The second voyage attempted by M. John Davis with
others, for the discovery of the Northwest passage, in
Anno 1586.
THE 7. day of May, I departed from the port of Dartmouth
for the discovery of the Northwest passage, with
a ship of an hundred and twentie tunnes named the
Mermayd, a barke of 60. tunnes named the Sunneshine,
a barke of 35. tunnes named the Mooneshine, and a
pinnesse of tenne tunnes named the North starre.
And the 15. of June I discovered land in the latitude
of 60. degrees, and in longitude from the Meridian of
London Westward 47. degrees, mightily pestered with
yce and snow, so that there was no hope of landing:
the yce lay in some places tenne leagues, in some 20.
and in some 50. leagues off the shore, so that wee were
constrained to beare into 57. degrees to double the same,
and to recover a free Sea, which through Gods favourable
mercy we at length obtained.
The 29. of June after many tempestuous storms we
againe discovered land, in longitude from the Meridian
of London 58. degr. 30. min, and in latitude 64. being
East from us: into which course sith it please God by
contrary winds to force us, I thought it very necessary
to beare in with it, & there to set up our pinnesse, provided in the Mermayd to be our scout for this discovery,
and so much the rather because the yere before I had
bene in the same place, and found it very convenient for
such a purpose, wel stored with flote wood, & possessed
by a people of tractable conversation: so that the 29.
of this moneth we arrived within the Isles which lay
before this land, lying North northwest, and South southeast, we know not how farre. This land is very high
& mountainous, having before it on the West side a
mighty company of Isles full of faire sounds, and harboroughs. This land was very litle troubled with snow,
and the sea altogether voyd of yce.
The ships being within the sounds wee sent our boates
to search for shole water, where wee might anker, which
in this place is very hard to finde: and as the boat went
sounding and searching, the people of the countrey having
espied them, came in their Canoas towards them with
many shoutes and cries: but after they had espied in the
boat some of our company that were the yeere before
here with us, they presently rowed to the boate, and
tooke hold on the oare, and hung about the boate with
such comfortable joy, as would require a long discourse
to be uttered: they came with the boates to our ships,
making signes that they knewe all those that the yeere
before had bene with them. After I perceived their joy
and small feare of us, my selfe with the Merchants &
others of the company went a shoare, bearing with me
twentie knives: I had no sooner landed, but they lept
out of their Canoas and came running to mee and the
rest, and embraced us with many signes of heartie welcome: at this present there were eighteene of them, and
to eche of them I gave a knife: they offred skinnes to
me for reward, but I made signes that they were not
solde, but given them of courtesie: and so dismissed
them for that time, with signes that they should returne
againe after certaine houres.
The next day with all possible speede the pinnesse was
landed upon an Isle there to be finished to serve our
purpose for the discoverie, which Isle was so convenient
for that purpose, as that we were very wel able to defend
our selves against many enemies. During the time that
the pinnesse, was there setting up, the people came continually unto us sometime an hundred Canoas at a time,
sometime fourtie, fiftie, more and lesse, as occasion
served. They brought with them seale skinnes, stagge
skinnes, white hares, Seale fish, samon peale, smal cod,
dry caplin, with other fish, and birds such as the countrey
did yeeld.
My selfe still desirous to have a further search of this
place, sent one of the shipboates to one part of the lande,
and my selfe went to another part to search for the
habitation of this people, with straight commandement
that there should be no injurie offered to any of the people,
neither any gunne shot.
The boates that went from me found the tents of the
people made with seale skinnes set up upon timber, wherein they found great store of dried Caplin, being a litle
fish no bigger then a pilchard: they found bags of Trane
oyle, many litle images cut in wood, Seale skinnes in
tan-tubs, with many other such trifles, whereof they
diminished nothing.
They also found tenne miles within the snowy mountaines a plaine champion countrey, with earth and grasse,
such as our moory and waste grounds of England
are:
they went up into a river (which in the narrowest place
is two leagues broad) about ten leagues, finding it still
to continue they knewe not howe farre: but I with my
company tooke another river, which although at the first
it offered a large inlet, yet it proved but a deepe bay,
the ende whereof in foure houres 1 attained, and there
leaving the boat well manned, went with the rest of my
company three or foure miles into the countrey, but found
nothing, nor saw any thing, save onely gripes, ravens,
and small birds, as larkes and linnets.
The third of July I manned my boat, and went with
fifty Canoas attending upon me up into another sound
where the people by signes willed mee to goe, hoping
to finde their habitation: at length they made signes
that I should goe into a warme place to sleepe, at which
place I went on shore, and ascended the toppe of an
high hill to see into the countrey, but perceiving my
labor vaine, I returned againe to my boat, the people
still following me, and my company very diligent to
attend us, and to helpe us up the rockes, and likewise
downe: at length I was desirous to have our men leape
with them, which was done, but our men did overleape
them: from leaping they went to wrestling, we found
them strong and nimble, and to have skil in wrestling,
for they cast some of our men that were good wrestlers.
The fourth of July we lanched our pinnesse, and had
fortie of the people to helpe us, which they did very
willingly: at this time our men againe wrestled with
them, and found them as before, strong and skilfull.
This fourth of July the Master of the Mermayd went to
certaine Ilands to store himselfe with wood, where he
found a grave with divers buried in it, only covered with
seale skinnes, having a crosse laid over them. The people
are of good stature, wel in body proportioned, with small
slender hands and feet, with broad visages, and smal
eyes, wide mouthes, the most part unbearded, great lips,
and close toothed. Their custome is as often as they
go from us, still at their returne to make a new truce,
in this sort, holding his hand up to the Sun with a lowd
voice he crieth Ylyaoute, and striketh his brest with like
signes, being promised safety, he giveth credit. These
people are much given to bleed, and therefore stop their
noses with deeres haire, or the haire of an elan. They
are idolaters and have images great store, which they
weare about them, and in their boats, which we suppose
they worship. They are witches, and have many kinds
of inchantments, which they often used, but to small
purpose, thankes be to God.
Being among them at shore the fourth of July, one
of them making a long oration, beganne to kindle a fire
in this maner: he tooke a piece of a board wherein was
a hole halfe thorow: into that hole he puts the end of
a round stick like unto a bedstaffe, wetting the end thereof
in
Trane, and in fashion of a turner with a piece of
lether, by his violent motion doeth very speedily produce
fire: which done, with turfes he made a fire, into which
with many words and strange gestures, he put diverse
things, which wee supposed to be a sacrifice: my selfe
and divers of my company standing by, they were desirous
to have me go into the smoke, I willed them likewise
to stand in the smoke, which they by no meanes would
do. I then tooke one of them, and thrust him into the
smoke, and willed one of my company to tread out the
fire, & to spurne it into the sea, which was done to shew
them that we did contemne their sorcery. These people
are very simple in all their conversation, but marvellous
theevish, especially for iron, which they have in great
account. They began through our lenitie to shew their
vile nature: they began to cut our cables: they cut away
the Moonelights boat from her sterne, they cut our cloth
where it lay to aire, though we did carefully looke unto
it, they stole our oares, a caliver, a boare speare, a sword,
with divers other things, wherat the company and Masters
being grieved, for our better securitie, desired me to
dissolve this new friendship, and to leave the company
of these theevish miscreants: whereupon there was a
caliver shot among them, and immediatly upon the same
a faulcon, which strange noice did sore amaze them, so
that with speed they departed: notwithstanding their simplicitie is such, that within ten houres after they came
againe to us to entreat peace; which being promised,
we againe fell into a great league. They brought us
Seale skinnes, and sammon peale, but seeing iron, they
could in no wise forbeare stealing: which when I perceived, it did but minister unto mee an occasion of
laughter, to see their simplicitie, and I willed that in no
case they should bee any more hardly used, but that our
owne company should be the more vigilant to keepe their
things, supposing it to be very hard in so short time to
make them know their evils. They eate all their meat
raw, they live most upon fish, they drinke salt water,
and eate grasse and ice with delight: they are never out
of the water, but live in the nature of fishes, save only
when dead sleepe taketh them, and then under a warme
rocke laying his boat upon the land, hee lyeth downe
to sleepe. Their weapons are all darts, but some of them
have bow and arrowes and slings. They make nets to
take their fish of the finne of a whale: they do all their
things very artificially: and it should seeme that these
simple theevish Islanders have warre with those of the
maine, for many of them are sore wounded, which wounds
they received upon the maine land, as by signes they
gave us to understand. We had among them copper
oare, black copper, and red copper: they pronounce their
language very hollow, and deepe in the throat: these
words following we learned from them.
| Kesinyoh, Eate some. | Asanock, A dart. |
| Madlycoyte, Musicke. | Sawygmeg, A knife. |
| Aginyoh, go fetch. | Uderah, A nose. |
| Yliaoute, I meane no harme. | Aoh, Iron. |
| Ponameg, A boat. | Cocah, Go to him. |
| Blete, An eye. | Aba, Fallen downe. |
| Unuicke, Give it. | Icune, Come hither. |
| Tuckloak, A stagge or ellan. | Awennye, Yonder. |
| Panygmah, A needle. | Nugo, No. |
| Aob, The Sea. | Tucktodo, A fogge. |
| Mysacoah, Wash it. | Lechiksah, A skinne. |
| Lethicksaneg, A seale skinne. | Maccoah, A dart. |
| Canyglow, Kisse me. | Sugnacoon, A coat. |
| Ugnera, My sonne. | Gounah, Come downe. |
| Acu, Shot. | Sasobneg, A bracelet. |
| Conah, Leape. | Ugnake, A tongue. |
| Maatuke, Fish. | Ataneg, A seale. |
| Sambah, Below. | Macuah, A beard. |
| Maconmeg, Wil you have this. | Pignagogah, A threed. |
| Paaotyck, An oare. | Quoysah, Give it to me. |
The 7. of July being very desirous to search the habitation of this countrey, I went myselfe with our new
pinnesse into the body of the land, thinking it to be a
firme continent, and passing up a very large river, a
great flaw of winde tooke me, whereby wee were constrained to seeke succour for that night, which being had,
I landed with the most part of my company, and went
to the top of a high mountaine, hoping from thence to
see into the countrey: but the mountaines were so many
and so mighty as that my purpose prevailed not: whereupon I againe returned to my pinnesse, and willing divers
of my company to gather muscles for my supper, whereof
in this place there was great store, my selfe having espied
a very strange sight, especially to me that never before
saw the like, which was a mighty whirlewinde taking up
the water in very great quantitie, furiously mounting it
into the aire, which whirlewinde, was not for a puffe
or blast, but continual, for the space of three houres,
with very little intermission, which sith it was in the
course that I should passe, we were constrained that
night to take up our lodging under the rockes.
The next morning the storme being broken up, we
went forward in our attempt, and sailed into a mighty
great river directly into the body of the land, and in
briefe, found it to be no firme land, but huge, waste,
and desert Isles with mighty sounds, and inlets passing
betweene Sea and Sea. Whereupon we returned towards
our shippes, and landing to stoppe a floud, wee found
the burial of these miscreants; we found of their fish in
bagges, plaices, and caplin dried, of which wee tooke
onely one bagge and departed. The ninth of this moneth
we came to our ships, where wee found the people
desirous in their fashion, of friendship and barter: our
Mariners complained heavily against the people, and said
that my lenitie and friendly using of them gave them
stomacke to mischiefe: for they have stollen an anker
from us, they have cut our cable very dangerously, they
have cut our boats from our sterne, and nowe since your
departure, with slings they spare us not with stones of
halfe a pound weight: and wil you stil indure these
injuries? It is a shame to beare them. I desired them
to be content, and said, I doubted not but al should be
wel. The 10. of this moneth I went to the shore, the
people following mee in their Canoas: I tolled them on
shore, and used them with much courtesie, and then
departed aboord, they following me, and my company.
I gave some of them bracelets, & caused seven or eight
of them to come aboord, which they did willingly, and
some of them went into the top of the ship: and thus
curteously using them, I let them depart: the Sunne was
no sooner downe, but they began to practise their devilish
nature, and with slings threw stones very fiercely into
the Moonelight, and strake one of her men then boatswaine, that he overthrew withall: whereat being moved,
I changed my curtesie, and grew to hatred, my self in
my owne boate well manned with shot, and the barks
boat likewise pursued them, and gave them divers shot,
but to small purpose, by reason of their swift rowing:
so smally content we returned.
The 11. of this moneth there came five of them to
make a new truce: the master of the Admiral came to
me to shew me of their comming, and desired to have
them taken and kept as prisoners untill we had his anker
againe: but when he sawe that the chiefe ringleader and
master of mischiefe was one of the five, he then was
vehement to execute his purpose, so it was determined
to take him: he came crying Iliaout, and striking his
brest offered a paire of gloves to sell, the master offered
him a knife for them: so two of them came to us, the
one was not touched, but the other was soone captive
among us: then we pointed to him and his fellowes for
our anker, which being had, we made signes that he
should be set at libertie: within one houre after he came
aboord the winde came faire, whereupon we weyed and
set saile, and so brought the fellow with us: one of his
fellowes still following our ship close aboord, talked with
him and made a kinde of lamentation, we still using him
wel with Yliaout, which was the common course of
curtesie. At length this fellow aboord us spake foure
or five words unto the other and clapped his two hands
upon his face, whereupon the other doing the like,
departed as we suppose with heavie chere. We judged
the covering of his face with his hands and bowing of
his body downe, signified his death. At length he became
a pleasant companion among us. I gave him a new sute
of frize after the English fashion, because I saw he could
not indure the colde, of which he was very joyfull, he
trimmed up his darts, and all his fishing tooles, and would
make okam, and set his hand to a ropes end upon
occasion. He lived with the dry Caplin that I tooke when
I was searching in the pinnis, and did eate dry Newland
fish.
All this while, God be thanked, our people were in
very good health, onely one young man excepted, who
dyed at sea the fourteenth of this moneth, and the
fifteenth, according to the order of the sea, with praise
given to God by service, was cast overboord.
The 17 of this moneth being in the latitude of 63.
degres 8. minuts, we fell upon a most mighty and strange
quantitie of yce in one intire masse, so bigge as that
we knew not the limits thereof, and being withall so
very high in forme of a land, with bayes and capes and
like high cliffe land, as that we supposed it to be land,
and therefore sent our pinnesse off to discover it: but
at her returne we were certainely informed that it was
onely yce, which bred great admiration to us all considering the huge quantitie thereof, incredible to be
reported in trueth as it was, and therefore I omit to
speake any further thereof. This onely I thinke, that
the like before was never seene: and in this place we
had very stickle and strong currents.
We coasted this mightie masse of yce untill the 30
of July, finding it a mighty barre to our purpose: the
ayre in this time was so contagious and the sea so pestered
with yce, as that all hope was banished of proceeding:
for the 24 of July all our shrowds, ropes and sailes were
so frosen, and compassed with yce, onely by a grosse
fogge, as seemed to me more then strange, sith the last
yeere I found this sea free and navigable, without impediments.
Our men through this extremity began to grow sicke
and feeble, and withall hopelesse of good successe : whereupon very orderly, with good discretion they intreated
me to regard the state of this busines, and withall advised
me, that in conscience I ought to regard the saftie of
mine owne life with the preservation of theirs, and that
I should not through my overboldnes leave their widowes
and fatherlesse children to give me bitter curses. This
matter in conscience did greatly move me to regard their
estates: yet considering the excellencie of the businesse
if it might be attained, the great hope of certaintie by
the last yeeres discovery, and that there was yet a third
way not put in practise, I thought it would growe to my
great disgrace, if this action by my negligence should
grow into discredite: whereupon seeking helpe from God,
the fountaine of all mercies, it pleased his divine majestie
to move my heart to prosecute that which I hope shal
be to his glory, and to the contentation of every Christian
minde. Whereupon falling into consideration that the
Mermaid, albeit a very strong & sufficient ship, yet by
reason of her burthen was not so convenient and nimble
as a smaller bark, especially in such desperate hazzards:
further having in account her great charge to the adventurers being at 100.li. the moneth, and that in doubtfull
service: all the premisses considered with divers other
things, I determined to furnish the Moonelight with
revictualling and sufficient men, and to proceede in this
action as God should direct me. Whereupon I altered
our course from the yce, and bare Eastsoutheast to
recover the next shore where this thing might be performed: so with favourable winde it pleased God that
the first of August we discovered the land in Latitude
66. degrees, 33. min. and in longitude from the Meridian
of London 70. degrees voyd of trouble without snow or
ice.
The second of August wee harboured our selves in a
very excellent good road, where with all speed we graved
the Moonelight, and revictualled her: wee searched this
countrey with our pinnesse while the barke was trimming,
which William Eston did: he found all this land to be
onely Ilands, with a Sea on the East, a Sea on the West,
and a Sea on the North. In this place wee found it
very hot, and wee were very much troubled with a flie
which is called Muskyto, for they did sting grievously.
The people of this place at our first comming in caught
a Seale, and with bladders fast tied to him sent him
unto us with the floud, so as hee came right with our
shippes, which we tooke as a friendly present from them.
The fift of August I went with the two Masters and
others to the toppe of a hill, and by the way William
Eston espied three Canoas lying under a rocke, and went
unto them: there were in them skinnes, darts, with divers
superstitious toyes, whereof wee diminished nothing, but
left upon every boat a silke point, a bullet of lead, and
a pinne. The next day being the sixt of August, the
people came unto us without feare, and did barter with
us for skinnes, as the other people did: they differ not
from the other, neither in their Canoas nor apparel, yet
is their pronuntiation more plaine then the others, and
nothing hollow in the throat. Our Savage aboord us
kept himselfe close, and made shew that he would faine
have another companion. Thus being provided, I departed from this lande the twelft of August at sixe of
the clocke in the morning, where I left the Mermayd at
an anker: the foureteenth sailing West about fiftie
leagues, we discovered land, being in latitude 66. degrees
19 minuts: this land is 70. leagues from the other from
whence we came. This fourteenth day from nine a clocke
at night till three a clocke in the morning, wee ankered
by an Iland of yce, twelve leagues off the shore, being
mored to the yce.
The fifteenth day at three a clocke in the morning we
departed from this land to the South, and the eighteenth
of August we discovered land Northwest from us in the
morning, being a very faire promontory, in latitude 65.
degrees, having no land on the South. Here wee had
great hope of a through passage.
This day at three a clocke in the afternoone wee againe
discovered lande Southwest and by South from us, where
at night wee were becalmed. The nineteenth of this
moneth at noone, by observation, we were in 64. degrees
20. minuts. From the eighteenth day at noone unto
the nineteenth at noone, by precise ordinary care, wee
had sailed 15. leagues South and by West, yet by art
and more exact observation, we found our course to be
Southwest, so that we plainely perceived a great current
striking to the West.
This land is nothing in sight but Isles, which increaseth
our hope. This nineteenth of August at sixe a clocke
in the afternoone, it began to snow, and so continued all
night with foule weather, and much winde, so that we
were constrained to lie at hull all night five leagues off
the shore: In the morning being the twentieth of August,
the fogge and storme breaking up, we bare in with the
lande, and at nine a clocke in the morning wee ankered
in a very faire and safe road and lockt for all weathers.
At tenne of the clocke I went on shore to the toppe of
a very high hill, where I perceived that this land was
Islands: at foure of the clocke in the afternoone wee
weyed anker, having a faire North northeast winde, with
very faire weather; at six of the clocke we were cleare
without the land, and so shaped our course to the South,
to discover the coast, whereby the passage may be
through Gods mercy found.
We coasted this land till the eight and twentieth of
August, finding it still to continue towards the South,
from the latitude of 67. to 57. degrees: we found marveilous great store of birds, guls and mewes, incredible
to be reported, whereupon being calme weather, we lay
one glasse upon the lee, to prove for fish, in which space
we caught 100. of cod, although we were but badly provided for fishing, not being our purpose. This eight and
twentieth having great distrust of the weather, we arrived
in a very faire harbour in the latitude of 56. degrees,
and sailed 10. leagues into the same, being two leagues
broad, with very faire woods on both sides: in this place
wee continued until the first of September, in which
time we had two very great stormes. I landed, & went
sixe miles by ghesse into the countrey, and found that
the woods were firre, pineapple, alder, yew, withy, and
birch: here wee saw a blacke beare: this place yeeldeth
great store of birds, as fezant, partridge, Barbary hennes
or the like, wilde geese, ducks, black birdes, jeyes,
thrushes, with other kinds of small birds. Of the partridge and fezant we killed great store with bow and
arrowes: in this place at the harborough mouth we found
great store of cod.
The first of September at tenne a clocke wee set saile,
and coasted the shore with very faire weather. The
thirde day being calme, at noone we strooke saile, and
let fall a cadge anker, to prove whether we could take
any fish, being in latitude 54. degrees 30. minuts, in
which place we found great abundance of cod, so that
the hooke was no sooner overboord, but presently a fish
was taken. It was the largest and the best fed fish that
ever I sawe, and divers fisher men that were with me
sayd that they never saw a more suavle or better skull
of fish in their lives: yet had they seene great abundance.
The fourth of September at five a clocke in the afternoone we ankered in a very good road among great store
of Isles, the countrey low land, pleasant and very full
of fayre woods. To the North of this place eight leagues,
we had a perfect hope of the passage, finding a mightie
great sea passing betweene two lands West. The South
land to our judgement being nothing but Isles: we
greatly desired to goe into this sea, but the winde was
directly against us. We ankered in foure fathome fine
sand. In this place is foule and fish mightie store.
The sixt of September having a faire Northnorthwest
winde, having trimmed our Barke we purposed to depart,
and sent five of our sailers yong men a shore to an
Island, to fetch certaine fish which we purposed to
weather, and therefore left it al night covered upon the
Isle: the brutish people of this countrey lay secretly
lurking in the wood, and upon the sudden assaulted our
men: which when we perceived, we presently let slip our
cables upon the halse, and under our foresaile bare into
the shoare, and with all expedition discharged a double
musket upon them twise, at the noyse whereof they fled:
notwithstanding to our very great griefe, two of our
men were slaine with their arrowes, and two grievously
wounded, of whom at this present we stand in very great
doubt, onely one escaped by swimming, with an arrow
shot thorow his arme. These wicked miscreants never
offered parly or speech, but presently executed their cursed
fury.
This present evening it pleased God further to increase
our sorowes with a mighty tempestuous storme, the winde
being Northnortheast, which lasted unto the tenth of
this moneth very extreme. We unrigged our ship, and
purposed to cut downe our masts, the cable of our shutanker brake, so that we onely expected to be driven on
shoare among these Canibals for their pray. Yet in this
deepe distresse the mightie mercie of God, when hope
was past, gave us succour, and sent us a faire lee, so as
we recovered our anker againe, and newe mored our ship:
where we saw that God manifestly delivered us: for the
straines of one of our cables were broken, and we only
roade by an olde junke. Thus being freshly mored a new
storme arose, the winde being Westnorthwest, very
forcible, which lasted unto the tenth day at night.
The eleventh day with a faire Westnorthwest winde
we departed with trust in Gods mercie, shaping our course
for England
, and arrived in the West countrey in the
beginning of October.
