LOG OF THE COLUMBIA 287
his Longboat was cruizing among the Charlotte Isles, under charge of his 2nd Officer. 65 The Brig kept us company.
18. Pleasant weather. Came to anchor, in a River, which Capt. Crowell had named Hancocks, 66 situated on the NW part of the Queen Charlotte Isles, in company with the Brig, 6 fm. water, mud. The Brig's Longboat we found at this place, vast many of the Natives along side the Ship, and a few furs was purchased. Capt. Crowell had, upon some trifling offence, fir'd upon these Indians, by which a number of them fell, (such wanton cruelty throws him upon a levell with the savage), and perhaps this same fray was the means of our losing our worthy 2nd Officer as the places are not 20 leagues distant and mayhap they reck'd their Vengeance 67 upon us, thinking us all of one tribe. If it was so, bad luck to CrowelL Amen.
19. N. Latt. 54 12'; W. Long. 132 25'. .Fine weather. The Hancock saild on a Cruize. 68 The land about this River, is the best without exception I've yet seen, on the NW. Coast, and a place well calculated for a Factory for to reap the ad- vantages of the fur trade. The Natives, I dare say, have always plenty of Otters, and there is fish in abundance. Hove up, 69 and came to sail towards evening and stood to sea, light winds and very strong tides. At sunsett Murderers Cape bore NNW. at a great distance.
20. N. Latt. 53 49^; W. Long. 133 24'. Soundings from 7 to 12 fm., shoal water about these parts of Charlotte Isles. Standing to the Southward through Defont straits, running
65 The frame of the longboat had been brought out in the brig from Boston and put together somewhere on the coast of Queen Charlotte Islands. It had been rigged as a sloop and placed in charge of Mr. Adamson, formerly in Meares* employment on the Iphigenia.
66 This so-called river is now Masset Inlet. In Haswell's second Log will be found a sketch of it, on which the river-like portion is marked Mahsheet. lie gives its position as 54 5' north latitude and 132 13' west longitude. This is nearly correct.
67 The greater probability is that, as in the cases of Quadra, Barkley, and the Atahualpa, it arose from mere cupidity; the implements, clothing and the nails in the boat were sufficient temptation.
68 Before doing so Captain Crowell left with the natives at Tadents in Parry Passage (Cox Strait) a man named Jones, who was to collect furs against his return; but he soon tired of the life there, went to Kaigani, and shipped away at the first opportunity. This expedient was frequently tried by the traders; the result was always the same.
69 The reason for the Columbia t sudden departure was, according to Hos- kins, to forestall tb Hancock in th trade on the eastern side of Queen Charlotte Islands.
