200 RELEASE OF COLNETT. [1789. 



this opening Gray sailed, as he informed Vancouver in 1792, " fifty 

 miles in an east-south-east direction, and found the passage five 

 leagues wide." He then returned to the Pacific, and, on his way 

 to Nootka, he met the Columbia, which had just quitted the sound, 

 with the crew of the North- West America on board as passengers, 

 for China ; and it was agreed between the two captains that 

 Kendrick should take command of the sloop, and remain on the 

 coast, while Gray, in the Columbia, should carry to Canton all the 

 furs which had been collected by both vessels. This was according- 

 ly done ; and Gray arrived, on the 6th of December, at Canton, 

 where he sold his furs, and took in a cargo of tea, with which he 

 entered Boston on the 10th of August, 1790, having carried the flag 

 of the United States for the first time around the world. Kendrick, 

 immediately on parting with the Columbia, proceeded in the 

 Washington to the Strait of Fuca, through which he passed, in its 

 whole length, as will be hereafter more fully shown. 



The Argonaut, with Colnett and his men on board as prisoners, 

 arrived, on the 16th of August, at San Bias, near which place they 

 were kept prisoners until the arrival of the commandant of that 

 department, Captain Bodega y Quadra, by whom Colnett was 

 treated with great kindness, and soon after sent to the city of 

 Mexico. There he remained several months, during which the 

 examination of the cases of the seized vessels was in progress ; and 

 it was at length decided — that, although Martinez had acted con- 

 formably with the general laws and regulations of Spain, forbidding 

 all aliens from resorting to the Spanish American coasts, and the 

 vessels might therefore be retained as lawful prizes, yet, in con- 

 sideration of the apparent ignorance of their officers and owners 

 with regard to the laws and rights of Spain, as also for the sake of 

 peace with England, they should be released, with the understand- 

 ing, however, that they were not again to enter any place on the 

 Spanish American coasts, either for the purpose of settlement or 

 of trade with the natives. In virtue of this decision, Colnett 

 returned to San Bias, where he learned that several of his men had 

 died of the fever endemic at that place, and his ship was much 

 injured by the service to which she had been subjected ; she was, 

 nevertheless, refitted, and, with the remainder of her crew, he 

 sailed in her for Nootka, to receive possession of the Princess 

 Royal, for which he had an order. On arriving at the sound, 

 Colnett found the place deserted ; and, not knowing where to seek 



