May’ t^le ifland. Few occurrences had taken place on board the Chatham,
—v——' between the Sandwich iflands and Nootka, worthy particular notice,
excepting that the winds had been very favorable, contrary to thole
which we had contended with ; that fhe arrived within light o f the coaft
of this illand on the yth o f april, when the high land over Woody point
was feen bearing by compafs N. E. by N.; and that Mr. Puget had directed
his courfe from thence towards Nootka. But meeting a ftrong fouth-eaft
gale on the gth, attended by all the circumftances that indicate an approaching
ftorm, he put into Porto Buena Efperanza, to wait more favorable
weather; and although feveral attempts were made to gain Nootka from
that port, none fucceeded until the 14th, when it was accomplilhed
with the expence o f a bower anchor, owing to the breaking of the cable
on the fea coaft.
Mr. Puget had on his arrival at Nootka lightened the Chatham, and
laid her on Ihore on the beach; and found that moft part of her falfe
keel had been knocked off, the lower part o f the gripe conliderably damaged,
and moft of the copper rubbed off from the ftarboard bilge.
The higheft of the fpring tides being infufficient on its falling to anfwer
all purpofes, the Chatham was obliged to be hove down, both fides had
confequently been examined, and Ihe had undergone as thorough a repair
as circumftances would admit, and which had become effentially
neceffary. In the execution o f this bufinefs Mr. Puget ftated, that His
Majefty’s fervice had been greatly forwarded and affifted by the polite
attention o f Sen'- Fidalgo, who afforded Mr. Puget every afliftance in
his power. This was o f material importance at this junfture, as feveral
o f the Chatham’s people were indifpofed with large tumours, that prevented
their attending to any duty. Thefe complaints however, though
affefting moft o f the crew, were not o f long duration. By the 15th o f
may the Chatham was in readinefs to proceed to fea, but adverfe winds
prevented her fo doing until the 18 th, when Ihe quitted Nootka.
The veffel we had feen in the offing anchored here foon after us, and
proved to be His Catholic Majefty’s fnow St. Carlos, from St. Bias,
commanded .by Sen'- Don Ramon Saavedra, enfign in the Spanifh
navy.
The next day we were employed in various neceffary fervices; and
about noon I was favored with the company o f Sen'- Fidalgo, who received
from us the ufual marks o f ceremony and refpecl. This gentleman
informed me, that the officer commanding the St. Carlos was to
fuperfede him in the government of this port, and that he Ihould immediately
return to St. Bias; and offered to take charge of, and forward
any difpatches, I might wilh to fend through that channel to Europe,
This opportunity I gladly embraced, and intrufted to his care a letter for
the Lords of the Admiralty, containing a brief abftraft of our tranfaftions
fince the commencement o f the year 1793. As alfo a reply to fome
very friendly and polite letters I had received by the St. Carlos, from his
excellency the count de Revilla Gigedo, the vice-roy of New Spain, re-
fiding at Mexico; and from Sen'- Quadra, at St, Bias; informing me of
the welfare of Mr. Broughton, and the means that each of thefe gentlemen
had ufed to render his arrival in Europe as fpeedy as poffible.
In one of his excellency’s letters, I received the moft flattering affu-
rances o f every fupport and afliftance that the kingdoms of New Spain
were capable of bellowing. Thefe were extremely acceptable, as we had
Hill a confiderable extent o f the coaft of New Albion to examine; and
we were made very happy by learning, that the friendly and hofpitable
treatment we had already received from the Spaniards, was likely to be
thus continued.
The very unpleafant weather that attended us foon after our laft departure
hence, led me to inquire of Sen'- Fidalgo, how the winter had
paffed at Nootka. From whom I underftood, that their lituation here
had been very irkfome, having been almoft conftantly confined to the
houfe by inceffant rain; that on the 1 yth o f february a very fevere ftiock
of an earthquake had been felt, and on the i l l o f april a moft violent
ftorm from the fouth-eaft.
Notwithftanding the badnefs of the feafon, he had found means to
ereft a fmall fort on Hog illand, that mounted eleven nine pounders,
and added greatly to the refpeftability o f the eftablilhment. He very
juftly conlidered employment as effentially neceffary to the preferva-
tion of his people’s health, which began to decline towards the fpring,
2 and
Tuefdav si.