All Next Day We
Sailed Westwards About 40 Leagues, When We Discovered That What We Had
Taken For Islands Was
The main land; and early next morning we came to a
good point of land, which we named Cape Orleans;
The whole of the land
being low and plain, full of fine trees and meadows, and very pleasant
to behold. This coast trends S.S.E. and N.N.W. but on this great extent
of coast we could find no harbour, it being everywhere full of shelves
and sand-banks. We went on shore in many places with our boats, and in
one place we entered a fine river, very shallow, which we named Boat
River, because we saw some boats full of savages crossing the river. We
had no intercourse with these people; for the wind came from the sea,
and beat our boats in such a manner against the shore, that we were
forced to put off again to the ships. Till next morning, the 1st July,
at sunrise, we sailed N.E. when we struck our sails in consequence of
thick mists and squalls. The weather cleared up about two in the
afternoon, when we got sight of Cape Orleans, and of another about 7
leagues N. and by E. from where we were, which we named Cape Savage.
On the north side of this cape, there is a very dangerous shelf and a
bank of stones about half a league from shore. While off this cape and
our boats going along shore, we saw a man running after the boats and
making signs for us to return to the cape; but on pulling towards him he
ran away. We landed and left a knife and a woollen girdle for him on a
little staff, and returned to our ships. On that day we examined nine or
ten leagues of this coast for a harbour, but found the whole shore low
and environed with great shelves. We landed, however, in four places,
where we found many sweet-smelling trees, as cedars, yews, pines,
white-elms, ash, willow, and many others unknown, but without fruit.
Where the ground was bare of trees, it seemed very fertile, and was fall
of wild-corn, pease, white and red gooseberries, strawberries, and
blackberries, as if it had been cultivated on purpose. The wild-corn
resembled rye. This part of the country enjoyed a better temperature
than any we had seen, and was even hot. It had many thrushes,
stock-doves, and other birds, and wanted nothing but good harbours.
Next day, 2d July, we had sight of land to the north, which joined the
coast already mentioned, having a bay which we named St Lunario,
across which our boats went to the north cape and found the bay so
shallow that there was only one fathom water a league off shore. N.E.
from this cape, and 7 or 8 leagues distant, there is another cape,
having a triangular bay between, compassed about with shelves and rocks
about ten leagues from land. This bay has only 2 fathoms water, but
appeared to penetrate far into the land towards the N.E. Passing this
cape, we observed another head-land N. and by E. All that night we had
very bad weather and heavy squalls, so that we could carry very little
sail. Next morning, 3d July, the wind was from the west, and we sailed
north that we might examine the coast, where we found a gulf or bay
about 15 leagues across, and in some places 55 fathoms deep. From the
great depth and breadth of this gulf, we were in hopes of finding a
passage through, like that of the Castles before mentioned. This gulf
lies E.N.E. and W.S.W. The land on the south side of this gulf is of
good quality and might be easily cultivated, full of goodly fields and
meadows, quite plain, and as pleasant as any we had ever seen. The north
side is altogether hilly, and full of woods containing large trees of
different kinds, among which are as fine cedars and firs as are to be
seen anywhere, capable of being masts for ships of three hundred tons.
In two places only of this side we saw open meadows, with two fine
lakes. The middle of this bay is in lat. 47 deg. 30' N. We named the southern
cape of this bay Cape Esperance, or the Cape of Hope, as we expected to
have found a passage this way.
On the 4th of July we went along the northern coast of this bay to look
for a harbour, where we entered a creek which is entirely open to the
south, having no shelter from the wind when in that quarter. We named
this St Martins Creek, in which we remained from the 4th to the 12th
of July; and on the 6th, going in one of our boats to examine a cape or
head-land on the west side, about 7 or 8 leagues from the ships, and
having got within half a league of the point, we saw two fleets of
canoes of the savages, 40 or 50 in all, crossing over from one land to
another, besides which there were a great number of savages on shore,
who made a great noise, beckoning to us to come to land, and holding up
certain skins on pikes or poles of wood, as if offering them for barter.
But as we had only one boat and they were very numerous, we did not
think it prudent to venture among them, and stood back towards the
ships. On seeing us go from them, some savages put off in two canoes
from the shore, being joined by five other canoes of those which were
crossing, and made towards us, dancing and making many signs of joy, as
if inviting us to their friendship. Among other expressions we could
distinctly make out the following words, Napeu tondamen assurtah, but
knew not what they meant.
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