The voyage of Verrazzano : $b a chapter in the early history of maritime discovery in AmericaMurphy, Henry Cruse
History
The voyage of Verrazzano : $b a chapter in the early history of maritime discovery in America
Murphy, Henry Cruse
America -- Discovery and exploration -- French; Verrazzano, Giovanni da, 1485-1528
We set sail from this place, continuing to coast along the shore,
which we found stretching out to the west (east?); the inhabitants
being numerous, we saw everywhere a multitude of fires. While at
anchor on this coast, there being no harbour to enter, we sent the
boat on shore with twenty-five men to obtain water, but it was not
possible to land without endangering the boat, on account of the
immense high surf thrown up by the sea, as it was an open roadstead.
Many of the natives came to the beach, indicating by various
friendly signs that we might trust ourselves on shore. One of their
noble deeds of friendship deserves to be made known to your Majesty.
A young sailor was attempting to swim ashore through the surf to
carry them some knick-knacks, as little bells, looking-glasses, and
other like trifles; when he came near three or four of them he
tossed the things to them, and turned about to get back to the boat,
but he was thrown over by the waves, and so dashed by them that he
lay as it were dead upon the beach When these people saw him in this
situation, they ran and took him up by the head, legs and anus, and
carried him to a distance from the surf; the young man, finding
himself borne off in this way uttered very loud shrieks in fear and
dismay, while they answered as they could in their language, showing
him that he had no cause for fear. Afterwards they laid him down at
the foot of a little hill, when they took off his shirt and
trowsers, and examined him, expressing the greatest astonishment at
the whiteness of his skin. Our sailors in the boat seeing a great
fire made up, and their companion placed very near it, full of fear,
as is usual in all cases of novelty, imagined that the native were
about to roast him for food. But as soon as be had recovered his
strength after a short stay with them; showing by signs that he
wished to return aboard, they hugged him with great affection, and
accompanied him to the shore, then leaving him, that he might feel
more secure, they withdrew to a little hill, from which they watched
him until he was safe in the boat. This young man remarked that
these people were black like the others, that they had shining
skins, middle stature, and sharper faces, and very delicate bodies
and limbs, and that they were inferior in strength, but quick in
their minds; this is all that he observed of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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