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[Page 4]
England waiting for us in which we were disappointed. The Governor at Monterrey's order & restrictions respecting us only arrived five days before us; otherwise the Commandant here informs us that we should enjoy every liberty & assistance that was in his power to grant agreeable to his former instructions & as we were expected to refit here this winter he had anxiously looked out for our arrival & made arrangements accordingly.
It seems that the present Governor of Monterrey has gone their lately from some distant part of the province, & taken upon himself the Command through Seniority even contrary to the wishes of the Viceroy who has refered his claim to the Spanish Court; so that he acts at present, as he says himself, without any orders, which may account for this unpleasant change, but can no way exculpate his Conduct, towards us in our present situation, which is conceived highly blamable by his own Countrymen as well as us.
In the Canal De Sta Barbara we found a Presidio & two Missions, where we remained a few day, and received from the Commandant & Revd Fathers, every degree of civility & hospitality they could bestow; and every kind of refreshment which the Country could afford.
After we left San Francisco we met wt the Daedalus Store Ship from Port Jackson. She followed us from Nootka where she had arrived the day after we left it. Of the black cattle & sheep which they carried from this country last year only one Calf, one Ram, & two Ewes, reached the Colony: From New Zealand they carried two Natives, which were sent to Northfolk [Norfolk] Island, to point out to the Settlers the mode of treating & manufacturing the Flax Plants. I shall ever regret the unfavourable season of the Year in which it is been my lot to visit this country - it is at present as dry naked & scorched that there is hardly a plant to be seen either in flower or seed, tho' a considerable variety present themselves every where. We shall leave this place tomorrow & after continuing our Survey a little further to the Southward, proceed to the Sandwich Islands where we are to refit & discharge the Store Ship by which I will again write to you & send a collection of Seeds by the way of Port Jackson for his Majesty's Gardens.
I have the honor to be, with due respect & esteem,
Sir Joseph,
Your most Obedt Humle Servt
Archibald Menzies