The strange and dangerous voyage of Captaine Thomas Iames, in his intended discouery of the Northwest Passage into the South Sea VVherein the miseries indured both going, wintering, returning; and the rarities obserued, both philosophicall and mathematicall, are related in this iournall of it. Published by his Maiesties command. To which are added, a plat or card for the sayling in those seas. Diuers little tables of the author's, of the variation of the compasse, &c. VVith an appendix concerning longitude, by Master Henry Gellibrand astronomy reader of Gresham Colledge in London. And an aduise concerning the philosophy of these late discouereyes, by W.W.

Iuly, 1632.

MVnday being the second of Iuly, we were vp betimes: about Stowing and fitting our Ship, and waying of our Ankers, which when the last was a trippe, wee went to prayer, beseeching God to continue his mer∣cies to vs, and rendering him thanks for hauing thus restored vs. Our Ship we found no defect in; we had abun∣dance of such prouisions, as we brought out of England: and we were in indifferent health, and did gather strength dai∣ly. This being done, we wayed, and came cheerefully to sayle. The winde at North-west, bad to get away. Wherefore we stood ouer to Danby Iland, to take in more wood; and there to be ready to take the opportunitie of a faire winde. I went ashoare my selfe with the Boate: for that some of the com∣pany had told me, they had seen some stakes the last yeer dro∣uen into the ground. When we came ashoare, whilest some gatherd wood, I went to the place: where I found two stakes, drouen into the ground about a foote and a halfe, and fire∣brands, where a fire had beene made by them. I puld vp the

stakes, which were about the bignesse of my arme; and they had beene cut sharpe at the ends, with a hatchet, or some other good Iron toole, and driuen in as it were with the head of it. They were distant about a stones-throw, from the water side. I could not conceiue, to what purpose they should be there set; vnlesse it were for some marke for boats. This did augment my desire, to speake with the Saluages: for without doubt they could haue giuen notice of some Chri∣stians, with whom they had some commerce. About 4. in the Euening, I returned aboord with a boats lading of wood: and the winde something fauouring, we wayde; with our lead seeking out a Channell amongst these perilous shoalds. In the Euening, the winde opposing it selfe; we came to Anker betwixt Charleton Iland, and that Iland we named the last yeere, (in memory of that Honourable Gentleman Master Thomas Carie, one of the Bed-chamber to the King) Caries Iland: where we rid all night.

The 3. at breake of day,* 1.1 we wayde with a bare winde, and sounding vp and downe for a Channell, we were many times in 5. and 4 fad. water. The winde larging vpon vs, we stood away West: by noone, we saw all Ice to the North-ward of vs. Indeauouring, therefore, to compasse about the Wester∣point of Charleton Iland: and so to seeke to the South-ward: We found it all shoalds, Rockes, and breaches. By 4. in the afternoone, we saw the Western-land; but all full of Ice: whereupon, as the wind fauoured vs, we stood alongst it in sight to the North-ward.

The fourth was calme, but so very thicke fogge withall,* 1.2 that we could not see a Pistoll-shot about vs. Wherefore we came to an Anker, and there rid all this day and the next night.

The fift,* 1.3 at three in the morning, we waide: but Ice being all about vs, we knew not which way to turne vs now to avoide telling the same thing 20 times: we were continually, till the 22. so pestered and tormented with Ice; that it would seeme incredible to relate it: sometimes we were so blinded with fogge, that we could not see about vs: and be∣ing

now become wilfull in our indeauours, we should so strike against the Ice, that the fore-part of the Ship would cracke againe; and make our Cooke and others to runne vp all amazed, and thinke the Ship had beene beaten all to pie∣ces. Indeed we did hourely strike such vnauoidable blowes, that we did leaue the hatches open, and 20. times in a day, the men would runne downe into the hold, to see if shee were bulged.

Sometimes, when we had made her fast in the night, to a great piece of Ice; we should haue such violent stormes, that our fastning would breake: and then the storme would beate vs from piece to piece most fearefully: Other-while, we should be fast inclosed amongst great Ice, as high as our poope. This was made (as I haue formerly said) by one piece running vpon another: which made it draw 8. or 10. fad▪ water. Besides which, the lower-most would rise from vnderneath, and strike vs vnder the bulge, with pieces of 5. 6. yea of 8. tunne, that many times we haue pumpt cleere water for an houre together, before we could make the pumpe sucke▪ Amongst these seuerall and hourely dangers, I ouer-heard the men murmure; and say that they were happy that I had buried: and that if they had a thousand pounds, they would giue it, so they lay fairely by them: for we (say they) are destined to starue vpon a piece of Ice. I was faine to indure all this with patience: and to comfort them vp againe, when I had them in a better humour.

The 22. hauing beene vext with a storme all last night,* 1.4 and this morning with a thicke fogge; we droue in 13. faddome water. About noone, it cleer'd; and we saw the land: and at the instant, had a good obseruation: whereby we knew it to be Cape Henrietta Maria. I made the Master stand in with it; and in the meane time we fitted a Crosse, and fastened the Kings Armes, and the Armes of the City of Bristoll to it; we came to an Anker within a mile of the shoare, in 6. fadd. water: so we hoyst out the boate, and tooke our Armes and our Dogs, and went ashoare. Vpon the most eminent place, we erected the Crosse: and then seeking about, we soone

saw some Deere; and by and by more and more. We stole to them with the best skill we had, and then put our Dogs on them: but the Deere ranne cleere away from them at plea∣sure. We tyred the Dogs, and wearied our selues, but to no purpose: neither could we come to shoote at them. I saw in all, about a dozen (old and young) very goodly beasts. We tooke halfe a doozen young Geese, on the pooles, by wading in to them; and so returned to our Boate vext, that now we had found a place where there was refreshing, and we could get none of it. Whereas, therefore, we had kept our Dogs with a great deale of inconuenience aboord the Ship, all the winter; and had pardoned them many misde∣meanors, (for they would steale our meate out of the steeping tubs) in hope they might hereafter doe vs some seruice: and seeing they now did not; and that there was no hope they could hereafter: I caused them to be left ashoare. They were a Dogge and a Bitch: Bucke Dogs, of a very good race. The Dogge had a collar about his necke, which it may be hereafter, may come to light. I did see no signe at all, of any Saluages: nor could we finde any hearbs, or other refresh∣ing here.

In the Euening, (being returned aboord) and the winde blowing faire at South; I caused the Master to weight, and come to saile, and to lose no time. For we did hope for an open Sea to the North-west. This Cape hath a very shoald point, that lies off it: which we indeauoured to compasse about.

Sayling therefore amongst shattered Ice, we came to very shoald water, (4. and 5. faddome deepe) and could not auoyde it. At length, standing North, the water deepened; but we came withall amongst great pieces of Ice; which by reason of some open water, there went a pretty sea. These hard pieces of Ice, made a most fearefull noyse. It proued a faire Moone-shine night: otherwise it had gone ill with vs. We turned amongst this Ice, staying the Ship sometimes within her length, of great pieces, as bad as Rockes: but by reason we were often forst to beare vp, we did sagge vpon the

maine rand of Ice, and that we thought would it be worse for vs; wee let fall an Anker, and stood all on the decks to watch the Ices sheering of the Ship, (to and againe) to a∣uoyd it. Thus hauing poles and oares to fend it, we could not keepe our selues so cleere, but many pieces came foule of vs. We brake two of our great poles with it: which were made to be handled by foure men, besides some other dammages. At breake of day, we wayed; and sought all wayes to cleere our selues of Ice: but it was impossible. I conceiue it imperti∣nent to relate euery particular dayes passages; which was much alike to vs. Our endeauours were sometimes with our sayles; giuing and receiuing 500. fearefull blowes in a day. Sometimes, we would stop at an Anker, when we could get a little open water: and so suffer the Ice to driue to Leeward: Other-whiles, we should be inclosed amongst it; and then it would so breake, and rise, and leape vp vnder vs; that we ex∣pected to be beaten euery houre to pieces.

Moreouer, wee should haue such stormes in the darke nights, that would breake the moorings we had made fast to some piece of Ice for securitie in the night season: and then we should beat most dangerously from piece to piece till day-light, that we could see to make her fast againe. I forbeare to speake of thicke fogges which we had daily; which did freeze our Rigging day and night: Besides all which, wee should come into most vncertaine depths: sometimes 20. faddome: next cast 10. next 15. then 9. Rocky foule ground. The great deepe Ice withall, driuing on these vncertaine depths, did so distract the tydes, and deceiue vs so much in our accounts,* 1.5 that by the thirtieth we were driuen backe so farre, to the Eastward, and to the Southward of the Cape; that at fiue a clocke in the euening, it bare North-west of vs some three leagues off, contrary to our expectations. With all these mischiefes, our Ship is now becomne very leaky: that we must pumpe euery halfe watch. Here I called a con∣sultation: and after consideration of all our experience, we were all of the same opinion; that it was impossible to get to the Northward, or to the Eastward; by reason of the Ice.

Wherefore I resolued vpon this course: When the winde blew South, it would blow the Ice off the South shoare, then we would seeke to get to the Westward, betwixt it and the shoare. I must confesse that this was a desperate resolution: for all the coast we knew to be shoald and foule ground, all rocks, and stones: so that if the winde should shift to the Northward, there would be (without Gods mercies) little hope of vs. But here we must not stay: The nights grew long; the cold so increased, that betwixt the pieces of Ice, the Sea would be frozen. I caused the Ship to be fitted, and places conuenient againe prepared to sinke her the second time, if so be we were put to extremities. We presently put our proiect in execution (the winde being at South) and got about the shoalds of the Cape; standing then into the shoare-ward, to get betwixt it and the Ice: we came into foure fad∣dome water (very foule rocky ground) thinking to come to an Anker all night, and let the Ice driue to Leeward. But still there was so much Ice betwixt vs and the shoare, that we were faine to beare vp amongst it into deeper water, and to let the Ship driue amongst it. The winde increasing, we en∣dured a most dangerous darke night of it. In the morning. we fell to worke, to get the Ship againe out of the Ice into some cleere water, which we saw West by South of vs. Some of our company out vpon the Ice, to heaue her with their shoulders: whilest others stood aboord with poles. The rest stood to spill and fill the sayle. By nine in the mor∣ning, we had gotten into some cleere water: and stood West and by South; and into foure faddome water, foule ground. But being not able to weather some rands of Ice, which did driue; wee were faine to stand off againe, and (when the euening grew darke) to come to an Anker.

About midnight, there came a great piece of Ice, (which we could not auoyd) athwart of our Cable; and made the Ship driue and dragge her Anker. This droue her into shoald water, it being very rocky and foule ground. We brought the Cable to Capstang, and heau'd with such a courage, that we heau'd home our Anker from vnder it. Thus we did

endeauour (the best we could) to keep our selues in eight and ten faddome water. It then pleased God, that the wind blew alongst the shoare: otherwise it had gone far worse with vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  3.
• * 1.2

  4.
• * 1.3

  5.
• * 1.4

  22.
• * 1.5

  30.