414 PROOFS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. [C. 



Answer of Captains Gray and Ingraham to Don Juan Francisco de la 

 Bodega y Quadra* 



Nootka Sound, August 3d, 1792. 



Sir, 



Your esteemed favor was handed to us yesterday, requesting from 

 us information relative to the transactions between the English and Span- 

 iards in this sound, in the year 1789, which we will do with great pleasure, 

 and impartially, as you request. 



On the 5th of May, 1789, when Don Estevan Jose Martinez arrived in 

 Friendly Cove, he found riding at anchor there the Iphigenia only ; the 

 ship Columbia being at Mahwhinna, five miles up the sound. The sloop 

 Washington and North-West America (schooner) were on a cruise. This 

 information is necessary in order to regulate the sequel of the present. 

 After the usual ceremonies of meeting were over, Don Martinez requested 

 the papers of each vessel, and demanded why they were at anchor in 

 Nootka Sound, alleging it belonged to his Catholic majesty. Captain 

 Viana, who passed as commander of the Iphigenia, answered, they had 

 put in, being in distress, having but little provisions, and in great want of 

 every necessary, such as cables, anchors, rigging, sails, &c. ; that they 

 were in daily expectation of the arrival of Captain Meares from Macao, 

 to supply them, when they should depart. Captain Meares was expected 

 to return in the same vessel he sailed in from hence in the year 1788, 

 which was under the Portuguese colors, and had a Portuguese captain on 

 board : this vessel, with the Iphigenia, were said to belong to one Cravalia, 

 or Cavallo, a merchant of Macao, in whose name the Iphigenia's papers 

 were made out. Seeing the Iphigenia was in such want, Don Martinez 

 gave them a temporary assistance, by supplying them with such articles 

 as they were most in want, till the vessel before mentioned should arrive. 

 At this time there was not the least suspicion of any misunderstanding or 

 disturbance among us, as Don Martinez was apparently satisfied with the 

 answers each vessel had given to his request. 



However, on the 10th of May, the San Carlos, Captain Arrow, 

 [Haro,] arrived. The same day the American officers came to Uquot, or 

 Friendly Cove, to welcome them in; and the next morning, the 11th of 

 May, Don Martinez captured the Iphigenia, and his reason, as we under- 

 stand, was, that, in their Portuguese instructions, they had orders to cap- 

 ture any English, Spanish, or Russian, subjects they met on the north- 

 west coast of America. This, at the time, seemed improbable, as she 

 was a vessel of small force ; and it was afterwards found to have been a 

 mistake, owing to their want of a perfect knowledge of the Portuguese 

 language. However, after the vessel was taken, the officers and seamen 

 were divided, some on board the Princesa, and some on board the San 

 Carlos, Where they were treated with all imaginable kindness, and every 

 attention paid them. 



* Reference is frequently made to this letter in the 8th and 11th chapters of the 

 preceding History. A synopsis of its contents may be found in the 10th chapter of 

 Vancouver's account of his expedition, on comparing which with the letter, it will 

 be seen that the evidence of the American captains is garbled and distorted in the 

 most unworthy manner in the synopsis, not only by suppressions, but even by direct 

 falsifications. To show this fully, it would be necessary to insert the whole of Van- 

 couver's synopsis; the assertion, however, is sufficiently proved by the few notes 

 which follow. 



