Selected Accounts of the Early Attempts to Explore the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia Originally presented by William Barraclough on March 20, 1957; recorded August 2, 1969 Transcribed by Dalys Barney, Vancouver Island University Library, on March 18, 2020

Selected accounts of the early attempts to explore the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Straits of Georgia to the mouths of Winthuysen, or Nanaimo area, read before Nanaimo Historical Society, March 20, 1957.

The name itself, Juan de Fuca, perpetuates the name of the Greek sailor, Apóstolos Valeriános, Juan de Fuca, who claimed to have discovered and sailed for some days into the straits in the year 1592. That was only 14 years after the celebrated English navigator, Sir Francis Drake, sailed along these parts of the coast in the Golden Hind in the year 1578. Many Spanish, British, and American explorers in the years that followed failed to locate the reported straits. In the days of sail, storms, fog, and uncharted shoals kept seafaring men well out to sea. Chances of striking a reef could not be taken.

Among the early explorers who sailed past the straits were: Captain Juan Pérez, commander of the Spanish corvette Santiago in 1774; Don Juan Quadra, the greatest of the Spaniards, first came in 1775, in the sloop Sonora, a vessel only 36 feet long; Captain James Cook in 1778, in the Resolution, with Vancouver aboard as midshipman, 25 years of age; two Americans - John Kendrick, captain of the Columbia, and Captain Robert Gray in the sloop Lady Washington in the year 1787. Russian, and Chinese traders too, are reported to have sailed along these parts in that century.

It was not until the year 1787 that official recognition of the Straits of Juan de Fuca was made by Captain Charles W. Barkley in the British trading ship Imperial Eagle. Special mention is made here of that gallant, young captain, who at the age of 25 was not only a [pioneer] trader, but a first class explorer and navigator. Barkley charted and named many landmarks of our west coast, histories that appeared to have given too little credit to this great man, whose name is perpetuated with Barkley Sound. Possibly, he may have been overshadowed by the professional explorers who had been commissioned and outfitted by their various governments.

Before moving on to the exploration of the Straits of Juan de Fuca, I would like to quote a few passages taken from Captain Walbran's book, Place Names of British Columbia, wherein he states, Mrs. Barkley's diary has been preserved. It is an important source of information.

"The Imperial Eagle sailed from the Thames in August 1786 for Ostend, where he hoisted the Austrian colours. Here Captain Barkley met and married Miss Frances Hornby Trevor, then 17 years of age. Mrs. Barkley, who accompanied her husband, was the first white woman to visit the Northwest Coast. The Imperial Eagle arrived at Nootka Sound in June 1787, where he loaded on 800 sea otter skins, which he sold in China for $30,000."

On leaving Nootka, Barkley headed south for some reason and entered the name Barkley Sound on his chart. Frances and Hornby Peaks on the west coast of Vancouver Island were named after his wife. Cape Beale he named after the purser of the Imperial Eagle. He also named other points and islands.

Continuing his voyage southeasterly, Barkley made the great discovery, as before mentioned, of the Straits of Juan de Fuca. And quoting from Mrs. Barkley's diary, as recorded by Captain Walbran, quote: "A large opening extending to the eastwards, the entrance of which appeared to be about four leagues wide, and remaining about that width as far as the eye could see. With a clear easterly horizon, which my husband immediately recognized as the Straits of Juan de Fuca. And to which we gave the name of the original discoverer, my husband placing it on his chart." End of quote.

Shortly after discovery of the straits, a tragic accident befell a boat’s crew of the Imperial Eagle, all of whom were killed by the natives near to what was named Martyr’s Point by the Spaniards to commemorate a similar occurrence that befell one of their boat’s crew at an earlier date. In 1792, Barkley and his wife again called at Nootka in the brig Halcyon, this in itself is a great story. The brig Halcyon was stolen and recovered by Barkley several years later at Boston.

After Barkley's rediscovery of the Straits of Juan de Fuca in 1787, increasing numbers of ships under many flags plied along the coast. Nootka on Friendly Cove became an important port of call. Most of the traders came and went by way of China. It would appear there was not enough furs for traders south of Nootka to attract them. And those explorers and navigators, sponsored by their various nations, appeared to have avoided the straits.

Three years elapsed after Barkley's sighting before an organized attempt was made to explore and survey the straits. The American historian, Edmond S. Meany, in his book, Vancouver's Discovery of Puget Sound, quotes from a Spanish document by Lieutenant Francisco Eliza, that in 1790, Ensign Manuel Quimper, under Eliza's command explored the south coast of the straits to a place he named, for short, Port Quadra, which Vancouver later named Port Discovery. It must be remembered, Vancouver had no idea the Spaniards had twice preceded him.

Lieutenant Francisco Eliza headed a second expedition to explore and chart the waterways in 1791, in the ship San Carlos. He sailed this time further north amongst the islands and bestowed the name, for short, Gran Canal on the straits, which was later named by Vancouver as the Straits of Georgia.

Eliza named several islands and places on this journey, and upon reaching what is now the Nanaimo area, he named it Winthuysen after a Spanish rear-admiral. The furthest point reached by this expedition was by José Narváez in the schooner Saturnina who discovered Faveda, it is also shown on Eliza's chart, but is now known as Texada Island.

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It will be noted, in both the Spanish expeditions, they followed the middle course of the straits, paying little attention to surveying the mainland coast and the east side of Vancouver Island, except the Nanaimo area.

Captain George Vancouver, of His Majesty's ship Discovery, entered the Straits of Juan de Fuca, Sunday, April 29, 1792, to commence the first comprehensive survey of the obscure waterways. He was accompanied by the armed tender Chatham, under Commander William Broughton. While Vancouver's expedition was conducting the laborious survey of the great inland sea of Puget Sound, named after Vancouver's second mate, Lieutenant Peter Puget, two small Spanish vessels entered the straits on May 4th. They were a detachment from the commission of Señor Malaspina, who at that time was at the Philippine Islands. They were the brig, Sutil, under command of Señor Don Galiano, and the schooner, Mexicana, under Señor Don Valdes, both of the Spanish navy.

They were following the course set the year previously by Lieutenant Francisco Eliza, northwesterly amongst the Gulf Islands. Note: Malaspina himself did not sail along these waterways.

Vancouver and his men after 56 days of laborious work had surveyed and named every important inlet, point, island, waterways, and anchorage from the entrance of Juan de Fuca Straits, around Puget Sound, and the islands in that area, thence followed the continental shore northwards, to Jervis Inlet, Howe Sound, Point Grey, and Burrard Inlet. It was while returning from Jervis Inlet, in a small boat that Vancouver first sighted the two small vessels off Point Grey.

Vancouver's feelings can be appreciated by the following entry in his journal, for June 22, 1792, quote: "I cannot avoid acknowledging that on this occasion, I experienced no small degree of mortification, in finding that the external shores of the gulf had been visited and already examined a few miles beyond where my researches during the excursion had extended."

Here are the dimensions of the two small Spanish ships, Sutil and the Mexicana: the Spanish vessels were both of 45 tons; keel - 46 feet, 10 inches; length overall - 50 feet, 3 inches; beam - 13 feet, 10; the aft hold - 6 feet, 2 inches; fore hold - 5 feet, 8 inches; and the armaments consisted of one three pounder, four falcons, 18 muskets, 24 pistols, and 18 sabres, each ship having 17 men aboard. Compare those measurements with Vancouver's ships: the Discovery, a sloop of war, was 340 tons, with a complement of 100 men, and the Chatham, with 135 tons, and a crew of 45.

On this historic occasion, the officers and men of both parties gave a genuine welcome to each other, as stated in their journals. I will quote here from Vancouver's journals: "Their conduct was replete with the politeness and friendship which characterizes the Spanish nation. Having partaken with them a very hearty breakfast, bid them farewell, not less pleased with their hospitality and attention than astonished at the vessels in which they were employed to execute a service of such a nature. They were each about 45 tons burthen, mounted two brass guns, and were navigated by 24 men, bearing one lieutenant, without a single inferior officer. Their apartments just allowed room for sleeping places on each side, with a table in the immediate space at which four persons with some difficulty could sit, and were in all other respects, the most ill calculated, unfit vessels that could possibly be imagined for such an expedition. Notwithstanding this, it was pleasant to observe in point of living, they possessed many more comforts than could reasonably be expected."

The rest of Vancouver's circumnavigation of Vancouver Island, and back to Nootka, is well-known history. But the voyage of the Spaniards through the Gulf of Georgia is not too well-known. I wish to give an account of their exploits gathered from authentic information.

Getting back to the Sutil and Mexicana, Galiano was entrusted to further the explorations of Eliza, and he entered the straits on the new expedition May 4, 1792, in the Sutil, accompanied by Valdes in the Mexicana. The vessels reached what is now Victoria June 9th. Galiano's journal of that date states: "The Port of Cordova is beautiful and affords good shelter for sailors." The nature of the land was described as rocky with fertile patches of soil, while roses abounded and many kinds of birds and waterfowl were observed.

Proceeding northwards, the sailed through Haro Straits, passing San Juan Islands. On June 12th, fire was observed on Mount Baker or Carmel, this was interpreted to be an active volcano. The vessels were now headed for the Sound of Florida de Blanca, the Spanish name for the Fraser delta, which Eliza was aware of on his last voyage in 1791. They must have taken the outside route of Galiano Island, for we find them trying to seek shelter through Porlier Pass from the Straits of Georgia.

The Archives Department of British Columbia have a full translation of the original journal of the expedition. And excerpts from this historic record are here quoted, dating from June 15th to the 18th, 1792:

June 15, 1792, quote: "In the morning at 4:30 a.m., Vernaci went with the launch to seek good anchorage to the northwest of the one we were in, thinking to find the Sounds of Porlier, from which we thought we were not very far distant. Our position was midway between the two points, which lie to the southeast of these sounds. The launch returned four hours later without success. The wind began to freshen from the northeast, and their position was giving them anxiety. At 9 a.m., the schooners had to proceed forward and reached the Sounds of Porlier at noon, and entered without sending a launch to reconnoitre it. The waters bore them inward, whether they were running swiftly."

The Sounds of Porlier, now known as Porlier Pass, is between Galiano and Valdes Islands, and the islands of the archipelago mentioned here would include Thetis Island.

Quote again: "Having got inside, we saw an archipelago of number of small, low islands, and perceived that the channel was divided into two main branches, one running southeast and the other west. It was at once resolved to take the former, so as to continue to have assistance of the wind to get out if necessary. But when we had lost the shelter of the coast, the Mexicana experienced such a squall of wind in the direction of the channel, so strong that it put her in danger of capsizing. We saw at once how risky it was to entangle ourselves among these islands, the channels of which were unknown to us, and were of no interest to examine. The wind, being compressed to pass through the narrow space in the opening of the mountains, blew with great force. The currents were rapid and had to take various directions according to the multitude of islands demanded. And as no shore whatever was visible, it seemed probable that there would be no convenient anchorages, as we could not go far inland, which would keep us a long time in this place, to the detriment of the important surveys of the direction, it seemed prudent to get out without delay.

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But, to get out of these channels was not so easy as we expected. The current had acquired such force that we could not overcome it with our oars, and the wind was slack and gentle, so in order to get into the main channel, we had to spend two hours in constant labour and danger. The Mexicana managed it by passing windward of the small island that lies at the entrance, and very near to the end of its reef, in four fathoms, the stones being visible at the bottom. But the Sutil, which was getting more involved at the entrance, preferred to bear away, so as to pass through the narrow channel formed by the islet and the coast, and did so successfully.

There were in these channels several deserted villages, and one with inhabitants on the west side of the sound. From the latter, five canoes came out, with two old men and 19 youths, all very robust and good looking. They came up to the schooners, gave us mulberries and shellfish, and took in exchange buttons and beads. And thinking that we wanted fresh water, they went to their villages and brought us some vessels of it."

Continuing with the story concerning the exploits of the Sutil and Mexicana, quote: "From the danger we had been, we followed the coast with the object of finding a good anchorage. We sailed straight to the Point of Gaviola," now known as Gabriola, "aided by a fresh wind from the east, which cleared the sky. We reached the east point of the said mouths, and passed between them an islet. On doubling the point, we saw two canoes which followed close to shore, observing the movements of the schooners, and on coming athwart of them, they approached very cautiously. To gain their confidence and friendship, we gave those who came in the canoes the best proof of our intentions, by throwing them some strings of beads into their canoes. But we could not get them to come near. We continued to proceed along the coast with the same object until at last we discovered an anchorage at a mile off the point. As it seemed suitable, we steered for it. We called this roadstead, Cala del Descanso from our need of rest and our appreciation of the discovery of that occasion." End of that quote.

This translation from the Spanish continues at length, covering the time up to meeting Captain Vancouver near Point Grey. We have selected some of the pertinent incidence for this article.

Replenishing fresh water and wood were the first consideration after mooring the schooners. The sailors met with some natives, and after being understood by signs, they were directed to small springs about two cables east of the port.

“On this day, 39 canoes with two or three natives in each, came around the schooners. The natives did not overcome their distrust, however much we endeavoured to understand our peaceable views. Their clothes were reduced in general to blankets of coarse, well-woven wool, fastened by pins to the shoulder. The idiom is entirely different from that at Nootka. Trading went on, quantities of smoked, dried sardines, bows and arrows with flints and shell points were exchanged for merchandise. The native prized most: beads, Monterey shells, and pieces of rough iron to form points for harpoons." End of that quote.

Now here is an interesting item, in support of my article read last year to the Nanaimo Historical Association on the native woolly dogs, quote: "They also offered new blankets, which we afterwards concluded were of dog's hair, partly because, when the woven hair was compared with that of those animals, there was no apparent difference, and partly from the great number of dogs they kept in those villages, most of them being shorn. These animals are of moderate size, resembling those of English breed, with very thick coats, and usually white. Among other things, they differed from those of Europe in their manner of barking, which is simply a miserable howl." End of quote.

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Dividing the crew into four watches, the night was peaceful, there were no disturbances in the anchorage. Rain fell continually.

June 16th: The day was spent by the officers bringing notes and observations up to date, while the sailors continued to replenish the fresh water. No entreaties could induce the native chief to come aboard the Sutil. Later in the day, two canoes appeared with four natives of evil appearances. They did not lack courage; however, they withdrew without incident.

June 17th: It was a delicious spring day. A pleasant country presented itself to view, and the roar of the waters dashing on the rocks charmed their senses. Some time was spent investigating the area.

June 18th: Repairs to the boats was attended to. In the afternoon, a party went in the launch to visit the mouths of Winthuysen and examine the creeks they had seen the previous day.

“The second mouth, reckoning from our anchorage, is more sheltered than that of El Descanso, but not so clear and good for anchorage. We afterwards went along a channel, which turns to the east southeast, and from its direction should fall into the archipelago we saw on the previous point to the eastwards of the port.”

Here is an item taken from British Columbia Historical, Volume One by F.W. Howay and O.E.S Scholefield [E.O.S. Scholefield], page 176, quote: "It should be mentioned that the Winthuysen was the name bestowed in 1791 by the Spanish navigator Eliza upon the inlet, the arms of which are known today as Northumberland Channel, Nanaimo harbour, and Departure Bay. The Cala del Descanso, or small bay of rest, of Galiano and Valdes is the little haven of Gabriola Island, opposite Nanaimo, to which the original name, Descanso, was restored in 1904, by Captain John H. Parry [John F. Parry] of HM surveying vessel Egeria, as related by Captain John T. Walbran in his well-known and exhaustive work in the coast names of British Columbia.

An extract from Captain John T. Walbran's book on British Columbia coast names, quote: "The name Winthuysen was given to Northumberland Channel, Nanaimo harbour, and Departure Bay collectively by Lieutenant Commander Eliza in 1791, and they remained under that name until 1853."

William Barraclough speaking. This article was presented by myself as a paper before Nanaimo Historical Society March 20, 1957, and then tape recorded from the original script August 2, 1969.

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