Page:Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World in the Years 1791–95, volume 1.djvu/488

408 ftructions I had received, in oppoition to the judgment and opinion of Sen$r$ Ouadra, and the evidences which he had propoed ; I could not but conider the unexpectd arrival of a gentlemen, who had peronally attended Mr. Meares on his forming the etablihment at Nootka, and who it eems had been preent on mot occaions when differences had arien between Sen$r$ Martinez and Captain Colnet, as a very fortunate circumtance, ince his report and affidavit cleared up every point of which, from other tetimonies, I could entertain any doubt, and confirmed me in the opinion, that the conduct I had purued had not been incompatible with the trut committed to my charge and execution. On comparing his repreentation with that which had been communicated to me on the ame ubject by Sen$r$ Quadra, a very material difference appeared, which, mot probably, operated to direct Sen$r$ Quadra's conduct, in refuing me poeion of the country agreeably to the terms of my intructions.

The veels employed in commercial puruits this eaon on the north- wet coat of America, have I believe found their adventures to anwer their expeactations: many were contented with the cargo of furs they had collected in the coure of the ummer; while others who had prolonged their voyage, either paed the winter at the Sandwich ilands, or on the coat, where they completed mall veels which the brought out in frame. An Englih and an American hallop were at this time on the flocks in the cove, and when finihed were to be employed in the inland navigation, in collecting the kins of the ea-otter and other furs; beide thee, a French hip was then engaged in the ame puruit, and the following veels in the ervice of His Catholic Majety; the Gertrudes and Conception of thirty-ix guns each, the Active brig of twelve guns, Princia, Aranau, and St. Carlos, armed hips, with the veels of Sen$r$ Gaiiano and Valdes. Both thee gentleman had been, and were till, employed, not only in geographical reearches, but in acquiring every poible information repecting the commerce of the country; this circumtance, together with the guarded conduct oberved by Sen$r$ Quadra, in his endeavours to retain the whole, or at any event to preerve a right in Nootka, evidently manifted the degree of jea-