»79s- captain with him on board, and was expefted to return with him in
September.^ vefI'eI, which with the Ephigenia belonged to a merchant at
Macao. The Ephigenia wanting provifions and ftores, the fame were
fupplied by Martinez, who feeming fatisfied with the anfwers which he had
received from the feveral commanders, not the leaft mifunderftanding
was fufpefted. On the loth of may arrived the Carlos Spanilh {hip,
Captain Arro, and on the following day Martinez captured the Ephigenia,
and his reafon afligned for fo doing, as theft gentlemen underjlood, was,
that in the Portuguefe inftruftions, they (the Portuguefe) were ordered
to capture any Englifh, Spanifc, or Ruffian veffel they might meet on
the N.w. coaft of America, and could take. This was afterwards faid
to have been a miftake, originating in a want o f due knowledge in reading
the Portuguefe language. The veffel and cargo were liberated, and
Martinez fupplied the Ephigenia’s wants from the Princiffa, enabling
her, by fo doing, to profecute her voyage without waiting for the return
of Mr. Meares. They then proceeded to ftate that, on the arrival
o f the Columbia in the year 1788, there was a houfe, or rather a hut,
made by the Indians, confifting of rough polls covered with boards ;
this was pulled down the fame year, the boards were taken on board the
Ephigenia, and the roof was given to Captain Kendrick, fo that on the
arrival of Martinez in may, 1789, there was no veftige o f any houfe
remaining. That Mr. Meares had no houfe, and as to land, they had
never heard, although they had remained nine months amongll the natives,
that he had ever purchafed any in Nootka found. From Maquin-
na and other chiefs they had underftood, that Mr. Kendrick was the
only perfon to whom they had ever fold any land.
The North-Weft America is Hated by thefe gentlemen to have arrived
the 8th of june, and that on the following day the Spaniards took pof-
feffion of her ; ten days afterwards came the Princefs Royal, commanded
by Mr. Hudfon from Macao, who brought the news o f the failure
o f the merchant at Macao, to whom the Ephigenia and other veffels belonged.
That Martinez afligned this as a reafon for his capturing the
North-Weft America, (although (he was feized before the arrival o f the
Princefs Royal) that he had detained her as an indemnification for the
bills
R O U N D T H E W O R L D .
bills of exchange, drawn on her owner in favor of His Catholic Majefty.
That Captain Hudfon, after having been treated with the kindeft attention
by the commodore and his officers, failed with the Princefs Royal
from Nootka the 2d of ju ly ; and that the fame evening arrived the
Argonaut, Captain Colnett.
Mr. Gray and Mr. Ingraham ftate alfo, that they heard Mr. Colnett
inform Don Martinez that he had come to hoift the Britiffi flag, and to
take formal poffeffion of Nootka; and that, in conjunction with Mr.
Meares and fome other Englilh gentlemen at Macao, he had concluded
to ereft a fort, and fettle a colony. T o this the Spaniffi commodore
replied, That he had taken poffeffion already in the name of His Catholic
Majefty. Captain Colnett then alked, if he ffiould be prevented from
building a houfe in the port ? the commodore replied, That he was at
liberty to ereft a tent, to wood and to water, after which he would be
at liberty to depart when he pleafed. Captain Colnett faid that was not
what he wanted, that his objeft was to build a block-houfe, ereft a fort,
and fettle a colony for the crown of Great-Britain. To this Don Martinez
anfwered, N o ; that in his acceding to fuch a propofal he ffiould violate
the orders of his king, relinquiffi the Spaniards’ claim to the coaft, and
rifle the Iofing o f his commiffion. Befide which the commodore Hated,
that Mr. Colnett’s veffel did not belong to the King of Great-Britain,
nor was Mr. Colnett inverted with powers to tranfaft any fuch public
bufinefs. Captain Colnett replied, That he was a king’s officer; but
Don Martinez obferved, That his being on half-pay, and in the merchants’
fervice, rendered his commiffion as a lieutenant in the Britiffi
navy of no confequence in the prefent bufinefs. In converfation afterwards
on this fubjeft, as we were informed, (fay thefe gendemen) for we
were not prefent during this tranfaftion, fome difpute arofe in the Prin-
ciffa’s cabin ; on which Don Martinez ordered the Argonaut to be feized.
Soon after this the Princefs Royal returned, and, as belonging to the
fame company, the commodore took poffeffion of her alfo. With refpeft
to their treatment whilft prifoners, thefe gentlemen fay, That although
they have not read Mr. Meares’s publication, they think it impoffible
that the officers and crew of the Argonaut can be backward in confeffing«
that
„>791.
September.