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: Omne simile giguit sui simile.] And therefore it seemeth that
this Northeast sea is maintained by the riuer Ob, and such like freshets,
as Mare Goticum, and Mare Mediterraneum, in the vppermost parts thereof by
the riuers Nilus, Danubius, Neper, Tanais, &c.
9 Furthermore, if there were any such sea at that eleuation, of like it
should be alwaies frozen throughout (there being no tides to hinder it)
because the extreme coldnes of the aire being in the vppermost part, and
the extreme coldnesse of the earth in the bottome, the sea there being but
of small depth, whereby the one accidentall coldnesse doth meet with the
other, and the Sunne not hauing his reflection so neere the Pole, but at
very blunt angels, it can neuer be dissolued after it is frozen,
notwithstanding the great length of their day: for that the sunne hath no
heate at all in his light or beames, but proceeding onely by an accidentall
reflection, which there wanteth in effect.
10 And yet if the Sunne were of sufficient force in that eleuation, to
preuaile against this ice, yet must it be broken before it can be
dissolued, which cannot be but through the long continuance of the sunne
aboue their Horizon, and by that time the Sommer would be so farre spent,
and so great darkenes and cold ensue, that no man could be able to endure
so cold, darke, and discomfortable a nauigation, if it were possible for
him then, and there to liue.
11 Further, the ice being once broken, it must of force so driue with the
windes and tides, that no ship can saile in those seas, seeing our Fishers
of Island, and the New found land, are subiect to danger through the great
Islands of Ice which fleete in the Seas (to the sailers great danger) farre
to the South of that presupposed passage.
And it cannot be that this Northeast passage should be any neerer the
South, then before recited, for then it should cut off Ciremissi, and Turbi
Tartari, with Vzesucani, Chisani, and others from the Continent of Asia,
which are knowen to be adioyning to Scythia, Tartaria, &c. with the other
part of the same Continent.
And if there were any thorowe passage by the Northeast, yet were it to
small ende and purpose for our traffique, because no shippe of great burden
can Nauigate in so shallow a Sea: and ships of small burden are very vnfit
and vnprofitable, especially towards the blustering North to performe such
a voyage.
To prooue that the Indians aforenamed, came only by the Northwest, which
induceth a certaintie of our passage by experience.
Cap. 7.
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