LOG[1] OF CAPTAIN OF H. M. S. "CHATHAM."
Saturday, October 20th [1792]—At 4 (p. m.) shortened sail and sent a boat on board the "Discovery." Bore up and made sail to lead into the Columbia river (or river of La Roque). At 6 made the signal for having 4 fathoms, with a gun (which was answered), with an apparent chain of breakers across the entrance occasioned by a strong tide crossing the bar. At 7 (p. m.) the tide running with great rapidity and not getting ahead, came to[2] with a small bower in 4 fathoms, and veered to ½ cable. A heavy sea stove in the jolly boat; found the tide to run 4 knots. Found here the "Jenny"[3] of
Bristol.[4]
- ↑ Entries made during the absence of the captain indicate that this log was written by Mr. Thomas Manby, the Master of the vessel. The bearings are readings of the compass and do not indicate true north and south. A discrepancy of one day in dates will be observed in the records as given by Broughton and by Vancouver.
- ↑ The Chatham seems to have crossed the bar through what pilots of later years knew as the North Channel This anchorage seems to have been on the edge of Peacock Spit, west of the end of (illegible text) which place a view could be had into Baker's Bay, where the (illegible text)
- ↑ The Jenny, a schooner of lighter to (illegible text) he Chatham, from Bristol, England, James Baker, Captain. (illegible text) in the slave trade but growing legislation and sentiment a (illegible text) ed the owners to send her on this, her first trip in the fur (illegible text) coast of America. She had arrived at Nootka on October 6th (illegible text) there transferred to Captain Vancouver two maidetis who (illegible text) to their homes at the Sandwich Islands, and their case is d (illegible text). ii, pp. 226–231. It was Captain Baker's declared intentio (illegible text) England, but he is now found in the Columbia river; and (illegible text) "in the earlier part of the year" (vol. ii, p. 73), but (illegible text) doubtful. He left Nootka one day in advance of Captain Vancouver (illegible text) again at Nootka in September, 1794, under a different captain. For more as to the career of the Jenny in 1792 consult "A New Vancouver Journal" in the Washington Historical Quarterly, vol. vi, pp. 57–8 and p. 88.
- ↑ Vancouver's "Voyage," vol. i, pp. 419–20, recites:
Friday, Octo. 19th, 1792. With a pleasant gale and fine weather we coasted along this delightful and apparently fertile part of New Georgia, at a distance of about a league from the shoals, having soundings from ten to sixteen fathoms, until four m the afternoon, when having nearly reached Cape Disappointment, which forms the north point of entrance into Columbia river, so named by Mr. Gray, I directed the Chatham to lead into it, and on her arrival at the bar should no more than 4 fathoms of water be found, the signal for danger was to be made; but if the channel appeared to be further navigable, then to proceed. As we followed the Chatham the depth of water decreased to 4 fathoms, in which we sailed some little time without being able to distinguish the entrance into the river, the sea breaking in a greater or less degree from shore to shore; bat as the Chatham continued to pursue her course, I concluded she was in a fair channel. We, however, soon arrived in 3 fathoms, and as the water was becoming less deep, and breaking in all directions around us, I hauled to the westward m order to escape the threatened danger. In doing this we were assisted by a very strong ebb tide that sat out of the river, and which opposing a very heavy swell that rolled from the westward directly on the shore, caused an irregular and dangerous sea. By seven, our depth of water had increased to 10 fathoms, where conceiving ourselves in safety, we anchored for the night, which passed very uncomfortably, owing to the violent motion of the vessel, and anxiety for the safety of the Chatham, from which a signal was made at the moment we hauled out of the breakers, which we were fearful might have been for assistance, as the closing in of the day prevented our accurately distinguishing the color of the flags; but as she appeared to be perfectly under command, and as the rapidity of the tide and the heavy sea rendered any assistance from us impracticable, I was willing to hope the signal might have been for the bar, which, at daylight the next morning, was proved to be the cast by her being seen riding in perfect safety, about two miles within the station we had taken.
