June, cont.
25 Friday in the morning we departed from
Saint Johns
Island : to the Westwards thereof, a mile from the shoare,
we sounded, and had 36. fadoms, and oazie sand.
Juana Creos is from
Cape gallant Westnorthwest, and
halfe a point to the Northwards, and betweene them is 7.
leagues. The point of the Island, which is Cape comfort,
lyeth from Juana Creos, Northwest and by North, and
almost the 3. part of a point to the Westwards, and
betweene them are 3. leagues.
The Eastermost of S. Georges Islands, or the 7.
Islands, lyeth from Juana Creos Northwest, & halfe a
point to the Northwards, and betweene them are 14.
leagues & a halfe. The uttermost of the 7. Islands, &
Cape comfort lieth Northwest, & by North, Southeast,
and by South.
Under the
Southermost Island you shall finde good
roade for all Northerly windes from the Northwest to the
Northeast. From the Southeast part of the 7. Islands,
unto the Northwest part of them, are 3. leagues and a
halfe.
From the Northwest part of the Islands aforesaid, unto
S. Peters Islands, are 11. leagues Northwest.
26
S. Peters Islands rise an indifferent low point,
not seeming to be an Island, and as if it had a castle
upon it.
S. Pauls Islands lie from
S. Peters Islands Northwest
and to the Westwards, and betweene them are 6. leagues.
Within these Islands there is a faire sandy bay, and there
may be found a good roade for Northerly windes.
Cape Sower beere lyeth from
S. Pauls Islands Northwest and by West, and betweene them are 5. leagues.
Cape comfort, which is the
Island of Kildina, lieth from
Cape Sower beere, 6. leagues West Northwest, and it is
altogether a bay betweene them seeming many Islands in it.
From
Cape Bonaventure, to Chebe Navoloche are 10.
leagues Northwest, and a litle to the Westwards. Chebe
Navoloche is a faire point, wheron standeth a certaine
blacke, like an emptie butte standing a head.
From Chebe Navoloch to Kegor, is 9. leagues and
a halfe Northwest, and halfe a poynt to the Westwards.
Kegor riseth as you come from the Eastwards like 2.
round homocks standing together, and a faire saddle
betweene them.
27 It floweth where we road this Sunday to the Eastwards of Kegor, at a Southeast and by East moone, a full
sea: we roade in 15. fadome water within halfe a mile
of the shoare: at a Northwest Sunne the mist came
downe so thicke, that we were faine to come to an ancre
within lesse then a mile of the point that turneth to Doms
haff, where we had 33. fadome, and the sounding like to
the skurfe of a skalde head.
28 Munday at afternoone, wee came into the Sound of
Wardhouse, although it were very mistie. Then I sent a
man a shoare to know some newes, and to see whether
they could heare any thing of our ships.
29 Tuesday I went on shoare, and dined with the
Captaines deputie, who made mee great cheere: the
Captaine himselfe was not as yet come from Bergen
: they
looked for him every houre, and they said that he would
bring newes with him.
At a Northwest and by North sunne we departed from
Wardhouse, toward Colmogro.
30 Wednesday we came to Kegor, where we met with
the winde at
East Southeast, so that we were faine to go
in to a bay to the Westwards of the point Kegor, where a
man may moare 2. or 3. small ships, that shall not draw
past 11. or 12. foote water, for all windes, an East Northeast winde is the worst. It is a ledge of rocks, that
defendeth the Northerly winds from the place where they
moare. When we came into the bay we saw there a
barke which was of Dronton, & three or foure Norway
yeaghes, belonging to Northberne: so when I came a
shoare, I met first with the Dutchmen, amongst whom
was the Borrow-masters sonne of Dronton, who tolde
me that the Philip and Mary wintered at
Dronton, and
departed from thence for England in March: and withall
he shewed me that the Confidence was lost, and that he
had bought her sailes for his ship. Then the Dutch-men
caried me to their Boothe, and made me good cheere,
where I sawe the Lappians chepen of the said Dutchmen,,
both silver platters and dishes, spoones, gilt rings, ornaments for girdles of silver & gilt, and certaine things
made to hang about the necke, with silver chaines
belonging to them.
The Dutchmen bring hither mightie strong beere, I am
certaine that our English double beere would not be liked
of the Kerils and Lappians, as long as that would last.
Here I sawe the Dutchmen also have course cloth, both
blew, greene and redde, and sad horseflesh colour: And
hither they bring also Ottars cases and foxe cases, both
blacke and redde : our English foxe cases are but counterfaits unto them.
They would not let me understand any of their prises,
but as I otherwise understood they bartered 2. load of
silver for 100 of stockfish, and 2. loade is a doller. And
the Dutchmen told me, that they had made a notable good
yeere this present yeere 1557. They tolde me that they
should be faine to goe to Wardhouse with one lading,
and lay it on land there, and so come againe and fetch
another. The Borrowmasters sonne told me, that he
would go to Amsterdam
with his lading of stockfish, who
gave me a barrell of strong beere, and brought it in
aboord our ship himselfe.
After this I went among the Russes and Kerils, who
offered me fish to sell, and likewise the Lappians desired
me to looke upon their fish. I made them answere, that
I had nowe no wares nor money to barter with them,
and said that I came only to see if I might meete with
our English ships. Then they desired me that I would
come thither the next yeere: I said to them, If I should
come the next yeere, I thinke here would not be fish
ynough to serve the Dutchmen and us also. They
answered me, that if more ships did resort thither, there
would more people labour to kill and make fish: and
further they said, that some of them came thither a
fishing 8. weekes journey with Deere, which Deere will
travaile more speedily then horses will.
As I was thus in talke with the Kerils and Lappians,
the Emperour of Russia his deputie (who was there to
gather the tribute of the Lappians) sent for me to come
to his tent, who after familiar salutations, made me good
cheere. He demaunded of me, why none of our ships
came thither. I answered him, because we knew not the
place before now, neither yet heard of any faire that
was kept there. Then said he, If you will come hither,
here would more people resort to kill fish, I thinke it good
(said he) that you make a beginning. I tolde him, that
by the grace of God the next yeere, one English ship
should come thither.
Because I sawe the servants of the king of Denmarke
there also gathering the tribute, I asked Vasilie Pheodorvich the Russie
deputie, whether the Denmarks would not
be a let to us, if we should come to this Kegor. And he
said, no, they should not: for this land is my kings, and
therefore be bolde to come hither.
The Kerils and the Lappians solde no fish, untill the
said deputie had looked upon it, and had given them
leave to sell. I asked him what wares were best for us
to bring thither, and he said, silver, pearles, cloth, blewe,
red, and greene, meale, strong beere, wine, pewter, foxe
cases, and gold.
The Lappians pay tribute to the Emperour of Russia,
to the king of Denmarke, and to the king of Sweden
.
He tolde me that the
River Cola is little more then 20.
leagues to the Southwards of Kegor, where we should
have great plentie of salmon, if corne were any thing
cheape in Russia
: for then poore men would resort thither
to kill salmon.
The Dutchmen tolde me that they had made a good
yeere of this, but the Kerils complained of it, because
they could not sell all their fish, and that which they sold
was as pleased the Dutchmen, and at their own price. I
asked the Kerils at what price they sold their fish to the
Russes, & they said good cheape: wee sell 24. fishes for
4. altines. I thinke they solde little above 20. pence, the
25. fishes this yeere.
The Dutchmen tolde me that the best stockfish is made
at Kegor. I sawe at
Vasilies tent 7. or 8. javelins, and
halfe a dozen of bowes bent, with their budgets of
arrowes, & likewise swords with other weapons: Otherwise I sawe no weapons there.
I was also conveyed to their lodgings, which gathered
tribute for the king of Denmarke, where I sawe a paire
of bilbowes: and I asked whether they were for the Lappians (if neede were,) and they said no, but onely for
their owne company if they should chance to be unruly.
The Kerils and the Lappians are not to be trusted,
for they will steale as well as the Russes, if they may
conveniently come by any thing.
Concerning my voyage, because the winde was scant
to goe back againe to Colmogro, I tarried to the Eastwards of the poynt Kegor, and sent to land, and baked
two batches of bread in the ovens that the Kerils have
for their provision.
