Discovery of DlsenchaidDieiit Bay. 63 



northern Atlantic with the northern Pacific, was revived by the 

 renewal of the discussion as to the authenticity of Maldonado's 

 reported discovery of the " Strait of Annan." The western en- 

 trance to this strait was supposed to be about in the position of 

 Yakutat bay. Spain, in particular, after three hundred years of 

 exploration and discovery in all |)arts of the world, was still 

 anxious to extend her conquests, and, if possible, to discover the 

 long-sought " Northwest passage." Two of her ships, the Des- 

 cubierta and Atrevida, were then at Acapulco, in command of Don 

 Alejandro Malaspina, who was engaged in a voyage of discovery. 



Malaspina, like Columbus, was a native of Italy in the service 

 of Spain. Orders were sent to him to cruise northward and test 

 the truth of Maldonado's report. The narrative of this voyage 

 is supposed to have been written by Don Dionisio Alcala Galiano, 

 but his name does not appear on the title page. Still more 

 curious is the fact that Malaspina's name is omitted from the 

 narrative of his own voyage. On his return to Spain, he was 

 thrown into prison, on account of court intrigues, and his dis- 

 coveries were suppressed for many years. 



Malaspina left Acapulco on the first of May, 1791, and reached 

 the vicinity of the j)resent site of Sitka on June 25. Two days 

 later, Mount Fairweather, or " Monte Buen-tiempo," as it is 

 designated on Spanish maps, was sighted. Continuing north- 

 westward, the entrance to Yakutat bay was reached. The open- 

 ing through the first range of mountains at its head seemed to 

 correspond to Maldonado's description of the entrance to the 

 mythical " Strait of Annan." 



The eastern shore of Yakutat bay, called "Almiralty bay " on 

 the Spanish chart, was explored, and an excursion was made in 

 boats into Disenchantment bay as far as Haenke island. " Disen- 

 chantment bay," as the name appears on modern charts, was 

 named " Desengaho bay " by Malaspina, as previously stated, in 

 allusion to the frustration of his hopes on not finding a passage 

 leading to the Atlantic. Explorations in Disenchantment bay 

 Avere checked by ice, which descended from the north and filled 

 all of the inlets north of Haenke island. This is indicated on the 

 map forming plate 7 (page 68), Avhich is reproduced from the atlas 

 accompanying the narrative of Malaspina's voyage. Special inter- 

 est attaches to this map for the reason that by comparing it with 

 that forming plate 8 (page 75), made 100 years later, the retreat 



