sounded in 100 fathoms and by eight a clock hauing not made aboue fiue or six leagues our Captaine vpon a sudden change of water supposing verily he saw the sand presently sounded and had but fiue fathoms Much maruelling because we saw no land he sent one to the top who thence descried a whitish sandy cliffe which bare West-North-West about six leagues off from vs but comming néerer within thrée or fowre leagues we saw many breaches still néerer the land at last we espied a great breach a head vs al along the shore into which before we should enter our Captaine thought best to hoise out his ship boate and sound it Which if he had not done we had béene in great danger for he bare vp the ship as néere as he durst after the boate vntill Thomas Cam his mate being in the boat called to him to tacke about stand off for in this breach he had very showld water two fathoms and lesse vpon rockes and sometime they supposed they saw the rocke within thrée or fowre foote whereon the sea made a very strong breach which we might discerne from the top to run along as we sailed by it 6 or 7 leagues to the Southward This was in the latitude of 41 degrées 20 minuts wherefore we were constrained to put backe againe from the land and sounding the weather being very faire and a small winde we found our selues embaied with continuall showldes and rockes in a most vncertaine ground from fiue or sixe fathoms at the next cast of the lead we should haue 15 18 fathoms Ouer many which we passed and God so blessed vs that we had wind and weather as faire as poore men in this distresse could wish whereby we both perfectly discerned euery breach and with the winde were able to turne where we saw most hope of safest passage Thus we parted from the land which we had not so much before desired and at the first sight reioiced as now we all ioifully praised God that it had pleased him to deliuer vs from so imminent danger Héere we found great store of excellent Cod fish and saw many Whales as we had done two or three daies before We stood off all that night and the next day being Wednesday but the wind still continuing betwéen the points of South South-West and West-South-West so as we could not make any way to the Southward in regard of our great want of water and wood which was now spent we much desired land and therefore sought for it where the wind would best suffer vs to refresh our selues Thursday the 16 of May we stood in directly with the land and much maruelled we descried it not wherein we found our sea charts very false putting land where none is Friday the 17 of May about sixe a clocke at night we descried the land which bare from vs North-North-East but because it blew a great gale of winde the sea very high and néere night not fit to come vpon an vnknowen coast we stood off till two a clocke in the morning being Saturday then standing in with it againe we descried it by eight a clocke in the morning bearing North-East from vs. The description of the Iland It appeared a meane high land as we after found it being but an Iland of some six miles in compasse but I hope the most fortunate euer yet discouered About twelue a clocke that day we came to an anker on the North side of this Iland about a league from the shore About two a clocke our Captaine with twelue men rowed in his ship-boat to the shore where we made no long stay but laded our boat with dry wood of olde trées vpon the shore side and returned to our ship where we rode that night This Iland is woody growen with Firre Birch Oke and Béech as farre as we saw along the shore and so likely to be within On the verge grow Gooseberries Strawberries Wild pease and Wild-rose bushes The water issued foorth downe the Rocky cliffes in many places and much fowle of diuers kinds bréed vpon the shore and rocks While we were at shore our men aboord with a few hooks got aboue thirty great Cods and Hadocks which gaue vs a taste of the great plenty of fish which we found afterward wheresoeuer we went vpon the coast From hence we might discerne the maine land from the West-South-West to the East-North-East and a great way as it then séemed and as we after found it vp into the maine we might discerne very high mountaines though the maine séemed but low land which gaue vs a hope it would please God to direct vs to the discouerie of some good although wée were driuen by winds farre from that place whither both by our direction and desire we euer intended to shape the course of our voyage The next day being Whit-Sunday because we rode too much open to the sea and windes we weyed anker about twelue a clocke and came along to the other Ilands more adioyning to the maine and in the rode directly with the mountaines about thrée leagues from the first Iland where we had ankered When we came néere vnto them sounding all along in a good depth our Captaine manned his ship-boat and sent her before with Thomas Cam one of his Mates whom he knew to be of good experience to sound search betweene the Ilands for a place safe for our shippe to ride in in the meane while we kept aloofe at sea hauing giuen them in the boat a token to weffe in the ship if he found a conuenient Harbour which it pleased God to send vs farre beyond our expectation in a most safe birth defended from all windes in an excellent depth of water for ships of any burthen in six seuen eight nine and ten fathoms vpon a clay oaze very tough We all with great ioy praised God for his vnspeakable goodnesse who had from so apparent danger deliuered vs directed vs vpon this day into so secure an Harbour in remembrance wherof we named it Pentecost-harbor Whitsundâ—y we arriuing there that day out of our last Harbor in England from whence we set saile vpon Easterday About foure a clocke after we were ankered and well mored our Captaine with halfe a dozen of our Company went on shore to séeke fresh watering and a conuenient place to set together a pinnesse which we brought in pieces out of England both which we found very fitting Upon this Iland as also vpon the former we found at our first comming to shore where fire had béene made and about the place were very great egge shelles bigger than goose egges fish bones and as we iudged the bones of some beast Héere we espied Cranes stalking on the shore of a little Iland adioyning Cranes where we after saw they vsed to bréed Whitsun-munday the 20 day of May very early in the morning our Captaine caused the pieces of the pinnesse to be carried a shore where while
A TRVE RELATION of the most prosperous voyage made this present yeere 1605 by Captaine George Waymouth in the Discouery of the land of Virginia Where he discouered 60 miles vp a most excellent Riuer together with a most fertile land Written by IAMES ROSIER a Gentleman employed in the voyage LONDINI Impensis GEOR. BISHOP 1605. TO THE READER BEing employed in this Voyage by the right honourable Thomas Arundell Baron of Warder to take due notice and make true report of the discouery therein performed I became very diligent to obserue as much as I could whatsoeuer was materiall or of consequence in the businesse which I collected into this briefe summe intending vpon our returne to publish the same But he soone changed the course of his intendments and long before our arriuall in England had so farre engaged himselfe with the Archduke that he was constrained to relinquish this action But the commodities and profits of the countrey together with the fitnesse of plantation being by some honourable Gentlemen of good woorth and qualitie and Merchants of good sufficiency and iudgement duly considered haue at their owne charge intending both their priuate and the common benefit of their countrey vndertaken the transporting of a Colony for the plantation thereof being much encouraged thereunto by the gracious fauour of the KINGS MAIESTY himselfe and diuers Lords of his Highnesse most Honourable Priuie Councell After these purposed designes were concluded I was animated to publish this briefe Relation and not before because some forrein Nation being fully assured of the fruitfulnesse of the countrie haue hoped hereby to gaine some knowledge of the place seeing they could not allure our Captaine or any speciall man of our Company to combine with them for their direction nor obtaine their purpose in conueying away our Saluages which was busily in practise And this is the cause that I haue neither written of the latitude or variation most exactly obserued by our Captaine with sundrie instruments which together with his perfect Geographicall Map of the countrey he entendeth hereafter to set forth I haue likewise purposedly omitted here to adde a collection of many words in their language to the number of foure or fiue hundred as also the names of diuers of their gouernours aswell their friends as their enemies being reserued to be made knowen for the benefit of those that shal goe in the next Voyage But our particular proceedings in the whole Discouerie the commodious situation of the Riuer the fertilitie of the land with the profits there to be had and here reported I refer to be verified by the whole Company as being eye-witnesses of my words and most of them neere inhabitants vpon the Thames So with my prayers to God for the conuersion of so ingenious and well disposed people and for the prosperous successiue euents of the noble intenders the prosecution thereof I rest Your friend I. R. A TRVE RELATION of Captaine George Waymouth his Voyage made this present yeere 1605 in the Discouerie of the North part of Virginia VPon Tuesday the 5 day of March about ten a clocke afore noone we set saile from Ratcliffe and came to an anker that tide about two a clocke before Grauesend From thence the 10 of March being Sunday at night we ankered in the Downes and there rode til the next day about thrée a clocke after noone when with a scant winde we set saile and by reason the winde continued Southwardly we were beaten vp and downe but on Saturday the 16 day about foure a clocke after noon we put into Dartmouth Hauen where the continuance of the winde at South Southwest constrained vs to ride till the last of this moneth There we shipped some of our men and supplied necessaries for our Ship and Uoyage Upon Easter day being the last of March Vpon Easter day we put to sea the winde comming at North-North-East about fiue a clocke after noone we wayed anker and put to sea In the name of God being well victualled and furnished with munition and all necessaries Our Companie 29 persons Our whole Company being but 29 persons of whom I may boldly say few voyages haue béene manned forth with better Sea-men generally in respect of our small number Munday the next day being the first of Aprill by sixe a clocke in the morning we were sixe leagues South-South-East from the Lizarde At two a clocke in the afternoone this day the weather being very faire our Captaine for his owne experience and others with him sounded Sounding and had sixe and fiftie fathoms and a halfe The sounding was some small blacke perrie sand some reddish sand a match or two with small shels called Saint Iames his Shels The foureteenth of Aprill being Sunday betwéene nine and ten of the clocke in the morning our Captaine descried the Iland Cueruo which bare South-West and by West about seuen leagues from vs by eleuen of the clocke we descried Flores to the Southward of Cueruo We fell with the Ilands of Azores as it lieth by foure a clocke in the afternoone we brought Cueruo due South from vs within two leagues of the shore but we touched not because the winde was faire and we thought our selues sufficiently watered and wooded Héere our Captaine obserued the Sunne and found himselfe in the latitude of 40 degrees and 7 minutes so he iudged the North part of Cueruo to be in 40 degrees After we had kept our course about a hundred leagues from the Ilands by continuall Southerly windes we were forced and driuen from the Southward whither we first intended And when our Captaine by long beating saw it was but in vaine to striue with windes not knowing Gods purposes héerein to our further blessing which after by his especiall direction wée found he thought best to stand as nigh as he could by the winde to recouer what land we might first discouer Munday the 6 of May being in the latitude of 39 and a halfe about ten a clocke afore noone we came to a riplin which we discerned a head our ship which is a breach of water caused either by a fall or by some meeting of currents which we iudged this to be for the weather being very faire and a small gale of winde we sounded and found no ground in a hundred fathoms Munday the 13 of May about eleuen a clocke afore noone our Captaine iudging we were not farre from land sounded and had a soft oaze in a hundred and sixty fathomes At fowre a clocke after noone we sounded againe and had the same oaze in a hundred fathoms From 10 a clocke that night till thrée a clocke in the morning our Captaine tooke in all sailes and lay at hull being desirous to fall with the land in the day time because it was an vnknowen coast which it pleased God in his mercy to grant vs otherwise we had run our ship vpon the hidden rockes and perished all For when we set saile we
suddenly laid hands vpon them And it was as much as fiue or sixe of vs could doe to get them into the light horseman For they were strong and so naked as our best hold was by their long haire on their heads and we would haue béene very loath to haue done them any hurt which of necessity we had béene constrained to haue done if we had attempted them in a multitude which we must and would We caught fiue Saluages two Canoas and their bowes and arrowes rather than haue wanted them being a matter of great importance for the full accomplement of our voyage Thus we shipped fiue Saluages two Canoas with all their bowes and arrowes The next day we made an end of getting our wood aboord and filled our empty caske with water Thursday the 6 of Iune we spent in bestowing the Canoas vpon the orlop safe from hurt because they were subiect to breaking which our Captaine was carefull to preuent Saturday the eight of Iune our Captaine being desirous to finish all businesse about this harbour very early in the morning with the light horseman coasted fiue or sixe leagues about the Ilands adioining and sounded all along wheresoeuer we went He likewise diligently searched the mouth of the Harbour and about the rocks which shew themselues at all times and are an excellent breach of the water Sounded about the rocks and mouth of the Harbour so as no Sea can come in to offend the Harbour This he did to instruct himselfe and thereby able to direct others that shall happen to come to this place For euery where both néere the rocks in all soundings about the Ilands we neuer found lesse water than foure and fiue fathoms which was seldome but seuen eight nine and ten fathoms is the continuall sounding by the shore In some places much déeper vpon clay oaze or soft sand so that if any bound for this place should be either driuen or scanted with winds he shall be able with his directions to recouer safely his harbour most securely in water enough by foure seuerall passages more their which I thinke no man of iudgement will desire as necessarie Upon one of the Ilands because it had a pleasant sandy Coue for small barks to ride in we landed and found hard by the shore a pond of fresh water A Ponde of fresh Water which flowed ouer the banks somewhat ouergrowen with little shrub trées and searching vp in the Iland we saw it fed with a strong run which with small labour and little time might be made to driue a mill In this Iland as in the other were spruce trees of excellent timber and height able to mast ships of great burthen While we thus sounded from one place to another in so good déepes our Captaine to make some triall of the fishing himselfe caused a hooke or two to be cast out at the mouth of the harbour Great plenty of Cod fish not aboue halfe a league from our ship where in small time only with the baits which they cut from the fish and thrée hooks we got fish enough for our whole Company though now augmented for three daies Which I omit not to report because it sheweth how great a profit the fishing would be they being so plentifull so great and so good with such conuenient drying as can be wished néere at hand vpon the Rocks This day about one a clocke after noone came from the Eastward two Canoas abord vs wherein was he that refused to stay with vs for a pawne and with him six other Saluages which we had not séene before who had beautified themselues after their manner very gallantly though their clothing was not differing from the former yet they had newly painted their faces very déep some all blacke some red with stripes of excellent blew ouer their vpper lips Their ornaments of gallantnesse nose and chin One of them ware a kinde of Coronet about his head made very cunningly of a substance like stiffe haire coloured red broad and more then a handfull in depth which we imagined to be some ensigne of his superioritie for he so much estéemed it as he would not for any thing exchange the same Other ware the white feathered skins of some fowle round about their head iewels in their eares and bracelets of little white round bone fastned together vpon a leather string These made not any shew that they had notice of the other before taken but we vnderstood them by their spéech and signes that they came sent from the Bashabes and that his desire was that we would bring vp our ship which they call as their owne boats a Quiden to his house being as they pointed vpon the main towards the East from whence they came and that he would exchange with vs for Furres and Tabacco But because our Company was but small and now our desire was with spéed to discouer vp the riuer we let them vnderstand that if their Bashabes would come to vs he should be welcome but we would not remoue to him Which when they vnderstood receiuing of vs bread and fish and euery of them a knife they departed for we had then no will to stay them long abord least they should discouer the other Saluages which we had stowed below Tuesday the 11 of Iune We went vp with our ship into the Riuer we passed vp into the riuer with our ship about six and twenty miles Of which I had rather not write then by my relation to detract from the worthinesse thereof For the Riuer besides that it is subiect by shipping to bring in all traffiques of Marchandise a benefit alwaies accounted the richest treasury to any land for which cause our Thames hath that due denomination and France by her nauigable Riuers receiueth hir greatest wealth yet this place of it selfe from God and nature affoordeth as much diuersitie of good commodities as any reasonable man can wish for present habitation and planting The first and chiefest thing required is a bold coast and faire land to fall with the next a safe harbour for ships to ride in The first is a speciall attribute to this shore being most frée from sands or dangerous rocks in a continuall good depth with a most excellent land-fall which is the first Iland we fell with named by vs Saint Georges Iland For the second by iudgement of our Captaine who knoweth most of the coast of England and most of other Countries The profits of the Riuer hauing béene experienced by imployments in discoueries and trauels from his childhood and by opinion of others of good iudgement in our shippe héere are more good harbours for ships of all burthens than England can affoord and far more secure from all winds and weathers than any in England Scotland France or Spaine For besides without the Riuer in the channell and sounds about the ilands adioining to the mouth therof no better riding can be desired for an infinite
vp to our watering place and there stopped went on shore and filled all our empty caske with fresh water Our Captain made his certaine obseruation Our Captaine vpon the Rocke in the middest of the harbour obserued the height latitude and variation exactly vpon his instruments 1 Astrolabe 2 Semisphere 3 Ringe instrument 4 Crosse staffe 5 And an excellent compasse made for the variation The certainty whereof together with the particularities of euery depth and sounding aswell at our falling with the land as in the discouery and at our departure from the coast I refer to his owne relation in the Map of his Geographicall description which for the benefit of others he intendeth most exactly to publish The temperature of the Climate albeit a very important matter The temperature of the Climate had almost passed without mentioning because it affoorded to vs no great alteration from our disposition in England somwhat hotter vp into the Maine because it lieth open to the South the aire so wholesome as I suppose not any of vs found our selues at any time more healthfull more able to labour nor with better stomacks to such good fare as we partly br 〈…〉 ught and partly found Sunday the 16 of Iune the winde being faire and because we had set out of England vpon a Sunday made the ilands vpon a Sunday and as we doubt not by Gods appointment happily fell into our harbour vpon a Sunday so now beséeching him still with like prosperity to blesse our returne into England our country and from thence with his good will and pleasure to hasten our next arriuall there we waied Anker and quit the Land vpon a Sunday Tuesday the 18 day being not run aboue 30 leagues from land and our Captaine for his certaine knowledge how to fall with the coast hauing sounded euery watch and from 40 fathoms had come into good déeping to 70 and so to an hundred this day the weather being faire after the foure a clocke watch when we supposed not to haue found ground so farre from land and before sounded in aboue 100 fathoms we had ground in 24 fathomes Wherefore our sailes being downe Thomas King boatswaine presently cast out a hooke and before he iudged it at ground was fished and haled vp an excéeding great and well fed Cod then there were cast out 3 or 4 more and the fish was so plentifull and so great as when our Captaine would haue set saile we all desired him to suffer them to take fish a while because we were so delighted to sée them catch so great fish so fast as the hooke came downe some with playing with the hooke they tooke by the backe and one of the Mates with two hookes at a lead at fiue draughts together haled vp tenne fishes all were generally very great some they measured to be fiue foot long and thrée foot about This caused our Captaine not to maruell at the shoulding A fishing banke for he perceiued it was a fish banke which for our farewell from the land it pleased God in continuance of his blessings to giue vs knowledge of the abundant profit whereof should be alone sufficient cause to draw men againe if there were no other good both in present certaine and in hope probable to be discouered To amplifie this with words were to adde light to the Sunne for euery one in the shippe could easily account this present commodity much more those of iudgement which knew what belonged to fishing would warrant by the helpe of God in a short voyage with few good fishers to make a more profitable returne from hence than from New-found-land the fish being so much greater better fed and abundant with traine of which some they desired and did bring into England to bestow among their friends and to testifie the true report After we kept our course directly for England with ordinary winds and sometime calmes vpon Sunday the 14 of Iuly about six a clocke at night we were come into sounding in our channell We came into sounding but with darke weather and contrary winds we were constrained to beat vp and downe till Tuesday the 16 of Iuly when by fiue a clocke in the morning we made Sylly from whence hindered with calmes and small winds vpon Thursday the 18 of Iuly about foure a clocke after noone we came into Dartmouth which Hauen happily with Gods gracious assistance we made our last and first Harbour in England Further I haue thought fit here to adde some things worthy to be regarded which we haue obserued from the Saluages since we tooke them First although at the time when we surprised them they made their best resistance not knowing our purpose nor what we were nor how we meant to vse them yet after perceiuing by their kinde vsage we intended them no harme they haue neuer since séemed discontented with vs but very tractable louing willing by their best meanes to satisfie vs in any thing we demand of them by words or signes for their vnderstanding neither haue they at any time béene at the least discord among themselues insomuch as we haue not séene them angry but merry and so kinde as if you giue any thing to one of them he will distribute part to euery one of the rest We haue brought them to vnderstand some English and we vnderstand much of their language so as we are able to aske them many things And this we haue obserued that if we shew them any thing and aske them if they haue it in their countrey they will tell you if they haue it and the vse of it the difference from ours in bignesse colour or forme but if they haue it not be it a thing neuer so precious they wil denie the knowledge of it They haue names for many starres which they will shew in the firmament They shew great reuerence to their King and are in great subiection to their Gouernours and they will shew a great respect to any we tell them are our Commanders They shew the maner how they make bread of their Indian wheat and how they make butter and chéese of the milke they haue of the Rain-Déere and Fallo-Déere which they haue tame as we haue Cowes They haue excellent colours Indico and other excellent colours in the countrey And hauing séene our Indico they make shew of it or of some other like thing which maketh as good a blew One especiall thing is their maner of killing the Whale which they call Powdawe and will describe his forme how he bloweth vp the water and that he is 12 fathoms long and that they go in company of their King with a multitude of their boats Their killing of the whale and strike him with a bone made in fashion of a harping iron fastened to a rope which they make great and strong of the barke of trees which they veare out after him then all their boats come about him and as he riseth aboue water with their arrowes they shoot him to death when they haue killed him dragged him to shore they call all their chiefe lords together sing a song of ioy and those chiefe lords whom they call Sagamos diuide the spoile and giue to euery man a share which pieces so distributed they hang vp about their houses for prouision and when they boile them they blow off the fat and put to their peaze maiz and other pulse which they eat A briefe Note of what profits we saw the Countrey yeeld in the small time of our stay there TREES Oke of an excellent graine strait and great timber Elme Beech. Birch very tall great of whose barke they make their Canoas Wich-Hazell Hazell Alder. Cherry-tree Ash. Maple Yew Spruce Aspe Firre Many fruit trees which we knew not FOWLES Eagles Hernshawes Cranes Ducks great Geese Swannes Penguins Crowes Sharks Rauens Mewes Turtle-doues Many birds of sundrie colours Many other fowls in flocks vnknowen BEASTS Raine-Deere Stagges Fallow-Deere Beares Wolues Beauer Otter Hare Cony Hedge-Hoggs Polcats Wilde great Cats Dogges some like Wolues some like Spaniels FISHES Whales Seales Cod very great Haddocke great Herring great Plaise Thornebacke Rockefish Lobstar great Crabs Muscels great with pearles in them Cockles Wilks Cunner fish Lumps Whiting Soales Tortoises Oisters FRVITS PLANTS and HERBS Tabacco excellent sweet and strong Wild-Vines Strawberries abundance Raspberries abundance Gooseberries abundance Hurtleberries abundance Currant trees abundance Rose-bushes Peaze Ground-nuts Angelica a most soueraigne herbe An hearbe that spreadeth the ground smelleth like Sweet Marioram great plenty Very good Dies which appeare by their painting which they carrie with them in bladders The names of the fiue Saluages which we brought home into England which are all yet aliue are these 1. Tahánedo a Sagamo or Commander 2. Amóret Gentleman 3. Skicowáros Gentleman 4. Maneddo Gentleman 5. Sassacomoit a seruant