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: A probability that there should be neither spring or riuer in
the ground.] It argueth also that there should be none: for that the earth,
which with the extremitie of the Winter is so frosen within, that that
water which should haue recourse within the same to maintaine springs, hath
not his motion, whereof great waters haue their originall, as by experience
is seene otherwhere. Such valleis as are capable to receiue the water, that
in the Summer time by the operation of the Sunne decendeth from great
abundance of snowe, which continually lyeth on the mountaines and hath no
passage, sinketh into the earth and so vanisheth away, without any runnell
aboue the earth, by which occasion or continuall standing of the said
water, the earth is opened, and the great frost yeeldeth to the force
thereof, which in other places foure or fiue fathomes within the ground for
lacke of the said moisture, the earth (euen in the very summer time) is
frosen, and so combineth the stones together, that scarcely instruments
with great force can vnknit them.
Also where the water in those valleis can haue no such passage away, by the
continuance of time in such order as is before rehearsed, the yeerely
descent from the mountaines filleth them full, that at the lowest banke of
the same, they fall into the valley, and so continue as fishing Ponds or
Stagnes in Summer time full of water, and in the Winter hard frosen: as by
skarres that remaine thereof in Summer may easily be perceiued: so that the
heat of Summer is nothing comparable or of force to dissolue the extremitie
of cold that commeth in Winter.
[Sidenote: Springs nourish gold.] Neuerthelesse I am assured that below the
force of the frost within the earth, the waters haue recourse, and emptie
themselues out of sight into the Sea, which through the extremitie of the
frost are constrained to doe the same: by which occasion the earth within
is kept the warmer, and springs haue their recourse, which is the only
nutriment of golde and Minerals within the same.
There is much to be sayd of the commodities of these Countreys, which are
couched within the bowels of the earth, which I let passe till more perfect
triall be made thereof.
The 24. of August after we had satisfied our minds with fraight sufficient
for our vessels, though not our couetous desires with such knowledge of the
Countrey people, and other commodities as are before rehearsed, we departed
therehence. [Sidenote: Our departure from those Countreys.] The 17. of
September we fell with the lands end of England, and so sailed to Milford
Hauen, from whence our Generall rode to the Court for order, to what Port
or Hauen to conduct the ship.
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