I May Call It A
Mighty Storme By Reason Of The Litlenesse Of The Boat, That Are All In
Watter To The Breadth Of 5 Fingers Or Lesse.
I thought uppon it, and out of
distress made a vertue to seeke the means to save ourselves.
We tyed a sack
full of corne in the fore end of our boat, & threw it into the watter,
which hung downe some foure fathoms, and wee putt our selves in the other
end, so that the end that was towards the wind was higher then the other,
and by that means escaped the waves that without doubt, if we had not used
that means, we had sunk'd. The other boat landed to lett that storme [pass]
over. We found them in the even att their cottages, and thought impossible
for us to escape.
After severall dayes' travell we came to an isle where we made cottages. We
went so farre that evening that we might be so much the neerer to take a
broader passage which should shorten our voyage above 20 leagues. Att night
wee saw severall fires uppon the land. We all judged that it was our
company that went before us. Before brake of day we did what we could to
overtake them, not without hazard, by reason the winds that blewed hard,
which we could not perceive before. Being come to the bay of the isle we
could not turne back without greater danger, so resolved to proceede. We
came to the very place where we saw the fires, & found that we weare not
mistaken in our opinions. By good looke they weare there, else we had
perished for all being so neere the land, for the lake swelled by reason of
the great wind that blew, which stayed them there above 14 nights. Neither
for this reason was there any landing, because of a great banck or heape of
rocks, untill those that weare ashore came to us into the watter to their
oxtars [Footnote: Oxtars, up to their armpits.] and stoped our boats. We
then cast our selves and all that we had overboord, leaving our boats
there, which weare immediately in thousands [of] peaces.
Being arrived, we placed our cottages by a most pleasant delicat river,
where for delightfullnesse was what man's heart could wish. There weare
woods, forests, meddows. There we stayed 3 dayes by reason of the weather.
One night I layd neare a faire comely lasse that was with us. There they
take no notice, for they live in so great liberty that they are never
jealous one of another. I admired of a sudaine to heare new musick. Shee
was in travell and immediately delivered. I awaked all astonished to see
her drying her child by the fire side. Having done, [she] lapt the child in
her bosome and went to bed as if that had ben nothing, without moan or cry,
as doe our Europian women. Before we left the place that babe died.
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