that Sen'’ Don Eftevan Martinez always treated them kindly, and confident
with the character of gentlemen*. They further ftate, That the
captain, officers, and crew, of the North-Well America were carried
by them to China, with one hundred fea-otter fkins, valued at four thou-
fand eight hundred and feventy-five dollars, which were delivered to
Mr. Meares as his property.
T o Sen’’ Quadra’s tetter o f the 29th of auguft, I replied to the fol-
knowledge, lowing effeft ’. That I did not confider myfelf authorized to enter into a
a future" retrofpeftive difculfion on the refpeftive rights and pretenfions of the
chaptcr- court of Spain or England, touching the weflern coafts of America,
and iflands adjacent, to the northward of California. That fubjeft having
undergone a full inveftigation, and having been mutually agreed
upon and fettled by the rainifters o f the refpeftive courts, as appeared
by the convention o f the 28th o f oftober, 1790, and Count Florida
Blanca’s letter of the 12th of may, 1791, I confidered any Interference,
on my part, to be incompatible with my commilfion, being invefted
with powers only to receive the territories which, according to the firft
article of the Convention, Sen'- Quadra was authorized to reflore and
to put me in poflelfion of, viz. ( “ the buildings and dfh'icls, or parcels
“ o f land which were occupied by the fubjeBs o f His .Britannic Majefiyin
“ april, 1789, as well in the port o f Nootka or o f St. Lawrence, as in the
« other, fa id to be called Port Cox, and to be Jituated about 16 leagues
“ difiant from the former to the fouthward.") That agreeably to the
exprefs words o f the fifth article in the faid convention, (“ It is agreed,
“ That, as well in the places that are to he rcjlorcd to the BritifhfubjeBs
“ by Virtue o f the fir ft article, as in all other parts o f the north-weftern
“ coafts o f North America, or o f the iflands adjacent, Jituated, to the north
“ o f the parts o f the fa id coafl already occupied, by Spain, wherever, the
“ fubjeBs o f either ■ of the two,powers fh a ll have made fettlements fence the
“ month o f april, 1789, dr fh a ll hereafter make, any o f the fubjells ofthe
“ other fhall have fr e e accefs, and fhall carry on their trade without anydif-
“ turbance or molejbation.") I confidered the Spanifh fettlement in the entrance
Of the-ilraits'of De-Fuca, which I had reafon to believe was formed
no longer ;ago than may, *3792, to come -within -the meaning of a
1 "port
came to mv
“ port o f free accefs ft as well as all other eflablifhments that have been, or that
may hereafter be, formed from thence fouthward to port St. Francifco, conceiving
port St. Francifco to be the northernmofi fettlement occupied by the
fubjeBs o f His Catholic Majefly, in april, 1789.
In my way to the obfervatory, on funday, I waited upon Sen1- Quadra,
who informed me, that Mr. Dobfon had tranflated my letter to
him ; and he was pleafed to fay, That he derived the greateft fatisfaftion
from finding a perfon of my charafter, with whom he was to tranfaft the
bufinefs of delivering up Nootka; that he Ihould accept the civil offers
contained in my letter, and remain on Ihore until the carpenters had
finifhed fome additional accommodation to his apartments on board his
little brig ; which being completed, he would either wait my departure,
to accompany us in our refearches to the fouthward, and to conduft us
to any of the Spanilh ports I might with to v ifit; or he would fail, and
wait my arrival at any place I Ihould think proper to appoint, recommending
St. Francifco or Monterrey for that purpofe.
Sen'- Quadra requefted to know who I intended to leave in poflelfion of
thele territories ; and being informed that it would be Mr. Broughton in
the Chatham, in whofe charge the remaining cargo of the Daedalus would
be depofited, he gave direftions that the ftore-houfes Ihould be immediately
cleared, and begged I would walk with him round the premifes,
that I might be the better able to judge how to appropriate the feveral
buildings; which for the moll part appeared fulficiently fecure, and
more extenfive than our occafions required. A large new oven had
been lately built exprefsly for our fervice, and had not hitherto been
permitted to be ufed. The houles had been all repaired, and the gardeners
were bufily employed in putting the gardens in order. The
poultry, confifting of fowls and turkies, was in excellent condition, and
in abundance, as were the black cattle and fwine : of thefe Sen'- Ouadra
faid he Ihould take only a fufficient quantity for his paflage to the
fouthward, leaving the reft, with a large affortment of garden feeds, for
Mr. Broughton. Sen"- Galiano and Valdes wadded all they had in their
power to fpare, among!! which were three excellent goats ; I had like-
wife both hogs and goats to leave with him ; fo that there.was a pro-
' V o l . L 3 E fpeft
1792.
September.