A. D, 1790. 207 



1787 *. In 1788 Captain Meares again proceeded to the weft coaft of 

 America in the fhip Felice, having under his diredlion the Iphigenia 

 commanded by Captain Douglas. The veffels were fitted out at Macao, 

 a port in an ifland near Canton in China, and navigated under Portu- 

 guefe colours. In Nootka found Captain Meares built a houfe upon 

 ground purchafed from the natives ; and from thence he ranged along 

 the fhore in fearch of fea-otter fkins, while a part of his people, remain- 

 ing at the new fettlement, were employed in building a fchooner of 

 about forty tuns with the timber of the country, which was launched 

 by the name of the North-weJI America, as being the firfl veflel ever 

 built on that coaft. About the end of the year 1788 Captain Meares 

 arrived in China with a cargo of furs, having left the Iphigenia and the 

 North-wefl America to profecute the trade on the coaft. 



About the fame time (December 1788) the Prince of Wales and 

 Princefs-royal, belonging to Meffieurs Etches and Company of London, 

 arrived at Canton from a trading voyage on the weft coaft of America. 

 The merchants refiding in India being defirous of avoiding a competi- 

 tion of interefts, an agreement of partnerfliip was entered into, in virtue 

 of which the merchants of London, by their fupercargo Mr. John 

 Etches, and the merchants refiding in India, threw their veflels and 

 other property engaged in the trade into a joint ftock. In confequence 

 of this new arrangement the Prince of Wales was difpatched to London 

 with a cargo of *ea ; and the Argonaut, a fhip built at Calcutta and now 

 bought for the trade, together with the Princefs-royal, were fent to the 

 coaft of America, under the command of Captain Colnett, in the fpring 

 of the year 1789, with a ftock of articles fufficient for a trade of three 

 years f.' Thefe veftels alfo carried feveral artificers and about feventy 

 natives of China, who intended to become fettlers on the American 

 coaft under the aufpices of the alTociated company. 



The Spanifti government, ftill keeping up their antient pretenfions to 

 the fovereignty of the whole continent of America, fent two fliips of 

 war to feize every veflel they could find upon the coaft. They arrived 

 at Nootka found in April 1789, took polTeflion of the houfe erected by 

 Captain Meares, feized the Iphigenia, and treated the officers and people 

 with great rigour. After detaining the vefl^el fome time, and ftripping 

 her of her merchandize, ftores, charts, inftruments, &c. the Spanifti 

 commander permitted her to depart, and flie arrived in China in Odo- 

 ber 1789. 



In June the North-weft America unfortunately arrived with a cargo of 

 furs in Nootka found, and was immediately feized and fent on a trading 

 voyage, by the Spanifli commander. In the fame month the Princefs- 



* For tiie proceeds of this voyage, fee above, p. 177. 



f The Ejft-India company confidered this out-fit in China as contrary to the terms of cbcir licence 

 to Mr. Etches. 



