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: Pag. 590.] 4 And for the better proofe that the same authoritie
of Cornelius Nepos is not by me wrested, to proue my opinion of the
Northwest passage: you shall finde the same affirmed more plainly in that
behalfe, by the excellent Geographer Dominicus Marius Niger, who sheweth
how many wayes the Indian sea stretcheth it selfe, making in that place
recital of certaine Indians, that were likewise driuen through the North
Seas from India, vpon the coastes of Germany, by great tempest, as they
were sayling in trade of marchandize.
5 Also while Frederic Barbarossa reigned Emperour, Anno Do. 1160. there
came certaine other Indians vpon the coast of Germanie. [Marginal note:
Auouched by Franciscus Lopes de Gomara in his historie of India, lib. I.
cap. 10.]
6 Likewise Othon in the storie of the Gothes affirmeth, that in the time of
the Germane Emperours there were also certaine Indians cast by force of
weather, vpon the coast of the sayd countrey, which foresaid Indians could
not possibly haue come by the Southeast, Southwest, nor from any part of
Afrike or America, nor yet by the Northeast: therefore they came of
necessitie by this our Northwest passage.
To prooue that these Indians aforenamed came not by the Southeast,
Southwest, nor from any other part of Afrike, or America.
Cap. 5.
First, they could not come from the Southeast by the Cape de bona Sperança,
because the roughnes of the Seas there is such (occasioned by the currents
and great winds in that part) that the greatest armadas the king of
Portugal hath, cannot without great difficulty passe that way, much lesse
then a Canoa of India could liue in those outragious seas without
shipwracke (being a vessel of very small burden) and haue conducted
themselues to the place aforesayd, being men vnexpert in the Arte of
nauigation.
2 Also, it appeareth plainely that they were not able to come from alongst
the coast of Afrike aforesayd, to those parts of Europe, because the winds
doe (for the most part) blow there Easterly off from the shore, and the
current running that way in like sort, should haue driuen them Westward
vpon some part of America: for such winds and tides could neuer haue led
them from thence to the said place where they were found, nor yet could
they haue come from any of the countries aforesayd, keeping the seas
alwayes, without skilful mariners to haue conducted them such like courses
as were necessary to performe such a voiage.
3 Presupposing also, if they had bene driuen to the West (as they must haue
bene, comming that way) then they should haue perished, wanting supplie of
victuals, not hauing any place (once leauing the coast of Afrike) vntill
they came to America, nor from America vntill they arriued vpon some part
of Europe, or the Islands adioyning to it, to haue refreshed themselues.
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