Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

Of the Riches of the Islanders.

I Haue said that Island was a rough and snowie Countrey, and besides, it is full of Rockes and stones; and so truly, that there is not a field in the whole Iland: they haue not so much as [ 20] Gardens, wherein they may haue Pot-herbes or Pulse: they know no kinde of Corne nor Ap∣ples, Peares, nor Cheries, nor any fruit of Trees. And, which is almost incredible, they neither vse Bread nor Salt, yet they are well liking, and strong. There is no Citie in the whole Iland: they seldome haue two or three dwellings together. They haue their Cottages on the Sea side for fishing, and vnder ground by reason of the fierce windes.

There is no lone of money among them, for wares are changed for wares. Brimstone groweth on the South part, and almost throughout the whole Iland, which is digged out in great abun∣dance: they sell this stuffe purged for a small price. Mines of Gold or Siluer, nor of any other mettall they haue none. They vse Iron, but such as is brought vnto them. You shall scarse finde a man, who hath not Iron Nayles in a Bagge, wherewith Horse-shooes are fastened.

All their houses are vnder ground, for they haue no matter for building. There is not a [ 30] tree in the whole Iland, except the Birch-tree, and that in one place, which also excee∣deth not the stature of a man in length, and that by reason of the vehemencie of the winds, that it cannot grow higher. This Birch-tree after the Summer Solstitium beginnes first to bud, the leaues haue a most sweet smell, and of so fragrant a sauour, that the Germanes put them in their Tents, and vpon their meats for a singular delight. Yet sometimes great abundance of Firre-trees from Tartaria, or else-where carried by force of the waues and the Ice, arriued in Island. The chiefe vse of them is in building Cabbins vnder the ground: you shall scarsly find a house out of the earth, by reason of the strong winds, which sometimes ouerthrow Horses and their Ri∣ders. They haue great plentie of Butter, for the fatnes of the grasse: for the Island gras••e is so fat, [ 40] that Oxen after a certaine time are to be driuen from the Pastures, lest they burst. And it is of so pleasing a sent, that our men lay it vp in their Chests with singular care for their garments. The most part (for scarcitie of Vessels) lay their Butter aside in the corners of their Houses, (as we doe Lime or other matter) and that without Salt. They haue domesticall cattle, as kine; but many of them are without hornes. Al their Horses are amblers & very fit for carrying of burdens. They haue very great sheepe, they keepe not a Hogge nor a Hen, for want of graine, if fodder or hay faile them in the Winter, they feed their cattle with fish. They haue rough Dogs bred with∣out tayle and eares for their pleasure, which they sell deere and greatly esteeme, when notwith∣standing they offer their children to any that will aske them, and that freely. Besides, this Iland hath white Foxes, and huge Beares of the same colour. They haue no Birds but water-fowle, whereof there are diuers kinds and sorts found there, vnknowne vnto vs. Crowes sometimes [ 50] are changed white; and excellent Falcons, and some among them white, which being taken and gotten, with the great cost of the Spaniards and Portugals, are also carried away in great number, which thing was done, while I was in Island, to my great profit. Island also hath white Par∣tridges. There are also euery where through the whole Iland most pleasant Riuers, which yeeld the Inhabitants fish in great plentie, Salmon Trowts, and Sturgeons. There is one only bridge in all the Iland, made of the bones of a Whale. They that goe from one part of the Iland to another by the Continent, haue no way which they may follow, for the solitarinesse thereof: but as Say∣lers in the Sea, so they by the helpe of the Load-stone performe their journeyes. The depth of the Sea neere Island is very exceeding. In these gulfs there are Whales of wonderful bignes, and many [ 60] Sea-monsters which cannot bee killed or taken of men, the Ice only through the force of the winds dasheth them against the Rockes, and killeth them. I saw such a Monster cast vpon the shoare dead, whose length was thirty ells, his heigth more then a very long Warlike Pike.

A Whale being dead or killed, the Inhabitants make Buildings and Dwellings of the bones thereof with great dexteritie and skill, they make also seates, benches, tables, and other

vtensils, smoothing them so that they seeme like Iuory. They that sleepe in these houses, are said alwayes to dreame of shipwrack. And although it bee a huge and fearfull creature, and haue great strength, yet notwithstanding oftentimes he is not onely withstood, but ouercome of his capitall enemie (not so great) which is called Orca; this fish hath the shape of a ship turned vp∣side-downe, and vpon his backe very sharpe and long finnes, wherewith hee woundeth the soft of the belly of the Whale, and killeth him, and the Whale so feareth this fish, that in shunning him, he often dasheth himselfe against the shoare.

The Iseland Sea hath a Monster also, whose name is vnknowne. They iudge it a kinde of Whale at the first sight, when hee shewes his head out of the Sea, hee so scarreth men that they fall downe almost dead. His square head hath flaming eyes, on both sides fenced with long [ 10] hornes, his body is blacke, and beset with blacke quills; if he be seene by night, his eyes are fie∣ry, which lighten his whole head, which he putteth out of the Sea, nothing can either bee pain∣ted or imagined more fearfull. Olaus Magnus maketh mention of this Monster in his twentieth Booke, and saith, that it is twelue cubits long. Such a Monster at that time tore in pieces with his teeth a Fisher-boate, wherein there were three Fisher-men, so that they were drowned, one of them, who held in his hand a little cord, wherewith hee vsed to draw the hooke, and the fishes, laid hold of the boord which floted in the Sea; so he was saued getting out of the bottom vpon the planke and swam foorth, and declared this to the Kings Gouernour in my presence, adding moreouer that he was saued from heauen, that he might get maintenance for his children, who otherwise were readie to perish with hunger, when the other two though married, yet were [ 20] without children.

Another Monster also is often there seene and taken, of ten or twelue elles long, it is cal∣led Hacfal, it is all fat; it is taken after a wonderfull manner: they haue a very long pike wher∣unto they fasten an Iron with a forked point, that it cannot goe backe, vnto the staffe a cord of a maruailous length is fastned; they sticke this speare in the Monster, which swimmeth vnto it for prey, perceiuing a man in the little boates; as soone as the Monster feeles himselfe stroo∣ken and wounded, forthwith he hides himselfe in the Deepe, and there (his bloud being pow∣red out) dyes, afterward the Fishers draw him to the land by the long cords fastned to the speare.

Besides, it hath diuers Sea Monsters: a Dogge fish, which putting his head out of the Sea bar∣keth, and receiueth his whelps sporting in the Sea againe into his belly, while they come to more growth. It hath Horses and Kine, and what not? and it is a maruell, how skilfull Nature sports, [ 30] in expressing the shape of all earthly Creatures and Fowles in the Sea. Neither should any man perswade me that these things are true, although ten Aristotles should affirme them vnto me, vn∣lesse I had seene most of them with mine eyes. Let no man therefore presently cry out, that what he knowes not is fabulous.

The men of Lubeck, Hamburg, and Breme, were often wont to goe to this Iland, and leaue their seruants in the winter lodgings; but now it is prouided by the Kings authoritie, that no Germaine, either by reason of trading or learning of the language, leaue his seruants there in the winter; but vpon what occasion this came to passe, the matter standeth thus. In the yeere of Christ 1561. there was a Citizen of Hamburg, one Conradus Bloem, left by an other in Iseland in the winter lodgings with the Bishop in Scalholden, for trading and learning of the tongue: the [ 40] Bishops fishers find a whole Vnicornes horne in the Ice, brought out of Groneland (as it is thought) where yet at this day Vnicorns are said to be, & thinking it to be a Whales tooth, nor did the Bi∣shop beleeue otherwise, they bring it to their Master, who gaue it to Conradus begging it; he being somewhat craftie, sold it after at Antwerp for some thousands of Florins. When this thing came to the King of Denmarks eares, he forbad that no Germaine should winter in Iseland in any cause.

Notes

• No fruits.
• Bartar. Brimstone▪
• Birch-tree.
• Great winds.
• Fat grasse.
• Their kine, horses, and sheepe.

  Dogs of more price then children. Beares and Foxes.

  White Crowes
• Riuers.
• Whale-bone-bridge.

  Trauell by compasse. Whales.
• Hug•• Whal••
• Note.
• Orca.
• A Sea-mon∣ster.
• Hacfal another Monster.
• Dog-fish.
• Note.
• Horne of a Sea-fish. See Ionas Poole and Baffin, l. 4.