Great Epochs in American History, Volume 2: The Planting of the First Colonies: 1562—1733
History
Great Epochs in American History, Volume 2: The Planting of the First Colonies: 1562—1733
United States -- History
The seventeenth, appeared many breaches round about us, so as we
continued that day without remove. The eighteenth, being fair we sent
forth the boat, to sound over a breach, that in our course lay of
another point, by us called Gilbert's Point, who returned us four,
five, six, and seven fathoms over. Also, a discovery of divers islands
which after proved to be hills and hammocks, distinct within the land.
This day there came unto the ship's side divers canoes, the Indians
apparelled as aforesaid, with tobacco and pipes steeled with copper,
skins, artificial strings and other trifles to barter; one had hanging
about his neck a plate of rich copper, in length a foot, in breadth
half a foot for a breastplate, the ears of all the rest had pendants
of copper. Also, one of them had his face painted over, and head stuck
with feathers in manner of a turkey-cock's train. These are more
timorous than those of the Savage Rock, yet very thievish.
The nineteenth, we passed over the breach of Gilbert's Point in four
or five fathoms, and anchored a league or somewhat more beyond it;
between the last two points are two leagues, the interim, along shoal
water, the latitude here is 41 degrees two third parts.
The twentieth, by the ship's side, we there killed penguins, and saw
many sculls of fish. The coast from Gilbert's Point to the supposed
isles lieth east and by south. Here also we discovered two inlets
which might promise fresh water, inwardly whereof we perceived much
smoke, as though some population had there been. This coast is very
full of people, for that as we trended the same savages still run
along the shore, as men much admiring at us.
The one-and-twentieth, we went coasting from Gilbert's Point to the
supposed isles, in ten, nine, eight, seven, and six fathoms, close
aboard the shore, and that depth lieth a league off. A little from the
supposed isles, appeared unto us an opening, with which we stood,
judging it to be the end which Captain Gosnold descried from Cape Cod,
and as he thought to extend some thirty or more miles in length, and
finding there but three fathoms a league off, we omitted to make
further discovery of the same, calling it Shoal Hope.
From this opening the main lieth southwest, which coasting along we
saw a disinhabited island, which so afterward appeared unto us: we
bore with it, and named it Martha's Vineyard; from Shoal Hope it is
eight leagues in circuit, the island is five miles, and hath 41
degrees and one quarter of latitude. The place most pleasant; for the
two-and-twentieth, we went ashore, and found It full of wood, vines,
gooseberry bushes, whortleberries, raspberries, eglantines, &c. Here
we had cranes, stearnes, shoulers, geese, and divers other birds which
there at that time upon the cliffs being sandy with some rocky stones,
did breed and had young. In this place we saw deer: here we rode in
eight fathoms near the shore where we took great store of cod,--as
before at Cape Cod, but much better.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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