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.

A Topographicall Description of the Land as I did dis∣couer the same.

NOw hauing proceeded for the discouerie of the Coast and Harbours so farre, and so long time as the time limited to me, therefore I thinke it conuenient, to make a briefe descrip∣tion of the same, according as by my short experience I found the same to be.

The Land of Groenland is a very high, ragged and mountainous Countrey, being all alongst the Coast broken Ilands, making very goodly Sounds and Harbours,* 1.1 hauing also in the Land very [ 40] many good Riuers and Bayes, into some of which I entred sayling vp the same the space of ten or twelue English leagues, finding the same very nauigable, with great abundance of fish of sun∣drie sorts. The Land also in all places wheresoeuer I came, seemed to be very fertile▪* 1.2 according to the Climate wherein it lyeth: for betweene the Mountaynes was most pleasant Plaines and Valleyes, in such sort as if I had not seene the same, I could not haue beleeued, that such a fertile Land in shew could bee in these Northerne Regions. There is also in the same great store of Fowle, as Rauens, Crowes, Partridges, Pheasants, Sea-mewes, Gulles, with other sundry sorts. Of Beasts I haue not seene any, except blacke Foxes, of which there are very many.* 1.3 Also as I doe suppose there are many Deere, because that comming to certaine places where the peo∣ple had had their Tents, we found very many Harts Hornes, with the bones of other beasts [ 50] round about the same. Also going vp into the Land wee saw the footing and dunging of diuers beasts, which we did suppose to be deere, and other beasts also, the footing of one which wee found to be eight inches ouer, yet, notwithstanding we did see none of them: for going some two or three miles from the Pinnasse we returned againe to goe aboord. Moreouer, in the Ri∣uers we found sundry sorts of Fishes, as Seales, Whales, Salmons,* 1.4 with other sorts of fishes in great abundance. As concerning the Coast, all alongst it is a very good and faire Land, hauing very faire shoalding of the same: for being three English leagues off the same,* 1.5 I found very faire shoalding in fifteene fathomes, and comming neerer the same fourteene, twelue, and tenne fa∣thomes very faire sandie ground. As concerning the people,* 1.6 they are (as I doe suppose) a kinde of Samoites, or wandring Nation trauelling in the Summer time in Companies together, first to [ 60] one place, and hauing stayed in that place a certayne time in hunting and fishing for Deere and Seales with other fish, streight they remoue themselues with their Tents and baggage to ano∣ther. They are men of a reasonable stature, being browne of colour,* 1.7 very like to the people of the East and West Indies. They be very actiue and warlike, as we did perceiue in their Skirmi∣shes with vs, in vsing their Slings and Darts very nimbly. They eat their meate raw, or a little

perboyled either with bloud, Oyle, or a little water, which they doe drinke. They apparell themselues in the skinnes of such beasts as they kill,* 1.8 but especially with Seales skins and fowle skins, dressing the skins very soft and smooth, with the haire and feathers on, wearing in Win∣ter the haire and feather sides inwards, and in Summer outwards. Their Weapons are Slings, Darts, Arrowes, hauing their Bowes fast tyed together with sinewes; their Arrowes haue but two feathers, the head of the same being for the most part of bone, made in manner and forme of a Harping Iron. As concerning their Darts, they are of sundry sorts and fashions. What knowledge they haue of God I cannot certainly say, but I suppose them to bee Idolaters, wor∣shipping the Sunne. The Countrey (as is aforesaid) seemeth to be very fertile, yet could I per∣ceiue or see no wood to grow thereon.* 1.9 Wee met all alongst this Coast much Drift-wood, but [ 10] whence it commeth I know not. For coasting all this Coast alongst from the latitude of 66. de∣grees and an halfe, vntill the latitude of 69. degrees, I found many goodly Sounds, Bayes, and Riuers: giuing names vnto diuers of them, and purposing to proceed further, the folke in the Pinnasse with me did earnestly intreate me to returne to the ship againe, alleaging this, that if we came not in conuenient time, the people in the ship would mutinie: and so returne home be∣fore we came: the which indeed had fallen forth, if the Captaine as an honest Gentleman had not by seuere meanes withstood their attempts, who would needes contrarie to their promises haue beene gone home within eight dayes after my departure from them. But the Captaine respecting his promise to mee, would by no meanes consent, but withstood them both by faire meanes and other wayes. So that vpon the seuenth day of Iuly, I returned again into the Kings Foord, which they in the ship had found to be a Bay, and comming to the place where wee had [ 20] left the ship hoping to haue found them there, I saw vpon a certaine point a Warlocke of stones, whereby I did perceiue that they were gone downe the Ford. So the tide of ebbe being come, it being calme we rowed downe the Foord, finding in the mouth of the same amongst the Ilands, many good Sounds and Harbours.

* 1.10The tenth day of Iuly the wind being at North North-west, I beeing in a certaine Sound a∣mongst the Ilands, it being high water I weighed, stood West forth of the Foord going to Sea on the South side betweene a little Iland and the Maine, which Iland at our first comming, we cal∣led Frost Iland,* 1.11 after the name of the ship: we espied on the South sides certaine Warlockes set vp, whereupon I suspected that the Frost might be there, commanded the Gunner to shoot off a [ 30] Peece of Ordnance,* 1.12 they presently answered vs againe with two other. We seeing the smoake (but heard no report) bore in to them, comming to an Anchor in a very good Sound by them, and found them all in health: the Captaine being very glad of our comming, forasmuch as hee had very much trouble with the company for the cause aforesaid. Also in the time of our ab∣sence the people did very much villanie to them in the ship, so that the Captaine tooke three of them; other of them also he slew, but the three which he tooke he vsed with all kindnesse, gi∣uing them Mandillions and Breeches of very good cloth, also Hose, Shoes, and Shirts off his own backe. This afternoone, I with my Boy came againe aboord the ship, taking in this Euening all our prouision of water.

The eleuenth day, the wind being at North North-east, we set saile forth of the Sound which [ 40] we named Frost Sound, but before our comming forth of the same our Captaine commanded a young man whose name was Simon,* 1.13 by the expresse commandement of the State-holder of Den∣marke to bee set aland, wee also in the Pinnasse set another aland, they both being Malefactors, the which was done before our comming away, we giuing to them things necessarie, as victuall and other things also. Thus hauing committed both the one and the other to God, wee set saile homewards, we standing forth to Sea South-west, and South-west and by West till noone, when making obseruation, Queene Annes Cape bearing South and by East halfe Easterly some ten leagues, I found my selfe in the latitude of 66. degrees 10. minutes, when I directed my course South South-west till sixe a clocke when wee were amongst much Drift Ice, being to lee-ward two points vpon our lee-bow, so that I was forst to lie off West North-west till we were [ 50] cleere of the same, at which time I directed my course South-west and by South, wee sayling so all the night following.

The twelfth day, the wind at North North-east, wee went away South-west and by South till ten a clocke, when we were amongst more Drift Ice, wee being againe to lie West North-west, to get cleere of the same, which we did about noone, we hauing this day and the Euening before a mightie hollow Sea, which I thought to be a current, the which setteth thorow Fretum Dauis to the Southwards,* 1.14 as by experience I proued: for making obseruation this day at noone, we found our selues in the latitude of 62. degrees 40. minutes, whereas the day before we were but in the latitude of 66. degrees 10. minutes, hauing made by account a South and by West way about ten leagues. This afternoone I directed my course South South-west. [ 60]

The thirteenth day, the wind as before, we steered still South and by West, being at noone in the latitude of 60. degrees 17. minutes, going at the same time away South and by East. This foresaid current I did find to set alongst the Coast of Gronland South and by East. The fourteenth day, close weather, being an easie gale we steering South-east and by East. The fifteenth day,

stil close weather til noone, we steering as before, being in the latitude of 59. degrees. This day at noone I went away East South-east; this afternoone it was hasie and still weather, when we had sight of some Drift Ice. The 16. day, close weather with the wind at North-west and by West, our course East South-east til about ten a clock,* 1.15 when we met with a mightie bank of Ice to wind-ward of vs, being by supposition seuen or eight leagues long, wee steering South South-east to get cleere of the same. We met all alongst this Ice a mightie scull of Whales. Moreouer, wee light with a great current, which as nigh as we could suppose, set West North-west ouer for A∣merica. This day at noone, the weather being very thicke, I could haue no obseruation, this Eue∣ning by reason of the Ice, wee were forced to lye South and by West, and South South-west, [ 10] to get cleere of the same, amongst which we came by diuers huge Ilands of Ice.

The seuenteenth day, being cleere of the Ice, about foure in the morning, I directed my course South-east by South till noone, at which time I went away East and by South,* 1.16 the wea∣ther being very haysie and thicke: about midnight it fell calme, the wind comming vp Easterly.

The eighteenth day, the wind still Easterly, we lying East South-east, away vnder a couple of courses larboord tackt. This day in the forenoone, we saw certayne Ilands of Ice. The nine∣teenth day, the wind still Easterly with the weather very hasie.

The first day of August also it was very thicke weather, with a faire gale at South-west and by West. This forenoone wee met with a scull of Herrings, so that I knew wee were not farre from the Iles of Orkney, so hauing a shrinke at noone, I found vs in the latitude of 58. degrees [ 20] 40. minutes, at which time I founded with the deepest Lead, finding 42. fathomes redde sandie ground, with some blacke dents. This Euening betweene fiue and sixe a clocke wee founded a∣gaine, when we had no more but twentie fathomes dent ground, whereby I knew that we were faire by the shoare, when some of our men looking forth presently,* 1.17 espied one of the Ilands of Orkeney, it being very thicke, wee cast about, and stood with a small sayle to Seaboord againe, we lying West North-west off all this night.

The tenth day, about fiue in the morning, we came thwart of the Castle of Elsonuere, where we discharged certaine of our Ordnance, and comming to an Anchor in the Road, the Captaine with my selfe went ashoare, and hearing of his Majesties being at Copeman-Hauen, wee present∣ly went aboord againe, and set sayle comming thither about two a clocke. The Pinnasse also which he had lost at Sea, in which my Countreyman Iohn Knight was Commander, came also [ 30] the same night about foure a clocke, both they and we being all in good health, praised bee Al∣mightie God. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The descripti∣on of the land of Groenland.
• * 1.2

  Of the fertility of the Coun∣trey.
• * 1.3

  Store of fowle. Blacke Foxes.
• * 1.4

  Fishes.
• * 1.5

  Of the Coast.
• * 1.6

  Of the people.
• * 1.7

  The colour of the people. The people ve∣ry actiue.
• * 1.8

  They eat their meat most part raw.

  Of their ap∣parell.

  Of their wea∣pons.
• * 1.9

  We could see no Wood. Drift-wood.
• * 1.10

  Iuly 1605.
• * 1.11

  Frost Iland.
• * 1.12

  Our meeting againe with the ship.

  Three of the people taken.
• * 1.13

  Two men set aland.
• * 1.14

  A great cur∣rent setting to the South∣wards.
• * 1.15

  Drift Ice. A mighty bank of Ice.

  A great scul of Whales.
• * 1.16

  A great cur∣rent.
• * 1.17

  We fell with Orkeney.