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 Groneland.

ISeland by Nature is somewhat long, it hath Norway on the East, the Orcades and Scotland on the South, Groneland on the West, and the Hyperborean or Congealed Sea vpon the North. Although I purposed to passe ouer Groneland with silence, yet seeing I touched vpon the Land, and saw some few things, I thought it was to bee added. There was in a certaine Monasterie in Iseland called Helgafiel, a certayne blinde Monke left (for the Abbot of the Monasterie had con∣uerted the Reuenues to the Kings vse) who liued miserably there: hee was borne in Groneland, of [ 30] a darke complexion and broad face. The Gouernour commanded him to bee brought vnto him, that hee might know some certaintie of the state of Groneland. Hee sayd, there was a Monaste∣rie of Saint Thomas in Groneland, into the which his Parents thrust him when he was but young, and after that, hee was taken out by the Bishop of Groneland, when hee was thirtie yeeres of age, to saile with him into Norway, to the Archbishop to Nidrosia (or Dronten) to whom the Ise∣land Bishops are subiect: in his returne hee was left in a Monasterie by the Bishop, whose Coun∣trey Groneland was: this was done (as hee sayd) 1546. Hee said, that Iland was called Grone∣land, Antiphrastically. For that it seldome or neuer waxeth greene, and that there is so great cold there throughout the whole yeere, except Iune, Iuly and August, that being clothed and couered with Furres, they could scarse bee warme; and that they had at home certayne round [ 40] peeces of wood, which being continually mooued with the feete, kept their feet warme. Hee sayd, it aboundeth as Iseland doth with Fishes, and that they had Beares and white Foxes, nay Pigmies, and Vnicornes, and that day did not appeare, till the Sunne had runne through Pisces.* 1.1

This Monke told vs maruellous strange things: that there was in the Monasterie of Saint Tho∣mas (where hee liued) a Fountayne▪ which sent forth burning and flaming water, that this wa∣ter was conueyed through pipes of stone, to the seuerall Cells of the Monkes, and that it made them warme, as Stoaues doe with vs; and that all kinde of meates might bee boyled in this Fountayne and fierie water, no otherwise, then if it had beene fire indeed. Hee added moreo∣uer, that the walls of the Monasterie were made of Pumice stones, out of a certayne Mountayne (not farre from the Monasterie) like to Hecla: for if yee powre these burning Waters vpon the Pumice stones, there will follow a slimie matter, which in stead of Lime they vse for Morter.

[ 50] After the Gouernours conference with the Monke, I came priuatly vnto him, to demand certayne particular things touching the Pigmies and other things; hee had little skill in the La∣tine tongue, hee vnderstood mee speaking Latine, but answered by an Interpreter. Hee sayd, the Pigmies represent the most perfect shape of Man,* 1.2 that they are hairy to the vttermost joynts of the fingers, and that the Males haue beards downe to the knees. But although they haue the shape of men, yet they haue little sense or vnderstanding, nor distinct speech, but make shew of a kinde of hissing, after the manner of Geese; that his Abbot kept two of them in his Mona∣sterie, male and female, but they liued not long, and that they were vnreasonable Crea∣tures, and liue in perpetuall darknesse. That some say, they haue warre with the Cranes, that [ 60] hee knew not.* 1.3

He affirmed, that the same maner of food was in Groneland, as in Island, to wit, of fish but not of cattle, because they haue no cattle, & that the country is not populous. Forth with from Island be∣gins the Hyperborean Sea, which beats vpon Groneland, and the Country of the Pigmies, which at this day is called Noua Zembla, & there the frozen Sea hath a Bay which is called the White Sea,

or Mare Album, and there are there certayne passages whereby they sayle into the Schythian O∣cean, if they can for Ice. And the Gouernour had the King of Denmarkes Ship, furnished with all necessaries: but when hee heard (by the Monke) of these passages, and short cut into the Kingdome of China, hee affected this commendation, that hee might open these passages and Ice vnto the Kingdome of China by the Tartarian Sea, which had often beene attempted by o∣thers, but in vaine.

The last day therefore of March, in the yeere 1564. hee commanded that Ship to sayle to those places,* 1.4 and mee also together with them, being willing of mine owne accord: and enioyned me to marke diligently the scituation of the places, and whatsoeuer wee met with worthy of sight or report. Wee were in the Ship threescore and foure men, as well Danes as Iselanders, and the twentieth day of Aprill wee arriued at a certayne Promontorie of Groneland, and when wee [ 10] found no Hauen, to the which wee might safely commit our selues, and letting downe the lead, wee had sounded the depth of the Sea, it was such as wee could not anchor there, and the abun∣dance of Ice was so great, that it was neither safe nor possible to sayle neerer to the Rocks; foure and twentie therefore of vs armed, with great labour and danger went on shoare in our Skiffes among whom I also was) to trie whether wee could finde a harbour, and what kinde of men Groneland had. In the meane time, the great Ship floated in the Sea and Ice, in a great calme, halfe of our companie abode in the shoare to keepe the Skiffe; another part (and I with them) ranne abroad to discouer: they that were left on shoare to keepe the Skiffe, going hither and thither, found a little man dead with a long beard, with a little Boate, and a crooked Hooke of [ 20] the bone of a Fish, and a leather cord: foure fish Bladders were bound vnto the Boate (as is sup∣posed) that it should not bee drowned, whereof three were sunke and fallen flat: This Boate (because it was very vnlike ours) the Gouernour sent to the King of Denmarke.

Olaus Magnus in his first Booke writeth, that there is a Rocke in the middest of Iseland and Grone∣land, called Hutisocke, which wee sayled by, and that there they haue Ships of leather, which hee testifi∣eth hee saw, but it was not such an one: but Petrus Bembus in his seuenth Booke, in the Venetian Hi∣storie,* 1.5 describeth a Ship, which was like vnto this, where hee writeth thus: While a French Ship kept her course not farre from Britaine, shee tooke a Boate built of Osiers the middest beeing cut out, and the so∣lid barke of Trees ioyned together, wherein there were seuen men of a middle stature, somewhat darke co∣loured, of a large and broad face, marked with strange scarres and violet colour; these had their gar∣ments [ 30] of Fishes skinnes▪ full of spots, they bore a painted Crowne of reede wouen in, as it were with seuen eares; they did eate raw Flesh, and drunke Blood, as wee doe Wine; their speech could not bee vnderstood, sixe of them dyed,* 1.6 one young man was brought aliue to the Aulercos, where the King was.

It is not vnlikely to bee true, that this Ship with these seuen men, were driuen out of Grone∣land, into the Britaine Ocean: seeing the description of Bembus his Ship agreeth with that found in Groneland.

Wee wandred in the meane season, in a Land vnknowne vnto vs, which was couered with Snow and Ice, wee found neither footing of men, not any habitation, nor fit Port, but the Sea was closed and fenced on euery side with craggie Rockes. Yet we met with a great white Beare, which neither feared vs,* 1.7 nor could bee driuen away with our cryes, but came full vpon vs, as to [ 40] his certaine prey, and when hee came neere vnto vs, being twice shot through with a Gunne, hee stood bolt vpright with his fore-feet as a man standeth, till hee was shot through the third time, and so fell downe dead: his Skinne was sent to the King of Denmarke. We agreed amongst our selues before wee went on shoare, if wee found a fit Harbour, or else had need of their helpe, that wee should plucke vp our standerd, which wee carried out with vs for that purpose, and that they, if they would call vs backe, should signifie the same with their Ordnance. A tem∣pest arising in the meane while, the Master of the Ship giues vs a signe to returne, by the dis∣charging of a piece of Ordnance, and calls vs backe vnto the Ship: all of vs therefore returned with great labour after three dayes vnto the Ship with the Beares skinne; wee sayled therefore to the other side of the Iland toward the North, to the Countrey of the Pigmies or Noua Zem∣bla, [ 50] that by the mouth of the White Sea, wee might come into the Scythian, or Tartarian Sea, from whence (they say) there is a passage to the Kingdome of China, and Cathay; but beeing hindred by the Ice, wee could not passe the mouth of that Sea: therefore without doing any thing, wee returned into Iseland the sixteenth of Iune.

* 1.8I sayd before, that the Iselanders the nine and twentieth of Iune yeerely came together almost in the middle of the Iland to Iudgement, and after our returne, the Gouernour went thither, and I with him. Some of the next inhabitants of Hecla then came to Iudgement, whom the Gouernour inuited twice or thrice to dinner and supper. These men while they were at supper, reported wonderfull things of the Mountayne Hecla, and other things; I was foorthwith in∣flamed with a desire to see and heare all. Wherefore the Gouernour commended mee to these [ 60] men, that they should bring mee thither, and commanded all things should bee shewed me, which they knew there worthy to bee seene. This Gouernour was a Dane, a Noble man, and excellent∣ly well learned: to this man surely I am much bound for his great liberalitie towards m••e, in

that he caused me to be conueighed at his charge to diuers places of the Iland, where any notable thing was to be seene. I accompanied with two Islanders, and a certaine Dane, who carried pro∣uision, and a Tent on Horse-backe, spent foure whole dayes, while we go through rough places, Hilly and desolate vnto this Mountayne. For some Miles about Hecla, all was full of blacke ashes and Pumis stones. The Islanders aduised me that I should goe no neerer, leading away the Horse, which they had lent me.

I, because I purposed to see, and search out all things diligently; accompanied with the Dane, came neerer, as though I went to climbe the Hill, and although at the first sight we were afraid, yet I would not leaue off my purpose, and by reason of my young yeeres, not vnderstanding [ 10] the danger, I went through the ashes and Pumis stones alone to Hecla, leauing the Dane. There was there at that time a wonderfull calme, so that I saw neither fire nor smoke. But behold, sud∣denly in the bowels of the Earth, a great noyse was heard, after this, followed flames of a greene colour, which had almost killed me with their Sulphurie and filthy stinke, so that I scarse es∣caped to my forsaken horses and companions. Vpon that sudden astonishment I fell into a sick∣nesse, and vehement cogitation, seeing these horrible flames were alwayes present before mine eyes: insomuch that my Island companions were compelled to carry me away vnto their house, with whom I lay sicke two whole monethes: while in the meane time the Dane returned to the Gouernour, and to the Hamburgers, and acquainted them with my state. I liued miserably amongst the Barbarians, sicke and vnknowne; they had Bisket which I steeped in Milke, and [ 20] and so for that time, I indured hunger, while (being stronger) I might returne to the Gouernour.

The Hamburgers, by reason of the time of the yeere, least they should loose the opportunitie of sayling, despairing now of my returne, set sayle (for they depart before the foure and twentieth of August, lest being hindered after by the Ice, they cannot get out) yet with speciall care com∣mended me to the Gouernour (if at any time I did returne) leauing Bisket, Wine, and Beere. The Gouernour hath a dwelling fit enough for the manner and fashion of this Countrey, on the South of this Iland, not farre from the Hauen of Hafnefordt, the place is called Bestede.* 1.9 I was brought hither of the Islanders, to the Gouernour, who, for our common studies, entertayned me willingly and honorably. But although wee were plentifully furnished with all necessaries, yet being very wearie of that life in such darknesse, I expected the ships out of Germany the [ 30] next yeere with great desire.

There grew then warre betweene Ericus of Suetia, and Fredericke the Second King of Den∣marke; which was continued with great courage for ten yeeres after. The Lubekers were Con∣sorts and Confederates of Warre vnto the Dane. So most part of the Cities on the Sea-coast, vpon the Balthicke Sea, hindred or intangled with this Warre, intermitted their sayling into Island this yeere, therefore wayting in vaine, I must stay. The yeere following, when I had wayted till the end of Iune, all hope of returning into Germany that yeere was taken away, and which was worse, the yeerely ship came not from Denmarke: and bread and Wine failed vs al∣most foure monethes.

There lay Portugals at anchor at that time in Island in a small ship; who came thither to fowle, [ 40] they caried away excellent Falcons, and white ones among them, in great number. I thought good rather to crosse ouer into Portugall with them, then to wayte another yeere, either for Danes or Germanes. And when they gaue the Gouernour his Custome, he dealt with them in my behalfe concerning the charge, that I might passe with them, and he liberally paid the charges, and honorably sent me away with a worthy Present. Not far from the Kings house, there was a certayn Minister, Ionas by name, he familiarly saluted me before I departed: for the time I was in Island, I had some familiaritie with him, to whom also I left my Bookes when I departed: he for friendships sake, knit three knots in a handkerchiefe, and promised me a prosperous wind, say¦ing, if by chance the winds at any time grow contrary at Sea, open these knots, and then remem∣ber me. When therfore about the twentieth of September we had sayled,* 1.10 and now Spaine was in [ 50] our view, there was so great a calme, that we felt not a breath of wind, and that for three whole dayes. In this calme my friends promise came into my minde, and I desired to proue it. I loosed the first knot, by and by, after one houre, there arose a very prosperous winde, but blowing very gently, I vntye the second and the third, forthwith a Tempest beganne more and more to grow, so truly that after two dayes we ridde in the Riuer Tagus, which beateth vpon Lisbone.

[ 60]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Their Pigmies are Beasts and Vnicornes▪ Fishes.
• * 1.2

  Pigmies, our men haue no•• seene such.
• * 1.3

  Of this the English Disco∣u••ri••s in this and the next Booke wi••l giue bett••r light▪
• * 1.4

  The Authors Voyage for Discouerie.
• * 1.5

  In Sir Thomas Smiths Hall in London is a kind of Boate somwhat like, of Barke sowed
• * 1.6

  Seales skins.
• * 1.7

  A Beare.
• * 1.8

  The Authors Iourney to Mount Hecla.
• * 1.9

  Hafnefordt. His abiding there two win∣ters.
• * 1.10

  His Nauigati∣ons on the Coast of Afri∣ca, &c. hee mentions in his Preface, which I haue for breuitie omitted.