portrait by Gilbert Stuart, by
courtesy of the owner, Dr. George B. Shattuck.]

On August 11, 1790, after rounding Good Hope and touching at St.
Helena, Gray entered Boston. It was the first time an American ship
had gone round the world, almost fifty thousand miles, her log-book
showed, and salvos of artillery thundered a welcome. General Lincoln,
the port collector, was first on board to shake Gray's hand. The whole
city of Boston was on the wharf to cheer him home, and the explorer
walked up the streets side by side with Atto, the Hawaiian boy,
gorgeous in helmet and cloak of yellow plumage. Governor Hancock gave
a public reception to Gray. The _Columbia_ went to the shipyards to be
overhauled, and the shareholders met.

Owing to the glutting of the market at Canton, the sea-otter had not
sold well. Practically the venture of these glory seekers had not
ended profitably. The voyage had been at a loss. Derby and Pintard
sold out to Barrell and Brown. But the lure of glory, or the wilds, or
the venture of the unknown, was on the others. They decided to send
the _Columbia_ back at {230} once on a second voyage. Perhaps, this
time, she would find that great River of the West, which was to be to
the Pacific coast what the Hudson was to the East.

[Illustration: Map of Gray's two voyages, resulting in the discovery of
the Columbia.]

Coolidge and Ingraham now left the _Columbia_ for ventures of their own
to the Pacific. Haswell, whose diary, with Gray's log-book, gives all
details of the voyage, went as first mate. George Davidson, an artist,
Samuel Yendell, a carpenter, Haskins, an accountant of Barrell's
Company, Joshua Caswell of Maiden, Abraham Waters, and John Boit were
the new men to enlist for the venturesome voyage. The _Columbia_ left
Boston for a second voyage September 28, 1790, and reached Clayoquot on
the west coast of Vancouver Island on June 5, 1791. True to his
nature, Gray lost not a day, but was off for the sea-otter harvest of
the north, up Portland Canal near what is now Alaska. The dangers of
the first voyage proved a holiday compared to this trip. Formerly,
Gray had treated the Indians with kindness. Now, he found kindness was
mistaken only for fear. Joshua Caswell, Barnes, and Folger had been
sent up Portland Canal to reconnoitre. Whether ambushed or openly
assaulted, they never returned. Only Caswell's body was found, and
buried on the beach. Later, when the grave was rev