The first voyage of M. John Davis, undertaken in June
1585. for the discoverie of the Northwest passage,
Written by M. John Janes Marchant, sometimes servant to the worshipfull Master William Sanderson.
CERTAINE Honourable personages and worthy Gentlemen
of the Court & Countrey, with divers worshipful Marchants of London
and of the
West Countrey, mooved
with desire to advance Gods glory and to seeke the good
of their native Countrey, consulting together of the likelyhood of the Discoverie of the Northwest passage, which
heretofore had bene attempted, but unhappily given over
by accidents unlooked for, which turned the enterprisers
from their principall purpose, resolved after good deliberation, to put downe their adventures to provide for
necessarie shipping, and a fit man to be chiefe Conductour
of this so hard an enterprise. The setting forth of this
Action was committed by the adventurers, especially to
the care of M. William Sanderson Marchant of London,
who was so forward therein, that besides his travaile
which was not small, hee became the greatest adventurer
with his purse, and commended unto the rest of the
companie one M. John Davis, a man very well grounded
in the principles of the Arte of Navigation, for Captaine
and chiefe Pilot of this exployt.
Thus therefore all things being put in a readines, wee
departed from Dartmouth
the seventh of June, towards
the discoverie of the aforesayd Northwest passage, with
two Barkes, the one being of 50. tunnes, named the
Sunneshine of London, and the other being 35. tunnes,
named the Mooneshine of Dartmouth. In the Sunneshine
we had 23. persons, whose names are these following,
M. John Davis Captaine, William Eston Master, Richard
Pope Masters mate, John Jane Marchant, Henry Davie
gunner, William Crosse boatswayne, John Bagge, Walter
Arthur, Luke Adams, Robert Coxworthie, John Ellis,
John Kelley, Edward Helman, William Dicke, Andrew
Maddocke, Thomas Hill, Robert Wats Carpenter, William
Russell, Christopher Gorney boy: James Cole, Francis
Ridley, John Russell, Robert Cornish Musicians.
The Mooneshine had 19. persons, William Bruton
Captaine, John Ellis Master, the rest Mariners.
The 7. of June the Captaine and the Master drewe
out a proportion for the continuance of our victuals.
The 8. day the wind being at Southwest and West
southwest, we put in for Falmouth
, where we remained
untill the 13.
The 13. the wind blew at North, and being faire
weather we departed.
The 14. with contrary wind we were forced to put
into Silley.
The 15. wee departed thence, having the wind North
and by East moderate and faire weather.
The 16. wee were driven backe againe, and were constrained to arrive at newe Grymsby in
Silley: here the
winde remained contrary 12. dayes, and in that space
the Captaine, the Master and I went about all the Ilands,
and the Captaine did plat out and describe the situation
of all the Ilands, rocks and harboroughs to the exact
use of Navigation, with lines and scale thereunto convenient.
The 28. in Gods name we departed the wind being
Easterly but calme.
The first of July wee sawe great store of Porposes;
The Master called for an harping yron, and shot twise
or thrise: sometimes he missed, and at last shot one and
strooke him in the side, and wound him into the ship:
when we had him aboord, the Master sayd it was a
Darlie head.
The 2. we had some of the fish sodden, and it did
eat as sweete as any mutton.
The 3. wee had more in sight, and the Master went
to shoote at them, but they were so great, that they
burst our yrons, and we lost both fish, yrons, pastime
and all: yet neverthelesse the Master shot at them with
a pike, and had welnigh gotten one, but he was so
strong that he burst off the barres of the pike and went
away: then he tooke the boat-hooke, and hit one with
that, but all would not prevaile, so at length we let them
alone.
The 6. we saw a very great Whale, and every day
we saw whales continually.
The 16. 17. and 18. we saw great store of Whales.
The 19. of July we fell into a great whirling and
brustling of a tyde, setting to the Northwards: and
sayling about halfe a league wee came into a very calme
Sea, which bent to the Southsouthwest. Here we heard
a mighty great roaring of the Sea, as if it had bene the
breach of some shoare, the ayre being so foggie and full
of thicke mist, that we could not see the one ship from
the other, being a very small distance asunder: so the
Captaine and the Master being in distrust how the tyde
might set them, caused the Mooneshine to hoyse out
her boate and to sound, but they could not finde ground
in 300. fathoms and better. Then the Captaine, Master,
and I went towards the breach, to see what it should
be, giving charge to our gunners that at every glasse
they should shoote off a musket-shot, to the intent we
might keepe our selves from loosing them. Then comming nere to the breach, we met many Ilands of yce
floting, which had quickly compassed us about: then we
went upon some of them, and did perceive that all the
roaring which we heard, was caused onely by the rowling
of this yce together: Our companie seeing us not to
returne according to our appoyntment, left off shooting
muskets, and began to shoote falkonets, for they feared
some mishap had befallen us, but before night we came
aboord againe with our boat laden with yce, which made
very good fresh water. Then wee bent our course toward
the North, hoping by that meanes to double the land.
The 20. as we sayled along the coast the fogge brake
up, and we discovered the land, which was the most
deformed rockie and mountainous land that ever we saw:
The first sight whereof did shew as if it had bene in
forme of a sugar-loafe, standing to our sight above the
cloudes, for that it did shew over the fogge like a white
liste in the skie, the tops altogether covered with snow,
and the shoare beset with yce a league off into the Sea,
making such yrkesome noyse as that it seemed to be
the true patterne of desolation, and after the same our
Captaine named it, The land of Desolation.
The 21. the winde came Northerly and overblew, so
that we were constrained to bend our course South
againe, for we perceived that we were runne into a very
deepe Bay, where wee were almost compassed with yce,
for we saw very much toward the Northnortheast, West,
and Southwest: and this day and this night wee cleared
our selves of the yce, running Southsouthwest along the
shoare.
Upon Thursday being the 22. of this moneth, about
three of the clocke in the morning, wee hoysed out our
boate, and the Captaine with sixe saylers went towards
the shoare, thinking to find a landing place, for the night
before we did perceive the coast to be voyde of yce to
our judgement, and the same night wee were all perswaded that we had seene a Canoa rowing along the
shoare, but afterwards we fell in some doubt of it, but
we had no great reason so to doe. The Captaine rowing
towards the shoare, willed the Master to beare in with
the land after him, and before he came neere the shoare
by the space of a league, or about two miles, hee found
so much yce, that hee could not get to land by any
meanes. Here our mariners put to their lines to see if
they could get any fish, because there were so many
seales upon the coast, and the birds did beate upon the
water, but all was in vaine: The water about this place
was very blacke and thicke like to a filthy standing poole,
we sounded and had ground in 120. fathoms. While
the Captaine was rowing to the shoare, our men sawe
woods upon the rocks like to the rocks of Newfoundland
,
but I could not discerne them, yet it might be so very
well: for we had wood floting upon the coast every day,
and the Mooneshine tooke up a tree at Sea not farre
from the coast being sixtie foote of length and foureteene
handfuls about, having the roote upon it: After this the
Captaine came aboord, the weather being very calme and
faire we bent our course toward the South, with intent
to double the land.
The 23. we coasted the land which did lie Eastnortheast and Westsouthwest.
The 24. the winde being very faire at East, we coasted
the land which did lie East and West, not being able to
come neere the shoare by reason of the great quantitie
of yce. At this place, because the weather was somewhat colde by reason of the yce, and the better to
encourage our men, their allowance was increased: the
captaine and the master tooke order that every messe,
being five persons, should have halfe a pound of bread
and a kan of beere every morning to breakfast. The
weather was not very colde, but the aire was moderate
like to our April-weather in England
: when the winde
came from the land, or the ice, it was some what colde,
but when it came off the sea it was very hote.
The 25 of this moneth we departed from sight of this
land at sixe of the clocke in the morning, directing our
course to the Northwestward, hoping in Gods mercy to
finde our desired passage, and so continued above foure
dayes.
The 29 of July we discovered land in 64 degrees 15
minutes of latitude, bearing Northeast from us. The
winde being contrary to goe to the Northwestwards, we
bare in with this land to take some view of it, being
utterly void of the pester of yce and very temperate.
Comming neere the coast, we found many faire sounds
and good roads for shipping, and many great inlets into
the land, whereby we judged this land to be a great
number of Islands standing together. Heere having
mored our barke in good order, we went on shoare upon
a small Island to seeke for water and wood. Upon this
Island we did perceive that there had bene people: for
we found a small shoo and pieces of leather sowed with
sinewes, and a piece of furre, and wooll like to Bever
.
Then we went upon another Island on the other side of
our shippes: and the Captaine, the Master, and I, being
got up to the top of an high rocke, the people of the
countrey having espied us, made a lamentable noise, as
we thought, with great outcries and skreechings: we
hearing them, thought it had bene the howling of wolves.
At last I hallowed againe, and they likewise cried. Then
we perceiving where they stood, some on the shoare, and
one rowing in a Canoa about a small Island fast by
them, we made a great noise, partly to allure them to
us, and partly to warne our company of them. Whereupon M. Bruton and the Master of his shippe, with others
of their company, made great haste towards us, and
brought our Musicians with them from our shippe, pur
posing either by force to rescue us, if need should so
require, or with courtesie to allure the people. When
they came unto us, we caused our Musicians to play,
our selves dancing, and making many signes of friendship. At length there came tenne Canoas from the other
Islands, and two of them came so neere the shoare where
we were, that they talked with us, the other being in
their boats a prety way off. Their pronunciation was
very hollow thorow the throat, and their speech such as
we could not understand: onely we allured them by
friendly imbracings and signes of curtesie. At length
one of them pointing up to the Sunne with his hand,
would presently strike his breast so hard that we might
heare the blow. This hee did many times before he would
any way trust us. Then John Ellis the Master of the
Mooneshine was appointed to use his best policie to gaine
their friendship; who strooke his breast, and pointed to
the Sunne after their order: which when he had divers
times done, they beganne to trust him, and one of them
came on shoare, to whom we threw our cappes, stockings
and gloves, and such other things as then we had about
us, playing with out musicke, and making signes of joy,
and dauncing. So the night comming, we bade them
farewell, and went aboord our barks.
The next morning being the 30 of July there came 37
Canoas rowing by our ships, calling to us to come on
shoare: we not making any great haste unto them, one
of them went up to the toppe of the rocke, and leapt and
daunced as they had done the day before, shewing us
a seales skinne, and another thing made like a timbrell,
which he did beat upon with a sticke, making a noise
like a small drumme. Whereupon we manned our boats
and came to them, they all staying in their Canoas: we
came to the water side were they were: and after we
had sworne by the Sunne after their fashion, they did
trust us. So I shooke hands with one of them, and he
kissed my hand, and we were very familiar with them.
We were in so great credit with them upon this single
acquaintance, that we could have any thing they had.
We bought five Canoas of them: we bought their clothes
from their backs, which were all made of seales skinnes
& birds skinnes; their buskins, their hose, their gloves,
all being commonly sowed and well dressed: so that we
were fully perswaded that they have divers artificers
among them. We had a paire of buskins of them full
of fine wooll like bever. Their apparell for heat was
made of birds skinnes with their feathers on them. We
saw among them leather dressed like Glovers leather,
and thicke thongs like white leather of a good length.
We had of their darts and oares, and found in them
that they would by no meanes displease us, but would
give us whatsoever we asked of them, and would be
satisfied with whatsoever we gave them. They tooke
great care one of another: for when we had bought their
boats, then two other would come and cary him away
betweene them that had solde us his. They are very
tractable people, void of craft or double dealing, and
easie to be brought to any civility or good order: but
we judge them to be idolaters and to worship the Sunne.
During the time of our abode among these Islands
we found reasonable quantity of wood, both firre, spruse
and juniper; which whether it came floting any great
distance to these places where we found it, or whether
it grew in some great Islands neere the same place by
us not yet discovered, we know not; but we judge that
it groweth there further into the land then we were,
because the people had great store of darts and oares
which they made none account of, but gave them to us
for small trifles, as points and pieces of paper. We saw
about this coast marvellous great abundance of seales
skulling together like skuls of small fish. We found no
fresh water among these Islands, but onely snow water,
whereof we found great pooles. The cliffes were all of
such oare as M. Frobisher brought from Meta incognita.
We had divers shewes of Study or Muscovy glasse shining
not altogether unlike to Christall. We found an herbe
growing upon the rocks, whose fruit was sweet, full of
red juice, and the ripe ones were like corinths. We
found also birch and willow growing like shrubbes low
to the ground. These people have great store of furres
as we judge. They made shewes unto us the 30 of this
present, which was the second time of our being with
them, after they perceived we would have skinnes and
furres, that they would go into the countrey and come
againe the next day with such things as they had: but
this night the winde comming faire, the captaine and the
master would by no meanes detract the purpose of our
discovery. And so the last of this moneth about foure
of the clocke in the morning in Gods name we set saile,
and were all that day becalmed upon the coast.
The first of August we had a faire winde, and so proceeded towards the Northwest for our discovery.
The sixt of August we discovered land in 66 degrees
40 minuts of latitude, altogether void from the pester of
ice: we ankered in a very faire rode under a brave mount,
the cliffes whereof were as orient as golde. This mount
was named Mount Raleigh. The rode where our ships
lay at anker was called Totnes
rode. The sound which
did compasse the mount was named Exeter
sound. The
foreland towards the North was called Diers cape. The
foreland towards the South was named
Cape Walsingham. So soone as we were come to an anker in Totnes
rode under Mount Raleigh, we espied foure white beares
at the foot of the mount: we supposing them to be
goats or wolves, manned our boats and went towards
them: but when we came neere the shore, we found
them to be white beares of a monstrous bignesse: we
being desirous of fresh victuall and the sport, began to
assault them, and I being on land, one of them came
downe the hill right against me: my piece was charged
with hailshot & a bullet: I discharged my piece and shot
him in the necke; he roared a litle, and tooke the water
straight, making small account of his hurt. Then we
followed him with our boat, and killed him with boarespeares, & two more that night. We found nothing in
their mawes; but we judged by their dung that they
fed upon grasse, because it appeared in all respects like
the dung of an horse, wherein we might very plainly see
the very strawes.
The 7 we went on shore to another beare which lay
all night upon the top of an Island under Mount Raleigh,
and when we came up to him he lay fast asleep. I
levelled at his head, and the stone of my piece gave no
fire: with that he looked up, and layed downe his head
againe: then I shot being charged with two bullets, and
strooke him in the head: he being but amazed fell backwards: whereupon we ran all upon him with boarespeares, and thrust him in the body: yet for all that
he gript away our boare-speares, and went towards the
water; and as he was going downe, he came backe
againe. Then our Master shot his boare-speare, and
strooke him in the head, and made him to take the water,
and swimme into a cove fast by, where we killed him,
and brought him aboord. The breadth of his forefoot
from one side to the other was foureteene inches over.
They were very fat, so as we were constrained to cast
the fat away. We saw a raven upon Mount Raleigh.
We found withies also growing like low shrubs & flowers
like Primroses in the sayd place. The coast is very
mountainous, altogether without wood, grasse, or earth,
and is onely huge mountaines of stone; but the bravest
stone that ever we saw. The aire was very moderate
in this countrey.
The 8 we departed from Mount Raleigh, coasting
along the shoare, which lieth Southsouthwest, and Eastnortheast.
The 9 our men fell in dislike of their allowance, because
it was too small as they thought: whereupon we made
a new proportion; every messe being five to a messe
should have foure pound of bread a day, twelve wine
quarts of beere, six Newland
fishes; and the flesh dayes
a gill of pease more: so we restrained them from their
butter and cheese.
The 11 we came to the most Southerly cape of this
land, which we named The Cape of Gods mercy, as being
the place of our first entrance for the discovery. The
weather being very foggy we coasted this North land;
at length when it brake up, we perceived that we were
shot into a very faire entrance or passage, being in some
places twenty leagues broad, and in some thirty, altogether void of any pester of ice, the weather very
tolerable, and the water of the very colour, nature and
quality of the maine ocean, which gave us the greater
hope of our passage. Having sailed Northwest sixty
leagues in this entrance we discovered certaine Islands
standing in the midst thereof, having open passage on
both sides. Wherupon our ships divided themselves, the
one sailing on the North side, the other on the South
side of the sayd Isles, where we stayed five dayes, having
the winde at Southeast, very foggy and foule weather.
The 14. we went on shoare and found signes of people,
for we found stones layed up together like a wall, and
saw the skull of a man or a woman.
The 15 we heard dogs houle on the shoare, which we
thought had bene volves, and therefore we went on
shoare to kill them. When we came on land the dogges
came presently to our boat very gently, yet we thought
they came to pray upon us, and therefore we shot at
them, and killed two: and about the necke of one of
them we found a leatherne coller, wherupon we thought
them to be tame dogs. There were twenty dogs like
mastives with prickt eares and long bush tailes: we found
a bone in the pizels of their dogs. Then we went farther,
and found two sleads made like ours in England
: the
one was made of firre, spruse and oken boords sawen
like inch boords: the other was made all of whale bone,
& there hung on the tops of the sleads three heads of
beasts which they had killed. We saw here larks, ravens,
and partridges.
The 17 we went on shoare, and in a little thing made
like an oven with stones I found many small trifles, as
a small canoa made of wood, a piece of wood made like
an image, a bird made of bone, beads having small holes
in one end of them to hang about their necks, & other
small things. The coast was very barren without wood
or grasse: the rocks were very faire like marble, full of
vaines of divers colours. We found a seale which was
killed not long before, being fleane, and hid under stones.
Our Captaine and Master searched still for probabilities
of the passage, and first found, that this place was all
Islands, with great sounds passing betweene them.
Secondly, the water remained of one colour with the
maine ocean without altering.
Thirdly, we saw to the West of those Isles three or
foure whales in a skull, which they judged to come from
a
Westerly sea, because to the Eastward we saw not any whale.
Also as we were rowing into a very great sound lying
Southwest, from whence these whales came, upon the
sudden there came a violent counter-checke of a tide
from the Southwest against the flood which we came
with, not knowing from whence it was mainteined.
Fiftly, in sailing twenty leagues within the mouth of
this entrance we had sounding in 90 fadoms, faire grey
osie sand, and the further we ran into the Westwards
the deeper was the water; so that hard aboord the
shoare among these Isles we could not have ground in
330 fadoms.
Lastly, it did ebbe and flow sixe or seven fadome up
and downe, the flood comming from divers parts, so as
we could not perceive the chiefe maintenance thereof.
The 18 and 19 our Captaine and Master determined
what was best to doe, both for the safegard of their
credits, and satisfying of the adventurers, and resolved,
if the weather brake up, to make further search.
The 20 the winde came directly against us: so they
altered their purpose, and reasoned both for proceeding
and returning.
The 21 the winde being Northwest, we departed from
these Islands; and as we coasted the South shoare we
saw many faire sounds, whereby we were perswaded that
it was no firme land but Islands.
The 23 of this moneth the wind came Southeast, with
very stormy and foule weather: so we were constrained
to seeke harborow upon the South coast of this entrance,
where we fell into a very faire sound, & ankered in 25
fadoms greene osie sand. Here we went on shore, where
we had manifest signes of people where they had made
their fire, and layed stones like a wall. In this place
we saw foure very faire faulcons; and M. Bruton tooke
from one of them his prey, which we judged by the
wings and legs to be a snite, for the head was eaten off.
The 24 in the afternoone, the winde comming somewhat faire, we departed from this road, purposing by
Gods grace to returne for England
.
The 26 we departed from sight of the North land of
this entrance, directing our course homewards untill the
tenth of the next moneth.
The 10. of September wee fell with The land of desolation, thinking to goe on shoare, but we could get never
a good harborough. That night wee put to sea againe
thinking to search it the next day: but this night arose
a very great storme, and separated our ships, so that
we lost the sight of the Mooneshine.
The 13. about noone (having tried all the night before
with a goose wing) we set saile, & within two houres
after we had sight of the Mooneshine againe: this day
we departed from this land.
The 27. of this moneth we fell with sight of England
.
This night we had a marveilous storme and lost the
Mooneshine.
The 30. of September wee came into Dartmouth
, where
wee found the Mooneshine being come in not two houres
before.
