Santiago
The Spanish naval ship Santiago is famous for several reasons: it was the first European ship to reach 54° 40' North, to map and reconnaissance the northwest coast, and to document an encounter with the Haida people.1
The Spanish were keen to extend northward their territories on the Pacific coast, and so, in 1774, Viceroy Antonio Bucareli ordered Juan Pérez to sail to and make landfall at 60° North.2 Furthermore, Pérez was to watch for any Russian settlements along the northern coast, to look for suitable sites for colonization, to possess land for Spain, and to trade peacefully with any encountered native populations.3
Pérez sailed from the Spanish naval base of San Blas on 25 January 1775 and reached present-day Graham Island, in Hadia Gwaii, on July 18th of the same year.4 Only days later, a small number of Haida people encountered the Spanish near present-day Langara Island.5
This historic meeting was the first among several similar encounters that would go on to affect significant political, social, and economic outcomes for the Haida—and other Indigenous peoples—the Spanish, British, Russian, and US governments.6
The Santiago was a three-masted frigate, 25 m long and 8 m wide, constructed at San Blas from local Mexican lumber.7 The ship was intended to house 64 crew, but the log for Pérez's voyage lists 88 expedition members and 24 passengers.8
BCGNIS lists two geographical features named “Santiago”, a creek and a mountain, the latter at least draws its official name from Perez's famous ship.9
Mentions of this vessel in the documents