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
From hence we departed the eight of Iuly: and the 16. of the same, we came
with the making of land, which land our Generall the yeere before had named
The Queenes foreland, being an Island as we iudge, lying neere the supposed
continent with America: and on the other side, opposite to the same, one
other Island called Halles Isle, after the name of the Master of the ship,
neere adiacent to the firme land, supposed continent with Asia. [Sidenote:
Frobishers streight.] Betweene the which two Islands there is a large
entrance or streight, called Frobishers streight,[53] after the name of our
Generall, the firste finder thereof. This said streight is supposed to haue
passage into the sea of Sur, which I leaue vnknowen as yet.
It seemeth that either here, or not farre hence, the sea should haue more
large entrance, then in other parts within the frozen or vntemperate Zone:
and that some contrary tide, either from the East or West, with maine force
casteth out that great quantity of yce, which commeth floting from this
coast, euen vnto Friseland, causing that Countrey to seeme more vntemperate
then others, much more Northerly then the same.
I cannot iudge that any temperature vnder the Pole, the time of the Sunnes
Northerne declination being halfe a yere together, and one whole day,
(considering that the Sunnes eleuation surmounteth not 23. degrees and 30.
minuts) can haue power to [Sidenote: Islands of yce comparable to
mountaines.] dissolue such monstrous and huge yce, comparable to great
mountaines, except by some other force, as by swift currents and tides,
with the hope of the said day of halfe a yeere.
Before we came within the making of these lands we tasted cold stormes, in
so much that it seemed we had changed summer with winter, if the length of
the dayes had not remooued vs from that opinion.
[Sidenote: Captaine Frobisher his speciall care and diligence for the
benefite of his Prince and Countrey.] At our first comming, the straights
seemed to be shut vp with a long mure of yce, which gaue no litle cause of
discomfort vnto vs all: but our Generall, (to whose diligence imminent
dangers, and difficult attempts seemed nothing, in respect of his willing
mind, for the commoditie of his Prince and Countrey,) with two little
Pinnesses prepared of purpose, passed twise thorow them to the East shore,
and the Ilands thereunto adiacent: and the ship, with the two Barks lay off
and on something further into the sea, from the danger of the yce.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account