Just a little more than
fifty years from Bering's discoveries, the exploration of the northwest
coast of America had been completed. Some one emitted an incoherent
shout that the work was finished! The cheer was caught up by every man
on board. Some one else recalled that it had been April when they set
out on the fool-quest of the Northeast Passage; and a true April's fool
the quest had proved! Then flags were run up; the wine casks brought
out, the marines drawn up in line, and three such volleys of joy fired
as those sailors alone could feel. For four years they had followed
the foolish quest of the learned world's error. That night Vancouver
gave a gala dinner to his crews. They deserved it. Their four years'
cruise marked the close of the most heroic epoch on the Pacific coast.
Vancouver had accomplished his life-work--there {290} was no northeast
passage through the west coast of America.[2]
[1] The legend of Juan de Fuca became current about 1592, as issued in
_Samuel Purchas' Pilgrims_ in 1625, Vol. III: "A note made by Michael
Lok, the elder, touching the strait of sea commonly called _Fretum
Anian_ in the South Sea through the North-West Passage of Meta
Incognita.
Pages:
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378