The Interwoven Lives of George Vancouver, Archibald Menzies, Joseph Whidbey, and Peter Puget: Exploring the Pacific Northwest Coast (Canadian Studies)

The Vancouver Voyage of 1791-95 exemplifies the upsurge of optimism and adventure in the last two decades of the 18th-century. Four men were the lynch-pins of that enterprise and this volume examines their achievements and sufferings. A particular focus of the text is the interplay and stress between the men, both physically and psychologically speaking, during the voyage. Evidence as to the nature of Vancouver's own chronic disease is presented, and his psychological state is analyzed. The achievement of both Vancouver and Menzies in defeating scurvy during the voyage is described, and Menzies' largely unpublished journal provides the major source of information on the lands explored and the peoples encountered. Whidbey's later life and relationships are also described.