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 46 RALPH S. KUYKENDALL various kinds. All of this would be useful in case other Spanish vessels found it necessary to stop at any of the ports of those islands. The third object of the voyage was the delivery to the governor of the Philippines of 3,356 otter skins which had been collected for the benefit of the royal treasury. The governor was instructed to send them promptly to Canton, there to be disposed of to the best advantage—either direct sale or exchange for quicksilver—by the agents of the Spanish Company. Two hundred and eight of these I copper, during the course of the recent exploration by Eliza's squadron on the northwest coast. The others were the remainder of the skins purchased by the California missionaries under the old contract with Don Vincente Vasadre before the receipt of the king's order putting an end to that trade. 24 With instructions covering the various objects of her voyage the good ship Princess Royal proceeded on her way as Quimper says, "with all felicity," and on the twentieth of March came in sight of the island of Hawaii. 25 Three days later the vessel came to anchor in a bay on the west side of the island, where she was immediately surrounded by a multitude of canoes, each containing more men than Quimper had on board the Princess Royal. Several chiefs came to visit the Spanish commander, presenting him with a large quantity of sweet potatoes, sugar cane, hpgs, fowls, and other products of the country. In re- turn, Quimper distributed pieces of iron which he had brought along for that purpose. He learned that there 24 Revilla Gigedo to Floridablanca (No. 32), March 27, 1791; Id, to Lerena, March 31, 1791. Copies of both letters (from Mexican Archives) in Bancroft Library. 25 The account of the Princess Royal's visit to the Hawaiian Islands is taken, unless otherwise indicated, from Quimper's letter to Viceroy Revilla Gigedo, cited above, note 12.
 * skins had been obtained, in exchange for some sheets of