The Spanish had to co ntend not only with this British and American presence in rheir territories, bur also rhe strong Russian presence in Alaskan waters. It was reported that the Russians were heading so uth in their search for pelrs and had lis ted Nootka as their next outpost. As late as 1776 the Spanish had founded their most north erl y outpost ar San Francisco Bay. Now with threats from Britain, Russia and the US, Spanish authorities decided to establish Nootka as their northernmost outpost. Commandant Don Jose Martinez occupied Nootka in May 1789 with a garrison. T here, he had Meares's ships se ized on va rious charges as they arrived in the harbor, and sent them to Mexico along with their crews. With Britain seemingly eager to fight a war over these events at Noo tka and Spain in a weakened bargaining position, the ambassadors, St. Helens and Florablanca, met and hammered out the 1790 N ootka Convemion. Ir stated rhar Meares would be compensated for rhe loss of his ships, including North WestAmerica, and his men and properrywould be returned. Both Spain and Britain were to send commissioners to Noo tka Sound to work our rh e details.
Diplomacy in the Wilderness Great Britain sent Captain Geo rge Vancouver, in command of Discovery and Chatham, as rheir commissioner. Vanco uver had gone to sea at rhe age of 14 and served under Capt. Cook on his last rwo voyages, acco mpanyin g him to the ice shelf in Antarctica 70 degrees so uth and the fro zen ice fields ar 70 degrees north in the Arctic. On these extensive voyages he learned Cook's methods. H e had also been aboard when the ships first discovered sea otters in Nootka Sound in 1778. Vanco uve r commanded the 100-foot sloop Discovery with a crew of 100 and the escort tender Chatham wi rh a crew of 25. Borh ships were out for a four- year voyage of exploration in search of the elusive Northwest Passage, but were also to make a diplomatic stop at Noorka. Vanco uver's orders read: "Carry out a survey of the coastal region of N orth America from 30 degrees northward, look for Juan de F uca' s mythical 'Inland Sea,' and take possession for the British crown of the land designated 'N oorka' from the Spanish represemative. " Spai n sent Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra as its representative. As a yo ung
SEA HISTORY 88 , SPRING 1999
The image ofthe eagle (opposite) is part ofthe lodge totem ofthe Chiefof Nootka Sound, where two centuries ago, john Meares established his boatbuilding facilities at this small waterfront lot in Friendly Cove (above). (Photos by the author) The accompanying map was published with Meares's Voyages Made in th e Years 1788 and 1789, from Chin a to the No rth West Coast of America (1 790). naval officer in 1775, Quadra h ad comma nded the sm all , tubby schooner Sonora, the tender for Capt. Bruno Hezeta's Santiago. H e sailed as far north as present-day Sitka, Alaska, to find th e Northwest Passage, determine the extent of Russian acriviry, and claim the area for Spain. On rhat voyage, both ships anchored at what is now Washington State's Quinalt River coastline. The bigger ship could not get as close to shore as the Sonora which, with its shallow drafr, anchored in a cove about a mile away. While H ezeta went ashore to claim the territory for Spain, Q uadra sent six of his most capable men ashore in the longboat for wood and water. Natives am bushed the boat and killed the men in view of Quadra and his helpless crew. The Spanish captain was barely able to get out of the cove, contending with very little wind, low tide and native canoes harassi ng the Sonora. He reported the incident to H ezeta and wanted a force with which to retaliate, but was overruled by his co mmander, who gave him replacements for his lost seamen instead. T he ships then sailed north past the mouth of the stillundiscovered Strait of Juan de Fuca. By 1792, Quadra commanded both the San Blas naval base in Mexico and the
Nootka Sound outpost. Quadra was agenial host who entertained lavishly and was generous to all visitors to Friendly Cove, providing visiting vessels with fresh bread daily from the garrison bakery and fresh fr uits and vegetab les fro m the extensive gardens. As the representative of European culture in Nootka So und, he was honored by both natives and the officers and crews of visiting ships. Nootka Chief Maquinna dined with the Spaniard almost daily, sitting at Quadra's right hand as an honored guest, slept at the commandant's home, learned European manners and dined in honored sryle aboard visiting ships. Quadra, in turn, often visited M aquinna and dined with him in his village. Vancouver's voyage took his ships around the Cape of Good Hope, and to New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, the northern coast of California and past the as-yetunrecognized mouth of the Columbia River. Off the Washington coast, Vancou-
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