Preface. xv, 



remained in order to organize the new expedition to Nootka, with the 

 intention of founding a settlement there, which had such an unfor- 

 tunate ending. The " Prince of Wales " was loaded with a cargo 

 of tea, and left China on February ist, 1789, under the command of 

 Johnstone, carrying Cai^tain Duncan and two young Hawaiians as 

 passengers, with Menzies still acting as surgeon. After a short stay 

 at St. Helena the ship continued her voyage and arrived in England 

 on July 14th, 1789. 



Although we can find no record of Menzies' doings between the 

 date last mentioned and the beginning of 1780, there can be little 

 doubt that he was fully occupied in arranging and distributing the 

 various collections made during this voyage. An extract from the 

 first pages of his journal will give some idea as to the circumstances 

 in which he joined Vancouver's expedition : — 



" At the conclusion of the disturbance which happened between 

 us and Spain in the year 1790, the advantages held out to this Country 

 by the conventional articles were deemed of so much importance, as 

 to induce government to send Vessels to prosecute the discoveries that 

 were made on the North West Coast of America, & thereby obtain 

 a more correct knowledge of that Country & the different Inlets with 

 which it is variously intersected. For this purpose the Discovery a 

 Ship of three hundred & thirty Tons & the Chatham a Brig of one 

 hundred and forty Tons then laying at Deptford, were about the middle 

 of November ordered to be got ready, as they w^ere deemed in every 

 respect sufficiently adapted for this service. 



" These Vessels had been taken up for a different expedition 

 some Months before, & were in great forwardness in their equipment 

 under the direction of Capt. Henry Roberts who was to command it— ■ 

 when their Officers & Seamen were called away to the Armament 

 about the beginning of May which put a stop to their further prepara- 

 tions. — In this interval however the Discovery became useful as a 

 receiving Ship for impressed Seamen, and the Chatham was employed 

 as a Tender on the same service till the Armament broke up — when 

 the alteration which then took place in their destination occasioned a 

 change of Commanders & consequently of Officers & Seamen. 



" Captain Roberts was detained to go out on his Expedition (as 

 it was said) the following Spring, & Mr. George Vancouver who had 

 been appointed his first Lieutenant was promoted to the command of 

 the Discovery about the middle of December & consequently entrusted 

 with the sole direction of this expedition to the North West Coast of 

 America. The Discovery was at the same time paid off, & recommis- 

 sioned, so that Captain Vancouver had the pleasure of naming his 



