Hee Also Promisd To Send Mee Fuller Instructions In
Writing, For My Directions When I Should Bee On The Place.
Wee arrived at Accadia the 26th of november, 1682, and there winter'd. In
the Spring I repair'd unto hallow Island.
The vessell I expected arrived,
but proved not so good as was promised, for it was only an old Barque of
about 50 Tunns with an Equippage but of 12 men, thos with me being
comprised in the number. There was goods enough on board to have carry'd on
the Treaty, but Provisions were scant, so that had I not ben so deeply
ingadg'd as I was in the businesse, such a kind of a vessell would have
quite discouradg'd me. But the arrivall of my Brother-in-Law,
Desgrosiliers, in a vessell of about 30 Tunns, with a crew of 15 men,
incouradg'd me, so that wee joyntly resolved not to quit our Enterprize;
but wee had much adoe to perswade our men to it, being unwilling to expose
themselves to the danger of a voyadge of 900 Leagues in such small,
ordinary vessells, & in such boisterous seas, where ther was also danger of
Ice. However, they seeing us willing to run the same fortune as they did,
they at length consented, & it was agree'd upon betwixt my Brother-in-Law &
myself to steere the same cours, & to keep as neere each other as wee
could, the better to assist one another as occasion required. Wee sailed
from the Island the 11th July, 1682 [1683.] After the space of 19 dayes'
sailing, being past the Straights of new found Land, the seamen on board my
Brother-in-Law's vessell mutin'd against him, refusing to proceed any
farther, pretending they feared being split with the Ice, also of ingadging
in unknown countreys where they might be reduced to want Provisions in the
Winter. Wee pacify'd the mutineers by threatnings & by promises, & the
sight of a saile in 57 deg. 30 minutes, North Lat., upon the Coast of
Brador, somwhat contributed thereunto, every one desiring to shun this
sail. Wee were twixt him & the shoar, & they bore directly towards us,
desirous to speak with us; but wee not being in a condition of making any
resistance, I thought it the best not to stand towards him, but steering
the same cours as hee did, wee recover'd under the shoar, & so out of
Danger; they tackt about & stood off 2 hours before night, & wee lost sight
of them. There was much ice in those seas, which drive to the Southwards.
Wee put into Harbour to avoide the Danger of it, as also to take in fresh
Water & some other Provisions at the Coast of the Indians called Esquimos,
the most cruell of all the salvages when they meet an advantage to surprize
Persons. Neverthelesse, they came to our shipp side, & traded with us for
some hundred of Woolf Skins. Wee stay'd there 2 dayes, during which time
there happned a nother mutiny, our men refusing to proceed any farther; but
I pacify'd the seditious, & having put to sea I order'd our men to preserve
the Wood & Water wee had taken on board the best they could, for my
Brother-in-Law & I had resolved not to goe a shoare untill wee had gain'd
our Port, unless wee were chased.
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