Page:Voyages in the Northern Pacific - 1896.djvu/35

Rh determined by the Northwest Company of Canada to get possession of it. It was therefore arranged to fit out a ship for that purpose, and accordingly the ship Isaac Todd was selected and equipped by Messrs. McTavish, Fraser and Company, merchants, commanded by Captain Smith. She left England in March, 1813, with a number of settlers on board, the principal of whom was Donald McTavish, Esq. There was also a party sent over-land from Canada to reach the Columbia about the same time at which it was calculated the ship would arrive. The Isaac Todd called at Rio de Janeiro, and sailed thence under the convoy of his majesty's ships Phoebe, Racoon, and Cherub, of which she lost sight off Cape Horn; and, after beating off the Cape for some time, and nearly getting ashore, the captain, settlers, and sailors continually fighting and quarreling, at length arrived on the coast of California. Most of the people being laid up with the scurvy, they determined to run into Monterey (the Spanish seat of government on California) to recruit their crew, of which there was scarcely a sufficient number well enough to work the vessel. They anchored in Monterey in the latitude of 36° 36′ N., and longitude 121° 34′ W.; got permission to land the sick, and were well treated by the Spaniards, and recovered fast. When they were about to leave Monterey, an officer came over-land from Port St. Francisco to order the Isaac Todd round to that port, and enable the Racoon to heave down and repair.