Also, The Year Being
Far Spent, And Arrived To The Month Of June, We Were Not To Spend Time
In
Northerly courses, where we should be surprised with timely winter,
but to covet the south, which we had space enough
Then to have
attained, and there might with less detriment have wintered that
season, being more mild and short in the south than in the north,
where winter is both long and rigorous. These and other like reasons
alleged in favour of the southern course first to be taken, to the
contrary was inferred that forasmuch as both our victuals and many
other needful provisions were diminished and left insufficient for so
long a voyage and for the wintering of so many men, we ought to shape
a course most likely to minister supply; and that was to take the
Newfoundland in our way, which was but 700 leagues from our English
coast. Where being usually at that time of the year, and until the
fine of August, a multitude of ships repairing thither for fish, we
should be relieved abundantly with many necessaries, which, after the
fishing ended, they might well spare and freely impart unto us. Not
staying long upon that Newland coast, we might proceed southward, and
follow still the sun, until we arrived at places more temperate to our
content.
By which reasons we were the rather induced to follow this northerly
course, obeying unto necessity, which must be supplied. Otherwise, we
doubted that sudden approach of winter, bringing with it continual fog
and thick mists, tempest and rage of weather, also contrariety of
currents descending from the Cape of Florida unto Cape Breton and Cape
Race, would fall out to be great and irresistible impediments unto our
further proceeding for that year, and compel us to winter in those
north and cold regions.
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