CANADIAN HISTORY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 April 1929, Page 5

CANADIAN HISTORY

A ROMANTIC DISCOVERY

'CAPTAIN STRANGE’iS VOYAGES,

VANCOUVER, March G. A hollow log on the west coast of Vancouver Island is said to contain evidence that Captain James Strange, and not Captain Cook, took possession of this coast for Great Britain. An effort is now being made to locate the hollow log that for a century and a half has guarded rare British archives. Captain Strange’s journal has come to light in India, through the efforts of Mr John Hosie, provincial librarian, Victoria, 8.C., who has secured a copy from the Governor of Madras. The unique record has created such an interest that the Madras Government has printed a monograph on the subject. ■Captain Strange rvas no ordinary character. His godfather, was Bonnie Prince Charlie. H e was present at the marriage of Marie Antoinette. He played picquet with Napoleon at St. Helena. ll e won a gold coin from the little corporal, who presented him also with a box of French bon-bons! His father was Sir Robert Strange, the eminent engraver. Strange followed ‘Captain Cook to this coast, coming about seven or eight years later. It is recited in the journal of his voyage that, before departing from here, Strange displayed the Union Jack, and “took possession of the inlet and sound, honouring it with the name of Queen Charlotte Sound.” “Before we quitted our present station,” Captain Strange set down in his journal, “I left many testimonials behind me of our having visited and taken possession of this part of the coast. In the body of a large tree, opposite to one of the huts, I cut a deep hole, in which I deposited copper, iron and beads, besides leaving the name of our ships and the date of our discovery. ” The abandoned village to which Strange refers was in all probability located oa the western shore of Nigel Island, in Queen Charlotte Sound. Strange corroborates, the gruesome supposition of his more illustrious predecessor that, at the period in which they examined the coast, cannibalism was practised, and the hands and other portions of slain enemies were articles of commerce. Captain Strange named Capo Scott after his friend and patron, David Scott, of Bombay, and ‘(took possession of the country and bay in the name of His Britannic Majesty, which L accordingly did with the usual ceremonies of hoisting the colours and turning .a turf. ’ ’