Voyages in Search of the North-West PassageHakluyt, Richard
History
Voyages in Search of the North-West Passage
Hakluyt, Richard
Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration; Northwest Passage; Voyages and travels
Our course was west-north-west the 7th and 8th days; and the ninth day in
the morning we were on head of the Tarrose of Scilly. Thus coasting
along the south part of Ireland, the 11th day we were on the head of the
Dorses, and our course was south-south-west until six of the clock the
12th day. The 13th day our course was north-west. We remained in the
company of the _Mermaid_ and the _Moonshine_ until we came to the
latitude of 60 degrees, and there it seemed best to our general, Master
Davis, to divide his fleet, himself sailing to the north-west, and to
direct the _Sunshine_, wherein I was, and the pinnace called the _North
Star_, to seek a passage northward between Greenland and Iceland to the
latitude of 80 degrees, if land did not let us. So the 7th day of June
we departed from them, and the 9th of the same we came to a firm land of
ice, which we coasted along the 9th, the 10th, and the 11th days of June;
and the 11th day at six of the clock at night we saw land, which was very
high, which afterwards we knew to be Iceland, and the 12th day we
harboured there, and found many people; the land lieth east and by north
in 66 degrees.
Their commodities were green fish and Iceland lings and stock fish, and a
fish which is called catfish, of all which they had great store. They
had also kine, sheep, and horses, and hay for their cattle and for their
horses. We saw also of their dogs. Their dwelling-houses were made on
both sides with stones, and wood laid across over them, which was covered
over with turfs of earth, and they are flat on the tops, and many of
these stood hard by the shore. Their boats were made with wood, and iron
all along the keel like our English boats; and they had nails for to nail
them withal, and fish-hooks, and other things for to catch fish as we
have here in England. They had also brazen kettles, and girdles and
purses made of leather, and knops on them of copper, and hatchets, and
other small tools as necessary as we have. They dry their fish in the
sun; and when they are dry they pack them up in the top of their houses.
If we would go thither to fishing more than we do, we should make it a
very good voyage, for we got a hundred green fishes in one morning. We
found here two Englishmen with a ship, which came out of England about
Easter Day of this present year, 1586; and one of them came aboard of us
and brought us two lambs. The Englishman's name was Master John Royden,
of Ipswich, merchant; he was bound for London with his ship. And this is
the sum of that which I observed in Iceland. We departed from Iceland
the 16th day of June, in the morning, and our course was north-west; and
saw on the coast two small barques going to a harbour; we went not to
them, but saw them afar off. Thus we continued our course unto the end
of this month.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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