graunt vnto the sayd Adrian Gylbert, his heires and assignes for euer, free
libertie, licence and priuilege, [Sidenote: This Patent remained in force
fiue yeeres.] that during the space of fiue yeeres next and immediately
ensuing the date hereof, it shall not be lawfull for any person or persons
whatsoeuer, to visit, haunt, frequent, trade, or make voyage to any Iles,
Mainlands, Countreys, Regions, Prouinces, Territories, Seas, Riuers, Ports,
Bayes, and Hauens, nor to any other Hauens or places whatsoeuer hitherto
not yet discouered by any of our subiects by vertue of this graunt to be
traded vnto, without the special consent and good liking of the said Adrian
Gylbert, his heires or assignes first had in writing. And if any person or
persons of the associats of the sayd Adrian, his heires or assignes or any
other person or persons whatsoeuer, free of this discouery, shall do any
act or acts contrary to the tenour and true meaning hereof, during the
space of the sayd fiue yeeres, that then the partie and parties so
offending, they and their heires for euer shall loose (ipso facto) the
benefite and priuilege of this our graunt, and shall stand and remaine to
all intents and purposes as persons exempted out of this graunt.
[Sidenote: Authoritie to proceede at Sea against mutiners.] And further by
vertue hereof wee giue and graunt, for vs, our heires and successours at
all times during the space of fiue yeers next ensuing the date hereof,
libertie and licence, and full authority to the sayd Adrian Gylbert, and
his heires and assignes, that if it shall happen any one or moe in any ship
or ships sayling on their sayd voyage, to become mutinous, seditious,
disordered, or any way vnruly to the preiudice or hinderance of the hope
for the successe in the attempt or prosecuting of this discouerie or trade
intended, to vse or execute vpon him or them so offending, such punishment,
correction, or execution, as the cause shall be found in iustice to require
by the verdict of twelue of the companie sworne thereunto, as in such a
case apperteineth: That expresse mention of the certaintie of the
premisses, or of other gifts or graunts by vs to the sayd Adrian Gylbert
and his associats before this time made is not mentioned in these presents,
or any other lawe, act, statute, prouiso, graunt, or proclamation
heretofore made or hereafter to be made to the contrary hereof in any wise
notwithstanding. [Sidenote: 1583.] In witnesse whereof we haue made these
our Letters to bee made patents: Witnesse our selfe at Westminster, the
sixt day of Februarie, in the sixe and twenty yeere of our reigne.
* * * * *
The first voyage of M. Iohn Davis, undertaken in June 1585. for the
discouerie of the Northwest passage, Written by M. Iohn Ianes Marchant,
sometimes seruant to the worshipfull Master William Sanderson.
Certaine Honourable personages, and worthy Gentlemen of the Court and
Countrey, with diuers worshipful Marchants of London and of the West
Countrey, mooued with desire to aduance Gods glory and to seeke the good of
their natiue Countrey, consulting together of the likelyhood of the
Discouerie of the Northwest passage, which heretofore had bene attempted,
but vnhappily giuen ouer by accidents vnlooked for, which turned the
enterprisers from their principall purpose, resolued after good
deliberation, to put downe their aduentures to prouide for necessarie
shipping, and a fit man to be chiefe Conductor of this so hard an
enterprise. The setting forth of this action was committed by the
aduenturers, especially to the care of M. William Sanderson Marchant of
London, who was so forward therein, that besides his trauaile which was not
small, he became the greatest aduenturer with his purse, and commended vnto
the rest of the companie one M. Iohn Davis, a man very well grounded in the
principles of the Arte of Nauigation, for Captaine and chiefe Pilot of this
exployt.
Thus therefore all things being put in a readines, wee departed from
Dartmouth the seuenth of Iune, towards the discouerie of the aforesayd
Northwest passage, with two Barkes, the one being of 50. tunnes, named the
Sunneshine of London, and the other being 35. tunnes, named the Mooneshine
of Dartmouth. In the Sunneshine we had 23. persons, whose names are these
following, M. Iohn Dauis Captaine, William Eston Master, Richard Pope
masters mate, Iohn Iane Marchant, Henry Dauie gunner, William Crosse
boatswayne, Iohn Bagge, Walter Arthur, Luke Adams, Robert Coxworthie, Iohn
Ellis, Iohn Kelley, Edward Helman, William Dicke, Andrew Maddocke, Thomas
Hill, Robert Wats Carpenter, William Russel, Christopher Gorney boy:
[Sidenote: Musitians.] Iames Cole, Francis Ridley, John Russell, Robert
Cornish Musicians.
The Mooneshine had l9. persons, William Bruton Captaine Iohn Ellis Master,
the rest Mariners.
The 7. of Iune the Captaine and the Master drewe out a proportion for the
continuance of our victuals.
The 8. day the wind being at Southwest and West Southwest, we put in for
Falmouth, where we remained vntill the 13.
The 13. the wind blew at North, and being faire weather we departed.
The 14. with contrary wind we were forced to put into Silley.
The 15. wee departed thence, hauing the wind North and by East moderate and
faire weather.
The 16. wee were driuen backe againe, and were constrained to arriue at
newe Grymsby in Silley: here the winde remained contrary 12. dayes, and in
that space the Captaine, the Master and I went about all the Ilands, and
the Captaine did plat out and describe the situation of all the Ilands,
rocks and harboroughs to the exact vse of Nauigation, with lines and scale
thereunto conuenient.
[Sidenote: They depart from Silley.] The 28. in Gods name we departed the
wind being Easterly but calme.
[Sidenote: Iuly.] The first of Iuly wee sawe great store of Porposes; The
Master called for an harping yron, and shot twise or thrise: sometimes he
missed, and at last shot one and strooke him in the side, and wound him
into the ship: when we had him aboord, the Master sayd it was a Darlie
head.
The 2. we had some of the fish sodden, and it did eat as sweete as any
mutton.
The 3. wee had more in sight, and the Master went to shoote at them, but
they were so great, that they burst our yrons, and we lost both fish,
yrons, pastime and all: yet neuerthelesse the Master shot at them with a
pike, and had welnigh gotten one, but he was so strong that he burst off
the barres of the pike and went away: then he tooke the boate-hook, and hit
one with that, but all would not preuaile, so at length we let them alone.
The 6. we saw a very great Whale, and euery day we saw whales continually.
[Sidenote: Great store of whales.] The 16. and 17. we saw great store of
Whales.
The 19. of Iuly we fell into a great whirling and brustling of a tyde,
setting to the Northwards: and sayling about halfe a league wee came into a
very calme Sea, which bent to the Southsouthwest. Here we heard a mighty
great roaring of the Sea, as if it had bene the breach of some shoare, the
ayre being so fogie and fulle of thicke mist, that we could not see the one
ship from the other, being a very small distance asunder: so the Captaine
and the Master being in distrust how the tyde might set them, caused the
Mooneshine to hoyse out her boate and to sound, but they could not finde
ground in 300 fathoms and better. Then the Captaine, Master, and I went
towards the breach, to see what it should be, giuing the charge to our
gunners that at euery glasse they should shoote off a musket shot, to the
intent we might keepe ourselues from loosing them. [Sidenote: The rouling
of the yce together made a great roaring.] Then coming nere to the breach,
we met many Ilands of yce floting, which had quickly compassed vs about:
then we went vpon some of them, and did perceiue that all the roaring which
we heard, was caused onely by the rowling of this yce together: [Sidenote:
Yce turned into water.] Our companie seeing vs not to returne according to
our appoyntment, left off shooting muskets, and began to shoote falkonets,
for they feared some mishap had befallen vs, but before night we came
aboord againe with our boat laden with yce, which made very good fresh
water. Then wee bent our course toward the North, hoping by that meanes to
double the land.
[Sidenote: The land of Desolation.] The 20. as we sayled along the coast
the fogge broke, and we discouered the land, which was the most deformed
rockie and mountainous land that euer we saw: The first sight whereof did
shew as if it had bene in forme of a sugar-loafe, standing to our sight
aboue the cloudes, for that it did shew ouer the fogge like a white liste
in the skie, the tops altogether covered with snow, and the shoare beset
with yce a league off into the Sea, making such yrkesome noyse as that it
seemed to be the true patterne of desolation, and after the same our
Captaine named it, The land of Desolation.
The 21. the winde came Northerly and ouerblew, so that we were constrained
to bend our course South againe, for we perceiued that we were runne into a
very deepe Bay, where wee were almost compassed with yce, for we saw very
much toward the Northnortheast, West, and Southwest: and this day and this
night wee cleared our selues of the yce, running Southsouthwest along the
shoare.
Vpon Thursday being the 22. of this moneth, about three of the clocke in
the morning, wee hoysed out our boate, and the Captaine with sixe sayles
went towards the shore, thinking to find a landing place, for the night
before we did perceiue the coast to be voyde of yce to our iudgement, and
the same night wee were all perswaded that we had seene a Canoa rowing
along the shoare, but afterwards we fell in some doubt of it, but we had no
great reason so to doe. The Captaine rowing towards the shoare, willed the
Master to beare in with the land after him, and before he came neere the
shoare by the space of a league, or about two miles, hee found so much yce,
that hee could not get to land by any meanes. Here our mariners put to
their lines to see if they could get any fish, because there were so many
seales vpon the coast, and the birds did beate vpon the water, but all was
in vaine: [Sidenote: Very blacke water.] The water about this place was
very blacke and thicke like to a filthy standing poole, we sounded and had
ground in 120. fathoms. [Sidenote: Floting wood.] While the Captaine was
rowing to the shoare, our men sawe woods vpon the rocks like to the rocks
of Newfoundland, but I could not discerne them, yet it might be so very
well, for we had wood floting vpon the coast euery day, and the Moone-shine
tooke vp a tree at Sea not farre from the coast being sixtie foote of
length and fourteene handfuls about, hauing the roote vpon it: After this
the Captaine came aboord, the weather being very calme and faire we bent
our course toward the South, with intent to double the land.
The 23. we coasted the land which did lie Eastnortheast and Westsouthwest.
The 24. the winde being very faire at East, we coasted the land which did
lie East and West, not being able to come neere the shoare by reason of the
great quantitie of yce. [Sidenote: Colde by reason of yce.] At this place,
because the weather was somewhat colde by reason of the yce, and the better
to encourage our men, their allowance was increased: the captaine and the
master tooke order that euery messe, being fiue persons, should haue halfe
a pound of bread and a kan of beere euery morning to breakfast. The weather
was not very colde, but the aire was moderate like to our April-weather in
England: when the winde came from the land, or the ice, it was somewhat
colde, but when it came off the sea it was very hote.
[Sidenote: They saile Northwestward aboue foure dayes.] The 25. of this
moneth we departed from sight of this land at sixe of the clocke in the
morning, directing our course to the Northwestward, hoping in Gods mercy to
finde our desired passage, and so continued aboue foure dayes.
[Sidenote: Land in 64 degrees 15 min.] The 29. of Iuly we discouered land
in 64 degrees 15 minutes of latitude, bearing Northeast from vs. The winde
being contrary to goe to the Northwestwards, we bare in with this land to
take some view of it, being vtterly void of the pester yce and very
temperate. Comming neere the coast, we found many faire sounds and good
roads for shipping, and many great inlets into the land, whereby we iudged
this land to be a great number of Islands standing together. Heere hauing
mored our barke in good order, we went on shoare vpon a small Island to
seeke for water and wood. [Sidenote: The sound where our ships did ride was
called Gilberts Sound.] Vpon this Island we did perceiue that there had
bene people: or we found a small shoo and pieces of leather sowed with
sinewes, and a piece of furre, and wooll like to Beuer. Then we went vpon
another Island on the other side of our shippes: and the Captaine, the
master, and I, being got vp to the top of an high rocke, the people of the
countrey hauing espied vs, made a lamentable noise, as we thought, with
great outcries and skreechings: we hearing them, thought it had bene the
howling of wolues. At last I hallowed againe, and they likewise cried. Then
we perceiuing where they stood, some on the shoare, and one rowing in a
Canoa about a small Island fast by them, we made a great noise, partly to
allure them to vs, and partly to warne our company of them. [Sidenote:
Musicians.] Whereupon M. Bruton and the Master of his shippe, with others
of their company, made great haste towards vs, and brought our Musicians
with them from our shippe, purposing either by force to rescue vs, if need
should so require, or with courtesie to allure the people. When they came
vnto vs, we caused our Musicians to play, our selues dancing, and making
many signes of friendship. [Sidenote: The people of the countrey came and
conferred with our men.] At length there came tenne Canoas from the other
Islands, and two of them came so neere the shoare where we were, that they
talked with vs, the other being in their boats a prety way off. Their
pronunciation was very hollow thorow the throat, and their speech such as
we could not vnderstand: onely we allured them by friendly imbracings and
signes of courtesie. At length one of them pointing vp to the Sunne with
his hand, would presently strike his breast so hard that we might heare the
blow. This hee did many times before hee would any way trust vs. Then Iohn
Ellis the Master of the Mooneshine was appointed to vse his best policie to
gaine their friendship; who strooke his breast, and pointed to the Sunne
after their order: which when he had diuers time done, they beganne to
trust him, and one of them came on shoare, to whom we threw our cappes,
stockings, and gloues, and such other things as then we had about vs,
playing with our musicke, and making signes of ioy, and dauncing. So the
night comming, we bade them farewell, and went aboord our barks.
[Sidenote: Thirty seuen Canoas. Their musicke.] The next morning being the
30. of Iuly there came 37 Canoas rowing by our ships, calling to vs to come
on shoare: we not making any great haste vnto them, one of them went vp to
the toppe of the rocke, and leapt and daunced as they had done the day
before, shewing vs a seales skinne, and another thing made like a timbrell,
which he did beat vpon with a sticke, making a noise like a small drumme.
Whereupon we manned our boats and came to them, they all staying in their
Canoas: we come to the water side where they were: and after we had sworne
by the Sunne after their fashion, they did trust vs. [Sidenote: Great
familiarity with the Sauages.] So I shooke hands with one of them, and he
kissed my hand, and we were very familiar with them. We were in so great
credit with them vpon this single acquaintance, that we could haue any
thing they had. We bought fiue Canoas of them: we bought their clothes from
their backs, which were all made of seales skinnes and birds skinnes; their
buskins, their hose, their gloues, all being commonly sowed and well
dressed: so that we were fully perswaded that they haue diuers artificers
among them. We had a paire of buskins of them full of fine wool like beuer.
Their apparell for heat was made of birds skinnes with their feathers on
them. We saw among them leather dressed like Glouers leather, and thicke
thongs like white leather of a good length. We had of their darts and
oares, and found in them that they would by no meanes displease vs, but
would giue vs whatsoeuer we asked of them, and would be satisfied with
whatsoeuer we gaue them. They tooke great care of one another: for when we
had bought their boats, then two other would come and cary him away
betweene them that had solde vs his. They are very tractable people, void
of craft or double dealing, and easie to be brought to any civility or good
order: but we iudge them to be idolaters and to worship the Sunne.
[Sidenote: Diuers sorts of wood.] During the time of our abode among these
Islands we found reasonable quantitie of wood, both firre, spruse and
iuniper; which whether it came floating any great distance to these places
where we found it, or whether it grew in some great Islands neere the same
place by vs not yet discouered, we know not; but we iudge that it groweth
there further into the land then we were, because the people had great
store of darts and oares which they made none account of, but gaue them to
vs for small trifles, as points and pieces of paper. [Sidenote: They may
make much traine, if they had meanes how to vse it.] We saw about this
coast marueilous great abundance of seales skulling together like skuls of
small fish. We found no fresh water among these Islands, but onely snow
water, whereof we found great pooles. The cliffes were all of such oare as
M. Frobisher brought from Meta incognita. [Sidenote: Moscouie glasse.] We
had diuers shewes of Study or Muscouy glasse shining not altogether vnlike
to Christall. [Sidenote: A fruit like corinths.] We found an herbe growing
vpon the rocks whose fruit was sweet, full of red iuice, and the ripe ones
were like corinths. We found also birch and willow growing like shrubbes
low to the ground. These people haue great store of furres as we iudge.
They made shewes vnto vs the 30 of this present, which was the second time
of our being with them, after they perceiued we would haue skinnes and
furres, that they would go into the countrey and come againe the next day
with such things as they had: but this night the winde comming faire, the
captaine and the master would by no meanes detract the purpose of our
discouery. And so the last of this moneth about foure of the clocke in the
morning in God's name we set saile, and were all that day becalmed vpon the
coast.
[Sidenote: August.] The first of August we had a faire winde, and so
proceeded towards the Northwest for our discouery.
[Sidenote: Land in 66 degrees 40 min.] The sixt of August we discouered
land in 66 degrees 40 minuts of latitude, altogether void from the pester
of ice: we ankered in a very faire rode vnder a braue mount, the cliffes
whereof were as orient as golde. This Mount was named Mount Raleigh. The
rode where our ships lay at anker was called Totnes rode. The sound which
did compasse the mount was named Exeter sound. The foreland towards the
North was called Diers cape. The foreland towards the South was named Cape
Walsingham. [Sidenote: Foure white beares.] So soone as we were come to an
anker in Totnes rode vnder Mount Raleigh, we espied foure white beares at
the foot of the mount: we supposing them to be goats or wolues, manned our
boats and went towards them: but when we came neere the shore, we found
them to be white beares of a monstrous bignesse: we being desirous of fresh
victuall and the sport, began to assault them, and I being on land, one of
them came downe the hill right against me: my piece was charged with
hailshot and a bullet: I discharged my piece and shot him in the necke; he
roared a litle, and tooke the water straight, making small account of his
hurt. Then we followed him with our boat, and killed him with
boare-speares, and two more that night. We found nothing in their mawes:
but we iudged by their dung that they fed vpon grasse, because it appeared
in all respects like the dung of an horse, wherein we might very plainly
see the very strawes.
The 7 we went on shore to another beare which lay all night vpon the top of
an Island vnder Mount Raleigh, and when we came vp to him he lay fast
asleep. [Sidenote: A large white beare.] I leuelled at his head, and the
stone of my piece gaue no fire: with that he looked vp, and layed downe his
head againe: then I shot being charged with two bullets, and strooke him in
the head: he being but amazed fell backwards: wherevpon we ran all vpon him
with boare-speares, and thrust him in the body: yet for that he gript away
our boare-speares, and went towards the water; and as he was going downe,
he came backe againe. Then our Master shot his boare-spear, and strooke him
in the head, and made him to take the water, and swimme into a coue fast
by, where we killed him, and brought him aboord. The breadth of his
forefoot from one side to the other was fourteene inches ouer. They were
very fat, so as we were constrained to cast the fat away. We saw a rauen
vpon Mount Raleigh. We found withies also growing like low shrubs and
flowers like Primroses in the sayd place. The coast is very mountainous,
altogether without wood, grasse, or earth, and is onely huge mountaines of
stone; but the brauest stone that euer we saw. The aire was very moderate
in this countrey.
The 8 we departed from Mount Raleigh, coasting along the shoare, which
lieth Southsouthwest, and Eastnortheast.
The 9 our men fell in dislike of their allowance, because it was too small
as they thought: whereupon we made a new proportion; euery messe being fiue
to a messe should haue foure pound of bread a day, twelue wine quarts of
beere, six Newland fishes; and the flesh dayes a gill of pease more: so we
restrained them from their butter and cheese.
The 11 we came to the most Southerly cape of this land, which we named The
Cape of Gods mercy, as being the place of our first entrance for the
discouery. The weather being very foggy we coasted this North land; at
length when it brake vp, we perceiued that we were shot into a very faire
entrance or passage, being in some places twenty leagues broad, and in some
thirty, altogether void of any pester of ice, the weather very tolerable,
and the water of the very colour, nature and quality of the maine ocean,
which gaue vs the greater hope of our passage. Hauing sailed Northwest
sixty leagues in this entrance we discouered certaine Islands standing in
the midst thereof, hauing open passage on both sides. Wherupon our ships
diuided themselues, the one sailing on the North side, the other on the
South side of the sayd Isles, where we stayed fiue dayes, hauing the winde
at Southeast, very foggy and foule weather.
The 14 we went on shoare and found signes of people, for we found stones
layed vp together like a wall, and saw the skull of a man or a woman.
The 15 we heard dogs houle on the shoare, which we thought had bene wolues,
and therefore we went on shoare to kill them. When we came on land the
dogges came presently to our boat very gently, yet we thought they came to
pray vpon vs, and therefore we shot at them, and killed two: and about the
necke of one of them we found a leatherne coller, whereupon we thought them
to be tame dogs. There were twenty dogs like mastiues with prickt eares and
long bush tailes: we found a bone in the pizels of their dogs. [Sidenote:
Timber sawen.] Then we went farther, and found two sleads made like ours in
England: the one was made of firre, spruse and oken boords sawen like inch
boords: the other was made all of whale bone, and there hung on the tops of
the sleads three heads of beasts which they had killed. [Sidenote: Fowle.]
We saw here larks, rauens, and partridges.
[Sidenote: An image.] The 17 we went on shoare, and in a little thing made
like an ouen with stones I found many small trifles, as a small canoa made
of wood, a piece of wood made like an image, a bird made of bone, beads
hauing small holes in one end of them to hang about their necks, and other
small things. The coast was very barren without wood or grasse: the rocks
were very faire like marble, full of vaines of divers colours. We found a
seale which was killed not long before, being fleane, and hid vnder stones.