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
[Sidenote: A plaine champion countrey. A goodly riuer.] They also found
tenne miles within the snowy mountaines a plaine champion countrey, with
earth and grasse, such our moory and waste grounds of England are: they
went vp into a riuer (which in the narrowest place is two leagues broad)
about ten leagues, finding it still to continue they knewe not howe farre:
but I with my company tooke another riuer, which although at the first it
offered a large inlet, yet it proued but a deepe bay, the ende whereof in
foure houres I attained, and there leauing the boat well manned, went with
the rest of my company three or foure miles into the countrey, but found
nothing, nor saw any thing; saue onely gripes, rauens, and small birds, as
larkes and linnets.
The third of Iuly I manned my boat, and went with fifty Canoas attending
vpon me vp into another sound where the people by signes willed mee to goe,
hoping to finde their habitation: at length they made signes that I should
goe into warme place to sleepe, at which place I went on shore, and
ascended the toppe of an high hill to see into the countrey, but perceiuing
my labour vaine, I returned againe to my boate, the people still following
me, and my company very diligent to attend vs, and to helpe vs vp the
rockes, and likewise downe: at length I was desirous to haue our men leape
with them, which was done, but our men did ouerleape them: from leaping
they went to wrestling, we found them strong and nimble, and to haue skil
in wrestling, for they cast some of our men that were good wrestlers.
The fourth of Iuly we lanched our pinnesse, and had fortie of the people to
help vs, which they did very willingly: at this time our men againe
wrestled with them, and found them as before, strong and skillfull.
[Sidenote: A graue with a crosse layd ouer. The Tartars and people of Iapon
are also smal eyed.] The fourth of Iuly the Master of the Mermayd went to
certaine Ilands to store himselfe with wood, where he found a graue with
diuers buried in it, only couered with seale skinnes, hauing a crosse laid
ouer them, The people are of good stature, wel in body proportioned, with
small slender hands and feet, with broad visages, and smal eyes, wide
mouthes, the most part vnbearded, great lips, and close toothed. Their
custome is as often as they go from vs, still at their returne to make a
new truce, in this sort, holding his hand vp to the Sun with a lowd voice
he crieth Ylyaoute, and striketh his brest with like signes, being promised
safety, he giueth credit. These people are much giuen to bleed, and
therefore stop their noses with deeres haire, or haire of an elan. They are
idolaters and haue images great store, which they weare about them, and in
their boats, which we suppose they worship. They are witches, and haue many
kinds of inchantments, which they often vsed, but to small purpose, thankes
be to God.
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