of those climates, and hauing no direction either by Chart, Globe, or other
certaine relation in what altitude that passage was to be searched, I
shaped a Northerly course and so sought the same toward the South, and in
that my Northerly course I fell vpon the shore which in ancient time was
called Groenland, fiue hundred leagues distant from the Durseys
Westnorthwest Northerly, the land being very high and full of mightie
mountaines all couered with snow, no viewe of wood, grass or earth to be
seene, and the shore two leagues off into the sea so full of yce that no
shipping could by any meanes come neere the same. The lothsome view of the
shore, and irksome noyse of the yce was such, as that it bred strange
conceites among vs, so that we supposed the place to be wast and voyd of
any sensible or vegitable creatures, whereupon I called the same
Desolation: so coasting this shore towards the South in the latitude of
sixtie degrees, I found it to trend towards the West, I still followed the
leading therof in the same height, and after fifty or sixtie leagues it
fayled and lay directly North, which I still followed, and in thirtie
leagues sayling vpon the West side of this coast by me named Desolation, we
were past al the yce and found many greene and pleasant Isles bordering
vpon the shore, but the mountaines of the maine were still couered with
great quantities of snow, I brought my ship among those Isles and there
mored to refresh ourselues in our weary trauell, in the latitude of sixtie
foure degrees or there about. The people of the countrey hauing espyed our
shippes came downe vnto vs in their Canoas, and holding vp their right hand
to the Sunne and crying Yliaout, would strike their breasts: we doing the
like the people came aboard our shippes, men of good stature, vnbearded,
small eyed and of tractable conditions, by whome as signes would permit, we
vnderstood that towards the North and West there was a great sea, and vsing
the people with kindenes in giuing them nayles and kniues which of all
things they most desired, we departed, and finding the sea free from yce
supposing our selues to be past al daunger we shaped our course
Westnorthwest thinking thereby to passe for China, but in the latitude of
sixtie sixe degrees we fell with another shore, and there found another
passage of twenty leagues broad directly West into the same, which we
supposed to be our hoped straight, we entered into the same thirty or
fortie leagues, finding it neither to wyden nor streighten, then
considering that the yeere was spent (for this was in the fine of August)
not knowing the length of the straight and dangers thereof, we tooke it our
best course to returne with notice of our good successe for this small time
of search. And so returning in a sharpe fret of Westerly windes the 29. of
September we arriued at Dartmouth. And acquainting master Secretary with
the rest of the honourable and worshipfull aduenturers of all our
proceedings, I was appointed againe the second yere to search the bottome
of this straight, because by all likelihood it was the place and passage by
vs laboured for. [Sidenote: The 2 voyage.] In this second attempt the
marchants of Exeter, and other places of the West became aduenturers in the
action, so that being sufficiently furnished for sixe moneths, and hauing
direction to search these straights, vntill we found the same to fall into
another sea vpon the West side of this part of America, we should againe
returne: for then it was not to be doubted, but shipping with trade might
safely be conueied to China and the parts of Asia. We departed from
Dartmouth, and arriuing vnto the South part of the coast of Desolation
coasted the same vpon his West shore to the latitude of sixetie sixe
degrees, and there ancored among the Isles bordering vpon the same, where
we refreshed our selues, the people of this place came likewise vnto vs, by
whom I vnderstood through their signes that towards the North the sea was
large. At this place the chiefe ship whereupon I trusted, called the
Mermayd of Dartmouth, found many occasions of discontentment, and being
vnwilling to proceed, shee there forsook me. Then considering how I had
giuen my faith and most constant promise to my worshipfull good friend
master William Sanderson, who of all men was the greatest aduenturer in
that action, and tooke such care for the performance thereof that he hath
to my knowledge at one time disbursed as much money as any fiue others
whatsoeuer out of his owne purse, when some of the companie haue bene
slacke in giuing in their aduenture: And also knowing that I should loose
the fauour of M. Secretary Walsingham, if I should shrink from his
direction; in one small barke of 30 Tunnes, whereof M. Sanderson was owner,
alone without farther comfort or company I proceeded on my voyage, and
arriuing at these straights followed the same 80 leagues, vntill I came
among many Islands, where the water did ebbe and flow sixe fadome vpright,
and where there had bene great trade of people to make traine. [Sidenote:
The North parts of America all Islands.] But by such things as there we
found, wee knew that they were not Christians of Europe that had vsed that
trade: in fine by searching with our boat, we found small hope to passe any
farther that way, and therefore retourning agayne recouered the sea and
coasted the shore towards the South, and in so doing (for it was too late
to search towards the North) we found another great inlet neere 40 leagues
broad, where the water entered in with violent swiftnesse, this we also
thought might be a passage: for no doubt the North partes of America are
all Islands by ought that I could perceiue therein: but because I was alone
in a small barque of thirtie tunnes, and the yeere spent, I entred not into
the same, for it was now the seuenth of September, but coasting the shore
towardes the South wee saw an incredible number of birds: hauing diuers
fishermen aboord our barke they all concluded that there was a great skull
of fish, we being vnprouided of fishing furniture with a long spike nayle
made a hooke, and fastening the same to one of our sounding lines, before
the bait was changed we tooke more than fortie great Cods, the fish
swimming so abundantly thicke about our barke as is incredible to bee
reported, of which with a small portion of salt that we had, we presented
some thirtie couple, or thereaboutes, and so returned for England. And
hauing reported to M. Secretarie Walsingham the whole successe of this
attempt, he commanded me to present vnto the most honourable Lord high
Treasurour of England, some part of that fish: which when his Lordship saw,
and heard at large the relation of this second attempt, I receiued
fauourable countenance from his honour, aduising me to prosecute the
action, of which his lordship conceiued a very good opinion. The next yere,
although diuers of the aduenturers fell from the Action, as all the
Westerne marchants, and most of those in London: yet some of the
aduenturers both honorable and worshipfull continued their willing fauour
and charge, so that by this meanes the next yere two shippes were appointed
for the fishing and one pinnesse for the discouerie.
[Sidenote: The 3 voyage.] Departing from Dartmouth, through Gods mercifull
fauour, I arrived at the place of fishing, and there according to my
direction I left the two ships to follow that busines, taking their
faithful promise not to depart vntill my returne vnto them, which should be
in the fine of August, and so in the barke I proceeded for the discouerie:
but after my departure, in sixteene dayes the two shippes had finished
their voyage, but so presently departed for England, without regard of
their promise: my selfe not distrusting any such hard measure proceeded for
the discouerie, and followed my course in the free and open sea betweene
North and Northwest to the latitude of 67 degrees, and there I might see
America West from me, and Desolation, East: then when I saw the land of
both sides I began to distrust it would prooue but a gulfe: notwithstanding
desirous to know the full certainty I proceeded, and in 68 degrees the
passage enlarged, so that I could not see the Westerne shore: thus I
continued to the latitude of 73 degrees, in a great sea, free from yce,
coasting the Westerne shore of Desolation: the people came continually
rowing out vnto me in their Canoas, twenty, forty, and one hundred at a
time, and would giue me fishes dryed, Salmon, Salmon peale, Cod, Caplin,
Lumpe, Stonebase and such like, besides diuers kinds of birds, as Partrige,
Fesant, Guls, Sea birds and other kindes of flesh: I still laboured by
signes to know from them what they knew of any sea toward the North, they
still made signes of a great sea as we vnderstood them, then I departed
from that coast, thinking to discouer the North parts of America: and after
I had sailed towards the West 40 leagues, I fel vpon a great banke of yce:
the winde being North and blew much, I was constrained to coast the same
toward the South, not seeing any shore West from me, neither was there any
yce towards the North, but a great sea, free, large very salt and blew, and
of an vnsearcheable depth: So coasting towards the South I came to the
place where I left the ships to fish, but found them not. Then being
forsaken and left in this distresse referring my self to the mercifull
prouidence of God, I shaped my course for England, and vnhoped for of any,
God alone releeuing me, I arriued at Dartmouth. By this last discouery it
seemed most manifest that the passage was free and without impediment
toward the North: but by reason of the Spanish fleet and vnfortunate time
of M. Secretaries death, the voyage was omitted and neuer sithens
attempted. The cause why I vse this particular relation of all my
proceedings for this discouery, is to stay this obiection, why hath not
Dauis discovered this passage being thrise that wayes imployed? How far I
proceeded and in what form this discouery lieth, doth appeare vpon the
Globe which M. Sanderson to his very great charge hath published, for the
which he deserueth great fauor and commendations. Made by master Emery
Mullineux a man well qualited of a good iudgment and very experte in many
excellente practises, in myselfe being the onely meane with master
Sanderson to imploy master Mulineux therein, whereby he is now growne to a
most exquisite perfection.
Anthony de Mendoza viceroy of Mexico, sent certayne of his captaynes by
land and also a nauy of ships by sea to search out the Norwest passage, who
affirmed by his letters dated from Mexico in anno 1541 vnto the Emperour
being then in Flaunders, that towardes the Norwest hee had founde the
Kingdome of Cette, Citta, Alls, Ceuera, seuen cities and howe beyond the
sayd Kingdome farther towardes the Norwest, Francisco Vasques of Coronado
hauing passed great desarts came to the sea side, where he found certayne
shippes which sayled by that sea with merchandize, and had in their banners
vpon the prows of their shippes, certayne fowles made of golde and siluer,
named Alcatrazzi, and that the mariners signified vnto him by signes that
they were thirtie dayes comming to the hauen, whereby he vnderstoode that
those could be of no other country but of Asia, the next knowne continent
towardes the West. And farther the sayd Anthony affirmed that by men wel
practised hee vnderstoode that 950. leages of that country was discouered
vpon the same Sea, now if the cost in that distance of leages should lye to
the West, it would then adioyne with the Northe partes of Asia, and then it
would be a far shorter voyage then thirtie dayes sayling, but that it is
nothing neere Asia by former authoritie is sufficiently expressed, then if
it should lie towardes the North, it would extend itself almost vnto the
pole, a voiage ouer tedious to be perfourmed by land trauell. Therefore of
necessity this distance of 950 leages must lie betweene the North and East,
which by Anthony de Especio in his late trauells vpon the North of America
is sufficiently discouered, then this beeing so, the distance is very small
betweene the East parte of this discouered Sea and the passage wherein I
haue so painefully laboured, what doth then hinder vs of England vnto whom
of all nations this discouery would be most beneficiall to be incredulous
slow of vnderstanding, and negligent in the highest degree, for the search
of this passage which is most apparently prooued and of wonderfull benefit
to the vniversal state of our countrey. Why should we be thus blinded
seeing our enemies to possess the fruites of our blessednes and yet will
not perceiue the same. But I hope the eternall maiestie of God the sole
disposer of all thinges will also make this to appeare in his good time.
Cornelius Nepos recyteth that when Quintus Metellus Cæsar was proconsull
for the Romanes in Fraunce, the King of Sueuia gaue him certayne Indians,
which sayling out of India for merchandize were by tempest driuen vpon the
coastes of Germany, a matter very strange that Indians in the fury of
stormes should ariue vpon that coast, it resteth now carefully to consider
by what winde they were so driuen, if they had beene of any parte of Africa
how could they escape the ylls of Cape Verd, or the ylles of Canaria, the
coastes of Spayne, Fraunce, Ireland or England to arriue as they, but it
was neuer knowne that any the natyues of Afric or Ethiopia haue vsed
shippings. Therefore they could not bee of that parte of the worlde, for in
that distance sayling they would haue been starued if no other shore had
giuen them relefe. And that they were not of America is verye manifest, for
vpon all the Est parte of that continent, beeing now thereby discouered, it
hath not at any time beene perceiued that those people were euer accustomed
to any order of shipping, which appeareth by the arriual of Colon vpon
those coastes, for they had his shipping in such wonderfull admiration that
they supposed him and his companie to haue descended from heauen, so rare
and strange a thing was shipping in their eyes. Therefore those Indians
could not bee of America safely to bee driuen vpon the coastes of Germany,
the distance and impedimentes well considered.
Then comming neither from Afric nor America, they must of necessitie come
from Asia by the Noreast or Norwest passages. But it should seme that they
came not by the Noreast to double the promontory Tabin, to bee forced
through the Scithian Sea, and to haue good passage through the narrow
straight of Noua Zemla and neuer to recouer any shore is a matter of great
impossibilitie. Therefore it must heedes be concluded that they came by the
North partes of America through that discouered sea of 950 leages, and that
they were of those people which Francisco Vasques of Coronado discouered,
all which premises considered there remaineth no more doubting but that the
landes are disioyned and that there is a Nauigable passage by the Norwest,
of God for vs alone ordained to our infinite happines and for the euer
being glory of her maiestie, for then her stately seate of London should be
the storehouse of Europe: the nurse of the world: and the renowne of
Nations, in yielding all forraine naturall benifits, by an easie rate, in
short time returned vnto vs, and in the fulnes of their natural perfection:
by natural participation through the world of all naturall and artificiall
benefites, for want whereof at this present the most part liue distressed:
and by the excellent comoditie of her seate, the mightines of her trade,
with force of shipping thereby arising, and most aboundant accesse and
intercourse from all the Kingdomes of the worlde, then should the ydle hand
bee scorned and plenty by industry in all this land should be proclamed.
And therefore the passage prooued and the benefites to all most apparant,
let vs no longer neglect our happines, but like Christians with grilling
and voluntary spirits labour without fainting for this so excellent a
benefit.
To prooue by experience that the sea fryseth not.
Hauing sufficiensly prooued that there is a passage without a land
impediments to hinder the same, contrary to the first obiection, it nowe
resteth that the other supposed impediments bee likewise answered. And
firste as touching the frost and fresing of the seas, it is supposed that
the frozen zone is not habitable, and seas innauigable by reason of the
vehemencie of cold, by the diuine creator allotted to that part of the
world, and we are drawn into that absurdity of this opinion by a
coniectural reason of the sunnes far distance and long absence vnder the
horizon of the greatest parte of that zone, whereby the working power of
colde perfourmeth the fulnesse of his nature, not hauing any contrary
disposition to hinder the same and when the Sunne by his presence should
comfort that parte of the world, his beames are so far remoued from
perpendicularitie by reason of his continuall neerenes to the horizon, as
that the effectes thereof answere not the violence of the winters cold. And
therefore those seas remayne for euer vndissolued. Which if it be so, that
the nature of cold can congeale the seas, it is very likely that his first
working power, beginneth vpon the vpper face of the waters, and so
descending worketh his effect, which if it were, howe then commeth it to
passe that shippes sayle by the North cape, to Saint Nicholas fiue degrees
or more within the frozen zone, and finde the seas from pester of yse, the
farther from the shore the clearer from yse. And myselfe likewise howe
coulde I haue sayled to the septentrionall latitude of seuentie fiue
degrees, being nine degrees within the frozen zone, betweene two lands
where the sea was straightened not fortie leages broade in some places, and
thereby restrained from the violent motion and set of the maine occian and
yet founde the same Nauigable and free from yse not onely in the midst of
the chanell, but also close aborde the estern shore by me name Desolation,
and therefore what neede the repetition of authorities from writers, or
wrested philosophical reasons, when playne experience maketh the matter so
manifest, and yet I deny not but that I haue seene in some part of those
seas, tow sortes of yse, in very great quantity, as a kind of yse by seamen
name ylands of yse, being very high aboue the water, fortie and fiftie
fadomes by estimation and higher, and euery of those haue beene seuen times
as much vnder the water, which I haue proued by taking a peece of yse and
haue put the same in a vessell of salt water, and still haue found the
seuenth part thereof to bee aboue the water, into what forme soeuer I haue
reduced the same, and this kind of yse is nothing but snow, which falleth
in those great peeces, from the high mountains bordering close vpon the
shore depe seas. (For all the sea coastes of Desolation are mountains of
equall height with the pike of Tenerif with verye great vallies betweene
them) which I haue seene incredible to bee reported, that vpon the toppe of
some of these ylls of yse, there haue beene stones of more then one
hundreth tonnes wayght, which in his fall, that snowe hath torne from the
clyffe, and in falling maketh such an horible noyse as if there were one
hundreth canons shot of at one instant, and this kind of yse is verye
white, and freshe, and with shore winds is many times beaten far of into
the seas, perhaps twentie leages and that is the farthest distance that
they haue euer bin seene from the shore. The other kind is called flake
yse, blue, very hard and thinne not aboue three fadomes thick at the
farthest, and this kinde of yse bordreth close vpon the shore. And as the
nature of heate with apt vessels diuideth the pure spirit from his grosse
partes by the coning practice of distillation: so doth the colde in these
regions deuide and congeale the fresh water from the salt, nere such shores
where by the aboundance of freshe rivers, the saltnes of the sea is
mittigated, and not else where, for all yse in general beeing dissolued is
very fresh water, so that by the experience of all that haue euer trauelled
towardes the North it is well knowne that the sea neuer fryseth, but wee
know that the sea dissolueth this yse with great speede, for in twentie
foure houres I haue seen an ylande of yse turne vp and downe, as the common
phrase is, because it hath melted so fast vnder water that the heauier
parte hathe beene vpwarde, which hath beene the cause of his so turning,
for the heuiest part of all things swiming is by nature downwards, and
therefore sith the sea is by his heate of power to dissolue yse, it is
greatly against reason that the same should be frozen, so that the
congealation of the seas can bee no hinderance to the execution of this
passage, contrary to the former obiection, by late experience reprooued,
yet if experience wanted in ordenary reason men should not suppose nature
to bee monstrous, for if all such yse and snowe as congealeth and
descendeth in the winter did not by natures benefit dissolue in the sommer,
but that the cold were more actual then the heate, that difference of
inequalitie bee it neuer so little would by time bread natures ouerthrowe,
for if the one thousand parte of the yse which in winter is congealed, did
the next sommer remayne vndissolued, that continual difference sithins the
worldes creation, would not onely haue conuerted all those North Seas into
yse, but would also by continuall accesse of snow haue extended himselfe
aboue all the ayers regions by which reason all such exalations as should
be drawn from the earth and seas within the temperate zones and by windes
driuen into these stiffe regions, that moysture was no more to bee hoped
for that by dissolution it should haue any returne, so that by time the
world should be left waterlesse. And therefore how ridiculous this
imagination of the seas frysing is, I refer to the worlds generall opinion.
That the ayre in colde regions is tollerable.
And now for a full answer of all obiections, if the ayre bee proued
tollerable then this most excellent and commodious passage is without al
contradiction to be perfourmed. And that the ayre is tollerable as well in
the winter as in the Sommer is thus proued. The inhabitantes of Moscouia,
Lapland, Swethland, Norway and Tartaria omit not to trauel for their
commodity: in the deepest of winter, passing by sleades ouer the yse and
congealed snowe being made very slipperie and compact like yse by reason of
much wearing and trading, hauing the vse of a kind of stag by them called
Reen to drawe those their sleades.
Groynland (by me lately named Desolation) is likewise inhabited by a people
of good stature and tractable conditions, it also mayntayneth diuers kinde
of foules and beastes which I haue their seene, but know not their names,
and these must trauell for their food in winter, and therefore the ayre is
not intolerable in the extremest nature of coldnes: and for the quality
thereof in Sommer by my owne experience I knowe that vpon the shore it is
as hot there as it is at the ylls of cape de Verde in which place there is
such aboundance of moskeetes, (a kind of gnat that is in India very
offensiue and in great quantitie) as that we were stong with them like
lepers, not beeing able to haue quiet being vpon the shore.
And vnder the clyfe in the pooles vnto which the streames aryse not, I haue
found salt in great plenty as whyte as the salt of Mayo congeled from the
salt water which the spryng tyds bring into those poles, which could not be
but by the benefit of a noble heat, of which salt I brought with me and
gaue to master Secretory Walsingham and to master Sanderson, as a rare
thing to be found in those parts and farther the same was of an
extraordenary saltnes. And therefore it is an idle dreame that the ayre
should there be insufferable, for ourselues haue with the water of those
seas made salt, because we desired to know whether the benefit of the sunne
were the cause of this cogulation, what better confirmation then can there
be then this.
Island is likewise inhabited and yeldeth haukes in great store, as falcons,
Ierfalcons, lanardes and sparrow haukes, rauens, crowes, beares, hares and
foxes, with horses and other kinde of cattell, vpon which coast in August
and September the yse is vtterly dissolued, all which the premises are
certainly verified by such as trade thither from Lubec, Hambro, Amsterdam
and England yerely, then why should wee dread this fayned distemperature:
from cold regions come our most costly furres as sables beeing esteemed for
a principall ornament and the beastes that yeld us those furres are chiefly
hunted in the winter, how grieuous then shall we thinke the winter to be,
or howe insufferable the ayre, where this little tender beast liueth so
well, and where the hunters may search the dennes and hauntes of such
beastes through the woods and snow.
Vpsaliensis affirmeth that he hath felt the Sommer nights in Gotland
scarcely tollerable for heate, whereas in Rome he hath felt them cold.
The Mountaynes of Norway and Swethland are fruitefull of mettalls in which
siluer and copper are concoct and molten in veines, which may scarcely bee
done with fornaces, by which reason also the vapors and hot exhalations
pearcing the earth and the waters and through both those natures breathing
forth into the ayre, tempereth the quantitie thereof making it tollerable,
as wyttnes the huge bignes of whales in those seas, with the strength of
body and long life of such beastes as liue on the land, which thing could
not bee except all thinges were there comodiously nourished, by the benefit
of the heauen and the ayre, for nothing that in time of increase is hindred
by any iniury or that is euill seed all the time it liueth can prosper
well.
Also it is a thing vndoubtedly knowne by experience that vpon the coastes
of newfounde land, (as such as the yse remayneth vndissolued vpon those
shores,) the wind being esterly, comming from the seas, causeth very sharpe
colde, and yet the same is sufferable, but comming from the shore, yt
presently yeldeth heat aboundantly according to the true nature of the
scituation of the place, whereby it plainly appeareth that the very breth
of the yse is rather the cause of this cold, then the distempreture of the
ayre.
Wherefore if in winter where is aboundance of yse and snowe the ayre is so
sufferable, as that traueling and hunting may be exercised how much rather
may wee iudge the seas to be Nauigable, and that in the deepest of winter,
where there is neither yse nor snow that may yeld any such damps or cold
breathings to the anoiance of such as shall take these interprises in hand.
And therefore the Summer in no sort to be feared, but some curious witt may
obiect that the naturall anoyance of cold is preuented by reason of the
trauell of the body with other artificiall prouisions to defend the fury
thereof, as also the whot vapors which the earth may yeld, whereof
experience vrgeth confession, but vpon the seas it cannot be sith it is a
cold body subiect to yeld great dampes and cold brethinges most offensiue
to nature. To the which I answere in the vniuersall knowledge of all
creatures that God the most glorious incomprehensible and euer being sole
creatour of all thinges visible, invisible, rationall, irrationall,
momentory and eternall in his diuine prouidence hath made nothing
vncommunicable, but hath giuen such order vnto all things, whereby euery
thing may be tollerable to the next, the extremities of ellements consent
with their next the ayre is grosse about the earth and water, but thinn and
hot about the fyer, by this prouidence in nature the sea is very salt, and
salt (sayth Plinie) yeldeth the fatnes of oyle, but oyle by a certayne
natiue heate is of propertie agreeable to fire, then being all of such
qualitie by reason of the saltnes thereof moueth and stirreth vp generatiue
heate, &c. Whereby the sea hath a working force in the dissolution of yse
for things of so great contrariety as heate and cold haue togeather no
affinitye in coniunction, but the one must of necessitye auoyde, the seas
not being able by the bandes of nature to step backe, doth therefore cause
the coldnesse of the ayre (by reason of his naturall heate) to giue place,
whereby extremities being auoyded, the ayre must of necessitie remayne
temperate, for in nature the ayre is hote and moyst, the colde then being
but accidentall is the soner auoided, and natures wrongs with ease
redressed.
That vnder the Pole is the place of greatest dignitie.