We sailed this day south-south-east ofward, and laid it a tric.
The next day was calm and thick, with a great sea.
The next day we sailed south and by east two leagues, and at 8 of
the clock in the forenoon we cast about to the eastward.
The sixth day it cleared, and we ran north-west into the shore to
get a harbour, and being towards night, we notwithstanding kept at
sea.
The seventh day we plied room with the shore, but being near it it
waxed thick, and we bare off again.
The eighth day we bended in towards the shore again.
The ninth day we sounded, but could get no ground at 130 fathoms.
The weather was calm.
The tenth I took four men and myself, and rode to shore, to an
island one league from the main, and there the flood setteth south-
west along the shore, and it floweth as near as I could judge so
too. I could not tarry to prove it, because the ship was a great
way from me, and I feared a fog; but when I came ashore it was low
water. I went to the top of the islands and before I came back it
was hied a foot water, and so without tarrying I came aboard.
The eleventh we found our latitude to be 63 degrees and 8 minutes,
and this day entered the strait.
The twelfth we set sail towards an island called the Gabriel's
Island, which was 10 leagues then from us.
We espied a sound, and bare with it, and came to a sandy bay, where
we came to an anchor, the land bearing east-south-east of us, and
there we rode all night in 8 fathom water. It floweth there at a
south-east moon; we called it Prior's Sound, being from the
Gabriel's Island 10 leagues.
The fourteenth we weighed and ran into another sound, where we
anchored in 8 fathoms water, fair sand, and black ooze, and there
caulked our ship, being weak from the gunwales upward, and took in
fresh water.
The fifteenth day we weighed, and sailed to Prior's Bay, being a
mile from thence.
The sixteenth day was calm, and we rode still without ice, but
presently within two hours it was frozen round about the ship, a
quarter of an inch thick, and that bay very fair and calm.
The seventeenth day we weighed, and came to Thomas William's Island.
The eighteenth day we sailed north-north-west and anchored again in
23 fathoms, and caught ooze under Bircher's Island, which is from
the former island 10 leagues.
The nineteenth day in the morning, being calm, and no wind, the
captain and I took our boat, with eight men in her, to row us
ashore, to see if there were there any people, or no, and going to
the top of the island, we had sight of seven boats, which came
rowing from the east side toward that island; whereupon we returned
aboard again.
