The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 13: America, Part II — John Shaqi
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 13: America, Part IIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 13: America, Part II
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
The other is, if there be any possible meanes to finde a sea passage or
other fresh water course, which may serue in some reasonable and
conuenient sort, to transport our Merchandize into the East Indian Sea,
through any of these Northerly partes of America, it shall be soonest and
most assuredly perfourmed by these who shall inhabite and first grow into
familiaritie with the Inland people.
What minerall matter may fall out to bee found, is a thing left in
suspence, vntill some better knowledge, because there be many men, who
hauing long since expected some profits herein, vpon the great promises
that haue bene made them, and being as yet in no point satisfied, doe
therevpon conceiue that they be but wordes purposely cast out for the
inducing of men to bee the more ready and willing to furnish their money
towards the charge of the first discouerie.
But nowe to answere some others who begin with an other objection, saying:
That it is not for the Marchants purse to continue the charges of
transporting and planting: and that once these hundred men which are nowe
to bee planted will cost foure thousand pound: It is then to bee thought,
that the charge of a farre greater number, will bee also a farre greater
summe of money.
Whereunto I answere, that in all attempts vnknowen, especially such a one
as this is, wherewith wee are presently in hand, the first charges are
commonly aduentured in more desperate kinde, then those that followe vpon
some better knowledge: and therewith it falleth out, that whereas one
aduentureth in the first enterprise, an hundred for that one will of
themselues bee willing and desirous to aduenture in the next, if there bee
neuer so little more appearance, that the intended matter is by some
knowledge of our owne, found true in some poynts of our first presumption.
The examples are many, and may easily bee remembred by those who be
Merchants, euen in their ordinarie and dayly trades, as well as in
extraordinarie attempts, which of late yeeres haue fallen into those
termes of some likelyhood, as is aforesayde.(9) So then no doubt, but when
certaine reports shall bee brought by them who directly came from thence,
that such a Countrey and people they haue themselues seene, as is by vs
spoken of, but that then there will come forwarde a greater number of
those, who haue nowe neither heard any thing of the matter, as also of
others, who presently make such friuolous scruple, and will not otherwise
be satisfied, then by the report of Saint Thomas. I speake not this by the
Marchants whom for their fredoms of trade I would not haue pressed to any
further charge then this first preparation, but rather as such as haue
great affection to hazard the changing of their estates, and would be well
content to goe in the voyage if they might onely be assured that there is
such a Countrey, and that their money should not be wasted to nothing in
the preparations.
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