And thus were our thoughts at that time distracted, thus were our feares increased; nor were they causelesse feares altogether. Well, we knew that neither Christian or Heathen people, had ever before inhabited those desolate and untemperate Clymates. This also, to increase our feares, had wee certainly heard; how that the Merchants having in former times much desired, and that with proffer of great rewards for the hazarding of their lives, and of sufficient furniture and provision of all things that might bee thought necessary for such an undertaking, to any that would adventure to winter in those parts; could never yet finde any so hardy, as to expose their lives unto so hazardous an undertaking: yea notwithstanding those proffers had beene made both unto Mariners of good experience, and of noble resolutions, and also unto divers other bold spirits; yet had the action of wintering in those parts, never by any beene hitherto undertaken. This also had we heard, how that the company of Muscovie Merchants, having once procured the reprive of some malefactors, that had here at home beene convicted by Law for some haynous crimes committed; and that both with promise of pardon for their faults, and with addition of rewards also, if so be they would undertake to remaine in Green-Land but one whole yeare, and that every way provided for too, both of Clothes, Victuals, and all things else, that might any way be needfull for their preservation: These poore wretches hearing of this large proffer, & fearing present execution at home, resolved to make tryall of the adventure. The time of yeare being come, and the ships ready to depart, these condemned creatures are imbarked, who after a certaine space there arriving, and taking a view of the desolatenesse of the place; they conceived such a horrour and inward feare in their hearts, as that they resolved rather to returne for England to make satisfaction with their lives for their former faults committed, than there to remaine, though with assured hope of gaining their pardon. Insomuch as the time of the yeare being come, that the ships were to depart from these barren shoares, they made knowne their full intent unto the Captaine: who being a pittifull and a mercifull Gentleman, would not by force constraine them to stay in that place, which was so contrary to their minds; but having made his voyage by the time expired; hee againe imbarked and brought them over with him into England; where, through the intercession and meanes of the Worshipfull Companie of Muscovie Merchants, they escaped that death, which they had before beene condemned unto. The remembrance of these two former stories, as also of a third (more terrible than both the former, for that it was likely to be our own case) more miserably now affrighted us: and that was the lamentable and unmanly ends of nine good and able men, left in the same place heretofore by the selfe same Master that now left us behinde: who all dyed miserably upon the place, being cruelly disfigured after their deaths by the savage Beares and hungry Foxes, which are not onely the civilest, but also the onely inhabitants of that comfortlesse Countrey: the lamentable ends and miscarriage of which men had beene enough indeed to have daunted the spirits of the most noble resolution.
All these fearefull examples presenting themselves before our eyes, at this place of Bottle Cove aforesaid, made us, like amazed men, to stand looking one upon another, all of us, as it were, beholding in the present, the future calamities both of himselfe and of his fellowes. And thus, like men already metamorphosed into the yce of the Country, and already past both our sense and reason; stood wee with the eyes of pittie beholding one another.
Nor was it other mens examples and miscarriages and feares alone, that made us amazed, but it was the consideration of our want of all necessary provision for the life of man, that already strooke us to the heart: For we were not only unprovided, both of clothes to keepe us warme, and of foode to prevent the wrath of cruell famine: but utterly destitute also wee were of a sufficient house, wherein to shrowd and shelter our selves from the chilling cold. Thus for a space standing all mute and silent, weighing with our selves the miserie wee were already fallen into, and knowing delay in these extremities to be the mother of all dangers, we began to conceive hope, even out of the depth of despaire. Rowsing up our benummed senses therefore, wee now lay our heads and counsels together, to bethinke our selves of the likeliest course for our preservation in that place; seeing that all hopes of gaining our passage into England, were then quite frustrate. Shaking off therefore all childish and effeminate feares, it pleased God to give us hearts like men, to arme our selves with a resolution to doe our best for the resisting of that monster of Desperation. An agreement thereupon by a generall consent of the whole Companie we then entred into, to take the opportunity of the next faire weather, and goe for Green-harbour, to hunt and kill Venison for part of our winter provision.
Having thus agreed amongst our selves, the five and twentieth day of August, the weather and wind being both faire, wee direct our course towards Green-harbour, some sixteene leagues (as I before told you) distant from Bell Sownd: and the winde being fresh and faire, within the space of twelve houres we there arrived. Upon which place being now landed, the first thing we did, was to make us a Tent with the sayle of our Shallop, pitcht up and spread upon our Oares; a sorry one (God knowes) though it were, yet under it we resolved to rest our selves that night, to refresh our bodies with such food as wee there had, and the next day to returne againe unto our hunting. The weather that night proving faire and cleare, wee made our sleepe the shorter: (and alas what men could sleepe in such an extremitie!) and fitting our selves and Shallop the best we might, to Coles Parke we went, a place some two leagues distant from us, and well knowne unto Thomas Ayers, that was one of our Companie, to be well stored with Venison. Comming a shoare at which place, though we found not so many Deere as we indeed expected, yet seven we killed the same day, and foure Beares to boote; which wee also intended to eate.
But the weather beginning now to overcast, and not likely to continue good for hunting; wee that night returned againe unto Green-Harbour; where making us a Tent of our Sayle and Oares (as is before described) we fell to eate of such meate as God had sent us, and betooke our selves to our rest upon it. Having rested our selves a while, and now finding the weather to cleare up, we broke off our sleepe for that time, fitting our selves and two dogges againe to goe a hunting; leaving William Fakely and John Dawes behinde us in the Tent at Green-harbour, as our Cookes (for the time) to dresse some meate that wee had, for our refreshment at our returne.
Departing thus from the Tent, wee rowed towards Coles Parke; in the way whither, upon the side of a hill, by the Sea side, wee espyed seven Deere feeding, whereupon presently a shoare we went, and with our Dogs kill’d sixe of them, after which, the weather againe overcasting, wee thought it to little purpose to goe any further at that time, but resolved to hunt all along the side of that hill, and so at night to returne unto our Tent. Going thus along, wee kill’d sixe Deere more; which wee had no sooner done, but it began to blow and raine, and to be very darke: whereupon wee hasted towards the Tent, there intending to refresh our selves with victuals and with rest for that night, and the next day to returne againe unto our hunting. This purpose of ours was by the foule weather the next day hindered: for it fell so blacke, so cold, and so windy, that we found it no way fitting for our purpose. Lading therefore our owne Shallop with Beares and Venison; and another Shallop which we there found haled up, and left by the Ships Companie, as every yeare they use to doe: lading this other Shallop, I say, with the Graves of the Whales that had beene there boyled this present yeare, (which wee there found in heapes flung upon the ground) wee, dividing our selves into two equall companies, that is to say, William Fakely with one Sea-man and two Land-men with him, betaking themselves unto one Shallop; and Edward Pellham with another Sea-man and two Land-men more with him, going into the other Shallop; wee all committed our selves unto the Sea, intending with the next faire weather to goe to Bell Sownd unto our Tent: which was the place wee set up our Rest upon, to remaine at all the Winter.
Towards Bell Sownd therefore we went, with a purpose there to lay up our Store of what victuals wee had already gotten together; and
with the next faire winde to come hither againe, to trie if it were possible for us there to provide our selves of some more Venison for our Winter provision.
Having thus laden both our Shallops, appointed our Companie, and all ready now for our departure; wee were overtaken with the night, and there forced to stay upon the place. The next day was Sunday; wherefore wee thought it fit to sanctifie the Rest of it, and to stay our selves there untill Munday, and to make the best use we could of that good day, taking the best course wee could for the serving of God Almighty; although we had not so much as a Booke amongst us all, the whole time that wee staid in that Country.
The Sabbath day being shut up by the approaching night, we betooke our selves to our Rest: sleeping untill the Sunne awakened us by his beginning to shew himselfe upon the Munday morning. The day was no sooner peept, but up we got, fitting our selves and businesse for our departure. The weather was faire and cleere at the first; but after some foure houres rowing, the skie began so to overcast, and the winde to blow so hard, that we could not possibly get to Bell Sownd that night, but Coved halfe way, untill the next morning; at which time we recovered Bottle Cove. To which place when wee were once come, we found the winde (then at Southwest) to blow so hard, that it was impossible for us to reach Bell Sownd, but were forced to stay at Bottle Cove for that night. Our Shallops we made fast one unto another, with a Rope fastning the head of the one unto the sterne of the other; and so casting our Grabnell or Anchor over-board, we left them riding in the Cove.
But see now what a mischance, for the tryall of our patience, and for the making of us to relye more upon his providence, than upon any outward meanes of our owne; God now suffered to befall us: We being now all a-shore, the Southwest winde blew so hard and right into the Cove, that it made the Sea go high; our Anchor also comming home at the same time, both our Shallops casting alongside the shoare, sunke presently in the Sea: wetting by this meanes our whole provision, the weather with-all beating some of it out of the Boates, which wee found swimming up and downe the shoare. For, comming out of our Tent in the meantime, judge you what a sight this was unto us, to see by mischance, the best part of our provision (the onely hope of our lives) to be in danger utterly to be lost, (or at least spoyled with the Sea-water,) for which we had taken such paines, and run such adventures in the getting. In this our miserie wee saw no way but one (and that a very desperate one) namely, to runne presently into the high-wrought Sea, getting by that meanes into our Shallops to save the remainder of our provisions, ready now to be washt quite away by the billowes. A Halser thereupon we got, which fastening unto our Shallops, wee, with a Crabbe or Capstang, by maine force of hand heaved them out of the water upon the shoare. This done, all along the Sea side we goe; seeking there and taking up such of our provisions, as were swumme away from our Shallops. Having by this meanes gleaned up all that could be gotten together, we resolved from thenceforth to let our Boates lye upon the shoare, till such time as the weather should prove faire and better; and then to goe over unto Bell Sownd.
The third of September the weather proving faire and good, we forthwith launched our Shallops into the water, and in them wee that day got into Bell Sownd. Thither so soone as we were come, our first businesse was, to take our provision out of our Shallops into the Tent: our next, to take a particular view of the place, and of the great Tent especially; as being the place of our habitation for the ensuing Winter. This which we call the Tent, was a kinde of house (indeed) built of Timber and Boards very substantially, and covered with Flemish Tyles: by the men of which nation it had in the time of their trading thither, beene builded. Fourescore foot long it is, and in breadth fiftie. The use of it was for the Coopers, employed for the service of the Company, to worke, lodge, and live in, all the while they make caske for the putting up of the Trane Oyle. Our view being taken, we found the weather beginning to alter so strangely, and the nights and frosts so to grow upon us, that wee durst not adventure upon another hunting voyage unto Green-harbour; fearing the Sownd would be so frozen, that wee should never be able to get backe to our Tent againe. By land it was (we knew) in vaine for us to thinke of returning: for the land is so mountainous, that there is no travelling that way.
Things being at this passe with us, we bethought our selves of building another smaller Tent with all expedition: the place must of necessity be within the greater Tent. With our best wits therefore taking a view of the place, we resolved upon the South side. Taking downe another lesser Tent therefore, (built for the Land-men hard by the other, wherein in time of yeare they lay whilest they made their Oyle) from thence we fetcht our materials. That Tent furnisht us with 150 Deale-boards, besides Posts or Stancheons, and Rafters. From three Chimneys of the Furnaces wherein they used to boyle their Oyles, we brought a thousand Bricks: there also found wee three Hogsheads of very fine Lyme, of which stuffe wee also fetcht another Hogshead from Bottle Cove, on the other side of the Sownd, some three leagues distant. Mingling this Lyme with the Sand of the Sea shore, we made very excellent good morter for the laying of our Bricks: falling to worke whereupon, the weather was so extreame cold, as that we were faine to make two fires to keepe our morter from freezing. William Fakely and my selfe undertaking the Masonrie, began to raise a wall of one bricke thicknesse, against the inner planks of the side of the Tent. Whilest we were laying of these Bricks, the rest of our Companie were otherwise employed every one of them: some in taking them downe, others in making of them cleane, and in bringing them in baskets into the Tent: Some in making morter, and hewing of boards to build the other side withall: and two others all the while, in flaying of our Venison. And thus having built the two outermost sides of the Tent with Bricks and Morter, and our Bricks now almost spent, wee were enforc’t to build the other two sides with Boards; and that in this manner. First, we nayl’d our Deale boards on one side of the Post or Stancheon, to the thicknesse of one foot; and on the other side in like manner: and so filling up the hollow place betweene with sand, it became so tight and warme, as not the least breath of ayre could possibly annoy us: Our Chimneys vent was into the greater Tent, being the breadth of one deale board, and foure foot long. The length of this our Tent was twenty foot, and the breadth sixteene; the heighth tenne: our seeling being Deale boards five or sixe times double, the middle of one, joyning so close to the shut of the other, that no winde could possibly get betweene. As for our doore, besides our making it so close as possibly it could shut; we lined it moreover with a bed that we found lying there, which came over both the opening and the shutting of it. As for windowes, we made none at all: so that our light wee brought in through the greater Tent, by removing two or three tyles in the eaves, which light came to us through the vent of our Chimney. Our next worke was, to set up foure Cabbins, billetting our selves two and two in a Cabbine. Our beds were the Deeres skinnes dryed, which wee found to be extraordinary warme, and a very comfortable kinde of lodging to us in our distresse. Our next care then was for firing to dresse our meate withall, and for keeping away the cold. Examining therefore all the Shallops that had beene left-ashoare there by the Ships, we found seven of them very crazie, and not serviceable for the next yeare. Those wee made bold withall; brake them up, and carried them into our house, stowing them over the beames in manner of a floore; intending also to stow the rest of our firing over them, so as to make the outer Tent the warmer, and to keepe withall the snow from dryving through the tyles into the Tent: which snow would otherwise have covered every thing, and have hindered us in comming at what wee wanted. When the weather was now growne cold, and the dayes short, (or rather no dayes at all) wee made bold to stave some emptie Caske that were there left the yeare before: to the quantitie of 100 Tunne at least. We also made use of some planks, and of two old Coolers (wherein they cool’d their Oyle) and of whatsoever might well be spared, without damnifying of the voyage the next yeare. Thus having gotten together all the firing that wee could possibly make, except we would make spoyle of the Shallops and Coolers that were there, wh
ich might easily have overthrowne the next yeares voyage, to the great hinderance of the Worshipfull Companie, whose servants we being, were every way carefull of their profite. Comparing therefore the small quantitie of our wood, together with the coldnesse of the weather, and the length of time that there wee were likely to abide; wee cast about to husband our stocke as thriftily as wee could, devising to trie a new conclusion: Our tryall was this. When wee rak’t up our fire at night, with a good quantitie of ashes and of embers, wee put into the midd’st of it a piece of Elmen wood: where after it had laine sixteene hours, we at our opening of it found great store of fire upon it; whereupon wee made a common practice of it ever after. It never went out in eight moneths together or thereabouts.
Having thus provided both our house and firing; upon the twelfth of September a small quantity of drift yce, came driving to and fro in the Sownd. Early in the morning therefore wee arose, and looking every where abroad, we at last espyed two Sea-horses lying a-sleepe upon a piece of yce: presently thereupon taking up an old Harping Iron that there lay in the Tent, & fastening a Grapnell Roape unto it, out lanch’t wee our Boate to row towards them. Comming something neere them, wee perceived them to be fast a-sleepe: which my selfe, then steering the Boate, first perceiving, spake to the rowers to hold still their Oares, for feare of awaking them with the crashing of the yce; and I, skulling the Boate easily along, came so neere at length unto them, that the Shallops even touch’t one of them. At which instant William Fakely being ready with his Harping Iron, heav’d it so strongly into the old one, that hee quite disturbed her of her rest: after which shee receiving five or sixe thrusts with our lances, fell into a sounder sleepe of death. Thus having dispatch’t the old one, the younger being loath to leave her damme, continued swimming so long about our Boate, that with our lances wee kill’d her also. Haling them both after this into the Boate, we rowed a-shoare, flayed our Sea-horses, cut them in pieces, to roast and eate them. The nineteenth of the same moneth we saw other Sea-horses, sleeping also in like manner upon severall pieces of yce: but the weather being cold, they desired not to sleepe so much as before; and therefore could wee kill but one of them: of which one being right glad, we returned againe into our Tent.