HOW THAT THE PASSAGE BY THE NORTH-WEST IS MORE COMMODIOUS FOR OUR TRAFFIC
THAN THE OTHER BY THE EAST, IF THERE WERE ANY SUCH.
1. By the north-east, if your winds do not give you a marvellous speedy
and lucky passage, you are in danger (of being so near the Pole) to be
benighted almost the one half of the year, and what danger that were, to
live so long comfortless, void of light (if the cold killed you not),
each man of reason or understanding may judge.
2. Also Mangia, Quinzai, and the Moluccas, are nearer unto us by the
north-west than by the north-east more than two-fifths, which is almost
by the half.
3. Also we may have by the rest a yearly return, it being at all times
navigable, whereas you have but four months in the whole year to go by
the north-east, the passage being at such elevation as it is formerly
expressed, for it cannot be any nearer the south.
4. Furthermore, it cannot be finished without divers winterings by the
way, having no havens in any temperate climate to harbour in there, for
it is as much as we can well sail from hence to S. Nicholas, in the trade
of Muscovy, and return in the navigable season of the year, and from S.
Nicholas, Ciremissi, Tartarii, which standeth 80 degrees of the
septentrional latitude, it is at the left 400 leagues, which amounteth
scarce to the third part of the way, to the end of your voyage by the
north-east.
5. And yet, after you have doubled this Cape, if then there might be
found a navigable sea to carry you south-east according to your desire,
yet can you not winter conveniently until you come to sixty degrees and
to take up one degree running south-east you must sail twenty-four
leagues and three four parts, which amounteth to four hundred and
ninety-five leagues.
6. Furthermore, you may by the north-west sail thither, with all
easterly winds, and return with any westerly winds, whereas you must have
by the north-east sundry winds, and those proper, according to the lie of
the coast and capes, you shall be enforced to double, which winds are not
always to be had when they are looked for; whereby your journey should be
greatly prolonged, and hardly endured so near the Pole, as we are taught
by Sir Hugh Willoughbie, who was frozen to death far nearer the south.
7. Moreover, it is very doubtful whether we should long enjoy that trade
by the north-east if there were any such passage that way, the
commodities thereof once known to the Muscovite, what privilege soever he
hath granted, seeing pollice with the maze of excessive gain, to the
enriching of himself and all his dominions, would persuade him to presume
the same, having so great opportunity, to distribute the commodities of
those countries by the Naruc.
But by the north-west we may safely trade without danger or annoyance of
any prince living, Christian or heathen, it being out of all their
trades.
8. Also the Queen's Majesty's dominions are nearer the North-West
Passage than any other great princes that might pass that way, and both
in their going and return they must of necessity succour themselves and
their ships upon some part of the same if any tempestuous weather should
happen.
Further, no prince's navy of the world is able to encounter the Queen's
Majesty's navy as it is at this present; and yet it should be greatly
increased by the traffic ensuing upon this discovery, for it is the long
voyages that increase and maintain great shipping.
Now it seemeth unnecessary to declare what commodities would grow thereby
if all these things were as we have heretofore presupposed and thought
them to be; which next adjoining are briefly declared.