he appeared to be highly pleafed and thoroughly fatisfied. Don Martinez
had not been long on board the Argonaut before he felefted Captain
Colnett’s boatfwain from the reft of the crew, who being a native of
Gibraltar, fpoke the Spanifh language very fluently. After fome coni
verfation with this man, Don Martinez demanded him of Captain Col-
nett, as-a fubjeft of His Catholic Majefty, and as the boatfwain was very
deflrous of leaving the Argonaut, Captain Colnett remitted the balance
then due from him on account of his wages, and difcharged him from his
fervice. This circumftance was by no means' a pleafant one to. Captain
Colnett; but, as Don Martinez feemed to be extremely anxious to
obtain the releafe of this man, Captain Colnett did not think it would
have, been prudent to have refilled his application. His doubts, however,
of the profefled- fincerity of Don Martinez, became increafed, by
his foon difcovering that the Indians declined all fort of trade with the
Argonaut. This induced him to determine upon leaving Friendly cove
with all poflible difpatch, and he acquainted Don Martinez that he pur-
pofed to depart in the courfe of the day. Upon this the Spanifh officer
offered his launch to affift the Argonaut out of the cove ; and it was at
this timeagreed, that the articles with which Captain Colnett could fupply
Don Martinez, fhould be font to him by the return of the Spaniffi launch.
The promifed afliftance of this boat not arriving fo foon as Captain Col-
netthad expedited, he fent one o f his mates to Don Martinez, for the pur-
pofe of reminding him of his engagement, and to procure the launch ;
but, to his great furprize, inftead of the officer returning with the Spaniffi
boat, Captain Colnett received a meffage from Don Martinez, defiring
that he would inftantly repair on board the Princifla, and produce
his ffiip’s papers for his examination. With this requeft Captain Colnett
immediately complied, and Don Martinez had fcarcejy looked at
them, before he pofitively aflerted that they were all forgeries, although
he did not underftand a Angle word of the language in which they were
written. With this declaration he threw them on the table, and infilled
that the Argonaut fhould not fail from Nootka until he ffiould think proper
to grant permiffion for her departure. - On Captain Colnett complaining
of this breach of promife and good faith,. Martinez quitted the
| cabin
cabin in an apparent rage, and inftantly difpatched an armed party from
the deck, who, after knocking Captain Colnett down, arrefted him, and
detained him as a prifoner on board the Princifla. Don Martinez then
fent his launch on board the Argonaut; ftruck the Britiffi, and hoifted
Spaniffi, colours ; ordered the Columbia, an American ffiip, to fire into
the Argonaut if ffie attempted to unmoor ; made the officers prifoners,
and put the crew into irons. After this die veflel was unloaded, and
every individual was robbed of fuch parts of his private property as was
chofen by the Spaniards. In this fituation the Argonaut, officers, and
crew, remained for ten days, when the Princefs Royal appeared in the
offing; and on Mr. Hudfon, her commander, being perceived by Martinez
to be coming near to the ffiore in his boat, he fent out his launch
armed, feized the boat, and brought Mr. Hudfon on board the Princifla,
where a letter was prepared for him to fign, ordering the officer, whom
he had left in charge of his veflel, to deliver her up without any refinance.
At the:yard-arm was rove a rope, with which Mr. Hudfon was
threatened to be hanged, if he declined figning the letter, or if the Hoop
under hisf command ffiould fire at the .launch then ready to carry the
propofed letter, and which, under thefe circumftances, he was compelled
to fign on board the Princifla.
From the 5th to the 14th of july, 1790, arrangements were making
on board the Argonaut for the confinement of the officers and crew durT
ing their paflage from Nootka to St. Bias, whither Captain Colnett was-
given to underftand they would be fent as prifoners.
The treatment which Captain Colnett received whilft bn board the-
Princifla had nearly proved fatal to him ; he was feized with a violent
fever, attended with a delirium, which did not abate until he was removed
on board his own veflel; here he was made a clofe prifoner,
and confined to the mate’s cabin, a place not fix feet fquare. Such
parts of the Argonaut’s cargo as Martinez thought proper to rejecl,
were returned into the veflel again, and all the officers, and fixteen of
the crew, who were Britiffi fubjefls, were, on the 14th of july, fent in
the Argonaut under confinement from Nootka to St. Blasr
Notwithftanding