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The Northwest Coast
As usual in the Native and Yankee relations, unpleasantness was usually caused by a misunderstanding. A year earlier, while on Columbia, Kendrick had left some clothes out to dry when some of the native Haida took them. Kendrick was furious and went boiling into the village, dragging out the chief. There was a Haida custom that items available to trade were left out to be examined, and the natives believed Kendrick's laundry was available to be looked over. The captain, who spent a great deal of money on his clothes, only saw his precious valuables stolen by savages. As a result, he tied the leading Haida to cannon for the day and had their hair cut in humiliation. Kendrick then saw it as having righted the matter, and thought no more about it when he returned to the village in the Lady. The Haida, however, did not seek to understand Kendrick's motives or customs any more than the captain had the Haida.
As a result, when Lady Washington lay at anchor, the Haida waited until the deck seemed clear and rowed towards her in their formidable canoes. Kendrick had been drinking as usual, the weapons officer was not paying much attention either, and had left the arms chest open. Before either of them understood the danger, Haida began boarding the vessel. Within minutes, they had control of the weapons and had taken over the brig. Kendrick stood, hopelessly outnumbered, but he had the special connection a captain feels for his vessel. He found the crew below, ready to give up, but with the officers' pistols, he rallied them once more. Determined the Lady would not fall into their hands to be robbed and dismantled, Kendrick siezed an iron bar and tackled the Haida chief who had pulled a knife. Though he was stabbed, at that moment, the rest of the crew burst out from the hold. The Haida fled as the Lady's crew fought ferociously to save the brig. Various numbers have been recorded, but the average is that forty native Haida were killed that day (Scofield 225). It is a tragic episode in history that so many were killed over a misunderstanding of laundry procedures.
An unknown member of the Lady's crew, or someone who had heard the story, composed a ballad based on the encounter. It became extremely popular with sailors on the Northwest Coast and soon spread to the entire sailing community. Of course the song does not consider the point of view of the Haida who were effected. So many of them were killed, especially after Kendrick sent a few parting rounds of grapeshot into their village, that the next few ships to come along were boarded and the entire crew "clinch'd and stab'd, ev'ry man on board" (Scofield 227). Though fiercely protective, the Haida were not bloodthirsty but rather had a rich artistic and social culture. It is a pity that Lady Washington only had contact with their aggressive side.
Kendrick decided to sail straight to Nootka Sound, where he had much more pleasant trading experiences before. The Spanish had a new commandant, so Martinez would not be there to badger him about the pelts he had stolen the season before. The Nootkans had a great affection for Kendrick. He treated them as equals and showed deference to their culture and dress. It was said the natives "seemed very fond of Cpn Kendrick for he ever treated them with great kindess" (Scofield 231). This visit he must have been especially warm, to prevent another incident like the Haida disaster.
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 Painting by Gordon Miller 'Bold Northwestmen'
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