© David Watts
Victoria winter 1996
Two hundred years back a flotilla of ships landed on our Western shore
South America already mostly was theirs, coming here to search for more
The vessels flew the flag of Spain, which wanted the Captain to press their claim
But Seňor Juan Quadra had a different style, a gentler conquistadore.
CHORUS
Juan Francisco de la Bodego y Quadra
Explorer and peacemaker, friend—
Brought together copper and fair skin
Old World and New, now as then.
He made friends of the Nootka and their leader Maquinna before Vancouver came
Didn’t use his advantage to blacken the Brits even when the Chief complained
Maquinna said of the British, “Don’t trust that crew”—“Why not?” Quadra asked, “You trust me, and I do”
And the Chief took his word as he trusted Juan Quadra, and trusted the British too.
(chorus)
Two parties opposed, the British and Spaniards, explored till their work was done
But the two captain friends held a party aboard before they sailed for home
As their sailors toasted jar on jar, they said “Let’s name something for the friends we are”
So they named the big island “Vancouver and Quadra” round which their ships had come.
(chorus)
Now time has erased the place where Juan Quadra cast anchor in Nootka bay
And the leaders in London wiped his name off the map from half a world away
The Island the two sailed all around now bears the name of Vancouver alone
But the friendship of Quadra lives on in the people of Canada to this day.
(chorus)
Now East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet
Till earth and sky stand presently at God’s great judgement seat
But there is neither East nor West, border nor breed nor birth:
When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the earth.