Yet In This
Deep Distress The Mighty Mercy Of God, When Hope Was Past, Gave Us
Succour, And Sent Us
A fair lee, so as we recovered our anchor
again, and new-moored our ship; where we saw that God
Manifestly
delivered us, for the strains of one of our cables were broken; we
only rode by an old junk. Thus being freshly moored, a new storm
arose, the wind being west-north-west, very forcible, which lasted
unto the 10th day at night.
The 11th day, with a fair west-north-west wind, we departed with
trust in God's mercy, shaping our course for England, and arrived in
the West Country in the beginning of October.
Master Davis being arrived, wrote his letter to Master William
Sanderson of London, concerning his voyage, as followeth.
Sir, - The Sunshine came into Dartmouth the 4th of this month: she
hath been at Iceland, and from thence to Greenland, and so to
Estotiland, from thence to Desolation, and to our merchants, where
she made trade with the people, staying in the country twenty days.
They have brought home 500 seal-skins, and 140 half skins and pieces
of skins. I stand in great doubt of the pinnace; God be merciful
unto the poor men and preserve them if it be His blessed will.
I have now full experience of much of the north-west part of the
world, and have brought the passage to that certainty, as that I am
sure it must be in one of four places, or else not at all. And
further, I can assure you upon the peril of my life, that this
voyage may be performed without further charge, nay, with certain
profit to the adventurers, if I may have but your favour in the
action. Surely it shall cost me all my hope of welfare and my
portion of Sandridge, but I will, by God's mercy, see an end of
these businesses. I hope I shall find favour with you to see your
card. I pray God it be so true as the card shall be which I will
bring to you, and I hope in God that your skill in navigation shall
be gainful unto you, although at the first it hath not proved so.
And thus with my most humble commendations I commit you to God,
desiring no longer to live than I shall be yours most faithfully to
command. From this 14th of October, 1586.
Yours with my heart, body and life to command,
JOHN DAVIS.
The relation of the course which the "Sunshine," a barque of fifty
tons, and the "North Star," a small pinnace, being two vessels of
the fleet of Master John Davis, held after he had sent them from him
to discover the passage between Greenland and Iceland. Written by
Henry Morgan, servant to Master William Sanderson of London.
The 7th day of May, 1586, we departed out of Dartmouth Haven four
sails, to wit, the Mermaid, the Sunshine, the Moonshine, and the
North Star.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 85 of 95
Words from 44608 to 45113
of 50368
