The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation — Volume 12: America, Part IHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of The English Nation — Volume 12: America, Part I
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
The report of these dangers by these ships thus published amongst the
fleete, with the remembrance of the perils past, and those present before
their face, brought no small feare and terror into the hearts of many
considerate men. So that some beganne priuily to murmure against the
Generall for this wilfull manner of proceeding. Some desired to discouer
some harborow therebouts to refresh themselues and reform their broken
vessels for a while, vntill the North and Northwest windes might disperse
the yce, and make the place more free to passe. Other some forgetting
themselues, spake more vndutifully in this behalfe, saying: that they had
as leeue be hanged when they came home, as without hope of safetie to seeke
to passe, and so to perish amongst the yce.
[Sidenote: A valiant mind of M. Frobisher.] The Generall not opening his
eares to the peeuish passion of any priuate person, but chiefly respecting
the accomplishment of the cause he had vndertaken (wherein the chiefe
reputation and fame of a Generall and Captaine consisteth) and calling to
his remembrance the short time he had in hand to prouide so great number of
ships their loading, determined with this resolution to passe and recouer
his Port, or else there to burie himselfe with his attempt.
Notwithstanding somewhat to appease the feeble passions of the fearefuller
sort, and the better to entertaine time for a season, whilest the yce might
the better be dissolued, he haled on the Fleete with beleefe that he would
put them in harborow: thereupon whilest the shippes lay off and on under
Hattons Hedland, he sought to goe in with his Pinnesses amongst the Ilandes
there, as though hee meant to search for harborowe, where indeede he meant
nothing lesse, but rather sought if any Ore might be found in that place,
as by the sequele appeared.
In the mean time whilest the Fleete lay thus doubtfull without any certaine
resolution what to do, being hard aboord the lee-shore, there arose a
sodaine and terrible tempest at the Southsoutheast, whereby the yce began
maruellously to gather about vs.
Whereupon euery man, as in such case of extremitie he thought best, sought
the wisest way for his owne safety. The most part of the Fleete which were
further shot vp within the straights, and so farre to the leeward, as that
they could not double the land following the course of the Generall, who
led them the way, tooke in their Sayles, and layde it a hull amongst the
yce, and so passed ouer the storme, and had no extremitie at all, but for a
short time in the same place.
Howbeit the other ships which plyed out to Seaward, had an extreme storme
for a long season. And the nature of the place is such, that it is subiect
diuersely to diuers windes, according to the sundry situation of the great
Alps and mountaines there, euery mountaine causing a seuerall blast, and
parrie, after the maner of a Leuant.
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