by Captain Thomas James

In 1631, Captain Thomas James of Bristol sailed into Hudson Bay on the seventy-tonne Henrietta Maria, seeking a Northwest Passage to the South Sea. What he found instead was a year of relentless misery — ice mountains, freezing fog, scurvy, and a desperate winter marooned on the desolate island he named Charleton. His crew of twenty-two survived by burning their own ship's timbers for warmth, hunting in waist-deep snow, and praying. They escaped in July 1632, arriving home in Bristol on October 22 with their ship shattered beneath them.

James's journal, published in 1633 by royal command, is one of the great survival narratives in the English language. It influenced Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and remains a primary source for the history of Arctic exploration. His prose is immediate, visceral, and unadorned — the voice of a man writing in extremity. "Many a Storme, and Rocke, and Mist, and Winde, and Tyde, and Sea, and Mount of Ice, haue I, in this Discouery, encountred withall."

This text is reproduced from the 1894 Hakluyt Society edition (Volume II, edited by Miller Christy), which reprints James's original 1633 text with modernised typography. Editorial footnotes have been removed; James's own spelling and voice are preserved. The mathematical appendix by Henry Gellibrand and the philosophical discourse by W. W. are omitted from this archival edition.

Dedication to the King

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT AND SACRED MAIESTIE.

Most Dread Soueraigne,

That my vnskilfull selfe was made
choyce of for this imployment, and
my undertaking in it encouraged by
Your gracious commandement, I must
ever account of for the greatest honour
that ever yet befell mee. Many a
Storme, and Rocke, and Mist, and Winde, and Tyde, and
Sea, and Mount of Ice, haue I, in this Discouery, encountered withall ; many a despaire and death had almost
ouerwhelmed mee ; but still the remembrance of the
accompt I was to give of it to so gracious a Maiesty, put
me in heart againe ; made mee not to giue way to mine
owne feares, or the infirmities of humanitie. Your Maiesty,
in my employment (like a true Father of your countrey),
intended the good of your subjects ; and who is not bound
to blesse God for your Royal care in it? Had it now
beene my fortune to have done my countrey this seruice
(as to have brought home the newes of this supposed and
long-sought-for Passage), then should the Merchant have enjoyed the sweetnesse of the hoped profit, and the Subject
haue beene sensible of the benefit of your Majesties royall
intentions in it. I have done my good will in it ; and,
though [I have] not brought home that newes, yet shall I
here divulge those observations, which may (I hope) become
some way beneficiall vnto my countrey. The Accompt of
them, I here, in all humilitie, offer unto your iudicious
Majesty. Your gracious acceptance of what I had done,
though I had not done what was expected, emboldeneth
me to doe so; and, since your Majestie was pleased to
signifie your desires of hauing a Briefe of my Voyage
presented unto you, that word became a command unto
mee to draw this rude abstract of it. Your Majestie will
please to consider that they were rough elements which
I had to doe withall ; and will, with fauour, vouchsafe to
pardon if a sea-man's style be like what he most converseth with. In the plainenesse, therefore, of well-meaning (since your Majestie hath beene so gracious to
mee, as to appoint mee your seruant), I am now bound to
vow you my seruice ; and it shall be my honour to be
commanded it ; and I shall account no dangers too great
in the going thorow it These are the resolutions of

Your Majesties humblest Subject
and Seruant,

THOMAS JAMES.

The Preparations

Theirs and mine owne voluntary willingnesse to doe his
Maiesties Seruice in this kinde, who most graciously accepted
of the offer, and encouraged mee by many fauours in my
weake vndertakings. Wherefore with all speed, I contriued
in my mind the best modell I could, whereby I might effect
my designe. The Adventurer monies were instantly ready
and put into a Treasurer's hand, that there might be no
want of present pay for anything I thought necessary for the
Voyage.

I was euer of the opinion that this particular action might
be better effected by one ship then by two consorted, because, in
those Icie Seas, so much subiect to fogs, they might be easily
separated. I forbeare to speake of stormes and other accidents, as that a Rendezvous in discoueries cannot surely, or
without much hinderance, be appointed, and that speedy perseuerance is the life of such a businesse. Wherefore I
resolued to haue but one Ship, the Ship-boate, and a
Shallop.

A great Ship (as by former experience I had found) was

vnfit to be forced thorow the Ice, wherefore I made choice of a

well-Conditioned, strong Ship, of the burthen of seuentie

Tunne; and in God and that only Ship to put the hope of my

future fortunes.

The Ship resolued vpon, and it having been decided that
in lesse time then 18 moneths our voyage could not be effected,
I next considered how our Ship of seuentie Tuns in bulke
and weight might now be proportioned — in victuals, namely,
and other necessaries. This was all done as contractedly as

we could; and the number of men it would serue, at ordinary
allowance for the forementioned time was found to be twentytwo — a small number to performe such a businesses yet
double sufficient to sayle the Ship with prouident carefulnesse.

The Bakery Brewer Butcher and others vndertake their
Offices vpon their credits knowing it to be a generall businesse and their vtter vndoing if they fayled in performance ;
but truly they prooued themselues Masters in their Arts, and
haue my praise for their honest care in them consisting a
great part of the performance of the voyage,

The Carpenters goe in hand with the Ship, to make her as
strong and seruiceable as possibly in their vnderstandings they
could.

Euery thing being duly proportioned, and my small number
of men knowne I began to thinke of the quality and abilitie
they should be of.

Voluntary loyterers I at first disclaimed, and published I
would haue all vnmarriedy approouedy able and healthy Seamen. In a few dayes, an abundant number presented themselues, furnished with generall sufficiencie in marine occasions. I first made choice of a Boate-swayne, and some to
worke with him for fitting the rigging of the Ship; and, as
things went forward, shipt the subordinate Crue ; and, all
things being perfectly ready y I shipt the Master's mates, and,
last of all, the Master of my Ship, and my Liefetenant.

The whole company were strangers to me, and to each other
(as by way of familiaritie\ but yet [they were a//] priuately
recommended by worthy Merchants for their abilitie and
faithfulnesse, I was sought to by diuers that had bin in
places of the chief est command in this action formerly and
others also that had vsed the Northerly Icie Seas; but I
vtterly refused them all, and would by no meanes haue any
with mee that had bin in the like voyage or aduentures, for
some priuate reasons vnnecessary here to be related. Keeping
thus the power in my owne hands, I had cUl the men to
acknowledge immediate dependance vpon my selfe alone, both
for direction and disposing of all, as well of the Nauigation
as all other things whatsoeuer)

In the mean time, the better to strengthen my former
studies in this businesse, I seeke after lournals, Plots,
Discourses, or what-euer else might helpe my vnderstand-

I set skilfull workemen to make me Quadrants, Staues,
Semicircles, &c.y as much, namely, as concerne the Fabricke
of them, not trusting to their Mechannicke hands to diuide
them, but had them diuided by an ingenious practitioner in
the Mathematicks. I likewise had Compasse-needles made

after the most reasonablest and truest wayes that could be
thought on; and, by the first of April, euery thing was ready
to be put together into our hopefull Ship,

In the meane space, I made a Iourney vp to London to
know his Maiesties further pleasure, and to make knowne to
him my readinesse; who, calling for the forementioned
Honourable Knight, I speedily after receiued his Maiesties
Royall Letters, with directions for proceeding in my voyage
and my discharge ; whereupon I had foorth the Ship into the
Rode, expecting a faire winde to begin the voyage,

A Voyage for the Discouering of a Passage to the South Sea

The second of May, 1631, I tooke my leaue of the Worshipfull Merchant
Aduenturers in this Action, in the
Citie of Bristoll ; and, being accompanied with a Reuerend Diuine, one
Master Thomas Palmer, and diuers
of the Merchants, with others of my kindred and natiue
Countrey-men, I repaired aboord. Here Master Palmer
made a Sermon, exhorting vs to continue brotherly loue
amongst vs, and to be bold to professe the true Christian
Religion where-euer we should happen, in this our perigrination. After they had receiued such entertainment as
my estate could affoord them, they departed for Bristoll.
This afternoone, I made reuiew of all things, as well of
clothes, and other necessaries, as of victuals ; and, where
there was found any want, wee were presently furnished.
The third of May (after Prayer for a prosperous suc-

cesse to our endeauours),, about three a clocke in the afternoone, we came to Sayle and Stode downe the Channell
of Seuerne with little winde, but slowly got forward to the
Westward of Lundie; and then the winde opposed it selfe
so strongly against vs that wee were driuen to beare vp
and come to an Anker in Lundie-Roade, the fifth in the
euening, where we remained vntill the eighth in the morning.

Now, hoping the winde would fauour us, wee came to
Sayle, but wee were forc'd to put into Milford; where we
came to an Anker about mid-night.

Here we remained till the seuenteenth, in the morning,
when, with the first fauouring winde, wee proceeded and
doubled about Cape Cleere of Ireland,

The two and twentieth, we were in Latitude 51. 26,
and the Blaskets did beare of vs North-east, about twelue
leagues off; which Blaskets is in Lat 52. 4. Here I ordred
the course that should bee kept, which was generally
West North- West, as the winde would giue leaue, which
in this Course and distance is very variable and vnconstant

The fourth of lune we made the land of Groynland.
Standing in with it, to haue knowledge of the trending of
it, it prooued very thicke foule weather.

And the next day, by two a clocke in the morning,
we found our selues incompassed about with Ice ; and, endeauouring to cleere our selues of it (by reason we could
not see farre about vs), we were the more ingaged, and
strooke many fearfull blowes against it. At length we
made fast to a great piece (it blowing a very storme), and,

With poles, wrought day and night to keepe off the Ice, in
which labour we broke all our poles.

The sixth, about two a clocke in the morning, we
were beset with many extraordinary great pieces of Ice
that came vpon vs, as it were, with wilfull violence, and
doubtlesse had crushed vs to pieces if we had not let fall
some Sayle, which the Ship presently felt. In scaping
that danger, we ran against another great piece, that we
doubted whether our Ship had not bin stav'd to pieces ; but,
pumping, we found she made no water. The former pieces
of Ice had crushed our Shallop all to pieces ; wherefore I
caused our long Boate speedily to be had vp from betwixt
the Decks and put ouer Boord, by helpe whereof we againe
recouered our broken Shallop, and had her vp on the
Decks, intending to new build her. All this day, we did
beat, and were beaten fearfully amongst the Ice, it blowing
a very storme. In the euening, wee were inclosed amongst
great pieces, as high as our Poope, and some of the sharpe
blue corners of them did reach quite vnder vs. All these
great pieces (by reason it was the out-side of the Ice) did
heaue and set, and so beat vs that it was wonderfull how
the Ship could indure one blow of it ; but it was God's
only preseruation of us, to whom be all honour and glory.
In this extremitie, I made the men to let fall, and make
what Sayle they could, and the Ship forced herself thorow
it, though so tossed and beaten as I thinke neuer Ship was.
When we were cleere, we sayed the pumps and found her
stanch, vpon which we went instantly to prayer, and to
praise God for his mercifuU deliuery of vs.

The seuenth and eighth dayes, we indeauoured to double
about Cape Farewell being still pestered with much Ice.

The ninth, we were in Lat. 59. 00, and we made account
the Cape Farewell bare of vs due East, and some ten leagues
off. The Blaskes in Ireland is in LdL 52. 4, and Cape Farewell in Lat 59. 00. The course is West-North-west, and
the distance about 410 leagues. I know very well these
Latitudes courses, and distances doe not exactly agree
with Mathematicall conclusions, but thus we found it by
practice. The variation of the Compasse in Lat 52. 30, and
30 leagues to the Westward of Ireland is about 3. 00 to the
Eastward ; in Lat 57. 00, about 310 leagues West Northwest from the Blaskes the Compasse doth vary 9. 00 to
the West-ward; in Lat 59. 15, some 40 leagues to the
East-ward of Cape Farewell the variation is about 14. 45,
In this course, I haue bin obseruant whether there were any
Currant that did set to the N.E., as some haue written
there did, and that as well in calme weather as otherwayes, but I could no't perceiue any. The windes here are
variable, and the Sea of an vnsearchable depth. We haue
not seen, from Ireland hitherto, any Whales or other Fish.
The weather, for the most part, was foggie and mistie that
wets as bad as raine.

The tenth, all the morning, was very foule weather,
and a high-growne Sea, although we had Ice not farre off
about vs, and some pieces as high as our Top-mast-head.
Our long Boate, which we were faine to Towe at Sterne
(by reason we were building our Shallop on our Decks),
broke away and put vs to some trouble to recouer her
againe. This we did, and made meanes to haue her into
the Ship, though very much bruised, and that I had two
men sore hurt, and like to be lost in the hauing of her in.
By eight a clocke this euening, we were shot vp as high as
Cape Desolation ; for, finding here the Land to trend away
North and by East, we certainly knew it to be the Cape.
It stands in Lat, 60. 00, and the Land from Cape Fat^ewell
to it trends N.W., the distance about 40 leagues. The dis-

tance from Cape Desolation to the South end of the Hand
o( Resolution is about 140 leagues, the course West halfe a
point North. The Lat of the South end of the Hand
being 61. 20; some 12 leagues to the Westward of Cc^e
Desolation the variation is 16. 00. In this course, we were
much tormented, pestered, and beaten with the Ice, many
pieces being higher then our Top-mast-head. In our way,
we saw many Grampusses amongst the Ice, and it seemeth
the Sea is full of them. The weather, for the most part, a
stinking fogge, and the Sea very blacke, which I conceiue
to be occasioned by reason of the fogge.

The seuenteenth, at night, we heard the rut of the
shoare, as we thought ; but it prooued to be the rutt against
a banke of Ice that lay on the shoare.* It made a hollow
and a hideous noyse, like an ouer-flow of water, which
made vs to reason amongst our selues concerning it, for
we were not able to see about vs, it beinge darke night and
foggie. We stood off from it till breake of day, then in
againe, and about 4 a clocke in the morning wee saw the
Land aboue the fogge, which we knew to be the Hand of
Resolution? This last night was so cold that all our Rigging and Sayles were frozen. Wee endeauoured to compasse about the Southern point of the Hand, for that we
were so much pestered with the Ice, and blinded with a
very thicke fogge. Here runnes a quicke tyde into the
Straight, but the ebbe is as strong as the flood. The
fogge was of such a piercing nature that it spoiled all our
Compasses, and made them flagge, and so heauy withall

that they would not trauerse. Wherefore I would aduise
any that shall Sayle this way hereafter to prouide Compasses of Muscouia Glasse, or some other matter, that will
endure the moisture of the weather. As the fogge cleered
vp, we could see the entrance of the Straight to be all full
of Ice close thronged together. Indeauouring to goe forward, wee were fast inclosed amongst it ; and so droue to
and againe with it, finding no ground at 230 fad., 4 leagues
from the shoare.

The twentieth, in the morning, we had got about the
Southerne point of the Iland, and the winde came vp at
West, and droue both vs and the Ice vpon the shoare.
When we were driuen within two leagues of the shoare, we
came amongst the most strangest whirlings of the Sea that
possibly can bee conceiued. There were diuers great
pieces of Ice aground in 40 fad. water ; and the ebbe, comming out of the broken grounds of the Hand amongst these
lies of Ice, made such a distracti5 that we were carryed
round, sometimes close by the Rocks, sometimes close by
those high pieces, that we were afeard they would fall
vpon vs.' We were so beaten likewise with the encountering of the Ice that we were in a most desperate estate.
We made fast two great pieces of Ice to our sides with
our Kedgef and Grapnels that drew 9 or 10 fad., that
so they might be a-ground before vs, if so be we were

466 James's strange and dangerous voyage.

driuen on the shoare. But that designe fayled vs;
and now, from the top, seeing in amongst the Rocks,
I sent the Boate (for now wee had finished her) to
see if shee could find some place of securitie ; but shee
was no sooner parted but shee was inclosed and driuen
to hale vp on the Ice, or else shee had beene crushed
to pieces. They ranne her ouer the Ice, from piece to
piece; and, in the meane space, with the whirling and
incountring of the Ice, the two pieces brake away from
our sides, and carryed away our Kedger and Grapnels.
Then we made signes to the Boate to make all the haste
shee could to vs, which shee, perceiuing, did, the men
being, with much difficultie, inforced to hale her ouer
many pieces of Ice. In the meane space, we made some
Sayle, and got to that piece of Ice that had our Grapnell
on it, which wee againe recouered. By this time was our
Boate come, and we put afresh Crue into her, and sent her
to fetch our Kedger, which shee endeauoured with much
danger of Boate and Men. By this time, the Ship was
driuen so neere the shoare that we could see the Rocks
under vs and about vs, and we should be carryed with the
whirlings of the waters close by the points of Rocks, and
then round about backe againe ; and all this, notwithstanding the Sayle we had abroad, that we expected continually when shee would be beaten to pieces. In this
extremetie, I made them to open more Sayle, and to force
her in amongst the Rocks and broken grounds, and where
there was many great pieces of Ice aground. We went
ouer Rocks that had but 12 or 13 foot water on them, and
so let fall an Anker. This Anker had neuer bin able to
winde vp the Ship, but that (by good fortune) the Ship
ranne against a great piece of Ice that was aground. This
rush brake the Mayne knee of her Beake head, and a corner of it tare away 4 of our maine Shrouds, and an Anker
that we had at the Bowe fastened into it, and so stopt her

way that she did winde vp to her Anker. Wee saw the
sharp Rocks vnder vs and about vs, and had but 1 5 foot
water, being also in the tides way, where all the Ice would
driue upon vs. Our Boate we could not see, which made
us doubt shee had bin crushed to pieces. In her was the
third part of our company ; but, by and bye, we saw her
come about a point amongst the Rocks. Shee had recouered our Kedger, which made us something ioyfull.
With all speed, we laid our Hawsers to the Rocks, and
euery one did worke to the best of his strength to Warp
her out of this dangerous place to the Rocks side, where
wee had 3 fad. water and were vnder the shelter of a great
piece of Ice that was a-ground, which should keepe off the
Ice that otherwise would haue driuen vpon vs. Here wee
lay very well all the ebbe ; but, when the flood came, we
were assaulted with pieces of Ice that, euery halfe houre,
put vs into despayrable distress. We did worke continually, and extremely, to keepe off the Ice. At full Sea,
our great piece of Ice (which was our Buckler) was afloate,
and (doe what wee could) got away from vs, and left vs
in a most eminent danger, by reason of the Ice that droue
in vpon vs. But the ebbe being once made, this great
piece of Ice came a-ground very fauourable to vs, and
sheltered vs all the rest of the ebbe. All night, we wrought
hard to shift our Cables and Hawsers, and to make them
fast aloft on the Rocks, that the Ice might the better passe
vnder them. All day and all night, it snowed hard and
blew a very storme at West, which droue in all the Ice out
of the Sea vpon vs. In working against the violence of
the Ice, the flooke of our Kedger was broken, two armes of

our Grapnels, and two Hawsers, our Shallop being againe
very much bruised, whereupon to work we goe on all hands
to repaire it.

21. This tyde, the Harbour was choaked full of Ice, so
    that it did seeme fir me and vnmoouable ; but, whert the ebbe
    was made, it did mooue. Some great pieces came a-ground,
    which did alter the course of the other Ice, and put vs on
    the Rocks. Here, notwithstanding all our vttermost endeauours, she settled vpon a sharpe Rocke, about a yard
    aboue the Mayne Mast ; and, as the water ebbed away, she
    hung after the. Head, and heeld to the Offing. We made
    Cables and Hawsers aloft to her Masts, and so to the
    Rocks,. straining them tough with our tackles ; but shee, as
    the water ebbed away, sunk still, that at length she was
    so turned ouer that wee could not stand in her. Hauing
    now done all to the best of our vnderstandings (but to
    little purpose), we went all vpon a piece of Ice and fell to
    prayer, beseeching God to be mercifull vnto vs. It wanted
    yet an houre to low-water, and the tyde did want a foot
    and a halfe to ebbe to what it had ebbed the last tyde.
    We were carefull obseruers of the low-waters, and had
    marks by stones and other things which we had set vp, so
    that we could not be deceiued. The Ship was so turned
    ouer that the Portlesse of the Fore-castell was in the water,
    and we did looke euery minute when she. would ouer-set.
    Indeed, at one time, the Cables gaue way, and shee sunke
    downe halfe a foot at that slip ; but vnexpectedly it began
    to flow, and sensibly wee perceiued the water to rise apace,
    and the Shippe withall. Then was our sorrow turned to
    ioy, and we all fell on our knees, praising God for his
    mercy in so miraculous a deliuerance.

As soone as she was freed from this Rocke, we
wrought hard to get her further off. All the flood, we
were pretty quiet from the Ice ; but, when the ebb
was made, the Ice came all driuing againe vpon vs,
which put vs to a great extremity. We got as many
pieces betwixt vs and the Rockes as we could, to fence
vs from the Rockes. There came a great piece vpon our
quarter, which was aboue 300 of my paces about, but
it came aground. Thus did diuers great pieces besides,
which was the occasion that this tyde the Harbour was
quite choakt vp, so that a man might goe any way ouer
it, from side to side. When it was three-quarters ebbe,
these great pieces that came aground began to brcake with
a most terrible thundering noyse, which put vs in a great
feare that those about vs would breake vs all to pieces.
But God preserued vs.

22. This morning, the water veer'd to a lower ebbe then
    the last tide it had done by two foote, whereby we saw God's
    mercies apparent in our late extremity. That flood we had
    some respit from our labours ; but, after full sea, our hopes
    ebde too. The great peece that was by vs so stopt the
    Channel that the Ice came all driuing vpon vs, so that now
    vndoubtedly we thought wee should haue lost our Ship.
    To worke thereupon we goe, with axes, barres of iron, and
    any thing proper for such a purpose, to breake the corners
    of the Ice, and to make way for it to driue away from vs.
    It pleased God to giue good successe to our labours ; and
    we made way for some, and fended off the rest, and got so
    much of the softer sort of the Ice betwixt vs and the
    Rockes, that we were in pretty security. But, at low water,
    those peeces that were aground, breaking, kept a most
    thundering noyse about vs. This day, I went ashore and
    built a great Beacon with stones vpon the highest place of
    the Hand, and put a Crosse vpon it, and named this

Harbour The Harbour of God's Prouidence) In the Euening,
the Harbour was fuller of the Ice then euer it had beene
since we came hither, and the greater peeces grounded and
stopt the rest, that none went out the ebbe, but the Ship
lay as if shee had laine in a bed of Ice.

The three and twentieth day, in the morning, with the
flood, the Ice droue vp amongst the broken grounds, and
with the ebbe droue all out (it being then very calme)
except one extraordinary great peece, which, comming
aground not farre from vs, settled itselfe in such a manner
that we much feard him. But there came no more great
Ice after him : otherwise we must haue expected as great
danger as at any time heretofore. I tooke the boate and
went ashore vpon the Easterne side, to see if I could finde
any place freer from danger then this vnfortunate place ;
where, amongst the Rockes, I discried a likely place.
From the top of the Hill where I was, I could see the Ship.
It was now almost lowe water, at which instant the forementioned piece of Ice brake, with a terrible noyse, into
foure pieces, which made me doubtfull it had not spoyled
the Ship, it being full halfe mast high. I made what haste
I could to the boate, and so to the Ship, to be satisfied,
where I found all well ; God be thanked ; for that the Ice
had broken from the Ship-ward. I instantly sent away
the boate to sound the way to a Coue that I had found,
which was a very dangerous passage for the boate. At
her returne, we vn-moord the Ship, and, with what speede
possible, warpt away from amongst this terrible Ice. We
were not a mile from them, but they brake all to pieces,
and would surely haue made vs beare them company, but

that God was more mercifull vnto vs. We got about the
Rocks, and so into this little Coue which I had so newly
discouered. Here we made fast to the Rockes, and thought
ourselues in indifferent safety ; which, being done, I went
ashoare againe, to wander vp and downe, to see what I
could discouer. I found it all broken Rockie grounds,
and not so much as a tree, herbe, or grasse vpon it. Some
Ponds of water there were in it, which were not yet thawed,
and therefore not ready for the fowle. We found not in the
snow any footing of Deere or Beares, but Foxes we saw
one or two.

We found where the Saluages had beene ; but it was
long since. They had made fiue hearths ; and we found
a few fire-brands about them, and some heads of Foxes,
and bones of Foxes, with some Whale-bones. I could not
conceiue to what purpose they should come thither ; for we
could finde none, or very little, wood on the shoares side,
and no fish at all, though we did dayly indeauour to take
some. But it may be the season was not yet come. I
named this Coue by the Master's name of my Ship, Prices
Coue) The Latitude of it is 61. 24. ; the Variation The
firebrands and chips which I spake of had beene cut with
some hatchet or other good instrument of iron.* From the
top of the hills, we could see the Hands that are on the
South shore, and commonly called Sir Thomas ButtotCs
lies ; they did beare South and by East halfe a point
Easterly, some 14 or 15 leagues distant ; vpon the change

day, it flowes here seuen a clocke and a halfe; and the
tyde highest at most three fad. The flood comes from
the Eastwards, and thither it retumes. I haue beene
obseruant from the top of the hills, whence I might descry
the great pieces of Ice, 2 or 3 leagues from the shoare,
driue to and againe with the flood and ebbe indifferently.
Hence I collected that assuredly there is no currant sets
in here, but that it is a meere tyde. Neere the shoare, the
eddies whirle into twenty manners when the ebbe is made,
which is becajLise it comes out of the broken ground amongst
the Ice that is aground neere the shoare ; besides which
reason, there be diuers Rockes lying vnder water, on which
you shall haue now 30, then 12, and anon but 8, and then
20 fad. ; and these vncertainties occasion such distractions.
I would therefore aduise none to come too neere those
dangerous shoares, for feare hee lose his ship, and so, by
consequence, all. The last night, we tooke better rest then
we had done in tenne nights before.

And this morning, being the 24, there sprung vp a faire
gale of wind at East ; and, after prayer, we vnfastened our
Ship and came to saile, steering betwixt great pieces of
Ice that were a-ground in 40 fad., and twice as high as our
top-mast head.

Wee went forth of this Coue vpon the flood, and had
none of those whirlings of the waters as we had at our
going into it. We indeauored to gaine the North shoare ;
kept our selves within a league of the shoare of the Hand
of Resolution where we had some cleere water to saile
thorow. In the Offing, it was all thicke throngd together
as might be possible. By 12 a clocke, we were fast
inclosed ; and, notwithstanding it blew very hard at East,

LIJIU..

yet we could make no way through it ; but the hard
corners of the Ice did grate vs with that violence as I
verily thought it would haue grated the plankes from the
Ship's sides.

Thus we continued in torment till the 26 day, driuing
to and againe in the Ice, not being able to see an acre of
sea from top-mast head. This 26 was calme Sun-shine
weather ; and we tooke the Latitude and Variation. The
Latitude is ; the Variation ; we sounded and had
ground at 140 fad., small white sand. I caused the men
to lay out some fishing lines, but to no purpose ; for
I could not perceiue that baite bad beene so much as
touched. The nights are very cold, so that our rigging
freezes, and the fresh ponds of water stand vpon the Ice,
aboue halfe an inche thicke.

The 27, there sprung vp a little gale at South-East, and
the Ice did something open. Hereupon, we let fall our
foresayle and forced the Ship thorow the throng of Ice.
In the Euening, the winde came contrary at W.N.W. and
blew hard, which caused vs to fasten to a great piece, to
which we remained moord till the 29.

I am resolued that here is no currant, and that by many
experiments which I haue made. Namely, by taking
markes on the land ; and [by] noting our drift to and againe
with the ebbe and flood, for many days together, as well
in calme weather as othen^'ayes. By all these experiments,
I found exactly that the tide was no stronger there then
that betwixt England and France.

29. This morning there sprung vp a fine gale at E., and
    the Ice did open something, so that we did force the Ship
    thorow it with her fore-saile. By 12 a clocke, we were
    gotten into some open water, with a fine gale of wind at
    East, and so cleere weather that we could see the Hand of

Resolution. The North end did beare of vs E.N.E., some
12 leagues off.

From this 29 till the S of July wee sayled continually
thorow the Ice, with variable windes and fogges, and
sometimes calme. The 5, at noone, we had a good obseruatioHy and were in Latitude 63. 15, and then wee saw
Salisbury Hand, bearing W. by N., some 7 leagues off,
with much Ice betwixt it and vs, to weather which we
were driuen to stand to the Northward. Soone after, we
saw Prince Charles his Cape and Mill Hand; and, to the
North-north-west (and, indeed, round about vs), the Sea
most infinitely pestered with Ice. This did grieue me
very much ; for, whereas I had determined to prosecute
the discouery to the North-westward, I saw it was not
possible this yeere. Wee were, moreouer, driuen back
againe with contrary windes, still closed and pestered
with ice, and with all the perils and dangers incident to
such aduentures, so that we thought, a thousand times,
that the Ship had bin beaten to pieces.

By the fifteenth day oi July, we were got betwixt Digges
Hand and Nottingham's Hand? not being able to get more
Northward. There, for an houre or two, we had some
open water.

But, before I proceed further, it were not amisse in some
manner to describe the Straight, which begins at the Hand
of Resolution, ?ir\A ends here at Digges Hand, Ifyougoe
downe into the Bay, the Straight is about 120 leagues long,
and trends W.N.W. and E.S.E. generally. In the entrance,
it is about 1 5 leagues broad ; and then on the Southward
side is a great Bay) About the middest, it is likewise
about 15 leagues broad, and then the Land opens something wider ; so that, betwixt Digges Hand and Cape
Ouirles) it is about 20 leagues broad ; betwixt which two
stands Salisbury Hand and Nottingham Hand. If it be
cleere weather, you may see both the South and the
North shoarcs ; ordinarily, the depth in the middle of
the Straight is 120 faddomes, white sand. A certaine
tyde runnes in it, and no current The North shoare is
the straightest, and the cleerest from Ice too. Alongst
the North shoare, you haue many low small Hands, which
cannot be seene farre off from the land; and, in many
places, the land makes as if it had small sounds into it.
The Maine land on both sides is indifferent high land.
And so much for discourse may suffice ; referring you
to the Piol for the particulars.

16. Being now resolued of the impossibilitie to doe any
    thing to the North-westward, for the reasons aforesaid : I
    gaue order to the Master of my Ship to Steere away
    W.S.W., to haue a sight of Mansfeild^s Hand ; which, the
    next day, by three a clocke in the after-noone, we had.

1 Ungava Bay.

3 See pp. 472 and 473-

hauing had so much dangerous foule weather amongst the
Ice, that we strooke more fearfull blowes against it then
we had euer yet done. This was the first day that wee
went to halfe allowance of bread Flesh dayes, and I
ordered things as sparingly as I could. Two of our men
complaine likewise of sicknesse, but soone afterward recouered. In the euening, wee came to an Anker, and I
sent the Boate ashoare to try the tydes. They brought
mee word that, whilest the Boat was ashoare, it flowed
about some three foote ; and, as wee found by the Ship
and by the Ice, the water at that time came from the
W.S.W., and that the highest tydes (so farre as they could
perceiue) it had not highed aboue two fadome. They
found that the Saluages had been vpon it, by certaine fires
which they found, and heapes of stones, tracks of other
beasts, but Foxes they could not finde. The winde
was so contrary, and the weather so foggie, that wee
were faine to spend some powder to recouer our Boate
againe.

Next morning, being the 17, the winde came something fauourable, and wee wayed. The shoare being
something cleere of Ice (though very thicke all to the
OflSng), wee stood alongst it S. and S. by W., some 10
leagues. In the after-noone, the winde came contrary, and
we came againe to an Anker within a mile of the shoare,
for to Sea-boord was all thicke Ice, and vnpassable. I
went ashoare my selfe to be resolued of the tyde, and
found, whilest I was a shoare, that it did flow two foote ;
and at that time the flood came from the S.W. by W. I
doubted it was an halfe tyde, which afterwards I found to
be true. I found where the Saluages had beene vpon the
Hand, but could see little or no drift wood on the shoare,
no beasts on the Hand, nor fishes in the Sea. It flowes
on the change day about eleuen a clocke. We saw some
fowle on it, of which we killed one, and returned aboord.

This Hand is very low land, little higher then a dry sandbanke. It hath Ponds vpon it of fresh water, but no
grasse, and is vtterly barren of all goodnesse.

The 18, in the morning, the winde came something
fauourable ; and we weyed and came to Sayle, for the Ice
was all comne about vs. We endeauoured to proceed to
the Westward, intending to fall with the Westerne land,
about the Latitude 63. 00. By twelue a clocke (hauing
beene much pestered), we were comne to a firme range of
Ice ; but it pleased God that the winde larged, and wee
stowed away S.S.W. At noone, in Lat, 62. 00 ; by 4 in the
euening (hauing scaped dangerous blowes), wee were come
(as wee thought) into an open Sea, and ioyfully steered
away West and W. by N., although that loy was soone
quayled. By ten at night, we heard the rut of the Ice, and
it grew a thicke fogge, and very darke with it Neuerthelesse, we proceeded, and the neerer we came to it, the more
hideous noyse it made.

By three in the morning, the 19, we were come to it ;
and, as it did cleere a little, we could see the Ice, which
were as thicke rands of Ice as any we had yet seene.
These being vnpassable, and, moreouer, the winde at N.W.,
we stowed alongst it, hoping to weather it to the Southward ; but, at last, we became so blinded with fogge, and
so incompassed with Ice, that we could goe no further.

p. 452).

(

i

The 20, in the morning (notwithstanding the fogge),
we endeauoured to get to the Westward, our ship beating I

and knocking all this while most fearefully.

In this wilfulnesse, we continued till the 21, when,
being fast amongst the Ice, I obserued we were in LaL
60. 33 ; and then, looking what damage our Ship might haue
receiued, we could perceiue that, below the plate of Iron
which was before her Cut-water, shee was all bruised and
broken ; the two knees she had before to strengthen her,
spoyled and torne ; and many other defects, which we could
not by any meanes come to mend. Notwithstanding all
this, and the extraordinary thicke fogge (that we could not
see a Pistoll-shot about vs), we proceeded with the hazzard
of all.

Till the 2] which was the first time we had cleere
weather to looke about vs. The winde withall came vp #

at South, and the Ice did open something, so that we
made some way thorow it to the Westward. In the euening,
we were fast againe and could goe no further, the winde
veering from the South to the East, and blowing a fresh
gale. This occasioned our griefes the more, that with a
good winde wee could not goe forward. Putting, therefore, a Hawser vpon a piece of great Ice, to keepe the Ship
close to it, we patiently expected for better fortune. Since
we came from Mansfield's Hand, our depth was commonly
1 10 and 100 fad., oozye ground. Now the water begins to
showlde, for this present 27, driuing fast to and againe in
the Ice, we haue but 80 fad., ground as before.

The 28 and 29, we were so fast inclosed in the Ice that,
notwithstanding we put abroad all the sayle that was at
yards, and that it blew a very hard gale of winde, the Ship
stirred no more then if shee had beene in a dry Docke.
Hereupon, we went all boldly out vpon the Ice to sport and
recreate ourselues, letting her stand still vnder all her

Sayles. It was flat, extraordinary large Ice, the worst to

deal withall that we had yet found. I measured some
pieces, which I found to be 1000 of my paces long. This
was the first day that our men began to murmure, thinking
it impossible to get either forwards or backe-wardes.
Some were of the opinion that it was all such Ice betwixt
vs and the shoare. Others that the Bay was all couered
ouer, and that it was a doubt whether we could get any
way, or to any land to winter in. The nights were long,
and euery night it did so freeze that we could not sayle
amongst the Ice by night, nor in the thicke foggie weather.
I comforted and incouraged them the best I coulde ; and, to
put away these cogitations, wee drank a health to his
Maiestie on the Ice — not one man in the Ship, and shee still
vnder all her sayles. I most ingeniously confesse that all
their murmuring was not without reason ; wherefore, doubting that we should be frozen vp in the Sea, I ordered that
fire should be made but once a day, and that but with a certaine number of shides that the Steward should deliuer to
the Cooke by tale, the better to prolong our fewell, whatsoeuer should happen.

The 30, we made some way thorow the Ice ; we heauing
the Ship with our shoulders, and, with Mawles and Crowes
of Iron, breaking the corners of the Ice to make way. As
we got forwards, the water shoaled apace, so that I beleeue
it to be some Hand. At noone, we obseru'd thorow the
fogge, with the Quadrant, vpon a piece of Ice, and were in
LaL 58. 54 ; our depth 30 fad. We put out hookes to try
to catch some fish, but to no purpose, for there is not any
in this Bay.

The 31, we laboured as aforesaid, and got something
forward. At noone, we were in LaL 58. 40 ; our depth

48o JAMES'S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

23 fad. It was very thicke hazye weather, or else I thinke
we should haue seene the land.

The first oi August the winde came vp at West, which
droue vs to the Eastward, where our depth increased to 35
fad. At noone (by obseruation with the Quadrant on the
Ice), we were in Lat 58. 45. At sixe a clocke this euening,
we might perceiue the Ice to heaue and set a little, which
was occasioned by a swelling Sea, that came out of the
South-West. This did comfort vs very much, hoping
shortly we should get out of the Ice.

The second, it did blow hard at South-West, and yet we
could not feele the foremen tioned swelling Sea, which did
againe quench the hopes we had formerly conceiued.

The third, wee did see a little open water to the Northwestward, and did feele a swelling Sea from the West,
which doth assure vs that there is an open Sea to the Westward.

The fifth, we saw the Sea cleere ; but could by no means
worke ourselues to it with our sayles ; wherefore, about
sixe in the euening, wee let fall an Anker in 50 fad. water,
and stood all with poles and oares to fend off the Ice and
let it passe to Leewards. We continued this labour all
night

6. In the morning, the winde came vp at North-West,
   and we wayed with much loy, as hoping now to get into an
   open Sea to the Southward. This, by noone, we had done,
   and were in Lat, 58. 28, very free of Ice. The winde did
   large vpon vs, so that we stood away North-West, to get
   vp as high to the Northward as we could, and so to come
   coasting to the Southward. We went to prayer, and to
   giue God thanks for our deliuery out of the Ice.

The ninth (being in Lat. 59. 40), we came againe to the
Ice, which lye very thicke to the North. Since we came out

of the Ice, our depth increased to no, and now decreaseth
againe ; so that I thinkc we approached towards the shoare.

The tenth prooued very thicke foggie weather ; the winde
[being] contrary, and the water showlding apace, we came
to an Anker in 22 fad.

The eleuenth, in the morning, we wayed and made in
for the shoare, and, about noone, saw the land ; our depth
being 16 fad. in Lat, 59. 40. The land to the North of vs
did trend North by East, and so made a point to the
Southward, and trended away West by South, which we
followed, making it for that place which was formerly
called Hubberfs Hope) And so it prooued indeed ; but it
is now hopelesse.

Two or three words now concerning the Bay that we
haue past ouer : It is, from Digges Hand to this Westerland (in latitude aforesaid), about 160 leagues ; the course,
West South West ; the variation .

The tydes doe set, in the middle of the Bay, East and
West, as we haue often tryed by our ledde aground ; but,
neerer the shoares, as they are forced by the land. I am
of the opinion that, in the OceaUy or in large Bayes, the
tydes doe naturally set East and West, and that this doth
giue little hope of a passage. The greatest depth we had
in the Bay was 1 10 fad., and so shoalding as you approach
to land ; we coasted round about this forementioned little
Bay,® which is some 18 leagues deepe, in 8 and 6 fad. ; and,
in the bottome of it, we were in two faddome and a halfe
water, and saw the firme land almost round about vs. Then
we proceeded to the Southward, sixe and seuen faddome

• See note 2, p. 471.

water, within sight of the breach of the shoare, keeping
the lead continually going, and in the night we would come
to an Anker. This night, being little winde, we came to
an Anker with our Kedger ; but, in waying of him, we lost
him, hauing no more aboord vs.

The 12, we were in Lat. 58. 46, some two leagues from
the shoare. The variation is about 17 deg.

The 13, in the afternoone (it being something hazye), we
saw some breaches ahead vs ; our depth was 9 and 10 fad. ;
and, luffing to cleere our selues of them, we suddenly
strooke vpon the Rocks, the Ship then being vnder our
two Topsayles, Foresayle and Spreetsayle, with a fresh
gale of winde. In this fearefull accident, wee strooke all
our sayles amaine ; and it did please God to send two or
three good swelling Seas, which did heaue vs ouer the
Rocks into 3 fad., and presently into three faddome and a
halfe, where we chopt to an Anker,* and sayed the pumps ;
but we founde shee made no water, although shee had
three such terrible blows that we thought her Mast would
haue shiuered to pieces, and that she had bin assuredly
bulged. Wee hoyst the Boate ouer-boord and double
man'd her, to goe seeke and sound a way out of this
perilous place. Shee was no sooner gone but there rose a
fogge, so that we were faine to spend some powder that
shee might heare whereabouts we were. The winde duld
something : otherwise it had beene doubtfull whither shee
could euer haue recoured to vs againe. After shee had
beene absent two houres, she brought vs word that it was
all Rocks and breaches round about vs ; and that withall
shee had found a way where there was not lesse then
two fad. and a halfe, and that afterwards the water did

p. 337).

deepen. We did presently way and follow the Boate,
and past ouer two ledges of Rocks, on which there was
scarce 14 foot water. Then it did deepen to 3, 4, and so
to 14 fad. ; then it shoulded againe to 9. It being now
night, we came to an Anker, where we ride indifferent well
all the night. In the morning, the winde came contrary,
so that wee could not goe that way we intended to cleere
our selues ; and therefore we went to worke to fit our
holds, to splise our Cables, and made ready two shot, and
so placed them in the Hold, that they might vpon all
occasions runne cleere, the ends of them being fastened to
the maine Mast. We likewise lookt to our Ankers, and
fitted our spare ones. We got out our long Boate from
betwixt the decks, which was very much broken and
bruised. The Carpenter went to worke to fit her (for I
intended to tow the Shallop at Sterne), and so to haue the
Boats ready at an instant, either to lay out Ankers, or to
be seruiceable to what God should be pleased to try our
faith and patience withall ; for in him was our only trust
and our hope vpon his fauour in our honest endeauours.
At noone, in Lat 57. 45, wee could see the land from the
N.W. to the S.E. by E., with Rocks and breaches ; and
the Rocks that we came ouer, dry aboue water, whereby
I knew it flowes here two faddomes at least At noone, I
sent the Boate off to sownd to the Eastward, because the
water shoulded when we came to an Anker. Shee brought
vs word the shouldest water she had beene in was 7 fad.
We intending thereupon to way, the winde came Easterly,
so that we could not budge, but lay here the 14 all night,
with a stiffe gale of winde.

The 15, in the euening, our Cable galded off, by reason
of which perilous and sudden accident, in which wee had

i

not time to put a Buoy to it, we lost our Anker, and were
driuen into 4 fad. water before we could set our sayles.
This when we had done we stowed South-South-East,
the winde being at East, but the water shoulded to 3 fad.
Then wee stowed North north-east, and it did deepen by
degrees to ten fadd. ; and, because it grew darke, we came
to an Anker, and rid a good stresse all night.

In the morning, the 16, the winde came vp at North, a
fresh gale, and we wayed and came to sayle. By nine a
clocke, it grew to be a very storme, and we turned to and
againe in 10 fad. water. In the euening, the winde duld,
and wee stood South-west to haue a sight of Port Nelson
which course we stood all night, by the Starres, being in
Lat S7. 2$ ; the variation about 17 degrees.

The 17, in the morning, we stood South, and our depth
decreased by degrees to 8 faddomes. At noone, we had
good obseruation, being in Latitude 57. 15 ; and wee make
account that we are some 6 or 7 leagues of the Southerne
side of Port Nelson. Here the colour of the water changed,
and was of a puddlelish and sand, red colour. We stood
into 6 fad., and could not see the land from Top-masthead ; so, night comming on, and it beginning to blow hard
at East by South, we stood off againe into 10 and I2 faddomes, where the water was againe of the colour of the
Sea.

The 18, as the winde and weather fauoured vs, and the
storme was broken vp, we stood in againe South, and
came againe into thicke puddleish water, into 8, 7, and 6
fad., and then off againe, for that it grew thicke foggie

u'eather, keeping our lead continually going night and
day.

The 19, being fine cleere Sun-shine weather, we stood
in againe, into the thicke puddelish water, into 8 fad., where
we came to an Anker to try the tydes, for that from
Top-mast-head we could not now see the land. We were
at noone (by good obseruation) in Latitude 57. 20, and the
tyde did set N.W. by W. and S.E. by E. It did runne
two knots and a halfe in two glasses. I re.solued that this
was nothing but shoalds to the land. In the after-noone,
it began to snuffle and blow, so that we had much adoe to
get vp our Anker. This being done, we stood East-SouthEast, but the water shoalded apace. Then we stood East,
and it deepened a little. In the euening, the winde came
vp at West, and then we stood East South-east into 10
and 8, and afterwards South-East, as our depth did guide
vs by our lead, and the colour of the water, into 7 and 6
faddomes.

The 20, at 6 in the morning, we saw the land, it being a
very low flat land. Wee stood into 5 faddomes to make
it the better, and so stood alongst it. At noone wee were
in lat. 57. 00. We named it The new Principality of South
Wale ; and drank a health in the best liquor we had to

Prince Charles his Highnesse, whom God preserue. Wc
stood alongst it, and came to a point where it trends to the
Southward, neere to which point there are two small
Ilands. In the euening, it was calme, and we came to an
Anker. The tyde set as aforesaid. There we rid all that
night and the next day, by reason the winde was contrary.
There went a chopping short Sea, and the Ship did
labour at it exceedingly, leaping in Spreet-sayle yard,
Forecastell, and all ; for, as yet, we had not trimmed her
well to ride. About nine at night, it was very darke, and it
did blow hard. Wee did perceiue by the lead the Ship did
driue, wherefore bringing the Cable to Capstang to heaue
in our Cable (for we did thinke we had lost our Anker),
the Anker hitcht againe, and, vpon the chopping of a Sea,
threw the men from the Capstang. A small rope, in the
darke, had gotten foule about the Cable, and about the
Master's legge too ; but, with helpe of God, hee did
cleere himselfe, though not without sore bruising. The
two Mates were hurt : the one in the head, the other in the
arme. One of our lustiest men was strooken on the brest
with a bar, that he lay sprawling for life. Another had
his head betwixt the Cable, and hardly escaped. The
rest were flung where they were sore bruised. But our
Gunner (an honest and a diligent man) had his legge taken
betwixt the Cable and the Capstang, which wrung off his
foote, and tare all the flesh off his legge, and crushed the
bone to pieces, and sorely withall bruised all his whole
body ; in which miserable manner hee remained crying till
we had recouered ourselues, our memory, and strengths to
cleere him. Whilest we were putting him and the rest
downe to the Chirurgion, the Ship droue into shoalde water,

known as New North Wales, and that to the south of Port Nelson
as New South Wales ; but both names alike have now been discarded.

Perhaps the East and West Pens.

which put vs all in feare, we being so sorely weakened by
this blow, which had hurt eight of our men. It pleased
God that the Anker held againe, and shee rid it out all
night. By midnight, the Chirurgion had taken off the
Gunners legge at the gartering place, and drest the others
that were hurt and bruised ; after which we comforted each
other as well as we could.

The 22, wee weyed and stood a little off into deeper
water, expecting a better winde ; which, in the afternoone,
fauoured vs. Wee stood in againe for the shoare, and
alongst it wee proceeded. It is very shoald about foure
leagues off, and full of breaches.

The 23, at noone, we were in latitude 56. 28. In the
euening, the winde came contrary, and we were faine to
turne to and againe. All this moneth, the winde hath
beene very variable, and continued not long vpon one
point ; yet it happened so that we can get but little forward.

The 26, there sprung vp a fine gale at West, but very
thicke weather ; neuerthelesse, wee stood into 7 and 6 fad.,
the water very thicke and puddlelish. At noone, it cleered
and we could see that we were imbayed in a little Bay, the
land being almost round about vs.

We stood out of it, and so alongst it, in sight, till the
27, in the morning, when we came to higher land then
any we had yet seene since we came from Nottingham
Hand, We stood into it, and came to an Anker in 5
faddome. I sent off the Boate, well man'd and arm'd, with
order in writing what they were to doe, and a charge to
returne againe before Sunne-set. The euening came, and

no newes of our Boate. We shot, and made false fires/
but had no answer, which did much perplex vs, doubting
that there had some disaster befalne her through carelessnesse, and in her we should lose all. Wee aboord at
present were not able to wey our Anker nor sayle the
Ship. At last, we saw a fire vpon the shoare, which made
vs the more doubtfull, because they did not answer our
shot nor false fires with the like. Wee thought withall
that it had beene the Saluages, who did now triumph in
their conquest. At length they came, all safe and well,
and excused themselues in that, vpon their comming
ashoare, it did ebbe so suddenly that a banke of sand was
so presently dry without them as they could not come
away till that was couered againe ; and with that they
pacified mee. They reported that there was great store of
drift-wood on the shoare, and a good quantitie growing on
the land ; that they saw the tracks of Deere and Beares ;
good store of Fowle (of which they had killed some) ; but
no signe of people ; that they past ouer two little riuers,
and came to a third, which they could not passe ; that it did
flow very neere three faddomes sometimes, as appeared by
the shoare ; that it was low water at foure a clocke ; that
the flood came from the North-west, and that it flowed
halfe tyde, which both they and we had perceiued by the
Ship. At low water, wc had but three faddome where we
did ride. The winde began to blow hard at East, whereupon we weyed and stood to the Northward till midnight.
Then in againe; and, in the morning, wee saw the land, and
then it began to blow hard ; and, as we stood off, it increased to a very storme, so that at length wee could not
maintaine a payre of courses, but tryed vnder our Maine

course, all day and all night, sometime turning her head to
the Landward, sometime to the Offing.

The 29, in the morning, we made account we had
drouen backe againe some 16 or 18 leagues; and, in the
morning (as it cleered), wee saw a Ship to Leeward of vs,
some three or foure leagues. So wee made sayle and
bore vp with her. Shee was then at an Anker in 13 fadd.
It was his Maiesties Ship [the Charles\ and Captaine Foxe
commanded in her.

I saluted him according to the manner of the Sea, and
receiued the like of him. So I stood in to see the land,
and thought to tacke about and keepe weather of him, and
to send my Boat aboord of him ; but the winde shifted, so
that fonlhat time I could not In the euening, I came to
weather of him, and sent my Boat aboord of him, who
presently weighed and stood off with mee till midnight, and
then we stood in againe.

In the morning, Captaine Foxe and his friends came
aboord of mee, where I entertained them in the best manner I could, and with such fresh meat as I had gotten
from the shoare. I told him how I had named the land
The South Principality of Wales. I shewed him how farre
I had beene to the Eastward, where I had landed ; and, in
briefe, I made knowne to him all the dangers of this
Coast, as farre as I had beene. He told mee how himselfe
had beene in Port Nelson, and had made but a Cursory
discouery hitherto, and that he had not beene aland, nor
had not many times seene the land. In the euening, after
L had giuen his men some necessaries, with Tobacco and
other things which they wanted, hee departed aboord his
Ship, and, the next morning, stood away South-Southwest, since which time I neuer saw him. The winde some-

thing fauouring mee, I stood in for the shoare, and so proceeded alongst it, in sight.

This moneth of August ended with Snow and Haile,
the weather being as cold as at any time I haue felt in
England.

Septetuber i. We coasted alongst the shoare in lo faddomes, and, when it cleered, in sight of land. At length
the water shoalded to 6 and 5 fadd. ; and, as it cleered,
we saw it all breaches to Leeward. So we hulFd off
North-North-east, but still raised land. By night, we had
much adoe to get safely out of this dangerous Bay.' At
midnight, the winde came vp at South, and so we tooke in
our sayles, and let the Ship driue to the Northward into
deeper water. This day was the first time the Chirurgion
told mee that there were diuers of the men tainted with
sicknesse. At noone, we were in latitude 55. 12.

The second, we stood in againe for the shoare ; but, as
we came into shoald water, it began to blow, the weather
being winterly and foule, threatning a storme, wherein we
were not deceiued, for that, in standing off, wee had a
violent one.

By midnight, it broke vp ; and the third, in the morning,
wee stood in againe, and by a 1 1 wee saw it. Here wee
found the land to trend South South-east and South, so
that we knew we were at a Cape Land and named it Cape
Henrietta Mariaf by her Maiesties name, who had before
named our Ship. At noone, we were in latitude 55.05, and
that is the height of the Cape.

From Port Nelson to this Cape, the land trends (generally)

East South-east, but makes with points and Bayes, which
in the particulars doth alter it a point two or three. The
distance is about one hundred and thirtie leagues. The
variation at this Cape, taken by Amplitude, is about sixteene degrees. A most shoald and perilous coast, in which
there is not one Harbour to be found.

The third day, in the afternoone, we had a tearing
storme at North, which continued till midnight in extreme
violence.

The fourth, in the morning (the storme being broke
vp), we stood in againe. South- West. The weather was
very thicke, and we sounded continually ; but by noone it
cleered, and wee saw the land. Here it did trend South
by East, and the tydes did set alongst it with a quicke
motion. In the euening, there came a great rowling Sea
out of the North North-east ; and by eight a clocke it blew
very hard at South-east ; and, by reason of the incounter of
the winde and this great Sea, the Sea was all in a breach ;
and, to make vp a perfect tempest, it did so lighten, snow,
raine, and blow all the night long, that I was neuer in the
like. We shipt many Seas, but one most dangerous,
which rackt vs fore and aft, that I verily thought it had
sunke the Ship, it strooke her with such a violence. The
Ship did labour most terribly in this distraction of winde
and waues, and we had much adoe to keepe all things fast
in the hold and betwixt decks.

The fifth, in the morning, the winde shifted SouthWest, but changed not his condition, but continued in his
old aqger and fury. In the afternoone, it shifted againe to
the North-west, and there showed his vttermost malice; and
in that tearing violence that nor I, nor any that were then
with mee, euer saw the Sea in such a breach. Our Ship
was so tormented, and did so labour, with taking it in on both
sides and at both ends, that we were in a most miserable
distresse, in this so vnknowne a place. At eight a clocke

in the euening, the storme brake vp, and we had some
quietnesse in the night following, not one hauing slept one
winke in 30 houres before. If this storme had continued
Easterly, as it was at first, without God's goodnesse, we had
all perished.

The sixth, the winde was at South-west, so that wee
could do no good to the Westward. We spent the time
therefore in trimming of our Ship ; we brought all our
coales (which for the most part was great Coale) aft, as
we also did some other things, and all to lighten her
afore.2 Others did picke our bread, whereof there was
much wet ; for, doe what we could, we shipt abundance of
water betwixt decks, which ranne into the hold, and into
our bread-roome ; for the Sea, indeed, so continually ouerrackt vs that we were like lonas in the Whales belly. We
ouer-looked our Tacks and Shoots, with other Riggings of
stresse ; because that henceforward we were to looke for no
other but Winter weather. This euening, our Boat-swayne
(a painefull man, and one that had laboured extremely
these two or three dayes) was very sicke, swouning away
three or foure times ; insomuch that wee thought verily he
would presently haue dyed.

The seuenth, in the morning, the winde came vp at
South-east, and we stood away South-west, vnder all the
sayle we could make.* In this course, we saw an Hand and

came close aboord it, and had twentie fadd. water, which
was some comfort to vs ; for hitherto we could not come
within foure or fiue leagues of the shoare at tliat depth.
This Hand stands in 54. 10. The afternoone, we stood away
South-west, and in the euening had the shoalding of the
Westerne shoare, in 10, 8, and 7 fadd., but it was so thicke
that we could not see the land. It is about 14 leagues
betwixt this Hand and the Maine.

The eight was thicke, foggie, and calme, which so continued till the ninth, about sixe in the morning. The
winde then comming vp at South South-west (though very
foggy), we stood to the Eastward, keeping our lead going
continually. In the euening, the water shoalded to 10 and
9 fadd. ; wherefore we stood off and on all night.

The tenth we made it, finding it an Hand of about
8 or 9 leagues long. It stands in latitude 53. 5, and about
1 5 leagues from the Westerne shoare. The part of it that
we coasted trends West North-west I named it my Lord
Westonslland? We stood still away to the Eastward, it being

broken foggie weather. In the afternoone, we discryed land
to the Eastward of vs, which made like three hils, or hummockes. Towards them we sayle, keeping our lead still
going, and very circumspect At length, wee also saw land
to the Southward of vs,* whereupon we loofe vp, and now
make for that, by course, as we had set it in the thicke
darke fogge. We came in amongst such low broken
grounds, breaches, and rockes, that we knew not which way
to turne vs ; but, God be thanked, it was but little winde ;
and so we came to an Anker. Soone after, it cleered, at
which time we could see nothing but sands, rocks, and
breaches round about vs, that way onely excepted which
we came in. I sent presently the Boate to sound amongst
the shoalds and rocks, that, if wee should be put to extremitie, we might haue some knowledge which way to goe.
This night prooued calme and faire weather, and we rid
quietly.

The eleuenth, in the morning, I went in the Boate
ashoare myselfe; and, whilst I was a land, I sent the Boate

about amongst the broken grounds to sound. I found this
Hand vtterly barren of all goodnesse ; yea, of that which I
thought easily to haue found, which was Scuruy-grasse,
Sorrell, or some herbe or other, to haue refreshed our sicke
people. I could not perceiue that the tyde did flow here
(ordinarily) aboue two foot. There was much drift-wood
on the shore, and some of it droue vp very high on the
North side of the Hand ; whereby I iudged that the stormes
were very great at North in the Winter. Thus I returned
aboord, and sent many of our sicke men to another part of
the Hand, to see if they themselues could fortunately finde
any reliefe for their griefes. At noone, by good obseruation,
we were in latitude 52. 45. In the euening, our men returned comfortlesse, and then we weyed and stood to the
Westward, comming to an Anker vnder another Iland, in
20 faddomes.

The twelfth, in the morning, it began to blow hard at
South-east, which was partly of the shoare, and the Ship
began to driue, it being soft oozie ground. We heaued in
our Anker thereupon, and came to sayle vnder two courses.
Whilest the most were busie in heauing out of Top-sayles,
some that should haue had speciall care of the Ship ranne
her ashore vfWDn the rocks out of meere carelesnesse in
looking out and about, or heaving of the leade, after they
had seene the land all night long, and mought euen then
haue seene it, if they had not beene blinded with selfe
conceit, and beene enuiously opposite in opinions. The
first blow stroke me out of a dead sleepe ; and I, running out

of my Cabbin, thought no other, at first, but I had beene
wakened (when I saw our danger) to prouide myselfe for
another World.

After I had contrould a little passion in myselfe, and had
checkt some bad counsell that was giuen me to reuengc
myselfe vpon those that had committed this error, I
ordered what should be done to get off these Rockes and
stones. First, we halde all our sayle abacke-slayles ; but
that did no good, but make her beate the harder. Whereupon we strooke all our sayles amaine, and furdeld them vp
close, tearing downe our sterne to bring the Cable thorow
the Cabbin to Capstang, and so laid out an Anker to heaue
her asterne. I made all the water in hold to be stau'd, and
set some to the pumpes to pumpe it out, and did intend to
doe the like with our Beere. Others I put to throw out all
our Coles, which was soone and readily done. We quoyld
out our Cables into our long boate, all this while the Ship
beating so fearefully that we saw some of the sheathing
swim by vs. Then stood we, as many as we could, to the
Capstang, and heaued with such a good will that the Cable
brake, and we lost our Anker. Out, with all speede, therefore, we put another. Wee could not now perceiue whether
she did leak or no, and that by reason we Were imployed in
pumping out the water which we had bulged in hold,
though we much doubted that she had receiued her deaths
wound. Wherefore we put into the Boate the Carpenters
tooles, a barrell of bread, a barrell of powder, sixe muskets,
with some match,* and a tinder-boxe, fish hookes and lines,
pitch and okum, and, to be breefe, what-euer could be

thought on in such an extremity. All this, we sent ashoarc
to prolong a miserable life for a few dayes. We were fiue
houres thus beating, in which time she strooke 100 blows ;
insomuch that we thought euery stroke had bin the last that
it was possible she could haue endured. The water w6
could not perceiuc in all this time to flowe any thing at all.
At length, it pleased God, she beat ouer all the Rockes ;
though yet wee knew not whether she were stanch. Whereupon, to pumping we goe on all hands, till we made the
pumpes sucke, and then we saw how much water she did
make in a glasse. We found her to be very leakie, but wee
went to prayer and gaue God thankes it was no worse, and
so fitted all things againe, and got further off, and came to
an Anker. In the Euening, it began to blow very hard at
W.S.W. ; which, if it had done whilest we were on the
Rockes, we had lost our Ship without any redemption.
With much adoe, we wayde our Anker, and let her driue
to the Eastward amongst the broken grounds and Rockes,
the boate going before sounding. At length, wc came
amongst breaches, and the boate made signes to vs that
there was no going further. Amongst the Rockes, therefore, we againe came to an Anker, where we did ride all
night, and where our men, which were tyred out with extreme labour, were indifferent well refreshed. Here I first
noted that, when the wind was at S., it flowed very little, or
no, water at all ; so that we could not bring our Ship
aground to looke to her, foi we did pumpe almost continually.

The 13, at noone, we wayed, and stood to the Westward ; but, in that course, it was all broken groundes,
shoaldes, and sunken Rockes, so that we wondered with
our selues how we came in amongst them in a thicke fogge.
Then we shapte our course to the North-ward ; and, after
some consultation with my associates, I resolued to get
about this land, and so to goe downe into the bottome of

498 James's strange and dangerous voyage.

Hudsofis Baye) and see if I could discouer a way into the
Riuer of Canada ; and, if I failed of that, then to winter
on the maine Land, where there is more comfort to
be expected then among Rockes or Hands. We stood
alongst the shoare in sight of many breaches. When
it was night, we stood vnder our fore-sayle, the leade still
going. At last, the water shoalded vpon vs to lo. fad.,
and it began to blow hard. We tacktc about, and it did
deepen to 12 and 14 fad. ; but, by and by, it shoalded
againe to 8 fad. Then we tackte about againe ; and suddenly it shoaled to 6 and 5 fad.,* so wee strooke our sayle
amaine, and chopt to an anker, resoluing to ride it out for
life and death. We ridde all night a great stresse, so that
our bittes did rise, arid we thought they would haue been
torne to pieces.

At breake of day, the 14, we were ioyfuU men ; and,
when we could looke about, we discried an Hand some 2
leagues off, at W. by N.® ; and this was the shoald that lay

2 Hudson was supposed to have wintered in the bottom of his socalled East Bay, and it was to this point that James was anxious to
get. His chart shows that he believed it to be only a very short distance north from the River St. Lawrence, " the River of Canada," as
he here calls it, and as it was then commonly called. On a large
chart published in Paris in 171 5, it is marked as ' La Grande Riviere
de Canada, appellee par les Europ^ens le St. Laurens." Accordingly,
as we learn from p. 500, James endeavoured to work to the northward,
in order to round the imaginary ** Cape Monmouth" of his chart (see
p. 493, note\ and to get into the equally non-existent " East Bay" of
Hudson.

about it. Here did runne a distracted, but yet a very
quicke, Tyde, of which we taking the opportunity, got vp
our Anker and stood N.W., to cleerc our selues of this
shoald. In the afternoone, the wind came vp at N.E., and
we stood alongst the Easterne shoare in sight of a multitude of breaches. In the Euening, it began to blow a
storme not sayle-worthy ; and the sea went very high, and
was all in a breach. Our shallop, which we did now towe
at Sterne, being moord with two hawsers, was sunken, and
did spine by her moorings with her keele vp, 20 times in
an houre. This made our ship to hull very broad, so that
the sea did continually ouer-rake vs ; yet we indured it,
and thought to recouer her. AH night, the storme continued with violence, and with some raine in the morning ;
it then being very thicke weather. The water shoalded
apace, with such an ouer-growne sea withall that a sayle
was not to be endured ; and, what was as ill, there was no
trusting to an Anker. Now, therefore, began we to prepare our selues how to make a good end of a miserable
tormented life. About noone, as it cleered vp, we saw two
Hands vnder our lee, whereupon we bare vp to them ; and,
seeing an opening betwixt them, we indeauored to get
into it before night ; for that there was no hope of vs, if
we continued out at sea that night. Therefore, come
life, come death, we must runne this hazzard. We found
it to be a good sound, where we ridde all night safely,
and recouered our strengths againe, which were much impared with continuall labour. But, before we could get

islands, in which he sought shelter ; but it seems clear that he was
wrong in saying that he had formerly coasted the western side of the
island, and had named it Lord Weston's Island. Apparently he was
confusing the Twins with Agoomska, on which he did bestow the
above name. The same misconception is shown in the letter left at
Charlton Island (seepos/).

• As explained above, these were apparently the two Twins.

into this good place, our shallop broke away (being
moord with 2 hawsers), and we lost her, to our great
griefe. Thus now had we but the Ship boate, and she was
all tome and bruised, too. This Island was the same that
we had formerly coasted the Wester side of, and had
named my Lord Wessons Island) Here we remained till
the 19, in which time it did nothing but snow and blow
extremely, insomuch that we durst not put our boate ouerboord.

This 19. the wind shifted N.N.E., and we wayde and
stood to the Southward ; but, by noone, the wind came vp
at S., and so we came to an Anker vnder another Hand,
on which I went ashoare, and named it The Earle of Bristols Hand? The Carpenter wrought hard in repairing our
boate. Whilest I wandered vp and downe on this desart
Hand, I could not perceiue that euer there had been any
Saluages on it ; and, in briefe, we could finde neither Fish,
Fowle, nor Hearbe upon it ; so that I returned comfortlesse
aboord againe. The tydes doe high about some 6 Foote,
now that the wind is Northerly. The flood comes from
the North, and it doth flow halfe tyde ; the full sea this day
was at one a clocke. Here, seeing the windes continue
so Northerly that we could not get about to goe into
Hudsons Baye we considered againe what was best to doe
to look out for a wintering place. Some aduised me to
goe for Port Nelson, because we were certaine that there

2 So far as one can follow the narrative, this was not " another"
island, but still the southernmost of the two Twins, which he had confused with the island (Agoomska) he had named Lord Weston's. The
latitude he gives for it (53 10') seems to show ihis. James, no doubt,
intended to honour John Digby, first Baron Digby, who was created
Earl of Bristol in September, 1622, and died in 1653. It is not clear
what connection he had with James's voyage. He was living in
retirement at the time.

was a Coue where we might bring in our Ship. I likte not
that counsell ; for that it is a most perilous place, and that
it might be so long ere we could get thither that we might
be debard by the Ice. Moreouer, seeing it was so cold
here as that euery night our rigging did freeze, and that
sometimes in the Morning we did shouelle away the snow
halfe a foote thicke off our deckes ; and in that Latitude,
too, I thought it farre worse in the other place. I resolued
thereupon to stand againe to the Southward, there to
looke for some little Creeke or Coue for our Ship.

The 21, the winde came vp at N., and we wayde,
although it was a very thicke fogge, and stood away S.W.
to cleere our selues of the shoalds that were on the point
of this Hand. This Hand is in Lat. 53. 10. When we
were cleere, we steerd away S. At noone, the fogge
turned into raine, but very thicke weather ; and it did
thunder all the afternoone, which made vs doubt a storme,
for all which wee aducntured to proceed. In the euening,
the winde increased and blew hard, wherefore we tooke in
all our sayles and let her driue to the Southward, heauing
the lead euery glasse. Our depth, when we tooke in our
sayles, was 30 fadd., and it did increase to 45, which was a
great comfort to vs in the darke. At midnight, our depth
began suddenly to decrease ; and, as fast as the lead could
be heaued, it shoalded to 20 fadd., wherefore we chopt to
.an Anker, and trimmed our Ship aft to mount on the Sea,
and fitted all things to ride it out There was no need to
bid our men watch : not one of them put his eyes together
all the night long. We rid it out well all the night,
although the Sea went very loftie, and that it did blow
very hard.

The 22, in the morning, when we could looke about
vs, we saw an Hand vnder our Lee, some league off, all
being shoalds and breaches betwixt vs and it. At noone
(with the helpe of the windward tyde), we attempted to

KK

haue vp our Anker, although the Sea still went very loftie
loyning all our strengths therefore, with our best skils,
God be thanked, we had it vp ; but, before we could set
our sayles, wee were driuen into nine fadd. Indeauouring
thereupon to double a point, to get vnder the Lee of this
Hand, the water shoalded to 7, 6, and 5 fadd. ; but, when we
were about, it did deepen againe, and we come to an Anker
in a very good place ; and it was very good for vs that we
did, for the winde increased to a very storme. Here wee
rid well all the night, tooke good rest, and recouered our
spent strengths againe. The last night and this morning
it did snow and hayle, and was very cold ; nevertheless,
I tooke the Boate and went ashoare to looke for some
Creeke or Coue to haue in our Ship ; for shee was very
leaky, and the company becomne sickly and weake with
much pumping and extreme labour. This Hand, when
wee came to the shoare, it was nothing but ledges of rocks
and bankes of sand, and there went a very great surfe
on them. Neuerthelesse, I made them rowe thorow it ;
and ashoare I got with two more, and made them rowe
off without the breaches, and there to come to an Anchor
and to stay for mee. I made what speed I could to the
top of a hill to discouer about, but could not see what we
looked for : thus, because it began to blow hard, I made
haste towards the Boate againe. I found that it had ebbed
so low that the Boate could not by any meanes come
neere the shoare for mee, so that we were faine to wade
thorow the surfe and breaches to her, in which some tooke
such a cold that they did complaine of it to their dying
day. But now it began to blow hard, so that we could not
get but little to windward toward our Ship, for the wind
was shifted since we went ashoare ; and return to the
shoare we could not, by reason of the surfe. Well, we

row for life ; they in the Ship let out a Buoy by a long
warpe ; and, by God's assistance, we got to it, and so
haled vp to the Ship, where we were well welcomed, and
we all reioyc'd together. This was a premonition to vs to
be carefull how we sent off the Boate, for that it was
winter weather already. I named this Hand Sir Thomas
Ro^s Island: it is full of small wood, but in other benefits
not very rich, and stands in latitude 52. 10. At noone, we
weyed, seeing an Hand that bare South South-east of vs
some foure leagues off, which was the highest land we had
yet seene in this Bay ; but, as we came neere it, it suddenly shoalded to 6, 5, and 4 fadd. Wherefore we strooke
our sayles amaine, and chopt to an Anker ; but it was very
foule ground, and, when the Ship was winded vp, we had
but three fadd. at her Sterne. As it cleered, we could see
the breaches all alongst vnder our Lee ; holding it safe,*
therefore, to stay long here, we settled euery thing in
order for the Ship to fall the right way. We had vp our
Anker, got into deeper water, and stood ouer againe for
Sir Thomas Roe's Hand, which by night we brought in the
winde of vs, some two leagues off, which did well shelter
vs. The tydes runne very quick here amongst these
shoalds ; and their times of running ebbe, or flood, be
very vncertaine. Their currants are likewise so distracted
that in the night there is no sayling by the Compasse ;
wherefore we were faiiie to seeke euery night some new
place of securitie to come to an Anker.

The 24, in the morning, it did lower and threaten a
storme, which made vs, with the windward tyde, wey to
get neerer vnder the Hand. It was very thicke foggie
weather ; and, as we stood to the North-eastward, we came
to very vncertaine depths : at one cast, 20 fadd., the next
7, then 10, 5, 8, and 3 ; and, comming to the other tacke,
we were worse then we were before, the Currants making
a foole of our best iudgements in the thicke fogge when
we could see no land-marks. It pleased God that we got
cleere of them, and endeauored to get vnder the Lee of the
Hand. This being not able to doe, wee were faine to come
to an Anker in 35 fadd., some two leagues off the shoare.
All this afternoone (and, indeed, all night too), it did snow
and hayle, and was very cold.

The 25 wee weyed, and thought to get to the Eastward ; but, as we tackte to and againe, the winde shifted so
in our teeths, that it put vs within a quarter of a mile of
the very shoare, where we chopt to an Anker and rid out for
life and death. Such miseries as these we indured amongst
these shoalds and broken grounds, or, rather, more desperate
then I haue related (very vnpleasant perchance to be read),
with snow, haile, and stormy weather, and colder then
euer I felt it in England in my life. Our shoote-Anker
was downe twice or thrice a day, which extreme paines
made a great part of the company sickly. All this lasted
with vs vntill the 30 of this moneth of September, which
we thought would haue put an end to our miseries ; for
now we were driuen amongst rocks, shoalds, ouer-falles,
and breaches round about vs, that which way to turne we
knew not, but there ride amongst them in extremitie of
distresse. All these perils made a most hideous and terrible noyse in the night season, and I hope it will not be
accounted ridiculous if I relate with what meditations

I was affected, now and then, amongst my ordinary
prayers, which I here affoord the Reader, as I there conceiued them, in these few ragged and teared Rimes : —

OH, my poore soule, why doest thou grieue to see
So many Deaths muster to murther mee ?
Looke to thy selfe ; regard not mee ; for I
Must doe (for what I came), performe, or die.
So thou mayst free thy selfe from being in
A dung-hill dungeon : a meere sinke of sinne,
And happily be free'd, if thou beleeue.
Truly in God through Christ, and euer Hue.
Be therefore glad ; yet, ere thou goe from hence,
For our ioynt sinnes, let 's doe some penitence
Vnfainedly together. When we part,
He wish the Angels loy, with all my heart
We haue with confidence relied vpon
A rustie wyre, toucht with a little Stone,
Incompast round with paper, and, alasse,
To house it harmelesse, nothing but a glasse ;
And thought to shun a thousand dangers by
The blind direction of this senselesse flye.
When the fierce winds shattered blacke nights asunder.
Whose pitchie clouds, spitting forth fire and thunder.
Hath shooke the earth, and made the Ocean roare ;
And runne to hide it in the broken shoare :
Now thou must Steere by faiih 2l better guide ;
'Twill bring thee safe to heauen, against the tyde
Of Satan's malice. Now let quiet gales
Of sauing grace inspire thy zealous sayles.

October i. The first of October was indifferent faire
weather ; and, with a windward tyde, out went out Boate
to sound a channell to help vs out of this perilous place.
The Boat within two houres shee returned, and told vs
how shee had beene away where there was not lesse then
12 fadd. We presently thereupon weyed, but found it
otherwise, and came amongst many strange races and
ouer-falles, vpon which there went a very great and break-

ing Sea. As we proceeded, the water shoalded to 6 fadd.
Well, there was no remedy, we must goe forward, happy
be luckie, seeing there neither was any riding, and as little
hope to turne any way with a sayle, but that there appeared present death in it. It pleased God so to direct vs
that we got thorow it, hauing no lesse then fine seuerall
and all very vncertaine depths. The water sometimes
deepened to 20 fadd.; then vpon a sudden it shoalded to 7,
6, and 5 faddomes ; so we strooke all our sayles amaine,
and chopt to an Anker, where wee rid till midnight for
life and death, it blowing a mercilesse gale of winde, and
the Sea going very loftie, and all in a breach. The ground
was foule ground, too, insomuch that wee doubted our
Cable euery minute.

The second, in the morning, was little winde ; wherefore, taking the opportunitie of the tyde, the Boate went
forth to sound, which, returning againe in two houres, told
vs how they had sounded about that shoald, and had found
a place of some safetie to ride in, and had beene in no lesse
water then fine faddome. We weyed, and found our Cable
galled in two places, which had soon failed vs if the foule
weather had continued. We stood the same way that the
Boat did direct vs, but it prooued so calme that wee came
to an Anker in 18 faddome. I tooke the Boate, and went
ashoare on an Hand that was to the Southward of vs,
which I named The Earle of Danbyes Hand?- From the
highest place in it, I could see it all broken grounds and

shoalds to the Southward, and rather worse (then any
thing better) then that which we had beene in. I found
that the Saluages had beene vpon it, and that it was full
of wood. I made haste to the Boate to sound the Baye,
for feare of shoalds and sunken Rockes, but found it
indifferent good. Toward the Euening, it began to blow
hard ; wherefore we made towards the Ship. She put forth
a Buoy and a warpe ; and we, rowing for life to recouer
her, were put to Lee-ward of her ; but, by getting hold
of the warpe, we halde vp to her. The boate we left
halfe full of water, our selues being as wet as drown'd rats,
and it made vs the more reioyce that we had escapt this
great danger. All night, we had a very hard rode-steede,
it blowing a most violent gale of wind, with snow and
haile.

The third, about noone, the wind duld, and we had vp
our Anker, standing in further in the Baye into foure fad.
and a halfe water. Here we came againe to an Anker, with
our second Anker ; for many of our men are now sicke, and
the rest so weakened that we can hardly way our shooteAnchor. I tooke the Boate and went presently ashoare to
see what comfort I could find. This was the first time
that I put foote on this Hand, which was the same that we
did after winter vpon. I found the tracks of Deere, and
saw some Fowle ; but that that did reioyce me most was
that I did see an opening into the Land, as if it had beene
a riuer. To it we make with all speede, but found it to be
barr'd ; and not 2 foote water at full sea on the Barre ; and
yet within a most excellent fine Harbour, hauing 4 fad.
water. In the Euening, I retum'd aboord, bringing little
comfort for our sicke men more then hopes.

The 4, it did snow and blow very hard ; yet I got
ashoare, and appointed the boate to goe to another place

5o8 JAMESES STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

(which made like a Riuer), and to sound it. In the meantime, I went with foure more some 4 or 5 miles vp into the
Countrey, but could find no releefe all that way for our
sicke, but a few Berries onely. After we had well wearied
ourselues in the troublesome woods, wee returned to the
place I had appointed the boate to tarry for me ; where at
my comming I still found her, she hauing not beene where
I had ordered her, for it had blowne such a fierce gale of
wind that she could not row to wind-ward. Thus we
returned aboord with no good newes. It continued foule
weather, with snow and haile and extreme cold, till the 6,
when, with a fauouring winde, we stood in neerer to the
shoare, and here moord the ship.

The 7, it snow'd all day, so that we were faine to cleare
it of the Decks with shouels ; and it blew a very storme
withall. It continued snowing and very cold weather, and
it did so freeze that all the bowes of the Ship, with her
beake-head, was all Ice ; about the Cable also was Ice as
bigge as a man's middle. The bowes of the boate were
likewise frozen halfe a foote thicke, so that we were faine to
hew and beate it off. The Sunne did shine very cleere, and
we tore the top-sayles out of the tops, which were hard
frozen in them, into a lumpe ; so that there they hung a Sunning all day in a very lumpe, the Sunne not hauing power
to thawe one drop of them. After the boate was fitted, we
rowed towards the shoare, but could not come neere the
place where we were vsed to land, for that it was all
thickned water with the snow that had fallen vpon the
sands that are dry at low water. This made it so difficult
to row that we could not set through it with 4 oares ; yet
something higher to the Westward we got ashoare. Seeing now the winter to come thus extremely on vpon vs,
and that wee had very little wood aboord, I made them
fill the boate, and went aboord and sent the Carpenter and
others to cut wood, others to carry it to the water side,

whilest the boate brought it aboord ; for I doubted that we
were likely to be debar'd the shoare, and that we should
not goe to and againe with the boate. It was miserable and
cold already aboord the Ship ; euery thing did freeze in the
Hold and by the fire side. Seeing therefore that we could
no longer make vse of our sayles (which be the wings of a
Ship), it raised a many of doubts in our mindes that here
we must stay and winter. After we had brought so much
wood aboord as we could conueniently stowe, and enough
(as I thought) would haue lasted 2 or 3 moneths, the sicke
men desired that some little house or houell might be built
a shoare, whereby they might be the better sheltered, and
recouer their healths. I tooke the Carpenter (and others
whom I thought fit for such a purpose) and, choosing out
a place, they went immediately to worke vpon it. In the
meane space, I myselfe, accompanied with some others,
wandered vp and downe in the Woods, to see if we could
discouer any signes of Salvages, that so we might the better
prouide for our safeties against them. We found no appearance that there was any on this Hand, nor neere vnto
it The snow by this time was halfe-legge high ; and, stalking through it, we returned comfortlesse to our Companions, who had all this time wrought well vpon our
house. They aboord the Ship tooke downe our topsayles
in the meane while, and made a gre?it fire vpon the hearth
in the hatch way ; so that, hauing well thaw'd them, they
folded them yp, and put them betwixt deckes, that, if we
had any weather, they might bring them againe to yard.
Thus, in the Euening, we returned aboord.

The 1 2, we tooke our maine sayle from the yard, which
was hard frozen to it, and carried it ashoare, to couer our

5 lO JAMES'S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

house withall, being first fain to thawe it by a great fire.
By night, they had couered it, and had almost hedged it
about, and the six builders did desire to lye in it ashoare
that night, which I condisccnded vnto, hauing first fitted
them with Muskets and other furniture, and a charge to
keepe good watch all night. Moreouer, they had a shoare
2 Greyhounds (a dogge and a bitch) which I had brought
out of Englattd to kill vs some Deere, if happily we could
finde any.

By the 13, at night, our house was ready, and our sixe
builders desired they might trauell vp into the Country to
see what they could discouer.

The 1 4, betimes in the morning, being fitted with munition
and their order to keepe together (but especially to seeke
out some Creeke or Cove for our Ship), they departed.
We aboord tooke downe our two top-masts and their
rigging ; making account, if we did remooue, to make vse
of our fore-sayle and mizzen.

The 15, in the Euening, our hunters returned very
weary, and brought with them a small, leane Deere, in 4
quarters, which reioyced vs all, hoping we should haue
had more of them to refresh our sicke men withall. They
reported that they had wandered about 20 miles, and had
brought this Deere aboue 12 mile, and that they had seene
9 or 10 more. The last night, they had a very cold lodging
in the woods ; and so it appeared, for they lookt almost
starued, nor could they recouer themselues in 3 or 4 dayes
after. They saw no signe of Salvages, nor of any rauening
wild beasts, nor yet any hope of harbour.

The 17, my Lieutenant and 5 more desired they might
try their fortunes in trauelling about the Hand. But they
had farre worse lucke then the others, although they

endured out all night, and had wandered very farre in the

snow (which was now very deepe), and returned comfort-

lesse and miserably disabled with the coldnesse. But, what

was worse then all this, they had lost one of their company,

lohn Barton namely, our Gunners mate, who, being very

weary, meerly to saue the going about, had attempted to

goe ouer a pond that was a quarter of a mile over, where,

when he was in the very middest, the Ice brake and closed

vpon him, and we neuer saw him more. Considering these

disasters, I resolued to fish no more with a golden hooke,

for feare I weakned myselfe more with one hunting then

20 such deare Deeres could doe me good. Being now

assured that there was no Salvages vpon the Hand, nor yet

about vs on the other Hands, no, nor on the maine neither,

as farre as we could discouer (which we further proued by

making of fires), and that the cold season was now in that

extremity that they could not come to vs if there were

any, we comforted and refreshed ourselues by sleeping the

more securely. We changed our Hand garrison euery

weeke ; and, for other refreshing, we were like to haue none

till the Spring.

From this 10 to the 29, it did (by interims) snow and
blow so hard that the boate could hardly aduenture ashoare,
and but seldome land, vnlesse the men did wade in the
thicke congealed water, carrying one another. We did
sensibly perceiue withall how wee did daily sinke into more
miseries. The land was all deepe couered with snow, the
cold did multiply, and the thicke snow water did increase ;
and what would become of vs, our most mercifuU God and
preseruer knew onely.

The 29, I obserued an Eclipse of the Moone with what
care possibly I could, both in the tryall of the exactnesse of our instruments, as also in the obseruation. I
referre you to the obseruation in the latter end of this

Relation where it is at length described. This moneth of
October ended with snow and bitter cold weather.

The first of November, I cast vp accounts with the
Steward concerning our victuall, the third part of our time
being this day out I found him an honest man, for he
gaue me an account euery weeke what was spent, and
what was still in the hold, remaining vnder his hand. I
would take no excuse of leakage or other waste, unlesse he
did daily show it to me. Euery month, I made a new
suruey, and euery sixe moneths put what we had spared by
itselfe, which now was at least a moneths prouision of
Bread, and a fortnights of Pease and Fish, etc

The 3 day, the boate indeauored to get ashoare, but
could not set thorow the thicke congealed water.

The 4, they found a place to get ashoare, and so once in 2
or 3 dayes, till the 9, bringing Beere to our men ashoare in
a barrell, which would freeze firmely in the house in one
night. Other prouision they had store. The Ice Beere,
being thaw'd in a kettell, was not good, and they did breake
the Ice of the pondes of water to come by water to drinke.
This pond-water had a most lothsome smell with it, so that,
doubting lest it might be infectious, I caused a Well to be
sunke neere the house. There we had very good water
which did taste (as we flattered ourselues with it) euen like
milke.

The 10 (hauing store of boordes for such a purpose),
I put the Carpenter to worke to make vs a little boate, which
we might carry (if occasion were) ouer the Ice, and make
vse of her where there was water. At noone, I tooke the
Latitude of this Hand by 2 Quadrants y^AivAi I found to be

m

'He means that they had been victualled for eighteen months, and
had now been out six, or one- third of the time.

52. 0. I vrged the men to make traps to catch Foxes, for
       we did daily see many. Some of them were pied, blacke
       and white ; whereby I gathered that there was some blacke
       Foxes, whose skinnes, I told them, were of a great value,
       and I promised that whosoeuer could take one of them,
       should haue the skinne for his reward. Hereupon, they
       made diuers traps, and waded in the snow (which was very
       deepe) to place them in the woods.

The 12, our house tooke a fire, but we soone quenched
it We were faine to keepe an extraordinary fire, night and
day ; and this accident made me order a watch to looke to
it continually ; seeing that, if our house and clothing should
be burnt, that all we were but in a woefull condition. I lay
ashoare till the 17, all which time our miseries did increase.
It did snow and freeze most extremely. At which time,
we looking from the shoare towards the Ship, she did looke
like a piece of Ice in the fashion of a Ship, or a Ship resembling a piece of Ice. The snow was all frozen about
her, and all her fore-part firme Ice, and so was she on both
sides also. Our Cables froze in the hawse, wonderfull to
behold. I got me aboord, where the long nights I spent
with tormenting cogitations; and, in the day time, I could
not see any hope of sauing the Ship. This I was assured
of: that it was most impossible to endure these extremeties
long. Euery day the men must beate the Ice oflF the
Cables, while some within boord, with the Carpenter's long
Calking Iron, did digge the Ice out of the hawses ; in which
worke, the water would freeze on their clothes and hands,
and would so benumme them that they could hardly get
into the Ship, without being heau'd in with a rope.

The 19, our Gunner (who, as you may remember, had his
legge cut off) did languish vnrecouerably, and now grew
very weake, desiring that, for the little time he had to Hue,
hee might drinke Sacke altogether, which I ordered hee
should doe.

The 22, in the morning, he dyed ; an honest and a
strong-hearted man. Hee had a close-boorded Cabbin in
the Gunroome, which was very close indeed, and as many
clothes on him as was conuenient (for we wanted no
clothes), and a panne with coales a fire continually in his
Cabbin. For all which warmth, his playster would freeze
at his wound, and his bottle of Sacke at his head. We
committed him at a good distance from the Ship vnto the
Sea.

The three and twentieth, the Ice did increase extraordinarily, and the snow lay on the water in flakes as it did
fall ; much Ice withall droue by vs, yet nothing hard all
this while. In the euening, after the watch was set, a great
piece came athwart our hawse, and foure more followed
after him, the least of them a quarter of a mile broad ;
which, in the darke, did very much astonish vs, thinking it
would haue carried vs out of the Harbour vpon the shoalds
Easter point, which was full of rocks. It was newly congealed, a matter of two inches thicke, and wee broke thorow
it, the Cable and Anker induring an incredible stresse,
sometimes stopping the whole Ice. We shot off three
Muskets, signifying to our men ashore that we were in
distress, who answered vs againe, but could not helpe vs.
By ten a clocke, it was all past; neuerthelesse, wee watched
carefully ; and the weather was warmer then wee had felt it
any time this moneth. In the morning, at break of day, I
sent for our men aboord, who made vp the house, and
arriued by 10, being driuen by the way to wade thorow the
congealed water, so that they recouered to the Boate with

difBcuItie. There droue by the Ship many pieces of Ice,
though not so large as the former, yet much thicker. One
piece came foule of the Cable and made the Ship driue.

As soon as we were cleere of it, we ioyned our strengths
together, and had vp our Eastcrmost Anker ; and now I
resolued to bring the ship aground, for no Cables nor
Ankers could hold her ; but I will here show you the reasons
why I brought her no sooner aground : First, it was all
stony ground, some stones lying dry three or foure foote
aboue water, so that it was to be suspected that it was the
like all about vs ; secondly, it did ordinarily flow, but two
foot and a haife here, and, if shee should bed deepe in the
sands, we could not euer come to digge her out againe, for
that shee would not be dry by foure or fiue foot ; thirdly, it
was a loose sand, which might rise with the surfe, or so
mount about her that all our weake powers could not heaue
it away in the next spring time ; fourthly, we doubted the
tydes would not high so much in the summer as they did
now ; fifthly, we could not bring her out of the tydes way,
which doth runne something quicke here, and the Ice,
besides, might driue and mount vp vpon her, and so ouerset
her, or teare her, and carry away her plankes, iron workes,
and all, so that we should haue nothing left to finish our
Pinnasse with ; sixtly, if it did blow a storme at North-west,
or thereaboutes, the water would flow ten foot and vpwards,
and that winde (being of the shore) it would blow away all
the Ice, and there would come in an extraordinary great
surfe about the shoald Ester-point, which was occasioned by
a deep ouerfall. Moreouer, shee would beate extremely ;
and, if shee were put vp by the Sea or that surfe, it was very
doubtfull that we should neuer haue her off againe. For
these reasons, we endured all the extremitie, still hoping
vpon some good and fortunate accident. But now all our

Sl6 JAMES'S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

prouident designs we saw to become foolishnesse, and that
a great deal of miserable labour had been spent in vaineby
vs. With the flood, wee weyed our Westermost Anker,
perceiuing Gods assistance manifestly, because it happened
to be fine warme weather : otherwise we had not beene able
to worke. The winde was now South, which blew in vpon
the shoare, and made the lowest tydes. We brought the
Ship into 12 foot water, and layd out one Anker in the
Offing, and another in shoald water, to draw her aland at
command. Our hope also was that some stones that were
to the Westward of vs would fend oflF some of the Ice. We
then being about a mile from the shore, about ten a clocke
in the darke night, the Ice came driuing vpon vs, and our
Ankers came home. She droue some two Cables length,
and, the winde blowing on the shoare, by two a clock she
came aground, and stopt much Ice ; yet shee lay well all
night, and we tooke some rest.

The fiue and twentieth; the winde shifted Easterly,
and put abundance of Ice on vs. When the flood was
made, we encouraged one another, and to worke we goe,
drawing home our Ankers by maine force vnder great
pieces of Ice, our endeuour being to put the Ship to the
shoare. But, to our great discomforts, when the halfe
tyde was made (which was two houres before high water),
the Ship droue amongst the Ice to the Eastward (doe what
we could), and so would haue [driven] on the shoald Rockes.
As I haue formerly said, these two dayes and this day was
very warme weather, and it did raine, which it had not yet
but once done since wee came hither : otherwise it had
been impossible we could haue wrought. Withall, the
wind shifted also to the South, and, at the very instant,
blew a hard puffe, which so continued for halfe an houre.
I caused our two Top-sailes to be had vp from betwixt
deckes, and wee hoyst them vp with ropes in all haste, and
we forst the Ship ashoare, when she had not halfe a Cables

length to driue on the Rocky shoalds. In the Euening,
wee broke away thorow the Ice, and put an Anker to
shoareward in fiue foot water to keep her to the shoare, if
possible it might be. Here Sir Hugh Willoughby came
into my mind, who, without doubt, was driuen out of his
Harbour, in this manner, and so starued at sea. But God
was more mercifull to vs. About nine a clocke at night,
the winde came vp at North-West, and blew a very storme.
The winde was of the shoare, which blew away all the Ice
from about vs long before we were afloat. There came in
a great rowling Sea withall, about the point, accompanied
with a great surfe on the shoare. And now were we left
to the mercy of the Sea, on the ground. By tenne, she
began to rowle in her docke, and, soon after, began to
beate against the ground. We stood at the Capstang, as
many as could, others at the Pumpes, for we thought that
euery fift or sixt blow would haue staued her to pieces.
We heaued to the vttermost of our strengths, to keepe her
as ne^re the ground as we could. By reason of this wind,
it flowed very much water, and we drew her vp so high
that it was doubtfull if euer we should get her off againe.
She continued thus beating till two a clocke the next
Morning, and then she againe settled ; whereupon wee
went to sleepe, to restore nature, seeing the next tyde we
expected to be againe tormented.

The sixe and twentieth, in the morning tyde, our Ship
did not floate, whereby we had some quietnesse. After

5l8 JAMES'S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

prayers, I cald a consultation of the Master, my Lieutenant, the Mates, Carpenter, and Boat-swayne, to whom I
proposed that now we were put to our last shifts, and,
therefore, they should tell me what they thought of it ;
namely, whether it were not best to carry all our prouision
ashoare, and that, when the wind should come northerly, it
were not safest to draw her further off and sinke her. After
many reasonings, they allowed of my purpose, and so I
communicated it to the Company, who all willingly agreed
to it. And so we fell to getting vp of our prouisions, first
our bread, of which we had landed this day two Dryfats
with a Hogshead of Beefe, hauing much adoe to set the
Boate thorow the thicke congealed water. In the Euening,
the winds came vp at North-East and East, and fild the
Bay choakefull of Ice.

The twenty seuenth, the Bay continued full of Ice,
which I hoped would so continue and freeze, that we
should not be put to sinke our Ship. This day we could
land nothing.

The twenty eighth, at break of day, three of our men
went ashoare ouer the Ice vnknown to mee ; and the winde,
comming vp at West, droue the Ice from betwixt vs and
the shoare, and most part of the Bay also, and yet not so
that the Boate could goe ashoare for any thing. I made
the Carpenter fit a place against all sudden extremities ; for
that, with the first North- West or northerly wind, I meant
to effect our last proiect In the runne of her, on the
starboord side, he cut away the sealing and the planke to
the sheathing, some four or fiue inches square, some foure
foote high from the keele of her, that so it might be boared
out at an instant. We brought our bread, which was
remayning in the Bread-roome, vp into the great Cabbin,

and likewise all our powder, setting much of our light dry
things betwixt deckes.

The nine and twentieth, at fiue a Clocke in the Morning,
the winde came vp at West North- West, and began to
blow very hard. It was ordinary for the wind to shift
from the West by the North round about So first I
ordered the Cooper to goe downe in hold and looke to all
our Caske : those that were full, to mawle in the bungs of
them, those that were empty, to get vp, or, if they could
not be gotten vp, to staue them. Then to quoile all our
Cables vpon our lower tyre,* and to lay on our spare
Ankers, and any thing that was weighty, to keepe it downe
from rising. By seuen a Clocke, it blew a storme at NorthWest, our bitter enemy. The Ship was already bedded
some two foote in the sand, and whilst that was a flowing
shee must beate. This I before had in my consideration,
for I thought she was so farre driuen vp that we should
neuer get her off. Yet we had bin so ferrited by her last
beating, that I resolued to sinke her right downe, rather
then runne that hazzard. By nine a clocke, she began to
rowle in her docke with a most extraordinary great Sea
that was come, which I found to be occasioned by the
forementioned ouer-fall. And this was the fatall houre
that put vs to our wits end. Wherefore, I went downe in
hold with the Carpenter, and tooke his auger and board a
hole in the Ship, and let in the water. Thus, with all
speed, we began to cut out other places to boare thorow,

but euery place was full' of nailes. By tcnne, notwithstanding, the lower tyre was couered with water ; for all
which, she began so to beate in her docke more and more,
that we could not worke nor stand to doe any thing in
her. Nor would she sinke so fast as we would haue her,
but continued beating double blowes, first abaft, and then
before, that it was wonderful! how she could indure a
quarter of an houre with it By twelue a clocke, her lower
Tyre rose, and that did so counter-beate on the inside that
it beat the bulke heads of the Bread-roome, powder-roome,
and fore piece all to pieces ; and, when it came betwixt
deckes, the chests fled wildly about, and the water did
flash and flie wonderfully, so that now we expected euery
minute when the Ship would open and breake to pieces.
At one a clocke, she beat off" her Rudder, and that was
gone, we knew not which way. Thus she continued beating till three a clocke, and then the sea came vp on the
vpper decke ; and, soon after, shee began to settle. In
her, wee were faine to sinke the most part of our bedding
and clothes, and the Chirurgions Chest with the rest. Our
men that were ashoare stood looking vpon vs, almost dead
with cold and sorrowes, to see our misery and their owne.
We lookt vpon them againe, and both vpon each other,
with woefull hearts. Darke night drew on, and I bade the
Boate to be haled vp, and commanded my louing companions to goe all into her, who (in some refusing complements) expressed their faithful affections to mee, as loth to
part from me. I told them that my meaning was to
goe ashoare with them. And thus, lastly, I forsook the
Ship.

We were seuenteene poore soules now in the Boate, and

we now imagined that we were leapt out of the Frying pan
into the fire. The ebbe was made, and the water extraordinary thicke congealed with snow, so that we thought,
assuredly, it would carry vs away into the Sea, We
thereupon double-mand foure oares, appointing foure more
to sit ready with oares, and so, with the helpe of God, we
got to the shoare, haling vp the Boate after vs. One thing
was most strange in this thicke water, namely, that there
went a great swelling Sea, Being arriued vpon the land,
we greeted our fellows the best we could, at which time
they could not know vs, nor we them, by our habits nor
voyces, so frozen all ouer wee were, faces, haire, and
apparell. And here I meane to take breath awhile, after
all this long and vnpleasant Relation of our miserable
endeauours, craning leaue first of all to speake a word or
two in generall.

The winds, since we came hither, haue been very variable
and vnconstant ; and, till within this fortnight, the Southerly
winde was the coldest The reason I conceiue to be, for
that it did blow from the Maine land, which was all
couered with snow, and for that the North winds came out
of the great Bay which hitherto was open. Adde to that,
we were now vnder a South Banke, which did shelter vs,
so that we were not so sensible of it.

A North-west, a North-west by North, and a NorthNorth-west winde (if it blew a storme) would raise the
Tydes extraordinarily; and, in briefe, from the West
North-west to the North North-east, would raise the tydes
in proportion, as they did blow from the middle point.
The wind being on the opposite points (if it blew), it would
flow very little at all. The harder it blew, the lesse water
it would flow. If it were little winde or calme, it would
flow indifferently. The tydes doe high ordinarily (without
being forced) about three foot, but, being forced with the

forementioned winds, vpward of ten foot' I could perceiue no difference betwixt Neape and spring tydes. It
flowes halfe tyde ; that is, the flood comes from the Northward, and thither returnes againe, two houres before it be
high water ; and it is commonly so seene in most Bayes or
Inlets.

The Wintering.

After we had haled vp the Boate, we
went alongst the breach side in the
darkc, towards our house, where we
made a good fire, and, with it and
bread and water, we thawde and
comforted our selues, beginning after
that to reason one with another concerning our Ship. I requir'd that euery one should speak
his mind freely. The Carpenter (especially) was of the
opinion that she was founderd and would neuer be
seruiceable againe. He alledged that she had so beaten
that it was not possible but that all her loints were loose
and seams open, and that, by reason it flowed so tittle
water, and no Creeke nor Coue being neere, wherein to
bring her aground, he could not deuise how he might come
to mend it Moreouer, her Rudder was lost, and he had
no Ironworke to hang on another. Some alledged that
we had heaued her vp so high vpon the sands that they
thought we should neuer haue her off againe, and that
they were assured she was already dockt three foote.
Others, that she lay in the Tydes way, and that the Ice
might teare her to pieces off the ground ; besides which,
two of our Ankers we could not now get from vnder the
Ice, which, when the Ice brake (which would be of a great

thicknesse by the Spring), would breake our Ankers to
pieces, and then we should haue no Ankers to bring vs
home withall, supposed we got oflF the Ship and that she
proucd sound also. I comforted them the best I could
with such like words: My Masters and faithfull Companions, be not dismaide for any of these disasters, but let
vs put our whole trust in God. It is he that giueth, and
he that taketh away ; he throwes downe with one hand,
and raiseth vp with another. His will be done. If it be
our fortunes to end our dayes here, we are as neere heauen
as in England; and we are much bound to God Almighty
for giuing us so large a time of repentance, who, as it
were, dayly calls vpon vs to prepare our selues for a better
life in heauen. I make no doubt but he will be mercifuU
to vs, both here on earth and in his blessed Kingdome ;
he doth not in the meane time deny but that we may vse
all honest meanes to save and prolong our naturall Hues
withall ; and, in my ludgement, we are not yet so farre past
hope of returning into our natiue Countries but that I see
a faire way by which wee may effect it Admit the Ship
be foundered (which God forbid ; I hope the best), yet haue
those of our owne nation, and others, when they haue beene
put to these extremities, euen out of the wracke of their
lo.st Ship, built then a Pinnasse, and recouered to their
friends againe. If it be obiected that they haue happened
into better Climats, both for temperatenesse of the ayre
and for paciiicke and open Seas, and provided withall of
abundance of fresh victuall, yet there is nothing too hard
for couragious minds, which hitherto you have showne, and
I doubt not will still doe to the vttermost.

They all protested to worke to the vttermost of their
strength, and that they would refuse nothing that I should
order them to doe, to the vttermost hazzard of their lives.

THE WINTERING. 52$

I thanke them all ; and, to the Carpenter, for his cheerefull
vndertaking, I promised to giue him so much plate
presently as should be worth ten pound sterling ; and, if so
be I went to England in the Pinnasse, I would giue her
him freely, and fifty pounds in mony ouer and aboue, and
would, moreouer, gratifie all them that I should see painefull and industrious. Thus we then resolucd to build vs a
new Pinnasse with the timber we should get vpon the
Hand, that so, in the spring, if we found not the Ship
seruiceable, wee might teare her vp, and planke her with
the Ships planks. And so, for this night, we settled our
selues close about the fire, and tooke some rest till daylight

The thirtieth, betimes in the morning, I caused the
Chirurgion to cut the haire of my head short, and to shaue
away all the haire of my face, for that it was become
intolerable, and that it would be frozen so great with Icesickles. The like did all the rest, and we fitted our
selues to worke. The first thing we were to doe was
to get our clothes and prouisions ashoare ; and, therefore,
I deuided the company. The Master, and a conuenient
company with him, were to goe aboord, and to get things
out of Hold. The Cock-swaine, with his ging, were to goe
in the Boate to bring and carry things ashoare. My selfe,
with the rest, to carry it halfe a mile thorow the snow
vnto the place where we intended to build a Store-house.
As for the heauier things, we purposed to lay them vpon
the Beache. In the afternoone, the winde was at South
South-west, and the water veerd to so low an ebbe that
we thought we might get something out of our Hold. We
lanched our Boate, therefore, and, with oares, set thorow
the thicke congealed water. It did freeze extreme hard,

and I did stand on the shoare with a troubled mind, thinking verily that, with the ebbe, the Boate would be carried
into the Sea, and that then wee were all lost men. But,
by Gods assistance, they got safely to the Ship, and made
a fire there to signifie their arriuall aboord. They fell
presently to worke, and got something out of the Hold
vpon the decks ; but, night comming on, they durst not
aduenture to come ashoare, but lay on the bed in the great
Cabbin, being almost starued.

The first of December was so cold that I went the same
way ouer the Ice to the Ship where the Boate had gone
yesterday. This day, we carried vpon our backs in bundles
500 of our fish, and much of our bedding and clothes,
which we were faine to digge out of the Ice.

The second was milde weather, and some of the men,
going ouer the Ice, fell in, and very hardly recouered, so
that this day we could land nothing, neither by Boate nor
backe. I put them therefore to make vs a Store-house
ashoare. In the euening, the winde came vp at West, and
the Ice did breake and driue out of the Bay. It was very
deepe and large Ice, that we much doubted it would haue
spoyled the Ship.

The third day, there were diuers great pieces of Ice that
came athwart the Ship, and shee stopt them, yet not so
that we could goe ouer them. We found a way for the
Boat ; but, when shee was loaden, shee drew foure foot
water, and could not come within a flight-shot of the
shoare. The men, therefore, must wade thorow the thicke
congealed water, and carry all things out of the Ship vpon
their backs. Euery time they waded in the Ice, it so
gathered about the that they did seeme like a walking
piece of Ice, most lamentable to behold. In this extreme

f

cold euening, they cut away as much Ice from about the
Boate as they could, and pickt it with hand-spikes out of
her, and endeauouring to hoyse her into the Ship, there
being small hope that shee could goe to and againe any
more. But, vse what meanes they could, shee was so
heauy that they could not hoyse her in, but were faine
there to leaue her in the tackles by the Ships side.

The fourth, being Sunday, we rested, and performed the
Sabbath duties of a Christian.

The fift and sixt were extreme cold, and wee made bags
of our store shirts, and in them carried our loose bread
ouer the Ice ashoare vpon our backs. We also digged our
clothes and new sayles, with hand-spikes of iron, out of
the Ice, and carried them ashoare, which we dryed by a
great fire.

The seuenth day was so extremely cold that our noses,
cheekes, and hands did freeze as white as paper.

The eighth and ninth, it was extreme cold, and it did
snow much, yet we continued our labour in carrying and
rowling things ashoare. In the euening, the water raised
the Ice very high, and it did breake two thoughts of our
Boat, and breake in the side of her ; but, for that time, we
could not helpe it

The tenth, our Carpenter found timber to make a Keele
and a Sterne for our Pinnace. The rest wrought about our
prouisions vntill the 13 day, and that we spent in digging
our boate out of the Ice, which we were faine to doe
to the very Keele, and dig the Ice out of her ; and then
we got her vp on the Ice, in which doing many had
their noses, cheekes, and fingers frozen as white as paper.
The cold now increased most extremely. By the 19,
we could get no more things out of our Hold, but were
faine to leaue 5 barrels of Beefe and Porke, all our

Beere, and diuers other things, which were all firme frozen
in her.

The one and twentieth was so cold that we could not
goe out of the house.

The three and twentieth, we went to haue our boate
ashoare, running her ouer our oares ; but, by lo a clocke,
there came such a thicke fogge that it was as darke as
night. I made them giue ouer, and make what haste we
could to the shoare, which we had much adoe to finde, for
the time losing one another. At the last, we met all at
the house, the miserablest frozen that can bee conceiued.
Vpon divers had the cold raised blisters as bigge as wallnuts. This we imagined to come by reason that they
came too hastily to the fire. Our Well was now frozen vp,
so, digge as deepe as we could, we can come by no water.
Melted snow-water is very vnwholsome, either to drinke or
dresse our victualls. It made vs so short-breathed that we
were scarce able to speake. All our Sacke, Vineger, Oyle,
and euery thing else that was liquid, was now frozen as
hard as a piece of wood, and we must cut it with a hatchet
Our house was all frozen on the inside, and it froze hard
within a yard of the fires side. When I landed first vpon
this Hand, I found a spring vndera hils side, which I then
obseruing, had caused some trees to be cut for markes
to know the place againe by. It was about three quarters
of a mile from our house. I sent 3 of our men, which had
beene formerly with me, thither vpon the 24. These, wading thorow the snow, at last found the place ; and, shoueling away the snow, they made way to the very head of it.
They found it spring very strongly, and brought me a Can
of it, for which I was right ioyfull. This spring continued
all the yeere, and did not freeze but that we could breake
the Ice and come to it We labored very hard these three

or fourc dayes to j^et wood to the house, which we found
to be very troublesome, through the deepe snow.

Wee then settled our bedding and prouisions, providing
to keepe Christmas day holy, which we solemnized in the
ioyfullest manner we could. So, likewise, did we Saint
Johns day vpon which we named the wood we did winter
in, in memory of that Honourable Knight, Sir John Wintery Winters Forrest) And now, in stead of a Christmas
Taley I will here describe the house that we did Hue in,
with those adioyning.

When I first resolued to build a house, I chose the most
warmest and conuenientest place, and the neerest the Ship
withall. It was amongst a tuft of thicke trees, vnder a
South banke, about a flight-shot from the Seas side. True
it is that at that time we could not digge into the ground
to make vs a Hole or Caue in the earth (which had been
the best way), because we found water within 2 foote
digging ; and, therefore, that proiect fail'd. It was a white
light sand, so that we could by no meanes make vp a
mud-wall. As for stones, there were none neere vs, which,
moreouer, were all now couered with the snow. We had
no boords for such a purpose, and, therefore, we must doe
the best we could with such materials as we had about vs.

The house was square, about 20 foote euery way ; as
much, namely, as our viayne-course could well couer. First,
we droue strong stakes into the earth round about, which

530 JAMES'S vSTRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

we watteled with boughes, as thicke as might be, beating
them downe very close. This, our first worke, was six
foote high on both sides, but, at the ends, almost vp to the
very top. There we left two holes for the light to come in
at ; and the same way the smoke did vent out also.
Moreouer, I caused at both ends three rowes of thick bush
trees to be stuck up as close as mought be possibly. Then,
at a distance from the house, we cut downe trees, proportioning them into lengths of sixe foote, with which we
made a pile on both sides, sixe foote thicke, and sixe foote
high, but, at both ends, tenne foote high, and sixe foote
thicke. We left a little low doore to creepe into, and a
portall before that, made with piles of wood, that the wind
might not blow into it We next of all fastned a rough
tree aloft ouer all, vpon which we laid our rafters, and our
Mayne Course ouer those againe, which, lying thwartwayes ouer all, did reach downe to the very ground on
either side. And this was the Fabricke of the out-side of
it. On the inside, we made fast our bonnet sayles round
about. Then we droue in stakes and made vs bed-stead
frames, about three sides of the house, which bedsteads
were double, one vnder another, the lower-most being a
foote from the ground. These we first fild with boughes ;
then we layd some spare sayles on that, and then our
bedding and clothes. We made a Hearth or Causie in the
middle of the house, and on it made our fire ; some boords
wee layd round about our Hearth to stand vpon, that the
cold dampe should not strike vp into vs. With our Wastclothes, we made vs Canopies and Curtaines ; others did
the like with our small sayles. Our second house was not

THE WINTERING. 53 1

past 20 foote distant from this, and made, for the watteling,
much after the same manner ; but it was lesse, and couered
with our fore-course. It had no pyles on the South side,
but, in Hew of that, we pilde vp all our Chests on the
inside ; and, indeed, the reflexe of the fire against them did
make it warmer then the Mansion house. In this house,
we drest our victuall, and the subordinate crue did refresh
themselues all day in it. A third house (which was our
store-house), we likewise made, some twenty paces off from
this, for feare of firing. This house was onely a rough tree
fastened aloft, with rafters layd from it to the ground, and
couered ouer with our new suite of sailes. On the inside,
we had laid small trees, and couered them ouer with boughes,
and so stored vp our Bread and Fish in it, about two foote
from the ground, the better to preserue them. Other
things lay more carelessely.

Long before Christmas our mansion house was couered
thicke ouer with Snow, almost to the very roofe of it.
And so, likewise, was our second house ; but our Storehouse all ouer, by reason we made no fire in it. Thus we
seemed to Hue in a heape and wildernesse of Snow ; forth
adores we could not go, but vpon the snow, in which we
made vs paths, middle-deepe in some places, and, in one
speciall place, the length of tenne steps. To doe this, we
must shouell away the Snow first ; and then, by treadding,
make it something hard vnderfoote. The Snow in this
path was a full yard thick vnder vs. And this was our
best gallery for the sicke-men, and for mine owne ordinary
walking. And, both houses and walkes, we did daily
accommodate more and more, and make fitter for our vses.

The twenty scuenth, we got our Boate ashoare, and
fetcht vp some of our prouisions from the beach side into
the Store-house ; and so, by degrees, did we with the rest of
our prouisions, with extremity of cold and labour, making
way with shouells thorow the deepe Snow, even from the
Sea-side vnto our Store-house. And thus concluded we
the old yeere, 163 1.

January 1632.

The first of January (and, for the most part, all the
moneth) was extreme cold.

The sixth, I obserued the latitude with what exactness I
could (it being very cleere Sun-shine weather), which I
found to be 51. 52. This difference is by reason that here
is a great Refraction?'

The one and twentieth, I obserued the Sunne to rise like
an Ouall alongst the Horizon. I cald three or foure to see
it, the better to confirme my ludgement, and we all agreed
that it was twice as long as it was broad. We plainly
perceiued withall that, by degrees, as it got vp higher, it
also recouered his roundnesse.

The sixe and twentieth, I obserued when the Easterneedge of the Moone did touch the Planet Mars the Lions
heart was then in the East quarter, 21. 45 aboue the Horizon ; but all this was not done with that exactness that I
haue done other obseruations.

The thirtieth and one and thirtieth, there appeared, in the
beginning of the night, more Starres in the firmament
then euer I had before seene by two thirds. I could see
the Cloud in Cancer full of small Starres, and all the via

• This phenomenon is commented upon by Captain Parry (Journal

of a Third Voyage etc. p. 66), who gives illustrations of abnormal

shapes of the moon from drawings made by Mr. Head.

THE WINTERING. S33

lactea nothing but small Starres ; and, amongst the PyladeSy
a great many small Starres. About tenne a Clocke, the
Moone did rise, and then a quarter of them was not to be
scene. The wind, for the most part of this month, hath
beene Northerly and very cold, the warmest of which
time wee imployed our selues in fetching Wood, working
vpon our Pinnasse, and other things that happened. In
the beginning of this moneth, the Sea was all firmely
frozen ouer, so that we could see no water any way. I
hope it will not seeme tedious to the Readers, if I here
deliuer mine owne opinion how this abundance of Ice
comes to be ingendered.

The Land that encircles this great Bay (which lyes in a
broken irregular forme, making many little shoald Bayes
and Guts, being, moreouer, full of Hands and dry sands) is,
for the most part, low and flat, and hath flat shoalds adioyning to it, halfe a mile or a mile, that are dry at low water.
Now you must know that it flowes halfe tyde (as I haue
often experienced); that is, from whence the flood commeth,
the water thither returneth, two houres before it be high
water or full Sea. It seldome raines after the middle of
September but snowes, and that Snow will not melt on the
Land nor Sands. At low water, when it snowes (which it
doth very often), the sands are all couered ouer with it,
which the halfe tyde carries officiously (twice in twentie
foure houres) into the great Bay, which is the common
Rendezvous of it. Euery low water are the sands left
cleere, to gather more to the increase of it. Thus doth it
daily gather together in this manner, till the latter end of
October ; and, by that time, hath it brought the Sea to that
coldnesse that, as it snows, the snow will lye vpon the

534 JaMes*s strange And DANcEiROus VoVAGfi.

water in flakes without changing his colour, but, with the
winde, is wrought together ; and, as the winter goes forward, it begins to freeze on the surface of it, two or three
inches in one night, which, being carried with the halfe
tyde, meets with some obstacle (as it soone doth), and then
it crumples and so runnes vpon itself that, in a few houres,
it will be fiue or sixe foote thicke. The halfe tyde, still
flowing, carries it so fast away that, by December it is
growne to an infinite multiplication of Ice. And thus, by
this storing of it vp, the cold gets the predomination in
the Sea (which also furnisheth the Springs and water in
the low flat lands) that it cools it like it selfe. This may
appeare by our experience, though in all this I freely submit my selfe vnto the better learned. Our men found it
more mortifying cold to wade thorow the water in the
beginning of lune when the Sea was all full of Ice, then
in December when it was increasing. Our well, moreouef, out of which we had water in December we had none
in luly.

The ground, at ten foote deepe, was frozen. The quantitie of the Ice may very easily be made to appeare by
Mathematicall Demonstrationy and yet I am not of the
opinion that the Bay doth freeze all ouer. For, the one and
twentieth, the winde blowing a storme at North, we could
perceiue the Ice to rise something in the Bay.

February y 1632,

The cold was as extreme this moneth as at any time we
had felt it this yeere, and many of our men complained of
infirmities ; some of sore mouthes, all the teeth in their
heads being loose, their gums swolne, with blacke rotten
flesh, which must euery day be cut away. The paine was
so sore on them that they could not eate their ordinary
meat Others complained of paine in their heads and

THfi WINTERING. S3 5

their brests ; some of weaknesse in their backs ; others of
aches in their thighs and knees ; and others of swellings in
their legges. Thus were two thirds of the company vnder
the Chirurgions hands. And yet, neuerthelesse, they must
worke daily, and goe abroad to fetch wood and timber,
notwithstanding the most of them had no shooes to put
on. Their shooes, vpon their comming to the fire, .out of
the snow, were burnt and scorch t vpon their feete, and our
store-shooes were all sunke in the Ship. In this necessitie, they would make this shift : To bind clouts about their
feet ; and endeauoured, by that poore helpe, the best they
could, to performe their duties. Our Carpenter likewise is
by this time falne sicke, to our great discomforts. I practised some obseruations by the rising and setting of the
Sunne, calculating the time of his rising and setting by
very true running glasses. As for our Clocke and Watch,
notwithstanding we still kept them by the fire's side, in a
Chest, wrapt in clothes, yet were they so frozen that they
could not goe. My obseruations by these Glasses, I compared with the Stars comming to the Meridian, By this
meanes; wee found the Sunne to rise twentie minutes
before it should, and, in the euening, to remaine aboue the
Horizon twentie minutes (or thereabouts) longer then it
should doe. And all this by reason of the Refraction.

Since now I haue spoken so much of the cold, I hope it
will not be too coldly taken if I, in a few words, make it
someway to appeare vnto our Readers.

Wee made three differences of the cold, all according to
the places. In our house ; in the woods ; and in the open
Ayer, vpon the Ice, in our going to the ship.

For the last, it would be sometimes so extreme that it
was not indurable ; no Cloathes were proofe against it ; no
motion could resist it It would, moreouer, so freeze the

haire on our eye-lids that we could not see ; and I verily
beleeue that it would haue stifled a man in a very few
houres. We did daily find by experience that the cold in
the Woods would freeze our faces, or any part of our flesh
that was bare, but it was yet not so mortifying as the
other. Our house, on the out-side, was couered two thirdparts with Snow, and, on the inside, frozen & hang with
Icesickles. The Cloathes on our beds would be couered
with hoare frost, which, in this little habitacle, was not farre
from the fire. But let vs come a little neerer to it. The
Cookes Tubs, wherein he did water his meate, standing
about a yard from the fire, and which he did all day plye
with melted Snow-water, yet, in the night season, whilst he
slept but one watch, would they be firme frozen to the very
bottome. And, therefore, was hee faine to water his meate
in a brasse Kettle, close adioyning to the fire ; and I haue
many times both scene and felt, by putting my hand into
it, that side which was next the fire was very warme, and
the other side an inch frozen. I leaue the rest to our
Cooke, who will almost speake miracles of the cold. The
Surgeon, who had hung his bottles of sirrops and other
liquid things as conueniently as he could to preserue them,
had them all frozen. Our Vineger, Oyle, and Sacke, which
we had in small Caske in the house, was all firme frozen.
It may further in generall be conceiued that, in the beginning of lune, the Sea was not broken vp, and the ground
was yet frozen ; and thus much wee found by experience,
in the burying of our men, in setting vp the King's
Standard towards the latter end of lune, and by our Well,

at our comming away in the beginning of luly at which
time, vpon the land, for some other reasons, it was very
hote weather.

Marchy 1632.

The first of this moneth, being Saint Dauids day, we
kept Holyday, and solemnised it in the manner of the
Ancient BritaineSy praying for his Highnesse happinesse,
CItarles Prince of Wales,

The fifteenth, one of our men thought he had seene a
Deere, whereupon he, with two or three more, desired that
they might go to see if they could take it. I gaue them
leaue ; but, in the Euening, they returned so disabled with
cold, which did rise vp in blisters vnder the soales of their
feete, and vpon their legges, to the bignesse of Walnut,
that they could not recouer their former estate (which was
not very well) in a fortnight after.

The sixe and twentieth, three more desire that they also
might goe out to try their fortunes, but they returned worse
disabled, and euen almost stifled with the cold.

This Euening, the Moone rose in a very long Ovale
alongst the Horizon.

By the last of this moneth, the Carpenter had set vp 17
ground timbers, and 34 Staddles, and (poore man) hee proceedeth the best he can, though he be faine to be led vnto
his labour.

In briefe, all this moneth had beene very cold ; the wind
about the N.W. ; the snow as deepe as it hath beene all
this winter ; but, to answer an obiection that may be made :

1 St. David, the patron saint of Wales and Archbishop of Caerleon,
died about the year 544. Captain James doubtless kept the day as a
west-country festival. Probably, too, there were Welshmen among
his crew.

You were in a wood (may some men say vnto vs), and
therefore you might make fire enough to keepe you from
the cold. It IS true, we were in a wood, and vnder a South
banke too, or otherwise we had all starued. But I must
tell you withall how difficult it was to haue wood in a wood ;
and, first, I will make a muster of the tooles we had. The
Carpenter, in his Chest, had 2 Axes indeed ; but one of them
was spoyl'd in cutting downe wood to pile about our house
before Christmas. When we came first a land, we had but
two whole hatchets, which in a few dayes broke 2 inches
below the Sockets. I cald for 3 of the Cooper's hatchets ;
the Carpenters axe and the Coopers best hatchet, I caused
to be lockt vp ; the other 2 hatchets to be new helu'd ; and
the blades of the 2 broken hatchets to be put into a cleft
piece of wood, and then to be bound about with rope yarne,
as fast as might be, which must be repaired euery day.
And these were all the cutting tooles we had ; moreouer, the
6 of February y the Carpenter had out his best axe about
something, and one of the company, in his absence, by his
vndiscreete handling of it, brake that too, two inches below
the Socket; we must henceforth order these pieces of
tooles the best we could ; wherefore I gaue order that the
Carpenter should haue one of the Coopers hatchets ; they
that lookt for timber in the woods, the other ; and they that
cut downe wood to burne were to haue the 2 pieces. And
this was before Christmas.

The three that were appointed to looke crooked timber
must stalke and wade (sometimes on all foure) thorow the
snow ; and, where they saw a tree likely to fit the mould,
they must first heaue away the snow, and then see if it
would fit the mould ; if not, they must seeke further. If it

1 The expression, starved with cold which James often uses, still
survives ; but starving is now more usually associated with hunger,
s Of course, for use in the pinnace.

did fit the mould, then they must make a fire to it, to thawe
It : otherwise it could not be cut Then [they must] cut it
downe, and fit it to the length of the mould, and then, with
other helpe, get it home a mile thorow the snow.

Now, for our firing, we could not bume greene wood ; it
would so smoke that it was not indurable ; yea, the men had
rather starue without in the cold then sit by it As for the
dry wood, that also was bad enough in that kinde ; for it
was full of Turpentine, and would send forth such a thicke
smoke that would make abundance of soote, which made vs
all looke as if we had beene free of the Company of Chimney-Sweepers. Our cloathes were quite burnt in pieces
about vs; and, for the most part, we were all without shooes ;
but to our Fuellers againe. They must first (as the former)
goe vp and downe in the snow till they saw a standing dry
tree, for that the snow couered any that were fallen. Then
they must hacke it downe with their pieces of hatchets, and
then others must carry it home thorow the snow. The
boyes with Cuttleasses must cut boughes for the Carpenter ;
for euery piece of timber that he did worke must first be
thaw'd in the fire, and he must haue a fire by him, or he
could not worke. And this was our continuall labour
throughout the forementioned cold, besides our tending of
the sicke, and other necessary imployments.

Aprill, 1632.

The first of this moneth, being Easter-day, we solemnised
as religiously as God did giue vs grace. Both this day ancj
the 2 following Holy-dayes were extreme cold ; and now,
sitting all about the fire, we reasoned and considered together vpon our estate. We had 5 men (whereof the Carpenter was one) not able to doe any thing. The Boateswayne, and many more, were very infirme ; and, of all the
rest, we had but 5 that could eate of their ordinary allow-

ance. The time and season of the yeere came forwards
apace, and the cold did very little mitigate. Our Pinnace
was in an indifferent forwardnesse, but the Carpenter grew
worse and worse. The Ship (as we then thought) lay all
full of solid Ice, which was weight enough to open the
seames of any new and sound vessel,. especially of one that
had layne so long vpon the ground as she had done. In
briefe, after many disputations, and laying open of our
miserable and hopeless estates, I resolued vpon this course :
that, notwithstanding it was more labour, and though we
declined weaker still and weaker, yet that, with the first
warm weather, we would begin to cleere the Ship ; that so
we might haue the time before vs to thinke of some other
course. This being ordered, we lookt to those tooles we
had to digge the Ice out of her ; we had but 2 Iron barres
ashoare, the rest were sunke in the Ship, and one of them
was broken too. Well, we fell to fitting of those barres,
and of 4 broken shouels that we had,with which we intended
(as after we did) to digge the Ice out of her, and to lay that
Ice on a heape vpon the Lar-boord bowe, and to sinke
downe that Ice to the ground so fast that it should be a
Barricadoe to vs when the Ice brake vp, which we feared
would teare vs all to pieces.

The 6 was the deepest snow we had all this yeere, which
fild vp all our pathes and wayes by which we were vsed to
goe vnto the wood. This snow was something moyster and
greater than any we had had all this yeere ; for formerly it
was as dry as dust, and as small as sand, and would driue
like dust with the winde.

The weather continued with this extremitie vntill the
15, at which time our spring was harder frozen then it had
beene all the yeere before. I had often obserued the
difference betwixt cleere weather and mistie Refractious
weather, in this manner, from a little hill which was neere
adioyning to our house. In the clearest weather, when the

THE WINTERING. 54I

Sunne shone with all the purietie of ayre that I could conceiue, we could not see a little Hand, which bare off vs
South South-east, some foure leagues off; but, if the weather
were mistie (as aforesaid), then we should often see it from
the lowest place. This little Hand I had seene the last
yeere, when I was on Danby Iland. The 13, I tooke the
height of it instrumentally standing neere the Sea side,
which I found to be 34 minutes, the Sunne being 28 degrees
high. This showes how great a Refraction here is. Yet
may this be noted by the way : that I haue seene the land
eleuated by reason of the refractious ayre, and neuerthelesse
the Sunne hath risen perfect round.

The sixteenth was the most comfortable Sun-shine day
that came this yeere, and I put some to cleere off the snow
from the vpper decks of the Ship, and to cleere and dry the
great Cabbin, by making fire in it Others I put to digge
downe thorow the Ice to come by our Anker that was in
shoald water, which, the 17 in the afternoone, we got vp
and carried aboord.

The eighteenth, I put them to digge downe thorow the
Ice, neere the place where we thought our Rudder might be.
They digged downe and came to water, but no hope of
finding of it ; we had many doubts that it might be sanded,
or that the Ice might haue carried it away already the last
yeere ; or, if we could not recouer it by digging before the
Ice brake up and droue, there was little hope of it

The nineteenth, wee continued our myning worke aboord
the Shippe, and returned in the Euening to Supper ashoare.
This Day, the Master and two others desired that they
might lye aboord, which I condiscended to ; for indeed they
had laine very discommodiously all the winter, and with
sicke bed-fellowes, as I myselfe had done, euery one in
that kinde taking their fortunes. By lying aboord, they

auoyded the hearing of the miserable groanings, and lamenting of the sicke men all night long, enduring (poore soules)
intolerable torments.

By the one and twentieth, we had laboured so hard that
we came to see a Caske, and could likewise perceiue that
there was some water in the Hold. This we knew could
not be thawed water, because it did still freeze night and
day very hard aboord the Ship, and on the land also.

By the three and twentieth, in the Euening, wee came to
pierce the forementioned Caske, and found it was full of
very good Beere, which did much reioyce vs all, especially
the sicke men, notwithstanding that it did taste a little of
bulge-water. By this we at the time thought that the holes
we had cut to sinke the Ship were frozen, and that this
water had stood in the Ship all the Winter.

The foure and twentieth, we went betimes in the morning to worke, but found that the water was risen aboue the
Ice where we had left work aboute two foot, for that the
wind had blowne very hard at North the night before. In
the morning, the wind came about South and blew hard ;
and, although we had little reason for it, we yet expected a
lower veere of the water. I, therevpon, put them to worke
on the outside of the Ship, that we might come to the lower
hole which we had cut in the Sterne-Shootes. With much
labour, by night, we digged downe thorow the Ice to it, and
found it vnfrozen (as it had bin all the Winter) ; and, to our
great comforts, we found that on the inside the water was
ebd euen with the hole, and that on the outside it was ebd
a foot lower. Hereupon, I made a shot-boord to be naild
on it, and to be made as tight as might be, to try if the
water came in any other way. To the other two holes, we
had digged on the inside and found them frozen. Now, I

did this betimes that, if we found the Ship foundered, we
might resolue of some course to saue or prolong our Hues,
by getting to the maine before the Ice were broken vp ; for,
as for our Boate, it was too little, and bulged besides that.
Our Carpenter was by this time past hope, and therefore
little hope had we of our Pinnasse. But, which was worst
of all, we had not foure men able to trauell through the
Snow ouer the Ice ; and in this miserable estate were we at
this present

The 25, we satisfied our longing ; for, the winde now comming about Northerly, the water rose by the Ships side
(where we had digged downe) a foot and more aboue the
Hold, and yet did not rise within boord. This did so
incourage vs that we fell very lustily to digging, and to
heaue out the Ice out of the Ship. I put the Cooke and
some others to thaw the pumps, who, by continuall powring
of hot water into them, by the 27, in the morning, they had
cleered one of them, which we say-ing, found that it did
deliuer water very sufficiently. Thus we fell to pumping,
and, hauing cleered two foot water, we then left to haue a
second tryall. Continuing our worke thus, in digging the
Ice, by the 28, we had cleered our other pumpe, which we
also found to deliuer water very well. We found, likewise,
that the water did not rise anything in Hold.

The 29, it rained all day long, a sure signe to vs that
winter was broken vp.

The 30, wee were betimes aboord at our worke, which
day, and the one and thirtieth, were very cold, with snow
and haile, which did pinch our sicke men more then any
time this yeere. This euening, being May Euen, we returned late from our worke to our house, and made a good

fire, and chose Ladies, and did ceremoniously weare their
names in our Caps, endeauouring to reuiue ourselues by any
meanes. And, because you heare vs in this merry humour,
I will make knowne to you what good cheere we kept at
Christmas and Easter, and how we had dieted ourselues all
the winter.

At our comming foorth of England we were stored with
all sort of Sea prouisions, as Beefe, Porke, Fish, etc. ; but,
now that we had little hope of refreshing, our Cooke did
order it in this manner : —

The Beefe which was to seme on Sunday-night to Supper, he did boyle on Saterday-night in a Kettle full of
water, with a quart of Oatemeale, about an houre. Then,
taking the Beefe out, he boyled the rest till it came to halfe
the quantitie. And this we called porridge, which, with
bread, we did eate as hot as we could ; and, after this, we had
our ordinary of fish. Sunday dinner, wee had Porke and
Pease, and at night the former boyled Beefe made more
porridge. In this manner, our Tuesdayes Beefe was boyled
on the Munday nights, and the Thursdayes vpon the Wednesdayes ; and thus all the weeke (except Friday night)
we had some warme thing in our bellies euery supper.
And (surely) this did vs a great deale of good. But, soone
after Christmas, many of vs fell sicke, and had sore

mouthes, and could peither eate Beefe, Porke, Fish, nor

Porridge. Their dyet was onely this : they would pound
Bread or Oatmeale in a mortar to meale, then fry it in a
frying panne with a little oyle, and so eate it. Some would
boyle Pease to a soft paste, and feed as well as they could
vpon that. For the most part of the winter, water was our
drinke. In the whole winter, we tooke not aboue a doozen
Foxes, many of which would be dead in the traps two or
three dayes, oftentimes, and then when the blood was settled
they would be vnwholesome. But, if we tooke one aliue
that had not bin long in the trap, him we boyled, and made

THE WINTERING. $4$

broth for the weakest sicke men, of him ; the flesh of it,
being soft boyled, they did eate also.

Some white partridges we kild, but not worth the mentioning towards any refreshing.

We had three sorts of sicke men : those that could not
moue, nor tume themselues in their Beds, who must be
tended like an Infant ; others that were, as it were, creepled
with scuruy Aches ; and others, lastly, that were something
better. Most of all had sore mouthes. You may now aske
me how these infirme men could worke ? I will tell you :
Our Surgeon (which was diligent, and a sweet-conditioned
man as euer I saw) would be vp betimes in the mornings,
and, whilest he did picke their Teeth, and cut away the
dead flesh from their Gummes, they would bathe their
owne thighes, knees, and legges. The manner whereof was
this : there was no tree, bud, nor herbe but we made tryall
of it ; and this, being first boyled in a Kettle, and then put
in a small Tubs and Basons, they put it vnder them, and,
couering themselues with Cloathes vpon it, this would so
mollifie the grieued parts that, although, when they did rise
out of their Beds, they would be so crippled that they could
scarce stand, yet after this done halfe an houre, they would
be able to goe (and must goe) to wood thorow the Snow, to
the Ship, and about their other businesse. By night, they
would be as bad againe, and then they must bee bathed,
anoynted, and their mouthes againe drest, before they went
to Bed. And with this dyet, and in this manner, did we goe
thorow our miseries.

I euer doubted that we should be weakest in the Spring,
and therefore had I reserued a Tun of Alegant Wine vnto
this time. Of this, by putting seuen parts of water to one

54 JAMESES STkA^GE AND DAKcfeROUS VoVAGE.

of wine, we made some weake Beuerage, which (by reason
that the wine, by being frozen, had lost his Vertue) was
little better then water. The sicker sort had a Pint of
Alegant a day by it selfe, and of such poore Aqua vitae
too, as we had, they had a little dramme allowed them
next their hearts euery morning ; and thus wee made the
best vse of what we had, according to the seasons.

May, 1632.

The first, we went aboord betimes to heaue out the Ice,

The second, it did snow and blow, and was so cold that
we were faine to keepe house all day. This vnexpected
cold at this time of the yeere did so vexe our sicke men
that they grew worse and worse. We cannot now take
them out of their beds but they would swound, and we had
much adoe to fetch life in them.

The third, those that were able went aboord betimes to
heaue out the Ice. The Snow was now melted in many
places vpbn the Land, and stood in plashes,* And now
there came some Cranes and Geese to it.

The fourth, while the rest wrought aboord, I and the
Surgeon went, with a couple of pieces, to see if we could
kill any of these fowle for our sicke men ; but neuer did I
see such wild-fowle : they would not indure to see anything mooue. Wherefore we returned within 2 houres,
not being able to indure any longer stalking thorow the
snow and the wet plashes. I verily thought that my feet
and legs would haue fallen off, they did so torment me with
aking.

The 6, lohn Wardon, the Master of my Ship's chiefe
Mate, dyed, whom we buried in the Euening (in the most

THE WlNTEklNG. $47

Christian-Iike manner we could) vpon the top of a bare
hill of sand, which we cald Brandon Hill)

The weather continued very cold, freezing so hard in a
night that it would beare a man.

By the 9, we were come to, and got vp, our fiue barrels
of Beefe and Porke, and had found 4 Buts of Beere, and
one of Cydar, which God had preserued for vs. It had
layne vnder water all the winter, yet we could not perceiue that it was any thing the worse. God make vs euer
thankefuU for the comfort it gaue vs.

The 10, it did snow and blow so cold that we could not
stirre out of the house. Yet, neuerthelesse, by day the
snow vanisheth away apace on the land.

The II, we were aboord betimes, to heaue out Ice. By
the 12, at night, we had cleered out all the Ice out of the
Hold, and found likewise our store-shooes which had layne
soakt in the water all the winter ; but we dried them by
the fire, and fitted our selues with them. We strooke
againe our Cables into the Hold ; there stowed we a But
of Wine also, which had beene all the Winter on the vpper
decke, and continued as yet all firme and frozen. We
fitted the Ship also, making her ready to sinke her againe
when the Ice brake vp. We could hitherto find no defect
in her, and therefore well hoped that she was stanche.
The Carpenter, neuerthelesse, did earnestly argue to the
contrary, alleadging that now she lay on the ground in her
Docke, and that the Ice had fild her defects, and that the
Ice was the thing that kept out the water ; but when she
should come to labour in the sea, then doubtlesse she
would open. And, indeed, we could now see quite through
her seames betwixt wind and water. But that which did

trouble vs as ill as all this was the losse of her Rudder,
and that she now lay in the very strength of the Tyde,
which, when euer the Ice droue, might teare her to pieces.
But we still hoped the best.

The 13, being the Sabbath Day, we solemnized, giuing
God thankes for those hopes and comforts we dayly hadThe weather by day-time was pretty and warme, but it did
freeze by night ; yet now we could see some bare patches
of land.

The 14, we began a new sort of worke. The Bfoateswaine and a conuenient number sought ashoare the rest of
our Rigging, which was much spoyled by pecking of it out
of the Ice, and this they now fell to fitting and to seruing
of it. I set the Cooper to fit our Caske, although (poore
man) he was very infirme, my intent being to passe some
Cables vnder the Shijp, and so to Buoy her vp with these
Caskes, if otherwise we could not get her off. Some others
I ordered to goe see if they could kill some wild-fowle for
our sicke men, who now grew worse and worse. And this
is to be remembred : that we had no shot but what we did
make of the Aprons of our Gunnes and some old pewter
that I had ; for the Carpenter's sheet-lead, we durst not
vse.

The IS, I manured a little patch of ground that was bare
of snow, and sowed it with Peason,* hoping to haue some
of the hearbs of them shortly to eat ; for, as yet, we can
finde no greene thing to comfort vs.

The 18, our Carpenter, William Cole dyed, a man
generally bemoaned of vs all, as much for his innate goodnesse as for the present necessity we had of a man of his
quality. He had indured a long sicknesse with much

i

patience, and made a very godly end. In the Euening, we
buried him by Master Wardon, accompanied with as many
as could goe, for 3 more of our principal! men lay then
expecting a good houre. And now were we in the most
miserable estate that we were in all the voyage. Before
his extreme weaknesse, he had brought the Pinnace to
that passe that she was ready to be boulted and trenneld,*
and to be ioyn'd together to receiue the planke, so that
we were not so discouraged by his death but that we did
hope of our selues to finish her, if the Ship proved unseruiceable.

This our Pinnace was 27 foot by the Kecle, 10 foot by
the Beame, and 5 foot in Hold. She had 17 ground timbers, 34 principal! Staddles, and 8 short Staddles.* He had
contriued her with a round sterne to sauc labour ; and,
indeed, she was a well-proportioned Vessel!. Her burthen
was 12 or 14 Tunne.

In the Euening, the Master of our Ship, after burial!, returning aboord Ship and looking about her, discouerd
some part of our Gunner vndcr the Gun-roome ports. This
man we had committed to the Sea, at a good distance from
the Ship, and in deep water, neerc 6 moneths before.

The 19, in the morning, I sent men to dig him out. He
was fast in the Ice, his head downewards and his heele vpward (for he had but one legge), and the plaster was yet at
his wound. In the aftemoone, they had digd him cleere
out ; after all which time, he was as free from noysomenesse
as when we first committed him to the Sea. This alteration had the Ice and water and time onely wrought on
him : that his flesh would slip vp and downe vpon his
bones like a gloue on a man's hand. In the Euening, we

buried him by the others. This day, one George Vgganes
(who could handle a took best of vs all) had indiflTerent
well repaired our boate ; and so we ended this moumefull
weeke. The snow was by this time pretty well wasted in
the woods, and we hauing a high tree, on the highest place
of the Hand, which we called our watch-tree, from the top
of it we might see into the sea, but found no appearance of
breaking vp yet.

This 20, being Whit-Sunday, we sadly solemnized, and
had some taste of the wilde-fowle, but not worth the
writing.

The one and twentieth was the warmest Sunne-shineday that came this yeere. I sent 2 a fowling, and my selfc
taking the Master, the Surgeon, and one more, with our
pieces and our Dogs, we went into the woods to see what
comfort we could finde. Wee wandred from the house
eight miles, and searcht with all diligence, but returned
comfortlesse, not an herbe nor leafe eatable that we could
finde. Our Fowlers had as bad success. In the woods,
wee found the Snow partly wasted away, so that it was .
passable. The ponds were almost vnthawd, but the Sea
from any place we could see all firme frozen.

The snow doth not melt away here with the Sunne or
raine, and so make any land-floods, as in England ; but it is
exhaled vp by the Sunne, and suckt full of holes, like
honeycombs, so that the land whereon it lyes will not
be at all wetted. The like obseruation wee also had :
that, let it raine euer so much, you shall see no land-floods
after it.

The two and twentieth, we went aboord the Ship, and
found that she had made so much water that it was now
risen aboue the ballast, which made vs doubt againe of her
soundnesse. We fell to pumping, and pumpt her quite
dry. And now by day sometimes we haue such hot

gloomes that we cannot indurc in the Sunne, and yet, in the
night, it would freeze very hard. This vnnaturalnesse of
the season did torment our men, that they now grow worse
and worse daily.

Tiie three and twentieth, our Boat-swayne (a painefull
man) hauing beene long sicke, which he had heartily resisted, was taken with such a painefull ache in one of his
thighs, that we verily thought he would haue presently
dyed. He kept his bed all day in great extremitie ; and it
was a maxim amongst vs that, if any one kept his bed two
dayes, he could rise no more. This made euery man to
striue to keepe vp, for life.

The foure and twentieth was very warme Sun-shine, and
the Ice did consume by the shore's side, and crackt all
ouer the Bay with a fearefull noyse. About three in the
afternoonc, we could perceiue the Ice, with the ebbe, to
driue by the Ship, Whereupon I sent two with all speed
vnto the Master with order to beate out the hole, and to
sinke the Ship, as likewise to looke for the Rudder betwixt the Ice. This he presently performed, and a happy
fellow, one David Hamnion pecking betwixt the Ice,
strooke vpon it, and it came vp with his lance, who, crying
that he had found it, the rest came and got it vp on the
Ice, and so into the Ship. In the meane space, with the
little drift that the Ice had, it began to rise and mount into
high heaps against the shoald shores and rocks, and likewise against the heape of Ice which we had put for a
Barricado to our Ship, but with little harme to vs. Yet
we were faine to cut away 20 faddome of Cable which
was frozen in the Ice. After an houre, the Ice settled
againe, as not hauing any vent outwards. Oh ! this was a

ioyfuU day to vs all, and we gaue God thanks for the hopes
we had of it

The fiue and twentieth was a fine warme day, and, with
the ebbe, the Ice did driue against the Ship, and shake her
shrowdly.

The sixe and twentieth, I tookc the Chirurgion with
mee, and went againe to wander the woods, and went
to that Bay where last yeere wee had lost our man lohn
Barton, But we could see no signe of him, nor of other
reliefe.

By the eight and twentieth, it was pretty and cleere betwixt the Ship and the shoare, and I hoped the Ice would
no more dangerously oppresse vs. Wherefore I caused the
lower hole to be firmely stopt, the water then remaining
three foot aboue the Ballast.

The nine and twentieth, being Prince Charles his birthday we kept Holy-day, and displayed his Maiestics colours,
both aland and aboord, and named our habitation Charles
Towne by contraction Charlton; and the Hand, Charlton
Hand.

The thirtieth, we lanched our Boate, and had intercourse
sometimes betwixt the Ship and the shoare by Boat, which
was newes to vs.

The last of this moneth, wee found, on the Beach, some
Vetches to appeare out of the ground, which I made the
men to pick vp and to boyle for our sicke men.

This day, we made an end of fitting all our Rigging and
Sayles ; and, it being a very hot day, we did dry and new

make our Fish in the Sunne, and ayred all our other prouisions. There was not a man of vs at present able to eate
of our salt prouisions, but my selfe and the Master of my
Ship. It may be here remembred that, all this Winter, wee
had not beene troubled with any rhumes nor flegmaticall
diseases. All this moneth, the winde hath beene variable,
but for the most part Northerly,

lunBy 1632.

The foure first dayes, it did snow, haile, and blow very
hard, and was so cold that the Ponds of water did freeze
ouer, and the water in our Cans did freeze in the very
house ; our clothes also, that had beene washed and hung
out to dry, did not thaw all day.

The fift, it continued blowing very hard in the broad
side of the Ship, which did make her swag and wallow in
her Docke, for all shee was sunken, which did much shake
her. The Ice withall did driue against her, and gaue her
many fearfull blowes. I resolued to endeauour to hang
the Rudder, and, when God sent vs water (notwithstanding
the abundance of Ice that was yet about vs), to haue her
further off. In the afternoone, we vnder-run our small
Cable to our Anker, which lay a-Sterne in deepe water ;
and so, with some difHcultie, gate vp our Anker. This
Cable had laine slacke vnder-foot, and vnder the Ice, all
the Winter, and wee could neuer haue a cleere flatch' from
Ice, to haue it vp, before now. We found it not a iot the
worse. I put some to make Colrakes,* that they might goe
into the water, and rake a hole in the sands to let downe
our Rudder.

The sixth, \vc went about to hang it ; and our young
lustiest men tooke tnrnes to goe into the water, and to
rake away the sand ; but they were not able to indure the
cold of it halfe a quarter of an houre, it was so mortifying ;
yea, vse what comforts we could, it would make them
swound and dye away. We brought it to the Sternepost,
but were then faine to giue it ouer, being able to workc at
it no longer. Then we plugged vp the vpper holes within
boord, and fell to pumping the water againe out of her.

The seuenth, we wrought something about our Rudder,
but were againe forced to giue ouer, and to put out our
Cables ouer-boord, with Messengers vnto them, the Ankers
lying to that passe that we might keepe her right in her
docke, when we should haue brought her light.

By the eighth, at ni^ht, we had pumpt all the water out
of her, and shee, at a high water, would fleet in her docke,
though she were still dockt in the sands almost foure foot.
This made vs to consider what was to be done. I resolued
to heaue out all the Ballast, for that the bottome of her,
being so soakt all the winter, I hoped was so heauy that
it would beare her. If we could not get her off that way,
I then thought to. cut her downe to the lower decke,
and take out her Masts, and so, with our Caske, to Buoy
her off.

The ninth, betimes in the morning, wee fell to workc.
We hoyst out our Beere and Cydar, and made a raft of it,
fastning it to our shoare-Anker. The Beere and Cydar
sunke presently to the ground, which was nothing strange
to vs, for that any wood or pipe-staues that had layne
vnder the Ice all the winter would also sinke downe so
soone as euer it was heaued ouer-boord. This day, we
hcaued out tenne tunne of Ballast. And here I am to remember God*s goodnesse towards vs, in sending those

THE WINTERING. S5S

forementioned grcene Vetches. For now our feeble sickc
men, that could not for their Hues stirre these two or three
months, can indure the ayre and walke about the house ;
our other slcke men gather strength also, and it is wonderfull to see how soone they were recouered. We vsed them
in this manner : Twice a day we went to gather the herbe
or leafe of these Vetches, as they first appeared out of the
ground ; then did we wash and boyle them, and so, with
Oylc and Vineger that had been frozen, we did eate them.
It was an excellent sustenance and refreshing ; the most
part of vs ate nothing else. We would likewise bruise
them, and take the luyce of them, and mixc that with
our drinke. We would eate them raw also with our
bread.

The eleuenth was very warme weather, and we did hang
our Rudder. The tydes did now very much deceiue vs,
for a Northerly wind would very little raise the water.
This made vs doubt of getting off our Ship.

The thirteenth, I resolued of the Latitude of this place ;
so that, hauing examined the Instruments, and practised
about it this Fortnight, I now found it to be in 52 degrees
and 3 minutes.

The foureteenth, wee had heaued out all the Ballast,
and carried all our Yards and eucry thing else of weight
a-shoare, so that we now had the Ship as light as possible
it could be.

The fifteenth, we did little but exercise our selues, seeing
that by this time our men that were most feeble are now
growne strong, and can runne about. The flesh of their
gummes became settled againe, and their teeth fastned,
so that they can eat Beefe with their Vetches.

This day I went to our Watch-tree ; but the Sea (for
any thing I could perceiue to the contrary) was still firme

556 JAMES'S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE,

frozen, and the Bay we were in all full of Ice, hauing no
way to vent iL

The sixteenth was wondrous hot, with some thunder
and lightning, so that our men did goe into the ponds
ashoare, to swimme and coole themselues ; yet was the
water very cold still. Here had lately appeared diuers
sorts of flyes, as Butterflyes, Butchers-flyes, Horse-flyes,
and such an infinit abundance of bloud-thirsty Muskitoes,
that we were more tormented with them then euer we
were with the cold weather.* These (I thinke) lye dead in
the old rotten wood all the winter, and in summer they
reuiue againe. Here be likewise infinite company of Ants
and Frogs in the ponds vpon the land ; but we durst not
eate of them, they lookt so speckled, like Toads. By this
time, were there neither Beares, Foxes, nor Fowle to be
scene : they are all gone.

The seuenteenth, the wind came Northerly, and wee,
expecting a high Tyde, in the morning betimes, put out
our small Cable asteme out at the Gun-roome-port ; but
the morning Tyde we had not water by a foot. In the
Euentng, I had laid markes, by stones, &c., and mee
thoughts the water did flow apace. Making signes, therefore, for the Boate to come ashoare, I tooke all that were
able to doe any thing with me aboord ; and, at high water
(although she wanted something to rise cleere out of her
docke), yet we heau'd with such a good will that we
heaued her thorow the sand into a foot and a halfe deeper
water. Further then so, we durst not yet bring her, for
that the Ice was all thicke about vs. After we had moor'd
her, we went all to prayers, and gaue God thankes that
had giuen vs our ship againe.

1 Bad as are the torments of mosquitoes, James must surely have
been exaggerating when he describes them as worse than the cold,
though he afterwards (p. 563) repeats the statement.

■HVBHBMPBHHIBiiVW

The 1 8th, we were vp betimes: the Cooper, and some
with him, to fill fresh water : my selfe, with some others,
to gather stones, at low-water; which we, pyling vp in
a heape, at high water, the Cock-swaine and his Ging
fetcht them aboord, where the Master with the rest stood
them. The Ship, at low water, had a great lust' to the
offing, by which meanes we could the better come and
stop the two vpper holes firmely ; after which, we fitted
other conuenient places, to make others to sinke her, if
occasion were.

The nineteenth, we were all vp betimes to worke, as
afore specified. These two dayes,' our Ship did not fleet ;
and it was a happy houre when we got her off, for that we
\ neuer had such a high Tide all the time we were here.

In the Euening, I went vp to our Watch tree ; and this
\ was the first time I could see any open water any way,

\ except that little by the shoare-side where we were. This

put vs in some comfort that the Sea would shortly breake
vp, which wee knew must bee to the Northward, seeing
that way we were certaine there was aboue two hundered
leagues of Sea.

The 20, we laboured as aforesaid ; the winde at N.N.W.
The tyde rose so high that our Ship fleeted, and we drew
her further off, into a foote and a halfe deepe water. Thus
we did it by little and little, for that the Ice was still
wonderfull thicke about vs.

The 22, there droue much Ice about vs and within vs,
and brought home our Sterne-Anker. At high water (notwithstanding all the Ice), we heau'd our Ship further off,
that so she might lie aflote at low-water.

5 5 JAMES'S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

The next low-water, we sounded all about the Ship,
and found it very foule ground ; we discouered stones
3 foote high aboue the ground, and 2 of them within
a Ships breadth of the Ship: whereby did more manifestly appeare Gods mercies to vs ; for if, when we
forced her ashoare, she had strooken one blow against
those stones, it had bulged her. Many such dangers were
there in this Bay, which we now first perceiued by the
Ices grounding and rising against them. In the Euening,
we tow'd off the Ship vnto the place she rid the last yeere,
and there moord her, shering the Ship, night and day,
flood and cbbe, amongst the disperst Ice that came athwart
of vs.

The 23, we laboured in fetching our prouisions aboord ;
which to doe we were faine to wade, to carry it to the
boate, a full flight-shot, and all by reason the winde was
Southerly. This morning, I tooke an Obseruation of the
Moones comming to the South, by a Meridian line of
1 20 yards long, which I had rectified many weeks beforehand.*

The 24, I tooke another Obseruation of the Moones comming to the Meridian for which I referre you to the
obseruations in the latter end of this lournall.

Whereas I had formerly cut downe a very high tree,
and made a Crosse of it, to it I now fastned (vppermost)
the Kings and Queenes Maicsties Pictures, drawne to the
life, and doubly wrapt in lead, and so close that no
weather could hurt them. Betwixt both these, I aflixed
his Maiesties Royall Title, Viz., Charles the Firsts King of
England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, as also of Newfound-land, and of these Territories, and to the Westward,

3 See the details of all James's obsenations, given at the end of his
book (p. 617).

as fane as Nova Albion and to the Northward to the
Latitude of degrees &c.

On the out'Side of the lead, I fastened a shilling and
a sixcpence of his Maiesties Coyne ; vnder that, we
fastened the Kings Annes, fairely cut in lead ; and, vnder
that, the Armes of the City of BristolL And, this being
Midsummer-Day we raised it on the top of the bare Hill
where wc had buried our dead fellowes ; formally, by this
ceremony, taking possession of these Territories to his
Maiesties vse.

The winde, continuing Southerly and blowing hard, put
all the Ice vpon vs, so that the Ship now rid amongst it in
such apparent danger that I thought verily we should
haue lost her. We laboured, flood and ebbe, both with
poles and oares, to heaue away and part the Ice from her.
But it was God that did protect and preserue vs ; for it
was past any mans vnderstanding how the Ship could
indure it, or we by our labour saue her. In the night, the
winde shifted to the Westward, and blew the Ice from vs,
whereby we had some rest.

The 25, in the morning, the Boate-swayne, with a conuenicnt crue with him, began to rigge the Ship, the rest
fetching our prouisions aboord. About 10 a clocke, when it
was something darke, I tooke a Lance in my hand, and
one with me with a Musket and some fire, and went to our
watch-tree, to make a fire on the eminentest place of the
Hand, to see if it would be answered. Such fires I had
formerly made, to haue knowledge if there were any
Saluages on the maine or the Hands about vs. Had there
beene any, my purpose was to haue gone to them, to get
some intelligence of some Christians or some Ocean Sea
thereabouts. When I was come to the tree, I laid downe
my Lance, and so did my Consort his Musket; and, whilest

my selfe climed vp to the top of the tree, I ordered him to
put fire vnto some low tree therabouts. He (vnadvisedly)
put fire to some trees that were to windward, so that they
(and all the rest, too, by reason it had beene very hot
weather), being scare and dry, tooke fire like flaxe or
hempe ; and, the wind blowing the fire towards me, I made
haste downe the tree. But, before I was halfe way down,
the fire tooke in the bottome of it, and blazed so fiercely
vpwards that I was faine to leape off the tree and downe
a steepe hill ; and, in briefe, with much adoe, escapt burning. The mosse on the ground was as dry as flaxe ; and
it would runne most strangely, and like a traine, along the
earth. The Musket and the Lance were both burnt. My
Consort, at last, came to me, and was ioyfull to see me, for
he thought verily I had bin burned. And thus we went
homeward together, leauing the fire increasing, and still
burning most furiously. We could see no answer of it.
I slept but little all night after ; and, at breake of day,
I made all our Powder and Beefe to be carried aboord.
This day, I went to the hils, to looke to the fire, where
I saw how it did still burne most furiously, both to the
Westward and Northward. Leauing one vpon the hils to
watch it, I came home immediately, and made them take
downe our new suite of sayles and carry them to the seasside, ready to be cast in if occasion were, and to make
haste to take downe our houses. About noone, the winde
shifted Northerly, and our Sentinell came running home,
bringing vs word that the fire did follow him at hard
heeles, like a traine of powder. It was no neede to bid vs
take downe and carry all away to the sea-side. The fire
came towards vs with a most terrible rattling noyse, bearing a full mile in breadth ; and, by that time wee had
vncouered our houses, and laid hand on to carry away our

THE WINTERING. $6 1

last things, the fire was come to our Towne and scazed on
it, and (in a trice) burnt it downe to the ground. We lost
nothing of any value in it, for we had brought it all away
into a place of security. Our dogges, in this combustion,
would sit downe on their tayles and howle, and then runne
into the Sea, on the shoalds, and there stay. The winde
shifted Easterly, and the fire ranged to the Westward,
seeking what it might deuoure. This night, we lay all
together aboord the Ship, and gaue God thankes that had
Shipt vs in her againe.

The twentie seuen, twentie eight, and twentie nine, wee
wrought hard in fetching our things aboord, as likewise
our water, which we must towe off with the ebbe, and
bring it to the Ship with the flood. Moreouer, we must
goe about the Easter-point for drift-wood ; for our toolcs
were all so spent that we could cut none. Wherefore,
about some three dayes agone, I had caused our Pinnace
to be sawed to pieces, and with that we stowed our Caske,
intending to burne it at low waters, and such other times
as we could not worke in carrying things aboord. I employed the men in fetching stones ; and we did build three
Tombs ouer our three dead fellowes, filling them vp with
sand in a decent and handsome fashion. The least Tombe
had two tunnes of stone about it.

The thirtieth, we most earnestly continued our labour,
and brought our sayles to yard ; and, by eleuen a clocke at
night, had made a priddj Ship, meaning to haue finished
our businesse with the weeke and the moneth, that so wc
might the better solemnize the Sabbath ashoare to morrow,
and so take Icaue of our wintering Hand.

• This is perhaps a form o( pretty. H alii well gives firidy = proud
(Cornwall).

The winde hath been variable a great while, and the
Bayes are now so cleere of Ice that we cannot sec a piece
of it, for it was all gone to the Northward. Hoping,
therefore, that it giue content to some Readers, I will
relate the manner of the breaking of it vp. It is first to be
noted that it doth not freeze (naturally) aboue sixe foot :
the rest is by accident. Such is that Ice that you may see
here, sixe faddome thicke. This we had manifest proofc
of, by our digging the Ice out of the Ship, and by digging
to our Ankers, before the Ice broke vp.

In Mayy when the heate increaseth, it thawes first on the
shoald by the shoare side ; which, when it hath done round
about, then the courses of the tydes (as well by the ebbe
and flood, as by their rising and falling) doc so shake the
maine Ice that it cracks and breakcs it Thus, when it
hath gotten roome for motion, then runnes one piece of it
vpon another, and so bruises and grinds it selfe against the
shoalds and rocks that it becomes abbreuiated, insomuch
that a Ship may haue well passage thorow it. Besides
this, much of it is thrust vpon the shoalds, where it is
much consumed by the heate of the Sunne. The season
here in this Climate is most vnnaturall ; for, in the day time,
it will be extreme hot, yea, not indurablc in the Sunne,
which is by reason that it is a sand, countrey. In the
night, againe, it will freeze an inch thicke in the ponds, and
in the tubs about and in our house ; and all this towards
the latter end of lunc.

The MuskitoeSy vppon our comming away, were most
intolerable. Wee tore an old Auncient in pieces, and
made vs bagges of it to put our heads in ; but it was no
fortification against them. They would finde wayes and
mcanes to sting vs, that our faces were swolne hard out in

pumples, which would so itch and smart that we must
needs rubbe and teare them. And these Ryes, indeed,
were more tormenting to vs then all the cold we had
heretofore indured.

July, 1632.

The first of this month, being Sunday, we were vp
betimes. And I caused our Ship to be adorned the best
we could, our Ancient on the Poupe, and the Kings Colours
in the maine top. I had prouided a short briefc of all the
passages of our voyage to this day. I likewise wrote in
what state we were at present, and how I did intend to
prosecute the discoucry, both to the Westward and to the
Southward, about this Hand. This Briefc discourse, I had
concluded with a request to any Noble minded Trauaylor
that should take it downe, or come to the notice of it, that
if we should perish in the Action, then to make our
indeuours knowne to our Soueraigne Lord the King. And
thus, with our Armes, Drumme and Colours, Cooke and
Keltle,' we went ashoarc ; and, first, we marcht vp to our
eminent Crosse, adioyning to which we had buried our
dead fellowes. There we read morning prayer, and then
walked vp and downe till dinner time. After dinner, we
walkt to the highest Hils, to see which way the fire had
wafted. We dcscryed that it had consumed to the Westward sixteene miles at least, and the whole bredth of the
Hand. Neere about our Crosse and dead, it could not come,
by reason it was a bare sand, Hill. After Euening prayer.

I happened to walke alongst the Beach side, where I found
an herbe resembling Scuruy-grasse. I made some to be
gathered, which we boyld with our meate to supper. It
was most excellent good, and farre better then our Vetches.
After supper, we went all to seeke and gather more of it,
which we did to the quantity of two bushels, which did
afterwards much refresh vs. And now the Sunne was
set, and the Boat comne ashoare for vs ; whereupon we
assembled our selues together, and went vp to take the
last view of our dead, and to looke vnto their Tombes and
other things. Here, leaning vpon mine arme on one of
their Tombes, I vttered these lines,* which, though perchance they may procure laughter in the wiser sort (which
I shall be glad of), they yet moued my young and tenderhearted companions at that time with some compassion.
And these they were :

IWere vnkind vnlesse that I did shead.
Before I part, some teares vpon our dead ;
And, when my eyes be dry, I will not cease
In heart to pray their bones may rest in peace.
Their better parts (good soules) I know were giuen
With an intent they should returne to heauen.
Their hues they spent, to the last drop of bloud.
Seeking Gods glory and their Countries good.
And, as a valiant Souldier nither dyes
Then yeelds his courage to his Enemies,
And stops their way with his hew'd flesh, when death
Hath quite depriuM him of his strength and breath,
So haue they spent themselues ; and here they lye,
A famous marke of our Discovery.
We that suruiue perchance may end our dayes
In some imployment meriting no praise,
And in a dung hill rot ; when no man names
The memory of vs, but to our shames.

They haue out-liu'd this feare, and their braue ends

Will euer be an honour to their friends.

Why drop ye so, mine eyes ? Nay, rather powre

My sad departure in a solemne showre.

The Winters cold, that lately froze our bloud,

Now were it so extreme, might doe this good,

As make these teares bright pearles, which I would lay,

Tomb'd safely with you, till Doomes fatall day.

That, in this solitary place, where none

Will euer come to breathe a sigh or grone,

Some remant might be extant of the true

And faithfull loue I euer tenderd you.

Oh, rest in peace, deare friends, and let it be

No pride to say the sometime part of me.

What paine and anguish doth afflict the head,

The heart, and stomake, when the limbes are dead :

So, grieu'd, I kisse your graues, and vow to dye

A Foster-father to your memory.

FareweiL

So, fastning my briefe to the Crosse, which was securely
wrapt vp in Lead, we presently tooke Boat and departed,
and neuer put foote more on that Iland. This Hand,
and all the rest (as likewise the maine), is a light white
sand, coucred ouer with a white mosse, and full of shrubs
and low bushes, excepting some bare hils and other patches.
In these bare places, the sand will driue with the wind like
dust It is very full of trees, as Spruse and luniper; but
the biggest tree I saw was but a foote and a halfe ouer.

p. 495).

Principal Forest Trees of Canada (Report of the Geological Survey of

Canada for iSjg-So) shows that a number of trees (namely, the balsam

fir, canoe birch, aspen, balsam poplar, larch, and the spruces), if they

do not actually grow on Charlton Island, at least have their northern

limits on the mainland far to the north of it.

$66 JAMES*S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

At our first comming hither, we saw some Deare, and kild
one ; but neuer any since. Foxes, all the winter, we saw
many, and kild some dozen of them ; but they went all
away in May. Beares we saw but few, but kild none : we
saw some other little beasts. In May, there came some
fowle, as Duckes and Geese, of which we kild very few.
White Partridges we saw, but in small quantities ; nor had
we any shot to shoot at them. Fish we could neuer see
any in the Sea, nor no bones of fish on the shoare side,
excepting a few Cockle-shels, and yet nothing in them
neither. Other things remarkeable I haue before mentioned.*

OVR DISCOVERY

and comming Home.

luly, 1632.

Vnday, being the second of luly, we
were vp betimes, about Stowing and
fitting our Ship, and waying of our
Ankers, which, when the last was
a-trippe, wee went to prayer, beseeching God to continue his mercies to
vs, and rendering him thanks for hauing thus restored vs.
Our Ship, we found no defect in ; we had abundance of
such prouisions as we brought out of England ; and we
were in indifferent health, and did gather strength daily.
This being done, wc wayed and came cheerefully to sayle ;
the winde at North- West ; bad to get away. Wherefore
we stood oucr to Danby Hand, to take in more wood, and
there to be ready to take the opportunttie of a faire winde,
I went ashoare my selfe with the Boate, for that some of
the company had told me they had seen some stakes the
last yeer, drouen into the ground. When we came ashoare,
whilest some gatherd wood, I went to the place, where
I found two stakes drouen into the ground about a foote
and a halfe, and firebrands where a fire had beene made
by them. I puld vp the stakes, which were about the
bignesse of my arme, and they had beene cut sharpe at
the ends with a hatchet, or some other good Iron toole,
and driuen in, as it were with the head of it They were
distant about a stones-throw from the water-side. I could
not conceiue to what purpose they should be there set,
vnlesse it were for some marke for boats. This did augment my desire to speake with the Saluages ; for, without
doubt, they could haue giuen notice of some Christians
with whom they had some commerce. About 4 in the

Euening, I returned aboord with a boat lading of wood ;
and, the winde something fauouring, we wayde, with our
lead seeking out a Channell amongst these perilous shoalds.
In the Euening, the winde opposing it selfe, we came to
Anker betwixt Charleton Hand and that Hand we named
the last yeere (in memory of that Honourable Gentleman
Master Thomas Carie one of the Bed-chamber to the
King) Caries Hand) where we rid all night

The 3, at breake of day, we wayde with a bare winde ;
and, sounding vp and downe for a Channell, we were
many times in 5 and 4 fad. water. The winde larging
vpon vs, we stood away West : by noone, we saw all Ice to
the North-ward of vs. Indeauouring, therefore, to compasse about the Wester-point of Charleton Hand and so to
seeke to the South-ward, we found it all shoalds, Rockes,
and breaches. By 4 in the aftemoone, we saw the Westernland, but all full of Ice ; whereupon, as the wind fauoured
vs, we stood alongst it in sight to the North-ward.

The fourth was calme, but so very thicke fogge withall
that we could not see a PistoU-shot about vs. Wherefore

S70 JAMES'S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

we came to an Anker, and there rid all this day and the
next night.

The fift, at three in the morning, we waide ; but, Ice being
all about vs, we knew not which way to turne vs. Now
(to avoide telling the same thing 20 times), we were continually, till the 22, so pestered and tormented with Ice
that it would seeme incredible to relate it. Sometimes we
were so blinded with fogge that we could not see about
vs ; and , being now become wilfuU in our indeauours, we
should so strike against the Ice that the fore-part of the
Ship would cracke againe, and make our Cooke and others
to runne vp all amazed and thinke the Ship had beene
beaten all to pieces. Indeed, we did hourely strike such
vnavoidable blowes that we did leaue the hatches open ;
and, 20 times in a day, the men would runne downe into
the hold to see if shee were bulged.

Sometimes, when we had made her fast in the night to
a great piece of Ice, we should haue such violent stormes
that our fastning would breake, and then the storme would
beate vs from piece to piece most fearefully. Other-while,
we should be fast inclosed amongst great Ice as high as
our poope. This was made (as I haue formerly said^) by
one piece running vpon another, which made it draw
8 or 10 fad, water. Besides which, the lowermost would
rise from vnderneath, and strike vs vnder the bulge, with
pieces of 5, 6, yea 8 tunne, that many times we haue
pumpt cleere water for an houre together before we could
make the pumpe sucke. Amongst these seuerall and
hourely dangers, I ouer-heard the men murmure, and say
that they were happy that I had buried, and that, if they
had a thousand pounds, they would giue it, so they lay
fairely by them ; for we (say they) are destined to starue
vpon a piece of Ice. I was faine to indure all this with

THE HOMEWARD VOYAGE. 57 1

patience, and to comfort them vp againe when I had them
in a better humour.

The 22, hauing been vext with a storme all last night,
and this morning with a thicke fogge, we droue in 13
faddome water. About noone, it cleer'd, and we saw the
land, and at the instant had a good obseruation ; whereby
we knew it to be Cape Henrietta Maria, I made the
Master stand in with it ; and, in the meane time, we fitted
a Crosse, and fastened the Kings Armes and the Amies of
the City of Bristoll to it. We came to an Anker within
a mile of the shoare, in 6 fadd. water : so we hoyst out the
boate, and tooke our Armes and our Dogs, and went
ashoare. Vpon the most eminent place, we erected the
Crosse ; and then, seeking about, we soone saw some
Deere, and by and by more and more. We stole to them
with the best skill we had, and then put our Dogs on
them ; but the Deere ranne cleere away from them at
pleasure. We tyred the Dogs, and wearied our selues, but
to no purpose ; neither could we come to shoote at them.
I saw in all about a dozen (old and young), very goodly
beasts. We tooke halfe a doozen young Geese on the
pooles, by wading in to them ; and so returned to our
Boate, vext that now we had found a place where there
was refreshing, and we could get none of it. Whereas,
therefore, we had kept our Dogs, with a great deale of
inconuenience, aboord the Ship all the winter, and had
pardoned them many misdemeanors (for they would steale
our meate out of the steeping tubs) in hope they might
hereafter doe vs some seruice ; and, seeing they now did
not, and that there was no hope they could hereafter,
I caused them to be left ashoare. They were a Dogge
and a Bitch, Bucke Dogs, of a very good race. The
Dogge had a collar about his necke, which, it may be

hereafter, may tome to light. I did see no signe at all of
any Saluages, nor could we finde any hearbs or other
refreshing here.

In the Euening (being returned aboord), and the' wiride
blowing faire at South, I caused the Master to weigh and
come to saile, and to lose no time ; for we did hope for an
open Sea to the North-west This Cape hath a very
shoald point that lies off it, which we indeauoured to
compasse about

Sayling, therefore, amongst shattered Ice, we came to
very shoald water (4 and 5 faddome deepe), and could not
auoyde it. At length, standing North, the water deepened ;
but we came withall amongst great pieces of Ice, which,
by reason of some open water, there went a pretty sea.
These hard pieces of Ice made a most fearefull noyse. It
proued a faire Moone-shine night: otherwise it had gone ill
with vs. We turned amongst this ,Ice, staying the Ship
sometimes within her length of great pieces as bad as
Rockes ; but, by reason we were often forst to beare vp,
we did sagge vpon the maine rand of Ice; and that, we
thought, would it be worse for vs ; wee let fall an Anker,
and stood all on the decks to watch the Ices, sheering of
the Ship (to and againe) to auoyd it Thus, hauing poles
and oares to fend it, we could not keepe our selues so
cleere but many pieces came foule of vs. We brake two
of our great poles with it, which were made to be handled
by foure men, besides some other dammages. At breake
of day, we wayed and sought all wayes to cleere our selues
of Ice, but it was impossible. I conceiue it impertinent to
relate every particular dayes passages, which was much
alike to vs. Our endeauours were sometimes with our

" 1 Sec p 477.

• This word has, of course, now entirely lost its old meaning — not

ptrHnent

sayles, giuihg and r^ceiuing 500 fearefuU blowes in a day.
Sometimes we would stop at an Anker, when we could get
a little open waterj and so suffer the Ice to driue' to
Leeward. Other- whiles, we should be inclosed amongst it,
and then it would so breake, and rise, and leape vp vnder
vs, that we expected to be beaten every hourie to pieces.

Moreouer, wee should haue such stormes in the darke
nights that would breake the moorings we had made fast
to some piece of Ice for securitie in the night season ; and
then we should beat most dangerously from piece to piece
till daylight, that we could see to 'make her fast againe.
I forbeare to speake of thicke fogges, which we had daily,
which did freeze our Rigging day and night.' 'Besides all
which, wee should come into' most vncertaine depths, sometimes 20 faddome ; next cast 10 ; next 15 ; then 9 ; rocky
foule ground. The great deepe Ice withall, driuing on
these vncertaine diepths, did so distract the tydes, and
deceiue vs so much in our accounts that by the thirtieth,
we were driuen backe so farre to the Eastward and to the
Southward of the Cape that,' at fiue a clocke in the Euening,
it bare North-west of vs, some threie leagues off, contrary
to our expectations. With all these mischiefes, our Ship
is now become very leaky, that we must pumpe euery
halfe watch. Here I called a consultation ; and, after
consideration of all our experience, we were all of the same
opinion, that it was impossible to get to the Northward, or
to the Eastward, by reason of the Ice. Wherefore I resolued vpon this course: When the winde blew South,
it would blow the Ice off the South shoare; then we
would seeke to get to the Westward, betwixt it and the
shoare. I must confesse that this was a desperate resolution, for all the coast we knew to be shoald and foule
ground, all rocks and stones ; so that, if the winde should
shift to the Northward, there . would be . (without Gpds
mercies) little hope of vs. But here we must not stay.

The nights grew long ; the cold so increased that, betwixt
the pieces of Ice, the Sea would be frozen. I caused the
Ship to be fitted, and places conuenient againe prepared
to sinke her the second time, if so be we were put to
extremities. We presently put our proiect in execution
(the winde being at South), and got about the shoalds of
the Cape. Standing then into the shoareward, to get
betwixt it and the Ice, we came into foure faddome water
(very foule rocky ground), thinking to come to an Anker
all night, and let the Ice driue to Leeward ; but still there
was so much Ice betwixt vs and the shoare, that we were
faine to beare vp amongst it into deeper water, and to let
the Ship driue amongst it. The winde increasing, we
endured a most dangerous darke night of it In the
morning, we fell to worke to get the Ship againe out of the
Ice Into some cleere water, which we saw West by South
of vs : some of our company out vpon the Ice, to heaue her
with their shouWers, whilest others stood aboord with
poles. The rest stood to spilU and fill the sayle. By nine
in the morning, we had gotten into some cleere water, and
stood West and by South, and into foure faddome water,
foule ground ; but, being not able to weather some rands
of Ice which did driue, wee were faine to stand off againe,
and (when the euening grew darke) to come to an Anker.

About midnight, there came a great piece of Ice (which
we could not auoyd) athwart of our Cable, and made the
Ship driue and dragge her Anker. This droue her into
shoald water, it being very rocky and foule ground. We
brought the Cable to Capstang, and heau'd with such a
courage that we heau'd home our Anker from vnder it.
Thus we did endeauour (the best we could) to keep our
selues in eight and ten faddome water. It then pleased

God that the wind blew alongst the shoare : otherwise it
had gone far worse with vs.

August y 1632.

The first of this moneth, at breake of day, when we
could see a little about vs, we fell to struggle and striue
againe with the Ice, and to get in neerer to the shoare.
There, by reason the winde was opposite to come to an
Anker, we let the Ice driue to Leeward, hoping that there
was a cleere Sea to the Westward. The Ice droue very
thicke vpon vs, and one piece came foule of vs, which did
touch our Sprect-sayle Yard, and made the Ship driiie;
But we soon clecred our selues of it Then we wayed, and
stood in neerer to the shoare ; but the water shoalded, and
there were so many great rands of Ice betwixt vs and the
shoare that there was no comming to an Anker. So wee
turned betwixt the Ice, many pieces of it being aground
in shoald water, and few pieces distant one from the other
a Cables length. This day we saw two Sea Morses on the
Ice.

The second, in the morning, we were glad of the breake
of day, hauing most dangerously turn'd amongst the Ice
all night, and endured many a heauy blow. We stood in
jagaine to the shoare-ward, to see if we could get some
cleere water, for to the Northward it was all impassable Ice.
We stood into fine and four faddome, but still all incompast
with Ice. So we stood off againe into deeper water, and in
the Euening we were inclosed amongst extraordinary g^eat
pieces. It was a very thicke fogge withall, so that we
made fast the Ship to a great flat piece, and went to sleepe
and refresh our selues after our extreme painestaking.

The third, fourth, and fift, wee were inclosed amongst
very great Ice, and it blew such a storme of winde that
we, sometimes indeuouring to get forward to the West-

ward, did strike such heauy blowes that made all the forepart of the Ship cracke againe. Then we would giue ouer
working, and let her alone amongst it ; but then the Ice
would breake and rise vnder vs, that would indanger vs
as bad as the former. Our ship doth make aboue a tun of
water euery watch, which we must pumpe out, beside our
other labour. God thinke on vs, and be mercifull to vs
amongst all these dangers.

1 The fift, at noone, we were in Latitude 55. 30, the
CaP: bearing off vs South- East by East, some twelue
leagues off. And this is all we haue gotten since the two
arid twentieth of luly. All night it blew a violent gale of
wind at West North- West ; and, about midnight, our hawser
(by which we had made fast to a piece of Ice) broke, and
we lost 14 faddome of it We beat all night most fearefully, being tost from piece to piece, because that in the
darke we durst not venture our men to goe forth on the
Ice, for feare of losing them.

All the sixth, the storme indured, and droue vs againe
with the Ice almost to the Cape,

The seuenth was the most comfortablest day wee had
since we came out of our wintering place ; the wind came
vp faire at East, and we got (although with our former inconueniences and dangers) neerer to the shoare, and into
some open " water, making good way to the West-ward
Moreouer, our leake now stopt of its owne accord, so that
now we piimpt but little. We sayld all night, keeping
good watch on the forecastle, bearing vp for one [piece of
ice], and looffing for another.

Thus did we the eighth also, but then, the wind shifting
to the North-west, it droue the Ice on the shoare, and we
came to an Anker in eight faddom water. The maine Ice
we had some two mile to windward of vs, but the set of

• • •

• THE HOMEWARD VOYAGE. 577

the tyde kept it off from vs. At noone, we were in Latitude 55. 34. In the Euening a range of Ice droue vpon
vs, which made vs weigh and stand in neerer the shoare,
into sixe faddom, and there to come to an Anker. The
wind increasing about midnight, the Ship did driue, and
was quickly in fiue faddom water ; wherefore wee let fall
our Shoot- Anker, and both held her. But that that troubled
vs was that we expected euery minute when the maine
Ice would come vpon vs, and then there would be no hope
but to be put ashoare.

The ninth, in the morning, we waide our second Anker,-
the Ice being within lesse then a mile of vs. About eight
in the morning, a point of it came foule of vs, which we
prcuented by waying, and came to an Anker in three faddom and a halfe water. The wind continued North NorthWest, which was in on the shoare. This morning, I caused
all our empty Caske to be fild with water, and the Ship to
be left vnpumpt, and the places lookt to that we had prepared to sinke her. For we were at present in as apparent
danger as any time this voyage, and (to our great griefes)
it was all foule rocky ground. The danger of this was, if
we made fast to a piece of Ice that drew deepe water,
then, as soone as it came to ground on these rockes, it
would breake all to pieces and betray vs to our destruction.
About noone, there came foule of vs the point of a range
of Ice, which we resolued to indure the extremity of with
an Anker, thinking to ride and breake through it, we now
perceiuing some open water beyond it. Thrusting, therefore, and fending with our poles, at last a great piece came
thwart our hawser, and there went a pretty Sea amongst
it. The Ship did now fall vpon it so violently, that I
expected euery blow she would beate out her bowes. At
length she did driue with it, so that I thought the Cable
had bin broken. We brought it to Capstang ^o heaue it
in, but found that our Shoote- Anker was broken in the

578 James's strange and dangerous Voyage.

middle of the shanke. We presently set our sayles thereupon, indeauouring that way to edge in amongst the Ice
off of this perilous shoare. It pleased God to fauour our
labour, so that, by eight in the Euening, wee got off into
seuen faddom ; and, a darke night comming on, we made
fast to the biggest piece we could find. It blew fairely all
night, but about midnight the wind came vp at North,
which was more on the shoare then before. By breake of
day, on the tenth, we were driuen into foure faddom, very
foule ground, so that the lead did fall off the rocks three
or foure foote ; we set our sailes, and vsed our vttermost
indeuours to edge off. Some of vs went vpon the Ice to
hale her ; others stood with poles to thrust by night At
night, we had gotten off into eight faddom, and made fast
to the biggest piece we could find. If any man should
aske why we now kept so neere to the shoare in this
continuall danger, I answer: Because that, in the oflfing,
the Ice was so extraordinary thicke that we could make no
way any way through it Moreouer, when we were in that
great thicke Ice, and that the winde came vp faire at
South, or South- East, or East, we could not get out of it
Wherefore we chose to runne this aduenture, and so preuent
and ouercome all dangers with Gods assistance and our
extreme labour.

The eleuenth, in the morning, was a thicke fog ; yet there
sprung vp a gale of wind at East, and we made in for the
shoare.

From the eleuenth till the foureteenth, the winde continued faire, and we made all the saile we could (night and
day), as the Ice would suffer vs. We had the shoare in
sight by day on one side, and the Ice within two miles on
the other, and we saild amongst disperst pieces, luffing for
one, and bearing vp for another.

The 14, at noone, we were in Latitude 57. 55. In the

Eiiening, we were imbayed in Ice, and stood S. W. to cleere
ourselues of it, but could not But, seeing from top-mast
head cleere water ouer it, we put into it ; but there rose a
very thicke fogge, and night came on withall, that we were
faine to [make] fast to a piece of Ice, expecting day and
better weather.

The IS, in the morning (although the fogge was very
thicke), we indeauoured to get out of the Ice, and stood
away West ; but, within 2 houres, the water shoalded from
40 faddome to 25, whereby we knew that we had the
shoalding of the Western shoare. Then we shapte our
course to the Northward, the fogge continuing so thicke
that we could not see a Pistoll-shot about vs. We had not
stood this way 2 houres, but we heard the rut of the Ice
ahead of vs, which made the most hideous noyse of any we
had heard this voyage. We hal'd our tackes aboord, and
stood to the West-ward in this day darknesse, hearing of
it sometimes, and sometimes seeing of it, which was very
large, deepe, and high Ice aboue the water. We weathered
it all, except some few pieces, and got into open water.
About Sunne-set, there came a sudden gust at N.N.W. ;
and, before we could handle our sayles, it was with vs, and
put vs to some trouble. It dallied with vs by gusts till 9
a clocke, and then it fell into a most violent storme. We
considered where we might haue the cleerest drift, and so
tooke in all, and let her driue, her head to the shoare-ward.
Before mid-night., the water shoalded on vs to 15 fadd.
Then we turned her head to the Eastward, and set our
maine Course low set,- but as much as she could indure.
The water deepned but little, and we knew that we were
on those rockie shoalds which we strooke on the last yeere.
God be mercifull to vs. Here was the first great breaking
Sea that we had this yeere.

The 16, in the morning, we were driuen to a great Rand

S8o JAMES'S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

of Ice, to avoyde which we set our fore-course too, and
stood to the shoare-ward, in 1 3 fad. water, and then about
againe. We stood in a mile into the Ice, but there went
such a great swelling Sea in it that it was not indurable,
so we stood out againe. About 3 a clocke in the afternoone, the storme broke vp, and blew faire at N.W., which
prooued good for vs, for we had not drift for4houres ; besides, it was but two leagues betwixt the shoalds and the
Ice. We set all our sayles, and indeauoured to weather the
Ice, but in the Euening we were still pestered with it. By
mid-night., we knew not which way to tume, nor what to
dde, so we tooke in all our sayles and let her driue
amongst it. .The Ice beat vs on euery side, for there
went amongst it a very great full Sea

The 17, in the morning, when we could see about vs, we
were in the middest of the Icej but with the last storme it
was all broken into mammocks as big as a boate of 3 or 4
Tunnes, which did giue vs many a heauy blow in the darke
night. If this storme had taken vs amongst it, it had
beaten vs all to pieces, without God's miraculous preseruation. We made sayle, and indeauoured to cleere ourselues
of it to the North-ward, which, by 8 in the morning, we had
done.

.We then went to prayer, and gaue God hearty thankes
that had deliuered vs out of it. For we were hourely, for
the space of sixe weekes, as it were in the lawes of death ;
yea, neuer any (that I haue heard of) haue beene so long,
in such long nights, vpon a foule shoald shoare, tormented
.with Ice, as we haue now beene. At noone, we were in
Latitude 58. 20,

NoW| as touching the dissolution or ruining of the Ice :
we found that this storme had tome and shattered this
Rande of Ice, which was on the outside ; although it must

haue a long time to worke into the maine body of it I haue
in luly and in the beginning of August, taken some of the
Ice into the Ship, and cut it square 2 foote, and put it into
the boate, where the Sunne did shine on it with a very
strong reflex about it ; and, notwithstanding the warmth of
the Ship (for we kept a good fire), and all our breathings
and motions, it would not melt in 8 or 10 dayes.

It was our practice, when we should be two dayes together fast to a piece of Ice, to set markes on it, to see how
it did consume; but it yeelded us small hope of dissoluing.
We could not in that time perceiue any diminution by the
sinking of it or otherwise. Neuerthelesse, I thinke that it
is ruined with stormes or consumed with heate some
yeeres, or else the Bay would be fild choke-full. But I
confesse that these secrets of nature are past my apprehension.

Being out of it (but no otherwaies then that we yet saw
it from off the deckes all to the Eastward), I ordered the
Master to stere away North and by East, keeping the
shoalding of the Wester-shoare.

The 18, at noone, we were in Latitude 59. 30.

The 19, we continued our course betwixt the N.N.E. and
the N. by E., and at noone were in Lat. 61. 7,* some 12
leagues off the shoare. I ordered the Master to shape his
course North-East, to looke to that place betwixt Caries
Swans-nest and Ne Vltra)

The 20, we were in Latitude 61. 45. This day we saw
some few Scales about the Ship.

The one and twentieth, the water shoalded, so that we
made account we did approach the land ; but, about noone,
the wind came vp at N.E., our direct opposite. We looft

as neere it as we could, and, as it larg'd, we came to stand
East, and East and by North.

The two and twentieth, we fell with the land to the Westward of Caries Swans-nest where we had forty faddome
three leagues off. We stood in, within a league of the
shoare, into thirteene faddome ; and, seeing the land to the
South -ward of vs, we compast about it, it being Caries
Swans-nestj which is in Latitude 52 degr. 00 Minutes.*

All the 23, we sayled North-East, and for the most part
in sight of land.

The foure and twentieth, at noone, (by Judgement) we
were in Latitude 63. 30, having sayled a North-East course.
All this day was a very thicke fog, which about one a
clocke cleered a little, so that I expected to see the land.
Some of our men, being better sighted, spyed it out about
some two leagues off from vs. I knew it could be no other
then Nottingham Hand, though it was something contrary
to the expectation of our best Marriners. We stood into
it to make it. It was the North end of it, and it bare off vs
due East. I was soone assured of it, and I ordered the
Master to shape his course North- West and by North.
Both he and others were vnwilling, but, without much adoe,
submitted themselues (how loth so euer), for that it was so
very foule thicke weather.* The reasons of my resolution
were these : the time of the yeere was far spent, and the
discommodities of Winter came vpon vs, and therefore
would I make the shortest way betwixt the lands already
discouered. If I found an open Sea, I had my desire, and

did then intend to proceed to the vttermost of our power ;
if we met with the land, I should then finish the discouery,
it being not passing fifteene leagues from land to land, and
not passing tenne leagues from Nottingham Hand to the
maine of the North shoare. We made what sayle we
could, it blowing a very stiffe gale of wind, vntill eight in
the Euening ; then it began to blow fiercely, and we tooke
in our topsayles, and stood vnder our two courses and
Bonnets. At nine, it blew a violent storme at South
South- East, so that we tooke in our fore-saile, and let her
driue North-West All night it continued an extraordinary
storme, so that we heaued the Leade euery half watch ;
but the Ship did driue so fast that she would be past the
Leade before there was twenty faddom of line out, all the
night being exceeding cold withall.

The fiue and twentieth, the storme continued in his
vttermost malice, and did so perplexe vs that there were
but few that did sleepe or eate a bit these twenty foure
houres. About sixe a clocke in the aftemoone, the Storme
began to slaken ; yet blew there a fierce gale of wind
betwixt the South and South-West. We stood West
North- West, and made a North- West way, when suddenly
the Sea became very smooth. We reasoned thereupon
amongst our selues what might be the cause of it We
all thought it to be the Leeward tyde ; nothing doubting
what afterwards we encountered. The Ship had very
quicke away in this smooth water.

The sixe and twentieth, by two a clocke in the morning,
we were suddenly come in amongst the Ice ; and it pleased
God that the Moone at the instant gaue vs so much light
that we could see a little about vs. We could haue staid
the Ship, but it was so thicke to wind-ward, and so neere
vs, that we durst not Wee then bore vp in this vnexpected accident, and (I verily beleeue) did not scape
striking the length of a foote against the Ice as hard

PP2

as rockes two or three times, the Shippe now hauing way
after twelue leagues a watch. Then wee stood close by a
wind to the Eastward, expecting day, that wee might see
about vs. Wee could, from top-mast head, see the Ice
to the North North- West, the North-west, and so round
about by the South, to the East, and some there was to
Leeward of vs. It was all flat sound Ice, in maine rands,
and the Sea as smooth as a well amongst it. This strooke
vs all into a dumpe, whereupon I called a consultation of
my Associates, namely, Arthur Price, Master; William
Clements, Lieutenant ; John Whittered, Masters Mate ;
Nathaniel Bilson, Chirurgion ; John Palmer, Boateswayne ;
requiring them to aduiseand counsell mee how to prosecute our businesse to effect. These all went together and
reasoned amongst themselues, and then brought me their
opinions in writing vnder their hands : —

Videlicet, our aduice is that you repaire homeward from
this present twentie sixth, and that for these reasons:
First, for that the nights are long, and so extreme cold
withall that we can hardly handle our sayles and riggings.
Secondly, the times are now subiect to stormy and gusty
weather, as witnesseth the present season, it hauing continued a storme euer since the twentie fourth, and doth
yet continue no weather to discouer in. Thirdly, we doubt
whether Hudsons Straights be so cleere of Ice that it may
be passable in conuenient time (winter comming now on
apace) before wee be frozen vp, seeing the Ice lyes here
all ouer the Sea in rands and ranges. Fourthly, wee must
hauc a set of faire weather to pass the Straight, which we
may stay a long time for, if we neglect the first oppor-

THE hOMEWAkD VOYAGg. 5^5

tunity. Fiftly, for that our Ship is very leaky, so that iii
foule weather we are faine to pumpe euery glasse, which is
great labour. Moreouer, we know her to be so sorely
bruised with rocks, and blowes of the Ice, that shee is no
more to be aduentur'd amongst it, but in sauing of our
Hues homewards. Besides all this, our men grow very
weak and sickly with extreme labour.

Sixthly, the season of the yeare is so farre spent that
we can expect no other weather then we have had, both
lately and at present; that is to say, snow and fogge,
freezing our rigging, and making euery thing so slippery
that a man can scarce stand. And all this, with the winde
Southerly, which, if it should come to the Northward, then
we are to expect farre worse. Seuenthly, and lastly, that
the Ice lyes all in thicke rands and ranges in the very way
we should goe, as you and all men here may see. And,
therefore, we conclude, as aforesaid, that there is no possibilitie of proceeding further ; wherefore we here counsell
you to returne homeward, hoping that God will giue vs a
fauourable passage, and returne vs home safe into our
natiue countreys, if we take time, and not tempt him too
farre by our wilfulnesse.

Indeed, most of these reasons were in view, and I could
not tell what to say to oppose them ; no, nor any reason
could I giue how we might proceed further ; wherefore
(with a sorrowfull heart, God knowes) I consented that
the helme should be borne vp and a course shapte for
England, well hoping that his Maiestie would graciously
censure of my endeauours and pardon my returne. And,
although wee haue not discouered populous kingdomes,
and taken speciall notice of their Magnificence, power, and
policies, brought samples home of their riches and commodities, pryed into the mysteries of their trades and traffique,
nor made any great fights against the enemies of God and
our Nation ; yet I wish our willingnesse in these desart

parts may be acceptable to our Readers. When we bore
vp Helme, we were in Latitude 65. 30, at least, North-west
and by North from Nottingham Hand. Some were of an
opinion that we were further to the Northward ; but, by
reason it was by Judgement, I chose to set downe the

lesser distance.

The twentie seuenth, the winde came vp at North-west,
with which winde we could not haue gone on our designe.
That winde made no great swelling Sea. By noone, we
were athwart of Cape CharlesJ' so that we went in betwixt
that Cape and Mill Hands. The last night, it did snow
very much, and was very cold, so that all our rigging and
sayles were frozen, and all the land couered with snow.
And here (sithence I haue formerly spoken that it snowes
very much) it will not be amiss to consider of the reasons
of it When I was vpon Charleton Hand (our wintering
place), and in lune when the snow was cleereliest gone off
the ground, I have, in the nights (and some of them following the hottest dayes), obserued whether there fell any dew
or no, but I could neuer perceiue any; and (vnder correction of the learned), from mosse and sand, little (mee
thoughts) was to be expected. Now, of what was exhald
from the snowy Ice and cold Sea, could there probably be
returned but the like againe. Generally, we continued on

our course, blinded with foggie and durtie weather ; and
that, intermixt with snow and frost, amongst disperst
pieces of Ice, many of them higher then our Top-mast
head.

With great varietie of winds, we were also driuen within
three leagues of both shoares, so that the last of this
moneth we were in the narrow of the Straight, which is
about fiftcene leagues ouen The South shoare was much
pestered with Ice.

September 1632,

The first and second, we continued our endeuour to get
on our way. The third, in the euening, as the weather
cleered vp, we did see the South end of the Iland of
Resolution.

These three dayes and nights had beene extreme cold,
with fogge and frost, insomuch that our men, in the euening, could hardly take in our Top-sayles and Spreet-sayle.
We haue sayled thorow much mountainous Ice, farre higher
then our Top-mast head. But this day we sayled by the
highest that I euer yet saw, which was incredible, indeed,
to be related.* Now, as the winde comes Easterly, wee
feel another Sea out of the Ocean, and the Ship labours
with another motion then she hath done with any that
euer we obserued to come out of the Westward.

From the third to the eighth, we had varietie of winds,
and were gotten cleere out of the Straights, but were now
comne into such a tumbling Sea (the weather durtie and
gustie, and by interims calme againe) that the Ship did so
labour and rowle that wee thought verily shee would haue
rowled her Masts by the boord. This made her so leaky

5 88 JAMESES STRANGE AND DAKGEROUS VOYAGE.

that we were faine to pumpe euery glasse ; yea, her seames
did so open aloft that we lay all wet in her.

This was the last day that wee saw any Ice. The winde
now fauouring vs, we made all the haste we could homeward. By the way (hauing endeauored, obserued, and
experimented some things in my vnfortunate voyage),
I perfected vp my said obseruations, which, being after
commanded to publish, I here most submissely offer
vnto the ludicious Readers, and mine owne priuate
opinion withall, concerning the faiseablenesse of the Action
intended, which was to finde a passage into the South Sea.

What hath beene long agoe fabled by some Portingales
that should haue comne this way out of the South Sea,
the meere shaddowes of whose mistaken Relations haue
comne to vs, I leaue to be confuted by their owne vanitie.
These hopes haue stirred vp, from time to time, the
more actiue spirits of this our Kingdome to research that
meerely imaginary passage. For mine owne part, I giue
no credit to them at all, and as little to the vicious and
abusiue wits of later Portingals and Spaniards who neuer
speake of any difficulties, as shoald water, ice, nor sight of
land, but [write] as if they had beene brought home in a
dreame or engine.* And, indeed, their discourses are found
absurd, and the plots (by which some of them haue practised
to deceiue the world) meere falsities, making Sea where
there is knowne to be maine land, and land where is nothing but Sea.

Most certaine it is that, by the onely industry of our
owne Nation, those Northerne parts of America haue
beene discouered, to the Latitude of 80 degrees and vp-

wards. And it hath beene so curiously done (the labours
of seuerall men being loyned together), that the maine
land hath been both seene and searcht ; and they haue
brought this supposed passage to this passe: that it must
be to the North of sixty sixe degrees of Latitude: a
cold Clyme, pestered with Ice and other discommodities,
and where the Spaniards dispositions, and their weake
Speeke Ships, can hardly long indure it. And, withall, it
is thus knowne that the entrance of Hudsons Straights is
but 1 5 leagues broad ; in the middle, not so much ; and,
betwixt Salisbury Hand and the maine, that is but 8
leagues. Then, proceeding to the Northwards, towards
the fore-mentioned Latitude it is but 15 leagues from
mayne to mayne. This, in length, is but about a hundred
and forty leagues, as may more plainely appeare by the
Mappe, Most infinitely pestered withall it is with the Ice
vntill August and some yeeres not passable then ; yea, I
beleeue the straight is neuer cleere of Ice thorowly.

Now, most probable it is that there is no passage,* and,
that for these reasons following : —

First, that there is a constant Tyde, flood and ebbe,
setting into Hudsons Straights the flood still comming
from the East-ward, which, as it proceeds (correspondent
to the distance), it alters his time of full Sea. This also
entering into Bayes and broken ground, it becomes distracted, and reuerses with halfe tydes.

Secondly, here is no small fish, as Cod, etc., and very

S90 JAMES'S STRANGE AND DANGEROUS VOYAGE.

few great ones, which are rarely to be seen. Nor are there
any bones of Whales, Sea-horses, or other great fish, to be
found on the shoare, nor any drift-wood.

Thirdly, that we found the Ice in the Latitude of 65. 30
to be lying all ouer the sea in rands, and I am most
certaine that the shoaldes and shoald bayes are the
mother of it Had there now beene any Ocean beyond
it, it would haue beene broke all to pieces, for so we found
it comming thorow the Straight into the Sea, to the Eastward.

Fourthly, the Ice seekes his way to the Eastward, and so
driues out at Hudsons Straight which I haue often obserued,
being aland vpon the Hand of Resolution and driuing
amongst the Ice in the Straight.

Now admit there were a passage, yet it is knowne that
it is partly narrow for a hundred and forty leagues, and to
be infinitely pestered with Ice, as euery one haue found,
who haue gone that way. Comparing, therefore, some
obseruation taken at Bantam Gulolo and at Firando in
lapany and the distance betwixt lapan and the Wester-part
of Califurniay with the obseruations taken at Charleton
Iland (referring all to the Meridian oi London), and then
the distance betwixt the Meridians of Cape Charles and
the Wester-part of Califurnia will be found to be about
500 leagues in the Latitude of 66. 00, where yet the
Meridians incline very much together.

To this may be added that, neere about Cape Charles,
the variation is 29 degrees to the West, which is a probable
argument that there is much land to the Westward, and
that this straight must be very long, and that you haue no
time to passe it but in August and September, when the
nights are so long and the weather so cold that it will not
bee indurablc.

THE HOMEWARD VOYAGE. 59 1

Adde to this, that neither can any great Ships, which
are fit for carrying of Merchandize, indure the Ice and
other discommodities, without extraordinary danger.

Moreouer, a thousand leagues is sooner sayled to the
Southward, and about the Cape de Bona Sfieranza (where
the winds are constant), and that with safety, then a hundred in these seas, where you must dayly runne the hazzard of losing Ship and Hues. Put hereunto, that comfort
for the sicke, or refreshing for your men, here is none to be
had in these quarters.

Towards the latter end of August, and in September, the
weather growes tempestuous, and the winds incline to be
Westerly, that there will be but small hope of performing
your voyage this way.

But let vs (by way of imagination onely) inlarge this
Straight, in this Latitude, and free it of Ice ; yet what
aduantage, in speedy performance, will be gotten by this
passage, if the winds be withall considered? To lapan,
China, and the Northerne parts of Asia, it may be the
neerer cut ; but, in Nauigation, the farthest way about is
well knowne in fewer dayes to be performed ; yea, with
lesser paines, and more safety of Ship and goods.

Againe, to the East Indies and other parts where we
haue the greatest Commerce and imployment of shipping,
the other way is as neere. What benefit of Trade might
haue been obtained in those Northerne parts of Asia, I
will not presume to speak of, holding that there is a great
difference betwixt those parts and the Northerne parts of
America; whereas I am sure that there is none in any
place where I haue becne all this voyage.*

The two and twentieth of October we arriued in the
Rode of Bristolly hauing been hindered and crost with
much contrary tempestuous windes and weather. The
Ship being brought into Harbour, and halde dry aground
to looke to her, it was there found that all her Cut-water
and Sterne were torne and beaten away, together with
fourteene foote of her Keele, much of her sheathing cut
away, her bowes broken and bruised, and many timbers
crackt within boord ; and, vnder the Star-boord bulge, a
sharpe Rocke had cut thorow the sheathing, the planke,
and an inch and a halfe into a timber that it met withall.
Many other defects there were besides, so that it was
miraculous how this vessell could bring vs home againe.
Being all here arriued, we went all to Church, and gaue
God thankes for his presentation of vs amidst so many
dangers.

I very well know that what I haue here hastily written
will neuer discourage any noble spirit that is minded
to bring this so long tryed Action to absolute effect.
And it is likely, withall, that there be some who haue
a better vnderstanding, and a surer way of prosecuting
of it, then my selfe haue, to whose designes I wish a
happy successe. And, if they doe but make a reuiew
of what hath beene done, and giue more certaine CceUstiall
obseruations HydrographiccUl descriptions or exacter practice in Nauigation it will be a most commendable labour.
For, although I haue spent some yeeres of my ripest age
in procuring vaine intelligence from forraine Nations, and
haue trauailed vnto diuers Honourable and Learned personages of this kingdome for their instructions, haue
bought vp whateuer I could find in print or manuscript,
and what plot or paper soeuer conducing to this businesse
that possibly I could procure, and haue serued voluntary
besides and spent some time in rcndring a relation (since
my comming home), and expended withall of my owne monies, in my foresaid indeauours, and in furnishing of extraordinary necessaries, aboue two hundred pounds in ready money ; yet I repent not my selfe, but take a great deale of comfort and ioy, in that I am able to giue an account (in some reasonable way) of those parts of the world, which heretofore I was not so well satisfied in.

FINIS.

Appendix: Letter Left at Charleton

The copie of the Letter I left at Charleton, fastened to the Crosse, the first of July, 1632.

BE it knowne to any that shall haply arriue here,
on this Iland of Charleton, that, whereas our Soueraigne Lord, Charles the first, King of England, Scotland,
France, and Ireland, Defender of the faith, etc., hauing a
desire to be certified whether there were any passage or
not by the North-west or North-westward, thorow these
Territories, into the South Sea ; some of the better-

Colophon

Captain Thomas James, The Strange and Dangerous Voyage of Captaine Thomas James, in His Intended Discouery of the Northwest Passage into the South Sea (London: John Legatt, 1633). Published by His Majesty's command.

Reproduced from: Miller Christy, ed., The Voyages of Captain Luke Foxe of Hull, and Captain Thomas James of Bristol, in Search of a North-West Passage, in 1631–32 (London: Hakluyt Society, 1894), Volume II. Editorial footnotes and scholarly apparatus removed; James's original text and spelling preserved. The mathematical appendix by Henry Gellibrand and the philosophical discourse by W. W. are omitted. The Charleton letter in the Appendix is fragmentary — the scan truncates mid-sentence; the complete text may be recoverable from a better copy of the Hakluyt edition.

Thomas James (c. 1593–1635) was a Welsh navigator and explorer. He died approximately two years after his return from the voyage described in this journal. James Bay, the southern extension of Hudson Bay, is named after him.

Related: The Discovery of Guiana (Raleigh, 1596) · Dampier's New Voyage Round the World (1697) — companion English exploration narratives in this archive.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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