south-west; wee steered west and by north, and west north-west. In
the morning we sounded, and had one hundred fathoms, till foure
of the clocke in the afternoone. Then we sounded againe, and had
seventie-five fathoms. Then in two glasses running, which was not
above two English miles, we sounded and had sixtie fathoms, and it
shoalded a great pace untill we came to twentie fathoms. Then we
made account we were neere the islands that lie off the shoare. So we
came to an anchor, the sea being very smooth and little wind, at nine
of the clocke at night. After supper we tryed for fish, and I caught
fifteene cods, some the greatest that I have seene, and so we rode
all night.
The sixteenth, in the morning, it cleered up, and we had sight of
five islands ♦_Eastern Maine_♦ lying north, and north and by west
from us, two leagues. Then wee made ready to set sayle, but the myst
came so thicke that we durst not enter in among them.
The seventeenth, was all mystie, so that we could not get into the
harbour. At ten of the clocke two boats came off to us, with sixe of
the savages of the countrey, seeming glad of our comming. We gave
them trifles, and they eate and dranke with us; and told us that
there were gold, silver and copper mynes hard by us; and that the
French-men doe trade with them; which is very likely, for one of them
spake some words of French. So wee rode still all day and all night,
the weather continuing mystie.
The eighteenth, faire weather, wee went into a very good harbour, and
rode hard by the shoare in foure fathoms water. The river runneth
up a great way, ♦_Penobscot_♦ but there is but two fathoms hard
by us. We went on shoare and cut us a fore mast; then at noone we
came aboord againe, and found the height of the place to bee in 44
degrees, 1 minute, and the sunne to fall at a south south-west sunne.
We mended our sayles, and fell to make our fore-mast. The harbour
lyeth south and north, a mile in where we rode.
The nineteenth, we had faire sun-shining weather, we rode still. In
the after-noone wee went with our boate to looke for fresh water,
and found some; and found a shoald with many lobsters on it, and
caught one and thirtie. The people coming aboord, shewed us great
friendship, but we could not trust them. The twentieth, faire
sunne-shining weather, the winde at south-west. In the morning, our
scute went out to catch fresh fish halfe an houre before day, and
returned in two houres, bringing seven and twentie great coddes, with
two hookes and lines. In the afternoone wee went for more lobsters
and caught fortie, and returned aboord. Then wee espied two French
shallops full of the country people come into the harbour, but they
offered us no wrong, seeing we stood upon our guard. They brought
many beaver skinnes and other fine furres, which they would have
changed for redde gownes. For the French trade with them for red
cassocks, knives, hatchets, copper, kettles, trevits, beades, and
other trifles.
The one and twentieth, all mystie, the wind easterly, wee rode still
and did nothing, but about our mast. The two and twentieth, fair
sun-shining weather, the winde all northerly, we rode still all the
day. In the after-noone our scute went to catch more lobsters, and
brought with them nine and fiftie. The night was cleere weather.
The three and twentieth, faire sun shining weather and very hot. At
eleven of the clocke our fore mast was finished, and wee brought it
aboord, and set it into the step, and in the after-noone we rigged
it. This night we had some little myst and rayne.
The foure and twentieth, very hot weather, the winde at south out of
the sea. The fore-part of the day wee brought to our sayles. In the
morning our scute went to take fish, and in two houres they brought
with them twentie great coddes and a great holibut; the night was
faire also. We kept good watch for fear of being betrayed by the
people, and perceived where they layd their shallops.
The five and twentieth, very faire weather and hot. In the morning
wee manned our scute with foure muskets and sixe men, and tooke one
of their shallops and brought it aboord. Then we manned our boat and
scute with twelve men and muskets, and two stone pieces or murderers,
and drave the savages from their houses, and tooke the spoyle of
them, as they would have done of us. Then wee set sayle, and came
downe to the harbours mouth, and rode there all night, because the
winde blew right in, and the night grew mystie with much rayne till
mid-night. Then it fell calme, and the wind came off the land at west
north-west, and it began to cleere. The compasse varyed ten degrees
north-west.
The sixe and twentieth, faire and cleere sunne-shining weather. At
five of the clocke in the morning, the winde being off the shoare
at north north-west, we set sayle and came to sea, and by noone
we counted our ship had gone fourteene leagues south-west. In the
afternoone, the winde shifted variably betweene west south-west
and north-west. At noone I found the height to bee 43 degrees, 56
minutes. This evening being very faire weather, wee observed the
variation of our compasse at the sunnes going downe, and found it to
bee 10 degrees from the north to the westward.
The seven and twentieth, faire sun-shining weather, the winde
shifting betweene the south-west and west and by north, a stiffe
gale; we stood to the southward all day, and made our way south and
by west, seven and twentie leagues. At noone, our height was 42
degrees, 50 minutes. At foure of the clocke in the after-noone, wee
cast about to the north-ward. At eight of the clocke, we tooke in
our top-sayles and our fore-bonnet, and went with a short sayle all
night.
The eight and twentieth, very thicke and mystie, and a stiffe gale of
wind, varying betweene south south-west and south-west and by west;
we made our way north-west and by west, seven and twentie leagues;
wee sounded many times and could get no ground. At five of the clocke
we cast about to the southward, the wind at south-west and by west.
At which time we sounded, and had ground at seventie-five fathoms. At
eight, wee had sixtie-five fathoms. At ten, sixtie. At twelve of the
clocke at mid-night, fiftie-sixe fathoms, gray sand.
The compasse varyed 6 degrees the north point to the west.
The nine and twentieth, faire weather, we stood to the southward, and
made our way south and by west a point south, eighteene leagues. At
noone we found our height to be 42 degrees 56 minutes; wee sounded
oft and had these, 60, 64, 65, 67, 65, 65, 70, and 75 fathoms. At
night wee tryed the variation of our compasse by the setting of the
sunne, and found that it went downe 37 degrees to the northward of
the west, and should have gone downe but 31 degrees. The compasse
varyed 5 and a halfe degrees.
The thirtieth, very hot, all the fore part of the day calme, the
wind at south south-east; wee steered away west south-west and
sounded many times, and could find no ground at one hundred and
seventie fathomes. We found a great current and many over-falls. Our
current had deceived us. For at noone we found our height to be 41
degrees 34 minutes. And the current had heaved us to the southward
foureteene leagues. At eight of the clocke at night I sounded, and
had ground in fiftie-two fathomes. In the end of the mid-night watch
wee had fiftie-three fathomes. This last observation is not to be
trusted.
The one and thirtieth, very thicke and mystie all day, untill tenne
of the clocke. At night the wind came to the south, and south-west
and south. We made our way west north-west nineteene leagues. Wee
sounded many times, and had difference of soundings, sometimes little
stones, and sometimes grosse gray sand, fiftie-sixe, fiftie-foure,
fortie-eight, fortie-seven, fortie-foure, fortie-sixe, fiftie
fathoms; and at eight of the clocke at night it fell calme, and we
had fiftie fathomes. And at ten of the clocke we heard a great rut,
like the rut of the shoare. Then I sounded and found the former
depth; and mistrusting a current, seeing it so still that the ship
made no way, I let the lead lie on the ground, and found a tide set
to the south-west, and south-west and by west, so fast, that I could
hardly vere the line so fast, and presently came an hurling current,
or tyde with over-fals, which cast our ship round; and the lead was
so fast in the ground that I feared the lines breaking, and we had no
more but that. At midnight I sounded againe, and we had seventie-five
fathomes; and the strong streame had left us.
The first of August, ♦_August_♦ all the fore part of the day was
mystie, and at noone it cleered up. We found that our height was 41
degrees 45 minutes, and we had gone nineteene leagues. The after-noon
was reasonable cleere. We found a rustling tide or current with many
over-fals to continue still, and our water to change colour, and
our sea to bee very deepe, for wee found no ground in one hundred
fathomes. The night was cleere, and the winde came to the north, and
north north-east, we steered west.
The second, very faire weather and hot: from the morning till noone
we had a gale of wind, but in the after-noone little wind. At noone I
sounded and had one hundred and ten fathomes; and our height was 41
degrees 56 minutes. And wee had runne four and twentie leagues and an
halfe. At the sun-setting we observed the variation of the compasse,
and found that it was come to his true place. At eight of the clocke
the gale increased, so wee ranne sixe leagues that watch, and had a
very faire and cleere night.
The third, very hot weather. In the morning we had sight of the
land, ♦_Cape Malabar_♦ and steered in with it, thinking to go to the
northward of it. So we sent our shallop with five men to sound in
by the shore: and they found it deepe five fathomes within bow-shot
of the shoare; and they went on land, and found goodly grapes and
rose trees, and brought them aboord with them, at five of the clocke
in the eevening. We had seven and twentie fathomes within two miles
of the shoare; and we found a floud come from the south-east, and
an ebbe from the northwest, with a very strong streame, and a great
hurling and noyses. At eight of the clocke at night the wind began to
blow a fresh gale, and continued all night but variable. Our sounding
that wee had to the land was one hundred, eightie, seventie-foure,
fiftie-two, fortie-sixe, twentie-nine, twentie-seven, twentie-foure,
nineteene, seventeene, sometimes oze, and sometimes gray sand.
The fourth, was very hot: we stood to the north-west two watches,
and one south in for the land, and came to an anchor at the norther
end of the headland, and heard the voyce of men call. Then we sent
our boat on shoare, thinking they had beene some Christians left
on the land: but wee found them to bee savages, which seemed very
glad of our comming. So wee brought one aboord with us, and gave
him meate, and he did eate and drinke with us. Our master gave him
three or foure glasse buttons, and sent him on land with our shallop
againe. And at our boats comming from the shoare he leapt and danced,
and held up his hands, and pointed us to a river on the other side:
for we had made signes that we came to fish there. The bodie of
this headland lyeth in 41 degrees 45 minutes. We set sayle againe
after dinner, thinking to have got to the westward of this headland,
but could not; so we beare up to the southward of it, and made a
south-east way; and the souther point did beare west at eight of the
clocke at night. Our soundings about the easter and norther part of
this headland, a league from the shoare are these: at the easterside
thirtie, twentie-seven, twentie-seven, twentie-foure, twentie-five,
twentie. The north-east point 17 degrees 18 minutes, and so deeper.
The north end of this headland, hard by the shoare thirtie fathomes:
and three leagues off north north-west, one hundred fathomes. At the
south-east part a league off, fifteene, sixteene, and seventeene
fathomes. The people have greene tabacco and pipes, the boles whereof
are made of earth and the pipes of red copper. The land is very sweet.
The fift, all mystie. At eight of the clocke in the morning wee tact
about to the westward, and stood in till foure of the clocke in
the after-noone; at which time it cleered, and wee had sight of the
head-land againe five leagues from us. The souther point of it did
beare west off us: and we sounded many times, and had no ground.
And at foure of the clocke we cast about, and at our staying wee
had seventie fathomes. Wee steered away south and south by east all
night, and could get no ground at seventie and eightie fathomes. For
wee feared a great riffe that lyeth off the land, and steered away
south and by east.
The sixth, faire weather, but many times mysting. Wee steered away
south south-east, till eight of the clocke in the morning; then
it cleered a little, and we cast about to the westward. Then we
sounded and had thirtie fathomes, grosse sand, and were come to
the riffe. Then wee kept our lead, and had quicke shoalding from
thirtie, twentie-nine, twentie-seven, twentie-foure, twentie-two,
twentie and an halfe, twentie, twentie, nineteene, nineteene,
nineteene, eighteene, eighteene, seventeene; and so deeping againe as
proportionally as it shoalded. For we steered south and south-east
till we came to twentie-sixe fathomes. Then we steered south-west,
for so the tyde doth set. By and by, it being calme, we tryed by our
lead; for you shall have sixteene or seventeene fathomes, and the
next cast but seven or six fathomes. And farther to the westward
you shall have foure and five foot water, and see rockes under you
and you shall see the land in the top. Upon this riffe we had an
observation, and found that it lyeth in 40 degrees, 10 minutes. And
this is that headland which Captaine Bartholomew Gosnold discovered
in the yeere 1602, and called Cape Cod, because of the store of
cod-fish that hee found thereabout. So we steered south-west three
leagues, and had twentie and twentie-foure fathomes. Then we steered
west two glasses, halfe a league, and came to fifteene fathomes. Then
we steered off south-east foure glasses, but could not get deepe
water; for there the tyde of ebbe laid us on; and the streame did
hurle so, that it laid us so neere the breach of a shoald that wee
were forced to anchor. So at seven of the clocke at night wee were at
an anchor in tenne fathomes: and I give God most heartie thankes, the
least water wee had was seven fathomes and an halfe. We rode still
all night, and at a still water I sounded so farre round about our
ship as we could see a light; and had no lesse then eight, nine, ten,
and eleven fathomes: the myst continued being very thicke.
The seventh, faire weather and hot, but mystie. Wee rode still
hoping it would cleere, but on the floud it fell calme and thicke.
So we rode still all day and all night. The floud commeth from the
south-west, and riseth not above one fathome and an halfe in nepe
streames. Toward night it cleered, and I went with our shallop
and sounded, and found no lesse water then eight fathomes to the
south-east off us; but we saw to the north-west off us great breaches.
The eight, faire and cleere weather. In the morning, by sixe of the
clocke, at slake water, wee weighed, the wind at north-east, and set
our fore-sayle and mayne top-sayle, and got a mile over the flats.
Then the tyde of ebbe came, so we anchored againe till the floud
came. Then we set sayle againe, and by the great mercie of God wee
got cleere off them by one of the clocke this afternoone. And wee had
sight of the land from the west north-west to the north north-west.
So we steered away south south-east all night, and had ground untill
the middle of the third watch. Then we had fortie-five fathomes,
white sand and little stones. So all our soundings are twentie,
twentie, twentie-two, twentie-seven, thirtie-two, fortie-three,
fortie-three, fortie-five. Then no ground in seventie fathomes.
Samuel Argall
1610
PENOBSCOT BAY
SAMUEL ARGALL _first visited Virginia in 1609, when he demonstrated
the possibility of making the voyage from England by a more direct
route than that by way of the Azores and the West Indies. For the
next decade Argall was constantly associated with the affairs
of the Jamestown colony. In 1610 he reached the settlement with
supplies and recruits from England barely in time to prevent its
abandonment. As the provisions which he brought afforded only a
temporary relief, he started off at once for the Bermudas. His
experiences during the voyage are told in his journal, which is
here reprinted from the fourth volume of “Purchas his Pilgrimes,”
printed at London in 1625._
_Argall made two more voyages to the New England coast in 1613,
first to investigate the reports that the French were making
settlements on Mount Desert and at the mouth of the St. Croix
River, and then to complete the destruction of the houses and
fortifications begun by the French. For reasons of policy, it may
be, no detailed accounts of these later voyages appear to have been
preserved._
[Illustration: (Decorative banner)]
THE VOYAGE OF Captaine SAMVEL ARGAL, from _Iames_ Towne in
_Virginia_, to seek the Ile of _Bermuda_, and missing the same, his
putting ouer toward _Sagadahoc_ and Cape Cod, and so backe againe
to _Iames_ Towne, begun the nineteenth of Iune, 1610.
SIR GEORGE SUMMERS, being bound for the Ile of Bermuda with two
Pinnaces, ♦_1610 June_♦ the one called the Patience, wherein he
sailed himselfe, set saile from Iames Towne in Virginia, the
ninteenth of Iune, 1610. The two and twentieth at noone we came to an
anchor at Cape Henry, to take more balast. The weather proued very
wet: so wee road vnder the Cape till two of the clocke, the three and
twentieth in the morning. Then we weighed and stood off to Sea, the
wind at South-west. And till eight of the clocke at night it was all
Southerly, and then that shifted to South-west. The Cape then bearing
West, about eight leagues off. Then wee stirred ♦_Steered_♦ away
South-east. The foure and twentieth, at noone I obserued the Sunne,
and found my selfe to bee in thirtie sixe degrees, fortie seuen
minutes, about twentie leagues off from the Land. From the foure and
twentieth at noone, to the fiue and twentieth at noone, sixe leagues
East, the wind Southerly, but for the most part it was calme. From
the fiue and twentieth at noone, to the sixe and twentieth about sixe
of the clocke in the morning, the winde was all Southerly, and but
little. And then it beganne to blow a fresh gale at West South-west.
So by noone I had sailed fourteene leagues East, South-east pricked.
From the sixe and twentieth at noone, to the seuen and twentieth
at noone, twentie leagues East, South-east. The wind shifting from
the West, South-west Southerly, and so to the East, and the weather
faire, but close. From the seuen and twentieth at noone, to the eight
and twentieth at noone, sixe and twentie leagues East, South-east,
the wind shifting backe againe from the East to the West. Then by
mine obseruation I found the ship to be in thirtie fiue degrees
fiftie foure minutes. From the eight and twentieth at noone, to the
nine and twentieth at noone, thirtie sixe leagues East by South,
the wind at West, North-west. Then by my obseruation I found the
ship to be in thirtie fiue degrees, thirtie minutes pricked. From
the nine and twentieth at noone to the thirtieth at noone, thirtie
fiue leagues East, South-east. The winde shifting betweene West,
North-west, and West, South-west, blowing a good fresh gale. Then
by my obseruation I found the ship to be in thirtie foure degrees,
fortie nine minutes pricked. From the thirtieth of Iune at noone, to
the first of Iuly at noone, thirtie leagues South-east by East, the
winde at west, then I found the ship in thirtie foure degrees pricked.
From the first of Iuly at noone, ♦_July_♦ to the second at noon,
twentie leagues East, South-east southerly, the wind West, then I
found the ship to bee in thirtie three degrees, thirtie minutes
pricked, the weather very faire. From the second at noone, to the
third at foure of the clocke in the afternoone it was calme, then
it beganne to blow a resonable fresh gale at South-east: so I made
account that the ship had driuen about sixe leagues in that time
East. The Sea did set all about the West. From that time to the
fourth at noone, seuenteen leagues East by North, the wind shifting
betweene South-east and South South-west, then I found the ship to
bee in thirtie three degrees, fortie minutes, the weather continued
very faire. From the fourth at noone, to the fifth at noone, ten
leagues South-east, the wind and weather as before, then I found the
ship to be in thirtie three degrees, seuenteene minutes pricked. From
the fift at noone, to the sixt at noone, eight leagues South-west,
then I found the ship to be in thirtie two degrees, fiftie seuen
minutes pricked; the wind and weather continued as before, only we
had a small showre or two of raine. From the sixt at noone, to the
seuenth at noone, seuenteene leagues East by North, then I found the
ship to be in thirtie three degrees, the wind and weather as before.
From the seuenth at noon, to the eight at noone, fourteene leagues
North-east, then I found the ship to be in thirtie three degrees,
thirtie two minutes, the wind and weather continued as before. From
the eight at noon to the ninth at noone, fiue leagues South-east,
there I found the ship to be in thirtie three degrees, twentie one
minutes, the wind at South-west, the weather very faire. From the
ninth at noone, to the tenth at noone, fiue leagues South, the wind
westerly; but for the most part it was calme, and the weather very
faire. From the tenth at noone, to the eleuenth at noone it was
calme, and so continued vntill nine of the clocke the same night,
then it began to blow a reasonable fresh gale at South-east, and
continued all that night betweene South-east and South, and vntill
the twelfth day at noone: by which time I had sailed fifteene leagues
West southerly: then I found the ship in thirtie three degrees,
thirtie minutes. From that time to foure of the clock the twelfth day
in the morning twelue leagues West by North, the wind all southerly,
and then it shifted betweene South and South-west, then wee tacked
about and stood South-east, and South-east by South: so by noone I
had sayled fiue leagues South-east by East; then I found the ship in
thirtie three degrees ten minutes. From the thirteenth at noone, to
the fourteenth at noone, twenty leagues South-east by East, the wind
shifting betweene the South-west, and West South-west, then I found
the ship to be in thirtie two degrees, thirtie fiue minutes. From
the fourteenth at noone, to the fifteenth at noone, twentie leagues
South-east, then I found the ship to be in thirty two degrees, the
wind as before: then we tacked about, and lay North-west by West.
From the fifteenth at noone, to the sixteenth at noone, twelue
leagues North by West, the wind shifting betweene South-west and
West, and the weather very stormy, with many sudden gusts of wind and
rayne.