(Decorative banner)TO THE HONOURABLE SirWalter Ralegh,Kt., Captaine of herMaiesties Guards, Lord Warden of the Stanneries, Lieutenant ofCornwall, and Gouernour of the Isle ofJersey.
(Decorative banner)
TO THE HONOURABLE SirWalter Ralegh,Kt., Captaine of herMaiesties Guards, Lord Warden of the Stanneries, Lieutenant ofCornwall, and Gouernour of the Isle ofJersey.
TO THE HONOURABLE SirWalter Ralegh,Kt., Captaine of herMaiesties Guards, Lord Warden of the Stanneries, Lieutenant ofCornwall, and Gouernour of the Isle ofJersey.
HONOURABLE sir, being earnestly requested by a deere friend,1602to put downe in writing, some true relation of our late performed voyage to the North parts ofVirginia; at length I resolued to satisfie his request, who also imboldened me, to direct the same to your honourable consideration; to whom indeed of duetie it perteineth.
May it please your Lordship therefore to understand, that upon the sixe and twentieth of March1602,Marchbeing Friday, we went fromFalmouth, being in all, two & thirtie persons, in a small barke ofDartmouth, called TheConcord, holding a course for the North part of Virginia: and although by chance the winde fauoured vs not at first as we wished, but inforced vs sofarre to the Southward, as we fell withS. Marie, one of the islands of theAçores(which was not much out of our way) yet holding our course directly from thence, we made our iourney shorter (than hitherto accustomed) by the better part of a thousand leagues, yet were wee longer in our passage than we expected; which happened, for that our barke being weake, we were loth to presse her with much saile; also, our sailers being few, and they none of the best, we bare (except in faire weather) but low saile; besides, our going vpon an vnknowen coast, made vs not ouer-bolde to stand in with the shore, but in open weather; which caused vs to be certeine daies in sounding, before we discouered the coast, the weather being by chance, somewhat foggie.MayBut on Friday the foureteenth of May, early in the morning, we made the land, being full of faire trees, the land somewhat low, certeine hummocks or hilles lying into the land, the shore ful of white sand, but very stony or rocky. And standing faire alongst by the shore, about twelue of the clocke the same day, we came to an anker,Cape Neddock Mainewhere sixe Indians, in a Baske-shallop with mast and saile, an iron grapple, and a kettle of copper, came boldly aboord vs, one of them apparelled with a wastcoat and breeches of blacke serdge, made after our sea-fashion, hose and shoes on his feet; all the rest (sauing one that had a paire of breeches of bluecloth) were all naked. These people are of tall stature, broad and grim visage, of a blacke swart complexion, their eie-browes painted white; their weapons are bowes and arrowes: it seemed by some words and signes they made, that some Basks or ofS. Iohn de Luz, haue fished or traded in this place, being in the latitude of 43 degrees. But riding heere, in no very good harbour, and withall, doubting the weather, about three of the clocke the same day in the afternoone we weighed, & standing Southerly off into sea the rest of that day and the night following, with a fresh gale of winde, in the morning we found ourselues embayed with a mightie headland; but comming to an anker about nine of the clocke the same day, within a league of the shore,Cape Codwe hoised out the one halfe of our shallop, and captaineBartholomew Gosnold, my selfe, and three others, went ashore, being a white sandie and very bolde shore; and marching all that afternoon with our muskets on our necks, on the highest hilles which we saw (the weather very hot) at length we perceiued this headland to be parcell of the maine, and sundrie Islands lying almost round about it: so returning (towards euening) to our shallop (for by that time, the other part was brought ashore and set together) we espied an Indian, a yong man, of proper stature, and of a pleasing countenance; and after some familiaritie with him,we left him at the sea side, and returned to our ship, where, in fiue or sixe houres absence, we had pestered our ship so with Cod fish, that we threw numbers of them ouer-boord againe: and surely, I am persuaded that in the moneths of March, April, and May, there is vpon this coast, better fishing, and in as great plentie, as inNewfoundland: for the sculles of Mackerell, herrings, Cod, and other fish, that we dayly saw as we went and came from the shore, were wonderfull; and besides, the places where we tooke these Cods (and might in a few daies haue laden our ship) were but in seuen faddome water, and within lesse than a league of the shore; where, inNewfound-landthey fish in fortie or fiftie fadome water, and farre off. From this place, we sailed round about this headland, almost all the points of the compasse, the shore very bolde: but as no coast is free from dangers, so I am persuaded, this is as free as any; the land somewhat lowe, full of goodly woods, but in some places plaine: at length we were come amongst many faire Islands, which we had partly discerned at our first landing;Nantucketall lying within a league or two one of another, and the outermost not aboue sixe or seuen leagues from the maine:Martha’s Vineyardbut comming to an anker vnder one of them, which was about three or foure leagues from the maine, captaineGosnold, my selfe, and some others, went ashore, & going round aboutit, we found it to be foure English miles in compasse, without house or inhabitant, sauing a little old house made of boughes, couered with barke, an olde piece of a weare of the Indians, to catch fish, and one or two places, where they had made fires. The chiefest trees of this Island, are Beeches and Cedars; the outward parts all ouergrowen with lowe bushie trees, three or foure foot in height, which beare some kinde of fruits, as appeared by their blossomes; Strawberies, red and white, as sweet and much bigger than ours inEngland, Rasberies, Gooseberies, Hurtleberies, and such; an incredible store of Vines, as well in the wooddie part of the Island, where they run upon euery tree, as on the outward parts, that we could not goe for treading vpon them: also, many springs of excellent sweet water, and a great standing lake of fresh water, neere the sea side, an English mile in compasse, which is mainteined with the springs running exceeding pleasantly thorow the wooddie grounds which are very rockie. Here are also in this Island, great store of Deere, which we saw, and other beasts, as appeared by their tracks; as also diuers fowles, as Cranes, Hernshawes, Bitters, Geese, Mallards, Teales, and other fowles, in great plenty; also, great store of Pease, which grow in certeine plots all the Island ouer. On the North side of this Island we found many huge bones and ribbes of Whales.This Island, as also all the rest of these Islands, are full of all sorts of stones fit for building; the sea sides all couered with stones, many of them glistering and shining like minerall stones, and very rockie: also, the rest of these Islands are replenished with these commodities, and vpon some of them, inhabitants; as vpon an Island to the Northward, and within two leagues of this; yet wee found no townes, nor many of their houses, although we saw manie Indians, which are tall big boned men, all naked, sauing they couer their priuy parts with a blacke tewed skin, much like a Black-smithes apron, tied about their middle and betweene their legs behinde: they gaue vs of their fish readie boiled (which they carried in a basket made of twigges, not unlike our osier) whereof we did eat, and iudged them to be fresh water fish: they gaue vs also of their Tabacco, which they drinke greene, but dried into powder, very strong and pleasant, and much better than any I haue tasted inEngland: the necks of their pipes are made of clay hard dried (whereof in that Island is great store both red and white) the other part, is a piece of hollow copper, very finely closed and semented together: we gaue vnto them certeine trifles, as kniues, points, and such like, which they much esteemed. From hence we went to another Island, to the Northwest of this, and within a league or two of the maine, which wefound to be greater than before we imagined, being 16 English miles at the least in compasse;Cuttyhunkfor it conteineth many pieces or necks of land, which differ nothing frō seuerall Islands, sauing that certeine banks of small bredth do like bridges ioyne them to this Island: on the outsides of this Island are many plaine places of grasse, abundance of Strawberies & other berries before mentioned: in mid May we did sowe in this Island (as for a triall) in sundry places, Wheat, Barley, Oats, and Pease, which in foureteene daies were sprung up nine inches and more: the soile is fat and lustie; the vpper crust, of gray colour; but a foot or lesse in depth, of the colour of our hempe-lands inEngland; and being thus apt for these and the like graines; the sowing or setting (after the ground is cleansed) is no greater labour, than if you should set or sowe in one of our best prepared gardens in England. This Island is full of high timberd Oaks, their leaues thrise so broad as ours; Cedars, strait and tall; Beech, Elme, Hollie, Walnut trees in abundance, the fruit as bigge as ours, as appeared by those we found under the trees, which had lien all the yeere vngathered; Haslenut trees, Cherry trees, the leafe, barke and bignesse not differing from ours inEngland, but the stalke beareth the blossomes or fruit at the end thereof, like a cluster of Grapes, forty or fifty in a bunch; Sassafras trees great plentie all the Island ouer, atree of high price and profit; also, diuers other fruit trees, some of them with strange barks, of an Orange colour, in feeling soft and smoothe like veluet: in the thickest parts of these woods, you may see a furlong or more round about. On the Northwest side of this Island, neere to the sea side, is a standing Lake of fresh water, almost three English miles in compasse, in the middest whereof stands a plot of wooddie ground, an acre in quantitie or not aboue: this Lake is full of small Tortoises, and exceedingly frequented with all sorts of fowles before rehearsed, which breed, some lowe on the banks, and others on lowe trees about this Lake in great abundance, whose yoong ones of all sorts we tooke and eat at our pleasure: but all these fowles are much bigger than ours inEngland. Also, in euery Island, and almost in euery part of euery Island, are great store of Ground nuts, fortie together on a string, some of them as bigge as hennes egges; they grow not two inches vnder ground: the which nuts we found to be as good as Potatoes. Also, diuers sorts of shell-fish, as Scallops, Muscles, Cockles, Lobsters, Crabs, Oisters, and Wilks, exceeding good and very great. But not to cloy you with particular rehearsall of such things as God & Nature hath bestowed on these places, in comparison whereof, the most fertil part of alEnglandis (of it selfe) but barren; we went in our light-horsmanfrō this Island to the maine, right against this Island some two leagues off, where comming ashore, we stood a while like men rauished at the beautie and delicacie of this sweet soile;Buzzard’s Bayfor besides diuers cleere Lakes of fresh water (whereof we saw no end) Medowes very large and full of greene grasse; euen the most wooddy places (I speake onely of such as I saw) doe grow so distinct and apart, one tree from another, vpon greene grassie ground, somewhat higher than the Plaines, as if Nature would shew herselfe aboue her power, artificiall. Hard by, we espied seuen Indians; and comming vp to them, at first they expressed some feare; but being emboldned by our courteous vsage, and some trifles which we gaue them, they followed vs to a necke of land, which we imagined had beene seuered from the maine; but finding it otherwise, we perceiued a broad harbour or riuers mouth, which ranne vp into the maine: but because the day was farre spent, we were forced to returne to the Island from whence we came, leauing the discouerie of this harbour, for a time of better leasure: of the goodnesse of which harbour, as also of many others thereabouts, there is small doubt, considering that all the Islands, as also the maine (where we were) is all rockie grounds and broken lands. Now the next day, we determined to fortifie our selues in the little plot of ground in the midst of theLake aboue mentioned, where we built an house, and couered it with sedge, which grew about this lake in great abundance; in building whereof, we spent three weeks and more: but the second day after our comming from the maine, we espied 9 canowes or boats, with fiftie Indians in them, comming toward vs from this part of the maine, where we, two daies before, landed; and being loth they should discouer our fortification, we went out on the sea side to meet them; and comming somewhat neere them, they all sat downe upon the stones, calling aloud to vs (as we rightly ghessed) to doe the like, a little distance from them: hauing sat a while in this order, captaineGosnoldwilled me to go vnto them, to see what countenance they would make; but as soone as I came vp vnto them, one of them, to whom I had giuen a knife two daies before in the maine, knew me (whom I also very wel remembred) and smiling vpon me, spake somewhat vnto their lord or captaine, which sat in the midst of them, who presently rose vp and tooke a large Beauer skin from one that stood about him, and gaue it vnto me, which I requited for that time the best I could: but I pointing towards captaineGosnold, made signes vnto him, that he was our captaine, and desirous to be his friend, and enter league with him, which (as I perceiued) he vnderstood, and made signes of ioy: whereupon captaineGosnoldwith the rest of his companie, being twentie in all, came vp vnto them; and after many signes of gratulations (captainGosnoldpresenting their L. with certeine trifles which they wondred at, and highly esteemed) we became very great friends, and sent for meat aboord our shallop, and gaue them such meats as we had then readie dressed, whereof they misliked nothing but our mustard, whereat they made many a sowre face. While wee were thus merry, one of them had conueied a target of ours into one of their canowes, which we suffered, onely to trie whether they were in subiection to this L. to whom we made signes (by shewing him another of the same likenesse, and pointing to the canowe) what one of his companie had done: who suddenly expressed some feare, and speaking angerly to one about him (as we perceiued by his countenance) caused it presently to be brought backe againe. So the rest of the day we spent in trading with them for Furres, which are Beauers, Luzernes, Marterns, Otters, Wild-cat skinnes very large and deepe Furre, blacke Foxes, Conie skinnes, of the colour of our Hares, but somewhat lesse, Deere skinnes very large, Seale skinnes, and other beasts skinnes, to vs vnknowen. They haue also great store of Copper, some very redde, and some of a paler colour; none of them but haue chaines, earrings or collars of thismettall: they head some of their arrows herewith, much like our broad arrow heads, very workmanly made. Their chaines are many hollow pieces semented together, ech piece of the bignesse of one of our reeds, a finger in length, ten or twelue of them together on a string, which they weare about their necks: their collars they weare about their bodies like bandelieres a handfull broad, all hollow pieces, like the other, but somewhat shorter, foure hundred pieces in a collar, very fine and euenly set together. Besides these, they haue large drinking cups, made like sculles, and other thinne plates of Copper, made much like our boare-speare blades, all which they so little esteeme, as they offered their fairest collars or chaines, for a knife or such like trifle, but we seemed little to regard it; yet I was desirous to vnderstand where they had such store of this mettall, and made signes to one of them (with whom I was verie familiar) who taking a piece of Copper in his hand, made a hole with his finger in the ground, and withall, pointed to the maine from whence they came. They strike fire in this manner; euery one carrieth about him in a purse of tewed leather, a Minerall stone (which I take to be their Copper) and with a flat Emerie stone (wherewith Glasiers cut glasse, and Cutlers glase blades) tied fast to the end of a little sticke, gently he strikethvpon the Minerall stone, and within a stroke or two, a sparke falleth vpon a piece of Touch-wood (much like our Spunge inEngland) and with the least sparke he maketh a fire presently. We had also of their Flaxe, wherewith they make many strings and cords, but it is not so bright of colour as ours in England: I am perswaded they haue great store growing vpon the maine, as also Vines and many other rich commodities, which we, wanting both time and meanes, could not possibly discouer. Thus they continued with vs three daies, euery night retiring themselues to the furthermost part of our Island two or three miles from our fort: but the fourth day they returned to the maine, pointing fiue or six times to the Sun, and once to the maine, which we vnderstood, that within fiue or six daies they would come from the maine to vs againe: but being in their canowes a little from the shore, they made huge cries & shouts of ioy vnto vs; and we with our trumpet and cornet, and casting vp our cappes into the aire, made them the best farewell we could: yet sixe or seuen of them remained with vs behinde, bearing vs company euery day into the woods, and helpt vs to cut and carie our Sassafras, and some of them lay aboord our ship. These people, as they are exceeding courteous, gentle of disposition, and well conditioned, excelling all others that we haue seene; so for shapeof bodie and louely fauour, I thinke they excell all the people ofAmerica; of stature much higher than we; of complexion or colour, much like a darke Oliue; their eie-browes and haire blacke, which they weare long, tied vp behinde in knots, whereon they pricke feathers of fowles, in fashion of a crownet: some of them are blacke thin bearded; they make beards of the haire of beasts: and one of them offered a beard of their making to one of our sailers, for his that grew on his face, which because it was of a red colour, they iudged to be none of his owne. They are quicke eied, and stedfast in their looks, fearelesse of others harmes, as intending none themselues; some of the meaner sort giuen to filching, which the very name of Saluages (not weighing their ignorance in good or euill) may easily excuse: their garments are of Deere skins, and some of them weare Furres round and close about their necks. They pronounce our language with great facilitie; for one of them one day sitting by me, vpon occasion I spake smiling to him these words:How now (sirha) are you so saucie with my Tabacco: which words (without any further repetition) he suddenly spake so plaine and distinctly, as if he had beene a long scholar in the language. Many other such trials we had, which are heere needlesse to repeat. Their women (such as we saw) which were but three in all, were but loweof stature, their eie-browes, haire, apparell, and maner of wearing, like to the men, fat, and very well fauoured, and much delighted in our compane; the men are very dutifull towards them. And truely, the holsomnesse and temperature of this Climat, doth not onely argue this people to be answerable to this description, but also of a perfect constitution of body, actiue, strong, healthfull, and very wittie, as the sundry toies of theirs cunningly wrought, may easily witnes. For the agreeing of this Climat with vs (I speake of my selfe, & so I may iustly do for the rest of our companie) that we found our health & strength all the while we remained there, so to renew and increase, as notwithstanding our diet and lodging was none of the best, yet not one of our company (God be thanked) felt the least grudging or inclination to any disease or sicknesse, but were much fatter and in better health than when we went out ofEngland. But after our barke had taken in so much Sassafras, Cedar, Furres, Skinnes, and other commodities, as were thought conuenient; some of our company that had promised captaineGosnoldto stay, hauing nothing but a sauing voyage in their minds, made our company of inhabitants (which was small enough before) much smaller; so as captaineGosnoldseeing his whole strength to consist but of twelue men, and they but meanly prouided,determined to returne forEngland, leauing this Island (which he calledElizabeths Island) with as many true sorrowfull eies, as were before desirous to see it. So the 18 of June, being Friday, we weighed, and with indifferent faire winde and weather came to anker the 23 of July, being also Friday (in all, bare fiue weeks) beforeExmouth.
Your Lordships to command,Iohn Brereton.
(Decorative separator)
A briefe Note of such commodities as we saw in the countrey notwithstanding our small time of stay.
Trees.SAssafras trees, the roots whereof at 3. s. the pound are 336. l. the tunne.Cedars tall and straight, in great abundance.Cypres trees.Oakes.Walnut trees great store.Elmes.Beech.Hollie.Haslenut trees.Cherry trees.Cotten trees.Other fruit trees to vs vnknowen.
Trees.
SAssafras trees, the roots whereof at 3. s. the pound are 336. l. the tunne.
Cedars tall and straight, in great abundance.
Cypres trees.
Oakes.
Walnut trees great store.
Elmes.
Beech.
Hollie.
Haslenut trees.
Cherry trees.
Cotten trees.
Other fruit trees to vs vnknowen.
Fowles.EAgles.Hernshawes.Cranes.Bitters.Mallards.Teales.Geese.Pengwins.Ospreis and Hawks.Crowes.Rauens.Mewes.Doues.Sea-pies.Blacke-birds with carnation wings.
Fowles.
EAgles.
Hernshawes.
Cranes.
Bitters.
Mallards.
Teales.
Geese.
Pengwins.
Ospreis and Hawks.
Crowes.
Rauens.
Mewes.
Doues.
Sea-pies.
Blacke-birds with carnation wings.
The finder of our Sassafras in these parts, was one MasterRobert Meriton.
Beasts.DEere in great store, very great and large.Beares.Luzernes.Blacke Foxes.Beavers.Otters.Wilde-Cats, verie large and great.Dogs like Foxes, blacke and sharpe nosed.Conies.
Beasts.
DEere in great store, very great and large.
Beares.
Luzernes.
Blacke Foxes.
Beavers.
Otters.
Wilde-Cats, verie large and great.
Dogs like Foxes, blacke and sharpe nosed.
Conies.
Fruits, Plants, and Herbs.TAbacco, excellent sweet and strong.Vines in more plenty than inFrance.Ground-nuts, good meat, & also medicinable.Strawberries.Raspeberries.Gooseberries.Hurtleberries.Pease growing naturally.Flaxe.Sorrell, & manie other herbs wherewith they made fallets.
Fruits, Plants, and Herbs.
TAbacco, excellent sweet and strong.
Vines in more plenty than inFrance.
Ground-nuts, good meat, & also medicinable.
Strawberries.
Raspeberries.
Gooseberries.
Hurtleberries.
Pease growing naturally.
Flaxe.
Sorrell, & manie other herbs wherewith they made fallets.
Fishes.WHales.Tortoises, both on land and sea.Seales.Cods.Mackerell.Breames.Herrings.Thornbacke.Hakes.
Fishes.
WHales.
Tortoises, both on land and sea.
Seales.
Cods.
Mackerell.
Breames.
Herrings.
Thornbacke.
Hakes.
Rockefish.Doggefish.Lobsters.Crabbes.Muscles.Wilks.Cockles.Scallops.Oisters.
Rockefish.
Doggefish.
Lobsters.
Crabbes.
Muscles.
Wilks.
Cockles.
Scallops.
Oisters.
SNakes foure foot in length, and sixe inches about, which the Indians eat for daintie meat, the skinnes whereof they vse for girdles.
Mettals and Stones.
COpper in great abundance.Emerie stones for Glasiers & Cutlers.Alabaster very white.Stones glistering and shining like Minerall stones.
COpper in great abundance.
Emerie stones for Glasiers & Cutlers.
Alabaster very white.
Stones glistering and shining like Minerall stones.
Stones of a blue metalline colour, which we take to be Steele oare.Stones of all sorts for buildings.Cley, red and white.
Stones of a blue metalline colour, which we take to be Steele oare.
Stones of all sorts for buildings.
Cley, red and white.