290] 
promifes to reftore him, captain 
Douglas, to the command of the 
Iphigenia, had ultimately gained 
his point ; and having fo done, he, 
captain Douglas, was reftored to his 
fhip, but ftripped, during the time 
fhe had been in poffeflion of the 
Spaniards, of all her merchandize, 
. ftores, provifions, &c. &c. (even to 
the extent of the maiter’s watch 
and cloathing), twelve bars of iron 
only excepted, which they could not 
conveniently take away. 
In this diftrefs, captain Douglas 
finding himfelf utterly unable to pro- 
ceed, applied to Don Martinez to 
fupplicate relief, and obtained a 
trifling fupply, for which he was, 
called upon for bills on his owners 
. at a molt exorbitant rate; but even 
then was reftrained from proceed- 
ing to fea till the return of the 
. North-weft America, which Don 
Martinez faid he could difpofe of 
for 400 dollars, the value fet upon 
her by one of the American ¢gap- 
tains. 
The North-weft America, how- 
ever, not arriving fo foon as ex- 
pected, captain Douglas was told 
he might depart, on leaving orders - 
for the matter to deliver up the vef- 
fel, on his arrival, for the ufe of his 
Catholic Majefty. Accordingly, on 
the 15th of June, he wrote to the 
matter; but, availing himfelf of Don 
Martinez’s-ignorance of the Englith 
‘ language, cautioufly forbore to give 
any diretions to the effect required, 
and inftantly failed from Nootka 
Sound, though very unfit to proceed 
on fuch a voyage, leaving behind 
him the two American veflels (Co- 
Jumba and Wajfhington), which had 
-been fuffered to-continue there all 
the winter unmolefted, The Iphi- 
~genia fortunately arrived fafe at 
the Sandwich iilands, where, by 
anto Nootka harbour, where 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1790. 
means of the iron on board, being 
fupplied with neceffaries, fhe pro- 
ceeded to China, and anchored there 
in October, 1789. 
{Here Mr. Mears, by way of.il- 
luftration, introduces a tranfaction, 
no otherwife conneéted with his nar- 
rative, but as it proves the mer- 
chandize, &c. of which the Britifh 
fhips were plundered, to have been 
Britifh property. ] 
Soon after the departure of the 
Iphigenia from Nootka Sound, Don 
Martinez became acquainted with 
the purport of the before-mentioned 
letter, and on the arrival of the 
North-weft America, on the gth of 
June,. fhe was feized, and towed 
fhe 
was formally taken poffeffion of as 
a lawful prize, her cargo, confifting 
of 215 tkins of the belt quality, her 
ftores, and furniture, confifcated, and 
her crew made prifoners, fome of 
whom were afterwards put in irons. 
The Princefs Royal (one of the 
fhips fitted up at London), an her 
arrival foon after the feizure of the 
North-weft America, was not only 
fuffered to depart, but the fkins ta- 
ken from on board the North-weit 
America (twelve only of the bett 
quality, detained by Don Marti- 
nez, excepted) were fhipped on 
board her for the benefit of the 
owners ; and that fhip putto fea (as 
appears by her jouryal) on the 2d 
of July, to purfue the trade upon 
the coaft. 
But what adds to the atrocity of 
this extraordinary tranfaction is, — 
that, after feizing the North-wef 
America, and imprifoning her men, 
Don Martinez fhould employ her 
on a trading voyage, from which 
fhe»returned in twenty days with 
feventy-five fkins, obtained by Bri- 
tifh merchandize taken either ia 
wat 
