The third voyage Northwestward, made by M. John
Davis Gentleman, as chiefe captaine & Pilot generall,
for the discovery of a passage to the Isles of the
Moluccas, or the coast of China
, in the yeere 1587.
Written by M. John Janes.
May.
THE 19. of this present moneth about midnight wee weyed
our ankers, set sayle, and departed from Dartmouth
with
two Barkes and a Clincher, the one named the Elizabeth
of Dartmouth, the other the Sunneshine of London, and
the Clincher called the Helene of London: thus in Gods
name we set forwards with the wind at Northeast a good
fresh gale. About 3. houres after our departure, the
night being somewhat thicke with darknesse, we had lost
the pinnesse: the Captaine imagining that the men had
runne away with her, willed the Master of the Sunshine
to stand to Seawards, and see if we could descry them,
we bearing in with the shore for Plimmouth. At length
we descried her, bare with her, and demanded what the
cause was : they answered that the tiller of their helme
was burst. So shaping our course Westsouthwest, we
went forward, hoping that a hard beginning would make
a good ending, yet some of us were doubtfull of it, falling
in reckoning that she was a Clincher; neverthelesse we
put our trust in God.
The 21. we met with the Red Lion of London, which
came from the coast of Spaine, which was afrayd that
we had bene men of warre, but we hailed them, and after
a little conference, we desired the Master to carie our
letters for London
directed to my uncle Sanderson, who
promised us a safe deliverie. And after wee had heaved
them a lead and a line, whereunto wee had made fast our
letters, before they could get them into the ship, they
fell into the Sea, and so all our labour and theirs also
was lost; notwithstanding they promised to certifie our
departure at London
, and so we departed, and the same
day we had sight of Silley. The 22. the wind was at
Northeast by East with faire weather, and so the 23. and
24. the like. The 25. we layd our ships on the Lee for
the Sunneshine, who was a romaging for a leake, they
had 500. strokes at the pumpe in a watch, the wind at
Northwest.
The 26. and 27. wee had faire weather, but this 27.
the pinnesses foremast was blowen overboord. The 28.
the Elizabeth towed the pinnesse, which was so much
bragged off by the owners report before we came out of
England
, but at Sea she was like a cart drawen with
oxen. Sometimes we towed her because she could not
saile for scant wind.
The 31. day our Captaine asked if the pinnesse were
stanch, Peerson answered that she was as sound and
stanch as a cup. This made us something glad, when
we sawe she would brooke the Sea, and was not leake.
June.
THE first 6. dayes wee had faire weather: after that for
5. dayes wee had fogge and raine, the winde being South.
The 12. wee had cleare weather. The Mariners in the
Sunneshine and the Master could not agree: the Mariners
would goe on their voyage a fishing, because the yeere
began to waste: the Master would not depart till hee
had the companie of the Elizabeth, whereupon the Master
told our Captaine that hee was afrayd his men would
shape some contrary course while he was asleepe, and
so he should lose us. At length after much talke and
many threatnings, they were content to bring us to the
land which we looked for daily.
The 14. day we discovered land at five of the clocke
in the morning, being very great and high mountaines,
the tops of the hils being covered with snow. Here the
wind was variable, sometimes Northeast, Eastnortheast,
and East by North: but we imagined ourselves to be
16. or 17. leagues off from the shore.
The 16. we came to an anker about 4. or 5. of the
clocke after nonne, the people came presently to us after
the old maner, with crying Ilyaoute, and shewing us
Seales skinnes. The 17. we began to set up the pinnesse
that Peerson framed at Dartmouth
, with the boords which
hee brought from London
.
The 18. Peerson and the Carpenters of the ships began
to set on the plankes. The 19. as we went about an
Island, were found blacke Pumise stones, and salt kerned
on the rockes, very white and glistering. This day also
the Master of the Sunneshine tooke of the people a very
strong lusty yoong fellow.
The 20. about two of the clocke in the morning, the
Savages came to the Island where our pinnace was built
readie to bee launched, and tore the two upper strakes,
and carried them away onely for the love of the yron in
the boords. While they were about this practise, we
manned the Elizabeths boate to goe a shore to them:
our men being either afrayd or amazed, were so long
before they came to shore, that our Captaine willed them
to stay, and made the Gunner give fire to a Saker, and
layd the piece levell with the boate which the Savages
had turned on the one side because wee should not hurt
them with our arrowes, and made the boate their bulwarke against the arrowes which we shot at them. Our
Gunner having made all things readie, gave fire to the
piece, and fearing to hurt any of the people, and regarding the owners profite, thought belike hee would save
a Sakers shot, doubting wee should have occasion to
fight with men of warre, and so shot off the Saker without
a bullet: we looking stil when the Savages that were
hurt should run away without legs, at length wee could
perceive never a man hurt, but all having their legges
could carrie away their bodies: wee had no sooner shot
off the piece, but the Master of the Sunneshine manned
his boate, and came rowing toward the Island, the very
sight of whom made each of them take that hee had
gotten, and flee away as fast as they could to another
Island about two miles off, where they tooke the nayles
out of the timber, and left the wood on the Isle. when
we came on shore, and saw how they had spoiled the
boat, after much debating of the matter, we agreed that
the Elizabeth should have her to fish withall: whereupon
she was presently caryed aboord, and stowed.
Now after this trouble, being resolved to depart with
the first wind, there fell out another matter worse then
all the rest, and that was in this maner. John Churchyard one whom our Captaine had appoynted as Pilot in
the pinnace, came to our Captaine, and master Bruton
,
and told them that the good ship which we must all
hazard our lives in, had three hundred strokes at one
time as she rode in the harbour: This disquieted us all
greatly, and many doubted to goe in her. At length
our Captaine by whom we were all to be governed, determined rather to end his life with credite, then to returne
with infamie and disgrace, and so being all agreed, wee
purposed to live and die together, and committed our
selves to the ship. Now the 21. having brought all our
things aboord, about 11. or 12. of the clocke at night,
we set saile and departed from those Isles, which lie in
64. degrees of latitude, our ships being all now at Sea,
and wee shaping our course to goe, coasting the land
to the Northwards upon the Easterne shore, which we
called the shore of our Marchants, because there we met
with people which traffiqued with us, but here wee were
not without doubt of our ship.
The 24. being in 67. degrees, and 40. minutes, wee
had great store of Whales, and a kinde of sea birds which
the Mariners call Cortinous. This day about sixe of the
clocke at night, we espied two of the countrey people
at Sea, thinking at the first they had bene two great
Seales, untill wee sawe their oares glistering with the
Sunne: they came rowing towardes us, as fast as they
could, and when they came within hearing, they held up
their oares, and cryed Ilyaoute, making many signes:
and at last they came to us, giving us birdes for bracelets, and of them I had a darte with a bone in it, or a
piece of Unicorns horne, as I did judge. This dart he
made store of, but when he saw a knife, he let it go,
being more desirous of the knife then of his dart: these
people continued rowing after our ship the space of 3.
howres.
The 25. in the morning at 7. of the clocke we descried
30. Savages rowing after us, being by judgement 10.
leagues off from the shore: they brought us Salmon
Peales, Birdes, and Caplin, and we gave them pinnes,
needles, bracelets, nailes, knives, bels, looking glasses,
and other small trifles, and for a knife, a naile or a
bracelet, which they call Ponigmah, they would sell their
boate, coates, or any thing they had, although they were
farre from the shore. Wee had but few skinnes of them,
about 20. but they made signes to us that if wee would
goe to the shore, wee should have more store of Chichsanege: they stayed with us till 11. of the clocke, at
which time wee went to prayer, and they departed from
us.
The 28. and 29. were foggie with cloudes, the 30. day
wee tooke the heigth, and found our selves in 72. degrees
and 12 minutes of latitude both at noone and at night,
the Sunne being 5. degrees above the Horizon. At midnight the compasse set to the variation of 28. degrees
to the Westward. Now having coasted the land, which
wee called London
coast, from the 21. of this present,
till the 30. the Sea open all to the Westwards and Northwards, the land on starboord side East from us, the
winde shifted to the North, whereupon we left that shore,
naming the same Hope Sanderson, and shaped our course
West, and ranne 40. leagues and better without the sight
of any land.
July.
THE second of July wee fell with a mightie banke of yce
West from us, lying North and South, which banke wee
would gladly have doubled out to the Northwards, but
the winde would not suffer us, so that we were faine to
coast it to the Southwards, hoping to double it out, that
wee might have run so farre West till wee had found
land, or els to have beene thorowly resolved of our pretended purpose.
The 3. wee fell with the yce againe, and putting off
from it, we sought to the Northwards, but the wind
crossed us.
The 4. was foggie: so was the 5. also with much wind
at the North.
The 6. being very cleare, we put our barke with oares
through a gap in the yce, seeing the Sea free on the
West side, as we thought, which falling out otherwise,
caused us to returne after we had stayed there betweene
the yce. The 7. and the 8. about midnight, by Gods
helpe we recovered the open Sea, the weather being faire
and calme, and so was the 9. The 10. we coasted the
yce. The 11. was foggie, but calme.
The 12. we coasted againe the yce, having the wind at
Northnorthwest. The 13. bearing off from the yce, we
determined to goe with the shoare and come to an anker,
and to stay 5. or 6. dayes for the dissolving of the yce,
hoping that the Sea continually beating it, and the Sunne
with the extreme force of heat which it had alwayes shining
upon it, would make a quicke dispatch, that we might
have a further search upon the Westerne shore. Now
when we were come to the Easterne coast, the water
something deepe, and some of our companie fearefull
withall, we durst not come to an anker, but bare off
into the Sea againe. The poore people seeing us goe
away againe, came rowing after us into the Sea, the waves
being somewhat loftie. We truckt with them for a few
skinnes and dartes, and gave them beads, nailes, pinnes,
needles and cardes, they poynting to the shore, as though
they would shew us some great friendship: but we little
regarding their curtesie, gave them the gentle farewell,
and so departed.
The 14. wee had the wind at South. The 15. there
was some fault either in the barke, or the set of some
current, for wee were driven sixe points beyond our
course West. The 16. wee fell with the banke of yce
West from us. The 17. and 18. were foggie. The 19.
at one a clocke after noone, wee had sight of the land
which we called Mount Raleigh, and at 12. of the clocke
at night, we were thwart the streights which we discovered the first yeere. The 20. wee traversed in the
mouth of the streight, the wind being at West, with faire
and cleare weather. The 21. and 22. wee coasted the
Northerne coast of the streights. The 23. having sayled
threescore leagues Northwest into the streights, at two
a clocke after noone wee ankered among many Isles in
the bottome of the gulfe, naming the same The Earle
of Cumberlands Isles, where riding at anker, a Whale
passed by our ship and went West in among the Isles.
Heere the compasse set at thirtie degrees Westward
variation. The 23. wee departed, shaping our course
Southeast to recover the Sea. The 25. wee were becalmed
in the bottome of the gulfe, the ayre being extreme hot.
Master Bruton and some of the Mariners went on shoare
to course dogs, where they found many Graves and Trane
spilt on the ground, the dogs being so fat that they were
scant able to run.
The 26. wee had a prety storme, the winde being at
Southeast. The 27. and 28. were faire. The 29. we
were cleare out of the streights, having coasted the South
shore, and this day at noone we were in 62. degrees of
latitude. The 30. in the afternoone wee coasted a banke
of yce, which lay on the shore, and passed by a great
banke or Inlet, which lay between 63. and 62. degrees
of latitude, which we called Lumlies Inlet. We had oftentimes, as we sailed alongst the coast, great ruttes, the
water as it were whirling and overfalling, as if it were
the fall of some great water through a bridge.
The 31. as we sayled by a Headland, which we named
Warwicks Foreland, we fell into one of those overfals
with a fresh gale of wind, and bearing all our sailes, wee
looking upon an Island of yce betweene us and the shoare,
had thought that our barke did make no way, which
caused us to take markes on the shoare: at length wee
perceived our selves to goe very fast, and the Island of
yce which we saw before, was carried very forcibly with
the set of the current faster then our ship went. This
day and night we passed by a very great gulfe, the water
whirling and roaring as it were the meetings of tydes.
August.
THE first of August having coasted a banke of ice which
was driven out at the mouth of this gulfe, we fell with
the Southermost cape of the gulfe, which we named
Chidleis cape, which lay in 61 degrees and 10 minutes of
latitude. The 2 and 3 were calme and foggie, so were
the 4, 5, and 6. The 7 was faire and calme: so was
the 8, with a litle gale in the morning. The 9 was faire,
and we had a litle gale at night. The 10 we had a frisking gale at
Westnorthwest. The 11 faire. The 12 we
saw five deere on the top of an Island, called by us
Darcies Island. And we hoised out our boat, and went
ashore to them, thinking to have killed some of them.
But when we came on shore, and had coursed them twise
about the Island, they tooke the sea and swamme towards
Islands distant from that three leagues. When we perceived that they had taken the sea we gave them over
because our boat was so small that it could not carrie us,
and rowe after them, they swamme so fast: but one of
them was as bigge as a good prety Cow, and very fat,
their feet as bigge as Oxe feet. Here upon this Island
I killed with my piece a gray hare.
The 13 in the morning we saw three or foure white
beares, but durst not go on shore to them for lacke of
a good boat. This day we stroke a rocke seeking for
an harborow, and received a leake: and this day we were
in 54 degrees of latitude.
The 14 we stopt our leake in a storme not very outragious, at noone.
The 15 being almost in 52 degrees of latitude, and not
finding our ships, nor (according to their promise) any
kinde of marke, token, or beacon, which we willed them
to set up, and they protested to do so upon every head
land, Island or cape, within twenty leagues every way
off from their fishing place, which our captaine appointed
to be betweene 54 and 55 degrees: This 15 I say we
shaped our course homewards for England
, having in
our ship but litle wood, and halfe a hogshead of fresh
water. Our men were very willing to depart, and no
man more forward then Peerson, for he feared to be put
out of his office of stewardship: but because every man
was so willing to depart, we consented to returne for
our owne countrey: and so we had the 16 faire weather,
with the winde at Southwest.
The 17 we met a ship at sea, and as farre as we could
judge it was a Biskaine: we thought she went a fishing
for whales; for in 52 degrees or thereabout we saw very
many.
The 18 was faire, with a good gale at West.
The 19 faire also, with much winde at West and by
South.
And thus after much variable weather and change of
winds we arrived the 15 of September in Dartmouth
anno
1587, giving thanks to God for our safe arrivall.
