The maine also of this
countrey of 'Virginia', extending some wayes so many hundreds of
leagues, as otherwise then by the relation of the inhabitants wee haue
most certaine knowledge of, where yet no Christian Prince hath any
possession or dealing, cannot but yeeld many kinds of excellent
commodities, which we in our discouerie haue not yet seene.
What hope there is els to be gathered of the nature of the climate,
being answerable to the Iland of 'Iapan', the land of 'China, Persia,
Jury, the Ilandes of 'Cyprus' and 'Candy', the South parts 'Greece,
Italy', and 'Spaine', and of many other notable and famous countreis,
because I meane not to be tedious, I leaue to your owne consideration.'
Whereby also the excellent temperature of the ayre there at all seasons,
much warmer then in England, and neuer so violently hot, as sometimes is
vnder & between the Tropikes, or neere them; cannot bee vnknowne vnto
you without farther relation.
For the holsomnesse thereof I neede to say but thus much: that for all
the want of prouision, as first of English victuall; excepting for
twentie daies, wee liued only by drinking water and by the victuall of
the countrey, of which some sorts were very straunge vnto vs, and might
haue bene thought to haue altered our temperatures in such sort as to
haue brought vs into some greeuous and dagerous diseases: secondly the
wat of English meanes, for the taking of beastes, fishe, and foule,
which by the helpe only of the inhabitants and their meanes, coulde not
bee so suddenly and easily prouided for vs, nor in so great numbers &
quantities, nor of that choise as otherwise might haue bene to our
better satisfaction and contentment. Some want also wee had of clothes.
Furthermore, in all our trauailes which were most speciall and often in
the time of winter, our lodging was in the open aire vpon the grounde.
And yet I say for all this, there were but foure of our whole company
(being one hundred and eight) that died all the yeere and that but at
the latter ende thereof and vpon none of the aforesaide causes. For all
foure especially three were feeble, weake, and sickly persons before
euer they came thither, and those that knewe them much marueyled that
they liued so long beeing in that case, or had aduentured to trauaile.
Seing therefore the ayre there is so temperate and holsome, the soyle so
fertile and yeelding such commodities as I haue before mentioned, the
voyage also thither to and fro beeing sufficiently experimented, to bee
perfourmed thrise a yeere with ease and at any season thereof: And the
dealing of 'Sir Walter Raleigh' so liberall in large giuing and grauting
lande there, as is alreadie knowen, with many helpes and furtherances
els: (The least that hee hath graunted hath beene fiue hundred acres to
a man onely for the aduenture of his person): I hope there reamine no
cause whereby the action should be misliked.
If that those which shall thither trauaile to inhabite and plant bee but
reasonably prouided for the first yere as those are which were
transported the last, and beeing there doe vse but that diligence and
care as is requisite, and as they may with eese: There is no doubt but
for the time following they may haue victuals that is excellent good and
plentie enough; some more Englishe sortes of cattaile also hereafter, as
some haue bene before, and are there yet remaining, may and shall bee
God willing thiter transported: So likewise our kinde of fruites,
rootes, and hearbes may bee there planted and sowed, as some haue bene
alreadie, and proue wel: And in short time also they may raise of those
sortes of commodities which I haue spoken of as shall both enrich
theselues, as also others that shall deale with them.
And this is all the fruites of our labours, that I haue thought
necessary to aduertise you of at this present: what els concerneth the
nature and manners of the inhabitants of 'Virginia': The number with the
particularities of the voyages thither made; and of the actions of such
that haue bene by 'Sir Walter Raleigh' therein and there imployed, many
worthy to bee remembered; as of the first discouerers of the Countrey:
of our generall for the time 'Sir Richard Greinuile'; and after his
departure, of our Gouernour there Master 'Rafe Lane'; with diuers other
directed and imployed vnder theyr gouernement: Of the Captaynes and
Masters of the voyages made since for transporation; of the Gouernour
and assistants of those alredie transported, as of many persons,
accidets, and thinges els, I haue ready in a discourse by it
selfe in maner of a Chronicle according to the course of times, and when
time shall bee thought conuenient shall be also published.
This referring my relation to your fauourable constructions, expecting
good successe of the action, from him which is to be acknowledged the
authour and gouernour not only of this but of all things els, I take my
leaue of you, this moneth of Februarii, 1588.
F I N I S.
End of A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land Of Virginia, by Thomas Hariot
