The 21st The Wind Came Northerly And Overblew, So That We Were
Constrained To Bend Our Course South Again, For
We perceived that we
were run into a very deep bay, where we were almost compassed with
ice, for we
Saw very much towards the north-north-east, west, and
south-west; and this day and this night we cleared ourselves of the
ice, running south-south-west along the shore.
Upon Thursday, being the 22nd of this month, about three of the
clock in the morning, we hoisted out our boat, and the captain, with
six sailors, went towards the shore, thinking to find a landing-
place, for the night before we did perceive the coast to be void of
ice to our judgment; and the same night we were all persuaded that
we had seen a canoe rowing along the shore, but afterwards we fell
in some doubt of it, but we had no great reason so to do. The
captain, rowing towards the shore, willed the master to bear in with
the land after him; and before he came near the shore, by the space
of a league, or about two miles, he found so much ice that he could
not get to land by any means. Here our mariners put to their lines
to see if they could get any fish, because there were so many seals
upon the coast, and the birds did beat upon the water, but all was
in vain: the water about this coast was very black and thick, like
to a filthy standing pool; we sounded, and had ground in 120
fathoms. While the captain was rowing to the shore our men saw
woods upon the rocks, like to the rocks of Newfoundland, but I could
not discern them; yet it might be so very well, for we had wood
floating upon the coast every day, and the Moonshine took up a tree
at sea not far from the coast, being sixty foot of length and
fourteen handfuls about, having the root upon it. After, the
captain came aboard, the weather being very calm and fair, we bent
our course toward the south with intent to double the land.
The 23rd we coasted the land which did lie east-north-east and west-
south-west.
The 24th, the wind being very fair at east, we coasted the land,
which did lie east and west, not being able to come near the shore
by reason of the great quantity of ice. At this place, because the
weather was somewhat cold by reason of the ice, and the better to
encourage our men, their allowance was increased. The captain and
the master took order that every mess, being five persons, should
have half a pound of bread and a can of beer every morning to
breakfast. The weather was not very cold, but the air was moderate,
like to our April weather in England. When the wind came from the
land or the ice it was somewhat cold, but when it came off the sea
it was very hot.
The 25th of this month we departed from sight of this land at six of
the clock in the morning, directing our course to the north-
westward, hoping in God's mercy to find our desired passage, and so
continued above four days.
The 29th of July we discovered land in 64 degrees 15 minutes of
latitude, bearing north-east from us. The wind being contrary to go
to the north-westward, we bear in with this land to take some view
of it, being utterly void of the pester of ice, and very temperate.
Coming near the coast we found many fair sounds and good roads for
shipping, and many great inlets into the land, whereby we judged
this land to be a great number of islands standing together. Here,
having moored our barque in good order, we went on shore upon a
small island to seek for water and wood. Upon this island we did
perceive that there had been people, for we found a small shoe and
pieces of leather sewed with sinews and a piece of fur, and wool
like to beaver. Then we went upon another island on the other side
of our ships, and the captain, the master, and I, being got up to
the top of a high rock, the people of the country having espied us
made a lamentable noise, as we thought, with great outcries and
screechings; we, hearing them, thought it had been the howling of
wolves. At last I halloed again, and they likewise cried; then we,
perceiving where they stood - some on the shore, and one rowing in a
canoe about a small island fast by them - we made a great noise,
partly to allure them to us and partly to warn our company of them.
Whereupon Master Bruton and the master of his ship, with others of
their company, made great haste towards us, and brought our
musicians with them from our ship, purposing either by force to
rescue us, if needs should so require, or with courtesy to allure
the people. When they came unto us we caused our musicians to play,
ourselves dancing and making many signs of friendship. At length
there came ten canoes from the other islands, and two of them came
so near the shore where we were that they talked with us, the other
being in their boats a pretty way off. Their pronunciation was very
hollow through the throat, and their speech such as we could not
understand, only we allured them by friendly embracings and signs of
courtesy. At length one of them, pointing up to the sun with his
hand, would presently strike his breast so hard that we might hear
the blow. This he did many times before he would any way trust us.
Then John Ellis, the master of the Moonshine, was appointed to use
his best policy to gain their friendship, who shook his breast and
pointed to the sun after their order, which when he had divers times
done they began to trust him, and one of them came on shore, to whom
we threw our caps, stockings, and gloves, and such other things as
then we had about us, playing with our music, and making signs of
joy, and dancing.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 36 of 49
Words from 36350 to 37411
of 50368
