The fourth Voyage to Chery Iland, 1606.
[ 30] WE set sayle from London in a Ship and a Pinnasse; the Ship being of burden sixtie Tuns,* 1.1 and the same that I was in the Summer before; Master Thomas Welden was Merchant, and Master Bennet Master, hauing in all two and twentie men and boyes. The Pinnasse was of twentie Tunnes, and had eight men in her, and I Ionas Pool was Master of her: we were set out by Master Russell, one of the Mosco••ie Company.
The eight and twentieth, wee had sight of land on the coast of Norway, in the latitude of sixtie degrees and a halfe; nine leagues off.
The sixteenth of Iune, we fell with the Assumption,* 1.2 it bearing South and by West eight leagues off: and we lay beating betweene the North Cape and it, till the eighteenth of Iune: At what time wee put off, and steered away North North-west about fiftie fiue leagues, and found [ 40] much Ice: wee thought to haue gotten through it, but could not: and when wee had spent twelue houres in it, and hauing the wind Northerly, we put backe againe. The two and twen∣tieth, we fell with the North Cape againe, at twelue of the clock at noone. The foure and twen∣tieth, we put off againe, and being fiue and fortie leagues from the Cape, wee met with Ice,* 1.3 and vpon a piece of Ice we saw a Beare. The Ship being on head of vs, bare close to the Ice; and Ma∣ster Welden shot the said Beare dead at the first shot. This Beare was from the neerest land aboue seuen and twentie leagues, and liued of Seales or other fish that he could prey vpon.
The second of Iuly, we saw Cherie Iland at a North sound: the land bearing North and by West about ten leagues off. The same time we founded and had ground at seuentie fiue fathoms, white small shelly ground with small blacke stones.
[ 50] The third of Iuly wee anchored on the West side of the Iland in twentie fathoms, hauing verie much Ice. I obserued the Sunne at the lowest, and found the latitude of that place to bee in 74. degrees, 55. minutes. It followeth there South-west and by South;* 1.4 and the floud commeth from the South-west.
The fifth and sixth dayes, we were troubled with much Ice; but it being broken, we brought the ends of our Cables to our maine Masts; and hauing a good tyde, we did sheere, as wee tearme it, cleere off the Ice. We ridde thus in Ice sixe dayes, to wit, vntill the thirteenth day; at what time the Ice began to goe way, and the Morses came on shoare. For their nature is such, that they will not come on land as long as any Ice is about the land.
The fourteenth, we went on land; Master Welden, and Master Bennet, with the Ships company, [ 60] and I with the company of the Pinnasse. And being altogether on shoare, and seeing of the beasts sufficient to make our voyage, wee prepared to goe to killing. Master Welden and Master Bennet appointed mee to take eleuen men with mee, and to goe beyond the beasts where they lay; that they and wee might meet at the middest of them, and so inclose them, that none of them should get into the Sea.