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No. 4
Nootka Sound May 23rd: 1793
Sir Joseph
I shall loose no opportunity, let it ever be so vague, of transmitting to you from time to time a summary account of our transactions in this distant region. Don Fidalgo who was Commandant here during the Winter, being just now relieved by another gentleman, is going to San Blas, & promises to forward this to you through new Spain.
My last letter from Monterrey by Lieut: Broughton with a collection of seeds for his Majesty's Gardens, you will receive I expect long 'ere this arrives, together with any former Packet by Lieut. Mudge from Nootka last November.
We left California about the middle of January 1793 accompanied by our good Friend Sr Quadra, with the Vessels under his command for San Blas, after parting with them at Sea, we directed our course to ascertain the reality of the islands of Los Majos, and tho' we sailed in their Latitude for ten degrees to the eastward of the situation in which they are laid down and as many to the westward we saw nothing of them - hence it is very probable that no such Islands even existed - unless their error of Longitude be allowed so great that the Sandwich Island are them.
We made Owhyhee [Owhyee] on the 12th Febry and in about a week afterwards anchored at Karakahooa where we were very civilly treated by the King of the Island & the Natives - the former made a very hansome present to us, of Ninty Hogs besides vegetables in abundance on our arrival - here I had a Botanical excursion of several days in the mountains, where I enjoyed much pleasure - some of the Natives of this Island, headed by one of the Chiefs, about three years ago, took an American Schooner and Massacred all her crew
April 29 1794