40 6
1792.
September,
V__„__
Saturday a:
A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
Friendly cove, with the Columbia and Walhington American traders:
That the fecond day after their arrival they were captured by Don Martinez,
and that the Americans Were fuffered to carry on their commerce
with the natives unmolefted.
Sen'- Quadra, at my requeft, very obligingly undertook to forward, by
the earliell and fafeft conveyance,, a fhort narrative of our' principal
tranfaffions at this port, for the information of the Lords of the Admi-
miralty. i
On faturday morning he failed from Friendly cove, and having falu-
ted us with thirteen' guns, I returned the compliment with an equal
number.
Our attention had been moil particularly directed to the re-loading of
the llore-fhip, and the re-equipment of the Chatham, whófe hold had
been intirely cleared for the purpofe o f repairing the damages Hie had
fultained. The Difcovery being in al{ refpefits ready for fea, all hands
were employed in the .execution of thefe feryicês, which were materially’
retarded by the very bad condition of the provilion calks on board the
Dmdalus, moft of which required a thorough repair, and to be recruited
with pickle. A very material Iofs was alfo fuftained in the fpiritS
and wine ; large quantities of the flop-clothing were intirely .deftroyed,-
and many others,; with fome o f the fails, were materially damao-ed.
Circumftanced as we were, thefe deficiencies and damages were objefls
o f the moll ferious concern, and appeared to have been intirely occa-
fioned by the very improper way in which the cargo had been flowed,.
The circumftances already related,: with the correfpondqnce at large
between Sen'- Quadra and rnyfelf, though comprehending the fubftance
o f the negociation which took place refpefting the ceflion of thefe. territories,
may yet require fome further explanation; and when the very
important commerce of this country lhall be properly appreciated, I
truft the circumfpeftion with which I acted will not be found liable
to cenfure. :
Our tranfaftions here have been related with the greateft fidelity, and
precifely in the order in which they occurred. Being unprovided with any
inftruftions but fuch as were contained in the convention and the very gee
neral
R O U N D T H E W O R L D .
neral orders I had received, it appeared totally incompatible with the
intention o f the Britifh; court, with the fpirit and . words of the Laid convention,
or with thofe o f the letter o f Count Florida Blancd, that the
identical fpace only on which Mr. Meares’s houfe and breaft-work had
been fituated in the northern corner of this fmall cove, and forming
nearly an equilateral triangle not extending an hundred yards on
any one fide, bounded in front by the lea, and on the other two fides
by high craggy rocks, which continued fome diftance down the beach,
and, excepting at low tide, completely feparated this triangular fpace
from that occupied by the Spaniards’ houfes and gardens, could pofli-
bly be confidered as the objeft of à reftitution expreffed by the terms
“ t^aBs o f land,” according, to the-firA, .article of the convention’ ; the
“ diJlnBs or-parcels o f land, ” mentioned in the letter o f Count Florida
Blanca; or the “ tracts o f land, or parcels or diJlriBs of. land,” pointed
out to me, and repeated in their Lordlhips’ inftruaions communicated
to me on that fubjeft, \ L i j - m i r . ,r: ' . ■, .
On due confideration therefore I concluded, that the cèflion propofed
by Sen'Quadra. could never have been that intended ; that, at leaft, the
vbole port of Nootka, of which. His Majefty’s fubjeSs had been forcibly
difpoflelfed, and at which themfelves, their veflels and cargoes had been
captured, muft have been the prOpofêd objeff of reflitution.
Under thefe impreffions, I felt that if I had acceded to the propofals of
Sen'- Quadra, I lhould have betrayed the truft with which I was honored,
and lhould have afted in direét oppofition to my duty and allegiance,
by receiving, without any authority, a territory for His Britannic
Majefty, under the dominion o f a foreign ftate.
Thefe principles uniformly governed the whole of my conduft throughout
this-negociation, in which I àéled to- the beft of my judgment ; lhould
I be fo unfortunate however as. to . incur any ju ft cenfure, I muft rely on;
the candour of my country, to do me the. juftice o f attributing whatever
improprieties I may appear to have committed, to the true-and only
eaufe ; to a want of fufficient diplomatic flcill, which a life-wholly devoted
to my profeflion had denied me the opportunity, of acquiring..
After having fo uniformly perfiftéd in. my determination of ftriftly
adhering to the line of my duty, by an implicit obedience to the inftrudlions;
4° 7 .
1792.
September,