George Davidson, an artist,
Samuel Yendell, a carpenter, Haskins, an accountant of Barrell's
Company, Joshua Caswell of Maiden, Abraham Waters, and John Boit were
the new men to enlist for the venturesome voyage. The _Columbia_ left
Boston for a second voyage September 28, 1790, and reached Clayoquot on
the west coast of Vancouver Island on June 5, 1791. True to his
nature, Gray lost not a day, but was off for the sea-otter harvest of
the north, up Portland Canal near what is now Alaska. The dangers of
the first voyage proved a holiday compared to this trip. Formerly,
Gray had treated the Indians with kindness. Now, he found kindness was
mistaken only for fear. Joshua Caswell, Barnes, and Folger had been
sent up Portland Canal to reconnoitre. Whether ambushed or openly
assaulted, they never returned. Only Caswell's body was found, and
buried on the beach. Later, when the grave was revisited, the body had
been stolen, in all likelihood for cannibal rites, as no more degraded
savages exist than those of this archipelago. Over on Queen Charlotte
Island, Kendrick, who had returned from China on the _Lady Washington_,
{232} was having his own time.
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