Two days later the diary contains this entry:
"At daybreak this morning, I was informed by the pilot Don Jose Tovar, who is entrusted with the command of the packet for its voyage to San Bias, that Captain Colnett, from the effects of despair or madness, had thrown himself into the water through one of the port-holes or windows of his cabin. However, on hearing the noise which he made when he struck the water, he was discovered from the quarter-deck, and was picked up by the packet's launch, which went to him at once. When it reached him he was half-drowned, but they turned him on his stomach and relieved him of much of the water he had swallowed. I immediately ordered that he be shut up in a stateroom to prevent him from suffering harm in that way."
The documents annexed hereto are reproduced by the kind permission of Mr. Forsyth, the Archivist of British Columbia. They will, it is hoped, be found useful to those who are interested in this side of the celebrated Nootka dispute.
Paper Endorsed "Princess Royal. Certificate of Cost"
John Etches of ffenchurch Street in the City of London, Merchant, lately Commercial Superintendant on board the Ship Prince of Wales, James Colnett, lately Master, having then under his Command the Sloop called the Princess Royal, Charles Duncan, Master, on a voyage from London to the North West Coast of America, and Canton in China, maketh Oath and saith that the said two Vessels arrived in Macao Roads, from the North West Coast of America, with each a Cargo of Furs, in or about the Month of November 1788, and that the said Sloop Princess Royal was afterwards valued by the said Captains Colnett & Duncan with all her Tackles and furniture as she arrived there from Sea, at the sum of Three thousand and six hundred Dollars or Nine hundred
