Kendrick learned much of this information from John Howell, who joined the crew of "Washington" as clerk in Macau. Howell, who was fluent in Spanish, had served as interpreter for Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra at Nootka Sound during the diplomatic negotiations with George Vancouver in 1792. Howell arrived in Macau on the "Margaret", under James Magee. Magee had hired Howell as a "historian". The two had collected native artifacts from the Pacific Northwest Coast and the Hawaiian Islands. Howell would take command of "Washington" after Kendrick's death.