282 JOHN BOIT
IN THE STRAITS OF ADMIRAL DEFONT 42
17. Weigh 'd and left Barrells sound, bound to the Straits of Admiral De Font, 43 which is formed by the Charlotte Isles and the Main.
18. N. Latt. 51 : 34'. Wind from Westward and pleasant, beating to and fro, off the South pt. of Charlotte Isles, en- deavouring to get into the Straits.
'23. N. Latt. 52 26'; W. Long. 131 30'; Azi. 20 22' E. Spoke the Brig Hope, 44 Joseph Ingrahim master from Boston, on the same business with ourselves. Soon parted.
24. N. Latt. 53 6'. A small Isle, in the Straits bore North at Meridian, which we named Hatches. 45 Weather is gen- erally clear, so that the Isles and Main are distinctly seen together. Found ground at 120 fm. The Natives wou'd often come along side from the Main, or Isles, as we border'd on either shore, and brought furs and plenty of Halibut, which you cou'd buy for a board Nail apiece.
28. N. Latt. 53 14'; W. Long. 132 0'; Azi. 21 35' E. Ship over towards the Main. Send an officer 46 in the pinnace
42 In terms of modern geography the Columbia now leaves Houston Stewart Channel, sails west into the Pacific Ocean, rounds Cape St. James, the southern point of Queen Charlotte Islands, proceeds up Hecate Strait, which lies between these islands and the mainland of British Columbia, keeping generally to the mainland side, and turning to the westward follows along the northern shores of Dixon Entrance, the strait separating Queen Charlotte Islands from Alaska.
43 The story of this fictitious voyage of Admiral Bartholomew De Fonte will be found in Bancroft's History of the Northwest Coast, vol. I, pp. 115-118. For a full discussion, see Navarrete's Viajes y Descubrimientos Apocrifos, pp. 134-16:. Haswell, Hoskins, Ingraham and Boit all believed in the existence of his fabled strait, which by an involved series of lakes and rivers conected with the Atlantic Ocean. The stretch of water called De Font's Strait by Boit is Hecate Strait. See also hereon, Vancouver's discussion of the voyage in Vancouver's Voyage, vol. 6, pp. 8 vo. ed. 1801.
44 The Hope was a brig which left Boston a few days before the departure of the Columbia in 1790, under the command of Joseph Ingraham, who had been first officer on the Columbia on her first voyage. Ingraham left an account of both his voyages; but that of the first voyage has disappeared; and the second one is not complete, the entries ending abruptly after the Hope left the coast in the fall of 1792. His charts today are all the information that exists relative to some parts of the west coast of Queen Charlotte Islands. The account of this meeting of the two Boston vessels is also given by Hoskins, who was on the Columbia, and by Ingraham. Hoskins says: "During the night we had light airs and pleasant weather heard the cutting of wood at a distance which sounded as if on a vessel's deck when the lanhqrns were ordered to be hoisted at four the next morning (the 236) the south extreme of the land bore south by east six leagues distance at half past five saw a sail to the northward which by her signals we soon discovered to be the Hope of Boston Joseph Ingraham commander when at a short distance he welcomed us with three cheers which was immediatejy returned the Hope hove to under our lee when the jolly boat was sent for Captain Ingraham who came on board." Ingraham's version is not reproduced, as Pro- fessor E. S. Meany has appended it in a note to this journal, which will be found in the Washington Historical Quarterly, vol. xii, p. 12.
45 Named after Charles Hatch, one of the owners of the Columbia. It is now called Bonilla Island in Hecate Strait, four miles from Banks Island. It is two miles long and one mile broad; rises to a height of 550 feet; and is an excellent landmark.
46 Robert Haswell, the Chief Officer of the ship.
