where with all speed we graued the Moonelight, and reuictualled her: wee
searched this countrey with our pinnesse while the bark was trimming, which
William Eston did: he found all this land to be onely Ilands, with a Sea on
the East, a Sea on the West, and a Sea on the North. [Sidenote: Great
heat.] In this place wee found it very hot and wee were very much troubled
with a flie which is called Muskyto, for they did sting grieuiously. The
people of this place at our first comming in caught a Seale and with
bladders fast tied to him sent him vnto vs with the floud, so as hee came
right with our shippes, which we took as a friendly present from them.
The fift of August I went with the two Masters and others to the toppe of a
hill, and by the way William Eston espied three Canoas lying vnder a rocke,
and went vnto them: there were in them skinnes, darts, with diuers
superstitious toyes, whereof wee diminished nothing, but left vpon euery
boat a silke point, a bullet of lead, and a pinne. The next day being the
sixt of August, the people came vnto vs without feare and did barter with
vs for skinnes, as the other people did: they differ not from the other,
neither in their Canoas nor apparel, yet is their pronuntiation more plaine
then the others, and nothing hollow in the throat. Our Sauage aboord vs
kept himselfe close, and made shew that he would faine haue another
companion. Thus being prouided, I departed from this lande the twelft of
August at sixe. [Sidenote: 66. degrees 19. minutes.] of the clocke in the
morning, where I left the mermayd at an anker: the fourteenth sailing West
about fiftie leagues, we discouered land, being in latitude 66. degrees 19
minuts: this land is 70. leagues from the other from whence we came. This
fourteenth day from nine a clocke at night till three a clocke in the
morning, wee ankered by an Island of yce, twelue leagues off the shore,
being mored to the yce.
The fifteenth day at three a clocke in the morning we departed from this
land to the South, and the eighteenth of August we discouered land
Northwest from vs in the morning, being a very faire promontory, in
latitude 65. degrees, hauing no land on the South. [Sidenote: Great hope of
a passage.] Here wee had great hope of a through passage.
This day at three a clocke in the afternoone wee againe discouered lande
Southwest and by South from vs, where at night wee were becalmed.
[Sidenote: 64. degr. 20. min.] The nineteenth of this moneth at noone, by
obseruation, we were in 64. degrees 20 minuts. [Sidenote: A great current
to the West.] From the eighteenth day at noone vnto the nineteenth at
noone, by precise ordinary care, wee had sailed 15. leagues South and by
West, yet by art and more exact obseruation, we found our course to be
Southwest, so that we plainely perceiued a great current striking to the
West.
This land is nothing in sight but Isles, which increaseth our hope. This
nineteenth of August at sixe a clocke in the afternoone, it began to snow,
and so continued all night with foule weather, and much winde, so that we
were constrained to lie at hull all night fiue leagues off the shore: In
the morning being the twentieth of August, the fogge and storme breaking
vp, we bare in with the lande, and at nine a clocke in the morning wee
ankered in a very faire and safe road and lockt for all weathers.
[Sidenote: Ilands.] At tenne of the clocke I went on shore to the toppe of
a very high hill, where I perceiued that this land was Islands: at foure of
the clocke in the afternoone wee weyed anker, hauing a faire North
northeast winde, with very faire weather; at six of the clocke we were
cleare without the land, and so shaped our course to the South, to discouer
the coast, where by the passage may be through Gods mercy found.
We coasted this land till the eight and twentieth of August [Sidenote: They
runne 8 dayes Southward from 67 to 57. degrees vpon the coast.] finding it
still to continue towards the South, from the latitude of 67. to 57.
degrees: we found marueilous great store of birds, guls and mewes,
incredible to be reported, whereupon being calme weather, we lay one glasse
vpon the lee, to proue for fish, in which space we caught 100. of cod,
although we were but badly prouided for fishing, not being our purpose.
[Sidenote: A harborough in 56. degrees.] This eight and twentieth hauing
great distrust of the weather, we arriued in a very faire harbour in the
latitude of 56. degrees, and sailed 10. leagues into the same, being two
leagues broad, with very faire woods on both sides: in this place wee
continued vntil the first of September, in which time we had two very great
stormes. [Sidenote: Faire woods.] I landed, and went sixe miles by ghesse
into the countrey, and found that the woods were firre, pineaple, alder,
yew, withy, and birch: here we saw a blacke beare: this place yeeldeth
great store of birds, as fezant, partridge, Barbary hennes or the like,
wilde geese, ducks, black birdes, ieyes, thrushes, with other kinds of
small birds. [Sidenote: Store of cod.] Of the partridge and fezant we
killed great store with bow and arrowes: in this place at the harborough
mouth we found great store of cod.
The first of September at ten a clocke wee set saile, and coasted the shore
with very faire weather. The thirde day being calme, at noone we strooke
saile, and let fall a cadge anker, to proue whether we could take any fish,
being in latitude 54. degrees 30. minuts, in which place we found great
abundance of cod, so that the hooke was no sonner ouerboord, but presently
a fish was taken. It was the largest and the best fed fish that euer I
sawe, and diuers fisher men that were with me sayd that they neuer saw a
more suaule or better skull of fish in their liues: yet had they seene
great abundance.
The fourth of September at fiue a clocke in the afternoone we ankered in a
very good road among great store of Isles, the countrey low land, pleasant
and very full of fayre woods. [Sidenote: A perfect hope of the passage
about 54. degrees and an halfe.] To the North of this place eight leagues,
we had a perfect hope of the passage, finding a mightie great sea passing
betweene two lands West. The Southland to our iudgement being nothing but
Isles: we greatly desired to goe into the sea, but the winde was directly
against vs. We ankered in foure fathome fine sand. In this place is foule
and fish mightie store.
The sixt of September having a faire Northnorthwest winde hauing trimmed
our Barke we proposed to depart, and sent fiue of our sailers yong men a
shore to an Island, to fetch certaine fish which we purposed to weather,
and therefore left it al night couered vpon the Isle: the brutish people of
this countrey lay secretly lurking in the wood, and vpon the sudden
assaulted our men; which when we perceiued, we presently let slip our
cables vpon the halse, and vnder our foresaile bare into the shoare, and
with all expedition discharged a double musket vpon them twise, at the
noyse whereof they fled: [Sidenote: Two of our men slaine by the Sauages.]
notwithstanding to our very great griefe, two of our men were slaine with
their arrowes, and two grieuously wounded, of whom at this present we stand
in very great doubt, onely one escaped by swimming, with an arow shot
thorow his arme. These wicked miscreants neuer offered parly or speech, but
presently executed their cursed fury.
This present euening it pleased God further to increase our sorrowes with a
mighty tempestuous storme, the winde being Northnortheast, which lasted
vnto the tenth of this moneth very extreme. We vnrigged our ship, and
purposed to cut downe our masts, the cable of our shutanker brake, so that
we onely expected to be driuen on shoare among these Canibals for their
pray. Yet in this deepe distresse the mightie mercie of God, when hope was
past, gaue vs succour, and sent vs a faire lee, so as we recouered our
anker againe, and newe mored our ship: where we saw that God manifestly
deliuered vs: for the straines of one of our cables were broken, and we
only roade by an olde iunke. Thus being freshly mored a new storme arose,
the winde being Westnorthwest, very forcible, which lasted vnto the tenth
day at night.
The eleuenth day with a faire Westnorthwest winde we departed with trust in
Gods mercie, shaping our course for England, and arriued in the West
countrey in the beginning of October.
* * * * *
Master Dauis being arriued, wrote his letter to M. William Sanderson of
London, concerning his voyage, as followeth.
Sir, the Sunneshine came into Dartmouth the fourth of this moneth: she hath
bene at Island, and from thence to Groenland, and so to Estotiland, from
thence to Desolation, and to our Marchants, where she made trade with the
people, staying in the countrey twentie dayes. They haue brought home fiue
hundred seales skinnes, and an hundred and fortie halfe skinnes and pieces
of skinnes. I stand in great doubt of the pinnesse, God be mercifull vnto
the poore men, and preserue them, if it be his blessed will.
I haue now experience of much of the Northwest part of the world, and haue
brought the passage to that likelihood, as that I am assured it must bee in
one of the foure places, or els not at all. And further I can assure you
vpon the perill of my life, that this voyage may be performed without
further charge, nay with certaine profite to the aduenturers, if I may haue
but your fauour in the action. I hope I shall finde fauour with you to see
your Card. I pray God it be so true as the Card shal be which I will bring
you: and I hope in God, that your skill in Nauigation shall be gaineful
vnto you, although at the first it hath not proued so. And thus with my
humble commendations I commit you to God, desiring no longer to liue, then
I shall be yours most faithfully to command. Exon this fourteenth of
October. 1586.
Yours to command
IOHN DAVIS.
* * * * *
The relation of the course which the Sunshine a barke of fiftie tunnes, and
the Northstarre a small pinnesse, being two vessels of the fleete of M.
Iohn Dauis, helde after hee had sent them from him to discouer the
passage betweene Groenland and Island, written by Henry Morgan seruant to
M. William Sanderson of London.
[Sidenote: May.] The seuenth day of May 1586. wee departed out of Dartmouth
hauen foure sailes, to wit, the Mermaid, the Sunshine, the Mooneshine, and
the Northstarre. In the Sunshine were sixteene men, whose names were these:
Richard Pope Master, Marke Carter Masters mate, Henry Morgan Purser, George
Draward, Iohn Mandie, Hugh Broken, Philip Iane, Hugh Hempson, Richard
Borden, Iohn Philpe, Andrew Madock, William Wolcome, Robert Wag carpenter,
Iohn Bruskome, William Ashe, Simon Ellis.
Our course was Westnorthwest the seuenth and eight dayes: and the ninth day
in the morning we were on head of the Tarrose of Silley. Thus coasting
along the South part of Ireland the 11. day, we were on head of the Dorses:
and our coarse was Southsouthwest vntill sixe of the clocke the 12. day.
The 13. day our course was Northwest. [M. Dauis in the latitude of 60. deg.
diuideth his fleete into 2. parts.] We remained in the company of the
Mermaid and the Mooneshine vntill we came to the latitude of 60. degrees:
and there it seemed best to our Generall M. Dauis to diuide his fleete,
himself sayling to the Northwest, and to direct the Sunshine, wherein I
was, and the pinnesse called the Northstarre, to seeke a passage Northward
between Groenland and Island to the latitude of 80. degrees, if land did
not let vs. [Sidenote: The 7. of Iune.] So the Seuenth day of Iune wee
departed from them: and the ninth of the same we came to a firme land of
yce, which we coasted along the ninth, the tenth, and the eleuenth dayes of
Iune: [Sidenote: Island descryed.] and the eleuenth day at sixe of the
clocke at night we saw land which was very high, which afterward we knew to
be a Island: and the twelft day we harboured there, and found many people:
[Sidenote: 66. degrees.] the land lyeth East and by North in 66. degrees.
[Sidenote: Their commodities.] Their commodities were greene fish, and
Island lings, and stockfish, and a fish which is called Scatefish: of all
which they had great store. They had also kine, sheep and horses, and hay
for their cattell, and for their horses. Wee saw also their dogs.
[Sidenote: Their dwellings.] Their dwelling houses were made on both sides
with stones, and wood layd crosse ouer them, which was couered ouer with
turfes of earth, and they are flat on the tops, and many of these stood
hard by the shore. [Sidenote: Their boats.] Their boates were made with
wood and yron all along the keele like our English boates: and they had
nayles for to naile them withall, and fish-hookes and other things for to
catch fish as we haue here in England. They had also brasen kettles, and
girdles and purses made of leather, and knoppes on them of copper, and
hatchets, and other small tooles as necessary as we haue. They drie their
fish in the Sun, and when they are dry, they packe them vp in the top of
their houses. If we would goe thither to fishing more then we doe, we
should make it a very good voyage: for wee got an hundreth greene fish in
one morning. Wee found heere two English men with a shippe, which came out
of England about Easter day of this present yeere 1586, and one of them
came aboord of vs, and brought vs two lambs. [Sidenote: M. Iohn Roydon of
Ipswich.] The English mans name was M. Iohn Roydon of Ipswich marchant: hee
was bound for London with his ship. And this is the summe of that which I
obserued in Island. [Sidenote: They departed from Island Northwest.] We
departed from Island the sixteenth day of Iune in the morning, and our
course was Northwest, and we saw on the coast two small barkes going to an
harborough: we went not to them, but saw them a farre off. Thus we
continued our course vnto the end of this moneth.
[Sidenote: Iuly.] The third day of Iuly we were in betweene two firme lands
of yce, and passed in betweene them all that day vntill it was night: and
then the Master turned backe againe, and so away we went towards Groenland.
[Sidenote: Groneland discouered.] And the seuenth day of Iuly we did see
Groenland, and it was very high, and it looked very blew: we could not come
to harborough into the land, because we were hindered by a firme land as it
were of yce, which was along the shoares side: but we were within three
leagues of the land, coasting the same diuers dayes together. [Sidenote:
The land of Desolation.] The seuenteenth day of Iuly wee saw the place
which our Captaine M. Iohn Dauis the yeere before had named The land of
Desolation, where we could not goe on shore for yce. The eighteenth day we
were likewise troubled with yce, and went in amongst it at three of the
clocke in the morning. [Sidenote: Groenland coasted from the 7. till the
last of Iuly.] After wee had cleared our selues thereof, wee ranged all
along the coast of Desolation vntill the ende of the aforesayd moneth.
[Sidenote: August.] The third day of August we came in sight of Gilberts
sound in the latitude of 64. deg. 15. min which was the place where we were
appoynted to meete our Generall and the rest of our Fleete. Here we came to
an harborough at 6. of the clocke at night.
The 4. day in the morning the Master went on shore with 10. of his men, and
they brought vs foure of the people rowing in their boats aboord of the
ship. And in the afternoone I went on shore with 6. of our men, and there
came to vs seuen of them when we were on land. We found on shore three dead
people, and two of them had their staues lying by them, and their olde
skinnes wrapped about them and the other had nothing lying by, wherefore we
thought it was a woman. [Sidenote: The houses of Gronland.] We also saw
their houses neere the Sea side, which were made with pieces of wood on
both sides, and crossed ouer with poles and then couered ouer with earth:
we found Foxes running vpon the hilles: as for the place it is broken land
all the way that we went, and full of broken Islands.
The 21. of August the Master sent the boate on shore for wood with sixe of
his men, and there were one and thirtie of the people of the countrey which
went on shore to them, and they went about to kill them as we thought, for
they shot their dartes towards them, and we that were aboord the ship, did
see them goe on shore to our men: whereupon the Master sent the pinnesse
after them, and when they saw the pinnesse comming towards them, they
turned backe, and the Master of the pinnesse did shoote off a caliuer to
them the same time, but hurt none of them, for his meaning was onely to put
them in feare. [Sidenote: Our men play at footeball with the Sauages.]
Diuers times they did waue vs on shore to play with them at the football,
and some of our company went on shore to play with them, and our men did
cast them downe as soone as they did come to strike the ball. And thus much
of that which we did see and do in that harborough where we arriued first.
The 23. day wee departed from the Merchants Isle, where wee had beene
first, and our course from thence was South and by West, and the wind was
Northeast, and we ran that day and night about 5. or 6. leagues, vntill we
came to another harborough.
The 24. about eleuen of the clocke in the forenoone wee entred into the
aforesayd new harborow, and as wee came in, we did see dogs running vpon
the Islands. When we were come in, there came to vs foure of the people
which were with vs before in the other harborough, and where we rode, we
had sandie ground. [Sidenote: Sweete wood found.] We saw no wood growing,
but found small pieces of wood vpon the Islands, and some small pieces of
sweete wood among the same. We found great Harts hornes, but could see none
of the Stagges where we went, but we found their footings. As for the bones
which we receiued of the Sauages I cannot tell of what beasts they be.
The stones that we found in the countrey were black, and some white, as I
think they be of no value, neuerthelesse I haue brought examples of them to
you.
The 30. of August we departed from this harborough towards England, and the
wind tooke vs contrary, so that we were faine to go to another harborough
the same day at 11. of the clocke. And there came to vs 39. of the people,
and brought vs 13. Seale skins, and after we receiued these skins of them,
the Master sent the carpenter to change one of our boates which wee had
bought of them before, and they would haue taken the boate from him
perforce, and when they sawe they could not take it from vs, they shot with
their dartes at vs, and stroke one of our men with one of their dartes, and
Iohn Philpe shot one of them into the brest with an arrow. [Sidenote: A
skirmish between the Sauages and our men.] And they came to vs againe, and
foure of our men went into the shipboate, and they shot with their dartes
at our men: but our men tooke one of their people in his boate into the
shipboate, and he hurt one of them with his knife, but we killed three of
them in their boates: two of them were hurt with arrowes in the brests, and
he that was aboord our boat, was shot in with an arrow, and hurt with a
sword, and beaten with staues, whome our men cast ouerboord, but the people
caught him and carried him on shore vpon their boates, and the other two
also, and so departed from vs. And three of them went on shore hard by vs,
where they had their dogs, and those three came away from their dogs, and
presently one of their dogs came swimming towards vs hard aboord the ship,
whereupon our Master caused the Gunner to shoote off one of the great
pieces towards the people, and so the dog turned backe to land and within
an noure after there came of the people hard aboord the ship, but they
would not come to vs as they did come before.
The 31. of August we departed from Gylberts sound for England, and when we
came out of the harborough there came after vs 17. of the people looking
which way we went.
The 2. of September we lost sight of the land at 12. of the clocke at
noone.
[Sidenote: The pinnesse neuer returned home.] The third day at Night we
lost sight of the Northstarre our pinnesse in a very great storme, and lay
a hull tarying for them the 4. day, but could heare no more of them. Thus
we shaped our course the 5. day Southsoutheast, and sayling vntill the 27.
of the sayd moneth, we came in sight of Cape Clere in Ireland.
The 30. day we entred our owne chanell.
The 2. of October we had sight of the Isle of Wight.
The 3. we coasted all along the shore, and the 4. and 5.
The 6. of the said moneth of October wee came into the riuer of Thames as
high as Ratcliffe in safetie God be thanked.
* * * * *
The third voyage Northwestward, made by M. Iohn Dauis Gentleman, as chiefe
captaine and Pilot generall, for the discouery of a passage to the Isles
of the Moluccas, or the coast of China, in the yeere 1587. Written by M.
Iohn Ianes.
May.
The 19. of this present moneth about midnight wee weyed our ankers, set
sayle, and departed from Dartmouth with two Barkes and a Clincher, the one
named the Elizabeth of Dartmouth, the other the Sunneshine of London, and
the Clincher called the Helene of London: thus in Gods name we set forwards
with the wind at Northeast a good fresh gale. About 3. houres after our
departure, the night being somewhat thicke with darknesse, we had lost the
pinnesse: the Captaine imagining that the men had runne away with her,
willed the Master of the Sunshine to stand to Seawards, and see if we could
descry them, we bearing in with the shore for Plimmouth. At length we
descried her, bare with her, and demanded what the cause was: they answered
that the tiller of their helme was burst. So shaping our course
Westsouthwest, we went forward, hoping that a hard beginning would make a
good ending, yet some of vs were doubtfull of it, falling in reckoning that
she was a Clincher; neuerthelesse we put our trust in God.
The 21. we met with the Red Lion of London, which came from the coast of
Spaine, which was afrayd that we had bene men of warre, but we hailed them,
and after a little conference, we desired the Master to carie our Letters
for London directed to my vncle Sanderson, who promised vs a safe
deliuerie. And after wee had heaued them a lead and a line, wherevnto wee
had made fast our letters, before they could get them into the ship, they
fell into the Sea, and so all our labour and theirs also was lost;
notwithstanding they promised to certifie our departure at London, and so
we departed, and the same day we had sight of Silley. The 22. the wind was
at Northeast by East with faire weather, and so the 23. and 24. the like.
The 25. we layd our ships on the Lee for the Sunneshine, who was a romaging
for a leake, they had 500. strokes at the pumpe in a watch, the wind at
Northwest.
The 26. and 27. wee had faire weather, but this 27. the Pinnesses foremast
was blowen ouerboord. The 28. the Elizabeth towed the pinnesse, which was
so much bragged of by the owners report before we came out of England, but
at Sea she was like a cart drawen with oxen. Sometimes we towed her because
she could not saile for scant wind.
The 31. day our Captaine asked if the pinnesse were stanch, Peerson
answered that she was as sound and stanch as a cup. This made vs something
glad, when we sawe she would brooke the Sea, and was not leake.
Iune.
The first 6. dayes wee had faire weather: after that for 5 dayes wee had
fogge and raine, the winde being South. The 12. wee had cleare weather. The
Mariners in the Sunneshine and the Master could not agree: the Mariners
would goe on their voyage a fishing, because the yeere began to waste: the
Master would not depart till hee had the companie of the Elizabeth,
whereupon the Master told our Captaine that hee was afrayd his men would
shape some contrary course while he was asleepe, and so he should lose vs.
At length after much talke and many threatnings, they were content to bring
vs to the land which we looked for daily.
[Sidenote: Land descried.] The 14. day we discouered land at fiue of the
clocke in the morning, being very great and high mountaines, the tops of
the hils being couered with snow. Here the wind was variable, sometimes
Northeast, Eastnortheast, and East by North: but we imagined ourselues to
be 16. or 17. leagues off from the shore.
The 16. we came to an anker about 4. or 5. of the clocke afternoone, the
people came presently to vs after the old maner, with crying Ilyaoute, and
shewing vs Scales skinnes. The 17. we began to set vp the pinnesse that
Peerson framed at Dartmouth, with the boords which hee brought from London.
The 18. Peerson and the Carpenters of the ships began to set on the
plankes. [Sidenote: Salt kerned on the rockes.] The 19. as we went about an
Island, were found blacke Pumise stones, and salt kerned on the rockes very
white and glistering. This day also the Master of the Sunneshine tooke of
the people a very strong lusty yoong fellow.