vse after one yéere or two the ayre woulde séeme to hym more temperate It was compted a greate matter in the olde time that there was a brasse pot broken in sunder with frosen water in Ponthus which after was broughte and shewed in Delphis in token of a miraculous cold region and Winter and therefore consecrated to the Temple of Apollo This effecte being wroughte in the Paralell of .48 degrées in latitude it was presentlye compted a place verye hardly and vneasily to be inhabited for the greate cold And howe then can suche men define vppon other Regions very farre without that Paralell where they were inhabited or not séeing that in so neare a place they so grossely mistooke the matter and others their followers being conteÌ„ted with the inuentions of the olde Authors haue persisted willingly in the same opinion with more confidence thaÌ„ consideration of the cause so lightly was that opinion receiued as touching the vnhabitable Clime neare vnder the Poles Therfore I am at this present to proue that al the land lying betwéene the laste climate euen vnto the point directly vnder either Poles is or maye be inhabited especially of suche creatures as are ingendred and bredde therein For indéed it is to be confessed that some particular liuing creature cannot liue in euery particular place or region especially wyth the same ioy and felicitie as it did where it was firste bredde for the certaine agréement of nature that is betwéene the place and the thing bredde in that place as appeareth by the Elephant which being translated and brought out of the second or third climate though they may liue yet will they neuer ingender or bring forth yong Also wée sée the like in many kinds of plants and hearbs for example the OraÌ„ge trée although in Naples they bring forth fruit abundantly in Rome and Florence they wil beare only faire gréene leaues but not any fruite and translated into England they will hardly beare either flowers fruite or leaues but are the next winter pinched and withered with colde yet it followeth not for this that England Rome and Florence should not be habitable In the prouing of these colde regions habitable I shall be verye shorte bicause the same reasons serue for this purpose which were alleaged before in the prouing the middle Zone to be temperate especially séeing al heate cold procéede from the Sunne by the meanes eyther of the Angle his beames doeth make with the Horizon or else by the long or shorte continuance of the Suns presence aboue ground so that if the Sunnes beames do beate perpendicularlye at righte Angles then there is one cause of heate and if the Sunne doe also long continue aboue the Horizon then the heate thereby is muche encreased by accesse of this other cause and so groweth to a kind of extremitie And these .ij. causes as I said before doe moste concurre vnder the two Tropickes and therefore there is the greatest heate of the worlde And likewise where both these causes are most absent there is greatest want of heate and encrease of colde séeing that colde is nothing but the priuation and absence of heat and if one cause be wanting and the other present the effect will growe indifferent Therefore this is to bée vnderstanded that the nearer anye region is to the Equinoctiall the higher the Sunne doeth rise ouer their heads at noone so maketh either righte or neare righte angles but the Sun tarryeth with them so much the shorter time causeth shorter dayes with longer and colder nights to restore the domage of the daye paste by reasoÌ„ of the moisture consumed by vapour But in such regions ouer the which the Sun riseth lower as in regions extended towardes eyther pole it maketh there vnequall Angles but the Sunne continueth longer and maketh longer dayes causeth so much shorter and warmer nights as retayning warme vapoures of the daye paste For there are found by experience Sommer nights in Scotland and Gothland very hot when vnder the Equinoctiall they are found very colde This benefite of the Sunnes long continuaunce and encrease of the day doth augment so muche the more in colde regions as they are nearer the poles and ceaseth not encreasing vntil it come directly vnder the point of the Pole Articke where the Sunne continueth aboue grounde the space of sixe moneths or halfe a yeare togither so the daye is halfe a yere long that is the time of the Suns being in the North signes from the first degrée of Aries vntil the last of Virgo that is all the time from our .10 day of March vntill the .14 of September The Sun therfore during the time of these .6 moneths without any offence or hindraunce of the nighte gyueth his influence vpon those landes with heate that neuer ceaseth during that time which maketh to the great increase of Sommer by reason of the Sunnes continuaunce Therfore it followeth that though the Sunne be not there very high ouer their heads to cause right angle beams to giue great heate yet the Sun being there sometimes almâ—â—t 24. degrées high doth caste a conuenient and meane heate which there continueth without hinderaunce of the nighte the space of six moneths as is before saide during whiche time there foloweth to be a conuenient moderate and temperate heat or else rather it is to be suspected the heat there to be very great both for continuance also Quia virtus vnita crescit the vertue and strength of heat vnited in one encreaseth If then there be suche a moderate heat vnder the Poles and the same to continue so long time what shoulde moue the olde writers to say there cannot be place for habitation And that the certaintie of this temperate heat vnder both the Poles might more manifestlye appeare lette vs consider the position qualitie of the Sphere the length of the day and so to gather the heighte of the Sunne at all times and by consequent the quantitie of his Angle and so lastely the strength of his heate Those landes and regions lying vnder the pole and hauing the Pole for their Zenith muste néedes haue the Equinoctiall circle for their Horizon therefore the Sunne entring into the North signes and describing euery .24 houres a Paralell to the Equinoctiall by the diurnall motion of Primum Mobile the same Paralels must néedes be wholy aboue the Horizon and so looke howe many degrées there are froÌ„ the fyrst of Aries to the last of Virgo so many whole reuolutions there are aboue theyr Horizon that dwell vnder the Pole whiche amounteth to .182 and so manye of oure dayes the Sunne continueth with them During whiche tyme they haue there continuall daye and lighte withoute anye hinderaunce of moiste nightes Yet it is to be noted that the Sunne being in the fyrst degrée of Aries and laste degrée of Virgo maketh his reuolution in the very Horizon so that in these
.24 houres halfe the body of the Sunne is aboue the Horizon and the other halfe is vnder his only Center describing both the Horizon and the Equinoctiall circle And therefore séeing the greatest declination of the Sun is almost .24 degrées it followeth his greatest height in those Countries to be almost .24 degrées And so high is the Sun at noone to vs in Londō about the .29 of October being in the .15 degrée of Scorpio and likewise the .21 of Ianuary being in the .15 of Aquarius Therefore looke what force the Sun at noone hath in London the .29 of October the same force of heate it hathe to them that dwel vnder the Pole the space almoste of two moneths during the time of the Sommer Solstitium and that without intermingling of any colde night ◠so that if the heate of the Sunne at noone coulde be well measured in London which is verye harde to doe bycause of the long nights whiche engender greate moysture and colde then woulde manifestlye appeare by expresse numbers the maner of the heate vnder the Poles which certainly must néedes be to the inhabitaunts verye commodious and profitable if it inclyne not to ouer much heate and if moysture do not want For as in October in England we find temperate aire and haue in our Gardens hearbes and floures notwithstāding our colde nights how much more shoulde they haue the same good ayre being continual without night This heate of ours continueth but one houre while the Sunne is in the Meridiā but theirs continueth a long time in one height This our heate is weake and by the coolenesse of the night vanisheth that heate is strong and by continual accesse is still increased and strengthned And thus by a similitude of the equal height of the Sunne in both places appeareth the commodious and moderate heate of the regions vnder the Poles And surely I can not thinke that the diuine prouidence hath made any thing vncōmunicable but to haue giuē such order to all things that one way or other the same shoulde be imploied and that euery thing and place should be tollerable to the next But especiallye all things in this lower world be giuen to man to haue dominion and vse thereof Therefore wée néede no longer to doubt of the temperate and commodious habitation vnder the Poles during the tyme of Sommer But al the controuersie consisteth in the Winter for then the Sun leaueth those regions and is no more séene for the space of other sixe moenths in the which time al the Sunnes course is vnder their Horizon for the space of half a yeare and then those regions saye some muste néedes be deformed with horrible darkenesse and continuall nyghte whiche maye be the cause that beastes can not séeke theyr foode and that also the cold should then be intollerable By which double euils al liuing creatures should be constrayned to die and were not able to indure the extremitie and iniury of Winter and famine ensuing therof but that all things shoulde perish before the Sommer folowing when they should bring forth their broode yong that for these causes the said Clime about the Pole shold be desolate not habitable To al which obiectiōs may be answered in this maner First that thoughe the Sun be absent from them those sixe moneths yet it followeth not there should be such extreame darkenesse for as the Sunne is departed vnder their Horizon so is it not farre from them And not so soone as the Sunne falleth so sodainly commeth the darke night but the euening doth substitute and prolong the daye a good while after by twilight After whiche time the residue of the night receiueth light of the Moone and Starres vntill the breake of the day which giueth also a certaine light before the Sunnes rising so that by these meanes the nightes are seldome darke which is veryfied in al parts of the world but least in the middle Zone vnder the Equinoctiall where the twylights are short the nights darker than in any other place bycause the Sun goeth vnder their Horizon so déepe euen to their Antipodes Wée sée in Englande in the Sōmer nights whē the Sun goeth not far vnder the Horizon that by the light of the Moone stars wée may trauel al night if occasion were do some other laboure also And there is no man that doubteth whether our cattel can sée to féede in the nights séeing wée are so well certified thereof by our experience by reason of the sphere our nights should be darker than any time vnder the Poles The Astronomers consent that the Sun descending frō our vpper Hemisphere at the .18 Parallel vnder the Horizon maketh an end of twylight so that at length the darke night ensueth and that afterward in the morning the Sun approching againe within as many Paralels doth driue away the night by accesse of the twylight Againe by the position of the sphere vnder the Pole the Horizon the Equinoctial are al one These reuolutions therfore that are Paralell to the Equinoctiall are also Paralel to the Horizon so that the Sun descēding vnder the Horizon there describing certain Paralels not farre distant doeth not bring darke nights to those Regions vntil it come to the Paralels distant .18 degrées frō the Equinoctial that is about the .21 degrée of Scorpio which wil be about the .4 day of our Nouēber after the Winter Solstitium the Sun retourning backe againe to the .9 degrée of Aquarius whiche wil be aboute the .19 of Ianuary during which time only that is frō the .4 of Nouēber vntill the .xix. day of Ianuary which is about six wéeks space those regions do want the cōmoditie of twylights Therefore during the time of these said six moneths of darknesse vnder the Poles the night is destitute of the benefite of the Sun the said twilights only for the space of six weeks or thereabout And yet neither this time of six wéeks is without remedy frō Heauē For the Moone with hir encreased light hathe accesse at that time illuminateth the moneths lacking light euery one of themselues seuerally halfe the course of the moneth by whose benefite it cōmeth to passe that the night named extreame dark possesseth those regions no longer than one moneth neither that continually or al at one time but this also diuided into two sorts of shorter nights of that which either of thē endureth for the space of .15 days are illuminate of the Moone accordingly And this reason is gathered out of the sphere whereby we may testifie that the Sōmers are warme fruitful the Winters nights vnder the pole are tollerable to liuing creatures And if it be so that the winter and time of darknes there be very cold yet hath not nature left thē vnprouided therefore For there the beasts are couered with haire so much the thicker in how much the vehemencie of cold is
yet for diuersitie of motion may be compted two that is Primum Mobile mouing onelye vppon the poles Articke and Antarticke and all the reste of Orbes and Planets mouing vppon the poales of the Zodiacke are by this difference of motion imagined two wherby ariseth the number of sixe substanciall partes of the world that is the foure Elements and the two varietiâ—s of Orbes So likewise the inferiour world I meane the Superficies of the Earth is also diuided into sixe partes that is Europa Affrica Asia Terra Septentrionalis America Terra Austrialis whose bounders bycause this diuision séemeth somewhat strange I thought good for the more particularitie here briefly to repeate The chiefe bounders of the principall parts of the vvorld EVropa is bounded on the Weast side with oure Weaste Ocean on the South side wyth Mare Mediterâ—aneum on the East with Mare Aegeum Pontus Euxinus and the riuer Tanais folowing the Meridian thereof Northwarde On the North side it was thoughte sometime to be bounded with Ilandes Hebrides Orcades and Hyperboreâ— montes in Sarmatia of Europe But nowe by the nauigation of the Englishemen the boundes are extended vnto that Sea whiche compasseth Norway Laplande and Moscouia Affrica is bounded Westwarde with the Sea Atlanticum Southward with the South Ocean passing by Cape d'buona Speranza Eastwarde with the red Sea and Northwarde by the Sea Mediterraneum Asia is bounded on the South side with the South Ocean on the Easte side with Mare Eoum and the straighte Anian on the North side with the Scithian Sea on the Weaste side with the Meridian of the riuer Tanaâ—â— paâ—te of the Sea Mediterraeneum as Pontus Euxinus Mare Egeum Sinus Issicus and the red Sea. Terra Septentrionalis is diuided from Asia by the Scythian Sea from Europe by the North Sea aboute Iseland called in times past Mare Congelaâ—um the frosen Sea and froÌ„ America is deuided by Frobishers straits It lyeth rounde about the Pole Artike is included by a Paralell passing aboute .70 degrées in North latitude as it is also more at large described in Mercators and Ortelius vniuersall Mappes This parte of the world hath béene most or onely made knowen by the Englishmens industrie For as Mercator mentioneth out of a probable Author there was a Frier of Oxforde a greate Mathmatician who himselfe went verâ—â— farre North aboue .200 yeares agoe and with an Astrolabe described almoste all the lande aboute the Pole fâ—â—ding it diuided into foure partes or Ilandes by foure gâ—eate gutters indrafts or channels running violently aâ—d deliuering themselues into a mostrous receptacle and swallowing sincke with suche a violent force and currant that a Shippe beyng entred neuer so little within one of tâ—ese foure indraftes câ—nnot be holden backe by the force of any great winde but runneth in headlong by that déepe swâ—llâ—wing sincke into the bowels of the earth Hée reportâ—th that thâ— Southweast parte of that lande is a fruitfull and a holesome soyle The Northeast part in respect of England is inhabited with a people called Pygmaei whyche are not at the vttermoste aboue foure foote highe One of these foure greate monstrous gulfes wyâ—h hys violent raging course followeth the Meridiâ—n of the fortunate Ilandes aâ—d receiueth the Ocean with thâ—ée mouths and is frosen oâ—er thrée moneths in the yeare and is .37 leagues in bâ—â—adth the neâ—te Eastwarde beyonde the Ilande Vagâ—ts is 〈…〉 degrees in longitude and receyueth the East Ocean wâ—th â—â—ue months and being narrowe and swifte is neuer frosen The third is at 19â— degrées in longitude â—â—ceiuâ—th the East OceaÌ„ with ninetéen receits The fourth is at â—â—â— degrées in longitude Al these indraftes raging channels runne directly towards a point vnder the Pole where is also said to be a monstrous gret Mountain of woÌ„derful gret height about .35 leagues in coÌ„passe at the foot Guiâ—â—elmus Postellus saith that here vnder and aboute the Pole is beste habitation for man and that they euer haue continuall daye and know not what night or darkenesse meaneth But this séemeth contrary to the principles of the Sphere whyche alloweth well that they shoulde sée the Sunne halfe a yeare togither without any night During the time of his being in the North signes from the one Equinoctium tâ— the other yet that in the other halfe they shold haue continuall night without any day But I thinke Postellus being a good Astronomer doubted nothâ—ng of y reason of the sphere but meaneth that for their great twilighâ—s the high swelling of the erth the high mouÌ„taine vnder the Pole they haue continuall light but hereof you shal heare more â—t large hereafter in this treatise wheÌ„ I speake of the â—epâ—rature of the North Regions This so particular a description of the land countries lying about the Pole argueth that this Oxford Frier tooke great pains therâ—in and â—ndurâ—th greâ—t probabilitie likelihood of the tâ—uth therof bicauâ—â— he obâ—â—â—ued so diligently by measure the bredth of the inâ—rafâ—â— wâ—â—t time and how long they coâ—tâ—nued frosen with how â—anâ—e mouths or receipts euery one of them receiued the Ocean UpoÌ„ the bounds descriptioÌ„ of this part of the erth I haue the loÌ„ger staid bicause I find it discouered only by the English nation And although the greatest part herof was maâ—e knowen .200 odde yeres past yet some bounders thereof were described set out by the trauel of S. Hugh Wiâ—â—oby â—night an Englishman who ventured lost his life in the cause so died an honorable death with him Ric. Chancelor chiefe Pilot in that voyage in An. 1554. who discouered founde out the Norway Lapland c. conioyned not to Groneland or any part of the Northern regions as one firme continent but that by sea a man might trauel to the country of Mâ—scâ—uâ—a a gret way more Estward as far as the gret riuer Obby â—lso oure worthy General Ca. Frobisher in his .3 last voiages wâ—er of we are briefly to entreat in these .3 books hath discouered described a gret part of the Southwest bouÌ„ds therof meneth God willing not only to describe the one halfe therof in going to Cataia by the Northwest but also to put in triaâ—â— whether he may return into EnglaÌ„d by the Northeast so also to discrybe the other paâ—t which to do is one of the waightiest matters of the world a thing that wil cause other Princes to admire the fortunate state the gret valor of the English natioÌ„ But to retourne againe to the bounding of the other parts of the worlde America an Ilande is included on the East side with the Sea Antartique On the Weast side with Mare del Sur or Mare Pâ—cificum On the South side it is bounded wyth the straight of Mâ—gellanus and on the North with Frobishers straights Terra Aâ—straliâ— séemeth to be a great firme land lying vnder and aboute the South pole being in many
for a more fresh example our people of Meta Incognita of whome and for whome thys discourse is taken in hande that were broughte this last yeare into Englande were all generallie of the same coloure that many Nations be lying in the middest of the middle Zone And this their couloure was not only in the face whiche was subiecte to Sunne and Ayre but also in their bodies which were still couered with garments as oures are yea the very sucking childe of twelue Moneths age hadde his skinne of the very same couloure that most haue vnder the Equinoctiall which thing can not procéede by reason of the clime for that they are at least tenne degrées more towards the North than we in Englande are no the Sunne neuer commeth néere their Zenith by .40 Degrées for in effect they are within thrée or four degrées of that which they call the frosen Zone and as I said fortie degrées from the burning Zone whereby it foloweth that there is some other cause than the Clymate or the Sunnes perpendicular reflection that shoulde cause the Ethiopians great blacknesse And the most probable cause to my iudgemente is that this blacknesse procéedeth of some naturall infection of the first inhabitāts of that Countrey and so all the whole progenie of them descended are still poluted with the same blot of infection Therefore it shall not be farre from our purpose to examine the first originall of these blacke men and how by lineall discente they haue hitherto continued thus blacke It manifestly and plainely appeareth by holy Scripture that after the generall Inundation and ouerflowing of the Earth there remayned no moe mē aliue but Noe his thrée sonnes Sem Cham and Iaphet who only were lefte to possesse inhabit the whole face of the earth therefore all the land that vntill this daye hath bin inhabited by sundry discents must néedes come of the ofspring eyther of Sem Cham or Iaphet as the onely sonnes of Noe who all thrée being white and their wiues also by course of nature should haue begotten and brought forth white children But the enuie of our great and continuall enimie the wicked Spirit is such that as he could not suffer our old Father Adam to liue in the felicitie Angelike state wherein he was first created but tempting him sought procured his ruine fal So againe finding at this floud none but a father and thrée sonnes liuing he so caused one of them to transgresse disobey his fathers commandement that after him all his posteritie shoulde be accursed The fact of disobedience was this When Noe at the commandement of God had made entred the Arke the fludgates of Heauen were opened so that the whole face of the earth euery trée Mountaine was couered with abundāce of water he straitely commanded his sonnes their wiues that they should with reuerence feare behold the iustice and mighty power of God that during the time of the floud while they remained in the Arke they should vse cōtinēcie absteine frō carnall copulation with their wiues many other preceptes he gaue vnto thē admonitions touching the iustice of God in reuenging sinne his mercie in deliuering thē who nothing deserued it Which good instructions exhortatiōs notwithstāding his wicked sonne C ham disobeyed and being persuaded that the first child borne after the floud by right law of nature should inherit possesse all the dominion of the earth he contrarie to his fathers commandement while they were yet in the Arke vsed cōpany with his wife craftily went about thereby to disinherit the ofspring of his other two bréethren for the which wicked and detestable fact as an example for contempte of Almightie God and disobedience of parents God would a sonne shuld be borne whose name was Chus who not only it selfe but all his posteritie after him should be so blacke lothsome that it might remaine a spectacle of disobedience to all the World. And of this blacke cursed Chus came al these blacke Moores which are in Africa for after the water was vanished frō off the face of the earth and that the land was drie Sem chose that part of the land to inhabit in which now is called Asia and Iaphet had that which nowe is called Europa wherin we dwel and Africa remained for Cham his blacke sonne Chus was called Chamesis after the fathers name being perhaps a cursed dry sandy vnfruteful groūd fit for such a generatiō to inhabit in Thus you sée that the cause of the Ethiopians blacknesse is the curse infection of bloud not the distemperature of the clymate which also may be proued by this example that these black men are found in all partes of Africa as well withoute the Tropicks as within euen vnto Capo d'buona Speranza Southward where by reason of the Sphere should be the same temperature as is in Spayne Laddigna and Sicilia where all be of very good complexions Wherefore I conclude that the blacknesse procéedeth not of the hotenesse of the Clime but as I sayd of the infection of bloud and therfore this their argumente gathered of the Africans blacknesse is not able to destroy the temperature of the middle Zone We may therefore very well be assertayned that vnder the Equinoctiall is the most pleasant and delectable place of the worlde to dwell in where although the Sunne for two houres in a yeare be directe ouer their heads and therefore the heate at that time somewhat of force yet bycause it commeth so seldome and continueth so small a time when it commeth it is not to be wayed but rather the moderate heate of other times is all the yeare to be remembred And if the heate at any time should in the shorte daye ware somewhat vrgent the coldnesse of the long night there would easilie refreshe it according as Honterus sayth speaking of the temperature vnder the Equinoctiall Quodque die solis violento incanduit aestu Humida nox reficit paribusque refrigerat horis If the heate of the Sunne in the day time doe burne or parch any thing the moysture of the nighte dothe coole and refresh the same againe the Sunne being as long absente in the night as it was present in the day Also our Author of the Sphere Iohannes d' Sacro bosco in the Chapter of the Zodiacke deriueth the Etimologie of Zodiacus of the Gréeke word Zoe whiche in Latin signifyeth Vita life for out of Aristotle he alledgeth that Secundum accessum recessum solis in Zodiaco fiunt generationes corruptiones in rebus inferioribus according to the Sunnes going to and fro in the Zodiake the inferiour bodies take their causes of generation and corruption Then it foloweth that where there is most going too and fro there is most generation and corruption whiche must néedes be betwéene the two Tropikes for there the Sunne goeth too and
greater by reason wherof the best richest furres are broughte out of the coldest regions Also the foules of these cold countries haue thicker skins thicker feathers more stored of down thaÌ„ in other hot places Our EnglishmeÌ„ that trauel to S. Nicholas and go a fishing to Ward house enter far within the circle Artike so are in the froseÌ„ Zone yet there as wel as in Iseland and all along those Northerne Seas â—hey finde the greatest store of the greatest fishes that are as Whales c. and also abundaunce of meane fishes as Herings Coddes Haddockes Brettes c. whiche argueth that the Sea as well as the Land maye bée and is well frequented and inhabited in the colde Countries But some perhaps wil maruel there should be such teÌ„perate places in the Regions aboute the Poles when at vnder degrées in latitude oure Capitaine Frobisher and his companye were troubled wyth so manye and so greate mountaines of fléeting Ise with so great stormes of colde with suche continuall snow on toppes of mountaines and with such barren soyle there being neither woodde or trées but lowe shrubbes and suche like To al which obiections may be answered thus First those infinite Ilandes of Ise were engeÌ„dred congealed in time of winter now by the gret heate of Sommer were thawed and then by ebbes flouds windes and currants were driuen to and fro and troubled the Fléete so that this is an argument to proue the heat in Sommer there to be great that was able to thaw so monstrous mountaines of Ise. As for continuall snow on tops of mouÌ„tains it is there no otherwise than is in the hottest parte of the middle Zone where also lyeth great snowe al the Sommer long vppon toppes of mountaines bycause there is not sufficient space for the Sunnes reflection wherby the snowe should be molten Touching the colde stormy windes and the barrennesse of the country it is there as it is in Cornwall Deuonshire in England which parts thoughe we know to be fruitful fertile yet on the North side therof al alongst the coast within seauen or eight myles off the Sea there can neither hedge nor trée grow althoughe they be diligently by Art husbanded séene vnto And the cause thereof are the Northerne driuing winds whiche coÌ„ming from the Sea are so bitter sharp that they kill al the yong and tender plaÌ„ts and suffer scarce any thing to grow and so is t in the Ilands of Meta Incognita which are subiect most to East Northesterne winds which the last yere choked vp the passage so with Ise that the Fléet could hardly recouer their Port yet notwithstanding all the obiections that may be the Countrey is habitable for there are Men Women Children and sundrie kind of Beastes in great plentie as Beares Dere Hares Foxes Dogges all kind of flying Fowles as Duckes Seamewes Wilmots Partriches Larkes Crowes Hawkes and such like as in the thirde Booke you shall vnderstand more at large Then it appeareth that not only the middle Zone but aâ—so the Zones about the Poles are habitable Which thing being wel considered and familiarly knowen to our Generall Captaine Frobisher as well for that he is throughly furnished of the knowledge of the Sphere and all other skilles apperteyning to the art of Nauigation as also for the confirmation he hath of the same by many yeares experience both by sea and land and being persuaded of a new and néerer passage to Cataya than by Capo d'buonâ— Speranzâ— which the Portugalles yéerely vse He began first with himselfe to deuise and then with his friendes to conferre and layde a playne platte vnto them that that voyage was not onely possible by the Northweast but also as he coulde proue easie to bée performed And further he determined and resolued wyth himselfe to go make full proofe thereof to accomplishe or bring true certificat of the truth or else neuer to returne againe knowing this to be the onely thing of the Worlde that was left yet vndone whereby a notable mind mighte be made famous and fortunate But although his will were great to performe this notable voyage whereof hée had conceyued in his mind a great hope by sundry sure reasons and secret intelligence whiche héere for sundry causes I leaue vntouched yet he wanted altogither meanes and abilitie to set forward and performe the same Long tyme he conferred with his priuate friendes of these secretes and made also manye offers for the performing of the same in effect vnto sundry Merchants of our Countrey aboue .xv. yeares before he attempted the same as by good witnesse shall well appeare albeit some euill willers whiche chalenge to themselues the frutes of other mens laboureâ— haue greately iniured him in the reportes of the same saying that they haue bin the first Authors of that Action and that they haue learned him the way which themselues as yet haue neuer gone But perceyuing that hardly he was hearkened vnto of the Merchantes whiche neuer regarde Uertue withoute sure certayne and present gaynes hée repayred to the Courte from whence as from the fountaine of oure common wealth all good causes haue theyr chiefe encrease and mayntenance and there layde open to manye great estates and learned men the plot and summe of hys deuise And amongst manye honourable myndes whyche fauoured hys honest and commendable enterprise hée was specially bounde and beholdyng to the ryghte Honourable Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwike whose fauourable mynde and good disposition hathe alwayes bin readye to countenance and aduance all honest actions wyth the Authours and executers of the same and so by meanes of my Lorde hys honourable countenance hée receyued some comforte of hys cause and by little and little with no small expence and payne brought hys cause to some perfection and hadde drawen togyther so many aduenturers and suche summes of money as myghte well defray a reasonable charge to furnishe hymselfe to Sea withall He prepared two small Barkes of twentie and fyue and twentie tunne a péece wherein hée intended to accomplish hys pretended voyage Wherefore béeyng furnished wyth the foresayde two Barkes and one small Pinnesse of tenne tunne burthen hauyng therein victuals and other necessaries for twelue Monethes prouision he departed vppon the sayde voyage from Blacke wall the fiftenth of Iune Anno Domini 1576. One of the Barkes wherein hée wente was named the Gabriell and the other the Michaell and sayling Northweast from Englande vppon the firste of Iulâ— at length hée hadde sighte of a highe and ragged lande whiche hée iudged Freeselande whereof some Authoures haue made mention but durst not approche the same by reason of the greate store of Ise that lay alongst the coast and the greate mistes that troubled them not a little Not farre from thence hée lost companye of his small Pinnesse whyche by meanes of the greate storme he supposed to bée swallowed vppe of the Sea wherein
foote vpon that ground and therefore the Generall toke possession thereof to the vse of our Soueraigne Lady the Quéenes Maiestie and discouered héere a goodly harborough for the Shippes where were also certaine little Boates of that Countrey And being there landed they espyed certayne tents and people of that Countrey which were as they iudge in all sorts very like those of Meta Incognita as by theyr apparell and other things whych wée found in theyr tentes appeared The sauage and simple people so soone as they perceyued our men comming towards them supposing there had bin no other Worlde but theirs fledde fearefully away as men muche amazed at so strange a sight and creatures of humane shape so farre in apparell complexion and other things different from themselues They left in their tents all their furniture â—or haste behinde them where amongst other things were founde a boxe of small nayles and certayne redde Hearings boordes of Fyrre trée well cutte with dyuers other things artificially wroughte whereby it appeareth that they haue trade with some ciuill people or else are in déede themselues artificiall workemen Oure menne broughte awaye wyth them onelye twoo of theyr Dogges leauing in recompence belles looking-glasses and dyuers of oure Countrey toyes behynde them This Countrie no doubte promiseth good hope of great commoditie and riches if it maye be well discouered The discription whereof you shall finde more at large in my seconde booke Page .5 Some are of opinion that this Weaste Englande is firme lande with the Northeast partes of Meta Incognita or else with Groenlande And their reason is bicause the people apparell boates and other thinges are so like to theirs and an other reason is the multitude of Ilandes of Ise whyche laye betwéene it and Meta Incognita doeth argue that on the North side there is a bâ—y whyâ—h cannot be but by coÌ„ioyning of these two lands togither And hauing a fayre and large winde wée departed from thence towardes Frobyshers straites the thrée and twentith of Iune But fyrste we gaue name to a byghe clyffe in Weast England the laste that was in oure sight and for a certaine similitude we called it Charing Crosse. Then we bare Southerly towards the Sea bycause to the Northwardes of this coaste wée mette wyth muche driuing Ise whyche by reason of the thicke mistes and weather might haue bin some trouble vnto vs. On Monday the laste of Iune wée mette with manye greate Whales as they hadde béene Porposes This same daye the Salamander being vnder both hir corses and bonets hapned to strike a grâ—â—te Whale with hir â—ull stemme wyth suche a blow that the ship stoode stil and stirred neither forwarde nor backeward The Whale thereat made a great and vgly noise and caste vp his body and tayle and so went vnder water and within twoo dayes after there was founde a greate Whale dead swimming aboue water which we supposed was that the Salamander stroke The seconde daye of Iuly early in the morning wée hadde sighte of the Quéenes forelande and bare in with the lande all the daye and passyng thorow great quantitie of Ise by nighte were entered somewhat within the straites perceiuing no waye to passe further in the whole place being froâ—en ouer from the one side to the other and as it were with many walles mountaines and bulwarkes of yse choaked vppe the passage and denied vs entraunce And yet doe I not thinke that this passage or the Sea hereaboutes is frosen ouer at anye time of the yeare albeit it séemed so vnto vs by the abundaunce of Ise gathered togyther whyche occupyed the whole place But I doe rather suppose these Ise to bée bredde in the hollowe soundes and freshets thereaboutes whyche by the heate of the Sommers Sunne béeyng loosed doe emptie themselues wyth the ebbes into the Sea and so gather in great abundance there togither And to speake somewhat here of the auntiente opinion of the frosen Sea in these partes I doe thinke it to be rather a bare coniecture of menne than that euer anye manne hathe made experience of anye suche Sea. And that whiche they speake of Mare Glaciale may be truely thought to be spoken of these partes for this maye well be called in deede the ysie Sea but not the frosen Sea for no Sea consisting of salte water caÌ„ be frosen as I haue more at large herein shewed my opinioÌ„ in my seconde booke page .6 for it seemeth impossible for any Sea to be frosen which hath his course of ebbing and flowing especiallye in those places where the tides doe ebbe and flowe aboue tenne fadâ—me And also all these aforesaide Ise which we sometime met a hundreth mile from lande being gathered out of the salt Sea are in taste fresh and being dissolued become swéet and holesome water The cause why thys yeare we haue béene more combred with Ise than at other times before may be by reason of the Easterly and Southerly windes whyche brought vs more timely thither now than wee looked for Whiche blowing from the Sea directlye vppon the place of our straites hath kept in the Ise and not suffered them to be caryed out by the ebbe to the maine Sea where they woulde in more shorte time haue béene dissolued And all these fléeting Ise are not onelye so daungerous in that they winde and gather so neare togither that a man maye passe sometimes tenne or twelue myles as it were vpon one firme Ilande of Ise But also for that they open and shutte togither againe in suche sorte wyth the tydes and Sea-gate that whilest one Shyppe followeth the other with full sayles the Ise whyche was open vnto the foremoste will ioyne and close togyther before the latter can come to followe the fyrste whereby manye tymes oure Shippes were broughte into greate daunger as béeyng not able so sodainelye to take in oure sayles or staye the swifte waye of oure Shippes Wée were forced manye tymes to stemme and strike great rockes of Ise and so as it were make way through mightie mountaines By which means some of the fléete where they founde the yse to open entred in and pasâ—ed so farre within the daunger thereof with continuall desire to recouer their port that it was the greatest wonder of the world that they euer escaped safe or were euer heard of againe For euen at this present we missed two of the fléete that is the Iudyth wherein was the Lieuetenaunt general Captaine Fenton and the Michael whome both wée suppoposed hadde bene vtterlye lost hauing not heard any tydings of them in moe than twentie dayes afore And one of our fléete named the Barke Dennys being of an hundereth Tunne burden séeking way in amongst these Ise receiued such a blowe with a rocke of Ise that she sunke downe therewith in the sighte of the whoale fléete Howbeit hauing signified hir daunger by shooting of a péece of great ordinaunce newe succour of other shippes came so readily vnto them that
theyr Captayne Mayster Tanfieldes mynde as by due examination before the Lordes of hir Maiesties most Honorable priâ—te Counsell it hathe since bin proued to the greate discredite of the Pilot Coxe who specially persuaded his company againste the opinion of hys sayde Captayne to returne home And as the Captayne of the Anne Frances dothe witnesse euen at theyr conference togither Captaâ—ne Tâ—nfield tolde hym that hee did not alittle suspect the sayde Pylot Coxe saying that he had neyther opinion in the man of honest duetie manhoode or constancie Notwythstanding the sayde Shippes departure the Captayne of the Anne Frances béeyng desirous to putte in execution hys former resolutions went with hys Shyppeboate béeyng accompanyed also wyth the Moones Skyffe to proue amongst the Ilandes whiche lye vnder Hâ—ttons headland if anye conueniente harborough or any knowledge of the Fléete or anye good Ore was there to bée founde The Shyppes lying off and on at Sea the whyle vnder Sayle and searching through manye soundes they saw them all full of manye dangers and broken grounde yet one there was which séemed an indifferent place to harborough in and whiche they did very diligently sounde ouer and searched agayne Héere the sayde Captayne founde a great blacke Iland whervnto he had good liking certifying the coÌ„pany therof they wer somewhat coÌ„forted with the good hope of his words rowed chéerefully vnto the place where when they arriued they found such plentie of blacke Ore of the same sorte whiche was broughte into Englande thys last yeare that if the goodnesse myghte aunswere the greate plentye thereof it was to be thoughte that it might reasonably suffise all the golde gluttons of the worlde Thys Ilande the Captayne for cause of his good happe called after his owne name Bestes blessing and wyth these good tydings returning aboorde hys Shyppe the ninth of August about tenne of the Clocke at nighte he was ioyfully welcomed of hys companye who before were discomforted and greatelie expected some better fortune at hys handes The nexte daye béeyng the tenth of August the weather reasonably fayre they put into the foresayde harborough hauing their Boate for theyr better securitie sounding before theyr Ship. But for all the care and diligence that coulde be taken in soundyng the Channell ouer and ouer agayne the Anne Frances came agrounde vppon a a suncken Rocke within the Harborough and lay thereon more than halfe drye vntill the nexte floud when by Gods Almighty prouidence contrarye almost to all expectation they came afloate agayne béeyng forced all that tyme to vndersette theyr Shyppe wyth their mayne yarde whyche otherwyse was lykely to ouersette and putte thereby in dâ—unger the whole companye They hadde aboue two thousande strokes togyther at the Pumpe before they coulde make theyr Shyppe frée of the water agayne so sore shée was brused by lying vppon the Rockes The Moone came safely and roade at Ancker by the Anne Fraunces whose helpe in theyr necessitie they coulde not well haue missed Nowe whilest the Marriners were romaging theyr Shyppes mending that whiche was amisse the Miners followed their laboure for getting togither of sufficient quantitie of Ore and the Carpenters endeuouâ—ed to doe theyr beste for the making vppe of the boate or pinnesse whiche to bring to passe they wanted two speciall and moste necessary things that is certaine principal timbers that are called Knées whiche are the chiefest strength of any boate also nayles wherwithal to ioyne the plancks togither Wherevpon hauing by chance a Smyth amongest them and yet vnfurnished of his necessarie tooles to worke and make nayles withall they were faine of a gunnne chamber to make an aâ—â—ile to worke vppon and to vse a pickare in stéede of a sledge to beate withall and also to occupy two small bellowes in stéede of one payre of greater Smiths bellowes And for lacke of small Iron for the easier making of the nayles were forced to breake their tongs grydiern and fiershouell in péeces The eleauenth of August the Captaine of the Anne Fraunces taking the Maister of hys Ship with hym went vp to the toppe of Hattons Hedland whych is the highest lande of all the straites to the ende to descry the situation of the Country vnderneath and to take a true plot of the place whereby also to sée what store of Ise was yâ—t â—â—fte in the straites as also to searche what Mine matter or fruite that soyle might yéelde And the rather for the honor the said Captaine doth owe to that Honorable name which himselfe gaue therevnto the laste yeare in the highest parte of this Hedlande he caused his companye to make a Columne or Crosse of stone in token of Christian possession In this place there is plentie of blacke Ore and diuers preatie stones The seauentéenth of Auguste the Capitaines wyth their companies chaced and killed a greate white Beare whiche aduentured and gaue a fierce assaulte vpon twentie men being weapned And he serued them for good meat many dayes after The eightéenth of August the Pinnesse with muche adoe being set togyther the saide Captaine Beste determined to departe vppe the straites to proue and make trial as before was pretended some of his companye greatlye persuading him to the contrarie and specially the CarpeÌ„ter that set the same togither who saide that he would not aduenture himselfe therein for fiue hundreth poundes for that the boate hung togither but onelye by the strength of the nayles and lacked some of hir principall knées tymbers These wordes somewhat discouraged some of the company which should haue gone therin WherevpoÌ„ the Captaine as one not altogither addicted to his own selfe-wil but somewhat foreséeing how it might be afterwards spoken if contrarye fortune shoulde happen him Lo he hathe followed his own opinion and desperate resolutions and so thereafter it is befallen him calling the Maister Marriners of beste iudgement togyther declared vnto them howe muche the cause imported him in his credite to séeke out the Generall as wel to conferre with him of some causes of waight as otherwise to make due examination and triall of the goodnesse of the Ore wherof they had no assuraunce but by gesse of the eie and was wel like the other whiche so to cary home not knowing the goodnesse thereof might be asmuch as if they should bring so many stones And therefore hée desired them to delyuer their plaine and honest opinion whether the Pinnesse were sufficient for him so to aduenture in or no. It was aunswered that by carefull héede taking therevnto amongest the Ise and the foule weather the Pinnesse might suffise And herevppon the Maisters mate of the Anne Frances called Iohn Gray manfully and honestly offering himselfe vnto his Captain in this aduenture and seruice gaue cause to others of hys Marriners to follow the attempt And vpon the nintéenth of August the said Captain being accompanied with Captayne Vpcote of the Moone xviij persons in the small Pinnesse hauing conuenient portion of
victualles things necessary departed vpon the said pretended voyage leauing their shippe at ancker in a good readinesse for the taking in of their fraight And hauing little winde to saile withall they plyed alongest the Souther shoare and passed aboue .30 leagues hauing the onely helpe of mans labour with Ores and so entendyng to kéepe that shoare aboorde vntill they were gote vp to the farthest narrowest of the straites minded there to crosse ouer to search likewise alongest the Northerland vnto the Countessss sound from thence to passe all that coaste along where by if any of the Fléete hadde béen distressed by wracke of rocke or Ise by that meanes they might be perceiued of them and so they thereby to giue them such helpe and reliefe as they could They did greatly feare and euer suspecte that some of the Fléete were surely caste awaye driuen to séeke sowre sallets amongest the colde cliffes And being shot vp about .40 leagues within the straites they put ouer towards the Norther shore whiche was not a little daungerous for theyr small boates And by meanes of a sodaine flawe were driuen and faine to séeke harboroughe in the night amongest all the rockes and broken grounde of Gabiels Ilandes a place so named within the straites aboue the Countesse of Warwickes sounde And by the way where they landed they did find certaiue great stones sette vppe by the Countrie people as it séemed for markes where they also made manye Crosses of stone in token that Christians had hin there The .xxij. of August they hadde sighte of the Countesses sounde and made the place perfecte from the toppe of a hill and kéepyng along the Norther shoare perceiued the smoake of a fyre vnder a hylles side whereof they diuerslye déemed wheÌ„ they came nearer the place they perceyued people whiche wafted vnto them as it séemed with a flagge or auntient And bycause the Caniballes and countrie people had vsed to doe the like when they perceiued any of our boats to passe by they suspected them to be the same And comming somewhat nearer they might perceyue certaine teÌ„ts and discerne this auntâ—ent to be of mingled coloures black and white after the Englishe fashion But bycause they coulde sée no shippe nor likelihoode of harborowe within fiue or sixe leagues aboute and knowe that none of oure men were wonte to frequent those partes they coulde not tell what to iudge thereof but imagined that some of the Shyppes being carried so highe wyth the storme and mistes had made shipwracke amongest the Ise or the broken Ilandes there and were spoyled by the Countrey people who might vse the sundrye coloured flagge for a policie to bring them likewise within their daunger Whervpon the saide Captaine wyth his companies resolued to recouer the same Auntient if it were so from those base cruell and man eating people or else to lose their liues all togither One promised hymselfe a payre of garters an other a scarffe the third a lace to tye hys Whistle withal of the same In the ende they discerned them to be theyr Countreymen and then they déemed them to haue loste theyr Shyppes and so to be gathered togyther for theyr better strength On the other side the companye a shoare feared that the Capitayne hauing loste his shippe came to séeke forth the Fléet for his reliefe in hys poore pinnesse so that their extremities caused eache parte to suspecte the worste The Captaine nowe with his pinnesse being come néere the shoare commaunded his Boate carefully to be kepte asâ—ote least in their necessitie they might winne the same from hym and séeke firste to saue themselues for euerye manne in that case is nexte himselfe They haled one another according to the manner of the Sea and demaunded what cheare either partie answered the other that all was well wherevppon there was a sodaine and ioyfull outeshoote with greate flinging vp of cappes and a braue voly of shotte to welcome one an other And truelye it was a moste straunge case to sée howe ioyfull and gladde euerye partie was to sée themselues méete in safetie againe after so straunge and incredible daungers Yet to be shorte as their daungers were greate so their God was greater And here the companye were workyng vppon newe Mines whych Captayn Yorke being here arriued not loÌ„g before hadde founde out in this place and it is named the Countesse of Sussex Mine After some conference wyth oure friends here the Captaine of the Anne Fraunces departed towardes the Countesse of Warwickes sounde to speake with the Generall to haue triall made of suche mettall as he hadde broughte thither by the Goldfiners And so determined to dispatche againe towardes his shippe And hauing spoken wyth the Generall hée receiued order for all causes and direction as well for the bringing vppe of his Shippe to the Countesses sounde as also to fraight his Shippe with the same Ore he himselfe hadde found which vpon triall made proued to be very good The thirtéenth of Auguste the saide Capitaine mette togither with the other Capitaines Commissioners in counsell with the Generall aboorde the Ayde where they considered and consulted of sundrie causes whiche particularly registred by the Notarie were appointed where and howe to be done againste an other yeare The fourtéenth of August the Generall with two Pinnesses and good numbers of men wente to Beares sounde commaunding the saide Capitaine with his Pinnesse to attend the seruice to sée if he could encouÌ„ter or appreheÌ„d any of the Caniballes for sundry tymes they shewed theÌ„selues busy thereaboutes sometimes with .7 or .8 boates in one company as though they minded to encouÌ„ter with oure company whiche were working there at the mines in no greate numbers But when they perceiued anye of oure shippes to ride in that roade being belike more amazed at the countenaunce of a shippe and a more number of men didde neuer shewe themselues againe there at all Wherfore oure men soughte with their Pinnesses to compasse aboute the Iland where they did vse supposing there sodainely to intercept some of them But before oure men coulde come neare hauing belike some watch in the toppe of the mountaines they conueyed theÌ„selues priuily awayâ— and lefte as it shoulde séeme one of their great dartes behinde them for haste whiche we founde neare to a place of their caues and housing Therefore though our Generall were very desirous to haue taken some of theâ—â—â—o haue brought into Englande they being nowe 〈◊〉 more wary by their former losses woulde not at 〈…〉 â—ome within our daungers About 〈…〉 Captaine of the Anne Fraunces 〈…〉 course ouer the 〈…〉 about fiftéene 〈…〉 ouer the fiue 〈…〉 to the great 〈◊〉 of his 〈…〉 â—â—pected hys comming where 〈…〉 rigged and loaden Wherfore 〈…〉 agayne the next morning towards the 〈…〉 â—ounde where he arriued the eight and 〈…〉 same By the waye he sette hys Miners ashoare aâ— Beares sounde for the better dispatche and gathering the Ore
daungerously towed at the sterne of the Barke for many myles vntill at length they espyed the Anne Frances vnder sayle harde vnder their Lée which was no smal comforte vnto them For no doubt both those and a great number moe had perished for lacke of victuals and conueniente roome in the Barkes without the helpe of the sayde ships But the honest care that the Maister of the Anne Frances had of his Captaine and the good regarde of dutie towards his General suffered him not to depart but honestly abode to hazarde a daungerous roade all the night long notwithstanding all the stormy weather when all the Fléete besides departed And the Pinnesse came no sooner aborde the shippe and the mâ—n entred but she presently sheauered and fel in péeces and sunke at the ships sterne with al the poore mens fâ—rniture so weake was the boate with towing and so soâ—â—â—â—e was the sea to bruse hir in péeces But as God woulde the men were all saued At this presente in this storme manye of the fléete were daungerously distressed and were seuered almost al asunder And there were lost in the whole Fléete well néere xx bâ—â—tes and Pinnesses in this storme and some men strokeÌ„â—uâ—r boorde into the sea and vtterly lost Manye also spente their mayne yardes and mastes and wiâ—h the continuall frostes and deawe the roapes of our shippes were nowe growen so rotten that they went all asunder Yet thankes be to God all the fléete arriued safely in Englande aboute 〈…〉 The 〈…〉 Southeastwarde 〈…〉 in the laâ—itude of Degréeâ— which wâ—s nâ—uâ—r yâ—â—â—ounde before and saâ—led thrâ—â— days 〈◊〉 the coâ—st the land séeming to be fruiteful full of woods and a champion countrie There dyed in the whole Fléete in all this voyage not aboue fortie persons whiche number is not great considering howe many ships were in the Fléete and how strange Fortunes wée passed A generall and briefe Description of the Countrey and condition of the people which are found in Meta Incognita HAuing now sufficiently and truly set forth the whole circumstaÌ„ce and particular handâ—ing of euery occurrente in the thrée Uoyages of our worthy Generall Captayne Frobisher it shal not be froÌ„ the purpose to speake somewhat in generall of the nature of this CouÌ„trey called Meta Incognita and the condition of the sauage people there inhabiting First therefore concerning the Topographicall description of the place It is nowe sound in the last voyage that Queene Elizabethes Cape being scituate in Latitude at Degrées and a halfe which before was supposed to be parte of the firme land of America And also all the rest of the South side of Frobishers straytes are all seuerall IlaÌ„ds and broken land and likewise so will all the North side of the said straytes fall out to be as I thinke And some of our company being entred aboue .60 leagues within the mistaken straytes in the third Booke mentioned thought certaynely that they had descryed the firme lande of America towards the South which I thinke will fall out so to bée These broken landes and Ilandes being very many in number do seeme to make there an Archipelagus which as they all differ in greatnesse forme and fashion one from another so are they in goodnesse couloure and soyle muche vnlike They all are very high lands Mountaynes and in most parts couered with Snow euen all the Sommer loÌ„g The Norther lands haue lesse store of Snow more grasse and are more playne Countreys the cause may be for that the Souther Ilands receiue al the Snow that the cold winds and percing ayre bring out of the North. And contrarily the Norther partes receiue more warme blastes of milder aire from the South wherevpon may grow the cause why the people couet and inhabit more vpon the North partes than the South as farre as we can yet by our experience perceiue they doe Theâ—e people I iudge to be a kinde of Tartar or rather a kind of Samowey of the same sort coÌ„ditioÌ„ of life that the Samoweides be to the Northeastwards beyond Moscouy who are called Samoweydes which is as much to say in the Moscouy tong as eaters of themselues and so the Russians their borderers doe name them And by late conference with a friend of mine with whome I dyd sometime trauell in the parts of Moscouy who hath great experience of those Somoweides people of the Northeast I finde that in all their maner of liuing those people of the Northeast and these of the Northweast are like They are of the couloure of a ripe Oliue which how it may come to passe being borne in so cold a climate I referre to the iudgement of others for they are naturally borne children of the same couloure complexioÌ„ as all the Americans are which dwell vnder the Equinoctiall line They are men very actiue and nimble They are a strong people and very warlike for in our sighte vppon the toppes of the hilles they would often muster theÌ„selues and after the maner of a skirmish trace their ground very nimbly and mannage their bowes and dartes with greate dexteritie They goe clad in coates made of the skinnes of beastes as of Ceales Dere Beares Foxes and Hares They haue also some garments of feathers being made of the cases of Foules finely sowed and compact togither Of all which sortes we broughte home some with vs into England whiche we found in their tents In Sommer they vse to weare the hearie side of their coates outwarde and sometime go naked for too much heate And in Winter as by signes they haue declared they weare foure or fiue folde vpoÌ„ their bodies with the heare for warmth turned inward Hereby it appeareth that the ayre there is not indifferente but eâ—ther it is feruent hote or else extréeme colde and far more excessiue in both qualities than the reason of the clymate shoulde yeeldeâ— For there it is colder being vnder Degrees in latitude thaÌ„ it is at Wâ—râ—inâ— in the voyage to Saint Nicolas in Moscouie being at aboue 70. degrees in latiâ—ude The reason hereof perhappes maye be that thys Meta Incognita is much frequeÌ„ted and vexed with eastern and Northeasterne windes whiche from the sea and Ise bringeth often an intollerable colde ayre whiche was also the cause that this yere our straites were so long shutte vp But there is great hope and likelyhoode that further within the straightes it will be more constant and temperate weather These people are in nature verye subtil and sharpe witted readie to conceiâ—e our meaning by signes and to make answere well to be vnderstoode againe As if they haue not séene the thing wherof you aske them they wyll winck or couer their eyes with their hands as who would say it hath bene hyd from their sighte If they vnderstande you not wherof you aske them they wil stoppe their eares They will teache vs the names of eache thing in their language which we desire to learne and are apt to learne any
places where she stingeth They haue snowe and hayle in the beste time of their Sommer and the ground frosen thrée fadome déepe These people are greate inchaunters and vse manye charmes of Witchcraft for when their heads do ake they tye a great stone with a string vnto a sticke and with certaine prayers wordes done to the sticke they litte vp the stone froÌ„ ground which sometimes wyth all a mans force they cannot stir sometime againe they lifte as easily as a feather and hope thereby with certaine ceremonious words to haue ease and helpe And they made vs by signes to vnderstand lying groueling with their faces vppon the grounde and making a noise downewarde that they worshippe the Diuell vnder them They haue great store of Déere Beares Hares Foxes and innumerable numbers of sundry sortes of wilde Foule as Seamews Gulles Wilmotes Duckes c. wherof our men killed in one day fiftéene hundred They haue also store of Hawkes as Falcons Tassels c. whereof two alighted vpon one of our Shippes at theyr returne were brought into England which some thinke wil proue very good They haue also great heards of Dogs which they vse for theyr ready prouision to eate There are also greate store of Rauens Larkes and Partridges whereof the Countrey people féede All these Fowles are farre thicker clothed with downe and feathers and haue thicker skinnes than anye in England haue for as that Countrey is colder so nature hathe prouided a remedie therevnto Our men haue eaten of their Beares Hares Partriches Larkes and of their wilde Fowle and find them reasonable good meate but not so delectable as oures Their wilde Fowle must be all fleyne their skinnes are so thicke and they tast best fryed in pannes The Countrie séemeth to be muche subiecte to Earthquakes The ayre is very subtile piercing and searching so that if any corrupted or infected body especially with the disease called Morbus Gallicus come there it will presentlye breake forth and shewe it selfe and cannot there by anye kinde of salue or medicine be cured Their longest Sommers day is of greate length without any darke night so that in Iuly all the night long we might perfitely and easilie wright reade whatsoeuer had pleased vs which lightsome nightes were very beneficiall vnto vs being so distressed with abundance of Ise as wee were The Sunne setteth to them in the Euening at a quarter of an houre after tenne of the clocke and riseth agayne in the morning at thrée quarters of an houre after one of the clocke so that in Sommer theyr Sunne shineth to them twentie houres and a halfe and in the nighte is absent but thrée houres a halfe And although the Sunne be absent these 3 ½ houres yet is it not darke that time for that the Sunne is neuer aboue thrée or foure degrées vnder the edge of their Horizon the cause is that the Tropicke Cancer doth cutte their Horizon at very vneauen and oblique Angles But the Moone at any time of the yeare béeing in Cancer hauing North Latitude doth make a full reuolution aboue their Horizon so that sometimes they sée the Moone aboue .24 houres togither Some of oure companie of the more ignorant sort thought we mighte continually haue séene the Sunne and the Moone had it not bin for two or thrée high Mountaynes The people are nowe become so warye and so circumspecte by reason of their former losses that by no means we can apprehend any of them althoughe we attempted often in the laste voyage But to saye truth we could not bestowe any great time in pursuing them bycause of oure greate businesse in lading and other things To conclude I finde in all the Countrie nothing that maye be to delite in either of pleasure or of accompte only the shewe of Mine bothe of golde siluer stéele yron and blacke lead with diuers preaty stones as blewe Saphyre very perfect and others whereof we founde great plentie maye giue encouragement for men to séeke thyther And there is no doubt but being well looked vnto and thorowly discouered it wyll make our Countrie both rich and happye and of these prosperous beginnings will growe hereafter I hope moste happye endings Whiche GOD of hys goodnesse graunte to whom be all Prayse and Glorie Amen Cicero Oâ—fiâ—â— Lib. 1. Astronomie This is the flourishing age Abundance of all things To what end Man is created Printing of Bookes The arte of Warre Nauigation The Stone called Magnes Two and thirtâ— poynts of the compasse The variation of the Needle Newe discoueries The Wâ—east 〈◊〉 of â—â—e 〈…〉 The Eâ—st â—nd oâ—â—â—e old Worlâ—â— The ende of the old â—orld Southward The end of the olde â—orld Northward The greate discoueries of late yeres The Earthe deâ—ided into syxe partes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asâ—â— Terra Sâ—pâ—â—ntrionaâ—â—s Aâ—â—riâ—a 〈…〉 In Iune is greater heat at Paris than vnder the Equinoctial The Twylights are shorter and the nights darker vnder the Equinoctâ—alâ— al than at Paris They vse and haue neede of fire vnder the Equinoctiall The complexion of the people of Meta Incognica The cause of the EthiopiaÌ„s blackenesse The Arke of Noe. Chus y sonne of Cham accursed Aâ—frica was called Chamesis Under the Equinoctiall is greatest generation Greatest heare vnder the Tropiks Cuba Hispaniola Under the Tropickes is a modeâ—nte temperature Nine Climates A comparison betweene Marochus and England Al the North regions are habitable Elephant Orange tree â—â—uses 〈◊〉 Hote nightes neere◠〈◊〉 Colde nights vnder the Equinoctiall One day of sixe moneths The Sunne neuer letteth in a 18â— daâ—es Horizon and Equinoctial al on vnder the Pole. London CoÌ„moâ—ioâ—s dâ—elliâ—â— vnder y Poles The nightes vnder the Pole The twylights gyue light vnder the Pole almoste al the Winter The ending of twylight But sixe weekes dark vnder the Pole. The Creatures of that Countrie are are prouided for the colde An obiection of Meta Incognita Meta Incognita inhabited Captayne Frobiâ—her Frobishers first voyage Captayne Frobisher pretended this discouerie aboue .xv. yeares agoe Furniture for the firste voyage Gabriell and Michaell The Pinnesse lost The Michaell returned home Queene Elizabeths forlande Frobishers first entrance â—ithin in the sâ—reightes Frobishâ—rs sâ—reytes Deere The first sight of the Saluage Salmon Fiue Englishmen intercepted and raken Taâ—â—ng of y â— â—irsâ— Saâ—age Frobishers returne The taking possession of Meta Incognita â— â—ow the Ore was â—ounde â—â— câ—aunce Many aduentures In the secoÌ„d voyage commission was giuen only for the bringing of Ore. The number of men in this voyage The coÌ„demned men discharged The first ariuall after our departing from Englande â—â—â—ne of Siluer â—ound in Oâ—â—ney Kyrway the chiefe towne of Orkney Saint Magnus sound why so called Great bodies of trees dryuing in the Seas Monsâ—rous fisâ— strange Fowle â—yuiug only by the Sea. Water beeyng blacke and smooth signifyeth laÌ„d to be neere Ilandes of Ise. The fâ—rste fyght of Freeselande Freeseland desâ—ribâ—d On easie kind of Fishing Whyte Corrall