GEOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR. 269 
It is true that the Spaniards had a kind of pretension to an early discovery of the cape, made 
in 1775. The Spanish pilot, Juan Martinez, who accompanied in that year the expeditions of 
Heceta and Bodeja, said that he remembered to have seen on that occasion, beyond 48° north 
latitude, a cape and an entrance. But he said so only after the undoubted discovery of the 
cape and entrance by the English fur traders, (after the year 1787.) 
In the accounts of the expedition of 1775 we find no allusion to this event, and on Maurelle’s 
chart of this expedition no such cape or entrance is found. 
Nevertheless, the Spaniards, who believed the fact, gave on their charts to this point, in 
honor of the pretended discoverer, the name Punta de Martinez.* 
Though this cape projects far into the ocean, still there is to the north land which trends 
still more to the westward, the highlands of Vancouver’s island, the shores of which run far 
out towards the northwest. 
This cape lies thus, as it were, hidden in a wide bay. Vancouver’s island is so elevated that 
the navigator sailing from the south gets sight of it first, and Cape Flattery must appear 
partially covered by these highlands.t This may, to a certain degree, explain the late date to 
the discovery of this cape. 
Captain Berkely (1787) is the first from whom we have certain knowledge that he saw the 
cape and sailed to it from the south coast of Vancouver's island, where he was engaged in 
trading with the Nitinat Indians. He appears to have adopted for it the name Cape Classett, 
at least he mentioned an Indian village of that name in the vicinity of the cape. 
Captain Meares (June, 1788,) followed the track of Berkely, of whom he had received 
information concerning it. He saw the cape, but called it Tatooche. 
Captain Duncan (August, 1788,) was the first who made a chart of the cape, and gave it the 
name Cape Claaset.] à 
He gave, also, a view of the cape, which, however, is very imperfect and fanciful. The 
American captain, Gray, rounded the cape again in 1189. He appears to have adopted for it 
the name Cape Flattery. At least so we find it named on the chart Captain Ingraham made 
after information derived from Gray.§ : 
Vancouver, as already related above, arrived at this cape in October, 1192, and named it 
Cape Flattery, because he thought it to be the point to which Cook gavo this name. He 
surveyed the cape and its vicinity for the first time accurately, and put on his chart the name 
Cape Flattery. 
After Vancouver, geographers seem to have been divided with respe 
given to the cape. The English Admiralty adopt the name of Duncan and Berkely, Cape 
Claaset; which is, strictly speaking, the name given to it by the real first discoverers. The 
American charts adopt the name of Vancouver, and call the promontory Cape Flattery. 
TATOOCHE ISLAND is, as was before remarked, the largest of the islands of Cape Flattery. 
It is a small rocky, table-land, of an oblong shape, with steep қоға and а flat top. It is half 
a league in surface, has a verdant appearance, without, however, bearing trees. A cove divides 
it nearly into two parts. It is united to the promontory by a ledge of sunken rocks, over 
which the sea often breaks with great violence. | 
© See, for instance, the charts of the Sutil and Mexicana. 
Т Есе view of Cape Flattery and the highlands of Vancouver's island on 
See the chart in Dalrymple 
See a copy of this manuscript chart in our collection. 
Vancouver, volume 1, page 217. 
ct to the name to be 
the charts of the United States Coast Survey. 
