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
rebellious fish that obeyeth not this Gentleman that commeth from Kent and
Christendome, bringing them to the high water marke, and when hee doubteth
that any of those great Cods by reason of sheluing ground bee like to
tumble into the Sea againe, hee will warily take heede and carrie him vp
backe to the heape of his feilowes. This doeth cause my friendes to wonder,
and at the first hearing to iudge them notorious lies, but they laugh and
are merrie when they heare the meanes howe each tale is true.
I told you once I doe remember how in my trauaile into Africa and America,
I found trees that bare Oisters which was strange to you, till I tolde you
that their boughes hung in the water, on which both Oisters and Muskies did
sticke fast, as their propertie is, to stakes and timber.[94]
Nowe to let these merrie tales passe, and to come to earnest matters
againe, you shall vnderstand, that Newfoundland is in a temperate Climate,
and not so colde as foolish Mariners doe say, who finde it colde sometimes
when plentie of Isles of yce lie neere the shore: but vp in the land they
shall finde it hotter then in England in many parts of the countrey toward
the South. This colde commeth by an accidental meanes, as by the yce that
commeth fleeting from the North partes of the worlde, and not by the
situation of the countrey, or nature of the Climate. The countrey is full
of little small riuers all the yeere long proceeding from the mountains,
ingendred both of snow and raine: few springs that euer I could finde or
heare of, except it bee towards the South: in some places or rather in most
places great lakes with plentie of fish, the countrey most couered with
woods of firre, yet in many places indifferent good grasse, and plentie of
Beares euery where, so that you may kill of them as oft as you list: their
flesh is as good as yong beefe, and hardly you may know the one from the
other if it be poudred but two dayes. Of Otters we may take like store.
There are Sea Guls, Murres, Duckes, wild Geese, and many other kind of
birdes store, too long to write, especially at one Island named Penguin,
where wee may driue them on a planke into our ship as many as shall lade
her. These birdes are also called Penguins, and cannot flie, there is more
meate in one of these then in a goose: the Frenchmen that fish neere the
grand baie, doe bring small store of flesh with them, but victuall
themselues alwayes with these birdes. Nowe againe, for Venison plentie,
especially to the North about the grand baie, and in the South neere Cape
Race, and Pleasance: there are many other kinds of beasts, as Luzarnes and
other mighty beastes like to Camels in great likenesse, and their feete
were clouen, I did see them farre off not able to discerne them perfectly,
but their steps shewed that their feete were clouen, and bigger then the
feete of Camels, I suppose them to bee a kind off Buffes which I read to
bee in the countreyes adiacent, and very many in the firme land. There bee
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