In That Bay There Is A Chanell Where We Take Great Store
Of Fishes, Sturgeons Of A Vast Biggnesse, And Pycks Of Seaven Foot Long.
Att The End Of This Bay We Landed.
The wildmen gave thanks to that which
they worship, we to God of Gods, to see ourselves in a place where we must
leave our navigation and forsake our boats to undertake a harder peece of
worke in hand, to which we are forced.
The men told us that wee had 5 great
dayes' journeys before we should arrive where their wives weare. We foresee
the hard task that we weare to undergoe by carrying our bundles uppon our
backs. They weare used to it. Here every one for himselfe & God for all.
We finding ourselves not able to performe such a taske, & they could not
well tell where to finde their wives, fearing least the Nadoneceronons had
warrs against their nation and forced them from their appointed place, my
brother and I we consulted what was best to doe, and declared our will to
them, which was thus: "Brethren, we resolve to stay here, being not
accustomed to make any cariage on our backs as yee are wont. Goe yee and
looke for your wives. We will build us a fort here. And seeing that you are
not able to carry all your marchandizes att once, we will keepe them for
you, and will stay for you 14 dayes. Before the time expired you will send
to us if your wives be alive, and if you find them they will fetch what you
leave here & what we have; ffor their paines they shall receive guifts of
us. Soe you will see us in your countrey. If they be dead, we will spend
all to be revenged, and will gather up the whole countrey for the next
spring, for that purpose to destroy those that weare the causers of their
death, and you shall see our strenght and vallour. Although there are
seaven thousand fighting men in one village, you'll see we will make them
runne away, & you shall kill them to your best liking by the very noise of
our armes and our presence, who are the Gods of the earth among those
people."
They woundered very much att our resolution. The next day they went their
way and we stay for our assurance in the midst of many nations, being but
two almost starved for want of food. We went about to make a fort of
stakes, which was in this manner. Suppose that the watter side had ben in
one end; att the same end there should be murtherers, and att need we made
a bastion in a triangle to defend us from an assault. The doore was neare
the watter side, our fire was in the midle, and our bed on the right hand,
covered. There weare boughs of trees all about our fort layed a crosse, one
uppon an other. Besides these boughs we had a long cord tyed with some
small bells, which weare senteryes. Finally, we made an ende of that fort
in 2 dayes' time. We made an end of some fish that we putt by for neede.
But as soone as we are lodged we went to fish for more whilst the other
kept the house. I was the fittest to goe out, being yongest. I tooke my
gunne and goes where I never was before, so I choosed not one way before
another. I went to the wood some 3 or 4 miles. I find a small brooke, where
I walked by the sid awhile, which brought me into meddowes. There was a
poole where weare a good store of bustards. I began to creepe though I
might come neare. Thought to be in Canada, where the fowle is scared away;
but the poore creatures, seeing me flatt uppon the ground, thought I was a
beast as well as they, so they come neare me, whisling like gosslings,
thinking to frighten me. The whistling that I made them heare was another
musick then theirs. There I killed 3 and the rest scared, which
neverthelesse came to that place againe to see what sudaine sicknesse
befeled their comrads. I shott againe; two payed for their curiosity. I
think the Spaniards had no more to fullfill then as kill those birds, that
thought not of such a thunder bolt. There are yett more countreys as
fruitfull and as beautifull as the Spaniards to conquer, which may be done
with as much ease & facility, and prove as rich, if not richer, for bread &
wine; and all other things are as plentifull as in any part of Europ. This
I have seene, which am sure the Spaniards have not in such plenty. Now I
come backe with my victory, which was to us more then tenne thousand
pistoles. We lived by it 5 dayes. I tooke good notice of the place, in
hopes to come there more frequent, but this place is not onely so.
There we stayed still full 12 dayes without any news, but we had the
company of other wild men of other countreys that came to us admiring our
fort and the workmanshipp. We suffered non to goe in but one person, and
liked it so much the better, & often durst not goe in, so much they stood
in feare of our armes, that weare in good order, which weare 5 guns, two
musquetons, 3 fowling-peeces, 3 paire of great pistoletts, and 2 paire of
pockett ons, and every one his sword and daggar. So that we might say that
a Coward was not well enough armed. Mistrust neverthelesse is the mother of
safety, and the occasion makes the thief. During that time we had severall
alarums in the night. The squerels and other small beasts, as well as
foxes, came in and assaulted us. One night I forgott my bracer, which was
wett; being up and downe in those pooles to fetch my fowles, one of these
beasts carried it away, which did us a great deal of wrong, and caused the
life to great many of those against whom I declared myselfe an ennemy.
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