232 ^ VANCOUVER REACHES THE NORTH-WEST COAST. [1792. 



be requisite, to abandon Nootka, and withdraw all the Spanish 

 forces and settlers to some convenient point of the coast farther 

 south ; and, in anticipation of such a contingency, a vessel was sent 

 from San Bias, under the command of Fidalgo, to seek for a proper 

 spot, and make preparations on it for a permanent establishment. 



Vancouver and Broughton reached the American coast in April, 

 1792, a little south of Cape Mendocino, whence they sailed slowly 

 northward, to the Strait of Fuca, which they were instructed par- 

 ticularly to explore. On their way, they carefully examined the 

 shores, and determined the geographical positions of all the most 

 prominent points, comparing the results of their observations with 

 those obtained by Cook and others who had preceded them. Near 

 the 43d degree of latitude, they sought in vain for the river which 

 Martin de Aguilar was said to have seen, entering the Pacific there- 

 abouts, in 1603 ; and they appeared inclined to admit as identical 

 with the Cape Blanco of that navigator, a high, whitish promontory, 

 in the latitude of 42 degrees 52 minutes, to which they, however, 

 did not scruple to assign the name of Cape Orford. 



Vancouver also observed with attention the Deception Bay of 

 Meares, which was represented on Spanish charts as the mouth of 

 a river. Of this part of his voyage, he presents the following 

 account in his journal, under date of 



" April 27th. — Noon brought us up with a conspicuous point 

 of land, composed of a cluster of hummocks, moderately high, and 

 projecting into the sea. On the south side of this promontory was 

 the appearance of an inlet, or small river, the land not indicating it 

 to be of any great extent, nor did it seem to be accessible for ves- 

 sels of our burden, as the breakers extended from the above point, 

 two or three miles into the ocean, until they joined those on the 

 beach, nearly four leagues farther south. On reference to Mr. 

 Meares's description of the coast south of this promontory, I was 

 at first inclined to believe it was Cape Shoalwater ; but, on ascer- 

 taining its latitude, I presumed it to be that which he calls Cape 

 Disappointment, and the opening south of it Deception Bay. This 

 cape we found to be in latitude of 46 degrees 19 minutes, longi- 

 tude 236 degrees 6 minutes [east]. The sea had now changed 

 from its natural to river-colored water, the probable consequence 

 of some streams falling into the bay, or into the opening north of 

 it, through the low land. Not considering this opening worthy of 

 more attention, I continued our pursuit to the north-west, being 

 desirous to embrace the advantages of the now prevailing breeze and 

 pleasant weather, so favorable to an examination of the coasts." 



