mischiefes our Ship is now becomne very leaky that we must pumpe euery halfe watch Here I called a consultation and after consideration of all our experience we were all of the same opinion that it was impossible to get to the Northward or to the Eastward by reason of the Ice Wherefore I resolued vpon this course When the winde blew South it would blow the Ice off the South shoare then we would seeke to get to the Westward betwixt it and the shoare I must confesse that this was a desperate resolution for all the coast we knew to be shoald and foule ground all rocks and stones so that if the winde should shift to the Northward there would be without Gods mercies little hope of vs. But here we must not stay The nights grew long the cold so increased that betwixt the pieces of Ice the Sea would be frozen I caused the Ship to be fitted and places conuenient againe prepared to sinke her the second time if so be we were put to extremities We presently put our proiect in execution the winde being at South and got about the shoalds of the Cape standing then into the shoare-ward to get betwixt it and the Ice we came into foure faddome water very foule rocky ground thinking to come to an Anker all night and let the Ice driue to Leeward But still there was so much Ice betwixt vs and the shoare that we were faine to beare vp amongst it into deeper water and to let the Ship driue amongst it The winde increasing we endured a most dangerous darke night of it In the morning we fell to worke to get the Ship againe out of the Ice into some cleere water which we saw West by South of vs. Some of our company out vpon the Ice to heaue her with their shoulders whilest others stood aboord with poles The rest stood to spill and fill the sayle By nine in the morning we had gotten into some cleere water and stood West and by South and into foure faddome water foule ground But being not able to weather some rands of Ice which did driue wee were faine to stand off againe and when the euening grew darke to come to an Anker About midnight there came a great piece of Ice which we could not auoyd athwart of our Cable and made the Ship driue and dragge her Anker This droue her into shoald water it being very rocky and foule ground We brought the Cable to Capstang and heau'd with such a courage that we heau'd home our Anker from vnder it Thus we did endeauour the best we could to keep our selues in eight and ten faddome water It then pleased God that the wind blew alongst the shoare otherwise it had gone far worse with vs. August 1632. The first of this moneth at breake of day when we could see a little about vs we fell to struggle and striue againe with the Ice and to get in neerer to the shoare There by reason the winde was opposite to come to an Anker we let the Ice driue to Leeward hoping that there was a cleere Sea to the Westward The Ice droue very thicke vpon vs and one piece came foule of vs which did touch our Spreet-sayle Yard and made the Ship driue But we soone cleered our selues of it Then we wayed and stood in neerer to the shoare but the water shoalded and there were so many great rands of Ice betwixt vs and the shoare that there was no comming to an Anker So wee turned betwixt the Ice many pieces of it being aground in shoald water and few pieces distant one from the other a Cables length This day we saw two Sea Morses on the Ice The second in the morning we were glad of the breake of day hauing most dangerously turn'd amongst the Ice all night and endured many a heauy blow We stood in againe to the shoare-ward to see if we could get some cleere water for to the Northward it was all impassable Ice We stood into fiue aad foure faddome but still all incompast with Ice So we stood off againe into deeper water and in the Euening we were inclosed amongst extraordinary great pieces It was a very thicke fogge withall so that we made fast the Ship to a great flat piece and went to sleepe and refresh our selues after our extreme paines taking The third fourth and fift wee were inclos'd amongst very great Ice and it blew such a storme of winde that we sometimes indeuouring to get forward to the Westward did strike such heauy blowes that made all the forepart of the Ship cracke againe Then we would giue ouer working and let her alone amongst it but then the Ice would breake and rise vnder vs that would indanger as bad vs as the former Our ship doth make aboue a tun of water euery watch which we must pumpe out beside our other labour God thinke on vs and be mercifull to vs amongst all these dangers The fift at noone we were in Latitude 55. 30. The Cape bearing off vs South-East by East some twelue leagues off And this is all we haue gotten since the two and twentieth of Iuly All night it blew a violent gale of wind at West North-West and about midnight our hawser by which we had made fast to a piece of Ice broke and we lost 14. faddome of it We beat all night most fearefully being tost from piece to piece because that in the darke we durst not venture our men to goe forth on the Ice for feare of losing them All the sixth the storme indured and droue vs againe with the Ice almost to the Cape The seuenth was the most comfortablest day wee had since we came out of our wintering place the wind came vp faire at East and we got although with our former inconueniences and dangers neerer to the shoare and into some open water making good way to the West-ward Moreouer our leake now stopt of its owne accord so that now we pumpt but little We sayld all night keeping good watch on the forecastell bearing vp for one and looffing for another Thus did we the eighth also but then the wind shifting to the North-west it droue the Ice on the shoare and we came to an Anker in eight faddom water The maine Ice we had some two mile to windward of vs but the set of the tyde kept it off from vs. At noone we were in Latitude 55. 34. In the Euening a range of Ice droue vpon vs which made vs weigh and stand in neerer the shoare into sixe faddom and there to come to an Anker The wind increasing about midnight the Ship did driue and was quickely in fiue faddom water wherefore wee let fall our Shoot-Anker and both held her But that that troubled vs was that was expected euery minute when the maine Ice would come vpon vs and then there would be no hope but to be put ashoare The ninth in the morning we waide our second
being so sorely weakened by this blow which had hurt eight of our men It pleased God that the Anker held againe and shee rid it out all night By midnight the Chirurgion had taken off the Gunners legge at the gartering place and drest the others that were hurt and bruised after which we comforted each other as well as we could The 22. wee weyed and stood a little off into deeper water expecting a better winde Which in the afternoone fauoured vs. Wee stood in againe for the shoare and alongst it wee proceeded It is very shoald about foure leagues off and full of breaches The 23. at noone we were in latitude 56. 28. In the euening the winde came contrary and we were faine to turne to and againe All this moneth the winde hath beene very variable and continued not long vpon one point yet it happened so that we can get but little forward The 26. there sprung vp a fine gale at West but very thicke weather neuerthelesse wee stood into 7. and 6. fad the water very thicke and puddlelish At noone it cleered and we could see that we were imbayed in a little Bay the land being almost round about vs. We stood out of it and so alongst it in sight till the 27. in the morning when we came to higher land then any we had yet seene since we came from Nottingham Iland We stood into it and came to an Anker in 5. faddome I sent off the Boate well man'd and arm'd with order in writing what they were to doe and a charge to returne againe before Sunne-set The euening came and no newes of our Boate we shot and made false fires but had no answer which did much perplex vs doubting that there had some distaster befalne her through carelesnesse and in her we should lose all Wee aboord at present were not able to wey our Anker nor sayle the Ship At last we saw a fire vpon the shoare which made vs the more doubtfull because they did not answer our shot nor false fires with the like Wee thought withall that it had beene the Saluages who did now triumph in their conquest At length they came all safe and well and excused themselues in that vpon their comming ashoare it did ebbe so suddenly that a banke of sand was so presently dry without them as they could not come away till that was couered againe and with that they pacified mee They reported that there was great store of drift wood on the shoare and a good quantitie growing on the land That they saw the tracks of Deere and Beares good store of Fowle of which they had killed some but no signe of people That they past ouer two little riuers and came to a third which they could not passe That it did flow very neere three faddomes sometimes as appeared by the shoare That it was low water at foure a clocke that the flood came from the North-west and that it flowed halfe tyde which both they and we had perceiued by the Ship At low water we had but three faddome where we did ride The winde began to blow hard at East whereupon we weyed and stood to the Northward till midnight Then in againe and in the morning wee saw the land and then it began to blow hard and as we stood off it increased to a very storme so that at length wee could not maintaine a payre of courses but tryed vnder our Maine course all day and all night sometime turning her head to the Landward sometime to the Offing The 29. in the morning we made account we had drouen backe againe some 16. or 18. leagues and in the morning as it cleered wee saw a Ship to Leeward of vs some three or foure leagues so wee made sayle and bore vp with her Shee was then at an Anker in 13. fadd It was his Maiesties Ship and Captaine Foxe commanded in her I saluted him according to the manner of the Sea and receiued the like of him So I stood in to see the land and thought to tacke about and keepe weather of him and to send my Boat aboord of him but the winde shifted so that for that time I could not In the euening I came to weather of him and sent my Boat aboord of him who presently weighed and stood off with mee till midnight and then we stood in againe In the morning Captaine Foxe and his friends came aboord of mee where I entertained them in the best manner I could and with such fresh meat as I had gotten from the shoare I told him how I had named the land The South Principality of Wales I shewed him how farre I had beene to the Eastward where I had landed and in briefe I made knowne to him all the dangers of this Coast as farre as I had beene He told mee how himselfe had beene in Port Nelson and had made but a Cursory discouery hitherto and that he had not beene aland nor had not many times seene the land In the euening after I had giuen his men some necessaries with Tobacco and other things which they wanted hee departed aboord his Ship and the next morning stood away South South-west since which time I neuer saw him The winde something fauouring mee I stood in for the shoare and so proceeded alongst it in sight This moneth of August ended with Snow and Haile the weather being as cold as at any time I haue felt in England We coasted alongst the shoare in 10. faddomes and when it cleered in sight of land At length the water shoalded to 6. and 5. fadd and as it cleered we saw it all breaches to Leeward so we hull'd off North North-east but still raised land By night we had much adoe to get safely out of this dangerous Bay At midnight the winde came vp at South and so we tooke in our sayles and let the Ship driue to the Northward into deeper water This day was the first time the Chirurgion told mee that there were diuers of the men tainted with sicknesse At noone we were in latitude 55. 12. The second we stood in againe for the shoare but as we came in to shoald water it began to blow the weather being winterly and foule threatning a storme wherein we were not deceiued for that in standing off wee had a violent one By midnight it broke vp and the third in the morning wee stood in againe and by a 11. wee saw it Here wee found the land to trend South South-east and South so that we knew we were at a Cape Land and named it Cape Henrietta Maria by her Maiesties name Who had before named our Ship At noone we were in latitude 55. 05. and that is the height of the Cape From Port Nelson to this Cape the land trends generally East South-east but makes with points and Bayes which in the particulars doth alter it a point two or three The distance is about one hundred and
my Cabbin thought no other at first but I had beene wakened when I saw our danger to prouide my selfe for another World After I had contrould a little passion in my selfe and had checkt some bad counsell that was giuen me to reuenge my selfe vpon those that had committed this error I ordered what should be done to get off these Rockes and stones First we halde all our sayle abacke-slayles but that did no good but make her beate the harder Whereupon we strooke all our sayles amaine and furdeld them vp close tearing downe our sterne to bring the Cable thorow the Cabbin to Capstang and so laid out an Anker to heaue her asterne I made all the water in hold to be stau'd and set some to the pumpes to pumpe it out and did intend to doe the like with our Beere Others I put to throw out all our Coales which was soone and readily done We quoyld out our Cables into our long boate all this while the Ship beating so fearefully that we saw some of the sheathing swim by vs. Then stood we as many as we could to the Capstang and heaued with such a good will that the Cable brake and we lost our Anker Out with all speede therefore we put another Wee could not now perceiue whether she did leake or no and that by reason we were imployed in pumping out the water which we had bulged in hold though we much doubted that she had receiued her deaths wound wherefore we put into the Boate the Carpenters tooles a barrell of bread a barrell of powder sixe muskets with some match and a tinder-boxe fish hookes and lines pitch and okum and to be breefe what-euer could be thought on in such an extremity All this we sent ashoare to prolong a miserable life for a few dayes We were fiue houres thus beating in which time she strooke 100. blowes insomuch that we thought euery stroke had bin the last that it was possible she could haue endured The water we could not perceiue in all this time to flowe any thing at all at length it pleased God she beat ouer all the Rockes though yet wee knew not whether she were stanch Whereupon to pumping we goe on all hands till we made the pumpes sucke and then we saw how much water she did make in a glasse VVe found her to be very leakie but wee went to prayer and gaue God thankes it was no worse and so fitted all things againe and got further off and came to an Anker In the Euening it began to blow very hard at W. S. W. which if it had done whilest we were on the Rockes we had lost our Ship without any redemption With much adoe we wayde our Anker and let her driue to the Eastward amongst the broken grounds and Rockes the boate going before sounding At length we came amongst breaches and the boate made signes to vs that there was no going further Amongst the Rockes therefore we againe came to an Anker where we did ride all night and where our men which were tyred out with extreme labour were indifferent well refreshed Here I first noted that when the wind was at S. it flowed very little or no water at all so that we could not bring our Ship aground to looke to her for we did pumpe almost continually The 13. at noone we wayed and stood to the Westward but in that course it was all broken grounds shoaldes and sunken Rockes so that we wondered with our selues how we came in amongst them in a thicke fogge Then we shapte our course to the North-ward and after some consultation with my associates I resolued to get about this land and so to goe downe into the bottome of Hudsons Baye and see if I could discouer a way into the Riuer of Canada and if I failed of that then to winter on the maine Land where there is more comfort to be expected then among Rockes or Ilands We stood alongst the shoare in sight of many breaches When it was night we stood vnder our fore-sayle the leade still going At last the water shoalded vpon vs to 10. fad and it began to blow hard We tackte about and it did deepen to 12. and 14. fad but by and by it shoalded againe to 8. fad Then we tackt about againe and suddenly it shoalded to 6. and 5. fad so wee strooke our sayle amaine and chopt to an anker resoluing to ride it out for life and death We ridde all night a great stresse so that our bittes did rise and we thought they would haue beene torne to pieces At breake of day the 14. we were ioyfull men and when we could looke about we discried an Iland some 2. leagues off at W. by N. and this was the shoald that lay about it Here did runne a distracted but yet a very quicke Tyde of which we taking the opportunity got vp our Anker and stood N. W. to cleere our selues of this shoald In the afternoone the wind came vp at N. E. and we stood alongst the Easterne shoare in sight of a multitude of breaches In the Euening it began to blow a storme not sayle-worthy and the sea went very high and was all in a breach Our shallop which we did now towe at sterne being moord with two hawsers was sunken and did spine by her moorings with her keele vp 20. times in an houre This made our ship to hull very broad so that the sea did continually ouer-rake vs yet we indured it and thought to recouer her All night the storme continued with violence and with some raine in the morning it then being very thicke weather The water shoalded apace with such an ouer-growne sea withall that a sayle was not to be endured and what was as ill there was no trusting to an Anker Now therefore began we to prepare our selues how to make a good end of a miserable tormented life About noone as it cleered vp we saw two Ilands vnder our lee whereupon we bare vp to them and seeing an opening betwixt them we indeauoured to get into it before night for that there was no hope of vs if we continued out at sea that night Therefore come life come death we must runne this hazzard We found it to be a good sound where we ridde all night safely and recouered our strengths againe which were much impared with continuall labour But before we could get into this good place our shallop broke away being moord with 2. hawsers and we lost her to our great griefe Thus now had we but the Ship boate and she was all torne and bruised too This Iland was the same that we had formerly coasted the Wester side of and had named my Lord Westons Iland Here we remained till the 19. in which time it did nothing but snow and blow extremely insomuch that we durst not put our boate ouer-boord This 19. The wind shifted N. N. E. and we wayde and stood to the Southward but by noone the wind
indifferent forwardnesse but the Carpenter grew worse and worse The Ship as we then thought lay all full of solid Ice which was weight enough to open the seames of any new and sound vessell especially of one that had layne so long vpon the ground as she had done In briefe after many disputations and laying open of our miserable and hopelesse estates I resolued vpon this course that notwithstanding it was more labour and though we declined weaker still and weaker yet that with the first warme weather we would begin to cleere the Ship that so we might haue the time before vs to thinke of some other course This being ordered we lookt to those tooles we had to digge the Ice out of her we had but 2. Iron barres ashoare the rest were sunke in the Ship and one of them was broken too Well! we fell to fitting of those barres and of 4. broken shouels that we had with which we intended as after we did to digge the Ice out of her and to lay that Ice on a heape vpon the Lar-boord bowe and to sinke downe that Ice to the ground so fast that it should be a Barricadoe to vs when the Ice brake vp which we feared would teare vs all to pieces The 6. was the deepest snow we had all this yeere which fild vp all our pathes and wayes by which we were vsed to goe vnto the wood This snow was something moyster and greater then any we had had all this yeere for formerly it was as dry as dust and as small as sand and would driue like dust with the winde The weather continued with this extremitie vntill the 15. at which time our spring was harder frozen then it had beene all the yeere before I had often obserued the difference betwixt cleere weather and mistie Refractious weather in this manner From a little hill which was neere adioyning to our house in the cleerest weather when the Sunne shone with all the puritie of ayre that I could conceiue we could not see a little Iland which bare off vs South South-east some foure leagues off but if the weather were mistie as aforesaid then we should often see it from the lowest place This little Iland I had seene the last yeere when I was on Danby Iland The 13. I tooke the height of it instrumentally standing neere the Seas side which I found to be 34. minutes the Sunne being 28. degrees high This showes how great a Refraction here is Yet may this be noted by the way That I haue seene the land eleuated by reason of the refractious ayre and neuerthelesse the Sunne hath risen perfect round The sixteenth was the most comfortable Sun-shine day that came this yeere and I put some to cleere off the snow from the vpper decks of the Ship and to cleere and dry the great Cabbin by making fire in it Others I put to digge downe thorow the Ice to come by our Anker that was in shoald water which the 17. in the afternoone we got vp and carried aboord The eighteenth I put them to digge downe thorow the Ice neere the place where we thought our Rudder might be They digged downe and came to water but no hope of finding of it we had many doubts that it mought be sanded or that the Ice might haue carried it away already the last yeere or if we could not recouer it by digging before the Ice brake vp and droue there was little hope of it The nineteenth wee continued our myning worke aboord the Shippe and returned in the Euening to Supper ashoare This Day The Master and two others desired that they might lye aboord which I condiscended to for indeed they had laine very discommodiously all the winter and with sicke bed-fellowes as I my selfe had done euery one in that kinde taking their fortunes By lying aboord they auoyded the hearing of the miserable groanings and lamenting of the sicke men all night long enduring poore soules intolerable torments By the one and twentieth we had laboured so hard that we came to see a Caske and could likewise perceiue that there was some water in the Hold. This we knew could not be thawed water because it did still freeze night and day very hard aboord the Ship and one the land also By the three and twentieth in the Euening wee came to pierce the forementioned Caske and found it was full of very good Beere which did much reioyce vs all especially the sickemen notwithstanding that it did taste a little of bulgewater By this we at that time thought that the holes we had cut to sinke the Ship were frozen and that this water had stood in the Ship all the Winter The foure and twentieth we went betimes in the morning to worke but found that the water was risen aboue the Ice where we had left work about two foot for that the wind had blowne very hard at North the night before In the morning the wind came about South and blew hard and although we had little reason for it we yet expected a lower veere of the water I there vpon put them to worke on the outside of the Ship that we might come to the lower hole which we had cut in the Sterne-Shootes With much labour by night we digged downe thorow the Ice to it and found it vnfrozen as it had bin all the Winter and to our great comforts we found that on the inside the water was ebd euen with the hole and that on the outside it was ebd a foot lower Hereupon I made a shot-boord to be naild on it and to be made as tight as might be to try if the water came in any other way To the other two holes we had digged on the inside and found them frozen Now I did this betimes that if we found the Ship foundered we might resolue of some course to saue or prolong our liues by getting to the maine before the Ice were broken vp for as for our Boate it was too little and bulged besides that Our Carpenter was by this time past hope and therefore little hope had we of our Pinnasse But which was worst of all we had not foure men able to trauell through the Snow ouer the Ice and in this miserable estate were we at this present The 25. we satisfied our longing for the winde now comming about Northerly the water rose by the Ships side where we had digged downe a foot and more aboue the Hold and yet did not rise within boord This did so incourage vs that we fell very lustily to digging and to heaue out the Ice out of the ship I put the Cooke and some others to thaw the pumps who by continuall powring of hot water into them by the 27. in the morning they had cleered one of them which we say-ing found that it did deliuer water very sufficiently Thus we fell to pumping and hauing cleered two foot water we then left
to haue a second tryall Continuing our worke thus in digging the Ice by the 28. we had cleered our other pumpe which we also found to deliuer water very well We found likewise that the water did not rise any thing in Hold. The 29. it rained all day long a sure signe to vs that winter was broken vp The 30. wee were betimes aboord at our worke which day and the one and thirtieth were very cold with snow and haile which did pinch our sicke men more then any time this yeere This euening being May Euen we returned late from our worke to our house and made a good fire and chose Ladies and did ceremoniously weare their names in our Caps endeauouring to reuiue our selues by any meanes And because you heare vs in this merry humour I will make knowne to you what good cheere we kept at Christmas and Easter and how we had dieted our selues all the winter At our comming foorth of England we were stored with all sort of Sea prouisions as Beefe Porke Fish c. but now that we had little hope of refreshing our Cooke did order it in this manner The Beefe which was to serue on sunday-Sunday-night to Supper he did boyle on saterday-Saterday-night in a Kettle full of water with a quart of Oaterneale about an houre Then taking the Beefe out he boyled the rest till it came to halfe the quantitie And this we called porridge which with bread we did eate as hot as we could and after this we had our ordinary of fish Sunday dinner wee had Porke and Pease and at night the former boyled Beefe made more porridge In this manner our Tuesdayes Beefe was boyled on the Munday nights and the Thursdayes vpon the Wednesdayes And thus all the weeke except Friday night we had some warme thing in our bellies euery supper And surely this did vs a great deale of good But soone after Christmas many of vs fell sicke and had sore mouthes and could neither eate Beefe Porke Fish nor Porridge Their dyet was onely this They would pound Bread or Oatmeale in a morter to meale then fry it in a frying panne with a little oyle and so eate it Some would boyle Pease to a soft paste and feed as well as they could vpon that For the most part of the winter water was our drinke In the whole winter we tooke not aboue a doozen Foxes many of which would be dead in the traps two or three dayes oftentimes and then when the blood was settled they would be vnwholesome But if we tooke one aliue that had not bin long in the trap him we boyled and made broth for the weakest sicke men of him the flesh of it being soft boyled they did eate also Some white partridges we kild but not worth the mentioning towards any refreshing We had three sorts of sickemen Those that could not moue nor turne themselues in their Beds who must be tended like an Infant Others that were as it were creepled with scuruy Aches And others lastly that were something better Most of all had sore mouthes You may now aske me how these infirme men could worke I will tell you Our Surgeon which was diligent and a sweet-conditioned man as euer I saw would be vp betimes in the mornings and whilest he did picke their Teeth and cut away the dead flesh from their Gummes they would bathe their owne thighes knees and legges The manner whereof way this There was no tree bud nor herbe but we made tryall of it and this being first boyled in a Kettle and then put in a small Tubs and Basons they put it vnder them and couering themselues with Cloathes vpon it this would so mollifie the grieued parts that although when they did rise out of their Beds they would be so crippled that they could scarce stand yet after this done halfe an houre they would be able to goe and must goe to wood thorow the Snow to the Ship and about their other businesse By night they would be as bad againe and then they must bee bathed anoynted and their mouthes againe drest before they went to Bed And with this dyet and in this manner did we goe thorow our miseries I euer doubted that we should be weakest in the Spring and therefore had I reserued a Tun of Alegant Wine vnto this time Of this by putting seuen parts of water to one of wine we made some weake Beuerage which by reason that the wine by being frozen had lost his Vertue was little better then water The sicker sort had a Pint of Alegant a day by it selfe and of such poore Aqua vitae too as we had they had a little dramme allowed them next their hearts euery morning and thus wee made the best vse of what we had according to the seasons May 1632. The first we went aboord betimes to heaue out the Ice The second it did snow and blow and was so cold that we were faine to keepe house all day This vnexpected cold at this time of the yeere did so vexe our sicke men that they grew worse and worse we cannot now take them out of their beds but they would swound and we had much adoe to fetch life in them The third those that were able went aboord betimes to heaue out the Ice The Snow was now melted in many places vpon the Land and stood in plashes and now there came some Cranes and Geese to it The fourth while the rest wrought aboord I and the Surgeon went with a couple of pieces to see if we could kill any of these fowle for our sicke men but neuer did I see such wild-fowle They would not indure to see any thing mooue Wherefore we returned within 2. houres not being able to indure any longer stalking thorow the snow and the wet plashes I verily thought that my feet and legs would haue fallen off they did so torment me with aking The 6. Iohn Wardon the Master of my Ships chiefe Mate dyed whom we buried in the Euening in the most Christian-like manner we could vpon the top of a bare hill of sand which we cald Brandon Hill The weather continued very cold freezing so hard in a night that it would beare a man By the 9. we were come to and got vp our fiue barrels of Beefe and Porke and had found 4. Buts of Beere and one of Cydar which God had preserued for vs It had layne vnder water all the winter yet we could not perceiue that it was any thing the worse God make vs euer thankefull for the comfort it gaue vs. The 10. it did snow and blow so cold that we could not stirre out of the house yet neuerthelesse by day the snow vanisheth away apace on the land The 11. we were aboord betimes to heaue out Ice By the 12. at night we had cleered out all the Ice out of the Hold and found likewise our store-shooes which had layne soakt in the
Ship but that by good fortune the Ship ranne against a great piece of Ice that was a-ground This rush brake the Mayne knee of her Beake head and a corner of it tare away 4. of our maine Shrouds and an Anker that we had at the Bowe fastened into it and so stopt her way that she did winde vp to her Anker Wee saw the sharpe Rocks vnder vs and about vs and had but 15. foot water being also in the sides way where all the Ice would driue vpon vs Our Boate we could not see which made vs doubt shee had bin crushed to pieces In her was the third part of our company but by and by we saw her come about a point amongst the Rocks Shee had recouered our Kedger which made vs something ioyfull With all speed we laid out Hawsers to the Rocks and euery one did worke to the best of his strength to Warp her out of this dangerous place to the Rocks sides where wee had 3. fad water and were vnder the shelter of a great piece of Ice that was a-ground which should keepe off the Ice that otherwise would haue driuen vpon vs. Here wee lay very well all the ebbe but when the stood came we were assaulted with pieces of Ice that euery halfe houre put vs into despayrable distresse We did worke continually and extremely to keepe off the Ice At full Sea our great piece of Ice which was our buckler was afloate and doe what wee could got away from vs and left vs in a most eminent danger by reason of the Ice that droue in vpon vs. But the ebbe being once made this great piece of Ice came againe a-ground very fauourable to vs and sheltered vs all the rest of the ebbe All night we wrought hard to shift our Cables and Hawsers and to make them fast aloft on the Rocks that the Ice might the better passe vnder them All day and all night it snowed hard and blew a very storme at West which droue in all the Ice out of the Sea vpon vs. In working against the violence of the Ice the flooke of our Kedger was broken two armes of our Grapnels and two Hawsers our Shallop being againe very much bruised whereupon to work we goe on all hands to repaire it This tyde the Harbour was choaked full of Ice so that it did seeme firme and vnmooueable but when the ebbe was made it did mooue Some great pieces came a-ground which did alter the course of the other Ice and put vs on the Rocks Here notwithstanding all our vttermost endeauours she settled vpon a sharpe Rocke about a yard aboue the Mayne Mast and as the water ebbed away she hung after the Head and heeld to the Offing We made Cables and Hawsers aloft to her Masts and so to the Rocks straining them tough with our Tackles but shee as the water ebbed away sunke still that at length shee was so turned ouer that wee could not stand in her Hauing now done all to the best of our vnderstandings but to little purpose we went all vpon a piece of Ice and fell to prayer beseeching God to be mercifull vnto vs. It wanted yet an houre to low-low-water and the tyde did want a foot and a halfe to ebbe to what it had ebbed the last tyde We were carefull obseruers of the low-waters and had marks by stones and other things which we had set vp so that we could not be deceiued The Ship was so turn'd ouer that the Portlesse of the Fore-castell was in the water and we did looke euery minute when shee would ouer-set Indeed at one time the Cables gaue way and shee sunke downe halfe a foot at that slip but vnexpectedly it began to flow and sensibly wee perceiued the water to rise apace and the Shippe withall Then was our sorrow turned to ioy and we all fell on our knees praising God for his mercy in so miraculous a deliuerance As soone as she was freed from this Rocke we wrought hard to get her further off All the flood we were pretty quiet from the Ice but when the ebbe was made the Ice came all driuing againe vpon vs which put vs to a great extremity We got as many pieces betwixt vs and the Rockes as we could to fence vs from the Rockes There came a great piece vpon our quarter which was aboue 300. of my paces about but it came a-ground Thus did diuers great pieces besides which was the occasion that this tyde the Harbour was quite choakt vp so that a man might goe any way ouer it from side to side When it was three quarters ebbe these great pieces that came a-ground began to breake with a most terrible thundering noyse which put vs in a great feare that those about vs would breake vs all to pieces But God preserued vs. This morning the water veer'd to a lower ebbe then the last tide it had done by two foote whereby we saw Gods mercies apparent in our late extremity That flood wee had some respit from our labours but after full sea our hopes ebde too The great peece that was by vs so stopt the Channell that the Ice came all driuing vpon vs so that now vndoubtedly we thought wee should haue lost our Ship To worke thereupon we goe with axes barres of iron and any thing proper for such a purpose to breake the corners of the Ice and to make way for it to driue away from vs. It pleased God to giue good successe to our labours and we made way for some and fended off the rest and got so much of the softer sort of the Ice betwixt vs and the Rockes that we were in pretty security But at low-water those peeces that were aground breaking kept a most thundering noyse about vs. This day I went ashore and built a great Beacon with stones vpon the highest place of the Iland and put a Crosse vpon it and named this Harbour The Harbour of Gods Prouidence In the Euening the Harbour was fuller of the Ice then euer it had beene since we came hither and the greater peeces grounded and stopt the rest that none went out the ebbe but the Ship lay as if shee had laine in a bed of Ice The three and twentieth day in the morning with the flood the Ice droue vp amongst the broken grounds and with the ebbe droue all out it being then very calme except one extraordinary great peece which comming aground not farre from vs settled it selfe in such a manner that we much feard him But there came no more great Ice after him otherwise we must haue expected as great danger as at any time heretofore I tooke the boate and went ashoare vpon the Easterne side to see if I could finde any place freer from danger then this vnfortunate place where amongst the Rockes I discried a likely place From the top of the Hill where I was I could see the Ship It was now almost lowe water at which instant the
Digges Iland and Nottinghams Iland not being able to get more Northward There for an houre or two we had some open water But before I proceed further it were not amisse in some manner to describe the Straight which begins at the Iland of Resolution and ends here at Digges Iland If you goe downe into the Bay the Straight is about 120. leagues long and trends W. N. W. and E. S. E. generally In the entrance it is about 15. leagues broad and then on the Southward side is a great Bay About the middest it is likewise about 15. leagues broad and then the Land opens something wider so that betwixt Digges Iland and Cape Charles it is about 20. leagues broad Betwixt which two stands Salisbury Iland and Nottingham Iland If it be cleere weather you may see both the South and the North shoares ordinarily the depth in the middle of the Straight is 120. faddomes white sand A certaine tyde runnes in it and no Current The North shoare is the straightest and the cleerest from Ice too Alongst the North shoare you haue many low small Ilands which cannot be seene farre off from the land and in many places the land makes as if it had small sounds into it The Maine land on both sides is indifferent high land And so much for discourse may suffice referring you to the Plot for the particulars Being now resolued of the impossibilitie to doe any thing to the North-westward for the reasons aforesaid I gaue order to the Master of my Ship to Steere away W. S. W. to haue a sight of Mansfeilds Iland which the next day by three a clocke in the after-noone we had hauing had so much dangerous foule weather amongst the Ice that we strooke more fearefull blowes against it then we had euer yet done This was the first day that wee went to halfe allowance of bread Flesh dayes and I ordered things as sparingly as I could Two of our men complaine likewise of sickenesse but soone afterward recouered In the euening wee came to an Anker and I sent the Boate ashoare to try the tydes They brought mee word that whilest the Boat was ashoare it flowed about some three foote and as wee found by the Ship and by the Ice the water at that time came from the W. S. W. and that the highest tydes so farre as they could perceiue it had not highed aboue two faddome They found that the Saluages had beene vpon it by certaine fires which they found and heapes of stones Tracks of other beasts but Foxes they could not finde The winde was so contrary and the weather so foggie that wee were faine to spend some powder to recouer our Boate againe Next morning being the 17. the winde came something fauourable and wee wayed The shoare being something cleere of Ice though very thicke all to the Offing wee stood alongst it S. and S. by W. some 10. leagues In the after-noone the winde came contrary and we came againe to an Anker within a mile of the shoare for to Sea-boord was all thicke Ice and vnpassable I went ashoare my selfe to be resolued of the tyde and found whilest I was a shoare that it did flow two foote and at that time the flood came from the S. W. by W. I doubted it was an halfe tyde which afterwards I found to be true I found where the Saluages had beene vpon the Iland but could see little or no drift wood on the shoare no beasts on the Iland nor fishes in the Sea It flowes on the change day about a eleuen a clocke We saw some fowle on it of which we killed one and returned aboord This Iland is very low land little higher then a dry sand-banke It hath Ponds vpon it of fresh water but no grasse and is vtterly barren of all goodnesse The 18. in the morning the winde came something fauourable and we weyed and came to Sayle for the Ice was all comne about vs. We endeauoured to proceed to the Westward intending to fall with the Westerne land about the Latitude 63. 00. By twelue a clocke hauing beene much pestered we were comne to a firme range of Ice but it pleased God that the winde larged and wee stowed away S. S. W. At noone in Lat. 62. 00. by 4. in the euening hauing scaped dangerous blowes wee were come as wee thought into an open Sea and ioyfully steered away West and W. by N. although that Ioy was soone quayled By ten at night we heard the rut of the Ice and it grew a thicke fogge and very darke with it neuerthelesse we proceeded and the neerer we came to it the more hideous noyse it made By three in the morning the 19. we were come to it and as it did cleere a little we could see the Ice which were as thicke rands of Ice as any we had yet seene These being vnpassable and moreouer the winde at N. W. we stowed alongst it hoping to weather it to the Southward but at last we became so blinded with fogge and so incompassed with Ice that we could goe no further The 20. in the morning notwithstanding the fogge we endeauoured to get to the Westward our Ship beating and knocking all this while most fearefully In this wilfulnesse we continued till the 21 when being fast amongst the Ice I obserued we were in Lat. 60. 33. and then looking what damage our Ship might haue receiued we could perceiue that below the plate of Iron which was before her Cut-water shee was all bruised and broken the two knees she had before to strengthen her spoyled and torne and many other defects which we could not by any meanes come to mend Notwithstanding all this and the extraordinary thicke fogge that we could not see a Pistoll shot about vs we proceeded with the hazzard of all Till the 27 which was the frist time we had cleere weather to looke about vs The winde withall came vp at South and the Ice did open something so that we made some way thorow it to the Westward In the euening we were fast againe and could goe no further the winde veering from the South to the East and blowing a fresh gale This occasioned our griefes the more that with a good winde wee could not goe forward putting therefore a Hawser vpon a piece of great Ice to keepe the Ship close to it we patiently expected for better fortune Since we came from Mansfields Iland our depth was commonly 110. and 100. fad oozye ground Now the water begins to showlde for this present 27. driuing fast to and againe in the Ice we haue but 80. fad ground as before The 28. and 29. we were so fast inclosed in the Ice that notwithstanding we put abroad all the sayle that was at yards and that it blew a very hard gale of winde the Ship stirred no more then if shee had beene in a dry Docke Hereupon we went all boldly out vpon the Ice to sport
and recreate our selues letting her stand still vnder all her Sayles It was flat extraordinary large Ice the worst to deale withall that we had yet found I measured some pieces which I found to be 1000. of my paces long This was the first day that our men began to murmure thinking it impossible to get either forwards or backe-wards Some were of the opinion that it was all such Ice betwixt vs and the shoare Others that the Bay was all couered ouer and that it was a doubt whether we could get any way or to any land to winter in The nights were long and euery night it did so freeze that we could not sayle amongst the Ice by night nor in the thicke foggie weather I comforted and incouraged them the best I could and to put away these cogitations wee dranke a health to his Maiestie on the Ice not one man in the Ship and shee still vnder all her sayles I most ingeniously confesse that all their murmuring was not without reason wherefore doubting that we should be frozen vp in the Sea I ordered that fire should be made but once a day and that but with a certaine number of shides that the Steward should deliuer to the Cooke by tale the better to prolong our fewell whatsoeuer should happen The 30. we made some way thorow the Ice we heauing the Ship with our shoulders and with Mawles and Crowes of Iron breaking the corners of the Ice to make way As we got forwards the water shoalded apace so that I beleeue it to be some Iland At noone we obseru'd thorow the fogge with the Quadrant vpon a piece of Ice and were in Lat. 58. 54. our depth 30. fad We put out hookes to try to catch some fish but to no purpose for there is not any in this Bay The 31. we laboured as aforesaid and got something forward At noone we were in Lat. 58. 40. our depth 23. fad It was very thicke hazye weather or else I thinke we should haue seene the land The first of August the winde came vp at West which droue vs to the Eastward where our depth increased to 35. fad At noone by obseruation with the Quadrant on the Ice we were in Lat. 58. 45. At sixe a clocke this euening we might perceiue the Ice to heaue and set a little which was occasioned by a swelling Sea that came out of the South-West This did comfort vs very much hoping shortly we should get out of the Ice The second it did blow hard at South-West and yet we could not feele the forementioned swelling Sea which did againe quench the hopes we had formerly conceiued The third wee did see a little open water to the North-westward and did feele a swelling Sea from the West which doth assure vs that there is an open Sea to the Westward The fift we saw the Sea cleere but could by no meanes worke our selues to it with our sayles wherefore about sixe in the euening wee let fall an Anker in 50. fad water and stood all with poles and oares to fend off the Ice and let it passe to Leewards We continued this labour all night In the morning the winde came vp at North-West and we wayed with much ioy as hoping now to get into an open Sea to the Southward This by noone we had done and were in Lat. 58. 28. very free of Ice The winde did large vpon vs so that we stood away North-West to get vp as high to the Northward as we could and so to come coasting to the Southward We went to prayer and to giue God thanks for our deliuery out of the Ice The ninth being in Lat. 59. 40. we came againe to the Ice which lye very thicke to the North since we came out of the Ice our depth increased to 110. and now decreaseth againe So that I thinke we approched towards the shoare The tenth prooued very thicke foggie weather the winde contrary and the water showlding apace we came to an Anker in 22. fad The eleuenth in the morning we wayed and made in for the shoare and about noone saw the land our depth being 16. fad in Lat. 59. 40. The land to the North of vs did trend North by East and so made a point to the Southward and trended away West by South which we followed making it for that place which was formerly called Hubberts Hope And so it prooued indeed but it is now hopelesse Two or three words now concerning the Bay that we haue past ouer It is from Digges Iland to this Wester land in latitude aforesaid about 160. leagues the course West South West the variation The tydes doe set in the middle of the Bay East and West as we haue often tryed by our ledde aground but neerer the shoares as they are forced by the land I am of the opinion that in the Ocean or in large Bayes the tydes doe naturally set East and West and that this doth giue little hope of a passage The greatest depth we had in the Bay was 110. fad and so shoalding as you approch to land we coasted round about this forementioned little Bay which is some 18. leagues deepe in 8. and 6. fad and in the bottome of it we were in two faddome and a halfe water and saw the firme land almost round about vs. Then we proceeded to the Southward sixe and seuen faddome water within sight of the breach of the shoare keeping the lead continually going and in the night we would come to an Anker This night being little winde we came to an Anker with our Kedger but in waying of him we lost him hauing no more aboord vs. The 12. we were in Lat. 58. 46. some two leagues from the shoare The variation is about 17. deg The 13. in the afternoone it being something hazye we saw some breaches ahead vs our depth was 9. and 10. fad and luffing to cleere our selues of them we suddenly strooke vpon the Rocks the Ship then being vnder our two Top-sayles Foresayle and Spreetsayle with a fresh gale of winde In this fearefull accident wee strooke all our sayles amaine and it did please God to send two or three good swelling Seas which did heaue vs ouer the Rocks into 3. fad and presently into three faddome and a halfe where we chopt to an Anker and sayed the pumps but we found shee made no water although shee had three such terrible blowes that we thought her Mast would haue shiuered to pieces and that she had bin assuredly bulged Wee hoyst the Boate ouer-boord and double man'd her to goe seeke and sound a way out of this perilous place Shee was no sooner gone but there rose a fogge so that we were faine to spend some powder that shee might heare whereabouts we were The winde duld something otherwise it had beene doubtfull whither shee could euer haue recouered to vs againe After shee had beene absent two houres she brought
vs word that it was all Rocks and breaches round about vs and that withall shee had found a way where there was not lesse then two fad and a halfe and that afterwards the water did deepen We did presently way and follow the Boate and past ouer two ledges of Rocks on which there was scarce 14. foot water Then it did deepen to 3. 4. and so to 14. fad then it shoulded againe to 9. It being now night we came to an Anker where we ride indifferent well all the night In the morning the winde came contrary so that wee could not goe that way we intended to cleere our selues and therefore we went to worke to fit our holds to splise our Cables and made ready two shot and so placed them in the Hold that they might vpon all occasions runne cleere the ends of them being fastned to the maine Mast. We likewise lookt to our Ankers and fitted our spare ones We got out our long Boate from betwixt the decks which was very much broken and bruised The Carpenter went to worke to fit her for I intended to tow the Shallop at Sterne and so to haue the Boats ready at an instant either to lay out Ankers or to be seruiceable to what God should be pleased to try our faith and patience withall for in him was our only trust and our hope vpon his fauour in our honest endeauours At noone in Lat. 57. 45. wee could see the land from the N. W. to the S. E. by E. with Rocks and breaches and the Rocks that we came ouer dry aboue water whereby I knew it flowes here two faddomes at least At noone I sent the Boate off to sownd to the Eastward because the water shoulded when we came to an Anker Shee brought vs word the shouldest water she had beene in was 7. fad We intending thereupon to way the winde came Easterly so that we could not budge but lay here the 14. all night with a stiffe gale of winde The 15. in the euening our Cable galded off by reason of which perilous and sudden accident in which wee had not time to put a Buoy to it we lost our Anker and were driuen into 4. fad water before we could set our sayles This when we had done we stowed South South-East the winde being at East but the water shoulded to 3. fad Then wee stowed North north-east and it did deepen by degrees to ten fadd and because it grew darke we came to an Anker and rid a good stresse all night In the morning the 16. the winde came vp at North a fresh gale and we wayed and came to sayle By nine a clocke it grew to be a very storme and we turned to and againe in 10. fad water In the euening the winde duld and wee stood South-west to haue a sight of Port Nelson which course we stood all night by the Starres being in Lat. 57. 25. the variation about 17. degrees The 17. in the morning we stood South and our depth decreased by degrees to 8. faddomes At noone we had good obseruation being in Latitude 57. 15. and wee make account that we are some 6. or 7. leagues of the Southerne side of Port Nelson Here the colour of the water changed and was of a puddlelish and sandy red colour We stood into 6. fad and could not see the land from Top-mast-head so night comming on and it beginning to blow hard at East by South we stood off againe into 10. and 12. faddomes where the water was againe of the colour of the Sea The 18. as the winde and weather fauoured vs and the storme was broken vp we stood in againe South and came againe into thicke puddlelish water into 8. 7. and 6. fad and then off againe for that it grew thicke foggie weather keeping our lead continually going night and day The 19. being fine cleere Sun-shine weather we stood in againe into the thicke puddleish water into 8. fad where we came to an Anker to try the tydes For that from Top-mast-head we could not now see the land We were at noone by good obseruation in Latitude 57. 20. and the tyde did set N. W. by W. and S. E. by E. It did runne two knols and a halfe in two glasses I resolued that this was nothing but shoalds to the land In the after-noone it began to snuffle and blow so that we had much adoe to get vp our Anker This being done we stood East South East but the water shoalded apace Then we stood East and it deepened a little In the euening the winde came vp at West and then we stood East South-east into 10. and 8. and afterwards South-East as our depth did guide vs by our lead and the colour of the water into 7. and 6. faddomes The 20. at 6. in the morning we saw the land it being a very low flat land Wee stood into 5. faddomes to make it the better and so stood alongst it At noone wee were in lat 57. 00. We named it The new Principality of South Wales and drank a health in the best liquor we had to Prince Charles his Highnesse whom God preserue We stood alongst it and came to a point where it trends to the Southward neere to which point there are two small Ilands In the euening it was calme and we came to an Anker The tyde set as aforesaid There we rid all that night and the next day by reason the winde was contrary There went a chopping short Sea and the Ship did labour at it exceedingly leaping in Spreet-sayle yard Forecastell and all for as yet we had not trimmed her well to ride About nine at night it was very darke and it did blow hard Wee did perceiue by the lead the Ship did driue wherefore bringing the Cable to Capstang to heaue in our Cable for we did thinke we had lost our Anker the Anker hitcht againe and vpon the chopping of a Sea threw the men from the Capstang A small rope in the darke had gotten foule about the Cable and about the Masters legge too but with helpe of God hee did cleere himselfe though not without sore bruising The two Mates were hurt the one in the head the other in the arme One of our lustiest men was strooken on the brest with a bar that he lay sprawling for life another had his head betwixt the Cable and hardly escaped The rest were flung where they were sore bruised But our Gunner an honest and a diligent man had his legge taken betwixt the Cable and the Capstang which wrung off his foote and tare all the flesh off his legge and crushed the bone to pieces and sorely withall bruised all his whole body in which miserable manner hee remained crying till we had recouered our selues our memory and strengths to cleere him Whilest we were putting him and the rest downe to the Chirurgion the Ship droue into shoalde water which put vs all in feare we
before the Currants making a foole of our best iudgements in the thicke fogge when we could see no land-marks It pleased God that we got cleere of them and endeauoured to get vnder the Lee of the Iland This being not able to doe wee were faine to come to an Anker in 35. fadd some two leagues off the shoare All this afternoone and indeed all night too it did snow and hayle and was very cold The 25. wee weyed and thought to get to the Eastward but as wee tackt to and againe the winde shifted so in our teeths that it put vs within a quarter of a mile of the very shoare where we chopt to an Anker and rid it out for life and death Such miseries as these we indured amongst these shoalds and broken grounds or rather more desperate then I haue related very vnpleasant perchance to be read with snow haile and stormy weather and colder then euer I felt it in England in my life Our shoote-Anker was downe twice or thrice a day which extreme paines made a great part of the company sickly All this lasted with vs vntill the 30. of this moneth of September which we thought would haue put an end to our miseries for now we were driuen amongst rocks shoalds ouer-falles and breaches round about vs that which way to turne we knew not but there ride amongst them in extremitie of distresse All these perils made a most hideous and terrible noyse in the night season and I hope it will not be accounted ridiculous if I relate with what meditations I was affected now and then amongst my ordinary prayers which I here affoord the Reader as I there conceiued them in these few ragged and teared Rimes OH my poore soule why doest thou grieue to see So many Deaths muster to murther mee Looke to thy selfe regard not mee for I Must doe for what I came performe or die So thou mayst free thy selfe from being in A dung-hill dungeon A meere sinke of sinne And happily be free'd if thou beleeue Truly in God through Christ and euer liue Be therefore glad yet ere thou goe from hence For our ioynt sinnes let 's doe some penitence Vnfainedly together When we part I le wish the Angels Ioy with all my heart We haue with confidence relyde vpon A rustie wyre toucht with a little Stone Incompast round with paper and alasse To house it harmelesse nothing but a glasse And thought to shun a thousand dangers by The blind direction of this senselesse flye When the fierce winds shatter'd blacke nights asunder Whose pitchie clouds spitting forth fire and thunder Hath shooke the earth and made the Ocean roare And runne to hide it in the broken shoare Now thou must Steere by faith a better guide 'T will bring thee safe to heauen against the tyde Of Satans malice Now let quiet gales Of sauing grace inspire thy zealous sayles The first of October was indifferent faire weather and with a windward tyde out went our Boate to sound a channell to help vs out of this perilous place The Boat within two houres shee returned and told vs how shee had beene away where there was not lesse then 12. fadd We presently thereupon weyed but found it otherwise and came amongst many strange races and ouer-falles vpon which there went a very great and breaking Sea As we proceeded the water shoalded to 6. fadd Well! there was no remedy we must goe forward happy be luckie seeing there neither was any riding and as little hope to turne any way with a sayle but that there appeared present death in it It pleased God so to direct vs that we got thorow it hauing no less then fiue seuerall and all very vncertaine depths The water sometimes deepened to 20. fadd then vpon a sudden it shoalded to 7. 6. and 5. faddomes so we strooke all our sayles amaine and chopt to an Anker where wee rid till midnight for life and death it blowing a mercilesse gale of winde and the Sea going very loftie and all in a breach The ground was foule ground too insomuch that wee doubted our Cable euery minute The second in the morning was little winde wherefore taking the opportunitie of the tyde the Boate went forth to sound which returning againe in two houres told vs how they had sounded about that shoald and had found a place of some safetie to ride in and had beene in no lesse water then fiue faddome We weyed and found our Cable galled in two places which had soone failed vs if the foule weather had continued We stood the same way that the Boat did direct vs but it prooued so calme that wee came to an Anker in 18. faddome I tooke the Boate and went ashoare on an Iland that was to the Southward of vs which I named The Earle of Danbyes Iland From the highest place in it I could see it all broken grounds and shoalds to the Southward and rather worse then any thing better then that which we had beene in I found that the Saluages had beene vpon it and that it was full of wood I made haste to the Boate to sound the Baye for feare of shoalds and sunken Rockes but found it indifferent good Toward the Euening it began to blow hard wherefore we made towards the Ship She put forth a Buoy and a warpe and we rowing for life to recouer her were put to Lee-ward of her but by getting hold of the warpe we halde vp to her The boate we left halfe full of water our selues being as wet as drown'd rats and it made vs the more reioyce that we had escapt this great danger All night we had a very hard rode-steede it blowing a most violent gale of wind with snow and haile The third about noone the wind duld and we had vp our Anker standing in further into the Baye into foure fad and a halfe water Here we came againe to an Anker with our second Anker for many of our men are now sicke and the rest so weakened that we can hardly way our shoote-Anchor I tooke the Boate and went presently ashoare to see what comfort I could find This was the first time that I put foote on this Iland which was the same that we did after winter vpon I found the tracks of Deere and saw some Fowle but that that did reioyce me most was that I did see an opening into the Land as if it had beene a riuer To it we make with all speede but found it to be barr'd and not 2. foote water at full sea on the Barre and yet within a most excellent fine Harbour hauing 4. fad water In the Euening I return'd aboord bringing little comfort for our sicke men more then hopes The 4. it did snow and blow very hard yet I got ashoare and appointed the boate to goe to another place which made like a Riuer and to sound it In the meane time I went with foure more some 4. or 5. miles vp
into the Countrey but could find no releefe all that way for our sicke but a few Berries onely After we had well wearied our selues in the troublesome woods wee return'd to the place I had appointed the boate to tarry for me where at my comming I still found her she hauing not beene where I had ordered her for it had blowne such a fierce gale of wind that she could not row to wind-ward Thus we return'd aboord with no good newes It continued foule weather with snow and haile and extreme cold till the 6. when with a fauouring winde we stood in neerer to the shoare and here moord the ship The 7. it snow'd all day so that we were faine to cleare it of the Decks with shouels and it blew a very storme withall It continued snowing and very cold weather and it did so freeze that all the bowes of the Ship with her beake-head was all Ice about the Cable also was Ice as bigge as a mans middle The bowes of the boate were likewise frozen halfe a foote thicke so that we were faine to hew and beate it off The Sunne did shine very cleere and we tore the top-sayles out of the tops which were hard frozen in them into a lumpe so that there they hung a Sunning all day in a very lumpe the Sunne not hauing power to thawe one drop of them After the Boate was fitted we rowed towards the shoare but could not come neere the place where we were vsed to land for that it was all thickned water with the snow that had fallen vpon the sands that are dry at low water This made it so difficult to row that we could not set through it with 4. oares yet something higher to the West-ward we got ashoare Seeing now the winter to come thus extremely on vpon vs and that we had very little wood aboord I made them fill the boate and went aboord and sent the Carpenter and others to cut wood others to carry it to the water side whilest the boate brought it aboord for I doubted that we were likely to be debar'd the shoare and that we should not goe to and againe with the boate It was miserable and cold already aboord the Ship euery thing did freeze in the Hold and by the fire side Seeing therefore that we could no longer make vse of our sayles which be the wings of a Ship it raised a many of doubts in our mindes that here we must stay and winter After we had brought so much wood aboord as we could conueniently stowe and enough as I thought would haue lasted 2. or 3. moneths The sicke men desired that some little house or houell might be built a shoare whereby they might be the better sheltered and recouer their healths I tooke the Carpenter and others whom I thought fit for such a purpose and choosing out a place they went immediately to worke vpon it In the meane space I my selfe accompanied with some others wandered vp and downe in the Woods to see if we could discouer any signes of Salvages that so we might the better prouide for our safeties against them We found no appearance that there was any on this Iland nor neere vnto it The snow by this time was halfe legge high and stalking through it we returned comfortlesse to our Companions who had all this time wrought well vpon our house They aboord the Ship tooke downe our top-sayles in the meane while and made a great fire vpon the hearth in the hatch way so that hauing well thaw'd them they folded them vp and put them betwixt deckes that if we had any weather they might bring them againe to yard Thus in the Euening we returned aboord The 12. we tooke our maine sayle from the yard which was hard frozen to it and carryed it ashoare to couer our house withall being first faine to thawe it by a great fire By night they had couered it and had almost hedged it about and the sixe builders did desire to lye in it ashoare that night which I condiscended vnto hauing first fitted them with Muskets and other furniture and a charge to keepe good watch all night Moreouer they had a shoare 2. Grey-hounds a dogge and a bitch which I had brought out of England to kill vs some Deere if happily we could finde any By the 13. at night our house was ready and our sixe builders desired they might trauell vp into the Country to see what they could discouer The 14. betimes in the morning being fitted with munition and their order to keepe together but especially to seeke out some Creeke or Cove for our Ship they departed We aboord tooke downe our two top-masts and their rigging making account if we did remooue to make vse of our fore-sayle and mizzen The 15. in the Euening our hunters returned very weary and brought with them a small leaue Deere in 4. quarters which reioyced vs all hoping we should haue had more of them to refresh our sicke men withall They reported that they had wandered aboue 20. miles and had brought this Deere aboue 12. mile and that they had seene 9. or 10. more The last night they had a very cold lodging in the woods and so it appeard for they lookt all almost starued nor could they recouer themselues in 3. or 4. dayes after They saw no signe of Salvages nor of any rauening wild beasts nor yet any hope of harbour The 17. my Lieutenant and 5. more desired they might try their fortunes in trauelling about the Iland But they had farre worse lucke then the others although they endured out all night and had wandered very farre in the snow which was now very deepe and returned comfortlesse and miserably disabled with the coldnesse But what was worse then all this they had lost one of their company Iohn Barton namely our Gunners mate who being very weary meerly to saue the going about had attempted to goe ouer a pond that was a quarter of a mile over where when he was in the very middest the Ice brake and closed vpon him and we neuer saw him more Considering these disasters I resolued to fish no more with a golden hooke for feare I weakned my selfe more with one hunting then 20. such deare Deeres could doe me good Being now assured that there was no Salvages vpon the Iland nor yet about vs on the other Ilands no nor on the maine neither as farre as we could discouer which we further proued by making of fires and that the cold season was now in that extremity that they could not come to vs if there were any we comforted and refreshed our selues by sleeping the more securely We changed our Iland garrison euery weeke and for other refreshing we were like to haue none till the Spring From this 10. to the 29. it did by interims snow and blow so hard that the boate could hardly aduenture ashoare and but seldome land vnlesse the men did wade in
the thicke congealed water carrying one another We did sensibly perceiue withall how wee did daily sinke into more miseries The land was all deepe couered with snow the cold did multiply and the thicke snow water did increase and what would become of vs our most mercifull God and preseruer knew onely The 29. I obserued an Eclipse of the Moone with what care possibly I could both in the tryall of the exactnesse of our instruments as also in the obseruation I referre you to the obseruation in the latter end of this Relation where it is at large described This moneth of October ended with snow and bitter cold weather The first of November I cast vp accounts with the Steward concerning our victuall the third part of our time being this day out I found him an honest man for he gaue me an account euery weeke what was spent and what was still in the hold remaining vnder his hand I would take no excuse of leakage or other waste vnlesse he did daily show it me Euery month I made a new suruey and euery sixe moneths put what we had spared by it selfe which now was at least a moneths prouision of Bread and a fortnights of Pease and Fish c. The 3. day the boate indeauoured to get ashoare but could not set thorow the thicke congealed water The 4. they found a place to get ashoare and so once in 2. or 3. dayes till the 9. bringing Beere to our men ashoare in a barrell which would freeze firmely in the house in one night Other prouision they had store The Ice Beere being thaw'd in a kettell was not good and they did breake the Ice of the pondes of water to come by water to drinke This pond-water had a most lothsome smell with it so that doubting lest it might be infectious I caused a Well to be sunke neere the house There we had very good water which did taste as we flattered our selues with it euen like milke The 10. hauing store of boordes for such a purpose I put the Carpenter to worke to make vs a little boate which we might carry if occasion were ouer the Ice and make vse of her where there was water At noone I tooke the Latitude of this Iland by 2. Quadrants which I found to be 52. 00. I vrged the men to make traps to catch Foxes for we did daily see many Some of them were pied blacke and white whereby I gathered that there was some blacke Foxes whose skinnes I told them were of a great value and I promised that whosoeuer could take one of them should haue the skinne for his reward Hereupon they made diuers traps and waded in the snow which was very deepe to place them in the woods The 12. our house tooke a fire but we soone quenched it We were faine to keepe an extraordinary fire night and day and this accident made me order a watch to looke to it continually seeing that if our house and clothing should be burnt that all we were but in a woefull condition I lay ashoare till the 17. all which time our miseries did increase It did snow and freeze most extremely At which time we looking from the shoare towards the Ship she did looke like a piece of Ice in the fashion of a Ship or a Ship resembling a piece of Ice The snow was all frozen about her and all her fore-part firme Ice and so was she on both sides also Our Cables froze in the hawse wonderfull to behold I got me aboord where the long nights I spent with tormenting cogitations and in the day time I could not see any hope of sauing the Ship This I was assured of that it was most impossible to endure these extremities long Euery day the men must beare the Ice off the Cables while some within boord with the Carpenters long Calking Iron did digge the Ice out of the hawses in which worke the water would freeze on their clothes and hands and would so benumme them that they could hardly get into the Ship without being heau'd in with a rope The 19. our Gunner who as you may remember had his legge cut off did languish vnrecouerably and now grew very weake desiring that for the little time he had to liue hee might drinke Sacke altogether which I ordered hee should doe The 22. in the morning he dyed An honest and a strong-hearted man Hee had a close-boorded Cabbin in the Gun-roome which was very close indeed and as many clothes on him as was conuenient for we wanted no clothes and a panne with coales a fire continually in his Cabbin For all which warmth his playster would freeze at his wound and his bottle of Sacke at his head We committed him at a good distance from the Ship vnto the Sea The three and twentieth the Ice did increase extraordinarily and the snow lay on the water in flakes as it did fall much Ice withall droue by vs yet nothing hard all this while In the euening after the watch was set a great piece came athwart our hawse and foure more followed after him the least of them a quarter of a mile broad which in the darke did very much astonish vs thinking it would haue carried vs out of the Harbour vpon the shoalds Easter point which was full of rocks It was newly congealed a matter of two inches thicke and wee broke thorow it the Cable and Anker induring an incredible stresse sometimes stopping the whole Ice We shot off three Muskets signifying to our men ashoare that we were in distresse who answered vs againe but could not helpe vs. By ten a clocke it was all past neuerthelesse wee watched carefully and the weather was warmer then wee had felt it any time this moneth In the morning at breake of day I sent for our men aboord who made vp the house and arriued by 10. being driuen by the way to wade thorow the congealed water so that they recouered to the Boate with difficultie There droue by the Ship many pieces of Ice though not so large as the former yet much thicker One piece came foule of the Cable and made the Ship driue As soone as we were cleere of it we ioyned our strengths together and had vp our Eastermost Anker and now I resolued to bring the Ship aground for no Cables nor Ankers could hold her But I will here show you the reasons why I brough her no sooner aground First it was all stony ground some stones lying dry three or foure foot aboue water so that it was to be suspected that it was the like all about vs. Secondly it did ordinarily flow but two foot and a halfe here and if shee should bed deepe in the sands we could not euer come to digge her out againe for that shee would not be dry by foure or fiue foot Thirdly it was a loose sand which might rise with the surfe or so mount about her that all our weake
not be gotten vp to staue them Then to quoile all our Cables vpon our lower tyre and to lay on our spare Ankers and any thing that was weighty to keepe it downe from rising By seuen a Clocke it blew a storme at North-West our bitter enemy The Ship was already bedded some two foote in the sand and whilst that was a flowing shee must beate This I before had in my consideration for I thought she was so farre driuen vp that we should neuer get her off Yet we had bin so ferrited by her last beating that I resolued to sinke her right downe rather then runne that hazzard By nine a cloke she began to rowle in her docke with a most extraordinary great Sea that was come which I found to be occasioned by the formentioned ouerfall And this was the fatall houre that put vs to our wits end Wherefore I went downe in hold with the Carpenter and tooke his auger and board a hole in the Ship and let in the water Thus with all speed we began to cut out other places to boare thorow but euery place was full of nailes By tenne notwithstanding the lower tyre was couered with water for all which she began so to beate in her docke more and more that we could not worke nor stand to doe any thing in her Nor would she sinke so fast as we would haue her but continued beating double blowes first abaft and then before that it was wonderfull how she could indure a quarter of an houre with it By twelue a clocke her lower Tyre rose and that did so counter-beate on the inside that it beat the bulke heads of the Bread-roome powder-roome and fore piece all to pieces and when it came betwixt deckes the chests fled wildly about and the water did flash and flie wonderfully so that now we expected euery minute when the Ship would open and breake to pieces At one a clocke shee beat off her Rudder and that was gone we knew not which way Thus shee continued beating till three a clocke and then the Sea came vp on the vpper decke and soone after shee began to settle In her wee were faine to sinke the most part of our bedding and clothes and the Chirurgions Chest with the rest Our men that were ashoare stood looking vpon vs almost dead with cold and sorrowes to see our misery and their owne We lookt vpon them againe and both vpon each other with woefull hearts Darke night drew on and I bade the Boate to be haled vp and commanded my louing companions to goe all into her who in some refusing complements expressed their faithfull affections to mee as loth to part from me I told them that my meaning was to goe ashoare with them And thus lastly I forsooke the Ship We were seuenteene poore soules now in the Boate and we now imagined that we were leapt out of the Frying pan into the fire The ebbe was made and the water extraordinary thicke congealed with snow so that we thought assuredly it would carry vs away into the Sea We thereupon doublemand foure oares appointing foure more to sit ready with oares and so with the helpe of God we got to the shoare haling vp the Boate after vs. One thing was most strange in this thicke water namely That there went a great swelling Sea Being arriued vpon the land we greeted our fellowes the best we could at which time they could not know vs nor we them by our habits nor voyces so frozen all ouer wee were faces haire and apparell And here I meane to take breath awhile after all this long and vnpleasant Relation of our miserable endeauours Crauing leaue first of all to speake a word or two in generall The winds since we came hither haue beene very variable and vnconstant and till within this fortnight the Southerly winde was the coldest The reason I conceiue to be for that it did blow from the Maine land which was all couered with snow and for that the North winds came out of the great Bay which hitherto was open Adde to that we were now vnder a South Banke which did shelter vs so that we were not so sensible of it A North-west a North-west by North and a North-North-west winde if it blew a storme would raise the Tydes extraordinarily and in briefe from the West Northwest to the North North-east would raise the tydes in proportion as they did blow from the middle point The wind being on the opposite points if it blew it would flow very little at all The harder it blew the lesse water it would flow If it were little winde or calme it would flow indifferently The tydes doe high ordinarily without being forced about three foot but being forced with the forementioned winds vpward of ten foot I could perceiue no difference betwixt Neape and spring tydes It flowes halfe tyde that is the flood comes from the Northward and thither returnes againe two houres before it be high water and it is commonly so seene in most Bayes or Inlets The VVintering AFter we had haled vp the Boate we went alongst the breach side in the darke towards our house where we made a good fire and with it and bread and water wee thawde and comforted our selues beginning after that to reason one with another concerning our Ship I requir'd that euery one should speak his mind freely The Carpenter especially was of the opinion that she was founderd and would neuer be seruiceable againe He alledged that she had so beaten that it was not possible but that all her Ioints were loose and seames open and that by reason it flowed so little water and no Creeke nor Coue being neere wherein to bring her aground he could not deuise how he might come to mend it Moreouer her Rudder was lost and he had no Iron-worke to hang on another Some alledged that we had heaued her vp so high vpon the sands that they thought we should neuer haue her off againe and that they were assured she was already dockt three foote Others that she lay in the Tydes way and that the Ice might teare her to pieces off the ground besides which two of our Ankers we could not now get from vnder the Ice which when the Ice brake which would be of a great thickenesse by the Spring would breake our Ankers to pieces and then we should haue no Ankers to bring vs home withall supposed we got off the ship that she proued sound also I comforted them the best I could with such like words My Masters and faithfull Companions be not dismaide for any of these disasters but let vs put our whole trust in God It is he that giueth and he that taketh away he throwes downe with one hand and raiseth vp with another His will be done If it be our fortunes to end our dayes here we are as neere heauen as in England and we are much bound to God Almighty for giuing vs so large a time of repentance
extremity of cold and labour making way with shouels thorow the deepe Snow euen from the Sea-side vnto our Store-house And thus concluded we the old yeere 1631. Ianuary 1632. The first of Ianuary and for the most part all the moneth was extreme cold The sixth I obserued the latitude with what exactnesse I could it being very cleere Sun-shine weather which I found to be 51. 52. This difference is by reason that here is a great Refraction The one and twentieth I obserued the Sunne to rise like an Ouall alongst the Horizon I cald three or foure to see it the better to confirme my Iudgement and we all agreed that it was twice as long as it was broad We plainely perceiued withall that by degrees as it gate vp higher it also recouered his roundnesse The sixe and twentieth I obserued when the Easterne edge of the Moone did touch the Planet Mars the Lions heart was then in the East quarter 21. 45. aboue the Horizon but all this was not done with that exactnesse that I haue done other obseruations The thirtieth and one and thirtieth there appeared in the beginning of the night more Starres in the firmament then euer I had before seene by two thirds I could see the Cloud in Cancer full of small Starres and all the via lactea nothing but small Starres and amongst the Plyades a great many small Starres About tenne a Clocke the Moone did rise and then a quarter of them was not to be seene The wind for the most part of this month hath beene Northerly and very cold the warmest of which time wee imployed our selues in fetching Wood working vpon our Pinnasse and other things that happened In the beginning of this moneth the Sea was all firmely frozen ouer so that we could see no water any way I hope it will not seeme tedious to the Readers if I here deliuer mine owne opinion how this abundance of Ice comes to be ingendered The Land that encircles this great Bay which lyes in a broken Irregular forme making many little shoald Bayes and Guts being moreouer full of Ilands and dry sands is for the most part low and flat and hath flat shoalds adioyning to it halfe a mile or a mile that are dry at low water Now you must know that it flowes halfe tyde as I haue often experienced that is from whence the flood commeth the water thither returneth two houres before it be high water or full Sea It seldome raines after the middle of September but snowes and that Snow will not melt on the Land nor Sands At low water when it snowes which it doth very often the sands are all couered ouer with it which the halfe tyde carries officiously twice in twentie foure houres into the great Bay which is the common Rendezvous of it Euery low water are the sands left cleere to gather more to the increase of it Thus doth it daily gather together in this manner till the latter end of October and by that time hath it brought the Sea to that coldnesse that as it snows the snow will lye vpon the water in flakes without changing his colour but with the winde is wrought together and as the winter goes forward it begins to freeze on the surface of it two or three inches or more in one night which being carried with the halfe tyde meets with some obstacle as it soone doth and then it crumples and so runnes vpon it selfe that in a few houres it will be fiue or sixe foote thicke The halfe tyde still flowing carries it so fast away that by December it is growne to an infinite multiplication of Ice And thus by this storing of it vp the cold gets the predomination in the Sea which also furnisheth the Springs and water in the low flat lands that it cooles it like it selfe This may appeare by our experience though in all this I freely submit my selfe vnto the better learned Our men found it more mortifying cold to wade thorow the water in the beginning of Iune when the Sea was all full of Ice then in December when it was increasing Our Well moreouer out of which we had water in December we had none in Iuly The ground at ten foote deepe was frozen The quantitie of the Ice may very easily be made to appeare by Mathematicall Demonstration and yet I am not of the opinion that the Bay doth freeze all ouer For the one and twentieth the winde blowing a storme at North we could perceiue the Ice to rise something in the Bay February 1632. The cold was as extreme this moneth as at any time we had felt it this yeere and many of our men complained of infirmities Some of sore mouthes all the teeth in their heads being loose their gums swolne with blacke rotten flesh which must euery day be cut away The paine was so sore on them that they could not eate their ordinary meat Others complained of paine in their heads and their brests Some of weakenesse in their backs Others of aches in their thighs and knees and others of swellings in their legges Thus were two thirds of the company vnder the Chirurgions hand And yet neuerthelesse they must worke daily and goe abroad to fetch wood and timber notwithstanding the most of thē had no shooes to put on Their shooes vpon their comming to the fire out of the snow were burnt and scorcht vpon their feete and our store-shooes were all sunke in the Ship In this necessitie they would make this shift To bind clouts about their feet and endeauoured by that poore helpe the best they could to performe their duties Our Carpenter likewise is by this time falne sicke to our great discomforts I practised some obseruations by the rising and setting of the Sunne calculating the time of his rising and setting by very true running glasses As for our Clocke and Watch notwithstanding we still kept them by the fires side in a Chest wrapt in clothes yet were they so frozen that they could not goe My obseruations by these Glasses I compared with the Stars comming to the Meridian By this meanes wee found the Sunne to rise twentie minutes before it should and in the euening to remaine aboue the Horizon twentie minutes or thereabouts longer then it should doe And all this by reason of the Refraction Since now I haue spoken so much of the cold I hope it will not be too coldly taken if I in a few words make it someway to appeare vnto our Readers Wee made three differences of the cold all according to the places In our house In the woods and in the open Ayer vpon the Ice in our going to the ship For the last it would be sometimes so extreme that it was not indurable no Cloathes were proofe against it no motion could resist it It would moreouer so freeze the haire on our eye-lids that we could not see and I verily beleeue that it would haue stifled a man in a very few houres we
did daily find by experience that the cold in the Woods would freeze our faces or any part of our flesh that was bare but it was yet not so mortifying as the other Our house on the out-side was couered two thirdparts with Snow and on the inside frozen hang with Icesickles The Cloathes on our beds would be couered with hoare frost which in this little habitacle was not farre from the fire But let vs come a little neerer to it The Cookes Tubs wherein he did water his meate standing about a yard from the fire and which he did all day plye with melted snow-Snow-water yet in the night season whilst he slept but one watch would they be firme frozen to the very bottome And therefore was hee faine to water his meate in a brasse Kettle close adioyning to the fire and I haue many times both seene and felt by putting my hand into it that side which was next the fire was very warme and the other side an inch frozen I leaue the rest to our Cooke who will almost speake miracles of the cold The Surgeon who had hung his bottles of sirrops and other liquid things as conueniently as he could to preserue them had them all frozen our Vineger Oyle and Sacke which we had in small Caske in the house was all firme frozen It may further in generall be conceiued that in the beginning of Iune the Sea was not broken vp and the ground was yet frozen and thus much wee found by experience in the burying of our men in setting vp the Kings Standard towards the latter end of Iune and by our Well at our comming away in the beginning of Iuly at which time vpon the land for some other reasons it was very hote weather March 1632. The first of this moneth being Saint Dauids day we kept Holyday and solemnized it in the manner of the Ancient Britaines praying for his Highnesse happinesse Charles Prince of Wales The fifteenth one of our men thought he had seene a Deere whereupon he with two or three more desired that they might go to see if they could take it I gaue them leaue but in the Euening they returned so disabled with cold which did rise vp in blisters vnder the soales of their feete and vpon their legges to the bignesse of Walnuts that they could not recouer their former estate which was not very well in a fortnight after The sixe and twentieth three more desire that they also might goe out to try their fortunes but they returned worse disabled and euen almost stifled with the cold This Euening the Moone rose in a very long Ovale alongst the Horizon By the last of this moneth the Carpenter had set vp 17. ground timbers and 34. Staddles and poore man hee proceedeth the best he can though he be faine to be led vnto his labour In briefe all this moneth hath beene very cold The wind about the N. W. The snow as deepe as it hath beene all this winter But to answer an obiection that may be made You were in a wood may some men say vnto vs and therefore you might make fire enough to keepe you from the cold It is true we were in a wood and vnder a South-banke too or otherwise we had all starued But I must tell you withall how difficult it was to haue wood in a wood And first I will make a muster of the tooles we had The Carpenter in his Chest had 2. Axes indeed but one of them was spoyl'd in cutting downe wood to pile about our house before Christmas When we came first a land we had but two whole hatchets which in a few dayes broke 2. inches below the Sockets I cald for 3. of the Coopers hatchets The Carpenters axe and the Coopers best hatchet I caused to be lockt vp The other 2. hatchets to be new helu'd and the blades of the 2. broken hatchets to be put into a cleft piece of wood and then to be bound about with rope yame as fast as might be which must be repaired euery day And these were all the cutting tooles we had moreouer the 6. of February the Carpenter had out his best axe about something and one of the company in his absence by his vndiscreete handling of it brake that too two inches below the Socket we must henceforth order these pieces of tooles the best we could wherefore I gaue order that the Carpenter should haue one of the Coopers hatchets they that lookt for timber in the woods the other and they that cut downe wood to burne were to haue the 2. pieces And this was before Christmas The three that were appointed to looke crooked timber must stalke and wade sometimes on all foure thorow the snow and where they saw a tree likely to fit the mould they must first heaue away the snow and then see if it would fit the mould if not they must seeke further if it did fit the mould then they must make a fire to it to thawe it otherwise it could not be cut Then cut it downe and fit it to the length of the mould and then with other helpe get it home a mile thorow the snow Now for our firing We could not burne greene wood it would so smoke that it was not indurable yea the men had rather starue without in the cold then sit by it As for the dry wood that also was bad enough in that kinde for it was full of Turpentine and would send forth such a thicke smoke that would make abundance of soote which made vs all looke as if we had beene free of the company of Chimney-Sweepers Our cloathes were quite burnt in pieces about vs and for the most part we were all without shooes But to our Fuellers againe They must first as the former goe vp and downe in the snow till they saw a standing dry tree for that the snow couered any that were fallen Then they must hacke it downe with their pieces of hatchets and then others must carry it home thorow the snow The boyes with Cuttleasses must cut boughes for the Carpenter for euery piece of timber that he did worke must first be thaw'd in the fire and he must haue a fire by him or he could not worke And this was our continuall labour throughout the forementioned cold besides our tending of the sicke and other necessary imployments Aprill 1632. The first of this moneth being Easter-day we solemnized as religiously as God did giue vs grace Both this day and the 2. following Holy-dayes were extreme cold And now sitting all about the fire we reasoned and considered together vpon our estate We had 5. men whereof the Carpenter was one not able to doe any thing The Boate-swayne and many more were very infirme and of all the rest we had but 5. that could eate of their ordinary allowance The time and season of the yeere came forwards apace and the cold did very little mitigate Our Pinnace was in an
place so that hauing examined the Instruments and practised about it this Fortnight I now found it to be in 52 degrees and 3 minutes The foureteenth wee had heaued out all the Ballast and carried all our Yards and euery thing else of weight ashoare so that we now had the Ship as light as possible it could be The fifteenth we did little but exercise our selues seeing that by this time our men that were most feeble are now growne strong and can runne about The flesh of their gummes became settled againe and their teeth fastned so that they can eate Beefe with their Vetches This day I went to our Watch-tree but the Sea for any thing I could perceiue to the contrary was still firme frozen and the Bay we were in all full of Ice hauing no way to vent it The sixteenth was wondrous hot with some thunder and lightning so that our men did goe into the ponds ashoare to swimme and coole themselues yet was the water very cold still Here had lately appeared diuers sorts of flyes as Butterflyes Butchers-flyes Horseflyes and such an infinit abundance of bloud-thirsty Muskitoes that we were more tormented with them then euer we were with the cold weather These I thinke lye dead in the old rotten wood all the winter and in summer they reuiue againe Here be likewise infinite company of Ants and Frogs in the ponds vpon the land but we durst not eate of them they lookt so speckled like Toads By this time were there neither Beares Foxes nor Fowle to be seene they are all gone The seuenteenth the wind came Northerly and wee expecting a high Tyde in the morning betimes put out our small Cable asterne out at the Gun-roome-port but the morning Tyde we had not water by a foot In the Euening I had laid markes by stones c. and mee thoughts the water did flow apace Making signes therefore for the Boate to come ashoare I tooke all that were able to doe any thing with me aboord and at high water although she wanted something to rise cleere out of her docke yet we heau'd with such a good will that we heaued her thorow the sand into a foot and a halfe deeper water Further then so we durst not yet bring her for that the Ice was all thicke about vs. After we had moor'd her we went all to prayers and gaue God thankes that had giuen vs our ship againe The 18th we were vp betimes the Cooper and some with him to fill fresh water my selfe with some others to gather stones at low-water which we pyling vp in a heape at high water the Cock-swaine and his Ging fetcht them aboord where the Master with the rest stood them The Ship at low water had a great lust to the offing by which meanes we could the better come and stop the two vpper holes firmely after which we fitted other conuenient places to make others to sinke her if occasion were The ninteenth we were all vp betimes to worke as afore specified these two dayes our Ship did not fleet and it was a happy houre when we got her off for that we neuer had such a high Tyde all the time we were here In the Euening I went vp to our Watch tree and this was the first time I could see any open water any way except that little by the shoareside where we were This put vs in some comfort that the Sea would shortly breake vp which wee knew must bee to the Northward seeing that way we were certaine there was aboue two hundred leagues of Sea The 20. we laboured as aforesaid The winde at N. N. W. The tyde rose so high that our Ship fleeted and we drew her further off into a foote and a halfe deepe water Thus we did it by little and little for that the Ice was still wonderfull thicke about vs. The 22. there droue much Ice about vs and within vs and brought home our Sterne-Anker At high water notwithstanding all the Ice we heau'd our Ship further off that so she might lie aflote at low-water The next low-water we sounded all about the Ship and found it very foule ground we discouered stones 3. foote high aboue the ground and 2. of them within a Ships breadth of the Ship whereby did more manifestly appeare Gods mercies to vs for if when we forced her ashoare she had strooken one blow against those stones it had bulged her Many such dangers were there in this Bay which we now first perceiued by the Ices grounding and rising against them In the Euening we tow'd off the Ship vnto the place she rid the last yeere and there moord her Shering the Ship night and day flood and ebbe amongst the disperst Ice that came athwart of vs. The 23. we laboured in fetching our prouisions aboord which to doe we were faine to wade to carry it to the boate a full flight-shot and all by reason the winde was Southerly This morning I tooke an Obseruation of the Moones comming to the South by a Meridian line of 120. yards long which I had rectified many weeks before-hand The 24. I tooke another Obseruation of the Moones comming to the Meridian for which I referre you to the obseruations in the latter end of this Iournall Whereas I had formerly cut downe a very high tree and made a Crosse of it to it I now fastened vppermost the Kings and Queenes Maiesties Pictures drawne to the life and doubly wrapt in lead and so close that no weather could hurt them Betwixt both these I affixed his Maiesties Royall Title Viz. Charles the first King of England Scotland France and Ireland as also of New-found-land and of these Territories and to the Westward as farre as Nova Albion and to the Northward to the Latitude of 80. degrees c. On the out-side of the lead I fastened a shilling and a sixepence of his Maiesties Coyne vnder that we fastened the Kings Armes fairely cut in lead and vnder that the Armes of the City of Bristoll And this being Midsummer-Day we raised it on the top of the bare Hill where we had buried our dead fellowes formally by this ceremony taking possession of these Territories to his Maiesties vse The winde continuing Southerly and blowing hard put all the Ice vpon vs so that the Ship now rid amongst it in such apparent danger that I thought verily we should haue lost her We laboured flood and ebbe both with poles and oares to heaue away and part the Ice from her But it was God that did protect and preserue vs for it was past any mans vnderstanding how the Ship could indure it or we by our labour saue her In the night the winde shifted to the Westward and blew the Ice from vs whereby we had some rest The 25. in the morning the Boate-swayne with a conuenient crue with him began to rigge the Ship the rest fetching our prouisions aboord About 10. a clocke
of Ice whereupon as the wind fauoured vs we stood alongst it in sight to the North-ward The fourth was calme but so very thicke fogge withall that we could not see a Pistoll-shot about vs. Wherefore we came to an Anker and there rid all this day and the next night The fift at three in the morning we waide but Ice being all about vs we knew not which way to turne vs now to avoide telling the same thing 20 times we were continually till the 22. so pestered and tormented with Ice that it would seeme incredible to relate it sometimes we were so blinded with fogge that we could not see about vs and being now become wilfull in our indeauours we should so strike against the Ice that the fore-part of the Ship would cracke againe and make our Cooke and others to runne vp all amazed and thinke the Ship had beene beaten all to pieces Indeed we did hourely strike such vnauoidable blowes that we did leaue the hatches open and 20. times in a day the men would runne downe into the hold to see if shee were bulged Sometimes when we had made her fast in the night to a great piece of Ice we should haue such violent stormes that our fastning would breake and then the storme would beate vs from piece to piece most fearefully Other-while we should be fast inclosed amongst great Ice as high as our poope This was made as I haue formerly said by one piece running vpon another which made it draw 8. or 10. fad water Besides which the lower-most would rise from vnderneath and strike vs vnder the bulge with pieces of 5. 6. yea of 8. tunne that many times we haue pumpt cleere water for an houre together before we could make the pumpe sucke Amongst these seuerall and hourely dangers I ouer-heard the men murmure and say that they were happy that I had buried and that if they had a thousand pounds they would giue it so they lay fairely by them for we say they are destined to starue vpon a piece of Ice I was faine to indure all this with patience and to comfort them vp againe when I had them in a better humour The 22. hauing beene vext with a storme all last night and this morning with a thicke fogge we droue in 13. faddome water About noone it cleer'd and we saw the land and at the instant had a good obseruation whereby we knew it to be Cape Henrietta Maria. I made the Master stand in with it and in the meane time we fitted a Crosse and fastened the Kings Armes and the Armes of the City of Bristoll to it we came to an Anker within a mile of the shoare in 6. fadd water so we hoyst out the boate and tooke our Armes and our Dogs and went ashoare Vpon the most eminent place we erected the Crosse and then seeking about we soone saw some Deere and by and by more and more We stole to them with the best skill we had and then put our Dogs on them but the Deere ranne cleere away from them at pleasure We tyred the Dogs and wearied our selues but to no purpose neither could we come to shoote at them I saw in all about a dozen old and young very goodly beasts We tooke halfe a doozen young Geese on the pooles by wading in to them and so returned to our Boate vext that now we had found a place where there was refreshing and we could get none of it Whereas therefore we had kept our Dogs with a great deale of inconuenience aboord the Ship all the winter and had pardoned them many misdemeanors for they would steale our meate out of the steeping tubs in hope they might hereafter doe vs some seruice and seeing they now did not and that there was no hope they could hereafter I caused them to be left ashoare They were a Dogge and a Bitch Bucke Dogs of a very good race The Dogge had a collar about his necke which it may be hereafter may come to light I did see no signe at all of any Saluages nor could we finde any hearbs or other refreshing here In the Euening being returned aboord and the winde blowing faire at South I caused the Master to weight and come to saile and to lose no time For we did hope for an open Sea to the North-west This Cape hath a very shoald point that lies off it which we indeauoured to compasse about Sayling therefore amongst shattered Ice we came to very shoald water 4. and 5. faddome deepe and could not auoyde it At length standing North the water deepened but we came withall amongst great pieces of Ice which by reason of some open water there went a pretty sea These hard pieces of Ice made a most fearefull noyse It proued a faire Moone-shine night otherwise it had gone ill with vs. We turned amongst this Ice staying the Ship sometimes within her length of great pieces as bad as Rockes but by reason we were often forst to beare vp we did sagge vpon the maine rand of Ice and that we thought would it be worse for vs wee let fall an Anker and stood all on the decks to watch the Ices sheering of the Ship to and againe to auoyd it Thus hauing poles and oares to fend it we could not keepe our selues so cleere but many pieces came foule of vs. We brake two of our great poles with it which were made to be handled by foure men besides some other dammages At breake of day we wayed and sought all wayes to cleere our selues of Ice but it was impossible I conceiue it impertinent to relate euery particular dayes passages which was much alike to vs. Our endeauours were sometimes with our sayles giuing and receiuing 500. fearefull blowes in a day Sometimes we would stop at an Anker when we could get a little open water and so suffer the Ice to driue to Leeward Other-whiles we should be inclosed amongst it and then it would so breake and rise and leape vp vnder vs that we expected to be beaten euery houre to pieces Moreouer wee should haue such stormes in the darke nights that would breake the moorings we had made fast to some piece of Ice for securitie in the night season and then we should beat most dangerously from piece to piece till day-light that we could see to make her fast againe I forbeare to speake of thicke fogges which we had daily which did freeze our Rigging day and night Besides all which wee should come into most vncertaine depths sometimes 20. faddome next cast 10. next 15. then 9. Rocky foule ground The great deepe Ice withall driuing on these vncertaine depths did so distract the tydes and deceiue vs so much in our accounts that by the thirtieth we were driuen backe so farre to the Eastward and to the Southward of the Cape that at fiue a clocke in the euening it bare North-west of vs some three leagues off contrary to our expectations With all these
OF THE Letter I left at CHARLETON fastened to the Crosse the first of Iuly 1632. BE it knowne to any that shall haply arriue here on this Iland of Charleton That whereas our Soueraigne Lord Charles the first King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the faith c. hauing a desire to be certified whether there were any passage or not by the North-west or Northwestward thorow these Territories into the South Sea Some of the better-minded Merchants of the Worshipfull Company of Merchant-aduenturers of the Citie of Bristoll to satisfie his Maiestie therein did voluntarily offer to set forth a conuenient Ship for that purpose well man'd victualed and furnished with all other necessaries This free offer of theirs was not only commended but graciously accepted of his Maiestie Whereupon they fitted and furnished foorth a Ship called the Henrietta Maria of the burthen of seuentie Tuns victualed for eighteene moneths A number thought conuenient to mannage such a businesse was twentie two whereof nineteene were choiceable men two yonkers and my vnworthy selfe their Commander All which the Bristow Merchants did most iudiciously and bountifully accommodate and had in a readinesse the first of May 1631. The third of May we began our Voyage out of the Rode of Bristoll commonly called Kings Rode Passing about the Cape Cleere of Ireland vpon many courses but reduced to a West North-west we sayled along and vpon the 4. of Iune wee made the land of Groynland to the Northward of Cape Farewell where for the space of two dayes we were dangerously ingagde amongst the Ice Being cleere of it we doubled Cape Farewell to the Southward and so continued our course to the Westward continually sayling and thrusting the Ship thorow much Ice The 19. of Iune we made the Iland of Resolutiō endeuouring to cōpasse about it to the Southward we were taken with a strong Westerly wind which droue the Ice and it vs vpon the shoare In that distresse seeing it was broken grounds and maine inlets into it I sent the Shallop to seek sound a place for our refuge but when she was departed she was in as great danger as we and could not returne to vs by reason of the Ice We being now driuen very neere the rocks were faine to set our Sayles and force the Ship into an opening aduenturing her amongst vnknowne dangers to auoyd apparent before we could moore her in a place as we thought safe from danger The 22. of Iune this Inlet being full of Ice that Ice vpon the ebbe so Iambde one piece into another that it altred the ordinary course of it it came vpon the Ship and put her against the rocks notwithstanding our vtmost resistance As the water ebd away the Ship hung by the Keele vpon a rocke and heeld to the Offing As soone as we perceiued this we made fast some Hawsers to her Masts and to the rocks to hold her vpright But all in vaine shee sunke still as the water ebb'd away so that she was so turned ouer that we could not stand in her Hereupon we got all vpon a piece of Ice looking vpon her praying God to be mercifull to vs. The rocke that she hung vpon was a little abaft the maine Mast which made her hang after the head and shee sunke ouer so much that the Portlasse of the Forecastell was in the water At length it pleased God the flood came before it had ebd so low as the tyde before and after by a foote and the Ship rose and was safe and sound And thus were we miraculously deliuered With the first winde we proceeded to the Westward continually being pestred with so much Ice that it was about the middle of Iuly before we could attaine to Sir Dudly Digges Iland And here I was put to my consideration for whereas by my directions I was to search especially two places one from Digges Iland to the Northward and fayling there to goe to the Checks and Hubberts Hope and so to search it to the Southward I now finding the Sea much pestred with Ice in the latitude of 64. 00. and as farre as we could see to the Northward and that the time was so farre spent as that before I could do any thing that way it would be Aug. then as much trouble to returne againe to Digges Iland and that by that time the yeere would be so farre spent the nights so long and cold that I feard I should be forced with shame to returne into England againe that yeere Wherefore I tooke my way to the Westward by Mansfields Iland on which I landed twice still hindred and incumbred with Ice Thence I proceeded to the Westward hoping for an open Sea in the Bay We were there more troubled with Ice then in any place before so that it was the eleuenth day of August before we had sight of the Western land which we made in latitude 59. 30. something to the Southward of the Checkes Wee were not able to attaine thither by reason of the contrary winds and Ice but were obseruant of the currant of the tydes which after by experience we found to come from the Northward We coasted alongst the shoare in sight of land and in 10. faddome water to the Southward and entred that Inlett which heretofore was called Hubberts Hope which was the very place where the passage should be as it was thought by the vnderstandingest and learnedest intelligencer of this businesse in England We sayld to the very bottome of it into three faddom water and found it to be a Bay of some 18. or 19. leagues deepe From thence we proceeded to the Southward in sight of land for the most part and although I was as carefull to keepe the lead alwaies going it blowing a fresh gale of winde and a pretty bigge Sea our depth 8. 9. 10. faddome yet before the lead was vp the Ship strook vpon a flat rocke she then being vnder foresayle fore top-sayle maine top-sayle and Spreetsayle and gaue three fore knocks and got ouer it Being past this danger we proceeded and past by Port Nelson Finding the land trend to the Eastward wee began our discouery of it more carefully because that no man that euer I could heare or reade of did euer see this land before Wee stood into sixe and fiue faddome for it is very low land and trends for the most part East South-east and East by South The seuen and twentieth of August I entred vpon it and in the name of the Merchants Aduenturers of Bristoll tooke possession of it to his Maiesties vse naming it The New South-west Principalitie of Wales I brought from the land some small trees and herbs and killed diuers sorts of fowle in signe of seysure which I brought aboord Not long after being put backe to the Westward with contrary winds we spake with Captaine Fox in a Ship of his Maiesties set forth for the same purpose that we were I inuited him aboord