In 4 Dayes We Came To A Lake Much Frozen; Covered In Some
Places With Ice By Reason Of The Tossing Of The Wind, And The Ground All
Covered With Snow.
Heere we did our best to save us from the rigour of the
aire, and must stay 15 dayes.
The wild men admired that the season of the
yeare was so backward. Att the end the wind changes southerly, which made
the lake free from Ice and cleare over all the skirts of it, without either
snow or ice. There was such a thawing that made the litle brookes flow like
rivers, which made us imbarque to wander [over] that sweet sea. The weather
lovely, the wind fayre, and nature satisfied. Tending forwards, singing and
playing, not considering the contrary weather past, continued so 6 days
upon the lake and rested the nights ashore.
The more we proceeded in our journey, the more the pleasant country and
warmer. Ending the lake, we entered into a beautifull sweet river, a
stoan-cast wide. After halfe a day we rid on it, weare forced to bring both
barks and equipage uppon our backs to the next streame of that river. This
done above 20 times, hawling our boats after us all laden. We went up that
river att least 30 or 40 leagues. Att last [it] brought us to a lake of
some 9 miles in length. Being comed to the highest place of the lake, we
landed and hid our boats farr enough in the woods, [and] tooke our bundles.
We weare 3 dayes going through a great wildernesse where was no wood, not
so much as could make us fire. Then the thickned flower did serve us
instead of meate, mingling it with watter. We foorded many litle rivers, in
swiming & sayling. Our armes, which we putt uppon some sticks tyed together
of such wood as that desolat place could afford, to keepe them from the
weatt. The evening we came on the side of a violent river, uppon which we
made bridges of trees that we [made] to meet, to go over.
We left this place after being there 3 dayes. We went up that river in 2
dayes; there we killed stagges. After we came to a mouth of another river.
We made a litle fort, where it was commanded by our captayne to make no
noise. They desired me to be very quiet, which I observed strictly. After
refreshment we imbarked, though unseasonably, in the night, for to make som
discovery. Some went one way, some another. We went a great way, but not
farr off our fort. The next day we meet altogether & made some Councell,
where it was decreed that 2 should go to the furthermost part of a small
river in a boat, to make a discovery, and see if there weare tracks of
people there, whilst the other 9 should take notice of a villag, that they
knew'd to be nigh, and because it was lesse danger to make there a
discovery. The youngest of the company and me are pitched [upon] to goe
into the river. We tooke the lightest boat. It was well, [for] that in some
places of the river there was not watter enough to carry us. We weare
fained to draw the boat after us. I believe not that ever a wild man went
that way because of the great number of trees that stops the passage of the
river.
After we have gon the best part of the day, we found ourselves att the end
of a small lake some 4 mile in length, and seeing the woods weare not so
thick there as wheare wee passed, we hid our boat in some bushes, taking
onely our armes along, intending on still to pretend some discovery. We
scarce weare in the midle of the lake when we perceave 2 persons goeing on
the watter side, att the other side of the lake; so my comrade getts him up
a tree to discerne better if there weare any more. After he stayed there a
while [he] comes [down] & tells me that he thought they weare 2 women, and
that we might goe kill them. Doubtlesse, said I, if they are women the men
are not afarre from them, and we shall be forced to shoote. Wee are alone,
and should runne the hazzard of 2 women for to be discovered. Our breethren
also would be in danger that knowes nothing. Moreover it's night; what dost
thou intend to doe? You say well, replyes he; lett us hide ourselves in the
wood, for we cannot goe downe in the river in the night time. Att breake of
day we will [goe] back to our companions where we will finde them in the
fort.
Here we came without any provisions, where we must lie under a rotten
tree. That night it rayned sadly. We weare wett; but a naturall Exercise is
good fire. We weare in our boat early in the morning, and with great
diligence we came back better then we went up, for the river grewed mighty
high by reason of so much that fell of raine. I will not omitt a strange
accident that befell us as we came. You must know that as we past under the
trees, as before mentioned, there layd on one of the trees a snake with
foure feete, her head very bigg, like a Turtle, the nose very small att the
end, the necke of 5 thumbs wide, the body about 2 feet, and the tayle of a
foot & a halfe, of a blackish collour, onto a shell small and round, with
great eyes, her teeth very white but not long. That beast was a sleepe upon
one of the trees under which wee weare to goe; neither of us ever seeing
such a creature weare astonished. We could not tell what to doe. It was
impossible to carry our boat, for the thicknesse of the wood; to shoot att
her wee would att least be discovered, besides it would trouble our
Company.
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