America, because both America and India
were to them then utterly unknown; to remove this doubt, let this
suffice, that Aristotle (who was 300 years before Christ) named the
Indian Sea. Also Berosus (who lived 330 before Christ) hath these
words, GANGES IN INDIA.
Also in the first chapter of Esther be these words: "In the days of
Ahasuerus, which ruled from India to Ethiopia," which Ahasuerus
lived 580 years before Christ. Also Quintus Curtius, where he
speaketh of the Conquest of Alexander, mentioneth India. Also
Arianus Philostratus, and Sidrach, in his discourses of the wars of
the King of Bactria, and of Garaab, who had the most part of India
under his government. All which assumeth us that both India and
Indians were known in those days.
These things considered, we may, in my opinion, not only assure
ourselves of this passage by the north-west, but also that it is
navigable both to come and go, as hath been proved in part and in
all by the experience of divers as Sebastian Cabot, Corterialis, the
three brethren above named, the Indians, and Urdaneta, the friar of
Mexico, etc.
And yet, notwithstanding all which, there be some that have a better
hope of this passage to Cathay by the north-east than by the west,
whose reasons, with my several answers, ensue in the chapter
following.
CHAPTER VIII. - CERTAIN REASONS ALLEGED FOR THE PROVING OF A PASSAGE
BY THE NORTH-EAST BEFORE THE QUEEN'S MAJESTY, AND CERTAIN LORDS OF
THE COUNCIL, BY MASTER ANTHONY JENKINSON, WITH MY SEVERAL ANSWERS
THEN USED TO THE SAME.
Because you may understand as well those things alleged against me
as what doth serve for my purpose, I have here added the reasons of
Master Anthony Jenkinson, a worthy gentleman, and a great traveller,
who conceived a better hope of the passage to Cathay from us to be
by the north-east than by the north-west.
He first said that he thought not to the contrary but that there was
a passage by the north-west, according to mime opinion, but he was
assured that there might be found a navigable passage by the north-
east from England to go to all the east parts of the world, which he
endeavoured to prove three ways.
The first was, that he heard a fisherman of Tartary say in hunting
the morse, that he sailed very far towards the south-east, finding
no end of the sea, whereby he hoped a through passage to be that
way.
Whereunto I answered that the Tartars were a barbarous people, and
utterly ignorant in the art of navigation, not knowing the use of
the sea-card, compass, or star, which he confessed true; and
therefore they could not (said I) certainly know the south-east from
the north-east in a wide sea, and a place unknown from the sight of
the land.
Or if he sailed anything near the shore, yet he, being ignorant,
might be deceived by the doubling of many points and capes, and by
the trending of the land, albeit he kept continually along the
shore.
And further, it might be that the poor fisherman through simplicity
thought that there was nothing that way but sea, because he saw mine
land, which proof (under correction) giveth small assurance of a
navigable sea by the north-east to go round about the world, for
that he judged by the eye only, seeing we in this clear air do
account twenty miles a ken at sea.
His second reason is, that there was an unicorn's horn found upon
the coast of Tartary, which could not come (said he) thither by any
other means than with the tides, through some strait in the north-
east of the Frozen Sea, there being no unicorns in any part of Asia,
saving in India and Cathay, which reason, in my simple judgment, has
as little force.
First, it is doubtful whether those barbarous Tartars do know an
unicorn's horn, yea or no; and if it were one, yet it is not
credible that the sea could have driven it so far, it being of such
nature that it cannot float.
Also the tides running to and fro would have driven it as far back
with the ebb as it brought it forward with the flood.
There is also a beast called Asinus Indicus (whose horn most like it
was), which hath but one horn like an unicorn in his forehead,
whereof there is great plenty in all the north parts thereunto
adjoining, as in Lapland, Norway, Finmark, etc., as Jocobus
Zeiglerus writeth in his history of Scondia.
And as Albertus saith, there is a fish which hath but one horn in
his forehead like to an unicorn, and therefore it seemeth very
doubtful both from whence it came, and whether it were an unicorn's
horn, yea or no.
His third and last reason was, that there came a continual stream or
current through the Frozen Sea of such swiftness, as a Colmax told
him, that if you cast anything therein, it would presently be
carried out of sight towards the west.
Whereunto I answered, that there doth the like from Palus Maeotis,
by the Euxine, the Bosphorus, and along the coast of Greece, etc.,
as it is affirmed by Contarenus, and divers others that have had
experience of the same; and yet that sea lieth not open to any main
sea that way, but is maintained by freshets, as by the Don, the
Danube, etc.
In like manner is this current in the Frozen Sea increased and
maintained by the Dwina, the river Ob, etc.
Now as I have here briefly recited the reasons alleged to prove a
passage to Cathay by the north-east with my several answers
thereunto, so will I leave it unto your judgment, to hope or despair
of either at your pleasure.
