Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/154

 134 F. W. Howay botanist. While at Nootka the surgeon, Dr. Cranstoun, was invalided home, and Menzies, who was a surgeon by profession, was appointed by Vancouver in September 1792 to succeed him. A copy of his journal is in the Archives of British Columbia. I am indebted to Mr. John Forsyth, the Provincial Archivist, for his kind per- mission to publish this extract. The portion of Menzies' Journal, from the arrival of the Discovery on the Oregon coast until her departure from Nootka in the fall of 1792, will shortly appear as a Memoir of the British Columbia Archives Department. We shall then have three complete accounts of that part of Vancouver's voy- age, viz.: Vancouver's own version as set out in his Voyage; the New Vancouver Journal, published in Vols. V and VI of the Washington Historical Quarterly; and Menzies' Journal. F. W. HOWAY On board Ship Columbia Nantasket Road Thursday 30th Sept 1790. Sir: No doubt you will be surprised to hear from me at this place but I suppos'd you would be glad to hear the ship was safe. When I inf orm'd you by the Pilot we had a free wind & should go to Sea as fast as possible. All that day & the next day we sail'd with the winds variable from ESE to E in hopes to get clear of the Land before the gale but in the night we were becalm'd & in the morn- ing the wind sprang up briskly from the NE & blew a heavy gale. We were then of Truro in Cape Cod. It was then thought best for the safety of the Ship to run into Cape Cod which we did & came to Anchor about 7 o'Clock at night in Barnstable Bay. As we then lay 'twas im- possible to put to Sea should the wind come fair. It was again thought best to weigh anchor & stand out of the Bay & should the wind come fair we could go to Sea