*794- September.
Thurfday 4.
Saturday 6.
precluded him from adminiftering to our wants in that, effeftual manner,
to which he was prompted by his inclinations.
Sen'- Saavadra, who had remained in charge of Nootka fince our former
vifit, joined our party on board the Princiffa, where the day paifed
in making inquiries about the civilized world, and in deploring the turbulent
and unhappy ftate of Europe. The melancholy circumltances
that had been detailed by Mr. Brown, were now confirmed by thefe gentlemen
to the clofe of the year 1793; and we became much concerned
by the events that had happened, and alarmed at the fatal confequences
which it was natural to fuppofe they muft produce.
The weather was gloomy with continual rain, but it did not prevent
Maquinna and Clewpaneloo, with fome other chiefs, and a few of the natives,
from vifiting die velfels. The two former received fuch compliments
as were fuitable to dieir rank, with which they were highly fatis-
fied; and the latter difpofed of a fcanty fupply of-filh at a very exorbitant
price. Filli had become of great value amongft thefe people, as
either from the badnefs of the feafon during the preceding fummer, qr
from their negleft and inattention in providing their ufual fupply for the
winter, they had experienced the greateft diftrefs for want of provifions
during that period; and had not Sen” Saavadra adminiftered to their relief,
many of them would probably have fallen a facrifice to the fcarcity.
And although the provident care he had taken was inadequate to all
that was demanded of him, yet the affiftance he had been able to afford
them, was, much to the credit of the natives, acknowledged by them
with the moll grateful expreffions.
The governor, Sen” 'Fidalgo, Saavadra, and fome others of the Spa-
nilh officers, honored us with a return of our vifit onthurfday morning;
but in confequence of our reduced flock of powder, I was under the
neceffity of declining the ufual ceremony of faluting, which was very
politely excufed and difpenfed with by the whole party.
The weather continued very rainy and unpleafant until faturday morning,
when the clouds difperfed with a breeze from the weftward, and the
weather became clear and agreeable. The tents, obfervatory, and in-
flruments, were now fenton ffiore; the fails dried and unbent, and our
various
various fervices were put in a train for execution, in which we were Se^ j4)jcr>
affifted by fome Spanifh caulkers and carpenters, who were employed on '---- -— J
board the Chatham; and on monday following having conffruHed a Monday«,
machine, we began making rope from the materials of a new bower
cable.
Whllft the wind continued in the weftern quarter, it regularly died away
every evening; and through the night light airs prevailed from the land,
which were fucceeded by the refreffiing weflerly breeze from the fea in
the day time, accompanied by cheerful pleafant weather; which, with the
advantage of the fociety we here met, made our time pafs as agreeably as
could well be expefted in thefe rude and diftant regions.
On wednefday the wind again blew freffi from the s. e. and exhibited Wednrf. I0.
another o f the very rare infiances of lightning and thunder in this country,
which with torrents of rain continued moft of the night.
The wind returned again to the weftward on thurfday evening, and ThurSayn.
brought with it fair and pleafant weather; with which the Aranfafu failed
for St. Bias, and through Sen” Alava’s civility, I tranfmitted by this
opportunity a letter to the Admiralty, ftating our having accompliffied
the furvey of North Weft America, and the expeHation I was in of receiving
their final inftru&ions for the accompliffiment of the other objefts
of my commiffion.
Both wind and weather, as might reafonably be expected on the approach
of the autumnal equinox, became now very changeable; on
the 13th the atmofphere was dark and gloomy, with drifting ffiowers;
and the wind from the s. e „ which in the afternoon fuddenly fluffed to
the n . e ., blew in heavy fqualfe, accompanied by a very heavy fall o f
rain. Notwithftanding that the wind came direftly from the land, yet
towards midnight, when the gale Teemed to be at its height, an extremely
heavy fwel’l rolled in from the ocean, and broke with great fury on the
fhores of the found that were expofed to its influence; and even thofe of
this little' cove were by the furge greatly annoyed. This kind of weather
Continued until the 17th, and much retarded our feveral works, which Wedntf.
could not yet be confidered as in any ftate of forwardnefs. The violence
. of the equinoxial gales from this time feemed to have abated, and a feries
V o I,. III. R r of