and fliall hope, if it is In your power, that you will afford us fonie relief. 1 fboiild myfelf have accompanied Captain Ülson, had I a boat afloat that could fwim; tlie only one I have is a longboat, which we are now endeavouring to repair, and Ak is on ftiore. As > have particularly mentioned to Captain Dixon wherein you may be able toanift me ; in addition I can only fay, that any favour will indeed be gratefully received. 1 fiiall beg leave to nicnilon, that could yuu poffibly fparc the men, I ftould agree to any terms in their favour, aud faithfully return tliem on the (liip's arrival at Canton. 1 beg your acceptance of a few bags of rice, being Indeed the only tking I luve to pr«fent you ivith, I am. Sir, Your mofl obedient Iiumble Servanf, J. M E A R E 5. Ne. They live entirely upon fifti, but of all others, they prefer the whale; and as the oil is with them the moft delicate part of the fifli, tliey naturally efteeni thofe moft which poffefs an oily 'quality.—They feldom drefs their fifli, but when they do, the fire is kindled by fričtion with feme of the drieft pine wood, and they have a kind of baskets made of a fiibftance which holds water, into which a quantity of heated ftones is put to make it boil; but it is not often that their food undergoes this unneceffary and troublefome operation. In the coldcft period of the winter we never faw them employ their kitchen, which might, perhaps, arife from local circumftances, that encreafed the difficulty attending their culinary exertions. They are certainly a very favage race of people, and poflefs an uncom^ mon degree of infenfibllity to corporal pain.—Of this we had a very fuigular proof on the following occafion:—In the courfe of the winter, among other rubbifh, feveral broken glafs bottles had been thrown out of the fhip, and one of E2 the ( N^' IL ) ON BOAR.D THE KiNG GEORCF, PORT ETCHES, Prince William's Sound, May 16th, 1787, To Captain Portlock. and Dixov. Gentlemsn, I N my letter of the i ith of tliis month, I reprefented to you the veryMiftrefTed and deplorable (late of my {hip, which you are perfcclly fcnfible is really the cafe, and liave moft kindly offered me fucli adiftance as is in your power, refpedling men to alTift me in navigating tlic iliip to Chioa. I miift again beg leave to reprcrent to you, tliat fuch is my fituation, tliat, without the afTifiance of men, it will bf nearly an impullible thing for ine even to quit this Sound, mucli lefs to navigate the fliip to Cliina; fuch is tlie debility of my crew. If therefore, Gentlemen, you wilt take this into confidcration, and permit me to have a fe.imcn or two from eacli of your riiips, it may be tlie means of faviiig tlic lives of tlie wretched remains of my crew, by enabling me to conduči, wiUt fuciT ailiftance, tlie Ncotka to Canton, where on yoirr an ival, (hould Providence fo order it 35 to fend us tliere alfo, 1 will faithfully deliver tlicm back to their refpeflive fhips; and do engage, on the part uf the Proprietors, to (land to any daniafethat may enfue to you for giving us fuch timely and necefTary adiftance. i doallb engage, fliould not your (liips arrive at Canton, to feud thofe men to England, (lioiitd they dcfire to <;o. I -am, Gentlemen, Your mod obedient, J- M E A R E S, Cummander nf the Snoiv Nootia. T» xxxvi introductory voyage. the natives who was fearching among them to fee what he could find, cut his foot in a very fevere manner: on feeing it bleed, we pointed out what had caufed the wound, and applied a dreffing to it, which we made him underftand was the remedy we ourfelves employed on fimilar occafions: but he and his companions inflantly turned the whole into ridicule; and, at the fame time, taking fome of the glafs, they fcarified their legs and arms in a moft extraordinary manner, informing us that nothing of that kind could ever hurt them. Such is the character and manners of the people in whofe territory we pafled-fuch a deplorable feafon ; it was therefore with infinite joy we took our leave of the Cove on the 2lftof Jiine, and the following evening we got oiit to Tea. Our crew now confilted onlyof twenty-four people, including myfelf and officers, with the two failors we got; from the King George, having, alas ! buried twenty-three men in this inliofpitable Sound. Thofe which remained, however, were all in great ( iii. ) 7e Capt. Portloc«, Commaniling thf Kma Giorce, Port Etches. dear sir^ I WA S this inorn'mg favoured, and agreeably fiirprlzed by the arrival of your boats, and the receipt of your friendly letter. The ice is completely dilTolved, and the weather lias been extremely fine, which has enabled us to put forward our preparations for fea j to bring which to ii final conchifion you may juftly fuppofe our utmoft efforts have been made. I arrived fafe at my (hip the morning after I left you; and, as I had brought the ftrengthof my crew with me, foim my abfence notliing could be done to put her in forwardnefs. Our chief employment fmcc has been to entirely clear our main and after holds, and completely flow them for fea, with the view of leaving tlie coaii ; and in confequence of wliich all the beads and unwrought iron have been (lowed in Ihe ground tier. But, my dear Sir, fo far are we from being ready, that our utmofl efforts have been able only to accompiifh this; and J do ftippofe it win be ten days at leaft before we fhiill be ready to pirt to fea ; for we have now the fore-hold to elear of many caflcs, more ballad to take in, and wc have already received between twenty and thirty tons j our ca/lcs are to repair without having a cooper, and we have to complete our water, cut a large quantity of wood, and repair the fails, hich are much eaten by rats; and finally to complete the rigging for fea ; to perforin tliis, we have, I think, your two men, and eight capable of doing duty; nor am I myfelf, or any of my officers idle, being employed in endeavouring to repair a inifeiable (battered cutter, and in performing various other nccefTary avocations--This being a true ftate of our fituation, you will from thence judge whether it will not require even .1 little exertion to be ready in ten days. We have a little patch of ground which is clear ol fnow ; to this fpot we fend our invalids, who are employed in boiling decoaion and oil, for prefent ufc and Ica-ftore, tliey rccover but (lowly, thuugh I perccive that ihc returning fpring hath. been üi« chief hiltrumejit. 1 obferve introductory voyage. xxxvU great fplrlts, though fome of them had not yet fufficlently recovered to go aloft. As fooii as we got clear of the land, the wind hung much to the Southward, and brought a thick fog along with it. As this weather was very unfavourable to people in our ftate, it was thought advifable to keep near the coaft. We had now been at fea ten days, and had got no further to the Southward than 57°. Our people alfo from being wet on deck, began to complain of pains in their legs which fvvelled fo much, that feveral of them were obliged to keep their beds.—It was determined, therefore, to ftand in for land which was not above forty leagues diftant. We accordingly made a very high peak of a fingular form, as the inhabitants in its neighbourhood were of fingnlar manners and appearance.. When we got pretty well in with the fhore, a confiderable number of canoes came off to us, which were of a very difFerent conflruČlion from thofe in the Sound, 1 obfervc whatyxiu fay relative to tlie arrangements which you luve made for the purpofe of trade ; in It I wifli you tvery fucccfs, and 1 beg leave to exprefs my hopes tiiat I fhull meet you at tlic clofe of the I'eafoii at Canton. Yon may be ;iirurcd that it gave me fingiilar jileahii-c when I periifed that part of your letter wherein yoii rcqucft that I wilt fsipply you witli tlic articl« of trade you uiention, wliicli I will moil alfuredly comply with the moment I join ymi, which 1 mean porpoTely; to do, to fupply every want you may have, and that is in my power to grant. The beads and iron, as l have menlioned,. being fiowed in the ground tier, cannot be got at until I arrive with you, when you will tend me the necelTary alTiflance to conic at thciu j I have fcarcely ftifficienl at hand to ferve the [mrjiofci «f keeping the fliip fiipplicd witli the neceirary refreflunents which the natives bring at times to us. The otlierartifles I have put in the boats, tliey being at hajul. As 1 hope /boi tly to fee you, I will only beg leave to add, that I am, witll efteem, Your's, very /Incerely^. Kootka, Suiherland-Cove, Prince mHiarn'f Saunä, May 11, lyS;. J. M E A R E S, C N". rv.) captain POKTLOCK, I H A V E juft received your letter with the bond or paper, from your ttiate. I return you the paper, which is fi.t^ned, but beg leave to remind you that I think you- have ufed mc extremely ill throughout the whole af this bufinefs, in retracing from your word, relative to the tliree irien which l was to have had ; one of my beft men is unable to do Iiis duty j nor do I fuppofc he will be able during the voyage: tliis, you mull be R'nfiblc, renders it tnore neceffary for you to afl with that huuiaiiity becoming a iiritifli fubjefl. I am. Sir, J\ine .787. Vour obedient Servant, J. M E A R E S. To Sound. They were made from a folid tree, aiid many of them appeared to be from fifty to feventy feet hi length, but very narrow, being no broader than the tree itfelf.—But of all the beings we ever faw inhuman fhapc, the women were the mofl ftrange and hideous.—They have all a cut in their under-lip, fimilar to the men of Prince William's Sound, but much larger, it being a full inch further in the cheek on either fide.—In this aperture they have a piece of wood of at leaft feven inches in circumference, of .«n oval fliape, of about half an inch thick, which has a groove round the edges, that keeps it fteady in the orifice. This unaccountable contrivance diftends the Hps from the teeth, and gives the coim-tenance the moft difgufting appearance which we believe the human face to be capable of receiving.—Thefe people appeared not unacquainted with the natives of the Sound, when we defcribed them as having double mouths: indeed their languages feemed to have affinity to each other, but thefe people appeared to form a much more numerous tribe.—They had never been before leen by any navigator, and had not a favourable wind fprung up in the night, we intended to have paflled a few days among them.—The latitude of this part of the coaft is in 5Ö® 38' North, and th-e longitude 223 o' 25" Eaft of Greenwich. A North- To Henry Cox, Efci- Canttn. 5 I at fight, pleafeto pay Mr. Robert Horne, carpenter of the King Ccor^e, the fuin of forty^ iloUai"»» fonvorkdoneon boiird the w.hkh jilace to the account of, Sir, Your moft obcdientj humble Servant Snow Nootka, Pan Etches, Prixcc iniliam's Soun<}, j, m E A R E 9, 7m787- 1 am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, ro Captain porTLOCK' ' J. M E A R E S. Before I conchide this note I flisU remark on the declaration of Captain Dixon, in the account of his voyage, " that tlie diforder which fo fcverely r,ffllflcd my crow, arofc from their uncontrolled application to fpirituotis liqiiorf," In 'I ■■ firft Vlace, tie alR-rtion is nor founded in fafl; aiul, fecondly, Captain Diiton's crc^v and 1. jofelf beiji^-Vilited by a Ljftilm a^iliun, 1 Isave an equal right to retaliate the fame accufetio uj'on liiiu, A Northerly wind now fprung up, and brought clear weather along with it, which continued till we made the ifland of Owhyhee. Our paflage from the continent was fortunately very fliort, but if we had not been blefled with a continuance of fine and favourable weather, the ftate of the fliip was fuch as to make It a matter of doubt whether we iliould have reached the Sandwich Idands. Still, however, the horrid dilorder beneath which the crew had fo long laboured, continued to accompany us, and one man died before we gained the falubrlous clime, whofe zephyrs may be faid to have borne health on theif wings; for In ten days after we arrived at the iflands, every complaint had difappeared from among us. » We remained here a month, during which time the iflanders appeared ta have no other pleafure but what arofe from fliewlng kindnefs and exerciling hofpitallty to us,—They received us with joy—and they faw us depart with tears. Among the numbers who preflcd forward, with inexprefTible eagernels, to accompany us to Britannce,—Tianna, a chief of Atooi, and the brother of the fovereign of that Ifland was alone received to embark with us, amid the envy of all his countrymen. Of this amiable man, I fliall add nothing in this place, as he will be rather a confpicuous, and I am difpofld to believe, an in-terefting charačler in the fucceeding pages of this volume. On the 2d of September, we left the Sand^vich Iflands, leaving behind us, as we have every reafon to believe, the moft fiivourable impreßions of our condut5l and charačter with the inhabitants of tiaem,—and grateful, on our part, for the generous friendfliip and anxious fervices we received from them__After a very favourable voyage, carrying tlie trade winds through the whole of it, we arrived in the Typa, an liarbour near Macao, on tlie 2oth of Odobcr 1787. We had, however, fcarcely come to an anchor v/hen the weather began to wear the appearance of an approaching florm, whicli our fhattered veflcl was, hv xi introductory voyage. by no means, in a ftate to encounter. We were alfo very much alarmed oir feeing two French frigates, as they appeared, riding at anchor, about a mile from us. The minds of people fo long harrafled with hardfliips, and fecluded from all political intelligence, were not in a ftate to form favourable conjectures, particularly as it was fuch an uncommon circumftance to fee French ihips of war in thefe feas. When, therefore, we faw feveral boats filled with troops putting off from them, we concluded the worfl.—Having ho confidence in the proteČlion of a neutral port, we began to look towards a ftate of captivity as the concluding fcene of our misfortunes. Thefe boats, however, pafTed by us, as we afterwards learned, to board a Spanifh merchantman in fearch of runaway failors. The French fhips proved to be the Calypfo frigate of 36 guns, and a flore fhip, commanded by the Count de Kergarieu.—But, as if We were deftined to be perfecuted by difaflers to the lafV, we had no fooner loft our apprehenfion of human enemies, than we were affailed by elementary foes ; for fuch was the violent gale which now came on, that the Calypfo frigate could with difficulty preferve her flation with five anchors. The fituation of the Nootka, therefore, who had only one left, may be better conceived than de-fcrlbed. After adding a few more hair-breadth efcapes to thofe from which fhc had already been providentially delivered, we were obliged to run her afliore, as the only means of prefervation. This was, however, happily effected by the aflive affiflance of the Count de Kergarieu, his officers and feamen, of whofe generous, and, I may add, indefatigable fervices, lam happy to make this page a grateful, though imperfeft record. It Is with the mofT: painful fcnfations, that while I exprefs the mofl grateful aftonifliment at the prefervation of myfelf, and the remainder of my crew from the imminent dangers and difaflers which we encountered, I am to lament the fate of our confort the Otter Sloop, Captain Tipping.—No tidings have been received of her after fhe left Prince William's Sound.—We mufl conclude therefore that fhe and her people have perifhed beneath the waves. 5 OBSER- 6 > HmnUUM L-r^HU i • 1 4 . - ■ L , . ] - - , ... i .-.'Vi ■i. < i ■ ■ . ' —- ' ^ \ Tv f • - ^ ■ oV.. I • - .. - M f - • cir • J. il-.^ - ' o' Jt j ! VI. • ' • ' » ♦ , i ■ -., .•> ■- ■ % ■ ' ^ * ' - ' • j -.T J , / • VI * f» ■ i I •ri i^vj 'r t ..f»., • . "hI*: • .....' '->•. 'f.- ,, J «•-^AibiSli«!».: '..T' ■ , '' \ 'Z' I r " , - ' v '.a ^ N ' '-J t« . _ •a,•"''''^ri^'rk'' V - - u ^ • • -i-. ,, : 'J."»» ■'r.jüßcr^'-c. 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N oi k T n i: k n IVa c i v i r O r k a n ifmoj^mpl ' vfSliuBlWiitdr. / A Bav ■....... ^10 Longitude £aO of Grt'ptiwicli 3 •20 30 Ki v. 40 J. nayvofd. del' .t'.Var/tn-r CJiAiri-h Yarii. 6'o Buffaloe'' [^ogead -Late Tkfve CJwfi PmntLü Meth vrL. !; vTiefd Lakr Tlii-Jhui Thfve .noye.kv New ' jinawti J al C.lcß^ ^ iMh' (c üivi!/ if^ ScurtirkL TaX-f U70 üiTffT^Ti CllESTEKFIE fail I.DS, ^^O R '1 ' ])obaiint Lake TU WAL Nevi Bn 11 La KhckLiikc Lnkt* '1 \(*fjrrfjia "hKW 'jnpRive k Jiiu/Li (hüJL.. I Cr,'fr ' jV/I ■'"H'd JaUib^rL Whitfl'oint^ WaleP. C-FuUertx,,, S 66 ".(hinfim E S ^Tfrtn }'. ' Cevf. Kn^tpi- B. ii JCHlTRt HILL I C.Chure-hlll ^ fh/>f Prmhrvt i \ SiH i^Juwip Ion S o N s ^tllf^^O 'a- Ku rti' M 'o _Qre Ii ^SiVrrnJfo. C. n,t. ■ffn I ihHe. I Favorable Lal-f ^ Pi.rroep^ffrxJi / hf^th h^ys i.ah', , Ihf K^rfj ^^Jiojj! i. A K 73 S TTPER lOR eo ö'o Y .ookout .C.ITenrirtt« fAfni »^.TAMES'S 1 bay A ^^Mbamr ^(L VMjsroton llouir. OBS ERVATIONS on the probable existence OF A NORTH IFESr PASSAGE, Wc. T H E attention of Great Britain, as well as of other commercial countries of Europe, lias long been dlreded to the Coafl of America, with the hope of dlfcoverhig a paflage between the Northern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.— From the beginning of this century to the laft voyage of Captain Cook, a general belief prevailed in the exigence of fuch a paflage, and various expeditions have been equipped and fent forth, to realize opinions founded on it, or to put an end to it, by determining, if poffible, that it was erroneous and without foundation. It is unnecefl'ary, äs it would be impertinent in me to enter at large into the vi^ell-known hiftory of the original idea of a North Weft pafiage, and the fub-fequent attempts to difcover it, with the various difputes it occafioned.—I (hall only obferve that Mr. Dobbs, by whofe influence and from whofe fuggeftions the parliamentary reward was granted to the difcoverers of this important ob-jea, clofed his life, which was diftinguilhed by an indefatigable attention to it, in a firm belief of its exiftence, and that the prefent century would not be compleated before the difcovery of this paflage would give new advantages to the commcrce of his country. f Indeed Indeed it does not appear that the Britifh nation was, by any means, fiitlsfiecl or convincetl that the voyages which had been performed for the dlfcovery of a North Weil: paflage had been decifive.—Though tlie Eaftern fide of America had been explored at hirge, yet the numerous Sounds, Bays, and Inlets remaining to be examined, were lufficient to juftify a contmuance of conjedlure, and to. re-excite the enterprifing fpirit of fubfequent adventurers. The beneficial conreqiiences that would arife from the dlfcovery of a North Weft pafllage are felf-evident; for although India is, in a manner, brought fo muck nearer to Europe by tlie modern improvements in fliipping and navigation, yet to fhorten the prefl^nt circuitous courfe, is an objedt of the firft commercial Importance.—It was indeed for this purpofe that the voyage of Captain Cook was undertaken by the command of his Majefty, to difcover, ifpofiible, a paffage between the two oceans ; and to begin his refearch on the Coaft of New Albion. The voyages which had been made in preceding periods to Hudfon's and Baffin's Bays, with the fame view, though unfuccefsful, as to the main objeft, ferved rather to confirm the exiftence of it ; and Mr. Dobbs, who had made it a principal objeft of his ambition and his life, was continu.\lIy making converts to his favourite fyflem. It was in coiifequence of his folicitations that Middletou was fent out; yet the queftlon did not feein to have received any elucidation from his voyage.—His proceedings were laid to be kept fecret, or his account garbled ; and the Hudfon's Bay company incurred a confiderable degree of odium» which encreafed in proportion as theexiftence of a North Weft paflage continued to grow on the popular belief and expeftation. Subfequent voyages were made without producing any certainty as to the great obje£l of them; and the opinions of the public were either in a flate of hefita-tlon or divifion concerning it, when the naval iTiinlftcr of the period difpatched Young and Pickersgill fucceffively to Baffin's Bay, and Cook to the Weflern fide of America, to determine the queftion, if pbffible, for ever.—How far this important A NORTH WEST PASSAGE, bV. xliii important matter Is determined by Captain Cook's voyage, the account of it, univcrfally read and known, will difcover.—Thofe of Young and Pickersgill have never been publilhed ; but we are informed, on the refpe£lable authority of the Preface to the Voyages of Captain Cook, that they failed entirely of the end propofed,—Baffin's Bay, therefore, which is yet unexplored, may be thouglit to afford fome hopes of this moft defirable communication. In the voyage of Captain Cook it is feen, that after performing the lefler objeds of it^ he arrives on the coaft of New Albion, and inftead of beginning his refearches in the latitude of 65® North, according to the language of his inftrinflions, he commences his furvey in a much lower latitude, until he arrives in King George's Sound, fucceflively in Prince William's Sound, and the river which is fmce honoured with his name. He then falls to the latitude pointed out by his orders; and, in the end, finds an infurmountable obftruc-tion in a barrier of ice which is fuppoled to reach to the North Pole; from which circumftance alon« the conclufion is drawn, that there is no paflage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It cannot, Indeed, be too much regretted, that the particular portion of the Coaft of America between the latitude of 56° and 50° North, and 47° and 48° North, did not admit of more attention than appears to have been beftowed on them. The weather in this important part of the voyage was fo unfavourable, that the fhips were prevented from approaching the coaft ; for though the Felice and Iphigenla did explore thefe latitudes, yet there is every reafon to lament that Captain Cook was himfelf prevented from fuch an examination as would have proceeded from him. When the great Navigator was engaged In exploring thefe low latitudes, he was, at that moment, in pofleffion of Mr. Hearne's track acrofs the continent of America to the North of 70", which appears to annihilate all hopes of a pnf- F 2 fage fage between Fort Churchill and Copper-mine River. Yet Captain Cook, even contrary to his inftnuflions, tho;iglit it expedient to explore thofe very parts on the Weftern fide; a circumftance which may certainly juftify us in fuppofing, that he did not think the route of Mr. Hearne fo very conclufive as it has fince been Imagined. A general conclufion has been alfo drawn, that a paflage to the Northward of would be of no general utility ; and the probability, nay even the exlft-ence of a paffage South of 70° is decided. Neverthelefs, the naval minifter, in full pofleffion of the Hudfon Hay Company's difcoveries, thought it right to fend both Young and Pickersgill fucceflively into Baffin's Bay, to explore a paffage that way; from which arrangement it may be concluded that government, at leaft, had every reafon to believe that a North Weft paflage did exlft ; and I am by no means convinced by any fubfequent voyages or reafonings upon them, that the grounds of former opinions on this fubjeft are materially changed.— On the contiary, the pradicability, as well as poffibility of a North Weft PafTage ftill remains, as far as my judgment goes, in all its former ftate of expeäation ; but whether to tlie North or South of Mr. Hearne's track and fea, will be hereafter con fide red. It is well-known, that in the difputes which this fubjccl occafioned, at a former period, much acrimony mingled in the difcufTion ; and the Mudfosi's Bay Company were accufed of difcoumging the purfuit, and keeping thofe difcoveries which had been made, and might have aided the future adventurer, in mvfte-rious darknefs ; or, which is much worfe, of altering and ftlfifying fnch accounts of their people as they were obliged to unfold, relative to the enquiries after a North Weft paffage.—Thefe prejudices are found ftlll to prevail, but, as we believe, without any reafon. We, at leaft, are amongft thofe who have an entire reliance on the communications of the Hudfon's Bay Company ; and if we Ihould be found to differ from Mr. Hearne, we truft it will appear that in the arguments which will be brought forward, we are fypported by fuch fa£ts as will jiiftify juftify our ofFering them to the public, in behalf of an opinion, which, from the authority of able men, and great names, has of late been confidered not only as a fanciful theory, but become an unpopular dočtriiie. For this purpofe we beg leave to produce the voyage of the Iphigenia, as related in the body of this virork; and it will there be feeii that flie explored the very tracks of the Coaft of America which were not vifited by Captain Cook, or other navigators; In which fpace is found the antient Northern Archipelago, agreeing in pofition and defcription with the accounts of the older voyagers. This fhip enters fo far to the Eaft, that flie pafles, by three degrees, the Weftern boundary of Mr. Hearne's fea in (but placed by Mr. Arrowfmith, hi his chart lately publiflied from Mr. Turner's charts and journals, in the latitude of 68" 15' North, and longitude of 228° Eaft of Greenwich) when a clear and extenfive paffage is feen without impediments. This Archipelago is found to occupy a fpacc from the latitude of 51' North, and longitude of 251° 45' Eaft, to the latitude of 54° 30' North, and longitude of 227° Eaft, the whole of which extenfive fpace was not explored by Captain Cook. But though It may be fiiid that fome part of it was examined by the great Navigator,, when nothing of this nature was difcovered, it muil: be confidered that iflands of great extent are fituated to the Weftward of this Archipelag o, and divided from it in fome places by a fea as wide as the channel of England, as has been proved by the track of the Iphigenia, and that it was tlie coafl: of thclc great Iflands which he luppofed to be the continent of America, which we are rather difpo/ed to think he never law; but, under that idea, continued to explore a latitudinal chain of iflands, ftretching from 45° to 65® North; nay, perhaps, much further North and South, forming a Wertem barrier to the real continent of America: For there is a ground for more than common conječlure, that King George's Sound, Cook's River, and the whole coaft hitherto feen, are part of a lengthened chain of detached Iflands. The The channels of this Archipelago were found to be wide and capacious, with near two hundred fathoms depth of water, huge promontories flretclilng out into the fea, where whales and fea-otters are feen in an incredible abundance.— In fome of tliefe channels there are iflands of Ice, which we may venture to fay could never have been formed on the Weftern fide of America, which is a mild and moderate climate ; fo that their cxlftence cannot be reconciled to any other idea, than that they received their formation In the Eaftern Seas, and have been drifted by tides or currents through the pallage for whofe exigence we are contending. We know not how to account for thefe large floating maffcs of ice in any other manner.—The Northern Pacific Ocean is never encumbered with interruptions of this nature, and Is navigable in every feafon of the year; for, tliough the Nootka was frozen up fo many months in Prince William's Sound, It was in a partial manner, and in aii harbour whofe water, to a certain depth, was frelhened by the rivulets and ponds that were emptied into it. Here were evident reafons therefore why the froft (hould operate with more power there; — but, after all, the Ice was not of an extraordinary thicknefs ; and during the whole of the winter, the great Sound was without Ice, and even the mouth of the river remained unfrozen. Indeed, had not the crew been wholly debilitated by their difaftrous fufterlngs, the fhlp would have been cut out of the ice, and put to fea. In navigating the coaft of this part of America from 45 to North, nothing like a congregated body of ice had been feen ; and, inftead of fuppofing them-felves to be navigating the Northern regions, the navigators might fuppofe them-felves to be ranging beneath a tropical climate.—It would, however, be a fatif-faftory circumftance, if it were poffible to know whether that barrier of Ice, feen by Captain Cook In Behring's Strait, continues Immovably fixed ; for it might be fuppofed that the Northerly winds, which are there fo very prevalent, might, perchance float the feparated ice, as in other feas j and it is by no means unI reafonablc rca'bnable to fuppofe, that In fuch cafe, the icy fragments might fometimes float towards Cook's River or Prince William's Sound ; but no fuch thing as a particle of ice has ever been ieen from the month of March to Odtober, the times and feafons when the North Wefl: Coaft of America has been navigated. I A writer of confiderable authority in whatever relates to geography and navigation*, has declared that he has long fufpected theNorthWeft part of Hudfon's Bay to confift of broken illands, and his fufpicions on this matter appear to arife from an examination of various maps borli printed and manufcript, communicated to him by the company, of the Weft fide of Hudfon's Bay.—He reprefents them, however, to be difcordant and indiflind, and treats with merited contempt the folly of pretending in fo Ihort a time as has generally been employed to determine with precifion on the bays and Inlets in fuch extenfive founds asCiiofe of Wager and Chefterfield.—He is of opinion that Hearne's tra£t isdtcifive, as far as it goes, m cafe the lakes and rivers hepajfed were freßj ix^ater, which, however, is not abfolutely afcertained. But he is ftill indecifive as to a Can it be fuppofed that the Efqulmaux round with their canoes either Baffin's land or the Weftern portion to arrive at this fea. Should it not rather be believed that thofe people come from the Weftern fide for the copper and I the the whale; and that this creature himfelf had made his paflage thro-jgh thofc very channels which had conveyed the roving tribe here from Cook's River, Prince William's Sound, or the Northern Archipelago, And if this idta is rejefted, let it be afked finally, by what fea and by which navigation did the whale come into Mr. Hearne's fea ; whether did he take his courfe round Baffin's land, or boldly pufh througli the barrier of ice feen by Captain Cook, and which is fuppofed to extend to tlie Northern pole of the world. Here he isoppofed and repulfed, nor do we believe tliat he ever got round the land of Baffin. We are bold enough, liowever, to hazard an opinion, that this fea feen in 72% or placed by others in 63° 30'; or, according to Peter Pond, in 65% is no other than that part of the communication between the Northern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans which empties itfelf either in Baffin's, or Hudfon's Bay ; and that through thefe channels, which are fufficiently deep and capacious for navigation, the whale and other huge marine animals find a fafe and eafy paflage. The Indians feen by Mr. Hearne, and who were deftroyed by the party that conduftcd him through his dreary route, were, in all probability, a part of a tribe of the Weftern fide, on an expedition to the mines to procure copper,— Perhaps they were inhabitants of Cook's River.—Copper abounds amongft thefe numerous tribes ;—it is the medium of barter with their more Southern neighbours. We have feen in their poffelfion mafles of confiderable weight from the mines, and of extreme finenefs. They told us that they went far Northward for it, and found the ore in the earth, fcattered about, and, as we underftood them, thrown up by a volcano from the fea.—The Indians feen by Mr. Uearjie were Efquimaux, agreeing in manners and cuftoms, and inheriting all that mifery of this estenfive tribe, which is perceived on the Weftern Coaft of America, as far South as to the latitude of 50® North. It has been faid that the Spanifh navigator, Don Francifco Antonio Maurellc, in 1775» vifited that part of the continent of America not feen by Cap- ^ 2 tain tain Cook in his progrefs to the Northward ; and that this voyage, therefore, is peculiarly inteiefting to navigation, as he pronounces that no fuch ftraits are to be found as thofe of De Fuca, or fuch an Archipelago as that of Admiral De Fonte. The particulars of this voyage, kept fo fecret by the Court of Spain, has been communicated to the virorld by that truly refpe£table, philofophic and learned gentleman, the Honoiuable Mr. Dailies Barrington. Its fuppofed merits for fome time flood the teft of criticiftn.—It received an additional authority after the return of our laft circumnavigators, as it favoured their opinions that no credit was to be given to the fuppofed difcoveries of De Fonte or De Fuca, which were now determined to be nothing more than the romance of a former centvvy, or the fiiflioii of an enthufiaftic mind. In our turn, we do not hefirate to pronounce, that no attention whatever is to be paid to the charts of Mr. Maurelle, as totally contrary to truth and fačl:. They give no idea of the real pofition of the Coaft of America ; and, of courfe, involve the journals of the fame navigator, from whence they have been drawn, in their own mifreprefentations. There is no method more ready or more deci-five, than to compare the chart of Maurelle's voyage, with the chart of Captain Cook, or that which has been prepared from tlie voyage of the Felice and the Iphigenia, and which comprehend all the difcoveries made by other Britilh navigators who have vifited the American Co;ifl:. Mr. Maurelle's chart will then have abided a fair trial, and of courfe receive the judgment it deferves. We havre now ftated fully, explicitly, and, we hope, without prefumptlon, the different points which have given rife to our belief in the exigence of a North Weft pafiage. An argument on which fo much depends, requires every aid to fupport It that can be derived from any corroborating teftlmony ; yet we fhall not attempt to to mention fucli as may be doubtful, however favourable they may be to our general purpofe, without exprefliDg our hefitatioix as to their authenticity. Thus, if Mr. Peter Pond's difcoveries were fatiafaftorily authenticated, they would operate powerfully in our favour, as they would materially corred the route of Mr. Hearne, by altering the fea fecn by that gentleman in 72" to 65% and confequently leave a ready and open communication between Cook's River and that fea; and, perhaps the fiime in Baffin's or Hudfon's Bay ; but we are ready to acknowledge that we are not without our doubts refpečting Mr. Pond; as his account, however, is ux every body's hands, we fliall leave its claim to credibility exaflly in the fame ftate in which we found it. But there is an author of great refpe£tability, whofe obfervatlons we have already quoted, to whom we (hall be indebted for further afliflance; and as he ftates clearly the ancient accounts of the exigence of the Archipelago of Saint Lazarus, and the Straits of John de Fuca, we rely with certainty on them, and are thus enabled, by his previous labours, to leflen our own. We fhall only, therefore, with his affiflance, ftate a few leading points, to fhew the grounds on which wc reft our belief of the exiftence of thefe places, which have been attributed by very learned men to the impofition of fome, and the ignorance of others. This author obferves, that recent navigators have found an archipelago of iflaixds, and the (Irongeft indications of a large river, where fuch are defcribed by Admiral de Fonte : and tliis, he adds, gives countenance to that too hafVily exploded narration.—We have, it Is true, old traditions or narratives of tlie Archipelago of De Fonte, and the Straits of De Fuca, in Hacluit, Purchas and Harris, but on what grounds, or from what dlfcoveries, is at prcfent wrapped in obfcurlty.--But Mr. Dairymple comes armed with better authority,— and informs, us tiiat the Burgomafter Witfon, in his fecond edition of the Nord and OrtTartarye, in 1705, fays he had in his poffeffion the original manufcript oi of the account of the celebrated navigator De Fonta, and not De Fcnte, having furveyed Terra del Fuego In 1649.—This circumftance goes very far to prove: that fuch a perfon did exift ; and we may confequently form an opinion, that if he performed one voyage in 1649, might have accompllflied the other as recited by Purchas, &c. in 1640; and the recent difcoveries of this very Arcliipclago ferves to countenance this opinion. But be this as it may, and whatever authority may be due to Burgomafter Witfon, we are ready to vouch for the Northern Archipelago being in the fame fpot as that of De Fonta. The account of the Straits of De Fuca is no lefs extraordinary.—A very curious pieceof intelligence is communicated by him, on the authority of the Right Honourable Mr. Greville, who received it from Sir John Macpherfon, to whom it was related by fome Spaniards at the Cape of Good Hope; who informed Sir John that, very lately, an entrance In the latitude of 47° 45' North was found, which conveyed them in twenty feven days into the vicinity of Hudfon's Bay ;—what can be faid to fuch extraordinary intelligence ? John de Fuca, according to Mr. Hacluit, was a Greek pilot, who in 1592, failed into an inlet of great breadth, between the latitudes of 47° and 48% which led him into a far broader {ea, wherein he failed twenty days, and arrived in the Atlantic Ocean.—He defcrlbcs a great head-land or ifland, with, an exceedingly high pinnacle rock placed near it, which is, ni all probability, the very ill and or headland whereon our friend Tatootche has his town and fortrefs; and as to the pinnacle rock, we have had ocular demonftration of its being placed in the entrance of this fea, as well as the great ifland or headland which we have particularized in the voyage of the Felice in that latitude. De Fuca, it feems, communicated this information to Mr. Lock, when that gentleman was at Venice, and offered to perform the voyage, on condition of receiving 60,000 ducats.—The venerable and parfimonious mlnifters of <^cen Elizabeth, amongft whom was Cecil, refufed: Mr. Lock being unable, out A NORTH WEST PASSAGE, Ixii out of his own private fortune, to reward the pilot» the matter dropped, though he continued to keep up a conflant corrcfpoiidence with him.—Affairs takuig another turn, it was determined to employ the pilot, and Lock went to Italy in order to bring him to England ; when, on his arrival, he found that the pilot had died a fliort time before. Such is the account given by Hacluit, Purchas, &c. and adopted by all nautical hlftorians fince their time. It is no lefs curious that another man who was at Portugal about the fame time, (hould have pubiiflied a book, treating of a North Weft paflage, and ftating that he had paiTcd through it. This book v^^as fuppreffed by the Court of Liü)on.—But to corroborate and ftrengthen my own aflertlons, I bring the authority of Captain Barclay's officers, &c. who faw every particular which I declare to have feen,—having furveyed thefe parts in a boat,—though he him-felf did not go within fome leagues of the ftrait;—It is alfo to be remarked, that the Priiicefs Royal, Captain Duncan, faw them alfo; and finally, we offer the proofs brought by the Waflilngton, which failed through a fea that extends upwards of 8 degrees of latitude. In reading the accounts of the ancient voyagers, we were forcibly ftruck witfi the ntfemblance between the inhabitants as defcribed by John de Fuca, and thofe with which we had a communication,—Amongft many particulars we v/ill fele<£l one, which is diredly in point ; independent of their being cloathed in furs and bears (kins, as he mentions them, he goes on to tell us, that tliey bind their childrens' heads between two boards when very young, which practice gives the head the form of afugar-loaf; and in our account of the people of Nootka, this cuftom has been particularly remarked, and we reckon Tatootche among the number of Nootkan Princes,—The latitude in wliich we found this ftrait placed, certainly differs from that in which the old authors have laid it down ; but that may be eafily accounted for, from the great difference between the crofs flaff, which was the agronomical inftrument of Columbus, and our quadrant;—and we believe, even a few years back, our navigators did not attend tend fufficiently to even the corrections necefiary for the fun's declination, which will alfo produce a great difference of calcuhtioa. I ' 4 . ' Another account of a former date, relative to this paffage, muft not be omitted, which is the voyage of Thomas Pfche, as given by Mr. Dalrymple.— He relates that he failed up the Strait of Anian, 120 leagues, in 1676, intending to return to England that way ; but tlie month of Odober being well advanced, and the winds Northerly,—whicli, by the bye, we obferved to be alway^ the cafe,—he returned back, and coaAing Cahfornia, New Spain and Peru, came into the North fea by the ftraits of Magellan, 1677.— He found from Cape Mendocino on California, the current fet to the North Eafl: for more than 20 leagues within the channel —Rut where thefe ftralts are fituated, it is difficult to judge from the fhort account given of this man's voyage. It would only encreafe uncertainty, and involve enquiry in greatet perplexity, if wc were to cuter upon an examination of the interior geography of this part of America. There are, it is true, charts formed of it, but it is im-poffible we can reflgn our judgment to them ;—it is fo eafy to fill up fpaces with imaginary lakes and rivers, that only tend to miflead us; and though the Arathapefcow Lake bears all the marks of autlicnticity, yet we know nor, from any refpeflable authority, that its fituation is aftronomically fixed. We muft beg leave to add one more conjecture, which is that of Mr. Dalrymple, and in which I perfectly coincide, that the Lake de Fonte may be the identical Lake Arathapefcow ; which, if that fhould be the cafe, communicates with the Northern Pacific Ocean : and the Arathapefcow Lake, according to two Indian manufcript charts in the pofleflion of the company, poflefles a communication with Hudfon's Bay a circumflance which induces Mr. Dalrymple to remark, with his ufual figacity, that it would be higlily expedient to examine what obftruftions there are to navigate thither; for ,this lake is reported by Mr. Hearne,—from the Information of the Indians,—to be about iibout 400 miles in length.—He is alfo of opinion, that? the mofl effcaual method of making this examination, woukl he from the Arathapefcow Lake, which by the obfervation of the Jongitudc ofMudfon's lioufe, appears to be much nearer Hudfon's houfe than Mr. Hearne's map reprefents it.—Indeed, though that gentleman has much merit for his enterprifing fpirit and painful refearches, he has left much yet to be done ; for it could not be fuppofed that Mr. Hearnc could poflibly be qualified to form a cliart of fuch. extenfivc regions which Ihould be definitive. I It may alfo be obferved that the Hudfon's Bay Company have an houfe in o' 32" North, and longitude 106" 27' 20" Weft, which is above 530 geograpnlc miles from their neareft fettlumcnt in the Bay; the diftance» therefore, to compkat the communication between that place and Nootka, iä above ;rco geographic miles. On the authority of Mr. Turner the Hud-fon Bay Company's furveyor, the Indians report thnt the river continues to be navigable as above Hudfon's houfe as below it, and that it is as eafy a navigation as that of the Thames, there not being one fall or rapid, after pafiing that near Winlpig Lake, in a courfe of more than 200 miles ; but it is probable that the communication between Hudfon's Bay and the Weft; Coaft of America would, with more facility, be made in an higher latitude, by means of the Chefterfield inlet, or fome of the inlets and rivers from Hudfon's Bay, connedling with tlie Arathapefcow, Dobaunt and other lakes. Of the navigrition of the Weftern fide of America we are clear and decided, as well as of thofe inlets, great founds, and cpenings of the fea at the back of Nootka.—And as to the Eaftern fide of the continent, — though, as yet, we have nothing but conjefture in favour of the belief that either through Hudfon's Bay, or the Southern parts of Baffin's Bay, navigable Inlets may be found to communicate with the Eaftern Pacific Ocean,—one circumftance is clear in our favour, which is, that we have the moft inconteftable proof that the geography of Hudfon's Bay is but yet imperfectly known, and that with ^ Baffin^ Baffin's Bay we are wholly unacquainted ; fo that the idea of the difcovery of a North Weft Paffage ftill continues to have a reafonable foundation.—And we truft that the fervants of the Hudfon's Bay Coiyipany will conquer every averfion, we are informed they have hitherto poflefled, to thofe Northern expeditions ; which may, at length, end in the difcovery of a North Weft PafTage. SOME SOME ACCOUNT OF THE TRADE between the NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA, AND CHINA, ^c, I T muft afford a very animating fatlsfaiSHoii to every patriot mind, that the trade and commerce of this country are gradually extending themfelves over every part of the globe ; and that'from the encouragement given by wife mlnifters, and the euterprifing fpirlt of opulent merchants, every corner of the earth where the winds blow and the fea rolls its waves, will, fooner or later, be explored, to encreafe the wealth, the power, and the profperity of the Britifli Empire. To Captain Cook, among other great and public benefits, we are indebted for the commerce of the North Weft Coaft of America, and its profitable application to the China market ; a commerce, which when more known, and of courfe more cultivated, will, we doubt not, prove of the firft advantage to this country. The The richcs whicJi the Immenfe Southern Pacific Ocean oflfers to the adventurous Ipirlt of trade, is far bejoiiJ the prefent conceptions of it; and the empires ofCliuia and Japan may not only become nexv fources of commercial advantage to this kingdom, in the exports of her manufačlures, but prove the means of encreafing her maritime ftrength ; and thereby aggrajidizing, in the moft ample manner, the power of the Rritlfh Empire. In the preceding pages, which contain our obfervatlons on the probable exifl:-ence of a North Wtfl Paflage, fume account is given of the feveral adventurers to the North Weft CoafI: of Amcrica fmce the difcovery of its valuable commerce by Captain Cook, The fate of them, as it generally happens in all new fchemes of adventure, has been varioufly unfuccefsful.—Two of the fmall number of fhips which have failed thither, have been wrecked, and others have proved unfortunate either from the bad management or ignorance of tlieir conduiHiors ; from whence a very faJfe idea has arifcn, that the trade of the North Weft Coaft of America is an uiiproduitive bufinpls. Other opinions have been propagated which are extremely unfavourable to the adventurers who have engaged in this commerce. It has, indeed, been boldly afTerted, and by many as confidently believed, that the_y have been engaged in a contraband trade on the American Coaft—It muft, indeed, be extremely mortifying to thofe gentlemen wliofe patriotic and commercial fpirit has Icti them into fuch adventurous undertakings, to find, tliat in addition to tlie great lofles they have fuftained, their charaflers, as fair and honeft merchants, are attacked and calumniated : bnt the acculation, which fprings either from envy or ignorance, is founded in falfhood,—and will, we truft, find a refutation in the commercial arrangements of thofe voyages which occupy the preceding pages of this volume. The mofl: immediate articles hitherto imported from America, have been the fea-otter Ikin, and furs of an inferior value, of which we have every reafon to fuppofe fuppofe there will prove a very great abundance, whenever the Induftry of the natives (hall be duly excited to extend their colleilion of them.—Befides it fliould be obferved, that this trade is in an infant ftate, and has been hitherto carried on only, as it were, in the vicinity of the American fhores ;—as thofe parts which have been already vifited, are not, as has been Imagined, the coafts of the continent, but an archipelago of iflands, forming a kind of barrier to it. When, therefore, a commercial communication is opened with the continent itfelf, which there is every rcafon to fuppofe is numeroufly inhabited, a great and very valuable fource of commerce will be unfolded to our country ; forming a chain of trade between Hudfon's Bay, Canada, and the North Weft Coaft of America. The articles hitherto employed in the purchafe of American furs, &c. arc In themfelves but of fmall value, when compared with the prices which thefe furs obtain at China nd other markets ; but when the expence of conveying them to their deftinatlc ' is taken into the account, their acquired value is of no trifling confideratlon. The firfl adventurers employed iron, beads, glafs and Indian gewgaws as the medium of barter; but they who fucccedcd them added Britifli Woollens to the trade, and whole villages of American natives were fcen clad in blankets, and decorated with every article of Englifh drefs. Indeed, after fome time, tlie Indians became fo fond of woollen articles, that no commercial engagement could be formed with thcfe people in which they did not form the commanding inducement. The fea-otter fltin may be a more beautiful and warm'er garment, but it is infinitely more cumberfomc than the blanket; which, when once adopted, was preferred in tJie mofl decided manner, from a fenfe of fuperior convenience; and refpeifting the articles of European drefs for which « their fimple fancy or a love of novelty might be fuppofed to Impel their choice, they mlglit be fo varied as to keep awake thofe prepofiefiions till they becomc habits, AV. america and china. Ixxt It is not neceffaiy for me, were it in my power, to deferibe the vaft extent of the Cliinefe Empire, and the Aiate of its prodigious population. It is fufficient to obferve tliat fuch a country, and fuch a people, would form a commercial alliance of the firft magnitude with Great ßrltain. The Engllfh certainly enjoy the far greater part of the import trade at Canton ; but the whole European commerce, which, of courfe, involves our own, labours beneath very oppreflive and encreafing difadvantages. Nor can I underftand upon what principle of found policy we continue to fubmlt to the will and plealurc of the Chinefe government, ui our commercial concerns with it. If we were to form our opinions of tlie genera! character of the inhabitants of China from thofe who inliabit the banks of the Canton River, it would be doing them a great injiiftice. A trading fea-port, which offers little or no other communication than with Cuftom-houlc officers, brokers, and the inferior rank of tradefmen, does not qualify the voyager to judge of the nation to which it belongs ; but, forming our opinion from thofe who have had opportunities of vifiting the interior parts of China, we are difpofed to believe that the Chinefe are a liberal, enlightened and polKhed people, and that they profefs them-felves of fuch a chara£ler. It cannot therefore be fuppofed, If an Ambafla-dor was fent to China from this country, virith all the appropriate accompany-ments of fuch a character, that he would not be received with fuitable refpečt and dignity. Various are the oppreflions which afflict our commerce with this part of the Eaft, and it would require, perhaps, confummate (kill in the arts of negoclatlon, as well as a complete knowledge of the commercial hiftory of China, and of the temper of the people, to bring any liberal arrangement of commerce between the two nations to a conclufion. The Chinefe are well acquainted with the power of Great Britain, and they regard It with very confiderablc apprehenfion. I relate it as an incontrovertible faifl, that the floppo or Vice* Roy of Canton, in the year 1789, in his ufual information to the Court at K 2 Pekin, , Pekin, tranfmltted a falfe accouin: of the European (hipping at his port. The encreafing number of them, particularly thofe of the EngllHi nation, was rather an alarming circumftance to the minifterlal officers at Canton; and had the Emperor been informed of it, they would have been fubjeft to his dif-pleafure, from the fuppofed danger of fui¥ering fuch an aflemblage of foreign veflels. But they hufhed their own fears, and fatisfied their patriotic fcru* pies, by remitting the vdual revenues arifnig from foreign trade to the lioyal treafury, and configning the cncreaied collečlion of duties to their own coffers. At this port, as if it were contrived to fliackle and opprefs tlie European commerce, every t ran fačl: ion, of a commercial nature, comes under the jurif* diftion of a body of merchants, confifting of eleven perfons, or more, wlio are named the Hung, or the Houang. On the arrival of a fhip at Canton, one of thefe merchants is appointed to conduct all her commercial concerns. He is then termed the fecurity merchant, and every trading tranfačtion, relative to the veflel over which he is placed, entirely depends upon his contiouling pleafure.—With this extraordinary authority, he pollcfTcs the power of arranging the trade of the cargo which he fuperintends, in any fliape that may heft anfwer his private advantage. If, therefore, it Ihould appear to be his intcreft to prev-eiit tlie im'-ported articles from coming to an equitable market, he will, by no means, con-fider the importer, but himfelf. For the native who wants to buy, and the ftranger who wants to lell, can Iiave no communication with each other.—It is this ftrange oppreßive, intermediate official merchant, who a^Tts for both, and to whofe arbitrary dictates both muft fubmit, without any means of revificn or of appeal. While this fet of men remain in their prefent ftate of power, the imports can never cotne to a fair market, or the exports he reduced by competition to an equal ftandard. The The greater as well as inferior Mandarins or CufVom-houfe officers, fubječl die Houang mercliants, in their turns, to heavy irapofitions, for which the latter rcitxiburre tliemfelves, by levying contributions on the European commerce. All goods entered at Canton pay a very exorbitant duty in the firftinftance ;— and if ihelr owner Ihould exerclfe the power which he has of obječting to the Hoiiang n>erchant's price, he neverthelefs cannot re-embark a fingle article of them : as merchandize once landed at the port of Canton, can never be removed from thence, but by the native trader who may purchafe it, A greater check on the fplrit of commerce cannot be well conceived than fuch a tyrannical regulation.. The duties, at this port, have long been m a ftate of progrcffive encreafe, and have, within thefe few years, advanced to 50 per cent.-—The aftual amount of them being no longer paid into the Royal treafury, for the rea-foiis already mentioned, the Mandarins are become more and more^ avaricious, in proportion as the revenue from the duties cncreafes; and, as they are impofed at the plcafure of the Hoppo or Vice-Roy, he contrives to accumulate an immenfe fortune during Iiis adminiflration ; which, however, he is obliged to (hare, iiifome degree, with the minifters at Pekin, i[i order to prevent a difcovcry of his extortions on tlie Europeans at Canton.. All (hips on their firfl: arrival, pay a certain meafurement, which is calculated by their tonnage, amounting to an heavy fum, and, within a few years, has been greatly augmented. A fhip belonging to the Eafl India Company, pays, I believe, from jT.800 toAll goods muft be conveyed on Ihore by the boats of the country, fo that continual robberies are committed on the cargoes fent for the rtiip to Canton, which is diftant about fourteen miles ; and flrange as it may feem, no remedy is tobe found, or punifliment infličled upon fach open injuftice. The Ilouang man is the only perfon to whom an Europeaai European has accefs; fo that the Foreign merchant is left entirely to the mercy of an agent wliofe intereft it is to opprefs him the moft. All Europeans are prohibited from entering the city of Canton ; and if any fliould perfifl in paying it a clandeftihe vifit, as Tome "have done, they arc feverely bambooed and turned back again. The Chinefe call an European a Fan qui. It muft, however, be obferved, that the idea of the ITouang merchants being fecurity for each other, is entirely fallacious; —for tliefe commercial guardians arc fometimes known to become bankrupts, and many Europeans have fuffercd feverely by the failure of them. 1 have fome reafon to imagine that the debts due to Britifli merchants, and on which account Captain Panton in the Race-horfe, was fent to Canton, are not yet liquidated; and which, being incurred by the failure of a very confiderable Houang merchant, evidently proves that this body of men are not fecurity for each other. This debt amounted to fome hundred thoufand pounds, part of which has been paid by inftallments, which have been hi a courfe of payment for the fpace of ten years, without intereft.—^This money has, however, in faÖ: been paid by tlie Europeans them-felves; as, in order to difcharge the debt, an additional duty has been laid on all European articles, which ftill continues: and as Great Britain pofleffes by far the greateft fhare of the China trade, fhe fufFers proportionably hi thefe heavy and accumulating impofitions. This embaßy did not greatly enhance the confequence of the Engllfh nation In the opinion of,the Chinefe.—Lord Anfon and Captain Panton ftood in a very different view of refpečt and hnportance,—not that I mean to be under-ftood as if the latter gentleman was deficient in any of thofe requifitcs which could give confequence or efFe£t to his commiffion ; on the contrary, he pof-fefied them all,—but he was not, by any means, properly fupported, or cloathed with ■mK- V- . " * t i ' .» ' - *, f , iV y iV • t ' ev:-,.- ■ -1 . ■ • / ; u'"^^'',' y*. ■ • » .s - 'v ' »-«.'J;.' . . i • 4 v.--. . ' ■ . rt- '.'•■* ' 4 -•■rv 'S' v--. V' ""'''••VT* •• It .'•i.-« •. ■ M ■■V v I . "I*., r ,1 i . t.'X- ■ \ -•i, '." ■ ..^p&^liC-L. - y ^ ■.ffi-*. it.!; .• r .. m-:- with that official confequence, neceffary to imprefs the China people with a due refpečl for, and awe of the country from which he came. It is indeed a very evident, as well as mortifying proöf, that the Englifli name does not poflefs that confequence with the Chincfe, which It merits in every country and corner of the globe, from their condua: towards the Eaft India Company's fervants, who conftantly remove to the Portuguefe city of Macao for feveral months o( the year. In the feafon of 1789, on the arrival of the Company's flilp In China, It hccame neceffary for the fupercargoes to remove, as ufual, to Canton ; on which the accuftomed application was made to the Chinefe for the common formality of permlffion.—This was, however, peremptorily refufed, on the pretence that this application ihould be made through the Portuguefe, who refufed to exert them-felves; and thereby the Portuguefe governor of Macao had the power of throwing veryconfiderable impediments in the way of the Brltifh commerce. This dif-agreeable bufinefs was, however, at length fettled, hut not without confiderable delay, and, in all probability, fome extortion.—IJut during this opprefllve interval, the valuable fhips of tiie Eaft India Company lay at anchor in theBocca Tigris, or at Wampoa, as they arrived, and without being able to procure the ufual rc-frefhments. Indeed the enormous funis conflantly paid for the removal of the Company's fervants to and from Canton, from vvlience they are forced by the Chinefe, is not only a great commercial enormity, but a degrading compliance on the part of Great Britain. The Portuguefe alfo, in this diflant fettlenienr, alfiitiie a language and con-dud toBritifli fubjeds, which cannot be at all reconciled with the comparative flate of the flrength, power and importance of thelv refpet^ive nations.—It Is no uncommon thing at Macao, for the Company's fervants to be imprifoned and otherwife ill-treated on the flighted pretences, and obliged to pradife fub-miflions which the fervile avarice of commerce can alone induce them to fufFer, while it filences the refentment of thofe who employ them. From ^ From all thefe ctrcumftances the conclufion is at once forcible and evident,— that the trade between Great Rritaui and China fliould be arranged on an equal and refpečtable eftablifliment.—Nor, if the proper means were employed, would fiich a dclirablc object be fo difficult to accompliHi as is generally imagined. It is not to be fuppofed that the infant trade of the North Weft Coaft ot America to China efcaped thofe deprefling arrangements which narrow the advantages and difgrace the fpirit of the long eftnbli(hed and fuperior channels of commerce with this pnrt of the Eaftern world.~\Vc felt and execrated the inconveniences of them ; but ftill a profpeft of cotillderable advantage unfolds itfelf to the views of a liberated commerce, which would jiiftify any encouragement from this country. No communication had as yet taken place between tlie Ruflian Kamfchadale ■and Siberian Provinces with China, but by land ; and that intercourfe having been hitemipted for many years, in confequence of difputes which arofe, and "have never been fettled between the courts ofPeterlburg and Peklu,—It became a matter of contemplation to have connefled, in a great degree, the commerce of the North Weft Coail of America and thefe provinces witli that of China and Japan.—If fuch a proječt had been carried into cfFcfl, it would have produced very beneficial confequences to this country ; as her manufiiclures, inflead of being fent through the empire of Ruflia, by way of Peterlburg, and from thence into Siberia and Kiafcha, would have been imported immediately by fea, and the furs of thofe coantrles received in barter; which, with the Noith Weft American furs, would have been fold at Canton, and the proceeds, from the natural channels of commerce, paid without compunflion into the 'Englifh treafury there, wliich would tend to lellen the exports of bullion from this country. By this trade, Great Britain might have encreafcd her exports of broad 'Cloth, ccarfe woollens, cottons, linens, hardware, and her tin and copper in all between n. w. a m e r i c a and china. ixkki all the variety of articles into which thofe metals are manufactured ; for which would be received, as before obferved, fars of all the various and valuable kinds with which that part of the world abounds. The quantity of exports muft have been very confiderable to fupply the Ruffian provhices ; and fupply-ing them by this mode would prove the means of beating out of the market thofe French woollens and ironmongery with which it is now fupplied ;—as it cannot be fuppofed that the inhabitants would not prefer the folid and lafting manufaftures of Enghixid to the flight cloths and brittle hardwares of France. The confuleration of this part of the Northern commerce naturally forces upon our attention the neceflity of opening the Northern provinces of China, as well as the kingdom of Japan, in order to extend this chain of commercial intercourff. Such an arrangement would open an inftant and extenfive channel for Britifh manufactures, particularly thofe of tin and copper, more eipecially the former; the exports of which being of the firfi: importance to this country, we confider as a fubje»^ tliat demands a diftinčl difcuffion, which it will receive in the fucceeding part of thefe obfervations. The prefent cxclufion of the European nations from all the ports of the Chinefe empire, except Canton, is a ferious difadvantage to Great Britain.— While from the arbitrary regulations of the Chinefe government refpeding European commerce, our exports, befides the heavy duties to which they are fubječl, are taken by the purchafers at a price fixed by themfelves. The fame tyrannical and diflioncft principle operates to enhance the price of every article we receive in return, and is the caufe that fo much bad tea is imported into this country. It would be equally idle and impertinent to obferve on the prevailing habits of all ranks of Britifh fubje£ls for the beverage produced by this oriental plant. It has long ceafed to be a luxury among the great; and Jg become a ^ kind kind of nccelVary of life even among the poor.—Though produced ui the moft dlftant quarter of the globe, its ufe is fo naturalized to this country, as to be an article of geneial Cünfumption, and produftlve of a very confiJcrable public revenue*. If, therefore, it is a national object to procure the teas and manufačlures of China of better qualities and at a cheaper rate,—fome method (hould be devifed by the Britifli government to procure the Northern ports of that country to be opened to us, as well as to emancipate our trade from che vexatious bondage beneath which it groans in the only Chinefe port which our fhips are allowed to enter. To efFedl: this,—and I have not the Icaft doubt but it might be efFečted,—It Is humbly fubmitted, whether It might not be proper to-fend an embafTy dlreftly toPekin, with fuch a degree of confequencc and fplen-dour attached to It» as becomes the reprefentative of aBritifh monarch bearing his credentials to the fplendld court of a great Oriental foverelgn. The opening the door of thefe ports, by encreafing and improving the means-of communication between the two countries, would produce the greateft advantages to each; and, without emimerating the particular benefits which would be derived to our own, I Ihall juft obferve, that by the exports of our till alone, commerce would fidd an artificial mine of national wealth to thofe which nature has already bcftowed on Great Britain. In confequence of fuch an arrangement, the hitherto little known, butpollflied and wealthy kingdom of Corea, * This herb, which is fuppofed to pofTefs qualnlcs of a pernicious tendency by many medical writers, is, on the contrary, confidered in China as replete with medicinal virtues. Its ufe in the country where it grows 13 univerfal and continual; and a doubt of its falutary nature, would be treated there, as arifing from the moft inveterate folly, or thegrofleft ignorance.—An inhabitant of China will tell you, that it braccs the nerves,—invigorates their tone,—ftrengthens the ftomach, and relieves deprcfnon.—It fhould, howeveT, be obferved, that the black teas only are in general Alfe among the Chinefe ; and that the green and bloom teas arc in a great degree, if not altogether, manufafturcd for foreign markets. between N. W. "a m E R I C a and china. Ixxxiu Corea, would be open to the Britifh adventurer: and, independent of the empire of Japan, we know not how to exprefs our idea of the vaft and inexhauftible fources of commercial advantage tliat would be gained by purfuing the fyftem which Is the objedt of this memoir tofuggeft and to recommend. The fineft teas are produced by the Northern provinces i—we fliould therefore receive them from thence free from that adulteration which the avarice of the Houang merchant not only allows but encouragea.—The raw filkof thofc countries would alfo come to our market of the fineft quality. The kingdom of Corea would receive, and eagerly receive, the fame manu-faflures as China, with this important addirion,—tliat in fo cold a climate, they would have our woollens direiflly from ourfelves, inftead of the light French cloths which make their way to them by the circuitous route of Pekin from Rtiflia, or more imn:icdiately from Canton. But on account of the very high price of woollen goods, occafioned by the expenfive mode of importing them, thefe people have recourfe to thick printed cottons, which, after all, are by no means fufficlent to protect them from the feverity of their winters. This country produces the flnefl: tea, but no filk. The Coreans receive it however from China, and return it thither to great advantage, worked up into filks and da-mafks, of a very fine and rich fabric. It is here alfo that the curious failing waggon is to be feen, which is a very ferviceable machine in the low and marfhy grounds towards the Corean fea. The empire of Japan may be confidered as a fource of commcrce dlftinä: from that of China ; but it is, neverthelefs, open to the fame fpirit of commercial adventure,—contains fimilar refources, and promifes to be a moft profitable mart for Britlih manufaftures. The communication which one of the fliips captured by the Spaniards at Nootka Sound, had with this country, in her voyage tö the North Weft Coafl of America, proves, in the fulleft manner, that the inhabitants would gladly enter into a trading intercourle with us. It was. Indeed 2 intended intended to liave fent a fhip from Canton in the prefent year 1790, had not the North Wertem commerce been interrupted, and for a time, at leaft, deftroyed by the fhips of his Catholic Majefty. From very refpe«6ay. Henry — George Galloway From Bombay to Bfngal. RefoUition — James Watfon From Bengal and Batavia to Bengal, Warren Hartings Nicholas Che'minant From Bombay to Pcgii and Bengal. Ilibernia — William Tolly Indus From Bombay and Madras to B ombay. — William Dixon From China to the N, W. Coaß of America. Argonaut — James Colnett Princefs Royal — Thomas Hudfon A hiß of Foreign Ships trading to China in 1789; shifs names. Meerylc — Delft Qirirteffel Columbus Schagen — Maria Cornelia « Dauphin King of Denmark Antony Brig Sarnpfon — Maflachufletts Aftrea —. VBi*H — Dutihi commanders. Miiller Swetman Pieterfeen Stokbroo — Modderman Frrneb. Duval Favereub Daniß. — Torflow Anterican, — Rtcliard Proler Samuel Howell _ Uenjamin Carpenter James Magcc John Aftmead American eontinued. «hips names. William and Henry Brig Three Sifters ditto ~ Federalift — Atlantic — Light Horfe — A merica .— Tay _ _ Waftiington — Morfe — Columbia commanders. Benjamin Hodges Benjamin Weft Richard Dale Henry EHtins Jacob Nicols Jacob Sarley Thomas Randall Mark Hafkett -Oriolle _ Robert Gray Fartuguefe. Bom Jefus Alem — Jofo Dias de Souza Marquis de Anjuga — Coflodio de Arevedo Campeles — Antonio de Arayo The between N. W. america and china. kxxiic The advantages which muil: refult to the manufaflures of Great Britain, from the encreafe of the China trade, is one of thofe truths whofe evidence wants no fupport. Its tendency to encreafe the nurfery of our marine ftrengtli, mufl: be acknowledged with equal juftice. TheEnglifh fliipping at Canton gave employment, on an average, in the year 1789, to near two thoufaud officers and feamen. It has indeed been objected, that the very great export of bullion from this country, abfoliitely neceflliry to purchafe the liomeward bound inveftments, is, in a national difadvantage, which the accompanying exports of our manufadures by no means indemnify. This unfavourable reprefentation of the China commerce, has, I mu ft own, too much foundation. But it is well known to have undergone a very confidcrable change in the very point on which thofe who are difpofed to condemn it, reil their objections. The exports of bullion have been for fome years, and are now in a gradual ftate of decrcafe^ while the exports of Britith manufačlurcs are in a proportionable ftate of augmentation : and if we add, which furely may be done upon the moil fatisfa^lory grounds, the new arrangements in trade of the Canadian and Hudfon's Bay furs, and the added commerce of thofe of the North Weft Coafl of America, we are juftified in expefling, from the wife adminiftration of the prefent Eaft India Company, that the period is at no great diftance when the balance of trade between Great Britain and China may be turned in favour of our own country. Of our exports to that part of the Eaft, broad cloths have encreafed in a very extraordinary proportion, and the Company now fend thither a very large fum in that ftaple article. In 1789, feveral thoufand bales were exported by them. The fur merchants who come down from the Northern provinces of China, take off great quantities of this cloth, and it is in an encreafnig demand in every part of that vaft empire. Camlets, flialloons, long ells, &c. with the coarfer woollens, have alfo very confiderably encreafed as articles of China trade. Copper may be alfo added to the augmenting exports ^ from from this country the fame quarter of the globe. *The manner In which the Company have it manufactured, in fmall bars, gives it an advantageous rc-femblance to the Japan copper. Of this very valuable metal Cornwall produces the fineft in Europe; and as the Dutch have not lately imported any from Japan, on account of its advanced price, the Eafl; India Company have the fame profpe£l of encreafing gain from copper as from tin, as they are able to underfell the Japanefe in their own market. But a new and very falhionable article of the China market Is tin, which will be found tobe annually adding a very important proportion to the exports of the Eaft India Company. The country at large, and the county of Cornwall in particular, are very much indebted to Mr. George Unwin of the Royal Navy, for the difcovery and introduction of this valuable branch of the prefent China trade, when he was employed in the Company's fervice, and which may now be confidered as a ftaple article, from whence the Britifli commerce will derive a very folld, and, as I truft, a lading advantage. To that gentleman I am particularly indebted for much valuable information on this fubječl; and whatever individual or general advantage proceeds from what I may call this new current of trade, it is to the indefatigable and commercial zeal of Mr. Unwin that Great Britain owes her acknowledgements. It was, Indeed, at a critical moment for the county of Cornwall, when this unexpefted channel was opened for the confumption of tin.—The trade for this article was, at this time, on a very rapid decline ; the mining parlfhes began to experience the greatefl: dif-trefs, and the demand for it in the European markets was greatly decreafed, on account of the late virar, and the rifnig troubles of Europe; fo that in the fhort fpaceof nine months, tin became reduced one-fifth In value, which was a clear lofs, befides the attendant inconvenience and diftrefs, of jr.40,000 per annum ta the county of Cornwall: nor did the future profpcil offer any thing like en-coujragement or conlolation to that rel'pedtable body of men who compofe the propriety propriety of the mining eftates in that valuable province. But the China commerce has revived their hopes, and I trufl: will not only re-eftabliih the original confequence of this part of Great Britain, but give it new vigour and encreafmg opulence. . We feel, indeed, the greateft fatisfadion, in ftating our expeflations on this fubjed, that we do not proceed merely upon conje£tures, however probable, but on fa£ts, as we truft, decifive of the returning and encreafing profperity of this ancient fource of Britifh wealth. During the long period the Eaft India Company have traded to China, the whole of their exports, including every commercial article^ have not amounted to more than ioo,®oo, 'till within the laft five years; and in that time, the average exports in their fhips, in thirteen months^ or two feafons, from Cornwall alone, have amounted to 2000 tons of tin, value 130,000, befides her (hare of copper. The accounts received from China this feafon, are alfb of the moft favourable nature, and encourage the India Company to look to very confiderable advantages from this branch of their exportation. The annual confumption of tin, at this time, in the China market, is from three to four thouland tons, fupplied by the Dutch, in the country trading veflels and Chiiiajunks from the Malay Iflands.^^ But we trull: fuch meafures may be purfued by the proprietors of the tin mines, united, as it were, by a commercial union with the Eaft India Company, that they may in time, and we hope at no very diftant period, poflefs them-felves of the China market for the exclufive fale of that valuable metal, which has for fo'many ages formed the principal wealth of their country. The ufes to which tin is applied in China, are of great variety ;—among others, it is become an article of luperftition and religious ceremony, a cir-cumftance which cannot fail to create a very confiderable confumption.—The merchant who buys this metal, re-fells it to the gold-beaters, who manufacture it into leaf, which they difpofe of to the priefts, who, after the ceremonies of M % con- confecration, parte k in pieces ona kind of cartoon paper, near the fize of a card, and confign tJiein to fhops, where they are to be bought in every part of the empire.—At tlie rifing of the fun, certain periods of the day, and the clofe of the evening, the Chinefe are feen making what they call chln^ chin^ to their Gods or JoÜes, by burning thefe papers, and making obeifance to the Weft ; as the devotees are more or iefs ardent, they burn a fmaller or greater quantity of thefe papers,—The confomption of tin, therefore, in this article alone, muft be very great. The river of Canton is fuppofüd to be inhabited, if I may To exprefs myfelf, by between fixty and feventy thoufand people, who live on the water, all of whom expend their daily quota of thefe paper offerings. The population of China is not within our knowledge, but if we may judge from the calculation juft related, and which we believe is pretty accurate, the number of inhabitants ill the empire at large is fo great, that there can be but little doubt, jfwe could getan entire pofleffion of the China market, that there would be a ready fale for all the tin which Cornwall could furnifh for exportation. The Chinefe alfo poffefs the art of extraöliig filver from that metal ; and not only employ it in the compofitlon of which they make their utenfils for culinary and other domeftic, as well as manufacturing purpofes, but alfo in making very large quantities of a white metal called Tutcnage, which they export in the country trading veflcls to all parts of India.—It cannot, therefore, be fuppofcd, that the Eaft India Company will not give a fpirited encouragement to the exports of a comn:iodity, which by promoting the iuterefts of the county of Cornwall, and encreafing their own commercial revenues, will add to the general opulence of the nation. It is not, however, in China alone that tin, under proper regulations, will find an advantageous market.—Bengal will, in future, be able to take off a very confiderable portion, at a very good price ; the demand ofthat place being at between n. w. a m e r i c a and china. *cui at this time, equal to one-fourth of the annual produce of Cornwall, which will be (lifperfed through the interior parts of India ; and if the Ottoman commerce fhould be thrown open to us, an added and very confiderable coii-fumption of this metal will be the certain confequence.—Even from Bengal and Bombay, tin has found its way into the Weftern parts of Perfia ; and the exportation of it might be ftill further promoted, from the communication we have with that country by way of Surat.—And within thefe tliree years, Corniih tin, which had been carried from England to Turkey, not with (landing the heavy duties with which it was charged in pafiing through the Grand Seignior's dominions, was feen'felling as a favourite article of fale at an au£tlon of the public caravans.—Indeed it is well known that the greater part of the Afiatic nations are as well acquainted with the value of this precious commodity of our country as the natives of China. The Chinefe have ufually received their tin by the Englifli and Dutch country fliips, and fome fmall quantities by their own jmiks ; and though the opium of Bengal leflened the quantity of bullion which muft otherwife have been exported from thence to the Malayan nation, for the purchafe of this effential commodity ; yet ftill there remained a confiderable balance againfl; the European fettlements in this branch of their commerce.—It fhould alfo be obferved that the Malayans do not work their mines, but leave that important bufinefs, as well as the refining of the ore, to Chinefe fettlers among them. The Dutcli Eaft InJia Company contrive, with tlie mercantile fagaclty of their nation, to derive a very confiderable revenue from this article. The fultan of Banee, who refides at BAhun-hangau, on the i Hand of Sumatra, and is within fight of the former place, is obliged to furnifli them with fo many hundred tons of tin, at a low rate, which is freighted to Eatavia in fmall vef-fels, and from thence tranfported to China in tlieir Ihips, where it meets with a profitable fale, and faves the lofing export of bullion. * Many Many objections have been raifed to the exportntion of tin to China from certain prejudices fuppofed to be entertained by the Chlnefe againfl: the Cornifli tin, on account of its not being found fo malleable as that obtained from the Malayans.—Actuated by a moft laudable zeal for the particular interefts of the county of Cornwall, as well as for the general extenfion of the Britifh ' commerce, Mr. Unwin undertook to examine into the foundation of thefe ob-ječlions, and accordingly made repeated experiments on the comparative excellence of the Britiüi and Malayan tin when it appears by the certificates of the workmen employed, as well as the tin leaf in that gentleman's pofleffion, that the produce of Cornwall is equal, if not fuperior, in every refpeft, to that of the Malayans. — Of this he gave a convincing proof, by having beaten a pound of the former to a quantity of leaf fufficient to cover thirty-five fquare yards. In confequence of his experiments, the Eaft India Company not only fent out the lafl: feafon, feveral books of the Britifh tin-leaf, as fpecimens, to China and their fettlements in India, but a proper quantity of the metal itfelf, in order to give the utmoft encouragement in their power to the exportation of tin from this country. The export of bullion has been a mofl: grievous burthen on our Oriental commerce, and it is the firft duty of thofe who are engaged in the admini-ftrationofit, to diminifh, and if poffible, to annihilate fuch an anti-commcrcIal oppreffion.—The former might be accomplifhed, indeed, by narrowing the pre-fent extent of the China commercebut here the remedy would be worfe than the difeafe ; as by leflening the importation of tea, now become almoft a neceffary of life among all clafles of people in this country, it would re-open the door fo wifely fhut againft the Smuggling of that article, and introduce, inftead of the wholefome produce of China, thofe adulterated teas which are equally injurious to the revenues of the country, as they are prejudicial to the health of its inhabitants. The latter is only to be obtained by thofe meafures which will force our manufadures and produce into China and other parts of . the Eaft; nor have we the leaft doubt, but that if they were once received, ^ ^ a the BETWEEN N. W. AMERICA AND CHINA, sc* the export of bullion thither,—that mifchief of our Oriental trnde,—would, in a Ihort time, be greatly counterafted, and perhaps entirely fupprefled, Thefe are objefls which it will not fnrcly be confidercd as prefumption in us to recommend to the ferious confideratioa of the legiflature, and as we ihould hope, to be followed up by the aftive exertions of the grand commercial fpirit of this country. They would heighten the flouriHiing ftate of our manufaOures,—give added ftrcngth to our maritime power,—and which ia no trifling concern, though It may not be a fubječl of general coufideration, reftore profperity to the county of Cornwall, which it is not only the intereft, but effential to the honour of England to maintain, as that corner of her territory was, as it were, the cradle of her Infant commerce; and from whence (he firfl derived, at the diftance of many ages, a commercial character among the nations of the world.^ I fhall only add, as It feems to be a link in that chain of commerce which it is the office of thefe pages, however imperfefHy, to enforce,—that Providence, by permitting Great Britain to make a difcovery of the Sandwich Iflcs, feems to have Intended that they fhould become a part of herfelf.—The fitu-ation, climate, and produce of thefe Iflands, may be rnade to anfwer vfry important commercial purpofes; befides, the inhabitants are a brave and generous race of people, fufceptible of the highefl mental cultivation, and worthy of fharing, as they are already ambitious to fhare, the fate enjoyed by Brltilh fubječls.—The well dlrefted Induftry, and aflured fidelity of half a million of people, would furely add to the grandeur and profperity of the Britifli Empire. * I fliall not enlarge further on the fubjeft of tin at this time ; hut I flatter myfdf, with the affift-ancc of Mr. Donniihornc, the public agent for the county of Cornwall, whofe zeal and abilities in the fevvicc ofit arc fo juftly ackaowicdgcd, antl his friend Mr. Unwin, to whofe commercial information, antl indefatigable attention, that county is under fuch very peculiar obligations, I fhall Ihortly be enabled to make fome propofals to the gentlemen of Cornwall refpcčling this valuable branch of commerce, whicli may nut be deemed altogether unworthy their attciuion. E R R A r A. I» the Iktrodüctory Voyage, page 17, lines of the S^olt»®' Page 164, line 13, fir us difcovcr, mad for ua to difcover. ' 172, line 24,/or be read by, 173, line 16,/«r gotli July, read 13th July. 187. line 7, for reafon fuppofe, read reafon to fiippofe. 201, line IS, for as far our power, rtad as far as our power. 303, line j i, June 8, /or latitude 56" 20', read 56" j6', 304, line 8, for June 10th rt/id f)th. — line 17,305® 36'Eaftlongitutteon the iitli, rW aoj" i'36"on the loth. — line /sj'the I Jth jWthciitli; and/ar latitude 56" 48'on ihc ijtli, rcöt/on the nth. 305, line 18, ßrihc 13th, 12th. 306, line 1, for 14th, read i^tYi. —, l:ne 2i, for i6tii,read 307, line 2,/öri7th, read i6th, 321, line i, the4thofAuguft omitted, and that miP.ak» continued to the ijtli. —— liaeg,/ffr Tlanna's Biy, r^at/Tianna's Roads. 325, line 21, for 59" 19' N. rW56" 19' N. 355, line 15, for 19° 4'N. read 19' 41'N, 356, line 12, for 30" 21', readiQ' at'. The Ships latitudes and longiiudes read as theywere kept Ly the Reckoning; but in the CHARTS as they were inferred by correct Observations and the lunar method of finding the longitude at fea. VOYAGES s Jo •jbj iJJ J 60 \ / X X R T or theN.\V.C\)alt of AMERICA ami N.E.CoaÜ of ASIA,exploml in the Years 1770,^^1779^ bv C AFT"! COOK; / / and fiirtliiT in r o iV. 7 y \ / 0 / O ^joo 'J o J ^ /Mf iV' y / \ / i: r u f ■■ V-' •Va'-' J' 4 / / t!»,'V \ iV/ • lilb« \ O I \ v»' o p / /'■-.v, .C. 'itrj, Alulgt-n '">••■11 < R lil 'V. tN-*. ti"" 'Mfo/- Kfl/i f. rVuL- jjys-i'..........\ Up ■ Pl K p "".I,. /i: iS. / .1 /; ¥ rl t . NrwriihaiiS^ nr'f ßrnttvi t^ivrr KW. S! ß , {ui/itJtl>n< JrhiJj \ Vf.-'-'-'i \ r ■J'x. .(•ptiJ'' \ Sa' S! Wliitsun'i'l'' ftW' ISI^'' LC'i'"" ' Ii' ' Foggj- ( f'm' /'i / Ai I - <=■ F V S A 1 • ''/1'^ / // T-«..!!., ^.lÄ ' ....... Ji '"■k ■'/'fcf u E yV ' ^ "H. ^^ ^^ ^ -V c .-T* \ \ \ ........ w i; . (Ärf-vs? i : i I, 5 i 'I' cir«' f: ^ " ^ —___ l.oii^^niulf iiaU / nf tilTfUwicIl '■/'Ji'i^........... '^TFjJ.iftiii'j t'/;irvh JŠr i?, A r F c C t" t. ..--"i' Ii." [I ...V" > 2 2/> 2\2J ^ «»..f-v^"»»».J. ti;« ■m 4- s» - v -A "'t., '.'iii it?; Tr^rrr ■ r^" 'j ! ■ . J .. H .-'v U^ .'--. ■i- T -1. \ • N v \ •N. i i' r . . •• 1 rr-.-^'mamttf: 'k «m «p** i i . • «s^nji "'u i • V tV-'ftfAT*-'- -i.. _-Vm-• -V .■^i, JI - ^ ■i' - • . ; J, A- ■t X-I •• v 'H VOYAGES TO T H E NORTH JVESr COAST: OF AMERiaj, In the Years 1788 and 1789, ^c. C II A P. I. Preparations for the Voyage.—Tianna, a Prince of the lßa?id Atooi, and other Natives of the Sandwich Isles embark. — Chara&ier of TI A-a-ifK—Complement of the Crew of both Ships.—^lantity of Cattle, he. embarked for the Sandwich Isles.—Departure of the Felicb and If hi gen ia from China. \ N the month of January I/88, in conjunction with feveral Britlfli merchants refident hi India, I purchafed and fitted out two veflels, named the Felice and the Iphigenia : the former was of 230 tons burthen,' and the latter of 200. They were calculated, in every refped, for thei;-dcftined voyage, being good failors, copper-bottomed,'and bpilt with fufficlent ftrength to refift the tempeftuous weather fo much to be apprehended in the Northern Pacific Ocean, during the winter feafon. A It I 1788. It was originally intended that they fhould have failed from China the January, hegjnnlng of the feafon, but the difficulty of procuring a fiifficient quantity of ftores neceflaiy for the voyage, delayed the (hips till the 20th of tliis nrionth, when they were completely equipped and ready for fea. One of the fliips was deftined to remain out a much longer time than the other. It was intended, that at the clofe of the autumn of this year, ftie (hould quit the coajfl of America, and fteer to the Sandwich Iflands, for the purpofe of wintering there; Ihe was then to return to America, in order to meet her confort from China, with a fupply of neccffary ftores and refrefliments, fufficient for the eftablifhing fačlories, and extending the plan of commerce in which we had engaged. The crews of thefe fhips confined of Europeans and China-men, with a larger proportion of the former. The Chinefe were, on this occafion, fliipped as an experiment:—they have been generally efteemed an hardy, andinduftrious, as well as ingenious race of people ; they live on fifli and rice, and, requiring but low wages, it was a matter alfo of oeconomical confideration to employ them; and during the whole of the voyage there was every reafon to be fatisfied with their ferviccs. —If Iiereafter trading ports (hould be eftablifhed on the American coaft, a colony of thefe men would be a very important acquifition. The command of the Iphigenia was given to Mr. Douglas, an officer of confiderable merit, who was well acquainted with the coaft of America, and, on that account, was the moft proper perfon to be cntrufted with the charge of conducting this commcrcial expedition: The crew contained artificers of various denominations, among whom were Chinefe fmiths and carpenters, as well as European artizans; forming, in the whole, a complement of forty men. The VRY The crew of the Felice was compofed of the fame ufeful and neceflary 1778. clafies of people, and amounted to fifty men this fhip was commauded by myfelf- A much greater number of Chhiefe folicited to enter into this fervice than could be received ; and fo far did the fpirit of enterprize hufluence them, that thofe we were under the neceffity of refufing, gave the moft iinequivocal marks of mortification and difappointment.—-Fiom the many who offered themfelves, fifty were feleČted, as fully iufficient for the purpofes of the voyage: they were, as has been already obferved, chiefly handicraft-men, of various kinds, with a fmall proportion of fallors who had been ufcd to the junks which navigate every part of the Chlnefc feas. In a voyage of folong continuance, andfuch various climates, very ferl-ous and natural apprehenfions were entertained of the inconveniencles and dangers anfing from the fcurvy, that cruel fcourge of maritime life. Every precaution therefore that humanity or experience could fuggeft, was taken to prevent its approach, to leflen its violence, and effect its cure : large quantities of molafles, with fuflficlent proportions of tea, fugar, and every other article that might contribute to thefe falutary ends, were carefully provided. Each veflel carried near five months water, allowing one gallon per day for each perfon on board, a plentiful fupply of which being one of the moil: effetStual preventives of this diforder. Warm cloathing of every kind was provided for the crews, iis well Chinele as Europeans : In (hort, every thing was procured that China produced, to render both veflels as complete as poffibie, and to enfure, as far as human means could be exerted, fuccefs to the voyage, and comfort to every denomination of people who were employed in it. A 2 Among 1-88. Among other obječl:s of this voyage there was one, at leaft, of the jANLARv. mofl difiiuereftcd nature, and the pureft fatisfadion ; and that was to tnke back, to their rclpedive homes, thofe people who had been brought from America and the Sandwich Iflands. A ccrtain number of cattle and other ufeful animals were purchafed and taken on board, for the purpofe of being put on fliore at thofe places where they might add to the comfort of the inhabitants, or promife to fupply the future navigator, of our own, or aay other country, with the neceflary refrefli-ments. In fnlfiHing this pleafiiig duty to thefe children of nature, whom a curious fpirit and an unfufpeding character had led to Aich a diftance from their native country, a very marked attention was paid to Tianna, a prince of the ifland of Atooi, a chief of illuftrious birth and high rank, who, in the year 1787, was carried by me to China, and who now afforded us the pleafure of reftoring him to his country and his kindred, with a mind enlarged by the new fcenes and pictures of life ■which he had beheld, and in the pofleffiou of various articles of ufeful application, or comparative magnificence, which would render liim the richeft inhabitant of his native iflands. Mr. Cox, a commercial gentleman refident in China, was among thofe whom Tianna regarded with that warm efteem which repeated kindnefs never fails to excite in a grateful mind ; and it would not be doing juüice to this amiable Indian, if he were not reprefented as poflefTnig many of thofe feutiments which do honour to the moft cultivated undcrftanding. Mr.Cox not only manifefted a general intereft in the honour and happhiefs of Tianna's future life, by the generous confignment of a confiderable quantity of live cattle and otJier animals to the ifland of Atooi, but, with the moft attentive humanity, defircd even to indulge his unreflečling fancy, f^UimM.a Mr/fUY y,' //(>,'/■, Cftf I'/'f/'f S,r//,A\ /t-/> //'/,r//,/n . .. '. f, V ' n . .-ij• . .-..»-i.'-- , ,« -Jt, ■-tt/-. 4.- ■ < v- •«. .'A 1 "1 • T' ' -. • i; CaV .)V ■ . • t-"' . fancy, by appropriating a fum of money to be expended as bis own 1788. untutored choice or wayward preference Hiould dlredt. This kind ar- January. rangement was, however, necelTarily fct afide; and the imperfedl judg- , ment of the chief fupplied by the better fuggeftions of his European friends ; who directed the expenditure of the allotted fum, to procure him thofe comforts and advantages which might laft during Iiis life, and tend to the improvement of his nation, iiiflead of gratifying the momentary whim for thofe objefts, which he hlmfelf might, at a future period, perhaps, learn to defplfe. The time that could be fpared from the equipment of the fliips, was, in a great meafure, dedicated to this amiable chief, who was with difficulty made to conceive the Information that he was fo foon to embark for his own Iflands; from whence, all the wonders of the new world to which he had been Introduced, were not fufficient to feparate his affections. The love of his country, a principle which feems to be inherent in the human mind, In every flate, and under every clime, operated forcibly upon him.—Thofe domeftic affections which are the fupport of all fociety, as well as the unlveifal fource of happinefs; and that parental fenfibllity which. In a greater or lefs degree, influences all animated nature, from the higher order of man to the inferior clafles of the animal world, did not lofe their energies in the breaft of Tlaniia. His rcfleilion had often fickened at the thought of his family and his country; and the gaze of his aftonifhmcnt frequently yielded to the in-trufive gloom of painful thought ;—while the fame hour has often feen him fmile with delight at the novelties which he beheld around him, and weep, with bitter lamentations, the hr dt-arer objeifts lie had left behind, when he refiečted that he might behold them r.o more. When, therefore, he was affured of his approaching return to Atooi,—. the idea that he fhould again embrace the wife whom he loved, and the child 1^88. child oil whom he doted, with all the added confequence which would January accompany him, from the knowledge he had acquired, the wealth he pof-fefled,a[id the benefits he flioukl communicate to the place of his nativity, produced thofe tranfporta which fenfible minds may conccive, but which language is unable to defcribe. To give a minute defcription of his conduct, behaviour, and feiiti-ments, on his arrival at Canton, might be confidered as an unavailing digreilion, unworthy of that CLirlofity which it is the office of this vo-kime to gratify.— It may not, however, be improper to obferve, that he difcovercd a mind poflefled of thofe capacities which education might have nurtured into intellectual fuperiority, and endued with thofe fenfi-bilities which forbid enlightened reafon from applying the name of fa vage to any human being, of aiiy colour or country, who poffeflbs them. When he firft beheld the fliips at Wampoa, his aftonifliment poffeffed an a<£tlvity which baffles defcription, and lie emphatically called them the iflauds of Bntannee ; but when he had furveyed their internal arrangement, with all the various apparatus they contained, the immediate impreflions they occafioned on his mind were'thofe of dejedion ; he hung his head in filence, and flied an involuntary tear, as it appeared, over what he conceived to be his own inferior nature.—Eut the fame fpirit which urged him to quit his native country, in order to return with knowledge that might inftrud, and arts that might improve it, foon aroufed him into an aftive and rational curiofity.—hideed he very Ihortly manifeftcd no common degree of intelle^Etnal exertion, by difcri-minating, as occafion offered, between the people of the feveral European nations, whom he daily faw, and thofe of England, whom he always called the men of Bntannee.—The natives of China he confidered with a degree of difgufl which bordered on extreme averfion;—their bald bald heads, diftciided noftrih, and unmeaning features, had raifed In his 1788. mind the ftrongeft fenfations of contempt:—Indeed it might be owing to JA^tJ^^Tf the addition which the natural dignity of his perfon may be fuppofed to receive from fuch a prevailing fentiment, whenever he found himfelf amongft them, that the Chinefe appeared to regard him with awe, and that, wherever he turned, the timid crowd never failed to open to him a ready paffage. Tiannn tvas about thirty-two years of age ; he was near fix feet five inches in ftature, and the mufcular form of his limbs was of an Herculean appearance. His carriage was replete with dignity, and having lived in the habits of receiving the refpecl due to fuperior rank in his own country, he pofieflcd an air of diftinčlion, which we will not fuppofe could fulTer any diminution from his obfervation of European manners. He wore the drefs of Europe with the habitual eafe of its inhabitants, and * had not only learned the ufe and arrangement of its various articles but applied his knowledge to the uniform and moft minute pračlice of perfonal cleanllnefs and decorum. The natural habits of his mind, however, occafionally recurred, and the childifh fancy of his native ftate would fomctimes intrude upon and interrupt the progrefs of his improvement. He could not be taught to underftand the value of our current coin, and when he wanted any thing that was to be purchafed by it, he would innocently afk for iron ; which being the moft valuable metal in his eyes, was naturally confidered by him as the medium of barter among other nations. To return Tianna to his native Ifland, operated very powerfully in forming the arrangements of the voyage before us :-his original defigii and inclination was to proceed to England; and Captain Churchill, of the Walpole Eaft Indiaman, offered, in the kindeft manner, to take liim under 1788. under his protečlion, nor could he have found a better prote£tor ; but januarv. to confign hull to another's care, and to fend him to a country from whence there might be no future opportunity of returning to His own, was a bufinefs that his friends could not reconcile to their feelings. The permitting him to leave Atooi, was confidered as an unrefle£ling and it was now determined that Tianna fliould return thither, if not, in reality, happier than before, at leafi: pofleffed of treafures beyond any pofTible expeftation of his unexperienced mind. But of all the various articles which formed his prefent wealth, his fancy was the moft deUghted with a portrait of himfelf, painted by Spoilum, the celebrated artift of China, and perhaps the only one in his line, throughout that extenfivc empire. The painter had, indeed, moA faithfully repre-fented the lineaments of his countenance, but found the graceful figure of the chief beyond the powers of his genius. The furprife that Tiannä exprcffed, as tlie work proceeded, was vadous and extreme, and feemed to follow with continual change every added ftroke of the pencil. When this painting was prefent:;d to him, he received it with a degree of folemnlty that ftruck all who beheld it ; and then, in a ftate of agitation In which he had never been feen by us, he mentioned the cataftrophe which deprived the world of Captain Cook. He now, for the firfl time, Informed ns that a fierce war had been waged throughout the Iflands, on account of a painting, wlilch he called a portrait of that great man, and which had been left with one of their moft potent chiefs. This picture, he added, was held flicred amongft them, and the refpečl they paid to It was confidered by them as the only retribution they could make for their unfortunate deftručtion of its original. It may not, perhaps, be thought improper, if a fliort digreflion is made in this place, in order to ftate, that during our former ftay* * Some account of this voyage is given In the Introduftion. among among thefe iflanders we had every opportunity of eftlinating their 1788. feelings with refpeft to the lamented fate of Captain Cook, and we have every reafon to believe that thefe diftant Inhabitants of the watery warte, accompanied with fnicere forrow, the regret of Europe. The numbers of them which lurrounded the fhip, with a view to obtain per-miffion to go to Britamce, to tlie friends of their beloved Cook, arc incredible. They wept and folicited with an ardour that conquered every previous aveifion. Prefents were poured in upon us from the chiefs, who were prevented by the multitude from approaching the veflel, and the clamorous cry of Britannee, Britannee^ was for a long time vociferated from every part, and without ceafnig : nor can their filent grief be defcribed, when it was made known among them, that Tianna, a prince of Atooi, was the only one feleČtcd to the envied honour of failing with us. / Previous to our departure, Taheo, the king of that ifland, paid us a vifit, accompauied by ail his chiefs. As they believed that the commanders of every European iliip, who had touched iit their iflands, fince the death of Captain Cook, were the fons of that Illuftrlous navigator, they, In the moft affefting manner, deplored that event; and while each of thera was follcltous to affert Iiis own innocence, they united In reprefenting the paflions that had urged them to commit the fatal deed—which would be a fubječl of their eternal contrition—as a punifh-ment infliiled on them by tlieir gods. After thefe, and many fimilar declarations, they renewed their offers of friendftiip to Britannee^ and departed ; nor have we the leaft doubt but that future navigators, who may chance to ftop at thefe iflands, will find there a fecure and welcome afylum. The other natives of the Sandwich Ifles and America, who were received on board, had been brought to China, by different flilps, rather B as January, 1788. as obječls of curiofity, than from the better motive of hiftruflion to them, or advantage to commerce:—they confifled of a woman of the ifland of Owyhee, named Winee, who was in a bad and declining ftate of health ; a ftout man and boy from the ifland of Mowee, and a native of King George's Sound ; the barbarous nature of whofe inhabitants rendered it an ufelefs experiment to accompany him with any of thofe advantages provided for the others. On board of each fhip were embarked fix cows and three bulls, four bull and cow calves, a number of goats, turkies, and rabbits, with fe-veral pair of pigeons, and other ftock in great abundance. Unfortunately it was not in our power, at this time, to procure (heep; but fe-veral lime and orange-trees were purchafed and deftined for Atooi, as Taheo, the foverelgn of that ifland, poffelTed all the power neceffary to protečl fuch valuable property, Had we been fo fortunate as to have landed all the cargo prepared for the Sandwich Iflands, they would have become the moft eligible places for refrefhment in the whole extent of the Northern Pacific Ocean. If, however, the American commerce ihould be purfued, very confiderable advantages will be found to refult even from that part of our defign which was compleated. ftmijy 11 On the evening of the iid of January, botli fliips weighed from the Typa to proceed to fea; but it falling calm fhortly after, and the tide of flood fettiDg agalnft us, the fignal was made for anchoring, which was accordingly performed in the roads, in fix fathoms, over a muddy bottom. The Iphigenia being in a ftronger part of the tide, was driven farther up the roads, and anchored about two miles aftern of us. We here found riding, the Argylefliire, a large country fliip, of between fix and feven hundred tons, bound to Bengal:—flue was afterwards unfortunately loft in her paflage from Bengal to China, and every foul on board fuppofed to have perilhed. 1788. January. CHAP. IL The Iphigenia fprings her Foremafl.^Pajage to the Philippines,—Sail along the Coaß of Luconia.—Pafs Goat Ißand, the Ißes of Luban^ Ißand of Mtndoro and the Calamines.—Scurvy breaks out on Board /Af Iphigenia.— Pafs the Ißand of Panay.—Mutinous Conduä of the Crew on board the Felice, &c. About nine o'clock in the evening, an air of wind fprung up Sundayu. from the South Eaft, which, though dire£H/ againfl: us, determined us to put to fea; and the fignal was made to the Iphigenia to weigh.—By ten o'clock both fhips were under fail, the wind light and variable from the fouthward.—We continued landing to the Grand Ladrone until midnight, when it became extremely foggy, which occa-fjoned us to Ihorten fail for the Iphigenia, which was confiderably aftern. The foundings were regular, from four to fix fathoms, over a muddy bottom.—We now loft fight of the Argylefliire, who alfo weighed and proceeded to the South Weft. The morning of the 23d was extremely foggy ; and in the night we had Mondayij. loll fight of the Iphigenia.—The wind now veered to the Eaft North Eaft, and began to frefhen up ; on which a fignal was made with two guns to the Iphigenia, to get the larbonrd tacks on board, and ftand to the South Eaft.—At noon the fog cleared away, when the Iphigenia was perceived about a league to leeward of us.—During the night we kept B 2 firing 1788. firing guns, and beating the go^gs*, in order that flie might judge of January. ^^^^ fituation. By obfcrvation, our latitude was 20° 54' North, and longitude 114'' 24' Eafl; the South Weflerii part of the Prata flioal bore in the dlrečlion of South, 73° Eaft, diftant 40 leagues; Cape Bolliiou, South, 50° Eaft, diftaut 419 miles. As It was our intention to make the coaft of Luconia well to windward, we refolvcd to keep as much as pofTible to the Eaftward, being apprehenfive of experiencing foutherly currents at this feafon of the year.—We preferred making the coaft of Luconia to that of Mlndoro, or the Calamines, the coaft of the ktter being furrounded with numerous ihoals, rocks, and fragnnents of illets, which render the navigation extremely dangerous, and require the greateft precaution in failing through fuch ail extenfive Archipelago.—The charts of thefe feas, by Mr. Dairy mple, moft certainly poflefs a great degree of accuracy, but are,, as we fuppofe, necelTarlly formed on fuch a confined fcale, and marked with fuch extreme delicacy, as to leflen their intended utility for the common pur-pofes of navigation.—By adhering to this track we hoped to experience lefs boiftcrous weather, from being Iheltered, in fonie meafure, by the coaft of Luconia, and at the fame time to fteer clear of many dangerous flioal s, which lie at fome diftance from its coaft, and are, indeed, fcattercd throughout thefe feas. WednefJapi The courfc was continued to the South Eaft, till the 25th; the weather gloomy and unpleafant; the wind blowing fteadily from the Eaft North Eaft, and North Eaft by Eaft, with a very heavy fea. The Latitude, at noon, was 18° North; the longitude 117' 1'Eaft. The South i * A China goHg refembles, in fomc degree, the form of a fieve; and is made of a mixture of metals. The China junks ufetliem as bells; and, when they are ftruck with a woodea »allct, producc a deep, fonorous noife. South Maroona iKoal bearing North 61° EaA, cUftance leagues; Cape 1788. Bolinou Eaft, diftant 67 leagues. Janvaky. The Ipliigenia proved but an heavy failer, when compared v^ith tlic Felice, fo that we were continually obliged to fhorten fail on her account; an inconvenience which we determined to get rid of, by feparating company from her, and making the beft of our way, as foon as we had got clear of the Sooloo Sea. In the evening we fpoke with the Iphigenia, when Captain Douglas iuformed us that the (hip had fprung a leak in the late bad weather, above the copper, which obliged him to keep one pump going, but that he hoped to ftop it the firft favourable moment.—This accident occafioned no inconfiderable degree of uneafinefs.—Circumftances of this kind have a very unpleafant tendency to difhearten feamen, who, with all their hardy courage, arc very fubječt to be influenced by fuperftitious omens of the moft trifling and ridiculous nature; and which, if they fliould happen in the beginning of a voyage, will frequently operate upon their minds and condučl through the moftlengthened courfe of it. Our China crew were all extremely afFe£lcd by fea-ficknefs, which was a very difcouraging circumOance ; and the excefTive rolling and tumbling of the fliip, caufed the cattle to droop ; indeed, from the apparent impoffibllity of preferving them all,during fuch a long voyage,—from the want of proper food, and as there were a greater quantity on board than wcreneceflary to ftock the iflands to which they were dcftined,—it was tliought proper to kill them all but two cows and a bull, and one bull and one cow calf, who might, we hoped, become enured to the voyage, and be preferved to their defliuation. Accordingly two of them were killed, 1788. killed, and frefh meat ferved to the crew, with barley, which made them comfortable meffes. During tlie evening it blew very ftrong indeed, with an heavy fea.— We continued {landing to the South Eaft, in the hope of being able to weather the North Marcona flioal; the poficion of which, according to Mr. Dalrymple, is extremely doubtfulwe therefore kept the befl lookout in our power. At five o'clock we were alarmed, by perceiving that the Iphigenia fpread abroad the fignal of diflrefs, which denoted, at the fame time, that flie was not in want of immediate afTiftance: we however inftantly bore up and fpoke to her ; when Captain Douglas informed us that his fore inaft was fo dangeroufiy fprung, that fome method muft be immediately taken to fecure it; but the fea ran fo high, and it blew at the fame time fo ftrong, that we were prevented from affording any affiftancc whatever; (lio rte ned fail, however, immediately; and btfore night the Iphigenla had her forc-top-maft and top-gallant-maft on deck, and her foremafl: entirely ftripped. It was now abfolutely neceffary for us to keep under what pofTible fall 1 we could ; and as the Iphigenia was able to keep abroad her main-topfail, main-fail, and mizen, to give thefe fails their proper effea: during the night, we kept two points from the wind, under an eafy fail, giving up all hopes of Weathering the North Maroona, and being doubtful even of keeping our wind fufficient to weather the South Maroona, which is defcribed as extremely dangerous, and whofe ütuation Is as uncertain as that of the Northern fhoal of the fame name. —It blew very hard during the night, with a heavy fea; the Iphigenia appearing to labour exceedingly. This This was, indeed, a very unfortunate event ; the weather we had to i; encounter was very much to be dreaded, and the crippled ftate of the Iphigenia's mail: greatly increafed our apprehenfions; as, in cafe it fliould meet with any further injury, there was no friendly port nearer to us than Batavia, where we (hould be able to replace it. Olu fituation, driven as we were about thofe fcas, and furrounded by dangerous Ihoals, was truly diftreffing and alarming.—]t was impoffible for us to make the land, as we might be thrown into a fituation which would encreafe the danger of the Iphigenia ; and as to leaving her in fo diftrefled a condition, fuch a defign did not occur to us for a moment; befides, we were not without apprehenfions of being driven too far to the Southward, which would render it impoffible for us to get hold of the coaft of Luco-nia, Mindoro or the Calamines, and under fuch circumfliances, inftead of making the paflage of the Sooloo Sea, we fhould have been obliged to take our courfe through the Straits of Sunda, and reach the Northern Pacific Ocean by the Straits of Macafler, of which, after all, we were rather doubtful; or, by doubling the South Eailern extremity of New Holland, if we Hiould give up the paflage of tlie Endeavour's Straits—It is very eafy to conceive the uneafinefs we fuffered from the bare profpea of fuch a circuitous navigation. The weather did not moderate until the tvventy-fixth at noon: the Thiirftiayi6 latitude was then 17" 5' North, and the longitude 11Ealh The South Weftern end of the North Maroona bore in the direaion of South Eaft, diftfint thirty leagues. We kept fl.inding towards it during the night under fuch fail as the Iphigenia could fpread, and we very much wifhed to have fent a boat on board her: but, on a fiidden, tlic weather bccame as tempeduous as ever, fo that we could neither fend carpenters or plank to her affiftance.—A llage had been erc^ed round her maAhead, but a great hollow fea increafed our alarms for her fituation. This 1788. This day, another of the cattle was killed for the crew; indeed, the January, exceflive tumbling and rolling of the (hips made us defpair of faving any of them ; two of the fineft goats having already been crufhed by a fuddeii roll of the (hip.—During the night it blew extremely hard, with a great hollow fea.—We kept fleering to the South Eaft, frequently bringing too for the Iphigenia, flie being under fuch fmall fail. Friday 17 This unfavourable weather continued till the 27th, at noon. The latitude was 16'20'North, and longitude ii(f 12' Eaft. The obfer-vation, however, was but of little dependence, from the variety of currents which we experienced. The wind had veered to the Northward ; and we hauled up Eaft South Eaft, proportioning our fail to that of the Iphigenia. It was, indeed, apprehended, that an Eafterly current had fetus to the Weftward, as our latitude was 16^20' North, without feeing any thing of the fhoal. As we could not fuppofe it poflible that we fliould be to the Eaftward of the Maroona, we were under the ne-cefiity of hauling to the Eaft,' as much,as the running of a very high fca would permit. In the evening we fpoke with Captain Douglas, who informed us that the head of his foremaft was entirely rotten, and that it was with great difficulty the carpenters could proceed in their attempts to fecure it from the high, roiling fea—Before night, however, we had the fatisfaÖion of feeing the Iphigenia's fore-top over head, and her lower rigging fet up; fo that our fears of being driven to the fouthward of Mindoro, in fome raeafure, fubfided. It was, however, determined, that, from the great extent of feas we had to crofs, the rilk would be too great for the Iphigenia, in her prefent Hate, to attempt fuch a paflage without having her mart well fecured; or, Hk if .. ■. 'Vn 'K "t^- -••• .v:- , 'C -V^.-.-'.-r'".'. " -C"?.-»r/v •• s ■x'.i-. ■•7 V-;. V.--- ■ • ' •' * ^^^ - *. ' • • (• p v .. I .. i - : f •• - • • . • -»i«,,*». - '.vv • . "" - v ' ' - v. I ■f' JI ■ ■ ^ , . . _. •< ■'Ti t'.'.. ■ "V. ^' ■-».-; v- 1- > / • - - 'i** »* i I t/ 1 • ^ o. J.'» -xH -^v. ..... .. -»>-T .-•"'Laf^riii-- i T*-'' ' , ■ ■} ..tT i r -. ■»J • View of Goar Manif, off' thf (oast o/ Lu*vnia,ne4{i~ distance o^' Shore 3 Lfapufs . Kth' of tile Coast of Lucomu Sefween f/if laanuits of jX 40 A^ortA^ and- I^orrA,Jistan« ojf'Shore /ii^e Itapues fonrr/u/ifa^n- of tJte Coaft ^ ^fth^ of l^iofi, """ o/f SAore / Ze^^ifU^s . "^hi^^f/'Mfy^^^m//rrn ^//r _ ^/^////z' ^ /// G/cu/ZZ/z/^r/rf/c^/. //a/z/ZZ/ m •fit' if condemned, to be replaced by another.—It was therefore refolved to 1788, call a furvey of the carpenters on it, the firft favourable moment; and It was abfolutely neceßary to fix immediately oa fome place where the repairs that (hould be found requifite could be accomplilTied. The Spanifli fettlement of Samboingan, on the Southern extremity of Magindanno was confidered as the bcft placc for our purpofe; and though we had fcarcely ever heard of It, and the hofpitality of the Spaniards was always to be doubted, our neceflity obliged us to fuch a determination, rather than proceed to Batavia, or eticountcr the coafl of New Holland. This evening, we pafled great quantities of rock-weed and drift-wood, which made us appreheiifive of falling in with the Hioals. In the morning, the ifland of Luconia was difcerned from the maft- Saturday i*. head, bearing from Eaft North Eafl, to Eafl South Eafl, diftant 12 or 14 leagues, and bore an high and mountainous appearance. As we clofed in with the land, the weather became moderate and fine, and the fea entirely fubfided. The Iphigenia had got up her fore top-maft. At noon the obferved latitude was iC 16' North; fo that, during the bft twenty-four hours, we had experienced a ftrong Northerly current. Nothing can more ftrongiy prove the danger of navigating the Cliina feas, than the variety of contrary currents which we experienced In fo fhort a time :—During the greater part of tlie North Eaft Monfoon, it has been generally obferved, that a Northerly current fcts along the coaft of Luconia, as far as Cape Bolinou : there the great body of water nifhing through the ftraits which form the paflage between Formofa, this Ifland, and the Babuyanes, checks this current, and turns it into the China Sea, where it receives a Southerly direfliioti, at the diflance of 15 or 20 leagues from the coaft of Luconia. C The 1788. The currents, at all periods of the North Eafl: Monfoon, run flrongly January. Southward in thofe fcas, excepting near Luconla ; but the ftreams. of them acquire greater force at the diftance of 30 or 40 leagues from the Ihores of thisiflancl, than they do off the coaft of China : this circum-ftance may be occafioned by the junftion of the waters parting through the ftraits of Luconia, and thofe between China and Formola. Sliips hound for China, which are late in the feafon, might avail thenifelves of thefe currents to reach Cape Bolinou, when an eafy and pretty fecure paflage is open to Canton. Indeed, bordering on the coafl: of Luconia may be attended with great advantages ; for, independent of this Northerly current, fine weather is generally experienced. At tinnes, variable winds ; —in the very height of the North Eafl Monfoon, it has fometimes been known to blow a fnniart gale from the South Weft. As our apprehenfions had continued to increafe of being drifted to the fouthward, the fatisfa£lion we felt at thus getting in with the land may be eafily conceived--Towards the evening of this day it fell calm; but, about nine o'clock, a frefli breeze fprungup from the South Weft, which made us ftand on our tacks, for the night, on and off ftiore ; where we faw feveral fires, which remained burning during the greater part of the night. Our diftance was between fix and feven leagues. Sunday aj. In the moming, the land bore from North North Eaft, to South South Eaft, our diftance being about fix leagues:—it appeared very mountainous, and was covered with wood, except in fome detached places, on the declivity of the mountains. Vaft columns of fmoke afcended from the interior heights, which denoted population. The latitude at noon was 15" 52' North. During the evening and the night, we wc continued ftandiiig to the laud, but could find no foundings with an 1788. hundred and fifty fathoms of line. Januahv. The land extended from North by Eaft, to North Eaft by Eafl, dlftcint Monday 30 about fix leagues; at whlcli diftance we kept fteering along the ihore to the Southward and Eaftward ; tlie latitude was 15° 19' North, by ob-fervation. The weather was extremely moderate, and pleafant under the land, the fea remarkably fmooth, and a continuation of high, moun-taitious country, covered with wood, prefented Itfelf to our view. At night, it blew a frefh breeze from the Weftward ; and we ftood to the South by Eafr, to make Goat Ifland, keeping a good look out for fome fhoals that are faid to lie to the Northward of the ifland. In the morning, about eight o'clock. Goat Ifland was feen, bearing Tuejduyjr North Eaft by North, about the diftance of fix leagues; the coaft of Luconia bearing, at this time, from North by Weft to South Eafl, at the diftance of 14 leagues. From an obfervation made at noon, the latitude Was ij' 45' North. Goat Ifland appeared of a inoderate height, and to be well wooded, but without any fign of inhabitants. The Lubaii Iflands were perfefl mountains covered with woods :—The Spanifh charts, indeed, reprefent the Lubans as conaeiSted by fhoals with Goat Ifland ; but we could not perceive any broken water, or procure foundings with one hundred and fifty fathoms of line. We took the opportunity of the favourable weather we now enjoyed to put the fhips in a ftate of defence. The guns were accordingly mounted, a fufficient quantity of powder and ammunition was filled, C 2 and 17S3. aiul every otlicr nccefiarv preparation made, as thofe feas are Infefted Jam.ARI. numerous MnJs of pirates. Two very fine (hips had lately been taken by them. One of them was tlie May, of 300 tons, and mounthig twenty guns, and had been on a traduig voyage from Bengal to the coaft of Borneo. General intelligence was received from the Malays of her being deftroyed, but not a fiiigle pcrfon efcaped to relate the particulars. Several other (liips have Vi;ry narrowly efcaped deftrudion : indeed, Icarce a year paflts away, but fome cataftrophe of this kind happens, Tlie proas from Magiiidanao and Sooloo iliue forth in fuch fwarms, that it bccomes dangerous for a weak fliip to fail thofe feas. Thefe proas arc manned with an hundred, and fometimcs an hundred and fifty men, well armed, and generally mounting pieces of cannon of fix or twelve pounders. As foon as a fliip is captured by them, a carnage enfues,— snd the unhappy few whofurvive it are carried into irredeemable flav^ry. Thefe people cruife in fleets of thirty or forty of thefe proas; nay, fometimcs an hundred of them have been perceived in company ; and though we did not very much apprehend that they would venture to attack two fliips, it would have been an unpardonable negligencc if we had not prepared ourfelves for whatever might happen. We availed curfelves alfo of the prefent favourable opportunity to furvey the mafts of the Tphi-genia, and deliver her fuch flores and other articles as we knew that flie wanted, to put her in a refpečtable ftate of defence. We therefore fcnt on board her two additional pieces of cannon with a requlfite proportion of powder, ball, and other ammunition ; and in return received a quantity of coals for the forges, and feveral other neceflar.y articles. Additional reafons continually arofe why the fliips ftiould feparate on the firft opportunity after we had clcared thefe dangerous feas. But, if even there had been no other, the Felice, by keeping company with the Iphlgenia, who was at heft inferior in point of failing, would have been very very much impeded In her voyage; and it was become neceflary to m:ike 1788. every poffible exertion to fave our feafon on the coaft of America. January. In the evening the carpcnters returned from the Iphigenia, and reported the maft to be, in every refped, unequal to the voyage ; they even doubted whether it would carry her to Samboingan. The head was fjuite rotten and fupported by the chceks : good fiflies, however, were put en and fecurely wooldcd. At funfet the ifland of Mindoro was feen bearing South Eaft by Eaft, difl-ant lo leagues. The wind blew very ftrong from the Eafl, and it came down in violent puffs from the high mountains of Luban : during the night a prcfs of fail was carried to reach tinder tlie fliore of Mindoro, The wind blew invariably from the Eaft, fo that we became apprehen-five of being entangled with the iflands called the Calamines, which are not only in great number, but extremely dangerous. The top fails w^ere reefed, and as much fail as we could well keep abroad was carricd, which brought us happily under Mindoro about midnight. It foon after becamc fqually, and as it would have been very hazardous in a dark night, and on an unknown coaft, to run, tlie figtuil was made to the Iphigenia to heave to with her head off fliors ; we immediately did tlie fame ; but (he had ftretched a head out of fight, though file anfwered our (igtia].— During the night it blew very hard, and we were continually founding, but could find no ground with an hundred fathoms of line. The inhabitants not only kept numerous and conftant fires along the fhores, but had even lighted them on the very finnmits of the mountains. At day break we occupied much tlie fame fituation as when we hove 1 • I n-ii T 1 ' • , WcdncfJav 1 to in the night. The Iphigenia was near four leagues a-head, but we made jySS. made fail and joined her by noon. Our latitude was 12° 59' Nortii: ^J^g of Mindoro bore South Eaft by Eaft,-diftiint fix leagues. Tiie iflaiid of Miiidoro at funfet, bore from North by Eall half Eafl, to South Eafl by Eafl, half Eafl; our diflance from the fhorc about fix leagues. In the night it was, as ufua), very tempefluous, and we ex-peiienccd a very flrong current agahifl us, which caufed fuch a confufed, fea, that we were apprehenfive for our mails and yards. Early in the evening we had fl^iortened fail, and kept a good look out for the fhoals that lie between Mindoro and the Calamines. In order to clear them, we hauled dole under the n:iore of the former ifland ; the channel between Mindoro and thofe ilioals being reprefented as three leagues wide. The fires appeared to be more numerous on the declivity of the mountains, and were kept burning all niglit. Thurfdayi. At nine o'clock in the morning we perceived the Calamine Iflands, bearing South Wefl to South Eafl, diflant fixtecn or feveiiteen leagues. The weather had alfo taken a favourable turn ; It was become moderate and pleafant, and wc congratulated ourfelves very much on entering this channel ; as the fltong Eaftcrly winds might have blown us to the Southward andWeflward of the Calamines, which would have obliged us to have bore up along the coafl of Palawan, and made our entrance again into the Sooloo Sea very precarious at this feafon of the year. We now found the advantage of keeping the fhores of the Philippines on boarti, whenever the winds permitted us; but in accomphfhing this wc experienced fome difficulty from the couftant North Eafl and Eafl winds, which obliged us to carry a conflant prefs of fail. Captain Douglas embraced this opportunity to inform us that the fcurvy had made its appearance on board his fhip- The carpenter, two two of tlie quarter-maflers, and foine of the feameii were already ill,— 1788. others difcovereJ fymptoms which were truly alarming,—their legs fwelling, and their gums becoming putiul They were, therefore, immediately put on a dlet,—fpruce beer was ordered to be conftantly brewed, and ferved in the room of fpirits,—feveral bnfkets of oranges werefent on board, whofe efficacious qualities in this dlftemper are well known, and every other antifcorbutic was immediately brought into application, in order to check this early apjjcarance of a diforder, whofc continuance would be attended with fuch fatal confequences, We very fenfibly perceived tlie encreafuig heat of the weather. On leaving China, we had it piercing cold; and now, ona fudden, we felt the oppofite extreme. Such a change, with the heavy dews which fell morning and evening, was a very unhealthy circumftance ; neverthelefs we were rather aftonifhed, that men who had fo lately quitted the fhore, where they had a plentiful allowance of frefli provifions and vegetables, and who had not tafted fait meat for many months, (hould be attacked with fuch violent fcorbutic fymptoms, and at fuch an early period of our voyage. Befides, we were extremely careful in the diftrlbutlon of theirfood; the fait provifions were always well fteeped; rice and peas were boiled alternately every day ; tea and fugar were given the crews for breakfafl: ; they had a plentiful allowance of water, and every poffible attention was paid to preferve cicanllnefs among them : they were never permitted to fleep on deck, left they fhould be affeaed by the up-wholfome dews ; and no fpirits were fufFered to be IflTued in their raw ftate,—a circumflance of the laft importance to all feamen. Indeed thefe precautions (hould be redoubled witli refpeil: to men who have made frequent voyages to India, as their blood becomes, on that account, more liable to the attacks of this moft formidable diforder. We 17S8, VV e kept (leering, during the night, under the (liores of Mlndoro; i-KEÄtARi. the topfails were clofe reefed, and, the weather being very fqually, we frequently founded, but could find no bottom with an hundred fathoms of Jhie, though within four leagues of the land. iiKUys i-pi^-j morning wc lofl: figlit of Mindoro, and at noon the Iflaad of Panay was feeii bearing from Nortli Eafl: by Eaft, to South Eaft, dif-tant nine leagues; the weather moderated with the whid from the North Eafl:. The lathudc at noon was i 53' North. The Ifland of Mindoro is of confiderable extent ; in fome parts it appeared tobe only of a moderate height, In others very mountainous, and almoft everywhere covered with wood. From the numerous columns of fmoke which we obferved afcending both from the vallies and the mountains, during the day, and the fires that continued to illuminate the night, there is the greateft reafon to fuppofe that it poflefTbs a confiderable degree of population. Some parts which we were able to obferve diAincl-ly, appeared to be truly deligbtful ; they confiftcd of extenfive lawns, clothed in the finefl: verdure, watered with filver rivulets, and adorned with groves of trees, fo difpofed, either by art or nature, as to form fcencs of rural beauty which would adorn the moft refined ftate of European cultivation. Tiwtfda:-4 On tlie following day we ranged up with tlie Ifiand of Panay : tiie latitude at noon was 10° 36' North ; our diflance from the land four miles; and, which is very extraordinary, without being able to find foundings with eighty fathoms of line. Numerous villages appeared on the declivity of the hills, and the whole country formed a mofl: luxuriant profpe<51:. Tli^ habitations feemcd to be extremely well built, and arranged with great regularity. The hills were verdant, and their gentle flop es - « NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 25 flopes were varied with ftreams of water running down to the plahis, . jj;g8. where thev flowed round, or meandered through well-cultivated plan- Februahv. tations ;—the whole forming piftures of nature equal to thofe which we had feen on the precedu'rg day ; and received every advantage from the very fine weather we nofv enjoyed. Our eyes wandered over the pliturefque and fruitful fcene now before us, with the mofl fcnfible pleafurc. We were, at times, within three miles of the fliore, which, near the Water-Ilde, formed a fine Tandy beach lined with cocoa-nut trees, beneath whofe Qiade we beheld the natives, in great numbers, enjoying a cool retreat from the intenfe heat of the fun, and bufied in the various occupations of the day. We very much regretted that we had not time to cafl: anchor here, in order to have enjoyed fome communication with them. It may not be alfo unworthy of remark, that we did not dlfcover a fingle canoe or fifhing-boat on that part of the coaft along which we pafled. At this rime a mutiny was dlfcovered on board the Felice ; which, however, was fortunately quelled by gentle means, even before It had communicated itfelf to the whole crew. But, in order to ftamp fome degree of dlfgrace upon the bufinefs, all the clrcuraftances of it were infcrted in the log-book of tlie (hip. And here It may not be improper to offer an opinion, that, if in long voyages, all the particulars of the good and bad behaviour of the crew were defcrlbed in the log-book as they arofe, fuch a regulation would be attended with the happieft confequences. Shame will always be found to operate, more or lefs, on every man, whatever his rank or employment of Jlfe may be, who Is not abfolutely abandoned ; and to fuch, the feveref^ punilhment will have no effeft beyond the fmarting of the moD ment. fjdhuary. 1788. ment. Indeed I nm firmly of opinion, that many a failor, with all the hardy training of a fea life, and all the infenfibility attributed to a fea-man's character, would be deterred from an improper condučl, by the apprehenfion of having it regiftered in the records of the fhip, when the temporary pain of corporal punifhment would be confidered with contempt. Indeed I cannot but lament the inefficacy of the marine laws to reftraln-the unlawful behaviour of failors on board merchant fliipa. It is a real difgrace to the firft maritime and commercial nation in the world, to have been fo. long without an eftabU(hed fyftem of regulations to pre-ferve the obedience of feamen in the trade fervice, as well as that in the navy. How many (hips have been loft, from the licentious, ungovernable conduct of their crews I and how many voyages rendered unprofitable from the fame caufe. Neverthelefs, it does not appear that any efforts have been made to prevent fuch a manife' inconvenience to the commerce of our country. Other nations have included merchant flilps in the general laws enadted for marltuiie fubordlnation ; and It is of real confequence to this country to follow fuch a falutary example, and to form a code of regulations that may operate to keep in a due ftate of difcipline a clafs of men who are fo necefBiry to the commerce, the ftrength, and the glory of tlie Britifli empire. CHAP. k.. " y^'h/^^/r./r, Df'(^/r/fZ/rr:/ (hf of die .SiiHi^wiri /ffi'tii^n 1788; FeBRUAitr, C H A P. 111. Sicknefs of the Sandwich Ißanders.—Death of IVlnee ; her CbaraSier, ^c.— BeßruSlton of Cattle.—Jßands of Baftlan ami Magindanao.—'The Ships anchor off the latter.—T'hc Carpenters and Party fent on Shore to cut a Maß, ^c. ■—Löfs of a China Man.—Spaniards fent on board to compliment the Ships. —Both Ships moor off Fori Caldera.—Behaviour of the Spaniß Governor, ^c. OUR friends of Owyliee had fufTercd extremely during the paflagc Tlmrfday + acrofs tlie China feas. Tianna, in his conftaiit attendance upon Wince, had caught a fever, which, with the humane anxiety he felt on her account, confined him for fome time to his bed. The man from Nootka-Sound, however, poircfTing a very robufl: conftltution, bore the inconve-niencies of the voyage with little complaint; but the poor, unfortunate woman juftified our fears concerning her, that (he would never again fee her friends or native land. She every day declined in ftrength, and nothing remained for us, but to eafe the pains of her approaching dii-folution, which no human power could prevent. Nor did wc fail, I believe, in any attention that humanity could fuggtll:, or that it was in our power to bcftow. She had been for fome time a living fpeilre, and on the morning of the fifth of February flie expired. At noon her body was committed to the deep ; nor was It thought an unbecoming aft to grace her remains with the formalities of that religion which opens wide its arms to the whole human race, of every colour, mid under every dime, to the favagc as well as to the faint and the fage. Tianna was fo much af- D 2 fefted FEEHUARY. 1788. fečled by the circumflance of her death, that we were for fome time under very painful apprehenfions IcfT: his heakli might fufFer from tlie feelings of his humanity on this occaHon ; as he pofleiVed, in a very great degree, that delicacy of conftitutioii which difcriminates the chiefs from the vulgar people, and is peculiar to tl)e great men of his country. Thus difcd Winee, a native of Owyhee, one of the Sandwich Iflatids, who pofiefled virtues that are feldom to be found in the clafs of her countrywomen to which {he belonged ; and a portion of underftanding that was not to be expeded in a rude and uncultivated mind. It may not, perhaps, be uninterefting to mention the caufe of this poor girl's departure from her friends and country, which it was her fate never to behold again. Captain Barclay, who commanded the Imperial Eagle, was one of thofe adventurers to the coaft of America, who made a very fuc-cefsful voyage. Mrs. Barclay accompanied her huibind, and fhared with him in the toils, the hardfhips, and viciflitudes Incident to fuch long, as well as perilous voyages ; but by no means calculated for the frame, the temper, or the education of the fofter fex. This lady was fo pleafed with the amiable manners of poor Winee, that flie felt a defire to take her to Europe ; and for that purpofe took her, with the confent of her friends, under her own particular care and protečlion. On Mrs. Barclay's departure from China for Europe, Winee was left, as we have already mentioned, in a deep decline, to embark for her country, with the reft of the natives of the Sandwich Iflands. On the morning of her death, (he prefented Tianna, as a token of her gratitude for Lis kind attentions to her, with a plate looking-glafs, and 1 \ s ^ > tit .h vš| rln.*/ t' ■ - v- f - .At-' • f' L mm iry. and a bafon and bottle of the fineft China: to thefe gifts fhe alfo added 1788. a gown, an hoop, a petticoat, and a cap for Iiis wife ; the reft uf her property, confiding of a great variety of articles, flie bequeathed to her family ; and they were depofited with Tianna, to be delivered to her father and mother. Nor let faftldious pride cafl a fmlle of contcmpt on the trifles that com-pofed her little trcafnre. They were wealth to her, and would have given her a very flattering importance, had fhe lived to have taken them to her native ifland. Rut when we confider the fufFcrings of her mind, on the refleftion that Ihe fliould never behold her country again ;— when we lee, as it were, the dlfappointment of an InofFenfive pride preying on her fpirits ;—when to thefe caufes of dejection are added the pains of incurable dileafe, increafed by the tofling of the billows, and the violence of tempefluous feas,—humanity mull: feel for thofe mife-ries which haunt every corner of the earth,—and yield a compafiionare tear to the unfortunate Winee ! The bad weather had, at this time, greatly reduced our ftock of cattle, —there now remained of our original number, but ojie bull, one cow, and one cow-calfall the goats, except two, had perifhed. At funfet, on the fifth, we had almoft loft fight of Panay ; Point de NafTo, the fouthern extremity, then bore Eaft North Eaft, diftant feven leagues. The weather was extremely hazy, with the wind from the North Eaft; and we kept fleering during the night to the fouthward and eaftward, under an eafy fail, for the fouthern extremity of the ifland of Maglndanao, which we defcricd on the morning of the 6th of February, at day-break, bearhig Eaft, feven or eight leagues diftant: It appeared high, and very mountainous. At noon, the latitude Saturday 6 was 30 fsbruart. 1^88. was 7" 22' North, and our diftance from the land three leagues. The inoiintains jutted abruptly into the fea ; and from their fummits to the water's edge, were covered with wood. We were continually founding» but could find no bottom with an hundred fathoms of line. It now became a matter for our choice, either to fleer diredly to Sooloo, or to the Spanifli fettlement of Saniboingan ; the latter, however, WTas preferred, it being thought by no means prudent to run fo far to leeward as the former. Pjjfides, as It was, the continual North Eaft winds made us apprehenfive, that we Ihould find it ratlier a difficult matter to weather Jelolo, or even New Guinea; it was tlierefore determined to keep the fliore of Magindanao clofe on board, and truft to chance to fupply our wants ; we continued running down the ifland till fun-fet, the fhores being bold, and no danger to be apprehended, as we could procure no ground. The Weftern extremity bore South South Eafl: five leagues ; and as we thought it rather hazardous to run during the night, the fignal was therefore made to heave too till morning ; when we refumed our courfe, at about the diftance of a mile froni the Sunday 7 (hore. In the night we had experienced a Northerly currcnt. At noon, the ifland of Bafilan was feen, bearing South South Weft nine leagues. Our latitude was 8' North. It had a very lingular appearance, from a great number of hills of a conical form ; one of which terminated its Eaftern extremity, and refembled, in fliape, the cap of a Chinefe Mandarin. It was a very confpicuous objcift, being the higheft of this curious groupe of hills. This Ifland lies near Eaft and Weft ; and feveral other iflands, but of much lefs extent, appear off its Weftern point. About RY. About three in the afterroon, we opened the channel that feparates 1788. Bafilan from Magindanao. At half paft three, the Southern extremity of Magindaiiao was doubled; and we entered this channel, which appeared to be of confiderable breadth, with fcveral fmall iflands in the midft of it. Our foundings were frotn twenty-five to thirty fathoms, over a rocky bottom. The South end of Magindanao we eftimate to lie In the latitude of 6" 56' Nortii ; the fhore was every where covered witii wood, down to the lea. At half paft four we were moll agreeably furprifed at feeing a fmall ftoiie fort ieated on the Magindanao fliore, contiguous to a ftream of running water, and about two miles from the South point. At the fiime time a large village was feen more to the Eaftward. The enfign was immediately hoifled, which very foou occafioned the Spanilh colours to be difplayed from tJie Fort, and we were now no longer In doubt that the place was Samboingan. It was a fquare building, with centry boxes at each angl&, covered with thatch, and the ramparts feemed to be crouded with Malayans; but 011 the whole it had the appearance but of' a very indifferent fortification-. The tide of ebb now came ftrongly againfl: us, and tlie fignal was-made for anchoring, which was accordingly done in eleven fathoms, over a muddy bottom, at tlie diftnnce of about two miles from the fort, and within a quarter of a inile from the fliore, which appeared to be covered with an impenetrable wood: The boats were immediately hoifled out, and the carpenters fent to examine the nature of the woods. We now obferved with our glafles the Spanifh colours flying on another fortification adjoining to the village, Äiid before which two gallies were riding at anchor. About live o'clock, a fmall 1788. a fmaJl boat came along-fide us, with a white flag flying in her bow ; — ■fBRUARv. ^^ rowed by four Malayans, and had on board three SpaniHi Padres or Priefts. At firfl: they appeared to be extremely apprehenfive that our arrival foreboded fonie kind of hoftility ; but being affured that our intentions were peaceable and friendly, they accepted our invitation to come on board, and having taken fome refrelTiment, they returned to the village; after having cautioned us not to permit any of our people to ' flraggle Into the woods, which were infefted with Malayans, who would-be upon the watch to make every kind of depredation upon us. In confetjuence of this very kind and important inforntiatlon, orders were immediately difpatched to the Iphigenia, who had anchored about a mile from us, to withdraw her people from the rtiore. The carpenter returned about fix o'clock, and made a report that every kind of timber we wanted, miglit be procured. Monday » In tlic moming an officer, with a ftrong' party, was difpatched with the carpeiitcrs to cut down fome fpars for top-fail yards, and fleering fail-booms for the Felice ; and orders were iflued to the Iphigenia to fend a fimilar party to cut a fore-mafl: ; in the mean time, the pinnace was employed in founding and furveying the channel, which was found to contain great over-falls, from five to ten, and thirty fathoms, at a caf!:, with a very rocky ground. About noon the carpenters returned on board,'having procured a topfall yard and the booms. Tliey had alfo felled a fore-maft for the Iphigenia. The officer informed us of the lofs of a China-man, who was fuppofed to have flrayed into the woods, and to have been feized by tlie Malayans. A numerous band of thele favagcs, well armed after their fafliion, hovered about the place where the carpenters were were at work, and as we could not procure any intelligence of this poor 1788. unfortunate man, there is but too much reafon to believe thnt he fell into the hands of the natives. At one o'clock a large boat arrived from the governor, who refided at the village, to coinpliment us on our arrival, and to invite us to an entertainment which his hofpitality had prepared. The officer who was employed to bring this polite Invitation, confirmed the account of the priefts refpečling the perfidious chara£ler of the natives of the ifland ; and recommended, in the ftrongefl: terms, that we {hould ufe every poffible precaution when we fent any parties on (hore. He alfo informed us that we might procure any nece/Tary timber with more cafe and fafety in the neighbourhood of the village, which poflcfled another advantage that might be of great ufe to us,—the being waflied by a rivulet of very fine water. He alfo added, on the part of the governor, that he fiiould be happy to give us every affiftance in Iiis power. It was, therefore, immediately refolved that the Ihips fhould moor nearer to the village ; accordingly at two o'clock the tide making in our favour, both Ihlps weighed and anchored abreaft of a large ftone fort, called Fort Caldera, whofe baftions were within an hundred yards of the fea. The fort was fainted with nine guns, which compliment was immediately returned. The body of the village bore North by Eaft half Eafl:, diftant about a quarter of a mile; the extremities of Magindanao from Eaft North Eaft, to North North Weft; and the Ifland of Bafilaii from South Eaft by Eaft, to South Weft by Weft, diftant about twelve leagues. E CHAP. 3+ 1788. fEDKUARV VOYAGES TO TITE C H A P. IV. Our Reception at Samhoingan.—Friendly Behaviour of the Governor^ tšc— "The Spaniß Gallies cover our Parties while cutling a Maß.—Sicknefi of 'Tianna.—Goes on Board the Ipiugenia. — Cattle, received on Board.—~ The Governor vifits the Ships, išc.—The Felice prepares to put to Sea.— Lofes an Anchor and departs for America.-—Some Account of Magindanao, its Trade, Religion, Inhabitants, and ProduSlions.—Aßronomical Obferva-lions. Anchorage, ^c.—The Village of Samhoingan.—Spatiißj Force and Fower.—Riches obtained by the Governor of Samboingan.—Defcription of a Ball given by him, and the Manners of the People.—Nautical Obfervations on the Paffage between the China Seas and the Northern Pacific Ocean.— Danger of navigating the China Seas.—Account of the fcveral Paßages between the two Oceans, with Direčiions, öf.—Paßage between Formofa and the PhiUppmes.—Bafijee Ißes:—Defcription aken, both in latitude and longitude." It appears therefore to be advifablc for fliips bound to China from Europe, if they do not reach the Straits of Sunda in the month of September, to determine on the Eaftern paffage, in order to avoid the difficulties we have jufl defcribed ; for, though the Eaft-India fhips Walpole. Belvedere and Walfingham, arrived in China in the month of November, 1787, it is a rifle that can never be juftified but by the moft •urgent neceffity. The Walfingham came up along the coafl of Borneo, and was even favoured with a gale of wind at South Weft, ou the coaft of the Philippines, but neverthelefs efcapecl fuch dangers as no prudent man would wifli to re-encounter..—The Walpole reached the coafl: of Luconia, and made a goodpaffage, though Captain Churchill found it equally dangerous ; while the Belvedere, Captain Greer, pulhcd at once through the China feas, though tlie monfoon was fuppofed to have fet flrongly in. Thefe are inftances of good fortune, wlilch are rather to be confidered as happy efcapes from danger, than examples to imitate :—for it would furely be much more prudent to determine 011 an Eaftern pafl'age, particularly if Java-head is not reached by the tenth of Oflober. The The ftraits of Balli or Alias may, in this cafe, be fafeJy paflfed, as Mr. 1788. Dalrymple's charts are very accunite; from thence the courfe is conti- f^^bruarv. nued to the Macaflar Straits, employing every neceflary precaution on account of the iilaiids and flioals that lie between thofc flraits. The flraits of Macafiar are not without dangers, though they are but but few, and well afcertained; the Experiment and Captain Cook pafled through them, and made very good ohfervations on their pafTage*. The Experiment, indeed, gotonfhore, and rcccived fome little damage. In the North WeftMonfoon there is generally a current fetting through to the Southward; the waters from the Pacific Ocean and ?ooloo Archipelago being confined here, form, in general, this Southerly drift. In the pafiage of the ftraits the winds are variable; but when it Is cleared, they will be found to the Eafl: and Eaft South Eafl ; and there is then little or no reafon to doubt the being able to reach up under the fhore of Ma-glndanao, which is preferable to the ifland of Sooloo : here, at times,, the winds are Weflerly, particularly in November and December ; the making Sooloo, therefore, would be attended with difadvantages, as the currents and winds might render It dlificult to get up to Magindanao, independent of a number of dangerous flioals and coral reefs, that are fcattered between Sooloo and Bafilnn : whereas, between the head of the Macaflhr Straits and the South Eaflern extremity, of Magindanao, there is no very Imminent danger.—We fiiiled through this channel, between Jelolo and the ifland of Morotay, and re-ciitcrcd the Pacific ocean to. the Southward of this ifland. * Thefe fliips were bound oixa trading voyage, from Bombay to the North Wefl coai «f America, in 1786.. The I'eur vary. 178S. The currents here fet South Weft, and with the w'md to the Eaft-ward; it is iieverthelefs very pračticnble to rench the ifiand of Bafilan, and, of courfe, Sambolngan, where every neceflarj refrefliment is to he procured. We then fleered our courfe to Sanguir, and thofe fmall ifl:inds which lie between it and the Southern extremity of Magindanao, Thefe iflands are tolerably high, and well wooded, and furrounded with no danger but what is apparent, and therefore may be avoided. Sanguir is well inhabited, and affords refrefhments of various kinds. It Is alfo faid to abound in fpices, with which it carries oi\ a trade with Magindanao. We found Eafterly winds to prevail here with very little deviation. Between the iflands of Bafilan and Sanguir, there are feveral fmall idets, which are not laid down in the charts; but we did not perceive any circumftance of danger about them. The paflage by Sambolngan is certainly much more eligible than that to the Eaftward of Magindanao. Indeed to get to the Eaftward is a matter of great difficulty.—It c&ft us a great deal of time, trouble and vexation, to reach only the 147th degree of longitude : befidcs the track is fl:rewed, as it were, with perils; fmall, low fandy iflands, and numbers of reefs of coral rocks are every where vifible, whicli, during a dark night, would prove almofl: a certain deftrudtion ; and, to cncreafe the hazard, no foundings are to be procured, to give any warning of the approaching danger. But, even if we fuppofe thefe rocks and flioals to be clcared, it would not be prudent to tack before New Guinea is weathered ; and, laftly, the courfe to the Northward is to be confidercd as lying througli thofe dangerous iflands, the Carolines, whofe pofition has been confidered as very uncertain, till it was afcertained by the Iphlgenia, as well as the contiguous flioals; and, in particular, the Shoal Abregoes, * whofe whofe exigence was unlverfally doubted, but is now found to be placed 1788. in the track of fhlps entering the China fcas from the Pacific ocean, between Formofa and Luconia. If the paflage to the Wcftvvnrd of Magindanao be preferred, there is no danger to be apprehended, at leaft, that we faw, from entering the channel of Bafilan : in the latter, confiderable overfalls will be found, but nothing elfe, up to the place of anchorage off Fort Caldera. This pafTage is alfo by much the fhorteft ; and, in our opinion, to be, in every refpečt, equal to that of the Pacific Ocean, excluüve of the very important conüderation of refrefliing the crews of lliips. On leaving Samboingan, the navigator fliould hug the fhore of Magin-danao clofe on board, as much as poffible, as the wind will be generally found to blow off the fhore, which is fteep clofe to, and no danger to be apprehended from it. The direilions of anchorage are already ex-prefled iti the account which has been given of the fettlement of Samboingan. From Magindanao, it will be proper to fleer a direct courfe for the South part of the Idand of Panay if the wind is not very favourable, It will be neceffary to border the coaft of the Ifland del Negros ; nor is there any danger to be apprehended from fleering clofe to Panay, as it has a very bold coafV, till the Weft point of the Ifland of Mindoro is reached : from thence the courfe lies to the coaft of Luconia, where coufiderable advantage will be received from the currents which run to the Northward, during the period of the North Eaft Monfoon, off Cape Bollnou, from twenty to twenty-five miles in twenty-four hours, and oftentimes as high as Cape Biixadore. The The greateH precaution üiould be obfcr\red about the period whsii the februart. monfoons change,—a time to be dreaded above all others in the China feas ;—if, therefore, fliips Oiould have reached Sambolngan any time in the month of Ojflober, it would be extremely proper for them to remain there till the North Eaft Monfoon is fet ftrongly in. After October, the paflage to and from Manilla to China is always certain. Even the worfl: of the Spanifh fliips, and they are the moft miferably equipped of any veflels in the world, work up the coaft of Luconia to the height of the illand, afTllled by the Northerly current ; they then ftretch over to the coaft of China, and are certain of eftefting their paflage. On the whole it is evident, that this route is the fafeft, as well as the tnofl: expeditious; and, at all events, fuperior to that of the Weft coafl of Borneo. If the Pacific Ocean fhould be preferred to efFe*El: the paflage by ftretching to the Eaftward, and then tacking to weather Luconia, it would be right to ftand to the Eaft till the coaft of New Guinea is weathered, and the 150th degree of longitude is reached ; when it is probable, that the dangerous groupe of iflands, called the Carolines, will be weathered; amongft vi^hlch are included the Pelew, and other low Iflands, which are furrounded by reefs of rocks to a great diftance, and are without any foundings to give notice of danger in dark and ftormy nights. Between Magiiidanao and New Guinea, there are fo many clufters of thefe low iflands, as to require, and almoft to baffle the utmofl: vigilance and precaution. When to the Northward of thefe dangers, the Bafliec Iflands may be made, feen by Dampler, or the Ifland of Botol Tobago Xima, feen by Lord Lord AnTon ; but it would be the beft wny to make the latter, exerclfing 1788. every pofTible degree of attention to avoid the Abregoes üioal, which is F^BiuARr. extremely dangerous. When Botol Tobago Xima is vilible, one may fteer without the leaft apprehenlion, even in the daikefl night. South Weft 14 leagues, when the rocks of Ville Rete will be rounded at a moderate diftance, and the China feas may he entered by hauling up to the Northward and Weftward. There is a fmall rocky iflet, bearing nearly Eaft of Botol Tobago Xiina, fome miles diftantand great attention fliould be paid that the former may not be miftakcn for the latter. The rocks of Ville Rete are extremely dangerous; they form in a clufler, and are furrounded by breakers; the la r gell: of them is about the height of a fmall ftiip's hull out of the water : they bear off the South end of Pormofa, South Wefterly, five leagues. We thought that, from the maft-head, we could diftinguifli a channel between them and Formofa. Thelaft time we made Botol Tobago Xlma It was almofl: dark,—the weather ftormy and hazy ; and, very fhortly after, it blew a tremendous gale of wind at Eaft. We fleered South Well 15 leagues, and hauled up Wed and Weft North Weft, and entered the China feas at midnight, without feeing any thing of Formofa. The longitude of tliefe places is laid down by us from good obfervatlons of the fun and moon. In this run, the general account muft be laid In having a ftrong current letting to the Weftward, from the moment a fhip puts her head to the Northward. The land generally made on the coaft of China is about the fedro Blanco, or White Rock: from thence, within the Lema lllands, is a fafe palTage to Canton, and no danger of any kind to be apprehended. By this courfe the Prata ftioal, whole dangers are fo well known, is avoided. II If ¥BBILVAK.y. 1788. Ifafhip enters the China feas by making the Bafliee Iflands, her pafiage to Canton may be endangered, from the ftrong Southerly currents at that feafon. This paflage, therefore, is not fo fecure as the former, particularly as the Spaniards have feized thefe iflands, and eftabliflied a forcc on them, though at prefent of no great ftrength or power. The Bafiiee Iflands, however, are bold and fafe;—we were here in 1786, and procured refrefhments. It may not be generally known that the Spaniards have taken poÜeffion of them. But fo it is ; and a governor re-fides on Grafton Ifle, with about an hundred foldiers, feveral officers, a few prlefl:s, and five or fix pieces of cannon, which are mounted before his houfe; but without fortification or defences of any kind. Our ftay at thefe Iflands was fo fliort, as not to afford us an opportunity of attaining any thing but a very general information concerning them ; but, as very few fliips have ever been known to vifit the Bafliee iflands, it may not only fatlsfy curiofity, but be of ufe to the Oriental navigation, to offer fuch intelligence as we pofTefs from our own obfer-vation, or the information of others. Thefe iflands, which are fituated between Formofa and Luconia, are five In number,—befides four fmall rocky iflets, which, however, are covered with verdure. Dam pier gave the following names to the five larger of them : Grafton Ifland, which is the mdft confiderable,—Monmouth Ifland, which is the next in fize,—Goat Ifland, Orange Ifland, and Bafliee Ifland, which are much fmaller than the two former. They are inhabited by a race of flrong, athletic men, who have been hitherto happy in a foil that produced every thing necefiary for their fupport and I comfort : L-- 'M' 'M- m t: ■ X' , ' ^ •'•... • -J..' 'V;.- 0 ' ■-t. - J • • ä' • - •. ■• J.. • 4 ?? ' - • v • ■ pur^'-'-f,.'/ 97 vf February. comfort;—But we cannot fuppofe that the happltiefs thefe people pof- 1788. felTed will find any addition from the yoke of Spain. Orange Ifland lies North and South, and is almoft inacceflible on every fide : it is entirely flat at the top : at the dlftance of four leagues, on approaching it from the China feas, the peak on Grafton Ifle is very difcernable over this high flat. We fliould fuppofe, that the ifland is fifty feet above the level of the fea. On the North of this ifland, arc four rocky illes, called Anfon's Rocks; two of them are within three miles of the North end of the ifland.—.We entered this pafihge and difcovered no danger : a large (hip might even brufh her fides againfl; Orange Ifland. The other two fl;and four or five miles from the former, and from that pnflage which Lord Anfon made in the Centurion. Grafton Ifland is fituated to the Eafl: of Orange Ifland ; flands nearly North and South, is of confiderable extent, being about thirteen leagues in circumference, and has a good anchorage on the Weftern fide. About two miles to tlie Southward of the town where the governor refides, is a fmall fandy bay, where we anchored in nine fathoms, about half a mile from the fliore ; the foundings gradually decreafing from forty fathoms to nine fathoms ; but the bank does not run off more than two miles. The latitude of the (hips pofition was 20® 36' North, and longitude, by obfervation of fun and moon, 122° Eafl of Greenwich. The appearance of this ifland is extremely beautiful and luxuriant; and the fupplies we received very well anfwered to the charming fcene of their produftion. The natives brought us abundance of the fincft yams in the world, with fugar cane, taro root, plantain and other vegc- H 2 tables : 1^83. tables: we alfo received Iiogs and goats in great plenty, but very little FP.I1K.U1RTI. jj^g f^ivourlte commodity of thefe people, tliough beads, at times, feemed to polVefs an equal, if not fuperior value.-— Indeed, fince the Spaniards have pollefled themfelvcs of thefe iflands, money as well as iron are in ufe among them. In the time of Dampier, beads were tlie only medium of their commerce. We left the governor a breed of Bengal flieep, which, when put on fhore, roamed in a clover pafture, and on a foil of exuberant fertility. There can be no doubt but that thofe animals will thrive in their new abode, and that future navigators flopping at thefe iflands, will' meet with a plentiful fupply. The water on the ifland is very fine, in great abundance, andclofeto the beach ; a fmall refervoir being formed there, which is fupplied by a rivulet that flows from the mountains. A Spanifh forcc arrived at thefe iflands fome time in the year 1783, to take poflefHon of them ; with what view it is, by no means, difficult to coiijeflure, when it is known that they were fuppofed to contain mines of gold. We certainly faw a confiderable quantity of gold dufl in the poflefiion of the natives, and feveral fmall pieces which, in all probability, had been waflied down by the torrents from the mountains, and found in the beds of the rivulets with which thefe iCands abound.— Thefe, fome of which wepurchafed, were manufaitured into thick wire, and worn as ornaments in their cars, or about the necks of the children. They are well inhabited by a race of InofFenfive people, whofe chief delight confifts in drinking a liquor called bafhee, which is diftilled from rice and the fugar cane. In the evening, men, women and children meet in crowds on the fhores, with torches in their hands, and drink bafhee till they arc intoxicated, when they engage in dancing, and difplay every every mark of fatisfii£tioa and contentment. It is, however, very much 1788. to be feared that thefc iflanders mufh have already found ^ mortifying '^''^'"^«Jar.v, interruption to their feAive pleafures, from the tyranny and bigotry of Spanifh dominion. The weather in the South Wed Monfoon Is extremely tempeftuous; and when gales of wind blow here, they are of the moft ftormy and violent nature. The currents and tides riiii rapid and ftrong, particularly along tlic Southernmoft of tliefe iflands, all of which are low; it is neceffary, therefore, that (hips fhould give them a good birth in their pafl;igc between thefe Iflands and P'oriTiofa. C II A P. 1788. FESRt'XB^y- C II A p. V. De^arlurc rf {he Fklice from Samholngan.—Vafs ihe Felice's Ißes,— Mcnlion c/ Orders and InßmSiiom given by the Merchants Proprietors for performing the Voyage.—Extraordhwry Change in the Temper of the Buffaloes received on board.—Pafs the ijland of Magindnnao.—Rapidity (f the Currents.—Efcape the Ißmd of Providence.—Pafs the Talour Ifands, — Ifland of Sanguir.—See the North Cape. — Impoffibllity of Weathering it.—Invariablencfs of the 'Trade Winds In the Pacific Occan,— Bear up to Leeward of the North Cape.—Pafs the IJJand Riou,— The Channel between Morintay and the Jßand of Jeloio.—Fragrancc of ibc Air.—Pafs the Southern Extremity of Morintay,—Reach the Sea.— The Latitude of Morintay afcertalned,' Tiicfday 12. N the 12tli of February, at day break, we had loft fight of V^ Sambo'mgan, and purfued our courfe along the coafl of Maghidanao : the latitude at noon was 34' North, and the extreme part of the iilaiid ill figlit, bore Weft North Well:, diftant twelve leagues. The jllaiid of Bafilan bore from South Weft by South, to W^eft North Weft four leagues: in this pofitiou the hill we have already mentioned, as refembllng a Mandarin's cap, was very confpicuous. I We obfervetl two fmall iflands fituated between Magindanao and Bafilan, bearing North by Eaft, diftant four miles: they were not of any great extent, but entirely covered with wood. As they bore no place on the charts, they were named Felice's Ifles, A con- A confiderable current had fet us during the ulght to the North 1788. Eaft; the wind blew frelh from the Northward and Southward, and at funfet we could but juft dlfcern the Ifland of Magindanao. Previous to our departure from Samboingan and feparation from the Iphigcnia, the orders and inftručtions marked Number II. in the Appendix, were delivered to Captain Douglas, for the guidance of his future condu£l. Thole marked Number I. were delivered by the merchants proprietors before our departure from China, Thefe in-flruaions contain at large the motives to, and real obje£ts of, the voyage ; and it will not furely be erring from the truth, if it is afferted, that they do not contain a fingle expreflion inconfiftent with that humanity, or derogatory of thofe principles which it is the honour of Brkifh merchants to adopt, in conducting their commerce in the different quarters of the globe. Thefe orders and inflruflions may be faid, without any fear of contradidion, to breathe, in every part of them, that fpirit ' of benevolence and juftice, and to contain thofe honeft incitements to in-duftry, which. In whatever part of the habitable earth they are exerted or employed, muft ultimately tend to the honour of humanity, and the advantage of our country, s On the 13th, we continued our courfe, with light and variable winds ; Wc-dnefdayrj the weather fultry and cloudy. Ey fix in the evening, we had loft light of the South Weftern extremity of Magindanao ; offwhich we had perceived an Ifland of a remarkable appearance, that wore the form of a mountain, whofe fides flielved almofl perpendicularly to the fea. During the night we had heavy rain;—our courfe was to the Southward and Eaftward; toclofe in with the South Eaft end of Magludanao, whicli, on 17S8. on the following morning, we had confiderably neared; when we found it t'enkuaky. f. i l ■ i , Tiiurfiiay 14 ^^^ ^^ "igh and mountainous, ai]d entirely covered with wood from the fea to its fummit. We frequently founded, but procured no ground with one hundred fathoms of line. Tlie latitude at noon was 6" r' North, at four P. M. the extreme point of Magindanao in view, bearing Eafl half North, diftant eight leagues; we hauled to the Eaft South Eafl to double the Southern extremity. Fnday 15 All extraordinary change now took place in the fpirlt and temper of the buffaloes which we had received on board at Samboingan. They were fo extremely wild and fierce, that it was with great difficulty and fome danger wc were able to embark them ; and fo dexterous are they in the management of their horns, that even the natives did not venture to approach them in their new fituation. But the natural ferocity of their nature feemed at once to abandon them, and they were already become fo tame as to eat out of the hand, and were acTiuaily much lefs vicious than our other cattle. On this morning;, we found that a confiderable current had fet us to the Southward of Magindauao. It bore from us North, diflant about 11 leagues: the Southern extremity formed an high promontory, which wore the appearance of an i Hand. We now congratulated ourfelves on entering the Northern Pacific Ocean with fo little trouble; but this fatisfaftion was very much di-minlfhed from the unfavourable flate of the wind, which we found to blow from Eaft North Eall:. The latitude at noon was 4° 5North, and the longitude yih" 36' Eafl of Greenwich. At this time we perceived two fmall iflands, bearing South South Eafl, dlftant five leagues; 5 rEBRUARY. and the promontory of Magindatiao wns yet in fight, benring North, 1788. tliflant 13 leagues. ♦ The current now fet us fo ftrongly to the Soiithwartl, that \vc could not weather the two little ifles feen in the South South Eaft ; and perceiving a clear channel between them of a mile and an half, we determined to pulh through if. Thefe iflands are lofty, and covered with wood. From the North and South points of the Northernmoft ifland, there runs a fpit of land for half a mile; and fome detached rocks from the Northernmoft point, at about a mile diftance : on thefe rocks we obferved a few fcattercd trees, wliich render them very remarkable. When in mid-chaiinel between the iflands, we founded, and had fixty fathoms, with white and red fhells. Wc had Icarce pafled through, when tlie SoutbemrnoH: Ifland opened into two dlftinft ones, with the appearance of a channel between them. At the fame time, wc faw another ifland, bearing Eaft South Eaft, diftant four leagues, which was alfo covered with wood ; and from the mafl-head we difcemed a dangerous flioal and reef of rocks, which extend near three miles from its South End, and are very remarkable from their whitenefs. Another ifland appeared on the lee-beam bearing South South Eaft, diftant eight leagues; and, in this pofitlon, t!ie promontory of Magindanao bore Eaft North Eaft, diftant 18 or 20 leagues. Our fituation dKTered, at this time, from every chart in our poflef-fion ; it became neceflary, therefore, to proceed with tlie utmoft precaution through tliis archipelago. The North Cape on the Ifland of Morintay, by our account, bore Eaft North Eaft 134 miles; and the Cape of Good Hope, or Northern extremity of New Guinea, Soutli Eaft, 470 miles. The wind kept fteadily to the Eaft North Eaft ; and as we pafled thofe iflands, we found ourfelves drifted almoft bodily to leeward I by 17S3. by a lapitl Southerly current. Such a continuation of unfavourable cir-rtDKUAui., cuniftaiices left us no very flattering profpeČt of being able to weather the North Cape ; befides, we were not without appreheiifions that we flioultt be obliged to bear away, and run through fuch a dangeroiis clufler of iflands as the Moluccas; a navigation which is confidered as the moft dangerous in the Indian feas. We were not, however, without fome expe£lations, that the near vicinity of the Sun to the l/uie would produce fomc abatement of the influence of the Nortli EaO: Monfoon. But, after all, taking both the favourable and unfavourable circumflances in a proper pohit of view, with the dark and tedious nights, the courfe before us could not be confidered but as replete with difficulties and perils, both of which mufl: be greatly augmented, if tempeftuous weather llioukl unfortunately overtake us. The current, like a vaU:, but fleady, rapid ftream, fwept us bodily to leeward :—it ran, at leaft, three miles an hour; and we had every reafon to believe, that it ran much ftronger as it approachcd the Straits of Macaflar. Indeed, it fwept us away fo much, that we were not able to reach the ifland feen in the South Eafl by EafI: quarter, by five leagues. During the night of the 15th, we had a great deal of wind, but the fca was uncomrtionly fmooth ; a certain fign that we were In the vicinity of fome great body of land. We kept fleering to the South Eafl by Eaft, with a fteady gale to the Northward and Eaftvvard, The courfes were hauled up in the brails, in order to fee more diflin^tly, and to be in a fiate of preparation to haul upon either tack, to avoid any immediate or preffing danger. Thefe precautions proved to be extremely iieceflary ; for about midnight we dlfcovered, by the light of the moon, that we were dole to an ifland, covered with a white fand, and almoft on a level with the water. We very fortunately perceived this dangerous objeČt, objea, near half-Ei mile from us ; and had fufficicnt time to put the helm 1788. a weather, and bear up to leeward. We then founded, but found no ground with an hundred flithoms of line. Wc continued, however, to give it a good birth until two in the morning, when we loft fight of Jt, and then refumcd our courfe to the Eaft South Eaft, with a frefli gale from the North Eaft. Thcfe low.fandy Iflands, which are fcattered every where near the Line, render the navigation of thofe parts of a very perilous nature. No foundings can be obtained to warn the navigator of the approaching danger ; fo that in a dark night no vigilance or precaution is fufficient to fecure lilm from the imminent hazard of deftručtion. At fun-rife, laud appeared, extending from North Weft to Weft, at ^Ltturday <» the diftanceof 16 leagues. The fmalJ, low, fandy iflet feen in the night, we judge to lie in the latitude of 4° i'North, and in the longitude of 127" 10'Eaft, to which we gave the name of Providence Ifland. At noon, the latitude was f 32' North. During the laft twenty-four hours, we experienced a current that fet the fliip thirty-three miles to the Southward. The longitude was 127° 58' Eaft. Land was now feen in nlmoft every dlrečlion, extending from Eaft North Eaft to Weft North Weft ; and, to the Northward and Eaftward, appeared broken and detached, as if compofed of a groupe of iflands. The Weftward land was dlftant from us about 15 leagues. At fun-fet, the body of the windward ifles bore Nortli North Eaft at the diftance of 14 leagues. Our pofition was now extremely doubtful; nor could we reconcile it to any of the charts on bonrd. We were. Indeed, inclined to fuppofe, that the land to the North North Eaftcon-fifted of thcfe iflands named the T'alour^ and the land to the Weftward I 2 the February. 1788, the Ifland of Sanguir. If our conje£Vures were right, the currents miifl: linve ačled on us with great force in fetting us to the Southward ; and it now became a matter of painful uncertainty if we fhould be able to weather the North Cape; which was an obječt of the utmoft importance. We had, indeed, flattered ourfelves, that, on ourapprpach to the Line, we fliould have experienced variable winds ; but iiitherto the wind ftood, as it were, immovably to the Eafl:; nor did it feem inclined to give us n point of advantage. Our prefetit fitiiation, therefore, as well as our future profpečl, was clouded with uncertainty; and the chance was but too probable that we Ihould be driven to leeward of Jelolo, and confe-quently be forced to encounter a navigation of the moft difficult nature. We were fully convinced, that, if the North Cape could not be weathered, a paflnge muO: be attempted through tlie Moluccas, to the Southward of Jelolo, where there was good reafon to expeft that we fliould meet, if not the North Weft Monfoon, at leaft with fuch variable winds as would nilow us to re-enter the Northern Pacific Ocean by Pitt's Straits ; but even then. It was by no means certain, whether we fhould be able to weather the coafl: of New Guinea; nor could we reflect, without extreme mortification, on being obliged to run down its Weflern coaft, and, by Endeavour's Straits, to reach the Southern Ocean ; as fuch a courfe, during which the long and dark nights would continually obftru(5t and delay our progrefs, muft, in the end, totally defeat the purpofe of our voyage.—On the other hand, if we itood to the North, hi order to beat round New Guinea, againft a ftrong monfoon, there was every reafon to believe that we fhould fail in our purpofe: indeed, we found it neceffhry to give it up, from the evident impofTibility of effecting it, without a great wafte of that time of which we had fo little to fpare. Thefe difficulties were of a nature not eafily to be overcome ; come; and the event proves how narrowly we efcaped from encountering i ySS. the very obftacles which our apprehenfmns had placed before us. Februart-. During the night of the i6th, we conthiued fteering to the Eaft South Eall under a prefs of faih The moon Ihone clear and bright, fo that any danger round the horizon would have been readily dif-cerned. On the morning of the 17th, land was feen a-head, bearing in the Sunday 17 direftion of Eafl;, at the diÜance of 12 leagues ; and to leeward, land was alio feen bearing South South Wefl:. The latitude at noon was 40' North. The North Cape now bore from us Eafl, Noi thei ly, at the dlftance of 14 leagues. The wind blew fteadily from the North Eaft and Eaft North Eaft, with a ftrong Southerly current. We continued clofing in with the North Cape, in expeftntion of re- Mond^iyis celvlng the advantage of a land wind ; when, at fix in the evening, being within two miles of the ifland of Morintay, we were obliged to tack and ftand to fea for the firft time.—We could not find any foundings with an hundred fathoms of line.—But although we were fo unfortunate as to fall to leeward of the North Cape, we were determined not to relax in our endeavours, till we were convinced of the impra^ica-billty of weathering it; and it was with this view wc tacked and flood to fea. By ten o'clock in the morning, we were again clofe in with tb^ ifland of Morintay, having tacked at midnight for the fliore ; but neither at fea, or dole In with the land, were we fo fortunate as to expeiience any alteration of the wind In our favour. We had alfo the mortification to obferve, that the Southerly currents had fet us during the t^SS. the night, bodily to leeward of the pofitlon we had occupied on th« February, preceduig evening. At noon the latitude was z" 35' North, and we had entirely lofi: figiitof the North Cape, whlcli now bore Eafl: by North, tliflant ly leagues, immediately in the wind's eye. The impraflicabiliry of efFefling our objeli was now become fo apparent, as to embarrafs ourfituation with a clioice of difficulties. \Vc difcovered, however, a narrow channel between a fmall ifland, bearing South South EaiTr, at the diftance of four leagues, and the Ifland of Moruitay. Jelolo was alfo very difcernible ; the Northernmoft point of which bore South Weft, diftant only 13 leagues. Between this point and the ifland we have jufl: mentioned, there appeared an extenfive channel; we had, therefore, no other alternative, but to make our paflage through it, and round the Southern extremity of Morintay, without rifking any more of our time, which was now fo precious, in fruitlefs endeavours to weather the North Cape againfl: winds, currents, and fea. We were perfeftly aware, that, having once entered upon this courfe, there would be no poffibillty of returnltig; as well as that it might entangle us in the flioals of Jc-lolo and the deep gulph of Chiauw, which is alfo filled with fhoals and fliallows, and into which tlie monfoon perpetually blows, backed by coiiftant currents. Such a combination of circumftances were more than fufficient to convince us, that in profe-cuting our prefent deiign we mufl be governed by an unremitting perfe-verance. Accordingly, at noon, we bore up for the channel between theiflands Riou and Jelolo ; and by four P. M, it was open, and appeared of fufficient breadth to navigate ; but in the middle feveral fmall, low, and fandy iflands were fituated, which might, in fome meafure, interrupt, if not endanger the navigation of the channel: we, therefore, purfued our courfe along the coafl: of Riou, at the diftance of two miles: —the —the land was every where covered with wood to the water's edge; but» 17S8. as far as we could difcover, without the veftige of an habitation. We could not obtain foundings with forty fathoms of line. At halfpaft four, the high mountains of Jelolo appeared to rear their fumraits above the horizon, which immediately fettled the critical nature of our fituation. We had now advanced fo fxr, that any attempt to return would have been the extreme of folly ;—the channel was already pafled, but the Ifland of Morintay extended a great deal farther to the Southward tlian any of the charts had laid it down :---Riou was alfo paffcd; and now a deep, capacious channel was formed by Jelolo and Morintay, of near 12 or 13 leagues in extent. The great gulph of Chiauw was now under our lee; — a range of low, fandy iflands, conntfled with flioals, were fituated about five leagues off Morintay, in the channel along which we fteered. Tjie moon fhone very bright, or we fliould not have ventured to proceed during the night. Tlie wind blew ftrong from the North Eaft; and men were condantly kept in boih chains, to attend to the foundings, as well as on the yards to look out for broken water, or any other circum-ftance of danger. As we paffed thofe iflands, the fhoals appeared very plain, at ttie dift.ince of about four miles, and we could fee a dreadful furf roltlng over them. Our foundings were now from fix, feven, to eight fathoms, very regular, and over an hard, fandy bottom. On getting more out into the channel, we had fourteen, twenty, and fome-times eventliirty fathoms, with the fame kind of ground. Thcfe iflands extend near five leagues, Nortli and South,—are about five leagues from Morintay, and eight from Jelolo. We think it would be increafing the Incidental hazards of this channel to pafs between the iflands and Morintay, as we found a ftrong and rapid current fetting us ahnofi: due South. ^ It 17SS. Jc was greatly to our mortification that we paffed this channel during iFdiUAii^. the ^g ^yg^e thereby prevented from ienditig boats on fliore to cx;unlne the nature of the foil, and to look for turtle, as low, fandy idaiKls are places where they are generally fotnid. In our paffage we perceived the air to be ftrongly perfumed with fpicy odours ; fome of us even imagined they could difttnguifh the petuliar fragrance of the iiutmeg plant. As we cleared this chain ofiflandsand fhoals, we kept as clofe to the wind as pofTihle, to near, once more, the South end of Morintay, which Tue'diiyi? we happily cffe<5led by break of day on the 19th, being only three leagues from it. \Vc kept iteering thus till noon, when the latitude was 1® 47', the extremes of the ifland of Riou bearing from South Weft by Weft, to South Weft, one half South, diftant nine leagues; and the extremes of Jc'lolo bearing from South South Weft, to Soutli Eaft, diftant eleven leagues : in this pofition the channel we had failed through was entirely clofed. Wed'nefJayio Our courfe was continued to the Eaft South Eaft, with the wind from the North Eaft, hut light, till the 20th ; when at noon, we had, to our great joy, a confiderable offing towards the fea; the latitude was i^^ö' North, the ifland of Morintay bearing from South by Weft, half Weft, to Weft by North, half North, diftant fixteen leagues ; and the ifland of Jelolo bearing from South by Weft to South Weft, diftant fourteen leagues. Thus we moft happily reached the fea, without any material lofs of time, and through a channel which, in any other fituation, we ftiould not have ventured to pafs ; though we faw nothing to prevent a Ihip paffing it with eafe and iafety, by following the example of our precaution, and attending to the particular circumftances which have been juft relatedThe bearings are marked with all poflible care and fidelity, for for the benefit of any navigator, who, from preference orneGeffity, may 1788. think proper to follow our courfe. FEDiuAii-, From Maglndanao we had hitherto experienced a continuance of ftrong currents, fettlng to the South and South Weft; the wind invariably at North Eaft; and, in the whole track, from that ifland to Morintay, we have noticed moft of the dangers which lie between tiiem. I We confider the Southern extremity of the ifland of Morintay to be in the latitude of 1° 40' North, and the longitude 128° Eaft of Greenwich The land which was feen on the i6th, muft have been, as we then coa-je£l:ured, the Talour Ifles, and the Hknd of Sangiilr, K CHAP. 1788. T-BBkUARY. CHAP. VI. Ship^s Courfe purfued to the EaßwarJ.—Currents fct her to the Ißartd of fVagietv.—Symptoms of the Scurvy among the Crew.—IVind veers ^ for the firß -Time, to the North Weß.—Piifs Wagkis) and the dangerous TiJtce Ißes.—Freewill Ifles feen.—Natives ccme on Board.—Their Joy at feeing Iron.—Some Account of thofe Ißes.—Their Latitude and Longitude^ &c.— Theßrong Currents in their Vicinity. Friday 12 N o material occurrence happened till the 22cl; the courfe was kept to the Eaft South Eaft; the wind blew fteadily from the North Eaft, and we daily experienced a Southerly current. At this time the Northern extremity of New Guinea bore from us in the direčlion of Eaft South Eaft, diftant 120 leagues, when \vc faw land, bearing Eaft South Eaft, to Weft by North, at the diftance of about nine leagues from the body of it. The land to tlie Weftward we concluded to be the Jfland of Wagiew, which forms tlie Northernmoft part of Pitt's Straits; but of the land to the Eaft we could form no conječlure, as none appeared to be marked on the charts in that direčlion. The latitude at noon was only 22' North of the Line, and the longitude was 131° 10'Eaft of Greenwich. At this time the Ifland of Wagiew extended from South Eaft by Eaft, to Weft, and our diftance from the body of it might be about fix leagues. In this fituation we were drifting bodily to leeward on Wagiew, and found it to be almoft impoifible to double the extremity of this ifland, much much lefs New Guinea, without fume favourable alteration of the 1788. wind?, which hatl hitherto never v.iried from the North Eaft ; bcfides, the flrong Southerly currents had now fet the fliip thus fir, fo that we were altogether in a fituation furrounded with clrcumftances of uncertainty and embarraffnient. We fcarce knew how to expcft a change that would be propitious ; and, nevertiielefs, a patient espečlatloa of it feemed to be almofl: the only rcfource, fuch as it was, that remained to us. The weatlier was extremely fultry, but the winds were light, which was the only favourable circumftance of which we could boafl. A perfeverinj^ fpirit, however, fometimes fui'mounts dangers that appear to be iafurmountable, and we determined to continue the exertion of it. This day, at noon, we had made no progrefs whatever. The latitude SamrJayij was 0° ao' North of the Line; and tlie long-itude was Eaft. We were now diflant only five leagues from Wagiew, which extended from EaO: South Eaft, to Weft South Weft. The land bore a very different appearance from that which we had hitherto feen t—it was extremely high, compofed of broken and detachcd hills, and prefented, as far as wc could difcover, a very barren afpeS.—It ran due Eaft and Welt, and all the hills flielved abruptly into the fea. We could procure no foundings with one hundred and fifty fathoms of line. A fmall ifland was alfo pcr-celved in the North Eafl quarter. Thus were we approaching every moment'nearer to the land, without any profped of fuch a change as would reward our perfeverance._ We had now been purfulng, for a long month, an intricate and fatiguing navigation, without having made any'confiderable progrefs. The fultry heats alfo began to affe£l feveral of our people ; and the expeiEtation ot the tedious paflage to America, with which we were threatened, rendered K z the 17S8. the crew not only dlflatisfiecJ, but defpondent. Syniptoms of the (curvy-had begun to appear, jn Tplte of our ftr'Kft ndherence to thofe admirable rules of rcgiineii fo happily conceivcd, and fuccefsfully pra£tifed by Captain Cook. We hid now redoubled our attentions to keep off the internal enemy that tlireatencd us, with an anxious expcÖation of fuccefs, but we know not how far that wculd have been gratified, if an alteration had not taken place with us, which enlivened the drooping fpirits of the crew, aiul animated them to new en .Icavours. At four in the evening of this day, when we were within three leagues of the ifland, tlie wind fprung up on a fuddcn from the North Weft, which was the firfl: favourable change we had experienced fnice our departure from Samboingan. We took an immediate advantage of this fortunate circumftance in our favour; the coui fc was altered to the North Eal>, and all fail fet; fo that, at fun-fet, we had got a confiderable diftance from Wagiew. More la.nd was now feen a-head, which was very low, and, from its detached, broken appearance, we judged to be a groupe of iflarids. During the night we kept ftanding to the North Eafl:, immediately for the land, and the wind continued to the Weft North Weft, which Smuhy 1+ enabled us, to keep our courfe till dny-break on the twenty-fourth, wheiv we found ourfelves within tliree leagues of the land fecn on the preceding evening It confifted of feveral Iflands, as we had conjeftured, which were very low, entirely covered with wood, and furrounded by fhoals and reefs of rocks, and appeared to be of confiderable extent. They bore from North Weft, to North Eaft by Eaft, and were diftant from each other about miles. r As no fuch iflands were placed on the charts, we thought proper to name thera the 'tatee liles, from the word, which was continually vociferated ciferated by the few natives who came within hearing of the fhip. 178S. They are fituatcd ia o'' 20' of North latitude, and in the longitude of 132" 2' Eaft of Greenwich. They are very dangerous to approach, efpe-cially in the i)ight, and the fliip that Hioiild be tempted to pafs through tlicm, would inevitably be loft. We fiw feveriü canoes paddling between the reefs ; and two of them, containing each five of the natives, approached very near to the ftiip, vociferating the word T^r/fi", 'T'atee, with great violence ; but no tcrapta-tlon on our part could prevail on them to corae along-fide, though we held up many of thofe articles which we thought the moft hkely to entice thcni toa nearer communication with us.—They regarded the fhip with much appnvent wonder; and, from their various antic geftures, we h d ^rcat reafon to fuppofe that they had never before feen fuch an obje»n-. They appeared to be of the flime race as the Papua people, woolly-headed, perfedtly black, and with the features of the African negroes ; but in their forms ftout and athletic. They held long fpears in their hands, pointed with bone, which they, from time to time, brandifliied at u^. Their canoes were of a peculiar, and very curious conftru£tion;— they were very narrow and long, and, to keep them on a balance, a large out-rigger run out on one fide, with net-work between, made with ftrong cord, mauufa^lured fr om the rind of the cocoa-nut. On this^ which formed a kind of a ftage, were placed their arms, implements for filhing, &c. We wiOied very mucla to fend boats on iliore, but as the /hip could not approach near enough to the land for the piu'pofe of pro-tefting them, on account of the (heals, we thought it highly imprudent to expofe our men to any hazard. Towards / I y38. Towards noon, to our great joy, the wind frefliened up from the Norcli fei!rv;ar\. wlien wc bid adieu to the Tatce Iflqs, and pursued our courlc to tlie Nortliward and the Eaftward, every league of which was become of the utnioA confequence. At funfet, the extremes of the Tatee Ifles bore from us Eaft by South, to South EafI: by Eaft, dillant five leagues ; the tops of the trees juft appearing above the water. At this time the extremities of Wagiew bore from South Weft: by South, to South Wt:fl: by Weft, diftant ro leagues. WeJncf.'iri, Wo now purfued our courfe till tlie 27t!!, witli a favourable, but, in general, alight wind. It thimdered and lightened with great violence, and the weather was extremely clofe and fultry. 'The thermometer was, at this time, at 88", and very often at 92°. At noon the latitude was 56 minutes North, and tlie longitude 136® 35' Ead of Greenwich.— Land, or rather trees, were defcried from the maft-head, bearing from Eall by South, to South Eafl: by Eaft : when we were tolerably near them, the currents ran very ftrong to the South South Weft: as we were not able to weather the Northernmoft, we bore up to t]ie leeward of it, and there now appeared to be four fmall ifles, the l^rgcft of which was not more than five leagues in circumference. We ranged witliin tluee miles of the fliore, when we obfervcd a large village fituated on the fliore of the ifland, in the midfl: of a grove of cocoa-nut trees; every other part appeared to an entire forefl:, without one interval of cultivation, t We were very foon vifitcd by a great number of canoes, containing, altogether, at leaft five hundred natives, all men. Each of thefe canoes held fix or feven people, and were of the fame conflrudion as thofe of the Sandwich Iflands, The natives alfo bore the appearance, and to our great aftouilhment, fpoke the language of the inhabitants of tliofe ifles ; 5 and therefult of our obfervation is a conjeflure, amounting almört to a 1788. . firm belief, th.it they ure of the fame race. They came along-Hde th6 ihip without cercmony and without arms, and fupplied us with confiderAbie quantity of frefh gathered cocoa-nuts and coir line, which was repaid by bits of iron lioop, of about an inch in length. When the piece of iron was held up to their attention, they were all feized with a kind of filent, but expreflive joy, tliat cannot be dclcribcd : but the man who procured it, immediately began to caper and dance round the deck, and laying down on his back, tumbled and. rolled about in fnch an extraordinary manner, that we really imagined he was fiid-denly afFijČted by fome very fuigular diforder, till he rofe up and kiflcd the bit of iron with thofe emotions of extravagant joy, which manifcfled the extreme dtlight he felt at being in the pofleffion of what he efleemcd fo great a treafure. His comrades, from an anxious CLiriolity to fee it, crowdcd lOLind him ; but in a moment he had plunged liimfelfinto the fen, and then turning his head towards us, and again kifling.the bit of ir-on, he fvvam haflily to tlie fhore. Several iron hoops were now ordered to be cut up, and each of our vifitors was gratified with a bit of the precious metal, who all left us witli reiterated expreifions of the mofl grateful acknowledgement. Thefe iOanders are of a frank, nnänble and confidential difpofitton ; and they foiuid in return, that kind of reception from us, which they will not quickly forget. We obfcrved, however, in their canoes large mats, which, on enquiry, tiiey informed us were ufed bv them as coats of mail, and were capable of refifting the attack of a fpear ; indeed, fo clofe and ftrong is their texture, that at a very fmall dillance, they could fcarcely be penetrated by a ball from a piftol. It appeared, therefore, and the refledion is not of a pleafing nature, that thefe amiable people V knew 17S8. knew the arts, and, of courfe, muft frequently feel tlic horrors of war; and that the god of battle beholds his viaitns in the remotcfl: corners of tjic globe. This groupe of Iflands was originally difcovered by Captain Carteret, in his voyage round the world. He was pleafed to give them the name of the Freewill Ifies, from the frank and unreferved conduct of the inhabitants. It may not, perhaps, be generally remembered, that one of them accompanied him in the Swallow;—He was called Tom Freewill, and died in his pafiliige to the Celebes. The interval that had elapfcd, from the period of Captain Carteret's vifit to thefe iflands, to the time of oitr appearance before them, occupied lb confiderable a fpace, that this young man's departure witli him, might very naturally be fuppofed to have been forgotten by his countrymen. But, on the contrary, feveral of the natives pointed to the fhip, and then to fea, and by other fignificant geftures gave us to under-ftand, that one of them had been carried away. As we were well acquainted with the circumftancc from Captain Carteret's journal, we, in return, informed them that their fugitive countryman was no more: when they all entered into an immediate conference, and then renewed their communications, with an air of perfect indifference. At leaft there did not appear to be any one among them who, as a friend or relation, exprefled the leaft concern for poor Tom Freewill's fate ! J We now refumed our courfe to the North Eaft, with a gentle gale from the Weft North Weft. On paffing to the Northward of the iflands, we obferved that they were connefted by very dangerous reefs of rocks, which extended three or four miles in every direčlion. At funfet, J the r; . I : lit --v . '»•--•r. i C..' -- - i .f .^^»v^'Qfi^^^ S' . ' J'i- 4 - - f » »IV.. ■'I . •. •■ - ■■ v* - ^ - _ . - < % . * v» - . .v ••-■■ - - • ; < • K. . Vi?-. ' -- - '■-•'V-; - ^ • - v < • * '' r ^^ f. ' . -■•N-.i.Vv:.-'' •T . » . , .• • -V , • . • •. - • . f . - . ■ . '• . . ^ • . v . • JS— W.» the body of the iflancls bore North North Weft, at the diftance of four 1788. , tebruary. kagues. The weather on the 28th became fqually ; the wind veeruig conti- T!uirfd;iy 2» nually from North to North Eaft, fo that we feldom made good our courfe better than Eaft, or Eaft by South. At noon the latitude was o"* 55', the winds light, with heavy fqnalls of rain, and much thunder and lightning. On the 29th In the morning, as we were (landing to the North, with Friday 29 a light air from the South Eaft, land was difcovered from the maft-Jiead ; as we ranged up with It, we found It to be the Fieewill Ifles. This was a circumftance which we could noteafily reconcile ; and as the iflands in this ocean bear a ftrong refemblance to each other, we, at firft, thought that we muft be mlftaken ; but the point was foon fettled by the arrival of many of our late friends, who came paddling through the reefs to bring us a prefent of cocoa-iUits, for which, they were with fome difficulty pcrfuaded to take any thing in return. One man, In particular, held up a bit of Iron which he had received from us but two days before, as a token that he remembered his benefactors. At noon tlie latitude was 1° 7' North ; and, by a medium of the fc-veral diflances of the fun and moon, tlie longitude was 137" 10' Eaft. The body of Freewill Ifles now bore South Eaft half Eaft, at the dif-tanceof four leagues; which leaves them in the latitude of 0° 56' North of the Line, and in tlie longitude of 137° Eaft of Greenwich. The currents muft on the 28th have fwept us bodily to leeward ; but, as we imagined, not with fo much force as to occafion our falling in a^ain with thefe iflands;—on the contrary, we found thai, 011 L ftandlng 1788. ftanding to the North, for the laft twenty-four hours, though we were famrdayl' Reeling Eaft, our courfe was not much better thuu South, a little Eafterlj. We did not lofe fight of thcfe iflands till the fird of March ; when, at noon, our latttude was i® 40' North ; the wind, as ufual, veering from North Eaft, to Eafl Noitb Eafl. The weather was gloomy, unfcttled, and very fultry. At times, we had heavy fqualls of rain, which proved Very unwholefome for tlie crew, from conftant damps, a clofc atmofphere, and wet cloaths. To thelc iinpleafant circumftances may be added, our flow progrefs to the North, which fo afTefted their fpirits, and of courfe relaxed their aftivity, that all the attention and care of the officers were reguifite, tochcck the progrefs of fuch au alarming eviL CHAP. 178S. ma.rwi. C n A p. VII. Extreme Beat of the mother.—Very tempeßuous.—Spring the Vonmafi.— Loß of fome of the Cattle.—Loß all t h« Goats.—Defručtion of many of the Plants intended for the Sandwich Jßes.—^eafons for pointing the Ship's Courfe to the North IFeß, ^c.—Mode of vičiuaUlng the Crr^v. Occupations on Board.—Intention of Etühimg a Vtjd of fifty 'tons in King George's Sound. —Carpenters complete her Moulds and Model—Ch'inefe Carpenters ignorant cf Ship-building.—Great Burthen of the Chineß funks.—Party felečled to remain in King George's Sound.—Experience the tail of a Tijfoon.—Change of the Monfoons.—terrible EffeSls of Tiffoons, in the Chinefe Seas and Korthcrn Pacific Ocean. ^^N the 2d of March, the longitude of the fliip, by a medium of Sunibyi feveral diftances of the fun and moon, was 136° 37' Eaft of Grecu-wich, and the latitude 2° 53'North. At this time, the variation of the compafs was 2° 30' Eaft, and the quickfilvcr in the thermometer was at 86, and often at 90, fo tliat we fufFered very much from the extremity of the heat. The currents very feldom allowed us to make our courfc better than by South Eaft ; and hitherto there appeared no probability of being able to weather New Guinea. We liad, indeed, conquered the North Cape ; but there renaalned New Ireland, New Hanover, and many different groupes andcluftersof lüands, to thcNorthward of the Line, and many degrees to the Eaftward of our fituation. If we had purfued our courfe, we L 2 muft mufl: have determined either to proceed through Dampier's Straits, or thofe difcovered by Captain Carteret, which divide New Britain from New Hanover ; but if both thefe pafTages were rejected, there was no alternative left but to ftand to the Northward and Weft ward ; and to endeavour to obtain as much of the former as would permit us to tack and weather all. On a dus coufideration of our circumftances and fituation» the laft was preferred; the fliip therefore was tacked, and flood to the North Weft, with the wind at North Eaft,—a point the moft diftrefling to us of the whole compafs. The Aock of freüi provifions we received at Samboingan was fufficient to laft us till this time ; a circumflance which w\i3 attended with the twofold advantage of faving the liilt provifions, and conducing to the health of the crew. A plentiful allowance of water was continued, as the beft prefervative againfl; the fcurvy; and, if a diminution of this article fhould be requifite in any part of the pafliige, we naturally determined it (hould take place in the colder latitudes, as, at prefent, an extreme and clofe heat required every liquid aid to preferve health, by fuftainlng per-fpiration. Msndiyi On tlie 3d, the weather became extremely tempcftuous. We had continual fqualls from the North Eai}, accompanied by deluges of rain, which very frequently obliged us to fliorten fall. Our courfe was feldom better than North Weft, though we fometimes were enabled to make a tack or two to the Eaft South Eafl: and Eaft, when the fquall was favourable. In this fituatlon, at noon, we found the foremaft dangeroufly fprung below the hounds ; every exertion therefore was required to fecure it, as a very heavy fea occafioned the fhlp to pitch exceedingly. The top-maft and top-gallant-mall were accordingly got down on deck, and the fails unbent; flages were alfo prepared round the Iiead of the maft, 1788. and the carpenters were immediately employed in preparing fifhes. March. This misfortune was accompanied with fevcral others of a very mortifying nature. The late bad weather and rolling of the fhip, had dcftroyed fome of the cattle and many of the plants, in particular a fine orange-tree, in full bloom; and half of the cinnamon-trees wliich we had received at Samboing.in. There, however, yet remained alive one bull ' and a cow, and one cow calf; but the goats were all killed in one day by a fudden roll of the lliip. Of the plants we ftill poflefled a lime and an orange-tree, in full vigour, with fix cinnamon, and feveral fmaller plants of various kinds. On the 4th, at noon, the latitude, by double altitudes, was 3^0' North ; Tuefday + and the longitude, deduced from the lafl obfervation of the fun and moon, 137° 59' Eaft of Grcenwicii. The wind blew from the North Eaft, and we purfued our courfe to the Eaft South Eaft. The weather was dark and tempeftuous, with heavy fqvialls of wind and rain, which raifed a confufed fea. It was not till the 5th, that the mart was fecurcd, the fifhingof which Wedncfday s was a bufinefs of no common difficulty ; and, after all, we were not without the moft anxious apprehenfions that It would not ftand agalnft the blowing and ftormy weather we cxpeded to meet to the Nortliward of the tropical latitudes. Till the 12th we continued to embrace any favourable moments of the Wednefdayu wind. Whenever it veered to the Eaft North Eaft, we tacked and ftood to the Northward and Weftward; and, if it veered to the North, our courfe was bent to the Eaftward. It feldom, however, permitted our ftandiiig VOYAGESTOTHE 1788. -fimidiiig long on either tack; for it generally blew very flrong, with marth. , Mo.id«j' i7 Jieavy fqnalJs of rain. Our latitude, at noon, was therefore but f 15 North, and the longitude 144.° 25' Eaft; and on tlie 17th, we had advanced no further than 25' North, and 146° 30' Eaft. Such was our tedious progrefs, wliich, together with a continuance of the moft un-pleafaat and unwholefome weather, tended, more or lefs, to difpirit every one on board. But this was not all ; the continual damps, proceed-uig from the frequent rains, and the people being, from the fame clr-cumftance, fo often, as well as fo long in wet cloathing, together with inoiO: decks, awakened our apprehenfions to encreafing fymptoms of the fcurvy. In this fituation, we doubted very much whether we, fliould be nble to weather the iflands of New Ireland or New Hanover, which bore off us not only Eaft South Eaft, but many degrees to the Eaft-ward. We had worked into our prefeut pofition immediately in tlie wind's eye. Some of the difficulties which would probably attend the purfuiiig of our firft track, have already been mentioned; nor were we to hope for a change from the fun's near approach to the equinoctial. Tedious calms, attended with heavy rains, were naturally to be expefled with a vertical fun. A fmall portion of our voyage was yet performed, and an Immenfe track yet lay before us, to reacli to the löoth degree of lonj^l-tude, when we muft neceffarily crofs the Line. According to the manner in wjilch we liad proceeded, we fliould not, in all probability, gain that object before the 10th of April; —on the other ' liand, if we fteered to the North Weft, we had grounds for expecting a change of wind in our favour, if not the monfoon, by the ift of April : — it was, therefore, again refolvcd to weather the Philippines, and point oui- couffe fteadiJy to the North Weft. With With plenty of water, each man was allowed half a pint of fpirlts in the 1788. courfe of the day, two-thirds of which were mixed with water, and the remainder, at this time, ferved in its raw ftate, which often proved a falutary and cheermg cordial in the rainy weather. The provifions were ordered in the beft manner we could conceive to preferve health, or, at leafl, to check the progrefs of difeale.—In the morning and evening tea and fugar were ferved out to the crew;—they had abundance of rice, peas, and barley, which, with flour and fruit, were ferved with every poflible variety they would admit. The pork and beef were always well fleeped, and the conftant ufe of vinegar was called in aid to contribute its (liare towaids corredling the bad cfFcds of faked provifions. We kept {landing on. to the Nortli Weft, and nothing material hap- Sunday pcncd, bf;twccn the laft and the prefent date. The weather was now, indeed become extremely pleafant, and the heavy fquaUs of wind and rain which had fo continually uiftrefled us, were, for the prefent, entirely di/npated. At noon the latitude was 21"' 2' North, and the longitude 159® 48' Eaft ; the variation of the compafs 4° 34' Eaft. During this run we every day fiuv large flocks of birds, fome of which wc perceived to be of that fpecies which never fly far from land. We embraced the opportunity which was afforded us by the prefent favourable weather, to overhaul our fails, and prepare for tJic tempeftu-OUS weather we had every reafon to expedl hi onr progrefs to the Nortli, efpecially near Japan. Two comnleat new fuits of fails were prepared, new roped, lined and middle flitched ; all the old fails were, at the fame time, put in a tolerable ftate. The coopers, armourers, and other artifans were always properly employed, either in the immediate fervicc of the Oiip, or according to A their 88 VOYAGESTOTHE 1788. their (kill, in preparing articles of trade for the American market.- March. The Chinefe armourers were very ingenious, and worked with fuch a degree of ficility that we preferred them to thofe of Europe. The iu-ftruments they employ in their work are extremely llmple, and they very fliortly acconiplifli any defign that is placed before them. The carpenters were alfo at work in preparing the moulds and model for a floop of fifty tons that was defigned to be built Immediately on oui- arrival in King George's Sound, as fuch a veffel would be of the iitmoft utility, not only in colledling furs, but in exploring the coaft. Our head carpenter was a young man of much ingenuity and pro-feflioiia! Ikill, who had ferved his time in London ; but the Chinefe artificers in this branch had not the leaft idea of our mode of naval architecture. The vefiels of their nation which navigate the China and adjacent feas, are of a confl:ru£l:lon peculiar to them. In vefl'els of a thoufand tons burthen not a particle of iron is ufed ; their very anchors are formed of wood, and their enormous falls made of matting. Yet thelc floating bodies of timber are able to encounter any tempefluous weather, hold a remarkable good wind, fail well, and are worked with fuch facility and care as to call forth the aftonifhment of European fuilors. It was, therefore, a matter of fome difficulty to turn the profeffional Ikill of our Chinefe . carpenters to a mode of application fo entirely different from their own habitual experience and pračllce. * A party was felečled from the crew wlio were to be left on fhore with the artificers, to be employed in building the vefTcI. This arrangement was made at fuch an early period, hi order that the people might be fully prepared, immediately on our arrival in tlje Sound, to begin their intended operations. It is true that we had no one article in readinefs for the * purpofe; |)urporc; our timber was ftnnding in the forefts of America, the iron 1788. work was, as yet, in rough bars on board, and the cordage which was to be formed into ropes, was yet a cable, Neverthelefs, encouraged by that fpirlt of ardent hope whlcli animates man to oppole the difficulties of life, and hivigorates life itfelf, we looked forward with a kind of certain expectation that our purpofe would be eftedled, and that the vcflcl in contemplation would be aftually launched fomc time in the month of Oaobcr. On the I ft of April at noon, the latitude was" 226'North, and the TueWay * longitude 139° 38' Eaft. The weather fi^emcd to have acquired a fettled gloom, the clouds were uncommonly black and heavy, and, throughout the day, there was much thunder, and lightning. Numerous flocks of birds pafl'ed us from the windward, making loud noifes in their paflagc, as if apprehenfive of bad weather. We alfo paflbd fome rock-weed, which was a (ign of being at no very great diftance from land. * On the 2d, the thunder and lightning encreafed, without being ac- Wcdnefdiy e companicd with any confiderable degree of wind. The fea, neverthelefs, was in an unufual commotion, and the (hip pitched fo heavy, that the head-rails were carried away, and fome other injuries fuftained.— Towards noon it became fqually, and we experienced feveral puffs of wind from every point of tJie compafs, which, with the encrcaiing darknefs, left us no doubt of the approach of a very violent rtorm.— The top-gallant yards and mafts were got down on deck, — the main-fail furled,—the top-fails clofe reefed, and the mizen balanced. All the fails were handed, except the main top-fail, whicli it was judged prudent to keep abroad : in this fituation we waited the coming of the tempeft ; nor did it difappoint our expeftations. At two P. M, the wind M ihifted Ar JUL. 1788. fliifted to the South, and began to blow ftrong in itjualls: the fliip's head was kept to the North Eaft ; it thundered and lightened with great violence, and at half part three an heavy fquall came from the South Eafl, inflantly followed by another from the South Weft, both of whicli blew, for a Oiort time, with alternate and Incredible fury; the latter, however, prevailed, and continued blowing from the South Wefl; for uenr an hour. Indeed, the meeting of thefe two ftjualls to leeward of us, was tren:iendoits, and the lea was carried to fuch an height as to keep the horizon in a continual foain. Happily for us, we experienced only the tall of this tufFoon or whirlwind ; but, as it was, we expe*5led every moment to have the mafts fliaitcred to pieces ; the main top-fail having been fwcpt away, and frittered to threads. The fea foon rofe to fuch an alarming height, that it became neceffary to fet the fore-fail and Icud before the ftonn, in order to preferve the fiiip, which plowed her way with furprifuig fwiftnefs. It now blew from the South Eaft with a prodigious fea, before which we kept fleering. Thus we were fcudding along, when, to the leeward of us, we perceived the water to rife many feet above the level of the fea in circles, which formed a beautiful but awful fight; fo that we were obliged to perfoim the very unpleafant, and, indeed, rather dangerous operation, of heaving to in fuch a high fea, to avoid running Into tlie dreadful vortex before us, which continued, as it were, to fweep the liorizon till five o'clock ; when this alarming whirlwind fubfided, and fettled in an heavy gale from the South Weft, before whicli we fcudded to the North Eaft. To thofe who have read Kempfer's Hiftory of Japan, the violence of' this tufFoon will not be confidered as a circumftance that borders on ^ phaeno- phicaomcnoii, —fuch horritl guftsofwliid being at ccrrain jienods, accord- 1783. ing to that writer, the common difturbers of thoie Teas: thougli we had afru,, feveral old and experienced llamen in the fliip, who had never before feen anything of this terrible nature. We, however, confoled ourfelves \vtth the belief that it was the critical moment when the Monfoons changcd ; more particularly as the ftorm from the South Weft blew in fuch a ftead)? current. Had this ftorm happened when it was dark, it might have proved fatal; as it was, we were not a little furprifed that fome of the mafts or yards were not carried away : however, we were not fufficiently recovered from our alarms, to venture upon fetting much fail during the fucceeding night. The period when the Monfoons change in the China feas, and the Northern Pacific Ocean, is a time that fliould be dreaded by every fliip that navigates them. Thefe ciianges are generally in the months of April and Očtober, though they fometimes happen not only much earlier, but alfo much later in the feafon. That which is confidered as moft dangerous, is the variation from the North Eaft to the South Weft, when ftorms very generally trouble thofe feas. They are remarkably violent on the coaft of Japan ; but when they arife into a tuffoon, no power or ftrength can withftand them. The ruin they fometimes occa-fion is almoft incrcdible;—nor is it lefs difficult to conceive with what fury they blow from every poitit of the compafs. The Chinefe, dread beyond all meafure, thefe violent hurricanes, which fometimes fweep large villages and their inhabitants to dcftručlion ; at other times whole harvefts are dliiipated by their deftrudive breath, and M % famine 178S. famine follows.—From a fimllar caufe, in the year 1787, accompanied' with exceflive drought, a moll: dreadful dearth prevailed throughout the Southern provinces of China, by which an incredible number of people perifhed. It was no uncommon thing at Canton to fee the famlflied ■wretch breathing his laft ; while mothers thought it a duty to deftroy their infant children, and the young to give the ftroke of fate to the aged, to fave them from the agonies of fuch a dilatory death. CHAP. 1788. APRll. CHAP. VIII. LandfttHy but prevrnted from approaching it.—Difcovery of Ißands^ which tve named Grampus Jßes.—Feel the TVcather extremely cold^ ^vl(h ihe probable Reafon of it.—Number of Birds, feen.—Pafs by great ^antities of Rock-rweed.—Difcover aßupendous Rock^^vhich we namedLot^sIVife.^'J'he Rafter of an Houfe, and a Piece of Canoe fien floating on the JVater.—Tcmpeßuous Weather.—A turtle feenßeeping on the Sea^ —/feather becomesßormy as the American Coaß is approached.—Groß ihe Tracks of ihe Rcfohition and Tiifco-oery.— 'Error of the Ship's Reckoning ^c.—^ Sea Parrot feen for ihe ßrß Time.—Extraordinary Brightnefs in the j^tmofphere, and to what Caufe attributed. —The Coaß of Amcrica feen.—Princefs Rayal fails out of King George's Sound.—Dißrefs of the Felice, Si?;:.—Anchor in Friendly Cove i in King George* s Sound. ^^N the 3d of April, the weather became moderate, and the florm rhuifdayj fubfided ; but about noon, the wind fhifted to North Weft, and blew with extreme violence, accompanied by a flrong and mountainous fea. Our courfe was to the Eaü by North, under clofe reefed top-fails and fore-fail. The latitude was 24° 36' North, and the longitude li^f 39' Eall: of Greenwich. Towards night it again moderated, when we made fall ;~thc wijul now fliifted to the Eaft South Eaft, and we flood to the North Eafl till the 4th ; when the wind fixed itfelf in the North Eaft quarter, and Frd.y + we accordingly ftood to the North Weft, with fine and moderate weather. Ä In i7J)S. Ill this iituatlon, Inncl was feen hearing Eaft North Eaft, diftant eight ' leagues, immediately in the wind's eye, whicli prevented us from npproaching it. Our latitude at noon was 24° 44' North, and longitude, dcduccil from our laft lunar observations, [45" 41' Eafl of Greenwich. Wc regretted very much that we were not able to approach this land, as we knew,of none in this part of the Northern Pacific Ocean. As we were rtecring to the North Weft, we foon entirely loft figlit of it. Saturday i On the 5tli, tlie wind ftiifted to the South Eaft, which enabled us to fteer to the North Eaft, when at two o'clock in the afternoon we thought land was vifible to the Eaft South Eaft ; but the weather was io extremely hazy, that it could not be afcertaiaed whether it was land or a fog-bank. At tlirec, however, land was feen in the North Eaft right a-head, but tlje weather continued to be fotliick and foggy, tliat the direction in which it extended could not he difcerned. At half paft four, we were abreaft of it, at the diftance of five or fix milns, when it appeared to be an iQand, but of no great extent. It now rained very hard, and the atmofphere remained fo hazy, that our obfcrvations of the land were rather imperfect. It however appeared to be one of thoie barren ifles fo frequently found in thefe feas.—Its length might be fifteen or fixteen miles from North to South ; the ftiore feemed to be inacceffible to boats, from a great furf beating againft the rocks, which terminated abruptly in the fea. The interior parts of the country appeared to be bigh, and a few folitary trees were very fparingly fcattered on their declivities. We failed along the fliores of this ifland till fix o'clock, when another ifland opened to our view, which was fcparated from the former by a channcl of three or four leagues. It now blew very ftrong, with rain, and fo thick a fog, that we could fee no diftance a-head. Though Though the gale was fjivoiirable, vet, from the appearance of the 1788. weather, it was thought prudent to (liorten fail, and remain under fuch Ai-mi. as would eiinble us to haul to the wind on either tack, Tlis utmofl vigilance and attention was employed to giiard as much as poflible again ft any danger, and we failed, as ufual, all night with thccourfes hauled up ill the brails, "['hefe illes, of which we could not dlil:ern the number, were named Grampus Ifles, from feeing a large grampus fpouting up water clofe to the fliore, which is a vltj uncommon fight in thoie fcas. The night of the 5th, was very tempefluous, with conOaut rain ; but to confole us for thefe inconveniences, we had a fair gale, with which we made great way to the North Eaft. On the 6th, the wind fliifted to the North Wcfl:, which brought us Simdayt clear weather, and blew a fteady gale. At noon the latitude was 2-® 30' North, and the longitude 148" 37' Eaft. At tills time tiie variation of the compafs was 3° 20' Eaft. Our progrefs to the North now became very rapid, and wc experienced a very fudden trandtion from heat to cold. Having juft left a climate where the heats iiad been intenfe and oppreffive, it was very natural the aflive operations of cold fhould be very fenfibly felt by the whole crew. This circumftance however, enabled us to reduce the allowance of water from a gallon to five pints per man, without any inconvenience whatever arillng from fuch an alteratioiK The favourable gale at North Weft continued till the eighth at noon. Tuefday s The latitude then was 58' North, and the longitude 154° 19' Eaft._ Our principal objeft was to get to the North as fall as po/fiblc, in order to benefit by the ftrong Wefterly winds, as well as to nui down our lougitLida 17S8. longitude in an high latitude. This North Weft irale continued to Vis I'lURUARV. 1 /1 . the ill3rp piercing cold which has been already mentioned. AVcdriefday , q-j^c ^^xt tloy we pafTed by a conriderable quantity of rock-weed, Avhich we imagined to be but lately broken ofF, and for feveral days we had feen great numbers of birds. We were now confiderabiy to the Northward of the feveral fmall iflands fcattcred either within or about the tropic, in the Northern Pacific Ocean. We could not, tlierefore, form any probable coiijedare from whence this weed came, and whither the birds retired at nigtit, as they regularly left us about funfet, and took ■their flight to the Eaft. About nine o'clock In the morning, a fall was defcried from the mart-head, and, In about half an hour a large fhip was feen from the deck. She appeared to be under an extraordinary croud of fail, and exhibited a very fnigular figure, for not one of us, even with the afliftance of glalTes, could make out which way ßic was flandiug. The fight of a fhip in tJiofe feaj was fuch anunufual circumftauce, that for fome time conjcčlure was at a lofs concerning it. At length, however, it was determined to be a galleon, bound to China from New Spain, and by fome cafualty driven thus far to the Northward ; though the track of thofc fliips to Manilla, is generally betw^een the parallels of if and 14° North latitude. In confec^uence of this opinion, feveral letters were written to inform our friends in China of our fafety, and the progrefs we had made in the voyage. This extraordinary delufion, for it was no more, continued till we were within two leagues of the obječl; when, on viewing it with aglafs, It was difcovered to be an huge rock ftandlng alone amid the waters.—The firfl among ■us who became fenfible of the deception rem^iined filent, and diverted themfelves with the grange conjectures and humorous obfervatlons of t!ie /J ... -Jb»»- ... 'S-, ■ > - ■ f ^ •■'> • 'A.-. . •! - !-J • .-■»V • ipu IW^'.. v--;... ' -v : - ' - V V ^ tf/n^ft fyiAfn ^of a, //Tf/. he.^rinp KJS'K.iii/yaMt^ /.Mifiifj Miff,'. Mtaf30önhr\-* li*of ti» S4 the Tailors, one of wliotn was fo certain of its being a fhip, that he was 17S8, convinced he faw her colours. Its appearance did, indeed, very ftrongly refemble a firft-rate man of war, under a croud of fail; and fucli was its (hape, that, at a certain diftaiice, it held forth to the eye the form of every particular fail belonging to a fhip. As we ranged up with this rock, our furprife was proportionably augmented, and the failors were more than difpofed to believe that fome fiipernatural power had fuddenly transformed it into its prefent fliape. It obtained the name of Lot's IFife^ and is one of the moft wonderful objefts, taken in all its circum-ftances, which I ever beheld. By noon we were abreaft of it; when it bore Eafl Nortli Eafl: four miles. The latitude was 29® 50' North, and the longitude 142" 23' Eafl: of Greenwich. The waves broke againft its rugged front wJtii a fury proportioned to tlie immenfe difhance they had to roll before they were interrupted by it. It rofe almofl: perpendicular to the height, according to the tables, of near three hundred and fifty feet. A fmall black rock appeared jufl above the water, at about forty or fifty yards from its Weftern edge. There was a cavern on its South Eaft-ern fide, into which the waters rolled with an awful and tremendous aoife. In regarding this ftupendous rock, which flood alone in an immenfe ocean, we could not but confider it as an objeit which had been able to refift one of thofe great coiivulfions of nature tliat change the very form of thofe parts of the globe which they are permitted to defolate. This day, at noon, our latitude was 33^ iS' North, nnd the longitude i» 161° Eaft, with a fteady gale from the Southward, We paflcd by a great quantity of rock-weed, and faw feveral large flocks of birds. Ja the evening a piece of timber, which appeared to be the rafter of an houfe, ^ and 1788. ai^J apiece of a canoe, were fecn floating upon the water, and foon after AmiL. ^ fpgj.^ jjppej^i-cd to have been newly cut. Thefe were certain intücations of land, and occafioned, if poffible, an added exertion of vigilance, as this part of the Pacific Ocean is entirely unknown. In the evening of this day the weather bccame gloomy and overcaft, with every ufual appearance of an approaching ftorm. It blew ftrong Sunday 13 throughout the night, and on the following day, at noon, the gale was confiderably encreafed. The topgallant yards and marts were accordingly got down on deck, and every other precaution taken to provide againft the bad weather that threatened us. Our apprehenfions were fhortly realized; for about four o'clock, it blew with fuch violence from the South, that we were obliged to clofe reef tlie topfails, and hand the mainfail. The wind was accompanied with fmall rain and thick weather. We pafled by large quantities of weed; and the furface of the fea was covered with a reddiJh fpawn, that extended feveral miles. It foon after blew a perfc£l: florm; the topfails were therefore immediately handed, and we fcudded before it uiider a. forefail, followed by a very heavy fea.—In this fituation, we were overtaken by a moft violent gujft of wind, which made us apprehenfive of fome material dam;ige.—But very fortunately the topfails liad been handed in time, and, the forefail being now reefed, we continued to purfue our courfe. In this heavy guft the wind fliiftcd to the Well:, and raifed a very confufed fea, which broke on our decks, and endangered the boats ; but, in Ihifting its point,. Monday 14 the wind did not abate its violence, nor did at all fubfide till the 14th, when the latitude was 36° 20' North, and the longitude 167° It was determined to run down our longitude, as much as poffible, in the parallel of 40° North ; and, as it was an unknown track, we were not without the hope of meeting with land, previous to our gaining fight of I the the Continent of America, evident figns of which had been obferved by i;88. Captain Cook, as well as by us, in this latitude.-Indeed, from the various circumftances which have already been related, it is highly probable that there is land in this part of the Northern Pacific Occan. The tempeftuous weather continued till the 17th, when the wind Thurfdiy.? veered to Ea(l South Eaft, and blew with augmented violence. It moderated, however, at noon, wlien the latitude was 33° 51' North, and the longitude 175" 10' Mafl,—Though advanced lb far North, we this day paflcd a large turtle ileeping on the water, which being awakened by the noife of the flilp, immediately funk. I.arge flocks of birds ftill continued to frequent us, and the rock-weed became a common object.— We now experienced a great degree of cold, and the morning and evening air, in particular, was uncommonly lharp. The variation of the compafs was 9° 20' Eaft. Storm fucceeded florm till the 23d, when the weather broke, and wedncfdayij the wind moderated. Thele violent gales from tlie Northward and Weftward, not only brought with them a biting cold, but alfo fleet and (iiow, which made confiderable depredations on our Oock.—We felt however, the fatisfadion of having fair winds, principally from t]ie South Weft, from which quarter it blew very hard ; but when it fhlfted to the North Weft, it encreafed beyond the power of dcfcription, \vith a great and mountainous fea. We had fortunately embraced a favourable opportunity of bending a new fuit of fails, as the old ones muft have been (battered to pieces by the violence of thefe florms. The air was fliarp, like that of bleak frort in England, which more fcnfibly afFefted us, from our long continuance in tropical climates. Indeed we were not without occafional fliowers of Inow and hail. Flocks of birds, and large N 2 quantities 1788. qi'Jintitles of rock-weed, continued to encourage an anxious expeilation oneeingland. On the 23d, i\t noon, we pnffed the trunk of i large tree. Our latitude was 41° 35' North, and tlie longitude was 189° 2j' Eaft of Greenwich. We now began to draw nigh to the American fliore, which was a very defirable circuiijftance, as, among other preffiiig reafbns, the fhip was become extremely light, from the great expenditure of provifions and > water. W'e had, indeed, bec-n of hue extremely fortunate li) our winds, but much more fo In the health of the crew, who felt no other inconvenience but what arofe from fo quick a tranfitlon from heat to cold. TJmifdayi+ During the night it blew ftrong from the Weft North Weft, with cold rain. On the morning of the 24th the wind backed round to the Southward and Eaftward, a certain prelude of blowing weather; and at noon it blew fo hard as to oblige us to hand every lall; and, till three in the afternoon, we fufFercd as fierce a ftorm as we ever remembered to have feen, with a greater fea than we had hitherto experienced. There was alfo continual rain, and the cold did not abate it& feverity. Tiie rigging fuffered confiderably, and the fhip {trained very much in her rolling ; nor were we without our apprehenfions for the crippled foremaft. Bur, amid this fevere and tempeftuous weather, we enjoyed the confo-iarory refle : je- vf - !> t ■.Ä :. ^ j - r. i: : rC: r. ' ..I I- ■ i I ^ . V:' * ■i; ■''jif.;-«-- .1-r - t - ^^z^ j * * _ t '■-'rt'- ■ -•Sr,;,-.:^, ... ' * '' . . • . v. - , i,- ' ......... * ii 7'. Sr.'d',ir,i.,ir/. ftilp. Comekela, who for feveral days had been hi a ftate of the raoft 1788. anxious impatience, now enjoyed the inexpreffible delight of once more beholding his native land, to which he returned with the confcious pride of knowledge acquired by his voyage, and in the pofiefTion of thofe articles of utility or decoration, which would create the wonder, and en-creafe the refped of his nation. His joy, however, received no incon-fiderable Interruption from the ab fence of his brother Maquilla, the chief of King George's Sound, and his relation CalHcum,who ftood next in rank to the fovereign. Thefe chiefs were, at this time, on a vlfit of ceremony to Wicananifh, a powerful prince of a tribe to the Southward. Of this circumftance we were Informed by Hannapa, who In the ab-I'ence of the two fuperior chiefs was left in power at Nootka, and who was come on board to pay us a vifit. At this time Comekela was drefTcd in a fcarlet regimental coat, decorated with brafs buttons,—a military hat fet off with a flaunting cockade, decent linens, and other appendages of European drefs, which was far more than fufficient to excite the extreme admiration of his countrymen. Nor was Hannapa infcnhble to the appearance of Comekela ; for he regarded him not only with the molT: prying attention, but alfo witli ftrlknig cxpreffions of that envy which is a very prevalent paflion among the natives of this part of Amcrica. In a (hort time the fhip was furrounded.with a great number of canoes, which were filled with men, women andchildren ; they brouglit alfo confidcrable fiipplies of fiOi, and we did not hefuate a moment to purchafe an article fo very acceptable to people juft arrived from a long and toilfome voyage. In 1788. In the evening the weather cleared up, and Comekela prepared to go jvt a y oil fliore. The news of his intention was foon communicated to the village, which immediately poured forth all its inhabitants to wclcome him to his native home. Comekela had now arrayed himfelf in all his glory. His fcarlet coat was decorated with Tuch quantities of brafs buttons and copper additions of one kind or other, as could not fail of procuring him the moft profound refpeifl from his countrymen, and render him an objeft of the firft defire among the Nootka damfels. At leaft half a flieet of copper formed his breaft-plate; from his ears copper ornaments were fufpended, and he contrived to hang from his hair, which was drefled en queue, fo many handles of copper faucepans, that his head was kept back by the weight of them, in fuch a ftiff and upright pofition, as very much to heighten the fmgularity of his appearance. For various articles of his prefent pride Comekela had been in a ftate of continual hoftility with the cook, from whom he had contrived to purloin them ; but their lafl: and principal ftruggle was for an enormous fpit, which the American had feized as a fpear, to fwell the clrcumftance of that magnificence with which he was on the moment of dazzling the eyes of his countrymen ;—And fituated as we were, this important article of culinary fervice could not be denied him. In fuch a ftate of accoutrement, and feeling as much delight as ever fed the pride of the moft fplendid thrones of Europe or the Eaft, we fet out with him for the fliore, when a general Ihout and cry from the village aflured him of the univerfal joy which was felt on his return. The whole body of inhabitants moved towards the beach, and with a moft unpleafant howl, welcomed him on fhore. At the head of them appeared appeare(fh'is aunt, an old woman of about eighty years of age, and, from 1788. her appearance, might have been fuppofed to have lived in a continual flate of filth and dirtinefs from her birth to the moment in which we beheid fuch a difgufting objea. She embraced her nephew with great affeaion, and ihed the fcalding rheum of her eyes on the cheek of Comekela. After the firfl: cercmonies of welcome were over, and the firft gaze of admiration fatisfied, the whole company proceeded to the king's houfe, into which pcrfons of rank were alone permitted to enter, and where a magnificent fe;ift of whale blubber and oil was prepared : the whole company fat down with an appetite well fuited to the luxuries of the banquet: even the little children drank the oil with all the appearance of extreme gratification ; but Comekela's tafle fecmed to have been in fome degree vitiated by the Indian and European cookery, and he did not enjoy his native delicacies with the fame voracious gluttony as if his flo-mach had never known the variety of other food than that of Nootka. The evening was pafTed in great rejoicing ; their fongs and dancing continued during the greateft part of the night. We returned on board early in the evening; but we heard for a long time after the found of their fcftivity, Nootka is fituated on a rifing bank, which fronts the fea, and is backed and Ikirted with woods'^. In Friendly Cove the houfes are large, and in the common fafhion of the country. Each of thefe man-fions accommodates feveral families, and is divided into partitions, in the * A particular account of tlie village or town of Nootka, is referved for that part of tliis volume which will treat at large of the commerce, geography, &C. oftlie North Weft Coaft of America, manner ,788. manner of an EngllOi flable, "m which all kinds of dirt, mixed with May bhibber, oii and fifh, are difcovered by more fenles than one, to form a niafs of undefirable filthinefs. V\>dncrjjyi4 On the 14th, the weather was fufficlently fair to admit of our dif-patching a party on (liore to erečt a tent for the wooders and waterers, as well as one for the fail-makers. For this purpofe a fpot was chofen at a fmall diflauce from the village, and contiguous to a rivulet. The reft of the crew were employed in unreefing the running rigging, unbending the f^ils, and the other neceflary duties of thelhip. rnJay 16 On the :6th, a number of war canoes entered the cove, with Maquilla and Callicum; they moved with great parade round the fliip, fmging at the fame time a fong of a pleafiiig tliough fonorous melody :—there were twelve of thefe canoes, each of which contained about eighteen men, the greater part of whom were cloathed in drefles of the moft beautiful ikins of the fea otter, which covered them from their necks to their ancles. Their hair was powdered with the white down of birds, and their faces bedaubed with red and black ochre, in the form of a fhark's jaw, and a kind of fpiral line, which rendered their appearance extremely favage. In moft of thefe boats there were eight rowers on a fide, and a fnigleman fat in the bow. The chief occupied a place in the middle, and was alfo diltingoiflied by an high cap, pointed at the crown, and ornamented at top with a fmall tuft of feathers. We liftened to their fong with an equal degree of furprife and pleafure. It was, indeed, impoffible for any ear fufceptible of delight from mufical founds, or any mind that was not infenfibJe to the power of melody, to remain unmoved by this folemn, unexpeded concert. The chorus was in unifon, and flridtly corred as to time and tone; nor did a diffonant 5 note Mav. note efcape them. Sometimes they would make a fudden tranfition from 1788. the high to the low tones, with fuch melaiiclioly turns in their variations, that we could not reconcile to ourfelvesthe manner in whicli they acquired or contrived this more tlian untaught melody of nature.— There was alfo fomcthing for the eye as well as the ear; and the adioii which accompanied their voices, added very much to the impreffion which the chaunting made upon us all. Every one beat time with undeviatlng regularity, againft the gunwale of tlie boat, with their paddles ; and at the end of every verfe or ftanza, they pointed with extended arms to the North and the South, gradually finking their voices in fuch a folemn manner, as to produce an efFcčl not often attained by the or-cheftras in our quarter of the globe. They paddled round our fhip twice in this manner, uniformly rifing up w^hen they came to the ftern, and calling out the word uoacuß^ vjacußi^ or friends. They then brought their canoes along-fide, when Maquilla and Callicum came on board. The former appeared to be about thirty years, of a middle fize, but extremely well made, and pofleffiiig a countenance that was formed to intereft all who faw him. The latter feem-cd to be ten years older, of an athletic make, and a fine open arrangement of features, that united regard and confidence. The infeiior people were proper and very perfonable men. A feal-ikin filled with oil was imme-d lately handed on board, of which the chiefs took a fmall quantity, and then ordered it to be returned to the people hi the canoes, who foon emptied the veffel of this luxurious liquor. •A prefent, confifting of copper. Iron, and other gratifying articles, was made to Maquilla and Callicum, who, on receiving it, took off their fea-otter garments, threw them, in the moil graceful manner, at P our 17SS. our feet, and remained in the unattired garb of nature on the deck.— They were each of them In return prefented with a blanket,—when with every mark of the highefl; fatisfafllon, they defcendcd into their canoes, which were paddled huftily to the fhore. The manner in which thefe people give and reccive prefents is, \vc believe, peculiar to themfelves. However coftly the gift may be in their own eyes, they wifii to take away all idea of conferring any obligation on the receiver of it. We have feen two chiefs meet on a vifit of ceremony provided with prefents of the richeft furs, which they flung before each other with an air that marked the moft generous friendHiip, and rivalled tiiat amiable interchange of kindiiefs which diftinguilhes the more polifl^cd nations of the world. Sundayi5 From the time of our arrival at Nootka to the 25th, we had much bad weather ; but that circumftance, however unpleafant, did not prevent us from engaging in the different operations we had in view. Maqnilla had not only moft readily confented to grant us a fpot of ground in his territory, whereon an houfe might be built for the accommodation of the people we Intended to leave there, but had pj'omifed us alfo his aiTifiance in forwarding our works, and his proteftion of the party who were defined to remain at Nootka during our abfence. In return for this kindnefs, and to enfure a continuance of it, the chief was prefented with a pair of piftols, which he had regarded with an eye of folicitation ever fince our arrival. Callicum, who feemed to have formed a mofl: affectionate attachment to us, was alfo gratified, as well as the ladles of his family, with fuitable prefents : it indeed became our more immediate attention to confirm his regard, as he had been appointed by Maquilla to be our particular guardian and protestor, and had the moft peremptory injunctions to prevent the natives from making any depredations on us, I But But however difpofed we might be to rely on the frienclfliip of thefe 1788. chiefs, we thought it prudent, during the negotiation between us, to inform them of our power, by expLilnlng the force wc polTcfled, and the mode of applying it, in cafe they fliould at any time cliange their prefent difpofitions towards us. We wiflied to operate on their fears as well as their gratitude, in order to fecure, with greater certainty, the objekt of our voyage. Great advances were made in building the houfe, which on the 28th Wedi.cfdayts was completely finifhed. In the very expeditious accompllftiment of this important work, the natives afforded iis all the affiftance in their power, not only by bringing the timber from tlie woods, but by readily engaging in any and every fervice that was required of them. When the bell rung for our people to leave off work in the evening, the native labourers were always aflembled to receive their daily pay, which was dlftri-buted in certain proportions of beads or iron. Such a proceeding on our part, won fo much upon their regard and confidence, that we could not find employment for the numbers that continually foliclted to engage in our fervice. The houfe was fufEciently fpacious to contain all the party intended to be left in the Sound.—On the ground-floor there was ample room for the coopers, fail makers and other artizans to work in bad weather : a large room was alfo Tet apart for the ftores and provifions, and the armourer's fhop was attached to one end of the building and communicated with it. The upper ftory was divided into an eathig room and chambers for the party. On the whole, our houfe, though it was not built to fatlsfy a lover of archltedLiral beauty, was admirably well calculated for the purpofe to which it was deftiaed, and appeared to be a ftrufture of uncommon magnificence to the natives of King George's Sound. P 2 A ftrong i J UN K 7S3. A rtrong bread-work was thrown up round the houfe, enclofing a con-flderable area of ground, which, with one piece of cannon, placed in fuch a manner as to command the cove and village of Nootka, formed a fortification fufficient to fccure the party from any intrufion. Without this breafl-work, was laid the keel of a vcfld of 40 or 50 tons, which was now to be built agreeable to our former determinations. 'fliurfday 5 Ey the 5th of June, our operations were confiderably advanced ; the fi-iips had been caulked, the rigging repaired, and the fiils were overhauled ;—flone balbfl: had been received on board, as we found the danger of fand ballafi:, on account of its choaking the pumps, and the fliip was wooded, watered, and got ready forfea. All this various and neceflary bufinels was done, tliough the weather had been very indifferent from the time of our arrival, having had almofl: continual heavy rains, with foutherly winds. Thefe rains had entirely wafhed the fnow from off the ground, and except on the fummits of the mountains and the higher hills, fmall patches of it only were now to be feen ; but vegetation was ftlll very backward, and changed but by a very gentle gradation the dreary appearance of the country on our arrival. The party deftlned to remain on fhore were bufily employed In their various occupations: .fome were engaged In bringing the timber from the woods at a great diftance, and through a thick foreft of-very difficult pafl'age ; others in fawing and fhaplng It for the feveral purpofes to which it was to be applied, while the armourers were bufy in making bolts, nails, &c. ready for ufe, or forging iron into the neceifary articles of trade; fo that, by proceeding on a fyftem of order and regularity, we had, la a very little time, formed our new dock-yard, in which the carpenters had already laid the keel, and ralfed, bolted and fixed the ftern and ftern-poft ; fo that expedation had but a little while to look ^ forward. forward, till it would be gratified In feeing this veflel fit for the fervice 1788. . to which it was deftiiicd. If hiflories of navigation were written merely to amufe the lelfure hours of the rich, or to fatlsfy the eager enquiries of the philofopher, much of the minute parts of fuch a work as t4ils would be necefikrlly omitted, as unentertalning to the one, or beneath the notice of the other ; but narratives of voyages are applicable to other purpofcs; and, if they fliould not prove liiftručlive to future navigators—if they ftiould not tend to aid and facilitate the progrefs of comiiiercial cnterprlze, the difficullies and dangers of fuch voyages muft have been encountered in vain, and the time employed in writing an account of them be added tö the wafte of life. The good harmony and friendly intercourfe which fubfifted bstween lis and the natives, will, we trufl:, be confidercd as a proof that our con-dud was regulated by the principles of humane policy; while the generous and hofpitable demeanour of our faithful allies will convey a favourable idea of their character, when treated with that klndnefs which iinenlightened nature demands, and is the true objeČt of commercial policy to employ. The various offices of perfonal attachment which we received from many individuals of thefe people, were fufficient to convince us that gratitude is a virtue well known on this diftant fhore,—and that a noble fenfibllity to offices of klndnefs was to be found among the woods of Nootka.-Callicum poflefTed a delicacy of mind and conduft which ■would have done honour to the moft improved llate of our civilization ; a thoufand inftances of regard and affection towards us might be related of this amiable man, who is now no more j and the only return tliat we can 1788. can make for his frieudfhip Is to record it, with every exprefTloii of horror and deteftatlou of that inhnman and wanton fplrlt of murder, which deprived his country of Its brlghteft ornament, the future navigator of a protedlng friend,—and drove an unoffending and ufeful people from their native home, to find a new habitation in the diftant de-fart». * Tins amiable chief was (hot througli the body in the month of June, 17S9, by an officcr on board one of the ihips of Doti Jofcph Stephen Martinez, Tlie following particulars we received from the mafter of the North Weft America, a young gentleman of the jTioft correft veracity, who was himfelf a mournful wltnefs of the inhuman a£t• Caliicum, his wife and child, came in a fmall canoe, with a prefent of fifli, along-fule the Princefla, the commodore's fliip , and, the fifh being taken from him in a rough and unwelcome manner, before lie could prefent it to the commander,—the chief was fo incenfed Ät this behaviour, that he immediately left the (hip, exclaiming as he departed, peßme, feß>ae / the meaning of which is, bad, bad 1—This conduft was confidered as fo ofFcnfive, that he was immediately fliot from the quarter-deck, by a ball, through the heart. The body on receiving the ball, fprung over the fide of the canoe and immediately funk. The wife wai taken with her child, in a flate of ftupefaftion to the fliore by feme of her friends, who were witnefles of this inhuman cataftrophe. Shortly after, however, the father of Caliicum ventured on board the SpaniÜi Ihip, to beg permiflion to creep for the body beneath the water, when this fad requeft of parental forrow was rcfufed, till the poor afHirtcd favage had collefted a fuflicient number of (kins among his neighbours to purchafe, of chriflians, the privilege of giving fepulture to a fon whom tbey had murdered. The body was foon found, and followed to its place of interment by the lamenting widow, attended by all the inhabitants of the Sound, who exprefled the keenefl forrows for a chief whom they foved, and to whofe virtues it becomes our duty to give the grateful tefliaiony of merited afFeftion. CHAP. 1788: jutle. CHAP. X, Methods employed by the Natives io advance the Price of Sea Otters Skins.— Hjeir Superiority in arranging iheir Bargains betiijeen us.—Conduä of Comehla,—Made a Chief through our Influence.—His Marriage.—'The Magnificence of the Entertainment on the Occafion,—MaquUla and his Chiefs affeči our Dreß and Manners.—Valuable Prefent of Maquilla.—A Grindßone folen.—An human Hand offered for Sale,—Narrow Efcape of the Natives on the Occafion.-^Melancholy Löfs of Part of the Creiv of the Imperial Eagle, in 1787.—-Sufpicion that Maquilla is a Cannibal.—Extraordinary Pillonv of Callicum.—'The Inhabitants of Friendly Cove remove to a fmall Dißancc. —The Reafons and Facility of iheir Removal.—A young Otter brought for Sale. TN the interval between our arrival and the fifth of June, a very brifk trade had been carried on for furs, and we had procured npwards of one hundred and forty fea otter ftins. On our firft arrival we had flipu-Jated a certain price for every different kind of fur, according to its value; but in the whole bufmefs of this trafRc they availed them iel ves of every advantage ; and it was our interefl, from the views of future benefit, to fubmit to any deviation they attempted to make from their original agreement. After fome little time they changcd the whole order of their traffic with us; and inftead of common barter, according to the diftinčl value of 1788. of die arttclcä exchanged, the whole of our mercantile dealings was car-ricj on Iiy making reciprocal prefents ; the ceremony of which was accompanied witii the vitmoft dilphy of their pride and hofpitality.—The particulars of thefe cuftoms are related at large in that part of the work which is more particularly afllgued to commercial Information. Whenever Maquilla or Callicum thought proper to make us a prcient, one of their perlbnal attendants was lent to requefl: the company of the I'igbee, or Captain, on fliore, who always accepted the invitation, chargt-'d with fuch articles as were intended to be prefented in return. On our arrival at the habitation of the chiefs, where a great number of fpe^lators attended to fee the ceremony, the fea otter ikins were produced with great flioutings and g'^ftures of exultation, and then laid at our feet. The filence of especlatlon then fucceeded among them, and their moft eager attention was employed on the returns we fliould make; nor can it be fuppofed, that, confidering our credit as Britifli merchants, we were deficient in affording the expected fatisfaflion:—befides, it had been artfully enough hinted by our Nootka friends, that as foon as their prefent ftock of Ikins was exhaufted, they fhould go upon an expedition to procure more; and this was one circumflance, among others, which naturally tended to i|Liicken the fpirlt of commerce between us. Sincc the firfl difcoveiy of this Sound by Captain Cook, feveral fliips had arrived there for the purpofe of trading with the natives, who had acquired a greater degree of civilization from fuch a communication than we expeftedto have found amongil them;—but it was a matter of fome furprize to us, that they appeared, at leaft to our obfervation, totally dtflitute of European articles: for, of all the iron, copper, beads, &c. which they muft have received in return for their furs, not a particle of them them was now to be feen ;—nor is It eafy to conjedure in what manner 1788. they had contrived, in fo fliort a titrie, to diflipate their trenfures. J"'''- The ficklenefs that they at times difcovered in their traffic, was occa-fionally very troubiefome. At one time copper 'was their favourite obf ječi; at another, iron was the only commodity in eftimation among them ; beads would alfo have their turn of preference. But this hefita-tion in their choice was generally determined by a medley of them all. Comekela was, at firfl;, very ailive in forwarding our commercial arrangement ; but he had become very deficient in his native tongue, and he now fpoke fuch a jargon of the Chlntfe, EngHüi, and Nootkan languages, as to be by no means a ready interpreter between us and the natives v-—befides, in returning to the manners of his country, he began to prefer the interefts of his countrymen, and, amidft the renewed luxuries of whale flefli, blubber and oil, to forget the very great kindneffes wc had beftowed upon him,—But as he had, through our influence, been ralfed Into a fituation of truft and honour, it was notour Interefl to unfold our fufpicions of Iiis duplicity and ingratitude towards us." Maquilla had con^mitttd to him the care of his moü valuable treafures, among which was a brafs mortar, left by Captain Cook, which was held in the higheft degree of tftimation by the Nootka Chief. This piece of culinary furniture was elevated from a ftate of fervile ufe, to become a fymbol of royal magnificence. It was kept extremely bright, and, in vifits, or meetings of ceremony, it was borne before Maquilla, to aid the fplenrlor of the regal character.—It was therefore an obje<5t rather tu recall his former difpofirions towards us, by the continuance of our friendfhip, than to jiiftlfy his deviation from that regard which it was his duty to manif(.{l in our favour. We therefore exerted our Influence with his brother Maquilla, to elevate him at once to the character of chief, Q^ by 17S8. by marrying him to a woman of rank in his own diftrlčt. This favour was immediately granted to our follcitatlon, and we were invited to the nuptials, which were folemnized with all poffible magnificence,—Half a whale, a large quantity of other fifh, with all adequate proportion of oil, formed the fumptuous part of this entertainment, which was ferved with a furprizing degree of regularity to near three hundred people, who conducted themfelves with great order, and exprefl'ed extreme fatisfačtion at the fplendor and hofpitality of their chief. Friday 6 On the 6th, a meffenger came on board from Maquilla, with the information that he was preparing to make us a very fuperb prefent, and to dtfire our attendance on fhore, in order to receive it.—We immediately waited • on the clilcf, and found him dreflcd in an European fuit ofcloaths, with a ruffled fhirt, and [lis hair queued and powdered :—thefe decorations of his perfon were part of thofe prefents which Comekela had received from us, and were, with, all their weight of copper ornaments, confidered as a proud diftinčtion of Nootka royalty. The king was furroundud with feveral chiefs, who were all adorned with fome particular article of Engllfli drefs, which appeared to afford an uncommon gratification to their vanity; and, on this occafion, they had cleanfed their faccs from all the oil and ochre with which they were ufualJy bedaubed.—Indeed, the metamorphofis was of fuch a nature, as, on our firfl entering the houfe, to puzzle us a little in the recognition of our friends. This circumftance afforded them confiderablff entertainment, which was followed by their rifing up and imitating our mode of falutatlon. The manner of taking off their hats, the curious geftures they fell into, in fcraping and bowing to each other, with a few Englilh words which they had acquired, and now repeated aloud, without connečtion or underftandlng, compofed a fcene with which they were delighted, and we could not be dlfpleafed. When thefe good-humoured ceremonies were over. over, the chief ordered feveral very fine fea otter fkins to be produced 1788. before us, and afterwards fent on board the (hip; to which he added a very fine deer, that had been jufl killed in the woods by one of his people. We were not backward in making a fuitablc prefent to Ma-quilla ; and, on our return to the fliip, we found that theotter-fklns had preceded us. The arrival of Comekela had infpired thefe people with a decided preference for the articles of European drefs;—an hat, a Ihoe, or a ftocking, would generally turn the balance of commercial negotiation in our favour:—nor did we neglečl any motives in our power to encourage a fancy which might promote the ufe of woollens amongft them. On the 7th, a complaint was made by the cooper that his grindftone Saturday 7 had been ftolen by the natives.—This was the firft of depredation that we had fuffered ;—indeed the different fhips that had vifited the Sound before us are faid to have endured a fmiilar lofs. We had obferved that the attention of the people hrid been principally directed to this ftone, being convinced that it contained fome peculiar charm, by which it communicated, with fuch little trouble, fo fliarp an edge to our iron ; an operation which they found a matter of no common difficulty. The lofs of this article was of fome Importance ; and every means was exerted to recover it, but in vain ;—even our application to Maqullla was not attended with the ufualfuccefs—It was, however, thought more prudent to connive at the theft, than engage in a difpute with the people;—we therefore contented ourfelves with ifiulng Ürl6t orders that none of the natives, except the chiefs, Ihould, in future, be admitted within the breaft-work that furrounded the houfe. On 17S8. On the 8th, a Grange canoe with feveral people in it entered the cove, and, iilliy s coming alongfide the fliip, fold us a fmall number of fea otter ikins :—they alfo offered for fale an human hand, dried and flirivclled up j the fingers of w]iich were compleat, and the nails long; but our horror may be better conctivcd than exprefled, when we faw a feal hanging from the ear of one of the men in the canoe, which was known to have belonged to the unfoitunate Mr. Millar, of tlie Imperial Eagle, whofe melancholy hiftory was perfectly well known to every one on board*. The failors fcarcely hcfitated a moment in expreffing their-opinion that it mufl have been the hand of Mr. Millar, and that the people before them were the murderers of that officer. This fufpicion would have caufed the certain death of our vifitors, if it had not been fuggefted that the feal in queftion might have been transferred, by a fucccliion of barters, to tlie prefeat polieflbr.— The being in pofTefnon of the hand was, however, confidered as fo preponderating a circuraflance, that it was no eafy matter to keep the failors in due bounds ; and who, after all, could not be retrained from driving thefe people away from the fliip, with every mark of infult and deteftatlon. They proved, however, to be innocent of the crime of which they had been fufpečled; as we were aflured, the next day, by Ma-quilla himfelf, on his own knowledge, that they had received the articles ■which had occafioned fo mnch difgufl: to us, in the way of trade, from the natives of Q^eenhythe, which was the very place where Mr. Millar and his aflbciates had been murdered,—But the chief did not attempt to, • The Imperial Eagle was a fhip emploved to colleft fars on the Coaft of America, in., the year 1 787. In the courfe of this bufineis, the Captain difpatched his long-boat from King George's Sound, on a trading expedition as far as 47" North; fhe then anchored R-bicaft of a river, the (hallows at whofe entrance prevented the long-boat from getting into it. A fmail boat, however, which was aitached to the other, was fent up the river with Mr. Millar, an olRcer of the Imperial Eagle, another young gciitieman, and four fcamen.— They continued rowing till they came to a village, where they were fuppofed to have been fcized and murdered by the natives, as their cloaths were afterwards found ftained vriib blood. deny deny that the hand had belonged to one of our unhappy countrymen ; 1788. and, from his manifefl confufion ia con verfing on this fubje£l, and various other concurring circumftances, which will be related hereafter, we were very much difpofed to believe that Maquilla himfelf was a cannibal. There is, indeed, too much reafon to apprehend that the horrible traffic for hunrian flefli extends, more or lefs, along this part of the continent of America. Even our friend Callicum repofed his head, at night, upon a large bag, filled with human fliulls, which he fhewed as the trophies of his fjpcrior courage ; and jt is more than probable, that the bodies of the victims to which they belonged, had farnifhed a banquet of victory for Iiim, and the warriors that Hiared his favage glory. On the fame day Wicananiih, a powerful chief to the Southward, at whofe court Maquilla was vifiting when we arrived in tlie Sound, came to return the vilit, with two war canoes, and the greater part of his numerous fuite fuperbly drefled in furs of the highefl eftimation. Thefe people were of a more thriving appearance than our friends at Nootka, which arofe, probably, from their being fituated on a part of the coaft where whales were in greater plenty;—for this article, on which much'of the fuftenance, and all their luxury depended, was beginning to be fcarce in Nootka Sound. Wicananiih paid us a formal vifit on board the Felice, and invited us to his place of refidence, with a promife of great abundance of furs ;—but we could not, at prefent, tempt him, or any of his attendants, by any articles in our pofleffion, to part with, the beautiful drcffes which they wore. On the loth, we obferved a general commotion throughout the il- Tuefday i» lagc, and, in a fliort time, as if by enchantment, the greater part of t!ie houfes difappeared.—When we went on fhore, Maquilla informed us t!iat 5 his 1788. his people were preparing to remove to a bay which was at the dlftance of about two miles from the Sound, on account of the great quantities of fifh which reforted thither, not only to procure a prefent ftock of whale and other fifli, but to take tlie earlieft opportunity to prepare for their winter's fubfiftence. The manner in which the houfes of Nootka are conflrufted, renders the embarkations as well as debarkations a work of little time and ready execution, fb that a large and populous village is entirely removed to a different ftation with as much eafe as any other water carriage. But a rnore particular account of thefe and fmiilar circumftances relating to the manners and cuftomsof thefe North Weftern Americans, will, as we have before had occafion to obferv.e, be given in another part of this volume. Several young Tea otters were brought on board for fale, which found no purchafers. One of them was brought alive ; the dams and all their whelps had been killed by Maqullla, except this, which, however, had met with feme very rough treatment, as one of its eyes had been evidently forced out of its focket. It was very fmall, made a nolfe exactly like a young cljilcl, and was the mofl; animated crcaturc we had ever feen among the brute race.—After keeping it a day or two, we threw it into the fea, in order to let it efcape; but, to our great furprize, we found that it could neither dive or fwim, but continued flouncing about in the water till we retook it on board, when it foon after died from the bruifes it had received.—This circuraftance is, however, eafily accounted for, as the dam of the fea otter is well known to carry its young ones on its back till a certain period, when they have acquired both ftrength and habit to take care of themfclves. CHAP. CHAP. XL Ship prepares to put to Sea,—I'he Pinnace ftokn by the Natives,—Impojibihty cf recovering her.—Some uneaßnejfes on board the Ship.—Officers and Party intended to be left onßore, landed.—Provißons made for equipping the New Feßl.—the Safety of the Party confuJted.—Progrefs of the New P'ejel, —Health of the Crew,—Supplies of Fiß.—A formal Vifit to Maquilla^ and Renewal of the "trcty, ^c__He is made acquainted with the probable I'ime of /äf Iphigenia's Arrival__Re quefls a Letter for the Captain.— Our /Ißonißment at his Knowledge, and by what Means it was obtained.— Story of Mr. Maccay.—Callicum arrives from hunting the Sea Otter.— Articles which had belonged to Sir J^feph Banks m his Poßsßon.—'The Ship puts to . Sea.—Plan of future Proceedings, ^c. 17S8. JUNS. ON the nth of Jane, the weather being fine and moderate, the fhip Wtdnefdayi was unmoored and towed by the boats out of Friendly Cove, in order to put to fea : it had been our intention to have departed on the 9th, but we fufFered an accident which very much dlftreßed us : this was no lefs than the lofs of the Pinnace, a very large fine boat, and the only one of the kind we had. We were difpofed to believe at firfl:, that fhe broke adrift from the fhip in the night, in a gufl of wind, without being perceived by the watch butin the morning fhe was not to be feen, and both boats and canoes were difpatched in fearch of her, but to no purpofe of fuccefs. Large rewards were then offered to the natives if they would reftore her, as, from a variety of circumftances, we had no doubt but that ftie was in their poffeffion. Maquilla and Cal- Ileum 1783. licumboth afferted their Innocence in the ftrongeft terms; but It afterwards appeared, as we fufpeded, that the boat had been ftolen and broken up for the fake of the iron and nails, which were afterwards dif-perfcd throughout'the Sound. This theft threatened, at firft, a rupture between us and the chief; and while there were any hopes of producing the reftoration of the Pinnace, we aflumed rather an appearance of refentment; but when we were convinced that the recovery of the boat was impracticable, we let the matter pafs over without any further buflle or difturbance. Had we, indeed, proceeded to take any fteps towards a retaliation, it would probably have occafioned a breach between us and the chief of Nootka, which might have been difadvantageous to our commercial objefts in, general, and been attended with evident danger to tlie party we fliould leave behind us. We therefore contented ourfelves wir h warning Ma-quilla againfl: any depredations of a fimilar natiire, and fiifpending the quarter-makers from their Nations, as it was from their negled that this very diftrefling inconvcnience proceeded. There ftill continued to lurk amongfl: tlie crew thofe fymptoms of mutiny which had, at times, difcovered itfelf in the early part of the voyage^ though we bad flattered ourfelves that it was entiiely eradicated previous to our arrival at Samboingan. The boatfwain had lately failed in that refp^it to the officers which the duties of his Nation indifpen-fably obliged him to obferve. But a proper degree of fpirit and exertion checked fuch nienachig condud, and he was degraded from his fituation to the inferior duty before the maft. Another boatfwain was appointed in his ftead, and the whole of this proceeding was entered in the log-book. On On the day previous to our departure we knded the officers and party iy88. who were to remain on Ihore with the carpenters, in order to compleat the veffel. Proper Iiiftrudions were left with the commanding officer, fhould the Felice fail in her propofed return, or any fatality happen either to her or the Iphigenie, who was expefted in the Sound by the latter end of the autumn. In cafe fuch an accumulated misfortune fiiculd befal the expedition, we left every neceflary ftore to equip the new veflel for fea, witli fufficient provifions to carry her to the Sandwich Iflands, where fhe would be able to obtain fufficient refrelhment to enable her to proceed to China. It was but a neceflary duty to guard, aa well as we were able, againft eveiy poffible calamity ; the fhip's company did not appear to feel any impreirions of an unfiivourable omen, and we left our friends on Hiore with the mofl chearing hopes of finding therti at our return, in a fituation of great advantage and comfort. But, independent of the veirel,we hoped to reap very confidcrable benefits from the party on fliore ; at leaft we had every reafon to expe£t that they would collečl all the furs taken by the inhabitants of King George's Sound during the fummer months, which we knew mull: be confiderable. We were, at all events, very certain that they would remain free from difturbance and moleflation ; for befides a piece of cannon mounted on the works, the little fort was well fupplied with arms and ammunition; and the garrifoii, including the artificers, was fully fufficient to defend it againftany power that could be brought againft it. The veflel was in great forwardnefs, feveral of her floor timbers were laid, and the armourers had prepared a large quantity of nails and bolts. There was efhabll(hed, befides, a very convenient rope-walk, and we had already begun to manufa^ure that eflential article. So that, if all the circumlliances of ereding a comfortable and commodious Iioufe, ballafting ^ nnd 1788, and equipping the Felice for fea, and the laborious bufinefs of procuring timber and preparing materials for the conftruftion of the new vefiels, with Tome few neceflary attentions to our commercial arrangements, be confidered, the accufation of idlenefs or negligence, would be the laft that the muft unrefle£llng injuftice could lay to our charge. On our firft arrival in the Sound the country appeared moifl:, dreary, and uncomfortable ; but we obferved very little fnow then on the ground, and that little was quickly wafhed away by the heavy rains which fuc-ceeded our arrivalwe found the air remarkably mild, and the frefh greens and onions, which were in the greateft abundance, foon reftored the invalids we had on board to a ftate of perfeä: health. Our fupplies of fifli were conftant and regular, and the natives never failed to bring to daily as much of this article as they could fpare from the demands of home confumption. On the eve of our departure, a formal vifit was paid Maquilla, in order to acquaint him that on the next day we propofcd to leave the Sound. We made him underfland that it would be three or four months before ourfhip would return, and about what time we fuppofed the vellel on the ftocks would be launched. They callcd the latter Ma^naike or Hiip, and the former "Tigbee Mamaike^ or great (liip.-The chief was alfo re- quefted to fhevv every mark of attention and friendfliip to the party we fhould leave on fhore ; and as a bribe to fccure his attachment, he was promifcd that when we finally left the coafl:, he fhould enter into full pofleffion of thehoufe and all the goods and chattels thereunto belonging. As a proof of our immediate regard, he was prefented with a fuit of cloaths covered with metal buttons, In his eyes of extraordinary eftima-tion; feveral prefents were made to the ladies of his family ; and as we were were taking our leave, an old lady, the aunt of Comekela, whom we have 1788. already (lefcribed as a mafs of age and filthinefs, requefted, in a very J"'««-earneft manner, tobe indulged with a pair of buckles, which, immediately on her recelvhig them, were hung in her ears with the fame pride that European beauty feels in decorating its charms with the gems of India. Maquilb, who was glowing with delight at the attentions wc liad paid him, readily granted every requefl: we thought proper to make, and confirmed, with t!ie ftrongeft afluraiiccs of good fi^ith, the treaty of frlendOiip which had been already entered into between us. He was now alfo informed that another fhip was expelled in the Sound, which might probably arrive in our abfence, atid that the Captain of this (hip was our particuLir friend. On receiving this intelligence, he very much aftontilied us by tlemandiiig, witliout tlie leaft hefitation, that we would leave a letter with liim for our friend, tlie cliief. We [lad not the leaft idea that thele people had the moft imjierfečt notion of our poflefling the faculty of communicating our thoughts to each other on paper; and curiofity was InAantly awake to know by what means they could pof-fibly have acquired luch an article of information. It was, however, foon fuggefted to us, that thefe people obtained their knowledge from a Mr. Maccay, who had remaitied, we believe, upwards of fourteen months among them, during which time he had kept a journal, which we have feen, and the circumftance of which cannot be pafied over without fome account of the bufinefs which occafioned his being left to nothing better than favage life. The fliips Captain Cock and Experiment had been equipped under, the direction of Mr. Scot, —whofe mercantile experience and fplrit arc acknowledged in Europe as well as in India, — from Bombay to America, for the purpofe of collečling furs;—they arrived on the R 3 coaft 1788. coafl: ill the year 1786, and left Mr. Maccay, the furgeoii's mate oa board one of them, with his own entire coafent and approbation, under the proteiflion of Maquilla. Mr. Strange, who had the fuperintendence of thefe (hips, entertained an opinion that very great commercial effedls might proceed from leaving Mr. Maccay with the natives of King George's Sound, to learn their language, cufloms and manners. He was, therefore, accordingly left in the year 1786, and continued with them till 17S7, when he embarked for China on board the Imperial Eagle. Though this gentleman iiad been furnlfhed with cloaths and provifions for his fl:ay at Nootka, he was reduced to the level of a favage, and we hardly could conceive how it was poffible for an European conftltudon to fupport itfelf with food averfe to its habits and its nature,—to live in every fpecles of filth, and fatlsfy even hunger with traui oil and blubber. But this was not all,—during Mr. Maccay's flay, from tlie length and feverlty of the winter, a famine reigned at Nootka Sound : the flock of dried fifli was expended, and no frefh fuppllcs of any kind was to be caught ; fo that the natives were obliged to fiibmlt to a llated allowance, and the chiefs brought every day to our countrymen^ the ftatcdmcal of feven dried herrings heads. The perufal of this gentleman's journal would (hock any mind thifflurcd with humanity. The favages, however, gave him a wife, and once or twice took him with them to feafts and dlftant parts; and we can vouch, whatever their condučl may have been, that both the chiefs at Nootka and Wican.anifh enquired con^ cerning his welfare as if they felt the afFe^liou for him wliich tliey exprefied.. Maquilla was therefore indulged with a letter agreeable to his requeft ; and we were not long in making the difcovery, that a dread of the Iphi- genia^s geiila's arrival would prove a ftronger proteOion to our party, than all 1788. the kindiiefs we had bcftowed on, and ail the proniifes which we had received from him. Callicum, who had been gone for fome time to hunt otters, was now returned, and it gave us no little fatisfačUon that the chief on whom we had the moft reliance, and who was the profeflld protCiStor and patron of our party, was come back to Nootkn, previous to our departure from It. The ufual tokens of friendHiip paflcd between us; but, in return for the prefent we now made him, he furprifed us with three pieces of a brafly metal formed like cricket bats, on which the remains of the name and arms of Sir Jofeph Banks, and the date of the year J 775, were very evident. On one of them the engraving was not fb much injured as to prevent the whole of it from being very intelligible ; on the others, part of thefe diftinit marks was worn out. But thefe tokens of regard were returned to the amiable chief, to continue the remembrance of the original donor of them, to whofe enterprifing and philofophic fpirit we may be fiid to be in a great meafure indebted for the difcovery of a coaft, whicli, in fplte of every impediment, will, I truft, prove a fource of beneficial commerce to our country. On putting to fea, it was determined to trace the Southern part of ■ the coaft from King George's Sound, as the Iphigenia was to trace the; Northern part of it, from Cook's River to the fame place ; by which arrangement the whole of the American continent from 6o® to 45° North' would be explored, with various intermediate places which were not examined by Captain Cook. We accordingly fet fall, after having given, repeated inftru£tion3 to tlie party we left behind, to hold themfclves continually on their guard againft the natives,—and to be extremely attentive to preferve the moft perfečt harmony with the Inhabitants of Nootka Sound, CHAP. j-88, Juxr. C H A P. XII. The chiefsHanna and Detootche vifit the Ship on her Way to the Reßdence cf Wi-cananißu —Wicananiß) arrives on board, and pilots the Ship into his Road-fed.—Numbers of the Inhabitants ccmc off to the Ship.—The Face of the C' U?i>ry arid the Village of Wicananißi dfcribed,—F'fii paid to the Chief.— Tiefcripiion of his Houfc.—Their Ingenuity a Subječi of yjßonißment.-lm-menfe Family oj iVicananiß.—His Opiilcnce, Riches, and Mode of Feaßing.— Prcfcnts made tc JFiccnaniß.— The high Valve fet on Tea-kcillcs,—The magnificent Return made to our Prefents.^The JVivcs of IViamatiiß}, their Beauty, UL'ilh the Prefenis made to them.— Briß Trade carrieß rm uvith the Katives.—Refreßments procured.—Trade with the Chief. — Murder of a Stranger by the People of the Village,—The Ship obliged by bad IVeathir to enter the inner Port, named Port Cox, WedneAlayti ^^JsJ the 11 th of Juiic la the evening, we were purfuing our courfe to the South at the clifl:;i[ice of three miles from the Hiore, when, at funfet. Breaker's Point, which forms the Eafteni (hore of the entrance of King George's Sountl, hore in t!ie direction of North Weft half Weft, and point appeared ftretching to tiie Southward ofBreaker's Point, which obtained the name of Half-way Point, on account of its being about midway between King (jcorge's Sound and the refidence of Wicananiili. This point bore Eaii:, and our diftancc from the fhore might be about three leagues. By a medium of feveral amplitudes and azimuths, the variation of the compafs was 21° 5' Eafterly. We We continued our courle till eleven o'clock, with the long-boat In tow, 1788. when it was thought prudent to heave to for the night. At day-break on the t ith, we made fail, with the wind variable. At noon the obferved Thurfday u latitude was 49° 22' North, though we yet obferved Breaker's Point bearing North Well by North ; and at the fame time faw an high mountain over the entrance of Wlcananifli, bearing Eaft North Eaft, at the dif-tance of feveu leagues. m As wepurfued our courfe, under an cafy fail, in order to examine the coafl: between our prefent pofition and Knig George's Sound, the wind veered to the South Eaft by Eaft, and the weather became overcaft; as this wind was direftly agaiuft us, tlie fliip was tacked, and we flood out to fea, being apprehenfive of bad weather, which we generally found to attend the South Eaft winds. Our fears were fooji and very fully confirmed, for the weather became fcjualiy and violent. The top-fails were clofe reefed ; and we continued ftanding to fea to procure an offing, the mo£l important objcd of attention on this coafl:. In the night it blew very hard from the South Eaft, with an heavy fea, thick weather^ and conflant as well as violent rain. At midnight the fhip was wore, and we flood in for the land. At day-break on the r3ch, the wearher, though it cleared away at Friday g,, i- ? . i «y V V' /V ..a it" ..... r- ■ ■ ^ ^ • i i • -ŠIV - ■ ' Vi -Mr-- - / K " i 1 k-(. J I-.; / _ ■i ti .■idi. of p o K T C; O X /// /Ar I) / .y Tli J r T WICAXANISH. rtyir»'^.! fyTK-^ pleafant. It was therefore determined that we fhould embrace the firft 1788. favourable moment to get into the inner port, which had been already furveyed, and was found to be not only convenient, but entirely defended from tlie winds. In the evening it moderated, when the fhip was got under fail, which was no fooner obferved by Wicananilh than he came on board, and fafely piloted us into the harbour, which we named Port Cox, in honour of our friend John Henry Cox, Efq.—But not chufnig to truft entirely to the Ikill of the chief on the occafion, the boats were fent a-head to found, particularly on the bar; On which wc had three and an half and four fathoms, and foon after deepened our water to thirteen, fourteen and fifteen fathoms. It then decreafed to eight, in which depth we dropped our anchor In a fafe and fecure harbour. CHAP. 1788. .U'M-. C II A P. XIII. fhc People of Wlcananip lefs civilized than thofe at Nootha.—Certain necejfaty precautions giiie offence ta^ and occaßon a Coolnefs between us and the Chief. —Good Ünderßanding reßored, and the Treaty of Friendßip renewed.^ Reciprocal Prefents paß on the Occaßon.—'The life of Fire arms known to thefe People.—The Village removes to a fmall Piißance.—Treaty between IVtcanatiißr, Hanna and Betootche.—Preßents on the Occaßon__Good Conßequences refulting to us from the Treaty.—Prefents made to and received from Wicanan'ßy.—Preßent arrives from King George's Sound, ^c.—Prepare for Sea.—Tbe Felice proceeds on her Voyage,—Defcription of Port Cox, &c. Efr. ON the fiift view, the fubje£ts of this chief appeared to be far lefs civilized than our friends at Nootka; we therefore proportlbuably eiicreafed our precautions.—Their numbers were very confiderablc, and the boidiiefs they difcovered in all their tranfačlions with us, gave us rcafou to believe, that any relaxation of our vigilance might tempt them to a condučl which would produce difagreeable confequences to us all. Befides, both in fagacity, as well as activity, they were very fuperior to the inhabitants of King George's Sound.—Wicananifh,^himfelf, though rather Inclined to be corpulent, was athletic and adive;—his brothers, poflelTed the fame advantages ; and all the young men were robu ft, in a continual flate of exercife, and enured to conftant labour. We ob-fervcd, that the mofl: tempeftuous weather never prevented them from going tofea, to ftrike the whale or kill the otter:—fiflilng was an occu-j patioii pation which was followed only by the niferior clafles of the people.—The dominions of this chief were very extenfive, and the numerous tribes who acknowledged his dominion, rendered him a very powerful Ibvereign. We, tlierefore, had fufficlent reafon to remain la a ft ate of preparation againfl: the poffibility of that mifchief wliich it was in his power to do us, and which opportunity might tempt Iiim to employ. 1788. Juni. This vigilancc on our part, which was coufidered by the chief as dif-triifi: in his friendfhip, gave him great offence, and occafioned a fliort coolnefs between us.—On the 21ft, Wicananifli obferved that whenever SunJj» 21 he paid us a vifit tlie great cabin was decorated with arms, and that fe-veral blunderbufles, &c. were placed on the deck ; and not only left the fliip in great anger, but refilled to trade with us himfelf, and forbade his people from bringing us any fupplies of fifh or vegetables.—It was not, however, by any means, our interefl: that things ffiould remain in this unpleafiuit, as well as inconvenient lituation ; it was therefore thought prudent to pay him a vifit of peace on the following day; when, by the Momiay^a conciliating prefent of a fword, with a brafs handle, and a large copper difli, the treaty of friendfhlp was renewed ; and this reftoration of good humour was confirmed by a prefent of five beautiful otter ikins, a fat doe, and a fupply of fifli for the crew. The generofity, as well as friendly conduct of the chief, on this occafion, feemed to demand an extraordinary exertion of acknowledgment on ours ; and we made him happy beyond exprelTion, by adding to his regalia a piftol and two charges of powder ; a prefent which he had long folicited. Indeed the ufe of fire-arms was known to this tribe previous to our arrival among them.— When the Refolution and the Difcovcry firft entered King George's Sound, Wicananilh happened to be there, on a vifit to Maqiiilla, and then acquired this unfufpeČted branch of knowledge. T On 1/88. On the 28th, vve obferved that the whole village removed from their clofe vicinity to the fea, into the inner port, with the fame eafy transfer which ^ve^'h.id obfervcd on a fimllar occafion, at Nootka, and took up 'their new'pofition about a mile from the fhip, on a point of land, juft Within the entrance of the harbour. We were now formally made acquainted by WicananKh, that a treaty was negotiating between the chiefs Hanna and Detootche and himfelf, in which we \vere to be included ; the fubftance of which was,—that all the furs then in their poffefTion (hould be fold to Wicananifli;—that they Ihould live in pcace and fricndlhip with us ;—that all the otter (kins procured after the completion of the treaty, by either of the contracting chiefs, or their people, Ihould be difpofed of by themfelves, and that tlfey were all to have common accefs to the fhip, where a fair and equitable market vi'as to. be opened for them without diftinition. From the jealoufy which we already knew to fubfift between thefe chiefs, we were perfedlly fatlsfied, as we fince had convincing proofs, that, on our t-ntering the territories of Wicananifh, neither Hanna or Dctootche would be permitted to trade with, or even pay us a vifit without having obtained a previous permiffion for that purpofe. We had not therefore urged or encouraged an intercourfe, which, though it would have been very advantageous to us, might, and moft probably would have brought on a war between the refpe£tive fovereigns. This treaty, therefore, gave us that extenfion of commerce which we fb much widied. In the regular courfe of friendly negotiation, and we were not backward in forwarding the completion of it. This treaty, which was managed with all the addrefs of refined policy, tould not be arranged according to the propofed conditions, without an in- trufion trufion on the treafures onVicanamlh, to which he knew not how to fub- 1788. mit; and thjs was no lefs than a demanJ of the copper tea-kettles he fo highly valued : bnt as the ceffion of them was n^ade the goveniiiig article of the negotiation, they were at length, tliough relu£tantly, configned to Hanna and Detootche, who immediately gave up all the otter (kins in their poffefiion. But the chief did not long remain without being fully fatisfied by us for the lofs of his favourite veflels, by o,ur prefenting him with fuch articles as would make him ample reparation, and which he, probably, had in view when he made fuch a facrifice. We therefore, among other things, felefted fix brafs hiked fwords, a pair of piftols, and a mufket, with feveral charges of powder; and we would even have replaced the treafures with which his coffers had been fo lately enrichcd, but not a a fuigle kettle was to be found in the fliip. Tliis prefent was fcnt on Ihore, and, including the returns to it, we had now procured an hundred and fifty fine otter fkins. At this time a canoe very unexpeftedly arrived from King George's Sound, with a prefent of fi(K from Maquilla, who had been made acquainted with all our motions, from the time we left his territories. By the fame opportunity we had the pleafure of hearing that our party were well, and continued to make fpeedy advances towards the completion of the vefiel : as one of the people, who was rather more intelligent than the reft, by meafurliig a certain number of fpans, contrived to inform us of the a<5lual ftate of the little mamatlee, as he called her ;—by which we uiiderftood that her floor-timbers were laid. The objea of our touching at this port being now fulfilled, by having procured all the furs in the poffeflion ofWicanauifil, with feme confiderablc fupplies of the fame kind, from Hanna andDetootche, we now prepared to put tofea, to explore the coaft to thcSouthward of this port. On the 28th, T % the Jusr. 1788. the flii'p ^vas warped out of the inner harbour over the bar, and, in the evening, the roadfted was cleared ; when we purfued our courfe along fhore, with a light wefterly breeze and fine weather. The harbour of Wicananifh afFords very fecure fhelter, with good anchorage, both in the roads and tlie inner port. An archipelago of iflands Teems to extend from King George's Sound to this place, and ftili further to the Southward. The channels between thefe iflands are innumerable; but the necffllary occupations of the (hip would not alJoiv us time to fend out boats for che purpofe of examining them :—as far, liow-ever, as our obfervation extended, we are difpofed to believe that there IS no channel forfhips but that which we entered, and which is an exceeding good one. Thefe iflands are covered thick witli wood, with but very few clear fpots, at leaft that we could dlfcern. The foil is rich, producing wild berries, and other fruit in great abundance. The timber is of uncommon fize, as well as beauty, and applicable to any purpofe:—wc faw frequent groves, almoft eveiy tree of which was fit for marts of any di-menfions. Among a great variety of other trees we obferved the red oak,, the larch, the cedar, and black and white fpruce fir. In all our commercial tranfa^ions with thefe people, we were, more or lefs, the dupes of their cunning: and with fuch peculiar artifice did they fometimes conduct themfelvcs, that all the precaution we could, employ, was not fufficient to prevent our being overreached by them. The women, in particular, would play us a thoufand tricks, and treat the difcovery of their finefle wltli an arch kind of pleafantry that baffled reproach.—They were very fuperior in perfonal charms to the ladies of Nootka, and poflefled a degree of modefty which is not often to be 1 found found among the favage nations.—No entreaty or temptation in our 1788, power could prevail on them to venture on board the fhip. But their beauty was deftroyed by the filthy application of oil and ochre, and a general inattention to that cleanlinefs which Europeans confider as eflentiai to female charms. We had an opportunity of feeing an ia-flance of their delicacy, which, from its fingularity, may not be thought unworthy of a relation.-Among other vifitors of the fhip, we were . one day very much furprifed by the appearance of a canoe paddled along by women, and containing about twenty of that fex, without a fingle perfon of tlie other. As we had never feen a canoe fo freighted before, it very much engaged our attention ; and, while we were contemplating this company of ladies, a young man leaped fuddenly among them from another canoe; at which they were fo alarmed, that, though they were clad in their beiT: array, they all threw themfelves, in an iuftant, into the fea, and fwam in a body to the fliore. The people of Wicananifti are alfo very fuperior in point of induftiy and adlivity to thofe of King George's Sound. At break of day, without regard to the weather, the village was always empty, the men were employed in killing tlie whale, hunting the fea otter, or catching fifli, and the women were in the woods, gathering berries, or traverfing the fands and rocks in fearcli of cray and fliell-fifli. During our flay here, many Grangers arrived from the Southern part of the coaft, on purpofc to vlHt us* but they were not only forbidden to trade, but to have any communication with us; to which regulation wc thought it prudent to fubmit. Thefe vifits were very bencficial to Wi-cananifh, and raifed his Importance with us, as we found that all thefe people, coming from various and diftant diftridls, were fubjeft to his power. 1788. power. Befides the two villages already mentioned, he'had feveral other J"'''* places of refidence, to which he occafionaliy reforted, accordiug to the feafon of the year, the calls of neccflity, or the invitations of pleafure. In one of thefe places we reckoned twenty-fix houfes, each of which were capable of containing an hundred inhabitants. In fhort, fuch was the power and extenfive territory of Wicananifh, that it was very much our " intercft to conciliate his regard and cultivate his friendlhlp. CHAP. 1788. Juki. CHAP. XIV. Pu*fue our Courfe to the Southward along the Coaß.—Numerom'VtUages feated on the Shore.—I'he Inhabitants come off to the Ship, and their Difappointment at our not coming to an Anchor.—Htfiover the Straits of Juan de Fuca.—'Their ILxtent and Situation—"The Natives come off to the Ship,— 'Tatootche comes on hoard.~^A Defcription of him.—Long-hat difpatched to find an Anch^^rage^ and its Return.—Bad Behaviour of the Natives.—P«r-fue our Courfe along the Coaß.—Short j^ccoimt of the Straits (f Juan de Fuca,—Ißand of Tatootchc pajfed.—Natives come öff to the Ship, — Pafs numerous Villages.—Dangerous Coaß,—Violence of the South Faß Storms.—Cape Flattery.—Village of Chipit,^Ship enters the Bay of ^eenhithe.—Savage Appearance of the Place.—See the Village of ^eeneutclL —Defručiion Iße,—Danger of the Ship,, tšc> TX7E now left Wlcananlib, and during the night of the 28th we ' ^ fleered Eaft South Eaft, within three leagues of the land ; and on the morning of the 29th, we found onrfelves a-breaft of a large Sound, Sunday ig from whence we faw a number of canoes coming out to meet us, ■The canoes very foon paddled up to us, and fome of the people came on board. They informed us that there were fevcral villages in the Sound, but all under the jurifdiftion of Wicananiai.—As we had reafon to believe that the chief had drawn all the furs from this placc, vv-e determined to avail ourfelves of the prefeut favourable ieafon, to proceed 5 to Juke. 1788. to the Southward, nnil to call at this place 011 our return. The natives employed their iitmofl: perfuafioiis to keep us fboietlme on their coaft, but on obferving that the fliip was fleering its courfe beyond their villages, they took their leave of us with very evident marks of chagrin and difappointment. \Vc purfued the courfe to Eafl: South Eaft, along the fhore, at tiie dif-tanceof three miles, having croficd the mouth of the Sound, which we obferved to be of no great depth. At noou the latitude was 48'' 39' North, at winch time we had a complete view of an inlet, whofe entrance appeared very extenfive, bearing Eaft South Eaft, diftant about fix leagues. We endeavoured to keep in with the (here as much as pof-fible, in order to have a perfect view of the land. This was an objeti^t of particular anxiety, as the part of the coaft along which we were now failing, had not been feen by Captain Cook; and we knew of no other navigator faid to have been this way, except Maurelle ; and his chart, which we now had on board, convinced us that he liad titlier never ,leen this part of the coaft, or that he had purpofely mifreprefented it. As we continued our courfe along the land, we perceived frequent villages on the fliore, from wliencc we were vifited by canoes filled witli people, who in their perfons and manners very much refemblcd thofe of Port Cox. The different villages were individually anxious to keep t he commerce of the fliip to themfelves, and that we fhould come to an anchor off their refpedive habitations ; but as the entire coaft was open to tfie fea, even if we had been inclined to indulge tlieir requeft, it would not have been in our power. We, however, purchafed feveral fca otter fkins of them, and proceeded on our courfe. By By three o'clock in the afternoon, we arrived at the entrance of the 1788. great Inlet already mentioned, which appeared to be twelve or fourteen leagues broad. From the maft-head it was obferved to ftretch to the Eaft by North, and a clear and unbounded horizon was feen in this di-reftion as far as the eye could reach. We frequently founded, but could procure no ground with one hundred fathoms of line. About five o'clock we hove to off a fmall iflaiid, fituated about two miles from the Southern land, that formed the entrance of this flrait, near which we faw a very reixiarkable rock, that wore the form of an obelilk, and ftood at feme dlftance from the iüand. In a very fhort time we were furrounded by canoes filled with people of a much more favage appearance than any we had hitherto feen. They were principally cloathcd in fea otter fkins, and had their faces grimly bedaubed with oil and black and red ochre. Their canoes were large, and held from twenty to thirty men, who were armed with bows, and arrows barbed with bone, that was ragged at the points, and with large fpears pointed with mufcle-fhell. We now made fail to clofe in with this Ifland, when we aeain hove ' O to about two miles from the fhore. The iQand itfelf appeared to be a barren rock, ajmofl: inaccefTible, and of no great extent ; but the fiirface of it, as far as we could fee, was covered with inhabitants, who were gazing at the fhip. We could by no means reconcile the wild and uncultivated appearance of the place, with fuch a flouriihing ftate of population. The chief of this fpot, whofe name is Tatootche, did us the favour of a vlfit, and fo furly and forbidding a charačler we had not yet feen, U His jume. 1788. His Rice Indno variety of colour 011 it, like the reft ot tlic people, but was entirely black, and covered wit!i a glittering fand, which added to tlie favage ficrcenefs of his appcaraiicc. 1 Ic informed us that the power of Wicanauini ended here, and that we were now within the limits of his government, which extended a cotifiderable way to the Southward.— On receiving this information, we made him a finall prefent, but he did t not make us the lead: return, nor could he be pcrfuaded to let hii people trade with us. We had, indeed, already rcctived forae account of this chief from WicananiQi, who advifed us to be on our guard againft him and his people, as a fubtle and barbarous nation. It was our dcfign, if poflible, to caft anchor here, and, with this view, the long-boat was manned and armed, and fent under the direction of a proper officer, to found between the ifland and the main, in order to find an anchoring-ground. The ftrongeft injundions were given to avoid, if poilible, any difpute with the natives, and a fmall portion of trading articles was put la the boat, in cafe the natives ftiould be inclined to barter. After the departure of the long-boat for the fhore, which was followed by all the canoes, we kept tacking occafionally near the ifland, which we had now an opportunity of examining with fome degree of minute-nefs; and, in whatever direction we beheld it, it appeared to be a barren rock, furrounded witfi reefs, on which the fea broke with great fury. We, however, had fome hope that, between it and the main, a place of Ihelter and fecurity might be found, as the fituation would have been very convenient, not only for the purpofe of exploring the flrait, but alfo for the extenfion of our particular commerce. About About feven in t)ie evening, the long-boat returned without having 178S. found any place ßt for anchorage, 'niid having procured but very few furs. The ifland, as the officer informed us, was not of a deceitful appearance ; it was a folid rock, covered with alirtic verdure, and lurrounded by breakers in every direčlion. A great crowd of canoes came off to thq boat, filled with armed people, who bthaved in a very dilbrderly manner; feveral of whom jumped into the boat, and took fome trifling articles away by force, and then triumphed in their theft. Our people were highly enraged at this coudud, and fully difpofed to retaliate; — but the prudence of the officer kept them quiet, who, being fearful of fome unpleafant event, had no fooner made the neceflary examination, than he returned on board. We were perfedtly convinced tliat Wicananifh had drawn from this chief a confiderable quantity of his furs, as we obferved many of our articles about them, which they could not have obtained but from Port Cox or King George's Sound. One of the natives in particular was in poffeflion of a complete fet of coat buttons, which was very familiar to the memory of us ail. Being thus difappointed in obtaining an harbour here, we continued our courfe to the Southward, and examined the coafl: with great attention, in expectation of finding a place of fecurity, from whence our boats would be enabled not only to examine this ftrait, but other confiderable portions of the coafl:. With this view we made fail about eight in the evening, and flood along the (hore, with pleafant and moderate weather. The ftrongeft curiofity impelled us to enter this ftrait, which we fhall call by the name of its original difcoverer, John De Fuca. U 2 Some 156 ' 1788. JUNt. Some accounts oi the ftraits of John de Fuca are handed down to us from the very refpeiTtable authority of Hak! uy t and Purchas: the former of whom records the opinion which the minlflers of Queen Elizabeth entertained of its importance. We had now ocular demonftration of its exigence,—and we are perfuaded, that if Captain Cook had feen this flrait, he would have thought it worthy of farther examination.— The circumftances whicti put it out of our power to gratify the ardent defire we pofieflbd of executing fuch a defign, will be faithfully related, as we purfue the narrative of the voyage. A more particular detail of this remarkable inlet may already have been fiivoured by the reader's attention, in the introdiiflory memoir which treats of the yet probable exiftence of a North Weft paffage. Monday 30 In the moming of the 30th of June, we had made no great progrefs from the land, as it was. calm during the greater part of the night.— The ifland of Tatootche bore nearly South Eaft, difl-ant only three leagues. About ten o'clock a great number of canoes came from the ifland, in which there coukl not be lefs than four hundred men, among whom we obferved the chief himielf. They amufed themfelves in paddling round the fliip, every part of which, but particularly the head, they feemed to behold with extreme admiration : indeed, it is more than probable that the grcateft part of them had never feen fuch a vefTcl before. We had been ah-eady fo much difplcafed by the conduö of the chief, that we did not think proper to invite him on board. The party, however, gave us a fong, which-did not diifer much from that we heard: in King George's Sound. But offended as we might be with the people, we could not but be charmed by their mufic. Situated as wa were, o • ■ , . .VJ- • . » <1 k ; • M. . » . ^ .. L »^r Vi - 6» f.-^ -: • r-uX* .. •-•• - - .. • Jr J.i tea ret «»V/. J:'\rif, ■///■r<>/i.. ^ /m tir /fjfifilJi- ly'-fsA'. ii-/'f/t /'<}/><■ /.i-'/ci'i'i i: lif-t/>r,'fl'f m /iprf S.S.E. Jr.f'fl /f.Zif' y fht.i'u., / ;/;«-./ W.tiffK. I 1788. JyLv. C II A P. XV. Our Progrefs along ihe Coaß.—Bifcover Shoalwater Bay, nvhkh fs inaccejfihle io the Ships.—Natives come off.—Their honeß Dealing.—Some Account of them.—PFe purfue our Ccurfe.—Deception Bay.—Difference between the Spaniß} Charts of Maurelle and the real Situation of ihe Coaß.—Beautiful Appearance of the Country.—Pafs fluichfani Bay and Cape Look-out.— See three remarkable Rocks.-^Clofe our Progrefs to the Southward.—Future Plan ofproceeding.—^Knowledge gained of the Coaß.—Parts left unexplored by Captain Cook now vtßted.—Reafons for returning to the North ward. — Purfue our Courfe to the North.^ Strait of John de Fuca fun again.—An^ chor in Fort Pffinghani,—A Defcription of it, ^c,—Marine Animals feen, &c. I ^HE wretched fate of the people belonguig to the Imperial Eagle, evidently predominated hi the m'uids of our crew ; and being on the very coaft where fuch an aČl of barbarity was committed, tiie infections apprehenfion of a fimilar deftruftion fpread generally amongft them. It was the common fubje ■ Ü * .(kf » * / I ■ T»' • ♦ je Š 1 t • • \ i i.' < tu jf ••;. ■ Vr ^ t W* • - iT m ti-'"' ^ ■A ? V'w- M • m . i • ^ f"- ^ v* ' - , > K ■ 1 , ; ■. f _ < « ,■0 T-' i-' ■ •s ^^ i ■>: ^^ V "i T- . '- ] J-' i' '-i ! /" -t ■ --i 1 ' j-' i ■ + ' in f. i i i '< 1 .. < ' * ; " ! f ■ Vv ■ ■ ! ' 't.*"" -h. J M V «H*.-- ■ ■ j! - ■■i. ■ »i' ' 'v • ■i ' I-.. I -'.■ J ■. ■ , r • - ' • . ■■ ■ , V i,- -i 4\ ■ ■ ■ > • - , v •K i ^ l^J - . i I ■■ t t -i ■i J788. JvLr, CHAP. XVI. Tj^'jt pojeßon of the Straits of dc Fuca in the Name of the King of Great Britain.—VißteJ by the Nati-ues.—Pleafant Situation of the Ship.—Long-boat equipped andßnt on an Expedition.—T'hcObjeSl of it.—Strangers refort to tJje Ship.-^ Anxiety on Account of the L^mg-hoat^ 'which at length arrives,— Reafm of her quick Return.—Conflicl vuiih the Natives of the StraUs of de Fuca^ and the Confequences of it.—Falour of thofe People.—'The dangerous Situation of the Boat and Crew.—Dißmcc advanced up, the Straits of de Fuca.—Poßtion of them,—Human Beads offered to {ale.—Damp thrown on the Spiri:s of the Crew.—Prepare for Sea.—Leave Part "Effingham.— An Account of the Port and Sound.—Progrefs of the new Fejfel^ ^c,— Succefs in coUe^ing Fws.—Attention of MaquUhu T may not be improper to mention that we took poffeffion of tlic ftraits of John de Fucn, in the name of the King of Britain, with the forms that had been adopted by preceding navigators on fimilar occafions. On the 30th of July, a confiderable number of natives vlfited the Sunday »j Khip in this ftation, from whom we purchafcd furs of various kinds.— But it was obferved by us, that they were not accompanied by their diiefs, or indeed any perfon of authority among-ft them. They alfo brought us great plenty of fahnon, which, in delicacy of flavour, far exceeded that of Nootka Sound, with large quantities of flielhfifh, and the rcfreflilng as well as falutary provifion of wild onions, ajid fruits of theu- 17SS. their woods; with which nature had kindly furnlfhed every part of the co:ifl; where we had any communicntion with the natives of it. It was now the height of fummer, the weather was warm and plea-fanr ; and we very fenfibly enjoyed the benign influence of the delightful feafon. Not a fingle patch of fnow was vlfible on the fummits of the l')fty mountains which furroundcd the found. We could not, therefore, but derive a mofl refreflüng fatlsfadion from our temporary repofe in tliis cahiT and charming fituation. We cmhraccd the prefent favourable opportunity to difpatch the longboat, not only to explore the fbrnits of de Fiica, but to procure, if poflible, fome knowledge of the people of Shoalvvater-Bay. She was, therefore, properly equipped for the occafion, was manned with thirteen of our people, and furniflied with provifions for a month. The command of her was given to Mr. Robert Duffin, our firfl: officcr, to whom written lnfl:ru£tions were delivered, by which he was to govern himfelf in the condu£tof this little expedition.—On the 13th, the boat departed on its voyage of difcovery. The crew employed on this occafion, added to the party we had fpared for the fervice of King George's Sound, had fo diminiflied our (hip's company, that it bccame abfolutely neceflluy for us to put ourfelves in the beft poflible flate of preparation, in cafe our p relent neighbours, who are a numerous, bold, and powerful people, fliould be tempted by a knowledge of our weaknefs to make an attack. All the guns were therefore mounted ; the arms got ready for fervice, and orders iffucd that none of the natives fliould, on any pretence whatever, be fuffered to come on board the fhip. s Imme- Immediately after the departure of the long-boat, a confiderable num- 1788. ber of canoes from the Northward, came along-fide us, few, if any, of which contained Icfs than thirty men, and many of them more, befides women and children. Among our vifitors we recolle£ted the faces of feveral whom we had already feen at Port Cox, of which place they were inhabitants. The others were natives of tlie Weftern (hore which flretclies down to the ftraits, and which forms a part of the extenfive territories of Wicananifli. That prince, it feemed, had lately given a fplen-did feaft to a large number of his principal fubjedts ; and from the great quantity of thofe articles he had received from us, which we now perceived among them, there was every reafon to fuppofe that he had added to the fplendour of his banquet, by dividing his treafures among thofe who had the honour of being invited to it. Nothing material occurred till the 20tli : the weather continued to be SunJay so extremely fine, and our communication with the natives was on terms of reciprocal good underftanding. They daily reforted to us with furs, fifli and vegetables, and fometimes an occafional prefent of very fine venifon added its luxury to the common plenty of our t^i^le. But in our prefent ftate of inaÖivity, the fituation of the long-boat was continiialiy preffing home upon our minds with the hopes of fuccefs, or the fears of calamity. The favage nature of the people who inhabited the parts vfhlch our friends were gone to explore, operated to alarm tlie one ; at tlje finne time that our confidence in their (kill, courage, and good condučl, animated the other.— While, however, our imaginations were following them in their voyage, with the moft affeflionate folicitude, they were on the verge of deflruc-tlon, and threatened with (haring the abhorrent fate of their countrymen who were devoured by the cannibals of Qiieenhithe, ^ On J uuv, j-SS. On the evculng of the zoth, we faw tlie fails of the long-boat in the oflij)g; but the fudJeii linpuire of our unrefleähig joy on the occafion, was immediately checked by the apprchenfioiis that naturally arofe in our minds from her early rttuni. The Interval of her arrival at the Ihip was a period of very painful fufpcnfe to every one on board : at length, to our inexpreflible fatisfiiäion, we ohferved, on her coming along-fulc, that not an individual was mifling. Our immediate attention, however, was callcd to the afliftance of Ibme wounded men, wlio had fufFcred fevcrely in a very violent conllift the boat had fuftained with the natives of the ftraits, and ivhich was the caufe of her fuddcii return. The whole attention of the Hiip was now transferred to our wounded people; but though feveral of them were much hurt, we were confoled with finditig that no mortal injury had been received by any. The officer was wounded by a barbed arrow in the head, which would have killed him on che fpot, if a thick hat had not deadened the force of the weapon. One of the feameii was pierced in the breaft, and another in the calf of the leg, into which the arrow had entered lb far as to render a very large incifion abiblutcly necefiary, In order to dilcharge it. A fourth received a wound very near the heart, but the weapon which gave it, very fortunately fell ftort of the vital parts. 1 he reft of the people were bruifed in a terrible manner by the ftones and clubs of the enemy ; even the boat itfelf was pierced in a thoufand places by arrows, many of which remained in the awning that covered the back part of it; and which, by receiving the arrows, and breaking the fall of large ft nes thrown from flings, in a great meafure faved our party from inevitable de-ftruČtion. In In this engagement the natives behaved with a fpirlt and refolution 1788. that rofifted the ufual terror of fire-arms among a favage people ; for the conteft was clofe, and for fome time our men fought for their Jives.— One of them had beenfingled out by an individual lavage for his vi£lim, and a fierce engagement took place between them. The native was armed with a ftone bludgeon, and the failor with a cutlafs. They both manifefted, for fome__time, equal courage and dexterity ; but if an Intervening oar had not broke a blow, armed with all the force of his enemy, our brave countryman muft have funk beneath it. It however failed of its objeft, and gave him an opportunity, by a fevere ftrokc of the cutlafs, ^ to deprive the native of an arm, who, notwlthftanding fuch a lofs, and feveral other wounds, contrived to fwim from the boat, indebted for his life to the noble mercy of his conqueror, who difdained to kill him in the water. The feaman who was wounded in the leg, continued, during the adllon, with the arrow in his flefh ; and without attempting to rid hlmfelf of the torturing weapon, became, by his courageous and active exertions, a V€ry principal inflrument in preferving the boat. 1 Though we had never had any intercourfe or communication with the inhabitants of the ftraits, we had indulged ourfelves with the hope that our friendly conduft towards their neighbours, might, by,fome means, have reached the diftridt of tiielr habitation, and given them favourable impreflions of us : but their conduil: marked the moil: favage and bloody hoftility ; and the fury of their onfet compelled a fimilar fpirit of re-fiftance : but to do juftice to the humanity of our people,—notwithfland-ing the aftual fufferings of many of them, arfd the cruel fate which tliey well knew would have been the certain allotment of them all, had they loft the day,—they never failed, in recounting the circumftances of z of julv. ]y88. of it, to exprefsan unfeigned concern for the unhappy people who had fo raflily courted their own deflručtion. The attack was begun by the favages,—who boarded the boat, with the defiga of takhig her, in two canoes, containing between forty and fifty men, who were moft probably fome of their choiceft warriors. Several other canoes alfo remained at a fmall diüance, to affifl in the attempt; and tlie Hiore was every where lined with people, who difchargedat our veflel continual fliowers of ftones and arrows. A chief in one of the canoes, who encouraged the advance of the others, was mod fortunately (hot in the licad with a fingle ball, while In the very ad of throwing a fpear of a moft enormous length at the cockfwain. This circumftance caufed the canoes to draw back, and deprived the natives who were already engaged, of that fiipport which muft have enfured them tlie vičlory,-Indeed, as it was, when we confider tliat the boat's company confifted only of tlni tecn men, who were attacked with the moft courageous fury by fu-perior numbers, and galled as thefe were, at the fame moment, by the numerous weapons conftantly difchargcd from the fhorc, their efcape is to be numbered among thofe favourable events of life, which never fall to excite, in well ordered minds, a mingled fenfation of gratitude and aftonifhment. The boat had advanced a confiderable way up the Straits of de Fuca, and had entered a bay or harbour; when, as our people were preparing to land for the purpofe of examining it, they were attacked by the natives, as has been jull related ; and, of courfe, effe^ualiy obflruded in the purfuit of their original defign. From this ftation, however, they obferved, that the ft raits to the Eaft North Eaft appeared to be of great extent, and to encreafe rather than dimlnifh. As As they returned down the ftraits, they were met by a fmall canoe 1788. patldled by two nien, who were the fubjcdts of Wicanaiiirti, and frora whom they purchafed feme fiOi. But words cannot exprefs the furprife and abhorrence of our people, when thefe favages held up two human heads, but juft cut off, and ftlll ftreaming with blood, by way of offering them to fale. They held thefe deteftable obječts by the hair with an air of triumph and exultation; and, when the crew of the boat difcovered figns of difgufl: and deteftation at fuch an horrid fpe£tacle, the favages, in a tone, and with looks of extreme fatisfačtlon, informed them, that they were tlie heads of two people belonging to Tatootclie, wliom they had murdered, as that chief had lately declared war againfl Wicananifli. This circumftauce threw a damp upon the fpirits of the crew, which continued, more or lefs, through the whole of the voyage. Though the boat had not fucceeded in the principal objetSt^of our expedition, yet it did not return without being able to communicate fomc knowledge of the ftraits of de Fuca. She had failed near thirty leagues up the ftrait, and at that diftance from thefea it was about fifteen leagues broad, with a clear horizon (Iretching to the Eafl for 15 leagues more.— Such an extraordinary circumftance filled us with ftrange conjectures as to the extremity of this ftrait, which we concluded, at all events, could not be at any great diftance from Hudfon's Bay:—An opinion which is confidered at large in the Introdučlion to this volume. We were now obliged to give up all hope of obtaining any further Yatisfadion concerning the extent of thef^mits, or of the particulars of Shoalwater Bay, at leaft for this feafon. We therefore prepared to return with all poffiblc expedition to johi our party hi King George's Sound. Z 3 On 1788. On the 21 ft, we put to fea with the tide of ebb, and by noon wc mldJy n entirely clear of the Sound. Our latitude was 48'' 41' North, and Port Effingham bore North Weft by North, at the diftance of five miles. During our ft ay in this port, we were vifited by a great variety of people, who refided at difierentvplaces between Port Cox and the ifland ofTatootche. But none of thofe who inhabit the country up the ftrait ventured to approach u& : perhaps the fear of Tatootche, whofe Ifland is fituated at the very entrance, and Is faid to contain near five thoufand people, might prevent them from coming to the fliip. > Tn this ftatlon we procured a confidcrabVe quantity of very fine fea«-ötter fkins, with abuiidancc of fi(h, confifting of fahnon, halibut, her»-rings, fardonies, cod, trout, and rock-fifh. We were alfo furnlfhed with: a continual fupply of vegetables and fruits of the woods; particularly a kind of wild currant, which grows on trees of a tolerable fize. The found is, by no means, fo extenfive as that of Nootka. It affords^ however, feveral places of flielter, but none of them are fo commodious as Port Effingham, which is entirely fee ure from all winds. The coaft every where abounds with timber for fhlp-bullding, and which would form the fineft mafts and fpars in the world. Tuefday a» During the whole of the zad the wind blew from the Weft North Weft, with which we ftood to fea to the South Weft, till noon of the Wednefdayi3 23d, when the latitude was 48'' 36' North.-At this time we had made fo confiderable an offing that we loft fight of land ; when, at three in the afternoon, the wind veering to the South Weft, wc tacked and ftood to the Weft North Weft, to make the land. I la In the morning of tlie 24tb, the wind Ihifted to the Southward, which 1788. brought thick, hazy weather, and of courfe prevented us from clofing xhurfday'u with the fliore. Towards noon, however, it cleared away, and the latitude was '49° 40' North : but we fcarcely had taken the meridian, when the fog returned, and on founding, we had no more than twenty fathoms of water; on which we tacked immediately and flood to fea. At four o'clock it again cleared up, when Breaker's Point was feen bearmg Eaft by South, diflant four leagues, and our diftance from the land was only three leagues; fo that when we tacked, we raufl have been clofe on board it. The thick, raifEy weather did" not entirely clear away till the morning Friday ij of the 25th, when the entrance of King Geoi^e's Sound was feen bearing Eaft North Eaft, at the diftance of fix leagues ; but it again came on fo very foggy, that it would, have been imprudence in the extjreme to have run for the land,. About eight o'clock in the morning of the 16th, we happily anchored Saturdsyiu f,ife in Friendly Cove; when we enjoyed the very great fatisfa^tion of finding our friends in perfedt health and fecurity, as well as the veflel in a forward ftate of advancement: fhe was completely in frame, part of her fides were planked, her decks laid, and moft of her iron work finifhed- During our abfencc a confiderable quantity of furs had been collected, not only from the natives, but from various companies of ftrangers, whom the fame of the vefTel had induced to vifit Nootka, in order to fa-tisfy their curiofity with the fight of fuch an obječl. MaquilU 1788. Maquilla had fcrupuloufly adhered to every part of his engagement, and the faithful Callicum had attended to the welfare and fafety of our people, witli the vigilance of lioiiour, and the afFeČtion of friend/hip: the inhabitants of the village in his jurifdlčtlon, not only brought dally and plentiful fupplies of fifli and other provlfions to the houfe, but gave the party every afliftance in their power, by his immediate orders. Nor is it poflible for us to relate his zealous regard and unfhaken attachment to us, without lamenting the unmerited fate he received, from the unfeeling and execrable condu£t of men who were natives of the nioft enlightened quarter of the globe, and boaft the profeflion of a rell^ glon of peace and mercy. C H A P. 1788. jtjlt, CHAP. XVIL An}(i:iy of the Parly on Shore on Account of the Ship.—Reports fprcad by the Natives.— Knowledge obtained by the Party of our Engagement in the Straits of De Fuca, and its Confiquence.—Improvement made in the Houfe, ^c. during the Ahßnce of the Felice—The Aßoniß.mcnt of the Natives at the Building of, the Fejel^ with their peculiar Attention to the Employment of the Smiths.—Our Obfervalim of the Sabbath an Object of particular Curioßty to the Natives.—Sfjme Knowledge of their Religion deri-•oed from thence.—Deßgnof proceeding again to Port Cox.—Reafom aßgned for not flopping there on our Return from Port Effingham. — Our Intentions frußrated.—Mutiny on Board.—"the Perfons concerned in it turned on Shore.—And the Reafons for fuch a Meafure^ ^c, T F, during our progrefs to the Southward/^ve felt at times a very poignant anxiety for the fafety and welfare of thofe whom we had left on fliore, it cannot be fuppofed, for a moment, tJiat they were not afFedted by fimllar fenfations for their friends on board the Felice ; who were gone to encounter the dangers of thofe feas where It was doubted that ever fliip had ploughed the water, and to explore thofe coafts which they did not fuppofs an European foot had ever trod._ Their folicitude was equal to our own ; and their intervals of l.-^hour were conftantly employed in counting the hours of our abfence,—offer-ing up prayers for our ßfety,—and joining in wifhcs for our return.— But this was not all—the natural coacera they muft feel on our account, 5 was 1S4. TO YAG ES TO THE 1788. was heightened into the mofl painful alarm, from a report brought them julv. by Tome of the fubjeös of Wicaiianifli, which contained an account of ■our having been attacked by the people of Tatootche, who had cut to pieces a part of the crew of the fellce ; and that the principal officers •^vere among thofe who had fallen in the conteft. —Such a relation, which could not be fuppofed, by the mofl: incredulous of our people, to be a mere invention, threw theni into a jftate of confufiou that checked the growing ardour of their exertions, and caft a gloom over them which the utmoft efforts of their refolution, and the fpirit neceffiuy to ' encounter a repeated acceffion of difficulties, was not able entirely to dif-fipate.—This report, however, proved to be an entire fabrication of thofe who brought it, as it was previous to the adlon of our long-boat with the natives of the Straits, which might have, in fome degree, jurtified an exaggerated account of that unfortunate event.—From what motives this falfliood was fabricated, we never could difcover, or, indeed, form , any thing like a fatisfa£tory conjedure. A full and faithful account, however, of our proceedings in Port Effingham, and a particular de-fcription of our wounded feamen, was brought to Nootka Sound, by a native of that port, who had arrived to difpofe of a cargo of furs to Maquilla. Among other unpleafant confequences of this report, it put an end, for fome time, to all communication between the natives of King George's Sound and the houfe; and occafioned our people, who were under the affllöing apprehenfions that they fhould never fee us more, to redouble their precautions till the arrival of the Iphigenia,—Their joy, therefore, may be more eafily conceived than defcribed, when they faw the Felice enter the Sound, and beheld every perfon on board in health and iplrits, who had departed with her. - The The fimatioii and circumft.inces in which we found our little colony ^788 St our return, very evidently proved their dilifrence, as well as atteutioii to the orders left with them for their conduft during ourabfence. Tlie houfe held been rendered perfectly fecure from any attack of the natives, though they fliould have employed their whole force againft it. A pail-fado of ftrong flakes, with a well-formed fence of thick burties, had rendered our ground, in a great meafure, Impregnable. Various other improvements, of lefs confequence, had been made, as new ideas of convenience and utility fuggefled them Tel ves, which, altogether, gave the place an appearance of a little dock-yard, and not only engrofled the attention, but excited the aftonifhment of the Nootkan people. Our abfence from the Sound had been only one month and twenty-five days; and in this time, as we have already particularized, a very expeditious advance had been made in the veflel.—She was, as may be very naturally fuppofed, an object of great curiofity among the natives, who could never be perfuaded that fuch a body of timber would find a power equal to the removal of It from the Hocks on which it was building.—But their moft inquifitive attention employed itfclf on the work-fhop of the fmiths,'and the operation of the forges. Their fimple minds, in a ftate fo diftant from the knowledge of enlightened nature and tha cultivated world, beheld, with all the extravagance of infantine delight, the mechanic fkill of our artificers.—Nor was their interefl: lefs engaged than their curiofity, in attending to thofe powers which fabricated the variety of articles that added fo much to the pride, the pleaiure, and the convenience of their liv^es.—Indeed they were continually making application to have iron forged into forms of ufe or ornament; and fo very fickle were they in the objeÖs of their fancy, that it became a matter of confiderable trouble to fatlsfy their varying inclinations.—It was therefore determined to turn this changeful difpofition to our own adA a vantage, 1^88. vaiitnge, by enhancing the value of indulging it; In confequencc of wjiich regulation, the daily fupply of provlfions was confiderably augmented, and fifii and fruit were brought in encreafing abundance. JiiikLiv ^^ The 27th, being Sunday, tlie crew had leave to amufe themfelves with a ramble on ftiore. The weather was extremely pleafant,—the air was genial,—and everyone wore in his looks the fatisfaftion he felt, on enjoying a ceffation from labour, and the indulgence of eafe and fecurlty.— Indeed it was our conftant cuftom to pay all poffible refpeči: to the fab-bath, and to fulfill its defign, whenever it was in our power, by making it a day of refl. The natives could not, at firfl:, comprehend why all our occupations ftood ftill on this day but the different cloathing of the men, and, particularly, the clean faces of the fmiths and armourers, awakened their curiofity fo far as to produce an enquiry of us concerning this incompre-henfible regulation.—The manner of their receiving our explanation, gave us feme inüght into their religion, which will be the fubje6t of a future page. Monday ii Oh thc 28th, wc refumed our work, and a large party was feiit into the woods to fell timber, for the purpofe of planking the veflel, which was a very laborious bufmefs, as there wtre large logs to be conveyed upwards of a mile, through a thick foreH:, to our little dock yard.—The remainder of the crew were employed, either in making cordage, aflifnng the carpenters, or preparing the lliip for fea. It was now determined to put our defign in execution of proceeding in a few days to Port Cox, to pay another commercial vifit to Wicananifh. It was, indeed, our original intention to have taken that place in our way way back from Port Effingham; but the accident of the long-boat, la 1788. the Straits of de Fuca, and our impatience to return to our friends in the Sound, predominated over every other confidcration. But as we were now perfedtly fatisfied as to the fituatioii and progrefs of the party at Nootka, it was agreed to proceed again to fea, as we expected to reap very confiderable advantages from the numerous hunters of Wicananifli, who, we had every reafon fuppofe, would, by this time, have accumulated a very large quantity of furs. Nor did we hefitate to believe, that our reception from that chief would be more gracious, as it was now in our power to replenifli his coffers with fuch an ineftimable article as a copper tea-kettle. But this defign was unfortunately fruftrated by a very dangerous mutiny again breaking out, which was pregnant with confequenccs of the moft alarming nature. This mutiny was headed by the difgraced boatfvvain, and the beft men in the fliip.—They made a defperate attempt to felze the arms and put the firft officer to death, who was left to take care of the fhip; as every other perfon in command was on fhore, in the engagement of his dutv, or for the purpofe of recreation. The time which was chofen for this enterprize was well imagined, as it was in the evening, on their return from the woods, and when, as we firft obferved, there was but one officer on board. Ever fmce the firft fymptoms of mutiny appeared off the Philippines, the arms had been removed from the quarter-deck to the cabin ; and this precaution faved the Ihip : for the officer having fortunately gained the cabin before the mutineers, he placed himfelf at the door with a loaded blunderbufs, and kept them from advancing, while he called aloud for affiftance. It was a fortunate circumftance that moft of the officers were fitting on the quarter-deck of the new veflel, which was A a 2 not 17S8. not more than an hundred yards from the fliip. We therefore inflantly heard the alarm through the cabin-window, and did not delay an inftant in getting on board the Ihlp. The firft ftep we took was to arm ourfelves :—when, bemg thus prepared, we turned the crew on deck, as we were determined to face the bu-finefs on the inftant. We well knew that there were many good men in the fhlp ; and we refolvcd, if pofliblc, to feparate them from the reft, before they were prevailed on, by any means, to join in the plot. The crew being now all on deck-, it inftantly appeared who were the ringleaders in the bufiuefs, though we had fome reafon to apprehend that the mutiny was a matter of general agreement. We then Informed them that it was our determination to proceed to extremities; and warned fuch as were difpofed to be obedient, to feparate themfelves from the reft:—When, on prefenting our arms, moft of the crew came over to us, leaving eight turbulent fellows, headed by the dif-carded boatfwain, who remained deaf to all our perfuafions to return to their duty.— As we were now very fuperior in numbers, we hoped to fettle the matter without fheddlng a drop of blood on the occafion. We therefore left them the alternative, either to go into irons, or be turned on ihore among the favages. They preferred the latter,—and were im-diately landed, with everything that individually belonged to them. They were no fooner gone than good order and difclpline were reftored. Inftructions, however, were fent to the party on fhore, not to permit the mutinous people to find a ihelter at the houfe, or to be admitted to any communication with them. A ftrift watch was alfo kept on board, as we were not, by any means, without our dqubts concerning the difpofi-tions of the reft of the crew. We We were not informed of the whole extent of the plot till the follow- j -8f? ing day, when one of the failors came and gave a voluntary account of it. Ji"^- T ucfdaj J ^ Almoft all the crew had ligncd a paper, by which they bound themfelves to join in getting poffeflion of the fhip, when they were immediately to quit the coaft of America, and fteer their courfe to the Sandwich Iflands; from whence they propofed to make the bcfl of their way to fome port where they might difpofe. of their valuable cargo.—As they had taken care to deftroy the writing, we could not difcover what their intentions were with refpetft to the officers, — but the bed treatment they could have expelled, would have been to be left at Nootka. Every individual of the crew, remaining on board, was eager to exculpate him-felf; and they all joined in declaring, that the menaces of the ringleaders alone wrung from them a temporary confent to join in the mutiny; and the fear of being inftantly murdered, was the only caufe of preventing them from giving notice of the plot to the officers of the fhlp. Had we been acquainted with thefe circumfiances-on the preceding evening, in all probabUlty It would not have pafled without bloodflied ; but our ignorance ofthem fortunately preferved us from fuch a cataftrophe. The ringleaders were now, at leaf!:, removed from any opportunity of doing mifchief, by being clear of the fliip; for, befides the attention they would have required, had they been kept in irons,—we could not, even in fuch a fituation, have prevented their communication with the other feamen ; which might have been employed in creating difcontents, if not in endeavouring to form new plans for effc^fUng their atrocious purpofes. We determined therefore that they ihould remain on fhore, at lea ft till the arrival of the Iphigenia, C H A I'. j vlv. C II A P. XVIII. ConduU oj the Party on Shore refpeHing the Muiiny.—Promtfe made to theCrezv to go to ike Saudwich IJIafids.—Qccupation of the Ship's Company.—"The Mutineers go io live with Maquilla and Callicum.—lhey are flripped oj their Cloaths, and made to work.—Princefs Royal feen in thcOßng.—Prepare for Sen.—^uit King George''s Sound a fecond I'inie.—Prefents made io MaquUla and Callicum.—Thofe Chiefs prepare for JVur.—Arms lent to them.—Strength of Maquilhis Forces.—He departs on his Expedition to the Northward.— Inßrt(5iions given io the Party on Shore. T>H I S cllfturbance on board the flilp occafioiied, at firft, no little ini-cafmefs as to the influence it might have on the remaining part of oor voyage; but we were not only confoled, but encouraged In favourable expeftatlons, by the condu£l of the party on fliore, who not only declared their deteftation and abhorrence of the mutinous defigns, in the moft forcible terms, but took every mctliod which their underftandings could fuggefl;, to iatisfy us of their obedient difpofition and fenfe of duty.— They renewed their aßurances of fidehty to us in the rnofl folemn manner, and we did not withhold the confidence we believed them to deferve. This mutiny furprifed us the more, as no relaxation of duty had taken place fnice our departure from China. The crew had been kept ftriflly to the various occupations which our circumftances required, but without that rigour which begets difcontent; and they moft certainly did net enjoy the leifure which idlenefs fo often appropriates to mifchief. As 5 t« to the folly of their defign, that is not a matter which will juftify a mo- 178S. ment's wonder. It is very fortunate for mankind that wickednefs fo often wants judgment: in this cafe, the defign of running away with the fliiparofe from little more than the impatience of their paflions to get to the Sandwich Iflands, which we liad declared to be a part of our voyage, and where they longed to folace themfelves in the enjoyments afforded by thofe voluptuous abodes.—As to any fubfequent arrangements, they had probably left tliem, with all the improvidence of a fiillor's character, to the chance of future determination. Indeed,—nor was it unnatural,—the obedient as well as diforderly part of the crew, looked with fome degree of impatience to a period when they ftiould change the defart fliores of Nootka, and the nau-featlng cuftoms of its inhabitants, for the genial climate, the luxurious abundance, and the gratifying', pleafures of the Sandwich Iflands^ Nor was our departure from St. George's Sound lefs anxioufly defired by many of the crew, from the reflexion that cannibals inhabited its fi\ores,—and that the fate which had befallen their countrymen at Queenliithe, might, from fome untoward caul'e or other, happen to them. Indeed, as we * have before obferved, the idea of being eaten by the Americans abfolutely haunted the imaginations and preyed upon the fpirlts of many of our people.—We therefore thought proper to renew our promifes of going to tiie Sandwich Jflands, and the eyes of every one fparkled at th« thought. The diminution of our flilp's company, from the prefs of employment on fl-iore, and feparation of the mutinous Teamen, prevented us from leaving King George's Sound, to make another voyage to Port Cox, as we had intended. The fails were therefore unbent, the running-riggiivg unreefed, and we prepared to give the carpenters every affift- ance 1788. ance In our power towards fmiflilng the vefiel on the flocks. For this pLirpofe, atlditioiial faw-pits were dvig, and men fent to be employed in them; new Aipplies of timber were alfo brought from the woods, and an additional party was Ipared from the fliip to affift In making cordage, and the other occupations of our little dock-yard. At the fiime time, the necefliiry flores were landed for the ufe of the lioufe ; and as the fmiths had exhaufted themfelves of iron, tlieir workfliop was repleniflied with a coufiderahle quantity of that eflential article. TJiough at our departure from Cliina we poffefled plenty of Aores of every kind, their confumption had been fo great in the various fervices which demanded them, that we were, at length, under the ne-ceflity of refortlng to the produce of the country, and the exertions of cur own ingenuity, to fupply their decreaftng or exhauflcd ftate. All our lea-coal being expended, we made charcoal with great fi^cillty, which the fmiths preferred to the other. The turpentine, which we got from trees in great abundance, was found to be of great fervice in paying the planks, to keep them from rending ; and, when mixed with oil, of which * wc could procure any quantity, it proved a very tifeful fuccedaneum for tar.—Tiie red ochre which the natives employed to paint their faces, we purchafed from them:—In fhort, there were very few, if any articles, to be procured at Nootka, wlilcli we did not contrive to turn to very good account, and which we purpoiely purchafed, to preferve the communication of good offices between us and the people, and to keep alive their adlivity to ferve us. Neceffity, that mother of invention, taught us, in this remote corner of the globe, to look for aid to thofe fources on which we did not deign to caft an eye, while we pofieffed a flore of fuch materials as flow from the fuperior knowledge of cultivated fociety : while perfe-verance, that all-fubduing principle of human adion, produced for us, on on the unfrequented (hores of America, fomewhat of the convenlencles, 1788. and a fuccefsful imitation of thofe arts which may be confidered as the natural growth of Europe. The mutinous feamen immediately built themfelves a large hut, in which they refided, beneath whofe leafy roof they had full leifure to contemplate on their paft villainy ; and, as their different charaaers might operate, to curfe the ill-fortune that befel, or lament the wicked fpirit that mifled them. They, Indeed, fuffered feverely for their difo-bedient condučl:, and feemed to caft: a wifhful eye to the floating habitation from which they were banifhed ; for all communicatiou was now üiut up between them and the houfe, as well as the fhip ;—but we well knew that a very little portion of induftry would be fufficient to fupply them with fifh ; and to enable them to gain a fupport from the fea, we purchafed a canoe, and fent it to them, as the Jaft favour or attention they were to expeft from us. On the day after the mutiny had appeared, Maqullla and Calllcum came on board, to prove tlieir friendOiip, by offering inch fervices as the peculiar exigency of our fituatlon might require. Till this circumftance led us to explain the real condition of our feamen, the chiefs had confidered them in the light of flaves ; and had already complimented us, with fome mixture of furprlfe, on the extraordinary mildnefs of our condučt towards the crime of rebellion iu a people of their fuppofed condition. Nay Maqullla, from an apparent horror of the offence, and a forward zeal for our fecurlty, had taken fome of the officers afide, and ferloufly asked permiffion to collea: fome of his people, and put the mutineers to inflant death. The requefl:, as may lie fuppofed, was not only refufed, but treated with the ftrongeft marks of dlfpleafure; and fo well dlfpofed waö Maqullla to put his projeft in execution, that we were B b obliged i;88. obliged to accompany our refufiil with repeated figiis of abhorrence, in orderte prevent It. Callicum, however, a£ted In the bufinefs with more prudence and underftanding:—He wiflied to affifl- in punifhing tlie offenders by a mode that he knew could not be dlfagreeable, and would be fufficiently mortifying to them. When, therefore, he und.rftood that thefe unhappy people were banifhed from the Hiip, he requefted our per-miffion to receive them into his houfe ; and as we were well afllired that the bcft hofpitaiity even of a Nootkan chief, would be a very fevere punifliment to a Hritifh failor,—we readily confeiitcd to his proportion, on Iiis afl'uriiig us, at the fame time, that his new gucfts Ihould be fecure from any perfonal injury whatever. This bufinefs being arranged, we left the difcarded people to their new guardians, and turned our thoughts to matters of more immediate Importance, On the folJovving day, to our great furprife, and as we are ready to acknowledge, to our no little fatisfaflion, we fiiw our flurdy and refolute mutineers employed in fetching water, and other menial fervlces, in the execution of which, (laves alone are employed at Nootka,. Nor were they fuffcred to quit tlie lioufe of Cnllicum on any occafion whatever, without being attended by natives of the lowefl conditioii, to whofe care and command they w^erc entrufled. This conipulfoiy labour muft have been a very mortifying circumftance to them ; as, ratlier than employ the canoe we had given them to get fi(Ti for themfelves, they had been, fo laZy as to part with fome of their cloathing to pur-chafe that article from the natives. The chiefs, however, foon took care to fecure their cloarhs to thcmfelves ; and, without being guilty of injuftice to our friends, we arc obliged to attribute their feveral propofals concerning the offenders, tliough we did not at firft fufpeČl: their motives, to the defire of getting pofTeffion of the feveral garments that covered them. That objeft was eafily obtained ; and when thefe unhappy men I had had given up their :ill, they were forced to go to Tea, to afllft Jn pro- 1788. curing fifh,—not for themfelves, but for the fnmilies of their new , mafters. We continued our various operations with the moft indefatigable in- wednewlye duflry and attention, and nothing material happened till the 6th of Aiiguft ; when, about noon,afiiiI was feen in the offing, which v.'e knew to be the Princefs Royal, She appeared, at firft, as if {landing in for the Sound, but the weather becoming foon after tliick and hazy, we loft fight of her On the arrival of tliis veflcl on the coaft, we determined immediately to prepare for fea, as the prefence of this Hiip would be an additional fecurity to our party ; and, notwithüanding the diminiHied ftateof our crew, we were now refolded to venture to Port Cox, topoflels ourfelves of the furs which, we had every reafon to believe, mulT: have been collected for us by Wicananifh : a plan which would have been already executed, if we had not been impeded by tlie mutinous condud of our crew. On the 7th, the Princefs Royal again appeared in the offing, and ThurWa;» was again obfcured from our view, by the return of thick, miHry weather. On the 8th, we were ready for fea,—and as we faw nothing of the Friday 1 Princefs Royal, we became very apprehenfive that fhe might reach the fhores of WicananlHi before us, and be able to tempt that chief, by various articles of novelty on board her, to intrude upon the treaty he had made with us. We, therefore, did not delay a moment to fail from the Sound, with a gentle breeze of wind from the Weft-ward, and proceeded to Port Cox. B b 2 Previous 1788. Previous to our departure, we confirmed our friendfhip with Ma-Aucusr, quJlla and Callicum, with the ufual interchange of prefents. Thefe chiefs had been for fome time preparing for an hoftile expedition , againft an enemy at a confiderable diftance to the Northward, and were now on the point of fetting forward. Some of the nations in the vicinity of the Northern Archipelago, liad, it feems, invaded a village about twenty leagues to the Northward of King George's Sound, under the jurifdidlion, and which had been left to tlie particular government of his grandmother. At this place the enemy had done confiderable mifchicf,'—murdering feme of the people, and carrying others into captivity. On the arrival of a meflenger at Nootka with the news of thefe hoftilities, the inhabitants became inftantly inflamed with a moft aflive impatience for revenge; and nothing was thought of amongft them, but the means of gratifying it. » We embraced this opprotunity of binding the chiefs, if pofl'iblc, •unalterably to us, by farnifhing them with fome fire-arms and ammunition, which would give them a very decided advantage over their enemies. Indeed we felt it to be our interefi; that they fiiould not be dlfturbcd and interrupted by diftant wars ; and that, if ne-ceffity fliould compel tbem to battle, that they fliould return victorious. This unexpected acquifition of force animated them with new vigour; for they had already confefled that they were going to attack an enemy who was more powerful, numerous and favage than themfelves. We attempted to inflill into their minds the humanity of war,— and they had a£^:ually promifed to punifli the enemies they fhould take august take in battle with captivity, and not, as had been their general prac- 1788. ticc, with death. But; it could not be fuppofed that the doariaes of our humane policy would be remembered by a lavage nation burning with revenge, in the moment of battle ; and we arc forry to add, that this expedition ended in a moft fliockhig leene of blood and maflacre. The power that Maqullla carried with him on this occafion, was of a formidable nature. His war canoes contained each thirty young, athletic men, and there were twenty of thefe veflels, which had been drawn from the different villages under the fubje£tlon of Maquilla.— Comekela had the command of two boats:—They moved off from the Ihore in folemn order, finging their fong of Avar. The chiefs were cloathed in fea-otter Ikins ; and the whole army had their faces and bodies painted with red ochre, and fprinkled with a fhining fand, whicfi, particularly when the fun flione on them, produced a fierce and terrible appearance. While the women encouraged the warriors, in the patriotic language of the Spartan dames,—to return viČlorious, or to return no more. The battles, or rather the attacks of thefe favage tribes, are we believe inconccivably furious, and attended with the moft fhocking a(fHons of barbarous ferocity. They do not carry on hoftllicies by regular conflidls ; but their revenge is gratified, their fanguinary appetites quenched, or their laurels obtained by the operations of fudden enterprize and ačlive flratagem. The inftruÖiions we left with our party on fhore were fiich as the circnmftances of the cafe required. They were requeued to maintain, and if poifible to augment their former vigilance ; particularly if any ftrangers 1788. Grangers Ihould arrive In the Sound. And if it Ihould happen that August. ^^^^ friends were vanquillied, and purfued to Nootka, that they ihould take a decided and-aftive part in their fupport. They uere alfo de-fired not to let their humanity operate to the renewal of any communication with the baniilied feamen,—but to leave them to the lamented hardfhips of their condition, and the painful ftruggles of their repentance. CHAP. CHAP. XIX. Set fäll for Pori Cox,—Meet the Princefi Royal—Reciprocal good Offices^— Anchor in Port Cox.—Princefs Royal anchors in Port Hanna.—Wicananißj removed to Clioquatt,—Long-boat fent there at two different I'imeSt with Prcfents^ —Defcnption of Ciioquait.—Occupations rf the Natives.— Briß^rade with them.—"The Long-boat fent a third Time to IVicananiß^ on taking leave.—Mejfage from that Chief who after-wards arrives on board.—His Son propofes to embark with us, which ive decline.—Put to Sea, and Anchor again in King George's Sound. —The Arrival of /äe Iphi-geNIA.—Tiannas affcl^iofjatc Behaviour, Sc.—Arrival of MaquiUa and Callicum, and an Account of their Expedition,—Tiama's Abhorrence of American Manners.—People of America,, Cannibals,—The Inhabitants of the Sandxvich Jßands refcued from that Afperfion, w ■ E h:id but jun: cleafed the mouth of tlie Sound, wJieu a, thick fog arofe, whidi obliged us to heave to.—In the evening, however, it cleared away, when we faw the Princcfs Royal within two or three miles of us, to the windward; and, on perceivhig us, fhe fired a gun to leeward and hoifted her enfign. We returned the fignal, and Hie immediately bore up and Ipoke to us. I inflantly ordered out the boat, and went on board the Princefs Royal. I had ao perfonal knowledge of Captain Duncan, who commanded 199 1788. August. 1788. maiuIeJ her but 1 hatl received full information in China of the ob-AuGusr. Qf j^gj. voyage ; and I now felt the moft anxious defire to oifer any fervice to him and his little crew which he might want, or it might he in my power to affbrd.—Far from feeling the moft diftant im-pulfe of any miferable confideration, arifing from a competition of interefts, I profefs myfelf tohave been animated by no other defires but thofe which arofe from my duty, as a man and an Englifhman. The Princefs Royal was not quite fifty tons burthen, and manned by fifteen men ; and when it is known that (he had doubled Cape Horn, and navigated the great Northern and Southern Pacific Oceans, fome idea may be formed of the dif-treffes her people muft have fuffered, as well as of the ability and indefatigable fpirit of the commander. Indeed there is every reafon to believe that this little veffel accompliflicd more for the benefit of her owners, than any fliip that ever failed to the North VVeftern Coaft of America. s Captain Duncan received me, with the whole of his crew, upon deck,—whom I could not but regard, as he conducted me to his cabin, with an eye of applaufive aflonifliment. The firft queftion which Captain Duncan afked me was, conccrning the fate of the fliip Nootka, about which he exprefled an extreme anxiety. He had heard of the various misfortunes that had befell her, and was exprefling his doubts as to the pofTibility of her reaching China,—when 1 at once cah-ned his friendly apprehenfions, by afliiring him 1 myfelf commanded the Nootka in that diftrefsful voyage which had excited his compaflion ; and that he beheld me engaged, at this moment, in an amicable contefl with him for the favours of fortune. His ail:onifliment almoft fuperfeded his belief on the occafion ; and, knowing what I had fuffered in my former voyage, he could fcarce conceive it to be within the reach of pollibility, that I fhould be already re-embarked in an adventure on the American Coaft. Tbc The Princefs Royal had been out near twenty months from England, 1788. and was in want of many articles, without which it is aflonifhing fhe augu«t. could have continued her voyage.—Though hnraffed with fatiguing duty, and In a climate and feafon where tlijc fevcrity of the weather required the aid of invigorating cordials, their ftock of liquors had long been ex-haufted. We were extremely happy hi being able to fupply them with a fmall quantity ; when Captain Duncan, in return, made us an unre-. ferved offer of any thing his little veflel afforded Deffined as we were to be employed on a remote and unfrequented coaft, and liable to all the hardfhips and inclemencies of fuch a fituation, we felt an equal fympathy for our common allotment, and a mutual inclination to relieve, as far our power extended, the mutual inconve-niencies of it. We now feparated, when the Princefs Royal purfued her courfe to the South South Eaft, and we continued along fhore.—She had nearly brought her voyage to a conclufion, and was proceeding to the Sandwich lOands, to take in refrefhmcnts, in order to return to China with her valuable cargoe of furs. About nine o'clock in the evening the wind veered to the Eafl by South, which was immediately againff us, and obliged us to tack and ftand to fea. * On enquiring of Captain Duncan concerning his diftrcfled condition, he told me that he had met Captain Dixon, in the Qiieen Charlotte ; and though that fhip was on her return to China, and abundantly flocked with every thing; and even though fhe belonged to the fame owners with fhe Princefs Royal, the provident commander thought it much better to carry all his ftores back to China, than to fpare any of them to the latter veffel, though they would have been fo great an alleviation to the hardlhips of hctr voyage. C C It 1788. It was the morning of the loth before we got down a-breaft of Port Sujuiay 10 Cox, when we found the Prhicefs Royal had a few hours before arrived ill a fmall bar harbour, where our friend Hanna, the chief, refidcd.— Captain Duncan fent his boat off to us, as we pafled, to know if he fhoiild pilot us into the harbour; but as our intention was to enter Port Cox, we contented ourfelves with thanking him for his kind attentions. His boat, however, accompanied us till we anchored in the Inner port, about five o'clock in the evening, when fhe quitted us to return to her ililp ; pafTing through the channels between the Iflands and the main,, the diftance being about fifteen miles. The late Eafterly winds had obliged the Princefs Royal to fhelter her-felf here, as well as to procure fome wood and water, previous to her quittuig the American coaft.. On our arrival in Port Cox, we found that Wicananlfh had already removed to his winter quarters, which were up the harbour, and at the dif— tance of betwccji thirty and forty miles from the fliip. Mojjdsyii On the I Ith, the long boat was difpatchcd to the chief, witli pre-fents; and in the evening fhe returned, having met him at a fmall fummer vilinge, whicii was fitiiated about twenty miles from the fhip. He received the party with every mark of the moft diftinguifliing regard ; and, in return for our prefent, fent on board forty otter (kins, of the mofl valuable fpecies ; and was pleafed to make known his further wifh, that the boat might be hereafter fent to his winter's refidence, whither he was -theo going. Twraayi, On the 12th, though the weather was but indifferent, the long-boat' was neverthelefs difpatchcd to Wicananifh with a variety of articles for trade,. trade,'and fome flattering prefents, amongfl which the copper tea-kettle 1788. which hatl already been mentioned to him, was not forgotten, and whofe arrival was eagerly expefted by the whole family of the chief. The long-boat did not return till the 14th, when the officer gave us Thurrday ■ + the followuig account of his little voyage. On tlie morning of the 13th he arrived at Clioquatt, the winter refi-dence of Wicananifli, which confifted, like the other towns, of fuch houfes as we iiave already defcrlbed, but more commodioufly contlničted, poflef-fmg a greater fhare of their rude magnificence than any which we had yet feen.—It was very large and populous ; and the dwelling of the chief much more capacious than that which he occupied in the village near the lea, when we firft vifited his territories. The inhabitants were, at this time, bufily employed in packing up fifh in mats,—fecurmg the roes of them in bladders,—cutting whales into flices, and melting down blubber into oil, which they poured into feal-(kins.—All this mighty preparation was the provident fpirit of catering for the winter;—and the incrediblc quantities of thefe various provifions which our people faw collected, pro-mifed, at leaft, that famine would not be an evil of the approaching feafon. On thefe fhores the winter is the happy portion of the year which is appropriated to luxury and eafe ; nor are they then everaroufed into a£tion, but to take fome of thofe enormous whales, which, at that feafon, frequent their feas, in order to feall any of the neighbouring chiefs who may come to vifit them. Wicananifh received all our prefents with expreffions of extreme fatis-fačtion ; but the kettle was honoured with his peculiar attention, and borne away by him with an air of triumph, to be placed among his C c 2 treafures ; 1788. treafures; and with repeated declarations, that no confideration whatever avcuit. _ ^t^ 1 1 r mould again induce himtoyieUUip fuch a valuable depofit. Twelve brals-liilted fwords compofed a part of our offering, which were favoured with the moft grateful admiration ; and a great variety of articles had been pur-pofely manufactured to fuit the fancy of the women, who vied with each other in their cordial attentions to our people. A more brilk trade was then carried on with the inhabitants than we had hitherto experienced; a confiderable quantity of furs were obtained, and the boat returned well freighted with the produce of the voyage, and her people perfectly fatisfied with their reception from Wicananifli. Though we had every reafon to be contented with our commercial fuccefs, we determined to fend another embafly, which, if it did not produce any Immediate advantage, might leave thofe impreffions that would eftabllih a rooted intereft in our favour with the chief and his people. Mondayi3 The long-boat was therefore, on tlie i8th, dlfpatched to the town, to take our farewell melTage, and, which was of more confequence, our fare-wel prefent to Wicananifh. Indeed we propofed, on this occafion, to prove the difintereftednefs of our friendfhip, by felečting fuch a variety of articles as would fuit even the moil: varying fancy of this fickle people.— To thefe were alfo added feveral coats, profufely trimmed with buttons,, and the head of a large copper ftill. This fumptuous prefent was ordered to be made on our part with a flrid prohibition not to receive any thing; in return. I The boat returned" on the evening of the 19th, having punčlually executed our orders; and having brought a meflage from the chief, that he propofed to vifit the fhip the next day ; and therefore defired us to de-fier our departure for the purpofe of receiving him. On On the 20th, we were accordingly vifitcd by Wicananifli, attended by 1788. his brother, his two fons, three of his wives, and a great number of w^di^raSio people from the town, who attended their chief, in order to gala another opportunity of trading with us; and no fmall quantity of fur^ were, at this time, procured from them. The chief, however, prefented us with feveral fea otter (kins of the moft valuable kind; and, though there was every reafon to believe that he Intended to rival us in generofity, by refufing to receive any return, he could not bring himfelf to fend back a. couple of mulkets and a quantity of ammunition ; which were too tempting to be refifted by the delicacy of his fentiments, and might prove too ufeful in defending himfelf againfl: his powerful neighbour, Tatootche, not to be received with the moft grateful fatisfačtion. He enquired, in the moft affedlionate manner, how many moons would pafs away before our return ; and folicited us, in the ftrongeft manner, to prefer his port and harbour to every other. One of his fonS", a young man of about nineteen years of age, expref-fed a very earneft dcfire to depart with us; but this offer we thought it prudent to decline, from a recollečtion of the anxiety we had fuffered on a former occafion, by receiving even the amiable Tianna to our care andpro-teillon. This youth was the moft pleafing, in his figure and appearance, ofany perfon we had feen on the American coafl;. He not only appeared to be very quick and fagacious, but to poflefs an amiable and docile dlf-pofition ; and we do not doubt, had he vifited China, but that he would have returned with far diiTerent qualifications than Comekela, to improve and adorn his country. Wicananifh and his people left us with every token of fincere regret, and repeated entreaties that we would foon return. Having bid thefe generous people farewell, we put to fea in the evening of the 20th ; and, without Avgust. 1788. without any material occurrence, anchored fafe oa the 24th, In our old fituatlon in King George's Sound. Our abfcnce had now occupied fo (hort a fpace of time, that we felt notliing of that anxiety for our party at Nootka which we had experienced on our former feparation. Wc found them all well, and the veflel confiderably advanced. The carpenters had nearly planked her up, and her fitaation was fuch, that we pro-pofcd launching her on the 20th of September. The exiled crew remained in the fame unpleafant fituatlon in which we had left them. Grief, pain and remorfe had, we believe, been their conftant companions, fnice they were banifhed from the fliip at lead their appearance was fuch as to juftify us in fi>rmlng fuch an opinion : and when the Felice entered Friendly Cove, we obferved, as they viewed her from the beach, that tlie fight of her feemed, in fome degree, to enliven their dejected countenances. The time now approached when we had every reafon to expe^l the Iphigenia, according to the inftru£tions given her at our feparation.— We began to feel that anxiety for her fate, which we, who knew the dangers fhe had to encounter, muft naturally feel, when day after day paflexl on, and we faw no appearance of her. Our anxious eyes were continually wandering over the fea that waflied the American Coafl:, in fearch of thofe {liils which might mark the approach of our friends ; but for fome time nothing was feen but a vaft expanfe of water, unenlivened by any obje£t but, now and then, the folitary canoe of a Nootka fifherman. Thus alternately governed by hope and fear, by the expectation of foon feeing our companions again, and the apprehenfions of never feeing them more, we pafl'ed the bufy part of our time ; and, when our occupations were over, we ufed, in the evening, to walk on the fhore, at at the back of Friendly Cove, and interchange thofe refleaions which i-gg. had occurred in fiience, during the labours and employment of the day. Aucutr. In our evening walk on the 26th, while we were communicating our thoyghts, and repeating our vaticinations concerning the Iphigenia, to our infinite joy a fail was feen in the offing, which we were willing to conclude could be no other than that which we expe£led; and, indeed, fo it proved ; for, on the 27th in the morning, flie anchored in Friendly WedncfdayiT Cove. Such a meeting as this, obtained, as it deferved, a generaVcelebration ; and orders were accordingly given that all work of every kind (hould be fuf-pended ; that it might be a day of reft to the body, as well as of joy to the mind.—In fliort our little jubilee, on a diftant and dreary coaft, vi^as pafled with a degree of fatlsfačtlon and delight which the fplendid fcftivities ofpolifhed nations have not always known. The relation of dangers that were paft,—the pleafmg renewals of private friendihip,—the jfuccefs wliich had attended our hazardous expeditions,—and the fair profpeft that we fhould return home to enjoy the fruits of them, formed the fubjeds of our eager difcourfe ; while the happy hours were enlivened by convivial mirth and focial pleafure. It was, as may be well conceived, a great addition to our happinefs,, that the crew of the Iphigenia were entirely recovered from the difor-der which threatened them, at the time of our reparation, and now joined us in full health and vigour. The joy of Tianna at the light of thofe friends whom he had left with fuch poignant marks of regret, * was of a nature to delight all who beheld the warm effufions of his grateful mind, but cannot be conveyed to thofe who did not behold it by any language of mine. Nor were we infenfible to the pleafure of feeing him I. reftored 1788. reflored tons, fo entirely recovered from a diforder which had filled us with apprehcnfion that we (hould neve*- fee him again. Indeed, from the general change in his looks, and flill wearing his fur cap and other warm cloathing, with which he had clad himfelf, during the cold feafon, while the Iphigenia was in Prince William's Sound and Cook's River,—we did not immediately recognize the chief; but the violence of his joy foon difcovered him to us ; and though it might be more expref-five, it was not more lincere than our own. Indeed, fach had ever been the conciliating power of his manners, that there was not a feaman in rither fliip, that did not love Tianna as himfelf. We had fuppofed that his fatisfafbion on feeing us once again, was eompleat; but we found it ftill capable of increafe ;—for when he was informed that we propofed, in a very (hort time, to proceed to the Sandwich Iflands,—his exprefEons of delight knew no bounds;—they were wild, fantaflic and excefllve; and it was fome time before they funk Into that ftate of moderation which qualified him to receive any freHi ImprefTions of pleafure. The new veflel was refer ved for that purpofe ; and when it was pointed out, and he was made acquainted with its object, .he regarded it with fuch a firm and fixed attention, as If his eyes would have darted from their fockets to the vefiel : and till flic was launched, he continued the conftaiit companion of the carpenters, examining their operations and obfcrving their progrefs. We encouraged this difpofition ; and it is fcarcely to be credited how much of a carpenter's profelfioti he learned during the fhort time we remained at King George's Sound. On the 27th, while we were vifiting the village, Maqullla and Cal-licum returned from their war expedition; and, on entering the Sound, the little army gave the fliout of viilory. They certainly had obtained fome advantages. Avgust. vantages, as they brought home in their canoes feverd balkets, which 1788. they would not open in our prefence, and were fufpedted by us, as it afterwards proved, by the confefTion of Calllcum, to contain the heads of enemies whom they had (lain in battle, to the amount of thirty; but this vidory was not purchafed without fome lofs on the fide of the powers of Nootka. The chiefs now returned the arms they had received from us, but the ammunition was entirely expended :—we perceived, indeed, that the mulkets had been fired fcveral times ; and Calltcum aflured us that they had taken ample vengeance for the hoftilities exercifed againft them ; and had, befidcs, made a great booty of fea-otter (kins, in which they were all arrayed. The Sandwich Ifland Chief did not, as we firft expelled, difcover any fur-prife at the fight of Maquilla and his army ; but the frequent communication of the Iphigenia with the natives along the coaft, from Cook's River to King George's Sound, had rendered them and their manners no longer an objea of novelty, as they had never been an obje£t of confideration in the eyes of Tianna. Indeed, when he, with his fine coloflal figure, flood by Maquilla, who was rather of a low ftature, the difference was fuch, as not only to ftrike every beholder, but even to affe£t themfelvcs with the different fenfations of an exulting or a wounded pride, which ■would prevent any very cordial afTečlion from taking place between them. Tianna and Comekela were old acquaintance, but by no means intimate friends, as the former held the latter in a very low degree of eftimation ; and, accordingly, we did not obferve any very cordial appearance of joy at their prefent meeting. As Comekela had been at the Sandwich Iflands, on his firft leaving America, the (hip having flopped there for refrelh-ments, he was qualified to give Maquilla an account not only of Tiatina, Ü d August. 17S8. but the country from whence he came, and he did it probably to the difadvantage of both. At all events, Tianna held the cuftoms of Nootka ill deteftation ; and could not bear the idea of their cannibal appetites, without expreffing the moft violent fenfations of difguft and abhoi fence. Indeed, there was no comparifon to be made between the inhabitants and cuftoms of the Sandwich Iflands and thofe among whom we now refiJed, or of any part of the continent of America.—The former are their fuperiors la every thing that regards what we fhould call the comforts of life, and their approach to civilization. They attend to a circum-flance which particularly diflinguifhes poliflied from favage life, and that is cltanlinefs :—they are not only clean to an extreme in their food, but alfo in their perfons and houfes the fame happy difpofnion prevails :—while the North Weftern Americans are nafty to a degree that rivals the moft filthy brutes, and, ofcourfe, prohibits any defcription from us. Indeed, the very difgufting nature of their food is not di-miniflied by the manner in which it is eaten, or rather devoured.— Befides, their being cannibals, if no other clrcumftance of inferiority could be produced, throws them to a vaft dlftance from the rank which is held in the fcale of human being by the country men of Tianna : nor fhouLl WT pafs over in this place tlie frequent and folemn declarations of this chief, that the natives of the Sandwich Iflands poflefs the moft abhorrent fentlments of cannibal nature ; and though they may immolate human beings cn the altars of their deity, they have not the leaft idea of making fuch a facriflce to their own appetites. Indeed, we truft it will not prove a vain hope, that thefe amiable people may foon be taught to abandon even their religious inhumanity ; and that near half a million of human beings, inhabiting the Sandwich Iflands, may one day be ranked among the civilized fubječls of the Britifh empire. CHAP. 1788. August. CHAP. XX. I'bc Crew of the Iphlgema employed on the new Vejel—Arrangements made relative to the Ships,—Inhabitants prepare to retire to their iVinter garters, — Difpoßtions relative to the exiled Part of (he Crew, who are again received on boards on certain Conditions.—Mnquilla and Caliicam pay us a Vißt previous to their Departure.—Prcfents made to thefe Chiefs.—The Sagacity of the latter.—Ungrateful Behaviour of Comekcla.—A Sailfecn in the Offing.—• Boatfentouttoaffißhcr.—T'he Waßnngton enters the Sound.—Some Account of her Voyage, Sc.— 'the new Fejfel named and launched.—A Crew appointed to her.—Orders delivered to the Iphigenia.—llanna embarks cn board her.—Efcape of the degraded Boatfwain \~Aßßed by the Maß er of the IVafnngton.—^iit King George^s Sound, and proceed to the Sandwich Jßands, "TpHE arrival of the Iphigenia not only Infufed into our minds new life and fplrlts, but enabled us to proceed in our different operations with redoubled vigour. We now fornied a very ftrong party ; and, therefore, had no doubt of being able to launch the vefičl by the time we pro-pofcd. The voyage of the Iphigenia had alfo afforded us additional and very promifing expeaatlons of rendering the North Weft Coaft of America a very important commercial ftatlon. She had very completely coafted the Američan fhore, from Cook's River to King George's Sound, and D d 2 had 1788. had brought ns the moft Indubitable proofs of ilis exigence of the aucuit, ]S[ortlitrn Archipelago :—But this new, important, and very iii- tcrefllng obje£t has already, we truft, fatisfied the attention of our readers, in onu of the introdu£tory Memoirs prefixed to this volume. The artificers of the Ipliigenifi were immediately employed to affift thofe of the Felice In forwarding the completion of the veflel. Indeed, they rather felt a jealoufy on feeing the works we had formed ; which ačttd as ä ftlmulative to take an aflive fhare in the honour of them : fo that the bufinefs of our temporary dock promlfed a very fpeedy completion. Nor were the feamen idle ; fome were added to the rope-makers, and others fl^rengthened the party appointed to cut down fpars for pre-lent ufe ; and, in particular, to procure a new fore-maft for the Felice, who, as we have related, had fprung her's, very foon after our departure from Samboingan. The feafon for retiring from the American coaft was now approaching; and we had fufficient bufinefs on our hands to fill up the interval. Not only the new veflel was to be launched, manned, and equipped for a voyage of near fifteen hundred leagues, but the two fliips were alfo to be prepared for fea; and when oiir fitiiatlon, as well as the nature of our rcfources are confidered, wc muft be allowed to have had 110 fmall difficulties to encounter; and that, from having conquered them, we have fome claim, at leaf!-, to the praife that is due to unremitting induftry, and refolute per fever an ce, A new fuit of fails was foon completed for the veflel on the flocks, which, as flie was to be rigged as a fchooner, was the more readily ac- complifhed j complifhed ; but, independent of Jier ftorm-fails, this was all we could 1788. do for her in tliat branch of rigging. August«. Being, however, thus far, and thus happily advanced in our feveral preparations for our approaching voyages, it became a matter of immediate confideration to form the ncceflary arrangements of the two fiiips, not only for the prefent feafon, but alfo for the enfuing year. A very valuable cargo of furs had been cplledtcd, which it was our iiitcrefl: to tranfport to market with all poflible difpatch ;—it was, therefore, determined tliat tjie Felice, as fuon as the new veflcl was launched, Ihould diredtly proceed to China; and that the Ipliigenia, with the fchooner, fliould remain to profecute the general objedts of our commerce. This arrangement being fettled, every exertion was immediately made to prepare the Felice for fea. P"or this piirpofe the fail-makers began upon her rigging, and the caulkers applied themfelvcs to her upper-works, which, as well as her bends, were very leaky. As it was more than probable that we fhould enter the China leas at a very tempeftuous feafork of the year, we were very attentive to the making every neceflary provifion for that, as we did for every other polTihle exigency of the voyage. In fliort, we followed up this bufinefs with fuch unremitting and ačtive induftry, that by the 4th of September the fliip wasjeady for fen, having SErTHMsr».. got her head fore-mafl in, and being completely ftored with wood and ^^ ^ water. The natives now began to make preparations for retiring from their prefent fituation into the more interior part of the Sound ; and we d.iily faw fome of their embarkations, which we have defcribed in a former chapter. On the 7th, Maquilla and Callicum paid us a viiit, to notify Sunday jin form, that, in a few days, they, with all their people, flaould remove 5 to 1788, totlie winter refidence, which was near 30 miles from the (hip, and as 5i'ptihber. i^^aiij from the fea. On receiving this information, we thought it incumbent on us to form fome difpofitions concerning the exiled crew. Their fufferings applied themfelves very forcibly to our pity ; and the humility of their felicitations, with their imploring promifes of future fidelity and good behaviour, were not without their effeft. But it required all the reflexion wc could bedow on the fubjt'(^>, to form a right judgment how to aft in a crifis where individual feeling, and profeflional duty had much to fettle, before a final decifion could be made. The leaving thefe unhappy people behhid, might have been confidered as cruelty to them; and the receiving men on board, the return of whofe daring and mutinous fpirit would, to fay no vvorfe, impede, if not wholly Interrupt the voyage,— might turn out cruelty to ourfelves. They had, it Is true, fuffercd very feverely for their paft mifconduft; and when they were fummoned to hear our final determination concerning them, their pale countenances and dejected looks, accompanieil by the mofl abjeft declarations of rcpentance, difarmed us, at once, of all our refentment; and they were received into the fhip on con-feuting to forfeit the wages already due to them foruiine months fer-vice,and that their future pay fhould be proportioned to their future good behaviour. To thefe conditions they joy fully fubmitted, and once more joined their comrades, after an interval, in which they had known nothing but mortification and diftrefs. The power which was exercifed in depriving thefe men of the wages due to them previous to their villainous attempt to feize tiie Ihip, was founded in flričl juflice : for, without confidering the wickednefs of their defign, and the fatiil confe-quences which would have attended the completion of it, their having I prevented prevented the fhlp from putting to fen, for the benefit of their employers, j «gg. by which interruption a confiderable lofs was fuftalned, was alone fuffi- Septjsmie». cient to jnftify iin a£t, which would make them fharers in the lofs that they had occafioned. On our arrival at China, however, the whole of the wages which tliey had forfeited, was beftowed upon them by the commiferating gene-rofity of the owners. We could not, after all, exercife too much precaution in again receiving thefe dangerous people amongfl us. We indulged our dlfpofi-tions to lenity with an apprehenfive fatisfa6hion ; and, in order to leflen the poflibillty of mifcliief, we diftributcd them among the two crews, which lefiened, at leaft, the power of communication with each other. The boatfwain, whofe condučl had been marked with previous difbbe-dience, and who was the ringleader of the mutiny, was excepted from the general amnefl^y. It was thought to be neceflary, at all events, to make him an example ; more particularly as we now dilcovered that he had added theft to his other offences. He was accordingly put under confinement in the houfe on fliore. Thus was this very difagreeable bufinefs finally fettled: but had we been lefs fortunate in the firfl: difcovery of the mutiny ; — in fliort, liad we been at fuch a diftance from the fliip, as not to have Jteard the firfl alarm on the occafion, the cotifequences would certainly iiave been de-ftručtive of the voyage, and might have proved fatal to ourfelves. Maquilla and Callicum now came to take their farewell of us, as they were going to depart for the place of their winter refidence, and delivered themfelves on the occafion in the warnleft; language, and with the , ■ moll 1788. moft expreflive looks of frleiidfhip. They knew diat we were fliortly to quit their coaft, and exprefled very afFciftionate \vifli..s for our return. Mfiqiiilla entreated us again and sgain, whenever we propofcd to get the little mamatlee or fliip into the water, to fend to him, and he would come down with all his people to give us the neceflary affiftancc. They ' had, indeed, been conftantly anticipating the difEculty that would attend us, as they exprelled thenifelvos, in piifhing the vcflei into the water, whenever (lie fhoiild be compleated. Thefe chiefs had paid a very regular attention to the progrefs of her conftrudlion, from the very beginning, to her prefent ftate of approaching completion ; but without dlfcoverlng any thing like the intelligence vi^hich grew up, as it were, and dally unfolded itfelf in the mind of Tianna. Whatever opijiion, therefore, we had formed of the capacity of thefe chiefs for the fentlments of frlendOiip, we thought it prudent, with ä view to our future interefts, as prefents bad firfl obtained it, to fecure the continuance of it, if poffible, by the fame prevailing influence.— We accordingly prefented Maquilla, with a mulket, a fmall quantity of ammutiltion, and a few blankets. Nor did CalHcum leave us without receiving equal tokens of our regard. We made thefe chiefs fenfible in how many moons we fhould return to them ; and that we fhould then be accompanied by others of our countrymen, and build more houfcs, and endeavour to Introduce our manners and mode of living to the praftice of our Nootka friends.—This information fee med to delight them beyond meafure; and they not only promlfed us great plenty of furs on our return, but Maquilla thought proper, on the inftant, to do obedience to us as his lords and fovereigjis. He took off his tiara of feathers, and placed it on my head ; he then dref-füd me in his robe of otter ikins; and, thus arrayed, he made me fit düw« ilown oil one of hischefts filled with humnn bones, and then placed him- i;S8.. lelf on the ground. His example was followed by dl the natives pre- Str ri-MiitR. fent, when they fung ■one of thofe plaintive fongs, which wc have already mentioned as producing fuch a folemn and pleafing effeft upon our minds.—Such were the forms by which he intended to .acknowledge, in the prefence of his people, our fuperioriry over him,—We now once more took our leave, and returned on board the fliip, clad in regal attire, and poflefled of fovereign power.-—We had, however, fcarcely left the chief, when Callicum came running after us to particulavife his commiflions, and repeat his adieu.—There was fomething about this man fo amiable and affetflionate, that I wiflied to remain with him to the lail:; and I cannot help relating every trifling clrcumftance in this final interview .—He enumerated a long lift of articles, that he defired us to brnig him when we fhould return ; all of which I took down in writing, to his entire fatisfaölon. Shoes, flockings, an hat, and other articles of our drefs, were moft particularly requeued by him ; and, when I returned him my aflurance that his wifhes fliould be gratified in the moft ample manner, he Immediately departed, after having taking me round the neck, and given me a mofl affe£lionate embrace.—I felt it then, when I lioped to fee him again;—and I feel it now—when 1 too well know I fhall fee him no more. Poor Callicum had now, as at every former period, made known his wants in a particular manner to me ; but I afterwards found that the whole village had, more or Icfs, charged the memories of our people, as well officers as feamen, with their v.irious commiflionsnor did the ladies of Nootka forget to make their claim to our remembrance of them. And here I cannot but mention, with tome degree of pleafure, though mingled, 1 muft own, with a preponderating fenfation of pain, that, on our part, all their feveral commiflions were moft minutely executed. The Argo- ^ ® naut 1788 goiiaut contained them all; as alfo the feveral prefents to Maquilla, Cal-ShPTEMDER. Wicananlfh, and the other chiefs to the Southward of King George's Sound, knoivn by us, as well as thofe to the Northward of it, who had been dilcovered by the Iphigenia. The whole of which treafurc had been felečted and adapted with great care, and the rnofl: anxious attention to their fancies, as well as their neceffities, when fhe was capturcd by the Spaniards. It might be confidered, perhaps, as tending to lefien the abhorrent idea which every Englifliman fliould feel, and of which I, above all others, Ihould be fenfible, refpeding the audacious and cruel conduct of the Spanifli officer, by mentioning the fubordinate difappointment I felt, when I reflečled that Maquilla and Callicum did not enjoy their harmlefs pride in thole dreffes which had been prepared for them; and that the coffers of Wicananifh were not filled with thofe veflels which had been exprefsly, and at no little trouble, obtained to enrich them. I fliall therefore pafs over tlie curious cargo provided for our Nootka friends, of wliicli we and they were robbed by the Spanifh commander; nor defcribethe quantity of caft-ofFcloaths, tliat we had collected at China, and loaded with buttons to fult their fancy; and of which the Spaniards poflefled themfelves with fuch an avidity, as if they were in want of this wardrobe, which was deftined for the flivages of Nootka, to cloath fiir greater barbarians. Comekela, of whom we never entertained a very favourable opinion, and of whofe deceitful conduit we had ample proof, notwithftanding our kindnefs to him, while he was at China, during his voyage from thence, and after his return to Nootka, confirmed us in our opinion of his ingratitude, by leaving the Sound, without Hiewing us the leall mark of at-tentloa or refpeČl:—He therefore loft, as he deferved, the prefent which 1 waa was referred for him ; and we fuffered him to depart without any token 1788. of remembrance from us. SiriEMB«R. We continued our operations, without the intervention of any particu- Wedncfdayi^ lar circumftaiice, till the 17th of September, when a fail was feen in the offing, which rather furprized us; and we were not without our ap-prehenfions that it was the Princefs Royal, who had met with fome accident that obliged her to return. The long-boat was Immediately fent to her affiftance, which, Inftead of the Brltifh veflel we expefted, conveyed Into the Sound a Hoop, named the WaQiington, from Bofton in New England, of about one hundred tons burthen. Mr. Grey, the mafter, informed us, that he had failed in company with his confort, the Columbia, a fhip of three hundred tons, in the month of Avigufl", 1787, being equipped, under the patronage of Con-grefs, to examine the Coafl: of America, and to open a fur-trade between New England and this part of the American Continent, in order to provide funds for their China fhips, to enable them to return home teas and China goods. Thefe vefiels were feparated in an heavy gale of wmd, In the latitude of 59° South, and had not feen each otlrer fince the period of their feparation ;—but as King George's Sound was the place of rendezvous appointed for them, the Columbia, if fhc was fhfe, was every day expected to join her confort at Nootka. Mr, Grey Informed us that he had put Into an harbour on the Coaft of New Albion, where he got on ftiore, and was in danger of being loft on the bar: he was alfo attacked by the natives, had one man killed and one of his officers wounded, and thought himfelf fortunate In having been able to make his efcape. This harbour could only admit veffels of a very fmall E e 2 fize, 17S8. fize, and muft He fomewliere near the Cape, to which we had given the SEI'TEMEER. c r> TT name or Cape I^oolc-out. The mafter of the WaOiuigton was very much furprized at feeing a veffel on the ftocks, as well as on fiLidlng any one here before him ; for they had little or no notion of any commercial expeditions whatever to this part of America. He appeared, however, to be very fangnine in the fupeiior advantages which his countrymen from New England might reap from this track of trade; and was big with many mighty projefts, in which we undcrftood he was protected by the American Congrefs. With rhefe circumftances, however, as we had no immediate concern, we did not even intrude an opinion, but treated Mr. Grey and his fhip's company with polltenefs and attention. fiitiiniay lo On the 20th, at noon, an event, to which we had fo long looked with anxious expectation, and had been the fruit of fo much carc and labour, was ripe for accompliniment.—The veHel was then waiting to quit the ftocks ; and to give all due honour to fuch an important fcene, we adopted, as far as was In our power, the ceremony of other dockyards.—As foon as tha tide was at Its proper height, the Engllfh en-fign was difplayed on fhore at the houfe, and on board the new veflel, which, at the proper moment, was named the North Weft America, as being the firft bottom ever built and launclied in this part of the globe. It was a moment of much expe£latlon.—The clrcumftances of our fituatlon made us look to it with more than common hope.—Maqullla, CalHcum, and a large body of their people, who had received information of the launch, were come to behold it. The Chinefe carpenters did not very well conceive the laft operation of a bufinefs in which they thcmfelves had been fo much and fo materially concerned. Nor fliall we forget s xS # # •»"•i, \ •••V/ - • # # <» i % « J t •"■J' -• ' -. » ' ** t. X.'ii'v.*- v ■ -»Ž > ■ « ft ♦ ' - » ♦ buk. forget to mention the Chief of the Sandwich THancls, wliofe every power I'^SS. was abforbed in the hufincfs that approachecl, and who had determined Shtj^m tobe on board the veflel when flue glided into the water. The prcfeuco of the Americans ouglit alfo to be coiifidered, wlien we are defcfibiiig the attendant ceremonies of this important crifis; which, from the labour that produced it,—the fceae that furrounded it,—the Ipeclators that beheld it, and the commercial advantages, as well as civilizing Ideas, con-nečlecl with it, will attach fome little coufequencc to its proceeding, iu the mind of the philofopher, as well as in the view of the politician, Eut our fufpcnfe was not of long duration on the firing of a gun, the veflel ftarted fiotn die ways like a fhot.—Indeed Ihe went off with fo much velocity, that flie liad nearly made her way oat of the harbour; for the fafl: was, that not being very much accuftomed to this bufiuefs, we had forgotten to place an anchor and cable on board, to bring lÄr up, which Is the ufual pradlicc on thefe occafions : the boats, however, foou towed her to her Intended {latiou ; and in a fliort time the North Well America was anchored clofe to the Iphigenia and the Felice. Tianna, who was on board the veffel at the time of hfr being laiuiclied, not only faw, but may be faid to have felt the operation, as if it had been the work of enchantment; and could only exprefs his nftoniHvaient, by capering about, clapping his hands, and exchiiming Myly, Myfy ; a word the mofl: expreflive hi the language of tlie Sandwich Klands, to convey wonder, approbation, and delight. The Chinefe carpenters were alfo hi an ahnoft equal degree of nftonifhment, as they had never before been witiiefles of fuch a fpeftacle. Nor were the natives of the Sound, who were prefent at this ceremony, lefs imprefled by a feries of operations, the limpleft of which was far above their comprehenfions. In fliort,—this bufnicfs did not fail to raife us Hill higlicr in their good opinion. StrTEMBER. 178S. opinion, and to afford them better and more correčl notions than they hitherto poffeffed, of the fuperiority of civilized, over fiivage life. A Commander, officers and crew, were immediately felečtcd from the Fclice and Iphigenia, to navigate the North WcA America; and each of the ßaips fent her proportion of ftores on fliore, to equip her for fca. And here, I trufl:, it will not be confideredas an impertinent digreflion, if I exprcfs my gratitude to that example of profcflional rigor and perfe-veraiice, which in my early years were fet before me, on the oppofite fide of this continent, where ability and courage alleviated, in foiiie meafure, the chagrin of unfuccefsful war. The campaigns in Canada owe their only honour to the naval warfare on the lakes of that country ; and it was my good fortune, when a youth, to be enured in fuch a fchool, to the hardfhlps and difficulties of naval life, and to learn there, that temper and perfeverance muft be added to profeffional knowledge, in order to furmount them.—I am ready to acknowledge that, for the little Ikili I may poffefs, as a profeflional man, as well as the patience I have exercifcd, and the perfeverance which I have exerted, in this or any other voyage, 1 am indebted to the rigid difcipline which neceffarlly arofe from the continual aftlon, hazard and conflia of the fervice in which 1 was firft engaged.—Some little experience has convinced me tiiat dangers and difficulties form the beft fchool of maritime education ; and he that has been fo employed as to have feen every thing, and fo circumftanccd as to defpife nothing, cannot fail of rendering fervice to his country. On the 24th, the Felice being ready for fea, the orders, marked V. in the Appendix, were given to Captain Douglas, to direčl hiä future proceedüigs,—The North Weft America was added to his command, and Tiaiina SiPTEMSKR. Tianiia once more embarked on board the Iphlgenia, as flie was deftined 1788. to carry bim to the Sandwich Iflands. This arrangement was preferred after feme deliberation; for I my-felf felt a ftrong inclination to rcftore the amiable chief to his country; but as I could not remain more than a few days at the Sandwich Iflands, and as the Iphigcnia was defined to winter there, it was thought a more expedient meafnre to fend him home in her; as it would, in a particular manner attach him to her people, and, of courfe, promote their comfort and fecurity during the time, which would probably occupy feveral months, of their ftay there. Thefe reafons were fufficient for us, on account of the general intereft of the expedition, to return Tianna to the Iphigenia ;—but there were alfo other reafons for purfuing this meafurc, for his own fake. We had been Informed by one of the veffels which returned to China from the Sandwich Iflands, fubfecjuent to us, that Tianna's brother, Taheo, fovereign of Atool, was become fo fearful of the power he might acquire from us, as to meditate his defl:ru£lion ; and that, in all probability, fome fecret attempt would be made on his arrival to cut him off. It was neceflary, therefore, for the prefervation of Tianua, that he fhould be taken back in that veffel, which, by liei long ftay there, might enfure his fafety, till the jealous fit of his tyrant brother was pafled away, and a pcrfe£l reconciliation liad taken place between, them. We now fent all the (lores we could poflibly fpare on board the Jphi-gcnia; and, in return, received her cargo of furs. We alfo took on. board a confiderable quantity of fine fpars, fit ^r top-mafls, for the Chinefe market, where tbey are very much war.ted, and, of courfe, pro- 1788. proportion ably dear. Tnclecd tlic woods of this paj-t of" America are ca-i.TTEMBtR, p^^ijjg ^^ fiipplyiiig, with thefc valuable matc'iials, all the navies of Europe, Monday i4 In (-j^e evcHiiif; the officers, &c. of tlie Tphigenia and the North Weft Ainerica came on board the Felice to bid us farewell. Tianiia was not the laft to fliew us that mark of his regard ;—and indeed, to do j 11 (lice to his amiable difpoiitioii and friendly nature, whenever klndnefs could be fliewn, or gcnerofity expreflcd, ,he was among the firft,— Nor could he fay adieu to Nooici, the name univerfally given mc, both in America and the Sandwich Iflands, without a frame ahnofl: convulfcd with agitation, and tears guflilng down his cheeks.— Nor could I, though proceeding to complete my voyage with the falreft hopes of fucceis, take my leave of that worthy man, and the companions of our tollfome enterprlfe, without emotions that required all my refolu-tlon to fupprefs. Neither (hould I do jufblce to the condu£l of thofe employed in this commercial expedition with me, if I did not mention the alacrity wliich was dlfplayed by the officers of every denomination and, indeed, by all the inferior people, to acommodate thcmfelves to our peculiar circum-jftances. It was ncceflary to have feveral changes among the crews of both fhlps, in order to give a proper complement of officers and men to the Nortli Weft America, in which the general IntereH; of the expedition was alone confidered by all ;—and I think it my duty to record oa this grateful page, the fenfe I have of, and the advantages their employers received from, their manly and accommodating condud on tlic occafion. Wc We now liove up the anchor, and, with a ftroiig wind blowing 178S. from the North Wefl, the Felice put to fea. —The crews of tlie Iphigenia and the North Weft Amcrica gave us three cheers at our departure, which awakened every echo of Friendly Cove. We returned the fame animating adieu ;—and, before it was dark, we had almoft loft fight of Nootka Sound. It may not be improper juft to mention, tliat the day after the arrival of the American vefiel at Nootka Sound, the difcarded boatfwain broke from his confinement, and efcaped, witli feveral articles he had ftolen, into the woods, with a view to obtain protection from the Waftiington; In which, as we have ftnce been informed, he fuccecded. For the mafter of that veflel, with what propriety I fhall not pretend to obferve, not only fent him pxovifions to his hiding-place in the woods, but, immediately on the departure of our ftiips, received him on board his veflel, in which he did duty before the maft. F CHAP. 1788. SlPTEMBH. CHAP. XXI. General Account of the Nations fien on the North tVeßern Coaß of America.— 'The Four Nations of the Country of Nootka.—'their Situation, Villages, and Population, ^c.—Knowledge of the People to the Southward of flueenhlthcy In a great Degree conječiural.—'-Wicaitaniß, however, repeats the Names of ihelr Villages.—Some Account of the American Continent, from Cape Saint fames to the Southward.—Climates.—Seafons.—Winds.—Storms,—Harbours, —Navigation, — No conftderahle Rivers in the Dlßriä of Nootka Sound. WE had now taken our leave of the Confl: of America ; and, while the Felice may be fuppofcd to be purfuing her voyage to the Sandwich Iflands, we (hall fill up tlie Interval of her arrival there, with fuch an account of the country we have juft quitted, as we are quahfied to make from our own experience, and fuch obfervatlons as fuggefted themfelves to us while we were acquiring it. The commercial adventurers to this part of America, who had been led thither for the furs it produced, were not without that laudable and patriot curiofity which has animated others, and Indeed operated in fome of them to add new countries to the chart of the globe but, whatever zeal they might poffefs, it was not m their power to fpare an adequate portion portion of their time from their more important obječls of commercial 1788. enterprize. Sept.mbe«. It is true, that in purfuit of them we fell in with parts of the coaft that Captain Cook had not vifited, and communicated with people whom he had never feen ;—but the great object of our voyage continually checked any rifing impulfe to purfue the track of diTcoverv; and our particular duty and interefts forced us back to thofe parts of the coaft which were more immediately connefted with the purpofes of mercantile adventure.—Hence it is that our account of this part of the American continent will be confined within nnrrow limits:—It will, however, we truft, poflefs tlie merit which accuracy can give it, and aliift thofe who may hereafter be employed to examine this remote portion of the globe. The parts of which we have any particular knowledge, extend from the latitude of 45° North to 61° North. The longitude obtained from agronomical obfervations, Is from 205° Eafl:, to 237" Eaft of Greenwich. By this longitude we mean the Weftern boundary of the coaft to the Northern Pacific ocean.—This country, as it extends towards Hudfon's or Baffin's Bay, is as yet unexplored, and, of courfe, unknown ; nor can we form any probable conjecture whether fuch a fpace is occupied by land or fea, as we have already obferved, in the introdudlory memoir whlcJi treats of the North Weft Paf-faj^e, &c. With refpeit to the inhabitants of this extenfive fliore, we have a knowledge of four dilTerent nations, whofe occupations and manners bear a great limilitude to each other. F f a Frotn Sli' Ti.yasK, 1788. From every Information we could obtain, there is reafon to believe that the imtlon which inhabits Nootka Sountl, and which extends itfelf both North and South of that port, is very numerous ; but dots not pofibfs tiie fame fiercenefs of character as their more Northern neighbours. MaqulUa, with whom the reader has already been made rather intimately acquainted, is the fovereign of this territory ; which extends to the Northward, as fl\r as Cape Saint James, iu the latitude of 52® 20' North, and longitude of 228" 30' Eaft of Greenwich; and which cape forms the Southern extremity of the great groiipe of iflands that bounds tlie Northern Archipelago towards the Pacific Ocean; and to the Southward, the dominions of this chief ilretch away to the Iftands of WicananHTi. TJiere are alfo perfons of coiifiderablc power, though Inferior dignity to the fovercign chiefs;—In this Nation of honour were Calllcum and Hanapa, who have already been particularly mentioned ; and tlie former of whom has been, we trufl, a pleafnig companion to the reader through many a page of this volume.—Indeed, as we had no opportunity of vl-fitlng the Interior parts, at any dlflauce from the Sound, we can only communicate fuch information as we received from this amiable chief, whcfe frank and open difpofitlon was ever obedient to our enquiry ; and wlio, by poflelllng an underftanding fuperlor to the reft of his countrymen, was qualified to make thofe communications, on which, as far as they went, we might have an unfufpe£ting reliance, I From him we learned that there were feveral very populous villages to the'Northward, entrufted to the government of the principal female relations of Maqullla and Calllcum; fuch as grandmothers, mothers, aunts, fillers, &c.—but the brothers, Ions, and other male relations, were, from political motives, kept near the perfon of the chief liimfelf.— 5 I' It may inJeed be recolle£lf;d, that the village fudJenly invaded by the :788. enemy, nnd which occafioiied n war expedition from Nootka Sound, has been mentioned iu a formt;r chapter as being governed with unlimited fway by the grandmother of Maquilia. The mother of Callicum cnjovcd a fimilar delegated power over another diftričt; and feveral other villages were aligned to the direčtioii of otlier relations, aH of which were ready to join, as occafion required, for the fupport of their mutual fafety, and to yield a ready obedience to the fummons of the foverelgn chief;—> The whole forming a political band of iinlon, not very unlike to tlie general fyftem of government in Europe, at an early period of its civilization, and which is well known under the appellation ef the feudal f^'fiem. The number of inhabitants In King George's Sound amount to between three and four thoufand. Captain Cook eftimates tlie village of Nootka to contain about two thoufand inhabitants, and we do jiot think that it had undergone any change in its population when we were upon ths coaft. But there are two ptiier fubordlnate villages In the Sound, which, between them, appeared to us to contain fifteen hundred people. One of them is fituated at a confiderable diftance up the Sound, in a dlftrlčt committed to the jtirifdlčlion of lianapa. To the Northward of the Sound there are four villages, and to the Southward of It there are an equal number, of which Maquilia is the chief. From the baft information, each of thefe inhabited fpots contain, on an average, about eight hundred people; fo that the wholeof Maquilia s fubjeas do not amount to more than ten thoufand peoplea very fmall number Indeed to occupy fo large a fpace of country;—but the frequent wars which harafs thefe little ftates, and th® a^o I Sbptsmber. ;788, the fiercenefs of battle among cannibal nations, are fufficient to fatlsfy us concerning the ftagnant population of thefe people. The dlfl:ri£l: next to King George's Sound to the Southward, is that of Wicananifh : though he is not confidered as equal in rank to MaquilJa, yet he is entirely free and independent, and by far the moft potent chief of this quarter. In the fame diftričt refide the chiefs named Detootche and Hanaa, on two fmall iflands, but who are entirely free and independent. Thefe iflands are fituated a little to tlie Northward of Port Cox, and contain each of them about fifteen hundred people, and we did not lui-derfland that they had any other dependency. The general refidence of Wicananifh is in Port Cox, where he lives in a ftate of magnificence much fuperior to any of his neighbours, and both loved and dreaded by the other chiefs. His fubje^s, as he himfelf informed us, amounted to about thirteen thoufand people, according to the following eflimation — III Port Cox, four thoufand ; to the Southward of Port Cox to Port Effingham, and in that Port, two tlioufand; and in the other villages which are fituated as far as the mouth of the Straits of John de Fuca, on the Northerji fide there might be about feven thoufand people.—Here the dominions of Wicananifii end, and thofe of the next and laft chief of the Nootka territory begin, whofe name is Tatootche. The names of the feveral villages belonging to Wicananifh were given us by himfelf, and are as follow :—Kenoumahaiat, Uth-u-wil-ett, Chaiflet, Elefait, Qu-quaet, Lee-cha-ett, Equo-lett, Ifow-fchuc-fe-lett, E-Iolth-it, and Nitta-natt. Thefe names are taken down in the manner they were pronounced by Wicananifh ; and, indeed, as we pafled along the the coaft, we had communication with feveral of them, whofe inhabitants j ^33 came off to us at fea, particularly from Nitta-natt, Elefoit, and E-lolth-it, September. Indeed, from the apparent populoufnefs of thefe villages, which we could very well diflinguiih, we rather think that the chief, either from mo-deftj or ignorance, under-rated the population of his country. The fubjeds of Wicananifh are a bold, daring people, extremely athletic, and fuperior in every refpe£t to thofe of King George's Sound ; and, at the fiime time, not fo favage as thofo of Tatootche, who refides on the ifland that bears his name, and is fituated near the South head-land which forms the entrance of the Straits of de Fuca. With thefe people we had very little communication, but from the crowd of hihabitants collefted to view the fhip, and tlie number of boats filled with people which furroimded her, we ihall not over-rate the number of inhabitants on this ifland, by eftimating them at five thoufand people. The di{l;ri£t of this chief extends to Q^ecnhithe; and Wicananifh mformed us that it contained five villages, and about three thoufand inhabitants. We favv the large village of Q^eenuitett, near Queenhithe, and alfo feveral other fmaller ones, as we coafted along the Ihore. We could obtain no other knowledge of any villages to the Southward of Queenhithe, but from the further information of Wicananilh. He indeed repeated the names of feveral, which, according to his account, were fituated a great way to the Southward, the inhabitants whereof not only fpoke a different language from the Nootka natives, but who varied alfo in manners and cuftoms. That this, part of his intelligence was correa, we had fuHicient proof, when we were off Shoalwater Bay, as the two natives who then approached the Ihip, fpoke a language which J feemed September, 1788. feemed to have no affinity with tliat of Nootka, and appeared, la the circumftances of drels aiul the form of their jcanoe, to be a feparate and difT:lii£l people from tlie American nations which we had vlfited. The following names of the villages to the Southward of Queenhithc, were taken down, at tlie moment, as Wlcananifh pronounced them;— Chanutt, Clanamutt, Chee-mee-iett, Lo-the-att-Hieeth, Lu-nee-cliett, Thee-wich-e-rett, Chee-fet, Lino-quoit, Nook-my-ge-mat, Amuo-lkett, Nuiflet-tuc-fauk, Quoit-fee-noit, Na-nunc-chett, and Chu-a-na-(lvett. The knowledge which Wlcananifh poffefled of the names ofthefe places, proves very evidently that either he or fome of his people have had fomc communication with the inhabitants of them. But whether this was a matter of defigu or hazard, of an occafional trading Intercourfe, or the accidental effects of a florm, which has been frequently known to have driven canoes to a great diftance, and carried the affrighted Indian to the hofpitallty or the deftrudlion of a remote coaft, we cannot pretend to fay ; as it was not always in our power to make ourfelves intelligible to the favages, or render them intelligent to ourfelves. Thefe places are beyond the limits of that part of America comprifed in the four nations, extending from Prince William's Sound to Queen Charlotte's Ifles, and the Northern Archipelago; and from thence to Nootka and Cape Shoalvvater ; fo that any hlftory of the people that inhabit them, muft be a matter of mere conjedture, and therefore totally improper to interrupt the authentic narrative before us. Of the inhabitants refiding up the Straits of de Fuca, we could obtaiu no information from the people of Nootka; but from the multitude in which attacked the long-boat, we had no doubt that they were very 1788. numerous. s.ptemb... The American continent, in almoft every part, prefeiits nothing to the eye but iminenfe ranges of mountains or impenetrable forefls.— From Cape Saint James to Queetihithe, which we have confidered as the diftria of Nootka, and inhabited by the fame nations, this fceiie invariably prefents itfelf, and admits of very little if any variety. In fome places the country appears to be level on the coaft, but ftill the eye fooii finds itfelf checked by fteep hills and mountains, covered, as well as every part of the low-land, with thick woods down to the margin of the fea. The fummits of the higher mountains, indeed, were compofed of ftiarp prominent ridges of rocks, which are chid in fnow inflead of verdure ;—and now and then we faw a fpot clear of wood, but it was very rare, and of fmall extent. The climate of this country, that is from Cape Saint James to the Southward, is much milder than the Eaftern coaft on the oppofite fide of America, in the fame parallel of latitude. The winter generally fets in with rain and hard gales from the South Eaft, in the month of November; but it very feldom happens that there is any froft till January, when it is fo flight as very -rarely to prevent the inhabitants from navigating the Sound in their canoes. The fmall coves and rivulets are generally frozen; but I could not difcover that any one remembered to have feen the Sound covered with ice. The winter extends only from November to March, when the ground is covered with fnow, which difappears from off the lower lands in G g April, SeptüMber. 1788, Apnl, and vegetation is then found to have made a confiderablc advance. April and May are the fpring months, and in June the wild fruits are already ripened. To t]:LC Northward of King George's Sound the cold encreafes, and the winters are longer ; as to the Southward, it of courfe diminiflies ; and we fliould fuppofe that to the Southward of 43° there mull: be one of the nioft pleafant climates in the world. The mercury in the thermometer often flood in the middle of fummer at particularly in the coves and harbours that were fheltered from the Northern winds ; but we very feldom had it lower than 40 in the evenings. Fires, however, were very acceptable both in May and September; but we attributed this circumftance in a great meafure to the South Eaft winds, which were ever attended with rain and raw cold. The North Wefterly winds, on the contrary, blow clear, but are rather cool. The winds which prevail during the fummer months, are the Wefterly ones, which extend their influence over the Northern Pacific Ocean, to the Northward of 30° North, as the Eaflerly winds blow invariably to the equator from this latitude» Storms from the Southward are very frequent in the winter months, but there is no reafon to fuppofe that they operate with fuch a degree of violence as to prevent fhips from navigating the American coaft, in any feafon of the year. There are feveral harbours in the diftriit of Nootka, which are capable of receiving, into perfect fecurity, ihipping of the largeft bur-, then. King George's Sound is an abfolute colleflion of harbours and coves, which are (heltered from the violence of all winds. Port Cox and Port Effingham are of the firft kind for capacioufnefs and fafety ; and to the Northward of Nootka to Cape Saint James, we may fafely conje£lure conječture that there are founds and harbours equal to any which have 1782. been already defcribed. Befides, this coaft is by no means difficult to S'^tkmbbr: navigate, from its very deep waters and bold fhores. We cannot but confider it as a remarkable circumftance, that during the whole length of our coafling voyage, we did not naect with a finglc river of any magnitude. The very fmall ftreams which emptied them-felves every where into the fca, were generally fjpplied by rains and fnow from the mountains. We found alfo very few fprlngi; fo that from thefe and other clrcumftances, with fuch accounts as we could get from the natives, we had been frequently difpofed to imagine, that the land which we had confide red as the American coaft, was a chain of iflands, feparated by large and capacious channels from the continent*. * This conjc£lure will be coiifidered in one of the Introdu£tory Memoirs, with fome account of the voyage of (he America» floop Walliington, iti the autumn of rySg, which was not received till we were thus far advanced in our Narrative, G g 2 CHAP. 1788. SEPTiMBER, C H A P. XXII.. Account of the Dijrlči of Nootha cont'mutd.—Vegetahle Produčltons.—Great Plenty of IVtld Fruits,—Efculent Roots, iic.—^iidrupeds,—Deer.—Foxes. —Martens.—The Ermine.—Squirrel, ^c.—Marine Animals.—The Jfhali\ Sword Fiß, Seals, ^c.—Particular Account of the Sea Otter.—Fanous Kinds of Birds.—Aquatic Fowls.—FifJo of various Kinds.—Manner of taking fome of them.—Reptiles.—Infečls.—Minerals.—ConjeHures concerning Mines in this Country, ^c. rx^HE vegetable produ<£tions of the diftri£t ofNootka, which have -A. come to our knowledge, arc not numerous, though we muft acknowledge that our botanical enquiries were neceflarily very confined.— We have no doubt but that confiderablc additions might be made from this country to the col]e6:ed ftores both of Zoology and Botany ; but we wanted (kill fufficient to render ouifelves ferviceable in this pleafing range of fcience.-We rtiarcd the natural lot of all private expeditions equipped for the purpofesof commercial adventure, in which a knowledge of thefe branches of philofophy is not an eflential qualification, and where even every purluit of fcience mufl: give way to thofc of mercantile advantage. Among the trees which compofe thefe forefts, we obferved the black and white fpruce, with the pine and cyprefs ; and a great variety with whofe form and foliage we were wholly unacquainted; many of which, however^ would anfwer every purpofe of the dock-yard. Timbers cut from fome of them proved fo extremely hard, that it was with difficulty they could be worked into fiiape. We particularly remarked that in King George's Sound, Sound, Port Cox, and Port Effingham, the trees in general grow with 1788. great vigour, and are of a fize fufficicnt for mafts of anydimenfions. Septhmber. On the rocky Iflands, and in the woods, we found the wild flrawberry in great abundance. There were alfo currant trees of the black kind, and goofeberry buflies, which feemed to bear fruit only in certain parts. There is a fpecies of ralberry of the mofl delicious flavour, and far fu-perior to any fruit ofthat kind we had ever before tailed. It grows on a larger bulh than our European rafberry, and is free from thorns ; but the fruit itfelf is fo delicate, that a fhower of rain waflies it entirely away. There is alfo a fmall red fruit, not unhke in fize, fliape and tafte, to our currant, which grew on trees of a cotifiderable fize, in the greateft abundance. It is a favourite food of the natives, and during the months of July and Auguft, the chief employment was to gather it, and a fpecies of blackberry, both red and white, but very much fuperior to our wild fruit of that kind, both in fize and flavour. The quantities of berry fruits that the natives brought us, proved their extreme plenty. To us they were a very falutary as well as pleafant addition to our table, and the failors fat down every day to a pudding made of them. We alfo preferved fevcral fmall calks of the red fruit with fugar, which 4afted feveral months, and were very fer-viceable to us at fea. Wild leeks grow every where in the greateft profufion ; and the efculent roots are in great variety, feme of which have a tafte Hmilar to the fea fpinnage. When, however, they could not be procured, the tops of the young nettle proved an excellent fuccedaneum. Of thefe the natives are Immoderately fond ; after having Gripped the younger plants of a thm coat, they eat them in their raw ftate. Towards 178S. Towards the water-fide we obferved great quantities of wild wheat, sirriMSER. goofs-grafs. We every where found in the woods wild rofes and fweet-briar, which perfumed the air. We faw alfo the antherlcum that bears tlie orange-flower, and many other kinds of plants, which our ignorancc in the botanic fcience prevents lis from enumerating or attempting to defcribe^ Indeed, the conftant employment which our commercial concerns required of us, was wholly unfavourable to the rcfearches of natural philofophy ; but we have every reafon to believe that any one of botanical experience, who fliould vifit this coaft in the fummer feafon, would add to the flock of his knowledge in this ufeful and delightful fcience. The quadrupeds which we had an opportunity of feeing, were very few ;—they ^vere deer, racoons, martens, fquirrels and foxes. The deer which we received as prefents from the chiefs were very fmall, but we have feen others in their pofleflion of the moofe kind, extremely large, with branching horns. We believe, however, that the latter were not in great plenty : Indeed in all our excurfions we never were fo fuccefsful as to bring one home, though we had feen and wounded them. The foxes are very common, and diflfer much in fize and colour ; fome arc yellow, with a long, foft, and v^y beautiful fur: others arc of a dirty red ; and a third fort of a kind of afh colour. The marten bears a ftrong refemblance to that of Canada, particularly as to (ize and fhape ; but it is not fo black, nor is its Ikin fo valuable as thofe brought from that country. There is alfo another fpecies of them here, vvhofe hair is fo very coarfe as to be in little or no eftimation with the natives. The The ermitie is very fcarce ; and thofe of this animal which we Taw, 1788. were rather of a yeilowifli colour, and pofTeffing, in no degree, that septemcer. beautiful whitenefs which makes them fo efthnable in the countries of Europe. Neither racoons or fquirrels appeared to be in great plenty ; the former are tame like thofe of Esftcrn America, and the latter are fimller than our European fquirrel, but not of fo bright a colour. During the time we remained on the coafl:, we faw but two beaver fltins ; but they were the richefl fpecimens of that fur whicli we ever remember to Iiave feen. The natives made frequent mention of bears, of which they gave us to underftand there were great numbers in the forefls, of a very fierce nature, and with whom they fometimes had terrible battles; but we were never fo fortunate as to fee one of them ; and though fome of our people went out occafionally a bear hunting,.they always returned without the gratification even of having feen their game. Our knowledge did not extend further than to the above animals, though it is more than probable, that there are many other kinds of them who Inhabit the forefts of this country : — Indeed, we faw fkins which ferved for the drefs, ornament, or armour of the natives, that muft have belonged to animals which we had not feen. Though thefe might be got in bartering with thofe tribes who may be fuppofcd to inhabit the interior parts of the country. The mountain flieep, though inhabitants of the Northern part of the coafl:, do not extend themfelves fo far to the Southward as the diftria of Nootkri; at leaft we never faw their fleece or their horns, ^ which 240 ' v o Y A G E s T o T H E 1788. which are in fuch univerfal ufe with the Indians of Prince William'! The fe.x coafi-s of this country abound with numerous marine animals ; fuch as whales, both of the bont? and fpermaceti kind; thraihers, grampuiles, porpoifes, both black and white, feals, fea-lions, fea-cows, tlie river otter, and above all, the fea-otter. During the fummer, wlien employed in navigating the coaft, we favT great tiumbers of whales, and were fometimes vvitncffea to dreadful battles between them, the fword-fifh and the thraflier, who filled the air with the noife of their combats. The natives, in hunting the whale, prefer thofe fmall ones with hunches on their backs, as being the moft eafy to kill. They purfue alfo the fea-llon and the fea-cow for the fame reafon. The vaft number of feals which are every where feen, render them an eafy prey to the natives, who confider them as delicious food. Their ikins are of a füvery colour, fpotted with black, and covered with a coarfe hair. The flefh of the fea-cow and fea-lion are efteemcd peculiar delicacies, and are even preferred to the whale; but are very fcarce to the Southward.—More to the North they are found iti great plenty. The number of thefe animals which are deftroyed by the natives for food, muft be very confiderable : the grampus and porpoife feem, in fome degree, to efcape this general deftruflion, being confidered as inferior, both in point of ufefulnefs or luxury. But abundant as the whales may be in the vicinity of Nootka, they bear no comparifon to the numbers feen on the Northern part of the coaO: : indeed the generality of thefe huge [marine animals delight in the frozen climates. The The fea-otter we believe to be an inhabitant of every part of the 1788. North Wertem Coaft of America, from the latitude of 30° North to septsmbek. ^0° North. Their fur is the finefl in the world ; it pofTeflcs a jetty blacknefs, and is of exceeding beauty. The peculiar warmtli it affords, renders it a mofl: valuable clothing in the colder climates ; but coufidered in an ornamental view, it has a rich and magnificent appearance, and, under a certain arrangement, may vie even with the royal ermine. The ocean bordering on the American coaft is not the exclufive habitation of the I'ca-otter :—that animal frequents the coaft of Japan and that of China, particularly in tlie Yellow Sea, and the neighbourhood of Corea ; but we have never heard that they are found farther to the Southward. 1 hey, indeed, dcliglit in, as they feemed to be formed for, cold climates, and are wonderfully clad to refift the feverlty of the coldefl: region. There are, however, particular places to which they never fail to refort in great numbers, as is fuppofed, on account of the Ihoals of fifli which frequent them, and are the food of the otter. This animal, like the river-ottcr, is of an amphibious nat-Lirc ; but their peculiar element is the fea. They are fometimes feen many leagues from land, flceping on their backs, on the furface of the water, with their young ones reclining on their breaft. As the cubs are incapable of fwimming till they are feveral months old, the mother muft have fomc curious method of carrying them out to fea, and returning them to their hiding places on fhore, or in the cavities of rocks that proječl into tlie fea: indeed, thev are known to fleep with their young on their breaft, and to fwim with them on their back ; but if they fhould be unfortunately overtaken bv the hunters, the dam and her brood always die together She will not leave Iter young ones in the moment of danger, and therefore (hares their fate. H h - From Eiptsmber. From the formation of their kings they are unable to remain under water longer than two minutes, when they are forced to rife to the fur-facc for refpiration ; and it is this circumflance which gives their pur-fuers fuch advantage over them ;—though the wonderful fwlftnefs with which they fwim, very often baffles the utmoft attention and Ikill of the hunter. Nature has furniflicd this creature with powerful weapons of offence and deftručtlon. Its fore-paws are like thofe of the river-otter, but of much larger Hze, and greater ftrength :—its hind-feet are Ikirted with a membrane, on which, as well as on the fore-feet, there grows a thick aiul coarfe hair: —its mouth contains mofi: formidable rows of teeth, fuperlor to any other marine carnivorous animal except the fliark. The fur varies In beauty according to the different gradations of life.— The young cubs of a few months old, are covered with a long, coarfe, white hair, which protects the fuie down that lies beneath it.—The natives often pluck off this coarfe hair, when the lower fur appears of a beautiful brown colour and velvet appearance. As they encreafe in age this long hair falls off, and the fur becomes blackilh, but ftiil remains fhort.—When the animal is full grown, it bccomes of a jet black, and encreafes in beauty ; the fur then thickens, and is thinly fprinkled with white hairs,—When they are paft their ftate of perfe£tion, and verge towards old age, their Ikin changes uito a dark-brown, dingy colour, and, of courfe, proportionably dimlnifhes in value. This is the befl: account we could obtain of this curious and valuable animal; for it would be Impoffible for us to defcribe, with any degree of fatisfačlion, the different kinds of otter iklns brought to us for fale.—-The great variety of colour, from a chefnut brown to a jet black, which 5 ■ SlFTSMBBR.» ive obfei'ved in them, makes it difficult for iis to afcertain the precife 1788. period of their lives when they have arrived at perfedion. At firll: we really fuppofed them to be the Ikins of different animals, or of various fpecies of the fame animal:—but we afterwards difcovered what we have already flated concerning the advancement of them to beauty ; and perhaps other circumflances may combine to haften, or retard the period of their moft perfect ftate.—We are difpofed to imagine that they undergo an annual change in their fur, either by fliedding the old, or acquiring new ; and that their Ikins are confiderably afFefted by the different feafons of the year.—We obferved that the Ikins of the otters killed during the winter, were of a more beautiful black, and, in every refpeft, more perfect than tKofe which were taken in the fummer or autumn. The Chinefe, wlio muft be confidered as the beft judges of thefe fliins, clafs them under eight or ten denominations, and affix to eac!i n proportionate value, concerning which they would never fufFer us, in OLir bargains with them, to intrude an opinion.—As furriers, they held us, and perhaps with fome reafon, in very low eftimation, Tlie male otter is, beyond all comparifon, more beautiful than the female, and is diftinguiflied by the fuperior jetty colour, as well as velvet appearance of his fkin ; whereas the head, throat and belly of the female. Is not only covered with a fur that is white, but which is alfo of a very coarfe texture. The fkins In the Irighefl- eftimatlon, arc thofe which have the belly and throat plentifully interfperfed with a kind of brilliant filver hairs, while the body is covered with a thick black fur, of extreme finenefs, and a filky glofs.—Indeed in this ftate, the fur of the fea otter is, taken in all its circumftanccs, fuperior for cloathlng, to that of any other animal in the world. H h 2 It September. 1788. It is however laid in China, that the (kins of this animal taken in the Coreaii and Japan feas, are fuperior to thofe of Ruffia or the North Wertem Coaft of America. The abundance of thefe animals, which frequent every part of the American coafl:, occafion their being caught without much difficulty by the natives ; who not only owe tlie magnilicence of their appearance, as well as a moft comfortable protection againfl: the feverity of their wijiters, to the Ikin of the fea-otter, but alio find in its flelli what they confider as moft delicious food. It differs from the river otter, or capucca, as called by the people of Nootka, and whicli is the fame as that of Canada : in its form, fize, and fur, J t is far fuperior. The fpecies of birds which frequent the American Ihorc are very confined :—We obferved the crow, the magpie, the thrufli, the woodpecker, the wren, the king-fiflier, the common land-lark, the plover, the hawk, and the white-headed eagle. Tlie wood-pigeon was alfo fome-times, but very rarely feen. The aquatic fowls were far more numerous; and confined of the common fea-gulls and fhags; many kinds of ducks and divers; the fea-parrot,. and many others, of which we knew not the names. Vaft quantities of fifh are to be found, both on the coafl and in the founds or harbours.—Among thefe are the halibut, herring, fardinc, filver-bream, falmon, trout, cod, elephant-fifh, lhark, dog-fifh, cuttle-fifli, great variety of rock-filb, &c. All of which we have feen in the pofl'ef-fioii i»f the natives, or_^have been caught by ourfeives. There are, probaI bly. bly, a great abundance of other kinds, which are not to be taken by the 1788. hook, the only method of taking fiili with which the natives are ac-quaiiited, and we had neither trawls or nets. In the fpring, the herrings as well as the fardines, frequent the coaft j-n vaft flioals. The herring Is from feven to eight Inches long, and, in general, fmaller than thofe taken in the Britifh feas. The fardine rcfembles tliat of Portugal, and is very delicious : they are here taken by the people in prodigious quantities.—They firft drive the fhoals into the fmall coves, or fhallow waters, when a certain number of men in canoes, keep plaHiIng the water, while others fink branches of the pine with ftones; the fifli are then eafily taken out with wooden troughs or wicker bafkets. We have fometlmes feen fuch numbers of them, that a whole village has not been able to cleanfe them before they began to grow putrid. After being cleaned, they are placed on rods, and hung in rows, at a certain diftance, over their fires, that they may be fmoked ; and when they are fufficiently dried, they are carefully packed up in mats, and laid by as a part, and a very confulerable part, of their winter's provifion. The feafon for taking thefe fifli is in the months of July and Auguft. Certain people, at this time, are ftationcd on particular emi-nencles, to look for the arrival of the flioals, which can be very readily diftinguifhed by the particular motion of the fea. The natives tlien embark in their canoes to proceed in their filTiery. The fardine is preferred by them to every other kind of fifli, except the falmon. In tlie months of July, Auguft, and September, falmon are taken, though not in lb great abundance as the other fifh, but are of a very delicate flavour. They are fplit, dried, and packed up, as has already been defcribcd, and are confidered as a great delicacy. The falmon of Settbmbek. 1788. of the diftria: of Nootka are very dlfTerent from thofe found to tlie Northward, which are of an Inferior kind, and of the fame fpecies with thofe taken at Kamtfchatka, During our {lay in King George's Sound, \vc faw very few fharks or halibut; but the cod taken by the natives were of the befl: quality they are alfo prepared, like tlie reft, for the purpofe of winter ftores. We faw the red fnapper here, but It was very uncomnnion ; and we now and then obferved 'the large cuttle-fifh, which the natives eat with great relifli In its raw ftate. The mufcles are of a very large fize, and filled with a fmall, feedy pearl, about the fize of a pin's head, very ill-fhsped, and by no means tranfparent. We faw alfo fea-ears, cockles, limpets, ftar-fifh, and many other marine productions In great abundance. The fmail fea-crabs have a very delicate flavour, and are in great plenty. The reptiles of this country are confined, at leaft as far as our knowledge extends, to a fmall brown fnake, about eighteen inches in length, which fled on hearing the leaft noife. In our frequent vifits to the woods we faw no other; fo that they may be traverfed without the leaftfear of meeting with thofe dangers from poifonous animals of the reptile kind, which infefl: the Eaftern fide of Amcrica. There are however, great quantities of »jufquitoes, which prove a fevere inconvenience to the natives. We faw butterflies of various kinds, and fome of uncommon fize and beauty. The bee, common fly, and various fpecies of moths, were in great numbers, and compofed all that we recollcil: to have feeu of the infečl tribe ou the North Weü Goaft of America. Of Of die minerals of tliis country, we can only jiulge from the different kinds of ore which we faw in the pofleffioti of the natives; and from SEriEMnsK. thofe fpecimtns, we are difpofed to confider them of the moft vahiabla kind. The pure malleable lumps of copper ore feen in the poffefTion of the natives, convince us that there are mines of this metal in the vicinity of this pai tof the Weftern coaft. We once faw a piece of it, which appeared to weigh about a poiind, through which an hole had been perforated fufficiently large for an handle to pafs, in order to make a kind of hammer. On enquiring of tlie man in whofe pofleffion it was, from whence he procured it, he made us underhand that he had received it in barter from fome of the native people who lived more to the Northward.— We had alfo occafionally fcen necklaces and a fort of bracelets worn on the wrift, which were of the pureft ore, and to all appearance had never been in the pofleffion of an European. The natives make a kind of coarfe red ochre, for the purpofe of painting themfelves, but more particularly their faces, which very probably contains metalline particles; we alfo obferved that they employed a black pigment, which they ufe to paint their bodies. Over the latter they ftrew a glittering f^nid, which was very much efVeemed by them and from Its appearance, our failors, at firfl-, took it for gold. It was colle£lecl from a bed of rock of a whitifli colour, at the bottom of a rivulet ; It ran in veins, poffeffcd a fhining quality, and was of a gold colour. On breaking a piece of the rock, tliefe fhiniiig particles vanifhed, and what remained, was black and flaky ; which, however, on being reduced to powder, refumed the brilliant appearance we have mentioned,, and formed tlie proudeft ornament of the Nootkan inhabitants. Sir Francis Drake fpeaks of this fliinlng fand In Iiis account of New Albion. But 1788: But we arc not fufficlently fkilled in mineralogy, to juftlfy our offering siptemder. , - . . . any obiervations concerning it. We alfo faw feveral odangular pieces of rock chryftal, perfe£i:ly tranfparent, and worn by the natives as ornaments about their neck.— They generally had about them a fmall piece of Mufcovy glafs, whicli they held in high eftimation. The imperfeifl: knowledge we iiave yet obtained of this country, mufl render all conjecture vain as to its mineral pofl'effions. The Spaniards, however, who have the keenefl: fcent of any people for thofe riches which are contained in the bowels of the earth, in the month of Auguft, 1789, opened a mine in an ifland, called Hog Ifland, which is fituated in the harbour of Friendly Cove, in King George's Sound. Their miners were kept conftantly at work, and no one but themlelves fuffered to approach the ifland, except theToldiers ordered to guard it. C II A K T 249 1788. sbftember, CHAP. XXIU. 'The Perfons of the Inhahiiants defcribed,—Hie Manner in -which they treat their Infant Children,—Their Averßon ia Beards,—Drejfes, Male and Female,—Farious Kinds of them.'—Their Maß^Sy and the Ufes of them.— jyifpöfition and Temper of the Nati'oes.—An horrid Cußom of killing a Sla'je every Month, for the Purpife of eating him,—Ihe Ceremonies ufed on this Occaßon.—The Clrcumßance which led to the Dlfcovery of this cruel PraStlce^ &c. "V H E people of the Nootkan nation are, in general, robu fl: aiid well proportioned ;—their faces are large and full, their cheeks high and prominent, with fmall bhick eyes;—their nofes arc broad and flat; their lips thick ; and they have, generally, very fine teeth, and of the moft brilliant whitcnefs. The manner in which the children of Nootka are treated w^hen young. Is not more extraordinary from its ftrange, and, as it Should appear, total Inutility, as from Its agreement with the cuftoms of tiie Chinefe and Tartars, to whom tliis pračlice gives thefe people a confiderablc refemblance. The head of the infant is bound by the mother with a kind of fillet of feveral folds, as low down as the eyes, in order to give it a certain form, which, at this tender age, it is capable of receiving. It might be fuppofed that fuch a tight drawn ligature muft caufe confi-derablepaiii to the child; but we never obfcrved that any of the infants I i ia Sevtümber. 17S8. ill fuch a flate of preparation for fugar-loaf heads, fuffered any vifible pnin or inconvenience. Though the cuftom of compre{ring the head in this manner, gives them an unpleafant appearance, by drawing np the eye-brows, and fometiiiies producing the difagreeable effcft of fqulnting, as well as of flattening the nofe and diftending the noftrils, they are by no means an ill-looking race of people. They have alfo the cuflom, which is known to prevail In fo many Indian nations, of plucking out the beard by the roots, on its firfl appearance ; and, as It continues to fprout, to keep It down by the fame pradice. It Is one of the domeflic employments affigned to their wives to watch..this appearance of manhood, and to eradicate the hairs as they come forth ; which they do In a very dexterous m.uiner with their fingers, and witliout giving the leafl pain in the operation.—Some of them, however, though we faw but very few of this difpofition, when they advance In years, and become infirm, fuffer their beards to grow without interruption.—But, notwitliflanding they liave fo great an averfion to the hair of their chin, that of the head is an obječt of their atte;itive vanity.—It Is ftrong, black and glofly, grows to a con-fiderable length, and is either tied in a kind of knot on the top of their heads, or futFercd to hang down their backs ii] flowing negligence. In their exterior form they have not the fymmetry or elegance which is found in many other Indian nations.—Their limbs, though ftout and athletic, are crooked and ill-fhapcd; their skin, when cleanfed of filth and ochre, is white, and we have feen fome of the women, wdien in a. ftate of cleanlinefs,—which, however, was by no means a common fight, and obtained witii difficulty,—who not only pofTefled the fair complexion of Europe, but features that would iiave attratStfd iiotice for their delicacy and beauty, in thofe parts of the world where the qualities of the human form 2jl füi m arc beft uii Jerftood. But thefe examples of beautj arc by no menus 1788. numerous among the women of Nootka, who are calculated rather to dlf- s^i-tembeii. giift than to charm an European beholder. Their hair, like tliat of the men, is black ; their eyes are of the fame colour ;—and, in their exterior appearance, they are not to be immediately cliftinguiflied from the men. In their charadters they are referved and chafte; and examples of ioole and immodeft condučl were very rare among them. There were women in Saint George's Sound, whom no offers could tempt to meretricious fubmi/fions. The principal drefs of the men is either compofed of the skin of the fea-otter, or confifts of a kind of flaxen garment, made by the women from the bark of a tree and the filament of a nettle, prepared in a particular manner. The skin of the bear, the racoon, or other animals, arc fometimes worn, according to the caprices of fancy, or the temperature of the weather. The otter veftment is compofed of two large iklns fewed on one fide, wlüch form a covering from the neck to the ancles; it pafies under the left arm, and is tied over the right (houlder by a leathern thong faftened to the Ikins, leaving both arms entirely free from any kind of retraint. This garment, in its form and folds, is far from being ungraceful ; and, when aided by the richnefs of the fur, wants nothing but cleanlincfs to make It a veftment of the moil: pleafiiig delcription. They have alfo another garment, made from the inner bark of the pine-tree and the filaments of the nettle.—Thefe are ftceped for fome time in urine ; and having been well beaten, they_ are feparated into threads, which is a matter of no great ikill. A certain quantity of thefe threads joined together, form one of the ftronger thongs, a number of I i 2 which 178S. which are prepared twice the length of the garment, and laid double Sepiember, acrofs a long ftick ; when they are readily platted into tlie kinds of mat of which this article of the Nootkaii drefs is made. The women are very expert at this bufinefs, which is one of their principal employments.— This garment, from its clofe contexture, is warm, and, when new and clean, is rather of an elegant appearance, efpecially when its edges are trimmed with a narrow fringe of the fea otter's skin; but the filth of the houfcs, and the perfonal naflinefs of the people, almofk immediately foils, and of courfe deflroys its beauty: the natives call it a coifack^ and wear it in the iame manner as their drefles of skin and fur. The cap which they ufe as a covering for their head, is of a conic form, made of matting, and of fo ciofe a texture as to be capable of holding water. It is ornamented with painted reprefentations of birds and other animals, and faflened by a leathern thong, tied beneath the chin. There is, without doubt, a very great convenience in this part of their drefs, but it is by no means calculated to add to the grace or fierce-nefs of their appearance. Their faces are generally painted with a fort of red ochre: in vlfits of ceremony every part of their body is bed.iubed with it, which makes them of a reddifli hue, and difagreeable appearance ; and being mixed with train-oil, with which they previoufly anoint thcmfcives, is accompanied with a rancid fmell. In this fafliion of painting themfclves they adopt various modes, which, as it appeared to us, they appropriate to certain occafions. When they go on a war expedition, black is a prevalent colour, laid on in ftreaks, on a white ground ; we have fömetimes alio feen them painted entirely white; and, at other times, of a briglit red, over which they (Irewed a fliining fand, which has been already defcribed. But But in whatever faflüoii rbey thoiiglit proper to colour thcnifdves, they appeared to us equ;\lly dUgufttng ; it was, if we mny ufe the expr..ilioti, when they were in defhabillc, that they appeared to the great>.fl advantage. The ears of the men are iiniverfiüly perforated. Some: of thefc have feveral holes, in which they fix fmall leathern thongs lining cither with porcupines quills, fmall pieces of copper, or any othci ornament they could procure from us. But buttons, when they could be obtained, fup-plantcd all other articles, and we have fometimes fecn their ears drawn down almofl to their fhoulders by the weight of them. The feptum, or that part of the nofe wiiich divides the iioftrils, is alio fometimes perforated, from whence pieces of copper, iron or tin, fhap(. d in various ways, are fufpended.—They wear alfo, round their wrifts, a kind of bracelet, rnaJe of metal, or of leather ftrung with fhells, and fomethnes of a number of fimple thongs of leather. They apply the fame kind of ornament to their ancles ; but with a greater number of thongs, and a proportionable encreafe in the fize of the beads or other decorations. Thedrefs of the women very materially differs from that of the men ; and is calculated, with great modefty, to prevent that perfonal expofure which accompanies the drefs of the other fex. They are never fufFercd to wear the fea-otter Ikin, or furs of any kind, as far as we couid obferve. — Their dreflcs are made of mats, manufactured by them-felves, in the form of a (liifr, without fleeves, which falls down to the ancle. A kind of mantle, with a hole in the middle, paffes over their head, and is contrived to cover their arms without reftralniug their motion; though it very feldom happens that in any of their employments more than half the arm becomes vifihle. A cap of the fame kind as that of the men, compleats their drefs. Their long; black 1788. black Iiair hangs down their back ; hut they are not allowed to employ SErxEMBER. any othei'palnt but of a red colour, which, howerer, they ufe in great profulion. We obfcrved very few of them who were adorned with the nofc or ear decorations. But thefe are the drcffes of peace ;—the people of Nootka have another for war, and is admirably contrived to anfwer the purpofe for which it is put on. It confifts of a thick leathern frock or doublet, made from the skin of the elk, cut into a fringe at the fides and neck, and adorned on the other parts with tallels of leather : it reaches from the neck to the heels, and is painted with various devices. This garment is fufficiently ftrong to refift the arrows or even the fpears of their enemies, as by hanging loofe it yields to the force, and checks the progrefs both of one and the other. It may, therefore, be confidered as a very complete defenfive armour. This drefs is accompanied with a mask reprefenting the heaJ of fome animal ; it is made of wood, with the eyes, teeth, &c. and is a woik of confiderable ingenuity. Of thefe masks they have a great variety, which are applicable to certain clrcumftances and occa-fions. Thofe, for example, which reprefent the head of the otter, or any other marine animals, are ufed only when they go to hunt them.—In their war expeditions, but at no other time, they cover the whole of their drefs with large bear-skins. They alfo adorn their heads with featJiers and the down of birds,—a cuftom which they rigidly cbferve in their firft approach to flrangers. When we flrft faw them dreffcd in this manner,' their ferocious appearance was rather alarming, but this Angular mode of difguifing them-f'dves, loft its deformity by a familiar intercourfe, and being continually in the habit of obferving the character of this inoffenfive people. When fitting in their houfes and converfing with their families, they loft all that ber> air of ferocity which they derived from the drels we have jufl: defcribed._ 1788, They were, in genera], courteous to iis, and atKiblc to each otlier; and they feemed to entertain ibnfierhing like a very corrcd notion of right and wrong; being confident when ailing with re^litude, and diffident when doing any thing under an oppofite infliicnce : for 1 do not rccolleft a fingle inftance, where the reproach we made tliem on any dctcflion, was not attended with the moft evident fcnfe of (hnme. It would not, perhaps, be the befl: ground to form a judgment of their real charaČter by their immediate condučl to us, as that mi ght take its fhape from the tear of our power, or the hope of our favour. But in their demeanour to each other, we frequently faw thofe attentions, and dif;ovcred thofe friendly difpofitions which leave no doubt as to the amiable qualities they pof-fefs. On the other hand, their fanguinary appetites and cannibal pro-penfities were but too evident; fo that we were divided between our regard and abhorrence of the Nootkan people. Calllcum and Hanapa both declared their averfion to the practice of eating human flefh ; at the fame time they acknowledged it exifted among them, and that Maquilla was fo much attached to this detelhible banquet, as to kill a flave every moon, to gratify his unnatural appetite.— Thefe chiefs, with every look and expreflion of abho| rence, gave us the following account of this bloody ceremony. The number of Maquilla's flaves were very confjderable, not only atNoof-fca, but in other parts of his territories. And when the fatal day arrived which was to be celebrated by the feaft of an human vidllm, a certain number of thefe flaves were afliemblcd in the Iioufe of tlie fovereign chicf, who felefted the objeft to be eaten by him and his guefts, in the following curious manner:—The inferior chiefs vi^Jio wer& invited to partake of the approaching banquet, performed the ceremonies 1788. monies which were appointed to precede it:—thefe confift of Tinging the war fons;, dancing round the fin-, and fomenting the fames, by throwing oil into them. A handiige is then tied over the ey^is of Ma-quilla, who in this blindtblJ ftate is to fcize a flave. His r:£livity In the purfuit, with tlio idarms and exertions of thefe unhappy wretches ill avoiding it, form another part of this inhuman bufmels. But it is fcldom a work of delay,—fome one of thefe flaves is foon caught,— death inftantly follows,—the devoted carcafe is immediately cut in pieces, and its reeking portions diftribiitcd to tiie guefls : when an univtrfal Ihout of thofe who have efcaped, declares the joy of their deliverance. Wc were not by any menns difpofed to give credit to this extraordinary aftion, and rather imagined that it was invented to injure Macjuilla ia our opinion; for when we recollcifted that the pillow of Callicuin was filled with human fculls, we could not but fufpe£t if th(^ former was a cannibal, that the latter was alfo of the fame defcription. Our fnbfe-quent enquiries, however, confirmed all that Callicum had afferted;— aud many of the natives aflured us that he was an honourable exception to the general dlfpofition of the Nootkän people to human fleni. The fculls on which he repoCed might. Indeed, be the remains of his anceftors ; or, which is more probable, the trophies of his prowefs, and prelei ved by him to record his valour; as ftandards taken h-om an enemy, in the wars of polifhed nations, are hung up as eufigns of their glory, in the public places of their metropolitan cities. / A clrcumftance however took place very foon after we had received the information wehave juft related, which Induced Maquiila himfelf to confirm the truth of this cruel biftory, and to name even the very time when the laft fcene of his tragic gluttony was a<3:ed by him. It i'limuat. It fo happened that the chief, in afcendlng the fide of the fliip, hy fome 1788. untoward accident received an hurt in his leg. Orders were immediately given to thefurgeon to do what was neceffary on the occafiou ; and when he was about to apply a plaifter to the wound, Maquilla abfolutely refu-fed to fufFerthe application, but fucked himfelf the blood which flowed freely from it: and when we exprcfled our aftonifhment and difguft at his condučl, he replied, by licking his lips, patting his belly, and exclaiming cko/h^ clooß ; or good, good. Nor did he now hcfitate to confefs that he eat human flefli, and to exprefs the delight he took in banqueting on his fellow creatures. Nay, he not only avowed the pračtice of W'hlch he had been accufed, but informed us, as we ftood fhudderlng at the ftory, that, a very fliort time before, the ceremony of killing and eating a flave had taken place even in Friendly Cove. We terrified him however into a promife, that no fuch barbarity ffioiild be again praftifed by himfelf, or any others in his territories ; and gave him to underfland, with the moft determined tone and look we could affunie, that he himfelf (hould not long furvive another repetition of it. K k C H A i\ 17S8- Seftemobi. C H A P. XXIV. 'Employments of the Men of Nootka.-^They conßß^ in general^ of hunting different Marine and Land Jntmals,—Killing the jVhale^ IŠc. defcribed.— Method of hunting the Sea-Otter, the Seal, tšc.—I'heir more domeßic Occupations,—MaJiing Implements for Fißjing and War.—"Their Canoes De^ fcription of them.—A particular Manner of Fiß. ing,— 'Employments of the Women.—Manner of colle^ing and preferving the Roes of Fiß.—The Difpoßtion of the People to War.—The Cußom of exchanging their Wotnen.— Their Religion, ^c.. 1 A H E occupations of the men on this coaft were fuch as arofe fromi their particular fituatlon. Flfliing, and hunting the Kind or larger marine animals, either for food or furs, form their principal ennploy-ments.—The common bu-finefsof fifliing for ordinary fufteiiance is carried on by flaves, or the lower clafs of people;—While the more noble occupation of killing the whale and hunting the fea-otter, is followed by none but the chiefs and warriors. Their dexterity in killing the whale is nut eafily defcribed, and the facility with which they convey fo huge a creature to their habitations is-no lefs remarkable. When it is determined to engage in whale-hunting,, which the moft ftormy weather does not prevent, the chief prepares him-felf,with no common ceremony, for this noble diverfion.—He is cloathed on on the occafion in the fea-otter's llcm ; his body is befmeared with oil, 1788. and daubed with red ochre ; and he is accompanied by the moft brave, September. aftlve, and vigorous people in his fervice. The canoes employed on this occafion are of a fize between their war canoes and thofe they ufe on ordinary occafions ; they are admirably well adapted to the purpofe, and are capable of holding, conveniently, eighteen or twenty men. ' Tlie harpoons which they ufe to flrike the whale or any other fea-anima), except the otter, are contrived with no common (kill. The lhaft is from eighteen to twenty-eight feet in lengtli ; at the end whereof is fixed a large piece of bone, cut in notches, which being fpliced to the (haft, ferves as a fecure hold for the harpoon, which is faftened to it with thongs.—The harpoon is of an oval form, and rendered extremely fharp at the fides as well as the point;—it is made out of a large mufcle-lhell, and is fixed into another piece of bone, about three inchcs long, aiid to which a line is faftcncd made of the finews of certain beafts, of feveral fathoms in length ; this is again attached to the fhaft; fo that when the fifh is pierccd, the fhaft floats on the water by means of feal-skins filled with wind, or the ventilated bladders of fifh, which are fecurely attached to it. The chief himfelf IS tlie principal harpooner, and is the firft that ftrikes the whale.—He is attended by feveral canoes of the fame fize as his own, filled with people armed with harpoons, to be employed as occafion may require. When the huge filli feels the fmait of the firft weapon, heinftantly dives, and carries the fhafc with all its bladders along with him. The boats immediately follow his wake, and as he rifes, continue to fix their weapons in him, till he finds it impoffible for him to fink, K k 2 from September. 1^88. from tlie number of floating buoys which are now attached to his bo^y. The wliale tlien drowns, and is towed on fhore with great noife a.iiti rcjoicings. It is then immediately cut up, when part is dedicated to the feaft which concludes the day, and the remainder divided among tliofc who have fliared In the dangers and glory of it. The taking of the fea-otter is attended with fiir greater hazard as well as trouble. For this purpofe two very fmall canoes are prepared, ia cach of which are two expert hunters. The inftruments they employ on this occafion are bows and arrows, and a fmall harpoon. The latter differs, in foine degree, from that which they ufe in hunting the whale ; the fliaft is much the fame, and is pointed with bone ; but the harpoon itfclfisof a greater length, and fo notched and barbed, that when it has once entered the flefli, it is almoft impoffible to extricate it. I'his is attaclied to the fliaft by feveral fathoms of line öf fufficient ftrength to drag the otter to the boat. The arrows are fmall, and pointed with bone, formed into a (ingle barb. I'hus equipped, the hunters proceed among the rocks in fearch of their prey. Sometimes they furprifc him flecplng on his back, on the furface of the water; and, if they can get near the animal without awakening him, which requires infinite precaution, he is cafily harpooned and dragged to the boat, when a fierce battle very often cnfucs between the otter and the hunters, wlio are frequently wounded by the claws and teeth of the animal. The more common mode, however, of taking him is by pur-fuit, which is fometimes continued for feveral hours.—As he cannot remain under water but for a very (hort time, the skill in this chace confifts in direfthig the canoes in the fame line that the otter takes when under the water, at which time he fwims with a degree of celerity that greatly exceeds that of his purfuers. They therefore feparate, in order to have the better chance of wounding him with their arrows at the 5 moment moment he lifes; though it often happens that tliis wary and ciinnhig animal efcapes from the danger which furrounds him. Septem««« It has been obferved, in the account already given of the otter, riiat when they are overtaken with their young ones, the parental affeilion fuperfedes all fenfe of danger; and both the male and female defend their offspring with the moft furious courage, tearing out the arrows and harpoons fixed in them with tlieir teeth, and oftentimes even attacking the canoes. On thefe occafions, however, they and tlieir litter never fail of yielding to the power of the hunters. The difficulty of taking the otter might indeed occafion fome degree of furprife at the number of tlie skins which the natives appear to have in life, and for the purpofes of trade. But the circumllance may be eafily accounted for, by the conftant exercife of this advantageous occupation : fcarce a day pafles, but numbers are eagerly employed in the purfult of it. The feal is alfo an animal very difficult to take, on account of its being able to remain underwater. Artifices are therefore made ufe of to decoy him within reach of the boats ; and this is done in general by the means of maflvS of wood made in fo exa£l a refemblance of nature, that the animal takes it for one of his own fpceies, and falls a prey to the deccptioti. On fuch occafions, fome of the natives put on tliefe masks, and hiding their bodies with branches of trees as they He among the rocks, the feals are tempted to approach fo near the fpot, as to put it in the power of the natives to pierce them with their arrows. Similar artifices are employed againfl: the fea-cow, &c. The otters, as well as fome of the land animals, are, we believe, occafionally taken ia the fame manner. The 1788. The -very preparation for the bufinefs of hunting and fifhing, re-SErriMbbs. fniall portion of domeftlc employment. Their harpoons, lines, filh-höoks, bows and arrows, and other iniplements nccefHiry in the difFcreirt purfuits of peace and war, mufl: make a very great demand upon their tiine. Betides, they contrived to forge the metals they received from us into various ornaments, after their faOiion, for their favourite wives or mlflrelVes. In thefe domtftic operations the boys were always made to give their afllftance, and learn to form tlie materials with which they were hereafter to gain their fuftennnce and their glory. Tiie ingeniiity of thefe people in all the different arts that is neccf' fary to their fupport and their pleafure, is matter of juft admiration to the more cultivated parts of tlie globe. Nature, that fond and bounteous parent to her children of every kind, has left none of them without thofe means which are capable of producing the relative happinefs of all. But the mofl laborious, as well as nrioft curious employment in which we faw the natives of Nootka engaged, (for we had no opportunity of feeing them conftrutSl: one of their enormoiis houfes,) was the making their canoes ; which was a work of no common Iklll and ability. Thefe boats are, many of them, capable of containing from fifteen to thirty men, with cafe and convenience ; and at the fame time are elegantly moulded and highly finifhed ; and this curious work is ac-compliflied with utenfih of ftone made by themfelves. I They even manufailured tools from the iron which they obtained from us ; and it was very feldom that we could perfuade them to make ufe of any of our utenfils in preference to their own, except the faw, whofe obvious power in diminifhing their labour, led them to adopt it without hefitation. In particular, they contrived to forge from from the iron they procured of us, a kind of tool, which anfwered the 1788. purpofe of hoUowlng out large trees much better than any utenfil we SspTiMBin. could give them. This bufinefs they accomplifhed by main ftrength, with a flat ftone by way of anvil, and a round one which ferved the purpofe of an hammer ; and with thefe inftruments they fhaped the iron from the fire into a tool bearing fome refemblance to a cooper's adze, which they faftened to an handle of wood with cords made of linews ; and being (harpcned at the end, was extremely well adapted to the ufe& for which it was intended. Their large war canocs were generally finifhed on the fpot where the trees grew of wliich they are made ; and then dragged to the waterfide. We have feen fome of them vvliich were fifty-three feet in length, and eight feet in breadth. The middle part of thefe boats is the broadefl:, and gradually narrows to a point at each end ; but their head or prow is generally much higher than the ftern. As their bottoms are rounded and their fides flam out, they have confe-quently fufficient bearings, and fwim firmly in the water. They have no' feats, but feveral pieces of wood, about three Inches in diameter, are fixed acrofs them, to keep the fides firm, and preferve them from being warped. The rowers generally fit on their hams, but fometimes tliey make ufe of a kind of fmall ftool, which is a great relief to them. In the adl of embarking they are extremely cautious, each man regularly taking the flation tot which he has been accuftomed. Some of thefe canoes are poliflied and painted, or curioufty ftuddcd with human teeth, particularly on the ücrii and the prow. Tlie fides were fometimes adorned with the figure of a dragon with a long tail, of much the fame form as we fee on the porcelain of China, and in the fanciful paintings of our own country. We were much ftruck with this circumflance, and took fome I pains SEI'TXMSF.H. 1783. pains to get at the hiftoiy of it; but it was among many other of our enquiries to which we could not obtain any fatisfadory aufwer. After we had been fome time in King George's Sound, the natives began to make ufe of fails made of mats, in imitation of ours. We had, indeed, rigged one of Hanna's large canoes for him, with a pendant, See. &c. of which he was proud beyond mjafure; and he never approached the (hip but he hoifted his pendant, to the very great diverfion of our feamen. The paddles arc nicely fliaped and well polifhed with fifli-skin : they are about five feet fix inches in length; and the blade, which is about two feet long, is pointed like a leaf, and the point itfelf is lengthened feveral inches, and is about one broad. At the end of the handle there is a tranfverfe piece of wood like the top of a crutch. Thefe paddles the natives ufe in a moft dextrous manner, and urge on the canoes witli inconceivable fvviftnefs. In no one circumftance of their different occupations do the natives of Nootka difcover more dexterity than in that of fifliing. They however always preferred their own hooks, which were made from fliells, or the bone of fifli, to ours ; nor indeed would they ever make ufe of the latter; but our lines they confidered as very fuperior to thofe of their own manufa£ture. Thefe are made from the (inews of the whale, which furnilhes them with the materials of all their different cordage,— or from fea-weed, which grows on the coafl In great abundance. This is fplit, boiled, and dried, when it forms a very tough and ftrongline. But befides the common practice of angling, they have a very particular method of taking herrings, fardines, &c. This is managed with a üick or pole about eighteen feet long, with a blade of twelve or fourteen tP rtMBÜR. teen inches broad, and fix feet long, on both fides of which are fixed a 1788. number of fharp pieces or points of bone, about three inches in length. When the flioal of fifli appears, they ftrike this iuftrument into the water, and feldom fail of bringing up three or four fifh at every ftroke__ We have often feen a fmall canoe nearly filled with herrings, &c. in a very fhort time, by this eafy method of fifliing. But, although thefe people are fo dextrous in their various employments, and fo adive when in a (late of exertion, they are naturally of an indolent and lazy difpofition ; and would, in general, prefer to idle away their time in the filth of their habitations, than go forth to the honourable and diftinguifhing, as well as neceflary, duties of killing the whale and hunting the otter. We have oftentimes fecn the bufy Cal-licum obliged to exert his compulfory power to call them from their domeflic indulgence, to throw the harpoon, or let fly the arrow. The women have alfo their appointed occupations. It is their department to clean the fea-otter skins, and ftretch them on frames, which they perform with habitual ingenuity. Every branch of culinary fci-ence, as well as of the houfehold oaconomy, is likewife committed to them; and it is among their duties to keep watch during the night. In order to alarm the men in cafe of any fudden incurfion of an enemy.— They not only drefs the provifions for the day, but prepare the flores for winter fufteuance.—The garments which have been already defcrlbed as made from the bark of trees, are of female manufacture. They alfo collečl: the wild fruits and efculent plants that are found in the woods, or take the fliell-fifh, which are In great plenty among the rocks, or on the fea-fide. When the canoes return from theirllttle voyages, they are employed in unlading them of their cargoes, hauling them on the beach, and L 1 covering Septembir. 17SS. covering them with branches of the pine, as a protection from the weather. On all thefe occafions, however, the female fiaves take a proportionable fliare of the labour. They have alfo their conjugal and maternal duties; nor fhall we be fo unjuft as not to mention that the women of Nootka are tender mothers and afFectionate wives : indeed we have beheld inftances of fondnefs for theif children, and regard for their hufbands, which mark the influence of thofe fcnfibilities that form the chief honour of the female character among the moft poliflied nations of the globe. The fea is the great market to which tliefe people refort, and where, as has already been made to appear, a vaU: plenty of fifh of various kinds is purchafed by their labour. According to the beft information we could obtain, the ice on this part of the coaft, feldom or never precludes them from having accefs to the fea : though the very precautions they ufe in laying up ftores for winter, and the hiftory which Mr. Mac-cay gives of the diftrefs they fuffered while he was amongfl: them, is an evident proof that they fomctimes undergo very great hard/liips from want of provifions during the cold months. Whatever food is cnpable of being preferved, they do not fail to prepare for the colder fcafons of the year. Even the fpawn of fifh is confidcred as a winter flore, and collected in the following manner. In the beginning of the fummer, they fpread at the head of the founds and bays, a great quantity of the branches of trees, on which the fpawn of the llfh naturally Incruflis itfelf; when, at a proper period, it is Gripped off and put carefully into fifli bladders. This kind of cavcar the natives corifider as a delicacy both In its dry and raw flate. The roe of the falmon is alfo ftored up in the fame manner ; but they collefl it from the fifli itfelf, which is fcen in autumn almoft biirfting with this favourite article of v/inter luxury. They eat it as well as all their dried fifh with oil, and 1 without without any other preparation. As it has been found neceffary to 1788. mention in other parts of this volume, the different animals thefe people septemrhr. take for food,—for Indeed they eat everything, more or lefs, which they take,—we fhall not add what might be efteemed an unneceflary repetition. A ftate of llwage life is univerfally found to be a ftate of warfare; and tlie Nootka nations are not only in frequent hoftilities with the more diftant tribes, but even among themfelvcs ; particularly WicananilK and Tatootche. Stratagem and furprife form the offenfive points of their military art ; its defenfive operations, if we may ufe the expreflion, arc vigilance and precaution. Tlieir villages, &c. therefore, are generally built in fituations not eafily to be attacked without danger. But they do not truft to any fecurity of fituation ; for in peace as well as in war a continual watch is kept during the night by women, who, fitting round their fires, keep each other awake, by relating the battles of tlieir nation, or recounting the prowefs and gallant deeds of their hufbands and their children. One man alone performs the part of centlnel on theoutüde of the houfe, where he Is placed in fuch a manner as to hear the leafl: noife that may be made in the woods, or on the water. — Indeed, this continual vigilance is a moft effential part of their government ; as among thefe favnge people an opportunity of gaining advantage is oftentimes the fignal for war ; and, therefore, they can never bs fald to be in a ftate of peace: They nuift live In conftant expedtarion of an enemy, and never relax from that continual preparation againfl: thofe hoftllities and incurfions which doom che captives to flavery or to death. The chiefs of this country have a cuftom which, as it appears principally to be derived from the wars of the different llates with each other, may be mentioned with propriety in this place. This cuftom I- 1 2 confifts I ScrTEMBES.. 78^. confifts In yielding up their wives to, or interchanging them with, each other. A beautiful woman will fometlmes occafion a war in the defarts of Nootka, as it formerly did in the fields of Troy: a woman is femetimes found necefliiry to footh a conqueror, or to purchafe a favourable article in a treaty. Indeed, the privileges which the chiefs poflefs of liaving as many wives as they pleafe, may» perhaps, have arifen from an experience of the political purpofes to which female charms may be applied in peace or in war. We could not, h.owever, but obferve, that in the whole diftriiTt of Nootka, the women did not appear to bear an equal proportion to the men. To the Northward, on the contrary, the number of females greatly preponderates ; a circumfliance which will engage fbme degree of ciiriofity, as it is hereafter defcribed in one of thofe chapters which contain the voyage of the Iphigenia from Saraboingan to Nootka Sound, The marriage ceremonies of thefe people confifl: of nothing more than a feaft given by the friends of the parties. With what rites or forms they confign the dead to their laft abode, we had no opportunity of ob-ferving. We remember to have feen fmall oblong boxes, which contained the dead bodies of children hanging on the branches of trees ; and which, as we underftood, were, after a certain time, taken down and buried; but we rather think this cuflom was peculiar to children, as we never faw the remains of any perfon of full growth in fuch a fituation. , Of the religion of thefe people we have no very corre£l: idea ; but (hall relate what we know of thofe principles which connečt them with the Deity, and their prefcnt life with one that is to come. In moft of their houfes they have, as has already been obferved, certain huge idols or images SErXEMBER* imaE^es, to whom we never fiiw them pay any mark of common refpeft, 1788. much lefs of worfhip or adoration. Thefe mifhapen figures occupied, as it appeared, fomewhat of a diftinguifhed and appropriate place, wherever we faw them ; but they Teemed to have no excluGve privilege whatever, and fiiared the commo:i filth of thofe who lived beneath the fame roof with them. Indeed, we had for fome time, no reafon for fiippofing that they had an idea of a Deity, till we explained to them the caufe of our fufpenfion from labour on Sunday ; and we (hould have quitted America in a total ignorance, as to any principle of their faith, if the fon of Hanapa, a boy of very uncommon fagaclty for a native of Nootka, had not unfolded to us the following very concife hlftory of their religion ; which, however, is fufficient to prove that they enjoy the common and confolatory belief of the intellectual world in a future and better ftate of exigence. This difcovery arofe from our enquiries on a fubje^t of avery different nature.—On exprefTing our wifti to be informed by what means they became acquainted v^'ith copper, and why It was fuch a peculiar obje£t of their admiration,—this intelligent young man told us all he knew, and as we believe all that is known by his nation on the fubjedl. Where words were wanting, or not intelligible, which frequently happened in the courfe of his narration, he fupplied the deficiency by thofe expreffive adions which nature or neceffity feems to have communicated to people whofe language is confined ; and the young Nootkati difcovered fomuch fliill in conveying his ideas by figns and lymbols, as to render his dif-courfe perfectly intelligible whenever he found it neceflary to ha'.e re-courfe to them. He related his flory in the following manner ;— He flrfl: placed a certain number of flicks on the ground, at fmall dif-tances from each other, to which he gave fcparate names. Thus he called 5 the SEFTEMSia. 1788. the firfl his father and the next his grandfather : he then took what remained, and threw them all into confufion together; as much as to fay that they were the general heap of his anceftors, whom he could not individually reckon. He then, pointing to this bundle, faid thai when they lived, an old man entered the Sound in a copper canoe, with copper paddles, and every thing elfe in his pofleflion of the fame metal :—That he paddled along the (hore, on which all tlie people were aflbmbled, to contemplate fo ftrange a fight ; and that, having thrown one of his copper paddles on fhore, he hlmfelf landed. The extraordinary ftranger then told tlie natives, that he came from the (ky,—to which the boy pointed with his hand,— that their country would one day be deftroycd, when they would all be killed, and rife again to live in the place from whence h,e came. Oar young interpreter explained this circumftance of his narrative by lying down as If he were dead ; and then, rifing up fuddenly, he imitated the afiion of foaring through the air. He continued to inform us that tlie people killed tJie old man, and took his canoe ; and that from this event they derived their fondnefs for copper. 2Ie alfo gave us to underftand that the images in their Iioufcs were intended to reprefent the form, and perpetuate the milfion of the old ♦ man who came from the Iky. Such was the Imperfečl tradition which we received of what may be called the facred hiflory of this country, and on which the inhabitants refled the common hope of the human mind in every ftate aijd form of our nature,—that there will be an exiflence hereafter, beyond tlie reach of fublunary forrow. Thus have we given fuch an account of this people, country, and tlie cuftoms of it, as occurred to our obfervation. We had not time, even if we we had pofiefiTcd tlie aliility, to have purfued the track of the philo- 1783. fopherand the naturalift. We had other obje£ls before us ; and all the septembsk. knowledge we have obtained was, as it were, accidentally acquired in the purfuit of them. Of the country we had no reafoti to complain, and we left Nootka Sound with no fmall fhare of efteem for the inhabitants of it. C H A P.. CHAP. XXV. ^be Felice proceedi on her Voyage.—Jilanmdai the jippearmce of a heal. —Obliged to lighten the Ship.—Arrive of Oivhyhee^ one of the Sandwich Jßands—Heave to in 'toe-yah yah Bay.—Receive great ^lantities of Provi-fiom.— I'he frefcnt State of thatißmd.—Prefent in the Name of Tianm i o the Chief of it.—TJ&tf Felice leaves Owhyhee.—Improvement in faking Provifwns.—Pafs the Ißands of Mowee^ Ranai^ Morotoi and IVoahoo.— Arrive off Alooi the political State of that I/land.—Proceed to Oneeheow. Friendly Reception at that Place.—Large ^antity of Tarns procured,— Leave a Letter with a confidential Native of this Ißand, for Captain Douglas.—Proceed on the Voyage.—Make the Ißand of Botol Tobago Xima. —Round the Rocks of Ville Rete,—Make the Coaß of China.—Anchor in the Roads of Macao. E now return to the progrefs of our voyage.—During the night after we left King George's Sound, it blew with great violence, accompanied by a very heavy, mountainous fca,—the (hip labouring in a unufual manner; when at four in the morning of the 25th, we were alarmed with an account that there was four feet water in the hold; and by eight o'clock the water had not only gained on us, but was got above the ground tier of casks, which made me at firft apprehend that the fhip, from her exceflive tumbling and rolling, had fprung a dangerous leak. The pumps had been kept conftantly at work, but after feme fome time, they became fo choakecl with the fmall ballaft, as to be 1788. 'no longer in a condition to deliver their water. While the carpenters s^tember. were repairing them, the crew were employed in baling the water from all the hatch-ways. We continued, however, to purfue our courfe under clofe-reefed top-fails and fore-fail, to the Southward, with the wind from the North Weft, which now blew a violent gale, and the fliip moved heavily and flowly through the fea, from the great quantity of water in her hull. Our alarms were very much encreafed, when we found that at ten o'clock the water continued to baffle all our endeavours. In this fitu-ation, orders were given to bring the fhip to, which was accordingly done under the clofe-reefed main top-fail on the larboard tacks. I was confident as to the ftate and ftrength of the veffel, and therefore gave orders for all the fpars and booms on the lee-fide of the deck to be launched overboard without delay, which was no very eafy bufinefs, from their fize and the rolling and tumbling of the fhip : however, with, the afiiftance of hatchets and axes, this fide of the deck was effedtually cleared ; when the fliip was wore immediately and put on the other tack, and the fame operation was performed on the other fide, which lafted till three o'clock, when the fpars were all launched overboard, and we almoft inftantaneoufly felt a good effeta, by the diminution of the water from baling, as the pumps could not be immediately repaired. We now difcovered the caufe of our part danger to have arifen from, the great weight of timber lodged on the deck, which, with the heavy rolling fea, had opened her feams, and given paflage to fo large a quantity of water. After this operation, however, (he became light and buoyant, and we purfued our courfe with renewed fpirits and confidence. M m Thus 1788. Thus .we contiiiueti, without the intervention of any occurrence ^^'ortli relating, till the 15th of Oäober, which brought us into fine and ferene weather; when being in the latitiule of the Eaft-encl of the Ifland of Owhyhee, we bore up Well:, to ftrlke the ifland on tlie parallel. Our longitude, by account, was at this time 205° 65' Eaft of Greenwich ; whereas by obfervation of the fun and moon, it wüs 209° 20'. There being fuch a material difference, I preferred the lunar obfer-vation. Thurfdayic On the 16th, by frefh diftancesof the fun and moon, and moon and fVars, we were in the longitiulc of 207'' 44' Eaft, and at noon the ob-ferved latitude was 20° 11' North; our diftance being about thirty leagues from the ifland of Owhyhee. Friday 17 At five o'clock on the morning of the r7th, to our infinite fatisfac-tion we difcovered land, bearing from Eaft South Eaft, to Weft North Weft, at the diftance of fix leagues: but it was fo very hazy, that the Ifland was imperfeflly difcenisd : In clear weather, the high land of Owhyhee can be feen at the diftance of twenty leagues. We hnd, indeed, good reafon to rejoice at the fight of this ifland, as we were greatly reduced in the article of provlfioiis. We had given lb large a portion of our ftores to the Iphigenia, and our paflnge to the ifiands not being fo quick as we had expeded, the idea of that plenty, and thofe comforts whicli, as it were, waited our arrival there, filled every heart with joy and gladnefs. As we approached the ifland of Owhyhee, a perfon who had never vifitcd this part of the globe, would have feen nothing by which he could be led to fuppofe that it was the feat of luxurious abundance.— The The high, mountainous appearance of the land, and the blacknefs caft 17S3. over it from the fog and vapour, threw fucli a giooni on the whole OcTonea. fcene, as to afForcl no expectation of hofpltaiity from the inhabitants, or refrcfliment from cultivation. It was too late in the evening to clofe in with the land ; we therefore hove to for the night, at about the diftaiice of four leagues from the Ihore, and waited with extreme impatience for the morning. On the iSth, at day-break, we bore up, and proceeded under a gentle SaMrdayis fail to clofe in with the land, which we accompliflied about nine o'clock; when the late barren and unfriendly profped was fucceeded by a fcene that might fuit the fablings of poetry and romantic fi£tion. The hazlnefs of the morning did not obfcure the varied landfcapc before us. The great mountain, or Mouna Kaah, which is fituated on the North Eaft part of the Ifland, was cloathed in clouds, which feemed, as it were, to be rolling down its declivity ; while its fummit towered above the vapours, and prefented a fublime obječt of nature from its bafe to the fea was a beautiful amphitheatre of villages and plantations, while the fliore was crouded with people, Vv-ho, from the coolnefs of the morning, were cloathed in their party-coloured garments. Some of them were feated on the banks to look at the fliip^ while others were runnijig .ilongthe fliore towards the little jQuidy patches where their canoes are drawn up, in order to come off to us. We now hove to in tiie entrance of Toe-yah-yah Bay, which is fituated on the Weftera fide of the ifland, and confequently defended from the violence of the trade-winds : nor was it long before a confiderable number of canoes came off to the fliip, with hogs, young pigs, taro-root, plantains, fugar-cane, and a few fowls. M m a It October. 1788, It was my Intention to draw the fupplies of pork from this ifliiud, and then proceed to Oneeheow, to procure a fufficient quantity of yams for the remainder of our voyage. In confequence of this determination, a very brifk trade was carried on with the natives, and before night upwards of four hundred hogs were purchafed. The decks were loaded, and the boats filled with them and the vegetables, which alfo made a part of our prefent traffic. Indeed, fuch was the profufion of thefe articles which were brought to us, that many of the canoes returned without being able to difpofe of their cargoes. Among the multitude which vifited us on this occafion, I obferved but one perfon of rank ; he came in a double canoe paddled along by twelve men, and accompanied by his wife and two young female children. He brought very large hogs, and a large quantity of cocoa-nuts, which he ordered on board the ihip, and immediately followed his prefent, accompanying it with the moft friendly expreffions and offers of further fervice.—We were not dilatory in making him a fuita-ble return ; and having thus won his confidence, I enquired of him con.-cernhig the prefent ftate of the Ifland, with a view to the advantage of Tianna. He very readily informed me that old Tereeobeo had been poifoned, and that his fuccefibr was Tianna's uncle. He alfo added, that in confequence of this revolution, a very fierce war had taken place between the inhabitants of Ovvhyhee and thofe of the ifland of Mowee, of which Titeeree was the reigning fovereign. In anfwer to his information, I thought proper to inform him that Tianna would fhortly return to Atooi in fucli a Ihip as mine, and that I had a prefent from him to the fovereign of Owhyhee, which I defired the chief would take upon himfelf to deliver, as a mark of Tianna's attachment to his uncle. By fuch well-timed-a1 'vi . •' ■ ' o-.. . i. VOYAGE OF THE IPHIGENIE, CAV^- DOUGLAS, FROM SAMBOINCAN, TO THE NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. CHAP. XXVI. T/je Felice departs from Samhmgan.—'the fubfeqitent ConduSl of the Go-vcrnor to Captain Doug/as,—Part of the Crew conßnedy and the Ship detained by his Orders.—His unwarrantable Condučl.—T'hc Iphigenia fails from Samboingati.—Arrives of a fmall Ißand, now mined Johnßoncs Ißand.—Commmicalion with the Natizvs, and a Defcription of them.— T'awnee, a Sandwich Ißander, on board the Tphigeni a,yö//fßck and dies. Sicknefs of the Crew.—Paßs through the Pelew Ißands.—Communication 'with the Natives.—An ajfe£itng Circumfiance^ unhionion to Captain Douglas, N the narrative of the former voyage it has been related, that 011 the 1788. 12th of February the Fclicc left the Iphigenia at Samboingan, pre- Tuefjayii paring to take on board her fore-maft, and then to proceed on her voyage.—TJie can fes which occafioncd the feparation of the two Hiips liave already been mentioned ; and the orders delivered to Captain Douglas on the occafiun, are inferted m the Appendix.-The following pages, therefore, contain the voyage of the Iphigenia after fhe was left by })cr coiifort, 1788. confort; which, we have reafoii to think, will be found to contain fomc tedhuar^. iaformatioii rehuive to the geography and commerce of the North Wcfl Co.ift of America. Tiic Felice was no fooner failed from Sfimboingan, than the governor of the place aflumed a very improper and ungenerous mode of condudl towards the fliip that remained. The divifion of our force had encouraged him, as we fuppofe, to fome unwarrantable proceedings, which (hortly ended in a rupture on both fides, to the great injury of the proprietors. The Iphigenia had received her maft on board and was ready for fea TiiefJay 19 OH the :9th. She had alfo obtained fcveral bags of rice, a quantity of vegetables, and fome cattle from the governor. As we had been informed that the moft acceptable prefent we could make to the governor in return for his civilities and attentions to us, would be a few bars of iron, I accordingly left fix bars with Captain Douglas, defiring him to add as many more, to compofe tlie intended compliment, and to draw bills on Canton for the amount of any cxpences which might have been requifite for the üüp and her crew. Captain Douglas accordingly waited on the governor, and invited him to dine on board the Iphigenia, previous to her departure. The invitation was accepted, and the entertainment paffed off, to all appearance, with the moil perfedl fatisfadtion to all parties. In the evening the company adjourned, by the governor's invitation, to a ball on fliore. But under the guife of politenefs and hofpitality, the fubtle Spaniard was watching to take any advantage in his power; and on difcovering that the principal part of the cargo confilled of iron, he turned his thoughts to the acquifition of that valuable metal;—valuable indeed it might north WEST COAST OF AMERICA. » 289 might be callcd, foi" it purchnfes go!d at Magindanao.—The King of 17S8. Spain has prohibited this article from being fold throughout the Philippines by any perfon whatever, except his own commifTioners, who take care to make it a matter of very coftly purchafe : the governor was, therefore, determined to feize the prefent favourable opportunity of procuring it on the very advantageous terms he conceived to be in his power. So that wlien an officer was fent on Hiore tlie following day to fettle the VVediicWaya« account,—which did not, wc believe, amount to more than two hiindred and fifty dollars,—the governor at once threw off the maflc, and not only declared that the whole of his demand fliould be paid In iron, but that he would fix the price, and arrange the weights according to his own pleafure. Such was the aiifwer which the ofEcer was going to take back, when he and his boat's crew were arreted by a file of foldiers, and conveyed to a dungeon. The continuing delay of this officer's return, induced Captain Douglas to fend another boat on fliore to learn the caufe of his detention ; when the fecond party fliared the fate of the firft. At the fame time the governor fent off a large proa, with fifty men, to take poflcflion of the fliip ; and !iad not Captain Douglas been alarmed for the confequences to his people on ihore, as well as to fonie of them who were placed in a confpicuous part of the boat, he would certainly have iuiikher; which might have been done without much difficulty. He, however, thought it beft to let this armed force approach without any interruption, and to fufFcr the Spani(h foidiers to come quietly on board and take poffeflion of the fliip. In confequence ofthefe very extraordinary proceedings, Captain Douglas went on Ihore himfelf, to enquire into the caufe of them : when the governor Informed him that his fole objedt was to fecure the payment O o of 1788. of his bill In Iron; and that the fhip fliould not be fuffered to depart ebrlar;. ^^^^ landed. It was In vain to reprefcnt that he had hlmfelf engaged, on their firft arrival, to take bills for whatever they might with to purchafe. It was fruitlefs to urge the cruelty and injuftice of Invading the cargo of a veflTel which had come In an afiured confidence to his port, and by which the principal advantages of her voyage might be lofl.He was too determined in his bafenefs to liften to thefe fuggeflions ; and Captain Douglas was obliged to return on board, and order feventy-eight bars of iron on fhore, which was nearly half his cargo, together with one hundred and twenty dollars, which he colledled in the fhip. But the bufinefs was not yet finifhed ;—for the governor was very peremptory in his aflTurances that he would be abfolutely paid in nothing but iron.— To fuch an exaggerated impofition Captain Douglas refufed to fubm'it; and threarened, in the tnofl ferious manner, if the governor perfifted in his unwarrantable defigns, that he would throw tlie (hip on his hands. This refolution brought the Spaniard to reafon, who confented at length to receive the iron and the dollars, and gave orders to withdraw the fol-diers from the (hip : he neverthelefs contrived to retard their departure till Captain Douglas had fent him fome wine, which he had previoufly promifed him; and it was not before he had received this trifling pre-fent that he releafed the people from their confinement. Such was the condučl of the governor of Sambolngan : but, indeed, no other treatment was to be expelled ; as it Is well known by every commercial nation, that the fubjefts of his Catholic Majefty, difperfed through i-iiJnyii India, are the refule of mankind. It was, therefore, the 22dof February before the Iphigenia departed. On that day flie weighed anchor and put to fea, without expending a grain of powder to do honour to fuch dilhonourable people. 3 On On the I ft of March the Tphigenia had made a very inconfidcrable pro- 1788. grefs on her voyage. She had been retarded by light and variable winds ; , while the numerous Iflands which fhe hourly faw and approached, made the navigation not only difficult but tedious, as ihe was obliged to proceed with the utmoft care and precaution. On the 2d of March, fhe fell m with a very dangerous reef of rocks, Su^dayt which extend Eaft and Weft nearly ten miles. Thefe rocks bear no place on any of the charts we bad in our poftefTion, and are out of the water about the fize of a ftiip's hull. The centre of them lies in the latitude of 4° 10' North, and longitude, by feveral lunar obfervations, of 126° 39' Eaft of Greenwich. In the pofition which the (hip occupied, there was a ftrong current fetting to the South Eaft. * They continued their courfe amidft this archipelago of rocky iflets till the 6 th ; when at noon ofthat day, the latitude was 3" 45' North, Thurfday 5 and the longitude 129° Eaft, The variation of the compafs was 15" Weft. As they were proceeding to the Northward and Eaftward on the 9th of March, a fmall i 11 and appeared bearing Eaft half North, at the Sunduy 9 diftance of about ten or twelve leagues. They continued fteering up with it till nine at night, when obferving a great number of lights on the ftiore, Captain Douglas imagined that they were kept burning In order to induce the ftiip to ftop. At eleven oVIock, it being confidered as hazardous to run during the niglit, which was very dark, the /hip was hove to, but no foundings could be obtained with fifty fathoms of line.—At break of day on the 10th, they made fail to clofe in with Monday jo the land, when feveral canoes were feen approaching. They therefore again hove to, in order to permit the natives of the ifland to come on O02 board.^ 1788. board,—For fome time they kept at a certain cllrtance, hoKHng up Mauch, cocoa-nuts In their hands ; but they no fooner law the hatchcts which were exposed to their view in return, than the Iphigeijia was favoured with an immediate vifit. From the whole of their condufl, it very evidently appeared tliat they had never before beheld fuch an object as that which now engroficd all their regard, as it callcd foi tli their utmoft aftonifliment; and from tlie very great indiflference with which they promifcuoufly received every thing that was offered to them, it fcemcd as if the fliip alone was the obječl of their attention. It was intended that the Iphigenia (hould remain off this ifland for a day, in order to get a fupply of water, of which they were Informed by the natives there was great abundance. In the afternoon the canoes returned with more cocoa-nuts and taro-root, and tlie Inhabitants feemed to have learned, fince their laft vifit, the value of Iron ; as they now would take nothing but Oivaß^ee, Oxvaßee, which is their word for that metal. They were entire fbangers to fire-arms ; for on one of them ex-prefling a with to liave a piftol. Captain Douglas difcharged it;—which alarmed him to fuch a degree, that when it was held towards him, he Itlfled the barrel, but could not be perfuaded to lay hold of it. This ifland, which was now named Johnfloue's Ifland, lies la the latitude of 3° 11'North, and In the longitude of 131'' 12' Eafl. Itconflfts of low land covered with verdure, and cocoa-trees, and is about a league in circumference. One tree in particular rifes above the reft, and appears at a difl:ance like a fliip under fail.—What the ifland produces, be-fides cocoa-nuts and the taro-root, was not difcovered, as the Inhabitants brought nothing to barter but thofe articles.—The natives did not appear to exceed the number of two hundred, and are a ftout, robuft people. Their canocs, which held twelve or fourteen of them, were exačlly exactly the fame as thole of the Sandwich Ifl:nnJs ; and the people not itSS. only diipbvLd rlie fame adivity in the water as the S.indwich lllanders, bvit made ufc oi' feveral cxpixllions which Tianna rcadiiy underftooj. A fine breeze fpringing np, C;iptain Douglas gave up hisdclign of" taking in water at this ifland, and conciuucd his courfe to the Eaftvvard. The Iphlgcnia proceeded in her voyage with very little vaiiatlon of weather, till the i6th ; when Tawnee, a Sandwich Iflandcr, from his Siindaytc watchful cn.re and anxiety during Tianna's ilhiefs, was now fick himielf. Several of the crew were alfo in the fame (ituation ; and tlie firft officer, who had been ill upwards of a month, was not yet recovered ; and there was every reafon to fear a general ficknels throughout the fliip. Tianna was now entirely recovered, and owed the re-eftablifliinent of his health to the Peruvian bark, which operated almoft niiracuJoufly upon the chief of Atooi. The latitude from obfervation was 3° o'NortJj, and the longitude 136' 48'Eaft. The poor amiable idandcr at length bafRed all the care which was be-ftowed upon him.—A continual bleeding at the nofe was the firft fymp-tom ; and when that flopped, a fever fiicceedcd, which fecmed for fome fliort time to yield to the bark; but the.diforder at length triumphed, and Tawnee was the vičlim. About one o'clock, on tlie he quitted Simday this world, and was configned, with the regret of every one on board,, to a watery grave. From a continuance of light and variable winds, witJi occafional calms, the Iphigenie advanced hut very flowly on her voyage : It was therefore determined on the 28th, particularly as the llcknefs on board fcemed ra- r'niUy is ther to increafe, to take every advantage of getting to the Northward. The iTiip was therefore put on the other tack, and though Ihe did not make I-S3. make better than a North Weft, and fometlmes a North Weft by Weft courfe, ftill it was better than continuing under that which had been attended with fuch difcouraging circumftances. f.iuu.iay Ot, the 29th, they had light nirs and cahns, with frequent fqualls of ?iimi;iy so rain ; on the 30th there was a moderate breeze from the Northward and Eaftward, accompanied alfo with fqualls and rain, which continued to prevail through feveral fucceeding days. MoriJayjr On tlic ^ift, thc wind varied from North Eaft to Eaft North Eaft ; and ibmetimes North North Eaft ;—and, as they were approaching a groupe oflflands, called thc Carolines, Captain Douglas gave orders to bend the beft bower and ftream cables, and to keep a very ftri»5l lookout, as there would be great danger in fqually, thick weather, and at the change of the moon, among a heap of low iflands which had never been accurately furveyed. It was thought neceffary therefore to run every riik to get to the Northward, in order to obtain variable winds, and to gf:t as -foon as poflible from a vertical fun, and into more temperate weather, J f^e 2d of April, a frefli breeze fprung ap from the Nortliward and Eaftward, with fqualls and heavy rain ; but about ten o'clock in the morning the clouds difpcrltd, and from the medium of feveral very good dlftances of the fun and moon, thc longitude was 13+° 36' Eaft of Cn-eetnvich, and the obferved latitude 7° 23' North. TimifJay 3 On the 3d, tliey had a fine breeze, with clear weather: at half paft four in tlie afternoon faw land ; and at fun-fet its extremities bore from Weft South Weft to Weft by North, diftant about feven or eight leagues. As the Ipbigenia began to be in want of wood, and in the hope of NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 295 of obtaining roots, of fome kind or other, as well as cocoa-nuts, Captain 1788. Douglas determined to take this opportunity of fupplylng the fliip. Ac- AraiL. cordiiigly, at eight in the evening, orders were given to (horten fall, and heave the maln-topfail to the mail:. At day-break on the 4th, two low Iflands were feen, covered with trees, Friday 4. bearing North Weft by Weft, at the diftance of {even or eight leagues. The land obferved the preceding evening, now bore Weft South Weft, at the diftance of ten or twelve leagues. As the latter appeared to be high land, and of confulerable extent, It was confidered as the moft likely to afford fome place of flicker and fecnvlty ; but on a nearer approach, It was difcovered to confift of a clufter of Iflands; they therefore hauled-their wind and ftood for the two low Iflands.- At feven in the evening feveral canoes were feen coming from them towards the flilp.—When they came alongfide, they were prefentcd with a fmall hatchet and two or three knives, which they took, and gave In return their whole cargoes, which confifted of notliing but two or three pieces of taro and a few cocoa-nuts.—In adtlrefling thcmfelves to the people in the flilp, they appeared to repeat the words Englißj and Moorc^^' which were naturally fuppofed to allude to myfelf, as it was then imagined that I had paflcd through thefe iflands, and in my pafl!age had. obtained fome communication with the natives. As there was no poflibility of approacliing the South Eaft fide of either of thefe Iflands, they ftood to the Northward, in order to get round a reef of rocks, and to examine the North Weft fide of the largeft of thefe iflands; but on advancing towards it, reef appeared within reef, and from * Or probably Alora my, which flgnifics in the Felcw kngunge, Come to nf. A 1' R 11 , 17SS. from the mart-head, a range of rocks were feen, extending to the Noitli-wnrtl ami Wcflward as far as tlie eye could reach.—The rock tliey were endeavouring to weather, was now about a league under their lee; they tlicreforc hauled their wind to tlie North. Several canoes ftlll followed the (hip clofe, and, for a few nails, which were lowered over the ftern in a balket, a return was made of au inconfi-der;thle number of cocoa-nuts.—The people in one of the canoes were indeed dlfpoled to play the rogue, and when they liad got poflTeflion of the nails, refuied to make any fatisfa^tion. Captain Douglas therefore fired a iTiufket over their heads, when everyone of theni lenped inftantly overboard, and rcinained under th.e lee of their canoe ; while rhofe in the other canoes, as if they felt themfelves protecled by their innocence, did not difcover any (igiis whatever of terror or apprdieiiifoii. One of thefe boats continued to foliow the Iphlgenia for a long time, and one of the people cried out, from time to tiine, F.eboo, Eeboo, and exerted liimfelf to the utmoft In making figns for them to go back.— Indeed, when he perceived that all his endeavours were vain to perfuade them to return, his actions bore the appearance of a man in the mofi: frantic diftrc'fs.—After fome time they oblei ved another canoc, contaitiing at Jeafl twenty men, paddling towards them. At firO: they imagined that tliere were fome Europeans on board, and accordingly hove to ; but when it was dlfcovered that there were none but Indians, they Immediately made fail, as the fliip was drifting fafl towards the rocks under her lee : —the canoe however overtook them, and the people in her dlfcovered the fame eager anxiety with the other natives for the return of the fliip ; but as (lie was at this time in a dangerous fituation, very little alteiition was paid to the crying and continued entreaties of the iflaiiders. Captain Captain Douglas was now among the Pekw Iflands; a particular 1788. knowledge and admirable defcription of which, we owe to the fenfihllity and talents of Mr. Keate__The account of them written ly tlmt gentleman, from tlie information of Captain Wilfon, and other pcrfons belonging to the Antelope packet, which was wreckcd on the rocks that furround them, has been fo generally read, that I may fpcak of the circumfiances which conned It with this page, as a matter of univerfal information.—Captain Douglas was ignorant that the Antelope had been lofl: here ; and that her crew on one of thefe iflands built a veffel, in which they returned to China. He therefore could not know that his countrymen had received every aid, comfort, and kindnefs which thefe hofpitable iflandcrs could afford ; and that the fovereign of them had entrufted his fon to the care of Captain Wilfon, to return with him to England, to be inftru£led in the arts and manners of our country. Had he been acquainted with thefe interefting occurrences, there is no doubt but his humanity would have exerted itielf to the utnioft, in order to contrive fome further communication with them for who can have the leaft doubt but that the canoes which followed the Iphigcnia were fent to receive Lee Boo; or at leaft, to hear fome intelligence concerning him; and that the native who has been defcribed as'calling after the (hip, and employing the mofl frantic anions, when he found that he callcd in vain, was any other than Abba Thulle, the father of the young prince, agitated by the mofl: poignant fenfatlons of dlfappoint-ment and defpair. As no attention whatever had been then paid by the Eaft India Company to Abba Thulle, for the kind and humane treatment afforded by him to the crew of their ll:ilp the Antelope, he may be fuppofed to have been fuffering, for too long a time, the alternate Impreffions of hope and P p fear. 1788. fear.—It may therefore be conceived what his feelings were, when he lirfl; fiuv the dlftant falls of the Iphigenie whiten in the fun. It may alfo be im:igiiied with what hafte his canoe was launched from the beach to bear him to the fhip, and how fwiftly fhe was driven on to receive, as he might hope,, a fon, who was returned with the various knowledge and attainments of Europe, to adorn and improve his own country,—But it is difficult to conceive, as it would be impoflible to de-fcrlbe, what fiich a mind as his nnifl feel, when the Iphigenia proceeded on her way, and the people on board, occupied in avoidijig the fur rounding dangers, were as inattentive to his diftrefs, as they were ignorant of the caufe of it.—We miifb, however, be contented to fyinpatluzc with the affllftion of this amiable chief, as he returned in melancholy dlfappoint-ment to his ifland, —and continue to accompany the Iphlgenia on her def-tined conrfe. At noon they had a very good obfervation, when the latitude was 8" 20' North ; the bearings of the different iflands were as follow; the largeft of the two iflands, which Captain Douglas named Moore's Ifl.ind, m honour of his friend Mr. Hugh Moore, bore South by Eafl:, half Eaft, diftant about five or fix leagues; - two others, that were low and fandy, and which he named Good Look-out Iflands, hore Weft South Weft, half South, diftant three or four leagues.—From the former to the latter is a reef of rocks, which runs in a North Weft direäion, to the diftance of eleven or twelve leagues, and extends five leagues to the North of the other two. Friaay 4. - At One o'clock ill the afternoon they founded, and found that they were in eight fathom water; as the current fet them to the Weft-ward, they flood on, being apprehenfive, if they went on the other tack, tack, that they flioiikl risk the being driven clown on tlie reef, wJiiclj 1788, was at this time on tlieir lee-beam ; they therefore kept the lead going ; Aprh,,, and as the water was clear to the bottom, people were ordered to the mafl-head to give notice of any Immediate danger, which might be eafily avoided, as the fca was fmooth, and the day remarkably clear. At half paft two Moore's IHand bore South by Eaft, diftant fiftfcti leagues ; and till fix in the evening the foundings were from eight to twenty fatiioms, over large rocks. The lead was kept going every half hour during the night, witliout finding any bottom ; and in the morning they had a fteady breeze, having got clear of all the rocks and ilioals which they met with in thofc unknown feas.—As they Iiad feveral good obfervations of the fun and moon tlie day before they made land, they were able to determine the latitude and longitude of Moore's Ifland, as well as of the reefs and fhoals that extended to the Northward of it,—At noon, on the 3d, the latitude by obfervation was 8" 20' North; Moore's Ifland then bearing South by Eaft lialf Eafl:, diftant five leagues. Good Look-o\it Iflands bore at the fame time Weft Soutli Weft half Soutli, diftant three leagues; fo that the former lies in the latitude of 8'6'North, and longitude, rcduced by the log, 134° 6' Eaft; and the latter are in the latitude of 8® 13' North, and the longitude 133° 58'. The great flioal extends to the Northward as far as 8° 45'to the Eaft-ward 134" 13'; and to the Weftward as far as the eye could reacli from the maft -head, Ihoal-water wasvifible; whicli, in all probability, runs AS far as the longitude of 133° 30' Eaft. During the night no foundings were obtained with fifty fathoms of Saturday ^ line. At eight in the morning, being in the latitude of Los Martines, they bore up a couple of points, in order, if pofliblc, to get fight of it P p 2 by 1788. by nooti;—but as there was no appearance of land. Captain Douglas hauled his wmd, chufing rather to fubmit to the inconvenience which might arife from the want of wood, than risk his arrival on the coafl of America too late in the feafon. He therefore no longer thought of looking for an harbour among a groupe of iflands where, perhaps, no harbour of fufficient flielter and protečlion was to be found. CHAP. 1788. Mat. CHAP. XXVII. See theißand of Jmluh.—See Land, which // mlßaken for "frinity Ißand, —A moß violent Gale. — Defcriptlon of the Land. —See the Jßand of Kadiitk.—See 'Trinity Ißand.—Arrive off the latter.—Fißted bytivo Canoes. —Send the Jolly-boat on Shore with an Oßcer, to try for Fiß), which re^ turned with a fmall '^antity procured from the Natives__See Cape Gre- ville.—Pafs the Barren Ißand^.—Receive a Vißt from a Rußtan and fome Kodiak Hunters.—Run up Cook''s River.—Cotnmunication with the Natives. —Difpatch the Long-boat up the River.—InflruSiions io the Officer uoho commanded her.—Long-boat returns.—T'he Iphigenia weighs Anchor and drops down the River.—Steer to the South-end of Montagu Ißand.—Stand in for Snug-corner Bay.—Several Canoes come of to the Ship.—Difcover that the Ship Prince of Wales had quitted the Bay ten Days before, ^c. TO event took place but the mere ordering and courfe of the iliip, .- ^ till the 30th of the fucceeding luonth, when (he was arrived in Fncl»y3w> latitude 50" 29' North, and longitude 188° 26' Eafl of Greenwich.— The weather was moderate and hazy, and the wind fettled at North Eaft. Early in the morning they faw the Ifland of Amluk, bearing North by Eaft, at the diftance of about twenty-four leagues. At nine o'clock they wore and flood in for the land. At noon the weather became clear, and they lliw the land bearing North North Eaft, diflant from twenty to twenty-three leagues. On 1788. Mat. Saturday 3 f June. •Sundav i On t]ie3Tfl:, they had light winds and calms; at ten o'clock in the morning the clouds difperfed, £ind there was clear weather for half an hour ; when an opportunity was taken to get a number of distances of the fun and moon, from a medium of which the longitude was 190° 19' Eaß of Greenwich, and the obferved latitude 50® 58'North. The early part of the following day was Clear and moderate; but the latter was cloudy, with frefli breezes. The crew were now bufily employed in airing and mending the fails. The latitude was 51° 49' North, and the longitude 193° 32' Eaft of Greenwich. ■Monday z T lie Way } A fleady breeze from the Weft ward, continued with hazy weather through the whole of the zd ; and 011 the 3d they altered the courfe from North Eaft to North Eafl: by North. The arms were now cleaned, and the arm-cheft got off the deck into the cabin, to get them out of the way both of the feamen and the favages ; for as they -were approaching the land, there was good rcafon to expeO: a vifit from the latter. Tiuirfdayj ^»t day-light, Trinity Illand was feeu bearing North North Weft, diftant feven or eight leagues. At nine it bore South half Eaft, fix or feven leagues; and at noon the breeze which had blown all the morning to the North Eaft, encrcafed to an hard gale ; when the latitude, from an indifferent obfervation, was 19' North, jind the longitude 204° 54' Eaft. FiiJay 6 At Hoon it blew hard, and the gale encreafed, fo that they were obliged to hand the fore-fail an(i .clo/e reef the main top-fail; at eight in the evening, the extremity of the land from Cape Trinity, bore Eaft North Eaft, to North Weft by Weft, being diftant from the neareft land fand fix leagues. At eleven o'clock wore the Ihip, ;iik1 flood to t]ie Southward and Eaftward. At fix hi the morning Cape Trmlty bore North North Eaft, at the diftance of about twelve or thirteen leagues. The gale contiiuied to encreafe, and at fix in the evening, the (hip wore and flood to the Northward. No obfervation was made on this day. 1788. J USE- At four in the morning, it blew an hurricane,—reefed and handed Saturday7 the main-lail, and kid thefliip to under a balanced try-full, aiid got three balance tackles on the gaff to fupport It. At five, they faw the land, the extremities from Port Trinity bearing North North Wefl, to Weft South Weft, and Two Headed Point Weft Nortli Weft, —diftant from the body of the land twelve or fourteen leagues. At fix they wore, and lay to on the larboard tack. It now blew the nioft tremendous ftorm that !iad ever been feen by any perfon on board ; and at four in the afternoon the gale not being in the leaft abated, they got the topgallant mafts down on deck, laying to with the head of the fhip to the Southward and Eaftward. About five the gale abated, but there was a -moft dreadful fea ftill running. At nine they made fall, and got the topgallant mafts and yards up. On the 8th, the wind ftill continued to Sundays the Northward and Eaftward, but rather variable. The land was feeu bearing North Weft, diftant five or fix leagues. The obfcrvedJatitude. was 56° 20' North. Longitude 205® 36' Eaft, On the 9th, they had fair weather, with moderate and light breezes from the Eaftward. Theifland which Captain Douglas took for Trinity Ifiand, as it is in,the fame latitude and longitude whicli had been h\d down, lies off the mouth of a large bay, furrounded with low-Luid, The hills were covered with fnow, while the lowlands poffeflki the fineft verdure, but not a tree was feen on the one or the other. In this bay tiiere IS a fccure fhelter from the North Weft winds, which, had it been known, would hte violent gale of wnid. Thisi land forms part of the coafl: between Foggy Ifiand and Trinity Ifland, mentioned by Captain Cook, and has by no means the barren appearance of that land which is to the North-Avard of Trinity Ifland, and the Southward of Cape Grevilie. As the wind continued to the Eaflward, they plied to the windward, and ftood into eight fathoms of water, with a Tandy bottom. Tiiraiy 10 On the loth the weather was moderate and hazy. At fix in the afternoon they got a fight of the land, bearing Eafi: -North Eaft, at the difiance of about ten leagues. This land forms a cape projefling into the bay, which was now named Cape Hollings. It lies in the latitude of 57° 12' North, and the longitude of 207° 3' Eafi:. During the night no foundings could be obtained with feventy f:\thoms of line.— WeiinefJayii On the following day at noon, the extremities of the land bore from Wefl: North Weft to Eafi: by South ; the Ifland of Kodiak bearing Eaft. The obferved latitude was then 56" 56' North, and the longitude, by a lunar obfervatlon, 205° 36' Eafi: of Greenwich. It had been rather calm through the day ; but about five o'clock in the afternoon, a breeze fprung up from the Southward and Eaftward, and drew round to the Eafi:.— They worked up the coafl:, and fl:ood in (horc to nine fathoms of water with a muddy bottom, the current being very much againft them__At Thurfday 12 of the i2th, Trinity Ifland bore Eafi half South ; the extremities of the continent bearing from Eaft North Eaft half Eaft, to North half Weft; the diftance of the fhip, from the neareft land, was at this time feven leagues. The obferved latitude was 56° 48' North; and from a mean of eight diftances of the fun and moon about three quarters after twelve at noon, the longitude was 205° 5' Eaft of Greenwich. At k:':-:., ■• -^r.-:-- flfl i '-m- «'"t ^^ 4 •J^SsSe -.i-.v- 't. - •iV. -. .-d,;;- • •• .'te^ .V' •»■-Vc . "lijS-" J"'' V""* ■ i> Mri Ulf S. i' s. 'tiiaffttr.a. hfarrnp S.iA/'.*S/^»t^Ufa. In ti,/ /a/Umi, ■f.i.ZtfOn^ji^Vfi. K ..t f ^Cr. / .. : : AS, 1- . - -■ »tvsS. • > • i»»' ** ''' J^iiy ' "v". C B»^' • »r- ..-C-r : 'ia,-' I l ;... - :. At feven in the evening, a fine breeze fprung up from North North Wefl:, as they were fteerlng through tlie paflage between Trinity Ifl^nd Jinf. and the main, when they had regular foundings from feventeen to feven fiithoms, over a bottom of fine fand. On the North fide of the ifland towards the fea, there is a very fine bay, where (hips may run in with fafety. Copious flrcams of water were running from the mountains, and great quantities of drift wood lying along the fhore. About eight a native came olF to the fliip in a fmall canoe, and taking off the head of a feal which he wore on his own, he made them an obeifance, and aficed them how they did, in the Ruffian language:—when, having taken a fnrvey of the fhip, he paddled back to the fliore. Shortly after, another canoe with one man in it paid them a vifit ; who, in return for a few beads, with which he appeared to be infinitely delighted, offered the Ikin of a grey fox ; but not being able to make it faft to the fhip, as fhe was at this time making n deal of way through the water, he took it back with him. This man did not fpeak the language either of Cook's River or Nootka Sound. They had in the morning of the 13th, light airs and calms, and Friday 13 at ten in the morning had cleared the pafliige. At noon, the ob-ferveci latitude was 45' North ; and longitude, from the refiilt of feveral obfervations was, part noon, 206° 6' Eaft : the extremities of Trinity Ifland bearing from South Eaft by Eaft to South Wefl and' thofe of the coaft from Weft South Weft, to North North Eaft, at the diftance of four or five leagues. The variation of the compafs was 24° 51' Eaft. At eight o'clock in the evening the extremities of the continent bore from South Weft half South, to North North Eaft-. At nine they tried the current, and found it running four fathoms an liour. Q.q It It being cnlin and no figns of a breeze, and as they had no foundlngo-taulrdiij 14 tlie ^I'P? which was four leagues from the hind, Captain DougUxs lent the jolly-boat with an officer on ihorc, to get fome fiili. At noon the extremes of the coaft bore from South Weft to Cape Crtvllle North North Eafl, and Trinity IQand South Weft by South, at the diftance of ten leagues. At noon the obferved hitltude was 56° 59' North, and the longitude 206^ 3'Eaft. About one o'clock in the afternoon, a light breexe fpringing up, the (hip ftood towards the fliore, and a gun was fired, as a fignal for the boat. At four fiie returned with fome halibut. Mr. Adamfon, the officer who commanded her, informed Captain Douglas that they had met with fome fifliing canoes, and that the people who were in them, parted very readily with what fifh they had, but requeued fnuff in return, holding forth their boxes to be re-plenifl^ed. At firft it was fuppofed that they were Ruffians; but on con--fidering their drefs, with the incifion of the under-lip, it was very evident that they were either Kodiak hunters, or fome of the natives of Cook's River:—Though two years before, fnufF was a commodity to which the latter difcovered an extreme averfion, 1 Sunday 15 On the 15th, the wind was from the Northward and Eaflward, with a fog. At four o'clock in the afternoon a frefh breeze fprung up, but the thick hazy weather continued through the day. About five on the Monday 16 momlng of the i6th, the weather cleared, when they faw CapeGreville on their beam, bearing Weft, at the dlftance of nine leagues. They then altered their courfe to North North Weft, with a fine breeze. At noon Cape Whltfunday bore Weft half South. The extremities of the land from the ifland of Saint Hermogenes, bore North Weft by North ten leagues, to South Weft by Weft. Here they faw feveral fea-otters fporting in the water, and great numbers of whales.—The latitude at noon was 58° 01' North, and the longitude 207" 33' Eaft of Greenwich Sr,. : ' - ■ 4 m--. r vi » i^K - .. -.T-'. "ti;- .• M. v t .C ■•iu. i V.'' .A, » ^ 4 • if •f vi'": • » • .if- . ■f ■v r •• T"- ■ • - -if' S-. -J'i . C •;. L -'vC. f-- v- I f • . -v •- • ■i.','- 'Whtn-^-orn ti,fA-Heiorzruf ^f^undl&eVfhatti' "«.i renff>iMaui, 'Greenwich. At midnight they had a freih gale from the Southward, 1788. when they pnfl'ed tlie Barren Iflnnds. At fix in tlie morning two canoes o a TuefJay 17 came along-fide from Point Bede, and fliortly after a Ruffian from the fame phice, with feme Kodiak hunters. They brought a prefent of a dozen frefli fahiaon, and in return received a fmall quantity of brandy and fome tobacco. At noon, the extremes of the larboard fhore bore from South half Wefl, to North Weft by North ; and thofe on the {larboard fide, from South South Eaft, to North half Weft ; Cape Douglas bore Weft half South ; Mount Saint Auguftine, North Weft half Weft ; Point Bede, South Eaft half Eaft ; and Anchor Point, North half Weft ; diftant from the ftarbonrd and neareft fliore about fix or feven miles/^ The latitude at noon was 59® 41^ North. They had light winds as they run up Cook's River ; and about two in the afternoon feven or eight canoes came along-fide, from a few huts that were a little way a-headof the ftiip. All the natives of this place were ticket-men, and immediately produced their tickets, as paflports for good ufage but they w^cre fo poor as not to produce an Inch of fur amongft them. About three in the afternoon the tide fet fo ftrong againft them, as well as in fhore, that they were under the neceflity of dropping anchor in five fathoms and an half water, about two miles from the fhore.—The extremities of the land were as follow :—The ftarboard fliore, from South by Eaft, to North * Thefc tickets are purchafcd by the Indians from the Ruffian traders at a very dear rate, under a pretence that they will fccure them from tlic ill treatment of any ftrangers who may vifit the coaft ; and as they take care to exercifc great cruelty on fuch of the natives as are not provided vviththefe inftrunients of fafcty, the poor people are very happy to purchafe them on any terms.—Such is the degrading fyftem of the Ruffian trade 111 thefe parts; and forms a ftriking contrafl to the liberal and humane fpivit of Biitlfti com-incrcc. • 2 half 1788. half Wcfl: the larboard fhore, from South South Weft, to North Weft !)v Weft : Cape Douglas, Weft by South : Mount St. Auguftine, Weft : Anchor Point South by Eaft half Eaft ; diftaut ten or twelve miles, Captnin Douglas now ordered the boat to be holfted out, hi order togo on Ihore to look for the watering-place, and obferve the behaviour of the natives.—On landing, they found a fmall river running by the fide of the huts, and the natives very fliv. About fifty or threefcore of them fat basking in tlie fun, on the oppofite fide of the river, who took 110 notice whatever of the boat's crew. As the Iphigeniawas in great want of wood and water, it was abfolutely neceflary to remain in their prefent fituation till a fufficient fupply was obtained of thefe eflential articles,— Befides, there were no more than two casks of beef, and one of pork, on board, to ferve them the reft of the fummer, and, as it might happen, to carry them down to the Sandwich Iflands. A fupply of filh was therefore neceflary to enable them to run the coaft down to the Southward, where they cxpedcd to find abiindance of furs ; and this river was expeded to yield plenty of falmon, which might be falted down for the remaining part of their voyage. Avcdnefdayis ]t was dcfigned, on the morning of the iSth, to move the fliip higher up, fo as to lie oppofite the mouth of this river; but before the tide bccame favourable flie touched the ground ; they therefore run out the kedge, hove up immediately, flipped the hawfer, and made fail, when they found a bank on the outfide with only two fiithoms and a half: it being at this time low water, the boat was fent a-head to found ; when they ran up the river about eighteen miles, and came to with the ftream, over a fandy bottom, and about a mile and an half from the fhore, which had a fteep beach. The boat was then fent to find out the nioft convenient place for watering. Soon Soon after tliey had dropped the anchor, feveral canoes came from the 1788. huts which the)' faw yeAerday : and though tlie natives Jiad nothing to fell, they continued near the fliip till the evening. Some of them, indeed, caught a few fiihnon, winch were purchafed with beids. It appeared as if thefe people were on the watch to prevent any of tlie natives up Cook's river from vlfitiug the ihip.—The next day was employed in Timrfday wooding and watering, clearing the hold, and brewing fpruce beer. On the aoth they had light \vit)ds and plcafant weather.—In the Fnduyj, morning they lighted the anchor .ind moored fhip, when all hands were employed in wooding and watering The net was alfo hauled Into the mouth of the river for falmoa, but without fuccefs. On the day following the fame weather and occupations continued.'—. Saturday n About three o'clock in the afternoon /ive canoes came down the river, and the people in them called out Noota, Nooia, as foou as they got along fide the fhip. Five ottcr-skins were purchafed of thefe lavages, but they would take nothing except broad bar-iron ; two ft.ct of which were paid for each skin. It appeared as if they were at war with tlie Ruffians and Kodiak hunters, each of them being armed with a couple of daggers.—They earneflly entreated Captain Douglas to go higher up the river; and gave him to uiK'eiftand that it was from the report of his guns, which he ordered to'be fired moriiing and evening, that they knew oi nis arrival. They alto informed him that they had got a confiderabic quantity of Natuiiichiicks or fea-otter skins, but were afraid to bring them down, oiiu account of the Ruifians. , , -) ^ On 1783. On t]ie morning of the iid it blew a frefli gale, which raifed fo great simrfay 11 ^ furf in fliore, that it was impoflible to get either wood or water to the Ihip.—All the casks being full on the beach, it was thought proper to leave four men, with the fecond officer, on fhore all night, to guard tliem. About midnight the wind fhlftcd from South Weft to Eafl, and brought fair weather along with it. Mwuifiy tj On the 23d, the weatlier was cloudy, with light winds from the Southward and Eaflward. They now got the water on board, and coiled the cables below. The long-boat alfo having received fome damage, (he was hauled upon the beach, and the carpenters and caulkers employed in repairing her ;—they were llkewife fet to work to prepare a couple of mafts and yards for her, as it was intended to difpatch her up the river, aa high as Point Pofleffion, on the information of the natives. Tue Way 34 The long-boat being finiflied, at four in the morning of the 24th, flic was launched, and at half paft ten was difpatched, with the turn of the tide, w^ell manned and armed, on her intended expedition under the command of the chief officer. The inftru£tions given to him by Captain Douglas were to the following purport :— " He was ordered to proceed up as high as Point PofTeffion ; to look into moft of the fmall bays or low lands iu fearch of inhabitants, and to barter his iron or beads for fea-otter skins, black foxes skins and falmon. If he met with any Ruffians, he was inftru^led to treat them with civility, but at the fame time to be upon his guard, and not to fuffer either them or the natives to enter into his boat.—In cafe of bad weather, or if by any unforefeen accident he ftiould be detained four or five days. Captain Douglas mentioned his defign, at the end of tliat time, to follow him, with the Ihip, up the river, to Point Pofleflion; and that 2 lie he fhould fire guns to give him notice of his appronch. The officer^ 1788. however, was ordered to do his utmoft to return to the Ihip at the end of five days. The carpenter and caulker being ordered on fhore to procure fome fpars for oars, which were very much wanted, they were under the ne-ceflity of tracing the banks of the river to a confiderable diftance before they could find any that would anfwer their purpofe. When thefe people returned on board they declared, that as the long-buat turned the point, they heard the difcharge of eleven great guns. Though Captain Douglas was, in fome degree, alarmed when he firft received this intelligence ; yet as he had been informed by a Ruffian who went on board the Ipljigeniaat Point Bede, that none of Iiis countrymen were fo high up the river ; and as tiie long boat, if fhe had been attacked, would have returned, the wind beiiig fair to come back to the fhip, it was concluded, as it afterwards turned out, that thefe great guns were nothing more than mufquets, which the people had fired at fome ducks, and whofe report v\as conveyed by the wind, which blew right to the place where the carpenters were at work. About three o'clock in the afternoon of the 25th, two canoes came wedntfdayjj down the river, and brought a fea-otter cut through tha middle, and other-wife mangled. It appeared as if thefe natives thought that the fie/h was wanted, and not the Ikin; but no f.itisfa£tory explanation could be obtained, as they did not underftand any words that were addrefled to them ; and indeed gave no caufe for fuppofing that they had ever traded with any European people. They hadnotafingle bead of any kind in their poffeffion ; and the few which were now given them, feemed to attračl that kind of admiration which is awakened by obje£ts that have been never, or at leaft feldom feen before. It was conjedared that they were in^ land 1788, ^'ind natives, who live up the country in the winter, and had defcended Juke. fomc river which empties itfelf into Smoky Bay, as that was the qnarter from whence they appeared to come. As it blew frefh, and there was a large fwell occafioned by the tide, they left the fliip, and went in towards the (hore. Tliitrfday 16 The weather on the 26th was moderate and pleafant, and about nine in the morning two canoes came from the Southward, in one of which was the Ruffian who had paid the Iphigenia a vifit from. Point Bede.— He brought a prefent of fome falmon, which was returned by a fmall parcel of tobacco. At fcven in the afternoon twelve double canoes came along-fide from the Southward ; the people in them were Kodiak hunters, but they had neither Heins nor filh ;—though they promifed to bring fome of the latter In the morning. Friday i7 At one in the morning of the 27th, they faw tbe long-boat dropping down with the tide: and at two came along-fide the Iphigenia, having obtained nothing but one very indifferent fea-otter Ikln, and about two dozen of fplit f\ilmon.-The officer, Mr. Adamfon, reported, that as high up the river as 60° 41' North, he met with Ruffians and Kodiak hunters, who followed him from village to village, and had got entire pof-feffion of the river. The boat being returned, at fix o'clock the fliip was unmoored; and on the turn of the tide, they weighed anchor and dropped down the river. At noon the obferved latitude was ^f/ 58' North. About three in the afternoon, the flood-tide fetting in, they dropped anchor juft below Anchor Point, in feventeen fathoms of water.—The extremities of the Weftern fhore bore from North Wefl by North, to Weft by South ; Cape Douglas bearing Weft ; Mount Saint Auguftine Weft North Weft, half North ; and Point Bede South South Eaft ; dif- tant tant three or four leagues. At nine in the evening, with the turn of the 1788. tide, they hove up, and made fall with alight breeze from the Southward and Weftward. On the 28th at noon, Cape Elizabeth bore Eaft South Ead, and the Saturday u Eafternmoft of the Barren lOands, Eaft South Eaft. At about five miles off fhore, there were no foundings with fixty fathoms of line. No ob-fervation was made of the latitude, but the longitude was 207° 46' Eaft. At eleven in the morning of tlie 29th, the Eafternmofl of the Bar- Sunda/;» ■rcn Iflands bore South South Eaft, and Cape Elizabeth North North Eaft, diftant about five leagues. The weather being hazy, there was no opportunity of making an obfervatlon. They ftood to the Southward and Eaftward till four in the mornuig of the 30th, with a moderate breeze from the Northward and Eiftward, Monday j. accompanied by hazy weather and rain. At ten, the lf!and of Saint llcrmogenes bore South Weft, diftant fovcn leagues,—No obfervatlon. They had now light winds and calms, with a ftrong current fettlng them to the Southward and Weftward. At day-liglit, the extrcmiticj of the main bore from North Weft to North Eaft half Norrli, at the dlftance of about twelve leagues. At eight the body of the Barren Iftands bore North Weft by Weft, diftant fourteen leagues. As they had been difappointed of the fupply of fldmon which they expeaed to have found in Cook's River, and there being no more than three cafks of provifions remaining, Captain Douglas was under the neceflity of reducing himfelf and officers, as well as the fcamen, to a very fliort allowance. The latitude was 59° 2' North, R r The 1788. The wind continuing at North Eafl, and Eaft North Eaft, the verjr. WeJnJiUuy a courfe thcy fought to fteer, with an heavy fwell, the fliip laboured exceedingly, and made a very flow progcefs along the coafr. About fix in the morning they flood in to, within a league of, the main land,_ At nine they unbent the main top-fail to repair, and bent the old one. The main top-maft ftay-fail alfo fufFered confiderably from tiie fqually weather, as they w^ere under the necefTity of carrying a prefs of fail to keep the fliip from being forced down by the current among the Barren Iflands,--The weather was tliick and hazy, fo that no ob- fervation could be made, nor had they any fight of land. Thuifday 3 At five in the morning of the 3d, the wind fliifted to the South Eaft, with moderate weather. At noon the extremities of the continent bore from North North VVefl, to Weft by South, dif^ant ten leagues; and the obferved latitude was 59® 18' North. Friaay4 moming of the 4th, they were about ten or twelve leagues from the continent, and at neon the extremities of the land bore from North Eafl:, to South Weft half Well, diftant off fhore four leagues. The latitude was 59° 47' North. In the afternoon they haJ frcfh North Eaflerly breezes, with fqualls and rain ; and in the evening tlie extremities of the continent bore from North North Eafl half Eaft, to Weft half South, at the diftance of ten or eleven leagues. Satiirjay; On the fth, at noon, tlie extremities of the land bore from North half Eaf>, to Weft half South, diftant ten or eleven leagues The obferved latitude was 59° 1 7' North. In the evening they had frefh gales, with heavy fqualls and rain. Oil On the 6tl), at noon, the extremities of Montngu Iflaud bore from 1-88 North by Enft, to North by Weft. It was the intention of Captain J"'-'^-Douglas to keep without Montagulfland, from the number of funken rocks wliich lie in the inner paflage ; but fincJing it blow fo frefli, and the wind being riglit in his teeth, he could not effcct his pur-pofe..—The latitude, from an obfervation, was 59" 36' Nortli. They had now fair weather, with frcHi Eafterly breezes; and at three in the afternoon had foundings in twenty-five fathoms water. At fix, as the tide was fetting againft them, they dropped the ftream anchor in eight fi^thoms water, about three miles from the fliore of Montagu Ifland, the extremities of which bore Eaft by South, half South, to North half Eafl; and thofc of the continent bore from South Weft by South, to North North Eaft. At half pafh eight they weighed anchor, and turned up that pafläge. On the ^tli, at one In the morning, dropped anchor about elgiit miles Mon to the Northward, in twenty-feven fathoms water, and fix miles from the Ihorc. At nine they weighed again, and ftretched over to within a mile of the continent, when there was no ground with thirty-fix fathoms of line,—At noon tliey were furrounded with land, cxcept towards tlie paflage by which they entered, and which bore South. The obferved latitude was 60' o' North. They had Jiglit breezes and fair weatlier as they turned between Montagu ifland and the main.—At fix in the evening they came to with the kedge in thirteen fathoms water, about one mile and an half from the Montagu Ifland fhore. At ten, they weighed anchor, with a light breeze at Eafl: Soutli Eaft. At eight in the morning of the following day, they were in the mid- xuefdiy t channel, between Montagu Ifland and the Green Iflands. At noon, R r 2 the 1788. the extremes of the former bore from Weft half South, to North North Ea/l", t!ie body of the lattei' South by Weft ; Cape Hinchinbroke Eaft North Eaft; and an ifland lying off Snug Corner Cove, North by Eaft; dlftant from Montagu Ifland two or three leagues.—Several guns were now fired to acquaint the natives of our arrival.—The obferved latitude was 60° 23' North. At four in the afternoon they flood over to the Wertem lliorc, with light winds and clear pleafant weather. At eight in the evening they wore and ftood in for the cove, with liglit airs and calms. WedncfJay p At noot), on the ptli, dropped the ftream anchor in five fathoms water, in Snug Corner Cove.—The remainder of this day was employed in uiv-beiiding the fails, holfting out the boats, and other neceftary matters. Way 10 On the loth, fix canoes of the Chenouways tribe came alongfide, but Iind no more than one fea-otter skin among them, which was purchafed, with five or fix fcal-skins for the rigging. Kennooncck informed Captain Douglas tiiat a fliip had been there, whlcli had failed only ten days before with plenty of skins, and it appeared for Cook's river. This ia-telligence was confirmed by the party, who had been on ftiore for wood, as they had feen, Infcribed on a couple of trees, J-. Etches, of the Prince CiflVaUs^ May f)thy 1788, and John lliitchim. C H A P. i: JVLY. CHAP. XXVIII. the Iphigenia falls from Snug Corner Bay.—They pafi Kay es Ißand.^ Clofe m with Cape SucWtng.—Slow Progrefs along the Coaß, on Account of the Eaßerly Winds.—Send the Long-boat Into Beermg's Bay, which returm after having been driven out to Sea.—They fee Ißands rf Ice.—Purchafe a great Number of Sea Otter Skins, ^C. of the Natives of Cr of s Cape.—A ßngular 'Example of the Power of the Women among them.—Steer into Sea^ Otter Bay.—Pafs Douglas Ißand.—Enter a Bay called Port Meares.— Pafi Roß Point.—Obfervations on thsCoaß.—Join the Felice atNootka Sound. 1 "VILL the 14th, the people on board the Iphigenia were employed m Mondiy 14, wooding, watering, and repairing the falls. During that interval they had been vifited by fome canoes, which brought fiih, two riverotter skms, and fomc feal-sklns. Of this party there was a man of the Taugjekamute tribe, who informed Captain Douglas that they had plenty of skins in his diftričl:, and promift-d to return the following morning to attend tlie Hiip thither. At tiiree o'clock in the afternoon, a light breeze fpringing up from the Weft, they weighed, and turned out of the covc. At ten in the evening Cape Hinchinbroke bore South Eaft by South, half South, and the North end of Montagu Ifland, South half Eaft ; diftant from the'neareft land four or five miles. At 1788. At eight o'clock in the morning two canoes of the Chenouways tribe Tuefday rj nlongfitlc With fome skins, chiefly of the otter cubs, which Captain Douglas told them they ouglit not to deftroy. At noon the weather was calm and cloudy, Cape Hinchinbroke bearing South South Eafl:, and the North Eafl end of Montagu Iflaiid bearing South, diftant three or four leagues ; at eight in the evening the former of thefe places bore South Eaft half South, and the latter South ; diftant from tli£ main land four or five-miles. Tfmiayii On the i8th at noon, the South end of Kaye's Ifland bore North Eaft by Eaft half Eaft, diftant ten leagues. The extremities of the contuient bore from North North Eaft half Eaft, to Weft by North ; and Montagu Ifland from Weft half North, to Weft South Weft. The obfcrved latitude was 59® 52' North, and the longitude an'^i'Eaft of Greenwich, At one o'clock in the afternoon a breeze fprung up from the Southward and Wcftward, they therefore fet all their fail, and ftood for tlie South end of Kaye's Ifland, as tiiey knew from former experience that there was not any paflage for a ftiip through Comptroller's Bay. satiirJay:? At fix in the morning they were clofe in with the Cape, when they had ground from ten to twenty fatlioms, over a clayey bottom. At noon the wind was variable ; and Cape Suckling bore Weft by North, diftant three or four leagues. The obferved latitude was 59® 57'North, and the longitude 215° 51' Eaft. They had a light breeze from the Southward and Eaftward till half paft three in the afternoon, when it took them back, and blew from Eaft North Eaft in heavy fqualls with rain. Being clofe m with the low land off Cape Suckling, and the current fet-ting them on Kaye's Ifland, they carried a prefs of fail to clear the South end of it. 2 M At two ill the morning the weather was moderate, with the wind at ' 1788. the Eaft : At noon the body of Kaye's Illand bore South Weft; the ex- _ _ PiimUy:» tremities of the continent from Cape Suckling hearing Weft by South to North EofI: half EafV, diftant eight leagues. The obferved latitude was 59" 57' North, and longitude 216° 14' Eaft. Light wiads from the Eaftwartl till fix in the afte-rnoon, when the wind came round to tliu North, and at eight fhifted to the North Eaft. At fun-rife Kaye's Idand bore Weft half North, diftant fourteen Monday 21 leagues. At eleven it blew frefh, with the land in fight; and at nocii the obferved latitude was 59® 18' North, and the longitude 216° 23' Eaft. At five in the afternoon they lay to under the maiu-fail, with ftrong gales from the North Eafl, and extreme cold. On the morning of the 22d they faw the land, bearing North North Tucfdayia Eaft, diflant fifteen or fixteen leagues. At eight the gale abated, when they flood in for the land, as they did not wifh to pafs unfeen oti any part of the coafl where there was a probability of inhabitants. At noon the weather became moderate, and the obferved latitude was 59*^ 5'North, longitude 217° 10' Eafl. Frefh breezes fprung up from Eafl and Eafl by North, with heavy rain, at fix in the afteniooti ; and at eleven at night it blew very hard, which obliged them to wear, and fland to the Southward under courfes and double reefed main-top-fail. Ill this manner, and with the fame variable weather, the Ipiugenia WednftUjo proceeded to run parallel with the coafl, fometimes in fight of land, and at other times at too great a diflance to fee it, or obftruded from the view of it by an hazy atmofphere, till the 30th ; when, at four o'clock in the morning, they faw land ; the extremities of which bore from North Weft half North, to North Eaft, diftant fix or eight leagues. From fix to 1788. juLr. tobten they had a light breeze from South South Weft, with which they ftood into the bay. At noon it was calm and hazy, when they made but an indlfFerent oblervation, according to which their latitude was 59® 27' North, longitude 219° 4a' Eaft. At half paft twelve a light breeze fprung up from the Weftward, with which they fteered North till fix in the evening, when it fell calm. Being within a few lengues,of the low Lind, and on the Eall: fide of the bay, they obferved the appearance of fmoke, and accordingly ftood towards it-; but the wind and tide failing, the long-boat was at eight in the evening hoiited out. In order to be fent to the head of the bay ; but the appcarance of bad weather occafioned her being detained till morning. At nine they clued the top-fails up, and dropped the ft ream-anchor in twenty-eight fathoms water over hard ground. At midnight it was perceived that the fhip had driven oiFthe bank into deeper water; they therefore gave her more cable, as it was bad anchoring-ground; but as the wind and tide were both adverfe, they kept the anclior down till near flack tide. Thui-fdaysi At three in the morning they hove up, and made fall toward the low land, wiiere they faw the fmoke. At four the weather being moderate and clear, the long-boat was dilpatched, well manned and armed, under the command of the chicf officer, who was inftrufted to procecd towards the bottom of the bay, and to make fuch examination of it, and obtain fuch communication with any inhabitants he might find there, as would tend to the procuring furs, provifions, &c.—At the entrance of this bay they had fifteen, ten, and eleven fathoms water, over a rocky bottom, but higher up no foundings could be obtained with fifty fathoms of line.—At noon the latitude, by account, was 59° 41'North, longitude aig'' 47' Eaft. At three in the afternoon, having loft fight of the long- long-boat, and fiiuling that (lie was clrtven out to Tea, they wore and ran down towards her. At half part: four they got fight of her, and within an hour after came along-fide, when fiie was found makijig very bad weather, on account of the heavy fca ; fhe was immediately hoifted in, and they made fail to the Southward andEaflward. At three in the morning of the ifl: of Auguft it blew ftrong from the North Eaft, with heavy rain.—At noon, the latitude by account was 59° lo'North, longitude 219" 33' Eafl:. At three in the afternoon the weather moderated, when they tacked, and flood to the Northward and Eartward. 32T 1788. JtM.V. Aucwj-p l' i id:iv J. At fun-rife land was feen, the extremities of which bore North Eafl SatmJ^y» half Eafl:, to Weft, diftant fix or feveu leagues. At noon tlie extremities of the land bore from North Wefl:, to Eafl: South Eaft, dif^ant ten leagues. Theobfcrved latitude was 59" 16'North, and the longitude 220" 11' Eafl:. In the afternoon the clouds cleared up from over the land, which gave them a fight of Mount Saint Elias, bearing North Weft by Weft, at the diftance of about twenty leagues.—On feeing fomcthtng floating, which they could not afcertain, as they had but little wind, the jolly-boat was holfl:ed out to examine it, when it proved to be a dead bird, of a large üzc, which Captain Douglas has not thouglit worthy of a defcription. In the morning the jolly-boat was difpatched, with orders to proceed within a mile of the fliore, to examine if there was any appearance of inhabitants; and about noon fhe returned, in company with a large canoe, containing about thirty Indians.—They now dropped the beft bower anchor in twenty-feven fathoms water, and purchafed of the natives fe-veral cotfacks or drefles of fca-otter skins, and a pair of gloves of the fame. The extremities of land, when at anchor, bore from Wefl North S f Well Surnlay 3 1788. \Vef>, to Eaft by Soiitli liiilf South, clifliLmt four or five miles. The ob-August. - fcrvctl latitude was 59^ 10' North, and the longitude 221° 27'Eaft. Tuefdayi Early next morning the people retLirned, as the failors obfervcd, with all their old cloaths, as the cotlacks which they now offered for fale had been much worn: thefe articles, however, were purchafed, with a quantity of falmon ; and at nine o'clock they weighed anchor and proceeded along the fhore.—At noon tlic extremities of the land bore from Weft by North to Eaft; the latitude by obfervation was 59° 1' North, longitude 221° Eaft. The place where the ftiip lay was called Ti-anna's Bay, in honour of that chief; he was indeed very much diflatis-fied w^ith the prefent climate, agalnft the cold of which he could not proteft himfelf, though he had as much cloathing on him as he could well carry,—and was become very Impatient to return to Owliyhee. "Wcdncfday 6 At fun-rlfe on the 6tli it fell cahn, and continued fo till eleven o'clock, when a light breeze fprung up from the South Weft.—At noon Cape Fair Weather bore North Eaft by North, and Crofs Cape South Eaft by Eaft, diftant from the iieareft land four miles, running in for Crofs Sound.—The latitude by account was 10' North, and longitude 223" 15' Eaft.—At three in the afternoon, being pretty high up the Sound, and furronnded with what appeared to be iflands, as far as the eye could reach, the jolly-boat was hoifted out, and fent to difcover if they were rocks or iflands of ice.—On her return, the account of the ofiicer was, that the ifland he touched at was ice, as well as two or three other fmaller ones which he Iiad pafled : concluding therefore that the iflands on the outfide of them might be ice alfo, they hauled clofc in with the Hiore, and fent the boat a-head to found. At NORTH west C O A S 1' OF A M E R I C A. Ar fix In the cveiiing a canoe from Crofs Cape niTived alo-jg-fulc the j^gg Hiip witli one man, wlio came on board quite nakeil. On being prcfcnted with a jacket, a pair of trowfers, and an iiat, he appeared to be very much deligiited, and requeued them to go in clofe with the Hiip, when he would lliew them the village of which he was an Inhabitant, He accordingly went a-head In his canoe, and led them in among a parcel of rocks, with only three or four fathoms water, fo that Captain Douglas tliought it neceflary to take the pilotage of the veflel upon himfelf; and as it was dark and hazy, he found it a matter of fome difficulty to extricate himfelf from his very unpleafant fituation. However, at half paft ten at night, they came to in feventeen fathoms water, over a rocky bottom. Very early in the morning five canoes came along-fide, wheii forty Thurfdayj fca-otter skins and feveral cotfacks were purcliafed ; but the natives here feemed to underfland the value of their merchandize, and Captain Douglas was obliged to give them the price they demanded. By eight o'clock they had quitted the fhip -.—But it is impoffible to take leave of them without mentioning a circumftancc, which appears to be peculiar to tills tribe of Indians ; among whom the w-omen poflefs a predominant influence, and acknowledged fuperiority over the other fex—of this they gave a very ftriking example. One of the chiefs having unintentionally Interrupted a canoe, iu which was a woman, from coming dole to the fhip, flie feized a paddle, and ftruck him fo violently with it on the head, that he was almoft difabled from employing a fimilar inflrument, to ward olT the blows which followed. In this manner they continued their contefl, fhe in ftrlking, and he in defending himfelf, for near half an ^ hour; when Captain Douglas, in order to put an end to this lingular S fa fray, 1788 fray, fired a mufcjuct over their hends, with concomitant figns of his Autusi. ciifpleafore, but ^v^thout effečt. For the woman now ilepped into the canoe of the mnn, who appeared to be in a flrate of complete hnmiUation, and pulling out a knife from fome part of her drefs, flie fpoke for fome time, and then cut him acrofs the thigli. Though the blood gurtied in ftreams from the wound, flie was about to repeat her violence, when Captain Douglas interfered in fuch a manner as to oblige this vengeful dame to return to her own boat, and give the bk-eding objeft of her vengeance an opportunity to paddle away to the fhore. During the whole of this engagement, if it may deferve that name, not one of the men dared to Interfere ; nay it appeared that they were in fuch an entire ftate of fubmifllon to female controul, that they could not difpofe of a skin till the women had granted them the nccclTary pcrmiflion. As thefe people had difpofed of all their skins, at noon Captain Douglas made fail to the South Eaft, with the wind from the North Weft. The obferved latitude was 58° 02' North, and longitude 223° 26' Eaft. The weather was now moderate and fair, and they kept n good look out at the maft-head for canoes or fmoke. At feven in the evening a canoe was feen approaching the (hip, which foon after arrived with two large otters and one fmall one, juft killed, which were purchafed. The man on board the canoe gave them alfo to iinderftand that more skins would be brought in the morning. They, therefore, at eight o'clock, ran into twenty-three fathoms of water, and dropped the beft bower ; bottom, fand and fhells. r.ijaj.g At fun-rife eight canoes came along-fidc, when fifty-fix fea-otter Ikinswere purchafed, fome of which were already formed into drefles. At eleven o'clock they weighed anchor and made fail, running along the Ihore, fhore, to the South Eaft. The extremities of the land bore from Wefl 1788. South Weft, to South Eaft by South, off" fhorc about three or four miles. At noon the obferved latitude was 57" 3a' North, longitude 224° 15' Eaft. The weather continuttl moderate, with the wind from tlic North Weft. At two in the afternoon they faw a large bay, but being clofc in witli the land, and there being no appearance of inhabitants, they tacked and ftood out. At ten it fell calm, and continued fo till noon Saturday 9 the next day, when it was fo hazy as to preclude making an accurate obfervation. The bay they left the preceding evening bore North North Eaft, off fliore about two leagues. At three in the afternoon a frefli breeze fprung up from tlie Weftward, and perceiving a bay which bore Eaft off the fhip, they hauled in, to fee if there were any inhabitants, but not difcovering the leaft figns of any, they hauled out again, and fliortened fail for the night, not wlfliing to run on, leaft they fhould pafs any of the inhabited parts of the coaft, and of courfe lofe the advantage of trading with tlie natives. In the morning they made fail, and got oti deck all their bread simiiayio to dry. At noon Mount Edgccombc bore North Weft by Weft half Weft ; the extremities of the land alfo bearing from North Weft half Weft, to Eaft South Eaft, diftant off fhore four miles. The obferved latitude was 59° 19' North. From a medium of feveral diftances of the fun and moon, the longitude was 224° 50' Eaft of Greenwich.—At eight in the evening, it blowing frefti, they reefed the top-fails and fliortened fail for the night, two fmall iflands bearing from the fhip South by Eaft half Eaft. The extremities of the land bore from North Weft by Weft half Weft, to South Eaft by Eaft, diftant from the fliorc five leagues. Early Early in the morning of the nth they made fall for the land, antl iMwnilJ^j '"^-t noon It was (.iiftant about eight or nine lengues. The obfcrved latitude was 55'' 21' North, and the longitude 225° 57' Ead. A brillc gale fpringing up from the Northward and Weftward, at three o'clock in the afternoon they ran acrofs the mouth of a large bay which'forms two capes. The fouthern one was called Cape Adamfon, and is high, bluff land, lying in the latitude of 55° North, longitude Siö'' 21' Eaft. The other to the North was named Cape ]?arnett. It is low towards the fea, but rifes gradually witlün land to a confiderable height, and is in the latitude of 55° 39' North, longitude 226° 04' Eaft. Having run a confiderable way up the bay, they entered the mouth of a ft rait paflage, not more thaji half a mile acrofs from fhore to fhore, ftcering North : by the number of whales which were blowing a long ^vay within the paflage, it was evident that there was plenty of water for the fiilp. At eight o'clock iu the evening they dropped the befl: bower in feventceii fathoms, with a fandy bottom, about half a mile from the fliore. The (hip was now entirely land-locked, except at the entrance; and her prefent iltuation was named Sea-otter Harbour, from the great number of thofe raiimah which were in the water. They were as thick as a flock of ducks; and the man at the maft-hend taking them for rocks, and calling out accordingly, occafioned a confiderable Impediment ill the courfe of the (hip. -liKfaayii Early in the morning of the 12th, the jolly-boat was difpatched to found, and the long-boat to look out for a watering place. At nine the latter returned without having made the expefted dlfcovery. A very plentiful, as well as convenient run of water, was, however, foon after found by Captain Douglas on the oppofite Üiore. lie alfo faw many 2 places C r of HK\ iriTVAi HAlUiCH^U tf//(/ ST PATRICKS BAW t jI,kl"m by (^ Jry/ /rr/zr///'/ .. ^ ^ . fi.i>(.r.<)",ir\(>i-(ii. --x^XS/nz/rfrAirHfiy. Si-a-OntM- H:u-l>oiir O .0 * +5. v ✓ AJ l/f /J s; 1'rtli'iok's n ..... ÜX* '.i > I -v . v:, i » v». ^ - . •. ■ . - - v.;»^' r- J : •t J »\ Tr ♦UhiT •• v ..tn .i. .>.'-••■;••'("'H'^- •• .—' / iT I II »WW places where there had been fires, but no other tiaccs of inhabitants._ 1788. la pulling up the bay he clifcovereJ a pafl'age out to Tea, and that it was an ifland where the fliip lay: he is alfo clearly of opinion that the land which formed theftraits to tlie Northward mult confift of iflands.—All hands were now employed in cutting wood, getting in water, or overhauling the rigging. Captain Douglas, therefore, took this opportunity of taking out the jolly-boat Co explore the head of the ftraits; when, after pulling three or four hours, he faw two arms, one flretching towards the North, and the otlier about EafL South Eaft. By the number of whales which lie faw blowing iti thefe different branches, he concluded there muil: be parages out to fea through botli of them. He landed at feveral places, and faw fpots where fires had been made, as well as boards for canoes ; but no-other figns whatever of inhabitants. At feven in the evening he returned on board, and gave orders to get under way. At eight they fleered through the mouth -of the ftraits ; Cape Karnett bearing South Weft by Weft half Wefl:, and Cape Adamfou^ South by Weft half Weft.- They had light winds from the Northward till nine in the morning, Wcansfaajij when it freftiened up. At noon the former Cape bore North Weft by Weft, and the latter North Weft. The appearance of a large bay bore Nortli by Weft half Weft ; a fmall ifland, about two miles in circum-fcrence, South South Eaft, diftant feven or eight miles. It was now named Douglas Uland ; and there are two or three fmali, low and rocky iflands lying off its North and South ends. It is very high, and covered with verdure, and may be feen at the diftance of fixteen or fevcnteeu leagues. It lies ten-leagues from the main land, in the latitude of 54° 58' North, and longitude 226° 43' Eaft. Between this ifland and the main there is another of Icfler extent, which Is rocky, barren, and almoft level with tJie water. Between thefe two iflands they fteered their courfc by A'/ütsT ^^ compafs, Ea/l South Eaft, but could get no foundings with fifty fathoms of line. At tliree In the afternoon they had a fteady breeze from the Weftwnrd, with clear weather, when tliey paflcd Douglas Ifland ; but as they were Heering hi for a bay which bore North Eafl by North, there came on a very thick fog. At half pafl: four, they were vifited Uy two canoes, wlio appeared to have come out of the bay for which the Iphigenia was fleering. Twenty-fix fea-otter fkins made m drefles, and Ibme birds, were now piirchafed of their vifitors, who were fond of iron and* beads, and were fatisHed with any quantity that was offered to theni. Tiimnuy 1+ At one in the morning it blew a ftiffgale, with thick and foggy weather ; and they flood off South South Wefl: till four, when they hove to. At nine the fog diminiflied, and they made fail in fhore. At tea they got fight of Douglas Ifland, Wefl by North half North. At noon the main laud extended from Eaft by North, to Nortli Weft by North, diftant four leagues off fhore. The obferved latitude was now 54° 43' North, and the longitude, as reduced from the laft lunar obfervations, 227° 37' Eaft. They continued fleering in for the bay which was feen the preceding evening, and at two in the afternoon they got within a fmall ifland that lies a quarter of a mile from the main land. Here it fell calm ; and a chief, with two large canoes, cach containing between thirty and forty people, came along-fide, finging a general chorus of no vinpleafing efFe£t. As the tide was adverfe, the flilp was driving down very fafl towards the ifland which was under her lee. The chief was therefore defired to lay hold of a rope, and tow the fhip higher up the the bay, which was immediately done; the natives in the canoes continuing their fong as they proceeded. At three they dropped anchor in Iwenty-three fathoms of water, with a bottom of fand and fliells. Tlie 5'-9 170b. The Weftern point of land which forms tJie bay, bore Eaft South Eaft, and the Eaftern point, Eaft North Eaft ; fo tliat a fhip lying there ^"cu&t. is only expofed to four points of the compafs;—that is, between Eaft South Eaft and Eaft Noith Eaft: Hie will be land-iocked every other way about a mile from the Wcftern fliore. —It was now named Port Mearcs. The latitude of the fhip at anchor was, by feveral obfervations, 54.° 51' North, and longitude, according to the refult of feveral diftadiccs of the fuu and moon, 227" 54' E^^l CJreenwich, In Port Mearcs there are two large arms or branches of the fea ; the one turns North North Eaft, and the other about North North Weft, * which Captain Douglas fuppofes to have a communication with Sea Otter Sound. During this and the two following days, they purchafed feveral fea-otter skins or nickees, as the natives called them. They obtained upwards of fixty cotfacks from this tribe, which Captani Douglas rcprefents as the moft liberal, unfufplcious and honeft Indians he had ever known. k They had now light winds from the Weftward, with very pleafant ^un.kyij weather. In the evening of the 17th the natives of tlie Northern or North North Eafteni branch of the fea, made a large fire to give notice -of their approach ; and at one in the morning they came along-fide, Monday it finglng in their ufual manner as they approached the fhip.—Ofthefe people they purchafed between fifty and fixty skins made into dreffes, and the btft they had yet feen. On the 20th having invited three of the chiefs to dinner, they made Wednefdayao Captain Douglas underftand that they had dlfpnfed of all their nickees ; but that if he would return with plenty of beads and iron, they would ,be prepared with a frefli quantity fufficlent for his demands. They ^ ^ then 1788. then took him oti deck, and pointing out to fea, made figns that the nickees came from thence. Though there was no land to be feen, as the coaft took an Eafterly direftion from Port Meares, at three in the afttr-iioon they weighed and made fall, fleering out to fea South Eaft, with a frefh breeze from the Weftward. After running fix leagues, they faw land, bearing from Eaft South Eaft, to South Weft, dlAant about twelve leagues.—At nine it came on thick jind hazy weather, when they hove the fliip to, with her head to the Northward and Weftward.— During the night they had foundings from fixty to eighty fathoms, with a fandy bottom, s Tiutrfcayjt At eight in the morning of the 21ft, it cleared up on the oppofite fliore, fo that they had a fight of the land which forms Port Meares, bearing North North Weft, diftant nine or ten leagues. They then wore and made fail to the South Eaft. At noon they were clofe in with the land, which extended Eaft by North half North, to Weft by South. The obferved latitude was 54° 06' North, and the longitude 228° 04' Eaft. They now run along the fhorc, with a fleady breeze from the Weftward, towards a bay to which the natives had pointed. At two they faw a thick fmoke at the bottom of it, when they run into eleven and nine fathoms of water.—At half paft two a tliick fog coming on, and land feen from the maft-head, trending due North, it wa5 determined to difcover if there was any paflage, or if the land that was feen joined the main. At a quarter before three o'clock, as no canoes came off", they fet a prcfs of fail, and fteered for the bluff high land that bore North. At five it clcared up, fo that they had a fight of both fides, as. well as of a fandy fpit, level with the water, which ran to the Northward, as far as the eye could reach from the maft-head. At fevcii they had a ftiffgale, and faw the end of the low fpit of find. At eight they hauled round the point, when it was dlfcovered that the laud did not not join the main, but formed a large iflaiitl, which took a Southerly 1788. direaion.—After rounding the landy level, they came to regular foundings of ten, eight and feven fathoms of water, about three or four iniles from the ifland, the extremes of which bore from North by Weft, to South Eaft by Eafl half Eafl. At fix in the morning of the 23(1, feeing no appearance of inhabi- SatuiJayij tants, they weighed anchor and made fail, ftandlng to the South Eafl, having land on both fides. The fandy point that was paflcd on the preceding evening, was named Point Rofe. It lies in the latitude of 54" 18' North, and in the longitude of 228® 39' Eaft.—It was now difcovercd that this was a large ftrait, and an ifland of great extent, where the anchorage is good, and which, to all appcarance, affords feveral harbours on the Northern and Eaftern fides. On the former there is a certainty of meeting with inhabitants; and, in all probability, with abundance of furs. The centre of the ifland lies in the latitude of 53° 58' North, and in the longitude of 32S' 54' Eafl. At noon they had light winds and cahns, with clear weather, the extremes of the Ifland bearing from North North Weft, to South half Eaft, and thofe of the continent from Eaft by South, to North North Eaft ; diftance of the coaft nine leagues, and from the ifland about eight or nine leagues. The latitude, by obfervation was 53' 55'North, and the longitude 229^30' Eaft.—The variation, per medium of fix azimxiths, if 43' Eafl; per amplitude, i y° 59'- At nine in the morning of the 24th, the longitude, from the medium sumiay of feveral diflances of the fun and moon, was 230° j6' Eafl of Greenwich.—From nine till noon the weather was calm and clear, when the bearings of the land were as follows:—The extremities of the continent 1 t ^ bore 33^ I'/SS. Avci'ST. bore North Weft by North, half North, to Eaft by South ; a fm:ül bluF ifland, Ijnig off the main, bearing North by Wefl, diftant ten leagues, and the extremities of Charlotte Ifland froiii Weft to South. T fiiall here take the opportunity of obferviiig, that fhlps which arrive early on tlie coafl:,when they niufl: expert to meet with heavy gales of wind, ■will find it their advantage to make the South end of this ifland, and to enter the ftraits in the latitude of and the longitude of 229^30', when they will find flneltcr either in the ifland or on the continent.—It may be alfo added, that as fhips which are returning from the North at a late period of the feafon, are liable to be blown off the coaflr, it woul'd be advifable for them to make Douglas Ifland, and enter the flraits in the latitude of 54° 30', and longitude 22^° 30', when they will find good anchorage, as well as inhabitants, on the North fide of the ifland.—On the continent they will alfo have the advantage of Port Meares and Sea Otter Sound, befides feveral other bays which have not yet been explored, between 56 and 54 degrees of North latitude. Manday 15 Q^^ momhig of the 25th they had loft fight of land, and, as the change of the moon was approaching, when a gale of wind might be expected, which, perhaps, would have obliged them to run immediately to the Sandwich Iflands for a fupply of provifions,- it was refolved to ftcer at once for Nootka Sound, without encountering the land again, in order to add to their ftock of furs. Iwfdäyis On the 26th, at half pafl nine, their longitude, from a medium of feveral diffances of the fun and moon, w^as 132° 38' Eaft of Greenwich, with a flrong gale, fleering Eafl North Eaft; and at noon their latitude was, by obfcrvation, 49" 42' North. 3 ' At At eight in the evening they were clofe in with the entrance of 1788. Nootka Sound, when it fell calm, and the tide fetting out, they drop- Avqust. ped the belfl bower anchor in twenty-three fathoms water. At feven on the morning of the 28th, a light breeze fprlnglng up Thurfdayis from the Weftward, they got under way, and flood In for the Sound ;; ?.nd before noon the Iphigenla, with her crew in good health and fpirits, joined the Fehce in Friendly Cov'c, CHAP. 334- . VOYAGESTOTHE 1788, CHAP. XXIX. 'the Ip hi geni a, in Company with the North West America Schooner ^ leaves Nooika Sound.—Scarcity jAÄüiRT. off the hogs, as far as it related to them, and that they fhouliL be plentifully lupplied fioin the iflands of Alowee, Ranai, Morotoi and Woahoo. »jniay 3 jjj jj^g morning the King repeated his-vifit, bringing a pi'efent of hogs^ taro-root and potatoes, witk a turtle, and Ibme fiHi of the trout kind.— Early in the afternoon he went on fliorc, and foon after Captain Douglas followed him in the jolly-boat. He was received very cordially by Titeeree, . who took him round the village, iTiewed him leveral plantations, and condu£tcd him to Ibme large ponds, which appeared to be full of filh—. He mentioned alfo fome others where he had a quantity of turtle,, and proniifed to bring one on board the next day. Eawiday 3 ^hc Hcxt nioming Titeeree vlHted the fhip, with a prefent of a turtle. an-d fome hogs.-—About ten o'clock a double canoe, fchooner rigged^ came round the Eaft point of the bay. The natives were deceived as^ well as the people in the iliip ; for they all imagined it to be the Nortiv Well: America, which had not been feeii for fome days, till the canoe came witliiti a fhort dlflance. She had got jib, main-fall and fore-fail as well as thofe of the fchooner. On the loth they were joined by Captain Funter, who had been beating olF the Weft point of the ifland for feveral days pafl, without being , able to join the Iphlgenia. Nothing of material occurrence took place during the time which the veflels remained at Woahoo, except the lofs of both their anchors which Titeeree, who, in every other refpeft, behaved with the greatefl kindnefs, contrived, though it blew a gale of wind, to heave tip and get o R T H WEST COAST OF AMERICA. get a-fhore, with their cables. As this was a lofs of the utinoft con-feq'jence, and, fituatecl as they were, would have prevented tlielr future progrefs, it became abfolutely neceflary to be very ferlous in tJielr eu-deavours to recover them. The King did not attempt to hide the theft; and the people whom Captain Douglas feiit to him to demand the reftoratioii of the anchors and cables, faw them lying in Iiis hoiife.— Indeed, they feem to have been taken with no other view than to compel Captain Douglas to leave fome of his armourers at Woahoo, as the condition of their being reftored. However» the anchors, &c. were regained, on prefenting the King with a piftol, a mufquet, and a fmall quantity of ammunition ; accompanied alfo with fome very neceflary menaces, that if he did not reftore the articles he had taken, his town fliould be laid in aflies. 1789. January. After having laid In fuch a ftock of provifions as it was In their power. £undayj5 to puixliafc, and having filled fome cafks with water, at half part: five in the afcernooa of the 25th, the two veflels got under way, and flood out ot" the bay. At noon of the following day, the obferved latitude was 21° 23'North ; and the extremities of Woahoo bore from Earthy. South, to North Weft by North, diftant from fhore about four miles.- At two in the afternoon of the 2Öth, they faw the iOand ofAtooi, . Moruhy j* bearing Wtfl: by North half North ; and in tlie courfc of the night had aflrong current fttling againft tbem, with tiie wind from the Wcftward. At noon of the 29th, tliey dropped anchor in Wymoa Bay, In twenty-three fathoms of water, over a muddy bottom:—Tlie two extrenie points which form the bay, bearing from Eafl South EaH:, to Weft North . Weft. The Morai on fliorc, bore North Eaft half Nortli. Oa J.VNUAR V. '/89. Oil tlic nrrival of the Iphigcnia and the North Weft Americn off the iflaiul, Tahco, the King, nnd all t!je chicfs, lud gone to n confidcrable diflancc up tlie country, dreading the ciTlflfi of Tianna's anger, who, they had been informed, was on hoard one of the veiTels, and had tabooed cverv thine; on ihorc ; but as it was vinderftood that the chief, wliofe m/ CJ ' vcnge.mce was fo much dreaded, had been left at Owhyhec, msfl'engers were immediately lent after Taheo, who in Confequence of tliis information, returned in about three days to Wymoa; nnd on his arrival, fcveral canoes were fent off with hogs, potatoes and y^Tins, for which u rnoft exorbitant price was demanded. A couplc of hatchcts, or eighteen inches of bar iron, wasexpefted even for an ]iog but ot a middle fizc, Tliis exorbitant difpofition arofs pruicipnlly from the fviggeftions of a boy, whofc napxic was Samuel Hitchcock, wlio luid run awav from Captain Colnctt, and was become a great favourite with Tahco himfelf.— Indeed, fo great was Iiis inüiience with the King, that one of the natives having ftolen from him a fraall piece of cloth which he wore round his middle, Taheo ordered tlie culprit to be purfued to the mountahis, ■wlüther he had fled, and when the wretched creature was taken, both his eyes were torn from their fockets, a pahoo was then driven through his heart, and his flefh ftrlpped from the bones, as a bait for ihaiks. But tliougli Tahco returned to Wymoa, he was by no means without npprehenfions as to his üfety; nor wöuld he accept of Captain Douglas's Invitation to come on board the Iphigenia ; feigning, as an cxcufe, that he had been ill ufcd by the crew of a Hiip fome time before. This alarm, indeed, in a Üiürt time fubfided, and he paid his occafional vlfits to the fliip, and a friendly communication, at leaft to all appearance, took place between the natives and their European vifitors. At NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 35» At the fame time, it was liinted to Captaui Douglas to be coiuiiuially 1789. on his guarJ ngiilnft: the cltfigns of the King, and of Abinui ins niinifler; and he was alio informed of a poifonoiis root well known to the inhabitants of the Sandwich Ifiauds, which when ground to powder, might be eafiiy fcattered about tlie fliip, or thrown upon their cloaths, without being obfcrved, and wliofe power is of fuch a deadly nature, that if the fmallell: quantity of it (hould be inhaled by the mouth or the noftrils, the confequcnce is immediate death. Captain Douglas, therefore, though he (lid not very mucli fufpe£t any murderous intention in Taheo, or his people, t]]0ught it a prudent precaution, at all events, to make known his intention, if any attempt was made to poifon any of the provifions fold to them, that he would not leave a native alive whoui he fliould find within his rcach. But tliough tlie quantity of hogs and roots whicli they could obtain , at Atooi, were by no means equal to their cxpeftatious, or fonietimes even to their immediate neceffities, opportunities were takeu of doing confiderable fervice, by making fucli repairs in the fiiils,. cordage, and other articles, which vvere eflentially nccefiary to the condition of both the veflels. It was therefore determined to procced to Oneeheow ; and as Namitahaw, with fix of his relations, and four women, exprefled their vviflics to accompany Tianna's wife and child to Owhyhee, he took them all on board, in the expei^tailon that they would be of very great fervice to him in procuring fuch provifions as he wanted, in tlieifland he was proceeding to vihr... At two in the afternoon of WednefJay, the ]8th of February, both Wednca-iy,3• veficls got under way; and at fun-fctting, Wymoa Bay bore North EalT:. At noon of the following day, the South Weft end of Onetheow bore Tiuii-ftiuy,, Wcfl:, at the diftance of one mile. But ftrong gales coming on from the V O Y A G R S T O T 11 E 1789. tlie Kortli WeO, and fitnling that they drove a coiifiderable way to the t S R. T'A R T < -1 ■ • SoiTthwaril and Eaftward of Oiieeheow and Atoai, and there being every appearance that the wind would con'^lnue to tlie Wcflward, Captain Douglas dtternriHied to run over toWoahoo, in order to get a frefh fiipply of provlfions, as they had killed their laft hog. Accordingly on Saturday s^iUint^yii the 3ifV, at four in tlie afternoon, a frefh gale fpringing up from North Nortli Wcfi, they bore away f(?r Woahoo. At noon on the following Sunday u day, thcy paft the Weftern point of Witetee Ray, the foundings being from fourteen to three fathoms of water, and diftant five or fix miles from tiie fhore. Captain Douglas obferves that this flioa) runs out fartiier than any he had encountered among thefe illands, and that it lies in the latitude of 21° 22' North, and the longitude of 20z® 15' Eaft ol" Greenwich. In the iViOrnlng of the 23d, they came to their former anchoring ground ; and at nine, Titeeree came on board, and lomc of the paflen-gers having Informed him of the price paid for provifions at Atooi, he was difpolcd to imitate the exorbitant demands of the neighbouring idand; and no inconfiderable cjuantity of powder and (hot, for thofe were now become the favourite articles, was demanded for a fingle hog ; fo that very peremptory methods were obliged to be employed in order to procure the necelTary fupplies. A frefli breeze fpringing up from the Weftward about noon,, on the TiierLi;.y24 24th, Captain Douglas embraced the favourable occafion to get over to Ovvhyhee, where he hoped to find greater plenty, and more rea-fonable demands. At noon on the 2d of March, Owhyhee bore from North half Weft, to South Eaft by South, diftant from the ftiore about two leagues; and very March. MonJ^i}' a very Ihortly after Tianna came ou board from a part of tlie iflaiul called Toec-Hye,—and when he had indulged himfelf for feme thne in the oppreffive joy of yearning nature at the fight of his wife and child, he conducted the fliip into a bay callcd by the natives Tiioway; nnd at four in the afternoon, they anchored in fixteen fathoms of water., over a fine fand, the two extreme points bearing from South South Eaft half Eaft, diftant from the fliore about a mile and an half. Jn the evening, by the provident care of Tianna, they received a confi-derable quantity of refrefhmcnts. Early in the morning the jolly-boat was fent to found the bay, when good ground was found all acrofs it, from fourteen to twenty-two fathoms of water, over a fine brown TucWay j fand. The King having been on a fiftiing party, he did not arrive till four in the afternoon ; when he came, accompanied by his Queen and daughter, in two difpatch boats, having quitted his heavy canoes and attendants. He appeai-ed to be overjoyed at their return,—exprefTcd his hopes that Tianna had paid them all proper attention in Iiis abfcnce, and aflured them that his power in the ifland, and all he himfelf poflefled In it, was at their command. Indeed, the quantity of provifions with which he caufed them to be furnifhed, and his anxious endeavours to forward the wiflies of Captain Douglas in every thing, proved, beyond a 'doubt, t!ie fincerity of his profeflions. The next day at an early hour. Tome-homy-haw, Tianna, and feveral other chiefs, came on board the Iphigenia, and foon after tKe whole com- wtji^rday ^ pany were difmifTed by the King, except Tianna ; and having thrown a feathered cloak over Captain Douglas, the chief, in the name of the fove« reign and himfelf, began to unfold the fecrets of their political fituation. Y y He March. 1789. He ftated that Tahco, king of Atooi, and Titeeree, the fovereign of Mowee, Ran:il, Morotoi, And Woahoo, had entered into a compa£l with Terrcemowecree, the furvivlng foa of Terreeoboo, who lived on the weather-fide of the ifland, to difpoflefs Tome-homy-haw of his r^ink and power, for 110 other reafon but becaufe he had permitted Tlaana to fix his ffcttlement at Owhyhee:—That Taheo had been furnifhed by the Captains Portlock, Dixon, &c. with a (quantity of arms and am-m.inition, on an exprcfs condition that he would not afford any fup-plics whatever to Captain Meares and Iiis 'äÜbciates ;—for the truth of which information, he appealed to the reception which that gentleman had lately found on putting Into the ifland of Atooi, where he could not obtain any refrefhment of any kind :—And Tlanna, with tears in his eyes, and tlie moft affeftingexpreflions, declared his apprehen-lions of tlie diftrefs which Captain Meares and his crew muft have fuf-fered from the want of provifions before he reached Macao, if he fhould have been able, by any means, to have" compleatcd his voyage to China. The fpeech, which was of confiderabie length, concluded with entreating Captain Douglas to leave two of his men behind hiin, till hi^ return from America, together with a fwivel gun, his own fowling-piece, and whatever other arms and ammunition could be fpared by him. The preparations which Captain Douglas had fcen at the other iflands, and the great demand he had experienced for powder, fhot and muf-quets, induced him to give fome credit to the fcheme which Tianna had jufl mentioned : he, therefore, complied with that part of the requcft which related to the fire-arms, and immediately ordered the carpenter on üiore, to form a ftnge on one of the largelT: double canoes, to receive the fwivcl. In In the afternoon of the following day, the carpenter having fmlflied 1789. the canoe, flie was brought along-fide the Iphigenia, when the gun q'^.ufHäy ^ was mounted ; but it was with great difficulty that tlie King could prevail on his people to keep their paddles In their hands while he difcharged the piece. At fix in the morning, the wind being from the Southward and Eaft- p«'^»!' « ward, a fignal was naade for the King to come on board, when they got under way, fteering for the bay of Toee-Hye. The King was accompanied by his Queen, Tianua and other principal chiefs, while thofe of an inferior rank attended the fliip in a fleet of thirty canoes. Tiroway-Bay, which they now quitted, is fuperior in many refpe£ts to that of Karakakooa, the ground being extremely good, with not a fpot of coral rock in any part of it: befides, veiTels may lie at fuch a diftancc from the fhore, that if the wind blows, they can clear the land with fafety. The latitude of the ftiip at anchor was 19® 4' North. At half jiaft five in the afternoon, the beft bower anchor was dropped in ten l^thoms of water, oppofite the village of Toee-Hye, the two extreme points of this large bay bearing from South Weft by South, to North Weft by North, diftant from the fhore three miles. In the evening, the King and his company went on fhore ; and on the ^ituroVy following morning fent off a prefent of thirty hogs, a quantity of fait, cocoa-nuts, potatoes, and taro. As the trade-wind was now blowing frefh, Captain Douglas requefted that he might, If pofliblc, be favoured with immediate fuppUes, as he was in hafte to fall for America.— Tome-homy-haw, therefore, difpatchcd meflengers up the country, with orders for every one who had an hog to bring it immediately to the village, on pain of death: and at ten the next morning, he himfelf came SumUvi t * off with a prefent of fifty hogs, Ibme of which weighed fifteen ftone.^ Y y 2 III 1789. M.itci-i. In the courfe of the day other neceflhry articles were fen t 011 board ; ntid amongft other things were twelve gecfe. It may be a matter of curlofiry to mention that, at the fame time, a boat came into the bay with a cock and hen turkey. Thefe animals were going round.ro breed at the village of Wipeeo. The hen, we were told, had already fat twice, in difFerent parts of the iflaud, and reared her broods to the number of twenty ; fo that in a few years there will be a great abundance of that fpecrcs of fowl in thefe Iflands. In the evening Captain Doivgks, after prt;fenting feme fire-arms and ■ammunition to the King and Tianna, took his leave of them ; and at midnight they got under way. Their latitude at noon, on the next Monday ^ ^^y, was 30° 21' North. They now proceeded to Woahoo, where having^ got a confiderable quantity &f wood, and made fome addition to the ftock of taro and fugar-cane, they continued their covirfe to Atooi; and Thurfdayij in the cvcnlng of the iztli cam« to an anchor about two miles to. the Friday ,3 Eaftward of the axichorlng-ground. At day-light on the i_yth, they got the boats out, and to-wed the (hip into her former birth. Tahef^ and the other principal chiefs were gone to Punna, and Abinui was the only perfon of confequence remaining at Wymoa, who feat a prefent of an hog on board, but did not think proper to accompany it. Saturday i + In the morning, the long-boat was fent on fhore for water, when the men on duty got to quarrelling with fa much violence, as to draw their knives againfteach other ; and when Mr, Viana attempted to part them, a feaman, of the name of Jones, threatened to knock him down. As futh a difturbance, if not checked in time, might have been attended with confequences that would prove fatal to the voynge. Captain Douglas ordered Jones to immediate punifhment; to which, with the mofl horri^d execrations, he refufcd to fubmit, and run for the fore-top, In cx- peifiation peftatlon of meeting with the bluntlerbuffes which were generally kept 1789-there primed and loaded, in cafe of an attack from the natives, but was prevented from gaining his obječt by Captain Douglas, who fired a piftol over his head, and threatened him with a fecond difcharge if he proceeded another ftep. But as it was very evident that feveral of the fhip's crew were difpofed to fupport him, he was ordered either to deliver himfelf up to punifhment, or inürailtly to leave the fiiip ; which, he did without the leafl hefitatlon, and tranquillity was imnifdiarcly reAored. Having compleated fheir watering, iit five ui the afternoon they got under way for Oneeheow, in order to obtain a fupply of yams. But being prevented by adverfe winds, and a current running ftrong from the Northward, to make Yam Bay, they were forced, to avoid being driven to the leeward, to bear up for the other bay ; and in the afternoon of the following day, they dropped anchor In thirteen fathoms of water ; Sutidavij the bearings of the two points being from South by Eaft, to North by Eaft ; the fmall ifland of Tahoora bore at the fame time, Soutii South Wefl half Well:, diftant from the fhore one mile and an half. In the evening. Captain Douglas being Informed of adefign agitated by feveral of the feamen to go off with the jolly-boat, gave orders to the officers to keep a ftričt watch ; neverthelefs, during the night, the quarter-mafi-er and two of the failors had got on fhore in fome of the canoes that were along-fide. They had formed a plan to get off with the boat, nnd at the ßme time to fet fire to the fl^iip ; but being prevented iu their diabolical enterprlft;, they had taken an opportunity toefcapc to the ifland. Two of them, however, by tlie active zeal of honeH: Friday, a native of Oneeheow, who has already been mentioned in thefe pages with the efteem he fo well defervcs, were fliortly brought back to the fliip ; but the q_uartcr-mafl:cr, who was the- rinjjiendcr in the mlfchlef,. 3 cowU 1^89. could not be brought off 011 account of the furf, and was therefore left March, behind: für fuch was the fituation of both veflels, being in want of many neceflary articles,—the North Weft America having alfo loft her anchor,—that though, accorditig to Iiis inftručtions, Captain Douglas was to have proceeded to the Northward, he was under the neceffity of difobeying them, and proceeding immediately to the Coaft of America, where he had every reafon to hope he ftiould meet with a fhip from China. The Iphlgenia and the Schooner had now been near four months among thefe iflands ; and it is to the honour of Captain Douglas, that he condudted himfelf with that prudent attention to circumftances, as to have avoided any ferious difpute with the natives of any of them. CHAP. 1789. March. C H A P. xxxr. T'/jey kave Oneeheow^ and proceed on their Return io the North Weß Coaß of America.—Pafs Bird Ißand,—Partictdar Circumßanze refpeSling the Com-paß.—The Arrival of the Ipiiigenia and the North West America at Nootka Sound.—The latter dißpatched on a Trading Voyage^ and the Reaßons of it.—The Arrival of a Spaniß} Ship.—The ConduEi of the Spanißj Commander.—Seizure of //jf Ifiiigenia, tšc,—She is obliged to leave Nootka Sounds and proceeds to the Northward.—Tirade with the Natives of the Coafl.—Anchor off a Village named Fort Pitt.—Dcfcription of Buccleugh\ Sound.—Anchor in Haines's Cove.—A War threatened between two T'ribes of Natives.—'The Means employed to prevent it.—An Account of Mac Intire's Bay.—Examine Cox*s Channel.— A Deßgn formed by the Natives io get Poßeßon of the Ship.—Difcovcred to Captain Douglas by the IVomen. -—Friendly Conduti of a Chief named Blakow.—AU the Bar-Iron f.v-pended.— Pafs Cox^s Channel. — Trade with the Natives oj T'atanee,— ^it the Coaß of America.—Return to the Sandwich Ißands.—Fortunate Eßcape from a Deßgn of the King and Chiefs of Ovuhyhee on Captain Douglas and hii People, ^c.—Touch at the different Ißands for Provißons^ ^c, — Proceed on their Voyage to China. — Arrive off Macao, TT A VI N G got about a month's ftore of yams, the two vefl'cis fet fail ; and having loft figlit of the iflancl of Oneeheow 011 the i8th, they proceeded in company to the North Weft, with the wind Wednefdajis from North North Eaft. At three the next morning, land was feeu a-head ; and at four, being almoft clofe up with it, they hove to till day-light. This Arm. 1789- Tliis ilhiul or rock, bears the form of a faddle, high at each end, and low lu the luiddle. To tlie South it is covered with verdure ; but on the North, Well and Eaft fides, it is a barren rock, perpendicu-lu!y fteep, and did not appear to be acceffible but to the feathered race, with which it abounds. It was therefore named Bird Ifland. It lies in the latitude of 23° 07' North, and in the longitude of 198® 10' Kafl.vhy a medium of feveral obferved diftances of the fun and moon. Nothing very material took place during the voyage of the Iphi-?^cnia and North Weft America back to Nootka Sound. They botli fuffered thofc inconveniencies which may be fuppofed to arife from the fcanty ftore of many articles neceflary for the comfort and navigation of a Ihip.—It may be proper, however, to mention, that in the beginning of April, for two or three days together, it became impoilible tofteer the fhip, tlie compailes flying about each way four or five points in a moment.— Captain Douglas remarks, that he experienced the fame phrcnomenon laft year about the fame latitude. The latitude at this time was from 36'' 19' to 36'' 10' North, and the longitude from 208° 15' to 219" 13'. The whole tranfaflions concerning the Iphigenia, after her arrival at Nootka Sound, with the condu^l of the Spanlfh commander, which have formed a fubjeft of difpute between the Crowns of Great Britain and Spain, are ftated at large in the Memorial prefentcd by me to the Houfe of Commons ;—1 muft therefore refer the reader to the Appendix of this volume, where he will find the Memorial, with various other papers, explanatory of the mercantile plans and operations of the Afibciated Company for carrying on a Trade between China and the North Wefl Coaft of America. Tke The Iphigenia being permitted by the Spanilh commodore to depart, 1789. they quitted Friendly Cove, as is feen in tlie Memorial, and continued wednefdjy j their courfe to the Northward, with the wind at South Eaft.—At fun-fet on the 4th, the Southern extremity of Charlotte's Iflands bore ThurfJay + from Weft North Weft, to Weft by South, diftant two leagues.—At noon the next day the weather was thick and foggy.—The latitude by Friday ^ account was 51'' 33' North ; longitude 228° 2/ Eaft. In the morning of the 6th the fog cleared away, and there were a great ^atui-day $ number of fea-otters playing round the fhip.—At eleven they faw a fmall barren ifland.—At noon the latitude by account was 54" 7' North, and the longitude 229'' 9'Eaft.—At three in the afternoon, the current having fet them to leeward, and out of fight of the ifland, and being furrounded with a number of fmall iflets and rocks, they bore up to look out for feme place of fhelter before night.—At five they pafled between a low ifland and the main land.—At ten it fell calm, and the current fet them down to a fmall ifland, and no foundings to be obtained with eighty fathoms of line ; the boats were therefore hoifted out, and the fliip towed clear of the ifland, into 26 fathoms water, when they dropped the ftream anchor over a muddy ground. At break of day it was low water, when a ledge of rocks was feen Sunday 7 above water, within lefs tlian a cable's length of the fhip : a breeze fpring-ing up, they weighed anchor-and worked out of the found. At eleven the wind dying away, the ftream anchor was dropped in fifty-five fa-thorns water, at the entrance of the found. At noon a breeze fprung up from the South Eaft, when they weighed and flood to the South Weft. The latitude by obfervation was 54° 45'North, and the longitude 229° 15' Eaft. Z 7, The 1789, The weather was now become fiilr and moderate; and the early part JUNJi. ' of the afternoon, on obferving a canoe paddling towards the flilp, they fliortened fail, and purchafed three cotfacks of the fea-otter's fltin,—The natives made Captain Douglas underftand that there were more nickees at a village to which they pointed,—He therefore wore, and flood to the North Eaft, in company with the canoe ; and at fix dropped the ftrcam anchor in thirty-five fathoms water, oppofite a village which fbnds upon an high rock, and has the appearance of a fort. This place, which is in the latitude of 54° 58', longitude 229° 43' Eaft, Captain Douglas named Fort Pitt. They bought feveral otter-Ikins of the natives; but in the morn-Mondays ing, there being no ligns of any further traffic, they weighed anclior and ftood to the Weftward.—At noon the obferved latitude was 54° 46', and the longitude 229° 12' Eaft. In this large found, which was now named Buccleugh's Sound, there are feveral arms and branches, fome of which take an Eafterly direction, and run as far as the eye could reach; one or two others took a Northerly direftion, and, in the opinion of Captain Douglas, communicate with Port Meares and Sea Otter Sound.—The two capes, which form Buccleugh's Sound, were named Cape Farmer and Cape Murray.—The former, which is the Southernmoft, lies in the latitude of 54° 33' North, V longitude 229° 16' Eaft ; and the latitude of the latter is 54° 43' North, and its longitude 228° 10'Eaft.—A lowifland, covered with trees, about three leagues in circumfcrencc, which they paflbd tlie day befrore, and lies off"Cape F'armer, was named Petries IQand.—Tt is in the latitude of 54° 42', and in the longitude of 229° 20'.—An high mountain on the Weft fide of the found, where tliey perceived the appearance of a village with their glafles, was called Mount Saint Lazaro.—It lies in the latitude of54''52' North; longitude 228° 56' Eaft. At eleven at night they made fall to clear a fmall rocky llland that lies off Cape Murray. At At noon the next da}' the entrance of Pott Meares bore Weft by North, but having only the nhie inch cable which was got from the Spaniards, J«'""-Captain Douglas did not think it prudent to bring up there, on account of its cxpofure to the South Eaft winds ; but having, at this time a leading breeze, they fleered riglit up the found, pnlTing feven or eiglit Iflands which lie in the middle of it.—In the afternoon the long-boat was ordered out, and an officer fent to found and difcover feme place of flielter.— In about three hours he returned, having found out a fine cove, about four miles higher up the found ; and at feven in the evening they dropped the bower anchor in fifteen fathoms water, over fand and fliells, about half a mile from the larboard fhore, and at twice that dlftance from the ftarboard Hiore. Captain Douglas represents this harbour as by much the beft he had feen on the coafl: of America.—The entrance of it is not more than half a mile from fliore to fhore, off which an ifland is fituated of about a mile in circumference; fo that a veflel may lay there in a ftate of fecurity from all winds.—At the bottom of this cove, which is about two miles from the entrance, there is a very fine beach, and in the middle of it there is alfo a fmall ifland, round which the tide flows :—It was named Haines's Cove, and is in the latitude of 5+® 57' North, and longitude rriday 13 228° 3'Eaft. t Several fucceeding days were employed in purchafing furs, fifh, and oil, and making fome neceflary repairs to the üiip and rigging:—Nor did any thing material happen till the afternoon of the 17th, when the chiefs of the two villages, on different fides of the cove, having had fome dlfagreement, they prepared for wur, and a very bloody confllčl:, to all appcarance, was prevented, by tlie interpofition cf the women, which, after a very loud and angry debate, that lafled upwards of an hour, proZ z 2 duced o 1789, duced a reconciliation betvveeeii the hoftlle parties.—One of the chiefs, attended by his canoes, paddled round the Iphigcnia, and chaunted a fong as an acknowledgment to Captain Douglas, that he had not taken part in the difpute; while the otlier party were received at the village of their tribe, hy the women and children, with the tunefql acclan^ations of welcome or of triumpli. Fitday 19 At eight o'clock, on the morning of the 19th, a breeze fpringlng up from the South Wefl", they weighed anchor, and made fail out of the cove.—At noon, the extremes of the land, from Cape Murray, which forms Port Meares, bore North Eaft by Eaft, to an high bluff, which was now named Cape Irving :—^The latter lies in the latitude of 54° 49' North, and the longitude 227" 4/ Eaft.—The two capes, bearing about Eaft and Weft from eacli other.—The North Weft point of Charlotte's Iflands alfo bore South by Weft lialf Weft, diftant twelve or fourteen leagues. The weather was moderate and cloudy, with the wind from the South Weft.—At fun-fct, there being the appearance of an inlet, which bore South South Weft, they ftood acrofs a deep bay, when they had irregular foundings, from twenty-fix to eleven fathoms water, at the diftance uf two leagues from the fhore; —the wind dying away they dropped the ftream-anchor, tlie two points which form the bay, bearing from Weft, one quarter North, tcr North Eaft halfEaft, diftant from the fliore four miles. It was now named M'Intire's Bay, and lies in the latitude of 53" 58' North, and longitude 228° 6'Eaft. A Saturday ao In the moming of the 20th, the long-boat was difpatched to the head of the bay, to dlfcover if there was any paflTage up the inlet; — and the account received on her return was, that toward the head of the bay bay a bar run acrofs, on wliich the long-boat got a-groiiiul; but that 1788, within it there was the appearance of a large found. Several canoes now came along-fide the iliip, and having purchafed their ftockof furs. Captain Douglas got under way to look into an inlet which he had ' obferved the preceding year.—At noon it was exceeding hazy, and no obfervation was made. Early in the afternoon the long-boat was Tent, well manned and armed, to examine the inlet and found for anchorage; and foon after, twelve canoes being feen making theiv way towards her, while feveral others were coming off to the fhip, Captain Douglas made fail after the long-boat» which had already made a fignal for ancliorage.—At five o'clock they dropped the bower anchor in twenty-five fathoms water, about four miles from the fliore, and two from a fmall barren, rocky ifland, which liappened to prove the refidence of a chief, named Bbkow-Coneehaw, whom Captain Douglas had feen on the coaft in his lafl vo^yage.—He came immediately on board, and welcomed the arrival of the ihip with a fong, to which two hundred of his people formed a chorus of the moft pleafing melody—When the voices ceafed, he paid Captain Douglas the compliment of exchanging names with him, after the manner of the chiefs of the Sandwich Iflands. At feven in the morning they ftood up the inlet, and at nine came Sunday a» to in eighteen fathoms water, when they moored the fhip with the flream-auchor. Through this channel, which Is formed by Charlotte's Idands, and an lüand that lies otF the Weft end of it, the tide was found to run very rapid. The paffage takes its courfe Eaft and Weft, about ten or twelve miles, and forms a communication with the open fea.—It was now named Cox's Channel.—Very foon after the Hilp was moored, the long-boat was fcnt to found in the mid-channel, but no foundings 1789. fouiKliiigs could be obtained with eighty fathoms of line; but near the J USE. , 1/1 rocks, on the ftarboard fhore, they hail twenty and tlility fathoms water. Having been vlfited the preceding night by two canoes, which lay on their paddles, and dropped dow^n with the tide, as was fuppofed, inex-peflation of finding us all afleep, they were defired to keep off, and finding themfelves difcovered they made haflily for the fliore. As no orders had been given to fire at any boat, however fiifpicions its appearance might be, thefe people were fiifFered to retreat without being interrupted.—This night, however, there happened to be feveral women on board, and they gave Captain Douglas to uiiderfland, that if he or his crew fhould fall afleep, all their heads would be cut off, as a plan had been formed by a confiderable number of the natives, as foon as the lights were out, to make an attempt upon the fhlp.—The guimer therefore received his Inftruilioos, in confequence of this Information, and foon after the lights were extinguiflied, on feeing a canoe coming out from among the rocks, he gave the alarm, and fired a gun over her, which was accompanied by the difcharge of feveral mufkets, which drove her back again with the utmoft: preclpatlon. Mondiyji In the morning tlieold chief, Bhkow Coneehaw, made a long fpeech from the beach; and the long-boat going on fhore for wood, there were upwards of forty men Ifi'ued from behind a rock, and held up a thimble and fome other trifling things, which they had ftolen from tlie (hip but when they found that the party did not intend to molefl them, they gave a very ready and aČlive afUftance In cutting wood, and bringing the water-cafks down to the boat.—Some time after the chief came on board, arrayed, as may be fuppofed, in a fafhlon of extraordinary ceremony, having four fklns of the ermine hanging from each car, and one 2 from from his nofe ; wlien, after Captain Douglas had explained to him the reafon of their firing the preceding night, he firfl made a long fpeech to June. his own people, and then aflured liim that the attempt which had been made, was by fome of the tribe who inhabited the oppofite (hore; and entreated, if they fliould repeat their noöurnal vifit, that they might be killed as they deferved.—He added, that he had left his houfe, in order to live nlong-fide the fliip, for the piirpofe of its protefbion, and that he hlmfelf had commanded the women to give that Information which they had communicated.—This old man exercifed the moft friendly fervices in his power to Captain Douglas, and poffeffed a degree of authority over his tribe, very fuperior to that of any other chief whom they had feen on the Coaft of America. In the afternoon Captain Douglas took the long-boat and ran acrofs the channel, to an ifland which lay between the fliip and the village of Tatanee, and invited the chief to be of the party; wlio, having feen him pull up the wild parfley and eat it, lie was fo attentive as to order a large quantity of it, with fome falmon, to be fcnt on board every morning. At fix o'clock in the morning of the 23J, finding the ground to be bad, Tuefdjy 13 they ran acrofs the channel to a I'mall harbour, which is named Beal's Harbour, on the Tartanee fide ; and at ten dropped anchor in nineteen fathoms water, about half a cable's length from tlie fhore; the land locked all round, and the great woodeii images of Tartanee bore Eafl, one quarter North; the village on tlie oppofite fliore bearing South half Weft.—This harbour is in the latitude of 54° 18' North, and longitude 227° 6' Eaft.—It was high water there at the change, twenty minutes paft midtiight J and the tide flows from the Weftward, fixteen feet per- pendl- 17S9. pendicülar.—The night tides were higher, by two feet, than thofe of ^the day. - .< The three following days were employed in piirchafing Ikins, and preparing to depart; but as all the ftock of iron was expended they were under the ntceffity of cutting up the hatch-bars and chain-piates, faturday 17 Qn the nfiorniiig of the 27th, as fooii as the chief returned, who had * gone on (hore the preceding evenhig, to get a frcHi fupply of provifions, Captain Douglas gave orders to unmoor, and a breeze fprlnging up, at half paft nine they got under way, and fleered through Cox's channel, with feveral caiio-s in tow.—At eleven, having got out of the ftrength ,of the tide, which run very rapid, they hove to, and a brifk trade commenced with the natives, who bartered their fkins for coats, jackets, trowfers, pots, kettles, frying-pans, wafli-hand bafons, and whatever articles of a fimilar nature could be procured, either from the officei;» or the men ; but they refufed to take any more of the chain-plates, as the iron of which they were made proved fo brittle thai it broke in their ma-nufatSluring of it.—1 he lofs of the iron and other articles of trade, which had been taken out of the fhip by the Spaniards, was now very feverely felt, as the natives carried back nofmall quantity of furs, which Captain Douglas had not the means of purchafing. This tribe is very numerous ; and the village of Tartanee ftands on a very fine fpot of ground, roiind which was fome appearance of cultivation ; and in one place In particular it was evident that feed had been Jately fown.—In all probability Captain Gray, in the floop Washington, had fallen in with this tribe, and employed his confiderate friendfhip in forming this garden; but this is mere matter of conjecture, as the real could not be learned from the natives. From the fame benevolent fpirlt fplrlt Captain Douglas hlmfelf planted fome beans, and gave the natives 17^9« a quantity for the fame ufeful purpofe ; and there is little doubt but that excellent and wholefome vegetable, at this tinne, forms an article of luxury in the village of Tatanee. This people» indeed, were fo fond of the cooicery pra^ftifed on board the Iphigenia, that they very frequently refufed to traffic with their Ikins, till they had been taken down to the cabin, and regaled with a previous entertainment. The weather had been fo thick and hazy, fuice they had quitted Noot-ka Sound, that it was Impoffible to get a fight of the moon or ftars for tlie purpofe of making an obfervatlon; Captain Douglas, Therefore, was lander the uecefiityof reducing the longitude of the different places which he vlfited, from the obfervatlous he had made during his voyage of the prsceding year. The Iphlgema now proceeded on her way to the Sandwich Iflands, and without the Intervention of any occurrence that merits a particular relation ;—and it appeared on the iSth of July, by a medium of feveral . . Saturday it obfervations, that ihe was in the longitude of 206° 20'. And at fun-rife of the 20th, the extremes of Owhyhee bore from North Eaft by North, to South half Eaft, two leagues off fliore. The fecond vifit of Captain Douglas to thefe iilands had well nigh completed the misfortunes of his voyage;—as a plan had been formed by the chiefs of Owhyhee to cut him off with his crew, and then to rob and defVroy the (hip.—Indeed it was in a great meafure owing to the manly and prudent condudt of Captain Douglas that this fcheme, which was regularly formed andadjufted, proved abortive.—This defign was to have been executed on board the Iphigenla; and the treacherous chiefs, who were to have taken the lead in the bufmcfs, had already Introduced them- 3 A, felves fdves into the fliip.—One of them had got a plftol, others held daggers hi their hands; and, as It may be fLippofed, all were, hi fome way or other, fecretly armed, becaufe, as It afterwards appeared, each had his allotted part to perform in the intended malTacre. The kuig's elder brother and Aropee had engaged to kill Captain Douglas ;—Pareeonow was appointed to flab Mr. Adamfoii, the principal officer ;—Terreametee, the younger brother of the king, was to perform the fame inhuman office for the boatfwalii, and the other chiefs had each his murderous work afTigned liim ; which being com pleated, a fignal was to have been given for the native?, who lay in their canoes, to get on board, and to throw all that remained alive into the fea.—The vefTel was then to have been pulled in pieces, and carried up into the mountains, in order to prevent any fufpicions of what had happened from alarming fuch ftrangers as might vifit the ifland at any future period. Such was the account which Tianna gave to Captain Douglas, with tears and lamentations, of the intended tragedy, in which, though he could not prevent the defign, he refufed to co-operate, and had em'' ployed his fervant to give notice of it; but the man had been fo clofely ^ watched by fome or other of the chiefs, that he had not found an opportunity to make the purpofed communication. When, however, Captain Douglas faw the chiefs armed, and found that the queen had been fecretly conveyed away from the lliip : he began to fufpečl mifchief and a£led accordingly. He took care, in the firft place, not to betray any figns of apprehenfion or alarm ; and very properly conceiving that if he fliould call bis people up to prevent the apparent danger, it might drive the infidlous people to fome ačt of defpair that might produce very fatal confequences to the fiiip,—he determined to try a more tranquil method ; and, under various pretences, tences, got a piftol from one of the chiefs, and a dagger from another, and being armed himfcif, he waited with loipatience for the ar-rlvnl of Tianna, who was on fhore, to determine in what manner he fliould finally proceed. In a very fliort time that chief came on board, and Captain Donglas taking him alone into his cabin and bolting the door, he infixed upon being informed concerning the intentions of the king and his people, when Tianna threw himfelf upon the floor, in an agony of diftrels, and unfolded what has been already related,—laid the whole blame on the king, and recommended that he fhould be Inftantly put to death. Cnptain Douglas immediately jumped on deck, with a loaded piftol in each liand, which had liich an effed: on the chiefs, who were aflembled tiiere, tliat they quitted the fliip in an iiiftant, and drove their canoe fwlftly to the fhore. Such an hoftile and treacherous conduct in the king and^his attendants, as we have jurt: related, might be fuppofed to have broken off all intercourfe between the (hip and the natives ; but as it was abfolutcly neceflary to procure provifions for the future part of the voyage, an liumiliating apology was received from Tome-homy-haw, for what had paffed, who laid all the blame on his chiefs; and a communication was renewed with the natives, which produced great plenty of hogs--and fruit, as well as bafs-rope, the latter article being provided on account of the miferable ftate of the cordage, &c, on board the ihip. On the 2^th, Captain Douglas, after having left letters for myfelf ^^ and Captain Funter, in cafe either of us fhould touch at Owhyhee, quitted the ifland.—Tome-homy-haw, to the lafl, intreated forgivenefs, and expreffed the deepefl concern for the alarm which he and his chiefs had occafioned ; and Tianna, with all the fenfibility of an honefl and ingenuous mind, continued to lament it.—Indeed, fuch was their condud 2 and 373 1789. Avgust. and behaviour when the moment approached for the Iphigenla to depart, that there can be no doubt but that Brltifh flups will hereafter find hi this Uland, all the comfort, prote£lion, and frlendfhip, which Tome-homy-haw and Tlanna may have It in their power to procure tbeni. TuefJay 1« On the following day they came to an anchor in Witetee Bay, in the Ifland of Woahoo ; but every article of trade being now expended, the armourers were ordered to cut up the rudder chains, in order to pur-chafe the provlfions with which feveral canoes had come laden from the fliore. After touching at the other I'flands for water, yams, &c. ou the loth Monday jo of Auguft, they quitted the Sandwich Iflands, and made fail to the Weftward. On the 4th of October, without having met with any Intervening occurrence of particular curiofity, apprehenfion, or good fortune, that would juftify a defcription, they faw the Coaft of China ; and, on the following day, the Iphigenla, after her long and various voyages, and all the dangers as well as interruptions encountered in them, arrived fiife, and came to an anchor in the roads of Macao. T PI E END. of R AF T- C OV E, Z^/A/v/fiv MI" Vuwiov, ?/'///^ NOR 77/ M 'KS r AMfCIUCAN, n. 2 .s i" ,> K. o/'Orern n '/r// Snowed bvTSoot. 5 ., .. 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