August.
SATURDAY I went ashore, and there I saw three morses
that they had killed: they held one tooth of a Morse,
which was not great, at a roble, and one white beare skin
at three robles & two robles: they further tolde me, that
there were people called Samoeds on the great Island, and
that they would not abide them nor us, who have no
houses, but onely coverings made of Deersskins, set over
them with stakes: they are men expert in shooting, and
have great plenty of Deere.
This night there fell a cruell storme, the wind being at
Vest.
Sunday we had very much winde, with plenty of snow,
and we rode with two ankers a head.
Munday we weyed and went roome with another
Island, which was five leagues Eastnortheast from us: and
there I met againe with Loshak, and went on shore with
him, and hee brought me to a heap of the Samoeds idols,
which were in number above 300, the worst and the most
unartificiall worke that ever I saw: the eyes and mouthes
of sundrie of them were bloodie, they had the shape of
men, women and children, very grosly wrought, & that
which they had made for other parts, was also sprinckled
with blood. Some of their idols were an olde sticke with
two or three notches, made with a knife in it. I saw
much of the footing of the sayd Samoeds, and of the
sleds that they ride in. There was one of their sleds
broken, and lay by the heape of idols, & there I saw a
deers skinne which the foules had spoyled: and before
certaine of their idols blocks were made as high as their
mouthes, being all bloody, I thought that to be the table
wheron they offered their sacrifice: I saw also the instruments, whereupon they had roasted flesh, and as farre as I
could perceive, they make their fire directly under the spit.
Loshak being there present tolde me that these
Samoeds were not so hurtful as they of Ob are, and that
they have no houses, as indeede I saw none, but onely
tents made of Deers skins, which they underproppe with
stakes and poles: their boates are made of Deers skins,
and when they come on shoare they cary their boates with
them upon their backes: for their cariages they have
no other beastes to serve them, but Deere only. As for
bread and come they have none, except the Russes bring
it to them: their knowledge is very base, for they know
no letter.
Tuesday we turned for the harborough where Loshaks
barke lay, whereas before we road under an Island.
And there he came aboord of us and said unto me: if
God sende winde and weather to serve, I will goe to the
Ob with you, because the Morses were scant at these
Islands of Vaigats, but if he could not get to the river
of Ob, then he sayd hee would goe to the river of
Naramzay, where the people were not altogether so savage
as the Samoyds of the Ob are: hee shewed me that they
will shoot at all men to the uttermost of their power, that
cannot speake their speech.
Wednesday we saw a terrible heape of ice approch
neere unto us, and therefore wee thought good with al
speed possible to depart from thence, and so I returned to
the Westwards againe, to the Island where we were the
31. of July.
Thursday I went a shoare, and tooke the latitude,
which was 70 degrees 25 minutes: and the variation of
the compasse was 8 degrees from the North to the West.
Loshak and the two small Lodias of Pechora departed
from this Island, while I was on shoare taking the
latitude, and went to the Southwards: I marvailed why
he departed so suddenly, and went over the shoales
amongst the Islands where it was impossible for us to
follow them. But after I perceived them to be weatherwise.
Friday we road still, the winde being at
Northnortheast, with a cruell storme. The ice came in so abundantly
about us at both ends of the Island that we road under,
that it was a fearefull sight to behold: the storme continued with snow, raine, and hayle plenty.
Saturday we road still also, the storme being somewhat
abated, but it was altogether misty, that we were not
able to see a cables length about us, the winde being at
Northeast and by East.
Sunday at foure of the clocke in the morning we
departed from this Island, the winde being at Southeast,
and as we were cleere a sea boord the small Islandes and
shoales, it came so thick with mistes, that we could not
see a base shotte from us. Then we tooke in all our
sailes to make little way.
At a Southeast sunne it waxed cleere, and then we set
our sayles, and lay close by the wind to the Southwards
alongst the
Islands of Vaigats. At a west sunne we tooke
in our sayle againe because of the great mist and raine.
Wee sounded at this place, and had five and twenty
fadomes water, and soft blacke oze, being three leagues
from the shoare, the winde being at South and by East,
but still misty.
Munday at an East sunne we sounded, and had 40
fadomes, and oze, still misty: at noone wee sounded
againe, and had 36 fadome, still misty.
Tuesday at an Eastnortheast sunne we let fall our anker
in three and twenty fadome, the mist still continuing.
Wednesday at three of the clocke in the morning the
mist brake up, the wind being at Northeast & by East,
and then we saw part of the
Islands of Vaigats, which we
bare withall, and went Eastsoutheast close by the winde:
at a West sunne we were at an anker under the Southwest part of the said Vaigats, and then I sent our skiffe to
shoare with three men in her, to see if they might speake
with any of the Samoeds, but could not: all that day was
rainie, but not windie.
Thursday the wind came Westerly, so that we were
faine to seeke us another place to ride in, because the
wind came a seaboord land, and although it were misty,
yet wee followed the shoare by our lead: and as we
brought land in the winde of us, we let fall our anker.
At a West sunne the mist brake up, so that we might see
about us, and then we might perceive that we were entred
into a sound.
This afternoone we tooke in two or three skiffes lading
of stones to balast our shippe withall. It hyeth here
foure foot water, and floweth by fits, uncertaine to be judged.
Friday we road still in the sound, the wind at Southwest, with very much raine, and at the end of the raine it
waxed againe mistie.
Saturday there was much winde at West, and much
raine, and then againe mistie.
Sunday was very mistie, and much winde.
Munday very mistie, the winde at
Westnorthwest.
Tuesday was also mistie, except at noone: then the
sunne brake out through the mist, so that we had the
latitude in 70 degrees 10 minutes: the afternoone was
misty againe, the wind being at
Westnorthwest.
Wednesday at three of the clocke afternoone the mist
brake up, & the wind came at
Eastnortheast, and then we
weyed, and went South & by East, until seven of the
clocke, eight leagues, thinking to have had sight of the
sandie hilles that are to the Eastwards of the river
Pechora. At a Northwest sunne we took in our maine
saile, because the wind increased, & went with a foresaile
Westnorthwest, the wind being at
Eastnortheast: at night
there grewe so terrible a storme, that we saw not the like,
although we had indured many stormes since we came
out of England. It was wonderfull that our barke was
able to brooke such monstrous & terrible seas, without
the great helpe of God, who never fayleth them at neede,
that put their sure trust in him.
Thursday at a Southsouthwest sunne, thanks be to
God, the storme was at the highest, & then the winde
began to slake, and came Northerly withall, & then I
reckoned the Westermost point of the
river Pechora to
be South of us 15 leagues. At a Westsouthwest sunne
we set our maine sayle, and lay close by the winde, the
winde being at Northwest and by North, making but little
way, because the billow went so high: at midnight wee
cast about, and the shippe caped Northnortheast, making
little way.
Friday at noone we had the latitude in 70 degrees
8 minutes, and we sounded, and had 29 fadomes sand,
and in maner stremy ground. At a West sunne we cast
about to the Westwards, and a little after the wind came
up at West.
Saturday was calme: the latitude this day at noone was
70 degrees and a terce, we sounded heere, and had nine
and forty fadomes and oze, which oze signified that we
drew towards Nova Zembla.
And thus we being out of al hope to discover any more
to the Eastward this yeere, wee thought it best to returne,
and that for three causes.
The first, the continuall Northeast and Northerly winds,
which have more power after a man is past to the Eastwards of Caninoze, then in any place that I doe know in
these Northerly regions.
Second, because of great and terrible abundance of ice
which we saw with our eies, and we doubt greater store
abideth in those parts: I adventured already somewhat
too farre in it, but I thanke God for my safe deliverance
from it.
Third, because the nights waxed darke, and the winter
began to draw on with his stormes: and therefore I
resolved to take the first best wind that God should send,
and plie towards the bay of S. Nicholas, and to see if we
might do any good there, if God would permitt it.
This present Saturday we saw very much ice, and were
within two or three leagues of it: it shewed unto us as
though it had beene a firme land as farre as we might see
from Northwest off us to the Eastwards: and this afternoone the Lord sent us a little gale of wind at South, so
that we bare cleere off the Westermost part of it, thanks
be to God. And then against night it waxed calme
againe, and the winde was at Southwest: we made our
way untill Sunday noone Northwest and by West, and
then we had the latitude in 70 degrees and a halfe, the
winde at Southwest: there was a billow, so that we could
not discerne to take the latitude exactly, but by a
reasonable gesse.
Munday there was a pretie gale of wind at South, so
that wee went West and by South, the latitude this day at
noone was 70 degrees 10 minutes: wee had little winde
all day: at a Westnorthwest sunne we sounded, and had
29 fadoms blacke sandie oze, & then we were Northeast 5 leagues from the Northeast part of the
Island
Colgoieve.
Tuesday the wind all Westerly we plyed to the wind
wards.
Wednesday the wind was all Westerly, and calme: wee
had the latitude this day in 70 degrees 10 minutes, we
being within three leagues of the North part of the
Island
Colgoieve.
Thursday, we went roome about the Westermost part
of the Island, seeking where we might finde a place to
ride in for a Northwest wind, but could find none, and
then we cast about againe to the seawards, and the winde
came at
Westsouthwest, and this morning we had plenty
of snow.
Friday, the winde being at Southwest and by West, we
plied to the windewards.
Saturday, the winde being at South, we plyed to the
Westwards, and at afternoone the mist brake up, and then
we might see the land seven or eight leagues to the
Eastwards of Caninoz: we sounded a litle before and had
35. fadoms and oze. And a while after wee sounded
againe, and had 19. fadome and sand: then we were
within three leagues and a halfe of the shore, and towards
night there came downe so much winde, that we were
faine to bring our ship a trie, and laide her head to the
Westwards.
Sunday, the winde became more calme, and then it
waxed verie mystie: At noone wee cast about to the
Eastwards, the winde beeing at South, and ranne eight
houres on that boorde, and then we cast about and caped
West southwest: we sounded and had 32. fathomes, and
tough oaze like clay.
Munday, we doubled about Caninoze, and came at an
anker there, to the intent that we might kill some fish if
God would permit it, and there we gate a great Nuse,
which Nuses were there so plentie, that they would
scarcely suffer any other fish to come neere the hookes:
the said Nuses caried away sundrie of our hookes and
leads.
A litle after at a West Sunne, the winde began to blow
stormie at West southwest, so that we were faine to wey
and forsake our fishing ground, and went close by the
winde Southwest, and Southwest and by West, making
our way South southwest.
