He said Vancouver's work was of great interest to the people in that part of the world because of his explorations there. The armed tender Chatham, consort of Vancouver's ship Discovery, had discovered and named Chatham Island, which was later associated with New Zealand in government. In his search for books bearing on explorations, Mr. Turnbull had located in an old book stall in London the manuscript of a journal kept by a member of the Chatham's crew. He purchased it and placed it in his private library in Wellington.
Finding that part of the journal related to the Northwest coast of America he had that portion carefully copied and it is from this copy that the present publication is made, Mr. Turnbull entered "(sic)" in a few doubtful places and these are allowed to stand. He also omitted a portion descriptive of a tragedy in Hawaii.
This journal is by no means as full or as finished in style as that of Vancouver, but it will certainly be cherished as a companion to the larger work.
Probably one reason for the name of the writer being unknown is that it was a government expedition and no private journals were permitted.
The present editor is responsible for the annotations.
Edmond S. Meany.
March, 1792.
From the Sandwich Islands to the No. We. Coast of America.
After leaving Ooneehow we had the wind from the Northward and Eastward, with which we stood to the N. W. close hauled. At daylight Ooneehow[147] bore East 7 or 8 leagues, Atooi Eb N 1-2 N, and Tahouru S E b S. As the morning advanced we got the wind from the N. Wrd. and the Signal was made to steer NNE. The wind blew fresh in squalls attended with rain all day and at night, and we lost sight of the Discovery, in the morning she was perceived a considerable distance to Leeward with only her head sails set, and we bore down to her, and as we came nearer we judged from what we saw going forward on board her, that she had sprung her Main Mast, indeed we could observe clearly that they were fishing it. This disagreeable weather continued several days, the wind chiefly from the Nd. & NbE. On the 23rd our Latitude: was 24.49 Nd. and the Longe: 209° Et. We now began to feel a very considerable change in the weather, and from the thin linen clothes that we were used to wear at the Islands, we were obliged to change to our warmest dresses. The Sandwich Island fowls though fed on their own country food all died.