vp to our watering place and there stopped went on shore and filled all our empty caske with fresh water Our Captain made his certaine obseruation Our Captaine vpon the Rocke in the middest of the harbour obserued the height latitude and variation exactly vpon his instruments 1 Astrolabe 2 Semisphere 3 Ringe instrument 4 Crosse staffe 5 And an excellent compasse made for the variation The certainty whereof together with the particularities of euery depth and sounding aswell at our falling with the land as in the discouery and at our departure from the coast I refer to his owne relation in the Map of his Geographicall description which for the benefit of others he intendeth most exactly to publish The temperature of the Climate albeit a very important matter The temperature of the Climate had almost passed without mentioning because it affoorded to vs no great alteration from our disposition in England somwhat hotter vp into the Maine because it lieth open to the South the aire so wholesome as I suppose not any of vs found our selues at any time more healthfull more able to labour nor with better stomacks to such good fare as we partly br 〈…〉 ught and partly found Sunday the 16 of Iune the winde being faire and because we had set out of England vpon a Sunday made the ilands vpon a Sunday and as we doubt not by Gods appointment happily fell into our harbour vpon a Sunday so now beséeching him still with like prosperity to blesse our returne into England our country and from thence with his good will and pleasure to hasten our next arriuall there we waied Anker and quit the Land vpon a Sunday Tuesday the 18 day being not run aboue 30 leagues from land and our Captaine for his certaine knowledge how to fall with the coast hauing sounded euery watch and from 40 fathoms had come into good déeping to 70 and so to an hundred this day the weather being faire after the foure a clocke watch when we supposed not to haue found ground so farre from land and before sounded in aboue 100 fathoms we had ground in 24 fathomes Wherefore our sailes being downe Thomas King boatswaine presently cast out a hooke and before he iudged it at ground was fished and haled vp an excéeding great and well fed Cod then there were cast out 3 or 4 more and the fish was so plentifull and so great as when our Captaine would haue set saile we all desired him to suffer them to take fish a while because we were so delighted to sée them catch so great fish so fast as the hooke came downe some with playing with the hooke they tooke by the backe and one of the Mates with two hookes at a lead at fiue draughts together haled vp tenne fishes all were generally very great some they measured to be fiue foot long and thrée foot about This caused our Captaine not to maruell at the shoulding A fishing banke for he perceiued it was a fish banke which for our farewell from the land it pleased God in continuance of his blessings to giue vs knowledge of the abundant profit whereof should be alone sufficient cause to draw men againe if there were no other good both in present certaine and in hope probable to be discouered To amplifie this with words were to adde light to the Sunne for euery one in the shippe could easily account this present commodity much more those of iudgement which knew what belonged to fishing would warrant by the helpe of God in a short voyage with few good fishers to make a more profitable returne from hence than from New-found-land the fish being so much greater better fed and abundant with traine of which some they desired and did bring into England to bestow among their friends and to testifie the true report After we kept our course directly for England with ordinary winds and sometime calmes vpon Sunday the 14 of Iuly about six a clocke at night we were come into sounding in our channell We came into sounding but with darke weather and contrary winds we were constrained to beat vp and downe till Tuesday the 16 of Iuly when by fiue a clocke in the morning we made Sylly from whence hindered with calmes and small winds vpon Thursday the 18 of Iuly about foure a clocke after noone we came into Dartmouth which Hauen happily with Gods gracious assistance we made our last and first Harbour in England Further I haue thought fit here to adde some things worthy to be regarded which we haue obserued from the Saluages since we tooke them First although at the time when we surprised them they made their best resistance not knowing our purpose nor what we were nor how we meant to vse them yet after perceiuing by their kinde vsage we intended them no harme they haue neuer since séemed discontented with vs but very tractable louing willing by their best meanes to satisfie vs in any thing we demand of them by words or signes for their vnderstanding neither haue they at any time béene at the least discord among themselues insomuch as we haue not séene them angry but merry and so kinde as if you giue any thing to one of them he will distribute part to euery one of the rest We haue brought them to vnderstand some English and we vnderstand much of their language so as we are able to aske them many things And this we haue obserued that if we shew them any thing and aske them if they haue it in their countrey they will tell you if they haue it and the vse of it the difference from ours in bignesse colour or forme but if they haue it not be it a thing neuer so precious they wil denie the knowledge of it They haue names for many starres which they will shew in the firmament They shew great reuerence to their King and are in great subiection to their Gouernours and they will shew a great respect to any we tell them are our Commanders They shew the maner how they make bread of their Indian wheat and how they make butter and chéese of the milke they haue of the Rain-Déere and Fallo-Déere which they haue tame as we haue Cowes They haue excellent colours Indico and other excellent colours in the countrey And hauing séene our Indico they make shew of it or of some other like thing which maketh as good a blew One especiall thing is their maner of killing the Whale which they call Powdawe and will describe his forme how he bloweth vp the water and that he is 12 fathoms long and that they go in company of their King with a multitude of their boats Their killing of the whale and strike him with a bone made in fashion of a harping iron fastened to a rope which they make great and strong of the barke of trees which they veare out after him then all their boats come about him and as he riseth aboue water with their arrowes they shoot him to death when they haue killed him dragged him to shore they call all their chiefe lords together sing a song of ioy and those chiefe lords whom they call Sagamos diuide the spoile and giue to euery man a share which pieces so distributed they hang vp about their houses for prouision and when they boile them they blow off the fat and put to their peaze maiz and other pulse which they eat A briefe Note of what profits we saw the Countrey yeeld in the small time of our stay there TREES Oke of an excellent graine strait and great timber Elme Beech. Birch very tall great of whose barke they make their Canoas Wich-Hazell Hazell Alder. Cherry-tree Ash. Maple Yew Spruce Aspe Firre Many fruit trees which we knew not FOWLES Eagles Hernshawes Cranes Ducks great Geese Swannes Penguins Crowes Sharks Rauens Mewes Turtle-doues Many birds of sundrie colours Many other fowls in flocks vnknowen BEASTS Raine-Deere Stagges Fallow-Deere Beares Wolues Beauer Otter Hare Cony Hedge-Hoggs Polcats Wilde great Cats Dogges some like Wolues some like Spaniels FISHES Whales Seales Cod very great Haddocke great Herring great Plaise Thornebacke Rockefish Lobstar great Crabs Muscels great with pearles in them Cockles Wilks Cunner fish Lumps Whiting Soales Tortoises Oisters FRVITS PLANTS and HERBS Tabacco excellent sweet and strong Wild-Vines Strawberries abundance Raspberries abundance Gooseberries abundance Hurtleberries abundance Currant trees abundance Rose-bushes Peaze Ground-nuts Angelica a most soueraigne herbe An hearbe that spreadeth the ground smelleth like Sweet Marioram great plenty Very good Dies which appeare by their painting which they carrie with them in bladders The names of the fiue Saluages which we brought home into England which are all yet aliue are these 1. Tahánedo a Sagamo or Commander 2. Amóret Gentleman 3. Skicowáros Gentleman 4. Maneddo Gentleman 5. Sassacomoit a seruant
sounded in 100 fathoms and by eight a clock hauing not made aboue fiue or six leagues our Captaine vpon a sudden change of water supposing verily he saw the sand presently sounded and had but fiue fathoms Much maruelling because we saw no land he sent one to the top who thence descried a whitish sandy cliffe which bare West-North-West about six leagues off from vs but comming néerer within thrée or fowre leagues we saw many breaches still néerer the land at last we espied a great breach a head vs al along the shore into which before we should enter our Captaine thought best to hoise out his ship boate and sound it Which if he had not done we had béene in great danger for he bare vp the ship as néere as he durst after the boate vntill Thomas Cam his mate being in the boat called to him to tacke about stand off for in this breach he had very showld water two fathoms and lesse vpon rockes and sometime they supposed they saw the rocke within thrée or fowre foote whereon the sea made a very strong breach which we might discerne from the top to run along as we sailed by it 6 or 7 leagues to the Southward This was in the latitude of 41 degrées 20 minuts wherefore we were constrained to put backe againe from the land and sounding the weather being very faire and a small winde we found our selues embaied with continuall showldes and rockes in a most vncertaine ground from fiue or sixe fathoms at the next cast of the lead we should haue 15 18 fathoms Ouer many which we passed and God so blessed vs that we had wind and weather as faire as poore men in this distresse could wish whereby we both perfectly discerned euery breach and with the winde were able to turne where we saw most hope of safest passage Thus we parted from the land which we had not so much before desired and at the first sight reioiced as now we all ioifully praised God that it had pleased him to deliuer vs from so imminent danger Héere we found great store of excellent Cod fish and saw many Whales as we had done two or three daies before We stood off all that night and the next day being Wednesday but the wind still continuing betwéen the points of South South-West and West-South-West so as we could not make any way to the Southward in regard of our great want of water and wood which was now spent we much desired land and therefore sought for it where the wind would best suffer vs to refresh our selues Thursday the 16 of May we stood in directly with the land and much maruelled we descried it not wherein we found our sea charts very false putting land where none is Friday the 17 of May about sixe a clocke at night we descried the land which bare from vs North-North-East but because it blew a great gale of winde the sea very high and néere night not fit to come vpon an vnknowen coast we stood off till two a clocke in the morning being Saturday then standing in with it againe we descried it by eight a clocke in the morning bearing North-East from vs. The description of the Iland It appeared a meane high land as we after found it being but an Iland of some six miles in compasse but I hope the most fortunate euer yet discouered About twelue a clocke that day we came to an anker on the North side of this Iland about a league from the shore About two a clocke our Captaine with twelue men rowed in his ship-boat to the shore where we made no long stay but laded our boat with dry wood of olde trées vpon the shore side and returned to our ship where we rode that night This Iland is woody growen with Firre Birch Oke and Béech as farre as we saw along the shore and so likely to be within On the verge grow Gooseberries Strawberries Wild pease and Wild-rose bushes The water issued foorth downe the Rocky cliffes in many places and much fowle of diuers kinds bréed vpon the shore and rocks While we were at shore our men aboord with a few hooks got aboue thirty great Cods and Hadocks which gaue vs a taste of the great plenty of fish which we found afterward wheresoeuer we went vpon the coast From hence we might discerne the maine land from the West-South-West to the East-North-East and a great way as it then séemed and as we after found it vp into the maine we might discerne very high mountaines though the maine séemed but low land which gaue vs a hope it would please God to direct vs to the discouerie of some good although wée were driuen by winds farre from that place whither both by our direction and desire we euer intended to shape the course of our voyage The next day being Whit-Sunday because we rode too much open to the sea and windes we weyed anker about twelue a clocke and came along to the other Ilands more adioyning to the maine and in the rode directly with the mountaines about thrée leagues from the first Iland where we had ankered When we came néere vnto them sounding all along in a good depth our Captaine manned his ship-boat and sent her before with Thomas Cam one of his Mates whom he knew to be of good experience to sound search betweene the Ilands for a place safe for our shippe to ride in in the meane while we kept aloofe at sea hauing giuen them in the boat a token to weffe in the ship if he found a conuenient Harbour which it pleased God to send vs farre beyond our expectation in a most safe birth defended from all windes in an excellent depth of water for ships of any burthen in six seuen eight nine and ten fathoms vpon a clay oaze very tough We all with great ioy praised God for his vnspeakable goodnesse who had from so apparent danger deliuered vs directed vs vpon this day into so secure an Harbour in remembrance wherof we named it Pentecost-harbor Whitsundâ—y we arriuing there that day out of our last Harbor in England from whence we set saile vpon Easterday About foure a clocke after we were ankered and well mored our Captaine with halfe a dozen of our Company went on shore to séeke fresh watering and a conuenient place to set together a pinnesse which we brought in pieces out of England both which we found very fitting Upon this Iland as also vpon the former we found at our first comming to shore where fire had béene made and about the place were very great egge shelles bigger than goose egges fish bones and as we iudged the bones of some beast Héere we espied Cranes stalking on the shore of a little Iland adioyning Cranes where we after saw they vsed to bréed Whitsun-munday the 20 day of May very early in the morning our Captaine caused the pieces of the pinnesse to be carried a shore where while
A TRVE RELATION of the most prosperous voyage made this present yeere 1605 by Captaine George Waymouth in the Discouery of the land of Virginia Where he discouered 60 miles vp a most excellent Riuer together with a most fertile land Written by IAMES ROSIER a Gentleman employed in the voyage LONDINI Impensis GEOR. BISHOP 1605. TO THE READER BEing employed in this Voyage by the right honourable Thomas Arundell Baron of Warder to take due notice and make true report of the discouery therein performed I became very diligent to obserue as much as I could whatsoeuer was materiall or of consequence in the businesse which I collected into this briefe summe intending vpon our returne to publish the same But he soone changed the course of his intendments and long before our arriuall in England had so farre engaged himselfe with the Archduke that he was constrained to relinquish this action But the commodities and profits of the countrey together with the fitnesse of plantation being by some honourable Gentlemen of good woorth and qualitie and Merchants of good sufficiency and iudgement duly considered haue at their owne charge intending both their priuate and the common benefit of their countrey vndertaken the transporting of a Colony for the plantation thereof being much encouraged thereunto by the gracious fauour of the KINGS MAIESTY himselfe and diuers Lords of his Highnesse most Honourable Priuie Councell After these purposed designes were concluded I was animated to publish this briefe Relation and not before because some forrein Nation being fully assured of the fruitfulnesse of the countrie haue hoped hereby to gaine some knowledge of the place seeing they could not allure our Captaine or any speciall man of our Company to combine with them for their direction nor obtaine their purpose in conueying away our Saluages which was busily in practise And this is the cause that I haue neither written of the latitude or variation most exactly obserued by our Captaine with sundrie instruments which together with his perfect Geographicall Map of the countrey he entendeth hereafter to set forth I haue likewise purposedly omitted here to adde a collection of many words in their language to the number of foure or fiue hundred as also the names of diuers of their gouernours aswell their friends as their enemies being reserued to be made knowen for the benefit of those that shal goe in the next Voyage But our particular proceedings in the whole Discouerie the commodious situation of the Riuer the fertilitie of the land with the profits there to be had and here reported I refer to be verified by the whole Company as being eye-witnesses of my words and most of them neere inhabitants vpon the Thames So with my prayers to God for the conuersion of so ingenious and well disposed people and for the prosperous successiue euents of the noble intenders the prosecution thereof I rest Your friend I. R. A TRVE RELATION of Captaine George Waymouth his Voyage made this present yeere 1605 in the Discouerie of the North part of Virginia VPon Tuesday the 5 day of March about ten a clocke afore noone we set saile from Ratcliffe and came to an anker that tide about two a clocke before Grauesend From thence the 10 of March being Sunday at night we ankered in the Downes and there rode til the next day about thrée a clocke after noone when with a scant winde we set saile and by reason the winde continued Southwardly we were beaten vp and downe but on Saturday the 16 day about foure a clocke after noon we put into Dartmouth Hauen where the continuance of the winde at South Southwest constrained vs to ride till the last of this moneth There we shipped some of our men and supplied necessaries for our Ship and Uoyage Upon Easter day being the last of March Vpon Easter day we put to sea the winde comming at North-North-East about fiue a clocke after noone we wayed anker and put to sea In the name of God being well victualled and furnished with munition and all necessaries Our Companie 29 persons Our whole Company being but 29 persons of whom I may boldly say few voyages haue béene manned forth with better Sea-men generally in respect of our small number Munday the next day being the first of Aprill by sixe a clocke in the morning we were sixe leagues South-South-East from the Lizarde At two a clocke in the afternoone this day the weather being very faire our Captaine for his owne experience and others with him sounded Sounding and had sixe and fiftie fathoms and a halfe The sounding was some small blacke perrie sand some reddish sand a match or two with small shels called Saint Iames his Shels The foureteenth of Aprill being Sunday betwéene nine and ten of the clocke in the morning our Captaine descried the Iland Cueruo which bare South-West and by West about seuen leagues from vs by eleuen of the clocke we descried Flores to the Southward of Cueruo We fell with the Ilands of Azores as it lieth by foure a clocke in the afternoone we brought Cueruo due South from vs within two leagues of the shore but we touched not because the winde was faire and we thought our selues sufficiently watered and wooded Héere our Captaine obserued the Sunne and found himselfe in the latitude of 40 degrees and 7 minutes so he iudged the North part of Cueruo to be in 40 degrees After we had kept our course about a hundred leagues from the Ilands by continuall Southerly windes we were forced and driuen from the Southward whither we first intended And when our Captaine by long beating saw it was but in vaine to striue with windes not knowing Gods purposes héerein to our further blessing which after by his especiall direction wée found he thought best to stand as nigh as he could by the winde to recouer what land we might first discouer Munday the 6 of May being in the latitude of 39 and a halfe about ten a clocke afore noone we came to a riplin which we discerned a head our ship which is a breach of water caused either by a fall or by some meeting of currents which we iudged this to be for the weather being very faire and a small gale of winde we sounded and found no ground in a hundred fathoms Munday the 13 of May about eleuen a clocke afore noone our Captaine iudging we were not farre from land sounded and had a soft oaze in a hundred and sixty fathomes At fowre a clocke after noone we sounded againe and had the same oaze in a hundred fathoms From 10 a clocke that night till thrée a clocke in the morning our Captaine tooke in all sailes and lay at hull being desirous to fall with the land in the day time because it was an vnknowen coast which it pleased God in his mercy to grant vs otherwise we had run our ship vpon the hidden rockes and perished all For when we set saile we
some were busied about her others digged welles to receiue the fresh water which we found issuing downe out of the land in many places Héere I can not omit for foolish feare of imputation of flattery the painfull industry of our Captaine who as at sea he is alwayes most carefull and vigilant so at land he refuseth no paines but his labour was euer as much or rather more than any mans which not only encourageth others with better content but also effecteth much with great expedition In digging we found excellent clay for bricke or tile The next day we finished a well of good and holesome cléere water in a great empty caske which we left there We cut yards waste trées and many necessaries for our ship while our Carpenter and Cooper laboured to fit and furnish forth the shallop This day our boat went out about a mile from our ship We fished and in small time with two or thrée hooks was fished sufficiently for our whole Company thrée dayes with great Cod Haddocke and Thornebacke And towards night we drew with a small net of twenty fathoms very nigh the shore Abundance of many good fishes we got about thirty very good and great Lobsters many Rockfish some Plaise and other small fishes and fishes called Lumpes verie pleasant to the taste and we generally obserued that all the fish of what kinde soeuer we tooke were well fed fat and swéet in taste Wednesday the 22 of May we felled and cut wood for our ships vse cleansed and scoured our wels and digged a plot of ground wherein amongst some garden séeds we sowed peaze and barley Corne sowed which in sixtéen dayes grew eight inches aboue ground and so continued growing euery day halfe an inch although this was but the crust of the ground and much inferior to the mould we after found in the maine Friday the 24 of May after we had made an end of cutting wood and carying water aboord our shippe with fouretéene Shot and Pikes we marched about and thorow part of two of the Ilands the bigger of which we iudged to be foure or fiue miles in compasse and a mile broad The profits and fruits which are naturally on these Ilands are these The fruits of the Ilands All along the shore and some space within where the wood hindereth not grow plentifully Rasberries Gooseberries Strawberries Roses Currants Wild vines Angelica Within the Ilands growe wood of sundry sorts some very great and all tall Birch Béech Ash. Maple Spruce Cherry-trée Yew Oke very great and good Firre-trée out of which issueth Turpentine in so maruellous plenty and so sweet as our Chirurgeon and others affirmed they neuer saw so good in England We pulled off much Gumme congealed on the outside of the barke which smelled like Frankincense This would be a great benefit for making Tarre and Pitch We stayed the longer in this place not only because of our good Harbour which is an excellent comfort but because euery day we did more and more discouer the pleasant fruitfulnesse insomuch as many of our Companie wished themselues setled héere not expecting any further hopes or better discouery to be made Héere our men found abundance of great muscels among the rocks and in some of them many small Pearls and in one muscell which we drew vp in our net was found fouretéene Pearles Pearle whereof one of prety bignesse and orient in another aboue fiftie small Pearles and if we had had a Drag no doubt we had found some of great valew séeing these did certainly shew that héere they were bred the shels all glistering with mother of Pearle Wednesday the 29 day our shallop being now finished and our Captaine and men furnished to depart with hir from the ship A Crosse erected we set vp a crosse on the shore side vpon the rockes Thursday the 30 of May about ten a clock afore noon our Captaine with 13 men more in the name of God and with all our praiers for their prosperous discouerie and safe returne departed in the shallop leauing the ship in a good harbour which before I mentioned well mored and manned with 14 men This day about fiue a clocke in the afternoone The Saluages came first to vs. we in the shippe espied thrée Canoas comming towards vs which went to the iland adioining where they went a shore and very quickly had made a fire about which they stood beholding our ship to whom we made signes with our hands and hats weffing vnto them to come vnto vs because we had not séene any of the people yet They sent one Canoa with thrée men one of which when they came néere vnto vs spake in his language very lowd and very boldly séeming as though he would know why we were there and by pointing with his oare towards the sea we coniectured he ment we should be gone But when we shewed them kniues and their vse by cutting of stickes and other trifles as combs and glasses they came close aboard our ship as desirous to entertaine our friendship To these we gaue such things as we perceiued they liked when wée shewed them the vse bracelets rings peacocke feathers which they stucke in their haire and Tabacco pipes After their departure to their company on the shore presently came foure other in another Canoa to whom we gaue as to the former vsing them with as much kindnes as we could The shape of their body is very proportionable they are wel countenanced not very tal nor big but in stature like to vs Three sorts of colours of painting they paint their bodies with blacke their faces some with red some with blacke and some with blew Their clothing is Beauers skins or Deares skins cast ouer them like a mantle and hanging downe to their knées made fast together vpon the shoulder with leather some of them had sleeues Their clothing and buskins most had none some had buskins of such leather tewed they haue besides a péece of Beauers skin betwéene their legs made fast about their waste to couer their priuities They suffer no haire to grow on their faces but on their head very long and very blacke which those that haue wiues binde vp behinde with a leather string in a long round knot They seemed all very ciuill and merrie shewing tokens of much thankefulnesse for those things we gaue them We found them then as after a people of excéeding good inuention quicke vnderstanding and readie capacitie Their boats Their Canoas are made without any iron of the bark of a birch trée strengthened within with ribs and hoops of wood in so good fashion with such excellent ingenious art as they are able to beare seuen or eight persons far excéeding any in the Indies One of their Canoas came not to vs wherein we imagined their women were of whom they are as all Saluages very iealous When I signed vnto them they should goe sléepe because it was night they
vnderstood presently and pointed that at the shore right against our ship they would stay all night as they did The next morning very early came one Canoa abord vs againe with thrée Saluages whom we easily then enticed into our ship and vnder the decke where we gaue them porke fish bread and pease all which they did eat and this I noted they would eat nothing raw either fish or flesh They maruelled much and much looked vpon the making of our canne and kettle so they did at a head-péece and at our guns of which they are most fearefull and would fall flat downe at the report of them At their departure I signed vnto them that if they would bring me such skins as they ware I would giue them kniues and such things as I saw they most liked which the chiefe of them promised to do by that time the Sunne should be beyond the middest of the firmament this I did to bring them to an vnderstanding of exchange and that they might conceiue the intent of our comming to them to be for no other end About 10 a clocke this day we descried our Shallop returning toward vs which so soone as we espied we certainly coniectured our Captaine had found some vnexpected harbour further vp towards the maine to bring the ship into or some riuer knowing his determination and resolution not so suddenly else to make return which when they came néerer they expressed by shooting volleies of shot and when they were come within Musket shot they gaue vs a volley and haled vs then we in the shippe gaue them a great péece and haled them Thus we welcomed them who gladded vs excéedingly with their ioifull relation of their happie discouerie which shall appeare in the sequele And we likewise gaue them cause of mutuall ioy with vs in discoursing of the kinde ciuility we found in a people where we little expected any sparke of humanity Our Captaine had in this small time discouered vp a great riuer trending alongst into the maine about forty miles The pleasantnesse whereof with the safety of harbour for shipping together with the fertility of ground and other fruits which were generally by his whole company related I omit till I report of the whole discouery therein after performed For by the breadth depth and strong flood imagining it to run far vp into the land he with spéed returned intending to flanke his light horsman for arrowes least it might happen that the further part of the riuer should be narrow and by that meanes subiect to the volley of Saluages on either side out of the woods Untill his returne our Captaine left on shoare where he landed in a path which séemed to be frequented a pipe a brooch and a knife thereby to know if the Saluages had recourse that way because they could at that time see none of them Trifles left on shore but they were taken away before our returne thither I returne now to our Saluages who according to their appointment about one a clocke came with 4 Canoas to the shoare of the iland right ouer against vs where they had lodged the last night and sent one Canoa to vs with two of those Saluages who had beene a bord and another who then seemed to haue command of them for though we perceiued their willingnesse yet he would not permit them to come abord but he hauing viewed vs and our ship signed that he would go to the rest of the company and returne againe Presently after their departure it began to raine and continued all that afternoone so as they could not come to vs with their skins and furs nor we go to them But after an howre or there about the thrée which had beene with vs before came againe whom we had to our fire and couered them with our gownes Our Captaine bestowed a shirt vpon him whom we thought to be their chiefe who séemed neuer to haue séene any before we gaue him a brooch to hang about his necke a great knife and lesser kniues to the two other and to euery one of them a combe and glasse the vse whereof we shewed them whereat they laughed and tooke gladly we victualled them and gaue them aqua vitae which they tasted but would by no meanes drinke our beueridge they liked well we gaue them Sugar Candy which after they had tasted they liked and desired more and raisons which were giuen them and some of euery thing they would reserue to carry to their company Wherefore we pittying their being in the raine and therefore not able to get themselues victuall as we thought we gaue them bread and fish Thus because we found the land a place answereable to the intent of our discouery The intent of our kind vsage of the Saluages viz. fit for any nation to inhabit we vsed the people with as great kindnes as we could deuise or found them capable of The next day being Saturday and the first of Iune We traded with the Saluages I traded with the Saluages all the fore-noone vpon the shore where were eight and twenty of them and because our ship rode nigh we were but fiue or sixe where for kniues glasses combes and other trifles to the valew of foure or fiue shillings we had 40 good Beauers skins Otters skins Sables and other small skins which we knewe not how to call Our trade being ended many of them came abord vs and did eat by our fire and would be verie merrie and bold in regard of our kinde vsage of them Towards night our Captaine went on shore to haue a draught with the Sein or Net And we carried two of them with vs who maruelled to sée vs catch fish with a net Most of that we caught we gaue them and their company Then on the shore I learned the names of diuers things of them and when they perceiued me to note them downe they would of themselues fetch fishes and fruit bushes and stand by me to sée me write their names Our Captaine shewed them a strange thing which they woondred at His sword and mine hauing béene touched with the Loadstone tooke vp a knife and held it fast when they plucked it away made the knife turne being laid on a blocke and touching it with his sword made that take vp a néedle whereat they much maruelled This we did to cause them to imagine some great power in vs and for that to loue and feare vs. When we went on shore to trade with them Their Bowes and Arrowes in one of their Canoas I saw their bowes and arrowes which I tooke vp and drew an arrow in one of them which I found to be of strength able to carry an arrow fiue or sixe score stronglie and one of them tooke it and drew as we draw our bowes not like the Indians Their bow is made of Wich Hazell and some of Béech in fashion much like our bowes Their Bowes but they want nocks onely
number of ships The Riuer it selfe as it runneth vp into the main very nigh forty miles toward the great mountaines The breadth of the Riuer beareth in bredth a mile sometime thrée quarters and halfe a mile is the narrowest where you shall neuer haue vnder 4 and 5 fathoms water hard by the shore but 6 7 8 9 and 10 fathoms all along and on both sides euery halfe mile very gallant Coues some able to conteine almost a hundred sails The ground soft oaze and clay where the ground is excellent soft oaze with a tough clay vnder for anker hold and where ships may ly without either Cable or Anker only mored to the shore with a Hauser What flowe of water It floweth by their iudgement eightéen or twenty foot at high water Dockes to graue and carine ships Heere are made by nature most excellent places as Docks to graue or Carine ships of all burthens secured from all windes which is such a necessary incomparable benefit that in few places in England or in any parts of Christendome art with great charges can make the like The Land Besides the bordering land is a most rich neighbour trending all along on both sides in an equall plaine neither mountainous nor rocky but verged with a gréene bordure of grasse doth make tender vnto the beholder of hir pleasant fertility if by clensing away the woods she were conuerted into meddow The wood The wood she beareth is not shrubbish fit only for fewell but goodly tall Firre Spruce Birch Béech Oke which in many places is not so thicke but may with small labour be made féeding ground being plentifull like the outward Ilands with fresh water which streameth downe in many places As we passed with a gentle winde vp with our ship in this Riuer any man may conceiue with what admiration we all consented in ioy Many of our Company who had béene trauellers in sundry countries and in the most famous Riuers yet affirmed them not comparable to this they now beheld Some that were with Sir Walter Ralegh in his voyage to Guiana in the discouery of the Riuer Orenoque which echoed fame to the worlds eares This riuer preferred before Orenoque and why gaue reasons why it was not to be compared with this which wanteth the dangers of many Shoules and broken ground wherewith that was incombred Others before that notable Riuer in the West Indies called Rio Grande some before the Riuer of Loyer the Riuer Seine and of Burdeaux in France which although they be great and grodly Riuers yet it is no detraction from them to be accounted inferiour to this which not only yeeldeth all the foresaid pleasant profits but also appeared infallibly to vs free from all inconueniences I will not prefer it before our riuer of Thames because it is Englands richest treasure but we all did wish those excellent Harbours good déeps in a continuall conuenient breadth and small tide gates to be aswell therein for our countries good as we found thē here beyond our hopes in certaine for those to whom it shall please God to grant this land for habitation which if it had with the other inseparable adherent commodities here to be found then I would boldly affirme it to be the most rich beautifull large secure harbouring riuer that the world affoordeth Wednesday the twelfth of Iune our Captaine manned his light-horseman with 17 men and ranne vp from the ship riding in the riuer vp to the codd thereof where we landed leauing six to kéepe the light-horseman till our returne Ten of vs with our shot and some armed with a boy to carry powder and match marched vp into the countrey towards the mountaines which we descried at our first falling with the land Unto some of them the riuer brought vs so néere as we iudged our selues when we landed to haue beene within a league of them but we marched vp about foure miles in the maine We marched vp into y e land about 4 miles and passed ouer thrée hilles and because the weather was parching hot and our men in their armour not able to trauel farre and returne that night to our ship we resolued not to passe any further being all very weary of so tedious and laboursom a trauell Good pasture In this march we passed ouer very good ground pleasant and fertile fit for pasture for the space of some thrée miles hauing but little wood and that Oke like stands left in our pastures in England good and great fit timber for any vse Some small Birch Hazle and Brake which might in small time with few men be cleansed and made good arable land but as it now is will féed cattell of all kindes with fodder enough for Summer and Winter The soile is blacke bearing sundry hearbs grasse and strawberries bigger than ours in England In many places are lowe Thicks like our Copisses of small yoong wood And surely it did all resemble a stately Parke wherein appeare some old trées with high withered tops and other flourishing with liuing gréene boughs Upon the hilles grow notable high timber trées masts for ships of 400 tun and at the bottome of euery hill a little run of fresh water but the furthest and last we passed ranne with a great streame able to driue a mill Deere Hares Hogges We might sée in some places where fallow Déere and Hares had béene and by the rooting of ground we supposed wilde Hogs had ranged there but we could descrie no beast because our noise still chased them from vs. We were no sooner come aboord our light-horseman returning towards our ship but we espied a Canoa comming from the further part of the Cod of the riuer Eastward which hasted to vs wherin with two others was he who refused to stay for a pawne and his comming was very earnestly importing to haue one of our men to go lie on shore with their Bashabes who was there on shore as they signed and then the next morning he would come to our ship with many Furres and Tabacco This we perceiued to be only a méere deuice to get possession of any of our men to ransome all those which we had taken which their naturall policy could not so shadow but we did easily discouer and preuent These meanes were by this Saluage practised because we had one of his kinsemen prisoner as we iudged by his most kinde vsage of him being aboord vs together Thursday the 13 of Iune by two a clocke in the morning because our Captaine would take the helpe and aduantage of the tide in the light-horseman with our Company well prouided and furnished with armour and shot both to defend and offend we went from our ship vp to that part of the riuer which trended Westward into the maine to search that and we carried with vs a Crosse to erect at that point which because it was not daylight we left on the shore vntill our returne backe when
we set it vp in maner as the former We set vp another crosse For this by the way we diligently obserued that in no place either about the Ilands or vp in the maine or alongst the riuer we could discerne any token or signe that euer any Christian had béene before of which either by cutting wood digging for water or setting vp Crosses a thing neuer omitted by any Christian trauellers we should haue perceiued some mention left But to returne to our riuer further vp into which we then rowed by estimation twenty miles the beauty and goodnesse wherof I can not by relation sufficiently demonstrate That which I can say in generall is this What profit or pleasure soeuer is described and truly verified in the former part of the riuer Conueniency of transportation is wholly doubled in this for the bredth and depth is such that any ship drawing 17 or 18 foot water might haue passed as farre as we went with our light-horsman and by all our mens iudgement much further because we left it in so good depth and bredth which is so much the more to be estéemed of greater woorth by how much it trendeth further vp into the maine for from the place of our ships riding in the Harbour at the entrance into the Sound to the furthest part we were in this riuer by our estimation was not much lesse than threescore miles From ech banke of this riuer are diuers branching streames into the maine wherby is affoorded an vnspeakable profit by the conueniency of transportation from place to place which in some countries is both chargeable and not so fit by cariages on waine or horsebacke Héere we saw great store of fish some great leaping aboue water which we iudged to be Salmons All along is an excellent mould of ground The wood in most places especially on the East side very thinne chiefly oke and some small yoong birch bordering low vpon the riuer all fit for medow and pasture ground and in that space we went we had on both sides the riuer many plaine plots of medow some of thrée or foure acres some of eight or nine Meddow and Grasse so as we iudged in the whole to be betweene thirty and forty acres of good grasse and where the armes run out into the Maine there likewise went a space on both sides of cléere grasse how far we know not in many places we might see paths made to come downe to the watering The excellencie of this part of the Riuer for his good breadth depth and fertile bordering ground did so rauish vs all with variety of pleasantnesse as we could not tell what to commend but only admired some compared it to the Riuer Seuerne but in a higher degrée and we all concluded as I verily thinke we might rightly that we should neuer see the like Riuer in euery degrée equall vntill it pleased God we beheld the same againe For the farther we went the more pleasing it was to euery man alluring vs still with expectation of better so as our men although they had with great labour rowed long and eat nothing for we carried with vs no victuall but a little chéese and bread yet they were so refreshed with the pleasant beholding thereof We were loath to leaue this Riuer and so loath to forsake it as some of them affirmed they would haue continued willingly with that onely fare and labour 2 daies but the tide not suffering vs to make any longer stay because we were to come backe with the tide and our Captaine better knowing what was fit then we and better what they in labour were able to endure being verie loath to make any desperate hazard where so little necessitie required thought it best to make returne because whither we had discouered was sufficient to conceiue that the Riuer ran very far into the land For we passed six or seuen miles altogether fresh water whereof we all dranke forced vp by the flowing of the Salt which after a great while eb where we left it by breadth of channell and depth of water was likely to run by estimation of our whole company an vnknowen way farther the search whereof our Captaine hath left till his returne if it shall so please God to dispose of him and vs. For we hauing now by the direction of the omnipotent disposer of all good intents far beyond the period of our hopes fallen with so bold a coast found so excellent and secure harbour for as many ships as any nation professing Christ is able to set forth to Sea discouered a Riuer which the All-creating God with his most liberall hand hath made aboue report notable with his foresaid blessings bordered with a land whose pleasant fertility bewraieth it selfe to be the garden of nature wherin she only intended to delight hir selfe hauing hitherto obscured it to any except to a purblind generation whose vnderstanding it hath pleased God so to darken as they can neither discerne vse or rightly estéeme the vnualuable riches in middest whereof they liue sensually content with the barke and outward rinde as neither knowing the swéetnes of the inward marrow nor acknowledging the Deity of the Almighty giuer hauing I say thus far proceeded and hauing some of the inhabitant nation of best vnderstanding we saw among them who learning our language may be able to giue vs further instruction concerning all the premised particulars as also of their gouernours and gouernment situation of townes and what else shall be conuenient which by no meanes otherwise we could by any obseruation of our selues learne in a long time our Captaine now wholy intended his prouision for spéedy returne For although the time of yeere and our victuall were not so spent but we could haue made a longer voyage in searching further and trading for very good commodities yet as they might haue béene much profitable The cause of our speedy returne so our company being small much more preiudiciall to the whole state of our voya 〈…〉 which we were most regardfull now not to hazard For we supposing not a little present priuate profit but a publique good and true zeale of promulgating Gods holy Church by planting Christianity to be the sole intent of the Honourable ◠〈…〉 rth of this discouery thought it generally most expedient by our speedy returne to giue the longer space of time to make prouision for so weighty an enterprise Friday the 14 day of Iune early by foure a clocke in the morning with the tide your two boats 〈…〉 anâ— a little helpe of the winde We ankâ—rd at the mouth of the Riuer we rowed downe to the riuers mouth and there came to an anker about eleuen a clocke Afterward our Captaine in the light horseman searched the sounding all about the mouth and comming to the Riuer for his certaine instruction of a perfect description The next day being Saturday we wayed anker and with a briese from the land we sailed