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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3482-h.zip b/3482-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..30f75bc --- /dev/null +++ b/3482-h.zip diff --git a/3482-h/3482-h.htm b/3482-h/3482-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6e55bf0 --- /dev/null +++ b/3482-h/3482-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4882 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Voyages in Search of the North-West Passage</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.headingsummary { margin-left: 5%;} + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: gray;} + + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">Voyages in Search of the North-West Passage, by Richard Hakluyt</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Voyages in Search of the North-West Passage, +by Richard Hakluyt, Edited by Henry Morley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Voyages in Search of the North-West Passage + + +Author: Richard Hakluyt + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: December 27, 2007 [eBook #3482] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE +NORTH-WEST PASSAGE*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1892 Cassell & Co. edition by David Price, +email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">cassell’s national +library</span>.</p> +<h1>VOYAGES<br /> +<span class="smcap">in search of the</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">North-West Passage</span>.</h1> +<p style="text-align: center"><i>From the Collection of</i><br /> +RICHARD HAKLUYT.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">CASSELL & COMPANY, Limited:<br /> +<i><span class="smcap">london</span></i>, <i><span class="smcap">paris +& melbourne</span></i>.<br /> +1892.</p> +<h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2> +<p>Thirty-five years ago I made a voyage to the Arctic Seas in what Chaucer +calls</p> +<blockquote> +<p> A little bote<br /> +No bigger than a mannë’s thought;</p> +</blockquote> +<p>it was a Phantom Ship that made some voyages to different parts of the +world which were recorded in early numbers of Charles Dickens’s +“Household Words.” As preface to Richard Hakluyt’s +records of the first endeavour of our bold Elizabethan mariners to find +North-West Passage to the East, let me repeat here that old voyage of mine +from No. 55 of “Household Words,” dated the 12th of April, +1851: The <i>Phantom</i> is fitted out for Arctic exploration, with +instructions to find her way, by the north-west, to Behring Straits, and +take the South Pole on her passage home. Just now we steer due north, +and yonder is the coast of Norway. From that coast parted Hugh +Willoughby, three hundred years ago; the first of our countrymen who +wrought an ice-bound highway to Cathay. Two years afterwards his +ships were found, in the haven of Arzina, in Lapland, by some Russian +fishermen; near and about them Willoughby and his companions—seventy +dead men. The ships were freighted with their frozen crews, and +sailed for England; but, “being unstaunch, as it is supposed, by +their two years’ wintering in Lapland, sunk, by the way, with their +dead, and them also that brought them.”</p> +<p>Ice floats about us now, and here is a whale blowing; a whale, too, very +near Spitzbergen. When first Spitzbergen was discovered, in the good +old times, there were whales here in abundance; then a hundred Dutch ships, +in a crowd, might go to work, and boats might jostle with each other, and +the only thing deficient would be stowage room for all the produce of the +fishery. Now one ship may have the whole field to itself, and travel +home with an imperfect cargo. It was fine fun in the good old times; +there was no need to cruise. Coppers and boilers were fitted on the +island, and little colonies about them, in the fishing season, had nothing +to do but tow the whales in, with a boat, as fast as they were wanted by +the copper. No wonder that so enviable a Tom Tidler’s ground +was claimed by all who had a love for gold and silver. The English +called it theirs, for they first fished; the Dutch said, nay, but the +island was of their discovery; Danes, Hamburghers, Bisayans, Spaniards, and +French put in their claims; and at length it was agreed to make +partitions. The numerous bays and harbours which indent the coast +were divided among the rival nations; and, to this day, many of them bear, +accordingly, such names as English Bay, Danes Bay, and so forth. One +bay there is, with graves in it, named Sorrow. For it seemed to the +fishers most desirable, if possible, to plant upon this island permanent +establishments, and condemned convicts were offered, by the Russians, life +and pardon, if they would winter in Spitzbergen. They agreed; but, +when they saw the icy mountains and the stormy sea, repented, and went +back, to meet a death exempt from torture. The Dutch tempted free +men, by high rewards, to try the dangerous experiment. One of their +victims left a journal, which describes his suffering and that of his +companions. Their mouths, he says, became so sore that, if they had +food, they could not eat; their limbs were swollen and disabled with +excruciating pain; they died of scurvy. Those who died first were +coffined by their dying friends; a row of coffins was found, in the spring, +each with a man in it; two men uncoffined, side by side, were dead upon the +floor. The journal told how once the traces of a bear excited their +hope of fresh meat and amended health; how, with a lantern, two or three +had limped upon the track, until the light became extinguished, and they +came back in despair to die. We might speak, also, of eight English +sailors, left, by accident, upon Spitzbergen, who lived to return and tell +their winter’s tale; but a long journey is before us and we must not +linger on the way. As for our whalers, it need scarcely be related +that the multitude of whales diminished as the slaughtering went on, until +it was no longer possible to keep the coppers full. The whales had to +be searched for by the vessels, and thereafter it was not worth while to +take the blubber to Spitzbergen to be boiled; and the different nations, +having carried home their coppers, left the apparatus of those fishing +stations to decay.</p> +<p>Take heed. There is a noise like thunder, and a mountain snaps in +two. The upper half comes, crashing, grinding, down into the sea, and +loosened streams of water follow it. The sea is displaced before the +mighty heap; it boils and scatters up a cloud of spray; it rushes back, and +violently beats upon the shore. The mountain rises from its bath, +sways to and fro, while water pours along its mighty sides; now it is +tolerably quiet, letting crackers off as air escapes out of its +cavities. That is an iceberg, and in that way are all icebergs +formed. Mountains of ice formed by rain and snow—grand Arctic +glaciers, undermined by the sea or by accumulation +over-balanced—topple down upon the slightest provocation (moved by a +shout, perhaps), and where they float, as this black-looking fellow does, +they need deep water. This berg in height is about ninety feet, and a +due balance requires that a mass nine times as large as the part visible +should be submerged. Icebergs are seen about us now which rise two +hundred feet above the water’s level.</p> +<p>There are above head plenty of aquatic birds; ashore, or on the ice, are +bears, foxes, reindeer; and in the sea there are innumerable animals. +We shall not see so much life near the North Pole, that is certain. +It would be worth while to go ashore upon an islet there, near Vogel Sang, +to pay a visit to the eider-ducks. Their nests are so abundant that +one cannot avoid treading on them. When the duck is driven by a +hungry fox to leave her eggs, she covers them with down, in order that they +may not cool during her absence, and, moreover, glues the down into a case +with a secretion supplied to her by Nature for that purpose. The +deserted eggs are safe, for that secretion has an odour very disagreeable +to the intruder’s nose.</p> +<p>We still sail northward, among sheets of ice, whose boundaries are not +beyond our vision from the masthead—these are “floes;” +between them we find easy way, it is fair “sailing ice.” +In the clear sky to the north a streak of lucid white light is the +reflection from an icy surface; that is, “ice-blink,” in the +language of these seas. The glare from snow is yellow, while open +water gives a dark reflection.</p> +<p>Northward still; but now we are in fog the ice is troublesome; a gale is +rising. Now, if our ship had timbers they would crack, and if she had +a bell it would be tolling; if we were shouting to each other we should not +hear, the sea is in a fury. With wild force its breakers dash against +a heaped-up wall of broken ice, that grinds and strains and battles +fiercely with the water. This is “the pack,” the edge of +a great ice-field broken by the swell. It is a perilous and an +exciting thing to push through pack ice in a gale.</p> +<p>Now there is ice as far as eye can see, that is “an +ice-field.” Masses are forced up like colossal tombstones on +all sides; our sailors call them “hummocks;” here and there the +broken ice displays large “holes of water.” Shall we go +on? Upon this field, in 1827, Parry adventured with his men to reach +the North Pole, if that should be possible. With sledges and portable +boats they laboured on through snow and over hummocks, launching their +boats over the larger holes of water. With stout hearts, undaunted by +toil or danger, they went boldly on, though by degrees it became clear to +the leaders of the expedition that they were almost like mice upon a +treadmill cage, making a great expenditure of leg for little gain. +The ice was floating to the south with them, as they were walking to the +north; still they went on. Sleeping by day to avoid the glare, and to +get greater warmth during the time of rest, and travelling by +night—watch-makers’ days and nights, for it was all one polar +day—the men soon were unable to distinguish noon from midnight. +The great event of one day on this dreary waste was the discovery of two +flies upon an ice hummock; these, says Parry, became at once a topic of +ridiculous importance. Presently, after twenty-three miles’ +walking, they had only gone one mile forward, the ice having industriously +floated twenty-two miles in the opposite direction; and then, after walking +forward eleven miles, they found themselves to be three miles behind the +place from which they started. The party accordingly returned, not +having reached the Pole, not having reached the eighty-third parallel, for +the attainment of which there was a reward of a thousand pounds held out by +government. They reached the parallel of eighty-two degrees +forty-five minutes, which was the most northerly point trodden by the foot +of man.</p> +<p>From that point they returned. In those high latitudes they met +with a phenomenon, common in alpine regions, as well as at the Pole, red +snow; the red colour being caused by the abundance of a minute plant, of +low development, the last dweller on the borders of the vegetable +kingdom. More interesting to the sailors was a fat she bear which +they killed and devoured with a zeal to be repented of; for on reaching +navigable sea, and pushing in their boats to Table Island, where some +stones were left, they found that the bears had eaten all their bread, +whereon the men agreed that “Bruin was now square with +them.” An islet next to Table Island—they are both mere +rocks—is the most northern land discovered. Therefore, Parry +applied to it the name of lieutenant—afterwards Sir +James—Ross. This compliment Sir James Ross acknowledged in the +most emphatic manner, by discovering on his part, at the other Pole, the +most southern land yet seen, and giving to it the name of Parry: +“Parry Mountains.”</p> +<p>It very probably would not be difficult, under such circumstances as Sir +W. Parry has since recommended, to reach the North Pole along this +route. Then (especially if it be true, as many believe, that there is +a region of open sea about the Pole itself) we might find it as easy to +reach Behring Straits by travelling in a straight line over the North Pole, +as by threading the straits and bays north of America.</p> +<p>We turn our course until we have in sight a portion of the ice-barred +eastern coast of Greenland, Shannon Island. Somewhere about this spot +in the seventy-fifth parallel is the most northern part of that coast known +to us. Colonel—then Captain—Sabine in the <i>Griper</i> +was landed there to make magnetic, and other observations; for the same +purpose he had previously visited Sierra Leone. That is where we +differ from our forefathers. They commissioned hardy seamen to +encounter peril for the search of gold ore, or for a near road to Cathay; +but our peril is encountered for the gain of knowledge, for the highest +kind of service that can now be rendered to the human race.</p> +<p>Before we leave the Northern Sea, we must not omit to mention the voyage +by Spitzbergen northward, in 1818, of Captain Buchan in the +<i>Dorothea</i>, accompanied by Lieutenant Franklin, in the +<i>Trent</i>. It was Sir John Franklin’s first voyage to the +Arctic regions. This trip forms the subject of a delightful book by +Captain Beechey.</p> +<p>On our way to the south point of Greenland we pass near Cape North, a +point of Iceland. Iceland, we know, is the centre of a volcanic +region, whereof Norway and Greenland are at opposite points of the +circumference. In connection with this district there is a remarkable +fact; that by the agency of subterranean forces, a large portion of Norway +and Sweden is being slowly upheaved. While Greenland, on the west +coast, as gradually sinks into the sea, Norway rises at the rate of about +four feet in a century. In Greenland, the sinking is so well known +that the natives never build close to the water’s edge, and the +Moravian missionaries more than once have had to move farther inland the +poles on which their boats are rested.</p> +<p>Our Phantom Ship stands fairly now along the western coast of Greenland +into Davis Straits. We observe that upon this western coast there is, +by a great deal, less ice than on the eastern. That is a rule +generally. Not only the configuration of the straits and bays, but +also the earth’s rotation from west to east, causes the currents here +to set towards the west, and wash the western coasts, while they act very +little on the eastern. We steer across Davis Strait, among “an +infinite number of great countreys and islands of yce;” there, near +the entrance, we find Hudson Strait, which does not now concern us. +Islands probably separate this well-known channel from Frobisher Strait to +the north of it, yet unexplored. Here let us recall to mind the fleet +of fifteen sail, under Sir Martin Frobisher, in 1578, tossing about and +parting company among the ice. Let us remember how the crew of the +<i>Anne Frances</i>, in that expedition, built a pinnace when their vessel +struck upon a rock, stock, although they wanted main timber and +nails. How they made a mimic forge, and “for the easier making +of nails, were forced to break their tongs, gridiron, and fire-shovel, in +pieces.” How Master Captain Best, in this frail bark, with its +imperfect timbers held together by the metamorphosed gridiron and +fire-shovel, continued in his duty, and did depart up the straights as +before was pretended.” How a terrific storm arose, and the +fleet parted and the intrepid captain was towed “in his small +pinnesse, at the stern of the <i>Michael</i>, thorow the raging seas; for +the bark was not able to receive, or relieve half his company.” +The “tongs, gridyron, and fire-shovell,” performed their work +only for as many minutes as were absolutely necessary, for the pinnesse +came no sooner aboard the ship, and the men entred, but she presently +shivered and fell in pieces, and sunke at the ship’s stern with all +the poor men’s furniture.”</p> +<p>Now, too, as we sail up the strait, explored a few years after these +events by Master John Davis, how proudly we remember him as a right worthy +forerunner of those countrymen of his and ours who since have sailed over +his track. Nor ought we to pass on without calling to mind the +melancholy fate, in 1606, of Master John Knight, driven, in the +<i>Hopewell</i>, among huge masses of ice with a tremendous surf, his +rudder knocked away, his ship half full of water, at the entrance to these +straits. Hoping to find a harbour, he set forth to explore a large +island, and landed, leaving two men to watch the boat, while he, with three +men and the mate, set forth and disappeared over a hill. For thirteen +hours the watchers kept their post; one had his trumpet with him, for he +was a trumpeter, the other had a gun. They trumpeted often and +loudly; they fired, but no answer came. They watched ashore all night +for the return of their captain and his party, “but they came not at +all.”</p> +<p>The season is advanced. As we sail on, the sea steams like a +line-kiln, “frost-smoke” covers it. The water, cooled +less rapidly, is warmer now than the surrounding air, and yields this +vapour in consequence. By the time our vessel has reached +Baffin’s Bay, still coasting along Greenland, in addition to old +floes and bergs, the water is beset with “pancake ice.” +That is the young ice when it first begins to cake upon the surface. +Innocent enough it seems, but it is sadly clogging to the ships. It +sticks about their sides like treacle on a fly’s wing; collecting +unequally, it destroys all equilibrium, and impedes the efforts of the +steersman. Rocks split on the Greenland coast with loud explosions, +and more icebergs fall. Icebergs we soon shall take our leave of; +they are only found where there is a coast on which glaciers can form; they +are good for nothing but to yield fresh water to the vessels; it will be +all field, pack, and saltwater ice presently.</p> +<p>Now we are in Baffin’s Bay, explored in the voyages of Bylot and +Baffin, 1615-16. When, in 1817, a great movement in the Greenland ice +caused many to believe that the northern passages would be found +comparatively clear; and when, in consequence of this impression, Sir John +Barrow succeeded in setting afoot that course of modern Arctic exploration +which has been continued to the present day, Sir John Ross was the first +man sent to find the North-West Passage. Buchan and Parry were +commissioned at the same the to attempt the North Sea route. Sir John +Ross did little more on that occasion than effect a survey of +Baffin’s Bay, and prove the accuracy of the ancient pilot. In +the extreme north of the bay there is an inlet or a channel, called by +Baffin Smith’s Sound; this Sir John saw, but did not enter. It +never yet has been explored. It may be an inlet only; but it is also +very possible that by this channel ships might get into the Polar Sea and +sail by the north shore of Greenland to Spitzbergen. Turning that +corner, and descending along the western coast of Baffin’s Bay, there +is another inlet called Jones’ Sound by Baffin, also +unexplored. These two inlets, with their very British titles, Smith +and Jones, are of exceeding interest. Jones’ Sound may lead by +a back way to Melville Island. South of Jones’ Sound there is a +wide break in the shore, a great sound, named by Baffin, Lancaster’s, +which Sir John Ross, in that first expedition, failed also to +explore. Like our transatlantic friends at the South Pole, he laid +down a range of clouds as mountains, and considered the way impervious; so +he came home. Parry went out next year, as a lieutenant, in command +of his first and most successful expedition. He sailed up Lancaster +Sound, which was in that year (1819) unusually clear of ice; and he is the +discoverer whose track we now follow in our Phantom Ship. The whole +ground being new, he had to name the points of country right and left of +him. The way was broad and open, due west, a most prosperous +beginning for a North-West Passage. If this continued, he would soon +reach Behring Strait. A broad channel to the right, directed, that is +to say, southward, he entered on the Prince of Wales’s birthday, and +so called it the “Prince Regent’s Inlet.” After +exploring this for some miles, he turned back to resume his western course, +for still there was a broad strait leading westward. This second part +of Lancaster Sound he called after the Secretary of the Admiralty who had +so indefatigably laboured to promote the expeditions, Barrow’s +Strait. Then he came to a channel, turning to the right or northward, +and he named that Wellington Channel. Then he had on his right hand +ice, islands large and small, and intervening channels; on the left, ice, +and a cape visible, Cape Walker. At an island, named after the First +Lord of the Admiralty Melville Island, the great frozen wilderness barred +farther progress. There he wintered. On the coast of Melville +Island they had passed the latitude of one hundred and ten degrees, and the +men had become entitled to a royal bounty of five thousand pounds. +This group of islands Parry called North Georgian, but they are usually +called by his own name, Parry Islands. This was the first European +winter party in the Arctic circle. Its details are familiar +enough. How the men cut in three days, through ice seven inches +thick, a canal two miles and a half long, and so brought the ships into +safe harbour. How the genius of Parry equalled the occasion; how +there was established a theatre and a <i>North Georgian Gazette</i>, to +cheer the tediousness of a night which continued for two thousand +hours. The dreary, dazzling waste in which there was that little +patch of life, the stars, the fog, the moonlight, the glittering wonder of +the northern lights, in which, as Greenlanders believe, souls of the wicked +dance tormented, are familiar to us. The she-bear stays at home; but +the he-bear hungers, and looks in vain for a stray seal or walrus—woe +to the unarmed man who meets him in his hungry mood! Wolves are +abroad, and pretty white arctic foxes. The reindeer have sought other +pasture-ground. The thermometer runs down to more than sixty degrees +below freezing, a temperature tolerable in calm weather, but distressing in +a wind. The eye-piece of the telescope must be protected now with +leather, for the skin is destroyed that comes in contact with cold +metal. The voice at a mile’s distance can be heard +distinctly. Happy the day when first the sun is seen to graze the +edge of the horizon; but summer must come, and the heat of a constant day +must accumulate, and summer wane, before the ice is melted. Then the +ice cracks, like cannons over-charged, and moves with a loud grinding +noise. But not yet is escape to be made with safety. After a +detention of ten months, Parry got free; but, in escaping, narrowly missed +the destruction of both ships, by their being “nipped” between +the mighty mass and the unyielding shore. What animals are found on +Melville Island we may judge from the results of sport during ten +months’ detention. The island exceeds five thousand miles +square, and yielded to the gun, three musk oxen, twenty-four deer, +sixty-eight hares, fifty-three geese, fifty-nine ducks, and one hundred and +forty-four ptarmigans, weighing together three thousand seven hundred and +sixty-six pounds—not quite two ounces of meat per day to every +man. Lichens, stunted grass, saxifrage, and a feeble willow, are the +plants of Melville Island, but in sheltered nooks there are found sorrel, +poppy, and a yellow buttercup. Halos and double suns are very common +consequences of refraction in this quarter of the world. Franklin +returned from his first and most famous voyage with his men all safe and +sound, except the loss of a few fingers, frost-bitten. We sail back +only as far as Regent’s Inlet, being bound for Behring Strait.</p> +<p>The reputation of Sir John Ross being clouded by discontent expressed +against his first expedition, Felix Booth, a rich distiller, provided +seventeen thousand pounds to enable his friend to redeem his credit. +Sir John accordingly, in 1829, went out in the <i>Victory</i>, provided +with steam-machinery that did not answer well. He was accompanied by +Sir James Ross, his nephew. He it was who, on this occasion, first +surveyed Regent’s Inlet, down which we are now sailing with our +Phantom Ship. The coast on our right hand, westward, which Parry saw, +is called North Somerset, but farther south, where the inlet widens, the +land is named Boothia Felix. Five years before this, Parry, in his +third voyage, had attempted to pass down Regent’s Inlet, where among +ice and storm, one of his ships, the <i>Hecla</i>, had been driven +violently ashore, and of necessity abandoned. The stores had been +removed, and Sir John was able now to replenish his own vessel from +them. Rounding a point at the bottom of Prince Regent’s Inlet, +we find Felix Harbour, where Sir John Ross wintered. His nephew made +from this point scientific explorations; discovered a strait, called after +him the Strait of James Ross, and on the northern shore of this strait, on +the main land of Boothia, planted the British flag on the Northern Magnetic +Pole. The ice broke up, so did the <i>Victory</i>; after a +hairbreadth escape, the party found a searching vessel and arrived home +after an absence of four years and five months, Sir John Ross having lost +his ship, and won his reputation, The friend in need was made a baronet for +his munificence; Sir John was reimbursed for all his losses, and the crew +liberally taken care of. Sir James Ross had a rod and flag signifying +“Magnetic Pole,” given to him for a new crest, by the +Heralds’ College, for which he was no doubt greatly the better.</p> +<p>We have sailed northward to get into Hudson Strait, the high road into +Hudson Bay. Along the shore are Esquimaux in boats, extremely active, +but these filthy creatures we pass by; the Esquimaux in Hudson Strait are +like the negroes of the coast, demoralised by intercourse with European +traders. These are not true pictures of the loving children of the +north. Our “Phantom” floats on the wide waters of Hudson +Bay—the grave of its discoverer. Familiar as the story is of +Henry Hudson’s fate, for John King’s sake how gladly we repeat +it. While sailing on the waters he discovered, in 1611, his men +mutinied; the mutiny was aided by Henry Green, a prodigal, whom Hudson had +generously shielded from ruin. Hudson, the master, and his son, with +six sick or disabled members of the crew, were driven from their cabins, +forced into a little shallop, and committed helpless to the water and the +ice. But there was one stout man, John King, the carpenter, who +stepped into the boat, abjuring his companions, and chose rather to die +than even passively be partaker in so foul a crime. John King, we who +live after will remember you.</p> +<p>Here on aim island, Charlton Island, near our entrance to the bay, in +1631, wintered poor Captain James with his wrecked crew. This is a +point outside the Arctic circle, but quite cold enough. Of nights, +with a good fire in the house they built, hoar frost covered their beds, +and the cook’s water in a metal pan before the fire was warm on one +side and froze on the other. Here “it snowed and froze +extremely, at which time we, looking from the shore towards the ship, she +appeared a piece of ice in the fashion of a ship, or a ship resembling a +piece of ice.” Here the gunner, who hand lost his leg, besought +that, “for the little the he had to live, he might drink sack +altogether.” He died and was buried in the ice far from the +vessel, but when afterwards two more were dead of scurvy, and the others, +in a miserable state, were working with faint hope about their shattered +vessel, the gunner was found to have returned home to the old vessel; his +leg had penetrated through a port-hole. They “digged him clear +out, and he was as free from noisomeness,” the record says, “as +when we first committed him to the sea. This alteration had the ice, +and water, and time, only wrought on him, that his flesh would slip up and +down upon his bones, like a glove on a man’s hand. In the +evening we buried him by the others.” These worthy souls, laid +up with the agonies of scurvy, knew that in action was their only hope; +they forced their limbs to labour, among ice and water, every day. +They set about the building of a boat, but the hard frozen wood had broken +their axes, so they made shift with the pieces. To fell a tree, it +was first requisite to light in fire around it, and the carpenter could +only labour with his wood over a fire, or else it was like stone under his +tools. Before the boat was made they buried the carpenter. The +captain exhorted them to put their trust in God; “His will be +done. If it be our fortune to end our days here, we are as near +Heaven as in England. They all protested to work to the utmost of +their strength, and that they would refuse nothing that I should order them +to do to the utmost hazard of their lives. I thanked them +all.” Truly the North Pole has its triumphs. If we took +no account of the fields of trade opened by our Arctic explorers, if we +thought nothing of the wants of science in comparison with the lives lost +in supplying them, is not the loss of life a gain, which proves and tests +the fortitude of noble hearts, and teaches us respect for human +nature? All the lives that have been lost among these Polar regions +are less in number than the dead upon a battle-field. The +battle-field inflicted shame upon our race—is it with shame that our +hearts throb in following these Arctic heroes? March 31st, says +Captain James, “was very cold, with snow and hail, which pinched our +sick men more than any time this year. This evening, being May eve, +we returned late from our work to our house, and made a good fire, and +chose ladies, and ceremoniously wore their names in our caps, endeavouring +to revive ourselves by any means. On the 15th, I manured a little +patch of ground that was bare of snow, and sowed it with pease, hoping to +have some shortly to eat, for as yet we could see no green thing to comfort +us.” Those pease saved the party; as they came up the young +shoots were boiled and eaten, so their health began to mend, and they +recovered from their scurvy. Eventually, after other perils, they +succeeded in making their escape.</p> +<p>A strait, called Sir Thomas Rowe’s Welcome, leads due north out of +Hudson Bay, being parted by Southampton Island from the strait through +which we entered. Its name is quaint, for so was its discoverer, Luke +Fox, a worthy man, addicted much to euphuism. Fox sailed from London +in the same year in which James sailed from Bristol. They were +rivals. Meeting in Davis Straits, Fox dined on board his friendly +rival’s vessel, which was very unfit for the service upon which it +went. The sea washed over them and came into the cabin, so says Fox, +“sauce would not have been wanted if there had been roast +mutton.” Luke Fox, being ice-bound and in peril, writes, +“God thinks upon our imprisonment within a <i>supersedeas</i>;” +but he was a good and honourable man as wall as euphuist. His +“Sir Thomas Rowe’s Welcome” leads into Fox Channel: our +“Phantom Ship” is pushing through the welcome passes on the +left-hand Repulse Bay. This portion of the Arctic regions, with Fox +Channel, is extremely perilous. Here Captain Lyon, in the +<i>Griper</i>, was thrown anchorless upon the mercy of a stormy sea, ice +crashing around him. One island in Fox Channel is called Mill Island, +from the incessant grinding of great masses of ice collected there. +In the northern part of Fox Channel, on the western shore, is Melville +Peninsula, where Parry wintered on his second voyage. Here let us go +ashore and see a little colony of Esquimaux.</p> +<p>Their limits are built of blocks of snow, and arched, having an ice pane +for a window. They construct their arched entrance and their +hemispherical roof on the true principles of architecture. Those wise +men, the Egyptians, made their arch by hewing the stones out of shape; the +Esquimaux have the true secret. Here they are, with little food in +winter and great appetites; devouring a whole walrus when they get it, and +taking the chance of hunger for the next eight days—hungry or full, +for ever happy in their lot—here are the Esquimaux. They are +warmly clothed, each in a double suit of skins sewn neatly together. +Some are singing, with good voices too. Please them, and they +straightway dance; activity is good in a cold climate: Play to them on the +flute, or if you can sing well, sing, or turn a barrel-organ, they are +mute, eager with wonder and delight; their love of music is intense. +Give them a pencil, and, like children, they will draw. Teach them +and they will learn, oblige them and they will be grateful. +“Gentle and loving savages,” one of our old worthies called +them, and the Portuguese were so much impressed with their teachable and +gentle conduct, that a Venetian ambassador writes, “His serene +majesty contemplates deriving great advantage from the country, not only on +account of the timber of which he has occasion, but of the inhabitants, who +are admirably calculated for labour, and are the best I have ever +seen.” The Esquimaux, of course, will learn vice, and in the +region visited by whale ships, vice enough has certainly been taught +him. Here are the dogs, who will eat old coats, or anything; and, +near the dwellings, here is a snow-bunting—robin redbreast of the +Arctic lands. A party of our sailors once, on landing, took some +sticks from a large heap, and uncovered the nest of a snow-bunting with +young, the bird flew to a little distance, but seeing that the men sat +down, and harmed her not, continued to seek food and supply her little +ones, with full faith in the good intentions of the party. Captain +Lyon found a child’s grave partly uncovered, and a snow-bunting had +built its nest upon the infant’s bosom.</p> +<p>Sailing round Melville Peninsula, we come into the Gulf of Akkolee, +through Fury and Hecla Straits, discovered by Parry. So we get back +to the bottom of Regent’s Inlet, which we quitted a short time ago, +and sailing in the neighbourhood of the magnetic pole, we reach the estuary +of Back’s River, on the north-east coast of America. We pass +then through a strait, discovered in 1839 by Dean and Simpson, still +coasting along the northern shore of America, on the great Stinking Lake, +as Indians call this ocean. Boats, ice permitting, and our +“Phantom Ship,” of course, can coast all the way to Behring +Strait. The whole coast has been explored by Sir John Franklin, Sir +John Richardson, and Sir George Back, who have earned their knighthoods +through great peril. As we pass Coronation Gulf—the scene of +Franklin, Richardson, and Back’s first exploration from the +Coppermine River—we revert to the romantic story of their journey +back, over a land of snow and frost, subsisting upon lichens, with +companions starved to death, where they plucked wild leaves for tea, and +ate their shoes for supper; the tragedy by the river; the murder of poor +Hood, with a book of prayers in his hand; Franklin at Fort Enterprise, with +two companions at the point of death, himself gaunt, hollow-eyed, feeding +on pounded bones, raked from the dunghill; the arrival of Dr. Richardson +and the brave sailor; their awful story of the cannibal Michel;—we +revert to these things with a shudder. But we must continue on our +route. The current still flows westward, bearing now large quantities +of driftwood out of the Mackenzie River. At the name of Sir Alexander +Mackenzie, also, we might pause, and talk over the bold achievements of +another Arctic hero; but we pass on, by a rugged and inhospitable coast, +unfit for vessels of large draught—pass the broad mouth of the +Youcon, pass Point Barrow, Icy Cape, and are in Behring Strait. Had +we passed on, we should have found the Russian Arctic coast line, traced +out by a series of Russian explorers; of whom the most +illustrious—Baron Von Wrangell—states, that beyond a certain +distance to the northward there is always found what he calls the +<i>Polynja</i> (open water). This is the fact adduced by those who +adhere to the old fancy that there is a sea about the Pole itself quite +free from ice.</p> +<p>We pass through Behring Straits. Behring, a Dane by birth, but in +the Russian service, died here in 1741, upon the scene of his +discovery. He and his crew, victims of scurvy, were unable to manage +their vessel in a storm; and it was at length wrecked on a barren island, +there, where “want, nakedness, cold, sickness, impatience, and +despair, were their daily guests,” Behring, his lieutenant, and the +master died.</p> +<p>Now we must put a girdle round the world, and do it with the speed of +Ariel. Here we are already in the heats of the equator. We can +do no more than remark, that if air and water are heated at the equator, +and frozen at the poles, there will be equilibrium destroyed, and constant +currents caused. And so it happens, so we get the prevailing winds, +and all the currents of the ocean. Of these, some of the uses, but by +no means all, are obvious. We urge our “Phantom” fleetly +to the southern pole. Here, over the other hemisphere of the earth, +there shines another hemisphere of heaven. The stars are changed; the +southern cross, the Magellanic clouds, the “coal-sack” in the +milky way, attract our notice. Now we are in the southern latitude +that corresponds to England in the north; nay, at a greater distance from +the Pole, we find Kerguelen’s Land, emphatically called “The +Isle of Desolation.” Icebergs float much further into the warm +sea on this side of the equator before they dissolve. The South Pole +is evidently a more thorough refrigerator than the North. Why is +this? We shall soon see. We push through pack-ice, and through +floes and fields, by lofty bergs, by an island or two covered with +penguins, until there lies before us a long range of mountains, nine or ten +thousand feet in height, and all clad in eternal snow. That is a +portion of the Southern Continent. Lieutenant Wilkes, in the American +exploring expedition, first discovered this, and mapped out some part of +the coast, putting a few clouds in likewise—a mistake easily made by +those who omit to verify every foot of land. Sir James Ross, in his +most successful South Pole Expedition, during the years 1839-43, sailed +over some of this land, and confirmed the rest. The Antarctic, as +well as the Arctic honours he secured for England, by turning a corner of +the land, and sailing far southward, along an impenetrable icy barrier, to +the latitude of seventy-eight degrees, nine minutes. It is an +elevated continent, with many lofty ranges. On the extreme southern +point reached by the ships, a magnificent volcano was seen spouting fire +and smoke out of the everlasting snow. This volcano, twelve thousand +four hundred feet high, was named Mount Erebus; for the <i>Erebus</i> and +<i>Terror</i> long sought anxiously among the bays, and sounds, and creeks +of the North Pole, then coasted by the solid ice walls of the south.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">H. M.</p> +<h2>A DISCOURSE WRITTEN BY SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT, KNIGHT.</h2> +<p><i>To prove a Passage by the North-West to Cathay and the East +Indies</i>.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER I.<br /> +TO PROVE BY AUTHORITY A PASSAGE TO BE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF AMERICA, TO GO +TO CATHAY AND THE EAST INDIES.</h3> +<p>When I gave myself to the study of geography, after I had perused and +diligently scanned the descriptions of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and +conferred them with the maps and globes both antique and modern, I came in +fine to the fourth part of the world, commonly called America, which by all +descriptions I found to be an island environed round about with the sea, +having on the south side of it the Strait of Magellan, on the west side the +Mare de Sur, which sea runneth towards the north, separating it from the +east parts of Asia, where the dominions of the Cathaians are. On the +east part our west ocean, and on the north side the sea that severeth it +from Greenland, through which northern seas the passage lieth, which I take +now in hand to discover.</p> +<p>Plato in his <i>Timaeus</i> and in the dialogue called <i>Critias</i>, +discourses of an incomparable great island then called Atlantis, being +greater than all Africa and Asia, which lay westward from the Straits of +Gibraltar, navigable round about: affirming, also, that the princes of +Atlantis did as well enjoy the governance of all Africa and the most part +of Europe as of Atlantis itself.</p> +<p>Also to prove Plato’s opinion of this island, and the inhabiting +of it in ancient time by them of Europe, to be of the more credit: +Marinæus Siculus, in his Chronicle of Spain, reporteth that there +hath been found by the Spaniards in the gold mines of America certain +pieces of money, engraved with the image of Augustus Cæsar; which +pieces were sent to the Pope for a testimony of the matter by John Rufus, +Archbishop of Constantinum.</p> +<p>Moreover, this was not only thought of Plato, but by Marsilius Ficinus, +an excellent Florentine philosopher, Crantor the Grecian, Proclus, also +Philo the famous Jew (as appeareth in his book <i>De Mundo</i>, and in the +Commentaries upon Plato), to be overflown, and swallowed up with water, by +reason of a mighty earthquake and streaming down of the heavenly flood +gates. The like thereof happened unto some part of Italy, when by the +forcibleness of the sea, called Superum, it cut off Sicily from the +continent of Calabria, as appeareth in Justin in the beginning of his +fourth book. Also there chanced the like in Zeeland, a part of +Flanders.</p> +<p>And also the cities of Pyrrha and Antissa, about Palus Meotis; and also +the city Burys, in the Corinthian Gulf, commonly called Sinus Corinthiacus, +have been swallowed up with the sea, and are not at this day to be +discerned: by which accident America grew to be unknown, of long time, unto +us of the later ages, and was lately discovered again by Americus +Vespucius, in the year of our Lord 1497, which some say to have been first +discovered by Christopher Columbus, a Genoese, Anno 1492.</p> +<p>The same calamity happened unto this isle of Atlantis six hundred and +odd years before Plato’s time, which some of the people of the +south-east parts of the world accounted as nine thousand years; for the +manner then was to reckon the moon’s period of the Zodiac for a year, +which is our usual month, depending a Luminari minore.</p> +<p>So that in these our days there can no other main or island be found or +judged to be parcel of this Atlantis than those western islands, which now +bear the name of America; countervailing thereby the name of Atlantis in +the knowledge of our age.</p> +<p>Then, if when no part of the said Atlantis was oppressed by water and +earthquake, the coasts round about the same were navigable, a far greater +hope now remaineth of the same by the north-west, seeing the most part of +it was since that time swallowed up with water, which could not utterly +take away the old deeps and channels, but, rather, be many occasion of the +enlarging of the old, and also an enforcing of a great many new; why then +should we now doubt of our North-West Passage and navigation from England +to India, etc., seeing that Atlantis, now called America, was ever known to +be an island, and in those days navigable round about, which by access of +more water could not be diminished?</p> +<p>Also Aristotle in his book <i>De Mundo</i>, and the learned German, +Simon Gryneus, in his annotations upon the same, saith that the whole earth +(meaning thereby, as manifestly doth appear, Asia, Africa, and Europe, +being all the countries then known) to be but one island, compassed about +with the reach of the Atlantic sea; which likewise approveth America to be +an island, and in no part adjoining to Asia or the rest.</p> +<p>Also many ancient writers, as Strabo and others, called both the ocean +sea (which lieth east of India) Atlanticum Pelagus, and that sea also on +the west coasts of Spain and Africa, Mare Atlanticum; the distance between +the two coasts is almost half the compass of the earth.</p> +<p>So that it is incredible, as by Plato appeareth manifestly, that the +East Indian Sea had the name of Atlanticum Pelagus, of the mountain Atlas +in Africa, or yet the sea adjoining to Africa had name Oceanus Atlanticus, +of the same mountain; but that those seas and the mountain Atlas were so +called of this great island Atlantis, and that the one and the other had +their names for a memorial of the mighty Prince Atlas, sometime king +thereof, who was Japhet, youngest son to Noah, in whose time the whole +earth was divided between the three brethren, Shem, Ham, and Japhet.</p> +<p>Wherefore I am of opinion that America by the north-west will be found +favourable to this our enterprise, and am the rather emboldened to believe +the same, for that I find it not only confirmed by Plato, Aristotle, and +other ancient philosophers, but also by the best modern geographers, as +Gemma Frisius, Munsterus, Appianus Hunterus, Gastaldus, Guyccardinus, +Michael Tramesinus, Franciscus Demongenitus, Barnardus, Puteanus, Andreas +Vavasor, Tramontanus, Petrus Martyr, and also Ortelius, who doth coast out +in his general map (set out Anno 1569) all the countries and capes on the +north-west side of America from Hochelega to Cape de Paramantia, describing +likewise the sea-coasts of Cathay and Greenland, towards any part of +America, making both Greenland and America islands disjoined by a great sea +from any part of Asia.</p> +<p>All which learned men and painful travellers have affirmed with one +consent and voice, that America was an island, and that there lieth a great +sea between it, Cathay, and Greenland, by the which any man of our country +that will give the attempt, may with small danger pass to Cathay, the +Moluccas, India, and all other places in the east in much shorter time than +either the Spaniard or Portuguese doth, or may do, from the nearest part of +any of their countries within Europe.</p> +<p>What moved these learned men to affirm thus much I know not, or to what +end so many and sundry travellers of both ages have allowed the same; but I +conjecture that they would never have so constantly affirmed, or notified +their opinions therein to the world, if they had not had great good cause, +and many probable reasons to have led them thereunto.</p> +<p>Now lest you should make small account of ancient writers or of their +experiences which travelled long before our times, reckoning their +authority amongst fables of no importance, I have for the better assurance +of those proofs set down some part of a discourse, written in the Saxon +tongue, and translated into English by Master Noel, servant to Master +Secretary Cecil, wherein there is described a navigation which one other +made, in the time of King Alfred, King of Wessex, Anne 871, the words of +which discourse were these: “He sailed right north, having always the +desert land on the starboard, and on the larboard the main sea, continuing +his course, until he perceived that the coast bowed directly towards the +east or else the sea opened into the land he could not tell how far, where +he was compelled to stay until he had a western wind or somewhat upon the +north, and sailed thence directly east along the coast, so far as he was +able in four days, where he was again enforced to tarry until he had a +north wind, because the coast there bowed directly towards the south, or at +least opened he knew not how far into the land, so that he sailed thence +along the coast continually full south, so far as he could travel in the +space of five days, where he discovered a mighty river which opened far +into the land, and in the entry of this river he turned back +again.”</p> +<p>Whereby it appeareth that he went the very way that we now do yearly +trade by S. Nicholas into Muscovia, which way no man in our age knew for +certainty to be sea, until it was since discovered by our Englishmen in the +time of King Edward I., but thought before that time that Greenland had +joined to Normoria Byarmia, and therefore was accounted a new discovery, +being nothing so indeed, as by this discourse of Ochther’s it +appeareth.</p> +<p>Nevertheless if any man should have taken this voyage in hand by the +encouragement of this only author, he should have been thought but simple, +considering that this navigation was written so many years past, in so +barbarous a tongue by one only obscure author, and yet we in these our days +find by our own experiences his former reports to be true.</p> +<p>How much more, then, ought we to believe this passage to Cathay to be, +being verified by the opinions of all the best, both antique and modern +geographers, and plainly set out in the best and most allowed maps, charts, +globes, cosmographical tables, and discourses of this our age and by the +rest not denied, but left as a matter doubtful.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER II.</h3> +<p>1. All seas are maintained by the abundance of water, so that the +nearer the end any river, bay, or haven is, the shallower it waxeth +(although by some accidental bar it is sometime found otherwise), but the +farther you sail west from Iceland, towards the place where this strait is +thought to be, the more deep are the seas, which giveth us good hope of +continuance of the same sea, with Mare del Sur, by some strait that lieth +between America, Greenland, and Cathay.</p> +<p>2. Also, if that America were not an island, but a part of the +continent adjoining to Asia, either the people which inhabit Mangia, Anian, +and Quinzay, etc., being borderers upon it, would before this time have +made some road into it, hoping to have found some like commodities to their +own.</p> +<p>3. Or else the Syrians and Tartars (which oftentimes heretofore +have sought far and near for new seats, driven thereunto through the +necessity of their cold and miserable countries) would in all this time +have found the way to America and entered the same had the passages been +never so strait or difficult, the country being so temperate, pleasant, and +fruitful in comparison of their own. But there was never any such +people found there by any of the Spaniards, Portuguese, or Frenchmen, who +first discovered the inland of that country, which Spaniards or Frenchmen +must then of necessity have seen some one civilised man in America, +considering how full of civilised people Asia is; but they never saw so +much as one token or sign that ever any man of the known part of the world +had been there.</p> +<p>4. Furthermore, it is to be thought, that if by reason of +mountains or other craggy places the people neither of Cathay or Tartary +could enter the country of America, or they of America have entered Asia if +it were so joined, yet some one savage or wandering-beast would in so many +years have passed into it; but there hath not any time been found any of +the beasts proper to Cathay or Tartary, etc., in America; nor of those +proper to America in Tartary, Cathay, etc., or in any part of Asia, which +thing proveth America not only to be one island, and in no part adjoining +to Asia, but also that the people of those countries have not had any +traffic with each other.</p> +<p>5. Moreover at the least some one of those painful travellers +which of purpose have passed the confines of both countries, with intent +only to discover, would, as it is most likely, have gone from the one to +the other, if there had been any piece of land, or isthmus, to have joined +them together, or else have declared some cause to the contrary.</p> +<p>6. But neither Paulus Venetus, who lived and dwelt a long time in +Cathay, ever came into America, and yet was at the sea coasts of Mangia +over against it, where he was embarked and performed a great navigation +along those seas; neither yet Veratzanus or Franciscus Vasquez de Coronado, +who travelled the north part of America by land, ever found entry from +thence by land to Cathay, or any part of Asia.</p> +<p>7. Also it appeareth to be an island, insomuch as the sea runneth +by nature circularly from the east to the west, following the diurnal +motion of the <i>Primum Mobile</i>, and carrieth with it all inferior +bodies movable, as well celestial as elemental; which motion of the waters +is most evidently seen in the sea, which lieth on the south side of Africa, +where the current that runneth from the east to the west is so strong (by +reason of such motion) that the Portuguese in their voyages eastward to +Calicut, in passing by the Cape of Good Hope, are enforced to make divers +courses, the current there being so swift, as it striketh from thence, all +along westward, upon the straits of Magellan, being distant from thence +near the fourth part of the longitude of the earth: and not having free +passage and entrance through that frith towards the west, by reason of the +narrowness of the said strait of Magellan, it runneth to salve this wrong +(Nature not yielding to accidental restraints) all along the eastern coasts +of America northwards so far as Cape Frido, being the farthest known place +of the same continent towards the north, which is about four thousand +eight-hundred leagues, reckoning therewithal the trending of the land.</p> +<p>8. So that this current, being continually maintained with such +force as Jacques Cartier affirmeth it to be, who met with the same, being +at Baccalaos as he sailed along the coasts of America, then, either it must +of necessity have way to pass from Cape Frido through this frith, westward +towards Cathay, being known to come so far only to salve his former wrongs +by the authority before named; or else it must needs strike over upon the +coast of Iceland, Lapland, Finmark, and Norway (which are east from the +said place about three hundred and sixty leagues) with greater force than +it did from the Cape of Good Hope upon the strait of Magellan, or from the +strait of Magellan to Cape Frido; upon which coasts Jacques Cartier met +with the same, considering the shortness of the cut from the said Cape +Frido to Iceland, Lapland, etc. And so the cause efficient remaining, +it would have continually followed along our coasts through the narrow +seas, which it doeth not, but is digested about the north of Labrador by +some through passage there through this frith.</p> +<p>The like course of the water, in some respect, happeneth in the +Mediterranean Sea (as affirmeth Contorenus), where, as the current which +cometh from Tanais and the Euxine, running along all the coasts of Greece, +Italy, France, and Spain, and not finding sufficient way out through +Gibraltar by means of the straitness of the frith, it runneth back again +along the coasts of Barbary by Alexandria, Natolia, etc.</p> +<p>It may, peradventure, be thought that this course of the sea doth +sometime surcease and thereby impugn this principle, because it is not +discerned all along the coast of America in such sort as Jacques Cartier +found it, whereunto I answer this: That albeit in every part of the coast +of America or elsewhere this current is not sensibly perceived, yet it hath +evermore such like motion, either the uppermost or nethermost part of the +sea; as it may be proved true, if you sink a sail by a couple of ropes near +the ground, fastening to the nethermost corners two gun chambers or other +weights, by the driving whereof you shall plainly perceive the course of +the water and current running with such like course in the bottom. By +the like experiment you may find the ordinary motion of the sea in the +ocean, how far soever you be off the land.</p> +<p>9. Also, there cometh another current from out the north-east from +the Scythian Sea (as Master Jenkinson, a man of rare virtue, great travel, +and experience, told me), which runneth westward towards Labrador, as the +other did which cometh from the south; so that both these currents must +have way through this our strait, or else encounter together and run +contrary courses in one line, but no such conflicts of streams or contrary +courses are found about any part of Labrador or Newfoundland, as witness +our yearly fishers and other sailors that way, but is there separated as +aforesaid, and found by the experience of Barnarde de la Torre to fall into +Mare del Sur.</p> +<p>10. Furthermore, the current in the great ocean could not have +been maintained to run continually one way from the beginning of the world +unto this day, had there not been some through passage by the strait +aforesaid, and so by circular motion be brought again to maintain itself, +for the tides and courses of the sea are maintained by their +interchangeable motions, as fresh rivers are by springs, by ebbing and +flowing, by rarefaction and condensation.</p> +<p>So that it resteth not possible (so far as my simple reason can +comprehend) that this perpetual current can by any means be maintained, but +only by a continual reaccess of the same water, which passeth through the +strait, and is brought about thither again by such circular motion as +aforesaid, and the certain falling thereof by this strait into Mare del Sur +is proved by the testimony and experience of Barnarde de la Torre, who was +sent from P. de la Natividad to the Moluccas, 1542, by commandment of +Anthony Mendoza, then Viceroy of Nova Hispania, which Barnarde sailed 750 +leagues on the north side of the Equator, and there met with a current +which came from the north-east, the which drove him back again to +Tidore.</p> +<p>Wherefore this current being proved to come from the Cape of Good Hope +to the strait of Magellan, and wanting sufficient entrance there, is by the +necessity of Nature’s force brought to Terra de Labrador, where +Jacques Cartier met the same, and thence certainly known not to strike over +upon Iceland, Lapland, etc., and found by Barnarde de la Torre, in Mare del +Sur, on the backside of America, therefore this current, having none other +passage, must of necessity fall out through this strait into Mare del Sur, +and so trending by the Moluccas, China, and the Cape of Good Hope, +maintaineth itself by circular motion, which is all one in Nature with +motus ab oriente in occidentem.</p> +<p>So that it seemeth we have now more occasion to doubt of our return than +whether there be a passage that way, yea or no: which doubt hereafter shall +be sufficiently removed; wherefore, in my opinion reason itself grounded +upon experience assureth us of this passage if there were nothing else to +put us in hope thereof. But lest these might not suffice, I have +added in this chapter following some further proof thereof, by the +experience of such as have passed some part of this discovery, and in the +next adjoining to that the authority of those which have sailed wholly +through every part thereof.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER III.<br /> +TO PROVE BY EXPERIENCE OF SUNDRY MEN’S TRAVELS THE OPENING OF SOME +PART OF THIS NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, WHEREBY GOOD HOPE REMAINETH OF THE +REST.</h3> +<p>1. Paulus Venetus, who dwelt many years in Cathay, affirmed that +he had sailed 1,500 miles upon the coast of Mangia and Anian, towards the +north-east, always finding the seas open before him, not only as far as he +went, but also as far as he could discern.</p> +<p>2. Also Franciscus Vasquez de Coronado, passing from Mexico by +Cevola, through the country of Quiver to Sierra Nevada, found there a great +sea, where were certain ships laden with merchandise, the mariners wearing +on their heads the pictures of certain birds called Alcatrarzi, part +whereof were made of gold and part of silver; who signified by signs that +they were thirty days coming thither, which likewise proveth America by +experience to be disjoined from Cathay, on that part, by a great sea, +because they could not come from any part of America as natives thereof; +for that, so far as is discovered, there hath not been found there any one +ship of that country.</p> +<p>3. In like manner, Johann Baros testifieth that the cosmographers +of China (where he himself had been) affirm that the sea coast trendeth +from thence north-east to fifty degrees of septentrional latitude, being +the farthest part that way, which the Portuguese had then knowledge of; and +that the said cosmographers knew no cause to the contrary, but that it +might continue farther.</p> +<p>By whose experiences America is proved to be separate from those parts +of Asia, directly against the same. And not contented with the +judgments of these learned men only, I have searched what might be further +said for the confirmation hereof.</p> +<p>4. And I found that Franciscus Lopez de Gomara affirmeth America +to be an island, and likewise Greenland; and that Greenland is distant from +Lapland forty leagues, and from Terra de Labrador fifty.</p> +<p>5. Moreover Alvarez Nunmius, a Spaniard, and learned cosmographer, +and Jacques Cartier, who made two voyages into those parts, and sailed five +hundred miles upon the north-east coasts of America.</p> +<p>6. Likewise Hieronimus Fracastorius, a learned Italian, and +traveller in the north parts of the same land.</p> +<p>7. Also Jacques Cartier, having done the like, heard say at +Hochelaga, in Nova Francia, how that there was a great sea at Saguinay, +whereof the end was not known: which they presupposed to be the passage to +Cathay. Furthermore, Sebastian Cabot, by his personal experience and +travel, has set forth and described this passage in his charts which are +yet to be seen in the Queen’s Majesty’s Privy Gallery at +Whitehall, who was sent to make this discovery by King Henry VII. and +entered the same straits, affirming that he sailed very far westward with a +quarter of the north, on the north side of Terra de Labrador, the 11th of +June, until he came to the septentrional latitude of sixty-seven and a half +degrees, and finding the seas still open, said, that he might and would +have gone to Cathay if the mutiny of the master and mariners had not +been.</p> +<p>Now, as these men’s experience have proved some part of this +passage, so the chapter following shall put you in full assurance of the +rest by their experiences which have passed through every part thereof.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER IV.<br /> +TO PROVE BY CIRCUMSTANCE THAT THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE HATH BEEN SAILED +THROUGHOUT.</h3> +<p>The diversity between brute beasts and men, or between the wise and the +simple, is, that the one judgeth by sense only, and gathereth no surety of +anything that he hath not seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled: and the +other not so only, but also findeth the certainty of things, by reason, +before they happen to be tried, wherefore I have added proofs of both +sorts, that the one and the other might thereby be satisfied.</p> +<p>1. First, as Gemma Frisius reciteth, there went from Europe three +brethren though this passage: whereof it took the name of Fretum trium +fratrum.</p> +<p>2. Also Pliny affirmeth out of Cornelius Nepos (who wrote +fifty-seven years before Christ) that there were certain Indians driven by +tempest upon the coast of Germany which were presented by the King of +Suevia unto Quintus Metellus Celer, then Pro-Consul of France.</p> +<p>3. And Pliny upon the same saith that it is no marvel, though +there be sea by the north, where there is such abundance of moisture; which +argueth, that he doubted not of a navigable passage that way, through which +those Indians came.</p> +<p>4. And for the better proof that the same authority of Cornelius +Nepos is not by me wrested to prove my opinion of the North-West Passage, +you shall find the same affirmed more plainly in that behalf by the +excellent geographer Dominicus Marius Niger, who showeth how many ways the +Indian sea stretcheth itself, making in that place recital of certain +Indians that were likewise driven through the north seas from India, upon +the coasts of Germany, by great tempest, as they were sailing in trade of +merchandise.</p> +<p>5. Also, whiles Frederick Barbarossa reigned Emperor, A.D. 1160, +there came certain other Indians upon the coast of Germany.</p> +<p>6. Likewise Othon, in the story of the Goths, affirmeth that in +the time of the German Emperors there were also certain Indians cast by +force of weather upon the coast of the said country, which foresaid Indians +could not possibly have come by the south-east, south-west, nor from any +part of Africa or America, nor yet by the north-east: therefore they came +of necessity by this our North-West Passage.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER V.<br /> +TO PROVE THAT THESE INDIANS, AFORENAMED, CAME NOT BY THE SOUTH-EAST, +SOUTH-WEST, NOR FROM ANY OTHER PART OF AFRICA OR AMERICA.</h3> +<p>1. They could not come from the south-east by the Cape of Good +Hope, because the roughness of the seas there is such—occasioned by +the currents and great winds in that part—that the greatest armadas +the King of Portugal hath cannot without great difficulty pass that way, +much less, then, a canoe of India could live in those outrageous seas +without shipwreck, being a vessel but of very small burden, and the Indians +have conducted themselves to the place aforesaid, being men unexpert in the +art of navigation.</p> +<p>2. Also, it appeareth plainly that they were not able to come from +along the coast of Africa aforesaid to those parts of Europe, because the +winds do, for the most part, blow there easterly or from the shore, and the +current running that way in like sort, would have driven them westward upon +some part of America, for such winds and tides could never have led them +from thence to the said place where they were found, nor yet could they +have come from any of the countries aforesaid, keeping the seas always, +without skilful mariners to have conducted them such like courses as were +necessary to perform such a voyage.</p> +<p>3. Presupposing also, if they had been driven to the west, as they +must have been, coming that way, then they should have perished, wanting +supply of victuals, not having any place—once leaving the coast of +Africa—until they came to America, north of America, until they +arrived upon some part of Europe or the islands adjoining to it to have +refreshed themselves.</p> +<p>4. Also, if, notwithstanding such impossibilities, they might have +recovered Germany by coming from India by the south-east, yet must they +without all doubt have struck upon some other part of Europe before their +arrival there, as the isles of Madeira, Portugal, Spain, France, England, +Ireland, etc., which, if they had done, it is not credible that they should +or would have departed undiscovered of the inhabitants; but there was never +found in those days any such ship or men, but only upon the coasts of +Germany, where they have been sundry times and in sundry ages cast ashore; +neither is it like that they would have committed themselves again to sea, +if they had so arrived, not knowing where they were, nor whither to have +gone.</p> +<p>5. And by the south-west it is impossible, because the current +aforesaid, which cometh from the east, striketh with such force upon the +Straits of Magellan, and falleth with such swiftness and fury into Mare de +Sur, that hardly any ship—but not possibly a canoe, with such +unskilful mariners—can come into our western ocean through that +strait from the west seas of America, as Magellan’s experience hath +partly taught us.</p> +<p>6. And further, to prove that these people so arriving upon the +coast of Germany were Indians, and not inhabiters of any part either of +Africa or America, it is manifest, because the natives, both of Africa and +America, neither had, or have at this day, as is reported, other kind of +boats than such as do bear neither masts nor sails, except only upon the +coasts of Barbary and the Turks’ ships, but do carry themselves from +place to place near the shore by the oar only.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER VI.<br /> +TO PROVE THAT THOSE INDIANS CAME NOT BY THE NORTH-EAST, AND THAT THERE IS +NO THROUGH NAVIGABLE PASSAGE THAT WAY.</h3> +<p>1. It is likely that there should be no through passage by the +north-east whereby to go round about the world, because all seas, as +aforesaid, are maintained by the abundance of water, waxing more shallow +and shelving towards the end, as we find it doth, by experience, in the +Frozen Sea, towards the east, which breedeth small hope of any great +continuance of that sea to be navigable towards the east, sufficient to +sail thereby round about the world.</p> +<p>2. Also, it standeth scarcely with reason that the Indians +dwelling under the Torrid Zone could endure the injury of the cold air, +about the northern latitude of 80 degrees, under which elevation the +passage by the north-east cannot be, as the often experiences had of all +the south part of it showeth, seeing that some of the inhabitants of this +cold climate, whose summer is to them an extreme winter, have been stricken +to death with the cold damps of the air, about 72 degrees, by an accidental +mishap, and yet the air in such like elevation is always cold, and too cold +for such as the Indians are.</p> +<p>3. Furthermore, the piercing cold of the gross thick air so near +the Pole will so stiffen the sails and ship tackling, that no mariner can +either hoist or strike them—as our experience, far nearer the south +than this passage is presupposed to be, hath taught us—without the +use whereof no voyage can be performed.</p> +<p>4. Also, the air is so darkened with continual mists and fogs so +near the Pole, that no man can well see either to guide his ship or to +direct his course.</p> +<p>5. Also the compass at such elevation doth very suddenly vary, +which things must of force have been their destruction, although they had +been men of much more skill than the Indians are.</p> +<p>6. Moreover, all bays, gulfs, and rivers do receive their increase +upon the flood, sensibly to be discerned on the one side of the shore or +the other, as many ways as they be open to any main sea, as the +Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, Sinus Bodicus, the Thames, +and all other known havens or rivers in any part of the world, and each of +them opening but on one part to the main sea, do likewise receive their +increase upon the flood the same way, and none other, which the Frozen Sea +doth, only by the west, as Master Jenkinson affirmed unto me, and therefore +it followeth that this north-east sea, receiving increase only from the +west, cannot possibly open to the main ocean by the east.</p> +<p>7. Moreover, the farther you pass into any sea towards the end of +it, of that part which is shut up from the main sea, as in all those +above-mentioned, the less and less the tides rise and fall. The like +whereof also happeneth in the Frozen Sea, which proveth but small +continuance of that sea toward the east.</p> +<p>8. Also, the farther ye go towards the east in the Frozen Sea the +less soft the water is, which could not happen if it were open to the salt +sea towards the east, as it is to the west only, seeing everything +naturally engendereth his like, and then must it be like salt throughout, +as all the seas are in such like climate and elevation. And therefore +it seemeth that this north-east sea is maintained by the river Ob, and such +like freshets as the Pontic Sea and Mediterranean Sea, in the uppermost +parts thereof by the river Nile, the Danube, Dnieper, Tanais, etc.</p> +<p>9. Furthermore, if there were any such sea at that elevation, of +like it should be always frozen throughout—there being no tides to +hinder it—because the extreme coldness of the air in the uppermost +part, and the extreme coldness of the earth in the bottom, the sea there +being but of small depth, whereby the one accidental coldness doth meet +with the other; and the sun, not having his reflection so near the Pole, +but at very blunt angles, it can never be dissolved after it is frozen, +notwithstanding the great length of their day: for that the sun hath no +heat at all in his light or beams, but proceeding only by an accidental +reflection which there wanteth in effect.</p> +<p>10. And yet if the sun were of sufficient force in that elevation +to prevail against this ice, yet must it be broken before it can be +dissolved, which cannot be but through the long continue of the sun above +their horizon, and by that time the summer would be so far spent, and so +great darkness and cold ensue, that no man could be able to endure so cold, +dark, and discomfortable a navigation, if it were possible for him then and +there to live.</p> +<p>11. Further, the ice being once broken, it must of force so drive +with the winds and tides that no ship can sail in those seas, seeing our +fishers of Iceland and Newfoundland are subject to danger through the great +islands of ice which fleet in the seas, far to the south of that +presupposed passage.</p> +<p>12. And it cannot be that this North-East Passage should be any +nearer the south than before recited, for then it should cut off Ciremissi +and Turbi, Tartarii, with Vzesucani, Chisani, and others from the continent +of Asia, which are known to be adjoining to Scythia, Tartary, etc., with +the other part of the same continent.</p> +<p>And if there were any through passage by the north-east, yet were it to +small end and purpose for our traffic, because no ship of great burden can +navigate in so shallow a sea, and ships of small burden are very unfit and +unprofitable, especially towards the blustering north, to perform such a +voyage.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER VII.<br /> +TO PROVE THAT THE INDIANS AFORENAMED CAME ONLY BY THE NORTH-WEST, WHICH +INDUCETH A CERTAINTY OF OUR PASSAGE BY EXPERIENCE.</h3> +<p>It is as likely that they came by the north-west as it is unlikely that +they should come either by the south-east, south-west, north-east, or from +any other part of Africa or America, and therefore this North-West Passage, +having been already so many ways proved by disproving of the others, etc., +I shall the less need in this place to use many words otherwise than to +conclude in this sort, that they came only by the north-west from England, +having these many reasons to lead me thereunto.</p> +<p>1. First, the one-half of the winds of the compass might bring +them by the north-west, veering always between two sheets, with which kind +of sailing the Indians are only acquainted, not having any use of a bow +line or quarter wind, without the which no ship can possibly come, either +by the south-east, south-west, or north-east, having so many sundry capes +to double, whereunto are required such change and shifts of winds.</p> +<p>2. And it seemeth likely that they should come by the north-west, +because the coast whereon they were driven lay east from this our passage, +and all winds do naturally drive a ship to an opposite point from whence it +bloweth, not being otherwise guided by art, which the Indians do utterly +want, and therefore it seemeth that they came directly through this, our +strait, which they might do with one wind.</p> +<p>3. For if they had come by the Cape of Good Hope, then must they, +as aforesaid, have fallen upon the south parts of America.</p> +<p>4. And if by the Strait of Magellan, then upon the coasts of +Africa, Spain, Portugal, France, Ireland, or England.</p> +<p>5. And if by the north-east, then upon the coasts of Ciremissi, +Tartarii, Lapland, Iceland, Labrador, etc., and upon these coasts, as +aforesaid, they have never been found.</p> +<p>So that by all likelihood they could never have come without shipwreck +upon the coasts of Germany, if they had first struck upon the coasts of so +many countries, wanting both art and shipping to make orderly discovery, +and altogether ignorant both of the art of navigation and also of the +rocks, flats, sands, or havens of those parts of the world, which in most +of these places are plentiful.</p> +<p>6. And further, it seemeth very likely that the inhabitants of the +most part of those countries, by which they must have come any other way +besides by the north-west, being for the most part anthropophagi, or +men-eaters, would have devoured them, slain them, or, at the leastwise, +kept them as wonders for the gaze.</p> +<p>So that it plainly appeareth that those Indians—which, as you have +heard, in sundry ages were driven by tempest upon the shore of +Germany—came only through our North-West Passage.</p> +<p>7. Moreover, the passage is certainly proved by a navigation that +a Portuguese made, who passed through this strait, giving name to a +promontory far within the same, calling it after his own name, Promontorium +Corterialis, near adjoining unto Polisacus Fluvius.</p> +<p>8. Also one Scolmus, a Dane, entered and passed a great part +thereof.</p> +<p>9. Also there was one Salva Terra, a gentleman of Victoria in +Spain, that came by chance out of the West Indies into Ireland, Anno 1568, +who affirmed the North-West Passage from us to Cathay, constantly to be +believed in America navigable; and further said, in the presence of Sir +Henry Sidney, then Lord Deputy of Ireland, in my hearing, that a friar of +Mexico, called Andre Urdaneta, more than eight years before his then coming +into Ireland, told him there that he came from Mare del Sur into Germany +through this North-West Passage, and showed Salva Terra—at that time +being then with him in Mexico—a sea-card made by his own experience +and travel in that voyage, wherein was plainly set down and described this +North-West Passage, agreeing in all points with Ortelius’ map.</p> +<p>And further this friar told the King of Portugal (as he returned by that +country homeward) that there was of certainty such a passage north-west +from England, and that he meant to publish the same; which done, the king +most earnestly desired him not in any wise to disclose or make the passage +known to any nation. For that (said the king) <i>if England had +knowledge and experience thereof</i>, <i>it would greatly hinder both the +King of Spain and me</i>. This friar (as Salva Terra reported) was +the greatest discoverer by sea that hath been in our age. Also Salva +Terra, being persuaded of this passage by the friar Urdaneta, and by the +common opinion of the Spaniards inhabiting America, offered most willingly +to accompany me in this discovery, which of like he would not have done if +he had stood in doubt thereof.</p> +<p>And now, as these modern experiences cannot be impugned, so, least it +might be objected that these things (gathered out of ancient writers, which +wrote so many years past) might serve little to prove this passage by the +north of America, because both America and India were to them then utterly +unknown; to remove this doubt, let this suffice, that Aristotle (who was +300 years before Christ) named the Indian Sea. Also Berosus (who +lived 330 before Christ) hath these words, <i>Ganges in India</i>.</p> +<p>Also in the first chapter of Esther be these words: “In the days +of Ahasuerus, which ruled from India to Ethiopia,” which Ahasuerus +lived 580 years before Christ. Also Quintus Curtius, where he +speaketh of the Conquest of Alexander, mentioneth India. Also Arianus +Philostratus, and Sidrach, in his discourses of the wars of the King of +Bactria, and of Garaab, who had the most part of India under his +government. All which assumeth us that both India and Indians were +known in those days.</p> +<p>These things considered, we may, in my opinion, not only assure +ourselves of this passage by the north-west, but also that it is navigable +both to come and go, as hath been proved in part and in all by the +experience of divers as Sebastian Cabot, Corterialis, the three brethren +above named, the Indians, and Urdaneta, the friar of Mexico, etc.</p> +<p>And yet, notwithstanding all which, there be some that have a better +hope of this passage to Cathay by the north-east than by the west, whose +reasons, with my several answers, ensue in the chapter following.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER VIII.<br /> +CERTAIN REASONS ALLEGED FOR THE PROVING OF A PASSAGE BY THE NORTH-EAST +BEFORE THE QUEEN’S MAJESTY, AND CERTAIN LORDS OF THE COUNCIL, BY +MASTER ANTHONY JENKINSON, WITH MY SEVERAL ANSWERS THEN USED TO THE +SAME.</h3> +<p>Because you may understand as well those things alleged against me as +what doth serve for my purpose, I have here added the reasons of Master +Anthony Jenkinson, a worthy gentleman, and a great traveller, who conceived +a better hope of the passage to Cathay from us to be by the north-east than +by the north-west.</p> +<p>He first said that he thought not to the contrary but that there was a +passage by the north-west, according to mime opinion, but he was assured +that there might be found a navigable passage by the north-east from +England to go to all the east parts of the world, which he endeavoured to +prove three ways.</p> +<p>The first was, that he heard a fisherman of Tartary say in hunting the +morse, that he sailed very far towards the south-east, finding no end of +the sea, whereby he hoped a through passage to be that way.</p> +<p>Whereunto I answered that the Tartars were a barbarous people, and +utterly ignorant in the art of navigation, not knowing the use of the +sea-card, compass, or star, which he confessed true; and therefore they +could not (said I) certainly know the south-east from the north-east in a +wide sea, and a place unknown from the sight of the land.</p> +<p>Or if he sailed anything near the shore, yet he, being ignorant, might +be deceived by the doubling of many points and capes, and by the trending +of the land, albeit he kept continually along the shore.</p> +<p>And further, it might be that the poor fisherman through simplicity +thought that there was nothing that way but sea, because he saw mine land, +which proof (under correction) giveth small assurance of a navigable sea by +the north-east to go round about the world, for that he judged by the eye +only, seeing we in this clear air do account twenty miles a ken at sea.</p> +<p>His second reason is, that there was an unicorn’s horn found upon +the coast of Tartary, which could not come (said he) thither by any other +means than with the tides, through some strait in the north-east of the +Frozen Sea, there being no unicorns in any part of Asia, saving in India +and Cathay, which reason, in my simple judgment, has as little force.</p> +<p>First, it is doubtful whether those barbarous Tartars do know an +unicorn’s horn, yea or no; and if it were one, yet it is not credible +that the sea could have driven it so far, it being of such nature that it +cannot float.</p> +<p>Also the tides running to and fro would have driven it as far back with +the ebb as it brought it forward with the flood.</p> +<p>There is also a beast called Asinus Indicus (whose horn most like it +was), which hath but one horn like an unicorn in his forehead, whereof +there is great plenty in all the north parts thereunto adjoining, as in +Lapland, Norway, Finmark, etc., as Jocobus Zeiglerus writeth in his history +of Scondia.</p> +<p>And as Albertus saith, there is a fish which hath but one horn in his +forehead like to an unicorn, and therefore it seemeth very doubtful both +from whence it came, and whether it were an unicorn’s horn, yea or +no.</p> +<p>His third and last reason was, that there came a continual stream or +current through the Frozen Sea of such swiftness, as a Colmax told him, +that if you cast anything therein, it would presently be carried out of +sight towards the west.</p> +<p>Whereunto I answered, that there doth the like from Palus Maeotis, by +the Euxine, the Bosphorus, and along the coast of Greece, etc., as it is +affirmed by Contarenus, and divers others that have had experience of the +same; and yet that sea lieth not open to any main sea that way, but is +maintained by freshets, as by the Don, the Danube, etc.</p> +<p>In like manner is this current in the Frozen Sea increased and +maintained by the Dwina, the river Ob, etc.</p> +<p>Now as I have here briefly recited the reasons alleged to prove a +passage to Cathay by the north-east with my several answers thereunto, so +will I leave it unto your judgment, to hope or despair of either at your +pleasure.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER IX.<br /> +HOW THAT THE PASSAGE BY THE NORTH-WEST IS MORE COMMODIOUS FOR OUR TRAFFIC +THAN THE OTHER BY THE EAST, IF THERE WERE ANY SUCH.</h3> +<p>1. By the north-east, if your winds do not give you a marvellous +speedy and lucky passage, you are in danger (of being so near the Pole) to +be benighted almost the one half of the year, and what danger that were, to +live so long comfortless, void of light (if the cold killed you not), each +man of reason or understanding may judge.</p> +<p>2. Also Mangia, Quinzai, and the Moluccas, are nearer unto us by +the north-west than by the north-east more than two-fifths, which is almost +by the half.</p> +<p>3. Also we may have by the rest a yearly return, it being at all +times navigable, whereas you have but four months in the whole year to go +by the north-east, the passage being at such elevation as it is formerly +expressed, for it cannot be any nearer the south.</p> +<p>4. Furthermore, it cannot be finished without divers winterings by +the way, having no havens in any temperate climate to harbour in there, for +it is as much as we can well sail from hence to S. Nicholas, in the trade +of Muscovy, and return in the navigable season of the year, and from S. +Nicholas, Ciremissi, Tartarii, which standeth 80 degrees of the +septentrional latitude, it is at the left 400 leagues, which amounteth +scarce to the third part of the way, to the end of your voyage by the +north-east.</p> +<p>5. And yet, after you have doubled this Cape, if then there might +be found a navigable sea to carry you south-east according to your desire, +yet can you not winter conveniently until you come to sixty degrees and to +take up one degree running south-east you must sail twenty-four leagues and +three four parts, which amounteth to four hundred and ninety-five +leagues.</p> +<p>6. Furthermore, you may by the north-west sail thither, with all +easterly winds, and return with any westerly winds, whereas you must have +by the north-east sundry winds, and those proper, according to the lie of +the coast and capes, you shall be enforced to double, which winds are not +always to be had when they are looked for; whereby your journey should be +greatly prolonged, and hardly endured so near the Pole, as we are taught by +Sir Hugh Willoughbie, who was frozen to death far nearer the south.</p> +<p>7. Moreover, it is very doubtful whether we should long enjoy that +trade by the north-east if there were any such passage that way, the +commodities thereof once known to the Muscovite, what privilege soever he +hath granted, seeing pollice with the maze of excessive gain, to the +enriching of himself and all his dominions, would persuade him to presume +the same, having so great opportunity, to distribute the commodities of +those countries by the Naruc.</p> +<p>But by the north-west we may safely trade without danger or annoyance of +any prince living, Christian or heathen, it being out of all their +trades.</p> +<p>8. Also the Queen’s Majesty’s dominions are nearer the +North-West Passage than any other great princes that might pass that way, +and both in their going and return they must of necessity succour +themselves and their ships upon some part of the same if any tempestuous +weather should happen.</p> +<p>Further, no prince’s navy of the world is able to encounter the +Queen’s Majesty’s navy as it is at this present; and yet it +should be greatly increased by the traffic ensuing upon this discovery, for +it is the long voyages that increase and maintain great shipping.</p> +<p>Now it seemeth unnecessary to declare what commodities would grow +thereby if all these things were as we have heretofore presupposed and +thought them to be; which next adjoining are briefly declared.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER X.<br /> +WHAT COMMODITIES WOULD ENSUE, THIS PASSAGE ONCE DISCOVERED.</h3> +<p>1. It were the only way for our princes to possess the wealth of +all the east parts (as they term them) of the world, which is infinite; as +appeareth by the experience of Alexander the Great in the time of his +conquest of India and the east parts of the world, alleged by Quintus +Curtius, which would be a great advancement to our country, wonderful +enriching to our prince, and unspeakable commodities to all the inhabitants +of Europe.</p> +<p>2. For, through the shortness of the voyage, we should be able to +sell all manner of merchandise brought from thence far better cheap than +either the Portuguese or Spaniard doth or may do. And, further, share +with the Portuguese in the east and the Spaniard in the west by trading to +any part of America through Mare del Sur, where they can no manner of way +offend us.</p> +<p>3. Also we sailed to divers marvellous rich countries, both civil +and others, out of both their jurisdictions, trades and traffics, where +there is to be found great abundance of gold, silver, precious stones, +cloth of gold, silks, all manner of spices, grocery wares, and other kinds +of merchandise of an inestimable price, which both the Spaniard and +Portuguese, through the length of their journeys, cannot well attain +unto.</p> +<p>4. Also, we might inhabit some part of those countries, and settle +there such needy people of our country which now trouble the commonwealth, +and through want here at home are enforced to commit outrageous offences, +whereby they are daily consumed with the gallows.</p> +<p>5. Moreover, we might from all the aforesaid places have a yearly +return, inhabiting for our staple some convenient place of America, about +Sierra Nevada or some other part, whereas it shall seem best for the +shortening of the voyage.</p> +<p>6. Beside the exporting of our country commodities, which the +Indians, etc., much esteem, as appeareth in Esther, where the pomp is +expressed of the great King of India, Ahasuerus, who matched the coloured +clothes wherewith his houses and tents were apparelled with gold and +silver, as part of his greatest treasure, not mentioning velvets, silks, +cloth of gold, cloth of silver, or such like, being in those countries most +plentiful, whereby it plainly appeareth in what great estimation they would +have the cloths of this our country, so that there would be found a far +better vent for them by this means than yet this realm ever had; and that +without depending either upon France, Spain, Flanders, Portugal, +Hamborough, Emden, or any other part of Europe.</p> +<p>7. Also here we shall increase both our ships and mariners without +burdening of the State.</p> +<p>8. And also have occasion to set poor men’s children to +learn handicrafts, and thereby to make trifles and such like, which the +Indians and those people do much esteem; by reason whereof, there should be +none occasion to have our country cumbered with loiterers, vagabonds, and +such like idle persons.</p> +<p>All these commodities would grew by following this our discovery without +injury done to any Christian prince by crossing them in any of their used +trades, whereby they might take any just occasion of offence.</p> +<p>Thus have I briefly showed you some part of the grounds of my opinion, +trusting that you will no longer judge me fantastic in this matter, seeing +I have conceived no hope of this voyage, but am persuaded thereunto by the +best cosmographers of our age, the same being confirmed both by reason and +certain experiences.</p> +<p>Also this discovery hath been divers times heretofore by others both +proposed, attempted, and performed.</p> +<p>It hath been proposed by Stephen Gomez unto Carolus, the fifth emperor +in the year of our Lord 1527, as Alphonse Ullva testifieth in the story of +Carolus’ life, who would have set him forth in it (as the story +mentioneth) if the great want of money, by reason of his long wars, had not +caused him to surcease the same.</p> +<p>And the King of Portugal, fearing lest the emperor would have persevered +in this his enterprise, gave him, to leave the matter unattempted, the sum +of 350,000 crowns; and it is to be supposed that the King of Portugal would +not have given to the emperor such sums of money for eggs in moonshine.</p> +<p>It hath been attempted by Corterialis the Portuguese, Scolmus the Dane, +and by Sebastian Cabot in the time of King Henry VII.</p> +<p>And it hath been performed by the three brethren, the Indians aforesaid, +and by Urdaneta, the friar of Mexico.</p> +<p>Also divers have proposed the like unto the French king, who hath sent +two or three times to have discovered the same; the discoverers spending +and consuming their victuals in searching the gulfs and bays between +Florida and Labrador, whereby the ice is broken to the after-comers.</p> +<p>So that the right way may now be easily found out in short time, and +that with little jeopardy and less expenses.</p> +<p>For America is discovered so far towards the north as Cape Frido, which +is at 62 degrees, and that part of Greenland next adjoining is known to +stand but at 72 degrees; so that we have but 10 degrees to sail north and +south to put the world out of doubt hereof; and it is likely that the King +of Spain and the King of Portugal would not have sat out all this while but +that they are sure to possess to themselves all that trade they now use, +and fear to deal in this discovery lest the Queen’s Majesty, having +so good opportunity, and finding the commodity which thereby might ensue to +the commonwealth, would cut them off and enjoy the whole traffic to +herself, and thereby the Spaniards and Portuguese with their great charges +should beat the bush and other men catch the birds; which thing they +foreseeing, have commanded that no pilot of theirs, upon pain of death, +should seek to discover to the north-west, or plat out in any sea-card any +through passage that way by the north-west.</p> +<p>Now, if you will impartially compare the hope that remaineth to animate +me to this enterprise with those likelihoods which Columbus alleged before +Ferdinando, the King of Castilia, to prove that there were such islands in +the West Ocean as were after by him and others discovered, to the great +commodity of Spain and all the world, you will think then that this +North-West Passage to be most worthy travel therein.</p> +<p>For Columbus had none of the West Islands set forth unto him either in +globe or card, neither yet once mentioned of any writer (Plato excepted, +and the commentaries upon the same) from 942 years before Christ until that +day.</p> +<p>Moreover, Columbus himself had neither seen America nor any other of the +islands about it, neither understood he of them by the report of any other +that had seen them, but only comforted himself with this hope, that the +land had a beginning where the sea had an ending. For as touching +that which the Spaniards do write of a Biscaine which should have taught +him the way thither, it is thought to be imagined of them to deprive +Columbus of his honour, being none of their countryman, but a stranger +born.</p> +<p>And if it were true of the Biscaine, yet did he but hit upon the matter, +or, at the least, gathered the knowledge of it by conjectures only.</p> +<p>And albeit myself have not seen this passage, or any part thereof, but +am ignorant of it as touching experience as Columbus was before his attempt +was made, yet have I both the report, relation, and authority of divers +most credible men, which have both seen and passed through some and every +part of this discovery, besides sundry reasons for my assurance thereof, +all which Columbus wanted.</p> +<p>These things considered and impartially weighed together, with the +wonderful commodities which this discovery may bring, especially to this +realm of England, I must needs conclude with learned Baptista Ramusius, and +divers other learned men, who said that this discovery hath been reserved +for some noble prince or worthy man, thereby to make himself rich, and the +world happy: desiring you to accept in good part this brief and simple +discourse, written in haste, which, if I may perceive that it shall not +sufficiently satisfy you in this behalf, I will then impart unto you a +large discourse, which I have written only of this discovery.</p> +<p>And further, because it sufficeth not only to knew that such a thing +there is, without ability to perform the same, I will at leisure make you +partaker of another simple discourse of navigation, wherein I have not a +little travelled, to make myself as sufficient to bring these things to +effect as I have been ready to offer myself therein.</p> +<p>And therein I have devised to amend the errors of usual sea-cards, whose +common fault is to make the degrees of longitude in every latitude of one +like bigness.</p> +<p>And have also devised therein a spherical instrument, with a compass of +variation for the perfect knowing of the longitude.</p> +<p>And a precise order to prick the sea-card, together with certain +infallible rules for the shortening of any discovery, to know at the first +entering of any strait whether it lies open to the ocean more ways than +one, how far soever the sea stretcheth itself into the land.</p> +<p>Desiring you hereafter never to mislike with me for the taking in hand +of any laudable and honest enterprise, for if, through pleasure and +idleness, we purchase shame, the pleasure vanisheth, but the shame +remaineth for ever.</p> +<p>And therefore, to give me leave without offence always to live and die +in this mind, <i>that he is not worthy to live at all that for fear or +danger of death shunneth his country’s service and his own +honour</i>, seeing death is inevitable, and the fame of virtue +immortal. Wherefore, in this behalf, <i>Mutare vel timere +sperno</i>.</p> +<h2>CERTAIN OTHER REASONS OR ARGUMENTS TO PROVE A PASSAGE BY THE +NORTH-WEST.</h2> +<p><i>Learnedly written by Master Richard Willes</i>, <i>Gentleman</i>.</p> +<p>Four famous ways there be spoken of to those fruitful and wealthy +islands, which we do usually call Moluccas, continually haunted for gain, +and daily travelled for riches therein growing. These islands, +although they stand east from the meridian, distant almost half the length +of the world, in extreme heat under the equinoctial line, possessed of +infidels and barbarians, yet by our neighbours great abundance of wealth +there is painfully sought in respect of the voyage dearly bought, and from +thence dangerously brought home to us. Our neighbours I call the +Portuguese, in comparison of the Molucchians for nearness unto us, for like +situation westward as we have for their usual trade with us; for that the +far south-easterings do know this part of Europe by no other name than +Portugal, not greatly acquainted as yet with the other nations +thereof. Their voyage is very well understood of all men, and the +south-eastern way round about Africa, by the Cape of Good Hope, more spoken +of, better known and travelled, than that it may seem needful to discourse +thereof any farther.</p> +<p>The second way lieth south-west, between the West Indies, or South +America, and the south continent, through that narrow strait where +Magellan, first of all men that ever we do read of, passed these latter +years, caving thereunto therefore his name. This way, no doubt, the +Spaniards would commodiously take, for that it lieth near unto their +dominions there, could the eastern current and Levant winds as easily +suffer men to return as speedily therewith they may be carried thither; for +the which difficulty, or rather impossibility of striving against the force +both of wind and stream, this passage is little or nothing used, although +it be very well known.</p> +<p>The third way, by the north-east, beyond all Europe and Asia, that +worthy and renowned knight Sir Hugh Willoughbie sought to his peril, +enforced there to end his life for cold, congealed and frozen to +death. And, truly, this way consisteth rather in the imagination of +geographers than allowable either in reason, or approved by experience, as +well it may appear by the dangerous trending of the Scythian Cape set by +Ortellius under the 80th degree north, by the unlikely sailing in that +northern sea, always clad with ice and snow, or at the least continually +pestered therewith, if haply it be at any time dissolved, beside bays and +shelves, the water waxing more shallow towards the east, to say nothing of +the foul mists and dark fogs in the cold clime, of the little power of the +sun to clear the air, of the uncomfortable nights, so near the Pole, five +months long.</p> +<p>A fourth way to go unto these aforesaid happy islands, the Moluccas, Sir +Humphrey Gilbert, a learned and valiant knight, discourseth of at large in +his new “Passage to Cathay.” The enterprise of itself +being virtuous, the fact must doubtless deserve high praise, and whensoever +it shall be finished the fruits thereof cannot be small; where virtue is +guide, there is fame a follower, and fortune a companion. But the way +is dangerous, the passage doubtful, the voyage not thoroughly known, and +therefore gainsaid by many, after this manner.</p> +<p>First, who can assure us of any passage rather by the north-west than by +the north-east? do not both ways lie in equal distance from the North Pole? +stand not the North Capes of either continent under like elevation? is not +the ocean sea beyond America farther distant from our meridian by thirty or +forty degrees west than the extreme points of Cathay eastward, if +Ortellius’ general card of the world be true? In the north-east +that noble knight—Sir Hugh Willoughbie perished for cold, and can you +then promise a passenger any better hap by the north-west, who hath gone +for trial’s sake, at any time, this way out of Europe to Cathay?</p> +<p>If you seek the advice herein of such as make profession in cosmography, +Ptolemy, the father of geography, and his eldest children, will answer by +their maps with a negative, concluding most of the sea within the land, and +making an end of the world northward, near the 63rd degree. The same +opinion, when learning chiefly flourished, was received in the +Romans’ time, as by their poets’ writings it may appear. +“Et te colet ultima Thule,” said Virgil, being of opinion that +Iceland was the extreme part of the world habitable toward the north. +Joseph Moletius, an Italian, and Mercator, a German, for knowledge men able +to be compared with the best geographers of our time, the one in his half +spheres of the whole world, the other in some of his great globes, have +continued the West Indies land, even to the North Pole, and consequently +cut off all passage by sea that way.</p> +<p>The same doctors, Mercator in other of his globes and maps, Moletius in +his sea-card, nevertheless doubting of so great continuance of the former +continent, have opened a gulf betwixt the West Indies and the extreme +northern land; but such a one that either is not to be travelled for the +causes in the first objection alleged, or clean shut up from us in Europe +by Greenland, the south end whereof Moletius maketh firm land with America, +the north part continent with Lapland and Norway.</p> +<p>Thirdly, the greatest favourers of this voyage cannot deny but that, if +any such passage be, it lieth subject unto ice and snow for the most part +of the year, whereas it standeth in the edge of the frosty zone. +Before the sun hath warmed the air and dissolved the ice, each one well +knoweth that there can be no sailing; the ice once broken through the +continual abode, the sun maketh a certain season in those parts. How +shall it be possible for so weak a vessel as a ship is to hold out amid +whole islands, as it were, of ice continually beating on each side, and at +the mouth of that gulf, issuing down furiously from the north, safely to +pass, when whole mountains of ice and snow shall be tumbled down upon +her?</p> +<p>Well, grant the West Indies not to continue continent unto the Pole, +grant there be a passage between these two lands, let the gulf lie nearer +us than commonly in cards we find it set, namely, between the sixty-first +and sixty-fourth degrees north, as Gemma Frisius in his maps and globes +imagineth it, and so left by our countryman Sebastian Cabot in his table +which the Earl of Bedford hath at Theinies; let the way be void of all +difficulties, yet doth it not follow that we have free passage to +Cathay. For example’s sake, you may coast all Norway, Finmarke, +and Lapland, and then bow southward to St. Nicholas, in Moscovy. You +may likewise in the Mediterranean Sea fetch Constantinople and the mouth of +the Don, yet is there no passage by sea through Moscovy into Pont Euxine, +now called Mare Maggiore. Again, in the aforesaid Mediterranean Sea +we sail to Alexandria in Egypt, the barbarians bring their pearl and spices +from the Moluccas up the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf to Suez, scarcely three +days’ journey from the aforesaid haven; yet have we no way by sea +from Alexandria to the Moluccas for that isthmus or little trait of land +between the two seas. In like manner, although the northern passage +be free at sixty-one degrees latitude, and the west ocean beyond America, +usually called Mare del Sur, known to be open at forty degrees elevation +for the island of Japan, yea, three hundred leagues northerly of Japan, yet +may there be land to hinder the through passage that way by sea, as in the +examples aforesaid it falleth out, Asia and America there being joined +together in one continent. Nor can this opinion seem altogether +frivolous unto any one that diligently peruseth our cosmographers’ +doings. Josephus Moletius is of that mind, not only in his plain +hemispheres of the world, but also in his sea-card. The French +geographers in like manner be of the same opinion, as by their map cut out +in form of a heart you may perceive as though the West Indies were part of +Asia, which sentence well agreeth with that old conclusion in the schools, +<i>Quid-quid præter Africum et Europam est</i>, <i>Asia est</i>, +“Whatsoever land doth neither appertain unto Africa nor to Europe is +part of Asia.”</p> +<p>Furthermore, it were to small purpose to make so long, so painful, so +doubtful a voyage by such a new found way, if in Cathay you should neither +be suffered to land for silks and silver, nor able to fetch the Molucca +spices and pearl for piracy in those seas. Of a law denying all +aliens to enter into China, and forbidding all the inhabiters under a great +penalty to let in any stranger into those countries, shall you read in the +report of Galeotto Petera, there imprisoned with other Portuguese, as also +in the Japanese letters, how for that cause the worthy traveller Xavierus +bargained with a barbarian merchant for a great sum of pepper to be brought +into Canton, a port in Cathay. The great and dangerous piracy used in +those seas no man can be ignorant of that listeth to read the Japanese and +Indian history.</p> +<p>Finally, all this great labour would be lost, all these charges spent in +vain, if in the end our travellers might not be able to return again, and +bring safely home into their own native country that wealth and riches they +in foreign regions with adventure of goods and danger of their lives have +sought for. By the north-east there is no way; the South-East Passage +the Portuguese do hold, as the lords of those seas. At the +south-west, Magellan’s experience hath partly taught us, and partly +we are persuaded by reason, how the eastern current striketh so furiously +on that strait, and falleth with such force into that narrow gulf, that +hardly any ship can return that way into our west ocean out of Mare del +Sur. The which, if it be true, as truly it is, then we may say that +the aforesaid eastern current, or Levant course of waters, continually +following after the heavenly motions, loseth not altogether its force, but +is doubled rather by another current from out the north-east, in the +passage between America and the North Land, whither it is of necessity +carried, having none other way to maintain itself in circular motion, and +consequently the force and fury thereof to be no less in the Strait of +Anian, where it striketh south into Mare del Sur beyond America (if any +such strait of sea there be), than in the strait of Magellan, both straits +being of like breadth, as in Belognine Salterius’ table of “New +France,” and in Don Diego Hermano de Toledo’s card for +navigation in that region, we do find precisely set down.</p> +<p>Nevertheless, to approve that there lieth a way to Cathay at the +north-west from out of Europe, we have experience, namely of three brethren +that went that journey, as Gemma Frisius recordeth, and left a name unto +that strait, whereby now it is called Fretum Trium Fratrum. We do +read again of a Portuguese that passed this strait, of whom Master +Frobisher speaketh, that was imprisoned therefore many years in Lisbon, to +verify the old Spanish proverb, “I suffer for doing +well.” Likewise, An. Urdaneta, a friar of Mexico, came out of +Mare del Sur this way into Germany; his card, for he was a great +discoverer, made by his own experience and travel in that voyage, hath been +seen by gentlemen of good credit.</p> +<p>Now if the observation and remembrance of things breedeth experience, +and of experience proceedeth art, and the certain knowledge we have in all +faculties, as the best philosophers that ever were do affirm truly the +voyage of these aforesaid travellers that have gone out of Europe into Mare +del Sur, and returned thence at the north-west, do most evidently conclude +that way to be navigable, and that passage free; so much the more we are so +to think, for that the first principle and chief ground in all geography, +as Ptolemy saith, is the history of travel, that is, reports made by +travellers skilful in geography and astronomy, of all such things in their +journey as to geography do belong. It only remaineth, that we now +answer to those arguments that seemed to make against this former +conclusion.</p> +<p>The first objection is of no force, that general table of the world, set +forth by Ortellius or Mercator, for it greatly skilleth not, being +unskilfully drawn for that point, as manifestly it may appear unto any one +that compareth the same with Gemma Frisius’ universal map, with his +round quartered card, with his globe, with Sebastian Cabot’s table, +and Ortellius’ general map alone, worthily preferred in this case +before all Mercator’s and Ortellius’ other doings: for that +Cabot was not only a skilful seaman, but a long traveller, and such a one +as entered personally that strait, sent by King Henry VII. to make this +aforesaid discovery, as in his own discourse of navigation you may read in +his card drawn with his own hand, that the mouth of the north-western +strait lieth near the 318th meridian, between 61 and 64 degrees in the +elevation, continuing the same breadth about ten degrees west, where it +openeth southerly more and more, until it come under the tropic of Cancer; +and so runneth into Mare del Sur, at the least 18 degrees more in breadth +there than it was where it first began; otherwise I could as well imagine +this passage to be more unlikely than the voyage to Moscovy, and more +impossible than it for the far situation and continuance thereof in the +frosty clime: as now I can affirm it to be very possible and most likely in +comparison thereof, for that it neither coasteth so far north as the +Moscovian passage doth, neither is this strait so long as that, before it +bow down southerly towards the sun again.</p> +<p>The second argument concludeth nothing. Ptolemy knew not what was +above 16 degrees south beyond the equinoctial line, he was ignorant of all +passages northward from the elevation of 63 degrees, he knew no ocean sea +beyond Asia, yet have the Portuguese trended the Cape of Good Hope at the +south point of Africa, and travelled to Japan, an island in the east ocean, +between Asia and America; our merchants in the time of King Edward the +Sixth discovered the Moscovian passage farther north than Thule, and showed +Greenland not to be continent with Lapland and Norway: the like our +north-western travellers have done, declaring by their navigation that way +the ignorance of all cosmographers that either do join Greenland with +America, or continue the West Indies with that frosty region under the +North Pole. As for Virgil, he sang according to the knowledge of men +in his time, as another poet did of the hot zone.</p> +<p>Quarum quæ media est, non est habitabilis æstu. +Imagining, as most men then did, Zonam Torridam, the hot zone, to be +altogether dishabited for heat, though presently we know many famous and +worthy kingdoms and cities in that part of the earth, and the island of S. +Thomas near Ethiopia, and the wealthy islands for the which chiefly all +these voyages are taken in hand, to be inhabited even under the equinoctial +line.</p> +<p>To answer the third objection, besides Cabot and all other +travellers’ navigations, the only credit of Master Frobisher may +suffice, who lately, through all these islands of ice and mountains of +snow, passed that way, even beyond the gulf that tumbleth down from the +north, and in some places, though he drew one inch thick ice, as he +returning in August did, came home safely again.</p> +<p>The fourth argument is altogether frivolous and vain, for neither is +there any isthmus or strait of land between America and Asia, nor can these +two lands jointly be one continent. The first part of my answer is +manifestly allowed by Homer, whom that excellent geographer, Strabo, +followeth, yielding him in this faculty the prize. The author of that +book likewise <i>On the Universe</i> to Alexander, attributed unto +Aristotle, is of the same opinion that Homer and Strabo be of, in two or +three places. Dionysius, in his <i>Periegesis</i>, hath this verse, +“So doeth the ocean sea run round about the world:” speaking +only of Europe, Africa, and Asia, as then Asia was travelled and +known. With these doctors may you join Pomponius Mela, Pliny, Pius, +in his description of Asia. All the which writers do no less confirm +the whole eastern side of Asia to be compassed about with the sea; then +Plato doth affirm in is <i>Timaeus</i>, under the name Atlantis, the West +Indies to be an island, as in a special discourse thereof R. Eden writeth, +agreeable unto the sentence of Proclus, Marsilius Ficinus, and +others. Out of Plato it is gathered that America is an island. +Homer, Strabo, Aristotle, Dionysius, Mela, Pliny, Pius, affirm the +continent of Asia, Africa, and Europe, to be environed with the +ocean. I may therefore boldly say (though later intelligences thereof +had we none at all) that Asia and the West Indies be not tied together by +any isthmus or strait of land, contrary to the opinion of some new +cosmographers, by whom doubtfully this matter hath been brought in +controversy. And thus much for the first part of my answer unto the +fourth objection.</p> +<p>The second part, namely, that America and Asia cannot be one continent, +may thus be proved:—“The most rivers take down that way their +course, where the earth is most hollow and deep,” writeth Aristotle; +and the sea (saith he in the same place), as it goeth further, so is it +found deeper. Into what gulf do the Moscovian rivers Onega, Dwina, +Ob, pour out their streams? northward out of Moscovy into the sea. +Which way doth that sea strike? The south is main land, the eastern +coast waxeth more and more shallow: from the north, either naturally, +because that part of the earth is higher, or of necessity, for that the +forcible influence of some northern stars causeth the earth there to shake +off the sea, as some philosophers do think; or, finally, for the great +store of waters engendered in that frosty and cold climate, that the banks +are not able to hold them. From the north, I say, continually falleth +down great abundance of water; so this north-eastern current must at the +length abruptly bow toward us south on the west side of Finmark and Norway, +or else strike down south-west above Greenland, or betwixt Greenland and +Iceland, into the north-west strait we speak of, as of congruence it doth, +if you mark the situation of that region, and by the report of Master +Frobisher experience teacheth us. And, Master Frobisher, the further +he travelled in the former passage, as he told me, the deeper always he +found the sea. Lay you now the sum hereof together, the rivers run +where the channels are most hollow, the sea in taking his course waxeth +deeper, the sea waters fall continually from the north southward, the +north-eastern current striketh down into the strait we speak of and is +there augmented with whole mountains of ice and snow falling down furiously +out from the land under the North Pole. Where store of water is, +there is it a thing impossible to want sea; where sea not only doth not +want, but waxeth deeper, there can be discovered no land. Finally, +whence I pray you came the contrary tide, that Master Frobisher met withal, +after that he had sailed no small way in that passage, if there be any +isthmus or strait of land betwixt the aforesaid north-western gulf and Mare +del Sur, to join Asia and America together? That conclusion arrived +at in the schools, “Whatsoever land doth neither appertain unto +Africa, nor to Europe, is part of Asia,” was meant of the parts of +the world then known, and so is it of right to be understood.</p> +<p>The fifth objection requireth for answer wisdom and policy in the +traveller to win the barbarians’ favour by some good means; and so to +arm and strengthen himself, that when he shall have the repulse in one +coast, he may safely travel to another, commodiously taking his convenient +times, and discreetly making choice of them with whom he will thoroughly +deal. To force a violent entry would for us Englishmen be very hard, +considering the strength and valour of so great a nation, far distant from +us, and the attempt thereof might be most perilous unto the doers, unless +their park were very good.</p> +<p>Touching their laws against strangers, you shall read nevertheless in +the same relations of Galeotto Perera, that the Cathaian king is wont to +grant free access unto all foreigners that trade into his country for +merchandise, and a place of liberty for them to remain in; as the Moors +had, until such time as they had brought the Loutea or Lieutenant of that +coast to be a circumcised Saracen: wherefore some of them were put to the +sword, the rest were scattered abroad; at Fuquien, a great city in China, +certain of them are yet this day to be seen. As for the Japanese, +they be most desirous to be acquainted with strangers. The +Portuguese, though they were straitly handled there at the first, yet in +the end they found great favour at the prince’s hands, insomuch that +the Loutea or President that misused them was therefore put to death. +The rude Indian canoe voyageth in those seas, the Portuguese, the Saracens, +and Moors travel continually up and down that reach from Japan to China, +from China to Malacca, from Malacca to the Moluccas, and shall an +Englishman better appointed than any of them all (that I say no more of our +navy) fear to sail in that ocean? what seat at all do want piracy? what +navigation is there void of peril?</p> +<p>To the last argument our travellers need not to seek their return by the +north-east, neither shall they be constrained, except they list, either to +attempt Magellan’s strait at the south-west, or to be in danger of +the Portuguese on the south-east; they may return by the north-west, that +same way they do go forth, as experience hath showed.</p> +<p>The reason alleged for proof of the contrary may be disposed after this +manner: And first, it may be called in controversy, whether any current +continually be forced by the motion of primum mobile, round about the world +or no; for learned men do diversely handle that question. The natural +course of all waters is downward, wherefore of congruence they fall that +way where they find the earth most low and deep: in respect whereof, it was +erst said, the seas do strike from the northern lands southerly. +Violently the seas are tossed and troubled divers ways with the winds, +increased and diminished by the course of the moon, hoisted up and down +through the sundry operations of the sun and the stars: finally, some be of +opinion that the seas be carried in part violently about the world, after +the daily motion of the highest movable heaven, in like manner as the +elements of air and fire, with the rest of the heavenly spheres, are from +the east unto the west. And this they do call their eastern current, +or Levant stream. Some such current may not be denied to be of great +force in the hot zone, for the nearness thereof unto the centre of the sun, +and blustering eastern winds violently driving the seas westward; howbeit +in the temperate climes the sun being farther off, and the winds more +diverse, blowing as much from the north, the west, and south, as from the +east, this rule doth not effectually withhold us from travelling eastwards, +neither be we kept ever back by the aforesaid Levant winds and +stream. But in Magellan strait we are violently driven back westward, +ergo through the north-western strait or Anian frith shall we not be able +to return eastward: it followeth not. The first, for that the +north-western strait hath more sea room at the least by one hundred English +miles than Magellan’s strait hath, the only want whereof causeth all +narrow passages generally to be most violent. So would I say in the +Anian Gulf, if it were so narrow as Don Diego and Zalterius have painted it +out, any return that way to be full of difficulties, in respect of such +straitness thereof, not for the nearness of the sun or eastern winds, +violently forcing that way any Levant stream; but in that place there is +more sea room by many degrees, if the cards of Cabot and Gemma Frisius, and +that which Tramezine imprinted, be true.</p> +<p>And hitherto reasons see I none at all, but that I may as well give +credit unto their doings as to any of the rest. It must be +<i>Peregrinationis historia</i>, that is, true reports of skilful +travellers, as Ptolemy writeth, that in such controversies of geography +must put us out of doubt. Ortellius, in his universal tables, in his +particular maps of the West Indies, of all Asia, of the northern kingdoms, +of the East Indies; Mercator in some of his globes and general maps of the +world, Moletius in his universal table of the Globe divided, in his +sea-card and particular tables of the East Indies Zanterius and Don Diego +with Fernando Bertely, and others, do so much differ both from Gemma +Frisius and Cabot among themselves, and in divers places from themselves, +concerning the divers situation and sundry limits of America, that one may +not so rashly as truly surmise these men either to be ignorant in those +points touching the aforesaid region, or that the maps they have given out +unto the world were collected only by them, and never of their own +drawing.</p> +<h2>THE FIRST VOYAGE OF MASTER MARTIN FROBISHER</h2> +<p><i>To the North-West for the search of the passage or strait to +China</i>, <i>written by Christopher Hall</i>, <i>and made in the year of +our Lord 1576</i>.</p> +<p>Upon Monday, the thirteenth of May, the barque <i>Gabriel</i> was +launched at Redriffe, and upon the twenty-seventh day following she sailed +from Redriffe to Ratcliffe.</p> +<p>The seventh of June being Thursday, the two barques, viz., the +<i>Gabriel</i> and the <i>Michael</i>, and our pinnace, set sail at +Ratcliffe, and bare down to Deptford, and there we anchored. The +cause was, that our pinnace burst her bowsprit and foremast aboard of a +ship that rowed at Deptford, else we meant to have passed that day by the +court, then at Greenwich.</p> +<p>The eighth day being Friday, about twelve o’clock, we weighed at +Deptford and set sail all three of us and bare down by the court, where we +shot off our ordinance, and made the best show we could; her Majesty +beholding the same commended it, and bade us farewell with shaking her hand +at us out of the window. Afterwards she sent a gentleman aboard of +us, who declared that her Majesty had good liking of our doings, and +thanked us for it, and also willed our captain to come the next day to the +court to take his leave of her.</p> +<p>The same day, towards night, Master Secretary Woolley came aboard of us, +and declared to the company that her Majesty had appointed him to give them +charge to be obedient, and diligent to their captain and governors in all +things, and wished us happy success.</p> +<p>The ninth day about noon, the wind being westerly, having our anchors +aboard ready to set sail to depart, we wanted some of our company, and +therefore stayed and moored them again.</p> +<p>Sunday, the tenth of June, we set sail from Blackwall at a south-west +and by west sun, the wind being at north-north-west, and sailed to +Gravesend, and anchored there at a west-north-west sun, the wind being as +before.</p> +<p>The twelfth day, being over against Gravesend, by the Castle or +Blockhouse, we observed the latitude, which was 51 degrees 33 minutes, and +in that place the variation of the compass is 11 degrees and a half. +This day we departed from Gravesend at a west-south-west sun, the wind at +north and by east a fair gale, and sailed to the west part of Tilbury Hope, +and so turned down the Hope, and at a west sun the wind came to the +east-south-east, and we anchored in seven fathoms, being low water.</p> +<p>[Here there follows an abstract of the ship’s log, showing the +navigation until the 28th of July, when they had sight of land supposed to +be Labrador.]</p> +<p>July 28th. From 4 to 8, 4 leagues: from 8. to 12, 3 leagues: from +12 to 4, north and by west, 6 leagues, but very foggy; from thence to 8 of +the clock in the morning little wind, but at the clearing up of the fog we +had sight of land, which I supposed to be Labrador, with great store of ice +about the land; I ran in towards it, and sounded, but could get no land at +100 fathoms, and the ice being so thick I could not get to the shore, and +so lay off and came clear of the ice. Upon Monday we came within a +mile of the shore, and sought a harbour; all the sound was full of ice, and +our boat rowing ashore could get no ground at 100 fathom, within a +cable’s length of the shore; then we sailed east-north-east along the +shore, for so the land lieth, and the current is there great, setting +north-east and south-west; and if we could have gotten anchor ground we +would have seen with what force it had run, but I judge a ship may drive a +league and a half in one hour with that tide.</p> +<p>This day, at four of the clock in the morning, being fair and clear, we +had sight of a headland as we judged bearing from us north and by east, and +we sailed north-east and by north to that land, and when we came thither we +could not get to the land for ice, for the ice stretched along the coast, +so that we could not come to the land by 5 leagues.</p> +<p>Wednesday, the first of August, it calmed, and in the afternoon I caused +my boat to be hoisted out, being hard by a great island of ice, and I and +four men rowed to that ice, and sounded within two cables’ length of +it, and had 16 fathoms and little stones, and after that sounded again +within a minion’s shot, and had ground at 100 fathoms, and fair +sand. We sounded the next day a quarter of a mile from it, and had 60 +fathoms rough ground, and at that present being aboard, that great island +of ice fell one part from another, making a noise as if a great cliff had +fallen into the sea. And at 4 of the clock I sounded again, and had +90 fathoms, and small black stones, and little white stones like +pearls. The tide here did set to the shore.</p> +<p>We sailed this day south-south-east ofward, and laid it a tric.</p> +<p>The next day was calm and thick, with a great sea.</p> +<p>The next day we sailed south and by east two leagues, and at 8 of the +clock in the forenoon we cast about to the eastward.</p> +<p>The sixth day it cleared, and we ran north-west into the shore to get a +harbour, and being towards night, we notwithstanding kept at sea.</p> +<p>The seventh day we plied room with the shore, but being near it it waxed +thick, and we bare off again.</p> +<p>The eighth day we bended in towards the shore again.</p> +<p>The ninth day we sounded, but could get no ground at 130 fathoms. +The weather was calm.</p> +<p>The tenth I took four men and myself, and rode to shore, to an island +one league from the main, and there the flood setteth south-west along the +shore, and it floweth as near as I could judge so too. I could not +tarry to prove it, because the ship was a great way from me, and I feared a +fog; but when I came ashore it was low water. I went to the top of +the islands and before I came back it was hied a foot water, and so without +tarrying I came aboard.</p> +<p>The eleventh we found our latitude to be 63 degrees and 8 minutes, and +this day entered the strait.</p> +<p>The twelfth we set sail towards an island called the Gabriel’s +Island, which was 10 leagues then from us.</p> +<p>We espied a sound, and bare with it, and came to a sandy bay, where we +came to an anchor, the land bearing east-south-east of us, and there we +rode all night in 8 fathom water. It floweth there at a south-east +moon; we called it Prior’s Sound, being from the Gabriel’s +Island 10 leagues.</p> +<p>The fourteenth we weighed and ran into another sound, where we anchored +in 8 fathoms water, fair sand, and black ooze, and there caulked our ship, +being weak from the gunwales upward, and took in fresh water.</p> +<p>The fifteenth day we weighed, and sailed to Prior’s Bay, being a +mile from thence.</p> +<p>The sixteenth day was calm, and we rode still without ice, but presently +within two hours it was frozen round about the ship, a quarter of an inch +thick, and that bay very fair and calm.</p> +<p>The seventeenth day we weighed, and came to Thomas William’s +Island.</p> +<p>The eighteenth day we sailed north-north-west and anchored again in 23 +fathoms, and caught ooze under Bircher’s Island, which is from the +former island 10 leagues.</p> +<p>The nineteenth day in the morning, being calm, and no wind, the captain +and I took our boat, with eight men in her, to row us ashore, to see if +there were there any people, or no, and going to the top of the island, we +had sight of seven boats, which came rowing from the east side toward that +island; whereupon we returned aboard again. At length we sent our +boat, with five men in her, to see whither they rowed, and so with a white +cloth brought one of their boats with their men along the shore, rowing +after our boat, till such time as they saw our ship, and then they rowed +ashore. Then I went on shore myself, and gave every of them a +threaden point, and brought one of them aboard of me, where he did eat and +drink, and then carried him on shore again. Whereupon all the rest +came aboard with their boats, being nineteen persons, and they spake, but +we understood them not. They be like to Tartars, with long black +hair, broad faces, and flat noses, and tawny in colour, wearing seal skins, +and so do the women, not differing in the fashion, but the women are marked +in the face with blue streaks down the cheeks and round about the +eyes. Their boats are made all of seal skins, with a keel of wood +within the skin: the proportion of them is like a Spanish shallop, save +only they be flat in the bottom and sharp at both ends.</p> +<p>The twentieth day we weighed, and went to the east side of this island, +and I and the captain, with four men more, went on shore, and there we saw +their houses, and the people espying us, came rowing towards our boat, +whereupon we plied to our boat; and we being in our boat and they ashore, +they called to us, and we rowed to them, and one of their company came into +our boat, and we carried him aboard, and gave him a bell and a knife; so +the captain and I willed five of our men to set him ashore at a rock, and +not among the company which they came from, but their wilfulness was such +that they would go to them, and so were taken themselves and our boat +lost.</p> +<p>The next day in the morning we stood in near the shore and shot off a +fauconet, and sounded our trumpet, but we could hear nothing of our +men. This sound we called the Five Men’s Sound, and plied out +of it, but anchored again in 30 fathoms and ooze; and riding there all +night, in the morning the snow lay a foot thick upon our hatches.</p> +<p>The two-and-twentieth day in the morning we weighed, and went again to +the place where we lost our men and our boat. We had sight of +fourteen boats, and some came near to us, but we could learn nothing of our +men. Among the rest, we enticed one in a boat to our ship’s +side with a bell; and in giving him the bell we took him and his boat, and +so kept him, and so rowed down to Thomas William’s island, and there +anchored all night.</p> +<p>The twenty-sixth day we weighed to come homeward, and by twelve of the +clock at noon we were thwart of Trumpet’s Island.</p> +<p>The next day we came thwart of Gabriel’s Island, and at eight of +the clock at night we had the Cape Labrador west from us ten leagues.</p> +<p>The twenty-eighth day we went our course south-east.</p> +<p>We sailed south-east and by east, twenty-two leagues.</p> +<p>The first day of September, in the morning, we had sight of the land of +Friesland, being eight leagues from us, but we could not come nearer it for +the monstrous ice that lay about it. From this day till the sixth of +this month we ran along Iceland, and had the south part of it at eight of +the clock east from us ten leagues.</p> +<p>The seventh day of this month we had a very terrible storm, by force +whereof one of our men was blown into the sea out of our waste, but he +caught hold of the foresail sheet, and there held till the captain plucked +him again into the ship.</p> +<p>The twenty-fifth day of this month we had sight of the island of Orkney, +which was then east from us.</p> +<p>The first day of October we had sight of the Sheld, and so sailed along +the coast, and anchored at Yarmouth, and the next day we came into +Harwich.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap">The Language of the +People of Meta Incognita</span>.</p> +<table> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Argotteyt, a hand.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Attegay, a coat.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Cangnawe, a nose.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Polleuetagay, a knife.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Arered, an eye.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Accaskay, a ship.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Keiotot, a tooth.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Coblone, a thumb.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Mutchatet, the head.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Teckkere, the foremost finger.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Chewat, an ear.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Ketteckle, the middle finger.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Comagaye, a leg.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Mekellacane, the fourth finger.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Atoniagay, a foot.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p></p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Callagay, a pair of breeches.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Yachethronc, the little finger.</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<h2>THE SECOND VOYAGE OF MASTER MARTIN FROBISHER,</h2> +<p><i>Made to the West and North-West Regions in the year 1577</i>, <i>with +a Description of the Country and People</i>, <i>written by Dionise +Settle</i>.</p> +<p>On Whit Sunday, being the sixth-and-twentieth day of May, in the year of +our Lord God 1577, Captain Frobisher departed from Blackwall—with one +of the Queen’s Majesty’s ships called the <i>Aid</i>, of nine +score ton or thereabout, and two other little barques likewise, the one +called the <i>Gabriel</i>, whereof Master Fenton, a gentleman of my Lord of +Warwick’s, was captain; and the other the <i>Michael</i>, whereof +Master York, a gentleman of my lord admiral’s, was captain, +accompanied with seven score gentlemen, soldiers, and sailors, well +furnished with victuals and other provisions necessary for one half +year—on this, his second year, for the further discovering of the +passage to Cathay and other countries thereunto adjacent, by west and +north-west navigations, which passage or way is supposed to be on the north +and north-west parts of America, and the said America to be an island +environed with the sea, where through our merchants might have course and +recourse with their merchandise from these our northernmost parts of +Europe, to those Oriental coasts of Asia in much shorter time and with +greater benefit than any others, to their no little commodity and profit +that do or shall traffic the same. Our said captain and general of +this present voyage and company, having the year before, with two little +pinnaces to his great danger, and no small commendations, given a worthy +attempt towards the performance thereof, is also pressed when occasion +shall be ministered to the benefit of his prince and native +country—to adventure himself further therein. As for this +second voyage, it seemeth sufficient that he hath better explored and +searched the commodities of those people and countries, with sufficient +commodity unto the adventurers, which, in his first voyage the year before, +he had found out.</p> +<p>Upon which considerations the day and year before expressed, he departed +from Blackwall to Harwich, where making an accomplishment of things +necessary, the last of May we hoisted up sails, and with a merry wind the +7th of June we arrived at the islands called Orchades, or vulgarly Orkney, +being in number thirty, subject and adjacent to Scotland, where we made +provision of fresh water, in the doing whereof our general licensed the +gentlemen and soldiers, for their recreation, to go on shore. At our +landing the people fled from their poor cottages with shrieks and alarms, +to warn their neighbours of enemies, but by gentle persuasions we reclaimed +them to their houses. It seemeth they are often frighted with +pirates, or some other enemies, that move them to such sudden fear. +Their houses are very simply builded with pebble stone, without any +chimneys, the fire being made in the midst thereof. The good man, +wife, children, and other of their family, eat and sleep on the one side of +the house, and their cattle on the other, very beastly and rudely in +respect of civilisation. They are destitute of wood, their fire is +turf and cow shardes. They have corn, bigge, and oats, with which +they pay their king’s rent to the maintenance of his house. +They take great quantity of fish, which they dry in the wind and sun; they +dress their meat very filthily, and eat it without salt. Their +apparel is after the nudest sort of Scotland. Their money is all +base. Their Church and religion is reformed according to the +Scots. The fishermen of England can better declare the dispositions +of those people than I, wherefore I remit other their usages to their +reports, as yearly repairers thither in their courses to and from Iceland +for fish.</p> +<p>We departed here hence the 8th of June, and followed our course between +west and north-west until the 4th of July, all which time we had no night, +but that easily, and without any impediment, we had, when we were so +disposed, the fruition of our books, and other pleasures to pass away the +time, a thing of no small moment to such as wander in unknown seas and long +navigations, especially when both the winds and raging surges do pass their +common and wonted course. This benefit endureth in those parts not +six weeks, whilst the sun is near the tropic of Cancer, but where the pole +is raised to 70 or 80 degrees it continueth the longer.</p> +<p>All along these seas, after we were six days sailing from Orkney, we +met, floating in the sea, great fir trees, which, as we judged, were, with +the fury of great floods, rooted up, and so driven into the sea. +Iceland hath almost no other wood nor fuel but such as they take up upon +their coasts. It seemeth that these trees are driven from some part +of the Newfoundland, with the current that setteth from the west to the +east.</p> +<p>The 4th of July we came within the making of Friesland. From this +shore, ten or twelve leagues, we met great islands of ice of half a mile, +some more, some less in compass, showing above the sea thirty or forty +fathoms, and as we supposed fast on ground, where, with our lead, we could +scarce sound the bottom for depth.</p> +<p>Here, in place of odoriferous and fragrant smells of sweet gums and +pleasant notes of musical birds, which other countries in more temperate +zones do yield, we tasted the most boisterous Boreal blasts, mixed with +snow and hail, in the months of June and July, nothing inferior to our +untemperate winter: a sudden alteration, and especially in a place of +parallel, where the pole is not elevated above 61 degrees, at which height +other countries more to the north, yea unto 70 degrees, show themselves +more temperate than this doth. All along this coast ice lieth as a +continual bulwark, and so defendeth the country, that those which would +land there incur great danger. Our general, three days together, +attempted with the ship boat to have gone on shore, which, for that without +great danger he could not accomplish, he deferred it until a more +convenient time. All along the coast lie very high mountains, covered +with snow, except in such places where, through the steepness of the +mountains, of force it must needs fall. Four days coasting along this +land we found no sign of habitation. Little birds which we judged to +have lost the shore, by reason of thick fogs which that country is much +subject unto, came flying to our ships, which causeth us to suppose that +the country is both more tolerable and also habitable within than the +outward shore maketh show or signification.</p> +<p>From hence we departed the 8th of July, and the 16th of the same we came +with the making of land, which land our general the year before had named +the Queen’s Forehand, being an island, as we judge, lying near the +supposed continent with America, and on the other side, opposite to the +same, one other island, called Halles Isle, after the name of the master of +the ship, near adjacent to the firm land, supposed continent with +Asia. Between the which two islands there is a large entrance or +strait, called Frobisher’s Strait, after the name of our general, the +first finder thereof. This said strait is supposed to have passage +into the sea of Sur, which I leave unknown as yet.</p> +<p>It seemeth that either here, or not far hence, the sea should have more +large entrance than in other parts within the frozen or untemperate zone, +and that some contrary tide, either from the east or west, with main force +casteth out that great quantity of ice which cometh floating from this +coast, even unto Friesland, causing that country to seem more untemperate +than others much more northerly than the same.</p> +<p>I cannot judge that any temperature under the Pole, being the time of +the Sun’s northern declination, half a year together, and one whole +day (considering that the sun’s elevation surmounteth not +twenty-three degrees and thirty minutes), can have power to dissolve such +monstrous and huge ice, comparable to great mountains, except by some other +force, as by swift currents and tides, with the help of the said day of +half a year.</p> +<p>Before we came within the making of these lands, we tasted cold storms, +insomuch that it seemed we had changed with winter, if the length of the +days had not removed us from that opinion.</p> +<p>At our first coming, the straits seemed to be shut up with a long mure +of ice, which gave no little cause of discomfort unto us all; but our +general (to whose diligence, imminent dangers and difficult attempts seemed +nothing in respect of his willing mind for the commodity of his prince and +country), with two little pinnaces prepared of purpose, passed twice +through them to the east shore, and the islands thereunto adjacent; and the +ship, with the two barques, lay off and on something farther into the sea +from the danger of the ice.</p> +<p>Whilst he was searching the country near the shore, some of the people +of the country showed themselves, leaping and dancing, with strange shrieks +and cries, which gave no little admiration to our men. Our general, +desirous to allure them unto him by fair means, caused knives and other +things to be proffered unto them, which they would not take at our hands; +but being laid on the ground, and the party going away, they came and took +up, leaving something of theirs to countervail the same. At the +length, two them, leaving their weapons, came down to our general and +master, who did the like to them, commanding the company to stay, and went +unto them, who, after certain dumb signs and mute congratulations, began to +lay hands upon them, but they deliverly escaped, and ran to their bows and +arrows and came fiercely upon them, not respecting the rest of our company, +which were ready for their defence, but with their arrows hurt divers of +them. We took the one, and the other escaped.</p> +<p>Whilst our general was busied in searching the country, and those +islands adjacent on the east shore, the ships and barques, having great +care not to put far into the sea from him, for that he had small store of +victuals, were forced to abide in a cruel tempest, chancing in the night +amongst and in the thickest of the ice, which was so monstrous that even +the least of a thousand had been of force sufficient to have shivered our +ship and barques into small portions, if God (who in all necessities hath +care upon the infirmity of man) had not provided for this our extremity a +sufficient remedy, through the light of the night, whereby we might well +discern to flee from such imminent dangers, which we avoided within +fourteen bourdes in one watch, the space of four hours. If we had not +incurred this danger amongst these monstrous islands of ice, we should have +lost our general and master, and the most of our best sailors, which were +on the shore destitute of victuals; but by the valour of our master gunner, +Master Jackman and Andrew Dier, the master’s mates, men expert both +in navigation and other good qualities, we were all content to incur the +dangers afore rehearsed, before we would, with our own safety, run into the +seas, to the destruction of our said general and his company.</p> +<p>The day following, being the 19th of July, our captain returned to the +ship with good news of great riches, which showed itself in the bowels of +those barren mountains, wherewith we were all satisfied. A sudden +mutation. The one part of us being almost swallowed up the night +before, with cruel Neptune’s force, and the rest on shore, taking +thought for their greedy paunches how to find the way to Newfoundland; at +one moment we were racked with joy, forgetting both where we were and what +we had suffered. Behold the glory of man: to-night contemning riches, +and rather looking for death than otherwise, and to-morrow devising how to +satisfy his greedy appetite with gold.</p> +<p>Within four days after we had been at the entrance of the straits, the +north-west and west winds dispersed the ice into the sea, and made us a +large entrance into the Straits, that without impediment, on the 19th July, +we entered them; and the 20th thereof our general and master, with great +diligence, sought out and sounded the west shore, and found out a fair +harbour for the ship and barques to ride in, and named it after our +master’s mate, Jackman’s Sound, and brought the ship, barques, +and all their company to safe anchor, except one man which died by +God’s visitation.</p> +<p>At our first arrival, after the ship rode at anchor, general, with such +company as could well be spared from the ships, in marching order entered +the land, having special care by exhortations that at our entrance +thereinto we should all with one voice, kneeling upon our knees, chiefly +thank God for our safe arrival; secondly, beseech Him that it would please +His Divine Majesty long to continue our Queen, for whom he, and all the +rest of our company, in this order took possession of the country; and +thirdly, that by our Christian study and endeavour, those barbarous people, +trained up in paganry and infidelity, might be reduced to the knowledge of +true religion, and to the hope of salvation in Christ our Redeemer, with +other words very apt to signify his willing mind and affection towards his +prince and country, whereby all suspicion of an undutiful subject may +credibly be judged to be utterly exempted from his mind. All the rest +of the gentlemen, and others, deserve worthily herein their due praise and +commendation.</p> +<p>These things in order accomplished, our general commanded all the +company to be obedient in things needful for our own safeguard to Master +Fenton, Master Yorke, and Master Beast, his lieutenant, while he was +occupied in other necessary affairs concerning our coming thither.</p> +<p>After this order we marched through the country, with ensign displayed, +so far as was thought needful, and now and then heaped up stones on high +mountains and other places, in token of possession, as likewise to signify +unto such as hereafter may chance to arrive there that possession is taken +in the behalf of some other prince by those which first found out the +country.</p> +<p>Whose maketh navigation to these countries hath not only extreme winds +and furious seas to encounter withal, but also many monstrous and great +islands of ice: a thing both rare, wonderful, and greatly to be +regarded.</p> +<p>We were forced sundry times, while the ship did ride here at anchor, to +have continual watch, with boats and men ready with hawsers, to knit fast +unto such ice which with the ebb and flood were tossed to and fro in the +harbour, and with force of oars to hail them away, for endangering the +ship.</p> +<p>Our general certain days searched this supposed continent with America, +and not finding the commodity to answer his expectations, after he had made +trial thereof, he departed thence, with two little barques, and men +sufficient, to the east shore, being he supposed continent of Asia, and +left the ship, with most of the gentlemen soldiers and sailors, until such +time as he either thought good to send or come for them.</p> +<p>The stones on this supposed continent with America be altogether +sparkled and glister in the sun like gold; so likewise doth the sand in the +bright water, yet they verify the old proverb, “All is not gold that +glistereth.”</p> +<p>On this west shore we found a dead fish floating, which had in his nose +a horn, straight and torquet, of length two yards lacking two inches, being +broken in the top, where we might perceive it hollow, into which some of +our sailors putting spiders they presently died. I saw not the trial +hereof, but it was reported unto me of a truth, by the virtue whereof we +supposed it to be the sea unicorn.</p> +<p>After our general had found out good harbour for the ship and barques to +anchor in, and also such store of gold ore as he thought himself satisfied +withal, he returned to the <i>Michael</i>, whereof Master Yorke aforesaid +was captain, accompanied with our master and his mate, who coasting along +the west shore, not far from whence the ship rode, they perceived a fair +harbour, and willing to sound the same, at the entrance thereof they espied +two tents of seal skins, unto which the captain, our said master, and other +company resorted. At the sight of our men the people fled into the +mountains; nevertheless, they went to their tents, where, leaving certain +trifles of ours as glasses, bells, knives, and such like things, they +departed, not taking anything of theirs except one dog. They did in +like manner leave behind them a letter, pen, ink, and paper, whereby our +men whom the captain lost the year before, and in that people’s +custody, might (if any of them were alive) be advertised of our presence +and being there.</p> +<p>On the same day, after consultation, all the gentlemen, and others +likewise that could be spared from the ship, under the conduct and leading +of Master Philpot (unto whom, in our general’s absence, and his +lieutenant, Master Beast, all the rest were obedient), went ashore, +determining to see if by fair means we could either allure them to +familiarity, or otherwise take some of them, and so attain to some +knowledge of those men whom our general lost the year before.</p> +<p>At our coming back again to the place where their tents were before, +they had removed their tents farther into the said bay or sound, where they +might, if they were driven from the land, flee with their boats into the +sea. We, parting ourselves into two companies, and compassing a +mountain, came suddenly upon them by land, who, espying us, without any +tarrying fled to their boats, leaving the most part of their oars behind +them for haste, and rowed down the bay, where our two pinnaces met them and +drove them to shore. But if they had had all their oars, so swift are +they in rowing, it had been lost time to have chased them.</p> +<p>When they were landed they fiercely assaulted our men with their bows +and arrows, who wounded three of them with our arrows, and perceiving +themselves thus hurt they desperately leaped off the rocks into the sea and +drowned themselves; which if they had not done but had submitted +themselves, or if by any means we could have taken alive (being their +enemies as they judged), we would both have saved them, and also have +sought remedy to cure their wounds received at our hands. But they, +altogether void of humanity, and ignorant what mercy meaneth, in +extremities look for no other than death, and perceiving that they should +fall into our hands, thus miserably by drowning rather desired death than +otherwise to be saved by us. The rest, perceiving their fellows in +this distress, fled into the high mountains. Two women, not being so +apt to escape as the men were, the one for her age, and the other being +encumbered with a young child, we took. The old wretch, whom divers +of our sailors supposed to be either a devil or a witch, had her buskins +plucked off to see if she were cloven-footed, and for her ugly hue and +deformity we let her go; the young woman and the child we brought +away. We named the place where they were slain Bloody Point, and the +bay or harbour Yorke’s Sound, after the name of one of the captains +of the two barques.</p> +<p>Having this knowledge both of their fierceness and cruelty, and +perceiving that fair means as yet is not able to allure them to +familiarity, we disposed ourselves, contrary to our inclination, something +to be cruel, returned to their tents, and made a spoil of the same, where +we found an old shirt, a doublet, a girdle, and also shoes of our men, whom +we lost the year before; on nothing else unto them belonging could we set +our eyes.</p> +<p>Their riches are not gold, silver, or precious drapery, but their said +tents and boats made of the skins of red deer and seal skins, also dogs +like unto wolves, but for the most part black, with other trifles, more to +be wondered at for their strangeness than for any other commodity needful +for our use.</p> +<p>Thus returning to our ship the 3rd of August, we departed from the west +shore, supposed firm with America, after we had anchored there thirteen +days, and so the 4th thereof we came to our general on the east shore, and +anchored in a fair harbour named Anne Warwick’s Sound, and to which +is annexed an island, both named after the Countess of Warwick—Anne +Warwick’s Sound and Isle.</p> +<p>In this isle our general thought good for this voyage to freight both +the ships and barques with such stone or gold mineral as he judged to +countervail the charges of his first and this his second navigation to +these countries, with sufficient interest to the venturers whereby they +might both be satisfied for this time and also in time to come (if it +please God and our prince) to expect a much more benefit out of the bowels +of those septentrional parallels, which long time hath concealed itself +till at this present, through the wonderful diligence and great danger of +our general and others, God is contented with the revealing thereof. +It riseth so abundantly, that from the beginning of August to the 22nd +thereof (every man following the diligence of our general) we raised above +ground 200 ton, which we judged a reasonable freight for the ship and two +barques in the said Anne Warwick’s Isle.</p> +<p>In the meantime of our abode here some of the country people came to +show themselves unto us sundry times from the main shore, near adjacent to +the said isle. Our general, desirous to have some news of his men +whom he lost the year before, with some company with him repaired with the +ship boat to commune or sign with them for familiarity, whereunto he is +persuaded to bring them. They at the first show made tokens that +three of his five men were alive, and desired pen, ink, and paper, and that +within three or four days they would return, and, as we judged, bring those +of our men which were living with them.</p> +<p>They also made signs or tokens of their king, whom they called Cacough, +and how he was carried on men’s shoulders, and a man far surmounting +any of our company in bigness and stature.</p> +<p>With these tokens and signs of writing, pen, ink, and paper were +delivered them, which they would not take at our hands, but being laid upon +the shore, and the party gone away, they took up; which likewise they do +when they desire anything for change of theirs, laying for that which is +left so much as they think will countervail the same, and not coming near +together. It seemeth they have been used to this trade or traffic +with some other people adjoining, or not far distant from their +country.</p> +<p>After four days some of them showed themselves upon the firm land, but +not where they were before. Our general, very glad thereof, supposing +to hear of our men, went from the island with the boat and sufficient +company with him. They seemed very glad, and allured him about a +certain point of the land, behind which they might perceive a company of +the crafty villains to lie lurking, whom our general would not deal withal, +for that he knew not what company they were, so with few signs dismissed +them and returned to his company.</p> +<p>Another time, as our said general was coasting the country with two +little pinnaces, whereby at our return he might make the better relation +thereof, three of the crafty villains with a white skin allured us to +them. Once again our general, for that he hoped to hear of his men, +went towards them; at our coming near the shore whereon they were we might +perceive a number of them lie hidden behind great stones, and those three +in sight labouring by all means possible that some would come on land; and +perceiving we made no haste, by words nor friendly signs, which they used +by clapping their hands, and being without weapon, and but three in sight, +they sought further means to provoke us thereunto. One alone laid +flesh on the shore, which we took up with the boat-hook as necessary +victuals for the relieving of the man, woman, and child whom we had taken, +for that as yet they could not digest our meat; whereby they perceived +themselves deceived of their expectation for all their crafty +allurements. Yet once again to make, as it were, a full show of their +crafty natures and subtle sleights, to the intent thereby to have entrapped +and taken some of our men, one of them counterfeited himself impotent and +lame of his legs, who seemed to descend to the water’s side with +great difficulty, and to cover his craft the more one of his fellows came +down with him, and in such places where he seemed unable to pass, he took +him on his shoulders, set him by the water’s side, and departed from +him, leaving him, as it should seem, all alone; who, playing his +counterfeit pageant very well, thought thereby to provoke some of us to +come on shore, not fearing but that one of us might make our party good +with a lame man.</p> +<p>Our general, having compassion of his impotency, thought good, if it +were possible, to cure him thereof; wherefore he caused a soldier to shoot +at him with his calever, which grazed before his face. The +counterfeit villain deliverly fled without any impediment at all, and got +him to his bow and arrows, and the rest from their lurking holes with their +weapons, bows, arrows, slings, and darts. Our general caused some +calevers to be shot off at them, whereby, some being hurt, they might +hereafter stand in more fear of us.</p> +<p>This was all the answer for this time we could have of our men, or of +our general’s letter. Their crafty dealing at these three +several times being thus manifest unto us, may plainly show their +disposition in other things to be correspondent. We judged that they +used these stratagems thereby to have caught some of us for the delivering +of the man, woman, and child, whom we had taken.</p> +<p>They are men of a large corporature, and good proportion; their colour +is not much unlike the sunburnt countryman, who laboureth daily in sun for +his living.</p> +<p>They wear their hair something long, and cut before either with stone or +knife, very disorderly. Their women wear their hair long, knit up +with two loops, showing forth on either side of their faces, and the rest +faltered upon a knot. Also, some of their women tint their faces +proportionally, as chin, cheeks, and forehead and the wrists of their +hands, whereupon they lay a colour which continueth dark azurine.</p> +<p>They eat their meat all raw, both flesh, fish, and fowl, or something +parboiled with blood, and a little water, which they drink. For lack +of water, they will eat ice that is hard frozen as pleasantly as we will do +sugar-candy, or other sugar.</p> +<p>If they, for necessity’s sake, stand in need of the premises, such +grass as the country yieldeth they pluck up and eat, not daintily, or +saladwise, to allure their stomachs to appetite, but for necessity’s +sake, without either salt, oils, or washing, like brute beasts devouring +the same. They neither use table, stool, or table-cloth for +comeliness: but when they are imbrued with blood, knuckle deep, and their +knives in like sort, they use their tongues as apt instruments to lick them +clean; in doing whereof they are assured to lose none of their +victuals.</p> +<p>They keep certain dogs, not much unlike wolves, which they yoke +together, as we do oxen and horses, to a sled or trail, and so carry their +necessaries over the ice and snow, from place to place, as the captain, +whom we have, made perfect signs. And when those dogs are not apt for +the same use, or when with hunger they are constrained for lack of other +victuals, they eat them, so that they are as needful for them, in respect +of their bigness, as our oxen are for us.</p> +<p>They apparel themselves in the skins of such beasts as they kill, sewed +together with the sinews of them. All the fowl which they kill they +skin, and make thereof one kind of garment or other to defend them from the +cold.</p> +<p>They make their apparel with hoods and tails, which tails they give, +when they think to gratify any friendship shown unto them; a great sign of +friendship with them. The men have them not so syde as the women.</p> +<p>The men and women wear their hose close to their legs, from the waist to +the knee, without any open before, as well the one kind as the other. +Upon their legs they wear hose of leather, with the fur side inward, two or +three pair on at once, and especially the women. In those hose they +put their knives, needles, and other things needful to bear about. +They put a bone within their hose, which reacheth from the foot to the +knee, whereupon they draw their said hose, and so in place of garters they +are holden from falling down about their feet.</p> +<p>They dress their skins very soft and supple with the hair on. In +cold weather or winter they wear the fur side inward, and in summer +outward. Other apparel they have none but the said skins.</p> +<p>Those beasts, fishes, and fowls which they kill are their meat, drink, +apparel, houses, bedding, hose, shoes, thread, and sails for their boats, +with many other necessaries, whereof they stand in need, and almost all +their riches.</p> +<p>The houses are tents made of seal skins, pitched up with four fir +quarters, four-square, meeting at the top, and the skins sewed together +with sinews, and laid thereupon; they are so pitched up, that the entrance +into them is always south, or against the sun.</p> +<p>They have other sort of houses, which we found not to be inhabited, +which are raised with stones and whalebones, and a skin laid over them to +withstand the rain, or other weather; the entrance of them being not much +unlike an oven’s mouth, whereunto, I think, they resort for a time to +fish, hunt, and fowl, and so leave them until the next time they come +thither again.</p> +<p>Their weapons are bows, arrows, darts, and slings. Their bows are +of wood, of a yard long, sinewed on the back with firm sinews, not glued +to, but fast girded and tied on. Their bow strings are likewise +sinews. Their arrows are three pieces, nocked with bone and ended +with bone; with those two ends, and the wood in the midst, they pass not in +length half a yard, or little more. They are feathered with two +feathers, the pen end being cut away, and the feathers laid upon the arrow +with the broad side to the wood, insomuch, that they seem, when they are +tied on, to have four feathers. They have likewise three sorts of +heads to those arrows; one sort of stone or iron, proportioned like to a +heart; the second sort of bone much like unto a stopt head, with a hook on +the same, the third sort of bone likewise, made sharp at both sides, and +sharp pointed. They are not made very fast, but lightly tied to, or +else set in a nocke, that, upon small occasion, the arrow leaveth these +heads behind them; they are of small force except they be very near when +they shoot.</p> +<p>Their darts are made of two sorts: the one with many forks of bones in +the fore end, and likewise in the midst; their proportions are not much +unlike our toasting-irons, but longer; these they cast out of an instrument +of wood very readily. The other sort is greater than the first +aforesaid, with a long bone made sharp on both sides, not much unlike a +rapier, which I take to be their most hurtful weapon.</p> +<p>They have two sorts of boats made of leather, set out on the inner side +with quarters of wood, artificially tied together with thongs of the same; +the greater sort are not much unlike our wherries, wherein sixteen or +twenty men may sit; they have for a sail dressed the guts of such beasts as +they kill, very fine and thin, which they sew together; the other boat is +but for one man to sit and row in, with one oar.</p> +<p>Their order of fishing, hunting, and fowling, are with these said +weapons; but in what sort or how they use them we have no perfect knowledge +as yet.</p> +<p>I can suppose their abode or habitation not to be here, for that neither +their houses nor apparel are of such force to withstand the extremity of +cold that the country seemeth to be infected withal; neither do I see any +sign likely to perform the same.</p> +<p>Those houses, or rather dens, which stand there, have no sign of +footway, or anything else trodden, which is one of the chiefest tokens of +habitation. And those tents, which they bring with them, when they +have sufficiently hunted and fished, they remove to other places; and when +they have sufficiently stored them of such victuals as the country +yieldeth, or bringeth forth, they return to their winter stations or +habitations. This conjecture do I make for the infertility which I +perceive to be in that country.</p> +<p>They have some iron, whereof they make arrow-heads, knives, and other +little instruments, to work their boats, bows, arrows, and darts withal, +which are very unapt to do anything withal, but with great labour.</p> +<p>It seemeth that they have conversation with some other people, of whom +for exchange they should receive the same. They are greatly delighted +with anything that is bright or giveth a sound.</p> +<p>What knowledge they have of God, or what idol they adore, we have no +perfect intelligence. I think them rather <i>anthropophagi</i>, or +devourers of man’s flesh, than otherwise; that there is no flesh or +fish which they find dead (smell it never so filthily), but they will eat +it as they find it without any other dressing. A loathsome thing, +either to the beholders or the hearers. There is no manner of +creeping beast hurtful, except some spiders (which as many affirm are signs +of great store of gold), and also certain stinging gnats, which bite so +fiercely that the place where they bite shortly after swelleth, and itcheth +very sore.</p> +<p>They make signs of certain people that wear bright plates of gold in +their foreheads and other places of their bodies.</p> +<p>The countries on both sides the straits lie very high, with rough stony +mountains, and great quantity of snow thereon. There is very little +plain ground, and no grass except a little, which is much like unto moss +that groweth on soft ground, such as we get turfs in. There is no +wood at all. To be brief, there is nothing fit or profitable for the +use of man which that country with root yieldeth or bringeth forth; howbeit +there is great quantity of deer, whose skins are like unto asses, their +heads or horns do far exceed, as well in length as also in breadth, any in +these our parts or countries: their feet likewise are as great as our +oxen’s, which we measure to be seven or eight inches in +breadth. There are also hares, wolves, fishing bears, and sea-fowl of +sundry sorts.</p> +<p>As the country is barren and unfertile, so are they rude, and of no +capacity to culture the same to any perfection; but are contented by their +hunting, fishing, and fowling, with raw flesh and warm blood, to satisfy +their greedy paunches, which is their only glory.</p> +<p>There is great likelihood of earthquakes or thunder, for there are huge +and monstrous mountains, whose greatest substance are stones, and those +stones so shapen with some extraordinary means, that one is separated from +another, which is discordant from all other quarries.</p> +<p>There are no rivers or running springs, but such as through the heat of +the sun, with such water as descendeth from the mountains and hills, +whereon great drifts of snow do lie, are engendered.</p> +<p>It argueth also that there should be none; for that the earth, which +with the extremity of the winter is so frozen within, that that water which +should have recourse within the same to maintain springs hath not his +motion, whereof great waters have their origin, as by experience is seen +otherwhere. Such valleys as are capable to receive the water, that in +the summer time, by the operation of the sun, descendeth from great +abundance of snow, which continually lieth on the mountains, and hath no +passage, sinketh into the earth, and so vanisheth away, without any runnel +above the earth, by which occasion or continual standing of the said water +the earth is opened and the great frost yieldeth to the force thereof, +which in other places, four or five fathoms within the ground, for lack of +the said moisture, the earth even in the very summer time is frozen, and so +combineth the stones together, that scarcely instruments with great force +can unknit them.</p> +<p>Also, where the water in those valleys can have no such passage away, by +the continuance of time in such order as is before rehearsed, the yearly +descent from the mountains filleth them full, that at the lowest bank of +the same they fall into the next valley, and so continue as fishing ponds, +in summer time full of water, and in the winter hard frozen, as by scars +that remain thereof in summer may easily be perceived; so that the heat of +summer is nothing comparable or of force to dissolve the extremity of cold +that cometh in winter.</p> +<p>Nevertheless, I am assured, that below the force of the frost, within +the earth, the waters have recourse, and empty themselves out of sight into +the sea, which, through the extremity of the frost, are constrained to do +the same; by which occasion, the earth within is kept the warmer, and +springs have their recourse, which is the only nutriment of gold and +minerals within the same.</p> +<p>There is much to be said of the commodities of these countries, which +are couched within the bowels of the earth, which I let pass till more +perfect trial be made thereof.</p> +<p>Thus conjecturing, till time, with the earnest industry of our general +and others (who, by all diligence, remain pressed to explore the truth of +that which is unexplored, as he hath to his everlasting praise found out +that which is like to yield an innumerable benefit to his prince and +country), offer further trial, I conclude.</p> +<p>The 23rd August, after we had satisfied our minds with freight +sufficient for our vessels, though not our covetous desires, with such +knowledge of the country, people, and other commodities as are before +rehearsed, the 24th thereof we departed there hence: the 17th of September +we fell with the Land’s End of England, and so to Milford Haven, from +whence our general rowed to the court for order to what port or haven to +conduct the ship.</p> +<p>We lost our two barques in the way homeward, the one the 29th of August, +the other the 31st of the same month, by occasion of great tempest and fog; +howbeit, God restored the one to Bristol, and the other making his course +by Scotland to Yarmouth. In this voyage we lost two men, one in the +way by God’s visitation, and the other homeward, cast overboard with +a surge of the sea.</p> +<p>I could declare unto the readers the latitude and longitude of such +places and regions as we have been at, but not altogether so perfectly as +our masters and others, with many circumstances of tempests and other +accidents incident to seafaring men, which seem not altogether strange, but +I let them pass to their reports as men most apt to set forth and declare +the same. I have also left the names of the countries on both the +shores untouched for lack of understanding the people’s language, as +also for sundry respects not needful as yet to be declared.</p> +<p>Countries new explored, where commodity is to be looked for, do better +accord with a new name given by the explorers than an uncertain name by a +doubtful author.</p> +<p>Our general named sundry islands, mountains, capes, and harbours after +the names of divers noblemen, and other gentlemen his friends, as well on +the one shore as also on the other.</p> +<h2>THE THIRD AND LAST VOYAGE INTO META INCOGNITA,</h2> +<p><i>Made by Master Martin Frobisher</i>, <i>in the year</i> 1578, +<i>written by Thomas Ellis</i>.</p> +<p>These are to let you know, that upon the 25th May, the <i>Thomas +Allen</i>, being vice-admiral, whose captain was Master Yorke; Master +Gibbes, master; Master Christopher Hall, pilot, accompanied with the +rear-admiral, named the <i>Hopewell</i>, whose captain was Master Henry +Carew, the Master Andrew Dier, and certain other ships, came to Gravesend, +where we anchored, and abode the coming of certain other of our fleet, +which were not yet come.</p> +<p>The 27th of the same month, our fleet being now come together, and all +things pressed in a readiness, the wind favouring and tide serving, we +being of sails in number eight, weighed anchors, and hoisted our sails +towards Harwich, to meet with our admiral and the residue, which then and +there abode our arrival, where we safely arrived the 28th thereof; finding +there our admiral, whom we, with the discharge of certain pieces, saluted +(according to order and duty), and were welcomed with the like courtesy, +which being finished we landed, where our general continued mustering his +soldiers and miners, and setting things in order appertaining to the +voyage, until the last of the said month of May, which day we hoisted our +sails, and committing ourselves to the conducting of Almighty God, we set +forward toward the West Country, in such lucky wise and good success, that +by the 5th June we passed the Dursies, being the utmost part of Ireland, to +the westward.</p> +<p>And here it were not much amiss, nor far from our purpose, if I should a +little discourse and speak of our adventures and chances by the way, as our +landing at Plymouth, as also the meeting of certain poor men, which were +robbed and spoiled of all that they had by pirates and rovers; amongst whom +was a man of Bristol, on whom our general used his liberality, and sent him +away with letters into England.</p> +<p>But because such things are impertinent to the matter, I will return +(without any more mentioning of the same) to that from which I have +digressed and swerved, I mean our ships, now sailing on the surging seas, +sometimes passing at pleasure with a wished eastern wind, sometimes +hindered of our course again by the western blasts, until the 20th day of +the foresaid month of June, on which day in the morning we fell in with +Friesland, which is a very high and cragged land, and was almost clean +covered with snow, so that we might see nought but craggy rocks and the +tops of high and huge hills, sometimes (and for the most part) all covered +with foggy mists. There might we also perceive the great isles of ice +lying on the seas like mountains, some small, some big, of sundry kinds of +shapes, and such a number of them, that we could not come near the shore +for them.</p> +<p>Thus sailing along the coast, at the last we saw a place somewhat void +of ice, where our general (accompanied with certain other) went ashore, +where they saw certain tents made of beasts’ skins, and boats much +like unto theirs of Meta Incognita. The tents were furnished with +flesh, fish, skins, and other trifles: amongst the which was found a box of +nails, whereby we did conjecture that they had either artificers amongst +them, or else a traffic with some other nation. The men ran away, so +that we could have no conference or communication with them. Our +general (because he would have them no more to flee, but rather encouraged +to stay through his courteous dealing) gave commandment that his men should +take nothing away with them, saving only a couple of white dogs, for which +he left pins, points, knives, and other trifling things, and departed, +without taking or hurting anything, and so came aboard, and hoisted sails +and passed forwards.</p> +<p>But being scarce out of the sight thereof, there fell such a fog and +hideous mist that we could not see one another; whereupon we struck our +drums, and sounded our trumpets to the end we might keep together; and so +continued all that day and night, till the next day, that the mist brake +up; so that we might easily perceive all the ships thus sailing together +all that day, until the next day, being the 22nd of the same, on which day +we saw an infinite number of ice, from the which we cast about to shun the +danger thereof.</p> +<p>But one of our small barques named the <i>Michael</i>, whose captain was +Master Kinderslie, the master, Bartholomew Bull, lost our company, insomuch +that we could not obtain the sight of her many days after, of whom I mean +to speak further anon, when occasion shall be ministered, and opportunity +served. Thus we continued on our course until the 2nd of July, on +which day we fell with the Queen’s Foreland, where we saw so much +ice, that we thought it impossible to get into the straits, yet at the last +we gave the adventure, and entered the ice.</p> +<p>Being in amongst it, we saw the <i>Michael</i>, of whom I spake before, +accompanied with the, <i>Judith</i>, whose captain was Master Fenton, the +master, Charles Jackman, bearing into the aforesaid ice, far distant from +us, who in a storm that fell that present night (whereof I will at large, +God willing, discourse hereafter), were severed from us, and being in, +wandered up and down the straits amongst the ice, many days in great peril, +till at the last (by the providence of God) they came safely to harbour in +their wished port in the Countess of Warwick’s Sound the 20th July +aforesaid, ten days before any of the other ships; who going on shore, +found where the people of the country had been, and had hid their provision +in great heaps of stone, being both of flesh and fish, which they had +killed, whereof we also found great store in other places after our +arrival. They found also divers engines, as bows, slings, and +darts. They found likewise certain pieces of the pinnace which our +general left there the year before; which pinnace he had sunk, minding to +have it again the next year.</p> +<p>Now, seeing I have entreated so much of the <i>Judith</i> and the +<i>Michael</i>, I will return to the rest of the other ships, and will +speak a little of the storm which fell, with the mishaps that we had, the +night that we put into the ice, whereof I made mention before.</p> +<p>At the first entry into the ice, in the mouth of the straits, our +passage was very narrow and difficult; but being once gotten in, we had a +fair, open place without any ice for the most part; being a league in +compass, the ice being round about us, and enclosing us, as it were, within +the pales of a park. In which place (because it was almost night) we +minded to take in our sails and lie a hull all that night. But the +storm so increased, and the waves began to mount aloft, which brought the +ice so near us, and coming in so fast upon us, that we were fain to bear in +and out, where ye might espy an open place. Thus the ice coming on us +so fast we were in great danger, looking every hour for death, and thus +passed we on in that great danger, seeing both ourselves and the rest of +our ships so troubled and tossed amongst the ice, that it would make the +strongest-heart to relent.</p> +<p>At the last, the barque <i>Dionyse</i>, being but a weak ship, and +bruised afore amongst the ice, being so leak that she no longer could carry +above water, sank without saving any of the goods which were in her: the +sight so abashed the whole fleet, that we thought verily we should have +tasted of the same sauce. But nevertheless, we seeing them in such +danger, manned our boats, and saved all the men, in such wise that not one +perished. (God be thanked.)</p> +<p>The storm still increased and the ice enclosed us, that we were fain to +take down top and topmasts; for the ice had so environed us, that we could +see neither land nor sea as far as we could ken; so that we were fain to +cut our cables to hang overboard for fenders, somewhat to ease the +ship’s sides from the great and dreary strokes of the ice; some with +capstan bars, some fending off with oars, some with planks of two inches +thick, which were broken immediately with the force of the ice, some going +out upon the ice, to bear it off with their shoulders from the ships. +But the rigorousness of the tempest was such, and the force of the ice so +great, that not only they burst and spoiled the foresaid provision, but +likewise so raised the sides of the ships that it was pitiful to behold, +and caused the hearts of many to faint.</p> +<p>Thus continued we all that dismal and lamentable night, plunged in this +perplexity, looking for instant death; but our God (who never leaveth them +destitute which faithfully call upon Him), although He often punisheth for +amendment’s sake, in the morning caused the winds to cease, and the +fog, which all that night lay on the face of the water, to clear, so that +we might perceive about a mile from us a certain place clear from any ice, +to the which with an easy breath of wind, which our God sent us, we bent +ourselves, and furthermore He provided better for us than we deserved, or +hoped for; for when we were in the foresaid clear place, He sent us a fresh +gale at west, or at west-south-west, which set us clear without all the +ice. And further He added more, for He sent us so pleasant a day, as +the like we had not of a long time before, as after punishment +consolation.</p> +<p>Thus we joyful whites, being at liberty, took in all our sails, and lay +a hull, praising God for our deliverance, and stayed to gather together our +fleet; which once being done, we seeing that none of them had any great +hurt, neither any of them wanted, saving only they of whom I spake before, +and the ship which was lost, then at the last we hoisted our sails, and lay +bulting off and on, till such time as it would please God to take away the +ice, that we might get into the straits.</p> +<p>As we thus lay off and on, we came by a marvellous huge mountain of ice, +which surpassed all the rest that ever we saw, for we judged it to be near +four score fathoms above water, and we thought it to be aground for +anything that we could perceive, being there nine score fathoms deep, and +of compass about half a mile.</p> +<p>Also the fifth of July there fell a hideous fog and mist, that continued +till the nineteenth of the same, so that one ship could not see +another. Therefore we were fain to bear a small sail, and to observe +the time, but there ran such a current of tide, that it set us to the +north-west of the Queen’s Forehand, the back side of all the straits, +where (through the contagious fog having no sight either of sun or star) we +scarce knew where we were. In this fog the 10th July we lost the +company of the <i>Vice-Admiral</i>, the <i>Anne Francis</i>, the <i>Busse +of Bridgewater</i>, and the <i>Francis of Foy</i>.</p> +<p>The sixteenth day, one of our small barques, named the <i>Gabriel</i>, +was sent by our general to bear in with the land, to descry it, where, +being on land, they met with the people of the country, which seemed very +humane and civilised, and offered to traffic with our men, proffering them +fowls and skins for knives and other trifles, whose courtesy caused us to +think that they had small conversation with the other of the straits. +Then we bare back again, to go with the Queen’s Forehand, and the +18th day we came by two islands, whereon we went on shore, and found where +the people had been, but we saw none of them. This day we were again +in the ice, and like to be in as great peril as we were at the first. +For through the darkness and obscurity of the foggy mist we were almost run +on rocks and islands before we saw them: but God (even miraculously) +provided for us, opening the fogs that we might see clearly, both where and +in what danger we presently were, and also the way to escape; or else, +without fail we had ruinously run upon the rocks.</p> +<p>When we knew perfectly our instant case, we cast about to get again on +sea board, which (God be thanked) by might we obtained, and praised +God. The clear continued scarce an hour, but the fog fell again as +thick as ever it was.</p> +<p>Then the <i>Rear-Admiral</i> and the <i>Bear</i> got themselves clear +without danger of ice and rocks, struck their sails and lay a hull, staying +to have the rest of the fleet come forth, which as yet had not found the +right way to clear themselves from the danger of rocks and ice, until the +next morning, at what time the <i>Rear-Admiral</i> discharged certain +warning pieces, to give notice that she had escaped, and that the rest (by +following of her) might set themselves free, which they did that day. +Then having gathered ourselves together, we proceeded on our purposed +voyage, bearing off, and keeping ourselves distant from the coast, until +the 19th day of July, at which time the fogs brake up and dispersed, so +that we might plainly and clearly behold the pleasant air which had so long +been taken from us by the obscurity of the foggy mists; and, after that +time, we were not much encumbered therewith until we had left the confines +of the country.</p> +<p>Then we, espying a fair sound, supposed it to go into the straits, +between the Queen’s Foreland and Jackman’s Sound, which proved +as we imagined. For our general sent forth again the <i>Gabriel</i> +to discover it, who passed through with much difficulty, for there ran such +an extreme current of a tide, with so horrible a gulf, that with a fresh +gale of wind they were scarce able to stem it, yet at the length with great +travel they passed it, and came to the straits, where they met with the +<i>Thomas Allen</i>, the <i>Thomas of Ipswich</i>, and the <i>Busse of +Bridgewater</i>, who all together adventured to bear into the ice again, to +see if they could obtain their wished port. But they were so +encumbered, that with much difficulty they were able to get out again, yet +at the last they escaping the <i>Thomas Allen</i> and the <i>Gabriel</i>, +bear in with the western shore, where they found harbour, and they moored +their ships until the 4th of August, at which time they came to us, in the +Countess of Warwick’s Sound. The <i>Thomas of Ipswich</i> +caught a great leak, which caused her to cast again to sea board, and so +was mended.</p> +<p>We sailed along still by the coast until we came to the Queen’s +Forehand, at the point whereof we met with part of the gulf aforesaid, +which place or gulf (as some of our masters do credibly report) doth flow +nine hours and ebbs but three. At that point we discovered certain +lands southward, which neither time nor opportunity would serve to +search. Then being come to the mouth of the straits, we met with the +<i>Anne Francis</i>, who had lain bulting up and down ever since her +departure alone, never finding any of her company. We met then also +the <i>Francis of Foy</i>, with whom again we intended to venture and get +in, but the ice was yet so thick, that we were compelled again to retire +and get us on sea board.</p> +<p>There fell also the same day, being the 26th July, such a horrible snow, +that it lay a foot thick upon the hatches, which froze as fast as it +fell.</p> +<p>We had also at other times divers cruel storms, both snow and hail, +which manifestly declared the distemperature of the country: yet for all +that we were so many times repulsed and put back from our purpose, knowing +that lingering delay was not profitable for us, but hurtful to our voyage, +we mutually consented to our valiant general once again to give the +onset.</p> +<p>The 28th day, therefore, of the same July we assayed, and with little +trouble (God be praised) we passed the dangers by daylight. Then +night falling on the face of the earth, we hulled in the clear, till the +cheerful light of the day had chased away the noisome darkness of the +night, at which the we set forward toward our wished port; by the 30th day +we obtained our expected desire, where we found the <i>Judith</i> and the +<i>Michael</i>, which brought no small joy unto the general, and great +consolation to the heavy hearts of those wearied wights.</p> +<p>The 30th day of July we brought our ships into the Countess of +Warwick’s Sound, and moored them, namely these ships, the +<i>Admiral</i>, the <i>Rear-Admiral</i>, the <i>Francis of Foy</i>, the +<i>Bear</i>, <i>Armenel</i>, the <i>Salomon</i>, and the <i>Busse of +Bridgewater</i>, which being done, our general commanded us all to come +ashore upon the Countess Island, where he set his miners to work upon the +mine, giving charge with expedition to despatch with their lading.</p> +<p>Our general himself, accompanied with his gentleman, divers times made +roads into sundry parts of the country, as well to find new mines as also +to find out and see the people of the country. He found out one mine, +upon an island by Bear’s Sound, and named it the Countess of Sussex +Island. One other was found in Winter’s Fornace, with divers +others, to which the ships were sent sunderly to be laden. In the +same roads he met with divers of the people of the country at sundry times, +as once at a place called David’s Sound, who shot at our men, and +very desperately gave them the onset, being not above three or four in +number, there being of our countrymen above a dozen; but seeing themselves +not able to prevail, they took themselves to flight, whom our men pursued, +but being not used to such craggy cliffs, they soon lost the sight of them, +and so in vain returned.</p> +<p>We also saw them at Bear’s Sound, both by sea and land, in great +companies; but they would at all times keep the water between them and +us. And if any of our ships chanced to be in the sound (as they came +divers times), because the harbour was not very good, the ship laded, and +departed again; then so long as any ships were in sight, the people would +not be seen. But when as they perceived the ships to be gone, they +would not only show themselves standing upon high cliffs, and call us to +come over unto them, but also would come in their boats very near to us, as +it were to brag at us; whereof our general, having advertisement, sent for +the captain and gentlemen of the ships to accompany and attend upon him, +with the captain also of the <i>Anne Francis</i>, who was but the night +before come unto us. For they and the fleet-boat, having lost us the +26th day, in the great snow, put into a harbour in the Queen’s +Forehand, where they found good ore, wherewith they laded themselves, and +came to seek the general; so that now we had all our ships, saving one +barque, which was lost, and the <i>Thomas of Ipswich</i> who (compelled by +what fury I know not) forsook our company, and returned home without +lading.</p> +<p>Our general, accompanied with his gentlemen (of whom I spake), came +altogether to the Countess of Sussex Island, near to Bear’s Sound, +where he manned out certain pinnaces and went over to the people, who, +perceiving his arrival, fled away with all speed, and in haste left certain +darts and other engines behind them which we found, but the people we could +not find.</p> +<p>The next morning our general, perceiving certain of them in boat upon +the sea, gave chase to them in a pinnace under sail, with a fresh gale of +wind, but could by no means come near unto them, for the longer he sailed +the farther off he was from them, which well showed their cunning and +activity. Thus time wearing away, and the day of our departure +approaching, our general commanded to lade with all expedition, that we +might be again on sea board with our ship; for whilst we were in the +country we were in continual danger of freezing in, for often snow and +hail, often the water was so much frozen and congealed in the night, that +in the morning we could scarce row our boats or pinnaces, especially in +Dier’s Sound, which is a calm and still water, which caused our +general to make the more haste, so that by the 30th day of August we were +all laden, and made all things ready to depart. But before I proceed +any further herein, to show what fortune befell at our departure, I will +turn my pen a little to Master Captain Fenton, and those gentlemen which +should have inhabited all the year in those countries, whose valiant minds +were much to be commended, that neither fear of force, nor the cruel +nipping storms of the raging winter, neither the intemperature of so +unhealthful a country, neither the savageness of the people, neither the +sight and show of such and so many strange meteors, neither the desire to +return to their native soil, neither regard of friends, neither care of +possessions and inheritances, finally, not the love of life (a thing of all +other most sweet), neither the terror of dreadful death itself, might seem +to be of sufficient force to withdraw their prowess, or to restrain from +that purpose, thereby to have profited their country; but that with most +willing hearts, venturous minds, stout stomachs, and singular manhood, they +were content there to have tarried for the time, among a barbarous and +uncivilised people, infidels and miscreants, to have made their dwelling, +not terrified with the manifold and imminent dangers which they were like +to run into; and seeing before their eyes so many casualties, whereto their +life was subject, the least whereof would have made a milksop Thersites +astonished and utterly discomfited; being, I say, thus minded and purposed, +they deserved special commendation, for, doubtless, they had done as they +intended, if luck had not withstood their willingness, and if that fortune +had not so frowned upon their intents.</p> +<p>For the bark <i>Dionyse</i>, which was lost, had in her much of their +house, which was prepared and should have been builded for them, with many +other implements. Also the <i>Thomas of Ipswich</i>, which had most +of their provision in her, came not into the straits at all, neither did we +see her since the day we were separated in the great snow (of which I spake +before). For these causes, having not their house nor yet provision, +they were disappointed of their pretence to tarry, and therefore laded +their ships and so came away with us.</p> +<p>But before we took shipping, we builded a little house in the Countess +of Warwick’s Island, and garnished it with many kinds of trifles, as +pins, points, laces, glasses, combs, babes on horseback and on foot, with +innumerable other such fancies and toys, thereby to allure and entice the +people to some familiarity against other years.</p> +<p>Thus having finished all things we departed the country (as I said +before); but because the <i>Busse</i> had not lading enough in her, she put +into Bear’s Sound to take a little more. In the meanwhile, the +<i>Admiral</i>, and the rest without the sea, stayed for her. And +that night fell such an outrageous tempest, beating on our ships with such +vehement rigour that anchor and cable availed nought, for we were driven on +rocks and islands of ice, insomuch that had not the great goodness of God +been miraculously showed to us, we had been cast away every man. This +danger was more doubtful and terrible than any that preceded or went +before, for there was not any one ship (I think) that escaped without +damage. Some lost anchor, and also gables, some boats, some pinnaces, +some anchor, gables, boats, and pinnaces.</p> +<p>This boisterous storm so severed us one from another, that one ship knew +not what was become of another. The <i>Admiral</i> knew not where to +find the <i>Vice-Admiral</i> or <i>Rear-Admiral</i>, or any other ship of +our company. Our general, being on land in Bear’s Sound, could +not come to his ship, but was compelled to go aboard the <i>Gabriel</i>, +where he continued all the way homewards, for the boisterous blasts +continued so extremely, and so long a time, that it sent us homeward (which +was God’s favour towards us), will we, nill we, in such haste, as not +any one of us were able to keep in company of other, but were +separated. And if by chance any one ship did overtake other by +swiftness of sail, or met (as they often did), yet was the rigour of the +wind so hideous, that they could not continue company together the space of +one whole night.</p> +<p>Thus our journey outward was not so pleasant, but our coming thither, +entering the coasts and country by narrow straits, perilous ice, and swift +tides, our times of abode there in snow and storms, and our departure from +thence, the 3rd of August, with dangerous blustering winds and +tempest’s, which that night arose, was as uncomfortable, separating +us so, as we sailed, that not any of us met together until the 28th of +September, which day we fell on the English coasts, between Scilly and the +Land’s End, and passed the Channel, until our arrival in the river +Thames.</p> +<h2>THE REPORT OF THOMAS WIARS,</h2> +<p><i>Passenger in the</i> “<i>Emmanuel</i>,” <i>otherwise +called the</i> “<i>Busse of Bridgewater</i>,” <i>wherein James +Leeche was Master</i>, <i>one of the ships in the last voyage of Master +Martin Frobisher</i>, 1578, <i>concerning the discovery of the great island +in their way homeward</i>, <i>the</i> 12<i>th of September</i>.</p> +<p>The <i>Busse of Bridgewater</i> was left in Bear’s Sound, at Meta +Incognita, the 2nd day of September, behind the fleet, in some distress, +through much wind riding near the lee shore, and forced there to ride it +out upon the hazard of her cables and anchors, which were all aground but +two. The 3rd of September being fair weather, and the wind +north-north-west, she set sail, and departed thence and fell with +Friesland, on he 8th day of September, at six of the clock at night, and +then they set off from the south-west point of Friesland, the wind being at +east and east-south-east; but that night the wind veered southerly, and +shifted oftentimes that night. But on the 10th day, in the morning, +the wind at west-north-west, fair weather, they steered south-east and by +south, and continued that course until the 12th day of September, when +about 11 o’clock before noon they descried a land, which was from +them about five leagues, and the southernmost part of it was +south-east-by-east from them, and the northernmost next north-north-east, +or north-east. The master accounted that Friesland, the south-east +point of it, was from him at that instant, when he first descried this new +island, north-west-by-north fifty leagues. They account this island +to be twenty-five leagues long, and the longest way of it south-east and +north-west. The southern part of it is in the latitude of fifty-seven +degrees and one second part, or thereabout. They continued in sight +of it from the twelfth day at eleven of the clock till the thirteenth day +three of the clock in the afternoon, when they left it; and the last part +they saw of it bare from them north-west-by-north. There appeared two +harbours upon that coast, the greatest of them seven leagues to the +northwards of the southernmost point, the other but four leagues. +There was very much ice near the same land, and also twenty or thirty +leagues from it, for they were not clear of ice till the 15th day of +September, afternoon. They plied their voyage homeward, and fell with +the west part of Ireland, about Galway, and had first sight of it on the +25th day of September.</p> +<h2>THE FIRST VOYAGE OF MASTER JOHN DAVIS,</h2> +<p><i>Undertaken in June</i>, 1585, <i>for the discovery of the North-West +Passage</i>, <i>written by John James Marchant</i>, <i>servant to the +Worshipful Master William Sanderson</i>.</p> +<p>Certain honourable personages and worthy gentlemen of the Court and +country, with divers worshipful merchants of London and of the West +Countrie, moved with desire to advance God’s glory, and to seek the +good of their native country, consulting together of the likelihood of the +discovery of the North-West Passage, which heretofore had been attempted, +but unhappily given over by accidents unlooked for, which turned the +enterprisers from their principal purpose, resolved, after good +deliberation, to put down their adventures, to provide for necessary +shipping, and a fit man to be chief conductor of this so hard an +enterprise. The setting forth of this action was committed by the +adventurers especially to the care of Master William Sanderson, merchant of +London, who was so forward therein, that besides his travel, which was not +small, he became the greatest adventurer with his purse, and commended unto +the rest of the company one Master John Davis, a man very well grounded in +the principles of the art of navigation, for captain and chief pilot of +this exploit.</p> +<p>Thus, therefore, all things being put in a readiness, we departed from +Dartmouth the 7th of June towards the discovery of the aforesaid North-West +Passage with two barques, the one being of fifty tons, named the +<i>Sunshine</i>, of London, and the other being thirty-five tons, named the +<i>Moonshine</i>, of Dartmouth. In the <i>Sunshine</i> we had +twenty-three persons, whose names are these following: Master John Davis, +captain; William Eston, master; Richard Pope, master’s mate; John +Jane, merchant; Henry Davie, gunner; William Crosse, boatswain; John Bagge, +Walter Arthur, Luke Adams, Robert Coxworthie, John Ellis, John Kelly, +Edward Helman, William Dicke, Andrew Maddocke, Thomas Hill, Robert Wats, +carpenter, William Russell, Christopher Gorney, boy; James Cole, Francis +Ridley, John Russel, Robert Cornish, musicians.</p> +<p>The <i>Moonshine</i> had nineteen persons, William Bruton, captain; John +Ellis, master; the rest mariners.</p> +<p>The 7th of June the captain and the master drew out a proportion for the +continuance of our victuals.</p> +<p>The 8th day, the wind being at south-west and west-south-west, we put in +for Falmouth, where we remained until the 13th.</p> +<p>The 13th the wind blew at north, and being fair weather we departed.</p> +<p>The 14th, with contrary wind, we were forced to put into Scilly.</p> +<p>The 15th we departed thence, having the wind north and by east, moderate +and fair weather.</p> +<p>The 16th we were driven back again, and were constrained to arrive at +New Grimsby, at Scilly; here the wind remained contrary twelve days, and in +that space the captain, the master, and I went about all the islands, and +the captain did plan out and describe the situation of all the islands, +rocks, and harbours to the exact use of navigation, with lines and scale +thereunto convenient.</p> +<p>The 28th, in God’s name, we departed, the wind being easterly, but +calm.</p> +<p>The 29th very foggy.</p> +<p>The 30th foggy.</p> +<p>The 1st of July we saw great store of porpoises, the master called for a +harping-iron, and shot twice or thrice; sometimes he missed, and at last +shot one and struck him in the side, and wound him into the ship; when we +had him aboard, the master said it was a darley head.</p> +<p>The 2nd we had some of the fish boiled, and it did eat as sweet as any +mutton.</p> +<p>The 3rd we had more in sight, and the master went to shoot at them, but +they were so great, that they burst our irons, and we lost both fish, +irons, pastime, and all; yet, nevertheless, the master shot at them with a +pike, and had well-nigh gotten one, but he was so strong, that he burst off +the bars of the pike and went away. Then he took the boat-hook, and +hit one with that; but all would not prevail, so at length we let them +alone.</p> +<p>The 6th we saw a very great whale, and every day after we saw whales +continually.</p> +<p>The 16th, 17th, and 18th we saw great store of whales.</p> +<p>The 19th of July we fell into a great whirling and brustling of a tide, +setting to the northward; and sailing about half a league we came into a +very calm sea, which bent to the south-south-west. Here we heard a +mighty great roaring of the sea, as if it had been the breach of some +shore, the air being so foggy and full of thick mist, that we could not see +the one ship from the other, being a very small distance asunder; so the +captain and the master, being in distrust how the tide might set them, +caused the <i>Moonshine</i> to hoist out her boat and to sound, but they +could not find ground in three hundred fathoms and better. Then the +captain, master, and I went towards the breach to see what it should be, +giving charge to our gunners that at every blast they should shoot off a +musket shot, to the intent we might keep ourselves from losing them; then +coming near to the breach, we met many islands of ice floating, which had +quickly compassed us about. Then we went upon some of them, and did +perceive that all the roaring which we heard was caused only by the rolling +of this ice together. Our company seeing us not to return according +to our appointment, left off shooting muskets and began to shoot falconets, +for they feared some mishap had befallen us; but before night we came +aboard again, with our boat laden with ice, which made very good fresh +water. Then we bent our course toward the north, hoping by that means +to double the land.</p> +<p>The 20th, as we sailed along the coast, the fog brake up, and we +discovered the land, which was the most deformed, rocky, and mountainous +land that ever we saw, the first sight whereof did show as if it had been +in form of a sugar loaf, standing to our sight above the clouds, for that +it did show over the fog like a white liste in the sky, the tops altogether +covered with snow, and the shore beset with ice a league off into the sea, +making such irksome noise as that it seemed to be the true pattern of +desolation, and after the same our captain named it the land of +desolation.</p> +<p>The 21st the wind came northerly and overblew, so that we were +constrained to bend our course south again, for we perceived that we were +run into a very deep bay, where we were almost compassed with ice, for we +saw very much towards the north-north-east, west, and south-west; and this +day and this night we cleared ourselves of the ice, running +south-south-west along the shore.</p> +<p>Upon Thursday, being the 22nd of this month, about three of the clock in +the morning, we hoisted out our boat, and the captain, with six sailors, +went towards the shore, thinking to find a landing-place, for the night +before we did perceive the coast to be void of ice to our judgment; and the +same night we were all persuaded that we had seen a canoe rowing along the +shore, but afterwards we fell in some doubt of it, but we had no great +reason so to do. The captain, rowing towards the shore, willed the +master to bear in with the land after him; and before he came near the +shore, by the space of a league, or about two miles, he found so much ice +that he could not get to land by any means. Here our mariners put to +their lines to see if they could get any fish, because there were so many +seals upon the coast, and the birds did beat upon the water, but all was in +vain: the water about this coast was very black and thick, like to a filthy +standing pool; we sounded, and had ground in 120 fathoms. While the +captain was rowing to the shore our men saw woods upon the rocks, like to +the rocks of Newfoundland, but I could not discern them; yet it might be so +very well, for we had wood floating upon the coast every day, and the +<i>Moonshine</i> took up a tree at sea not far from the coast, being sixty +foot of length and fourteen handfuls about, having the root upon it. +After, the captain came aboard, the weather being very calm and fair, we +bent our course toward the south with intent to double the land.</p> +<p>The 23rd we coasted the land which did lie east-north-east and +west-south-west.</p> +<p>The 24th, the wind being very fair at east, we coasted the land, which +did lie east and west, not being able to come near the shore by reason of +the great quantity of ice. At this place, because the weather was +somewhat cold by reason of the ice, and the better to encourage our men, +their allowance was increased. The captain and the master took order +that every mess, being five persons, should have half a pound of bread and +a can of beer every morning to breakfast. The weather was not very +cold, but the air was moderate, like to our April weather in England. +When the wind came from the land or the ice it was somewhat cold, but when +it came off the sea it was very hot.</p> +<p>The 25th of this month we departed from sight of this land at six of the +clock in the morning, directing our course to the north-westward, hoping in +God’s mercy to find our desired passage, and so continued above four +days.</p> +<p>The 29th of July we discovered land in 64 degrees 15 minutes of +latitude, bearing north-east from us. The wind being contrary to go +to the north-westward, we bear in with this land to take some view of it, +being utterly void of the pester of ice, and very temperate. Coming +near the coast we found many fair sounds and good roads for shipping, and +many great inlets into the land, whereby we judged this land to be a great +number of islands standing together. Here, having moored our barque +in good order, we went on shore upon a small island to seek for water and +wood. Upon this island we did perceive that there had been people, +for we found a small shoe and pieces of leather sewed with sinews and a +piece of fur, and wool like to beaver. Then we went upon another +island on the other side of our ships, and the captain, the master, and I, +being got up to the top of a high rock, the people of the country having +espied us made a lamentable noise, as we thought, with great outcries and +screechings; we, hearing them, thought it had been the howling of +wolves. At last I halloed again, and they likewise cried; then we, +perceiving where they stood—some on the shore, and one rowing in a +canoe about a small island fast by them—we made a great noise, partly +to allure them to us and partly to warn our company of them. +Whereupon Master Bruton and the master of his ship, with others of their +company, made great haste towards us, and brought our musicians with them +from our ship, purposing either by force to rescue us, if needs should so +require, or with courtesy to allure the people. When they came unto +us we caused our musicians to play, ourselves dancing and making many signs +of friendship. At length there came ten canoes from the other +islands, and two of them came so near the shore where we were that they +talked with us, the other being in their boats a pretty way off. +Their pronunciation was very hollow through the throat, and their speech +such as we could not understand, only we allured them by friendly +embracings and signs of courtesy. At length one of them, pointing up +to the sun with his hand, would presently strike his breast so hard that we +might hear the blow. This he did many times before he would any way +trust us. Then John Ellis, the master of the <i>Moonshine</i>, was +appointed to use his best policy to gain their friendship, who shook his +breast and pointed to the sun after their order, which when he had divers +times done they began to trust him, and one of them came on shore, to whom +we threw our caps, stockings, and gloves, and such other things as then we +had about us, playing with our music, and making signs of joy, and +dancing. So the night coming we bade them farewell, and went aboard +our barques.</p> +<p>The next morning, being the 30th of July, there came thirty-seven canoes +rowing by our ships calling to us to come on shore; we not making any great +haste unto them, one of them went up to the top of the rock, and leaped and +danced as they had done the day before, showing us a seal skin, and another +thing made like a timbrel, which he did beat upon with a stick, making a +noise like a small drum. Whereupon we manned our boats and came to +them, they all staying in their canoes. We came to the water’s +side, where they were, and after we had sworn by the sun after their +fashion they did trust us. So I shook hands with one of them, and he +kissed my hand, and we were very familiar with them. We were in so +great credit with them upon this single acquaintance that we could have +anything they had. We bought five canoes of them; we bought their +clothes from their backs, which were all made of seal skins and +birds’ skins; their buskins, their hose, their gloves, all being +commonly sewed and well dressed, so that we were fully persuaded that they +have divers artificers among them. We had a pair of buskins of them +full of fine wool like beaver. Their apparel for heat was made of +birds’ skins with their feathers on them. We saw among them +leather dressed like glover’s leather, and thick thongs like white +leather of good length. We had of their darts and oars, and found in +them that they would by no means displease us, but would give us whatsoever +we asked of them, and would be satisfied with whatsoever we gave +them. They took great care one of another, for when we had bought +their boats then two other would come, and carry him away between them that +had sold us his. They are a very tractable people, void of craft or +double dealing, and easy to be brought to any civility or good order, but +we judged them to be idolaters, and to worship the sun.</p> +<p>During the time of our abode among these islands we found reasonable +quantity of wood, both fir, spruce, and juniper; which, whether it came +floating any great distance to these places where we found it, or whether +it grew in some great islands near the same place by us not yet discovered, +we know not. But we judge that it groweth there farther into the land +than we were, because the people had great store of darts and oars which +they made none account of, but gave them to us for small trifles as points +and pieces of paper. We saw about this coast marvellous great +abundance of seals sculling together like sculls of small fish. We +found no fresh water among these islands, but only snow-water, whereof we +found great pools. The cliffs were all of such ore as Master +Frobisher brought from Meta Incognita. We had divers shewes of study +or Moscovie glass, shining not altogether unlike to crystal. We found +an herb growing upon the rocks whose fruit was sweet, full of red juice, +and the ripe ones were like currants. We found also birch and willow +growing like shrubs low to the ground. These people have great store +of furs as we judged. They made shows unto us the 30th of this +present, which was the second time of our being with them, after they +perceived we would have skins and furs, that they would go into the country +and come again the next day with such things as they had; but this night +the wind coming fair the captain and the master would by no means detract +the purpose our discovery. And so the last of this month, about four +of the clock in the morning, in God’s name we set sail, and were all +that day becalmed upon the coast.</p> +<p>The 1st of August we had a fair wind, and so proceeded towards the +north-west for our discovery.</p> +<p>The 6th of August we discovered land in 66 degrees 40 minutes of +latitude altogether void from the pester of ice; we anchored in a very fair +road, under a very brave mount, the cliffs whereof were as orient as +gold. This mount was named Mount Raleigh; the road where our ships +lay at anchor was called Totnes Road; the sound which did compass the mount +was named Exeter Sound; the foreland towards the north was called +Dier’s Cape; the foreland towards the south was named Cape +Walsingham. So soon as we were come to an anchor in Totnes Road under +Mount Raleigh we espied four white bears at the foot of the mount. +We, supposing them to be goats or wolves, manned our boats and went towards +them, but when we came near the shore we found them to be white bears of a +monstrous bigness; we, being desirous of fresh victual and the sport, began +to assault them, and I being on land, one of them came down the hill right +against me. My piece was charged with hail-shot and a bullet; I +discharged my piece and shot him in the neck; he roared a little, and took +the water straight, making small account of his hurt. Then we +followed him with our boat, and killed him with boars’ spears, and +two more that night. We found nothing in their maws, but we judged by +their dung that they fed upon grass, because it appeared in all respects +like the dung of a horse, wherein we might very plainly see the very +straws.</p> +<p>The 7th we went on shore to another bear, which lay all night upon the +top of an island under Mount Raleigh, and when we came up to him he lay +fast asleep. I levelled at his head, and the stone of my piece gave +no fire; with that he looked up and laid down his head again; then I shot, +being charged with two bullets, and struck him in the head; he, being but +amazed, fell backwards, whereupon we ran all upon him with boar spears and +thrust him in the body, yet for all that he gripped away our boar spears +and went towards the water, and as he was going down he came back +again. Then our master shot his boar spear and struck him in the +head, and made him to take the water, and swim into a cove fast by, where +we killed him and brought him aboard. The breadth of his fore foot +from one side to the other was fourteen inches over. They were very +fat, so as we were constrained to cast the fat away. We saw a raven +upon Mount Raleigh. We found withies, also, growing low like shrubs, +and flowers like primroses in the said place. The coast is very +mountainous, altogether without wood, grass, or earth, and is only huge +mountains of stone, but the bravest stone that ever we saw. The air +was very moderate in this country.</p> +<p>The 8th we departed from Mount Raleigh, coasting along the shore which +lieth south-south-west and east-north-east.</p> +<p>The 9th our men fell in dislike of their allowance because it was so +small as they thought. Whereupon we made a new proportion, every +mess, being five to a mess, should have four pound of bread a day, twelve +wine quarts of beer, six new land fishes, and the flesh days a gin of pease +more; so we restrained them from their butter and cheese.</p> +<p>The 11th we came to the most southerly cape of this land, which we named +the Cape of God’s Mercy, as being the place of our first entrance for +the discovery. The weather being very foggy we coasted this north +land; at length when it brake up we perceived that we were shot into a very +fair entrance or passage, being in some places twenty leagues broad and in +some thirty, altogether void of any pester of ice, the weather very +tolerable, and the water of the very colour, nature, and quality of the +main ocean, which gave us the greater hope of our passage. Having +sailed north-west sixty leagues in this entrance, we discovered certain +islands standing in the midst thereof, having open passages on both +sides. Whereupon our ships divided themselves, the one sailing on the +north side, the other on the south side of the said isles, where we stayed +five days, having the wind at south-east, very foggy, and foul weather.</p> +<p>The 14th we went on shore and found signs of people, for we found stones +laid up together like a wall, and saw the skull of a man or a woman.</p> +<p>The 15th we heard dogs howl on the shore, which we thought had been +wolves, and therefore we went on shore to kill them. When we came on +land the dogs came presently to our boat very gently, yet we thought they +came to prey upon us, and therefore we shot at them and killed two, and +about the neck of one of them we found a leathern collar, whereupon we +thought them to be tame dogs. There were twenty dogs like mastiffs, +with pricked ears and long bushed tails; we found a bone in the pizels of +their dogs. Then we went farther and found two sleds made like ours +in England. The one was made of fir, spruce, and oaken boards, sawn +like inch boards; the other was made all of whalebone, and there hung on +the tops of the sleds three heads of beasts which they had killed. We +saw here larks, ravens, and partridges.</p> +<p>The 17th we went on shore, and in a little thing made like an oven with +stones I found many small trifles, as a small canoe made of wood, a piece +of wood made like an image, a bird made of bone, beads having small holes +in one end of them to hang about their necks, and other small things. +The coast was very barbarous, without wood or grass. The rocks were +very fair, like marble, full of veins of divers colours. We found a +seal which was killed not long before, being flayed and hid under +stones.</p> +<p>Our captain and master searched still for probabilities of the passage, +and first found that this place was all islands with great sounds passing +between them.</p> +<p>Secondly, the water remained of one colour with the main ocean without +altering.</p> +<p>Thirdly, we saw to the west of those isles three or four whales in a +scull, which they judged to come from a westerly sea, because to the +eastward we saw not any whale.</p> +<p>Also, as we were rowing into a very great sound lying south-west from +whence these whales came, upon the sudden there came a violent countercheck +of a tide from the south-west against the flood which we came with, not +knowing from whence it was maintained.</p> +<p>Fifthly, in sailing 20 leagues within the mouth of this entrance we had +sounding in 90 fathoms, fair, grey, oozy sand, and the farther we run into +the westwards the deeper was the water, so that hard aboard the shore among +these isles we could not have ground in 330 fathoms.</p> +<p>Lastly, it did ebb and flow six or seven fathom up and down, the flood +coming from divers parts, so as we could not perceive the chief maintenance +thereof.</p> +<p>The 18th and 19th our captain and master determined what was best to do, +both for the safe guard of their credits and satisfy of the adventurers, +and resolved if the weather brake up to make further search.</p> +<p>The 20th, the wind came directly against us, so they altered their +purpose, and reasoned both for proceeding and returning.</p> +<p>The 21st, the wind being north-west, we departed from these islands, and +as we coasted the south shore we saw many fair sounds, whereby we were +persuaded that it was no firm land but islands.</p> +<p>The 23rd of this month the wind came south-east, very stormy and foul +weather. So we were constrained to seek harbour upon the south coast +of this entrance, where we fell into a very fair sound, and anchored in 25 +fathoms of green, oozy sand, where we went on shore, where we had manifest +signs of people, where they had made their fire, and laid stones like a +wall. In this place we saw four very fair falcons, and Master Bruton +took from one of them his prey, which we judged by the wings and legs to be +a snipe, for the head was eaten off.</p> +<p>The 24th, in the afternoon, the wind coming somewhat fair, we departed +from this road, purposing by God’s grace to return for England.</p> +<p>The 26th we departed from sight of the north land of this entrance, +directing our course homewards, until the 10th of the next month.</p> +<p>The 10th September we fell with the Land of Desolation, thinking to go +on shore, but we could get never a good harbour. That night we put to +sea again thinking to search it the next day; but this night arose a very +great storm, and separated our ships so that we lost the sight of the +<i>Moonshine</i>.</p> +<p>The 13th about noon (having tried all the night before with a goose +wing) we set sail, and within two hours after we had sight of the +<i>Moonshine</i> again. This day we departed from this land.</p> +<p>The 27th of this month we fell with sight of England. This night +we had a marvellous storm, and lost the <i>Moonshine</i>.</p> +<p>The 30th September we came into Dartmouth, where we found the +<i>Moonshine</i>, being come in not two hours before.</p> +<h2>THE SECOND VOYAGE ATTEMPTED BY MASTER JOHN DAVIS,</h2> +<p><i>With others</i>, <i>for the discovery of the North-West Passage</i>, +<i>in Anno</i> 1586.</p> +<p>The 7th day of May I departed from the port of Dartmouth for the +discovery of the North-West Passage with a ship of a 120 tons, named the +<i>Mermaid</i>; a barque of 60 tons, named the <i>Sunshine</i>; a barque of +35 tons named the <i>Moonlight</i>; and a pinnace of 10 tons named the +<i>North Star</i>.</p> +<p>And the 15th June I discovered land, in the latitude of 60 degrees, and +in longitude from the meridian of London westward 47 degrees, mightily +pestered with ice and snow, so that there was no hope of landing; the ice +lay in some places 10 leagues, in some 20, and in some 50 leagues off the +shore, so that we were constrained to bear into 57 degrees to double the +same, and to recover a free sea, which through God’s favourable mercy +we at length obtained.</p> +<p>The nine-and-twentieth day of June, after many tempestuous storms, we +again discovered land in longitude from the meridian of London 58 degrees +30 minutes, and in latitude 64 being east from us, into which course, since +it pleased God by contrary winds to force us, I thought it very necessary +to bear in with it, and there to set up our pinnace, provided in the +<i>Mermaid</i> to be our scout for this discovery, and so much the rather, +because the year before I had been in the same place and found it very +convenient for such a purpose, well stored with float wood, and possessed +by a people of tractable conversation; so that the nine-and-twentieth of +this month we arrived within the isles which lay before this land, lying +north-north-west and south-south-east we know not how far. This land +is very high and mountainous, having before it on the west side a mighty +company of isles full of fair sounds and harbours. This land was very +little troubled with snow, and the sea altogether void of ice.</p> +<p>The ships being within the sounds we sent our boats to search for +shallow water, where we might anchor, which in this place is very hard to +find; and as the boat went sounding and searching, the people of the +country having espied them, came in their canoes towards them with many +shouts and cries; but after they had espied in the boat some of our company +that were the year before here with us, they presently rowed to the boat +and took hold in the oar, and hung about the boat with such comfortable joy +as would require a long discourse to be uttered; they came with the boats +to our ships, making signs that they knew all those that the year before +had been with them. After I perceived their joy and small fear of us, +myself with the merchants and others of the company went ashore, bearing +with me twenty knives. I had no sooner landed, but they leapt out of +their canoes and came running to me and the rest, and embraced us with many +signs of hearty welcome. At this present there were eighteen of them, +and to each of them I gave a knife; they offered skins to me for reward, +but I made signs that it was not sold, but given them of courtesy, and so +dismissed them for that time, with signs that they should return again +after certain hours.</p> +<p>The next day, with all possible speed, the pinnace was landed upon an +isle there to be finished to serve our purpose for the discovery, which +isle was so convenient for that purpose, as that we were very well able to +defend ourselves against many enemies. During the time that the +pinnace was there setting up, the people came continually unto us, +sometimes a hundred canoes at a time, sometimes forty, fifty, more and less +as occasion served. They brought with them seal skins, stags’ +skins, white hares, seal fish, salmon peel, small cod, dry caplin, with +other fish and birds such as the country did yield.</p> +<p>Myself, still desirous to have a farther search of this place, sent one +of the ship boats to one part of the land, and myself went to another part +to search for the habitation of this people, with straight commandment that +there should be no injury offered to any of the people, neither any one +shot.</p> +<p>The boats that went from me found the tents of the people made with seal +skins set up upon timber, wherein they found great store of dried caplin, +being a little fish no bigger than a pilchard. They found bags of +train oil, many little images cut in wood, seal skins in tan tubs with many +other such trifles, whereof they diminished nothing.</p> +<p>They also found ten miles within the snowy mountains a plain champion +country, with earth and grass, such as our moory and waste grounds of +England are. They went up into a river (which in the narrowest place +is two leagues broad) about ten leagues, finding it still to continue they +knew not how far; but I with my company took another river, which although +at the first it offered a large inlet, yet it proved but a deep bay, the +end whereof in four hours I attained, and there leaving the boat well +manned, went with the rest of my company three or four miles into the +country, but found nothing, nor saw anything, save only gripes, ravens, and +small birds, as lark and linnet.</p> +<p>The 3rd of July I manned my boat, and went with fifty canoes attending +upon me up into another sound, where the people by signs willed me to go, +hoping to find their habitation; at length they made signs that I should go +into a warm place to sleep, at which place I went on shore, and ascended +the top of high hill to see into the country, but perceiving my labour +vain, I returned again to my boat, the people still following me and my +company very diligent to attend us, and to help us up the rocks, and +likewise down; at length I was desirous to have our men leap with them, +which was done, but our men did overleap them; from leaping they went to +wrestling; we found them strong and nimble, and to have skill in wrestling, +for they cast some of our men that were good wrestlers. The 4th of +July we launched our pinnace, and had forty of the people to help us, which +they did very willingly. At this time our men again wrestled with +them, and found them as before, strong and skilful. This 4th of July, +the master of the <i>Mermaid</i> went to certain islands to store himself +with wood, where he found a grave with divers buried in it, only covered +with seal skins, having a cross laid over them. The people are of +good stature, well in body proportioned, with small, slender hands and +feet, with broad visages, and small eyes, wide mouths, the most part +unbearded, great lips, and close toothed. Their custom is, as often +as they go from us, still at their return, to make a new truce, in this +sort: holding his hand up to the sun, with a loud voice crieth +“Ylyaoute,” and striketh his breast, with like signs being +promised safety, he giveth credit. These people are much given to +bleed, and therefore stop their noses with deer hair or the hair of an +elan. They are idolaters, and have images great store, which they +wear about them, and in their boats, which we suppose they worship. +They are witches, and have many kinds of enchantments, which they often +used, but to small purpose, thanks be to God.</p> +<p>Being among them at shore, the 4th of July, one of them, making a long +oration, began to kindle a fire, in this manner: he took a piece of a +board, wherein was a hole half through; unto that hole he puts the end of a +round stick, like unto a bed staff, wetting the end thereof in train, and +in fashion of a turner, with a piece of leather, by his violent motion doth +very speedily produce fire; which done, with turfs he made a fire, into +which, with many words and strange gestures, he put divers things which we +suppose to be a sacrifice. Myself and divers of my company standing +by, they were desirous to have me go into the smoke; I willed them likewise +to stand in the smoke, in which they by no means would do. I then +took one of them, and thrust him into the smoke, and willed one of my +company to tread out the fire, and to spurn it into the sea, which was done +to show them that we did contemn their sorcery. These people are very +simple in all their conversation, but marvellous thievish, especially for +iron, which they have in great account. They began through our lenity +to show their vile nature; they began to cut our cables; they cut away the +<i>Moonlight’s</i> boat from her stern; they cut our cloth where it +lay to air, though we did carefully look unto it, they stole our oars, a +calliver, a boat’s spear, a sword, with divers other things, whereat +the company and masters being grieved, for our better security desired me +to dissolve this new friendship, and to leave the company of these thievish +miscreants; whereupon there was a calliver shot among them, and immediately +upon the same a falcon, which strange noise did sore amaze them, so that +with speed they departed; notwithstanding, their simplicity is such, that +within ten hours after they came again to us to entreat peace; which, being +promised, we again fell into a great league. They brought us seal +skins and salmon peel, but, seeing iron, they could in nowise forbear +stealing; which, when I perceived it, did but minister unto me an occasion +of laughter to see their simplicity, and willed that in no case they should +be any more hardly used, but that our own company should be the more +vigilant to keep their things, supposing it to be very hard in so short +time to make them know their evils. They eat all their meat raw, they +live most upon fish, they drink salt water, and eat grass and ice with +delight; they are never out of the water, but live in the nature of fishes, +but only when dead sleep taketh them, and then under a warm rock, laying +his boat upon the land, he lieth down to sleep. Their weapons are all +darts, but some of them have bow and arrows and slings. They make +nets to take their fish of the fin of a whale; they do all their things +very artfully, and it should seem that these simple, thievish islanders +have war with those of the main, for many of them are sore wounded, which +wounds they received upon the main land, as by signs they gave us to +understand. We had among them copper ore, black copper, and red +copper; they pronounce their language very hollow, and deep in the throat; +these words following we learned from them:—</p> +<table> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Kesinyoh, eat some.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Mysacoah, wash it.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Madlycoyte, music.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Lethicksaneg, a seal-skin.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Aginyoh, go, fetch.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Canyglow, kiss me.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Yliaoute, I mean no harm.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Ugnera, my son.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Ponameg, a boat.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Acu, shot.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Conah, leap.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Aba, fallen down.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Maatuke, fish.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Icune, come hither.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Sambah, below.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Awennye, yonder.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Maconmeg, will you have this?</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Nugo, no.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Cocah, go to him.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Tucktodo, a fog.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Paaotyck, an oar.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Lechiksah, a skin.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Asanock, a dart.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Maccoah, a dart.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Sawygmeg, a knife.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Sugnacoon, a coat.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Uderah, a nose.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Gounah, come down.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Aoh, iron.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Sasobneg, a bracelet.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Blete, an eye.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Ugnake, a tongue.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Unvicke, give it.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Ataneg, a meal.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Tuckloak, a stag or elan.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Macuah, a beard.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Panygmah, a needle.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Pignagogah, a thread.</p> +</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> +<p>Aob, the sea.</p> +</td> +<td> +<p>Quoysah, give it to me.</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p>The 7th of July, being very desirous to search the habitation of this +country, I went myself with our new pinnace into the body of the land, +thinking it to be a firm continent, and passing up a very large river a +great flaw of wind took me, whereby we were constrained to seek succour for +that night, which being had, I landed with the most part of my company, and +went to the top of a high mountain, hoping from thence to see into the +country; but the mountains were so many and so mighty as that my purpose +prevailed not, whereupon I again returned to my pinnace, and willing divers +of my company to gather mussels for my supper, whereof in this place there +was great store, myself having espied a very strange sight, especially to +me, that never before saw the like, which was a mighty whirlwind, taking up +the water in very great quantity, furiously mounting it into the air, which +whirlwind was not for a puff or blast, but continual for the space of three +hours, with very little intermission, which since it was in the course that +I should pass, we were constrained that night to take up our lodging under +the rocks.</p> +<p>The next morning, the storm being broken up, we went forward in our +attempt, and sailed into a mighty great river, directly into the body of +the land, and in brief found it to be no firm land, but huge, waste, and +desert isles with mighty sounds and inlets passing between sea and +sea. Whereupon we returned towards our ships, and landing to stop a +flood, we found the burial of these miscreants; we found of their fish in +bags, plaices, and caplin dried, of which we took only one bag and +departed. The 9th of this month we came to our ships, where we found +the people desirous in their fashion of friendship and barter: our mariners +complained heavily against the people, and said that my lenity and friendly +using of them gave them stomach to mischief, for “they have stolen an +anchor from us. They have cut our cable very dangerously, they have +cut our boats from our stern, and now, since your departure, with slings +they spare us not with stones of half a pound weight. And will you +still endure these injuries? It is a shame to bear them.” +I desired them to be content, and said I doubted not but all should be +well. The 10th of this month I went to the shore, the people +following me in their canoes; I tolled them on shore, and used them with +much courtesy, and then departed aboard, they following me and my +company. I gave some of them bracelets, and caused seven or eight of +them to come aboard, which they did willingly; and some of them went into +the top of our ship, and thus courteously using them I let them +depart. The sun was no sooner down but they began to practise their +devilish nature, and with slings threw stones very fiercely into the +<i>Moonlight</i> and struck one of her men, the boatswain, that he +overthrew withal: whereat being moved, I changed my courtesy and grew to +hatred; myself in my own boat well manned with shot, and the barques boat +likewise pursued them, and gave them divers shot, but to small purpose, by +reason of their swift rowing; so small content we returned.</p> +<p>The 11th of this month there came five of them to make a new truce; the +master of the <i>Admiral</i> came to me to show me of their coming, and +desired to have them taken and kept as prisoners until we had his anchor +again; but when he saw that the chief ring-leader and master of mischief +was one of the five, then was vehement to execute his purpose, so it was +determined to take him; he came crying “Yliaout,” and striking +his breast offered a pair of gloves to sell; the master offered him a knife +for them: so two of them came to us; the one was not touched, but the other +was soon captive among us; then we pointed to him and his fellows for our +anchor, which being had we made signs that he should he set at liberty +within one hour that he came aboard; the wind came fair, whereupon we +weighed and set sail, and so brought the fellow with us. One of his +fellows still following our ship close aboard, talked with him, and made a +kind of lamentation, we still using him well, with “Yliaout,” +which was the common course of courtesy. At length this fellow aboard +us spoke four or five words unto the other and clapped his two hands upon +his face, whereupon the other doing the like, departed, as we supposed, +with heavy cheer. We judged the covering of his face with his hands, +and bowing of his body down, signified his death. At length he became +a pleasant companion among us. I gave him a new suit of frieze after +the English fashion, because I saw he could not endure the cold, of which +he was very joyful; he trimmed up his darts, and all his fishing tools, and +would make oakum, and set his hand to a rope’s end upon +occasion. He lived with the dry caplin that I took when I was +searching in the pinnace, and did eat dry new land fish.</p> +<p>All this while, God be thanked, our people were in very good health, +only one young man excepted, who died at sea the 14th of this month, and +the 15th, according to the order of the sea, with praise given to God by +service, was cast overboard.</p> +<p>The 17th of this month, being in the latitude of 63 degrees 8 minutes, +we fell upon a most mighty and strange quantity of ice, in one entire mass, +so big as that we knew not the limits thereof, and being withal so very +high, in form of a land, with bays and capes, and like high cliff land as +that we supposed it to be land, and therefore sent our pinnace off to +discover it; but at her return we were certainly informed that it was only +ice, which bred great admiration to us all, considering the huge quantity +thereof incredible to be reported in truth as it was, and therefore I omit +to speak any further thereof. This only, I think that the like before +was never seen, and in this place we had very stickle and strong +currents.</p> +<p>We coasted this mighty mass of ice until the 30th of July, finding it a +mighty bar to our purpose: the air in this time was so contagious, and the +sea so pestered with ice, as that all hope was banished of proceeding; for +the 24th of July all our shrouds, ropes, and sails were so frozen, and +encompassed with ice, only by a gross fog, as seemed to be more than +strange, since the last year I found this sea free and navigable, without +impediments.</p> +<p>Our men through this extremity began to grow sick and feeble, and withal +hopeless of good success; whereupon, very orderly, with good discretion +they entreated me to regard the state of this business, and withal advised +me that in conscience I ought to regard the safety of mine own life with +the preservation of theirs, and that I should not, through my overboldness, +leave their widows and fatherless children to give me bitter curses. +This matter in conscience did greatly move me to regard their estates, yet +considering the excellency of the business, if it might be obtained, the +great hope of certainty by the last year’s discovery, and that there +was yet a third way not put in practice, I thought it would grow to my +disgrace if this action by my negligence should grow into discredit: +whereupon seeking help from God, the fountain of all mercies, it pleased +His Divine Majesty to move my heart to prosecute that which I hope shall be +to His glory, and to the contentation of every Christian mind. +Whereupon, falling into consideration that the <i>Mermaid</i>, albeit a +very strong and sufficient ship, yet by reason of her burden not so +convenient and nimble as a smaller barque, especially in such desperate +hazards; further, having in account how great charge to the adventurers, +being at 100 livres the month, and that in doubtful service, all the +premises considered, with divers other things, I determined to furnish the +<i>Moonlight</i> with revictualing and sufficient men, and to proceed in +this action as God should direct me; whereupon I altered our course from +the ice, and bore east-south-east to the cover of the next shore, where +this thing might be performed; so with favourable wind it pleased God that +the 1st of August we discovered the land in latitude 66 degrees 33 minutes, +and in longitude from the meridian of London 70 degrees, void of trouble, +without snow or ice.</p> +<p>The 2nd of August we harboured ourselves in a very excellent good road, +where with all speed we graved the <i>Moonlight</i>, and revictualled her; +we searched this country with our pinnace while the barque was trimming, +which William Eston did: he found all this land to be only islands, with a +sea on the east, a sea on the west, and a sea on the north. In this +place we found it very hot, and we were very much troubled with a fly which +is called mosquito, for they did sting grievously. The people of this +place at our first coming in caught a seal, and, with bladders fast tied to +him sent him in to us with the flood, so as he came right with our ships, +which we took as a friendly present from them.</p> +<p>The 5th of August I went with the two masters and others to the top of a +hill, and by the way William Eston espied three canoes lying under a rock, +and went unto them: there were in them skins, darts, with divers +superstitious toys, whereof we diminished no thing, but left upon every +boat a silk point, a bullet of lead, and a pin. The next day, being +the 6th of August, the people came unto us without fear, and did barter +with us for skins, as the other people did: they differ not from the other, +neither in their canoes nor apparel, yet is their pronunciation more plain +than the others, and nothing hollow in the throat. Our miscreant +aboard of us kept himself close, and made show that he would fain have +another companion. Thus being provided, I departed from this land the +12th of August at six of the clock in the morning, where I left the +<i>Mermaid</i> at anchor; the 14th sailing west about 50 leagues we +discovered land, being in latitude 66 degrees 19 minutes: this land is 70 +leagues from the other from whence we came. This 14th day, from nine +o’clock at night till three o’clock in the morning, we anchored +by an island of ice 12 leagues off the shore, being moored to the ice.</p> +<p>The 15th day, at three o’clock in the morning, we departed from +this land to the south, and the 18th of August we discovered land +north-west from us in the morning, being a very fair promontory, in +latitude 65 degrees, having no land on the south. Here we had great +hope of a through passage.</p> +<p>This day, at three o’clock in the afternoon, we again discovered +land south-west and by south from us, where at night we were +becalmed. The 19th of this month at noon, by observation, we were in +64 degrees 20 minutes. From the 18th day at noon until the 19th at +noon, by precise ordinary care, we had sailed fifteen leagues south and by +west, yet by art and more exact observation we found our course to be +south-west, so that we plainly perceived a great current striking to the +west.</p> +<p>This land is nothing in sight but isles, which increaseth our +hope. This 19th of August, at six o’clock in the afternoon, it +began to snow, and so continued all night, with foul weather and much wind, +so that we were constrained to lie at hull all night, five leagues off the +shore: in the morning, being the 20th of August, the fog and storm breaking +up, we bore in with the land, and at nine o’clock in the morning we +anchored in a very fair and safe road and locket for all weathers. At +ten o’clock I went on shore to the top of a very high hill, where I +perceived that this land was islands; at four o’clock in the +afternoon we weighed anchor, having a fair north-north-east wind, with very +fair weather; at six o’clock we were clear without the land, and so +shaped our course to the south, to discover the coast whereby the passage +may be through God’s mercy found.</p> +<p>We coasted this land till the 28th day of August, finding it still to +continue towards the south, from the latitude of 67 to 57 degrees; we found +marvellous great store of birds, gulls and mews, incredible to be reported, +whereupon being calm weather we lay one glass upon the lee to prove for +fish, in which space we caught one hundred of cod, although we were but +badly provided for fishing, not being our purpose. This 28th, having +great distrust of the weather, we arrived in a very fair harbour in the +latitude of 56 degrees, and sailed ten leagues in the same, being two +leagues broad, with very fair woods on both sides; in this place we +continued until the 1st of September, in which time we had two very great +storms. I landed, and went six miles by guess into the country, and +found that the woods were fir, pine-apple, alder, yew, withy, and birch; +here we saw a black bear; this place yieldeth great store of birds, as +pheasant, partridge, Barbary hens, or the like, wild geese, ducks, +blackbirds, jays, thrushes, with other kinds of small birds. Of the +partridge and pheasant we killed great store with bow and arrows in this +place; at the harbour-mouth we found great store of cod.</p> +<p>The 1st of September at ten o’clock we set sail, and coasted the +shore with very fair weather. The third day being calm, at noon we +struck sail, and let fall a cadge anchor to prove whether we could take any +fish, being in latitude 54 degrees 30 minutes, in which place we found +great abundance of cod, so that the hook was no sooner overboard but +presently a fish was taken. It was the largest and best refet fish +that ever I saw, and divers fishermen that were with me said that they +never saw a more suaule, or better skull of fish in their lives, yet had +they seen great abundance.</p> +<p>The 4th of September, at 5 o’clock in the afternoon, we anchored +in a very good road among great store of isles, the country low land, +pleasant, and very full of fair woods. To the north of this place +eight leagues we had a perfect hope of the passage, finding a mighty great +sea passing between two lands west. The south land to our judgment +being nothing but isles, we greatly desired to go into this sea, but the +wind was directly against us. We anchored in four fathom fine +sand.</p> +<p>In this place is fowl and fish mighty store.</p> +<p>The 6th of September, having a fair north-north-west wind, having +trimmed our barque, we purposed to depart, and sent five of our sailors, +young men, ashore to an island to fetch certain fish which we purposed to +weather, and therefore left it all night covered upon the isle; the brutish +people of this country lay secretly lurking in the wood, and upon the +sudden assaulted our men, which when we perceived, we presently let slip +our cables upon the halse, and under our foresail bore into the shore, and +with all expedition discharged a double musket upon them twice, at the +noise whereof they fled; notwithstanding, to our very great grief, two of +our men were slain with their arrows, and two grievously wounded, of whom, +at this present, we stand in very great doubt; only one escaped by +swimming, with an arrow shot through his arm. These wicked miscreants +never offered parley or speech, but presently executed their cursed +fury. This present evening it pleased God farther to increase our +sorrows with a mighty tempestuous storm, the wind being north-north-east, +which lasted unto the 10th of this month very extreme. We unrigged +our ship, and purposed to cut-down our masts; the cable of our shut anchor +broke, so that we only expected to be driven on shore amongst these +cannibals for their prey. Yet in this deep distress the mighty mercy +of God, when hope was past, gave us succour, and sent us a fair lee, so as +we recovered our anchor again, and new-moored our ship; where we saw that +God manifestly delivered us, for the strains of one of our cables were +broken; we only rode by an old junk. Thus being freshly moored, a new +storm arose, the wind being west-north-west, very forcible, which lasted +unto the 10th day at night.</p> +<p>The 11th day, with a fair west-north-west wind, we departed with trust +in God’s mercy, shaping our course for England, and arrived in the +West Country in the beginning of October.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p><i>Master Davis being arrived</i>, <i>wrote his letter to Master William +Sanderson of London</i>, <i>concerning his voyage</i>, <i>as +followeth</i>.</p> +<blockquote> +<p>Sir,—The <i>Sunshine</i> came into Dartmouth the 4th of this +month: she hath been at Iceland, and from thence to Greenland, and so to +Estotiland, from thence to Desolation, and to our merchants, where she made +trade with the people, staying in the country twenty days. They have +brought home 500 seal-skins, and 140 half skins and pieces of skins. +I stand in great doubt of the pinnace; God be merciful unto the poor men +and preserve them if it be His blessed will.</p> +<p>I have now full experience of much of the north-west part of the world, +and have brought the passage to that certainty, as that I am sure it must +be in one of four places, or else not at all. And further, I can +assure you upon the peril of my life, that this voyage may be performed +without further charge, nay, with certain profit to the adventurers, if I +may have but your favour in the action. Surely it shall cost me all +my hope of welfare and my portion of Sandridge, but I will, by God’s +mercy, see an end of these businesses. I hope I shall find favour +with you to see your card. I pray God it be so true as the card shall +be which I will bring to you, and I hope in God that your skill in +navigation shall be gainful unto you, although at the first it hath not +proved so. And thus with my most humble commendations I commit you to +God, desiring no longer to live than I shall be yours most faithfully to +command. From this 14th of October, 1586.</p> +<p>Yours with my heart, body and life to command,</p> +<p style="text-align: right"><span class="smcap">John Davis</span>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p><i>The relation of the course which the</i> +“<i>Sunshine</i>,” <i>a barque of fifty tons</i>, <i>and +the</i> “<i>North Star</i>,” <i>a small pinnace</i>, <i>being +two vessels of the fleet of Master John Davis</i>, <i>held after he had +sent them from him to discover the passage between Greenland and +Iceland</i>. <i>Written by Henry Morgan</i>, <i>servant to Master +William Sanderson of London</i>.</p> +<p>The 7th day of May, 1586, we departed out of Dartmouth Haven four sails, +to wit, the <i>Mermaid</i>, the <i>Sunshine</i>, the <i>Moonshine</i>, and +the <i>North Star</i>. In the <i>Sunshine</i> were sixteen men, whose +names were these: Richard Pope, master; Mark Carter, master’s mate; +Henry Morgan, purser; George Draward, John Mandie, Hugh Broken, Philip +Jane, Hugh Hempson, Richard Borden, John Filpe, Andrew Madocke, William +Wolcome, Robert Wagge, carpenter, John Bruskome, William Ashe, Simon +Ellis.</p> +<p>Our course was west-north-west the 7th and 8th days; and the ninth day +in the morning we were on head of the Tarrose of Scilly. Thus +coasting along the south part of Ireland, the 11th day we were on the head +of the Dorses, and our course was south-south-west until six of the clock +the 12th day. The 13th day our course was north-west. We +remained in the company of the <i>Mermaid</i> and the <i>Moonshine</i> +until we came to the latitude of 60 degrees, and there it seemed best to +our general, Master Davis, to divide his fleet, himself sailing to the +north-west, and to direct the <i>Sunshine</i>, wherein I was, and the +pinnace called the <i>North Star</i>, to seek a passage northward between +Greenland and Iceland to the latitude of 80 degrees, if land did not let +us. So the 7th day of June we departed from them, and the 9th of the +same we came to a firm land of ice, which we coasted along the 9th, the +10th, and the 11th days of June; and the 11th day at six of the clock at +night we saw land, which was very high, which afterwards we knew to be +Iceland, and the 12th day we harboured there, and found many people; the +land lieth east and by north in 66 degrees.</p> +<p>Their commodities were green fish and Iceland lings and stock fish, and +a fish which is called catfish, of all which they had great store. +They had also kine, sheep, and horses, and hay for their cattle and for +their horses. We saw also of their dogs. Their dwelling-houses +were made on both sides with stones, and wood laid across over them, which +was covered over with turfs of earth, and they are flat on the tops, and +many of these stood hard by the shore. Their boats were made with +wood, and iron all along the keel like our English boats; and they had +nails for to nail them withal, and fish-hooks, and other things for to +catch fish as we have here in England. They had also brazen kettles, +and girdles and purses made of leather, and knops on them of copper, and +hatchets, and other small tools as necessary as we have. They dry +their fish in the sun; and when they are dry they pack them up in the top +of their houses. If we would go thither to fishing more than we do, +we should make it a very good voyage, for we got a hundred green fishes in +one morning. We found here two Englishmen with a ship, which came out +of England about Easter Day of this present year, 1586; and one of them +came aboard of us and brought us two lambs. The Englishman’s +name was Master John Royden, of Ipswich, merchant; he was bound for London +with his ship. And this is the sum of that which I observed in +Iceland. We departed from Iceland the 16th day of June, in the +morning, and our course was north-west; and saw on the coast two small +barques going to a harbour; we went not to them, but saw them afar +off. Thus we continued our course unto the end of this month.</p> +<p>The 3rd day of July we were in between two firm lands of ice, and passed +in between them all that day until it was night, and then the master turned +back again, and so away we went towards Greenland. And the 7th day of +July we did see Greenland, and it was very high, and it looked very blue; +but we could not come to harbour in the land because we were hindered by a +firm land, as it were, of ice, which was along the shore’s side; but +we were within three leagues of the land, coasting the same divers days +together. The 17th day of July we saw the place which our captain, +Master John Davis, the year before had named the Land of Desolation, where +we could not go on shore for ice. The 18th day we were likewise +troubled with ice, and went in amongst it at three of the clock in the +morning. After we had cleared ourselves thereof we ranged all along +the coast of Desolation until the end of the aforesaid month.</p> +<p>The 3rd day of August we came in sight of Gilbert’s Sound in the +latitude of 64 degrees 15 minutes, which was the place where we were +appointed to meet our general and the rest of our fleet. Here we came +to a harbour at six of the clock at night.</p> +<p>The 4th day, in the morning, the master went on shore with ten of his +men, and they brought us four of the people rowing in their boats, aboard +of the ship. And in the afternoon I went on shore with six of our +men, and there came to us seven of them when we were on land. We +found on shore three dead people, and two of them had their staves lying by +them, and their old skins wrapped about them, and the other had nothing +lying by, wherefore we thought it was a woman. We also saw their +houses, near the seaside, which were made with pieces of wood on both +sides, and crossed over with poles and then covered over with earth. +We found foxes running upon the hills. As for the place, it is broken +land all the way that we went, and full of broken islands. The 21st +of August the master sent the boat on shore for wood, with six of his men, +and there were one-and-thirty of the people of the country, which went on +shore to them, and they went about to kill them as we thought, for they +shot their darts towards them, and we that were aboard the ship did see +them go on shore to our men, whereupon the master sent the pinnace after +them; and when they saw the pinnace coming towards them they turned back, +and the master of the pinnace did shoot off a culliver to them the same +time, but hurt none of them, for his meaning was only to put them in +fear. Divers times they did wave us on shore to play with them at the +football, and some of our company went on shore to play with them, and our +men did cast them down as soon as they did come to strike the ball. +And thus much of that which we did see and do in that harbour where we +arrived first.</p> +<p>The 23rd day we departed from the merchants where we had been first, and +our course from thence was south and by west, and the wind was north-east, +and we ran that day and night about five or six leagues until we came to +another harbour.</p> +<p>The 24th, about eleven of the clock in the forenoon, we entered into the +aforesaid new harbour, and as we came in we did see dogs running upon the +islands. When we were come in, there came to us four of the people +which were with us before in the other harbour; and where we rowed we had +sandy ground. We saw no wood growing, but found small pieces of wood +upon the islands, and some small pieces of sweet wood among the same. +We found great harts’ horns, but could see none of the stags where we +went, but we found their footings. As for the bones which we received +of the savages, I cannot tell of what beasts they be. The stones that +we found in the country were black, and some white; as I think, they be of +no value; nevertheless I have brought examples of them to you.</p> +<p>The 30th of August we departed from this harbour towards England, and +the wind took us contrary, so that we were fain to go to another harbour +the same day at eleven of the clock. And there came to us thirty-nine +of the people and brought us thirteen seal-skins, and after we received +these skins of them the master sent the carpenter to change one of our +boats which we had bought of them before; and they would have taken the +boat from him perforce, and when they saw they could not take it from us +they shot with their darts at us, and struck one of our men with one of +their darts, and John Filpe shot one of them in the breast with an +arrow. And they came to us again, and four of our men went into the +ship boat, and they shot with their darts at our men; but our men took one +of their people in his boat, into the ship boat, and he hurt one of them +with his knife, but we killed three of them in their boats, two of them +were hurt with arrows in the breast, and he that was aboard our boat was +shot with an arrow, and hurt with a sword, and beaten with staves, whom our +men cast overboard; but the people caught him and carried him on shore upon +their boats, and the other two also, and so departed from us. And +three of them went on shore hard by us where they had their dogs, and those +three came away from their dogs, and presently one of their dogs came +swimming towards us hard aboard the ship, whereupon our master caused the +gunner to shoot off one of the great pieces—towards the people, and +so the dog turned back to land, and within an hour after there came of the +people hard aboard the ship, but they would not come to us as they did +before.</p> +<p>The 31st of August we departed from Gilbert’s Sound for England, +and when we came out of the harbour there came after us seventeen of the +people looking which way we went.</p> +<p>The 2nd of September we lost sight of the land at twelve of the clock at +noon.</p> +<p>The 3rd day at night we lost sight of the <i>North Star</i>, our +pinnace, in a very great storm, and lay a-hull tarrying for them the 4th +day, but could hear no more of them. Thus we shaped our course the +5th day south-south-east, and sailing unto the 27th of the said month, we +came in sight of Cape Clear in Ireland.</p> +<p>The 30th day we entered into our own Channel.</p> +<p>The 2nd of October we had sight of the Isle of Wight.</p> +<p>The 3rd we coasted all along the shore, and the 4th and 5th.</p> +<p>The 6th of the said month of October we came into the River of Thames as +high as Ratcliffe in safety, God be thanked!</p> +<h2>THE THIRD VOYAGE NORTH-WESTWARD, MADE BY JOHN DAVIS,</h2> +<p><i>Gentleman</i>, <i>as chief captain and pilot general for the +discovery of a passage to the Isles of the Molucca</i>, <i>or the coast of +China</i>, <i>in the year</i> 1587. <i>Written by John Janes</i>, +<i>servant to the aforesaid Master William Sanderson</i>.</p> +<p>May.—The 19th of this present month, about midnight, we weighed +our anchors, set sail and departed from Dartmouth with two barques and a +clincher, the one named the <i>Elizabeth</i>, of Dartmouth, the other the +<i>Sunshine</i>, of London, and the clincher called the <i>Ellin</i>, of +London; thus, in God’s name, we set forwards with wind at north-east, +a good fresh gale. About three hours after our departure, the night +being somewhat thick with darkness, we had lost the pinnace. The +captain, imagining that the men had run away with her, willed the master of +the <i>Sunshine</i> to stand to seawards and see if we could descry them, +we bearing in with the shore for Plymouth. At length we descried her, +bore with her, and demanded what the cause was; they answered that the +tiller of their helm was burst, so shaping our course west-south-west, we +went forward, hoping that a hard beginning would make a good ending; yet +some of us were doubtful of it, failing in reckoning that she was a +clincher; nevertheless, we put our trust in God.</p> +<p>The 21st we met with the <i>Red Lion</i> of London, which came from the +coast of Spain, which was afraid that we had been men-of-war; but we hailed +them, and after a little conference we desired the master to carry our +letters for London, directed to my uncle Sanderson, who promised us safe +delivery. And after we had heaved them a lead and a line, whereunto +we had made fast our letters, before they could get them into the ship they +fell into the sea, and so all our labour and theirs also was lost; +notwithstanding, they promised to certify our departure at London, and so +we departed, and the same day we had sight of Scilly. The 22nd the +wind was at north-east by east, with fair weather, and so the 23rd and 24th +the like. The 25th we laid our ships on the lee for the +<i>Sunshine</i>, who was a-rummaging for a leak; they had 500 strokes at +the pump in a watch, with the wind at north-west.</p> +<p>The 26th and 27th we had fair weather, but this 27th the pinnace’s +foremast was blown overboard. The 28th the <i>Elizabeth</i> towed the +pinnace, which was so much bragged of by the owner’s report before we +came out of England, but at sea she was like a cart drawn with oxen. +Sometimes we towed her, because she could not sail for scant wind.</p> +<p>The 31st day our captain asked if the pinnace were staunch. +Peerson answered that she was as sound and staunch as a cup. This +made us something glad when we saw she would brook the sea, and was not +leaky.</p> +<p><i>June</i>.—The first six days we had fair weather; after that +for five days we had fog and rain, the wind being south.</p> +<p>The 12th we had clear weather. The mariners in the <i>Sunshine</i> +and the master could not agree; the mariners would go on their voyage +a-fishing, because the year began to waste; the master would not depart +till he had the company of the <i>Elizabeth</i>, whereupon the master told +our captain that he was afraid his men would shape some contrary course +while he was asleep, and so he should lose us. At length, after much +talk and many threatenings, they were content to bring us to the land which +we looked for daily.</p> +<p>The 13th we had fog and rain.</p> +<p>The 14th day we discovered land at five of the clock in the morning, +being very great and high mountains, the tops of the hills being covered +with snow. Here the wind was variable, sometimes north-east, +east-north-east, and east by north; but we imagined ourselves to be 16 or +17 leagues off from the shore.</p> +<p>The 15th we had reasonably clear weather.</p> +<p>The 16th we came to an anchor about four or five of the clock in the +afternoon. The people came presently to us, after the old manner, +with crying “Il y a oute,” and showed us seal-skins.</p> +<p>The 17th we began to set up the pinnace that Peerson framed at +Dartmouth, with the boards which he brought from London.</p> +<p>The 18th, Peerson and the carpenters of the ships began to set on the +planks.</p> +<p>The 19th, as we went about an island, were found black pumice stones, +and salt kerned on the rocks, very white and glistering. This day, +also, the master of the <i>Sunshine</i> took one of the people, a very +strong, lusty young fellow.</p> +<p>The 20th, about two of the clock in the morning, the savages came to the +island where our pinnace was built ready to be launched, and tore the two +upper strakes and carried them away, only for the love of the iron in the +boards. While they were about this practice, we manned the +<i>Elizabeth’s</i> boat to go ashore to them. Our men, being +either afraid or amazed, were so long before they came to shore, that our +captain willed them to stay, and made the gunner give fire to a saker, and +laid the piece level with the boat, which the savages had turned on the one +side because we could not hurt them with our arrows, and made the boat +their bulwark against the arrows which we shot at them. Our gunner, +having made all things ready, gave fire to the piece, and fearing to hurt +any of the people, and regarding the owner’s profit, thought belike +he would save a saker’s shot, doubting we should have occasion to +fight with men-of-war, and so shot off the saker without a bullet, we +looking still when the savages that were hurt should run away without legs; +at length we could perceive never a man hurt, but all having their legs, +could carry away their bodies. We had no sooner shot off the piece +but the master of the <i>Sunshine</i> manned his boat, and came rowing +towards the island, the very sight of whom made each of them take that he +had gotten, and fly away as fast as they could to another island about two +miles off, where they took the nails out of the timber, and left the wood +on the isle. When we came on shore, and saw how they had spoiled the +boat, after much debating of the matter, we agreed that the +<i>Elizabeth</i> should have her to fish withal; whereupon she was +presently carried aboard and stowed. Now after this trouble, being +resolved to depart with the first wind, there fell out another matter worse +than all the rest, and that was in this manner: John Churchyard, one whom +our captain had appointed as pilot in the pinnace, came to our captain and +Master Bruton, and told them that the good ship which we must all hazard +our lives in had three hundred strokes at one time as she rode in the +harbour. This disquieted us all greatly, and many doubted to go in +her. At length our captain, by whom we were all to be governed, +determined rather to end his life with credit than to return with infamy +and disgrace; and so, being all agreed, we purposed to live and die +together, and committed ourselves to the ship.</p> +<p>Now the 21st, having brought all our things aboard, about eleven or +twelve of the clock at night we set sail and departed from those isles, +which lie in 64 degrees of latitude, our ships being now all at sea, and we +shaping our course to go coasting the land to the northwards, upon the +eastern shore, which we called the shore of our merchants, because there we +met with people which traffic with us; but here we were not without doubt +of our ship.</p> +<p>The 22nd and 23rd we had close fog and rain.</p> +<p>The 24th, being in 67 degrees and 40 minutes, we had great store of +whales, and a kind of sea-birds which the mariners call cortinous. +This day, about six of the clock at night, we espied two of the country +people at sea, thinking at the first they had been two great seals, until +we saw their oars, glistering with the sun. They came rowing towards +us as fast as they could, and when they came within hearing they held up +their oars and cried “Il y a oute,” making many signs, and at +last they came to us, giving us birds for bracelets, and of them I had a +dart with a bone in it, or a piece of unicorn’s horn, as I did +judge. This dart he made store of, but when he saw a knife he let it +go, being more desirous of the knife than of his dart. These people +continued rowing after our ship the space of three hours.</p> +<p>The 25th, in the morning, at seven of the clock, we descried thirty +savages rowing after us, being by judgment ten leagues off from the +shore. They brought us salmon peels, birds, and caplin, and we gave +them pins, needles, bracelets, nails, knives, bells, looking-glasses, and +other small trifles; and for a knife, a nail, or a bracelet, which they +call ponigmah, they would sell their boat, coats, or anything they had, +although they were far from the shore. We had but few skins of them, +about twenty; but they made signs to us that if we would go to the shore, +we should have more store of chicsanege. They stayed with us till +eleven of the clock, at which time we went to prayer, and they departed +from us.</p> +<p>The 26th was cloudy, the wind being at south.</p> +<p>The 27th fair, with the same wind.</p> +<p>The 28th and 29th were foggy, with clouds.</p> +<p>The 30th day we took the height, and found ourselves in 72 degrees and +12 minutes of latitude, both at noon and at night, the sun being five +degrees above the horizon. At midnight the compass set to the +variation of 28 degrees to the westward. Now having coasted the land +which we called London Coast from the 21st of this present till the 30th, +the sea open all to the westwards and northwards, the land on starboard +side east from us, the wind shifted to the north, whereupon we left that +shore, naming the same Hope Sanderson, and shaped our course west, and ran +forty leagues and better without the sight of any land.</p> +<p><i>July</i>.—The 2nd we fell in with a mighty bank of ice west +from us, lying north and south, which bank we would gladly have doubled out +to the northwards, but the wind would not suffer us, so that we were fain +to coast it to the southwards, hoping to double it out that we might have +run so far west till we had found land, or else to have been thoroughly +resolved of our pretended purpose.</p> +<p>The 3rd we fell in with the ice again, and putting off from it we sought +to the northwards, but the wind crossed us.</p> +<p>The 4th was foggy, so was the 5th; also with much wind at north.</p> +<p>The 6th being very clear, we put our barque with oars through a gap in +the ice, seeing the sea free on the west side, as we thought, which falling +out otherwise, caused us to return after we had stayed there between the +ice.</p> +<p>The 7th and the 8th, about midnight, by God’s help we recovered +the open sea, the weather being fair and calm; and so was the 9th.</p> +<p>The 10th we coasted the ice.</p> +<p>The 11th was foggy, but calm.</p> +<p>The 12th we coasted again the ice, having the wind at +west-north-west. The 13th, bearing off from the ice, we determined to +go with the shore, and come to an anchor, and to stay five or six days for +the dissolving of the ice, hoping that the sea from continually beating it, +and the sun with the extreme force of heat, which it had always shining +upon it, would make a quick despatch, that we might have a further search +upon the western shore. Now when we were come to the eastern coast, +the water something deep, and some of our company fearful withal, we durst +not come to an anchor, but bore off into sea again. The poor people, +seeing us go away again, came rowing after us into the sea, the waves being +somewhat lofty. We trucked with them for a few skins and darts, and +gave them beads, nails, needles, and cards, they pointing to the shore as +though they would show us great friendship; but we, little regarding their +courtesy, gave them the gentle farewell, and so departed.</p> +<p>The 14th we had the wind at south. The 15th there was some fault +either in the barque or the set of some current, for we were driven six +points out of our course. The 16th we fell in with the bank of ice, +west from us. The 17th and 18th were foggy. The 19th, at one +o’clock afternoon, we had sight of the land which we called Mount +Raleigh, and at twelve of the clock at night we were athwart the straits +which we discovered the first year. The 20th we traversed in the +mouth of the strait, the wind being at west with fair and clear +weather. The 21st and 22nd we coasted the northern coast of the +straits. The 23rd, having sailed 60 leagues north-west into the +straits at two o’clock afternoon, we anchored among many isles in the +bottom of the gulf, naming the same the Earl of Cumberland’s Isles, +where, riding at anchor, a whale passed by our ship and went west in among +the isles. Here the compass set at 30 degrees westward +variation. The 24th we departed, shaping our course south-east to +recover the sea. The 25th we were becalmed in the bottom of the gulf, +the air being extremely hot. Master Bruton and some of the mariners +went on shore to course dogs, where they found many graves, and trains +spilt on the ground, the dogs being so fat that they were scant able to +run.</p> +<p>The 26th we had a pretty storm, the wind being at south-east. The +27th and 28th were fair. The 29th we were clear out of the straits, +having coasted the south shore, and this day at noon we were in 64 degrees +of latitude. The 30th in the afternoon we coasted a bank of ice which +lay on the shore, and passed by a great bank or inlet which lay between 63 +and 62 degrees of latitude, which we called Lumley’s Inlet. We +had oftentimes, as we sailed along the coast, great roots, the water as it +were whirling and overfalling, as if it were the fall of some great water +through a bridge. The 31st as we sailed by a headland, which we named +Warwick’s Forehand, we fell into one of those overfalls with a fresh +gale of wind, and bearing all our sails, we looking upon an island of ice +between us and the shore, had thought that our barque did make no way, +which caused us to take marks on the shore. At length we perceived +ourselves to go very fast, and the island of ice which we saw before was +carried very forcibly with the set of the current faster than our ship +went. This day and night we passed by a very great gulf, the water +whirling and roaring as it were the meeting of tides.</p> +<p><i>August</i>.—The 1st, having coasted a bank of ice which was +driven out at the mouth of this gulf, we fell in with the southernmost cape +of the gulf, which we named Chidlie’s Cape, which lay in 6 degrees +and 10 minutes of latitude. The 2nd and 3rd were calm and foggy, so +were the 4th, 5th, and 6th. The 7th was fair and calm, so was the +8th, with a little gale in the morning. The 9th was fair, and we had +a little gale at night. The 10th we had a frisking gale at +west-north-west; the 11th fair. The 12th we saw five deer on the top +of an island, called by us Darcie’s Island. And we hoisted out +our boat, and went ashore to them, thinking to have killed some of +them. But when we came on shore and had coursed them twice about the +island they took the sea, and swain towards islands distant from that three +leagues. When we perceived that they had taken the sea, we gave them +over, because our boat was so small that it could not carry us and row +after them, they swam so fast; but one of them was as big as a good pretty +cow, and very fat; their feet as big as ox-feet. Here upon this +island I killed with my piece a grey hare.</p> +<p>The 13th in the morning we saw three or four white bears, but durst not +go on shore unto them for lack of a good boat. This day we struck a +rock seeking for a harbour, and received a leak, and this day we were in 54 +degrees of latitude. The 14th we stopped our leak in a storm not very +outrageous at noon.</p> +<p>The 15th, being almost in 51 degrees of latitude, and not finding our +ships, nor (according to their promise) being any mark, token, or beacon, +which we willed to set up, and they protested to do so upon every headland, +sea, island, or cape, within 20 leagues every way off from their fishing +place, which our captain appointed to be between 54 and 55 +degrees—this 15th, I say, we shaped our course homeward for England, +having in our ship but little wood, and half a hogshead of fresh +water. Our men were very willing to depart, and no man more forward +than Peerson, for he feared to be put out of his office of stewardship; he +was so insatiate that the allowance of two men was scant sufficient to fill +his greedy appetite; but because every man was so willing to depart, and +considering our want, I doubted the matter very much, fearing that the +seething of our men’s victuals in salt water would breed diseases, +and being but few (yet too many for the room, if any should be sick), and +likely that all the rest might be infected therewith, we consented to +return for our own country, and so we had the 16th there with the wind at +south-west.</p> +<p>The 17th we met a ship at sea, and as far as we could judge it was a +Biscayan; we thought she went a-fishing for whales, for in 52 degrees or +thereabout we saw very many.</p> +<p>The 18th was fair with a good gale at west.</p> +<p>The 19th fair also, but with much wind at west and by south.</p> +<p>And thus, after much variable weather and change of winds, we arrived +the 15th of September in Dartmouth, Anno 1587, giving thanks to God for our +safe arrival.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">* * * * *</p> +<p><i>A letter of the said Master John Davis</i>, <i>written to Master +Sanderson of London</i>, <i>concerning his fore-written voyage</i>.</p> +<blockquote> +<p><span class="smcap">Good Master Sanderson</span>,—With God’s +great mercy I have made my safe return in health with all my company, and +have sailed 60 leagues farther than my determination at my departure. +I have been in 73 degrees, finding the sea all open, and 40 leagues between +laud and land; the passage is most certain, the execution most easy, as at +my coming you shall fully know. Yesterday, the 15th of September, I +landed all weary, therefore I pray you pardon my shortness.</p> +<p>Sandridge, this 16th of September, Anno 1587.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">Yours equal as mine own, which<br /> +by trial you shall best know,<br /> +<span class="smcap">John Davis</span>.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST +PASSAGE***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 3482-h.htm or 3482-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/4/8/3482 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Voyages in Search of the North-West Passage + + +Author: Richard Hakluyt + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: December 27, 2007 [eBook #3482] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE +NORTH-WEST PASSAGE*** + + +Transcribed from the 1892 Cassell & Co. edition by David Price, email +ccx074@pglaf.org + + CASSELL'S NATIONAL LIBRARY. + + + + + +VOYAGES +IN SEARCH OF THE +NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. + + + _From the Collection of_ + RICHARD HAKLUYT. + + CASSELL & COMPANY, Limited: + _LONDON_, _PARIS & MELBOURNE_. + 1892. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +Thirty-five years ago I made a voyage to the Arctic Seas in what Chaucer +calls + + A little bote + No bigger than a manne's thought; + +it was a Phantom Ship that made some voyages to different parts of the +world which were recorded in early numbers of Charles Dickens's +"Household Words." As preface to Richard Hakluyt's records of the first +endeavour of our bold Elizabethan mariners to find North-West Passage to +the East, let me repeat here that old voyage of mine from No. 55 of +"Household Words," dated the 12th of April, 1851: The _Phantom_ is fitted +out for Arctic exploration, with instructions to find her way, by the +north-west, to Behring Straits, and take the South Pole on her passage +home. Just now we steer due north, and yonder is the coast of Norway. +From that coast parted Hugh Willoughby, three hundred years ago; the +first of our countrymen who wrought an ice-bound highway to Cathay. Two +years afterwards his ships were found, in the haven of Arzina, in +Lapland, by some Russian fishermen; near and about them Willoughby and +his companions--seventy dead men. The ships were freighted with their +frozen crews, and sailed for England; but, "being unstaunch, as it is +supposed, by their two years' wintering in Lapland, sunk, by the way, +with their dead, and them also that brought them." + +Ice floats about us now, and here is a whale blowing; a whale, too, very +near Spitzbergen. When first Spitzbergen was discovered, in the good old +times, there were whales here in abundance; then a hundred Dutch ships, +in a crowd, might go to work, and boats might jostle with each other, and +the only thing deficient would be stowage room for all the produce of the +fishery. Now one ship may have the whole field to itself, and travel +home with an imperfect cargo. It was fine fun in the good old times; +there was no need to cruise. Coppers and boilers were fitted on the +island, and little colonies about them, in the fishing season, had +nothing to do but tow the whales in, with a boat, as fast as they were +wanted by the copper. No wonder that so enviable a Tom Tidler's ground +was claimed by all who had a love for gold and silver. The English +called it theirs, for they first fished; the Dutch said, nay, but the +island was of their discovery; Danes, Hamburghers, Bisayans, Spaniards, +and French put in their claims; and at length it was agreed to make +partitions. The numerous bays and harbours which indent the coast were +divided among the rival nations; and, to this day, many of them bear, +accordingly, such names as English Bay, Danes Bay, and so forth. One bay +there is, with graves in it, named Sorrow. For it seemed to the fishers +most desirable, if possible, to plant upon this island permanent +establishments, and condemned convicts were offered, by the Russians, +life and pardon, if they would winter in Spitzbergen. They agreed; but, +when they saw the icy mountains and the stormy sea, repented, and went +back, to meet a death exempt from torture. The Dutch tempted free men, +by high rewards, to try the dangerous experiment. One of their victims +left a journal, which describes his suffering and that of his companions. +Their mouths, he says, became so sore that, if they had food, they could +not eat; their limbs were swollen and disabled with excruciating pain; +they died of scurvy. Those who died first were coffined by their dying +friends; a row of coffins was found, in the spring, each with a man in +it; two men uncoffined, side by side, were dead upon the floor. The +journal told how once the traces of a bear excited their hope of fresh +meat and amended health; how, with a lantern, two or three had limped +upon the track, until the light became extinguished, and they came back +in despair to die. We might speak, also, of eight English sailors, left, +by accident, upon Spitzbergen, who lived to return and tell their +winter's tale; but a long journey is before us and we must not linger on +the way. As for our whalers, it need scarcely be related that the +multitude of whales diminished as the slaughtering went on, until it was +no longer possible to keep the coppers full. The whales had to be +searched for by the vessels, and thereafter it was not worth while to +take the blubber to Spitzbergen to be boiled; and the different nations, +having carried home their coppers, left the apparatus of those fishing +stations to decay. + +Take heed. There is a noise like thunder, and a mountain snaps in two. +The upper half comes, crashing, grinding, down into the sea, and loosened +streams of water follow it. The sea is displaced before the mighty heap; +it boils and scatters up a cloud of spray; it rushes back, and violently +beats upon the shore. The mountain rises from its bath, sways to and +fro, while water pours along its mighty sides; now it is tolerably quiet, +letting crackers off as air escapes out of its cavities. That is an +iceberg, and in that way are all icebergs formed. Mountains of ice +formed by rain and snow--grand Arctic glaciers, undermined by the sea or +by accumulation over-balanced--topple down upon the slightest provocation +(moved by a shout, perhaps), and where they float, as this black-looking +fellow does, they need deep water. This berg in height is about ninety +feet, and a due balance requires that a mass nine times as large as the +part visible should be submerged. Icebergs are seen about us now which +rise two hundred feet above the water's level. + +There are above head plenty of aquatic birds; ashore, or on the ice, are +bears, foxes, reindeer; and in the sea there are innumerable animals. We +shall not see so much life near the North Pole, that is certain. It +would be worth while to go ashore upon an islet there, near Vogel Sang, +to pay a visit to the eider-ducks. Their nests are so abundant that one +cannot avoid treading on them. When the duck is driven by a hungry fox +to leave her eggs, she covers them with down, in order that they may not +cool during her absence, and, moreover, glues the down into a case with a +secretion supplied to her by Nature for that purpose. The deserted eggs +are safe, for that secretion has an odour very disagreeable to the +intruder's nose. + +We still sail northward, among sheets of ice, whose boundaries are not +beyond our vision from the masthead--these are "floes;" between them we +find easy way, it is fair "sailing ice." In the clear sky to the north a +streak of lucid white light is the reflection from an icy surface; that +is, "ice-blink," in the language of these seas. The glare from snow is +yellow, while open water gives a dark reflection. + +Northward still; but now we are in fog the ice is troublesome; a gale is +rising. Now, if our ship had timbers they would crack, and if she had a +bell it would be tolling; if we were shouting to each other we should not +hear, the sea is in a fury. With wild force its breakers dash against a +heaped-up wall of broken ice, that grinds and strains and battles +fiercely with the water. This is "the pack," the edge of a great +ice-field broken by the swell. It is a perilous and an exciting thing to +push through pack ice in a gale. + +Now there is ice as far as eye can see, that is "an ice-field." Masses +are forced up like colossal tombstones on all sides; our sailors call +them "hummocks;" here and there the broken ice displays large "holes of +water." Shall we go on? Upon this field, in 1827, Parry adventured with +his men to reach the North Pole, if that should be possible. With +sledges and portable boats they laboured on through snow and over +hummocks, launching their boats over the larger holes of water. With +stout hearts, undaunted by toil or danger, they went boldly on, though by +degrees it became clear to the leaders of the expedition that they were +almost like mice upon a treadmill cage, making a great expenditure of leg +for little gain. The ice was floating to the south with them, as they +were walking to the north; still they went on. Sleeping by day to avoid +the glare, and to get greater warmth during the time of rest, and +travelling by night--watch-makers' days and nights, for it was all one +polar day--the men soon were unable to distinguish noon from midnight. +The great event of one day on this dreary waste was the discovery of two +flies upon an ice hummock; these, says Parry, became at once a topic of +ridiculous importance. Presently, after twenty-three miles' walking, +they had only gone one mile forward, the ice having industriously floated +twenty-two miles in the opposite direction; and then, after walking +forward eleven miles, they found themselves to be three miles behind the +place from which they started. The party accordingly returned, not +having reached the Pole, not having reached the eighty-third parallel, +for the attainment of which there was a reward of a thousand pounds held +out by government. They reached the parallel of eighty-two degrees +forty-five minutes, which was the most northerly point trodden by the +foot of man. + +From that point they returned. In those high latitudes they met with a +phenomenon, common in alpine regions, as well as at the Pole, red snow; +the red colour being caused by the abundance of a minute plant, of low +development, the last dweller on the borders of the vegetable kingdom. +More interesting to the sailors was a fat she bear which they killed and +devoured with a zeal to be repented of; for on reaching navigable sea, +and pushing in their boats to Table Island, where some stones were left, +they found that the bears had eaten all their bread, whereon the men +agreed that "Bruin was now square with them." An islet next to Table +Island--they are both mere rocks--is the most northern land discovered. +Therefore, Parry applied to it the name of lieutenant--afterwards Sir +James--Ross. This compliment Sir James Ross acknowledged in the most +emphatic manner, by discovering on his part, at the other Pole, the most +southern land yet seen, and giving to it the name of Parry: "Parry +Mountains." + +It very probably would not be difficult, under such circumstances as Sir +W. Parry has since recommended, to reach the North Pole along this route. +Then (especially if it be true, as many believe, that there is a region +of open sea about the Pole itself) we might find it as easy to reach +Behring Straits by travelling in a straight line over the North Pole, as +by threading the straits and bays north of America. + +We turn our course until we have in sight a portion of the ice-barred +eastern coast of Greenland, Shannon Island. Somewhere about this spot in +the seventy-fifth parallel is the most northern part of that coast known +to us. Colonel--then Captain--Sabine in the _Griper_ was landed there to +make magnetic, and other observations; for the same purpose he had +previously visited Sierra Leone. That is where we differ from our +forefathers. They commissioned hardy seamen to encounter peril for the +search of gold ore, or for a near road to Cathay; but our peril is +encountered for the gain of knowledge, for the highest kind of service +that can now be rendered to the human race. + +Before we leave the Northern Sea, we must not omit to mention the voyage +by Spitzbergen northward, in 1818, of Captain Buchan in the _Dorothea_, +accompanied by Lieutenant Franklin, in the _Trent_. It was Sir John +Franklin's first voyage to the Arctic regions. This trip forms the +subject of a delightful book by Captain Beechey. + +On our way to the south point of Greenland we pass near Cape North, a +point of Iceland. Iceland, we know, is the centre of a volcanic region, +whereof Norway and Greenland are at opposite points of the circumference. +In connection with this district there is a remarkable fact; that by the +agency of subterranean forces, a large portion of Norway and Sweden is +being slowly upheaved. While Greenland, on the west coast, as gradually +sinks into the sea, Norway rises at the rate of about four feet in a +century. In Greenland, the sinking is so well known that the natives +never build close to the water's edge, and the Moravian missionaries more +than once have had to move farther inland the poles on which their boats +are rested. + +Our Phantom Ship stands fairly now along the western coast of Greenland +into Davis Straits. We observe that upon this western coast there is, by +a great deal, less ice than on the eastern. That is a rule generally. +Not only the configuration of the straits and bays, but also the earth's +rotation from west to east, causes the currents here to set towards the +west, and wash the western coasts, while they act very little on the +eastern. We steer across Davis Strait, among "an infinite number of +great countreys and islands of yce;" there, near the entrance, we find +Hudson Strait, which does not now concern us. Islands probably separate +this well-known channel from Frobisher Strait to the north of it, yet +unexplored. Here let us recall to mind the fleet of fifteen sail, under +Sir Martin Frobisher, in 1578, tossing about and parting company among +the ice. Let us remember how the crew of the _Anne Frances_, in that +expedition, built a pinnace when their vessel struck upon a rock, stock, +although they wanted main timber and nails. How they made a mimic forge, +and "for the easier making of nails, were forced to break their tongs, +gridiron, and fire-shovel, in pieces." How Master Captain Best, in this +frail bark, with its imperfect timbers held together by the metamorphosed +gridiron and fire-shovel, continued in his duty, and did depart up the +straights as before was pretended." How a terrific storm arose, and the +fleet parted and the intrepid captain was towed "in his small pinnesse, +at the stern of the _Michael_, thorow the raging seas; for the bark was +not able to receive, or relieve half his company." The "tongs, gridyron, +and fire-shovell," performed their work only for as many minutes as were +absolutely necessary, for the pinnesse came no sooner aboard the ship, +and the men entred, but she presently shivered and fell in pieces, and +sunke at the ship's stern with all the poor men's furniture." + +Now, too, as we sail up the strait, explored a few years after these +events by Master John Davis, how proudly we remember him as a right +worthy forerunner of those countrymen of his and ours who since have +sailed over his track. Nor ought we to pass on without calling to mind +the melancholy fate, in 1606, of Master John Knight, driven, in the +_Hopewell_, among huge masses of ice with a tremendous surf, his rudder +knocked away, his ship half full of water, at the entrance to these +straits. Hoping to find a harbour, he set forth to explore a large +island, and landed, leaving two men to watch the boat, while he, with +three men and the mate, set forth and disappeared over a hill. For +thirteen hours the watchers kept their post; one had his trumpet with +him, for he was a trumpeter, the other had a gun. They trumpeted often +and loudly; they fired, but no answer came. They watched ashore all +night for the return of their captain and his party, "but they came not +at all." + +The season is advanced. As we sail on, the sea steams like a line-kiln, +"frost-smoke" covers it. The water, cooled less rapidly, is warmer now +than the surrounding air, and yields this vapour in consequence. By the +time our vessel has reached Baffin's Bay, still coasting along Greenland, +in addition to old floes and bergs, the water is beset with "pancake +ice." That is the young ice when it first begins to cake upon the +surface. Innocent enough it seems, but it is sadly clogging to the +ships. It sticks about their sides like treacle on a fly's wing; +collecting unequally, it destroys all equilibrium, and impedes the +efforts of the steersman. Rocks split on the Greenland coast with loud +explosions, and more icebergs fall. Icebergs we soon shall take our +leave of; they are only found where there is a coast on which glaciers +can form; they are good for nothing but to yield fresh water to the +vessels; it will be all field, pack, and saltwater ice presently. + +Now we are in Baffin's Bay, explored in the voyages of Bylot and Baffin, +1615-16. When, in 1817, a great movement in the Greenland ice caused +many to believe that the northern passages would be found comparatively +clear; and when, in consequence of this impression, Sir John Barrow +succeeded in setting afoot that course of modern Arctic exploration which +has been continued to the present day, Sir John Ross was the first man +sent to find the North-West Passage. Buchan and Parry were commissioned +at the same the to attempt the North Sea route. Sir John Ross did little +more on that occasion than effect a survey of Baffin's Bay, and prove the +accuracy of the ancient pilot. In the extreme north of the bay there is +an inlet or a channel, called by Baffin Smith's Sound; this Sir John saw, +but did not enter. It never yet has been explored. It may be an inlet +only; but it is also very possible that by this channel ships might get +into the Polar Sea and sail by the north shore of Greenland to +Spitzbergen. Turning that corner, and descending along the western coast +of Baffin's Bay, there is another inlet called Jones' Sound by Baffin, +also unexplored. These two inlets, with their very British titles, Smith +and Jones, are of exceeding interest. Jones' Sound may lead by a back +way to Melville Island. South of Jones' Sound there is a wide break in +the shore, a great sound, named by Baffin, Lancaster's, which Sir John +Ross, in that first expedition, failed also to explore. Like our +transatlantic friends at the South Pole, he laid down a range of clouds +as mountains, and considered the way impervious; so he came home. Parry +went out next year, as a lieutenant, in command of his first and most +successful expedition. He sailed up Lancaster Sound, which was in that +year (1819) unusually clear of ice; and he is the discoverer whose track +we now follow in our Phantom Ship. The whole ground being new, he had to +name the points of country right and left of him. The way was broad and +open, due west, a most prosperous beginning for a North-West Passage. If +this continued, he would soon reach Behring Strait. A broad channel to +the right, directed, that is to say, southward, he entered on the Prince +of Wales's birthday, and so called it the "Prince Regent's Inlet." After +exploring this for some miles, he turned back to resume his western +course, for still there was a broad strait leading westward. This second +part of Lancaster Sound he called after the Secretary of the Admiralty +who had so indefatigably laboured to promote the expeditions, Barrow's +Strait. Then he came to a channel, turning to the right or northward, +and he named that Wellington Channel. Then he had on his right hand ice, +islands large and small, and intervening channels; on the left, ice, and +a cape visible, Cape Walker. At an island, named after the First Lord of +the Admiralty Melville Island, the great frozen wilderness barred farther +progress. There he wintered. On the coast of Melville Island they had +passed the latitude of one hundred and ten degrees, and the men had +become entitled to a royal bounty of five thousand pounds. This group of +islands Parry called North Georgian, but they are usually called by his +own name, Parry Islands. This was the first European winter party in the +Arctic circle. Its details are familiar enough. How the men cut in +three days, through ice seven inches thick, a canal two miles and a half +long, and so brought the ships into safe harbour. How the genius of +Parry equalled the occasion; how there was established a theatre and a +_North Georgian Gazette_, to cheer the tediousness of a night which +continued for two thousand hours. The dreary, dazzling waste in which +there was that little patch of life, the stars, the fog, the moonlight, +the glittering wonder of the northern lights, in which, as Greenlanders +believe, souls of the wicked dance tormented, are familiar to us. The +she-bear stays at home; but the he-bear hungers, and looks in vain for a +stray seal or walrus--woe to the unarmed man who meets him in his hungry +mood! Wolves are abroad, and pretty white arctic foxes. The reindeer +have sought other pasture-ground. The thermometer runs down to more than +sixty degrees below freezing, a temperature tolerable in calm weather, +but distressing in a wind. The eye-piece of the telescope must be +protected now with leather, for the skin is destroyed that comes in +contact with cold metal. The voice at a mile's distance can be heard +distinctly. Happy the day when first the sun is seen to graze the edge +of the horizon; but summer must come, and the heat of a constant day must +accumulate, and summer wane, before the ice is melted. Then the ice +cracks, like cannons over-charged, and moves with a loud grinding noise. +But not yet is escape to be made with safety. After a detention of ten +months, Parry got free; but, in escaping, narrowly missed the destruction +of both ships, by their being "nipped" between the mighty mass and the +unyielding shore. What animals are found on Melville Island we may judge +from the results of sport during ten months' detention. The island +exceeds five thousand miles square, and yielded to the gun, three musk +oxen, twenty-four deer, sixty-eight hares, fifty-three geese, fifty-nine +ducks, and one hundred and forty-four ptarmigans, weighing together three +thousand seven hundred and sixty-six pounds--not quite two ounces of meat +per day to every man. Lichens, stunted grass, saxifrage, and a feeble +willow, are the plants of Melville Island, but in sheltered nooks there +are found sorrel, poppy, and a yellow buttercup. Halos and double suns +are very common consequences of refraction in this quarter of the world. +Franklin returned from his first and most famous voyage with his men all +safe and sound, except the loss of a few fingers, frost-bitten. We sail +back only as far as Regent's Inlet, being bound for Behring Strait. + +The reputation of Sir John Ross being clouded by discontent expressed +against his first expedition, Felix Booth, a rich distiller, provided +seventeen thousand pounds to enable his friend to redeem his credit. Sir +John accordingly, in 1829, went out in the _Victory_, provided with +steam-machinery that did not answer well. He was accompanied by Sir +James Ross, his nephew. He it was who, on this occasion, first surveyed +Regent's Inlet, down which we are now sailing with our Phantom Ship. The +coast on our right hand, westward, which Parry saw, is called North +Somerset, but farther south, where the inlet widens, the land is named +Boothia Felix. Five years before this, Parry, in his third voyage, had +attempted to pass down Regent's Inlet, where among ice and storm, one of +his ships, the _Hecla_, had been driven violently ashore, and of +necessity abandoned. The stores had been removed, and Sir John was able +now to replenish his own vessel from them. Rounding a point at the +bottom of Prince Regent's Inlet, we find Felix Harbour, where Sir John +Ross wintered. His nephew made from this point scientific explorations; +discovered a strait, called after him the Strait of James Ross, and on +the northern shore of this strait, on the main land of Boothia, planted +the British flag on the Northern Magnetic Pole. The ice broke up, so did +the _Victory_; after a hairbreadth escape, the party found a searching +vessel and arrived home after an absence of four years and five months, +Sir John Ross having lost his ship, and won his reputation, The friend in +need was made a baronet for his munificence; Sir John was reimbursed for +all his losses, and the crew liberally taken care of. Sir James Ross had +a rod and flag signifying "Magnetic Pole," given to him for a new crest, +by the Heralds' College, for which he was no doubt greatly the better. + +We have sailed northward to get into Hudson Strait, the high road into +Hudson Bay. Along the shore are Esquimaux in boats, extremely active, +but these filthy creatures we pass by; the Esquimaux in Hudson Strait are +like the negroes of the coast, demoralised by intercourse with European +traders. These are not true pictures of the loving children of the +north. Our "Phantom" floats on the wide waters of Hudson Bay--the grave +of its discoverer. Familiar as the story is of Henry Hudson's fate, for +John King's sake how gladly we repeat it. While sailing on the waters he +discovered, in 1611, his men mutinied; the mutiny was aided by Henry +Green, a prodigal, whom Hudson had generously shielded from ruin. +Hudson, the master, and his son, with six sick or disabled members of the +crew, were driven from their cabins, forced into a little shallop, and +committed helpless to the water and the ice. But there was one stout +man, John King, the carpenter, who stepped into the boat, abjuring his +companions, and chose rather to die than even passively be partaker in so +foul a crime. John King, we who live after will remember you. + +Here on aim island, Charlton Island, near our entrance to the bay, in +1631, wintered poor Captain James with his wrecked crew. This is a point +outside the Arctic circle, but quite cold enough. Of nights, with a good +fire in the house they built, hoar frost covered their beds, and the +cook's water in a metal pan before the fire was warm on one side and +froze on the other. Here "it snowed and froze extremely, at which time +we, looking from the shore towards the ship, she appeared a piece of ice +in the fashion of a ship, or a ship resembling a piece of ice." Here the +gunner, who hand lost his leg, besought that, "for the little the he had +to live, he might drink sack altogether." He died and was buried in the +ice far from the vessel, but when afterwards two more were dead of +scurvy, and the others, in a miserable state, were working with faint +hope about their shattered vessel, the gunner was found to have returned +home to the old vessel; his leg had penetrated through a port-hole. They +"digged him clear out, and he was as free from noisomeness," the record +says, "as when we first committed him to the sea. This alteration had +the ice, and water, and time, only wrought on him, that his flesh would +slip up and down upon his bones, like a glove on a man's hand. In the +evening we buried him by the others." These worthy souls, laid up with +the agonies of scurvy, knew that in action was their only hope; they +forced their limbs to labour, among ice and water, every day. They set +about the building of a boat, but the hard frozen wood had broken their +axes, so they made shift with the pieces. To fell a tree, it was first +requisite to light in fire around it, and the carpenter could only labour +with his wood over a fire, or else it was like stone under his tools. +Before the boat was made they buried the carpenter. The captain exhorted +them to put their trust in God; "His will be done. If it be our fortune +to end our days here, we are as near Heaven as in England. They all +protested to work to the utmost of their strength, and that they would +refuse nothing that I should order them to do to the utmost hazard of +their lives. I thanked them all." Truly the North Pole has its +triumphs. If we took no account of the fields of trade opened by our +Arctic explorers, if we thought nothing of the wants of science in +comparison with the lives lost in supplying them, is not the loss of life +a gain, which proves and tests the fortitude of noble hearts, and teaches +us respect for human nature? All the lives that have been lost among +these Polar regions are less in number than the dead upon a battle-field. +The battle-field inflicted shame upon our race--is it with shame that our +hearts throb in following these Arctic heroes? March 31st, says Captain +James, "was very cold, with snow and hail, which pinched our sick men +more than any time this year. This evening, being May eve, we returned +late from our work to our house, and made a good fire, and chose ladies, +and ceremoniously wore their names in our caps, endeavouring to revive +ourselves by any means. On the 15th, I manured a little patch of ground +that was bare of snow, and sowed it with pease, hoping to have some +shortly to eat, for as yet we could see no green thing to comfort us." +Those pease saved the party; as they came up the young shoots were boiled +and eaten, so their health began to mend, and they recovered from their +scurvy. Eventually, after other perils, they succeeded in making their +escape. + +A strait, called Sir Thomas Rowe's Welcome, leads due north out of Hudson +Bay, being parted by Southampton Island from the strait through which we +entered. Its name is quaint, for so was its discoverer, Luke Fox, a +worthy man, addicted much to euphuism. Fox sailed from London in the +same year in which James sailed from Bristol. They were rivals. Meeting +in Davis Straits, Fox dined on board his friendly rival's vessel, which +was very unfit for the service upon which it went. The sea washed over +them and came into the cabin, so says Fox, "sauce would not have been +wanted if there had been roast mutton." Luke Fox, being ice-bound and in +peril, writes, "God thinks upon our imprisonment within a _supersedeas_;" +but he was a good and honourable man as wall as euphuist. His "Sir +Thomas Rowe's Welcome" leads into Fox Channel: our "Phantom Ship" is +pushing through the welcome passes on the left-hand Repulse Bay. This +portion of the Arctic regions, with Fox Channel, is extremely perilous. +Here Captain Lyon, in the _Griper_, was thrown anchorless upon the mercy +of a stormy sea, ice crashing around him. One island in Fox Channel is +called Mill Island, from the incessant grinding of great masses of ice +collected there. In the northern part of Fox Channel, on the western +shore, is Melville Peninsula, where Parry wintered on his second voyage. +Here let us go ashore and see a little colony of Esquimaux. + +Their limits are built of blocks of snow, and arched, having an ice pane +for a window. They construct their arched entrance and their +hemispherical roof on the true principles of architecture. Those wise +men, the Egyptians, made their arch by hewing the stones out of shape; +the Esquimaux have the true secret. Here they are, with little food in +winter and great appetites; devouring a whole walrus when they get it, +and taking the chance of hunger for the next eight days--hungry or full, +for ever happy in their lot--here are the Esquimaux. They are warmly +clothed, each in a double suit of skins sewn neatly together. Some are +singing, with good voices too. Please them, and they straightway dance; +activity is good in a cold climate: Play to them on the flute, or if you +can sing well, sing, or turn a barrel-organ, they are mute, eager with +wonder and delight; their love of music is intense. Give them a pencil, +and, like children, they will draw. Teach them and they will learn, +oblige them and they will be grateful. "Gentle and loving savages," one +of our old worthies called them, and the Portuguese were so much +impressed with their teachable and gentle conduct, that a Venetian +ambassador writes, "His serene majesty contemplates deriving great +advantage from the country, not only on account of the timber of which he +has occasion, but of the inhabitants, who are admirably calculated for +labour, and are the best I have ever seen." The Esquimaux, of course, +will learn vice, and in the region visited by whale ships, vice enough +has certainly been taught him. Here are the dogs, who will eat old +coats, or anything; and, near the dwellings, here is a +snow-bunting--robin redbreast of the Arctic lands. A party of our +sailors once, on landing, took some sticks from a large heap, and +uncovered the nest of a snow-bunting with young, the bird flew to a +little distance, but seeing that the men sat down, and harmed her not, +continued to seek food and supply her little ones, with full faith in the +good intentions of the party. Captain Lyon found a child's grave partly +uncovered, and a snow-bunting had built its nest upon the infant's bosom. + +Sailing round Melville Peninsula, we come into the Gulf of Akkolee, +through Fury and Hecla Straits, discovered by Parry. So we get back to +the bottom of Regent's Inlet, which we quitted a short time ago, and +sailing in the neighbourhood of the magnetic pole, we reach the estuary +of Back's River, on the north-east coast of America. We pass then +through a strait, discovered in 1839 by Dean and Simpson, still coasting +along the northern shore of America, on the great Stinking Lake, as +Indians call this ocean. Boats, ice permitting, and our "Phantom Ship," +of course, can coast all the way to Behring Strait. The whole coast has +been explored by Sir John Franklin, Sir John Richardson, and Sir George +Back, who have earned their knighthoods through great peril. As we pass +Coronation Gulf--the scene of Franklin, Richardson, and Back's first +exploration from the Coppermine River--we revert to the romantic story of +their journey back, over a land of snow and frost, subsisting upon +lichens, with companions starved to death, where they plucked wild leaves +for tea, and ate their shoes for supper; the tragedy by the river; the +murder of poor Hood, with a book of prayers in his hand; Franklin at Fort +Enterprise, with two companions at the point of death, himself gaunt, +hollow-eyed, feeding on pounded bones, raked from the dunghill; the +arrival of Dr. Richardson and the brave sailor; their awful story of the +cannibal Michel;--we revert to these things with a shudder. But we must +continue on our route. The current still flows westward, bearing now +large quantities of driftwood out of the Mackenzie River. At the name of +Sir Alexander Mackenzie, also, we might pause, and talk over the bold +achievements of another Arctic hero; but we pass on, by a rugged and +inhospitable coast, unfit for vessels of large draught--pass the broad +mouth of the Youcon, pass Point Barrow, Icy Cape, and are in Behring +Strait. Had we passed on, we should have found the Russian Arctic coast +line, traced out by a series of Russian explorers; of whom the most +illustrious--Baron Von Wrangell--states, that beyond a certain distance +to the northward there is always found what he calls the _Polynja_ (open +water). This is the fact adduced by those who adhere to the old fancy +that there is a sea about the Pole itself quite free from ice. + +We pass through Behring Straits. Behring, a Dane by birth, but in the +Russian service, died here in 1741, upon the scene of his discovery. He +and his crew, victims of scurvy, were unable to manage their vessel in a +storm; and it was at length wrecked on a barren island, there, where +"want, nakedness, cold, sickness, impatience, and despair, were their +daily guests," Behring, his lieutenant, and the master died. + +Now we must put a girdle round the world, and do it with the speed of +Ariel. Here we are already in the heats of the equator. We can do no +more than remark, that if air and water are heated at the equator, and +frozen at the poles, there will be equilibrium destroyed, and constant +currents caused. And so it happens, so we get the prevailing winds, and +all the currents of the ocean. Of these, some of the uses, but by no +means all, are obvious. We urge our "Phantom" fleetly to the southern +pole. Here, over the other hemisphere of the earth, there shines another +hemisphere of heaven. The stars are changed; the southern cross, the +Magellanic clouds, the "coal-sack" in the milky way, attract our notice. +Now we are in the southern latitude that corresponds to England in the +north; nay, at a greater distance from the Pole, we find Kerguelen's +Land, emphatically called "The Isle of Desolation." Icebergs float much +further into the warm sea on this side of the equator before they +dissolve. The South Pole is evidently a more thorough refrigerator than +the North. Why is this? We shall soon see. We push through pack-ice, +and through floes and fields, by lofty bergs, by an island or two covered +with penguins, until there lies before us a long range of mountains, nine +or ten thousand feet in height, and all clad in eternal snow. That is a +portion of the Southern Continent. Lieutenant Wilkes, in the American +exploring expedition, first discovered this, and mapped out some part of +the coast, putting a few clouds in likewise--a mistake easily made by +those who omit to verify every foot of land. Sir James Ross, in his most +successful South Pole Expedition, during the years 1839-43, sailed over +some of this land, and confirmed the rest. The Antarctic, as well as the +Arctic honours he secured for England, by turning a corner of the land, +and sailing far southward, along an impenetrable icy barrier, to the +latitude of seventy-eight degrees, nine minutes. It is an elevated +continent, with many lofty ranges. On the extreme southern point reached +by the ships, a magnificent volcano was seen spouting fire and smoke out +of the everlasting snow. This volcano, twelve thousand four hundred feet +high, was named Mount Erebus; for the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ long sought +anxiously among the bays, and sounds, and creeks of the North Pole, then +coasted by the solid ice walls of the south. + + H. M. + + + + +A DISCOURSE WRITTEN BY SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT, KNIGHT. + + +_To prove a Passage by the North-West to Cathay and the East Indies_. + + + +CHAPTER I. +TO PROVE BY AUTHORITY A PASSAGE TO BE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF AMERICA, TO GO +TO CATHAY AND THE EAST INDIES. + + +When I gave myself to the study of geography, after I had perused and +diligently scanned the descriptions of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and +conferred them with the maps and globes both antique and modern, I came +in fine to the fourth part of the world, commonly called America, which +by all descriptions I found to be an island environed round about with +the sea, having on the south side of it the Strait of Magellan, on the +west side the Mare de Sur, which sea runneth towards the north, +separating it from the east parts of Asia, where the dominions of the +Cathaians are. On the east part our west ocean, and on the north side +the sea that severeth it from Greenland, through which northern seas the +passage lieth, which I take now in hand to discover. + +Plato in his _Timaeus_ and in the dialogue called _Critias_, discourses +of an incomparable great island then called Atlantis, being greater than +all Africa and Asia, which lay westward from the Straits of Gibraltar, +navigable round about: affirming, also, that the princes of Atlantis did +as well enjoy the governance of all Africa and the most part of Europe as +of Atlantis itself. + +Also to prove Plato's opinion of this island, and the inhabiting of it in +ancient time by them of Europe, to be of the more credit: Marinaeus +Siculus, in his Chronicle of Spain, reporteth that there hath been found +by the Spaniards in the gold mines of America certain pieces of money, +engraved with the image of Augustus Caesar; which pieces were sent to the +Pope for a testimony of the matter by John Rufus, Archbishop of +Constantinum. + +Moreover, this was not only thought of Plato, but by Marsilius Ficinus, +an excellent Florentine philosopher, Crantor the Grecian, Proclus, also +Philo the famous Jew (as appeareth in his book _De Mundo_, and in the +Commentaries upon Plato), to be overflown, and swallowed up with water, +by reason of a mighty earthquake and streaming down of the heavenly flood +gates. The like thereof happened unto some part of Italy, when by the +forcibleness of the sea, called Superum, it cut off Sicily from the +continent of Calabria, as appeareth in Justin in the beginning of his +fourth book. Also there chanced the like in Zeeland, a part of Flanders. + +And also the cities of Pyrrha and Antissa, about Palus Meotis; and also +the city Burys, in the Corinthian Gulf, commonly called Sinus +Corinthiacus, have been swallowed up with the sea, and are not at this +day to be discerned: by which accident America grew to be unknown, of +long time, unto us of the later ages, and was lately discovered again by +Americus Vespucius, in the year of our Lord 1497, which some say to have +been first discovered by Christopher Columbus, a Genoese, Anno 1492. + +The same calamity happened unto this isle of Atlantis six hundred and odd +years before Plato's time, which some of the people of the south-east +parts of the world accounted as nine thousand years; for the manner then +was to reckon the moon's period of the Zodiac for a year, which is our +usual month, depending a Luminari minore. + +So that in these our days there can no other main or island be found or +judged to be parcel of this Atlantis than those western islands, which +now bear the name of America; countervailing thereby the name of Atlantis +in the knowledge of our age. + +Then, if when no part of the said Atlantis was oppressed by water and +earthquake, the coasts round about the same were navigable, a far greater +hope now remaineth of the same by the north-west, seeing the most part of +it was since that time swallowed up with water, which could not utterly +take away the old deeps and channels, but, rather, be many occasion of +the enlarging of the old, and also an enforcing of a great many new; why +then should we now doubt of our North-West Passage and navigation from +England to India, etc., seeing that Atlantis, now called America, was +ever known to be an island, and in those days navigable round about, +which by access of more water could not be diminished? + +Also Aristotle in his book _De Mundo_, and the learned German, Simon +Gryneus, in his annotations upon the same, saith that the whole earth +(meaning thereby, as manifestly doth appear, Asia, Africa, and Europe, +being all the countries then known) to be but one island, compassed about +with the reach of the Atlantic sea; which likewise approveth America to +be an island, and in no part adjoining to Asia or the rest. + +Also many ancient writers, as Strabo and others, called both the ocean +sea (which lieth east of India) Atlanticum Pelagus, and that sea also on +the west coasts of Spain and Africa, Mare Atlanticum; the distance +between the two coasts is almost half the compass of the earth. + +So that it is incredible, as by Plato appeareth manifestly, that the East +Indian Sea had the name of Atlanticum Pelagus, of the mountain Atlas in +Africa, or yet the sea adjoining to Africa had name Oceanus Atlanticus, +of the same mountain; but that those seas and the mountain Atlas were so +called of this great island Atlantis, and that the one and the other had +their names for a memorial of the mighty Prince Atlas, sometime king +thereof, who was Japhet, youngest son to Noah, in whose time the whole +earth was divided between the three brethren, Shem, Ham, and Japhet. + +Wherefore I am of opinion that America by the north-west will be found +favourable to this our enterprise, and am the rather emboldened to +believe the same, for that I find it not only confirmed by Plato, +Aristotle, and other ancient philosophers, but also by the best modern +geographers, as Gemma Frisius, Munsterus, Appianus Hunterus, Gastaldus, +Guyccardinus, Michael Tramesinus, Franciscus Demongenitus, Barnardus, +Puteanus, Andreas Vavasor, Tramontanus, Petrus Martyr, and also Ortelius, +who doth coast out in his general map (set out Anno 1569) all the +countries and capes on the north-west side of America from Hochelega to +Cape de Paramantia, describing likewise the sea-coasts of Cathay and +Greenland, towards any part of America, making both Greenland and America +islands disjoined by a great sea from any part of Asia. + +All which learned men and painful travellers have affirmed with one +consent and voice, that America was an island, and that there lieth a +great sea between it, Cathay, and Greenland, by the which any man of our +country that will give the attempt, may with small danger pass to Cathay, +the Moluccas, India, and all other places in the east in much shorter +time than either the Spaniard or Portuguese doth, or may do, from the +nearest part of any of their countries within Europe. + +What moved these learned men to affirm thus much I know not, or to what +end so many and sundry travellers of both ages have allowed the same; but +I conjecture that they would never have so constantly affirmed, or +notified their opinions therein to the world, if they had not had great +good cause, and many probable reasons to have led them thereunto. + +Now lest you should make small account of ancient writers or of their +experiences which travelled long before our times, reckoning their +authority amongst fables of no importance, I have for the better +assurance of those proofs set down some part of a discourse, written in +the Saxon tongue, and translated into English by Master Noel, servant to +Master Secretary Cecil, wherein there is described a navigation which one +other made, in the time of King Alfred, King of Wessex, Anne 871, the +words of which discourse were these: "He sailed right north, having +always the desert land on the starboard, and on the larboard the main +sea, continuing his course, until he perceived that the coast bowed +directly towards the east or else the sea opened into the land he could +not tell how far, where he was compelled to stay until he had a western +wind or somewhat upon the north, and sailed thence directly east along +the coast, so far as he was able in four days, where he was again +enforced to tarry until he had a north wind, because the coast there +bowed directly towards the south, or at least opened he knew not how far +into the land, so that he sailed thence along the coast continually full +south, so far as he could travel in the space of five days, where he +discovered a mighty river which opened far into the land, and in the +entry of this river he turned back again." + +Whereby it appeareth that he went the very way that we now do yearly +trade by S. Nicholas into Muscovia, which way no man in our age knew for +certainty to be sea, until it was since discovered by our Englishmen in +the time of King Edward I., but thought before that time that Greenland +had joined to Normoria Byarmia, and therefore was accounted a new +discovery, being nothing so indeed, as by this discourse of Ochther's it +appeareth. + +Nevertheless if any man should have taken this voyage in hand by the +encouragement of this only author, he should have been thought but +simple, considering that this navigation was written so many years past, +in so barbarous a tongue by one only obscure author, and yet we in these +our days find by our own experiences his former reports to be true. + +How much more, then, ought we to believe this passage to Cathay to be, +being verified by the opinions of all the best, both antique and modern +geographers, and plainly set out in the best and most allowed maps, +charts, globes, cosmographical tables, and discourses of this our age and +by the rest not denied, but left as a matter doubtful. + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +1. All seas are maintained by the abundance of water, so that the nearer +the end any river, bay, or haven is, the shallower it waxeth (although by +some accidental bar it is sometime found otherwise), but the farther you +sail west from Iceland, towards the place where this strait is thought to +be, the more deep are the seas, which giveth us good hope of continuance +of the same sea, with Mare del Sur, by some strait that lieth between +America, Greenland, and Cathay. + +2. Also, if that America were not an island, but a part of the continent +adjoining to Asia, either the people which inhabit Mangia, Anian, and +Quinzay, etc., being borderers upon it, would before this time have made +some road into it, hoping to have found some like commodities to their +own. + +3. Or else the Syrians and Tartars (which oftentimes heretofore have +sought far and near for new seats, driven thereunto through the necessity +of their cold and miserable countries) would in all this time have found +the way to America and entered the same had the passages been never so +strait or difficult, the country being so temperate, pleasant, and +fruitful in comparison of their own. But there was never any such people +found there by any of the Spaniards, Portuguese, or Frenchmen, who first +discovered the inland of that country, which Spaniards or Frenchmen must +then of necessity have seen some one civilised man in America, +considering how full of civilised people Asia is; but they never saw so +much as one token or sign that ever any man of the known part of the +world had been there. + +4. Furthermore, it is to be thought, that if by reason of mountains or +other craggy places the people neither of Cathay or Tartary could enter +the country of America, or they of America have entered Asia if it were +so joined, yet some one savage or wandering-beast would in so many years +have passed into it; but there hath not any time been found any of the +beasts proper to Cathay or Tartary, etc., in America; nor of those proper +to America in Tartary, Cathay, etc., or in any part of Asia, which thing +proveth America not only to be one island, and in no part adjoining to +Asia, but also that the people of those countries have not had any +traffic with each other. + +5. Moreover at the least some one of those painful travellers which of +purpose have passed the confines of both countries, with intent only to +discover, would, as it is most likely, have gone from the one to the +other, if there had been any piece of land, or isthmus, to have joined +them together, or else have declared some cause to the contrary. + +6. But neither Paulus Venetus, who lived and dwelt a long time in +Cathay, ever came into America, and yet was at the sea coasts of Mangia +over against it, where he was embarked and performed a great navigation +along those seas; neither yet Veratzanus or Franciscus Vasquez de +Coronado, who travelled the north part of America by land, ever found +entry from thence by land to Cathay, or any part of Asia. + +7. Also it appeareth to be an island, insomuch as the sea runneth by +nature circularly from the east to the west, following the diurnal motion +of the _Primum Mobile_, and carrieth with it all inferior bodies movable, +as well celestial as elemental; which motion of the waters is most +evidently seen in the sea, which lieth on the south side of Africa, where +the current that runneth from the east to the west is so strong (by +reason of such motion) that the Portuguese in their voyages eastward to +Calicut, in passing by the Cape of Good Hope, are enforced to make divers +courses, the current there being so swift, as it striketh from thence, +all along westward, upon the straits of Magellan, being distant from +thence near the fourth part of the longitude of the earth: and not having +free passage and entrance through that frith towards the west, by reason +of the narrowness of the said strait of Magellan, it runneth to salve +this wrong (Nature not yielding to accidental restraints) all along the +eastern coasts of America northwards so far as Cape Frido, being the +farthest known place of the same continent towards the north, which is +about four thousand eight-hundred leagues, reckoning therewithal the +trending of the land. + +8. So that this current, being continually maintained with such force as +Jacques Cartier affirmeth it to be, who met with the same, being at +Baccalaos as he sailed along the coasts of America, then, either it must +of necessity have way to pass from Cape Frido through this frith, +westward towards Cathay, being known to come so far only to salve his +former wrongs by the authority before named; or else it must needs strike +over upon the coast of Iceland, Lapland, Finmark, and Norway (which are +east from the said place about three hundred and sixty leagues) with +greater force than it did from the Cape of Good Hope upon the strait of +Magellan, or from the strait of Magellan to Cape Frido; upon which coasts +Jacques Cartier met with the same, considering the shortness of the cut +from the said Cape Frido to Iceland, Lapland, etc. And so the cause +efficient remaining, it would have continually followed along our coasts +through the narrow seas, which it doeth not, but is digested about the +north of Labrador by some through passage there through this frith. + +The like course of the water, in some respect, happeneth in the +Mediterranean Sea (as affirmeth Contorenus), where, as the current which +cometh from Tanais and the Euxine, running along all the coasts of +Greece, Italy, France, and Spain, and not finding sufficient way out +through Gibraltar by means of the straitness of the frith, it runneth +back again along the coasts of Barbary by Alexandria, Natolia, etc. + +It may, peradventure, be thought that this course of the sea doth +sometime surcease and thereby impugn this principle, because it is not +discerned all along the coast of America in such sort as Jacques Cartier +found it, whereunto I answer this: That albeit in every part of the coast +of America or elsewhere this current is not sensibly perceived, yet it +hath evermore such like motion, either the uppermost or nethermost part +of the sea; as it may be proved true, if you sink a sail by a couple of +ropes near the ground, fastening to the nethermost corners two gun +chambers or other weights, by the driving whereof you shall plainly +perceive the course of the water and current running with such like +course in the bottom. By the like experiment you may find the ordinary +motion of the sea in the ocean, how far soever you be off the land. + +9. Also, there cometh another current from out the north-east from the +Scythian Sea (as Master Jenkinson, a man of rare virtue, great travel, +and experience, told me), which runneth westward towards Labrador, as the +other did which cometh from the south; so that both these currents must +have way through this our strait, or else encounter together and run +contrary courses in one line, but no such conflicts of streams or +contrary courses are found about any part of Labrador or Newfoundland, as +witness our yearly fishers and other sailors that way, but is there +separated as aforesaid, and found by the experience of Barnarde de la +Torre to fall into Mare del Sur. + +10. Furthermore, the current in the great ocean could not have been +maintained to run continually one way from the beginning of the world +unto this day, had there not been some through passage by the strait +aforesaid, and so by circular motion be brought again to maintain itself, +for the tides and courses of the sea are maintained by their +interchangeable motions, as fresh rivers are by springs, by ebbing and +flowing, by rarefaction and condensation. + +So that it resteth not possible (so far as my simple reason can +comprehend) that this perpetual current can by any means be maintained, +but only by a continual reaccess of the same water, which passeth through +the strait, and is brought about thither again by such circular motion as +aforesaid, and the certain falling thereof by this strait into Mare del +Sur is proved by the testimony and experience of Barnarde de la Torre, +who was sent from P. de la Natividad to the Moluccas, 1542, by +commandment of Anthony Mendoza, then Viceroy of Nova Hispania, which +Barnarde sailed 750 leagues on the north side of the Equator, and there +met with a current which came from the north-east, the which drove him +back again to Tidore. + +Wherefore this current being proved to come from the Cape of Good Hope to +the strait of Magellan, and wanting sufficient entrance there, is by the +necessity of Nature's force brought to Terra de Labrador, where Jacques +Cartier met the same, and thence certainly known not to strike over upon +Iceland, Lapland, etc., and found by Barnarde de la Torre, in Mare del +Sur, on the backside of America, therefore this current, having none +other passage, must of necessity fall out through this strait into Mare +del Sur, and so trending by the Moluccas, China, and the Cape of Good +Hope, maintaineth itself by circular motion, which is all one in Nature +with motus ab oriente in occidentem. + +So that it seemeth we have now more occasion to doubt of our return than +whether there be a passage that way, yea or no: which doubt hereafter +shall be sufficiently removed; wherefore, in my opinion reason itself +grounded upon experience assureth us of this passage if there were +nothing else to put us in hope thereof. But lest these might not +suffice, I have added in this chapter following some further proof +thereof, by the experience of such as have passed some part of this +discovery, and in the next adjoining to that the authority of those which +have sailed wholly through every part thereof. + + + +CHAPTER III. +TO PROVE BY EXPERIENCE OF SUNDRY MEN'S TRAVELS THE OPENING OF SOME PART +OF THIS NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, WHEREBY GOOD HOPE REMAINETH OF THE REST. + + +1. Paulus Venetus, who dwelt many years in Cathay, affirmed that he had +sailed 1,500 miles upon the coast of Mangia and Anian, towards the +north-east, always finding the seas open before him, not only as far as +he went, but also as far as he could discern. + +2. Also Franciscus Vasquez de Coronado, passing from Mexico by Cevola, +through the country of Quiver to Sierra Nevada, found there a great sea, +where were certain ships laden with merchandise, the mariners wearing on +their heads the pictures of certain birds called Alcatrarzi, part whereof +were made of gold and part of silver; who signified by signs that they +were thirty days coming thither, which likewise proveth America by +experience to be disjoined from Cathay, on that part, by a great sea, +because they could not come from any part of America as natives thereof; +for that, so far as is discovered, there hath not been found there any +one ship of that country. + +3. In like manner, Johann Baros testifieth that the cosmographers of +China (where he himself had been) affirm that the sea coast trendeth from +thence north-east to fifty degrees of septentrional latitude, being the +farthest part that way, which the Portuguese had then knowledge of; and +that the said cosmographers knew no cause to the contrary, but that it +might continue farther. + +By whose experiences America is proved to be separate from those parts of +Asia, directly against the same. And not contented with the judgments of +these learned men only, I have searched what might be further said for +the confirmation hereof. + +4. And I found that Franciscus Lopez de Gomara affirmeth America to be +an island, and likewise Greenland; and that Greenland is distant from +Lapland forty leagues, and from Terra de Labrador fifty. + +5. Moreover Alvarez Nunmius, a Spaniard, and learned cosmographer, and +Jacques Cartier, who made two voyages into those parts, and sailed five +hundred miles upon the north-east coasts of America. + +6. Likewise Hieronimus Fracastorius, a learned Italian, and traveller in +the north parts of the same land. + +7. Also Jacques Cartier, having done the like, heard say at Hochelaga, +in Nova Francia, how that there was a great sea at Saguinay, whereof the +end was not known: which they presupposed to be the passage to Cathay. +Furthermore, Sebastian Cabot, by his personal experience and travel, has +set forth and described this passage in his charts which are yet to be +seen in the Queen's Majesty's Privy Gallery at Whitehall, who was sent to +make this discovery by King Henry VII. and entered the same straits, +affirming that he sailed very far westward with a quarter of the north, +on the north side of Terra de Labrador, the 11th of June, until he came +to the septentrional latitude of sixty-seven and a half degrees, and +finding the seas still open, said, that he might and would have gone to +Cathay if the mutiny of the master and mariners had not been. + +Now, as these men's experience have proved some part of this passage, so +the chapter following shall put you in full assurance of the rest by +their experiences which have passed through every part thereof. + + + +CHAPTER IV. +TO PROVE BY CIRCUMSTANCE THAT THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE HATH BEEN SAILED +THROUGHOUT. + + +The diversity between brute beasts and men, or between the wise and the +simple, is, that the one judgeth by sense only, and gathereth no surety +of anything that he hath not seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled: and +the other not so only, but also findeth the certainty of things, by +reason, before they happen to be tried, wherefore I have added proofs of +both sorts, that the one and the other might thereby be satisfied. + +1. First, as Gemma Frisius reciteth, there went from Europe three +brethren though this passage: whereof it took the name of Fretum trium +fratrum. + +2. Also Pliny affirmeth out of Cornelius Nepos (who wrote fifty-seven +years before Christ) that there were certain Indians driven by tempest +upon the coast of Germany which were presented by the King of Suevia unto +Quintus Metellus Celer, then Pro-Consul of France. + +3. And Pliny upon the same saith that it is no marvel, though there be +sea by the north, where there is such abundance of moisture; which +argueth, that he doubted not of a navigable passage that way, through +which those Indians came. + +4. And for the better proof that the same authority of Cornelius Nepos +is not by me wrested to prove my opinion of the North-West Passage, you +shall find the same affirmed more plainly in that behalf by the excellent +geographer Dominicus Marius Niger, who showeth how many ways the Indian +sea stretcheth itself, making in that place recital of certain Indians +that were likewise driven through the north seas from India, upon the +coasts of Germany, by great tempest, as they were sailing in trade of +merchandise. + +5. Also, whiles Frederick Barbarossa reigned Emperor, A.D. 1160, there +came certain other Indians upon the coast of Germany. + +6. Likewise Othon, in the story of the Goths, affirmeth that in the time +of the German Emperors there were also certain Indians cast by force of +weather upon the coast of the said country, which foresaid Indians could +not possibly have come by the south-east, south-west, nor from any part +of Africa or America, nor yet by the north-east: therefore they came of +necessity by this our North-West Passage. + + + +CHAPTER V. +TO PROVE THAT THESE INDIANS, AFORENAMED, CAME NOT BY THE SOUTH-EAST, +SOUTH-WEST, NOR FROM ANY OTHER PART OF AFRICA OR AMERICA. + + +1. They could not come from the south-east by the Cape of Good Hope, +because the roughness of the seas there is such--occasioned by the +currents and great winds in that part--that the greatest armadas the King +of Portugal hath cannot without great difficulty pass that way, much +less, then, a canoe of India could live in those outrageous seas without +shipwreck, being a vessel but of very small burden, and the Indians have +conducted themselves to the place aforesaid, being men unexpert in the +art of navigation. + +2. Also, it appeareth plainly that they were not able to come from along +the coast of Africa aforesaid to those parts of Europe, because the winds +do, for the most part, blow there easterly or from the shore, and the +current running that way in like sort, would have driven them westward +upon some part of America, for such winds and tides could never have led +them from thence to the said place where they were found, nor yet could +they have come from any of the countries aforesaid, keeping the seas +always, without skilful mariners to have conducted them such like courses +as were necessary to perform such a voyage. + +3. Presupposing also, if they had been driven to the west, as they must +have been, coming that way, then they should have perished, wanting +supply of victuals, not having any place--once leaving the coast of +Africa--until they came to America, north of America, until they arrived +upon some part of Europe or the islands adjoining to it to have refreshed +themselves. + +4. Also, if, notwithstanding such impossibilities, they might have +recovered Germany by coming from India by the south-east, yet must they +without all doubt have struck upon some other part of Europe before their +arrival there, as the isles of Madeira, Portugal, Spain, France, England, +Ireland, etc., which, if they had done, it is not credible that they +should or would have departed undiscovered of the inhabitants; but there +was never found in those days any such ship or men, but only upon the +coasts of Germany, where they have been sundry times and in sundry ages +cast ashore; neither is it like that they would have committed themselves +again to sea, if they had so arrived, not knowing where they were, nor +whither to have gone. + +5. And by the south-west it is impossible, because the current +aforesaid, which cometh from the east, striketh with such force upon the +Straits of Magellan, and falleth with such swiftness and fury into Mare +de Sur, that hardly any ship--but not possibly a canoe, with such +unskilful mariners--can come into our western ocean through that strait +from the west seas of America, as Magellan's experience hath partly +taught us. + +6. And further, to prove that these people so arriving upon the coast of +Germany were Indians, and not inhabiters of any part either of Africa or +America, it is manifest, because the natives, both of Africa and America, +neither had, or have at this day, as is reported, other kind of boats +than such as do bear neither masts nor sails, except only upon the coasts +of Barbary and the Turks' ships, but do carry themselves from place to +place near the shore by the oar only. + + + +CHAPTER VI. +TO PROVE THAT THOSE INDIANS CAME NOT BY THE NORTH-EAST, AND THAT THERE IS +NO THROUGH NAVIGABLE PASSAGE THAT WAY. + + +1. It is likely that there should be no through passage by the +north-east whereby to go round about the world, because all seas, as +aforesaid, are maintained by the abundance of water, waxing more shallow +and shelving towards the end, as we find it doth, by experience, in the +Frozen Sea, towards the east, which breedeth small hope of any great +continuance of that sea to be navigable towards the east, sufficient to +sail thereby round about the world. + +2. Also, it standeth scarcely with reason that the Indians dwelling +under the Torrid Zone could endure the injury of the cold air, about the +northern latitude of 80 degrees, under which elevation the passage by the +north-east cannot be, as the often experiences had of all the south part +of it showeth, seeing that some of the inhabitants of this cold climate, +whose summer is to them an extreme winter, have been stricken to death +with the cold damps of the air, about 72 degrees, by an accidental +mishap, and yet the air in such like elevation is always cold, and too +cold for such as the Indians are. + +3. Furthermore, the piercing cold of the gross thick air so near the +Pole will so stiffen the sails and ship tackling, that no mariner can +either hoist or strike them--as our experience, far nearer the south than +this passage is presupposed to be, hath taught us--without the use +whereof no voyage can be performed. + +4. Also, the air is so darkened with continual mists and fogs so near +the Pole, that no man can well see either to guide his ship or to direct +his course. + +5. Also the compass at such elevation doth very suddenly vary, which +things must of force have been their destruction, although they had been +men of much more skill than the Indians are. + +6. Moreover, all bays, gulfs, and rivers do receive their increase upon +the flood, sensibly to be discerned on the one side of the shore or the +other, as many ways as they be open to any main sea, as the +Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, Sinus Bodicus, the Thames, +and all other known havens or rivers in any part of the world, and each +of them opening but on one part to the main sea, do likewise receive +their increase upon the flood the same way, and none other, which the +Frozen Sea doth, only by the west, as Master Jenkinson affirmed unto me, +and therefore it followeth that this north-east sea, receiving increase +only from the west, cannot possibly open to the main ocean by the east. + +7. Moreover, the farther you pass into any sea towards the end of it, of +that part which is shut up from the main sea, as in all those +above-mentioned, the less and less the tides rise and fall. The like +whereof also happeneth in the Frozen Sea, which proveth but small +continuance of that sea toward the east. + +8. Also, the farther ye go towards the east in the Frozen Sea the less +soft the water is, which could not happen if it were open to the salt sea +towards the east, as it is to the west only, seeing everything naturally +engendereth his like, and then must it be like salt throughout, as all +the seas are in such like climate and elevation. And therefore it +seemeth that this north-east sea is maintained by the river Ob, and such +like freshets as the Pontic Sea and Mediterranean Sea, in the uppermost +parts thereof by the river Nile, the Danube, Dnieper, Tanais, etc. + +9. Furthermore, if there were any such sea at that elevation, of like it +should be always frozen throughout--there being no tides to hinder +it--because the extreme coldness of the air in the uppermost part, and +the extreme coldness of the earth in the bottom, the sea there being but +of small depth, whereby the one accidental coldness doth meet with the +other; and the sun, not having his reflection so near the Pole, but at +very blunt angles, it can never be dissolved after it is frozen, +notwithstanding the great length of their day: for that the sun hath no +heat at all in his light or beams, but proceeding only by an accidental +reflection which there wanteth in effect. + +10. And yet if the sun were of sufficient force in that elevation to +prevail against this ice, yet must it be broken before it can be +dissolved, which cannot be but through the long continue of the sun above +their horizon, and by that time the summer would be so far spent, and so +great darkness and cold ensue, that no man could be able to endure so +cold, dark, and discomfortable a navigation, if it were possible for him +then and there to live. + +11. Further, the ice being once broken, it must of force so drive with +the winds and tides that no ship can sail in those seas, seeing our +fishers of Iceland and Newfoundland are subject to danger through the +great islands of ice which fleet in the seas, far to the south of that +presupposed passage. + +12. And it cannot be that this North-East Passage should be any nearer +the south than before recited, for then it should cut off Ciremissi and +Turbi, Tartarii, with Vzesucani, Chisani, and others from the continent +of Asia, which are known to be adjoining to Scythia, Tartary, etc., with +the other part of the same continent. + +And if there were any through passage by the north-east, yet were it to +small end and purpose for our traffic, because no ship of great burden +can navigate in so shallow a sea, and ships of small burden are very +unfit and unprofitable, especially towards the blustering north, to +perform such a voyage. + + + +CHAPTER VII. +TO PROVE THAT THE INDIANS AFORENAMED CAME ONLY BY THE NORTH-WEST, WHICH +INDUCETH A CERTAINTY OF OUR PASSAGE BY EXPERIENCE. + + +It is as likely that they came by the north-west as it is unlikely that +they should come either by the south-east, south-west, north-east, or +from any other part of Africa or America, and therefore this North-West +Passage, having been already so many ways proved by disproving of the +others, etc., I shall the less need in this place to use many words +otherwise than to conclude in this sort, that they came only by the +north-west from England, having these many reasons to lead me thereunto. + +1. First, the one-half of the winds of the compass might bring them by +the north-west, veering always between two sheets, with which kind of +sailing the Indians are only acquainted, not having any use of a bow line +or quarter wind, without the which no ship can possibly come, either by +the south-east, south-west, or north-east, having so many sundry capes to +double, whereunto are required such change and shifts of winds. + +2. And it seemeth likely that they should come by the north-west, +because the coast whereon they were driven lay east from this our +passage, and all winds do naturally drive a ship to an opposite point +from whence it bloweth, not being otherwise guided by art, which the +Indians do utterly want, and therefore it seemeth that they came directly +through this, our strait, which they might do with one wind. + +3. For if they had come by the Cape of Good Hope, then must they, as +aforesaid, have fallen upon the south parts of America. + +4. And if by the Strait of Magellan, then upon the coasts of Africa, +Spain, Portugal, France, Ireland, or England. + +5. And if by the north-east, then upon the coasts of Ciremissi, +Tartarii, Lapland, Iceland, Labrador, etc., and upon these coasts, as +aforesaid, they have never been found. + +So that by all likelihood they could never have come without shipwreck +upon the coasts of Germany, if they had first struck upon the coasts of +so many countries, wanting both art and shipping to make orderly +discovery, and altogether ignorant both of the art of navigation and also +of the rocks, flats, sands, or havens of those parts of the world, which +in most of these places are plentiful. + +6. And further, it seemeth very likely that the inhabitants of the most +part of those countries, by which they must have come any other way +besides by the north-west, being for the most part anthropophagi, or +men-eaters, would have devoured them, slain them, or, at the leastwise, +kept them as wonders for the gaze. + +So that it plainly appeareth that those Indians--which, as you have +heard, in sundry ages were driven by tempest upon the shore of +Germany--came only through our North-West Passage. + +7. Moreover, the passage is certainly proved by a navigation that a +Portuguese made, who passed through this strait, giving name to a +promontory far within the same, calling it after his own name, +Promontorium Corterialis, near adjoining unto Polisacus Fluvius. + +8. Also one Scolmus, a Dane, entered and passed a great part thereof. + +9. Also there was one Salva Terra, a gentleman of Victoria in Spain, +that came by chance out of the West Indies into Ireland, Anno 1568, who +affirmed the North-West Passage from us to Cathay, constantly to be +believed in America navigable; and further said, in the presence of Sir +Henry Sidney, then Lord Deputy of Ireland, in my hearing, that a friar of +Mexico, called Andre Urdaneta, more than eight years before his then +coming into Ireland, told him there that he came from Mare del Sur into +Germany through this North-West Passage, and showed Salva Terra--at that +time being then with him in Mexico--a sea-card made by his own experience +and travel in that voyage, wherein was plainly set down and described +this North-West Passage, agreeing in all points with Ortelius' map. + +And further this friar told the King of Portugal (as he returned by that +country homeward) that there was of certainty such a passage north-west +from England, and that he meant to publish the same; which done, the king +most earnestly desired him not in any wise to disclose or make the +passage known to any nation. For that (said the king) _if England had +knowledge and experience thereof_, _it would greatly hinder both the King +of Spain and me_. This friar (as Salva Terra reported) was the greatest +discoverer by sea that hath been in our age. Also Salva Terra, being +persuaded of this passage by the friar Urdaneta, and by the common +opinion of the Spaniards inhabiting America, offered most willingly to +accompany me in this discovery, which of like he would not have done if +he had stood in doubt thereof. + +And now, as these modern experiences cannot be impugned, so, least it +might be objected that these things (gathered out of ancient writers, +which wrote so many years past) might serve little to prove this passage +by the north of America, because both America and India were to them then +utterly unknown; to remove this doubt, let this suffice, that Aristotle +(who was 300 years before Christ) named the Indian Sea. Also Berosus +(who lived 330 before Christ) hath these words, _Ganges in India_. + +Also in the first chapter of Esther be these words: "In the days of +Ahasuerus, which ruled from India to Ethiopia," which Ahasuerus lived 580 +years before Christ. Also Quintus Curtius, where he speaketh of the +Conquest of Alexander, mentioneth India. Also Arianus Philostratus, and +Sidrach, in his discourses of the wars of the King of Bactria, and of +Garaab, who had the most part of India under his government. All which +assumeth us that both India and Indians were known in those days. + +These things considered, we may, in my opinion, not only assure ourselves +of this passage by the north-west, but also that it is navigable both to +come and go, as hath been proved in part and in all by the experience of +divers as Sebastian Cabot, Corterialis, the three brethren above named, +the Indians, and Urdaneta, the friar of Mexico, etc. + +And yet, notwithstanding all which, there be some that have a better hope +of this passage to Cathay by the north-east than by the west, whose +reasons, with my several answers, ensue in the chapter following. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. +CERTAIN REASONS ALLEGED FOR THE PROVING OF A PASSAGE BY THE NORTH-EAST +BEFORE THE QUEEN'S MAJESTY, AND CERTAIN LORDS OF THE COUNCIL, BY MASTER +ANTHONY JENKINSON, WITH MY SEVERAL ANSWERS THEN USED TO THE SAME. + + +Because you may understand as well those things alleged against me as +what doth serve for my purpose, I have here added the reasons of Master +Anthony Jenkinson, a worthy gentleman, and a great traveller, who +conceived a better hope of the passage to Cathay from us to be by the +north-east than by the north-west. + +He first said that he thought not to the contrary but that there was a +passage by the north-west, according to mime opinion, but he was assured +that there might be found a navigable passage by the north-east from +England to go to all the east parts of the world, which he endeavoured to +prove three ways. + +The first was, that he heard a fisherman of Tartary say in hunting the +morse, that he sailed very far towards the south-east, finding no end of +the sea, whereby he hoped a through passage to be that way. + +Whereunto I answered that the Tartars were a barbarous people, and +utterly ignorant in the art of navigation, not knowing the use of the +sea-card, compass, or star, which he confessed true; and therefore they +could not (said I) certainly know the south-east from the north-east in a +wide sea, and a place unknown from the sight of the land. + +Or if he sailed anything near the shore, yet he, being ignorant, might be +deceived by the doubling of many points and capes, and by the trending of +the land, albeit he kept continually along the shore. + +And further, it might be that the poor fisherman through simplicity +thought that there was nothing that way but sea, because he saw mine +land, which proof (under correction) giveth small assurance of a +navigable sea by the north-east to go round about the world, for that he +judged by the eye only, seeing we in this clear air do account twenty +miles a ken at sea. + +His second reason is, that there was an unicorn's horn found upon the +coast of Tartary, which could not come (said he) thither by any other +means than with the tides, through some strait in the north-east of the +Frozen Sea, there being no unicorns in any part of Asia, saving in India +and Cathay, which reason, in my simple judgment, has as little force. + +First, it is doubtful whether those barbarous Tartars do know an +unicorn's horn, yea or no; and if it were one, yet it is not credible +that the sea could have driven it so far, it being of such nature that it +cannot float. + +Also the tides running to and fro would have driven it as far back with +the ebb as it brought it forward with the flood. + +There is also a beast called Asinus Indicus (whose horn most like it +was), which hath but one horn like an unicorn in his forehead, whereof +there is great plenty in all the north parts thereunto adjoining, as in +Lapland, Norway, Finmark, etc., as Jocobus Zeiglerus writeth in his +history of Scondia. + +And as Albertus saith, there is a fish which hath but one horn in his +forehead like to an unicorn, and therefore it seemeth very doubtful both +from whence it came, and whether it were an unicorn's horn, yea or no. + +His third and last reason was, that there came a continual stream or +current through the Frozen Sea of such swiftness, as a Colmax told him, +that if you cast anything therein, it would presently be carried out of +sight towards the west. + +Whereunto I answered, that there doth the like from Palus Maeotis, by the +Euxine, the Bosphorus, and along the coast of Greece, etc., as it is +affirmed by Contarenus, and divers others that have had experience of the +same; and yet that sea lieth not open to any main sea that way, but is +maintained by freshets, as by the Don, the Danube, etc. + +In like manner is this current in the Frozen Sea increased and maintained +by the Dwina, the river Ob, etc. + +Now as I have here briefly recited the reasons alleged to prove a passage +to Cathay by the north-east with my several answers thereunto, so will I +leave it unto your judgment, to hope or despair of either at your +pleasure. + + + +CHAPTER IX. +HOW THAT THE PASSAGE BY THE NORTH-WEST IS MORE COMMODIOUS FOR OUR TRAFFIC +THAN THE OTHER BY THE EAST, IF THERE WERE ANY SUCH. + + +1. By the north-east, if your winds do not give you a marvellous speedy +and lucky passage, you are in danger (of being so near the Pole) to be +benighted almost the one half of the year, and what danger that were, to +live so long comfortless, void of light (if the cold killed you not), +each man of reason or understanding may judge. + +2. Also Mangia, Quinzai, and the Moluccas, are nearer unto us by the +north-west than by the north-east more than two-fifths, which is almost +by the half. + +3. Also we may have by the rest a yearly return, it being at all times +navigable, whereas you have but four months in the whole year to go by +the north-east, the passage being at such elevation as it is formerly +expressed, for it cannot be any nearer the south. + +4. Furthermore, it cannot be finished without divers winterings by the +way, having no havens in any temperate climate to harbour in there, for +it is as much as we can well sail from hence to S. Nicholas, in the trade +of Muscovy, and return in the navigable season of the year, and from S. +Nicholas, Ciremissi, Tartarii, which standeth 80 degrees of the +septentrional latitude, it is at the left 400 leagues, which amounteth +scarce to the third part of the way, to the end of your voyage by the +north-east. + +5. And yet, after you have doubled this Cape, if then there might be +found a navigable sea to carry you south-east according to your desire, +yet can you not winter conveniently until you come to sixty degrees and +to take up one degree running south-east you must sail twenty-four +leagues and three four parts, which amounteth to four hundred and +ninety-five leagues. + +6. Furthermore, you may by the north-west sail thither, with all +easterly winds, and return with any westerly winds, whereas you must have +by the north-east sundry winds, and those proper, according to the lie of +the coast and capes, you shall be enforced to double, which winds are not +always to be had when they are looked for; whereby your journey should be +greatly prolonged, and hardly endured so near the Pole, as we are taught +by Sir Hugh Willoughbie, who was frozen to death far nearer the south. + +7. Moreover, it is very doubtful whether we should long enjoy that trade +by the north-east if there were any such passage that way, the +commodities thereof once known to the Muscovite, what privilege soever he +hath granted, seeing pollice with the maze of excessive gain, to the +enriching of himself and all his dominions, would persuade him to presume +the same, having so great opportunity, to distribute the commodities of +those countries by the Naruc. + +But by the north-west we may safely trade without danger or annoyance of +any prince living, Christian or heathen, it being out of all their +trades. + +8. Also the Queen's Majesty's dominions are nearer the North-West +Passage than any other great princes that might pass that way, and both +in their going and return they must of necessity succour themselves and +their ships upon some part of the same if any tempestuous weather should +happen. + +Further, no prince's navy of the world is able to encounter the Queen's +Majesty's navy as it is at this present; and yet it should be greatly +increased by the traffic ensuing upon this discovery, for it is the long +voyages that increase and maintain great shipping. + +Now it seemeth unnecessary to declare what commodities would grow thereby +if all these things were as we have heretofore presupposed and thought +them to be; which next adjoining are briefly declared. + + + +CHAPTER X. +WHAT COMMODITIES WOULD ENSUE, THIS PASSAGE ONCE DISCOVERED. + + +1. It were the only way for our princes to possess the wealth of all the +east parts (as they term them) of the world, which is infinite; as +appeareth by the experience of Alexander the Great in the time of his +conquest of India and the east parts of the world, alleged by Quintus +Curtius, which would be a great advancement to our country, wonderful +enriching to our prince, and unspeakable commodities to all the +inhabitants of Europe. + +2. For, through the shortness of the voyage, we should be able to sell +all manner of merchandise brought from thence far better cheap than +either the Portuguese or Spaniard doth or may do. And, further, share +with the Portuguese in the east and the Spaniard in the west by trading +to any part of America through Mare del Sur, where they can no manner of +way offend us. + +3. Also we sailed to divers marvellous rich countries, both civil and +others, out of both their jurisdictions, trades and traffics, where there +is to be found great abundance of gold, silver, precious stones, cloth of +gold, silks, all manner of spices, grocery wares, and other kinds of +merchandise of an inestimable price, which both the Spaniard and +Portuguese, through the length of their journeys, cannot well attain +unto. + +4. Also, we might inhabit some part of those countries, and settle there +such needy people of our country which now trouble the commonwealth, and +through want here at home are enforced to commit outrageous offences, +whereby they are daily consumed with the gallows. + +5. Moreover, we might from all the aforesaid places have a yearly +return, inhabiting for our staple some convenient place of America, about +Sierra Nevada or some other part, whereas it shall seem best for the +shortening of the voyage. + +6. Beside the exporting of our country commodities, which the Indians, +etc., much esteem, as appeareth in Esther, where the pomp is expressed of +the great King of India, Ahasuerus, who matched the coloured clothes +wherewith his houses and tents were apparelled with gold and silver, as +part of his greatest treasure, not mentioning velvets, silks, cloth of +gold, cloth of silver, or such like, being in those countries most +plentiful, whereby it plainly appeareth in what great estimation they +would have the cloths of this our country, so that there would be found a +far better vent for them by this means than yet this realm ever had; and +that without depending either upon France, Spain, Flanders, Portugal, +Hamborough, Emden, or any other part of Europe. + +7. Also here we shall increase both our ships and mariners without +burdening of the State. + +8. And also have occasion to set poor men's children to learn +handicrafts, and thereby to make trifles and such like, which the Indians +and those people do much esteem; by reason whereof, there should be none +occasion to have our country cumbered with loiterers, vagabonds, and such +like idle persons. + +All these commodities would grew by following this our discovery without +injury done to any Christian prince by crossing them in any of their used +trades, whereby they might take any just occasion of offence. + +Thus have I briefly showed you some part of the grounds of my opinion, +trusting that you will no longer judge me fantastic in this matter, +seeing I have conceived no hope of this voyage, but am persuaded +thereunto by the best cosmographers of our age, the same being confirmed +both by reason and certain experiences. + +Also this discovery hath been divers times heretofore by others both +proposed, attempted, and performed. + +It hath been proposed by Stephen Gomez unto Carolus, the fifth emperor in +the year of our Lord 1527, as Alphonse Ullva testifieth in the story of +Carolus' life, who would have set him forth in it (as the story +mentioneth) if the great want of money, by reason of his long wars, had +not caused him to surcease the same. + +And the King of Portugal, fearing lest the emperor would have persevered +in this his enterprise, gave him, to leave the matter unattempted, the +sum of 350,000 crowns; and it is to be supposed that the King of Portugal +would not have given to the emperor such sums of money for eggs in +moonshine. + +It hath been attempted by Corterialis the Portuguese, Scolmus the Dane, +and by Sebastian Cabot in the time of King Henry VII. + +And it hath been performed by the three brethren, the Indians aforesaid, +and by Urdaneta, the friar of Mexico. + +Also divers have proposed the like unto the French king, who hath sent +two or three times to have discovered the same; the discoverers spending +and consuming their victuals in searching the gulfs and bays between +Florida and Labrador, whereby the ice is broken to the after-comers. + +So that the right way may now be easily found out in short time, and that +with little jeopardy and less expenses. + +For America is discovered so far towards the north as Cape Frido, which +is at 62 degrees, and that part of Greenland next adjoining is known to +stand but at 72 degrees; so that we have but 10 degrees to sail north and +south to put the world out of doubt hereof; and it is likely that the +King of Spain and the King of Portugal would not have sat out all this +while but that they are sure to possess to themselves all that trade they +now use, and fear to deal in this discovery lest the Queen's Majesty, +having so good opportunity, and finding the commodity which thereby might +ensue to the commonwealth, would cut them off and enjoy the whole traffic +to herself, and thereby the Spaniards and Portuguese with their great +charges should beat the bush and other men catch the birds; which thing +they foreseeing, have commanded that no pilot of theirs, upon pain of +death, should seek to discover to the north-west, or plat out in any +sea-card any through passage that way by the north-west. + +Now, if you will impartially compare the hope that remaineth to animate +me to this enterprise with those likelihoods which Columbus alleged +before Ferdinando, the King of Castilia, to prove that there were such +islands in the West Ocean as were after by him and others discovered, to +the great commodity of Spain and all the world, you will think then that +this North-West Passage to be most worthy travel therein. + +For Columbus had none of the West Islands set forth unto him either in +globe or card, neither yet once mentioned of any writer (Plato excepted, +and the commentaries upon the same) from 942 years before Christ until +that day. + +Moreover, Columbus himself had neither seen America nor any other of the +islands about it, neither understood he of them by the report of any +other that had seen them, but only comforted himself with this hope, that +the land had a beginning where the sea had an ending. For as touching +that which the Spaniards do write of a Biscaine which should have taught +him the way thither, it is thought to be imagined of them to deprive +Columbus of his honour, being none of their countryman, but a stranger +born. + +And if it were true of the Biscaine, yet did he but hit upon the matter, +or, at the least, gathered the knowledge of it by conjectures only. + +And albeit myself have not seen this passage, or any part thereof, but am +ignorant of it as touching experience as Columbus was before his attempt +was made, yet have I both the report, relation, and authority of divers +most credible men, which have both seen and passed through some and every +part of this discovery, besides sundry reasons for my assurance thereof, +all which Columbus wanted. + +These things considered and impartially weighed together, with the +wonderful commodities which this discovery may bring, especially to this +realm of England, I must needs conclude with learned Baptista Ramusius, +and divers other learned men, who said that this discovery hath been +reserved for some noble prince or worthy man, thereby to make himself +rich, and the world happy: desiring you to accept in good part this brief +and simple discourse, written in haste, which, if I may perceive that it +shall not sufficiently satisfy you in this behalf, I will then impart +unto you a large discourse, which I have written only of this discovery. + +And further, because it sufficeth not only to knew that such a thing +there is, without ability to perform the same, I will at leisure make you +partaker of another simple discourse of navigation, wherein I have not a +little travelled, to make myself as sufficient to bring these things to +effect as I have been ready to offer myself therein. + +And therein I have devised to amend the errors of usual sea-cards, whose +common fault is to make the degrees of longitude in every latitude of one +like bigness. + +And have also devised therein a spherical instrument, with a compass of +variation for the perfect knowing of the longitude. + +And a precise order to prick the sea-card, together with certain +infallible rules for the shortening of any discovery, to know at the +first entering of any strait whether it lies open to the ocean more ways +than one, how far soever the sea stretcheth itself into the land. + +Desiring you hereafter never to mislike with me for the taking in hand of +any laudable and honest enterprise, for if, through pleasure and +idleness, we purchase shame, the pleasure vanisheth, but the shame +remaineth for ever. + +And therefore, to give me leave without offence always to live and die in +this mind, _that he is not worthy to live at all that for fear or danger +of death shunneth his country's service and his own honour_, seeing death +is inevitable, and the fame of virtue immortal. Wherefore, in this +behalf, _Mutare vel timere sperno_. + + + + +CERTAIN OTHER REASONS OR ARGUMENTS TO PROVE A PASSAGE BY THE NORTH-WEST. + + +_Learnedly written by Master Richard Willes_, _Gentleman_. + +Four famous ways there be spoken of to those fruitful and wealthy +islands, which we do usually call Moluccas, continually haunted for gain, +and daily travelled for riches therein growing. These islands, although +they stand east from the meridian, distant almost half the length of the +world, in extreme heat under the equinoctial line, possessed of infidels +and barbarians, yet by our neighbours great abundance of wealth there is +painfully sought in respect of the voyage dearly bought, and from thence +dangerously brought home to us. Our neighbours I call the Portuguese, in +comparison of the Molucchians for nearness unto us, for like situation +westward as we have for their usual trade with us; for that the far +south-easterings do know this part of Europe by no other name than +Portugal, not greatly acquainted as yet with the other nations thereof. +Their voyage is very well understood of all men, and the south-eastern +way round about Africa, by the Cape of Good Hope, more spoken of, better +known and travelled, than that it may seem needful to discourse thereof +any farther. + +The second way lieth south-west, between the West Indies, or South +America, and the south continent, through that narrow strait where +Magellan, first of all men that ever we do read of, passed these latter +years, caving thereunto therefore his name. This way, no doubt, the +Spaniards would commodiously take, for that it lieth near unto their +dominions there, could the eastern current and Levant winds as easily +suffer men to return as speedily therewith they may be carried thither; +for the which difficulty, or rather impossibility of striving against the +force both of wind and stream, this passage is little or nothing used, +although it be very well known. + +The third way, by the north-east, beyond all Europe and Asia, that worthy +and renowned knight Sir Hugh Willoughbie sought to his peril, enforced +there to end his life for cold, congealed and frozen to death. And, +truly, this way consisteth rather in the imagination of geographers than +allowable either in reason, or approved by experience, as well it may +appear by the dangerous trending of the Scythian Cape set by Ortellius +under the 80th degree north, by the unlikely sailing in that northern +sea, always clad with ice and snow, or at the least continually pestered +therewith, if haply it be at any time dissolved, beside bays and shelves, +the water waxing more shallow towards the east, to say nothing of the +foul mists and dark fogs in the cold clime, of the little power of the +sun to clear the air, of the uncomfortable nights, so near the Pole, five +months long. + +A fourth way to go unto these aforesaid happy islands, the Moluccas, Sir +Humphrey Gilbert, a learned and valiant knight, discourseth of at large +in his new "Passage to Cathay." The enterprise of itself being virtuous, +the fact must doubtless deserve high praise, and whensoever it shall be +finished the fruits thereof cannot be small; where virtue is guide, there +is fame a follower, and fortune a companion. But the way is dangerous, +the passage doubtful, the voyage not thoroughly known, and therefore +gainsaid by many, after this manner. + +First, who can assure us of any passage rather by the north-west than by +the north-east? do not both ways lie in equal distance from the North +Pole? stand not the North Capes of either continent under like elevation? +is not the ocean sea beyond America farther distant from our meridian by +thirty or forty degrees west than the extreme points of Cathay eastward, +if Ortellius' general card of the world be true? In the north-east that +noble knight--Sir Hugh Willoughbie perished for cold, and can you then +promise a passenger any better hap by the north-west, who hath gone for +trial's sake, at any time, this way out of Europe to Cathay? + +If you seek the advice herein of such as make profession in cosmography, +Ptolemy, the father of geography, and his eldest children, will answer by +their maps with a negative, concluding most of the sea within the land, +and making an end of the world northward, near the 63rd degree. The same +opinion, when learning chiefly flourished, was received in the Romans' +time, as by their poets' writings it may appear. "Et te colet ultima +Thule," said Virgil, being of opinion that Iceland was the extreme part +of the world habitable toward the north. Joseph Moletius, an Italian, +and Mercator, a German, for knowledge men able to be compared with the +best geographers of our time, the one in his half spheres of the whole +world, the other in some of his great globes, have continued the West +Indies land, even to the North Pole, and consequently cut off all passage +by sea that way. + +The same doctors, Mercator in other of his globes and maps, Moletius in +his sea-card, nevertheless doubting of so great continuance of the former +continent, have opened a gulf betwixt the West Indies and the extreme +northern land; but such a one that either is not to be travelled for the +causes in the first objection alleged, or clean shut up from us in Europe +by Greenland, the south end whereof Moletius maketh firm land with +America, the north part continent with Lapland and Norway. + +Thirdly, the greatest favourers of this voyage cannot deny but that, if +any such passage be, it lieth subject unto ice and snow for the most part +of the year, whereas it standeth in the edge of the frosty zone. Before +the sun hath warmed the air and dissolved the ice, each one well knoweth +that there can be no sailing; the ice once broken through the continual +abode, the sun maketh a certain season in those parts. How shall it be +possible for so weak a vessel as a ship is to hold out amid whole +islands, as it were, of ice continually beating on each side, and at the +mouth of that gulf, issuing down furiously from the north, safely to +pass, when whole mountains of ice and snow shall be tumbled down upon +her? + +Well, grant the West Indies not to continue continent unto the Pole, +grant there be a passage between these two lands, let the gulf lie nearer +us than commonly in cards we find it set, namely, between the sixty-first +and sixty-fourth degrees north, as Gemma Frisius in his maps and globes +imagineth it, and so left by our countryman Sebastian Cabot in his table +which the Earl of Bedford hath at Theinies; let the way be void of all +difficulties, yet doth it not follow that we have free passage to Cathay. +For example's sake, you may coast all Norway, Finmarke, and Lapland, and +then bow southward to St. Nicholas, in Moscovy. You may likewise in the +Mediterranean Sea fetch Constantinople and the mouth of the Don, yet is +there no passage by sea through Moscovy into Pont Euxine, now called Mare +Maggiore. Again, in the aforesaid Mediterranean Sea we sail to +Alexandria in Egypt, the barbarians bring their pearl and spices from the +Moluccas up the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf to Suez, scarcely three days' +journey from the aforesaid haven; yet have we no way by sea from +Alexandria to the Moluccas for that isthmus or little trait of land +between the two seas. In like manner, although the northern passage be +free at sixty-one degrees latitude, and the west ocean beyond America, +usually called Mare del Sur, known to be open at forty degrees elevation +for the island of Japan, yea, three hundred leagues northerly of Japan, +yet may there be land to hinder the through passage that way by sea, as +in the examples aforesaid it falleth out, Asia and America there being +joined together in one continent. Nor can this opinion seem altogether +frivolous unto any one that diligently peruseth our cosmographers' +doings. Josephus Moletius is of that mind, not only in his plain +hemispheres of the world, but also in his sea-card. The French +geographers in like manner be of the same opinion, as by their map cut +out in form of a heart you may perceive as though the West Indies were +part of Asia, which sentence well agreeth with that old conclusion in the +schools, _Quid-quid praeter Africum et Europam est_, _Asia est_, +"Whatsoever land doth neither appertain unto Africa nor to Europe is part +of Asia." + +Furthermore, it were to small purpose to make so long, so painful, so +doubtful a voyage by such a new found way, if in Cathay you should +neither be suffered to land for silks and silver, nor able to fetch the +Molucca spices and pearl for piracy in those seas. Of a law denying all +aliens to enter into China, and forbidding all the inhabiters under a +great penalty to let in any stranger into those countries, shall you read +in the report of Galeotto Petera, there imprisoned with other Portuguese, +as also in the Japanese letters, how for that cause the worthy traveller +Xavierus bargained with a barbarian merchant for a great sum of pepper to +be brought into Canton, a port in Cathay. The great and dangerous piracy +used in those seas no man can be ignorant of that listeth to read the +Japanese and Indian history. + +Finally, all this great labour would be lost, all these charges spent in +vain, if in the end our travellers might not be able to return again, and +bring safely home into their own native country that wealth and riches +they in foreign regions with adventure of goods and danger of their lives +have sought for. By the north-east there is no way; the South-East +Passage the Portuguese do hold, as the lords of those seas. At the +south-west, Magellan's experience hath partly taught us, and partly we +are persuaded by reason, how the eastern current striketh so furiously on +that strait, and falleth with such force into that narrow gulf, that +hardly any ship can return that way into our west ocean out of Mare del +Sur. The which, if it be true, as truly it is, then we may say that the +aforesaid eastern current, or Levant course of waters, continually +following after the heavenly motions, loseth not altogether its force, +but is doubled rather by another current from out the north-east, in the +passage between America and the North Land, whither it is of necessity +carried, having none other way to maintain itself in circular motion, and +consequently the force and fury thereof to be no less in the Strait of +Anian, where it striketh south into Mare del Sur beyond America (if any +such strait of sea there be), than in the strait of Magellan, both +straits being of like breadth, as in Belognine Salterius' table of "New +France," and in Don Diego Hermano de Toledo's card for navigation in that +region, we do find precisely set down. + +Nevertheless, to approve that there lieth a way to Cathay at the +north-west from out of Europe, we have experience, namely of three +brethren that went that journey, as Gemma Frisius recordeth, and left a +name unto that strait, whereby now it is called Fretum Trium Fratrum. We +do read again of a Portuguese that passed this strait, of whom Master +Frobisher speaketh, that was imprisoned therefore many years in Lisbon, +to verify the old Spanish proverb, "I suffer for doing well." Likewise, +An. Urdaneta, a friar of Mexico, came out of Mare del Sur this way into +Germany; his card, for he was a great discoverer, made by his own +experience and travel in that voyage, hath been seen by gentlemen of good +credit. + +Now if the observation and remembrance of things breedeth experience, and +of experience proceedeth art, and the certain knowledge we have in all +faculties, as the best philosophers that ever were do affirm truly the +voyage of these aforesaid travellers that have gone out of Europe into +Mare del Sur, and returned thence at the north-west, do most evidently +conclude that way to be navigable, and that passage free; so much the +more we are so to think, for that the first principle and chief ground in +all geography, as Ptolemy saith, is the history of travel, that is, +reports made by travellers skilful in geography and astronomy, of all +such things in their journey as to geography do belong. It only +remaineth, that we now answer to those arguments that seemed to make +against this former conclusion. + +The first objection is of no force, that general table of the world, set +forth by Ortellius or Mercator, for it greatly skilleth not, being +unskilfully drawn for that point, as manifestly it may appear unto any +one that compareth the same with Gemma Frisius' universal map, with his +round quartered card, with his globe, with Sebastian Cabot's table, and +Ortellius' general map alone, worthily preferred in this case before all +Mercator's and Ortellius' other doings: for that Cabot was not only a +skilful seaman, but a long traveller, and such a one as entered +personally that strait, sent by King Henry VII. to make this aforesaid +discovery, as in his own discourse of navigation you may read in his card +drawn with his own hand, that the mouth of the north-western strait lieth +near the 318th meridian, between 61 and 64 degrees in the elevation, +continuing the same breadth about ten degrees west, where it openeth +southerly more and more, until it come under the tropic of Cancer; and so +runneth into Mare del Sur, at the least 18 degrees more in breadth there +than it was where it first began; otherwise I could as well imagine this +passage to be more unlikely than the voyage to Moscovy, and more +impossible than it for the far situation and continuance thereof in the +frosty clime: as now I can affirm it to be very possible and most likely +in comparison thereof, for that it neither coasteth so far north as the +Moscovian passage doth, neither is this strait so long as that, before it +bow down southerly towards the sun again. + +The second argument concludeth nothing. Ptolemy knew not what was above +16 degrees south beyond the equinoctial line, he was ignorant of all +passages northward from the elevation of 63 degrees, he knew no ocean sea +beyond Asia, yet have the Portuguese trended the Cape of Good Hope at the +south point of Africa, and travelled to Japan, an island in the east +ocean, between Asia and America; our merchants in the time of King Edward +the Sixth discovered the Moscovian passage farther north than Thule, and +showed Greenland not to be continent with Lapland and Norway: the like +our north-western travellers have done, declaring by their navigation +that way the ignorance of all cosmographers that either do join Greenland +with America, or continue the West Indies with that frosty region under +the North Pole. As for Virgil, he sang according to the knowledge of men +in his time, as another poet did of the hot zone. + +Quarum quae media est, non est habitabilis aestu. Imagining, as most men +then did, Zonam Torridam, the hot zone, to be altogether dishabited for +heat, though presently we know many famous and worthy kingdoms and cities +in that part of the earth, and the island of S. Thomas near Ethiopia, and +the wealthy islands for the which chiefly all these voyages are taken in +hand, to be inhabited even under the equinoctial line. + +To answer the third objection, besides Cabot and all other travellers' +navigations, the only credit of Master Frobisher may suffice, who lately, +through all these islands of ice and mountains of snow, passed that way, +even beyond the gulf that tumbleth down from the north, and in some +places, though he drew one inch thick ice, as he returning in August did, +came home safely again. + +The fourth argument is altogether frivolous and vain, for neither is +there any isthmus or strait of land between America and Asia, nor can +these two lands jointly be one continent. The first part of my answer is +manifestly allowed by Homer, whom that excellent geographer, Strabo, +followeth, yielding him in this faculty the prize. The author of that +book likewise _On the Universe_ to Alexander, attributed unto Aristotle, +is of the same opinion that Homer and Strabo be of, in two or three +places. Dionysius, in his _Periegesis_, hath this verse, "So doeth the +ocean sea run round about the world:" speaking only of Europe, Africa, +and Asia, as then Asia was travelled and known. With these doctors may +you join Pomponius Mela, Pliny, Pius, in his description of Asia. All +the which writers do no less confirm the whole eastern side of Asia to be +compassed about with the sea; then Plato doth affirm in is _Timaeus_, +under the name Atlantis, the West Indies to be an island, as in a special +discourse thereof R. Eden writeth, agreeable unto the sentence of +Proclus, Marsilius Ficinus, and others. Out of Plato it is gathered that +America is an island. Homer, Strabo, Aristotle, Dionysius, Mela, Pliny, +Pius, affirm the continent of Asia, Africa, and Europe, to be environed +with the ocean. I may therefore boldly say (though later intelligences +thereof had we none at all) that Asia and the West Indies be not tied +together by any isthmus or strait of land, contrary to the opinion of +some new cosmographers, by whom doubtfully this matter hath been brought +in controversy. And thus much for the first part of my answer unto the +fourth objection. + +The second part, namely, that America and Asia cannot be one continent, +may thus be proved:--"The most rivers take down that way their course, +where the earth is most hollow and deep," writeth Aristotle; and the sea +(saith he in the same place), as it goeth further, so is it found deeper. +Into what gulf do the Moscovian rivers Onega, Dwina, Ob, pour out their +streams? northward out of Moscovy into the sea. Which way doth that sea +strike? The south is main land, the eastern coast waxeth more and more +shallow: from the north, either naturally, because that part of the earth +is higher, or of necessity, for that the forcible influence of some +northern stars causeth the earth there to shake off the sea, as some +philosophers do think; or, finally, for the great store of waters +engendered in that frosty and cold climate, that the banks are not able +to hold them. From the north, I say, continually falleth down great +abundance of water; so this north-eastern current must at the length +abruptly bow toward us south on the west side of Finmark and Norway, or +else strike down south-west above Greenland, or betwixt Greenland and +Iceland, into the north-west strait we speak of, as of congruence it +doth, if you mark the situation of that region, and by the report of +Master Frobisher experience teacheth us. And, Master Frobisher, the +further he travelled in the former passage, as he told me, the deeper +always he found the sea. Lay you now the sum hereof together, the rivers +run where the channels are most hollow, the sea in taking his course +waxeth deeper, the sea waters fall continually from the north southward, +the north-eastern current striketh down into the strait we speak of and +is there augmented with whole mountains of ice and snow falling down +furiously out from the land under the North Pole. Where store of water +is, there is it a thing impossible to want sea; where sea not only doth +not want, but waxeth deeper, there can be discovered no land. Finally, +whence I pray you came the contrary tide, that Master Frobisher met +withal, after that he had sailed no small way in that passage, if there +be any isthmus or strait of land betwixt the aforesaid north-western gulf +and Mare del Sur, to join Asia and America together? That conclusion +arrived at in the schools, "Whatsoever land doth neither appertain unto +Africa, nor to Europe, is part of Asia," was meant of the parts of the +world then known, and so is it of right to be understood. + +The fifth objection requireth for answer wisdom and policy in the +traveller to win the barbarians' favour by some good means; and so to arm +and strengthen himself, that when he shall have the repulse in one coast, +he may safely travel to another, commodiously taking his convenient +times, and discreetly making choice of them with whom he will thoroughly +deal. To force a violent entry would for us Englishmen be very hard, +considering the strength and valour of so great a nation, far distant +from us, and the attempt thereof might be most perilous unto the doers, +unless their park were very good. + +Touching their laws against strangers, you shall read nevertheless in the +same relations of Galeotto Perera, that the Cathaian king is wont to +grant free access unto all foreigners that trade into his country for +merchandise, and a place of liberty for them to remain in; as the Moors +had, until such time as they had brought the Loutea or Lieutenant of that +coast to be a circumcised Saracen: wherefore some of them were put to the +sword, the rest were scattered abroad; at Fuquien, a great city in China, +certain of them are yet this day to be seen. As for the Japanese, they +be most desirous to be acquainted with strangers. The Portuguese, though +they were straitly handled there at the first, yet in the end they found +great favour at the prince's hands, insomuch that the Loutea or President +that misused them was therefore put to death. The rude Indian canoe +voyageth in those seas, the Portuguese, the Saracens, and Moors travel +continually up and down that reach from Japan to China, from China to +Malacca, from Malacca to the Moluccas, and shall an Englishman better +appointed than any of them all (that I say no more of our navy) fear to +sail in that ocean? what seat at all do want piracy? what navigation is +there void of peril? + +To the last argument our travellers need not to seek their return by the +north-east, neither shall they be constrained, except they list, either +to attempt Magellan's strait at the south-west, or to be in danger of the +Portuguese on the south-east; they may return by the north-west, that +same way they do go forth, as experience hath showed. + +The reason alleged for proof of the contrary may be disposed after this +manner: And first, it may be called in controversy, whether any current +continually be forced by the motion of primum mobile, round about the +world or no; for learned men do diversely handle that question. The +natural course of all waters is downward, wherefore of congruence they +fall that way where they find the earth most low and deep: in respect +whereof, it was erst said, the seas do strike from the northern lands +southerly. Violently the seas are tossed and troubled divers ways with +the winds, increased and diminished by the course of the moon, hoisted up +and down through the sundry operations of the sun and the stars: finally, +some be of opinion that the seas be carried in part violently about the +world, after the daily motion of the highest movable heaven, in like +manner as the elements of air and fire, with the rest of the heavenly +spheres, are from the east unto the west. And this they do call their +eastern current, or Levant stream. Some such current may not be denied +to be of great force in the hot zone, for the nearness thereof unto the +centre of the sun, and blustering eastern winds violently driving the +seas westward; howbeit in the temperate climes the sun being farther off, +and the winds more diverse, blowing as much from the north, the west, and +south, as from the east, this rule doth not effectually withhold us from +travelling eastwards, neither be we kept ever back by the aforesaid +Levant winds and stream. But in Magellan strait we are violently driven +back westward, ergo through the north-western strait or Anian frith shall +we not be able to return eastward: it followeth not. The first, for that +the north-western strait hath more sea room at the least by one hundred +English miles than Magellan's strait hath, the only want whereof causeth +all narrow passages generally to be most violent. So would I say in the +Anian Gulf, if it were so narrow as Don Diego and Zalterius have painted +it out, any return that way to be full of difficulties, in respect of +such straitness thereof, not for the nearness of the sun or eastern +winds, violently forcing that way any Levant stream; but in that place +there is more sea room by many degrees, if the cards of Cabot and Gemma +Frisius, and that which Tramezine imprinted, be true. + +And hitherto reasons see I none at all, but that I may as well give +credit unto their doings as to any of the rest. It must be +_Peregrinationis historia_, that is, true reports of skilful travellers, +as Ptolemy writeth, that in such controversies of geography must put us +out of doubt. Ortellius, in his universal tables, in his particular maps +of the West Indies, of all Asia, of the northern kingdoms, of the East +Indies; Mercator in some of his globes and general maps of the world, +Moletius in his universal table of the Globe divided, in his sea-card and +particular tables of the East Indies Zanterius and Don Diego with +Fernando Bertely, and others, do so much differ both from Gemma Frisius +and Cabot among themselves, and in divers places from themselves, +concerning the divers situation and sundry limits of America, that one +may not so rashly as truly surmise these men either to be ignorant in +those points touching the aforesaid region, or that the maps they have +given out unto the world were collected only by them, and never of their +own drawing. + + + + +THE FIRST VOYAGE OF MASTER MARTIN FROBISHER + + +_To the North-West for the search of the passage or strait to China_, +_written by Christopher Hall_, _and made in the year of our Lord 1576_. + +Upon Monday, the thirteenth of May, the barque _Gabriel_ was launched at +Redriffe, and upon the twenty-seventh day following she sailed from +Redriffe to Ratcliffe. + +The seventh of June being Thursday, the two barques, viz., the _Gabriel_ +and the _Michael_, and our pinnace, set sail at Ratcliffe, and bare down +to Deptford, and there we anchored. The cause was, that our pinnace +burst her bowsprit and foremast aboard of a ship that rowed at Deptford, +else we meant to have passed that day by the court, then at Greenwich. + +The eighth day being Friday, about twelve o'clock, we weighed at Deptford +and set sail all three of us and bare down by the court, where we shot +off our ordinance, and made the best show we could; her Majesty beholding +the same commended it, and bade us farewell with shaking her hand at us +out of the window. Afterwards she sent a gentleman aboard of us, who +declared that her Majesty had good liking of our doings, and thanked us +for it, and also willed our captain to come the next day to the court to +take his leave of her. + +The same day, towards night, Master Secretary Woolley came aboard of us, +and declared to the company that her Majesty had appointed him to give +them charge to be obedient, and diligent to their captain and governors +in all things, and wished us happy success. + +The ninth day about noon, the wind being westerly, having our anchors +aboard ready to set sail to depart, we wanted some of our company, and +therefore stayed and moored them again. + +Sunday, the tenth of June, we set sail from Blackwall at a south-west and +by west sun, the wind being at north-north-west, and sailed to Gravesend, +and anchored there at a west-north-west sun, the wind being as before. + +The twelfth day, being over against Gravesend, by the Castle or +Blockhouse, we observed the latitude, which was 51 degrees 33 minutes, +and in that place the variation of the compass is 11 degrees and a half. +This day we departed from Gravesend at a west-south-west sun, the wind at +north and by east a fair gale, and sailed to the west part of Tilbury +Hope, and so turned down the Hope, and at a west sun the wind came to the +east-south-east, and we anchored in seven fathoms, being low water. + +[Here there follows an abstract of the ship's log, showing the navigation +until the 28th of July, when they had sight of land supposed to be +Labrador.] + +July 28th. From 4 to 8, 4 leagues: from 8. to 12, 3 leagues: from 12 to +4, north and by west, 6 leagues, but very foggy; from thence to 8 of the +clock in the morning little wind, but at the clearing up of the fog we +had sight of land, which I supposed to be Labrador, with great store of +ice about the land; I ran in towards it, and sounded, but could get no +land at 100 fathoms, and the ice being so thick I could not get to the +shore, and so lay off and came clear of the ice. Upon Monday we came +within a mile of the shore, and sought a harbour; all the sound was full +of ice, and our boat rowing ashore could get no ground at 100 fathom, +within a cable's length of the shore; then we sailed east-north-east +along the shore, for so the land lieth, and the current is there great, +setting north-east and south-west; and if we could have gotten anchor +ground we would have seen with what force it had run, but I judge a ship +may drive a league and a half in one hour with that tide. + +This day, at four of the clock in the morning, being fair and clear, we +had sight of a headland as we judged bearing from us north and by east, +and we sailed north-east and by north to that land, and when we came +thither we could not get to the land for ice, for the ice stretched along +the coast, so that we could not come to the land by 5 leagues. + +Wednesday, the first of August, it calmed, and in the afternoon I caused +my boat to be hoisted out, being hard by a great island of ice, and I and +four men rowed to that ice, and sounded within two cables' length of it, +and had 16 fathoms and little stones, and after that sounded again within +a minion's shot, and had ground at 100 fathoms, and fair sand. We +sounded the next day a quarter of a mile from it, and had 60 fathoms +rough ground, and at that present being aboard, that great island of ice +fell one part from another, making a noise as if a great cliff had fallen +into the sea. And at 4 of the clock I sounded again, and had 90 fathoms, +and small black stones, and little white stones like pearls. The tide +here did set to the shore. + +We sailed this day south-south-east ofward, and laid it a tric. + +The next day was calm and thick, with a great sea. + +The next day we sailed south and by east two leagues, and at 8 of the +clock in the forenoon we cast about to the eastward. + +The sixth day it cleared, and we ran north-west into the shore to get a +harbour, and being towards night, we notwithstanding kept at sea. + +The seventh day we plied room with the shore, but being near it it waxed +thick, and we bare off again. + +The eighth day we bended in towards the shore again. + +The ninth day we sounded, but could get no ground at 130 fathoms. The +weather was calm. + +The tenth I took four men and myself, and rode to shore, to an island one +league from the main, and there the flood setteth south-west along the +shore, and it floweth as near as I could judge so too. I could not tarry +to prove it, because the ship was a great way from me, and I feared a +fog; but when I came ashore it was low water. I went to the top of the +islands and before I came back it was hied a foot water, and so without +tarrying I came aboard. + +The eleventh we found our latitude to be 63 degrees and 8 minutes, and +this day entered the strait. + +The twelfth we set sail towards an island called the Gabriel's Island, +which was 10 leagues then from us. + +We espied a sound, and bare with it, and came to a sandy bay, where we +came to an anchor, the land bearing east-south-east of us, and there we +rode all night in 8 fathom water. It floweth there at a south-east moon; +we called it Prior's Sound, being from the Gabriel's Island 10 leagues. + +The fourteenth we weighed and ran into another sound, where we anchored +in 8 fathoms water, fair sand, and black ooze, and there caulked our +ship, being weak from the gunwales upward, and took in fresh water. + +The fifteenth day we weighed, and sailed to Prior's Bay, being a mile +from thence. + +The sixteenth day was calm, and we rode still without ice, but presently +within two hours it was frozen round about the ship, a quarter of an inch +thick, and that bay very fair and calm. + +The seventeenth day we weighed, and came to Thomas William's Island. + +The eighteenth day we sailed north-north-west and anchored again in 23 +fathoms, and caught ooze under Bircher's Island, which is from the former +island 10 leagues. + +The nineteenth day in the morning, being calm, and no wind, the captain +and I took our boat, with eight men in her, to row us ashore, to see if +there were there any people, or no, and going to the top of the island, +we had sight of seven boats, which came rowing from the east side toward +that island; whereupon we returned aboard again. At length we sent our +boat, with five men in her, to see whither they rowed, and so with a +white cloth brought one of their boats with their men along the shore, +rowing after our boat, till such time as they saw our ship, and then they +rowed ashore. Then I went on shore myself, and gave every of them a +threaden point, and brought one of them aboard of me, where he did eat +and drink, and then carried him on shore again. Whereupon all the rest +came aboard with their boats, being nineteen persons, and they spake, but +we understood them not. They be like to Tartars, with long black hair, +broad faces, and flat noses, and tawny in colour, wearing seal skins, and +so do the women, not differing in the fashion, but the women are marked +in the face with blue streaks down the cheeks and round about the eyes. +Their boats are made all of seal skins, with a keel of wood within the +skin: the proportion of them is like a Spanish shallop, save only they be +flat in the bottom and sharp at both ends. + +The twentieth day we weighed, and went to the east side of this island, +and I and the captain, with four men more, went on shore, and there we +saw their houses, and the people espying us, came rowing towards our +boat, whereupon we plied to our boat; and we being in our boat and they +ashore, they called to us, and we rowed to them, and one of their company +came into our boat, and we carried him aboard, and gave him a bell and a +knife; so the captain and I willed five of our men to set him ashore at a +rock, and not among the company which they came from, but their +wilfulness was such that they would go to them, and so were taken +themselves and our boat lost. + +The next day in the morning we stood in near the shore and shot off a +fauconet, and sounded our trumpet, but we could hear nothing of our men. +This sound we called the Five Men's Sound, and plied out of it, but +anchored again in 30 fathoms and ooze; and riding there all night, in the +morning the snow lay a foot thick upon our hatches. + +The two-and-twentieth day in the morning we weighed, and went again to +the place where we lost our men and our boat. We had sight of fourteen +boats, and some came near to us, but we could learn nothing of our men. +Among the rest, we enticed one in a boat to our ship's side with a bell; +and in giving him the bell we took him and his boat, and so kept him, and +so rowed down to Thomas William's island, and there anchored all night. + +The twenty-sixth day we weighed to come homeward, and by twelve of the +clock at noon we were thwart of Trumpet's Island. + +The next day we came thwart of Gabriel's Island, and at eight of the +clock at night we had the Cape Labrador west from us ten leagues. + +The twenty-eighth day we went our course south-east. + +We sailed south-east and by east, twenty-two leagues. + +The first day of September, in the morning, we had sight of the land of +Friesland, being eight leagues from us, but we could not come nearer it +for the monstrous ice that lay about it. From this day till the sixth of +this month we ran along Iceland, and had the south part of it at eight of +the clock east from us ten leagues. + +The seventh day of this month we had a very terrible storm, by force +whereof one of our men was blown into the sea out of our waste, but he +caught hold of the foresail sheet, and there held till the captain +plucked him again into the ship. + +The twenty-fifth day of this month we had sight of the island of Orkney, +which was then east from us. + +The first day of October we had sight of the Sheld, and so sailed along +the coast, and anchored at Yarmouth, and the next day we came into +Harwich. + + THE LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE OF META INCOGNITA. +Argotteyt, a hand. Attegay, a coat. +Cangnawe, a nose. Polleuetagay, a knife. +Arered, an eye. Accaskay, a ship. +Keiotot, a tooth. Coblone, a thumb. +Mutchatet, the head. Teckkere, the foremost finger. +Chewat, an ear. Ketteckle, the middle finger. +Comagaye, a leg. Mekellacane, the fourth finger. +Atoniagay, a foot. +Callagay, a pair of breeches. Yachethronc, the little finger. +THE SECOND VOYAGE OF MASTER MARTIN FROBISHER, + + +_Made to the West and North-West Regions in the year 1577_, _with a +Description of the Country and People_, _written by Dionise Settle_. + +On Whit Sunday, being the sixth-and-twentieth day of May, in the year of +our Lord God 1577, Captain Frobisher departed from Blackwall--with one of +the Queen's Majesty's ships called the _Aid_, of nine score ton or +thereabout, and two other little barques likewise, the one called the +_Gabriel_, whereof Master Fenton, a gentleman of my Lord of Warwick's, +was captain; and the other the _Michael_, whereof Master York, a +gentleman of my lord admiral's, was captain, accompanied with seven score +gentlemen, soldiers, and sailors, well furnished with victuals and other +provisions necessary for one half year--on this, his second year, for the +further discovering of the passage to Cathay and other countries +thereunto adjacent, by west and north-west navigations, which passage or +way is supposed to be on the north and north-west parts of America, and +the said America to be an island environed with the sea, where through +our merchants might have course and recourse with their merchandise from +these our northernmost parts of Europe, to those Oriental coasts of Asia +in much shorter time and with greater benefit than any others, to their +no little commodity and profit that do or shall traffic the same. Our +said captain and general of this present voyage and company, having the +year before, with two little pinnaces to his great danger, and no small +commendations, given a worthy attempt towards the performance thereof, is +also pressed when occasion shall be ministered to the benefit of his +prince and native country--to adventure himself further therein. As for +this second voyage, it seemeth sufficient that he hath better explored +and searched the commodities of those people and countries, with +sufficient commodity unto the adventurers, which, in his first voyage the +year before, he had found out. + +Upon which considerations the day and year before expressed, he departed +from Blackwall to Harwich, where making an accomplishment of things +necessary, the last of May we hoisted up sails, and with a merry wind the +7th of June we arrived at the islands called Orchades, or vulgarly +Orkney, being in number thirty, subject and adjacent to Scotland, where +we made provision of fresh water, in the doing whereof our general +licensed the gentlemen and soldiers, for their recreation, to go on +shore. At our landing the people fled from their poor cottages with +shrieks and alarms, to warn their neighbours of enemies, but by gentle +persuasions we reclaimed them to their houses. It seemeth they are often +frighted with pirates, or some other enemies, that move them to such +sudden fear. Their houses are very simply builded with pebble stone, +without any chimneys, the fire being made in the midst thereof. The good +man, wife, children, and other of their family, eat and sleep on the one +side of the house, and their cattle on the other, very beastly and rudely +in respect of civilisation. They are destitute of wood, their fire is +turf and cow shardes. They have corn, bigge, and oats, with which they +pay their king's rent to the maintenance of his house. They take great +quantity of fish, which they dry in the wind and sun; they dress their +meat very filthily, and eat it without salt. Their apparel is after the +nudest sort of Scotland. Their money is all base. Their Church and +religion is reformed according to the Scots. The fishermen of England +can better declare the dispositions of those people than I, wherefore I +remit other their usages to their reports, as yearly repairers thither in +their courses to and from Iceland for fish. + +We departed here hence the 8th of June, and followed our course between +west and north-west until the 4th of July, all which time we had no +night, but that easily, and without any impediment, we had, when we were +so disposed, the fruition of our books, and other pleasures to pass away +the time, a thing of no small moment to such as wander in unknown seas +and long navigations, especially when both the winds and raging surges do +pass their common and wonted course. This benefit endureth in those +parts not six weeks, whilst the sun is near the tropic of Cancer, but +where the pole is raised to 70 or 80 degrees it continueth the longer. + +All along these seas, after we were six days sailing from Orkney, we met, +floating in the sea, great fir trees, which, as we judged, were, with the +fury of great floods, rooted up, and so driven into the sea. Iceland +hath almost no other wood nor fuel but such as they take up upon their +coasts. It seemeth that these trees are driven from some part of the +Newfoundland, with the current that setteth from the west to the east. + +The 4th of July we came within the making of Friesland. From this shore, +ten or twelve leagues, we met great islands of ice of half a mile, some +more, some less in compass, showing above the sea thirty or forty +fathoms, and as we supposed fast on ground, where, with our lead, we +could scarce sound the bottom for depth. + +Here, in place of odoriferous and fragrant smells of sweet gums and +pleasant notes of musical birds, which other countries in more temperate +zones do yield, we tasted the most boisterous Boreal blasts, mixed with +snow and hail, in the months of June and July, nothing inferior to our +untemperate winter: a sudden alteration, and especially in a place of +parallel, where the pole is not elevated above 61 degrees, at which +height other countries more to the north, yea unto 70 degrees, show +themselves more temperate than this doth. All along this coast ice lieth +as a continual bulwark, and so defendeth the country, that those which +would land there incur great danger. Our general, three days together, +attempted with the ship boat to have gone on shore, which, for that +without great danger he could not accomplish, he deferred it until a more +convenient time. All along the coast lie very high mountains, covered +with snow, except in such places where, through the steepness of the +mountains, of force it must needs fall. Four days coasting along this +land we found no sign of habitation. Little birds which we judged to +have lost the shore, by reason of thick fogs which that country is much +subject unto, came flying to our ships, which causeth us to suppose that +the country is both more tolerable and also habitable within than the +outward shore maketh show or signification. + +From hence we departed the 8th of July, and the 16th of the same we came +with the making of land, which land our general the year before had named +the Queen's Forehand, being an island, as we judge, lying near the +supposed continent with America, and on the other side, opposite to the +same, one other island, called Halles Isle, after the name of the master +of the ship, near adjacent to the firm land, supposed continent with +Asia. Between the which two islands there is a large entrance or strait, +called Frobisher's Strait, after the name of our general, the first +finder thereof. This said strait is supposed to have passage into the +sea of Sur, which I leave unknown as yet. + +It seemeth that either here, or not far hence, the sea should have more +large entrance than in other parts within the frozen or untemperate zone, +and that some contrary tide, either from the east or west, with main +force casteth out that great quantity of ice which cometh floating from +this coast, even unto Friesland, causing that country to seem more +untemperate than others much more northerly than the same. + +I cannot judge that any temperature under the Pole, being the time of the +Sun's northern declination, half a year together, and one whole day +(considering that the sun's elevation surmounteth not twenty-three +degrees and thirty minutes), can have power to dissolve such monstrous +and huge ice, comparable to great mountains, except by some other force, +as by swift currents and tides, with the help of the said day of half a +year. + +Before we came within the making of these lands, we tasted cold storms, +insomuch that it seemed we had changed with winter, if the length of the +days had not removed us from that opinion. + +At our first coming, the straits seemed to be shut up with a long mure of +ice, which gave no little cause of discomfort unto us all; but our +general (to whose diligence, imminent dangers and difficult attempts +seemed nothing in respect of his willing mind for the commodity of his +prince and country), with two little pinnaces prepared of purpose, passed +twice through them to the east shore, and the islands thereunto adjacent; +and the ship, with the two barques, lay off and on something farther into +the sea from the danger of the ice. + +Whilst he was searching the country near the shore, some of the people of +the country showed themselves, leaping and dancing, with strange shrieks +and cries, which gave no little admiration to our men. Our general, +desirous to allure them unto him by fair means, caused knives and other +things to be proffered unto them, which they would not take at our hands; +but being laid on the ground, and the party going away, they came and +took up, leaving something of theirs to countervail the same. At the +length, two them, leaving their weapons, came down to our general and +master, who did the like to them, commanding the company to stay, and +went unto them, who, after certain dumb signs and mute congratulations, +began to lay hands upon them, but they deliverly escaped, and ran to +their bows and arrows and came fiercely upon them, not respecting the +rest of our company, which were ready for their defence, but with their +arrows hurt divers of them. We took the one, and the other escaped. + +Whilst our general was busied in searching the country, and those islands +adjacent on the east shore, the ships and barques, having great care not +to put far into the sea from him, for that he had small store of +victuals, were forced to abide in a cruel tempest, chancing in the night +amongst and in the thickest of the ice, which was so monstrous that even +the least of a thousand had been of force sufficient to have shivered our +ship and barques into small portions, if God (who in all necessities hath +care upon the infirmity of man) had not provided for this our extremity a +sufficient remedy, through the light of the night, whereby we might well +discern to flee from such imminent dangers, which we avoided within +fourteen bourdes in one watch, the space of four hours. If we had not +incurred this danger amongst these monstrous islands of ice, we should +have lost our general and master, and the most of our best sailors, which +were on the shore destitute of victuals; but by the valour of our master +gunner, Master Jackman and Andrew Dier, the master's mates, men expert +both in navigation and other good qualities, we were all content to incur +the dangers afore rehearsed, before we would, with our own safety, run +into the seas, to the destruction of our said general and his company. + +The day following, being the 19th of July, our captain returned to the +ship with good news of great riches, which showed itself in the bowels of +those barren mountains, wherewith we were all satisfied. A sudden +mutation. The one part of us being almost swallowed up the night before, +with cruel Neptune's force, and the rest on shore, taking thought for +their greedy paunches how to find the way to Newfoundland; at one moment +we were racked with joy, forgetting both where we were and what we had +suffered. Behold the glory of man: to-night contemning riches, and +rather looking for death than otherwise, and to-morrow devising how to +satisfy his greedy appetite with gold. + +Within four days after we had been at the entrance of the straits, the +north-west and west winds dispersed the ice into the sea, and made us a +large entrance into the Straits, that without impediment, on the 19th +July, we entered them; and the 20th thereof our general and master, with +great diligence, sought out and sounded the west shore, and found out a +fair harbour for the ship and barques to ride in, and named it after our +master's mate, Jackman's Sound, and brought the ship, barques, and all +their company to safe anchor, except one man which died by God's +visitation. + +At our first arrival, after the ship rode at anchor, general, with such +company as could well be spared from the ships, in marching order entered +the land, having special care by exhortations that at our entrance +thereinto we should all with one voice, kneeling upon our knees, chiefly +thank God for our safe arrival; secondly, beseech Him that it would +please His Divine Majesty long to continue our Queen, for whom he, and +all the rest of our company, in this order took possession of the +country; and thirdly, that by our Christian study and endeavour, those +barbarous people, trained up in paganry and infidelity, might be reduced +to the knowledge of true religion, and to the hope of salvation in Christ +our Redeemer, with other words very apt to signify his willing mind and +affection towards his prince and country, whereby all suspicion of an +undutiful subject may credibly be judged to be utterly exempted from his +mind. All the rest of the gentlemen, and others, deserve worthily herein +their due praise and commendation. + +These things in order accomplished, our general commanded all the company +to be obedient in things needful for our own safeguard to Master Fenton, +Master Yorke, and Master Beast, his lieutenant, while he was occupied in +other necessary affairs concerning our coming thither. + +After this order we marched through the country, with ensign displayed, +so far as was thought needful, and now and then heaped up stones on high +mountains and other places, in token of possession, as likewise to +signify unto such as hereafter may chance to arrive there that possession +is taken in the behalf of some other prince by those which first found +out the country. + +Whose maketh navigation to these countries hath not only extreme winds +and furious seas to encounter withal, but also many monstrous and great +islands of ice: a thing both rare, wonderful, and greatly to be regarded. + +We were forced sundry times, while the ship did ride here at anchor, to +have continual watch, with boats and men ready with hawsers, to knit fast +unto such ice which with the ebb and flood were tossed to and fro in the +harbour, and with force of oars to hail them away, for endangering the +ship. + +Our general certain days searched this supposed continent with America, +and not finding the commodity to answer his expectations, after he had +made trial thereof, he departed thence, with two little barques, and men +sufficient, to the east shore, being he supposed continent of Asia, and +left the ship, with most of the gentlemen soldiers and sailors, until +such time as he either thought good to send or come for them. + +The stones on this supposed continent with America be altogether sparkled +and glister in the sun like gold; so likewise doth the sand in the bright +water, yet they verify the old proverb, "All is not gold that +glistereth." + +On this west shore we found a dead fish floating, which had in his nose a +horn, straight and torquet, of length two yards lacking two inches, being +broken in the top, where we might perceive it hollow, into which some of +our sailors putting spiders they presently died. I saw not the trial +hereof, but it was reported unto me of a truth, by the virtue whereof we +supposed it to be the sea unicorn. + +After our general had found out good harbour for the ship and barques to +anchor in, and also such store of gold ore as he thought himself +satisfied withal, he returned to the _Michael_, whereof Master Yorke +aforesaid was captain, accompanied with our master and his mate, who +coasting along the west shore, not far from whence the ship rode, they +perceived a fair harbour, and willing to sound the same, at the entrance +thereof they espied two tents of seal skins, unto which the captain, our +said master, and other company resorted. At the sight of our men the +people fled into the mountains; nevertheless, they went to their tents, +where, leaving certain trifles of ours as glasses, bells, knives, and +such like things, they departed, not taking anything of theirs except one +dog. They did in like manner leave behind them a letter, pen, ink, and +paper, whereby our men whom the captain lost the year before, and in that +people's custody, might (if any of them were alive) be advertised of our +presence and being there. + +On the same day, after consultation, all the gentlemen, and others +likewise that could be spared from the ship, under the conduct and +leading of Master Philpot (unto whom, in our general's absence, and his +lieutenant, Master Beast, all the rest were obedient), went ashore, +determining to see if by fair means we could either allure them to +familiarity, or otherwise take some of them, and so attain to some +knowledge of those men whom our general lost the year before. + +At our coming back again to the place where their tents were before, they +had removed their tents farther into the said bay or sound, where they +might, if they were driven from the land, flee with their boats into the +sea. We, parting ourselves into two companies, and compassing a +mountain, came suddenly upon them by land, who, espying us, without any +tarrying fled to their boats, leaving the most part of their oars behind +them for haste, and rowed down the bay, where our two pinnaces met them +and drove them to shore. But if they had had all their oars, so swift +are they in rowing, it had been lost time to have chased them. + +When they were landed they fiercely assaulted our men with their bows and +arrows, who wounded three of them with our arrows, and perceiving +themselves thus hurt they desperately leaped off the rocks into the sea +and drowned themselves; which if they had not done but had submitted +themselves, or if by any means we could have taken alive (being their +enemies as they judged), we would both have saved them, and also have +sought remedy to cure their wounds received at our hands. But they, +altogether void of humanity, and ignorant what mercy meaneth, in +extremities look for no other than death, and perceiving that they should +fall into our hands, thus miserably by drowning rather desired death than +otherwise to be saved by us. The rest, perceiving their fellows in this +distress, fled into the high mountains. Two women, not being so apt to +escape as the men were, the one for her age, and the other being +encumbered with a young child, we took. The old wretch, whom divers of +our sailors supposed to be either a devil or a witch, had her buskins +plucked off to see if she were cloven-footed, and for her ugly hue and +deformity we let her go; the young woman and the child we brought away. +We named the place where they were slain Bloody Point, and the bay or +harbour Yorke's Sound, after the name of one of the captains of the two +barques. + +Having this knowledge both of their fierceness and cruelty, and +perceiving that fair means as yet is not able to allure them to +familiarity, we disposed ourselves, contrary to our inclination, +something to be cruel, returned to their tents, and made a spoil of the +same, where we found an old shirt, a doublet, a girdle, and also shoes of +our men, whom we lost the year before; on nothing else unto them +belonging could we set our eyes. + +Their riches are not gold, silver, or precious drapery, but their said +tents and boats made of the skins of red deer and seal skins, also dogs +like unto wolves, but for the most part black, with other trifles, more +to be wondered at for their strangeness than for any other commodity +needful for our use. + +Thus returning to our ship the 3rd of August, we departed from the west +shore, supposed firm with America, after we had anchored there thirteen +days, and so the 4th thereof we came to our general on the east shore, +and anchored in a fair harbour named Anne Warwick's Sound, and to which +is annexed an island, both named after the Countess of Warwick--Anne +Warwick's Sound and Isle. + +In this isle our general thought good for this voyage to freight both the +ships and barques with such stone or gold mineral as he judged to +countervail the charges of his first and this his second navigation to +these countries, with sufficient interest to the venturers whereby they +might both be satisfied for this time and also in time to come (if it +please God and our prince) to expect a much more benefit out of the +bowels of those septentrional parallels, which long time hath concealed +itself till at this present, through the wonderful diligence and great +danger of our general and others, God is contented with the revealing +thereof. It riseth so abundantly, that from the beginning of August to +the 22nd thereof (every man following the diligence of our general) we +raised above ground 200 ton, which we judged a reasonable freight for the +ship and two barques in the said Anne Warwick's Isle. + +In the meantime of our abode here some of the country people came to show +themselves unto us sundry times from the main shore, near adjacent to the +said isle. Our general, desirous to have some news of his men whom he +lost the year before, with some company with him repaired with the ship +boat to commune or sign with them for familiarity, whereunto he is +persuaded to bring them. They at the first show made tokens that three +of his five men were alive, and desired pen, ink, and paper, and that +within three or four days they would return, and, as we judged, bring +those of our men which were living with them. + +They also made signs or tokens of their king, whom they called Cacough, +and how he was carried on men's shoulders, and a man far surmounting any +of our company in bigness and stature. + +With these tokens and signs of writing, pen, ink, and paper were +delivered them, which they would not take at our hands, but being laid +upon the shore, and the party gone away, they took up; which likewise +they do when they desire anything for change of theirs, laying for that +which is left so much as they think will countervail the same, and not +coming near together. It seemeth they have been used to this trade or +traffic with some other people adjoining, or not far distant from their +country. + +After four days some of them showed themselves upon the firm land, but +not where they were before. Our general, very glad thereof, supposing to +hear of our men, went from the island with the boat and sufficient +company with him. They seemed very glad, and allured him about a certain +point of the land, behind which they might perceive a company of the +crafty villains to lie lurking, whom our general would not deal withal, +for that he knew not what company they were, so with few signs dismissed +them and returned to his company. + +Another time, as our said general was coasting the country with two +little pinnaces, whereby at our return he might make the better relation +thereof, three of the crafty villains with a white skin allured us to +them. Once again our general, for that he hoped to hear of his men, went +towards them; at our coming near the shore whereon they were we might +perceive a number of them lie hidden behind great stones, and those three +in sight labouring by all means possible that some would come on land; +and perceiving we made no haste, by words nor friendly signs, which they +used by clapping their hands, and being without weapon, and but three in +sight, they sought further means to provoke us thereunto. One alone laid +flesh on the shore, which we took up with the boat-hook as necessary +victuals for the relieving of the man, woman, and child whom we had +taken, for that as yet they could not digest our meat; whereby they +perceived themselves deceived of their expectation for all their crafty +allurements. Yet once again to make, as it were, a full show of their +crafty natures and subtle sleights, to the intent thereby to have +entrapped and taken some of our men, one of them counterfeited himself +impotent and lame of his legs, who seemed to descend to the water's side +with great difficulty, and to cover his craft the more one of his fellows +came down with him, and in such places where he seemed unable to pass, he +took him on his shoulders, set him by the water's side, and departed from +him, leaving him, as it should seem, all alone; who, playing his +counterfeit pageant very well, thought thereby to provoke some of us to +come on shore, not fearing but that one of us might make our party good +with a lame man. + +Our general, having compassion of his impotency, thought good, if it were +possible, to cure him thereof; wherefore he caused a soldier to shoot at +him with his calever, which grazed before his face. The counterfeit +villain deliverly fled without any impediment at all, and got him to his +bow and arrows, and the rest from their lurking holes with their weapons, +bows, arrows, slings, and darts. Our general caused some calevers to be +shot off at them, whereby, some being hurt, they might hereafter stand in +more fear of us. + +This was all the answer for this time we could have of our men, or of our +general's letter. Their crafty dealing at these three several times +being thus manifest unto us, may plainly show their disposition in other +things to be correspondent. We judged that they used these stratagems +thereby to have caught some of us for the delivering of the man, woman, +and child, whom we had taken. + +They are men of a large corporature, and good proportion; their colour is +not much unlike the sunburnt countryman, who laboureth daily in sun for +his living. + +They wear their hair something long, and cut before either with stone or +knife, very disorderly. Their women wear their hair long, knit up with +two loops, showing forth on either side of their faces, and the rest +faltered upon a knot. Also, some of their women tint their faces +proportionally, as chin, cheeks, and forehead and the wrists of their +hands, whereupon they lay a colour which continueth dark azurine. + +They eat their meat all raw, both flesh, fish, and fowl, or something +parboiled with blood, and a little water, which they drink. For lack of +water, they will eat ice that is hard frozen as pleasantly as we will do +sugar-candy, or other sugar. + +If they, for necessity's sake, stand in need of the premises, such grass +as the country yieldeth they pluck up and eat, not daintily, or +saladwise, to allure their stomachs to appetite, but for necessity's +sake, without either salt, oils, or washing, like brute beasts devouring +the same. They neither use table, stool, or table-cloth for comeliness: +but when they are imbrued with blood, knuckle deep, and their knives in +like sort, they use their tongues as apt instruments to lick them clean; +in doing whereof they are assured to lose none of their victuals. + +They keep certain dogs, not much unlike wolves, which they yoke together, +as we do oxen and horses, to a sled or trail, and so carry their +necessaries over the ice and snow, from place to place, as the captain, +whom we have, made perfect signs. And when those dogs are not apt for +the same use, or when with hunger they are constrained for lack of other +victuals, they eat them, so that they are as needful for them, in respect +of their bigness, as our oxen are for us. + +They apparel themselves in the skins of such beasts as they kill, sewed +together with the sinews of them. All the fowl which they kill they +skin, and make thereof one kind of garment or other to defend them from +the cold. + +They make their apparel with hoods and tails, which tails they give, when +they think to gratify any friendship shown unto them; a great sign of +friendship with them. The men have them not so syde as the women. + +The men and women wear their hose close to their legs, from the waist to +the knee, without any open before, as well the one kind as the other. +Upon their legs they wear hose of leather, with the fur side inward, two +or three pair on at once, and especially the women. In those hose they +put their knives, needles, and other things needful to bear about. They +put a bone within their hose, which reacheth from the foot to the knee, +whereupon they draw their said hose, and so in place of garters they are +holden from falling down about their feet. + +They dress their skins very soft and supple with the hair on. In cold +weather or winter they wear the fur side inward, and in summer outward. +Other apparel they have none but the said skins. + +Those beasts, fishes, and fowls which they kill are their meat, drink, +apparel, houses, bedding, hose, shoes, thread, and sails for their boats, +with many other necessaries, whereof they stand in need, and almost all +their riches. + +The houses are tents made of seal skins, pitched up with four fir +quarters, four-square, meeting at the top, and the skins sewed together +with sinews, and laid thereupon; they are so pitched up, that the +entrance into them is always south, or against the sun. + +They have other sort of houses, which we found not to be inhabited, which +are raised with stones and whalebones, and a skin laid over them to +withstand the rain, or other weather; the entrance of them being not much +unlike an oven's mouth, whereunto, I think, they resort for a time to +fish, hunt, and fowl, and so leave them until the next time they come +thither again. + +Their weapons are bows, arrows, darts, and slings. Their bows are of +wood, of a yard long, sinewed on the back with firm sinews, not glued to, +but fast girded and tied on. Their bow strings are likewise sinews. +Their arrows are three pieces, nocked with bone and ended with bone; with +those two ends, and the wood in the midst, they pass not in length half a +yard, or little more. They are feathered with two feathers, the pen end +being cut away, and the feathers laid upon the arrow with the broad side +to the wood, insomuch, that they seem, when they are tied on, to have +four feathers. They have likewise three sorts of heads to those arrows; +one sort of stone or iron, proportioned like to a heart; the second sort +of bone much like unto a stopt head, with a hook on the same, the third +sort of bone likewise, made sharp at both sides, and sharp pointed. They +are not made very fast, but lightly tied to, or else set in a nocke, +that, upon small occasion, the arrow leaveth these heads behind them; +they are of small force except they be very near when they shoot. + +Their darts are made of two sorts: the one with many forks of bones in +the fore end, and likewise in the midst; their proportions are not much +unlike our toasting-irons, but longer; these they cast out of an +instrument of wood very readily. The other sort is greater than the +first aforesaid, with a long bone made sharp on both sides, not much +unlike a rapier, which I take to be their most hurtful weapon. + +They have two sorts of boats made of leather, set out on the inner side +with quarters of wood, artificially tied together with thongs of the +same; the greater sort are not much unlike our wherries, wherein sixteen +or twenty men may sit; they have for a sail dressed the guts of such +beasts as they kill, very fine and thin, which they sew together; the +other boat is but for one man to sit and row in, with one oar. + +Their order of fishing, hunting, and fowling, are with these said +weapons; but in what sort or how they use them we have no perfect +knowledge as yet. + +I can suppose their abode or habitation not to be here, for that neither +their houses nor apparel are of such force to withstand the extremity of +cold that the country seemeth to be infected withal; neither do I see any +sign likely to perform the same. + +Those houses, or rather dens, which stand there, have no sign of footway, +or anything else trodden, which is one of the chiefest tokens of +habitation. And those tents, which they bring with them, when they have +sufficiently hunted and fished, they remove to other places; and when +they have sufficiently stored them of such victuals as the country +yieldeth, or bringeth forth, they return to their winter stations or +habitations. This conjecture do I make for the infertility which I +perceive to be in that country. + +They have some iron, whereof they make arrow-heads, knives, and other +little instruments, to work their boats, bows, arrows, and darts withal, +which are very unapt to do anything withal, but with great labour. + +It seemeth that they have conversation with some other people, of whom +for exchange they should receive the same. They are greatly delighted +with anything that is bright or giveth a sound. + +What knowledge they have of God, or what idol they adore, we have no +perfect intelligence. I think them rather _anthropophagi_, or devourers +of man's flesh, than otherwise; that there is no flesh or fish which they +find dead (smell it never so filthily), but they will eat it as they find +it without any other dressing. A loathsome thing, either to the +beholders or the hearers. There is no manner of creeping beast hurtful, +except some spiders (which as many affirm are signs of great store of +gold), and also certain stinging gnats, which bite so fiercely that the +place where they bite shortly after swelleth, and itcheth very sore. + +They make signs of certain people that wear bright plates of gold in +their foreheads and other places of their bodies. + +The countries on both sides the straits lie very high, with rough stony +mountains, and great quantity of snow thereon. There is very little +plain ground, and no grass except a little, which is much like unto moss +that groweth on soft ground, such as we get turfs in. There is no wood +at all. To be brief, there is nothing fit or profitable for the use of +man which that country with root yieldeth or bringeth forth; howbeit +there is great quantity of deer, whose skins are like unto asses, their +heads or horns do far exceed, as well in length as also in breadth, any +in these our parts or countries: their feet likewise are as great as our +oxen's, which we measure to be seven or eight inches in breadth. There +are also hares, wolves, fishing bears, and sea-fowl of sundry sorts. + +As the country is barren and unfertile, so are they rude, and of no +capacity to culture the same to any perfection; but are contented by +their hunting, fishing, and fowling, with raw flesh and warm blood, to +satisfy their greedy paunches, which is their only glory. + +There is great likelihood of earthquakes or thunder, for there are huge +and monstrous mountains, whose greatest substance are stones, and those +stones so shapen with some extraordinary means, that one is separated +from another, which is discordant from all other quarries. + +There are no rivers or running springs, but such as through the heat of +the sun, with such water as descendeth from the mountains and hills, +whereon great drifts of snow do lie, are engendered. + +It argueth also that there should be none; for that the earth, which with +the extremity of the winter is so frozen within, that that water which +should have recourse within the same to maintain springs hath not his +motion, whereof great waters have their origin, as by experience is seen +otherwhere. Such valleys as are capable to receive the water, that in +the summer time, by the operation of the sun, descendeth from great +abundance of snow, which continually lieth on the mountains, and hath no +passage, sinketh into the earth, and so vanisheth away, without any +runnel above the earth, by which occasion or continual standing of the +said water the earth is opened and the great frost yieldeth to the force +thereof, which in other places, four or five fathoms within the ground, +for lack of the said moisture, the earth even in the very summer time is +frozen, and so combineth the stones together, that scarcely instruments +with great force can unknit them. + +Also, where the water in those valleys can have no such passage away, by +the continuance of time in such order as is before rehearsed, the yearly +descent from the mountains filleth them full, that at the lowest bank of +the same they fall into the next valley, and so continue as fishing +ponds, in summer time full of water, and in the winter hard frozen, as by +scars that remain thereof in summer may easily be perceived; so that the +heat of summer is nothing comparable or of force to dissolve the +extremity of cold that cometh in winter. + +Nevertheless, I am assured, that below the force of the frost, within the +earth, the waters have recourse, and empty themselves out of sight into +the sea, which, through the extremity of the frost, are constrained to do +the same; by which occasion, the earth within is kept the warmer, and +springs have their recourse, which is the only nutriment of gold and +minerals within the same. + +There is much to be said of the commodities of these countries, which are +couched within the bowels of the earth, which I let pass till more +perfect trial be made thereof. + +Thus conjecturing, till time, with the earnest industry of our general +and others (who, by all diligence, remain pressed to explore the truth of +that which is unexplored, as he hath to his everlasting praise found out +that which is like to yield an innumerable benefit to his prince and +country), offer further trial, I conclude. + +The 23rd August, after we had satisfied our minds with freight sufficient +for our vessels, though not our covetous desires, with such knowledge of +the country, people, and other commodities as are before rehearsed, the +24th thereof we departed there hence: the 17th of September we fell with +the Land's End of England, and so to Milford Haven, from whence our +general rowed to the court for order to what port or haven to conduct the +ship. + +We lost our two barques in the way homeward, the one the 29th of August, +the other the 31st of the same month, by occasion of great tempest and +fog; howbeit, God restored the one to Bristol, and the other making his +course by Scotland to Yarmouth. In this voyage we lost two men, one in +the way by God's visitation, and the other homeward, cast overboard with +a surge of the sea. + +I could declare unto the readers the latitude and longitude of such +places and regions as we have been at, but not altogether so perfectly as +our masters and others, with many circumstances of tempests and other +accidents incident to seafaring men, which seem not altogether strange, +but I let them pass to their reports as men most apt to set forth and +declare the same. I have also left the names of the countries on both +the shores untouched for lack of understanding the people's language, as +also for sundry respects not needful as yet to be declared. + +Countries new explored, where commodity is to be looked for, do better +accord with a new name given by the explorers than an uncertain name by a +doubtful author. + +Our general named sundry islands, mountains, capes, and harbours after +the names of divers noblemen, and other gentlemen his friends, as well on +the one shore as also on the other. + + + + +THE THIRD AND LAST VOYAGE INTO META INCOGNITA, + + +_Made by Master Martin Frobisher_, _in the year_ 1578, _written by Thomas +Ellis_. + +These are to let you know, that upon the 25th May, the _Thomas Allen_, +being vice-admiral, whose captain was Master Yorke; Master Gibbes, +master; Master Christopher Hall, pilot, accompanied with the +rear-admiral, named the _Hopewell_, whose captain was Master Henry Carew, +the Master Andrew Dier, and certain other ships, came to Gravesend, where +we anchored, and abode the coming of certain other of our fleet, which +were not yet come. + +The 27th of the same month, our fleet being now come together, and all +things pressed in a readiness, the wind favouring and tide serving, we +being of sails in number eight, weighed anchors, and hoisted our sails +towards Harwich, to meet with our admiral and the residue, which then and +there abode our arrival, where we safely arrived the 28th thereof; +finding there our admiral, whom we, with the discharge of certain pieces, +saluted (according to order and duty), and were welcomed with the like +courtesy, which being finished we landed, where our general continued +mustering his soldiers and miners, and setting things in order +appertaining to the voyage, until the last of the said month of May, +which day we hoisted our sails, and committing ourselves to the +conducting of Almighty God, we set forward toward the West Country, in +such lucky wise and good success, that by the 5th June we passed the +Dursies, being the utmost part of Ireland, to the westward. + +And here it were not much amiss, nor far from our purpose, if I should a +little discourse and speak of our adventures and chances by the way, as +our landing at Plymouth, as also the meeting of certain poor men, which +were robbed and spoiled of all that they had by pirates and rovers; +amongst whom was a man of Bristol, on whom our general used his +liberality, and sent him away with letters into England. + +But because such things are impertinent to the matter, I will return +(without any more mentioning of the same) to that from which I have +digressed and swerved, I mean our ships, now sailing on the surging seas, +sometimes passing at pleasure with a wished eastern wind, sometimes +hindered of our course again by the western blasts, until the 20th day of +the foresaid month of June, on which day in the morning we fell in with +Friesland, which is a very high and cragged land, and was almost clean +covered with snow, so that we might see nought but craggy rocks and the +tops of high and huge hills, sometimes (and for the most part) all +covered with foggy mists. There might we also perceive the great isles +of ice lying on the seas like mountains, some small, some big, of sundry +kinds of shapes, and such a number of them, that we could not come near +the shore for them. + +Thus sailing along the coast, at the last we saw a place somewhat void of +ice, where our general (accompanied with certain other) went ashore, +where they saw certain tents made of beasts' skins, and boats much like +unto theirs of Meta Incognita. The tents were furnished with flesh, +fish, skins, and other trifles: amongst the which was found a box of +nails, whereby we did conjecture that they had either artificers amongst +them, or else a traffic with some other nation. The men ran away, so +that we could have no conference or communication with them. Our general +(because he would have them no more to flee, but rather encouraged to +stay through his courteous dealing) gave commandment that his men should +take nothing away with them, saving only a couple of white dogs, for +which he left pins, points, knives, and other trifling things, and +departed, without taking or hurting anything, and so came aboard, and +hoisted sails and passed forwards. + +But being scarce out of the sight thereof, there fell such a fog and +hideous mist that we could not see one another; whereupon we struck our +drums, and sounded our trumpets to the end we might keep together; and so +continued all that day and night, till the next day, that the mist brake +up; so that we might easily perceive all the ships thus sailing together +all that day, until the next day, being the 22nd of the same, on which +day we saw an infinite number of ice, from the which we cast about to +shun the danger thereof. + +But one of our small barques named the _Michael_, whose captain was +Master Kinderslie, the master, Bartholomew Bull, lost our company, +insomuch that we could not obtain the sight of her many days after, of +whom I mean to speak further anon, when occasion shall be ministered, and +opportunity served. Thus we continued on our course until the 2nd of +July, on which day we fell with the Queen's Foreland, where we saw so +much ice, that we thought it impossible to get into the straits, yet at +the last we gave the adventure, and entered the ice. + +Being in amongst it, we saw the _Michael_, of whom I spake before, +accompanied with the, _Judith_, whose captain was Master Fenton, the +master, Charles Jackman, bearing into the aforesaid ice, far distant from +us, who in a storm that fell that present night (whereof I will at large, +God willing, discourse hereafter), were severed from us, and being in, +wandered up and down the straits amongst the ice, many days in great +peril, till at the last (by the providence of God) they came safely to +harbour in their wished port in the Countess of Warwick's Sound the 20th +July aforesaid, ten days before any of the other ships; who going on +shore, found where the people of the country had been, and had hid their +provision in great heaps of stone, being both of flesh and fish, which +they had killed, whereof we also found great store in other places after +our arrival. They found also divers engines, as bows, slings, and darts. +They found likewise certain pieces of the pinnace which our general left +there the year before; which pinnace he had sunk, minding to have it +again the next year. + +Now, seeing I have entreated so much of the _Judith_ and the _Michael_, I +will return to the rest of the other ships, and will speak a little of +the storm which fell, with the mishaps that we had, the night that we put +into the ice, whereof I made mention before. + +At the first entry into the ice, in the mouth of the straits, our passage +was very narrow and difficult; but being once gotten in, we had a fair, +open place without any ice for the most part; being a league in compass, +the ice being round about us, and enclosing us, as it were, within the +pales of a park. In which place (because it was almost night) we minded +to take in our sails and lie a hull all that night. But the storm so +increased, and the waves began to mount aloft, which brought the ice so +near us, and coming in so fast upon us, that we were fain to bear in and +out, where ye might espy an open place. Thus the ice coming on us so +fast we were in great danger, looking every hour for death, and thus +passed we on in that great danger, seeing both ourselves and the rest of +our ships so troubled and tossed amongst the ice, that it would make the +strongest-heart to relent. + +At the last, the barque _Dionyse_, being but a weak ship, and bruised +afore amongst the ice, being so leak that she no longer could carry above +water, sank without saving any of the goods which were in her: the sight +so abashed the whole fleet, that we thought verily we should have tasted +of the same sauce. But nevertheless, we seeing them in such danger, +manned our boats, and saved all the men, in such wise that not one +perished. (God be thanked.) + +The storm still increased and the ice enclosed us, that we were fain to +take down top and topmasts; for the ice had so environed us, that we +could see neither land nor sea as far as we could ken; so that we were +fain to cut our cables to hang overboard for fenders, somewhat to ease +the ship's sides from the great and dreary strokes of the ice; some with +capstan bars, some fending off with oars, some with planks of two inches +thick, which were broken immediately with the force of the ice, some +going out upon the ice, to bear it off with their shoulders from the +ships. But the rigorousness of the tempest was such, and the force of +the ice so great, that not only they burst and spoiled the foresaid +provision, but likewise so raised the sides of the ships that it was +pitiful to behold, and caused the hearts of many to faint. + +Thus continued we all that dismal and lamentable night, plunged in this +perplexity, looking for instant death; but our God (who never leaveth +them destitute which faithfully call upon Him), although He often +punisheth for amendment's sake, in the morning caused the winds to cease, +and the fog, which all that night lay on the face of the water, to clear, +so that we might perceive about a mile from us a certain place clear from +any ice, to the which with an easy breath of wind, which our God sent us, +we bent ourselves, and furthermore He provided better for us than we +deserved, or hoped for; for when we were in the foresaid clear place, He +sent us a fresh gale at west, or at west-south-west, which set us clear +without all the ice. And further He added more, for He sent us so +pleasant a day, as the like we had not of a long time before, as after +punishment consolation. + +Thus we joyful whites, being at liberty, took in all our sails, and lay a +hull, praising God for our deliverance, and stayed to gather together our +fleet; which once being done, we seeing that none of them had any great +hurt, neither any of them wanted, saving only they of whom I spake +before, and the ship which was lost, then at the last we hoisted our +sails, and lay bulting off and on, till such time as it would please God +to take away the ice, that we might get into the straits. + +As we thus lay off and on, we came by a marvellous huge mountain of ice, +which surpassed all the rest that ever we saw, for we judged it to be +near four score fathoms above water, and we thought it to be aground for +anything that we could perceive, being there nine score fathoms deep, and +of compass about half a mile. + +Also the fifth of July there fell a hideous fog and mist, that continued +till the nineteenth of the same, so that one ship could not see another. +Therefore we were fain to bear a small sail, and to observe the time, but +there ran such a current of tide, that it set us to the north-west of the +Queen's Forehand, the back side of all the straits, where (through the +contagious fog having no sight either of sun or star) we scarce knew +where we were. In this fog the 10th July we lost the company of the +_Vice-Admiral_, the _Anne Francis_, the _Busse of Bridgewater_, and the +_Francis of Foy_. + +The sixteenth day, one of our small barques, named the _Gabriel_, was +sent by our general to bear in with the land, to descry it, where, being +on land, they met with the people of the country, which seemed very +humane and civilised, and offered to traffic with our men, proffering +them fowls and skins for knives and other trifles, whose courtesy caused +us to think that they had small conversation with the other of the +straits. Then we bare back again, to go with the Queen's Forehand, and +the 18th day we came by two islands, whereon we went on shore, and found +where the people had been, but we saw none of them. This day we were +again in the ice, and like to be in as great peril as we were at the +first. For through the darkness and obscurity of the foggy mist we were +almost run on rocks and islands before we saw them: but God (even +miraculously) provided for us, opening the fogs that we might see +clearly, both where and in what danger we presently were, and also the +way to escape; or else, without fail we had ruinously run upon the rocks. + +When we knew perfectly our instant case, we cast about to get again on +sea board, which (God be thanked) by might we obtained, and praised God. +The clear continued scarce an hour, but the fog fell again as thick as +ever it was. + +Then the _Rear-Admiral_ and the _Bear_ got themselves clear without +danger of ice and rocks, struck their sails and lay a hull, staying to +have the rest of the fleet come forth, which as yet had not found the +right way to clear themselves from the danger of rocks and ice, until the +next morning, at what time the _Rear-Admiral_ discharged certain warning +pieces, to give notice that she had escaped, and that the rest (by +following of her) might set themselves free, which they did that day. +Then having gathered ourselves together, we proceeded on our purposed +voyage, bearing off, and keeping ourselves distant from the coast, until +the 19th day of July, at which time the fogs brake up and dispersed, so +that we might plainly and clearly behold the pleasant air which had so +long been taken from us by the obscurity of the foggy mists; and, after +that time, we were not much encumbered therewith until we had left the +confines of the country. + +Then we, espying a fair sound, supposed it to go into the straits, +between the Queen's Foreland and Jackman's Sound, which proved as we +imagined. For our general sent forth again the _Gabriel_ to discover it, +who passed through with much difficulty, for there ran such an extreme +current of a tide, with so horrible a gulf, that with a fresh gale of +wind they were scarce able to stem it, yet at the length with great +travel they passed it, and came to the straits, where they met with the +_Thomas Allen_, the _Thomas of Ipswich_, and the _Busse of Bridgewater_, +who all together adventured to bear into the ice again, to see if they +could obtain their wished port. But they were so encumbered, that with +much difficulty they were able to get out again, yet at the last they +escaping the _Thomas Allen_ and the _Gabriel_, bear in with the western +shore, where they found harbour, and they moored their ships until the +4th of August, at which time they came to us, in the Countess of +Warwick's Sound. The _Thomas of Ipswich_ caught a great leak, which +caused her to cast again to sea board, and so was mended. + +We sailed along still by the coast until we came to the Queen's Forehand, +at the point whereof we met with part of the gulf aforesaid, which place +or gulf (as some of our masters do credibly report) doth flow nine hours +and ebbs but three. At that point we discovered certain lands southward, +which neither time nor opportunity would serve to search. Then being +come to the mouth of the straits, we met with the _Anne Francis_, who had +lain bulting up and down ever since her departure alone, never finding +any of her company. We met then also the _Francis of Foy_, with whom +again we intended to venture and get in, but the ice was yet so thick, +that we were compelled again to retire and get us on sea board. + +There fell also the same day, being the 26th July, such a horrible snow, +that it lay a foot thick upon the hatches, which froze as fast as it +fell. + +We had also at other times divers cruel storms, both snow and hail, which +manifestly declared the distemperature of the country: yet for all that +we were so many times repulsed and put back from our purpose, knowing +that lingering delay was not profitable for us, but hurtful to our +voyage, we mutually consented to our valiant general once again to give +the onset. + +The 28th day, therefore, of the same July we assayed, and with little +trouble (God be praised) we passed the dangers by daylight. Then night +falling on the face of the earth, we hulled in the clear, till the +cheerful light of the day had chased away the noisome darkness of the +night, at which the we set forward toward our wished port; by the 30th +day we obtained our expected desire, where we found the _Judith_ and the +_Michael_, which brought no small joy unto the general, and great +consolation to the heavy hearts of those wearied wights. + +The 30th day of July we brought our ships into the Countess of Warwick's +Sound, and moored them, namely these ships, the _Admiral_, the +_Rear-Admiral_, the _Francis of Foy_, the _Bear_, _Armenel_, the +_Salomon_, and the _Busse of Bridgewater_, which being done, our general +commanded us all to come ashore upon the Countess Island, where he set +his miners to work upon the mine, giving charge with expedition to +despatch with their lading. + +Our general himself, accompanied with his gentleman, divers times made +roads into sundry parts of the country, as well to find new mines as also +to find out and see the people of the country. He found out one mine, +upon an island by Bear's Sound, and named it the Countess of Sussex +Island. One other was found in Winter's Fornace, with divers others, to +which the ships were sent sunderly to be laden. In the same roads he met +with divers of the people of the country at sundry times, as once at a +place called David's Sound, who shot at our men, and very desperately +gave them the onset, being not above three or four in number, there being +of our countrymen above a dozen; but seeing themselves not able to +prevail, they took themselves to flight, whom our men pursued, but being +not used to such craggy cliffs, they soon lost the sight of them, and so +in vain returned. + +We also saw them at Bear's Sound, both by sea and land, in great +companies; but they would at all times keep the water between them and +us. And if any of our ships chanced to be in the sound (as they came +divers times), because the harbour was not very good, the ship laded, and +departed again; then so long as any ships were in sight, the people would +not be seen. But when as they perceived the ships to be gone, they would +not only show themselves standing upon high cliffs, and call us to come +over unto them, but also would come in their boats very near to us, as it +were to brag at us; whereof our general, having advertisement, sent for +the captain and gentlemen of the ships to accompany and attend upon him, +with the captain also of the _Anne Francis_, who was but the night before +come unto us. For they and the fleet-boat, having lost us the 26th day, +in the great snow, put into a harbour in the Queen's Forehand, where they +found good ore, wherewith they laded themselves, and came to seek the +general; so that now we had all our ships, saving one barque, which was +lost, and the _Thomas of Ipswich_ who (compelled by what fury I know not) +forsook our company, and returned home without lading. + +Our general, accompanied with his gentlemen (of whom I spake), came +altogether to the Countess of Sussex Island, near to Bear's Sound, where +he manned out certain pinnaces and went over to the people, who, +perceiving his arrival, fled away with all speed, and in haste left +certain darts and other engines behind them which we found, but the +people we could not find. + +The next morning our general, perceiving certain of them in boat upon the +sea, gave chase to them in a pinnace under sail, with a fresh gale of +wind, but could by no means come near unto them, for the longer he sailed +the farther off he was from them, which well showed their cunning and +activity. Thus time wearing away, and the day of our departure +approaching, our general commanded to lade with all expedition, that we +might be again on sea board with our ship; for whilst we were in the +country we were in continual danger of freezing in, for often snow and +hail, often the water was so much frozen and congealed in the night, that +in the morning we could scarce row our boats or pinnaces, especially in +Dier's Sound, which is a calm and still water, which caused our general +to make the more haste, so that by the 30th day of August we were all +laden, and made all things ready to depart. But before I proceed any +further herein, to show what fortune befell at our departure, I will turn +my pen a little to Master Captain Fenton, and those gentlemen which +should have inhabited all the year in those countries, whose valiant +minds were much to be commended, that neither fear of force, nor the +cruel nipping storms of the raging winter, neither the intemperature of +so unhealthful a country, neither the savageness of the people, neither +the sight and show of such and so many strange meteors, neither the +desire to return to their native soil, neither regard of friends, neither +care of possessions and inheritances, finally, not the love of life (a +thing of all other most sweet), neither the terror of dreadful death +itself, might seem to be of sufficient force to withdraw their prowess, +or to restrain from that purpose, thereby to have profited their country; +but that with most willing hearts, venturous minds, stout stomachs, and +singular manhood, they were content there to have tarried for the time, +among a barbarous and uncivilised people, infidels and miscreants, to +have made their dwelling, not terrified with the manifold and imminent +dangers which they were like to run into; and seeing before their eyes so +many casualties, whereto their life was subject, the least whereof would +have made a milksop Thersites astonished and utterly discomfited; being, +I say, thus minded and purposed, they deserved special commendation, for, +doubtless, they had done as they intended, if luck had not withstood +their willingness, and if that fortune had not so frowned upon their +intents. + +For the bark _Dionyse_, which was lost, had in her much of their house, +which was prepared and should have been builded for them, with many other +implements. Also the _Thomas of Ipswich_, which had most of their +provision in her, came not into the straits at all, neither did we see +her since the day we were separated in the great snow (of which I spake +before). For these causes, having not their house nor yet provision, +they were disappointed of their pretence to tarry, and therefore laded +their ships and so came away with us. + +But before we took shipping, we builded a little house in the Countess of +Warwick's Island, and garnished it with many kinds of trifles, as pins, +points, laces, glasses, combs, babes on horseback and on foot, with +innumerable other such fancies and toys, thereby to allure and entice the +people to some familiarity against other years. + +Thus having finished all things we departed the country (as I said +before); but because the _Busse_ had not lading enough in her, she put +into Bear's Sound to take a little more. In the meanwhile, the +_Admiral_, and the rest without the sea, stayed for her. And that night +fell such an outrageous tempest, beating on our ships with such vehement +rigour that anchor and cable availed nought, for we were driven on rocks +and islands of ice, insomuch that had not the great goodness of God been +miraculously showed to us, we had been cast away every man. This danger +was more doubtful and terrible than any that preceded or went before, for +there was not any one ship (I think) that escaped without damage. Some +lost anchor, and also gables, some boats, some pinnaces, some anchor, +gables, boats, and pinnaces. + +This boisterous storm so severed us one from another, that one ship knew +not what was become of another. The _Admiral_ knew not where to find the +_Vice-Admiral_ or _Rear-Admiral_, or any other ship of our company. Our +general, being on land in Bear's Sound, could not come to his ship, but +was compelled to go aboard the _Gabriel_, where he continued all the way +homewards, for the boisterous blasts continued so extremely, and so long +a time, that it sent us homeward (which was God's favour towards us), +will we, nill we, in such haste, as not any one of us were able to keep +in company of other, but were separated. And if by chance any one ship +did overtake other by swiftness of sail, or met (as they often did), yet +was the rigour of the wind so hideous, that they could not continue +company together the space of one whole night. + +Thus our journey outward was not so pleasant, but our coming thither, +entering the coasts and country by narrow straits, perilous ice, and +swift tides, our times of abode there in snow and storms, and our +departure from thence, the 3rd of August, with dangerous blustering winds +and tempest's, which that night arose, was as uncomfortable, separating +us so, as we sailed, that not any of us met together until the 28th of +September, which day we fell on the English coasts, between Scilly and +the Land's End, and passed the Channel, until our arrival in the river +Thames. + + + + +THE REPORT OF THOMAS WIARS, + + +_Passenger in the_ "_Emmanuel_," _otherwise called the_ "_Busse of +Bridgewater_," _wherein James Leeche was Master_, _one of the ships in +the last voyage of Master Martin Frobisher_, 1578, _concerning the +discovery of the great island in their way homeward_, _the_ 12_th of +September_. + +The _Busse of Bridgewater_ was left in Bear's Sound, at Meta Incognita, +the 2nd day of September, behind the fleet, in some distress, through +much wind riding near the lee shore, and forced there to ride it out upon +the hazard of her cables and anchors, which were all aground but two. +The 3rd of September being fair weather, and the wind north-north-west, +she set sail, and departed thence and fell with Friesland, on he 8th day +of September, at six of the clock at night, and then they set off from +the south-west point of Friesland, the wind being at east and +east-south-east; but that night the wind veered southerly, and shifted +oftentimes that night. But on the 10th day, in the morning, the wind at +west-north-west, fair weather, they steered south-east and by south, and +continued that course until the 12th day of September, when about 11 +o'clock before noon they descried a land, which was from them about five +leagues, and the southernmost part of it was south-east-by-east from +them, and the northernmost next north-north-east, or north-east. The +master accounted that Friesland, the south-east point of it, was from him +at that instant, when he first descried this new island, +north-west-by-north fifty leagues. They account this island to be +twenty-five leagues long, and the longest way of it south-east and +north-west. The southern part of it is in the latitude of fifty-seven +degrees and one second part, or thereabout. They continued in sight of +it from the twelfth day at eleven of the clock till the thirteenth day +three of the clock in the afternoon, when they left it; and the last part +they saw of it bare from them north-west-by-north. There appeared two +harbours upon that coast, the greatest of them seven leagues to the +northwards of the southernmost point, the other but four leagues. There +was very much ice near the same land, and also twenty or thirty leagues +from it, for they were not clear of ice till the 15th day of September, +afternoon. They plied their voyage homeward, and fell with the west part +of Ireland, about Galway, and had first sight of it on the 25th day of +September. + + + + +THE FIRST VOYAGE OF MASTER JOHN DAVIS, + + +_Undertaken in June_, 1585, _for the discovery of the North-West +Passage_, _written by John James Marchant_, _servant to the Worshipful +Master William Sanderson_. + +Certain honourable personages and worthy gentlemen of the Court and +country, with divers worshipful merchants of London and of the West +Countrie, moved with desire to advance God's glory, and to seek the good +of their native country, consulting together of the likelihood of the +discovery of the North-West Passage, which heretofore had been attempted, +but unhappily given over by accidents unlooked for, which turned the +enterprisers from their principal purpose, resolved, after good +deliberation, to put down their adventures, to provide for necessary +shipping, and a fit man to be chief conductor of this so hard an +enterprise. The setting forth of this action was committed by the +adventurers especially to the care of Master William Sanderson, merchant +of London, who was so forward therein, that besides his travel, which was +not small, he became the greatest adventurer with his purse, and +commended unto the rest of the company one Master John Davis, a man very +well grounded in the principles of the art of navigation, for captain and +chief pilot of this exploit. + +Thus, therefore, all things being put in a readiness, we departed from +Dartmouth the 7th of June towards the discovery of the aforesaid +North-West Passage with two barques, the one being of fifty tons, named +the _Sunshine_, of London, and the other being thirty-five tons, named +the _Moonshine_, of Dartmouth. In the _Sunshine_ we had twenty-three +persons, whose names are these following: Master John Davis, captain; +William Eston, master; Richard Pope, master's mate; John Jane, merchant; +Henry Davie, gunner; William Crosse, boatswain; John Bagge, Walter +Arthur, Luke Adams, Robert Coxworthie, John Ellis, John Kelly, Edward +Helman, William Dicke, Andrew Maddocke, Thomas Hill, Robert Wats, +carpenter, William Russell, Christopher Gorney, boy; James Cole, Francis +Ridley, John Russel, Robert Cornish, musicians. + +The _Moonshine_ had nineteen persons, William Bruton, captain; John +Ellis, master; the rest mariners. + +The 7th of June the captain and the master drew out a proportion for the +continuance of our victuals. + +The 8th day, the wind being at south-west and west-south-west, we put in +for Falmouth, where we remained until the 13th. + +The 13th the wind blew at north, and being fair weather we departed. + +The 14th, with contrary wind, we were forced to put into Scilly. + +The 15th we departed thence, having the wind north and by east, moderate +and fair weather. + +The 16th we were driven back again, and were constrained to arrive at New +Grimsby, at Scilly; here the wind remained contrary twelve days, and in +that space the captain, the master, and I went about all the islands, and +the captain did plan out and describe the situation of all the islands, +rocks, and harbours to the exact use of navigation, with lines and scale +thereunto convenient. + +The 28th, in God's name, we departed, the wind being easterly, but calm. + +The 29th very foggy. + +The 30th foggy. + +The 1st of July we saw great store of porpoises, the master called for a +harping-iron, and shot twice or thrice; sometimes he missed, and at last +shot one and struck him in the side, and wound him into the ship; when we +had him aboard, the master said it was a darley head. + +The 2nd we had some of the fish boiled, and it did eat as sweet as any +mutton. + +The 3rd we had more in sight, and the master went to shoot at them, but +they were so great, that they burst our irons, and we lost both fish, +irons, pastime, and all; yet, nevertheless, the master shot at them with +a pike, and had well-nigh gotten one, but he was so strong, that he burst +off the bars of the pike and went away. Then he took the boat-hook, and +hit one with that; but all would not prevail, so at length we let them +alone. + +The 6th we saw a very great whale, and every day after we saw whales +continually. + +The 16th, 17th, and 18th we saw great store of whales. + +The 19th of July we fell into a great whirling and brustling of a tide, +setting to the northward; and sailing about half a league we came into a +very calm sea, which bent to the south-south-west. Here we heard a +mighty great roaring of the sea, as if it had been the breach of some +shore, the air being so foggy and full of thick mist, that we could not +see the one ship from the other, being a very small distance asunder; so +the captain and the master, being in distrust how the tide might set +them, caused the _Moonshine_ to hoist out her boat and to sound, but they +could not find ground in three hundred fathoms and better. Then the +captain, master, and I went towards the breach to see what it should be, +giving charge to our gunners that at every blast they should shoot off a +musket shot, to the intent we might keep ourselves from losing them; then +coming near to the breach, we met many islands of ice floating, which had +quickly compassed us about. Then we went upon some of them, and did +perceive that all the roaring which we heard was caused only by the +rolling of this ice together. Our company seeing us not to return +according to our appointment, left off shooting muskets and began to +shoot falconets, for they feared some mishap had befallen us; but before +night we came aboard again, with our boat laden with ice, which made very +good fresh water. Then we bent our course toward the north, hoping by +that means to double the land. + +The 20th, as we sailed along the coast, the fog brake up, and we +discovered the land, which was the most deformed, rocky, and mountainous +land that ever we saw, the first sight whereof did show as if it had been +in form of a sugar loaf, standing to our sight above the clouds, for that +it did show over the fog like a white liste in the sky, the tops +altogether covered with snow, and the shore beset with ice a league off +into the sea, making such irksome noise as that it seemed to be the true +pattern of desolation, and after the same our captain named it the land +of desolation. + +The 21st the wind came northerly and overblew, so that we were +constrained to bend our course south again, for we perceived that we were +run into a very deep bay, where we were almost compassed with ice, for we +saw very much towards the north-north-east, west, and south-west; and +this day and this night we cleared ourselves of the ice, running +south-south-west along the shore. + +Upon Thursday, being the 22nd of this month, about three of the clock in +the morning, we hoisted out our boat, and the captain, with six sailors, +went towards the shore, thinking to find a landing-place, for the night +before we did perceive the coast to be void of ice to our judgment; and +the same night we were all persuaded that we had seen a canoe rowing +along the shore, but afterwards we fell in some doubt of it, but we had +no great reason so to do. The captain, rowing towards the shore, willed +the master to bear in with the land after him; and before he came near +the shore, by the space of a league, or about two miles, he found so much +ice that he could not get to land by any means. Here our mariners put to +their lines to see if they could get any fish, because there were so many +seals upon the coast, and the birds did beat upon the water, but all was +in vain: the water about this coast was very black and thick, like to a +filthy standing pool; we sounded, and had ground in 120 fathoms. While +the captain was rowing to the shore our men saw woods upon the rocks, +like to the rocks of Newfoundland, but I could not discern them; yet it +might be so very well, for we had wood floating upon the coast every day, +and the _Moonshine_ took up a tree at sea not far from the coast, being +sixty foot of length and fourteen handfuls about, having the root upon +it. After, the captain came aboard, the weather being very calm and +fair, we bent our course toward the south with intent to double the land. + +The 23rd we coasted the land which did lie east-north-east and +west-south-west. + +The 24th, the wind being very fair at east, we coasted the land, which +did lie east and west, not being able to come near the shore by reason of +the great quantity of ice. At this place, because the weather was +somewhat cold by reason of the ice, and the better to encourage our men, +their allowance was increased. The captain and the master took order +that every mess, being five persons, should have half a pound of bread +and a can of beer every morning to breakfast. The weather was not very +cold, but the air was moderate, like to our April weather in England. +When the wind came from the land or the ice it was somewhat cold, but +when it came off the sea it was very hot. + +The 25th of this month we departed from sight of this land at six of the +clock in the morning, directing our course to the north-westward, hoping +in God's mercy to find our desired passage, and so continued above four +days. + +The 29th of July we discovered land in 64 degrees 15 minutes of latitude, +bearing north-east from us. The wind being contrary to go to the +north-westward, we bear in with this land to take some view of it, being +utterly void of the pester of ice, and very temperate. Coming near the +coast we found many fair sounds and good roads for shipping, and many +great inlets into the land, whereby we judged this land to be a great +number of islands standing together. Here, having moored our barque in +good order, we went on shore upon a small island to seek for water and +wood. Upon this island we did perceive that there had been people, for +we found a small shoe and pieces of leather sewed with sinews and a piece +of fur, and wool like to beaver. Then we went upon another island on the +other side of our ships, and the captain, the master, and I, being got up +to the top of a high rock, the people of the country having espied us +made a lamentable noise, as we thought, with great outcries and +screechings; we, hearing them, thought it had been the howling of wolves. +At last I halloed again, and they likewise cried; then we, perceiving +where they stood--some on the shore, and one rowing in a canoe about a +small island fast by them--we made a great noise, partly to allure them +to us and partly to warn our company of them. Whereupon Master Bruton +and the master of his ship, with others of their company, made great +haste towards us, and brought our musicians with them from our ship, +purposing either by force to rescue us, if needs should so require, or +with courtesy to allure the people. When they came unto us we caused our +musicians to play, ourselves dancing and making many signs of friendship. +At length there came ten canoes from the other islands, and two of them +came so near the shore where we were that they talked with us, the other +being in their boats a pretty way off. Their pronunciation was very +hollow through the throat, and their speech such as we could not +understand, only we allured them by friendly embracings and signs of +courtesy. At length one of them, pointing up to the sun with his hand, +would presently strike his breast so hard that we might hear the blow. +This he did many times before he would any way trust us. Then John +Ellis, the master of the _Moonshine_, was appointed to use his best +policy to gain their friendship, who shook his breast and pointed to the +sun after their order, which when he had divers times done they began to +trust him, and one of them came on shore, to whom we threw our caps, +stockings, and gloves, and such other things as then we had about us, +playing with our music, and making signs of joy, and dancing. So the +night coming we bade them farewell, and went aboard our barques. + +The next morning, being the 30th of July, there came thirty-seven canoes +rowing by our ships calling to us to come on shore; we not making any +great haste unto them, one of them went up to the top of the rock, and +leaped and danced as they had done the day before, showing us a seal +skin, and another thing made like a timbrel, which he did beat upon with +a stick, making a noise like a small drum. Whereupon we manned our boats +and came to them, they all staying in their canoes. We came to the +water's side, where they were, and after we had sworn by the sun after +their fashion they did trust us. So I shook hands with one of them, and +he kissed my hand, and we were very familiar with them. We were in so +great credit with them upon this single acquaintance that we could have +anything they had. We bought five canoes of them; we bought their +clothes from their backs, which were all made of seal skins and birds' +skins; their buskins, their hose, their gloves, all being commonly sewed +and well dressed, so that we were fully persuaded that they have divers +artificers among them. We had a pair of buskins of them full of fine +wool like beaver. Their apparel for heat was made of birds' skins with +their feathers on them. We saw among them leather dressed like glover's +leather, and thick thongs like white leather of good length. We had of +their darts and oars, and found in them that they would by no means +displease us, but would give us whatsoever we asked of them, and would be +satisfied with whatsoever we gave them. They took great care one of +another, for when we had bought their boats then two other would come, +and carry him away between them that had sold us his. They are a very +tractable people, void of craft or double dealing, and easy to be brought +to any civility or good order, but we judged them to be idolaters, and to +worship the sun. + +During the time of our abode among these islands we found reasonable +quantity of wood, both fir, spruce, and juniper; which, whether it came +floating any great distance to these places where we found it, or whether +it grew in some great islands near the same place by us not yet +discovered, we know not. But we judge that it groweth there farther into +the land than we were, because the people had great store of darts and +oars which they made none account of, but gave them to us for small +trifles as points and pieces of paper. We saw about this coast +marvellous great abundance of seals sculling together like sculls of +small fish. We found no fresh water among these islands, but only +snow-water, whereof we found great pools. The cliffs were all of such +ore as Master Frobisher brought from Meta Incognita. We had divers +shewes of study or Moscovie glass, shining not altogether unlike to +crystal. We found an herb growing upon the rocks whose fruit was sweet, +full of red juice, and the ripe ones were like currants. We found also +birch and willow growing like shrubs low to the ground. These people +have great store of furs as we judged. They made shows unto us the 30th +of this present, which was the second time of our being with them, after +they perceived we would have skins and furs, that they would go into the +country and come again the next day with such things as they had; but +this night the wind coming fair the captain and the master would by no +means detract the purpose our discovery. And so the last of this month, +about four of the clock in the morning, in God's name we set sail, and +were all that day becalmed upon the coast. + +The 1st of August we had a fair wind, and so proceeded towards the +north-west for our discovery. + +The 6th of August we discovered land in 66 degrees 40 minutes of latitude +altogether void from the pester of ice; we anchored in a very fair road, +under a very brave mount, the cliffs whereof were as orient as gold. +This mount was named Mount Raleigh; the road where our ships lay at +anchor was called Totnes Road; the sound which did compass the mount was +named Exeter Sound; the foreland towards the north was called Dier's +Cape; the foreland towards the south was named Cape Walsingham. So soon +as we were come to an anchor in Totnes Road under Mount Raleigh we espied +four white bears at the foot of the mount. We, supposing them to be +goats or wolves, manned our boats and went towards them, but when we came +near the shore we found them to be white bears of a monstrous bigness; +we, being desirous of fresh victual and the sport, began to assault them, +and I being on land, one of them came down the hill right against me. My +piece was charged with hail-shot and a bullet; I discharged my piece and +shot him in the neck; he roared a little, and took the water straight, +making small account of his hurt. Then we followed him with our boat, +and killed him with boars' spears, and two more that night. We found +nothing in their maws, but we judged by their dung that they fed upon +grass, because it appeared in all respects like the dung of a horse, +wherein we might very plainly see the very straws. + +The 7th we went on shore to another bear, which lay all night upon the +top of an island under Mount Raleigh, and when we came up to him he lay +fast asleep. I levelled at his head, and the stone of my piece gave no +fire; with that he looked up and laid down his head again; then I shot, +being charged with two bullets, and struck him in the head; he, being but +amazed, fell backwards, whereupon we ran all upon him with boar spears +and thrust him in the body, yet for all that he gripped away our boar +spears and went towards the water, and as he was going down he came back +again. Then our master shot his boar spear and struck him in the head, +and made him to take the water, and swim into a cove fast by, where we +killed him and brought him aboard. The breadth of his fore foot from one +side to the other was fourteen inches over. They were very fat, so as we +were constrained to cast the fat away. We saw a raven upon Mount +Raleigh. We found withies, also, growing low like shrubs, and flowers +like primroses in the said place. The coast is very mountainous, +altogether without wood, grass, or earth, and is only huge mountains of +stone, but the bravest stone that ever we saw. The air was very moderate +in this country. + +The 8th we departed from Mount Raleigh, coasting along the shore which +lieth south-south-west and east-north-east. + +The 9th our men fell in dislike of their allowance because it was so +small as they thought. Whereupon we made a new proportion, every mess, +being five to a mess, should have four pound of bread a day, twelve wine +quarts of beer, six new land fishes, and the flesh days a gin of pease +more; so we restrained them from their butter and cheese. + +The 11th we came to the most southerly cape of this land, which we named +the Cape of God's Mercy, as being the place of our first entrance for the +discovery. The weather being very foggy we coasted this north land; at +length when it brake up we perceived that we were shot into a very fair +entrance or passage, being in some places twenty leagues broad and in +some thirty, altogether void of any pester of ice, the weather very +tolerable, and the water of the very colour, nature, and quality of the +main ocean, which gave us the greater hope of our passage. Having sailed +north-west sixty leagues in this entrance, we discovered certain islands +standing in the midst thereof, having open passages on both sides. +Whereupon our ships divided themselves, the one sailing on the north +side, the other on the south side of the said isles, where we stayed five +days, having the wind at south-east, very foggy, and foul weather. + +The 14th we went on shore and found signs of people, for we found stones +laid up together like a wall, and saw the skull of a man or a woman. + +The 15th we heard dogs howl on the shore, which we thought had been +wolves, and therefore we went on shore to kill them. When we came on +land the dogs came presently to our boat very gently, yet we thought they +came to prey upon us, and therefore we shot at them and killed two, and +about the neck of one of them we found a leathern collar, whereupon we +thought them to be tame dogs. There were twenty dogs like mastiffs, with +pricked ears and long bushed tails; we found a bone in the pizels of +their dogs. Then we went farther and found two sleds made like ours in +England. The one was made of fir, spruce, and oaken boards, sawn like +inch boards; the other was made all of whalebone, and there hung on the +tops of the sleds three heads of beasts which they had killed. We saw +here larks, ravens, and partridges. + +The 17th we went on shore, and in a little thing made like an oven with +stones I found many small trifles, as a small canoe made of wood, a piece +of wood made like an image, a bird made of bone, beads having small holes +in one end of them to hang about their necks, and other small things. +The coast was very barbarous, without wood or grass. The rocks were very +fair, like marble, full of veins of divers colours. We found a seal +which was killed not long before, being flayed and hid under stones. + +Our captain and master searched still for probabilities of the passage, +and first found that this place was all islands with great sounds passing +between them. + +Secondly, the water remained of one colour with the main ocean without +altering. + +Thirdly, we saw to the west of those isles three or four whales in a +scull, which they judged to come from a westerly sea, because to the +eastward we saw not any whale. + +Also, as we were rowing into a very great sound lying south-west from +whence these whales came, upon the sudden there came a violent +countercheck of a tide from the south-west against the flood which we +came with, not knowing from whence it was maintained. + +Fifthly, in sailing 20 leagues within the mouth of this entrance we had +sounding in 90 fathoms, fair, grey, oozy sand, and the farther we run +into the westwards the deeper was the water, so that hard aboard the +shore among these isles we could not have ground in 330 fathoms. + +Lastly, it did ebb and flow six or seven fathom up and down, the flood +coming from divers parts, so as we could not perceive the chief +maintenance thereof. + +The 18th and 19th our captain and master determined what was best to do, +both for the safe guard of their credits and satisfy of the adventurers, +and resolved if the weather brake up to make further search. + +The 20th, the wind came directly against us, so they altered their +purpose, and reasoned both for proceeding and returning. + +The 21st, the wind being north-west, we departed from these islands, and +as we coasted the south shore we saw many fair sounds, whereby we were +persuaded that it was no firm land but islands. + +The 23rd of this month the wind came south-east, very stormy and foul +weather. So we were constrained to seek harbour upon the south coast of +this entrance, where we fell into a very fair sound, and anchored in 25 +fathoms of green, oozy sand, where we went on shore, where we had +manifest signs of people, where they had made their fire, and laid stones +like a wall. In this place we saw four very fair falcons, and Master +Bruton took from one of them his prey, which we judged by the wings and +legs to be a snipe, for the head was eaten off. + +The 24th, in the afternoon, the wind coming somewhat fair, we departed +from this road, purposing by God's grace to return for England. + +The 26th we departed from sight of the north land of this entrance, +directing our course homewards, until the 10th of the next month. + +The 10th September we fell with the Land of Desolation, thinking to go on +shore, but we could get never a good harbour. That night we put to sea +again thinking to search it the next day; but this night arose a very +great storm, and separated our ships so that we lost the sight of the +_Moonshine_. + +The 13th about noon (having tried all the night before with a goose wing) +we set sail, and within two hours after we had sight of the _Moonshine_ +again. This day we departed from this land. + +The 27th of this month we fell with sight of England. This night we had +a marvellous storm, and lost the _Moonshine_. + +The 30th September we came into Dartmouth, where we found the +_Moonshine_, being come in not two hours before. + + + + +THE SECOND VOYAGE ATTEMPTED BY MASTER JOHN DAVIS, + + +_With others_, _for the discovery of the North-West Passage_, _in Anno_ +1586. + +The 7th day of May I departed from the port of Dartmouth for the +discovery of the North-West Passage with a ship of a 120 tons, named the +_Mermaid_; a barque of 60 tons, named the _Sunshine_; a barque of 35 tons +named the _Moonlight_; and a pinnace of 10 tons named the _North Star_. + +And the 15th June I discovered land, in the latitude of 60 degrees, and +in longitude from the meridian of London westward 47 degrees, mightily +pestered with ice and snow, so that there was no hope of landing; the ice +lay in some places 10 leagues, in some 20, and in some 50 leagues off the +shore, so that we were constrained to bear into 57 degrees to double the +same, and to recover a free sea, which through God's favourable mercy we +at length obtained. + +The nine-and-twentieth day of June, after many tempestuous storms, we +again discovered land in longitude from the meridian of London 58 degrees +30 minutes, and in latitude 64 being east from us, into which course, +since it pleased God by contrary winds to force us, I thought it very +necessary to bear in with it, and there to set up our pinnace, provided +in the _Mermaid_ to be our scout for this discovery, and so much the +rather, because the year before I had been in the same place and found it +very convenient for such a purpose, well stored with float wood, and +possessed by a people of tractable conversation; so that the +nine-and-twentieth of this month we arrived within the isles which lay +before this land, lying north-north-west and south-south-east we know not +how far. This land is very high and mountainous, having before it on the +west side a mighty company of isles full of fair sounds and harbours. +This land was very little troubled with snow, and the sea altogether void +of ice. + +The ships being within the sounds we sent our boats to search for shallow +water, where we might anchor, which in this place is very hard to find; +and as the boat went sounding and searching, the people of the country +having espied them, came in their canoes towards them with many shouts +and cries; but after they had espied in the boat some of our company that +were the year before here with us, they presently rowed to the boat and +took hold in the oar, and hung about the boat with such comfortable joy +as would require a long discourse to be uttered; they came with the boats +to our ships, making signs that they knew all those that the year before +had been with them. After I perceived their joy and small fear of us, +myself with the merchants and others of the company went ashore, bearing +with me twenty knives. I had no sooner landed, but they leapt out of +their canoes and came running to me and the rest, and embraced us with +many signs of hearty welcome. At this present there were eighteen of +them, and to each of them I gave a knife; they offered skins to me for +reward, but I made signs that it was not sold, but given them of +courtesy, and so dismissed them for that time, with signs that they +should return again after certain hours. + +The next day, with all possible speed, the pinnace was landed upon an +isle there to be finished to serve our purpose for the discovery, which +isle was so convenient for that purpose, as that we were very well able +to defend ourselves against many enemies. During the time that the +pinnace was there setting up, the people came continually unto us, +sometimes a hundred canoes at a time, sometimes forty, fifty, more and +less as occasion served. They brought with them seal skins, stags' +skins, white hares, seal fish, salmon peel, small cod, dry caplin, with +other fish and birds such as the country did yield. + +Myself, still desirous to have a farther search of this place, sent one +of the ship boats to one part of the land, and myself went to another +part to search for the habitation of this people, with straight +commandment that there should be no injury offered to any of the people, +neither any one shot. + +The boats that went from me found the tents of the people made with seal +skins set up upon timber, wherein they found great store of dried caplin, +being a little fish no bigger than a pilchard. They found bags of train +oil, many little images cut in wood, seal skins in tan tubs with many +other such trifles, whereof they diminished nothing. + +They also found ten miles within the snowy mountains a plain champion +country, with earth and grass, such as our moory and waste grounds of +England are. They went up into a river (which in the narrowest place is +two leagues broad) about ten leagues, finding it still to continue they +knew not how far; but I with my company took another river, which +although at the first it offered a large inlet, yet it proved but a deep +bay, the end whereof in four hours I attained, and there leaving the boat +well manned, went with the rest of my company three or four miles into +the country, but found nothing, nor saw anything, save only gripes, +ravens, and small birds, as lark and linnet. + +The 3rd of July I manned my boat, and went with fifty canoes attending +upon me up into another sound, where the people by signs willed me to go, +hoping to find their habitation; at length they made signs that I should +go into a warm place to sleep, at which place I went on shore, and +ascended the top of high hill to see into the country, but perceiving my +labour vain, I returned again to my boat, the people still following me +and my company very diligent to attend us, and to help us up the rocks, +and likewise down; at length I was desirous to have our men leap with +them, which was done, but our men did overleap them; from leaping they +went to wrestling; we found them strong and nimble, and to have skill in +wrestling, for they cast some of our men that were good wrestlers. The +4th of July we launched our pinnace, and had forty of the people to help +us, which they did very willingly. At this time our men again wrestled +with them, and found them as before, strong and skilful. This 4th of +July, the master of the _Mermaid_ went to certain islands to store +himself with wood, where he found a grave with divers buried in it, only +covered with seal skins, having a cross laid over them. The people are +of good stature, well in body proportioned, with small, slender hands and +feet, with broad visages, and small eyes, wide mouths, the most part +unbearded, great lips, and close toothed. Their custom is, as often as +they go from us, still at their return, to make a new truce, in this +sort: holding his hand up to the sun, with a loud voice crieth +"Ylyaoute," and striketh his breast, with like signs being promised +safety, he giveth credit. These people are much given to bleed, and +therefore stop their noses with deer hair or the hair of an elan. They +are idolaters, and have images great store, which they wear about them, +and in their boats, which we suppose they worship. They are witches, and +have many kinds of enchantments, which they often used, but to small +purpose, thanks be to God. + +Being among them at shore, the 4th of July, one of them, making a long +oration, began to kindle a fire, in this manner: he took a piece of a +board, wherein was a hole half through; unto that hole he puts the end of +a round stick, like unto a bed staff, wetting the end thereof in train, +and in fashion of a turner, with a piece of leather, by his violent +motion doth very speedily produce fire; which done, with turfs he made a +fire, into which, with many words and strange gestures, he put divers +things which we suppose to be a sacrifice. Myself and divers of my +company standing by, they were desirous to have me go into the smoke; I +willed them likewise to stand in the smoke, in which they by no means +would do. I then took one of them, and thrust him into the smoke, and +willed one of my company to tread out the fire, and to spurn it into the +sea, which was done to show them that we did contemn their sorcery. +These people are very simple in all their conversation, but marvellous +thievish, especially for iron, which they have in great account. They +began through our lenity to show their vile nature; they began to cut our +cables; they cut away the _Moonlight's_ boat from her stern; they cut our +cloth where it lay to air, though we did carefully look unto it, they +stole our oars, a calliver, a boat's spear, a sword, with divers other +things, whereat the company and masters being grieved, for our better +security desired me to dissolve this new friendship, and to leave the +company of these thievish miscreants; whereupon there was a calliver shot +among them, and immediately upon the same a falcon, which strange noise +did sore amaze them, so that with speed they departed; notwithstanding, +their simplicity is such, that within ten hours after they came again to +us to entreat peace; which, being promised, we again fell into a great +league. They brought us seal skins and salmon peel, but, seeing iron, +they could in nowise forbear stealing; which, when I perceived it, did +but minister unto me an occasion of laughter to see their simplicity, and +willed that in no case they should be any more hardly used, but that our +own company should be the more vigilant to keep their things, supposing +it to be very hard in so short time to make them know their evils. They +eat all their meat raw, they live most upon fish, they drink salt water, +and eat grass and ice with delight; they are never out of the water, but +live in the nature of fishes, but only when dead sleep taketh them, and +then under a warm rock, laying his boat upon the land, he lieth down to +sleep. Their weapons are all darts, but some of them have bow and arrows +and slings. They make nets to take their fish of the fin of a whale; +they do all their things very artfully, and it should seem that these +simple, thievish islanders have war with those of the main, for many of +them are sore wounded, which wounds they received upon the main land, as +by signs they gave us to understand. We had among them copper ore, black +copper, and red copper; they pronounce their language very hollow, and +deep in the throat; these words following we learned from them:-- +Kesinyoh, eat some. Mysacoah, wash it. +Madlycoyte, music. Lethicksaneg, a seal-skin. +Aginyoh, go, fetch. Canyglow, kiss me. +Yliaoute, I mean no harm. Ugnera, my son. +Ponameg, a boat. Acu, shot. +Conah, leap. Aba, fallen down. +Maatuke, fish. Icune, come hither. +Sambah, below. Awennye, yonder. +Maconmeg, will you have this? Nugo, no. +Cocah, go to him. Tucktodo, a fog. +Paaotyck, an oar. Lechiksah, a skin. +Asanock, a dart. Maccoah, a dart. +Sawygmeg, a knife. Sugnacoon, a coat. +Uderah, a nose. Gounah, come down. +Aoh, iron. Sasobneg, a bracelet. +Blete, an eye. Ugnake, a tongue. +Unvicke, give it. Ataneg, a meal. +Tuckloak, a stag or elan. Macuah, a beard. +Panygmah, a needle. Pignagogah, a thread. +Aob, the sea. Quoysah, give it to me. +The 7th of July, being very desirous to search the habitation of this +country, I went myself with our new pinnace into the body of the land, +thinking it to be a firm continent, and passing up a very large river a +great flaw of wind took me, whereby we were constrained to seek succour +for that night, which being had, I landed with the most part of my +company, and went to the top of a high mountain, hoping from thence to +see into the country; but the mountains were so many and so mighty as +that my purpose prevailed not, whereupon I again returned to my pinnace, +and willing divers of my company to gather mussels for my supper, whereof +in this place there was great store, myself having espied a very strange +sight, especially to me, that never before saw the like, which was a +mighty whirlwind, taking up the water in very great quantity, furiously +mounting it into the air, which whirlwind was not for a puff or blast, +but continual for the space of three hours, with very little +intermission, which since it was in the course that I should pass, we +were constrained that night to take up our lodging under the rocks. + +The next morning, the storm being broken up, we went forward in our +attempt, and sailed into a mighty great river, directly into the body of +the land, and in brief found it to be no firm land, but huge, waste, and +desert isles with mighty sounds and inlets passing between sea and sea. +Whereupon we returned towards our ships, and landing to stop a flood, we +found the burial of these miscreants; we found of their fish in bags, +plaices, and caplin dried, of which we took only one bag and departed. +The 9th of this month we came to our ships, where we found the people +desirous in their fashion of friendship and barter: our mariners +complained heavily against the people, and said that my lenity and +friendly using of them gave them stomach to mischief, for "they have +stolen an anchor from us. They have cut our cable very dangerously, they +have cut our boats from our stern, and now, since your departure, with +slings they spare us not with stones of half a pound weight. And will +you still endure these injuries? It is a shame to bear them." I desired +them to be content, and said I doubted not but all should be well. The +10th of this month I went to the shore, the people following me in their +canoes; I tolled them on shore, and used them with much courtesy, and +then departed aboard, they following me and my company. I gave some of +them bracelets, and caused seven or eight of them to come aboard, which +they did willingly; and some of them went into the top of our ship, and +thus courteously using them I let them depart. The sun was no sooner +down but they began to practise their devilish nature, and with slings +threw stones very fiercely into the _Moonlight_ and struck one of her +men, the boatswain, that he overthrew withal: whereat being moved, I +changed my courtesy and grew to hatred; myself in my own boat well manned +with shot, and the barques boat likewise pursued them, and gave them +divers shot, but to small purpose, by reason of their swift rowing; so +small content we returned. + +The 11th of this month there came five of them to make a new truce; the +master of the _Admiral_ came to me to show me of their coming, and +desired to have them taken and kept as prisoners until we had his anchor +again; but when he saw that the chief ring-leader and master of mischief +was one of the five, then was vehement to execute his purpose, so it was +determined to take him; he came crying "Yliaout," and striking his breast +offered a pair of gloves to sell; the master offered him a knife for +them: so two of them came to us; the one was not touched, but the other +was soon captive among us; then we pointed to him and his fellows for our +anchor, which being had we made signs that he should he set at liberty +within one hour that he came aboard; the wind came fair, whereupon we +weighed and set sail, and so brought the fellow with us. One of his +fellows still following our ship close aboard, talked with him, and made +a kind of lamentation, we still using him well, with "Yliaout," which was +the common course of courtesy. At length this fellow aboard us spoke +four or five words unto the other and clapped his two hands upon his +face, whereupon the other doing the like, departed, as we supposed, with +heavy cheer. We judged the covering of his face with his hands, and +bowing of his body down, signified his death. At length he became a +pleasant companion among us. I gave him a new suit of frieze after the +English fashion, because I saw he could not endure the cold, of which he +was very joyful; he trimmed up his darts, and all his fishing tools, and +would make oakum, and set his hand to a rope's end upon occasion. He +lived with the dry caplin that I took when I was searching in the +pinnace, and did eat dry new land fish. + +All this while, God be thanked, our people were in very good health, only +one young man excepted, who died at sea the 14th of this month, and the +15th, according to the order of the sea, with praise given to God by +service, was cast overboard. + +The 17th of this month, being in the latitude of 63 degrees 8 minutes, we +fell upon a most mighty and strange quantity of ice, in one entire mass, +so big as that we knew not the limits thereof, and being withal so very +high, in form of a land, with bays and capes, and like high cliff land as +that we supposed it to be land, and therefore sent our pinnace off to +discover it; but at her return we were certainly informed that it was +only ice, which bred great admiration to us all, considering the huge +quantity thereof incredible to be reported in truth as it was, and +therefore I omit to speak any further thereof. This only, I think that +the like before was never seen, and in this place we had very stickle and +strong currents. + +We coasted this mighty mass of ice until the 30th of July, finding it a +mighty bar to our purpose: the air in this time was so contagious, and +the sea so pestered with ice, as that all hope was banished of +proceeding; for the 24th of July all our shrouds, ropes, and sails were +so frozen, and encompassed with ice, only by a gross fog, as seemed to be +more than strange, since the last year I found this sea free and +navigable, without impediments. + +Our men through this extremity began to grow sick and feeble, and withal +hopeless of good success; whereupon, very orderly, with good discretion +they entreated me to regard the state of this business, and withal +advised me that in conscience I ought to regard the safety of mine own +life with the preservation of theirs, and that I should not, through my +overboldness, leave their widows and fatherless children to give me +bitter curses. This matter in conscience did greatly move me to regard +their estates, yet considering the excellency of the business, if it +might be obtained, the great hope of certainty by the last year's +discovery, and that there was yet a third way not put in practice, I +thought it would grow to my disgrace if this action by my negligence +should grow into discredit: whereupon seeking help from God, the fountain +of all mercies, it pleased His Divine Majesty to move my heart to +prosecute that which I hope shall be to His glory, and to the +contentation of every Christian mind. Whereupon, falling into +consideration that the _Mermaid_, albeit a very strong and sufficient +ship, yet by reason of her burden not so convenient and nimble as a +smaller barque, especially in such desperate hazards; further, having in +account how great charge to the adventurers, being at 100 livres the +month, and that in doubtful service, all the premises considered, with +divers other things, I determined to furnish the _Moonlight_ with +revictualing and sufficient men, and to proceed in this action as God +should direct me; whereupon I altered our course from the ice, and bore +east-south-east to the cover of the next shore, where this thing might be +performed; so with favourable wind it pleased God that the 1st of August +we discovered the land in latitude 66 degrees 33 minutes, and in +longitude from the meridian of London 70 degrees, void of trouble, +without snow or ice. + +The 2nd of August we harboured ourselves in a very excellent good road, +where with all speed we graved the _Moonlight_, and revictualled her; we +searched this country with our pinnace while the barque was trimming, +which William Eston did: he found all this land to be only islands, with +a sea on the east, a sea on the west, and a sea on the north. In this +place we found it very hot, and we were very much troubled with a fly +which is called mosquito, for they did sting grievously. The people of +this place at our first coming in caught a seal, and, with bladders fast +tied to him sent him in to us with the flood, so as he came right with +our ships, which we took as a friendly present from them. + +The 5th of August I went with the two masters and others to the top of a +hill, and by the way William Eston espied three canoes lying under a +rock, and went unto them: there were in them skins, darts, with divers +superstitious toys, whereof we diminished no thing, but left upon every +boat a silk point, a bullet of lead, and a pin. The next day, being the +6th of August, the people came unto us without fear, and did barter with +us for skins, as the other people did: they differ not from the other, +neither in their canoes nor apparel, yet is their pronunciation more +plain than the others, and nothing hollow in the throat. Our miscreant +aboard of us kept himself close, and made show that he would fain have +another companion. Thus being provided, I departed from this land the +12th of August at six of the clock in the morning, where I left the +_Mermaid_ at anchor; the 14th sailing west about 50 leagues we discovered +land, being in latitude 66 degrees 19 minutes: this land is 70 leagues +from the other from whence we came. This 14th day, from nine o'clock at +night till three o'clock in the morning, we anchored by an island of ice +12 leagues off the shore, being moored to the ice. + +The 15th day, at three o'clock in the morning, we departed from this land +to the south, and the 18th of August we discovered land north-west from +us in the morning, being a very fair promontory, in latitude 65 degrees, +having no land on the south. Here we had great hope of a through +passage. + +This day, at three o'clock in the afternoon, we again discovered land +south-west and by south from us, where at night we were becalmed. The +19th of this month at noon, by observation, we were in 64 degrees 20 +minutes. From the 18th day at noon until the 19th at noon, by precise +ordinary care, we had sailed fifteen leagues south and by west, yet by +art and more exact observation we found our course to be south-west, so +that we plainly perceived a great current striking to the west. + +This land is nothing in sight but isles, which increaseth our hope. This +19th of August, at six o'clock in the afternoon, it began to snow, and so +continued all night, with foul weather and much wind, so that we were +constrained to lie at hull all night, five leagues off the shore: in the +morning, being the 20th of August, the fog and storm breaking up, we bore +in with the land, and at nine o'clock in the morning we anchored in a +very fair and safe road and locket for all weathers. At ten o'clock I +went on shore to the top of a very high hill, where I perceived that this +land was islands; at four o'clock in the afternoon we weighed anchor, +having a fair north-north-east wind, with very fair weather; at six +o'clock we were clear without the land, and so shaped our course to the +south, to discover the coast whereby the passage may be through God's +mercy found. + +We coasted this land till the 28th day of August, finding it still to +continue towards the south, from the latitude of 67 to 57 degrees; we +found marvellous great store of birds, gulls and mews, incredible to be +reported, whereupon being calm weather we lay one glass upon the lee to +prove for fish, in which space we caught one hundred of cod, although we +were but badly provided for fishing, not being our purpose. This 28th, +having great distrust of the weather, we arrived in a very fair harbour +in the latitude of 56 degrees, and sailed ten leagues in the same, being +two leagues broad, with very fair woods on both sides; in this place we +continued until the 1st of September, in which time we had two very great +storms. I landed, and went six miles by guess into the country, and +found that the woods were fir, pine-apple, alder, yew, withy, and birch; +here we saw a black bear; this place yieldeth great store of birds, as +pheasant, partridge, Barbary hens, or the like, wild geese, ducks, +blackbirds, jays, thrushes, with other kinds of small birds. Of the +partridge and pheasant we killed great store with bow and arrows in this +place; at the harbour-mouth we found great store of cod. + +The 1st of September at ten o'clock we set sail, and coasted the shore +with very fair weather. The third day being calm, at noon we struck +sail, and let fall a cadge anchor to prove whether we could take any +fish, being in latitude 54 degrees 30 minutes, in which place we found +great abundance of cod, so that the hook was no sooner overboard but +presently a fish was taken. It was the largest and best refet fish that +ever I saw, and divers fishermen that were with me said that they never +saw a more suaule, or better skull of fish in their lives, yet had they +seen great abundance. + +The 4th of September, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, we anchored in a +very good road among great store of isles, the country low land, +pleasant, and very full of fair woods. To the north of this place eight +leagues we had a perfect hope of the passage, finding a mighty great sea +passing between two lands west. The south land to our judgment being +nothing but isles, we greatly desired to go into this sea, but the wind +was directly against us. We anchored in four fathom fine sand. + +In this place is fowl and fish mighty store. + +The 6th of September, having a fair north-north-west wind, having trimmed +our barque, we purposed to depart, and sent five of our sailors, young +men, ashore to an island to fetch certain fish which we purposed to +weather, and therefore left it all night covered upon the isle; the +brutish people of this country lay secretly lurking in the wood, and upon +the sudden assaulted our men, which when we perceived, we presently let +slip our cables upon the halse, and under our foresail bore into the +shore, and with all expedition discharged a double musket upon them +twice, at the noise whereof they fled; notwithstanding, to our very great +grief, two of our men were slain with their arrows, and two grievously +wounded, of whom, at this present, we stand in very great doubt; only one +escaped by swimming, with an arrow shot through his arm. These wicked +miscreants never offered parley or speech, but presently executed their +cursed fury. This present evening it pleased God farther to increase our +sorrows with a mighty tempestuous storm, the wind being north-north-east, +which lasted unto the 10th of this month very extreme. We unrigged our +ship, and purposed to cut-down our masts; the cable of our shut anchor +broke, so that we only expected to be driven on shore amongst these +cannibals for their prey. Yet in this deep distress the mighty mercy of +God, when hope was past, gave us succour, and sent us a fair lee, so as +we recovered our anchor again, and new-moored our ship; where we saw that +God manifestly delivered us, for the strains of one of our cables were +broken; we only rode by an old junk. Thus being freshly moored, a new +storm arose, the wind being west-north-west, very forcible, which lasted +unto the 10th day at night. + +The 11th day, with a fair west-north-west wind, we departed with trust in +God's mercy, shaping our course for England, and arrived in the West +Country in the beginning of October. + + * * * * * + +_Master Davis being arrived_, _wrote his letter to Master William +Sanderson of London_, _concerning his voyage_, _as followeth_. + + Sir,--The _Sunshine_ came into Dartmouth the 4th of this month: she + hath been at Iceland, and from thence to Greenland, and so to + Estotiland, from thence to Desolation, and to our merchants, where + she made trade with the people, staying in the country twenty days. + They have brought home 500 seal-skins, and 140 half skins and pieces + of skins. I stand in great doubt of the pinnace; God be merciful + unto the poor men and preserve them if it be His blessed will. + + I have now full experience of much of the north-west part of the + world, and have brought the passage to that certainty, as that I am + sure it must be in one of four places, or else not at all. And + further, I can assure you upon the peril of my life, that this voyage + may be performed without further charge, nay, with certain profit to + the adventurers, if I may have but your favour in the action. Surely + it shall cost me all my hope of welfare and my portion of Sandridge, + but I will, by God's mercy, see an end of these businesses. I hope I + shall find favour with you to see your card. I pray God it be so + true as the card shall be which I will bring to you, and I hope in + God that your skill in navigation shall be gainful unto you, although + at the first it hath not proved so. And thus with my most humble + commendations I commit you to God, desiring no longer to live than I + shall be yours most faithfully to command. From this 14th of + October, 1586. + + Yours with my heart, body and life to command, + + JOHN DAVIS. + + * * * * * + +_The relation of the course which the_ "_Sunshine_," _a barque of fifty +tons_, _and the_ "_North Star_," _a small pinnace_, _being two vessels of +the fleet of Master John Davis_, _held after he had sent them from him to +discover the passage between Greenland and Iceland_. _Written by Henry +Morgan_, _servant to Master William Sanderson of London_. + +The 7th day of May, 1586, we departed out of Dartmouth Haven four sails, +to wit, the _Mermaid_, the _Sunshine_, the _Moonshine_, and the _North +Star_. In the _Sunshine_ were sixteen men, whose names were these: +Richard Pope, master; Mark Carter, master's mate; Henry Morgan, purser; +George Draward, John Mandie, Hugh Broken, Philip Jane, Hugh Hempson, +Richard Borden, John Filpe, Andrew Madocke, William Wolcome, Robert +Wagge, carpenter, John Bruskome, William Ashe, Simon Ellis. + +Our course was west-north-west the 7th and 8th days; and the ninth day in +the morning we were on head of the Tarrose of Scilly. Thus coasting +along the south part of Ireland, the 11th day we were on the head of the +Dorses, and our course was south-south-west until six of the clock the +12th day. The 13th day our course was north-west. We remained in the +company of the _Mermaid_ and the _Moonshine_ until we came to the +latitude of 60 degrees, and there it seemed best to our general, Master +Davis, to divide his fleet, himself sailing to the north-west, and to +direct the _Sunshine_, wherein I was, and the pinnace called the _North +Star_, to seek a passage northward between Greenland and Iceland to the +latitude of 80 degrees, if land did not let us. So the 7th day of June +we departed from them, and the 9th of the same we came to a firm land of +ice, which we coasted along the 9th, the 10th, and the 11th days of June; +and the 11th day at six of the clock at night we saw land, which was very +high, which afterwards we knew to be Iceland, and the 12th day we +harboured there, and found many people; the land lieth east and by north +in 66 degrees. + +Their commodities were green fish and Iceland lings and stock fish, and a +fish which is called catfish, of all which they had great store. They +had also kine, sheep, and horses, and hay for their cattle and for their +horses. We saw also of their dogs. Their dwelling-houses were made on +both sides with stones, and wood laid across over them, which was covered +over with turfs of earth, and they are flat on the tops, and many of +these stood hard by the shore. Their boats were made with wood, and iron +all along the keel like our English boats; and they had nails for to nail +them withal, and fish-hooks, and other things for to catch fish as we +have here in England. They had also brazen kettles, and girdles and +purses made of leather, and knops on them of copper, and hatchets, and +other small tools as necessary as we have. They dry their fish in the +sun; and when they are dry they pack them up in the top of their houses. +If we would go thither to fishing more than we do, we should make it a +very good voyage, for we got a hundred green fishes in one morning. We +found here two Englishmen with a ship, which came out of England about +Easter Day of this present year, 1586; and one of them came aboard of us +and brought us two lambs. The Englishman's name was Master John Royden, +of Ipswich, merchant; he was bound for London with his ship. And this is +the sum of that which I observed in Iceland. We departed from Iceland +the 16th day of June, in the morning, and our course was north-west; and +saw on the coast two small barques going to a harbour; we went not to +them, but saw them afar off. Thus we continued our course unto the end +of this month. + +The 3rd day of July we were in between two firm lands of ice, and passed +in between them all that day until it was night, and then the master +turned back again, and so away we went towards Greenland. And the 7th +day of July we did see Greenland, and it was very high, and it looked +very blue; but we could not come to harbour in the land because we were +hindered by a firm land, as it were, of ice, which was along the shore's +side; but we were within three leagues of the land, coasting the same +divers days together. The 17th day of July we saw the place which our +captain, Master John Davis, the year before had named the Land of +Desolation, where we could not go on shore for ice. The 18th day we were +likewise troubled with ice, and went in amongst it at three of the clock +in the morning. After we had cleared ourselves thereof we ranged all +along the coast of Desolation until the end of the aforesaid month. + +The 3rd day of August we came in sight of Gilbert's Sound in the latitude +of 64 degrees 15 minutes, which was the place where we were appointed to +meet our general and the rest of our fleet. Here we came to a harbour at +six of the clock at night. + +The 4th day, in the morning, the master went on shore with ten of his +men, and they brought us four of the people rowing in their boats, aboard +of the ship. And in the afternoon I went on shore with six of our men, +and there came to us seven of them when we were on land. We found on +shore three dead people, and two of them had their staves lying by them, +and their old skins wrapped about them, and the other had nothing lying +by, wherefore we thought it was a woman. We also saw their houses, near +the seaside, which were made with pieces of wood on both sides, and +crossed over with poles and then covered over with earth. We found foxes +running upon the hills. As for the place, it is broken land all the way +that we went, and full of broken islands. The 21st of August the master +sent the boat on shore for wood, with six of his men, and there were +one-and-thirty of the people of the country, which went on shore to them, +and they went about to kill them as we thought, for they shot their darts +towards them, and we that were aboard the ship did see them go on shore +to our men, whereupon the master sent the pinnace after them; and when +they saw the pinnace coming towards them they turned back, and the master +of the pinnace did shoot off a culliver to them the same time, but hurt +none of them, for his meaning was only to put them in fear. Divers times +they did wave us on shore to play with them at the football, and some of +our company went on shore to play with them, and our men did cast them +down as soon as they did come to strike the ball. And thus much of that +which we did see and do in that harbour where we arrived first. + +The 23rd day we departed from the merchants where we had been first, and +our course from thence was south and by west, and the wind was +north-east, and we ran that day and night about five or six leagues until +we came to another harbour. + +The 24th, about eleven of the clock in the forenoon, we entered into the +aforesaid new harbour, and as we came in we did see dogs running upon the +islands. When we were come in, there came to us four of the people which +were with us before in the other harbour; and where we rowed we had sandy +ground. We saw no wood growing, but found small pieces of wood upon the +islands, and some small pieces of sweet wood among the same. We found +great harts' horns, but could see none of the stags where we went, but we +found their footings. As for the bones which we received of the savages, +I cannot tell of what beasts they be. The stones that we found in the +country were black, and some white; as I think, they be of no value; +nevertheless I have brought examples of them to you. + +The 30th of August we departed from this harbour towards England, and the +wind took us contrary, so that we were fain to go to another harbour the +same day at eleven of the clock. And there came to us thirty-nine of the +people and brought us thirteen seal-skins, and after we received these +skins of them the master sent the carpenter to change one of our boats +which we had bought of them before; and they would have taken the boat +from him perforce, and when they saw they could not take it from us they +shot with their darts at us, and struck one of our men with one of their +darts, and John Filpe shot one of them in the breast with an arrow. And +they came to us again, and four of our men went into the ship boat, and +they shot with their darts at our men; but our men took one of their +people in his boat, into the ship boat, and he hurt one of them with his +knife, but we killed three of them in their boats, two of them were hurt +with arrows in the breast, and he that was aboard our boat was shot with +an arrow, and hurt with a sword, and beaten with staves, whom our men +cast overboard; but the people caught him and carried him on shore upon +their boats, and the other two also, and so departed from us. And three +of them went on shore hard by us where they had their dogs, and those +three came away from their dogs, and presently one of their dogs came +swimming towards us hard aboard the ship, whereupon our master caused the +gunner to shoot off one of the great pieces--towards the people, and so +the dog turned back to land, and within an hour after there came of the +people hard aboard the ship, but they would not come to us as they did +before. + +The 31st of August we departed from Gilbert's Sound for England, and when +we came out of the harbour there came after us seventeen of the people +looking which way we went. + +The 2nd of September we lost sight of the land at twelve of the clock at +noon. + +The 3rd day at night we lost sight of the _North Star_, our pinnace, in a +very great storm, and lay a-hull tarrying for them the 4th day, but could +hear no more of them. Thus we shaped our course the 5th day +south-south-east, and sailing unto the 27th of the said month, we came in +sight of Cape Clear in Ireland. + +The 30th day we entered into our own Channel. + +The 2nd of October we had sight of the Isle of Wight. + +The 3rd we coasted all along the shore, and the 4th and 5th. + +The 6th of the said month of October we came into the River of Thames as +high as Ratcliffe in safety, God be thanked! + + + + +THE THIRD VOYAGE NORTH-WESTWARD, MADE BY JOHN DAVIS, + + +_Gentleman_, _as chief captain and pilot general for the discovery of a +passage to the Isles of the Molucca_, _or the coast of China_, _in the +year_ 1587. _Written by John Janes_, _servant to the aforesaid Master +William Sanderson_. + +May.--The 19th of this present month, about midnight, we weighed our +anchors, set sail and departed from Dartmouth with two barques and a +clincher, the one named the _Elizabeth_, of Dartmouth, the other the +_Sunshine_, of London, and the clincher called the _Ellin_, of London; +thus, in God's name, we set forwards with wind at north-east, a good +fresh gale. About three hours after our departure, the night being +somewhat thick with darkness, we had lost the pinnace. The captain, +imagining that the men had run away with her, willed the master of the +_Sunshine_ to stand to seawards and see if we could descry them, we +bearing in with the shore for Plymouth. At length we descried her, bore +with her, and demanded what the cause was; they answered that the tiller +of their helm was burst, so shaping our course west-south-west, we went +forward, hoping that a hard beginning would make a good ending; yet some +of us were doubtful of it, failing in reckoning that she was a clincher; +nevertheless, we put our trust in God. + +The 21st we met with the _Red Lion_ of London, which came from the coast +of Spain, which was afraid that we had been men-of-war; but we hailed +them, and after a little conference we desired the master to carry our +letters for London, directed to my uncle Sanderson, who promised us safe +delivery. And after we had heaved them a lead and a line, whereunto we +had made fast our letters, before they could get them into the ship they +fell into the sea, and so all our labour and theirs also was lost; +notwithstanding, they promised to certify our departure at London, and so +we departed, and the same day we had sight of Scilly. The 22nd the wind +was at north-east by east, with fair weather, and so the 23rd and 24th +the like. The 25th we laid our ships on the lee for the _Sunshine_, who +was a-rummaging for a leak; they had 500 strokes at the pump in a watch, +with the wind at north-west. + +The 26th and 27th we had fair weather, but this 27th the pinnace's +foremast was blown overboard. The 28th the _Elizabeth_ towed the +pinnace, which was so much bragged of by the owner's report before we +came out of England, but at sea she was like a cart drawn with oxen. +Sometimes we towed her, because she could not sail for scant wind. + +The 31st day our captain asked if the pinnace were staunch. Peerson +answered that she was as sound and staunch as a cup. This made us +something glad when we saw she would brook the sea, and was not leaky. + +_June_.--The first six days we had fair weather; after that for five days +we had fog and rain, the wind being south. + +The 12th we had clear weather. The mariners in the _Sunshine_ and the +master could not agree; the mariners would go on their voyage a-fishing, +because the year began to waste; the master would not depart till he had +the company of the _Elizabeth_, whereupon the master told our captain +that he was afraid his men would shape some contrary course while he was +asleep, and so he should lose us. At length, after much talk and many +threatenings, they were content to bring us to the land which we looked +for daily. + +The 13th we had fog and rain. + +The 14th day we discovered land at five of the clock in the morning, +being very great and high mountains, the tops of the hills being covered +with snow. Here the wind was variable, sometimes north-east, +east-north-east, and east by north; but we imagined ourselves to be 16 or +17 leagues off from the shore. + +The 15th we had reasonably clear weather. + +The 16th we came to an anchor about four or five of the clock in the +afternoon. The people came presently to us, after the old manner, with +crying "Il y a oute," and showed us seal-skins. + +The 17th we began to set up the pinnace that Peerson framed at Dartmouth, +with the boards which he brought from London. + +The 18th, Peerson and the carpenters of the ships began to set on the +planks. + +The 19th, as we went about an island, were found black pumice stones, and +salt kerned on the rocks, very white and glistering. This day, also, the +master of the _Sunshine_ took one of the people, a very strong, lusty +young fellow. + +The 20th, about two of the clock in the morning, the savages came to the +island where our pinnace was built ready to be launched, and tore the two +upper strakes and carried them away, only for the love of the iron in the +boards. While they were about this practice, we manned the _Elizabeth's_ +boat to go ashore to them. Our men, being either afraid or amazed, were +so long before they came to shore, that our captain willed them to stay, +and made the gunner give fire to a saker, and laid the piece level with +the boat, which the savages had turned on the one side because we could +not hurt them with our arrows, and made the boat their bulwark against +the arrows which we shot at them. Our gunner, having made all things +ready, gave fire to the piece, and fearing to hurt any of the people, and +regarding the owner's profit, thought belike he would save a saker's +shot, doubting we should have occasion to fight with men-of-war, and so +shot off the saker without a bullet, we looking still when the savages +that were hurt should run away without legs; at length we could perceive +never a man hurt, but all having their legs, could carry away their +bodies. We had no sooner shot off the piece but the master of the +_Sunshine_ manned his boat, and came rowing towards the island, the very +sight of whom made each of them take that he had gotten, and fly away as +fast as they could to another island about two miles off, where they took +the nails out of the timber, and left the wood on the isle. When we came +on shore, and saw how they had spoiled the boat, after much debating of +the matter, we agreed that the _Elizabeth_ should have her to fish +withal; whereupon she was presently carried aboard and stowed. Now after +this trouble, being resolved to depart with the first wind, there fell +out another matter worse than all the rest, and that was in this manner: +John Churchyard, one whom our captain had appointed as pilot in the +pinnace, came to our captain and Master Bruton, and told them that the +good ship which we must all hazard our lives in had three hundred strokes +at one time as she rode in the harbour. This disquieted us all greatly, +and many doubted to go in her. At length our captain, by whom we were +all to be governed, determined rather to end his life with credit than to +return with infamy and disgrace; and so, being all agreed, we purposed to +live and die together, and committed ourselves to the ship. + +Now the 21st, having brought all our things aboard, about eleven or +twelve of the clock at night we set sail and departed from those isles, +which lie in 64 degrees of latitude, our ships being now all at sea, and +we shaping our course to go coasting the land to the northwards, upon the +eastern shore, which we called the shore of our merchants, because there +we met with people which traffic with us; but here we were not without +doubt of our ship. + +The 22nd and 23rd we had close fog and rain. + +The 24th, being in 67 degrees and 40 minutes, we had great store of +whales, and a kind of sea-birds which the mariners call cortinous. This +day, about six of the clock at night, we espied two of the country people +at sea, thinking at the first they had been two great seals, until we saw +their oars, glistering with the sun. They came rowing towards us as fast +as they could, and when they came within hearing they held up their oars +and cried "Il y a oute," making many signs, and at last they came to us, +giving us birds for bracelets, and of them I had a dart with a bone in +it, or a piece of unicorn's horn, as I did judge. This dart he made +store of, but when he saw a knife he let it go, being more desirous of +the knife than of his dart. These people continued rowing after our ship +the space of three hours. + +The 25th, in the morning, at seven of the clock, we descried thirty +savages rowing after us, being by judgment ten leagues off from the +shore. They brought us salmon peels, birds, and caplin, and we gave them +pins, needles, bracelets, nails, knives, bells, looking-glasses, and +other small trifles; and for a knife, a nail, or a bracelet, which they +call ponigmah, they would sell their boat, coats, or anything they had, +although they were far from the shore. We had but few skins of them, +about twenty; but they made signs to us that if we would go to the shore, +we should have more store of chicsanege. They stayed with us till eleven +of the clock, at which time we went to prayer, and they departed from us. + +The 26th was cloudy, the wind being at south. + +The 27th fair, with the same wind. + +The 28th and 29th were foggy, with clouds. + +The 30th day we took the height, and found ourselves in 72 degrees and 12 +minutes of latitude, both at noon and at night, the sun being five +degrees above the horizon. At midnight the compass set to the variation +of 28 degrees to the westward. Now having coasted the land which we +called London Coast from the 21st of this present till the 30th, the sea +open all to the westwards and northwards, the land on starboard side east +from us, the wind shifted to the north, whereupon we left that shore, +naming the same Hope Sanderson, and shaped our course west, and ran forty +leagues and better without the sight of any land. + +_July_.--The 2nd we fell in with a mighty bank of ice west from us, lying +north and south, which bank we would gladly have doubled out to the +northwards, but the wind would not suffer us, so that we were fain to +coast it to the southwards, hoping to double it out that we might have +run so far west till we had found land, or else to have been thoroughly +resolved of our pretended purpose. + +The 3rd we fell in with the ice again, and putting off from it we sought +to the northwards, but the wind crossed us. + +The 4th was foggy, so was the 5th; also with much wind at north. + +The 6th being very clear, we put our barque with oars through a gap in +the ice, seeing the sea free on the west side, as we thought, which +falling out otherwise, caused us to return after we had stayed there +between the ice. + +The 7th and the 8th, about midnight, by God's help we recovered the open +sea, the weather being fair and calm; and so was the 9th. + +The 10th we coasted the ice. + +The 11th was foggy, but calm. + +The 12th we coasted again the ice, having the wind at west-north-west. +The 13th, bearing off from the ice, we determined to go with the shore, +and come to an anchor, and to stay five or six days for the dissolving of +the ice, hoping that the sea from continually beating it, and the sun +with the extreme force of heat, which it had always shining upon it, +would make a quick despatch, that we might have a further search upon the +western shore. Now when we were come to the eastern coast, the water +something deep, and some of our company fearful withal, we durst not come +to an anchor, but bore off into sea again. The poor people, seeing us go +away again, came rowing after us into the sea, the waves being somewhat +lofty. We trucked with them for a few skins and darts, and gave them +beads, nails, needles, and cards, they pointing to the shore as though +they would show us great friendship; but we, little regarding their +courtesy, gave them the gentle farewell, and so departed. + +The 14th we had the wind at south. The 15th there was some fault either +in the barque or the set of some current, for we were driven six points +out of our course. The 16th we fell in with the bank of ice, west from +us. The 17th and 18th were foggy. The 19th, at one o'clock afternoon, +we had sight of the land which we called Mount Raleigh, and at twelve of +the clock at night we were athwart the straits which we discovered the +first year. The 20th we traversed in the mouth of the strait, the wind +being at west with fair and clear weather. The 21st and 22nd we coasted +the northern coast of the straits. The 23rd, having sailed 60 leagues +north-west into the straits at two o'clock afternoon, we anchored among +many isles in the bottom of the gulf, naming the same the Earl of +Cumberland's Isles, where, riding at anchor, a whale passed by our ship +and went west in among the isles. Here the compass set at 30 degrees +westward variation. The 24th we departed, shaping our course south-east +to recover the sea. The 25th we were becalmed in the bottom of the gulf, +the air being extremely hot. Master Bruton and some of the mariners went +on shore to course dogs, where they found many graves, and trains spilt +on the ground, the dogs being so fat that they were scant able to run. + +The 26th we had a pretty storm, the wind being at south-east. The 27th +and 28th were fair. The 29th we were clear out of the straits, having +coasted the south shore, and this day at noon we were in 64 degrees of +latitude. The 30th in the afternoon we coasted a bank of ice which lay +on the shore, and passed by a great bank or inlet which lay between 63 +and 62 degrees of latitude, which we called Lumley's Inlet. We had +oftentimes, as we sailed along the coast, great roots, the water as it +were whirling and overfalling, as if it were the fall of some great water +through a bridge. The 31st as we sailed by a headland, which we named +Warwick's Forehand, we fell into one of those overfalls with a fresh gale +of wind, and bearing all our sails, we looking upon an island of ice +between us and the shore, had thought that our barque did make no way, +which caused us to take marks on the shore. At length we perceived +ourselves to go very fast, and the island of ice which we saw before was +carried very forcibly with the set of the current faster than our ship +went. This day and night we passed by a very great gulf, the water +whirling and roaring as it were the meeting of tides. + +_August_.--The 1st, having coasted a bank of ice which was driven out at +the mouth of this gulf, we fell in with the southernmost cape of the +gulf, which we named Chidlie's Cape, which lay in 6 degrees and 10 +minutes of latitude. The 2nd and 3rd were calm and foggy, so were the +4th, 5th, and 6th. The 7th was fair and calm, so was the 8th, with a +little gale in the morning. The 9th was fair, and we had a little gale +at night. The 10th we had a frisking gale at west-north-west; the 11th +fair. The 12th we saw five deer on the top of an island, called by us +Darcie's Island. And we hoisted out our boat, and went ashore to them, +thinking to have killed some of them. But when we came on shore and had +coursed them twice about the island they took the sea, and swain towards +islands distant from that three leagues. When we perceived that they had +taken the sea, we gave them over, because our boat was so small that it +could not carry us and row after them, they swam so fast; but one of them +was as big as a good pretty cow, and very fat; their feet as big as +ox-feet. Here upon this island I killed with my piece a grey hare. + +The 13th in the morning we saw three or four white bears, but durst not +go on shore unto them for lack of a good boat. This day we struck a rock +seeking for a harbour, and received a leak, and this day we were in 54 +degrees of latitude. The 14th we stopped our leak in a storm not very +outrageous at noon. + +The 15th, being almost in 51 degrees of latitude, and not finding our +ships, nor (according to their promise) being any mark, token, or beacon, +which we willed to set up, and they protested to do so upon every +headland, sea, island, or cape, within 20 leagues every way off from +their fishing place, which our captain appointed to be between 54 and 55 +degrees--this 15th, I say, we shaped our course homeward for England, +having in our ship but little wood, and half a hogshead of fresh water. +Our men were very willing to depart, and no man more forward than +Peerson, for he feared to be put out of his office of stewardship; he was +so insatiate that the allowance of two men was scant sufficient to fill +his greedy appetite; but because every man was so willing to depart, and +considering our want, I doubted the matter very much, fearing that the +seething of our men's victuals in salt water would breed diseases, and +being but few (yet too many for the room, if any should be sick), and +likely that all the rest might be infected therewith, we consented to +return for our own country, and so we had the 16th there with the wind at +south-west. + +The 17th we met a ship at sea, and as far as we could judge it was a +Biscayan; we thought she went a-fishing for whales, for in 52 degrees or +thereabout we saw very many. + +The 18th was fair with a good gale at west. + +The 19th fair also, but with much wind at west and by south. + +And thus, after much variable weather and change of winds, we arrived the +15th of September in Dartmouth, Anno 1587, giving thanks to God for our +safe arrival. + + * * * * * + +_A letter of the said Master John Davis_, _written to Master Sanderson of +London_, _concerning his fore-written voyage_. + + GOOD MASTER SANDERSON,--With God's great mercy I have made my safe + return in health with all my company, and have sailed 60 leagues + farther than my determination at my departure. I have been in 73 + degrees, finding the sea all open, and 40 leagues between laud and + land; the passage is most certain, the execution most easy, as at my + coming you shall fully know. Yesterday, the 15th of September, I + landed all weary, therefore I pray you pardon my shortness. + + Sandridge, this 16th of September, Anno 1587. + + Yours equal as mine own, which + by trial you shall best know, + JOHN DAVIS. + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST +PASSAGE*** + + +******* This file should be named 3482.txt or 3482.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/4/8/3482 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.08.01*END** +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + + + + + +This etext was produced by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, +from the 1892 Cassell & Co. edition. + + + + + +VOYAGES IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE + +by Richard Hakluyt + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + + +Thirty-five years ago I made a voyage to the Arctic Seas in what +Chaucer calls + + + A little bote +No bigger than a manne's thought; + + +it was a Phantom Ship that made some voyages to different parts of +the world which were recorded in early numbers of Charles Dickens's +"Household Words." As preface to Richard Hakluyt's records of the +first endeavour of our bold Elizabethan mariners to find North-West +Passage to the East, let me repeat here that old voyage of mine from +No. 55 of "Household Words," dated the 12th of April, 1851: The +Phantom is fitted out for Arctic exploration, with instructions to +find her way, by the north-west, to Behring Straits, and take the +South Pole on her passage home. Just now we steer due north, and +yonder is the coast of Norway. From that coast parted Hugh +Willoughby, three hundred years ago; the first of our countrymen who +wrought an ice-bound highway to Cathay. Two years afterwards his +ships were found, in the haven of Arzina, in Lapland, by some +Russian fishermen; near and about them Willoughby and his +companions--seventy dead men. The ships were freighted with their +frozen crews, and sailed for England; but, "being unstaunch, as it +is supposed, by their two years' wintering in Lapland, sunk, by the +way, with their dead, and them also that brought them." + +Ice floats about us now, and here is a whale blowing; a whale, too, +very near Spitzbergen. When first Spitzbergen was discovered, in +the good old times, there were whales here in abundance; then a +hundred Dutch ships, in a crowd, might go to work, and boats might +jostle with each other, and the only thing deficient would be +stowage room for all the produce of the fishery. Now one ship may +have the whole field to itself, and travel home with an imperfect +cargo. It was fine fun in the good old times; there was no need to +cruise. Coppers and boilers were fitted on the island, and little +colonies about them, in the fishing season, had nothing to do but +tow the whales in, with a boat, as fast as they were wanted by the +copper. No wonder that so enviable a Tom Tidler's ground was +claimed by all who had a love for gold and silver. The English +called it theirs, for they first fished; the Dutch said, nay, but +the island was of their discovery; Danes, Hamburghers, Bisayans, +Spaniards, and French put in their claims; and at length it was +agreed to make partitions. The numerous bays and harbours which +indent the coast were divided among the rival nations; and, to this +day, many of them bear, accordingly, such names as English Bay, +Danes Bay, and so forth. One bay there is, with graves in it, named +Sorrow. For it seemed to the fishers most desirable, if possible, +to plant upon this island permanent establishments, and condemned +convicts were offered, by the Russians, life and pardon, if they +would winter in Spitzbergen. They agreed; but, when they saw the +icy mountains and the stormy sea, repented, and went back, to meet a +death exempt from torture. The Dutch tempted free men, by high +rewards, to try the dangerous experiment. One of their victims left +a journal, which describes his suffering and that of his companions. +Their mouths, he says, became so sore that, if they had food, they +could not eat; their limbs were swollen and disabled with +excruciating pain; they died of scurvy. Those who died first were +coffined by their dying friends; a row of coffins was found, in the +spring, each with a man in it; two men uncoffined, side by side, +were dead upon the floor. The journal told how once the traces of a +bear excited their hope of fresh meat and amended health; how, with +a lantern, two or three had limped upon the track, until the light +became extinguished, and they came back in despair to die. We might +speak, also, of eight English sailors, left, by accident, upon +Spitzbergen, who lived to return and tell their winter's tale; but a +long journey is before us and we must not linger on the way. As for +our whalers, it need scarcely be related that the multitude of +whales diminished as the slaughtering went on, until it was no +longer possible to keep the coppers full. The whales had to be +searched for by the vessels, and thereafter it was not worth while +to take the blubber to Spitzbergen to be boiled; and the different +nations, having carried home their coppers, left the apparatus of +those fishing stations to decay. + +Take heed. There is a noise like thunder, and a mountain snaps in +two. The upper half comes, crashing, grinding, down into the sea, +and loosened streams of water follow it. The sea is displaced +before the mighty heap; it boils and scatters up a cloud of spray; +it rushes back, and violently beats upon the shore. The mountain +rises from its bath, sways to and fro, while water pours along its +mighty sides; now it is tolerably quiet, letting crackers off as air +escapes out of its cavities. That is an iceberg, and in that way +are all icebergs formed. Mountains of ice formed by rain and snow-- +grand Arctic glaciers, undermined by the sea or by accumulation +over-balanced--topple down upon the slightest provocation (moved by +a shout, perhaps), and where they float, as this black-looking +fellow does, they need deep water. This berg in height is about +ninety feet, and a due balance requires that a mass nine times as +large as the part visible should be submerged. Icebergs are seen +about us now which rise two hundred feet above the water's level. + +There are above head plenty of aquatic birds; ashore, or on the ice, +are bears, foxes, reindeer; and in the sea there are innumerable +animals. We shall not see so much life near the North Pole, that is +certain. It would be worth while to go ashore upon an islet there, +near Vogel Sang, to pay a visit to the eider-ducks. Their nests are +so abundant that one cannot avoid treading on them. When the duck +is driven by a hungry fox to leave her eggs, she covers them with +down, in order that they may not cool during her absence, and, +moreover, glues the down into a case with a secretion supplied to +her by Nature for that purpose. The deserted eggs are safe, for +that secretion has an odour very disagreeable to the intruder's +nose. + +We still sail northward, among sheets of ice, whose boundaries are +not beyond our vision from the masthead--these are "floes;" between +them we find easy way, it is fair "sailing ice." In the clear sky +to the north a streak of lucid white light is the reflection from an +icy surface; that is, "ice-blink," in the language of these seas. +The glare from snow is yellow, while open water gives a dark +reflection. + +Northward still; but now we are in fog the ice is troublesome; a +gale is rising. Now, if our ship had timbers they would crack, and +if she had a bell it would be tolling; if we were shouting to each +other we should not hear, the sea is in a fury. With wild force its +breakers dash against a heaped-up wall of broken ice, that grinds +and strains and battles fiercely with the water. This is "the +pack," the edge of a great ice-field broken by the swell. It is a +perilous and an exciting thing to push through pack ice in a gale. + +Now there is ice as far as eye can see, that is "an ice-field." +Masses are forced up like colossal tombstones on all sides; our +sailors call them "hummocks;" here and there the broken ice displays +large "holes of water." Shall we go on? Upon this field, in 1827, +Parry adventured with his men to reach the North Pole, if that +should be possible. With sledges and portable boats they laboured +on through snow and over hummocks, launching their boats over the +larger holes of water. With stout hearts, undaunted by toil or +danger, they went boldly on, though by degrees it became clear to +the leaders of the expedition that they were almost like mice upon a +treadmill cage, making a great expenditure of leg for little gain. +The ice was floating to the south with them, as they were walking to +the north; still they went on. Sleeping by day to avoid the glare, +and to get greater warmth during the time of rest, and travelling by +night--watch-makers' days and nights, for it was all one polar day-- +the men soon were unable to distinguish noon from midnight. The +great event of one day on this dreary waste was the discovery of two +flies upon an ice hummock; these, says Parry, became at once a topic +of ridiculous importance. Presently, after twenty-three miles' +walking, they had only gone one mile forward, the ice having +industriously floated twenty-two miles in the opposite direction; +and then, after walking forward eleven miles, they found themselves +to be three miles behind the place from which they started. The +party accordingly returned, not having reached the Pole, not having +reached the eighty-third parallel, for the attainment of which there +was a reward of a thousand pounds held out by government. They +reached the parallel of eighty-two degrees forty-five minutes, which +was the most northerly point trodden by the foot of man. + +From that point they returned. In those high latitudes they met +with a phenomenon, common in alpine regions, as well as at the Pole, +red snow; the red colour being caused by the abundance of a minute +plant, of low development, the last dweller on the borders of the +vegetable kingdom. More interesting to the sailors was a fat she +bear which they killed and devoured with a zeal to be repented of; +for on reaching navigable sea, and pushing in their boats to Table +Island, where some stones were left, they found that the bears had +eaten all their bread, whereon the men agreed that "Bruin was now +square with them." An islet next to Table Island--they are both +mere rocks--is the most northern land discovered. Therefore, Parry +applied to it the name of lieutenant--afterwards Sir James--Ross. +This compliment Sir James Ross acknowledged in the most emphatic +manner, by discovering on his part, at the other Pole, the most +southern land yet seen, and giving to it the name of Parry: "Parry +Mountains." + +It very probably would not be difficult, under such circumstances as +Sir W. Parry has since recommended, to reach the North Pole along +this route. Then (especially if it be true, as many believe, that +there is a region of open sea about the Pole itself) we might find +it as easy to reach Behring Straits by travelling in a straight line +over the North Pole, as by threading the straits and bays north of +America. + +We turn our course until we have in sight a portion of the ice- +barred eastern coast of Greenland, Shannon Island. Somewhere about +this spot in the seventy-fifth parallel is the most northern part of +that coast known to us. Colonel--then Captain--Sabine in the Griper +was landed there to make magnetic, and other observations; for the +same purpose he had previously visited Sierra Leone. That is where +we differ from our forefathers. They commissioned hardy seamen to +encounter peril for the search of gold ore, or for a near road to +Cathay; but our peril is encountered for the gain of knowledge, for +the highest kind of service that can now be rendered to the human +race. + +Before we leave the Northern Sea, we must not omit to mention the +voyage by Spitzbergen northward, in 1818, of Captain Buchan in the +Dorothea, accompanied by Lieutenant Franklin, in the Trent. It was +Sir John Franklin's first voyage to the Arctic regions. This trip +forms the subject of a delightful book by Captain Beechey. + +On our way to the south point of Greenland we pass near Cape North, +a point of Iceland. Iceland, we know, is the centre of a volcanic +region, whereof Norway and Greenland are at opposite points of the +circumference. In connection with this district there is a +remarkable fact; that by the agency of subterranean forces, a large +portion of Norway and Sweden is being slowly upheaved. While +Greenland, on the west coast, as gradually sinks into the sea, +Norway rises at the rate of about four feet in a century. In +Greenland, the sinking is so well known that the natives never build +close to the water's edge, and the Moravian missionaries more than +once have had to move farther inland the poles on which their boats +are rested. + +Our Phantom Ship stands fairly now along the western coast of +Greenland into Davis Straits. We observe that upon this western +coast there is, by a great deal, less ice than on the eastern. That +is a rule generally. Not only the configuration of the straits and +bays, but also the earth's rotation from west to east, causes the +currents here to set towards the west, and wash the western coasts, +while they act very little on the eastern. We steer across Davis +Strait, among "an infinite number of great countreys and islands of +yce;" there, near the entrance, we find Hudson Strait, which does +not now concern us. Islands probably separate this well-known +channel from Frobisher Strait to the north of it, yet unexplored. +Here let us recall to mind the fleet of fifteen sail, under Sir +Martin Frobisher, in 1578, tossing about and parting company among +the ice. Let us remember how the crew of the Anne Frances, in that +expedition, built a pinnace when their vessel struck upon a rock, +stock, although they wanted main timber and nails. How they made a +mimic forge, and "for the easier making of nails, were forced to +break their tongs, gridiron, and fire-shovel, in pieces." How +Master Captain Best, in this frail bark, with its imperfect timbers +held together by the metamorphosed gridiron and fire-shovel, +continued in his duty, and did depart up the straights as before was +pretended." How a terrific storm arose, and the fleet parted and +the intrepid captain was towed "in his small pinnesse, at the stern +of the Michael, thorow the raging seas; for the bark was not able to +receive, or relieve half his company." The "tongs, gridyron, and +fire-shovell," performed their work only for as many minutes as were +absolutely necessary, for the pinnesse came no sooner aboard the +ship, and the men entred, but she presently shivered and fell in +pieces, and sunke at the ship's stern with all the poor men's +furniture." + +Now, too, as we sail up the strait, explored a few years after these +events by Master John Davis, how proudly we remember him as a right +worthy forerunner of those countrymen of his and ours who since have +sailed over his track. Nor ought we to pass on without calling to +mind the melancholy fate, in 1606, of Master John Knight, driven, in +the Hopewell, among huge masses of ice with a tremendous surf, his +rudder knocked away, his ship half full of water, at the entrance to +these straits. Hoping to find a harbour, he set forth to explore a +large island, and landed, leaving two men to watch the boat, while +he, with three men and the mate, set forth and disappeared over a +hill. For thirteen hours the watchers kept their post; one had his +trumpet with him, for he was a trumpeter, the other had a gun. They +trumpeted often and loudly; they fired, but no answer came. They +watched ashore all night for the return of their captain and his +party, "but they came not at all." + +The season is advanced. As we sail on, the sea steams like a line- +kiln, "frost-smoke" covers it. The water, cooled less rapidly, is +warmer now than the surrounding air, and yields this vapour in +consequence. By the time our vessel has reached Baffin's Bay, still +coasting along Greenland, in addition to old floes and bergs, the +water is beset with "pancake ice." That is the young ice when it +first begins to cake upon the surface. Innocent enough it seems, +but it is sadly clogging to the ships. It sticks about their sides +like treacle on a fly's wing; collecting unequally, it destroys all +equilibrium, and impedes the efforts of the steersman. Rocks split +on the Greenland coast with loud explosions, and more icebergs fall. +Icebergs we soon shall take our leave of; they are only found where +there is a coast on which glaciers can form; they are good for +nothing but to yield fresh water to the vessels; it will be all +field, pack, and saltwater ice presently. + +Now we are in Baffin's Bay, explored in the voyages of Bylot and +Baffin, 1615-16. When, in 1817, a great movement in the Greenland +ice caused many to believe that the northern passages would be found +comparatively clear; and when, in consequence of this impression, +Sir John Barrow succeeded in setting afoot that course of modern +Arctic exploration which has been continued to the present day, Sir +John Ross was the first man sent to find the North-West Passage. +Buchan and Parry were commissioned at the same the to attempt the +North Sea route. Sir John Ross did little more on that occasion +than effect a survey of Baffin's Bay, and prove the accuracy of the +ancient pilot. In the extreme north of the bay there is an inlet or +a channel, called by Baffin Smith's Sound; this Sir John saw, but +did not enter. It never yet has been explored. It may be an inlet +only; but it is also very possible that by this channel ships might +get into the Polar Sea and sail by the north shore of Greenland to +Spitzbergen. Turning that corner, and descending along the western +coast of Baffin's Bay, there is another inlet called Jones' Sound by +Baffin, also unexplored. These two inlets, with their very British +titles, Smith and Jones, are of exceeding interest. Jones' Sound +may lead by a back way to Melville Island. South of Jones' Sound +there is a wide break in the shore, a great sound, named by Baffin, +Lancaster's, which Sir John Ross, in that first expedition, failed +also to explore. Like our transatlantic friends at the South Pole, +he laid down a range of clouds as mountains, and considered the way +impervious; so he came home. Parry went out next year, as a +lieutenant, in command of his first and most successful expedition. +He sailed up Lancaster Sound, which was in that year (1819) +unusually clear of ice; and he is the discoverer whose track we now +follow in our Phantom Ship. The whole ground being new, he had to +name the points of country right and left of him. The way was broad +and open, due west, a most prosperous beginning for a North-West +Passage. If this continued, he would soon reach Behring Strait. A +broad channel to the right, directed, that is to say, southward, he +entered on the Prince of Wales's birthday, and so called it the +"Prince Regent's Inlet." After exploring this for some miles, he +turned back to resume his western course, for still there was a +broad strait leading westward. This second part of Lancaster Sound +he called after the Secretary of the Admiralty who had so +indefatigably laboured to promote the expeditions, Barrow's Strait. +Then he came to a channel, turning to the right or northward, and he +named that Wellington Channel. Then he had on his right hand ice, +islands large and small, and intervening channels; on the left, ice, +and a cape visible, Cape Walker. At an island, named after the +First Lord of the Admiralty Melville Island, the great frozen +wilderness barred farther progress. There he wintered. On the +coast of Melville Island they had passed the latitude of one hundred +and ten degrees, and the men had become entitled to a royal bounty +of five thousand pounds. This group of islands Parry called North +Georgian, but they are usually called by his own name, Parry +Islands. This was the first European winter party in the Arctic +circle. Its details are familiar enough. How the men cut in three +days, through ice seven inches thick, a canal two miles and a half +long, and so brought the ships into safe harbour. How the genius of +Parry equalled the occasion; how there was established a theatre and +a North Georgian Gazette, to cheer the tediousness of a night which +continued for two thousand hours. The dreary, dazzling waste in +which there was that little patch of life, the stars, the fog, the +moonlight, the glittering wonder of the northern lights, in which, +as Greenlanders believe, souls of the wicked dance tormented, are +familiar to us. The she-bear stays at home; but the he-bear +hungers, and looks in vain for a stray seal or walrus--woe to the +unarmed man who meets him in his hungry mood! Wolves are abroad, +and pretty white arctic foxes. The reindeer have sought other +pasture-ground. The thermometer runs down to more than sixty +degrees below freezing, a temperature tolerable in calm weather, but +distressing in a wind. The eye-piece of the telescope must be +protected now with leather, for the skin is destroyed that comes in +contact with cold metal. The voice at a mile's distance can be +heard distinctly. Happy the day when first the sun is seen to graze +the edge of the horizon; but summer must come, and the heat of a +constant day must accumulate, and summer wane, before the ice is +melted. Then the ice cracks, like cannons over-charged, and moves +with a loud grinding noise. But not yet is escape to be made with +safety. After a detention of ten months, Parry got free; but, in +escaping, narrowly missed the destruction of both ships, by their +being "nipped" between the mighty mass and the unyielding shore. +What animals are found on Melville Island we may judge from the +results of sport during ten months' detention. The island exceeds +five thousand miles square, and yielded to the gun, three musk oxen, +twenty-four deer, sixty-eight hares, fifty-three geese, fifty-nine +ducks, and one hundred and forty-four ptarmigans, weighing together +three thousand seven hundred and sixty-six pounds--not quite two +ounces of meat per day to every man. Lichens, stunted grass, +saxifrage, and a feeble willow, are the plants of Melville Island, +but in sheltered nooks there are found sorrel, poppy, and a yellow +buttercup. Halos and double suns are very common consequences of +refraction in this quarter of the world. Franklin returned from his +first and most famous voyage with his men all safe and sound, except +the loss of a few fingers, frost-bitten. We sail back only as far +as Regent's Inlet, being bound for Behring Strait. + +The reputation of Sir John Ross being clouded by discontent +expressed against his first expedition, Felix Booth, a rich +distiller, provided seventeen thousand pounds to enable his friend +to redeem his credit. Sir John accordingly, in 1829, went out in +the Victory, provided with steam-machinery that did not answer well. +He was accompanied by Sir James Ross, his nephew. He it was who, on +this occasion, first surveyed Regent's Inlet, down which we are now +sailing with our Phantom Ship. The coast on our right hand, +westward, which Parry saw, is called North Somerset, but farther +south, where the inlet widens, the land is named Boothia Felix. +Five years before this, Parry, in his third voyage, had attempted to +pass down Regent's Inlet, where among ice and storm, one of his +ships, the Hecla, had been driven violently ashore, and of necessity +abandoned. The stores had been removed, and Sir John was able now +to replenish his own vessel from them. Rounding a point at the +bottom of Prince Regent's Inlet, we find Felix Harbour, where Sir +John Ross wintered. His nephew made from this point scientific +explorations; discovered a strait, called after him the Strait of +James Ross, and on the northern shore of this strait, on the main +land of Boothia, planted the British flag on the Northern Magnetic +Pole. The ice broke up, so did the Victory; after a hairbreadth +escape, the party found a searching vessel and arrived home after an +absence of four years and five months, Sir John Ross having lost his +ship, and won his reputation, The friend in need was made a baronet +for his munificence; Sir John was reimbursed for all his losses, and +the crew liberally taken care of. Sir James Ross had a rod and flag +signifying "Magnetic Pole," given to him for a new crest, by the +Heralds' College, for which he was no doubt greatly the better. + +We have sailed northward to get into Hudson Strait, the high road +into Hudson Bay. Along the shore are Esquimaux in boats, extremely +active, but these filthy creatures we pass by; the Esquimaux in +Hudson Strait are like the negroes of the coast, demoralised by +intercourse with European traders. These are not true pictures of +the loving children of the north. Our "Phantom" floats on the wide +waters of Hudson Bay--the grave of its discoverer. Familiar as the +story is of Henry Hudson's fate, for John King's sake how gladly we +repeat it. While sailing on the waters he discovered, in 1611, his +men mutinied; the mutiny was aided by Henry Green, a prodigal, whom +Hudson had generously shielded from ruin. Hudson, the master, and +his son, with six sick or disabled members of the crew, were driven +from their cabins, forced into a little shallop, and committed +helpless to the water and the ice. But there was one stout man, +John King, the carpenter, who stepped into the boat, abjuring his +companions, and chose rather to die than even passively be partaker +in so foul a crime. John King, we who live after will remember you. + +Here on aim island, Charlton Island, near our entrance to the bay, +in 1631, wintered poor Captain James with his wrecked crew. This is +a point outside the Arctic circle, but quite cold enough. Of +nights, with a good fire in the house they built, hoar frost covered +their beds, and the cook's water in a metal pan before the fire was +warm on one side and froze on the other. Here "it snowed and froze +extremely, at which time we, looking from the shore towards the +ship, she appeared a piece of ice in the fashion of a ship, or a +ship resembling a piece of ice." Here the gunner, who hand lost his +leg, besought that, "for the little the he had to live, he might +drink sack altogether." He died and was buried in the ice far from +the vessel, but when afterwards two more were dead of scurvy, and +the others, in a miserable state, were working with faint hope about +their shattered vessel, the gunner was found to have returned home +to the old vessel; his leg had penetrated through a port-hole. They +"digged him clear out, and he was as free from noisomeness," the +record says, "as when we first committed him to the sea. This +alteration had the ice, and water, and time, only wrought on him, +that his flesh would slip up and down upon his bones, like a glove +on a man's hand. In the evening we buried him by the others." +These worthy souls, laid up with the agonies of scurvy, knew that in +action was their only hope; they forced their limbs to labour, among +ice and water, every day. They set about the building of a boat, +but the hard frozen wood had broken their axes, so they made shift +with the pieces. To fell a tree, it was first requisite to light in +fire around it, and the carpenter could only labour with his wood +over a fire, or else it was like stone under his tools. Before the +boat was made they buried the carpenter. The captain exhorted them +to put their trust in God; "His will be done. If it be our fortune +to end our days here, we are as near Heaven as in England. They all +protested to work to the utmost of their strength, and that they +would refuse nothing that I should order them to do to the utmost +hazard of their lives. I thanked them all." Truly the North Pole +has its triumphs. If we took no account of the fields of trade +opened by our Arctic explorers, if we thought nothing of the wants +of science in comparison with the lives lost in supplying them, is +not the loss of life a gain, which proves and tests the fortitude of +noble hearts, and teaches us respect for human nature? All the +lives that have been lost among these Polar regions are less in +number than the dead upon a battle-field. The battle-field +inflicted shame upon our race--is it with shame that our hearts +throb in following these Arctic heroes? March 31st, says Captain +James, "was very cold, with snow and hail, which pinched our sick +men more than any time this year. This evening, being May eve, we +returned late from our work to our house, and made a good fire, and +chose ladies, and ceremoniously wore their names in our caps, +endeavouring to revive ourselves by any means. On the 15th, I +manured a little patch of ground that was bare of snow, and sowed it +with pease, hoping to have some shortly to eat, for as yet we could +see no green thing to comfort us." Those pease saved the party; as +they came up the young shoots were boiled and eaten, so their health +began to mend, and they recovered from their scurvy. Eventually, +after other perils, they succeeded in making their escape. + +A strait, called Sir Thomas Rowe's Welcome, leads due north out of +Hudson Bay, being parted by Southampton Island from the strait +through which we entered. Its name is quaint, for so was its +discoverer, Luke Fox, a worthy man, addicted much to euphuism. Fox +sailed from London in the same year in which James sailed from +Bristol. They were rivals. Meeting in Davis Straits, Fox dined on +board his friendly rival's vessel, which was very unfit for the +service upon which it went. The sea washed over them and came into +the cabin, so says Fox, "sauce would not have been wanted if there +had been roast mutton." Luke Fox, being ice-bound and in peril, +writes, "God thinks upon our imprisonment within a supersedeas;" but +he was a good and honourable man as wall as euphuist. His "Sir +Thomas Rowe's Welcome" leads into Fox Channel: our "Phantom Ship" +is pushing through the welcome passes on the left-hand Repulse Bay. +This portion of the Arctic regions, with Fox Channel, is extremely +perilous. Here Captain Lyon, in the Griper, was thrown anchorless +upon the mercy of a stormy sea, ice crashing around him. One island +in Fox Channel is called Mill Island, from the incessant grinding of +great masses of ice collected there. In the northern part of Fox +Channel, on the western shore, is Melville Peninsula, where Parry +wintered on his second voyage. Here let us go ashore and see a +little colony of Esquimaux. + +Their limits are built of blocks of snow, and arched, having an ice +pane for a window. They construct their arched entrance and their +hemispherical roof on the true principles of architecture. Those +wise men, the Egyptians, made their arch by hewing the stones out of +shape; the Esquimaux have the true secret. Here they are, with +little food in winter and great appetites; devouring a whole walrus +when they get it, and taking the chance of hunger for the next eight +days--hungry or full, for ever happy in their lot--here are the +Esquimaux. They are warmly clothed, each in a double suit of skins +sewn neatly together. Some are singing, with good voices too. +Please them, and they straightway dance; activity is good in a cold +climate: Play to them on the flute, or if you can sing well, sing, +or turn a barrel-organ, they are mute, eager with wonder and +delight; their love of music is intense. Give them a pencil, and, +like children, they will draw. Teach them and they will learn, +oblige them and they will be grateful. "Gentle and loving savages," +one of our old worthies called them, and the Portuguese were so much +impressed with their teachable and gentle conduct, that a Venetian +ambassador writes, "His serene majesty contemplates deriving great +advantage from the country, not only on account of the timber of +which he has occasion, but of the inhabitants, who are admirably +calculated for labour, and are the best I have ever seen." The +Esquimaux, of course, will learn vice, and in the region visited by +whale ships, vice enough has certainly been taught him. Here are +the dogs, who will eat old coats, or anything; and, near the +dwellings, here is a snow-bunting--robin redbreast of the Arctic +lands. A party of our sailors once, on landing, took some sticks +from a large heap, and uncovered the nest of a snow-bunting with +young, the bird flew to a little distance, but seeing that the men +sat down, and harmed her not, continued to seek food and supply her +little ones, with full faith in the good intentions of the party. +Captain Lyon found a child's grave partly uncovered, and a snow- +bunting had built its nest upon the infant's bosom. + +Sailing round Melville Peninsula, we come into the Gulf of Akkolee, +through Fury and Hecla Straits, discovered by Parry. So we get back +to the bottom of Regent's Inlet, which we quitted a short time ago, +and sailing in the neighbourhood of the magnetic pole, we reach the +estuary of Back's River, on the north-east coast of America. We +pass then through a strait, discovered in 1839 by Dean and Simpson, +still coasting along the northern shore of America, on the great +Stinking Lake, as Indians call this ocean. Boats, ice permitting, +and our "Phantom Ship," of course, can coast all the way to Behring +Strait. The whole coast has been explored by Sir John Franklin, Sir +John Richardson, and Sir George Back, who have earned their +knighthoods through great peril. As we pass Coronation Gulf--the +scene of Franklin, Richardson, and Back's first exploration from the +Coppermine River--we revert to the romantic story of their journey +back, over a land of snow and frost, subsisting upon lichens, with +companions starved to death, where they plucked wild leaves for tea, +and ate their shoes for supper; the tragedy by the river; the murder +of poor Hood, with a book of prayers in his hand; Franklin at Fort +Enterprise, with two companions at the point of death, himself +gaunt, hollow-eyed, feeding on pounded bones, raked from the +dunghill; the arrival of Dr. Richardson and the brave sailor; their +awful story of the cannibal Michel;--we revert to these things with +a shudder. But we must continue on our route. The current still +flows westward, bearing now large quantities of driftwood out of the +Mackenzie River. At the name of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, also, we +might pause, and talk over the bold achievements of another Arctic +hero; but we pass on, by a rugged and inhospitable coast, unfit for +vessels of large draught--pass the broad mouth of the Youcon, pass +Point Barrow, Icy Cape, and are in Behring Strait. Had we passed +on, we should have found the Russian Arctic coast line, traced out +by a series of Russian explorers; of whom the most illustrious-- +Baron Von Wrangell--states, that beyond a certain distance to the +northward there is always found what he calls the Polynja (open +water). This is the fact adduced by those who adhere to the old +fancy that there is a sea about the Pole itself quite free from ice. + +We pass through Behring Straits. Behring, a Dane by birth, but in +the Russian service, died here in 1741, upon the scene of his +discovery. He and his crew, victims of scurvy, were unable to +manage their vessel in a storm; and it was at length wrecked on a +barren island, there, where "want, nakedness, cold, sickness, +impatience, and despair, were their daily guests," Behring, his +lieutenant, and the master died. + +Now we must put a girdle round the world, and do it with the speed +of Ariel. Here we are already in the heats of the equator. We can +do no more than remark, that if air and water are heated at the +equator, and frozen at the poles, there will be equilibrium +destroyed, and constant currents caused. And so it happens, so we +get the prevailing winds, and all the currents of the ocean. Of +these, some of the uses, but by no means all, are obvious. We urge +our "Phantom" fleetly to the southern pole. Here, over the other +hemisphere of the earth, there shines another hemisphere of heaven. +The stars are changed; the southern cross, the Magellanic clouds, +the "coal-sack" in the milky way, attract our notice. Now we are in +the southern latitude that corresponds to England in the north; nay, +at a greater distance from the Pole, we find Kerguelen's Land, +emphatically called "The Isle of Desolation." Icebergs float much +further into the warm sea on this side of the equator before they +dissolve. The South Pole is evidently a more thorough refrigerator +than the North. Why is this? We shall soon see. We push through +pack-ice, and through floes and fields, by lofty bergs, by an island +or two covered with penguins, until there lies before us a long +range of mountains, nine or ten thousand feet in height, and all +clad in eternal snow. That is a portion of the Southern Continent. +Lieutenant Wilkes, in the American exploring expedition, first +discovered this, and mapped out some part of the coast, putting a +few clouds in likewise--a mistake easily made by those who omit to +verify every foot of land. Sir James Ross, in his most successful +South Pole Expedition, during the years 1839-43, sailed over some of +this land, and confirmed the rest. The Antarctic, as well as the +Arctic honours he secured for England, by turning a corner of the +land, and sailing far southward, along an impenetrable icy barrier, +to the latitude of seventy-eight degrees, nine minutes. It is an +elevated continent, with many lofty ranges. On the extreme southern +point reached by the ships, a magnificent volcano was seen spouting +fire and smoke out of the everlasting snow. This volcano, twelve +thousand four hundred feet high, was named Mount Erebus; for the +Erebus and Terror long sought anxiously among the bays, and sounds, +and creeks of the North Pole, then coasted by the solid ice walls of +the south. + +H. M. + + + +A DISCOURSE WRITTEN BY SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT, KNIGHT. +To prove a Passage by the North-West to Cathay and the East Indies. + + + +CHAPTER I.--TO PROVE BY AUTHORITY A PASSAGE TO BE ON THE NORTH SIDE +OF AMERICA, TO GO TO CATHAY AND THE EAST INDIES. + + + +When I gave myself to the study of geography, after I had perused +and diligently scanned the descriptions of Europe, Asia, and Africa, +and conferred them with the maps and globes both antique and modern, +I came in fine to the fourth part of the world, commonly called +America, which by all descriptions I found to be an island environed +round about with the sea, having on the south side of it the Strait +of Magellan, on the west side the Mare de Sur, which sea runneth +towards the north, separating it from the east parts of Asia, where +the dominions of the Cathaians are. On the east part our west +ocean, and on the north side the sea that severeth it from +Greenland, through which northern seas the passage lieth, which I +take now in hand to discover. + +Plato in his Timaeus and in the dialogue called Critias, discourses +of an incomparable great island then called Atlantis, being greater +than all Africa and Asia, which lay westward from the Straits of +Gibraltar, navigable round about: affirming, also, that the princes +of Atlantis did as well enjoy the governance of all Africa and the +most part of Europe as of Atlantis itself. + +Also to prove Plato's opinion of this island, and the inhabiting of +it in ancient time by them of Europe, to be of the more credit: +Marinaeus Siculus, in his Chronicle of Spain, reporteth that there +hath been found by the Spaniards in the gold mines of America +certain pieces of money, engraved with the image of Augustus Caesar; +which pieces were sent to the Pope for a testimony of the matter by +John Rufus, Archbishop of Constantinum. + +Moreover, this was not only thought of Plato, but by Marsilius +Ficinus, an excellent Florentine philosopher, Crantor the Grecian, +Proclus, also Philo the famous Jew (as appeareth in his book De +Mundo, and in the Commentaries upon Plato), to be overflown, and +swallowed up with water, by reason of a mighty earthquake and +streaming down of the heavenly flood gates. The like thereof +happened unto some part of Italy, when by the forcibleness of the +sea, called Superum, it cut off Sicily from the continent of +Calabria, as appeareth in Justin in the beginning of his fourth +book. Also there chanced the like in Zeeland, a part of Flanders. + +And also the cities of Pyrrha and Antissa, about Palus Meotis; and +also the city Burys, in the Corinthian Gulf, commonly called Sinus +Corinthiacus, have been swallowed up with the sea, and are not at +this day to be discerned: by which accident America grew to be +unknown, of long time, unto us of the later ages, and was lately +discovered again by Americus Vespucius, in the year of our Lord +1497, which some say to have been first discovered by Christopher +Columbus, a Genoese, Anno 1492. + +The same calamity happened unto this isle of Atlantis six hundred +and odd years before Plato's time, which some of the people of the +south-east parts of the world accounted as nine thousand years; for +the manner then was to reckon the moon's period of the Zodiac for a +year, which is our usual month, depending a Luminari minore. + +So that in these our days there can no other main or island be found +or judged to be parcel of this Atlantis than those western islands, +which now bear the name of America; countervailing thereby the name +of Atlantis in the knowledge of our age. + +Then, if when no part of the said Atlantis was oppressed by water +and earthquake, the coasts round about the same were navigable, a +far greater hope now remaineth of the same by the north-west, seeing +the most part of it was since that time swallowed up with water, +which could not utterly take away the old deeps and channels, but, +rather, be many occasion of the enlarging of the old, and also an +enforcing of a great many new; why then should we now doubt of our +North-West Passage and navigation from England to India, etc., +seeing that Atlantis, now called America, was ever known to be an +island, and in those days navigable round about, which by access of +more water could not be diminished? + +Also Aristotle in his book De Mundo, and the learned German, Simon +Gryneus, in his annotations upon the same, saith that the whole +earth (meaning thereby, as manifestly doth appear, Asia, Africa, and +Europe, being all the countries then known) to be but one island, +compassed about with the reach of the Atlantic sea; which likewise +approveth America to be an island, and in no part adjoining to Asia +or the rest. + +Also many ancient writers, as Strabo and others, called both the +ocean sea (which lieth east of India) Atlanticum Pelagus, and that +sea also on the west coasts of Spain and Africa, Mare Atlanticum; +the distance between the two coasts is almost half the compass of +the earth. + +So that it is incredible, as by Plato appeareth manifestly, that the +East Indian Sea had the name of Atlanticum Pelagus, of the mountain +Atlas in Africa, or yet the sea adjoining to Africa had name Oceanus +Atlanticus, of the same mountain; but that those seas and the +mountain Atlas were so called of this great island Atlantis, and +that the one and the other had their names for a memorial of the +mighty Prince Atlas, sometime king thereof, who was Japhet, youngest +son to Noah, in whose time the whole earth was divided between the +three brethren, Shem, Ham, and Japhet. + +Wherefore I am of opinion that America by the north-west will be +found favourable to this our enterprise, and am the rather +emboldened to believe the same, for that I find it not only +confirmed by Plato, Aristotle, and other ancient philosophers, but +also by the best modern geographers, as Gemma Frisius, Munsterus, +Appianus Hunterus, Gastaldus, Guyccardinus, Michael Tramesinus, +Franciscus Demongenitus, Barnardus, Puteanus, Andreas Vavasor, +Tramontanus, Petrus Martyr, and also Ortelius, who doth coast out in +his general map (set out Anno 1569) all the countries and capes on +the north-west side of America from Hochelega to Cape de Paramantia, +describing likewise the sea-coasts of Cathay and Greenland, towards +any part of America, making both Greenland and America islands +disjoined by a great sea from any part of Asia. + +All which learned men and painful travellers have affirmed with one +consent and voice, that America was an island, and that there lieth +a great sea between it, Cathay, and Greenland, by the which any man +of our country that will give the attempt, may with small danger +pass to Cathay, the Moluccas, India, and all other places in the +east in much shorter time than either the Spaniard or Portuguese +doth, or may do, from the nearest part of any of their countries +within Europe. + +What moved these learned men to affirm thus much I know not, or to +what end so many and sundry travellers of both ages have allowed the +same; but I conjecture that they would never have so constantly +affirmed, or notified their opinions therein to the world, if they +had not had great good cause, and many probable reasons to have led +them thereunto. + +Now lest you should make small account of ancient writers or of +their experiences which travelled long before our times, reckoning +their authority amongst fables of no importance, I have for the +better assurance of those proofs set down some part of a discourse, +written in the Saxon tongue, and translated into English by Master +Noel, servant to Master Secretary Cecil, wherein there is described +a navigation which one other made, in the time of King Alfred, King +of Wessex, Anne 871, the words of which discourse were these: "He +sailed right north, having always the desert land on the starboard, +and on the larboard the main sea, continuing his course, until he +perceived that the coast bowed directly towards the east or else the +sea opened into the land he could not tell how far, where he was +compelled to stay until he had a western wind or somewhat upon the +north, and sailed thence directly east along the coast, so far as he +was able in four days, where he was again enforced to tarry until he +had a north wind, because the coast there bowed directly towards the +south, or at least opened he knew not how far into the land, so that +he sailed thence along the coast continually full south, so far as +he could travel in the space of five days, where he discovered a +mighty river which opened far into the land, and in the entry of +this river he turned back again." + +Whereby it appeareth that he went the very way that we now do yearly +trade by S. Nicholas into Muscovia, which way no man in our age knew +for certainty to be sea, until it was since discovered by our +Englishmen in the time of King Edward I., but thought before that +time that Greenland had joined to Normoria Byarmia, and therefore +was accounted a new discovery, being nothing so indeed, as by this +discourse of Ochther's it appeareth. + +Nevertheless if any man should have taken this voyage in hand by the +encouragement of this only author, he should have been thought but +simple, considering that this navigation was written so many years +past, in so barbarous a tongue by one only obscure author, and yet +we in these our days find by our own experiences his former reports +to be true. + +How much more, then, ought we to believe this passage to Cathay to +be, being verified by the opinions of all the best, both antique and +modern geographers, and plainly set out in the best and most allowed +maps, charts, globes, cosmographical tables, and discourses of this +our age and by the rest not denied, but left as a matter doubtful. + + + +CHAPTER II. + + + +1. All seas are maintained by the abundance of water, so that the +nearer the end any river, bay, or haven is, the shallower it waxeth +(although by some accidental bar it is sometime found otherwise), +but the farther you sail west from Iceland, towards the place where +this strait is thought to be, the more deep are the seas, which +giveth us good hope of continuance of the same sea, with Mare del +Sur, by some strait that lieth between America, Greenland, and +Cathay. + +2. Also, if that America were not an island, but a part of the +continent adjoining to Asia, either the people which inhabit Mangia, +Anian, and Quinzay, etc., being borderers upon it, would before this +time have made some road into it, hoping to have found some like +commodities to their own. + +3. Or else the Syrians and Tartars (which oftentimes heretofore +have sought far and near for new seats, driven thereunto through the +necessity of their cold and miserable countries) would in all this +time have found the way to America and entered the same had the +passages been never so strait or difficult, the country being so +temperate, pleasant, and fruitful in comparison of their own. But +there was never any such people found there by any of the Spaniards, +Portuguese, or Frenchmen, who first discovered the inland of that +country, which Spaniards or Frenchmen must then of necessity have +seen some one civilised man in America, considering how full of +civilised people Asia is; but they never saw so much as one token or +sign that ever any man of the known part of the world had been +there. + +4. Furthermore, it is to be thought, that if by reason of mountains +or other craggy places the people neither of Cathay or Tartary could +enter the country of America, or they of America have entered Asia +if it were so joined, yet some one savage or wandering-beast would +in so many years have passed into it; but there hath not any time +been found any of the beasts proper to Cathay or Tartary, etc., in +America; nor of those proper to America in Tartary, Cathay, etc., or +in any part of Asia, which thing proveth America not only to be one +island, and in no part adjoining to Asia, but also that the people +of those countries have not had any traffic with each other. + +5. Moreover at the least some one of those painful travellers which +of purpose have passed the confines of both countries, with intent +only to discover, would, as it is most likely, have gone from the +one to the other, if there had been any piece of land, or isthmus, +to have joined them together, or else have declared some cause to +the contrary. + +6. But neither Paulus Venetus, who lived and dwelt a long time in +Cathay, ever came into America, and yet was at the sea coasts of +Mangia over against it, where he was embarked and performed a great +navigation along those seas; neither yet Veratzanus or Franciscus +Vasquez de Coronado, who travelled the north part of America by +land, ever found entry from thence by land to Cathay, or any part of +Asia. + +7. Also it appeareth to be an island, insomuch as the sea runneth +by nature circularly from the east to the west, following the +diurnal motion of the Primum Mobile, and carrieth with it all +inferior bodies movable, as well celestial as elemental; which +motion of the waters is most evidently seen in the sea, which lieth +on the south side of Africa, where the current that runneth from the +east to the west is so strong (by reason of such motion) that the +Portuguese in their voyages eastward to Calicut, in passing by the +Cape of Good Hope, are enforced to make divers courses, the current +there being so swift, as it striketh from thence, all along +westward, upon the straits of Magellan, being distant from thence +near the fourth part of the longitude of the earth: and not having +free passage and entrance through that frith towards the west, by +reason of the narrowness of the said strait of Magellan, it runneth +to salve this wrong (Nature not yielding to accidental restraints) +all along the eastern coasts of America northwards so far as Cape +Frido, being the farthest known place of the same continent towards +the north, which is about four thousand eight-hundred leagues, +reckoning therewithal the trending of the land. + +8. So that this current, being continually maintained with such +force as Jacques Cartier affirmeth it to be, who met with the same, +being at Baccalaos as he sailed along the coasts of America, then, +either it must of necessity have way to pass from Cape Frido through +this frith, westward towards Cathay, being known to come so far only +to salve his former wrongs by the authority before named; or else it +must needs strike over upon the coast of Iceland, Lapland, Finmark, +and Norway (which are east from the said place about three hundred +and sixty leagues) with greater force than it did from the Cape of +Good Hope upon the strait of Magellan, or from the strait of +Magellan to Cape Frido; upon which coasts Jacques Cartier met with +the same, considering the shortness of the cut from the said Cape +Frido to Iceland, Lapland, etc. And so the cause efficient +remaining, it would have continually followed along our coasts +through the narrow seas, which it doeth not, but is digested about +the north of Labrador by some through passage there through this +frith. + +The like course of the water, in some respect, happeneth in the +Mediterranean Sea (as affirmeth Contorenus), where, as the current +which cometh from Tanais and the Euxine, running along all the +coasts of Greece, Italy, France, and Spain, and not finding +sufficient way out through Gibraltar by means of the straitness of +the frith, it runneth back again along the coasts of Barbary by +Alexandria, Natolia, etc. + +It may, peradventure, be thought that this course of the sea doth +sometime surcease and thereby impugn this principle, because it is +not discerned all along the coast of America in such sort as Jacques +Cartier found it, whereunto I answer this: That albeit in every +part of the coast of America or elsewhere this current is not +sensibly perceived, yet it hath evermore such like motion, either +the uppermost or nethermost part of the sea; as it may be proved +true, if you sink a sail by a couple of ropes near the ground, +fastening to the nethermost corners two gun chambers or other +weights, by the driving whereof you shall plainly perceive the +course of the water and current running with such like course in the +bottom. By the like experiment you may find the ordinary motion of +the sea in the ocean, how far soever you be off the land. + +9. Also, there cometh another current from out the north-east from +the Scythian Sea (as Master Jenkinson, a man of rare virtue, great +travel, and experience, told me), which runneth westward towards +Labrador, as the other did which cometh from the south; so that both +these currents must have way through this our strait, or else +encounter together and run contrary courses in one line, but no such +conflicts of streams or contrary courses are found about any part of +Labrador or Newfoundland, as witness our yearly fishers and other +sailors that way, but is there separated as aforesaid, and found by +the experience of Barnarde de la Torre to fall into Mare del Sur. + +10. Furthermore, the current in the great ocean could not have been +maintained to run continually one way from the beginning of the +world unto this day, had there not been some through passage by the +strait aforesaid, and so by circular motion be brought again to +maintain itself, for the tides and courses of the sea are maintained +by their interchangeable motions, as fresh rivers are by springs, by +ebbing and flowing, by rarefaction and condensation. + +So that it resteth not possible (so far as my simple reason can +comprehend) that this perpetual current can by any means be +maintained, but only by a continual reaccess of the same water, +which passeth through the strait, and is brought about thither again +by such circular motion as aforesaid, and the certain falling +thereof by this strait into Mare del Sur is proved by the testimony +and experience of Barnarde de la Torre, who was sent from P. de la +Natividad to the Moluccas, 1542, by commandment of Anthony Mendoza, +then Viceroy of Nova Hispania, which Barnarde sailed 750 leagues on +the north side of the Equator, and there met with a current which +came from the north-east, the which drove him back again to Tidore. + +Wherefore this current being proved to come from the Cape of Good +Hope to the strait of Magellan, and wanting sufficient entrance +there, is by the necessity of Nature's force brought to Terra de +Labrador, where Jacques Cartier met the same, and thence certainly +known not to strike over upon Iceland, Lapland, etc., and found by +Barnarde de la Torre, in Mare del Sur, on the backside of America, +therefore this current, having none other passage, must of necessity +fall out through this strait into Mare del Sur, and so trending by +the Moluccas, China, and the Cape of Good Hope, maintaineth itself +by circular motion, which is all one in Nature with motus ab oriente +in occidentem. + +So that it seemeth we have now more occasion to doubt of our return +than whether there be a passage that way, yea or no: which doubt +hereafter shall be sufficiently removed; wherefore, in my opinion +reason itself grounded upon experience assureth us of this passage +if there were nothing else to put us in hope thereof. But lest +these might not suffice, I have added in this chapter following some +further proof thereof, by the experience of such as have passed some +part of this discovery, and in the next adjoining to that the +authority of those which have sailed wholly through every part +thereof. + + + +CHAPTER III. TO PROVE BY EXPERIENCE OF SUNDRY MEN'S TRAVELS THE +OPENING OF SOME PART OF THIS NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, WHEREBY GOOD HOPE +REMAINETH OF THE REST. + + + +1. Paulus Venetus, who dwelt many years in Cathay, affirmed that he +had sailed 1,500 miles upon the coast of Mangia and Anian, towards +the north-east, always finding the seas open before him, not only as +far as he went, but also as far as he could discern. + +2. Also Franciscus Vasquez de Coronado, passing from Mexico by +Cevola, through the country of Quiver to Sierra Nevada, found there +a great sea, where were certain ships laden with merchandise, the +mariners wearing on their heads the pictures of certain birds called +Alcatrarzi, part whereof were made of gold and part of silver; who +signified by signs that they were thirty days coming thither, which +likewise proveth America by experience to be disjoined from Cathay, +on that part, by a great sea, because they could not come from any +part of America as natives thereof; for that, so far as is +discovered, there hath not been found there any one ship of that +country. + +3. In like manner, Johann Baros testifieth that the cosmographers +of China (where he himself had been) affirm that the sea coast +trendeth from thence north-east to fifty degrees of septentrional +latitude, being the farthest part that way, which the Portuguese had +then knowledge of; and that the said cosmographers knew no cause to +the contrary, but that it might continue farther. + +By whose experiences America is proved to be separate from those +parts of Asia, directly against the same. And not contented with +the judgments of these learned men only, I have searched what might +be further said for the confirmation hereof. + +4. And I found that Franciscus Lopez de Gomara affirmeth America to +be an island, and likewise Greenland; and that Greenland is distant +from Lapland forty leagues, and from Terra de Labrador fifty. + +5. Moreover Alvarez Nunmius, a Spaniard, and learned cosmographer, +and Jacques Cartier, who made two voyages into those parts, and +sailed five hundred miles upon the north-east coasts of America. + +6. Likewise Hieronimus Fracastorius, a learned Italian, and +traveller in the north parts of the same land. + +7. Also Jacques Cartier, having done the like, heard say at +Hochelaga, in Nova Francia, how that there was a great sea at +Saguinay, whereof the end was not known: which they presupposed to +be the passage to Cathay. Furthermore, Sebastian Cabot, by his +personal experience and travel, has set forth and described this +passage in his charts which are yet to be seen in the Queen's +Majesty's Privy Gallery at Whitehall, who was sent to make this +discovery by King Henry VII. and entered the same straits, affirming +that he sailed very far westward with a quarter of the north, on the +north side of Terra de Labrador, the 11th of June, until he came to +the septentrional latitude of sixty-seven and a half degrees, and +finding the seas still open, said, that he might and would have gone +to Cathay if the mutiny of the master and mariners had not been. + +Now, as these men's experience have proved some part of this +passage, so the chapter following shall put you in full assurance of +the rest by their experiences which have passed through every part +thereof. + + + +CHAPTER IV. TO PROVE BY CIRCUMSTANCE THAT THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE +HATH BEEN SAILED THROUGHOUT. + + + +The diversity between brute beasts and men, or between the wise and +the simple, is, that the one judgeth by sense only, and gathereth no +surety of anything that he hath not seen, felt, heard, tasted, or +smelled: and the other not so only, but also findeth the certainty +of things, by reason, before they happen to be tried, wherefore I +have added proofs of both sorts, that the one and the other might +thereby be satisfied. + +1. First, as Gemma Frisius reciteth, there went from Europe three +brethren though this passage: whereof it took the name of Fretum +trium fratrum. + +2. Also Pliny affirmeth out of Cornelius Nepos (who wrote fifty- +seven years before Christ) that there were certain Indians driven by +tempest upon the coast of Germany which were presented by the King +of Suevia unto Quintus Metellus Celer, then Pro-Consul of France. + +3. And Pliny upon the same saith that it is no marvel, though there +be sea by the north, where there is such abundance of moisture; +which argueth, that he doubted not of a navigable passage that way, +through which those Indians came. + +4. And for the better proof that the same authority of Cornelius +Nepos is not by me wrested to prove my opinion of the North-West +Passage, you shall find the same affirmed more plainly in that +behalf by the excellent geographer Dominicus Marius Niger, who +showeth how many ways the Indian sea stretcheth itself, making in +that place recital of certain Indians that were likewise driven +through the north seas from India, upon the coasts of Germany, by +great tempest, as they were sailing in trade of merchandise. + +5. Also, whiles Frederick Barbarossa reigned Emperor, A.D. 1160, +there came certain other Indians upon the coast of Germany. + +6. Likewise Othon, in the story of the Goths, affirmeth that in the +time of the German Emperors there were also certain Indians cast by +force of weather upon the coast of the said country, which foresaid +Indians could not possibly have come by the south-east, south-west, +nor from any part of Africa or America, nor yet by the north-east: +therefore they came of necessity by this our North-West Passage. + + + +CHAPTER V.--TO PROVE THAT THESE INDIANS, AFORENAMED, CAME NOT BY THE +SOUTH-EAST, SOUTH-WEST, NOR FROM ANY OTHER PART OF AFRICA OR +AMERICA. + + + +1. They could not come from the south-east by the Cape of Good +Hope, because the roughness of the seas there is such--occasioned by +the currents and great winds in that part--that the greatest armadas +the King of Portugal hath cannot without great difficulty pass that +way, much less, then, a canoe of India could live in those +outrageous seas without shipwreck, being a vessel but of very small +burden, and the Indians have conducted themselves to the place +aforesaid, being men unexpert in the art of navigation. + +2. Also, it appeareth plainly that they were not able to come from +along the coast of Africa aforesaid to those parts of Europe, +because the winds do, for the most part, blow there easterly or from +the shore, and the current running that way in like sort, would have +driven them westward upon some part of America, for such winds and +tides could never have led them from thence to the said place where +they were found, nor yet could they have come from any of the +countries aforesaid, keeping the seas always, without skilful +mariners to have conducted them such like courses as were necessary +to perform such a voyage. + +3. Presupposing also, if they had been driven to the west, as they +must have been, coming that way, then they should have perished, +wanting supply of victuals, not having any place--once leaving the +coast of Africa--until they came to America, north of America, until +they arrived upon some part of Europe or the islands adjoining to it +to have refreshed themselves. + +4. Also, if, notwithstanding such impossibilities, they might have +recovered Germany by coming from India by the south-east, yet must +they without all doubt have struck upon some other part of Europe +before their arrival there, as the isles of Madeira, Portugal, +Spain, France, England, Ireland, etc., which, if they had done, it +is not credible that they should or would have departed undiscovered +of the inhabitants; but there was never found in those days any such +ship or men, but only upon the coasts of Germany, where they have +been sundry times and in sundry ages cast ashore; neither is it like +that they would have committed themselves again to sea, if they had +so arrived, not knowing where they were, nor whither to have gone. + +5. And by the south-west it is impossible, because the current +aforesaid, which cometh from the east, striketh with such force upon +the Straits of Magellan, and falleth with such swiftness and fury +into Mare de Sur, that hardly any ship--but not possibly a canoe, +with such unskilful mariners--can come into our western ocean +through that strait from the west seas of America, as Magellan's +experience hath partly taught us. + +6. And further, to prove that these people so arriving upon the +coast of Germany were Indians, and not inhabiters of any part either +of Africa or America, it is manifest, because the natives, both of +Africa and America, neither had, or have at this day, as is +reported, other kind of boats than such as do bear neither masts nor +sails, except only upon the coasts of Barbary and the Turks' ships, +but do carry themselves from place to place near the shore by the +oar only. + + + +CHAPTER VI.--TO PROVE THAT THOSE INDIANS CAME NOT BY THE NORTH-EAST, +AND THAT THERE IS NO THROUGH NAVIGABLE PASSAGE THAT WAY. + + + +1. It is likely that there should be no through passage by the +north-east whereby to go round about the world, because all seas, as +aforesaid, are maintained by the abundance of water, waxing more +shallow and shelving towards the end, as we find it doth, by +experience, in the Frozen Sea, towards the east, which breedeth +small hope of any great continuance of that sea to be navigable +towards the east, sufficient to sail thereby round about the world. + +2. Also, it standeth scarcely with reason that the Indians dwelling +under the Torrid Zone could endure the injury of the cold air, about +the northern latitude of 80 degrees, under which elevation the +passage by the north-east cannot be, as the often experiences had of +all the south part of it showeth, seeing that some of the +inhabitants of this cold climate, whose summer is to them an extreme +winter, have been stricken to death with the cold damps of the air, +about 72 degrees, by an accidental mishap, and yet the air in such +like elevation is always cold, and too cold for such as the Indians +are. + +3. Furthermore, the piercing cold of the gross thick air so near +the Pole will so stiffen the sails and ship tackling, that no +mariner can either hoist or strike them--as our experience, far +nearer the south than this passage is presupposed to be, hath taught +us--without the use whereof no voyage can be performed. + +4. Also, the air is so darkened with continual mists and fogs so +near the Pole, that no man can well see either to guide his ship or +to direct his course. + +5. Also the compass at such elevation doth very suddenly vary, +which things must of force have been their destruction, although +they had been men of much more skill than the Indians are. + +6. Moreover, all bays, gulfs, and rivers do receive their increase +upon the flood, sensibly to be discerned on the one side of the +shore or the other, as many ways as they be open to any main sea, as +the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, Sinus Bodicus, the +Thames, and all other known havens or rivers in any part of the +world, and each of them opening but on one part to the main sea, do +likewise receive their increase upon the flood the same way, and +none other, which the Frozen Sea doth, only by the west, as Master +Jenkinson affirmed unto me, and therefore it followeth that this +north-east sea, receiving increase only from the west, cannot +possibly open to the main ocean by the east. + +7. Moreover, the farther you pass into any sea towards the end of +it, of that part which is shut up from the main sea, as in all those +above-mentioned, the less and less the tides rise and fall. The +like whereof also happeneth in the Frozen Sea, which proveth but +small continuance of that sea toward the east. + +8. Also, the farther ye go towards the east in the Frozen Sea the +less soft the water is, which could not happen if it were open to +the salt sea towards the east, as it is to the west only, seeing +everything naturally engendereth his like, and then must it be like +salt throughout, as all the seas are in such like climate and +elevation. And therefore it seemeth that this north-east sea is +maintained by the river Ob, and such like freshets as the Pontic Sea +and Mediterranean Sea, in the uppermost parts thereof by the river +Nile, the Danube, Dnieper, Tanais, etc. + +9. Furthermore, if there were any such sea at that elevation, of +like it should be always frozen throughout--there being no tides to +hinder it--because the extreme coldness of the air in the uppermost +part, and the extreme coldness of the earth in the bottom, the sea +there being but of small depth, whereby the one accidental coldness +doth meet with the other; and the sun, not having his reflection so +near the Pole, but at very blunt angles, it can never be dissolved +after it is frozen, notwithstanding the great length of their day: +for that the sun hath no heat at all in his light or beams, but +proceeding only by an accidental reflection which there wanteth in +effect. + +10. And yet if the sun were of sufficient force in that elevation +to prevail against this ice, yet must it be broken before it can be +dissolved, which cannot be but through the long continue of the sun +above their horizon, and by that time the summer would be so far +spent, and so great darkness and cold ensue, that no man could be +able to endure so cold, dark, and discomfortable a navigation, if it +were possible for him then and there to live. + +11. Further, the ice being once broken, it must of force so drive +with the winds and tides that no ship can sail in those seas, seeing +our fishers of Iceland and Newfoundland are subject to danger +through the great islands of ice which fleet in the seas, far to the +south of that presupposed passage. + +12. And it cannot be that this North-East Passage should be any +nearer the south than before recited, for then it should cut off +Ciremissi and Turbi, Tartarii, with Vzesucani, Chisani, and others +from the continent of Asia, which are known to be adjoining to +Scythia, Tartary, etc., with the other part of the same continent. + +And if there were any through passage by the north-east, yet were it +to small end and purpose for our traffic, because no ship of great +burden can navigate in so shallow a sea, and ships of small burden +are very unfit and unprofitable, especially towards the blustering +north, to perform such a voyage. + + + +CHAPTER VII.--TO PROVE THAT THE INDIANS AFORENAMED CAME ONLY BY THE +NORTH-WEST, WHICH INDUCETH A CERTAINTY OF OUR PASSAGE BY EXPERIENCE. + + + +It is as likely that they came by the north-west as it is unlikely +that they should come either by the south-east, south-west, north- +east, or from any other part of Africa or America, and therefore +this North-West Passage, having been already so many ways proved by +disproving of the others, etc., I shall the less need in this place +to use many words otherwise than to conclude in this sort, that they +came only by the north-west from England, having these many reasons +to lead me thereunto. + +1. First, the one-half of the winds of the compass might bring them +by the north-west, veering always between two sheets, with which +kind of sailing the Indians are only acquainted, not having any use +of a bow line or quarter wind, without the which no ship can +possibly come, either by the south-east, south-west, or north-east, +having so many sundry capes to double, whereunto are required such +change and shifts of winds. + +2. And it seemeth likely that they should come by the north-west, +because the coast whereon they were driven lay east from this our +passage, and all winds do naturally drive a ship to an opposite +point from whence it bloweth, not being otherwise guided by art, +which the Indians do utterly want, and therefore it seemeth that +they came directly through this, our strait, which they might do +with one wind. + +3. For if they had come by the Cape of Good Hope, then must they, +as aforesaid, have fallen upon the south parts of America. + +4. And if by the Strait of Magellan, then upon the coasts of +Africa, Spain, Portugal, France, Ireland, or England. + +5. And if by the north-east, then upon the coasts of Ciremissi, +Tartarii, Lapland, Iceland, Labrador, etc., and upon these coasts, +as aforesaid, they have never been found. + +So that by all likelihood they could never have come without +shipwreck upon the coasts of Germany, if they had first struck upon +the coasts of so many countries, wanting both art and shipping to +make orderly discovery, and altogether ignorant both of the art of +navigation and also of the rocks, flats, sands, or havens of those +parts of the world, which in most of these places are plentiful. + +6. And further, it seemeth very likely that the inhabitants of the +most part of those countries, by which they must have come any other +way besides by the north-west, being for the most part +anthropophagi, or men-eaters, would have devoured them, slain them, +or, at the leastwise, kept them as wonders for the gaze. + +So that it plainly appeareth that those Indians--which, as you have +heard, in sundry ages were driven by tempest upon the shore of +Germany--came only through our North-West Passage. + +7. Moreover, the passage is certainly proved by a navigation that a +Portuguese made, who passed through this strait, giving name to a +promontory far within the same, calling it after his own name, +Promontorium Corterialis, near adjoining unto Polisacus Fluvius. + +8. Also one Scolmus, a Dane, entered and passed a great part +thereof. + +9. Also there was one Salva Terra, a gentleman of Victoria in +Spain, that came by chance out of the West Indies into Ireland, Anno +1568, who affirmed the North-West Passage from us to Cathay, +constantly to be believed in America navigable; and further said, in +the presence of Sir Henry Sidney, then Lord Deputy of Ireland, in my +hearing, that a friar of Mexico, called Andre Urdaneta, more than +eight years before his then coming into Ireland, told him there that +he came from Mare del Sur into Germany through this North-West +Passage, and showed Salva Terra--at that time being then with him in +Mexico--a sea-card made by his own experience and travel in that +voyage, wherein was plainly set down and described this North-West +Passage, agreeing in all points with Ortelius' map. + +And further this friar told the King of Portugal (as he returned by +that country homeward) that there was of certainty such a passage +north-west from England, and that he meant to publish the same; +which done, the king most earnestly desired him not in any wise to +disclose or make the passage known to any nation. For that (said +the king) IF ENGLAND HAD KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THEREOF, IT WOULD +GREATLY HINDER BOTH THE KING OF SPAIN AND ME. This friar (as Salva +Terra reported) was the greatest discoverer by sea that hath been in +our age. Also Salva Terra, being persuaded of this passage by the +friar Urdaneta, and by the common opinion of the Spaniards +inhabiting America, offered most willingly to accompany me in this +discovery, which of like he would not have done if he had stood in +doubt thereof. + +And now, as these modern experiences cannot be impugned, so, least +it might be objected that these things (gathered out of ancient +writers, which wrote so many years past) might serve little to prove +this passage by the north of America, because both America and India +were to them then utterly unknown; to remove this doubt, let this +suffice, that Aristotle (who was 300 years before Christ) named the +Indian Sea. Also Berosus (who lived 330 before Christ) hath these +words, GANGES IN INDIA. + +Also in the first chapter of Esther be these words: "In the days of +Ahasuerus, which ruled from India to Ethiopia," which Ahasuerus +lived 580 years before Christ. Also Quintus Curtius, where he +speaketh of the Conquest of Alexander, mentioneth India. Also +Arianus Philostratus, and Sidrach, in his discourses of the wars of +the King of Bactria, and of Garaab, who had the most part of India +under his government. All which assumeth us that both India and +Indians were known in those days. + +These things considered, we may, in my opinion, not only assure +ourselves of this passage by the north-west, but also that it is +navigable both to come and go, as hath been proved in part and in +all by the experience of divers as Sebastian Cabot, Corterialis, the +three brethren above named, the Indians, and Urdaneta, the friar of +Mexico, etc. + +And yet, notwithstanding all which, there be some that have a better +hope of this passage to Cathay by the north-east than by the west, +whose reasons, with my several answers, ensue in the chapter +following. + + + +CHAPTER VIII.--CERTAIN REASONS ALLEGED FOR THE PROVING OF A PASSAGE +BY THE NORTH-EAST BEFORE THE QUEEN'S MAJESTY, AND CERTAIN LORDS OF +THE COUNCIL, BY MASTER ANTHONY JENKINSON, WITH MY SEVERAL ANSWERS +THEN USED TO THE SAME. + + + +Because you may understand as well those things alleged against me +as what doth serve for my purpose, I have here added the reasons of +Master Anthony Jenkinson, a worthy gentleman, and a great traveller, +who conceived a better hope of the passage to Cathay from us to be +by the north-east than by the north-west. + +He first said that he thought not to the contrary but that there was +a passage by the north-west, according to mime opinion, but he was +assured that there might be found a navigable passage by the north- +east from England to go to all the east parts of the world, which he +endeavoured to prove three ways. + +The first was, that he heard a fisherman of Tartary say in hunting +the morse, that he sailed very far towards the south-east, finding +no end of the sea, whereby he hoped a through passage to be that +way. + +Whereunto I answered that the Tartars were a barbarous people, and +utterly ignorant in the art of navigation, not knowing the use of +the sea-card, compass, or star, which he confessed true; and +therefore they could not (said I) certainly know the south-east from +the north-east in a wide sea, and a place unknown from the sight of +the land. + +Or if he sailed anything near the shore, yet he, being ignorant, +might be deceived by the doubling of many points and capes, and by +the trending of the land, albeit he kept continually along the +shore. + +And further, it might be that the poor fisherman through simplicity +thought that there was nothing that way but sea, because he saw mine +land, which proof (under correction) giveth small assurance of a +navigable sea by the north-east to go round about the world, for +that he judged by the eye only, seeing we in this clear air do +account twenty miles a ken at sea. + +His second reason is, that there was an unicorn's horn found upon +the coast of Tartary, which could not come (said he) thither by any +other means than with the tides, through some strait in the north- +east of the Frozen Sea, there being no unicorns in any part of Asia, +saving in India and Cathay, which reason, in my simple judgment, has +as little force. + +First, it is doubtful whether those barbarous Tartars do know an +unicorn's horn, yea or no; and if it were one, yet it is not +credible that the sea could have driven it so far, it being of such +nature that it cannot float. + +Also the tides running to and fro would have driven it as far back +with the ebb as it brought it forward with the flood. + +There is also a beast called Asinus Indicus (whose horn most like it +was), which hath but one horn like an unicorn in his forehead, +whereof there is great plenty in all the north parts thereunto +adjoining, as in Lapland, Norway, Finmark, etc., as Jocobus +Zeiglerus writeth in his history of Scondia. + +And as Albertus saith, there is a fish which hath but one horn in +his forehead like to an unicorn, and therefore it seemeth very +doubtful both from whence it came, and whether it were an unicorn's +horn, yea or no. + +His third and last reason was, that there came a continual stream or +current through the Frozen Sea of such swiftness, as a Colmax told +him, that if you cast anything therein, it would presently be +carried out of sight towards the west. + +Whereunto I answered, that there doth the like from Palus Maeotis, +by the Euxine, the Bosphorus, and along the coast of Greece, etc., +as it is affirmed by Contarenus, and divers others that have had +experience of the same; and yet that sea lieth not open to any main +sea that way, but is maintained by freshets, as by the Don, the +Danube, etc. + +In like manner is this current in the Frozen Sea increased and +maintained by the Dwina, the river Ob, etc. + +Now as I have here briefly recited the reasons alleged to prove a +passage to Cathay by the north-east with my several answers +thereunto, so will I leave it unto your judgment, to hope or despair +of either at your pleasure. + + + +CHAPTER IX.--HOW THAT THE PASSAGE BY THE NORTH-WEST IS MORE +COMMODIOUS FOR OUR TRAFFIC THAN THE OTHER BY THE EAST, IF THERE WERE +ANY SUCH. + + + +1. By the north-east, if your winds do not give you a marvellous +speedy and lucky passage, you are in danger (of being so near the +Pole) to be benighted almost the one half of the year, and what +danger that were, to live so long comfortless, void of light (if the +cold killed you not), each man of reason or understanding may judge. + +2. Also Mangia, Quinzai, and the Moluccas, are nearer unto us by +the north-west than by the north-east more than two-fifths, which is +almost by the half. + +3. Also we may have by the rest a yearly return, it being at all +times navigable, whereas you have but four months in the whole year +to go by the north-east, the passage being at such elevation as it +is formerly expressed, for it cannot be any nearer the south. + +4. Furthermore, it cannot be finished without divers winterings by +the way, having no havens in any temperate climate to harbour in +there, for it is as much as we can well sail from hence to S. +Nicholas, in the trade of Muscovy, and return in the navigable +season of the year, and from S. Nicholas, Ciremissi, Tartarii, which +standeth 80 degrees of the septentrional latitude, it is at the left +400 leagues, which amounteth scarce to the third part of the way, to +the end of your voyage by the north-east. + +5. And yet, after you have doubled this Cape, if then there might +be found a navigable sea to carry you south-east according to your +desire, yet can you not winter conveniently until you come to sixty +degrees and to take up one degree running south-east you must sail +twenty-four leagues and three four parts, which amounteth to four +hundred and ninety-five leagues. + +6. Furthermore, you may by the north-west sail thither, with all +easterly winds, and return with any westerly winds, whereas you must +have by the north-east sundry winds, and those proper, according to +the lie of the coast and capes, you shall be enforced to double, +which winds are not always to be had when they are looked for; +whereby your journey should be greatly prolonged, and hardly endured +so near the Pole, as we are taught by Sir Hugh Willoughbie, who was +frozen to death far nearer the south. + +7. Moreover, it is very doubtful whether we should long enjoy that +trade by the north-east if there were any such passage that way, the +commodities thereof once known to the Muscovite, what privilege +soever he hath granted, seeing pollice with the maze of excessive +gain, to the enriching of himself and all his dominions, would +persuade him to presume the same, having so great opportunity, to +distribute the commodities of those countries by the Naruc. + +But by the north-west we may safely trade without danger or +annoyance of any prince living, Christian or heathen, it being out +of all their trades. + +8. Also the Queen's Majesty's dominions are nearer the North-West +Passage than any other great princes that might pass that way, and +both in their going and return they must of necessity succour +themselves and their ships upon some part of the same if any +tempestuous weather should happen. + +Further, no prince's navy of the world is able to encounter the +Queen's Majesty's navy as it is at this present; and yet it should +be greatly increased by the traffic ensuing upon this discovery, for +it is the long voyages that increase and maintain great shipping. + +Now it seemeth unnecessary to declare what commodities would grow +thereby if all these things were as we have heretofore presupposed +and thought them to be; which next adjoining are briefly declared. + + + +CHAPTER X.--WHAT COMMODITIES WOULD ENSUE, THIS PASSAGE ONCE +DISCOVERED. + + + +1. It were the only way for our princes to possess the wealth of +all the east parts (as they term them) of the world, which is +infinite; as appeareth by the experience of Alexander the Great in +the time of his conquest of India and the east parts of the world, +alleged by Quintus Curtius, which would be a great advancement to +our country, wonderful enriching to our prince, and unspeakable +commodities to all the inhabitants of Europe. + +2. For, through the shortness of the voyage, we should be able to +sell all manner of merchandise brought from thence far better cheap +than either the Portuguese or Spaniard doth or may do. And, +further, share with the Portuguese in the east and the Spaniard in +the west by trading to any part of America through Mare del Sur, +where they can no manner of way offend us. + +3. Also we sailed to divers marvellous rich countries, both civil +and others, out of both their jurisdictions, trades and traffics, +where there is to be found great abundance of gold, silver, precious +stones, cloth of gold, silks, all manner of spices, grocery wares, +and other kinds of merchandise of an inestimable price, which both +the Spaniard and Portuguese, through the length of their journeys, +cannot well attain unto. + +4. Also, we might inhabit some part of those countries, and settle +there such needy people of our country which now trouble the +commonwealth, and through want here at home are enforced to commit +outrageous offences, whereby they are daily consumed with the +gallows. + +5. Moreover, we might from all the aforesaid places have a yearly +return, inhabiting for our staple some convenient place of America, +about Sierra Nevada or some other part, whereas it shall seem best +for the shortening of the voyage. + +6. Beside the exporting of our country commodities, which the +Indians, etc., much esteem, as appeareth in Esther, where the pomp +is expressed of the great King of India, Ahasuerus, who matched the +coloured clothes wherewith his houses and tents were apparelled with +gold and silver, as part of his greatest treasure, not mentioning +velvets, silks, cloth of gold, cloth of silver, or such like, being +in those countries most plentiful, whereby it plainly appeareth in +what great estimation they would have the cloths of this our +country, so that there would be found a far better vent for them by +this means than yet this realm ever had; and that without depending +either upon France, Spain, Flanders, Portugal, Hamborough, Emden, or +any other part of Europe. + +7. Also here we shall increase both our ships and mariners without +burdening of the State. + +8. And also have occasion to set poor men's children to learn +handicrafts, and thereby to make trifles and such like, which the +Indians and those people do much esteem; by reason whereof, there +should be none occasion to have our country cumbered with loiterers, +vagabonds, and such like idle persons. + +All these commodities would grew by following this our discovery +without injury done to any Christian prince by crossing them in any +of their used trades, whereby they might take any just occasion of +offence. + +Thus have I briefly showed you some part of the grounds of my +opinion, trusting that you will no longer judge me fantastic in this +matter, seeing I have conceived no hope of this voyage, but am +persuaded thereunto by the best cosmographers of our age, the same +being confirmed both by reason and certain experiences. + +Also this discovery hath been divers times heretofore by others both +proposed, attempted, and performed. + +It hath been proposed by Stephen Gomez unto Carolus, the fifth +emperor in the year of our Lord 1527, as Alphonse Ullva testifieth +in the story of Carolus' life, who would have set him forth in it +(as the story mentioneth) if the great want of money, by reason of +his long wars, had not caused him to surcease the same. + +And the King of Portugal, fearing lest the emperor would have +persevered in this his enterprise, gave him, to leave the matter +unattempted, the sum of 350,000 crowns; and it is to be supposed +that the King of Portugal would not have given to the emperor such +sums of money for eggs in moonshine. + +It hath been attempted by Corterialis the Portuguese, Scolmus the +Dane, and by Sebastian Cabot in the time of King Henry VII. + +And it hath been performed by the three brethren, the Indians +aforesaid, and by Urdaneta, the friar of Mexico. + +Also divers have proposed the like unto the French king, who hath +sent two or three times to have discovered the same; the discoverers +spending and consuming their victuals in searching the gulfs and +bays between Florida and Labrador, whereby the ice is broken to the +after-comers. + +So that the right way may now be easily found out in short time, and +that with little jeopardy and less expenses. + +For America is discovered so far towards the north as Cape Frido, +which is at 62 degrees, and that part of Greenland next adjoining is +known to stand but at 72 degrees; so that we have but 10 degrees to +sail north and south to put the world out of doubt hereof; and it is +likely that the King of Spain and the King of Portugal would not +have sat out all this while but that they are sure to possess to +themselves all that trade they now use, and fear to deal in this +discovery lest the Queen's Majesty, having so good opportunity, and +finding the commodity which thereby might ensue to the commonwealth, +would cut them off and enjoy the whole traffic to herself, and +thereby the Spaniards and Portuguese with their great charges should +beat the bush and other men catch the birds; which thing they +foreseeing, have commanded that no pilot of theirs, upon pain of +death, should seek to discover to the north-west, or plat out in any +sea-card any through passage that way by the north-west. + +Now, if you will impartially compare the hope that remaineth to +animate me to this enterprise with those likelihoods which Columbus +alleged before Ferdinando, the King of Castilia, to prove that there +were such islands in the West Ocean as were after by him and others +discovered, to the great commodity of Spain and all the world, you +will think then that this North-West Passage to be most worthy +travel therein. + +For Columbus had none of the West Islands set forth unto him either +in globe or card, neither yet once mentioned of any writer (Plato +excepted, and the commentaries upon the same) from 942 years before +Christ until that day. + +Moreover, Columbus himself had neither seen America nor any other of +the islands about it, neither understood he of them by the report of +any other that had seen them, but only comforted himself with this +hope, that the land had a beginning where the sea had an ending. +For as touching that which the Spaniards do write of a Biscaine +which should have taught him the way thither, it is thought to be +imagined of them to deprive Columbus of his honour, being none of +their countryman, but a stranger born. + +And if it were true of the Biscaine, yet did he but hit upon the +matter, or, at the least, gathered the knowledge of it by +conjectures only. + +And albeit myself have not seen this passage, or any part thereof, +but am ignorant of it as touching experience as Columbus was before +his attempt was made, yet have I both the report, relation, and +authority of divers most credible men, which have both seen and +passed through some and every part of this discovery, besides sundry +reasons for my assurance thereof, all which Columbus wanted. + +These things considered and impartially weighed together, with the +wonderful commodities which this discovery may bring, especially to +this realm of England, I must needs conclude with learned Baptista +Ramusius, and divers other learned men, who said that this discovery +hath been reserved for some noble prince or worthy man, thereby to +make himself rich, and the world happy: desiring you to accept in +good part this brief and simple discourse, written in haste, which, +if I may perceive that it shall not sufficiently satisfy you in this +behalf, I will then impart unto you a large discourse, which I have +written only of this discovery. + +And further, because it sufficeth not only to knew that such a thing +there is, without ability to perform the same, I will at leisure +make you partaker of another simple discourse of navigation, wherein +I have not a little travelled, to make myself as sufficient to bring +these things to effect as I have been ready to offer myself therein. + +And therein I have devised to amend the errors of usual sea-cards, +whose common fault is to make the degrees of longitude in every +latitude of one like bigness. + +And have also devised therein a spherical instrument, with a compass +of variation for the perfect knowing of the longitude. + +And a precise order to prick the sea-card, together with certain +infallible rules for the shortening of any discovery, to know at the +first entering of any strait whether it lies open to the ocean more +ways than one, how far soever the sea stretcheth itself into the +land. + +Desiring you hereafter never to mislike with me for the taking in +hand of any laudable and honest enterprise, for if, through pleasure +and idleness, we purchase shame, the pleasure vanisheth, but the +shame remaineth for ever. + +And therefore, to give me leave without offence always to live and +die in this mind, THAT HE IS NOT WORTHY TO LIVE AT ALL THAT FOR FEAR +OR DANGER OF DEATH SHUNNETH HIS COUNTRY'S SERVICE AND HIS OWN +HONOUR, seeing death is inevitable, and the fame of virtue immortal. +Wherefore, in this behalf, Mutare vel timere sperno. + + + + +CERTAIN OTHER REASONS OR ARGUMENTS TO PROVE A PASSAGE BY THE NORTH- +WEST +Learnedly written by Master Richard Willes, Gentleman. + + + +Four famous ways there be spoken of to those fruitful and wealthy +islands, which we do usually call Moluccas, continually haunted for +gain, and daily travelled for riches therein growing. These +islands, although they stand east from the meridian, distant almost +half the length of the world, in extreme heat under the equinoctial +line, possessed of infidels and barbarians, yet by our neighbours +great abundance of wealth there is painfully sought in respect of +the voyage dearly bought, and from thence dangerously brought home +to us. Our neighbours I call the Portuguese, in comparison of the +Molucchians for nearness unto us, for like situation westward as we +have for their usual trade with us; for that the far south- +easterings do know this part of Europe by no other name than +Portugal, not greatly acquainted as yet with the other nations +thereof. Their voyage is very well understood of all men, and the +south-eastern way round about Africa, by the Cape of Good Hope, more +spoken of, better known and travelled, than that it may seem needful +to discourse thereof any farther. + +The second way lieth south-west, between the West Indies, or South +America, and the south continent, through that narrow strait where +Magellan, first of all men that ever we do read of, passed these +latter years, caving thereunto therefore his name. This way, no +doubt, the Spaniards would commodiously take, for that it lieth near +unto their dominions there, could the eastern current and Levant +winds as easily suffer men to return as speedily therewith they may +be carried thither; for the which difficulty, or rather +impossibility of striving against the force both of wind and stream, +this passage is little or nothing used, although it be very well +known. + +The third way, by the north-east, beyond all Europe and Asia, that +worthy and renowned knight Sir Hugh Willoughbie sought to his peril, +enforced there to end his life for cold, congealed and frozen to +death. And, truly, this way consisteth rather in the imagination of +geographers than allowable either in reason, or approved by +experience, as well it may appear by the dangerous trending of the +Scythian Cape set by Ortellius under the 80th degree north, by the +unlikely sailing in that northern sea, always clad with ice and +snow, or at the least continually pestered therewith, if haply it be +at any time dissolved, beside bays and shelves, the water waxing +more shallow towards the east, to say nothing of the foul mists and +dark fogs in the cold clime, of the little power of the sun to clear +the air, of the uncomfortable nights, so near the Pole, five months +long. + +A fourth way to go unto these aforesaid happy islands, the Moluccas, +Sir Humphrey Gilbert, a learned and valiant knight, discourseth of +at large in his new "Passage to Cathay." The enterprise of itself +being virtuous, the fact must doubtless deserve high praise, and +whensoever it shall be finished the fruits thereof cannot be small; +where virtue is guide, there is fame a follower, and fortune a +companion. But the way is dangerous, the passage doubtful, the +voyage not thoroughly known, and therefore gainsaid by many, after +this manner. + +First, who can assure us of any passage rather by the north-west +than by the north-east? do not both ways lie in equal distance from +the North Pole? stand not the North Capes of either continent under +like elevation? is not the ocean sea beyond America farther distant +from our meridian by thirty or forty degrees west than the extreme +points of Cathay eastward, if Ortellius' general card of the world +be true? In the north-east that noble knight--Sir Hugh Willoughbie +perished for cold, and can you then promise a passenger any better +hap by the north-west, who hath gone for trial's sake, at any time, +this way out of Europe to Cathay? + +If you seek the advice herein of such as make profession in +cosmography, Ptolemy, the father of geography, and his eldest +children, will answer by their maps with a negative, concluding most +of the sea within the land, and making an end of the world +northward, near the 63rd degree. The same opinion, when learning +chiefly flourished, was received in the Romans' time, as by their +poets' writings it may appear. "Et te colet ultima Thule," said +Virgil, being of opinion that Iceland was the extreme part of the +world habitable toward the north. Joseph Moletius, an Italian, and +Mercator, a German, for knowledge men able to be compared with the +best geographers of our time, the one in his half spheres of the +whole world, the other in some of his great globes, have continued +the West Indies land, even to the North Pole, and consequently cut +off all passage by sea that way. + +The same doctors, Mercator in other of his globes and maps, Moletius +in his sea-card, nevertheless doubting of so great continuance of +the former continent, have opened a gulf betwixt the West Indies and +the extreme northern land; but such a one that either is not to be +travelled for the causes in the first objection alleged, or clean +shut up from us in Europe by Greenland, the south end whereof +Moletius maketh firm land with America, the north part continent +with Lapland and Norway. + +Thirdly, the greatest favourers of this voyage cannot deny but that, +if any such passage be, it lieth subject unto ice and snow for the +most part of the year, whereas it standeth in the edge of the frosty +zone. Before the sun hath warmed the air and dissolved the ice, +each one well knoweth that there can be no sailing; the ice once +broken through the continual abode, the sun maketh a certain season +in those parts. How shall it be possible for so weak a vessel as a +ship is to hold out amid whole islands, as it were, of ice +continually beating on each side, and at the mouth of that gulf, +issuing down furiously from the north, safely to pass, when whole +mountains of ice and snow shall be tumbled down upon her? + +Well, grant the West Indies not to continue continent unto the Pole, +grant there be a passage between these two lands, let the gulf lie +nearer us than commonly in cards we find it set, namely, between the +sixty-first and sixty-fourth degrees north, as Gemma Frisius in his +maps and globes imagineth it, and so left by our countryman +Sebastian Cabot in his table which the Earl of Bedford hath at +Theinies; let the way be void of all difficulties, yet doth it not +follow that we have free passage to Cathay. For example's sake, you +may coast all Norway, Finmarke, and Lapland, and then bow southward +to St. Nicholas, in Moscovy. You may likewise in the Mediterranean +Sea fetch Constantinople and the mouth of the Don, yet is there no +passage by sea through Moscovy into Pont Euxine, now called Mare +Maggiore. Again, in the aforesaid Mediterranean Sea we sail to +Alexandria in Egypt, the barbarians bring their pearl and spices +from the Moluccas up the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf to Suez, scarcely +three days' journey from the aforesaid haven; yet have we no way by +sea from Alexandria to the Moluccas for that isthmus or little trait +of land between the two seas. In like manner, although the northern +passage be free at sixty-one degrees latitude, and the west ocean +beyond America, usually called Mare del Sur, known to be open at +forty degrees elevation for the island of Japan, yea, three hundred +leagues northerly of Japan, yet may there be land to hinder the +through passage that way by sea, as in the examples aforesaid it +falleth out, Asia and America there being joined together in one +continent. Nor can this opinion seem altogether frivolous unto any +one that diligently peruseth our cosmographers' doings. Josephus +Moletius is of that mind, not only in his plain hemispheres of the +world, but also in his sea-card. The French geographers in like +manner be of the same opinion, as by their map cut out in form of a +heart you may perceive as though the West Indies were part of Asia, +which sentence well agreeth with that old conclusion in the schools, +Quid-quid praeter Africum et Europam est, Asia est, "Whatsoever land +doth neither appertain unto Africa nor to Europe is part of Asia." + +Furthermore, it were to small purpose to make so long, so painful, +so doubtful a voyage by such a new found way, if in Cathay you +should neither be suffered to land for silks and silver, nor able to +fetch the Molucca spices and pearl for piracy in those seas. Of a +law denying all aliens to enter into China, and forbidding all the +inhabiters under a great penalty to let in any stranger into those +countries, shall you read in the report of Galeotto Petera, there +imprisoned with other Portuguese, as also in the Japanese letters, +how for that cause the worthy traveller Xavierus bargained with a +barbarian merchant for a great sum of pepper to be brought into +Canton, a port in Cathay. The great and dangerous piracy used in +those seas no man can be ignorant of that listeth to read the +Japanese and Indian history. + +Finally, all this great labour would be lost, all these charges +spent in vain, if in the end our travellers might not be able to +return again, and bring safely home into their own native country +that wealth and riches they in foreign regions with adventure of +goods and danger of their lives have sought for. By the north-east +there is no way; the South-East Passage the Portuguese do hold, as +the lords of those seas. At the south-west, Magellan's experience +hath partly taught us, and partly we are persuaded by reason, how +the eastern current striketh so furiously on that strait, and +falleth with such force into that narrow gulf, that hardly any ship +can return that way into our west ocean out of Mare del Sur. The +which, if it be true, as truly it is, then we may say that the +aforesaid eastern current, or Levant course of waters, continually +following after the heavenly motions, loseth not altogether its +force, but is doubled rather by another current from out the north- +east, in the passage between America and the North Land, whither it +is of necessity carried, having none other way to maintain itself in +circular motion, and consequently the force and fury thereof to be +no less in the Strait of Anian, where it striketh south into Mare +del Sur beyond America (if any such strait of sea there be), than in +the strait of Magellan, both straits being of like breadth, as in +Belognine Salterius' table of "New France," and in Don Diego Hermano +de Toledo's card for navigation in that region, we do find precisely +set down. + +Nevertheless, to approve that there lieth a way to Cathay at the +north-west from out of Europe, we have experience, namely of three +brethren that went that journey, as Gemma Frisius recordeth, and +left a name unto that strait, whereby now it is called Fretum Trium +Fratrum. We do read again of a Portuguese that passed this strait, +of whom Master Frobisher speaketh, that was imprisoned therefore +many years in Lisbon, to verify the old Spanish proverb, "I suffer +for doing well." Likewise, An. Urdaneta, a friar of Mexico, came +out of Mare del Sur this way into Germany; his card, for he was a +great discoverer, made by his own experience and travel in that +voyage, hath been seen by gentlemen of good credit. + +Now if the observation and remembrance of things breedeth +experience, and of experience proceedeth art, and the certain +knowledge we have in all faculties, as the best philosophers that +ever were do affirm truly the voyage of these aforesaid travellers +that have gone out of Europe into Mare del Sur, and returned thence +at the north-west, do most evidently conclude that way to be +navigable, and that passage free; so much the more we are so to +think, for that the first principle and chief ground in all +geography, as Ptolemy saith, is the history of travel, that is, +reports made by travellers skilful in geography and astronomy, of +all such things in their journey as to geography do belong. It only +remaineth, that we now answer to those arguments that seemed to make +against this former conclusion. + +The first objection is of no force, that general table of the world, +set forth by Ortellius or Mercator, for it greatly skilleth not, +being unskilfully drawn for that point, as manifestly it may appear +unto any one that compareth the same with Gemma Frisius' universal +map, with his round quartered card, with his globe, with Sebastian +Cabot's table, and Ortellius' general map alone, worthily preferred +in this case before all Mercator's and Ortellius' other doings: for +that Cabot was not only a skilful seaman, but a long traveller, and +such a one as entered personally that strait, sent by King Henry +VII. to make this aforesaid discovery, as in his own discourse of +navigation you may read in his card drawn with his own hand, that +the mouth of the north-western strait lieth near the 318th meridian, +between 61 and 64 degrees in the elevation, continuing the same +breadth about ten degrees west, where it openeth southerly more and +more, until it come under the tropic of Cancer; and so runneth into +Mare del Sur, at the least 18 degrees more in breadth there than it +was where it first began; otherwise I could as well imagine this +passage to be more unlikely than the voyage to Moscovy, and more +impossible than it for the far situation and continuance thereof in +the frosty clime: as now I can affirm it to be very possible and +most likely in comparison thereof, for that it neither coasteth so +far north as the Moscovian passage doth, neither is this strait so +long as that, before it bow down southerly towards the sun again. + +The second argument concludeth nothing. Ptolemy knew not what was +above 16 degrees south beyond the equinoctial line, he was ignorant +of all passages northward from the elevation of 63 degrees, he knew +no ocean sea beyond Asia, yet have the Portuguese trended the Cape +of Good Hope at the south point of Africa, and travelled to Japan, +an island in the east ocean, between Asia and America; our merchants +in the time of King Edward the Sixth discovered the Moscovian +passage farther north than Thule, and showed Greenland not to be +continent with Lapland and Norway: the like our north-western +travellers have done, declaring by their navigation that way the +ignorance of all cosmographers that either do join Greenland with +America, or continue the West Indies with that frosty region under +the North Pole. As for Virgil, he sang according to the knowledge +of men in his time, as another poet did of the hot zone. + +Quarum quae media est, non est habitabilis aestu. Imagining, as +most men then did, Zonam Torridam, the hot zone, to be altogether +dishabited for heat, though presently we know many famous and worthy +kingdoms and cities in that part of the earth, and the island of S. +Thomas near Ethiopia, and the wealthy islands for the which chiefly +all these voyages are taken in hand, to be inhabited even under the +equinoctial line. + +To answer the third objection, besides Cabot and all other +travellers' navigations, the only credit of Master Frobisher may +suffice, who lately, through all these islands of ice and mountains +of snow, passed that way, even beyond the gulf that tumbleth down +from the north, and in some places, though he drew one inch thick +ice, as he returning in August did, came home safely again. + +The fourth argument is altogether frivolous and vain, for neither is +there any isthmus or strait of land between America and Asia, nor +can these two lands jointly be one continent. The first part of my +answer is manifestly allowed by Homer, whom that excellent +geographer, Strabo, followeth, yielding him in this faculty the +prize. The author of that book likewise On the Universe to +Alexander, attributed unto Aristotle, is of the same opinion that +Homer and Strabo be of, in two or three places. Dionysius, in his +Periegesis, hath this verse, "So doeth the ocean sea run round about +the world:" speaking only of Europe, Africa, and Asia, as then Asia +was travelled and known. With these doctors may you join Pomponius +Mela, Pliny, Pius, in his description of Asia. All the which +writers do no less confirm the whole eastern side of Asia to be +compassed about with the sea; then Plato doth affirm in is Timaeus, +under the name Atlantis, the West Indies to be an island, as in a +special discourse thereof R. Eden writeth, agreeable unto the +sentence of Proclus, Marsilius Ficinus, and others. Out of Plato it +is gathered that America is an island. Homer, Strabo, Aristotle, +Dionysius, Mela, Pliny, Pius, affirm the continent of Asia, Africa, +and Europe, to be environed with the ocean. I may therefore boldly +say (though later intelligences thereof had we none at all) that +Asia and the West Indies be not tied together by any isthmus or +strait of land, contrary to the opinion of some new cosmographers, +by whom doubtfully this matter hath been brought in controversy. +And thus much for the first part of my answer unto the fourth +objection. + +The second part, namely, that America and Asia cannot be one +continent, may thus be proved:- "The most rivers take down that way +their course, where the earth is most hollow and deep," writeth +Aristotle; and the sea (saith he in the same place), as it goeth +further, so is it found deeper. Into what gulf do the Moscovian +rivers Onega, Dwina, Ob, pour out their streams? northward out of +Moscovy into the sea. Which way doth that sea strike? The south is +main land, the eastern coast waxeth more and more shallow: from the +north, either naturally, because that part of the earth is higher, +or of necessity, for that the forcible influence of some northern +stars causeth the earth there to shake off the sea, as some +philosophers do think; or, finally, for the great store of waters +engendered in that frosty and cold climate, that the banks are not +able to hold them. From the north, I say, continually falleth down +great abundance of water; so this north-eastern current must at the +length abruptly bow toward us south on the west side of Finmark and +Norway, or else strike down south-west above Greenland, or betwixt +Greenland and Iceland, into the north-west strait we speak of, as of +congruence it doth, if you mark the situation of that region, and by +the report of Master Frobisher experience teacheth us. And, Master +Frobisher, the further he travelled in the former passage, as he +told me, the deeper always he found the sea. Lay you now the sum +hereof together, the rivers run where the channels are most hollow, +the sea in taking his course waxeth deeper, the sea waters fall +continually from the north southward, the north-eastern current +striketh down into the strait we speak of and is there augmented +with whole mountains of ice and snow falling down furiously out from +the land under the North Pole. Where store of water is, there is it +a thing impossible to want sea; where sea not only doth not want, +but waxeth deeper, there can be discovered no land. Finally, whence +I pray you came the contrary tide, that Master Frobisher met withal, +after that he had sailed no small way in that passage, if there be +any isthmus or strait of land betwixt the aforesaid north-western +gulf and Mare del Sur, to join Asia and America together? That +conclusion arrived at in the schools, "Whatsoever land doth neither +appertain unto Africa, nor to Europe, is part of Asia," was meant of +the parts of the world then known, and so is it of right to be +understood. + +The fifth objection requireth for answer wisdom and policy in the +traveller to win the barbarians' favour by some good means; and so +to arm and strengthen himself, that when he shall have the repulse +in one coast, he may safely travel to another, commodiously taking +his convenient times, and discreetly making choice of them with whom +he will thoroughly deal. To force a violent entry would for us +Englishmen be very hard, considering the strength and valour of so +great a nation, far distant from us, and the attempt thereof might +be most perilous unto the doers, unless their park were very good. + +Touching their laws against strangers, you shall read nevertheless +in the same relations of Galeotto Perera, that the Cathaian king is +wont to grant free access unto all foreigners that trade into his +country for merchandise, and a place of liberty for them to remain +in; as the Moors had, until such time as they had brought the Loutea +or Lieutenant of that coast to be a circumcised Saracen: wherefore +some of them were put to the sword, the rest were scattered abroad; +at Fuquien, a great city in China, certain of them are yet this day +to be seen. As for the Japanese, they be most desirous to be +acquainted with strangers. The Portuguese, though they were +straitly handled there at the first, yet in the end they found great +favour at the prince's hands, insomuch that the Loutea or President +that misused them was therefore put to death. The rude Indian canoe +voyageth in those seas, the Portuguese, the Saracens, and Moors +travel continually up and down that reach from Japan to China, from +China to Malacca, from Malacca to the Moluccas, and shall an +Englishman better appointed than any of them all (that I say no more +of our navy) fear to sail in that ocean? what seat at all do want +piracy? what navigation is there void of peril? + +To the last argument our travellers need not to seek their return by +the north-east, neither shall they be constrained, except they list, +either to attempt Magellan's strait at the south-west, or to be in +danger of the Portuguese on the south-east; they may return by the +north-west, that same way they do go forth, as experience hath +showed. + +The reason alleged for proof of the contrary may be disposed after +this manner: And first, it may be called in controversy, whether +any current continually be forced by the motion of primum mobile, +round about the world or no; for learned men do diversely handle +that question. The natural course of all waters is downward, +wherefore of congruence they fall that way where they find the earth +most low and deep: in respect whereof, it was erst said, the seas +do strike from the northern lands southerly. Violently the seas are +tossed and troubled divers ways with the winds, increased and +diminished by the course of the moon, hoisted up and down through +the sundry operations of the sun and the stars: finally, some be of +opinion that the seas be carried in part violently about the world, +after the daily motion of the highest movable heaven, in like manner +as the elements of air and fire, with the rest of the heavenly +spheres, are from the east unto the west. And this they do call +their eastern current, or Levant stream. Some such current may not +be denied to be of great force in the hot zone, for the nearness +thereof unto the centre of the sun, and blustering eastern winds +violently driving the seas westward; howbeit in the temperate climes +the sun being farther off, and the winds more diverse, blowing as +much from the north, the west, and south, as from the east, this +rule doth not effectually withhold us from travelling eastwards, +neither be we kept ever back by the aforesaid Levant winds and +stream. But in Magellan strait we are violently driven back +westward, ergo through the north-western strait or Anian frith shall +we not be able to return eastward: it followeth not. The first, +for that the north-western strait hath more sea room at the least by +one hundred English miles than Magellan's strait hath, the only want +whereof causeth all narrow passages generally to be most violent. +So would I say in the Anian Gulf, if it were so narrow as Don Diego +and Zalterius have painted it out, any return that way to be full of +difficulties, in respect of such straitness thereof, not for the +nearness of the sun or eastern winds, violently forcing that way any +Levant stream; but in that place there is more sea room by many +degrees, if the cards of Cabot and Gemma Frisius, and that which +Tramezine imprinted, be true. + +And hitherto reasons see I none at all, but that I may as well give +credit unto their doings as to any of the rest. It must be +Peregrinationis historia, that is, true reports of skilful +travellers, as Ptolemy writeth, that in such controversies of +geography must put us out of doubt. Ortellius, in his universal +tables, in his particular maps of the West Indies, of all Asia, of +the northern kingdoms, of the East Indies; Mercator in some of his +globes and general maps of the world, Moletius in his universal +table of the Globe divided, in his sea-card and particular tables of +the East Indies Zanterius and Don Diego with Fernando Bertely, and +others, do so much differ both from Gemma Frisius and Cabot among +themselves, and in divers places from themselves, concerning the +divers situation and sundry limits of America, that one may not so +rashly as truly surmise these men either to be ignorant in those +points touching the aforesaid region, or that the maps they have +given out unto the world were collected only by them, and never of +their own drawing. + + + +THE FIRST VOYAGE OF MASTER MARTIN FROBISHER +To the North-West for the search of the passage or strait to China, +written by Christopher Hall, and made in the year of our Lord 1576. + + + +Upon Monday, the thirteenth of May, the barque Gabriel was launched +at Redriffe, and upon the twenty-seventh day following she sailed +from Redriffe to Ratcliffe. + +The seventh of June being Thursday, the two barques, viz., the +Gabriel and the Michael, and our pinnace, set sail at Ratcliffe, and +bare down to Deptford, and there we anchored. The cause was, that +our pinnace burst her bowsprit and foremast aboard of a ship that +rowed at Deptford, else we meant to have passed that day by the +court, then at Greenwich. + +The eighth day being Friday, about twelve o'clock, we weighed at +Deptford and set sail all three of us and bare down by the court, +where we shot off our ordinance, and made the best show we could; +her Majesty beholding the same commended it, and bade us farewell +with shaking her hand at us out of the window. Afterwards she sent +a gentleman aboard of us, who declared that her Majesty had good +liking of our doings, and thanked us for it, and also willed our +captain to come the next day to the court to take his leave of her. + +The same day, towards night, Master Secretary Woolley came aboard of +us, and declared to the company that her Majesty had appointed him +to give them charge to be obedient, and diligent to their captain +and governors in all things, and wished us happy success. + +The ninth day about noon, the wind being westerly, having our +anchors aboard ready to set sail to depart, we wanted some of our +company, and therefore stayed and moored them again. + +Sunday, the tenth of June, we set sail from Blackwall at a south- +west and by west sun, the wind being at north-north-west, and sailed +to Gravesend, and anchored there at a west-north-west sun, the wind +being as before. + +The twelfth day, being over against Gravesend, by the Castle or +Blockhouse, we observed the latitude, which was 51 degrees 33 +minutes, and in that place the variation of the compass is 11 +degrees and a half. This day we departed from Gravesend at a west- +south-west sun, the wind at north and by east a fair gale, and +sailed to the west part of Tilbury Hope, and so turned down the +Hope, and at a west sun the wind came to the east-south-east, and we +anchored in seven fathoms, being low water. + +[Here there follows an abstract of the ship's log, showing the +navigation until the 28th of July, when they had sight of land +supposed to be Labrador.] + +July 28th. From 4 to 8, 4 leagues: from 8. to 12, 3 leagues: from +12 to 4, north and by west, 6 leagues, but very foggy; from thence +to 8 of the clock in the morning little wind, but at the clearing up +of the fog we had sight of land, which I supposed to be Labrador, +with great store of ice about the land; I ran in towards it, and +sounded, but could get no land at 100 fathoms, and the ice being so +thick I could not get to the shore, and so lay off and came clear of +the ice. Upon Monday we came within a mile of the shore, and sought +a harbour; all the sound was full of ice, and our boat rowing ashore +could get no ground at 100 fathom, within a cable's length of the +shore; then we sailed east-north-east along the shore, for so the +land lieth, and the current is there great, setting north-east and +south-west; and if we could have gotten anchor ground we would have +seen with what force it had run, but I judge a ship may drive a +league and a half in one hour with that tide. + +This day, at four of the clock in the morning, being fair and clear, +we had sight of a headland as we judged bearing from us north and by +east, and we sailed north-east and by north to that land, and when +we came thither we could not get to the land for ice, for the ice +stretched along the coast, so that we could not come to the land by +5 leagues. + +Wednesday, the first of August, it calmed, and in the afternoon I +caused my boat to be hoisted out, being hard by a great island of +ice, and I and four men rowed to that ice, and sounded within two +cables' length of it, and had 16 fathoms and little stones, and +after that sounded again within a minion's shot, and had ground at +100 fathoms, and fair sand. We sounded the next day a quarter of a +mile from it, and had 60 fathoms rough ground, and at that present +being aboard, that great island of ice fell one part from another, +making a noise as if a great cliff had fallen into the sea. And at +4 of the clock I sounded again, and had 90 fathoms, and small black +stones, and little white stones like pearls. The tide here did set +to the shore. + +We sailed this day south-south-east ofward, and laid it a tric. + +The next day was calm and thick, with a great sea. + +The next day we sailed south and by east two leagues, and at 8 of +the clock in the forenoon we cast about to the eastward. + +The sixth day it cleared, and we ran north-west into the shore to +get a harbour, and being towards night, we notwithstanding kept at +sea. + +The seventh day we plied room with the shore, but being near it it +waxed thick, and we bare off again. + +The eighth day we bended in towards the shore again. + +The ninth day we sounded, but could get no ground at 130 fathoms. +The weather was calm. + +The tenth I took four men and myself, and rode to shore, to an +island one league from the main, and there the flood setteth south- +west along the shore, and it floweth as near as I could judge so +too. I could not tarry to prove it, because the ship was a great +way from me, and I feared a fog; but when I came ashore it was low +water. I went to the top of the islands and before I came back it +was hied a foot water, and so without tarrying I came aboard. + +The eleventh we found our latitude to be 63 degrees and 8 minutes, +and this day entered the strait. + +The twelfth we set sail towards an island called the Gabriel's +Island, which was 10 leagues then from us. + +We espied a sound, and bare with it, and came to a sandy bay, where +we came to an anchor, the land bearing east-south-east of us, and +there we rode all night in 8 fathom water. It floweth there at a +south-east moon; we called it Prior's Sound, being from the +Gabriel's Island 10 leagues. + +The fourteenth we weighed and ran into another sound, where we +anchored in 8 fathoms water, fair sand, and black ooze, and there +caulked our ship, being weak from the gunwales upward, and took in +fresh water. + +The fifteenth day we weighed, and sailed to Prior's Bay, being a +mile from thence. + +The sixteenth day was calm, and we rode still without ice, but +presently within two hours it was frozen round about the ship, a +quarter of an inch thick, and that bay very fair and calm. + +The seventeenth day we weighed, and came to Thomas William's Island. + +The eighteenth day we sailed north-north-west and anchored again in +23 fathoms, and caught ooze under Bircher's Island, which is from +the former island 10 leagues. + +The nineteenth day in the morning, being calm, and no wind, the +captain and I took our boat, with eight men in her, to row us +ashore, to see if there were there any people, or no, and going to +the top of the island, we had sight of seven boats, which came +rowing from the east side toward that island; whereupon we returned +aboard again. At length we sent our boat, with five men in her, to +see whither they rowed, and so with a white cloth brought one of +their boats with their men along the shore, rowing after our boat, +till such time as they saw our ship, and then they rowed ashore. +Then I went on shore myself, and gave every of them a threaden +point, and brought one of them aboard of me, where he did eat and +drink, and then carried him on shore again. Whereupon all the rest +came aboard with their boats, being nineteen persons, and they +spake, but we understood them not. They be like to Tartars, with +long black hair, broad faces, and flat noses, and tawny in colour, +wearing seal skins, and so do the women, not differing in the +fashion, but the women are marked in the face with blue streaks down +the cheeks and round about the eyes. Their boats are made all of +seal skins, with a keel of wood within the skin: the proportion of +them is like a Spanish shallop, save only they be flat in the bottom +and sharp at both ends. + +The twentieth day we weighed, and went to the east side of this +island, and I and the captain, with four men more, went on shore, +and there we saw their houses, and the people espying us, came +rowing towards our boat, whereupon we plied to our boat; and we +being in our boat and they ashore, they called to us, and we rowed +to them, and one of their company came into our boat, and we carried +him aboard, and gave him a bell and a knife; so the captain and I +willed five of our men to set him ashore at a rock, and not among +the company which they came from, but their wilfulness was such that +they would go to them, and so were taken themselves and our boat +lost. + +The next day in the morning we stood in near the shore and shot off +a fauconet, and sounded our trumpet, but we could hear nothing of +our men. This sound we called the Five Men's Sound, and plied out +of it, but anchored again in 30 fathoms and ooze; and riding there +all night, in the morning the snow lay a foot thick upon our +hatches. + +The two-and-twentieth day in the morning we weighed, and went again +to the place where we lost our men and our boat. We had sight of +fourteen boats, and some came near to us, but we could learn nothing +of our men. Among the rest, we enticed one in a boat to our ship's +side with a bell; and in giving him the bell we took him and his +boat, and so kept him, and so rowed down to Thomas William's island, +and there anchored all night. + +The twenty-sixth day we weighed to come homeward, and by twelve of +the clock at noon we were thwart of Trumpet's Island. + +The next day we came thwart of Gabriel's Island, and at eight of the +clock at night we had the Cape Labrador west from us ten leagues. + +The twenty-eighth day we went our course south-east. + +We sailed south-east and by east, twenty-two leagues. + +The first day of September, in the morning, we had sight of the land +of Friesland, being eight leagues from us, but we could not come +nearer it for the monstrous ice that lay about it. From this day +till the sixth of this month we ran along Iceland, and had the south +part of it at eight of the clock east from us ten leagues. + +The seventh day of this month we had a very terrible storm, by force +whereof one of our men was blown into the sea out of our waste, but +he caught hold of the foresail sheet, and there held till the +captain plucked him again into the ship. + +The twenty-fifth day of this month we had sight of the island of +Orkney, which was then east from us. + +The first day of October we had sight of the Sheld, and so sailed +along the coast, and anchored at Yarmouth, and the next day we came +into Harwich. + +THE LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE OF META INCOGNITA. + + + +Argotteyt, a hand. Attegay, a coat. +Cangnawe, a nose. Polleuetagay, a knife. +Arered, an eye. Accaskay, a ship. +Keiotot, a tooth. Coblone, a thumb. +Mutchatet, the head. Teckkere, the foremost finger. +Chewat, an ear. Ketteckle, the middle finger. +Comagaye, a leg. Mekellacane, the fourth finger. +Atoniagay, a foot. +Callagay, a pair of breeches. Yachethronc, the little finger. + + + +THE SECOND VOYAGE OF MASTER MARTIN FROBISHER, +Made to the West and North-West Regions in the year 1577, with a +Description of the Country and People, written by Dionise Settle. + + + +On Whit Sunday, being the sixth-and-twentieth day of May, in the +year of our Lord God 1577, Captain Frobisher departed from +Blackwall--with one of the Queen's Majesty's ships called the Aid, +of nine score ton or thereabout, and two other little barques +likewise, the one called the Gabriel, whereof Master Fenton, a +gentleman of my Lord of Warwick's, was captain; and the other the +Michael, whereof Master York, a gentleman of my lord admiral's, was +captain, accompanied with seven score gentlemen, soldiers, and +sailors, well furnished with victuals and other provisions necessary +for one half year--on this, his second year, for the further +discovering of the passage to Cathay and other countries thereunto +adjacent, by west and north-west navigations, which passage or way +is supposed to be on the north and north-west parts of America, and +the said America to be an island environed with the sea, where +through our merchants might have course and recourse with their +merchandise from these our northernmost parts of Europe, to those +Oriental coasts of Asia in much shorter time and with greater +benefit than any others, to their no little commodity and profit +that do or shall traffic the same. Our said captain and general of +this present voyage and company, having the year before, with two +little pinnaces to his great danger, and no small commendations, +given a worthy attempt towards the performance thereof, is also +pressed when occasion shall be ministered to the benefit of his +prince and native country--to adventure himself further therein. As +for this second voyage, it seemeth sufficient that he hath better +explored and searched the commodities of those people and countries, +with sufficient commodity unto the adventurers, which, in his first +voyage the year before, he had found out. + +Upon which considerations the day and year before expressed, he +departed from Blackwall to Harwich, where making an accomplishment +of things necessary, the last of May we hoisted up sails, and with a +merry wind the 7th of June we arrived at the islands called +Orchades, or vulgarly Orkney, being in number thirty, subject and +adjacent to Scotland, where we made provision of fresh water, in the +doing whereof our general licensed the gentlemen and soldiers, for +their recreation, to go on shore. At our landing the people fled +from their poor cottages with shrieks and alarms, to warn their +neighbours of enemies, but by gentle persuasions we reclaimed them +to their houses. It seemeth they are often frighted with pirates, +or some other enemies, that move them to such sudden fear. Their +houses are very simply builded with pebble stone, without any +chimneys, the fire being made in the midst thereof. The good man, +wife, children, and other of their family, eat and sleep on the one +side of the house, and their cattle on the other, very beastly and +rudely in respect of civilisation. They are destitute of wood, +their fire is turf and cow shardes. They have corn, bigge, and +oats, with which they pay their king's rent to the maintenance of +his house. They take great quantity of fish, which they dry in the +wind and sun; they dress their meat very filthily, and eat it +without salt. Their apparel is after the nudest sort of Scotland. +Their money is all base. Their Church and religion is reformed +according to the Scots. The fishermen of England can better declare +the dispositions of those people than I, wherefore I remit other +their usages to their reports, as yearly repairers thither in their +courses to and from Iceland for fish. + +We departed here hence the 8th of June, and followed our course +between west and north-west until the 4th of July, all which time we +had no night, but that easily, and without any impediment, we had, +when we were so disposed, the fruition of our books, and other +pleasures to pass away the time, a thing of no small moment to such +as wander in unknown seas and long navigations, especially when both +the winds and raging surges do pass their common and wonted course. +This benefit endureth in those parts not six weeks, whilst the sun +is near the tropic of Cancer, but where the pole is raised to 70 or +80 degrees it continueth the longer. + +All along these seas, after we were six days sailing from Orkney, we +met, floating in the sea, great fir trees, which, as we judged, +were, with the fury of great floods, rooted up, and so driven into +the sea. Iceland hath almost no other wood nor fuel but such as +they take up upon their coasts. It seemeth that these trees are +driven from some part of the Newfoundland, with the current that +setteth from the west to the east. + +The 4th of July we came within the making of Friesland. From this +shore, ten or twelve leagues, we met great islands of ice of half a +mile, some more, some less in compass, showing above the sea thirty +or forty fathoms, and as we supposed fast on ground, where, with our +lead, we could scarce sound the bottom for depth. + +Here, in place of odoriferous and fragrant smells of sweet gums and +pleasant notes of musical birds, which other countries in more +temperate zones do yield, we tasted the most boisterous Boreal +blasts, mixed with snow and hail, in the months of June and July, +nothing inferior to our untemperate winter: a sudden alteration, +and especially in a place of parallel, where the pole is not +elevated above 61 degrees, at which height other countries more to +the north, yea unto 70 degrees, show themselves more temperate than +this doth. All along this coast ice lieth as a continual bulwark, +and so defendeth the country, that those which would land there +incur great danger. Our general, three days together, attempted +with the ship boat to have gone on shore, which, for that without +great danger he could not accomplish, he deferred it until a more +convenient time. All along the coast lie very high mountains, +covered with snow, except in such places where, through the +steepness of the mountains, of force it must needs fall. Four days +coasting along this land we found no sign of habitation. Little +birds which we judged to have lost the shore, by reason of thick +fogs which that country is much subject unto, came flying to our +ships, which causeth us to suppose that the country is both more +tolerable and also habitable within than the outward shore maketh +show or signification. + +From hence we departed the 8th of July, and the 16th of the same we +came with the making of land, which land our general the year before +had named the Queen's Forehand, being an island, as we judge, lying +near the supposed continent with America, and on the other side, +opposite to the same, one other island, called Halles Isle, after +the name of the master of the ship, near adjacent to the firm land, +supposed continent with Asia. Between the which two islands there +is a large entrance or strait, called Frobisher's Strait, after the +name of our general, the first finder thereof. This said strait is +supposed to have passage into the sea of Sur, which I leave unknown +as yet. + +It seemeth that either here, or not far hence, the sea should have +more large entrance than in other parts within the frozen or +untemperate zone, and that some contrary tide, either from the east +or west, with main force casteth out that great quantity of ice +which cometh floating from this coast, even unto Friesland, causing +that country to seem more untemperate than others much more +northerly than the same. + +I cannot judge that any temperature under the Pole, being the time +of the Sun's northern declination, half a year together, and one +whole day (considering that the sun's elevation surmounteth not +twenty-three degrees and thirty minutes), can have power to dissolve +such monstrous and huge ice, comparable to great mountains, except +by some other force, as by swift currents and tides, with the help +of the said day of half a year. + +Before we came within the making of these lands, we tasted cold +storms, insomuch that it seemed we had changed with winter, if the +length of the days had not removed us from that opinion. + +At our first coming, the straits seemed to be shut up with a long +mure of ice, which gave no little cause of discomfort unto us all; +but our general (to whose diligence, imminent dangers and difficult +attempts seemed nothing in respect of his willing mind for the +commodity of his prince and country), with two little pinnaces +prepared of purpose, passed twice through them to the east shore, +and the islands thereunto adjacent; and the ship, with the two +barques, lay off and on something farther into the sea from the +danger of the ice. + +Whilst he was searching the country near the shore, some of the +people of the country showed themselves, leaping and dancing, with +strange shrieks and cries, which gave no little admiration to our +men. Our general, desirous to allure them unto him by fair means, +caused knives and other things to be proffered unto them, which they +would not take at our hands; but being laid on the ground, and the +party going away, they came and took up, leaving something of theirs +to countervail the same. At the length, two them, leaving their +weapons, came down to our general and master, who did the like to +them, commanding the company to stay, and went unto them, who, after +certain dumb signs and mute congratulations, began to lay hands upon +them, but they deliverly escaped, and ran to their bows and arrows +and came fiercely upon them, not respecting the rest of our company, +which were ready for their defence, but with their arrows hurt +divers of them. We took the one, and the other escaped. + +Whilst our general was busied in searching the country, and those +islands adjacent on the east shore, the ships and barques, having +great care not to put far into the sea from him, for that he had +small store of victuals, were forced to abide in a cruel tempest, +chancing in the night amongst and in the thickest of the ice, which +was so monstrous that even the least of a thousand had been of force +sufficient to have shivered our ship and barques into small +portions, if God (who in all necessities hath care upon the +infirmity of man) had not provided for this our extremity a +sufficient remedy, through the light of the night, whereby we might +well discern to flee from such imminent dangers, which we avoided +within fourteen bourdes in one watch, the space of four hours. If +we had not incurred this danger amongst these monstrous islands of +ice, we should have lost our general and master, and the most of our +best sailors, which were on the shore destitute of victuals; but by +the valour of our master gunner, Master Jackman and Andrew Dier, the +master's mates, men expert both in navigation and other good +qualities, we were all content to incur the dangers afore rehearsed, +before we would, with our own safety, run into the seas, to the +destruction of our said general and his company. + +The day following, being the 19th of July, our captain returned to +the ship with good news of great riches, which showed itself in the +bowels of those barren mountains, wherewith we were all satisfied. +A sudden mutation. The one part of us being almost swallowed up the +night before, with cruel Neptune's force, and the rest on shore, +taking thought for their greedy paunches how to find the way to +Newfoundland; at one moment we were racked with joy, forgetting both +where we were and what we had suffered. Behold the glory of man: +to-night contemning riches, and rather looking for death than +otherwise, and to-morrow devising how to satisfy his greedy appetite +with gold. + +Within four days after we had been at the entrance of the straits, +the north-west and west winds dispersed the ice into the sea, and +made us a large entrance into the Straits, that without impediment, +on the 19th July, we entered them; and the 20th thereof our general +and master, with great diligence, sought out and sounded the west +shore, and found out a fair harbour for the ship and barques to ride +in, and named it after our master's mate, Jackman's Sound, and +brought the ship, barques, and all their company to safe anchor, +except one man which died by God's visitation. + +At our first arrival, after the ship rode at anchor, general, with +such company as could well be spared from the ships, in marching +order entered the land, having special care by exhortations that at +our entrance thereinto we should all with one voice, kneeling upon +our knees, chiefly thank God for our safe arrival; secondly, beseech +Him that it would please His Divine Majesty long to continue our +Queen, for whom he, and all the rest of our company, in this order +took possession of the country; and thirdly, that by our Christian +study and endeavour, those barbarous people, trained up in paganry +and infidelity, might be reduced to the knowledge of true religion, +and to the hope of salvation in Christ our Redeemer, with other +words very apt to signify his willing mind and affection towards his +prince and country, whereby all suspicion of an undutiful subject +may credibly be judged to be utterly exempted from his mind. All +the rest of the gentlemen, and others, deserve worthily herein their +due praise and commendation. + +These things in order accomplished, our general commanded all the +company to be obedient in things needful for our own safeguard to +Master Fenton, Master Yorke, and Master Beast, his lieutenant, while +he was occupied in other necessary affairs concerning our coming +thither. + +After this order we marched through the country, with ensign +displayed, so far as was thought needful, and now and then heaped up +stones on high mountains and other places, in token of possession, +as likewise to signify unto such as hereafter may chance to arrive +there that possession is taken in the behalf of some other prince by +those which first found out the country. + +Whose maketh navigation to these countries hath not only extreme +winds and furious seas to encounter withal, but also many monstrous +and great islands of ice: a thing both rare, wonderful, and greatly +to be regarded. + +We were forced sundry times, while the ship did ride here at anchor, +to have continual watch, with boats and men ready with hawsers, to +knit fast unto such ice which with the ebb and flood were tossed to +and fro in the harbour, and with force of oars to hail them away, +for endangering the ship. + +Our general certain days searched this supposed continent with +America, and not finding the commodity to answer his expectations, +after he had made trial thereof, he departed thence, with two little +barques, and men sufficient, to the east shore, being he supposed +continent of Asia, and left the ship, with most of the gentlemen +soldiers and sailors, until such time as he either thought good to +send or come for them. + +The stones on this supposed continent with America be altogether +sparkled and glister in the sun like gold; so likewise doth the sand +in the bright water, yet they verify the old proverb, "All is not +gold that glistereth." + +On this west shore we found a dead fish floating, which had in his +nose a horn, straight and torquet, of length two yards lacking two +inches, being broken in the top, where we might perceive it hollow, +into which some of our sailors putting spiders they presently died. +I saw not the trial hereof, but it was reported unto me of a truth, +by the virtue whereof we supposed it to be the sea unicorn. + +After our general had found out good harbour for the ship and +barques to anchor in, and also such store of gold ore as he thought +himself satisfied withal, he returned to the Michael, whereof Master +Yorke aforesaid was captain, accompanied with our master and his +mate, who coasting along the west shore, not far from whence the +ship rode, they perceived a fair harbour, and willing to sound the +same, at the entrance thereof they espied two tents of seal skins, +unto which the captain, our said master, and other company resorted. +At the sight of our men the people fled into the mountains; +nevertheless, they went to their tents, where, leaving certain +trifles of ours as glasses, bells, knives, and such like things, +they departed, not taking anything of theirs except one dog. They +did in like manner leave behind them a letter, pen, ink, and paper, +whereby our men whom the captain lost the year before, and in that +people's custody, might (if any of them were alive) be advertised of +our presence and being there. + +On the same day, after consultation, all the gentlemen, and others +likewise that could be spared from the ship, under the conduct and +leading of Master Philpot (unto whom, in our general's absence, and +his lieutenant, Master Beast, all the rest were obedient), went +ashore, determining to see if by fair means we could either allure +them to familiarity, or otherwise take some of them, and so attain +to some knowledge of those men whom our general lost the year +before. + +At our coming back again to the place where their tents were before, +they had removed their tents farther into the said bay or sound, +where they might, if they were driven from the land, flee with their +boats into the sea. We, parting ourselves into two companies, and +compassing a mountain, came suddenly upon them by land, who, espying +us, without any tarrying fled to their boats, leaving the most part +of their oars behind them for haste, and rowed down the bay, where +our two pinnaces met them and drove them to shore. But if they had +had all their oars, so swift are they in rowing, it had been lost +time to have chased them. + +When they were landed they fiercely assaulted our men with their +bows and arrows, who wounded three of them with our arrows, and +perceiving themselves thus hurt they desperately leaped off the +rocks into the sea and drowned themselves; which if they had not +done but had submitted themselves, or if by any means we could have +taken alive (being their enemies as they judged), we would both have +saved them, and also have sought remedy to cure their wounds +received at our hands. But they, altogether void of humanity, and +ignorant what mercy meaneth, in extremities look for no other than +death, and perceiving that they should fall into our hands, thus +miserably by drowning rather desired death than otherwise to be +saved by us. The rest, perceiving their fellows in this distress, +fled into the high mountains. Two women, not being so apt to escape +as the men were, the one for her age, and the other being encumbered +with a young child, we took. The old wretch, whom divers of our +sailors supposed to be either a devil or a witch, had her buskins +plucked off to see if she were cloven-footed, and for her ugly hue +and deformity we let her go; the young woman and the child we +brought away. We named the place where they were slain Bloody +Point, and the bay or harbour Yorke's Sound, after the name of one +of the captains of the two barques. + +Having this knowledge both of their fierceness and cruelty, and +perceiving that fair means as yet is not able to allure them to +familiarity, we disposed ourselves, contrary to our inclination, +something to be cruel, returned to their tents, and made a spoil of +the same, where we found an old shirt, a doublet, a girdle, and also +shoes of our men, whom we lost the year before; on nothing else unto +them belonging could we set our eyes. + +Their riches are not gold, silver, or precious drapery, but their +said tents and boats made of the skins of red deer and seal skins, +also dogs like unto wolves, but for the most part black, with other +trifles, more to be wondered at for their strangeness than for any +other commodity needful for our use. + +Thus returning to our ship the 3rd of August, we departed from the +west shore, supposed firm with America, after we had anchored there +thirteen days, and so the 4th thereof we came to our general on the +east shore, and anchored in a fair harbour named Anne Warwick's +Sound, and to which is annexed an island, both named after the +Countess of Warwick--Anne Warwick's Sound and Isle. + +In this isle our general thought good for this voyage to freight +both the ships and barques with such stone or gold mineral as he +judged to countervail the charges of his first and this his second +navigation to these countries, with sufficient interest to the +venturers whereby they might both be satisfied for this time and +also in time to come (if it please God and our prince) to expect a +much more benefit out of the bowels of those septentrional +parallels, which long time hath concealed itself till at this +present, through the wonderful diligence and great danger of our +general and others, God is contented with the revealing thereof. It +riseth so abundantly, that from the beginning of August to the 22nd +thereof (every man following the diligence of our general) we raised +above ground 200 ton, which we judged a reasonable freight for the +ship and two barques in the said Anne Warwick's Isle. + +In the meantime of our abode here some of the country people came to +show themselves unto us sundry times from the main shore, near +adjacent to the said isle. Our general, desirous to have some news +of his men whom he lost the year before, with some company with him +repaired with the ship boat to commune or sign with them for +familiarity, whereunto he is persuaded to bring them. They at the +first show made tokens that three of his five men were alive, and +desired pen, ink, and paper, and that within three or four days they +would return, and, as we judged, bring those of our men which were +living with them. + +They also made signs or tokens of their king, whom they called +Cacough, and how he was carried on men's shoulders, and a man far +surmounting any of our company in bigness and stature. + +With these tokens and signs of writing, pen, ink, and paper were +delivered them, which they would not take at our hands, but being +laid upon the shore, and the party gone away, they took up; which +likewise they do when they desire anything for change of theirs, +laying for that which is left so much as they think will countervail +the same, and not coming near together. It seemeth they have been +used to this trade or traffic with some other people adjoining, or +not far distant from their country. + +After four days some of them showed themselves upon the firm land, +but not where they were before. Our general, very glad thereof, +supposing to hear of our men, went from the island with the boat and +sufficient company with him. They seemed very glad, and allured him +about a certain point of the land, behind which they might perceive +a company of the crafty villains to lie lurking, whom our general +would not deal withal, for that he knew not what company they were, +so with few signs dismissed them and returned to his company. + +Another time, as our said general was coasting the country with two +little pinnaces, whereby at our return he might make the better +relation thereof, three of the crafty villains with a white skin +allured us to them. Once again our general, for that he hoped to +hear of his men, went towards them; at our coming near the shore +whereon they were we might perceive a number of them lie hidden +behind great stones, and those three in sight labouring by all means +possible that some would come on land; and perceiving we made no +haste, by words nor friendly signs, which they used by clapping +their hands, and being without weapon, and but three in sight, they +sought further means to provoke us thereunto. One alone laid flesh +on the shore, which we took up with the boat-hook as necessary +victuals for the relieving of the man, woman, and child whom we had +taken, for that as yet they could not digest our meat; whereby they +perceived themselves deceived of their expectation for all their +crafty allurements. Yet once again to make, as it were, a full show +of their crafty natures and subtle sleights, to the intent thereby +to have entrapped and taken some of our men, one of them +counterfeited himself impotent and lame of his legs, who seemed to +descend to the water's side with great difficulty, and to cover his +craft the more one of his fellows came down with him, and in such +places where he seemed unable to pass, he took him on his shoulders, +set him by the water's side, and departed from him, leaving him, as +it should seem, all alone; who, playing his counterfeit pageant very +well, thought thereby to provoke some of us to come on shore, not +fearing but that one of us might make our party good with a lame +man. + +Our general, having compassion of his impotency, thought good, if it +were possible, to cure him thereof; wherefore he caused a soldier to +shoot at him with his calever, which grazed before his face. The +counterfeit villain deliverly fled without any impediment at all, +and got him to his bow and arrows, and the rest from their lurking +holes with their weapons, bows, arrows, slings, and darts. Our +general caused some calevers to be shot off at them, whereby, some +being hurt, they might hereafter stand in more fear of us. + +This was all the answer for this time we could have of our men, or +of our general's letter. Their crafty dealing at these three +several times being thus manifest unto us, may plainly show their +disposition in other things to be correspondent. We judged that +they used these stratagems thereby to have caught some of us for the +delivering of the man, woman, and child, whom we had taken. + +They are men of a large corporature, and good proportion; their +colour is not much unlike the sunburnt countryman, who laboureth +daily in sun for his living. + +They wear their hair something long, and cut before either with +stone or knife, very disorderly. Their women wear their hair long, +knit up with two loops, showing forth on either side of their faces, +and the rest faltered upon a knot. Also, some of their women tint +their faces proportionally, as chin, cheeks, and forehead and the +wrists of their hands, whereupon they lay a colour which continueth +dark azurine. + +They eat their meat all raw, both flesh, fish, and fowl, or +something parboiled with blood, and a little water, which they +drink. For lack of water, they will eat ice that is hard frozen as +pleasantly as we will do sugar-candy, or other sugar. + +If they, for necessity's sake, stand in need of the premises, such +grass as the country yieldeth they pluck up and eat, not daintily, +or saladwise, to allure their stomachs to appetite, but for +necessity's sake, without either salt, oils, or washing, like brute +beasts devouring the same. They neither use table, stool, or table- +cloth for comeliness: but when they are imbrued with blood, knuckle +deep, and their knives in like sort, they use their tongues as apt +instruments to lick them clean; in doing whereof they are assured to +lose none of their victuals. + +They keep certain dogs, not much unlike wolves, which they yoke +together, as we do oxen and horses, to a sled or trail, and so carry +their necessaries over the ice and snow, from place to place, as the +captain, whom we have, made perfect signs. And when those dogs are +not apt for the same use, or when with hunger they are constrained +for lack of other victuals, they eat them, so that they are as +needful for them, in respect of their bigness, as our oxen are for +us. + +They apparel themselves in the skins of such beasts as they kill, +sewed together with the sinews of them. All the fowl which they +kill they skin, and make thereof one kind of garment or other to +defend them from the cold. + +They make their apparel with hoods and tails, which tails they give, +when they think to gratify any friendship shown unto them; a great +sign of friendship with them. The men have them not so syde as the +women. + +The men and women wear their hose close to their legs, from the +waist to the knee, without any open before, as well the one kind as +the other. Upon their legs they wear hose of leather, with the fur +side inward, two or three pair on at once, and especially the women. +In those hose they put their knives, needles, and other things +needful to bear about. They put a bone within their hose, which +reacheth from the foot to the knee, whereupon they draw their said +hose, and so in place of garters they are holden from falling down +about their feet. + +They dress their skins very soft and supple with the hair on. In +cold weather or winter they wear the fur side inward, and in summer +outward. Other apparel they have none but the said skins. + +Those beasts, fishes, and fowls which they kill are their meat, +drink, apparel, houses, bedding, hose, shoes, thread, and sails for +their boats, with many other necessaries, whereof they stand in +need, and almost all their riches. + +The houses are tents made of seal skins, pitched up with four fir +quarters, four-square, meeting at the top, and the skins sewed +together with sinews, and laid thereupon; they are so pitched up, +that the entrance into them is always south, or against the sun. + +They have other sort of houses, which we found not to be inhabited, +which are raised with stones and whalebones, and a skin laid over +them to withstand the rain, or other weather; the entrance of them +being not much unlike an oven's mouth, whereunto, I think, they +resort for a time to fish, hunt, and fowl, and so leave them until +the next time they come thither again. + +Their weapons are bows, arrows, darts, and slings. Their bows are +of wood, of a yard long, sinewed on the back with firm sinews, not +glued to, but fast girded and tied on. Their bow strings are +likewise sinews. Their arrows are three pieces, nocked with bone +and ended with bone; with those two ends, and the wood in the midst, +they pass not in length half a yard, or little more. They are +feathered with two feathers, the pen end being cut away, and the +feathers laid upon the arrow with the broad side to the wood, +insomuch, that they seem, when they are tied on, to have four +feathers. They have likewise three sorts of heads to those arrows; +one sort of stone or iron, proportioned like to a heart; the second +sort of bone much like unto a stopt head, with a hook on the same, +the third sort of bone likewise, made sharp at both sides, and sharp +pointed. They are not made very fast, but lightly tied to, or else +set in a nocke, that, upon small occasion, the arrow leaveth these +heads behind them; they are of small force except they be very near +when they shoot. + +Their darts are made of two sorts: the one with many forks of bones +in the fore end, and likewise in the midst; their proportions are +not much unlike our toasting-irons, but longer; these they cast out +of an instrument of wood very readily. The other sort is greater +than the first aforesaid, with a long bone made sharp on both sides, +not much unlike a rapier, which I take to be their most hurtful +weapon. + +They have two sorts of boats made of leather, set out on the inner +side with quarters of wood, artificially tied together with thongs +of the same; the greater sort are not much unlike our wherries, +wherein sixteen or twenty men may sit; they have for a sail dressed +the guts of such beasts as they kill, very fine and thin, which they +sew together; the other boat is but for one man to sit and row in, +with one oar. + +Their order of fishing, hunting, and fowling, are with these said +weapons; but in what sort or how they use them we have no perfect +knowledge as yet. + +I can suppose their abode or habitation not to be here, for that +neither their houses nor apparel are of such force to withstand the +extremity of cold that the country seemeth to be infected withal; +neither do I see any sign likely to perform the same. + +Those houses, or rather dens, which stand there, have no sign of +footway, or anything else trodden, which is one of the chiefest +tokens of habitation. And those tents, which they bring with them, +when they have sufficiently hunted and fished, they remove to other +places; and when they have sufficiently stored them of such victuals +as the country yieldeth, or bringeth forth, they return to their +winter stations or habitations. This conjecture do I make for the +infertility which I perceive to be in that country. + +They have some iron, whereof they make arrow-heads, knives, and +other little instruments, to work their boats, bows, arrows, and +darts withal, which are very unapt to do anything withal, but with +great labour. + +It seemeth that they have conversation with some other people, of +whom for exchange they should receive the same. They are greatly +delighted with anything that is bright or giveth a sound. + +What knowledge they have of God, or what idol they adore, we have no +perfect intelligence. I think them rather anthropophagi, or +devourers of man's flesh, than otherwise; that there is no flesh or +fish which they find dead (smell it never so filthily), but they +will eat it as they find it without any other dressing. A loathsome +thing, either to the beholders or the hearers. There is no manner +of creeping beast hurtful, except some spiders (which as many affirm +are signs of great store of gold), and also certain stinging gnats, +which bite so fiercely that the place where they bite shortly after +swelleth, and itcheth very sore. + +They make signs of certain people that wear bright plates of gold in +their foreheads and other places of their bodies. + +The countries on both sides the straits lie very high, with rough +stony mountains, and great quantity of snow thereon. There is very +little plain ground, and no grass except a little, which is much +like unto moss that groweth on soft ground, such as we get turfs in. +There is no wood at all. To be brief, there is nothing fit or +profitable for the use of man which that country with root yieldeth +or bringeth forth; howbeit there is great quantity of deer, whose +skins are like unto asses, their heads or horns do far exceed, as +well in length as also in breadth, any in these our parts or +countries: their feet likewise are as great as our oxen's, which we +measure to be seven or eight inches in breadth. There are also +hares, wolves, fishing bears, and sea-fowl of sundry sorts. + +As the country is barren and unfertile, so are they rude, and of no +capacity to culture the same to any perfection; but are contented by +their hunting, fishing, and fowling, with raw flesh and warm blood, +to satisfy their greedy paunches, which is their only glory. + +There is great likelihood of earthquakes or thunder, for there are +huge and monstrous mountains, whose greatest substance are stones, +and those stones so shapen with some extraordinary means, that one +is separated from another, which is discordant from all other +quarries. + +There are no rivers or running springs, but such as through the heat +of the sun, with such water as descendeth from the mountains and +hills, whereon great drifts of snow do lie, are engendered. + +It argueth also that there should be none; for that the earth, which +with the extremity of the winter is so frozen within, that that +water which should have recourse within the same to maintain springs +hath not his motion, whereof great waters have their origin, as by +experience is seen otherwhere. Such valleys as are capable to +receive the water, that in the summer time, by the operation of the +sun, descendeth from great abundance of snow, which continually +lieth on the mountains, and hath no passage, sinketh into the earth, +and so vanisheth away, without any runnel above the earth, by which +occasion or continual standing of the said water the earth is opened +and the great frost yieldeth to the force thereof, which in other +places, four or five fathoms within the ground, for lack of the said +moisture, the earth even in the very summer time is frozen, and so +combineth the stones together, that scarcely instruments with great +force can unknit them. + +Also, where the water in those valleys can have no such passage +away, by the continuance of time in such order as is before +rehearsed, the yearly descent from the mountains filleth them full, +that at the lowest bank of the same they fall into the next valley, +and so continue as fishing ponds, in summer time full of water, and +in the winter hard frozen, as by scars that remain thereof in summer +may easily be perceived; so that the heat of summer is nothing +comparable or of force to dissolve the extremity of cold that cometh +in winter. + +Nevertheless, I am assured, that below the force of the frost, +within the earth, the waters have recourse, and empty themselves out +of sight into the sea, which, through the extremity of the frost, +are constrained to do the same; by which occasion, the earth within +is kept the warmer, and springs have their recourse, which is the +only nutriment of gold and minerals within the same. + +There is much to be said of the commodities of these countries, +which are couched within the bowels of the earth, which I let pass +till more perfect trial be made thereof. + +Thus conjecturing, till time, with the earnest industry of our +general and others (who, by all diligence, remain pressed to explore +the truth of that which is unexplored, as he hath to his everlasting +praise found out that which is like to yield an innumerable benefit +to his prince and country), offer further trial, I conclude. + +The 23rd August, after we had satisfied our minds with freight +sufficient for our vessels, though not our covetous desires, with +such knowledge of the country, people, and other commodities as are +before rehearsed, the 24th thereof we departed there hence: the +17th of September we fell with the Land's End of England, and so to +Milford Haven, from whence our general rowed to the court for order +to what port or haven to conduct the ship. + +We lost our two barques in the way homeward, the one the 29th of +August, the other the 31st of the same month, by occasion of great +tempest and fog; howbeit, God restored the one to Bristol, and the +other making his course by Scotland to Yarmouth. In this voyage we +lost two men, one in the way by God's visitation, and the other +homeward, cast overboard with a surge of the sea. + +I could declare unto the readers the latitude and longitude of such +places and regions as we have been at, but not altogether so +perfectly as our masters and others, with many circumstances of +tempests and other accidents incident to seafaring men, which seem +not altogether strange, but I let them pass to their reports as men +most apt to set forth and declare the same. I have also left the +names of the countries on both the shores untouched for lack of +understanding the people's language, as also for sundry respects not +needful as yet to be declared. + +Countries new explored, where commodity is to be looked for, do +better accord with a new name given by the explorers than an +uncertain name by a doubtful author. + +Our general named sundry islands, mountains, capes, and harbours +after the names of divers noblemen, and other gentlemen his friends, +as well on the one shore as also on the other. + + + +THE THIRD AND LAST VOYAGE INTO META INCOGNITA, +Made by Master Martin Frobisher, in the year 1578, written by Thomas +Ellis. + + + +These are to let you know, that upon the 25th May, the Thomas Allen, +being vice-admiral, whose captain was Master Yorke; Master Gibbes, +master; Master Christopher Hall, pilot, accompanied with the rear- +admiral, named the Hopewell, whose captain was Master Henry Carew, +the Master Andrew Dier, and certain other ships, came to Gravesend, +where we anchored, and abode the coming of certain other of our +fleet, which were not yet come. + +The 27th of the same month, our fleet being now come together, and +all things pressed in a readiness, the wind favouring and tide +serving, we being of sails in number eight, weighed anchors, and +hoisted our sails towards Harwich, to meet with our admiral and the +residue, which then and there abode our arrival, where we safely +arrived the 28th thereof; finding there our admiral, whom we, with +the discharge of certain pieces, saluted (according to order and +duty), and were welcomed with the like courtesy, which being +finished we landed, where our general continued mustering his +soldiers and miners, and setting things in order appertaining to the +voyage, until the last of the said month of May, which day we +hoisted our sails, and committing ourselves to the conducting of +Almighty God, we set forward toward the West Country, in such lucky +wise and good success, that by the 5th June we passed the Dursies, +being the utmost part of Ireland, to the westward. + +And here it were not much amiss, nor far from our purpose, if I +should a little discourse and speak of our adventures and chances by +the way, as our landing at Plymouth, as also the meeting of certain +poor men, which were robbed and spoiled of all that they had by +pirates and rovers; amongst whom was a man of Bristol, on whom our +general used his liberality, and sent him away with letters into +England. + +But because such things are impertinent to the matter, I will return +(without any more mentioning of the same) to that from which I have +digressed and swerved, I mean our ships, now sailing on the surging +seas, sometimes passing at pleasure with a wished eastern wind, +sometimes hindered of our course again by the western blasts, until +the 20th day of the foresaid month of June, on which day in the +morning we fell in with Friesland, which is a very high and cragged +land, and was almost clean covered with snow, so that we might see +nought but craggy rocks and the tops of high and huge hills, +sometimes (and for the most part) all covered with foggy mists. +There might we also perceive the great isles of ice lying on the +seas like mountains, some small, some big, of sundry kinds of +shapes, and such a number of them, that we could not come near the +shore for them. + +Thus sailing along the coast, at the last we saw a place somewhat +void of ice, where our general (accompanied with certain other) went +ashore, where they saw certain tents made of beasts' skins, and +boats much like unto theirs of Meta Incognita. The tents were +furnished with flesh, fish, skins, and other trifles: amongst the +which was found a box of nails, whereby we did conjecture that they +had either artificers amongst them, or else a traffic with some +other nation. The men ran away, so that we could have no conference +or communication with them. Our general (because he would have them +no more to flee, but rather encouraged to stay through his courteous +dealing) gave commandment that his men should take nothing away with +them, saving only a couple of white dogs, for which he left pins, +points, knives, and other trifling things, and departed, without +taking or hurting anything, and so came aboard, and hoisted sails +and passed forwards. + +But being scarce out of the sight thereof, there fell such a fog and +hideous mist that we could not see one another; whereupon we struck +our drums, and sounded our trumpets to the end we might keep +together; and so continued all that day and night, till the next +day, that the mist brake up; so that we might easily perceive all +the ships thus sailing together all that day, until the next day, +being the 22nd of the same, on which day we saw an infinite number +of ice, from the which we cast about to shun the danger thereof. + +But one of our small barques named the Michael, whose captain was +Master Kinderslie, the master, Bartholomew Bull, lost our company, +insomuch that we could not obtain the sight of her many days after, +of whom I mean to speak further anon, when occasion shall be +ministered, and opportunity served. Thus we continued on our course +until the 2nd of July, on which day we fell with the Queen's +Foreland, where we saw so much ice, that we thought it impossible to +get into the straits, yet at the last we gave the adventure, and +entered the ice. + +Being in amongst it, we saw the Michael, of whom I spake before, +accompanied with the, Judith, whose captain was Master Fenton, the +master, Charles Jackman, bearing into the aforesaid ice, far distant +from us, who in a storm that fell that present night (whereof I will +at large, God willing, discourse hereafter), were severed from us, +and being in, wandered up and down the straits amongst the ice, many +days in great peril, till at the last (by the providence of God) +they came safely to harbour in their wished port in the Countess of +Warwick's Sound the 20th July aforesaid, ten days before any of the +other ships; who going on shore, found where the people of the +country had been, and had hid their provision in great heaps of +stone, being both of flesh and fish, which they had killed, whereof +we also found great store in other places after our arrival. They +found also divers engines, as bows, slings, and darts. They found +likewise certain pieces of the pinnace which our general left there +the year before; which pinnace he had sunk, minding to have it again +the next year. + +Now, seeing I have entreated so much of the Judith and the Michael, +I will return to the rest of the other ships, and will speak a +little of the storm which fell, with the mishaps that we had, the +night that we put into the ice, whereof I made mention before. + +At the first entry into the ice, in the mouth of the straits, our +passage was very narrow and difficult; but being once gotten in, we +had a fair, open place without any ice for the most part; being a +league in compass, the ice being round about us, and enclosing us, +as it were, within the pales of a park. In which place (because it +was almost night) we minded to take in our sails and lie a hull all +that night. But the storm so increased, and the waves began to +mount aloft, which brought the ice so near us, and coming in so fast +upon us, that we were fain to bear in and out, where ye might espy +an open place. Thus the ice coming on us so fast we were in great +danger, looking every hour for death, and thus passed we on in that +great danger, seeing both ourselves and the rest of our ships so +troubled and tossed amongst the ice, that it would make the +strongest-heart to relent. + +At the last, the barque Dionyse, being but a weak ship, and bruised +afore amongst the ice, being so leak that she no longer could carry +above water, sank without saving any of the goods which were in her: +the sight so abashed the whole fleet, that we thought verily we +should have tasted of the same sauce. But nevertheless, we seeing +them in such danger, manned our boats, and saved all the men, in +such wise that not one perished. (God be thanked.) + +The storm still increased and the ice enclosed us, that we were fain +to take down top and topmasts; for the ice had so environed us, that +we could see neither land nor sea as far as we could ken; so that we +were fain to cut our cables to hang overboard for fenders, somewhat +to ease the ship's sides from the great and dreary strokes of the +ice; some with capstan bars, some fending off with oars, some with +planks of two inches thick, which were broken immediately with the +force of the ice, some going out upon the ice, to bear it off with +their shoulders from the ships. But the rigorousness of the tempest +was such, and the force of the ice so great, that not only they +burst and spoiled the foresaid provision, but likewise so raised the +sides of the ships that it was pitiful to behold, and caused the +hearts of many to faint. + +Thus continued we all that dismal and lamentable night, plunged in +this perplexity, looking for instant death; but our God (who never +leaveth them destitute which faithfully call upon Him), although He +often punisheth for amendment's sake, in the morning caused the +winds to cease, and the fog, which all that night lay on the face of +the water, to clear, so that we might perceive about a mile from us +a certain place clear from any ice, to the which with an easy breath +of wind, which our God sent us, we bent ourselves, and furthermore +He provided better for us than we deserved, or hoped for; for when +we were in the foresaid clear place, He sent us a fresh gale at +west, or at west-south-west, which set us clear without all the ice. +And further He added more, for He sent us so pleasant a day, as the +like we had not of a long time before, as after punishment +consolation. + +Thus we joyful whites, being at liberty, took in all our sails, and +lay a hull, praising God for our deliverance, and stayed to gather +together our fleet; which once being done, we seeing that none of +them had any great hurt, neither any of them wanted, saving only +they of whom I spake before, and the ship which was lost, then at +the last we hoisted our sails, and lay bulting off and on, till such +time as it would please God to take away the ice, that we might get +into the straits. + +As we thus lay off and on, we came by a marvellous huge mountain of +ice, which surpassed all the rest that ever we saw, for we judged it +to be near four score fathoms above water, and we thought it to be +aground for anything that we could perceive, being there nine score +fathoms deep, and of compass about half a mile. + +Also the fifth of July there fell a hideous fog and mist, that +continued till the nineteenth of the same, so that one ship could +not see another. Therefore we were fain to bear a small sail, and +to observe the time, but there ran such a current of tide, that it +set us to the north-west of the Queen's Forehand, the back side of +all the straits, where (through the contagious fog having no sight +either of sun or star) we scarce knew where we were. In this fog +the 10th July we lost the company of the Vice-Admiral, the Anne +Francis, the Busse of Bridgewater, and the Francis of Foy. + +The sixteenth day, one of our small barques, named the Gabriel, was +sent by our general to bear in with the land, to descry it, where, +being on land, they met with the people of the country, which seemed +very humane and civilised, and offered to traffic with our men, +proffering them fowls and skins for knives and other trifles, whose +courtesy caused us to think that they had small conversation with +the other of the straits. Then we bare back again, to go with the +Queen's Forehand, and the 18th day we came by two islands, whereon +we went on shore, and found where the people had been, but we saw +none of them. This day we were again in the ice, and like to be in +as great peril as we were at the first. For through the darkness +and obscurity of the foggy mist we were almost run on rocks and +islands before we saw them: but God (even miraculously) provided +for us, opening the fogs that we might see clearly, both where and +in what danger we presently were, and also the way to escape; or +else, without fail we had ruinously run upon the rocks. + +When we knew perfectly our instant case, we cast about to get again +on sea board, which (God be thanked) by might we obtained, and +praised God. The clear continued scarce an hour, but the fog fell +again as thick as ever it was. + +Then the Rear-Admiral and the Bear got themselves clear without +danger of ice and rocks, struck their sails and lay a hull, staying +to have the rest of the fleet come forth, which as yet had not found +the right way to clear themselves from the danger of rocks and ice, +until the next morning, at what time the Rear-Admiral discharged +certain warning pieces, to give notice that she had escaped, and +that the rest (by following of her) might set themselves free, which +they did that day. Then having gathered ourselves together, we +proceeded on our purposed voyage, bearing off, and keeping ourselves +distant from the coast, until the 19th day of July, at which time +the fogs brake up and dispersed, so that we might plainly and +clearly behold the pleasant air which had so long been taken from us +by the obscurity of the foggy mists; and, after that time, we were +not much encumbered therewith until we had left the confines of the +country. + +Then we, espying a fair sound, supposed it to go into the straits, +between the Queen's Foreland and Jackman's Sound, which proved as we +imagined. For our general sent forth again the Gabriel to discover +it, who passed through with much difficulty, for there ran such an +extreme current of a tide, with so horrible a gulf, that with a +fresh gale of wind they were scarce able to stem it, yet at the +length with great travel they passed it, and came to the straits, +where they met with the Thomas Allen, the Thomas of Ipswich, and the +Busse of Bridgewater, who all together adventured to bear into the +ice again, to see if they could obtain their wished port. But they +were so encumbered, that with much difficulty they were able to get +out again, yet at the last they escaping the Thomas Allen and the +Gabriel, bear in with the western shore, where they found harbour, +and they moored their ships until the 4th of August, at which time +they came to us, in the Countess of Warwick's Sound. The Thomas of +Ipswich caught a great leak, which caused her to cast again to sea +board, and so was mended. + +We sailed along still by the coast until we came to the Queen's +Forehand, at the point whereof we met with part of the gulf +aforesaid, which place or gulf (as some of our masters do credibly +report) doth flow nine hours and ebbs but three. At that point we +discovered certain lands southward, which neither time nor +opportunity would serve to search. Then being come to the mouth of +the straits, we met with the Anne Francis, who had lain bulting up +and down ever since her departure alone, never finding any of her +company. We met then also the Francis of Foy, with whom again we +intended to venture and get in, but the ice was yet so thick, that +we were compelled again to retire and get us on sea board. + +There fell also the same day, being the 26th July, such a horrible +snow, that it lay a foot thick upon the hatches, which froze as fast +as it fell. + +We had also at other times divers cruel storms, both snow and hail, +which manifestly declared the distemperature of the country: yet +for all that we were so many times repulsed and put back from our +purpose, knowing that lingering delay was not profitable for us, but +hurtful to our voyage, we mutually consented to our valiant general +once again to give the onset. + +The 28th day, therefore, of the same July we assayed, and with +little trouble (God be praised) we passed the dangers by daylight. +Then night falling on the face of the earth, we hulled in the clear, +till the cheerful light of the day had chased away the noisome +darkness of the night, at which the we set forward toward our wished +port; by the 30th day we obtained our expected desire, where we +found the Judith and the Michael, which brought no small joy unto +the general, and great consolation to the heavy hearts of those +wearied wights. + +The 30th day of July we brought our ships into the Countess of +Warwick's Sound, and moored them, namely these ships, the Admiral, +the Rear-Admiral, the Francis of Foy, the Bear, Armenel, the +Salomon, and the Busse of Bridgewater, which being done, our general +commanded us all to come ashore upon the Countess Island, where he +set his miners to work upon the mine, giving charge with expedition +to despatch with their lading. + +Our general himself, accompanied with his gentleman, divers times +made roads into sundry parts of the country, as well to find new +mines as also to find out and see the people of the country. He +found out one mine, upon an island by Bear's Sound, and named it the +Countess of Sussex Island. One other was found in Winter's Fornace, +with divers others, to which the ships were sent sunderly to be +laden. In the same roads he met with divers of the people of the +country at sundry times, as once at a place called David's Sound, +who shot at our men, and very desperately gave them the onset, being +not above three or four in number, there being of our countrymen +above a dozen; but seeing themselves not able to prevail, they took +themselves to flight, whom our men pursued, but being not used to +such craggy cliffs, they soon lost the sight of them, and so in vain +returned. + +We also saw them at Bear's Sound, both by sea and land, in great +companies; but they would at all times keep the water between them +and us. And if any of our ships chanced to be in the sound (as they +came divers times), because the harbour was not very good, the ship +laded, and departed again; then so long as any ships were in sight, +the people would not be seen. But when as they perceived the ships +to be gone, they would not only show themselves standing upon high +cliffs, and call us to come over unto them, but also would come in +their boats very near to us, as it were to brag at us; whereof our +general, having advertisement, sent for the captain and gentlemen of +the ships to accompany and attend upon him, with the captain also of +the Anne Francis, who was but the night before come unto us. For +they and the fleet-boat, having lost us the 26th day, in the great +snow, put into a harbour in the Queen's Forehand, where they found +good ore, wherewith they laded themselves, and came to seek the +general; so that now we had all our ships, saving one barque, which +was lost, and the Thomas of Ipswich who (compelled by what fury I +know not) forsook our company, and returned home without lading. + +Our general, accompanied with his gentlemen (of whom I spake), came +altogether to the Countess of Sussex Island, near to Bear's Sound, +where he manned out certain pinnaces and went over to the people, +who, perceiving his arrival, fled away with all speed, and in haste +left certain darts and other engines behind them which we found, but +the people we could not find. + +The next morning our general, perceiving certain of them in boat +upon the sea, gave chase to them in a pinnace under sail, with a +fresh gale of wind, but could by no means come near unto them, for +the longer he sailed the farther off he was from them, which well +showed their cunning and activity. Thus time wearing away, and the +day of our departure approaching, our general commanded to lade with +all expedition, that we might be again on sea board with our ship; +for whilst we were in the country we were in continual danger of +freezing in, for often snow and hail, often the water was so much +frozen and congealed in the night, that in the morning we could +scarce row our boats or pinnaces, especially in Dier's Sound, which +is a calm and still water, which caused our general to make the more +haste, so that by the 30th day of August we were all laden, and made +all things ready to depart. But before I proceed any further +herein, to show what fortune befell at our departure, I will turn my +pen a little to Master Captain Fenton, and those gentlemen which +should have inhabited all the year in those countries, whose valiant +minds were much to be commended, that neither fear of force, nor the +cruel nipping storms of the raging winter, neither the intemperature +of so unhealthful a country, neither the savageness of the people, +neither the sight and show of such and so many strange meteors, +neither the desire to return to their native soil, neither regard of +friends, neither care of possessions and inheritances, finally, not +the love of life (a thing of all other most sweet), neither the +terror of dreadful death itself, might seem to be of sufficient +force to withdraw their prowess, or to restrain from that purpose, +thereby to have profited their country; but that with most willing +hearts, venturous minds, stout stomachs, and singular manhood, they +were content there to have tarried for the time, among a barbarous +and uncivilised people, infidels and miscreants, to have made their +dwelling, not terrified with the manifold and imminent dangers which +they were like to run into; and seeing before their eyes so many +casualties, whereto their life was subject, the least whereof would +have made a milksop Thersites astonished and utterly discomfited; +being, I say, thus minded and purposed, they deserved special +commendation, for, doubtless, they had done as they intended, if +luck had not withstood their willingness, and if that fortune had +not so frowned upon their intents. + +For the bark Dionyse, which was lost, had in her much of their +house, which was prepared and should have been builded for them, +with many other implements. Also the Thomas of Ipswich, which had +most of their provision in her, came not into the straits at all, +neither did we see her since the day we were separated in the great +snow (of which I spake before). For these causes, having not their +house nor yet provision, they were disappointed of their pretence to +tarry, and therefore laded their ships and so came away with us. + +But before we took shipping, we builded a little house in the +Countess of Warwick's Island, and garnished it with many kinds of +trifles, as pins, points, laces, glasses, combs, babes on horseback +and on foot, with innumerable other such fancies and toys, thereby +to allure and entice the people to some familiarity against other +years. + +Thus having finished all things we departed the country (as I said +before); but because the Busse had not lading enough in her, she put +into Bear's Sound to take a little more. In the meanwhile, the +Admiral, and the rest without the sea, stayed for her. And that +night fell such an outrageous tempest, beating on our ships with +such vehement rigour that anchor and cable availed nought, for we +were driven on rocks and islands of ice, insomuch that had not the +great goodness of God been miraculously showed to us, we had been +cast away every man. This danger was more doubtful and terrible +than any that preceded or went before, for there was not any one +ship (I think) that escaped without damage. Some lost anchor, and +also gables, some boats, some pinnaces, some anchor, gables, boats, +and pinnaces. + +This boisterous storm so severed us one from another, that one ship +knew not what was become of another. The Admiral knew not where to +find the Vice-Admiral or Rear-Admiral, or any other ship of our +company. Our general, being on land in Bear's Sound, could not come +to his ship, but was compelled to go aboard the Gabriel, where he +continued all the way homewards, for the boisterous blasts continued +so extremely, and so long a time, that it sent us homeward (which +was God's favour towards us), will we, nill we, in such haste, as +not any one of us were able to keep in company of other, but were +separated. And if by chance any one ship did overtake other by +swiftness of sail, or met (as they often did), yet was the rigour of +the wind so hideous, that they could not continue company together +the space of one whole night. + +Thus our journey outward was not so pleasant, but our coming +thither, entering the coasts and country by narrow straits, perilous +ice, and swift tides, our times of abode there in snow and storms, +and our departure from thence, the 3rd of August, with dangerous +blustering winds and tempest's, which that night arose, was as +uncomfortable, separating us so, as we sailed, that not any of us +met together until the 28th of September, which day we fell on the +English coasts, between Scilly and the Land's End, and passed the +Channel, until our arrival in the river Thames. + + + +THE REPORT OF THOMAS WIARS, +Passenger in the "Emmanuel," otherwise called the "Busse of +Bridgewater," wherein James Leeche was Master, one of the ships in +the last voyage of Master Martin Frobisher, 1578, concerning the +discovery of the great island in their way homeward, the 12th of +September. + + + +The Busse of Bridgewater was left in Bear's Sound, at Meta +Incognita, the 2nd day of September, behind the fleet, in some +distress, through much wind riding near the lee shore, and forced +there to ride it out upon the hazard of her cables and anchors, +which were all aground but two. The 3rd of September being fair +weather, and the wind north-north-west, she set sail, and departed +thence and fell with Friesland, on he 8th day of September, at six +of the clock at night, and then they set off from the south-west +point of Friesland, the wind being at east and east-south-east; but +that night the wind veered southerly, and shifted oftentimes that +night. But on the 10th day, in the morning, the wind at west-north- +west, fair weather, they steered south-east and by south, and +continued that course until the 12th day of September, when about 11 +o'clock before noon they descried a land, which was from them about +five leagues, and the southernmost part of it was south-east-by-east +from them, and the northernmost next north-north-east, or north- +east. The master accounted that Friesland, the south-east point of +it, was from him at that instant, when he first descried this new +island, north-west-by-north fifty leagues. They account this island +to be twenty-five leagues long, and the longest way of it south-east +and north-west. The southern part of it is in the latitude of +fifty-seven degrees and one second part, or thereabout. They +continued in sight of it from the twelfth day at eleven of the clock +till the thirteenth day three of the clock in the afternoon, when +they left it; and the last part they saw of it bare from them north- +west-by-north. There appeared two harbours upon that coast, the +greatest of them seven leagues to the northwards of the southernmost +point, the other but four leagues. There was very much ice near the +same land, and also twenty or thirty leagues from it, for they were +not clear of ice till the 15th day of September, afternoon. They +plied their voyage homeward, and fell with the west part of Ireland, +about Galway, and had first sight of it on the 25th day of +September. + + + +THE FIRST VOYAGE OF MASTER JOHN DAVIS, +Undertaken in June, 1585, for the discovery of the North-West +Passage, written by John James Marchant, servant to the Worshipful +Master William Sanderson. + + + +Certain honourable personages and worthy gentlemen of the Court and +country, with divers worshipful merchants of London and of the West +Countrie, moved with desire to advance God's glory, and to seek the +good of their native country, consulting together of the likelihood +of the discovery of the North-West Passage, which heretofore had +been attempted, but unhappily given over by accidents unlooked for, +which turned the enterprisers from their principal purpose, +resolved, after good deliberation, to put down their adventures, to +provide for necessary shipping, and a fit man to be chief conductor +of this so hard an enterprise. The setting forth of this action was +committed by the adventurers especially to the care of Master +William Sanderson, merchant of London, who was so forward therein, +that besides his travel, which was not small, he became the greatest +adventurer with his purse, and commended unto the rest of the +company one Master John Davis, a man very well grounded in the +principles of the art of navigation, for captain and chief pilot of +this exploit. + +Thus, therefore, all things being put in a readiness, we departed +from Dartmouth the 7th of June towards the discovery of the +aforesaid North-West Passage with two barques, the one being of +fifty tons, named the Sunshine, of London, and the other being +thirty-five tons, named the Moonshine, of Dartmouth. In the +Sunshine we had twenty-three persons, whose names are these +following: Master John Davis, captain; William Eston, master; +Richard Pope, master's mate; John Jane, merchant; Henry Davie, +gunner; William Crosse, boatswain; John Bagge, Walter Arthur, Luke +Adams, Robert Coxworthie, John Ellis, John Kelly, Edward Helman, +William Dicke, Andrew Maddocke, Thomas Hill, Robert Wats, carpenter, +William Russell, Christopher Gorney, boy; James Cole, Francis +Ridley, John Russel, Robert Cornish, musicians. + +The Moonshine had nineteen persons, William Bruton, captain; John +Ellis, master; the rest mariners. + +The 7th of June the captain and the master drew out a proportion for +the continuance of our victuals. + +The 8th day, the wind being at south-west and west-south-west, we +put in for Falmouth, where we remained until the 13th. + +The 13th the wind blew at north, and being fair weather we departed. + +The 14th, with contrary wind, we were forced to put into Scilly. + +The 15th we departed thence, having the wind north and by east, +moderate and fair weather. + +The 16th we were driven back again, and were constrained to arrive +at New Grimsby, at Scilly; here the wind remained contrary twelve +days, and in that space the captain, the master, and I went about +all the islands, and the captain did plan out and describe the +situation of all the islands, rocks, and harbours to the exact use +of navigation, with lines and scale thereunto convenient. + +The 28th, in God's name, we departed, the wind being easterly, but +calm. + +The 29th very foggy. + +The 30th foggy. + +The 1st of July we saw great store of porpoises, the master called +for a harping-iron, and shot twice or thrice; sometimes he missed, +and at last shot one and struck him in the side, and wound him into +the ship; when we had him aboard, the master said it was a darley +head. + +The 2nd we had some of the fish boiled, and it did eat as sweet as +any mutton. + +The 3rd we had more in sight, and the master went to shoot at them, +but they were so great, that they burst our irons, and we lost both +fish, irons, pastime, and all; yet, nevertheless, the master shot at +them with a pike, and had well-nigh gotten one, but he was so +strong, that he burst off the bars of the pike and went away. Then +he took the boat-hook, and hit one with that; but all would not +prevail, so at length we let them alone. + +The 6th we saw a very great whale, and every day after we saw whales +continually. + +The 16th, 17th, and 18th we saw great store of whales. + +The 19th of July we fell into a great whirling and brustling of a +tide, setting to the northward; and sailing about half a league we +came into a very calm sea, which bent to the south-south-west. Here +we heard a mighty great roaring of the sea, as if it had been the +breach of some shore, the air being so foggy and full of thick mist, +that we could not see the one ship from the other, being a very +small distance asunder; so the captain and the master, being in +distrust how the tide might set them, caused the Moonshine to hoist +out her boat and to sound, but they could not find ground in three +hundred fathoms and better. Then the captain, master, and I went +towards the breach to see what it should be, giving charge to our +gunners that at every blast they should shoot off a musket shot, to +the intent we might keep ourselves from losing them; then coming +near to the breach, we met many islands of ice floating, which had +quickly compassed us about. Then we went upon some of them, and did +perceive that all the roaring which we heard was caused only by the +rolling of this ice together. Our company seeing us not to return +according to our appointment, left off shooting muskets and began to +shoot falconets, for they feared some mishap had befallen us; but +before night we came aboard again, with our boat laden with ice, +which made very good fresh water. Then we bent our course toward +the north, hoping by that means to double the land. + +The 20th, as we sailed along the coast, the fog brake up, and we +discovered the land, which was the most deformed, rocky, and +mountainous land that ever we saw, the first sight whereof did show +as if it had been in form of a sugar loaf, standing to our sight +above the clouds, for that it did show over the fog like a white +liste in the sky, the tops altogether covered with snow, and the +shore beset with ice a league off into the sea, making such irksome +noise as that it seemed to be the true pattern of desolation, and +after the same our captain named it the land of desolation. + +The 21st the wind came northerly and overblew, so that we were +constrained to bend our course south again, for we perceived that we +were run into a very deep bay, where we were almost compassed with +ice, for we saw very much towards the north-north-east, west, and +south-west; and this day and this night we cleared ourselves of the +ice, running south-south-west along the shore. + +Upon Thursday, being the 22nd of this month, about three of the +clock in the morning, we hoisted out our boat, and the captain, with +six sailors, went towards the shore, thinking to find a landing- +place, for the night before we did perceive the coast to be void of +ice to our judgment; and the same night we were all persuaded that +we had seen a canoe rowing along the shore, but afterwards we fell +in some doubt of it, but we had no great reason so to do. The +captain, rowing towards the shore, willed the master to bear in with +the land after him; and before he came near the shore, by the space +of a league, or about two miles, he found so much ice that he could +not get to land by any means. Here our mariners put to their lines +to see if they could get any fish, because there were so many seals +upon the coast, and the birds did beat upon the water, but all was +in vain: the water about this coast was very black and thick, like +to a filthy standing pool; we sounded, and had ground in 120 +fathoms. While the captain was rowing to the shore our men saw +woods upon the rocks, like to the rocks of Newfoundland, but I could +not discern them; yet it might be so very well, for we had wood +floating upon the coast every day, and the Moonshine took up a tree +at sea not far from the coast, being sixty foot of length and +fourteen handfuls about, having the root upon it. After, the +captain came aboard, the weather being very calm and fair, we bent +our course toward the south with intent to double the land. + +The 23rd we coasted the land which did lie east-north-east and west- +south-west. + +The 24th, the wind being very fair at east, we coasted the land, +which did lie east and west, not being able to come near the shore +by reason of the great quantity of ice. At this place, because the +weather was somewhat cold by reason of the ice, and the better to +encourage our men, their allowance was increased. The captain and +the master took order that every mess, being five persons, should +have half a pound of bread and a can of beer every morning to +breakfast. The weather was not very cold, but the air was moderate, +like to our April weather in England. When the wind came from the +land or the ice it was somewhat cold, but when it came off the sea +it was very hot. + +The 25th of this month we departed from sight of this land at six of +the clock in the morning, directing our course to the north- +westward, hoping in God's mercy to find our desired passage, and so +continued above four days. + +The 29th of July we discovered land in 64 degrees 15 minutes of +latitude, bearing north-east from us. The wind being contrary to go +to the north-westward, we bear in with this land to take some view +of it, being utterly void of the pester of ice, and very temperate. +Coming near the coast we found many fair sounds and good roads for +shipping, and many great inlets into the land, whereby we judged +this land to be a great number of islands standing together. Here, +having moored our barque in good order, we went on shore upon a +small island to seek for water and wood. Upon this island we did +perceive that there had been people, for we found a small shoe and +pieces of leather sewed with sinews and a piece of fur, and wool +like to beaver. Then we went upon another island on the other side +of our ships, and the captain, the master, and I, being got up to +the top of a high rock, the people of the country having espied us +made a lamentable noise, as we thought, with great outcries and +screechings; we, hearing them, thought it had been the howling of +wolves. At last I halloed again, and they likewise cried; then we, +perceiving where they stood--some on the shore, and one rowing in a +canoe about a small island fast by them--we made a great noise, +partly to allure them to us and partly to warn our company of them. +Whereupon Master Bruton and the master of his ship, with others of +their company, made great haste towards us, and brought our +musicians with them from our ship, purposing either by force to +rescue us, if needs should so require, or with courtesy to allure +the people. When they came unto us we caused our musicians to play, +ourselves dancing and making many signs of friendship. At length +there came ten canoes from the other islands, and two of them came +so near the shore where we were that they talked with us, the other +being in their boats a pretty way off. Their pronunciation was very +hollow through the throat, and their speech such as we could not +understand, only we allured them by friendly embracings and signs of +courtesy. At length one of them, pointing up to the sun with his +hand, would presently strike his breast so hard that we might hear +the blow. This he did many times before he would any way trust us. +Then John Ellis, the master of the Moonshine, was appointed to use +his best policy to gain their friendship, who shook his breast and +pointed to the sun after their order, which when he had divers times +done they began to trust him, and one of them came on shore, to whom +we threw our caps, stockings, and gloves, and such other things as +then we had about us, playing with our music, and making signs of +joy, and dancing. So the night coming we bade them farewell, and +went aboard our barques. + +The next morning, being the 30th of July, there came thirty-seven +canoes rowing by our ships calling to us to come on shore; we not +making any great haste unto them, one of them went up to the top of +the rock, and leaped and danced as they had done the day before, +showing us a seal skin, and another thing made like a timbrel, which +he did beat upon with a stick, making a noise like a small drum. +Whereupon we manned our boats and came to them, they all staying in +their canoes. We came to the water's side, where they were, and +after we had sworn by the sun after their fashion they did trust us. +So I shook hands with one of them, and he kissed my hand, and we +were very familiar with them. We were in so great credit with them +upon this single acquaintance that we could have anything they had. +We bought five canoes of them; we bought their clothes from their +backs, which were all made of seal skins and birds' skins; their +buskins, their hose, their gloves, all being commonly sewed and well +dressed, so that we were fully persuaded that they have divers +artificers among them. We had a pair of buskins of them full of +fine wool like beaver. Their apparel for heat was made of birds' +skins with their feathers on them. We saw among them leather +dressed like glover's leather, and thick thongs like white leather +of good length. We had of their darts and oars, and found in them +that they would by no means displease us, but would give us +whatsoever we asked of them, and would be satisfied with whatsoever +we gave them. They took great care one of another, for when we had +bought their boats then two other would come, and carry him away +between them that had sold us his. They are a very tractable +people, void of craft or double dealing, and easy to be brought to +any civility or good order, but we judged them to be idolaters, and +to worship the sun. + +During the time of our abode among these islands we found reasonable +quantity of wood, both fir, spruce, and juniper; which, whether it +came floating any great distance to these places where we found it, +or whether it grew in some great islands near the same place by us +not yet discovered, we know not. But we judge that it groweth there +farther into the land than we were, because the people had great +store of darts and oars which they made none account of, but gave +them to us for small trifles as points and pieces of paper. We saw +about this coast marvellous great abundance of seals sculling +together like sculls of small fish. We found no fresh water among +these islands, but only snow-water, whereof we found great pools. +The cliffs were all of such ore as Master Frobisher brought from +Meta Incognita. We had divers shewes of study or Moscovie glass, +shining not altogether unlike to crystal. We found an herb growing +upon the rocks whose fruit was sweet, full of red juice, and the +ripe ones were like currants. We found also birch and willow +growing like shrubs low to the ground. These people have great +store of furs as we judged. They made shows unto us the 30th of +this present, which was the second time of our being with them, +after they perceived we would have skins and furs, that they would +go into the country and come again the next day with such things as +they had; but this night the wind coming fair the captain and the +master would by no means detract the purpose our discovery. And so +the last of this month, about four of the clock in the morning, in +God's name we set sail, and were all that day becalmed upon the +coast. + +The 1st of August we had a fair wind, and so proceeded towards the +north-west for our discovery. + +The 6th of August we discovered land in 66 degrees 40 minutes of +latitude altogether void from the pester of ice; we anchored in a +very fair road, under a very brave mount, the cliffs whereof were as +orient as gold. This mount was named Mount Raleigh; the road where +our ships lay at anchor was called Totnes Road; the sound which did +compass the mount was named Exeter Sound; the foreland towards the +north was called Dier's Cape; the foreland towards the south was +named Cape Walsingham. So soon as we were come to an anchor in +Totnes Road under Mount Raleigh we espied four white bears at the +foot of the mount. We, supposing them to be goats or wolves, manned +our boats and went towards them, but when we came near the shore we +found them to be white bears of a monstrous bigness; we, being +desirous of fresh victual and the sport, began to assault them, and +I being on land, one of them came down the hill right against me. +My piece was charged with hail-shot and a bullet; I discharged my +piece and shot him in the neck; he roared a little, and took the +water straight, making small account of his hurt. Then we followed +him with our boat, and killed him with boars' spears, and two more +that night. We found nothing in their maws, but we judged by their +dung that they fed upon grass, because it appeared in all respects +like the dung of a horse, wherein we might very plainly see the very +straws. + +The 7th we went on shore to another bear, which lay all night upon +the top of an island under Mount Raleigh, and when we came up to him +he lay fast asleep. I levelled at his head, and the stone of my +piece gave no fire; with that he looked up and laid down his head +again; then I shot, being charged with two bullets, and struck him +in the head; he, being but amazed, fell backwards, whereupon we ran +all upon him with boar spears and thrust him in the body, yet for +all that he gripped away our boar spears and went towards the water, +and as he was going down he came back again. Then our master shot +his boar spear and struck him in the head, and made him to take the +water, and swim into a cove fast by, where we killed him and brought +him aboard. The breadth of his fore foot from one side to the other +was fourteen inches over. They were very fat, so as we were +constrained to cast the fat away. We saw a raven upon Mount +Raleigh. We found withies, also, growing low like shrubs, and +flowers like primroses in the said place. The coast is very +mountainous, altogether without wood, grass, or earth, and is only +huge mountains of stone, but the bravest stone that ever we saw. +The air was very moderate in this country. + +The 8th we departed from Mount Raleigh, coasting along the shore +which lieth south-south-west and east-north-east. + +The 9th our men fell in dislike of their allowance because it was so +small as they thought. Whereupon we made a new proportion, every +mess, being five to a mess, should have four pound of bread a day, +twelve wine quarts of beer, six new land fishes, and the flesh days +a gin of pease more; so we restrained them from their butter and +cheese. + +The 11th we came to the most southerly cape of this land, which we +named the Cape of God's Mercy, as being the place of our first +entrance for the discovery. The weather being very foggy we coasted +this north land; at length when it brake up we perceived that we +were shot into a very fair entrance or passage, being in some places +twenty leagues broad and in some thirty, altogether void of any +pester of ice, the weather very tolerable, and the water of the very +colour, nature, and quality of the main ocean, which gave us the +greater hope of our passage. Having sailed north-west sixty leagues +in this entrance, we discovered certain islands standing in the +midst thereof, having open passages on both sides. Whereupon our +ships divided themselves, the one sailing on the north side, the +other on the south side of the said isles, where we stayed five +days, having the wind at south-east, very foggy, and foul weather. + +The 14th we went on shore and found signs of people, for we found +stones laid up together like a wall, and saw the skull of a man or a +woman. + +The 15th we heard dogs howl on the shore, which we thought had been +wolves, and therefore we went on shore to kill them. When we came +on land the dogs came presently to our boat very gently, yet we +thought they came to prey upon us, and therefore we shot at them and +killed two, and about the neck of one of them we found a leathern +collar, whereupon we thought them to be tame dogs. There were +twenty dogs like mastiffs, with pricked ears and long bushed tails; +we found a bone in the pizels of their dogs. Then we went farther +and found two sleds made like ours in England. The one was made of +fir, spruce, and oaken boards, sawn like inch boards; the other was +made all of whalebone, and there hung on the tops of the sleds three +heads of beasts which they had killed. We saw here larks, ravens, +and partridges. + +The 17th we went on shore, and in a little thing made like an oven +with stones I found many small trifles, as a small canoe made of +wood, a piece of wood made like an image, a bird made of bone, beads +having small holes in one end of them to hang about their necks, and +other small things. The coast was very barbarous, without wood or +grass. The rocks were very fair, like marble, full of veins of +divers colours. We found a seal which was killed not long before, +being flayed and hid under stones. + +Our captain and master searched still for probabilities of the +passage, and first found that this place was all islands with great +sounds passing between them. + +Secondly, the water remained of one colour with the main ocean +without altering. + +Thirdly, we saw to the west of those isles three or four whales in a +scull, which they judged to come from a westerly sea, because to the +eastward we saw not any whale. + +Also, as we were rowing into a very great sound lying south-west +from whence these whales came, upon the sudden there came a violent +countercheck of a tide from the south-west against the flood which +we came with, not knowing from whence it was maintained. + +Fifthly, in sailing 20 leagues within the mouth of this entrance we +had sounding in 90 fathoms, fair, grey, oozy sand, and the farther +we run into the westwards the deeper was the water, so that hard +aboard the shore among these isles we could not have ground in 330 +fathoms. + +Lastly, it did ebb and flow six or seven fathom up and down, the +flood coming from divers parts, so as we could not perceive the +chief maintenance thereof. + +The 18th and 19th our captain and master determined what was best to +do, both for the safe guard of their credits and satisfy of the +adventurers, and resolved if the weather brake up to make further +search. + +The 20th, the wind came directly against us, so they altered their +purpose, and reasoned both for proceeding and returning. + +The 21st, the wind being north-west, we departed from these islands, +and as we coasted the south shore we saw many fair sounds, whereby +we were persuaded that it was no firm land but islands. + +The 23rd of this month the wind came south-east, very stormy and +foul weather. So we were constrained to seek harbour upon the south +coast of this entrance, where we fell into a very fair sound, and +anchored in 25 fathoms of green, oozy sand, where we went on shore, +where we had manifest signs of people, where they had made their +fire, and laid stones like a wall. In this place we saw four very +fair falcons, and Master Bruton took from one of them his prey, +which we judged by the wings and legs to be a snipe, for the head +was eaten off. + +The 24th, in the afternoon, the wind coming somewhat fair, we +departed from this road, purposing by God's grace to return for +England. + +The 26th we departed from sight of the north land of this entrance, +directing our course homewards, until the 10th of the next month. + +The 10th September we fell with the Land of Desolation, thinking to +go on shore, but we could get never a good harbour. That night we +put to sea again thinking to search it the next day; but this night +arose a very great storm, and separated our ships so that we lost +the sight of the Moonshine. + +The 13th about noon (having tried all the night before with a goose +wing) we set sail, and within two hours after we had sight of the +Moonshine again. This day we departed from this land. + +The 27th of this month we fell with sight of England. This night we +had a marvellous storm, and lost the Moonshine. + +The 30th September we came into Dartmouth, where we found the +Moonshine, being come in not two hours before. + + + +THE SECOND VOYAGE ATTEMPTED BY MASTER JOHN DAVIS, +With others, for the discovery of the North-West Passage, in Anno +1586. + + + +The 7th day of May I departed from the port of Dartmouth for the +discovery of the North-West Passage with a ship of a 120 tons, named +the Mermaid; a barque of 60 tons, named the Sunshine; a barque of 35 +tons named the Moonlight; and a pinnace of 10 tons named the North +Star. + +And the 15th June I discovered land, in the latitude of 60 degrees, +and in longitude from the meridian of London westward 47 degrees, +mightily pestered with ice and snow, so that there was no hope of +landing; the ice lay in some places 10 leagues, in some 20, and in +some 50 leagues off the shore, so that we were constrained to bear +into 57 degrees to double the same, and to recover a free sea, which +through God's favourable mercy we at length obtained. + +The nine-and-twentieth day of June, after many tempestuous storms, +we again discovered land in longitude from the meridian of London 58 +degrees 30 minutes, and in latitude 64 being east from us, into +which course, since it pleased God by contrary winds to force us, I +thought it very necessary to bear in with it, and there to set up +our pinnace, provided in the Mermaid to be our scout for this +discovery, and so much the rather, because the year before I had +been in the same place and found it very convenient for such a +purpose, well stored with float wood, and possessed by a people of +tractable conversation; so that the nine-and-twentieth of this month +we arrived within the isles which lay before this land, lying north- +north-west and south-south-east we know not how far. This land is +very high and mountainous, having before it on the west side a +mighty company of isles full of fair sounds and harbours. This land +was very little troubled with snow, and the sea altogether void of +ice. + +The ships being within the sounds we sent our boats to search for +shallow water, where we might anchor, which in this place is very +hard to find; and as the boat went sounding and searching, the +people of the country having espied them, came in their canoes +towards them with many shouts and cries; but after they had espied +in the boat some of our company that were the year before here with +us, they presently rowed to the boat and took hold in the oar, and +hung about the boat with such comfortable joy as would require a +long discourse to be uttered; they came with the boats to our ships, +making signs that they knew all those that the year before had been +with them. After I perceived their joy and small fear of us, myself +with the merchants and others of the company went ashore, bearing +with me twenty knives. I had no sooner landed, but they leapt out +of their canoes and came running to me and the rest, and embraced us +with many signs of hearty welcome. At this present there were +eighteen of them, and to each of them I gave a knife; they offered +skins to me for reward, but I made signs that it was not sold, but +given them of courtesy, and so dismissed them for that time, with +signs that they should return again after certain hours. + +The next day, with all possible speed, the pinnace was landed upon +an isle there to be finished to serve our purpose for the discovery, +which isle was so convenient for that purpose, as that we were very +well able to defend ourselves against many enemies. During the time +that the pinnace was there setting up, the people came continually +unto us, sometimes a hundred canoes at a time, sometimes forty, +fifty, more and less as occasion served. They brought with them +seal skins, stags' skins, white hares, seal fish, salmon peel, small +cod, dry caplin, with other fish and birds such as the country did +yield. + +Myself, still desirous to have a farther search of this place, sent +one of the ship boats to one part of the land, and myself went to +another part to search for the habitation of this people, with +straight commandment that there should be no injury offered to any +of the people, neither any one shot. + +The boats that went from me found the tents of the people made with +seal skins set up upon timber, wherein they found great store of +dried caplin, being a little fish no bigger than a pilchard. They +found bags of train oil, many little images cut in wood, seal skins +in tan tubs with many other such trifles, whereof they diminished +nothing. + +They also found ten miles within the snowy mountains a plain +champion country, with earth and grass, such as our moory and waste +grounds of England are. They went up into a river (which in the +narrowest place is two leagues broad) about ten leagues, finding it +still to continue they knew not how far; but I with my company took +another river, which although at the first it offered a large inlet, +yet it proved but a deep bay, the end whereof in four hours I +attained, and there leaving the boat well manned, went with the rest +of my company three or four miles into the country, but found +nothing, nor saw anything, save only gripes, ravens, and small +birds, as lark and linnet. + +The 3rd of July I manned my boat, and went with fifty canoes +attending upon me up into another sound, where the people by signs +willed me to go, hoping to find their habitation; at length they +made signs that I should go into a warm place to sleep, at which +place I went on shore, and ascended the top of high hill to see into +the country, but perceiving my labour vain, I returned again to my +boat, the people still following me and my company very diligent to +attend us, and to help us up the rocks, and likewise down; at length +I was desirous to have our men leap with them, which was done, but +our men did overleap them; from leaping they went to wrestling; we +found them strong and nimble, and to have skill in wrestling, for +they cast some of our men that were good wrestlers. The 4th of July +we launched our pinnace, and had forty of the people to help us, +which they did very willingly. At this time our men again wrestled +with them, and found them as before, strong and skilful. This 4th +of July, the master of the Mermaid went to certain islands to store +himself with wood, where he found a grave with divers buried in it, +only covered with seal skins, having a cross laid over them. The +people are of good stature, well in body proportioned, with small, +slender hands and feet, with broad visages, and small eyes, wide +mouths, the most part unbearded, great lips, and close toothed. +Their custom is, as often as they go from us, still at their return, +to make a new truce, in this sort: holding his hand up to the sun, +with a loud voice crieth "Ylyaoute," and striketh his breast, with +like signs being promised safety, he giveth credit. These people +are much given to bleed, and therefore stop their noses with deer +hair or the hair of an elan. They are idolaters, and have images +great store, which they wear about them, and in their boats, which +we suppose they worship. They are witches, and have many kinds of +enchantments, which they often used, but to small purpose, thanks be +to God. + +Being among them at shore, the 4th of July, one of them, making a +long oration, began to kindle a fire, in this manner: he took a +piece of a board, wherein was a hole half through; unto that hole he +puts the end of a round stick, like unto a bed staff, wetting the +end thereof in train, and in fashion of a turner, with a piece of +leather, by his violent motion doth very speedily produce fire; +which done, with turfs he made a fire, into which, with many words +and strange gestures, he put divers things which we suppose to be a +sacrifice. Myself and divers of my company standing by, they were +desirous to have me go into the smoke; I willed them likewise to +stand in the smoke, in which they by no means would do. I then took +one of them, and thrust him into the smoke, and willed one of my +company to tread out the fire, and to spurn it into the sea, which +was done to show them that we did contemn their sorcery. These +people are very simple in all their conversation, but marvellous +thievish, especially for iron, which they have in great account. +They began through our lenity to show their vile nature; they began +to cut our cables; they cut away the Moonlight's boat from her +stern; they cut our cloth where it lay to air, though we did +carefully look unto it, they stole our oars, a calliver, a boat's +spear, a sword, with divers other things, whereat the company and +masters being grieved, for our better security desired me to +dissolve this new friendship, and to leave the company of these +thievish miscreants; whereupon there was a calliver shot among them, +and immediately upon the same a falcon, which strange noise did sore +amaze them, so that with speed they departed; notwithstanding, their +simplicity is such, that within ten hours after they came again to +us to entreat peace; which, being promised, we again fell into a +great league. They brought us seal skins and salmon peel, but, +seeing iron, they could in nowise forbear stealing; which, when I +perceived it, did but minister unto me an occasion of laughter to +see their simplicity, and willed that in no case they should be any +more hardly used, but that our own company should be the more +vigilant to keep their things, supposing it to be very hard in so +short time to make them know their evils. They eat all their meat +raw, they live most upon fish, they drink salt water, and eat grass +and ice with delight; they are never out of the water, but live in +the nature of fishes, but only when dead sleep taketh them, and then +under a warm rock, laying his boat upon the land, he lieth down to +sleep. Their weapons are all darts, but some of them have bow and +arrows and slings. They make nets to take their fish of the fin of +a whale; they do all their things very artfully, and it should seem +that these simple, thievish islanders have war with those of the +main, for many of them are sore wounded, which wounds they received +upon the main land, as by signs they gave us to understand. We had +among them copper ore, black copper, and red copper; they pronounce +their language very hollow, and deep in the throat; these words +following we learned from them:- + + +Kesinyoh, eat some. Mysacoah, wash it. +Madlycoyte, music. Lethicksaneg, a seal-skin. +Aginyoh, go, fetch. Canyglow, kiss me. +Yliaoute, I mean no harm. Ugnera, my son. +Ponameg, a boat. Acu, shot. +Conah, leap. Aba, fallen down. +Maatuke, fish. Icune, come hither. +Sambah, below. Awennye, yonder. +Maconmeg, will you have Nugo, no. + this? +Cocah, go to him. Tucktodo, a fog. +Paaotyck, an oar. Lechiksah, a skin. +Asanock, a dart. Maccoah, a dart. +Sawygmeg, a knife. Sugnacoon, a coat. +Uderah, a nose. Gounah, come down. +Aoh, iron. Sasobneg, a bracelet. +Blete, an eye. Ugnake, a tongue. +Unvicke, give it. Ataneg, a meal. +Tuckloak, a stag or elan. Macuah, a beard. +Panygmah, a needle. Pignagogah, a thread. +Aob, the sea. Quoysah, give it to me. + + +The 7th of July, being very desirous to search the habitation of +this country, I went myself with our new pinnace into the body of +the land, thinking it to be a firm continent, and passing up a very +large river a great flaw of wind took me, whereby we were +constrained to seek succour for that night, which being had, I +landed with the most part of my company, and went to the top of a +high mountain, hoping from thence to see into the country; but the +mountains were so many and so mighty as that my purpose prevailed +not, whereupon I again returned to my pinnace, and willing divers of +my company to gather mussels for my supper, whereof in this place +there was great store, myself having espied a very strange sight, +especially to me, that never before saw the like, which was a mighty +whirlwind, taking up the water in very great quantity, furiously +mounting it into the air, which whirlwind was not for a puff or +blast, but continual for the space of three hours, with very little +intermission, which since it was in the course that I should pass, +we were constrained that night to take up our lodging under the +rocks. + +The next morning, the storm being broken up, we went forward in our +attempt, and sailed into a mighty great river, directly into the +body of the land, and in brief found it to be no firm land, but +huge, waste, and desert isles with mighty sounds and inlets passing +between sea and sea. Whereupon we returned towards our ships, and +landing to stop a flood, we found the burial of these miscreants; we +found of their fish in bags, plaices, and caplin dried, of which we +took only one bag and departed. The 9th of this month we came to +our ships, where we found the people desirous in their fashion of +friendship and barter: our mariners complained heavily against the +people, and said that my lenity and friendly using of them gave them +stomach to mischief, for "they have stolen an anchor from us. They +have cut our cable very dangerously, they have cut our boats from +our stern, and now, since your departure, with slings they spare us +not with stones of half a pound weight. And will you still endure +these injuries? It is a shame to bear them." I desired them to be +content, and said I doubted not but all should be well. The 10th of +this month I went to the shore, the people following me in their +canoes; I tolled them on shore, and used them with much courtesy, +and then departed aboard, they following me and my company. I gave +some of them bracelets, and caused seven or eight of them to come +aboard, which they did willingly; and some of them went into the top +of our ship, and thus courteously using them I let them depart. The +sun was no sooner down but they began to practise their devilish +nature, and with slings threw stones very fiercely into the +Moonlight and struck one of her men, the boatswain, that he +overthrew withal: whereat being moved, I changed my courtesy and +grew to hatred; myself in my own boat well manned with shot, and the +barques boat likewise pursued them, and gave them divers shot, but +to small purpose, by reason of their swift rowing; so small content +we returned. + +The 11th of this month there came five of them to make a new truce; +the master of the Admiral came to me to show me of their coming, and +desired to have them taken and kept as prisoners until we had his +anchor again; but when he saw that the chief ring-leader and master +of mischief was one of the five, then was vehement to execute his +purpose, so it was determined to take him; he came crying "Yliaout," +and striking his breast offered a pair of gloves to sell; the master +offered him a knife for them: so two of them came to us; the one +was not touched, but the other was soon captive among us; then we +pointed to him and his fellows for our anchor, which being had we +made signs that he should he set at liberty within one hour that he +came aboard; the wind came fair, whereupon we weighed and set sail, +and so brought the fellow with us. One of his fellows still +following our ship close aboard, talked with him, and made a kind of +lamentation, we still using him well, with "Yliaout," which was the +common course of courtesy. At length this fellow aboard us spoke +four or five words unto the other and clapped his two hands upon his +face, whereupon the other doing the like, departed, as we supposed, +with heavy cheer. We judged the covering of his face with his +hands, and bowing of his body down, signified his death. At length +he became a pleasant companion among us. I gave him a new suit of +frieze after the English fashion, because I saw he could not endure +the cold, of which he was very joyful; he trimmed up his darts, and +all his fishing tools, and would make oakum, and set his hand to a +rope's end upon occasion. He lived with the dry caplin that I took +when I was searching in the pinnace, and did eat dry new land fish. + +All this while, God be thanked, our people were in very good health, +only one young man excepted, who died at sea the 14th of this month, +and the 15th, according to the order of the sea, with praise given +to God by service, was cast overboard. + +The 17th of this month, being in the latitude of 63 degrees 8 +minutes, we fell upon a most mighty and strange quantity of ice, in +one entire mass, so big as that we knew not the limits thereof, and +being withal so very high, in form of a land, with bays and capes, +and like high cliff land as that we supposed it to be land, and +therefore sent our pinnace off to discover it; but at her return we +were certainly informed that it was only ice, which bred great +admiration to us all, considering the huge quantity thereof +incredible to be reported in truth as it was, and therefore I omit +to speak any further thereof. This only, I think that the like +before was never seen, and in this place we had very stickle and +strong currents. + +We coasted this mighty mass of ice until the 30th of July, finding +it a mighty bar to our purpose: the air in this time was so +contagious, and the sea so pestered with ice, as that all hope was +banished of proceeding; for the 24th of July all our shrouds, ropes, +and sails were so frozen, and encompassed with ice, only by a gross +fog, as seemed to be more than strange, since the last year I found +this sea free and navigable, without impediments. + +Our men through this extremity began to grow sick and feeble, and +withal hopeless of good success; whereupon, very orderly, with good +discretion they entreated me to regard the state of this business, +and withal advised me that in conscience I ought to regard the +safety of mine own life with the preservation of theirs, and that I +should not, through my overboldness, leave their widows and +fatherless children to give me bitter curses. This matter in +conscience did greatly move me to regard their estates, yet +considering the excellency of the business, if it might be obtained, +the great hope of certainty by the last year's discovery, and that +there was yet a third way not put in practice, I thought it would +grow to my disgrace if this action by my negligence should grow into +discredit: whereupon seeking help from God, the fountain of all +mercies, it pleased His Divine Majesty to move my heart to prosecute +that which I hope shall be to His glory, and to the contentation of +every Christian mind. Whereupon, falling into consideration that +the Mermaid, albeit a very strong and sufficient ship, yet by reason +of her burden not so convenient and nimble as a smaller barque, +especially in such desperate hazards; further, having in account how +great charge to the adventurers, being at 100 livres the month, and +that in doubtful service, all the premises considered, with divers +other things, I determined to furnish the Moonlight with +revictualing and sufficient men, and to proceed in this action as +God should direct me; whereupon I altered our course from the ice, +and bore east-south-east to the cover of the next shore, where this +thing might be performed; so with favourable wind it pleased God +that the 1st of August we discovered the land in latitude 66 degrees +33 minutes, and in longitude from the meridian of London 70 degrees, +void of trouble, without snow or ice. + +The 2nd of August we harboured ourselves in a very excellent good +road, where with all speed we graved the Moonlight, and revictualled +her; we searched this country with our pinnace while the barque was +trimming, which William Eston did: he found all this land to be +only islands, with a sea on the east, a sea on the west, and a sea +on the north. In this place we found it very hot, and we were very +much troubled with a fly which is called mosquito, for they did +sting grievously. The people of this place at our first coming in +caught a seal, and, with bladders fast tied to him sent him in to us +with the flood, so as he came right with our ships, which we took as +a friendly present from them. + +The 5th of August I went with the two masters and others to the top +of a hill, and by the way William Eston espied three canoes lying +under a rock, and went unto them: there were in them skins, darts, +with divers superstitious toys, whereof we diminished no thing, but +left upon every boat a silk point, a bullet of lead, and a pin. The +next day, being the 6th of August, the people came unto us without +fear, and did barter with us for skins, as the other people did: +they differ not from the other, neither in their canoes nor apparel, +yet is their pronunciation more plain than the others, and nothing +hollow in the throat. Our miscreant aboard of us kept himself +close, and made show that he would fain have another companion. +Thus being provided, I departed from this land the 12th of August at +six of the clock in the morning, where I left the Mermaid at anchor; +the 14th sailing west about 50 leagues we discovered land, being in +latitude 66 degrees 19 minutes: this land is 70 leagues from the +other from whence we came. This 14th day, from nine o'clock at +night till three o'clock in the morning, we anchored by an island of +ice 12 leagues off the shore, being moored to the ice. + +The 15th day, at three o'clock in the morning, we departed from this +land to the south, and the 18th of August we discovered land north- +west from us in the morning, being a very fair promontory, in +latitude 65 degrees, having no land on the south. Here we had great +hope of a through passage. + +This day, at three o'clock in the afternoon, we again discovered +land south-west and by south from us, where at night we were +becalmed. The 19th of this month at noon, by observation, we were +in 64 degrees 20 minutes. From the 18th day at noon until the 19th +at noon, by precise ordinary care, we had sailed fifteen leagues +south and by west, yet by art and more exact observation we found +our course to be south-west, so that we plainly perceived a great +current striking to the west. + +This land is nothing in sight but isles, which increaseth our hope. +This 19th of August, at six o'clock in the afternoon, it began to +snow, and so continued all night, with foul weather and much wind, +so that we were constrained to lie at hull all night, five leagues +off the shore: in the morning, being the 20th of August, the fog +and storm breaking up, we bore in with the land, and at nine o'clock +in the morning we anchored in a very fair and safe road and locket +for all weathers. At ten o'clock I went on shore to the top of a +very high hill, where I perceived that this land was islands; at +four o'clock in the afternoon we weighed anchor, having a fair +north-north-east wind, with very fair weather; at six o'clock we +were clear without the land, and so shaped our course to the south, +to discover the coast whereby the passage may be through God's mercy +found. + +We coasted this land till the 28th day of August, finding it still +to continue towards the south, from the latitude of 67 to 57 +degrees; we found marvellous great store of birds, gulls and mews, +incredible to be reported, whereupon being calm weather we lay one +glass upon the lee to prove for fish, in which space we caught one +hundred of cod, although we were but badly provided for fishing, not +being our purpose. This 28th, having great distrust of the weather, +we arrived in a very fair harbour in the latitude of 56 degrees, and +sailed ten leagues in the same, being two leagues broad, with very +fair woods on both sides; in this place we continued until the 1st +of September, in which time we had two very great storms. I landed, +and went six miles by guess into the country, and found that the +woods were fir, pine-apple, alder, yew, withy, and birch; here we +saw a black bear; this place yieldeth great store of birds, as +pheasant, partridge, Barbary hens, or the like, wild geese, ducks, +blackbirds, jays, thrushes, with other kinds of small birds. Of the +partridge and pheasant we killed great store with bow and arrows in +this place; at the harbour-mouth we found great store of cod. + +The 1st of September at ten o'clock we set sail, and coasted the +shore with very fair weather. The third day being calm, at noon we +struck sail, and let fall a cadge anchor to prove whether we could +take any fish, being in latitude 54 degrees 30 minutes, in which +place we found great abundance of cod, so that the hook was no +sooner overboard but presently a fish was taken. It was the largest +and best refet fish that ever I saw, and divers fishermen that were +with me said that they never saw a more suaule, or better skull of +fish in their lives, yet had they seen great abundance. + +The 4th of September, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, we anchored in +a very good road among great store of isles, the country low land, +pleasant, and very full of fair woods. To the north of this place +eight leagues we had a perfect hope of the passage, finding a mighty +great sea passing between two lands west. The south land to our +judgment being nothing but isles, we greatly desired to go into this +sea, but the wind was directly against us. We anchored in four +fathom fine sand. + +In this place is fowl and fish mighty store. + +The 6th of September, having a fair north-north-west wind, having +trimmed our barque, we purposed to depart, and sent five of our +sailors, young men, ashore to an island to fetch certain fish which +we purposed to weather, and therefore left it all night covered upon +the isle; the brutish people of this country lay secretly lurking in +the wood, and upon the sudden assaulted our men, which when we +perceived, we presently let slip our cables upon the halse, and +under our foresail bore into the shore, and with all expedition +discharged a double musket upon them twice, at the noise whereof +they fled; notwithstanding, to our very great grief, two of our men +were slain with their arrows, and two grievously wounded, of whom, +at this present, we stand in very great doubt; only one escaped by +swimming, with an arrow shot through his arm. These wicked +miscreants never offered parley or speech, but presently executed +their cursed fury. This present evening it pleased God farther to +increase our sorrows with a mighty tempestuous storm, the wind being +north-north-east, which lasted unto the 10th of this month very +extreme. We unrigged our ship, and purposed to cut-down our masts; +the cable of our shut anchor broke, so that we only expected to be +driven on shore amongst these cannibals for their prey. Yet in this +deep distress the mighty mercy of God, when hope was past, gave us +succour, and sent us a fair lee, so as we recovered our anchor +again, and new-moored our ship; where we saw that God manifestly +delivered us, for the strains of one of our cables were broken; we +only rode by an old junk. Thus being freshly moored, a new storm +arose, the wind being west-north-west, very forcible, which lasted +unto the 10th day at night. + +The 11th day, with a fair west-north-west wind, we departed with +trust in God's mercy, shaping our course for England, and arrived in +the West Country in the beginning of October. + + +Master Davis being arrived, wrote his letter to Master William +Sanderson of London, concerning his voyage, as followeth. + + +Sir,--The Sunshine came into Dartmouth the 4th of this month: she +hath been at Iceland, and from thence to Greenland, and so to +Estotiland, from thence to Desolation, and to our merchants, where +she made trade with the people, staying in the country twenty days. +They have brought home 500 seal-skins, and 140 half skins and pieces +of skins. I stand in great doubt of the pinnace; God be merciful +unto the poor men and preserve them if it be His blessed will. + +I have now full experience of much of the north-west part of the +world, and have brought the passage to that certainty, as that I am +sure it must be in one of four places, or else not at all. And +further, I can assure you upon the peril of my life, that this +voyage may be performed without further charge, nay, with certain +profit to the adventurers, if I may have but your favour in the +action. Surely it shall cost me all my hope of welfare and my +portion of Sandridge, but I will, by God's mercy, see an end of +these businesses. I hope I shall find favour with you to see your +card. I pray God it be so true as the card shall be which I will +bring to you, and I hope in God that your skill in navigation shall +be gainful unto you, although at the first it hath not proved so. +And thus with my most humble commendations I commit you to God, +desiring no longer to live than I shall be yours most faithfully to +command. From this 14th of October, 1586. + +Yours with my heart, body and life to command, + +JOHN DAVIS. + + +The relation of the course which the "Sunshine," a barque of fifty +tons, and the "North Star," a small pinnace, being two vessels of +the fleet of Master John Davis, held after he had sent them from him +to discover the passage between Greenland and Iceland. Written by +Henry Morgan, servant to Master William Sanderson of London. + + +The 7th day of May, 1586, we departed out of Dartmouth Haven four +sails, to wit, the Mermaid, the Sunshine, the Moonshine, and the +North Star. In the Sunshine were sixteen men, whose names were +these: Richard Pope, master; Mark Carter, master's mate; Henry +Morgan, purser; George Draward, John Mandie, Hugh Broken, Philip +Jane, Hugh Hempson, Richard Borden, John Filpe, Andrew Madocke, +William Wolcome, Robert Wagge, carpenter, John Bruskome, William +Ashe, Simon Ellis. + +Our course was west-north-west the 7th and 8th days; and the ninth +day in the morning we were on head of the Tarrose of Scilly. Thus +coasting along the south part of Ireland, the 11th day we were on +the head of the Dorses, and our course was south-south-west until +six of the clock the 12th day. The 13th day our course was north- +west. We remained in the company of the Mermaid and the Moonshine +until we came to the latitude of 60 degrees, and there it seemed +best to our general, Master Davis, to divide his fleet, himself +sailing to the north-west, and to direct the Sunshine, wherein I +was, and the pinnace called the North Star, to seek a passage +northward between Greenland and Iceland to the latitude of 80 +degrees, if land did not let us. So the 7th day of June we departed +from them, and the 9th of the same we came to a firm land of ice, +which we coasted along the 9th, the 10th, and the 11th days of June; +and the 11th day at six of the clock at night we saw land, which was +very high, which afterwards we knew to be Iceland, and the 12th day +we harboured there, and found many people; the land lieth east and +by north in 66 degrees. + +Their commodities were green fish and Iceland lings and stock fish, +and a fish which is called catfish, of all which they had great +store. They had also kine, sheep, and horses, and hay for their +cattle and for their horses. We saw also of their dogs. Their +dwelling-houses were made on both sides with stones, and wood laid +across over them, which was covered over with turfs of earth, and +they are flat on the tops, and many of these stood hard by the +shore. Their boats were made with wood, and iron all along the keel +like our English boats; and they had nails for to nail them withal, +and fish-hooks, and other things for to catch fish as we have here +in England. They had also brazen kettles, and girdles and purses +made of leather, and knops on them of copper, and hatchets, and +other small tools as necessary as we have. They dry their fish in +the sun; and when they are dry they pack them up in the top of their +houses. If we would go thither to fishing more than we do, we +should make it a very good voyage, for we got a hundred green fishes +in one morning. We found here two Englishmen with a ship, which +came out of England about Easter Day of this present year, 1586; and +one of them came aboard of us and brought us two lambs. The +Englishman's name was Master John Royden, of Ipswich, merchant; he +was bound for London with his ship. And this is the sum of that +which I observed in Iceland. We departed from Iceland the 16th day +of June, in the morning, and our course was north-west; and saw on +the coast two small barques going to a harbour; we went not to them, +but saw them afar off. Thus we continued our course unto the end of +this month. + +The 3rd day of July we were in between two firm lands of ice, and +passed in between them all that day until it was night, and then the +master turned back again, and so away we went towards Greenland. +And the 7th day of July we did see Greenland, and it was very high, +and it looked very blue; but we could not come to harbour in the +land because we were hindered by a firm land, as it were, of ice, +which was along the shore's side; but we were within three leagues +of the land, coasting the same divers days together. The 17th day +of July we saw the place which our captain, Master John Davis, the +year before had named the Land of Desolation, where we could not go +on shore for ice. The 18th day we were likewise troubled with ice, +and went in amongst it at three of the clock in the morning. After +we had cleared ourselves thereof we ranged all along the coast of +Desolation until the end of the aforesaid month. + +The 3rd day of August we came in sight of Gilbert's Sound in the +latitude of 64 degrees 15 minutes, which was the place where we were +appointed to meet our general and the rest of our fleet. Here we +came to a harbour at six of the clock at night. + +The 4th day, in the morning, the master went on shore with ten of +his men, and they brought us four of the people rowing in their +boats, aboard of the ship. And in the afternoon I went on shore +with six of our men, and there came to us seven of them when we were +on land. We found on shore three dead people, and two of them had +their staves lying by them, and their old skins wrapped about them, +and the other had nothing lying by, wherefore we thought it was a +woman. We also saw their houses, near the seaside, which were made +with pieces of wood on both sides, and crossed over with poles and +then covered over with earth. We found foxes running upon the +hills. As for the place, it is broken land all the way that we +went, and full of broken islands. The 21st of August the master +sent the boat on shore for wood, with six of his men, and there were +one-and-thirty of the people of the country, which went on shore to +them, and they went about to kill them as we thought, for they shot +their darts towards them, and we that were aboard the ship did see +them go on shore to our men, whereupon the master sent the pinnace +after them; and when they saw the pinnace coming towards them they +turned back, and the master of the pinnace did shoot off a culliver +to them the same time, but hurt none of them, for his meaning was +only to put them in fear. Divers times they did wave us on shore to +play with them at the football, and some of our company went on +shore to play with them, and our men did cast them down as soon as +they did come to strike the ball. And thus much of that which we +did see and do in that harbour where we arrived first. + +The 23rd day we departed from the merchants where we had been first, +and our course from thence was south and by west, and the wind was +north-east, and we ran that day and night about five or six leagues +until we came to another harbour. + +The 24th, about eleven of the clock in the forenoon, we entered into +the aforesaid new harbour, and as we came in we did see dogs running +upon the islands. When we were come in, there came to us four of +the people which were with us before in the other harbour; and where +we rowed we had sandy ground. We saw no wood growing, but found +small pieces of wood upon the islands, and some small pieces of +sweet wood among the same. We found great harts' horns, but could +see none of the stags where we went, but we found their footings. +As for the bones which we received of the savages, I cannot tell of +what beasts they be. The stones that we found in the country were +black, and some white; as I think, they be of no value; nevertheless +I have brought examples of them to you. + +The 30th of August we departed from this harbour towards England, +and the wind took us contrary, so that we were fain to go to another +harbour the same day at eleven of the clock. And there came to us +thirty-nine of the people and brought us thirteen seal-skins, and +after we received these skins of them the master sent the carpenter +to change one of our boats which we had bought of them before; and +they would have taken the boat from him perforce, and when they saw +they could not take it from us they shot with their darts at us, and +struck one of our men with one of their darts, and John Filpe shot +one of them in the breast with an arrow. And they came to us again, +and four of our men went into the ship boat, and they shot with +their darts at our men; but our men took one of their people in his +boat, into the ship boat, and he hurt one of them with his knife, +but we killed three of them in their boats, two of them were hurt +with arrows in the breast, and he that was aboard our boat was shot +with an arrow, and hurt with a sword, and beaten with staves, whom +our men cast overboard; but the people caught him and carried him on +shore upon their boats, and the other two also, and so departed from +us. And three of them went on shore hard by us where they had their +dogs, and those three came away from their dogs, and presently one +of their dogs came swimming towards us hard aboard the ship, +whereupon our master caused the gunner to shoot off one of the great +pieces--towards the people, and so the dog turned back to land, and +within an hour after there came of the people hard aboard the ship, +but they would not come to us as they did before. + +The 31st of August we departed from Gilbert's Sound for England, and +when we came out of the harbour there came after us seventeen of the +people looking which way we went. + +The 2nd of September we lost sight of the land at twelve of the +clock at noon. + +The 3rd day at night we lost sight of the North Star, our pinnace, +in a very great storm, and lay a-hull tarrying for them the 4th day, +but could hear no more of them. Thus we shaped our course the 5th +day south-south-east, and sailing unto the 27th of the said month, +we came in sight of Cape Clear in Ireland. + +The 30th day we entered into our own Channel. + +The 2nd of October we had sight of the Isle of Wight. + +The 3rd we coasted all along the shore, and the 4th and 5th. + +The 6th of the said month of October we came into the River of +Thames as high as Ratcliffe in safety, God be thanked! + + + +THE THIRD VOYAGE NORTH-WESTWARD, MADE BY JOHN DAVIS, +Gentleman, as chief captain and pilot general for the discovery of a +passage to the Isles of the Molucca, or the coast of China, in the +year 1587. Written by John Janes, servant to the aforesaid Master +William Sanderson. + + + +May.--The 19th of this present month, about midnight, we weighed our +anchors, set sail and departed from Dartmouth with two barques and a +clincher, the one named the Elizabeth, of Dartmouth, the other the +Sunshine, of London, and the clincher called the Ellin, of London; +thus, in God's name, we set forwards with wind at north-east, a good +fresh gale. About three hours after our departure, the night being +somewhat thick with darkness, we had lost the pinnace. The captain, +imagining that the men had run away with her, willed the master of +the Sunshine to stand to seawards and see if we could descry them, +we bearing in with the shore for Plymouth. At length we descried +her, bore with her, and demanded what the cause was; they answered +that the tiller of their helm was burst, so shaping our course west- +south-west, we went forward, hoping that a hard beginning would make +a good ending; yet some of us were doubtful of it, failing in +reckoning that she was a clincher; nevertheless, we put our trust in +God. + +The 21st we met with the Red Lion of London, which came from the +coast of Spain, which was afraid that we had been men-of-war; but we +hailed them, and after a little conference we desired the master to +carry our letters for London, directed to my uncle Sanderson, who +promised us safe delivery. And after we had heaved them a lead and +a line, whereunto we had made fast our letters, before they could +get them into the ship they fell into the sea, and so all our labour +and theirs also was lost; notwithstanding, they promised to certify +our departure at London, and so we departed, and the same day we had +sight of Scilly. The 22nd the wind was at north-east by east, with +fair weather, and so the 23rd and 24th the like. The 25th we laid +our ships on the lee for the Sunshine, who was a-rummaging for a +leak; they had 500 strokes at the pump in a watch, with the wind at +north-west. + +The 26th and 27th we had fair weather, but this 27th the pinnace's +foremast was blown overboard. The 28th the Elizabeth towed the +pinnace, which was so much bragged of by the owner's report before +we came out of England, but at sea she was like a cart drawn with +oxen. Sometimes we towed her, because she could not sail for scant +wind. + +The 31st day our captain asked if the pinnace were staunch. Peerson +answered that she was as sound and staunch as a cup. This made us +something glad when we saw she would brook the sea, and was not +leaky. + +June.--The first six days we had fair weather; after that for five +days we had fog and rain, the wind being south. + +The 12th we had clear weather. The mariners in the Sunshine and the +master could not agree; the mariners would go on their voyage a- +fishing, because the year began to waste; the master would not +depart till he had the company of the Elizabeth, whereupon the +master told our captain that he was afraid his men would shape some +contrary course while he was asleep, and so he should lose us. At +length, after much talk and many threatenings, they were content to +bring us to the land which we looked for daily. + +The 13th we had fog and rain. + +The 14th day we discovered land at five of the clock in the morning, +being very great and high mountains, the tops of the hills being +covered with snow. Here the wind was variable, sometimes north- +east, east-north-east, and east by north; but we imagined ourselves +to be 16 or 17 leagues off from the shore. + +The 15th we had reasonably clear weather. + +The 16th we came to an anchor about four or five of the clock in the +afternoon. The people came presently to us, after the old manner, +with crying "Il y a oute," and showed us seal-skins. + +The 17th we began to set up the pinnace that Peerson framed at +Dartmouth, with the boards which he brought from London. + +The 18th, Peerson and the carpenters of the ships began to set on +the planks. + +The 19th, as we went about an island, were found black pumice +stones, and salt kerned on the rocks, very white and glistering. +This day, also, the master of the Sunshine took one of the people, a +very strong, lusty young fellow. + +The 20th, about two of the clock in the morning, the savages came to +the island where our pinnace was built ready to be launched, and +tore the two upper strakes and carried them away, only for the love +of the iron in the boards. While they were about this practice, we +manned the Elizabeth's boat to go ashore to them. Our men, being +either afraid or amazed, were so long before they came to shore, +that our captain willed them to stay, and made the gunner give fire +to a saker, and laid the piece level with the boat, which the +savages had turned on the one side because we could not hurt them +with our arrows, and made the boat their bulwark against the arrows +which we shot at them. Our gunner, having made all things ready, +gave fire to the piece, and fearing to hurt any of the people, and +regarding the owner's profit, thought belike he would save a saker's +shot, doubting we should have occasion to fight with men-of-war, and +so shot off the saker without a bullet, we looking still when the +savages that were hurt should run away without legs; at length we +could perceive never a man hurt, but all having their legs, could +carry away their bodies. We had no sooner shot off the piece but +the master of the Sunshine manned his boat, and came rowing towards +the island, the very sight of whom made each of them take that he +had gotten, and fly away as fast as they could to another island +about two miles off, where they took the nails out of the timber, +and left the wood on the isle. When we came on shore, and saw how +they had spoiled the boat, after much debating of the matter, we +agreed that the Elizabeth should have her to fish withal; whereupon +she was presently carried aboard and stowed. Now after this +trouble, being resolved to depart with the first wind, there fell +out another matter worse than all the rest, and that was in this +manner: John Churchyard, one whom our captain had appointed as +pilot in the pinnace, came to our captain and Master Bruton, and +told them that the good ship which we must all hazard our lives in +had three hundred strokes at one time as she rode in the harbour. +This disquieted us all greatly, and many doubted to go in her. At +length our captain, by whom we were all to be governed, determined +rather to end his life with credit than to return with infamy and +disgrace; and so, being all agreed, we purposed to live and die +together, and committed ourselves to the ship. + +Now the 21st, having brought all our things aboard, about eleven or +twelve of the clock at night we set sail and departed from those +isles, which lie in 64 degrees of latitude, our ships being now all +at sea, and we shaping our course to go coasting the land to the +northwards, upon the eastern shore, which we called the shore of our +merchants, because there we met with people which traffic with us; +but here we were not without doubt of our ship. + +The 22nd and 23rd we had close fog and rain. + +The 24th, being in 67 degrees and 40 minutes, we had great store of +whales, and a kind of sea-birds which the mariners call cortinous. +This day, about six of the clock at night, we espied two of the +country people at sea, thinking at the first they had been two great +seals, until we saw their oars, glistering with the sun. They came +rowing towards us as fast as they could, and when they came within +hearing they held up their oars and cried "Il y a oute," making many +signs, and at last they came to us, giving us birds for bracelets, +and of them I had a dart with a bone in it, or a piece of unicorn's +horn, as I did judge. This dart he made store of, but when he saw a +knife he let it go, being more desirous of the knife than of his +dart. These people continued rowing after our ship the space of +three hours. + +The 25th, in the morning, at seven of the clock, we descried thirty +savages rowing after us, being by judgment ten leagues off from the +shore. They brought us salmon peels, birds, and caplin, and we gave +them pins, needles, bracelets, nails, knives, bells, looking- +glasses, and other small trifles; and for a knife, a nail, or a +bracelet, which they call ponigmah, they would sell their boat, +coats, or anything they had, although they were far from the shore. +We had but few skins of them, about twenty; but they made signs to +us that if we would go to the shore, we should have more store of +chicsanege. They stayed with us till eleven of the clock, at which +time we went to prayer, and they departed from us. + +The 26th was cloudy, the wind being at south. + +The 27th fair, with the same wind. + +The 28th and 29th were foggy, with clouds. + +The 30th day we took the height, and found ourselves in 72 degrees +and 12 minutes of latitude, both at noon and at night, the sun being +five degrees above the horizon. At midnight the compass set to the +variation of 28 degrees to the westward. Now having coasted the +land which we called London Coast from the 21st of this present till +the 30th, the sea open all to the westwards and northwards, the land +on starboard side east from us, the wind shifted to the north, +whereupon we left that shore, naming the same Hope Sanderson, and +shaped our course west, and ran forty leagues and better without the +sight of any land. + +July.--The 2nd we fell in with a mighty bank of ice west from us, +lying north and south, which bank we would gladly have doubled out +to the northwards, but the wind would not suffer us, so that we were +fain to coast it to the southwards, hoping to double it out that we +might have run so far west till we had found land, or else to have +been thoroughly resolved of our pretended purpose. + +The 3rd we fell in with the ice again, and putting off from it we +sought to the northwards, but the wind crossed us. + +The 4th was foggy, so was the 5th; also with much wind at north. + +The 6th being very clear, we put our barque with oars through a gap +in the ice, seeing the sea free on the west side, as we thought, +which falling out otherwise, caused us to return after we had stayed +there between the ice. + +The 7th and the 8th, about midnight, by God's help we recovered the +open sea, the weather being fair and calm; and so was the 9th. + +The 10th we coasted the ice. + +The 11th was foggy, but calm. + +The 12th we coasted again the ice, having the wind at west-north- +west. The 13th, bearing off from the ice, we determined to go with +the shore, and come to an anchor, and to stay five or six days for +the dissolving of the ice, hoping that the sea from continually +beating it, and the sun with the extreme force of heat, which it had +always shining upon it, would make a quick despatch, that we might +have a further search upon the western shore. Now when we were come +to the eastern coast, the water something deep, and some of our +company fearful withal, we durst not come to an anchor, but bore off +into sea again. The poor people, seeing us go away again, came +rowing after us into the sea, the waves being somewhat lofty. We +trucked with them for a few skins and darts, and gave them beads, +nails, needles, and cards, they pointing to the shore as though they +would show us great friendship; but we, little regarding their +courtesy, gave them the gentle farewell, and so departed. + +The 14th we had the wind at south. The 15th there was some fault +either in the barque or the set of some current, for we were driven +six points out of our course. The 16th we fell in with the bank of +ice, west from us. The 17th and 18th were foggy. The 19th, at one +o'clock afternoon, we had sight of the land which we called Mount +Raleigh, and at twelve of the clock at night we were athwart the +straits which we discovered the first year. The 20th we traversed +in the mouth of the strait, the wind being at west with fair and +clear weather. The 21st and 22nd we coasted the northern coast of +the straits. The 23rd, having sailed 60 leagues north-west into the +straits at two o'clock afternoon, we anchored among many isles in +the bottom of the gulf, naming the same the Earl of Cumberland's +Isles, where, riding at anchor, a whale passed by our ship and went +west in among the isles. Here the compass set at 30 degrees +westward variation. The 24th we departed, shaping our course south- +east to recover the sea. The 25th we were becalmed in the bottom of +the gulf, the air being extremely hot. Master Bruton and some of +the mariners went on shore to course dogs, where they found many +graves, and trains spilt on the ground, the dogs being so fat that +they were scant able to run. + +The 26th we had a pretty storm, the wind being at south-east. The +27th and 28th were fair. The 29th we were clear out of the straits, +having coasted the south shore, and this day at noon we were in 64 +degrees of latitude. The 30th in the afternoon we coasted a bank of +ice which lay on the shore, and passed by a great bank or inlet +which lay between 63 and 62 degrees of latitude, which we called +Lumley's Inlet. We had oftentimes, as we sailed along the coast, +great roots, the water as it were whirling and overfalling, as if it +were the fall of some great water through a bridge. The 31st as we +sailed by a headland, which we named Warwick's Forehand, we fell +into one of those overfalls with a fresh gale of wind, and bearing +all our sails, we looking upon an island of ice between us and the +shore, had thought that our barque did make no way, which caused us +to take marks on the shore. At length we perceived ourselves to go +very fast, and the island of ice which we saw before was carried +very forcibly with the set of the current faster than our ship went. +This day and night we passed by a very great gulf, the water +whirling and roaring as it were the meeting of tides. + +August.--The 1st, having coasted a bank of ice which was driven out +at the mouth of this gulf, we fell in with the southernmost cape of +the gulf, which we named Chidlie's Cape, which lay in 6 degrees and +10 minutes of latitude. The 2nd and 3rd were calm and foggy, so +were the 4th, 5th, and 6th. The 7th was fair and calm, so was the +8th, with a little gale in the morning. The 9th was fair, and we +had a little gale at night. The 10th we had a frisking gale at +west-north-west; the 11th fair. The 12th we saw five deer on the +top of an island, called by us Darcie's Island. And we hoisted out +our boat, and went ashore to them, thinking to have killed some of +them. But when we came on shore and had coursed them twice about +the island they took the sea, and swain towards islands distant from +that three leagues. When we perceived that they had taken the sea, +we gave them over, because our boat was so small that it could not +carry us and row after them, they swam so fast; but one of them was +as big as a good pretty cow, and very fat; their feet as big as ox- +feet. Here upon this island I killed with my piece a grey hare. + +The 13th in the morning we saw three or four white bears, but durst +not go on shore unto them for lack of a good boat. This day we +struck a rock seeking for a harbour, and received a leak, and this +day we were in 54 degrees of latitude. The 14th we stopped our leak +in a storm not very outrageous at noon. + +The 15th, being almost in 51 degrees of latitude, and not finding +our ships, nor (according to their promise) being any mark, token, +or beacon, which we willed to set up, and they protested to do so +upon every headland, sea, island, or cape, within 20 leagues every +way off from their fishing place, which our captain appointed to be +between 54 and 55 degrees--this 15th, I say, we shaped our course +homeward for England, having in our ship but little wood, and half a +hogshead of fresh water. Our men were very willing to depart, and +no man more forward than Peerson, for he feared to be put out of his +office of stewardship; he was so insatiate that the allowance of two +men was scant sufficient to fill his greedy appetite; but because +every man was so willing to depart, and considering our want, I +doubted the matter very much, fearing that the seething of our men's +victuals in salt water would breed diseases, and being but few (yet +too many for the room, if any should be sick), and likely that all +the rest might be infected therewith, we consented to return for our +own country, and so we had the 16th there with the wind at south- +west. + +The 17th we met a ship at sea, and as far as we could judge it was a +Biscayan; we thought she went a-fishing for whales, for in 52 +degrees or thereabout we saw very many. + +The 18th was fair with a good gale at west. + +The 19th fair also, but with much wind at west and by south. + +And thus, after much variable weather and change of winds, we +arrived the 15th of September in Dartmouth, Anno 1587, giving thanks +to God for our safe arrival. + + +A letter of the said Master John Davis, written to Master Sanderson +of London, concerning his fore-written voyage. + + +Good Master Sanderson,--With God's great mercy I have made my safe +return in health with all my company, and have sailed 60 leagues +farther than my determination at my departure. I have been in 73 +degrees, finding the sea all open, and 40 leagues between laud and +land; the passage is most certain, the execution most easy, as at my +coming you shall fully know. Yesterday, the 15th of September, I +landed all weary, therefore I pray you pardon my shortness. + +Sandridge, this 16th of September, Anno 1587. +Yours equal as mine own, which by trial you shall best know, +JOHN DAVIS. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg Etext The North-West Passage, by Richard Hakluyt + diff --git a/old/nwpas10.zip b/old/nwpas10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f09b4a --- /dev/null +++ b/old/nwpas10.zip |