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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation v. 4

R >> Richard Hakluyt >> The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation v. 4




This is a strange alteration and very apt to deceiue the Sailer, vnlesse
hee know the vnconstancie and variation of the Compasse, and take the
eleuation of the pole sometimes with his instruments. If master Arthur be
not well prouided in this behalfe, or of such dexteritie, that perceiuing
the errour he be not able to correct the same, I feare lest in wandering vp
and downe he lose his time, and be ouertaken with the ice in the midst of
the enterprise. For that gulfe, as they say, is frozen euery yere very
hard. Which if it be so, the best counsel I could giue for their best
safetie, were to seeke some harborough in that baie, and those riuers
whereof I haue spoken, and by some Ambassador to make friendship and
acquaintance with the great Can, in name of the Queenes maiestie, which I
beleeue will be gratefull to the mightiest Emperour in the world, yea most
excellent for the length of the traffique, and great distance of the
places. [Sidenote: The mouthes of Bautisus and Oechardus 300. leagues from
Cambalu.] I thinke from the mouthes of the mighty riuers Bautisus and
Oechardus to Cambalu the chiefest seat of the prince the Can, there are not
past 300. Germaine miles, and to passe by Ezina a citie of the kingdom of
Tangut, which seemeth to be but 100. Germaine miles from the mouthes of the
sayd riuers, and is subiect to the great Can.

I would gladly know how high the sea doeth flowe commonly in the port of
Moscouia where your men do harborow, and in other Easterly places vnto
Tabin. [Sidenote: Vpon the obseruations of the tides depend great
speculations.] And also whether the sea in this streight do flow alwaies
one way to the East or to the West, or whether it do ebbe and flow
according to the matter of the tides in the middle of the chanel, that is
to say, whether it flow there sixe houres into the West, and as many backe
againe to the East, for hereupon depend other speculations of importance. I
would wish M. Frobisher to obserue the same Westwards. Concerning the gulfe
of Merosro and Canada, and new France which are in my mappes, they were
taken out of a certaine sea card drawn by a certaine priest out of the
description of a Frenchman, a Pilot very skilfull in those partes, and
presented to the worthy Prince George of Austria, bishop of Liege: for the
trending of the coast, and the eleuation of the pole, I doubt not but they
are very neere the trueth: For the Charte had beside a scale of degrees of
latitude passing through the middest of it, another particularly annexed to
the coast of New France, wherewith the errour of the latitudes committed by
reason of the variation of the compasse might be corrected. The historie of
the voyage of Iacobus Cnoyen Buschoducensis throughout al Asia, Affrica,
and the North, was lent me in time past by a friend of mine at Antwerpe.
After I had vsed it, I restored it againe: after many yeeres I required it
againe of my friend, but hee had forgotten of whom hee had borrowed it. The
writings of Gulielmus Tripolitanus, and Ioannes de Plano Carpini I neuer
saw: onely I found certaine pieces of them in other written hand bookes. I
am glad the Epitomie of Abilfada is translated, I would we might haue it
shortly.

Thus much Sir I thought good to answere your letters: if there bee anything
els that you would require of me, I will most willingly communicate it with
you, crauing this likewise of your curtesie, that whatsoeuer obseruations
of both these voyages shall come to your hands, you would impart them to
me, they shall all remaine with mee according to your discretion and
pleasure, and whatsoeuer I gather of them, I will faithfully signifie vnto
you by letter if happily they may yeeld any helpe or light vnto this most
excellent enterprise of nauigation, and most profitable to our Christian
common wealth. Fare, you well most learned friend. At Duisburg in
Cliueland, 28. of Iulie, the yeere, 1580.

At Arthur his returne I pray you learne of him the things I haue requested,
and whether any where in his voiage, he found the sea fresh, or not very
salt: for I suppose the Sea betweene Noua Zembla and Tabin to be fresh.

Yours wholly to my power to be commanded.

Gerardus Mercator.

* * * * *

The discouerie made by M. Arthur Pet and M. Charles Iackman, of the
Northeast parts, beyond the Island of Vaigatz, with two Barkes: the one
called the George, the other the William, in the yeere 1580. Written by
Hugh Smith.

[Sidenote: May.] Upon Monday the 30. of May, we departed from Harwich in
the afternoone, the winde being at South, and to the Eastward. The ebbe
being spent, we could not double the pole, and therefore were constrained
to put in againe vntill next day in the morning, being the last of May:
which day wee wayed our ankers about 3. a clocke in the morning, the wind
being West southwest. The same day we passed Orfordnesse at an East Sunne,
and Stamford at a West Sunne, and Yarmouth at a West northwest sunne, and
so to Winterton, where we did anker al night: it was then calme, and the
flood was come.

[Sidenote: Iune.] The next day being the first of Iune, we set saile at 3.
a clocke in the morning, and set our course North, the wind at the
Southwest, and at Southsouthwest.

The 10. day about one of the clocke in the afternoone, wee put into Norway
to a place where one of the headlands of the sound is called Bottel: the
other headland is called Moile. [Sidenote: Kene an Island of Norway.] There
is also an Island called Kene. Here I did find the pole to be eleuated 62.
deg. it doeth flowe there South, and it hieth 7. or 8. foote, not aboue.

The 11. day in the morning the winde came to the South and to the
Southeast: the same daye at sixe in the afternoone we set saile, and bare
along the coast: it was very foule weather with raine and fogge.

[Sidenote: The North cape doubled.] The 22. day the wind being at West, we
did hall the coast East northeast, and East. The same day at 6. in the
morning we did double the north cape. About 3. in the afternoone wee past
Skites bearenesse, and hald along the coast East, and East southeast, and
all the same night wee halled Southeast, and Southeast by East.

[Sidenote: Wardhouse.] The 23. day about 3. in the morning we came to
Wardhouse, the wind at the Northwest The cause of our comming in was to
seeke the William, whose companie we lost the 6. day of this moneth, and to
send letters into England. About one of the clock in the after noone the
William also came into Wardhouse to vs in good safetie, and all her company
in good health.

The 24. the wind came to the East Northeast. This day the William was hald
a ground, because she was somewhat leake, and to mend her steerage. This
night about 12. of the clocke she did hale a flote againe.

The 25. day the wind was at East northeast.

The 26. day the Toby of Harwich departed from Wardhouse for London, Thomas
Greene being master, to whom we deliuered our letters.

The 27. day the wind was at South southeast, and the 28. also.

The 29. day about 6. in the afternoone, the wind came to the West northwest
for the space of one houre, and presently to the East againe, and so was
variable all the same night.

The 30. about sixe in the morning, the winde came to East southeast, and
continued so all the same day.

[Sidenote: Iuly.] The first of Iuly about 5. in the afternoone, the wind
was at Northnorthwest: and about 7. of the clocke we set saile from
Wardhouse East and by South.

The second day about 5. in the morning, the wind was East, and East
Southeast, and we did lie to the shorewards. And about 10. in the morning
the wind came to South southeast, and we laid it to the Eastward: sometime
we lay East by South, some time East southeast, and sometimes East by
North. [Sidenote: Willoughbies land.] About 5. in the afternoone we bare
with the William, who was willing to goe with Kegor, because we thought her
to be out of trie, and sailed very ill, where we might mend her steerage:
whereupon Master Pet not willing to go into harborough said to Master
Iackman, that if he thought himselfe not able to keepe the sea, he should
doe as he thought best, and that he in the meanetime would beare with
Willoughbies land, for that it was a parcel of our direction, and would
meete him at Veroue Ostroue, or Vaigats, and so we set our course East
northeast, the winde being at Southeast.

[Sidenote: 50. leagues from Kegor.] The 3 day the winde at Southeast we
found the pole to be eleuated 70. degrees 46. minuts. The same night at 12.
of the clocke we sounded, but had no ground, in 120. fathoms, being fifty
leagues from the one side by our reckoning East northeast from Kegor.

The 4. day all the morning was calme. This day we found the pole to be
eleuated 71. degrees 38. minutes. This day at 9. in the afternoone the wind
at Northeast with a gentle gale, we hald along Southeast by East.

The 5. day the wind at Northwest, we hald East and East by South: this day
we saw land, but we could not make it, the wind being Northerly, so that we
could not come neere to it.

The 6. day about 2. in the afternoone, the wind at North northwest, we
halde East southeast with a faire and gentle gale: this day we met with
ice. About 6. in the arternoone it became calme: we with saile and oares
laide it to the Northeast part, hoping that way to cleare vs of it: for
that way we did see the head part of it, as we thought. Which done, about
12. of the clocke at night we gate cleere of it. We did think it to be ice
of the bay of Saint Nicholas, but it was not as we found afterwards.

[Sidenote: A site of perfect land.] The seuenth day we met with more yce at
the East part of the other yce: we halde along a weather the yce to finde
some ende thereof by east northeast. This day there appeared more land
North from vs being perfect land: the ice was betweene vs and it, so that
we could not come neerer to it.

The same morning at sixe of the clocke wee put into the ice to finde some
way through it, wee continued in it all the same day and all the night
following, the winde by the North and Northwest. Wee were constrained to
goe many pointes of our compasse, but we went most an Easterly course.

The eight day the winde at North northwest, we continued our course, and at
fiue in the morning we sounded, and had 90. fadoms red oze. This day at
foure in the afternoone we sounded againe, and had 84. fadoms oze, as
before. At sixe in the after noone we cleared our selues of the ice, and
hald along Southeast by South: we sounded againe at 10. a clocke at night,
and had 43. fathom sandy oze.

The 9. day at 2. in the morning, we sounded againe, and had 45. fadoms,
then there appeared a shadow of land to vs East Northeast, and so we ran
with it the space of 2. houres, and then perceiuing it was but fogge, we
hald along Southeast.

[Sidenote: 70. deg. 3. min.] This day at 2 in the afternoone we sounded and
had fiftie fadams blacke oze. Our latitude was 70. degrees three minutes.
At 10. a clocke at night we sounded againe and had fiftie fadoms black oze.

The tenth day the wind being at North northwest, we haled East and by
North, which course we set, because at ten of the clocke afore noone wee
did see land, and then wee sounded hauing 35. fadoms blacke oze. All this
day there was a great fogge, so that wee durst not beare with the land to
make it, and so we kept an outwardly course. [Sidenote: An Island.] This
day at 6. in the afternoone we espied land, wherewith we halled, and then
it grew calme: we sounded and had 120. fadoms blacke oze: and then we sent
our boat a land to sound and proue the land. The same night we came with
our ship within an Island, where we rode all the same night. The same night
wee went into a bay to ride neere the land for wood and water.

[Sidenote: The maine land.] The 11. day the wind came to the East
southeast: this day about a league from vs to the Eastwards, we saw a very
faire sound or riuer that past very farre into the countrey with 2. or 3.
branches with an Island in the midst.

The 12. of Iuly the wind was East Southeast. [Sidenote: Barebay.] This day
about 11. a clocke in the morning, there came a great white beare down to
the water side, and tooke the water of his owne accord, we chased him with
our boate, but for all that we could doe, he gote to land and escaped from
vs, where we named the bay Barebay. This day at 7. in the after noone we
set saile, for we had good hope that the winde would come Westerly, and
with saile and oares we gate the sea. All the night it was calme with
fogge.

The 13. day in the morning the wind was very variable with
fog, and as it cleared vp wee met with great store of ice, which at
the first shewed like land. This ice did vs much trouble, and the
more because of the fog, which continued vntill the 14. day 12.
of the clocke.

The 14. day in the morning we were so inibayed with ice, yet we were
constrained to come out as we went in, which was by great good fortune, or
rather by the goodnesse of God, otherwise it had bene impossible, and at
12. of the clock we were cleere of it, the wind being at South and South by
West. [Sidenote: 70. deg. 26. min.] The same day we found the pole to be
eleuated 70. degrees 26. minutes: [Sidenote: The supposed maine of Noua
Zembla.] we lay along the coast Northwest, thinking it to be an Island, but
finding no end in rowing so long, we supposed it to be the maine of Noua
Xembla. [Footnote: They were really in the Gulf of Petchora.] About 2. in
the afternoone we laide it to the Southward to double the ice, which wee
could not doe vpon that boorde, so that we cast about againe and lay West
along vnder the ice. About seuen in the afternoone we gote about the
greatest part thereof. About 11. a clock at night we brought the ice
Southeast of us, and thus we were ridde of this trouble at this time.

The 15. day about 3. in the morning, the winde was at South southwest: wee
cast about and lay to the Eastwards: the winde did Wester, so that wee lay
South southwest with a flawne sheete, and so we ranne all the same day.
About 8. in the after noone we sounded, and had 23. fadoms small grey sand.
This night at twelue of the clocke we sounded againe, and had 29. fadoms
sand, as afore.

The 16. day vnto 3. in the morning we hald along East Southeast, where we
found 18. fadoms red sand, then we hald along Northeast. [Sidenote: Many
ouerfals.] In these soundings wee had many ouerfals. This day at 10. of the
clocke we met with more ice, which was very great, so that we coulde not
tell which way to get cleere of it. Then the winde came to the South
Southeast, so that we lay to the Northwards. We thought that way to cleere
our selues of it, but that way we had more ice. About 6. in the afternoone,
the wind came to the East. Then we lay to the Southwards that wee had 30
fadoms black oze. This day we found the pole to bee eleuated 69. deg. 40.
minutes, and this night at 12. a clocke we had 41. fadoms red sand.

The 17. day at 3. in the morning, we had 12. fadoms. At 9. we had 8. and 7.
all this day we ran South and South by West, at the depth aforesaid, red
sand, being but shallow water. At eight in the aftemoone, the winde with a
showre and thunder came to the Southwest, and then we ranne East Northeast.
[Sidenote: The bay of Pechora.] At 12. at night it came to the South and by
East, and all this was in the bay of Pechora.

The 18. day at 7. in the morning we bare with the headland of the bay,
where wee founde two Islands. There are also ouerfals of water or tides. We
went betweene the maine and the Island, next to the head, where we had
about 2. fadoms and a halfe. We found the pole eleuated 69. deg. 13.
minutes. [Sidenote: They had sight of Vaigatz.] This day we had sight of
Vaigatz: the land of the maine of Pechora did trend Southeast, we hald East
southeast, and had 10. fadoms oze all the same day vntill 4. in the after
noone, then being calme, we ankered in 10. fadoms all the same night.

The 19. day at two in the morning we set saile, and ran South and South
southwest all the same day at 8. 7. and 6. fadoms, this was off the South
part of Vaigatz, this part of the land lieth North and South. This day at
4. in the afternoone we found shallow water sometime 4. fadoms, sometime 3.
and 2. and a halfe, and one fadome and a halfe: there we ankered and sent
our boate away to sound, and all to leeward we had 4 foote and 3. foote,
and 2. foot, there was not water for the boate betweene Vaigatz and the
other side: finding no more water, there was no other way but to goe backe
as we came in, hauing the wind Northwest, so at twelue at night we set
saile.

The 20. day we plied to the Northwards, and got deepe water againe 6. and
7. fadoms.

The 21. day the winde by the Northwest, we hald along the coast North and
North northwest, we had 8. and 9. and 10. fadoms.

The 22. day the winde came to the Southwest, we bare along the coast of
Vaygatz, as we found it to lie North and by West, and North northwest, and
North. [Sidenote: An Island hauing store of wood and water.] The winde
blewe very much with great fogge, we lacking Water and wood bare within an
Island where wee founde great store of wood and water, there were three or
foure goodly sounds. Vnder two points there was a crosse set vp, and a man
buried at the foote of it. Vpon the said crosse Master Pet did graue his
name with the date of our Lorde, and likewise vpon a stone at the foote of
the crosse, and so did I also, to the end that if the William did chaunce
to come thither, they might haue knowledge that wee had bene there. At
eight in the afternoone the winde came to the North northwest, we set saile
and turned out of the Bay. The same night the winde came to the West, so
that wee lay North along the land.

[Sidenote: 6. faire islands.] The 23. day at fiue in the morning, the wind
came to the Southwest, a Sea boord we sawe a great number of faire Islands,
to the number of sixe: a sea boord of these Islands, there are many great
ouerfals, as great streames or tides: we halde Northeast and East northeast
as the land did trend. At eight aforenoone the winde came to the Southeast
with very much wind, raine and fogge, and very great store of ice a sea
boorde: so we lay to the Southwest to attaine to one of the Islands to
harbour vs if the weather did so extremely continue and to take in our
boate, thinking it meete so to doe, and not to towe her in such weather.
About twelue of the clocke it became very calme vpon the sudden, and came
vp to the West Northwest, and Northwest by West, and then we tooke in our
boate, and this done, there came downe so much winde, as we were not able
to steere afore it, with corse and bonnets of each, we hald South with the
land, for so the land did trend. This day all the afternoone we sailed
vnder a great land of ice, we sailed betweene the land and it, being not
able to crosse it. About twelue at night we found the ice to stretch into
the land, that we could not get cleare to the Eastward, so we laide it to
the shore, and there we founde it cleare hard aboord the shore, and we
found also a very faire Island which makes a very good harbour, and within
are 12. fadoms.

[Sidenote: An Island to the East of Vaigatz 4. or 5. leagues] This Island
is to the Eastwards of Vaigatz 4 or 5. leagues. This land of the maine doth
trend Southeast, and Southeast by East. It is a very faire coast, and euen
and plaine, and not full of mountaines nor rocks: you haue but shallow
water of 6. or 7. fadoms, about a league from the shore, all this morning
we hailed East southeast This day we found the pole to be eleuated 69.
degrees 14. minutes. About 12 a clocke we were constrained to put into the
ice to seeke some way to get to the Northwards of it, hoping to haue some
cleare passage that way, but there was nothing but whole ice. About nine in
the afternoone we had sight of the William, and when wee sawe her, there
was a great land of ice betweene her and vs, so that we could not come one
to the other, but as we came neere to her, we sounded our trumpet and shot
off two muskets, and she put out her flag vpon her foretopmaste in token
that she did see vs: all this time wee did shorten our sailes, and went
with our foresaile and mainetopsaile, seeking the best way through the
broken ice, she making away the best that she could to follow vs, we put
out our flagge to answere her again with the like: thus we continued all
the aftemoone till about 12. a clocke at night, and then we moored our ship
to a piece of ice to tarie for the William.

[Sidenote: The Willaim and the George meete againe.] The 25. day about fiue
in the morning, the William came to vs, being both glad of our meeting. The
William had her sterne post broken, that the rudder did hang clean besides
the sterne, so that she could in no wise port her helme, with all hands she
did lighten her sterne and trimme her head, and when we had brought her
forward all that we could, wee brought a cable vnder her sterne, and with
our capstaine did wind vp her sterne, and so we made it as wel as the place
would giue vs leaue, and in the ende wee brought her to steere againe. Wee
acknowledge this our meeting to be a great benefits of God for our mutuall
comfort and so gaue his Maiestie thanks for it. All the night after we
tooke our rest being made fast vpon a piece of ice: the wind was at the
West Northwest, but we were so inclosed with ice that we coulde not tell
which way to passe. Windes wee haue had at will, but ice and fogge too much
against our willes, if it had pleased the Lod God otherwise.

The 26. day the wind was at West Northwest: we set saile to the
Northwardes, to seeke if we could finde any way cleare to passe to the
Eastward, but the further we went that way, the more and thicker was the
ice, so that we coulde goe no further. So about foure in the afternoon we
were constrained to moare vpon another piece of ice. I thinke we sailed in
all a league this day, here we had 15. fadoms oze, and this oze is all the
chanell ouer. All the same day after foure of the clocke, and all the night
we tarried there, being without all good hope, but rather in despaire. This
day Master Iugman did see land East Northeast from vs, as he did thinke,
whether it were land or no, I cannot tell well, but it was very like land:
but the fogges haue many times deceiued vs. [Footnote: And did so again in
this instance.]

The 27. day the winde was at Northwest. This day at nine in the morning we
set saile to seeke the shore. Further into the ice we could not goe, and at
seuen in the afternoone we moared to a piece of ice, and the William with
vs, here we had 14. fathoms oze. At three in the aftemoone we warpt from
one ice to another. At nine in the afternoone we moared againe to a piece
of ice vntill the next day. All this night it did snow with much wind,
being at West Northwest, and at Northwest, and by West.

The 28. day the winde came to the Southwest, and Southsouthwest: this day
was a very faire day. [Sidenote: Their returne.] At one in the afternoone
master Pet and master Iackman did conferre together what was best to be
done considering that the windes were good for vs, and we not able to passe
for ice, they did agree to seeke to the land againe, and so to Vaygatz, and
there to conferre further. At 3. in the afternoone we did warpe from one
piece of ice to another to get from them if it were possible: here were
pieces of ice so great, that we could not see beyond them out of the toppe.
Thus we warped vnlil 9. in the afternoone, and then we moared both our
shippes to a great and high piece of ice, vntil the next morning.

[Sidenote: The currant runneth with the winde.] The nine and twenty day the
winde came to the Southwest, wee set saile at fiue in the morning to plie
into the shore if it were possible, we made many turnes among the ice to
small purpose, for with the winde doeth the currant runne. This day by
misfortune a piece of ice stroke of our greepe afore at two afternoone, yet
for all this we turned to doe our best. The William being incumbred with
ice, and perceiuing that shee did litle good, tooke in all her sailes, and
made her selfe fast to a piece of ice, and about foure in the afternoone
she set saile to followe vs. We were afraide that shee had taken some hurt,
but she was well. At seuen afore noone we tooke in all our sailes to tarie
for the William, and made our shippe fast to a piece of ice: the William
before she came to vs tooke in all her sailes, and moared to another piece
of ice, and thus we continued vntill the next morning.

The 30. day the winde at Southeast, and by South, and at 9. in the morning
we set saile, and sooner would haue done if the William had bene by vs, but
we did tary for her to know whether all was well with her: But as soone as
we made saile, she did the like. All this day we did our best to seeke our
way as the ice would giue vs leaue, sometime we lay South, sometime West,
and sometime East, and thus we continued vntill eight at night, and then
being calme, wee made our ship fast to a picce of ice, and went to supper.
In the meane time the wind with a faire gentle gale came vp to the East,
and East and by South, but there came downe a showre of raine with it,
which continued the space of one houre: Which being done, it became calme
againe, so that wee could doe no good all that night, but tooke our rest
vntill the next day.

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