Part 28

The 11 of July in the morning as we sate fast vpon the ice, the sunne being north-east, there came a great beare out of the water running towards vs, but we watcht for her with three muskets, and when she came within 30 paces of vs we shot all the three muskets at her and killed her outright, so that she stirred not a foote, and we might see the fat run out at the holes of her skinne, that was shot in with the muskets, swimme vpon the water like oyle; and [she] so driving [1340] dead upon the water, we went vpon a flake of ice to her, and putting a rope about her neck drew her vp vpon the ice and smit out her teeth; at which time we measured her body, and found it to be eight foote thick. [1341] Then we had a west wind with a close [1342] weather; but when the sunne was south it began to cleere vp; then three of our men went to the island that lay before vs, and being there they saw the Crosse Island [1343] lying west-ward from them, and went thither to see if that sommer there had been any Russian there, and went thither vpon the fast ice that lay between the two islands; and being in the island, they could not percieue that any man had beene in it since we were there. There they got 70 [burrow-ducks’ [1344]] egges, but when they had them they knew not wherein to carry them; at last one of them put off his breeches, and tying them fast below, they carried them betweene two of them, and the third bare the musket; and so [they] came to vs againe, after they had been twelue hours out, which put vs in no small feare to think what was become of them. They told vs that they had many times gone vp to the knees in water vpon the ice betweene both the islands, and it was at least 6 [24] miles to and fro that they had gone, which made vs wonder how they could indure it, seeing we were all so weake. With the egges that they had brought we were al wel comforted, and fared like lords, so that we found some reliefe in our great misery, [1345] and then we shared our last wine amongst us, whereof euery one had three glasses. [1346]

The 12 of July in the morning, when the sunne was east, the wind began to blow east and east north-east, with misty weather; and at euening six of our men went into the land [1347] to seeke certaine stones, [1348] and found some, but none of the best sort; and comming backe againe, either of them brought some wood.

The 13 of July it was a faire day; then seuen of our men went to the firme land to seeke for more stones, and found some; at which time the wind was south-east.

The 14 of July it was faire weather with a good south wind, and then the ice began to driue from the land, whereby we were in good hope to haue an open water; but the wind turning westerly againe, it lay still [firm]. When the sunne was south-west, three of our men went to the next island that lay before vs, and there shot a bercheynet, [1349] which they brought to the scute and gaue it amongst vs, for all our goods were [in] common.

The 15 of July it was misty weather; that morning the wind was south-east, but the sunne being west it began to raine, and the wind turned west and west south-west.

The 16 of July there came a beare from the firme land that came very neere vnto vs, by reason that it was as white as snow, whereby at first we could not discerne it to be a beare, because it shewed so like the snow; but by her stirring at last wee perceiued her, and as she came neere vnto vs we shot at her and hit her, but she ran away. That morning the wind was west, and after that againe east north-east, with close [1350] weather.

The 17 of July, about the south south-east sunne, 5 of our men went againe to the nearest island to see if there appeared any open water, for our long staying there was no small griefe vnto vs, perceiuing not how we should get from thence; who being halfe way thither, they found a beare lying behind a peece of ice, which the day before had beene shot by vs, but she hearing vs went away; but one of our men following her with a boate-hooke, thrust her into the skinne, [1351] wherewith the beare rose vp vpon her hinder feet, and as the man thrust at her againe, she stroke the iron of the boat-hooke in peeces, wherewith the man fell downe vpon his buttocks. Which our other two men seeing, two of them shot the beare into the body, and with that she ran away, but the other man went after her with his broken staffe, and stroke the beare vpon the backe, wherewith the beare turned about against the man three times one after the other; and then the other two came to her, and shot her into the body againe, wherewith she sat downe vpon her buttocks, and could scant [1352] runne any further; and then they shot once againe, wherewith she fell downe, and they smot [1353] her teeth out of her head. All that day the wind was north-east and east north-east.

The 18 of July, about the east sunne, three of our men went vp vpon the highest part of the land, to see if there was any open water in the sea; at which time they saw much open water, but it was so farre from the land that they were almost out of comfort, because it lay so farre from the land and the fast ice; being of opinion that we should not be able to drawe the scutes and the goods so farre thither, because our strengthes stil began to decrease, [1354] and the sore labour and paine that we were forced to indure more and more increased. And comming to our scutes, they brought vs that newes; but we, being compelled thereunto by necessity, abandoned all wearines and faint heartednes, and determined with our selues to bring the boates and the goods to the water side, and to row vnto that ice where we must passe ouer to get to the open water. And when we got to it, we vnladed our scutes, and drewe them first [the one and then the other] ouer the ice to the open water, and after that the goods, it being at the least 1000 paces; which was so sore a labour for vs, that as we were in hand therewith we were in a manner ready to leaue off in the middle thereof, and feared that wee should not goe through withall; but for that we had gone through so many dangers, we hoped yt we should not be faint therin, wishing yt it might be ye last trouble yt we should as then indure, and so wt great difficulty got into the open water about the south-west sunne. Then we set saile till the sunne was west and by south, and presently fell amongst the ice againe, where we were forced to drawe vp the scutes againe vpon the ice; and being vpon it, we could see the Crosse Island, which we gest to be about a mile [4 miles] from vs, the wind then being east and east north-east.

The 19 of July, lying in that manner vpon the ice, about the east sunne seuen of our men went to the Crosse Island, and being there they saw great store of open water in ye west, wherewith they much reioyced, and made as great haste as they could to get to the scutes againe; but before they came away they got a hundred egges, and brought them away with them. And comming to the scutes, they shewed vs that they had seen as much open water in the sea as they could decerne; being in good hope that that would be the last time that they should draw the scutes ouer the ice, and that it should be no more measured by vs, [1355] and in that sort put vs in good comfort. Whereupon we made speede to dresse our egges, and shared them amongst vs; and presently, the sun being south south-west, we fell to worke to make all things ready to bring the scutes to the water, which were to be drawen at least 270 [1356] paces ouer the ice, which we did with a good [1357] courage because we were in good hope that it would be the last time. And getting to the water, we put to sea, with Gods [merciful] helpe [in his mercy], with an east and east north-east wind and a good gale, [1358] so that with the west sun we past by the Crosse Island, which is distant from Cape de Nassawes 10 [40] miles. And presently after that the ice left vs, and we got cleere out of it; yet we saw some in the sea, but it troubled vs not; and so we held our course west and by south, with a good gale of wind [1359] out of the east and east north-east, so that we gest that betweene euery mealetide [1360] we sailed eighteene [72] miles, wherewith we were exceedingly comforted [and full of joy], giuing God thanks that he had deliuered [and saved] vs out of so great and many difficulties (wherein it seemed that we should haue bin ouerwhelmed), hoping in his mercie that from thence foorth he would [still mercifully] ayde vs. [1361]

The 20 of July, hauing still a good gale, [1362] about the south-east sunne we past along by the Black Point, [1363] which is twelue [48] miles distant from the Crosse Island, and sailed west south-west; and about the euening with the west sunne we saw the Admirable Island, [1364] and about the north sunne past along by it, which is distant from the Black Point eight [32] miles. And passing along by it, we saw about two hundred sea horses lying upon a flake of ice, and we sayled close by them and draue them from thence, which had almost cost vs deere; [1365] for they, being mighty strong fishes [1366] and of great force, swam towards vs (as if they would be reuenged on us for the dispight that we had don them) round about our scuts [1367] with a great noyse, as if they would haue deuoured vs; but we escaped from them by reason that we had a good gale of wind, yet it was not wisely done of vs to wake sleeping wolues.

The 21 of July we past by Cape Pluncio [1368] about the east north-east sunne, which lyeth west south-west eight [32] miles from ye Admirable Island; [1369] and with the good gale yt we had, about ye south-west sun we sailed by Langenes, 9 [36] miles from Cape Pluncio; there the land reacheth most south-west, and we had a good [1370] north-east winde.

The 22 of July, we hauing so good a gale of wind, [1371] when we came to Cape de Cant, [1372] there we went on land to seeke for some birds and egs, but we found none; so we sayled forwards. But after yt, about ye south sun, we saw a clift [1373] yt was ful of birds; thither we sailed, and casting stones at them, we killed 22 birds and got fifteene egges, which one of our men fetcht from the clift, and if we would haue stayed there any longer we might haue taken a hundred or two hundred birds at least; but because the maister was somewhat further into sea-ward then we and stayed for vs, and for that we would not loose that faire fore-wind, [1374] we [speedily] sailed forwards [close] a long by the land; and about the south-west sunne we came to another point, where we got [about] a hundred [and] twenty fiue birds, which we tooke with our hands out of their neasts, and some we killed with stones and made them fal downe into the water; for it is a thing certaine yt those birds neuer vsed to see men, and that no man had euer sought or vsed to take them, for else they would haue flowne away, [1375] and that they feared no body but the foxes and other wilde beastes, that could not clime up the high clifts, [1376] and that therefore they had made their nests thereon, where they were out of feare of any beastes comming vnto them; for we were in no small daunger of breaking of our legges and armes, especially as we came downe againe, because the clift was so high and so stepe. Those birds had euery one but one egge in their neasts, and that lay vpon the bare clift without any straw or other [soft] thing vnder them, which is to be wondred at to thinke how they could breed [1377] their young ones in so great cold; but it is to be thought and beleeued that they therfore sit but vpon one egge, that so the heat which they giue in breeding so many, [having so much more power,] may be wholy giuen vnto one egge, and by that meanes it hath all the heat of the birde vnto it selfe, [and is not divided among many eggs at the same time]. And there also we found many egges, but most of them were foule and bad. And when we left them, [1378] the wind fell flat against vs and blew [a strong breeze from the] north-west, and there also we had much ice, and we tooke great paines to get from the ice, but we could not get aboue it. [1379] And at last by lauering [1380] we fell into the ice; and being there we saw much open water [1381] towards the land, whereunto we made as well as we could. But our maister, (that was [with his boat] more to sea ward,) perceiuing vs to be in the ice, thought we had gotten some hurt, and lauered to and againe along by the ice; but at last seeing that we sailed therein, [1382] he was of opinion that we saw some open water, [1383] and that we made towards it (as it was true), and therefore he wound also towards vs and came to land by us, where we found a good hauen and lay safe almost from all winds, and he came thither about two houres after vs. There we went on land, and got some eggs and [picked up] some wood to make a fire, wherewith we made ready [1384] the birds that we had taken; at which time we had a north-west wind with close [1385] weather.

The 23 of July it was darke and mistie weather, with a north wind, whereby we were forced to lye still in that creeke or hauen: meanetime some of our men went on land, [1386] to seeke for some egges and [perchance also for] stones, [1387] but found not many, but a reasonable number of good stones.

The 24 of July it was faire weather, but the wind still northerly, whereby we were forced to lye still; and about noone we tooke the higth of ye sun with our astrolabium, and found it to be eleuated aboue the horizon 37 degrees and 20 min., his declination 20 degrees and 10 minutes, which substracted from ye higth aforesaid rested 17 degrees and 10 minutes, which taken from 90 degrees, the higth of the Pole was 73 degrees and 10 minutes. [1388] And for yt we lay stil there, some of our men went often times on land to seeke stones, and found some that were as good as euer any that we found.

The 25 of July it was darke misty weather, the wind north, but we were forced to ly still because it blew so hard.

The 26 of July it began to be faire weather, which we had not had for certaine [1389] daies together, the wind still north; and about the south sunne we put to sea, but it was so great a creeke that we were forced to put foure [16] miles into the sea, [1390] before wee could get about [1391] the point thereof; and it was most in [1392] the wind, so that it was midnight before wee got aboue it, sometimes sayling and sometimes rowing; and hauing past it, we stroke [1393] our sailes and rowed along by the land.

The 27 of July it was faire cleare weather, so that we rowed all that day through the broken ice along by the land, the wind being north-west; and at evening, about the west sunne, we came to a place where there ran a great streame, [1394] whereby we thought that we were about Constinsarke; [1395] for we saw a great creeke, and we were of opinion yt it went through to the Tartarian Sea. [1396] Our course was most south-west: about the north sunne we past along by the Crosse Point, [1397] and sailed between the firme land and an island, and then went south south-east with a north-west wind, and made good speed, the maister with ye scute being a good way before us; but when he had gotten about ye point of the island he staied for vs, and there we lay [some time] by ye clifts, [1398] hoping to take some birds, but got none; at which time we had sailed from Cape de Cant along by Constinsarke to the Crosse Point 20 [80] miles, our course south south-east, the wind north-west.

The 28 of July it was faire weather, with a north-east wind; then we sailed along by the land, and with the south-west sunne got before S. Laurence Bay, or Sconce Point, [1399] and sayled south south-east 6 [24] miles; and being there, we found two Russians lodgies [1400] or ships beyond the Point, wherewith we were [on the one hand] not a little comforted to thinke that we were come to the place where we found men, but were [on the other hand] in some doubt of them because they were so many, for at that time wee sawe at least 30 men, and knew not what [sort of persons] they were [whether savages or other foreigners [1401]]. There with much paine and labour we got to the land, which they perceiuing, left off their worke and came towards vs, but without any armes; and wee also went on shore, as many as were well, [1402] for diuers of vs were very ill at ease and weake by reason of a great scouring in their bodies. [1403] And when wee met together wee saluted each other in friendly wise, they after theirs, and we after our manner. And when we were met, both they and we lookt each other stedfastly [and pitifully] in the face, for that some of them knew vs, and we them to bee the same men which the yeare before, when we past through the Weigats, had been in our ship; [1404] at which time we perceiued yt they were abasht and wondered at vs, [1405] to remember that at that time we were so well furnished with a [splendid] great ship, that was exceedingly prouided of all things necessary, and then to see vs so leane and bare, [1406] and with so small [open] scutes into that country. And amongst them there were two that in friendly manner clapt ye master and me upon the shoulder, as knowing vs since ye [former] voiage: for there was none of all our men that was as then in that voiage [1407] but we two onley; and [they] asked vs for our crable, [1408] meaning our ship, and we shewed them by signes as well as we could (for we had no interpreter) that we had lost our ship in the ice; wherewith they sayd Crable pro pal, [1409] which we vnderstood to be, Haue you lost your ship? and we made answere, Crable pro pal, which was as much as to say, that we had lost our ship. And many more words we could not vse, because we vnderstood not each other. Then they made shew [1410] to be sorry for our losse and to be grieued that we the yeare before had beene there with so many ships, and then to see vs in so simple manner, [1411] and made vs signes that then they had drunke wine in our ship, and asked vs what drinke we had now; wherewith one of our men went into the scute [1412] and drew some water, and let them taste thereof; but they shakt their heads, and said No dobbre, [1413] that is, it is not good. Then our master went neerer vnto them and shewed them his mouth, to giue them to vnderstand that we were troubled with a loosnesse in our bellies, [1414] and to know if they could giue vs any councel to help it; but they thought we made shew that we had great hunger, wherewith one of them went unto their lodging [1415] and fetcht a round rie loafe weighing about 8 pounds, with some smoked [1416] foules, which we accepted thankfully, and gaue them in exchange halfe a dozen of muschuyt. [1417] Then our master led two of the chiefe of them with him into his scute, and gaue them some of the wine that we had, being almost a gallon, [1418] for it was so neere out. And while we staied there we were very familiar with them, and went to the place where they lay, and sod some of our mischuyt [1419] with water by their fire, that we might eate some warme thing downe into our bodies. And we were much comforted to see the Russians, for that in thirteene moneths time [since] that we departed from John Cornelison [1420] we had not seene any man, but onely monsterous and cruell [1421] wild beares; for that [1422] as then we were in some comfort, to see that we had liued so long to come in company of men againe, and therewith we said vnto each other, now we hope that it will fall out better with vs, seeing we haue found men againe, thanking God with all our hearts, that he had beene so gracious and mercifull vnto vs, to giue vs life vntill that time.

The 29 of July it was reasonable faire weather, and that morning the Russians began to make preparation to be gone and to set saile; at which time they digd certaine barrels with traine oile out of the sieges, [1423] which they had buried there, and put it into their ships; and we not knowing whither they would go, saw them saile towards ye Weigats: at which time also we set saile and followed after them. But they sayling before vs, and we following them along by the land, the weather being close and misty, we lost the sight of them, and knew not whether they put into any creeke or sayled forward; but we held on our course south south-east, with a north-west wind, and then south-east, betweene [the] two islands, vntill we were inclosed with ice againe and saw no open water, whereby we supposed that they were about the Weigats, and that the north-west wind had driuen the ice into that creeke. And being so inclosed wt ice, and saw no open water before vs, but with great labour and paines we went back againe to the two islands aforesaid, and there about the north-east sunne we made our scutes fast at one of the islands, for as then it began to blowe hard[er and harder].

The 30 of July lying at anchor, [1424] the wind still blew [just as stiff from the] north-west, with great store of raine and a sore storme, so that although we had couered our scutes with our sailes, yet we could not lye dry, which was an vnaccustomed thing vnto vs: for we had had no raine in long time before, and yet we were forced to stay there all that day.

The 31 of July, in the morning, about the north-east sunne, we rowed from that island to another island, whereon there stood two crosses, whereby we thought that some men had laine there about trade of merchandise, as the other Russians that we saw before had done, but we found no man there; the wind as then being north-west, whereby the ice draue still towards the Weigats. [1425] There, to our great good, we went on land, for in that island we found great store of leple leaues, [1426] which serued vs exceeding well; and it seemed that God had purposely sent vs thither, for as then we had many sicke men, and most of vs were so troubled with a scouring in our bodies, and were thereby become so weake, that we could hardly row, but by meanes of those leaues we were healed thereof: for that as soone as we had eaten them we were presently eased and healed, whereat we could not choose but wonder, [1427] and therefore we gave God great thanks for that and for many other his mercies shewed vnto vs, by his great and vnexpected ayd lent vs in that our dangerous voyage. And so, as I sayd before, we eate them by whole handfuls together, because in Holland wee had heard much spoken of their great force, and as then found it to be much more than we expected.

The 1 of August the wind blew hard north-west, and the ice, that for a while had driuen towards the entry of the Weigats, stayed and draue no more, but the sea went very hollow, [1428] whereby we were forced to remoue our scutes on the other side of the island; to defend them from the waues of the sea. And lying there, we went on land againe to fetch more leple leaues, [1429] whereby wee had bin so wel holpen, and stil more and more recouered our healths, and in so short time that we could not choose but wonder thereat; so that as then some of vs could eate bisket againe, which not long before they could not do. [1430]

The 2 of August it was dark misty weather, the wind stil blowing stiffe north-west; at which time our victuals began to decrease, for as then we had nothing but a little bread and water, and some of vs a little cheese, which made vs long sore to be gone from thence, specially in regard of our hunger, whereby our weake members began to be much weaker, and yet we were forced to labour sore, which were two great contraries; for it behoued vs rather to haue our bellies full, that so we might be the stronger to endure our labour; but patience was our point of trust. [1431]