Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/475

ilia Novembei. Saturday 2.. The tenor of thefe letters being very different from what my convcr- fation with Sen' Arrillaga had given me reafon to expeft, when I vifited him at the Prefidio; I was reduced to the neceflity offending him the next day a full explanation of the obje6is of our voyage, and of the motives that had induced me to enter the ports under his jurifdiftion. In this I Hated, that I had been intrufted by His Britannic Majeily with a voyage of difcovery, and for the exploring of various countries in the pacific ocean; of which the north-weil coad of America was one of the principal objefts. That prcvioufly to my departure from England, I had been given to underfland, not only that I fliould be hoCpitalilv received •on this coaft by the fubje6Ls of the Spanifli crown, but that Inch infor- mation of the progrefs of my voyage as I might wifh to communicate to the Court of Great Britain, would be forwarded b)' the way of St. Bias by the officers of His Cadiollc Majelly refiding in thefe ports; and that I was inftrufted to make a free and unreferved communication of all dif- coveries made in the courfe of my refearches, to any Spanilh officer or •officers whom I might chance to meet, engaged in (imilar purfuits with myfelf; and that I now purpofed to tranfmit to Sen' Quadra a copy of my charts and furveys, that had been made fi. ■ our departure from this port the preceding year. That the voyage in which we were en- gaged, was for the general ufe and benefit of mankind, and that undei thefe circumftances, we ought rather to be confidered as labouring for the good of the world in general, than for the advantage of any par- ticular fovereign, and that the court of Spain would be more early informed of, and as much benefited by my labours, as the kingdom of Great Britain. That in confequence of thefe inflruftions, I had exchanged fome charts with Sen' Quadra, and others were ready for his reception. That I had not only been treated on my former vifit here with the greatefl fricndlhip, and unbounded hofpitality; but had received from his Excellency', the viceroy of Mexico, the flrongeft allu- rances, that thefe attentions had been ffiewn in compliance with the defire of His Catholic Majcfly, and of the orders he had iffued for thatpurpofe; and that I hadinclofed his Excellency's letters for his pe- rufal, to certify him, that I did not intend any deception. That our examination and furvey would Hill require another year to complete it; '2 and