The paged version of this document contained the following header content in the margin: 1792 September.
ftructions I had received, in oppoſition to the judgment and opinion of Senr Ouadra, and the evidences which he had propoſed ; I could not but conſider the unexpectd arrival of a gentlemen, who had perſonally attended Mr. Meares on his forming the eſtabliſhment at Nootka, and who it ſeems had been preſent on moſt occaſions when differences had ariſen between Senr Martinez and Captain Colnet, as a very fortunate circumſtance, ſince his report and affidavit cleared up every point of which, from other teſtimonies, I could entertain any doubt, and confirmed me in the opinion, that the conduct I had purſued had not been incompatible with the truſt committed to my charge and execution. On comparing his repreſentation with that which had been communicated to me on the ſame ſubject by Senr Quadra, a very material difference appeared, which, moſt probably, operated to direct Senr Quadra's conduct, in refuſing me poſſeſſion of the country agreeably to the terms of my inſtructions.
The veſſels employed in commercial purſuits this ſeaſon on the north- weſt coaſt of America, have I believe found their adventures to anſwer their expeactations: many were contented with the cargo of furs they had collected in the courſe of the ſummer; while others who had prolonged their voyage, either paſſed the winter at the Sandwich iſlands, or on the coaſt, where they completed ſmall veſſels which the brought out in frame. An Engliſh and an American ſhallop were at this time on the flocks in the cove, and when finiſhed were to be employed in the inland navigation, in collecting the ſkins of the ſea-otter and other furs; beſide theſe, a French ſhip was then engaged in the ſame purſuit, and the following veſſels in the ſervice of His Catholic Majeſty; the Gertrudes and Conception of thirty-ſix guns each, the Active brig of twelve guns, Princiſſa, Aranſaſu, and St. Carlos, armed ſhips, with the veſſels of Senr Gaiiano and Valdes. Both theſe gentleman had been, and were ſtill, employed, not only in geographical reſearches, but in acquiring every poſſible information reſpecting the commerce of the country; this circumſtance, together with the guarded conduct obſerved by Senr Quadra, in his endeavours to retain the whole, or at any event to preſerve a right in Nootka, evidently manifſted the degree of jea-louſy
