(Decorative banner)A VOYAGEset out from the Citie ofBristollat the charge of the chiefest Merchants and Inhabitants of the said Citie with a small Ship and a Barke for the discouerie of the North part ofVirginia.
(Decorative banner)
A VOYAGEset out from the Citie ofBristollat the charge of the chiefest Merchants and Inhabitants of the said Citie with a small Ship and a Barke for the discouerie of the North part ofVirginia.
A VOYAGEset out from the Citie ofBristollat the charge of the chiefest Merchants and Inhabitants of the said Citie with a small Ship and a Barke for the discouerie of the North part ofVirginia.
WE set saile fromMilford HauenApril 1603(where the winds had stayed vs a fortnight, in which space we heard of QueenElizabethsdeath) the tenth of Aprill 1603. In our course we passed by the Iles of theAçores, had first sight of thePike, and afterward of the Iland ofCueruoandFlores, and after we had runne some fiue hundred leagues,Junewe fell with a multitude of small Ilands on the North Coast ofVirginia, in the latitude of 43. degrees, the ······· of Iune, which Ilands wee found very pleasant to behold, adorned with goodly grasse and sundry sorts of Trees, as Cedars, Spruce, Pines, and Firre-trees. Heere wee found anexcellent fishing for Cods, which are better then those ofNew-found-land, and withall we saw good and Rockie ground fit to drie them vpon: also we see no reason to the contrary, but that Salt may bee made in these parts, a matter of no small importance. We sayled to the South-west end of these Ilands, and there rode with our ships vnder one of the greatest. One of them we namedFoxe Iland, because we found those kind of beasts thereon. So passing through the rest with our Boates to the mayne Land, which lieth for a good space North-east and South-west, we found very safe riding among them, in sixe, seuen, eight, ten and twelue fathomes. At length comming to the Mayne in the latitude of 43. degrees and an halfe, we ranged the same to the South-west. In which course we found foure Inlets, the most Easterly whereof was barred at the mouth, but hauing passed ouer the barre, wee ranne vp into it fiue miles, and for a certaine space found very good depth, and comming out againe, as we sailed South-westward, we lighted vpon two other Inlets, which vpon our search we found to pierce not farre into the Land, the fourth and most Westerly was the best, which we rowed vp ten or twelue miles.
In all these places we found no people, but signes of fires where they had beene. Howbeit we beheld very goodly Groues and Woods replenished with tall Okes, Beeches, Pine-trees, Firre-trees,Hasels, Wich-hasels and Maples. We saw here also sundry sorts of Beasts, as Stags, Deere, Beares, Wolues, Foxes, Lusernes, and Dogges with sharpe noses. But meeting with no Sassafras, we left these places with all the foresaid Ilands,Cape Neddock Nubbleshaping our course forSauage Rockediscouered the yeere before by CaptaineGosnold, where going vpon the Mayne we found people, with whom we had no long conuersation, because here also we could find no Sassafras. Departing hence we bare into that great Gulfe which CaptaineGosnoldouer-shot the yeere before, coasting and finding people on the North side thereof. Not yet satisfied in our expectation, we left them and sailed ouer, and came to an Anchor on the South side in the latitude of 41. degrees and odde minute: where we went on Land in a certaine Bay,Plymouth Harbourwhich we calledWhitson Bay, by the name of the Worshipfull MasterIohn Whitsonthen Maior of the Citie ofBristoll, and one of the chiefe Aduenturers, and finding a pleasant Hill thereunto adioyning, wee called itMount Aldworth, for MasterRobert Aldworthssake a chiefe furtherer of the Voyage, as well with his Purse as with his trauell. Here we had sufficient quantitie of Sassafras.
At our going on shore, vpon view of the people and sight of the place, wee thought it conuenient to make a small baricado to keepe diligent watch and ward in, for the aduertizementand succour of our men, while they should worke in the Woods. During our abode on shore, the people of the Countrey came to our men sometimes ten, twentie, fortie or threescore, and at one time one hundred and twentie at once. We vsed them kindly, and gaue them diuers sorts of our meanest Merchandize. They did eat Pease and Beanes with our men. Their owne victuals were most of fish.
We had a youth in our company that could play vpon a Gitterne, in whose homely Musicke they tooke great delight, and would giue him many things, as Tobacco, Tobacco-pipes, Snakes skinnes of sixe foot long, which they vse for Girdles, Fawnes skinnes, and such like, and danced twentie in a Ring, and the Gitterne in the middest of them, vsing many Sauage gestures, singinglo, la, lo, la, la, lo: him that first brake the ring, the rest would knocke and cry out vpon. Some few of them had plates of Brasse a foot long, and halfe a foote broad before their breasts. Their weapons are Bowes of fiue or sixe foot long of Wich-hasell, painted blacke and yellow, the strings of three twists of sinewes, bigger then our Bow-strings. Their Arrowes are of a yard and an handfull long not made of Reeds, but of a fine light wood very smooth and round with three long and deepe blacke feathers of some Eagle, Vulture, or Kite, as closely fastened with some binding matter, asany Fletcher of ours can glue them on. Their Quiuers are full a yard long, made of long dried Rushes wrought about two handfuls broad aboue, and one handfull beneath with prettie workes and compartiments, Diamant wise of red and other colours.
We carried with vs fromBristolltwo excellent Mastiues, of whom theIndianswere more afraid, then of twentie of our men. One of these Mastiues would carrie a halfe Pike in his mouth. And one MasterThomas Bridgesa Gentleman of our company accompanied only with one of these Dogs, and passed sixe miles alone in the Countrey hauing lost his fellowes, and returned safely. And when we would be rid of the Sauages company wee would let loose the Mastiues, and suddenly with out-cryes they would flee away. These people in colour are inclined to a swart, tawnie, or Chestnut colour, not by nature but accidentally, and doe weare their haire brayded in foure parts, and trussed vp about their heads with a small knot behind: in which haire of theirs they sticke many feathers and toyes for brauerie and pleasure. They couer their priuities only with a piece of leather drawne betwixt their twists and fastened to their Girdles behind and before: whereunto they hang their bags of Tobacco. They seeme to bee somewhat iealous of their women, for we saw not past two of them, who weare Apronsof Leather skins before them downe to the knees, and a Beares skinne like anIrishMantle ouer one shoulder. The men are of stature somewhat taller then our ordinary people, strong, swift, well proportioned, and giuen to treacherie, as in the end we perceiued.
Their Boats, whereof we brought one toBristoll, were in proportion like a Wherrie of the Riuer ofThames, seuenteene foot long and foure foot broad, made of the Barke of a Birch-tree, farre exceeding in bignesse those ofEngland: it was sowed together with strong and tough Oziers or twigs, and the seames couered ouer with Rozen or Turpentine little inferiour in sweetnesse to Frankincense, as we made triall by burning a little thereof on the coales at sundry times after our coming home: it was also open like a Wherrie, and sharpe at both ends, sauing that the beake was a little bending roundly vpward. And though it carried nine men standing vpright, yet it weighed not at the most aboue sixtie pounds in weight, a thing almost incredible in regard of the largenesse and capacitie thereof. Their Oares were flat at the end like an Ouen peele, made of Ash or Maple very light and strong, about two yards long, wherewith they row very swiftly: Passing vp a Riuer we saw certaine Cottages together, abandoned by the Sauages, and not farre off we beheld their Gardens and one among therest of an Acre of ground, and in the same was sowne Tobacco, Pompions, Cowcumbers and such like; and some of the people had Maiz orIndianWheate among them. In the fields we found wild Pease, Strawberries very faire and bigge, Gooseberries, Raspices, Hurts, and other wild fruits.
Hauing spent three Weeks vpon the Coast before we came to this place where we meant to stay and take in our lading, according to our instructions giuen vs in charge before our setting forth, we pared and digged vp the Earth with shouels, and sowed Wheate, Barley, Oates, Pease, and sundry sorts of Garden Seeds, which for the time of our abode there, being about seuen Weeks, although they were late sowne, came vp very well, giuing certaine testimonie of the goodnesse of the Climate and of the Soyle. And it seemeth that Oade, Hempe, Flaxe, Rape-seed and such like which require a rich and fat ground, would prosper excellently in these parts. For in diuers places here we found grasse aboue knee deepe.
As for Trees the Country yeeldeth Sassafras a plant of souereigne vertue for theFrenchPoxe, and as some of late haue learnedly written good against the Plague and many other Maladies; Vines, Cedars, Okes, Ashes, Beeches, Birch trees, Cherie trees bearing fruit whereof wee did eate, Hasels, Wich-hasels, the bestwood of all other to make Sope-ashes withall, Walnut-trees, Maples, holy to make Bird-lime with, and a kinde of tree bearing a fruit like a small red Peare-plum with a crowne or knop on the top (a plant whereof carefully wrapped vp in earth, MasterRobert Salternebrought to Bristoll.) We found also low trees bearing faire Cheries. There were likewise a white kind of Plums which were growne to their perfect ripenesse. With diuers other sorts of trees to vs vnknowne.
The Beasts here are Stags, fallow Deere in abundance, Beares, Wolues, Foxes, Lusernes, and (some say) Tygres, Porcupines, and Dogges with sharpe and long noses, with many other sorts of wild beasts, whose Cases and Furres being hereafter purchased by exchange may yeeld no smal gaine to vs. Since as we are certainly informed, theFrenchmenbrought fromCanadathe value of thirtie thousand Crownes in the yeare 1604. Almost in Beuers and Otters skinnes only. The most vsuall Fowles are Eagles, Vultures, Hawkes, Cranes, Herons, Crowes, Gulls, and great store of other Riuer and Sea-fowles. And as the Land is full of Gods good blessings, so is the Sea replenished with great abundance of excellent fish, as Cods sufficient to lade many ships, which we found vpon the Coast in the moneth of Iune, Seales to make Oile withall, Mullets, Turbuts, Mackerels, Herrings, Crabs,Lobsters, Creuises and Muscles with ragged Pearles in them.
By the end of Iuly we had laded our small Barke called the Discouerer,Julywith as much Sassafras as we thought sufficient, and sent her home intoEnglandbefore, to giue some speedie contentment to the Aduenturers; who arriued safely inKingrodeaboue a fortnight before vs. After their departure we so bestirred our selues, that our shippe also had gotten in her lading, during which time there fell out this accident. On a day about noone tide while our men which vsed to cut down Sassafras in the Woods were asleepe, as they vsed to doe for two houres in the heat of the day, there came downe about seuen score Sauages armed with their Bowes and Arrowes, and enuironed our House or Barricado, wherein were foure of our men alone with their Muskets to keepe Centinell, whom they sought to haue come downe vnto them, which they vtterly refused, and stood vpon their guard. Our Master likewise being very carefull and circumspect hauing not past two with him in the shippe put the same in the best defence he could, lest they should haue inuaded the same, and caused a piece of great Ordnance to bee shot off, to giue terrour to theIndians, and warning to our men which were fast asleepe in the Woods: at the noyse of which Peece they were a little awaked, and beganne a little to call forFooleandGallant,their great and fearefull Mastiues, and full quietly laid themselues downe againe, but beeing quickned vp eftsoones againe with a second shot they rowsed vp themselues, betooke them to their weapons and with their Mastiues, greatFoolewith an halfe Pike in his mouth drew downe to their ship: whom when theIndiansbeheld afarre off, with the Mastiue which they most feared, in dissembling manner they turned all to a iest and sport, and departed away in friendly manner: yet not long after, euen the day before our departure, they set fire on the Woods where wee wrought, which wee did behold to burne for a mile space, and the very same day that wee weighed Anchor, they came downe to the shoare in greater number, to wit, very neere two hundred by our estimation, and some of them came in their Boates to our ship, and would haue had vs come in againe: but we sent them backe, and would none of their entertainment.
About the eighth or ninth of August,Augustwee left this excellent Hauen at the entrance whereof we found twentie fathomes water, and rode at our ease in seuen fathomes being Land-locked, the Hauen winding in compasse like the shell of a Snaile, and it is in latitude of one and forty degrees and fiue and twentie minutes.
This by the way is not to be forgotten, that our Captaine fell so much to the Northwardbecause he would find high grounds, where commonly the best Hauens are: which also fell out to his expectation. We also obserued that we could find no Sassafras but in sandie ground. In our returne we brought our selues into the latitude of eight and thirtie degrees about theAçoresfor certaine causes, and within fiue weekes space came from our Port ofVirginia, into the Soundings ofEngland, but there being long encountred with Easterly winds, we came at length intoKingrode, the second of October 1603. The Discouerer was out fiue moneths and an halfe. TheSpeedwellwas out sixe moneths vpon the Voyage.