A description of the last voyage to Bermudas, in the ship Marygold, S.P. commander by J.H ... ; begun November the twelfth, 1670, and ending May the third, 1671 with allowance.

OUR VOYAGE Outward bound.

WHen cold November with a hoary Head, The fertile Earth with Snow had overspread, Joyn'd with white Frost, upon its twelfth day, we Set sayl from Gravesend, being bound to see Bermudas, in th' Ship Marygold; which Flower O' all the Deities take in your Power, And from all Dangers safely her defend, Granting her Voyage may have happy end.

Into the Hope we got, and there make stay Two Nights, when with a fair wind we weigh Our Anchors, setting Sail into the Downs, Where shortly we arriv'd, which was the Bounds For Shipping granted then, till mighty Jove Sent a cold quaking North-wind from above; After twice seven days space again we set Our Sayle, and in the term of two days get Near to a point of Land is call'd the Start, From which in the dark Ev'ning we did part, Jove's aid imploring, for now nothing we Behold, but briny Billows of the Sea: When shortly, for not fifty Leagues or more, We gotten had from Noble Englands shore, But Aeolus that too incoastant God, Thought good to punish us, the blustring Rod Of West winds Fury, and dark Nights together Made cloudy, cold, and too inconstant weather: Now Neptune with his furious Waves doth kiss, And toss our Marygold, but 'tis our bliss She's good condition'd, though Skies-mounting waves Do threaten death, & seem to make our Graves

In it's in satiate Bowels, her rib'd Sides Over the white curl'd Billows swiftly glides; And although over all salt Seas she takes, Yet little water then she's wont she makes; It being Winter time, Reason doth guide Unto the Southward Mariners to slide, To make the Proverb good, He that doth run The farthest way about, is neerest home. Unto which purpose we our Course do take, Some of the Charibby Islands for to make, And cross (a) the Tropick Cancer, but the winde Prov'd to us more auspicious and kinde Than we expect, to our Port we incline, So straight our Course as if it were a Line For many days, when as that at the last, Bold Boreas from his Den sends cruel blast From the Western Islands, at which rocky Land I think he keeps his Court, and doth command

All Winter time, for near't we always must Expect to have sharp storms, & thundering gust A week or more expir'd in this same weather, A pleasant day came, and fair wind together; So Dolphins swiftly through the Ocean glide, To prey on flying (b) Fifish so near the side;

[illustration] depiction of a flying fish

The Saylors with a Fish-gig deeply wound Their tender bodies, that a deadly sound

[illustration] depiction of a fishing harpoon

The form of a Fish-gig.

Possesseth all their parts throughout, the which Small time a Proteus change of colours reach.

Though Fortune hath been churlîsh at the best, Yet now we're paid with double Interest; For within four times seven fair days, we Long wish'd for Summer Islands plainly see; When as our Captain caus'd a (c) roaring Gun For to be fir'd, which once being done A Pilot came aboard, through dangerous Rocks Us safely carrying without any knocks, Into Kings Castle Harbor, where doth stand Two Castles, entring ships for to command; After salutes to either we at last Near Captain Hubbarbs Bridge our Anchor cast; So Januaries twenty seventh put end To dangere outward, which us did attend;

We now our Sails unbend, and Top-mast lo're, And in short time our Goods (d) are fetcht ashore.

Notes

• (a)

  Thinking to cross the Tropick Cancer, and make Anguilla Sombrero, or some of the Virgin-Islands.
• (b)

  Dolphins when once struck and brought into the Ship, change their colours very often, till at the last they die, and remain a dunnish colour, and are of this form.
• (c)

  To fire a Piece of Ordnance, the usual custom to give warning to the Pilot and Inhabitants that there is the Magazine Ship on the Coast, whose duty it is to convey into Harbour.

  In Kings-Castle Harbor, about a Mile and a half from the Shoar.
• (d)

  The custom there is to fetch and bring their Goods aboard, and their Seamen to be at no trouble, as in other places of the West-Indies.