Sun shined not for that hauing seene it and felt the heate thereof yet wee were forced not to inioy it The eight it began to be fairer weather the wind being South-west then wee saw the Sun rise South South-east and went downe South South-west by the Compasse that we had made of Lead and placed according to the Meridian of that place but by our common Compasse it differed two points The ninth it was faire cleere weather the wind South-west but as then wee could not see the Sunne because it was close weather in the South where the Sunne should goe downe The tenth it was faire cleare weather so that wee could not tell where the wind blew and then we began to feele some heat of the Sun but in the Eeuening it began to blow somewhat cold out of the west The eleuenth it was faire weather the wind South that day about noone there came a Beare towards our house and wee watched her with our Muskets but shee came not so neere as wee could reach her the same night wee heard some Foxes stirring which since the Beares began to come abroad againe we had not much seene The twelfth it was cleere weather and very calme the winde South-west then we made our Traps cleane againe meane-time there came a great Beare towards our house which made vs all goe in and wee leuelled at her with our Muskets and as shee came right before our doore we shot her into the brest cleane through the heart the bullet passing through her body and went out againe at her tayle and was as flatte as a Counter the Beare feeling the blow leapt backwards and ranne twentie or thirtie foot from the house and there lay downe wherewith wee leapt all out of the house and ranne to her and found her still aliue and when she saw vs shee rear'd vp her head as if she would gladly haue done vs some mischiefe but we trusted her not for that we had tryed their strength sufficiently before and therefore wee shot her twice into the body againe and therewith shee dyed Then we ript vp her belly and taking out her guttes drew her home to the House where we slayed her and tooke at least one hundred pound of fat out of her belly which wee molt and burned in our Lampe This Grease did vs great good seruice for by that meanes we still kept a Lampe burning all night long which before wee could not doe for want of Grease and euery man had meanes to burne a Lampe in his Cabbin for such necessaries as hee had to doe The Beares skinne vvas nine foot long and seuen foot broad The thirteenth it was faire cleere vveather with a hard West winde at whith time we had more light in our house by burning of Lampes whereby we had meanes to passe the time away by reading and other exercises which before when we could not distinguish Day from Night by reason of the darkenesse and had not Lamps continually burning vvee could not doe The foureteenth it was faire cleere weather with a hard West wind before noone but after noone it was still weather then fiue of vs went to the Ship to see how it lay and found the water to increase in it but not much The fifteenth it was foule weather with a great storme out of the South-west with great store of Snow whereby the House was closed vp againe that Night the Foxes came to deâ—oure the dead body of the Beare vvhereby we were in great feare that all the Beares thereabouts would come thither and therefore wee agreed as soone as we could to get out of the house to burie the dead Beare deepe vnder the Snow The sixteenth of February it was foule weather with great store of Snow and a South-west vvind that day was Shroue-tuesday then wee made our selues somewhat merrie in our great griefe and trouble and euery one of vs dranke a draught of Wine The nineteenth it vvas faire cleere vveather vvith a South-west winde then we tooke the height of the Sunne vvhich in long time before vvee could not doe because the Horizon vvas not cleere as also for that it mounted not so high nor gaue not so much shadow as vve vvere to haue in our Astrolabium and therefore vve made an Instrument that was halfe round at the one end hauing 90. degrees marked thereon vvhereon we hung a thread vvith a Plumet of Lead as the vvater Compasses haue and therewith vve tooke the height of the Sunne when it was at the highest and found that it vvas 3. degrees eleuated aboue the Horizon his Declination 11. degrees and 16. minutes which being added to the height aforesayd made 14. degrees and 16. minutes vvhich substracted from 90. degrees there rested 75. degrees and 44. minutes for the height of the Pole but the aforesayd 3. degrees of height being taken at the lowest side of the Sunne the 16. minutes might well be added to the height of the Pole and so it was iust 76. degrees as we had measured it before The twentieth it was foule weather with great store of Snow the vvind South-west vvhereby vve vvere shut vp againe in the house The two and twentieth it vvas cleere faire vveather vvith a South-west vvind then vve made ready a Sled to fetch more Wood for need compelled vs thereunto for as they say hunger driueth the Wolfe out of his denne and eleuen of vs went together all well appointed with our Armes but comming to the place where we should haue the Wood we could not come by it by reason it lay so deepe vnder the Snow whereby of necessitie we were compelled to goe further where with great labour and trouble we got some but as vve returned backe againe therewith it was so sore labour vnto vs that we were almost out of comfort for that by reason of the long cold and trouble that we had indured vve vvere become so vveake and feeble that vve had little strength and we began to bee in doubt that we should not recouer our strengths againe and should not be able to fetch any more Wood and so we should haue dyed with cold but the present necessitie and the hope wee had of better weather increased our forces and made vs doe more then our strengths afforded and when we came neere to our house we saw much open vvater in the Sea which in long time we had not seene which also put vs in good comfort that things would bee better The fiue and twentieth it was foule weather againe and much Snow with a North winde whereby we were closed vp with Snow againe and could not get out of our House The eight and twentieth of February it was still weather with a South-west wind then ten of vs went and fetched another Sled full of Wood with no lesse paine and labour then wee did before for one of our companions could not helpe vs because that the first joynt of one of his great Toes was frozen
calme then wee tooke the height of the Sunne and found it to be eleuated aboue the Horizon 18. degrees and 40. minutes his declination being 4. degrees and 40. minutes which being substracted from the height aforesaid there rested 14. degrees which taken from 90. degrees the height of the Pole was 76. degrees The sixt it was still foule weather with a stiffe North-west wind that night there came a Beare to our house and we did the best we could to shoot at her but because it was moist weather and the cocke foisty our Peece would not giue fire wherewith the Beare came boldly toward the house and came downe the staires close to the doore seeking to breake into the house but our Master held the doore fast to and being in great haste and feare could not barre it with the piece of Wood that wee vsed thereunto but the Beare seeing that the doore was shut shee went backe againe and within two houres after shee came againe and went round about and vpon the top of the house and made such a roaring that it was fearefull to heare and at last got to the chimney and made such worke there that wee thought shee would haue broken it downe and tore the sayle that was made fast about it in many pieces with a great and fearefull noise but for that it was night we made no resistance against her because wee could not see her at last she went away and left vs. The fourteenth it was faire cleare weather with a West wind then we saw greater hills of Ice round about the ship then ouer we had seene before which was a fearefull thing to behold and much to be wondred at that the ship was not smitten in pieces The fifteenth it was faire calme weather with a North wind then seuen of vs went aboord the ship to see in what case it was and found it to be all in one sort and as wee came backe againe there came a great Beare toward vs against whom we began to make defence but she perceiuing that made away from vs and we went to the place from whence shee came to see her Den where we found a great hole made in the Ice about a mans length in depth the entrie thereof being very narrow and within wide there we thrust in our Pikes to feele if there was any thing within it but perceiuing it was empty one of our men crept into it but not too farre for it was fearefull to behold after that we went along by the Sea-side and there we saw that in the end of March and the beginning of Aprill the Ice was in such wonderful manner risen and piled vp one vpon the other that it was wonderfull in such manner as if there had beene whole Townes made of Ice with Towres and Bulwarkes round about them The sixteenth it was foule weather the wind North-west whereby the Ice began somewhat to breake The seuenteenth it was faire cleare weather with a South-west wind and then seuen of vs went to the ship and there we saw open water in the Sea and then wee went ouer the Ice-hills as well as we could to the water for in sixe or seuen moneths we had not gone so neere vnto it and when we got to the water there we saw a little bird swimming therein but as soone as it espied vs it diued vnder the water which we tooke for a signe that there was more open water in the Sea then there had beene before and that the time approached that the water would open The eighteenth of Aprill it was faire weather the wind South-west then wee tooke the height of the Sunne and it was eleuated aboue the Horizon 25. degrees and 10. minutes his declination 11. degrees and 12. minutes which being taken from the height aforesaid there rested 13. degrees and 58. minutes which substracted from 90. degrees the height of the Pole was found to be 75. degrees 58. minutes then eleuen of vs went with a Sled to fetch more Wood and brought it to the house in the night there came another Beare vpon our house which we hearing went all out with our Armes but the Beare ran away The eight and twentieth it was faire weather with a North wind then we tooke the height of the Sunne againe and found it to bee eleuateed 28. degrees and 8. minutes his declination 14. degrees and 8. minutes which substracted from 90. degrees there rested 76. degrees for the height of the Pole The nine and twentieth it was faire weather with a South-west wind then we played at Colfe both to the ship and from thence againe homewards to exercise our selues The thirtieth it was faire weather the wind South-west then in the night wee could see the Sunne in the North when it was in the highest iust aboue the Horizon so that from that time wee saw the Sunne both night and day §. III. Their preparation to goe from thence they depart in a Boat and Scute both open and come to Cola 1143. miles Their many dangers by Beares Ice Famine Scorbute in the way THe first of May it was faire weather with a West wind then wee sod our last flesh which for a long time we had spared and it was still very good and the last morsell tasted as well as the first and we found no fault therein but onely that it would last no longer The second it was foule weather with a storme out of the South-west whereby the Sea was almost cleare of Ice and then wee beganne to speake about getting from thence for we had kept house long enough there The third it was still foule weather with a South-west wind whereby the Ice began wholly to driue away but it lay fast about the ship and when our best meate as flesh and other things beganne to faile vs which was our greatest sustenance and that it behooued vs to be somewhat strong to sustaine the labour that wee were to vndergoe when we went from thence the Master shared the rest of the Bacon amongst vs which was a small Barrell with salt Bacon in pickle whereof euery one of vs had two ounces a day which continued for the space of three weekes and then it was eaten vp The fourth it was indifferent faire weather the wind South-west that day fiue of vs went to the ship and found it lying still as fast in the Ice as it did before for about the middle of March it was but seuenty fiue paces from the open water and then it was fiue hundred paces from the water and enclosed round about with high hills of Ice which put vs in no small feare how wee should bring our Scute and our Boat through or ouer that way into the water when wee went to leaue that place That night there came a Beare to our house but as soone as shee heard vs make a noyse she ranne away againe one of our men that climbed vp in the Chimney saw when shee
they determined to proceed to the coast of Gilan which is a Prouince neere the Caspian Sea bordering vpon Persia and thereupon appointed the said goods to be laden aboord the ship and tooke into her also some merchandise of Tisiks or Persian Merchants The second of May they weighed and plyed downe the Riuer Volga toward the Caspian Sea The seuenth of May in the morning they passed by a Tree that standeth on the left hand of the Riuer as they went downe which is called Mahomet Agatch or Mahomets Tree and about three verstes further that is to say to the Southwards of the said Tree is a place called Vchoog that is to say The Russe Weare but Ochoog is the name of a Weare in the Tartar tongâ—e where are certaine Cotages and the Emperour hath lying at that place certaine Gunners to guard his Fisher-men that keepe the Weare This Vchoog is counted from Astracan sixty verstes they proceeded downe the said Riuer without staying at the Vchoog The ninth and tenth dayes they met with shallow water and were forced to lighten their ship by the Pauos The eleuenth day they sent backe to the Vchoog for an other Pauos This day by mischance the ship was bilged on the grapnell of the Pauos whereby the companie had sustayned great losses if the chiefest part of their goods had not beene layd into the Pauos for notwithstanding their pumping with three Pumps heauing cut water with Buckets and all the best shifts they could make the ship was halfe full of water ere the leake could be found and stopt The twelfth day the Pauos came to them from the Vchoog whereby they lighted the ship of all the goods The thirteenth day in the morning there came to them a small Boat sent by the Captaine of Astracan to learne whether the ship were at Sea cleare off the flats The fifteenth day by great industrie and trauell they got their ship cleare off the shoales and flats wherewith they had beene troubled from the ninth day vntill then they were forced to passe their ship in three foot water or lesse The sixteenth day they came to the Chetera Bougori or Iland of foure Hillockes which are counted fortie verstes from Vchoog and are the furthest Land towards the Sea The seuenteenth day they bare off into the Sea and being about twelue verstes from the Foure hillockes riding in fiue foot and a halfe water about eleuen of the clocke in the fore-noone they tooke their goods out of the Pauoses into the ship and filled their ship with all things necessarie The eighteenth day in the morning about seuen of the clocke the Pauoses being discharged departed away towards Astracan the winde then at South-east they rode still with the ship and obseruing the eleuation of the Pole at that place found it to be 45. degrees 20. minutes The nineteenth day the winde South-east they rode still The twentieth day the winde at North-west they set sayle about one of the clocke in the morning and steered thence South by West and South South-west about three leagues and then anchored in sixe foot and a halfe water about nine of the clocke before noone at which time it fell calme the eleuation of the Pole at that place 45. degrees 13. minutes The one and twentieth hauing the winde at North-west they set sayle and steered thence South by West and South vntill eleuen of the clocke and had then nine foote water and at noone they obserued the latitude and found it to bee 44. degrees 47. minutes then had they three fathoms and a halfe water being cleare off the flats It is counted from the Foure hillockes to the Sea about fiftie verstes From the said noone-tide vntill foure of the clocke they sayled South by East fiue leagues and a halfe then had they fiue fathoms and a halfe and brackish water from that till twelue at night they sayled South by East halfe a league East ten leagues then had they eleuen fathoms and the water salter From that till the two and twentieth day three of the clocke in the morning they sayled three and fiftie leagues then had they sixteene fathoms water from thence they sayled vntill noone South and by West seuen leagues and a halfe the latitude then obserued 43. degrees 15. minutes the depth then eight and twentie fathoms and shallow ground from that vntill eight of the clocke at night they sayled South by East fiue leagues and a halfe then had they three and fortie fathoms shallow ground From thence till the three and twentieth at foure of the clocke in the morning they sayled South South-west three leagues and a halfe then could they get no ground in two and fiftie fathoms deepe From thence vntill noone they sayled South nine leagues then the latitude obserued was 42. degrees 20. minutes From that till the foure and twentieth day at noone they sayled South by West seuenteene leagues and a halfe then the latitude obserued was one and fortie degrees two and thirtie minutes From noone till seuen of the clocke at night they sayled South South-west foure leagues then had they perfect sight of high Land or Hills which were almost couered with Snow and the midst of them were West from the ship being then about twelue leagues from the neerest Land they sounded but could finde no ground in two hundred fathoms From thence they sayled South-west vntill mid-night about three leagues from thence till the fiue and twentieth day foure of the clocke in the morning they sayled West three leagues being then little winde and neere the Land they tooke in their sayles and lay hulling at noone the latitude obserued was 40. degrees 54. minutes they sounded but could get no ground in two hundred fathoms At foure of the clocke in the after-noone the winde North-west they set their sayles and from thence till the sixe and twentieth day at noone they sayled East South-east foure leagues From thence they sayled till eight of the clocke at night South-west three leagues the winde then at North. From thence they sayled vntill the seuen and twentieth day two of the clocke in the morning West South-west eight leagues the winde blowing at North very much From the said two till foure of the clocke they sayled South by West one league then being day light they saw the Land plaine which was not past three leagues from them being very high ragged Land There were certaine Rockes that lay farre off into the Sea about fiue leagues from the same Land which are called Barmake Tash they sayled betweene those Rockes and the Land and about fiue of the clocke they passed by the Port Bilbill where they should haue put in but could not and bearing longst the shoare about two of the clocke after noone they came to Bildih in the Countrey of Media or Sheruan against which place they anchored in nine foot water Presently after they were at
and bend a Lance round and breake it if it bee not all the better plated They will also strike with their Teeth at him that is next them but because their Teeth grow downward their strokes are of small force and danger After we had opened the beasts which we had slaine we tooke out the blubber and carried it a mile into the Bay where wee set vp the shallop The reason why we carried it thither was because we thought that the fire of our Furnace would scare them away for wee did boyle all their fat to bring it into Oyle Thus wee followed our businesse till the foure and twentieth of Iuly at which time wee had very foule weather with fogs Now the ship riding in the same Coue where we killed our Morses had taken in eleuen tunnes of Oile and the teeth of all the beasts aforesaid Then we made preparation to be gone home and I was sent with our shallop and eight men with me to fetch our Tent and our boyling Coppers our mens Clothes and some Teeth At my returne when I was almost aboord comming through a place betweene the Iland and a Rocke which of necessitie we must needs passe the â—yde being against vs and a stiffe gale of winde blowing out of the Sea made the Sea flye very high vpon the Rockes whereby we had like to haue beene sunke for our Boat was almost full of water and if wee had not speedily rowed backe againe wee had dyed each man of vs. To make short we got into a Coue where the Rockes did keepe the growne Seas from vs we lighted our Boat In this Coue I found a Myne of Lead Vre and digged vp about thirtie pounds weight of it which I brought into England And calling to mind that wee were in sight of our ship when we shipped the water which I spake of before I mistrusted that they thought as they did indeed that we were all drowned Therefore I demanded who would goe with me to the top of a Cliffe which stood ouer against the ship And one Iohn Ienings said that he would goe he had not gone halfe way but hee would goe no farther because it was so cold and the Hill stood sloping very steepe toward the Sea and all the side of it was loose Earth which we must needs passe Then I went forward all alone and found all our men on shoare sauing an old man and a sicke man But the Cliffe being so high and steep that they vnder it could scarce vnderstand what I said nor I what they said but with much adoe They demanded as I tooke it if all our men were wel I told them yea as loud as I could And then I threw downe a piece of the lead Vre which I had found which M. Welden took vp And when I was going away I heard them shout and looking behind me I saw them all point toward the Skiffe that lay at anchor hard by the shoare whereby I perceiued that the rope was broken which made it fast to the shoare and the Skiffe was gone off to the length of her rope so that they could not go aboord except one of them did swim to the Skiffe which was exceeding dangerous both because it was extreame cold and also for feare of being killed by the Morses that were in the Sea all about the Boat Whereupon with all speed possible I ranne to helpe our men in that distresse and comming to the Shallop some were willing and some vnwilling But I said that out I would and taking nothing aboord with me but a few teeth wee got out and in the place where we had like to haue beene sunke before wee had a great hollow Sea but our Boat being light and the tyde with vs wee got through whereat M. Welden and Steuen Bennet our Master with all the company were not a little ioyfull and gaue God humble thankes that had of his great mercy defended vs from a great many of dangers that day For that day wee saw abundance of yce driuing toward the Iland but the winde and tyde shifting put it another way Likewise two boyes had like to haue beene slaine with the fall of a rocke which fell close by them they being but newly stepped out of the place where the rocke fell In the time that we were in this distresse I called the Mountaine by the name of Mount-miserie which is so called at this day Likewise there is a very high Mountaine on the East South-east point of this Iland which because Master Welden and I got two Foxes neere it I called it Mount maleperdus alluding to the name in the merrie booke of Reinold the Fox The sixe and twentieth of Iulie wee got out of the Coue with the Ship hauing such a fogge that although wee ridde so neere the land that we could heare the fowle that were on shoare yet wee could not see the land This fogge continued vntill the eight and twentieth of Iuly on which day hauing cleerer weather wee got our water and other prouision aboord and set sayle for England and passing by the coast of Finmarke and Norway we arriued at London the foure and twentieth of August 1605. The fourth Voyage to Chery Iland 1606. WE set sayle from London in a Ship and a Pinnasse the Ship being of burden sixtie Tuns and the same that I was in the Summer before Master Thomas Welden was Merchant and Master Bennet Master hauing in all two and twentie men and boyes The Pinnasse was of twentie Tunnes and had eight men in her and I Ionas Pool was Master of her we were set out by Master Russell one of the Moscoâ—ie Company The eight and twentieth wee had sight of land on the coast of Norway in the latitude of sixtie degrees and a halfe nine leagues off The sixteenth of Iune we fell with the Assumption it bearing South and by West eight leagues off and we lay beating betweene the North Cape and it till the eighteenth of Iune At what time wee put off and steered away North North-west about fiftie fiue leagues and found much Ice wee thought to haue gotten through it but could not and when wee had spent twelue houres in it and hauing the wind Northerly we put backe againe The two and twentieth we fell with the North Cape againe at twelue of the clock at noone The foure and twentieth we put off againe and being fiue and fortie leagues from the Cape wee met with Ice and vpon a piece of Ice we saw a Beare The Ship being on head of vs bare close to the Ice and Master Welden shot the said Beare dead at the first shot This Beare was from the neerest land aboue seuen and twentie leagues and liued of Seales or other fish that he could prey vpon The second of Iuly we saw Cherie Iland at a North sound the land bearing North and by West about ten leagues off The same time
noone I found the height to bee 43. degrees 56. minutes This Eeuening being very faire weather wee obserued the variation of our Compasse at the Sunnes going downe and found it to bee 10. degrees from the North to the VVestward The seuen and twentieth faire sun-shining weather the winde shifting betweene the South-west and West and by North a stiffe gale we stood to the Southward all day and made our way South and by West seuen and twentie leagues At noone our height was 42. degrees 50. minuts At foure of the clocke in the after-noone wee cast about to the Northward At eight of the clocke we tooke in our top-sayles and our fore-bonnet and went with a short sayle all night The eight and twentieth very thicke and mystie and a stiffe gale of wind varying betweene South South-west and South-west and by VVest we made our way North-west and by VVest seuen and twentie leagues wee sounded many times and could get no ground At fiue of the clocke we cast about to the Southward the wind at South-west and by VVest At which time we sounded and had ground at seuentie fiue fathoms At eight wee had sixtie fiue fathoms At ten sixtie At twelue of the clocke at mid-night fiftie sixe fathoms gray sand The Compasse varyed 6. degrees the North point to the VVest The nine and twentieth faire weather we stood to the Southward and made our way South and by VVest a point South eighteene leagues At noone we found our height to bee 42. degrees 56. minutes wee sounded oft and had these 60.64.65.67.65.65.70 and 75. fathoms At night wee tryed the variation of our Compasse by the setting of the Sunne and found that it went downe 37. degrees to the North-ward of the VVest and should haue gone downe but 31. degrees The Compasse varyed 5. 1 â— degrees The thirtieth very hot all the fore-part of the day calme the wind at South South-east wee steered away VVest South-west and sounded many times and could find no ground at one hundred and seuentie fathomes VVe found a great current and many ouer-falls Our current had deceiued vs. For at noone we found our height to be 41. degrees 34. minutes And the current had heaued vs to the Southward fourteene leagues At eight of the clocke at night I sounded and had ground in fiftie two fathomes In the end of the mid-night watch wee had fiftie three fathomes This last obseruation is not to be trusted The one and thirtieth very thicke and mystie all day vntill tenne of the clocke At night the wind came to the South and South-west and South We made our way West North-west nineteene leagues Wee sounded many times and had difference of soundings sometimes little stones and sometimes grosse gray sand fiftie six fiftie foure fortie eight fortie seuen fortie foure fortie six fiftie fathomes and at eight of the clocke at night it fell calme and we had fiftie fathomes And at ten of the clocke we heard a great Rut like the Rut of the shoare Then I sounded and found the former Depths and mistrusting a current seeing it so still that the ship made no way I let the lead lie on the ground and found a tide set to the South-west and South-west by West so fast that I could hardly vere the Line so fast and presently came an hurling current or tyde with ouer-fals which cast our ship round and the Lead was so fast in the ground that I feared the Lines breaking and we had no more but that At mid-night I sounded againe and we had seuentie fiue fathomes and the strong streame had left vs. The first of August all the fore-part of the day was mystie and at noone it cleered vp We found that our height was 41. degrees 45. minutes and we had gone nineteene leagues The after-noon was reasonable cleere We found a rustling tide or current with many ouer-fals to continue still and our water to change colour and our sea to bee very deepe for wee found no ground in one hundred fathomes The night was cleere and the winde came to the North and North North-east we steered West The second very faire weather and hot from the morning till noone we had a gale of wind but in the after-noone little wind At noone I sounded and had one hundred and ten fathomes and our height was 41. degrees 56. minutes And wee had runne foure and twentie leagues and an halfe At the Sun-setting we obserued the variation of the Compasse and found that it was come to his true place At eight of the clocke the gale increased so wee ranne sixe leagues that watch and had a very faire and cleere night The third very hot weather In the morning we had sight of the Land and steered in with it thinking to goe to the North-ward of it So we sent our shallop with fiue men to found in by the shore and they found it deepe fiue fathomes within a Bow-shot of the shoare and they went on Land and found goodly Grapes and Rose trees and brought them aboord with them at fiue of the clocke in the Eeuening We had seuen and twentie fathomes within two miles of the shoare and we found a floud come from the South-east and an ebbe from the North-west with a very strong streame and a great hurling and noyses At eight of the clocke at night the wind began to blow a fresh gale and continued all night but variable Our sounding that wee had to the Land was one hundred eightie seuentie foure fiftie two fortie sixe twentie nine twentie seuen twentie foure nineteene seuenteene sometimes Oze and sometimes gray sand The fourth was very hot we stood to the North-west two watches and one South in for the Land and came to an Anchor at the Norther end of the Headland and heard the voyce of men call Then we sent our Boat on shoare thinking they had beene some Christians left on the Land but wee found them to bee Sauages which seemed very glad of our comming So wee brought one aboord with vs and gaue him meate and he did eate and drinke with vs. Our Master gaue him three or foure glasse Buttons and sent him on Land with our shallop againe And at our Boats comming from the shoare he leapt and danced and held vp his hands and pointed vs to a riuer on the other side for we had made signes that we came to fish there The bodie of this Headland lyeth in 41. degrees 45. minutes We set sayle againe after dinner thinking to haue got to the Westward of this Headland but could not so we beare vp to the Southward of it made a South-east way and the Souther point did beare West at eight of the clocke at night Our soundings about the Easter and Norther part of this Headland a league from the shoare are these at the Easterside thirtie twentie seuen twentie seuen twentie foure twentie fiue twentie The North-east point 17. degrees
18. minutes and so deeper The North-end of this Headland hard by the shoare thirtie fathomes and three leagues off North North-west one hundred fathomes At the South-east part a league off fifteene sixteene and seuenteene fathomes The people haue greene Tabacco and pipes the boles whereof are made of Earth and the pipes of red Copper The Land is very sweet The fift all mystie At eight of the clocke in the morning wee tact about to the Westward and stood in till foure of the clocke in the after-noone at which time it cleered and wee had sight of the Head-land againe fiue leagues from vs. The Souther point of it did beare West off vs and we sounded many times and had no ground And at foure of the clocke we cast about and at our staying wee had seuentie fathomes Wee steered away South and South by East all night and could get no ground at seuentie and eightie fathomes For wee feared a great Riffe that lyeth off the Land and steered away South and by East The sixth faire weather but many times mysting Wee steered away South South-east till eight of the clocke in the morning Then it cleered a little and wee cast about to the Westward Then we sounded and had thirtie fathomes grosse sand and were come to the Riffe Then wee kept our Lead and had quicke shoalding from thirtie twentie nine twentie seuen twentie foure twentie two twentie and an halfe twentie twentie nineteene nineteene nineteene eighteene eighteene seuenteene and so deeping againe as proportionally as it shoalded For we steered South and South-east till we came to twentie sixe fathomes Then we steered South-west for so the tyde doth set By and by it being calme we tryed by our Lead for you shall haue sixteene or seuenteene fathomes and the next cast but seuen or six fathomes And farther to the Westward you shall haue foure and fiue foot water and see Rockes vnder you and you shall see the Land in the top Vpon this Riffe we had an obseruation and found that it lyeth in 40. degrees 10. minutes And this is that Headland which Captaine Bartholomew Gosnold discouered in the yeere 1602. and called Cape Cod because of the store of Cod-fish that hee found thereabout So we steered South-west three leagues and had twentie and twentie foure fathomes Then we steered West two Glasses halfe a league and came to fifteene fathomes Then we steered off South-east foure Glasses but could not get deepe water for there the tyde of ebbe laid vs on and the streame did hurle so that it laid vs so neere the breach of a shoald that wee were forced to Anchor So at seuen of the clocke at night wee were at an Anchor in tenne fathomes And I giue God most heartie thankes the least water wee had was seuen fathomes and an halfe We rode still all night and at a still water I sounded so farre round about our ship as we could see a light and had no lesse then eight nine ten and eleuen fathomes The myst continued being very thicke The seuenth faire weather and hot but mystie Wee rode still hoping it would cleere but on the floud it fell calme and thicke So we rode still all day and all night The floud commeth from the South-west and riseth not aboue one fathome and an halfe in nepe streames Toward night it cleered and I went with our shallop and sounded and found no lesse water then eight fathomes to the South-east off vs but we saw to the North-west off vs great Breaches The eight faire and cleere weather In the morning by sixe of the clocke at flake water wee weighed the wind at North-east and set our fore-sayle and mayne top-sayle and got a mile ouer the Flats Then the tyde of ebbe came so we anchored againe till the floud came Then wee set sayle againe and by the great mercie of God wee got cleere off them by one of the clocke this after-noone And wee had sight of the Land from the West North-west to the North North-west So we steered away South South-east all night and had ground vntill the middle of the third watch Then we had fortie fiue fathomes white sand and little stones So all our soundings are twentie twentie twentie two twentie seuen thirtie two fortie three fortie three fortie fiue Then no ground in seuentie fathomes The ninth very faire and hot weather the wind a very stiffe gale In the morning at foure of the clocke our shallop came running vp against our sterne and split in all her stemme So we were faine to cut her away Then wee tooke in our mayne sayle and lay atrie vnder our fore-sayle vntill twelue of the clocke at mid-day Then the wind ceased to a faire gale so wee stood away South-west Then we lay close by on many courses a South by West way fifteene leagues and three watches South-east by East ten leagues At eight of the clocke at night wee tooke in our top-sayles and went with a low sayle because we were in an vnknowne sea At noone we obserued and found our heigth to be 38. degrees 39. minutes The tenth in the morning some raine and cloudie weather the winde at South-west wee made our way South-east by East ten leagues At noone wee obserued and found our heigth to bee 38. degrees 39. minutes Then wee tackt about to the Westward the wind being at South and by East little wind At foure of the clocke it fell calme and we had two Dolphines about our ship and many small fishes At eight of the clocke at night wee had a small lingring gale All night we had a great Sea out of the South-west and another great Sea out of the North-east The eleuenth all the fore-part of the day faire weather and very hot VVee stood to the VVest South-west till noone Then the wind shorted and we could lye but South-west and by South At noone wee found our heigth to bee 39. degrees 11. minutes And that the current had laid vs to the Northward thirtie two minutes contrary to our expectation At foure of the clocke in the after-noone there came a myst which endured two houres But wee had it faire and cleere all night after The Compasse varied the North point to the VVest one whole point The twelfth faire weather the wind variable betweene the South-west and by South and the North little wind In the morning we killed an extraordinary fish and stood to the Westward all day and all night At noone we found our heigth to be 38. degrees 13. minutes And the obseruation the day before was not good This noone we found the Compasse to vary from the North to the West ten degrees The thirteenth faire weather and hot the wind at North-east Wee steered away West and by our Compasse two and twentie leagues At noone wee found our height to bee 37. degrees 45. minutes and that our way from noone to noone was West South-west halfe a point Southerly The Compasse was
all that whole house reuerently worshipped the Crosse. And she set it vpon a Veluet cloth in an high place and shee caused meate to bee brought to wit the carkasse of one Ramme which being set before the Ladie shee caused it to be distributed to the Priests But I and the Monke were very warie of the meate and drinke for the meate being eaten and much drinke drunke wee were to goe to the Damosell Cerina who lodged behind that great house which was her Mothers who at the comming in of the Crosse cast her selfe vpon the Earth and worshipped it very deuoutly because shee had beene well taught so to doe and shee set it in a high place vpon a piece of silke And all those clothes whereon the Crosse was set were the Monkes A certaine Armenian brought this Crosse who came with the Monk as he said from Hierusalem and it was of siluer weighing about some foure markes and it had foure Precious Stones in the corners and one in the middle It had not the Image of our Sauiour because the Armenians and the Nestorians are ashamed that Christ should appeare nayled to the Crosse and hee had presented it by the Monke to Mangu Chan. And Mangu demanded of him what hee desired to whom he answered That he was the Sonne of an Armenian Priest whose Church the Saracens had destroyed and craued his helpe for the building againe of that Church Then hee asked him for how much it might be built againe he answered for two hundred Iascots that is for two thousand markes and he commanded Letters to be giuen him to him who receiued the Tribute in Persia and Armenia the greater that they should pay him the said summe of siluer This Crosse the Monke carried with him euery where And the Priests seeing the gaine thereof began to enuie him Wee were therefore in the house of the said Damosell and shee gaue the Priests much drinke From hence wee went vnto the fourth house which was the last in number and honour For he vsed not to come often to that Ladie and her house was very old and her selfe nothing gracious But after Easter Chan made her a new house and new Chariots She likewise as the second knew little or nothing of Christianitie but followed Soothsayers and Idolaters Yet at our comming in shee worshipped the Crosse as the Monke and the Priests taught her There also the Priests dranke againe And from that place wee returned to our Oratorie which was neere thereabouts the Priests accompanying vs with great howling and out-cryes in their drunkennesse which there is reprehensible neither in man nor woman Then my fellow was brought home and the Monke sharply rebuked him because he touched the threshold On the morrow Bulgai came who was a Iustice and diligently inquired whether any had warned vs to take heed of touching the threshold And I answered Sir wee had not our Interpreter with vs how could we vnderstand Then hee pardoned him But would neuer after suffer him to come into any of the houses of Mangu Chan. IT happened afterwards that the same Ladie Cota which was sicke about Septuagesima was sicke almost vnto death and diuination by Lots of the Idolaters could profit her nothing Then Mangu sent vnto the Monke demanding of him what might bee done for her And the Monke indiscreetly answered that if shee were not cured hee should cut off his head hauing made that answere the Monke called vs declaring the matter vnto vs with teares intreating to watch with him that night in Prayer which we did And he had a certayne Roote which is called Rubarbe and hee cut it almost to powder and put it in water with a little Crucifixe which he had wherein the Image of our Sauiour was aduanced whereof he reported that by it he knew when the sicke should recouer or dye For if they should escape it stucke to the brest of the sicke as if it were glued if otherwise it stâ—cke not at all And I still thought that Rubarbe had beene some holy Relike which he had brought from the Holy Land of Hierusalem And he gaue all sicke persons of that water â— drinke so that it could not bee but their bowels should be griped with so bitter a Potion which alteration in their bodies they accounted a Miracle Then I told him when he was about to make such a water that hee should prepare some of that Holy water which is made in the Church of Rome which hath great vertue to expell Deuils because I vnderstood shee was vexed of a Deuill And at his intreatie wee made him some Holy water and he mingled Rubarbe and put his Crucifixe all the whole night in the water to temper it I said moreouer that if hee were a Priest that the Order of Priest-hood hath great power to expell Deuils And he said it was very true and yet hee lyed because hee had no order nor knew any one Letter but was a Weauer as I vnderstood after in his Countrey when I returned On the morrow therefore I and the Monke and two Nestorian Priests went vnto the foresaid Ladie And shee was in a little house behind her greater house When wee came in shee sate in her bed and worshipped the Crosse and set it honourably by her vpon a cloth of Silke and drunke of the blessed water with Rubarbe and washed her brest And the Monke requested me to reade a Gospell ouer her so I read the Passion of our Lord according vnto Iohn At length she was cheered and felt her selfe better and shee caused foure Iascots to bee brought which she first layd at the feet of the Crosse and after gaue me to the Monke and reached me one which I would not receiue Then the Monke stretching forth his hand tooke it and gaue either of the Priests one so that at that time shee gaue fortie Markes Then shee caused Wine to be brought and gaue it the Priests to drinke and I must drinke thrice from her hand in honour of the Trinitie Shee began also to teach mee the Language jesting with mee because I was dumbe not hauing any Interpreter On the morrow we returned to her againe And Mangu Chan hearing that we came that way made vs come in vnto him because hee vnderstood that the Lady was somewhat better and we found him with a few seruants supping liquid Tam to wit meat made of paste for comforting the head and the burnt shoulder-blades of a Ram lay before him and he tooke the Crosse in his hand but that hee kissed or worshipped it I saw not but looked vpon it and asked some questions I know not what Then the Monke craued leaue to carry the Crosse aloft vpon a Lance because I had spoken to the Monke before concerning this And Mangu answered Carry it as you thinke best to doe it Then doing our duty to him wee went to the foresaid Ladie and we found her lustie and cheerfull and she still drunke
iuyce of Herbs and whoso tasteth but a little thereof cannot escape loosenesse of the belly The like also hapneth if any taste the Salt made of that water It is therefore needfull that Trauellers carrie some water with them if they will not be indangered through thirst The beasts also which are compelled to drink that water escape not without scouring In the fourth day they find a fresh Riuer vnder ground the three last dayes are as the first Cobinam is a great Mahumetan Citie goodly and great Looking Glasses of Steele are made there Tutia also which cureth the eyes and Spodio and that after this manner That Country hath Mines out of which they digge Earth which they boyle casting it into a fierie Fornace an Iron grate receiuing the ascending vapour from aboue in the which the conglutinated and clammie vapour becommeth Tutia But the grosser matter remayning in the fire is called Spodio The Inhabitants of this Countrey are followers of Mahumet Leauing the Citie Cobinam you meet with another Desart eight dayes Iourney in length and in it there is great drynesse it wanteth trees and fruits and waters which it hath are very bitter so that the very beasts refuse to drinke them except they mixe meale therewith and Trauellers carrie water with them But hauing passed ouer this Desart you came to the Kingdome Timochaim in the North Confines of Persia where many Cities and Castles are There is a great Plaine in which a great tree groweth called the tree of the Sunne which the Christians call The dry Tree This tree is very great and thicke and hath leaues which on the one side are white and on the other side greene It produceth prickly shales like those of a Chesnut but nothing in them The wood is solide and strong yellow like Boxe There is no tree within one hundred miles except on one side on which are trees within ten miles In this place the Inhabitants say that Alexander the Great fought with Darius The Cities are plentifull of good things but Mahumetan and of temperate Aire It hath also goodly men but specially women the most beautifull in my iudgement in the World Mulehet is in Saracen Language as much to say as a place of Heretikes and of this place they call the men Mulehetici that is Heretikes in their Law as with vs Patarines Hauing spoken of the Countrey the old man of the Mountayne shall bee spoken of of whom Marco heard much from many His name was Aloadine and was a Mahumetan Hee had in a goodly Valley betwixt two Mountaynes very high made a goodly Garden furnished with the best trees and fruits he could find adorned with diuers Palaces and houses of pleasure beautified with gold Workes Pictures and Furnitures of silke There by diuers Pipes answering diuers parts of those Palaces were seene to runne Wine Milke Honey and cleere Water In them hee had placed goodly Damosels skilfull in Songs and Instruments of Musicke and Dancing and to make Sports and Delights vnto men whatsoeuer they could imagine They were also fairely attyred in Gold and Silke and were seene to goe continually sporting in the Garden and Palaces He made this Palace because Mahomet had promised such a sensuall Paradise to his deuout followers No man might enter for at the mouth of the Valley was a strong Castle and the entrance was by a secret passage Alaodine had certaine Youthes from twelue to twentie yeares of age such as seemed of a bold and vndoubted disposition whom hee instructed daily touching Mahomets Paradise and how hee could bring men thither And when he thought good he caused a certaine Drinke to bee giuen vnto ten or twelue of them which cast them in a dead sleepe and then hee caused them to be carryed into diuers Chambers of the said Palaces where they saw the things aforesaid as soone as they awaked each of them hauing those Damosels to minister Meates and excellent Drinkes and all varieties of pleasures to them insomuch that the Fooles thought themselues in Paradise indeed When they had enioyed those pleasures foure or fiue dayes they were againe cast in a sleepe and carryed forth againe After which hee caused them to be brought into his presence and questioned where they had beene which answered by your Grace in Paradise and recounted before all all before mentioned Then the old man answered This is the commandement of our Prophet that whosoeuer defends his Lord he make him enter Paradise and if thou wilt bee obedient to mee thou shalt haue this grace And hauing thus animated them hee was thought happie whom the old man would command though it cost him his life so that other Lords and his Enemies were slaine by these his Assasines which exposed themselues to all dangers and contemned their liues Hereupon hee was esteemed a Tyrant feared in all those parts and had two Vicars one in the parts of Damasco and another in Curdistan which obserued the same order with young men Hee vsed also to rob all which passed that way Vlau in the yeare 1262. sent and besieged his Castle which after three yeares siege they tooke slue him and ruined his Paradise not being able for want of victuall to hold out longer §. III. Of Sapurgan Balac Thaican Scassem Balaxiam Bascia Chesmur Vochan Samarchan Carchan Peym the dreadfull Desart of Lop and Tanguth DEparting from the foresaid place you come vnto a certayne Country pleasant enough which hath Hils Plaines and excellent Pasture and lastly fruits in great plentie for the soyle thereof is very fruitfull This continues sixe dayes and then you enter a Desart of fortie or fiftie miles without water After this you come to the Citie Sapurgan where plentie of all victuall is found especially Pompions the best in the World sweet like Honey Passing from thence we came vnto a certayne Citie named Batach which in times past was great and famous hauing sumptuous Marble Palaces but now ouerthrowne by the Tartars In this Citie they report that Alexander tooke the Daughter of King Darius to wife To this Citie on the East and North-east continue the Confines of Persia. But if you goe from hence and proceed betweene the East and the North-east you cannot finde any Habitation for two dayes Iourney because the Inhabitans of the place hauing endured so many grieuances by Theeues and Robbers are compelled to flye vnto the Mountaynes to wit places of more safetie Many waters are found there and very much game of wild beasts Lyons also are there And because Trauellers find no food in that Iourney they carrie victuals with them which may suffice them for two dayes That two dayes Iourney ended which we mentioned we met with a certayne Castle called Thaican where is great plentie of Corne and very goodly fields The Mountaynes also on the South are high some of which are of white and hard Salt and the Inhabitants
clothes of Gold and Silke and are rich Merchants and the Countrey is very commodious to the Can specially by Customes of Merchandise There is great plentie of Corne. Sianfu is a noble and great Citie in the Prouince of Mangi and hath twelue rich and great Cities subiect vnto her iurisdiction They make great store of Silkes and cloth of Gold haue plentie of game and fowle and of all things pertayning to a Citie of note so strong that it was three yeeres besieged and could not be vanquished by the Armie of the Tartars when the Prouince of Mangi was subdued For it is compassed on euery side with Lakes that there was no way vnto it but on the North so that ships came and went continually bringing plentie of victuals which not a little afflicted great Can. The two brethren Master Nicolo and Master Maffio then in his Court hearing hereof went to him and offered their seruice to deuise certaine Engines after the manner of the West able to shoot a stone of three hundred weight thereby to kill men and ruine houses The Can appointed them the best Carpenters which were Nestorian Christians who made three Mangani of those Engines in a short space which were proued and approued before him and by ships sent vnto his Armie Planting them therefore against the Citie Sianfu they began to cast great stones into the Citie and the first falling vpon a certaine house brake it for the most part with the violence thereof Which the besieged Inhabitants seeing were very much astonished and yeelded themselues and became subiect to the obedience of great Can on the same conditions with the rest of Mangi to the great repute of the two Venetian brethren From the Citie Sianfu to a certaine Citie named Singui are numbred fifteene miles South-eastward which although it be not great yet hath it an exceeding multitude of Ships being seated vpon the greatest Riuer in the world called Quian the bredth of which in certaine places contayneth ten miles in other eight and in some sixe But the length thereof extendeth it selfe aboue an hundred dayes iourney from the head to the Sea Innumerable other Riuers flow into it which runne thorow diuers Regions and are nauigable and make it so great incredible store of Merchandise is brought by this Riuer There are also very many other Cities in number about two hundred which participate of this Riuer it floweth through the bounds of sixteene Prouinces The greatest commoditie is Salt wherewith all the Cities which communicate in these waters are stored Master Marco saw at one time at Singui fiue thousand ships and yet other Cities on that Riuer haue more All those ships are couered and haue but one mast and one sayle and vsually carrie foure thousand and so vpwards some of them twelue thousand Venetian Cantari Neither vse cordage of Hempe except for the mast and sayle but haue Canes fifteence paces long which they riue into thinne parts from one end to the other and binding the cut pieces together and wreathing them make very long ropes so that some of them contayne three hundred fathom in length And those lines are as strong as Hempen and serue for halfes and cables to draw their ships vp and downe the Riuer each ship hauing ten or twelue Horses for that purpose On that Riuer in many places are rockie hillockes on which are built Monasteries to their Idols and all the way are Villages and places inhabited Cayngui is a little Citie vpon the foresaid Riuer South-eastward where euery yeere is brought store of Corne and Rise carried the most part to Cambalu For they may passe thither by Lakes and Riuers and by one deepe large hand-made Riuer which the Can caused to be made for passage from one Riuer to another and from Mangi to Cambalu without going to Sea Which worke is goodly and wonderfull for the site and length and more for the profit thereby to the Cities Hee hath made also great Causies to goe on land by those waters commodiously In the mids of the said Riuer is an Iland of a Rocke on which is erected a great Temple and Monasterie in which are two hundred Idolatrous Monkes This is the Mother-temple and Monasterie of many others Cinghianfu is a Citie of Mangi rich in Merchandise plentifull of game of wilde beasts and fowle and of victuall In it are two Churches of Nestorian Christians built Anno 1274. when the great Can sent Gouernour thither Marsachis a Nestorian which built them From the Citie Cinghianfu in three dayes iourney South-eastward you find many Cities and Castles all Idolaters and at last come to the Citie Tinguigui a great and faire Citie abounding with all kinde of victuals When Chinsam Baian Generall of the Armie of the Tartars conquered the Prouince of Mangi he sent many Christians called Alani against this Citie which was double walled into the inner they retired into the other the Alans entred and found there abundance of Wine whereof after a bad iourney they began to drinke so largely that they were all drunke and the Citizens in their sleepe suddenly falling vpon them slue them all none escaping But Baian hearing this sent another great Armie against those Citizens which shortly vanquishing the Citie in reuenge put them all to the sword leauing none aliue The great and excellent Citie Singui contayneth in circuit twentie miles Great multitudes of people are in it it hath many rich Merchants and cunning Artificers and it hath also very many Physicians and Magicians and Wisemen or Philosophers In the Mountaines of this Citie Rhubarb and Ginger grow in great plenty This Citie hath sixteen Cities vnder the iurisdiction thereof where much trading is vsed and very many curious Arts are exercised Very many Silkes are made there The word Singui in their language signifieth The Citie of the Earth as also they haue another Citie which they call Quinsai that is to say The Citie of Heauen From Singui one dayes iourney is Vagiu where is also abundance of Silke and cunning Artificers with many Merchants GOing from Vagiu three dayes continually you find Cities Castles and Villages well peopled and rich The People are Idolaters vnder the Can at the end of those dayes you come to Quinsai which for the excellency hath that name interpreted Citie of Heauen for in the World there is not the like in which are found so many pleasures that a man would thinke he were in Paradise In this Citie Master Marco Polo hath often beene and considered the same with great diligence obseruing the whole state thereof setting downe the same in his memorials as here shall be declared briefly This Citie by common opinion is an hundred miles in circuit for the streets and channels thereof are very wide There are Market places exceeding large On the one side a cleere Lake of fresh water on the other a great Riuer which enters in many places and carries
some part to this solace with their Friends or with Women in the Lake or else by Chariots riding thorow the Citie which is also another of the Quinsay pleasures For all the streets are paued with stone as also are all the high Wayes in the Prouince of Mangi onely for the Postes is left on the side a space vnpaued The principall street of Quinsay is paued ten paces on each hand and in the midst it is full of Grauell with passages for the Water which keepe it alway cleane On this street are alway innumerable long close Chariots accommodated with Clothes and Cushions of silke for six persons which solace themselues in the street or goe to Gardens and there passe the time in places made by the Gardeners for that purpose and returne at night in the said Chariots When one is borne the Father sets downe the print of Time and with that note goes to the Astrologer to consult of his future fortunes Of these Astrologers are a great number in euery Market place They will not celebrate a marriage without such consultation When one dies that is of note his Kindred clothe themselues in Canuasse and so both Men and Women accompanie him to the burning place playing on Instruments and singing all the way prayers to their Idols and being comne to the place cast into the fire many Papers of Cotton whereon are painted Slaues Horses Camels Clothes of gold and silke Monies which they thinke hee shall really possesse in another World and make such minstrelsie in conceit of the ioy wherewith the Idols there receiue his Soule where hee beginneth they say to liue anew In euery street are Towres of stone whither in danger of fire they vse to carrie their goods their timber houses being much subiect to such casualtie The Can hath ordayned that on the most part of the Bridges day and night there stand vnder a couert ten Guardians fiue by day and fiue by night and in euery Guard is a Tabernacle of Wood with a great Bason whereby they know the houres of the day and night which at euery houres end the Warders strike to notifie what houre one two c. beginning at the Sunne rising and then againe at the beginning of the night They walke vp and downe and if any haue a light or fire after the deputed time they cause him to answer it before the Iustices or Gouernors aforesaid or if any walke later If any be not able to worke they carrie him to Hospitals of which are exceeding many founded by the Kings of old with great reuenues thorow the Citie When they are well againe they are compelled to worke If a fire happen these from diuers places come to quench it and to carrie the goods into Boats or the Ilands or those Towres for in the night the Citizens dare not come out but those who are in danger The Can alway keepeth here store of his best and faithfullest Souldierie as being the best and richest place in the World Within a mile of each other are builded Rampiers of wood where a sound is made to be heard further off for like purposes When the Can had reduced all Mangi to his obedience hee diuided it being before but one Kingdome into nine parts and set a King ouer each which there administers iustice Euery yeere they giue account to the Cans Officers of the reuenues and other accidents and euery third yeere are charged as all other Officers are One of these Deputie-Kings is resident at Quinsay who is Gouernour of aboue one hundred and fortie Cities all rich and great Nor may this be a wonder seeing in Mangi there are twelue thousand Cities all inhabited with rich and industrious people In euery of which the Can maintayneth a Garrison proportionable to the greatnesse and occasions one thousand ten or twentie thousand not all Tartars but Catayans for the Tartars are Horse-men and keepe where they may exercise their Horses Into Cathay he sends those of Mangi and Cathayans hither such as are fit for Armes of which he makes choise euery third yeere and sends for foure or fiue yeeres together into places twentie dayes iourney from their Countrey and then suffers them to returne home others succeeding And most part of the Cans Receits are this way expended and if any Citie rebell he suddenly from the next Garrisons rayseth an Armie to reduce or destroy them This Citie of Quinsai hath in continuall Garrison thirtie thousand Souldiers and that which hath least hath one thousand in Horse and Foote To speake now of the Palace of King Fanfur his Predecessors caused to enclose a place of ten miles circuit with high walls and diuided it into three parts That in the midst was entred by one Gate on the one side and the other were great and large Galleries the Roofe sustayned by Pillars painted and wrought with gold and fine azure these were smaller at the entrie and the further the greater the fairest at the end the Roofe fairely adorned with gold and on all the Walls were painted the stories of the former Kings artificially There euery yeere on certaine Idoll holy-dayes Fanfur kept his Court and feasted his principall Lords the great Masters and rich Artificers of Quinsai ten thousand at a time vnder those Terraces This dured ten or twelue dayes with incredible magnificence euery guest indeuouring to present himselfe in greatest pompe Behinde this middle-most building was a wall and going out which diuided the Palace in which was as it were a Cloyster with Pillars sustayning the Porch or Terrace round about the Cloyster wherein were Chambers for the King and Queene curiously wrought From this Cloyster was entrance into a Gallerie six paces wide in length extending to the Lake all couered On each side of this Gallerie were ten Courts answering one another fashioned like Cloysters each Court hauing fiftie Chambers with their Gardens and in them one thousand Lasses abode which the King kept for his seruice who sometimes with the Queene sometimes with them went in his Barge on the Lake for solace or to visit his Idoll Temples The other two parts of the Serraile were diuided into Groues Lakes Gardens planted with Trees in which were inclosed all sorts of beasts Roes Bucks Stags Hares Conies and there the King solaced himselfe with his Damsels in Charets or on Horse-backe no man entring there There did he cause These to hunt with his Dogs wearie whereof they went into those Groues which answered one another ouer the Lakes and there leauing their garments came forth naked and set themselues a swimming in the Kings presence Sometimes hee would take his repast in those Groues being serued by those Damsels without once thinking of Armes which sweet meat cost him the soure sawce yee haue heard All this was told mee by a rich old Merchant of Quinsai whiles I was there one which had beene an inward familiar of King Fanfur
Citie smally frequented by Merchants infinitely by Christians and Saracens for deuotion The Saracens hold him a great Prophet and call him Ananias that is a holy man The Christians take of the Earth where he was slaine which is red and carry it with them with great reuerence and giue it mixed with water to the sicke Anno 1288. A great Prince hauing more Rice then roome to lay it in made bold with Saint Thomas his Church in the roome where Pilgrimes were receiued but by a Vision of Saint Thomas in the night was so terrified that he quickly freed the place The Inhabitants are black not so borne but often anoynt themselues with Sessamine Oyle to obtayne that beautie they paint the Deuill white and their Idols blacke The Beeue-worshippers carry with them to battell some of the haire of a wild Oxe as a preseruatiue against dangers and therefore such haires are dearely prized Murphili or Monsul is Northward from Malabar fiue hundred miles they are Idolaters They haue Diamonds in their hils which they search for after great-raines West-wards from Saint Thomas is Lac whence the Bramines haue originall which are the truest Merchants in the World and will not lye for any thing and trustily keepe any thing committed to their custodie or sell or barter Merchandice for others They are knowne by a Cotton threed which they weare ouer the sholder tyed vnder the arme crossing the brest They haue but one Wife are great Diuiners of great abstinence and long life obserue their owne shadow in the Sunne when they are to buy and thence coniecture according to their Discipline They vse to chew a certayne Herbe which makes their teeth good and helpes digestion There are some Religious of them called Tingui which goe altogether naked liue austerely worshippe the Beeue whereof they haue a little brasse Image on their forehead and of the Oxe bones ashes make an Ointment wherewith they anoynt their bodies in diuers places with great reuerence They nor kill nor eate any quicke creature nor herbe greene or Root before it is dryed esteeming all things to haue a soule They vse no Dishes but lay their Viands on dry leaues of Apples of Paradize They doe their Excrements in the Sands and then disperse it hither and thither lest it should breed Wormes which must presently dye for want of food Some of them liue to one hundred and fiftie yeares and their bodies after death are burned In Zeilan I had forgot to tell of a high Mountayne which none can ascend but by Iron chaines as I was told in the top whereof the Saracens say is Adams Sepulchre the Idolater say it is the body of Sogomonbarchan the first Idol-founder sonne to a King of that Iland which gaue himselfe to a solitarie life on the top of this hill whence no pleasures nor perswasions could draw him His Father made an Image after his death to represent him all of Gold adorned with Gemmes and commanded all the Ilanders to worship it and hence began Idolatry Hither they come from farre places in Pilgrimage and there his haire teeth and a dish of his are reserued and solemnly shewed The Saracens say they are of Adam which report caused the Can Anno 1281. to send Ambassadors thither who obtayned two teeth and a dish and some of his haires by grant of the King of Zeilan which he caused to be receiued by the whole people of Cambalu without the Citie and brought to his presence with great honour Cael is a great Citie gouerned by Astar one of the foure Brethren very rich and a good vser of Merchants he hath three hundred women All the people haue a custome to carrie in their mouthes chawing a leafe called Tembul with Spices and Lime Coulam is fiue hundred miles North-west from Malabar they are Idolaters there are also Christians and Iewes which haue a speech by themselues They haue Pepper Brasill Indico Lions all blacke Parrets of diuers sorts all white as Snow others Azure others Red and some very little Peacockes and Pea-hens much differing from ours and greater as are their fruits They are leacherous and marrie their sisters and kindred There are many Astrologers and Physicians In Cumari are Apes so great that they seeme men and here we had sight of the North starre Dely hath a proper King and Language the people Idolatrous and haue store of Spices The shippes of Mangi come thither Malabar is a Kingdome in the West in which and in Guzzerat are many Pirats which come to Sea with aboue one hundred Sails and rob Merchants They bring with them their wiues and children and there abide all Summer In Guzzerat is store of Cotton the Trees six fathoms or paces high and dure twentie yeeres the Cotton of the old Trees is not good to spin after they are past twelue yeeres old but for Quilts There are many Vnicornes they haue artificiall embroideries In Canam is store of Frankincense it is a great Citie where is great trade for Horses In Cambaia is much Indico Buckram and Cotton Seruenath is a Kingdome of a peculiar language Idolaters Merchants a good people Chesmacoran is a great Kingdome of Idolaters and Saracens the last Prouince of the greater India towards the Northwest vnderstand the Author according to his iourney from China or Mangi by Sea fiue hundred miles from which are said to be two Ilands one of Men the other of Women those comming to these and there staying March Aprill and May. The Women keepe their Sonnes till twelue yeeres and then send them to their Fathers It seemes the Ayre admits no other course They are Christians and haue their Bishop subiect to the Bishop of Soccotera they are good Fishers and haue store of Ambar Soccotera hath an Archbishop not subiect to the Pope but to one Zatolia which resides in Baldach who chooseth him The Soccoterans are Inchanters and great Witches as any in the world howsoeuer excommunicated therefore by their Prelate and raise Windes to bring backe such ships as haue wronged them in despite of all contrarie working A thousand miles thence Southward is Magastar one of the greatest and richest Iles of the World three thousand miles in circuit inhabited by Saracens gouerned by foure old men The People liue of merchandise and sell great store of Elephants teeth The Currents in these parts are of exceeding force They tell of Fowles called Ruch like an Eagle but of incomparable greatnesse able to carrie an Elephant but I am not able to carrie it Zenzibar also is said to bee of great length c. there are Elephants Giraffas sheepe vnlike to ours the Men and Women are very deformed I haue heard Mariners and great Pilots of those parts report and haue seene in their writings which haue compassed the Sea of India that there are in it twelue thousand and seuen hundred Ilands inhabited or desart In India maior which is from Malabar to
could not come to assault them without danger they would not goe forth to fight but remayned in the place where they were and when the Tartars thought without any impediment to haue assailed their Enemies they found a small Riuer betweene them which in some places had no passage ouer by meanes whereof much time was spent before they could passe ouer the Riuer but after they had passed the greatest part ouer the Riuer they set manfully on their Enemies Yet the Soldan stood still and would not remoue from the place he was in betwixt the Lake and the Mountayne which Cotulossa perceiuing because the darke night approached he withdrew his company for that night and lodged them neere the Mountayne only about a thousand Tartars which could not passe the Riuer were not with him that night The day comming the Tartars againe couragiously set vpon the Soldan but as before he would by no meanes come forth to fight but defended himselfe in that place of aduantage So the Tartars continuing their assault from the morning vntill the ninth houre beeing thirstie and ouer-wearie for lacke of water they retyred themselues in good order leauing the Soldan and came to the Plaine of Damascus where they had plentie of pasture and water at will where they determined to abide vntill they had sufficiently reposed themselues and their Horses But the Inhabitants knowing that the Armie of the Tartars was spread abroad in that Plaine opened the Sluces of the Riuer in the night time whereby the waters rose so high in eight houres ouer all the Plaine that the Tartars were constrayned on the sudden to arise and depart so that the night being darke and the Ditches all filled with water and no wayes nor pathes to be seene they were all amazed in such sort that many Horses perished and much Armour was lost insomuch that the King of Armenia endured much losse yet the day comming through the goodnesse of God they escaped the waters but the Bowes and Arrowes of the Tartars being their chiefe weapons which they vse and the rest of their Armour being all wet and vtterly vnseruiceable they were so astonied therewith that if their Enemies had then pursued them they might haue beene taken or slaine Afterwards the Tartars by reason that many had lost their Horses returned softly by small Iournies to the bankes of the Riuer Euphrates yet none of their Enemies durst follow or pursue them but the Riuer beeing risen and swolne through the abundance of raine that fell many of the Armenians as also of Georgians perished therein more then of the Tartars whose Horses knew better to swimme so returned they into Persia ruined and disgraced not by the power of the Enemie but by accident partly partly by euill aduice A great cause whereof was the obstinacie of Cotolusa who would not regard any aduice that was giuen for if he would haue harkened to the counsell of the wise he might easily haue preuented those dangers And I Frier Haython the Compiler of this Historie was present at all these proceedings and if happily I treate more largely thereof then shall be thought conuenient I craue pardon in regard that I doe it to this end that on like occasions happening these courses may bee called to minde For these actions that are ordered by counsell haue commonly good and commendable euents but the rash and improuident Enterprizes doe vsually faile of their wished successe After that the King of Armenia had passed the Riuer Euphrates with some losse he resolued to goe to Casan before he returned to his Kingdome of Armenia and therefore hee went streight to the Citie of Niniue in which Casan then resided He entertayned the King with much honour kindnesse and magnificence and being compassionate of his losses to make him some recompence of especiall fauour vnto him he granted him a thousand Tartarians continually in pay at his charge for the defence of his Kingdome and also granted him out of the Kingdome of Turkie a yeerely pension for the maintenance of another thousand Armenian Horse men yeerely at his pleasure the King thus recompenced hauing taken his leaue returned to the Kingdome of Armenia which Casan had enioyned him to watch warily ouer vntill God pleased to enable him personally to goe to the reliefe of the Holy Land §. V. CASAN dyeth CARBANDA succeedeth his Apostasie The Authors entrance into a Religious Habit. Of TAMOR Can the sixth Emperour and of CHAPAR HOCHTAI and CARBANDA three other Tartarian Kings THe King of Armenia returned safely to his Kingdome but after hee came thither hee found little rest there for after it so pleased God that Casan was surprized with a grieuous infirmitie and hauing gouerned wisely in his life hee was no lesse willing that his wisdome should bee commended in his death Therefore hee made his last Will and Testament appointing his Brother Carbanda or Carbaganda his Heire and Successor and hauing ordered all things concerning the Affaires of his Kingdome and his House in prudent manner he made many good Ordinances and Lawes which for a memoriall he left behind him being at this day inuiolably obserued by the Tartarians Then dyed Casan and his Brother Carbanda succeeded in his Kingdome This Carbanda was the Sonne of a Ladie of famous memorie called Erockcaton who was very deuout and religious in Christianitie while she liued and had euery day Diuine Seruice celebrated before her keeping a Priest and Chappell of her owne so that this Carbanda was baptized and named Nicholas in his Baptisme and continued a professed Christian as long as his Mother liued But after his Mothers death delighting in the societie of Saracens he forsooke the Christian Religion to become a Mahometist The King of Armenia vnderstanding of the death of Casan was much troubled therewith and his Enemies began to lift vp their Crests very high For the Soldan of Babylon thereupon sought by all meanes to endamage him and his people sending all the yeare almost euery moneth great troupes of armed Souldiers which foraged and wasted the Kingdome of Armenia and did more damage and spoyle on the plaine Countrey then they had euer sustayned before in any mans memorie But the Almightie and most mercifull God who neuer forsaketh altogether those that put their trust in him had compassion on the poore afflicted Christians for it fell out that in the moneth of Iuly seuen thousand Saracens of the best Families vnder the Soldan made a roade into the Kingdome of Armenia wasting and spoyling all as farre as the Citie of Tharsus in which the blessed Apostle Saint Paul was borne and when they had committed many spoyles in that Prouince and were vpon their returne the King of Armenia hauing gathered his people together encountred and set vpon them neere the Citie of Giazza where more by Gods goodnesse then our worth they were vtterly ouerthrowne in such sort that of seuen thousand Saracens there escaped not three hundred but
the Campe of the Battayle for to stay the slaughter and to ioyne together againe his men to the end the accustomed watch might bee kept whereof hee gaue the charge vnto Axalla to whom he gaue likewise commandement to keepe the King of China within the middest of his Souldiers hauing bin already dressed of a wound he had receiued in his right arme It was a strange thing to behold the Enemies Weapons and the diuersitie of streamers wherewith they were decked the which seemed vnto vs afar off as beautifull as the diuersity of colours plentifull But to say the truth the multitude was great which this King had notwithstanding there was much difference betweene their valour and ours and it is reported that hee had ranged in Battayle this very day three hundred and fifty thousand men whereof there were an hundred and fiftie thousand Horse-men the rest on foot the greatest part of them were rude and barbarous people which suffered themselues to bee slaine one vpon another not marking their aduantage nor hauing any Warlike knowledge as our men haue there were slaine of the Enemies some threescore thousand Now the next day after the buriall of the dead the Prince hauing giuen thankes vnto God for his victorie caused the wounded to bee cured and amongst the others Calibes who by reason of the vntemperatenesse of the Ayre rather then by the blow of the wound he had receiued found himselfe very ill yet would he not omit his dutie to command alwayes his Auant-gard the which was a great pleasure vnto the Prince for he alone had Commandement ouer the Emperours Forces beeing a Scythian and greatly beloued of his Nation The Prince dispatched away thirty thousand Horse in the pursuit of one of the King of Chinas Brothers who was fled away hauing ioyned together againe some twelue or fifteene thousand Horse The Prince sent to summon Pannihu the which did yeeld it selfe vnto him wherevpon our Army approached neere vnto it for to aduance our selues the further into the Countrey Now I forget to declare how the Prince hauing the next day caused his Tents to bee pitched most stately and his Guards ordered according to his greatnesse the principall of his Army being also neere his person for all the night hee had remayned continually on Horse-backe vntill about two of the clocke when as they brought him a Tart and his water for hee neuer dranke Wine and lay downe on a Carpet where hee passed the rest of the night I was neere vnto him and neuer left him but I neuer heard any vaunting or boasting to proceed out of his mouth Then hee sent a commandement vnto Axalla to bring vnto him the imprisoned King who beeing come the Emperour issued out of his Tents and went to receiue him This King of China came with a very proud and haughtie countenance and like a couragious man approaching neere vnto the Emperour hee demanded of Axalla by an Interpreter which was the Emperour and being shewed him hee spake fiercely vnto him after this manner The Gods whom I worship being prouoked against my Nation and people and conspired against my good fortune haue made mee at this day thy Prisoner but forasmuch as it is reported ouer all the World that Tamerlan maketh warre for the honour of his Nation thou shouldest be contented that thou hast wonne it this glory that the Lord of the World the Child of the Sunne is in thy power to receiue such Law as it shall please thee to prescribe him This hee said in a braue manner and without any other humbling of himselfe The Emperour on the other-side hauing saluted him very courteously led him into his Tent. He is surely a great Prince and which hath had two hundred famous Cities within his Kingdome There be many Mynes of Gold and Siluer much Muske and also of an Herbe which the Christians call Rhubarbe There bee in like manner within the Kingdome of China fifteene very large Prouinces the which haue Gouernours It is reported that hee hath threescore and tenne Kings wearing Crownes Tributaries vnto him We call this Region China the which they in their Language name Tame and the people Tangis the which we call Chinois This Kingdome doth abound in fish and in great numbers of wild-fowle by reason of the great abundance of running waters which doe ouerflow the Countrey the which is reasonable temperate they a-abound greatly in Silkes and the meanest are apparelled therewith hauing small quantitie of Wooll and not vsing the same they haue much Cotton and Linnen in stead thereof The men doe weare their haire long the women combe them they haue as many Wiues as they are able to maintayne Next vnto the King there is a Gouernour Generall whom they call Tutan the which was the Brother vnto the imprisoned King The Prince hauing assembled his counsell to to the end he might be aduised how he should vse his Prisoners and the rest of the Victory hee receiued newes by Odmar how that the Kings Brother was arriued at Quantou the which hee had fortified and that great store of forces did ioyne themselues vnto him This was the cause that the Prince hauing somewhat rested his forces commanded two thousand Parthian Horse to conuey the Prisoners vnto Paguinfou and from thence after they had made abode there to passe ouer the Mountaynes and to remayne at Burda a Citie of olde time faithfull vnto the Emperours of Schytia and there to keepe them faithfully The purpose and resolution of the Prince was that it behooued to assault Quantou and to shut vp if it were possible the Kings Brother within the same being one of the principall seates belonging vnto the King of China and a Citie greatly peopled and strong it was forty leagues from the place where the battayle was fought But Odmar being aduanced thither would not retyre before he had expresse Commandement from the Prince who hauing sent thither pitched his Tents round about the said Citie hauing summoned many small Cities the which yeelded themselues wholly vnto the Princes mercy making great lamentation for their King taken Notwithstanding the gentlenesse vsed by the Conquerour made them to take all their losses with patience and because it was also reported that he had vsed the King most friendly and all the Prisoners the Kings Brother had sent Embassadours to obtayne leaue for to know of the Kings health and for to see him the which the Prince did willingly suffer to the end this other should not declare himselfe King who would haue brought him more trouble then the other He attended for the euent of Quantou and had his eye vpon the successe of this siege Now the Kings Brother hauing receiued newes of the Affaires of the besieged he determined eyther to succour it or to fight a Battle and came straight vnto Porchio and made a bridge of Boats whereof there be great store in these same Countreyes Now being enformed when the
other Pulse Hereby little more or lesse may be seene what people are in Cantan and whether it may bee compared with Lisbon The Houses of the Suburbes are like those of the wals within the streetes are so well and leuelled by Line as those within and all for the most part paued also and some of them are verie broad and haue triumphant Arches but very few Some streets as well without as within the wals on the one side and the other along the Houses haue Trees for to make shadowes In all the streets of the Suburbs at the ends of them are gates with speciall Porters whose Office is to locke them euery night vnder paine of sore punishment and euery street hath a Constable and a Iayle He stands bound either to yeeld the Malefactor which by night doth any harme in the street are to pay for it wherefore all the streets haue euery night a watch the Neighbours diuiding themselues in quarters and they make euery night sixe quarters or watches and for a signe that they are awake in euery street they found a Drumme where they haue all the night a Lanthorne with a light The gates of the Citie are shut as soone as it is night and on the two leaues is set a paper with the chiefe Captaines marke on euery one of them and they are opened with the Sunne with a token from the same Captaine to them all with his marke written on a white boord Euery gate hath a Captaine a very honest man and euery one hath certaine Souldiers which continually doe watch euery one of the Gates by day and by night In some Cities the water runneth almost thorow euery street and on the one side and the other of the street are Tables made of stone for the common seruice of the people and thorow all the streets are very good and well wrought Bridges to passe from one side to another and thorow the middest of the streets is great trafficke by water that goe from one place to another In those places whereby the water entreth into the Citie they haue made in the walls very good gates which haue very strong Iron grates for to shut by night and the most of the streets to the land inward are very well paued with stone and where is no stone with small tyle In all the Mountaines and Hills where there are wayes they are very well made cut with the Pick-axe and paued where they are needfull This is one of the good works of China and it is very generall in euery place of it Many Hills on the side of the Bramas and of the Laos are cut in steps very well made and in the height of the Hill is made a low place very well cut in the which is a very high Towre which aboue doth equall with the highest of the Mountain which is very strong the wall of one of the Towres was measured at the entring of the gates and it was sixe fathome thicke and an halfe There are on this side many of these workes and so there may be in other places I heard of a Gentleman of credit called Galiote Perera Brother to the chiefe Iustice of Arrayolos which abode in Cansi being Captiue that with the houses of these kinsmen of the King being so many and so great the Citie was so bigge that it seemed they occupied very little of it and make a very little show in it and so he had it written in a Rudder of his whence I tooke a great deale of that which is heere spoken of in such sort that the greatnesse of the Citie did hide in it selfe the multitude and greatnesse of these houses As in the Countrey there is great store of Timber and very cheape and much Iron and cheap and it is very good there are infinite number of ships and shippings for through the Countrey are infinite Groues of Firre trees and other trees whereby it is easie for any one though of a little substance to make a ship and haue shippings and this causeth the great profit and gayne that is of them with the necessitie the Countrey hath of them for it hath not onely a great number of Ilands alongst the coast but also a very great coast where they Nauigate and besides this all China within is nauigated and runne through Riuers which doe cut and water it all which are many and very great So that yee may sayle to the ends of the Land and goe in shippings Any Captaine along the coast may in a little spâ—ce ioyne two hundred three hundred euen to a thousand ships if hee stand in need for to fight And there is no small Towne along the Riuer that is not plentifull in small and great ships Along the Citie of Cantan more then halfe a league off the Riuer is so great a multitude of shipping that it is a wonderfull thing to see them and that which is most to wonder is that that this multitude neuer decreaseth nor fayleth almost all the yeere for if thirty forty or an hundred goe forth one day as many doe come in againe the next I say the multitude neuer to diminish nor fayle for though sometime there be more some lesse alwaies there remayneth a maruellous multitude and that which is more all those that goe forth goe laden and all that come in come laden carrying goods and bringing goods and that which sheweth much the noblenesse of the Countrey the plentie and riches thereof is that all these ships bringing great store of merchandise of Clothes Silkes prouisions and other goods some doe goe into the Land others come from within the Land and nothing commeth form without China neither goeth out of it and that which the Portugals doe carrie and some that they of Syam doe carrie is so little in comparison of the great trafficke of the Countrey that it almost remayneth as nothing and vnperceiued seeing that out of China there goeth no more but that which the Portugals and they of Syam doe carrie which is as much as though they brought nothing out of China fiue or sixe ships comming laden with Silke and Porcelane the great plentie and riches of the Countrey doth this that it can sustayne it selfe alone Pepper and Iuorie which is the principall that the Portugals doe carrie a man may well liue without it and the trafficke of merchandise that is in this Countrie is in all the Cities within the Land which as we haue said are almost all built along the Riuers The Chinas haue a common speech for to shew the noblenesse of their Kingdome that the King of China can make a Bridge of ships from China vnto Malaca which are neere fiue hundred leagues the which though it seemeth it cannot be yet by Metaphor it signifieth the greatnesse of China and the multitude of ships that of it selfe it can make The great ships they call Iunks besides which there are ships for
Gouernement but a great helpe that all might obey him and keepe his Lawes This onely remedie there is in China to reape any fruit and not any other speaking humanely And without this it is impossible for any Religious men to Preach or fructifie and because I had not this remedie hauing the abouesaid inconueniences I came away from China and therefore neither I nor they of the company of IESVS which enterprised alreadie this businesse sundry times could fructifie in China This people hath besides the ignorances abouesaid that filthy abomination that they refraine no sexe among them Notwithstanding I Preaching sometimes as well publike as priuately against this vice they were glad to heare mee saying that I had reason in that which I sayd but but that they neuer had had any that told them that was a sinne nor any thing euill done It seemeth that because this sinne is common among them God was willing to send them a grieuous punishment in some places of the earth the which was common in all China I being in the Citie of Cantan and being willing to know of a rich China Marchant the euils that had happened in the Countrey and hee not able to tell it me by word of mouth gaue me a Letter which they had written vnto him of what had happened saying to me that I should translate it and giue it him againe but not trusting me hee translated it presently and remayning with the copie gaue me the principall which I translated into Portugall with the helpe of one that could speake our language and theirs the tenour of the Letter is this The principall Louthias of Sanxi and of Sauiton wrote vnto the King saying that in those Prouinces the earth did shake terribly and the dayes waxed darke like night hee saith not how long a South-sayer told them all that should happen In the yeere before in the moneth of September the earth opened in many places and vnder it were heard great noyses like the sound of Bells there followed a great winde with much rayne and the winde ranne about all the Compasse This winde is called in China Tufaune and many yeeres it bloweth but once a yeere and it is so raging that it driueth a Ship vnder sayle on the Land a great space and the men cannot keepe their feete not leauing and holding one by another and it doth things worthie admiration and incredible In the yeere that I was in China in the part where the Portugals were they shewed the Boat of a Ship of a good bignesse and the place where it was a land that this winde caâ—rayed it might bee a great stones cast from the water and many did affirme it to mee that the winde had such force that it carryed it tumbling till it blew it into the Sea And all the houses the Portugals had made of timber and couered with strawe which were many and were built vpon great stakes and not very high it threw them all downe breaking the stakes And one house being fastened with foure Cables where many Portugals retired themselues at the last fell also and onely one that was sheltered with a high place escaped that it fell not To blow downe these houses was nothing for it doth many other things incredible This winde is almost euerie yeere in China the which within twentie foure houres that it raigneth it runneth about all the points of the Compasse With this winde and the Lands being shaken with the Earthquakes many Cities fell and were made desolate in the which dyed innumerable people In a Citie called Vinyanfuu in this day was a great Earthquake And on the west side a great Fire burst out that swallowed vp all the Citie in the which innumerable people perished escaping in one place two in another three and so some of the Mogores escaped In another Citie neere to this there happened the same but in this none escaped In a Citie called Leuchimen the Riuer increased in such sort that it ouer-flowed the Citie where infinite people were drowned In a Citie called Hien was an Earthquake with the which many houses fell which slew neere eight thousand soules In Puchio the house of the Kings kinsman fell and slew all that were in the house except a Childe of seuen or eight yeeres old his sonne which was carryed to the King and day and night was a noyse heard vnder the earth like the sound of Bells In a Countrey called Cochue with fire from Heauen and with many waters of a Floud many perished and the land remayned vnable to bee cultiuated againe In a Countrey called Enchinoen at midnight the houses fell and the Citie remayned desolate and ruined where perished neere one hundred thousand soules In a Citie called Inchumen in one day and a night the Riuer did flow and ebbe ten times and with the great floud many people perished Hitherto the translation of the Letter that which followeth was heard by word of mouth of the Portugals that were in the Port of Cantan in the moneth of May and I receiued the Letter in September In a Citie called Sanxi from midnight till fiue of the clocke in the morning the earth shooke three times the eighteenth of Ianuarie 1556. and the next day after from midnight till noone happened the same the next day following the twentie of the sayd moneth the earth shooke mightily after midnight with great Thunder and Lightnings and all the Prouince was burnt and all the people thereof and all the Suburbes Townes and Cities they say it is from bound to bound fiftie or sixtie leagues that there was not one saued but a Childe sonne to a kinsman of the King which was carried to the King And the third of Februarie in the same yeere in the Citie of Panquin where the King is fell a shower of rayne like bloud These newes brought one of China that came to Cantan from a Citie neere to Sanxi to giue newes to a Louthia that hee should resort to his owne house and said that the Citie where he was a dweller was ouerflowne and that he knew not whether it would perish with the rest That which ought to bee held for truth is that in three Prouinces which commonly are sayd to be destroyed there was no more destruction then of those places whereof the Letter maketh mention or little more The agreeing in the Childe sheweth that the Towne whereof the Letter maketh mention with the childe was in the Prouince of Sanxi This hath more apparance of truth because the Letter was written from the Court then to say that all the three Prouinces perished After the happening of the things abouesaid the same yeere in the Prouince of Cantan a woman which went to the Panchasi told him that the Prouince of Cansi would bee destroyed with power from Heauen the which after shee was well whipt was imprisoned but in the moneth of May of the
their true intent and the ships prouided of necessaries set forth on the tenth of May 1553. for the discouerie of Cathay and diuers other Regions Dominions Ilands and places vnknowne The fourteenth of Iuly they discouered Land Eastward and went on shoare with their Pinnace and found thirty little houses the Inhabitants fled The Land was full of little Ilands called as they after learned Aegeland and Halgeland in 66. degrees The distance betweene Orfordnesse and Aegeland two hundred and fifty leagues Then we sayled from thence twelue leagues North-west and found many other Ilands and there came to anchor the nineteenth day and manned our Pinnace and went on shoare to the Ilands and found people mowing and making of Hay which came to the shoare and welcommed vs. In which place were an innumerable sort of Ilands which were called the Iles of Rost being vnder the Dominion of the King of Denmarke which place was in latitude 66. degrees and 30. minutes The winde being contrarie we remayned there three dayes and there was an innumerable sort of Fowles of diuers kindes of which we tooke very many The two and twentieth day the winde comming faire wee departed from Rost sayling North North-east keeping the Sea vntill the seuen and twentieth day and then we drew neere vnto the Land which was still East off vs then went forth our Pinnace to seeke harbour and found many good harbours of the which we entred into one with our ships which was called Stanfew and the Land being Ilands were called Lewfoot or Lofoot which were plentifully inhabited and very gentle people being also vnder the King of Denmarke but wee could not learne how farre it was from the mayne Land and we remayned there vntill the thirtieth day being in latitude 68. degrees and from the foresaid Rost about thirtie leagues North North-east The thirtieth day of Iuly about noone wee weighed our anchors and went into the Seas and sayled along these Ilands North North-east keeping the Land still in sight vntill the second of August then hailing in close aboord the Land to the intent to know what Land it was there came a Skiffe of the Iland aboord of vs of whom wee asked many questions who shewed vnto vs that the Iland was called Seynam which is the latitude of seuenty degrees and from Stanfew thirty leagues being also vnder the King of Denmark that there was no merchandise there but only dried fish and Trane-oile Then we being purposed to goe vnto Finmarke enquired of him if we might haue a Pilot to bring vs to Finmarke and he said that if we could beare in we should haue a good Harbour and on the next day a Pilot to bring vs to Finmarke vnto the Wardhouse which is the strongest Hold in Finmark most resorted to by report But when he would haue entred into an Harbour the Land being very high on euery side there came such flawes of wind and terrible whirle-winds that we were not able to beare in but by violence were constrained to take the sea againe our Pinnace being vnshipt we sailed North and by East the wind encreasing so sore that we were not able to beare any sayle but tooke them in and lay adrift to the end to let the storme ouer-passe And that night by violence of winde and thicknesse of mists we were not able to keepe together within sight and then about midnight wee lost our Pinnace which was a discomfort vnto vs. As soone as it was day and the fogge ouer-past we looked about and at the last wee descried one of our ships to lee-ward off vs then wee spred an hullocke of our fore-sayle and bare roome with her which was the Confidence but the Edward we could not see Then the flaw something abating wee and the Confidence hoysed vp our sayles the fourth day sayling North-east and by North to the end to fall with the Ward-house as we did consult to doe before in case we should part companie Thus running North-east and by North and North-east fifty leagues then wee founded and had one hundred and sixty fathoms whereby we thought to be farre from Land and perceiued that the Land lay not as the Globe made mention Wherefore we changed our course the sixth day and sayled South-east and by South eight and forty leagues thinking thereby to finde the Ward-house The eighth day much winde rising at the West North-west we not knowing how the coast lay strooke our sayles and lay adrift where sounded and found one hundred and sixty fathoms as before The ninth day the winde bearing to the South South-east we sayled North-east fiue and twenty leagues The tenth day we sounded and could get no ground neither yet could see any Land whereat we wondered then the winde comming at the North-east we ran South-east about eight and forty leagues The eleuenth day the winde being at South wee sounded and found forty fathoms and faire sand The twelfth day the winde being at South and by East we lay with our sayle East and East and by North thirty leagues The fourteenth day early in the morning wee descried Land which Land wee bare withall hoysing out our Boat to discouer what land it might be but the Boat could not come to Land the water was so shallow where was very much Ice also but there was no similitude of habitation and this Land lieth from Seynam East and by North one hundred and sixty leagues being in latitude 72. degrees Then we plyed to the Northward the fifteenth sixteenth and seuenteenth dayes The eighteenth day the winde comming at the North-east and the Confidence being troubled with bilge water and stocked wee thought it good to seeke harbour for her redresse then wee bare roome the eighteenth day South South-east about seventy leagues The one and twentieth day wee sounded and found ten fathoms after that wee sounded againe and found but seuen fathoms so shallower and shallower water and yet could see no Land whereat we maruelled greatly to auoide this danger we bare roomer into the Sea all that night North-west and by West The next day we sounded and had twenty fathoms then shaped our course and ranne West South-west vntill the three and twentieth day then we descried lowe Land vnto which wee bare as nigh as we could and it appeared vnto vs vnhabitable Then we plyed Westward along by that Land which lieth West South-west and East North-east and much winde blowing at the West we haled into the Sea North and by East thirtie leagues Then the winde comming about at the North-east wee sayled West North-west after that the winde bearing to the North-west wee lay with our sayles West South-west about fourteene leagues and then descried Land and bare in with it being the eight and twentieth day finding shallow water and bare in till we came to three fathom then perceiuing it to be shallow water and also seeing drie sands we haled out againe North-east along that Land vntill
men horses and camels being wounded and slaine on both parts and had it not beene for foure hand-guns which I and my companie had and vsed wee had beene ouercome and destroyed for the theeues were better armed and were also better Archers then wee But after we had slaine diuers of their men and horses with our Guns they durst not approach so nigh which caused them to come to a truce with vs vntill the next morning which wee accepted and encamped our selues vpon a hill and made the fashion of a Castle walling it about with packes of wares and layd our Horses and Camels within the same to saue them from the shot of arrowes and the theeues also incamped within an arrow shot of vs but they were betwixt vs and the water which was to our great discomfort because neither wee nor our Camels had drunke in two dayes before Thus keeping good watch when halfe the night was spent the Prince of the Theeues sent a messenger halfe way vnto vs requiring to talke with our Captaine in their tongue the Carauan Basha who answered the messenger I will not depart from my companie to goe into the halfe way to talke with thee but if that thy Prince with all his companie will sweare by our Law to keepe the truce then will I send a man to talke with thee or else not Which the Prince vnderstanding as well himselfe as his company swore so loude that wee might all heare And then we sent one of our companie reputed a holy man to talke with the same messenger The message was pronounced aloude in this order Our Prince demandeth of the Carauan Basha and of all you that bee Bussarmans that is to say Circumcised not desiring your blouds that you deliuer into his hands as many Caphars that is vnbeleeuers meaning vs the Christians as are among you with their goods and in so doing hee will suffer you to depart with your goods in quietnesse and on the contrarie you shall bee handled with no lesse cruelty then the Caphars if hee ouercome you as hee doubteth not To the which our Carauan Basha answered that hee had no Christians in his companie nor other strangers but two Turkes which were of their Law and although hee had hee would rather dye then deliuer them and that wee were not afraid of his threatnings and that should hee know when day appeared And so passing in talke the Theeues contrary to their oath carried our holy man a way to their Prince crying with a loude voyce in token of victorie Ollo ollo Wherewith wee were much discomforted fearing that that holy man would betray vs but he being cruelly handled and much examined would not to death confesse any thing which was to vs preiudiciall neither touching vs nor yet what men they had slaine and wounded of ours the day before When the night was spent in the morning wee prepared our selâ—es to battell againe which the theeues perceiuing required to fall to agreement and asked much of vs And to bee briefe the most part of our company being loath to goe to battell againe and hauing little to lose and safe conduct to passe wee were compelled to agree and to giue the theeues twentie ninths that is to say twentie times nine seuerall things and a Camell to carrie away the same which being receiued the theeues departed into the Wildernesse to their olde habitation and wee went on our way forward And that night came to the Riuer Oxus where wee refreshed our selues hauing beene three dayes without water and drinke and tarried there all the next day making merrie with our slaine Horses and Camels and then departed from that place and for feare of meeting with the said theeues againe or such like wee left the high way which went along the said Riuer and passed through a wildernesse of sand and trauelled foure dayes in the same before wee came to water and then came to a Well the water being very brackish and we then as before were in need of water and of other victuals being forced to kill our Horses and Camels to eate In this wildernesse also wee had almost fallen into the hands of Theeues for one night being at rest there came certaine scouts and carried away certaine of our men which lay a little separated from the Carauan where with there was a great shoute and crie and we immediatly laded our Camels and departed being about midnight and very darke and droue sore till we came to the riuer Oxus againe and then wee feared nothing being walled with the said riuer and whether it was for that wee had gotten the water or for that the same theeues were farre from vs when the scouts discouered vs we know not but we escaped that danger So vpon the three twentieth day of December we arriued at the Citie of Boghar in the land of Bactria This Boghar is situated in the lowest part of all the Land walled about with a high wall of earth with diuers Gates into the same it is diuided into three partitions whereof two parts are the Kings and the third part is for Merchants Markets and euery Science hath their dwelling and market by themsâ—lues The Citie is very great and the houses for the most part of Earth but there are also many Houses Temples and Monuments of stone sumptuously builded and gilt and specially Bath-stoues so artificially built that the like thereof is not in the world the manner whereof is too long to rehearse There is a little riuer running through the midst of the said Citie but the water thereof is most vnwholesome for it breedeth sometimes in men that drinke thereof and especially in them that bee not there borne a Worme of an ell long which lyeth commonly in the leg betwixt the flesh and the skin and is pluckt out about the Ancle with great art and cunning the Surgeons being much practised therein and if shee breake in plucking out the partie dyeth and euery day she commeth out about an inch which is rolled vp and so worketh till she bee all out And yet it is there forbidden to drinke any other thing then water and Mares milke and whosoeuer is found to breake that Law is whipped and beaten most cruelly through the open markets and there are Officers appointed for the same who haue authoritie to goe into any mans house to search if hee haue either Aquauita Wine or Brag and finding the same doe breake the vessels spoyle the drinke and punish the masters of the house most cruelly yea and many times if they perceiue but by the breath of a man that hee hath drunke without further examination he shall not escape their hands There is a Metropolitane in this Boghar who causeth this law to be so straightly kept and he is more obeyed then the King and will depose the King and place another at his will and pleasure as hee did by this King that raigned
vs more speedily and came all discontent to a Village called Susoquerim and there prouided our selues of victuall and instruction and entred into a straight called Xalingau in which wee ranne in nine dayes one hundred and fortie leagues and turning to enter the same Bay of Nanquim which was there ten or twelue leagues wide wee sayled with Westerly windes thirteene dayes and being in the sight of the Mines of Conxinacau in 41. degrees and two thirds there a Tufan or tempest from the South tooke vs with windes and raines seeming more then naturall and the winde chopped into the North North-west the Sea going so high that except our prouisions and Chests of plate we threw all into the Sea cut both our masts ouer-board and about midnight heard a great cry in the Panura of Antonia de Faria Mercy Lord God whereby wee imagined shee was cast away we seconded the same cry but heard no answer Our Barke also the next day split on a Rocke and of fiue and twentie Portugals eleuen were drowned besides eighteene Christian boyes and seuen China Mariners This hapned the fifth of August 1542. Wee fourteene which escaped the next day trauelled into the Land alongst a Hill and discouered a Lake without shew of Land which made vs returne backe where wee found our men cast on shoare to the renewing of our sorrow and the next day buried them that the Tigres of which there are many should not eate them In this hauing nothing but our hands to doe it and they thirtie sixe now stinking wee spent the most part of the day Thence wee went Northward thorow the Woods three dayes till wee came at a straight without sight of any person In swimming ouer three men and a boy were drowned being faint the current strong and the water somewhat spacious the men were two brethren Belchior and Gaspar Barbosa and Francisco Borges Cayciro all of Ponte de Lima and of good account Wee which remayned eleuen men and three boyes passing that obscure nights winds raines and cold imitated by our disconsolate sighs teares and feares saw before day a fire Eastward and went right towards it commending our selues to God our only hope And trauelling along the Riuer wee came in the euening where fiue men were making Coles and casting our selues at their feet desired them to take pitie on vs and helpe vs to some place where wee might finde reliefe They gaue vs a little Rice and warme water and shewed vs the way to a Village where was an Hospitall to which wee came an houre within night and found there foure men appointed to that charge which vsed vs charitably The next day they asked what wee were and whence and wee told them strangers of Siam which came from the Port of Liampoo to the fishing at Nanquim where by tempest we lost all but our battered flesh They asked what wee intended to doe and wee answered to goe to Nanquim to get passage to Cantan or Comhay where our Countrey-men haue trade by licence of the Aitao of Paquim vnder the shadow of The Sonne of the Sunne the Lion crowned in the Throne of the World for whose sake we desired them to let vs stay there till we had recouered strength to trauell and to giue vs some clothing to couer vs. They carried vs about the Village and begged some old clothes and victuals and two Taeis in money for our reliefe and gaue vs two Taeis of the House and with words of much comfort to trust in God they gaue vs a Letter of commendation to the Hospitall of Siley iacau which was in a great Towne three leagues thence and had better maintenance Thither we went and shewed our Letter from the Ouerseers of Buatendoo in the said Village of Catihoraâ— to the Officers of this house which sate then at Table in consultation and the Scribe reading the Letter they accommodated vs in a neat roome with fourteene Beds a Table and many Stooles and Meate and next morning examined vs wee answering as before They gaue charge to a Physician to cure vs and wrote our names in a Booke to which we subscribed In eighteene dayes wee all recouered and went thence to a place called Susoanganee fiue leagues off and sate downe wearie at a Well where one came to vs with a handful of Wheat eares which he wetted in the water and adjured vs holding the same in our hands by these substances of bread and water which the high Creator had made for the sustenance of man to tell the truth what we were c. which we did answering as before and he gaue leaue to his neighbours to relieue vs. They layde vs in a Church Porch and gaue vs victuals and the next day we begged from doore to doore foure Taeis which well helped our wants Thence we went two leagues to Xiangulee with intent to goe to Nanquim one hundred and fortie leagues distant Comming thither late three boyes which were feeding Cattell ranne into the Towne with an out-crie of Theeues the people running out and so welcomming vs that one of the boyes died with the blowes They kept vs two dayes in a Cisterne of water vp to the waste full of Hors-leaches without victuals and our hands bound whence by a man of Suzanganee wee were freed reporting better things of vs. Thence wee went to Fingmilan in the way finding good reliefe at a Gentlemans house still auoyding Cities and Townes of note for feare of stricter iustice two moneths holding on our way sometime in sometimes out from Village to Village one of which was Chautir where a woman was then buried which had made the Idoll her Heire and we were inuited as poore men to eate at her Graue and had sixe Taeis giuen vs to pray for her soule At Taypor an Offâ—cer charged vs to be Rogues begging against the Law and therefore layed vs in Prison where we continued sixe and twentie dayes in which Rodrigues Brauo one of our companie died Thence wee were sent to Nanquim and there continued sixe weekes in a miserable Prison in which was said to be foure thousand Prisoners where two of our companie and a boy died of the whipping and the rest hardly escaped being besides sentenced also to haue our thumbs cut off as theeues After this bloudy whipping they brought vs to a house within the Prison where wee were cured being as it were an Hospitall for the sicke where in eleuen dayes wee were pretily well recouered but lamenting the cutting off our thumbes according to the rigour of the Sentence which had beene giuen one morning came in two honourable persons which were Procurers of the poore These questioned vs of our case and hearing the same made a Petition to the Chaem on our behalfe and the eight Conchacis which are as it were Criminall Iudges and being there delayed they made another Petition to another Table called Xinfau nicor pitau where are foure
by her meanes enioyed that grace and respect in the Armie The King was about fortie yeeres old tall not fleshy well set his beard short with Mostachos like the Turks his eyes somewhat small his countenance seuere clothed in a shining reddish vesture set with Pearles on his feet certaine Slippers greene wrought with Gold and Pearles and on his head a kind of Sallet with a border of Diamonds and Rubies Before we came at him by ten or twelue paces we made our courtesie three times kissing the ground with other ceremonies which wee were taught The King commanded the Musike to cease and bid Mitaquer aske this Nation of the end of the world iâ— they haue a King and how their Land is called and how farre it is from China One of vs answered for the rest that our Land was called Portugall our King was great and mightie and from thence to Pequin was about three yeeres Voyage whereat he much maruelled as not thinking the World so great and sâ—riking on his thigh said aloud with eyes to Heauen O Creator of all things which of vs poore Pismires on the Earth may be able to comprehend the maruels of thy greatnesse And signing with his hand he made vs come neerer to the steps of the Throne where the fourteene Kings were placed and demanded vs againe how faire and when we said three yeeres he asked why we came rather by Sea then by Land wee answered that the diuersitie of States and Kings in the way hindred He asked What doe you seeke with so farre trauels and great troubles wee gaue as good reason as we could whereat he shaking his head said to the King of Benan an old man thâ—t it seemed that our Countrey had much Couetousnesse and little Iustice so said the other it appeares for those men which flie on the top of all waters by wit and industrie to get that which God hath not giuen them either pouerty forceth to forsake their Countrey or vanitie and blindnesse caused by couetousnesse makes them forget God and their Fathers After this the women began againe to play and the King retired himselfe into a house alone with his women which played and the Damsell that fanned One of the twelue Scepter-boyes told Mitaquer from his Sister that the King commanded hee should not goe away which he tooke for a great grace and wee returned to our Tents Fortie and three dâ—yes after we came to the Campe Royall in which space were many fights betwixt the besiegers and besieged two assaults by scaling with the Tartars losse the Tartarian called a Councell where were assembled seuen and twentie Kings and many great men and Captaines which agreed that seeing Winter was now comming and the waters of both Riuers had risen and filled the Trenches and many were sicke foure or fiue thousand dying daily that it was best to rayse the siege The King therefore embarked the Foot-men with the munitions fired the Tents and went away with 300000. Horse by land and 20000. Badas 450000. men being found by accounts to haue dyed in this expedition most of sicknesse 300000. Horses and 60000. Badas for want of prouisions the two last moneths and a halfe of this Siege which endured sixe moneths and a halfe Besides 300000. had runne to the Chinois wonne by their great pay Hee lodged the first night of his departure at a Riuer called Quaytragum the next day he came to Guijampee which hee found wholly forsaken thence to Liampew and after seuenteene dayes eight leagues a day he came to Guauxitim and forced it committing therein cruell slaughters to prouide his Armie of necessaries by the spoyle thereof The next day hee came to Caixilo which he medled not with being great and strong hauing therein 50000. men of which 10000. were Mogores Cauchims and Champaas better Souldiers then the Chinois Thence hee passed to the walls of Singrachirou and the next day to Xipator and then sent away most of his Souldiers spending seuen dayes in the pay and execution of Iustice on Prisoners Thence discontent hee went to Lançame by water with onely one hundred and twentie Laulees in which were some ten or twelue thousand men where sixe dayes after hee arriued in the night without any pompe There he stayed sixe and twentie dayes till all his companie were come both of horse and foot after which hee went to a greater Citie called Tuymican where he was personally visited by confining Princes and Ambassadours from remoter Kings Xatamas of Persia Siammom Emperour of the Gueos which within the Countrey confine with Brama of Tangu the Calaminhan Lord of the brute force of Elephants the Sornau of Odiaa intituled King of Siam whose Segniorie comprehendeth seuen hundred leagues of coast from Tanauçarim to Champaa containing seuenteen Kingdomes the King of the Mogores whose Kingdome lyes within land betwixt Corazan neere Persia and the Kingdome of Dely and Chitor and an Emperour called Caran whose Segniorie confineth within the Mountaines of Goncalidan with a Nation which the Naturals call Moscoby of whom wee saw some in this Citie ruddie of bigge stature with shooes and furred cloathes hauing some latine words but seeming rather for ought wee obserued Idolaters then Christians and much giuen to vnnaturall lust To the Ambassadour of that Prince Caran better entertainment was giuen then to all the rest Hee brought with him one hundred and twentie men of his guard with Arrowes and gilded quiuers all cloathed in Shamois skinnes murrie and greene and twelue Porters on horsebacke with Maces of Siluer leading twelue Horses in their right hands with rich embroidered Furnitures After whom followed twelue men of high and Giant-like stature cloathed Sauage-like in Tygers skinnes leading great Grey-hounds in chaynes and collers of Siluer muzled Then came twelue Boyes faire and well proportioned of equall stature in gallant array next them Leixigau the Ambassador himselfe in a Chariot they call it a Pirange with three wheeles on a side garnished with Siluer and a Chayre of the same attended with fortie Foot-men in murrie and greene yeelding a goodly sight all things manifesting the greatnesse of his Lord. Wee were one day in his lodging with Mitaquer who was sent to visit him where amongst other strange things we saw fiue roomes hanged with Tapestrie of Frogges very rich like that vsed amongst vs as if they had come from one place the Canopies Siluer-tables Furniture and State all rich This Ambassadour came not only to welcome home the Tartar but to treate also of a Marriage for his Lord with one of the Tartars Sisters named Meica Vidau a woman of thirtie yeeres very charitable to the poore whom wee haue often seene in their Festiuall dayes Mitaquer at our request mentioned vs to the King who sayd he would send vs with his Ambassador shortly to Cauchenchina and caused vs to be brought againe to his presence with great ceremonie of State and Maiestie as before at
the Master altered his minde as those Barbarians are vsually inconstant and lingred long amongst the Ilands in the way This troubled vs in two respects principally both for the losse of the season which God offered and which being past wee were compelled to winter on the Coast of China and againe because in the same Ship was carryed an Idoll of the Deuill to which the Mariners in sight and spight of vs sacrificed after the manner of their Countrey They also by lots demanded answers thereof touching their Voyage which as they sayd and beleeued were sometimes good sometimes bad A hundred leagues from Malaca holding our course to China wee stayed at an Iland where after many Ceremonies the Deuill was consulted what fortune wee should haue who answered very prosperous Whereupon with great alacritie wee set sayle they worshipped the Idoll placed in the poope with Candles burning and incense of sweet Wood wee trusted in God the Creator of Heauen and Earth and in his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ desiring to carrie his Religion into those parts When wee were vnder sayle they demanded of the Deuill whether this Ship should returne from Iapon to Malaca the answer was made by the lot-casters that it should goe to Iapon but not returne to Malaca which made them alter their mindes thinking it better to winter in China and to deferre the voyage to Iapon till the next yeere You may well thinke how it grieued vs that the Deuill must bee consulted touching our course After this we came to Cauchinchina where two aduerse things happened Emanuel Sina our companion by the rolling of the Ship in the troubled Sea fell into the sinke almost dead with the bruise and water but in few dayes recouered which before it was ended the Masters Daughter with the like rolling of the Ship fell into the Sea and in all our sight was drowned and much lamentation followed The Barbarians presently sought to pacifie the Deuill and without rest all the day and night tooke paines to kill Birds to the Idoll and to set dishes of meate before it and by lots consulted to know the cause of that misfortune The answer was that if Emanuel which first fell in had dyed the Girle had not fallen into the Sea You see in what danger the Deuill hereby had cast vs if our Lord had not restrayned his rage c. The tempest being asswaged wee came in few dayes to the Port of Canton in China And there they purposed to Winter notwithstanding all our intreaties and expostulations but I know not how on a sudden they would goe to Chincheo on the same Coast. And when wee were almost there the Master was certified by some which sayled by that there was store of Pirats at Chincheo whereupon the winde being faire for Iapon and crosse for Canton they brought vs to Cangoxuma the Countrey of our friend Paul whose friends vsed vs vnkindly There wee spent fortie dayes in learning the Elements of the Iaponian tongue with great labour and began to publish the Decalogue and other heads of Christian learning which Paul had accurately conuerted into his owne Language and wee purposed speedily to Print them whereby the knowledge of Christ is further and more easily founded c. The occasion of his journey thither hee sheweth in another Letter that some Portugals being lodged in a House possessed by Deuils compassed the sayd house with Crosses and that there was great hope of good to bee done in those parts whereupon notwithstanding those Seas are very tempestuous and much infested with Pirats hee resolued to goe thither Ricius and Trigantius adde that the Iaponian Priests alledged in defence of their Idolatries the Chinois wisedome against him whereupon hee returned to India to aduise with the Vice-roy to send an Ambassage into China without which there was no entrance and obtayned that Iames Pereira was named Legate with whom he had before conferred about the businesse at Sancian where the Portugals at that time vsed to trade with the Chinois Amacao not yet established but Aluarus Taidius the Captayne of Malaca opposed Xauier loath herein to bee crossed vsed the Popes Bull which constituted him Apostolicall Nuncio and grieuously Cursed all that should hinder his proceedings in promoting Religion And when Aluarus would not otherwise relent hee interdicted him and his followers Soone after Aluarus was possessed with a Leprosie and further contemning the Vice-roy was taken and cast in Irons and dyed miserably Xauier burning with zeale of his China expedition sought to get some Chinois by fauour or reward to conueigh him by stealth into China and to expose him some-where on the Continent although hee knew that imprisonment attended such strangers as came into China without licence Being admonished to take leaue of the Captayne What sayd hee should I goe to salute an Excommunicate person I shall neuer see him nor hee me in this life nor after but when in the Vale of Iosaphat I shall accuse him before the Iudge Christ. And praying for him after with a countenance full of Maiestie hee put off his shooes and shooke off the dust according to the Euangelicall precept Thus he came to Sancian a Desart Iland where the Portugals vsed to make oothes of boughes or straw for the time of their Trading with the Chinois with whom hee consulted about some way to effect his desires though with losse of libertie or life At last he agreeth with a China Merchant for as much Pepper giuen him of the Portugall Merchants in almes as was worth aboue two hundred Duckets to set him and his Interpreter on shoare secretly Hee vndertooke it but either secretly terrified by other Portugals or with his owne danger his Interpreter forsooke him and after that the Merchant also vanished He stayed yet wayting for him till a Feuer tooke him out of the world in December 1552. His corps was after translated to India The Portugals of those times were very desirous of Trade with the Chinois who on the other side were very suspitious of them both by that which they saw of their Ships and Ordnance and by that which the Moores at Canton reported of these Franks so the Mahumetans call Europaeans that they were warlike and victorious as appeared in Malaca and all India vnder colour of Merchandise subiected to the Portugals The Chinois at Canton call them still Falanks for they want the R and pronounce not two consonants without a vowell interposed By the same name they call also the Portugals Ordnance Yet desire of gaine preuayled that they were admitted to such a trade as ye haue heard so as the Mart ended they must away with their goods to India That course continued diuers yeeres till the Chinois growing lesse fearefull granted them in the greater Iland a little Peninsula to dwell in In that place was an Idoll which still remayneth to bee seene called Ama whence the Peninsula was called Amacao that is Amas
the South the Riuer of Nanchiun becomes nauigable which runneth into Canton and the South Sea On the other side of the Hill at the Citie Naugau ariseth another great Riuer which visiteth the Prouinces of Chiansi and Nanquin and many Cities before hee enters the Sea Eastward Thus what comes from forraine Kingdomes to Canton is this way conueyed to the in-land Kingdomes as also from those hither Horses and seates or Chayres for carriage on mens shoulders Beasts for carriage and Porters being almost innumerable euery day yet all in good order The Mountayne is common to both Prouinces which are distinguished by a Gate erected among the stonie precipices All the way is set with Trees paued with stones frequenâ— with Hostries as secure by night as by day both by the guards of Souldiers and frequencie of Trauellers neither are their ouer-flowings by raynes On the Hill top is a neate Temple and therein a Garrison both Prouinces thence offered to the view Naughan signifieth the Southerne Inne Hee went in one of the Presidents Ships till hee came to the Citie Canceu by the way often entring into his owne Ship and discoursing with him of Europaean affayres Sciences and Religion But so many visitations for Magistrates hindred all dealing with his Sonne in this iourney so that by his Father it was deferred In this Citie Canceu resideth a Vice-roy greater then the Vice-roy of that Prouince they call him the Vice-roy of foure Prouinces Chiansi Fuchien Canton and Vquam not that all those Prouinces are subiect to him but because hee gouerneth two adioyning Regions or lesse Prouinces out of each of them The cause of appointing this Vice-roy extraordinarie was the multitude of Theeues in those parts which bordering on so many Prouinces could not easily by ordinarie course of Iustice bee apprehended whence two Regions out of each were committed to one who by Militarie forces repressed those insolences And because the militarie Magistrates are subiect to that Councell of Warre at Pequin the President was heere receiued with greater State aboue three thousand men were sent to meete him a league off with their Captaynes Colours and Armes many with Hand-gunnes mixed shooting off as he passed making a faire show on both sides the Riuer which there is not very large When hee was come into the Citie the Vice-roy with other Magistrates visited him with Gifts Prouisions Banquets and some companies were set to guard the Ships which was also done euery where such is the China veneration of such Magistrates by their inferiours Heere was a Bridge of Boates opened but once a day for Ships passage which haue payd their customes After they were past this Citie another Riuer addes it selfe to this whence they come into a place called Sciepathau about thirtie miles long in which are many Rockes dispersed on which the impetuous force of the water causeth many ship-wrackes goods lost and men drowned and requireth expert Ship-men a strange thing to see a Riuer full of shelues and sharpe rockes in the midst of the continent In the entrance of this dangerous passage is an Idoll Temple wherein the passengers deuoutly commend the safetie of their fortunes to these vanities which Scilan also heere did in vaine for although with multitude and industrie of Saylers his Ship auoyded the Rockes yet was that broken in which his Wife and Children were carryed though they escaped drowning by reason of her high building euery one getting vp into the highest decke which lifted vp it selfe aboue those shallower waters They cryed pittifully and Father Matthew hauing then gotten a Boate for himselfe came first and receiued them going himselfe into another lesse which went before to conduct the way Scilan sent for another Ship presently to Canceu Father Matthew was taken into another Ship of burthen which was in a gust ouer-throwne Iohn Barradas his boy was drowned and hee hardly recouered the Commodities by dyuing were gotten againe though much hurt by the water They came to a noble and populous Citie called Chiengan where the winde by night was so violent that it dispersed all the Fleet which hardly escaped wracke Scilan terrified with this disastrous passage by water purposed to goe by land to Pequin which is done at the Kings cost in certayn places there being Horses Lighters Porters prouisions ready prouided Now thinking to send backe Ricius to Xanceum least some might accuse him in a time of warre for bringing Strangers to the Court hee shewed some the wonders of his triangle Glasse which hee was willing to giue the President if hee knew he should hold on with him in the Iourney They acquainted their Lord and hee gaue him license to goe to Nanquin and to enter those two Prouinces of Cequion or Cechien and Nanchin or Nanquin Hee was carryed thither with two of Scilans seruants still hauing Souldiers from all places to guard him they thinking that some of his Sonnes were there carryed When hee came to that Mother Citie for before hee seldome went foorth to preuent all lets which is in twentie nine degrees to the Northermost part of the Prouince hee made shew of himselfe as one of Scilans houshold seruants and not knowing whither to goe to deliuer his Letters hee first went into a Temple of note which beares name of the Iron Pillar For they fable that one Huiunsin had some hundreds of yeeres agoe brought perfect Siluer out of Quick-siluer and had deliuered this Citie from a huge Dragon whom hee ouer-whelmed in the ground and tyed to that Iron Pillar and then flew with his whole house Mice and all into Heauen The building of this Temple is worthy the view against which are perpetuall Faires in which nothing is lacking to bee sold. The Priests are those which they call Thausu which let their hayre and beards grow When hee entred that Temple much concourse of people came about him to see a Stranger a strange sight there yea reputed holy for they had thought that the fame of that Idoll had brought him thither from farre Countries But when hee did no worship thereto hee was admonished to doe that which the greatest Magistrates refused not then threatned after they would force him till one of the Ship sayd hee worshipped no Idols But seeing the multitude still flocking about him he returned to the Ship and signified that hee came with the President whom euery man knew The seruants visited their Masters friends and receiued gifts of some especially of the Vice-royes Physician Scarcely had they sayled out of the chiefe Citie when they meete with a Lake admirable for the greatnesse and other things on all the bankes as farre as a man can see are innumerable Townes Castles Villages great Houses thence they may passe into Fuchien and thence to the Sea Eastward Amongst other Townes there is one Citie called Nancan at the foot of a Hill called Liu in which Hill are diuers Anchorites each in his
a Beare that lay there and slept awaked and came towards vs to the ship so that wee were forced to leaue our Worke about turning of the ship and to defend our selues against the Beare and shot her into the bodie wherewith she ranne away to the other side of the Iland and swamme into the water and got vp vpon a piece of Ice where she lay still but we comming after her to the piece of Ice where she lay when she saw vs she leapt into the water and swamme to the Land but we got betweene her and the Land and strooke her on the head with a Hatchet but as often as wee strooke at her with the Hatchet she duckt vnder the water whereby wee had much to doe before we could kill her after she was dead we flayed her on the Land and tooke the skinne aboord with vs and after that turned our shippe to a great piece of Ice and made it fast thereunto The sixteenth ten of our men entring into one Boat rowed to the firme Land of Noua Zembla and drew the Boat vp vpon the Ice which done we went vp a high Hill to see the situation of the Land and found that it reached South-east and South South-east and then againe South which wee disliked for that it lay so much Southward but when wee saw open water South-east and East South-east we were much comforted againe thinking that we had wonne our Voyage and knew not how we should get soone enough aboord to certifie William Barents thereof The eighteenth we made preparation to set sayle but it was all in vaine for wee had almost lost our Sheat Anchor and two new Ropes and with much lost labour got to the place againe from whence wee came for the streame ranne with a mightie current and the Ice draue very strongly vpon the Cables along by the ship so that we were in feare that wee should lose all the Cable that was without the ship which was two hundred fathome at the least but God prouided well for vs so that in the end we got to the place againe from whence we put out The nineteenth it was indifferent good weather the Wind blowing South-west the Ice still driuing and wee set sayle with an indifferent gale of Wind and past by the point of Desire whereby we were once againe in good hope and when we had gotten aboue the point we sailed South-east into the Sea-ward foure miles but then againe wee entred into more Ice whereby wee were constrayned to turne backe againe and sayled North-west vntill we came to the Land againe which reacheth from the point of Desire to the head point South and by West six miles from the head point to Flushingers head it reacheth South-west which are three miles one from the other from the Flushingers head it reacheth into the Sea East South-east and from Flushingers head to the point of the Iland it reacheth South-west and by South and South-west three miles and from the Iland point to the point of the Ice Hauen the Land reacheth West South-west foure miles from the Ice Hauens point to the fal of Water or the streame Bay and the low Land it reacheth West and by South and East and by North seuen miles from thence the Land reacheth East and West The one and twentieth we sayled a great way into the Ice Hauen and that night anchored therein next day the streame going exreame hard Eastward wee haled out againe from thence and sayled againe to the Iland point but for that it was misty Weather comming to a piece of Ice wee made the ship fast thereunto because the Wind beganne to blow hard South-west and South South-west There we went vp vpon the Ice and wondred much thereat it was such manner of Ice For on the top it was full of Earth and there wee found aboue fortie Egges and it was not like other Ice for it was of a perfect Azure colour like to the Skies whereby there grew great contention in words amongst our men some saying that it was Ice others that it was frozen Land for it lay vnreasonable high aboue the Water it was at least eighteene fathom vnder the water close to the ground and ten fathome aboue the water there wee stayed all that storme the Wind being South-west and by West The three and twentieth wee sayled againe from the Ice South-eastward into the Sea but entred presently into it againe and woond about to the Ice Hauen The next day it blew hard North North-west and the Ice came mightily driuing in whereby we were in a manner compassed about therewith and withall the Wind beganne more and more to rise and the Ice still draue harder and harder so that the pinne of the Rother and the Rother were shorne in pieces and our Boat was shorne in pieces betweene the ship and the Ice we expecting nothing else but that the ship also would be prest and crusht in pieces with the Ice The fiue and twentieth the Weather began to be better and we tooke great paines and bestowed much labour to get the Ice wherewith we were so inclosed to goe from vs but what meanes soeuer we vsed it was all in vaine but when the Sunne was South-west the Ice began to driue out againe with the streame and we thought to saile Southward about Noua Zembla to the Streights of Mergates seeing we could there find no passage Wee hauing past Noua Zembla were of opinion that our labour was all in vaine and that we could not get through and so agreed to goe that way home againe but comming to the Streame Bay wee were forced to goe backe againe because of the Ice which lay so fast thereabouts and the same night also it froze that wee could hardly get through there with the little wind that we had the Wind then being North. The six and twentieth there blew a reasonable gale of Wind at which time wee determined to sayle backe to the point of Desire and so home againe seeing that wee could not get through the Wergats although we vsed all the meanes and industry wee could to get forward but when we had past by the Ice Hauen the Ice began to driue with such force that wee were inclosed round about therewith and yet we sought all the meanes we could to get out but it was all in vaine and at that time we had like to haue lost three men that were vpon the Ice to make way for the ship if the Ice had held the course it went but as we draue backe againe and that the Ice also whereon our men stood in like sort draue they being nimble as the ship draue by them one of them caught hold of the beak head another vpon the shrouds and the third vpon the great brase that hung out behind and so by great aduenture by the hold that they tooke they got safe into the ship againe for which they thanked God with all their
Master tooke one and I the other and made resistance against them as well as we could but the rest of our men ranne to saue themselues in the ship and as they ranne one of them fell into a Clift of Ice which grieued vs much for we thought verily that the Beares would haue ranne vnto him to deuoure him but God defended him for the Beares still made towardes the ship after the men that ranne thither to saue themselues Meane time wee and the man that fell into the Clift of Ice tooke our aduantage and got into the ship on the other side which the Beares perceiuing they came fiercely towards vs that had no other Armes to defend vs withall but onely the two Halberds which wee doubting would not bee sufficient wee still gaue them worke to doe by throwing Billets and other things at them and euery time we threw they ranne after them as a Dogge vseth to doe at a Stone that is cast at him Meane time wee sent a man downe vnder Hatches to strike Fire and another to fetch Pikes but wee could get no Fire and so wee had no meanes to shoote at the last as the Beares came fiercely vpon vs wee strooke one of them with a Halberd vpon the Snowt wherewith shee gaue backe when shee felt her selfe hurt and went away which the other two that were not so great as shee perceiuing ranne away and wee thanked God that wee were so well deliuered from them and so drew our Sled quietly to our House and there shewed our men what had happened vnto vs. The sixe and twentieth the Wind was North and North North-west with indifferent faire weather then wee saw open Water hard by the Land but wee perceiued the Ice to driue in the Sea still towards the ship The seuen and twentieth the Wind blew North-east and it snowed so fast that wee could not worke without the doore That day our men killed a White Foxe which they flead and after they had rosted it ate thereof which tasted like Conies flesh the same day we set vp our Dyall and made the Clocke strike and wee hung vp a Lampe to burne in the night time wherein we vsed the fat of the Bearâ— which wee melt and burnt in the Lampe The nine and twentieth the Wind still blew North-east and then wee fetched Segges from the Sea-side and layd them vpon the Sayle that was spread vpon our House that it might bee so much the closer and warmer for the Deales were not driuen close together and the foule weather would not permit vs to doe it The thirtieth the Winde yet continued North-east and the Sunne was full aboue the Earth a little aboue the Horizon The one and thirtieth the Winde still blew North-east with great store of Snow whereby wee durst not looke out of doores The first of Nouember the Wind still continued North-east and then wee saw the Moone rise in the East when it beganne to bee darke and the Sunne was no higher aboue the Horizon then we could well see it and yet that day we saw it not because of the close weather and the great Snow that fell and it was extreame cold so that we could not goe out of the House The second the Wind blew West and somewhat South but in the Eeuening it blew North with calme weather and that day we saw the Sunne rise South South-east and it went downe South South-west but it was not full aboue the Earth but passed in the Horizon along by the Earth and the same day one of our men killed a Fox with a Hatchet which was flayed roasted and eaten Before the Sunne began to decline wee saw no Foxes and then the Beares vsed to goe from vs. The third the Wind blew North-west with calme weather and the Sunne rose South and by East and somewhat more Southerly and went downe South and by West and somewhat more Southerly and then we could see nothing but the vpper part of the Sunne aboue the Horizon and yet the Land where wee were was as high as the Mast of our ship then wee tooke the height of the Sunne it being in the eleuenth degree and fortie eight minutes of Scorpio his Declination being fifteene degrees and twentie foure minutes on the South-side of the Equinoctiall Line The fourth it was calme weather but then wee saw the Sunne no more for it was no longer aboue the Horizon then our Chirurgion made a Bath to bathe vs in of a Wine-pipe wherein wee entred one after the other and it did vs much good and was a great meanes of our health The same day wee tooke a White Foxe that oftentimes came abroad not as they vsed at other times for that when the Beares left vs at the setting of the Sunne and came not againe before it rose the Foxe to the contrarie came abroad when they were gone The fifth the Winde was North and somewhat West and then wee saw open water vpon the Sea but our shippe lay still fast in the Ice and when the Sunne had left vs wee saw the Moone continuall both day and night and neuer went downe when it was in the highest degree The sixt the Winde was North-west still weather and then our men fetcht a Sled full of Fire-wood but by reason that the Sunne was not seene it was very darke weather The seuenth it was darke weather and very still the Winde West at which time wee could hardly discerne the Day from the Night specially because at that time our Clocke stood still and by that meanes wee knew not when it was day although it was day and our men rose not out of their Cabins all that day but onely to make water and therefore they knew not whether the light they saw was the light of the day or of the Moone whereupon they were of seuerall opinions some saying it was the light of the day the others of the night but as wee tooke good regard thereunto wee found it to bee the light of the day about twelue of the clocke at noone The eight it was still weather the Winde blowing South and South-west The same day our men fetcht another Sled of Fire-wood and then also wee tooke a White Foxe and saw open water in the Sea The same day wee shared our Bread amongst vs each man hauing foure pound and tenne ounces for his allowance in eight dayes so that then we were eight dayes eating a Barrell of Bread whereas before wee ate it vp in fiue or six dayes we had no need to share our flesh and fish for we had more store thereof but our drinke failed vs and therefore we were forced to share that also but our best Beere was for the most part wholy without any strength so that it had no sauour at all and besides all this there was a great deale of it spilt The ninth the Wind blew North-east and somewhat more Northerly and then we
should misse our time For the cold was so great that our Clocke was frozen and might not goe although we hung more waight on it then before The fourth it was faire cleere weather the Wind North-east and then we began euery man by turne to digge open our doores that were closed vp with Snow for we saw that it would be often to doe and therefore we agreed to worke by turnes no man excepted but the Master and the Pilot. The fifth it was faire weather with an East-wind and then we made our Springes cleane againe to take Foxes The sixt it was foule weather againe with an Easterly Wind and extreame cold almost not to bee indured whereupon wee lookt pittifully one vpon the other being in great feare that if the extreamitie of the cold grew to bee more and more wee should all dye there with cold for that what fire soeuer we made it would not warme vs yea and our Sacke which is so hot was frozen very hard so that when wee were euery man to haue his part we were forced to melt it in the fire which wee shared euery second day about halfe a pint for a man wherewith we were forced to sustayne our selues and at other times wee dranke water which agreed not well with the cold and we needed not to coole it with Snow or Ice but we were forced to melt it out of the Snow The seuenth it was still foule weather and we had a great storme with a North-east Wind which brought an extreame cold with it at which time wee knew not what to doe and while we sate consulting together what were best for vs to doe one of our companions gaue vs counsell to burne some of the Sea-coales that we had brought out of the ship which would cast a great heate and continue long and so at Eeuening we made a great fire thereof which cast a great heat at which time wee were very carefull to keepe it in for that the heate beeing so great a comfort vnto vs we tooke care how to make it continue long whereupon wee agreed to stop vp all the doores and the Chimney thereby to keepe in the heate and so went into our Cabins to sleepe well comforted with the heate and so lay a great while talking together but at last we were taken with a great swounding and dazeling in our heads yet some more then other some which we first perceiued by a sicke man and therefore the lesse able to beare it and found our selues to be very ill at ease so that some of vs that were strongest start out of their Cabins and first opened the Chimney and then the doores but he that opened the doore fell downe in a swound vpon the Snow which I hearing as lying in my Cabin next to the doore start vp and casting Vinegar in his face recouered him againe and so he rose vp and when the doores were open we all recouered our healths againe by reason of the cold Ayre and so the cold which before had beene so great an Enemy vnto vs was then the onely reliefe that wee had otherwise without doubt we had dyed in a sudden swound after that the Master when we were come to our selues againe gaue euery one of vs a little Wine to comfort our hearts The eight it was foule weather the winde Northerly very sharpe and cold but we durst lay no more coales on as wee did the day before for that our misfortune had taught vs that to shunne one danger we should not runne into another The ninth it was faire cleare weather the skie full of Starres then we set our doore wide open which before was fast closed vp with Snow and made our Springes ready to take Foxes The tenth it was still faire Star-light weather the winde North-east then wee tooke two Foxes which were good meate for vs for as then our victuals began to bee scant and the cold still increased whereunto their Skinnes serued vs for a good defence The eleuenth it was faire weather and a cleere ayre but very cold which hee that felt not would not beleeue for our Shooes froze as hard as hornes vpon our feete and within they were white frozen so that we could not weare our shooes but were forced to make great Pattents the vpper part being Sheepe-skinnes which we put on ouer three or foure payre of Sockes and so went in them to keepe our feet warme The twelfth it was faire cleere weather with a North-west winde but extreame cold so that our House walls and Cabbins were frozen a finger thicke yea and the Cloathes vpon our backes were white ouer with Frost and although some of vs were of opinion that wee should lay more coles vpon the fire to warme vs and that we should let the chimney stand open yet we durst not doe it fearing the like danger we had escaped The thirteenth it was faire cleere weather with an East winde then we tooke another Foxe and tooke great paines about preparing and dressing of our Springes with no small trouble for that if wee stayed too long without the doores there arose blisters vpon our Faces and our Eares The fourteenth it was faire weather the winde North-east and the skie full of starres then we tooke the height of the right shoulder of the Rens when it was South South-west and somewhat more Westerly and then it was at the highest in our Compasse and it was eleuated aboue the Horizon 20. degrees and 28. minutes his Declination being 6. degrees and 18. minutes on the North-side of the line which Declination being taken out of the height aforesayd there rested 14. degrees which being taken out of 90. degrees then the height of the Pole was 76. degrees The fifteenth it was still faire weather the winde East that day wee tooke two Foxes and saw the Moone rise East South-east when it was sixe and twentie dayes old in the signe of Scorpio The sixteenth it was faire cleere weather the winde East at that time wee had no more Wood in the house but had burnt it all but round about our house there lay some couered ouer with Snow which with great paine and labour we were forced to digge out and so shouell away the Snow and so brought it into the house which wee did by turnes two and two together wherein we were forced to vse great speed for wee could not long endure without the House because of the extreame cold although we wore the Foxes skinnes about our heads and double apparell vpon our backes The seuenteenth the winde still held North-east with faire weather and so great Frosts that wee were of opinion that if there stood a Barrell full of water without the doore it would in one night freeze from the top to the bottome The eighteenth the winde still held North-east with faire weather then seuen of vs went out vnto the Ship to see how it lay and being vnder
our house and the Ice melted in our Cabins and the water dropped downe which was not so before how great soeuer our fire was but that night it was cold againe The eighteenth it was faire cleare weather with a South-east wind then our Wood began to consume and so we agreed to burne some of our Sea-coles and not to stop vp the Chimney and then we should not need to feare any hurt which we did and found no disease thereby but we thought it better for vs to keepe the Coles and to burne our Wood more sparingly for that the Coles would serue vs better when we should sayle home in our open Scute The one and twentieth it was faire weather with a West wind at that time taking of Foxes began to fayle vs which was a signe that the Beares would come againe as not long after we found it to be true for as long as the Beares stay away the Foxes came abroad and not much before the Beares come abroad the Foxes were but little seene The two and twentieth it was faire weather with a West wind then we went out againe to cast the Bullet and perceiued that day-light began to appeare whereby some of vs said that the Sunne would soone appeare vnto vs but William Barents to the contrary said that it was yet two weekes too soone The three and twentieth it was faire calme weather with a South-west wind then foure of vs went to the ship and comforted each other giuing God thankes that the hardest time of the Winter was past being in good hope that we should liue to talke of those things at home in our owne Countrey and when we were in the ship we found that the water rose higher and higher in it and so each of vs taking a Bisket or two with vs wee went home againe The foure and twentieth it was faire cleare weather with a West wind then I and Iacob Heemskerke and another with vs went to the Sea-side on the South side of Noua Zembla where contrary to our expectation I first saw the edge of the Sunne wherewith wee went speedily home againe to tell William Barents and the rest of our companions that ioyfull newes but William Barents being a wise and well experienced Pilot would not beleeue it esteeming it to be about fourteene dayes to soone for the Sunne to shine in that part of the World but we earnestly affirmed the contrarie and said that we had seene the Sunne The fiue and twentieth and sixe and twentieth it was misty and close weather so that wee could not see any thing then they that layed the contrary wager with vs thought that they had won but vpon the seuen and twentieth day it was cleare weather and then wee saw the Sunne in his full roundnesse aboue the Horizon whereby it manifestly appeared that wee had seene it vpon the foure and twentieth day of Ianuary And as we were of diuers opinions touching the same and that wee said it was cleane contrary to the opinions of all old and new Writers yea and contrary to the nature and roundnesse both of Heauen and Earth some of vs said that seeing in long time there had beene no day that it might be that we had ouerslept our selues whereof we were better assured but concerning the thing in it selfe seeing God is wonderfull in all his workes we will referre that to his almightie power and leaue it vnto others to dispute of but for that no man shall thinke vs to be in doubt thereof if wee should let this passe without discoursing vpon it therefore we will make some declaration thereof whereby we may assure our selues that we kept good reckoning You must vnderstand that when we first saw the Sun it was in the fift degr and 25. min. of Aquarius and it should haue staid according to our first ghessing till it had entred into the 16. deg and 27. min. of Aquarius before he should haue shewed there vnto vs in the height of 76. deg Which we striuing and contending about it amongst our selues could not be satisfied but wondred thereat and some amongst vs were of opinion that we had mistaken our selues which neuerthelesse we could not be perswaded vnto for that euery day without sayle wee noted what had past and also had vsed our Clocke continually and when that was frozen wee vsed our Houre-glasse of twelue houres long whereupon wee argued with our selues in diuers wise to know how we should finde out that difference and leaue the trueth of the time which to trie wee agreed to looke into the Ephemeridâ—s made by Iosephus Schâ—la Printed in Venice for the yeeres of our Lord 1589. till A. 1600. and we found therein that vpon the foure and twentieth day of Ianuary when the Sun first appeared vnto vs that at Venice the Clocke being one in the night time the Moone and Iupiter were in coniunction whereupon we sought to know when the same coniunction should be ouer or about the house where wee then were and at last wee found that the foure and twentieth day of Ianuary was the same day whereon the coniunction aforesaid happened in Venice at one of the clocke in the night and with vs in the morning when the Sunne was in the East for we saw manifestly that the two Planets aforesaid approached neere vnto each other vntill such time as the Moone and Iupiter stood one iust ouer the other both in the signe of Taurus and that was at sixe of the clocke in the morning at which time the Moone and Iupiter were found by our Compasse to be in coniunction ouer our house in the North and by East-point and the South part of the Compasse was South South-west and there we had it right South the Moone being eight dayes old whereby it appeareth that the Sunne and the Moone were eight points different and this was about sixe of the clocke in the morning this place differeth from Venice fiue houres in longitude whereby we may ghesse how much we were neerer East then the Citie of Venice which was fiue houres each houre being 15. degrees which is in all 75. degrees that we were more Easterly then Venice by all which it is manifestly to be seene that wee had not fayled in our account and that also wee had found our right longitude by the two Planets aforesaid for the Towne of Venice lieth vnder 37. degrees and 25. minutes in longitude and her declination is 46. degrees and 5. minutes whereby it followeth that our place of Noua Zembla lieth vnder 112. degrees and 25. minutes in longitude and the height of the Pole 76. degrees and so you haue the right longitude and latitude but from the vttermost point of Noua Zembla to the point of Cape de Tabin the vttermost point of Tartaâ—ia where it windeth Southward the longitude differeth 60. degrees but you must vnderstand that the degrees are not so great as they are vnder the Equinoctiall Line
ranne away so that it seemed that as then they were afraid of vs and durst not bee so bold to set vpon vs as they were at the first The fift it was faire weather with some snow the wind East that Eeuening and at night wee saw the Sunne when it was at the lowest a good way aboue the Earth The sixt it was faire cleare weather with a great South-west wind whereby we saw the Sea open both in the East and in the West which made our men exceeding glad longing sore to be gone from thence The seuenth it was foule weather and snew hard with a North wind whereby we were closed vp againe in our house The tenth it was faire weather with a North-west wind that night the Sunne by our common Compasse being North North-east and at the lowest we tooke the height thereof and it was eleuated 3. degrees and 45. minutes his declination was 17. degrees and 45. minutes from whence taking the height aforesaid there rested 14. degrees which substracted from 90. degrees there rested 76. degrees for the height of the Pole The fourteenth wee fetcht our last Sled with fire-wood and still ware our shooes made of Rugge on our feet The fiue and twentieth it was faire weather with an East wind then at noone time wee tooke the height of the Sunne that was eleuated aboue the Horizon 34. degrees and 46. minutes his declination 20. degrees and 46. minutes which taken from the height aforesaid there rested 14. degrees which taken from 90. degrees rested 76. degrees for the height of the Pole The sixe and twentieth it was faire weather with a great North-east wind whereby the Ice came in againe The seuen and twentieth it was foule weather with a great North-east wind which draue the Ice mightily in againe whereupon the Master at the motion of the companie willed vs to make preparation to be gone The nine and twentieth in the morning it was reasonable faire weather with a West wind then ten of vs went vnto the Scute to bring it to the house to dresse it and make it ready to sayle but wee found it deepe hidden vnder the snow and were fayne with great payne and labour to digge it out but when wee had gotten it out of the snow and thought to draw it to the house wee could not doe it because wee were too weake wherewith wee became wholly out of heart doubting that wee should not bee able to goe forward with our labour but the Master encouraging vs bade vs striue to doe more then wee were able saying that both our liues and our well-fare consisted therein and that if wee could not get the Scute from thence and make it ready then hee said wee must dwell there as Burgers of Noua Zembla and make our Graues in that place but there wanted no good-will in vs but onely strength which made vs for that time to leaue off worke and let the Scute lie still which was no small griefe vnto vs and trouble to thinke what were best for vs to doe but after noone being thus comfortlesse come home wee tooke hearts againe and determined to turne the Boat that lay by the house with her keele vpwards and to amend it that it might bee the fitter to carrie vs ouer the Sea for wee made full account that we had a long troublesome Voyage in hand wherein wee might haue many crosses and wherein wee should not bee sufficiently prouided for all things necessarie although wee tooke neuer so much care and while wee were busie about our worke there came a great Beare vnto vs wherewith wee went into our house and stood to watch her in our three doores with Harquebusses and one stood in the Chimney with a Musket this Beare came boldlier vnto vs then euer any had done before for shee came to the neather step that went to one of our doores and the man that stood in the doore saw her not because hee looked towards the other doore but they that stood within saw her and in great feare called to him wherewith he turned about and although he was in a maze he shot at her and the Bullet past cleane through her body whereupon she ranne away Yet it was a fearefull thing to see for the Beare was almost vpon him before hee saw her so that if the Peece had fayled to giue fire as oftentimes they doe it had cost him his life and it may bee that the Beare would haue gotten into the house the Beare being gone somewhat from the house lay downe wherewith wee went all armed and killed her out right and when wee had ript open her bellie we found a piece of a Bucke therein with haire skinne and all which not long before shee had torne and deuoured The one and thirtieth of May it was faire weather but somewhat colder then before the wind being South-west whereby the Ice draue away and we wrought hard about our Boat but when wee were in the chiefest part of worke there came another Beare as if they had smelt that wee would be gone and that therefore they desired to taste a piece of some of vs for that was the third day one after the other that they set so fiercely vpon vs so that wee were forced to leaue our worke and goe into the house and shee followed vs but we stood with our Peeces to watch her and shot three Peeces at her two from our doores and one out of the Chimney which all three hit her but her death did vs more hurt then her life for after we ript her belly we drest her Liuer and eate it which in the taste liked vs well but it made vs all sicke specially three that were exceeding sicke and wee verily thought that wee should haue lost them for all their skins came off from the foot to the head but yet they recouered againe The third of Iune in the morning it was faire cleare weather the wind West and then wee were somewhat better and tooke great paines with the Boat that at last we got it ready after we had wrought sixe dayes vpon it about euening it began to blow hard and therewith the water was very open which put vs in good comfort that our deliuerance would soone follow and that we should once get out of that desolate and fearefull place The fourth it was faire cleare weather and indifferent warme and about the South-east Sunne eleuen of vs went to our Scute where it then lay and drew it to the ship at which time the labour seemed lighter vnto vs then it did before when wee tooke it in hand and were forced to leaue it off againe The reason thereof was the opinion that wee had that the snow as then lay harder vpon the ground and so was become stronger and it may be that our courages were better to see that the time gaue vs open water and that our hope was that wee should get from thence and so
sandie ground with some Hills as it is on the East-side of the white Sea wee assured our selues that we were on the West-side of the white Sea vpon the Coast of Lapland for the which we thanked God that he had helped vs to sayle ouer the white Sea in thirtie houres it being fortie Dutch miles at the least our course being West with a North-east winde The twentieth we espied certayne Crosses with Warders vpon them vvhereby we vnderstood that it was a good way and so put into it and being entred a little way within it we saw a great Russian Lodgie lying at Anchor whereunto we rowed as fast as we could and there also we saw certayne Houses wherein men dwelt and when wee got to the Lodgie we made our selues fast vnto it and cast our tent ouer the Scute for as then it began to rayne then we vvent on land into the Houses that stood vpon the shoare vvhere they shewed vs great friendship leading vs into their Stoues and there dryed our wet Cloathes and then seething some Fish bade vs sit downe and eate somewhat vvith them In those little houses wee found thirteene Russians who euery morning vvent out to Fish in the Sea whereof two of them had charge ouer the rest they liued very poorely and ordinarily eate nothing but Fish and Bread at Eeuening when we prepared our selues to goe to our Scute againe they prayed the Master and me to stay vvith them in their Houses vvhich the Master thanked them for would not doe but I stayed with them all that night besides those thirteene Men there was two Laplanders more and three Women with a Child that liued very poorely of the ouerplusse which the Russians gaue them as a peece of a Fish and some fishes heads which the Russians threw away and they with great thankfulnesse tooke them vp so that in respect of their pouertie we hought our selues to bee well furnished and yet vve had little enough but as it seemed their ordinary liuing was in that manner and we were forced to stay there for that the vvind being North-west it was against vs. The one and twentieth wee met our other Companie vvherewith we rejoyced and shewed each other of our proceedings and how vvee had sayled too and fro in great necessitie and hunger and yet they had beene in greater necessitie and danger then we and gaue God thankes that hee had preserued vs aliue and brought vs together againe and then we eate something together and dranke of the cleere Water such as runneth along by Collen through the Rhene and then vve agreed that they should come vnto vs that we might sayle together The two and twentieth the rest of our men vvith the Boate came vnto vs about the East South-east Sunne whereat wee much rejoyced and then we prayed the Russians Cooke to bake a sacke of Meale for vs and to make it Bread paying him for it vvhich hee did and in the meane time when the Fisher-men came with their Fish out of the Sea our Master bought foure Cods of them which we sodde and eate and vvhile were were at meate the chiefe of the Russians came vnto vs and perceiuing that we had not much Bread hee fetched a Loafe and gaue it vs and although we desired them to sit downe and eate some meate vvith vs yet we could by no meanes get them to grant thereunto because it was their Fasting day and for that vve had powred Butter and fat into our Fish nor vvee could not get them once to drinke with vs because our Cup vvas somewhat greasie they were so superstitious touching their Fasting and Religion neither would they lend vs any of their Cups to drinke in least they should likewise bee greased at that time the vvind was North-west The foure and twentieth the wind blew East and then the Sunne being East we got the seuen Ilands where we found many Fisher-men of whom we enquired after Cool and Kilduin and they made signes that they lay West from vs which we likewise ghest to bee so and withall they shewed vs great friendship and cast a Codde into our Scute but for that wee had a good gale of vvind we could not stay to pay them for it but gaue them great thankes much wondering at their great courtesie and so with a good gale of vvind we arriued before the seuen Ilands when the Sunne was South-west and past betweene them and the Land and there found certayne Fisher-men that rowed to vs and asked vs where our Crable meaning our Ship was whereunto we made answer with as much Russian language as wee had learned and sayd Crable pro Pal that is our Ship is lost which they vnderstanding sayd vnto vs Cool Brabouse Crable whereby we vnderstood that at Cool there was certayne Netherland Ships but wee made no great account thereof because our intent was to sayle to Ware-house fearing least the Russians or great Prince of the Countrey would stay vs there The fiue and twentieth sayling along by the Land with a South-east vvind about the South Sunne we had a sight of Kilduin at which time we held our course West North-west and sayling in that manner betweene Kilduin and the firme Land about the South South-west Sunne we got to the West end of Kilduin and being there looked if we could see any Houses or people therein and at last we saw certayne Russian Lodgies that lay vpon the Strand and there finding a conuenient place for vs to Anchor with our Scutes while wee went to know if any people were to bee found our Master put in with the Land and there found fiue or sixe small Houses wherein the Laplanders dwelt of whom we asked if that were Kilduin whereunto they made answer and shewed vs that it was Kilduin and sayd that at Coola there lay three Brabants Crables or Ships whereof two were that day to set sayle wee found a small House vpon the shoare vvherein there was three Men and a great Dogge which receiued vs very friendly asking vs of our affaires and how we got thither whereunto we made answer and shewed them that we had lost our Ship and that wee were come thither to see if we could get a Ship that would bring vs into Holland whereunto they made vs answer as the other Russians had done that there was three Ships at Coola whereof two vvere to set sayle from thence that day then wee asked them if they would goe with one of our men by Land to Coola to looke for a ship wherewith wee might get into Holland and sayd we would reward them well for their paines but they excused themselues and sayd that they could not goe from thence but they sayd they would being vs ouer the Hill vvhere vve should finde certayne Laplanders whom they thought would goe vvith vs as they did for that Master and one of our men going with them ouer the Hill found certaine Laplanders there vvhereof they
of Geta sixe yeeres After which one of the Russeâ— of Vasheâ— named Wolfe returned into Siberia and he reported that he was trauailing from Tingoosie to Geta a Summer Likewise this said Wolfe reported that a Samoied told him that in Yenisey the greater were Vessels of a great burthen seene to be drawne with the Rope by a very great number of people but hee could not tâ—ll what people they were neither whither they did intend to trauaile with the said Vessels CHAP. VIII A Voyage made to Pechora 1611. Written by WILLIAM GOVâ—DON of Hull appointed chiefe Pilot for Discouerie to Ob c. THe eleuenth of Aprill we weighed Anchor at Blacke-wall in the Riuer of Thames in a ship called the Amitie whereof Iames Vadun was Master and sayling along the Coasts of England Scotland Norway and Finmarke on the eleuenth of the next moneth of May wee found our selues in the latitude of 71. degrees 40. minutes The twelfth wee ranne fortie eight leagues North North-east the wind being at South South-east and found our selues in the latitude of 73. degrees 42. minutes and at night wee had shoaldings of Cherie Iland for wee were enioyned by our Commission to touch there although it were three degrees to the North out of our way The thirteenth being Whit-sunday it cleered vp and then we did see Cherie Iland six leagues East South-east from vs. The fourteenth being faire weather we stood to the Northwards thinking to haue gone on shoare but we could not for Ice and labouring to Land on the South side of the Iland wee met with Ionas Poole about Eeuening in the Elizabeth who came as then to the Iland and was set forth by the Right Worshipfull Company of our Russian Merchants to discouer further Northward from eightie degrees toward the North Pole Then we stood to the Eastward where wee found great store of Ice The fifteenth we spent on the South-side of the Iland in hope of the arriuall of the Marie Margaret which being a ship of nine score Tunnes was set forth very chargeably by the aforesaid Russian Company and had in her sixe Baskes being excellent Whale-killers of Saint Iohn de Luz for the killing of the Whale on the Coast of Greenland in a Road called Crosse Road standing exceeding farre to the North euen in the latitude of 79. degrees and better The same day at night seeing that there we could doe no good we determined to proceed on our Voyage for the Riuer of Pechora and Letters being giuen one to the other for Testimoniall of our meeting in that place we left Ionas Pooley and directed our course to the Eastward The two and twentieth of May we came to a small Iland called Bigs Hole by Tapani Harbour The three and twentieth we arriued at the I le of Kildin in Lappia The foure and twentieth Iosias Logan which was appointed Factor for Pechora and my selfe with two more went to Olena and stayed there all the fiue and twentieth being Saturday where wee found a ship of Yarmouth whereof Iames Wright of Hull was Master of whom we learned the proceeding of the Hollanders The seuenth of Iune in the morning we had sight of the Coast of Lappia a little short of Cape Comfort and met with a ship of Amsterdam by which we sent Letters to Master Iohn Mericke our English Agent then Resident in Colmogro and we had two Hogsheads of Beere of them The eight we plyed to Cape Comfort the wind at South-east The ninth being Sunday in the morning wee put off from the Coast of Lappia to crosse ouer the White Sea to the Cape of Callinos corruptly and commonly called Candinos At noone we passed through some Ice the weather being thicke and foggie The eleuenth we plyed to the Cape of Callinos passing through much Ice the wind at North North-east And therefore wee thought it better to goe to the Southward againe and in the Eeuening we came to an Anchor in ten fathomes This night wee had a sore storme the winde at North-east The twelfth in the morning we weighed and in weighing brake our Anchor and then wee stood to the Southward and came to an Anchor and at night wee went on shoare for Wood and Water where was good store of Drift Wood And within a ledge of Rockes on the West-side of Callinos there lay ten Lodias or Russe small shippes some fourteene or fifteene Tunnes the biggest of a Towne called Pinega all which were bound for Noua Zembla to kill the Morsse with the men of which Fleete wee had some conference and did see their Prouisions which were Launces of their fashion and Harping Irons their Victuals were Salt-fish Butter Bacon Meale their Drinke Quasse The sixteenth in the morning wee weighed and stood our course for the I le of Colgoiene the wind being at South South-west and did find the Ice that was close to the shoare to bee open but at night finding that we could not sayle our course for the Ice we thought it better to stay and so came to an Anchor The seuenteenth wee weighed in the morning and stood along the shoare which did lye South-east by East and North-west by West And in the after-noone wee went on shoare with our shallop and came to a Riuer which we called Hakluyts Riuer where wee did see certayne Samoieds with their Deere but when they perceiued vs they fled into the Land carrying with them such things as in haste they could get together but left most of their necessaries as Bowes Arrowes long Speares wanting Iron heads burnt at the end Harping Irons Wimbles and Morsse-skinnes lying hid some in one place some in another which wee caused our men to vncouer and would not suffer them to take any thing away only I tooke the Pizzell of a Morsse which they had lately killed and Iosias Logan left a Knife that they might not shunne vs hereafter The same Eeuening we anchored and stayed all night The eighteenth wee weighed and at noone wee came to an Harbour which as wee thinke was the very same where Master Stephen Burrow was in his Discouerie of Vaigatz and Noua Zembla 1556. where there is twelue or thirteene foot at high water vpon the Barre and within six or seuen fathomes Also in this place were three Lodias of Pinega which when they saw vs come in rowed out and at night returned and some of their men came aboord of vs and told vs that they could not passe for Ice and said that they were bound for Sharskai Gooba or Shar Bay to fish for certayne fishes which they call Omilie which are somewhat like a Shad and for Morsses The twentieth Iosias Logan and my selfe went ouer to the Mayne which was distant two leagues and came to a great Riuer in 67. degrees and 40. minutes where there had beene people and there we saw foure or fiue great white fishes swimming which are foure or fiue yards long and
receiued a Letter forth of England by the way of Colmogro The fift we had newes that the Gouernour and Souldiers of Tom haue burnt the Towne and fled from thence by reason they wanted victuals and their pay and about three hundred of them intended to come to Vst-zilma to rob the Inhabitants thereof This day I was told that from Pustozer vp Pechora with a faire wind to the Riuer of Ouse is three weekes trauell and then vp the Riuer of Ouse to Podcamen ten dayes and from thence to Ob eight dayes drawne by Deere and from thence to Beresoua sixteene dayes which is a Towne of trading This mine Host told me that he was a prisoner at Beresoua and at Tobolsco and hee affirmeth that Tobolsco is a Citie of great trade and that the Teseeks Bowhars and Tartars come thither to trade who bring Silkes Veluets Grogran Sendames and Kindackes and that great store of Cloth Pewter and Copper may be vented there Also there is great store of Furres as Sables Squerrils Foxes Blacke Rosamackes and Beauers He sayth that from Pustozer to Vade in Iugoria which is on this side Ob with carriage vpon Deere it is a moneths Iourney and Nosoua is on the other side of Ob and it is two weekes and an halfe with light carriage or post Moreouer he told me that Pechora runneth into Veleka permia fiue weekes iourney from Pustozer and from Veleca permia to Verho towria nine dayes iourney by Horse and Sleds and from thence to Tumen by Riuer ten dayes and from Tumen to Tobolsco sixe dayes by the Riuer Irtish and is the chiefe Citie of all Siberia And from Tobolsco to Sowrgout is sixe weekes Iourney vp the Riuer Ob from whence come all the rich Furres which come to Arcania From Sowrgout to Tome which is amongst the Tartars is three weekes vp the Riuer Ob and yet none knoweth how farre the Ob runneth further as he sayth he was carried these wayes to the Musko in the beginning of Rostriga his time The sixteenth I was told by a Permack hauing some speech with him concerning the Vaygats that from Medniskoy Zauorot to the Vaygats is one day and a nights sayle with a faire wind And as you goe forth of the Vaygats there lieth an Iland called Meastno Ostroue not being farre from Socolia Lowdy and from Vaygats through Yougorskoy shar into Oarskoy gouba which is a great Bay and deepe is two dayes and one nights sayling into Mowtnoy Riuer the course East somewhat Southerly And from Mowtnoy to Sharrappa shar which is an Inlet is halfe a dayes sayling and from thence to Yowconoue is halfe a dayes sayling which is an high Land and from thence to Naromzia is a dayes sayling And there are three little Riuers betwixt them and there are Morses all alongst that shoare and farther he knew not by Sea But he sayth that the Riuer Ob is a dayes sayling right ouer And from Zylena reca to the Tazzauorot the course is South-east a dayes sayling and from the Zauorot of Taz to the Riuers mouth is a day and a nights sayling and there is an Iland in the mouth thereof being high land And from thence vp the Riuer the course is South-east to the Towne eight dayes iourney to be haled with a rope there runneth such a streame But ere you come to the Taz Riuer there is another Riuer on the Starboord side called Powre where they get of the best Sables that come and you must leaue the Iland at the Taz on the Larboord side And from Taz Towne vp the Riuer Volochanco is sixe dayes iourney Easterly against the streame vntill you come to a Vollocke about a mile and an halfe long Marish ground and so into another Riuer some foure dayes rowing with the streame to the Riuer that is called Trowhan which is a great Riuer and falleth into Yenissey some three dayes journey more with the streame at the entrance whereof lieth an Iland called by the same name whereon there is a little Towne of the same name From thence downe the Riuer Yenissey to the Riuer Hautike is twelue dayes sayling and it is a great Riuer and runneth to the East as it is thought into Cathay which of the Permacks is called Kithayskoy Tsarrstua The fift of August my selfe and the Boy went aboord the Lodia departing from Pustozer The tenth we arriued at the Gloubocke which are the deepe water whither William Pursegloue was come with the Oyle where we melted what we could before we departed The twelfth I obserued in the Gloubocke and had it on the Quadrant 56. degrees 30. minutes and the Declination was 12. degrees 42. minutes so it standeth in 69. degrees 12. minutes The eighteenth we departed from the Gloubocke and entred the Dry Sea and arriued at the Zauorot the one and twentieth The two and twentieth we weighed and went out to Sea the wind at East North-east but the wind comming to the North-west we put roomer againe and came to an Anchor at the Zauorot againe The foure and twentieth I obserued at the Zauorot and had it on the Quadrant 63. degrees no minutes and the Declination was 7. degrees 26. minutes so it standeth in about 70. degrees 30. minutes The six and twentieth we departed from the Zauorot about noon the wind being at East the land trending betwixt it Collocolcoua East West being two Voadaes or sixty Versts distance The seuen and twentieth we came to an Iland called Mezyou Sharry being sixtie Versts to the Eastwards of Suatinose and it is about ten Versts in length and two Versts broad At the East end thereof Oliuer Brunell was carried into Harbour by a Russe where he was Land-locked hauing the Iland on the one side and the Mayne on the other The eight and twentieth we departed from Mezyou Sharry the wind at North-east a little gale but before night it fell thicke and wee steered away North-west and about mid-night it came to the North North-east blowing a very sore storme so that we were not able to beare our sayle aloft and hauing floud vnder foot we were fogged into the Bay and put ashoare some two houres before day vpon the long point of the obscure Harbour about three miles to the West-wards the wind being at North where we got all our goods on Land alwayes looking when the Lodia would haue split But by Gods Almightie Prouidence she beate ouer that Sand and lay betwixt it and the beach so that when the tyde was fallen she sate on ground as if she had beene in a creeke the Sands all dry round about her Also on the West side of Suatinose in the Bay is a great Riuer called Indiga which is deepe Water and a good Harbour for a ship as the Russes doe report The thirtieth the storme continued all the day long The one and thirtieth about noone it blew lesse wind and at night we stopped our leakes as well as
friends will kill three Deere to draw him in the new World and they will strangle a Slaue to tend on him The Deere they kill in this manner to serue the dead man they make a Stake sharpe which they thrust into the Beasts fundament with many howlings and cryings till they be dead The Master with the Slaue they burie the Deere they eate as well raw as boyled or roast although they vse all three If a young Child dye vnder foureteene of their yeeres which is seuen of ours they doe hang it by the necke on some Tree saying it must flie to Heauen If any Controuersie bee which cannot bee decided or the truth knowne then one of the two betwixt whom the Controuersie is must bee sworne which is in this manner they will make an Image of a Man of Snow bringing a Wolues nose deliuering a Sword to him that must sweare he rehearsing by name all his Friends desiring that they might all bee cut in peeces in that manner as hee doth cut that Image of Snow Then he himselfe doth cut the Image of Snow all to peeces with the Sword then after the Wolues nose being layd before him he desires that the Wolfe may destroy all his tame Deere and that hee may neuer more take or kill any wilde Deere after that if hee speake not the Truth so cutting the Wolues nose in peeces there is no more to bee sayd of that Controuersie The Samoit is stout and bold of Spirit not very tall but broad Brested broad Faces with hollow Eyes Their ordinary instruments for Warre are Bowes and Arrowes very dangerous they haue long Speares the heads bee made in Monganzey by another sort of Samoits and short Swords not much vnlike some that I haue seene brought from East India When they would know any thing to come they send for their Priest or Witch to conuerse with the Deuill sitting in one side of the Tent hauing before his face a peece of an old shirt of Mayle hung with Bels and peeces of Brasse in his right hand a great Tabor made with a Wolues skinne beating vpon the same with a Hares foot making a very dolefull sound with singing and calling for the Deuill to answer his demand which being ended they strangle a Deere for a Sacrifice making merrie with the Flesh. The Women be very hard of Nature for at their Child-bearing the Husband must play the Midwife and being deliuered the Child is washed with cold water or Snow and the next day the Woman able to conduct her Argish The Russes haue a yeerely Trade with the Merchants of Beghar at a place called Tumen in Tartarie whither they of Boghar come with Camels euery yeere From Tumen in Tobal in Siberia they come in foureteene dayes From Tobal they come to Beresoua in nine dayes all downe the Riuer Ob. From Beresoua partly by the Riuer Ob then ouer a necke of Land of halfe a mile ouer into the Riuer Ouse and downe the Riuer Ouse into the Riuer Pechora and so to Pustozera in three weekes At Pustozera the English haue Wintered three yeeres CHAP. XIII Diuers Voyages to Cherie Iland in the yeeres 1604. 1605. 1606. 1608. 1609. Written by IONAS POOLE WEe set sayle from London the fifteenth of Aprill 1604. in a Ship called the God Speed of sixtie Tunnes with thirteene Men and a Boy our Merchant was one Master Thomas Welden our Master was one Steuen Bonnit of Saint Catherins We arriued at Cola in Lapland the first of May where wee tarried till the last of the same Moneth at which time wee set sayle from Cola and went to an Harbour called Pechingo which lyeth betweene Cola and Ward-house In which Harbour of Pechingo we continued vntill the thirtieth of Iune At which time wee set sayle from thence and through contrarie windes and foule weather were put into Ward-house where we tooke in fresh water and stayed vntill the sixth of Iuly The same day the wind came Southerly and we steered away Northwest and by North about 56. leagues wee obserued the Sunne at twelue of the clocke at Noone and found our selues to be in 73. degrees 5. minutes of Northerly Latitude The seuenth of Iuly it was all day calme and wee sounded but had no ground in two hundred and fiftie fathoms The eight day we had little winde which was at South-east and foggie weather and at eight of the clocke at Night wee saw great flockes of Sea-fowles which we call Willockes some of these Fowles had each of them a small Fish in their bills and flew toward the North-west and by North. The other without Fish some of them flew contrarie to the former and some sate in the Sea very neere our Ship About twelue of the clocke at night we sounded and had ground at one hundred and twentie fathomes We steered away North-west and by North till foure of the clocke the eight day in the morning then it fell calme and as the ship lay still our Master spied a Morsse which came to our ship and swamme round about it While we were all gazing at this Monster I spied the Iland ten leagues off bearing North North-west halfe a point Westerly which shewed very high Land and much Snow vpon it The wind came to the North-east The ninth day wee came to an Anchor on the South South-east side in fiue and twentie fathomes streamie ground We â—oysed out our Boate and Master Welden went toward the Land but thinking to haue landed he could not because there went a great Sea and great store of Ice all along the shoares side Within one houre the Boate came aboard and they â—aid there were so many Fowles that they couered the Rockes and flew in such great flockes that they shewed like a Cloud While thus they were talking close by the Boate rose vpâ—n huge Morsse putting his head aboue the water looking earnestly at the Boate and made such an horrible noyse and roaring that they in the Boate thought he would haue sunke it The same day at eight of the clocke at night we weighed and stood away South-west and by South about foure miles where wee doubled the Southermost point of the Iland and found the Land to trend North North-west and all along the shoare some scattering Ice We sayled along the shoare finding seuenteene eighteene and sometimes twentie fathomes streamie ground with white shels We held this course till wee saw all the Northermost part of the Iland and being within three miles of it and about thirteene miles from the Point wee came round about it And some two miles from the Land we anchored in sixteene fathomes streamie ground We had not ridden one houre to an end but a great piece of Ice came directly with the tyde vpon vs and before wee could weigh it strooke the ship with such force that it hilded on the one side Assoone as it was past we went on shoare where wee found
at eight of the clocke at night the Souther part of Lofoote did beare South-east ten leagues off vs. The fiue and twentieth much wind at North-east with some snow and haile The first watch the wind came to the East a fine gale and so came to the North-east the second watch at foure of the clocke and freshed in And at eight of the clocke it grew to a storme and so continued At noone we obserued and made the ship to be in 67. degrees 58. minutes Wee continued our course South-west twelue leagues a watch At nine of the clocke Lofoote did beare East of vs 15. leagues off And we found the Compasse to haue no variation The wind increased to a storme The six and twentieth was a great storme at the North North-east and North-east Wee steered away South-west afore the wind with our fore-course abroad for wee were able to maintayne no more sayles it blew so vehemently and the Sea went so high and brake withall that it would haue dangered a small ship to lye vnder the Sea So we skudded seuenty leagues in foure and twentie houres The storme began to cease at foure of the clocke The seuen and twentieth indifferent faire weather but a good stiffe gale of wind at North and North North-east wee held on our course as before At noone wee obserued and found our heigth to be 64. degrees 10. minutes And wee perceiued that the Current had hindred vs in fortie eight houres to the number of 16. leagues to our best judgement We set our mayne-sayle sprit-sayle and our mayne-top-sayle and held on our course all night hauing faire weather The eight and twentieth faire weather and little wind at North-east we held on our course South-west At noone wee obserued the heigth and were in 62. degrees and 30. minutes The after-noone was little wind at North North-west The second watch it fell calme At foure of the clocke wee had sight of the Iles called Farre and found them to lye out of their place in the Sea Chart fourteene leagues to farre Westerly For in running South-west from Lofoote wee had a good care to our steerage and obseruations and counted our selues thirtie leagues off by our course and obseruation and had sight of them sixteene or eighteene leagues off The nine and twentieth faire weather sometimes calme and sometimes a gale with the wind varying at South-west and so to the North-east Wee got to the Ilands but could not get in So we stood along the Ilands The ebbe being come we durst not put in The thirtieth faire weather the wind at South-east and East South-east In the morning we turned into a Road in Stromo one of the Ilands of Farre betweene Stromo and Mugge-nes and got in by nine of the clocke for it flowed so there that day And assoone as we came in we went to Romage and sent our Boat for water and filled all our emptie Caskes with fresh water Wee made in end of our Romaging this night by ten of the clocke The one and thirtieth faire Sun-shining weather the wind at East South-east In the forenoone our Master with most of his Company went on shoare to walke and at one of the clocke they returned aboord Then we set sayle The first of Iune stilo nouo faire Sun-shining weather the wind at East South-east We continued on our course South-west and by West At noone wee obserued the Sunne and found our heigth to be 60. degrees 58. minutes and so continued on our course all night with faire weather This night we lighted Candles in the Bittacle againe The second mystie weather the wind at North-east At noone we steered away West South-west to find Busse Iland discouered in the yeere 1578. by one of the ships of Sir Martin Frobisher to see if it lay in her true latitude in the Chart or no wee continued our course as before all night with a faire gale of wind this night we had sight of the first stars and our water was changed colour to a white greene The Compasse had no variation The third faire Sun-shining weather the wind at North-east We steered on our course South-west and by West with a stiffe gale of wind At noone we obserued and found our heigth to bee 58. degrees 48. minutes And I was before the ship 16. leagues by reason of the Current that held vs so strong out of the South-west For it is eight leagues in foure and twentie houres We accounted our selues neere Busse Iland by mid-night we looked out for it but could not see it The fourth in the morning was much wind with fogge and raine Wee steered away South-west by west all the fore-noone the wind so increasing that wee were enforced to take in our top-sayle the winde continuing so all the after-noone Wee steered away South-west all the fore-part of the night and at ten of the clocke at night it was little wind and that was at South and so came vp to the South South-east The fift stormie weather and much wind at South and South by East so that at foure of the clocke in the morning we tooke in our fore-sayle and lay a try with our mayne corse and tryed away West North-west foure leagues But at noone it was lesse wind and the Sunne shewed forth and we obserued and found our heigth to be 56. degrees 21. minutes In the after-noone the wind vered to and fro betweene the South-west and the South-east with raine and fogge and so continued all night Wee found that our ship had gone to the VVestward of our course The sixth thicke hasie weather with gusts of wind and showers of raine The wind varied betweene East South-East and South-west wee steered on many courses a West South-west way The afternoone watch the wind was at East South-east a stiffe gale with myst and raine Wee steered away South-west by West eight leagues At noone the Sunne shone forth and we found the heigth to bee 56. degrees 8. minutes The seuenth faire sun-shining weather all the fore-noone and calme vntill twelue of the clocke In the after-noone the wind came to the North-west a stiffe gale We steered South-west by West and made a South-west way At noone we found the height to bee 56. degrees one minute and it continued all night a hard gale The eight stormy weather the wind variable betweene West and North-west much wind at eight of the clocke wee tooke off our Bonnets At noone the Sunne shewed forth and wee obserued and our height was 54. degrees 30. minutes The ninth faire sun-shining weather and little wind all the fore-part of the day vntill eleuen of the clocke Then the wind came to the South South-east and we steered away West South-west At noone we found our height to bee 53. degrees and 45. minutes and we had made our way South by West ten leagues In the after-noone the wind increased and continued all night at East North-east and East The
weather the winde at South in the morning from twelue vntill two of the clocke we steered North North-west and had sounding one and twentie fathoms and in running one Glasse we had but sixteene fathoms then seuenteene and so shoalder and shoalder vntill it came to twelue fathoms We saw a great Fire but could not see the Land then we came to ten fathoms whereupon we brought our tackes aboord and stood to the Eastward East South-east foure Glasses Then the Sunne arose and we steered away North againe and saw the Land from the West by North to the North-west by North all like broken Ilands and our soundings were eleuen and ten fathoms Then wee looft in for the shoare and faire by the shoare we had seuen fathoms The course along the Land we found to be North-east by North. From the Land which we had first sight of vntill we came to a great Lake of water as wee could iudge it to bee being drowned Land which made it to rise like Ilands which was in length ten leagues The mouth of that Lake hath many shoalds and the Sea breaketh on them as it is cast out of the mouth of it And from that Lake or Bay the Land lyeth North by East and wee had a great streame out of the Bay and from thence our sounding was ten fathoms two leagues from the Land At fiue of the clocke we Anchored being little winde and rode in eight fathoms water the night was faire This night I found the Land to hall the Compasse 8. degrees For to the Northward off vs we saw high Hils For the day before we found not aboue 2. degrees of Variation This is a very good Land to fall with and a pleasant Land to see The third the morning mystie vntill ten of the clocke then it cleered and the wind came to the South South-east so wee weighed and stood to the Northward The Land is very pleasant and high and bold to fall withall At three of the clocke in the afeer-noone wee came to three great Riuers So we stood along to the Northermost thinking to haue gone into it but we found it to haue a very shoald barre before it for we had but ten foot water Then wee cast about to the Southward and found two fathoms three fathoms and three and a quarter till we came to the Souther side of them then we had fiue and sixe fathoms and Anchored So wee sent in our Boate to sound and they found no lesse water then foure fiue sixe and seuen fathoms and returned in an houre and a halfe So wee weighed and went in and rode in fiue fathoms Ozie ground and saw many Salmons and Mullets and Rayes very great The height is 40. degrees 30. minutes The fourth in the morning as soone as the day was light wee saw that it was good riding farther vp So we sent our Boate to sound and found that it was a very good Harbour and foure and fiue fathoms two Cables length from the shoare Then we weighed and went in with our ship Then our Boate went on Land with our Net to Fish and caught ten great Mullets of a foot and a halfe long a peece and a Ray as great as foure men could hale into the ship So wee trimmed our Boate and rode still all day At night the wind blew hard at the North-west and our Anchor came home and wee droue on shoare but tooke no hurt thanked bee God for the ground is soft sand and Oze This day the people of the Countrey came aboord of vs seeming very glad of our comming and brought greene Tabacco and gaue vs of it for Kniues and Beads They goe in Deere skins loose well dressed They haue yellow Copper They desire Cloathes and are very ciuill They haue great store of Maiz or Indian Wheate whereof they make good Bread The Countrey is full of great and tall Oakes The fifth in the morning as soone as the day was light the wind ceased and the Flood came So we heaued off our ship againe into fiue fathoms water and sent our Boate to sound the Bay and we found that there was three fathoms hard by the Souther shoare Our men went on Land there and saw great store of Men Women and Children who gaue them Tabacco at their comming on Land So they went vp into the Woods and saw great store of very goodly Oakes and some Currants For one of them came aboord and brought some dryed and gaue me some which were sweet and good This day many of the people came aboord some in Mantles of Feathers and some in Skinnes of diuers sorts of good Furres Some women also came to vs with Hempe They had red Copper Tabacco pipes and other things of Copper they did weare about their neckes At night they went on Land againe so wee rode very quiet but durst not trust them The sixth in the morning was faire weather and our Master sent Iohn Colman with foure other men in our Boate ouer to the North-side to sound the other Riuers being foure leagues from vs. They found by the way shoald water two fathoms but at the North of the Riuer eighteen and twentie fathoms and very good riding for Ships and a narrow Riuer to the Westward betweene two Ilands The Lands they told vs were as pleasant with Grasse and Flowers and goodly Trees as euer they had seene and very sweet smells came from them So they went in two leagues and saw an open Sea and returned and as they came backe they were set vpon by two Canoes the one hauing twelue the other fourteene men The night came on and it began to rayne so that their Match went out and they had one man slaine in the fight which was an English-man named Iohn Colman with an Arrow shot into his throat and two more hurt It grew so darke that they could not find the ship that night but labored too and fro on their Oares They had so great a streame that their grapnell would not hold them The seuenth was faire and by ten of the clocke they returned aboord the ship and brought our dead man with them whom we carryed on Land and buryed and named the point after his name Colmans Point Then we hoysed in our Boate and raised her side with waste boords for defence of our men So we rode still all night hauing good regard to our Watch. The eight was very faire weather wee rode still very quietly The people came aboord vs and brought Tabacco and Indian Wheat to exchange for Kniues and Beades and offered vs no violence So we fitting vp our Boate did marke them to see if they would make any shew of the Death of our man which they did not The ninth faire weather In the morning two great Canoes came aboord full of men the one with their Bowes and Arrowes and the other in shew of buying of Kniues to betray vs but we perceiued
their intent Wee tooke two of them to haue kept them and put red Coates on them and would not suffer the other to come neere vs. So they went on Land and two other came aboord in a Canoe we tooke the one and let the other goe but hee which wee had taken got vp and leapt ouer-boord Then we weighed and went off into the channell of the Riuer and Anchored there all night The tenth faire weather we rode still till twelue of the clocke Then we weighed and went ouer and found it shoald all the middle of the Riuer for wee could finde but two fathoms and a halfe and three fathomes for the space of a league then wee came to three fathomes and foure fathomes and so to seuen fathomes and Anchored and rode all night in soft Ozie ground The banke is Sand. The eleuenth was faire and very hot weather At one of the clocke in the after-noone wee weighed and went into the Riuer the wind at South South-west little winde Our soundings were seuen sixe fiue sixe seuen eight nine ten twelue thirteene and fourteene fathomes Then it shoalded againe and came to fiue fathomes Then wee Anchored and saw that it was a very good Harbour for all windes and rode all night The people of the Countrey came aboord of vs making shew of loue and gaue vs Tabacco and Indian Wheat and departed for that night but we durst not trust them The twelfth very faire and hot In the after-noone at two of the clocke wee weighed the winde being variable betweene the North and the North-west So we turned into the Riuer two leagues and Anchored This morning at our first rode in the Riuer there came eight and twentie Canoes full of men women and children to betray vs but we saw their intent and suffered none of them to come aboord of vs. At twelue of the clocke they departed They brought with them Oysters and Beanes whereof wee bought some They haue great Tabacco pipes of yellow Copper and Pots of Earth to dresse their meate in It floweth South-east by South within The thirteenth faire weather the wind Northerly At seuen of the clocke in the morning as the floud came we weighed and turned foure miles into the Riuer The tide being done wee anchored Then there came foure Canoes aboord but we suffered none of them to come into our ship They brought great store of very good Oysters aboord which we bought for trifles In the night I set the variation of the Compasse and found it to be 13. degrees In the after-noone we weighed and turned in with the floud two leagues and a halfe further and anchored all night and had fiue fathoms soft Ozie ground and had an high point of Land which shewed out to vs bearing North by East fiue leagues off vs. The fourteenth in the morning being very faire weather the wind South-east we sayled vp the Riuer twelue leagues and had fiue fathoms and fiue fathoms and a quarter lesse and came to a Streight betweene two Points and had eight nine and ten fathoms and it trended North-east by North one league and wee had twelue thirteene and fourteene fathomes The Riuer is a mile broad there is very high Land on both sides Then wee went vp North-west a league and an halfe deepe water Then North-east by North fiue miles then North-west by North two leagues and anchored The Land grew very high and Mountainous The Riuer is full of fish The fifteenth in the morning was misty vntill the Sunne arose then it cleered So wee weighed with the wind at South and ran vp into the Riuer twentie leagues passing by high Mountaines Wee had a very good depth as sixe seuen eight nine ten twelue and thirteene fathoms and great store of Salmons in the Riuer This morning our two Sauages got out of a Port and swam away After we were vnder sayle they called to vs in scorne At night we came to other Mountaines which lie from the Riuers side There wee found very louing people and very old men where wee were well vsed Our Boat went to fish and caught great store of very good fish The sixteenth faire and very hot weather In the morning our Boat went againe to fishing but could catch but few by reason their Canoes had beene there all night This morning the people came aboord and brought vs eares of Indian Corne and Pompions and Tabacco which wee bought for trifles Wee rode still all day and filled fresh water at night wee weighed and went two leagues higher and had shoald water so wee anchored till day The seuenteenth faire Sun-shining weather and very hot In the morning as soone as the Sun was vp we set sayle and ran vp sixe leagues higher and found shoalds in the middle of the channell and small Ilands but seuen fathoms water on both sides Toward night we borrowed so neere the shoare that we grounded so we layed out our small anchor and heaued off againe Then we borrowed on the banke in the channell and came aground againe while the floud ran we heaued off againe and anchored all night The eighteenth in the morning was faire weather and we rode still In the after-noone our Masters Mate went on land with an old Sauage a Gouernour of the Countrey who carried him to his house and made him good cheere The nineteenth was faire and hot weather at the floud being neere eleuen of the clocke wee weighed and ran higher vp two leagues aboue the Shoalds and had no lesse water then fiue fathoms wee anchored and rode in eight fathomes The people of the Countrie came flocking aboord and brought vs Grapes and Pompions which wee bought for trifles And many brought vs Beuers skinnes and Otters skinnes which wee bought for Beades Kniues and Hatchets So we rode there all night The twentieth in the morning was faire weather Our Masters Mate with foure men more went vp with our Boat to sound the Riuer and found two leagues aboue vs but two fathomes water and the channell very narrow and aboue that place seuen or eight fathomes Toward night they returned and we rode still all night The one and twentieth was faire weather and the wind all Southerly we determined yet once more to goe farther vp into the Riuer to trie what depth and breadth it did beare but much people resorted aboord so wee went not this day Our Carpenter went on land and made a Fore-yard And our Master and his Mate determined to trie some of the chiefe men of the Countrey whether they had any treacherie in them So they tooke them downe into the Cabbin and gaue them so much Wine and Aqua vitae that they were â—ll merrie and one of them had his wife with him which sate so modestly as any of our Countrey women would doe in a strange place In the end one of them was drunke which had beene aboord of our ship all the time that we
had beene there and that was strange to them for they could not tell how to take it The Canoes and folke went all on shoare but some of them came againe and brought stropes of Beades some had sixe seuen eight nine ten and gaue him So he slept all night quietly The two and twentieth was faire weather in the morning our Masters Mate and foure more of the companie went vp with our Boat to sound the Riuer higher vp The people of the Countrey came not aboord till noone but when they came and saw the Sauages well they were glad So at three of the clocke in the after-noone they came aboord and brought Tabacco and more Beades and gaue them to our Master and made an Oration and shewed him all the Countrey â—ound about Then they sent one of their coâ—panie on land who presently returned and brought a great Platter full of Venison dressed by themselues and they caused him to eate with them then they made him reuerence and departed all saue the old man that lay aboord This night at ten of the clocke our Boat returned in a showre of raine from sounding of the Riuer and found it to bee at an end for shipping to goe in For they had beene vp eight or nine leagues and found but seuen foot water and vnconstant soundings The three and twentieth faire weather At twelue of the clocke wee weighed and went downe two leagues to a shoald that had two channels one on the one side and another on the other and had little wind whereby the tide layed vs vpon it So there wee sate on ground the space of an houre till the floud came Then we had a little gale of wind at the West So wee got our ship into deepe water and rode all night very well The foure and twentieth was faire weather the winde at the North-west wee weighed and went downe the Riuer seuen or eight leagues and at halfe ebbe wee came on ground on a banke of Oze in the middle of the Riuer and sate there till the floud Then wee went on Land and gathered good store of Chest-nuts At ten of the clocke wee came off into deepe water and anchored The fiue and twentieth was faire weather and the wind at South a stiffe gale We rode still and went on Land to walke on the West side of the Riuer and found good ground for Corne and other Garden herbs with great store of goodly Oakes and Wal-nut trees and Chest-nut trees Ewe trees and trees of sweet wood in great abundance and great store of Slate for houses and other good stones The sixe and twentieth was faire weather and the wind at South a stiffe gale wee rode still In the morning our Carpenter went on Land with our Masters Mate and foure more of our companie to cut wood This morning two Canoes came vp the Riuer from the place where we first found louing people and in one of them was the old man that had lyen aboord of vs at the other place He brought another old man with him which brought more stropes of Beades and gaue them to our Master and shewed him all the Countrey there about as though it were at his command So he made the two old men dine with him and the old mans wife for they brought two old women and two young maidens of the age of sixteene or seuenteene yeeres with them who behaued themselues very modestly Our Master gaue one of the old men a Knife and they gaue him and vs Tabacco And at one of the clocke they departed downe the Riuer making signes that wee should come downe to them for wee were within two leagues of the place where they dwelt The seuen and twentieth in the morning was faire weather but much wind at the North we weighed and set our fore top-sayle and our ship would not flat but ran on the Ozie banke at halfe ebbe Wee layed out anchor to heaue her off but could not So wee sate from halfe ebbe to halfe floud then wee set our fore-sayle and mayne top-sayle and got downe sixe leagues The old man came aboord and would haue had vs anchor and goe on Land to eate with him but the wind being faire we would not yeeld to his request So hee left vs being very sorrowfull for our departure At fiue of the clocke in the after-noone the wind came to the South South-west So wee made a boord or two and anchored in fourteene fathomes water Then our Boat went on shoare to fish right against the ship Our Masters Mate and Boat-swaine and three more of the companie went on land to fish but could not finde a good place They tooke foure or fiue and twentie Mullets Breames Bases and Barbils and returned in an houre We rode still all night The eight and twentieth being faire weather as soone as the day was light wee weighed at halfe ebbe and turned downe two leagues belowe water for the streame doth runne the last quarter ebbe then we anchored till high water At three of the clocke in the after-noone we weighed and turned downe three leagues vntill it was darke then wee anchored The nine and twentieth was drie close weather the wind at South and South and by West we weighed early in the morning and turned downe three leagues by a lowe water and anchored at the lower end of the long Reach for it is sixe leagues long Then there came certaine Indians in a Canoe to vs but would not come aboord After dinner there came the Canoe with other men whereof three came aboord vs. They brought Indian Wheat which wee bought for trifles At three of the clocke in the after-noone wee weighed as soone as the ebbe came and turned downe to the edge of the Mountaines or the Northermost of the Mountaines and anchored because the high Land hath many Points and a narrow channell and hath many eddie winds So we rode quietly all night in seuen fathoms water The thirtieth was faire weather and the wind at South-east a stiffe gale betwene the Mountaynes We rode still the after-noone The people of the Countrey came aboord vs and brought some small skinnes with them which we bought for Kniues and Trifles This a very pleasant place to build a Towne on The Road is very neere and very good for all winds saue an East North-east wind The Mountaynes looke as if some Metall or Minerall were in them For the Trees that grow on them were all blasted and some of them barren with few or no Trees on them The people brought a stone aboord like to Emery a stone vsed by Glasâ—ers to cut Glasse it would cut Iron or Steele Yet being bruised small and water put to it it made a colour like blacke Lead glistering It is also good for Painters Colours At three of the clocke they departed and we rode still all night The first of October faire weather the wind variable betweene the West and the
North. In the morning we weighed at seuen of the clocke with the ebbe and got downe below the Mountaynes which was seuen leagues Then it fell calme and the floud was come and wee anchored at twelue of the clocke The people of the Mountaynes came aboord vs wondring at our ship and weapons We bought some small skinnes of them for Trifles This after-noone one Canoe kept hanging vnder our sterne with one man in it which we could not keepe from thence who got vp by our Rudder to the Cabin window and stole out my Pillow and two Shirts and two Bandeleeres Our Masters Mate shot at him and strooke him on the brest and killed him Whereupon all the rest fled away some in their Canoes and so leapt out of them into the water We manned our Boat and got our things againe Then one of them that swamme got hold of our Boat thinking to ouerthrow it But our Cooke tooke a Sword and cut off one of his hands and he was drowned By this time the ebbe was come and we weighed and got downe two leagues by that time it was darke So we anchored in foure fathomes water and rode well The second faire weather At breake of day wee weighed the wind being at North-west and got downe seuen leagues then the floud was come strong so we anchored Then came one of the Sauages that swamme away from vs at our going vp the Riuer with many other thinking to betray vs. But wee perceiued their intent and suffered none of them to enter our ship Whereupon two Canoes full of men with their Bowes and Arrowes shot at vs after our sterne in recompence whereof we discharged sixe Muskets and killed two or three of them Then aboue an hundred of them came to a point of Land to shoot at vs. There I shot a Falcon at them and killed two of them whereupon the rest fled into the Woods Yet they manned off another Canoe with nine or ten men which came to meet vs. So I shot at it also a Falcon and shot it through and killed one of them Then our men with their Muskets killed three or foure more of them So they went their way within a while after wee got downe two leagues beyond that place and anchored in a Bay cleere from all danger of them on the other side of the Riuer where we saw a very good piece of ground and hard by it there was a Cliffe that looked of the colour of a white greene as though it were either Copper or Siluer Myne and I thinke it to be one of them by the Trees that grow vpon it For they be all burned and the other places are greene as grasse it is on that side of the Riuer that is called Manna-hata There we saw no people to trouble vs and rode quietly all night but had much wind and raine The third was very stormie the wind at East North-east In the morning in a gust of wind and raine our Anchor came home and we droue on ground but it was Ozie Then as we were about to haue out an Anchor the wind came to the North North-west and droue vs off againe Then we shot an Anchor and let it fall in foure fathomes water and weighed the other Wee had much wind and raine with thicke weather so we roade still all night The fourth was faire weather and the wind at North North-west wee weighed and came out of the Riuer into which we had runne so farre Within a while after wee came out also of The great mouth of the great Riuer that runneth vp to the North-west borrowing vpon the Norther side of the same thinking to haue deepe water for wee had sounded a great way with our Boat at our first going in and found seuen six and fiue fathomes So we came out that way but we were deceiued for we had but eight foot an halfe water and so to three fiue three and two fathomes and an halfe And then three foure fiue sixe seuen eight nine and ten fathomes And by twelue of the clocke we were cleere of all the Inlet Then we tooke in our Boat and set our mayne-sayle and sprit-sayle and our top-sayles and steered away East South-east and South-east by East off into the mayne sea and the Land on the Souther-side of the Bay or Inlet did beare at noone West and by South foure leagues from vs. The fift was faire weather and the wind variable betweene the North and the East Wee held on our course South-east by East At noone I obserued and found our height to bee 39. degrees 30. minutes Our Compasse varied sixe degrees to the West We continued our course toward England without seeing any Land by the way all the rest of this moneth of October And on the seuenth day of Nouember stilo nono being Saturday by the Grace of God we safely arriued in the Range of Dartmouth in Deuonshire in the yeere 1609. CHAP. XVII An Abstract of the Iournall of Master HENRY HVDSON for the Discouerie of the North-west Passage begunne the seuenteenth of Aprill 1610. ended with his end being treacherously exposed by some of the Companie THe seuenteenth of Aprill 1610. we brake ground and went downe from Saint Katharines Poole and fell downe to Blacke-wall and so plyed downe with the ships to Lee which was the two and twentieth day The two and twentieth I caused Master Coleburne to bee put into a Pinke bound for London with my Letter to the Aduenturers importing the reason wherefore I so put him out of the ship and so plyed forth The second of May the wind Southerly at Eeuen we were thwart of Flamborough Head The fift we were at the Iles of Orkney and here I set the North end of the Needle and the North of the Flie all one The sixt wee were in the latitude of 59. degrees 22. minutes and there perceiued that the North end of Scotland Orney and Shotland are not so Northerly as is commonly set downe The eight day wee saw Farre Ilands in the latitude of 62. degrees 24. minutes The eleuenth day we fell with the Easter part of Island and then plying along the Souther part of the Land we came to Westmony being the fifteenth day and still plyed about the mayne Iland vntill the last of May with contrary winds and we got some Fowles of diuers sorts The first day of Iune we put to Sea out of an Harbour in the Westermost part of Island and so plyed to the Westward in the latitude of 66. degrees 34. minutes and the second day plyed and found our selues in 65. degrees 57. minutes with little wind Easterly The third day wee found our selues in 65. degrees 30. minutes with winde at North-east a little before this we sayled neere some Ice The fourth day we saw Groneland ouer the Ice perfectly and this night the Sunne went downe due North and rose North North-east So plying the
passed by them till we came to the South side of the Hill we went vnto them and there found more and being nigh them I turned off the vppermost stone and found them hollow within and full of Fowles hanged by their neckes Then Greene and I went to fetch the Boat to the South side while Robert Billet and hee got downe a Valley to the Sea side where wee tooke them in Our Master in this time came in betweene the two Lands and shot off some Peeces to call vs aboord for it was a fogge Wee came aboord and told him what we had seene and perswaded him to stay a day or two in this place telling him what refreshing might there bee had but by no meanes would he stay who was not pleased with the motion So we left the Fowle and lost our way downe to the South-west before they went in sight of the Land which now beares to the East from vs being the same mayne Land that wee had all this while followed Now we had lost the sight of it because it falleth away to the East after some fiue and twenty or thirty leagues Now we came to the shallow water wherewith wee were not acquainted since we came from Island now we came into broken ground and Rockes through which we passed downe to the South In this our course we had a storme and the water did shoald apace Our Master came to an anchor in fifteene fathoms water Wee weighed and stood to the South-east because the Land in this place did lie so When we came to the point of the West Land for we now had Land on both sides of vs we came to an anchor Our Master sent the Boat ashoare to see what that Land was and whether there were any way through They soone returned and shewed that beyond the point of Land to the South there was a large Sea This Land on the West side was a very narrow Point Wee weighed from hence and stood in for this Sea betweene the two Lands which in this place is not two leagues broad downe to the South for a great way in sight of the East shoare In the end we lost sight thereof and saw it not till we came to the bottome of the Bay into sixe or seuen fathomes water Hence we stood vp to the North by the West shoare till wee came to an Iland in 53. where we tooke in water and ballast From hence wee passed towards the North but some two or three dayes after reasoning concerning our comming into this Bay and going out our Master tooke occasion to reuiue old matters and to displace Robert Iuet from being his Mate and the Boat-swaine from his place for words spoken in the first great Bay of Ice Then hee made Robert Billet his Mate and William Wilson our Boat-swaine Vp to the North wee stood till we raised Land then downe to the South and vp to the North then downe againe to the South and on Michaelmasse day came in and went out of certaine Lands which our Master sets downe by the name of Michaelmasse Bay because we came in and went out on that day From hence wee stood to the North and came into shoald water and the weather being thicke and foule wee came to an anchor in seuen or eight fathome water and there lay eight dayes in all which time wee could not get one houre to weigh our anchor But the eight day the wind beginning to cease our Master would haue the anchor vp against the mind of all who knew what belonged thereunto Well to it we went and when we had brought it to a peake a Sea tooke her and cast vs all off from the Capstone and hurt diuers of vs. Here wee lost our Anchor and if the Carpenter had not beene we had lost our Cable too but he fearing such a matter was ready with his Axe and so cut it From hence we stood to the South and to the South-west through a cleere Sea of diuers sounding and came to a Sea of two colours one blacke and the other white sixteene or seuenteene fathome water betweene which we went foure or fiue leagues But the â—â—ght comming we tooke in our Top-sayles and stood afore the wind with our Maine-sayle and Fore-sayle and came into fiue or sixe fathomes and saw no Land for it was darke Then we stood to the East and had deepe water againe then to the South and Southwest and so came to our Westermost Bay of all and came to an anchor neerest to the North shorae Out went our Boat to the Land that was next vs when they came neere it our Boat could not flote to the shoare it was so shallow yet ashoare they got Here our men saw the footing of a man and a Ducke in the snowy Rockes and Wood good store whereof they tooke some and returned aboord Being at anchor in this place we saw a ledge of Rockes to the South of vs some league of length It lay North and South couered at a full Sea for a strong tide setteth in here At mid-night wee weighed and stood to goe out as we came in and had not gone long but the Carpenâ—er came and told the Master that if he kept that course he would be vpon the Rockes the Master conceiued that he was past them when presently wee ranne on them and there stucke fast twelue houres but by the mercy of God we got off vnhurt though not vnscarred Wee stood vp to the East and raysed three Hills lying North and South wee went to the furthermost and left it to the North of vs and so into a Bay where wee came to an anchor Here our Master sent out our Boat with my selfe and the Carpenter to seeke a place to winter in and it was time for the nights were long and cold and the earth couered with Snow Hauing spent three moneths in a Labyrinth without end being now the last of October we went downe to the East to the bottome of the Bay but returned without speeding of that we went for The next day we went to the South and the South-west and found a place whereunto we brought our ship and haled her aground and this was the first of Nouember By the tenth thereof we were frozen in but now we were in it behooued vs to haue care of what we had for that we were sure of but what we had not was vncertaine Wee were victualled for sixe moneths in good proportion and of that which was good if our Master would haue had more he might haue had it at home and in other places Here we were now and therefore it behoued vs so to spend that wee might haue when time came to bring vs to the Capes where the Fowle bred for that was all the hope wee had to bring vs home Wherefore our Master tooke order first for the spending of that wee had and then to increase it by propounding
toward the Euening wee sounded and found our selues in ninetie fathomes and more but the storme and furie of the windes was so great that it brake fiue of the hinges off our rudder On the twelfth in the morning the storme not ceasing but increasing euery houre more and more beat vpon our weake rudder with so great violence and furie that it broke away all that held it in such sort that it hung on the one side where for the last remedie wee fastened a great Cable vnto it with the which for three dayes wee drew it after vs not being able to doe it otherwise in which time in our iudgement wee thought wee had runne two hundred miles and more against our wills Afterward we tooke away the two Rudders and with many pieces of Timber we made another which might rather be called a shadow then a true Rudder and wee put it in his place to guide and direct the ship But it could not endure longer then till the six and twentieth of Nouember when the violence of the Sea carried it all away so that then wee remayned depriued of all hope of gouernment and direction On the fourth of December the furie of the winde grew so outragious againe that it carried away all this third sayle and so being spoyled and bereft of Sayle and Rudder we went at aduenture vntill the eight day alwayes wandering not knowing by any meanes how to prouide for our safetie Afterward the winde alwayes increasing from the East and with so great violence and furie that the Sea beganne to swell so high that the waues seemed Mountaynes and farre greater then we had euer seene before with the darknesse of the extreame long night so that we seemed to goe in the bottomlesse depth of Hell whereby you may imagine how great the anguish and trembling of our hearts was because although we were liuing yet at that instant wee seemed to bee dead expecting death euery houre which we saw present In this darknesse the Heauen was sometimes seene to open with the lightnings and sudden flashes of fire so bright that they tooke away the fight of our eyes And sometimes we seemed to touch the starres the ship mounted so aloft and then againe we saw our selues buried in Hell insomuch as being all astonished we had lost our strength and force And being in this miserable case we did nothing else but with pittie behold one another running with so great violence for many houres in the end a surge of the Sea came ouer the ship vnder the wind with such furie that the water entred into it filled it almost halfe full whereby being now much weakened it was readie to sinke and turned vp the Keele And surely that was the last houre and our end and truly we had beene swallowed vp of the Sea if our Lord Iesus Christ had not beene who forsaketh not them that religiously call vpon him who put such power and strength into our afflicted minds that seeing the ship in so dangerous a case full of water as it could not be cast out by any humane force we determined to cut downe the mayne Mast and cast it together with the mayne Yard and Tackling into thâ— Sea and so wee did whereby the ship being disburdened paused awhile and we then taking courage beganne to cast out the water which with our great trouble and labour we ouercame in the end In this manner wee went scouring away all that long night Now when the day was almost come they agreed to make readie the Boat and the Schiffe with that little prouision of victuall which was remayning equally parted And the Patron said With your consent I command you Nicolo di Michiel the Notary that you set downe in a note the names of those that are willing to enter into the Schiffe and Boat so presently he gaue him fortie fiue persons in a note who were willing to enter into the Schiffe which was capeable but of one and twentie men only and therefore it was necessary to cast Lots who should goe therein and so it was done and they prepared it and set it in order and did the like to the Boate into the which the Master with fortie seuen men entred The one and twentie persons to whom the lot fell entred the Schiffe and a rate was giuen them according to the proportion of the victuall which was remayning of Bisket and also of Frisoppi three hundred pound weight of Cheese of Candia eightie pounds of dried Bacon eight pounds of Tallow to trim their Schiffe fortie pounds of Oyle about two pound waight and no more but besides wee bestowed there seuen Carrattells of Tyrian Wine which is a kind of Maluasie for the Pinnasse or Schiffe would hold no more In like manner fortie seuen men reckoning the Master entred into the Boate or Pinnasse vnto whom rateably fell their proportion of victuals adding thereto a little Greene Ginger in Sirrope and Sirrope of Limons with some small quantitie of Spices which wee had taken We were in our iudgement distant from the neerest Iland or Land about fiue hundred miles or more from the point of Land to Lee-ward of the North part and we sayled with these Conserues in a quiet and calme Sea that little time of the day together with our one and twentie companions comforting our selues in that which we had seene the beginning of so faire a fortune But when the night came a darke mist rose which was a token of the euill sucâ—esse and end which our companions of the Schiffe were to haue of whom we had now lost the sight so that we neuer saw them any more The ninteenth day the morning appearing and not seeing any token of the Schiffe it made vs suspitious of their death whereupon our mindes were much troubled doubting what might befall them because the windes raged in such manner that a waue of the Sea mounted with so great violence into the Pinnasse behinde the Poope where wee Christopher and Nicholas were set downe that through the force of the furie thereof two stayes were battered and bent which left a token of vnsupportable trouble and griefe by meanes that the Pinnasse was more charged with the weight of the water then with her owne burthen Wherefore to remedie it wee ranne all to lade it out with our hands and being constrained through feare and necessitie for the freeing of her wee were faine to cast out all that whether with water or without which came most fit and ready to our hands The Pinnasse becomming drie againe presently in this storme wee agreed to cast ouer-boord the greatest part of the Wine and wee found our selues in so great extremitie that if wee would taste thereof to comfort our troubled senses no more then one goblet of Wine apeece fell to euery mans share for the whole day and who so would drinke more was constrayned to take the Sea-water and this measure and quantitie of Wine held out
eight dayes and no more And afterward being driuen to greater necessitie wee brought our selues to a greater extremitie by restrayning our proportion to halfe a goblet a day and none of vs could securely sleepe for the diuers doubts and dangers wherein wee alwayes presently stood Wee continued euery day and night foure or sixe of vs at the Helme and those that were at the Pumpe stood alwayes firme and vpright changing their courses where wee endured cold beyond comparison farre greater then that which not many yeeres since was in Venice when all the Channels were frozen so that from Margara to Venice not onely Men and Women but Oxen Horses Carts and Waggons went ouer vpon the Ice in great multitudes to the admiration of all the people because that Region is without comparison much colder then the Countrey of Italy Now consider what our case was being without Clothes to couer vs and not hauing any thing to eate or drinke or other necessary thing for the maintenance of mans life except a few Frisoppi which were left and the nights one and twentie houres long and also darke Through the which cold wee began to lose the feeling of our feete and by little and little the cold becomming more vehement possessed the whole body procuring a dogged and raging appetite and hunger so that euery one sought to deuoure that which was hid in a corner and whatsoeuer hee had next at hand wheresoeuer hee could finde it as well as hee might with that weake and little strength which hee had remayning Afterward death seasing vpon them you might see them shake the head and fall downe presently dead In the which Diseases of seuen and fortie men which wee found in that case sixe and twentie yeelded vp the ghost and it was not any wonder considering wee could not haue any succour nay it is a diuine miracle that any one remayned aliue And those few of vs that are remayning liue onely to commend to memorie and highly to exalt the great power of God Those sixe and twentie dyed from the three and twentieth of December vntill the fifth of Ianuary now one now two and sometimes more in one day whom we buryed in the Sea The one and thirtieth of December our Wine being wholly spent and hauing seene the cruell and lamentable experience of our sixe and twentie Companions who dyed with drinking of the Sea-water necessities gaue vs a good stomacke that is to say to take our owne water to quench our thirst Now there were some of the companie exceedingly troubled with giddinesse for wanting the abundant plentie of Wine they were not able to indure thirst nor to expell it but they accounted it a great fauour to bee able to obtayne of their companions whereof there were some who denyed it to their dearest friend to keepe it for themselues It is true that some of vs warily mortified it by mingling a little sirrop of greene Ginger or Limons therewith which by chance we had remayning During this time vntill the fifth of Ianuary we were euery houre more accustomed to greater extremities The third of Ianuary 1431. wee had sight of the first Land which gaue vs great hope although it so fell out that it was very farre distant where wee saw certayne Rockes to weatherward couered to the top with infinite heapes of Snow to the which the windes being contrary wee were not able to approach with the sayles and much lesse with Oares because our armes were exceedingly weakened wherefore wee stroâ—e to come neere them with the winde but passing beyond them through the current of the water wee lost sight of them altogether And after difficult escape from the Rockes sayling forward towards a very high Rocke wee had sight of a Valley scituated betweene the two next Mountaynes into the which desiring to enter about the fourth houre of the night the cruell and outragious windes would not suffer vs. Notwithstanding inflamed through an exceeding great desire to goe on Land wee tooke courage and strength and through force of the Oares and the helpe of God entred into the sayd Valley at a point of Land in the least doubtfull and dangerous place as it were at the very beginning and entrie thereof in the which as soone as they perceiued the Pinnasse to touch vpon the sand fiue of our companie being more desirous of drinke then of any other refreshing and recreation leaped into the water without any regard although it were very deepe and went their way toward the Snow and so glutted themselues therewith that it was an incredible thing And afterward they brought a great quantitie thereof vnto vs who remayned in the Pinnasse to defend it from the beating of the Sea of the which wee also with great greedinesse receiued without measure And running according to our iudgement as wee had runne in this Pinnasse for eighteene dayes from the day that wee departed from the ship vntill this sixth of Ianuarie sayling alwayes betweene the North-east and the East and not with lesse winde then after sixe miles an houre wee had runne about two thousand fiue hundred miles and more without euer seeing any Land On the sixth of Ianuary at the time of the solemne day of the Epiphanie nineteene of vs went on land in this desolate and drie place called the Iland of the Saints in the Coast of Norway subiect to the Crowne of Denmarke leauing two other to looke to the weake Pinnasse that it might not bee broken with the beating of the Sea And being landed there by meanes of an Oare we endeauoured to kindle fire and with a tynder boxe and steele to strike fire wee retired our selues into the closest place from the winde and at the sight of the fire nature thereby receiued a little strength Finding this Iland not inhabited and seeking to goe in the Pinnasse to another Iland fiue miles off shee so leaked that part of vs landing as it were all in the water and some of vs vp to the middle in shallower water wee stroue to draw her on land and despairing to bee euer able to goe in her againe wee determined to fit her in such sort that shee might serue our turne to couer vs after the best manner that wee could Wee broake her into two parts and of the greater wee made a shelter or Cottage for thirteene of vs and of the lesser a shedde capable of fiue men vnder the which wee entred couering them with part of our sayles and with the rest and the cordage of the sayd Pinnasse wee made continuall fire to preserue our liues Now being vtterly destitute of all sustenance of meate and drinke wee went wandring vpon the Sea shoare where Nature gaue vs food to maintayne life with certrine Perewinckles or Shel-fish and Barnacles And of these not as many nor when wee would but in very small quantitie And remouing the Snow in some places wee found a certayne Herbe which together with the
XX. A briefe Memoriall of the great Trauells by Sea and Land of Master GEORGE BARKLEY Merchant of London in Europe Asia Africa and America and their Ilands BEing a childe he was transported into the East Countries and the first place of his landing was Schagen from thence vnto Elsenâ—re a Towne as bigge as Brentwood where the Danish Custome is taken and where he hath seene at one time the Dane making stay of all shipping fourteene dayes for ostentation to a forreigne Nobleman seuen hundred sayle From thence to Coppenhagen thence to Bornholme thence to Danske a Towne subject to the Pole being in continuall buildings if by any meanes they may fortifie themselues against the Hilles ouer-looking the Towne a Rill running betweene whence they haue their fresh water they spare no time Sunday nor other There lyeth here in the Sea by casting vp of sands a long Iland called Frishnering where alongst as on Samaiden is gathered by the Danske Officers there and here by the Iewes that farme it of the Pole Amber cast vp by the Sea in great abundance pieces as bigge as a pecke more or lesse The Bores that find it and gather haue so many firkins of some other meane commoditie and if they keepe and sell it they dye for it Hee hath seene one piece of Amber taken vp in the middest whereof was to be seene through the transparent Amber a Frog in similitude and full proportion Master Vassall his brother a friend of mine told me of a piece of Timber in the keele of a ship where by occasion of a sliuer one cutting nine inches within the Timber euery way he found a great liuing Tode in the hollow thereof at Woolwich betwixt this Frishnering and the Land is a great water Frisbhâ—ff where at Saint Georges day they begin to fish of which there is exceeding plentie and for three halfe pence one may buy a cast as much as they shall draw the next time One here in his Net drew vp a company or heape of Swallowes as bigge as a bushell fastned by the legs and bills in one which being carried to their stoues quickned and slew and comming againe suddenly in the cold Aire dyed From Danske he went to Marienberg a Towne also standing on the Vistle whereby it runneâ—h in another channell and betwixt both these makes an Iland wherein stands Nerdeich which Iland is compassed with a wall to fortifie it against the comming downe of the Vistle in the Spring at the thaw of the snowes c. This wall seemeth in some places as high as Paules Steeple and other-where as high as Paules Church where yet it hath sometime beene ouerflowne full it is of Hoffes and Villages belonging to the Lords of Danske HONDIVS his Map of BORVSSIA or PRVSSIA PRUSSIA Thence he went to Elbing a faire Towne where our Trade is now for Flaxe which was before at Danske thence remoued for their insolencies Here our men only pay Custome others are free and this they did voluntarily and haue in this respect very much authoritie amongst the Lords there the Towne still flourisheth with buildings c. HONDIVS his Map of LIVONIA or LIEFLAND LIVONIA The Momeses are almost Saluadoes retaining still their old superstitions as to worship the Sun or the first Beast they meet with and especially they haue in religious reckoning their Leaue This which they call Se-leaue or the Groues is a company of Trees which it is religious to touch and he knew a Dutchman Martin Yekell of Derpt who breaking a bough was swelled a yeere together as big as his skinne would hold Heere at Marriages and Burialls they pray but without Image Their marriage is thus The man and his Bride are set stridling on a Horse and blinded and so led into Se-leaue there taken downe and married by their Rites then set vp againe blinded as before and conueyed with their company and Musicke to their house singing Kosoku Kosoku Coniku seamoha there taken downe and had to bed still blinded till the next morrow in the meane while they rest drinking c. They mourne when one is borne reioyce and make merry at death Their mourning in Curland is then and when they walke alone or fetch wood Yerow yerou yerou masculine babe the words themselues vnderstand not but thinke it to haue remained since that Babylonish Towre When the Momeses die they are buried in their Leaues with their knife vnder their arme and their coate hanging ouer the graue The Momeses are very ignorant and aske who learne the Hares in the woods their prayers At Rie the women haue a thing of Red veluet on their heads made like a Ship with the keele vpward at each end a lock of hayre The women of the Sacs differ in their fashion of attire each City from other a pleted Petticote with a damaske Vpper body a veluet Square on their heads and thereon a Cloke c. The maid vncouered if she haue had a child and refuse to goe couered she is brought to the Pillory her haire cut off and there nayled and a Kerchiefe put on Here and in Norway and in White Russia c. strangers pay nothing for entertainment but salute sit downe and expect the Hosts expences Their bed they must bring with them which is commonly a Beares skin or else they there haue a locke of straw To offer money is a disgrace which yet might seeme to arise of the basenesse of the coyne Their houses are all of Timber beames laid square and others laid on them in notches so till they come to the roofe which they couer with straw diuided in two roomes the inner being the Parlour or stoue where they haue as it were one Ouen ouer another the middle hearth being of stones set grate-wise the fire is put in on the Back-side or Hal-side there also the Sinke issueth Before that mouth in the Stoue is set a vessell of water which when they wil haue the heat exceeding they besprinkle on those hot stones A fire lasteth a day at night they renew it Sometimes the old Prusees on the borders of Curland according to their old heathenish Rites do sacrifice their Priest in fire HONDIVS his Map of LITHVANIA LITHUANIA HONDIVS his Map of POLONIA POLONIA et SILESIA The Polanders had a great murraine of beasts attributed to the Iewes two Iewes comming to a woman offered her mony for some of her milke she answered her child but then sucked they left their glasse there promising to fetch it anon and to satisfie her her husband meane while comming home and seeing so strange a thing as a glasse asked from whence it came and why being answered two Iewes had left it there for milke for a medicine bid her fleet Cowes milke and fill the glasse which the Iewes receiuing and hauing entertained a Boy caused him to climbe vp one of the Ladders which there stand together with their three square
some furlongs bread and three or foure miles long There appeare euident signes in the stonie Mountaines that the ancient Greekes thence cut huge stones and carried them by Ships to build Chersona a Citie in those times famous as the Greeke Christians still report The Heraclians of Pontus sent thither a Colony The Fort of Ingermenum was also built by the Greekes as appeareth by Greeke Inscriptions and Scutcheons therein and thorow all the Isthmus to the walls were sumptuous buildings and innumerable Wells digged There were also two great High-wayes or Causies of stone There were many good Vineyards and Gardens now called Belbec and possessed by Greeke Christians or Italians and Iewes and a few Turkes Of the ruines the Turkes and Tartars make great Stalls and Enclosures for their beasts This Cheronesus Corsunum or Chersona the Turkes called Sari Germenum or Yellow Tower of the colour of that Tract whereof admirable ruines remaine to testifie the quondam splendor There are channells or conduits of hewen stone vnder ground foure miles to the Citie walls still containing cleere water From a place where is a Village of note and not farre off neere the Sea is a Greeke Monastery of Saint George with anniuersarie deuotion frequented of the Greekes remaining in Taurica with great concourse The Citie hath not beene inhabited these many ages the Walls and Towers sumptuously built are yet seene entire But the Turks carry thence excellent Marble and Serpentine Columnes and great stones by Sea for the vse of their publike and priuate buildings Of the Temples the very ruines are vtterly ruined and the houses lye buried in that Monument and Selfe-sepulchre The walls of a Greeke Monasterie remayne very large but without roofe and the ornaments spoyled The Russian and Polonian Chronicles relate that Volodâ—mir great Duke of the Russians or Kiou carried thence two doores of Corinthian Brasse and some artificiall Greeke Images which Broleslaus the second King of Poland translated from Kiou to Gnesna there yet in the great Church to be seene Volodimir tooke that Citie from Iohn Zemisca the Constantinopolitan Emperour but after marrying Anna the sister of Emperour Basilius and being baptized in that Monastery after the Greeke Rites by a certayne Patriarch hee restored it as is still related by the Christian remainders in those parts Before the Citie was the Promontorie Parthenium with a Temple and Image of that Goddesse and other Antiquities by Strabo related That which the Greekes called Iamboli the Turkes haue stiled Balachei as the Towre of fishes in regard of the plentie in that Sea It was fortified in a high great and stonie Mountayne by the Genuois whiles the proud cowardly Grecians which held that part of Taurica quarrelling amongst themselues lost it to them There they had a notable Port a strong and sumptuous Fortresse and there the Towres houses and walls with the Genuois Ensignes and Inscriptions lye ruined It is now inhabited of a few Greekes Iewes and Turkes and frequented by fewer Merchants and strangers by Sea Marcopia stretcheth further to the Mountaynes and Woods and is not so neere the Sea it hath had two Castles Greeke Temples and Houses sumptuous with many cleere Rils running out of the stone but eighteene yeeres after that the Turkes had taken it as the Greeke Christians affirme it was destroyed by a sudden and horrible fire Neither hath any thing remayned of note but the higher Fort in which is a goodly Gate adorned with Greeke writing and store of Marble and a high house of stone Into that house the Messengers of the Muscouites are by the barbarous Chans sometimes thrust and there endure hard keeping There remaynes the Greeke Church of Saint Constantius and another meane one of Saint George One Greeke Priest and some Iewes and Turkes dwell there Obliuion and Ruine hath deuoured the rest nor are there men or Stories of the quondam Inhabitants which I with great care and diligence euery-where sought in vaine An old Priest which I saw there said that a little before the Turkes besieged it two Greeke Dukes of the Imperiall bloud of Constantinople or Trapezond there resided which were after carried aliue into Constantinople and by Selim the Turkish Emperour slaine In the Greeke Churches on the walls are painted Imperiall Images and Habits The Tower and Citie Marcopia is nigh to Cercessigermenum a new Turkish Fort taking name from Cercessium but the Turkes and Tartars and Greekes also haue now lost the name The Greeke Dukes are said to haue there committed much wickednesse And in that stony Hill whereon it is seated it hath houses cut with admirable Artifice in the Rocke which still for the most part remayne entire although the place be become wooddie A Temple adorned with Marble and Serpentine Pillars now laid prostrate on the ground testifie the quondam glorie The Palaces or Houses of the Chans reach vnto the Mediterranean Taurica as Strabo cals it It hath a famous Towne and a principall Store-house called Baccasaray wherein he perpetually resideth That Towne is situated betweene two Mountaynes and a little Riuer flowes betweene whereof the Towne is named There is a stone Mosche and the Chans Sepulchres built within the Townes Liberty of the Christians ruines Not farre also from that Towne there is a Mahometan Monasterie and very many Tartarian Graues curiously raysed out of the Grecian ruines In the further end of that Towne there is another Towne called Salaticum adorned with faire buildings by the Turkes there inhabiting The Royall Seate or Mansion of the Chans is sumptuously garnished by the ancient Tartarian Princes with Houses Temples Sepulchres and exquisite Baths When the Princes with their Wiues oft giue themselues to ease pastimes pleasures and recreation they go thither For that place or Region is commodious for huntings it hath Orchards Vineyards Gardens and many store of good grounds and it is watered with Chrystaline streames There are Mountaynes and store of Woods wherein are seene very many ruines of Houses and large Forts and Cities yet they remayne desert and are of few or none inhabited Almassaray at the meeting of the Riuer Alma is a house of the Kings where he is woont not often to reside because he liues not there so commodiously as in other places and cannot lodge there with his Court for there is only one base Village There are some more obscure bordering Townes and Fortresses where they are woont to maintayne their Wiues Also not a few Castles where the Sultans the Chans brothers or their sonnes and wiues perpetually dwell That part of Chersonesus which the Chan with his Tartars possesse from Perecopia toward the Fenne or Lake to the Citie Cremum is cultiuated plaine champiâ—n fertile and plentifull of grasse but toward the Sea and the Palace of the Chan and his Townes Castles and Villages the Countrey is Mountaynous woodie well husbanded and very fruitfull The Mountaynes in that Coast are huge
on their garments which greatly trouble them for want of linnen if thy see any each taketh them from the other and as often as he taketh away one so often doth he thanke him with his head discouered and this they doe one to the other as long as they see one By night the Master of the house with all his family his wife and children lye in one roome couered with a cloth made of Wooll which they make And the like clothes they lap vnder them without straw or hay put vnder All of them make water in one chamber-pot with the which in the morning they wash their face mouth teeth and hands they alledge many reasons thereof to wit that this makes a faire face maintaineth the strength confirmeth the sinnewes in the hands and preserueth the teeth from putrifaction If Catâ—le perish in the waters or snow which often commeth to passe they say they are killed of God and are accounted among the delicates And it happened in the yeere 1564. in a place called Ackermisse that in the month of Ianuary some Kine strayed in the darke and the fogge was so great and the depth of snow that they could not be found In the moneth of April they were first found vntainted and without any euill smell and being distributed among the neighbours some part was brought to the Gouernour with whom I liued at that time which was not lawfull for him to despise yet he commanded it to bee giuen to the poore In the Winter time before and after the Solstitium when the Sunne declineth and being in Sagitarius Capricornus and Aquarius it departeth from them neither doth it ascend aboue the Horizon while it touch Pisces therefore they haue no light but of the Moone and Starres In like manner about the Summer Solstitium when the Sunne ascendeth to Gemini Cancer and Leo it neuer goeth downe vnder the Horizon therefore at that time they haue no Night In the Winter time they keepe their Beds many dayes and exercise themselues in the game of Chesse the inuention wherof is due to Xerxes the Philosopher the meane while the seruants bring them their meate dressed to their beds They keepe Lampes of the oyle of Fish continually burning others burne Tallow candles In the moneth of Februarie as soone as the Sunne ascends aboue the Horizon by little and little the dayes grow longer then they begin to Fish whereof there is so great plentie that it is scarce credible for the Fishes which for three whole moneths swamme in the darke as soone as they see a fish of Tinne fastened to an Iron they ranne to it in schoales that they are not onely drawne vp by the jawes but wheresoeuer the Iron toucheth them Hauing taken them they plucke out the bones and lay vp their bowels and make Fat or Oyle of them They heape vp their Fish in the open ayre and the puritie of the ayre is such there that they are hardened onely with the winde and Sunne without Salt better surely then if they were corned with salt And if they kill any Beasts they preserue the flesh without stinke or putrifaction without salt hardened onely with the winde Of the wonderfull standing Pooles Lakes and Fountaynes in Iseland IN diuers places almost throughout the whâ—le Iland are Bathes and scalding Fountaynes which flow out in great abundance This water as soone as it begins to coole hath a Sulphurie substance in the top thereof In these scalding waters wherein I could scarse dippe my finger red Diue-doppers are seene afarre off if you come neerer they vanish if you depart they appeare againe so all day long if any please they play boe-peepe with men Whether they bee Diue-doppers indeed I leaue it to others to decide At the West of this Iland there is a huge smoakie Lake and very cold which turneth all things that are cast into it into stones and that in few dayes and which is worthy of great admiration if you put a sticke vpright into the bottome the lower part which is stucke into the earth hath the resemblance and hardnesse of Iron after two dayes that which was in the water hath the hardnesse and shew of a Stone the vpper part which remayned aboue the water keepeth his wonted forme And I twice proued the truth of this thing but when I put the lower part which represented Iron to the fire that it might melt it burned like a Coale There are two Fountaynes of most different qualitie in a place vpon the Sea coast which is called Turlocks Hauen the one cold the other hot these Fountaynes by pipes are drawne into one place and tempered for bathing they make a most wholesome Bath Not farre from these Fountaynes there is a certaine other Fountayne which bubbles foorth liquor like Wax which notably cureth the French disease which is very common there Not farre from the Hauen Haffnefordt there is a cleft in a Rocke like to a Fountayne of vnmeasurable depth If you looke into it you cannot see the water but if you cast in a stone halfe an houre after you shall heare it falling as if it fell into brazen Vessels and forthwith the water ariseth and it is filled to the top of the Wels brimme and it is a most cleere water which notwithstanding no man dare touch nor taste neither doth it flow out but so long after as the stone which is cast in sinketh to the bottome There is another Lake in the middle of the Iland which casteth forth a pestiferous fume insomuch as it killeth Birds flying ouer it with the poyson thereof Of the wonderfull Mountaynes in Island THere are three Mountaynes in Island very admirable the one is called the Mountayne of the Crosse the other Sneuelsiockell These two pierce the cloudes with their heigth whose heads or tops no man euer saw nor are they euer seene without Ice and Snow in those Lightnings and horrible Thunders are daily heard when neuerthelesse in the neighbouring Valleyes the Aire is faire and cleere as in Summer time The third Mountayne lyeth on the North of the Iland and not very high but it hath burned very many yeeres with what fire or matter it is vnknowne but seeing Brimstone is digged out of the Earth throughout the whole Land it seemeth that the Sulphurie matter is sometime inflamed This Mountayne is not farre from the Sea and the Sea on one side beates vpon it it is called Hecla sometimes it casteth forth flame sometimes fierie water then blacke ashes and Pumis stones in so great abundance that it darkeneth the Sunne No man also can dwell neere it by sixe mile neither are there any pastures about it Sometimes bold men and such as regard not their liues cast stones into the hollow places for sometimes there is a wonderfull calme in the Mountayne especially when the Westerne wind blowes it casteth backe the stones flung into it with an horrible noyse and
I purposed to goe yet could not by reason of abundance of Ice which lay aboue three leagues from the Land which I could not possibly passe At a North-west and by West sun I saw abundance of Ice all along the Land to the Southwards of Bel-sound The eight day at twelue at noone I stood into the Ice in hope to get to the shoare the wind at North and by West hasie weather Hornâ—-sound bearing East North-east nine leagues of I stood to the landwards till foure of the clocke at which time I found the Ice so thick that I was forced to stand to the Southwards to eschew it I sayled by and amongst the Ice till a North North-west Sunne at which time I was within three leagues of the shoare Then I sounded and had thirtie sixe fathomes Then I stood to the Westwards and finding all this part of the Land full of Ice I purposed to stand to the Northwards againe to search for commodities that way the wind being at North-west I turned to windwards till the tenth day at eight of the clocke before noone at which time weâ— found a part of a dead Whale which I caused to bee made fast to the Ship determining to get into some Harbour there to make the best of it I could get into Bel-sound at which time I saw all the bottom of the Sound full of Ice so that there was no refuge for the Ship Then I was faine to turne out with the winde at West and beganne to blow verie hard At a North-west Sunne it was fayre weather and I sent my Mate with the skiffe to search the Coasts towardes Bel-point The fourteenth day at a North-east Sunne the skiffe came aboord and brought three Beares which they had slaine Immediately I sent the Boat for water and wood and then I stood through the Ice and got through it by a North Sun the fifteenth day the wind at North-west foggie weather Then I turned to windwards to double Lownesse and got cleere of it at sixe of the clocke at night thicke foggie weather The sixteenth day at fiue of the clocke in the afternoone I got to Black-point the wind comming to the South thicke weather Then I sent the skiffe to range the Coast and to search what they might find The seuenteenth day at ten of the clocke they came aboord and brought some Fins and three Deere Then I stood towards Crosse-road and ankered there at a North-sun the wind and weather as abouesaid The eighteenth day about fiue of the clocke in the morning I sent the skiffe to see if they could find any Morâ—es on Land on the Rocke or in Deere-sound and in the meane time I with the rest of the company got drift-wood and water readie and about a South sunne a Beare with two young ones the Dam I slew and tooke the young ones aboord the ship the wind Northerly cold foggie weather The nine and twentieth day in the morning I went to thâ— Eastside to see if any Mohorses were on land there I slew foure exceeding fat Buckes and a Doe In which time the skiffe came aboord and brought two Beares skins but found no beasts and in Deere-sound they found Sea-coales which burnt very well The twentieth day I sent the Skiffe into the bottome of Closse-coue to search it for commodities the wind at South close weather with raine at eight of the clock at night they came aboord but found nothing immediately I got wood and water aboord which was ready before preparing to set sayle the wind and weather abouesaid we slue three Deere The one and twentieth I wayed the wind at North faire weather The two and twentieth day the wind came to the West and then I stood to the Northward at eight of the clocke haâ—â—-weather At twelue of the clocke at noone the wind came to the North and I stood to the Southwards by Fayer-forland The three and twentieth day at an East north-east Sunne the Boat brought some Whales finnes and three Buckes and one Doe In which time I thought I had seene Land beare West from me I stood to the Westwards and by a South South-east sunne had run fifteene leagues West and by South then I perceiued it to be fogs The foure and twentieth day at seuen of the clocke in the afternoone I came into Bel-sound and found but little Ice then I sent the Skiffe to seeke for a Road for the Ship and also for commodities The fiue and twentieth day at three of the clocke in the morning the Skiffe came aboord hauing beene in the mouth of the North Inlet which I call Low-sound they went into it by Point-partition but there is no good Channell that way for a Ship neuerthelesse there seemeth to bee an Inlet or Channell but it is full of Rockes from side to side and the men told mee that vpon the Land lay some Mohorses which I sent them to kill At eight of the clocke the Skiffe came aboord and brought the teeth of the sayd beasts and some blubber Immediately I sent them into Bel-sound to seeke for a Road for the Ship the wind at West thicke foggie weather About an North West Sunne I anchored in Bel-sound in sixteen fathomes ozie ground this Harbour lyeth about two leagues aboue Point-partition on the South-side of it and here a ship may ride safe from all windes At a North Sunne my Mate slue a Beare The six and twentieth day in the morning it blew hard and I went on Land and slue a Beare and a Bucke which had three inches and an halfe in thicknesse of fat on the haunches At nine of the clocke I sent both the Boats to fetch the fat of those Mohorses which were slaine the day before and likewise to search if they could find any more the wind at North with fogs At six of the clocke at night the Boats came aboâ—rd with the fat and brought two Buckes but found no beasts on Land The seuen and twentieth day at a South South-east Sunne I weighed the winde being at North and by West faire weather and I steered out betwixt an Iland and the point where I rid South-west and by West hauing these depths 10.7.6.5 and 4. fathomes then I was in the middest betwixt the said point and a shoald which lay South and North one of the other and after keeping the same course I had these depths 5.6.7.8.9.10.12 and 13. fathomes in all these depths I had sand and after oze At sixe of the clocke the wind came to the South-west with fogges and I turned to the wind-wards And at twelue the eight and twentieth day Lownesse did beare North-east about foure leagues off where I sounded hauing thirtie two fathomes streamie ground with blacke stones at which time it was calme and continued so till the nine and twentieth day at sixe of the clocke in the morning then the wind came to the North with fogges and I stood to the
Northwards as the latitude of sixtie fiue we were all separated by reason of contrarie windes and foule weather the Elizabeth in which Ship I was was stokâ—d that the water which was in her could not come to the Pumpe but lay vpon the balast which was the cause we could beare no sayle to keepe the Mary-margaret companie Yet by the thirteenth day of May I came to Cherie Iland and the foureteenth I spake with the Amitie The sixteenth day I met with the Mary-margaret which kept mee companie to Greeneland but in our passage thither we saw a banke of Ice to the East wards of vs aboue fortie leagues long The nine and twentieth of May we anchored in a place named by me the last yeare Crossroad but before we got thither wee were much troubled with Ice and contrarie windes and we found almost all the sounds full of Ice that the Biscainers could not strike one Whale although they saw diuers which as they said were of the best kinde of Whales I staid there till the sixteenth of Iune in which time we set vp our shalops and ranged some part of the Coast but found little by reason the beaches were couered with Snow and Ice Likewise in the same time I was put out of the roade with Ice and stood out West and by North into the Sea about foureteene leagues where I found a banke of Ice then I stood into the sound againe and got off the Shalop which was in the roade at which time which was about the eleauenth of Iune I stood to the Sea againe and had a storme at South which sunke our Shalop and I saw the Ice lye close to the Land in 80. degrees Then I went into Crosse roade againe and had a Shalop from the Mary-margaret and because I perceiued the Ice aboue said to lye close to the land and vnpossible to passe that way there running verie strong Tides in the which it is dangerous dealing with the Ice I determined to stand to the Southwards alongst the said Ice to see if I could finde the Sea open that way and so get to the Westwards of the said Ice and then proceeded on my Voyage but I found it to lye the next hand South South-west and South-west and by South and ranne alongst it about one hundred and twentie leagues at which time I supposed my selfe neere Greenland as it is laied downe by Hudson and others and called Hold with hope I ranne neere fortie leagues to the West wards of the Eastermost part of the said Land as it is laid downe and by my accounts I was to the Southwards of it neere the latitude 74. degrees where I saw abundance of Whales by the sides of the Ice for I sailed all this time sometimes in and sometimes by the said Ice and sounded most commonly each watch but had no ground at 160.140.180 and 200. fathomes Then the winde came to the North-west and I perceiuing the Ice to trend still to the Southwards determined to stand to Greeneland from whence I came there to make my Voyage and likewise to try the certaintie concerning the misplacing of the Land but the next day being about the seauen and twentieth of Iune the winde came to the North and I stood for Cherie Iland and came to it the nine and twentieth of the same Moneth where I found that place of my being when I supposed I should haue found Land did beare from Cherie Iland West and by South aboue one hundred twentie fiue leagues When I came to the Iland I saw about three hundred Morses on land but a storme comming they went all into the Sea The twelfth of Iuly we slue aboue two hundred and by the three and twentieth day wee had taken all their fat Hides and Teeth which with the Victuals we had laded the ship then I determined to hale vp a shalop to goe to Greeneland to search if I could finde any Land or Ilands that might proue beneficiall the next yeere and likewise to search for Teeth and Whales Finnes The foure and twentie and fiue and twentie dayes it was very much wind at North which caused the Sea to goe so high that we could not land Yet at eight aclocke at night the wind ceased and I went on land where I found certayne of the Marie Margaretâ— men by whom I vnderstood that the said ship was cast away and that Master Thomas Edge seruant to the right Worshipfull Company c. with Stephen Bennet Master of the said shippe and others to the number of thirtie persons were arriued on the South side in three Boats and that they parted from two Boats in Greenland with nine men in them Immediately Master Edge and Master Bennet came aboard and I weighed and stood to the West side of the Iland and anchored there and put neere one hundred Morse hides on land and some emptie caske and haled vp a shallop The six and twentieth day about noone we weighed and stood to the South-west side of the Iland and sent men on land to hale vp two shallops there And at mid-night I set sayle for Greenland carrying with mee two Biscaine shallops determining there to try the Blubber of those Morses we had killed and bring it to Oyle and to bring all the Oyle Teeth and Finnes which they had gotten in that Countrey And after diuers winds but indifferent faire weather I arriued at Blacke-point the last of Iuly and hauing the wind at North I was perswaded by diuers that had gone that way to go betwixt the Iland and the Mayne but when I was almost through and in sight of that place where the Mary Margaret lyeth sunke I could not find water enough for the ship yet I was told there was enough by diuers that had gone that way in the shallops Here we stayed two dayes to buoy the channell which is shoald and narrow for we had at three quarters floud but eleuen foot water The third of August I got ouer and about eight of the clockâ— at night I anchored neere the Mary Margaret the Sunne being in 79. degrees and there I found a shippe of Hull conducted thither by one Nicholas Woodcock he being in one of the Boats which stayed in Greenland when those came from thence that came to Cherrie Iland The ships name was called the Hopewell one Thomas Marmaduke being Master Here we found that hee had slaine aboue one hundred and thirtie Mohorses which were left on land when Master Thomas Edge came from thence with the Boats aforesaid and we did determine to kill at my arriâ—all Assoone as the ship was moored wee got out Blubber and sent it on land to bee brought into Oyle and wee followed our worke till the seuenth of August at noone at which time hauing Oyle by the ships side we put out all the Blubber which was in hold saue two tunnes and a halfe supposing the ship had
their gorges and few feathers on their backes he leaueth them to get more not for themselues but for him We found on the shoares many huge Morses There is great store of fresh water in euery Valley which proceedeth most of the melted snow On euery Beech is great plentie of drift wood but neuer a bush nor tree groweth in those quarters as farre as we haue hitherto discouered CHAP. IIII. A Relation written by IONAS POOLE of a Voyage to Greenland in the yeere 1612. with two ships the one called the Whale the other the Sea-horse set out by the Right Worshipfull the Muscouie Merchants THe seuenth of Aprill 1612. wee set sayle at Blacke-wall and went to Grâ—â—esend The third of May we came to Cherie Iland where we found a ship of Holland in which one Alan Saloâ—es an Englishman was Pilot. The same day about a North sunne we anchored on the West side of the Iland The fourth we trimmed a shallop which I left there the last yeere and Alan Salowes went aboard our Admirall and Master Russell sent for Master Thomas Edge Master Arthington Iohn Mason and my selfe where wee had some speech about detayning him and to haue brought him into England but in the end hee was let goe At a North sunne we sent our shallop to the South-east side of the Iland to fetch a shallop which was left there the last yeere but they could not get thither for Ice and came aboard againe at an East North-east Sunne the fift day at which time we weighed and stood to the Westward but immediatly we altered our course and stood toward the Iland againe among the Ice and about a West North-west Sunne wee sent our Skiffe and Shallop to fetch the Shallop aforesaid The winde was at North and by West frostie weather with snowe The eight wee stood toward Cherie Iland againe and were faire by it at a South sunne at which time the winde came to the South-east and wee saw the Hollander standing with vs. Then we altered our course and sayled West North-west determining if hee followed vs to stay for him At ten of the clock at night hee came to vs and the Admirall sent his shallop aboord of him to command him to be gone out of our companie and at a North sunne hee stood away from vs and sayled North and by East and we lay by the lee The twentieth at a South Sunne we saw our Consort and spake with them and they told vs that they had almost split their ship with a piece of Ice which brake nine of their Timbers so that they had fiue foot water in hold The one and two and twentie dayes wee plyed to windward the winde being at North faire weather And at Blacke Point wee saw great store of Ice driuing to the South At eight of the clocke at night Blacke Point did beare from mee East and by North nine leagues And the three dayes past we saw great store of Whales within ten or twelue leagues off the Land The three and twentieth we were faire off Cape Cold where Master Edge and Master Arthington went with the Basks in their Shallops for Crosse-rode in hope to kill some Whales And we saw store of Whales in the Sea The fiue and twentieth we got into Foule Sound all the Sounds being full of Ice and the Shallops came aboord and brought some Venison which was very leane And at six of the clock the Basks went with the Shallops to Faire Foreland to see if they could kill a Whale and at a North-west Sunne Master Edge went with a Shallop to see if Crosse-rode were open The six and twentieth the two ships abouesaid came into Foule Sound one of them was that Hollander before mentioned the other was a ship of London called The Diana whereof one Thomas Bustion dwelling at Wapping wall was Master The seuen and twentieth Alâ—â—ie Saloâ—es came aboord of our ship and told vs that his Merchant had broke his necke downe a Cliffe The same day the Hollâ—nder and the Diana stood to the Southward The winde was at North North-west and Northwest which kept the Ice in the Sounds The twentie eight we sent the long Boat and our Shallop to Brokennesse with a Shallop of ten Tunnes there to be set vp The winde was at West with snowe and frost The same day the Basks came aboord but could kill neuer a Whale The winde came to the South Southwest with frost and snowe The nine and twentieth the winde was at South with much snowe The same day one of our men dyed named Iohn Butcher hauing layen sicke about three weeks The thirtieth one Michael Perkins dyed aboord The Whale The last of May the winde was at South and wee stood toward the Foreland in 79. degrees The sâ—me day aâ— midnight the Chyrurgeon of The Whale dyed The first of Iune we stood into Foule Sound where wee saw abundance of Ice driue out with the winde at East The second day the winde was at North and by East cold frostie weather All which day wee lay vnder saile in the mouth of the Sound The third day wee spake with Thomas Marmaduke of Hull in a ship called The 〈◊〉 wâ—ll Wee sent for him to come aboord but he answered that he was not well and sent his Mate Christopher Nayler The same day we stood to the mouth of the Sound but it was couered with Ice And Marmaduke stood to the Northward and as we were afterward informed discouered as farre as 82. degrees two degrees beyond Hakluyts Headland The fourth we sent our shallop on shoare in Foule Sound to see if any harbour were open to ride in and to put our Admirall on ground to stop her leake The same day our long Boate came to vs from Brokennesse And we turned into the Sound because we saw the Ice driue out with the winde at South and blew hard The fift we anchored in Foule Sound in seuenteene fathoms water and sandie ground where we saw the place where both the ships lay which wee lost the last yeere couered with Ice The same time wee sent our shallop with our Carpenters to finish the aforesaid shallop at Brokennesse The winde continued at South and the Whale turned into the Sound by vs and achnored there at a South-west by South Sunne The ninth the Admirals Boate and ours went with prouision and men to worke vpon a Whale which the Basks had killed and we stood toward the Foreland with the ships whâ—re the Whale was killed the winde at South thicke foggie weather And by an East North-east Sunne wee anchored in the mouth of Foule Sound in fifteene fathoms gray sand with some shells At a West sunne the Boate came aboord for caske and other prouision and told vs that the Basks had killed two other Whales The seuenteenth one Baske named Chapel tooke fiue of our English men to him and they trimmed the shallop to
from the shoare wee met with the Ice which lay East and by South and West and by North and bore vp alongst it to the Eastwards for the winde was now come to the North North-west then wee tackt about to the Westwards and plyed off and on close by the Ice till the thirteenth day at mid-night still expecting a change of the weathâ—â— that we might haue made some aduenture amongst the shatterd Ice for both on the twelfth and thirteenth day the winde blew hard at North and the weather was cold thicke and very winter-like with fall of snow this winde being so contrarie droue both the Ice and our ship to leewards towards the shoare so that wee were forced to put into Harbour againe and came to an Anchor the fourteenth day in the North Harbour of Faire Hauen where the Fleet of Hollanders lately rid at which time the Hartsease was there at an Anchor Now was the Land both Mountaynes and Plaines wholly couered with snow so that almost all mens mindes were possessed with a desire of returning for England But to preuent a sudden resolution for a homeward Voyage without further satisfaction I made motion that once againe we might goe forth with our shallops to see what alteration there might bee found alongst the shoare It fell out that I was to goe in one shallop for this purpose so I tooke with me eight men and went from our ship the fifteenth day of August We rowed to Red-cliffe Sound where we passed through much Ice that was newly congealed being thicker then an halfe Crowne piece of siluer notwithstanding we broke way through it and being ouer the Sound we had a cleere Sea againe then we proceeded to Red-beach where finding the shoare cleere of Ice which at my last being there was wonderfully pestered I conceiued good hope to finde passage to the furthest Land from thence in sight bearing East halfe a point Southerly nine or ten leagues distant to this end we put off from the shoare of Red-beach and rowed a league and more in an open Sea and then met with Ice which lay dispersed abroad and was no hinderance to our proceeding so that we continued rowing the space of sixe houres in which time we had gotten more then halfe way ouer but then we found the Ice to lye very thicke thronged together so that it caused vs much to alter our course sometimes Southward and sometimes Northwards and euen in this time when we thought wee stood in most need of cleere weather it pleased God to send vs the contrary for it beganne to snow very fast which made the Ayre so thick that we could not see to make choice of the most likely way for vs to passe therefore I thought good to stay here awhile hoping that ere long the weather would bee more agreeable to our purpose so a Grapnell being laid forth vpon an Iland off to hold fast our shallop a Tent was made of the shallops sayle to keepe the weather from vs and we remayned here fiue houres but finding no alteration in the constant weather I willed the men to take downe the Tent and with faire tearmes perswaded them that notwithstanding the wet weather it were good to be doing something to get ouer to the desired shoare where we might refresh our selues and haue fire to dry our wet clothes they seemed well content with this motion and so we rowed the space of foure houres more the Ice still causing vs to hold a South and South South-east course which carried vs further into Sir Thomas Smiths Inlet and put vs from the place where we wished to be The thicke snowie weather continued all this time which was very vncomfortable to vs all but especially to the men that rowed and as the snow was noysome to their bodies so did it also begin to astonish their mindes as I well perceiued by their speeches which proceeded vpon this occasion The snow hauing continued thus long and falling vpon the smooth water lay in some places an inch thicke being alreadie in the nature of an Ice compact though not congealed and hindred sometimes our shallops way this I say caused some of them not altogether without reason to say that if it should now freeze as it did that night when we came ouer Red-cliffe Sound we should be in danger here to be frozen vp Howsoeuer this search might bee a meanes to discourage the rest that considered not of such a thing till they had heard it spoken of yet true it is that I saw no likelihood by reason of the Ice how to attayne my desire at this time and therefore I bade them row toward the shoare of Red-beach againe where I intended to stay till the weather might happily be more conuenient So holding a West North-west course so neere as the Ice would suffer vs wee came to the East-side of Red-beach hauing beene eighteene houres amongst the Ice during all which time the snow fell and as yet ceased not When we had been here about an houre it began to cleere vp and the wind to blow hard at East which rather packt the Ice close together in this place then disperst it so that I was now out of hope to get any further then I had beene alreadie wherefore I returned toward our ship intending as I went to make a more particular Discouerie of Broad-bay and Red-cliffe Sound hoping that one place or other would afford some thing worthy of the time and labour When we were come to the West side of Red-beach it began to blow much wind where withall the Sea growing to be great all men aduised to passe ouer Broad-bay whilst the winde and weather would serue vs to sayle for they said it was like to be very foule weather so seeing that it was no conuenient time for coasting we came ouer the Bay to Point Welcome which I so named because it is a place where wee oftentimes rested when wee went forth in our shallops it is about foure leagues distant from the North end of Red beach At this point the Hollanders had set vp Prince Maurice his Armes neere vnto a Crosse which I had caused to bee set vp aboue a moneth before and had nayled a sixe pence thereon with the Kings Armes but the men that were with me went without any such direction from mee and pulled downe the said Princes Armes whilst I was gone vp a Mountayne to looke into the Sea if I could see any Ice and when I came downe againe they told me that the six pence was taken from the Crosse that I had set vp and there was another post set by it with the Hollanders Armes made fast thereon which they had pulled downe so because the six pence was taken away I caused one to nayle the Kings Armes cast in Lead vpon the Crosse which being done we rowed to the bottome of Red-cliffe Sound and as we coasted alongst the
wood But before the men had laid into her the little quantitie that she was able to carrie they came aboard againe for the wind began to blow hard and the Sea to goe loftie so that here was no place for vs to abide any longer otherwise I was purposed to haue searched further alongst the shoare but this gale of winde comming Northerly I stood from hence to the Westwards being desirous to see more Land or finde a more open Sea And hauing sayled about fifteene or sixteene leagues I met with Ice again in latitude 71. degrees and coasted it eight or nine leagues further Westward and South-westward as it lay but then the wind came to the South-west and we stood close by it a while to the Southwards but finding the gale to increase and considering that it was the most contrary winde which could blow against my further proceeding for the Ice as we found did â—â—end neerest South-west and besides if there had beene any high Land within twentie leagues of vs wee might perfectly haue made it the weather was so faire and cleere In these respects and for the Reasons following I tooke the benefit of this wind to returne to the North-eastwards againe being now about two hundred leagues from King Iames his New Land in latitude 71. degrees First I purposed to sayle alongst the South-east side of the Land that I had discouered to bee better satisfied what Harbours there were and what likelihood of profit to ensue and from thence to proceed to the place where I first fell with Ice in latitude 73. degrees when I was driuen to the South-eastwards with a Westerly storme for I am yet verily perswaded that being there we were not farre from Land although wee could not see it by reason of thicke foggie weather Then my further intent was if I found no good occasion to spend my time there for to coast the Ice or try the open Sea to the Northwards betwixt 73. and 76. degrees where formerly I had not receiued desired satisfaction by reason of a storme that draue me off and then I purposed if time might seeme conuenient to proceed to the North Coast of King Iames his New Land to haue seene what hope was there to be had for passage Northward or for compassing of the Land which is most like to be an Iland I stood away East and by South and being neere the foresaid Iland the winde came to the West and blew a very hard gale wherewith I passed alongst the South-east side of the Iland vnder a paire of coarses but without that satisfaction which I expected for the winde blowing so stormie and the Sea growne very great I was forced to stand further from the shoare then willingly I would haue done and besides there was a thicke fogge vpon the Land whereby I could not be satisfied what Harbours or Roads were about it yet might we see three or foure Capes or Head-lands as if there went in Bayes betwixt them I sayled about it and then stood to the Northward againe and being now assured that it was an Iland I named it Sir Thomas Smiths Iland This Iland is about ten leagues in length and stretcheth North-east and South-west it is high Land and at the North end of it there is a Mountayne of a wonderfull height and bignesse all couered with Snow which I called Mount Hackluyt the base or foot of it on the East side is almost foure leagues long it hath three such sides at the base lying out to the Sea and from the fourth side doth the rest of the Iland extend it selfe towards the South-west which is also as it were a place fortified with Castles and Bulwarkes for on each side there bee three or foure high Rockes which stand out from the Land appearing like Towres and Forts It lyes in the parallel of 71. degrees where the Needle varieth from the true Meridian Westwards eight degrees The Land is generally so farre as I haue seene Rockie and very barren and worse then the Land that I haue seene in King Iames his New Land vnder eightie degrees for there is no grasse but mosse and where I first landed vpon low ground all the stones were like vnto a Smiths finders both in colour and forme the sand is generally mixed with a corne like Amber the Beaches are abundantly stored with drift wood and many stones light like Pumis which will swimme on the water I saw many traces of Foxes and the footing of Beares but not any signe of Deere or other liuing creatures and very small store of Fowle From hence I stood to the Northward according to my former purpose but was crossed with a contrarie storme from the North-west which put me off to the Eastward but as the wind shifted I made my way to the North-westwards all I could and came againe to the Ice in latitude 75. degrees from whence I proceeded towards King Iames his New Land and had sight of the Land the eighteenth of August being in latitude 77. degrees 30. minutes and hauing a hard gale of wind then at North-west I stood close by it vnder a paire of coarses but could not weather Prince Charles Iland and therefore I bore vp intending to goe into Nicks Coue which is on the North side of Ice-sound there to attend a faire winde and in the meane time to get ballast aboard the Pinnasse and all other things necessary But comming to enter into the Harbour I thought it not a place conuenient because I could hardly haue gotten out againe with a Southerly wind which would carrie me to the Northwards and therefore I stood ouer for Green-harbor where I anchored at one a clocke in the morning the nineteenth of August Here I caused my men to launch a shallop and to get ballast and water aboard the Pinnasse and before nine a clocke at night I was readie to proceed Northward with the first faire winde I stayed here fiue dayes during which time it blew hard for the most part at North and North-west and on the foure and twentieth of August the winde came to the East North-east as wee supposed till we were out of the Harbour so I set sayle to proceed Northward and had the wind Easterly out of Ice-sound wherewith I stood North-west towards Cape Cold but being cleere of the high Land we found the wind to bee at North North-east therefore I resolued of another course which was this Hauing perused Hudsons Iournall written by his owne hand in that Voyage wherein hee had sight of certayne Land which he named Hold-with-hope I found that by his owne reckoning it should not be more then one hundred leagues distant from King Iames his New Land and in the latitude of 72. degrees 30. minutes or thereabouts therefore seeing I could not proceed Northward I purposed to goe to the South-westwards to haue sight of this Land and discouer it if wind and weather would permit So I stood away
the Hauen of Saint Iohn the third day of August written in haste 1527. By your seruant Iohn Rut to his vttermost of his power I haue by me also Albert de Prato's originall Letter in Latin stile almost as harsh as the former English and bearing the same date and was indorsed Reuerend in Christo Patri Domino Domino Cardinali Domino Legat◠Angliae and began Reuerendissime in Christo Pater salutem Reuerendissime Pater plaeceat Reuerendissima peternitati vestra scire Deo fauente post quam exiuimus à Plemut quae fuit x. Iunij c. the substance is the same with the former and therefore omitted Datum apud le Baya Saint Iohan in Terris Nouis die x. Augusti 1527. Reuer Patr. vest humilis seruus Albertus de Prato the name written in the lowest corner of the sheet The voyage of Captaine GEORGE WEYMOVTH intended for the discouerie of the North-west Passage toward China with two flye Boates. ON Sunday the second day of May 1602. in the afternoone I weighed anchor and set saile from Redcliffe with two Fly-boates the one called the Discouery of seuentie Tunnes and the other called the God speed of sixtie Tunnes to discouer the North-west passage hauing in my ships fiue and thirtie men and boyes throughly victualled and abundantly furnished with all necessaries for a yeere and an halfe by the right Worshipfull Merchants of the Moscouie and Turkie Companies who for the better successe of the voyage prouided mee of a great trauailer and learned Minister one Master Iohn Cartwright The Master vnder mee in the Discouerie was one William Cobreth a skilfull man in his profession and in the God speed one Iohn Drewe and Mate in the said ship one Iohn Lane The first of Iune we descried Buquhamnes in the Latitude of 57. degrees The second day we saw the Point of Buquhamnes North-west from vs being a very smooth land and the land by it to the Southward riseth with many Homocks There lyeth a ledge of Rockes hard by the Nesse in a sandie Bay faire by the shore When we came neer the land we met with a fisher Boat and I agreed with one of the fisher men to carry me betweene the Isles of Orkney because I was not acquainted with the coast The fourth day at ten of the clocke wee descried the Isles of Orkney Some of those Southerne Ilands are prettie high land but the Northerne Iland which is called the Start is very low land There is no danger giuing the shore a good birth vnlesse it be by the Norther point of the Start there doth a ledge of Rockes lye a mile from the shoare At noone I found my selfe to be in the latitude of 59. degrees and 30. minutes the point of the Start bearing West and at one of the clocke in the afternoone we saw a faire I le which bare North-east and by North from vs and at eight of the clocke at night wee were North of the Start Then I directed my course West and by North. The fifth day about ten of the clocke in the morning we ranne some tenne leagues and then we saw two small Ilands some two leagues off and at eight and nine of the clocke we saw foure or fiue Boats of Fisher-men and spake with one of them and they were Scottish-men The sixt in the morning fell much raine and lasted till nine of the clocke and at ten of the clocke it cleared vp and became very faire weather and very temperate and warme and our course was West The seauenth the winde was at East and by North faire weather and our course West The eight at noone I obserued the Sunne and found vs to be in 59. degrees and fortie seuen minutes and we ran West South-west The twelfth day we held our course West the winde at East North-east with fogge in the morning at noone I obserued the Sunne and found my selfe in 57. degrees and 55. minutes the variation here was nothing at all The thirteenth at noone our course was West and by North the winde at North-east with fogge some three or foure houres and then cleare againe the ayre very warme as in England in the moneth of May. The foureteenth was faire weather and the winde at East North-east and our course West and by North. The fifteenth much raine all the forenoone our course West the winde at East and by North. The sixteenth the winde was at North North-east with much raine winde and fogge In the forenoone being very cold and at noone I obserued the Sun and found vs to be in 57. degrees and 35. minutes we found the variation to be eleuen degrees Westward and by that meane I found my selfe to be one degree more to the Southward then we should haue bin by our course for we could not see the Sunne in 96. houres before this day at noone and at our last obseruation before this which was the twelfth day we could not finde any variation at all Then we stood close by a winde to the Westward the winde being at North North-east The seauenteenth wee ranne North and by West the winde at North North-east faire weather This day we saw many gray Gulles and some Pigions The eighteenth at noone I obserued the Sunne and found our selues to be in the latitude of 59. degrees and 51. minutes And then we first descried a great Iland of Ice which lay North from vs as farre as we could ken it from the head of our maine topmast and about two of the clocke in the afternoone we saw the South part of Groneland North from vs some ten leagues As we coasted this Ice to the Northward we found it to be a maine banke of Ice for we saw the other end of it to beare West North-west from vs the winde being at South South-west little winde Then we ranne West South-west to cleere vs of the Ice The nineteenth the winde was at East South-east with some small raine The twentieth our course was West North-west the winde being at North and by East little winde This day sometimes we came into blacke water as thicke as puddle and in sailing a little space the water would be cleare againe Seeing this change of water so often to be thick and cleare againe so suddenly we imagined it had beene shallow water then we founded and could fetch no ground in one hundred and twenty fathomes and the Sea was so smooth that we could discerne no current at all At this time I reckoned the Cape of desolation to beare North North-east twentie foure leagues from vs. The one and twentieth the winde was variable The two and twentieth we were in the latitude of 60. degrees and 37. minutes the winde being at West wee ranne North and by West The seauen and twentieth the winde was at West South-west then our course was North-west and by North the weather faire and warme as in England in
very good Sound hard by the Vre in sixteene fathoms at the mouth of Cunninghams Foord about fiue of the clocke There came presently foure of the Countrie people vnto vs after their old accustomed manner This euening about sixe of the clocke the Vrin anchored by vs. This night the Admirall my selfe and Captaine Browne went on Land to see the Myne of siluer where it was decreed that we should take in as much thereof as we could On Sunday the third of August the Sauages seeing our curtesie toward them bartered Seales skinnes and Whales finnes with vs which being done wee went to our Boat and rowing away three of them taking their Boats rowed with vs vp the Foord calling to other of the people telling them and making signes to vs of our dealing towards them Then they also came to vs and bartered with vs for old Iron and Kniues for Seales skinnes and coates made of Seales skinnes and Whales finnes and rowed still all with vs. In the end hauing rowed fiue or sixe leagues vp the Foord and seeing it to bee but a Bay wee returned alongst many greene and pleasant Ilands where wee found good anchoring the people still followed vs to the number of fiue and twentie persons till about sixe of the clocke when it fell thicke with some raine and the winde being Southerly wee rowed in among the Sounds at which time they went from vs wee rowing our Boat to one of the Ilands went to supper And hauing supped wee rowed some three leagues vp an other Foord where we found very shallow water in which place we stayed with our Boat all that night The fourth day in the morning about three of the clocke wee returned to our ship againe with a gale of winde Southerly being somewhat thicke and raynie weather sayling by the Land among the Ilands till we came three leagues to the Northwards of Queene Sophias Cape when going without the Ilands wee met with a very high Sea so that wee had much to doe but by the prouidence of Almightie God the Boat was preserued from being swallowed vp of the Sea In the end wee got againe among the Ilands and so about noone wee came to our ships The fift day some of our men went on Land among the Mountaines where they did see reine Deere The sixt day I casting about stood into the shoare South-east till wee had brought Ramels Foord East and by North off vs bearing roome for the same Foord There goeth a very hollow Sea betweene the Ilands of the Kings Foord and Ramels Foord The winde being somewhat still wee towed on head with our Boats till wee came thwart of a Bay in which I was in the Vrins Boat which I named Fos Bay after the name of Philip de Fos Pilot of the Vrin. But the Admirals wilfulnesse was such that I could by no meanes counsaile him therein though night were at hand but hee would goe vp the Foord till wee came on the starboord side of the Foord to sixe and twentie fathomes sandie ground The Vrin let fall anchor by vs but the winde comming off the Land our Captaine and Companie being so obstinate and willfull that I could by no meanes get them to worke after my will the ship draue into the midfoord where wee could haue no ground at an hundred fathoms till the Tyde of flood came when the flood set the ship to the shoare but I laying out a Cage-anchor got the ship off and setting our foresaile stood for another roade vp the Riuer The eight day about foure in the morning wee came to an anchor in twentie fathomes sandie ground hauing very faire shoalding within vs. About noone the Vrin came and anchored by vs. It floweth in this Riuer South-east and North-west and it standeth in the latitude of 66. degrees and 25. minutes The ninth in the morning our Captaine with the Captaine of the Vrin went with their Boates vp the Riuer where they did come to see their winter houses which were builded with Whales bones the balkes being of Whales ribbes and the tops were couered with earth and they had certaine Vaults or Sellers vnder the earth foure square about two yards deepe in the ground These houses were in number about some fortie They found also certaine Graues made vp of stones ouer the dead bodies of their people the carkasses being wrapped in Seales skins and the stones laid in manner of a Coffin ouer them This day in this place we set a man on Land which had serued our Captaine the yeer◠before which for a certaine fault committed by him our Captaine left behinde in the Countrie About noone our men came aboord againe and after Dinner some of the people came vnto vs of whom wee caught 〈◊〉 with their Boates and stowed them in our ship◠to bring them into Denmark◠to enforme our selues better by their meanes of the state of their Countrie of Groineland which in their owne language they call Secanunga and say that vp within the Land they haue a great King which is carried vpon mens shoulders The tenth of August in the morning the winde being at East South-east we weighed and came forth of Rombes Foord but being come forth to Sea amongst the Ilands the winde came vp to the South-west and by South the Sea going maruellous high we lying West and West and by North to Sea doubling certaine Ilands and Rocks Where the Sea going so wonderfull high had set vs vpon the Rocks where we had all dyed if God of his mercy 〈◊〉 that instant when wee saw nothing before our eyes but present death had not sent vs a great gale of winde at South South-west whereby wee lay West North-west away with a flawne sheat wee doubling of the Ilands and Rocks were forced to goe betweene certaine little Ilands which lye off Queene Sophias Cape foure leagues into the Sea The which Ilands I named the yeere before Knights Ilands after the name of Iohn Knight So hauing passed these Ilands not without great danger was found betweene them many blinde Rock◠and being cleere in the Sea The thirteenth at noone we were in the latitude of 66. degrees 50. minutes being off Cape Sophia West and by North halfe westerly about sixteene leagues The eighteenth about foure in the morning we got cleere off the Ice steering South and by West away it being very thicke weather till noone when it cleered vp at which 〈◊〉 wee saw the shoare rising like Ilands being very high and stretching South and by East and North and by West about foure and twentie leagues the shoare being beset all full with Ice so that in that place it is impossible for any ship to come into the shoare Also of the Southermost of these two Capes lay such a great banke of Ice stretching into the Sea that wee were forced to lye West and by North to double the 〈◊〉 All this afternoone wee were almost
iudge setteth to the North-eastward The latitude at noone was 57. degrees 53. minutes The variation of the Compasse was about a point to the Westward This forenoone and all night the wind was at North a very hard gale wee spooned with our fore-sayle Also this forenoone we saw much Sea Tange and Rock-weed From Saturday at noone till Sunday at noone our course was Southward about twentie leagues the wind being Northerly This day we saw much Rock-weed and Drift-wood The latitude was fiftie seuen degrees The variation was to the Westward thirteene degrees or thereabout The sunne being fiue degrees high in the morning was twentie foure degrees to the Northward of the East From Sunday at noone till two of the clocke the next day in the morning beeing Munday our course was West North-west we made our way West and by North twentie leagues hauing a fresh gale at South-east and by East it fell calme till foure of the clocke then it blew an easie gale at West South-west wee stemming North-west c. betweene that and North North-east the wind being variable The wind freshed toward noone This morning we saw an Owle The latitude at noone the eight and twentieth was 57. degrees 57. minutes The variation of the Compasse was fourteene degrees and an halfe to the West This day wee had blacke water and many ouer-falls streame leeches and sets of currents as it seemed to the Northward and some to the Westward The thirtieth we found our latitude to be fiftie eight degrees Heere it seemed that we were in a tyde gate which I iudged to set North and South or that it was the Eddie of the currents which we saw the other day Also wee saw white Fowles which cheeped like Spar-hawkes Also we saw driuing many dead Cowes The one and thirtieth the sunne being fiftie degrees aboue the Horizon I found it to bee twentie seuen degrees to the Eastward of the South againe in the afternoone the sunne beeing fiftie degrees high it was distant from the South to the Westward fiftie one degrees at noone it was 55. degrees 6. minutes the height of the Pole was 58. degrees 3. minutes The variation of the Compasse was twentie foure degrees toward the North-west Our way made these twentie foure houres was not aboue sixe leagues West being little wind for the most part From Saturday at noone till two of the clocke it was calme then it began to blow an easie gale at North. At night I obserued the sunne setting and found it to set twentie one degrees to the Westward of the North the winde continuing variable betweene the North and the West North-west till noone being the first of Iune Then I found my selfe by obseruation to be in the latitude of 57. degrees 35. minutes I iudged our way from noone to noone West and by South or thereabout thirteene leagues From Sunday at noone till ten of the clocke the same Euening it was calme Then it began to blow a stiffe gale of wind at South South-east Our course was West till noone the next day being Munday twentie three leagues This day wee saw many blacke Fowles like Willockes flying in flockes together The fourth my latitude at noone was 56. degrees 40. minutes The latitude next day at noone was fiftie sixe degrees The variation of the Compasse by the Scale was twentie degrees and by my other Instrument twentie foure degrees to the West The sunne was twentie two degrees and an halfe high and to the North of the West thirtie degrees by the Instrument and twentie sixe degrees by the Scale Our latitude at noone the eleuenth was fiftie eight degrees And at night the sunne did set fourteene degrees to the Westward of the North and did rise fiftie degrees to the Eastward of the North. The thirteenth the Ice seemed to be dispersed thinner with the wind or some other accident then I set sayle with our two courses but was forced to take them in againe and mooâ—â—d to another great Iland of Ice about a mile to the Westward of the other Here setteth some smal 〈◊〉 to the South-westward For the great flaâ—eâ— of Ice that weâ—e somewhat deep draue to the Southward and the other small Ice which was stoâ—ie draue with the wind which waâ— variable betwixt the North-west and the North. Here we were in sight of Land which bore West South-west from vs shewing in some parts like Ilands Our latitude at noone was 57. degrees 25. minutes From Friday at noone till eight of the clocke at night wee contâ—â—ued moored to the aforesaid Ice then it fell calme and I loosed and â—owed to the West-ward with our Oares hoping to get thorough till twelue of the clocke then the Ice grew very thicke I moored againe till foure of the clocke the next morning Then we rowed and sayled with an easie gale of wind till eight of the clocke the next morning bâ—ing Saturday Then it began to blow a fresh gale Easterly and we cunned the ship among the Ice with ouâ— Oares till noone Our latitude was fiftie eight degrees From Saturday at noone till midnight wee guided our shippe to the Westward among the Ice with our Oares hoping to get thorough but wee were suddenly compassed about with many great Ilands of Ice and continued so distressed with a sore storme of wind at South-east being foggie and thicke weather we were so bruised betweene mightie great Ilands of Ice that we were in danger euery minute to be crushed in pieces with force of the heauing and setting of the said Ice with the great Sea that the wind made had not God of his mercie prouided for vs for our owne endeuours did little auaile to our helpe though wee employed all our industries to the vttermost of our powres The nineteenth we descryed the Land of America which riseth like eight Ilands the Northermost part of it did beare North and by West about fifteene leagues from vs. I obserued the latitude and found my selfe to be in 56. degrees and 48. minutes The variation of the Compasse was twentie fiue degrees to the Westward All this Coast sheweth like broken Land or Ilands and the tyde of floud commeth from the Northward Tuesday the foure and twentieth all the morning there blew a storme Northerly and such a suffe of the Sea and so much Ice came in that our fasts brake that were fast on shoare and our Rudder was driuen from our sterne with the force of mightie Ilands of Iâ—e so that we were forced to hale close into the bottome of the Coue to saue our clothes furniture and victuals wee did our best but before we had done our ship was halfe full of water the night comming vpon vs being wearie we tooke a little rest On Wednesday we went hard to worke when the ship was on ground to get the water out of her and to stop so many of her leakes as we could come by and to saue so much of our bread
of Hache our Ladie of the Snowes and after of the Remedies neere vnto the Sea betweene Venezuela and Sancta Marta to the East thirtie leagues from it and sixtie from Coro to the West North and South with the Cape de Vela with eight leagues of bounds betweene Venezuela and Sancta Marta without showes of Gold It is gouerned by Alcaldes immediate to the Counsell of Hispaniola and the Spiritualtie is of the Bishopricke of Sancta Marta The Towne is 1000. paces from the Sea on a little hill the Hauen hath the North for trauers it is a most fertile Countrie and yeeldeth whatsoeuer is in Castile there are many Tigers Beares Ants and Lizards in the Riuers much Gold and Stones of diuers vertues for the Spleene the Kidneys for the Milt and Flix and they haue good Salt-pits Nicolas Federman for the Belzares was he that began to inhabit this Towne The gouernment of Serpaâ— which they call the new Andaluzia and in the Indian Language Guayana extends the limits From the Iland of Margarita vnto the riuer Maâ—auyon three hundred leagues to the East and as many North and South within the Land wherein the Indians Omagues are included and the Omygas with the Prouinces of Dorodo to the south of this Gouernment wherein falleth by the Coast the Prouince of Maracapana in the bounds of Veneculela where the mouths of Sancta Fe were inhabited in whose Borders is the knob of Vnare and neere vnto it a great Lake with great store of fish and salt and the Indians which are called of Perito twentie leagues within the Land and the Indians Palenques so called for the Poles wherewith they fortified themselues and the Prouince of Cumana North and south with the Margarita where is a Towne of Spaniards which is called new Cordoua which the Captayne Gonçalo of Ocampo built when he went to chastise the Indians of Cumana for the destruction of the Monastery of the Religious Franciscans And to the East or the Iland of Trinidad and the Riuer of Saint Iohn of the Amazones is the Prouince of the Indians Arnacas part of the Caniballs and all Warlike that neuer are quiet or peaceable After the point of Paria which stands in seuen degrees and the Dragons Mouth neere vnto Trinidad stands the point Del Gallo or Anegada to the South of the Trinitie and the Riuer of Paria or Oriuico which some call Yuyapari and others will haue that these two and the Riuer of Saint Iohn and of Orellana be all one thing and also the Marauyon but in this they are deceiued There be other Riuers in the Prouince of the Arnacas that are well knowne the Riuer of Saint Iohn or of Orellana springeth in the Andes of Peru right against Cuzco from whence it runneth fifteene hundred leagues or more winding vnder the Equinoctiall by Countreyes well inhabited though not well discouered till it came to run into the North Sea whose mouth hath in breadth fiftie leagues and in the first fiue hundred from the mouth vpward many Ilands inhabited and eightie or a hundred leagues more to the West stands the Riuer of Morauyon almost in the bounds whereby passeth the Line of the Diuision betweene Castile and Portugall and is great and terrible hauing fifteene leagues of mouth and the streame commeth from the parts of the South and the Prouinces of Brasill and they say that the spring is vnder Popayau and the bounds of the new Kingdome of Granada Seuen leagues from Cumana stands the Iland of Cubagua where stood as was said the new Cadiz which was disinhabited because the fishing for Pearles fayled this Iland had no water that could be drunke nor trees nor beasts for all is brackish except those Hogges that haue the Nauell in their backe-bone and some small Conies and hauing so great inhabiting they went seuen leagues to the riuer of Cumana for water although there was an opinion that it bred webbes in the eyes In this Riuer and coast hapned in the yeare 1530. the first of September the hauen being cleare the Sea did rise foure fadomes from his ordinary course and entring into the earth it began to shake and the fortresse which the Captaine Iacome of Castellon had built by order of the Counsell of Hispaniola fell and the earth did open in many places whereout sprang much salt water as blacke as inke and did stinke of brimstone and the mountaine of the gulfe of Cariaco remained open with a great rift many houses fell many people died drowned and with feare and taken with the earth quake Margarita one league from Cubagua a more pleasant Iland the Bachiller Marcelo of Villalobos did people it The Prouince and Gouernment of Florida bordering on the Counsell of Hispaniola according to the Gouernment of Peter Melendez is all that which lyeth from the Riuer of Palmes which doth confine with the Gouernment of Panuco in new Spaine limits of the Counsell of Mexico which is neere the tropicke in 22. degrees vnto the point of Bacallaos which falleth in 48. degrees and a halfe in the which are 1258. leagues of Coast and from thence to 73. degrees of altitude to the North by the Coast and within the Land all that which hee discouereth Of this hath beene coasted and discouered from the Riuer of Palmes vnto the Point of Sancta Helena and the Riuer Iordan which are about 600. leagues it is a firme Land of a good climate plentifull and well inhabited in many places as those that went through it with Hernando of Soto did know it the yeare 1536. and 1537. Iohn Pardo borne in Cuenca went by Land from Florida to new Spaine in lesse then two yeares and it is the neerest Europe of any part of the Indies from the Bay of S. Ioseph which is eightie leagues from Panuco There is also discouered vnto New found Land but that which is particularly taken for Florida is the point that goeth into the Sea North and South with the Iland of Cuba of a hundred leagues in length and twentie fiue in breadth East and West and when it is most thirtie Iohn Ponce of Lyon discouered it Anno 1512. on Easter day and for this cause he called it Florida and afterward returned the yeere 1521. and retired wounded to Cuba where he dyed leauing a report that he sought the Fountaine or Riuer which the Indians said that old men washing themselues therin became yong This Prouince is according to the temperature of Castile and many fruits were found there like the fruits of Spain and it seemeth fit for Cattle and Corne. There is no Gould neither seemeth that the Indians did know it nor Siluer for it hath beene seene that they haue found the Chests with bars of it and money in their coasts and made no account of it yet Hernando de Soto within the inward parts of the great Riuer found great abundance of Pearles HONDIVS his Map of Florida VIRGINIA et
from out of the Ocean which in those parts is very great and spacious and hauing drawne vnto it this great abundance of vapours doth suddenly dissolue them into raine and it is approued by many tried experiences that the raine and great stormes from Heauen proceed from the violent heate of the Sunne first as we haue said before it raines in those Countries when as the Sunne casts his beames directly vpon the earth at which time he hath most force but when the Sunne retires the heate is moderate and then there falls no raine whereby wee may conclude that the force and heate of the Sunne is the cause of raine in those Countries Moreouer we obserue both in Peru new Spaine and in all the burning Zone that the raine doth vsually fal in the afternoone when as the Sunne beames are in their greatest force being strange to see it raine in the morning And therefore Trauellers foreseeing it begin their iourneys early that they may end and rest before noone for they hold that commonly it raines after noone Such as haue frequented and trauelled those Countries can sufficiently speake thereof And there are that hauing made some abode there say that the greatest abundance of raine is when the Moone is at the full but to say the truth I could neuer make sufficient proofe thereof although I haue obserued it Moreouer the dayes the yeere and the moneths shew the truth hereof that the violent heaâ—e of the Sunne causeth the raine in the burning Zone experience teacheth vs the like in artificiall things as in a Limbecke wherein they draw waters from herbs and flowers for the vehemency of the fire forceth and driueth vp an abundance of vapours which being pressed and finding no issue are conuerted into liquor and water The like wee see in gold and siluer which we refine with quick-siluer the fire being small and slow we draw out almost nothing of the quick-siluer but if it be quick and violent it doth greatly euaporate the quick-siluer which encountring the head aboue doth presently turne into liquor and begins to drop downe Euen so the violent heate of the Sunne produceth these two effects when it findes matter disposed that is to draw vp the vapours on high and to dissolue them presently and turne them into raine when there is any obstacle to consume them And although these things seeme contrarie that one Sunne within the burning Zone being neere should cause raine and without the Zone afarre off should breed the like effect so it is that all well considered there is no contrarietie A thousand effects in naturall causes proceed of contrarie things by diuers meanes we drie linnen by the fire and in the aire and yet the one heats and the other cooles Pastures are dried and hardened by the Sunne and with the Frost moderate exercise prouokes sleepe being too violent it hindereth if you lay no wood on the fire it dyeth if you lay on too much it likewise quencheth for the onely proportion entertaines and makes it to continue To well discerne a thing it must not be too neere the eye nor too farre off but in a reasonable distance proportionable being too farre off from any thing we lose the sight and too neere likewise we cannot see it If the Sunne beams be weake they draw vp no fogge from the Riuers if they be violent hauing drawne vp the vapours they presently dissolue and consume them but if the heat be moderate it drawes vp and preserues it for this reason the vapours rise not commonly in the night nor at noone but in the morning when as the Sunne begins to enter into his force There are a thousand examples of naturall causes vpon this subiect which wee see doe often grow from contrarie things whereby we must not wonder if the Sunne being neere engenders raine and being farre off works the like effect but being of a moderate and proportionable distance causeth none at all Yet there remaines one doubt why the neernesse of the Sunne causeth the raine vnder the burning Zone and without when it is farthest off In my opinion the reason is that in Winter without the Tropicks the Sunne hath not force sâ—fficient to consume the vapours which rise from the Land and Sea for these vapours grow in great abundance in the cold Region of the aire where they are congealed and thickned by the extremitie of the cold and after being pressed they dissolue and turne into water Therefore in Winter when the Sunne is farthest off the dayes short and the nights long his heat hath small force but when the Sunne approcheth which is in the Summer time his force is such as it drawes vp the vapours and suddenly consumes and disperseth them for the heat and the length of the dayes grow through the neernesse of the Sunne But within the Tropicks vnder the burning Zone the farre distance of the Sunne workes the same effects that the neernesse doth without the Tropicks by reason whereof it raines no more vnder the burning Zone when the Sunne is farre off then without the Tropicks when it is neerest for that in this approching and retyring the Sunne remayns alwayes in one distance whence proceedes this effect of cleernesse But when the Sunne is in the period of his force in the burning Zone and that he cast his beames directly vpon the Inhabitants heads there is neither cleernesse nor drynesse as it seemes there should be but rather great and strange showers for that by this violent heat he drawes vp suddenly a great abundance of vapours from the Earth and Ocean which are so thicke as the winde not able easily to disperse them they melt into water which breedeth the cold raine in so great abundance for the excessiue heat may soone draw vp many vapours the which are not so soone dissolued and being gathered together through their great abundance they melt and dissolue into water The which wee may easily discerne by this familiar example roast a piece of Porke Mutton or Veale if the fire be violent and the meate neere wee see the fat melts suddenly and drops away the reason is that the violent heat drawes forth the humour and fat from the meat and being in great abundance cannot dissolue it and so it distils more away But when the fire is moderate and the meat in an equall distance wee see that it roasts handsomly and the fat drops not too suddenly for that the moderate heat drawes out the moistnesse which it consumes suddenly And therefore Cookes make a moderate fire and lay not their meate too neere nor too farre off lest it melt away The like may bee seene in anoother experience in candles of tallow or waxe if the wike bee great it melts the tallow or the waxe for that the heat cannot consume the moistnesse which riseth but if the flame bee proportionable the wax melts nor drops not for that the flame doth waste it by little and little as it riseth But this is
Riuers which after become great flouds Vpon the way from Arequippa to Callao there are two Lakes vpon the Mountaines of the one and other side the way from the one flowes a brooke which growes to a floud and fals into the South Sea from the other they say the famous Riuer of Aporima takes her beginning from the which some hold that the renowned Riuer of Amazons otherwise called Maragnon proceedes with so great an assembly and abundance of waters which ioyne in these Mountaines It is a question may be often asked why there is so many Lakes in the tops of these Mountaines into the which no riuer enters but contrariwise many great streames issue forth and yet doe we scarce see these Lakes to diminish any thing at any season of the yeare To imagine that these Lakes grow by the Snow that melts or raine from heauen that doth not wholly satisfie me for there are many that haue not this abundance of Snow nor raine and yet wee see no decrease in them which makes me to beleeue they are Springs which rise there naturally although it be not against reason to thinke that the Snow and raine helpe somewhat in some seasons These Lakes are so common in the highest tops of the Mountaines that you shall hardly finde any famous riuer that takes not his beginning from one of them Their water is very cleere and breedes little store of fish and that little is very small by reason of the cold which is there continually Notwithstanding some of these Lakes be very hot which is another wonder At the end of the Vallie of Tarapaya neere to Potozi there is a Lake in forme round which seemes to haue beene made by compasse whose water is extreamely hot and yet the Land is very cold they are accustomed to bathe themselues neere the banke for else they cannot endure the heate being farther in In the midst of this Lake there is a boiling of aboue twentie foote square which is the very Spring and yet notwithstanding the greatnesse of this Spring it is neuer seene to increase in any sort it seemes that it exhals of it selfe or that it hath some hidden and vnknowne issue neither doe they see it decrease which is another wonder although they haue drawne from it a great streame to make certaine engines grinde for mettall considering the great quantitie of water that issueth forth by reason whereof it should decrease But leauing Peru and passing to new Spaine the Lakes there are no lesse to be obserued especially that most famous of Mexico where we finde two sorts of waters one salt Lake like to that of the Sea and the other cleere and sweete by reason of the Riuers that enter into it In the midst of this Lake is a rocke very delightfull and pleasant where there are bathes of hot water that issue forth the which they greatly esteeme for their health There are Gardens in the middest of this Lake framed and fleeting vpon the water where you may see plots full of a thousand sorts of hearbes and flowers they are in such sort as a man cannot well conceiue them without sight The Citie of Mexico is seated in the same Lake although the Spaniards haue filled vp the place of the scituation with earth leauing onely some currents of water great and small which enter into the Citie to carrie such things as they haue neede of as wood hearbs stone fruites of the Countrie and all other things When Cortez conquered Mexico hee caused Brigandins to be made yet afterwards he thought it more safe not to vse them therefore they vse Canoes whereof there is great store There is great store of fish in this Lake yet haue I not seene any of price notwithstanding they say the reuenue of this Lake is worth three-hundred thousand Duckets a yeere There are many other Lakes not farre from this whence they bring much fish to Mexico The Prouince of Mechonacan is so called for that it aboundeth greatly with fish There are goodly and great Lakes in the which there is much fish and this Prouince is coole and healthfull There are many other Lakes whereof it is not possible to make mention nor to know them in particular onely wee may note by that which hath beene discoursed in the former Booke that vnder the burning Zone there is greater abundance of Lakes then in any other part of the world There is at the Indies as in other parts of the world great diuersitie of Springs Fountaines and Riuers and some haue strange properties In Guancauilica of Peru where the Mines of Quick-siluer be there is a Fountaine that casts forth hot water and in running the water turnes to rocke of which rocke or stone they build in a manner all the houses of the Village This stone is soft and easie to cut for they cut it as easily with Iron as if it were wood it is light and lasting If men or beasts drinke thereof they dye for that it congeales in the very entrailes and turnes into stone and for that cause some Horses haue died As this water turnes into stone the which flowes stoppes the passage to the rest so as of necessitie it changeth the course and for this reason it runnes in diuers places as the rocke increaseth At the point of Cape Saint Helaine there is a Spring or Fountaine of Pitch which at Peru they call Coppey This should be like to that which the Scripture speakes of the sauage Valley where they did finde pits of Pitch The Marriners vse these Fountaines of Pitch or Coppey to pitch their ropes and tackling for that it serues them as Pitch and Tarre in Spaine When I sailed into new Spaine by the coast of Peru the Pilot shewed me an Iland which they call the I le of Wolues where there is another Fountaine or Pit of Coppey or Pitch with the which they anoint their tackling There are other Fountaines and Springs of Gouliranrozen which the Pilot an excellent man in his charge told me he had seene and that sometimes sailing that waies being so farre into the Sea as he had lost the sight of Land yet did he know by the smell of the Coppey where he was as well as if he had knowne the Land such is the fauour that issues continually from that Fountaine At the Bathes which they call the Bathes of Ingua there is a course of water which comes forth all hot and boiling and ioyning vnto it there is another whose water is as cold as Ice The Ingua was accustomed to temper the one with the other and it is a wonderfull thing to see Springs of so contrarie qualities so neere one to the other There are an infinite number of other hot Springs specially in the Prouince of Charcas in the water whereof you cannot indure to hold your hand the space of an Aue Maria as I haue seene tried by wager In a Farme neere to Cusco
better nor fairer For that it is rare and extraordinarie to see a Country where it neuer raines nor thunders men desire naturally to know the cause of this strangenesse The reason which some giue that haue neerly looked into it is that vpon that Coast there rise no vapours sufficient to engender raine for want of matter but onely that there bee small and light vapours which cannot breede any other then mists and deawes as wee see in Europe oftentimes vapours doe rise in the morning which are not turned into raine but into mists onely the which growes from the substance which is not grosse and sufficient enough to turne to raine They say the reason why that which happens but some times in Europe falls out continually vpon the Coast of Peru is for that this Region is very drie and yeelds no grosse vapours The drinesse is knowne by the great abundance of Sands hauing neither Wells nor Fountaines but of fifteene Sâ—ades deepe which is the height of a man or more and that is neere vnto Riuers the water whereof piercing into the Land giues them meanes to make Wells So as it hath beene found by experience that the course of Riuers being turned the Wells haue beene dried vp vntill they returned to their ordinarie course and they giue this reason for a materiall cause of this effect but they haue another efficient which is no lesse considerable and that is the great height of the Sierre which comming along the Coast shadowes the Lanos so as it suffers no winde to blow from the Land but aboue the tops of these Mountaines By meanes whereof there reignes no winde but that from the Sea which finding no opposite doth not presse nor straine forth the vapours which rise to engender raine so as the shadow of the Mountaines keepes the vapours from thickning and conuerts them all into mists There are some experiences agree with this discourse for that it raines vpon some small Hills along the Coast which are least shadowed as the Rocks of Atico and Arequipa It hath rained in some yeeres when as the Northerne or Easterly windes haue blowne yea all the time they haue continued as it happened in seuentie eight vpon the Lanos of Trugillo where it rained abundantly the which they had not seene in many ages before Moreouer it raines vpon the same Coast in places where as the Easterly or Northerne windes be ordinarie as in Guayaquil and in places where as the Land riseth much and turnes from the shadow of the Mountaines as in those that are beyond Ariqua Some discourse in this manner but let euery one thinke as he please It is most certaine that comming from the Mountaines to the Vallies they doe vsually see as it were two Heauens one cleere and bright aboue and the other obscure and as it were a gray vaile spread vnderneath which couers all the Coast and although it raine not yet this mist is wonderfull profitable to bring forth grasse and to raise vp and nourish the seed for although they haue plentie of water which they draw from the Pooles and Lakes yet this moisture from Heauen hath such a vertue that ceasing to fall vpon the Earth it breedes a great discommoditie and defect of graine and seedes And that which is more worthy of admiration the drie and barren Sands are by this deaw so beautified with grasse and flowers as it is a pleasing and agreeable sight and very profitable for the feeding of Cattell as we see in the Mountaine called Sandie neere to the Citie of Kings New Spaine passeth all other Prouinces in pasturâ—s which breedes infinite troopes of Horse Kine Sheepe and other Cattell It abounds in fruit and all kinde of graine To conclude it is a Country the best furnished and most accomplished at the Indies Yet Peru doth surpasse it in one thing which is Wine for that there growes store and good and they daily multiply and increase the which doth grow in very hot Vallies where there are waterings And although there be Vines in new Spaine yet the grape comes not to his maturitie fit to make Wine The reason is for that it raines there in Iuly and August when as the grape ripens and therefore it comes not to his perfection And if any one through curiositie would take the paines to make wine it should be like to that of Genua and Lombardie which is very small and sharpe hauing a taste like vnto Verjuyce The Ilands which they call Barlouente which bee Hispaniola Cuba Port Ricco and others thereabouts are beautified with many greene pastures and abound in Cattell as Neat and Swine which are become wilde The wealth of these Ilands bee their Sugar-workes and Hides There is much Cassia fistula and Ginger It is a thing incredible to see the multitude of these merchandizes brought in one fleete being in a manner impossible that all Europe should waste so much They likewise bring wood of an excellent qualitie and colour as Ebone and others which serue for buildings and Ioyners There is much of that wood which they call Lignum sanctum or Guage fit to cure the pox All these Ilands and others thereabouts which are many haue a goodly and pleasant aspect for that throughout the yeere they are beautified with grasse and greene trees so as they cannot discerne when it is Autumne or Summer by reason of continuall moisture ioyned to the heat of the burning Zone And although this Land bee of a great circuit yet are there few dwellings for that of it selfe it engenders great Arcabutos as they call them which be Groues or very thicke Coppises and on the Playnes there are many marishes and bogs They giue yet another notable reason why they are so smally peopled for that there haue remayned few naturall Indians through the inconsideratnesse and disorder of the first Conquerors that peopled it and therefore for the most part they vse Negros but they cost deare being very fit to till the Land There growes neither bread nor wine in these Ilands for that the too great fertilitie and the vice of the soile suffers them not to seede but casts all forth in grasse very vnequally There are no Oliue trees at the least they beare no Oliues but many greene leaues pleasant to the view which beare no fruit The bread they vse is of Caçaue whereof we shall hereafter speake There is gold in the Riuers of these Ilands which some draw forth but in small quantitie I was little lesse then a yeere in these Ilands and as it hath beene told me of the mayne Land of the Indies where I haue not beene as in Florida Nicaragua Guatimala and others it is in a manner of this temper as I haue described yet haue I not set downe euery particular of Nature in these Prouinces of the firme Land hauing no perfect knowledge thereof The Country which doth most resemble Spaine and the Regions of Europe in all the West Indies
while vnder the water he riseth vp and commeth swimming to the Boat entring into the same and leauing there all the Oysters which he hath taken and brought with him for in these are the Pearles found and when he hath there rested himselfe a while and eaten part of the Oysters he returneth againe to the water where hee remayneth as long as hee can endure and then riseth againe and swimmeth to the Boat with his prey where hee resteth him as before and thus continueth course by course as doe all the other in like manner being all most expert Swimmers and Diuers and when the night draweth neere they returne to the Iland to their houses and present all the Oysters to the Master or Steward of the house of their Lord who hath the charge of the said Indians and when he hath giuen them somewhat to eate he layeth vp the Oysters in safe custodie vntill he haue a great quantitie thereof then he causeth the same Fishermen to open them and they find in euery of them Pearles other great or small two or three or foure and sometimes fiue or sixe and many small graines according to the liberalitie of nature They saue the Pearles both small and great which they haue found and either eate the Oysters if they will or cast them away hauing so great a quantitie thereof that they in manner abhorre them These Oysters are of hard flesh and not so pleasant in eating as are ours of Spaine This Iland of Cubagua where this manner of fishing is exercised is in the North Coast and is no bigger then the Iland of Zeland Oftentimes the Sea increaseth greatly and much more then the Fishers for Pearles would because whereas the place is very deepe a man cannot naturally rest at the bottom by reason of the abundance of airie substance which is in him as I haue oftentimes proued For although he may by violence and force descend to the bottome yet are his feet lifted vp againe so that hee can continue no time there and therefore where the Sea is very deepe these Indian Fishers vse to tye two great stones about them with a coard on each side one by the weight whereof they descend to the bottome and remayne there vntill them listeth to rise againe at which time they vnlose the stones and rise vp at their pleasure But this their aptnesse and agilitie in swimming is not the thing that causeth men most to maruell but rather to consider how many of them can stand in the bottome of the water for the space of one whole houre and some more or lesse according as one is more apt hereunto then an other An other thing there is which seemeth to me very strange and this is that whereas I haue oftentimes demanded of some of these Lords of the Indians if the place where they are accustomed to fish for Pearles being but little and narrow will not in short time be vtterly without Oysters if they consume them so fast They all answered mee that although they be consumed in one part yet if they goe a fishing in an other part or an other Coast of the Iland or at an other contrary wind and continue fishing there also vntill the Oysters bee likewise consumed and then returne againe to the first place or any other place where they fished before and emptied the same in like manner they find them againe as full of Oysters as though they had neuer beene fished Whereby we may iudge that these Oysters either remoue from one place to an other as doe other fishes or else that they are ingendred and increase in certaine ordinarie places This Iland of Cumana and Cubagua where they fish for these Pearles is in the twelfth degree of the part of the said Coast which inclineth toward the North. Likewise Pearles are found and gathered in the South Sea called Mare del Sur and the Pearles of this Sea are very bigge yet not so bigge as they of the Iland of Pearles called de las Perlas or Margarita which the Indians call Terarequi lying in the Gulfe of Saint Michael where greater Pearles are found and of greater price then in any other Coast of the North Sea in Cumana or any other part I speake this as a true testimonie of sight hauing beene long in that South Sea and making curious inquisition to be certainly informed of all that pertayneth to the fishing of Pearles From this Iland of Terarequi there was brought a Pearle of the fashion of a Peare weighing thirtie and one Caracts which Petrus Arias had among a thousand and so many pounds weight of other Pearles which he had when Captaine Gaspar Morales before Petrus Arias pâ—ssed to the said Iland in the yeare 1515. which Pearle was of great price From the said Iland also came a great and very round Pearle which I brought out of the Sea this was as bigge as a small pellet of a Stone-bow and of the weight of twentie and sixe Caracts I bought it in the Citie of Panama in the Sea of Sur and paid for it sixe hundred and fiftie times the weight thereof of good Gold and had it three yeeres in my custodie and after my returne into Spaine sold it to the Earle of Nansaâ— Marquesse of Zenetâ—â— great Chamberlaine to your Maiestie who gaue it to the Marquesse his Wife the Ladie Mentia of Mendoza I thinke verily that this Pearle was the greatest fairest and roundest that hath beene seene in those parts For your Maiestie ought to vnderstand that in the Coast of the Sea of Sur there are found a hundred great Pearles round after the fashion of a Peare to one that is perfectly round and great Of the familiaritie which certayne of the Indians haue with the Deuill and how they receiue answere of him of things to come and other Superstitions WHen the Indians beginne their battaile or goe to any combate or attempt any other great mater they haue certaine elect men whom they reuerently esteeme and call them Tequinas which in their tongue is as much to say as Masters notwithstanding that they call euery man that is cunning in any Science by the same name as Fishers Fowlers Hunters or makers of Nets These Tequinas therefore they call the Masters of their Answeres because they speake with Tuyra that is the Deuill and bring them answere what he saith either as touching such things as they haue to doe or shall chance to them the day following or many dayes to come For the Deuill being so ancient an Astronomer knoweth the times of things and seeth how they are naturally directed and inclined and maketh them beleeue that they come so to passe by his ordinance as though he were the Lord and moouer of all that is and shall be and that he giueth the day light and raine causeth teâ—pest and ruleth the stations of times giuing life or taking away life at his pleasure By reason whereof the
the Tree as doe the fingers out of the hand wreathing themselues one within another and so spreading abroad these Trees are high and are found in great plentie in the Coast of the Sea of Sur in the Prouince of Cacique Chiman These Date Trees bring forth a Fruit after this sort being altogether vnite as it groweth on the Tree it is of greater circumference then the head of a man and from the superficiall part to the middest which is the fruit it is inuolued and couered with many Webs much like vnto those Hirds of Towe which they vse in Andalusia Of this Towe or Web the East Indians make a certaine kind of Cloth of three or foure sorts and Cordes for the Sayles of Ships but in these Indies of your Maiestie they passe not for these Coards or this Cloth that may be made of the Fruit of Coco by reason of the great plentie that they haue of the Bombage or Cotton of Gossampine Trees The Fruit which is in the middest of the said Tow is as I haue said as bigge as a mans fist and sometimes twice as bigge and more It in forme like vnto a Walnut oâ— some other round thing somewhat more long then large and very hard the rinde or burke hereof is as thicke as the circle of Letters of a Riall of Plate and within there cleaueth fast to the rinde of the Nut a carnositie or substance of coornell of the thicknesse of halfe a finger or of the least finger of the hand and is very white like vnto a faire Almond and of better taste and more pleasant When this Fruit is chewed there remayne certaine crummes as doe the like of Almonds Yet if it be swallowed downe it is not vnpleasant For although that after the iuyce or moysture be gone downe the throat before the said crummes be swallowed the rest which is eaten seeme somewhat sharpe or sowre yet doth it not so greatly offend the taste as to be cast away While this Cocus is yet fresh and newly taken from the Tree they vse not to eate of the said carnositie and Fruit but first beating it very much and then strayning it they draw a Milke thereof much better and sweeter then is the Milke of Beasts and of much substance the which the Christian men of those Regions put in the Tartes or Cakes which they make of the grain of Maiz whereof they make their Bread or in other Bread as we put Bread in Pottage so that by reason of the said Milke of Cocus the Tartes arm more excellent to be eaten without offence to the stomacke they are so pleasant to the taste and leaue it aswell satisfied as though it had beene delighted with many delicate Dishes But to proceed further your Maiestie shall vnderstand that in the place of the stone or coornell there is in the middest of the said carnositie a void place which neuerthelesse is full of a most cleere and excellent water in such quantitie as may fill a great Egge shell or more or lesse according to the bignesse of the Cocos the which water surely is the most substantiall excellent and precious to bee drunke that may be found in the World insomuch that in the moment when it passeth the palate of the mouth and beginneth to goe downe the throate it seemeth that from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head there is no part of the bodie but that feeleth great comfort thereby as it is doubtlesse one of the most excellent things that may bee tasted vpon the earth and such as I am not able by writing or tongue to expresse And to proceed yet further I say that when the meate of this fruit is taken from the Vessell thereof the vessell remayneth as faire and neate as though it were polished and is without of colour inclining toward black and shineth or glistereth very faire and is within of no lesse delicatenesse Such as haue accustomed to drinke in these Vessels and haue beene troubled with the Disease called the fretting of the guts say that they haue by experience found it a maruellous remedie against that Disease and that it breaketh the stone and prouoketh vrine This fruit was called Coca for this cause that when it is taken from the place where it cleaueth fast to the Tree there are seene two holes and aboue them two other naturall holes which altogether doe represent the gesture and figure of the Cattes called Mammons that is Monkeyes when they cry which cry the Indians call Coca but in very deed this Tree is a kind of Date Tree and hath the same effect to heale fretting of the guts that Plinie describeth all kinde of Date trees to haue There are furthermore in the firme Land Trees of such bignesse that I dare not speake thereof but in place where I haue so many witnesses which haue seene the same as well as I. I say therefore that a league from Dariena or the Gitie of Sancta Maria Antiqua there passeth a Riuer very large and deepe which is called Cuti ouer the which the Indians laid a great Tree so trauersing the same that it was in the stead of a bridge the which I my selfe with diuers other that are at this present in your Maiesties Court haue oftentimes passed ouer And forasmuch as the said Tree had lyen long there and by the great weight thereof was so shrunke downeward and partly couered with water that none could passe ouer it but were wet to the knee I being then in the yeere 1522. the officiall or Iustice in that Citie at your Maiesties appointment caused another great Tree to bee laid in that place which in like manner trauersed the Riuer and reached more then fiftie foote ouer the further side This Tree was exceeding great and rested aboue the water more then two Cubits in the fall it cast downe all such other Trees as were within the reach thereof and discouered certaine bynes which were so laden with blacke Grapes of pleasant taste that they satisfied more then fiftie persons which ate their fill thereof This Tree in the thickest part thereof was more then sixteene spannes thicke and was neuerthelesse but little in respect of many other trees which are found in this Prouince For the Indians of the Coast and Prouince of Cartagenia make Barkes or Boates thereof which they call Canoas of such bignesse beeing all one whole Tree that some containe a hundred men some a hundred and thirtie and some more hauing neuerthelesse such void space within the same that there is left sufficient roome to passe to and fro throughout all the Canoas Some of these are so large beside the length that they conteine more then tenne or twelue spannes in breadth and saile with two sailes as with the Master saile and the trincket which they make of very good Cotton The greatest Trees that I haue seene in these parts or in any other Regions was in the Prouince of
partes Of Reedes or Canes IN the firme land there are many sorts of Reedes so that in many places they make their houses thereof couering them with the tops of the same and making their wals of them in like manner as I haue said before and among these kindes of Reedes there is one so great that the Canes thereof are as bigge as a mans legge in the knee and three spans in length from ioynt to ioynt or more in so much that euery of them is of capacitie to containe a little bucket of water In this kinde there are found some greater and some lesse of the which some they vse to make quiuers for arrowes There is found another kinde which surely is marueilous being little bigger then a Iauelin the Canes whereof are longer then two spannes these Reedes grow one farre from another as sometimes twenty or thirty paces and sometimes also two or three leagues they grow in manner in all Prouinces in the Indies and grow neere to very high Trees whereunto they leane and creepe vp to the top of their branches which they imbrace and descend againe downe to the earth Their Canes are full of most cleare water without any manner of taste or sauour either of the Canes or of any other thing and such as if it were taken out of the freshest Spring in the world nor yet is it knowne that euer it hurt any that drunke thereof For it hath oftentimes so chanced that as the Christian men haue trauailed in these regions in desolate waies where for lacke of water they haue beene in great danger to dye with thirst they haue escaped that perill by reason that they found the said Reedes of the water of whose Canes they haue drunke a great quantity without any hurt thereof ensuing Therefore when they finde these in any place they make water vessels of the Canes thereof and carry as many of them full of water as may suffice for one dayes iourney and sometime they carrie so many that they take for euery man two or three quarts of water which may serue them for many daies because it doth not corrupt but remaineth still fresh and good There are also certaine Plants which the Christians call Platani They are as high as trees and become as bigge in the trunke as the knee of a man or more From the foote to the top they beare certaine long and large leaues being more then three spans in largenesse and about ten or twelue in length the which when they are broken of the winde the stalke remaineth whole in the middest In the middest of this Plant in the highest part thereof there groweth a cluster with fortie or fiftie Plantans about it euery of them being a span and a halfe in length and as bigge as a mans arme in the small or more or lesse according to the goodnesse of the soile where they grow they haue a rinde not very thicke and easie to be broken being within altogether full of a substance like vnto the marie of the bone of an Oxe as it appeareth when the rinde or barke is taken from the same This cluster ought to be taken from the Plant when any one of the Plantans begin to appeare yellow at which time they take it and hang it in their houses where all the cluster waxeth ripe with all his Plantans This cluster is a very good fruite and when it is opened and the rinde taken off there are found within it many good drie Figges which being rosted or stewed in an Ouen in a close pot or some such other thing are of pleasant taste much like to the conserue of Hony they putrifie not on the Sea so soone as some other fruites doe but continue fifteene daies and more if they be gathered somewhat greene they seeme more delicate on the Sea then on the Land not for that they any thing encrease in goodnes on the Sea but because that wheras on the Sea other things are lacking whereof is plentie on the Land those meates seeme of best taste which satisfie present necessitie This trunke or sprig which bringeth forth the said cluster is a whole yeare in growing and bringing forth fruite in which time it hath put forth round about in ten or twelue sprigges as bigge as the first or principal and multiplieth no lesse then the principall in bringing forth of clusters with fruits likewise at their time and also in bringing forth other and many sprigges as is said before From the which sprigges or trunkes as soone as the cluster of the fruite is taken away the Plant beginneth to drie and wither which then they take out of the ground because it doth none other then occupie it in vaine and without profit They are so many and doe so marueilously encrease and multiplie that it is a thing in manner incredible They are exceeding moist in so much that when they are plucked vp from the place where they grow there issueth forth a great quantity of water as well out of the Plant as out of the place where it grew in such sort that all the moisture of the earth farre about might seeme to be gathered together about the trunke or blocke of the said Plant with the fruites whereof the Antes are so farre in loue that they are seene in great multitudes in the branches of the Plants so that for the multitude thereof it sometime so chanceth that men are enforced to take away the Plants from their possession these fruites are found at all times of the yeere There is also another kinde of wilde Plants that groweth in the fieldes which I haue not seene but in the Iland of Hispaniola although they be found in other Ilands of the Indies these they call Tunas They grow of a Thistle full of thornes and bring forth a fruite much like vnto great Figges which haue a crowne like Medlers and are within of a high colour with graines and the rinde like vnto a Figge they are of good taste and grow abundantly in the fields in many places They worke a strange effect in such as eate them for if a man eate two or three or more they cause his vrine to be of the very colour of bloud whith thing chanced once to my selfe For on a time as I made water and saw the colour of my Vrine I entred into a great suspition of my life being so astonished for feare that I thought the same had chansed to me vpon some other cause in so much that surely my imagination might haue done me hurt but that they which were with me did comfort me immediately declaring the cause thereof as they knew by experience being auncient inhabitours in those regions There groweth also another Plant which the people of the Countrie call Bihaos this putteth forth certaine straight branches and very broade leaues which the Indians vse for diuers purposes for in some places they couer their houses with the leaues thereof
couched and laid after the manner of thatch whereunto it serueth very well Sometimes also when it raineth they cast these ouer their heads to defend them from the water They make also certaine chests which they call Hauas weaued after a strange sort and intermixt with the leaues of this Bihaos These Chests are wrought in such sort that although it raine vpon them or they chance to fall into the water yet are not such things wet as are within them they are made of the branches of the said Bihaos with the leaues weaued together therewith In these they keepe salt and other subtile things They vse them also for another purpose which is this that finding them in the fields at such time as they haue scarsenesse of victuals they digge vp the rootes of these Plants while they are yet yong or eate the Plant it selfe in that part where it is most tender which is from a foote vnder the ground where it is as tender and white as a Reede or Bulrush And for as much as we are now come to the end of this narration it commeth to my remembrance to make mention of another thing which is not farre from my purpose and this is how the Indians doe staine or dye cloath of bombage cotton or any other thing which they intend to dye of diuers colours as Blacke Tawny Greene Blew Yellow and Red which they doe with the Barkes or Rindes and Leaues of certaine Trees which they know by experience to be good for this practise and by this art they make colours in such perfection and excellency that no better can be deuised But this seemeth a strange thing that they doe all this in one selfe same Vessell so that when they haue caused the said Rindes and Leaues to boile together they make in the same Vessell without any change as I haue said as many colours as them listeth Which thing I suppose to come to passe by the disposition of the colour which they haue first giuen to the thing that they intend to dye or colour whether it be Thred Web or Cloth or any thing that they intend to colour Of venemous Apples wherewith they poyson their Arrowes THe Apples wherewith the Indian Canibals inuenome their arrowes grow on certaine Trees couered with many Branches and Leaues being very greene and growing thicke They are laden with abundance of these euill fruites and haue their Leaues like the Leaues of a Peare-tree but that they are lesse and rounder the fruite is much like the muscadell Peares of the Iland of Sicilie or Naples in forme and bignesse and are in some parts stained with red spots and of very sweet sauour these trees for the most part grow euer by the Sea Coasts and neere vnto the water and are so faire and of pleasant sauour that there is no man that seeth them but will desire to eate thereof insomuch that if it may bee spoken of any fruit yet growing on the earth I would say that this was the vnhappy fruit whereof our first parents Adam and Eue tasted whereby they both lost their felicitie and procured death to them and their posteritie Of these fruits and of the great Ants whose byting causeth swelling whereof I haue spoken elsewhere and of the Euâ—es or Lysarts and Vipers and such other venomous things the Canibals which are the chiefe Archers among the Indians are accustomed to poyson their Arrowes wherewith they kill all that they wound These venomes they mingle together and make thereof a blacke Masse or composition which appeareth like vnto very blacke Pitch Of this poyson I caused a great quantitie to bee burnt in Sancta Maria Antiqua in a place two leagues and more within the Land with a great multitude of theiâ— inuenomed Arrowes and other munition with also the house wherein they were reserued This was in the yeere 1514. at such time as the Armie arriued there with Captaine Pedrarias de Villa at the commaundement of the Catholike King Don Ferdinando But to returne to the Historie These Apples as I haue sayde grow neere vnto the Sea the Christians which serue your Maiestie in these patties suppose that there is no remedie so profitable for such as are wounded with these Arrowes as is the water of the Sea if the wound bee much washed therewith by which meanes some haue escaped although but few yet to say the truth albeit the water of the Sea haue a certaine caustike qualitie against poyson it is not sufficient remedie in this case nor yet to this day haue the Christians perceiued that of fiftie that haue beene wounded three haue recouered But that your Maiestie may the better consider the force of the venome of these trees you shall further vnderstand that if a man doe but repose himselfe to sleepe a little while vnder the shadow of the same he hath his head and eyes so swolne when he riseth that the eye lids are ioyned with the cheekes and if it chance one drop or more of the deaw of the said tree to fall into the eye it vtterly destroyeth the sight The pestilent nature of this tree is such that it cannot be declared in few words Of these there groweth great plentie in the gulfe of Vraba toward the North coast on the West and East side The wood of these trees when it burneth maketh so great a stinke that no man is able to abide it by reason it causeth so great a paine in the head Among other trees which are in these Indies as well in the Ilands as in the firme land there is another kind which they call Xagua whereof there is great plentie they are very high and streight and faire to behold Of these they vse to make Pikes and Iauelins of diuers lengths and bignesse they are of a faire colour betweene russet and white this tree bringeth forth a great fruit as big as Papauer or Poppiâ— and much like thereunto it is very good to be eaten when it is ripe Out of this they get a very cleare water wherewith they wash their legs and sometimes all their bodies when they feele their flesh weary faint or loose the which water beside that it hath a binding qualitie it hath also this propertie that whatsoeuer it toucheth it staineth it blacke by little and little vntill is be as blacke as â—et which colour cannot bee taken away in lesse space then tenne or twelue dayes And if the nayle bee but touched therewith it is so stained that it can by no meanes be taken away vntill it either fall of or grow out and be clipped away by little and little as I my selfe haue oftentimes seene by experience There is another kinde of Trees which they call Hohi these are very great and faire and cause wholesome aire where they grow and a pleasant shadow and are found in great abundance their fruit is very good and of good taste and sauour and much like vnto certaine
distant from the greater Some iudged it to bee a Whale with her young one which others denyed saying a Whale had no armes To my iudgement each arme might be fiue and twentie foote long and as bigge as a Butt or Pipe the head fourteene or fifteene foote high and much more in breadth and the rest of the body larger That of her which appeared aboue water was aboue fiue times the height of a meane man which make fiue and twentie paces Lorenzo Martino Canon of the Church of Golden Castile Sancio di Tudela c. were with me and we were all afraid when shee came neere our small Caruell Shee seemed to disport her selfe at a tempest approching which suddenly arose much to our purpose from the West and brought vs in few dayes to Panama In Hispaniola and the neighbouring Ilands is a strange bird of prey as bigge as a great Gauia and much like it shee preyeth on the Land on birds c. and on fish in the Water shee is footed like water-fowles and goeth like a Goose but hath talons like Hawkes and fastens therewith on the fishes which shee eates so taken either in the Water or on the Rocks or as shee flyeth in the Aire holding it betweene her feete The Christians call them Astori di acqua What scath the Ants did in Hispaniola is before mentioned in the yeere 1519. and the next following and the Citie of Saint Domingo was almost dishabited by this great Armie of little creatures as in Spaine a Citie was dispeopled by Conies and which lately happened to the I le Porto Santo in Thessalia which almost fell out to the English Colonie in Bermuda to another Citie by Rats to the Atariotae by Frogges to the Miâ—ntines by Fleas to Amicle in Italie by Serpents and to another part thereof by Sparrowes to diuers places of Africa often by Locusts so can the Great God arme the least creatures to the destruction of proud vainglorious men And this miserie so perplexed the Spaniards that they sought as strange a remedie as was the disease which was to chuse some Saint for their Patron against the Antes Alexander Giraldine the Bishop hauing sung a solemne and Pontificall Masse after the Consecration and Eleuation of the Sacrament and deuout Prayers made by him and the people opened a Booke in which was a Catalogue of the Saints by lot to chuse some he or she Saint whom God should please to appoint their Aduocate against that Calamitie And the Lot fell vpon Saint Saturnine whose Feast is on the nine and twentieth of Nouember after which the Ant-damage became more tolerable and by little and little diminished by Gods mercie and intercession of that Saint I note it the rather because the Bishop and that Saint were both Romanes and as that Martyr had made mute the Idols in Toledo as is written in the Historie of his Martyrdome so now was Idolatry and I pray what was this destroyed in Hispaniola Hee might haue said exchanged a pitifull case that when God hath sâ—nt his owne Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law c. Who hath dyed for our yea that Martyrs sinnes risen for our Iustification ascended on high to giue gifts to men and is there and therefore set downe at Gods right hand to make intercession for vs sinners to take possession for vs mortals to accomplish as our Amen all the promises of this life and that which is to come whether against Ants or Deuils and in him it hath pleased the Father that all fulnesse should dwell yea beyond and it pleased in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and we are compleate in him and he is all in all yesterday to day the same for euer which hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs which is loue which hath inuited vs Come to me all ye that labour which hath incited vs by all attractiues that after all this men Christian men should goe cast Lots for an Intercessor and neglecting Christ dreame of Romane carnall phancies or runne mad with Romish superstitious phrensies wherein if the bodie be deliuered as happened to the lusting Israelites with their Quaile-store the burthen is made double to the soule when God heareth in his anger Such Cisternes doe they digge which forsake the Fountaine of liuing waters euen broken Cisternes which can hold no waters the best of Saints like the wise Virgins hauing no more Oile then will suffice their owne Lampes and that also receiued out of anothers fulnesse of whose fulnesse wee all haue receiued grace for grace said a principall Saint There are Caterpillers which shine in the night fiftie or a hundred paces off only from that part of the bodie whence the legges issue others only haue their head shining I haue seene some a spanne long very fearefull but for any thing I haue heard harmelesse Flies are lesse but more hurtfull then in Spaine but these in kindes and colours are so diuersified that it is impossible to write them and so may be said of other small creatures in those parts In his sixteenth Booke he declareth the Conquest of the I le Borichen or Saint Iohn and the quarrels betwixt the Spaniards the learning of some breeding such dissentions that not without cause saith our Author in Golden Castile and in other parts the King forbad Law-learned men and Proctors should passe thither as men infectious by sowing strife where they ought not In this I le the people and other things are as before is said of Hispaniola there are more Birds in Saint Iohn rich Mineralls of Gold certaine Battes which the people eate and Lignum Sanctum groweth there more excellent then the Guaiacan for the French Disease and others In his seuenteenth Booke he writeth of Cuba The people and other things are much like to Hispaniola In their Mariages all the guests of the Bridegroomes ranke as Caciques if hee bee a Cacique or Principall or Plebeians as he is lye with the Spouse before he himselfe may doe it after which she with her fist bent comes crying with a loud voyce Manicato Manicato that is forced and full of force as glorying in her shame They are in vices like those of Hispaniola and will be no better Christians then other Indians whatsoeuer Peter Martyr writeth from Encises Relations For I haue seene more Indians then they both and by experience of those Nations know that none or very few of them are Christians of their owne will and accord and when any are baptized being of age he doth it more for some by-purpose then for zeale of the faith for there remaines to him nothing but the name which also soone after he forgets Perhaps there are some faithfull but I beleeue they are very rare The Creatures and Plants of Spaine prosper well there as doe the naturall which are the same which are in Hispaniola The people were exhausted when they first went
The Chalcas nor the other Nations did not follow them but grieued to be defeated by so small a number of men they being in so great multitudes retyred to their Townes The Mexicans by the aduice of their Idoll sent their Messengers to the Lord of Culhuacan to demand a place to dwell in who after hee had imparted it to his people granted them the place of Ticaapan which signifies white waters to the end they should all perish there being full of Vipers Snakes and other venemous beasts which bred in a Hill neere adioyning But being perswaded and taught by their Deuill they accepted willingly what was offered and by their deuillish arte tamed these beasts so as they did them no harme yea they vsed them as meate eating them with delight and appetite The which the Lord of Culhuacan seeing and that they had tilled and sowed the Land he resolued to receiue them into the Citie and to contract amitie with them But the god whom the Mexicans did worship as he is accustomed to do no good but ill said vnto his Priests that this was not the place where hee would haue them stay and that they must go forth making warres Therefore they must seeke forth a Woman and name her the Goddesse of Discord Whereupon they resolued to send to the King of Culhuacan to demand his daughter to be Queene of the Mexicans and mother to their god who receiued this ambassage willingly sending his daughter presently gorgeously attired and well accompanied The same night shee arriued by order of the murtherer whom they worshipped they killed her cruelly and hauing â—layed her artificially as they could doe they did clothe a young man with her skin and thereupon her apparell placing him neere their Idoll dedicating him for a Goddesse and the mother of their god and euer after did worship it making an Idoll which they called Toccy which is to say our grand mother Not content with this crueltie they did maliciously inuite the King of Culhuacan the father of the young Maid to come and worship his daughter who was now consecrated a goddesse who comming with great Presents and well accompanied with his people he was led into a very darke Chappell where their Idoll was that he might offer sacrifice to his daughter that was in that place But it chanced that the Incense that was vpon the harth according to their custome kindled in such sort as he might discerne his daughters haire and hauing by this meanes discouered the crueltie and deceit he went forth crying aloud and with all his men he fell vpon the Mexicans forcing them to retyre to the Lake so as they were almost drowned The Mexicans defended themselues casting certaine little darts which they vsed in the warres wherewith they much galled their enemies But in the end they got Land and leauing that place they coasted along the Lake very weary and wet the Women and little Children crying and making great exclamations against them and their god that had brought them into this distresse They were inforced to passe a Riuer that could not bee waded thorow and therefore they aduised to make small Boates of their Targets and of Reedes wherein they passed Then afterwards hauing left Culhuacan they arriued at Iztacalco and finally to the place where the Hermitage of Saint Anthony now is at the entrie of Mexico and to that quarter which they now call Saint Paul During which time their Idoll did comfort them in their trauels and incouraged them promising great matters The time being now come that the Father of lyes should accomplish his promise made to his people who could no longer suffer so many turnings trauels and dangers it happened that some old Priests or Sorcerers being entred into a place full of water-lillies they met with a very faire and cleere current of water which seemed to be siluer and looking about they found the Trees Meadowes Fish and all that they beheld to be very white wondering hereat they remembred a prophesie of their god whereby he had giuen them that for a token of their place of rest and to make them Lords of other Nations Then weeping for ioy they returned to the people with these good newes The night following Vitzliputzli appeared in a dreame to an ancient Priest saying that they should seeke out a Tunal in the Lake which grew out of a stone which as hee told them was the same place where by his commandement they had cast the heart of Copil sonne to the Sorceresse their enemie and vpon this Tunal they should see a goodly Eagle which fed on certaine small birds When they should see this they should beleeue it was the place where their Citie should be built the which should surmount all others and be famous throughout the World Morning being come the old man assembled the whole people from the greatest to the least making a long speech vnto them how much they were bound vnto their god and of the reuelation which although vnworthy he had receiued that night concluding that all must seeke out that happy place which was promised them which bred such deuotion and ioy in them all that presently they vndertooke the enterprise and diuiding themselues into Bands they began to search following the signes of the reuelation of the desired place Amiddest the thickest of these water-lillies in the Lake they met with the same course of water they had seene the day before but much differing being not white but red like bloud the which diuided it selfe into two streames whereof the one was of a very obscure azure the which bred admiration in them noting some great mysterie as they said After much search here and there the Tunal appeared growing on a stone whereon was a Royall Eagle with the wings displayed towards the Sunne receiuing his heat About this Eagle were many rich feathers white red yellow blue and greene of the same sort as they make their Images which Eagle held in his tallants a goodly bird Those which saw it and knew it to bee the place foretold by the Oracle fell on their knees doing great worship to the Eagle which bowed the head looking on euery side Then was there great cryes demonstrations and thankes vnto the Creator and to their great god Vitzliputzli who was their father and had alwayes told them truth For this reason they called the Citie which they founded â—here Tenoxtiltan which signifies Tunal on a stone and to this day they carry in their Armes an Eagle vpon a Tunal with a bird in his tallant and standing with the other vpon the Tunal The day following by common consent they made an Hermitage adioyning to the Tunal of the Eagle that the Arke of their god might rest there till they might haue meanes to build him a sumptuous Temple and so they made this Hermitage of Flagges and Turfes couered with straw Then hauing consulted with their god they resolued to buy of
Turkish add other Letters and not onely the transcript from their languages As for translations and collections thou hast them here also out of the Hebrew Auncient and Moderne Greeke Abassine Tartarian Russian Polonian Aegyptian and innumerable other Nations Christian Iewish Mahumetan Ethnike Ciuill Barbarian and Sauage innumerable wayes diuersified Yet all these in letters or characters In hieroglyphicall mysticall pictures the ancient Aegyptians and Ethiopians haue by way of Emblemes obscurely and darkly deliuered their obscure mysteries vncertaine waxenly pliant conceits to the world some of which our Pilgrimage hath mentioned But a Historie yea a Politicke Ethike Ecclesiastike Oeconomike History with iust distinctions of times places acts and arts we haue neither seene of theirs nor of any other Nation but of this which our light and slight apprehensions terme not barbarous alone but wilde and sauage Such an one we here present a present thought fit for him whom the senders esteemed the greatest of Princes and yet now presented to thy hands before it could arriue in his presence For the Spanish Gouernour hauing with some difficultie as the Spanish Preface imports obtained the Booke of the Indians with Mexican interpretations of the Pictures but ten daies before the departure of the Ships committed the same to one skilfull in the Mexican language to be interpreted who in a very plaine stile and verbatim performed the same vsing also some Morisco words as Alâ—aqui and Mezquitas for Priest and Temples import This Historie thus written sent to Charles the fifth Emperour was together with the Shippe that carried it taken by Fâ—enchmen of war from whom Andrew Theuet the French Kings Geographer obtained the same after whose death Master Hakluyt then Chaplaine to the English Embassadour in France bought the same for 20. French crownes and procured Master Michael Locke in Sir Walter Raleighs name to translate it It seemes that none were willing to be at the cost of cutting the Pictures and so it remained amongst his papers till his death whereby according to his last will in that kinde I became possessour thereof and haue obtained with much earnestnesse the cutting thereof for the Presse The rather was I eagerly vehement herein as being a thing desired by that most industrious Antiquary iudicious Scholler Religious Gentleman our Ecclesiastike Secular the Churches champion Sir Henry Spelman Knight whom for honors sake I name that his name may honour our ruder lines a name so fitting to the Man as one which â—an in regard of his wise spell and science in diuine humane learning and is ready with maine courage and alacritie to shew himselfe the Churches Man and to exhibit himselfe in deede whatsoeuer any man can spell out of Spel-man The commending from such a friend let the Muses impetrate pardon for so bold a name was a commanding vnto me which here I againe commend to Him and thee It is diuided into three parts the first being the Annales and Mexican Chronicle the second their Exchequer or the Accounts of their seuerall Tributes paid them from the Nations and peoples tributary whereby may be seene the Naturall riches of those parts peculiarly sorted the third the Mexican Oeconomie and Policie in warre and peace religious and secular their priuate and publike rites from the graue of the wombe to the wombe of the graue Obscure places I haue explained besides what before in Acosta thou hast read comparing the translation with the originall adding many of mine owne and perhaps there is not any one History of this kinde in the world comparable to this so fully expressing so much without Letters hardly gotten and easily lost that thou maist here finde it CHAP. VII The History of the Mexican Nation described in pictures by the Mexican Author explained in the Mexican language which exposition translated into Spanish and thence into English together with the said Picture-historie are here presented §. I. The Mexican Chronicle HEre beginneth the Historie and foundation of the Citie of Mexico founded and inhabited by the Mexicans who at that time were called Meçiti whose originall beginning of being Lords and their acts and liues are declared briefely in this Historie according as it is signified and set out successiuely by the pictures and paintings following In the yeare 1324. after the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the Mexican people first arriued at the place of the Citie of Mexico and because they liked well the greatnesse and the scituation of that place after that they had trauailed in their Iournies and wandered many yeares from Country to Countrey in some of them had made their abode for some yeares being come from far Countries in following their Iournies and not being contented with the other places where they had made their abode they came and setled themselues in the place of Mexico The which place at that time was all drowned with water and was couered with great bogs and bankes of moorish shegs and bulrushes which they call Tuli and it had Carrizales and great plats of dry ground couered with shrubbes bushes and briars like woods And through all the space of that place there went a spring streame of fair cleere water which was free from all segges and bushes which water streame went through it crossewise in manner of Saint Andrewes crosse as it is shewed in the picture and about the middle of that place of that water-streame the Meçiti found a great rocke of stone and growing thereon a great Tree or bush called Tunal wherein a great Eagle Candal had her haunt and abode for her foode so as all about that place was scattered full of bones and feathers of diuers Birds and Foules of diuers colours And they hauing gone throughout all that place and Countrie thereabout and finding it very fruitfull and full of wilde beasts wilde Foules Birds and Fishes and things of the water wherewith to sustaine themselues and to profit themselues in their businesse in dealing with the Townes thereabouts and finding the water-courses of that place so commodious and that their Neighbours could not trouble nor hurt them and for other things and causes to their good liking they determined to passe no further on their iourneyes in trauelling but to settle themselues and dwell still And according to their determination they did settle themselues there effectually And made themselues a strong Citie of defence with bankes and walles about the waters and on the plats of ground among the â—egges and Bushes of Tulis and Carrizales And for a beginning of that their seate and habitation it was determined by them to giue name and title to that place calling it Tenultitlan By reason and cause of the Tunal growing out of the Rocke for Tenuchtitlan interpreted in our Castilian Spanish Tongue is Tunal growing vpon a Rocke The armie of the Mexican people had with them for chiefe Gouernours ten persons named Ocelopan Quapan Acacitli Ahuexolt Teâ—uch Tâ—cincuh 〈◊〉 Xocoyol Xuihcaqui Atototl as it is
Mosco 786. His Answere to the former Demands of the Russians 787. Promisses to come in Person into Russia The high Style of his Letters Perâ—â—its the Greeke Religion and Clergies threatens Rebels ibid. The Articles confirmed in his Name by the Polish Generall 788.40 And assented vnto by the King his Father 789.20 Reiected againe by the Russes His great designe vtterly diuerted by other Warres 790. His Father sends another Armie in behalfe of him an Accord made 791.30 Vlusses a Tartarian hord 799.10.20 c. Seuerall names of them ibid. Vnctions or Annoyntings of the Mexican Priests with Poyson and Tobacco a hideous Storie of it 1043.10 Vngut faire Women in Tartarie for the Great Chans Concubines 82.50 The manner of their Choise and vsage ibid. Vnicornes or Rhinocerotes 93.50 Vnicornes their description 103.40 104.1 Vnicornes horne for the Russian Emperours Staffe 741.30 Cost seuen thousand Markes ibid. Vnicornes or Sea-fishes horne 465.1 Vnicornes are but Fishes 651.40 marg Vnicorne is a Fish store of them whereabouts 843.60 846.20.30 Vniuersities in China in what manner 338.60 c. 344.40 In euery Mother Citie ibid. 345.60 Vniuersitie in Tartary 280.60 Vniuersitie of Mexico in the Indies 871.50 Of Los Reyes or Lima 892.50 Vobsko in Russia besieged by the Pole the Enemy repelâ—ed by Suskoy 424.50 Suskoy thrust into a Monastery and killed ibid. Vochan the Prouince 74 Vogel Hooke where 569.40 Voiauod signifies a Generall 436.30 Volcans or burning Mountaines many in the West Indies 870.30 One melted a Caldron 880.60.891.20 Diuers named and described 933. Philosophicall discourse of them 940. Thought to cause the Earthquakes ibid. Volga a mighty Riuer 12.40 The Course of it ibid. The distance from Tanais ibid. Volga the Riuer called Rha or Edel 525.30 fals into the Caspian sea ibid. The head and breadth of it 16.1 Two thousand miles long 242.10 Fiue weekes trauell on the banke of it 18. It hath seuentie mouthes 234 Volga the Countrey about it conquered 231.60 Vologda in Russia 214. The Commodities the Houses described 224.20 The way from thence to Mosco ibid. How farre from the Mosco 744 Vologda Riuer in Russia the head it falls into the Caspian Sea 415.30 Vor the Russe Impostor the troubles raised by him See Demetrius Diuers of that name pretenders 788.30 Vowes vsually made at Feasts in Norway 656.40 Vowes of Women for fruitfulnesse 449.1 Voyces heard in Mexico before the Ruine of their Empire 1020.40.60 1021 Vraba the Gulfe how farre from the Aequinoctiall the North Starre from thence is seene very lowe 975.1 Vrgence a Citie 236.50 Vrnes of the dead Mexicans their Iewels buried with the Ashes 1029.50 Vtosci is Gold beaten into powder 325.20 Curious enamelling with it ibid. And Painting 326.10 Vsting Citie 224.1 243 W WAlachia some places in it 633.1 Walking Captaine in Russia his Office 437 Walking Castle in Russia 438.10 Wall of China against Tamerlanes inuasions 142.60 146.40 Impregnable 147.20 The Guards 798.40 Wall of China described the height Materials Towers Beacons the length number of Gates 800.20.30 Wall of China the building described 268. Called Chanfancau ibid. Interruâ—ted by Hils and Riuers ibid. The Fortifications of that Wall on both sides ibid. Manâ—ed by Slaues or Condemned men ibid. The Prison where they are first kept 273.20 They serue there sixe yeeres 273.30 The number there ibid. Wall of China the length c. 315.1 in marg A particular Gouernour it hath ibid. Wall three hundred miles long 168 10 Walls of mighty bredth 342.1 Walls of Townes haue a Surueyor in China 170.50 Walls of Thistles in the Indies 897.60 Wardhouse the strongest Hold in Finmarke 212. Described 223.10 Warpe a Sea tearme what 565. marg Warres of the Mexicans mostly to take Prisoners for their Sacrifices 1039.20 The Ceremonies of denouncing it in Mexico 101â— 1 Warfare of the Crim Tartars 640. c. Warfare the manner in Russia 436.437 c. Their Officers Musters Armes Marchings Prouisions for the Field Discipline Ensignes Chargings Ambushes Engines Ordnance Rewards c. 438 Warfare of the West Indians 992.20 Warsouia on the Riuer Vistula 629 Warts growing on mens faces vnder the Aequinoctiall occasioned by eating of Fish 889.10 Warwickes Foreland in America the Latitude and the seuen Ilands by it How the Land beares and appeares 810.50 The Inlets and setting of the Currents about it Water why it is not mooued about with the Primum Mobile 924.50 Water of the Sea good against Poyson 985 Water bursting fourth of the Earth that destroyed a Countrey 906.1 Waters wonderfull ones in Island that turne Wood into Iron and Stone cure the French Disease and other Maruailes 647.648 Waters of the West Indies of seuerall properties 933.20 Water frâ—ezing as it falls 415.1 Water warme mixed with the Wine in the Sacrament in Russia and why 452.10 Water clarified with Allome 364.1 Water alone not drunke by the Tartars 6.1 Water procuring loosenesse 72.1 Water causing Webbes on the Eyes 868.30 Beleeued to restore Youth 868.50 Water fall a fearefull one the desperate attempt of some Spaniards to passe it 934.1 Water-Hawkes in Hispaniola 997.50 Watches admired in China 321.30 Watch and Ward the manner in Catay â—00 Watch and Ward duely in China 395.20 A pretie Order for it 173.1 Watching all night at Church 456.30 Watâ—sfiordur Hauen in Island 655.1 Waxe boyling out of a Fountaine 647.60 Waxe Candles in China 292.40 Way from Cascar to Catay 〈◊〉 242.50 Wayes foure admirable oneâ— in Peru 894.50 Way-Markes in Tartarie 87.60 88.1 Weapons not worne by the Tartars 639.1 Nor by the Chinois 344.40 Weauers of the West Indies 968.30 Weauers in China 407.1 Weauers Shop in a Chesnut Tree 960.50 Weddings of the Chinois See Marriages Wednesdayes fasted by the Russians 218.1 But vpon a false reason 456.20 Wednesday the Etymon of it 664.50 We praise thee O God vsed in the Russian Seruice 450.40 Weeding of Rice by Duckes in China 174.40 Weekes of the Mexicans of thirteene dayes 1050.20 Weekes of yeeres in Mexico 1136.10 Weight all things sold by in China 199.40 Welchmens ancient sayling to the West Indies a discourse of that 807.10 Wendouers Relations of the Tartars 60.20 Wenneâ— in mens throates by drinking bad water 74.60 West the Mahumetans turne towards in Prayer why 313.30 West Indies diuided into two parts 860.20 Vice-roy in each Diuision ibid. How much of them vnder the Spanish Dominion 856 5â— They are not Ioyned to our World 963.20 in marg How Men Beasts and Fowles come first thither in Acostaeâ— Iudgement 963.964 West Indies the supreame Counsell President c. The number of the Archbishops Bishops Monasteries and Vniuersities how the Clergie is maintained there 908. Church gouernment prouisions for Prehends and other Church businesse 909. Names of all the Officers 916 Orders for the goods of the Deceased for Marryed men Spanish Inquisition c. 910. Orders for the Supreme Counsell 911. Indian Courts diuers 912. Officers 913 Other Orders for Gouernment 914. Lawes 915. c. West Indians
445. 1583. Sir H. Gilbert Hak. to 3. p. 143. 1585. Master Dauis Hak. to 3. p. 98. seq 1586. 1587. Fretum Dauis Hak. Tom. 1. pag. 297. 25. 1553. 1578. 25. 1594. These Voiages follow 1595. 1596. I haue by me a French Storie of Spitsbergh published 1613 by a Dutchman which writeth against this English allegation c. but hotter arguments then I am willing to answer William Hudson Discouereth to 81. Degrees Whale Bay Hackluits Headland Hudsons Toutches Thomas Welden 1609. Thomas Edge the Author 1610. Ionas Poole first Namer of Greenland * See Bâ—ffins North-west Discouerie Vnicorne a Sea fishes Horne 1611. First Whale-killing Biscayners vsed 500. Morses killed Shipwracke by Ice Hull Ship Cherie Iland Ship ouer set 1612. Hollanders Allen Sallowes Spanish Ship Woodcocke Imprisoned 1613. Beniamin Ioseph Fifteene ships Intâ—rlopâ—rs Hope Iland 1614. Thirteen â—hâ—ps and two Pinnâ—ssâ—s armed Eighteene Dutch ships 80. Degrees discouered Sherwin and Baffin 1615. Fast in Ice in Iune fourteene dayes King of Denmarke demands Toll Vn English English to serue Dutch Spanish Dane against their owne 1616. Edges Iland 1617. Witches Iland Hull men 1618. Zelanders Marmaduke Sir Iohn Cunningham East India Aduenturers ioyne Dutch assault the English 1619. 1620. 1621. 1622. Shipwracke * The ordinarie growne Whale Finnes Small eyes Some kinds haue greater Stow mentions one taken on Tenet shoare the eye of which was a Cart-loade a man might stand in the hole vpright The like wee may ghesse of the throat c. Nature being herein luxuriant and diuersified You may see this Story of the Whale-killing presented liuely in the Map which Captaine Edge hath liberally added to this Relation Whale Finnes Eight kinds of Whales known 1. Grand bay Whale 2. Sarda 3. Trumpa Spermacoete 4. Otta Sotta 5. Gibarta 6. Sedeua 7. Sedeua Negro 8. Sewria Antiphrastical appellation I haue found this description of Greenland with other notes written by Ro. Fotherby Deere Yet in China euen neere the Sea and farre neerer the Sun betwixt 30. and 40. the Winters are extreme â— Foth * Prolegomena ad Hudsoni Detect edit Amstelodami per Hos. Gerard. 1611. A thing not continued cannot bee effected All things are effected in conuenient time The first finding is hard but the second attempt is easier A comparison of the heate vnder the line with the cold vnder the North Pole The resoluâ—e intent and opinions of William Barents Iune 5. The particulars beeing knowne to many of our Mariners I omit Langenes Lombsbay Admirals Iland Cape Negro Black point Williams Iland Sea-horses oâ— Morses Beeren-fort white Beare terrible Iland of Crosses Cape Nassaw Cape Trust. Ice point Gold Stones Orange Ilands Morses described There returne backe againe Oliuer Brunell Blacke Iland Crosse-point Saint Laurenâ—â— Bay Sconce point Colgoyen Matfloe and Delgoy They meet with their companie States Iland Iames Hemskerke famous for the Gibralter exploit Image point Samoyeds land Traen Bay They goe oâ— Land Images They speake with Samoyeds Sea open Samoyeds apparell Haire person stature Their King Their Sleds Departure Image Hundreds of ill shapen Images States-Iland A Beare killâ— two men Her stoutnesse They kill the Beare Twist-point Matfloe and Delgoy Iune Three Sunnes and foure Rain-bowes The like hath beene seene in England about the time this worke entred the Presse Ice Greene water Beares or Cherie-Iland Egges Danger escaped Variation of the Compasse Great white Beare Fight with her Beares skin 12. foot long Dead Whale 80. Degrees and 11 minuts Another fight with a white Beare Beares skin 13. foot long Red Geese Egges Red Geese breed their young Geese vnder 80. Degrees in Greenland Fable of Barnacles Note Beare assaults them Variation of the Compasse 16. Degrees Store of Birds Iuly Cherie-Iland They part companie Willoughbies Land conceited from some Maps Noua Zembla Admirals Iland Crosse Iland in 76. degrees 20. minutes Two Beares Their sent Variation 26. degrees perhaps 16. August Point Nassaw Trust-point Ice 52. fathom deepe Snow Beares assault Icie thunder Beare killed Orange Iland Point Desire Earth on the top of Azure Ice Boat broken with Ice Inclosed with Ice Escape of three men Ship lifted vp and beset with Ice Another danger Rother broken September Riuer of fresh water and Wood. Ship fastned in Ice They determine to winter there How God in our extremest need when we were forced to lie all the Winter vpon the Land sent vs Wood to make vs a house and to serue vs to burne in the cold Winter Three Beares It freezeth in the salt water two fingers thicke in â— night House builded Hard and violent frost Ground not to be thawed May-pole of Snow Extreme Snow Hence it may seeme that the course of the Tides and Sea is from the North. Beere melted Sea couered with Ice Beare assaultâ— the ship Barrels and Iron hoopes broken with Ice All come to the House Fight with Beares White Foxe Beares fat for Lampe Nouember Sun Moone Sun riseth South South-east and goeth downe South South-west not full aboue the Earth Foxes succeed Beares They see the Sun no more after the third of Nouember Stilo nouo or our Octob. 24. Moone continually seene in the Sunnes absence Darknesse Bread shared and Beere Beere strength lesse with frost Ship ballast couered with water Fox-trap Wine shared Drinke water Ill washing Bathing and purging Store of Snow Fox-skin-caps December Lye still in Cabins Stone heated to heat them Cold and Smoake Ice cracking noyse Ice in the House Clock frozen Doore digged open Cold stronger then fire and Sacke Sea-coale fire Swounding stifling by the Cole-vapour and closenesse Benefit of cold Shooes on feet frozen within They weare no shooes Clothes on their backes frozen Cold blisters Extreame and terrible freezing Sunnes comfort House inclosed with snow Sun in Tropicus Capricorni 24. Decem. Stilo nouo Cold Christmasse Ill signe indeed Cold inuincible Burne before freeze behind Snow higher then the house Snow-steps Fire conquered heat smelt before felt An. Dom. 1597. Ianuary Vane Three Kings of Cullen King of Noua Zembla Day-light espied Beares in the ship Oculus Tauri Aurora blusheth to lie so long in bed Cold relenteth Sunne appeareth againe Ian. 24. Sun fully seen How the Sun which they had lost the 4. of Nouember did appeare to them againe vpon the 24. of Ianuary which was very strange and contrary to all learned mens opinions Difference of longitude betwixt Venice and their wintring place Note for deg of longitude Beares returne with the Sun Sicke man dieth The Summer Beare February They goe out at the chimney Heat of the Sunne Beare slaine 100. Pound of fat taken out of a Beare vsefull for Lamps March Note Sol in Aries Shoots of Felt and Rugge Aprill Beare assault the house Beares Den. May. Burgers of Noua Zembla Bucke Beares Liuer venomous Iune Beare slayne They depart The Letter is omitted It was subscribed by Iacob Hemskerke Peter Peterson Vos Master Hans Vos Laurence Willimson Peter Cornelison Iohn Remarson William Barents
Dante 's Armadillos Yguanas Chinchilles Cuyes Viscachas Light-Dogge Of Micos or Indian Monkeys Chap. 39. Lustie leape Strange sight Monkey learned Zealous Of Vicugnes and Tarugnes of Peru Chap 40. Aristot. lib. 3. de partib animal c. 2. lib. 10. c. 7â— Indian hunting Experiment for the eyes Bezar stone Tarugues Of Pacos Guanacos and Indian Muttons Chap. 41. Two kindes Sixe Arobes is a hundred and fiftie pounds weight Of the Bezaars stone Chap. 42. Plin. l. 10. c. 72. Gold of Indians base Manner of mynes and searching for gold Gold in mynes Spanish customes for vsage of mynes Water a good neighbour Women gold-washers Other Labourers Fiue to a tray Gold in Riuers or poulder Gold engendred on hill tops His reason Some may thinke that coles shels other ludibria naturae naturally grow there Gold in graines One huge piece of gold A Marke is a pound of 8. ounces summa 16. pound weight eight ounces 〈◊〉 12. ounces to the pound Indian gilding Men continue an houre vnder water Naturall succession Of this read more largely in the Decads Huge Pearle By the computation of Venice foure graines make a Caract Peare-pearles Deuils Imposture Pythagoreaâ— Pâ—aces Indian coniurings or consultations Eclipses and Prognostications Reason why men kill themselues to serue their Masters in the other world Images of the Diuell Tempests Small Wormes troublesome Lice forsake them Lice finde them againe Nigua Vipers Adders Dragons Spiders huge Toades Their renuing Singing Crabs or rather Tortoises Serpents called Iuanni Nâ—te Small Birds Tâ—mineios Bardati or Armadillos a kinde of Moles Beareâ— Anteâ— Iohson mentions the like neere Gambâ—a Great wonders in least creatures A strange beast which seemeth a kind of Camelion Foules and Birds Alcatraz Panama Pilchards Passere sempie Picuti Birds with bils heauier then bodies Foolish Sparowes wisely prouident Gazzuole Pintadelli Great Fowles Cocos I haue seene one of these Fruits opened the which when it was whole if it were shaken the water was hard shogge therein as it were in a Bottle but in time it consumed was partly congealed into a salt substance Good against the wind and stone Collick Great Trees Great Canoas A maruellous Tree Kindling of fire without fire Putrified wood shining in the night Plinie Almost â—ll Indian trees continue euer greene Cassia Eâ—rth hot lower then a fadome A secret thing Radicall moisture Reed-springs or fountaines of water Platani or Plantans Figges Tunas Bihaos Hauas Dying of Cotton A strange thing * It was not a venemous iuce of the fruit but spirâ—â—uall disobedience in eaâ—ing contrarie to Gods commâ—nâ—ement whiâ—h poysoned Adams soule with sinne the wages whereof is death Canibals inuenome their Arrowes Petrus Arrias The water of the Sea The gulfe of Vraba Xagua Blacke â—â—aines Hohi Some thinke these to be mirobalanes Date trees The Inhabitanâ—s of the Sea of Sur. An herbe that beareth cordes Cabuia and Henequen A strange thing Leaues Thistle trees A leafe of great vertue Tiburons Manates Great Tortoises Tiburons of Sharkes Plinie Crocodiles Manates The fish Manate A remedie against the stone The Sword fish Tunny Turbut Note The Sea somewhere fertile somewhere barren Flying fishes The Iland of Bermuda Not too hie for the Pie Nor too low for the Crow Beragua The West Ocean The Sea Meditarraneum Hispaniola Cuba Ocean without ebbing and flowing The ebbe at Panama falleth two leagues or sixe miles The South Sea Esquegua and Vrraca The Riuer of Chagre The Iland Bastimento The maruellous Bridge Naturall stone Bridge Tigres Plants and herbes Birds Men. Sheepe Bulls Iucca Bats Plinie The Tigre The hunting of Tigres A Tigre made tame The Indian women Vnnaturall abortions Large breasts Child-birth The men of India The King is borne on mens backes Letting of bloud They haue no beards They paint their bodies The Canibals Trumpets Armor of gold Their gallantnesse in the warres Their Iewels How the women beare vp their teates with bars of Gold The stature colour of the Indians The Indians called Coronati The Iland of Giants Iucatos The sculs of Indians heads Men are desirous of new things The commodities of Hispaniola England and Sicilie Gold Mines Cotton Cassia Sheepe and Hogs Dogs and Cats become wilde The scituation of Hispaniola A Cathedrall Church and Monasteries in Hispaniola An Hospitall The people Cienas a kinde of Glowormes Crowes stinking and sweet partridges Bullets for Guns wrought by nature A Fountaine of thâ— Pitch of Bitumen Quintus Curtius Bitumen of Babylon The Rouerso a strange fish to hunt with Perhaps this Rouerso is the little fish which cleaueth to the Sharke and is by him carried in all his Chases feeding on the scrapâ— Memorials of the dead Ignorance of Letters Areytos songs and dances Houses of three sorts * Besuco seemes to be as bind-weed or Iuie but stronger and more pliant The beasts of those parts Dants Gatto Ceruiero Leopards Foxes Red and fallow Deere Marterns Monkeys Dogs Churchia Fowles Parrots Night-sparrows Bats Peacocks and Turkeys Sea-crowes Wilde Hennes Partriches Pheasants Flies and Wasps Bees Ants c. Hist. â— l. 15. c. 1. vid. inf Historia Gen. l. 2. c. 14. Beginnings of thâ— foule disease Lib. 3. c. 6. * Those before mâ—ntioned out of Ramuâ—io Friars quarrels Lib. 4. c. 2. Lib 3. c. 11. Ouiedos fift Booke is of their religion c. Lib. 6. c. 3. Superstâ—tious conceit of the Sacrament It was ordayned against the Huraâ—ans of the conscience not of the weather Lib. 7. c. 10. Cockâ— Cats differing from the Spanish wherein our English doe much agree with the Indian Strange water-spout Lib. 13. c. 2. Sea Monster stupendious * 25. passa which sometimes signifieth fathoms * An Italian fowle Lib. 14. c. 7. Water hawkes L. 15. c. 1. Greatest harme by least creatures Vncertainty of Superstition Gal. 4. Rom. 4. Eph. 4. Rom. 8. Ioh. 14. â— Tim. 4. Col. 1. Col. 2. Col. 3. Heb. 13. Eph. 5. 1. Ioâ— 4. Mat. 11. Num. 11. Ier. 2.13 Mat. 25. Ioh. 1. L. 16. c. 15. Lawyers dangerous in the Spanish Indies L. 17. c. 4. Filthy Marriages Ouiedâ—s testimony of Indian Christianity He thinkes it a Fable that is told of Crosses found in Iucaâ—an Strange passages of Fowles L. 17. c. 15. L. 17. c. 18. Abomâ—nâ—ble deuoâ—ions L. 18. c. 2. L 19 c. 2. Piâ—ch Fountaine C. 9. Two shel-fishes which yeeld Pearles * He cals him a Pirate but sheweth no reason of that name Pewter English voyage to the Wâ—st Indies A. 1517. L. 19. c. 13. L. 20. * Ouiedo writ other Bookes of the firme Land which are not extant L. 7. Eccles. 1. L. 7. c. 2. Chichimecas Their sauage course of life Ottomies New Mexico Aztlan Tuculhuacan Their beginnings 900. yeeres agoe A.D. 720. How the six Linages of Nauatalcas peopled the Land of Mexico Chap. 3. Suchimilcos Chalchas Tepanecans Azcapuzalco Tescuco Culhua Tlalluicans Quabunachua Tlascaltecans Giants Note of Giants Beginnings of ciuilitie Of the Mexicans departure of their iourney and peopling the Prouince