Almost a Hero: The Voyages of John Meares, R.N., to China, Hawaii and the Northwest Coast

449 Pages·1998·3.47 MB·English

by  J. Richard Nokes

Almost a Hero : The Voyages of John
title: Meares, R.N., to China, Hawaii, and the
Northwest Coast
author: Nokes, J. Richard.
publisher: Washington State University Press
isbn10 | asin: 0874221552
print isbn13: 9780874221558
ebook isbn13: 9780585182414
language: English
Meares, John,--1756?-1809--Journeys,
subject
Explorers--Great Britain--Biography.
publication date: 1998
lcc: G286.M45N65 1998eb
ddc: 910/.9164/092
Meares, John,--1756?-1809--Journeys,
subject:
Explorers--Great Britain--Biography.
Page i
Almost a Hero
Page ii
Sir John Meares (1756?-1809) Royal Navy officer, Pacific
explorer and Northwest fur trader. This portrait served as the
frontispiece of Meares' Voyages (1790), published in London after
the Spanish seizure of Meares' ships in Nootka Sound had
nearly resulted in war between Britain and Spain.
Page iii
Almost a Hero
The Voyages of John Meares, R.N., to China, Hawaii and
the Northwest Coast
J. Richard Nokes
Foreword by David L. Nicandri
WSU PRESS
Washington State University Press
Pullman, Washington
Page iv
Washington State University Press
PO Box 645910
Pullman, WA 99164-5910
Phone [phone]; FAX [phone]
© 1998 by the Board of Regents of Washington State University
All rights reserved
First printing 1998
Printed and bound in the United States of America on pH neutral,
acid-free paper. Reproduction or transmission of material contained in
this publication in excess of that permitted by copyright law is
prohibited without permission in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Nokes, J. Richard.
Almost a hero: the voyages of John Meares, R.N., to China, Hawaii
and the Northwest Coast/by
J. Richard Nokes; foreword by David L. Nicandri.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-87422-155-2 (alk. paper). ISBN 0-87422-158-7 (pbk.: alk.
paper)
1. Meares, John, 1756?-1809 Journeys. 2. Explorers Great Britain
Biography. I. Title.
G286.M45N65 1998
910'.9164'092 dc21 98-30762
[B] CIP
Page v
To the Memory of my Parents,
James A. and Bernice A. Nokes,
Who Sacrificed Much for Their Family.
Page vii
Contents
Illustrations viii
Acknowledgments ix
Foreword xi
Introduction 1
1. Despair and Death on the Northwest Coast 7
2. Rescue and Controversy 19
3. A Chief of Atooi and a Girl of Hawaii 33
4. Shed a Tear for Winee 41
5. Philippines to Nootka 49
6. No Such River Exists 61
7. The Cape Called Meares 73
8. Mutiny, Launching and Departure 87
9. A Question of Cannibalism 99
10. Kaiana Goes Home 113
11. Setting the Stage at Nootka 123
12. The Arrest of James Colnett 139
13. Pitt's Pawn: John Meares 153
14. Not a Shot Was Fired 165
15. Afterword 173
Appendices
I. Mrs. Barkley's Case Against John Meares 179
II. Meares' Memorial to Parliament 187
III. Who Were the First Europeans to Visit Hawaii? 197
Documents
1. Commission of John Meares (9/17/1778) 205
2. Minutes of British Cabinet Meeting (4/30/1790) 206
3. Excerpts from Third Nootka Convention (1/11/1794) 207
4. Meares' Request for Reassignment (5/12/1796) 208
5. Excerpts from Last Will and Testament (1/19/1809) 209
Bibliography 211
Index 218
Page viii
Illustrations
Sir John Meares ii
The Felice Adventurer xiv
View of Volcano from Cook's River 6
Captain Nathaniel Portlock 18
Chart of the King George 22
A View in the Sandwich Islands 32
Wynee (Winee) 40
Sketch of Friendly Cove 48
Chart of the Felice and Iphigenia 52
Chart for the Felice South of Nootka Sound 60
The Felice's Longboat at Juan de Fuca Strait 66
Probability of Inland Navigation 72
Country of New Albion 74
Launch of the North West America 86
Callicum and Maquilla (Maquinna) 98
Tianna (Kaiana) 112
Woman of Queen Charlotte's Islands 122
Sketch of Port Cox 138
Plan of Port Effingham in Berkley's Sound 152
View of Macao 156
Pamphlet War 164
Native Trade Song 172