Upon Thursday, being the 22nd of this month, about three of the clock in the morning, we hoisted out our boat, and the captain, with six sailors, went towards the shore, thinking to find a landing-place, for the night before we did perceive the coast to be void of ice to our judgment; and the same night we were all persuaded that we had seen a canoe rowing along the shore, but afterwards we fell in some doubt of it, but we had no great reason so to do.The captain, rowing towards the shore, willed the master to bear in with the land after him; and before he came near the shore, by the space of a league, or about two miles, he found so much ice that he could not get to land by any means.Here our mariners put to their lines to see if they could get any fish, because there were so many seals upon the coast, and the birds did beat upon the water, but all was in vain: the water about this coast was very black and thick, like to a filthy standing pool; we sounded, and had ground in 120fathoms.While the captain was rowing to the shore our men saw woods upon the rocks, like to the rocks of Newfoundland, but I could not discern them; yet it might be so very well, for we had wood floating upon the coast every day, and the Moonshine took up a tree at sea not far from the coast, being sixty foot of length and fourteen handfuls about, having the root upon it.After, the captain came aboard, the weather being very calm and fair, we bent our course toward the south with intent to double the land.
The 23rd we coasted the land which did lie east-north-east and west-south-west.
The 24th, the wind being very fair at east, we coasted the land, which did lie east and west, not being able to come near the shore by reason of the great quantity of ice.At this place, because the weather was somewhat cold by reason of the ice, and the better to encourage our men, their allowance was increased.The captain and the master took order that every mess, being five persons, should have half a pound of bread and a can of beer every morning to breakfast.The weather was not very cold, but the air was moderate, like to our April weather in England.When the wind came from the land or the ice it was somewhat cold, but when it came off the sea it was very hot.
The 25th of this month we departed from sight of this land at six of the clock in the morning, directing our course to the north-westward, hoping in God's mercy to find our desired passage, and so continued above four days.
The 29th of July we discovered land in 64 degrees 15 minutes of latitude, bearing north-east from us.The wind being contrary to go to the north-westward, we bear in with this land to take some view of it, being utterly void of the pester of ice, and very temperate.
Coming near the coast we found many fair sounds and good roads for shipping, and many great inlets into the land, whereby we judged this land to be a great number of islands standing together.Here, having moored our barque in good order, we went on shore upon a small island to seek for water and wood.Upon this island we did perceive that there had been people, for we found a small shoe and pieces of leather sewed with sinews and a piece of fur, and wool like to beaver.Then we went upon another island on the other side of our ships, and the captain, the master, and I, being got up to the top of a high rock, the people of the country having espied us made a lamentable noise, as we thought, with great outcries and screechings; we, hearing them, thought it had been the howling of wolves.At last I halloed again, and they likewise cried; then we, perceiving where they stoodsome on the shore, and one rowing in a canoe about a small island fast by themwe made a great noise, partly to allure them to us and partly to warn our company of them.
Whereupon Master Bruton and the master of his ship, with others of their company, made great haste towards us, and brought our musicians with them from our ship, purposing either by force to rescue us, if needs should so require, or with courtesy to allure the people.When they came unto us we caused our musicians to play, ourselves dancing and making many signs of friendship.At length there came ten canoes from the other islands, and two of them came so near the shore where we were that they talked with us, the other being in their boats a pretty way off.Their pronunciation was very hollow through the throat, and their speech such as we could not understand, only we allured them by friendly embracings and signs of courtesy.At length one of them, pointing up to the sun with his hand, would presently strike his breast so hard that we might hear the blow.This he did many times before he would any way trust us.
Then John Ellis, the master of the Moonshine, was appointed to use his best policy to gain their friendship, who shook his breast and pointed to the sun after their order, which when he had divers times done they began to trust him, and one of them came on shore, to whom we threw our caps, stockings, and gloves, and such other things as then we had about us, playing with our music, and making signs of joy, and dancing.So the night coming we bade them farewell, and went aboard our barques.
The next morning, being the 30th of July, there came thirty-seven canoes rowing by our ships calling to us to come on shore; we not making any great haste unto them, one of them went up to the top of the rock, and leaped and danced as they had done the day before, showing us a seal skin, and another thing made like a timbrel, which he did beat upon with a stick, making a noise like a small drum.
Whereupon we manned our boats and came to them, they all staying in their canoes.We came to the water's side, where they were, and after we had sworn by the sun after their fashion they did trust us.
So I shook 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 upon this single acquaintance that we could have anything they had.
