The relation of the course which the "Sunshine," a barque of fifty tons, and the "North Star," a small pinnace, being two vessels of the fleet of Master John Davis, held after he had sent them from him to discover the passage between Greenland and Iceland.Written by Henry Morgan, servant to Master William Sanderson of London.
The 7th day of May, 1586, we departed out of Dartmouth Haven four sails, to wit, the Mermaid, the Sunshine, the Moonshine, and the North Star.In the Sunshine were sixteen men, whose names were these: Richard Pope, master; Mark Carter, master's mate; Henry Morgan, purser; George Draward, John Mandie, Hugh Broken, Philip Jane, Hugh Hempson, Richard Borden, John Filpe, Andrew Madocke, William Wolcome, Robert Wagge, carpenter, John Bruskome, William Ashe, Simon Ellis.
Our course was west-north-west the 7th and 8th days; and the ninth day in the morning we were on head of the Tarrose of Scilly.Thus coasting along the south part of Ireland, the 11th day we were on the head of the Dorses, and our course was south-south-west until six of the clock the 12th day.The 13th day our course was north-west.We remained in the company of the Mermaid and the Moonshine until we came to the latitude of 60 degrees, and there it seemed best to our general, Master Davis, to divide his fleet, himself sailing to the north-west, and to direct the Sunshine, wherein Iwas, and the pinnace called the North Star, to seek a passage northward between Greenland and Iceland to the latitude of 80degrees, if land did not let us.So the 7th day of June we departed from them, and the 9th of the same we came to a firm land of ice, which we coasted along the 9th, the 10th, and the 11th days of June;and the 11th day at six of the clock at night we saw land, which was very high, which afterwards we knew to be Iceland, and the 12th day we harboured there, and found many people; the land lieth east and by north in 66 degrees.
Their commodities were green fish and Iceland lings and stock fish, and a fish which is called catfish, of all which they had great store.They had also kine, sheep, and horses, and hay for their cattle and for their horses.We saw also of their dogs.Their dwelling-houses were made on both sides with stones, and wood laid across over them, which was covered over with turfs of earth, and they are flat on the tops, and many of these stood hard by the shore.Their boats were made with wood, and iron all along the keel like our English boats; and they had nails for to nail them withal, and fish-hooks, and other things for to catch fish as we have here in England.They had also brazen kettles, and girdles and purses made of leather, and knops on them of copper, and hatchets, and other small tools as necessary as we have.They dry their fish in the sun; and when they are dry they pack them up in the top of their houses.If we would go thither to fishing more than we do, we should make it a very good voyage, for we got a hundred green fishes in one morning.We found here two Englishmen with a ship, which came out of England about Easter Day of this present year, 1586; and one of them came aboard of us and brought us two lambs.The Englishman's name was Master John Royden, of Ipswich, merchant; he was bound for London with his ship.And this is the sum of that which I observed in Iceland.We departed from Iceland the 16th day of June, in the morning, and our course was north-west; and saw on the coast two small barques going to a harbour; we went not to them, but saw them afar off.Thus we continued our course unto the end of this month.
The 3rd day of July we were in between two firm lands of ice, and passed in between them all that day until it was night, and then the master turned back again, and so away we went towards Greenland.
And the 7th day of July we did see Greenland, and it was very high, and it looked very blue; but we could not come to harbour in the land because we were hindered by a firm land, as it were, of ice, which was along the shore's side; but we were within three leagues of the land, coasting the same divers days together.The 17th day of July we saw the place which our captain, Master John Davis, the year before had named the Land of Desolation, where we could not go on shore for ice.The 18th day we were likewise troubled with ice, and went in amongst it at three of the clock in the morning.After we had cleared ourselves thereof we ranged all along the coast of Desolation until the end of the aforesaid month.
The 3rd day of August we came in sight of Gilbert's Sound in the latitude of 64 degrees 15 minutes, which was the place where we were appointed to meet our general and the rest of our fleet.Here we came to a harbour at six of the clock at night.
