i » I !
1792.
June.
Friday 22.
early friendftiip; I called it P oint Ur w o o o, fituated in latitude 49°.28 k>
longitude 236° 24c This land, though chiefly compofed of one lofty
mountain, vilible at the diftance o f 20 leagues and upwards, is very
narrow, appearing to form, with the .wellera Ihore o f the gulph, a
channel nearly parallel to that which we had lad quitted ; though confi-
derably more extenfive, and containing fome frnall illands. Its horizon
was bounded by the fummits of high dillant detached mountains.
As we were rowing, on friday morning, for point Grey, purpoling
there to land and brealcfafl, we dtfcovered two veffels at anchor under
the land. The idea which firlt occurred was, that, in confequence of
our protracted abfence, - though I had left no orders to this effect, the
veffels had fo far advanced in order to meet u s ; but on a nearer approach,
it was difcovered, that they were a brig and a fchooner, wearing
the colours of Spanilh veffels of war, which I conceived were moll
probably employed in purfuits limilar to our own; and this on my arrival
on board, was confirmed. Thefe veffels proved to be a detachment
from the commiffion of Sen'' Melafpina, who was himfelf employed
in the Philippine illands; that Seri" Melafpina had, the preced-
ing year, vifited the coaft; and that thefe veffels,. his Catholic Majefty s
brig the Sutil, under the command of Sen" Don D. Galiano, with
the fchooner Mexicana, commanded by Sen" Don C. Valdes, both
captains of frigates in the Spanilh navy, had failed from Acapulco on
the 8th of march, in order to profecute difcoveries on this coaft.
Sen" Galiano, who fpoke a little Englilbf, informed me, that they had
arrived at Nootka on the 1 ith of april, from whence they had failed on
the 5th of this month, in order to complete the examination of this inlet,
which had, in the preceding year, been partly furveyed by fome Spanilh
officers whofe chart they produced.
I cannot avoid acknowledging that, on this occafion, I experienced
no fmall degree of mortification in finding the external Ihores of the
gulph had been vifited, and already examined a few miles beyond where
my refearches during the excurfion, had extended; making the land,
I had been in doubt about, an illand -, continuing nearly in the . fame
direftion, about 4 leagues further than had been feen by u s ; and, by
the
R O U N D T H E W O R L D .
the Spaniards, named Favida. The channel, between it and the main, WO*.
r _ , . June.
they had called Canal del Neuftra Signora del Rofario, whofe weftern '—
point had terminated their examination; which feemed to have been
intirely confined to the exterior Ihores, as the extenfive arms, and inlets,
which had occupied fo much of our time, had not claimed the lealt of
their attention.
The Spanilh veffels, that had been thus employed laft year, had refitted
in the identical part of port Difcovery, which afforded us limilar
accommodation. From thefe gentlemen, I likewife underftood, that
Sen'1 Quadra, the commander in chief of the Spanilh marine at St.
Bias and at California, was, with three frigates and a brig, waiting my,
arrival at Nootka, in order to negotiate the relloration of thofe territories
to the crown o f Gre-at-Britain. Their conduft was replete with
that politenefs and friendlhip which characterizes the Spanilh nation:
every kind of ufeful information they cheerfully communicated, and
obligingly expreffed much defire, that circumllances might fo concur as
to admit our refpeclive labours being carried on together; for which
purpofe, or, if from our long abfence and fatigue in an open boat, I
would wilh to remain with my party as their guelt, they would immediately
difpatch a boat with fuch directions as I might deem necef-
fary for the conduft of the Ihips, or, in the event of a_ favorable breeze,
fpringing up, they would weigh and fail direftly to their llation: but being
intent on lofing no time, I declined their obliging offers, and having
partaken with them a very hearty breakfaft, bad them farewell, not lels
pleafed with their hofpitality and attention, than aftonilhed at the veffels
in which they were employed to execute a fervice of fuch a nature.
They were each about forty-five tons burthen, mounted two brafs guns,
and were navigated by twenty-four men, bearing one lieutenant, without
a Angle inferior officer. Their apartments juft allowed room for
fleeping places on each fide, with a table in the intermediate fpace,
at which four perfons, with fome difficulty, could fit, and were, in,
all o’ther refpeCts, the moll ill calculated and unfit veffels that could
poflibly be imagined for fuch an expedition; notwithftanding this, it
was pleafant to obferve, in point of living, they poffeffed many more
V ol. I. S f . comforts