them Horsemen or Hackneymen rather for they rode on leane Iades which began to skirmish in such disordered sort encountring one with another and many of them falling to the ground that they seemed to be of some neighbour Villages which came more of force then with force or heart to the businesse Faria expected them encouraging his men and making a signe to the Iunkes The Horsemen diuided themselues and wheeled about as if that would haue fearred vs which seeing without effect they joyned in one bodie or heape rather whereat the Captayne commanded all the Caleeuers to shoot off at once with such successe that the former halfe of the Horsemen fell to ground And then wee which till that time had stood still gaue the assault crying on the name of Iesus insomuch that they fled so confusedly that they fell one vpon another and when they came to the Bridge ouer the Ditch they thronged themselues so that none could goe forward In this case we came on them and slue aboue three hundred none of them scarsly drawing Sword to defend themselues Wee prosecuted the victory to the gate in which was the Mandarine with sixe hundred men fairely mounted armed with a Corslet of Crimson Veluet gilded which we knew after to haue belonged to Tome Perez which King Emanuel of glorious memorie had sent Embassadour to China Hee and his began a fight with vs in the entrie of the gate more valorous then the former till a Boy of ours dismounted the Mandarine from his Horse with a Harquebusse shot thorow the breast which caused the rest disorderly to flee and we with them into the Towne They casting downe their weapons ranne out at another gate toward the Countrey none remayning Antonio Faria gathering his companie together marched orderly to the Chifanga the Prison where our men were brake vp the gates and grates and freed his men Then did he appoint halfe an houre to his people for spoile himselfe going to the Mandarines house and had 8000. Taeis of Siluer there fiue great boxes of Muske the rest he gaue to the Boyes which was much Silke twisted and vnwrought Damaske Sattin Porcelane the sacke was so rich that foure Barkes or Vessels in which they came went foure times laden therewith to the Iunkes that there was neither Boy nor Mariner which had not a Chist or Chists of pieces besides what they had secretly Hauing spent an houre and halfe he seeing night now come on set fire in ten or twelue parts of the Citie which being built of Pine timber suddenly arose into such a flame that it seemed a Hell And without impediment he embarked his company with much riches and many faire Girles tyed by foures and fiues with Match they crying ours triumphing It was now late yet had Faria care of the wounded which were fiftie of them eight Portugals and to burie the dead which were nine only one Portugall and keeping good watch that night as soone as it was day he went to a Village on the otherside of the water and found not one person in it the houses still furnished with goods and prouisions with which he laded the Iunkes and departed for a desart Iland fifteene leagues from Liampoo called Pullo Hinhâ—r where was good water and anchorage After wee had sayled fiue dayes betwixt the Iles Comolem and the continent Prematà Gundel a Rouer which had done much damage to the Portugals in Patane Sunda Siam taking vs for Chineses set vpon vs with two great Iunkes in which were two hundred fighting men besides Mariners and grapling with the Iunke of Mem Taborda had almost taken it when Quiay Panian came to her succour with such a stroke on her quarter that both sunke the three Lorchae which Faria brought from Nouday comming in saued most of our men the enemies being all drowned and Mem Taborda freed Meane while Prematà Gundel had with two hookes and Iron chaines fastned himselfe to Farias Iunke both in the poope and prow such a cruell battell following that in lesse then an houre most of Farias men and himselfe were wounded and twice in danger of taking when the three Lorchae and a little Iunke which Pero Sylua had taken at Nouday came in to his succour so that eightie sixe Moores which had entred Farias Iunke were slaine who had cooped our men before in the poop-roome and thence entring the Pirats Iunke put all therein to the sword This victorie cost seuenteene of ours their liues fiue of them of the best Portugall Souldiers besides three and fortie wounded The prize was valued at eightie thousand Taers the most of it Iapan Siluer which the Pirate had taken in three Iunkes come from Firando bound for Chincheo In the other sunken Iunkes was said to be as much With this prize Faria went to a little Iland called Buncalou foure leagues off and stayed there eighteene dayes making Cottages for the wounded which there recouered health Thence they departed Quiay Panian going in that Iunke of the Pirate with 20000. Taeis ouer and aboue for his part in sixe dayes we came to the Ports of Liampoo which are two Iles in which the Portugals made at that time their contractation and was a Towne of one thousand houses and sixe or seuen Churches built by them with Sherifs an Auditor Alcaides and other Officers the Notaries vsing to write I N. publike Notarie for the King our Lord in this Citie of Liampoo c. as if it had beene seated betwixt Santarem and Lisbon and such was their forwardnesse that some houses cost three or foure thousand Cruzados all which were razed afterwards by the Chinois so vncertaine are the things of China which in these parts are so esteemed so subiect to disastres and disaduentures When Faria was come to Portas de Liampoo he sent Mem Taborda and Anriques first to acquaint the Townes-men what had passed who sent Ieronymo do Rego with two Lanteas to thanke him for the bountie shewed in the case of Coia Acem and with refreshings and for the businesse at Nouday he need not be afraid there to winter the King of China being as they said lately dead and ciuill warres succeeding thirteene competitors being in Armes to enforce their pretended right and that the Tutan Nay which was next person to the King in all the Gouernment with meere and mixt Empire of Maiestie Regall was besieged in the Citie of Quoansy by Prechau Muan Emperour of Cauchinas in whose fauour it is holden for certaine that the King of Tartaria is comming with an Armie of nine hundred thousand men and that in this troubled estate Nouday would not be thought of which was in comparison of many other Cities in China lesse then Oeiras compared with Lisbon He was sixe dayes after with great triumph and glorious shewes made of his owne Fleet and of the many Boats Barkes and Citizens which came to fetch him there being three hundred men in
at Buda That Booke tels that nine dayes after his death the Citie Cohilouza shooke so that the people ranne out into the fields and abode in Tents to whom the Bonzos came and bid them feare nothing for they would beseech Quiay Tiguarem The God of the night to command the Earth to doe so no more otherwise they would giue him no Almes Thus went the Priests alone in Procession to that Idols House and making their night-Sacrifices and Perfumes the Earth quaked about eleuen of the clocke at night and ouerthrew the whole Citie one only of about foure thousand Bonzos remayning aliue into a Lake more then one hundred fathomes deepe called after this Fiunganorsee that is punished from Heauen Hence we came to a great Citie called Iunquilinau very rich with many Iunkes and Barkes where we stayed fiue dayes Chifu there celebrating his Wiues Exequies and giuing vs food and rayment for her soule freeing vs from the Oare and giuing vs leaue to goe on Land when wee would without our Collers which was very great ease to vs. Thence we went vp the Riuer still seeing on both sides many and faire Cities and Townes and other very great populations strongly walled and Fortresses alongst the water with Towres and rich Houses of their Sects with innumerable cattell in the fields and shipping in the Riuer in some places fiue hundred six hundred yea one thousand sayle in which were sold all things could be named Many Chinois affirmed that there were as many liued in that Empire on the water as in Cities and Townes so many in both that were it not for the good gouernment of their Trades they would eate one an other As in Duckes one trades in buying and hatching the Egges and selling the young another in breeding them for sale when they are great others in the Feathers others in the heads and in wares others in the Egges c. none interloping the others Trade vnder paine of thirtie stripes In Hogs one trades in selling them together aliue others kill them and sell them by weight others in Bacon others in Pigges others in Souse So in fish hee which sels fresh may not sell salt some sell them aliue c. and so in Fruits and other things And none may change his Trade without license They haue also along this Riuer of Batampina in which wee went from Nanquin to Pequin the distance of one hundred and eightie leagues such a number of Ingenios for Sugar and Presses for Wines and Oyles made of diuers sorts of Pulse and Fruits that there are streets of them on both sides of the Riuer of two or three leagues in length In other parts are many huge store-houses of infinite prouisions of all sorts of flesh in which are salted and smoked Beefe tame and wilde Hogs Ducks Geese Cranes Bustards Emes Deere Buffals Ants Horse Tygres Dogs and all flesh which the Earth brings forth which amuzed and amâ—zed vs exceedingly it seeming impossible that there should bee people in the World to eate the same Wee saw also great store of Barkes fenced at Poupe and Prow with Reedes of Canes full of Ducks to sell in diuers lofts ouer one another which goe out at foure strokes of a Drumme sixe or seuen thousand together to feed where they set them at the sound of the Drumme returning againe with like exceeding crie In the like sort they let them out to lay on the grasse They that hatch them haue long houses with twentie Furnaces full of dung with some hundreds of Egges couered therein and hatched by that heate the mouth stopped till they thinke fit time then putting in a Capon halfe plucked and wounded on the brest they shut it againe and after two dayes the Capon hath drawne them all forth and they put them into holes prouided for them We saw along the Riuer in some places store of Swine wild and tame kept by men on Horsebacke in other places tame Deere kept by Footmen all maymed in the right foreleg that they should not runne away which they doe when they are young Wee saw Pennes full of little Dogges to sell Barkes full of Pigges others of Lizards Frogs Snakes Snailes all being meate with them In these being of small price they may fell many kinds Yea the dung of men is there sold and not the worse Merchandize that stinke yeelding sweet wealth to some who goe tabouring vp and downe the streets to signifie what they would buy Two or three hundred sayle are seene sometimes fraighted with this lading in some Port of the Sea whence the fatned soyle yeelds three Haruests in a yeare Wee came to a Faire of China where on the water 2000. Barkes besides small Boats which goe vp and downe and small Barkes were assembled in one place and made a Citie with streets in the water aboue a league long and a third part of a league broad These Faires are principally on the Holy day of some Pagode whose Temple is by the waters side In this Water-citie by the order of the Aitao of Bitampina who is chiefe President of the thirtie two Admirals of the thirtie two Kingdomes of this Monarchie are sixtie Captaynes appointed thirtie for the gouernment and ordering of the same in matters of Iustice and other thirtie to guard the Merchants in comming safely secured from Theeues Ouer all these is a Chaem which hath Mere and mixt Rule in Causes Ciuill and Criminall without Appeale These Faires last from the new Moon to the ful in which it is a goodly thing to see two thousand streets or ranks strait enclosed with Barkes most of them flourishing with Streamers and Banners and railes painted whereon are sold all things that can be desired in others Mechanike Trades in the midst Boats going vp and downe with people to trade without any confusion or tumult As soone as it is night the streets are enclosed with Cables In euery street is ten Lanthornes lighted on the Masts which yeelds a fairer lustre then the former sight by day to see who goeth by and what is his businesse In each of these streets is a Watch-bell and when that of the Chaems sounds all the rest answer with as strange an Object to the Eare as the former to the Eye In euery of these Vowes are Oratories built on Barkes with gilded Tents where the Idoll and Priests receiue the Deuotions and Offerings of the people Amongst other remarkable things we saw one rew or street of aboue one hundred Barkes laden with Idols of gilded wood of diuers sort which are sold to be offered in the Pagodes and besides feet legs armes and heads which sicke folkes offered for Deuotion Other Barkes there are with Tents of Silke in which Comedies and pastimes are represented In others are sold Letters of Exchange the Priests giuing them Bils to receiue in Heauen what their folly lay downe there with great increase Our Scriueners would scarsly grow rich
may be called the Mother Citie of the Worlds Monarchie for the wealth gouernment greatnesse iustice prouisions It stands in the height of 41. degrees to the North it contayneth in circuit as the Chinois and as I after heard read in a little Booke written of the greatnesse thereof called Aquesendoo which I brought with mee into this Kingdome thirtie leagues ten in length and fiue in bredth all which space is enuironed with two Walls and innumerable Towers and Bulwarkes Without is a larger space which they say was anciently peopled which now hath but Hamlets and scattered Houses and Garden-houses of which sixteene hundred are of principall note in which are the sixteene hundred Proctors for the sixteene hundred Cities and Townes of note of the two and thirtie Kingdomes of this Monarchie which reside there three yeeres for the said Townes Without this circuit or wall there are in the space of three leagues broad and seuen long foure and twentie thousand Sepulchres of Mandarines with their little gilded Chappels encompassed with grates of Iron and Latten with rich Arches at their entries Neere to them are Gardens Groues Tankes Fountaines the walls lined within with fine Porcelane adorned also with Lions and Pinacles of diuers paintings There are in that space fiue hundred Lodgings called Houses of the Sonne of the Sunne for entertainment of Souldiers maimed in the Kings warres besides many others for the old and sicke euery of which receiue their monethly allowance and haue in them as they said two hundred men in all one hundred thousand Wee saw another street very long where liued foure and twentie thousand Rowers for the Kings shipping and another aboue a league long where liued fourteene thousand Tauerners for prouision for the Court and another where were infinite Curtesans freed from tribute which those of the Citie pay for seruice of the Court many running from their husbands and here protected by the Tutan of the Court which is supreme in cases of the Kings house In that compasse also liue the Landerers of the Citie which were as they told vs aboue one hundred thousand there being many Tankes or Ponds compassed with stone and Riuers There are therein as that Booke sayth thirteene hundred Noble houses of Religious men and women which professe the foure chiefe Sects of the two and thirtie which are in that Kingdome some of which they say haue aboue one thousand persons within them besides seruitors There are other houses store with great walls in which are Gardens and Groues with game for hunting and are as it were the Halls of Companies where many resort to see Playes and the great men make their feasts there with incredible costs Some of these houses cost aboue a million maintayned by Companies of rich Merchants which are said to gaine much thereby And when any will make a feast he goeth to the Xipatom of the house who sheweth him a Booke wherein is contayned the order of feasts and seruices which Booke I haue seene and heard read of all sorts and of what prices they are whether Sacred to their Idols or Secular of which our Authour hath a large Chapter here omitted Now for Pequin it hath three hundred and sixtie Gates each hauing a Castlet with two Towers and a Draw-bridge a Notarie and foure Warders to take notice of those which goe in and out and an Idoll proper according to the dayes of the yeere euery of which is festiuall in one of them The Chinois reported that there are therein three thousand eight hundred Temples or Pagodes in which are continually sacrificed birds and wilde beasts which they say are more acceptable then tame those especially very faire which are of the Menigrepos and Conquiais and Talagrepos the Priests of the foure chiefe Sects of Xaca Amida Gizon and Canom The streets are long and large the houses faire of one or two lofts encompassed with Iron and Latten grates and at the streets end are triumphall arches closed at night in the chiefe are Watch-bells Euery street hath a Captaine and foure Quarter-masters or Corporals which euery ten dayes acquaint the Lonchacys or Chaems with occurrents That Booke reports of one hundred and twentie water-passages sixe fathome deepe of water and twelue wide with many stone bridges which are said to be eighteene hundred rich and faire with arches pillars and chaines it tels also of one hundred and twentie Market-places each of which haue their monethly Faires which make some foure faires a day thorow the yeere of which we saw ten or twelue in our two moneths free abode very full of horse-men and foot-men with all commodities to be sold. There are one hundred and sixtie Shambles each hauing one hundred blockes for Flesh of all sorts the price set downe on euery blocke and besides the shop-weights are weights at euery Gate to examine the weight againe And besides those generall shambles euery street hath fiue or sixe shops which sell all kinde of Flesh houses also for Poultrie and for Bacon and hanged Beefe §. V. Foure Buildings incredibly admirable in Pequin and diuers of their superstitions their Hospitals and prouisions for the Poore The Kings reuenues and Court their Sects BVt nothing seemed to me more admirable then the Prison called Xinanguibaleu that is the Prison of the exiled whose compasse contayneth about two leagues square as well in length as breadth walled high and ditched deepe with draw-bridges hanged on Iron cast pillars very great It hath a high arch with two towers whereon are six great watch-Bels at the sound whereof the rest within answer which are sayd to bee one hundred In this Prison are continually three hundred thousand men from sixteene to fiftie yeers of age all condemned to banishment for the fabrike of the wall betwixt Tartaria and China whom the King findes maintainance onely without other pay After they haue serued sixe yeares they may goe out freely the King freely remitting their sentence in satisfaction of their labour And if in the meane time they kill an enemie or haue beene thrice wounded in sallies or performe any worthy exploit he is also freed There are two hundred ten thousand employed in that seruice of which yeerly in those that dye are maimed or freed one third part is set off and supplyed from that Prison which was builded by Goxiley the successor of Crisnagol the founder of the wall brought thither from all parts of the Realme and sent to the Chaem of the wall at his appointment These prisoners are sent from other prisons being loose saue that they weare at their necke a board of a spanne long and foure fingers broad inscribed with their name and sentence of exile such a time In this Prison are two Faires yeerely one of which wee saw kept in Iuly and Ianuarie franke and free without payment of tolls to which are thought to assemble three millions of persons the
by reason of the great frost and cold and that day wee went twice with our Sleds to fetch Wood. The fiue and twentieth it was darke wether the wind blowing West West South-west and South-west and the Ice began somwhat to open and driue away but it continued not long for that hauing driuen about the length of the shot of a great Peece it lay three fathoms deepe vpon the ground and where we lay the Ice draue not for we lay in the middle of the Ice but if we had layne in the mayne Sea we would haue hoysed sayle although it was then late in the yeere The same day we raysed vp the principles of our house and began to worke hard thereon but if the ship had beene loose we would haue left our building and haue made our after Steuen of our ship that we might haue beene ready to sayle away if it had beene possible The sixe and twentieth wee had a West wind and an open Sea but our ship lay fast wherewith we were not a little grieued but it was Gods will which we most patiently bare and wee began to make vp our house part of our men fetched Wood to burne the rest played the Carpenters and were busie about the house as then we were sixteene men in all for our Carpenter was dead and of our sixteene men there was still one or other sicke The seuen and twentieth it blew hard North-east and it froze so hard that as we put a nayle into our mouthes as when men worke Carpenters worke they vse to doe there would Ice hang thereon when we tooke it out againe and make the bloud follow the same day there came an old Beare and a young one towards vs as we were going to our house being all together for we durst not goe alone which we thought to shoot at but she ran away at which time the Ice came forcibly driuing in and it was faire Sun-shine weather but so extreme cold that we could hardly worke but extremity forced vs thereunto The eight and twentieth it was faire weather and the Sunne shone the Wind being West and very calme the Sea as then being open but our ship lay fast in the Ice and stirred not the same day there came a Beare to the ship but when she espyed vs she ranne away and we made as much haste as wee could to build our House The nine and twentieth in the morning the Wind was West and after-noone it blew Northerly and then wee saw three Beares betweene vs and the House an old one and two young but we notwithstanding drew our goods from the ship to the House and so got before the Beares and yet they followed vs neuerthelesse we would not shun the way for them but hollowed out as loud as we could thinking that they wold haue gone away but they would not once goe out of their foot-path but got before vs wherewith we and they that were at the house made a great noyse which made the Beares run away and we were not a little glad thereof The thirtieth the Wind was East and East South-east and all that night and the next day it snowed so fast that our men could fetch no Wood it lay so close and high one vpon the other then wee made a great fire without the House therewith to thaw the ground that so we might lay it about the House that it might bee the closer but it was all lost labour for the Earth was so hard and frozen so deepe into the ground that wee could not thaw it and it would haue cost vs too much Wood and therefore wee were forced to leaue off that labour §. II. Their cold comfortlesse darke and dreadfull Winter the Sunnes absence Moones light Sunnes vnexpected returne with miraculous speed Of Beares Foxes and many many Wonders THe first of October the Wind blew stiffe North-east and after-noone it blew North with a great storme and drift of Snow whereby wee could hardly goe in the Wind and a man could hardly draw his breath the Snow draue so hard in our faces at which time we could not see two ships length from vs. The second before noone the Sunne shone and after noone it was cloudie againe and it snew but the vveather was still the Wind being North and then South and vvee set vp our House and vpon it wee placed a May-pole made of frozen Snow The third before noone it was calme Sun-shine vveather but so cold that it was hard to bee indured and after-noone it blew hard out of the West vvith so great extreme cold that if it had continued we should haue beene forced to leaue our vvorke The fourth the Wind was West and after-noone North with great store of Snow vvhereby vve could not vvorke at that time vve brought our Anchor vpon the Ice to lye the faster vvhen vvee lay but an Arrovv shot from the Water the Ice was so much driuen away The fifth it blevv hard North-west and the Sea vvas very open and vvithout Ice as farre as vve could discerne but vve lay still frozen as vve did before and our ship lay two or three foot deepe in the Ice and vvee could not perceiue otherwise but that vvee lay fast vpon the ground and then it vvas three fathome and a halfe deepe The same day vve brake vp the lower deck of the fore-part of our ship and vvith those Deales vve couered our Houses and made it slope ouer head that the Water might runne off at vvhich time it vvas very cold The sixth it blew hard West South-west but towards Eeuening West North-west with a great Snow that wee could hardly thrust our heads out of the doore by reason of the great cold The seuenth it was indifferent good weather but yet very cold and wee calk't our House and brake the ground about it at the foot thereof that day the Wind went round about the Compasse The eight all the night before it blew so hard and the same day also and snowed so fast that we should haue smothered if we had gone out into the Ayre and to speake truth it had not beene possible for any man to haue gone one ships length though his life had layen thereon for it was not possible for vs to goe out of the House or ship The ninth the Wind still continued North and blew and snowed hard all that day the Wind as then blowing from the Land so that all that day we were forced to stay in the ship the weather was so foule The tenth the weather was somewhat fairer and the Wind calmer and blew South-west and West and South-west and that time the Water flowed two foote higher then ordinary which we ghest to proceede from the first North-wind which as then had blowne The same day the weather began to be somewhat better so that we began to go out of our ship againe and as one of our men went out he chanced to meet
calme then wee tooke the height of the Sunne and found it to be eleuated aboue the Horizon 18. degrees and 40. minutes his declination being 4. degrees and 40. minutes which being substracted from the height aforesaid there rested 14. degrees which taken from 90. degrees the height of the Pole was 76. degrees The sixt it was still foule weather with a stiffe North-west wind that night there came a Beare to our house and we did the best we could to shoot at her but because it was moist weather and the cocke foisty our Peece would not giue fire wherewith the Beare came boldly toward the house and came downe the staires close to the doore seeking to breake into the house but our Master held the doore fast to and being in great haste and feare could not barre it with the piece of Wood that wee vsed thereunto but the Beare seeing that the doore was shut shee went backe againe and within two houres after shee came againe and went round about and vpon the top of the house and made such a roaring that it was fearefull to heare and at last got to the chimney and made such worke there that wee thought shee would haue broken it downe and tore the sayle that was made fast about it in many pieces with a great and fearefull noise but for that it was night we made no resistance against her because wee could not see her at last she went away and left vs. The fourteenth it was faire cleare weather with a West wind then we saw greater hills of Ice round about the ship then ouer we had seene before which was a fearefull thing to behold and much to be wondred at that the ship was not smitten in pieces The fifteenth it was faire calme weather with a North wind then seuen of vs went aboord the ship to see in what case it was and found it to be all in one sort and as wee came backe againe there came a great Beare toward vs against whom we began to make defence but she perceiuing that made away from vs and we went to the place from whence shee came to see her Den where we found a great hole made in the Ice about a mans length in depth the entrie thereof being very narrow and within wide there we thrust in our Pikes to feele if there was any thing within it but perceiuing it was empty one of our men crept into it but not too farre for it was fearefull to behold after that we went along by the Sea-side and there we saw that in the end of March and the beginning of Aprill the Ice was in such wonderful manner risen and piled vp one vpon the other that it was wonderfull in such manner as if there had beene whole Townes made of Ice with Towres and Bulwarkes round about them The sixteenth it was foule weather the wind North-west whereby the Ice began somewhat to breake The seuenteenth it was faire cleare weather with a South-west wind and then seuen of vs went to the ship and there we saw open water in the Sea and then wee went ouer the Ice-hills as well as we could to the water for in sixe or seuen moneths we had not gone so neere vnto it and when we got to the water there we saw a little bird swimming therein but as soone as it espied vs it diued vnder the water which we tooke for a signe that there was more open water in the Sea then there had beene before and that the time approached that the water would open The eighteenth of Aprill it was faire weather the wind South-west then wee tooke the height of the Sunne and it was eleuated aboue the Horizon 25. degrees and 10. minutes his declination 11. degrees and 12. minutes which being taken from the height aforesaid there rested 13. degrees and 58. minutes which substracted from 90. degrees the height of the Pole was found to be 75. degrees 58. minutes then eleuen of vs went with a Sled to fetch more Wood and brought it to the house in the night there came another Beare vpon our house which we hearing went all out with our Armes but the Beare ran away The eight and twentieth it was faire weather with a North wind then we tooke the height of the Sunne againe and found it to bee eleuateed 28. degrees and 8. minutes his declination 14. degrees and 8. minutes which substracted from 90. degrees there rested 76. degrees for the height of the Pole The nine and twentieth it was faire weather with a South-west wind then we played at Colfe both to the ship and from thence againe homewards to exercise our selues The thirtieth it was faire weather the wind South-west then in the night wee could see the Sunne in the North when it was in the highest iust aboue the Horizon so that from that time wee saw the Sunne both night and day §. III. Their preparation to goe from thence they depart in a Boat and Scute both open and come to Cola 1143. miles Their many dangers by Beares Ice Famine Scorbute in the way THe first of May it was faire weather with a West wind then wee sod our last flesh which for a long time we had spared and it was still very good and the last morsell tasted as well as the first and we found no fault therein but onely that it would last no longer The second it was foule weather with a storme out of the South-west whereby the Sea was almost cleare of Ice and then wee beganne to speake about getting from thence for we had kept house long enough there The third it was still foule weather with a South-west wind whereby the Ice began wholly to driue away but it lay fast about the ship and when our best meate as flesh and other things beganne to faile vs which was our greatest sustenance and that it behooued vs to be somewhat strong to sustaine the labour that wee were to vndergoe when we went from thence the Master shared the rest of the Bacon amongst vs which was a small Barrell with salt Bacon in pickle whereof euery one of vs had two ounces a day which continued for the space of three weekes and then it was eaten vp The fourth it was indifferent faire weather the wind South-west that day fiue of vs went to the ship and found it lying still as fast in the Ice as it did before for about the middle of March it was but seuenty fiue paces from the open water and then it was fiue hundred paces from the water and enclosed round about with high hills of Ice which put vs in no small feare how wee should bring our Scute and our Boat through or ouer that way into the water when wee went to leaue that place That night there came a Beare to our house but as soone as shee heard vs make a noyse she ranne away againe one of our men that climbed vp in the Chimney saw when shee
Mora or Drie Sea The other is this which is betwixt the Matpheyoue Ostroue and the Yougorskoie-share lying as before was sayd South from the sayd Matpheyoue Ostroue From which Iland in a cleere day they can see the Land of Vaygats which lyeth on the Larboord side being very high Land So that stirring out-right in the middle betweene the Meadanetskoiâ— Land on their Starboord and the Land of Vaygats on their Larboord side they sayle directly into the Yougorskoie-share Likewise there is not much of this Yougorskoie-share For they say that being at one end they can see the Sea at the other end thereof Also about the Land of Vaygats are neither Flats nor Shoalds From the Yougorskoie-share to the Carskoie Gooba is twelue houres sayle or twentie leagues In this Bay or Gooba is the Meastnoy Ostroue or Meastnoy Iland Further it is to bee remembred that as soone as they enter this Carskoie Gooba or Bay they sayle vp a Riuer leauing this Bay on their Starboord which Riuer bringeth them into the Mootnoya Reca which signifieth the thicke or troubled Riuer From Carskoie Gooba to this Mootnoya Reca is 20. leagues Likewise being a little past the Yougorskoie-share there may bee described an high Land which they call Socoâ—a Looda that is The Hawkes perch And being ouer the Mootnoya Reca which they are eight dayes and eight nights in halling along the shoare by the Rope or Beachaua they come into two Lakes which two Lakes from one end to the other they commonly row ouer in one Day or two Tides the same not being aboue ten or twelue leagues Hauing gotten to the end of those two Lakes they come to a place called the Nauoloke which signifieth an Ouer-hall And it is almost two hundred fathoms or foure hundred paces in length And hauing emptyed their Vessels called Coaches laying poles vnder them with the Companies or men of foure or fiue Boates hauing twelue or thirteene men in a Boate they hall their Vessels ouer launching them into a third Lake which they call the Zelenoy Osera that is the Greene Lake These Ouer-halls constraine them to consort themselues into Companies otherwayes they could not get this way to Mongozey At the end of this Zelenoy Osera or Greene Lake they come into the Zelenoya Reca or Greene Riuer into which they runne with the streame being often compelled to emptie their great Boates with their Lodias or Wherries laying their Goods vpon the shoare which being done they row their great Lodias ouer the shoalds emptie and hauing got ouer the shoalds they bring their goods on boord againe And thus they doe in diuers places of this Zelenoya Reca or Greene Riuer by reason whereof they are commonly ten dayes from the Ouer-hall before they can get through this foresayd Riuer which is all with the streame but the Distance hereof cannot yet bee perfectly learned Being come to the end of this Zelenoya Reca they enter into the Riuer of Ob and hauing rowed a little way vp the same they come to a place which they likewise call Zauorot which signifieth a turning winding or entring into a place From this Zauorot they turne into the Tawze Reca stirring away South to Tawze Riuer but it is foure and twentie houres sayle or fortie leagues from the Riuer of Ob before they come into any part of the Tawze Reca In the Riuer of Ob are neither Woods nor Inhabitants till they sayle so farre vp the same that they come neere to Siberia But there are Woods When they are entred into this Tawze Riuer they haue foure dayes and foure nights sayling to Tawze Castle with a faire wind and a stiffe gale But if they bee driuen to row to the Tawze Gorodoc or Castle then they are twelue dayes and twelue nights rowing thither at the least hauing calme weather This Tawze Gorodoc or Tawze little Castle with the Villages Townes and all other places there to belonging is by all the Russes generally called Mongosey At this place are two Gentlemen or Gouernours with three or foure hundred Gunners and small Câ—stles in seuerall places of these parts of Mongosey Moreouer the men of Mezen from whom I had all these Notes told me That in the Winter time there went men from Siberia to Mongosey to buy Sables deliuering vnto mee that the Sables taken by the Samoyeds about Mongosey are richer in Furres then those that come from Siberia Also they told me that the Samoyeds inhabiting vpon the mayne land ouer against Vaygats trauelled in the Winter time with their Reyne Deere to the parts of Mongosey to kill Sables and other beasts and doe carrie their Furres from thence to Mezen to sell there at a place called by the Russes Slobodca to which they did commonly resort about Shroue-tide staying not there long but as soone as they had made sale of their Furres they departed home againe Further these men of Mezen told me that in the Winter time with them was to be sold store of Squerrils Beauers Beauers wombs and 〈◊〉 Sables And that all those that trauelled in the Winter time from any part of Mongosey Sibiâ—â— Pechora and Oust-selma to any part of Russia whether they were Merchants or buyers vp of the Furres or the Samoyeds that caught them they must of force come to their Towne of Mezen to hire Horses to carrie them to Colmogro By which meanes they told mee their Towne was well replenished with all manner of Furres especially of Squerrils Also they informed me that diâ—ers of Colmogro and other parts of Russia thâ—â— sold vs Furs for the most part bought the same of them lying there in the Winter time for that purpose Therefore said they if that any of our Nation would trade into their parts they would be glad thereof and that they may be furnished of all sorts of Furres and at a farre better rate then hitherto we haue had them at And that wee could vpon any occasion he quickly at Colmogro in the Winter time by Sled or in any part of the Spring or Summer time by Boatâ— at a very small charge Lastly that in the Spring time we should not faile of a parcell of Trane-cyle and Deeres skinnes which euery Summer they transported to Archangel to sell. A true direction of the Russes trauelling from Mezen with Cayooks or small Boats through the Riuer Peoza and from thence to a place called by them Peaskanoy Nauolock or The Sandy Ouer-hall passing from thence through other Riuers till they come to Oust-selma and to the Towne of Pechora And is as followeth HAuing embarqued themselues at Mezen in these small Cayooks or Boats couered with the barkes of trees they sayle to a Riuer called Peoza Reca From thence they sayle or draw their Boats to a place called the Peaskanoy Nauolock or Sandy Ouer-hall From Mezen to this Ouer-hall is ten dayes haling along the shoare with the rope This said Ouer-hall is fiue Russe
South-east and set at West due by the Compasse as I could set it the variation being two points Westerly for at a South South-west the Sunne commeth to the Meridian The twentieth I had conference with a Russe concerning their trade of Molgomsey who had beene there twice and he was the first that euer attempted it and none hath beene farther then he to the Eastwards And he told me that their course from Medenskoy Zauorot at the mouth of Pechora to the Eastward to the two Ilands called Zyelensa is two dayes and three nights distance sayling with a faire wind From thence to Breit-vinnose three dayes and three nights sailing with a faire wind which is within the Streight of Vaygats And from thence by an Iland or rather a Rocke called Socolia Lowdia leauing it on the Starboord side for feare of Rockes still keeping your course North-east vntill you come to a long Point on the Starboord side with a sand lying off into the Sea three miles some fiue or sixe dayes sayling Which when you haue gotten about you must hold your course somewhat more enclining to the South fiue or six dayes more and then you shall come to the Riuer of Ob against the mouth whereof lieth an Iland but you must keepe the Sea-boord of it by reason it is shoald betwixt it and the Mayne The Land all alongst the shoare is a fine lowe Land and the going into the Riuer is on the East side of the Iland The Riuer is reported to be a Summer dayes sayling ouer in bredth and is full of Ilands whereby they report it to be shoald Yet in my opinion so great a Riuer cannot be without a mayne channell which as yet they haue not sought for and therefore they iudge it innauigable Also they report it to bee very plentifull of Fish of diuers sorts but the people here and the Russes are vnwilling that wee should goe thither Moreouer hee told mee that from the Riuer Ob to the Eastwards the Land stretcheth East some sixe or eight dayes sayling more To the Eastward of the Riuer Ob lieth another great Riuer as large as Ob and is very deepe water and runneth from the South how farre as yet it is vnknowne Although that hee affirmed that he himselfe had sayled at the least three weekes vp the Riuer and all along as they went they met with sundry sorts of People differing in Language one from another which they call Samoyeds Yea and the People there did certifie them that vp more towards the South there are Tartars inhabiting who ride vpon Horses And hee affirmed that they found pieces of Ploughes that had beene driuen downe the Riuer by the flouds caused by the Snow melting from the Mountaines This Riuer is very high Land and deepe water on both sides Into this Riuer on the East side falleth another Riuer called Tingussey and the Inhabitants thereof are so called whereby I coniecture that it is not farre from the Citie Tangut in Cathay These Tingusses report that there is another huge Riuer that trendeth to the Southwards which the necke of a Land parteth from the Riuer of Tingussey wherein there are great ships not vnlike vnto the Russes ships that sayle in it hauing many Masts and Gunnes which when they are shot off make all the earth shake with the noyse which should seeme to be the Chinians that trade thither in the Summer and returne backe againe ere the Winter doth come The like also affirmeth another being a Russe who hath beene in the Riuer of Tingussey where the people make this report The first of March the Russes tooke their Iourney from hence from Pustozer into Russia with such commodities as they bought The twelfth the Sunnes altitude by the Quadrant was 67. degrees and 40. minutes and the declination no degrees 52. minutes which being added maketh 68. degrees and 30. minutes being the true heigth of Pustozer The thirteenth the Sun arose at East and by South a little Southerly and set at West North-west This day the Sunnes altitude by the Quadrant was 67. degrees 20. minutes and the declination 1. degree 15. minutes which added together maketh 68. degrees 35. minutes so that I conclude that Pustozer standeth in about 68. degrees 30. minutes The eight and twentieth the Sunne arose at East and by North and set at North-west and by West The eleuenth of Aprill the Inhabitants of this Towne returned from Slobodca bringing with them Rie Rieâ—meale and other prouisions The one and twentieth hauing conference with a Permack concerning what commodities were to be had at the Towne of Vst-zilma he told me that there were Losh hides Squerrils Sables white Foxes and Rosomackes Moreouer he told me that beyond the Riuer of Yenissey the Land trendeth due East and then there is a Riuer called Peaseda and beyond that another called Catonga which runneth into Cathay whose King these Permacks and Russes call Teulka tsar The Riuer lieth North and South as they of Yenissey say but they cannot tell how farre for there hath not any beene vp the Riuer by reason they are afraid of their shot And this Permack told me that on the Sea coast betwixt these two Riuers Peaseda and Catonga they found certaine stones like vnto Gold and some like Siluer being about the halfe way betwixt the two Riuers The two and twentieth we had newes brought that the Ice was broken in the Pechora all alongst by the sides The ninth of May the Sunne arose at North-east somwhat Easterly and set at North somwhat Westerly it being iust foure houres by the Houre-glasse vnder the Horizon The three and twentieth the Sun did not goe vnder the Horizon for it was a pretie height aboue the Horizon at a North North-east point of the Compasse it then being at the lowest The foure and twentieth we had newes that the Pechora brake vp vpon the twentieth day of this instant moneth The sixe and twentieth at foure of the clocke in the after-noone I departed from Pustozer to goe to Vst-zilma where I arriued the thirtieth day instant And the Riuer of Pechora lieth most part North North-east and South South-west and sometimes North and South Vst-zilma is a Village of some thirtie or fortie houses and standeth in the height of 66. degrees and 30. minutes They haue Corne growing there both Barley and Rie and their Barley is passing faire and white almost as Rice The ninth of Iune I departed from Vst-zilma backe againe to Pustozer where I arriued the eleuenth of Iune The one and twentieth seuenteene Soymas departed from hence to goe to Molgomsey some belonging to this place some to Vst-zilma and some to Mezen and Penega The two and twentieth diuers Boats went from hence to the Sea to fish for Omelyes and Bealowgaes Oyle The foure and twentieth I sent downe William Pursgloue to the Sea side to buy the Oyle which God shall send them The third of Iuly I
receiued a Letter forth of England by the way of Colmogro The fift we had newes that the Gouernour and Souldiers of Tom haue burnt the Towne and fled from thence by reason they wanted victuals and their pay and about three hundred of them intended to come to Vst-zilma to rob the Inhabitants thereof This day I was told that from Pustozer vp Pechora with a faire wind to the Riuer of Ouse is three weekes trauell and then vp the Riuer of Ouse to Podcamen ten dayes and from thence to Ob eight dayes drawne by Deere and from thence to Beresoua sixteene dayes which is a Towne of trading This mine Host told me that he was a prisoner at Beresoua and at Tobolsco and hee affirmeth that Tobolsco is a Citie of great trade and that the Teseeks Bowhars and Tartars come thither to trade who bring Silkes Veluets Grogran Sendames and Kindackes and that great store of Cloth Pewter and Copper may be vented there Also there is great store of Furres as Sables Squerrils Foxes Blacke Rosamackes and Beauers He sayth that from Pustozer to Vade in Iugoria which is on this side Ob with carriage vpon Deere it is a moneths Iourney and Nosoua is on the other side of Ob and it is two weekes and an halfe with light carriage or post Moreouer he told me that Pechora runneth into Veleka permia fiue weekes iourney from Pustozer and from Veleca permia to Verho towria nine dayes iourney by Horse and Sleds and from thence to Tumen by Riuer ten dayes and from Tumen to Tobolsco sixe dayes by the Riuer Irtish and is the chiefe Citie of all Siberia And from Tobolsco to Sowrgout is sixe weekes Iourney vp the Riuer Ob from whence come all the rich Furres which come to Arcania From Sowrgout to Tome which is amongst the Tartars is three weekes vp the Riuer Ob and yet none knoweth how farre the Ob runneth further as he sayth he was carried these wayes to the Musko in the beginning of Rostriga his time The sixteenth I was told by a Permack hauing some speech with him concerning the Vaygats that from Medniskoy Zauorot to the Vaygats is one day and a nights sayle with a faire wind And as you goe forth of the Vaygats there lieth an Iland called Meastno Ostroue not being farre from Socolia Lowdy and from Vaygats through Yougorskoy shar into Oarskoy gouba which is a great Bay and deepe is two dayes and one nights sayling into Mowtnoy Riuer the course East somewhat Southerly And from Mowtnoy to Sharrappa shar which is an Inlet is halfe a dayes sayling and from thence to Yowconoue is halfe a dayes sayling which is an high Land and from thence to Naromzia is a dayes sayling And there are three little Riuers betwixt them and there are Morses all alongst that shoare and farther he knew not by Sea But he sayth that the Riuer Ob is a dayes sayling right ouer And from Zylena reca to the Tazzauorot the course is South-east a dayes sayling and from the Zauorot of Taz to the Riuers mouth is a day and a nights sayling and there is an Iland in the mouth thereof being high land And from thence vp the Riuer the course is South-east to the Towne eight dayes iourney to be haled with a rope there runneth such a streame But ere you come to the Taz Riuer there is another Riuer on the Starboord side called Powre where they get of the best Sables that come and you must leaue the Iland at the Taz on the Larboord side And from Taz Towne vp the Riuer Volochanco is sixe dayes iourney Easterly against the streame vntill you come to a Vollocke about a mile and an halfe long Marish ground and so into another Riuer some foure dayes rowing with the streame to the Riuer that is called Trowhan which is a great Riuer and falleth into Yenissey some three dayes journey more with the streame at the entrance whereof lieth an Iland called by the same name whereon there is a little Towne of the same name From thence downe the Riuer Yenissey to the Riuer Hautike is twelue dayes sayling and it is a great Riuer and runneth to the East as it is thought into Cathay which of the Permacks is called Kithayskoy Tsarrstua The fift of August my selfe and the Boy went aboord the Lodia departing from Pustozer The tenth we arriued at the Gloubocke which are the deepe water whither William Pursegloue was come with the Oyle where we melted what we could before we departed The twelfth I obserued in the Gloubocke and had it on the Quadrant 56. degrees 30. minutes and the Declination was 12. degrees 42. minutes so it standeth in 69. degrees 12. minutes The eighteenth we departed from the Gloubocke and entred the Dry Sea and arriued at the Zauorot the one and twentieth The two and twentieth we weighed and went out to Sea the wind at East North-east but the wind comming to the North-west we put roomer againe and came to an Anchor at the Zauorot againe The foure and twentieth I obserued at the Zauorot and had it on the Quadrant 63. degrees no minutes and the Declination was 7. degrees 26. minutes so it standeth in about 70. degrees 30. minutes The six and twentieth we departed from the Zauorot about noon the wind being at East the land trending betwixt it Collocolcoua East West being two Voadaes or sixty Versts distance The seuen and twentieth we came to an Iland called Mezyou Sharry being sixtie Versts to the Eastwards of Suatinose and it is about ten Versts in length and two Versts broad At the East end thereof Oliuer Brunell was carried into Harbour by a Russe where he was Land-locked hauing the Iland on the one side and the Mayne on the other The eight and twentieth we departed from Mezyou Sharry the wind at North-east a little gale but before night it fell thicke and wee steered away North-west and about mid-night it came to the North North-east blowing a very sore storme so that we were not able to beare our sayle aloft and hauing floud vnder foot we were fogged into the Bay and put ashoare some two houres before day vpon the long point of the obscure Harbour about three miles to the West-wards the wind being at North where we got all our goods on Land alwayes looking when the Lodia would haue split But by Gods Almightie Prouidence she beate ouer that Sand and lay betwixt it and the beach so that when the tyde was fallen she sate on ground as if she had beene in a creeke the Sands all dry round about her Also on the West side of Suatinose in the Bay is a great Riuer called Indiga which is deepe Water and a good Harbour for a ship as the Russes doe report The thirtieth the storme continued all the day long The one and thirtieth about noone it blew lesse wind and at night we stopped our leakes as well as
shape our course from thence North-west Heere is to bee noted that although we ranne along neere the shoare we found no great cold which made vs thinke that if we had beene on shoare the place is temperate Holding this North-west course about ten of the clocke at night we saw great store of Ice on head off vs bearing Wester off vs which we could not goe cleere off with the foresayd course Then we tact about and stood away betweene the South and the South-east as much desirous to leaue this Land as we were to see it The eight and twentieth was a hard gale of wind all the fore-noone betweene the South and the South-west We shaped our course we did it to bee farther from the Ice and Land It pleased God that about twelue of the clocke this night it cleered vp and we found that we were betweene the Land and the Ice Vogel Hooke then bearing nearest hand East off vs. Then we tacked about and stood in for the shoare hauing Sea-roome between the Ice and the Land The nine and twentieth at foure in the morning the wind at North-east a pretie gale we thought best to shorten our way so we tacked about and stood North North-west the wind a little increasing About twelue at noone we saw Ice a head off vs we cast about again and stood away East South-east with very much wind so that we shortned our sayles for the space of two Watches Then about eight this Eeuening we strucke a Hull and it proued the hardest storme that we had in this Voyage The thirtieth in the morning was stormie about noone it ceased at seuen in the Eeuening it proued almost calme The first of Iuly all the fore-noone the wind was at South-east we stood North-east for the shoare hoping to finde an open Sea betweene the shoare and the Ice About noone wee were embayed with Ice lying betweene the Land and vs. By our obseruation we were in 78. degrees 42. minutes whereby we accounted we were thwart of The great Indraught And to free our selues of the Ice we steered betweene the South-east and South and to the Westward as we could haue sea And about six this Eeuening it pleased God to giue vs cleere weather and we found we were shot farre into the Inlet being almost a Bay and enuironed with very high Mountaynes with low Land lying betweene them wee had no ground in this Bay at an hundred fathoms Then being sure where we were we steered away West the wind at South-east and calme and found all our Ice on the Norther shoare and a cleare Sea to the Southward The second it pleased God to giue vs the wind at North-east a faire gale with cleere weather the Ice being to the Northward off vs and the weather shoare and an open Sea to the South-wards vnder our Lee. We held on our course North-west till twelue of the clocke hauing sayled in that course 10. leagues and finding the Ice to fall from vs to the we gaue thankes to God who maruellously preserued vs from so many dangers amongst so huge a quantitie of Ice and Fogge. We steered away North-west hoping to be free from Ice we had obseruation 78. degrees 56. minutes we fell with Ice againe and trended it as it lay betweene the West and South South-east The third we had obseruation 78. degrees 33. minutes This day wee had our shrouds frozen it was searching cold we also trended the Ice not knowing whether we were cleare or not the wind being at North. The fourth was very cold and our shroudes and sayles frozen we found we were farre in the Inlet The wind being at North we beare vp and stood South South-east and South and South-west by West till ten this night The fift was very much wind at North Easterly at twelue we strooke a Hull hauing brought our selues neare the mouth of the Inlet The sixth in the morning the wind was as before and the Sea growne This morning we came into a very Greene Sea we had our obseruation 77. degrees 30. minutes This after-noone the wind and Sea asswaged About foure of the clocke we set sayle and steered North-west and by West the wind being at North North-east This day proued the clearest day we had long before The seuenth at foure in the morning was very cleare weather and the fairest Morning that we saw in three weekes before we steered as afore being by our account in 78. degrees nearest hand and out of the Sacke We found we were compassed in with Land and Ice and were againe entred into a Blacke Sea which by proofe we found to be an open passage Now hauing the wind at North North-east we steered away South by East with purpose to fall with the Southermost part of this Land which we saw hoping by this meane either to defray the charge of the Voyage or else if it pleased God in time to giue vs a faire wind to the North-east to satisfie expectation All this day and night afterward proued calme The eight all the fore-noone proued calme and very thicke fogge This morning we saw many peeces of Drift-wood driue by vs we heaued out our Boate to stop a leake and mended our riggings This day wee saw many Seales and two Fishes which we iudged to bee Sea-horses or Morses At twelue this night we had the winde at East and by South wee stood away North-east The ninth all the fore-noone was little wind at South-east with thicke fogge This day we were in amongst Ilands of Ice where we saw many Seales The tenth in the morning was foggie afterward it proued cleere we found we were compassed with Ice euery way about vs wee tacked about and stood South and by West and South South-west one Watch fiue leagues hoping to get more Sea-roome and to stand for the North-east we had the wind at North-west The eleuenth very cleere weather with the winde at South South-east we were come out of the Blue Sea into our Greene Sea againe where we saw Whales Now hauing a fresh gale of wind at South South-east it behooued mee to change my course and to sayle to the North-east by the Souther end of Newland But being come into a Greene Sea praying God to direct mee I steered away North ten leagues After that we saw Ice on our Larboord we steered away East and by North three leagues and left the Ice behind vs. Then we steered away North till noone This day wee had the Sunne on the Meridian South and by West Westerly his greatest height was 37. degrees 20. minutes By this obseruation we were in 79. degrees 17. minutes we had a fresh gale of wind and a smooth sea by meanes whereof our ship had out-runne vs. At ten this Eeuening cleere weather and then we had the company of our troublesome neighbours Ice with fogge The wind was at South South-west Heere we saw plentie of Seales
our Lee trending from the North-west to the North and East of vs We had sounding 100. fathom greenish Oze Here we saw diuers pieces of drift wood by vs driuing and streame Leeches lying South South-west and North North-east We many times saw the like since we saw the North Cape The thirteenth cleere weather the wind at East we made a South way 6. leagues two watches then we cast about and made a North way one watch 3. leagues 1 â— At twelue at night much wind with fog we strooke a hull and layed our ships head to the Southward The fourteenth in the fore-noone fog and our shroudes were frozen the after-noone was cleere Sun-shine and so was all the night The fifteenth all day and night cleere sun-shine the wind at East the latitude at noone 75. degrees 7. minutes We held Westward by our account 13. leagues In the after-noone the Sea was asswaged and the wind being at East we set sayle and stood South and by East and South South-east as we could This morning one of our companie looking ouer boord saw a Mermaid and calling vp some of the companie to see her one more came vp and by that time shee was come close to the ships side looking earnestly on the men a little after a Sea came and ouerturned her from the Nauill vpward her backe and breasts were like a womans as they say that saw her her body as big as one of vs her skin very white and long haire hanging downe behind of colour blacke in her going downe they saw her tayle which was like the tayle of a Porposâ—e and speckled like a Macrell Their names that saw her were Thomas Hilles and Robert Rayner The sixteenth cleere weather the wind being at East From the last day till this day noone we made our way South and by East 9. leagues and from noon to eight a clocke in the Eeuening 6. leagues then we cast about and stood to the Northwards The seuenteenth cleere weather the wind at South-east and by East from the last day till this day noone our way was North-east and by East at noone being in the latitude of 74. degrees 40. minutes At after-noone we sounded and had ground at 86. fathom greene Oze and our water whitish greene Here we saw Whales Porpoises and the Sea full of Fowles from noone to mid-night North-east and by East we had the Sunne at lowest on the North and by East Easterly part of the Compasse latitude 74. degrees 54. minutes Sounding we had 92. fathoms water Oze as before The eighteenth faire weather the wind at South-east and by East from mid-night till this day noone wee sayled North-east and by East in the Latitude of 75. degrees 24. minutes and had ground at ninetie fiue fathome Oze as afore Heere we had Ice in our sight to the Northward off vs. In the after-noone hauing little wind at North-east we cast about and lay East South-east and at sixe a clocke had ground at ninetie fiue fathoms and a halfe Oze as afore From noone to twelue a clocke at night our way was South-east and South-east and by East and had the Sunne on the Meridian North and by East halfe a point Eastward The Sunnes height was eight degrees 40. minutes Sounding ninetie fathom All this day we had Ice on our Larboord trending and at this time from the North-west off vs to the East South-east I haue some reason to thinke there is a Tide or Current setting to the Northwards the course wee held and the way we made betweene this noone and mid-night Obseruations doe make mee suspect it the more The nineteenth faire and warme weather the sea smooth Here the Needle inclined vnder the Horizon 89. degrees and a halfe being in the Latitude at noone of 75. degrees 22. minutes Sounding wee had ground in an hundred fathom From twelue a clocke last night till this day at noone we accounted our way from East and by North to South-east ten leagues hauing Ice alwayes in our sight trending on our Larboord wee had the winde betweene North and North North-west We saw the Sunne at the lowest on the North and by East halfe a point Easterly his height was 8. degrees 10. minutes which maketh the Poles height 74. degrees 56. minutes Sounding we had ground in one hundred and twentie sixe fathom From noone to this time wee accounted our way East and by South and East South-east twelue leagues The twentieth faire warme weather this morning at foure of the clocke wee had depth one hundred and twentie fiue fathom Heere we heard Beares roare on the Ice and we saw vpon the Ice and neare vnto it an incredible number of Seales We had sounding one hundred and fifteen fathom and after ground at ninetie fiue fathom sandie Oze We had the Sun on the Meridian North and by East halfe a point Easterly his height was 7. degrees 20. minutes From twelue a clocke last night to twelue a clocke this night our way was made good by our account South-east and by South twelue leagues and South-east three leagues and a halfe the Ice alwayes being on our Larboord The wind this day betweene North and North-west The one and twentieth at foure a clocke in the morning wee sounded and had one hundred and twentie fathome greene Oze and the Ice bore off vs East the winde variable in diuers courses wee made our way good South South-east our Latitude at noone being 74. degrees 9. minutes we were haled to the Northward beyond expectation All this day faire cleere and warme weather and Ice on our Larboord at a North and by East Sunne being then at lowest his height was 7. degrees 40. minutes which made the Poles height 74. degrees 33. minutes From the last day at noone till twelue a clocke this night by account of our ships way wee made our way good East North-east sixe leagues and a halfe whereby it doth appeare how we were haled to the Northward Heere wee had ground at one hundred and thirteene fathome greene sandie Oze The two and twentieth faire cleare weather the winde at West North-west At eight a clocke in the Morning we had ground at one hundred and fifteene fathom greene Oze From mid-night to noone our course was North-east and by East being in the Letitude of 74. degrees 35. minutes and we found that our ships way and our obseruation were not but there was carefull heed taken of both Heere we had Ice a head off vs trending to the South-east and all day before Ice on our Larboord Here we stood South-east fiue leagues then the Ice trended South and by West sixe leagues we sayled by it and doubled it by eight a clocke in the Eeuening and then it bore East off vs. Heere hauing a smooth sea the Needle inclined 85. degrees from eight a clocke to twelue North and by East Easterly Then we had the Sunne on the Meridian North and by East ½ a
mid-night seuenteene leagues then the wind scanted and came at West we stood North North-west one league and a halfe then the wind being more Southerly wee sayled West North-west fiue leagues From the last till this day at noone our way was out of diuers courses North-west and by West foure and twentie leagues We had the Sunne beginning to fall at South and by West in the latitude of 70. degrees 54. minutes The fifteenth faire but towards night like to be stormie with thunder the wind betweene South and South South-east from this till the sixteenth day at noone our course was West and by North seuen and twentie leagues and the Sunne then began to fall at South three quarters of a point Westward in the latitude of 70. degrees 42. minutes The sixteenth faire our way was from this till next day at noone North-west twelue leagues out of diuers courses and we had the wind shifting sometimes at East at West South-west and West and by North the latitude by a bad obseruation 71. degrees 44. minutes The seuenteenth in the fore-noone faire the wind being at West and by North. At foure a clocke this morning we saw Land beare off vs West and South South-west which was about Ward-house this after-noone wee had a storme at West and by North we layed it to trie till eight a clocke in the Eeuening and then set sayle with the wind betweene West North-west and North-west our course till the next day at noone was South-west and by South twelue leagues the Cape Hopewell bore off vs South South-west and we were foure or fiue leagues from land The eighteenth gusty with raine all the fore-noone then we had the wind shifting till next day at noone from South South-east to East and South-east our course in generall was North-west foure and twentie leagues then did North Kene beare off vs West halfe a point Southward being from vs foure leagues and the North Cape in sight bearing West and by North c. The seuen and twentieth cold with raine and storme this night we began to burne Candle in the Betacle which we had not done since the nineteenth of May by reason wee had alwaies day from thence till now The thirtieth we had the Sunne vpon the Meridian due South in the latitude of 68. degrees 46. minutes whereby we found vs to bee afore our ship ten or twelue leagues and Lowfoot bore East of vs but not in sight The seuenth of August I vsed all diligence to arriue at London and therefore now I gaue my companie a certificate vnder my hand of my free and willing returne without perswasion or force of any one or more of them for at my being at Noua Zembla the sixt of Iuly voide of hope of a North-east passage except by the Vaygats for which I was not fitted to trie or proue I therefore resolued to vse all meanes I could to sayle to the North-west considering the time and meanes wee had if the wind should friend vs as in the first part of our Voyage it had done and to make triall of that place called Lumleys Iulet and the furious ouer-fall by Captayne Dauis hoping to runne into it an hundred leagues and to returne as God should enable mee But now hauing spent more then halfe the time I had and gone but the shortest part of the way by meanes of contrary winds I thought it my dutie to saue Victuall Wages and Tackle by my speedy returne and not by foolish rashnesse the time being wasted to lay more charge vpon the action then necessitie should compell I arriued at Grauesend the six and twentieth of August CHAP. XVI The third Voyage of Master HENRIE HVDSON toward Noua Zembla and at his returne his passing from Farre Ilands to New-found Land and along to fortie foure degrees and ten minutes and thence to Cape Cod and so to thirtie three degrees and along the Coast to the Northward to fortie two degrees and an halfe and vp the Riuer neere to fortie three degrees Written by ROBERT IVET of Lime-house ON Saturday the fiue and twentieth of March 1609. after the old Account we set sayle from Amsterdam and by the seuen and twentieth day we were downe at the Texel and by twelue of the clocke we were off the Land it being East of vs two leagues off And because it is a journey vsually knowne I omit to put downe what passed till we came to the height of The North Cape of Finmarke which we did performe by the fift of May stilo nouo being Tuesday On which day we obserued the height of the Pole and found it to bee 71. degrees and 46. minutes and found our Compasse to vary six degrees to the West and at twelue of the clocke the North Cape did beare South-west and by South tenne leagues off and wee steered away East and by South and East After much trouble with fogges sometimes and more dangerous of Ice The nineteenth being Tuesday was close stormie weather with much wind and snow and very cold the wind variable betweene the North North-west and North-east We made our way West and by North till noone Then we obserued the Sunne hauing a slake and found our heigth to bee 70. degrees 30. minutes And the ship had out-runne vs twentie leagues by reason of the set of the streame of The White Sea and we had sight of Wardhouse Then at two of the clocke wee tacke to the Eastward for we could not get about the North Cape the wind was so scant and at eight of the clocke at night on the one and twentieth the North Cape did beare South-east and by South seuen leagues off And at mid-night Assumption Point did beare South and by East fiue leagues off vs. The two and twentieth gusting weather with haile and snow the Sunne breaking out sometimes we continued our course along the Land West South-west And at tenne of the clocke at night we were thwart off Zenam The bodie of it did beare East off vs fiue leagues and the course from the North Cape to Zenam is for the most part West and by South and West South-west fiftie foure leagues The three and twentieth faire Sun-shining weather the wind at East and by South and East South-east wee steered along the Land South-west and South-west and by West eight leagues a Watch for so we found the Land to lye from Zenam to Lofoote And the distance is fiftie leagues from the bodie of Zenam to the Westermost Land of Lofoote And from the one to the other the course is South-west and by West For the Needle of our Compasse was set right to the North. At twelue of the clocke at night the bodie of Lofoote did beare South-east sixe leagues off The foure and twentieth faire cleere Sun-shining weather the wind variable vpon all points of the Compasse but most vpon the South-east and sometimes calme We continued our course West South-west as before And
twelfth faire weather the wind variable betweene East North-east and South-east wee steered on our course as before At foure of the clock in the afternoon the wind came vp at South-east And we held our course as before At noone wee obserued and found our height to be 52. degrees 35. minutes The eleuenth in the morning was thicke and foggie the winde varying betweene South South-west and North-west At foure of the clocke in the morning wee tackt about to the Southward At eleuen of the clocke the winde came to the North-west and so to the West North-west This day we had change of water of a whitish greene like to the Ice water to the North-west At noone it cleered vp and became very faire weather wee put out our mayne top-sayle then we obserued the Sunne and found our height to be 51. degrees 24. minutes We had sayled many courses and found our ship gone to the Southward of our account ten leagues by reason of a current from the North-ward The Compasse varied on point to the East The twelfth faire Sun-shining weather but much wind at the West we stood to the Southward all day the wind shifting betweene the South-west and the West and by North. Wee made our way South halfe a point West eight and twentie leagues Our height at noone was 50. degrees 9. minutes At eight of the clock at night we took off our Bonets the wind increasing The thirteenth faire Sun-shining weather the wind variable betweene the West and North North-west We made our way South South-west seuen and twentie leagues At noone we obserued and found our heigth to be 48. degrees 45. minutes But not to be trusted the Sea went so high In the after-noone the winde was calmer and wee brought to our Bonets and stood to the Southward all night with a stiffe gale The fourteenth faire and cleere Sun-shining weather the winde variable betweene the North-west and South-west by West At mid-night I obserued the North starre at a North-west by West Guarde a good obseruation 49. degrees 30. minutes And at noone wee obserued the Sunne and our heigth was 48. degrees 6. minutes And I made account we ranne betweene the two obseruations twelue leagues At one of the clocke in the after-noone wee cast about to the Westward and stood so all night the winde increased to a storme and was very much winde with Raine The fifteenth we had a great storme and spent ouer-boord our fore-mast bearing our fore corse low set The sixteenth we were forced to trie with our mayne sayle by reason of the vnconstant weather So wee tried foure watches South-east and by South eight leagues and an halfe and two watches sixe leagues The seuenteenth reasonable faire weather the wind variable betweene West South-west and West North-west And a stiffe gale of wind and so great a swelling Sea out of the West South-west that wee could doe nothing So one watch and an halfe wee droue North foure-leagues and an halfe and foure watches and an halfe South and by East halfe a point East twelue leagues The eighteenth reasonable weather but close and cloudie and an hard gale of wind and a great Sea The winde being at the North-west wee lay to the Southward and made our drift South and by West fiue leagues The after-noone prooued little wind and the night part calme The nineteenth in the fore-noone faire weather and calme In the morning we set the piece of our fore mast and set our fore corse The one and twentieth faire Sun-shining weather but much wind and a great Sea We split our fore saile at ten of the clocke then we laid it a trie with our mayne sayle and continued so all day In the night it fell to be little wind This day our heigth was 45. degrees 48. minutes The two and twentieth very faire Sun-shining weather and calme all the after-noone At noone we made a very good obseruation and found our heigth 44. degrees 58. minutes At eight of the clocke at night wee had a small gale of winde at South-east And wee steered away West for Newfound Land The true Compasse varied one point East The three and twentieth thicke weather with much wind and some raine At eight of the clocke in the morning the wind came to the West South-west and West so stiffe a gale that we were forced to take our top-sayle and steered away North North-west vntill foure of the clock in the after-noone Then we tact to the Southward the winde at West North-west At eight of the clocke at night wee tooke in our top-sayles and laid it a trie with our mayne sayle the winde at West The foure and twentieth a stiffe gale of wind varying betweene the West and North North-west we tried till sixe of the clocke at which time we set our foresaile and steered way West and by South by our Compasse eight leagues in foure watches and wee tried away South in one watch and an halfe The fiue and twentieth faire Sun-shining weather the wind at North North-west and North we steered away West by South by our Compasse till twelue of the clocke at which time we had sight of a sayle and gaue her chafe but could not speake with her She stood to the Eastward and we stood after her till sixe of the clocke in the after-noone Then wee tact to the Westward againe and stood on our course It was faire all night and little wind sometimes The six and twentieth all the fore-part of the day very farre weather and hot but at foure of the clocke in the after-noone it grew to bee much winde and raine the winde was at South South-east At noone wee obserued and found our heigth to bee 44. degrees 33. minutes At eight of the clocke at night the wind came to South-west and West South-west Wee steered North-west one Watch and at twelue in the night to the West and West and by South very much wind So we could lye but North North-west The seuen and twentieth very much winde and a soare storme the wind Westerly In the morning at foure of the clocke wee tooke in our fore-corse and layd it a trie with our mayne-corse low set and so continued all the day and night two watches to the Northward At eight of the clocke at night we tackt to the Southward The eight and twentieth faire sun-shining weather the wind at West and by South we lay a trie to the Southward till eight of the clocke in the morning Then wee set our fore-corse and stood to the Southward a stiffe gale of wind but faire weather and a great Sea out of the Westerboord and so continued all night The nine and twentieth faire sun-shining weather the wind at West and by South we stood to the Southward vntill sixe of the clocke at night and made our way South and by East foure leagues Then the winde came to the South-west and wee cast about to the VVestward and made our way VVest North-west
sand The twelfth was very foggie we stood our course all the morning till eleuen of the clocke at which time we had sight of the Land which is low white sandie ground right on head off vs and had ten fathoms Then we tackt to the Southward and stood off foure Glasses then we tackt to the Land againe thinking to haue rode vnder it and as we came neere it the fog was so thicke that we could not see so wee stood off againe From mid-night to two of the clocke we came sounding in twelue thirteene and foureteene fathoms off the shoare At foure of the clocke we had 20 fathoms At eight of the clocke at night 30. fathoms At twelue of the clocke 65. fathoms and but little winde for it deeped apace but the neerer the shoare the fairer shoalding The thirteenth faire sun-shining weather from eight of the clocke in the fore-noone all day after but in the morning it was foggie Then at eight of the clocke we cast about for the shoare but could not see it the wind being at South by our true Compasse wee steered VVest and by North. At noone we obserued and found our height to bee 43. degrees 25. minutes so we steered away VVest and by North all the after-noone At foure of the clocke in the after-noone we sounded and had fiue and thirtie fathoms And at sixe of the clocke wee had sight of the Land and saw two sayles on head off vs. The land by the waters side is low Land and white sandie Bankes rising full of little Hils Our soundings were 35.33.30.28.32.37.33 32. fathoms The foureteenth full of mysts flying and vading the wind betweene South and South-west we steered away West North-west and North-west and by West Our soundings were 29.25.24.25.22.25.27.30.28.30.35.43.50.70.90.70.64.86.100 fathoms and no ground The fifteenth very mystie the winde varying betweene South and South-west wee steered West and by North and VVest North-west In the morning we sounded and had one hundred fathoms till foure of the clocke in the after-noone Then we sounded againe and had seuentie fiue fathoms Then in two Glasses running which was not aboue two English miles we sounded and had sixtie fathoms and it shoalded a great pace vntill we came to twentie fathoms Then we made account we were neere the Ilands that lie off the shoare So we came to an Anchor the Sea being very smooth and little wind at nine of the clocke at night After supper we tryed for Fish and I caught fifteene Cods some the greatest that I haue seene and so we rode all night The sixteenth in the morning it cleered vp and wee had sight of fiue Ilands lying North and North and by VVest from vs two leagues Then wee made ready to set sayle but the myst came so thicke that we durst not enter in among them The seuenteenth was all mystie so that wee could not get into the Harbour At ten of the clocke two Boates came off to vs with sixe of the Sauages of the Countrey seeming glâ—d of our comming VVe gaue them trifles and they eate and dranke with vs and told vs that there were Gold Siluer and Copper mynes hard by vs and that the French-men doe Trade with them which is very likely for one of them spake some words of French So wee rode still all day and all night the weather continuing mystie The eighteenth faire weather wee went into a very good Harbour and rode hard by the shoare in foure fathoms water The Riuer runneth vp a great way but there is but two fathoms hard by vs. VVe went on shoare and cut vs a fore Mast then at noone we came aboord againe and found the height of the place to bee in 44. degrees 1. minute and the Sunne to fall at a South South-west Sunne VVe mended our sayles and fell to make our fore-Mast The Harbour lyeth South and North a mile in where we rode The nineteenth we had faire sun-shining weather we rode still In the after-noone wee went with our Boate to looke for fresh water and found some and found a shoald with many Lobsters on it and caught one and thirtie The people comming aboord shewed vs great friendship but we could not trust them The twentieth faire sunne-shining weather the winde at South-west In the morning our Scute went out to catch fresh Fish halfe an houre before day and returned in two houres bringing seuen and twentie great Coddes with two hookes and lines In the after-noone wee went for more Lobsters and caught fortie and returned aboord Then wee espied two French Shallops full of the Countrey people come into the Harbour but they offered vs no wrong seeing we stood vpon our guard They brought many Beauer skinnes and other fine Furres which they would haue changed for redde Gownes For the French trade with them for red Cassockes Kniues Hatchets Copper Kettles Treuits Beades and other trifles The one and twentieth all mystie the wind Easterly wee rode still and did nothing but about our Mast. The two and twentieth faire Sun-shining weather the winde all Northerly we rode still all the day In the after-noone our Scute went to catch more Lobsters and brought with them nine and fiftie The night was cleere weather The three and twentieth faire sun-shining weather and very hot At eleuen of the clocke our fore Mast was finished and we brought it aboord and set it into the step and in the after-noone we rigged it This night we had some little myst and rayne The foure and twentieth very hot weather the winde at South out of the sea The fore-part of the day wee brought to our sayles In the morning our Scute went to take Fish and in two houres they brought with them twentie great Coddes and a great Holibut the night was faire also We kept good watch for feare of being betrayed by the people and perceiued where they layd their Shallops The fiue and twentieth very faire weather and hot In the morning wee manned our Scute with foure Muskets and sixe men and tooke one of their Shallops and brought it aboord Then we manned our Boat Scute with twelue men and Muskets and two stone Pieces or Murderers and draue the Saluages from their Houses and tooke the spoyle of them as they would haue done of vs. Then wee set sayle and came downe to the Harbours mouth and rode there all night because the winde blew right in and the night grew mystie with much rayne till mid-night Then it fell calme and the wind came off the Land at West North-west and it began to cleere The Compasse varyed 10. degrees North-west The sixe and twentieth faire and cleere sunne-shining weather At fiue of the clocke in the morning the winde being off the shoare at North North-west we set sayle and came to sea and by noone we counted our ship had gone foureteene leagues South-west In the after-noone the winde shifted variably betweene West South-west and North-west At
18. minutes and so deeper The North-end of this Headland hard by the shoare thirtie fathomes and three leagues off North North-west one hundred fathomes At the South-east part a league off fifteene sixteene and seuenteene fathomes The people haue greene Tabacco and pipes the boles whereof are made of Earth and the pipes of red Copper The Land is very sweet The fift all mystie At eight of the clocke in the morning wee tact about to the Westward and stood in till foure of the clocke in the after-noone at which time it cleered and wee had sight of the Head-land againe fiue leagues from vs. The Souther point of it did beare West off vs and we sounded many times and had no ground And at foure of the clocke we cast about and at our staying wee had seuentie fathomes Wee steered away South and South by East all night and could get no ground at seuentie and eightie fathomes For wee feared a great Riffe that lyeth off the Land and steered away South and by East The sixth faire weather but many times mysting Wee steered away South South-east till eight of the clocke in the morning Then it cleered a little and wee cast about to the Westward Then we sounded and had thirtie fathomes grosse sand and were come to the Riffe Then wee kept our Lead and had quicke shoalding from thirtie twentie nine twentie seuen twentie foure twentie two twentie and an halfe twentie twentie nineteene nineteene nineteene eighteene eighteene seuenteene and so deeping againe as proportionally as it shoalded For we steered South and South-east till we came to twentie sixe fathomes Then we steered South-west for so the tyde doth set By and by it being calme we tryed by our Lead for you shall haue sixteene or seuenteene fathomes and the next cast but seuen or six fathomes And farther to the Westward you shall haue foure and fiue foot water and see Rockes vnder you and you shall see the Land in the top Vpon this Riffe we had an obseruation and found that it lyeth in 40. degrees 10. minutes And this is that Headland which Captaine Bartholomew Gosnold discouered in the yeere 1602. and called Cape Cod because of the store of Cod-fish that hee found thereabout So we steered South-west three leagues and had twentie and twentie foure fathomes Then we steered West two Glasses halfe a league and came to fifteene fathomes Then we steered off South-east foure Glasses but could not get deepe water for there the tyde of ebbe laid vs on and the streame did hurle so that it laid vs so neere the breach of a shoald that wee were forced to Anchor So at seuen of the clocke at night wee were at an Anchor in tenne fathomes And I giue God most heartie thankes the least water wee had was seuen fathomes and an halfe We rode still all night and at a still water I sounded so farre round about our ship as we could see a light and had no lesse then eight nine ten and eleuen fathomes The myst continued being very thicke The seuenth faire weather and hot but mystie Wee rode still hoping it would cleere but on the floud it fell calme and thicke So we rode still all day and all night The floud commeth from the South-west and riseth not aboue one fathome and an halfe in nepe streames Toward night it cleered and I went with our shallop and sounded and found no lesse water then eight fathomes to the South-east off vs but we saw to the North-west off vs great Breaches The eight faire and cleere weather In the morning by sixe of the clocke at flake water wee weighed the wind at North-east and set our fore-sayle and mayne top-sayle and got a mile ouer the Flats Then the tyde of ebbe came so we anchored againe till the floud came Then wee set sayle againe and by the great mercie of God wee got cleere off them by one of the clocke this after-noone And wee had sight of the Land from the West North-west to the North North-west So we steered away South South-east all night and had ground vntill the middle of the third watch Then we had fortie fiue fathomes white sand and little stones So all our soundings are twentie twentie twentie two twentie seuen thirtie two fortie three fortie three fortie fiue Then no ground in seuentie fathomes The ninth very faire and hot weather the wind a very stiffe gale In the morning at foure of the clocke our shallop came running vp against our sterne and split in all her stemme So we were faine to cut her away Then wee tooke in our mayne sayle and lay atrie vnder our fore-sayle vntill twelue of the clocke at mid-day Then the wind ceased to a faire gale so wee stood away South-west Then we lay close by on many courses a South by West way fifteene leagues and three watches South-east by East ten leagues At eight of the clocke at night wee tooke in our top-sayles and went with a low sayle because we were in an vnknowne sea At noone we obserued and found our heigth to be 38. degrees 39. minutes The tenth in the morning some raine and cloudie weather the winde at South-west wee made our way South-east by East ten leagues At noone wee obserued and found our heigth to bee 38. degrees 39. minutes Then wee tackt about to the Westward the wind being at South and by East little wind At foure of the clocke it fell calme and we had two Dolphines about our ship and many small fishes At eight of the clocke at night wee had a small lingring gale All night we had a great Sea out of the South-west and another great Sea out of the North-east The eleuenth all the fore-part of the day faire weather and very hot VVee stood to the VVest South-west till noone Then the wind shorted and we could lye but South-west and by South At noone wee found our heigth to bee 39. degrees 11. minutes And that the current had laid vs to the Northward thirtie two minutes contrary to our expectation At foure of the clocke in the after-noone there came a myst which endured two houres But wee had it faire and cleere all night after The Compasse varied the North point to the VVest one whole point The twelfth faire weather the wind variable betweene the South-west and by South and the North little wind In the morning we killed an extraordinary fish and stood to the Westward all day and all night At noone we found our heigth to be 38. degrees 13. minutes And the obseruation the day before was not good This noone we found the Compasse to vary from the North to the West ten degrees The thirteenth faire weather and hot the wind at North-east Wee steered away West and by our Compasse two and twentie leagues At noone wee found our height to bee 37. degrees 45. minutes and that our way from noone to noone was West South-west halfe a point Southerly The Compasse was
7. degrees and a halfe variation from the North point to the West The fourteenth faire weather but cloudie and a stiffe gale of wind variable betweene North-east and South-west wee steered away West by South a point South all day vntill nine of the clocke at night then it began to Thunder and Lighten whereupon we tooke in all our sayles and layd it a hull and hulled away North till mid-night a league and a halfe The fifteenth very faire and hot weather the winde at North by East At foure of the clocke in the morning we set sayle and stood on our course to the Westward At noone wee found our height to bee 37. degrees 25. minutes The after-noone proued little wind At eight of the clocke at night the winde came to the North and wee steered West by North and West North-west and made our way West The Compasse varyed 7. degrees from the North to the West The sixteenth faire-shining weather and very hot the wind variable betweene the North and the West wee steered away West by North. At noone wee found our height to bee 37. degrees 6. minutes This morning we sounded and had ground in ninetie fathomes and in sixe Glasses running it shoalded to fiftie fathoms and so to eight and twentie fathoms at foure of the clocke in the after-noone Then wee came to an Anchor and rode till eight of the clocke at night the wind being at South and Moone-light we resolued to goe to the Northward to finde deeper water So we weighed and stood to the Northward and found the water to shoald and deepe from eight and twentie to twentie fathomes The seuenteenth faire and cleere Sun-shining weather the winde at South by West wee steered to the Northward till foure of the clocke in the morning then wee came to eighteene fathomes So we Anchored vntill the Sunne arose to looke abroad for Land for wee iudged there could not but be Land neere vs but we could see none Then we weighed and stood to the Westward till noone And at eleuen of the clocke wee had sight of a low Land with a white sandie shoare By twelue of the clocke we were come into fiue fathomes and Anchored and the Land was foure leagues from vs and wee had sight of it from the West to the North-west by North. Our height was 37. degrees 26. minutes Then the wind blew so stiffe a gale and such a Sea went that we could not weigh so we rode there all night an hard rode The eighteenth in the morning faire weather and little winde at North North-east and North-east At foure of the clocke in the morning we weighed and stood into the shoare to see the deeping or shoalding of it and finding it too deepe we stood in to get a rode for wee saw as it were three Ilands So wee turned to windward to get into a Bay as it shewed to vs to the Westward of an Iland For the three Ilands did beare North off vs. But toward noone the wind blew Northerly with gusts of wind and rayne So we stood off into the Sea againe all night and running off we found a Channell wherein we had no lesse then eight nine ten eleuen and twelue fathomes water For in comming ouer the Barre wee had fiue and foure fathomes and a halfe and it lyeth fiue leagues from the shoare and it is the Barre of Virginia At the North end of it it is ten leagues broad and South and North but deepe water from ninetie fathoms to fiue and foure and a halfe The Land lyeth South and North. This is the entrance into the Kings Riuer in Virginia where our English-men are The North side of it lyeth in 37. degrees 26. minutes you shall know when you come to shoald water or sounding for the water will looke Greene or thicke you shall haue ninetie and eightie fathomes and shoalding a pace till you come to ten eleuen nine eight seuen ten and nine fathomes and so to fiue and foure fathomes and a halfe The nineteenth faire weather but an hard gale of winde at the North-east wee stood off till noone and made our way South-east by East two and twentie leagues At noone wee cast about to the Westward and stood till sixe of the clocke in the after-noone and went fiue leagues and a halfe North-west by North. Then wee cast about againe to the Eastward and stood that way till foure the next morning The twentieth faire and cleere weather the winde variable betweene East North-east and North-east At foure of the clocke in the morning wee cast about to the Westward and stood till noone at which time I sounded and had two and thirtie fathomes Then we take to the Eastward againe wee found our height to bee 37. degrees 22. minutes We stood to the Eastward all night and had very much wind At eight of the clocke at night we tooke off our Bonnets and stood with small sayle The one and twentieth was a sore storme of winde and rayne all day and all night wherefore wee stood to the Eastward with a small sayle till one of the clocke in the after-noone Then a great Sea brake into our fore-corse and split it so we were forced to take it from the yard and mend it wee lay a trie with our mayne-corse all night This night our Cat ranne crying from one side of the ship to the other looking ouer-boord which made vs to wonder but we saw nothing The two and twentieth stormy weather with gusts of rayne and wind In the morning at eight of the clocke we set our fore-corse and stood to the Eastward vnder our fore-sayle mayne-sayle and misen and from noone to noone we made our way East South-east fourteene leagues The night reasonable drie but cloudie the winde variable all day and night Our Compasse was varyed 4. degrees Westward The three and twentieth very faire weather but some Thunder in the morning the winde variable betweene East by North. At noone wee tackt about to the Northward the winde at East by North. The after-noone very faire the wind variable and continued so all night Our way we made East South-east till noone the next day The foure and twentieth faire and hot weather with the wind variable betweene the North and the East The after-noone variable winde But at foure of the clocke the wind came to the East and South-east so wee steered away North by West and in three Watches wee went thirteene leagues At noone our height was 35. degrees 41. minutes being farre off at Sea from the Land The fiue and twentieth faire weather and very hot All the morning was very calme vntill eleuen of the clocke the wind came to South-east and South South-east so wee steered away North-west by North two Watches and a halfe and one Watch North-west by West and went eighteene leagues At noone I found our height to bee 36. degrees 20. minutes being without sight of Land The sixe and
weather the winde at South in the morning from twelue vntill two of the clocke we steered North North-west and had sounding one and twentie fathoms and in running one Glasse we had but sixteene fathoms then seuenteene and so shoalder and shoalder vntill it came to twelue fathoms We saw a great Fire but could not see the Land then we came to ten fathoms whereupon we brought our tackes aboord and stood to the Eastward East South-east foure Glasses Then the Sunne arose and we steered away North againe and saw the Land from the West by North to the North-west by North all like broken Ilands and our soundings were eleuen and ten fathoms Then wee looft in for the shoare and faire by the shoare we had seuen fathoms The course along the Land we found to be North-east by North. From the Land which we had first sight of vntill we came to a great Lake of water as wee could iudge it to bee being drowned Land which made it to rise like Ilands which was in length ten leagues The mouth of that Lake hath many shoalds and the Sea breaketh on them as it is cast out of the mouth of it And from that Lake or Bay the Land lyeth North by East and wee had a great streame out of the Bay and from thence our sounding was ten fathoms two leagues from the Land At fiue of the clocke we Anchored being little winde and rode in eight fathoms water the night was faire This night I found the Land to hall the Compasse 8. degrees For to the Northward off vs we saw high Hils For the day before we found not aboue 2. degrees of Variation This is a very good Land to fall with and a pleasant Land to see The third the morning mystie vntill ten of the clocke then it cleered and the wind came to the South South-east so wee weighed and stood to the Northward The Land is very pleasant and high and bold to fall withall At three of the clocke in the afeer-noone wee came to three great Riuers So we stood along to the Northermost thinking to haue gone into it but we found it to haue a very shoald barre before it for we had but ten foot water Then wee cast about to the Southward and found two fathoms three fathoms and three and a quarter till we came to the Souther side of them then we had fiue and sixe fathoms and Anchored So wee sent in our Boate to sound and they found no lesse water then foure fiue sixe and seuen fathoms and returned in an houre and a halfe So wee weighed and went in and rode in fiue fathoms Ozie ground and saw many Salmons and Mullets and Rayes very great The height is 40. degrees 30. minutes The fourth in the morning as soone as the day was light wee saw that it was good riding farther vp So we sent our Boate to sound and found that it was a very good Harbour and foure and fiue fathoms two Cables length from the shoare Then we weighed and went in with our ship Then our Boate went on Land with our Net to Fish and caught ten great Mullets of a foot and a halfe long a peece and a Ray as great as foure men could hale into the ship So wee trimmed our Boate and rode still all day At night the wind blew hard at the North-west and our Anchor came home and wee droue on shoare but tooke no hurt thanked bee God for the ground is soft sand and Oze This day the people of the Countrey came aboord of vs seeming very glad of our comming and brought greene Tabacco and gaue vs of it for Kniues and Beads They goe in Deere skins loose well dressed They haue yellow Copper They desire Cloathes and are very ciuill They haue great store of Maiz or Indian Wheate whereof they make good Bread The Countrey is full of great and tall Oakes The fifth in the morning as soone as the day was light the wind ceased and the Flood came So we heaued off our ship againe into fiue fathoms water and sent our Boate to sound the Bay and we found that there was three fathoms hard by the Souther shoare Our men went on Land there and saw great store of Men Women and Children who gaue them Tabacco at their comming on Land So they went vp into the Woods and saw great store of very goodly Oakes and some Currants For one of them came aboord and brought some dryed and gaue me some which were sweet and good This day many of the people came aboord some in Mantles of Feathers and some in Skinnes of diuers sorts of good Furres Some women also came to vs with Hempe They had red Copper Tabacco pipes and other things of Copper they did weare about their neckes At night they went on Land againe so wee rode very quiet but durst not trust them The sixth in the morning was faire weather and our Master sent Iohn Colman with foure other men in our Boate ouer to the North-side to sound the other Riuers being foure leagues from vs. They found by the way shoald water two fathoms but at the North of the Riuer eighteen and twentie fathoms and very good riding for Ships and a narrow Riuer to the Westward betweene two Ilands The Lands they told vs were as pleasant with Grasse and Flowers and goodly Trees as euer they had seene and very sweet smells came from them So they went in two leagues and saw an open Sea and returned and as they came backe they were set vpon by two Canoes the one hauing twelue the other fourteene men The night came on and it began to rayne so that their Match went out and they had one man slaine in the fight which was an English-man named Iohn Colman with an Arrow shot into his throat and two more hurt It grew so darke that they could not find the ship that night but labored too and fro on their Oares They had so great a streame that their grapnell would not hold them The seuenth was faire and by ten of the clocke they returned aboord the ship and brought our dead man with them whom we carryed on Land and buryed and named the point after his name Colmans Point Then we hoysed in our Boate and raised her side with waste boords for defence of our men So we rode still all night hauing good regard to our Watch. The eight was very faire weather wee rode still very quietly The people came aboord vs and brought Tabacco and Indian Wheat to exchange for Kniues and Beades and offered vs no violence So we fitting vp our Boate did marke them to see if they would make any shew of the Death of our man which they did not The ninth faire weather In the morning two great Canoes came aboord full of men the one with their Bowes and Arrowes and the other in shew of buying of Kniues to betray vs but we perceiued
their intent Wee tooke two of them to haue kept them and put red Coates on them and would not suffer the other to come neere vs. So they went on Land and two other came aboord in a Canoe we tooke the one and let the other goe but hee which wee had taken got vp and leapt ouer-boord Then we weighed and went off into the channell of the Riuer and Anchored there all night The tenth faire weather we rode still till twelue of the clocke Then we weighed and went ouer and found it shoald all the middle of the Riuer for wee could finde but two fathoms and a halfe and three fathomes for the space of a league then wee came to three fathomes and foure fathomes and so to seuen fathomes and Anchored and rode all night in soft Ozie ground The banke is Sand. The eleuenth was faire and very hot weather At one of the clocke in the after-noone wee weighed and went into the Riuer the wind at South South-west little winde Our soundings were seuen sixe fiue sixe seuen eight nine ten twelue thirteene and fourteene fathomes Then it shoalded againe and came to fiue fathomes Then wee Anchored and saw that it was a very good Harbour for all windes and rode all night The people of the Countrey came aboord of vs making shew of loue and gaue vs Tabacco and Indian Wheat and departed for that night but we durst not trust them The twelfth very faire and hot In the after-noone at two of the clocke wee weighed the winde being variable betweene the North and the North-west So we turned into the Riuer two leagues and Anchored This morning at our first rode in the Riuer there came eight and twentie Canoes full of men women and children to betray vs but we saw their intent and suffered none of them to come aboord of vs. At twelue of the clocke they departed They brought with them Oysters and Beanes whereof wee bought some They haue great Tabacco pipes of yellow Copper and Pots of Earth to dresse their meate in It floweth South-east by South within The thirteenth faire weather the wind Northerly At seuen of the clocke in the morning as the floud came we weighed and turned foure miles into the Riuer The tide being done wee anchored Then there came foure Canoes aboord but we suffered none of them to come into our ship They brought great store of very good Oysters aboord which we bought for trifles In the night I set the variation of the Compasse and found it to be 13. degrees In the after-noone we weighed and turned in with the floud two leagues and a halfe further and anchored all night and had fiue fathoms soft Ozie ground and had an high point of Land which shewed out to vs bearing North by East fiue leagues off vs. The fourteenth in the morning being very faire weather the wind South-east we sayled vp the Riuer twelue leagues and had fiue fathoms and fiue fathoms and a quarter lesse and came to a Streight betweene two Points and had eight nine and ten fathoms and it trended North-east by North one league and wee had twelue thirteene and fourteene fathomes The Riuer is a mile broad there is very high Land on both sides Then wee went vp North-west a league and an halfe deepe water Then North-east by North fiue miles then North-west by North two leagues and anchored The Land grew very high and Mountainous The Riuer is full of fish The fifteenth in the morning was misty vntill the Sunne arose then it cleered So wee weighed with the wind at South and ran vp into the Riuer twentie leagues passing by high Mountaines Wee had a very good depth as sixe seuen eight nine ten twelue and thirteene fathoms and great store of Salmons in the Riuer This morning our two Sauages got out of a Port and swam away After we were vnder sayle they called to vs in scorne At night we came to other Mountaines which lie from the Riuers side There wee found very louing people and very old men where wee were well vsed Our Boat went to fish and caught great store of very good fish The sixteenth faire and very hot weather In the morning our Boat went againe to fishing but could catch but few by reason their Canoes had beene there all night This morning the people came aboord and brought vs eares of Indian Corne and Pompions and Tabacco which wee bought for trifles Wee rode still all day and filled fresh water at night wee weighed and went two leagues higher and had shoald water so wee anchored till day The seuenteenth faire Sun-shining weather and very hot In the morning as soone as the Sun was vp we set sayle and ran vp sixe leagues higher and found shoalds in the middle of the channell and small Ilands but seuen fathoms water on both sides Toward night we borrowed so neere the shoare that we grounded so we layed out our small anchor and heaued off againe Then we borrowed on the banke in the channell and came aground againe while the floud ran we heaued off againe and anchored all night The eighteenth in the morning was faire weather and we rode still In the after-noone our Masters Mate went on land with an old Sauage a Gouernour of the Countrey who carried him to his house and made him good cheere The nineteenth was faire and hot weather at the floud being neere eleuen of the clocke wee weighed and ran higher vp two leagues aboue the Shoalds and had no lesse water then fiue fathoms wee anchored and rode in eight fathomes The people of the Countrie came flocking aboord and brought vs Grapes and Pompions which wee bought for trifles And many brought vs Beuers skinnes and Otters skinnes which wee bought for Beades Kniues and Hatchets So we rode there all night The twentieth in the morning was faire weather Our Masters Mate with foure men more went vp with our Boat to sound the Riuer and found two leagues aboue vs but two fathomes water and the channell very narrow and aboue that place seuen or eight fathomes Toward night they returned and we rode still all night The one and twentieth was faire weather and the wind all Southerly we determined yet once more to goe farther vp into the Riuer to trie what depth and breadth it did beare but much people resorted aboord so wee went not this day Our Carpenter went on land and made a Fore-yard And our Master and his Mate determined to trie some of the chiefe men of the Countrey whether they had any treacherie in them So they tooke them downe into the Cabbin and gaue them so much Wine and Aqua vitae that they were â—ll merrie and one of them had his wife with him which sate so modestly as any of our Countrey women would doe in a strange place In the end one of them was drunke which had beene aboord of our ship all the time that we
had beene there and that was strange to them for they could not tell how to take it The Canoes and folke went all on shoare but some of them came againe and brought stropes of Beades some had sixe seuen eight nine ten and gaue him So he slept all night quietly The two and twentieth was faire weather in the morning our Masters Mate and foure more of the companie went vp with our Boat to sound the Riuer higher vp The people of the Countrey came not aboord till noone but when they came and saw the Sauages well they were glad So at three of the clocke in the after-noone they came aboord and brought Tabacco and more Beades and gaue them to our Master and made an Oration and shewed him all the Countrey â—ound about Then they sent one of their coâ—panie on land who presently returned and brought a great Platter full of Venison dressed by themselues and they caused him to eate with them then they made him reuerence and departed all saue the old man that lay aboord This night at ten of the clocke our Boat returned in a showre of raine from sounding of the Riuer and found it to bee at an end for shipping to goe in For they had beene vp eight or nine leagues and found but seuen foot water and vnconstant soundings The three and twentieth faire weather At twelue of the clocke wee weighed and went downe two leagues to a shoald that had two channels one on the one side and another on the other and had little wind whereby the tide layed vs vpon it So there wee sate on ground the space of an houre till the floud came Then we had a little gale of wind at the West So wee got our ship into deepe water and rode all night very well The foure and twentieth was faire weather the winde at the North-west wee weighed and went downe the Riuer seuen or eight leagues and at halfe ebbe wee came on ground on a banke of Oze in the middle of the Riuer and sate there till the floud Then wee went on Land and gathered good store of Chest-nuts At ten of the clocke wee came off into deepe water and anchored The fiue and twentieth was faire weather and the wind at South a stiffe gale We rode still and went on Land to walke on the West side of the Riuer and found good ground for Corne and other Garden herbs with great store of goodly Oakes and Wal-nut trees and Chest-nut trees Ewe trees and trees of sweet wood in great abundance and great store of Slate for houses and other good stones The sixe and twentieth was faire weather and the wind at South a stiffe gale wee rode still In the morning our Carpenter went on Land with our Masters Mate and foure more of our companie to cut wood This morning two Canoes came vp the Riuer from the place where we first found louing people and in one of them was the old man that had lyen aboord of vs at the other place He brought another old man with him which brought more stropes of Beades and gaue them to our Master and shewed him all the Countrey there about as though it were at his command So he made the two old men dine with him and the old mans wife for they brought two old women and two young maidens of the age of sixteene or seuenteene yeeres with them who behaued themselues very modestly Our Master gaue one of the old men a Knife and they gaue him and vs Tabacco And at one of the clocke they departed downe the Riuer making signes that wee should come downe to them for wee were within two leagues of the place where they dwelt The seuen and twentieth in the morning was faire weather but much wind at the North we weighed and set our fore top-sayle and our ship would not flat but ran on the Ozie banke at halfe ebbe Wee layed out anchor to heaue her off but could not So wee sate from halfe ebbe to halfe floud then wee set our fore-sayle and mayne top-sayle and got downe sixe leagues The old man came aboord and would haue had vs anchor and goe on Land to eate with him but the wind being faire we would not yeeld to his request So hee left vs being very sorrowfull for our departure At fiue of the clocke in the after-noone the wind came to the South South-west So wee made a boord or two and anchored in fourteene fathomes water Then our Boat went on shoare to fish right against the ship Our Masters Mate and Boat-swaine and three more of the companie went on land to fish but could not finde a good place They tooke foure or fiue and twentie Mullets Breames Bases and Barbils and returned in an houre We rode still all night The eight and twentieth being faire weather as soone as the day was light wee weighed at halfe ebbe and turned downe two leagues belowe water for the streame doth runne the last quarter ebbe then we anchored till high water At three of the clocke in the after-noone we weighed and turned downe three leagues vntill it was darke then wee anchored The nine and twentieth was drie close weather the wind at South and South and by West we weighed early in the morning and turned downe three leagues by a lowe water and anchored at the lower end of the long Reach for it is sixe leagues long Then there came certaine Indians in a Canoe to vs but would not come aboord After dinner there came the Canoe with other men whereof three came aboord vs. They brought Indian Wheat which wee bought for trifles At three of the clocke in the after-noone wee weighed as soone as the ebbe came and turned downe to the edge of the Mountaines or the Northermost of the Mountaines and anchored because the high Land hath many Points and a narrow channell and hath many eddie winds So we rode quietly all night in seuen fathoms water The thirtieth was faire weather and the wind at South-east a stiffe gale betwene the Mountaynes We rode still the after-noone The people of the Countrey came aboord vs and brought some small skinnes with them which we bought for Kniues and Trifles This a very pleasant place to build a Towne on The Road is very neere and very good for all winds saue an East North-east wind The Mountaynes looke as if some Metall or Minerall were in them For the Trees that grow on them were all blasted and some of them barren with few or no Trees on them The people brought a stone aboord like to Emery a stone vsed by Glasâ—ers to cut Glasse it would cut Iron or Steele Yet being bruised small and water put to it it made a colour like blacke Lead glistering It is also good for Painters Colours At three of the clocke they departed and we rode still all night The first of October faire weather the wind variable betweene the West and the
toward the Euening wee sounded and found our selues in ninetie fathomes and more but the storme and furie of the windes was so great that it brake fiue of the hinges off our rudder On the twelfth in the morning the storme not ceasing but increasing euery houre more and more beat vpon our weake rudder with so great violence and furie that it broke away all that held it in such sort that it hung on the one side where for the last remedie wee fastened a great Cable vnto it with the which for three dayes wee drew it after vs not being able to doe it otherwise in which time in our iudgement wee thought wee had runne two hundred miles and more against our wills Afterward we tooke away the two Rudders and with many pieces of Timber we made another which might rather be called a shadow then a true Rudder and wee put it in his place to guide and direct the ship But it could not endure longer then till the six and twentieth of Nouember when the violence of the Sea carried it all away so that then wee remayned depriued of all hope of gouernment and direction On the fourth of December the furie of the winde grew so outragious againe that it carried away all this third sayle and so being spoyled and bereft of Sayle and Rudder we went at aduenture vntill the eight day alwayes wandering not knowing by any meanes how to prouide for our safetie Afterward the winde alwayes increasing from the East and with so great violence and furie that the Sea beganne to swell so high that the waues seemed Mountaynes and farre greater then we had euer seene before with the darknesse of the extreame long night so that we seemed to goe in the bottomlesse depth of Hell whereby you may imagine how great the anguish and trembling of our hearts was because although we were liuing yet at that instant wee seemed to bee dead expecting death euery houre which we saw present In this darknesse the Heauen was sometimes seene to open with the lightnings and sudden flashes of fire so bright that they tooke away the fight of our eyes And sometimes we seemed to touch the starres the ship mounted so aloft and then againe we saw our selues buried in Hell insomuch as being all astonished we had lost our strength and force And being in this miserable case we did nothing else but with pittie behold one another running with so great violence for many houres in the end a surge of the Sea came ouer the ship vnder the wind with such furie that the water entred into it filled it almost halfe full whereby being now much weakened it was readie to sinke and turned vp the Keele And surely that was the last houre and our end and truly we had beene swallowed vp of the Sea if our Lord Iesus Christ had not beene who forsaketh not them that religiously call vpon him who put such power and strength into our afflicted minds that seeing the ship in so dangerous a case full of water as it could not be cast out by any humane force we determined to cut downe the mayne Mast and cast it together with the mayne Yard and Tackling into thâ— Sea and so wee did whereby the ship being disburdened paused awhile and we then taking courage beganne to cast out the water which with our great trouble and labour we ouercame in the end In this manner wee went scouring away all that long night Now when the day was almost come they agreed to make readie the Boat and the Schiffe with that little prouision of victuall which was remayning equally parted And the Patron said With your consent I command you Nicolo di Michiel the Notary that you set downe in a note the names of those that are willing to enter into the Schiffe and Boat so presently he gaue him fortie fiue persons in a note who were willing to enter into the Schiffe which was capeable but of one and twentie men only and therefore it was necessary to cast Lots who should goe therein and so it was done and they prepared it and set it in order and did the like to the Boate into the which the Master with fortie seuen men entred The one and twentie persons to whom the lot fell entred the Schiffe and a rate was giuen them according to the proportion of the victuall which was remayning of Bisket and also of Frisoppi three hundred pound weight of Cheese of Candia eightie pounds of dried Bacon eight pounds of Tallow to trim their Schiffe fortie pounds of Oyle about two pound waight and no more but besides wee bestowed there seuen Carrattells of Tyrian Wine which is a kind of Maluasie for the Pinnasse or Schiffe would hold no more In like manner fortie seuen men reckoning the Master entred into the Boate or Pinnasse vnto whom rateably fell their proportion of victuals adding thereto a little Greene Ginger in Sirrope and Sirrope of Limons with some small quantitie of Spices which wee had taken We were in our iudgement distant from the neerest Iland or Land about fiue hundred miles or more from the point of Land to Lee-ward of the North part and we sayled with these Conserues in a quiet and calme Sea that little time of the day together with our one and twentie companions comforting our selues in that which we had seene the beginning of so faire a fortune But when the night came a darke mist rose which was a token of the euill sucâ—esse and end which our companions of the Schiffe were to haue of whom we had now lost the sight so that we neuer saw them any more The ninteenth day the morning appearing and not seeing any token of the Schiffe it made vs suspitious of their death whereupon our mindes were much troubled doubting what might befall them because the windes raged in such manner that a waue of the Sea mounted with so great violence into the Pinnasse behinde the Poope where wee Christopher and Nicholas were set downe that through the force of the furie thereof two stayes were battered and bent which left a token of vnsupportable trouble and griefe by meanes that the Pinnasse was more charged with the weight of the water then with her owne burthen Wherefore to remedie it wee ranne all to lade it out with our hands and being constrained through feare and necessitie for the freeing of her wee were faine to cast out all that whether with water or without which came most fit and ready to our hands The Pinnasse becomming drie againe presently in this storme wee agreed to cast ouer-boord the greatest part of the Wine and wee found our selues in so great extremitie that if wee would taste thereof to comfort our troubled senses no more then one goblet of Wine apeece fell to euery mans share for the whole day and who so would drinke more was constrayned to take the Sea-water and this measure and quantitie of Wine held out
minutes the distance of the Pole from my Zeneth was 11. degrees 17. minutes the complement thereof being 78. degrees and 43. minutes the Poles altitude All this day it was calme aâ—l the forenoone warme sunshine weather and whereas I named this place Cape-cold if I had fâ—lne with it this day or the like I should haue giuen it another name Here I tried to take fish but could perceiue none Item there is a point that beareth from Cape-cold North by West which I called Faire-forland this Forland and Cape-cold and Black-point are all one Iland At sixe of the clocke at night the winde came to the North North-west then I determined to view the Ice-sound better but comming neere it I perceiued it packt ful of Ice so that I could see no end thereof at the Top-mast-head neither could I see any open water in it At a North Sun the wind came to the North-east and by North then I stood to the Northwards as before The foure and twentieth day at a North-east Sunne the wind came to the South-west faire weather and warme At a North north-east Sun I tooke the Meridian Altitude which was eleuen degrees aboue the Horizon and by working accordingly I found the eleuation of the Pole aboue the Horizon to be 78. degrees 37. minutes The fiue and twentieth day at an East-south-east Sun I set the boat to the land neere Fayer-forland and it being calme I sounded fortie fiue fathoms where I proued for fish but could find none and within one league of the shoare I had fiue and thirtie and thirtie fathome streamy ground At a South-east Sunne the Boat came aboord laden with Wood and some Whales fins The men told mee there was great store of Morses in the Sea about the shoare side and about thirtie on Land Immediately I sent my Mate Nicholas Woodcock with the Boat on Land againe to see if they could kill any of the said Mohorses and also to search what other thing they should hap to find that might proue beneficiall Moreouer I was certified that all the Ponds and Lakes were vnfrozen they being Fresh-water which putteth mee in hope of a milde Summer here after so sharpe a beginning as I haue had and my opinion is such and I assure my selfe it is so that a passage may bee assoone attayned this way by the Pole as any vnknowne way whatsoeuer by reason the Sun doth giue a great heat in this climate and the Ice I meane that that freezeth here is nothing so huge as I haue seene in 73. degrees The sixe and twentieth day at a North-east Sunne the Boat came aboord againe hauing slaine but two Morses at twelue at midnight the wind came to the North and blew so hard that I was enforced to try with a Mayne-course cold frosty weather with snow The sayd wind and weather continued till a South Sun the seuen and twentieth day at eight of the clocke at night the wind came to the North-west and by West faire weather then I stood towards the Land again And at a South-east sun the eight twentieth day I was within three leagues of Fayer-forland and standing in I sounded diuers times and had these depths 15.17.19 and 18. fathoms within fiue sixe and seuen myles of the shoare and when Fayer-forland did beare South and by East by the Compasse It being two miles from me I saw the Land beare North-east and by North about nine leagues off the which because it was full of knottie Mountaines I called Knottie-point and betweene Knottie-point and Fayer-forland I saw a great Bay which because it was foggy on the sudden I could not discouer In the Sea about the Forland I saw great store of Mohorses and Sea-fowle I sounded in the Bay and had nintie fiue fathomes rockie ground I stood to Sea and had very foule weather with snow and fogs and frost which weather continued till the thirtieth day at foure of the clocke in the morning at which time I was within one mile of Fayer-forland in nine fathomes and then I sayled East North-east about two miles and had these dephs 18.17.16.14 and 12. fathomes all rockes Then I steered South with the like depths and grounds but when I had runne South South-east three miles further I had sandie ground then did Fayer-forland beare West and by North about three leagues of the next cast I had tenne fathomes foule ground and from thence I steered two leagues South and by East hauing these depths 10.9.8 and 7. fathomes then I saw the Bay couered ouer with Ice I turned out the wind at North. This Sound I named Fowle-sound for in this Bay are three Sounds this I spake last of which lyeth in South and goeth out at Black-point another lyeth in East South-east which I named Deere-sound another goeth in North which is called Closse-coue and being neere the point betweene Fowle-sound and Deere-sound it fell calme and I sent the Skiffe on Land and standing after with a little wind at West I found the sayd Point very shoale with a ridge of Rockes where I had these depths 4.5.6.7.9.10.18 and then 30. fathomes At a South Sun the Boat came aboord and brought Wood and some Whale-fins The last of May at an East North-east Sun I was within three leagues of Knotty-point at which time I saw Ice all the Sea ouer betwixt the West and the Land then I saw another Point foure leagues distant from Knotty-point the one bearing of the other North and by East and South and by West and it is smooth Land the which I named the Gurnerds-nose indifferent warme weather and finding the Ice to bee so thicke that I could not passe it and the wind comming to the West I stood to the Southwards againe determining to search the Sounds better for a Road and for commodities because I saw no good to bee gotten in keeping the Sea amongst the Ice and at a North Sun I was in the entrance of Close-coue where I had no ground at one hundred twenty fathomes and yet I was within two Cables length of a sunken ledge of Rockes that lyeth on the Larboord side of the Bay a mile from the shoare The first of Iune I found a good Road in Close-coue on the South-west side where I rid in seuen fathomes sand mingled with oze at an East Sun I sent a Skiffe to a low Point that lyeth on the North side of the Bay where they found some Whales fins and three pieces of Mohorse teeth and vpon a little rockie Iland they saw neere one hundred Mohorses which were there sleeping In this time I went towards the bottome of the Sound and slue a white Beare At a South-west Sun I went towards the rocke to see if I could kill any of the Morses that lay there and as wee went by the shoare side I espied Deere three of them I slue and one of my
I purposed to goe yet could not by reason of abundance of Ice which lay aboue three leagues from the Land which I could not possibly passe At a North-west and by West sun I saw abundance of Ice all along the Land to the Southwards of Bel-sound The eight day at twelue at noone I stood into the Ice in hope to get to the shoare the wind at North and by West hasie weather Hornâ—-sound bearing East North-east nine leagues of I stood to the landwards till foure of the clocke at which time I found the Ice so thick that I was forced to stand to the Southwards to eschew it I sayled by and amongst the Ice till a North North-west Sunne at which time I was within three leagues of the shoare Then I sounded and had thirtie sixe fathomes Then I stood to the Westwards and finding all this part of the Land full of Ice I purposed to stand to the Northwards againe to search for commodities that way the wind being at North-west I turned to windwards till the tenth day at eight of the clocke before noone at which time weâ— found a part of a dead Whale which I caused to bee made fast to the Ship determining to get into some Harbour there to make the best of it I could get into Bel-sound at which time I saw all the bottom of the Sound full of Ice so that there was no refuge for the Ship Then I was faine to turne out with the winde at West and beganne to blow verie hard At a North-west Sunne it was fayre weather and I sent my Mate with the skiffe to search the Coasts towardes Bel-point The fourteenth day at a North-east Sunne the skiffe came aboord and brought three Beares which they had slaine Immediately I sent the Boat for water and wood and then I stood through the Ice and got through it by a North Sun the fifteenth day the wind at North-west foggie weather Then I turned to windwards to double Lownesse and got cleere of it at sixe of the clocke at night thicke foggie weather The sixteenth day at fiue of the clocke in the afternoone I got to Black-point the wind comming to the South thicke weather Then I sent the skiffe to range the Coast and to search what they might find The seuenteenth day at ten of the clocke they came aboord and brought some Fins and three Deere Then I stood towards Crosse-road and ankered there at a North-sun the wind and weather as abouesaid The eighteenth day about fiue of the clocke in the morning I sent the skiffe to see if they could find any Morâ—es on Land on the Rocke or in Deere-sound and in the meane time I with the rest of the company got drift-wood and water readie and about a South sunne a Beare with two young ones the Dam I slew and tooke the young ones aboord the ship the wind Northerly cold foggie weather The nine and twentieth day in the morning I went to thâ— Eastside to see if any Mohorses were on land there I slew foure exceeding fat Buckes and a Doe In which time the skiffe came aboord and brought two Beares skins but found no beasts and in Deere-sound they found Sea-coales which burnt very well The twentieth day I sent the Skiffe into the bottome of Closse-coue to search it for commodities the wind at South close weather with raine at eight of the clock at night they came aboord but found nothing immediately I got wood and water aboord which was ready before preparing to set sayle the wind and weather abouesaid we slue three Deere The one and twentieth I wayed the wind at North faire weather The two and twentieth day the wind came to the West and then I stood to the Northward at eight of the clocke haâ—â—-weather At twelue of the clocke at noone the wind came to the North and I stood to the Southwards by Fayer-forland The three and twentieth day at an East north-east Sunne the Boat brought some Whales finnes and three Buckes and one Doe In which time I thought I had seene Land beare West from me I stood to the Westwards and by a South South-east sunne had run fifteene leagues West and by South then I perceiued it to be fogs The foure and twentieth day at seuen of the clocke in the afternoone I came into Bel-sound and found but little Ice then I sent the Skiffe to seeke for a Road for the Ship and also for commodities The fiue and twentieth day at three of the clocke in the morning the Skiffe came aboord hauing beene in the mouth of the North Inlet which I call Low-sound they went into it by Point-partition but there is no good Channell that way for a Ship neuerthelesse there seemeth to bee an Inlet or Channell but it is full of Rockes from side to side and the men told mee that vpon the Land lay some Mohorses which I sent them to kill At eight of the clocke the Skiffe came aboord and brought the teeth of the sayd beasts and some blubber Immediately I sent them into Bel-sound to seeke for a Road for the Ship the wind at West thicke foggie weather About an North West Sunne I anchored in Bel-sound in sixteen fathomes ozie ground this Harbour lyeth about two leagues aboue Point-partition on the South-side of it and here a ship may ride safe from all windes At a North Sunne my Mate slue a Beare The six and twentieth day in the morning it blew hard and I went on Land and slue a Beare and a Bucke which had three inches and an halfe in thicknesse of fat on the haunches At nine of the clocke I sent both the Boats to fetch the fat of those Mohorses which were slaine the day before and likewise to search if they could find any more the wind at North with fogs At six of the clocke at night the Boats came aboâ—rd with the fat and brought two Buckes but found no beasts on Land The seuen and twentieth day at a South South-east Sunne I weighed the winde being at North and by West faire weather and I steered out betwixt an Iland and the point where I rid South-west and by West hauing these depths 10.7.6.5 and 4. fathomes then I was in the middest betwixt the said point and a shoald which lay South and North one of the other and after keeping the same course I had these depths 5.6.7.8.9.10.12 and 13. fathomes in all these depths I had sand and after oze At sixe of the clocke the wind came to the South-west with fogges and I turned to the wind-wards And at twelue the eight and twentieth day Lownesse did beare North-east about foure leagues off where I sounded hauing thirtie two fathomes streamie ground with blacke stones at which time it was calme and continued so till the nine and twentieth day at sixe of the clocke in the morning then the wind came to the North with fogges and I stood to the
their gorges and few feathers on their backes he leaueth them to get more not for themselues but for him We found on the shoares many huge Morses There is great store of fresh water in euery Valley which proceedeth most of the melted snow On euery Beech is great plentie of drift wood but neuer a bush nor tree groweth in those quarters as farre as we haue hitherto discouered CHAP. IIII. A Relation written by IONAS POOLE of a Voyage to Greenland in the yeere 1612. with two ships the one called the Whale the other the Sea-horse set out by the Right Worshipfull the Muscouie Merchants THe seuenth of Aprill 1612. wee set sayle at Blacke-wall and went to Grâ—â—esend The third of May we came to Cherie Iland where we found a ship of Holland in which one Alan Saloâ—es an Englishman was Pilot. The same day about a North sunne we anchored on the West side of the Iland The fourth we trimmed a shallop which I left there the last yeere and Alan Salowes went aboard our Admirall and Master Russell sent for Master Thomas Edge Master Arthington Iohn Mason and my selfe where wee had some speech about detayning him and to haue brought him into England but in the end hee was let goe At a North sunne we sent our shallop to the South-east side of the Iland to fetch a shallop which was left there the last yeere but they could not get thither for Ice and came aboard againe at an East North-east Sunne the fift day at which time we weighed and stood to the Westward but immediatly we altered our course and stood toward the Iland againe among the Ice and about a West North-west Sunne wee sent our Skiffe and Shallop to fetch the Shallop aforesaid The winde was at North and by West frostie weather with snowe The eight wee stood toward Cherie Iland againe and were faire by it at a South sunne at which time the winde came to the South-east and wee saw the Hollander standing with vs. Then we altered our course and sayled West North-west determining if hee followed vs to stay for him At ten of the clock at night hee came to vs and the Admirall sent his shallop aboord of him to command him to be gone out of our companie and at a North sunne hee stood away from vs and sayled North and by East and we lay by the lee The twentieth at a South Sunne we saw our Consort and spake with them and they told vs that they had almost split their ship with a piece of Ice which brake nine of their Timbers so that they had fiue foot water in hold The one and two and twentie dayes wee plyed to windward the winde being at North faire weather And at Blacke Point wee saw great store of Ice driuing to the South At eight of the clocke at night Blacke Point did beare from mee East and by North nine leagues And the three dayes past we saw great store of Whales within ten or twelue leagues off the Land The three and twentieth we were faire off Cape Cold where Master Edge and Master Arthington went with the Basks in their Shallops for Crosse-rode in hope to kill some Whales And we saw store of Whales in the Sea The fiue and twentieth we got into Foule Sound all the Sounds being full of Ice and the Shallops came aboord and brought some Venison which was very leane And at six of the clock the Basks went with the Shallops to Faire Foreland to see if they could kill a Whale and at a North-west Sunne Master Edge went with a Shallop to see if Crosse-rode were open The six and twentieth the two ships abouesaid came into Foule Sound one of them was that Hollander before mentioned the other was a ship of London called The Diana whereof one Thomas Bustion dwelling at Wapping wall was Master The seuen and twentieth Alâ—â—ie Saloâ—es came aboord of our ship and told vs that his Merchant had broke his necke downe a Cliffe The same day the Hollâ—nder and the Diana stood to the Southward The winde was at North North-west and Northwest which kept the Ice in the Sounds The twentie eight we sent the long Boat and our Shallop to Brokennesse with a Shallop of ten Tunnes there to be set vp The winde was at West with snowe and frost The same day the Basks came aboord but could kill neuer a Whale The winde came to the South Southwest with frost and snowe The nine and twentieth the winde was at South with much snowe The same day one of our men dyed named Iohn Butcher hauing layen sicke about three weeks The thirtieth one Michael Perkins dyed aboord The Whale The last of May the winde was at South and wee stood toward the Foreland in 79. degrees The sâ—me day aâ— midnight the Chyrurgeon of The Whale dyed The first of Iune we stood into Foule Sound where wee saw abundance of Ice driue out with the winde at East The second day the winde was at North and by East cold frostie weather All which day wee lay vnder saile in the mouth of the Sound The third day wee spake with Thomas Marmaduke of Hull in a ship called The 〈◊〉 wâ—ll Wee sent for him to come aboord but he answered that he was not well and sent his Mate Christopher Nayler The same day we stood to the mouth of the Sound but it was couered with Ice And Marmaduke stood to the Northward and as we were afterward informed discouered as farre as 82. degrees two degrees beyond Hakluyts Headland The fourth we sent our shallop on shoare in Foule Sound to see if any harbour were open to ride in and to put our Admirall on ground to stop her leake The same day our long Boate came to vs from Brokennesse And we turned into the Sound because we saw the Ice driue out with the winde at South and blew hard The fift we anchored in Foule Sound in seuenteene fathoms water and sandie ground where we saw the place where both the ships lay which wee lost the last yeere couered with Ice The same time wee sent our shallop with our Carpenters to finish the aforesaid shallop at Brokennesse The winde continued at South and the Whale turned into the Sound by vs and achnored there at a South-west by South Sunne The ninth the Admirals Boate and ours went with prouision and men to worke vpon a Whale which the Basks had killed and we stood toward the Foreland with the ships whâ—re the Whale was killed the winde at South thicke foggie weather And by an East North-east Sunne wee anchored in the mouth of Foule Sound in fifteene fathoms gray sand with some shells At a West sunne the Boate came aboord for caske and other prouision and told vs that the Basks had killed two other Whales The seuenteenth one Baske named Chapel tooke fiue of our English men to him and they trimmed the shallop to
being about eight or nine leagues off The Southwardest part of it bare South-east and by East off it which shortly wee perceiued to bee the Land lying in 76. degrees and 55. minutes which is called Horne-sound This Land lyeth by our common Compasse North North-west Within two houres after we had sight of Land it began to snowe and was very cold This euening the Compasse was varied thirteene degrees West The one and thirtieth day variable weather with snowe and very cold and the winde also variable and in the afternoone the winde was at the North-east In the morning wee espied a ship and about noone we spoke with her and their Master and Pilot came aboord of vs. And wee knew them to bee that ship of Saint Iohn de Luz which had leaue of the Companie to fish And they told vs that there were eight Spaniards on the Coast. Also wee espied another ship which we supposed to be a French man and had one Allan Sallas to their Pilot. The second of Iune in the morning about fiue of the clocke our Generall sent our shallop to a small Pinke that all this night we saw along the shoare to bid their Master and Pilot come aboord vs which presently they did The Masters name was Claiâ— Martin of Horne and his ship was for Dunkerke and he told vs that he was consorted with another ship that was his Admirall the Captaines name was Fopp of Dunkerke and that he was on the Coast. Wee kept the Master and Pilot aboord of vs and sent some of our men aboord of her and brought her vnder our lee and then we sent their Master aboord againe charging them to follow vs. This afternoone we tooke their shallop with fiue or sixe men whereof two were English men and one Scot at the Faire foreland The fourth day also faire weather This morning was the first Whale killed Wee had no night since the three and twentieth of May. The fift day faire weather but very cold the winde North. Wee sayled along the Iland being about eighteene or twentie leagues in length lying for the most part by the common Compasse North and by West halfe Westward About nine of the clocke in the afternoone we saw our other three ships viz. the Gamaliel the Desire and the Richard and Barnard which lay there to and fro because they could not goe into their Harbour by reason of the Ice and also because there were foure other ships in a Bay or Coue called Pooppy Bay or Nickes Coue and also other ships on the other side in Greene Harbour We sayled along the drift Ice vntill about one or two of the clocke in the morning at which time we came to an anchor in the entrance of the Sound because the Ice came driuing out so fast The sixt day faire weather the winde variable till the afternoone at which time it came to the Northwards About three in the afternoone we weighed anchor and about ten of the clocke we came to the foure ships lying in Pooppy Bay two of them being Hollanders and one a Rocheller and the other a ship of Burdeaux The Masters of the Hollanders came aboord of our ship to speake with the Generall both of them being of Amsterdam and brought a Commission granted by the Graue Maurice for to fish in this Countrey But when they saw our Kings Maiesties Commission granted to the worshipfull Companie they told our Generall that they would depart this Coast hauing our Generals Ticket to shew to their Aduenturers that they were there and had made their Port and how he would not suffer them to fish We anchored close by the French ship wherein was Allane Sallas being readie to fight if they refused to come aboord vs. So when we sent our shallop the Master came presently and their Surgeon who could speake English At the first they denyed that Sallas was aboord of them but being hardly vrged they confessed that hee and one Thomas Fisher an English man were aboord who were both presently sent for This Sallas was their Pilot and Fisher was their Gunner The seuenth day faire weather we road still at an anchor This day I obserued the latitude of the place and found it in 78. degrees 24. minutes The variation of the Compasse is in this place 15. degrees 21. minutes West About a North Sunne a small ship of Biscay came into the harbour where we roade The eight day for the most part snow the winde Southward This day the Master of the French ship being a ship of nine score or two hundred called the Iaques of Bardeaux agreed with our Generall that hee might fish on the coast our Generall was to haue halfe the Whales he could kill Also this day the Master of the ship of Râ—chel and the Master of the small ship of Biscay were agreed to depart from the coast The ninth day faire weather This morning the Gamaliel our Reare-Admirall and the Desire weighed anchor to goe for Greene harbour where two ships lay one of Dunkerke and the other of Saint Sebastian in Biscay The Captaine of the Dunkerke called Fopp had beene with our Generall and told him that he would depart from this Coast. Our Generall gaue him leaue to take the Pilot of the small Pinke and the other Dutch men he had taken of his keeping only the English men and the Scots Also the two ships of Holland with the ship of Biscay and that of Rochel weighed anchor and departed from this Harbour About six of the clocke in the afternoone came the Master of the ship of Saint Sebastian aboord of vs being brought by one of the Masters Mates of the Desire they hauing taken two of his Shallops to know our Generals pleasure whether he should haue them againe or no. Our Generall gaue them him againe vpon condition that he would depart the Coast. About a North North-west Sunne we weighed anchor to goe for Horne-Sound where we heard that there were diuers ships the wind Northward a small gale The tenth day faire weather the winde at North being very close weather About a North Sunne we came to an anchor in the entrance of Low Sound where we saw two ships ride at anchor Our Generall sent our shallop to see what ships they were who found them to bee the two ships of Holland Also our long Boate went on shoare to set vp the Kings Maiesties Armes vpon a low point of land lying a great way off called Low-nesse We set vp a Crosse of wood and nayled the Armes vpon it The thirteenth day in the morning it snowed very fast being very thicke weather the winde variable we standing off from the land About seuen of the clock it began to cleere vp at which time we espied three ships and making toward them at length we perceiued them to be the three ships which came from the Bay where we road the winde also was at East and by South
faire weather the winde Northward This day and the last night I obserued the latitude of the place where we roade and found it by both to bee in the latitude of 78. degrees 7. minutes the skie at both obseruations being very cleere where I finde that there is no sensible error betweene a South obseruation and a North the skie being cleare But if the skie be hasie there will be some difference as of eight or ten minutes being obserued on shoare by some large Quadrant or other Instrument for the purpose also a South South-west Moone by the common Compasse maketh a full Sea in this place The ninth of Iuly faire weather the winde at North. This day wee stood to the Southward along the Iland but toward night it fell calme and then the winde came to the West The tenth day faire weather but thicke and close the winde South South-west All this day we stood for Bell-Sound Our Generall went on shoare this afternoone and killed foure Deere and brought a young Morse aliue with him aboord The eleauenth day faire weather but calme This afternoone wee perceiued fiue shippes in a Bay in Bel-sound The winde was so calme that we were faine to towe in our shippes and about a North North-wâ—st sunne we came to an anchor by them with our three ships viz. the Tigre Admirall the Mathew Vice-Admirall and the Richard and Barnard hauing made all things readie for to fight These fiue shippes which rid here the one was a great shippe of Biscay of seuen hundred Tunnes and the two Hollanders which we found the sixt of Iune in Pooppy-bay and one small Pinke of Amsterdam and another small shippe of Rochell This great shippe of Biscay which we expected would haue fought with vs sent their Captaine aboord of vs before we came to an anchor and submitted themselues vnto the Generall The two ships of Amsterdam whose Masters names were these viz. Cornelius Calias William Vermogon Admirall and Iohn Iacob Vice-Admirall these two would gladly haue stood out with vs if the Biscaine would haue assisted them The twelfth day faire weather This day the ship of Iohn Iacobo was vnladen of such goods as shee had in her as Oyle Blubber and Mories skinnes The thirteenth day I was sent in a shallop to Greene Harborough The foureteenth day thicke close weather the winde Northward but toward noone it began to cleare vp and then it blew more winde About a West sunne we came to a small Iland or rather a Rock where Morses vse to come where we found seauen which we killed and knocked out their teeth and let them lye In this place are many of these rockes where are great multitudes of foule and they are called Lizets Ilands The Land all along is so full of Rockes that it is vnpossible for any shippe to come neere the Maine but in the Sands which are very deepe and good to come in All this euening and night wee rowed betweene this Iland and Ice-sound The fifteenth day about nine or tenne a clocke we came to the shippes in Greene-barborough where we found that they had killed eighteene Whales in all Foure of these ships were Frenchmen which had killed eight Whales for the Companie according to the agreement which the Generall had made with them which was that they should kill eight for vs and after what they could kill should be for themselues Our English men had killed three in this place and the Baskes in the Desire also three The Desire had taken in an hundred tunnes of Oyle when wee came there and she was to be laden so soone as she could The seauenteenth day also faire weather the winde Northward This day toward a West Sunne the Master of the French shippe came from Sea-horse Bay who went thither to speake with our Generall because Master Mason and Master Cooper had stayed his Shallops from going to Sea in regard they would not obserue the orders which the Generall had appointed them which were that those Whales which our Englishmen did chase they should not follow nor our men should not follow the Whales they chased For the order of the Biscaines is that who so doth strike the first Harping Iron into him it is his Whale if his Iron hold This euening I say he returned from Sea-horse Bay hauing lost his labour for the Generall and Master Edge were in Bell-sound We vnderstood by him that they had killed some eight and thirtie Whales in all and that there was one hundred and sixtie tunnes of Oyle ready made The fiue and twentieth day in the morning the Desire weighed Anchor to go to the Generall and the Master of the French ship also this morning went from thence to speake with the Generall because of a Whale which was in strife betweene his Biscaines and ours when for pilfering and for some peremptorie speeches two of the Rochellers were ducked at our Yard arme the one on the one side and the other on the other This day I also obserued the latitude of this place and found it to be 77. degrees 40. minutes Also the variation of the Compasse is 13. degrees 11. minutes West This variation was obserued the third of August in the morning the height of the sunne aboue the Horizon was 17. degrees 24. minutes and the declination was 14. degrees 41. minutes North in the latitude of 77. degrees 40. minutes and his Magnetical azimuth was 63. from South to East The ninth day wee had sight of Master Bonners Ship wherein was Master Marmaduke who had beene to the Northward as farre as Faire-hauen and now as he said he was bound to the southward to discouer beyond Point Looke-out hauing his direction from Master Edge as he said Our Generall told him that hee had hindered the Voyage more by his absence then his discouerie would profit and that it were best that he went backe with him to the Fore-land and that he would giue no licence to goe now for Discouerie because the yeare was farre spent but bad him according to his Commission so to proceede The twelfth day I obserued and found the latitude of this place by an exact obseruation to be in 79. degrees 14. minutes They in the Pooppy-Bay had seene a ship of England off Black-point and had spoken with her who told them that they were come from Kildeene The foureteenth day faire weather the Winde at North North-east This day about tenne a clocke in the forenoone we waied anchor to goe homeward being sixe ships in company viz. the Tigre Admirall the Gamaliel Vice-Admirall the Iohn and Frances the Annula the ship of Burdeaux which the Generall agreed with to fish in Greene-harborough and the Biscay ship which fished in Sir Thomas Smiths Bay The fifteenth day very faire weather all the forenoone almost calme in the afternoone an easie gale at North-east This day about twelue a clocke at noone wee were against Faire Foreland
shoare we searched two little Beaches which had some wood on them but nothing that we found of better value About two leagues within the Sound on the East side there is an Harbour where shippes may ride in good ground Land-lockt but if other yeeres be like this I cannot say that it is an Harbour fitting for ships because it is late ere the Sound breake vp for euen now there lay much Ice at the bottome of it insomuch that I was forcst to leaue the shallop because I could not passe with her for Ice and walke two miles ouer stonie Mountaynes with another man in my company to bee satisfied concerning a point of Land that shot into the Sound whether it were an Iland or no as by all likelihood it seemed to bee but when I came to the farthest part of it I saw it joyne to the mayne Land wherefore I called it Point Deceit because it deceiued mee so much From hence wee proceeded toward our shippe and came aboord of her in the North Harbour of Faire Hauen on Friday night being the nineteenth of August where she rid alone for Master Marmaduke was gone forth to Sea that day The two and twentieth of August Iohn Mason Master of the Gamaliell came ouer from the South Harbour for helpe to hayle vp a Whale which had beene sunke fourteene dayes in one hundred and twentie fathome depth or else to pull the Wâ—rpe and Harping Iron out of her for now it was time to take her or forsake her Master Sherwin our Master caused our long Boate to bee manned and went with him when they came where the Whale was sunke they haled and shee presently rose bolting suddenly vp with a thundring cracke made with the bursting of her bodie and notwithstanding shee had layen so long yet had shee all her Finnes fast Whilst this was in doing the Hartsease was comming into the Harbour from the Northward and anchored by our ship an houre after Here wee stayed till the seuen and twentieth of August and since my last returne hither in the shallop from the Eastwards the weather hath beene commonly warme and the Mountaynes were now more cleere of Snow then they had beene any time this yeere notwithstanding there had much snowe fallen since the beginning of this moneth but it was quite consumed and a greater signe of warmth and thaw was now to bee obserued then any time of the yeere heretofore namely by the often falling of the Ice into the Sea from the huge snowie bankes making a noyse like Thunder so that the time was very hopefull but thus wee made vse of occasion offered The seuen and twentieth of August it was faire and warme weather calme till noone then had wee a gale of winde from the South South-west wherewithall wee set sayle out of Faire-hauen in the company of the Hartsease with whom wee had beene in termes of consortship but nothing was concluded About sixe a clocke at night wee were sixe leagues from Cape Barren which bore from vs South-west and by South Wee proceeded still to the North-eastward and on the eight and twentieth day in the morning wee had runne about twentie leagues from Cape Barren in an East North-east way by the ordinary Compasse being open of Sir Thomas Smiths Inlet nine or tenne leagues from the shoare at which time wee were come to the Ice that trended East South-east and West North-west but the Sea being very rough wee stood off againe from the Ice in the afternoone it fell calme and at night we had a gale of winde at East and the ship was steered West and then South-west homewards The nine and twentieth day the winde Easterly an easie gale at foure a clockâ— in the afternoone Hackluyts Head-land bore from vs South-east by East foure leagues distant 〈…〉 was very warme The thirtieth day the winde at North-east an easie gale at foure a clocke in the afternoone Maudlon Point bore East North-east halfe a Point Easterly about three leagues distant 〈◊〉 the Euening it fell calme the weather not cold The thirtieth day faire Sunne-shine weather and calme till noone and then we had a good gale of winde from the North-east being fiue leagues distant from the Fore-land which bore South-east now wee altered our course and stood to the West-ward therefore to keepe vs still in the parallel that now wee were in which was 79. degrees 8. minutes West North-west course was directed in respect of the Variation to make good a true West way This course wee held till we had runne about twentie leagues and then wee ranne twentie leagues more in a West and by North course till one a clocke on Friday morning at which time it fell calme and wee heard the Sea make a great noyse as if wee had beene neere Land but wee rather iudged it to bee Ice as indeed it proued to bee for in the morning when it was light and cleere wee saw the Ice about a league from vs which trended Southerly hauing now a gale at East North-east wee steered away South and South South-east but in the afternoone we were embayed with a long banke of Ice which wee could not weather therefore wee were faine to tacke about and the winde hauing come more Southerly then it was in the morning wee stood off from the Ice North-east and North-east and by North and then to the Southwards againe making sundrie boardes to get forth to wind-wards of the Ice The third day before noone wee had sight againe of Ice to Westwards of vs and at noone were vnder the parallel of 78. degrees 27. minutes according to my Obseruation then wee stood a way South to keepe cleere of the Ice for wee had a great homing Sea although but little winde and therefore durst not be to bold to edge too neere it especially the wind being Easterly as then it was On the fourth day our men saw the Ice againe from the mayne top-mast head and therefore wee still maintayned a Southerly course the next day it began to be foggie and continued close weather and hazie for three dayes so that wee had no more sight of the Ice neyther could wee at this time receiue any further satisfaction concerning the same therefroe wee kept a Southerly course so neere as wee could although wee had but little winde and the same very variable till the ninth day but then wee had a good gale of winde at West North-west On the tenth day beeing Saturday wee were by my reckoning fiftie leagues distant from Low-foot which bore from vs East South-east halfe a Point Southerly this day the wind shifted to the South-west and at night came to the South with much raine then came backe againe to the West North-west and began a great storme This night the Master and others saw a light vpon the Fore-bonnet which the Saylers call a Corpo Santo it appeared like the flame of a Candle and as
wood But before the men had laid into her the little quantitie that she was able to carrie they came aboard againe for the wind began to blow hard and the Sea to goe loftie so that here was no place for vs to abide any longer otherwise I was purposed to haue searched further alongst the shoare but this gale of winde comming Northerly I stood from hence to the Westwards being desirous to see more Land or finde a more open Sea And hauing sayled about fifteene or sixteene leagues I met with Ice again in latitude 71. degrees and coasted it eight or nine leagues further Westward and South-westward as it lay but then the wind came to the South-west and we stood close by it a while to the Southwards but finding the gale to increase and considering that it was the most contrary winde which could blow against my further proceeding for the Ice as we found did â—â—end neerest South-west and besides if there had beene any high Land within twentie leagues of vs wee might perfectly haue made it the weather was so faire and cleere In these respects and for the Reasons following I tooke the benefit of this wind to returne to the North-eastwards againe being now about two hundred leagues from King Iames his New Land in latitude 71. degrees First I purposed to sayle alongst the South-east side of the Land that I had discouered to bee better satisfied what Harbours there were and what likelihood of profit to ensue and from thence to proceed to the place where I first fell with Ice in latitude 73. degrees when I was driuen to the South-eastwards with a Westerly storme for I am yet verily perswaded that being there we were not farre from Land although wee could not see it by reason of thicke foggie weather Then my further intent was if I found no good occasion to spend my time there for to coast the Ice or try the open Sea to the Northwards betwixt 73. and 76. degrees where formerly I had not receiued desired satisfaction by reason of a storme that draue me off and then I purposed if time might seeme conuenient to proceed to the North Coast of King Iames his New Land to haue seene what hope was there to be had for passage Northward or for compassing of the Land which is most like to be an Iland I stood away East and by South and being neere the foresaid Iland the winde came to the West and blew a very hard gale wherewith I passed alongst the South-east side of the Iland vnder a paire of coarses but without that satisfaction which I expected for the winde blowing so stormie and the Sea growne very great I was forced to stand further from the shoare then willingly I would haue done and besides there was a thicke fogge vpon the Land whereby I could not be satisfied what Harbours or Roads were about it yet might we see three or foure Capes or Head-lands as if there went in Bayes betwixt them I sayled about it and then stood to the Northward againe and being now assured that it was an Iland I named it Sir Thomas Smiths Iland This Iland is about ten leagues in length and stretcheth North-east and South-west it is high Land and at the North end of it there is a Mountayne of a wonderfull height and bignesse all couered with Snow which I called Mount Hackluyt the base or foot of it on the East side is almost foure leagues long it hath three such sides at the base lying out to the Sea and from the fourth side doth the rest of the Iland extend it selfe towards the South-west which is also as it were a place fortified with Castles and Bulwarkes for on each side there bee three or foure high Rockes which stand out from the Land appearing like Towres and Forts It lyes in the parallel of 71. degrees where the Needle varieth from the true Meridian Westwards eight degrees The Land is generally so farre as I haue seene Rockie and very barren and worse then the Land that I haue seene in King Iames his New Land vnder eightie degrees for there is no grasse but mosse and where I first landed vpon low ground all the stones were like vnto a Smiths finders both in colour and forme the sand is generally mixed with a corne like Amber the Beaches are abundantly stored with drift wood and many stones light like Pumis which will swimme on the water I saw many traces of Foxes and the footing of Beares but not any signe of Deere or other liuing creatures and very small store of Fowle From hence I stood to the Northward according to my former purpose but was crossed with a contrarie storme from the North-west which put me off to the Eastward but as the wind shifted I made my way to the North-westwards all I could and came againe to the Ice in latitude 75. degrees from whence I proceeded towards King Iames his New Land and had sight of the Land the eighteenth of August being in latitude 77. degrees 30. minutes and hauing a hard gale of wind then at North-west I stood close by it vnder a paire of coarses but could not weather Prince Charles Iland and therefore I bore vp intending to goe into Nicks Coue which is on the North side of Ice-sound there to attend a faire winde and in the meane time to get ballast aboard the Pinnasse and all other things necessary But comming to enter into the Harbour I thought it not a place conuenient because I could hardly haue gotten out againe with a Southerly wind which would carrie me to the Northwards and therefore I stood ouer for Green-harbor where I anchored at one a clocke in the morning the nineteenth of August Here I caused my men to launch a shallop and to get ballast and water aboard the Pinnasse and before nine a clocke at night I was readie to proceed Northward with the first faire winde I stayed here fiue dayes during which time it blew hard for the most part at North and North-west and on the foure and twentieth of August the winde came to the East North-east as wee supposed till we were out of the Harbour so I set sayle to proceed Northward and had the wind Easterly out of Ice-sound wherewith I stood North-west towards Cape Cold but being cleere of the high Land we found the wind to bee at North North-east therefore I resolued of another course which was this Hauing perused Hudsons Iournall written by his owne hand in that Voyage wherein hee had sight of certayne Land which he named Hold-with-hope I found that by his owne reckoning it should not be more then one hundred leagues distant from King Iames his New Land and in the latitude of 72. degrees 30. minutes or thereabouts therefore seeing I could not proceed Northward I purposed to goe to the South-westwards to haue sight of this Land and discouer it if wind and weather would permit So I stood away
the Hauen of Saint Iohn the third day of August written in haste 1527. By your seruant Iohn Rut to his vttermost of his power I haue by me also Albert de Prato's originall Letter in Latin stile almost as harsh as the former English and bearing the same date and was indorsed Reuerend in Christo Patri Domino Domino Cardinali Domino Legat◠Angliae and began Reuerendissime in Christo Pater salutem Reuerendissime Pater plaeceat Reuerendissima peternitati vestra scire Deo fauente post quam exiuimus à Plemut quae fuit x. Iunij c. the substance is the same with the former and therefore omitted Datum apud le Baya Saint Iohan in Terris Nouis die x. Augusti 1527. Reuer Patr. vest humilis seruus Albertus de Prato the name written in the lowest corner of the sheet The voyage of Captaine GEORGE WEYMOVTH intended for the discouerie of the North-west Passage toward China with two flye Boates. ON Sunday the second day of May 1602. in the afternoone I weighed anchor and set saile from Redcliffe with two Fly-boates the one called the Discouery of seuentie Tunnes and the other called the God speed of sixtie Tunnes to discouer the North-west passage hauing in my ships fiue and thirtie men and boyes throughly victualled and abundantly furnished with all necessaries for a yeere and an halfe by the right Worshipfull Merchants of the Moscouie and Turkie Companies who for the better successe of the voyage prouided mee of a great trauailer and learned Minister one Master Iohn Cartwright The Master vnder mee in the Discouerie was one William Cobreth a skilfull man in his profession and in the God speed one Iohn Drewe and Mate in the said ship one Iohn Lane The first of Iune we descried Buquhamnes in the Latitude of 57. degrees The second day we saw the Point of Buquhamnes North-west from vs being a very smooth land and the land by it to the Southward riseth with many Homocks There lyeth a ledge of Rockes hard by the Nesse in a sandie Bay faire by the shore When we came neer the land we met with a fisher Boat and I agreed with one of the fisher men to carry me betweene the Isles of Orkney because I was not acquainted with the coast The fourth day at ten of the clocke wee descried the Isles of Orkney Some of those Southerne Ilands are prettie high land but the Northerne Iland which is called the Start is very low land There is no danger giuing the shore a good birth vnlesse it be by the Norther point of the Start there doth a ledge of Rockes lye a mile from the shoare At noone I found my selfe to be in the latitude of 59. degrees and 30. minutes the point of the Start bearing West and at one of the clocke in the afternoone we saw a faire I le which bare North-east and by North from vs and at eight of the clocke at night wee were North of the Start Then I directed my course West and by North. The fifth day about ten of the clocke in the morning we ranne some tenne leagues and then we saw two small Ilands some two leagues off and at eight and nine of the clocke we saw foure or fiue Boats of Fisher-men and spake with one of them and they were Scottish-men The sixt in the morning fell much raine and lasted till nine of the clocke and at ten of the clocke it cleared vp and became very faire weather and very temperate and warme and our course was West The seauenth the winde was at East and by North faire weather and our course West The eight at noone I obserued the Sunne and found vs to be in 59. degrees and fortie seuen minutes and we ran West South-west The twelfth day we held our course West the winde at East North-east with fogge in the morning at noone I obserued the Sunne and found my selfe in 57. degrees and 55. minutes the variation here was nothing at all The thirteenth at noone our course was West and by North the winde at North-east with fogge some three or foure houres and then cleare againe the ayre very warme as in England in the moneth of May. The foureteenth was faire weather and the winde at East North-east and our course West and by North. The fifteenth much raine all the forenoone our course West the winde at East and by North. The sixteenth the winde was at North North-east with much raine winde and fogge In the forenoone being very cold and at noone I obserued the Sun and found vs to be in 57. degrees and 35. minutes we found the variation to be eleuen degrees Westward and by that meane I found my selfe to be one degree more to the Southward then we should haue bin by our course for we could not see the Sunne in 96. houres before this day at noone and at our last obseruation before this which was the twelfth day we could not finde any variation at all Then we stood close by a winde to the Westward the winde being at North North-east The seauenteenth wee ranne North and by West the winde at North North-east faire weather This day we saw many gray Gulles and some Pigions The eighteenth at noone I obserued the Sunne and found our selues to be in the latitude of 59. degrees and 51. minutes And then we first descried a great Iland of Ice which lay North from vs as farre as we could ken it from the head of our maine topmast and about two of the clocke in the afternoone we saw the South part of Groneland North from vs some ten leagues As we coasted this Ice to the Northward we found it to be a maine banke of Ice for we saw the other end of it to beare West North-west from vs the winde being at South South-west little winde Then we ranne West South-west to cleere vs of the Ice The nineteenth the winde was at East South-east with some small raine The twentieth our course was West North-west the winde being at North and by East little winde This day sometimes we came into blacke water as thicke as puddle and in sailing a little space the water would be cleare againe Seeing this change of water so often to be thick and cleare againe so suddenly we imagined it had beene shallow water then we founded and could fetch no ground in one hundred and twenty fathomes and the Sea was so smooth that we could discerne no current at all At this time I reckoned the Cape of desolation to beare North North-east twentie foure leagues from vs. The one and twentieth the winde was variable The two and twentieth we were in the latitude of 60. degrees and 37. minutes the winde being at West wee ranne North and by West The seauen and twentieth the winde was at West South-west then our course was North-west and by North the weather faire and warme as in England in
did very much villanie to them in the ship so that the Captaine tooke three of them other of them also he slew but the three which he tooke he vsed with all kindnesse giuing them Mandillions and Breeches of very good cloth also Hose Shoes and Shirts off his own backe This afternoone I with my Boy came againe aboord the ship taking in this Euening all our prouision of water The eleuenth day the wind being at North North-east we set saile forth of the Sound which we named Frost Sound but before our comming forth of the same our Captaine commanded a young man whose name was Simon by the expresse commandement of the State-holder of Denmarke to bee set aland wee also in the Pinnasse set another aland they both being Malefactors the which was done before our comming away we giuing to them things necessarie as victuall and other things also Thus hauing committed both the one and the other to God wee set saile homewards we standing forth to Sea South-west and South-west and by West till noone when making obseruation Queene Annes Cape bearing South and by East halfe Easterly some ten leagues I found my selfe in the latitude of 66. degrees 10. minutes when I directed my course South South-west till sixe a clocke when wee were amongst much Drift Ice being to lee-ward two points vpon our lee-bow so that I was forst to lie off West North-west till we were cleere of the same at which time I directed my course South-west and by South wee sayling so all the night following The twelfth day the wind at North North-east wee went away South-west and by South till ten a clocke when we were amongst more Drift Ice wee being againe to lie West North-west to get cleere of the same which we did about noone we hauing this day and the Euening before a mightie hollow Sea which I thought to be a current the which setteth thorow Fretum Dauis to the Southwards as by experience I proued for making obseruation this day at noone we found our selues in the latitude of 62. degrees 40. minutes whereas the day before we were but in the latitude of 66. degrees 10. minutes hauing made by account a South and by West way about ten leagues This afternoone I directed my course South South-west The thirteenth day the wind as before we steered still South and by West being at noone in the latitude of 60. degrees 17. minutes going at the same time away South and by East This foresaid current I did find to set alongst the Coast of Gronland South and by East The fourteenth day close weather being an easie gale we steering South-east and by East The fifteenth day stil close weather til noone we steering as before being in the latitude of 59. degrees This day at noone I went away East South-east this afternoone it was hasie and still weather when we had sight of some Drift Ice The 16. day close weather with the wind at North-west and by West our course East South-east til about ten a clock when we met with a mightie bank of Ice to wind-ward of vs being by supposition seuen or eight leagues long wee steering South South-east to get cleere of the same We met all alongst this Ice a mightie scull of Whales Moreouer wee light with a great current which as nigh as we could suppose set West North-west ouer for America This day at noone the weather being very thicke I could haue no obseruation this Euening by reason of the Ice wee were forced to lye South and by West and South South-west to get cleere of the same amongst which we came by diuers huge Ilands of Ice The seuenteenth day being cleere of the Ice about foure in the morning I directed my course South-east by South till noone at which time I went away East and by South the weather being very haysie and thicke about midnight it fell calme the wind comming vp Easterly The eighteenth day the wind still Easterly we lying East South-east away vnder a couple of courses larboord tackt This day in the forenoone we saw certayne Ilands of Ice The nineteenth day the wind still Easterly with the weather very hasie The first day of August also it was very thicke weather with a faire gale at South-west and by West This forenoone wee met with a scull of Herrings so that I knew wee were not farre from the Iles of Orkney so hauing a shrinke at noone I found vs in the latitude of 58. degrees 40. minutes at which time I founded with the deepest Lead finding 42. fathomes redde sandie ground with some blacke dents This Euening betweene fiue and sixe a clocke wee founded againe when we had no more but twentie fathomes dent ground whereby I knew that we were faire by the shoare when some of our men looking forth presently espied one of the Ilands of Orkeney it being very thicke wee cast about and stood with a small sayle to Seaboord againe we lying West North-west off all this night The tenth day about fiue in the morning we came thwart of the Castle of Elsonuere where we discharged certaine of our Ordnance and comming to an Anchor in the Road the Captaine with my selfe went ashoare and hearing of his Majesties being at Copeman-Hauen wee presently went aboord againe and set sayle comming thither about two a clocke The Pinnasse also which he had lost at Sea in which my Countreyman Iohn Knight was Commander came also the same night about foure a clocke both they and we being all in good health praised bee Almightie God Amen CHAP. XV. The second Voyage of Master IAMES HALL forth of Denmarke into Groenland in the yeere 1606. contracted WE departed from Copeman-Hauen the seuen and twentieth of May in the yeere of our Redemption 1606. with foure ships and a Pinnasse The Frost beeing Admirall wherein went for principall Captaine of the Fleet Captaine Godske Lindeno a Danish Gentleman with my selfe being vnder God Pilot Maior of the Fleet. In the Lyon which was Vice-Admirall went for Captaine and Commanmander Captaine Iohn Cunningham a Scottish Gentleman who was with me the yeere before In the Yewren went Hans Browne a Gentleman of Norway In the smal ship called The Gilleflowre went one Castine Rickerson a Dane In the Pinnasse called the Cat went one shipper Andres Noll of Bergen in Norway So by the prouidence of God wee weighed and set saile about sixe a clocke in the Euening with a faire gale at South South-west comming to an Anchor in Elsonoure Road to take in our water The nine and twentieth in the morning we shot off a Peece of Ordnance for all the Captaines and Commanders to come aboord of vs who being come our Captaine commanded the Kings Orders to bee read which done they returned aboord at which time wee weighed with a faire gale at East North-east standing away North and by West till I had brought the Cole North-east and by East off when I
steered away North North-west and North-west and by North. This Euening about fiue a clocke I set the Annold it bearing West halfe Northerly three leagues and an halfe All this Euening wee stood away North-west and by North. The thirtieth day the wind at East South-east wee steering as before this morning about sixe a clocke the Lesold bore West and by North of vs sixe leagues off At fiue this Euening the Scaw bearing West South-west fiue leagues I directed my course West North-west with the wind at North-east and by East The one and thirtieth in the morning very hasie weather with a stiffe gale at East North-East we steering West North-west away till about nine a clocke when we had a shrinke of the Land which was the wâ—ster gate of Mardo we steering alongst the Land Wee came to an anchor in Flecorie where we were to make and take in wood and water The second of Iune we weighed and came forth of the Harbour of Flecorie about sixe in the morning hauing a fresh gale at East North-east About eleuen at noone I set the Nase of Norway it bearing North North-west foure leagues off The fourth day in the morning about two a clock we were faire by the high Land of the Yeddoe I causing to cast about stood to the South-wards West and by South and sometimes West This day at noone I found my selfe in the latitude of 57. degrees 45. minutes the Nase of Norway bearing East North-east two and twentie leagues off This day at noone also I cast about and stood to the Northwards lying North with the stemme hauing the winde at North North-west This afternoone dyed one of our Groinlanders called Oxo All this euening and the night following the winde as before we lying also North with little winde The seuenth day the winde at South-west and by South and South South-west we steering West and West and by North. This day at noone we were in the latitude of 58. degrees 40. minutes The tenth day about foure in the morning it began to blow a fresh gale at East and by South at which time we stood alongst the Land to the Southward till I had brought the South Head of Shotland called Swinborne Head North-west and by North about three leagues off and Faire Ile next hand South-west and by South eight leagues off at which time I directed my course away West with a fresh gale at East South-east about halfe an houre to three I set the South head of Shotland it bearing North-east eight leagues off Faire Ile next hand South-east seuen leagues off foule next hand North foure leagues wee still steering away West with a fresh gale at East South-east All this afternoone and the night following it was very thicke and raynie weather the winde continuing as before This night at midnight dyed the Groenlander which we had aboord vs named Omeg The fourteenth day the winde as the night before a faire gale we steering as we did before with haysie weather hauing a shrinke at noone I found vs in the latitude of 58. degrees 40. minutes hauing made a West and by South way Southerly two and thirtie leagues differing to the Westward from the Meridian of the Nase 19. degrees 45. minutes This afternoone we had a faire gale at South-east with thicke weather we steering away West The fifteenth day the winde as before we steering away West being by my imagination in the latitude of 58. degrees 40. minutes The three and twentieth day the winde at the North-east a faire gale we steering betweene the West North-west and the West and by North being at noone in the latitude of 56. degrees 10. minutes hauing by reason of a Northerly current contrarie to my expectation made a West way Southerly two and twentie leagues The Compasse also as I doe suppose being varied more then a Point to the westwards The first of Iuly wee saw Land being eight leagues off with a great banke of Ice lying off South-west wee setting our tacks aboord laid off East and by South and East South-east to double the same about two a clocke hauing doubled the same wee went away West and by South all this euening and night following This Land I did suppose to be Busse Iland it lying more to the Westwards then it is placed in the Marine Charts The second day thicke weather with the winde at North North-west we steering West and by North. This afternoone we were in a great Current setting South South-west The which I did suppose to set betweene Busse Iland and Freseland ouer with America wee steering West North-west with a faire gale at North. This night about nine a clocke the Pinnasse came foule of the Vice-admirall where with her anchor shee tore out about a foot of a planke a little aboue water and broke downe the beakes head The sixth making obseruation I found vs in the latitude of 58. degrees 50. minutes contrarie to my expectation whereby I did see the Southerly Current to bee the principall cause The seuenth day the winde at North and by East we lying West North-west being at noone in the latitude of 59. degrees 40. minutes our way North-west two and twentie leagues This euening I found the North Point of the Compasse to be varied 12. degrees 5. minutes to the Westward of the true North. The eight day the winde came vp more Southerly betweene the South-west and the South-west and by West with an easie gale we steering away North-west and by West being at noone in the latitude of 59. degrees 30. minutes hauing by reason of the Current and Variation made a West way Southerly about ten leagues The ninth day close weather it being calme all the forenoone wee perceiuing by our ships which lay becalmed a violent Current setting South-west This day at noone we were in the latitude of 59. degrees 40. minutes The tenth about foure in the morning the winde came vp to the North North-west I casting about stood to the Westwards lying West with the stemme being in the latitude of 60. degrees 16. minutes We saw the coast of America about nine leagues off at which time I made obseruation of the variation and found the Needle varie 24. degrees to the Westwards of the true North. The Hill tops were couered with snow and the shoare to the Northwards full with Ice but to the Southwards it seemed cleere Here I found a great Current to set West into the shoare which about midnight did bring vs to bee incumbred with very many Ilands of Ice hauing much to doe to get cleere off the same without danger but by Gods helpe it being faire weather with a fresh gale at South-west wee got cleere off the same standing East South-east and South-east and by East The fourteenth in the morning being cleere of the Ice I went away East North-east and North-east and by East till eight a clocke when I directed
this resolution we put within the Ice the wind being at East North-east this first entrance I liked not very well scarce finding any place to put in our ships head and being neere thirtie leagues from the shoare towards Euening wee were fast amongst the Ice But sometimes each day the Ice would a little open we making what way we could towards the North-west in for the shoare till the two and twentieth day hauing had the wind all Southerly Yet we plainly saw that we set to the Southwards for all that wee could doe The two and twentieth day the wind came vp at North North-west then our Master determined to stand forth againe For if the wind should haue come to the North-east it would be vnpossible for vs to fetch any part of the Channell seeing wee droue so fast to the Southwards with Southerly winds and hauing so farre into the shoare not hauing seene the Land Our Master was also determined to spend some twentie or foure and twentie dayes in Fretum Dauis to see what hopes would be that wayes supposing there would be little good to be done in Hudsons Streights for this time limited then we plying to get to Sea-ward and so by eight a clock at night the three and twentieth day we were cleere of the thick Ice againe the Lord make vs thankfull the wind at North-west and by North faire weather but no sooner were we forth of the Ice but that our Master changed his opinion and beeing cleere of this thicke Ice wee stood to the Northward as much as the Ice and winde would giue vs leaue running some thirteene leagues true North-east by North being in the latitude of 61. degrees 50. minutes The foure and twentieth day faire weather the fiue and twentieth day also faire weather the wind at North and by West till sixe a clocke we hauing made a North-east by North way about twelue leagues and an halfe our latitude at noone 62. degrees 20. minutes at sixe a clocke the wind was at the North North-east The sixe and twentieth day all the forenoone faire weather and cold but in the afternoone it blew very hard being close hasie weather that about two a clocke this afternoone wee tooke in our sailes and hulled with our ship till the next morning at foure a clocke all the time that we sayled this day we past through many ledges of Ice hauing great quantitie to the Northward of vs and hauing runne about twentie one leagues true vpon a West course And note where I put this word true I meane the true course the variation of the Compasse and other accidents allowed The seuen and twentieth day close foggy weather with much snow freezing on our shrowds and tackling the like we had not all this yeare before but towards foure a clocke in the afternoone it began to cleere vp and about fiue a clocke we saw Land being the Iland of Resolution and bearing West from vs about thirteene or fourteene leagues This morning we set sayle and stood to and fro as the Ice would suffer vs and at ten at night wee moored our ship to a piece of Ice the wind being at West The eight and twentieth day being Whitsunday it was faire weather but the winde was at the West and West by North al this day we were fast to the piece of Ice Yet we plainly perceiued that we set a great deale more into the Streights with the floud Then we set forth with the ebbe the nine and twentieth day the wind was variable and faire weather about eleuen a clock we set saile and tacked to and fro along by the Iland And about two a clocke the next morning the wind came to the South South-east but we had so much Ice that we could doe but little good with a faire wind the wind continued all this day and night a stiffe gale this night or rather Euening because it was not darke at all we were set within the point of the Iland so that now we were within the Streights The one thirtieth day also faire weather the wind for the most part at North North-west the afternoone being cleere wee saw the point of the South shoare called Buttons Iles to beare from vs due South by the Compasse which is indeed South South-east somewhat Eastward because here the Compasse is varied to the Westwards twentie foure degrees The first of Iune wee had some snow in the forenoone but very faire weather in the afternoone the wind at West North-west We perceiuing the Ice to be more open close aboord the shoare made the best way we could to get in and to come to Anchor if the place were conuenient and by seuen a clocke we were in a good Harbour on the North-west side of the Iland of Resolution where an East South-east Moone maketh full Sea or halfe an houre past seuen on the change day as Sea-men account the water doth rise and fall neere foure fathomes the Compasse doth vary to the West 24. degrees 6. minutes and is in longitude West from London 66. degrees 35. minutes The breadth of the South Channell or the distance betweene the Iland and the South shoare is sixteene leagues and the North Channell is eight miles wide in the narrowest place Vpon this Iland we went on shoare but found no certaine signe of Inhabitants but the tract of Beares and Foxes Rockes and stonie ground hardly any thing growing thereon it is indifferent high Land to the Northward hauing one high Hill or Hummocke on the North-east side but to the Southward it falleth away very low The second of Iune in the morning the wind came vp at East South-east with much snow and fowle weather about noone wee weighed Anchor and stood vp along by the Iland so well as the Ice would giue vs leaue to get to the North shoare Wee continuing our courses so neere the North shoare as conueniently we could with much variable weather and windes but stedfast in continuance among Ice till the eight day hauing the wind full contrary to vs and being somewhat neere a point of Land or rather a company of Ilands which after wee called Sauage Iles hauing a great Sound or In-draught betweene the North shoare and them At sixe a clocke we came to Anchor neere one of them being the Eastermost sauing one But whiles wee were furling our sailes we heard and saw a great company of Dogges running vp and downe with such howling and barking that it seemed very strange Shortly after we had moored our ship we sent our Boat somewhat neerer the shoare to see if they could perceiue any people who returning told vs that there were Tents and Boats or Canowes with a great many Dogges but people they saw none After Prayer when our men had supt wee fitted our Boate and our selues with things conuenient then my selfe with seuen others landed and went to their Tents where finding no people we marched vp to the top of a Hill
therefore went into the Court which was sufficiently ordered And in the Summer Riuers are conueyed into euery place whereby it is watered After this we entred into the Palace full of men and women and stood before Chan hauing the foresaid Tree at our backs which with the Vessels thereof tooke vp a great part of the Palace The Priests brought two little Loaues and fruit in a Platter which they presented vnto him blessing them And the Butler brought them vnto him sitting aloft in a very high place much raised And hee presently began to eate one of the Loaues and sent another to his Sonne and to a certayne yonger Brother of his who was brought vp by a certayne Nestorian and knew the Gospell who also sent for my Bible that he might see it After the Priests the Monke said his Prayer and I after the Monke Then he promised that the next day he would come vnto the Church which is great enough and faire and all the â—eeling aboue was couered with silke wrought with Gold The next day he went his way willing the Priests to excuse him that he durst not come to the Church because he vnderstood the dead were carried thither But we and the Monke remayned at Caracarum and other Priests of the Court that they might celebrate Easter there MAundie Thursday drew neere and Easter and I had not our Vestments and I considered the manner how the Nestorians made the Sacramentall Bread and I was much troubled what I should doe whether I should receiue the Sacrament of them or should celebrate it in their Vestments and Chalice and vpon their Altar or should altogether abstayne from the Sacrament Then there were a great multitude of Christians Hungarians Alanians Rutenians Georgians and Armenians all which had not seene the Sacrament since they were taken because the Nestorians would not admit them to their Church vnlesse they were baptized of them as they said yet they made no mention of this to vs. And they offered their Sacrament freely to vs and made me stand in the doore of the Quire that I might see their manner of Consecration And also on the Vigill or Eeuen before Easter by the Font that I might see their manner of baptizing They say they haue of that Oyntment wherewith Mary Magdalene anoynted the feet of our Lord and they power in as much of that Oyle with that which they lay aside and kneade their bread therewith For all those people of the East put fat in their bread in stead of Leuen or Butter or Suet of a sheepes tayle or Oyle They say also that they haue of the flowre whereof the bread was made which the Lord consecrated and alwayes powre out so much Oyle with it as the flowre they lay aside And they haue a Chamber hard by their Quire and an Ouen where they bake the bread which they must consecrate with great reuerence They therefore make one Loafe of an hand breadth with the foresaid Oyle which they first breake into twelue pieces according to the number of the Apostles and after diuide those pieces according to the multitude of the people and the Priest giues the bodie of Christ to euery one in his hand And then euery man taketh it out of the Palme of his hand with reuerence and stretcheth his hand to the top of his head The foresaid Christians and the Monke himselfe were very earnest intreating vs for Gods sake that wee would celebrate Then I made them bee confessed by an Interpreter as I could reckoning vp the tenne Commandements and the seuen deadly Sinnes and other things for the which a man ought to bee grieued and confessed All of them publikely excused themselues concerning Theft saying that without Theft they could not liue because their Masters prouided them neither food nor rayment Then considering that they had taken away the persons and their substance without iust cause I said vnto them that they might lawfully take necessaries of the goods of their Masters and I was readie to maintayne it to the face of Mangu Chan. Some of them also were Souldiers who excused themselues that they must needs goe to the Warres or else they should bee slaine I firmely forbad them to goe against the Christians and that they should not hurt them they should rather suffer themselues to bee slaine for so they should become Martyrs And I said that if any would accuse mee of this Doctrine before Mangu Chan I would bee readie to preach the same in his hearing For the Nestorians themselues of the Court were present when I taught this of whom I was suspitious least they should report ill of vs. Then Master William caused an Iron to bee made for vs to make Hosts and hee had certayne Vestments which hee had made for himselfe for he had some knowledge in Learning and behaued himselfe as a Clerke Hee caused the Image of the blessed Virgin Marie to bee grauen after the French fashion and ingraued the History of the Gospell in the Casements very faire and made a certayne siluer Boxe to lay vp the bodie of Christ therein and the Relikes in certayne little holes cunningly made in the sides of the Boxe Hee made also a certayne Oratorie vpon a Chariot very fairely painted with holy Histories I therefore tooke his Vestments and blessed them and wee made Hosts after our manner very faire and the Nestorians assigned mee their Font for Baptisme wherein there was an Altar And their Patriarch sent them from Baldach a square Hide like a portable Altar made with Chrisme which they vse in stead of consecrated Stone Therefore I celebrated on the Day of the Lords Supper in their siluer Chalice and Dish which were very great Vessels I did the like also on Easter day And wee communicated the people with the blessing of God as I hope But they baptized in the Vigill of Easter more then threescore persons very orderly There was great ioy generally among all Christians THen it hapned that Master William was grieuously sicke and when hee was vpon recouerie the Monke visiting him gaue him Rubarbe to drinke so that hee had almost killed him Then visiting him when I found him so ill at ease I asked him what hee had eaten or drunke And hee told mee the Monke had giuen him the foresaid Potion and hee drunke two little Dishes full thinking it had beene Holy Water Then I went to the Monke and said vnto him Either goe as an Apostle doing Miracles indeed by vertue of Prayer and the Holy Ghost or doe as a Physician according to the arte of Medicine You giue a strong Potion of Physicke to drinke to men not prepared as if it were a certayne hollow thing for the which you will incurre a foule scandall if it come to the knowledge of men From that time he began to feare and to beware of him It hapneth at that time that that Priest was sicke who was as it were the
you come vnto the champaine Countrey of Bargu which extendeth it selfe Northwards about sixtie dayes iourney in length The Inhabitants of those places are Mecriti and they are subiect to great Chan vsing the manners of the Tartars They are wilde men and eate the flesh of Beasts which they take by hunting especially of Stagges whereof they haue great plentie and they make them so tame that they may ride them They want Corne and Wine In the Summer they exercise great hunting and taking of wilde Beasts and Fowle with the flesh whereof they may liue in the winter For in Winter as well fowle as other liuing creatures flie from thence by reason of the exceeding and vntolerable cold of that Countrey After the end of fortie dayes iourney you come vnto the Ocean neere which is a Mountaine where Astori and strange Falcons breed which are carryed thence vnto the Court of great Chan. Heere we must returne vnto the Citie Campion If therefore you proceed further fiue dayes iourney from the Citie Campion towards the East in the places lying in the middle horrible voyces of Deuils are heard in the night time you come to the Kingdome Erginul in the Prouince of Tangut subiect to the great Cham. In this Kingdome are many other Kingdomes which are Idolators There are some Nestorian Christians and Turkes There are many Cities and Castles of which Erginul is chiefe From hence if you proceed further to the Southeast you may goe to the parts of Cathai going Southeast towards Cathai there is a certaine famous Citie named Cinguy the name also of the Prouince tributarie vnto great Chan contained in Tangut the people are some Christians some Mahumetans others Idolators Their are also found wilde Oxen neere as great as Elephants very faire hauing white and blacke hayre short in other parts and on the shoulders three palmes long fine and white beyond silke of which Marco brought some to Venice as a rare thing Many also of these Oxen are tamed and made to engender with tame Kine and the breed of them are fitter for businesse then any other creatures beare great burthens are yoaked to the plow and doe twise as much as others The best Muske in the world is found in this Prouince and is of a goodly beast of the bignesse of a Goat hauing grosse hayre like a Stagge feet and tayle like a Gazella but without hornes it hath foure teeth two aboue and two beneath of the length of three fingers subtle and white as Iuorie and is a faire beast to see to when the Moone is at full neare the nauill vnder the belly there growes to this beast an impostume or bladder full of blood and at the full then they goe to hunt the said beasts and take away that swelling which is dryed in the Sunne and is the best Muske the flesh also is good to eate Master Marco brought to Venice the head and feet of this beast dryed The men â—â—ue of Merchandise and Arts and haue aboundance of Corne they are Idolaters of a fat body and a little Nose blacke hayred hauing no beard but foure hayres on their chin The women are faire and white And when the men desire to marry wiues they rather seeke the beautifull then the noble or rich Whereby it commeth often to passe that a great and Noble man marryeth a poore wife but beautifull assigning dowrie to her mother there This Prouince extendeth it selfe fiue and twentie dayes iourney in length and is very fertile In it are exceeding great Feasants hauing traynes eight or ten handfuls long Many other kindes of Birds are also found there which haue very goodly feathers distinguished with diuers and excellent colours Proceeding further towards the East after eight dayes iourney you meet with the Prouince Egrigaia in the which are many Cities and Castles all still in Tanguth The principall Citie is called Calacia The Inhabitants thereof are Idolaters there are three Churches of Nestorian Christians and are subiect to the great Chan. In the Citie Calacia Chamlets are made wouen of white wooll and the hayre of Camels then the which there are scarce any fairer found in the world Going to the East from the Prouince Egrigaia the way leadeth vnto the Prouince Tenduch in the which are many Cities and Castles where also Presbyter Iohannes vseth to abide who now payeth tribute to great Chan. This King of that progenie of Priest Iohn is named George and is a Priest and a Christian and most of the people are Christians All the Great Chans after his death who was slaine in battell by Cingis gaue their Daughters to those Kings to wife This King George holds not all that Priest Iohn before held and is the fourth of that progenie There is a Nation there called Argon more goodly men and fitter for Merchandise then the rest descended of Idolaters and Mahumetans There are also two Regions where they raigne which in those parts are called Og and Magog but they which dwell there call them Vng and Mongul in Vng are Gog and in Mongul the Tartars Riding East seauen dayes towards Catay are many Cities peopled with Idolaters Mahumetans and Nestorians There is one Citie called Sindicin where very faire and excellent Armes are made of diuers sorts fit for Armies In the mountaines of this Prouince are great Mines of siluer and manifold game of wilde beasts and the Countrey of the mountaines is called Idifa Three dayes iourney distant from the foresaid Citie standeth another Citie Iangamur that is White Lake wherein is a Palace in which the great Chan most willingly remaineth because there are many Lakes and riuers many Swannes and in the plaines Cranes Feasants and Partridges and store of other fowle There are fiue sorts of Cranes there some haue blacke wings like Crowes others are white and bright hauing their feathers full of eyes like Peacocks but of a golden colour the necke blacke and white very beautifull a third sort of bignesse not vnlike ours a fourth little and very faire intermingled with red and blew colours the fifth of a grizell or gray colour hauing red and blacke heads and these are very great And neere vnto this Citie lyeth a certaine valley where many Cottages are in the which an exceeding number of Partridges is maintained which are kept for the King comming to lodge there for a time This Citie is three dayes iourney Northeastward to the Citie Xandu which the great Chan Cublay now raigning built erecting thereing a maruellous and artificiall Palace of Marble and other stones which abutteth on the wall on one side and the midst of the Citie on the other He included sixteene miles within the circuit of the wall on that side where the Palace abutteth on the Citie wall into which none can enter but by the Palace In this inclosure or Parke are goodly meadowes springs riuers red and fallow Deere Fawnes carryed thither
feast with him in that Hall There are not Tables for all to sit but the greatest part of the Souldiers and Barons eate on Carpets At all the doores stand two giantly fellowes with Cudgels to see that none touch the Threshold which if hee doe they take his garments away which he must redeeme with so many blowes as shall be appointed or else lose them They which serue the King sitting at the table all of them couer their mouthes with Silke least their breathing should by any meanes touch the Kings meat or drinke And when he hath minde to drinke the Damosell which giues it goeth back three paces and kneeles downe and then the Barons and all the people kneele and the Musicians sound their Instruments There is no cause why I should write any thing concerning the meats which are brought to the Table how daintie and delicate they are and with what magnificence and pompe they are serued in All the Tartars obserue this custome to celebrate the Birth day of their Lord most honourably The Festiuall birth day of Cublai is kept the twentie eight of September and this day hee accounteth more solemne then any of the whole yeare except the first of February wherein they begin their yeare The King therefore in his Birth day is cloathed with a most precious garment of Gold and about two thousand Barons and Souldiers are cloathed of the same colour of gold though of Silke stuffe and a girdle wrought with gold and siluer which is giuen them with a payre of shooes some weare Pearles and Gemmes of great price namely the Quiecitarie which are next to the Can and these garments are not worne but on their thirteene solemne Feasts according to the thirreene Moones of the yeare all then cloathed like Kings This custome is also obserued with the Tartars that on the birth day of great Cham all the Kings Princes and Nobles which are subiect to his Dominion should send presents vnto him as to their Emperour And they who desire to obtaine any place of Dignitie or office of him offer their requests vnto twelue Barons appointed for this purpose and what they decree is all one as if the Emperour himselfe had answered them All people also of what Faith or sect soeuer whether Christians or Iewes Saracens or Tartars and other Pagans are bound solemnly to call vpon their Gods for the life safetie and prosperitie of Great Can. On the day of the Kalends of February which is the beginning of the Tartars yeare great Can and all the Tartars wheresoeuer they are celebrate a very great and solemne Feast and all aswell men as women desire to bee cloathed in white Garments For they beleeue that the white garment is a token of good lucke Therefore that fortune might fauour them all the yeare they weare white in the beginning of the yeare Moreouer the Rulers of Cities and Gouernours of Prouinces mindfull of their dutie send vnto their Emperour on this day presents of Gold and Siluer Pearles and Precious stones many white Cloathes and other white things and many Horses of a white colour the rest of the Tartars at the beginning of the yeare send white presents one to another It is the custome of those which bring presents if they can of each to present nine times nine as if they send Horses to present nine nines that is eâ—ghtie one and so of Gold of Cloaths other things that somtimes he hath by this reckoning one hundred thousand Horses Also at this good lucke all the Elephants which the Emperour hath fiue thousand in number are brought vnto the Court couered with Tapistrie wherein the similitudes of diuers Beasts and Fowles are portrayed carrying vpon their shoulders two Chests full of golden and Siluer vessell Many Camels also are brought couered with faire Silken clothes which bring other things necessarie for the Court. And this day in the morning all the Kings Captaines Barons Souldiers Physicians Astrologers Falconers and the Gouernours of Prouinces and Armies and other Officers of the Emperour assemble in the great Hall before the King and they who happen to haue no place there for the multitude of men stand in another place where he may see them All being placed in their order and degree one ariseth as it were some Prelate and crieth out with a loude voyce Bow downe and adore And presently all doe reuerence bending downe their foreheads to the earth Then he sayth God preserue our Lord with long life and ioy and all answere God grant Then he sayth God encrease and aduance his Empire and preserue his Subiects in peace good-will and prosperitie and all answere God grant And this they doe foure times The adoration finished the said Prelate goeth to an Altar richly adorned on which is a red Table wherein is written the name of the Can and taking a Censer and putting odoriferous Spices therein they perfume the Table and the Altar with great reuerence in honour of great Can and so returne to their places After which are offered the gifts whereof we haue spoken and then the Tables are prepared and a most solemne Dinner held eating and drinking with great ioy with their wiues in manner before described And lastly a domesticall Lion is brought vnto the King which lying at his feet like a gentle Whelpe acknowledgeth his Lord. In those three moneths in which as we said before the Emperour remayneth in the Citie of Cambalu to wit in December Ianuarie and Februarie all the Hunters which the Emperour hath in all Prouinces round about the Prouince of Cathai apply themselues to hunting and offer all the greater wilde-beasts to wit Stags Beares Roe-buckes wilde Boares Deere and such like vnto their Gouernours who if they be distant from the Emperours Court lesse then thirtie dayes Iourney send such beasts taken by Waynes and Ships vnto the Emperour hauing first bowelled them But such as are fortie dayes iourney distant from his Court send onely the skinnes which are necessarie for the making of Armour Hee hath many Leopards and Wolues for hunting and many Lions also greater then those which are in Babylon in the haire whereof certaine little beames appeare of diuers colours to wit white blacke and red and they are accommodated to catch Boares Beares Stags Roe-buckâ—s wilde Asses and wilde Oxen and it is maruellous to see the Lions fiercenesse and dexteritie in the act Two Lions vse to bee carried in one Wagon when they goe to hunt and with them a Dog with which they are tamed and they carrie them on this fashion because of their furie and vnrulinesse and they must carrie them contrary to the wind for else the beasts would sent them and flee Hee hath many tame Eagles which are so fierce that they take Hares Roe-buckes Deere and Foxes among which some of them feare not with great violence â—o seize vpon Wolues and vexe them so sore that without labour and danger they
Familie decayed by disaduentures or of any which cannot worke and haue no meanes he causeth to giue to such Families the whole yeares expenses each of such Families going to the Officers for that purpose and shewing their Bill of allowance receiue prouisions accordingly There is a Palace deputed for those Officers They are prouided also of garments for Winter and for Summer the Can hauing the Tenths of all Wool and Silke and Hempe which he causeth to bee made into Clothes in a house thereto appointed for all Trades are bound one day in the weeke to worke for him He prouides also apparell for his Armies and in euery Citie causeth Cloth to be made of his tithe wooll You must vnderstand that â—he Tartars ancient customes knew no almes but rather vpbraided such as were in necessitie as hated of God But the Idolaters especially these Bachsi haue propounded it as a good worke acceptable to God and haue taught him to be thus bountifull so that in his Court bread is neuer denyed to any which aske and there is no day in which is not giuen away twentie thousand Crownes in Rice Millet and Panike whereby he is esteemed as a God There are also in Cambalu of Christians Saracens and Catayans about fiue thousand Astrologers and Diuiners which the Great Can prouideth yeerly of foode and rayment as those poore abouesaid These haue an Astrolabe in which are marked the signes of the Planets the houres and points of all the yeere Herein all these Astrologers each Religion apart view the course of the yeere according to euery Moone obseruing the disposition of the weather referring alway to God to doe more or lesse after his owne pleasure They write also vpon certaine squares they call them Tacuini the things which are to come that yeere which they sell to those that will buy them and such as speake most truth are most honored If any intend any great worke or to goe a farre iourney and will know the euent before-hand he makes recourse to these Astrologers to see it with their eyes in the Heauens which they doe comparing the present Constellation with that of his Birth which they demand of him so foretelling him the good or euill The Tartars reckon the computation of their yeeres by twelues the first signified by a Lion the second by an Oxe the third by a Dragon the fourth by a Dogge and so thorow the whole twelue so that if a man be demanded when he was borne he will answer such a point of such an houre of such a day in the yeere Lion this their fathers exactly set downe in a booke and when the twelue is complete they goe ouer the same againe Of their Religion we haue said that they are Idolaters and for their Gods haue a Table set aloft in the wall of their Chamber on which is written a Name representing the High God of Heauen and there euery day with a Censer of incense they adore it in this manner They lift vp their hands aloft and strike their teeth thrice praying it to giue them a good vnderstanding and health and desire thereof nothing else Besides on the ground they haue another statue called Natigai The God of earthly things with his Wife and Children as before is said whom likewise they worship with incense striking or gnashing the teeth and lifting vp the hands and desire thereof temperature of the aire fruits of the earth children and the like They hold the Soule to be immortal and that when a man dies it enters into another bodie better or worse according to the merits in the former life as of a poore man to become a Gentleman and after of a Prince or Lord and so higher till it be assumpted in God or if it hath ill deserued to be a poorer man after a Dogge alway descending to the lowest ranke of basenesse They haue a comely speech salute cheerfully and honestly haue a gracefull carriage and feed cleanly They beare great reuerence to their Parents and if any be vndutifull or helplesse to their necessitie there is a publike Office designed to this particular to punish vngratefull or disobedient children Prisoners are released at three yeeres end and marked in the cheeke to be knowne Malefactors The Barons and People which goe to the Grand Can obserue these Rites First within halfe a mile of the place where the Can is all is husht and quiet without noyse or cryes or any loud speech and euery Baron carries continually a little faire vessell to spit in after which hee couers it none daring to spit on the Hall They haue Furre buskins of white leather which they put on when they enter the Hall putting off the former and giuing them to the seruants lest they should foule the faire artificiall Carpets TEn miles off Cambalu is a certayne great Riuer named Pulisangan emptying it selfe into the Ocean by which many ships with much merchandise ascend And in that place there is a very faire Bridge all of Serpentine stone curiously wrought contayning three hundred paces in length and eight in breadth that ten men may ride abrest On each side it is fairely mounted with a wall of marble and Pillars set on a rew and in the height of the ascent is a great and high Pillar at the foote whereof is a great Lion and on the top another And so quite thorow the Bridge one pace and halfe distant are Pillars with Lions on the top and a faire well-wrought marble worke betwixt to keepe men from falling Hauing passed ouer the Riuer and Bridge proceeding thirtie miles westward in which Palaces are continually seene with Vineyards and fertile Fields you come to the Citie Gouza both faire and great hauing many Monasteries of Idols Cloth of gold and silkes are made there and the purest and finest Cambricks or Launes and many common Innes for Strangers and Trauailers are found in that Citie The Citizens are Artificers and Merchants A mile without this Citie the way parteth one leading West the other South-east that to the West leadeth through the Prouince of Cathay but the other towards the Countrey of Maugi From the Citie of Gouza to the Kingdome of Tainfu you ride ten dayes thorow Cataio alway finding many faire Cities and Castles well traded with Vineyards and tilled Fields from whence Wine is carried to Cataio where it wants There are many Mulberrie trees for Silke-workes the People ciuill and Cities very frequent Tainfu is the name of the Kingdome and of the chiefe Citie which is great and faire hath much trading with store of munition fit for the Cans Armies The Wine about this Citie serueth the whole Prouince Seuen dayes further westward is a goodly Countrey beautified with many Castles and Cities in which also great trade of merchandise is vsed After which you come to a Citie very great named Pianfu in which there is great abundance of Silke and Trading Westward from Pianfu
standeth a very goodly Castle named Thaigin anciently built by a King called Dor. In it is a spacious Palace wherein is a faire Hall in which are painted all the famous Kings which haue reigned there a faire spectacle Of this King Dor they say that he was potent and was attended onely by young Damsels whereof his Court had great store They also when hee listed to take his pleasure carried him in a small light Chariot thorow the Castle which is so fortified by Art and Nature that the Gouernour thereof feared none no not Vmcan his Lord against whom hee rebelled But seuen men professing fidelitie and seruice to Dor tooke him at aduantage in hunting and brought him captiue to Presbyter Iohn or Vmcan who put him in vile clothes and appointed him to keepe his Cattell and set on him a strong guard till two yeeres were ended after which hee commanded him to bee brought before him and attyred him in Princely apparell and giuing him his pardon after sharpe admonition sent him so well attended to the repossession of his Kingdome About twentie miles beyond the Castle Thaigin is the Riuer Caramoran which by reason of the exceeding bredth and depth thereof hath no Bridge and floweth to the Ocean On the shoare thereof are many Cities and Castles built wherein much trading is exercised This Countrey aboundet with Ginger Silke and Fowle especially Feasants that three of them are bought for a groat of Venice There grow Reeds infinite store so great that some are a foot some are a foot and halfe in compasse profitable to many vses Passing this Riuer after two dayes iourney is the famous Citie called Carianfu where many clothes of Gold and Silke are made heere growes Ginger Galingale Spike and many Spices The people are Idolaters Proceeding seuen dayes iourney Westward many Cities and Townes goodly Fields and Gardens are found and euery where Mulberies for Silke-wormes And they are Idolaters but there are also Christians Turkes Nestorians and some Saracens There is much both of wilde Beasts and Fowle If you proceed seuen dayes iourney further you shall come to a certaine great Citie named Quenzanfu which is the chiefe Citie of the Kingdome in which haue raigned many famous Kings and at this day the sonne of great Can called Mangalu hath the command thereof That Countrey yeeldeth great plentie of Silke Cloth of Gold and all other things necessarie for furnishing of an Armie and for preseruation of the life of Man The Inhabitants worship Idols and there are some Christians and Turkes and Saracens Fiue miles without the Citie standeth the Palace of Mangalu seated in a Playne where are many Springs Riuerets and places of Game There is a high wall encompassing fiue miles where are all wilde Beasts and Fowles in the midst is an excellent Palace hauing many Halls and Chambers great and faire all painted with Gold and Azâ—re and infinite Marbles adorning The King with his Courtiers applieth himselfe to hunting of wilde Beasts and taking of Fowle and followeth his â—athers steps in Iustice and Equitie much beloued of his people Going three dayes Iourney Westward from the said Palace through a certaine goodly Plaine where many Cities and Castles are and abundance of Silke Merchandise and Arts is a mountainous Countrie where in the Mountaines and Valleyes are frequent Habitations and store of Lodgings of the Prouince of Cunchin The Inhabitants are Idolaters and Husbandmen Also in that Countrie they hunt Lions Beares Stags Roe-buckes Deere Wolues That Plaine is two dayes iourney and the Countrey is twentie dayes Westward all inhabited hauing Mountaines and Valleyes and many Woods After that twentie dayes towards the West is a Prouince named Achbaluch Mangi that is The white Citie of the borders of Mangi which is wel peopled This Prouince for two daies iourny hath a Plaine with infinite habitations After which follow Mountaines Valleyes and Woods all inhabited twentie dayes iourney Westward It hath store of wild beasts and of those creatures which yeeld Muske In this Prouince Ginger groweth in great plentie as also Corne and Rice After twentie dayes iourney thorow those Hills is a Playne and a Prouince in the Confines of Mangi named Sindinfu The chiefe Citie hath the same name great and exceeding rich being twentie miles circuit about It hath had many rich and mightie Kings but the old King dying left three sonnes Successors of the Kingdome which diuided the Citie into three parts compassing euery part with their proper walls all which notwithstanding were contayned within the former wall But great Can subiected that Citie and Kingdome to his Dominion Thorow this Citie runne many Riuers in many places and round about some halfe a mile ouer some two hundred paces very deepe and on them are many Bridges of stone very faire eight paces broad set on both sides with marble Pillars which beare vp a timber Frame that couers the Bridge each Bridge hauing streets and shops all alongst When these Riuers are past the Citie they becom one great riuer called Quian which runneth one hundred dayes iourney hence to the Ocean Neere these Riuers are many Cities and Castles and ships for Merchandise Proceeding fiue dayes iourney â—urther through a certaine Playne many Cities Castles and Villages are found in which fine Lawnes are in great aboundance Many wilde Beasts also are there After the Playne whereof wee now speake is the Prouince of Tebeth which great Can vanquished and wasted for in it are many Cities destroyed and Castles ouerthrowne by the space of twentie dayes iourney And because it is become a Wildernesse wanting Inhabitants wilde Beasts and Lions are there encreased abundantly and it is needfull that Trauellers carrie victuals with them Very great Canes grow in this Countrey ten paces in length and three palmes in thicknesse and as much from knot to knot When Trauellers therefore will rest by night secure from Beasts they take great bundles of the greener Reeds and putting fire vnder kindle them Which make such a cracking and so great a noyse that it may bee heard two miles off Which terrible sound the wilde Beasts hearing flee away Moreouer Horses and other Beasts which Merchants vse for their iourney hearing this noyse and cracking are very much afraid and many betaking themselues to flight haue escaped from their Masters but the wiser Trauellers binding their feet together with Fetters detayne them with violence Twentie dayes Iourney ended hauing passed ouer the Prouince of Tebeth wee meet with Cities and very many Villages in which through the blindnesse of Idolatrie a wicked custome is vsed for no man there marrieth a wife that is a Virgin Whereupon when Trauellers and Strangers comming from other parts passe through this Countrey and pitch their Pauilions the Women of that place hauing marriageable daughters bring them vnto Strangers desiring them to take them and enioy their companie as long as they remayne there Thus the pretier are
Necks Hands Bellies and Legs making the Images of Lions Dragons and Birds and so firmely imprint them that they cannot easily bee put out and the more such Images any one hath by so much is hee esteemed the more gallant And there be Professors of this foolish Art of flesh embroiderie which vse no other Trade but this Needle-worke and dying of Fooles-skinnes Amu is an Easterly Prouince subiect to Great Can whose Inhabitants worship Idols and haue a peculiar language They abound with Herds of Cattell and haue plentie of Victuals and many Horses and those excellent which Merchants bring into India They haue also many Buffes and Oxen because there are delicate Pastures there As well Men as Women weare bracelets of gold and siluer of great value on their armes also the like on their legs but those of the Women are of most value From Amu to Cangigu are fiue and twentie dayes iourney The Prouince Tholoman is eight dayes iourney distant to the East from Amu subiect vnto Great Can hauing a peculiar language and worshipping Idols The Men and Women thereof are tall and goodly of a browne colour The Countrey is very well inhabited hauing many and strong Castles and Cities The men are exercised in Armes and accustomed to warre They burne the bodies of their dead and inclosing the Reliques of their bones in a Chest hide them in the Caues of the Mountaines that they cannot bee touched either of man or beast Gold is in great plentie there and in stead of money they vse Porcelanes brought from India as also in Cangigu and Amu. From the Prouince Tholoman the way leadeth towards the East on a Riuer by which are many Cities and Castles and at the end of twelue dayes you come to the great Citie Cintigui The Countrey is subiect to Great Can and the Inhabitants thereof are addicted to Idolatrie Excellent Clothes are made in this Countrey of the barkes of Trees wherewith they are clothed in the Summer Very many Lions are there so that for feare of them none dare sleepe without doores by night The ships which goe vp and downe the Riuer for feare of the Lions are not fastned to the banke There are great Dogs in the same Countrey so hardie and strong that they feare not to aduenture on the Lion And it often hapneth that two Dogs and one Archer kill a Lion for the Dogs set on by the man giue the onset and the Lions nature is presently to seeke shelter from some Tree that the Dogs may not come behind him neither yet will his great heart suffer him to runne from the Dogs lest he should seeme afraid but he holds his stately pace the man mean-while shooting and the Dogs fastning on his hinder parts but with such quicknesse that when the Lion turnes on them they are gone And then doth this magnanimous Beast hold on his way againe to seeke such Tree succour that with Bitings and Arrowes he sometimes comes short and with expense of bloud dyeth by the way This Countrey aboundeth with Silke which by Merchants is carried to diuers Prouinces by the Riuer They liue on Merchandise their money is Paper They are valiant in Armes At the end of ten dayes is the Citie Sidinfu and twentie dayes from thence is Gingui and foure dayes thence is Pazanfu towards the South and is in Cataio returning by the other side of the Prouince The people are Idolaters and burne their dead There are also certaine Christians which haue a Church all vnder the Can and vse Paper money They make Clothes of Gold and Silke and Launes very fine By this Citie which hath many Cities vnder it goes a great Riuer which carries store of merchandise to Cambalu made by many Channels to passe thither But wee will passe hence and proceeding three dayes iourney speake of Cianglu Cianglu is a great Citie toward the South of the Prouince of Cataio subiect to the Can the Inhabitants are Idolaters and burne their dead Their money is the Mulberie Paper coine of the Can. In this Citie and the Territories they make store of Salt for that Earth is very salt and out of it they get Salt after this manner They heape vp Earth in manner of an Hill and powre water vpon it which drawes the saltnesse of the Earth vnto it and then runnes into certaine Conduits and is boyled in Pannes till it be congealed to Salt faire and white to the Cans and their great gaine being carried into other Countries to sell. There are great Peaches very good which weigh two pounds a piece Fiue dayes iourney beyond the Citie Cianglu in Cataio Southward standeth another Citie named Ciangli in which way are many Cities and Castles all subiect to the Can through the middest whereof runneth a great Riuer very conuenient for shipping laden with merchandises Six dayes iourney thence to the South all which way hath great Cities and Castles of Idolaters is the noble Kingdome and great Citie Tudinfu which had his proper King before it was subdued to Great Can Anno 1272. and hath eleuen Royall Cities famous for traffick subiect to the iurisdiction thereof It is very delectable for Gardens and Fruits rich in Silkes The Can sent to the gouernment hereof one of his Barons named Lucansor with eightie thousand Horse who rebelled against his Lord but was slaine by a power of one hundred thousand vnder two other Barons sent against him and the Countrey reduced to obedience Seuen dayes off riding by many Cities and Castles of Idolaters plentifull of all things towards the South is the famous Citie named Singuimatu vnto the which on the South a certaine great Riuer runneth which being diuided by the Inhabitants of the place into two Riuers floweth partly to the East towards Cataio and partly to the West towards Mangi By these Riuers innumerable Vessels for multitude and incredible for their greatnesse and wealth bring necessaries to both Prouinces If you goe sixteene dayes iourney towards the South from Singuimatu you still meet with Cities and Townes where much trading is exercised The Inhabitants of these Countries are Idolaters subiect to Great Can. After that sixteene dayes you come vnto a great Riuer named Caramoran which is said to flow out of the Kingdome of Vincan or Presbyter Iohn of the North. It is very deepe and carrieth Ships of great burthen it is also stored with Fish Within one dayes iourney of the Sea there are in this Riuer fifteene thousand Saile each of which carrieth fifteene Horses and twentie Men besides Victualls and the Mariners This is the Cans Fleet kept there in readinesse to carrie an Armie to any of the Ilands in the Sea if they should rebell or to any remote Region Neere the banke of the Riuer where these Ships are kept is Coiganzu and ouer against it Quanzu one a great Citie the other small After you are past that Riuer you enter into the
noble Kingdome of Mangi And doe not thinke that wee haue handled in order the whole Prouince of Cataio yea I haue not spoken of the twentieth part For M. Polo passing by the said Prouince hath onely described the Cities in his way leauing those on both hands and those betwixt these to preuent tediousnesse The Prouince of Mangi is the most rich and famous that is found in the East and An. 1269. had a certaine King named Fanfur richer and mightier then any which had reigned there in an hundred yeeres but a man peaceable and full of almesdeeds so beloued of his subiects that thereby and by the strength of the Countrie he seemed inuincible Whereby it came to passe that the King aswell as the People lost the vse and exercise of Warre and Armes All the Cities were compassed with Ditches a Bow shoot broad full of Water Hee held in pay no Horses because he feared none And hence it came to passe that the King giuing himselfe to pleasure more then was meete enioyed continuall delights He maintayned about a thousand goodly Lasses with which he passed his time in pleasure He nourished Iustice and preserued Peace No man durst offend his Neighbour and disturbe the Peace for feare of seuere vnpartiall punishment So that Artificers would often leaue their Shops full of Wares open by night and yet none would presume to enter into them Trauailers and strangers most safely walked day and night throughout that whole Kingdom fearing no man The King himselfe also was pitifull and mercifull towards the Poore and forsooke not them that were oppressed with necessitie or pinched with penurie Besides euery yeere hee tooke vp twentie thousand young Infants cast off by their Mothers which through pouertie were not able to keepe them which he brought vp and set them when they were growne to some Trade or married the young Men with the Maids which hee had in like sort educated Cublai Can was of a differing disposition to Fanfur and delighted onely in Warres and Conquests and to make himselfe Great he sent a great Armie leuied of Horse and Foot and made one named Chinsan Baian that is one hundred eyes Generall thereof Hee therefore comming with his Armie and a Fleet to the Prouince of Mangi first summoned the citie Coiganzu to yeeld obedience to his Emperour Who refusing the same hee departed without any assault giuen to the Citie and required the same of the second Citie which likewise refusing he marched forward to the third and fourth and receiued the like answere of them all But he assaulted the next with great courage and vanquished the same by force and slue euery mothers child therein which so affrighted and terrified the rest that they all presently yeelded Moreouer Great Can sent another great Armie after the former with both which Armies hee marched against the chiefe Citie Quinsai where the King of Mangi resided who mightily terrified as neuer hauing seene any battell fled with his wealth and treasures in ships which he had prepared to certaine impregnable Ilands in the Ocean where he after died committing the custodie of the Citie of Quinsai to his wife bidding her to defend it as well as shee could for being a woman shee need not feare death if shee were taken It is to be obserued that King Fanfur had beene told by his Diuiners that his Kingdome should neuer be taken from him but by one which had an hundred eyes which the Queene knew and therefore was still in hope not to lose the Citie howsoeuer streightned thinking it impossible for one man to haue an hundred eyes But one day she heard that the Commander of the Tartars was called Baian Chinsan that is to say An hundred eyes and was much terrified wherefore calling for the Commander of the Tartars Armie thinking him to bee the man which the Astrologers spake of shee deliuereth the Citie vnto him Which being heard the Citizens and Inhabitants of the whole Prouince reuolted to the obedience of great Can. The Queene was sent vnto the Court of great Can and was most honourably receiued by him and maintayned like a Queene And now wee will speake of the Cities of Mangi §. VIII Of the Cities of Mangi now called China and the rarities thereof the many wonders of Quinsai the Palaces Pleasures Rites and Gouernment obserued by the Natiues and the Tartars COiganzu is a faire and rich Citie situate towards the South-east and East in the entrance of the Prouince of Mangi from Cataio whence the Authour passed where are alway great store of ships being seated on the Riuer Caramoran Great store of Merchandise is carried thither Salt is also made there in great abundance Going from Coiganzu you ride towards the South-east one dayes iourney on a stone Causie on both sides whereof are great Fennes with deepe waters whereon they may passe with ships neither is there any entrance into Mangi but by shipping as the Captaine of the Can did but by this Causie At the end of that dayes iourney is a Citie called Paughin great and faire The people make clothes of Gold and of Silke are Merchants and Idolaters The Paper money of great Can is receiued throughout that whole Countrey It is plentifull of all necessaries of life To the Citie Caim is from Paughin one dayes iourney South-east and this is also a famous Citie abounding with fish and game of beasts and fowle especially Phesants are found there in exceeding great plentie as great as Peacocks of which you may haue three for one Venetian groat Proceeding further hence one dayes iourney you come thorow a well manured and peopled Countrey to the Citie Tingui which although it be not great yet hath it exceeding great plentie of victuals They are Merchants and very many ships are also there plentie of beasts and fowles It is seated to the South-east and on the left hand towards the East three dayes iourney off is the Ocean and in the space betweene are very many Salt pits and they make great store of Salt After this is Cingui a great Citie whence the Countrey is furnished with Salt whereof the Can makes great profit beyond beliefe They are Idolaters and haue Paper money From Cingui riding towards the South-east you meet with the noble Citie Iangui vnder the gouernment whereof are other Cities seuen and twentie in number And in that Citie resideth one of the twelue Barons which are Gouernours of Prouinces chosen by the great Can. They are Idolaters and liue of Merchandise They make Armes and Harnasse for warre And Master Marco had the sole gouernment thereof by commission of the great Can three yeeres together in stead of one of those Barons Nanghin is a Prouince to the West one of the greatest and noblest of Mangi a place of great Merchandise They are Idolaters spend Paper money haue store of beasts and fowle wilde and tame They make
some part to this solace with their Friends or with Women in the Lake or else by Chariots riding thorow the Citie which is also another of the Quinsay pleasures For all the streets are paued with stone as also are all the high Wayes in the Prouince of Mangi onely for the Postes is left on the side a space vnpaued The principall street of Quinsay is paued ten paces on each hand and in the midst it is full of Grauell with passages for the Water which keepe it alway cleane On this street are alway innumerable long close Chariots accommodated with Clothes and Cushions of silke for six persons which solace themselues in the street or goe to Gardens and there passe the time in places made by the Gardeners for that purpose and returne at night in the said Chariots When one is borne the Father sets downe the print of Time and with that note goes to the Astrologer to consult of his future fortunes Of these Astrologers are a great number in euery Market place They will not celebrate a marriage without such consultation When one dies that is of note his Kindred clothe themselues in Canuasse and so both Men and Women accompanie him to the burning place playing on Instruments and singing all the way prayers to their Idols and being comne to the place cast into the fire many Papers of Cotton whereon are painted Slaues Horses Camels Clothes of gold and silke Monies which they thinke hee shall really possesse in another World and make such minstrelsie in conceit of the ioy wherewith the Idols there receiue his Soule where hee beginneth they say to liue anew In euery street are Towres of stone whither in danger of fire they vse to carrie their goods their timber houses being much subiect to such casualtie The Can hath ordayned that on the most part of the Bridges day and night there stand vnder a couert ten Guardians fiue by day and fiue by night and in euery Guard is a Tabernacle of Wood with a great Bason whereby they know the houres of the day and night which at euery houres end the Warders strike to notifie what houre one two c. beginning at the Sunne rising and then againe at the beginning of the night They walke vp and downe and if any haue a light or fire after the deputed time they cause him to answer it before the Iustices or Gouernors aforesaid or if any walke later If any be not able to worke they carrie him to Hospitals of which are exceeding many founded by the Kings of old with great reuenues thorow the Citie When they are well againe they are compelled to worke If a fire happen these from diuers places come to quench it and to carrie the goods into Boats or the Ilands or those Towres for in the night the Citizens dare not come out but those who are in danger The Can alway keepeth here store of his best and faithfullest Souldierie as being the best and richest place in the World Within a mile of each other are builded Rampiers of wood where a sound is made to be heard further off for like purposes When the Can had reduced all Mangi to his obedience hee diuided it being before but one Kingdome into nine parts and set a King ouer each which there administers iustice Euery yeere they giue account to the Cans Officers of the reuenues and other accidents and euery third yeere are charged as all other Officers are One of these Deputie-Kings is resident at Quinsay who is Gouernour of aboue one hundred and fortie Cities all rich and great Nor may this be a wonder seeing in Mangi there are twelue thousand Cities all inhabited with rich and industrious people In euery of which the Can maintayneth a Garrison proportionable to the greatnesse and occasions one thousand ten or twentie thousand not all Tartars but Catayans for the Tartars are Horse-men and keepe where they may exercise their Horses Into Cathay he sends those of Mangi and Cathayans hither such as are fit for Armes of which he makes choise euery third yeere and sends for foure or fiue yeeres together into places twentie dayes iourney from their Countrey and then suffers them to returne home others succeeding And most part of the Cans Receits are this way expended and if any Citie rebell he suddenly from the next Garrisons rayseth an Armie to reduce or destroy them This Citie of Quinsai hath in continuall Garrison thirtie thousand Souldiers and that which hath least hath one thousand in Horse and Foote To speake now of the Palace of King Fanfur his Predecessors caused to enclose a place of ten miles circuit with high walls and diuided it into three parts That in the midst was entred by one Gate on the one side and the other were great and large Galleries the Roofe sustayned by Pillars painted and wrought with gold and fine azure these were smaller at the entrie and the further the greater the fairest at the end the Roofe fairely adorned with gold and on all the Walls were painted the stories of the former Kings artificially There euery yeere on certaine Idoll holy-holy-dayes Fanfur kept his Court and feasted his principall Lords the great Masters and rich Artificers of Quinsai ten thousand at a time vnder those Terraces This dured ten or twelue dayes with incredible magnificence euery guest indeuouring to present himselfe in greatest pompe Behinde this middle-most building was a wall and going out which diuided the Palace in which was as it were a Cloyster with Pillars sustayning the Porch or Terrace round about the Cloyster wherein were Chambers for the King and Queene curiously wrought From this Cloyster was entrance into a Gallerie six paces wide in length extending to the Lake all couered On each side of this Gallerie were ten Courts answering one another fashioned like Cloysters each Court hauing fiftie Chambers with their Gardens and in them one thousand Lasses abode which the King kept for his seruice who sometimes with the Queene sometimes with them went in his Barge on the Lake for solace or to visit his Idoll Temples The other two parts of the Serraile were diuided into Groues Lakes Gardens planted with Trees in which were inclosed all sorts of beasts Roes Bucks Stags Hares Conies and there the King solaced himselfe with his Damsels in Charets or on Horse-backe no man entring there There did he cause These to hunt with his Dogs wearie whereof they went into those Groues which answered one another ouer the Lakes and there leauing their garments came forth naked and set themselues a swimming in the Kings presence Sometimes hee would take his repast in those Groues being serued by those Damsels without once thinking of Armes which sweet meat cost him the soure sawce yee haue heard All this was told mee by a rich old Merchant of Quinsai whiles I was there one which had beene an inward familiar of King Fanfur
and knew all his life and had seene that Palace flourishing into which he would needs bring me The Viceroy now resides there and the first Galleries remayne as they were wont but the Damsells Chambers are ruined the wall also which encompassed the Woods and Gardens is fallen to the ground the Beasts and Trees being gone Twentie fiue miles from Quinsai is the Ocean betwixt the East and North-east neere to which is a Citie called Gampu a goodly Port where arriue the Indian ships of merchandise Whiles M. Marco was in Quinsai account being giuen to the Grand Can of the Reuenues and the number of the Inhabitants he hath seene that there haue beene enrolled one hundred and sixtie Toman of fires reckoning for a fire the Familie dwelling in one house euery Toman contayneth ten thousand which makes sixteene hundred thousand Families of all which there is but one Church of Christians and those Nestorians Euery house-holder is bound to haue written ouer his doore the names of the whole house-hold Males and Females also the number of Horses the names added or blotted out as the Familie increaseth or decreaseth And this is obserued in Mangi and Catay Those also that keepe Innes write in a Booke the names of their Guests and the day and houre of their departure which Booke they send daily to the Lords or Magistrates which reside at the Market-places In Mangi the poore which are not able to bring vp their children sell them to the rich The Reuenues which accrew to the Can from Quinsai and the others pertayning thereto being the ninth part of the Kingdome of Mangi are first of Salt euery yeere eightie Toman of gold euery Toman is eightie thousand Sazzi of gold and euery Sazzo is more then one Florin of gold which will amount to six Millions and foure hundred thousand Duckats The cause is that that Prouince being nigh the Sea there are many Lakes where the water in Summer is coagulated into Salt wherewith fiue other Kingdomes of that Prouince are serued There is store of Sugar growing which payeth as all other Spices doe three parts and a third in the hundred The like of Rice-wine Also those twelue mysteries which we said had twelue thousand shops and the Merchants which bring goods hither or carrie any hence by Sea pay the same price They which coâ—e from farre Countries and Regions as from the Indies pay ten per cento Likewise all things there breeding as Beasts and growing out of the Earth and Silke pay tithe to the King And the computation being made in the presence of M. Marco besides Salt before mentioned yeerely amounts to two hundred and ten Toman which will bee sixteene millions of gold and eight hundred thousand FRom Quinsai one dayes iourney to the South-east are all the way Houses Villages faire Gardens plentifull of Victuals at the end whereof is Tapinzu a faire and great Citie in the iurisdiction of Quinsai Three dayes thence South-east is Vgaiu and two dayes further may you ride that way all the way finding Castles Cities and cultiuated Places in such Neighbour-hood that they seeme to Trauellers all one Citie all in the same iurisdiction of Quinsai There are great Canes fifteene paces long and foure palmes thicke Two dayes iourney further is the Citie Gengui faire and great and trauelling further South-east are inhabited places full of People and Trades And in this part of Mangi are no Muttons but Beeues Buffals Goates and Swine in great plentie At the end of foure dayes iourney is found the Citie Zengian built on a Hill in the midst of a Riuer which with her parted Armes embraceth and encompasseth it and then runne one to the South-east the other to the North-west They are in the iurisdiction of Quinsai are Merchants Idolaters haue store of Game Three dayes iourney thence thorow a goodly Countrey exceedingly inhabited stands Gieza a great Citie the last of Quinsai Kingdome after which you enter into another Kingdome of Mangi called Concha The principall Citie thereof is Fugiu by the which you trauell six dayes iourney South-east thorow Hills and Dales alway finding places inhabited and store of Game of Beasts and Fowle They are Idolaters Merchants subiect to the Can. There are stout Lions there growes Ginger and Galingale plentie with other sorts of Spices eightie pounds of Ginger for a Venetian groat There is an herbe whose fruit hath the effect and giues the colour and smell of Saffron but is not Saâ—â—ron vsed in their meates They voluntarily eate mans flesh if they die not of sicknesse as daintier then others When they goe to Warres they shaue to the eares and paint their faces with azure they are all Foot saue the Captaine which rideth and vse Swords and Launces are very cruell and when they kill an Enemie presently drinke his bloud and after eate his flesh After those six dayes trauell is Quelinfu a great Citie with three Bridges each eight paces broad and aboue one hundred long the Women faire delicate and they haue store of Silke and Cotton are great Merchants haue store of Ginger and Galingale I was told but saw them not that they haue Hennes without feathers hayrie like Cats which yet lay Egges and are good to eate Store of Lions make the way dangerous After three dayes in a populous Countrey which are Idolaters and haue store of Silke is the Citie Vnguem where is great plentie of Sugar sent thence to Cambalu which they knew not to make good till they became subiect to the Can in whose Court were Babylonians which taught them to refine it with ashes of certayne Trees they before onely boyling it into a blacke paste Fifteene miles further is Cangiu still in the Realme of Concha and here the Can keepeth an Armie in readinesse for guard of the Countrey Thorow this Citie passeth a Riuer a mile broad fairely built on both sides and stored with Ships of Sugar and other lading This Riuer disembokes from hence fiue dayes iourney South-east at Zaitum a Sea Port from whence the rich Ships of India come to this pleasant and fertile Citie as is the way betwixt in which are Trees or Shrubs of Camfire Zaitum is a famous Port where many Ships arriue with merchandise thence dispersed thorow all India There is such store of Pepper that the quantitie which comes to Alexandria to the West is little to it and as it were one of a hundreth the concourse of Merchants is incredible it being one of the most commodious Ports of the World exceeding profitable to the Can which Custometh ten of the hundreth of all merchandise They pay so much for hire of ships also that there is not aboue one halfe of their merchandise remayning entire to themselues and yet is that moitie very gainfull to them The Citie is Idolatrous giuen to pleasure in it is much embroiderie and Arras worke The Riuer is great
on their heads hauing the same alwaies couered but he contrariwise was alwaies in a manner bare-headed and said his mother came of the race of Samson for a marke whereof shee aduised me to honour long haire This was the cause that made him respected of his men of Armes and the most part of them did beleeue there was some vertue in those haires or rather some fatall destinie the which many did beleeue to be so and verily they were of a dusky colour drawing toward a violet the most beautifull that any eye could behold His stature was of the middle sort somewhat narrow in his shoulders he had a faire leg and strong the strength of his body was such as no body did surpasse and often on the festiuall dayes he made triall of his strength with the most strong and this he did with such grace and humanitie that he whom he ouercame held himselfe therein most happie although it bee a disgrace amongst the Tartarians to bee throwne to the ground in wrastling Now as he was Martiall and desirous of glorie the first warre that hee attempted was against the Moscouite who came and spoyled a Citie which had put it selfe into his protection and had entred also into his Countrey and being retired proclaymed open warre against him gaue him battell neere to the Riuer Mascha although the Muscouite had a great Armie which hee had gathered together long before On the other side the Prince determining to resist him assembled all his forces and those of his allyes Now the Muscouite had very great forces and men well trayned vp in the warres hauing had alwaies warres with his neighbours the King of Polonia with whom hee had then friendship and the ayde of ten thousand very good Horse There were also with him many Hungarian Gentlemen led by Vdecelaus a Hungarian Gentleman who had brought with him more then eight thousand Horse the opinion was that hee had in his Armie fourscore thousand Horse and a hundred thousand foot-men Our Prince Tamerlan had in his Armie about six-score thousand Horse and a hundred and fifty thousand men on foot but not so skilfull in points of warre as those of the Moscouite for our Estate had long enioyed peace and our Souldiers were indeed trayned vp in discipline of warres but not in the practice thereof The order of Tamerlan was this that is he caused all his Armie to bee diuided into squadrons each consisting of sixe thousand Horse except his owne which was of ten thousand so as he made eighteene squadrons his owne being reckoned which made nineteene The Auant-guard was conducted by Odmar who led nine squadrons flanked with fortie thousand men on foot diuided both on the right and left sides who should shoot an infinite number of Arrowes The Battell was conducted by Tamerlan who led ten squadrons his owne being therein closed and fiftie thousand Foot-men the best and choicest Souldiers of his whole Armie Prince Thanais a kins-man vnto the Prince led the Arere-ward with fortie thousand Foot-men and sixe squadrons hee had some three thousand Horse aduenturers whom they call Oliagues in their Tongue the same which wee tearme The forlorne hope The Moscouite did not obserue that order but did fight by double Rankes with Lances and there was a space to helpe themselues therein and to breake them notwithstanding those Nations doe not breake them at all and they seemed to bee a greater number then wee making a great noyse At the length multitude and skill ouercame the force and valour of the Moscouites the victory bending to the Parthians side the which they did pursue hotly Tamerlan was hurt on the fore-head vpon the side of the left eye and had two Horses slaine vnder him in the fight Tamerlan employed himselfe in giuing God thankes for this victory after hee had pursued the enemy three leagues the next day he reuiewed his Armie and found that he had lost of his side for his part betweene seuen and eight thousand Horse-men and betweene three and foure thousand Footmen The Moscouite lost some seuen and twenty thousand Foot-men and betweene fifteene and sixteene thousand Horse-men This same day was Odmar the safegard of his Prince but he lost Hally who was slaine by the blow of an Arrow The Prince did slacke no time after so great a victory He set forward and came into the borders of the Moscouite whom he enforced to capitulations that they should become Tributaries of a hundred thousand Duckets and should pay all the charges of the War amounting vnto the summe of three hundred thousand Duckets he then would send backe againe all the Prisoners and withdraw his Armie that for securitie hereof they should giue him pledges which should be changed euery yeare vnto all which they agreed So was this Warre ended to his contentment returning with glorie vnto the Prince his Father Now Tamerlan was receiued into all his Countries with much honour and triumph The great Cham of Tartaria Brother vnto his Father sent Presents to gratifie him making offer vnto him of his Daughter in Marriage and that in marrying of her hee would cause him to bee acknowledged as Emperour throughout all his Kingdomes as his next heire himselfe being now old and out of all hope to haue any more Children Hereupon hee presently tooke his Iourney towards him being in the City of Quauicay where he was receiued with all kind of Triumph and Magnificence there did he shew himselfe braue in all manner of gallant Showes and Combats as well in jest as in earnest And as these Nations are full of vanitie and desirous to make shew of their strength and agilitie Tamerlan carryed away the Prize therein whether it were in shooting neere with his Bow or in changing Horses in the middest of the courses or in breaking an Iron in running at the Quintaine he made euery one wonder at his dexteritie and was crowned the sixt day after his comming thither with the joyfull consent of all the Subiects of the Emperour his Vncle and of all the Court. After that he married the Emperours Daughter desiring first to bee crowned before the Marriage to the intent that none should thinke that the Crowne came vnto him by meanes of her but by succession the Daughters not at all succeeding into Empires It was also to assure his estate and hauing remayned in that place by the space of two moneths hee returned from thence with his Wife to Samercand in which Citie hee delighted greatly to remayne because the situation thereof was very faire and for that the Citie is accompanied with a faire Riuer which causeth great Traffâ—que and maketh it richer then any Citie within that Countrey Odmar alone was called by him at such time as the great Cham his Vncle did impart vnto him his Affaires and amongst other matters he propounded vnto him the Enterprize of China promising him assistance and ayde and giuing him to vnderstand how necessarie it was
Calibes with the Scythians were in the Auantguard and had the commandement of thirtie thousand horse who should receiue him at such time as he did draw on the Enemie as he was commanded It was diuided into three troupes each one consisting of ten thousand Odmar had also thirtie thousand horse who should assist him The Prince remayned in the Arier-ward at the one of the wings of his footmen which held one of his principall forces his purpose was to suffer the threescore and six thousand horse to maintayne the fight against the Barbarians being led by two good Captaines and if any of them remayned the Emperor hoped after of them to haue a good market by causing his footmen to march forward and himselfe with whom there abode twentie thousand of the best horse which were sufficient without hazarding his Person for to giue a new battaile if so be that any disfauour should happen vnto them for hee had vnderstood that this was the custome of the Kings of China to enclose themselues within the middest of their Chariots with their footmen and not to hazard themselues but vpon the extremitie So the Enemie fayled nothing at all to march directly vnto Calibes and all the Armie marched after following of him and setting vpon him and hee euen as the Scythians are alwayes accustomed to doe with his six thousand horse in retyring gaue many charges killing some of them and they likewise killing some of his men It was a beautifull sight to see this great Armie march for it seemed to bee twise as great as ours therein being an infinite number of armed Chariots wherein he put his principall trust against the furie of our Souldiers so many gildings of gold and siluer as well in the trappings of their Horses as on their Armour that it glittered and was of vs all much admired The Prince who with a troupe of horse did see the Armie march after Calibes commended greatly the manner of casting their men out of the rankes for to compell this troupe vnto fight and did see this Armie come in good order and he tryed with his eye to note the place where the Kings Person was hauing neere him the Chinois Lord to instruct him who knew well their manner of fighting Now they had neither Auantguard nor battaile but onely an Arier-ward commanded by the King and inclosed as I haue said with his Chariots the which being shewed vnto him by this Lord the Prince turned himselfe vnto vs and in our language said Yet must wee this day disperse this cloud here so gilded and the King of China and my selfe must make a partition thereof Now hauing seene the Enemie sufficiently aduanced and iudging that he had had seene them march a good league he thought it not conuenient to suffer them for to take breath nor for to put themselues againe into their order he sent vnto Calibes for to will him to set forward the fight and that if those whom he had led with him should be weary they should come vnto him but it was not in Calibes power to haue this commandement ouer them For as soone as they heard this word of fighting vttered they required the first charge with a young Lord who commanded ouer them called Zioctabanes who made appeare vnto the Chinois to what end their flight was charging very stiffely vpon the foremost of the Enemies the which was an occasion to begin the first fight And I assure you there could not be seene a more furious thing nor any for to fight with more desire to manifest the valour of his Nation and for to procure honour vnto his Prince Now this endured a long houre before the Chinois had ouerthrowne Calibes The Prince did see all patiently saying alwayes that the great multitude how confused soeuer it were would carry it away from the order and valour of his Souldiers you could not yet perceiue any alteration in the Princes countenance Aduersitie and Prosperitie were so indifferent vnto him His thirty thousand Horse were all Scythians who obserue not the same order the Parthians doe Now before the Prince retyred with his men hee did see the first charge giuen Calibes being wounded retyred himselfe neere vnto the Prince hauing with him two thousand horse ioyned together againe and many more ioyning themselues together neere vnto the Prince who commanded that they should cure Calibes viewing the place of his wound hee caused him to bee conducted behind his footmen and the other which were hurt with him also Now Calibes was not able to pierce through this Armie being beaten back but Odmar with almost all the Parthian horse-men did handle them more roughly for hee ranne cleane thorow them and returned by one of the right wings of the Armie where hee fought most valiantly and hauing beaten them back euen within the Kings Chariots he thought that he should not doe wisely to goe about to breake such forces The King of China comming forward and the horse-men which had beene broken by Odmar ioyning themselues together for his ayde Odmar onely remayning in the battaile sent vnto the Prince for the footmen and for to set forward the Artillerie and that hee should assure himselfe of the victorie The Prince who had already set forward kept aloofe off and sent vnto him fiftie thousand footmen with a part of the Artillery giuing charge thereof vnto Axalla who forthwith set forward hauing commandement to set vpon the Chariots and to make an entrance he set forward the Artillery before him the which did greatly astonish the enemies for the Gouernours of the horses belonging to the Kings Chariots could not hold them it made also a great spoyle As soone as he perceiued this disorder hee set forward and came to hand-blowes there were a hundred and fiftie thousand men as yet about the Kings person Axalla full of courage fought so valiantly that they neuer beheld any doe more brauely Odmar during this fight charged againe the Horsemen who were retyred vnto the Kings ayde whom he put to flight Then the Prince aduanced forward with the rest of his Foot-men gaue ayde vnto Axalla and came euen vnto the person of the King of China who was as yet enclosed within a second ranke of Chariots with thirty or forty thousand men and after hee had fought two or three houres the Horse-men assisting the Foot-men and they principally whom the Prince had reserued the King remayned wounded within the power of the Prince the battaile being wonne and all the Enemies Campe forced the fight endured eight houres and it was euen night which saued the liues of many of the Enemies There were slaine two Kings the Allyes of the King of China and one taken Prisoner there was inestimable riches gotten as well in golden Vessell as precious stones and the most rich and faire Chariots that could be seene The Prince would not see the captiued King vntill the next day beeing mounted on Horse-backe and passing through
Tanguth in the entrance of the State of Grand Can who said he was called Daimiâ— Can and sent his Officers to the gouernment of the said Cities which are the first toward the Muslemans and are Idolaters He went thither with a Carauan which went with merchandises out of Persia and from the places adioyning to the Caspian Sea for the Regions of Cataio which Carauan they permit not to pierce further then Succuir and Campion nor any other Merchant therein except he goe Ambassadour to the great Can. This Citie of Succiur is great and populous with faire houses of hewen stones after our manner and hath many great Temples with their Idols of stone It is situate in a Playne where runne infinite Riuolets is abundant in victuals of all sorts and yeelds silke there made of the black Mulberies in great quantitie hath no Wine growing but they make a drinke with Hony as it were Ale Of fruits by reason the Countrey is cold there grow none but Peares Apples Apricocks Peaches Melons and Cucumers Hee said that Rhubard of this commoditie Memet had brought great store at that time to Venice growes all ouer the Countrey but the best in certaine high stony Hills neere adjoyning where are many Springs and Woods of diuers sorts of high Trees and the Land is of a red colour and by reason of many Raynes and Springs almost alway myrie He shewed out of his bosome a picture of the Plant brought out of the Countrey which Ramusio in his Preface to M. Polo hath also presented with this discourse the description of which is this The leaues he said are ordinarily two spans long more or lesse as the Plant is in bignesse narrow below and broad aboue downy with as it were small hayres in their circumference the stalke or trunke is greene foure fingers high and sometimes a span from the ground the greene leaues with age grow yellow and spread on the ground In the midst of the trunke growes a thin branch with flowres fastned within like the Mamole violets in forme but of the colour of Milke and Azure and greater then those violets of a noysome sent The roote within ground is a span or two long of a tawny colour in the barke some as bigge as a mans thigh or legge out of which grow little Roots or Sprigs which spread in the ground and are cut away from the great Roote which within is yellow with many veynes of faire red full of red and yellow juyce cleaning to the fingers and making the hand yellow and being cut in peeces the viscous juyce issueth out and the roote becomes light they lay them therefore on boords turning them vp and downe diuers times a day that the juyce should incorporate therein lest it lose the goodnesse after foure or six dayes hanging them to drie in the winde where the Sunne may not come at them being in two moneths drie and perfect They ordinarily take it out of the ground in the Winter the vertue being then most vnited in the Roote the Spring there beginning at the end of May which at other times is dispersed into the leaues and flowers that juyce also being gone and the roote light and hollow They sell one of their Cart lodes of Roots with leaues for sixteene siluer Saggi not much vnlike ours for they haue no Coynes but make their gold and siluer in small thin rods and thence cut peeces of a Saggio weight which in siluer is twentie Soldi Venetian and in gold a Ducket and halfe He said that they would not gather it if forren Merchants should not come to trade for it themselues making no reckoning thereof and that the Merchants of China and India carry away the greatest part who if they should cut and dresse it as before is expressed after it is brought in Carâ—s in foure or six dayes it would corrupt and seuen burdens greene hee said would not yeeld aboue one drie When it is greene it is intolerably bitter and in Cataio they vse it not for medicine but beate and mixe it with other odoriferous compositions for perfumes to their Idols In some places there is such store that they burne it dryed in stead of wood others giue it their crased horses so little doe they esteeme it in Cataio But there they much prize another small Roote which growes in the Mountaines of Succuir where the Rubard growes and call it Mambroni cini very deare vsed for diseases those specially of the eyes nor did he thinke any of it was brought into these parts He said also that in all Cataio they much vse the leaues of another herb which they â—all Chiai Catai which growes in a place of Catai called Cacianfu They boyle it whether new or drie and taking off a Beaker or two of that decoction fasting as hot as can be borne takes away the Feauer payne of the Head or Stomack Back Ioynts and other diseases especially the Gowt and it is good for digestion They vse to carry it with them in their Voyages and will giue a sack of Rubarb for an ounce of Chiai Catai And the Cataians say that if our Merchants Persians and Frankes knew the goodnesse thereof they would buy no Rauend Cini so they call Rubard I asked him of his Voyage from thence to Constantinople and hee answered mee by Mambre our Interpreter that hee returned not that way he went with the Carauan by reason that the Greene-head Tartars called Iescilbas sent an Embassador at that time when hee was to come away with a great company by the way of Tartaria Deserta aboue the Caspian Sea to the great Turke at Constantinople to make a league against the Persian their common enemie Whereupon he thought good to come with them and so did to Caffa I asked of the way he went He said he should haue returned from Campion to Gauta in six dayes eight Farsenâ—s each of which is three Italian miles are a dayes iourney but on the Hils and Desarts they goe not halfe so much from Gauta to Succuir in fiue dayes from Succuir to Camul in fifteene here the Musulmans or Mahumetans begin from Camul to Turfon is thirteene From Turfon they passe three Cities Chialis ten dayes iourney thence after that Cuchia other ten and after that Acsu in twentie From Acsu to Cascar are other twentie dayes all rough Desart all the former way being thorow places inhabited From Cascar to Samarcand are fiue and twentie dayes From Samarcand to Bochara in Corassam fiue from Bochara to Eri twentie from thence to Veremi in fifteene from Veremi to Casbin in six thence to Soltania in foure and thence to Tauris in six dayes Now for some particulars of those places he related that Campion is subiect to Daimir Can great Emperor of the Tartars the Citie placed in a fertile Playne all cultiuated and abundant in prouisions They are apparelled in black Cotton cloth furred in Winter with skins of
nailes doe serue them in stead of the sticks for to eate withall The Chinaes doe vse on their birth dayes to make great feasts continuing yet in them the custome of the old Gentiles In these Feasts are wont to meet all the Kinsmen and Friends and all doe helpe him to beare the charges of the Feasts with sending him Presents that when they doe celebrate their birth dayes they may pay them in the same sort and because they haue these helpes they make great expence and solemnitie The feast lasteth all night long for all the Gentiles as they walke in darknesse liuing without the knowledge of God so all their feasts through all places of India and in China are made by night In these feasts is great abundance of meate and great store of wine all the night they spend in eaâ—ing and drinking and musicke playing on diuers instruments Their Priests offer their sacrifices to their Gods apparelled very richly They apparell themselues in diuers sorts of garments and the Priests doe sing their songs in a very tunable voice among these sacrifices playing and singing the Tables are alwayes furnished with sundrie meates euery one taking what hee liketh best The Priests when they haue sung as all the rest doe make at their doore triumphant Arches very well made of Paper and Scaffolds with diuers representations of Figures and Statues and certayne high Trees and hanging on the broken Boughes very well wrought and painted many lights and in euery place many Lanthornes very faire and well made all with lights In the generall Feasts of all the Towne and People chiefly on the first day of the yeere all the streets and doores are very richly dressed and chiefly they doe indeauour and labour to deck the triumphall Arches couering them with many clothes of Damaske and of other silke with many Lanthornes There is much playing of sundrie Instruments and singing and ioyntly with this great store of meate of sundrie kindes and great abundance of Wine They vse many times representations by Actors which doe represent very well and to the life the Actors hauing very good apparell and well ordered and fitting as is requisite for the person hee representeth and they that represent a Womans part besides the apparell that is requisite for the part hee representeth they are painted with Stibium and Ceruse Those which vnderstands them not what they represent are sometimes wearied but they that vnderstand them doe delight very much to heare them and one whole night and two and some time three they are continually busied in representations one after another While these representations doe last there must bee a Table set with great store of meate and drinke They haue in these Actions two great inconueniences or blemishes the one is that if one be to represent two parts and is to change his attyre he doth it before all the Beholders the other is that the Representer as well as hee that speaketh alone doe speake in a very high voyce almost singing Sometime they goe to the ships to play that the Portugals may giue them money The Instruments they vse for to play on are certayne Bandoraes like ours though not so well made with their Pinnes to tune them and there bee some like Gitternes which are smaller and other like a Viall de gamba which are lesse they vse also Dulcimeres and Rebeckes and of a certayne kinde of Hobâ—yse resembling our vse They vse a certayne manner of Instrument that hath many wyer strings they play on them with their nayles which for that purpose they weare they haue a great sound and make a good harmonie they play many Instruments together sometimes consorted in foure voyces which make a very good consonancy It hapned one night by Moone-shine that I and certayne Portugals sitting at the doore of our lodging a few young men passing the time came along the Riuer playing on diuers Instruments and wee being glad to heare the musick sent for them to come neere where wee were and that wee would inuite them they as gallant youthes came neere with the Boate and beganne to tune their Instruments in such sort that wee were glad to see them fit themselues that they might make no discord and beginning to sound they began not altogether but the one tarried for to enter with the other making many diuisions in the processe of the musick some staying others playing and the most times they played all together in foure parts The parts were two small Bandoraes for the Tenor a great one for counter-Tenor and an Instrument called Crano followed the rest and sometime a Rebecke sometime a Dulcimere for a Treble And they vsed a good policy that wee might remayne the more desirous they played but two straines It is not lawfull for any man in all the Countrey to carry any manner of weapon no not a knife therefore when one quarrels with another they goe to buffets and pulling by the haire onely the Souldiers and Ministers of the Captaines of warre doe weare swords on their hangers When any man dyeth that hath House Kindred and Children after hee hath giuen vp the ghost they wash the Coarse and put on his best apparell and his Cap on his head and set him on a Chaire and then commeth his Wife and kneeleth downe before him and with many teares and lamentable wordes shee taketh her leaue of him and after the Wife comes the Children in their order doing the like and after the Children the rest of the Kindred and all the rest of the House and his Friends The ceremonies ended they put him in a Coffin made for him of Camfiere wood which is preseruatiue for dead bodies and smelleth well they close it and pitch it well that no smell may come out of it they set it vpon two little formes and cast ouer it a cloath to couer the Coffin downe to the ground whereon the picture of the man deceased is pictured They make a little house before the Coffin of white raw cloath with a Portall right against the Coarse where a Table is set with candle-sticks and candles lighted and set thereon bread and all the fruits of the Countrey And all this they doe of superstition for a ceremonie and there they keepe the Coarse eight or fifteene dayes in the which their Priests of their Gods come continually by night to offer their Sacrifices and to pray their Heathenish inuentions There they bring many Pictures of men and women and burne them with many ceremonies Finally they hang some Pictures of men and women in paper hanging on coards and with great praying and moouing these pictures by the coards with great crying and showting they say to send the dead man to Heauen All day and all night while they are in these ceremonies there is a Table set with great store of meate and drinke These ceremonies ended they take the Coffin and set it in a Field where the
their true intent and the ships prouided of necessaries set forth on the tenth of May 1553. for the discouerie of Cathay and diuers other Regions Dominions Ilands and places vnknowne The fourteenth of Iuly they discouered Land Eastward and went on shoare with their Pinnace and found thirty little houses the Inhabitants fled The Land was full of little Ilands called as they after learned Aegeland and Halgeland in 66. degrees The distance betweene Orfordnesse and Aegeland two hundred and fifty leagues Then we sayled from thence twelue leagues North-west and found many other Ilands and there came to anchor the nineteenth day and manned our Pinnace and went on shoare to the Ilands and found people mowing and making of Hay which came to the shoare and welcommed vs. In which place were an innumerable sort of Ilands which were called the Iles of Rost being vnder the Dominion of the King of Denmarke which place was in latitude 66. degrees and 30. minutes The winde being contrarie we remayned there three dayes and there was an innumerable sort of Fowles of diuers kindes of which we tooke very many The two and twentieth day the winde comming faire wee departed from Rost sayling North North-east keeping the Sea vntill the seuen and twentieth day and then we drew neere vnto the Land which was still East off vs then went forth our Pinnace to seeke harbour and found many good harbours of the which we entred into one with our ships which was called Stanfew and the Land being Ilands were called Lewfoot or Lofoot which were plentifully inhabited and very gentle people being also vnder the King of Denmarke but wee could not learne how farre it was from the mayne Land and we remayned there vntill the thirtieth day being in latitude 68. degrees and from the foresaid Rost about thirtie leagues North North-east The thirtieth day of Iuly about noone wee weighed our anchors and went into the Seas and sayled along these Ilands North North-east keeping the Land still in sight vntill the second of August then hailing in close aboord the Land to the intent to know what Land it was there came a Skiffe of the Iland aboord of vs of whom wee asked many questions who shewed vnto vs that the Iland was called Seynam which is the latitude of seuenty degrees and from Stanfew thirty leagues being also vnder the King of Denmark that there was no merchandise there but only dried fish and Trane-oile Then we being purposed to goe vnto Finmarke enquired of him if we might haue a Pilot to bring vs to Finmarke and he said that if we could beare in we should haue a good Harbour and on the next day a Pilot to bring vs to Finmarke vnto the Wardhouse which is the strongest Hold in Finmark most resorted to by report But when he would haue entred into an Harbour the Land being very high on euery side there came such flawes of wind and terrible whirle-winds that we were not able to beare in but by violence were constrained to take the sea againe our Pinnace being vnshipt we sailed North and by East the wind encreasing so sore that we were not able to beare any sayle but tooke them in and lay adrift to the end to let the storme ouer-passe And that night by violence of winde and thicknesse of mists we were not able to keepe together within sight and then about midnight wee lost our Pinnace which was a discomfort vnto vs. As soone as it was day and the fogge ouer-past we looked about and at the last wee descried one of our ships to lee-ward off vs then wee spred an hullocke of our fore-sayle and bare roome with her which was the Confidence but the Edward we could not see Then the flaw something abating wee and the Confidence hoysed vp our sayles the fourth day sayling North-east and by North to the end to fall with the Ward-house as we did consult to doe before in case we should part companie Thus running North-east and by North and North-east fifty leagues then wee founded and had one hundred and sixty fathoms whereby we thought to be farre from Land and perceiued that the Land lay not as the Globe made mention Wherefore we changed our course the sixth day and sayled South-east and by South eight and forty leagues thinking thereby to finde the Ward-house The eighth day much winde rising at the West North-west we not knowing how the coast lay strooke our sayles and lay adrift where sounded and found one hundred and sixty fathoms as before The ninth day the winde bearing to the South South-east we sayled North-east fiue and twenty leagues The tenth day we sounded and could get no ground neither yet could see any Land whereat we wondered then the winde comming at the North-east we ran South-east about eight and forty leagues The eleuenth day the winde being at South wee sounded and found forty fathoms and faire sand The twelfth day the winde being at South and by East we lay with our sayle East and East and by North thirty leagues The fourteenth day early in the morning wee descried Land which Land wee bare withall hoysing out our Boat to discouer what land it might be but the Boat could not come to Land the water was so shallow where was very much Ice also but there was no similitude of habitation and this Land lieth from Seynam East and by North one hundred and sixty leagues being in latitude 72. degrees Then we plyed to the Northward the fifteenth sixteenth and seuenteenth dayes The eighteenth day the winde comming at the North-east and the Confidence being troubled with bilge water and stocked wee thought it good to seeke harbour for her redresse then wee bare roome the eighteenth day South South-east about seventy leagues The one and twentieth day wee sounded and found ten fathoms after that wee sounded againe and found but seuen fathoms so shallower and shallower water and yet could see no Land whereat we maruelled greatly to auoide this danger we bare roomer into the Sea all that night North-west and by West The next day we sounded and had twenty fathoms then shaped our course and ranne West South-west vntill the three and twentieth day then we descried lowe Land vnto which wee bare as nigh as we could and it appeared vnto vs vnhabitable Then we plyed Westward along by that Land which lieth West South-west and East North-east and much winde blowing at the West we haled into the Sea North and by East thirtie leagues Then the winde comming about at the North-east wee sayled West North-west after that the winde bearing to the North-west wee lay with our sayles West South-west about fourteene leagues and then descried Land and bare in with it being the eight and twentieth day finding shallow water and bare in till we came to three fathom then perceiuing it to be shallow water and also seeing drie sands we haled out againe North-east along that Land vntill
we came to the point thereof That Land turning to the Westward we ranne along sixteene leagues North-west then comming into a faire Bay we went on Land with our Boat which place was vninhabited but yet it appeared vnto vs that the people had beene there by crosses and other signes from thence we went all along the coast Westward The fourth day of September we lost sight of Land by reason of contrarie windes and the eighth day we descried Land againe Within two dayes after we lost the sight of it then running West and by South about thirtie leagues we gat the sight of Land againe and bare in with it vntill night then perceiuing it to bee a lee shoare we gat vs into the Sea to the end to haue Sea roome The twelfth of September wee haled to shoare-ward againe hauing then indifferent winde and weather then being neere vnto the shoare and the tide almost spent wee came to an anchor in thirtie fathoms water The thirteenth day we came along the coast which lay North-west and by West and South-east and by East The fourteenth day we came to an anchor within two leagues off the shoare hauing sixtie fathoms There wee went ashoare with our Boat and found two or three good Harbours the Land being rocky and high but as for people could we see none The fifteenth day we ran still along the coast vntill the seuenteenth day then the winde being contrarie vnto vs we thought it best to returne vnto the Harbour which we had found before and so we bare roomer with the same howbeit wee could not accomplish our desire that day The next day being the eighteenth we entred into the Hauen and there came to an anchor at six fathoms This Hauen runneth into the Mayne about two leagues and is in bredth halfe a league wherein were very many Seale-fishes and other great fishes and vpon the Mayne wee saw Beares great Deere Foxes and diuers strange beasts as Guloines and such other which were to vs vnknowne and also wonderfull Thus remayning in this Hauen the space of a weeke seeing the yeere farre spent and also very euill weather as Frost Snow and Hayle as though it had beene the deepe of Winter wee thought best to winter there Wherefore we sent out three men South South-west to search if they could finde people who went three dayes iourney but could finde none after that we sent other three West-ward foure dayes iourney which also returned without finding any people Then sent we three men South-east three dayes iourney who in like sort returned without finding of people or any similitude of habitation The Riuer or Hauen wherein Sir Hugh Willoughby with the companie of his two ships perished for cold is called Arzina in Lapland neere vnto Kegor But it appeareth by a Will found in a ship that Sir Hugh Willoughby and most of the companie were aliue in Ianuary 1554. A Letter of RICHARD CHANCELLOR written to his Vncle Master CHRISTOPHER FROTHINGAM touching his discouerie of Moscouia FOrasmuch as it is meet and necessarie for all those that minde to take in hand the trauell into strange Countries to endeauour themselues not onely to vnderstand the orders commodities and fruitfulnesse thereof but also to apply them to the setting forth of the same whereby it may incourage others to the like trauell therefore haue I now thought good to make a briefe rehearsall of the orders of this my trauell in Russia and Muscouia and other Countries thereunto adioyning because it was my chance to fall with the North parts of Russia before I came towards Moscouia I will partly declare my knowledge therein Russia is very plentifull both of Land and People and also wealthie for such commodities as they haue They be very great fishers for Salmons and small Cods they haue much Oyle which wee call Trane Oyle the most whereof is made by a Riuer called Dâ—ina They make it in other places but not so much as there They haue also a great trade in seething of salt water To the North part of that Countrey are the places where they haue their Furres as Sables Marterns greesse Beuers Foxes white blacke and red Minkes Ermines Miniuer and Harts There are also a fishes teeth which fish is called a Morsse The takers thereof dwell in a place called Postesora which bring them vpon Harts to Lampas to sell and from Lampas carrie them to a place called Colmogro where the high Market is holden on Saint Nicolas day To the West of Colmogro there is a place called Gratanoue in our language Nouogorode where much fine Flaxe and Hempe groweth and also much Waxe and Honie The Dutch Merchants haue a Staple-house there There is also great store of Hides and at a place called Plesco and thereabout is great store of Flaxe Hempe Waxe Honie and that Towne is from Colmogro one hundred and twentie miles There is a place called Vologda the commodities whereof are Tallow Waxe and Flaxe but not so great plentie as is in Gratanoue From Vologda to Colmogro there runneth a Riuer called Duina and from thence it falleth into the Sea Colmogro serueth Gratanoue Vologda and the Mosco with all the Countrey thereabout with Salt and salt Fish From Vologda to Iereslaue is two hundred miles which Towne is very great The commodities thereof are Hides and Tallow and Corne in great plentie and some Waxe but not so plentifull as in other places The Mosco is from Ieraslaue two hundred miles The Countrey betwixt them is very well replenished with small Villages which are so well filled with people that it is wonder to see them the ground is well stored with Corne which they carrie to the Citie of Mosco in such abundance that it is wonder to see it You shall meet in a morning seuen or eight hundred Sleds comming or going thither that carrie Corne and some carrie fish You shall haue some that carrie Corne to the Mosco and some that fetch Corne from thence that at the least dwell a thousand miles off and all their carriage is on Sleds Those which come so farre dwell in the North parts of the Dukes Dominions where the cold will suffer no Corne to grow it is so extreme They bring thither Fishes Furres and Beasts skinnes In those parts they haue but small store of Cattell The Mosco it selfe is great I take the whole Towne to be greater then London with the Suburbes but it is very rude and standeth without all order Their houses are all of timber very dangerous for fire There is a faire Castle the walls whereof are of bricke and very high they say they are eighteene foot thicke but I doe not beleeue it it doth not so seeme notwithstanding I doe not certainly know it for no stranger may come to view it The one side is ditched and on the other side runneth a Riuer called Mosâ—ua which runneth into Tartarie and so into the Sea called
forth in May 1555. and Master George Killingworth was made their first Agent the particulars whereof are found at large in Master Hakluyts first Tome of Voyages as also other things touching that Trade then setled which heere I omit and come to Master Ienkinsons Voyage to Mosco and thence to Tartaria §. II. The first Voyage made by Master ANTHONIE IENKINSON from the Citie of London toward the Land of Russia begunne the twelfth of May in the yeare 1557. FIrst by the grace of God the day and yeare aboue mentioned I departed from the said Citie and the same day at Grauesend embarked my selfe in a good ship named the Primrose being appointed although vnworthy chiefe Captaine of the same and also of the other three good ships to say the Iohn Euangelist the Anne and the Trinitie hauing also the conduct of the Emperour of Russia his Ambassadour named Osep Nopea Gregoriwich who passed with his company in the said Primrose And thus our foure tall ships being well appointed as well for men as victuals as other necessary furniture the said twelfth day of the moneth of May we weighed our Anchors and departed from the said Grauesend in the after-noone and plying downe the Thames the wind being Easterly and faire weather the thirteenth day we came a ground with the Primrose vpon a sand called the blacke tayle where wee sate fast vntill the fourteenth day in the morning and then God bee praysed shee came off and that day we plyed downe as farre as our Ladie of Holland and there came to an Anchor the winde being Easterly and there remayned vntill the twentieth day then wee weyed and went out at Goldmore gate and from thence in at Balsey slade and so into Orwell wands where we came to an Anchor but as we came out at the said Goldemore gate the Trinitie came on ground on certayne Rockes that lye to the North-ward of the said gate and was like to be bilged and lost But by the ayde of God at the last she came off againe being very leake and the one and twentieth day the Primrose remaining at an Anchor in the wands the other three ships bare into Orwell Hauen where I caused the said Trinitie to be grounded searched and repayred So we remayned in the said Hauen vntill the eight and twentieth day and then the wind being Westerly the three ships that were in the Hauen weighed and came forth and in comming forth the Iohn Euangelist came on ground vpon a Sand called the Andros where she remayned one tyde and the next full Sea she came off againe without any great hurt God be praysed The nine and twentieth day in the morning all foure ships weighed in the Wands and that tyde went as farre as Orfordnesse where we came to an Anchor because the wind was Northerly And about sixe of the clocke at night the wind vered to the South-west and we weighed Anchor and bare cleere of the Nesse and then set our course North-east and by North vntill mid-night being then cleare of Yarmouth sands Then wee winded North and by West and North North-west vntill the first of Iune at noone then it waxed calme and continued so vntill the second day at noone then the wind came at North-west with a tempest and much raine and we lay close by and caped North North-east and North-east and by North as the wind shifted and so continued vntill the third day at noone then the winde vered Westerly againe and we went North our right course and so continued our way vntill the fourth day at three of the clocke in the after-noone at which time the winde vered to the North-west againe and blew a fresh gale and so continued vntill the seuenth day in the morning wee lying with all our ships close by and caping to the Northwards and then the winde vering more Northerly we were forced to put roomer with the Coast of England againe and fell ouerthwart New-castle but went not into the Hauen and so plyed vpon the Coast the eight day and the ninth The tenth day the wind came to the North North-west and wee were forced to beare roomer with Flamborow head where we came to an Anchor and there remayned vntill the seuenteenth day Then the wind came faire and we weighed set our course North and by East time and so continued the same with a merry wind vntill the one and twentieth at noone at which we took the Sunne and had the latitude in sixtie degrees Then we shifted our course and went North North-east North-east and by North vntill the fiue and twentieth day Then we discouered certain Ilands called Heilick Ilands lying from vs Northeast being in the latitude of sixty sixe degrees fortie minutes Then we went North and by West because we would not come too nigh the Land and running that course foure houres we discouered and had sight of Rost Ilands joyning to the mayne Land of Finmarke Thus continuing our course along the Coast of Norway and Finmarke the seuen and twentieth day we tooke the Sunne being as farre shot as Lofoot and had the latitude in sixtie nine degrees And the same day in the afternoone appeared ouer our heads a Rain-bow like a Semicircle with both ends vpward Note that there is betweene the said Rost Ilands and Lofoot a Whirle-poole called Malestrand which from halfe ebbe vntill halfe floâ—d maketh such a terrible noyse that it shaketh the Rings in the doores of the Inhabitants Houses of the said Ilands ten miles off Also if there commeth any Whale within the current of the same they make a pittifull cry Moreouer if great Trees be carryed into it by force of streames and after with the ebbe be cast out againe the ends and boughes of them haue beene so beaten that they are like the stalkes of Hempe that is bruized Note that all the Coast of Finmarke is high Mountaynes and Hils being couered all the yeare with Snow And hard aboard the shoare of this Coast there is one hundred or one hundred and fiftie fathomes of water in depth Thus proceeding and sayling forward we fell with an Iland called Zenam being in the latitude of seuentie degrees About this Iland wee saw many Whales very monstrous about our ships some by estimation of sixtie foote long and being the ingendring time they roared and cryed terribly From thence we fell with an Iland called Kettlewicke This Coast from Rost vnto Lofoot lyeth North and South and from Lofoot to Zenam North-east and South-west and from Zenam to Kettelwicke East North-east and West South-west From the said Kettelwicke we sayled East and by North ten leagues and fell with a Land called Inger sound where we fished being becalmed and tooke great plentie of Cods Thus plying along the Coast we fell with a Cape called the North Cape which is the Northermost Land that we passe in our Voyage to Saint Nicholas and is in the latitude of seuentie one
On the tops of their houses they lay much earth for feare of burning for they are sore plagued with fire This Vologda is in 59. degrees 11. minutes and is from Colmogro one thousand verstes All the way I neuer came in house but lodged in the Wildernesse by the Riuers side and carried prouision for the way And he that will trauell those wayes must carrie with him an Hatchet a Tinder boxe and a Kettle to make fire and seethe meat when he hath it for there is small succour in those parts vnlesse it be in Townes The first day of December I departed from Vologda in poste in a Sled as the manner is in Winter And the way to Moscua is as followeth From Vologda to Commelski seuen and twentie verstes so to Olmor fiue and twentie verstes so to Teloytske twentie verstes so to Vre thirtie verstes so to Voshanskâ— thirtie verstes then to Yeraslaue thirtie verstes which standeth vpon the great Riuer Volga so to Rostoue fiftie verstes then to Rogarin thirtie verstes so to Peraslaue ten verstes which is a great Towne standing hard by a faire Lake From thence to Dowbnay thirtie verstes so to Godoroke thirtie verstes so to Owchay thirtie verstes and last to the Mosco fiue and twentie verstes where I arriued the sixt day of December There are fourteene Posts called Yannes betweene Vologda and Mosco which are accounted fiue hundred verstes asunder The tenth day of December I was sent for to the Emperours Castle by the said Emperour and deliuered my Letters vnto the Secretarie who talked with mee of diuers matters by the commandement of the Emperour And after that my Letters were translated I was answered that I was welcome and that the Emperour would giue mee that I desired The fiue and twentieth day being the day of the Natiuitie I came into the Emperours presence and kissed his hand who sate aloft in a goodly Chaire of estate hauing on his head a Crowne most richly decked and a staffe of Gold in his hand all apparelled with Gold and garnished with Precious stones There sate distant from him about two yards his Brother and next vnto him a Boy of twelue yeeres of age who was Inheritor to the Emperour of Casan conquered by this Emperour eight yeeres past Then sate his Nobilitie round about him richly apparelled with Gold and stone And after I had done obeysance to the Emperour he with his owne mouth calling me by my name bade me to dinner and so I departed to my lodging till dinner time which at sixe of the clocke by Candle light The Emperour dined in a faire great Hall in the midst whereof was a Pillar foure square very artificially made about which were diuers Tables set and at the vppermost part of the Hall sate the Emperour himselfe and at his Table sate his Brother his Vncles sonne the Metropolitan the young Emperour of Casan and diuers of his Noblemen all of one side There were diuers Embassadours and other strangers as well Christians as Heathens diuersly apparelled to the number of sixe hundred men which dined in the said Hall besides two thousand Tartars men of warre which were newly come to render themselues to the Emperour and were appointed to serue him in his warres against the Lief-landers but they dined in other Halls I was set at a little Table hauing no stranger with mee directly before the Emperours face Being thus set and placed the Emperour sent mee diuers bowles of Wine and Meade and many dishes of Meate from his owne hand which were brought mee by a Duke and my Table serued all in Gold and Siluer and so likewise on other Tables there were set bowles of Gold set with Stone worth by estimation 400. pounds sterling one cup besides the Plate which serued the tables There was also a Cupboord of Plate most sumptuous and rich which was not vsed among the which was a piece of Gold of two yards long wrought in the top with Towers and Dragons heads also diuers barrels of Gold and Siluer with Castles on the bungs richly and artificially made The Emperour and all the Hall throughout was serued with Dukes and when dinner was ended the Emperour called mee by name and gaue me drinke with his owne hand and so I departed to my lodging Note that when the Emperour drinketh all the companie stand vp and at euery time he drinketh or tasteth of a dish of meate he blesseth himselfe Many other things I saw that day not here noted The fourth of Ianuarie which was Twelf-tide with them the Emperour with his brother and all his Nobles all most richly apparelled with Gold Pearles Precious stones and costly Furres with a Crowne vpon his head of the Tartarian fashion went to the Church in Procession with the Metropolitan and diuers Bishops and Priests That day I was before the Emperour againe in Russe apparell and the Emperour asked if that were not I and his Chancellour answered yea Then he bad me to dinner then came hee out of the Church and went with the Procession vpon the Riuer being all frozen and there standing bare-headed with all his Nobles there was a hole made in the Ice and the Metropolitan hallowed the water with great solemnitie and seruice and did cast of the said water vpon the Emperours sonne and the Nobilitie That done the people with great thronging filled pots of the said water to carrie home to their houses and diuers children were throwne in and sicke people and plucked out quickly againe and diuers Tartars christned all which the Emperour beheld Also there were brought the Emperours best Horses to drinke at the said hallowed water All this being ended hee returned to his Palace againe and went to dinner by Candle light and sate in a woodden house very fairely gilt There dined in the place aboue three hundred strangers and I sate alone as I did before directly before the Emperour and had my Meat Bread and Drinke sent mee from the Emperour The Citie of Mosco is great the houses for the most part of wood and some of stone with windowes of Iron which serue for Summer time There are many faire Churches of stone but more of wood which are made hot in the Winter time The Emperours lodging is in a faire and large Castle walled foure square of Bricke high and thicke situated vpon an Hill two miles about and the Riuer on the South-west side of it and it hath sixteene gates in the walls and as many Bulwarkes His Palace is separated from the rest of the Castle by a long wall going North and South to the Riuer side In his Palace are Churches some of stone and some of wood with round Towres fairely gilded In the Church doores and within the Churches are Images of Gold the chiefe Markets for all things are within the said Castle and for sundry things sundry Markets and euery science by it selfe And in the
be of any reputation so that a man shall not see one of them but at a chance when shee goeth to Church at Christmasse or at Easter or else going to visit some of her friends The most part of the women vse to ride a-stride in Saddles with stirrops as men doe and some of them on Sleds which in Summer is not commendable The Husband is bound to find the Wife colours to paint her with all for they vse ordinarily to paint themselues it is such a common practice among them that it is counted for no shame they grease their faces with such colours that a man may discerne them hanging on their faces almost a flight shoot off I cannot so well liken them as to a Millers Wife for they looke as though they were beaten about the face with a bagge of Meale but their Eye-browes they colour as blacke as I eat The best propertie that the women haue is that they can sewe well and imbroider with Silke and Gold excellently When any man or woman dyeth they stretch him out and put a new paire of shooes on his feet because he hath a great Iourney to goe then doe they wind him in a sheet as wee doe but they forget not to put a testimonie in his right hand which the Priest giueth him to testifie vnto Saint Nicholas that he dyed a Christian man or woman And they put the Corse alwayes in a Coffin of Wood although the partie be very poore and when they goe towards the Church the Friends and Kinsmen of the partie departed carrie in their hands small Waxe Candles and they weepe and howle and make much lamentation They that bee hanged or beheaded or such like haue no testimonie with them how they are reciued into Heauen it is a wonder without their Pasport There are a great number of poore people among them which dye daily for lacke of sustenance which is a pitifull case to behold for there hath bin buried in a small time within these two yeares aboue eightie persons yong and old which haue dyed onely for lacke of sustenance for if they had had straw and water enough they would make shift to liue for a great many are forced in the Winter to dry straw and stampe it and to make bread thereof or at the least they eate it in stead of bread In the Summer they make good shift with grasse herbes and roots barkes of Trees are good meat with them at all times There is no people in the World as I suppose that liue so miserably as doe the pouertie in those parts and the most part of them that haue sufficient for themselues and also to relieue others that need are so vnmercifull that they care not how many they see dye of famine or hunger in the streets It is a Countrey full of Diseases diuers and euill and the best remedie is for any of them as they hold opinion to goe often vnto the Hot-houses as in a manner euery man hath one of his owne which he heateth commonly twice euery weeke and all the houshold sweat and wash themselues therein The first and principall Meade is made of the juyce or liquor taken from a Berrie called in Russia Malieno which is of a maruellous sweet taste and of a Carmosant colour which Berrie I haue seene in Paris The second Meade is called Visnoua because it is made of a Berrie so called and is like a blacke Gooseberrie but it is like in colour and taste to the red Wine of France The third Meade is called Amarodina or Smorodina short of a small Berrie much like to the small Raisin and groweth in great plentie in Russia The fourth Meade is called Chereunikyna which is made of the wild blacke Cherrie The fift Meade is made of Honey and Water with other mixtures There is also a delicate Drinke drawne from the Root of the Birch Tree called in the Russe Tongue Berozeuites which drinke the Noblemen and others vse in Aprill May and Iune which are the three moneths of the Spring-time for after those moneths the sap of the Tree dryeth and then they cannot haue it I haue by me a Letter of Master Christopher Hoddesdon written the seuenteenth of Nouember 1555. wherein he writes that it seemes there is no great punishment for breaking their Region some of them aduenturing to eate Milke with him on a Fasting day which yet others refused Yarostâ—sly so he cals the Towne where he writ is fairer then Volga the Riuer almost a mile broad he was asked seuen Altines for a Sturgeon he had giuen at Danske nine Mark-sprace for a worser neither had he seene such abundance of Ling in England as there of Sturgeons there being in that dayes Market about three thousand §. IIII. The Voyage of Master ANTHONIE IENKINSON made from the Citie of Mosco in Russia to the Citie of Boghar in Bactria in the yeare 1558. written by himselfe to the Merchants of London of the Moscouie Company THe three and twentieth day of Aprill in the yeare 1558. hauing obtayned the Emperour of Russia his Letters directed vnto sundry Kings and Princes by whose Dominions I should passe departed from Mosco by water hauing with mee two of your Seruants namely Richard Iohnson and Robert Iohnson and a Tartar Tolmach with diuers parcels of Wares as by the Inuentorie appeareth and the eight and twentieth day wee came to a Towne called Collom distant from the Mosco twentie leagues and passing one league beyond the said Collom we came vnto a Riuer called Occa into the which the Riuer Mosco falleth and loseth his name and passing downe the said Riuer Occa eight leagues wee came vnto a Castle called Terreuettisko which we left vpon our right hand and proceeding forward the second day of May wee came vnto another Castle called Peroslaue distant eight leagues leauing it also on our right hand The third day we came vnto the place where old Rezan was situate being now most of it ruined and ouer-growne and distant from the said Peroslaue sixe leagues the fourth day we passed by a Castle called Terrecouia from Rezan twelue leagues and the sixt day we came to another Castle called Cassim vnder the gouernment of a Tartar Prince named Vtzar Zegoline sometime Emperour of the worthy Citie of Cazan and now subject vnto the Emperour of Russia But leauing Cassim on our left hand the eight day we came vnto a faire Towne called Morom from Cassim twentie leagues where wee tooke the Sunne and found the latitude fiftie sixe degrees and proceeding forward the eleuenth day wee came vnto another faire Towne and Castle called Nyse Nouogrod situated at the falling of the foresaid Riuer Occa into the worthy Riuer of Volga distant from the said Moron fiue and twentie leagues in the latitude of fiftie sixe degrees eighteene minutes From Rezan to this Nyse Nouogrod on both sides the said Riuer of Occa is raysed the
wind which we rid out Then the wind came to the North and wee weighed and set our course South-east and that day sayled eight leagues Thus proceeding forwards the seuenteenth day we lost sight of Land and the same day sayled thirtie leagues and the eighteenth day twentie leagues winding East and fell with a Land called Baughleata being seuentie foure leagues from the mouth of the said Volga in the latitude of fortie sixe degrees fiftie foure minutes the Coast lying neerest East and by South and West and by North. At the point of this Iland lyeth buried a holy Prophet as the Tartars call him of their Law where great deuotion is vsed of all such Mahometists as doe passe that way HONDIVS his Map of Tartaria TARTARIA The nineteenth day the winde being West and wee winding East South-east we sayled ten leagues and passed by a great Riuer called Iaic which hath his spring in the Land of Siberia nigh vnto the foresaid Riuer Cama and runneth through the Land of Nagay falling into this Mare Caspium And vp this Riuer one dayes iourney is a Towne called Serachicke subiect to the foresaid Tartar Prince called Murse Smille which is now in friendship with the Emperour of Russia Heere is no trade of merchandise vsed for that the people haue no vse of money and are all Men of warre and Pasturers of cattell and giuen much to theft and murther Thus being at an anchor against this Riuer Iaic and all our men being on Land sauing I who lay sore sicke and fiue Tartars whereof one was reputed a holy man because hee came from Mecca there came vnto vs a Boat with thirtie men well armed and appointed who boorded vs and began to enter into our Barke and our holy Tartar called Azy perceiuing that asked them what they would haue and withall made a prayer with that these Rouers stayed declaring that they were Gentlemen banished from their Countrey and out of liuing and came to see if there were any Russes or other Christians which they call Caphars in our Barke To whom this Azi most stoutly answered that there were none auowing the same by great oaths of their Law which lightly they will not breake whom the Rouers beleeued and vpon his words departed And so through the fidelitie of that Tartar I with all my companie and goods were saued and our men being come on boord and the wind faire we departed from that place and winding East and South-east that day being the twentieth of August failed sixteene leagues The one and twentieth day we passed ouer a Bay of sixe leagues broad and fell with a Cape of Land hauing two Ilands at the South-east part thereof being a good marke in the Sea and doubling the Cape the Land trended North-east and maketh another Bay into which falleth the greater Riuer Yem springing out of the Land of Colmack The two and twentieth three and twentieth and foure and twentieth dayes we were at anchor The fiue and twentieth the winde came faire and we sayled that day twentie leagues and passed by an Iland of lowe land and thereabout are many flats and sands and to the Northward of this Iland there goeth in a great Bay but we set off from this Iland and winded South to come into deepe water being much troubled with shoalds and flats and ranne that course ten leagues then East South-east twentie leagues and fell with the maine Land being full of copped Hills and passing along the coast twentie leagues the further we sayled the higher was the Land The seuen and twentieth day we crossed ouer a Bay the South shoare being the higher Land and fell with a high point of Land and being ouerthwart the Cape there rose such a storme at the East that we thought verily we should haue perished this storme continued three dayes From this Cape we passed to a Port called Manguslaue The place where we should haue arriued at the Southermost part of the Caspian Sea â—s twelue leagues within a Bay but we being fore tormented and tossed with this foresaid storme were driuen vnto another Land on the other side the Bay ouerthwart the said Manguslaue being very lowe Land and a place as well for the ill commoditie of the Hauen as of those brute field people where neuer Barke nor Boat had before arriued not liked of vs. But yet there we sent certaine of our men to Land to talke with the Gouernour and People as well for our good vsage at their hands as also for prouision of Camels to carrie our goods from the said Sea side to a place called Sellyzure being from the place of our landing fiue and twentie dayes iourney Our Messengers returned with comfortable words and faire promises of all things Wherefore the third day of September 1558. we discharged our Barke and I with my companie were gently entertayned of the Prince and of his people But before our departure from thence we found them to bee a very bad and brutish people for they ceased not daily to molest vs either by fighting stealing or begging raysing the price of Horse and Camels and Victuals double that it was wont there to be and forced vs to buy the water that we drinke which caused vs to hasten away and to conclude wiâ—h them as well for the hire of Camels as for the price of such as wee bought with other prouision according to their owne demand So that for euery Camels lading being but foure hundred weight of ours we agreed to giue three Hides of Russia and foure wooden dishes and to the Prince or Gouernour of the said people one ninth and two seuenths namely nine seuerall things and twice seuen seuerall things for money they vse none And thus being ready the fourteenth of September we departed from that place being a Carauan of a thousand Camels And hauing trauelled fiue dayes iourney wee came to another Princes Dominion and vpon the way there came vnto vs certaine Tartars on horsebacke being well armed and seruants vnto the said Prince called Timor Sultan Gouernour of the said Countrey of Manguslaue where wee meant to haue arriued and discharged our Barke if the great storme aforesaid had not disappointed These aforesaid Tartars stayed our Carauan in the name of theâ—r Prince and opened our Wares and tooke sâ—ch things as they thought best for their said Prince without money but for such things as they tooke from mee which was a ninth after much dissention I rode vnto the same Prince and presented my selfe before him requesting his fauour and Pasport to trauell thorow his Countrey and not to be robbed or spoyled of his people which request he granted me and entertayned me very gently commanding me to be well feasted with flesh and Mares milke for Bread they vse none nor other drinke except water but money he had none to giue me for such things as he tooke of me which might be of value in Russe money fifteene Rubbles
sixe or seuen Kine before him to whom Similau made a signe and hee stayed till we came to the Bankes side and shewing him a piece of greene Taffata which hee sayd they much esteemed with a harsh voyce he sayd Quiten paran faufau words which none vnderstood Faria commanded to giue him three or foure Conados of the taffata and sixe Porcelanes which he receiued with much ioy saying Par pacam pochy pilaca hunangue doreu signing with his hand to the place whence hee came and leauing his Kine he ranne thither He was cloathed with a Tygers skin the hayre outward his armes head and legges bare with a rude pole in his hand well shaped seeming ten palmes or spans long his hayre hanging on his shoulders Within a quarter of an houre hee returned with a liue Deere on his backe and thirteene persons with him eight men and fiue women with three Kine tyed in coards dancing at the sound of a Drum giuing now and then fiue strokes on it and other fiue with their hands crying aloude Cur cur hinan falem Antonio de Faria caused to shew them fiue or sixe pieces and many Porcelanes All of them were cloathed in like manner only the women had on their wrists grosse bracelets of Tin their hayre longer then the men and full of Flowers and on their neckes a great neck-lace with coloured Shels as big as Oyster-shels The men had great poles in their hands furred halfe way with such Pelts as they wore they were strong set with thicke lippes flat noses great open nostrils bigge faces Faria caused to measure them and none of them were higher then ten spannes and a halfe one old man nigh eleuen the women not ten but I suppose the most sauage that euer yet were discouered Faria gaue them three corges of Porcelane a piece of greene Taffata and a basket of Pepper and they fell on the ground and lifting vp their hands with their fists shut sayd Vumguahileu opomguapau lapan lapan lapan They gaue vs the three Kine and the Deere and after many words in three houres conference returned with like dance as they came Wee followed our way fiue dayes more vp the Riuer about fortie leagues in which we had sight of that people and sixteene dayes more without sight of any at the end of which we came to the Bay of Nanquim hoping in fiue or sixe dayes to effect our desires Similau willed Faria not to let his Portugals be seene And hauing sayled sixe dayes East and East North-east we had sight of a great Citie called Sileupamor and entred into the Port two houres within night being a faire Bay almost two leagues in ciâ—cuit where abundance of shipping rode at anchor seeming aboue three thousand which made vs so afraid that out againe we went and crossing the Riuer which may bee about sixe or seuen leagues ouer wee ranne alongst a great Champaine the rest of the day with purpose to get some refreshing hauing passed thirteene hungry dayes We came to an old building called Tanamadel and got prouision to our mindes This place the Chinois which wee found there told vs belonged to an Hospitall two leagues thence for entertainment of the Pilgrims which visited the Kings Sepulcher Wee continued our voyage seuen dayes more hauing spent two moneths and a halfe since wee came from Liampoo and now Faria could no longer conceale his discontent that hee had thus followed Similaus proiect and receiuing of him answer little to the purpose had stabbed him with his Dagger if others had not interposed Similau the night following as wee rode at anchor neere the land swam a shoare the watch not perceiuing which Faria hearing was so impatient that going on shoare to seeke him hee returned frustrate and found of his sixe and fortie Chinais two and thirtie fled Full now of conâ—usion it was by counsell resolued to seeke Calempluy which could not be farre off and the next night entred a Barke riding at anchor and tooke fiue men sleeping therein of whom hee learned that Calempluy was ten leagues off and with their helpe found it eightie three dayes after he had set out on that enterprise This Iland was seated in the midst of the Riuer and seemed to bee a league in Compasse Hither came Faria with trouble and feare three houres within night anchoring about a chamber shot from it In the morning it was agreed first to goe about it to see what entrances it had and what impediments might befall their designe The Iland was all enuironed with a â—ampire of hewen Marble sixe and twentie spannes-high so well cut and set together that all the wall seemed but one piece the like whereof wee had neuer seene in India or elsewhere from the bottome of the water to the brim it contayned other sixe and twentie spannes In the top was a border of the same worke round ingirting it like a Friers girdle of the bignesse of a rundlet of twelue gallons on which were set grates of Latten turned euery sixe fathoms fastened into holes of the same Latten in each of which was the Idoll of a woman with a round ball in her hands none knowing what it signified Within these grates was a rew of many Monsters of cast Iron which in manner of a dance hand in hand compassed the I le round Further inwards from those monstrous Idols in the same ranke was another of Arches of rich worke pleasant to behold And all from hence inward was a groue of dwarfe Orange-trees thicke set in the midst whereof were builded three hundred and sixtie Hermitages dedicated to the Gods of the yeere whereof those Paynims haue many fabulous praises A quarter of a league higher on a hill to the East were seene buildings with seuen fronts of houses like Churches all from the top to the bottome wrought with gold with high Towers seeming Bell-steeples and without two streets with Arches which encompassed these buildings of the same worke with the fronts and all from the highest top of the steeple pinacles to the bottom wrought with gold whereby we iudged it some sumptuous and rich Temple After this view taken Faria resolued though it were late to goe on shoare to see if he could speake with any in those Hermitages and so leauing sufficient guard in the Barkes with fortie Souldiers twentie Slaues and foure Chinois which knew the place and had beene sometimes there and might serue vs for Interpreters he committed the two Barkes to Father Diego Lobato and entred at one of the eight Entrances walking thorow the Orangetto-groue to an Hermitage two Caliuer shots from our landing place with the greatest silence that might bee and with the name of Iesus in our heart and mouth Hauing yet seene no person he felt at the doore of the Hermitage with his Halberd and perceiued it locked on the inside hee bade one of the Chinois knocke which hauing done twice he heard an answer
Ilands de los Reyes thence to make for the Philippinas After eight dayes the ship called Saint Luke was missing the Captayne whereof was Alfonsus de Arellano suspected to haue maliciously with-drawne himselfe The Fleet continuing their course in nine and ten degrees after fiftie dayes had sight of an Iland of Fishermen and many other small Ilands not inhabited which they passed by It was agreed that they should heighthen their course to thirteene degrees in which way they came on Monday the seuenteenth of Ianuary 1566. to one of the Ilands of Theeues called Goean and sayling toward it sixe miles off fiftie or sixtie Paraos swift sayling Barkes with eight or ten men quite naked met them and inuited them to their Habitations where at night they anchored The next morning sixe hundred of their Paraos came about them with victuals to sell Rice Honey Sugar-canes Plantans Fruits of diuers kinds and Ginger whereof there groweth great store naturally Their principall desire in barter was Iron Nailes giuing a large sacke of Rice for a Naile their sackes deceitfully filled with grauell and chaffe with Rice in the top These people are well proportioned and strong They fought with the Spaniards which were watering and in the time of fight would be trucking with the ships as senslesse of their danger A Mariner which stayd behind was slaine whose death they reuenged with many of the Sauages slaine in the night one of them being taken and sent into New Spaine Their name fits their Theeuish disposition Eleuen dayes after the fleet renewed their Voyage and course in thirteene degrees eleuen dayes longer and then had sight of the Philippinas hauing sailed from the Port of Natiuitie eight thousand miles They anchored in a faire Bay called Baia de Sibabas and there rode seuen dayes whiles two Boats went to discouer one to the North the other Southward A Gentleman of one of them was slaine by an Indian rashly leaping on shoare These Indians haue Iron Launces with a head or tongue a handfull and halfe long They haue also shields Bowes and Arrowes In making peace each man takes two or three drops of bloud of his arme or brest and mixe both in some Vessell together which is drunke with Wine and Water Many Paraos came to the Spaniards with a white flag in the Prow in token of peace and the Admiral erected the like in her Poope to signifie their leaue to enter These Indians are clothed but barefoot The Spaniards demanded prouision which the other promised but gaue only to the Captayne a sucking Pigge and an Egge These people are very timorous perfidious and therefore suspicious The Ilands beare Hogges Goats Hennes Rice Millet Potatoes Pome-citrons Frisoles Cocos Plantans and many sorts of Fruits They weare Bracelets and Earings and Gold Chaines and whithersoeuer the Fleet went was shew of Gold in the Land whereof they digge but for necessary vses the Land is their Money bagge The Fleet departed hence and two dayes after came to the Port of the I le Tandoia where a small Riuer enters vp which they went in Boats and came to a Towne called Camungo There they were well entertayned and had victualls set them which whiles they were eating an Indian spake some Spanish words and asked for Antonie Baptista Villalobos and Captaine Cabeça de Vaca for which the Lord of the place was angrie with him and hee appeared no more The next day the Spaniards returning found them armed threatning them if they came on shoare They minding not to deale cruelly Martin de Goyte was sent to discouer some conuenient harbour who saw the Citie Tandaya and other Townes of other neere Ilands and hauing gone sixtie miles found the great Bay where was Cabalia a Towne well inhabited Thither went the Fleet and the Inhabitants fled Onely Camatuan the sonne of Malataque a blind man chiefe of that place came to them whom they detayned thinking thereby to get some prouision but in vaine He sent forth Souldiers which brought him fiue and fortie Hogs leauing in lieu somwhat for exchange and dismissing Camatuan who had taught the Captaine the names of the neighbouring Iles and of their Gouernours Hee brought them to Mesagua two and thirtie miles off and then was sent away apparelled and ioyfull The Iland Masagua hath beene frequent but then had but twentie Inhabitants which would not see the Spaniards They went to another Iland where the people were fled with their goods Then went they to Butuan which is subiect to the I le Vindena or the Ilands Corrientes The winde draue them to Bohol where they anchored The next day they saw a Iunke and sent a Boat to it which wounded some of their men They had Arrowes and Lances and a Base and two brasse Peeces They cryed to the Spaniards abordo abordo The Spaniards sent out another Boat better fitted which tooke eight the rest were slaine or fled hauing fought valiantly In the Iunke they found white sheets painted Silke Almayzarez Callicos Iron Tin Brasse and some Gold The Iunke was of Borneo and so were these Moores All was restored their intent being to get friends and the Burneois satisfied The Captaine sent the Saint Iohn to discouer the Coast of Butuan and learne where the Cinamon was gathered and to find some good Port in fit place to build The Burneois told the Captaine the cause of the Indians flight that about two yeeres before some Portugals bearing themselues for Spaniards had comne thither from the Molucas and hauing made peace with them set on them and slue aboue a thousand Indians the cause of that depopulation This the Portugals did to make the Spaniards odious that if they came thither they might not be admitted The Captaine sent a well furnished ship to search the Coast which came to a place where the Borneo Gouernour said he had friends and leaping on shoare hee was slaine of the Indians The Saint Iohn returned from Buthuan which said they had seene the King and two Iunkes of Moores in the Riuer at anker and that the Iland was great and rich and exchanged with them fine Gold for Testons one for six in equall weight They bought Wax of the Moores but had Earth inclosed in the Cakes they also incensed the Indians against the Castilians which would haue made purchase of them but were forbidden by the King They said they had there seene Wax Cinamon Gold and other precious things On Easter Euen the other ship returned to their great ioy which had thought her lost hauing staid twentie dayes longer then her limited time They had sailed about the Iland Igla the space of six hundred miles and in their returne came to Subo a well peopled Iland and plentifull of all things The Captaine determined to goe thither to buy prouision or else to force them For Magelane had beene there and the King and most of the Inhabitants were baptised
extremitie hee left Limahon and also how that he carried with him the Friars and other Spaniards which went to carrie the newes and to treat of peace with the Vice-roy of Aucheo vnto whom and vnto the Gouernour of Chincheo he carried presents sent from the Gouernour and Generall of the field of the Ilands Philippinas When the Generall had heard this relation he commanded the Boat to returne and to bring them before him that he might see what manner of men they were of person and the vse of the apparell and likewise to satisfie himselfe of other desires that came into his mind by that which Omoncon had said of them The Fathers and their companions did obey the commandement and did embarke themselues in the Boat and came vnto the ship whereas the Generall receiued them with great courtesie after his fashion §. IIII. Friar MARTIN DE HERRADA and other Spaniards entertaynment in China and their returne to the Philippinas WIthin a little while after Omoncon and his companie arriued at the Port of Tanfuso hard by vpon Wednesday in the euening being the fift day of Iuly This Tanfuso is a gallant and fresh Towne of foure thousand Housholders and hath continually a thousand Souldiers in Garrison and compassed about with a great and strong wall and the gates fortified with plates of Iron the foundations of all the houses are of Lime and Stone and the walls of Lime and Earth and some of Bricke their houses within very fairely wrought with great Courts their streets faire and broad all paued Before that Omoncon did come vnto an anchor they saw all the Souldiers and the people of the Towne were gathered together vpon the Rockes that were ioyning vnto the Port all armed ready vnto the battell amongst whom there was a principall Captaine and three more of his companions that were sent him by the Gouernour of Chincheo whom they doe call in their language Insuanto who had vnderstanding of the comming of Omoncon when the ship entred into the Port Omoncon did salute the Towne with certaine Peeces of Artillerie and discharged all his Harquebusses sixe times about and therewithall tooke in her sayle and let anchor fall Then straightwaies the Captaine whom the Insuanto had sent came aboord the ship who had expresse commission not to leaue the companie of our people after that they were disembarked till such time as they came whereas he was but to beare them companie and to prouide them of all things necessarie the which he did accomplish All these Captaines and Ministers of the King doe weare certaine ensignes for to be knowne from the common people to wit broad Wastes or Girdles embossed after diuers manners some of Gold and Siluer some of the Tortois shell and of a sweet wood and other some of Iuorie the higher estates hath them embroidered with Pearles and precious stones and their Bonnets with two long eares and their Buskins made of Sattin and vnshorne Veluet Then after so soone as they were come to an anchor in the Port the Iustice did send them a Licence in writing for to come forth of the ship as a thing necessarie for that without it the Waiters or Guards of the water side will not suffer them to put foot on land This Licence was written vpon a boord whited and firmed by the Iustice whose charge it is to giue the Licence Then when they came ashoare there were the Souldiers that were appointed by the Insuanto in a readinesse to beare them companie and did direct and leade them vnto the Kings houses of the said Citie the like hath euery Citie almost throughout all the Kingdome and there they bid lodge them These houses are very great and very well wrought and gallant with faire Courts below and Galleries aboue they had in them Stanges or Ponds of water full of fish of sundry sorts The people of the Citie did presse very much to see these strangers so that with the presse as also with the great heate they were maruellously afflicted which being perceiued by the Iustice he gaue order that they might bee eased of that trouble and caused Sergeants to keepe the doore and their Yeomen to make resistance against the people When night was come the Iustice of the Citie did make a Banquet according to the fashion of the Countrey and it was in the fashion following They were carried into a Hall that was very curiously wrought wherein were many Torches and waxe Candles light and in the midst thereof was set for euery one of the Guests a Table by himselfe as is the vse and fashion of that Countrey euery Table had his couering of Damaske or Sattin very well made the Tables were gallantly painted without any Table-clothes neither doe they vse any for they haue no need of them for that they doe eate all their victuals with two little stickes made of Gold and Siluer and of a maruellous odoriferous wood and of the length of little Forkes as they doe vse in Italie with the which they do feed themselues so cleanly that although their victuals be neuer so small yet doe they let nothing fall neither foule their hands nor faces They were set downe at these Tables in very good order and in gallant Chaires in such sort that although they were euery one at his Table by himselfe yet they might see and talke one with another they were serued with diuers sorts of cates and very well dressed both of flesh and fish as gamons of Bacon Capons Geese whole Hens and pieces of Beefe and at the last many little baskets full of sweet meats made of Sugar and Marchpanes all wrought very curiously They gaue them Wine of an indifferent colour and taste made of the Palm-tree All the time that the supper lasted there was in the Hall great store of Musicke of diuers Instruments whereon they played with great consort some one time and some another The Instruments which they commonly doe vse are Hoybuckes Cornets Trumpets Lutes such as be vsed in Spaine although in the fashion there is some difference There was at this Banquet which endured a great while the Captaine that was ordayned for their Guard and the Captaine Omoncon and Sinsay When Supper was done they were carryed into very faire Chambers whereas were faire Beds where they slept and eased themselues The next day in the morning was brought vnto them their ordinarie victuals and that in abundance as well of Flesh as of Fish Fruits and Wine to be dressed vnto their owne content and according vnto their manner they would take nothing for the same for so they were commanded by the Insuantes This was brought vnto them euery day so long as they were there in the way when as they went vnto Chincheo The same day arriued a Captayne of fortie Ships in the same Port and so soone as hee was ashoare he went straight-wayes vnto the Palace for to see the strangers who
Boats and Cables which they had there readie for the same purpose The ship did not so soone begin to mooue but the Religious men ashoare did beginne their Sacrifice the which did indure vntill night ending their Feasts and Triumphs in putting forth of the Citie and vpon their Gates many Cressets and Lights The Souldiers shot off all their Harquabusses and the shippes that were in the Port shot off all their Artillerie and on the shoare a great noyse of Drummes and Bels all the which being ended and done the Spaniards went ashoare againe vnto their Lodging but first the Insuanto was departed vnto his owne House with all the company that he brought with him The next day the said Insuanto did inuite them vnto a Banket which was as famous as any which had beene made them vnto that time He was at the Banket himselfe and the Captaine Generall of all that Prouince There was abundance of meates and many pretie deuises to passe away the time which made the Banket to indure more then foure houres the which being done there was brought forth the Present which the Insuanto did send vnto the Gouernour of Manilla in returne of that which was sent to him The Present was fourteene pieces of silke for the Gouernour of Manilla and ten pieces for the Generall of the field he also commanded to be giuen vnto the Friers each of them foure pieces and vnto the Souldiers each of them two pieces and vnto their Seruants and Slaues certaine painted Mantels and therewith hee tooke his leaue of them very friendly and gaue vnto them Letters the which he had wrote vnto the Gouernour and vnto the Generall of the field answere vnto those the which they had wrote vnto him and said that all things necessary for their departure was in a readinesse with victuals for tenne moneths put aboard their ships so that when as wind and weather did serue they might depart Also that if in their Voyage it should so fall out that any of the Chinois that went in their ships should doe vnto them any euill either abroad or at the Ilands that the Gouernour thereof should punish them at his pleasure and how that the Vice-roy will thinke well thereof In conclusion he said vnto them that he hoped to see them there againe very shortly and to returne againe with Limahon and â—hen he would supply the wants which now they lacked The Spaniards did kisse his hands and said that they had receiued in courtesie more then they deserued and that in all things there did abound and not lack that they remained greatly indebted vnto him for their friendship and would giue their King notice thereof that whensoeuer occasion should be offered to repay them with the like and therewith the Insuanto departed to his owne House leauing in the company of the Spaniards fiue Captains those which should go with them in their company to Sea and also Omoncon and Sinsay who were that day in the Banket with the Habit and Ensigne of Loytias for that the day before it was giuen vnto them by the Insuanto Vpon Wednesday which was the fourteenth of September the wind came faire wherewith they hoysed vp their Sayles and went to Sea at their departure there was at the waters side the Insuanto and the Iustice of Chincheo to see them sayle they sayled forwards directing their course towards a small Iland that was not farre off with determination there to take water for their ships for that it had in it many Riuers of very sweet water Within a small space they arriued there and it had a very faire and sure Port wherein might ride in securitie a great Nauy of ships All Thursday they were there recreating and sporting themselues for that it was a pleasant Iland and full of fresh Riuers Vpon Friday being the sixteenth of September the day being somewhat spent they made saile and tooke Port foure leagues from that place in another Iland called Laulo for to put themselues in a new course different and contrary vnto that which they tooke when they came vnto that Kingdome for that the Chinois had by experience proued that in those monethes the winds were more fauourable then in other monethes and for the most part North and North-east winds all that night they remained in that Iland and the next day following they sayled vnto another Iland which was called Chautubo not farre distant from that of Laulo This Iland was full of little Townes one of them was called Gautin which had fiue Forts of Towers made of Lime and stone very thicke and strongly wrought they were all foure square and sixe fathome high and were made of purpose for to receiue into them all the people of those little Townes to defend themselues from Rouers and Theeues that daily come on that Coast. They very much noted that although this Iland were rockie and sandie yet was it tilled and sowed full of Rice Wheate and other Seeds and Graine There was in it great store of Kine and Horse and they vnderstood that they were gouerned not by one particular man to whom they were subiect neither by any other amongst themselues nor of China but in common yet notwithstanding they liued in great peace and quietnesse for that euery one did content himselfe with his owne Vpon Sunday in the afternoone they departed from this Iland and sayled their course all that night at the next morning they arriued at another Iland called Corchu which was twentie leagues from the Port of Tansuso from whence they departed The Spaniards seeing what leisure they tooke in this their Voyage they requested the Captaines to command the Mariners that they should not enter into so many Ports or Harbours The Captaines answered and requested them to haue patience for that in making their Iournies as they did they doe accomplish and follow the order set downe by the Vice-roy and Insuanto the Chinois are very fearefull of the Sea and men that are not accustomed to ingulfe themselues too farre neither to passe any stormes Neere vnto this Iland there was another somewhat bigger which is called Ancon wholly dispeopled and without any dwellers yet a better Countrey and more profitable for to sow and reape then that of Corchu The Spaniards being at an Anchor there vnderstood by the Chinois that in times past it was very well inhabited vnto the which arriued a great Fleet belonging to the King of China and by a great storme were all cast away vpon the same the which losse and destruction being vnderstood by another Generall that had the Guard of that Coast suspecting that the dwellers thereof had done that slaughter hee came to the shoare and slue many of the Inhabitants and carried all the rest in their ships vnto the firme Land who afterwards would neuer returne thither againe although they gaue them licence after that they vnderstood the truth of that successe so
the Master altered his minde as those Barbarians are vsually inconstant and lingred long amongst the Ilands in the way This troubled vs in two respects principally both for the losse of the season which God offered and which being past wee were compelled to winter on the Coast of China and againe because in the same Ship was carryed an Idoll of the Deuill to which the Mariners in sight and spight of vs sacrificed after the manner of their Countrey They also by lots demanded answers thereof touching their Voyage which as they sayd and beleeued were sometimes good sometimes bad A hundred leagues from Malaca holding our course to China wee stayed at an Iland where after many Ceremonies the Deuill was consulted what fortune wee should haue who answered very prosperous Whereupon with great alacritie wee set sayle they worshipped the Idoll placed in the poope with Candles burning and incense of sweet Wood wee trusted in God the Creator of Heauen and Earth and in his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ desiring to carrie his Religion into those parts When wee were vnder sayle they demanded of the Deuill whether this Ship should returne from Iapon to Malaca the answer was made by the lot-casters that it should goe to Iapon but not returne to Malaca which made them alter their mindes thinking it better to winter in China and to deferre the voyage to Iapon till the next yeere You may well thinke how it grieued vs that the Deuill must bee consulted touching our course After this we came to Cauchinchina where two aduerse things happened Emanuel Sina our companion by the rolling of the Ship in the troubled Sea fell into the sinke almost dead with the bruise and water but in few dayes recouered which before it was ended the Masters Daughter with the like rolling of the Ship fell into the Sea and in all our sight was drowned and much lamentation followed The Barbarians presently sought to pacifie the Deuill and without rest all the day and night tooke paines to kill Birds to the Idoll and to set dishes of meate before it and by lots consulted to know the cause of that misfortune The answer was that if Emanuel which first fell in had dyed the Girle had not fallen into the Sea You see in what danger the Deuill hereby had cast vs if our Lord had not restrayned his rage c. The tempest being asswaged wee came in few dayes to the Port of Canton in China And there they purposed to Winter notwithstanding all our intreaties and expostulations but I know not how on a sudden they would goe to Chincheo on the same Coast. And when wee were almost there the Master was certified by some which sayled by that there was store of Pirats at Chincheo whereupon the winde being faire for Iapon and crosse for Canton they brought vs to Cangoxuma the Countrey of our friend Paul whose friends vsed vs vnkindly There wee spent fortie dayes in learning the Elements of the Iaponian tongue with great labour and began to publish the Decalogue and other heads of Christian learning which Paul had accurately conuerted into his owne Language and wee purposed speedily to Print them whereby the knowledge of Christ is further and more easily founded c. The occasion of his journey thither hee sheweth in another Letter that some Portugals being lodged in a House possessed by Deuils compassed the sayd house with Crosses and that there was great hope of good to bee done in those parts whereupon notwithstanding those Seas are very tempestuous and much infested with Pirats hee resolued to goe thither Ricius and Trigantius adde that the Iaponian Priests alledged in defence of their Idolatries the Chinois wisedome against him whereupon hee returned to India to aduise with the Vice-roy to send an Ambassage into China without which there was no entrance and obtayned that Iames Pereira was named Legate with whom he had before conferred about the businesse at Sancian where the Portugals at that time vsed to trade with the Chinois Amacao not yet established but Aluarus Taidius the Captayne of Malaca opposed Xauier loath herein to bee crossed vsed the Popes Bull which constituted him Apostolicall Nuncio and grieuously Cursed all that should hinder his proceedings in promoting Religion And when Aluarus would not otherwise relent hee interdicted him and his followers Soone after Aluarus was possessed with a Leprosie and further contemning the Vice-roy was taken and cast in Irons and dyed miserably Xauier burning with zeale of his China expedition sought to get some Chinois by fauour or reward to conueigh him by stealth into China and to expose him some-where on the Continent although hee knew that imprisonment attended such strangers as came into China without licence Being admonished to take leaue of the Captayne What sayd hee should I goe to salute an Excommunicate person I shall neuer see him nor hee me in this life nor after but when in the Vale of Iosaphat I shall accuse him before the Iudge Christ. And praying for him after with a countenance full of Maiestie hee put off his shooes and shooke off the dust according to the Euangelicall precept Thus he came to Sancian a Desart Iland where the Portugals vsed to make oothes of boughes or straw for the time of their Trading with the Chinois with whom hee consulted about some way to effect his desires though with losse of libertie or life At last he agreeth with a China Merchant for as much Pepper giuen him of the Portugall Merchants in almes as was worth aboue two hundred Duckets to set him and his Interpreter on shoare secretly Hee vndertooke it but either secretly terrified by other Portugals or with his owne danger his Interpreter forsooke him and after that the Merchant also vanished He stayed yet wayting for him till a Feuer tooke him out of the world in December 1552. His corps was after translated to India The Portugals of those times were very desirous of Trade with the Chinois who on the other side were very suspitious of them both by that which they saw of their Ships and Ordnance and by that which the Moores at Canton reported of these Franks so the Mahumetans call Europaeans that they were warlike and victorious as appeared in Malaca and all India vnder colour of Merchandise subiected to the Portugals The Chinois at Canton call them still Falanks for they want the R and pronounce not two consonants without a vowell interposed By the same name they call also the Portugals Ordnance Yet desire of gaine preuayled that they were admitted to such a trade as ye haue heard so as the Mart ended they must away with their goods to India That course continued diuers yeeres till the Chinois growing lesse fearefull granted them in the greater Iland a little Peninsula to dwell in In that place was an Idoll which still remayneth to bee seene called Ama whence the Peninsula was called Amacao that is Amas
one dayes passage further we came to the way which leads to Nanquin where diuers Riuers ioyning together make a kind of Crosse with great commoditie for Trade and passage For a Barke well defended against wind and weather conuenient for two Gentlemen with their Seruants and baggage may here be hired for twentie or thirtie dayes at an easier rate then a man shall pay for Horses from Coimbra to Liâ—bone For from Canton to Moilin fifteene dayes iourney for a ship which carried two hundred Packes of Merchandize of diuers kinds we paid but nine Iaes and seuen for those three which wee hired for twentie dayes more After that leauing the Northerne way which goeth to Nanquin or Lanquin wee turned West-ward against the streame yet with benefit of the wind fauoring vs we went fifteene and sometimes twentie miles a day in which space sailing by very large fields we arriued at a Citie where faire Porcelane is made thence carried into India and Europe Wee passed by many Woods also and some Cities The cold meane-while was so great that one day all was couered with Snow The Riuer decreased and on the third of the Nones of Ianuarie they vnladed the Merchandise into ten lesse Boates and sailed two dayes wee came to a large Citie to which wee had entry by a Bridge borne vp with fiftie painted Barkes On the Nones of Ianuary wee came to Gouli a Citie at the end of our Nauigation by that Riuer Here in celebrating Masse wee were thronged by the multitude And a Priest of the Idols inuited vs which then performed to his Idols Ceremonies at his House Altars there erected Priests inuited Hymnes vsed where he and those Bonzi vsed vs kindly Here wee obserued that the Deuill counterfeited the Ceremonies of the Catholike Church We went thence by the foot way carried in portable seats as before sixe or seuen miles and then entred the Prouince of Ciquion at the Sun-set entring the Citie Cuixion On the Ides of Ianuarie we againe went a ship-board holding our course by another Riuer which in that Citie first beginneth to be Nauigable the slow streame lingring with vs three dayes in which yet we saw eight Cities about which we found vnmeasurable quantitie of Oranges very high Hils abounding with Trees and vnder-woods betwixt which that pleasant Riuer sweetly slides receiuing from euery place new Tributes of waters that it prooueth now as large as that of Canton Prouince And although China haue name of fertilitie yet here appeared some prints of Iaponian sterilitie For in fiue dayes space we could get nothing but Rapes and Rice and a little fish On the eleuenth of the Kalends of February we passed by a large Citie twice as great as Canton as those which knew the Region affirmed for we by reason of Snowes and Mists could see nothing but some high Towres At Sunne going downe wee came to a Towne against which a Bow-shot distant on the other side of the Riuer wee were forced to take a new ship and causing our ship to bee drawne a light hanged out at the Mast the next morning we came to the Citie Ciquion the end of our iourney In this Citie which as Father Rogers or Ruggerius is wont to say is a type and representation of Venice God hath prouided vs of a good House on one side hauing the Citie on the other the Riuer for prospect with conuenient Roomes and a Garden and a fit place for a Chappell On both sides of vs dwell Idolatrous Priests which yet vse vs kindly and daily come to heare our Doctrine as doe others in great multitudes that we cannot yet auoide their frequent concourse to heare and see vs. To the chiefe of them we shewed our Altar erected to the Immortall God which they beheld with great reuerence worshipping the Image of our Sauiour And the greatest Magistrates were so affected with our Christian Ceremonies that they said they would not suffer vs to depart Some of them inuited and entertayned Father Rogers one of them of farre greater ranke then the Gouernour of the Citie who then mourned for his Mother and inuited vs by his Steward to her Funerall Solemnitie whom we answered that our Prayers auayled not but to the worshippers of the true God He vsed the Father with very great respect giuing him the higher place at table and accompanying him at the parting to the vtmost gate of his Palace seeming much delighted with the Mysteries of our Faith Three others greater then the Gouernour haue comne to visit vs and others come so frequent that it is troublesome The Priests also giue vs good lookes whatsoeuer they thinke The Aedifices both publike and priuate the streets and Lanes of the Citie are larger and fairer then in the Citie of Canton The Citizens also in grauitie of manners and ciuilitie of Habit differ not a little from the Inhabitants of Canton and Sciauchin There is no Citie in Portugall Lisbone except that is any way for greatnesse comparable The singularities I shall write at another time Ciquion the fourth of the Ides of Februarie 1586. The Prouinciall of India writ to the Generall that at their returne to Xauchin they found fortie Christians added to the Church which number in those beginnings in the ample and barbarous Kingdome of China may be equalled to fortie thousand Christians in the Iaponian Prouinces from Goa 14. Kal. Ian. 1587. §. IIII. False Brethren and others accusations detected they are expelled Sciauchin erect a Seat at Xauceum Monasterie of Nanhoa and other things of note in those parts They alter their habit Voyage to Nanquin the Lake Riuers Idols and other Rarities RIcius cals that Citie where they resided Sciauhin and saith it is a principall Citie though not the Metropolitan of the Prouince noble in commerce in scituation in the midst of a fresh water Lake in wits and learned men They baptized there Linsitaus Father and two or three Infants which then dying they thrust into Heauen at vnwares Sixtus the Pope granted a great Indulgence to the Societie to further the Iaponian and Chinese businesse and Aquaviva the Generall sent them three Watches and an artificiall Clock which was great yet mooued by wheeles without waights and strucke also the quarters to the great admiration of the Chinois Others sent Pictures one the worke of Gaspar Coelius who first taught the Iaponians and Chinois the European Painting to the great good of both Churches But the Kinsmen of Linsitau seeing such flocking to the Fathers grew suspicious of danger and caused them to bee recalled and Linsitau also to be estranged from them Also one Tansiao-hu a great acquaintance of Linsitau with purpose to get somewhat from the Fathers questioned Ruggerius why hee had not seene Mount Vu-tan in the Prouince of Hu-quam a famous resort of Pilgrimes who answered that hee durst not without the Magistrates leaue I will procure it saith hee and did so In
the doores they vse salutations and offers of courtesie according to the qualitie of the Guest and the Master of the house so he bringeth him more or lesse way or vnto the street or if he goe so farre he stayeth till he take his Chaire or his Horse and then lifting vp their armes and sleeues vnto their heads they take their leaues and depart one from the other When they are departed the Visitor and hee that is visited each of them send a Boy to giue one another thankes one for his visitation the other for his good entertaynment and friendly vsage If hee that is visited be not at home they leaue the Paytre at his house which is a token that hee came to visite him Hee that is visited is bound to requite his visitation presently or the next day if he bee a man of Worship or if they bee equals within three or foure dayes which payment is performed after the selfe same manner and if hee finde him not at home it sufficeth to leaue the Paytre there If hee that requiteth the visitation bee a farre greater person then the first which visited him as if he be some great Mandarin hee which first visited him returneth the next day in person with a paper wherein hee giueth him thankes that he came to his house and if they see one another he giueth him thankes by word of mouth When the man which visiteth is of great Worship hee sendeth word a good space before with a Paytre and the Master of the house commeth forth to receiue him and to bring him into the house All their Houses and Lodgings haue alwayes an head and more honourable place which is the highest part where alwayes they place the Guest Likewise in their writing they vse a great difference according to the estates Dignitie and Age and in their Letter the greater the Mandarin is they vse the greater Letter those that are equall or inferiour vse a very small letter likewise they obserue the same order in speaking to euery one according to his qualitie When they meet in the streets the ordinary courtesie is to put their hands into their sleeues closing them together to hold them vp to vse a common speech which they haue for this purpose When a couple enter into new acquaintance they doe yet more and that is they kneele downe and touch the ground with their head so often and with so great ceremonies that I dare not speake of them lest I should neuer make an end When they send Presents they write downe all things which they send in a paper as they doe their speeches with words of Honour whereof I send likewise examples to see of very graue persons which sent vs Presents And whether the partie receiue the Present or not or only a part he alwayes sendeth backe another paper with certaine red lines as herewith is to bee seene with a Letter which sayth I thanke you much And when he receiueth the Present hee alwayes giueth some money to the youths that bring it and hereby he remayneth bound to answer him with another Present as great at the least And herein they be very precise especially persons that are not of the greatest account A thing which I finde very strange and which doth put vs to much trouble to be driuen equally to answer those Presents which the greater Mandarins doe send vs for they alwayes desire some thing of our Countrey and here we are very poore They send vs somtimes from Macao some Clockes of sand or Houre-glasses some Kniues some cases of tooles for Surgeans and other things for they much esteeme all things that come from our parts and with these things which in our Countries are little or nothing worth heere wee procure friends which stand vs in exceeding great stead to conferre with them of our holy Faith and of the saluation of our Soules Besides their Presents and visitations they haue Gossippings and Banquets whereunto very vsually they inuite one another When these be very solemne they set euery Guest two tables for himselfe one of Flesh and Fish c. another of Fruits and sweet Meats When they be not so solemne one table for euery man or two at euery Table they prouide for these Guests great diuersitie of meates well dressed and seasoned which they bring soft and fayre one after another that they may be hot When they inuite one to a Banquet they send sixe or seuen dayes before a paper wherein they inuite him against such a day If hee cannot come he sendeth another paper wherein he saith I excuse my selfe If he excuse not himselfe he is resolued to come This paper is sent with many words of courtesie with much honour On the day appointed in the morning hee sendeth another to inuite him againe for the selfe same day and at the appointed houre hee sendeth another to pray him to come and then hee goeth If any of these messages should fayle hee would not goe When he is gone to the Banquet they vse many other ceremonies But the most adoe is about their places so that it is long before you can place them and allot out the roomes how they shall sit because they euer seeke or at least make shew that they seeke to giue the chiefest roome to others They feed not as men vse to doe in our Countrey neither seemeth it that the Feast is made to feed but onely they taste of some small thing for fashion sake and they drinke very sippingly in small Cups of Porcelane each of which will contayne fiue or sixe Thimbels-full of Wine and heerein and in deuising they spend fiue or sixe houres at a Banquet and goe home an hungred And thus it happeneth vnto vs although wee seeke to excuse our selues from them as much as we can because wee lose much time vnlesse it bee some great Mandarin who we feare would take it euill if wee should deny his request When the Banquet is ended the next day euery one of the Guests sends his Boy with a paper wherein hee thanketh his Hoast for his good cheare Heere your Worship may see wherein the Chinois spend the one halfe of their life For the greatest businesse they haue and that wasteth most of their time is in Visitations Banquets and sending of Presents And the time wherein they most of all vse the same is their New-yeere which lasteth fifteene dayes their Birth day which all of them keepe with great solemnitie or when they goe foorth or come home on a Iourney And to end the whole yeere I send you some Papers of visitation of all these things whereof they haue sent many vnto vs that your Worship may see though you vnderstand not the outward Letter the manner and fashion of this people how farre different Salutations manners and fashions we send you from the plainenesse of our Europe and especially of our Companie But for the present
by North and West and by South from thence they woond ouer againe till noone and sayled three miles North and by West and then till the Sunne was North-west they held North-west and by North three miles then they woond East-ward and sayled foure or fiue miles North-east and by East The thirteenth of Iuly at night they found great store of Ice as much as they could descry out of the top that lay as if it had beene a plaine field of Ice then they woond Westward ouer from the Ice The seuenteenth of Iuly William Barents tooke the height of the Sunne with his Astrolabium and then they were vnder 77. degrees and a ¼ of the Pole and sayled Southward six miles and perceiued the firme Land lying South from them Then they sayled till the nineteenth of Iuly in the morning West South-west sixe or seuen miles with a North-west winde and mistie weather and after that South-west and South-west and by West seuen miles the Sunne being 77. degrees 5. minutes lesse Then they sayled two miles South-west and were close by the land of Noua Zembla about Cape Nassaw The fiue and twentieth of Iuly they were so inclosed about with flakes of Ice that out of the top they could not discerne any thing beyond it and sought to get through the Ice but they could not passe beyond it At night they tooke the height of the Sunne when it was at the lowest betweene North and North-east and North-east and by North it being eleuated aboue the Horizon 6. degrees and ¾ his Declination being 19. degrees 50. minutes now take 6. degrees ¾ from 19. degrees and 50. minutes and there resteth 13. degrees 5. minutes which substracted from 90. there resteth 77. degrees lesse 5. minutes The sixe and twentieth of Iuly in the morning they sayled sixe miles South South-east till the Sunne was South-west and then South-east sixe miles and were within a mile of the land of Noua Zembla and came againe to Cape Trust. The eight and twentieth of Iuly the height of the Sun being taken at noone with the Astrolabium it was found to be eleuated aboue the Horizon 57. degrees and 6. minutes her Declination being 19. degrees and 18. minutes which in all is 76. degrees and 24. minutes they being then about foure miles from the land of Noua Zembla that lay all couered ouer with Snow the weather being cleare and the winde East The nine and twentieth of Iuly the height of the Sun being taken with the Crosse-staffe Astrolabium Quadrant they found it to be eleuated aboue the Horizon 32. degrees her declination being 19. degrees which substracted from 32. there resteth 13. degrees of the Equator which being substracted from 90. there rested 77. degrees and then the nearest North point of Noua Zembla called the Ice point lay right East from them There they found certaine Stones that glistered like gold which for that cause they named Gold-stones and there also they had a faire Bay with sandie ground Vpon the same day they woond Southward againe and sayled South-east two miles betweene the Land and the Ice and after that from the Ice point East and to the Southward sixe miles to the Ilands of Orange and there they laboured forward betweene the Land and the Ice with faire still weather and vpon the one and thirtieth of Iuly got to the Ilands of Orange And there went to one of those Ilands where they found about two hundred Walrushen or Sea-horses lying vpon the shoare to bast themselues in the Sunne This Sea-horse is a wonderfull strong Monster of the Sea much bigger then an Oxe which keepes continually in the Seas hauing a skin like a Sea-calfe or Seale with very short hayre mouthed like a Lion and many times they lye vpon the Ice they are hardly killed vnlesse you strike them just vpon the forehead it hath foure Feet but no Eares and commonly it hath one or two young ones at a time And when the Fisher-men chance to finde them vpon a flake of Ice with their young ones shee casteth her young ones before her into the water and then takes them in her Armes and so plungeth vp and downe with them and when shee will reuenge her-selfe vpon the Boates or make resistance against them then she casts her young ones from her againe and with all her force goeth towards the Boate whereby our men were once in no small danger for that the Sea-horse had almost stricken her teeth into the sterne of their Boate thinking to ouer-throw it but by meanes of the great crie that the men made she was afraid and swomme away againe and tooke her young ones againe in her armes They haue two teeth sticking out of their mouthes on each side one each being about halfe an Ell long and are esteemed to bee as good as any Iuorie or Elephants teeth specially in Muscouia Tartaria and thereabouts where they are knowne for they are as white hard and euen as Iuorie The Sea-horses that lay bathing themselues vpon the Land our men supposing that they could not defend themselues being out of the water went on shoare to assaile them and fought with them to get their Teeth that are so rich but they brake all their Hatchets Cuttle-axes and Pikes in pieces and could not kill one of them but strucke some of their Teeth out of their mouthes which they tooke with them and when they could get nothing against them by fighting they agreed to goe aboord the Ship to fetch some of their great Ordnance to shoot at them therewith but it began to blow so hard that it rent the Ice into great pieces so that they were forced not to doe it and therewith they found a great white Beare that slept which they shot into the bodie but shee ranne away and entred into the water the men following her with their Boate and killed her out-right and then drew her vpon the Ice and so sticking a halfe-pike vpright bound her fast vnto it thinking to fetch her when they came back againe to shoot at the Sea-horses with their Ordnance but for that it began more and more to blow and the Ice therewith brake in peeces they did nothing at all After that William Barents finding that hee could hardly get through to accomplish and end his pretended Voyage his men also beginning to bee wearie and would sayle no further they all together agreed to returne backe againe to meet with the other Ships that had taken their course to the Wey-gates or the Straights of Nassaw to know what Discoueries they had made there The first of August they turned their course to sayle backe againe from the Ilands of Orange There William Barents tooke the height of the Sunne it being vnder 71. degrees and â— 3. and there they found a great Creeke which William Barents judged to bee the place where Oliuer Brunel had beene before called Costinâ—sarch From the Blacke Iland they sayled
at the least the three that went forward in that sort were Cornelius Iacobson Master of William Barents ship William Gysen Pylot of the Pinnasse and Hans van Nuflen William Barents Purser and after that the sayd Master and Pylot had shot three times and mist the Purser stepping somewhat further forward and seeing the Beare to be within the length of a shot presently leuelled his Piece and discharging it at the Beare shot her into the head betweene both the eyes and yet she held the man still fast by the necke and lifted vp her head with the man in her mouth but shee began somwhat to stagger wherewith the Purser and a Scottish-man drew out their Curtelaxes and strooke at her so hard that their Curtelaxes burst and yet she would not leaue the man at last William Geysen went to them and with all his might strooke the Beare vpon the snout with his Piece at which time the Beare fell to the ground making a great noyse and William Geysen leaping vpon her cut her throat The seuenth of September wee buried the dead bodies of our men in the States Iland and hauing stayed the Beare carryed her Skin to Amsterdam The ninth of September we set sayle from the States Iland but the Ice came in so thicke and with such force that we could not get through so that at Eeuening we came backe againe to the States Iland the winde being Westerly There the Admirall and the Pinnasse of Rotterdam fell on ground by certayne Rockes but got off againe without any hurt The tenth of September we sayled againe from the States Iland towards the Wey-gates and sent two Boates into the Sea to certifie vs what store of Ice was abroad and that Eeuening wee came all together into Wey-gates and Anchored by the Twist-point The eleuenth of September in the Morning we sayled againe into the Tartarian Sea but we fell into great store of Ice so that we sayled backe againe to the Wey-gates and Anchored by the Crosse-point and about midnight we saw a Russian Lodgie that sayled from the Bâ—â—lt-point towards the Samuters Land The thirteenth of September the Sunne being South there began a great storme to blow out of the South South-west the weather being mistie melancholy and snowie and the storme increasing more and more we draue through The fourteenth of September the weather began to bee somewhat clearer the winde being North-west and the storme blowing stiffe out of the Tartarian Sea but at Eeuening it was faire weather and then the wind blew North-east the same day our men went on the other side of Wey-gates on the firme land to take the depth of the Channell and entred into the Bough behind the Ilands where there stood a little House made of wood and a great fall of water into the land The same Morning we hoysed vp our Anchor thinking once againe to try what wee could doe to further our Voyage but our Admirall being of another minde lay still till the fifteenth of September The same day in the Morning the winde draue in from the East-end of the Wey-gates whereby we were forced presently to hoyse Anchors and the same day sayled out from the West-end of the Wey-gates with all our Fleet and made homewards againe and that day past by the Ilands called Matfloe and Delgoy and that night we sayled twelue miles North-west and by West till Saturday in the morning and then the winde fell North-east and it began to Snow We saw the point of Candyâ—aes lying South-east from vs and then wee had seuen and twentie fathom deepe red sand with blacke shels The nine and twentieth of September in the Eeuening entred into Ward-house and there we stayed till the tenth of October And that day we set sayle out of Ward-house and vpon the eighteenth of Nouember we arriued in the Maes CHAP. V. The third Voyage Northward to the Kingdomes of Cathaia and China in Anno 1596. Written by GERAT DE VEER §. I. What happened to them at Sea before they came to build their House AFter that the seuen Ships as I said before were returned backe againe from their North Voyage with lesse benefit then was expected the Generall States of the Vnited Prouinces consulted together to send certayne Ships thither againe a third time to see if they might bring the said Voyage to a good end if it were possible to bee done but after much Consultation had they could not agree thereon yet they were content to cause a Proclamation to be made that if any either Townes or Merchants were disposed to venture to make further search that way at their owne charges if the Voyage were accomplished and that thereby it might be made apparant that the sayd passage was to be sayled they were content to giue them a good reward in the Countries behalfe naming a certayne summe of money Whereupon in the beginning of this yeere there was two Ships rigged and set forth by the Towne of Amsterdam to sayle that Voyage the men therein being taken vp vpon two Conditions viz. What they should haue if the Voyage were not accomplished and what they should haue if they got through and brought the Voyage to an end promising them a good reward if they could effect it thereby to encourage the men taking vp as many vnmarried men as they could that they might not bee disswaded by meanes of their Wiues and Children to leaue off the Voyage Vpon these Conditions those two Ships were ready to set sayle in the beginning of May. In the one Iacob Heemskerke Hendrickson was Master and Factor for the Wares and Merchandizes and William Barents chiefe Pylot In the other Iohn Cornelison Rijp was both Master and Factor for the goods that the Merchants had laden in her The fifth of May all the men in both the Ships were Mustered and vpon the tenth of May they sayled from Amsterdam and the thirteenth of May got to the Vlie The thirtieth of May we had a good winde and sayled North-east and wee tooke the height of the Sunne with our Crosse-staffe and found that it was eleuated aboue the Horizon 47. degrees and 42. minutes his Declination was 21. degrees and 42. minutes so that the height of the Pole was 69. degrees and 24. minutes The first of Iune we had no night and the second of Iune we had the winde contrarie but vpon the fourth of Iune we had a good winde out of the West North-west and sayled North-east And when the Sunne was about South South-east wee saw a strange sight in the Element for on each side of the Sunne there was another Sunne and two Raine-bowes that past cleane thorow the three Sunnes and then two Raine-bowes more the one compassing round about the Sunnes and the other crosse thorow the great rundle the great rundle standing with the vttermost point eleuated aboue the Horizon 28. degrees at noone the Sunne being at the highest the height thereof was measured and
a Beare that lay there and slept awaked and came towards vs to the ship so that wee were forced to leaue our Worke about turning of the ship and to defend our selues against the Beare and shot her into the bodie wherewith she ranne away to the other side of the Iland and swamme into the water and got vp vpon a piece of Ice where she lay still but we comming after her to the piece of Ice where she lay when she saw vs she leapt into the water and swamme to the Land but we got betweene her and the Land and strooke her on the head with a Hatchet but as often as wee strooke at her with the Hatchet she duckt vnder the water whereby wee had much to doe before we could kill her after she was dead we flayed her on the Land and tooke the skinne aboord with vs and after that turned our shippe to a great piece of Ice and made it fast thereunto The sixteenth ten of our men entring into one Boat rowed to the firme Land of Noua Zembla and drew the Boat vp vpon the Ice which done we went vp a high Hill to see the situation of the Land and found that it reached South-east and South South-east and then againe South which wee disliked for that it lay so much Southward but when wee saw open water South-east and East South-east we were much comforted againe thinking that we had wonne our Voyage and knew not how we should get soone enough aboord to certifie William Barents thereof The eighteenth we made preparation to set sayle but it was all in vaine for wee had almost lost our Sheat Anchor and two new Ropes and with much lost labour got to the place againe from whence wee came for the streame ranne with a mightie current and the Ice draue very strongly vpon the Cables along by the ship so that we were in feare that wee should lose all the Cable that was without the ship which was two hundred fathome at the least but God prouided well for vs so that in the end we got to the place againe from whence we put out The nineteenth it was indifferent good weather the Wind blowing South-west the Ice still driuing and wee set sayle with an indifferent gale of Wind and past by the point of Desire whereby we were once againe in good hope and when we had gotten aboue the point we sailed South-east into the Sea-ward foure miles but then againe wee entred into more Ice whereby wee were constrayned to turne backe againe and sayled North-west vntill we came to the Land againe which reacheth from the point of Desire to the head point South and by West six miles from the head point to Flushingers head it reacheth South-west which are three miles one from the other from the Flushingers head it reacheth into the Sea East South-east and from Flushingers head to the point of the Iland it reacheth South-west and by South and South-west three miles and from the Iland point to the point of the Ice Hauen the Land reacheth West South-west foure miles from the Ice Hauens point to the fal of Water or the streame Bay and the low Land it reacheth West and by South and East and by North seuen miles from thence the Land reacheth East and West The one and twentieth we sayled a great way into the Ice Hauen and that night anchored therein next day the streame going exreame hard Eastward wee haled out againe from thence and sayled againe to the Iland point but for that it was misty Weather comming to a piece of Ice wee made the ship fast thereunto because the Wind beganne to blow hard South-west and South South-west There we went vp vpon the Ice and wondred much thereat it was such manner of Ice For on the top it was full of Earth and there wee found aboue fortie Egges and it was not like other Ice for it was of a perfect Azure colour like to the Skies whereby there grew great contention in words amongst our men some saying that it was Ice others that it was frozen Land for it lay vnreasonable high aboue the Water it was at least eighteene fathom vnder the water close to the ground and ten fathome aboue the water there wee stayed all that storme the Wind being South-west and by West The three and twentieth wee sayled againe from the Ice South-eastward into the Sea but entred presently into it againe and woond about to the Ice Hauen The next day it blew hard North North-west and the Ice came mightily driuing in whereby we were in a manner compassed about therewith and withall the Wind beganne more and more to rise and the Ice still draue harder and harder so that the pinne of the Rother and the Rother were shorne in pieces and our Boat was shorne in pieces betweene the ship and the Ice we expecting nothing else but that the ship also would be prest and crusht in pieces with the Ice The fiue and twentieth the Weather began to be better and we tooke great paines and bestowed much labour to get the Ice wherewith we were so inclosed to goe from vs but what meanes soeuer we vsed it was all in vaine but when the Sunne was South-west the Ice began to driue out againe with the streame and we thought to saile Southward about Noua Zembla to the Streights of Mergates seeing we could there find no passage Wee hauing past Noua Zembla were of opinion that our labour was all in vaine and that we could not get through and so agreed to goe that way home againe but comming to the Streame Bay wee were forced to goe backe againe because of the Ice which lay so fast thereabouts and the same night also it froze that wee could hardly get through there with the little wind that we had the Wind then being North. The six and twentieth there blew a reasonable gale of Wind at which time wee determined to sayle backe to the point of Desire and so home againe seeing that wee could not get through the Wergats although we vsed all the meanes and industry wee could to get forward but when we had past by the Ice Hauen the Ice began to driue with such force that wee were inclosed round about therewith and yet we sought all the meanes we could to get out but it was all in vaine and at that time we had like to haue lost three men that were vpon the Ice to make way for the ship if the Ice had held the course it went but as we draue backe againe and that the Ice also whereon our men stood in like sort draue they being nimble as the ship draue by them one of them caught hold of the beak head another vpon the shrouds and the third vpon the great brase that hung out behind and so by great aduenture by the hold that they tooke they got safe into the ship againe for which they thanked God with all their
Master tooke one and I the other and made resistance against them as well as we could but the rest of our men ranne to saue themselues in the ship and as they ranne one of them fell into a Clift of Ice which grieued vs much for we thought verily that the Beares would haue ranne vnto him to deuoure him but God defended him for the Beares still made towardes the ship after the men that ranne thither to saue themselues Meane time wee and the man that fell into the Clift of Ice tooke our aduantage and got into the ship on the other side which the Beares perceiuing they came fiercely towards vs that had no other Armes to defend vs withall but onely the two Halberds which wee doubting would not bee sufficient wee still gaue them worke to doe by throwing Billets and other things at them and euery time we threw they ranne after them as a Dogge vseth to doe at a Stone that is cast at him Meane time wee sent a man downe vnder Hatches to strike Fire and another to fetch Pikes but wee could get no Fire and so wee had no meanes to shoote at the last as the Beares came fiercely vpon vs wee strooke one of them with a Halberd vpon the Snowt wherewith shee gaue backe when shee felt her selfe hurt and went away which the other two that were not so great as shee perceiuing ranne away and wee thanked God that wee were so well deliuered from them and so drew our Sled quietly to our House and there shewed our men what had happened vnto vs. The sixe and twentieth the Wind was North and North North-west with indifferent faire weather then wee saw open Water hard by the Land but wee perceiued the Ice to driue in the Sea still towards the ship The seuen and twentieth the Wind blew North-east and it snowed so fast that wee could not worke without the doore That day our men killed a White Foxe which they flead and after they had rosted it ate thereof which tasted like Conies flesh the same day we set vp our Dyall and made the Clocke strike and wee hung vp a Lampe to burne in the night time wherein we vsed the fat of the Bearâ— which wee melt and burnt in the Lampe The nine and twentieth the Wind still blew North-east and then wee fetched Segges from the Sea-side and layd them vpon the Sayle that was spread vpon our House that it might bee so much the closer and warmer for the Deales were not driuen close together and the foule weather would not permit vs to doe it The thirtieth the Winde yet continued North-east and the Sunne was full aboue the Earth a little aboue the Horizon The one and thirtieth the Winde still blew North-east with great store of Snow whereby wee durst not looke out of doores The first of Nouember the Wind still continued North-east and then wee saw the Moone rise in the East when it beganne to bee darke and the Sunne was no higher aboue the Horizon then we could well see it and yet that day we saw it not because of the close weather and the great Snow that fell and it was extreame cold so that we could not goe out of the House The second the Wind blew West and somewhat South but in the Eeuening it blew North with calme weather and that day we saw the Sunne rise South South-east and it went downe South South-west but it was not full aboue the Earth but passed in the Horizon along by the Earth and the same day one of our men killed a Fox with a Hatchet which was flayed roasted and eaten Before the Sunne began to decline wee saw no Foxes and then the Beares vsed to goe from vs. The third the Wind blew North-west with calme weather and the Sunne rose South and by East and somewhat more Southerly and went downe South and by West and somewhat more Southerly and then we could see nothing but the vpper part of the Sunne aboue the Horizon and yet the Land where wee were was as high as the Mast of our ship then wee tooke the height of the Sunne it being in the eleuenth degree and fortie eight minutes of Scorpio his Declination being fifteene degrees and twentie foure minutes on the South-side of the Equinoctiall Line The fourth it was calme weather but then wee saw the Sunne no more for it was no longer aboue the Horizon then our Chirurgion made a Bath to bathe vs in of a Wine-pipe wherein wee entred one after the other and it did vs much good and was a great meanes of our health The same day wee tooke a White Foxe that oftentimes came abroad not as they vsed at other times for that when the Beares left vs at the setting of the Sunne and came not againe before it rose the Foxe to the contrarie came abroad when they were gone The fifth the Winde was North and somewhat West and then wee saw open water vpon the Sea but our shippe lay still fast in the Ice and when the Sunne had left vs wee saw the Moone continuall both day and night and neuer went downe when it was in the highest degree The sixt the Winde was North-west still weather and then our men fetcht a Sled full of Fire-wood but by reason that the Sunne was not seene it was very darke weather The seuenth it was darke weather and very still the Winde West at which time wee could hardly discerne the Day from the Night specially because at that time our Clocke stood still and by that meanes wee knew not when it was day although it was day and our men rose not out of their Cabins all that day but onely to make water and therefore they knew not whether the light they saw was the light of the day or of the Moone whereupon they were of seuerall opinions some saying it was the light of the day the others of the night but as wee tooke good regard thereunto wee found it to bee the light of the day about twelue of the clocke at noone The eight it was still weather the Winde blowing South and South-west The same day our men fetcht another Sled of Fire-wood and then also wee tooke a White Foxe and saw open water in the Sea The same day wee shared our Bread amongst vs each man hauing foure pound and tenne ounces for his allowance in eight dayes so that then we were eight dayes eating a Barrell of Bread whereas before wee ate it vp in fiue or six dayes we had no need to share our flesh and fish for we had more store thereof but our drinke failed vs and therefore we were forced to share that also but our best Beere was for the most part wholy without any strength so that it had no sauour at all and besides all this there was a great deale of it spilt The ninth the Wind blew North-east and somewhat more Northerly and then we
had not much day light but it was altogether darke The tenth it was calme weather the Wind North-west and then our men went into the ship to see how it lay and wee saw that there was a great deale of water in it so that the ballast was couered ouer with water but that it was frozen and so might not bee pumpt out The eleuenth it was indifferent weather the Wind North-west The same day we made a round thing of Cable yarne and like to a Net to catch Foxes withall that wee might get them into the House and it was made like a Trap which fell vpon the Foxes as they came vnder it and that day we caught one The twelfth the Wind blew East with a little light that day wee began to share our Wine euery man had two Glasses a day but commonly our Drinke was water which we melted out of Snow which we gathered without the House The thirteenth it was foule weather with great Snow the Wind East The fourteenth it was faire cleere weather with a cleere Skie full of Starres and an East-wind The fifteenth it was darke weather the Wind North-east with a vading light The sixteenth it was weather with a temperate Ayre and an East-wind The seuenteenth it was darke weather and a close Ayre the Wind East The eighteenth it was foule weather the wind South-east then the Master cut vp a packe of course Clothes and diuided it amongst our men that needed it therewith to defend vs better from the cold The nineteenth it was foule weather with an East-wind and then the Chist with Linnen was opened and diuided amongst the men for shift for they had need of them for then our onely care was to find all the meanes we could to defend our bodie from the cold The twentieth it was faire still weather the Wind Easterly then wee washt our sheets but it was so cold that when wee had washt and wrung them they presently froze so stiffe that although wee layed them by a great fire the side that lay next the fire thawed but the other side was hard frozen so that wee should sooner haue torne them in sunder then haue opened them whereby wee were forced to put them into the seething water againe to thaw them it was so exceeding cold The one and twentieth it was indifferent weather with a North-east wind then we agreed that euery man should take his turne to cleaue Wood thereby to ease our Cooke that had more then worke enough to doe twice a day to dresse meate and to melt Snow for our Drinke but our Master and the Pilot were exempted from that Worke. The two and twentieth the Wind was South-east it was faire weather then wee had but seuenteene Cheeses whereof one we ate amongst vs and the rest were diuided to euery man one for his portion which they might eate when he list The three and twentieth it was indifferent good weather the Wind South-east and as we perceiued that the Fox vsed to come oftner and more then they were wont to take them the better wee made certaine Trappes of thicke Planckes whereon wee laid stones and round about them placed pieces of shards fast in the ground that they might not digge vnder them and so got some of the Foxes The foure and twentieth it was foule weather and the Wind North-east and then wee prepared our selues to goe into the Bath for some of vs were not very well at ease and so foure of vs went into it and when we came out our Surgeon gaue vs a Purgation which did vs much good and that day we tooke foure Foxes The fiue and twentieth it was faire cleere weather the Wind West and that day we tooke two Foxes with Springs that we had purposely set vp The six and twentieth it was foule weather and a great storme with a South-west Wind and great store of Snow whereby wee were so closed vp in the House that wee could not goe out but were forced to ease our selues within the House The seuen and twentieth it was faire cleere weather the Wind South-west and then we made more Spinges to get Foxes for it stood vs vpon to doe it because they serued vs for meate as if God had sent them purposely for vs for we had not much meate The eight and twentieth of Nouember it was foule stormie weather and the Winde blew hard out of the North and it snew hard whereby wee were shut vp againe in our House the Snow lay so closed before the doores The nine and twentieth it was faire cleere weather and a good Ayre the Wind Northerly and we found meanes to open our doore by shoueling away the Snow whereby wee got one of our doores open and going out wee found all our Traps and Springes cleane couered ouer with Snow which wee made cleane and set them vp againe to take Foxes and that day wee tooke one which as then serued vs not onely for meate but of the skinnes wee made Caps to weare vpon our heads wherewith to keepe them warme from the extreame cold The thirtieth it was faire cleere weather the Wind West and six of vs went to the ship all well prouided of Armes to see how it lay and when wee went vnder the fore Decke wee tooke a Foxe aliue in the ship The first of December it was foule weather with a South-west Wind and great store of Snow whereby we were once againe stopt vp in the House and by that meanes there was so great a smoake in the House that we could hardly make fâ—re and so were forced to lye all day in our Cabins but the Cooke was forced to make fire to dresse our meate The second it was still foule weather whereby wee were forced to keepe still in the House and yet wee could hardly sit by the fire because of the smoake and therefore stayed still in our Cabins and then we heated stones which we put in our Cabins to warme our feet for that both the cold and the smoake were vnsupportable The third we had the like weather at which time as we lay in our Cabins wee might heare the Ice cracke in the Sea and yet it was at the least halfe a mile from vs which made a huge noyse and we were of opinion that as then the great Hils of Ice which wee had seene in the Sea in Summer time brake one from the other and for that during those two or three dayes because of the extreame smoake we made not so much fire as we commonly vsed to doe it froze so sore within the House that the Wals and the Roofe thereof were frozen two fingers thick with Ice and also in our Cabins where we lay all those three dayes while wee could not goe out by reason of the foule weather we set vp the Glasse of twelue houres and when it was runne out wee set it vp againe still watching it lest wee
should misse our time For the cold was so great that our Clocke was frozen and might not goe although we hung more waight on it then before The fourth it was faire cleere weather the Wind North-east and then we began euery man by turne to digge open our doores that were closed vp with Snow for we saw that it would be often to doe and therefore we agreed to worke by turnes no man excepted but the Master and the Pilot. The fifth it was faire weather with an East-wind and then we made our Springes cleane againe to take Foxes The sixt it was foule weather againe with an Easterly Wind and extreame cold almost not to bee indured whereupon wee lookt pittifully one vpon the other being in great feare that if the extreamitie of the cold grew to bee more and more wee should all dye there with cold for that what fire soeuer we made it would not warme vs yea and our Sacke which is so hot was frozen very hard so that when wee were euery man to haue his part we were forced to melt it in the fire which wee shared euery second day about halfe a pint for a man wherewith we were forced to sustayne our selues and at other times wee dranke water which agreed not well with the cold and we needed not to coole it with Snow or Ice but we were forced to melt it out of the Snow The seuenth it was still foule weather and we had a great storme with a North-east Wind which brought an extreame cold with it at which time wee knew not what to doe and while we sate consulting together what were best for vs to doe one of our companions gaue vs counsell to burne some of the Sea-coales that we had brought out of the ship which would cast a great heate and continue long and so at Eeuening we made a great fire thereof which cast a great heat at which time wee were very carefull to keepe it in for that the heate beeing so great a comfort vnto vs we tooke care how to make it continue long whereupon wee agreed to stop vp all the doores and the Chimney thereby to keepe in the heate and so went into our Cabins to sleepe well comforted with the heate and so lay a great while talking together but at last we were taken with a great swounding and dazeling in our heads yet some more then other some which we first perceiued by a sicke man and therefore the lesse able to beare it and found our selues to be very ill at ease so that some of vs that were strongest start out of their Cabins and first opened the Chimney and then the doores but he that opened the doore fell downe in a swound vpon the Snow which I hearing as lying in my Cabin next to the doore start vp and casting Vinegar in his face recouered him againe and so he rose vp and when the doores were open we all recouered our healths againe by reason of the cold Ayre and so the cold which before had beene so great an Enemy vnto vs was then the onely reliefe that wee had otherwise without doubt we had dyed in a sudden swound after that the Master when we were come to our selues againe gaue euery one of vs a little Wine to comfort our hearts The eight it was foule weather the winde Northerly very sharpe and cold but we durst lay no more coales on as wee did the day before for that our misfortune had taught vs that to shunne one danger we should not runne into another The ninth it was faire cleare weather the skie full of Starres then we set our doore wide open which before was fast closed vp with Snow and made our Springes ready to take Foxes The tenth it was still faire Star-light weather the winde North-east then wee tooke two Foxes which were good meate for vs for as then our victuals began to bee scant and the cold still increased whereunto their Skinnes serued vs for a good defence The eleuenth it was faire weather and a cleere ayre but very cold which hee that felt not would not beleeue for our Shooes froze as hard as hornes vpon our feete and within they were white frozen so that we could not weare our shooes but were forced to make great Pattents the vpper part being Sheepe-skinnes which we put on ouer three or foure payre of Sockes and so went in them to keepe our feet warme The twelfth it was faire cleere weather with a North-west winde but extreame cold so that our House walls and Cabbins were frozen a finger thicke yea and the Cloathes vpon our backes were white ouer with Frost and although some of vs were of opinion that wee should lay more coles vpon the fire to warme vs and that we should let the chimney stand open yet we durst not doe it fearing the like danger we had escaped The thirteenth it was faire cleere weather with an East winde then we tooke another Foxe and tooke great paines about preparing and dressing of our Springes with no small trouble for that if wee stayed too long without the doores there arose blisters vpon our Faces and our Eares The fourteenth it was faire weather the winde North-east and the skie full of starres then we tooke the height of the right shoulder of the Rens when it was South South-west and somewhat more Westerly and then it was at the highest in our Compasse and it was eleuated aboue the Horizon 20. degrees and 28. minutes his Declination being 6. degrees and 18. minutes on the North-side of the line which Declination being taken out of the height aforesayd there rested 14. degrees which being taken out of 90. degrees then the height of the Pole was 76. degrees The fifteenth it was still faire weather the winde East that day wee tooke two Foxes and saw the Moone rise East South-east when it was sixe and twentie dayes old in the signe of Scorpio The sixteenth it was faire cleere weather the winde East at that time wee had no more Wood in the house but had burnt it all but round about our house there lay some couered ouer with Snow which with great paine and labour we were forced to digge out and so shouell away the Snow and so brought it into the house which wee did by turnes two and two together wherein we were forced to vse great speed for wee could not long endure without the House because of the extreame cold although we wore the Foxes skinnes about our heads and double apparell vpon our backes The seuenteenth the winde still held North-east with faire weather and so great Frosts that wee were of opinion that if there stood a Barrell full of water without the doore it would in one night freeze from the top to the bottome The eighteenth the winde still held North-east with faire weather then seuen of vs went out vnto the Ship to see how it lay and being vnder
the decke thinking to finde a Foxe there we sought all the holes but we found none but when we entred into the Cabbin and had stricken fire to see in what case the ship was and whether the water rose higher in it there wee found a Foxe which we tooke and carryed it home and eate it and then we found that in eighteene dayes absence for it was so long since we had beene there the water was risen about a finger high but yet it was all Ice for it froze as fast as it came in and the vessels which wee had brought with vs full of fresh water out of Holland were frozen to the ground The nineteenth it was faire weather the winde being South then we put each other in good comfort that the Sunne was then almost halfe ouer and ready to come to vs againe which wee sore longed for it being a weary time for vs to bee without the Sunne and to want the greatest comfort that God sendeth vnto man heere vpon the earth and that which rejoyceth euery liuing thing The twentieth before noone it was faire cleere weather and then we had taken a Foxe but towards Eeuening there rose such a storme in the South-west with so great a snow that all the house was inclosed therewith The one and twentieth it was faire cleere weather with a North-east winde then we made our doore cleane againe and made a way to goe out and clensed our Traps for the Foxes which did vs great pleasure when we tooke them for they seemed as daintie as Venison vnto vs. The two and twentieth it was foule weather with great store of snow the winde South-west which stopt vp our doore againe and wee were forced to digge it open againe which was almost euery day to doe The three and twentieth it was foule weather the wind South-west with great store of snow but wee were in good comfort that the Sunne would come againe to vs for as we ghest that day hee was in Tropicus Capricorni which is the furthest Signe that the Sunne passeth on the South-side of the line and from thence it turneth Northward againe The foure and twentieth being Christmasse Eeuen it was faire weather then wee opened our doore againe and saw much open water in the Sea for we had heard the Ice cracke and driue although it was not day yet we could see so farre Towards Eeuening it blew hard out of the North-east with great store of Snow so that all the passage that wee had made open before was stopt vp againe The fiue and twentieth being Christmasse day it was foule weather with a North-west winde and yet though it was foule weather we heard the Foxes runne ouer our House wherewith some of our men sayd it was an ill signe and while we sate disputing why it should bee an ill signe some of our men made answer that it was an ill signe because wee could not take them to put them into the Pot or roast them for that had beene a very good signe for vs. The sixe and twentieth it was foule weather the winde North-west and it was so cold that we could not warme vs although wee vsed all the meanes we could with great fires good store of cloathes and with hot stones and billets layd vpon our feete and vpon our bodies as we lay in our Cabbins but notwithstanding all this in the morning our Cabbins were frozen which made vs behold one the other with sad countenance but yet wee comforted our selues againe as well as we could that the Sunne was then as low as it could goe and that it now began to come to vs againe and we found it to bee true for that the Dayes beginning to lengthen the Cold began to strengthen but hope put vs in good comfort and eased our paine The seuen and twentieth it was still foule weather with a North-west wind so that as then wee had not beene out in three dayes together nor durst not thrust our heads out of doores and within the house it was so extreame cold that as we sate before a great Fire and seemed to burne on the fore-side we froze behind at our backes and were all white as the Countrey-men vse to bee when they come in at the gates of the Towne in Holland with their Sleds and haue gone all night The eight and twentieth it was still foule weather with a West wind but about Eeuening it began to cleere vp at which time one of our men made a hole open at one of our doores and went out to see what newes abroad but found it so hard weather that hee stayed not long and told vs that it had snowed so much that the Snow lay higher then our house and that if he had stayed out longer his eares would vndoubtedly haue beene frozen off The nine and twentieth it was calme weather and a pleasant ayre the wind being Southward that day he whose turne it was opened the doore and digged a hole through the Snow where we went out of the house vpon steps as if it had beene out of a Celler at least seuen or eight steps high each step a foote from the other and then we made cleane our Springes for the Foxes whereof for certaine dayes we had not taken any and as we made them cleane one of our men found a dead Foxe in one of them that was frozen as hard as a stone which he brought into the house and thawed it before the fire and after flaying it some of our men eate it The thirtieth it was foule weather againe with a storme out of the West and great store of Snow so that all the labour and paine that we had taken the day before to make steps to goe out of our house and to clense our Springes was all in vaine for it was all couered ouer with Snow againe higher then it was before The one and thirtieth it was still foule weather with a storme out of the North-west whereby we were so fast shut vp into the house as if wee had beene prisoners and it was so extreame cold that the fire almost cast no heate for as we put our feet to the fire we burnt our hose before we could feele the heate so that we had worke enough to doe to patch our hose and which is more if we had not sooner smelt then felt them we should haue burnt them ere we had knowne it After that with great cold danger and disease wee had brought this yeere vnto an end we entred into the yeere of our Lord God 1597. the beginning whereof was in the same manner as the end of Anno 1596. had beene for the weather continued as cold foule and Snowie as it was before so that vpon the first of Ianuary wee were inclosed in the House the winde then being West at the same time wee agreed to share our Wine euery man a small measure full
and that but once in two dayes and as we were in great care and feare that it would bee long before we should get out from thence and we hauing but small hope therein some of vs spared to drinke wine as long as we could that if we should stay long there we might drinke it at our need The second it blew hard with a West wind and a great storme with both Snow and Frost so that in foure or fiue dayes we durst not put our heads out of the doores and as then by reason of the great cold we had almost burne all our Wood notwithstanding we durst not goe out to fetch more wood because it froze so hard and there was no being without the doore but seeking about we found some peeces of wood that lay ouer the doore which we cloue and withall cloue the blockes whereon we vsed to beate our Stock-fish and so holpe our selues so well as we could The third it was all one weather and we had little wood to burne The fourth it was still foule stormie weather with much Snow and great cold the winde South-west and we were forced to keepe in the house and to know where the wind blew we thrust a halfe-pike out at the Chimney with a little cloath or feather vpon it but as soone as wee thrust it out it was presently frozen as hard as a peece of wood and could not goe about nor stirre with the wind The fifth it was somewhat still and calme weather then wee digged our doore open againe that we might goe out and carrie out all the filth that had beene made during the time of our being shut in the house and made euery thing handsome and fetched in Wood which we cleft and it was all our dayes worke to further our selues as much as we could fearing least we should be shut vp againe and as there were three doores in our portall and for that our house lay couered ouer in Snow wee tooke the middle doore thereof away and digged a great hole in the snow that lay without the house like to a side of a vault wherein we might goe to ease our selues and cast other filth into it and when we had taken paines all day we remembred our selues that it was Twelfth Eeuen and then we prayed our Master that we might be merrie that night and sayd that we were content to spend some of the Wine that night which we had spared and which was our share euery second day and whereof for certayne dayes wee had not drunke and so that night we made merrie and drunke to the three Kings and therewith we had two pound of Meale whereof wee made pan-cakes with Oyle and euery man a white Bisket which we sopt in Wine and so supposing that we were in our owne Countrey and amongst our friends it comforted vs as well as if we had made a great banquet in our owne house and we also made tickets and our Gunner was King of Noua Zembla which is at least two hundred miles long and lyeth betweene two Seas The sixt it was faire weather the wind North-east then wee went out and cleansed our Traps to take Foxes which were our Venison and we digged a hole in the Snow where our fire-wood lay and left it close aboue like a vault and from thence fetched out our Wood as we needed it The seuenth it was foule weather againe with a North-west wind and some Snow and very cold which put vs in great feare to be shut vp in the house againe The eight it was faire weather againe the wind North then wee made our Springes ready to get more Venison which wee longed for and then wee might see and marke day-light which then began to encrease that the Sunne as then began to come towards vs againe which put vs in no little comfort The ninth it was foule weather with a North-west wind but not so hard weather as it had beene before so that we might goe out of the doore to make cleane our Springes The tenth it was faire weather with a North wind then seuen of vs went to our ship well armed which we found in the same state wee left it in and in it wee saw many footsteps of Beares both great and small whereby it seemed that there had beene more then one or two Beares therein and as we went vnder hatches we strooke fire and lighted a Candle and found that the water was risen a foot higher in the ship The eleuenth it was faire weather the wind North-east and the cold began to be somewhat lesse so that as then we were bold to goe out of the doores and went about a quarter of a mile to a Hill from thence we fetched certaine stones which we layd in the fire therewith to warme vs in our Cabins The twelfth it was cleare weather the wind North-west that euening it was very cleare and the skie full of Starres then wee tooke the height of Oculus Tauri which is a bright and well knowne Starre and we found it to be eleuated aboue the Horizon 29. degrees and 54. minutes her declination being 15. degrees 54. minutes on the North side of the Line This declination being subtracted from the height aforesaid then there rested 14. degrees which subtracted from 90. degrees then the height of the Pole was 76. degrees and so by measuring the height of that Starre and some others wee ghessed that the Sunne was in the like height and that we were there vnder 76. degrees and rather higher then lower The thirteenth it was faire still weather the wind Westerly and then wee perceiued that day-light began more and more to encrease and we went out and cast Bullets at the bale of the Flag-staffe which before we could not see when it turned about The fourteenth it was faire weather and a cleare light the wind Westerly and that day we tooke a Foxe The fifteenth it was faire cleere weather with a West wind and sixe of vs went aboord the ship where wee found the Bolck-vanger which the last time that we were in the ship wee flucke in a hole in the fore decke to take Foxes pulled out of the hole and lay in the middle of the ship and all torne in pieces by the Beares as we perceiued by their footsteps The sixteenth it was faire weather the wind Northerly and then we went now and then out of the house to stretch out our ioynts and our limbs with going and running that we might not become lame and about noone time we saw a certaine rednesse in the skie as a shew or messenger of the Sunne that began to come towards vs. The seuenteenth it was cleare weather with a North wind and then still more and more wee perceiued that the Sunne began to come neerer vnto vs for the day was somewhat warmer so that when we had a good fire there fell great pieces of Ice downe from the walls of
for right vnder the Line a degree is fifteene miles but when you leaue the Line either Northward or Southward then the degrees in longitude doe lessen so that the neerer that a man is to the North or South Pole so much the degrees are lesse so that vnder the 76. degrees Northward where we wintred the degrees are but three miles and two third parts whereby it is to be marked that we had but 60. degrees to saile to the said Cape de Tabin which is 220. miles so the said Cape lieth in 172. degrees in longitude as it is thought and being aboue it it seemeth that we should be in the Streight of Anian where we may sayle boldly into the South as the Land reacheth Now what further instructions are to be had to know where wee lost the Sunne vnder the said 76. degrees vpon the fourth of Nouember and saw it againe vpon the foure and twentieth of Ianuary I leaue that to be described by such as make profession thereof it sufficeth vs to haue shewed that it failed vs not to appeare at the ordinary time The fiue and twentieth of Ianuary it was darke cloudy weather the wind Westerly so that the seeing of the Sunne the day before was againe doubted of and then many wagers were layd and we still looked out to see if the Sunne appeared the same day we saw a Beare which as long as the Sunne appeared not vnto vs we saw not comming out of the South-west towards our house but when we shouted at her she came no neerer but went away again The six twentieth it was faire cleare weather but in the Horizon there hung a white or darke cloude whereby we could not see the Sunne vvhereupon the rest of our companions thought that we had mistaken our selues vpon the foure and twentieth day and that the Sunne appeared not vnto vs and mocked vs but vve were resolute in our former affirmation that vve had seene the Sunne but not in the full roundnesse That Eeuening the Sicke man that was amongst vs was very vveake and felt himselfe to bee extreame sicke for he had layne long time and vve comforted him as well as vve might and gaue him the best admonition that vve could but hee dyed not long after midnight The twentie seuen it was faire cleare weather with a South-west wind then in the morning we digged a hole in the snow hard by the house but it was still so extreame cold that we could not stay long at worke and so wee digged by turnes euery man a little while and then went to the fire and another went and supplied his place till at last wee digged seuen foot depth where wee went to burie the dead man after that when we had read certaine Chapters and sung some Psalmes wee all went out and buried the man which done we went in and brake our fasts and while we were at meate and discoursed amongst our selues touching the great quantitie of snow that continually fell in that place wee said that if it fell out that our house should bee closed vp againe with snow wee would finde the meanes to climbe out at the chimney whereupon our Master went to trie if hee could climbe vp through the chimney and so get out and while hee was climbing one of our men went forth of the doore to see if the Master were out or not who standing vpon the snow saw the Sunne and called vs all out wherewith we all went forth and saw the Sun in his full roundnesse a little aboue the Horizon and then it was without all doubt that wee had seene the Sunne vpon the foure and twentieth of Ianuary which made vs all glad and we gaue God heartie thankes for his grace shewed vnto vs that that glorious light appeared vnto vs againe The eight and twentieth it was faire weather with a West wind then we went out many times to exercise our selues by going running casting of the ball for then we might see a good way from vs and to refresh our ioynts for wee had long time sitten dull whereby many of vs were very loose The nine and twentieth it was foule weather with great store of snow the wind North-west whereby the house was closed vp againe with snow The thirtieth it was darke weather with an East wind and we made a hole through the doore but wee shoueled not the snow very farre from the portall for that as soone as we saw what weather it was wee had no desire to goe abroad The one and thirtieth it was faire calme weather with an East wind then we made the doore cleane and shoueled away the snow and threw it vpon the house and went out and wee saw the Sunne shine cleere which comforted vs meane time we saw a Beare that came towards our house but wee went softly in and watched for her till shee came neerer and as soone as she was hard by we shot at her but she ran away againe The first of February being Candlemasse Eeue it was boisterous weather with a great storme and good store of snow whereby the house was closed vp againe with snow and we were constrained to stay within doors the wind then being north-west The second it was foule weather and as then the Sunne had not rid vs of all the foule weather whereby wee were somewhat discomforted for that being in good hope of better weather wee had not made so great prouision of wood as we did before The third it was faire weather with an East wind but very mystie whereby wee could not see the Sunne which made vs somewhat melancholy to see so great a myst and rather more then we had had in the Winter time and then we digged our doore open againe and fetched the wood that lay without about the doore into the house which we were forced with great paine and labour to dig out of the snow The fourth it was foule weather with great store of snow the wind being South-west and then wee were close vp againe with snow but then wee tooke not so much paines as we did before to dig open the doore but when we had occasion to goe out we climbed out at the chimney and eased our selues and went in againe the same way The fifth it was still foule weather the wind being East with great store of snow whereby wee were shut vp againe into the house and had no other way to get out but by the chimney and those that could not climbe out were faine to helpe themselues within as wel as they could The sixth it was still foule stormy weather with store of snow and we still went out at the chimney and troubled not our selues with the doore for some of vs made it an easie matter to climbe out at the chimney The seuenth it was still foule weather with much snow and a South-west wind and we thereby forced to keep the house which grieued vs more then when the
Sun shined not for that hauing seene it and felt the heate thereof yet wee were forced not to inioy it The eight it began to be fairer weather the wind being South-west then wee saw the Sun rise South South-east and went downe South South-west by the Compasse that we had made of Lead and placed according to the Meridian of that place but by our common Compasse it differed two points The ninth it was faire cleere weather the wind South-west but as then wee could not see the Sunne because it was close weather in the South where the Sunne should goe downe The tenth it was faire cleare weather so that wee could not tell where the wind blew and then we began to feele some heat of the Sun but in the Eeuening it began to blow somewhat cold out of the west The eleuenth it was faire weather the wind South that day about noone there came a Beare towards our house and wee watched her with our Muskets but shee came not so neere as wee could reach her the same night wee heard some Foxes stirring which since the Beares began to come abroad againe we had not much seene The twelfth it was cleere weather and very calme the winde South-west then we made our Traps cleane againe meane-time there came a great Beare towards our house which made vs all goe in and wee leuelled at her with our Muskets and as shee came right before our doore we shot her into the brest cleane through the heart the bullet passing through her body and went out againe at her tayle and was as flatte as a Counter the Beare feeling the blow leapt backwards and ranne twentie or thirtie foot from the house and there lay downe wherewith wee leapt all out of the house and ranne to her and found her still aliue and when she saw vs shee rear'd vp her head as if she would gladly haue done vs some mischiefe but we trusted her not for that we had tryed their strength sufficiently before and therefore wee shot her twice into the body againe and therewith shee dyed Then we ript vp her belly and taking out her guttes drew her home to the House where we slayed her and tooke at least one hundred pound of fat out of her belly which wee molt and burned in our Lampe This Grease did vs great good seruice for by that meanes we still kept a Lampe burning all night long which before wee could not doe for want of Grease and euery man had meanes to burne a Lampe in his Cabbin for such necessaries as hee had to doe The Beares skinne vvas nine foot long and seuen foot broad The thirteenth it was faire cleere vveather with a hard West winde at whith time we had more light in our house by burning of Lampes whereby we had meanes to passe the time away by reading and other exercises which before when we could not distinguish Day from Night by reason of the darkenesse and had not Lamps continually burning vvee could not doe The foureteenth it was faire cleere weather with a hard West wind before noone but after noone it was still weather then fiue of vs went to the Ship to see how it lay and found the water to increase in it but not much The fifteenth it was foule weather with a great storme out of the South-west with great store of Snow whereby the House was closed vp againe that Night the Foxes came to deâ—oure the dead body of the Beare vvhereby we were in great feare that all the Beares thereabouts would come thither and therefore wee agreed as soone as we could to get out of the house to burie the dead Beare deepe vnder the Snow The sixteenth of February it was foule weather with great store of Snow and a South-west vvind that day was Shroue-tuesday then wee made our selues somewhat merrie in our great griefe and trouble and euery one of vs dranke a draught of Wine The nineteenth it vvas faire cleere vveather vvith a South-west winde then we tooke the height of the Sunne vvhich in long time before vvee could not doe because the Horizon vvas not cleere as also for that it mounted not so high nor gaue not so much shadow as vve vvere to haue in our Astrolabium and therefore vve made an Instrument that was halfe round at the one end hauing 90. degrees marked thereon vvhereon we hung a thread vvith a Plumet of Lead as the vvater Compasses haue and therewith vve tooke the height of the Sunne when it was at the highest and found that it vvas 3. degrees eleuated aboue the Horizon his Declination 11. degrees and 16. minutes which being added to the height aforesayd made 14. degrees and 16. minutes vvhich substracted from 90. degrees there rested 75. degrees and 44. minutes for the height of the Pole but the aforesayd 3. degrees of height being taken at the lowest side of the Sunne the 16. minutes might well be added to the height of the Pole and so it was iust 76. degrees as we had measured it before The twentieth it was foule weather with great store of Snow the vvind South-west vvhereby vve vvere shut vp againe in the house The two and twentieth it vvas cleere faire vveather vvith a South-west vvind then vve made ready a Sled to fetch more Wood for need compelled vs thereunto for as they say hunger driueth the Wolfe out of his denne and eleuen of vs went together all well appointed with our Armes but comming to the place where we should haue the Wood we could not come by it by reason it lay so deepe vnder the Snow whereby of necessitie we were compelled to goe further where with great labour and trouble we got some but as vve returned backe againe therewith it was so sore labour vnto vs that we were almost out of comfort for that by reason of the long cold and trouble that we had indured vve vvere become so vveake and feeble that vve had little strength and we began to bee in doubt that we should not recouer our strengths againe and should not be able to fetch any more Wood and so we should haue dyed with cold but the present necessitie and the hope wee had of better weather increased our forces and made vs doe more then our strengths afforded and when we came neere to our house we saw much open vvater in the Sea which in long time we had not seene which also put vs in good comfort that things would bee better The fiue and twentieth it was foule weather againe and much Snow with a North winde whereby we were closed vp with Snow againe and could not get out of our House The eight and twentieth of February it was still weather with a South-west wind then ten of vs went and fetched another Sled full of Wood with no lesse paine and labour then wee did before for one of our companions could not helpe vs because that the first joynt of one of his great Toes was frozen
off and so hee could doe nothing The first of March it was faire still weather the wind West but very cold and we were forced to spare our Wood because it was so great labour for vs to fetch it so that when it was day we exercised our selues as much as we might with running going and leaping and to them that lay in their Cabins wee gaue hot stones to warme them and towards night we made a good fire which we were forced to endure The second it was cold cleere weather with a West wind the same day we tooke the height of the Sunne and found that it was eleuated aboue the Horizon 6. degrees and 48. minutes and his Declination was 7. degrees and 12. minutes which substracted from 90. degrees resteth 76. degrees for the height of the Pole The third it was faire weather with a West wind at which time our Sicke men were somewhat better and sate vpright in their Cabins to doe some thing to passe the time away but after they found that they were too ready to stirre before their times The fourth it was faire weather with a West wind the same day there came a Beare to our House whom we watcht with our Pieces as wee did before and shot at her and hit her but shee runne away at that time fiue of vs went to our Ship where we found that the Beares had made worke and had opened our Cookes cupbord that was couered ouer with snow thinking to finde some thing in it and had drawne it out of the Ship where we found it The seuenth it was still foule weather and as great a winde so that wee were shut vp in our House and they that would goe out must climbe vp through the Chimney which was a common thing with vs and still we saw more open water in the Sea and about the Land whereby wee were in doubt that the Ship in that foule weather and driuing of the Ice would bee loose for as then the Ice draue while we were shut vp in our House and wee should haue no meanes to helpe it The eight it was still foule vveather with a South-west storme and great store of Snow whereby vve could see no Ice in the North-east nor round about in the Sea whereby vve were of opinion that North-east from vs there was a great Sea The ninth it was foule vveather but not so foule as the day before and lesse snow and then vve could see further from vs and perceiue that the vvater vvas open in the North-east but not from vs towards Tartaria for there vve could still see Ice in the Tartarian Sea otherwise called the Ice Sea so that vve vvere of opinion that there it was not very wide for vvhen it was cleere vveather vve thought many times that wee saw the Land and shewed it to our companions South and South-east from our house like a hilly Land as land commonly showeth it selfe when we see it The eleuenth it was cold but faire Sun-shine vveather the vvind North-east then we tooke the height of the Sunne vvith our Astrolabium and found it to bee eleuated aboue the Horizon 10. degrees and 19. minutes his Declination was 3. degrees and 41. minutes which being added to the height aforesayd made 14. degrees which substracted from 90. degrees there resteth 76. degrees for the height of the Pole Then twelue of vs went to the place where wee vsed to goe to fetch a Sled of Wood but still vve had more paine and labour therewith because we were vveaker and when we came home vvith it and were very vvearie we prayed the Master to giue each of vs a draught of Wine which hee did vvherewith we were somewhat releeued and comforted and after that were the willinger to labour vvhich vvas vnsupportable for vs if meere extremitie had not compelled vs thereunto saying oftentimes one vnto the other That if the Wood vvere to be bought for Money we would giue all our Earnings or Wages for it The twelfth it was foule weather the Winde North-east then the Ice came mightily driuing in which the South-west Wind had beene driuen out and it was then as cold as it had bin before in the coldest time of Winter The fifteenth it was faire vveather the Wind North that day wee opened our doore to goe out but the cold rather increased then diminished and was bitterer then before it had beene The sixteenth it vvas faire cleere weather but extreame cold with a North Wind which put vs to great extreamitie for that vve had almost taken our leaues of the cold and then it began to come againe This continued till the one and twentieth The one and twentieth it vvas faire weather but still very cold the Wind North the same day the Sunne entred into Aries in the Equinoctiall Line and at noone vvee tooke the height of the Sunne and found it to be eleuated 14. degrees aboue the Horizon but for that the Sunne was in the middle Line and of the like distance from both the Tropickes there was no declination neither on the South nor North side and so the 14. degrees aforesayd being substracted from 90. degrees there rested 76. degrees for the height of the Pole The same day we made shooes of Felt or Rugge which we drew vpon our feete for vve could not goe in our shooes by reason of the great cold for the shooes on our feet vvere as hard as hornes and then vve fetcht a Sled full of Wood home to our house with sore and extreame labour and with extremitie of cold which we indured as if March meant to bid vs farewell for our hope and comfort was that the cold could not still continue in that force but that at length the strength thereof would bee broken The three and twentieth it was very foule weather with infernall bitter cold the wind North-east so that we were forced to make more fire as we had beene at other times for then it was as cold as euer it had beene and it froze very hard in the floore and vpon the walls of our house The foure and twentieth it was alike cold with great store of snow and a North wind whereby we were once againe shut vp into the house and then the Coles serued vs well which before by reason of our bad vsing of them we disliked of The sixe and twentieth it was faire cleare weather and very calme then we digd our selues out of the house again and went out and then we fetcht another Sled of Wood for the great cold had made vs burne vp all that we had The eight and twentieth it was faire weather the wind South-west whereby the Ice draue away very fast The same day sixe of vs went aboord the ship to see how it lay and found it still in one sort but we perceiued that the Beares had kept an euill fauoured house therein The second of Aprill it was faire weather the wind North-east and very
ranne away so that it seemed that as then they were afraid of vs and durst not bee so bold to set vpon vs as they were at the first The fift it was faire weather with some snow the wind East that Eeuening and at night wee saw the Sunne when it was at the lowest a good way aboue the Earth The sixt it was faire cleare weather with a great South-west wind whereby we saw the Sea open both in the East and in the West which made our men exceeding glad longing sore to be gone from thence The seuenth it was foule weather and snew hard with a North wind whereby we were closed vp againe in our house The tenth it was faire weather with a North-west wind that night the Sunne by our common Compasse being North North-east and at the lowest we tooke the height thereof and it was eleuated 3. degrees and 45. minutes his declination was 17. degrees and 45. minutes from whence taking the height aforesaid there rested 14. degrees which substracted from 90. degrees there rested 76. degrees for the height of the Pole The fourteenth wee fetcht our last Sled with fire-wood and still ware our shooes made of Rugge on our feet The fiue and twentieth it was faire weather with an East wind then at noone time wee tooke the height of the Sunne that was eleuated aboue the Horizon 34. degrees and 46. minutes his declination 20. degrees and 46. minutes which taken from the height aforesaid there rested 14. degrees which taken from 90. degrees rested 76. degrees for the height of the Pole The sixe and twentieth it was faire weather with a great North-east wind whereby the Ice came in againe The seuen and twentieth it was foule weather with a great North-east wind which draue the Ice mightily in againe whereupon the Master at the motion of the companie willed vs to make preparation to be gone The nine and twentieth in the morning it was reasonable faire weather with a West wind then ten of vs went vnto the Scute to bring it to the house to dresse it and make it ready to sayle but wee found it deepe hidden vnder the snow and were fayne with great payne and labour to digge it out but when wee had gotten it out of the snow and thought to draw it to the house wee could not doe it because wee were too weake wherewith wee became wholly out of heart doubting that wee should not bee able to goe forward with our labour but the Master encouraging vs bade vs striue to doe more then wee were able saying that both our liues and our well-fare consisted therein and that if wee could not get the Scute from thence and make it ready then hee said wee must dwell there as Burgers of Noua Zembla and make our Graues in that place but there wanted no good-will in vs but onely strength which made vs for that time to leaue off worke and let the Scute lie still which was no small griefe vnto vs and trouble to thinke what were best for vs to doe but after noone being thus comfortlesse come home wee tooke hearts againe and determined to turne the Boat that lay by the house with her keele vpwards and to amend it that it might bee the fitter to carrie vs ouer the Sea for wee made full account that we had a long troublesome Voyage in hand wherein wee might haue many crosses and wherein wee should not bee sufficiently prouided for all things necessarie although wee tooke neuer so much care and while wee were busie about our worke there came a great Beare vnto vs wherewith wee went into our house and stood to watch her in our three doores with Harquebusses and one stood in the Chimney with a Musket this Beare came boldlier vnto vs then euer any had done before for shee came to the neather step that went to one of our doores and the man that stood in the doore saw her not because hee looked towards the other doore but they that stood within saw her and in great feare called to him wherewith he turned about and although he was in a maze he shot at her and the Bullet past cleane through her body whereupon she ranne away Yet it was a fearefull thing to see for the Beare was almost vpon him before hee saw her so that if the Peece had fayled to giue fire as oftentimes they doe it had cost him his life and it may bee that the Beare would haue gotten into the house the Beare being gone somewhat from the house lay downe wherewith wee went all armed and killed her out right and when wee had ript open her bellie we found a piece of a Bucke therein with haire skinne and all which not long before shee had torne and deuoured The one and thirtieth of May it was faire weather but somewhat colder then before the wind being South-west whereby the Ice draue away and we wrought hard about our Boat but when wee were in the chiefest part of worke there came another Beare as if they had smelt that wee would be gone and that therefore they desired to taste a piece of some of vs for that was the third day one after the other that they set so fiercely vpon vs so that wee were forced to leaue our worke and goe into the house and shee followed vs but we stood with our Peeces to watch her and shot three Peeces at her two from our doores and one out of the Chimney which all three hit her but her death did vs more hurt then her life for after we ript her belly we drest her Liuer and eate it which in the taste liked vs well but it made vs all sicke specially three that were exceeding sicke and wee verily thought that wee should haue lost them for all their skins came off from the foot to the head but yet they recouered againe The third of Iune in the morning it was faire cleare weather the wind West and then wee were somewhat better and tooke great paines with the Boat that at last we got it ready after we had wrought sixe dayes vpon it about euening it began to blow hard and therewith the water was very open which put vs in good comfort that our deliuerance would soone follow and that we should once get out of that desolate and fearefull place The fourth it was faire cleare weather and indifferent warme and about the South-east Sunne eleuen of vs went to our Scute where it then lay and drew it to the ship at which time the labour seemed lighter vnto vs then it did before when wee tooke it in hand and were forced to leaue it off againe The reason thereof was the opinion that wee had that the snow as then lay harder vpon the ground and so was become stronger and it may be that our courages were better to see that the time gaue vs open water and that our hope was that wee should get from thence and so
three of our men stayed by the Scute to build her to our minds and for that it was a Herring Scute which are made narrow behind therefore they sawed it off behind and made it a broad stearne and better to brooke the Seas they built it also somewhat higher and drest it vp as well as they could the rest of our men were busie in the house to make all other things ready for our Voyage and that day drew two Sleds with victuals and other goods vnto the ship that lay about halfe way betweene the house and the open water that after they might haue so much the shorter way to carrie the goods vnto the water side when wee should goe away at which time all the labour and paines that wee tooke seemed light and easie vnto vs because of the hope that wee had to get out of that wilde Desart irkesome fearefull and cold Countrey The fift it was foule weather with great store of haile and snow the wind West which made an open water but as then we could doe nothing without the house but within we made all things ready as Sayles Oares Masts Sprit Rother Swerd and all other necessarie things The sixt in the morning it was faire weather the wind North-east then wee went with our Carpenters to the ship to build vp our Scute and carried two sleds full of goods into the ship both victuals and Merchandise with other things which wee meant to take with vs after that there rose very foule weather in the South-west with snow haile and raine which wee in long time had not had whereby the Carpenters were forced to leaue their worke and goe home to the house with vs whereby also we could not be drie because wee had taken of the Deales therewith to amend our Boat and our Scute there lay but a sayle ouer it which would not hold out the water and the way that lay full of snow began to be soft so that wee left off our shooes made of Rugge and Felt and put on our Leather shooes The eight it was faire weather and wee drew the wares to the ship which wee had packed and made ready and the Carpenters made ready the Scute so that the same euening it was almost done the same day all our men went to draw our Boat to the ship and made ropes to draw withall such as wee vse to draw with in Scutes which wee cast ouer our shoulders and held fast with all our hands and so drew both with our hands and our shoulders which gaue vs more force and specially the desire and great pleasure wee tooke to worke at that time made vs stronger The tenth wee carried foure Sleds of goods into the ship the wind then being variable and at euening it was Northerly and wee were busie in the house to make all things ready the Wine that was left we put into little vessels that so wee might diuide it into both our vessels and that as wee were enclosed by the Ice which wee well knew would happen vnto vs wee might easilier cast the goods vpon the Ice both out and into the Scutes as time and place serued vs. The eleuenth it was foule weather and it blew hard North North-west so that all that day we could doe nothing and we were in great feare left the storme would carrie the Ice and the ship both away together which might well haue come to passe then wee should haue beene in greater miserie then euer wee were for that our goods both victuals and others were then all in the ship but God prouided so well for vs that it fell not out so vnfortunatly The twelfth it was indifferent faire weather then we went with Hatchets Halberds Shouels and other instruments to make the way plaine where we should draw the Scute and the Boat to the water side along the way that lay full of knobs and hills of Ice where wee wrought sore with our Hatchets and other instruments and while we were in the chiefest of our worke there came a great leane Beare out of the Sea vpon the Ice towards vs which we iudged to come out of Tartaria for we had seene of them twenty or thirty miles within the Sea and for that wee had no Muskets but onely one which our Surgeon carried I ranne in great haste towards the ship to fetch one or two which the Beare perceiuing ranne after mee and was very likely to haue ouer taken me but our companie seeing that left their worke and ranne after her which made the Beare turne towards them and left me but when she ran towards them she was shot into the body by the Surgeon and ranne away but because the Ice was so vneuen and hilly she could not goe farre but being by vs ouertaken we killed her out right and smote her teeth out of her head while she was yet liuing The thirteenth it was faire weather then the Master and the Carpenters went to the ship and there made the Scute and the Boat ready so that there rested nothing as then but onely to bring it downe to the water side the Master and those that were with him seeing that it was open water and a good West wind came backe to the house againe and there hee spake vnto William Barents that had beene long sicke and shewed him that he thought it good seeing it was a fit time to goe from thence and so willed the companie to driue the Boat and the Scute downe to the water side and in the name of God to beginne our Voyage to sayle from Noua Zembla then William Barents wrote a Letter which he put in a Muskets charge and hanged it vp in the Chimney shewing how he came out of Holland to sayle to the Kingdome of China and what had happened vnto vs being there on Land with all our crosses that if any man chanced to come thither they might know what had happened vnto vs and how we had beene forced in our extremitie to make that house and had dwelt ten moneths therein and for that wee were put to Sea in two small open Boats and to vndertake a dangerous and aduenturous Voyage in hand the Master wrote two Letters which most of vs subscribed vnto signifying how wee had stayed there vpon the Land in great trouble and miserie in hope that our ship would bee freed from the Ice and that we should sayle away with it againe and how it fell out to the contrary and that the ship lay fast in the Ice so that in the end the time passing away and our victuals beginning to faile vs we were forced for the sauing of our owne liues to leaue the ship and to sayle away in our open Boats and so to commit our selues into the hands of God Which done he put into each of our Scutes a Letter that if wee chanced to lose one another or that by stormes or any other misaduenture we happened to be cast away that then by
but were forced to lie still but not long after the Ice opened againe like to a sluce and we past through it and set sayle againe and so sayled along by the Land but were presently enclosed with Ice but being in hope of opening againe meane time wee eate somewhat for the Ice went not away as it did before after that wee vsed all the meanes wee could to breake it but all in vayne and yet a good while after the Ice opened againe and we got out and sayled along by the Land West and by South with a South vvind The three and twentieth wee sayled still forward West and by South till the Sunne was South-east and got to the Trust-point which is distant from the Ice-point fiue and twentie miles and then could goe no furtheer because the Ice lay so hard and so close together and yet it was faire weather the same day we tooke the height of the Sunne with the Astrolabium and also with our Astronomicall Ring and found his height to be 37. degrees and his Declination 23. degrees and 30. minutes which taken from the height aforesayd there rested 13. degrees and 30. minutes which substracted out of 90. degrees the height of the Pole was 76. degrees and 30. minutes and it was faire Sun-shine weather and yet it was not so strong as to melt the Snow that we might haue water to drinke so that wee set all our Tinne platters and other things full of Snow to melt and so molt it and put snow in our mouthes to melt it downe into our throates but all was not enough so that we were compelled to endure great thirst FRom the Low-land to the Streame Bay the course East and West foure miles From the Streame Bay to the Ice-hauen point the course East and by North foure miles From the Ice-hauen point to the Ilands point the course East North-east fiue miles From the Ilands point to the Flushingers point the course North-east and by East three miles From the Flushingers point to the Head point the course North east foure miles From the Head point to the point of Desire the course South and North sixe miles From the point of Desire to the Iland of Orange North-west eight miles From the Ilands of Orange to the Ice point the course West and West and by South fiue miles From the Ice point to the point of Trust the course West and by South fiue and twentie miles From the point of Trust to Nassawes point the course West and West and by North ten miles From the Nassaw point to the East end of the Crosse Iland the course West and by North eight miles From the East end of the Crosse Iland to Williams Iland the course West and by South three miles From Williams Iland to the Blacke point the course West South-west sixe miles From the Blacke point to the East end of the Admirable Iland the course West South-west seuen miles From the East to the West point of the Admirable Iland the course West South-west fiue miles From the West point of the Admirable Iland to Cape Planto the course South-west and by West ten miles From Cape de Planto to Lombs-bay the course West South-west eight miles From Lombs-bay to the Staues point the course West South-west ten miles From the Staues point to Langenesse the course South-west and by South fourteene miles From Langenesse to Cape de Cant the course South-west and by South sixe miles From Cape de Cant to the point with the Blacke clifts the course South and by West foure miles From the point with the Blacke clifts to the Blacke Hand the course South South-east three miles From the Blacke Iland to Constint-sarke the course East and West two miles From Constint-sarke to the Crosse point the course South South-east fiue miles From Crosse point to Saint Laurence Bay the course South South-east sixe miles From Saint Laurence Bay to Mel-hauen the course South-east sixe miles From Mel-hauen to the two Ilands the course South South-east sixe miles From the two Ilands where we crost ouer to the Russia Coast to the Ilands of Matfloe and Delgoy the course South-west thirtie miles From Matfloe and Delgoy to the Creeke where we sayled the compasse round about and came to the same place againe two and twentie miles From that Creeke to Colgoy the course West North-west eighteene miles From Colgoy to the East point of Camdenas the course West North-west twentie miles From the East point of Camdenas to the West side of the White Sea the course West North-west fortie miles From the West point of the White Sea to the seuen Ilands the course North-west foureteene miles From the seuen Ilands to the VVest end of Kilduin the course North-west twentie miles From the VVest end of Kilduin to the place where Iohn Cornelis came vnto vs the course North-west and by VVest seuen miles From thence to Cola the course VVest Southerly eighteene miles So that wee sayled in the two open Scutes sometimes in the Ice then ouer the Ice and through the Sea three hundred and eightie one miles Flemish which is one thousand one hundred fortie and three miles English The foure and twentieth of Iune the Sunne being Easterly we rowed heere and there in the Ice to see where we might best goe out but wee saw no opening but when the Sunne was South we got into the Sea for the which we thanked God most heartily that hee had sent vs an vnexpected opening and then we sayled with an East winde and went lustily forward so that we made our account to get aboue the point of Nassawes close by the land and wee could easily see the point of Nassawes and made our account to bee about three miles from it The sixe and twentieth it still blew hard out of the South and broke the Ice whereunto we were fast in pieces and we thereby draue into the Sea and could get no more to the fast Ice whereby we were in a thousand dangers to bee all cast away and driuing in that sort in the Sea wee rowed as much as we could but we could not get neere vnto the Land therefore we hoysed vp our Focke and so made vp with our sayle but our Fock-mast brake twice in peeces and then it was worse for vs then before and notwithstanding that there blew a great gale of Wind yet we were forced to hoyse vp our great Sayle but the winde blew so hard into it that if wee had not presently taken it in againe we had sunke in the Sea or else our Boate would haue been filled with water for the water began to leape ouer-boord and wee were a good way in the Sea at which time the waues went so hollow that it was most fearefull and wee thereby saw nothing but death before our eyes and euery twinckling of an eye looked when wee should sinke But God that had deliuered vs out of so many dangers of Death
South-west the same day dyed Iohn Franson of Harlem The seuenth it was faire weather with some Raine the Winde West South-west and at Euening VVest and by North then we went to the open water and there killed thirteene Birds which we tooke vpon a piece of driuing Ice and laid them vpon the fast Ice The ninth in the morning the Ice began to driue whereby we got open water on the Land side and then also the fast Ice whereon we lay beganne to driue whereupon the Master and the men went to fetch the Packe and the Chist that stood vpon the Ice to put them into the Scute and then drew the Scuteâ— to the water at least three hundred and fortie paces which was hard for vs to doe in regard that the labour was great and we very weake and when the Sunne was South South-east we set sayle with an East-wind but when the Sunne was West we were forced to make towards the fast Ice againe because thereabouts it was not yet gone the Winde being South and came right from the Land whereby wee were in good hope that it would driue away and that we should proceed in our Voyage The tenth from the time that the Sunne was East North-east till it was East we tooke great paines and labour to get through the Ice and at last we got through and rowed forth vntill we happened to fall betweene two great flakes of Ice that closed one with the other so that we could not get through but were forced to draw the Scutes vpon them and to vnlade the goods and then to draw them ouer to the open water on the other side and then we must goe fetch the goods also to the same place being at least one hundred paces long and when we were in open water againe we rowed forward as well as we could but we had not rowed long before wee fell betweene two great flakes of Ice that came driuing one against the other but by Gods helpe and our speedy rowing we got from betweene them before they closed vp and being through we had a hard West Winde right in our Teeth so that of force we were constrayned to make towards the fast Ice that lay by the shoare The eleuenth in the morning as we sate fast vpon the Ice the Sunne being North-east there came a great Beare out of the water running towards vs but we watcht for her with three Muskets and when she came within thirtie paces of vs wee shot all the three Muskets at her and killed her out-right so that she stirred not a foot and we might see the fat runne out at the holes of her skinne that was shot in with the Muskets swimme vpon the water like Oyle and so driuing dead vpon the water we went vpon a flake of Ice to her and putting a Rope about her necke drew her vp vpon the Ice and smit out her Teeth at which time we measured her bodie and found it to be eight foot thicke then we had a West Wind with close weather but when the Sunne was South it began to cleere vp then three of our men went to the Iland that lay before vs and being there they saw the Crosse Iland lying West-ward from them and went thither to see if that Summer there had beene any Russian there and went thither vpon the fast Ice that lay betweene the two Ilands and being in the Iland they could not perceiue that any man had beene in it since wee were there there they got seuentie Egges but when they had them they knew not wherein to carrie them at last one of them put off his Breeches and tying them fast below they carried them betweene two of them and the third bare the Musket and so came to vs againe after they had beene twelue houres out which put vs no small feare to thinke what was become of them they told vs that they had many times gone vp to the knees in water vpon the Ice betweene both the Ilands and it was at least sixe mile to and fro that they had gone which made vs wonder how they could indure it seeing we were all so weake With the Egges that they had brought wee were all well comforted and fared like Lords so that we found some reliefe in our great miserie and then wee shared our last Wine amongst vs whereof euery one had three Glasses The twelfth in the morning when the Sunne was East the Wind began to blow East and East North-east with mystie weather and at Eeuening sixe of our men went into the Land to seeke certayne stones and found some but none of the best sort and comming backe againe eyther of them brought some Wood. The thirteenth it was a faire day then seuen of our men went to the firme Land to seeke for more stones and found some at which time the VVind was South-east The fourteenth it was faire vveather with a good South VVind and then the Ice began to driue from the Land whereby wee were in good hope to haue an open water but the Wind turning Westerly againe it lay still when the Sunne was South-west three of our men vvent to the next Iland that lay before vs and there shot a Bercheynet which they brought to the Scute and gaue it amongst vs for all our goods vvere common The sixteenth there came a Beare from the firme Land that came very neere vnto vs by reason that it was as vvhite as Snow vvhereby at first vve could not discerne it to be a Beare because it shewed so like the snow but by her stirring at last we perceiued her and as she came neere vnto vs vve shot at her and hit her but shee ranne away that morning the Wind was VVest and after that againe East North-east with close weather The seuenteenth about the South South-east Sunne fiue of our men went againe to the neerest Iland to see if there appeared any open water for our long staying there was no small griefe vnto vs perceiuing not how wee should get from thence who being halfe way thither they found a Beare lying behind a piece of Ice which the day before had beene shot by vs but shee hearing vs went away but one of our men following her with a Boat-hooke thrust her into the skinne wherewith the Beare rose vp vpon her hinder feet and as the man thrust at her againe she strooke the Iron of the Boat-hooke in pieces wherewith the man fell downe vpon his buttockes which our other two men seeing two of them shot the Beare into the bodie and with that she ranne away but the other man went after her with his broken staffe and strooke the Beare vpon the backe wherewith the Beare turned about against the man three times one after the other and then the other two came to her and shot her into the bodie againe wherewith shee sat downe vpon her buttockes and could scant runne any further and then they shot once againe wherewith
the breaking out of the ciuill warres among the Moscouites in the meane season I am of opinion that in this countrey is the beginning and the bounds of the Kingdome of Cataia which bordereth vpon China Yet I feare the Moscouites will lose their labour if they euer returne thither But time will declare the euent hereof Yet for all this by the commandement of the Gouernours euen in the time of this warre there was a voyage made into those parts many Inhabitants of Siberia being employed in the same who passing ouer the Riuer Ieniscé trauelled further on foot diuers of whom died by the way being not accustomed to hardnesse These also found many things agreeable to the relation of the former And they likewise did oftentimes heare the â—owling of brazen Bells But vpon the disswasions of the Tingoesies they durst not passe the Riuer But they stayed awhile in the Mountains out of which they saw oftentimes flames of fire ascend they brought thence some small quantitie of bâ—â—mstone and oâ— touch-stone so that some 〈…〉 those hills Moreouer the Gouernour of Siberia caused certaine 〈…〉 to bee made and commanded them to â—aile downe by the shoare of the Riuer Obi in the first beginning of the spring and to coast the same continually till they came to the Riuer of Ieniscé wherein theâ— should afterward saile certaine dayes discharging it selfe as hee thought into the sea He senâ— others likewise to trauell ouer Land giuing commandement to both of them before they went To the Land-men that they should stay by the Riuers side vntill the Boates arriued and that if they did not arriue there then after one yeere they should returne To them that were in the Boates ouer whom he made one Lucas Captayne he gaue in charge diligently to discouer the Coast and whatsoeuer thereon was worthy to bee obserued They did as they were enjoyned And the Mariners arriuing at the mouth of the Riuer Ieniscé met with certayne of them which trauelled ouer Land which were sent before in Boats and Skiffes downe the Riuer In their journey they found all things in a manner to fall out as the Gouernour had fore-told But Lucas being dead by the way and some others they thought is the best course for both of the Companies to returne the same way that they came And when they came home into Siberia they declared vnto the Gouernour the whole successe of their journey which caused the same to be sent vnto the Emperour And this Relation is layed vp among the Treasures of Moscouia vntill these Warres bee ended and then as it is thought it shall bee examined But wee feare that by this time it is perished which if it be so truly it iâ— much to be lamented in regard that they haue found so many rare and sundry Ilands Riuers Fowles and wild beasts and thaâ— farre beyond the Riuer Ieniscé Moreouer the Riuer Taes falleth into the Riuer of Obi springing as it seemeth 〈◊〉 of placeâ— neere vnto the Riuer Ieniscé and out of a great Wood in those parts out of which Wood another Riuer seemeth also to haue his Fountayne not farre from the Riuer Taes and falleth into the Riuer of Ieniscé So that euen from Obi they trauell by water along the Coast of the Samoieds and passing only two leagues ouer Lands they meet with the Riuer Torgalfe downe which with the streame they fall into the Riuer Ieniscé And this is a very easie way and lately found out by the Samoieds and the Tingoesies Doubtlesse it is to be lamented that the Hollanders haue not had good successe in passing the Streight of Way-gats but surely they know not the right way to attempt the same For if they attempt it by shippes though it were an hundred times it would hardly once take effect But if they would throughly discouer these Countreyes then they should stay two or three yeares about Petsora and Way-gats where they should not want good Hauens nor Victualls and from thence they should send out some with small Boates to 〈…〉 parts by the very example of the Russes whose Friendship if they would procure with themselues they should easily find Guides and Pilots and so at length all these Coasts would throughly bee discouered Doubtlesse goodly Countreyes would bee found out and not only Ilands 〈◊〉 the Mayâ—â— Land also Yet there is just cause to doubt whether America aboue China joyne not with some of the three parts of the old World As wee see Africa joyned vnto Asia with a narrow necke of Land vpon the Redde Sea And doubtlesse this seemeth likely to bee true For who can affirme that they bee separated Sauing that they haue found some things â—n the Writings of prophane Authors whereby it may be prooued and bring many Arguments from thence And though these parts bee not joyned together yet they must needs bee diuided with some small Streight §. III. A Note of the Trauels of the Russes ouer Land and by Water from Mezen neere the Bay of Saint NICHOLAS to Pechora to Obi to Yenisse and to the Riuer Geta euen vnto the Frontiers of Cataia brought into England by Master IOHN MERICKE the English Agent for Moscouie and translated out of the Russe by RICHARD FINCH FRom Mezen to Pechora is a thousand Verstâ— and the same is trauelled with Reyne â—eâ—re From Pechora to Montuaia Reca or The troubled Riuer and to the parts of Mongâ—sey it is trauelled in Boats called Coaches in seuen Weekes At this place is a certayne Ouer-hal where the foresaid Boats or Vessels are drawne ouer by men 〈◊〉 off Montuaia Reca or The troubled Riuer passing this Ouer-hall they enter into Zelena Reca or the Greene Riuer From Zelena Reca or the Greene Riuer to Obi is three Weekes rowing running downe with the Current but with a faire wind it is no more but three dayes and three nights Iourney From Obi to Taes Castle is a Weekes rowing From Taes Castle to the Riuer Yenissey vpon long Woodden Pattens through the Snow is three Weekes trauaile But through the deepe Channell in the aforeâ—said Vessels called Coaches is foure Weekes trauayle It bringeth them to a place called Toorou-hansko Zeemouia that is The Wintering place of one called Toorouhan Hauing trauelled to this Toorou-hansko Zeemouia they come out on the backe side to a place called The Riuer of Tingoosie being a stonie of Rocky Riuer which falleth into the Riuer Yenisey In that place liue the Tingoâ—sies and people of the afore-said Land of Tangoosi Beyond them liue a people called The Boulashees And beyond the Boulashees inhabit the people of Seelahee These people report concerning Yenisey the Great and Tenisey the Lesser That beyond this fore-said Yenisey inhabit the people Imbaki and the Ostaki which are a kind of Tartarâ— Also beyond the Tingoâ—sies is a Riuer called Geta which was trauailed by the Russes of Vasheâ— and Russes of Pechora These men by report liued in the parts
durst not without the Emperour of Russia his licence Whereupon I answered that the Emperours Maiestie when he was raigning was very gracious vnto our Nation aboue all other strangers and shewed what great priuiledges hee had bestowed on our people and how by the English-mens meanes at the first what a trade is now at Arkania and what profit came not onely into his Maiesties Treasurie but also into all parts of his Dominions which in time might be brought hither and withall shewed the Emperours priuiledge Wherefore then they began to put away feare and willed vs to stay fiue or sixe dayes vntill he had sent for the chiefest men of the Townes-men who were abroad and then they would giue vs an answer Then I desired that we might haue an house to be in and not to stay without doores So he gaue libertie to any that would to entertayne vs whereto there was one Callem that made answer that he would whereupon wee went with him and were in an Ambar of his vntill wee receiued answer from them In the meane time wee made much of them and feasted them with our Aqua vitae Biscuit and Figs that we might the better obtayne their loue The foure and twentieth the Customers came to giue vs our answere and told vs that they had concluded that we might stay if wee would but they must write vp to the Musko of our being here So we thanked them and gaue them such entertaynment as we could and sent presents to sixe of them of the chiefest which they tooke very thankfully and promised what fauour they could So this night I made ready my Letters to send for England The fourth of August fiue and twentie Lodyas arriued at the Towne laden with Meale and others which were bound for Molgomsey but by reason of contrary winds they were forced into Pechora and came vp to the Towne of Pustozer and vnladed to make sale The sixe and twentieth we remoued from the house where we were at the first vnto a Poles house who is christened Russe where we are to remayne all the Winter The nine and twentieth the frost was so strong that the Ozera was frozen ouer and the Ice driuing in the Riuer to and againe brake all the nets so that they got no Salmon no not so much as for their owne victuals The second of September the frost brake vp againe and it was open weather The eight of September there was a Soyma which the Towns-men bought that went downe the Riuer to haue gone for Iugoria and had a faire wind but they neglecting two dayes sayling that would haue carried them forth of the Riuer to the Sea the wind came contrary so that they were wind-bound and could not get any further and on the nineteenth gaue ouer their Voyage and came vp to the Towne The thirteenth of October the frost was so extreme that the Ozera stood in one night that men did walke on it the next day and so continued all the Winter after The twelfth of Nouember there went two men of Penega to Vst-zilma to buy Squerrils and Beauers and other commodities The thirteenth the Sunne arose at South and by East by the Compasse and set at South-west and by West The foure and twentieth there went diuers men with at the least three or fourescore Sleds drawne with Deere to a place called Slobodca where they hold a Mart from the beginning of December to the middle thereof and they carried fresh-water fish thither with whom William Pursgloue went into Russia The sixe and twentieth the Sunne arose at South and by West by the Compasse and set at South-west and by West The first of December the Sunne arose at South and by West Westerly by the Compasse and set South-west and by West Southerly The fourth the Towns-men of Pechora went ouer land into Iugoria to trade with the Inhabitants there and the Samoyeds The eleuenth Marmaduke Wilson said that he saw the Sunne but it was but the way of the Sunnes beames The thirteenth I saw the Sunnes beames my selfe but I could not see the Sun it selfe although I watched it very strictly The fourteenth it was snowie and stormie weather and continued so vntill the foure and twentieth day which was close weather also The fiue and twentieth being Christmas day I saw the Sunne and it rose at South and by West and set at South-west and by South it hauing the neathermost part of it all the way iust with the Horizon The sixe and twentieth it was stormy and snowy weather and so continued vntill the end of the moneth The second of Ianuarie the Sunne arose at South somewhat Westerly and set South-west a little Southerly it mounting a pretie height aboue the Horizon The fift William Pursgloue returned from Colmogro The eleuenth the Sunne arose at South by East by the Compasse and set at South-west and by West The twelfth there came a command from the Patriarch that there should bee a generall Fast both for young and old not exempting the sucking babes which began the thirteenth continuing three dayes space they neither eating nor drinking so much as water neither admitted they their sucking Babes saue those that fainted to whom they gaue a few Figs and a little water The nineteenth the Inhabitants of Pustozer that went into Iugoria returned from thence hauing had but an hard Voyage by reason of the Warres which the Samoyeds had amongst themselues so that they durst not goe into Molgomsey where they catch the most part of the Sables which come into Russia The three and twentieth came the Carratchey which is the chiefe of the Samoyeds but they had no commodities to speake of by reason of the Warres so that they neither durst trade with the Samoyeds of Molgomsey neither hunt for the Sables themselues which at other times they were wont to doe The thirtieth I had the chiefe Carratchey his sonne his sonnes sonne and his brothers sonne at Dinner and had some conference with him who told mee that they had seene ships in the Vaygats two yeeres one after another but they durst not bee seene of them but fled from them for the Russes told them that they would kill them or carrie them away prisoners Yet they seemed to be glad of our comming when they saw our behauiour and the entertaynment that they had of vs Neuerthelesse they are very timerous and vnreasonable couetous as by more acquaintance I perceiued by them The second of February the most part of the Samoyeds went to Slobodca with their commodities because in the Summer they had beene together by the eares with the Samoyeds of Callenose and had slayne one or two of them wherefore they went to agree with them and to pay ransome for some of their men that were taken afterwards The fifteenth the Sunne arose at South-east a little Southerly and set at West and by South Westerly The sixteenth the Sunne arose at
each Tent. This worke of pitching the Tents belongeth vnto the Women In the meane time the men vnyoake the Deere and turne them loose to digge through the Snow bee it neuer so deepe for their food and sustenance Then the Samoieds of euery Tent one out of the next Wood prouide as much Fuell as shall 〈…〉 turnes for their abode there First they set on Kettles full of Snow water which being melted they drinke thereof euery one a good draught then they seeth their Supper vsing as before Snow water melted for their Drinke Our lodgings were vpon the Snow within our Tents round about the Fire hauing vnder vs for our Beds the skinnes of Deere couered with our day apparell For all the time of our journey the Merchants whether Stranger Russe or Permac according to the number of them make prouision of Victuals to feed the whole familie in euery Tent euery man his day about together with the Samoieds their Wiues and Children who carrie all their Houshold euery where with them and out of their Sonnes and Daughters they appoint a watch ouer their Deere for feare of the Wolfe and other Beasts which notwithstanding their watch sometimes kill in a night one or two of their Deere as it fell out two nights in our journey to Slobotca This Slobotca is a pretie Towne hauing in December and Ianuarie great resort of people repayring thither as well Rich Russes out of many places with money to buy Furres as others with prouision of Meale and Malt and other Commodities to furnish the Pustozerits as also to buy Fish to wit Salmons Oyle of Bealugos Deere skinnes and Furres of them The tenth of Ianuary the Inhabitants of Pustozera returned from Trading with the Samoieds of Ougoria on which Iourney they set forward the fiue and twentieth of Nouember and within three dayes after came betwixt eight or nine hundred Samoieds with a small quantitie of their Commodities in respect of former yeeres by reason of Warre betweene the Samoieds of Ougoria and Molgomsey who were wont to Trade one with another and not to warre one against another So Sables and other Commodities being scant the inhabitants sold them very deare yet notwithstanding the Russes bought vp all striuing one to haue them before another So that after that little money which we had was bestowed wee could not doe any thing in barter Moreouer the Russes did not onely informe against vs to the Inhabitants to stirre them vp against vs but also vsed the like meanes to the Samoieds to disswade them from trading with vs either in their owne Countries or else-where alleadging that wee would betray them and not onely carrie them away to make them Slaues and robbe them but also would murther and destroy all the rest wheresoeuer wee should come The Inhabitants also of Pustozera being incensed by the Russes doubting wee would enter farther into their Trade Eastward began also to hinder and forbid the Samoieds to come to vs. Yet by meanes of our Hoast being a Polac borne we spake with diuers of the principall of the Samoieds hee being our Interpreter and wee our selues vnderstood certayne Samoieds speaking broken Russe and by these meanes we found out more at large the despitefulnesse of the Russes and the enuie of some of the Inhabitants against vs as also their feare least wee or any other Stranger should enter into further Discouerie of their trafficking toward the East but especially about the Riuer Ob. Some sayd we were sent as spyes to betray their Land to the Pole or the Swethen with whom they then had warre Some gaue counsell to put vs vnder the Water others aduised to set vs vpon the Sand where wee should haue beene without all doubt drowned in short space others thought best to send vs vp to the Nobilitie and to seaze on all our goods to the vse of the State But diuers of the best in the Towne with whom wee kept all friendship that possible we could withstood those bloudie practises The Lord therefore bee blessed The fifth of March the Inhabitants of Pustozer went againe to Slobotca carrying the Russes with their Commodities thither They returned home the eleuenth of Aprill 1612. The one and twentieth of Aprill water was first seene vpon the maine Riuer Pechora aboue the Ice descending from aboue Oust-zilma The twentieth of May the Ice brake vp The fiue and twentieth of May certayne of the Inhabitants of Pustozer went by water vnto Oust-zilma The sixe and twentieth Iosias Logan with our Hoast the Polonian hired a Boate and went toward Oust-zilma carrying with him certayne Cloath and Copper Kettles in hope to sell them well there being intreated in the Summer before by one of their Townesmen to come thither or to send one to Winter there alledging that they got great store of Losh-hydes Squirrels Sables and Beuers Which some yeeres indeed as we were credibly informed falleth out according to his report But at his arriuall there diuers of the Townesmen came against him and would not suffer him nor any of his Boate to Land for the space of ten houres but in the end they let him goe on shoare after as wee suppose the Inhabitants of Pustozer had bought most of their Commodities So that hee staying there two dayes could get but nine Losh-hydes and halfe a timber of course Sables in barter for some Cloath and Copper The principall cause of his going thither was to meete with some of the Permacks out of Permia who some yeeres come downe with Rie and Rie-meale and thought to haue giuen notice to those Permacks of our being at Pustozer and to haue willed them to haue perswaded their Countrey-men to bring thither the next Spring following all their Commodities being Waxe Honey Losh-hydes and Furres which they might doe for halfe the charge that they are at in bringing them to Archangell on the Riuer Duina Oust-zilma is a pretie Towne of some sixtie Houses and is three or foure dayes sayling with a faire wind against the streame from Pustozer but backe againe they may sayle it in two dayes The third of Iune came the first Russes in their Cayooks by Riuer out of Russia to Pustozer These Cayooks be small Boates of two tunnes hauing two men in each Boate. The twentieth of Iune nine Russe Coaches or Soymas passed by Pustozer from Oust-zilma for Molgomsey The one and twentieth sixe Russe Soymas more departed from Pustozer all the rest hauing giuen ouer their Voyage which came thither the Summer before 1611. The two and twentieth one Soyma belonging to the Towne of Pustozer departed for Molgomsey The three and twentieth and foure and twentieth the Inhabitants of Pustozer went to Fish for Bealugos vnder the Boluan being the highest Land neere vnto the Drie Sea and two dayes sayling from the Towne The fiue and twentieth I departed after them and arriued there the seuen and twentieth hoping
to haue prouided good store of Bealugos Oyle But it fell out contrarie though there were aboue fiftie Boates hauing in euery Boate three men and in many foure by reason it pleased God to send such windie and stormie weather that the Boates could not goe to Sea in many dayes together during their wonted time of Fishing for those Beasts being till the twentieth of Iuly Then euery man leaueth that Fishing and repaire to their owne Fisherie to hunt Ducks Geese and Swannes which most yeeres they get in abundance and make good profit of their Feathers and Downe as also of their Flesh which they salt vp in Caske for Winter prouision seruing them also all the Summer for Flesh dayes These Bealugos they catch with harping Irons tyed fast to a long rope of ninetie or an hundred fathoms with a staffe of the length of two yards or somewhat longer being put loose into the Iron wherewith when the beast commeth within the reach of him that striketh he smiteth him with the Iron leauing it in the Beast then the rope being layed out cleere to vere out the man holding his Staffe still in his hand but the Beast being wounded hasteneth to the bottome where hauing beate himselfe neare to death they hall in their rope by little and little the Beast ascending thereby And if they finde him not neere death they strike him againe and being dead they cut off his skinne with the fat on it in many parts some the breadth of two hands some more or lesse Then comming on shoare they take the Fat from the skinne and cut it in small peeces to dissolue it to Oyle casting away the Flesh which is red to the Fowles of the Sea except some poore Samoied come that way who taketh it though it haue lyen putrifying two or three dayes and dryeth it and maketh good cheare with it with his Familie This Beast is as bigge as two good Sturgions Moreouer I was informed by an ancient Traueller that the Flesh and Fat of that Beast being cut as Beefe and salted in Caske is a great and rich Commoditie in Italie which cannot chuse but to bee much better then young Whales which I haue heard that the Biskayners vse to preserue for good meate With the Fat of some one of these Beasts they will fill three Barrels of some lesser two barrels and some yeeld but one barrell of Blubber which they call Shilliga In that Summer when I was there by reason of Northerly windes blowing hard they killed by all their Boates not aboue fortie Beasts with some Boate they killed two with other three with some foure But with most not one The thirteenth of Iuly I receiued a Letter from Master Iosias Logan the effect whereof was That the Company of our English Merchants of Russia had sent a Boate out of Russia by Riuer which stood them in foureteene Rubbels or Marks for vs to goe in her or by Lodia for Russia For they were purposed not to send a Ship for vs that yeere The ninth of August Master Iosias Logan and Marmaduke Wilson came from the Towne of Pustozera in a Lodia to goe for Russia and Anchored in the Glowbuc which is a deepe place of the Riuer Heere wee stayed ten dayes to make vp our Oyle In the meane time the Lodia got her full lading with Omelies and Seegies salted in Caske attending a faire winde The ninth of August wee set sayle out of the Glowbuc and entred the Suchoi-morie that is The Drie or shoald Sea and stirred away next hand North North-east The nine and twentieth a little before day not thinking wee had beene so neere the Land we were on the Breches of Promoi Coskoi or the Sands of Promoi a bad Harbour so called by the Russes and beate ouer one Sand by Gods prouidence onely so high being halfe full of water that in dispaire of euer getting her off againe wee vnladed most of the goods as Fish Oyle Feathers Downe and Losh-hydes as soone as it began to bee day-light and that the Russes knew vs to bee vpon the mayne Land The thirtieth day being somewhat calme and the wind Easterly but thicke weather still there came three men from Vasilie Beregen his Lodia who was our Consort while wee were working to get our Lodia a floate againe and told vs that their Lodia was beaten in peeces vpon the mayne Land some seuen or eight Versts to the Westward off vs. The one and thirtieth wee laboured againe and by Gods assistance got her a floate hauing taken out almost all her goods and that night laded some part againe The first of September wee got all our goods aboord and at Night-tide being faire weather the winde North-west and Moone-light wee put from that comfortlesse place and went into the Promoi Harbour hauing on the Barre nine or ten foote water but within foure or fiue fathoms A South-west Moone maketh there a full Sea It is in the great Bay betweene Suetinos and Candinos The second the winde at East North-east faire weather wee set sayle with our leake Lodia the Pumpe neuer resting The third the winde variable wee sayled along the the shoare till about Noone then the wind comming to the West wee put backe againe for Christoua Stanoâ—echa which is the Crosse Harbour where wee rode in a fine Riuer hauing a bad Barre The ninth in the Morning wee purposed to put to Sea againe the winde Easterly but the Barre was so growne and warped vp with sands when wee came vpon the entrance of it that we could not passe ouer neither with Wind nor Oares but were forced vpon the mayne where our Lodia was beaten so high vpon the sand that all hope of sauing her was past That day wee got out of her an hundred Barrels of Fish and Oyle and yet we could not get her off againe The tenth the winde being at North-west caused high Tides by which meanes we got her off and brought her againe into Harbour The eleuenth wee had so much winde and Snow that we could not get our goods aboord all that day The twelfth we got all aboord hauing stopped most of our leakes with Mosse and old Cloutes The thirteenth the wind at East faire weather wee put to Sea out of that bad Harbour leauing one of our Boates there and eight Barrels of Fish to ease our leake Lodia The fourteenth about mid-night we were thwart of Candinos and stirred South-west and South South-west all the next day but the Night following being much winde the Russes esteeming themselues to bee on the Westerne shoare strooke sayle and by Day-light we saw Land to the Westward of the White Sea being the sixteenth day and wee were forced againe into another bad Harbour called Danilo Stolb that is Daniels Piller on the Coast of Lapland where we made our Lodia fast among the Rockes where shee lay drie halfe-tide and lay there beenept and wind-bound vntill the sixe and twentieth
day and then at Tide-time wee got out of that place The eight and twentieth wee entred into the Riuer of Duyna and landed that night at the Castle of Archangel in the English House all our Oyle Losh-hydes and other goods as Feathers Downe c. The nine and twentieth about mid-night we came to the English House at Colmogro and there continued all the Winter The three and twentieth of Aprill 1613. the Riuer of Duyna brake vp at Archangel Other Obseruations of the sayd WILLIAM PVRSGLOVE FRom Medenskoie Zauorot to the Isle of Vaygats is two dayes sayling with a Russe Lodia From Vaygats to the Riuer Ob is foure dayes sayling The Riuer Ob lyeth North and South The course from Vaygats to Toukoi-coscoy is North-east and from thence East to the mouth of Ob. Within the Ob some three dayes sayling is a Riuer on the East side called Tas hauing as it were a Barre at the entrance thereof yet there is alwayes eleuen or twelue foote water vpon it but within it is very deepe Within two dayes sayling within the Tas the Russe hath builded a Towne and a Castle being called Molgomsey where all the Hunters of Beasts assemble and bring their Furs with them Also the Russe Soymas or Boats and those of Pustozera come thither with their Meale and other Merchandizes And hauing sold or bartered their Commodities euery one returneth home some to Pustozera and others to Russia The Hunters also prouide against the next Winter for Hunting againe There are three Riuers vnder the high Land of Ougoria and Naramzey and great store of Morsses about the point of Naramzei whither the Inhabitants of Pustozera doe send a Lodia in the Autumne with diuers Commodities to trade with the Ongorian Samoieds Also they kill many Morsses onely taking their Teeth and trauell among the Samoieds all the Winter to trade with them and returne ouer Land to Pustozera in Ianuarie next following Some yeeres if the winde doe not serue them instantly they are glad to giue ouer that Voyage by Sea As for example in the yeere 1611. when we wintered there the frost came vpon them before they had wind to serue them whereupon they were forced to giue ouer that Voyage And assoone as they could trauell by Sled some of the richest of the Sonnes and Seruants of the Townsmen were sent with certayne Commodities to barter with the Samoieds against their Fathers or other Friends should come after in the Winter and to buy vp all the best Furs and other Commodities The Russes when they sayle for Molgomsey in their Soymas goe not about Naramzei point to the mouth of the Riuer Ob but sayle vp a narrow Riuer called Moetnaia Reca that is to say the Muddie Riuer at the head therof they hale their Boats ouer a little neck of land into the Riuer Zelenai that is the Green Riuer so fall down into the Riuer Ob and so saile Southward vp the Riuer Ob till they come to the Riuer Tas. From the Barre of Tas to the Riuers mouth is aboue a daies a nights sailing There is an Iland in the mouth of Tas being very high land From thence the Riuer to the Towne leauing the Iland on the left hand are eight dayes sayling But ere you come to the Tas Riuer there is a small Riuer called Power or Piet where they get the best Sables of all Molgomsey And vp the Riuer Tas to Volochanko against the streame are sixe dayes sayling Eastward till you come to a Voloc or necke of Land a mile and an halfe ouer beeing marish ground ouer which the Russes and Pustozerits hale their Boats into another Riuer called Torowhan and rowing downe with the streame three dayes they fall into the mightie Riuer Yenisce At the mouth of the Riuer Torowhan there dwell people on an Iland hauing builded them a little Towne and a Church And from thence they sayle downe the Riuer to Hawtick which is a great Riuer and runneth vnto the East The Riuer of the Tingussies is three dayes and three nights sayling within the Riuer Yeniscey There are no Woods neere vnto the mouth of Ienisce But in the Riuer of Tingussie are great store of Woods There are two or three Riuers betweene the mouth of Yenisce and Tingussie but not so large as the Tingussie Riuer is neere vnto which the Russes doe fish and assoone as it freezeth they go againe to their old trade of hunting the Sables Beuers and Foxes And hauing in two winters so laboured for themselues those that be good Husbands return rich into Russia And except they fall againe into pouertie through fire or other wayes neuer returne thither againe The Tingussies are a taller people then the Samoieds and weare their Garments made of skins shorter and made closer to their bodies then the Samoieds They be a very gentle people to conuerse withall From the mouth of Ob to the great Riuer Ienisce as a Russe told mee is foure dayes and foure nights sayling Betwixt Ob and Yenisce is high blacke Land Beyond Ienisce Eastward is another great Riuer called Pisida The Land trendeth due East beyond the Riuer Ienisce to Pisida and to another Riuer called Catowga which commeth out of Cathay whose King the Permackes call Teulka Tsar The Riuer lyeth North and South they know not how farre For the Tingussies of whom they had intelligence of this Riuer are afraid of Gun-shot that they doe heare which they vse on the South part of that Riuer and dare not trauell vp it In it they saw Vessels with two or three sayles which in the Spring sayle downe the Riuer Northward and in the Autumne returne againe to the South But they know not whether they fish or goe to gather some Mynes which are supposed to be in those Countreyes not daring to goe neere them It was told me that betwixt Pisida and Catowga about the mid-way vpon the Sea-coast were found diuers Stones some like vnto Gold in colour other white and like Siluer Also the Tingussies haue seene people about that great Riuer called Catowga riding on Horses and it is said that there is great store of Corne Beefes Horses Sheepe and Goates in this Countrey The trauell from Pechora to Permia Ougoria and to the Riuer Ob and the Townes situated thereupon ouer Land FRom Pustozera vp the Riuer Pechora with a faire wind to the Riuer Ouse is fourteene dayes sayling by Riuer From Ouse to Podcamen ten dayes From Podcamen to Ob eight dayes by Deere in Winter time assoone as the Snow is fallen and frozen From thence to Bereseua sixteene dayes which is a Towne of Trade it is from Pustozera to Vade in Ougoria beeing on the West side of Ob a monethes journey or trauell by Deere This Vade is a little Towne hauing the Houses thereof builded vnder the ground The Riuer of Pechora runneth through great Permia and the
falleth into Coluoy South-east hauing gone East South-east 15. miles The fourth day warme we went East at Eeuen we came to a Riuer called Coluoy which falleth South into the Riuer Ouse where wee stayed all Night hauing gone 20. miles The fift in the Morning we went on vpon the Riuer six or seuen miles East and by North and came where it parted in two the one keeping North-east the other being called Sandauets from the South-east wee went betwixt them both East and by South 12. miles and tooke vp our lodging vpon a Playne where no Wood is to bee seene The sixt being Saint Nicholas day which with the Russes is held a principall day in the morning they caused their Images to bee brought into the Choome lighting Wax-candles before them making their Prayers to them according to their order after which I gaue them a bottle of Aqua vitae wherewith the Guides were drunke that they could not guide their Deeres but set me to direct the way by Compasse which I did all the day although I had but little skill we went South-east and by East 20. miles The seuenth being very faire weather our Guides lay all the day with Pohmeall and could not goe forward The eight faire and calme we went forward South-east and by East 10. miles and tooke vp our lodging by a small Riuer which falleth into Sandauets Riuer The ninth very cold that we had much adoe to keepe our selues from freezing going on foot all the day ouer a playne where no Wood groweth going South-east 15. miles and lay by a Wood side all night The tenth the Frost was so extreame that wee lay still and could not proceed The eleuenth being Sunday the Frost continued extreame we remouing there were few in the Companie that had not some part of their faces frozen and my selfe although I was something better prouided then any of them yet I had something to doe to keepe my selfe from freezing going on foot most part South-east and by East 15. miles The twelfth the Frost was so extreame that there was no looking forth but lay still all day The thirteenth not altogether so cold wee proceeded on our Iourney 20. miles South-east by East and at night we passed ouer the Riuer Hoseda which falleth South-east into the Riuer Azua The fourteenth the winde South with Snow and not so cold we went thorow Woods 20. miles East South-east The fifteenth the wind South with Snow and not so cold we went East South-east at Noone wee passed ouer Azua Riuer which falleth South into Ouse we continued still East South-east 30. miles The sixteenth the wind South in the Morning we set forth East South-east ouer a high ridge or Mountayne called Yangoda and vpon the top of the same the wind shitling North with Snow so thicke that our Guides did not know well which way to goe yet sometimes backe and somtimes forward with much adoe we got ouer in the Eeuening passing ouer the Riuer Rogauaya Mensha falling South into Ouse where we stayed all Night hauing gone 20. miles The seuenteenth faire and warme wee passed thorow Woods where the Snow was very deepe and came to a Playne called Correapin Tundra where a Russe whose name was Correapa dyed and was buried therefore they gaue that place that Name some thirtie yeeres past where we stayed all Night hauing gone 15. miles South-east and by East The eighteenth in the Morning wee went on thorow Woods the Snow being very deepe and at Mid-night we came to the Riuer Rogauaya Bolsha where the Russes had a Gorodocke and bartering with the Samoits hauing gone 30. miles East South-east the Riuer falleth with turnings to the Southward into Ouse heere I stayed till the sixth of Ianuary The thirtieth of December I obserued with my Astrolobia and had the Sun 2. degrees aboue the Horizon Latitude 65. degrees and 48. minuts the variation of the Compasse being 20. degrees The sixth of Ianuary at three in the after-noone wee departed from the Gorodocke the wind South South-west blowing very hard going North-west 30. miles and at mid-night came to the Choome The seuenteenth the wind South South-west blowing very hard the Snow driuing so thicke that we could not goe ouer the Mountayne called Yangoda but stayed by a Wood side hauing gone West North-west 15. miles The eight in the Morning wee passed ouer the Riuer called Rogauaya Mensha and at Noone ouer the Yangoda keeping backe our way 30. miles West North-west faire and warme The ninth little wind North but sharpe we went on North-west and by West at Noone we passed ouer Azua Riuer and in the after-noone came to a Herd of wilde Deere the Samoits killed three giuing me a haunch going in all 30. miles The tenth calme and very cold we went on 20. miles West North-west The eleuenth little wind South-east at Noone we passed ouer Hoseda Riuer which falleth South-east into Azua we went 30. miles North-west by West The twelfth the wind South and cold we went West and by South ouer many Creeks Ponds 25. miles The thirteenth this day the wind South and not cold we went West by South 30. miles thorow many woods and plaines The fourteenth faire and warme at Noone we passed ouer Sandaets Riuer which falleth South-west into Coluoy we went West and by North 30. miles The fifteenth being Sunday we went West North-west ouer a broad playne with many great Ponds at Night we passed ouer Coluoy Riuer going South into the Riuer Ouse which falleth into Pechora nine dayes journey from Oust-zilma we went 30. miles hauing most of our Deere tyred the Snow was so deepe The sixteenth little wind we went on West North-west at noone we passed ouer Haryena Riuer which falleth South-east into Coluoy going 20. miles The seuenteenth the wind South blowing very hard the Snow driuing wee went West North-west 25. miles at Night we tooke vp our lodging vpon the Riuer Habâ—aga which falleth into Pechora sixe dayes journey from Oust-zilma The eighteenth we went on West North-west 10. miles where the Townesmen ouer-tooke vs riding post to the Towne where making our selues ready wee followed the same Eeuening we passed ouer Nougorotka Riuer which falleth West South-west into Shapkina Riuer which falleth South-west into Pechora halfe way betwixt Pustozer and Oust-zilma and in the Morning we passed ouer Coy Riuer which falleth into Pechora 14. leagues Northward from Pustozer and the same day being the nineteenth day in the after-noone wee came to the Towne hauing rid aboue 150. miles without rest The last of Aprill 1615. being Sunday was the first appearing of the water increasing at Pustozera The seuenth of May Euan Croticoue had almost slaine with a knife his two Vncles Foma Croticoue and Erasmi Croticoue The eighteenth the water was at the highest being so extreame that many were forced out of their Houses and we our selues in like manner hauing the water a foot deepe in
Capstan barres about the bowes of our ship But for all our fendors our ship had a great knocke vpon a piece of Ice About a North Sunne we got out into the open Sea with humble thankes to God for our deliuerance The sixteenth day the Iland did beare North-east and by North eight leagues from vs and it did freeze all that day the wind being at North which was almost calme The seuenteenth at noone the Iland did beare North-east and by North about nine leagues off the wind Southerly snowy weather The same day we saw a sayle bearing East North-east off vs about 5. leagues The eighteenth the Iland did beare North about 15. leagues off the wind being at East and by North Snow and frosty weather The nineteenth at twelue of the clocke at noone the Iland bare North and by East and we finding the Ice somewhat scattered and the wind Southerly put roome toward the Iland and vpon one piece of Ice we saw fiue Seales one I killed and one I tooke aliue and brought it aboord our ship But wee could not come neere the Iland by sixe leagues The wind came to the West with thicke weather and Snow The twentieth at twelue at noone the Iland beare North North-west about twelue leagues off We sounded and had 100. fathoms greenish Oze faire weather but cold The one and twentieth we saw the ship that wee had seene the seuenteenth day wee spake with them about 12. at noone The Master told vs he was of Hull Wee demanded whether he was bound He told vs to Cherie Iland and that there he would make his Voyage The Iland at this time did beare North and by East about nine leagues off and it was faire but cold frostie weather The 22.23.24 and 25. dayes we did beate vp and downe in the Ice The 26.27 and 28. dayes likewise wee sayled vp and downe in the Ice hauing the wind Northerly and the Iland bearing betweene the North and the North North-east cold weather The nine and twentieth the Iland beare North nine leagues off the wind at North-east snowy weather and Frost The thirtieth day we slue 26. Seales and espied three white Beares wee went aboord for Shot and Powder and comming to the Ice againe we found a shee-Beare and two young ones Master Thomas Welden shot and killed her after shee was slayne wee got the young ones and brought them home into England where they are aliue in Paris Garden The one and thirtieth we beate vp and downe in the Ice but could not come neere the Land for Ice the winde was Northerly The first of Iune we got within fiue or sixe miles of the Iland but finding very much Ice close by the Land we stood off againe the wind being at North-east cold weather The second day we got within three leagues of the Iland but finding exceeding much Ice round about vs we stood off againe the wind at North-east cold frostie weather From the second day to the fift wee sayled first one way and then another as the wind and Ice would giue vs leaue The wind being at North and by East and the Iland being betweene the North-west and by North within sixe leagues and lesse The sixth day we spake with the Hull man who told vs that he was put twentie leagues to the North-west of the Iland being fast in the Ice We had the wind Northerly and frosty weather the Land bearing North North-west The seuenth and eight we beate vp and downe in the Ice the Iland did beare North-west eight leagues off The winde was Northerly with cold and frostie weather The ninth the Land beare North-west off vs about six leagues off That day we had the first fogge since the time of our arriuall which was the eight of May. Neither lost wee the sight of the Iland aboue eighteene houres in all this time This day about a North-east Sunne it began to thaw and in sixe houres the snow was melted which lay vpon the Ice aboue sixe inches thicke which put vs in good hope that the Ice was almost past The tenth we got within sixe miles of the shoare where I made an attempt to haue got to the land with the Shallop but comming within three miles of the shoare I could get no farther the Ice was so thicke and such foggy weather I made another attempt the same day and got within one mile of the Land but the Ice was so thicke that I could get no farther The same day wee saw good store of Morses on the Ice and in the Sea The eleuenth and twelfth we plyed vp and downe fayre by the Iland to see if wee could get on Land with our Shallop but the Ice was so close about the Land that wee could not by any meanes This day the wind was at South-east thicke foggie weather The thirteenth we had thicke fogge and calme weather and when it began to cleere wee had sight of the Souther part of the Iland bearing East South-east about sixe miles off but it fell thicke suddenly againe There wee anchored in fortie fathoms white shelly ground and rid till ten of the clocke at night at what time I prepared to goe on shoare as fast as I could with a Shallop and sixe men About eleuen of the clocke we put from the Ship and with great labour got through the Ice to the Iland by a North-east Sunne The fourteenth day I landed on the Wester side of the Iland and determined to goe from thence to the North side where wee slew the Beares The ninth of May I left three men with the Shallop and tooke three men with me In my iourney I found such bad way that I had no stomacke to goe through for where there was no snow the ground was so soft and without grasse that we went vp to the anckles in dirt and where the snow lay which was in some holes three or foure fathoms thicke it was so soft that we slipt each step vp to the twist so that wee were aboue three houres in going scarce two miles Whereupon considering it would bee long before I should get ten miles and backe againe I returned to our Shallop and found that the men which I left had killed some fowle which wee sod and when wee had eaten them I prepared to goe in the Shallop to the North side I went close by the shoare for the Sea was full of Ice As wee went along by the Cliffes we got good store of Fowle which made vs glad and ioyfull because there was no hope to get aboord the Ship that day nor the next About a North-west Sun wee got to the place abouesaid and found nine Beares three of them I slew the other tooke the Sea Those three that were slaine we flead and tooke their flesh and salted it in their skinnes which I stowed in the Shallop for feare of a dearth I had
this morning about foure a thicke fogge we saw a head of vs. The one and twentieth in the morning we steered North-east and East North-east two watches fiue or sixe leagues Then it grew thicke fogge And we cast about and steered North-east and East North-east two watches sixe leagues finding wee were embayed The wind came at East South-east a little gale we tacked about and lay South All this night was a thicke fog with little wind East we lay with the stemme The two and twentieth in the morning it cleered vp being calme about two or three of the clocke after we had a prettie gale and we steered away East and by North three leagues Our obseruation was in 72. degrees 38. minutes and changing our course we steered North-east the wind at South-east a prettie gale This morning when it cleered vp we saw the Land trending neere hand East North-east and West South-west esteeming our selues from it twelue leagues It was a mayne high Land nothing at all couered with snow and the North part of that mayne high Land was very high Mountaynes but we could see no snow on them We accounted by our obseruation the part of the mayne Land lay neerest hand in 73. degrees The many fogs and calmes with contrary winds and much Ice neere the shoare held vs from farther Discouery of it It may bee objected against vs as a fault for haling so Westerly a course The chiefe cause that moued vs thereunto was our desire to see that part of Groneland which for ought that we know was to any Christian vnknowne and wee thought it might as well haue beene open Sea as Land and by that meanes our passage should haue beene the larger to the Pole and the hope of hauing a Westerly wind which would be to vs a landerly wind if wee found Land And considering wee found Land contrarie to that which our Cards make mention of we accounted our labour so much the more worth And for ought that wee could see it is like to bee a good Land and worth the seeing On the one and twentieth day in the morning while we steered our course North North-east we thought we had embayed our selues finding Land on our Larboord and Ice vpon it and many great pieces of Drift Ice we steered away North-east with diligent looking out euery cleere for Land hauing a desire to know whether it would leaue vs to the East both to know the bredth of the Sea and also to shape a more Northerly course And considering wee knew no name giuen to this Land wee thought good to name it Hold with hope lying in 73. degrees of latitude The Sunne was on the Meridian on the South part of the Compasse neerest hand Heere is to bee noted that when we made The Mount of Gods Mercie and Youngs Cape the Land was couered with snow for the most part and extreame cold when wee approached neere it But this Land was very temperate to our feeling And this likewise is to be noted that being two dayes without obseruation notwithstanding our lying a hull by reason of much contrary wind yet our obseruation and dead reckoning were within eight leagues together our shippe beeing before vs eight leagues This night vntill next morning prooued little Winde The three and twentieth in the morning we had an hard gale on head of vs with much rayne that fell in very great drops much like our Thunder showers in England wee tacked about and stood East-Northerly with a short sayle to our feeling it was not so cold as before we had it It was calme from noone to three of the clocke with fogge After the winde came vp at East and East South-east we steered away North-east with the fogge and rayne About seuen or eight of the clocke the winde increased with extreame fogge wee steered away with short sayle East North-east and sometimes East and by North. About twelue at mid-night the wind came vp at South-west we steered away North being reasonable cleere weather The foure and twentieth in the morning about two of the clocke the Masters mate thought he saw Land on the Larboord trending North North-west Westerly and the longer we ranne North the more it fell away to the West and did thinke it to bee a mayne high Land This day the wind being Westerly we steered away North and by obseruation wee were in 73. degrees nearest hand At noone we changed our course and steered away North and by East and at our last obseruation and also at this we found the Meridian all Leeward on the South and by West Westerly part of the Compasse when we had sayled two Watches eight leagues The fiue and twentieth the wind scanted and came vp at North North-west we lay North-east two Watches 8. leagues After the wind became variable betweene the North-east and the North we steered away East and by North and sometimes East we had thicke fogge About noone three Granpasses played about our shippe This After-noone the wind vered to the East and South-east we haled away North and by East This night was close weather but small fogge we vse the word Night for distinction of time but long before this the Sunne was alway aboue the Horizon but as yet we could neuer see him vpon the Meridian North. This Night being by our accompt in the Latitude of 75. degrees we saw small flockes of Birds with blacke Backes and white Bellies and long speare Tayles We supposed that Land was not farre off but we could not discrie any with all the diligence which we could vse being so close weather that many times we could not see sixe or seuen leagues off The sixe and twentieth in the morning was close weather we had our wind and held our course as afore This day our obseruation was 76. degrees 38. minutes and we had Birds of the same sort as afore and diuers other of that colour hauing red Heads that we saw when we first made the Mount of Gods Mercy in Greenland but not so many After we steered away North and by East two VVatches 10. leagues with purpose to fall with the Souther part of Newland accounting our selues 10. or 12. leagues from the Land Then wee stood away North-east one VVatch fiue leagues The seuen and twentieth about one or two of the clocke in the morning we made Newland being cleere weather on the Sea but the Land was couered with fogge the Ice lying very thick all along the shoare for 15. or 16. leagues which we saw Hauing faire wind wee coasted it in a very pleasing smooth sea and had no ground at an hundred fathoms foure leagues from the shoare This day at noone wee accounted we were in 78. degrees and we stood along the shoare This day was so foggie that we were hardly able to see the Land many times but by our account we were neare Vogel Hooke About eight of the clocke this Eeuening we purposed to
rought for they had beene vp the Riuer sixe or seuen leagues and sounded it from twentie to three and twentie and after brought it to eight sixe and one fathome and then to foure foot in the best they then went ashoare and found good store of wilde Goose quills a piece of an old Oare and some Flowers and greene things which they found growing they saw many Deere and so did we in our after-dayes sayling They being come aboord we presently set sayle with the wind at North North-west and we stood out againe to the South-westwards with sorrow that our labour was in vaine for had this Sound held as it did make shew of for breadth depth safenesse of harbour and good anchor ground it might haue yeelded an excellent passage to a more Easterly Sea Generally all the Land of Noua Zembla that yet wee haue seene is to a mans eye a pleasant Land much mayne high Land with no Snow on it looking in some places greene and Deere feeding thereon and the Hills are partly couered with Snow and partly bare It is no maruell that there is so much Ice in the Sea toward the Pole so many Sounds and Riuers being in the Lands of Noua Zembla and Newland to ingender it besides the coasts of Pechora Russia and Groenland with Lappia as by proofes I finde by my trauell in these parts by meanes of which Ice I suppose there will be no nauigable passage this way This Eeuening wee had the wind at West and by South wee therefore came to anchor vnder Deere Point and it was a storme at Sea wee rode in twentie fathomes Ozie ground I sent my Mate Ladlow with foure more ashoare to see whether any Morses were on the shoare and to kill some Fowle for we had seene no Morses since Saturday the second day of this moneth that wee saw them driuing out of the Ice They found good landing for them but no signe that they had beene there but they found that fire had beene made there yet not lately At ten of the clocke in the Eeuening they came aboord and brought with them neere an hundred Fowles called Wellocks this night it was wet fogge and very thicke and cold the winde at West South-west The sixt in the morning wee had the wind stormie and shifting betweene the West and South-west against vs for doing any good we rode still and had much Ice driuing by vs to the Eastward of vs. At nine of the clocke this Eeuening wee had the wind at North North-west we presently weighed and set sayle and stood to the Westward being out of hope to find passage by the North-east And my purpose was now to see whether Willoughbies Land were as it is layd in our Cardes which if it were wee might finde Morses on it for with the Ice they were all driuen from hence This place vpon Noua Zembla is another then that which the Hollanders call Costing Sarch discouered by Oliuer Brownell and William Barentsons obseruation doth witnesse the same It it layd in plot by the Hollanders out of his true place too farre North to what end I know not vnlesse to make it hold course with the Compasse not respecting the variation It is as broad and like to yeeld passage as the Vaygats and my hope was that by the strong streame it would haue cleered it selfe but it did not It is so full of Ice that you will hardly thinke it All this day for the most part it was fogge and cold The seuenth cleere but cold weather in the morning the wind was at the North from the last Eeuening to this morning we set saile and kept our course West and by South fifteene leagues from morning to eight a clocke in the Eeuening it was calme then we had the wind againe at North and we sayled till nine a clocke next morning West South-west eight leagues then the wind being West and by South wee went North and by West three leagues and wee had the Sunne at the highest South South-west in the latitude of 71. degrees 2. minutes The eight faire weather at noone we had the wind at East North-east we stood North three leagues till foure a clocke then the wind being at west and by North wee stemmed North and by West one league and a halfe till six a clocke in the Eeuening then the wind was at North-east a hard gale and wee stood till next day at noone West and by North by account three and twentie leagues we had the Sunne on the Meridian South and by West halfe a point neerest West in the latitude of 70. degrees 41. minutes The ninth cleere weather from this to the next day at noone we sayled South-west and by West twelue leagues and Northward three leagues and in these courses had these soundings 41.42.46.48 and 45. fathoms we had the Sunne South and by VVest halfe a point to the VVest part of the Compasse The Sea was loftie our latitude was 70. degrees 20. minutes The tenth cleere but close weather from this till next day noone wee had little wind at West North-west by account we made our way fiue leagues North-easterly Wee had the Sun at the highest on the South and by West point and a terce Westward in the latitude of 70. degrees 55. minutes and I thinke we had a rustling tide vnder vs and in this time had sounding betweene fortie fiue and fortie fathomes white sand The eleuenth cleere weather from this to the next day at noone little wind at North North-east and sometimes calme wee sayled West and by North by account fiue leagues and had the Sunne on the Meridian on the South and by West point â…“ West in the latitude of 70. degrees 26. minutes and found a rustling vnder vs. This fore-noone we were come into a greene Sea of the colour of the mayne Ocean which we first lost the eight of Iune since which time wee haue had a Sea of a black blue colour which both by the last and this yeeres experience is a Sea-pestered with Ice The twelfth faire weather from noone to mid-night wee had the wind shifting betweene the North and West our course was betweene VVest North-west and South South-west Then we had the wind at South we sayled till the next day at noone West and by North thirteene leagues wee accounted our way from the last day till this day noone Westward eighteene leagues This after-noone wee saw more Porpoises then in all our Voyage afore The thirteenth close weather in the after-noone hauing much wind at South with short sayle we stood away West and by North till eight a clocke in the Eeuening then we had the wind at South but most times calme till noone the next day wee stood away as afore foure leagues which made in all twelue leagues we had the Sunne ere it began to fall South and by West in the latitude of 70. degrees 22. minutes The fourteenth wee stood West North-west till
at eight of the clocke at night the Souther part of Lofoote did beare South-east ten leagues off vs. The fiue and twentieth much wind at North-east with some snow and haile The first watch the wind came to the East a fine gale and so came to the North-east the second watch at foure of the clocke and freshed in And at eight of the clocke it grew to a storme and so continued At noone we obserued and made the ship to be in 67. degrees 58. minutes Wee continued our course South-west twelue leagues a watch At nine of the clocke Lofoote did beare East of vs 15. leagues off And we found the Compasse to haue no variation The wind increased to a storme The six and twentieth was a great storme at the North North-east and North-east Wee steered away South-west afore the wind with our fore-course abroad for wee were able to maintayne no more sayles it blew so vehemently and the Sea went so high and brake withall that it would haue dangered a small ship to lye vnder the Sea So we skudded seuenty leagues in foure and twentie houres The storme began to cease at foure of the clocke The seuen and twentieth indifferent faire weather but a good stiffe gale of wind at North and North North-east wee held on our course as before At noone wee obserued and found our heigth to be 64. degrees 10. minutes And wee perceiued that the Current had hindred vs in fortie eight houres to the number of 16. leagues to our best judgement We set our mayne-sayle sprit-sayle and our mayne-top-sayle and held on our course all night hauing faire weather The eight and twentieth faire weather and little wind at North-east we held on our course South-west At noone wee obserued the heigth and were in 62. degrees and 30. minutes The after-noone was little wind at North North-west The second watch it fell calme At foure of the clocke wee had sight of the Iles called Farre and found them to lye out of their place in the Sea Chart fourteene leagues to farre Westerly For in running South-west from Lofoote wee had a good care to our steerage and obseruations and counted our selues thirtie leagues off by our course and obseruation and had sight of them sixteene or eighteene leagues off The nine and twentieth faire weather sometimes calme and sometimes a gale with the wind varying at South-west and so to the North-east Wee got to the Ilands but could not get in So we stood along the Ilands The ebbe being come we durst not put in The thirtieth faire weather the wind at South-east and East South-east In the morning we turned into a Road in Stromo one of the Ilands of Farre betweene Stromo and Mugge-nes and got in by nine of the clocke for it flowed so there that day And assoone as we came in we went to Romage and sent our Boat for water and filled all our emptie Caskes with fresh water Wee made in end of our Romaging this night by ten of the clocke The one and thirtieth faire Sun-shining weather the wind at East South-east In the forenoone our Master with most of his Company went on shoare to walke and at one of the clocke they returned aboord Then we set sayle The first of Iune stilo nouo faire Sun-shining weather the wind at East South-east We continued on our course South-west and by West At noone wee obserued the Sunne and found our heigth to be 60. degrees 58. minutes and so continued on our course all night with faire weather This night we lighted Candles in the Bittacle againe The second mystie weather the wind at North-east At noone we steered away West South-west to find Busse Iland discouered in the yeere 1578. by one of the ships of Sir Martin Frobisher to see if it lay in her true latitude in the Chart or no wee continued our course as before all night with a faire gale of wind this night we had sight of the first stars and our water was changed colour to a white greene The Compasse had no variation The third faire Sun-shining weather the wind at North-east We steered on our course South-west and by West with a stiffe gale of wind At noone we obserued and found our heigth to bee 58. degrees 48. minutes And I was before the ship 16. leagues by reason of the Current that held vs so strong out of the South-west For it is eight leagues in foure and twentie houres We accounted our selues neere Busse Iland by mid-night we looked out for it but could not see it The fourth in the morning was much wind with fogge and raine Wee steered away South-west by west all the fore-noone the wind so increasing that wee were enforced to take in our top-sayle the winde continuing so all the after-noone Wee steered away South-west all the fore-part of the night and at ten of the clocke at night it was little wind and that was at South and so came vp to the South South-east The fift stormie weather and much wind at South and South by East so that at foure of the clocke in the morning we tooke in our fore-sayle and lay a try with our mayne corse and tryed away West North-west foure leagues But at noone it was lesse wind and the Sunne shewed forth and we obserued and found our heigth to be 56. degrees 21. minutes In the after-noone the wind vered to and fro betweene the South-west and the South-east with raine and fogge and so continued all night Wee found that our ship had gone to the VVestward of our course The sixth thicke hasie weather with gusts of wind and showers of raine The wind varied betweene East South-East and South-west wee steered on many courses a West South-west way The afternoone watch the wind was at East South-east a stiffe gale with myst and raine Wee steered away South-west by West eight leagues At noone the Sunne shone forth and we found the heigth to bee 56. degrees 8. minutes The seuenth faire sun-shining weather all the fore-noone and calme vntill twelue of the clocke In the after-noone the wind came to the North-west a stiffe gale We steered South-west by West and made a South-west way At noone we found the height to bee 56. degrees one minute and it continued all night a hard gale The eight stormy weather the wind variable betweene West and North-west much wind at eight of the clocke wee tooke off our Bonnets At noone the Sunne shewed forth and wee obserued and our height was 54. degrees 30. minutes The ninth faire sun-shining weather and little wind all the fore-part of the day vntill eleuen of the clocke Then the wind came to the South South-east and we steered away West South-west At noone we found our height to bee 53. degrees and 45. minutes and we had made our way South by West ten leagues In the after-noone the wind increased and continued all night at East North-east and East The
all night At noone I found the height 43. degrees 6. minutes The variation one point VVest The thirtieth faire sun-shining weather the winde at South-west and by VVest we steered North-west and by VVest And made our way so by reason of the variation of the Compasse At noone I found the height to bee 43. degrees 18. minutes wee continued our course all night and made our way North-west and by VVest halfe a point VVesterly fiue and twentie leagues The first of Iuly close mystie and thicke weather but a faire gale of wind at South-west and South-west by South We steered away North-west and by West Westerly and made our way so by reason of the variation of the Compasse At eight of the clocke at night wee sounded for the Banke of New-found Land but could get no ground The second thicke mystie weather but little wind and that at West and West and by South At eight of the clocke in the morning we cast about to the Southward and when our ship was on stayes we sounded for the Banke and had ground in thirtie fathoms white sand and shells and presently it cleered and we had sight of a sayle but spake not with her In the night we had much Rayne Thunder and Lightning and wind shifting The third faire Sun-shining weather with a faire gale of wind at East North-east and wee steered away West South-west by our Compasse which varyed 17. degrees Westward This morning we were among a great Fleet of French-men which lay Fishing on the Banke but we spake with none of them At noone wee found our heighth to bee 43. degrees 41. minutes And we sounded at ten of the clocke and had thirtie fathoms gray sand At two of the clocke wee sounded and had fiue and thirtie fathoms gray sand At eight of the clocke at night we sounded againe and had eight and thirtie fathoms gray sand as before The fourth at the fore-part of the day cleere with a faire gale of wind but variable betweene the East North-east and South and by East wee held on our course as before The after-noone was mystie the wind shifting betweene the South and the West till foure of the clocke Then we tooke in our top-sayle and sprit-sayle and sounded and had no ground in seuentie fathoms The winde shifted still vntill eight of the clocke then it came to the North North-east and North-east and by North and we steered away West North-west by our varyed Compasse which made a West way halfe point North. The Compasse varyed 15. degrees from the North to the West The fift faire sun-shining weather the wind at North-east and by North we steered away West North-west which was West halfe a point North. At noone we found our heighth to be 44. degrees 10. minutes and sounded and had no ground in one hundred fathoms The after-noone proued calme sometimes and somtimes little wind vntill nine of the clocke in the night Then the wind came to the East and we held on our course At mid-night I obserued and found the height to bee 44. degrees 10. minutes by the North Starre and the Scorpions heart The Compasse varyed 13. degrees The sixth the fore-part of the day faire weather and a stiffe gale of wind betweene South South-east and South-west wee steered West and by North and West North-west The after-part of the day from two of the clocke was all foggie and thicke weather the wind a hard gale varying betweene South-west and by South and West and by North we made our way North-west halfe a point Northerly nineteene leagues vpon many points foure Watches At night at eight of the clocke we sounded and had no ground at one hundred fathoms The seuenth faire sun-shining weather the wind varying betweene West and by North and West and by South At foure of the clocke in the morning we cast about to the Southward and stood so till one in the after-noone At noone we found our height to be 44. degrees 26. minutes At seuen of the clocke we tackt to the Northward At eight at night we tackt to the Southward and sounded and had nine and fiftie fathoms white sand The eight in the fore-noone faire weather but the morning foggie till seuen of the clocke At foure of the clocke in the morning we sounded and had fiue fortie fathoms fine white sand and we had runne fiue leagues South and by West Then wee stood along one Glasse and went one league as before Then we stood one Glasse and sounded and had sixtie fathoms Then wee ta kt and stood backe to the Banke and had fiue and twentie fathoms and tryed for Fish and it fell calme and we caught one hundred and eighteene great Coddes from eight a clocke till one and after Dinner wee tooke twelue and saw many great Scoales of Herrings Then wee had a gale of wind at South and it shifted to the West North-west and we stood three Glasses and sounded and had sixtie fathomes and stood two Glasses and had two and fortie fathoms red stones and shells So wee sounded euery Glasse and had seuerall soundings 35.33.30.31.32.33 and 34. fathoms The ninth faire calme weather we lay becalmed all day and caught some Fish but not much because we had small store of salt At three of the clocke in the after-noone wee had a gale at South-east and South South-east and we steered away Westerly our Compasse was West and by South halfe a point South At foure of the clocke we sounded and had but fifteene seuenteene and nineteene fathoms on a fishing Banke and we founded euery Glasse Then we could get no ground in fiue and twentie fathoms and had sight of a sayle on head off vs. At noone our height was 44. degrees 27. minutes We stood to the Westward all night and spake with a French-man which lay Fishing on the Banke of Sablen in thirtie fathoms and we saw two or three more The tenth very mystie and thicke weather the wind at South-west a faire gale We stood to the South-ward and made our way South-east and by East At twelue of the clocke we sounded and had eight and fortie fathoms againe at two we sounded and had fiftie fathoms And at sixe of the clocke we sounded and had eight and fortie fathoms on the end of the Banke Againe at eight of the clocke at night wee sounded and had no ground in eightie fathomes and were ouer the Banke So wee stood along till mid-night The Compasse varyed 17. degrees to the Westward The eleuenth very thicke and mystie weather At twelue of the clocke at night we cast about to the Westward and stood so all day and made our way West North-west We sounded at twelue of the clocke but had no ground so we stood to the Westward all the fore-part of the night and sounded but could get no ground in fiftie or sixtie fathoms till mid-night Then I sounded and had ground at fifteene fathoms white
noone I found the height to bee 43. degrees 56. minutes This Eeuening being very faire weather wee obserued the variation of our Compasse at the Sunnes going downe and found it to bee 10. degrees from the North to the VVestward The seuen and twentieth faire sun-shining weather the winde shifting betweene the South-west and West and by North a stiffe gale we stood to the Southward all day and made our way South and by West seuen and twentie leagues At noone our height was 42. degrees 50. minuts At foure of the clocke in the after-noone wee cast about to the Northward At eight of the clocke we tooke in our top-sayles and our fore-bonnet and went with a short sayle all night The eight and twentieth very thicke and mystie and a stiffe gale of wind varying betweene South South-west and South-west and by VVest we made our way North-west and by VVest seuen and twentie leagues wee sounded many times and could get no ground At fiue of the clocke we cast about to the Southward the wind at South-west and by VVest At which time we sounded and had ground at seuentie fiue fathoms At eight wee had sixtie fiue fathoms At ten sixtie At twelue of the clocke at mid-night fiftie sixe fathoms gray sand The Compasse varyed 6. degrees the North point to the VVest The nine and twentieth faire weather we stood to the Southward and made our way South and by VVest a point South eighteene leagues At noone we found our height to bee 42. degrees 56. minutes wee sounded oft and had these 60.64.65.67.65.65.70 and 75. fathoms At night wee tryed the variation of our Compasse by the setting of the Sunne and found that it went downe 37. degrees to the North-ward of the VVest and should haue gone downe but 31. degrees The Compasse varyed 5. 1 â— degrees The thirtieth very hot all the fore-part of the day calme the wind at South South-east wee steered away VVest South-west and sounded many times and could find no ground at one hundred and seuentie fathomes VVe found a great current and many ouer-falls Our current had deceiued vs. For at noone we found our height to be 41. degrees 34. minutes And the current had heaued vs to the Southward fourteene leagues At eight of the clocke at night I sounded and had ground in fiftie two fathomes In the end of the mid-night watch wee had fiftie three fathomes This last obseruation is not to be trusted The one and thirtieth very thicke and mystie all day vntill tenne of the clocke At night the wind came to the South and South-west and South We made our way West North-west nineteene leagues Wee sounded many times and had difference of soundings sometimes little stones and sometimes grosse gray sand fiftie six fiftie foure fortie eight fortie seuen fortie foure fortie six fiftie fathomes and at eight of the clocke at night it fell calme and we had fiftie fathomes And at ten of the clocke we heard a great Rut like the Rut of the shoare Then I sounded and found the former Depths and mistrusting a current seeing it so still that the ship made no way I let the lead lie on the ground and found a tide set to the South-west and South-west by West so fast that I could hardly vere the Line so fast and presently came an hurling current or tyde with ouer-fals which cast our ship round and the Lead was so fast in the ground that I feared the Lines breaking and we had no more but that At mid-night I sounded againe and we had seuentie fiue fathomes and the strong streame had left vs. The first of August all the fore-part of the day was mystie and at noone it cleered vp We found that our height was 41. degrees 45. minutes and we had gone nineteene leagues The after-noon was reasonable cleere We found a rustling tide or current with many ouer-fals to continue still and our water to change colour and our sea to bee very deepe for wee found no ground in one hundred fathomes The night was cleere and the winde came to the North and North North-east we steered West The second very faire weather and hot from the morning till noone we had a gale of wind but in the after-noone little wind At noone I sounded and had one hundred and ten fathomes and our height was 41. degrees 56. minutes And wee had runne foure and twentie leagues and an halfe At the Sun-setting we obserued the variation of the Compasse and found that it was come to his true place At eight of the clocke the gale increased so wee ranne sixe leagues that watch and had a very faire and cleere night The third very hot weather In the morning we had sight of the Land and steered in with it thinking to goe to the North-ward of it So we sent our shallop with fiue men to found in by the shore and they found it deepe fiue fathomes within a Bow-shot of the shoare and they went on Land and found goodly Grapes and Rose trees and brought them aboord with them at fiue of the clocke in the Eeuening We had seuen and twentie fathomes within two miles of the shoare and we found a floud come from the South-east and an ebbe from the North-west with a very strong streame and a great hurling and noyses At eight of the clocke at night the wind began to blow a fresh gale and continued all night but variable Our sounding that wee had to the Land was one hundred eightie seuentie foure fiftie two fortie sixe twentie nine twentie seuen twentie foure nineteene seuenteene sometimes Oze and sometimes gray sand The fourth was very hot we stood to the North-west two watches and one South in for the Land and came to an Anchor at the Norther end of the Headland and heard the voyce of men call Then we sent our Boat on shoare thinking they had beene some Christians left on the Land but wee found them to bee Sauages which seemed very glad of our comming So wee brought one aboord with vs and gaue him meate and he did eate and drinke with vs. Our Master gaue him three or foure glasse Buttons and sent him on Land with our shallop againe And at our Boats comming from the shoare he leapt and danced and held vp his hands and pointed vs to a riuer on the other side for we had made signes that we came to fish there The bodie of this Headland lyeth in 41. degrees 45. minutes We set sayle againe after dinner thinking to haue got to the Westward of this Headland but could not so we beare vp to the Southward of it made a South-east way and the Souther point did beare West at eight of the clocke at night Our soundings about the Easter and Norther part of this Headland a league from the shoare are these at the Easterside thirtie twentie seuen twentie seuen twentie foure twentie fiue twentie The North-east point 17. degrees
twentieth faire and hot weather the winde variable vpon all the points of the Compasse From two of the clocke in the morning vntill noone wee made our way North by East seuen leagues In the after-noone the wind came to the North-east and vering to the East South-east wee steered away North-west fifteene leagues from noone till ten of the clocke at night At eight of the clocke at night wee sounded and had eighteene fathomes and were come to the Banke of Virginia and could not see the Land Wee kept sounding and steered away North and came to eight fathomes and Anchored there for the wind was at East South-east so that wee could not get off For the Coast lyeth along South South-west and North North-east At noone our height was 37. degrees 15. minutes And wee found that we were returned to the same place from whence we were put off at our first seeing Land The seuen and twentieth faire weather and very hot the winde at East South-east In the morning as soone as the Sunne was vp wee looked out and had sight of the Land Then wee weighed and stood in North-west two Glasses and found the Land to bee the place from whence wee put off first So wee kept our loofe and steered along the Land and had the Banke lye all along the shoare and wee had in two leagues off the shoare fiue sixe seuen eight nine and ten fathomes The Coast lyeth South South-west and is a white Sandie shoare and sheweth full of Bayes and Points The streame setteth West South-west and East North-east At sixe of the clocke at night wee were thwart of an Harbour or Riuer but we saw a Barre lye before it and all within the Land to the Northward the water ranne with many Ilands in it At sixe of the clocke we Anchored and sent our Boate to sound to the shoare-ward and found no lesse then foure and a halfe fiue sixe and seuen fathomes The eight and twentieth faire and hot weather the winde at South South-west In the morning at sixe of the clocke wee weighed and steered away North twelue leagues till noone and came to the Point of the Land and being hard by the Land in fiue fathomes on a sudden wee came into three fathomes then we beare vp and had but ten foote water and ioyned to the Point Then as soone as wee were ouer wee had fiue sixe seuen eight nine ten twelue and thirteene fathomes Then wee found the Land to trend away North-west with a great Bay and Riuers But the Bay wee found shoald and in the offing wee had ten fathomes and had sight of Breaches and drie Sand. Then wee were forced to stand backe againe so we stood backe South-east by South three leagues And at seuen of the clocke wee Anchored in eight fathomes water and found a Tide set to the North-west and North North-west and it riseth one fathome and floweth South South-east And hee that will throughly Discouer this great Bay must haue a small Pinnasse that must draw but foure or fiue foote water to sound before him At fiue in the morning wee weighed and steered away to the Eastward on many courses for the Norther Land is full of shoalds Wee were among them and once wee strooke and wee went away and steered away to the South-east So wee had two three foure fiue sixe and seuen fathomes and so deeper and deeper The nine and twentieth faire weather with some Thunder and showers the winde shifting betweene the South South-west and the North North-west In the morning wee weighed at the breake of day and stood toward the Norther Land which we found to bee all Ilands to our sight and great stormes from them and are shoald three leagues off For we comming by them had but seuen sixe fiue foure three and two fathoms and a halfe and strooke ground with our Rudder we steered off South-west one Glasse and had fiue fathoms Then wee steered South-east three Glasses then wee found seuen fathomes and steered North-east by East foure leagues and came to twelue and thirteene fathoms At one of the clocke I went to the top-mast head and set the Land and the bodie of the Ilands did beare North-west by North. And at foure of the clocke wee had gone foure leagues East South-east and North-east by East and found but seuen fathoms and it was calme so we Anchored Then I went againe to the top-mast head to see how farre I could see Land about vs and could see no more but the Ilands And the Souther point of them did beare North-west by West eight leagues off So wee rode till mid-night Then the winde came to the North North-west so wee waighed and set sayle The thirtieth in the morning betweene twelue and one we weighed and stood to the East-ward the winde at North North-west wee steered away and made our way East South-east From our weighing till noone eleuen leagues Our soundings were eight nine ten eleuen twelue and thirteene fathomes till day Then we came to eighteene nineteene twentie and to sixe and twentie fathoms by noone Then I obserued the Sunne and found the height to bee 39. degrees 5. minutes and saw no Land In the after-noone the winde came to North by West So wee lay close by with our fore-sayle and our mayne-sayle and it was little winde vntill twelue of the clocke at mid-night then wee had a gale a little while Then I sounded and all the night our soundings were thirtie and sixe and thirtie fathomes and wee went little The one and thirtieth faire weather and little wind At sixe of the clocke in the morning we cast about to the Northward the wind being at the North-east little wind At noone it fell calme and I found the height to bee 38. degrees 39. minutes And the streames had deceiued vs and our sounding was eight and thirtie fathoms In the afternoone I sounded againe and had but thirtie fathoms So we found that we were heaued too and fro with the streames of the Tide both by our obseruations and our depths From noone till foure of the clocke in the after-noone it was calme At sixe of the clocke wee had a little gale Southerly and it continued all night sometimes calme and sometimes a gale wee went eight leagues from noone to noone North by East The first of September faire weather the wind variable betweene East and South we steered away North North-west At noone we found our height to bee 39. degrees 3. minutes Wee had soundings thirtie twentie seuen twentie foure and twentie two fathomes as wee went to the Northward At sixe of the clocke wee had one and twentie fathomes And all the third watch till twelue of the clocke at mid-night we had soundings one and twentie two and twentie eighteene two and twentie one and twentie eighteene and two and twentie fathoms and went sixe leagues neere hand North North-west The second in the morning close
North. In the morning we weighed at seuen of the clocke with the ebbe and got downe below the Mountaynes which was seuen leagues Then it fell calme and the floud was come and wee anchored at twelue of the clocke The people of the Mountaynes came aboord vs wondring at our ship and weapons We bought some small skinnes of them for Trifles This after-noone one Canoe kept hanging vnder our sterne with one man in it which we could not keepe from thence who got vp by our Rudder to the Cabin window and stole out my Pillow and two Shirts and two Bandeleeres Our Masters Mate shot at him and strooke him on the brest and killed him Whereupon all the rest fled away some in their Canoes and so leapt out of them into the water We manned our Boat and got our things againe Then one of them that swamme got hold of our Boat thinking to ouerthrow it But our Cooke tooke a Sword and cut off one of his hands and he was drowned By this time the ebbe was come and we weighed and got downe two leagues by that time it was darke So we anchored in foure fathomes water and rode well The second faire weather At breake of day wee weighed the wind being at North-west and got downe seuen leagues then the floud was come strong so we anchored Then came one of the Sauages that swamme away from vs at our going vp the Riuer with many other thinking to betray vs. But wee perceiued their intent and suffered none of them to enter our ship Whereupon two Canoes full of men with their Bowes and Arrowes shot at vs after our sterne in recompence whereof we discharged sixe Muskets and killed two or three of them Then aboue an hundred of them came to a point of Land to shoot at vs. There I shot a Falcon at them and killed two of them whereupon the rest fled into the Woods Yet they manned off another Canoe with nine or ten men which came to meet vs. So I shot at it also a Falcon and shot it through and killed one of them Then our men with their Muskets killed three or foure more of them So they went their way within a while after wee got downe two leagues beyond that place and anchored in a Bay cleere from all danger of them on the other side of the Riuer where we saw a very good piece of ground and hard by it there was a Cliffe that looked of the colour of a white greene as though it were either Copper or Siluer Myne and I thinke it to be one of them by the Trees that grow vpon it For they be all burned and the other places are greene as grasse it is on that side of the Riuer that is called Manna-hata There we saw no people to trouble vs and rode quietly all night but had much wind and raine The third was very stormie the wind at East North-east In the morning in a gust of wind and raine our Anchor came home and we droue on ground but it was Ozie Then as we were about to haue out an Anchor the wind came to the North North-west and droue vs off againe Then we shot an Anchor and let it fall in foure fathomes water and weighed the other Wee had much wind and raine with thicke weather so we roade still all night The fourth was faire weather and the wind at North North-west wee weighed and came out of the Riuer into which we had runne so farre Within a while after wee came out also of The great mouth of the great Riuer that runneth vp to the North-west borrowing vpon the Norther side of the same thinking to haue deepe water for wee had sounded a great way with our Boat at our first going in and found seuen six and fiue fathomes So we came out that way but we were deceiued for we had but eight foot an halfe water and so to three fiue three and two fathomes and an halfe And then three foure fiue sixe seuen eight nine and ten fathomes And by twelue of the clocke we were cleere of all the Inlet Then we tooke in our Boat and set our mayne-sayle and sprit-sayle and our top-sayles and steered away East South-east and South-east by East off into the mayne sea and the Land on the Souther-side of the Bay or Inlet did beare at noone West and by South foure leagues from vs. The fift was faire weather and the wind variable betweene the North and the East Wee held on our course South-east by East At noone I obserued and found our height to bee 39. degrees 30. minutes Our Compasse varied sixe degrees to the West We continued our course toward England without seeing any Land by the way all the rest of this moneth of October And on the seuenth day of Nouember stilo nono being Saturday by the Grace of God we safely arriued in the Range of Dartmouth in Deuonshire in the yeere 1609. CHAP. XVII An Abstract of the Iournall of Master HENRY HVDSON for the Discouerie of the North-west Passage begunne the seuenteenth of Aprill 1610. ended with his end being treacherously exposed by some of the Companie THe seuenteenth of Aprill 1610. we brake ground and went downe from Saint Katharines Poole and fell downe to Blacke-wall and so plyed downe with the ships to Lee which was the two and twentieth day The two and twentieth I caused Master Coleburne to bee put into a Pinke bound for London with my Letter to the Aduenturers importing the reason wherefore I so put him out of the ship and so plyed forth The second of May the wind Southerly at Eeuen we were thwart of Flamborough Head The fift we were at the Iles of Orkney and here I set the North end of the Needle and the North of the Flie all one The sixt wee were in the latitude of 59. degrees 22. minutes and there perceiued that the North end of Scotland Orney and Shotland are not so Northerly as is commonly set downe The eight day wee saw Farre Ilands in the latitude of 62. degrees 24. minutes The eleuenth day we fell with the Easter part of Island and then plying along the Souther part of the Land we came to Westmony being the fifteenth day and still plyed about the mayne Iland vntill the last of May with contrary winds and we got some Fowles of diuers sorts The first day of Iune we put to Sea out of an Harbour in the Westermost part of Island and so plyed to the Westward in the latitude of 66. degrees 34. minutes and the second day plyed and found our selues in 65. degrees 57. minutes with little wind Easterly The third day wee found our selues in 65. degrees 30. minutes with winde at North-east a little before this we sayled neere some Ice The fourth day we saw Groneland ouer the Ice perfectly and this night the Sunne went downe due North and rose North North-east So plying the
subtilly to draw me to take vpon me to search for those things which himselfe had stolne and accused me of a matter no lesse then Treason amongst vs that I had deceiued the company of thirtie Cakes of bread Now they began to talke amongst themselues that England was no safe place for them and Henry Greene swore the shippe should not come into any place but keepe the Sea still till he had the Kings Majesties hand and Seale to shew for his safetie They had many deuices in their heads but Henry Greene in the end was their Captaine and so called of them From these Ilands we stood to the North-east and the Easter Land still in sight wee raysed those Ilands that our Master called Rumnies Ilands Betweene these Ilands and the shallow ground to the East of them our Master went downe into the first great Bay We kept the East shoare still in our sight and comming thwart of the low Land wee ranne on a Rocke that lay vnder water and strooke but once for if shee had we might haue beene made Inhabitans of that place but God sent vs soone off without any harme that wee saw Wee continued our course and raysed Land a head of vs which stretched out to the North which when they saw they said plainly that Robert Billet by his Northerly course had left the Capes to the South and that they were best to seeke downe to the South in time for releife before all was gone for we had small store left But Robert Billet would follow the Land to the North saying that he hoped in God to find somewhat to releeue vs that way as soone as to the South I told them that this Land was the Mayne of Worsenhome Cape and that the shallow rockie ground was the same that the Master went downe by when he went into the great Bay Robert Iuet and all said it was not possible vnlesse the Master had brought the ship ouer Land and willed them to looke into the Masters Card and their course how well they did agree We stood to the East and left the mayne Land to the North by many small Ilands into a narrow gut betweene two Lands and there came to an Anchor The Boat went ashoare on the North side where wee found the great Horne but nothing else The next day wee went to the South side but found nothing there saue Cockle grasse of which we gathered This grasse was a great releefe vnto vs for without it we should hardly haue got to the Capes for want of victuall The wind seruing we stood out but before we could get cleane out the wind came to the West so that we were constrayned to anchor on the North side The next day wee weighed and doubled the point of the North Land which is high Land and so continueth to the Capes lying North and South some fiue and twentie or thirtie leagues To the North we stood to see store of those Fowles that breed in the Capes and to kill some with our shot and to fetch them with our Boat We raised the Capes with joy and bare for them and came to the Ilands that lie in the mouth of the streight but bearing in betweene the Rockie Iles we ranne on a Rocke that lay vnder water and there stucke fast eight or nine houres It was ebbing water when we thus came on so the floud set vs afloat God guiding both wind and Sea that it was calme and faire weather the ebbe came from the East and the floud from the West When wee were afloat wee stood more neere to the East shoare and there anchored The next day being the seuen and twentieth of Iuly we sent the Boat to fetch some Fowle and the ship should way and stand as neere as they could for the wind was against vs. They had a great way to row and by that meanes they could not reach to the place where the Fowle bred but found good store of Gulls yet hard to come by on the Rocks and Cliffes but with their Peeces they killed some thirtie and towards night returned Now we had brought our ship more neere to the mouth of the Streights and there came to an anchor in eighteen or twentie fathom water vpon a Râ—ffe or shelfe of ground which after they had weighed their Anchor and stood more neere to the place where the Fowle bred they could not find it againe nor no place like it but were faine to turne to and fro in the mouth of the Streight and to be in danger of Rockes because they could not find ground to let fall an Anchor in the water was so deepe The eight and twentieth day the Boat went to Digges his Cape for Fowle and made directly for the place where the Fowle bred and being neere they saw seuen Boates come about the Easterne point towards them When the Sauages saw our Boate they drew themselues together and drew their lesser Boats into their bigger and when they had done they came rowing to our Boat and made signes to the West but they made readie for all assayes The Sauages came to them and by signes grew familiar one with another so as our men tooke one of theirs into our Boate and they tooke one of ours into their Boate. Then they carried our man to a Coue where their Tents stood toward the West of the place where the Fowle bred so they carried him into their Tents where he remayned till our men returned with theirs Our Boat went to the place where the Fowle bred and were desirous to know how the Sauages killed their Fowle he shewed them the manner how which was thus They take a long Pole with a snare at the end which they put about the Fowles necke and so plucke them downe When our men knew that they had a better way of their owne they shewed him the vse of our Peeces which at one shot would kill seuen or eight To be short our Boat returned to their Coue for our man and to deliuer theirs When they came they made great joy with dancing and leaping and stroking of their brests they offered diuers things to our men but they only tooke some Morses Teeth which they gaue them for a Knife and two glasse buttons and so receiuing our man they came aboard much rejoycing at this chance as if they had met with the most simple and kind people of the World And Henry Greene more then the rest was so confident that by no meanes we should take care to stand vpon our Guard God blinding him so that where hee made reckoning to receiue great matters from these people he receiued more then he looked for and that suddenly by being made a good example for all men that make no conscience of doing euill and that we take heed of the Sauage people how simple soeuer they seeme to be The next day the nine and twentieth of Iuly they made haste to
not maintaine a fore-course and draue vs backe to the altitude 63. degrees 56. minutes The storme continued so exceeding violent that I was faine to spoone before it fortie eight houres and the same wind and weather continued till the twentie one day and in that time wee were driuen as farre to the Southwards as Shottland And being faire by the Land and seeing no likelihood of faire weather I got a Fisher-man to conduct mee to a good Harbour called Hamersound not so much to eschew the stormy weather as to stop some leakes and to amend our rackling I tarryed in Shottland till the twelfth of April 1610. at which time the wind was Southerly The former wind came to the North at midnight with great store of Snow which froze as fast as it fell which wind continued till the fourteenth at noone At two of the clocke it came to the East north-east and I stood to the Northwards after many stormes much cold Snow and extreame Frosts I had sight of the North-cape the second day of May. Then I stood towards Chery Iland the winde being at West North-west The third day at noone the Cape bare South South-east seauenteene leagues off we had much Snow with Frost The fourth day it was thicke weather with great store of Snow and Frost the winde at North-west and by North. The fift day it was faire weather the winde at North North-east The sixt day at two of the clocke in the morning I met with some Ice but not very thicke so that I held my course toward Chery Iland the winde being at South at fiue of the clocke I saw the Ice so thicke that I could not possibly get through it Then I stood to the West wards with a short sayle and sounded but had no ground at a hundred fathome thicke foggie weather at eight of the clocke it began to cleere vp and I stoode into the Ice finding it scattered in some places and at twelue at noone I found the Pole eleuated aboue the horizon 74. degrees 7. minutes and sounded but had no ground at one hundred and seauentie fathomes From twelue till foure I ran North North-west two leagues and sounded and had a hundred and sixtie fathomes Then Chery Island did beare as I iudged North North-west about fifteene leagues off or more from foure till eight it was calme at eight of the clocke the winde came Southerly and I stood towards the Iland and found the Ice so thicke that the Ship had no roome to wend and withall such a fogge that I could not see one Cables length in which time the Ship had many a knocke but thankes be to God no harme was done By twelue of the clocke the seauenth day I got out of the Ice and lay a hull till the North Sunne at which time it began to be cleere weather then I set saile and stood to the Eastwards cold frosty weather The eight day it was very foggie the winde at North and by East with Snow and Frost I stood to the Eastwards in hope to get the Easter end of the Ice and so to Chery Island and I ranne into a Channell betweene two firme bankes of Ice and could finde no way through but lay in the Ice till the ninth day at a South Sunne Then I obserued and found the Ship in the altitude 74. degrees and 17. minutes the winde being at North North-west very faire weather but frostie I sailed in the abouesaid Ice one while one way and another while another in hope to finde some opening towards the Iland but which way soeuer I stood I saw all the Sea couered with Ice At a South Sunne the tenth day I obserued both with my Astrolabe and Crossestaffe and found the Poles height 74. degrees and 15. minutes and the variation 13. degrees and 30. minutes the North point Westerly by a North Sunne I got out of the Ice into the open Sea and to write each course way and winde with all other accidents would be too tedious but the thirteenth day of May at midnight I sounded being in very thicke Ice and had a hundred thirtie eight fadoms there presently I espied the Lionesse standing into the Ice I kept her company till eight of the clocke at night and then I steered as followeth from eight aboue said till twelue at noone The foureteenth day I sailed North-west and by North twelue leagues the winde at South South-east thicke foggie weather from twelue till foure at night I sailed seauen leagues North the same winde and weather with raine And by the fifteenth day at foure of the clocke in the morning I had sailed North twentie seauen leagues the same winde and weather at what time I supposed that I was not farre from land because I see great store of Sea-Foule about the Ship at eight of the clocke I sounded but had no ground at a hundred and fortie fathome very foggy weather likewise I sounded at twelue of the clocke at noone no ground at a hundred thirtie fiue fathomes where I met with Ice and grear store of Fowle as before winde at South and foggie weather I stood through the Ice till eight of the clocke at night holding no course by reason of it at which time I sounded and had nintie fiue fathom greene oze the weather being all one and very much Ice from eight till ten of the clocke I sayled North one legaue and a halfe and had seuentie fiue fathoms rockie ground From ten till twelue at midnight I sayled North one league and a halfe and sounded and had thirtie seuen fathoms the wind being at South with great store of raine and fogs and abundance of Ice round about but something broken Then I stood off West and by South and tooke in all the Sayles except the fore-saile and maine top-saile and at one of the clocke the sixteenth day sounded and had fortie fathomes oze likewise I sounded at two of the clocke and had fiftie two fathomes I could neither perceiue Current nor Tide in all this time and it did raine as fast as I haue commonly seene in England then I stood to the East wards and at three of the clocke sounded and had fortie fathomes oze and thus I sailed among the Ice East and East and by South and East North-east keeping no certaine course by reason of the Ice and had these depths following 30.20.19.16 and fifteene fathomes and then I saw the Land within two leagues and lesse of me bearing betweene the South and by East and the North-west then I stood in East and by South supposing to haue found a harborough within a ledge of rocks that lay off a low point which seemed like an Iland and standing in I found depths 10.9.8.7.6.7.4 and three fathomes standing in it a shoald bay and full of rockes Then I steered a way North-west and by West and had six seuen eight and ten fathome foule ground this
part of this Land is foule ground a great way off therefore come no neerer this place then ten fathome and that will carry you cleere of all dangers that I could see Towards noone it cleered vp and I did looke the Meridian altitude of the Sunne which was 34. degrees and 20. minutes the declination being 21. degrees and 10. minutes North the Equator must bee 13. degrees and 10. minutes aboue and beneath my Horizon The Complement being 76. degrees and 50. minutes the Poles height Likewise I found by true obseruation the Compassâ— to vary 16. degrees and before I had sayled foure leagues I saw a Sound that lay East and by South in the winde comming to the East South-east then I sent the Skiffe on land in the mouth of the Sound because I supposed I had seene Morses on the land but they proued Rocks I followed into the said Bay with the ship but standing in I had a stiffe gale of winde off the shoaâ—e which draue abundance of Ice out of the Sound through the which I enforced the ship in hope there to haue found an Harbour in turning in I found these depths thirtie fiue thirtie twentie and eighteene fathoms The Boat came aboard about a North-west Sunne and the men told me they found deepe water within and foule ground they saw great store of Mohorses lying on the Ice but none on land and they brought a piece of a Deeres horne aboord therefore I called this Sound Horne Sound and a Mount that lyeth foure leagues to the South of it the Muscouy Companies Mount because it was my first landfale Then finding no benefit here to bee had nor Hauen for the ship I stood to Sea and sayled North-west and by North foure leagues at midnight it blew very hard and I stood to the Westwards with a short sayle and sayled foure leagues West by eight of the clock the seuenteenth day Then I stood to the Landwards the winde being at South South-west thick weather and three leagues from me I saw a Point which I named the Ice Point because there lay abundance of Ice vpon it Then I saw another Point beare North North-west fiue leagues off which I named Bell Point because of a Hill formed like a Bell on the top and to the Northwards of Bell Point goes in a great Bay with two Sounds in it the one lieth in East South-east the other North-east and by East the last Sound you can hardly discerne by reason there is a long Iland lying in the mouth of it But the going into the said Sound is on the North side yet there is an Inlet vnder Point-partition but very narrow and full of Rocks and an exceeding strong Tyde setteth in there This day I found the weather very warme and farre temperater then I haue found it at the North Cape at this time of the yeere this place lying in 77. degrees and 25. minutes and the Cape in 71. degrees and 20. minutes this place being to the Northwards of the Cape 6. degrees and 5. minutes and note two leagues to the Southwards of Bell Point is a ledge of Rocks three miles off the shoare and come no neerer the shoare then fifteene fathom vpon the North side of the Bay is low land which I named Lownesse Iland I called the North Sound Lowe Sound Into the Bay I turned the winde at East North-east faire weather turning in I had no lesse then fortie fathoms close by the shoare and in the middest no ground at sixtie fathoms and being neere the Point that parteth both the Sounds the winde increased with raine Then I saw the Sound frozen ouer from side to side and vpon the Ice a Beare and great store of Mohorses but the winde blew so extreme hard that the Boat could not row to windwards to trie if we could kill some of them The fogs and raine continued till ten of the clock the nineteenth day at which time the raine ceased and it did freeze with snow and winde and fogs as before From twelue at mid-night the nineteenth day till foure in the morning the twentieth day I sayled three leagues South-west and by South then I found the Ice thicker then before It was very thick fogs with winde frost and snow and cold that I thinke they did striue here which of them should haue the superioritie I put into the Ice aforesaid in hope to get through and after many a sore stroke with the ship in it I got through at a South-west Sunne at what time it began to be faire weather Then I stood through the Ice towards the land againe in hope that that land would proue worth the labour and trauell and going to set the mayne top sayle it was frozen as hard as euer I saw any cloath in all my life time so that all my company could very hardly set it and whereas I supposed and haue often said that this climate is not so subiect to foggs in May and Iune as it is in Iuly and August it is contrarie for I haue not seene the Sunne on the Meridian these fiue dayes nor seene it at all in sixtie houres I had not sailed three leagues North-east when it was as thicke as it was before with Frost and Snow yet I stood still towards the Land The twentie one I saw the Land at an East Sunne and stood towards it and at a South and by West Westerly I obserued the Sunne and found the Meridian altitude of it 33. degrees 30. minutes the declination being 21. degrees 56. minutes c. the altitude of the Pole was 78. degrees 26. minutes The winde at North North-east cold frostie weather This place I called the Black-point Ile I called a point that lyeth foure leagues to the North-west of Black-point Cape-cold and to the South-east of Black-point is a great sound which because it was couered with Ice I called Ice-sound and standing neerer to the shore I could not see any Sound or Harbour open therefore I determined to stand to the Northwards to seeke what good might be done that way to profit the Merchants and also to get some Wood for we had but little left I sounded at the Black-point and had twentie three fathomes streamy ground At two of the clocke I stood off and at midnight stood to the shore againe cold weather with frost the winde at North and by East The two and twentieth day at an East Sunne I was faire by the Land betweene Cape-cold and Black-point a league off where it fell calme and I sounded there and had twentie eight fathoms where I tried for Fish but could take none The three and twentieth day at an East North-east Sunne I was within three leagues of Capecold this day it was faire weather and I tooke the Sunnes height at twelue of the clocke and found it to be 33. degrees 30. minutes the declination being 22. degrees 13
standing to the Northwards I saw the Sea couered with Ice which lay close to the Land which made me stand to the Southwards again I obserued at Gurnerds-nose and found the Poles height 79. degrees 50. minutes At a North-west Sun the same day I sent the skiffe on Land to search the Coast to the Southwards of Knottie-point where I sounded and had twenty foure fathomes Foule-ground and in the Fayre-way I sounded hauing these depths 30.35.45 and 48. fathomes all Rocky-ground By the seuenteenth day I was in the entrance of Close-coue at a South Sun at which time the Skiffe came aboord and brought a Beares skin and a Buck and a good quantite of Whales Fins and an Vnicornes horne which was fiue foot and seuen inches long and in the biggest part of it it was seuen inches and a halfe about The eighteenth day at a South Sun I came into the Road where I rid all that day hauing very much wind and raine that wee could doe nothing At a North Sunne I sent my Mate with the Skiffe and sixe men to seeke for more Fins c. The ninteenth day at a North Sun they came aboord hauing slaine ten Beares three of their skins and fat they brought aboord and a good quantitie of Fins and six paire of teeth The twentieth day in the morning I sent both the Boat and Skiffe to slay the other seuen Beares the wind being at North faire weather But they were no sooner gone but it blew very hard at North which brought abundance of Ice out of the bottome of the Sound but did the Ship no hurt At a West South West Sunne the Boats came aboord with the Beares skins the wind abouesaid set so much Ice out of the sound vpon the Ship that it inforced mee to set sayle The one and twentieth day at a North Sun I stood towardes Fayer-forland and sent out the skiffe The two and twentieth day at a South-east sunne they came aboord with the skiffe laden with Fins and killed fiue Deere Then I went on Land to search what I could find and I slew a Beare and tooke a young one aliue and at three of the clocke in the afternoone I came aboord with the skiffe laden with Fins The three twentieth day at a South-east sun the Boat came aboord and brought a good quantitie of Finnes and a Beares skinne Then I stood toward Cape-cold and the same day at a South sunne I sent the skiffe on Land to the Northwards of the Cape where they found sixteene Mohorses on a rocke which they slue and at a North-east sun the foure and twentieth day they had brought all the teeth and blubber of them aboord at which time the wind came to the North-west and blew verie hard then I stood towardes the Ice-sound to seeke what commodities it would yeeld At a North sunne I was neere Black-point which hath a great many sunken Rockes lying on the southermost end of it therefore you must come no neerer that shoare then twentie fiue fathomes The fiue and twentieth day till a South sun it was calme and the tyde droue the ship so farre from the Land that I could not send the boat on shoare The sixe and twentieth day at a South South-west Sunne I came aboord more laden with trauell then commodities at which time I slue a Buck. Then I stood toward Ice-sound and at a Point which parteth Foule-sound and Ice-sound I had thirtie fathomes oze so to ten fathomes Rockes then I steered East along the shoare and had betwixt thirtie and fifteene fathomes oze and sand In fifteen fathomes I anchored hauing the wind at North North-west faire weather at a North-west sun at a North sun I sent the skiffe to the shoare to search for commodities The seuen and twentieth day of Iune at an East North-east sun they came aboord and brought a good parcell of fins At six of the clock I sent the Skiffe to the Land againe and set sayle with the ship but it being calme and the tide setting the Ship towards a ledge of rocks made mee to anchor againe At a South South-east Sun they came aboord againe and brought a good quantitie of fins at a South Sunne I sent the Skiffe towardes the mouth of Ice-sound and in the entrance thereof I found a Coue in the which was twentie fathomes and so to thirteene but by reason of the tyde and edy-winds I could not get into it here the Skiffe came aboord and brought a few finnes Then I steered to another Sound in the Southside of Ice-sound where I anchored in twentie fathomes oze the same day at a North Sun The eight and twentieth day I stayed at the place abouesaid and tried the Beares grease to bring it into oyle and when we were all busied a Beare came swimming ouer the Bay towards the ship which I slew and split my Peece the wind being at West The nine and twentieth day at a South-east Sunne I sent the skiffe to search the Coast to the Westwards of this Bay the wind at North-west The last of Iune the skiffe came aboord at a South-east Sunne and brought a few Finnes and a Bucke the wind at North. The first of Iuly being Sunday I rid at the place abouesaid in hope to haue more Moon Land I obserued heere and found this place in 78. degrees 24. minutes and the variation Westwards seuenteene degrees Then I sent the skiffe to see if any more beasts were on Land The wind at Northwest faire weather The second day at a North North-east Sunne they came aboord and brought two Deere The third wee slew a few Morses whose teeth and blubber wee brought aboord at a North-west Sunne at which time I slew a Pricket this place I named the Green-hauen Immediately I sent the skiffe to take the teeth and fat of seuen beasts which lay slaine in another place The wind at West thicke foggie weather It floweth here on the Change day South and by West and hyeth sixe foot water and runneth halfe tyde halfe quarter The fourth day wee rid still at the South-west with fogges and raine and very much wind at the same time I saw great store of Ice in Ice sound The fifth day at a North-east Sunne I wayed the wind at West thicke weather and in standing out wee slew a she Beare and tooke her two young ones Indifferent faire weather we lay becalmed all this day The sixth day I was off Lownesse at a South Sunne the wind being at East blew so hard with raine and thicke weather that I was enforced to take in all the sayles saue a Mayne course which storme continued till eight at night at which time I set more sayle and stood to the Southwardes hoping to get some goods that way The seuenth day at noone the wind came to the North-east and then it began to bee cleere weather at what time I saw the Land of Bel-sound whither
Southwards and to see what Commodities I could find that way At nine of the clocke I was neere the Ice-sound where I met with much Ice which put mee from the Land and I was enforced to 〈◊〉 South-west and by South to shunne it the winde at North-west which blew hard with fogges The wind increased I stood towards Cherrie Iland if possible I could attayne it for fogges and Ice The thirtieth day at foure of the clocke in the morning I saw no Ice hauing kept to certayne course by reason of the Ice which I had past the winde at North and by West cold foggie weather with raine From the time aboue-said till twelue of the clocke at noone I sayled South South-east and ranne fifteene leagues the same wind and weather at which time I sounded had eightie fathoms greene oze like Kowes dung I sounded at two of the clocke and at foure of the clock the first eightie eight the second eightie two fathomes and sayled sixe leagues the formes course wind and weather At which time I heard a breach which proued Ice then I steered West to eschew it the fogges being so thicke that I could not see one Cables length The last of Iuly at noone I had sayled South and by East halfe a point Southerly eight leagues hauing little wind and sounded and found one hundred and fortie fathomes thicke foggie weather and in haling vp the Lead a fish followed it to the top of the water then I tryed to take fish but could not At foure of the clocke in the afternoone the winde came Southerly and I stood to the Westward by reason the Ice lay both to the South and East of vs at a North 〈◊〉 it was cleere weather and I saw the Ice round about vs cold weather with frost The first of August we beat in the Ice till noone but could finde no end thereof because it was so foggie and the Ice packed very close yet after many intricate courses I got to the Westward◠of it at mid-night the same day the winde at South-east cold weather with raine and fogges And after I had seene so much Ice that I could not come neere Cherry Iland to prosecute the rest of my Voyage I determined to stand for England as God would giue me leaue From mid-night the first day till eight of the clocke the second day before noone I sayled South-west and by South fiue leagues the wind at East South-east thicke fogges with raine From the second day at eight of the clocke till the third day at twelue of the clock at noone I sayled West South-west fifteene leagues the wind at South and by East wet foggie weather From noone abouesaid till twelue at noone the fourth day I sayled foure leagues South the winde variable and the most part of that time calme and so continued till eight of the clocke at night at which time the wind came to the South and by East and blew very hard from the fourth day at noon till the fift day at noone I sayled South-west Westerly seuen leagues The sixt day the winde was at South-east cleere weather at noone I found the shippe in 73. degrees the North Cape bearing by my computation East South-east Easterly The seuenth day at noone I found the ship in 72. degrees 22. minutes indifferent faire weather And from the seuenth day at noone till the eight day at noone I sayled foure and twentie leagues the course South South-west the wind at South-east and by East at which time it beganne to be very foggie and the winde came to the South but immediatly it was calme and continued so till mid-night Then the wind came to the North little wind and at a South Sunne the ninth day I had sayled South seuen leagues From the ninth day at noone till the tenth day at that time I sayled South and ranne seuen leagues South it being calme most part of the day with much rayne and fogges From twelue the tenth day till noone the eleuenth day I sayled South and by West and ranne seuenteene leagues the wind Northerly And from the eleuenth day at noone till the twelfth at that time I sayled South and by West eighteene leagues the winde at North North-west faire weather From noone the twelfth day vntill twelue at noone the thirteenth day I sayled South and by West fortie eight leagues the wind betweene the North and the West North-west gustie weather From the thirteenth at noone till the fourteenth at noone I sayled South and by West fortie fiue leagues the wind betwixt the West North-west and the West South-west gustie weather latitude 64. degrees 21. minutes From the fourteenth day at noone till the fifteenth day at that time I sayled South and by West nine and twentie leagues at which time I obserued and found the ship in 62. degrees 53. minutes faire weather the wind at North. At foure of the clocke the same day I saw Skutsnesse in Norway seuenteene leagues off and bearing South-east from whence I hold it superfluous to write it being a place well knowne The last of August I arriued at London Blessed be God for euer and euer Amen A briefe note what Beasts Fowles and Fishes were seene in this Land BEasts Buckes and Does white Beares and Foxes of colour dunne and grey Fowles white Partridges a small land Bird like a Sparrow partly white and partly browne a Fowle with a combe and a tayle like a Cock a redde Fowle of the bignesse of a Pidgeon a white Fowle with a greene bill the top of the bill of it and the eyes were redde with blacke feet Wild Geese Coluidines Gulls Sea-mewes Willockes Noddies Ice-birds Reeks and Sea-pidgeons Fishes great store of Whales Gramposes Mohorses the white fish I spake of the seuenth of Iune a small fish like Cuplen likewise I saw the bones of Cods or Haddocks but could take no fish I often looked for Shel-fish but could take none diuers of my company did see two Beauers CHAP. II. A Commission for IONAS POOLE our Seruant appointed Master of a small Barke called the Elizabeth of fiftie tunnes burthen for Discouerie to the Northward of Greenland giuen the last day of March 1610. IN as much as it hath pleased Almightie God through the industry of your selfe and others to discouer vnto our Nation a Land lying in eightie degrees toward the North-pole We are desirous not only to discouer farther to the Northward along the said Land to find whether the same be an Iland or a Mayne and which way the same doth trend either to the Eastward or to the Westward of the Pole as also whether the same be inhabited by any people or whether there be an open Sea farther Northward then hath beene alreadie discouered For accomplishing of all which our desires we haue made choice of you and to that end haue entertayned you into our seruice for certayne yeares vpon a stipend certayne not doubting but you will so
kill the Whale About a West North-west sunne they went away the winde at South The twentieth the Biscaine shallop came aboord of vs from the Foreland and told vs that they had strooken three Whales which brake away The two and twentieth wee rid still the winde being at North-west with snowe and frost The fiue and twentieth we got the Whale on flote hauing stopped her leake We were no sooner off but it blew most fiercely so that the Whales long Boate and our shallop brake from the Whales sterne and were split in pieces on the Ice that lay on shoare The same day about a South sunne two men came from Faire Foreland and told vs that Master Edge was come from the South in the Pinnasse and had spoken with one Nicolas Woodcock an English man which was my Mate to this Countrey of Greenland in the yeere 1610. The said VVoodcocke was now Pilot of a ship of Saint Sebastian in Biscay and rid in Ice Sound Moreouer they spake with the men of the Boate of the Diana and saw the Hollanders Boate but spake not with their men The two men abouesaid told vs likewise that Iohn Chapel our Baske with fiue English men had killed a Whale and betwixt them and another shallop they had slaine another and had them both on shoare The seuen and twentieth we rid still and our Carpenter went to worke to mend the knee of our beake-head And I went to see what Morses were on Land where I found neere one hundred and fiftie The eight and twentieth the shallop that had all English men in her saue one Baske came aboord for prouision and told me that they and Iohannes Chapel had slaine a great Whale close by our ship which towed them off into the Sound and our long Boate followed them At the same time we saw sixe Whales close by the ships side as we rode in harbour and we saw great store in the Sound and within one houre there were so many about our ships and in the Sound that we could not count them About a North-west sunne our long Boate brought the men that strooke the Whale abouesaid and towed their shallop on land for the said Whale had sunke her with his taile The same time our Carpenter went to worke on the broken shallop and I went to the place where the Morses lay where I found about three hundred on land Then I went aboord the Whale to get some harping Irons for they had all but I could get but one because the rest of the Basks had laid them vp enuying that one Baske that went with all English men had done so much because by their good wills they would not haue vs to haue any insight into this businesse Moreouer hee that had the chiefest command in this voyage did greatly condemne the going of so many English men with that one Baske either for feare they should kill none and lose all their prouision for the said vse or for feare that our men should kill the Whale aswell and as soone as they yet was there none of the other Boates but had lost more then they had lost And as for killing there was not one Whale killed with one Boate alone saue ours with all English saue the Baske aforesaid which slue three without the helpe of any other Boate. This day the Basks slue another Whale at the Foreland The nine and twentieth the broken shallop was mended and I went to the Foreland to see whether the other shallops would come where the ships rode in harbour where abundance of Whales were still The same time the Basks killed another Whale Then I romaged my ship and put caske on land All this day it was calme The last of Iune one came from the Foreland and told vs that the Basks had slaine two great Whales All this day likewise it was calme and there lay abundance of huge Whales in the harbour about our ships One of the whales abouesaid Iohannes with the fiue English men slue without any of the others helpe For they stood on the land flouting and saying that it was vnpossible for them to kill him and would not once lanch their Boates to helpe them yet hee was one of the greatest that were killed this yeere All this day the whales lay so thicke about the ship that some ran against our Cables some against the Ship and one against the Rudder One lay vnder our beake-head and slept there a long while At which time our Carpenter had hung a stage close by the water whereon his tooles lay And wee durst not molest the said whale for feare he should haue ouerthrowne the stage and drowned all his tooles In the end he went away and carried the ships head round his taile being foule of the Cable The first of Iuly at a North North-east Sunne the shallops came to kill whales in the harbour where we rid and strooke three which all brake away The same day Iohannes strooke a whale that smit in the side of his shallop and split it Now wee perceiued the whales to begin to goe out of the Bayes The second day the Basks slue three great whales faire by our ships in lesse then foure houres vvhich vvee vvith our long Boate and men towed into harbour and made fast to our ship And the Basks vvent with their shallops to Faire Foreland The seuenth day wee had abundance of Ice about our ships which vvith the winde and the tyde draue out off another Sound The eight vve rid still and vvere troubled vvith much Ice by reason of a storme that blue at South-vvest and by vvest c. The rest is omitted as hauing nothing of note but ordinarie accidents CHAP. V. A Iournall of the Voyage made to Greenland with sixe English ships and a Pinnasse in the yeere 1613. Written by Master WILLIAM BAFFIN BY the prouidence of Almightie God wee departed from Queenborough the thirteenth day of May with sixe good Ships viz. The Tigre Admirall the Matthew Vice-admirall the Sea-horse called the Gamaliel the Reare-admirall the Desire the Annula and the Richard and Bernard with the Iohn and Francis shortly to follow The one and twentieth day faire weather the winde Southward wee still making to the Northwards This morning wee had sight of Land on the Coast of Norway it lying East and by North off about twelue or fourteene leagues This day at noone we were in the latitude of 61. degrees and 30. minutes the variation of the Compasse at Scoutes-nes is eight degrees East it being about ten or twelue leagues off wee hauing made a North way halfe East about thirtie leagues The three and twentieth at noone in the latitude of 65. degrees and 45. minutes in which place the Needle of Declination doth dippe vnder the Horizon 63. degrees and 30. minutes by that Instrument which declineth 54. at London The thirtieth day about three of the clocke wee espied the land of Greenland
and blew a very stiffe gale Then we stood in for the shoare and spent most of this day in turning vp Horne-Sound And about a North North-west Sunne at ten a clock wee espied six ships lying at anchor on the South side of the Sound in a small Bay The one of them was Captaine Fopp the Dunkerker who came in before vs and was appointed by our Generall to come into this harbour and there to stay for vs and to goe to the Foreland to haue his other ship which we kept there Foure of them were Biscaines of Saint Sebastian and one of them was in the harbour where we road and found the French ship The sixt was a ship of Amsterdam wherein Thomas Bonner was Master and Pilot and aboue twentie English men more All the Biscaines came aboord of vs as soone as we were at an anchor but Thomas Bonner refused to come being sent for by our Generall Our Generall commanded our Gunner to shoot at him he himselfe discharging the second Ordnance Then presently he began to set saile and cut his cable thinking to get from vs but wee hauing shot him through three or foure times they began to weaue vs so we sent our shallop and he came aboord There were fiue or sixe more of the English men fetched aboord and some of our men sent to bring her to an anchor where shee might ride safe for shee was almost run ashoare This was about a North sunne or eleuen a clocke The Biscaines were charged presently to depart so soone as they had filled fresh water which they said they wanted and to bring what Whale finnes they had found or had taken or other things The fourteenth day faire weather the winde at East North-east This morning one of the Biscaines brought a few Whale finnes aboord of vs and the skin of a Beare which they had killed Then was our Boate-swaine sent aboord of them to search their ships and to bid them depart Our Generall kept the Holland ship wherein was Thomas Bonner to the vse of the Companie This day I obserued the latitude of this place by a Quadrant of foure foote Semidiameter and found it to stand in 75. degrees 55. minutes the Declination of the Needle vnder the Horizon is 67. degrees 30. minutes pointing to the Northwards but pointing to the Southwards it is 80. degrees The variation of the Compasse is 12. degrees 14. minutes west from the true Meridian but from our common sayling Compasse it is 17. degrees because the Compasse is touched fiue degrees and a halfe to the Eastward and the variation is to the Westward This day in the afternoone the foure ships of Biscay departed from this Harbour which is called Horne-Sound and about a North sunne I with the Master Thomas Sherin went ashoare with other to set vp another Crosse with the Kings Maiesties Armes cast in Lead nayled vpon it Then I obserued the Sunne vpon his North Meridian by my foresaid Quadrant and found it eleuated aboue the Horizon 10. degrees and thirtie minutes but because his heigth at the South Meridian and his heigth at the North did not agree in finding of the Latitude I did abate fiue minutes from each as the meane betwixt both for his altitude at the South Meridian was 36. degrees 40. minutes the declination 23. degrees and 29. minutes The fifteenth day faire weather the winde in the morning South but almost calme This day about noone we weighed anchor with the ship of Amsterdam and diuers of her men were fetched aboord vs with their Shipper and some of our men were sent aboord her with one of our Masters Mates called Master Spencer All this day it was so calme that wee were faine to towe our ship Our Carpenter did trim vp two of the Biscaine Shallops which they did leaue behinde them and they did leaue diuers Hoopes and Caske staued ashoare The eighteenth day faire weather the winde variable we stearing away Northward This afternoone wee met with another ship of Biscay being a ship of two or three hundred Tunnes Our Generall as he did to the rest caused her Master and Pilot to come aboord vs to whom he shewed his Commission charging them to depart this Countrey They seeing no remedie were content so soone as they had filled fresh water Wee met with them off the Southward part of the Iland Our Generall being so neere Greene Harbour where the Gamaliel and the Desire road wee went into the Sound to see them with this great ship of Biscay and the ship of Amsterdam We found that the entrance of Greene Harbour was quite stopped with Ice and ran our ship into it thinking to get through but wee could not Then wee got her out againe and came to the Bay where wee roade on the other side of the Sound in Pooppy Bay or Niches Coue. The nineteenth day faire weather the winde Northward This day about twelue of the clock we came to an anchor in the foresaid Bay This afternoone there came another ship of Saint Sebastian into the Bay where wee roade and about seuen of the clocke the Captaine came aboord of vs who told vs that he had lost six of his men and a shallop vpon the coast of Groineland vpon an Iland in the latitude of 72. degrees or thereabouts This was the Master which had beene here the last yeere and made a great voyage Master Woodcocke being their Pilot. His making so great a voyage was the cause that so many ships were here this yeere The twentieth in the morning we had newes that the Iohn and Francis was come about two dayes agoe and that they had killed one and twentie Whales at the Foreland and had also killed two at Greene harbour This day it was very close weather with some snowe the winde North-west This afternoone the Captaines of the two Biscay ships were commanded to depart this Coast. The one and twentieth wee perceiued another ship standing toward vs. Wee lessâ—ned our sailes and stayed for her to see what shee was At length we perceiued her to bee another Biscaine About a North sâ—nne we came to an anchor in Greene harbour by the Gamaliel and the Desire and the ship of Burdeaux and the Biscaine followed vs. So soone as they were come to an anchor their Captaine came aboord of vs to whom our Generall shewed his Commission as he had done to the rest charging him to depart those Coasts and told him that hee would take away some of their shallops They earnestly intreated him not to take them away and they would depart the Captaine offering his bond to our Generall that if he stayed either in Greenland Groineland or Cherie Iland he would willingly forfait all he was worth There was another Whale killed in Greene-harbour in the killing whereof there was a man slaine and a Boate ouerwhelmed by too much haste of following him after the harping Iron was in him The three and twentieth day
which is in the latitude of 79. degrees 8. minutes This night was very cleere and faire weather and also calme by which meanes I had very good opportunitie to finde the suâ—â—ies refraction For beholding it about a North North-east sunne by the common Compasse at which time the sunne was at the lowest it was but one fift part of his body aboue the Horizon hauing about foure fifth parts below so neere as I could gesse His declination for that instant was 10. degrees 35. minutes North being at noone in the 2. degree 7. minutes of Virgo his daily motion was 58. minutes whose halfe beeing nineteene to bee added to the former because it was at twelue houres afore noone I say his place at that instant was 2. degrees 26. minutes of Virgo whose declination was as before 10. degrees 35. minutes the Latitude of the place was 78. degrees 47. minutes whose complement was 11. degrees 13. minutes the declination being substractâ—d from the complement of the Poles eleuation leaueth 38. minutes foure fiue part of which 12. minutes which being substracted from 38. leaueth 26. minutes for the Refraction But I suppose the Refraction is more or lesse according as the ayre is thicke or cleare which I leaue for better schollers to discusse but this I thought good to note for the better helpe of such as doe profesie this studie The sixteenth day also very faire weather and for the most part calme the winde that was was aâ— North-west This morning we espied a ship out in the often ouer against Cold-cape which we stood with and she also stood with vs. And when we came to her wee found her to be the Desire a shippe of Alborough Our Generall sent for the Master and Merchant aboard of vs who certified him that they came from Killedeene and that they had made but a bad Voyage of fiâ—h and they were come to see if we could fraight them home The Merchant was of London whose name was Master Cudner the Masters name was Fletcher who also brought sixe men which Thomas Bonner had left at Cherie Iland These sixe men had killed but one Morse all this yeere at the Iland who also told vs that William Gourdon was gone to the Northwards At noone the three and twentieth day I obserued the variation of the Compasse and found it to be one degree 5. minutes East The three and twentieth day faire weather with a fine gale at North and by East We stearing away South and by West halfe South being aâ— noone by supposition in the latitude of 69. degrees no minutes Hauing sailed since yesterday noone some thirtie leagues South true The foure and twentieth day very faire weather and cleere the winde all the fore-noone Northwards but about noone it came to the South-east This morning I obserued the middle starre in the Great Beares tayle and found it to bee in the latitude of 68. degrees 24. minutes about two a clocke at which time that starre was on the Meridian vnder the Pole Also I obserued the starre in the Beares Rumpe about one a clock and found the like latitude Also all this day we had sight of Rost Ilands being about ten or eleuen leagues off vs. Also at noone I obserued the latitude by the Sun and found vs to be in the latitude of 68. degrees no minutes which did agree with the former Obseruations by the starres Also the variation of this placâ— is 4. degrees 8. minutes East from the true Meridian wee hauing runne since yesterday noone some two and twentie leagues South and by West Almost all the afternoon it was almost calme The fiue and twentieth day also very faire weather the winde this morning came to the East South-east a fine easie gale We steered away South and by West halfe West ten leagues being at noone in the latitude of 67. degrees 5. minutes The variation of this place is 5. degrees 3. minutes East neere to the set of our Compasse This Euening the winde came to the South South-west which continued about two Watches The nine and twentieth day faire weather with a good gale of winde at North North-east From two this last night to sixe we stood away South-west and by South and at sixe we steered away South South-west being at noone by obseruation in 62. degrees no minutes The land about Scoutesnesse lyeth in this sort from sixtie three toward sixtie two it is nineteene leagues South South-west halfe Westward from thence tenne leagues South and by West which is two or three Ilands which are the West wardest land in Norway lying in the latitude of 62. degrees 44. minutes But whether these Ilands or a Point of land which lyeth about three or foure leagues more to the North be called Scoutesnesse I know not The sixt of September we entred the Thames CHAP. VI. A Voyage of Discouerie to Greenland c. Anno 1614. Written by RO. FOTHERBYE THe ship Thomasine went downe from Black-wall to Woolwich the sixteenth of Aprill and from thence to Grauesend the three and twentieth where shee remayned vntill the eight and twentieth of the same and weighing from thence she anchored againe in Tilberie Hope with ten ships more of good burthen and two Pinnasses all of the Greenland Fleet set forth also at the charge of the said Company vnder the command of Master Beniamin Ioseph Chiefe Captayne and Generall of the said Fleet. We set sayle out of Tilberie Hope the fourth of May and came to an anchor the same day in Lee Road where we stayed till the next morning then wee set sayle againe and went forth to Sea before night We proceeded in company of the Fleet and met with stragling Ice the fiue and twentieth of May in the latitude of 75. degrees 10. minutes through which wee passed without danger holding on our course all thaâ— day till time of mid-night then we found the Ice so close packt together that we were forced to tacke about and stand to the Westward till wee found more open passage wee plyed through it without any great danger till the eight and twentieth day but then being in fight of Land we passed amongst very much Ice all the fore-noone which lay in great abundance on both sides of vs but a desire as it seemes to get through it drew vs on to be the more intangled with it for about noone we could neither find a passage to goe forward nor way to retyre backe againe but being nine ships and two Pinnasses for the Prosperous and the Desire lost Company through foule weather the one and twentieth of May otherwise we had beene thirteene sayle we began very suddenly to bee inclosed and shut vp with Ice Now euery one wrought the best meanes he could for the safetie of his ship Our Master in the Thomasine caused a Hauser and a Grapnell to be carried forth and laid vpon a great Iland of Ice and so we rid as at an
from the North-west that wee were forced back againe to seek Harbour and came to an anchor the nineteenth of Iune in Crosse-road Here we stayed two dayes much wind blowing at the North North-east till the one and twentieth of Iune and then in the after-noone the wind came to the East and by South and the weather was faire therefore at a North North-west Sunne we weighed and set sayle againe and so did the Thomas Bonauenture that came to an anchor by vs this morning beeing also bound for Faire Hauen This next day in the afternoone we were thwart of Maudlen Sound and the weather being faire and calme we sent a shallop to the Northward to see what alteration there was amongst the Ice and to seeke out some good Harbour for a ship and also to set vp the Kings Armes at Hackluyts Head-land or some other conuenient place When Master Baffin was gone from the ship in the foresaid shallop I went presently into the other shallop into Maudlen Sound there to set vp the Kings Armes and also to see if there were any Morses come ashoare when I was within the Sound I found no Beeches bare for Morses to come vpon for Ice and snow lay yet vndissolued from the shoare side but I went to the Harbour and there caused a Crosse to be set vp and the Kings Armes to bee nayled thereon vnder which also I nayled a piece of sheet Lead whereon I set the Moscouie Companies Marke with the day of the moneth and yeere of our Lord. Then cutting vp a piece of Earth which afterward I carried aboard our ship I tooke it into my hand and said in the hearing of the men there present to this effect I take this piece of Earth as a signe of lawfull possession of this Countrey of King Iames his New-land and of this particular place which I name Trinitie Harbour taken on the behalfe of the Company of Merchants called the Merchants of New Trades and Discoueries for the vse of our Souereigne Lord Iames by the grace of God King of great Brittaine France and Ireland whose Royall Armes are here set vp to the end that all people who shall here arriue may take notice of his Maiesties Right and Title to this Countrey and to euery part thereof God saue King Iames. This is a good safe harbour and is vnder the latitude of 79 degrees 34. minutes as I haue found by good obseruation and haue of Westerly variation 25. degrees When I had here set vp the Kings armes I returned toward our ship which was come to an anchor at the entrance of Faire hauen staying till the floud came because that at the Tide of Ebbe there runnes a great current out of the Sound so at the next floud we came into Faire hauen and anchored by the Gamaliel and the Thomas Bonauenture the three and twentieth day of Iune Then Iohn Mason Master of the Gamaliel came aboord of our ship and I asked him if he had any worke for our men for I would cause them to come a shore he told me that hitherto he had not seene a Whale come in but his Furnaces and Coppers were already set vp and therefore as yet he had no neede of helpe but when occasion serued he would imploy them This day about eleauen a clocke Master Baffin returned in the Shallop from the Northwards he said that he had beene at Cape Barren which is the point of an Iland three or foure leagues from Hackluits headland but further then that he could not passe for Ice which lay close to the shore and he had not set vp the Kings armes in any place On Munday the seuen and twentieth day of Iune I went forth againe in the Shallop to the Northward partly to see what alteration there might be in the Ice with the Easterly windes which had blowne hard since the Shallop last returned but chiefely to set vp the Kings armes in some place conuenient because there was none set vp to the Northwards of Maudlen sound We rowed to Cape Barren where formerly Master Baffin had bin and finding the Ice there gone from the shore we proceeded further to an Iland which now we call the Saddle in respect of the forme thereof more then a league distant from Cape Barren In our way thither it began to snow and grew to be a great and vehement storme from the West North-west therefore we hasted and got to the lee side of the aforesaid Iland and there made fast our Shallop with a grapnell laid vpon the Icie shore vsing the best meanes we could with our shallops saile to keepe vs from the extremitie of so cold an harbour we staid here eight houres and the storme continued driuing the Ice still Eastward in great abundance and with wonderfull swiftnesse when the weather began to cleere I caused the men to rowe to Leewards to another Iland a league distant which seemed then to be a Cape of the maine land purposing there to set vp the Kings armes but afterwards wee found it to be an Iland and to the maine wee could not come for broken Ice This stormie weather continued from Munday night till Friday morning during which time we had beene but eleauen leagues at the furthest from our ship yet went we so farre as we could haue gone had the weather beene neuer so faire for at foure leagues distance from Cape Barren the Ice lay firme and vnbroken two or three miles from the shore and close againe to it lay the shattered Ice thronged together with this present storme On Friday morning we came backe againe to Hackluits headland and there I set the Kings armes in the like manner as at Trinitie Harbour from thence we rowed towards our ship and as we entred into Faire-hauen there came a Whale that accompanied vs into the harbour leaping and aduancing himselfe almost quite out of the water falling headlong downe againe with great noise we hasted aboord our ship and I sent forth both our Shallops to strike this Whale if they could and told Master Mason of her comming in who also went forth in his Shallop but it seemes the Whale past vnder the Ice which lay yet vnbroken betwixt the North harbour and the South harbour for they could not see her againe The next day there came more Whales in and Robert Hambleton our Masters mate strucke two which vnluckily escaped the first for want of helpe the Gamaliels Shallop being in chase of another Whale and our owne little Shallop not able to row against a head-sea to assist the other so that at length the Whale hauing towed the Shallop forth to Sea the harping iron came out the second was also strucken within the sound and ranne vnder the Ice which lay yet vnbroken at the East end of the Sound and drew the Shallop vpon it cleare out of the water by which meanes the Harpingiron came forth Here we
remained till the sixt of Iulie our men and Boates being helpefull at all times to further the Voyage The sixt of Iulie we set saile forth of Faire-hauen intending to make triall if wee could to get to Westwards of the Ice and so proceede to the Northwards hauing sent away one of our Shallops the day before prouided with twentie dayes Bread to coast alongst the shoare search the Beach for Commodities and set vp the Kings Armes at places conuenient hoping thereby to preuent the Hollanders who now rid in the North harbour of Faire-hauen and were ready for the first opportunitie to discouer and take possession of other harbours hauing two Ships to goe forth onely vpon Discouery We sailed Westwards from Faire-hauen seuen leagues and then met with a maine banke of Ice which trended North South the Sea appeared to the Northwards to be open so far as we could see therfore we plied that way when we had run seuen or eight leagues more the Ice lay so thick on euery side that we were bard from proceeding any further then we stood in toward the shore and being a little to the Northwards of Cape Barren our Shallop had sight of vs came rowing to vs through the broken Ice Master Baffin told vs the shore to the Eastward was much pestered with Ice and he had set vp the Kings armes at the entrance of a faire Sound about foure leagues distant from Cape Barren Now the weather being faire and calme Master Sherwin Master Baffin and I went in the Shallop to the place where the Kings Armes were set vp purposing because the ayre was very cleere to goe vpon some high mountaine from whence we might see how the Sea was pestered with Ice and what likelihood there was of further proceeding According to this our intent we ascended a very high hill and from thence we saw the Ice lye vpon the Sea so farre as we could discerne so that the Sea seemed to be wholly toured with Ice saue onely to the Eastwards we thought that we saw the water beyond the Ice which put vs in some hope that we should ere long get passage with our Shallops along the shore if we could not passe with our shippe Being thus satisfied we returned abord our ship and plyed towards Faire hauen aduising amongst our selues of the best course we could to further the businesse committed vnto vs. We resolued to make our discouery along the shore with both our Shallops and to carry with vs our prouision for the Whale-killing conceiuing good hopes besides of profit which the beaches would afford vs therefore we intended when our ship was brought safe into harbour againe to goe from her with both our Shallops and to put in practise this our late resolution But the weather falling calme and a fogge succeeding which continued three dayes so that our ship came not into harbour till the twelfth of Iuly I went from her the eleuenth day intending to search the Beaches till Master Baffin came to me with the other Shallop and then we to proceede both together but before he came I had gone so farre as that the Ice would not suffer mee to passe a Boates length further and I had also searched a very faire Beach which was altogether fruitlesse Master Baffin came to me at a place appointed the foureteenth day of Iulie in the other Shallop and we proceeded both together to the Eastwards againe and found passage amongst the Ice about a league further then I had lately beene so that we came to the firme Ice that lay almost two miles from the shoare of Red-beach vnbroken vp this yeare Here wee haled vp our Shallops out of the water lest the broken Ice which is carried to and fro with the winde might split them or bruse them then Master Baffin and I with foure men more walked ouer the firme Ice and went ashore on Red-beach where we trauelled about the space of three miles by the shore side but found no commodities as we expected to haue done for here had the Hulmen been in 1612. as we might know by fires that they had made and gathered the fruites that many yeares before had brought forth Thus as we could not finde that which wee desired to see so did we behold that which we wished had not beene there to be seene which was great abundance of Ice that lay close to the shore and also off at Sea so farre as we could discerne wherefore being thus satisfied and more wearie to know that we could passe no further then with trauailing so farre we returned to our Shallops and went aboord of our Ship in Faire hauen on Sunday the seuenteenth of Iuly passing the neerest way betwixt the Ilands and the maine Land for now the Ice was broken betwixt the South-harbor where we rid and the North harbour where the Hollanders rid The next day we sent our Shallop to the North-east side of Faire hauen there to lye for the comming of the Whales ouer against the Gamaliels two Shallops that lye on the other side for the same purpose The twentieth of Iuly wee were vnder saile to goe forth of Faire hauen with the Gamaliel purposing to haue taken two Ships that rid at the entrance of Maudlen-Sound with Iohn Mason who first descried them supposed to be the one a Bask and the other an English man but the winde blew right into the Harbour so that we could not get forth and therefore we came to an anchor againe where we rid before On the one and twentieth of Iuly our Harponiers killed a Whale which split one of our Shallops and strucke the Harponier that was in her ouerboord but both hee and the rest of the men were relieued and taken into an other Shallop then we sent our Carpenter to mend the Shallop that was split and on the fiue and twentieth day they helpt to kill another Whale On the sixe and twentieth of Iuly I drew the plat of Faire hauen as it is here proiected but here too costly to insert When this Scoale of Whales were past we went out of Faire hauen the first of August with both our Shallops Master Baffin in the one and I in the other with fiue men more in each Shallop thinking that now we should finde the Ice broken and cleere gone from the shore conceiuing some good hope to proceede and make some new discouery which was the chiefe occasion of our imployment Wee passed ouer Red cliffe-Sound which we found cleare of Ice and from thence we proceeded to Red-beach where we also found great alteration since our last being there notwithstanding the Ice was not cleerely voided from the shore for in some places it was firme and vnbroken off for the space almost of halfe a mile so we rowed alongst it till wee came neere the North end of the Beach which lyeth furthest into the Sea and there we found an open way
Sea-men obserue it alwayes presageth an ensuing storme which to verifie this foule weather continued the next day and grew to be so vehement on Sunday night that the Sea oftentimes ouer-raked our ship and wee were faine to lye aâ—ry with our fore course onely and our Mayne top-mast also strucke which last thing as Sea-men say is seldome done at Sea then about one a clocke we were forced to take in our fore course and to lye a-hull for fiue houres The fourth day of October the shippe came to Wapping with the whole number of men that shee carryed forth my selfe excepted that was come before being sixe and twentie all in perfect health CHAP. VII A true report of a Voyage Anno 1615. for Discouerie of Seas Lands and Ilands to the Northwards as it was performed by ROBERT FOTHERRIE in a Pinnasse of twentie tunnes called the Richard of London set forth at the charge of the Right Worshipfull Sir THOMAS SMITH Knight my very good Master and Master RICHARD WICHE Gouernours and the rest of the Worshipfull Company of Merchants called the Merchants of New Trades and Discoueries trading into Moscouia and King IAMES his New Land BY the prouidence of Almightie God I went forth of Harwich Harbour in the foresaid Pinnasse the twelfth of May in the company of eight shippes of the Fleet for King Iames his New Land who in foule weather out-fayled me in the latitude 71. degrees or thereabouts So I proceeded alone towards King Iames his New Land and met with Ice in latitude 73. degrees 30. minutes I stood North-eastwards for the wast of King Iames his New Land and had sundry conflicts with the Ice in rainie and wet foggie weather and had sight of Land the eleuenth of Iune and on the nineteenth of the same I anchored in Faire Hauen Here I stayed till the third of Iuly for the Pinnasse had receiued some hurt amongst the Ice which to amend I was faine to hale her aground besides diuers other things necessary to be done which detayned mee longer then willingly I would haue stayed there From hence I sayled Northward but met with Ice in latitude 79. degrees 50. minutes being six leagues from Hackluyts Head-land then I coasted the Ice as it lay in Points and Bayes to the Westwards and South-westward and being thirtie leagues from the Land in latitude 79. degrees 10. minutes I found it to trend Northward and North-westwards and coasted it to the latitude of 79. degrees 50. minutes but then I was embayed with Ice and was faine to stand out againe and sailed aboue ten leagues before I got cleere when I was out of this Bay I proceeded South Westerly with the Ice on the starboord to the latitude 78. degrees 30. minutes where being fortie leagues from the shoare I was againe embayed with the Ice and hauing had faire Sun-shine weather all the day which made mee the bolder to stand so neere it the weather on a sudden fell foggie and the wind beganne to blow hard at South which put vs to great trouble and no small perill but the Almightie power who hath mercifully deliuered vs heretofore out of as great dangers preserued vs also from this when wee were gotten cleere off the Ice we had the Sea much growne and the storme increasing but beeing desirous still to keepe the Sea I stood close by the wind vnder a payre of coarses till the Pinnasse waxt leake with bearing too much sayle and there was forced to lye atry vnder a mayne coarse only and although shee stemmed South-east and South-east by South yet was she hurried violently to the North-eastwards and by the mercifull prouidence of God we fell right with the Fore-land in latitude 79. degrees then I stood ouer Sir Thomas Smiths Bay for harbour in Crosse-road where I anchored the thirteenth of Iuly being Thursday I stayed here foure dayes in which time my men mended the Sayles and ships tackling that had receiued hurt by the late storme and made a new mayne Sayle to serue in time of need and on the seuenteenth of Iuly I weighed out of Crosse-road and sayling Westwards from thence came to Ice againe in latitude 78. degrees 40. minutes which I coasted as it lay neerest South-west or more Westerly but with many Points Bayes wherewith I was sometimes intangled yet God be thanked got cleere againe either by helpe of Oares or Sayles without any hurt In this sort I proceeded with good satisfaction although not with so good content till I came to the latitude of 76. degrees beeing aboue one hundred leagues from Point Looke-out but then was crossed with a contrarie storme from the South-west and South South-west which droue me to the South-eastward till I came in the latitude of 74. degrees and then I made my way Westward againe so neere as I could lye close by the winde and ouer-ranne the formerly supposed Land of Groynland which some haue layd downe in plats and extended to 75. degrees When I came into the latitude of 73. degrees I stood West and North-west and fell with Ice againe in latitude 73. degrees 50. minutes and thought indeed at that time that I was neere Land by abundance of Fowle which we saw in great flockes but such thicke fogges haue continued for three or foure dayes together that we might sooner heare the Land if anywere then see it and so did we first find this Ice by hearing the rut thinking till we saw it that it had beene Land so that we were embayed with it before we thought that we had beene neere it then I stood out againe and coasted the Ice still to the Westwards Southerly but could see no Land as I expected to haue done vntill wee came vnder the latitude of 71. degrees thirtie minutes and then we espyed a snowie Hill very high in the cloudes for this day was very cleere at Sea but the fogge was not yet cleered from the Land so that we could see no part of it but only the top of a snowie Mountayne which appeared very high although wee were fourteene or fifteene leagues distant from it bearing off vs South-east and by South Then I stood in for the shoare supposing it had beene part of the Mayne of Groynland for the fogge lay on each side of this Mount as if there had beene a great Continent vnder it but it proued otherwise for as we came neerer to it the fogge dispersed more and more and when wee were fiue leagues distant the Land appeared in forme like an Iland When I came neerer the shore I could find no Harbor to anchor in Notwithstanding the weather being faire calme I hoist out my Boat went ashore with three men more and set vp the Kings Armes then we searched a Sandie Beach which was abundantly stored with drift wood but yeelded no other fruits that we could find worth the taking vp so I returned aboord againe and sent ashoare my Boat to fetch some
wherein I vnderstand of the backwardnesse of your Voyage the which I am hartily sorrie for but you must be content seeing it is the will of God it shall be so and that other harbours take neighbours fare with you our best hopes of our Voyage was vpon you for of our selues we doe little in regard we are much troubled with Ice and haue bin so this ten dayes which hath made vs hale ashoare sixe or seauen times for it we haue had the windes at North-east and East North-east and at North-west which now keepes in the Ice we haue killed ten Whales whereof eight are made into Oyle which hath made one hundred and eleauen Tuns a halfe the other two were killed the fourth of this present being very large fish not doubting but they will make sixe and thirtie or fortie tunnes we haue the hundred tunnes aboord the rest Master Barker taketh in in regard Master Bushes shippe is not fitted up we shall make her fore-Mast to serue againe and all things else for this Voyage The fourth of this present George Wiuelden came from Horne-sound where they haue killed foure Whales they haue bin much troubled with windes Easterly also much Ice there is so much Ice off of Point Looke out that George could not get about This Ice hath put in young Duke of Hull into Horne-sound his ship being much torne with the Ice his Merchant is now aboord of vs his name is Medcafe whom the Captaine doth detaine his Voyage is vtterly ouerthrowne for he hath lost one shallop with sixe men and another shallop broken with the Ice his Ruther Irons being all broken his Steeme broke a way close to the Woodings also George did meete with a Fleming of Flushing burthen two hundred tuns the which he thinkes is cast away with Ice for the Ice did beate her very sore I vnderstand by M. Catchers Letter that there is eleauen saile of Flemmings and Danes about them I doubt not but we shall call them to account of how many tunnes of Oyle they haue made as they did call vs the last Voyage to account my loue is such vnto them that I protest I could wish with all my heart that we might goe and see them and to spend my best bloud in the righting of our former wrongs Also I vnderstood by Robert Foxe that Aâ—rian of Flushing is one of them I should be very glad to see him that I might balance the account with him The Captaine willed mee to write vnto you concerning the Russe house that if you cannot set it vp that then you should make an English house of it and to place the post of a Deales length and to be three Deales in length and so much in breadth and so to couer it with Deales the next yeare and so he thinketh that it will make two frames also hee could wish that you would remoue the Coppers more vp into the Bay I pray you commend me to my louing friend Master Sherwine Master Wilkinson Master Henderson and Michael Greene also my loue remembred vnto your selfe I take my leaue hoping we shall see you at the Fore-land ere it be long till when I pray God to blesse you and prosper you in all your proceedings Resting still Bell-sound the fifth of Iuly 1619. Your assured friend to command ROBERT SALMON Iunior A Letter of I. CATCHER to Master HELEY from Faire-hauen Laus Deo this seuenteenth of Iune 1620. LOuing Brother with my best loue I salute you wishing you better then we at this time to haue good store of Whales to make for you and vs a Voyage for we haue seene small store of Whales but haue killed none as yet In the Flemish harbour there is three Flemings great shippes whereof is one Statesman of Warre who haue set to Sea eighteene shallops with three Biscaners in euerie shallop and in our harbour two of the Kings of Denmarkes ships who haue set to Sea seauen shallops with three Biscainers in euerie shallop the Hollanders haue killed one Whale and found one Whale of the last yeares killing I thought good to send to you the sooner because we hope you haue good store of Whales that you may send for vs to you which I pray God you may for we are in great doubt but our hope is if that you are not yet prouided to send for vs we haue a great time to stay in this Countrie in which time it may so please God that we may here make a Voyage For our selues one of our men is dead and one other sicke so that wee haue but one and fiftie men which is too little as you know therefore if you can spare vs three men they will stand vs in good stead if our Voyage commeth in there is to the Northward good store of Ice which putteth vs in good comfort that we shall haue Whales the Danes doe report that there is two shippes to come from Denmarke to our harbour but as yet are not come I pray you commend vs to Master Wilkinson Master Greene Master Hedlam Master Cleyborne Master Alpho and all the rest of our good friends Humfrey Moore is very sicke so that we shall want a Harponiere I know not what to write more to you for with griefe I write this Thus kindely taking my leaue beseeching God to blesse vs and send vs a good Voyage with a merry meeting I rest Your louing brother to vse IOHN CATCHER A Letter of ROBERT SALMON from Sir THOMAS SMITHS Bay Iuly 6. 1621. LOuing friend Master Heley with-my loue I salute you c. These are to certifie you that vpon the fifteenth of the last we arriued at Sir Thomas Smiths vnfortunate Bay since which time we haue killed sixe Whales which are almost reduced into Oyle being some seuentie tunnes or somewhat more so within a day or two we may goe sleepe for I feare we haue our portion of Whales in this place wee haue not seene a Whale this fourteene dayes and faire weather is as scarce as the Whales for ten daies together nothing but blow sometime Southerly and sometime Northerly I doe verily perswade my selfe that God is much displeased for the blood which was lost in this place and I feare a perpetuall curse still to remaine yet God I know is all sufficient and may if it please him send a Voyage in this place Newes from Faire-hauen I can write you none for as yet we haue not heard from him the reason thereof I cannot conceiue I feare his Shallop is miscarried for certainely else we should haue heard from him ere this or some other cause there is I pray God it be not so I pray commend me to Master Iohn Hedlam and tell him that the Master and Pilot doe set both their horse together being very great friends also I pray commend me to my Coseu William Driuer and Master Wilkinson wishing them all happinesse I am in good hope that you haue done some good vpon the Whale not doubting but
of Catay In the wall to Catay are fiue gates both low and straight or narrow a man cannot ride into them vpright on horse-backe and except these fiue gates there is no more in all the wall there all manner of people passe into the Citie of Shrokalga Within the borders or wall is a Citie or Castle of Catay called Shirokalga built of stone the Gouernour thereof is called Duke Shubin who is sent thither for a time from Tambur King of Catay the Castle is very high walled and artificially built the Towres are high after the manner of Mosco Castle in the Loope-holes or Windowes are Ordnance planted as also vpon the Gates or Towres their Ordnance is but short they haue also great store of small shot and the Watchmen euery-where vpon the Gates Towres and Wals well appointed and assoone as they perceiue the Sunne going downe the Watch dischargeth their Peeces of Ordnance thrice as also at the breake of day in the morning they shoot out of their Pieces thrice and doe not open the Castle Gates till the sixt houre of the day Within the Castle are shops built of stone and painted cunningly with diuers colours wherein they haue all manner of Merchandizes as Veluets Damaskes Dorogoes Taffataes Cloth of Gold and Tissue of diuers colours sundry sorts of Sugars Cloues c. in the Gouernours house is a strong Watch of Partisans and Halberds and their Drummes made like great Barrels When the Gouernour goeth abroad they carry a Canopie ouer him and make way before him with Rods as before our Emperour in Mosco And from Shirokalga to the Citie Yara is three dayes trauell this Citie is large built of stone and the circuit of it is two dayes trauell with many Towres and foure Gates to come in at the Markets in the Citie are well and richly accommodated with Iewels Merchandizes Grocerie or Spices the Citie well inhabited hauing no place void or waste in it The houses and shops are built with stone with streets betweene the Gouernours here are called Duke Byâ— and Duke â—â—chake heere they haue Post Stages as wee their Markets haue a very odoriferous smell with Spices And from this Citie to a Citie called Tayth is three dayes iourney it is built of stone large and high walled is in compasse two daies trauel about at the first comming to it are fiue gates barred and bolted with Iron very thicke and close fastned with Nailes the houses and shops or Ware-houses are all built of stone wherein are all manner of Merchandizes Spices or Grocerie and precious things more abundant then in the aforesaid Cities they haue Tauernes or Drinking houses stored with all manner of Drinkes as Aquanitâ— Meade and Wines from beyond Seas in abundance there they haue also their Watch Ordnance and Munition in great store the Gouernours of this place are one Duke Tuga and the other Duke Zumia there wee saw Sinamon Anniseeds Apples Arbuzes Melons Cucumbers Onions Garlicke Radish Carrets Parsenips Turnops Cabbage Limons Poppiseeds Nutmegs Rice Almonds Pepper Rubarbe many other Fruits which we know not so that they want nothing whatsoeuer groweth in the World the shops are within the Citie stored of all manner of Commoditie as is said as also victualling and drinking Houses stored with all manner of Drinkes where they haue also Dicers and Whores as with vs. Their Prisons in the Citie are of stone for theft they hang the theeues and for Robberie or Murther they stake the Murtherers or else head them And from Shirokalga to a Citie of Catay called Shirooan is a dayes iourney this Citie is built of stone high walled and large in compasse it is a dayes trauell it hath twelue Towres whereupon as also on the Citie Gates is planted Ordnance and small shot great store with a continuall Watch or Guard night and day at the first comming are fiue Gates well furnished with Ordnance and Warlike Munition and from one Gate to the other through the Citie is halfe a dayes going The Gouernour of this place is called Duke Sanchik For Victuals and Merchandizes here is more then in the Cities mentioned all their shops very full and the Citie so populous that one can hardly passe the streets for the throng of people The Ambassadors Houses are also faire built of stone their Wels couered with Brasse so that this Citie is adorned more with precious things then the former mentioned and much more populous Now from the Citie of Tayth to a Citie called White Castle is two dayes trauell this Citie is built of white stone and thereof hath his name it is high walled and large being in compasse or circuit three dayes trauell aâ— the first entry it hath three Gates vnder one Towre the Gates are high and wide with strong Iron barres and the Gates fastened with Iron Nayles whited with Tinne it hath great Ordnance in the Gates and Towres some Peeces carrying shot of two Poode waight the shops within the Citie reach from Gate to Gate and betweene them are streets paued with stone all their shops and houses are built of stone before their shops They haue grates painted cunningly with all manner of colours flowres and such like and vpon the shops are the houses painted cunningly with Pictures and flowres in diuers colours and the painting within is vpon Pastboord adorned with Damaske and Veluets heere is more abundance of Riches and Commodities then in any of the Cities afore mentioned The Gouernours names here were Duke Toyâ—an and Duke Sulan From this white Citie or Castle to the greatest Citie of all Cataya called Catay is two dayes iourney where the King himselfe dwelleth it is a very great Citie built of white stone foure square and in compasse it is foure dayes iourney vpon euery corner thereof are very great Towres high built and white and alongst the wall are very faire and high Towres likewise white and intermingled with Blue or Azure vpon the Gates Wall and Towres the Loop-holes or Windowes are well furnished with Ordnance and a strong Watch. In the midst of this white Citie standeth a Castle built of Magnet or Load-stone wherin the King himselfe dwelleth called Tambun this Castle standeth so in the midst of this Citie that euery way you haue halfe a dayes going to it from the Gates through the streets which hath stone shoppes on both sides with all manner of Merchandizes vpon their shops they haue their houses built of stone cunningly painted more then the former Cities The Castle of Magnet is curiously set forth with all manner of artificiall and precious deuices in the middest whereof standeth the Kings Palace the top whereof is all gilt ouer with Gold And they would not admit vs to come before their King without Presents saying it was not the manner of Catay to come before their King without some Present and though said they your white Emperour had but sent with his first Ambassadours to our
King some thing of no great value our King would haue sent him many precious things and dismissed you his Ambassadours honourably and haue sent his Ambassadours with you but now hee only endeth his Letter to your Emperour The Citie of Catay where the King dwelleth is built vpon an euen plaine ground and is incompassed round about with a Riuer called Yoâ—ga which falleth into the blacke Sea which is from the Citie Catay seuen dayes trauell so that there come no ships neerer the Citie Catay then seuen dayes trauell off but all things are transported in small Vessels and ship-boats The Merchandizes the King doth send into all parts of his Dominions of Catay and from thence are carried ouer the borders into the Land of Mugalla to the King Altine to the blacke Kollmakes to the Iron King into Boghar and other Dominions their Patriarkes and Friers trauell with the Commodities as Veluets Sattens Damaskes Siluer Leopard Skinnes Turkesses and blacke Zenders for which they buy Horses and bring them into Catay for in Catay are but few horses only Mules and Asses and Cloth they haue none their Horses and Siluer goeth into strange Countreyes or as they say Nemâ—sij the Siluer is made in Brickes which they call Kritsij valued each Kritsij at fiftie two Rubles their Apparell they weare with long broad hanging sleeues like the Gentlewomens Summer-coats or Lettiâ—ks in Russia the people are very faire but not warlike timorous most their endeuour is in great and rich traffick They told vs that not long before our comming the people of Mugalla had taken two Castles from them by deceit also they told vs that their King hath a stone which lighteth as the Sunne both day and night called in their Language Sarra and in our Tongue Iachaâ—t or Rubie another stone they say hee hath which driueth away water from it it is also called a Rubie There come to them Strangers or Nemtsij euery yeere with all manner of Merchandizes and barter for Deere Skinnes and Loshids Sables Beuers Veluets Taffataes and Zendews or Calico these strangers they say come to them out of the blacke Sea from the East and the South also they say there is a Riuer called Kartalla which falleth into the great Riuer Ob but they know neyther the head nor the fall of it they imagine it commeth out of the blacke Sea and falleth into it againe vpon this Riuer dwell many people with walking Herds For a triple testimony of Sir Iohn Merikes honourable courtesie I haue added this succeeding Patent which howsoeuer in some things it concurre with the former of Boris and Demetrius Yet those being obscurely translated or written this may illustrate them and it also presenteth both larger Priuiledges the Partriarkes name ioyned with the Emperours and the Golden Seale WE the great Lord Emperour and great Duke Michaell Pheodorowich of all Russia sole Commander of Volodemer Mosco and Nouogrod Emperour of Cazan Emperour of Astracan Emperour of Siberia Lord of Plesco and great Duke of Sâ—olensky Twensky Vgorsky Psermesky Vatsky Bolgorsky and others Lord and great Duke of Nouogrod in the lower Countreyes Cheringosky Rahansky Rostouskey Yaraslausky Belozersky Vdorskey Obdorsky Condinsky and of all the Northerne parts Commander and Lord ouer the Country of Iuersky and Caberdynland Cherkaskey and of the Dukedomes of Igorskey and of many other Kingdomes Lord and Conquerour Together with the great Lord Philleret Neketich the holy Patriarke and Head of the Reuerend Clergie of the Imperiall Citie of Mosco and of all Russia by the flesh our naturall Father and by the power of the Holy Ghost our Spirituall Pastâ—r and Ghostly Father Whereas there was sent vnto vs the great Lord Emperour and great Duke Michaell Pheodorowich of all Russia and to our Father the great Lord the holy Patriarke of Mosco and of all Russia From our louing Brother Iames by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland and of many others his Maiesties Ambassadour Sir Iohn Merike Knight and Gentleman of his Maiesties Priuie Chamber vpon both our Princely Affaires The said Sir Iohn Merike in the name of our said louing Brother King Iames requested our Imperiall Maiestie and our Father the great Lord the holy Patriarke to bee pleased graciously to fauour the English Merchants to grant them leaue to come with their shippes vnto our Port and Hanâ—ns of Archangell with all kind of Commoditieâ— and freely to traffique from the Sea side to our Imperiall Citie of Mosco and to our Patrimoniâ— of great Nouogrod and Plesco and vnto all other our Cities Townes and Countreyes of our Empire with all sorts of Commodities without paying of Custome in as ample manner as formerly hath beene granted to the English Merchants and that our Imperiall Maiestie together with our deere Father the holy Patriarke would be pleased to grant a new our gracious Priuiledges vnder our Princely Seale accordingly as our Predecessors Emperours and great Dukes of all Russia haue heretofore granted vnto them We therefore the great Lord Emperour and great Duke Michaell Pheodorowich of all Russia sole Commander together with our deere Father the holy Patriarke of Mosco and of all Russia for the loue we beare to our most louing Brother the great Lord King Iames with whom wee are willing and desirous euer to remayne in the strongest bonds of brotherly loue and friendship haue graciously granted to his Kingly Maiesties Subiects the English Merchants Sir Thomas Smith Knight Sir Iohn Merike Knight Sir Richard Smith Knight Sir William Russell Knight Sir George Bowles Knight Hugh Hamersley Alderman Ralph Freeman Richard Wytch Morris Abbot Robert Bateman William Stone Rowland Healing Iob Hanby Richard Ironside Edward Iames Iohn Caslen Beniamin Deicrow Fabyan Smith and their fellowes free leaue to come with their shippes into our Kingdomes into our Countreyes of Dweena vnto the Port of Archangell and from thence to our Imperiall Citie of Mosco and of Nouogrod the Great and vnto Plesco and into all other the Cities of our Empire to trade and traffique with all kind of Merchandizes free of all Customes as well the great Customes as Tole vnlading of Vessels or Boats passages through any place by water or Land entries Head-money Bridge-money Ferryings or any manner of Customes or Duties whatsoeuer can bee named The English Merchants being thus licensed to trade in our Kingdomes free of all customes for their owne commodities shall neither colour nor sell strangers wares as their owne neither shall our people sell for them any of their goods nor yet shall they keepe any of our people vnder their protection and into what Cities the English Merchants themselues or their Factors or Seruants shall come with their goods it shall be lawfull for them freely to trafficke and sell their owne commodities in barter or otherwise against Commodities of our Countrey And whensoeuer the said Merchants shall come into our Patrimony of great Nouogrod and Plesco or into any other the Cities of our
neerer the Land so that wee iudged our selues three leagues off Here we sounded againe and had but eightie fathoms The variation of the Compasse we found to be 22. degrees and 10. minutes Westward At fiue of the clocke there sprung vp a fine gale of winde at East South-east and being so neere night wee stood to the Southward thinking the next day to seeke some harbour But it pleased God the next day being the twelfth to send vs a storme of foule weather the winde being at East and by South with fogge so that we could by no meanes get the shoare Thus wee were forced to beate vp and downe at Sea vntill it should please God to send vs better weather The foureteenth I thought good to stand to the Westward to search an Inlet in the latitude of 56. degrees I haue good hope of a passage that way by many great and probable reasons The fifteenth the winde continued at the South with exceeding faire weather and our course was West We were this day at noone in the latitude of 55. degrees and 31. 〈…〉 I found the variation to be 17. degrees and 1â— minutes to the Westward And about seuen of the clocke at night we descried the Land againe being tenne leagues to the Eastward of this Inlet This Land did beare from vs South-west some eight leagues off and about nine of the clocke the same night the winde came to the West which blew right against vs for our entring into this Inlet The sixteenth the winde was at West North-west and was very faire weather and our course South-west about nine of the clocke in the forenoone we came by a great Iland of Ice and by this Iland we found some peeces of Ice broken off from the said Iland And being in great want of fresh water wee hoysed out our Boates of both Shippes and loaded them twice with Ice which made vs very good fresh water This day at noone wee found our selues to be in the latitude of 55. degrees and twentie minutes when we had taken in our Ice and Boates the weather being very faire and cleare and the winde at West North-west we bent our course for the Land and about three of the clocke in the afternoone we were within three leagues of the shoare It is a very pleasant low Land but all Ilands and goodly sounds going betweene them toward the South-west This Land doth stand in the latitude of 55. degrees and I found the variation to be to the West â—8 degrees and 12. minutes This coast is voide of Ice vnlesse it be some great Ilands of Ice that come from the North and so by windes may be â—riuen vpon this chast Also we did finde the ayre in this place to be very temperite Truely there is in three seuerall places great hope of a passage betweene the latitude of 62. and 54. degrees if the fogge doe not hinder it which is all the feare I haue At sixe of the clocke wee being becalmed by the shoare there appeared vnto vs a great ledge of roâ—kes betweene vs and the shoare as though the Sea did flye ouer it with a great height As we all beheld it within one houre vpon a sudden it vanished cleanâ— away which seemed very strange vnto vs all And to the Eastward of vs some two leagues we saw a great Rocke lying some three leagues off the Land we then supposing it to be shoald water by this broken ground sounded but could get no ground in one hundred and sixtie fathoms About seuen of the clocke there sprung vp a gale of windâ— by the South South-east which was a very good winde to coast this Land But the seuenteenth in the morning the winde being at the South it began to blow so extreamely that we durst not stay by the shoare for it was like to be a great storme then our course was East North-east to get vs Sea roome This storme still increasing our slye-boates did receiue in much water for they wanted a Sparre-decke which wee found very dangerous for the Sea About twelue of the clocke at noone this day there rose vp a great showre in the West and presently the winde came out of this quarter with a whirle and taking vp the Sea into the ayre and blew so extreamely that we were forced alwayes to runne before the Sea howsoeuer the winde did blow And within twelue houres after this storme beganne the Sea was so much growen that we thought our flye Boates would not haue beene able to haue endured it The eighteenth the winde was at North-west and the storme increased more extreame and lasted vntill eight of the clocke in the morning of the nineteenth day so furious that to my remembrance I neuer felt a greater yet when we were in our greatest extremities the Lord deliuered vs his vnworthy seruants And if the winde with so great a storme had bin either Northerly or Southerly or Easterly but one day we had all perished against the Rocks or the Ice for wee were entred thirty leagues within a Head-land of an Inlet in the latitude of 56. degrees But it pleased God to send vs the winde so faire as we could desire both to cleare our selues of the Land and Ice Which opportunitie caused vs for this time to take our leaues of the coast of America and to shape our course for England The fourth in the morning wee descried the Iland of Silly North-east and by East some foure leagues off vs. Then wee directed our course East and by North and at tenne of the clocke in the forenoone wee descried the Lands end and next day were forced to put into Dartmouth CHAP. XIV IAMES HALL his Voyage forth of Denmarke for the discouery of Greeneland in the yeare 1605. abbreuiated IN the name of God Amen we set sayle from Copeman-hauen in Denmarke the second day of May in the yeare of our redemption 1605. with two Shippes and a Pinnace The Admirall called the Frâ—st a shippe of the burthen of thirty or fortie lasts wherein was Captaine and chiefe commander of the whole Fleet Captaine Iohn Cunningham a Scottish Gentleman seruant vnto the Kings Maiestie of Denmarke my selfe being principall Pilot. The Lyon Viceadmirall being about the foresaid burthen wherein was Captaine one Godscâ—â—â— Lindenose a Danish Gentleman and Steereman of the same one Peter Kilsâ—n of Copeman-hauen The Pinnace a Barke of the burthen of twelue Lasts or thereabouts wherein was Steereman or commander one Iohn Knight my Countrie-man So setting sayle from Copeman-hauen with a faire gale of winde Easterly wee came vnto Elsonure where we anchored to take in our water The third day we tooke in our water at which time the Captaines my selfe with the Lieutenants and the other Steeremen did thinke it conuenient to set downe certaine Articles for the better keeping of company one with another to which Articles or couenants wee were all seuerally sworne setting thereunto our
hands The sixt we came to Flâ—câ—rie into which harbour by Gods helpe we came at two a clocke in the afternoone The seauenth day we supplied our wants of wood and water The eight day about two a clocke in the afternoone we set sayle forth of the harbour of Flecoriâ— about six a clock it fell calme till about eight about which time the Nasâ— of Norway by the Danish men called Lyndis-â—ose bare next hand North-west of vs sixe leagues off at which time I directed my course West North-west finding the compasse varied 7. degrees 10. minutes to the Eastwards of the true North. The thirteenth we had sight of the Hand of Faire I le and also of the South-head of Shâ—tland called Swimborne hâ—ad which are high Lands at noone the Iland of Faire Ile bearing West halfe a point Northerly foure leagues off I made obseruation and found vs in the latitude of 59. degrees 20. minutes This night about seuen a clocke wee came about an English league to the Northwards of the North-west and of Faire I le wee met with a great race of a tyde as though it had beene the race of Portland it setting North North-west Being out of the said race I directed my course West and by North hauing the winde North-east and by North this euening Faire Ile bearing East South-east foure leagues Swimborne head North-east and by North eight leagues the Iland of Foolâ— North-east and by East seuen leagues I found by exact obseruation the compasse to be varied to the East-ward of the true North 60. degrees 10. minutes The fourteâ—â—th in the morning the winde came to the East South-east wee steering West and by North away this morning the Iland of Faire Ile did shew in my sight to bee about ten leagues off at which time we did descrie two of the Westermost Ilands of Orkney which did beare South-west and by South The eighteenth the winde at North-west and by West wee laid it away South-west and by West and sometimes South-west This day 〈◊〉 noone wee were in the Latitude of 58. degrees 40. minutes The nineteenth day the winde at South-west and South-west and by West wee lying as the night before being at noone in the Latitude of 59. degrees and a halfe The foure and twentieth day the winde at North-east and by East we steering still with a fresh gale West South-west this euening we looked to haue seene Busse Iland but I doe verily suppose the same to be placed in a wrong Latitude in the Marine Charts The sixe and twentieth at noone wee were in the latitude of 57. degrees 45. minutes The thirtieth day in the morning betweene seuen and eight the weather began to cleere and the Sea and winde to waxe lesse wee looking for the Lion and the Pinnasse could haue no sight of them we supposing them to bee a sterne off vs we standing still vnder our courses This day the winde came to the North-east and by East being very cold weather we lying North North-west away Making my obseruation at noone I found vs in the latitude of 59. degrees 15. minutes our way North North-west fortie leagues This afternoon between one and two a clock we descried Land it bearing North North-east off vs about ten leagues off North-east by North off vs about ten leagues it being a very high ragged land lying in the latitude of 59. degrees 50. minutes lying alongst South-east and by South and North-west and by North. This Head-land wee named after the Kings Maiesties of Denmarke because it was the first part of Groenland which we did see This afternoone about one a clock bearing in for the shoare we saw an Iland of Ice which bore West South-west of vs three leagues off so hauing the wind at East South-east we bore in for the shoare where wee found so much Ice that it was impossible either for vs or any other ship to come into the shoare without great danger yet wee put our selues into the Ice as wee thought conuenient being incumbred and compassed about with the same in such sort as the Captaine my selfe the Boatswaine with another of our companie were forced to goe ouerboord vpon an Iland of Ice to defend it from the ship at which time I thought it conuenient to stand off into the Sea againe and so being cleere of the Ice to double Cape Desolation to the North-westwards of which I doubted not but to find a cleer coast so standing away all this night West South-west to cleere vs of the Ice which lay farre from the shoare being very thicke towards the Land with great Ilands of Ice that it is wonderfull This euening the Cape Christian bearing North-east and by East fiue leagues I found the Compasse varied 12. degrees 15. minutes to the North-westwards Moreouer standing to Seaward from the foresaid Cape we came in blacke water as thicke as though it had beene puddle water we sayling in the same for the space of three houres The one and thirtieth in the morning faire weather with the winde somewhat variable wee steering away North-west and by West betweene foure and fiue in the morning we had sight of the Lion againe but not of the Pinnasse They being a Sea-boord off and hauing espied vs they stood with vs at which time the Captaine Lieutenant and Steereman came aboord vs earnestly intreating mee to bestow a Sea Chart of the Steerman and to giue him directions if by tempestuous weather they should lose vs they protesting and swearing that they would neuer leaue vs as long as winde and weather would permit them to keepe companie with vs. By whose speechees I being perswaded did giue them a Sea Chart for those Coasts telling them that if they would follow me that by Gods assistance I would bring them to a part of the Land void without pester of Ice and also harbour the ships in good Harbour by Gods helpe they swearing and protesting that they would follow mee so long as possibly they could with which oathes and faire speeches I rested satisfied thinking they had thought as they had sworne but it fell out otherwise So hauing made an end with vs about noone they went aboord againe wee being this day in the latitude of 59. degrees 45. minutes hauing stood all the night before and this forenoone also so nigh the shoare as wee could for Ice the Cape Christian South South-east and North North-west and from the Cape to Cape Desolation the Land lyeth East and by South and West and by North about fiftie leagues This day betweene one and two a clocke the Vice-admirals Boat being newly gone aboord it fell very hasie and thicke so that wee could not see one another by reason of the fog therefore our Captaine caused to shoote off certaine Muskets with a great peece of Ordnance to the intent the Lion might heare vs which heard of them they presently stood with vs at which time
which they did thinke wee would come leauing no more but about ten men and Boates about vs who rowed alongst the space of an houre with vs making signes of friendship to vs. At length perceiuing that wee were not minded to goe forth amongst these Ilands vpon which the rest of their folke were they threw certaine shels and trifles into the Boat making signes and tokens to fetch them the which my Boy called William Huntries did He being in the Boat they presently shot him through both the buttockes with a Dart at which time they rowed from vs they mustering vpon the Ilands to the number of three hundred persons keeping themselues farre enough from our danger About sixe a clocke this Euening it began to blow a faire gale Easterly we getting off to Sea stood all this night North and by East alongst the Land A Topographicall Description of the Land as I did discouer the same NOw hauing proceeded for the discouerie of the Coast and Harbours so farre and so long time as the time limited to me therefore I thinke it conuenient to make a briefe description of the same according as by my short experience I found the same to be The Land of Groenland is a very high ragged and mountainous Countrey being all alongst the Coast broken Ilands making very goodly Sounds and Harbours hauing also in the Land very many good Riuers and Bayes into some of which I entred sayling vp the same the space of ten or twelue English leagues finding the same very nauigable with great abundance of fish of sundrie sorts The Land also in all places wheresoeuer I came seemed to be very fertile according to the Climate wherein it lyeth for betweene the Mountaynes was most pleasant Plaines and Valleyes in such sort as if I had not seene the same I could not haue beleeued that such a fertile Land in shew could bee in these Northerne Regions There is also in the same great store of Fowle as Rauens Crowes Partridges Pheasants Sea-mewes Gulles with other sundry sorts Of Beasts I haue not seene any except blacke Foxes of which there are very many Also as I doe suppose there are many Deere because that comming to certaine places where the people had had their Tents we found very many Harts Hornes with the bones of other beasts round about the same Also going vp into the Land wee saw the footing and dunging of diuers beasts which we did suppose to be deere and other beasts also the footing of one which wee found to be eight inches ouer yet notwithstanding we did see none of them for going some two or three miles from the Pinnasse we returned againe to goe aboord Moreouer in the Riuers we found sundry sorts of Fishes as Seales Whales Salmons with other sorts of fishes in great abundance As concerning the Coast all alongst it is a very good and faire Land hauing very faire shoalding of the same for being three English leagues off the same I found very faire shoalding in fifteene fathomes and comming neerer the same fourteene twelue and tenne fathomes very faire sandie ground As concerning the people they are as I doe suppose a kinde of Samoites or wandring Nation trauelling in the Summer time in Companies together first to one place and hauing stayed in that place a certayne time in hunting and fishing for Deere and Seales with other fish streight they remoue themselues with their Tents and baggage to another They are men of a reasonable stature being browne of colour very like to the people of the East and West Indies They be very actiue and warlike as we did perceiue in their Skirmishes with vs in vsing their Slings and Darts very nimbly They eat their meate raw or a little perboyled either with bloud Oyle or a little water which they doe drinke They apparell themselues in the skinnes of such beasts as they kill but especially with Seales skins and fowle skins dressing the skins very soft and smooth with the haire and feathers on wearing in Winter the haire and feather sides inwards and in Summer outwards Their Weapons are Slings Darts Arrowes hauing their Bowes fast tyed together with sinewes their Arrowes haue but two feathers the head of the same being for the most part of bone made in manner and forme of a Harping Iron As concerning their Darts they are of sundry sorts and fashions What knowledge they haue of God I cannot certainly say but I suppose them to bee Idolaters worshipping the Sunne The Countrey as is aforesaid seemeth to be very fertile yet could I perceiue or see no wood to grow thereon Wee met all alongst this Coast much Drift-wood but whence it commeth I know not For coasting all this Coast alongst from the latitude of 66. degrees and an halfe vntill the latitude of 69. degrees I found many goodly Sounds Bayes and Riuers giuing names vnto diuers of them and purposing to proceed further the folke in the Pinnasse with me did earnestly intreate me to returne to the ship againe alleaging this that if we came not in conuenient time the people in the ship would mutinie and so returne home before we came the which indeed had fallen forth if the Captaine as an honest Gentleman had not by seuere meanes withstood their attempts who would needes contrarie to their promises haue beene gone home within eight dayes after my departure from them But the Captaine respecting his promise to mee would by no meanes consent but withstood them both by faire meanes and other wayes So that vpon the seuenth day of Iuly I returned again into the Kings Foord which they in the ship had found to be a Bay and comming to the place where wee had left the ship hoping to haue found them there I saw vpon a certaine point a Warlocke of stones whereby I did perceiue that they were gone downe the Ford. So the tide of ebbe being come it being calme we rowed downe the Foord finding in the mouth of the same amongst the Ilands many good Sounds and Harbours The tenth day of Iuly the wind being at North North-west I beeing in a certaine Sound amongst the Ilands it being high water I weighed stood West forth of the Foord going to Sea on the South side betweene a little Iland and the Maine which Iland at our first comming we called Frost Iland after the name of the ship we espied on the South sides certaine Warlockes set vp whereupon I suspected that the Frost might be there commanded the Gunner to shoot off a Peece of Ordnance they presently answered vs againe with two other We seeing the smoake but heard no report bore in to them comming to an Anchor in a very good Sound by them and found them all in health the Captaine being very glad of our comming forasmuch as hee had very much trouble with the company for the cause aforesaid Also in the time of our absence the people
my course North-east and by North being at noone in the latitude of 59. degrees the Cape or Head land which wee saw that night bearing West South-west sixteene leagues off All this afternoone and night following it was for the most parâ— still weather this euening I found the variation 23. degrees 55. minutes The sixteenth faire weather with a fresh gale at East South-east our course as before being in the latitude of 60. degrees 20. minutes the ships way North and by East northerly twentie leagues This afternoone and the night following the wind as before we steering still North-east and by North. The eighteenth also thicke weather being forced to stand away North North-west to double a great banke with great Mountaines of Ice almost incredible to be reported yet by the helpe of God wee passed the same sayling all this day by great and huge mountainous Ilands of Ice with the winde at South-west and by South being at noone in the latitude of 63. degrees 45. minutes Wee did see our selues beset round about with mightie bankes of Ice being forced to make more saile and to lye to and againe all this night to keepe vs cleere of great and small Ilands of Ice where many times we were in such danger that we did looke for no other thing then present death if God had not beene mercifull vnto vs and sent vs cleere weather where by his assistance we kept our selues very hardly and with great difficultie cleere of the Ice The nineteenth day in the morning cleere weather with a fresh gale at South-west wee plying amongst the Ice to see if wee could get a gut to get cleere of the same at which time wee saw the Land of America about the latitude of 64. degrees it lying next hand South and North being high ragged Land couered with snow the shoare being all beset with Ice So lying off and on amongst the Ice in great perill till about noone when God of his goodnesse sent vs to espie a little gut where wee went through and stood South South-east away comming still by many Ilands of Ice Heere I did finde both by my course and reckoning the variation also of the Compasse respected that wee were carried with a mightie Current to the Westwards as both now and afterwards wee did probably prooue and see the same For I setting my course from the coast of America in the latitude of 58. degrees and a halfe for the coast of Groenland North North-east with a compasse whose wyers were placed more then two third parts of a Point to the Eastwards of the North the variation being 23. degrees 30. minutes Northwesting and 24. degrees as by obseruation I found betweene the latitude of 58. and a halfe and 54. degrees yet I did finde my selfe contrarie either to mine owne or to any of their expectations which was in the Fleet with mee carried almost foure Points with the Current to the westwards ouer our iudgements The twentieth wee still sayled to the Eastwards by many great Bankes and Ilands of Ice being still compassed in wee being forced to stand to the Southwards to get cleere where being sometimes becalmed wee did plainly see and perceiue our selues carried into the Ice to the westward very violently This Current setteth West North-west The twentieth in the euening I found the Compasse varied 23. degrees The one and twentieth day in the morning faire weather wee espyed a gut through the Ice it seeming cleere to the southwards of the same where bearing into the same about noone wee were cleere of all the Ice by the mercifull prouidence of God Here I obserued the latitude it being 63. degrees 33. minutes Now hauing the one and twentieth day at afternoone caused the Admirall to call the other Captaines and Steermen aboord with whom wee might conferre and hauing shewed briefly my reckoning with the other euents which contrarie to my expectation had happened the cause whereof at that instant they did plainly see and perceiue They confessing the Current as they did now plainly see to bee the cause of the same So hauing done I gaue to the other Steermen directions that being cleere of the Ice they should goe betweene the East and the East and by North ouer for the coast of Groenland and not to the Northwards of the East and by North because of the former euents And now at this instant by Gods helpe being cleere I called to them giuing the same directions This afternoone and the night following it was calme This euening I found the Compasse varied 23. degrees 25. minutes The two and twentieth day at noone I found vs in the latitude of 63. degrees 20. minutes The three and twentieth faire weather the ayre very cold as with vs in the moneth of Ianuarie the winde variable betweene the East North-east and the South-east and by East being at noone in the latitude of 63. degrees hauing made a South-east and by South way eleuen leagues This day at noone I cast about to the Westwards the other ships doing the like lying North-east and by North with the stemme finding this euening the Needle varied to the Westwards 23. degrees 30. minutes The foure and twentieth the winde variable betweene the South South-east and the South-east and by South with raine and fogge This day about eleuen a clocke wee did see much Ice to leeward wherefore I cast about to the Southwards the winde comming to the East North-east wee lying South-east with the stemme supposing the ship to haue made a North and by West way halfe Northerly two and twentie leagues This afternoone by reason of the fogge we lost sight of the Lion and the Gilliflowre wee looking earnestly forth for them and shooting both we and the Vrin diuers pieces of Ordnance but wee could neither see nor heare them at which time the winde came vp Southerly we standing away our course betweene the East and East and by North. The fiue and twentieth wee had sight of Groenland being about ten leagues to the Southward of Queene Annes Cape Wee standing away East South-east in wiâ—h the Land with the winde at South All this night it did blow very much wee steering North by West and North North-west The seuen and twentieth day in the morning was reasonable cleere weather with a fresh gale at South South-west This morning betweene foure and fiue of the clocke I espyed Queene Annes Cape to beare East by South next hand of mee and King Christians Foord South South-east of me being thwart of Rumels Foord Queene Sophias Cape bearing North halfe westerly about fiue leagues off Therefore I thought it conuenient to put into Cunninghams Foord where the siluer was both in regard that I had sworne to his Maiestie as concerning the same and also because wee were expressely commanded to bring home of the same So hauing a faire gale at West South-west wee came into the aforesaid Riuer anchoring in a
could with our Shallop and did tench her in some places but neither calkeâ— her nor pitched her Then did wee take her and bring her downe close to the Shippe and there shee did stand all night On Munday the thirtieth day in the morning we went to worke to cut the Ice with Axes and Pick-axes to get our Shippe for all about the Iland was nothing but Ice and no place to ride free neither with Shippe nor Boate. That night it pleased God that wee got her out and came away rowing with our Oares but she was exceeding leake and our Shallop too and which was worse we had neuer a Rudder to stirre our Ship withall Wee rowed all that night among the Ice The first and second dayes of Iuly we continued also rowing vp and downe among the floting and driuing Ice with little hope of recouering our Countrey The third of Iuly we had a gale of winde at North and a great current setting to the Southward Then made we fast our Ship to an Iland of Ice and went to worke and to stow her things within boord to make her stiffe for wee had neuer a whit of balast in her Then did our Carpenter make what shift he could to hang our Rudder hauing nothing conuenient in our Ship to make Gudgins nor Pintels Then were we forced to breake open our Masters Chest and to take all the Iron bands off it to make fast two Pick-axes for two Pintels and to binde our Rudderâ— withall So as it pleased God that night we hanged our Rudder hauing but two Pintels and a Cable through the middle of it to keepe it to with two tacks Then were we in good hope to get cleare of the Ice because wee had some steerage though it was but bad for before we durst beare but little sayle our Ship being so leake and her stemme so sore beaten with the rocks and Ice and hauing no steerage but were forced to rowe with our Oares till wee were all sore and weary The next day about tenne of the clocke in the morning the winde came to the West North-west and was faire weather so we steered away East and by North to get vs out of the Bay And at noone the watch being out which was the third watch that we had after we came out of the Countrey for before continually we did watch all to keepe our Shippe cleare of the Ice as neere as we could we began to Pumpe our Shippe but could not make her sucke in a thousand stroakes if she had stood but one halfe houre vnpumped Then were wee forced to vnromage our Ship to see if we could finde our leakes We soone found a great many of leakes but not that which caused vs to Pumpe so sore At the last we found it close abaft our forefoot where her keele was splintred in two or three places where the Sea came running in so fast that it was not possible to keepe her free with both our Pumps and wee could not come to it to stop it for it was vnder the timbers Then did wee take our maine Bonnet and basted it with Occom and put it ouerboord right against our leake which eased vs some foure or fiue hundred stroakes in an houre Then vpon consultation had among our selues wee resolued to shape our course towards Newfound Land to see if we could get any place to mend our Ship hoping there to meete with some English or French men At this time we had one of our men very sicke and another had his hand very sore splitted and most of vs all were so sore with rowing and pumping that we were scarce able to stirre but that we must perforce The fift of Iulie wee shaped our course for New found Land with the winde at West South-west The one and twentieth the winde was at South South-west and we fell with the Land being nothing but broken Ilands Then we stood to the Westward being in the latitude of 49. degrees and an halfe The two and twentieth was faire weather and the winde very variable and about sixe of the clocke at night the winde came to the West North-west Then we steered in among the Ilands to see if we could finde any harbour to mend our Shippe for she was very leake When we were come in among them we found nothing but broken Ilands and a great current which did set from Iland to Iland and had no ground at an hundred fathoms That night we were very sore intangled with sunken Rocks and in great danger of casting away our Ship hauing very thicke weather wherefore we kept to and fro all that night The foure and twentieth of Iuly in the morning we spied some dozen Shallops which were fishing some two leagues from vs. Then wee made what way wee could toward them c. We remained in this Bay of Fogo in repairing our Shippe and refreshing of our selues vntill the two and twentieth of August Then taking our leaues of our kinde and louing friends with giuing them most heartie thankes for their goodnesse towards vs we put forth to the Sea and with an indifferent and reasonable good passage we arriued safely in Dartmouth in Deuonshire and sent word to London vnto our owners of the losse of our Master and his three companions and of the dolefull successe of our Voyage the foure and twentieth day of September 1606. The rest of this Iournall from the death of Master Iohn Knight was written by Oliuer Browne one of the Company CHAP. XVII The fourth Voyage of IAMES HALL to Groeneland wherein he was set forth by English Aduenturers Anno 1612. and slaine by a Greenelander Written by WILLIAM BAFFIN WEdnesday the eight of Iuly 1612. in the morning I perceiued the Sunne and the Moone both very faire aboue the horizon as I had done diuers times before At which time I purposed to finde out the longitude of that place by the Moones comming to the Meridian Most part of this day I spent about finding of the Meridian line which I did vpon an Iland neere the Sea hanging at the extreames of my Meridian line two threeds with Plummets at them instead of an index and sights Thursday the ninth day very early in the morning I went on shoare the Iland being a faire morning and obserued till the Moone came iust vpon the Meridian At which very instant I obserued the Sunnes height and found it 8. degrees 53. minutes North in the eleuation of the Pole 65. degrees 20. minutes By the which working by the doctrine of sphericall triangles hauing the three sides giuen to wit the complement of the Poles eleuation the complement of the Almecanter and the complement of the Sunnes declination to finde out the quantitie of the angle at the Pole I say by this working I found it to be foure of the clocke 17. minutes and 24. seconds Which when I had done I found by mine Ephemerides that the Moone came to
and rowing about the harbour where we lay to finde some neerer way out to the Sea we found among the Ilands where many of their winter houses had bin and some of their Tents were but lately carried away In which place wee also found one of their long Boates made of wood and bound together for the most part with shiuers of Whales fins and couered with Seales skinnes being some two and thirtie foote in length and some fiue foote broad hauing tenne thoughts or seates in it That day about twelue of the clocke we weighed anchor and departed out of Ramels Ford which lieth in the latitude of 67. degrees and the variation of the compasse is 24. degrees 16. minutes being a very faire Riuer and one of the most principall which wee saw in that Countrey stretching in East and East and by South This night about one of the clocke we came to the Patience lying in the Kings Ford. Sunday the sixe and twentieth Master Andrew Barker and our Merchant Master Wilkinson with other of the Company were in conference about returning home because that since our Master was slaine none of the Sauages would trade with vs as they were wont Wednesday the nine and twentieth we were likewise occupied about taking in of ballast for our Shippe was very light and that euening it was agreed that Andrew Barker Master of the Harts-ease should goe Master of the Patience which was sore against the minde of William Gourdâ—n and William Huntrice was appointed Master of the Harts-ease and Iohn Garteâ—â—y one of the quarter Masters of the Patience was Masters mate of the Harts-ease Tuesday the fourth of August in the morning the winde being Northerly a very small gale we got to Sea where the winde came to the Southward and we tacked sometime on the one boord and sometime on the other making small way on our course Munday the tenth was raine and foule weather as it had continued euery day since wee came from harbour sauing the seuenth day which was somewhat faire For commonly while the winde is South it is very thick and foule weather We tacked sometimes on one boord and sometimes on the other making a South by West way at noone sixe leagues Wednesday the twelfth it waxed calme we being somewhat Southward of a Cape called Burnils Cape and about three or foure of the clocke in the afternoone the winde came to the North and by West an easie gale with faire weather The eighteenth at noone we were in 58. deg 50. min. The seuenteenth day I tooke the variation of the compasse finding it to be 13. degrees 22. minutes contrary to the obseruations of others in this place And if any doe doubt of the truth thereof they may with a little paines proue it The eighteenth of August the declination of the Sunne was 9. degrees 58. minutes for the Meridian of London But we being almost foure houres of time to the Westward thereof there are three minutes to be abated from the rest and so the declination was 9. degrees 55. minutes and his height aboue the horizon was 24. degrees 40. minutes in the latitude of 59. degrees 0. min. and his distance from the South to the Westward by the compasse was 81. degrees And for truth of the first obseruation I tooke another shortly after finding them not to differ aboue 4. minutes Wednesday the nineteenth the winde still continued with thicke and hasie weather we being at noone in the latitude of 58. degrees 30. minutes or thereabout making a South South-east way about ten leagues Thursday the twentieth was faire weather the winde at East North-east wee steered away South-east and South-east and by East making at noone a South-east and by South way about thirtie leagues being at noone in the latitude of 57. degrees 20. minutes This day in the afternoone I tooke the variation of the compasse and found it about 11. degrees 10. minutes Friday the one and twentieth faire weather with the winde at North and North by East and we made an East South-east way halfe Southerly twentie foure leagues being at noone by obseruation in the latitude of 56. degrees 50. minutes Saturday the two and twentieth faire weather the wind at North and Nrth by East wee made an East way halfe Southerly some twentie two leagues being at noone in the latitude of 56. degrees 47. minutes Sunday the three and twentieth faire weather the wind at West North-west we making an East and East by North way about twentie foure leagues This day I tooke the variation of the Compasse and found it to be 7. degrees 23. minutes being at noone in the latitude of 57. degrees 26. minutes Munday the foure and twentieth being S. Bartholomewes day faire weather with an North North-west wee making an East North-east way halfe Northerly about twentie seuen leagues and were at noone by obseruation in the latitude of 58. degrees 4. minutes This day I obserued and found the Compasse to be varied 7. degrees 20. minutes Tuesday the fiue and twentieth faire weather and calme the winde at North wee made a North-east and by East way seuenteene leagues being at noone in the latitude of 58. degrees 30. minutes This day I found the common Compasse to be varied one point and the true variation to bee 6. degrees 4. minutes Wednesday the sixe and twentieth faire weather also with the wind North North-west we made a North-east and by East way halfe about twentie two leagues being in the height of 59. degrees 10. minutes Thursday the seuen and twentieth indifferent faire weather with a stiffe gale of wind at the North North-west we making a North-east way about thirtie one leagues being at noone in the latitude of 60. degrees 10. minutes Friday the eight and twentieth the wind at South-east with a stiffe gale wee made good about noone a North-east and by East way about twentie nine leagues This day in the afternoone it blew so great a storme that wee were in great distresse the winde at East South-east But about eleuen of the clocke it came to the North-west and North-west by North. And we ranne some twentie leagues Saturday the nine and twentieth it blew so stiffe that wee could beare none but our fore-saile making an Easâ— and by South way halfe Southerly about thirtie leagues Sunday the thirtieth all the forenoone it blew a very stiffe gale and about noone the winde came Southerly and it blew a very great storme which continued all that day and that night in such sort that we could not saile at all but all that night lay at hull Munday the one and thirtieth in the morning about foure of the clocke the winde came to the South-west a very stiffe gale At which time we set our fore-saile The wind continued all this day and night we steered away East and by South making at noone an East North-east way about thirtie foure leagues Tuesday the first of
September the wind still continued at South-west blowing a very stiffe gale we steered away East and by South making an East way about fiftie leagues This day at noone we were in the latitude of 60. degrees 45. minutes Wednesday the second faire weather with the wind at South-west wee made an East and by South way halfe a point Southerly about fortie two leagues being at noone in the latitude of 60. degrees 10. minutes This day I obserued and found the Compasse to be varied three degrees to the Westward Thursday the third day faire weather the wind at South-west wee made an East by North way at noone about twentie leagues This day in the after-noone the winde being at North North-west it blew a very stiffe gale for two Watches and toward seuen or eight of the clocke the storme so increased that our shippe was not able to beare any saile And all that night wee lay at hull Friday the fourth the storme still continued and we could beare no saile all that day till about foure of the clocke in the afternoone at which time we set our fore course and our maine course The night before in the storme we lost The Harts-ease This day wee made some twelue leagues East and by North. And we fell to lee-ward lying at hull some fiue leagues South by West Saturday the fift calme weather but very thicke and close all the forenoone the wind continued still at North North-west we making from the time wee set our courses the day before about twentie leagues East halfe Southerly beeing at noone in the latitude of 59. degrees 53. minutes Sunday the sixt faire weather the wind at North North-west we steering away East North-east and East and by North made an East by North way halfe Northerly some 29. leagues being at noone in 60. degrees 10. minutes This day the Compasse was varied to the East sixe degrees This afternoone it was almost calme and wee sounded and found ground at sixtie eight fathomes This Euening about ten of the clocke the wind came to the South-east Munday the seuenth very faire weather the wind South-east and South-east by East wee tacked in the morning to the North-ward and ranne East North-east and East by North vntill seuen or eight in the afternoone at which time we tacked vp to the Southward and went away South-west till toward twelue a clocke that night twentiâ— leagues Tuesday the eight in our morning Watch I found our selues to be in 59. degrees 20. minutes And about fiue of the clocke I espied Land which we supposed to bee the Iles of Orkney as afterward we found them to be the same And toward three of the clocke we came to an Anchor in a Channell running betweene the Ilands where the people came to vs and brought vs Hennes Geese and Sheepe and sold them to vs for old clothes and shooes desiring rather them then money There are about eighteene of these Ilands which are called by the name of the Orkeneis Wednesday the ninth it was thicke weather and the winde so Easterly that wee could not weigh Anchor Thursday the tenth faire weather and the wind came to the North-west and about noone we weighed Anchor and toward fiue of the clocke we were cleere off the Iles. The Channell for the most part lyeth North-west and South-east All that night we stood away South-east Friday the eleuenth faire weather with the wind at North North-west And about nine of the clocke in the morning we steered away South South-east At which time wee had sight of Buquham-nesse And about two of the clocke we were thwart of it The seuenteenth we came to an Anchor in Hull Road for which the Lord bee praysed Here I thinke it not amisse briefly to relate the state and manners of the people of Groenland forasmuch as I could learne As also what likelihood there is of a passe into the Sea which lyeth vpon Tartarie and China The North-west part of Gronland is an exceeding high Land to the Sea-ward and almost nothing but Mountaynes which are wonderfull high all within the Land as farre as wee could perceiue and they are all of stone some of one colour and some of another and all glistering as though they were of rich value but indeed they are not worth any thing For our Gold-smith Iames Carlile tryed very much of the Vre and found it to bee nothing worth If there bee any Mettall it lyeth so low in the Mountaynes that it cannot bee well come by There are some Rocks in these Mountaynes which are exceeding pure Stone finer and whiter then Alabaster The sides of these Mountaynes continually are couered with Snow for the most part and especially the North sides and the Noth sides of the Valleyes hauing a kind of Mosse and in some places Grasse with a little branch running all along the ground bearing a little blacke Berrie it runneth along the ground like Three-leafed Grasse heere in England There are few or no Trees growing as farre as wee could perceiue but in one place some fortie miles within the Land in a Riuer which wee called Balls Riuer There I saw on the South-side of an high Mountayne which we went vp and found as it were a yong Groue of small Wood some of it sixe or seuen foot high like a Coppice in England that had beene some two or three yeeres cut And this was the most Wood that wee saw growing in this Countrey being some of it a kind of Willow Iuniper and such like We found in many places much Angelica We suppose the people eate the Roots thereof for some causes For we haue seene them haue many of them in their Boats There are great store of Foxes in the Ilands and in the Mayne of sundry colours And there are a kind of Hares as white as Snow with their furre or haire very long Also there be Deere but they are most commonly vp within the Mayne very farre because the people doe so much hunt them that come neere the Sea I saw at one time seuen of them together which were all that wee did see in the Countrey But our men haue bought diuers Coates of the people made of Deeres skinnes and haue bought of their Hornes also Besides we haue diuers times seene the footsteps of some beast whose foote was bigger then the foot of a great Oxe Furthermore the Inhabitants haue a kinde of Dogges which they keepe at their Houses and Tents which Dogges are almost like vnto Wolues liuing by fish as the Foxes doe But one thing is very strange as I thought for the Pizzels of both Dogges and Foxes are bone The people all the Summer time vse nothing but fishing drying their fish and Seales flesh vpon the Rockes for their Winter Prouision Euery one both man and woman haue each of them a Boate made with long small pieces of Firre-wood couered with Seales skinnes very well drest and sewed so
being about a flight shot off where we saw one great Canow or Boat which had about fourteene men in it being on the furthest or North-west point of the Iland and from vs somewhat more then a Musket shot Then I called vnto them vsing some words of Groenlandish speech making signes of friendship They did the like to vs but seeing them so fearefull of vs and we not willing to trust them I made another signe to them shewing them a Knife and other Trifles which I left on the top of the Hill and returned downe to their Tents againe There wee found some Whale Finnes to the number of fortie or fiftie with a few Seale skinnes which I tooke aboord leauing Kniues Beades and Counters instead thereof and amongst their houses I found a little bagge in which was a company of little Images of men one the Image of a woman with a child at her backe all the which I brought away Among these Tents being fiue in number all couered with Seales skinnes were running vp and downe about thirtie fiue or fortie Dogges most of them muzled They were of our mungrell Mastiffes being of a brinded blacke colour looking almost like Wolues These Dogges they vse in stead of Horses or rather as the Lappians doe their Deere to draw their sleds from place to place ouer the Ice their sleds are shod or lined with great bones of fishes to keepe them from wearing and their Dogges haue Collars and Furniture very fitting These people haue their Apparell Boots Tents and other necessaries much like to the Inhabitants in Groineland sauing that they are not so neate and artificiall seeming to bee more rude and vnciuill ranging vp and downe as their fishing is in season For in most places where wee came ashoare we saw where people had beene although not this yeere but where their Habitation or their abode in Winter is I cannot well coniecture This Iland lyeth in the latitude of 62. degrees 30. minutes and in longitude West from London 72. degrees or neere thereabouts being sixtie leagues from the entrance of the Streights here the Compasse doth varie 27. degrees 30. minutes and a South-east Moone foure degrees East maketh a full Sea it doth ebbe and flow almost as much water as it doth at the Resolution and here the floud commeth from the Eastward although our Master was of opinion to the contrarie The tenth day in the morning at sixe a clocke we set sayle the winde at North which continued not but was very variable till noone and then it came to North-west we hauing sayled along by the shoare about some nine leagues and an halfe North North-west the Ice lying so thicke in the offen that wee could not well get out of it then perceiuing a good Harbour betweene two small Ilands and the Mayne wee went in with our ship where wee moored her and stayed till the twelfth day at Euening In this place it is high water on the change day at nine of the clocke or a South-east Moone maketh a full Sea the latitude of this place is 62. degrees 40. minutes and the floud doth come from the Eastward although our Master was perswaded otherwise as well in this place as at Saluage Ilands for being among Ilands euery point hath his seuerall set and eddie But I going to the top of the Iland plainely perceiued the Ice to come from the South-east and from the North-west on the ebbe In this place is no signe of people as we could perceiue The sixteenth day lying still in the Ice the weather being very close and hasey as it hath beene these six dayes and being neere a great company of Ilands in the afternoone the winde being at West North-west wee stood in amongst these Ilands and in the euening we moared our Shippe to one of them in a small coue the better to defend her from the Ice In this place wee stayed all the seuenteenth day and vpon the eighteenth being Sunday about eleuen a clocke we set sayle being almost calme making the best way wee could to get forth Here are a great company of Ilands each hath his seuerall set and eddy that the Ice doth so runne to and fro and with such violence that our Shippe was in more safetie further off then in this place the latitude of the I le we rode by is 63. degrees 26. minutes and longitude West from London neere 72. degrees 25. minutes the Compasse hath variation 27. degrees 46. minutes and at a quarter of an houre after nine on the Change day doth make a full Sea This Euening and the next morning wee had a faire steering gale of winde at South-east wee standing along by the Land it beeing all small broken Ilands to a point of Land about twelue leagues in distance from the I le wee put last from which Point I called Broken Point it being indeede a point of broken Iles. On the nineteenth day by twelue a clocke at noone wee were about foure miles from the Point before named fast inclosed with Ice very faire weather and well we might haue called this Point Fairenesse or Faire Point for from this day till the thirtieth day the weather was so faire and almost or altogether calme that in few places elsewhere finer weather could not be and till the seuen and twentieth at night wee were so fast inclosed vp with Ice that at some times one could not well dippe a paile of water by the Ship sides while wee were thus fast in the Ice vpon the one and twentieth day I saw both the Sunne and Moone at one time as indeede it is vsuall in faire weather This one and twentieth being faire weather as afore is said and I seeing both the Sunne and Moone so faire I thought it a fit time to make an obseruation for the longitude But the two and twentieth day being very faire and cleare and also calme being almost as steedy as on shoare it was no neede to bid me fit my Instrument of variation to take the time of the Moones comming to the Meridian hauing also my quadrant ready to take the Sunnes almicanter it being indifferent large as of foure foote semiâ—â—amiter haue taken the variation of my needle as precisely as possible I could which was 28. degrees 20. minutes West and if any be desirous to worke the same they may but my worke was as followeth The Sunnes almicanter at the instant when the Moone was on the Meridian was 26. degrees 40. minutes and the Sunnes declination for that time 23. degrees 6. minutes By which three things giuen I found the houre to be fiue a clocke 4. minutes 52. seconds 1. third 4. fourths or 76. degrees 13. minutes 16. seconds of the equinoctiall afternoone and according to Searles Ephemerides the Moone came to the Meridian at London at foure a clocke 54. minutes 30. seconds and after Origanus the Moone came to the Meridian at foure a clocke 52. minutes 5.
seconds at Wittenberge the same day Now hauing this knowne it is no hard matter to finde the longitude of this place sought For according to the Moones meane motion which is 12. degrees a day that is in time 48. minutes and to this account if she be on the Meridian at twelue a clock this day to morrow it will be 48. min. past 12. So I hauing the time found by obseruation at this place viz. 5. houres 4. minutes 52. seconds 1. third 4. fourths but in this I neede not come so precise and at London at 4. houres 54. minutes 30. seconds which substracted from the former leaueth 10. minutes 22. seconds 1. third 4. fourths now the Moones motion that foure and twentie houres was 22. degrees 38. minutes which conuerted into time is 50. minutes 25. seconds 20. thirds then the proportion standeth thus If 50. minutes 25. seconds 20. thirds giue 360. degrees what shall 10. minutes 22. seconds 1. third 4. fourths giue the fourth proportionall will be 74. degrees 5. minutes which is West of London because the Moone came later by 10. minutes 22. seconds and by the same working by Origanus Ephemerides the distance is 91. degrees 35. minutes West of West But whether be the truer I leaue to others to iudge in these workings may some errour be committed if it be not carefully looked vnto as in the obseruation and also in finding what time the Moone commeth to the Meridian at the place where the Ephemerides is supputated for and perchance in the Ephemerides themselues in all which the best iudicious may erre yet if obseruations of this kinde or some other at places farre remote as at the Cape Bonasperanze Bantam Iapan Noua Albion and Magellan Straits I suppose wee should haue a truer Geography then we haue And seeing I am entred to speake of celestiall obseruations I will note another which I made the twenty sixt of April being outward bound at Sea by the Moones comming in a right line with two fixed Starres the one was the Lyons heart a Starre of the first magnitude the other a Starre in the Lyons rumpe of the second magnitude as followeth The circumference or outward edge of the Moone being in a right or straight line with those two Starres before named at the instant I tooke the altitude of the South ballance which was 2. degrees 38. minutes because I would haue the time but in this it is good to waite a fit time as to haue her in a right line with two Stars not farre distant and those not to be much different in longitude because the Moon will soone alter the angle or position and such a time would be taken when the Moone is in the nintieth degree of the eclipticke aboue the horizon for then there no paralell of longitude but onely in latitude but who so is painefull in these businesses shall soone see what is needefull and what is not my obseruations were as followeth Lyons heart Right assention 46. deg 28. min. 30. sec. Lyons rumpe Right assention 163. deg 23. min. 00. se. Lyons heart Declination 13. deg 57. mi. 30. sec. Lyons rumpe Declination 22. deg 38. min 00. se. Lyons heart Longitude 24. deg 29. mi. 45. sec. Lyons rumpe Longitude 5. deg 53. min. 45. sec. Lyons heart Latitude 00. deg 26. min. 30. sec. Lyons rumpe Latitude 14. deg 20. min. 00. sec. Lyons heart Almicanter 33. deg 40. min. 00. se. Lyons rumpe Moones Paralax 00. deg 47. min. 46. sec. North. Moones Latitude 03. deg 20. min. 00. sec. North. Moones Almicanter 37 deg 00. min. 00. sec. North. Latitude of the place 56. deg 43. min. These notes I haue set downe that if any other be desirous to trie they may spend a little time therein my selfe haue spent some therein and more I would haue spent if leisure would haue permitted but finding it not to my minde I haue not here set downe my particular worke the working of this obseruation I receiued from Master Rudston But if it had pleased God we had performed the action we were bound for I would not feare but to haue brought so good contentment to the Aduenturers concerning the true scituation of notable places that small doubt should haue beene thereof but seeing so small hopes are in this place I haue not set downe so many obseruations as otherwise I would We lying here inclosed with the Ice with faire calme weather as before is said till the seuen and twentieth day at euening at which time we set sayle the winde at South-east an easie gale all the eight and twentieth and nine and twentieth dayes we made the best way through the Ice we could but the nine and twentieth day the Ice was more open then it had beene these ten dayes before and at noone we saw Salisbury Iland it bearing due West from vs. The first of Iuly close foggie weather with much raine the winde at South South-east by noone this day we were some three leagues from the Land but hauing much Ice by the shoare we stood along the Iland to the Northward and the next morning wee were faire by another small Ile or rather a company of small Ilands which after we called Mill Iland by reason of grinding the Ice as this night we made proofe thereof at noone being close to this I le wee took the latitude thereof which is neere 64. degrees Here driuing to and fro with the Ice all this day till seuen or eight a clocke at what time the Ice began to open and seperate The Ice as is said beginning to open we had not stood along by the I le on the East side thereof an houre but the Ice came driuing with the tide of floud from the South-east with such swiftnesse that it ouer went our Shippe hauing all our sayles abroad with a reasonable gale of winde and put her out of the streame into the eddy of these Iles. This Iland or Iles lying in the middle of the channell hauing many sounds running through them with many points or headlands encountering the force of the tide caused such a rebound of water Ice which ran one way and the streame another our ship hauing met the Ice with the first of the floud which put her so neere the shoare that she was in the partition betweene the Ice which the eddy caused to runne one way and the streame the other where shee endured great distresse but God which is still stronger then either Ice or streame preserued vs and our Shippe from any harme at all This continued till towards a high water which was about one a clocke then with no small trouble we got into the channell and stood away to the North-west ward After we had past some distance from this Iland wee had the Sea more open then it was since we put first into the Straits and sailed all the next day through an indifferent cleare Sea with the winde at South-west but towards eight a clocke
want of time to stay in the Countrey may bee some let yet they may well tarry till the last of August in which space much businesse may be done and good store of Oile made neuerthelesse if store of Whales come in as no feare to the contrarie what cannot bee made in Oile may bee brought home in Blubber and the Finnes will arise to good profit Another hinderance may bee because the bottome of the Sounds will not be so soone cleere as would be wished by meanes thereof now and then a Whale may be lost the same case sometime chanceth in Greenland yet I am perswaded those Sounds before named will all be cleere before the twentieth of Iuly for we this yeere were in Whale Sound the fourth day among many Whales and might haue strooke them without let of Ice Furthermore there is little wood to bee expected either for fire or other necessaries therefore Coles and other such things must bee prouided at home they will bee so much the readier there Thus much I thought good to certifie your Worship wherein I trust you will conceiue that much time hath not beene spent in vaine or the businesse ouer carelesly neglected and although wee haue not performed what we desired that is to haue found the passage yet what wee promised as to bring certaintie and a true description truth will make manifest that I haue not much erred And I dare boldly say without boasting that more good discouerie hath not in shorter time to my remembrance beene done since the action was attempted considering how much Ice we haue passed and the difficultie of sayling so neere the Pole vpon a trauerse and aboue all the variation of the Compasse whose wonderfull operation is such in this Bay increasing and decreasing so suddenly and swift being in some part as in Wostenholme Sound and in Sir Tho. Smiths Sound varied aboue fiue Points or 56. degrees a thing almost incredible and matchlesse in all the world beside so that without great care and good obseruations a true description could not haue beene had In fine whatsoeuer my labours are or shall be I esteeme them too little to expresse my thankefull minde for your many fauours wherein I shall be euer studious to supply my other wants by my best endeuours and euer rest at Your Worships command WILLIAM BAFFIN A briefe and true Relation or Iournall contayning such accidents as happened in the fift voyage for the discouerie of a passage to the North-west set forth at the charges of the right Worshipfull Sir Tho. Smith Knight Sir Dudly Digges Knight Master Iohn Wostenholme Esquire Master Alderman Iones with others in the good ship called the Discouerie of London Robert Bileth Master and my selfe Pilot performed in the yeere of our Lord 1616. IN the Name of God Amen The forenamed ship being in full readinesse vpon the twentie sixe of March we set saile at Grauesend being in number seuenteene persons hauing very faire weather which continued till the second of April by that time we were off Portland then the winde comming Westward with foule weather we kept Sea till the fourth day then being not able to fetch Plimouth bore roome for Dartmouth where wee stayed eleuen dayes in which time was much foule weather and westerly windes The fifteenth day of Aprill being cleere of Dartmouth we were forced the next day to put into Plimouth The nineteenth day we set saile from thence and the twentieth in the morning we past betweene the Lands end and Silly with a faire winde Continuing our course as in the briefe Table or Iournall is set downe with euery particular from noone to noone that here I need not make a tedious repetition nothing worthy of note hapning but that we had a good passage and the first Land we saw was in Fretum Dauis on the coast of Groinland in the latitude of 65. degrees 20. minutes On the fourteenth of May in the forenoone then sixe of the people being a fishing came to vs to whom we gaue small pieces of Iron they keeping vs companie being very ioyfull supposing wee had intended to come to anchor but when they saw vs stand off from shoare they followed vs a while and then went away discontented to our seeming We prosecuting our Voyage were loth to come to anchor as yet although the winde was contrarie but still plyed to the Northward vntill we came into 70. degrees 20. minutes then wee came to anchor in a faire Sound neere the place Master Dauis called London Coast. The twentieth of May at euening the people espying vs fled away in their Boates getting on Rocks wondring and gasing at vs but after this night we saw them no more leauing many Dogs running to and fro on the Iland At this place we stayed two dayes in which time wee tooke in fresh water and other necessaries here we had some dislike of the passage because the Tydes are so small as not arising aboue eight or nine foot and keepe no certaine course but the neerest time of high water on the change day is at a quarter of an houre past nine and the Flood commeth from the South The two and twentieth day at a North Sunne wee set saile and plyed still Northward the winde being right against vs as we stood off and on Vpon the sixe and twentieth day in the afternoone we found a dead Whale about sixe and twentie leagues from shoare hauing all her finnes Then making our ship fast wee vsed the best meanes wee could to get them and with much toile got a hundred and sixtie that euening The next morning the Sea went very high and the winde arising the Whale broke from vs and we were forced to leaue her and set saile and hauing not stood past three or foure leagues North-westward came to the Ice then wee tacked and stood to the shoare-ward a sore storme ensued By the thirtieth day in the afternoone wee came faire by Hope Sanderson the farthest Land Master Dauis was at lying betweene 72. and 73. degrees and that euening by a North Sunne we came to much Ice which we put into plying all the next day to get through it The first of Iune we were cleere of the Ice before named and not farre from shoare the winde blowing very hard at North North-east then we put in among diuers Ilands the people seeing vs fled away in all haste leauing their Tents behinde and vpon a small Rocke they hid two young Maides or Women Our ship riding not farre off we espyed them to whom our Master with some other of our companie went in the Boate they making signes to be carried to the Iland where their Tents were close adioyning When they came thither they found two old women more the one very old to our esteemation little lesse then fourescore the other not so old The next time we went on shoare there was another Woman with a child at her back who had hid
her selfe among the Rocks till the other had told her how well wee had vsed them in giuing them pieces of Iron and such like which they highly esteeme in change thereof they giue vs Seales skinnes other riches they had none saue dead Seales and fat of Seales some of which fat or blubber afterward we carried aboord the poore women were very diligent to carry it to the water side to put into our caske making shew that the men were ouer at the Mayne and at an other small Iland something more Eastward Then making signes to them that wee would shew them our ship and set them where the men were the foure youngest came into our Boate when they were aboord they much wondred to see our ship and furniture we gaue them of our meat which they tasting would not eate Then two of them wee set on the Iland where they supposed the men to be the other two were carried to their Tents againe Those that went to seeke the men could not finde them but came as neere the ship as they could and at euening wee set them ouer to the other This place wee called Womens Ilands it lyeth in the latitude of 72. degrees 45. minutes here the Flood commeth from the Southward at nep Tydes the water ariseth but sixe or seuen foote and a South South-east Moone maketh a full Sea The Inhabitants very poore liuing chiefly on the flesh of Seales dryed which they eate raw with the skinnes they cloathe themselues and also make couerings for their Tents and Boats which they dresse very well The Women in their apparell are different from the men and are marked in the face with diuers blacke strokes or lines the skin being rased with some sharpe instrument when they are young and blacke colour put therein that by no meanes it will be gotten forth Concerning their Religion I can little say onely they haue a kinde of worship or adoration to the Sunne which continually they will point vnto and strike their hand on their breast crying Ilyâ—nt their dead they burie on the side of the Hils where they liue which is commonly on small Ilands making a pile of stones ouer them yet not so close but that wee might see the dead body the aire being so piersing that it keepeth them from much stinking sauour So likewise I haue seene their Dogs buried in the same manner Vpon the fourth day we set sayle from thence hauing very faire weather although the winde were contrary and plyed to and fro betweene the Ice and the Land being as it were a channell of seuen or eight leagues broad then on the ninth day being in the latitude of 74. degree 4. minutes and much pestered with Ice neere vnto three small Ilands lying eight miles fromth shore we came to anchor neere one of them These Ilands are vsed to be frequented with people in the latter part of the yeare as it seemed by the houses and places where the tents had stood but this yeare as yet they were not come here the tides are very small especially the floud which ariseth not aboue fiue or six foot yet the ebbe runneth with an indifferent streame the cause thereof in mine opinion is the great abundance of Snow melting on the Land all this part of the yeare The tenth day wee set sayle from thence and stood through much Ice to the Westward to try if that further from the shoare wee might proceede but this attempt was soone quailed for the more Ice we went through the thicker it was till wee could see no place to put in the Ships head Seeing that as yet we could not proceede we determined to stand in for the shoare there to abide some few dayes till such time as the Ice were more wasted and gone for we plainely saw that it consumed very fast with this resolution we stood in and came to anchor among many Ilands in the latitude of 73. degrees 45. minutes On the twelfth day at night here wee continued two dayes without shew or signe of any people till on the fifteenth day in the morning about one a clocke then came two and fortie of the Inhabitants in their Boates or Canoas and gaue vs Seale skinnes and many peeces of the bone or horne of the Sea Vnicorne and shewed vs diuers peeces of Sea Mors teeth making signes that to the Northward were many of them in exchange thereof we gaue them small peeces of Iron Glasse Beads and such like at foure seuerall times the people came to vs and at each time brought vs of the aforesaid commodities by reason thereof we called this place Horne Sound Here we stayed six dayes and on the eighteenth day at night we set sayle hauing very little winde and being at Sea made the best way we could to the Northward although the winde had beene contrary for the most part this moneth but it was strange to see the Ice so much consumed in so little space for now we might come to the three Ilands before named and stand off to the Westward almost twenty leagues without let of Ice vntill we were more North as to 74. degrees 30. minutes then we put among much scattered Ice and plyed to and fro all this month still in the sight of shoare and many times fast in the Ice yet euery day we got something on our way nothing worthy of note happening but that at diuers times we saw of the fishes with long hornes many and often which we call the Sea Vnicorne and here to write particularly of the weather it would be superfluous or needelesse because it was so variable few dayes without Snow and often freezing in so much that on Midsummer day our shrowds roapes and sailes were so frozen that we could scarse handle them yet the cold is not so extreame but it may well be endured The first of Iuly we were come into an open Sea in the latitude of 75. degrees 40. minutes which a new reuiued our hope of a passage and because the winde was contrary wee stood off twenty leagues from the shoare before we met the Ice then standing in againe when we were neere the Land we let fall an anchor to see what tyde went but in that we found small comfort Shortly after the winde came to the South-east and blew very hard with foule weather thicke and foggie then we set sayle and ran along by the Land this was on the second day at night The next morning we past by a faire Cape or head land which wee called Sir Dudley Digges Cape it is in the latitude of 76. degrees 35. minutes and hath a small Iland close adioyning to it the winde still increasing we past by a faire Sound twelue leagues distant from the former Cape hauing an Iland in the midst which maketh two entrances Vnder this Iland we came to anchor and had not rid past two houres but our Ship droue although we had two
their Canoas brought vs Salmon Peale and such like which was a great refreshment to our men the next day following the same six came againe but after that we saw them no more vntill the sixt day when we had wayed anchor and were almost cleere of the harbour then the same six and one more brought vs of the like commodities for which we gaue them Glasse Beads Counters and small peeces of Iron which they doe as much esteeme as we Christians doe Gold and Siluer In this Sound we saw such great Scales of Salmon swimming to and fro that it is much to be admired here it floweth about eighteene foote water and is at the highest on the change day at seuen a clocke it is a very good harbour and easie to be knowne hauing three high round hils like Piramides close adioyning to the mouth of it and that in the middest is lowest and along all this coast are many good harbours to be found by reason that so many Ilands lye off from the maine The sixt of August by three a clocke in the afternoone wee were cleere of this place hauing a North North North-west winde and faire weather and the Lord sent vs a speedy and good passage homeward as could be wished for in nineteene dayes after wee saw Land on the coast of Ireland it being on the fiue and twentieth day the seuen and twentieth at noone we were two leagues from Sâ—lly and the thirtieth day in the morning wee anchored at Douer in the roade for the which and all other his blessings the Lord make vs thankfull CHAP. XX. A briefe Discourse of the probabilitie of a passage to the Westerne or South Sea illustrated with testimonies and a briefe Treatise and Mappe by Master BRIGGES I Thought good to adde somewhat to this Relation of Master Baffin that learned-vnlearned Mariner and Mathematician who wanting art of words so really employed himselfe to those industries whereof here you see so euident fruits His Mappes and Tables would haue much illustrated his Voyages if trouble and cost and his owne despaire of passage that way had not made vs willing to content our selues with that Mappe following of that thrice learned and in this argument three times thrice industrious Mathematician Master Brigges famous for his readings in both Vniuersities and this honourable Citie that I make no further Voyage of Discouery to finde and follow the remote Passage and extent of his name Master Baffin told mee that they supposed the tyde from the North-west about Digges Iland was misreported by mistaking the houre eight for eleuen and that hee would if hee might get employment search the passage from Iapan by the coast of Asia or qua data porta any way hee could But in the Indies he dyed in the late Ormus businesse slaine in fight with a shot as hee was trying his Mathematicall proiects and conclusions Now for that discouery of Sir Thomas Button I haue solicited him for his Noates and receiued of him gentle entertainment and kinde promises but being then forced to stay in the Citie vpon necessary and vrgent affaires he would at his returne home seeke and impart them Since I heare that weightie occasions haue detained him out of England and I cannot communicate that which I could not receiue which if I doe receiue I purpose rather to giue thee out of due place then not at all Once he was very confident in conference with me of a passage that way and said that he had therein satisfied his Maiestie who from his discourse in priuate inferred the necessitie thereof And the maine argument was the course of the tyde for wintering in Port Nelson see the following Mappe hee found the tyde rising euery twelue houres fifteene foote whereas in the bottome of Hudsons Bay it was but two foote and in the bottome of Fretum Dauis discouered by Baffin but one yea and a West winde equalled the nep tydes to the spring tydes plainely arguing the neighbourhood of the Sea which is on the West side of America The Summer following he found about the latitude of 60. degrees a strong race of a tide running sometimes Eastward sometimes Westward whereupon Iosias Hubbard in his plat called that place Hubbarts Hope as in the Map appeareth Now if any make scruple because this discouery was not pursued by Sir Thomas Button let him consider that being Prince Henries Seruant and partly by him employed whence I thinke he named the Country New Wales the vntimely death of that Prince put all out of ioint nor was hee so open that others should haue the glory of his discouerie And if any man thinke that the passage is so farre as the Maps vse to expresse America running out into the West it is easily answered that either of negligence or ouer-busie diligence Maps by Portugals in the East and Spaniards in the West haue beene falsely proiected Hence that fabulous strait of Anian as before by Francis Gaules testimonie and nauigation is euident And hence the Portugals to bring in the Moluccas to that moity of the world agreed vpon betwixt the Spaniards and them are thought to haue much curtalled Asia and the longitude of those Ilands giuing fewer degrees to them then in iust longitude is requisite So the older Maps of America make the Land from the Magelane Straits to the South Sea runne much West when as they rather are contracted somewhat Easterly from the North. The like is iustly supposed of their false placing Quiuira and I know not nor they neither what Countries they make in America to run so farre North-westward which Sir Francis Drakes Voyage in that Sea his Noua Albion being little further Westward then Aquatulco plainely euince to be otherwise Yea the late Map of California found to be an Iland the Sauages discourses in all the Countries Northwards and Westwards from Virginia fame whereof filled my friend Master Dermer with so much confidence that hearing of strange Ships which came thither for a kinde of Vre or earth the men vsing forkes in their diet with Caldrons to dresse their meate c. things nothing sutable to any parts of America hee supposed them to come from the East neere to China or Iapan and therefore he made a Voyage purposely to discouer but crossed with diuers disasters hee returned to Virginia frustrate of accomplishment that yeare but fuller of confidence as in a Letter from Virginia he signified to me where death ended that his designe soone after But how often are the vsuall Charts reiected by experience in these Nauigations in this worke recorded Painters and Poets are not alwayes the best Oracles For further proofes of a passage about those parts into the West Sea or South as it is called from the first discouery thereof to the South from the parts of New Spaine whence it was first descried by the Spaniards there is mention of a Portugall and taken in a Carricke in Queene Elizabeths dayes of
of the Spaniards imagine the desire of that Metall hauing made such an impression in their imagination that they told Cortes before hee came at it they had seene a house with wals of Siluer Here and at Chiauiztlan Cortes incited them to rebell against Mutezuma and to become seruants to the Spaniards which they did and he vnder-hand so wrought that Mutezuma tooke him for his friend All his intent was to fish in troubled waters and to set them both by the eares that hee might watch oportunitie to benefit himselfe His owne people rebelled some of whom he chastised with the halter and the whip for example to the rest and after caused all his ships to bee sunke closely that they should not minde any returne He left 150. man for the guard of the new Towne vnder Pedro de Henrico and with 400. Spaniards fifteene Horses and sixe Peeces of Artillery and 1300 Indians they went from Zempoallan and came to Zaclotan the Lord whereof was Olintler the subject of Mutezuma who to testifie his joy and to honour Cortes commanded fifty men to be sacrificed whose bloud they saw new and fresh They carried the Spaniards on their shoulders sitting on Beeres such as whereon they vse to carry dead men He bragged as much of the power of Mutezuma as their Spaniards of their Emperour He said he had thirty Vassals each of which was able to bring into the field an hundred thousand men of Warre and sacrificed 20000. men yearely to the gods in this he somewhat exceeded the other was true although some yeares the Sacrifices also were thought to amount to 50000. This Towne was great and had thirteene Temples in each of which were many Idols of stone of diuers fashions before whom they sacrificed Men Doues Quailes other things with great perfumes and veneration Here Mutezuma had 5000. Souldiers in Garrison Cortes passed from thence to Mexico by the Frontiers of Tlaxcallon which were enemies to Mutezuma whom he might easily haue ouercome but reserued partly for the exercise of his Subiects to the Warre parâ—ly for the Sacrifices to his gods These ioyned an hundred and fifty thousand men against Cortes taking him for Mutezuma's friend and yet euery day sent him Guinney-cockes and Bread partly to espie his strength and partly in a brauery lest their glory should be obscured in the conquest of men already starued But when in many skirmishes and fights they could not preuaile against that handfull of Spaniards they thought they were preserued from harme by inchantments and sent him three presents with this message That if he were that rigorous god which eateth mans flesh he should eate those fiue slaues which they brought him and they would bring him more if he were the meeke and gentle god behold Frankinsence and Feathers if he were a mortall man take here Fowle Bread and Cherries At last they made peace with him and submitted their City to him Their City Tlaxcallan was great planted by a Riuers side which issued into the South-Sea It had foure Streetes each of which had their Captaine in the time of Warre The gouernment was an Aristocraty hating Monarchy no lesse then tyranny It had eight and twenty Villages and in them an hundred and fifty thousand Housholds very poore but good warriors They had one Market-place so spacious that thirty thousand persons in a day came thither to buy and sell by exchange for money they had none Mutezuma had sent before to Cortes and promised tribute to the Emperour whatsoeuer should be imposed onely he would not haue him come to Mexico And now he sent againe that he should not trust that new friendship with the beggerly Nation of Tlaxcallan and they againe counselled him not to aduenture himselfe to Mutezuma Cortes held his determination for Mexico and being accompanied with many of the Tlaxcantlexas he went to Chololla a little from whence Mutezuma had prepared an Army to intrap him in the way but he finding the trechery it redounded vpon the Cholollois the same day they had thought to haue executed the same vpon him For this end they had sacrificed ten children fiue males and as many females three yeares old to Quezalcouatl their god which was their custome when they began their Wars He out-going them in their owne art of subtilty intrapped their Captains in Counsell and sent his Army to spoile the City where were slaine thousands There were twenty Gentlemen and many Priests which ascended vp to the high towre of their Temple which had an hundred and twenty steps where they were burned together with their gods and Sanctuary This Citie had twenty thousand Housholds within the Wals and as many in the Suburbs It shewed outward very faire and full of Towres for there were as many Temples as dayes in the yeare and euery one had his Towre The Spaniards counted foure hundred Towers It was the Citie of most deuotion in all India whither they trauelled from many places farre distant in Pilgrimage Their Cathedrall Temple was the best and highest in all New-Spaine with an hundred and twenty steps vp to it Their chiefe god was Quezalcouatl god of the Ayre who was they say founder of their Citie being a Virgin of holy life and great penance He instituted fasting and drawing of bloud out of their eares and tongues and left precepts of Sacrifices Hee neuer ware but one garment of Cotten white narrow and long and vpon that a Mantle beset with certaine red crosses They haue certaine greene stones which were his and are kept for great relikes one of them is like an Apes head Eight leagues from Chololla is the hill Popocatepec or smoake-hill which the Earth seemeth to haue erected as a Fort to encounter and assault the Ayre now with smoky mists endeuouring to choake his purer breath another while with violent flames and naturall fire-workes threatning to ioyne league with his elder and superiour brother to disinherit him sometimes with showers of ashes and embers as it were putting out the eyes and sometimes with terrible and dreadfull thunders rending the eares of that Airy Element alwayes such is the euent of warre hurting and wasting it selfe to indamage the enemy The Indians thought it a place of Purgatory whereby tyrannicall and wicked Officers were punished after their death and after that purgation passed into glory The Spaniards aduentured to see it but two onely held on their iourney and had there beene consumed had they not by a Rocke bin shadowed from the violent eruption of the fire which then hapned It chanced that the Earth weary it seemeth of the warre as hauing spent her store and munition agreed on a truce which continued ten yeares but in the yeare 1540. it brake forth into more violent hostility then before quaking and renting it selfe with vnbridled passion and whereas the Ayre had alwaies a snowie Garrison about her high tops and frontiers to coole and quench her fiery showers yet these did
Riuer Ob from the South to trade at Surgout and Tobolsca The Country of King Alteen An Altine is six pence a Dingo is a penie Hawkes as white as snow Russe Money A course Hamborough Cloth Nouember 1614. His Iourney within 30. leagues of Ob and neere to Bersoma The Riuer Coy falling into Pechorâ— The Riuer Shapkina falling into Pechora The Riuer Nougorotka falling into Shapkina Habeaga Riuer falling into Pechora December The Riuer Haryena falling into Coluoy The Riuer Coluoy falling into Ouse Saint Nicholas Bay A small Riuer falling into Sandauets Terrible Frost The Riuer Hoseda falling into Azua The Riuer Azua falling into Ouse The Mountain Yangoda The Riuer Rogauaya Mensha falling into Ouse The Riuer Rogauaya Bolsha falling into Ouse Altitude and Variation Ianuarie Returne Wilde Deere Aprill Riuer increasing May. Oust-zilma Glouboka is 67. degrees 55. minutes Iuly Apparell of Samoyeds Sleds Deere swiftnesse Women Tent and Chappell Superstition No Townes Marrie Wiues bought and sold. Marriages Rings and Bels. Diuorce Religion Funerals Their yeere but halfe a yeere Iudgement or Oath Their persons Diuination Womens hardinesse * This was Master Bennets second Voyage thither His first Voyage thither A. 1603. I haue added at the end of this Chapter after Pooles Relations this being set before I saw that A Morse Cherie Iland described Store of fowles Morses roring Abundance of Sea-fowles found on shoare Small 〈◊〉 74. 〈…〉 minutes Notâ— The 〈◊〉 Teeth Abundance of Drift Wood. A thousand Morses found 1603. Lead Vre was found Pechingo Cola. Why the Iland was called Cherie Iland Assumption Iuly 2. Cherie Iland Many Morses killed with shot and Iauelings The fight of the Morse Oyle made of the fat of the Morses Eleuen tuns of Oyle A Mâ—ne of Lead Extreame cold the 25. of Iuly Abundance of driuing Ice Mount Misery A monstrous fogge August 24. A Ship and Pinnasse set forth The Assumption Much Ice 55. leagues from the North Cape Ice within 45. leagues of the North Cape A Beare on Ice 27. leagues from any land Iuly 2. Part of Cherie Iland in 74. degrees and â—5 minutes The floud commeth from the South-west The thirteenth of Iuly The nature of the Morses A great white Beare Seuen or eight hundred beasts slayne in sixe houres A great Frost the 24. of Iuly May 21. Ward-house Tipany Iune 13. Cherie Iland A Beare slaine Another Beare slayne Great heâ—te the 20. and 21. of Iune 1000. Morses killed in seuen houres Iuly 3. A Voyage set out by Master Duppa to Cherie Iland 1607. A liuing Morse brought into England Lofoot Zenam May 2. They arriue at Cherie Iland the 8. of May Fowle Three Beares Qualitie of Beares Feare a Traitor A Beare slaine 17. Beares in sight Young Beare-whelps A Beare slayn the skin wherof was 13. foot A third Beare slayne The tenth day Sixe Beares slayne All the Beares flâ—yed Frost the 16. of May. Snow Snow Fiue Seales Snow A ship of Hull Frosty wether Snow frost 26. Seales A Beare killed on the Ice Two young white Beares brought into England Iune 1. Frost The Hull man 20. leagues North-west off the Iland No fog in a moneths space The first thaw Fogges The Beares slaine on the North side Three Beares slaine powdered and eaten Possession taken of Cherie Iland for the Muscouie Company Drift wood on the East side The Coue. They feed on Beares flesh Nine Foxes found Three Mynes of Lead found on Gull-Iland Good Sea-coles found on the Iland Two Beares slaine An huge compasse of Ice Another Beare slaine Another Beare slaine Their Ship got in the second time The Matthew The Marie Margarite Iuly Logan and Edge Fowle their chiefest food in extreamitie A Beare slaine Another Beare slaine Snow and Frost Some Minerall Lead digged Aboue twentie Foxes eaten Dangers by the Ice l A warpe is a Rope commonly a Hawser vsed to warpe a ship that is with an Anchor bent to the Hawser and layd out to hale the ship forward which is done when they want wind to carrie out or into a Harbour m A Bitter is a turne of the Cable about the Bitts for when they come to Anchor they take a turne with it about the Bitts two mayne square pieces of Timber which stand Pillar wise in the loose of the ship to make fast the Cable vnto that they may by little and little vere it out at ease otherwise if a stopper faile the Cable would runne out end for end that is altogether but thus stopped the shippe is said to bee brought to a Bitter The Bitter end is that end of the Cable within boord at the Bites August Note An Iland May. The Iles of Shotland No variation 61. degrees 11. minutes The inclination of the Needle Iune 65. degrees 27. minutes 67. degrees 30. minutes Youngs Cape The Mount of Gods mercie Snow Note Land on their Larboord Many Fowles Much drift Ice * To loofe is to keepe close to the wind roomer coâ—t * To tacke the ship is to bring her head about to lye the other way Land not couered with Snow The Land of Hold with Hope in 73. degrees A mayne high Land 75. Degrees Land not farre off 76. degrees 38. minutes Greenland or Newland discouered 78. Degrees Vogel Hooke Temperatâ— ayre Iuly 78. degrees 4â— minutes The great Inlâ—t 78. Degrees 56. Minutes 78. degrees 33. minutes The shroudes and sayles frozen The mouth of the Inlet 77. degrees 30. minutes 78. degrees The end of the Sacke A Blacke and open Sea Much Drift-wood Many Seales Morses From hence it seemeth iâ— taken out of Hen. Hudsons owne Notes Blue and Greene Seas 79. degrees 17. minutes Sick of Beares flesh vnsalted 80. degrees Newland or Greenland of which the Hollanders hath made a little Discouerie by Barents as before is deliuered but neither so farre nor so exact nor so vsefull nor first as before is obserued of Sir H. Willoughbies English exactet Discoueries finding the Whale and Morse benefit they also enterloped Greene Sea freest of Ice and the Blue Sea Icie Collins Cape Whale danger A Sound is a greater and deeper indraught then a Bay Heat beyond 80. degrees Sunne 10. degrees 40. min. high about mid-night 81. degrees Land stretching into 82. degrees They returned Abundance of Seales 77. degr 26. m. Danger escaped Whales Bay Cherie Iland * I haue Robert Iuets Iournall also for breuitie omitted Aprill May. Lowfoot Sun 5. degrees 35. minutes at mid-night Iune North Cape Variation west 11. degrees Needles inclination 84. degrees and a halfe 74. degrees 30. minutes Darke blue Sea Mermaide seene and described Current Needles inclination 89. degrees and a halfe in 75. degrees 22. min. Beares roaring Store of Seals Sunne at mid-night high 7. degrees 40. minutes in 74. degrees 33. minutes Iuets notes tell of a sudden variation of the Compasse from the North to the East one point which had been two imediately before No passagâ— that way Swart Cliffeâ— They goe aâ— shoare Riuer and Iland Iuly
44. minutes ofâ—sland â—sland Snaeland Naddoc first Discouerer Farre Ilands Gardar second Discouerer A.D. 864. Gardarsholme Floco third Discouerer Rauen Guides The name Island of Ice Island is not Thule Thule furthest of the Brittish Iles. * The Author proceedeth in this disputation further then our Reader perhaps would permit vs. The learned and curious may there find enough and more yet in Ortelius his both Thesaurus and Theatrum who proueth out of Pompenius Ptolemaeus and Procopius that Island is not Thule but as the name sounds Tylemarke a Region in Norway or all Scandia of which that is a part still retaining the name The Circuit * Harald Harefagre finding many pâ—ttie Princes made an absolute Monarchy of Norway wherupon some sought to free themselues by new discoueries and hence arose the plantation of Island A.D. 874. Ingulfus Rash vowes and bloudie quarrells ensuing Island first inhabited A 874 Superstition First houses Island had anciently fairer houses then now hauing Timber from Norway c. likewise Tillage was then in vse Hiorleifus slain Westmafrar and Westmen Woods Bels and Crosses Chap. 3. Of the language of the Nation Islanders only retaine the ancient Gottish Two kindes of letters Island Grammarian Norus of whom Norway is named Chap. 4. Of the first Inhabitants of the North parts of the world Thorro Fermotus Goe Gorus * This Odinus is said to haue made his plantation with his Asian followers about four and twentie yeeres before Christ was borne Earth-bred or Land-sprung men which had their originall in that Land Giants first inhabiters of the Northerne parts of the World Their originall from the Cananites A long discourse of the Authour to proue that there haue bin Giants iâ— omitted Giants in the time of Haraldus Harefayre and since 1338. a Giant reported of 15. Cubits Iuâ—land Chap. 5. Of their Customes and manner of life Separate dwellings Houses Fewell Turfes of two sorts both vsed in England the one in fennie the other in heath grounds Einarus the Inuenter of Turfe-fewel in the Orcades Stoues Greater houses in Island in old times Victuals and Husbandry Tillage anciently in vse Beasts Fowle Fish Drinke Whay Mead. Ale Chap. 6. Of their Common-wealth Religion Seats of Iustice and Religion Idols Por and Thors day Freyr Niordur and As. Odinus the same that Woden in our Saxon storie Odinus Odin or Oden by his Sorcery which made him a Deuill made a God Wodnesday or Wednesday The Altar Holy water sprinkle Holy Ring Sacrifices Humane-inhumane sacrifices Deuill-circle Of this place and these cries of the children confused with sounds of instruments and the vnnaturall horror Hell was called Gehenna and Tophet Chap. 7. Of Magistrates and Courts A Magistrate who Care of the Poore Lawes against Beggars Inordinate men Our tithings and hundreds in their originall had some resemblance thereof Lawes of Almes A.D. 1609. Secund. Comput Ang. * The Main-sayle without a Bonnet * The Fore-sayle without a Bonnet Hamersound in Shotland North Cape in 71. degrees 20. minutes May the second Chery Iland Ice The sixt day of May wee were in 74. degrees 7. minutes Abundance of Ice 74. degrees 15. minutes variation 13. degrees 30. minutes The Lyonesse was sent to Chery Iland * As Cobodines wildgeese and Willocks Ice Much raine Land the 16. day of May. Note 76. degrees 50 minutes Pole height Variation 16. degrees The North point westerly Rockes Mohorses or Morses Hornsound Muscouy Mount For these places see Captain Edges Map Ice point Bell point Point partition The ayre temperate· Lownesse I le Lowsound The Sounds season Very thicke fogs Extreame cold weather Sailes frozen Black-point I le Cape-cold Ice-sound Faire weather Fayer-forland No fish In all this land by the sea side is good store of Drift-wood but none groweth here N. Wood cock Whale-fins Hope of a Polate passage Knotty-point Thirty day of May. Foule-sound Deere-sound Close-Coue Ice Gornerd-nose Note Iune A Beare slaine Foure Deere slaine His name was Tho. Whiteman A Beare slaine A crosse set vp Crosse-road A good Road for all winds There is great store of Fowle in this Land A Buck slaine Three Deere slaine A fawne taken Beares slaine Mohorses White fishes Fiue Deere * Isa. 45.18 Two Beares and two Deere slaine Crosse-road in 79. degres 15 minutes Compasse vary 18. degrees 16. minutes Ice Great store of Whales Fiue Deere slaine Faier-Hauen Abundance of Ice 79. degrees 50. minutes the Latitude of Gornerds nose The fâ—rthest place of my being this Voyage This Vnicorns horne is the Horne of a fish of which sâ—e after in Baffins discouery Ten Beares slaine Fiue Deere slaine A yong beare taken A Beare slaine Take heede of this point A Bucke slaine A Beare slaine A Bucke Iuly the first 78 degrees 24. mitutes var. 17. W. Two Deere slaine Greene-harbour one Deere slaine Ice A Beare slaine two yong ones taken Ice A dead Whale Three Beares slaine Three Deeres slaine A Beare with two young ones taken Fiue Deere slaine Two Beares slaine Sea-coales Three Bucks slaine No good chanell A Beare slaine A fat Bucke And although I haue not written of the farnesse of the rest yet the most of them were two and three inches thicke of fat My departure from the land Ice A fish seene Ice fogs two of the greatest hinderances in the Northerne Nauigations I stood 〈◊〉 England In 62. degrees 15. minutes The Coluidine is as big as a Mallard the male is neerer of the colour and the female browne Poole entertayned by a certaine stipend He was as I haue heard miserably and basely murthered betwixt Ratclâ—ffe and London after his returne from this Voyage Further discouerie to the North. Thomas Edge See sup l. 3 c. 2. Cherie Iland Agreement with a Tanner for Morses hides Aduentures and losses in first Discoueries Sixe Biscainers procured for killing of the Whale as I haue heard by Woodcocks aduise who had liued and been imployed with them in Grand Bay c. * This was a conceit as if all places had choiâ—e of all kindes which experience hath since taught otherwise See of the kinds of Whales sup· 471. I haue added this to be compared with that for further light Spermaceti or Permaciti as the vulgar call it Ambergreese The rest as not so necessary to the publike is omitted Foure Ships See Sup. l. 3. The Ships separated Cherie Iland Crosse Rode Ice a hinderance to Whale killing and discouery 80. Degrees New discouery Hold with Hope Sâ—ore of Whales Cherie Iland Three hundred Moâ—ses Mary Margaret lost Ship of Hull Double danger They returne homeward September 3. Orkney Ilands Pentlow Fryth in 58. degrees 36. minutes Many fat Deere white Beares white grey and dun Foxes Abundance of sundry Fowles Allen a deuouring Fowle Many huge Morses Chery Iland Blacke point Great store of Whales Cape Cold. Foule Sound Faire Foreland The Diana of London Dutch Merchant brake his necke Six Biscayners Iune The Marmaduke Marmadukes Discouerie to 82. degrees Woodcock Pilot
holpe vs once againe and contrary to our expectations sent vs a North-west wind and so with great danger wee got to the fast Ice againe when we were deliuered out of that danger and knew not where our other Scut◠was wee sayled one mile along by the fast Ice but found it not whereby we were wholly out of heart and in great feare that they were drowned at which time it was mystie weather and so sayling along and hearing no newes of our other Scute we shot off a Musket which they hearing shot off another but yet we could not see each other meane time approching neerer to each other and the weather waxing somewhat cleerer as wee and they shot once againe we saw the smoake of their Piece and at last we met together againe and saw them lye fast betweene driuing and fast Ice and when we got neere vnto them we went ouer the Ice and holpe them to vnlade the goods out of their Scute and drew it ouer the Ice and with much paine and trouble brought it into the open water againe and while they were fast in the Ice wee found some Wood vpon the Land by the Sea side and when we lay by each other we sod some Bread and Water together and eat it vp warme which did vs much good The eight and twentieth when the Sunne was in the East wee layd all our goods vpon the Ice and then drew the Scutes vpon the Ice also because we were so hardly prest on all sides with the Ice and the wind came out of the Sea vpon the Land and therefore wee were in feare to be wholly inclosed with the Ice and should not be able to get out thereof againe and being vpon the Ice we layd sayles ouer our Scutes and lay downe to rest appointing one of our men to keepe watch and when the Sunne was North there came three Beares towards our Scutes wherewith hee that kept the Watch cryed three Beares three Beares at which noyse wee leapt out of our Boates with our Muskets that were laden with hayle-shot to shoote at Birds and had no time to discharge them and therefore shot at them therewith and although that kinde of shot could not hurt them much yet they ranne away and in the meane time they gaue vs leasure to lade our Muskets with bullets and by that meanes wee shot one of the three dead which the other two perceiuing ranne away but within two houres after they came againe but when they were almost at vs and heard vs make a noyse they ranne away at which time the winde was West and West and by North which made the Ice driue with great force into the East The nine and twentieth of Iune the Sunne 〈◊〉 South South-west the two Beares came againe to the place where the dead Beare lay where one of them tooke the dead Beare in his mouth and went a great way with it ouer the rugged Ice and then began to eate it which vve perceiuing shot a Musket at her but she hearing the noyse thereof ranne away and let the dead Beare lye then foure of vs went thither and saw that in so short time she had eaten almost the halfe of her we tooke the dead Beare and layd it vpon a high heape of Ice that we might see it out of our Scute that if the Beare came againe we might shoot at her at which time we tryed the great strength of the Beare that carryed the dead Beare as lightly in her mouth as if it had beene nothing whereas wee foure had enough to doe to carry away the halfe dead Beare betweene vs. The first of Iuly it was indifferent faire vveather with a West North-west wind and in the Morning the Sunne being East there came a Beare from the driuing Ice towards vs and swam ouer the water to the fast Ice whereon we lay but when she heard vs she came no neerer but ran away and when the Sunne was South-east the Ice came so fast in towards vs that all the Ice whereon we lay with our Scutes and our goods brake and ran one peece vpon another whereby vve were in no small feare for at that time most of our goods fell into the water but wee with great diligence drew our Scutes further vpon the Ice towards the Land where vve thought to be better defended from the driuing of the Ice and as we went to fetch our goods we fell into the greatest trouble that euer we had before for that wee endured so great danger in the sauing thereof that as we layd hold vpon one peece thereof the rest sunke downe with the Ice and many times the Ice brake vnder our owne feete vvhereby we were wholly discomforted and in a manner cleane out of all hope expecting no issue thereof in such sort that our trouble at that time surmounted all our former cares and impeachments and vvhen wee thought to draw vp our Boates vpon the Ice the Ice brake vnder vs and we were carryed away vvith the Scute and all by the driuing Ice and when vve thought to saue the goods the Ice brake vnder our feet and with that the Scute brake in many places especially that which wee had mended as the Mast the mast planke and almost all the Scute wherein one of our men that vvas sicke and a Chest of money lay which we with great danger of our liues got out from it for as we were doing it the Ice that was vnder our feet draue from vs and slid vpon other Ice vvhereby we were in danger to burst both our armes and our legges at vvhich time thinking that wee had beene cleane quit of our Scute vve beheld each other in pittifull manner knowing not vvhat vve should doe our liues depending thereon but God made so good prouision for vs that the peeces of Ice draue from each other wherewith we ranne in great haste vnto the Scute and draw it to vs againe in such case as it was and laid it vpon the fast Ice by the Boate where it was in more securitie which put vs vnto an exceeding and great and dangerous labour from the time that the Sunne was South-east vntill it was West South-west and in all that time wee rested not which made vs extreame wearie and wholy out of comfort for that it troubled vs sore and it was much more fearefull vnto vs then at that time when William Barents dyed for there we were almost drowned and that day we lost which was sunke in the Sea two Barrels of Bread a Chist with Linnen Cloth a Dry Fat with the Saylors Clothes our Astronomicall Ring a packe of Scarlet Cloth a Rundlet of Oyle and some Cheeses and a Rundlet of Wine which bouged with the Ice so that there was not any thing thereof saued The fourth it was so faire cleere weather that from the time we were first in Noua Zembla we had not the like The fifth it was faire weather the Wind West
the moneth of May. This day we saw great store of Gulles which followed our Ship sundry dayes The eight and twentieth the winde being at North and by West wee directed our course to the Westward and about twelue of the clocke the same night we descried the land of America in the latitude of 62. degrees and 30. minutes which we made to be Warwicks foreland This Headland rose like an Iland And when we came neere the Foreland we saw foure small Ilands to the Northwards and three small Ilands to the Southward of the same Foreland The Foreland was high land all the topâ— of the hils were couered with Snow The three small Ilands to the Southward were also white that we could not discerne them from Ilands of Ice also there was great store of drift Ice vpon the Eastside of this Foreland but the Sea was altogether voide of Ice the Land did lye North and by East and South and by West being six leagues of length The nine and twentieth at sixe of the clocke in the morning wee were within three leagues of this Foreland then the winde came vp at North-east and by East a good stiffe gale with fogge and wee were forced to stand to the Southward because wee could not wether the Land to the Northward and as wee stood to the Southward along by Warwicks Foreland we could discerne none otherwise but that it was an Iland Which if it fall out to be so then Lâ—â—leys Inlet and the next Southerly Inlet where the great Current setteth to the West must of necessitie be one Sea which will be the greatest hope of the passage that way The thirtieth the winde was at North-east with fogge and Snow This day wee came into a great whirling of a Current being in the latitude of 61. degrees and about twelue leagues from the coast of America The first day of Iuly the winde was at West with fogge and Snow the ayre being very cold This day wee came into many Ouerfals which seemed to runne a great current but which way it did set wee could not well discerne The greatest likelihood was that it should set to the West But hauing contrary windes some sixteene or seuenteene dayes we alwayes lay in trauerse among these ouerfals but could neuer finde any great current by our courses wee sounded sometimes but could get no ground in one hundred and twentie fathomes The second day wee descried a maine Banke of Ice in the latitude of 60. degrees the winde was at North North-west and very faire weather Wee wanting fresh water did sayle close to this Land of Ice and hoysed out our Boate and loaded her twice with Ice which made vs very good fresh water Within twenty leagues of the coast of America wee should oftentimes come into many great ouerfals Which doth manifestly shew that all the coast of America is broken Land The third the winde was at South-west very foggie and as wee stood toward the coast of America wee met with another maine Banke of Ice The fogge was so thicke that we were hard by the Ice before wee could see it But it pleased God that the winde was faire to put vs cleare from this Ice againe and presently it began to cleare vp so that wee could see two or three leagues off but we could see no end of the Ice Wee iudged this Ice to be some tenne leagues from the coast of America We found the water to be very blackish and thicke like puddle water The eight the winde was at North North-west very faire weather wee standing to the Westwards met with a mighty maine Banke of Ice which was a great length and breadth and it did rest close to the shoare And at eleuen of the clocke in the forenoone wee descried againe the Land of America in the latitude of 63. degrees and 53. minutes being very high Land and it did rise as Ilands the toppes being couered with Snow This Land was South-west and by West some fiue leagues off vs we could come no neerer it for the great quantitie of Ice which rested by the shoare side The ninth the winde being at North-east and by Last blew so extreamely that we were forced to stand to the Southward both to cleare our selues of the Land and of the Ice for the day before we passed a great banke of Ice which was some foureteene leagues to the Eastward of vs when the storme began but thankes be to God we cleared our selues both of the Land and of the Ice This day in the afternoone the storme grew so extreame that we were forced to stand along with our forecourse to the Southward The seuenteenth was very foggie the winde being at East and about two of the clocke in the afternoone wee saw foure great Ilands of Ice of a huge bignesse and about foure of the clocke we came among some small scattered Ice and supposed our selues to be neere some great Banke The fogge was very thicke but the winde large to stand backe the same way wee came in or else it would haue indangered our liues very much And at nine of the clocke at night we heard a great noyse as though it had bin the breach of some shoare Being desirous to see what it was we stood with it and found it to be the noyse of a great quantity of Ice which was very loathsome to be heard Then wee stood North North-west and the fogge continued so thicke that wee could not see two Shippes length from vs whereupon we thought good to take in some of our sayles and when our men came to hand them they found our sayles ropes and tacklings so hard frozen that it did seeme very strange vnto vs being in the chiefest time of Summer The eighteenth day the winde was at North-east and by North the ayre being very cleere and extreame cold with an exceeding great frost and our course was North-west This day in the forenoone when we did set our sayles we found our ropes and tacklings harder frozen then they were the day before which frost did annoy vs so much in the vsing of our ropes and sayles that wee were enforced to breake off the Ice from our ropes that they might runne through the blockes And at two of the clocke in the afternoone the winde began to blow very hard with thicke fogge which freezed so fast as it did fall vpon our sayles ropes and tackling that we could not almost hoyse or strike our sayles to haue any vse of them This extreame frost and long continuance thereof was a maine barre to our proceeding to the Northward and the discouraging of all our men The nineteenth day the winde was at North and by East and our course to the Eastwards The same night following all our men conspired secretly together to beare vp the helme for England while I was asleepe in my Cabin and there to haue kept mee by force vntill I had sworn