Edmond S. Meany’s 1907 text, Vancouver's discovery of Puget Sound, provides a detailed biographical ledger of the imperial cartography that fundamentally redefined the geographic identity of the Pacific Northwest. Chronicling Captain George Vancouver’s 1792 maritime expedition, the text details how British naval officers systematically renamed the ancient, complex marine highways and prominent peaks of the Coast Salish peoples, assigning the names of European aristocrats, diplomats, and crewmen to vital geographical features like Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, and Puget Sound. This act of imperial mapping constituted a profound linguistic superimposition, drafting the official navigational blueprints that would later guide the maritime supply chains and coastal infrastructure of incoming Euro-American pioneers. Furthermore, to survive the treacherous tidal currents and successfully chart the labyrinthine inlets, Vancouver's isolated crew engaged in intense cooperative maritime labor and frequently relied on observing the established coastal villages and deep environmental knowledge of local indigenous communities. Ultimately, Meany’s biographical catalog illustrates how initial naval exploration formally mapped a European bureaucratic framework directly onto a highly managed, pre-existing indigenous seascape, setting the stage for subsequent territorial settlement and corporate resource extraction.

Discoveries in geography, Nootka Sound (B.C.) Discovery and exploration, Nootka, Détroit de (C.-B.) Découverte et exploration, Nord-Ouest, Côte (Amérique du Nord) Découverte et exploration, North America Northwest Coast of North America, Northwest Coast of North America Discovery and exploration, Pacific Ocean Nootka Sound, Pacific Ocean Puget

Chapters 5-12 (p. 60-334) include a portion of Vancouver's journal, reprinted from v. 2 of his Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world: 2d edition. London, 1801. The reprint "is designed to follow the explorer from the time he strikes the shore of the present state of Washington ... on into Puget Sound, and around Vancouver Island, and, finally, through the negotiations at Nootka."

Chapters 5-12 (p. 60-334) include a portion of Vancouver's journal, reprinted from v. 2 of his Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world: 2d edition. London, 1801. The reprint "is designed to follow the explorer from the time he strikes the shore of the present state of Washington ... on into Puget Sound, and around Vancouver Island, and, finally, through the negotiations at Nootka."