of gentlemen, souldiers and saylers, to the number of seuentie persons in
all, marched with ensigne displayde, vpon the continent of the Southerland
(the supposed continent of America) where, commanding a Trumpet to sound a
call for euery man to repaire to the ensigne, he declared to the whole
company how much the cause imported for the seruice of her Maiestie, our
countrey, our credits, and the safetie of our owne liues, and therefore
required euery man to be conformable to order, and to be directed by those
he should assigne. And he appointed for leaders, Captaine Fenton, Captaine
Yorke, and his Lieutenant George Beste: which done, we cast our selues into
a ring, and altogether vpon our knees, gaue God humble thanks for that it
had pleased him of his great goodnesse to preserue vs from such imminent
dangers, beseeching likewise the assistance of his holy spirite, so to
deliuer vs in safetie into our Countrey, whereby the light and truth of
these secrets being knowen, it might redound to the more honour of his holy
name, and consequently to the aduancement of our common wealth. And so, in
as good sort as the place suffered, we marched towards the tops of the
mountaines, which were no lesse painfull in climbing then dangerous in
descending, by reason of their steepenesse and yce. And hauing passed about
fiue miles, by such vnwieldie wayes, we returned vnto our ships without
sight of any people, or likelihood of habitation. Here diuerse of the
Gentlemen desired our Generall to suffer them to the number of twentie or
thirtie persones to march vp thirtie or fortie leagues in the countrey, to
the end they might discouer the Inland, and doe some acceptable seruice for
their countrey. But he not contented with the matter he sought for, and
well considering the short time he had in hand, and the greedie desire our
countrey hath to a present sauor and returne of gaine, bent his whole
indeuour only to find a Mine to fraight his ships, and to leave the rest
(by Gods helpe) hereafter to be well accomplished. And therefore the
twentie sixe of Iuly he departed ouer to the Northland, with the two
barkes, leauing the Ayde ryding in Iackmans sound; and ment (after hee had
found conuenient harborow, and fraight there for his ships) to discouer
further for the passage. The Barkes came the same night to ancker in a
sound vpon the Northerland, where the tydes did runne so swift, and the
place was so subiect to indrafts of yce; that by reason thereof they were
greatly endangered, and hauing found a very rich Myne, as they supposed,
and got almost twentie tunne of Ore together, vpon the 28 of Iuly the yce
came driuing into the sound where the Barkes rode, in such sort, that they
were therewith greatly distressed. And the Gabriell riding asterne the
Michael, had her Cable gauld asunder in the hawse with a peece of driuing
yce, and lost another ancker, and hauing but one cable and ancker left, for
she had lost two before, and the yce still driuing vpon her, she was (by
Gods helpe) well fenced from the danger of the rest, by one great Iland of
yce, which came a ground hard a head of her, which if it had not so
chanced, I thinke surely shee had bene cast vpon the rockes with the yce.
The Michael mored ancker vpon this great yce, and roade vnder the lee
thereof: but about midnight, by the weight of it selfe, and the setting of
the Tydes, the yce brake within halfe the Barkes length, and made vnto the
companie within boord a sodaine and fearefull noyse. [Sidenote: Beares
sound. Lecesters Iland.] The next flood toward the morning we weyed ancker,
and went further vp the straights, and leauing our Ore behind vs which we
had digged, for hast left the place by the name of Beares sound after the
masters name of the Michaell, and named the Iland Lecesters Iland.
[Sidenote: A tombe with a dead mans bones in it.] In one of the small
Ilands here we founde a Tombe, wherein the bones of a dead man lay
together, and our Sauage Captiue being with vs, and being demanded by
signes whether his countreymen had not slaine this man and eat his flesh so
from the bones, he made signes to the contrary, and that he was slaine with
Wolues and wild beasts. Here also was found hid vnder stones good store of
fish, and [Sidenote: Bridles, kniues, and other instruments found hid among
the rockes.] sundry other things of the inhabitants; as sleddes, bridles,
kettels of fish-skinnes, kniues of bone, and such other like. And our
Sauage declared vnto vs the vse of all those things. [Sidenote: They vse
great dogs to draw sleds, and little dogs for their meat.] And taking in
his hand one of those countrey bridles, he caught one of our dogges and
hampred him handsomely therein, as we doe our horses, and with a whip in
his hand, he taught the dogge to drawe in a sled as we doe horses in a
coach, setting himselfe thereupon like a guide: so that we might see they
vse dogges for that purpose that we do our horses. And we found since by
experience, that the lesser sort of dogges they feede fatte, and keepe them
as domesticall cattell in their tents for their eating, and the greater
sort serue for the vse of drawing their sleds.
The twentie ninth of Iuly, about fiue leagues from Beares sound, we
discouered a Bay which being fenced on ech side with smal Ilands lying off
the maine, which breake the force of the tides, and make the place free
from any indrafts of yce, did prooue a very fit harborow for our ships,
where we came to ancker vnder a small Ilande, which now together with the
sound is called by the name of that right Honourable and vertuous Ladie,
Anne Countesse of Warwicke. [Sidenote: Thirty leagues discouered within the
straites.] And this is the furthest place that this yeere we haue entred vp
within the streits, and is reckoned from the Cape of the Queenes foreland,
which is the entrance of the streites not aboue 30 leagues. Vpon this Iland
was found good store of Ore, which in the washing helde golde to our
thinking plainly to be seene: whereupon it was thought best rather to load
here, where there was store and indifferent good, then to seeke further for
better, and spend time with ieoperdie. [Sidenote: A good president of a
good Captain shewed by Captain Frobisher.] And therefore our Generall
setting the Myners to worke, and shewing first a good president of a
painefull labourer and a goode Captaine in himselfe, gaue good examples for
other to follow him: whereupon euery man both better and worse, with their
best endeuours willingly layde to their helping hands. And the next day,
being the thirtieth of Iuly, the Michaell was sent ouer to Iackmans sound,
for the Ayde and the whole companie to come thither. [Sidenote: The maner
of their houses in this country.] Vpon the maine land ouer against the
Countesses Iland we discouered and behelde to our greate maruell the poore
caues and houses of those countrey people, which serue them (as it should
seeme) for their winter dwellings, and are made two fadome vnder grounde,
in compasse round, like to an Ouen, being ioyned fast one by another,
hauing holes like to a Foxe or Conny berry, to keepe and come togither.
They vndertrenched these places with gutters so, that the water falling
from the hilles aboue them, may slide away without their annoyance: and are
seated commonly in the foote of a hill, to shield them better from the cold
windes, hauing their doore and entrance euer open towards the South.
[Sidenote: Whales bones vsed in stead of timber.] From the ground vpward
they builde with whales bones, for lacke of timber, which bending one ouer
another, are handsomely compacted in the top together, and are couered ouer
with Seales skinnes, which in stead of tiles, fence them from the raine. In
which house they haue only one roome, hauing the one halfe of the floure
raised with broad stones a foot higher than the other, whereon strawing
Mosse, they make their nests to sleep in. [Sidenote: The sluttishness of
these people.] They defile these dennes most filthily with their beastly
feeding, and dwell so long in a place (as we thinke) vntill their
sluttishnes lothing them, they are forced to seeke a sweeter ayre, and a
new seate, and are (no doubt) a dispersed and wandring nation, as the
Tartarians, and liue in hords and troupes, without any certaine abode, as
may appeare by sundry circumstances of our experience.
[Sidenote: A signe set vp by the sauage captiue, and the meaning thereof.]
Here our captiue being ashore with vs, to declare the vse of such things as
we saw, stayd himselfe alone behind the company, and did set vp fiue small
stickes round in a circle one by another, with one smal bone placed iust in
the middest of all: which thing when one of our men perceiued, he called vs
backe to behold the matter, thinking that hee had meant some charme or
witchcraft therein. But the best coniecture we could make thereof was, that
hee would thereby his countreymen should vnderstand, that for our fiue men
which they betrayed the last yeere (whom he signified by the fiue stickes)
he was taken and kept prisoner, which he signified by the bone in the
midst. [Sidenote: The sauage captiue amazed at his countreimans picture.]
For afterwards when we shewed him the picture of his countreman, which the
last yeere was brought into England (whose counterfeit we had drawen with
boate and other furniture, both as he was in his own, and also in English
apparel) he was vpon the sudden much amazed thereat, and beholding
aduisedly the same with silence a good while, as though he would streine
courtesie whether should begin the speech (for he thought him no doubt a
liuely creature) at length began to question with him, as with his
companion, and finding him dumb and mute, seemed to suspect him, as one
disdeinfull, and would with a little helpe haue growen into choller at the
matter, vntill at last by feeling and handling, hee found him but a
deceiuing picture. And then with great noise and cryes, ceased not
wondring, thinking that we could make men liue or die at our pleasure.
And thereupon calling the matter to his remembrance, he gaue vs plainely to
vnderstand by signes, that he had knowledge of the taking of our fiue men
the last yeere, and confessing the maner of ech thing, numbred the fiue men
vpon his fiue fingers, and pointed vnto a boat in our ship, which was like
vnto that wherein our men were betrayed: And when we made him signes, that
they were slaine and eaten, he earnestly denied, and made signes to the
contrary.
[Sidenote: Another shew of twenty persons of that countrey in one boate.]
The last of Iuly the Michael returned with the Aide to vs from the
Southerland, and came to anker by vs in the Countesse of Watwicks sound,
and reported that since we departed from Iackmans sound there happened
nothing among them there greatly worth the remembrance, vntill the
thirtieth of Iuly, when certaine of our company being a shoare vpon a small
Island within the sayd Iackmans sound, neere the place where the Aide rode,
did espie a long boat with diuers of the countrey people therein, to the
number of eighteene or twenty persons, whom so soone as our men perceiued,
they returned speedily aboord, to giue notice thereof vnto our company.
They might perceiue these people climbing vp to the top of a hill, where
with a flagge, they wafted vnto our ship, and made great out cries and
noyses, like so many Buls. Hereupon our men did presently man foorth a
small skiffe, hauing not aboue sixe or seuen persons therein, which rowed
neere the place where those people were, to prooue if they could haue any
conference with them. But after this small boate was sent a greater, being
wel appointed for their rescue, if need required.
As soone as they espied our company comming neere them, they tooke their
boates and hasted away, either for feare, or else for pollicie, to draw our
men from rescue further within their danger: wherefore our men construing
that their comming thither was but to seeke aduantage, followed speedily
after them, but they rowed so swiftly away, that our men could come nothing
neere them. Howbeit they failed not of their best indeuour in rowing, and
hauing chased them aboue two miles into the sea, returned into their ships
againe.
[Sidenote: Yorkes sound.] The morning following being the first of August,
Captaine Yorke with the Michael came into Iackmans sound, and declared vnto
the company there, that the last night past he came to anker in a certaine
baye (which sithens was named Yorkes sound) about foure leagues distant
from Iackmans sound, being put to leeward of that place for lacke of winde,
where he discouered certaine tents of the countrey people, where going with
his company ashore, he entred into them, but found the people departed, as
it should seeme, for feare of their comming. But amongst sundry strange
things which in these tents they found, there was rawe and new killed flesh
of vnknowen sorts, with dead carcases and bones of dogs, and I know not
what. [Sidenote: The apparel found againe of our English men which the yere
before were taken.] They also beheld (to their greatest marueile) a dublet
of Canuas made after the English fashion, a shirt, a girdle, three shoes
for contrary feete, and of vnequall bignesse, which they well coniectured
to be the apparell of our fiue poore countreymen, which were intercepted
the last yeere by these Countrey people, about fiftie leagues from this
place, further within the Straights. [Sidenote: A good deuise of Captaine
Yorke.] Whereupon our men being in good hope, that some of them might be
here, and yet liuing: the Captaine deuising for the best left his mind
behind him in writing, with pen, yncke, and paper also, whereby our poore
captiue countrymen, if it might come to their hands, might know their
friends minds, and of their arriuall, and likewise returne their answere.
And so without taking any thing away in their tents, leauing there also
looking glasses, points, and other of our toyes (the better to allure them
by such friendly meanes) departed aboord his Barker, with intent to make
haste to the Aide, to giue notice vnto the company of all such things as he
had there discouered: and so meant to returne to these tents againe, hoping
that he might by force or policie intrappe or intice the people to some
friendly conference. Which things when he had deliuered to the whole
company there, they determined forthwith to go in hand with the matter.
Hereupon Captaine Yorke with the master of the Aide and his mate (who the
night before had bene at the tents, and came ouer from the other side in
the Michael with him) being accompanied with the Gentlemen and souldiors to
the number of thirty or forty persons in two small rowing Pinnasses made
towards the place, where the night before they discovered the tents of
those people, and setting Charles Iackman, being the Masters mate, ashore
with a convenient number, for that he could best guide them to the place,
they marched ouer land, meaning to compasse them on the one side, whilest
the Captaine with his boates might entrap them on the other side. But
landing at last at the place where the night before they left them, they
found them with their tents remoued. Notwithstanding, our men which marched
vp into the countrey, passing ouer two or three mountaines, by chance
espied certaine tents in a valley vnderneath them neere vnto a creeke by
the Sea side, which because it was not the place where the guide had bene
the night before, they iudged them to be another company, and be setting
them about, determined to take them if they could. [Sidenote: The Sauages
haue boats of sundry bignes.] But they having quickly descried our
companie, launched one great and another smal boat, being about 16 or 18
persons, and very narrowly escaping, put themselues to sea. [Sidenote: The
Englishmen pursue those people of that countrey. The swift rowing of those
people.] Whereupon our souldiers discharged their Caliuers, and followed
them, thinking the noise therof being heard to our boats at sea, our men
there would make what speede they might to that place. [Sidenote: The
bloody point. Yorkes sound.] And thereupon indeede our men which were in
the boates (crossing vpon them in the mouth of the sound whereby their
passage was let from getting sea roome, wherein it had bene impossible for
vs to ouertake them by rowing) forced them to put themselues ashore vpon a
point of land within the sayd sound (which vpon the occasion of the
slaughter there, was since named The bloody point) whereunto our men so
speedily followed, that they had little leisure left them to make any
escape. But so soone as they landed each of them brake his Oare, thinking
by that meanes to preuent vs, in carrying away their boates for want of
Oares. [Sidenote: A hot skirmish betweene the English and them of that
countrey.] And desperately returning vpon our men, resisted them manfully
in their landing, so long as their arrowes and dartes lasted, and after
gathering vp those arrowes which our men shot at them, yea, and plucking
our arrowes out of their bodies incountred fresh againe, and maintained
their cause vntill both weapons and life fayled them. [Sidenote: The
desperate nature of those people.] And when they found they were mortally
wounded, being ignorant what mercy meaneth, with deadly fury they cast
themselues headlong from off the rockes into the sea, least perhaps their
enemies should receiue glory or prey of their dead carcaises, for they
supposed vs belike to be Canibals or eaters of mans flesh. [Sidenote: The
taking of the woman and her child.] In this conflict one of our men was
dangerously hurt in the belly with one of their arrowes, and of them were
slaine fiue or sixe, the rest by flight escaping among the rockes, sauing
two women, whereof the one being old and vgly, our men thought shee had
bene a deuill or some witch, and therefore let her goe: the other being
yong, and cumbred with a sucking childe at her backe, hiding her selfe
behind the rockes, was espied by one of our men, who supposing she had bene
a man, shot through the haire of her head, and pierced through the childs
arme, whereupon she cried out, and our Surgeon meaning to heale her childes
arme, applyed salues thereunto. [Sidenote: A prety kind of surgery which
nature teacheth.] But she not acquainted with such kind of surgery, plucked
those salues away, and by continuall licking with her owne tongue, not much
vnlike our dogs, healed vp the childes arme. And because the day was
welneere spent our men made haste vnto the rest of our company which on the
other side of the water remained at the tents, where they found by the
apparell, letter, and other English furniture, that they were the same
company which Captaine Yorke discouered the night before, hauing remoued
themselues from the place where he left them.
And now considering their sudden flying from our men, and their desperate
maner of fighting, we began to suspect that we had heard the last newes of
our men which the last yere were betrayed of these people. And considering
also their rauenous and bloody disposition in eating any kind of raw flesh
or carrion howsoeuer stinking, it is to bee thought that they had slaine
and deuoured our men: For the dublet which was found in their tents had
many holes therein being made with their arrowes and darts.
But now the night being at hand, our men with their captiues and such poore
stuffe as they found in their tents, returned towards their ships, when
being at sea, there arose a sudden flaw of winde, which was not a little
dangerous for their small boates: but as God would they came all safely
aboord. And with these good newes they returned (as before mentioned) into
the Countesse of Warwicks sound vnto vs. [Sidenote: The narrowest place of
the Straites is 9. leagues ouer.] And betweene Iackmans sound, from whence
they came, and the Countesse of Warwicks sound betweene land, and land,
being thought the narrowest place of the Straights were iudged nine leagues
ouer at the least: [Sidenote: The Queenes Cape.] and Iackmans sound being
vpon the Southerland, lyeth directly almost ouer against the Countesses
sound, as is reckoned scarce thirty leagues within the Straights from the
Queenes Cape, which is the entrance of the Streits of the Southerland. This
Cape being named Queene Elizabeths Cape, standeth in the latitude of 62
degrees and a halfe to the Northwards of New found land, and vpon the same
continent, for any thing that is yet knowen to the contrary. [Sidenote: The
maner of the meeting of the two captiues, and their entertainment.] Hauing
now got a woman captiue for the comfort of our man, we brought them both
together, and euery man with silence desired to behold the maner of their
meeting and entertainment, the which was more worth the beholding than can
be well expressed by writing. At their first encountring they beheld each
the other very wistly a good space, without speech or word vttered, with
great change of colour and countenance, as though it seemed the griefe and
disdeine of their captiuity had taken away the vse of their tongues and
vtterance: the woman at the first very suddenly, as though she disdeined or
regarded not the man, turned away, and began to sing as though she minded
another matter: but being againe brought together, the man brake vp the
silence first, and with sterne and stayed countenance, began to tell a long
solemne tale to the woman, whereunto she gaue good hearing, and interrupted
him nothing, till he had finished, and afterwards, being growen into more
familiar acquaintance by speech, they were turned together, so that (I
thinke) the one would hardly haue liued without the comfort of the other.
And for so much as we could perceiue, albeit they liued continually
together, yet they did neuer vse as man and wife, though the woman spared
not to doe all necessary things that appertained to a good housewife
indifferently for them both, as in making cleane their Cabin, and euery
other thing that appertained to his ease: for when he was seasicke, she
would make him cleane, she would kill and flea the dogs for their eating,
and dresse his meate. [Sidenote: The shamefastess and chastity of those
Sauage captiues.] Only I think it worth the noting, the continencie of them
both: for the man would neuer shift hemselfe, except he had first caused
the woman to depart out of his cabin, and they both were most shamefast,
least any of their priue parts should be discouered, either of themselues,
or any other body.