condemned men, which he thought for some purposes very needefull for the
voyage, and towards night vpon Friday the one and thirtieth of May we set
saile, and put to the Seas againe. [Sidenote: The first arriuall after our
departing from England.] And sailing Northward alongst the East coasts of
England and Scotland, the seuenth day of Iune we arriued in Saint Magnus
sound in Orkney Ilands, called in Latine Orcades, and came to ancker on the
South side of the Bay, and this place is reckoned from Blackwall where we
set saile first leagues.[64]
Here our companie going on lande, the Inhabitants of these Ilandes beganne
to flee as from the enemie, whereupon the Lieutenant willed euery man to
stay togither, and went himselfe vnto their houses, to declare what we were
and the cause of our comming thither, which being vnderstood after their
poore maner they friendly entreated vs, and brought vs for our money such
things as they had. [Sidenote: A Mine of siluer found in Orkney.] And here
our gold finders found a Mine of siluer.
Orkney is the principall of the Isles of the Orcades, and standeth in the
latitude of fiftie nine degrees and a halfe. The countrey is much subiect
to colde, answerable for such a climate, and yet yeeldeth some fruites, and
sufficient maintenance for the people contented so poorely to liue.
There is plentie ynough of Poultrey, store of egges, fish, and foule.
For their bread they haue Oaten Cakes, and their drinke is Ewes milke, and
in some partes Ale.
Their houses are but poore without and sluttish ynough within, and the
people in nature thereunto agreeable.
For their fire they burne heath and turffe, the Countrey in most parts
being voide of wood.
They haue great want of Leather, and desire our old Shoes, apparell, and
old ropes (before money) for their victuals, and yet are they not ignorant
of the value of our coine. [Sidenote: Kyrway the chiefe towne of Orkney.]
The chiefe towne is called Kyrway.[65]
[Sidenote: S. Magnus sound why so called.] In this Island hath bene
sometime an Abbey or a religious house called Saint Magnus, being on the
West side of the Ile, whereof this sound beareth name, through which we
passed. Their Gouernour chiefe Lord is called the Lord Robert Steward, who
at our being there, as we understood, was in durance at Edenburgh, by the
Regents commandement of Scotland.
After we had prouided vs here of matter sufficient for our voyage the eight
of Iune wee set sayle againe, and passing through Saint Magnus sound hauing
a merrie winde by night, came cleare and lost sight of all the land, and
keeping our course West Northwest by the space of two dayes, the winde
shifted vpon vs so that we lay in trauerse on the Seas, with contrary
windes, making good (as neere as we could) our course to the westward, and
sometime to the Northward, as the winde shifted. And hereabout we met with
3 saile of English fishermen from Iseland, bound homeward, by whom we wrote
our letters vnto our friends in England. [Sidenote: Great bodies of trees
driuing in the seas.] We trauersed these Seas by the space of 26 dayes
without sight of any land, and met with much drift wood, and whole bodies
of trees. [Sidenote: Monstrous fish and strange foule liuing onely by the
Sea.] We sawe many monsterous fishes and strange foules, which seemed to
live onely by the Sea, being there so farre distant from any land. At
length God fauoured vs with more prosperous windes, and after wee had
sayled foure dayes with good winde in the Poop, the fourth of Iuly the
Michael being foremost a head shot off a peece of Ordinance, and stroke all
her sayles, supposing that they had descryed land which by reason of the
thicke mistes they could not make perfit: [Sidenote: Water being blacke and
smooth signifieth land to be neere.] howbeit, as well our account as also
the great alteration of the water, which became more blacke and smooth, did
plainely declare we were not farre off the coast. [Sidenote: Ilands of
yce.] Our Generall sent his Master aboord the Michaell (who had beene with
him the yeere before) to beare in with the place to make proofe thereof,
who descryed not the land perfect, but sawe sundry huge Ilands of yce,
which we deemed to be not past twelue leagues from the shore, [Sidenote:
The first sight of Frisland the 4. of Iuly.] for about tenne of the clocke
at night being the fourth of Iuly, the weather being more cleare, we made
the land perfect and knew it to be Frislande. And the heigth being taken
here, we found ourselues to be in the latitude of 60 degrees and a halfe,
and were fallen with the Southermost part of this land. Betweene Orkney and
Frisland are reckoned leagues.[66]
[Sidenote: Frisland described.] This Frislande sheweth a ragged and high
lande, hauing the mountaines almost couered ouer with snow alongst the
coast full of drift yce, and seemeth almost inaccessable, and is thought to
be an Iland in bignesse not inferiour to England, and is called of some
Authors, West Frislande, I thinke because it lyeth more West then any part
of Europe. It extendeth in latitude to the Northward very farre as seemed
to vs, and appeareth by a description set out by two brethren Venetians,
Nicholaus and Antonius Zeni, who being driuen off from Ireland with a
violent tempest made shipwracke here, and were the first knowen Christians
that discouered this land about two hundred yeares sithence, and they haue
in their Sea cardes set out euery part thereof and described the condition
of the inhabitants, declaring them to be as ciuill and religous people as
we. And for so much of this land as we haue sayled alongst, comparing their
Carde with the coast, we finde it very agreeable. [Sidenote: An easie kind
of Fishing.] This coast seemeth to haue good fishing, for we lying becalmed
let falle a hooke without any bayte and presently caught a great fish
called a Hollibut, who serued the whole companie for a dayes meate, and is
dangerous meate for surfetting. [Sidenote: White Corrall got by sounding.]
And sounding about fiue leagues off from the shore, our leade brought vp in
the tallow a kinde of Corrall almost white, and small stones as bright as
Christall: and it is not to be doubted but that this land may be found very
rich and beneficial if it were thoroughly discovered, although we sawe no
creature there but little birdes. [Sidenote: Monstrous Isles of yce, in
taste fresh, wherehence they are supposed to come.] It is a maruellous
thing to behold of what great bignesse and depth some Ilands of yce be
here, some seuentie, some eightie fadome vnder water, besides that which is
aboue, seeming Ilands more then halfe a mile in circuit. All these yce are
in tast fresh, and seeme to be bredde in the sounds thereabouts, or in some
lande neere the pole, and with the winde and tides are driuen alongst the
coastes. [Sidenote: The opinion of the frozen seas is destroyed by
experience.] We found none of these Ilands of yce salt in taste, whereby it
appeareth that they were not congealed of the Ocean Sea water which is
alwayes salt, but of some standing or little moouing lakes or great fresh
waters neere the shore, caused eyther by melted snowe from tops of
mountaines, or by continuall accesse of fresh riuers from the land, and
intermingling with the Sea water, bearing yet the dominion (by the force of
extreame frost) may cause some part of salt water to freese so with it, and
so seeme a little brackish, but otherwise the maine Sea freeseth not, and
therefore there is no Mare Glaciale or frosen Sea, as the opinion hitherto
hath bene. Our Generall prooued landing here twice, but by the suddaine
fall of mistes (whereunto this coast is much subiect) he was like to loose
sight of his ships, and being greatly endangered with the driuing yce
alongst the coast, was forced aboord and faine to surcease his pretence
till a better opportunitie might serue: and hauing spent foure dayes and
nights sayling alongst this land, finding the coast subiect to such bitter
colde and continuall mistes he determined to spend no more time therein,
but to beare out his course towards the streights called Frobishers
streights after the Generals name, who being the first that euer passed
beyond 58 degrees to the Northwardes, for any thing that hath beene yet
knowen of certaintie of New found land, otherwise called the continent or
firme land of America, discouered the saide straights this last yere 1576.
[Sidenote: The Stirrage of the Michaell broken by tempest.] Betweene
Frisland and the Straights we had one great storme, wherein the Michaell
was somewhat in danger, hauing her Stirrage broken, and her toppe Mastes
blowen ouer boord, and being not past 50 leagues short of the Straights by
our account, we stroke sayle and lay a hull, fearing the continuance of the
storme, the winde being at the Northeast, and hauing lost companie of the
Barkes in that flaw of winde, we happily met againe the seuenteenth day of
Iuly, hauing the euening before seene diuers Ilands of fleeting yce, which
gaue an argument that we were not farre from land. [Sidenote: The first
entrance of the Straights.] Our Generall in the morning from the maine top
(the weather being reasonable cleare) descried land, but to better assured
he sent the two Barkes two contrarie courses, whereby they might discry
either the South or North foreland, the Ayde lying off and on at Sea, with
a small sayle by an Iland of yce, which was the marke for vs to meet
together againe. [Sidenote: Halles Iland.] And about noone, the weather
being more cleare, we made the North foreland perfite, which otherwise is
called Halles Iland, and also the small Iland bearing the name of the sayd
Hall whence the Ore was taken vp which was brought into England this last
yeere 1576 the said Hall being present at the finding and taking vp
thereof, who was then Maister in the Gabriell with Captaine Frobisher. At
our arriuall here all the Seas about this coast were so couered ouer with
huge quantitie of great yce, that we thought these places might onely
deserue the name of Mare Glaciale, and be called the Isie Sea.
[Sidenote: The description of the straights.] This North forland is thought
to be deuided from the continent of the Northerland, by a little sound
called Halles sound, which maketh it an Iland, and is thought little lesse
then the Ile of Wight, and is the first entrance of the Straights vpon the
Norther side, and standeth in the latitude of sixtie two degrees and fiftie
minutes, and is reckoned from Frisland leagues.[67] God hauing blessed vs
with so happie a land-fall, we bare into the Straights which runne in next
hand, and somewhat further vp to the Northwarde, and came as neere the
shore as wee might for the yce, and vpon the eighteenth day [Sidenote: No
more gold Ore found in the first Iland.] of Iuly our Generall taking the
Goldfiners with him, attempted to goe on shore with a small rowing
Pinnesse, vpon the small Islande where the Ore was taken vp, to prooue
whether there were any store thereof to be found, but he could not get in
all that Iland a peece so bigge as a Walnut, where the first was found. But
our men which sought the other Ilands thereabouts found them all to haue
good store of the Ore, whereupon our Generall with these good tidings
returned aboord about tenne of the clocke at night, and was ioyfully
welcommed of the company with a volie of shot. [Sidenote: Egs and foules of
Meta incognita. Snares set to catch birds withall.] He brought egges,
foules, and a young Seale aboord, which the companie had killed ashore, and
hauing found vpon those Ilands ginnes set to catch fowle, and stickes newe
cut, with other things, he well perceiued that not long before some of the
countrey people had resorted thither.
Hauing therefore found those tokens of the peoples accesse in those parts,
and being in his first voyage well acquainted with their subtill and cruell
disposition, hee prouided well for his better safetie, and on Friday the
nineteenth of Iuly in the morning early, with his best companie of
Gentlemen and souldiers to the number of fortie persons, went on shore,
aswell to discouer the Inland and habitation of the people, as also to
finde out some fit harborowe for our shippes. And passing towardes the
shoare with no small difficultie by reason of the abundance of yce which
lay alongst the coast so thicke togither that hardly any passage through
them might be discouered, we arriued at length vpon the maine of Halles
greater Iland, and found there also aswell as in the other small Ilands
good store of the Ore. [Sidenote: The building of a Columne, called Mount
Warwicke.] And leauiug his boates here with sufficient guarde we passed vp
into the countrey about two English miles, and recouered the toppe of a
high hill, on the top whereof our men made a Columne or Crosse of stones
heaped vp of a good heigth togither in good sort, and solemnly sounded a
Trumpet, and saide certaine prayers kneeling about the Ensigne, and
honoured the place by the name of Mount Warwicke, in remembrance of the
Right Honorable the Lord Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwicke, whose noble mind
and good countenance in this, as in all other good actions, gaue great
encouragement and good furtherance. This done, we retyred our companies not
seeing any thing here worth further discouerie, the countrey seeming barren
and full of ragged mountaines and in most parts couered with snow.
[Sidenote: The first sight of countrie people, wafting with a flagge.] And
thus marching towards our botes, we espied certaine countrey people on the
top of Mount Warwick with a flag wafting vs backe againe and making great
noise with cries like the mowing of Buls seeming greatly desirous of
conference with vs: whereupon the Generall being therewith better
acquainted, answered them againe with the like cries, whereat and with the
noise of our trumpets they seemed greatly to reioice, skipping, laughing,
and dancing for ioy. And hereupon we made signes vnto them, holding vp two
fingers, commanding two of our men to go apart from our companies, whereby
they might do the like. [Sidenote: The meeting apart of two Englishmen with
two of that countrey.] So that forthwith two of our men and two of theirs
met together a good space from company, neither partie hauing their weapons
about them. Our men gaue them pins and points and such trifles as they had.
And they likewise bestowed on our men two bow cases and such things as they
had. They earnestly desired our men to goe vp into their countrey, and our
men offered them like kindnesse aboord our ships, but neither part (as it
seemed) admitted or trusted the others courtesie. [Sidenote: The order of
their traffique.] Their maner of traffique is thus, they doe vse to lay
downe of their marchandise vpon the ground, so much as they meane to part
withal, and so looking that the other partie with whom they make trade
should do the like, they themselues doe depart, and then if they doe like
of their Mart they come againe, and take in exchange the others
marchandise, otherwise if they like not, they take their owne and depart.
The day being thus well neere spent, in haste wee retired our companies
into our boates againe, minding foorthwith to search alongst the coast for
some harborow fit for our shippes, for the present necessitie thereof was
much, considering that all this while they lay off and on betweene the two
landes, being continually subiect aswell to great danger of fleeting yce,
which enuironed them, as to the sodaine flawes which the coast seemeth much
subiect vnto. But when the people perceiued our departure, with great
tokens of affection they earnestly called vs backe againe, following vs
almost to our boates: whereupon our Generall taking his Master with him,
who was best acquainted with their maners, went apart vnto two of them,
meaning, if they could lay sure hold vpon them, forcibly to bring them
aboord, with intent to bestow certaine toyes and apparell vpon the one, and
so to dismisse him with all arguments of curtesie, and retaine the other
for an Interpreter. [Sidenote: Another meeting of two of our men with two
of theirs.] The Generall and his Maister being met with their two
companions togither, after they had exchanged certaine things the one with
the other, one of the Saluages for lacke of better marchandise, cut off the
tayle of his coat (which is a chiefe ornament among them) and gaue it vnto
our Generall for a present. But he presently vpon a watchword giuen with
his Maister sodainely laid hold vpon the two Saluages. But the ground
vnderfoot being slipperie with the snow on the side of the hill, their
handfast fayled and their prey escaping ranne away and lightly recouered
their bow and arrowes, which they had hid not farre from them behind the
rockes. [Sidenote: The Englishmen chased to their boates.] And being onely
two Saluages in sight, they so fiercely, desperately, and with such fury
assaulted and pursued our Generall and his Master, being altogether
vnarmed, and not mistrusting their subtiltie that they chased them to their
boates, and hurt the Generall in the buttocke with an arrow, who the rather
speedily fled backe, becasuse they suspected a greater number behind the
rockes. Our souldiers (which were commanded before to keepe their boates)
perceiuing the danger, and hearing our men calling for shot came speedily
to rescue, thinking there had bene a greater number. But when the Saluages
heard the shot of one of our caliuers (and yet hauing first bestowed their
arrowes) they ranne away, our men speedily following them. [Sidenote: One
of that Countreymen taken.] But a seruant of my Lorde of Warwick, called
Nicholas Conger a good footman, and vncumbred with any furniture hauing
only a dagger at his backe ouertooke one of them, and being a Cornishman
and a good wrastler, shewed his companion such a Cornish tricke, that he
made his sides ake against the ground for a moneth after. And so being
stayed, he was taken aliue and brought away, but the other escaped. Thus
with their strange and new prey our men repaired to their boates, and
passed from the maine to a small Iland of a mile compasse, where they
resolued to tarrie all night; for euen now a sodaine storme was growen so
great at sea, that by no meanes they could recouer their ships. And here
euery man refreshed himselfe with a small portion of victuals which was
laide into the boates for their dinners, hauing neither eate nor drunke all
the day before. But because they knewe not how long the storme might last,
nor how farre off the shippes might be put to sea, nor whether they should
euer recouer them againe or not, they made great spare of their victuals,
as it greatly behoued them: For they knew full well that the best cheare
the countrey could yeeld them, was rockes and stones, a hard food to liue
withall, and the people more readie to eate them then to giue them
wherewithall to eate. And thus keeping verie good watch and warde, they lay
there all night vpon hard cliffes of snow and yce both wet, cold, and
comfortlesse.
These things thus hapning with the company on land, the danger of the ships
at Sea was no lesse perilous. [Sidenote: The Ayde set on fire.] For within
one houre after the Generals departing in the morning by negligence of the
Cooke in ouer-heating, and the workman in making the chimney, the Ayde was
set on fire, and had bene the confusion of the whole if by chance a boy
espying it, it had not bene speedily with great labour and Gods helpe well
extinguished,
[Sidenote: The great danger of these rockes of yce.] This day also were
diuerse stormes and flawes, and by nine of the clocke at night the storme
was growen so great, and continued such vntill the morning, that it put our
ships at sea in no small perill: for hauing mountaines of fleeting yce on
euery side, we went roomer for one, and loofed for another, some scraped
vs, and some happily escaped vs, that the least of a M. were as dangerous
to strike as any rocke, and able to haue split asunder the strongest ship
of the world. We had a scope of cleare without yce, (as God would) wherein
we turned, being otherwise compassed on euery side about: but so much was
the winde and so litle was our sea roome, that being able to beare onely
our forecourse we cast so oft about, that we made fourteene bordes in eight
glasses running, being but foure houres: [Sidenote: Night without darknes
in that countrey.] but God being our best Steresman, and by the industry of
Charles Iackman and Andrew Dyer then masters mates, both very expert
Mariners and Richard Cox the maister Gunner, with other very carefull
sailers, then within bord, and also by the helpe of the cleare nights which
are without darknesse, we did happily auoide those present dangers, whereat
since wee haue more maruelled then in the present danger feared, for that
euery man within borde, both better and worse had ynough to doe with his
hands to hale ropes, and with his eyes to looke out for danger. But the
next morning being the 20 of Iuly, as God would, the storme ceased, and the
Generall espying the ships with his new Captiue and whole company, came
happily abord, and reported what had passed a shoare, whereupon altogither
vpon our knees we gaue God humble and hartie thankes, for that it had
pleased him, from so speedy peril to send vs such speedy deliuerance, and
so from this Northerne shore we stroke ouer towards the Southerland.
[Sidenote: Our first comming on the Southerland of the sayd straights.] The
one and twentieth of Iuly, we discovered a bay which ranne into the land,
that seemed a likely harborow for our ships, wherefore our Generall rowed
thither with his boats, to make proofe thereof, and with his goldfiners to
search for Ore, hauing neuer assayed any thing on the South shore as yet,
and the first small Island which we landed vpon. [Sidenote: A Mine of
Blacke-lead.] Here all the sands and clifts did so glister and had so
bright a marquesite, that it seemed all to be gold, but vpon tryall made it
prooued no better then black-lead, and verified the prouerb. All is not
gold that glistereth.
Vpon the two and twentieth of Iuly we bare into the sayde sound, and came
to ancker a reasonable bredth off the shore, where thinking our selues in
good securitie, we were greatly endangered with a peece of drift yce, which
the Ebbe brought forth of the sounds and came thwart vs ere we were aware.
But the gentlemen and souldiers within bord taking great paines at this
pinch at the Capstone, overcame the most danger thereof, and yet for all
that might be done, it stroke on our sterne such a blow, that we feared
least it had striken away our rudder, and being forced to cut our Cable in
the hawse, we were faine to set our fore saile to runne further vp within,
and if our stirrage had not bene stronger then in the present time we
feared, we had runne the ship vpon the rockes, hauing a very narrow
Channell to turne in, but as God would, all came well to passe. [Iackmans
sound.] And this was named Iackmans sound, after the name of the Masters
mate, who had first liking vnto the place.
[Sidenote: Smiths Iland.] Vpon a small Iland, within this sound called
Smithes Iland (because he first set vp his forge there) was found a Mine of
siluer, but was not wonne out of the rockes without great labour. Here our
goldfiners made say of such Ore as they found vpon the Northerland, and
found foure sortes thereof to holde golde in good quantitie. Vpon another
small Iland here was also found a great dead fish, which as it should
seeme, had bene embayed with yce, and was in proportion round like to a
Porpose, being about twelue foote long, and in bignesse answerable, hauing
a horne of two yards long growing out of the snoute or nostrels. [Sidenote:
The finding of an Vnicornes horne.] This horne is wreathed and straite,
like in fashion to a Taper made of waxe, and may truely be thought to be
the sea Vnicorne.[68] This home is to be seene and reserued as a Iewell by
the Queenes Maiesties commandement, in her Wardrope of Robes.