152 F. W. Howay tracd thus far from a little to the Southward of Cape Mendocino. We were favord with a fine Westerly breeze which soon dispersd the Fog & brought with it fair & clear weather. In the forenoon as we went along Canoes came off to us here & there from the Shore with Sea Otter Skins for which they askd Copper or Cloth, but they were able to keep with us a very short time as we had a fair fresh breeze. The Columbia was seen again working out of the Streights, & it would now seem as if the Com- mander of her did not put much confidence in what we told him of our pursuit, but had probably taken us for rivals in trade and followd us into the Streights to have his share in the gleanings of those Villages at the en- trance, & this is conformable to the general practice among traders on this Coast, which is always to mislead competitors as far as they can even at the expence of truth.
