Thomas Humphrey Metcalfe (also spelled Metcalf) ( – March 16, 1790) was an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
maritime fur trade
The maritime fur trade was a ship-based fur trade system that focused on acquiring furs of sea otters and other animals from the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast and natives of Alaska. The furs were mostly sold in China in ex ...
r who worked with his father,
Simon Metcalfe
Simon Metcalfe (also spelled Metcalf) (c. 1741 – 1794) was a British-born American surveyor and one of the first American maritime fur traders to visit the Pacific Northwest coast.
As early visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in 1789, Metcalfe and ...
. After being separated from his father in a storm, Thomas sailed a small
schooner
A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...
with a crew of four from the vicinity of China to
Nootka Sound
, image = Morning on Nootka Sound.jpg
, image_size = 250px
, alt =
, caption = Clouds over Nootka Sound
, image_bathymetry =
, alt_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry = Map of Nootka So ...
on
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...
where he was arrested by the Spanish. After being released he sailed to Hawaii, hoping to find his father. Instead, he was attacked and killed by
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaii ...
in revenge for misdeeds committed by his father just days before.
Early family life
Little is known about Thomas Metcalfe's life apart from the events of about 1787–1790. Thomas's father, Simon was born in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, England, in the mid-18th century. In 1763 he married Catherine Humphrey.
They immigrated to the
Province of New York
The Province of New York (1664–1776) was a British proprietary colony and later royal colony on the northeast coast of North America. As one of the Middle Colonies, New York achieved independence and worked with the others to found the Uni ...
about 1765.
[
]
Fur trading voyage
In the late 1780s Simon Metcalfe owned a 190-ton brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...
named ''Eleanora''. In February 1787 he sailed from New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
with his two teenage sons, Thomas and Robert, on a trading voyage to China.
The intention was to take a cargo of tea from China to New York City. But while in Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
(Canton) or Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...
, China, the Metcalfes heard about the possibility of making large profits trading sea otter
The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the small ...
furs in China. Simon Metcalfe decided to sail to the Pacific Northwest Coast to acquire sea otter furs before returning to China to buy tea. An English captain recommended taking a second, smaller ship to serve as tender and to more easily navigate narrow fjords.
To this end, Simon Metcalfe purchased a 26-ton schooner
A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...
in Macau. This vessel was given the name ''Fair American
''Fair American'' was a small American sailing vessel described variously as a schooner or sloop or brig. Purchased for use in the maritime fur trade on the Pacific Northwest coast, ''Fair American'' sailed from Macau to Nootka Sound on Vancouv ...
'' and put under the command of Thomas Metcalfe. The little schooner was long and wide and had a crew of four, plus Thomas. The schooner was undecked but copper-bottomed.[ When one of ]George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver (22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a British Royal Navy officer best known for his 1791–1795 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of what a ...
's officers saw the ''Fair American'', a few years later, he was "Stuck with Surprize, at so small a Vessel having been employ'd on such a Commercial pursuit as she had been, and to have travers'd Such an immense tract of Boisterous Ocean as she had done."
Separation and voyage to Nootka Sound
The ''Eleanora'', under Simon Metcalfe, and the ''Fair American'', under Thomas Metcalfe, left Macau in May 1789, intending to sail together to Nootka Sound
, image = Morning on Nootka Sound.jpg
, image_size = 250px
, alt =
, caption = Clouds over Nootka Sound
, image_bathymetry =
, alt_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry = Map of Nootka So ...
on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...
, present-day British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, Canada, but they were separated during a storm in the South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
.[ Young Thomas Metcalfe was left to find his own way across the ocean in his tiny vessel. His only navigational instrument was a compass, which broke en route. His only guide was a copy of a map made by ]James Cook
James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...
.[ Cook's map provided a general impression of the North Pacific coast but lacked detail.
Thomas sailed north along the ]Japanese archipelago
The Japanese archipelago (Japanese: 日本列島, ''Nihon rettō'') is a archipelago, group of 6,852 islands that form the country of Japan, as well as the Russian island of Sakhalin. It extends over from the Sea of Okhotsk in the northeast to t ...
, the Kuriles
The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands (; rus, Кури́льские острова́, r=Kuril'skiye ostrova, p=kʊˈrʲilʲskʲɪjə ɐstrɐˈva; Japanese: or ) are a volcanic archipelago currently administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the ...
, and the Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
. After 42 days at sea he stopped at a Russian fur-trade post on Unalaska Island
Unalaska ( ale, Nawan-Alaxsxa, russian: Уналашка) is a volcanic island in the Fox Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in the US state of Alaska located at . The island has a land area of . It measures long and wide. The city of Unala ...
, where the Russian commander Potak Zaikov provided flour and dried fish. Thomas continued down the Pacific Northwest Coast, acquiring some furs through trade with some Tlingit
The Tlingit ( or ; also spelled Tlinkit) are indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Their language is the Tlingit language (natively , pronounced ), and Haida
Haida may refer to:
Places
* Haida, an old name for Nový Bor
* Haida Gwaii, meaning "Islands of the People", formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands
* Haida Islands, a different archipelago near Bella Bella, British Columbia
Ships
* , a 1 ...
villages, before arriving at Nootka Sound.[ In the vicinity of ]Dixon Entrance
The Dixon Entrance (french: Entrée Dixon) is a strait about long and wide in the Pacific Ocean at the Canada–United States border, between the U.S. state of Alaska and the province of British Columbia in Canada. The Dixon Entrance is part of t ...
he encountered and briefly met with John Kendrick, who was sailing ''Lady Washington
''Lady Washington'' is a ship name shared by at least four different 80-100 ton-class Sloop-of-war and merchant sailing vessels during two different time periods. The original sailed during the American Revolutionary War and harassed British shi ...
'' to Haida Gwaii
Haida Gwaii (; hai, X̱aaydag̱a Gwaay.yaay / , literally "Islands of the Haida people") is an archipelago located between off the northern Pacific coast of Canada. The islands are separated from the mainland to the east by the shallow Hecat ...
.
According to Esteban José Martínez Esteban () is a Spanish male given name, derived from Greek Στέφανος (Stéphanos) and related to the English names Steven and Stephen. Although in its original pronunciation the accent is on the penultimate syllable, English-speakers tend t ...
, the Spanish commander at Nootka Sound, Thomas Metcalfe's ''Fair American'' arrived with "her mast sprung and her sails split", and that the schooner had no provisions left but only "some casks of water and some 65 otter skins". In addition, Martínez noted that Thomas Metcalfe had "no written passport or instructions and no papers except his diary", and that his sole compass was broken.[
Martínez, an experienced sailor who had been to Alaska the year before, was impressed. About Thomas he wrote: "He is but a boy, who under his father's orders undertook such an extended voyage. He and his men were exposed to the greatest dangers from rough weather and lack of provisions. They sailed over the open sea for more than three thousand leagues ver They were exposed to a thousand insults from the heathen and driven by necessity had to seek a meeting with the Spaniards, from which they expected relief."][
]
Capture at Nootka Sound
In 1789 both Simon Metcalfe and his son Thomas Humphrey Metcalfe were caught up in the Nootka Crisis
The Nootka Crisis, also known as the Spanish Armament, was an international incident and political dispute between the Nuu-chah-nulth Nation, the Spanish Empire, the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the fledgling United States of America triggered ...
at Nootka Sound. As increasing numbers of trading ships visited Nootka Sound, Spain decided to assert its claim to the Pacific Northwest Coast. In early 1789 a Spanish force arrived and established Santa Cruz de Nuca
Santa Cruz de Nuca (or Nutca) was a Spanish colonial fort and settlement and the first European colony in what is now known as British Columbia. The settlement was founded on Vancouver Island in 1789 and abandoned in 1795, with its far northerly ...
and Fort San Miguel
Fort San Miguel was a Spanish fortification at Yuquot (formerly Friendly Cove) on Nootka Island, just west of north-central Vancouver Island. It protected the Spanish settlement, called Santa Cruz de Nuca, the first colony in British Columbia.
...
.
The Spanish naval officer Esteban José Martínez Esteban () is a Spanish male given name, derived from Greek Στέφανος (Stéphanos) and related to the English names Steven and Stephen. Although in its original pronunciation the accent is on the penultimate syllable, English-speakers tend t ...
was in command and had orders to detain all foreign vessels. He seized the British merchant ships ''Argonaut'', under James Colnett
James Colnett (1753 – 1 September 1806) was an officer of the British Royal Navy, an explorer, and a maritime fur trader. He served under James Cook during Cook's second voyage of exploration. Later he led two private trading expeditions that ...
, , under Thomas Hudson, and ''North West America'', under Robert Funter. Martínez did not detain the U.S. ships ''Columbia Rediviva
''Columbia Rediviva'' (commonly known as ''Columbia'') was a privately owned American ship under the command, first, of John Kendrick, and later Captain Robert Gray, best known for going to the Pacific Northwest for the maritime fur trade. "R ...
'' and ''Lady Washington
''Lady Washington'' is a ship name shared by at least four different 80-100 ton-class Sloop-of-war and merchant sailing vessels during two different time periods. The original sailed during the American Revolutionary War and harassed British shi ...
'', under John Kendrick and Robert Gray.
On 20 October 1789, the ''Fair American'' under Thomas Metcalfe reached Nootka Sound. Esteban José Martínez seized the schooner and arrested the crew. A few days later Simon Metcalfe approached Nootka Sound and the ''Eleanora'' was almost captured as well, but he managed to escape. Martínez took the ''Fair American'' and her crew to the Spanish naval base at San Blas, Mexico, arriving on 6 December 1789.
Although Martínez did not seize the American ships ''Columbia Rediviva'' or ''Lady Washington'', and despite his admiration for Thomas Metcalfe's seamanship and his pity for the sorry state of the men, he decided to arrest Metcalfe and his crew and take the ''Fair American'' to Mexico, where higher authorities could decide what should be done. In order for the ''Fair American'' to make the voyage to San Blas, Martínez provided compasses, cordage
Cordage may refer to:
* Rigging, cords and ropes attached to masts and sails on a ship or boat
* Rope, yarns, plies or strands twisted or braided together into a larger form
See also
* String (disambiguation)
* Cord (disambiguation)
Cord or ...
, yards
The yard (symbol: yd) is an English unit of length in both the British imperial and US customary systems of measurement equalling 3 feet or 36 inches. Since 1959 it has been by international agreement standardized as exactly 0.914 ...
, and a new main-mast.[ During the voyage to San Blas, Thomas and his crew were under arrest and the vessel was captained by ]John Kendrick Jr
John Kendrick Jr. (born before April 1772), also known as Juan Kendrick, was the eldest son of John Kendrick, the American sea captain who commanded the first United States expedition to the Pacific Northwest. John Jr.'s exact date of birth is not ...
, who had come to Nootka Sound with his father, John Kendrick. While at Nootka, John Junior had converted to Catholicism, changed his name to Juan, announced his intention to obtain Spanish citizenship, and was hired by the Spanish Navy as a ''piloto''.[
On the way to San Blas a storm forced the ''Fair American'' under Juan Kendrick to seek shelter at ]Monterey, California
Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bo ...
. Thomas Metcalfe and his crew spent about ten days in prison in Monterey. Then they continued south, arriving at San Blas on 6 December 1789, where Metcalfe and his men were again imprisoned. The Spanish viceroy, Juan Vicente de Güemes, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo
Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo (Spanish, with variant name: ''Juan Vicente de Güemes Pacheco de Padilla y Horcasitas, segundo conde de Revillagigedo'') (April 5, 1738 in Havana – May 2, 17 ...
, was worried about the possibility of international crisis sparked by the seizure of three British and one U.S. merchant ships. Deciding to focus solely on Britain, he ordered the immediate release of Thomas Metcalfe, his men and ship.[ Later the viceroy decided it would be better to escort the ''Fair American'' back to Nootka Sound before releasing her. But by the time the news reached San Blas, Thomas Metcalfe was already sailing the ''Fair American'' to Hawaii.][
]
Release and Olowalu Massacre in Hawaii
The Metcalfes had planned to spend the winter in the Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...
, which were independent and only just beginning to be visited by outsiders. After Simon Metcalfe evaded capture at Nootka Sound he traded for sea otter furs in Haida Gwaii
Haida Gwaii (; hai, X̱aaydag̱a Gwaay.yaay / , literally "Islands of the Haida people") is an archipelago located between off the northern Pacific coast of Canada. The islands are separated from the mainland to the east by the shallow Hecat ...
before making for Hawaii.[ After being released from San Blas, Thomas Metcalfe sailed the ''Fair American'' to Hawaii, hoping to join his father.
The ''Eleanora'' under Simon Metcalfe arrived in the islands first, in the winter of 1789–90. In Kohala on the island of Hawaiʻi, Simon Metcalfe was greeted by local chief ]Kameʻeiamoku
Kameeiamoku (died 1802) was a Hawaiian high chief and the Counselor of State to King Kamehameha I. He was called Kamehameha's uncle, but he was really the cousin of Kamehameha's mother, Kekuiapoiwa II.
Birth and ancestry
Along with his twin b ...
and trading ensued.[Hawaiian History]
, International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management Simon had the chief flogged for some infraction. He then sailed to the neighboring island of Maui
The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...
to trade along the coast. Kameʻeiamoku vowed revenge on whatever ship next came his way.
On the coast of Maui a boat and sailor from the ''Eleanora'' went missing. It was discovered that the boat had been stolen. Simon Metcalfe's reaction became known as the Olowalu Massacre. He sailed to the village of the suspected thieves, Olowalu
Olowalu is a community on the west side of the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. It is located about south of Lahaina on the Honoapiilani Highway. It is a census-designated place (CDP), with a population at the 2020 census of 100.
It sust ...
. Feigning peaceful intent, he invited the villagers to the ''Eleanora'' for trade while he had his cannon loaded with ball
A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used f ...
and shot
Shot may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Shot'' (album), by The Jesus Lizard
*''Shot, Illusion, New God'', an EP by Gruntruck
*''Shot Rev 2.0'', a video album by The Sisters of Mercy
* "Shot" (song), by The Rasmus
* ''Shot'' (2017 fi ...
. When many canoes had gathered at the ship Simon ordered a broadside
Broadside or broadsides may refer to:
Naval
* Broadside (naval), terminology for the side of a ship, the battery of cannon on one side of a warship, or their near simultaneous fire on naval warfare
Printing and literature
* Broadside (comic ...
fired at point-blank range, which blasted the canoes to pieces. About 100 Native Hawaiian
Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaii ...
men, women, and children were killed and a great many more wounded.[
]
Death and capture of the ''Fair American''
Meanwhile, Thomas Metcalfe and the ''Fair American'' arrived at Kawaihae Bay, Island of Hawaiʻi, where shortly before his father Simon had flogged Chief Kameʻeiamoku and the chief had vowed revenge upon the next ship.
That next ship was the ''Fair American'', captained by Thomas Metcalfe, the son of the very person who had so offended the chief, although nobody was aware of that fact at the time. The schooner was manned by only four sailors plus its relatively inexperienced captain. On 16 March 1790, Kameʻeiamoku's men easily captured the schooner. Thomas Metcalfe and his crew were killed. The only survivor was Isaac Davis, who was badly injured but for some reason spared. Kameʻeiamoku appropriated the ship, its guns, ammunition, and other valuable goods, as well as Isaac Davis himself. At the time no one was aware of the family relation between the captain of the ''Fair American'' and Simon Metcalfe, whose ''Eleanora'' was anchored at Kealakekua Bay, about away.[ The ''Fair American'' and Davis were eventually given to King ]Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiikui Kamehameha o Iolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; – May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. T ...
.[
]
Aftermath
After the Olowalu Massacre, Simon Metcalfe sailed back to the island of Hawai'i, arriving a day after the capture of the ''Fair American'' and the death of Thomas Metcalfe. At Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii about south of Kailua-Kona.
Settled over a thousand years ago, the surrounding area contains many archeological and historical sites such as religious temples (heiaus) and also ...
Simon Metcalfe began what seemed to be friendly trade for provisions.[ When Kamehameha learned about the capture of the ''Fair American'' he prohibited further contact between the natives and the ''Eleanora''.][ Simon Metcalfe sent his ]boatswain
A boatswain ( , ), bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun, also known as a deck boss, or a qualified member of the deck department, is the most senior rate of the deck department and is responsible for the components of a ship's hull. The boatswain supervi ...
John Young John Young may refer to:
Academics
* John Young (professor of Greek) (died 1820), Scottish professor of Greek at the University of Glasgow
* John C. Young (college president) (1803–1857), American educator, pastor, and president of Centre Coll ...
ashore to investigate. Young was captured, and Metcalfe was puzzled by the sudden silence.[ He waited two days for Young to return, firing guns in hope that the sound would guide Young back. Finally, sensing danger or becoming frustrated, Metcalfe left and set sail for China, not knowing that his son had been killed not far away. He never learned about the attack on the ''Fair American'' or the fate of his son.
These events mark a turning point in Hawaiian history. John Young and Isaac Davis were instrumental in Kamehameha's military ventures and his eventual conquest and unification of the Hawaiian Islands.][ Young and Davis became respected translators and military advisors for Kamehameha. Their skill in gunnery, as well as the cannon from the ''Fair American'', helped Kamehameha win many battles, including the ]Battle of Kepaniwai
The Battle of Kepaniwai ("Battle of the Dammed Waters of ʻĪao" or Kaʻuwaʻupali, "Battle of the Clawed Cliffs") was fought in 1790 between the islands of Hawaiʻi and Maui. The forces of Hawaiʻi were led by Kamehameha I, while the forces of ...
, later in 1790, where the forces of Maui were defeated. Young and Davis married members of the royal family, raised families and received valuable lands.[
Simon Metcalfe continued to trade around the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean for another four years. In 1792 he purchased a small French brig at ]Port Louis
Port Louis (french: Port-Louis; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Polwi or , ) is the capital city of Mauritius. It is mainly located in the Port Louis District, with a small western part in the Black River District. Port Louis is the country's ec ...
, Isle de France (Mauritius)
Isle de France () was the name of the Indian Ocean island which is known as Mauritius and its dependent territories between 1715 and 1810, when the area was under the French East India Company and a part of the French colonial empire. Under th ...
to serve as a tender to ''Eleanora''. He named this brig ''Ino'' and appointed his younger son Robert to command her. When the ''Eleanora'' sank in the Indian Ocean in the winter of 1792–93, Metcalfe took command of the ''Ino''.[
In August 1794 Simon Metcalfe visited ]Houston Stewart Channel Houston Stewart Channel is a strait in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada. It separates Moresby Island and Kunghit Island.
Houston Stewart Channel was given its name by James Charles Prevost in 1853, in honour of William Houston Stewart, his pre ...
, at the southern end of Haida Gwaii
Haida Gwaii (; hai, X̱aaydag̱a Gwaay.yaay / , literally "Islands of the Haida people") is an archipelago located between off the northern Pacific coast of Canada. The islands are separated from the mainland to the east by the shallow Hecat ...
, and anchored in Coyah's Sound. Friendly trading with the local Haida
Haida may refer to:
Places
* Haida, an old name for Nový Bor
* Haida Gwaii, meaning "Islands of the People", formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands
* Haida Islands, a different archipelago near Bella Bella, British Columbia
Ships
* , a 1 ...
natives of Chief Koyah
Koyah, also Xo'ya, Coya, Coyour, Kower, Kouyer (Haida: ''Xhuuyaa'' - "Raven" ( 1787–1795), was the chief of Ninstints or Skungwai, the main village of the Kunghit-Haida during the era of the Maritime Fur Trade in Haida Gwaii off the North Coast o ...
began. Metcalfe let a great number come aboard the ''Ino''. The Haida took advantage of their superiority in numbers and attacked. Simon Metcalfe and his entire crew, except one, were killed.
References
External links
Letter from Captain Metcalf, 1790, to King Kamehameha
"Historic Kealakekua Bay"
''Papers of the Hawaiian Historical Society.'' Honolulu, Hawaii. 1928.
* Howay, Frederic William (1925)
"Captain Simon Metcalfe and the Brig 'Eleanora'"
Washington Historical Quarterly. 16 (2): 114–121.
* An account from ''Annual Report of the Hawaiian Historical Society''.
* https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/kona/history3.htm Overview of Hawaiian History; "Kamehameha Detains Two Foreigners".
* http://www.pacificworlds.com/kawaihae/visitors/explore.cfm Kawaihae, "Explorers"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Metcalfe, Thomas
1790 deaths
Ancient Hawaii
American explorers of the Pacific
American fur traders
History of British Columbia
History of Hawaii
Sea captains
Oregon Country