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
which if he did attempt, it would redound to his manifest destruction, they
being all resolutely bent rather to leaue their life, then to loose in any
respect the vse of their lawes. [Sidenote: The people of Icaria desirous of
the Italian tongue.] Notwithstanding, that we should not thinke they did
altogether refuse conuersation and traffick with other men, they tolde vs
for conclusion that they would willingly receiue one of our men, and
preferre him to be one of the chiefe amongst them, onely to learne my
language the Italian tongue, and to be informed of our manners and
customes, as they had already receiued those other ten oftensundry
nations, that came into their Island. [Sidenote: Infinite multitudes of
armed men in Icaria.] To these things our Prince answered nothing at all,
but causing his men to seke some good harborough, he made signes as though
he would depart, and sayling round about the Island, he espied at length a
harborough on the East side of the Island, where hee put in with all his
Fleet: the mariners went on land to take in wood and water, which they did
with as great speede as they could, doubting least they should be assaulted
by the inhabitants, as it fell out in deed, for those that dwelt
thereabouts, making signes vnto the other with fire and smoke, put
themselues presently in armes and the other comming to them, they came all
running downe to the sea side vpon our men, with bowes and arrowes, and
other weapons, so that many were slaine and diuers sore wounded. And we
made signes of peace vnto them, but it was to no purpose, for their rage
increased more and more, as though they had fought for land and liuing.
[Sidenote: Zichmni departed from Icaria Westwards.] Wherefore we were
forced to depart, and to sayle along in a great circuite about the Islande,
being alwayes accompanyed vpon the hil tops and the sea coastes with an
infinite number of armed men: and so doubling the Cape of the Island
towards the North, we found many great sholdes, amongst the which for the
space of ten dayes we were in continuall danger of loosing our whole fleet,
but that it pleased God all that while to send vs faire weather. Wherefore
proceeding on till we came to the East cape, we saw the inhabitants still
on the hill tops and by the sea coast keepe with vs, and in making great
outcryes and shooting at vs a farre off, they vttered their old spitefull
affection towards vs. Wherefore wee determined to stay in some safe
harborough, and see if wee might speake once againe with the Islander, but
our determination was frustrate: for the people more like vnto beasts then
men, stood continually in armes with intent to beat vs back, if we should
come on land. Wherefore Zichmni seeing he could not preuaile, and thinking
if he should haue perseuered and followed obstinately his purpose, their
victuals would haue failed them, he departed with a fayre wind and sailed
sixe daies to the Westwards, but the winde changing to the Southwest, and
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