Part 9 (2/2)
The 23rd of this month the wind came south-east, very stormy and foul weather. So we were constrained to seek harbour upon the south coast of this entrance, where we fell into a very fair sound, and anch.o.r.ed in 25 fathoms of green, oozy sand, where we went on sh.o.r.e, where we had manifest signs of people, where they had made their fire, and laid stones like a wall. In this place we saw four very fair falcons, and Master Bruton took from one of them his prey, which we judged by the wings and legs to be a snipe, for the head was eaten off.
The 24th, in the afternoon, the wind coming somewhat fair, we departed from this road, purposing by G.o.d's grace to return for England.
The 26th we departed from sight of the north land of this entrance, directing our course homewards, until the 10th of the next month.
The 10th September we fell with the Land of Desolation, thinking to go on sh.o.r.e, but we could get never a good harbour. That night we put to sea again thinking to search it the next day; but this night arose a very great storm, and separated our s.h.i.+ps so that we lost the sight of the _Moons.h.i.+ne_.
The 13th about noon (having tried all the night before with a goose wing) we set sail, and within two hours after we had sight of the _Moons.h.i.+ne_ again. This day we departed from this land.
The 27th of this month we fell with sight of England. This night we had a marvellous storm, and lost the _Moons.h.i.+ne_.
The 30th September we came into Dartmouth, where we found the _Moons.h.i.+ne_, being come in not two hours before.
THE SECOND VOYAGE ATTEMPTED BY MASTER JOHN DAVIS,
_With others_, _for the discovery of the North-West Pa.s.sage_, _in Anno_ 1586.
The 7th day of May I departed from the port of Dartmouth for the discovery of the North-West Pa.s.sage with a s.h.i.+p of a 120 tons, named the _Mermaid_; a barque of 60 tons, named the _Suns.h.i.+ne_; a barque of 35 tons named the _Moonlight_; and a pinnace of 10 tons named the _North Star_.
And the 15th June I discovered land, in the lat.i.tude of 60 degrees, and in longitude from the meridian of London westward 47 degrees, mightily pestered with ice and snow, so that there was no hope of landing; the ice lay in some places 10 leagues, in some 20, and in some 50 leagues off the sh.o.r.e, so that we were constrained to bear into 57 degrees to double the same, and to recover a free sea, which through G.o.d's favourable mercy we at length obtained.
The nine-and-twentieth day of June, after many tempestuous storms, we again discovered land in longitude from the meridian of London 58 degrees 30 minutes, and in lat.i.tude 64 being east from us, into which course, since it pleased G.o.d by contrary winds to force us, I thought it very necessary to bear in with it, and there to set up our pinnace, provided in the _Mermaid_ to be our scout for this discovery, and so much the rather, because the year before I had been in the same place and found it very convenient for such a purpose, well stored with float wood, and possessed by a people of tractable conversation; so that the nine-and-twentieth of this month we arrived within the isles which lay before this land, lying north-north-west and south-south-east we know not how far. This land is very high and mountainous, having before it on the west side a mighty company of isles full of fair sounds and harbours.
This land was very little troubled with snow, and the sea altogether void of ice.
The s.h.i.+ps being within the sounds we sent our boats to search for shallow water, where we might anchor, which in this place is very hard to find; and as the boat went sounding and searching, the people of the country having espied them, came in their canoes towards them with many shouts and cries; but after they had espied in the boat some of our company that were the year before here with us, they presently rowed to the boat and took hold in the oar, and hung about the boat with such comfortable joy as would require a long discourse to be uttered; they came with the boats to our s.h.i.+ps, making signs that they knew all those that the year before had been with them. After I perceived their joy and small fear of us, myself with the merchants and others of the company went ash.o.r.e, bearing with me twenty knives. I had no sooner landed, but they leapt out of their canoes and came running to me and the rest, and embraced us with many signs of hearty welcome. At this present there were eighteen of them, and to each of them I gave a knife; they offered skins to me for reward, but I made signs that it was not sold, but given them of courtesy, and so dismissed them for that time, with signs that they should return again after certain hours.
The next day, with all possible speed, the pinnace was landed upon an isle there to be finished to serve our purpose for the discovery, which isle was so convenient for that purpose, as that we were very well able to defend ourselves against many enemies. During the time that the pinnace was there setting up, the people came continually unto us, sometimes a hundred canoes at a time, sometimes forty, fifty, more and less as occasion served. They brought with them seal skins, stags'
skins, white hares, seal fish, salmon peel, small cod, dry caplin, with other fish and birds such as the country did yield.
Myself, still desirous to have a farther search of this place, sent one of the s.h.i.+p boats to one part of the land, and myself went to another part to search for the habitation of this people, with straight commandment that there should be no injury offered to any of the people, neither any one shot.
The boats that went from me found the tents of the people made with seal skins set up upon timber, wherein they found great store of dried caplin, being a little fish no bigger than a pilchard. They found bags of train oil, many little images cut in wood, seal skins in tan tubs with many other such trifles, whereof they diminished nothing.
They also found ten miles within the snowy mountains a plain champion country, with earth and gra.s.s, such as our moory and waste grounds of England are. They went up into a river (which in the narrowest place is two leagues broad) about ten leagues, finding it still to continue they knew not how far; but I with my company took another river, which although at the first it offered a large inlet, yet it proved but a deep bay, the end whereof in four hours I attained, and there leaving the boat well manned, went with the rest of my company three or four miles into the country, but found nothing, nor saw anything, save only gripes, ravens, and small birds, as lark and linnet.
The 3rd of July I manned my boat, and went with fifty canoes attending upon me up into another sound, where the people by signs willed me to go, hoping to find their habitation; at length they made signs that I should go into a warm place to sleep, at which place I went on sh.o.r.e, and ascended the top of high hill to see into the country, but perceiving my labour vain, I returned again to my boat, the people still following me and my company very diligent to attend us, and to help us up the rocks, and likewise down; at length I was desirous to have our men leap with them, which was done, but our men did overleap them; from leaping they went to wrestling; we found them strong and nimble, and to have skill in wrestling, for they cast some of our men that were good wrestlers. The 4th of July we launched our pinnace, and had forty of the people to help us, which they did very willingly. At this time our men again wrestled with them, and found them as before, strong and skilful. This 4th of July, the master of the _Mermaid_ went to certain islands to store himself with wood, where he found a grave with divers buried in it, only covered with seal skins, having a cross laid over them. The people are of good stature, well in body proportioned, with small, slender hands and feet, with broad visages, and small eyes, wide mouths, the most part unbearded, great lips, and close toothed. Their custom is, as often as they go from us, still at their return, to make a new truce, in this sort: holding his hand up to the sun, with a loud voice crieth ”Ylyaoute,” and striketh his breast, with like signs being promised safety, he giveth credit. These people are much given to bleed, and therefore stop their noses with deer hair or the hair of an elan. They are idolaters, and have images great store, which they wear about them, and in their boats, which we suppose they wors.h.i.+p. They are witches, and have many kinds of enchantments, which they often used, but to small purpose, thanks be to G.o.d.
Being among them at sh.o.r.e, the 4th of July, one of them, making a long oration, began to kindle a fire, in this manner: he took a piece of a board, wherein was a hole half through; unto that hole he puts the end of a round stick, like unto a bed staff, wetting the end thereof in train, and in fas.h.i.+on of a turner, with a piece of leather, by his violent motion doth very speedily produce fire; which done, with turfs he made a fire, into which, with many words and strange gestures, he put divers things which we suppose to be a sacrifice. Myself and divers of my company standing by, they were desirous to have me go into the smoke; I willed them likewise to stand in the smoke, in which they by no means would do. I then took one of them, and thrust him into the smoke, and willed one of my company to tread out the fire, and to spurn it into the sea, which was done to show them that we did contemn their sorcery.
These people are very simple in all their conversation, but marvellous thievish, especially for iron, which they have in great account. They began through our lenity to show their vile nature; they began to cut our cables; they cut away the _Moonlight's_ boat from her stern; they cut our cloth where it lay to air, though we did carefully look unto it, they stole our oars, a calliver, a boat's spear, a sword, with divers other things, whereat the company and masters being grieved, for our better security desired me to dissolve this new friends.h.i.+p, and to leave the company of these thievish miscreants; whereupon there was a calliver shot among them, and immediately upon the same a falcon, which strange noise did sore amaze them, so that with speed they departed; notwithstanding, their simplicity is such, that within ten hours after they came again to us to entreat peace; which, being promised, we again fell into a great league. They brought us seal skins and salmon peel, but, seeing iron, they could in nowise forbear stealing; which, when I perceived it, did but minister unto me an occasion of laughter to see their simplicity, and willed that in no case they should be any more hardly used, but that our own company should be the more vigilant to keep their things, supposing it to be very hard in so short time to make them know their evils. They eat all their meat raw, they live most upon fish, they drink salt water, and eat gra.s.s and ice with delight; they are never out of the water, but live in the nature of fishes, but only when dead sleep taketh them, and then under a warm rock, laying his boat upon the land, he lieth down to sleep. Their weapons are all darts, but some of them have bow and arrows and slings. They make nets to take their fish of the fin of a whale; they do all their things very artfully, and it should seem that these simple, thievish islanders have war with those of the main, for many of them are sore wounded, which wounds they received upon the main land, as by signs they gave us to understand. We had among them copper ore, black copper, and red copper; they p.r.o.nounce their language very hollow, and deep in the throat; these words following we learned from them:-- Kesinyoh, eat some. Mysacoah, wash it.
Madlycoyte, music. Lethicksaneg, a seal-skin.
Aginyoh, go, fetch. Canyglow, kiss me.
Yliaoute, I mean no harm. Ugnera, my son.
Ponameg, a boat. Acu, shot.
Conah, leap. Aba, fallen down.
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