The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford.

A letter of Gerardus Mercator, written to M. Richard Hakluyt of Ox∣ford, touching the intended discouerie of the Northeast passage, An. 1580.

LIterae ••uae (vir humanissime) 19. Iunij demùm mihi reddite fuerunt: vehemen∣ter dolui visis illis tantam, non modo temporis, sed multò magis tempestiuae instructionis iacturam factam esse. Optassem Arthurum Pet de quibusdam non leuibus ante suum discessum praemonitum fuisse. Expeditissima sanè per Orientem in Cathaium est nauigatio: & saepè miratus sum, eam foeliciter in∣choatam, desertam fuisse, velis in Occidētem translatis, post••uam plus quàm dimidium itineris vestri iam notum haberent. Nam post Insulam Vaigats, & Noua Zembla continuò ingens sequitur Sinus, quem ab ortu Tabin immane promontorium complectitur.* 1.1 In hunc medium maxima illabuntur flumina, quae vniuersam Regionem Seticam perluentia, vt{que} existimo, in intima continentis vs{que} magnis nauigijs peruia, facillimam rationē exhibent quas∣libet merces ex Cataio, Mangi, Mien, caeterisque circumfusis regnis contrahendi, atque in An∣gliam deportandi. Caeterùm cùm non temerè eam nauigationem intermissam crederem, opi∣nabarab Imperatore Russorum & Moscouiae obstaculum aliquod interiectum fuisse. Quod si verò cum illius gratia vlterior illac nauigatio detur, suaderem profecto nō primùm Tabin pro∣montorium quaerere, atque explorare, sed Sinum hunc atque flumina, in ijs{que} portum aliquem commodissimum, stationém{que} Anglicis Mercatoribus deligere, ex quo deinceps maiore oppor∣tunitate, minoribúsque periculis Tabin promontorium, & totius Cathai circumnauigatio in∣dagari posset. Esse autem ingens in Septentrionem excurrens promontorium Tabin,* 1.2 non ex Plinio tantùm, verùm & alijs scriptoribus, & tabu••is aliquot (licèt rudius depictis) certum ha∣beo. Polum etiam Magnetis haud longè vltra Tabin situm esse, certis Magnetis obseruationi∣bus didici: circa quem & Tabin plurimos esse scopulos, difficilém{que} & periculosam nauigatio∣nem existimo: dif••ic••liorem tamen ad Cathaium accessum fore opinor, ea qua nunc via in Oc∣cidentem tentatur. Propin quior enim fiet haec nauigatio polo Magnetis, quám altera, ad quem propitùs accedere non puto tutum esse. Quia verò Magnes alium quàm Mundi polum habet,* 1.3 quo ex omni parte respicit: quò propiùs ad cum acceditur, eò directorium illud Nauticū mag∣netis virtute imbutum, magis à Septentrione deuiat, nunc in Occidentem, nunc in Orientem, pront quis vel orientalior, vel occidentalior est illo Meridiano, qui per vtrumq: polum Magne∣tis, & Mundi ducitur, Mirabilis est haec varietas, & quae nauigantē plurimùm fallere potest, nisi hanc Magnetis inconstantiam nòrit, & ad poli eleuationem per instrumenta subinde respiciat. In hac re si non sit iustructus D. Arthurus, aut ea sit dexteritate, vt deprehenso errore eum inue∣nire & castigare possit, timeo ne deuias faciat ambages, tempus illum fallat, & semiperacto ne∣gotio, à gelu praeoccupetur: Aiunt enim Sinum illum fortiùs quotannis congelari. Quod si contingat: hoc quod consultius mihi visum fuit, proximum illi erit refugium, vt in eo sinu, ijs{que} fluminibus quae dixi, portum quaerat, & per Legatum aliquem, cum magno Cham, nomine Se∣renissimae Reginae notitiam, amicitiámque contrahat: quam opinor Maximo orbis Imperatori gratam, imo gratissimam fore propter remotissima commercia. Opinor ab ostijs Bautisi & Oe∣chardi* 1.4 fluminum maximorum, vsque ad Cambalu Regiam summam Chami, non vltra 300•• milliar••a Germanica esse, & iter sumendum per Ezinam vrbem regni Tangut, que 100•• tantùm milliarijs Germanicis ab ostijs distare videtur, & paret Magno Cham.

Valde optarem cognoscere, quàm altè communiter exur gat aestus maris in eo Moscouiae* 1.5 portu, quem vestri pro statione habent, & in alijs versùs orientem locis vsque ad Tabin. Item, an mare in hoc districtu semper in vnam partem, videlic et Orientem, aut Occidentem fluat, an verò pro ratione aestuum fluat, & refluat, in medio inquam canali, hoc est, an ibi sex horis in oc∣casum, & iterum sex in ortum fluat, an verò semper in eandem partem: a liae enim speculationes non parum vtiles hinc dependent. Idem optarem à D. Frobiscero in occidentem obseruari. Quod ad Sinum Merosro, & Canadam, ac Nouam Franciam attinet, ea in meis tabulis desump∣ta sunt ex quadam Tabula marina, que à quodam sacerdote ex earum ditionum Naucleri peri∣tissimi Galli descriptione excerpta fuit, & illustrissimo Principi Georgio ab Austria episcopo Leodiensi oblata. Non dubito, quin quantùm ad littorum situm attinet & poli eleuationem, ad veritatem ea quàm proximè accedant. Habebat enim ea tabula praeter scalam graduum la∣titudinis per medium sui extensam, aliam praeterea particularem Nouae Franciae litto••••bus ad∣iunctam, qua deprauatae latitudines, occasione erroris Magnetis ibi commissae, castigarentur. Iacobi Cnoyen Buscoducensis itincrarium per omnem Asiam, Affricam, & Septentrionem, o∣lim mihi Amicus Antuerpiae ab ali•• mutuò acceptum communicauit, eo vsus sum, & reddidi: post multos annos eundem ab amico repetij, & reminisci ille non potuit à quo accepisset. Gu∣lielmi Tripolitani & Ioannis de plano Carpini scripta non vidi, tantùm excerpta exillis quae∣dam

in alijs scriptis libris inueni. Abilfadae Epitome gaudeo verti, vtinam citò habeamus.

Haec (mi Domi••e) tuis respondenda putaui: si quid est aliud quod à me desideres, libentissi∣mè tibi communicabo: hoc vicissim amanter à tua humanitate petens, vt quae ex vtrius{que} na∣uigationis cursu obseruata nancisi poteris, mihi communices, penes me pro tuo arbitrio ma∣nebunt omnia, & quaecunque inde collegero, fideliter ad te perscribam, si forte ad pulcherri∣mum, vtilissimúm{que} orbi Christiano hoc nauigationis institutum aliquid opis & consilij adferre possint.

Benevale, vir doctissime.

Duisburgi in Cliuia, 28. Iulij 1580

.

* 1.6Redeunte Arthuro, quaeso discas ab illo que optaui, & num alicubi in suo itinere, dulce mare, aut parum salsum inuenerit: suspicor enim mare inter Noua Zembla, & Tabin dulce esse.

T. H. paratissimus quantus quantus sum, Gerardus Mercator.

The same in English.

SIr, I receiued your letters the 19. of Iune: it grieued me much that vpon the sight of them the time being spent, I could not giue any conuenient instructions: I wish Arthur Pet had bene informed before his departure of some speciall points. The voyage to Cathaio by the East, is dourlesse very easie and short, and I haue oftentimes marueiled, that being so happily begun, it hath bene left of, and the course changed into the West, after that more then halfe of your voiage was discouered.* 2.1 For beyond the Island of Vaigats and Noua Zembla, there foloweth presently a great Baie, which on the left side is inclosed with the mightie promontorie Tabin. Into the mids hereof there fall great riuers, which passing through the whole countrey of Serica, and be∣ing as I thinke nauigable with great vessels into y^e heart of the continent, may be an easie means whereby to traffique for all maner of merchandize, and transport them out of Cathaio, Mangi, Mien, and other kingdoms thereabouts into England. But considering with my selfe that that nauigation was not intermitted, but vpon great occasion, I thought that the Emperor of Russia and Moscouie had hindered the proceeding thereof. If so be that with his grace and fauour a fur∣ther nauigation may be made, I would counsell them certainly not first to seeke out the promon∣torie Tabin,* 2.2 but to search this baie and riuers aforesayd, and in them to picke and chuse out some conuenient port and harborough for the English merchants, from whence afterward with more opportunitie and lesse perill, the promontorie Tabin and all the coast of Cathaio may bee discoue∣red. And that there is such a huge promontorie called Tabin. I am certainly perswaded not onely out of Plinie, but also other writers, and some Maps (though some what rudely drawen:) and that the pole of the Loadstone is not farre beyond Tabin, I haue learned by the certaine obseruations of the Loadstone: about which pole and Tabin I thinke there are very many rockes, and very hard and dangerous sailing: and yet a more hard and difficile passage I thinke it to bee this way which is now attempted by the West, for it is neerer to the pole of the Loadstone, to the which I thinke it not safe to approch. And because the Loadstone hath another pole then that of the world, to the which from all parts it hath a respect, the neerer you come vnto it, the more the needle of the Compasse doeth varie from the North, sometimes to the West, and sometimes to the East, accor∣ding as a man is to the Eastward or to the Westward of that Meridian, that passeth by both the poles of the Magnes and the World.

This is a strange alteration and very apt to deceiue the Sailer, vnlesse hee know the vncon∣stancie and variation of the Compasse, and take the eleuation of the pole somtimes with his instru∣ments. If master Arthur be not well prouided in this behalfe, or of such dexteritie, that percei∣uing the errour he be not able to correct the same, I feare least in wandering vp and downe he lose his time, and be ouertaken with the ice in the midst of the enterprise. For that gulfe, as they say, is frozen euery yere very hard. Which if it be so, the best counsel I could giue for their best safetie, were to seeke some harborough in that baie, and those riuers whereof I haue spoken, and by some Ambassador to make friendship and acquaintance with the great Can, in name of the Queenes maiestie, which I beleeue will be gratefull to the mightiest Emperour in the world, yea most ex∣cellent for the length of the traffique, and great distance of the places. I thinke from the mouthes of the mighty riuers Bautisus and Oechardus to Cambalu the chiefest seat of the prince the Can,* 2.3 there are not past 300. Germane miles, and to passe by Ezina a citie of the kingdom of Tangut, which seemeth to be but 100. Germane miles from the mouthes of the sayd riuers, and is subiect to the great Can.

I would gladly know how high the sea doeth flowe commonly in the port of Moscouia where your men do harborow, and in other Easterly places vnto Tabin. And also whether the sea in this streight do flow alwaies one way to the East or to the West, or whether it do ebbe and flow accor∣ding

to the maner of the tides in the middle of the chanel, that is to say, whether it ••low there sixe houres into the West,* 2.4 and as may backe againe to the East, for hereupon depend other speculati∣ons of importance. I would wish M. Frobisher to obserue the same Westwards. Concerning the gulfe of Merosro and Canada, and new France which are in my mappes, they were taken out of a certaine sea card drawn by a certaine priest out of the description of a Frenchman, •• Pilot very skilfull in those partes, and presented to the worthy prince George of Austria, bishop of Liege: for the trending of the coast, and the eleuation of the pole, I doubt not but they are very neere the trueth: for the Charte had•• beside a scale of degrees of latitude passing through the middest of it, another particularly annexed to the coast of New France, wherewith the errour of the latitudes committed by reason of the variation of the compasse might be corrected. The historie of the voy∣age of Iacobus Cnoyen Buschoducensis throughout al Asia, Affrica, and the North, was lent me in time past by a friend of mine at Antwerpe. After I had vsed it, I restored it againe: after ma∣ny yeeres I required it againe of my friend, but hee had forgotten of whom ••ee had borrowed it. The writings of Gulielmus Tripolitanus, and Ioannes de Plano Carpini I neuer saw: onely I found certaine pieces of them in other written hand bookes. I am glad the Epitomie of Abilfada is translated, I would we might haue it shortly.

Thus much Sir I thought good to answere your letters: if there bee any thing els that you would require of me, I will most willingly communicate it with you, crauing this likewise of your curtesie, that whatsoeuer obseruations of both these voyages shall come to your hands, you would impart them to me, they shall all remaine with mee according to your discretion and plea∣sure, and whatsoeuer I gather of them, I will faithfully signifie vnto you by letters, if happily they may yeeld any helpe or light vnto this most excellent enterprise of nauigation, and most pro∣fitable to our christian common wealth. Fare you well most learned friend.

At Duisburg in Cliueland, 28. of Iulie, the yeere, 1580

.

At Arthur his returne I pray you learne of him the things I haue requested, and whether any where in his vo••age, he found the sea fresh, or not very salt: for I suppose the Sea betweene No∣ua Zembla and Tabin to be fresh.

Yours wholly to my power to be commanded, Gerardus Mercator.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ingens Sinus post Insulam Vaigats & Nou••m Zem∣blam.
• * 1.2

  Tabin promon∣torium ingens.
• * 1.3

  Quo propius ad polum acceditur, eò directorium Nauticum magis a Septeouior•• deuiat.
• * 1.4

  Bautisus & Oe∣chardus maxima flu••ina in hunc Sinum illabun∣tur.
• * 1.5

  Postulata Merca∣toris, de quibus certior fieri cupit.
• * 1.6

  Dulce mare inter Nouam Zem∣blam & Tabin suspicatur.
• * 2.1

  A great gulfe is beyond Vaigats, whereinto mighty riuers descend.
• * 2.2

  The best course to be taken in discoueries.
• * 2.3

  The mouthes of Bautisus and Oechardus 300. leagues from Cambalu.
• * 2.4

  Upon the ob∣seruations of the tides de∣pend great speculations.