The observations of Sir Richard Havvkins Knight, in his voiage into the South Sea. Anno Domini 1593

SECT. XXXIII.

SVch was the diligence we vsed for our dispatch to shoot the Straites, that at foure dayes end, wee had our water and wood stowed in our Shippe, all our Copper-worke finished, and our shippe Calked ••rom Post to Stemme; the first day in the mor∣ning (the wind being fayre) we brought our selues into the Channell, and sayled towards the mouth of the Straites, praising God; and beginning our course with little winde, we des∣cryed a fire vpon the shore, made by the Indians for a signe to call vs; which seene, I caused a Boat to be man'de, and we rowed ashore, to see what their meaning was, and approaching neere the shore, wee saw a Cannoa made fast vnder a Rocke with a wyth, most artifici∣ally made with the rindes of Trees, and sowed together with the synnes of Whales; at both ends sharpe, and turning vp, with a greene bough in ••ither end, and ribbes for strengthening it. After a little while, we might discerne on the fall of the mountaine (which was ••ull of trees and shrubbes) two or three Indians naked, which came out of certaine Caues, or coates. They spake vnto vs, and made divers signes; now poynting to the Harbour, out of which we were come; and then to the mouth of the Straites: But wee vn∣derstood nothing of their meaning. Yet left they vs with many imaginations, suspecting, it might be to advise vs of our Pynace, or some other thing of moment; but for that they were vnder co∣vert, and might worke vs some treacherie (for all the people of the Straites, and the land nere them, vse all the villany they can towards white people, taking them for Spaniards, in revenge of the deceit

that Nation hath vsed towards them vpon sundry occasions:) as also for that by our stay we could reape nothing but hinderance of our Navigation, wee hasted to our Shippe, and sayled on our course.

From Blanches Bay to long reach, which is some foure leagues, the course lyeth West South-west entring into the long reach; which is the last of the Straits, and longest. For it is some thirty two leagues, and the course lyeth next of any thing North-west.

Before the setting of the Sunne, wee had the mouth of the Straits open, and were in great hope the next day to be in the South sea; but about seaven of the clocke that night, wee saw a great cloud rise out of the North-east, which began to cast forth great flashes of lightnings, and sodainely sayling with a fresh gale of wind at north-east, another more forcible tooke vs astayes; which put vs in dan∣ger: for, all our sayles being a tant, it had like to haue overset our ship, before we could take in our sayles. And therefore in all such semblances it is great wisedome to carry a short sayle, or to take in all sayles.

Heere we found what the Indians forwarned vs of; for they haue great insight in the change of weather, and besides haue secret dea∣ling with the Prince of Darkenesse, who many times declareth vn∣to them things to come; By this meanes and other witch-crafts, which he teacheth them, hee possesseth them, and causeth them to doe what pleaseth him.

Within halfe an houre it began to thunder and raine, with so much winde as wee were forced to lye a hull, and so darke, that we saw nothing, but when the lightning came. This being one of the narrowest reache•• of all the Straits, wee were forced, every glasse, to open a little of our fore-sayle, to cast about our ships head: any man may conceiue if the night seemed long vnto vs, what desire we had to see the day. In fine, Phoebus with his beautifull face light∣ned our Hemisphere, and reioyced our hearts (hauing driven a∣boue twenty foure leagues in twelue houres lying a hull: whereby, is to be imagined the force of the winde and current.)

We set our fore-sayle, and returned to our former harbour; from whence, within three or foure dayes, we set sayle againe with a faire winde, which continued with vs till we came within a league of the mouth of the Straite, here the ••inde tooke vs againe contrary, and forced vs to returne againe to our former port; where being ready to anchor, the winde scanted with vs in such maner, as wee were forced to make a bourd. In which time, the winde and tide put vs so farr to lee-wards, that we could by no meanes seize it: So we de∣termined

to goe to Elizabeth Bay, but before we came at it, the night overtooke vs: and this reach being dangerous and narrow, we durst neither hull, nor trye, or turne to and againe with a short sayle, and therefore bare alongst in the middest of the channell, till we were come into the broad reach, then lay a hull till the morning.

When we set sayle and ran alongst the coast, seeking with our boate some place to anchor in; some foure leagues to the West-wards of Cape Froward, we found a goodly bay; which wee named English bay: where anchored, we presently went a shore, and found a goodly River of fresh water, and an old Cannoa broken to peeces, and some two or three of the houses of the Indians, with peeces of Seale stinking ripe. These houses are made in fa••hion of an Oven seven or eight foote broad, with boughes of trees, and covered with other boughes, as our Summer houses; and doubtles do serve them but for the Summer time, when they come to fish, and pro∣fit themselues of the Sea. For they retyre themselues in the Winter into the Country, where it is more temperate, and yeeldeth better sustenance: for on the Mayne of the Straits, wee neyther saw beast, nor fowle, Sea fowle excepted, and a kind of Blacke-bird, and two hoggs towards the beginning of the Straites.

Here our ship being well moored, we began to supply our wood and water, that we had spent. Which being a dayes worke, and the winde during many dayes contrary, I endevoured to keepe my peo∣ple occupied, to divert them from the imagination which some had conceived; that it behooved, we should returne to Brasill and winter there, and so shoot the Straites in the spring of the yeare.

So one day, we rowed vp the River, with our boat and light horse∣man, to discover it, and the in-land: where having spent a good part of the day, and finding shold water, and many Trees fallen thwart it, and little fruite of our labour, nor any thing worth the noting, we returned.

Another day, we trayned our people a-shore, being a goodly sandie Bay: another, we had a hurling of Batchelers against married men; This day we were busied in wrestling, the other in shooting; so we were ne∣ver idle, neyther thought we the time long.

Notes

• Long Reach.
• Note.
• English Bay.
• Sloth cause of imagination.