Part 20

The eight of June wee came to so great a heape of ice, that wee could not saile through it, because it was so thicke, and therefore wee wound about south-west and by west till two glasses were runne out, [584] and after that three glasses [585] more south south-west, and then south three glasses, to sayle to the island that wee saw, as also to shunne the ice.

The ninth of June wee found the islande, that lay vnder 74 degrees and 30 minutes, [586] and (as wee gest) it was about fiue [20] miles long. [587]

The tenth of June wee put out our boate, and therewith eight of our men went on land; and as wee past by John Cornelisons shippe, eight of his men also came into our boate, whereof one was the pilote. Then William Barents [our pilot] asked him whether wee were not too much west-ward, but hee would not acknowledge it: whereupon there passed many wordes betweene them, for William Barents sayde hee would prooue it to bee so, as in trueth it was.

The eleuenth of June, going on land, wee found great store of sea-mewes egges vpon the shoare, and in that island wee were in great danger of our liues: for that going vp a great hill of snowe, [588] when we should come down againe, wee thought wee should all haue broken our neckes, it was so slipperie [589] but we sate vpon the snowe [590] and slidde downe, which was very dangerous for vs to breake both our armes and legges, for that at the foote of the hill there was many rockes, which wee were likely to haue fallen vpon, yet by Gods help wee got safely downe againe.

Meane time William Barents sate in the boate, and sawe vs slide downe, and was in greater feare then wee to behold vs in that danger. In the sayd island we found the varying of our compasse, which was 13 degrees, so that it differed a whole point at the least; after that wee rowed aboard John Cornelisons shippe, and there wee eate our eggs.

The 12 of June in the morning, wee saw a white beare, which wee rowed after with our boate, thinking to cast a roape about her necke; but when we were neere her, shee was so great [591] that we durst not doe it, but rowed backe again to our shippe to fetch more men and our armes, and so made to her againe with muskets, hargubushes, halbertes, and hatchets, John Cornellysons men comming also with their boate [592] to helpe vs. And so beeing well furnished of men and weapons, wee rowed with both our boates vnto the beare, and fought with her while foure glasses were runne out, [593] for our weapons could doe her litle hurt; and amongst the rest of the blowes that wee gaue her, one of our men stroke her into the backe with an axe, which stucke fast in her backe, and yet she swomme away with it; but wee rowed after her, and at last wee cut her head in sunder with an axe, wherewith she dyed; and then we brought her into John Cornelysons shippe, where wee fleaed her, and found her skinne to bee twelue foote long: which done, wee eate some of her flesh; but wee brookt it not well. [594] This island wee called the Beare Island. [595]

The 13 of June we left the island, and sayled north and somewhat easterly, the winde being west and south-west, and made good way; so that when the sunne was north [¼ p. 11 P.M.], we gest that wee had sayled 16 [64] miles north-ward from that island.

The 14 of June, when the sunne was north, wee cast out our lead 113 fadome deepe, but found no ground, and so sayled forward till the 15 of June, when the sunne was south-east [½ p. 8 A.M.], with mistie and drisling [596] weather, and sayled north and north and by east; about euening it cleared up, and then wee saw a great thing driuing [597] in the sea, which we thought had been a shippe, but passing along by it wee perceiued it to be a dead whale, that stouncke monsterously; and on it there sate a great number of sea meawes. At that time we had sayled 20 [80] miles.

The 16 of June, with the like speed wee sayled north and by east, with mistie weather; and as wee sayled, wee heard the ice before wee saw it; but after, when it cleared vp, wee saw it, and then wound off from it, when as wee guest wee had sayled 30 [120] miles.

The 17 and 18 of June, wee saw great store of ice, and sayled along by it vntill wee came to the poynt, which wee could not reach, [598] for that the winde was south-east, which was right against vs, and the point of ice lay south-ward from vs: yet we laueared [599] a great while to get beyond it, but we could not do it.

The 19 of June we saw land againe. Then wee tooke the height of the sunne, and found that it was eleuated aboue the horizon 33 degrees and 37 minutes, her declination being 23 degrees and 26 minutes; which taken from the sayd 33 degrees and 37 minutes, we found that we were vnder 80 degrees and 11 minutes, which was the height of the Pole there. [600]

This land was very great, [601] and we sayled west-ward along by it till wee were vnder 79 degrees and a halfe, where we found a good road, and could not get neere to the land because the winde blew north-east, which was right off from the land: the bay reacht right north and south into the sea.

The 21 of June we cast out our anchor at 18 fadome before the land; and then wee and John Cornelysons men rode on the west side of the land, and there fetcht balast: and when wee got on board againe with our balast, wee saw a white beare that swamme towardes our shippe; wherevpon we left off our worke, and entering into the boate with John Cornelisons men, rowed after her, and crossing her in the way, droue her from the land; where-with shee swamme further into the sea, and wee followed her; and for that our boate [602] could not make way after her, we manned out our scute [603] also, the better to follow her: but she swamme a mile [4 miles] into the sea; yet wee followed her with the most part of all our men of both shippes in three boates, and stroke often times at her, cutting and heawing her, so that all our armes were most broken in peeces. During our fight with her, shee stroke her clowes [604] so hard in our boate, that the signes thereof were seene in it; but as hap was, it was in the forehead of our boate: [605] for if it had been in the middle thereof, she had (peraduenture) ouer-throwne it, they haue such force in their clawes. At last, after we had fought long with her, and made her wearie with our three boates that kept about her, we ouercame her and killed her: which done, we brought her into our shippe and fleaed her, her skinne being 13 foote long.

After that, we rowed with our scute about a mile [4 miles] inward to the land, [606] where there was a good hauen and good anchor ground, on the east-side being sandie: there wee cast out our leade, and found 16 fadome deepe, and after that 10 and 12 fadom; and rowing further, we found that on the east-side there was two islands that reached east-ward into the sea: on the west-side also there was a great creeke or riuer, which shewed also like an island. Then we rowed to the island that lay in the middle, and there we found many red geese-egges, [607] which we saw sitting vpon their nests, and draue them from them, and they flying away cryed red, red, red: [608] and as they sate we killed one goose dead with a stone, which we drest and eate, and at least 60 egges, that we tooke with vs aboard the shippe; and vpon the 22 of June wee went aboard our shippe againe.

Those geese were of a perfit red coulor, [609] such as come into Holland about Weiringen, [610] and euery yeere are there taken [Red geese breed their yong geese under 80 degrees in Green-land.] in abundance, but till this time it was neuer knowne where they [laid and] hatcht their egges; so that some men haue taken vpon them to write that they sit vpon trees [611] in Scotland, that hang ouer the water, and such egges as fall from them downe into the water [612] become yong geese and swimme there out of the water; [613] but those that fall vpon the land burst in sunnder and are lost: [614] but this is now found to be contrary, and it is not to bee wondered at that no man could tell where they breed [615] their egges, for that no man that euer we knew had euer beene vnder 80 degrees, nor that land vnder 80 degrees was neuer set downe in any card, [616] much lesse the red geese that breed therein.

It is here also to be noted, that although that in this land, which we esteeme to be Greene-land, lying vnder 80 degrees and more, there groweth leaues and grasse, and that there are such beasts therein as eat grasse, as harts, buckes, and such like beastes as liue thereon; yet in Noua Zembla, under 76 degrees, there groweth neither leaues nor grasse, nor any beasts that eate grasse or leaues liue therein, [617] but such beastes as eate flesh, as beares and foxes: and yet this land lyeth full 4 degrees [further] from the North Pole as Greeneland aforesaid doth.

The 23 of June we hoysted anchor againe, and sayled north-west-ward into the sea, but could get no further by reason of the ice; and so wee came to the same place againe where wee had laine, and cast anchor at 18 fadome: and at euening [618] being at anchor, the sunne being north-east and somewhat more east-warde, wee tooke the height thereof, and found it to be eleuated above the horizon 13 degrees and 10 minutes, his declination being 23 degrees and 28 minutes; which substracted from the height aforesaid, [619] resteth 10 degrees and 18 minutes, which being substracted from 90 degrees, then the height of the Pole, there was 79 degrees and 42 minutes.

After that, we hoysted anchor againe, and sayled along by the west side of the land, [620] and then our men went on land, to see how much the needle of the compasse varyed. Mean time, there came a greate white beare swimming towardes the shippe, and would haue climbed up into it if we had not made a noyse, and with that we shot at her with a peece, but she left the shippe and swam to the land, where our men were: which wee perceiuing, sayled with our shippe towardes the land, and gaue a great shoute; wherewith our men thought that wee had fallen on a rocke with our shippe, which made them much abashed; and therewith the beare also being afraide, swam off againe from the land and left our men, which made vs gladde: for our men had no weapons about them.

Touching the varying of the compasse, for the which cause our men went on land to try the certaintie thereof, it was found to differ 16 degrees.

The 24 of June we had a south-west winde, and could not get aboue the island, [621] and therefore wee sayled backe againe, and found a hauen that lay foure [16] miles from the other hauen, on the west side of the great hauen, and there cast anchor at twelue fadome deepe. There wee rowed a great way in, and went on land; and there wee founde two sea-horses teeth that waighed sixe pound: wee also found many small teeth, and so rowed on board againe.

The 25 of June we hoysted anchor againe, and sayled along by the land, and went south and south south-west, with a north north-east winde, vnder 79 degrees. There we found a great creeke or riuer, [622] whereinto we sailed ten [40] miles at the least, holding our course south-ward; but we perceiued that there wee could not get through: there wee cast out our leade, and for the most part found ten fadome deepe, but wee were constrained to lauere [623] out againe, for the winde was northerly, and almost full north; [624] and wee perceaued that it reached to the firm land, which we supposed to be low-land, for that wee could not see it any thing farre, and therefore wee sailed so neere vnto it till that wee might see it, and then we were forced to lauere [back], and vpon the 27 of June we got out againe.

The twenty eight of June wee gate beyonde the point that lay on the west-side, where there was so great a number of birds that they flew against our sailes, and we sailed 10 [40] miles south-ward, and after that west, to shun the ice.

The twenty nine of June wee sayled south-east, and somewhat more easterly, along by the land, till wee were vnder 76 degrees and 50 minutes, for wee were forced to put off from the land, because of the ice.

The thirteeth of June we sayled south and somewhat east, and then we tooke the height of the sun, and found that it was eleuated aboue the horizon 38 degrees and 20 minutes, his declination was 23 degrees and 20 minutes, which being taken from the former height, it was found that wee were vnder 75 degrees. [625]

The first of July wee saw the Beare-Island [626] againe, and then John Cornelison and his officers came aboard of our ship, to speak with vs about altering of our course; but wee being of a contrary opinion, it was agreed that wee should follow on our course and hee his: which was, that hee (according to his desire) should saile vnto 80 degrees againe; for hee was of opinion that there hee should finde a passage through, on the east-side of the land that lay vnder 80 degrees. [627] And vpon that agreement wee left each other, they sayling north-ward, and wee south-ward because of the ice, the winde being east south-east.

The second of July wee sailed east-ward, and were vnder 74 degrees, hauing the wind north north-west, and then wee wound ouer another bough [628] with an east north-east winde, and sayled north-ward. In the euening, the sunne beeing about north-west and by north [9 P.M.], wee wound about againe (because of the ice) with an east winde, and sailed south south-east; and about east south-east sun [629] [¼ p. 7 A.M.] we wound about againe (because of the ice), and the sunne being south south-west [½ p. 12 P.M.] we wound about againe, and sailed north-east.

The third of July wee were vnder 74 degrees, hauing a south-east and by east wind, and sailed north-east and by north: after that we wound about againe with a south wind and sayled east south-east till the sunne was north-west [¼ p. 8 P.M.], then the wind began to be somewhat larger. [630]

The fourth of July wee sailed east and by north, and found no ice, which wee wondered at, because wee sailed so high; [631] but when the sunne was almost south, we were forced to winde about againe by reason of the ice, and sailed westward with a north-wind; after that, the sunne being north [11 P.M.], wee sailed east south-east with a north-east wind.

The fifth of July wee sailed north north-east till the sunne was south [11 A.M.]: then wee wound about, and went east south-east with a north-east winde. Then wee tooke the height of the sunne, and found it to bee eleuated aboue the horizon 39 degrees and 27 minutes, his declination being 22 degrees and 53 minutes, which taken from the high aforesaid, we found that wee were under the height of the Poole seuentie three degrees and 20 minutes. [632]

The seuenth of July wee cast out our whole lead-lyne, but found no ground, and sailed east and by south, the wind being north-east and by east, and were vnder 72 degrees and 12 minutes.

The eight of July we had a good north [by] west wind, and sailed east and by north, with an indifferent cold gale of wind, [633] and got vnder 72 degrees and 15 minutes. The ninth of July we went east and by north, the wind being west. The tenth of July, the sunne being south south-west [9 A.M.], we cast out our lead and had ground at 160 fadome, the winde being north-east and by north, and we sailed east and by south vnder 72 degrees.

The 11 of July we found 70 fadome deepe, and saw no ice; then we gest that we were right south and north from Dandinaes, [634] that is the east point of the White-Sea, that lay southward from vs, and had sandy ground, and the bancke stretched north-ward into the sea, so that wee were out of doubt that we were vpon the bancke of the White Sea, for wee had found no sandy ground all the coast along, but onely that bancke. Then the winde being east and by south, we sayled south and south and by east, vnder 72 degrees, and after that we had a south south-east winde, and sayled north-east to get ouer the bancke.

In the morning wee draue forward with a calme, [635] and found that we were vnder 72 degrees, and then againe wee had an east south-east winde, the sunne being about south-west [2 P.M.], and sayled north-east; and casting out our lead found 150 fadome deepe, clay ground, and then we were ouer the bancke, which was very narrow, for wee sailed but 14 glasses, [636] and gate ouer it when the sunne was about north north-east [¼ p. 12 A.M.].

The twelfth of July wee sayled north and by east, the winde being east; and at euening, [637] the sunne being north north-east, we wound about againe, hauing the winde north north-east, and sayled east and by south till our first quarter [638] was out.

The thirteenth of July wee sayled east, with a north north-east wind: then we tooke the height of the sunne and found it to bee eleuated aboue the horizon 54 degrees and 38 minutes, [639] his declination was 21 degrees and 54 minutes, which taken from the height aforesaid, the height of the Pole was found to be 73 degrees; and then againe wee found ice, but not very much, and wee were of opinion that wee were by Willoughbies-land. [640]

The fourteenth of July wee sailed north-east, the winde being north north-west, and in that sort sayled about a dinner time [641] along through the ice, and in the middle thereof wee cast out our leade, and had 90 fadome deepe; in the next quarter wee cast out the lead againe and had 100 fadome deepe, and we sayled so farre into the ice that wee could goe no further: for we could see no place where it opened, but were forced (with great labour and paine) to lauere out of it againe, the winde blowing west, and wee were then vnder seuentie foure degrees and tenne minutes.

The fifteenth of July wee draue through the middle of the ice with a calme, [642] and casting out our leade had 100 fadome deepe, at which time the winde being east, wee sayled [south-] west.

The sixteenth of July wee got out of the ice, and sawe a great beare lying vpon it, that leaped into the water when shee saw vs. Wee made towards her with our shippe; which shee perceiuing, gotte vp vpon the ice againe, wherewith wee shot once at her.

Then we sailed east south-east and saw no ice, gessing that wee were not farre from Noua Zembla, because wee sawe the beare there vpon the ice, at which time we cast out the lead and found 100 fadome deepe.

The seuenteenth of July we tooke the height of the sunne, and it was eleuated aboue the horizon 37 degrees and 55 minutes; his declination was 21 degrees and 15 minutes, which taken from the height aforesaid, the height of the Pole was 74 degrees and 40 minutes: [643] and when the sunne was in the south [11 A.M.], wee saw the land of Noua Zembla, which was about Lomsbay. [644] I was the first that espied it. Then wee altered our course, and sayled north-east and by north, and hoysed vp all our sailes except the fore-saile and the lesien. [645]

The eighteenth of July wee saw the land againe, beeing vnder 75 degrees, and sayled north-east and by north with a north-west winde, and wee gate aboue the point of the Admirals Island, [646] and sayled east north-east with a west winde, the land reaching north-east and by north.

The nineteenth of July wee came to the Crosse-Island, [647] and could then get no further by reason of the ice, for there the ice lay still close vpon the land, at which time the winde was west and blewe right vpon the land, and it lay vnder 76 degrees and 20 minutes. There stood 2 crosses vpon the land, whereof it had the name.

The twenteeth of July wee anchored vnder the island, for wee could get no further for the ice. There wee put out our boate, and with eight men rowed on land, and went to one of the crosses, where we rested vs awhile, to goe to the next crosse, but beeing in the way we saw two beares by the other crosse, at which time wee had no weapons at all about vs. The beares rose vp vpon their hinder feete to see vs (for they smell further than they see), and for that they smelt us, therefore they rose vpright and came towards vs, wherewith we were not a little abashed, in such sort that wee had little lust [648] to laugh, and in all haste went to our boate againe, still looking behinde vs to see if they followed vs, thinking to get into the boate and so put off from the land: but the master [649] stayed us, saying, hee that first beginnes to runne away, I will thrust this hake-staffe [650] (which hee then held in his hand) into his ribs, [651] for it is better for vs (sayd hee) to stay altogether, and see if we can make them afraid with whooping and hallowing; and so we went softly towards the boate, and gote away glad that wee had escaped their clawes, and that wee had the leysure to tell our fellowes thereof.