Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/54

44 RALPH S. KUYKENDALL Ensign Manuel Qumiper, and was assigned to the work of exploring the strait of Juan de Fuca. On this work Quimper was employed from the first of June until about the middle of August. He then sought to return to Nootka Sound, but unfavorable weather and the fear of shortage of supplies induced him, on the advice of his officers, to abandon that purpose and sail direct to Monterey, where he arrived September 1. From there, after a delay of some weeks, the voyage was continued to San Bias, in which port the Princess Royal cast anchor November 13, 1790. 19 This explains why the Princess Royal could not be delivered to Colnett at Nootka Sound. The unexpected return of the vessel to San Bias was a matter of dis- appointment to the Viceroy, as he explained in a letter to Floridablanca. "The unexpected arrival of this ship at Monterey . . . has frustrated my plans and desires in this matter." 20 In view of the failure to effect a delivery of the sloop to her English master, Thomas Hudson, 21 at Nootka Sound, some other plan had to be devised for the accom- plishment of that purpose. The Commandant at San Bias 22 suggested to the Viceroy the plan of sending the sloop to Canton with the otter skins which had been collected during the year for the benefit of the royal treasury, with the proceeds of which another vessel could be pur- chased for the return of the crew to Mexico. The Viceroy approved the first part of the suggestion, but considered it better that the skins should be sent to the governor of the Philippines and that their sale and the delivery of the sloop should be carried out by the agents of the Spanish 19 Manuel Quimper to Viceroy Revilla Gigedo, Nov. 13, 1790. A. G . I . (Seville), Estado, Aud. Guad., Leg. 1. 20 Revilla Gigedo to Floridablanca (No. 15), Nov. 26 , 1790. Copy (from Mexican Archives) in Bancroft Library. 21 Hudson was master of the Princess Royal but under the superior orders of Colnett, who was master of the Argonaut, and commander of the expedition. 22 Don Juan Francisco de la Bodega*y Quadra.