emely accurate and complete,
but was subsequently rendered much more so by the survey of particular
points and bays made by the vessels engaged in the fur trade, and
especially by that which was constructed by Vancouver, from a close and
careful examination of the numerous channels with which this coast abounds,
principally performed in boats, and therefore descending into very minute
details.

The accessions made by him to geography in other parts of the globe, as
well as his unfortunate fate, will be afterwards related.

In the year 1790, a dispute arose between Britain and Spain, respecting
Nootka Sound: on the adjustment of this dispute, the British government
determined to send out an officer to secure possession of the settlement,
and also to determine the question respecting the existence of a navigable
passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Captain Vancouver was
selected for these purposes: his instructions were, after accomplishing his
mission at Nootka Sound, to examine that part of the coast occupied by the
chain of islands, discovered by the vessels in the fur trade, "and to
ascertain, with the greatest exactitude, the nature and extent of every
communication by water which might seem to tend to facilitate commercial
relations between the north-west coast and the countries on the east of the
continent, inhabited by British subjects or claimed by Great Britain;" and
in particular to search for the strait of John de Fuca, and to examine if
Cook's River had not its source in some of the lakes frequented by the
Canadian traders, or by the servants of the Hudson's Bay Company.

He sailed from England with a sloop and brig on the 1st of April, 1791. He
began his examination of the west coast of America, in latitude 39 deg. 27'
north, and continued it as far as Nootka: finding that the Spaniards raised
difficulties to the restoration of this settlement, he proceeded to carry
into execution the other objects of this voyage. During three summers, he
surveyed the north-west coast of America as far as Cook's River, with a
diligence, attention, and accuracy which could not have been surpassed.
Every opening which presented itself was explored, and never left till its
termination was determined; so that on a very careful and minute inspection
of every creek and inlet of a coast consisting almost entirely of creeks
and channels, formed by an innumerable multitude of islands, he thought
himself justified in pron