Category: Blog
Capt. Gray’s Ship Columbia Crossing the Bar – May 11, 1792
On May 11, 1792, Captain Robert Gray sailed his ship Columbia Rediviva into the mouth of the “Great River of the West”. Since the Columbia was the first large vessel to enter the river, Gray named the river Columbia after his ship. My painting shows the notable promontory named Cape Disappointment visible to the left…
Columbia Meets HMS Discovery & Chatham – April 29, 1792
Capt. Robert Gray’s ship Columbia meeting Capt. George Vancouver’s ships HMS Discovery and Chatham off the Northwest coast of America – April 29, 1792 The fur-trading ship Columbia Rediviva of Boston commanded by Captain Robert Gray is shown approaching the Northwest coast south of Cape Flattery. Columbia had spent the night sailing out to sea…
HMS Discovery & Chatham Becalmed in Rosario Strait – June 9, 1792
During the summer of 1792, Captain George Vancouver was moving his two vessels up through northern Puget Sound while conducting his extensive survey of the Northwest coast of America. His flagship HMS Discovery and tender Chatham had anchored, for the night of June 8th, off the southeast corner of Lopez Island at the beginning of…
H.M. Armed Tender Chatham Entering Cattle Pass – May 18, 1792
The brig Chatham’s commander, Lieutenant William Broughton, sails her through the pass between San Juan Island and Lopez Island to begin the first written survey of the San Juan Islands. The cutter, under Chatham’s master, James Johnstone, is leading the way as they buck the outgoing tide. Early that morning, with cloudy weather, they had…