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' '  -         .^iaaafea 

• 

Or 


t»j-I 


HISTORY 


O  F    T  H  B 


VOYAGES 


AND 


DISCOVERIES 


MADE     IN     THE 


N         O 


H. 


TBANSLATED  FROM  THE  GERMAN  OF 


%f 


JOHN  REINHOLD  FORSTEH,  I.  U.  D. 


Uf 


AND    ELUCIDATED    BY 

A  NEW  AND  ORIGINAL  MAP  or  the  Couk. 

TRIES   SITUATED   ABOUT   THE   NoRTH  POLE. 


'.'41 


Uiv 


Orbis  fitum  dicere  ,  .  .  impeditum  opus  et  facundiae  niinime 
capax  . . .  Tcrum  afpici  tamen  cognofcique  dingifTimuni. 

Po  M  P  o  K I  u  s  Me  L  A  in  Prooemh, 


DUBLIN: 

'tfinted  for  LuKE  White,  Dame-ftreet,  and  Pat.  Bitrne, 

Grafton -ftreet. 

MDCCLXXXVI, 


\ 


i: 


F16 


\  t 


t 


C  'O  N  T  E  N  T  S. 


,* 


Book    1. 


Oi 


'F  THE    MOST  ANCIENT   DISCOVERIES  — 

Chap.  I.  The  voyages  and  difcoverles  of  the  Phcenicians 
Chap.  II.  The  voyages  and  difcoveries  of  the  Grecians 
Chap.  III.  The  voyages  and  difcoveries  of  the  Romans 


Page 
I 

ibid. 

12 


13 


0  o 


K     II. 


Discoveries  MADE  IN  THE  MIDDLE  Aces        -—        31 
Chap.  I.  Difcoveries  of  the  Arabians  ■-  ibid. 

Chap.  II.  Difcoveries  of  the  Sa*ons,  Franks,  and  Normans  44. 
Chap.  Ill,  Difcoveries  of  the  Itah'ajisand  fotne  other  nations  89 
Sec.  1.    Travels  of  Rabbi  Benjamin  of  Tudela 


Sec.  II. 
Sec.  III. 
Sec.  IV. 
Sec.  V. 
Sec.  VI. 

Sec.  vir. 

Sec.  VIII. 
Sec.  IX. 

Sec.  X. 
Sec.  XI. 

Sec.  XII. 

Sec.  xiir. 

Sec.  XIV. 


of  Johatines  de  Piano  Carpini  92 

of  Andreas  Luciura^l       —  9^ 

of  William  of  Ruyfbroek  96 

ofHaitho,  King  of  Armenia  113 

of  Marco  Polo  of  Venice  1 1 7 

of  Odericof  Portenau  147 

of  Sir  John  Mandeville  148 
of    Francifco     Balducci 


of  John  Schildtberger 
of  the  ambalTadbrs 

Rokh       — : 


of  Jofaphat  Barbaro  to  Tanna 
of  the  Chevalier  Nicolo  Zeni 
of  Pletro  Q^n'rini 
A  z 


Pegoietti 
150 

•  S3 

of  Mil za  Shah 

•58 
165 

'78 
-  209 

ClVSRAL 


I 


CONTENTS. 


CfCNCRAL  VIEW  of  the  ilate  of  affairs  at  this  period 
it: iftnrcs  and  Remarks  ■    '  ■■     ■ 


Page 
a4s 


t 


Book   III. 


DlSCOVfeHlBS  MADE  IN  TUB    NORTH  IN  MODERN   TIMB9 

252 

Gbnbkal  OBSBRVATIONS  "  ibid. 

26$ 

266 
268 

271 
a74 


Chap.  1.  Difcoveriesof  thcEngllfli  in  the  North 

Sec.  I.  1497.  John  Cabot  and  his  three  fons 
Sec.  11.  i<;53.  Sir  Hugh  Willoughb/ 
Sec.  1 1 1,  i  5  5  5 .  Richard  Chancellor  — 

Sec.  IV.  1556.  Stephen  Burrough  — 

.  Sec.  V.  1 567.  Martin  Frobiflier  — 

Sec.  VI.  1 577.    Frobiflier's  fecond  voyage 
Sec.  VII,  1578.    Frobiiher'i  third  voyage  aSo 

Sec.  VIII.  1580.  Arthur  Pet  and  Charles  Jack  man 

287 
Sec.  IX.  1583  Sir  Humphry  Gilbert 
Sec.  X.  1585.  John  Davis 


289 
298 
302 
308 

3'« 
317 
320 

3*7 


Sec.  XI.  1 586.  Davis's  fecond  voyage 
Sec.  XII.  1587.  Davis's  third  voyage 
Sec.  XIII.  1 591.    George  Weymouth 
Sec.  X(V.  1605.  John  Knight  — 

Sec.  XV.  1607.  James  Hall  ■ 

Sec.  XVI.  1607.  Henry  Hudfon        — — 
Sec.  XVII.  1608.   Hudfon's  fecond  voyage 
Sec.  XVIII.   1603,1611.    Divers  voyages  made  to 
Cherry  or  Bear  Ifland  —        328 

Sec.  XIX.  1610.    Hudfon's  third  voyage  332 

Sec.  XX.  i6i2.  Thomas  Button  >  ■  ■• .       344 

Sec.  XXI.  1614,  Capt.  Gibbons  ■    ■  »        347 

Sec.  XXII.  1614.  Fotherby  and  Baffin  348 

Sec.  XXIII.  1615.  Fotherby  - —  349 

Sec.  XXIV.  161 5.  Robert  Bylot  —         350 

Sec.  XXV.  1616.   Robert  Bylot  and  William  Baffin 

35a 
Sec.  XXVI.  1616,  163 1.  William  Hawkbridge   357 

Sec.  XXVII.  1631.  Lucas  Fox  ^—         359 

Sec.XXVlII.  1631.  Thomas  James        —        367 

Sec.  XXIX.  t668.  Zachary  Gillam  and  De  Grc- 

feiller  —  376 

Sec.  XXX. 


CONTENTS. 


iMBa 

252 

ibid. 

26$ 

266 

268 

271 

272 

a74 

280 
:knian 
287 
289 
298 
302 
308 
3«i 

317 
320 

3*4 

de  to 

328 

33* 
344 
347 
348 

349 
-^350 
Zaffire 

35a 
357 
359 
367 
Grc 

376 

:xx. 


Pa  Re 
Sec.  XXX.  1676.   John  Wood  and  WntintnFlawes 

383 
Sec.  XXXI.  17 19.  Knight  and  Birlowr  386 

Sec.  XXXII.  1722.  Capt.Scroggs  —         387 

Sec.  XXXIll.  1737.     Ihe  Hudfon't  Bay  Company 

fends  out  two  iltips  390 

Sec.  XXXIV.  1741,    Chriftopher    Middleton   and 

William  Moor  —  390 
Sec. XXXV.    1746.     William   Moor   and    Francit 

Smith  392 

.  Sec.  XXXVI.   1773.     Captain    Conilantine    Joha 

Phipps,    now   Lord    Mulgrave 

397 
Sec.  XXXVlI.  1776.  James  Cook  —  309 
Sec.  XXXVIII.  1776.  Richard  PickciTgiJl  407 

Sec.  XXXIX.  1777.  Michael  Lane        —         409 
Chap.  II.  Difcoveries  of  the  Dqtch  in  the  North        —    410 
Sec.  I.  1593.  Cornelis  CorneliiTon  Nay  and  William 

Barentz  411 

Sec.  II.  1 595.  Seven  iKips  from  Amfterdam,  Zealand, 

Enkhuyfen,  and  Rotterdam  416 
Sec.  III.   I  $96.     Jacob   van  Heeniflcerk,    William 

Barentz,  and  Cornelia  Ryp  4  r  7 
Sec,  IV.  1609.  Henry  Hudfon  — •  421 

Sec.  V.  1611.  Jan  Mayen  422 

Sec.  VI.  161 1,  1614.  Voyage  of  a  fhip  fitted  out  by 

Dutch  merchants  423 

Sec.  VII.  1614.  Dutch  Greenland  Company  423 

Sec.  Vlll.  1633.    Wintering  of  certain    failors    at 

Spiilbergen  — —        423 

Sec.  IX.  1640  or  1645.  RykeYfe's  voyage         424 
Sec.  X.  1643.  Voyage  of  the  ibips  Caftiicom  and 

Breflces  ■  424 

Sec.  XI.  16 J4,    1641.  Voyage  round    the  North 

Pole  at  the  diftance  of  two  de- 
grees from  it  —        426 
Sec.  XII.  1 654—1 707.    Various  difcoveries  made  ar 

different  times  —        428 

Chap.  III.  Difcoveries  of  the  French  in  the  North      —    4  ^o 

Sec.  I.  1 504.  Voyage*  of  the  Bifcayans,  Ncrmans, 

Bretons,  and  others  —  431 
Sec.  II.  1524.  JvianVeraazani  — —  4^2 

Sec. 111. 


i 

r 


Cb 


CONTENTS. 

I'agc 
Sec.  III.  1534.  Jaques  Cariier  .  — ,  437 

Sec.  IV.  1535.  His  fecond  voyage  —         438 

Sec.  V.  1540.  His  third  voyage  —  441 

Sec.  VI.  1 542.  Francois  de  la  Roque  de  Roberva^ 

44« 
Sec  VII  j  I  $98.  Marquis  de  la  Roche 

.  Sec  VIII.  1709  Captain  Frondad         

np.  IV.  Difcoveries  of  the  Spaniards  in  the  North 
Sec.  1.  1 5  24.  Eftevan  Gomez  .  — — 

1537.  Francifco  Ulloa-  and  others 
Sec.  11.  1542.  Juan  Rodriguez  deCabrillo 
Sec,  111.  1556.  Andrea  Urdanietta  — 

Sec,  IV.  1582.  Fiancifro  Gualle         -— 


Sec.  V.  1592.  Juan  de  Fuca,  alias  Apoftolos 
lerianos  '  ■  ■ 


443 
444 
445 
447 
ibid. 

448 
448 
448 
Va- 
450 
45  z 

453 
pre- 

454 


Sec.  VI.  1596.  Sebaftiano  Vizcaino         — - 
Sec.  VII.  1 602.  His  I'econd  voyage         ■ 
Sec.  VIII.  1640.    fiartholomeo    de    Fuente's 

tended  vdyage        — — 
Sec.  IX.  1775.  Don  Bruno  Heceta,  Don  Juan  de 
Ayala,  and  J.  Francifco  de  la 
Bodega  y  (^adra        —    455 
C^ap.  V.  Difcoveries  of  the  Portuguefe  in  the  North       458 
Sec.  1.  1500.  CafpardeCprtereal  —         460 

Sec.  II.  1578.  Fifty  Portuguefe  veflels  fi(h  off  New- 
foundland Bank        —        461 
Sec.  III.  1555.  Martin  Chaque  '    ■    ■         462 

Sec.  IV.  1620,  1621.  Father  de  Angelis  and  Jacob 


/*  Caravalho 

Sec.  V,  1 62 1,  1649.  Jo^o  ^^  Gama 
Sec.  VI.  1660.  David  Melguer  — 

Chap.  VI.  Difcoveries  of  the  Danes  in  the  .  Jorlh 
Sec.  I.  1 564-  Dithmar  Blefkens 
Sec.  II.  1605.    Gotlke  Lindenau  and 


463 
464. 
ibid. 
466 


Sec.  III.  aSo6-  Their  fecond  voyage 
Sec.  IV.  1607.  Karften  Richardt 

Sec.  V.  1,619.  Jens  Munlc        

Sec.  VI.  i636.    The  Danifh  Greenland 


Sec.  VII.  1769. 


Baron 
voyage 


von 


James  Hall 

467 
~       468 

—        469 

47» 

Company 

47' 
Uhlefeld's  pretended 

Ciiap.  VII. 


CONTENTS. 

Chap.  VII.  Difcoveries  of  the  Rufllans  in  the  Noith    —  473 
General  obskrvations  on  the  difcoveries  made  in  the 
North,  together  with  Phyf   J,  Anthropolgicai,  Zoological, 
Rotanicai,  and  Mineralogical  refledions  on  the  obje^s  oc- 
curring in  thofe  regions  ■  ■     ■    ■  483 


P  R  E  F  A  C  v.. 


I 


f 


;<l 


\ 


The  Translator's  PREFACE. 


T 


H  E  Author  of  the  work,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing Iheets  are  a  tranflation,  is  too  well  known 
to  (land  in  need  of  any  recommendation  to  the 
public.  That  he  had,  for  a  long  time  previous 
to  this  publication,  made  the  Northern  Geography 
of  Europe  his  particular  ftudy,  we  are  informed 
by  the  Hon.  Mr.  Daines  Barrington,  in  the  Pre- 
face to  his  elegant  Edition  of  Alfred's  Orofius. 
If,  to  this  confideration,  we  add  the  circumftance 
of  his  having  himfelf  made  a  long  and  fuccefsful 
voyage  of  difcovery  in  the  coldeft  climates,  his 
multifarious  erudition,  and  more  particularly  his 
great  acquifitions  in  nati^ra!  fcience,  we  Ihall  be 
ready  to  own,  that  it  would  not  be  very  eafy  to 
find  a  Hiftorian  fitter  to  record  the  Northern  Dif- 
coveries,  than  the  Writer  of  the  prefent  compila- 
tion. 

The  fubjed  is  confeiTcdly  of  the  greateft  impor- 
tance •,  and,  though  treated  in  a  very  different 
manner,  bears  a  ftrong  affinity  to  that  of  thejuftly- 
admired  Hijlory  of  the  European  Settlements^  to 
which,  if  it  is  inferior  in  point  of  ftileand  rhetori- 
cal ornaments,  it  will  perhaps  be  found  equal  in 
profundity  of  refledion  and  philofophical  invcfti- 
gation,  and  fuperior  with  refpedt  to  accuracy  and 
extent  of  information. — Errors  there  miift  be  in 

a  every 


*»".*«' 


'"7 


n 


Translator's    PREFACE. 


every  human  undertaking,  and  confequently  this 
compilation  is  not  without  its  fhare.  Many  of 
thefe  have  been  redtified  in  filence  by  the  Tranf- 
lator,  who  has  carefully  compared  almoft  every 
page  with  the  original  writers,  whence  this  work 
is  chiefly  extracted.  Other  miftakes  of  his  Au- 
thor he  has  openly  noticed,  and  that  principally 
for  the  fake  of  foreigners,  and  thofe  who  have  read 
the  book  in  its  original  language.  Such  is  the 
note  to  page  341,  in  which,  however,  the  Tranf- 
lator  has  perhaps  gone  too  far  in  affcrting,  that 
the  anecdote  there  referred  to  has  not  even  the 
Ihadow  of  truth  to  fujiport  it.  In  fad,  he  rather 
fuppofes,  on  the  contrary,  that  Dr.  Forfter  him- 
felf,  or  elfe  (which  is  more  probable)  his  infor- 
mers have,  ly  confounding  two  different  ftories, 
inadvertently  blended  truth  with  fairehood,and 
thus  rendered  the  whole  anecdote  fubjedt  to  con- 
tradidion. 

The  Tranflator  has  likewife  omitted  a  long 
note  full  of  inventive  againft  Mr.  Harrington,  as 
he  could  by  no  means  prevail  on  himfelf  to  make 
the  following  Iheets,  which  were  fo  happily  cal- 
culated for  inftrudion  and  innocent  amufement, 
the  vehicles  of  abufe  and  calumny. — Mr.  B.  it 
feems,  negleded  to  mention  Dr.  Forfter's  name 
in  his  edition  of  Alfred's  Orofius,  probably  for  the 
fame  reafon  as  he  omitted  to  mention  the  name  of 
the  perfon  who  laid  down  the  map  for  the  Spanifh 
Voyage,  publifhed  in  his  Mifcellanies,  viz.  be- 
caufc  he  did  not  attach  any  high  degree  of  glory 
to  the  bufmefs  of  map-making,  and  was  confci- 
ous  of  his  right  to  publifli  what  he  had  purchafed. 
This  omiflion,  however,  might  have  been  con- 
fidered  in  fome  meafure  as  blameable,  had  not  the 

Doctor 


Translator's- PREFACE.         iii 

Doctor  himfelf,  by  a  filence  of  more  than  eleven 
years,  entirely  exculpated  him  in  this  refpect. 
Why  Mr.  B.  did  not  own  the  obligation  aTier- 
wards  in  his  Mifcellanies,  is  a  quell  ion  that  no 
one  perhaps  but  Dr,  F.  will  a(k.  Again,  why 
the  Dodtor  did  not  claim  his  property  before, 
he  himfelf  belt  knows,  and  perhaps  may  not  wilh 
any  one  to  enquire.  Mr  B.  in  his  Preface  to 
his  Verfion  of  Alfred's  Orofius,  has  done  ample 
juftice  to  Dr.  F.'s  remarks.  The  map  was  not 
worth  contending  for ;  but  if  it  were,  no  one 
woul<;l  be  difpofed  to  difpute  it  with  the  authgr 
of  ihofe  excellent  remarks. 

Of  Mr  B — *s  Verfion  the  Tranflator  has  made 
a  free  ufe  in  the  following  pages,  excepting  in 
thofe  few  paflages  in  which  it  differs  from  that 
of  Dr.  Forfter. 


a  2 


The 


i<. 


The  Author's    PREFACE. 


T. 


HE  work  here  offered  to  the  public  is  of  a 
very  different  kind  from  thofe  with  which  it  is 
continually  peftered,  and  which  are  the  joint  pro- 
duce of  illiterate  writers  and  greedy  bookfellelrs. 
This,  on  the  contrary,  has  employed  the  whole  of 
my  attention  and  induftry  for  thefc  laft  eighteen 
months ;  though,  like  every  other  produdlion  of 
human  nature,  it  flill  has  its  faults  and  imperfec- 
tions. 

The  numerous  refearches,  upon  which,  more 
efpecially  in  the  ancient  part  and  that  relative  to 
the  middle  ages,  I  was  obliged  to  enter,  the  mul- 
tifarious departments  of  learning  from  which  I 
have  derived  fome  of  the  following  notes  and  re- 
marks, the  orthography  of  a  proper  name,  the 
exprelBon  of  a  number,  may  appear  at  prefent 
very  eafy  to  many  of  my  readers  ;  and  perhaps  I 
fhall  hardly  gain  credit  for  the  a(rertion,or  at  leaft 
it  may  be  confidered  as  a  mere  boafl,  when  I 
confefs  that  a  fhort  annotation,  the  proper  name 
of  a  place  or  perfon,  or  theexpreffion  of  a  number, 
has  frequently  coft  me  whole  hours,  and  fome- 
times  days. 

Not  content  with  merely  Hating  fads,  I  was 
alfo  defirous  to  olace  them  in  the  clearell  light. 

With 


4 


CE. 


ic  is  of  a 
ich  it  is 
oint  pro- 
okfellelrs. 
whole  of 
eighteen 
udtion  of 
mperfec- 


AuTHOR's    PREFACE.  v 

With  this  view  I  have  laid  down  a  new  map  of 
the  countries  about  the  North  Pole  as  far  as  the 
50t!h,  and  in  fome  places,  the  45th  degree,  com- 
prizes the  lateft  difcoveries,  with  tolerable  accu- 
racy and  precifion ;  and  muft  on  that  account,  it 
it  is  prefumed,  merit  the  preference  to  all  others 
of  the  kind. 

As  this  work  contains  a  great  number  of  proper 
names  as  well  as  fads,  I  thought  proper  to  annex 
at  the  end  of  it  a  very  complete  Index,  of  the 
great  utility  of  which  I  was  perfedly  convinced  by 
the  recolledtion  that,  for  the  fake  of  finding  fome 
(liort  trifling  paffage,  I  have  often  found  myfclf 
linger  tlie  necclTity  of  reading  the  major  part  of  a 
book. 


:h,  more 
jlative  to 
he  mul- 
which  I 
and  fe- 
me, the 
prefent 
lerhaps  I 
at  leafl: 
when  I 
er  name 
lumber, 
d  fome- 


s, 


I  was 

ft  light. 
With 


INTRO- 


/ 


i 


INTRODUCTION. 


xVi 


•MONG  all  the  difcovcrics  which  have  tended  to 
enlighten  mankind,  to  promote  commerce,  and  to  ad- 
vance Europe  to  the  glorious  zenith  of  power  and  re- 
finement in  which  it  appears  at  prefent,  navigation  has 
indifputably  contributed  much,  it  not  more  than  all  the 
the  reft.  On  this  account  alone,  even  were  we  not  to 
confider  the  numerous,  bold,  and  curious  manoeuvres, 
and  the  grand,  though  minute  and  complicated  mecha- 
nifm  which  it  conftanJy  difolays,  it  might  jufl-ly  claim 
^n  exalted  place,  if  not  a  diftindkive  preference  amongft 
the  arts.  We  commonly  regard  failors  merely  as  a 
ruftic  and  unpoliftied  race  of  men  :  vifiting,  as  they  do, 
many  different  countries,  and  thofe  frequently  at  a  great 
diftance  from  each  other,  their  drcfs  cannot,  without 
much  trouble,  be  any  where  in  the  fafhion,  neither  can 
they  be  expefied,  nor  indeed  would  it  be  rational  for  men 
in  their  fituation  to  attend  to  elegance  and  finery,  ratlicr 
than  to  convenience  andeaie.  This  fingularity  of  appear- 
ance is  alone  fufficient  to  render  them  ridiculous  in  the 
eyes  of  the  more  polifhed  inhabitants  of  towns  and  cities, 
and  the  plain  and  homely  manners  which  they  f;ejierally 
coptra<St  in  long  voyages,  fecluded  as  they  arc  from  the 
reft  of  mankind,  are  apt  to  infpirc  feme  of  the  moft  re- 
fined amongft  us  with  difguft ;  whence  the  tranCtion  is 
eafy  to  an  utter  contempt  of  their  wav  of  'ifc,  as  aiib  of 

this 


T 


viu 


i 


INTRODUCTION. 


this  very  ufeful  profcflion  which  conne£^s  the  moil  dif- 
tant  parts  of  t^  '  world  in  th^^  bands  of  fociety  and  con- 
cord. 

Of  all  the  arts  id  profeffions  which  have  at  any  time 
attracted  my  notfce,  none  has  ever  appeared  to  me  more 
aftonifhing  and  marvellous  than  that  of  navigation,  in  the 
ftate  in  which  it  is  at  prefent,  an  art  which  doubtlefs  ^- 
fords  one  of  the  moil  certain  and  irrefragable  proofs  of 
the  amazing  powers  of  the  human  underitanding.  This 
cannot  be  made  more  evident,  than  when,  taking  a  re- 
trofpedive  view  of  the  tottering,  inartificial  craft,  to 
which  navigation  owes  its  origin,  we  compare  it  with  a 
noble  and  majeftic  edifice,  containing  looo  men,  toge- 
ther with  their  provifions,  drink,  furniture,  wearing  ap- 
parel, and  other  necefTarieS  for  many  months,  befides 
100  pieces  of  heavy  ordnance  ;  and  bearing  all  this  vail 
apparatus  fafely,  and  as  it  were  on  the  wings  of  the  wind, 
acrofs  immenfe  feas  to  the  moft  diilant  ihores.  We  are 
fo  much  accuitomed  to  talk  and  to  judge  of  many  differ- 
ent fubjc6ts  in  the  grofs,  that  fuch  particular  and  de- 
compounded ideas  as  thefe  occur  to  us  but  feldom  ;  and 
very  frequently  we  are  not  poffeiTed  of  a  fufHcient  de- 
gree of  fpeculative  knowledge  to  be  able  to  trace  an  idea 
of  this  kind  up  t©  firil  principles.  The  following  ex- 
ample may  ferve  for  the  prefent  to  delineate  at  full  length, 
as  it  were,  the  idea  above  alluded  to.  But  firft  I  mufl 
prcmife,  that  a  huge,  unwieldly  log  of  wood,  with  tlie 
grcateft  difficulty,  and  in  the  moil  uncouth  manner,  hol- 
lowed out  on  the  infide,  and  fomewhat  pointed  at  both 
ends,  and  in  this  guife  let  on  a  river,  for  the  purpofc  of 
transporting  two  or  three  perfons  belonging  to  one  and 
the  fame  family  acrofs  a  piece  of  water  a  few  feet  deep,  by 
the  afTiilance  of  a  pole  puihed  againil  the  ground,  cannot 
with  any  propriety  be  conlidered  as  the  image  of  naviga- 
tion in  its  iirft  and  earlieil  flate.  For  it  ieems  evident 
to  me,  that  people  in  the  beginning  only  took  three  or 
four  trunks  of  trees,  and  faitened  them  together,  and 
^Jien,  by  mgans  of  this  kind  pf  raft,  got  acrofs  fucji 

waters 


t# 


INTRODUCTION. 


ijt 


noft  dif- 
and  coo- 

:  any  time 
me  more 
)n,  in  the 
ibtlefs  ?if- 
proofs  of 
g.     This 
ng  a  re- 
craft,   to 
it  with  a 
len,  toge- 
!aring  ap- 
s,  bcfides 
11  this  vail 
the  wind, 
We  are 
my  difFer- 
and  de- 
lorn  i  and 
Hcient  dc- 
^e  an  idea 
iving   cx- 
11  length, 
rft  I  muft 
with  the 
ner,  hol- 
at  both 
Lirpofe  of 
one  and 
:  deep,  by 
cannot 
naviga- 
evidcnt 
three  or 
ler,  and 
lofs  fuc|i 
waters, 


'■k 


■aJi, 


waters  as  were  too   deep  frr  them  to  ford  over,  and 
acrofs    which   they  could    not  well   fwim    with   their 
children  and  various  kinds  of  goods  which  they  might 
wifh   to  preferve  from  being  wet.     The  canoe,  how- 
ever,   is  a    fpecimen  of  the   art  in  a  more    advanced 
Itate,  as  this  kind  of  craft  is  capable  of  having  direc- 
tion given  to  it,  and  even  of  fo  capital  an  improve- 
ment as  that  of  having  a  fail  added  to  it.     For  which 
reafon  I  chufe  this  vehicle  for  a  ftandard,  in  preference 
to  a  mere  raft,  to  which,    imperfedt  as  it  is,  it  is  fo 
much  fuperior.     Let  us,    then,  compare  this  with   a 
large  majeftic  floating  edifice,  the  refult  of  the    inge- 
nuity and   united  labour  of  many  hundreds  of  handf^, 
and  compofed  of  a  great  number  of  well-proportioned 
pieces,  nicely  faftened  together  by  means  of  iron  nails 
and  bolts,  and  rendered  fo  tight  with   tow  and   pitch, 
that  no  water  can    penetrate  into  it.     Now,  in   order 
to  <Tive  motion  and  dirtc'cion  to  this  enormous  machine, 
foine    aftoni{hing,ly-lofty  pieces    of   timber    have    been 
fixed  upright  in  it,  and  fo  many  moveable  crofs  pieces 
have   been    added  to  it,    together  with  fuch  a  variety 
of  pieces  of  ftrong  linen  cloth,  for  the  purpofe  of  catch- 
ing the  wind  and  of  receiving  its  impulie  and  propc!- 
ling  power,  that  the  number  of  them  amounts  to  up- 
wards   of  30.      For  changing  the  direction  of   thclc 
yards  and  lails,  according  to  particular  circumfrance", 
it  has   a}fo  been  requifite  to   add  a   vaft    quantity  of 
cordage  and   tackling,    and   nevcrthclefs,  even   a!l   this 
would  not  be  fufnciei'.t  for  the  pcrfeft  direction  and  go- 
vernment of  the  veffel,  if  there  was  not  fafiened  to  the 
hinder   part  of   it,  by  means  of  hinges  and   hooks,  a 
moveable  piece  of  wood,  very  fmali  mdeed  in  propor- 
tion to  the  whole  machine  ;  but  the  leait  inclination  of 
which  to  either   lide  is  fuificient  to  give  immediately  a 
different  direction  to  this  enormous  large  mafs,  and  that 
even  in  a  ftorm,  fo  that   two  men  may  dircdl:  and  eo* 
vern  this  fvvimming  iflsnd  with  the  fame  or  rather  with 
greater  cafe  than  a  fmgle  man  can  do  a  boat.     But  it, 
befides,  wc  confidcr  that,  in  a  veflel  like  this,  not  a  finjiic 

piece 


«;  INTRODUCTION. 

piece  is  put  in  at  random,  but  that  every  part  of  it  hat 
its  determinate  measure  and  proportion,  and  is  fixed 
precill'ly  in  that  place  which  is  the  moil  advantageous  for 
it  i  that,  thioughout  every  part  of  it,  there  is  diltributed 
ail  aftonifliing  quantity  of  blocks,  ftays,  and  pullies,  for 
the  purpofc  of  diminilhing  the  fridlion,  and  of  accele- 
xaiitiL;  the  motion  of  thefe  parts  ;  that  even  the  bellying 
and  vaulted  part  of  the  fabric,  together  with  its  iharp 
termination  underneath,  arc  proportioned  according  to 
the  niceit  calculations  and  the  moft  accurately  determin- 
ed rules  ;  that  the  length  and  the  thicknefs  ot  the  mails, 
the  li'/e  of  the  booms  and  yards,  the  length,  width, 
and  li  rcngth  of  the  fails  and  tackling  are  all  in  due  pro- 
portion to  one  another,  according  to  certain  rules  found- 
ed upon  the  principles  of  motion  :  when  we  confider  all 
this,  i  fay,  our  admiration  increafes  more  and  more  at 
this  great  inailer-piecc  of  hsman  power  and  underiland- 
ing.  Still,  however,  there  are  wanting  a  few  traits  to 
Complete  this  defcription.  A  man  in  health  confumcs, 
in  the  fpace  of  24.  hours,  about  8  pounds  of  vi<Sluals  and 
drink  ;  confequently  8000  lb.  of  provifions  are  re- 
quired per  day  in  fuch  a  fliip.  Now  let  us  fuppoi'e 
her  to  be  fitted  out  for  3  months  only,  and  we  ihall 
find  that  (he  muft  be  laden  with  720,0001b.  of  pro- 
vifions. A  large  42-pounder  weighs  about  6 100  lb.  if 
made  of  brafs,  and  about  5500 lb.  if  of  iron i. and 
generally  there  are  28  or  30  of  thefe  on  board  a  fhip 
of  100  guns,  the  weight  of  which,  exclufive  of  that  of 
their  cairiages,  amounts  to  183,0001b.:  onthefecond 
♦leck  there  are  30  twenty-tour  pounders,  each  of  which 
weigh  about  5100  lb.  and  therefore  all  together, 
153,000  lb.  and  the  weight  of  the  26  or  28  twelve- 
pounders  on  the  lower  deck  amounts  to  about 
75,4.00  lb.  ;  that  of  the  14  fix-pounders  on  the  upper 
ileck,  to  about  26,600  lb.  ;  and  befides  that,  on  the 
round  tops  even  there  are  three -pounders  and  fwivels. 
Nov.',  if  to  this  we  add,  that  the  complete  charge  of 

*  a  forty- 


'III 


INTRODUCTION.  il 

a  forty-two  pounder  weighs  about  64  II).   and  thut  at 
lealt  upwards  of    100  charges  arc   rciiiiircd   for   each 
<run,  we  (hall  Hnd  this  to  amount  nearly  to  the  fame 
weight   as  the   guns  thcmlclvcs.      In  addition   to  this 
we  mult  rcftcdt,  that  every  (hip  mull  have,  by  way  of 
providing  againft  exigencies,    at  kaft  another  fet    of 
liiils,  cables,    cordage,    and  tackling,  which  altogether 
amount  to  a  confiderable  weight.     'J  "he  Itores  likewif* 
confiding  of  planks,  pitch,  and   tow  ;    the  chclts  be- 
longing to    ibc    officers    and    lailors  ;     the    lurgeon's 
ftores,  and  various  other  articles   rcquifite   on   a  long 
voyage ;  as  aM'o  the  fmall  arms,  bayonets,  fwords,  and 
piltols,  are  n^  inconfiderable  load  ;  to  which  we  muft 
finally  add  the  weight  of  the  crew,  which  is    not  very 
trifling,    fo  tfl  t    one   of  thefe   large   (hips  carries  at 
Icait  2162  tuns  burthen,  or  4,324,000  lb.  and  at  the 
fame  time  is  (leered  and  governed  with  as  much  caiir 
as  the  fmallell  boat.     Now,  the  confideration  of  the(c 
circumftances   alone  are   fufficient   to   excite  the  moll 
ferious  reflections  in    a  contemplative  mind  ;  and  yet, 
if  fuch  a  fliip  failed  along   the  coalt  only,  and  never 
loll   fight  of  the  ihorc,  as  the  navigators  of  old  ufcd 
to  do,  we  might  Hill  be    tempted  to  look   upon  navi- 
gation as  an  eafy  and  trifling  bufmefs.     But  the  find- 
ing the  llraif^hfell   and  fhoucft  way  over  an  ocean  of 
more  than  bo  or  8o  degrees  in  longitude,  and  30  or 
40  in  latitude  ;  or  acrofs  a  tract  from  4000  to  6coo 
miles  in  extent,  by  day  or  by  night,  in  fair  weather 
or  in  foul,  as  well  when  the  (ky  is  over  call,  as  when 
it  is  clear,  and  often   with    no    other  guidft  than   the 
compais  (which    dees   not  even  poir.t   diredly  to   the 
north  it!  all  places)  ar.d  the  being  able  to    determine 
tlic  tnu'  pcluicn  of  the  Lhip  at  lea   by  the  height  of 
thp  (ui^  though  this  latter  be  enveloped  in  clou'cis,  or 
to  direct    one's    courfc    by    the    moon   and    the  ih\r& 
with  fuch    exadnefs    and   precifion,  as  not  to  make  a 
miftake   of  the   value  of  hnlf  a   degree    or  -70  miles  ^ 
this  at  lead   (hcv/s  the  pro^grcfs  and  great   perfection 
of  an  art  practil'ed  by  a  let  of  people  of  whofe  under- 

ibudiji^-s 


1X11 


INTRODUCTION. 


•:h 


lit 


ftandlngs  many  conceited  and  fupercilious  landmen 
have  but  a  mean  opinion,  and  whofe  plain  and  fimple 
manners  they  frequently  take  the  liberty  of  turninj 
into  ridicule, 

A  violent  ftorm  of  wind  will  make  us  tremble 
with  fear,  even  in  a  ftrong^  welUbuilt  houfe,  and  in 
the  midft  of  a  populous  city ;  yc^t  we  have  feldom  or 
never  either  {een  or  experiericed  the  vaft  power  of  the 
enraged  waves,  when  beat  about  by  the  winds,  and 
tlaflicd  againft  each  other,  till  they  feern  transformed 
into  froth  and  vapour,  and  the  whole  furface  of  the 
ocean  prefents  to  the  eye  a  confufed  fcene  of  immenfe 
watery  mountains,  and  bottomlefs  precipices  ;  and  yet 
/)n  fiich  a  fea  as  this  the  true  feaman,  provided  he  has 
but  a  £  id  (hip,  ride§  with  cal-n  and  unTiaken  courage, 
;ind  thinks  himlelf  as  fafe  in  the  midft  of  the  ocean  as 
in  the  bcft  fovtihcd  caftle. 

This  art,  carried  to  that  height  of  perfe£lion  in  which 
we  have  delcribcd  it,  ciofely.  connedts  the  moft  diftant 
regions,  furnilhes  the  houfes  and  fprcads  the  tables  of 
the  luxurious  natives  of  Europe  with  the  rarities,  dain- 
ties, and  treafures  of  both  the  Indies,  bears  prote6lion 
nnd  fafety  to  the  remoteft  (hores,  and  diftufes  terror  and 
«Ieftru6l:ion  beyond  the  moft  extenfive  feas.  In  fhort, 
it  is  the  greateft  and  moft  aftonifliing  of  all  human 
invcntio  IS,  and  produced  by  the  moft  vigorous  exertion 
of  the  intelle£lual  faculties  of  man,  whom,  in  defpite 
of  his  natural  debility  and  feeblenefs,  it  muft  neceflarily 
jnfpire  with  the  higheft  degree  of  pride,  were  he  not, 
on  other  accounts,  but  too  liable  to  that  failing, 

It  is,  however,  gradually,  and  by  little  and  little 
only  that  this  art  has  attained  to  that  degree  of  per- 
fevSlion  in  which  it  now  fubfifts,  after  having  for  whole 
ages  before  advanced  towards  it  with  a  flow  and  almoft 
imperceptible  pace.  A  minute  enquiry  into  the  whole 
i'yftem  of  nature  j  into  the  powers  of  the  loadftone ; 
into  the  nature  of  the  planets  ;  their  determinate  pe- 
riodical revolutions  ;  their  influence  upon  each  other, 
and  upon  the  winds  and  tides  ;  a  more  accurate  know* 
ledge  of  the  nature  of  the  air  j  of  its  periodi<tal  currents ; 

of 


■  ir 


INTRODUCTION. 


Mil 


of  its  conftituent  parts,  and  of  the  various  dcnfity  of 
its  different  ftrata  ;  a  knowledge  of  the  difference  of  tb« 
gravitating  power  at  the  different  parts  of  the  earth  ; 
and  of  many  other  fciences,  in  which  by  the  help  of  the 
mathematics  in  thefe  later  times  only,  confiUerable  advan- 
ces have  been  made,  have  alfo  of  late  greatly  contribu- 
ted towards  the  perfedion  of  navigation ;  and  as  un- 
doubtedly thefe  fciences  arc  very  far  from  having  as  yet 
arrived  at  their  higheft  pitch,  they  muft  of  courfe  receive 
a  daily  increafe,  and  by  confequence  likewiie  continually 
impart  new  improvements  to  this  art. 

Before  navigation  could  attain  to  its  prefent  perfe6lion, 
it  muft  have  advanced  flowly  through  many  iucceflive 
gradations  ;  and  how  rude  and  imperfedt  mull  it  have 
been  above  2000  years  ago  ?  Hov/ contradlcd  and  limited 
alfo  muft  the  ideas  of  mankind  have  been  uith  regard 
to  foreign  countries  and  nations  ?  This  our  northern 
part  of  the  globe,  however,  and  Europe,  began  at  an 
early  period  to  contribute  to  the  exttnilon  of  human 
knowledge  in  relation  to  foreign  countries  and  nation;'", 
by  means  of  voyages  of  difcovery,  by  commerce  and  hv 
conqueft.  Thefe  three  fources  of  the  enlargement  of 
our  knowledge  of  people  and  countries  I  mention  tojre- 
ther,  becaufe  we  are  ufed  with  an  implicit  confidence 
to  repeat  after  the  great  Momefquieu  (a),  **thatcoiiu- 
"  tries  are  now  dilcovercd  bv  voyages  on  tl\t  ila,  but 
**  that  formerly  the  fea  was  Jifcovered  by  the  conqueft 
**  of  countrie;  ."  And  1  may  with  great  juftice  add 
mere  chance  likewife,  as  a  fource  not  lefs  fruitful  than 
the  former.  Ihe  peopling  of  the  iflands  in  the  South, 
Sea  by  a  Mahiyan  nation,  is  perhaps  to  be  attributed  to 
mere  accident  alone.  They  probably  fet  out  for  a 
neighbouring  illand,  in  order  to  fee  their  friends,  and 
were  driven  by  a  ftorm  to  an  ifland,  of  which  they  had 
not  the  leaft  previous  knowledge.  When  in  the  year 
1774,  we  landed  for  the  fecond  time  at  Huaheine^ 
we  found  three  men  and  a  woman  from  the  ifland  of 
O-mateivOy  or  O-mateoy  who  in  their  beat  had  been  cait 
away  on  this  former  ifland  by  a  ftorm  ;  and  Capt.  Cook^ 
in  his  Iftft  voyage  in  1777,  tound  in  an  ifland  at  a  grc':it 


(a)    Efprit  dcs  Loix,  lib.sxi   c. 


diilancc 


■  < 


lU. 


.« 


XIV 


INTRODUCTION. 


diftance  from  0-raiedea,  three  countrymen  of  Omai's, 
who  were  the  only  furvivors  of  50  perfons,  the  reft 
having  been  gradually  deftroyed  by  the  ftorm,  and  by 
hunger  and  thirft. 

In  fad,  voyages  made  for  the  gratification  of  curio- 
fity,  and  for  the  extenfion  of  commerce,  feem  to  have 
greatly  contributed  to  the  promotion  of  knowledge,  and 
to  the  introuuiSlion  of  milder  manners  and  cuftoms  into 
fociety.  For  it  is  highly-cultivated  nations  only,  that 
explore  diftant  countries  and  nations  for  the  fake  of 
commerce,  in  like  manner  as  the  feeking  them  forthe 
gratification  of  curiofity,  pre-fuppofes  a  ftiil  higher  de^ 
gree  of  cultivation  and  refinement. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  more  rude  and  uncivilized, 
march  armies  into  foreign  territories  for  the  fake  df 
conqueft.  Though  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  even  in 
this  way,  nations,  which  have  arrived  a(  a  high  de- 
gree of  culture,  have  added  confiderably  to  the  know- 
ledge they  were  before  pofl'efled  of,  with  refpeft  to  dif- 
ferent nations  and  countries.  All  thefe  are  the  varied 
means  which  an  infinitely  wife  Being  has  appointed  for 
the  purpofe  of  humanizing  mankind,  of  drawing  them, 
if  I  may  fo  cxprefs  myfelf,  out  of  their  native  ftate  of 
barbarifm,  and  of  diffufing  amongft  them  the  liberal  arts 
and  gentler  courtefies  of  life.  It  is,  however,  hy  Navi- 
gation principally  that  we  learn,  that  men  and  nations 
exift  not  for  themfelves  alone,  but  like  wife  for  the  fake 
of  others.  In  long  and  diftant  voyages  the  bands  of  fo- 
ciety and  friendfhip,  too  apt  to  be  relaxed  when  we  find 
ourfelves  independent,  are  cemented  by  our  wants,  of 
which  it  is  impoffible  at  that  time  not  to  be  fenfible. 
Urged  by  diftrefs  and  hard(hip,  we  are  then  willing  to 
receive  the  afliftancc  we  cannot  do  without,  even  from 
ftrangers.  Our  mutual  neceffities  give  rife  to  mutual 
favours  and  reciprocal  benefits,  till  the  gentle  fpirit  of 
humanity  and  kindnefs,  thus  kindled  from  a  fpark  of  lau- 
dable felf-intereft,  and  gradually  encreafing  by  repeated 
exertions,  burfts  forth  at  laft  into  a  glorious  blaze  of  ha- 
bitual benevolence  and  univerfal  philanthropy. 

Without  voyages  and  without  navigation,  unculti- 
vated and  favage  nations  look  upon  themfelves  as  the 
only,  or  at  leaft  as  the  principal,  inhabitants  of  the 
e^rth. 

The 


F  Omai's, 

the  reft 

,  and  by 

of  curio- 
n  to  have 
edge,  and 
loms  into 
only,  that 
e  fake  of 
;m  for  the 
higher  de^ 

incivilized, 
he  fake  of 
at  even  ia 
a  high  de- 
the  know- 
)e6lto  dif- 
the  varied 
jpointed  for 
ving  diem, 
ve  ftate  of 
liberal  arts 
,  by  Navi- 
ind  nations 
Dr  the  fake 
ands  of  fo- 
len  we  find 
wants,  of 
be  fenfible. 
willing  to 
even  from 
to  mutual 
:le  fpirit  of 
lark  of  lau- 
y  repeated 
llaze  of  ha- 

unculti- 
llves  as  the 
Ints  of  tlie 

The 


INTRODUCTION.  xv 

The  ancient  inhabitants  of  our  native  country  afllimed 
the  name  of  Teutfche^  i.  e.  Germans,  from  the  word 
Thiud^  which  fignifies  a  people.     Before  other  names 
were    introduced,   every  habitable   part  of  Egypt  was 
fcallcd   Thebe  (b),    from  ^o»«?  (TJjeveh)    the  habitation. 
Thfe  people  of  Greenland  call  themfelves  Inmit  men, 
i.  e.  natives,  and  the  Kamtfchadales  alTume  the  name  of 
itel  men,  or  inhabitants  ;  for  the  fame  reafon  the  Eu- 
ropeans are  likewifc  called  by  the  Greenlanders  Kab- 
iunas^  i.  t.Jirangers^  or  foreigners,  in  like  manner  as 
all  ftrangers  amor^ft  the  Moguls  were  termed  Uigur ^  or 
'Jugur*     Thus,  too,  the  Sajfen^  or  Saxons  intitled  them- 
fclves  the  conjiant,  fixed  inhabitants  of  the  country.    And 
Influenced  by  the  fame  principles,    the  Chinefe,  who, 
though  far  from  being  in  a  flate  of  high  cultivation,  ate 
txtremely  proud  and  conceited,  are  of  opinion  that  their 
country  is  the  center  of  the  univerfe,  and  that  their  na- 
tion is  the  only  one,  which  on  account  of  their  know- 
ledge ard  underftanding  may  be  faid  to  have  two  eyes, 
whilft  on  the  contrary,  all  other  people  en  the  earth 
have  but  one  j  as  alfo  that  they  are  the  face  of  the  world, 
and  other  nations  only  the   backfide  of  it ;  or,  as  the 
f  rench  would  fay,  qu'ils  appartiennent  aux  parties  hon- 
teufes  du  monde.     It  is  only  in  confequence  of  repeated 
intercourfe  between  diftant  nations,  that  the  knowledge 
of  nations  and  countries  has  been  developed.     In  the 
beginning,  all  the  Sclavonian  nations  were  called  Saurc- 
mates }  when  they  became  better  known,  it  was  found, 
that  each  tribe  called  itfelf  in  general  5/flt;/',*  or  Sclare^ 
with  another  peculiar  or  fpecific  name  annexed  to  it, 
c.  g.  Ruffian,  Polonian,  Bohemian,  Serbian,  Polabian, 
Vandalian,  Crobatian,  and  Bulgarian  flaves. 

The  greater  the  diflance  of  the  difcovered  countries 
was  from  the  refpeftive  feats  of  learning  and  civilization 
at  any  particular  period,  the  longer  time  it  was,  before 
in  confequence  of  repeated  voyages  and  expeditions,  anv 
certain  information  concerning  them  was  diffufed  through 
thefe  more  refined  and  cultivated  parts  of  the  world. 
But  then  this  knowledge  of  diftant  nations  and  countries 
was  likewife  always  in  proportion  to  the  ftate  in  which 
the  difcovering  nation  itfelf  was,  with  reljjeit  to  learn- 


(b)    Herodot.  Lib.  II.  Cap.  15. 


Iflff) 


! 


l§ 


XVI 


INTRODUCTION. 


in?. 


culture,  and  refinement  of  manners.  It  was  at  i 
late  period  only  that  the  Romans  learned  that  Great-* 
Britain  was  an  ifland  j  and  even  in  the  days  of  Horner^ 
it  was  fuppofed  that  a  total  darknefs  pervaded  Crimea^ 
or  the  land  of  the  Cimmeriansi  becaufe  in  that  country, 
the  nights  were  much  longer  than  in  Greece.  The 
cold  induced  the  Arimafp'tans  to  wrap  themfelves  upf 
during  the  winter  in  fuch  a  manner  that  there  appeared 
but  one  aperture  in  their  head-drefs  for  them  to  look 
through  i  this  circurriftance  gave  occafion  to  the  Bof- 
phorian  Scythians  to  inform  Herodotus  that  thefe  people 
had  but  one  eye.  In  like  manner,  too,  they  told  him, 
that  beyond  the  country  of  the  Arimafpians  there  was  no- 
thing but  feathers,  by  which  they  meant  nothing  more 
than  a  great  quantity  of  flakes  of  inow  (c). 

The  moft  remote  northern  regions  could  not  pofllbly 
have  been  difcovered  all  at  once,  but  only  one  after  ano- 
ther, and  by  degrees  ;  and  fo  long  as  upwards  of  3270 
years  ago,  the  Phenicians  and  Egyptians  had  fome  know- 
ledge of  Tartejfus^  or  Tarjhljh^  for  at  that  time  lived 
Mofes,  who  makes  mention  of  Tarjh'tjh  \  and  Herodo- 
tus, who  was  alive  fo  long  as  2iQ,i  years  ago,  was  ac- 
quainted, though  imperfedly,  with  Great-Britain  and 
Pruffia.  The  tirft  he  knew  to  be  the  country  of  Tin, 
and  the  fecond  that  of  Amber.  So  early  as  about  2106 
years  ago,  Pytheas  of  Marfeilles  had  knowledge  of  the 
lame  countries,  as  alfo  of  Thule^  or  Iceland. 

In  lefs  enlightened  times,  a  great  deal  of  this  know- 
ledge was  lott,  and  accordingly  in  the  time  of  Vefpajiariy 
the  Romans  thought  they  had  made  a  great  dilcovery, 
when  they  had  found  that  Great-Britain  was  an 
ifland  (d). 

In  Hill  darker  times,  geographical  knowledge  became 
yet  more  contracted,  till  at  length  in  our  days  new  dif- 
toveries  have  been  made,  which  have  brought  us  bet- 
ter than  ever  acquainted  with  the  North,  and  have  left 
us  little  more  to  difcover  with  refp«^  to  thefe  regions, 

(t)  Herodot.  L.  IV.  Cap.  17  and  31. 
frl)   TaeituB,  vua  Agricolc. 


HISTORY 


t  was  at  i 
lat  Great- 
o{  Homer< 
ed  Crimea^ 
lat  country, 
Ece.  The 
■nlelves  up 
e  appeared 
m  to  look 
0  the  Bof- 
hefe  people 
'  told  him, 
;re  was  no- 
dding more 

not  pofllbly 
J  after  ano- 
ds  of  3270 
Dme  know- 
time  lived 
id  Herodo- 
0,  was  ac- 
iritain  and 
ry  of  Tini 
ibout  2106 
:dge  of  the 

this  know- 
Vefpaftatiy 
dilcovery, 
was    an 

re  became 
R5  new  dif- 

\t  us  bet- 
have  left 
regions. 


HISTORY 


OF     THE 


VOYAGES,     &c. 


BOOK 


I. 


CRY 


OF    THE    MOST  ANCIENT    DISCOVERIES 
MADE  IN  THE  NORTH. 

CHAP.        I. 

Of  the  Voyages  and  Difcover'm  madt  by  the  Phoenicians. 

TH  E  north  was  certainly  not  a  region  likely  to  be 
chofen  by  any  people  voluntarily  and  witliout 
compulfion  for  a  habitation,  as  long  as  there  was  room 
for  new  colonies  towards  the  eaft  and  the  weft.  It  might 
however  happen  that  famine,  diflentions  with  their 
countrymen,  and  many  other  caufes,  compelled  feveral 
families  and  tribes  to  remove  farther  towards  the  north. 
For  the  greater  degree  of  the  cold  of  the  winters  there, 
the  deficiency  of  fuch  plants  as  grew  fpontaneoufly,  and 
might  be  ufed  for  food,  together  with  the  earth  being  fhut 
up  by  the  froft  for  the  fpace  of  many  months,  were  fuffici- 
ent  to  deter  any  race  of  people  from  making  choice  of 
thofe  regions  for  their  abode.  Notwithftanding  which, 
hiftory  informs  us,  that  thefe  countries  were  inhabited 

B  eveii 


1 


r. 


Ift 


i'V.. 

■j(  ■ 


i':: 


1  VOYAGES    AND 

even  at  an  early  period.  It  is,  however,  no  lefs  cer- 
tain, that  the  notions  entertained  by  the  antients,  re- 
lative to  the  north  and  its  inhabitants,  or,  as  the  Gre- 
cians ufually  called  them,  the  Hyperboreans^  were  different 
at  different  periods.  Accordingly  it  will  be  our  endea- 
vour, in  the  following  pages,  to  fhew,  how  this  idea  has 
been  extended  by  degrees,  in  proportion  as  new  difcoveries 
were  made  in  geography,  and  the  different  nations  with 
which  the  earth  was  peopled,  became  better  known. 

It  has  been  known  from  thne  immemorial,  that 
the  Phaenicians  were  the  firfl  people  who  attained  to 
an  extenfive  knowledge  of  the  earth  and  its  inhabi- 
tants ;  a  knowledge  which  they  acquired,  indeed  by  the 
great  extent  of  their  voyages  and  commerce.  That  we 
may  be  the  better  enabled  to  (hew,  with  any  tolerable 
degree  of  certainty,  at  how  early  a  period  the  voyages 
of  difcovery  made  by  the  Phoenicians  began,  and  how 
far  they  extended,  it  will  be  necelfary  for  us  to  take  a 
ihort  view  of  the  hiftory  of  this  people. 

At  a  very  early  period  of  antiquity,  there  exifted  a 
race  of  men  on  the  ihores  of  the  Red  Sea,  or  of  the 
mofl  northerly  part  of  the  Arabian  Gulph.  Thev  dwelt 
in  caves  formed  by  nature  in  the  range  of  hills  that 
ran  along  the  fea-coaft,  and  fprcad  themfelves  alfo  by 
degrees  farther  away  from  the  fea-fide  into  the  deferts, 
where,,  in  like  manner,  they  inhabited  indifferently,  and 
without  making  any  fixed  fettlement,  every  hole  and 
cavity  in  the  earth,  nay,  under  every  thorn  [Rhamnus 
Paliurus  Linn.  &  Nabeca  Forfkal]  whofe  branches 
could  afford  them  even  a  fcanty  fhelter.  They  had 
neither  cattle  nor  any  kind  of  agriculture  ;  but  near  the 
fea,  lived  on  fifh  and  other  marine  animals,  and  in  the 
dcferts  on  Jocufl^s,  and  on  the  tender  tops  and  young 
ftoots  of  broom,  and  fome  miferable,  paltry  fruits  from 
off  the  few  plants  that  grew  wild  in  thofe  parts.  This 
wretched  way  of  life  procured  them  various  names  and 
appellations  from  their  more  polifhed  and  civilized  neigh- 
bours. The  Hebrews  called  them  Hontes,  and  the 
children  of  Enai  ;  both  which  denominations  had  a 
reference  to  their  living  in  holes  and  caves  :  and  the 
Grecian  name  of  Troglodytes  is  merely  a  tranflation  of 
the  former  of  thefe  terms.  From  their  diet  they  were 
likewife  called  in  Greek  hhthyophagl  or  filh-eaters,  Arx- 

dophagi 


DISCOV£RIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


y  lefs  cer- 
itients,  re- 
,s  the  Gre- 
rc  different 
our  endea- 
his  idea  has 
difcoveries 
ations  with 
mown, 
orial,  that 
attained  to 
its  inhabi- 
deed  by  the 
That  wc 
ly  tolerable 
the  voyages 
n,  and  how 
s  to  take  a 

e  exifted  a 
,  or  of  the 
Thev  dwelt 
hills  that 
ves  alfo  by 
deferts, 
rcntly,  and 
hole    and 
[Rhamnus 
branches 
They  had 
ut  near  the 
and  in  the 
and  young 
ruits  from 
rts.     This 
names  and 
zed  neigh- 
and    the 
3ns   had  a 
and  the 
nflation  of 
they  were 
ters,  Ar/- 
dopbagi 


^ophagl  or  V  cuft-eaters,  and  Hyhphagi  or  wood-eaters. 
This  is  an  evident  proof,  that  when  they  fcparated  from 
the  other  tribes  who  were  occupied  in  cultivating  the 
earth  and  tending  cattle,  they  were  not  upon  good  terms 
with  them  ;    and  that,   in  all  probability,  they  carried 
nothing  with  them,  when  they  fled  into  the  wildernefs  to 
avoid  the  effefts  of  the  difpleafure  and  vengeance  of  their 
brethren.     Confequently,  they  looked  on  all  their  neigh- 
bours in  the  light  of  enemies  ;  and  whoever  went  un- 
armed into  the  deferts  which  they  inhabited,  was  fure  to 
be  robbed  by  them.     On  the  other  hand,  whenever  any 
one  of  this  race  went  near  the  dwellings  of  the  more 
civilized  tribes,  there  was  a  general  hue-and-cry  raifed 
immediately,  which  quickly  obliged  him  to  betake  him- 
felf  again  to  the  wildernefs.     In  the  mean  time  neceflity 
made  them  bold  and  inventive.     They  were  the  firft  to 
venture  on  the  Red  Sea,  on  a  wretched  float  made  of  the 
fprays  of  trees  fattened  together,  (a)  in  order  to  get  their 
livelihood  by  fifhing.     By  land  they  were  obliged  to  range 
alone  all  over  the  deferts  in  quefl  of  food  j  when,  if  they 
met  with  a  woman  of   their  race,  ihe  was  per   force 
obliged  to  fatisfy  their  lufl: :  the  next  thorn,  or  hollow  in 
the  rock,  was  their  bedchamber ;  and  none  of  them,  in 
this  cafe,  ever   fpared  even  their  neareft  of  kin.     On 
this  account  the  whole  race  was  held  in   the  greateft 
deteftation  by  the  other  nations.     It  is  thus  likewife  that 
they  are  defcribed  by  Job  (b),,  and  the  very  fame  pi6lurc 
of  this  people  we  find  in  Diodorus  (c). 

Part  of  this  people  went  fo  early  as  before  the  call  of 

Abraham,  into  the  Land  of  Promije  (d).     In  this  coun- 

'try  they  took  from  Canaan,  the  father  of  their  tribe,  th« 

name  of  Canaanltes  ;  a  name  they  gave  tliemfelves  in 

l^ublick  monuments  *  fo  late  as  after  the  vi(5lory  of  Alex- 


(*)  PIId.  Lib.  vii.c.  55. 

(b)  job,  chip,  30.  V.  I — 8.  . 

(f)  biofior.  Sicul.  Biblioth.  Lib.  iii  &  Strabo.  Geograph,  Lib.  Jslv. 

{d)  Gcnt-fis,  chap,  la.  v.  6.  13.  v.  7. 

*  The  celebrated  Mr.  Jolin  Swintoii  in  the  GentUmaiCs  ATaftazine  for 
Dec.  1760,  p.  i;5o,  hai  given  a  delcripiion  and  drawing  of  a  com  (liuck 
hy  the  City  of  LaoJiceu,  and  beirins;  a  Spinilh  or  Phcenician  infcription  i 
Oil  .vliich  coin  Laoiiicea  it  ceiled  a  Motf.ir-C'ity,  or  Mtircftlis'm  Canaan,. 


B2 


ander 


tViC'5 


'U.m 


M 


1 1'„. 


VOYAGES    AND 

4- 

ander  the  Gi'cat,  In  the  reign  of  Antlochus  Epi'phanes, 
wi  ich  conlHtutes  a  period  of  more  than  1742  years. 
The  ftiepherds  poflefled  the  internal  part  of  the  country  ; 
and  the  part  inhabited  by  the  Canaanites  extended  from 
the  lake  of  Genezareth  quite  to  the  Mediterranean.  In 
this  new  habitation,  commerce,  together  with  the  fa- 
brication of  a  few  articles  of  luxury  and  curiofity,  was 
their  chief  employment,  and  what  they  fubfifted  by. 
This  they  carried  to  fuch  an  extent,  that  at  laft  Ca- 
naanite  and  merchant  became  fynonymous  terms.  To 
ithe  Greeks  this  nation  was  known  by  the  name  of 
Phaniciam^  a  name,  which  this  latter  people  probably 
beftowed  on  them  on  account  of  the  palms  {ipomi,)  which 
grew  in  that  country  in  great  abundance  *. 

The  forni  of  their  govenment,  and  their  man- 
ners ttill  retained  a  great  deal  of  their  primitive  rude 
and  wild  ftate.  To  every  little  tribe  they  had  a  king  or 
prince.  The  fame  fpirit  of  freedom  and  indepen- 
dence, by  which  they  were  aftuated  in  the  wildernefs 
and  oh  the  fhores  of  the  Red  Sea,  ftill  remained  with 
them  at  the  time  when  they  lived  un'der  the  govern- 
ment of  a  prince  in  walled  and  fortified  cities.  Even 
fo  late  as  a  thoufand  years  after  this,  they  were  reproach- 
ed with  their  iicentioufnefs,  impure  delires,  and  Ihame- 
ful  practice  of  promifcuous  copulation  j  and  in  like 
manner  the  deceitfulnefs  of  their  difpofitions,  their  ava- 
rice, cruelty  and  perfidy  became  almoft  proverbial. 

I'he  wars  of  the  Elamitic  princes  (c)^  together  with 
the  earthquake  (f)  which  followed  foon  upon  thefe 
,  induced  the  few  Horites,  which  ftill  remained 
Icattered  on  the  fhores  of  the  Red  Sea,  to  go  over  to 
their  brethren  in  Palejiine.  Here  their  occupation,  im- 
mediately after  their  arrival,  was  navigation  and  com- 
merce (g)  i  and  they  carried  Egyptian  and  Aflyrian 
commodities  from  one  place  to  another  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean.    In  the  very  firft  commencement  of  their  na- 

•  It  is  pcfllble,  however,  that  Efau's  other  name,  Edom^  which  figni- 
fies  tfJy  and  whom  the  Greeks  have  changed  into  a  king  Erytkras^  may 
have  ill'o  contributed  towards  the  appellation  of  Ptctnieians  ;  as  fom^fig- 
nities  likewifea  red  date-coionr.  ^ 

(e)  Genefis,  chap.  14.  v.  1,  4. 

(/)  Genef.  chap.  19.  v.  24,  15,  28.  Herodot.  L.  i.  C  I.  &c  Judin. 
Lib.  xviii.  c.  3. 

igj  Herodomg,  J.  c. 

vigation, 


i  Epiphnnes, 
1742  years, 
the  country ; 
tended  from 
rranean.  In 
with  the  fa- 
Liriofity,  was 
fubfifted  by. 
at  laft  Ca- 
terms.  To 
le  name  of 
iple  probably 
^e(»|)  which 

their  man- 
imitive  rude 
lad  a  king  or 
nd  indepen- 
le  wildernefs 
mained  with 
the  govern- 
ities.  Even 
;re  reproach- 

and  (hame- 
and  in   like 
their  ava- 
verbial. 
ogether  with 

upon  thefe 
ill  remained 

go  over  to 
upation,  im- 
3n  and  com- 
nd   Aflyrian 

le  Mediter- 

of  their  na- 

)w,  which  figoi- 
Erythas^   may 

IS  i  at  4>o(VjJ  fig- 

:.  I.  8e  Juflin. 

vigation, 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH  5 

vigation,  they  made  ufe  of  longjhips^  and  arrived  at  fuch 
an  acquaintance  with  nations  and  countries,  as  at  that 
period,  in  the  infancy  of  the  world,  nuturally  aftoniftied 
the  reft  of  mankind.  For  about  600  years  after  Noah's 
flood,  the  navigations  of  the  Sidoniam  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, their  trade,  and  the  flouriftiing  circumftanccs 
they  were  in  in  confequence  of  thefe,  were  fo  famous, 
as  to  be  made  mention  of  by  the  dying  patriarch  Ja- 
cob, {h)  . 

Very  early  we  find  mention  made  of  Tarjhijh,  the  Spa- 
nifli  Tartejfus  (/),  as  of  a  European  people.  Forfo  far, 
atleaft,  is  true,  that  Moses  muft  have  heard  from  the 
Pho&rAcians,  that  there  adually  exifted  fuch  a  people  ; 
which  people,  confequently,  muft  have  been  vifited  by 
them.  But  this  fa6t  he  learned  in  the  flower  of  his  age, 
when  he  was  lefs  than  40  years  old,  at  the  time  when  he 
accompanied  the  Egyptian  King  Seftoris  in  his  grand 
expedition  through  />.fia  and  Europe ;  confequently 
about  730  years  after  the  deluge*.  According  to  this 
calculation  the  Phoenicians  Jiad  at  that  period  extended 
their  navigation  as  far  as  Spain,  and  even  as  far  as  to 
the  other  lidc  of  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  ;  and  by  confe- 
quence they  were  acquainted  with  all  the  coafts  of  the 
Mediterranean :  for  in  thofe  days,  in  all  their  voyages, 
navigators  followed  the  coafts,  and  went  to  as  little  dif- 
tance  from  it  as  polTible.  This  diftant  navigation  was 
continually  extending  j  and,  beyond  the  Straits,  they 
went  as  well  to  the  left  hand  and  fouthwards  along  the 
coaft  of  Africa,  as  likewife  to  the  right  hand  and  north- 
wards along  the  coafts  of  Spain  and  Gaul,  'till  they  at 
laft  reached  the  Britifh  fhore,  and  there  found  both  lead 
and  t'lity  both  which  metals  were  known  fo  early  as  in 
the  time  of  Moles  [k).  And  thefe  metals  were,  ac- 
cording to  the  univerfal  teftimony  of  the  ancients,  no 
where  to  be  found  but  in  the  Britifh  iflands  (/).     Ac- 

(h)  Gcnef.  chap.  49.  v.  13.  » 

(i)  Genef.  chap.  10.  v.  4. 

•  ViHe  J  R.  Forfteri  Epiftols  ad  Jo.  Dav.  Michaelem,  hnjus  fpicilegi 
«m  geographige  Htbrxorum  exterc  jam  confirtnantes,  jam  caftigantci, 
p.  1—7,  6c  p.  19—44. 

( k)  Numbers,  chap.  31.  v.  14. 

(/)  Herodotus^  Lib.  iii.  cap.  1 1  g.  where  he  confelTes,  that  it  was  brought 
aloog  with  amber  from  the  farthed  exueiaity  of  Europe. 

cordingly 


'm 


.•ill 


i  VOYAGES    AND 

cordingly  they  were  calleJ  the  Sorling  or  Siil/y  iflands  s 
likcwife  the  Cajftterides,  or  77«-iflands  ;  and  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  country,  this  land  is  CTiWt^  Bro -or  Brte- 
tain,  viz.  the  land  or  tin  :  an  appellation  which  it  pre- 
ferved  in  the  times  of  the  Romans,  and  indeed  has  pre- 
ferved  it  even  to  this  day.  Nay,  as  Pliny  exprefsly  fays 
*  ♦  that  a  certain  Midacritus  firft  brought  lead  and  tin 
from  the  Cafliterian  iflands,  we  have  reafon  to  fuppofe 
that  the  nam?  of  this  perfon  was  corrupted,  and  we  can 
almoft  take  upon  us  pofitively  to  affert,  that  it  is  a  Phoe- 
nician name.  Befides  tin  and  lead,  which  the  Phoeni- 
cians, and  no  other  nation  whatever,  fetched  from  Bri- 
tain (w),  they  likewife  brought  amber  from  the  -noft 
remote  regions  of  Europe.  To  the  Greeks  amber 
was  known  fo  early  as  in  the  times  of  Herodotus,  and 
perhaps  of  Homer  ;  and  yet  we  are  well  aflured,  that  it 
was  only  to  be  had  from  the  countries  bordering  on  the 
German  Ocean ;  but  no  Greeks  ever  went  to  thole 
parts  :  for  the  utmoft  extent  of  their  commerce  was  to 
the  Phoenician  colony  of  'Cadiz  \  confequently,  the 
trade  of  the  Phoenicians  muft  have  extended  as  far  as 
Pruflla,  which  is  one  of  the  moft  aftonifliing  voyages 
that  ever  was  undertaken  \y  any  people  in  the  infancy  of 
the  world. 

This  early  acquaintance  of  the  ancients  with  the  north 
of  Europe  cannot  be  denied  under  the  pretext,  that  af- 
terwards, in  the  times  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  ra- 
ther lefs,  if  any  thing,  was  known  of  thefe  regions  than 
is  fuppofed  to  have  been  known  to  the  Phoenicians  :  for 
it  is  the  very  fame  cafe  with  refpeit  to  the  circumnavi- 
gation of  Africa.  It  is  at  prefent  proved  almoft  to  a 
Jemonftration  *,    that  the   Phoenicians   and    Egyptians 


*•  Plinil  Hlft.  Nat.  L,  vii.  ftp.  t,6.  Indeed  the  name  of  mhaakpi- 
TOS  appears  originally  to  have  been  MEAKAPTOI,  which  wai  propcrl/ 
one  of  ihe  appellations  of  the  Phoenician  or  Tyrian  Hercules.  And  the 
word  Hercules  or  Harokel  in  the  Phoenician  language  fignified  a  mer- 
chant. 

(m)  Strabonis  Geograph.  Lib.  iii.  fub  fvnem. 

*  Vid.  ^oh  Matth.  Gefneri  PraltSlionet  de  Pbaenicum  extra  Columnm 
Kerculis  Navigalionibus,  at  the  end  of  his  edition  ot  theOrphici  ;  likcwitc 
jtug.  Lud,  Scblozer''s  Sketch  of  a  General  Hiftory  of  Commerce  and 
Kavigajion  in  the  remoted  antiquity;  and  the  Chevalier  Joh.  Dav. 
Michaelii'iSpicilegtum  Geographic  Hebrzornro  eztcrs  pod  Bochaitum. 
I'ars  prima,  p.  8i-— lOJj. 

have 


"iw 


Illy  iflands  3 
in  the  lan- 

lich  it  pre- 
eed  has  pre- 
xprefsly  fays 
ead  and  tin 
1  to  fuppofe 
and  we  can 
t  is  a  Phce- 
the  Phoeni- 
l  from  Bri- 
n  the  •.  110ft 
eeks  amber 
odotus,  and 
red,  that  it 
ring  on  the 
nt  to  thole 
Tce  was  to 
lently,  the 
;d  as  far  as 
ng  voyages 
s  infancy  of 

th  the  north 
ct,  that  af- 
omans,  ra- 
egions  than 
icians :  for 
ircumnavi- 
almoft  to  a 
Egyptians 

of  MHAAKPI- 
was  properl/ 
es.  And  the 
niiied  a  mtr- 


vtra  Cdumnns 
lici  ;  likcwile 
ommerce  and 
er  Joh.  Dav. 
I  Bochaiturn. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.  7 

liave  more  than  once  undertaken  and  happily  accom- 
plifhed  the  circumnavigation  of  this  quarter  c^  the  globe. 
Even  the  celebrated  voyages  to  Ophir  of  the  Phceniclans 
and  Hebrews  in  Solomon's  time,  were  nothing  elfe  ttun 
circumnavigations  of  Africa  f,  and  vet  thev  were  all 
forgotten  ;  and  when  K*ifco  Gama  in  the  years  1497  and 
1498  failed  round  Africa  to  the  Indies,  it  was  conhdercd 
as  an  abfolutely  novel  undertaking,  and  a  voyage  that 
had  never  been  attempted  before. 

In  order  the  better  to  fecure  to  themfelves  the  very  im- 
portant commerce  of  thcfe  countries,  the  Phoenicians 
founded  c<Jonies  and  cities  every  where  in  the  moft  com- 
modious places,  as  far  as  their  voyages  extended. 

About  80  years  after  the  Trojan  war,  the  city  of  Gades 
(or  Cadix)  was  founded  in  a  fmall  ifland  not  far  from 
Tarteffus  in  Spain,  and  foon  afterwards  that  of  UtUa  in 
Africa  (»).  They  had  long  before  this  traded  thither, 
and  had  already  found  their  way  to  Britain ;  they  had 
likewife  made  voyages  to  Greece,  Thrace  and  Italy,  and 
had  even  peopled  and  founded  cities  in  Cittium,  Thera, 
Argos,  Thebes,  Samothrace  and  Thafus ;  nay,  they 
had,  in  all  probability,  extended  their  commerce  as  far  as 
the  Black  Sea  to  Bithynia  aiid  Colchis.  Their  very  lu- 
crative traffick  however  to  Africa,  and  efpecially  to 
Spain,  induced  them  to  ereil  on  the  hither  fide  of  it,  on 

•j"  The  land  of  Ophir  is,  in  my  opinion,  the  fame  with  that  which 
was  otherwifg  called  Africa.  The  Phocniciaaa  fent  out  for  the  purpofe  by 
the  Egyptian  King  and  Conqueror  Sejeftrit  and  his  father  Pamaijii  or 
ylmqfis  I.  gradually  difcovered,  together  with  the  Egyptians  who  were 
joined  with  them,  the  coafts  of  all  Africa  :  hence  we  meet  with  fuch  ad- 
mirable, and,  in  fait,  comprehenllve  account!  of  the  natives  of  Africa  fo 
early  as  in  Moleb's  time,  in  the  xth  book  of  Genefis.  Now  gold  and  other 
precious  commodiiies  being  found  in  many  parts  of  Africa,  this  newly 
difcovered  country  became  celebrated  and  got  a  great  name  :  and  this  ia 
the  Egyptian  language  is  Ov-<f>t(t,  and,  with  the  addition  of  the  word  xa^, 
which  fignifiea  a  countrjy  Ou-<fii^t-iui(y  (i.  e.  tie  celebrated  country  J  Opbiri 
and  Ophirikah.  The  third  epoch*  of  the  circumnavigation  of  Africa  fell 
in  the  time  of  Solomoit,  nearly  500  years  later,  Three  hundred  and 
eighty  years  after  this  Nccho  gave  orderk  for  the  circumnavigation  of  Afri- 
ca to  be  performed  ;  and  in  the  reign  of  Ptolemy  Euergetet  II.  one  Eu- 
JoxMt  failed  once  more  round  Africa,  which  is  450  years  later  than  the 
voyage  of  Necho:  and  yet  in  Sirabo's  time  many  people  doubled  of  the 
poffibility  of  making  the  tour  of  Africa  by  fe». 

^§)  Veil.  Paterc.  Hift.  Lib.  I.  cap.  i. 


an 


have 


I 

■  ij  If 

M 


A. 


8 


VOYAGES    ARD 


an  idand  near  TartefTus,  a  fortified  place,  which  thejr  i 
might  make  yfe  of  as  a  rcpofitory  or  ftorehoufc  for  the ' 
Spanifh  trade.     From  hence  they  fpread  as  far  as  Britain 
and  Pruflia,  and  filled  their  magazines  with  the  com- 
modities which  they  had  got  by  way  of  barter  for  their 
glafs,  purple  die,  cloth,   and  all  forts  of  manufa«Slurcs 
and  produdions  of  ingenuity  and  art,  and  vended  again 
in  Phoenician   and  all  the  countries  and  towns  on  the 
{hores  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  that  almoft  always  to  • 
advantage. 

Shortly  after  this,  we  find  Phoenician  colonics  on  every' 
ifland  in  the  Mediterranean,  in  the  Balearic  iflands,  in 
Sardinia,  Corfica,  Sicily,  Malta,  and  many  parts  of  the 
northern  coaft  of  Africa. 

Nothing,  however,  is  more  worthy  of  remark,  than 
the  foundation  of  a  now  Phoenician  State  on  the  African 
Coaft.  About  140  years  after  the  building  of  the  Tem- 
ple of  Solomon  at  Jerufaipm,  Eussa  or  Dil>o  fled  from 
'Tyre  in  order  to  avoid  the  felicitations  and  perfecutions 
pf  her  brother,  who  was  king  of  that  place.  She  landed 
firft  in  Cyprus,  an  ifland  on  which  at  "mat  time  there  Had 
long  been  Phoenician  trading  towns  "nd  colonics,  uid 
which  her  father  had  very  lately  brought  more  unde;  1  ib- 
je6lion  than  ever.  {0).  Here  {he  was  accompanied  by 
a  prieft,  and  her  followers  took  wives  along  with  them  : 
and  fo  {he  failed  with  her  younger  brother  Barcas  and 
her  fiffer  Anna  to  Africa,  As  foon  as  fhe  arrived,  (he 
bought  a  piece  of  ground  of  the  Africans,  for  the  pur- 
pofe  of  building  on  it  a  fortification  i  to  this,  from  the 
oxes  hide,  on  which  when  {he  made  the  negotiation,  {he 
fat  by  way  of  carpet  after  the  eaftern  manner,  {he  gave 
the  name  of  Byrfa.  About  25  years  after  this,  juft  up- 
^er  the  fort  which  was  f.tuated  on  an  eminence,  and 
whither  more  and  more  Phoenicians  continually  reforted, 
{he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  new  city^  which  accordingly 
was  called  Cdrtha-chadta  or  New-town  :  or  as  it  was  ab- 
breviated by  the  Greeks,  Karchedon^  and  according 
fo  the  Latin  pronunciation,  Carthago,  The  fertility  of 
the  adjacent  foil,  the  excellence  of  the  harbour,  the 
happy  fcite   of   the  town,    in   the  center  of   fo  many 

(f)  Virgilis  i£naeis,  L.  I.  v.  (21,  6ti. 


rich 


DISCOVERIES  IK  THE  NORTH.         ^ 

rich  iflands  and  countries  conveniently  fituated  fcr  car- 
rying on  a  lucrative  commerce,  together  with  the  in- 
d'ullry  of  the  inhabitants,  all  contributed  greatly  to  the 
rapid  increafc  and  improvement  ofthe  colony.  It  was 
not  long  before,  in  confcquencc  of  the  enlargement  of 
its  territory,  it  became  a  feparate  State  ;  and  this  m- 
confiderable  State  foon  increafcd  to  a  kingdom,  which, 
from  the  firft  building  of  the  city  to  its  dtftruaion,  in 
all  70D  years,  extended  its  dominion  over  a  confiderable 
portion  of  Africa,  and  over  a  great  part  of  Spain,  Si- 
cily, Corfica,  and  Sardinia,  as  likcwife  over  the  Bale- 
i.ric  Iflands. 

'i'hc  internal  regulation  of  the  State,  the  moft  perfect 
and  refined  policy  often  (hewn  and  pra«Slifed  by  it,  the 
numerous  wars  carried  on  for  the  prote«Slion  and  exten- 
iion  of  its  commerce  ;  the  emoluments  ariftng  to  if 
jVom  this  coijimerce  (which  was  extended  to  the  moft 
icaiote  countries)  as  well  as  from  the  filver  mines  of 
Spain,  and  from  the  adlive  diligence  and  unwearied 
iiiduftry  of  its  inhabitants,  contributed  very  much  to  the 
rapid  increafe  of  their  power,  of  their  riches,  and  of 
their  profperity  in  general. 

The  great  variety  of  profeflions  and  arts,  which  fub^ 
fiflcd  at  Carthage  in  the  moft  flouriftiing  ftate  j  the  fpi- 
rit  of  emulation,  the  (kill  arifm^  from  experience,  and 
the  great  art  exhibited  by  them  m  the  conftrudion  and 
navigation  of  their  Ihips  ;  the  fpirit  of  enterprize  and 
the  courage  rfegulated  by  prudence  which  manifefted 
itfelf  in  au  their  undertakings,  foon  put  them  in  a  con- 
dii:ioi\  to  extend  their  commerce  to  thofe  nations  with 
which  the  Phoenicians  had,  till  then,  carried  on  an  ex- 
clulive  trade.— r-Soon  after  the  State  of  Carthage  had 
acquired  a  fufficient  degree  of  firmnefs  and  confiftence,, 
the  power  of  the  Phoenicians  decayed.  For  about  120 
years  after  the  building  of  Carthage,  Salmanajfar^  king 
of  Ajjyria^  made  war  on  the  united  States  of  Phoenicia  » 
and  the  cities  in  Cyprus,  as  well  as  the  cities  of  Akra, 
Sidon  and  old  Tyre,  revolted  from  the  kingdom  of 
Tyre.  Thefe  internal  troubles  and  infurre<£lions  among 
the  Phoenicians  themfelves,  joined  to  the  vidories  of  the 
Aliyrians,  confiderably  weakened  their  power.  In  the 
fpace  of  150  years  more  the  States  of  Tyre,  after  hav- 
ing fqltained  a'  13  years  fie^e,  became  fubjeiSlto  Nebu- 
"^  ^hadnexar^ 


la 


V  O  Y  AGES    AND 


!'  m 


ih\ 


tbadnezar^  king  of  Chaldtsa,  The  reft  of  the  Phoeni- 
cian States  had  like  wile  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
ChaldxanS)  and  the  whok  commerce  of  this  nation  was 
now  entirely  annihilated.  This  event  ferved  greatly  to 
throw  the  trade  of  the  Phcenicians  entirely  into  the 
hands  of  the  Carthaginians.  In  confequence  of  this, 
the  |)ower  and  credit  of  this /latter  people,  as  well  as 
their  riches,  encreafed  greatly  j  on  which  account  it 
was,  that  about  this  period,  or  ratker  later,  they  form- 
ed the  defign  of  getting  into  ft  ill  more  branches  of 
the  trade  of  the  moft  remote  countries,  by  means  of 
voyages  of  difcovery  made  for  the  purpofe.  Being 
therefore  at  that  time  in  the  height  of  their  profperity, 

g)  they  fent  out  two  fquadrons  of  ftiips  with  this  view, 
ne  of  thefe  was  under  the  command  of  Hanno,  and 
went  out  of  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  to  the  fouthward. 
sJong  the  African  coaft.  The  other  wa^conrniaaded 
by  Imilco  or  Himilco,  and  failed  out  of  the  Straits 
northwards  along  the  coafts  of  Spain  and  Gaul  to  6ri> 
tain  *.  Accurate  accounts  of  both  thefe  voyages  were 
drawn  up  and  were  preferved  in  the  archives  of  Car- 
thage. The  fouthern  voyage  is  defcribed  in  a  Greek 
fragment.  And  on  the  fubje^t  of  that  of  the  northern 
Admiral,  there  are  extant  fome  obfcure,  mutilated  Latin 
verfes.  In  Ihort,  it  appears  that  the  voyages  which  had 
been  relinquished  by  the  Phoenicians  in  confequence  of 

(^)  Pliaii  H'dor.  ntt.  Lib.  ii.  Cup.  67,  &  L>  v>  c.  t. 

•  Rufus  FeJIuj  AvieMM^  Orte  marititH^,  vtrfn  17 — 41$.  Avit»Mt  ftyt 
cxprefsj  :  that  tti  which  he  there  relates,  is  taken  out  of  the  Punic 
himilco^  which  he  had  feen  himfelf  (  and  that  he  had  extraded  from  the 
very  iomoft  of  the  Punic  Annals,  and  had  made  it  public  to  pletfe  hit 
fiieod  Probut,  Kotwithftanding  this  affertion,  thiii  geographical  frag- 
ment appears  to  be  very  much  mutilated,  and  very  incoherent.  In  it  he 
fpeaks  much  of  lead  and  tin,  and  of  (hips  cafed  with  leather,  (which  in 
^amtfLhatka  wouJd  ^e  galled  MaiJeiny  and  in  "W^htCoraeles)  and  men- 
tions that  in  thoie  parts  the  Et{fl-rymni  lived,  to  yvhom  the  people  of  Tar* 
tefTos  and  Carthage  went,  for  the  purpofe  of  trading  with  them.  ■  Yet 
1  will  not  deny,  but  that  it  (bmeiimet  appears,  as  if  thefe  tin  countrit  s 
f  iigrecably  to  what  Avienus  fayi)  all  lay  in  Spain  ;  on  which  account  I 
confider  iris  fragment  of  Avienus  as  very  imperfe£t  and  much  mutilated. 
.  .,  ■  Thus  much,  however,  is  certain  v  that  at  the  very  fame  time 
(h^t  Hanno  failed  to  the  fouthward,  Himtko  made  a  voyage  towards  the 
Korlh,  to  the  tin  countries)  and  that  an  accurate  account  of  this  voyage 
'was  preferved  in  the  annals  of  Carthage,  which  were  Aili  extant  in  the 
middle  of  the  ;th  century,  at  the  time  when  Avienus  wrote  (viz.  about 
the  year  4;?).  Perhaps  the  Etift'rjmni  wcie  iituttcd  at  the  promontory 
of  Qtriuun  in  Prit4in. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        if 

the  deftru(^ion  of  their  towns  and  of  the  ftate  of  flavery 
to  which  they  were  reduced  after  the  couqiieft  made  of 
them  by  the  Aflyrians  and  Chaldaeans,  gave  occafion  to 
the  Carthaginians  to  make  themfelves  better  acquainted 
with  the  countries  whence  their  kinfmen  and  allies  the 
Phoenicians,  had  derived  fuch  confiderable  advantages, 
and  being  once  in  pofleffion  of  thofe  advantages,  they 
ufed  every  means  in  their  power  to  exclude  odiers  from 
participating  with  them.  It  is  therefore  not  to  be  won- 
dered at,  that  although  fome  few  reports  got  abroad, 
that  Braetain  was  the  tin-country,  or  tiiat  Baltia  on  the 
river  Rhodun,  where  the  Aefti  lived,  not  far  from  the 
Gutioni,  was  the  country  that  produced  amber,  nevcr- 
thelefs  their  pofterity  in  later  times  had  not  the  leaft 
knowledge  left  of  the  true  fituation  of  thefe  countries, 
it  being  the  intereft  as  well  of  the  Phoenicians  as  of  the 
Carthaginians  after  them,  to  conceal  as  much  as  poffible 
the  real  fituation  of  thefe  countries  from  others.  In  a 
fubfequent  period  the  Romans,  being  as  defirous  to  dif- 
cover  thefe  fources  of  the  wealth  ot"  the  Carthaginians 
as  they  were  to  conceal  them>  fent  a  veflej  out  for  that 
purpofe,  with  orders  for  it  to  fail  in  the  wake  of  a  Phoe- 
nician ihip  bound  for  Britain.  This  was  fcon  obferved 
by  the  wary  Carthaginian,  in  confequence  of  which  he 
ran  his  veflel  purpofely  among  the  rocks  and  fand-banks, 
fo  that  it  was  loft  together  with  that  of  the  inquifitive 
Roman.  The  patriotic  commarjder  of  the  former  was 
indemnified  for  his  lofs  by  his  country ;  and  thus  the 
way  to  the  Britifh  tin  mines  was  for  a  confiderable  time 
longer  (q)  concealed  from  the  Romans.  Bijt  now  the 
North  lilcewife,  together  with  all  the  nations  and  regions 
in  that  quarter,  continued  to  be  unknown  ;  and  an  ac- 
quaintance with  it  was  rendered  ftill  more  difficult  by 
this  felfifh  concealment ;  and  in  all  probability  the  civili- 
sation and  refinement  of  the  manners  of  njankifid  was 
ilill  farther  retarded  by  this  circumftance, 

(^)  Straha  Lib.  iii.  Tub  Gactq. 


CHAP. 


tt 


VOYAGES    AND 


k 


CHAP.      II. 

Of  the  Voyages  and  Difcoveries  made  by  thi  Grecians. 

TH  E  Grecians  were  originally  a  people,  that  had 
at  an  early  period  of  time  pafled  from  AJia  Minor 
to  the  peninfula  which  they  inhabited.  In  procefs  of 
time  they  were  civilized  by  new-tomers  from  Afia  Mi- 
nor, Phoenicia  and  Egypt,  From  Jfta  they  received  many 
arts  and  profeffions,  together  with  agriculture  and  the 
cultivation  of  the  vine.  The  Egyptians  feem  to  have 
introduced  among  them  the  regulations  of  civil  eftablifh- 
ment,  matrimony,  laws,  and  many  of  their  religious 
do6lrines.  From  the  Phcenicians  they  learned  naviga- 
tion, commerce,  aftronomy  and  the  ufe  of  letters. 

As  foon  as  they  had  got  fome  kind  of  eftablifhment, 
which  was  merely  in  the  form  of  little  independent 
States,  they  began  to  pradlife  navigation :  and  their  rude, 
unfettled  way  of  life,  their  internal  commotions  and  mu- 
tual diflentions,  together  with  their  warlike  turn  of 
mind,  difpofed  them  to  piracy.  But  when  they  arrived 
at  a  higher  degree  of  civilization,  they  were  infenfibly 
k  1  to  commerce.  At  an  early  period  they  undertook  an 
expedition  towards  the  North,  through  the  Straits 
whidi  feparate  Afia  from  Europe,  into  the  Black  Sea 
as  far  as  the  river  Phafis,  celebrated  for  its  golden  fands. 
They  returned  by  fome  rivers,  which  they  failed  up,  and 
after  a  confiderable  time  and  going  a  great  way  about, 
at  length  arrived  again  in  their  native  country.  As  ro- 
mantic as  this  expedition  appears,  it  is  neverthelefs 
founded  upon  truth.  The  Argonauts,  without  doubt, 
vifited  a  great  many  countries  in  the  North.  Only  we 
cannot  at  this  period  of  time  determine  what  circuit  they 
took  in  their  way  back.  They  went,  no  doubt,  to  the 
Hyperboreans^  a  nation,  the  fituation  of  which  v/as,  ac- 
cording to  circumftances,  frequently  varied  by  the  Gre- 
cians. Indeed,  every  tradt  of  country  that  lay  towards 
the  North,  or  that  was  (heltered  by  its  fituation  from 
the  violence  of  the  north  wind,  might  lay  claim  to  .;his 
appellatioi). 

Thu5 


ecians. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.         i$ 

Thus  they  at  firft  met  with  the  Hyperboreans  beyond 
riiofe  trads  of  Thrace,  which  lie  to  the  north  of  Greece  j 
for  Boreas,  the  ravilher  of  Orythia,  hved  in  the  land  of 
the  Cicones.  (s)  Afterwards,  when  the  world  had  ac- 
quired a  more  extenfive  acquaintance  with  the  northern 
regions,  they  removed  this  people  to  the  other  fide  of 
the  Black  Sea,  the  Danube  and  the  Adriatic  Sea,  where 
lived  the  Sauromates,  the  Arimafpians  and  the  Celts. 
($^  At  a  ftill  later  period  they  placed  them  beyond  the 
Riphaean  mountains,  where  they  had  fix  months  day  an4 
fix  months  night,  and  where,  without  contentions  and 
quarrels,  in  a  warm  and  extraordinarily  fertile  country, 
they  pafled  their  days  in  repofe  and  hr.ppinefs,  till  fatiated 
with  life,  their  heads  adorned  with  flowers,  they  preci- 
pitated themfelves  from  a  certain  rock  into  the  fea.  (u)  It 
is  eafy  to  perceive  that  thefe  accounts  are  formed  out  of 
various  others  aukwardly  put  together.  In  the  infancy  of 
navigation  th^re  went  a  report  among  the  Grecians  con- 
cerning certain  Fortunatt  IJlands  (as  they  were  termed) 
lying  at  a  great  diftance  to  the  weft  ward  (probably  the 
Canary  Iflands  and  the  Ifland  of  Madeira)  which  vverc 
warm  and  fertile,  and  peopled  with  a  race  of  men  living  to 
a  great  age,  in  a  calm,  delightful  ftate  of  repofe  and  hap- 
pinefs.  (x)  On  the  other  hand,  the  account  of  days  and 
nights  of  fix  months  long  belongs  to  the  d^fcription  of 
Thule,  as  indeed  we  (hall  have  occafion  in  the  fequel  to 
mention.  Were  thefe  northern  regions  where  the  nights 
and  days  were  imagined  to  be  oi  fuch  an  extraordinary 
length,  aftually  the  fame  with  the  Fortunate  IJlandi^  they 
might  in  this  cafe  be  the  Hyperborei  of  the  Grecians.  But 
unfortunately  they  have  nothing  in  common  with  thele 
odiers,  but  their  being  fituated  beyond  the  Straits  of 
Gibraltar.  The  Fortunate  IJlands  lie  to  the  fouthwcft  of 
the  Straits,  and  Tljule  almolt  dircdly  to  the  northward 
of  them. 

Probably  at  an  earlier  period,  and  before  the  Fortunate 
Iflands  were  pitched  upon  as  the  feat  of  the  Hyperbore- 
ans, the  refidence  of  thefe  people  was  tiansferred  to  Spain, 

(/)  Hymnus  Orphicus  (79)  in  Boream.  v.  1,  8e  Ovid.  Metam.  vi,  709. 

(t)  Stiabo,  Lib,  ii. 
^  («)  Mela,  Lib,  iii.  5.  Plia.  Hift.  Nat.  Lib.  iv.  u,  &  Lib.  vi.  13.     Sc- 
lin,  xxi. 

{x)  MaKajaf*  yiitrof  Strabo,  Lib.  i.  &  Flin.  Lib.  vi.  c.  35,  6c  Plutarch 
ia  Sertorio. 

For, 


H 


VOYAGED    ANd 


For,  according  to  fome  accounts,  the  prefents  wfjicff 
this  nation  fent  to  Delos  for  Apollo,  came  through  thtf 
hands  of  the  Scythians  (or  Celtae)  to  the  Hadriatic 
-Gulf,  from  thence  to  the  Dodonaeans,  then  by  the  Sinus 
Maliacus  to  Caryttus  and  Tenos,  and  fo  at  laft  to  De- 
los. (y)  One  fees  very  plainly  from  the  track  by  which 
thefe  prefents  came,  that  they  came  from  the  weftward  : 
and  as  beyond  the  Adriatic  Celts,  there  lay  only  the  Spa-* 
niards  farther  on  towards  that  quarter,  the  HyperboA- 
ans  and  thefe  people,  according  to  the  foregoing  accounts, 
muft  have  been  one  and  the  fame  nation.  There  it  is 
likewife  probable  that  they  might  have  offered  up  affes 
in  facrifice,  which  are  uncommonly  beautiful  in  this 
country,  (z)  where  the  laurel,  with  which  they  were 
wont  to  encircle  their  templps,  ^rew  in  abundance,  and 
whence  Hercules  brought  the  olive  which  he  planted  in 
Pifa.  (n)  The  different  fituations  of  the  country  of  the 
Hyperboreans  here  mentioned,  fhew  very  evidently  the 
progrcfs  of  human  affairs  and  opinions.  At  firft  tlie 
Greeks  were  very  near  the  extremities  of  the  North. 
But  in  proportion  as  their  knowledge  of  different  coun- 
tries and  nations  increafed,  the  extremity  of  the  North 
was  carried  farther  back  ;  indeed  in  the  infancy  of  navi- 
gation they  had  no  jufl  idea  of  the  fituation  of  countries 
with  refpe£t  to  the  Heavens.  They  therefore  continually 
carried  their  North  farther  on  to  the  weftward,  viz.  to 
Poland  and  Bohemia  on  the  other  fide  of  the  Riphaei,  to 
Gaul,  to  Spain,  and  at  laft  to  the  Canary  I/lands. 

The  firft  celebrated  Grecian  writer,  who  had  any 
knowledge  of  the  North,  though  that  was  but  very  im- 
perfeft,  was  Homer.  He  fpeaks  of  the  Cimmerians, 
who  live  in  conftant  darknefs.  (b)  This  is  undoubtedly 
an  error,  for  the  Cimmerians  did  not  live  in  Italy ;  but 
in  the  Crim,  and  beyond  that  in  Rufllia,  where  the  nights 
in  winter  are  very  long,  which  gave  rife  to  this  fable- 
But  Homer,  in  his  travels  to  Phoenicia  and  Egypt,  had 
coUefted  many  accounts  from  travellers  who  had  uiuler- 
taken  long  and  diftant  voyages  ;  and  he  made  a  point 

fjr)  Heredot    T.ib.  iv.  31. 

(S)  Pindar,  Pyth.  Ode  x.  46,  &  feq. 

I^a)  PitiiLir   Olymp   iii.  5;;. 

{b)  itom«;ri  Oiyd,  A.  14 — 19. 


tQ 


nts  w^icb 
trough  thtf 
Haariatic 
the  Sinus 
ift  to  De- 
by  which 
iveftward : 
ly  tlie  Spa-» 
lyperboA- 
;  accounts, 
^here  it  is 
i  up  afles 
id  in  this 
they  were 
lance,  and 
planted  in 
ntry  of  the 
idently  the 
t  firft  die 
lie  North. 


!f 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        is 

to  interweave  evcrv  thing  he  had  heard  into  the  body  of 
his  poems.  Conlequently,  it  is  not  (o  much  to  be  won- 
dered at,  if  he  was  fometimes  miftaicen  in  the  fituation 
of  countries  with  which  he  was  acquainted  onlybyhear- 
fay :  but,  on  the  other  hand,  thofe  which  he  had  a6hi- 
ally  feen  himfelf,  were  fo  much  the  more  prefent  to  his 
imagination.  His  defcriptions  of  Greece  appeared  fo 
iiriking  to  the  Greeks,  and  fo  decifive  on  account  of 
their  exaftnefs,  that  in  every  difpute  concerning  their 
refpeilive  boundaries,  they  applied  to  the  poems  of 
Homer,  and  the  authority  of  thefe  records  was  refpe£led 
and  acknowledged  by  all  parties. 

In  defcribing  what  Telemachus  taw  at  die  houfe  of 
Menelaus,  Homer  makes  mention  of  Ele£frum  or  Amber  i 
and  in  two  places  more  he  defer ibes  *'  golden  collars  fet 
with  amber,"  which  makt?.  it  probable  either  that  thefe 
materials  had  been  brought  to  Greece  by  the  Phoenici- 
ans i  or  elfe  that  Menelaus  had  received  them  by  way 
of  prefent  from  the  JCing  of  Sidon.  This  mineral, 
which  was  fo  much  efteemed  by  the  ancients,  was 
brought  to  them  from  Pruflia ;  confequently,  neither  it, 
nor  the  country  it  came  fr*  ,  could  be  totally  unknown 
to  the  Greeks,  any  more  than  tin,  a  metal  with  which 
Homer  was  likewife  acquainted,  and  which  probably 
was  in  thofe  days  brcught  from  Britain. 

Thefe  meager  accounts,  however,  are  not  calculated 
to  give  us  much  information.  Herodotus,  who  lived 
408  years  before  Chrift  was  born,  even  at  that  early  pe- 
riod was  acquainted  with  the  Cafpian  and  Black  §cas, 
with  the  Wolga,  the  Don,  a  great  part  of  RufTta  and 
Poland,  together  with  the  Crim  and  Beflarabia,  and  the 
Rivers  MoTdau  and  Danube.  His  knowledge  of  thefe 
places  was  undoubtedly  very  exaft,  as  he  had  convcrfed. 
much  with  the  Scythians,  and  from  them  had  learned  the 
fituation  of  thefe  countries,  feas,  and  rivers,  and  the 
manners  and  cuftom&  of  the  refpedive  inhabitants  of 
thefe  regions.  With  the  country  of  the  Celtx,  how- 
ever, he  was  npt  at  all  acquainted,  for  he  affirmed  that 

(0  Homer!  OdyfT.  A.  73.  O.  At^,  &  2.  jjj. 
(</)  Homui  Iliad,  z.  474*       ' 


the 


v|6 


VOYAGES    AND 


thelfter  took  its  rife  in  the  country  of  die  Chtnefe  znd 
Pirthenu  The  Cafljterian  Iflands,  whence  tin  was 
brought,  were  known  to  him  by  name  ;  and  in  like  man- 
ner he  had  heard  of  the-  country  that  produced  amber, 
fituate  at  the  extremity  of  Europe  j  but  to  the  true  fitu- 
ation  of  thefe  countries  he  was  an  utter  ft  ranger. 

About  70  years  after  the  time  of  Herodotus,  the  Pho- 
csean  colony,  Majfilia^  appears  to  have  formed  the  de- 
fign  of  partaking  of  the  wealth  which  the  Phoenicians 
and  Carthaginians  had  acquired  by  their  commerce.  The 
expeditions  of  Hanno  and  Himiico  were  every  where 
•^ll^keh  of;  but  the   way  to  the  Tin  Country,  and  to 
the  wefl:ern  part  of  Africa,  remained  unknown  to  all. 
The  Maffilians,   therefore,    about  this   time,  fent  out 
EuTHYMENES,  to  fearch  for  the  way  which  Hanno  had 
taken,  when  he  made  his  difcoveries  in  the  South  }   and 
PvTHr.AS  was  commiflioned  to  follow  the  track  of  Hi- 
miico, and  to  make  difcoveries  in  the  North.     Of  Eu- 
thymenes,  (e)  little  more  than  the  namfe  is  handed  down 
to  us  ;  but  concerning  Pytheas,  divers  writers  give  us 
information,  (f)  He  was  certainly  a  man  that  fiad  great 
knowledge  of  nature,  was  thoroughly  verfed  in  aftrono- 
my,  and  was  indued  in  a  high  degree  with  courage,  and  a 
true  philofophical  fpirit  of  obfervation.     He  was  one  of 
the  firft  among  the  Greeks  who  were  acquainted  with 
the  real  caufe  of  the  ebbing  and  flowing  of  the  fea,  and 
afcribed  thefe  phenomena  to  ti^e  influence  of  the  moon. 
In  the  Mediterranean,  the  ebb  and  flood  is  fo  fmall,  that 
it  has  Jseen  hitherto  fuppofed  that  it  could  not  be  ob- 
ferv^d  there  at  all.     We  find,  however,   by  the  lateft 
obfervations  made  at  Toulon,   that  even  mere,    three 
hours  fifteen  minutes    after  the  moon   has    pafled    its 
meridian  the  tide   rifes   one  foot,   and   in  the  higheft 
fpring  tides,    augmented  by  the   concurrence  of  other 
caufes,  it  fwells  as  high  as  two  feet.     This  elevation, 


(t)  Seneca  Nat.  Qureft.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  a.  &  Marclan  Heracleota.  p. 
63.    £d,  Hudfoni  inter  Geogr.  Crxcoi  minores.     T.  i. 

(f)  Plutarch.  <]e  placitis  phiioloph.  Lib.  iii.  art.  18.  Strab.  Lib,  ii. 
Hipparchos  Comment-  in  Arat.  Lii.^.  ii.  c.  5.  Cleotnedes  de  Sphera. 
Gemious  Ift^oscif.  c.  5.  t*lin.  Hid.  Kat.  Lib.  >i.  cap.  75.  iv.  c.  16. 
vi.34. 

hpwever,, 


Chinf/eznd 
:e  tin  was 
n  like  man- 
ced  amber, 
le  true  fitu- 
er. 

s,  the  Pho- 
ed  the  de- 
Phoenicians 
lerce.  The 
/ery  where 
try,  and  to 
own  to  all. 
e,  fent  oUt 
Hanno  had 
outh  I  and 
ack  of  Hi- 
i.  Of  Eu- 
anded  down 


1. 


DISCOVERIES  It?  tHE  NORTH.        17 

however,  v»^a»  (o  inconfiderable,  that  none  of  the 
ancients  took  notice  of  it,  but  as  foort  as  they  had 
got  through  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  into  the  great 
Ocean,  the  tide  became  (o  new  and  fo  ftriking  a  phe- 
nomenon to  them,  that  they  then  for  the  firft  time 
Jooked  on  it  as  a  fubjeft  of  wonder  and  aftonifhment. 
Such,  in  fail,  it  appeared  to  Laelius,  when  he  bore 
up  againft  the  Carthaginian  fleet,  commanded  by 
Adherbal  in  thefe  Straits.,  The  light  Carthaginian 
veiTcls  were  obliged  to  give  way  more  to  the  tide, 
and  two  of  them  were  funk  by  one  Roman  fliip  (g)» 
Alexander's  fleet  fufFered  greatly  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Indus  {h)i  and  Julius  Caefar  was  likewife  very  little 
acquainted  with  the  currents  caufed  by  the  tide, 
when  he  arrived  in  the  Britifti  Ocean  (i)^  on  which 
occaiion  he  lofl;  a  good  many  (hips.  This  phenome- 
non, as  may  be  fuppofed,  excited  all  the  ftudious 
men  of  antiquity  to  give  their  opinions  concerning  it. 
Cicero,  Strabo,  Seneca,  and  Pliny,  have  all  made 
inention  of  it,  and  attributed  the  caufe  of  it  to  the 
moon  (Jt).  But  thefe  writers  lived  three  hundred 
years  after  the  deceafe  of  Pytheas,  of  whom  it  is  re- 
corded, that  he  aflirmed  '*  that  the  flood- tide  de- 
pended on  the  increafe  of  the  moon,  but  the  tide  of 
ebb  on  its  decrease  (I)."  Were  we  at  prefent  in 
pofleflion  of  the  works  of  Pytheas,  which,  in  fa<9t, 
were  fliill  extant  in  the  fifth  century,  we  might  then 
know,  whether  the  author,  who  has  handed  down  to 
us  this  faying  of  Pytheas,  has  reported  it  precifely 
in  the  terms  in  which  it  was  delivered  j  for  I  have 
fome  reafon  to  doubt  whether  his  meaning  has  been 
rightly  underftood.  It  is  not  the  tide  of  flood,  but 
the  encreafed  height  of  the  tide  of  flood  that  depends 
on  the  new  and  full  moon,  in  like  manner  as  the 
leflfer  height  of  it  is  obfervable  in  the  firft  and  laft 
quarters.  This  could  not  poflibly  efcape  the  obferva- 
tion  of  Pytheas,  who  had  failed  fo  far  upon  this  fea,  and 

(e)  Livii  Hill.  Lib.  xxvili.  c,  30. 

(»)  Qi  CuKii,  Lib.  it.  c.  9.    Arrian.  Exped.  ^  !ex.  Lib.  vl,  c.  1 8. 
(i)  C«rar  de  Bcllo  Gall. Lib.  iv.  parag.  85.  86.  Edit,  Elzev. 
(i)  Cicero  de  Naiura  Dfeor.  Lib.  ii.  c.  7.    Strabo,  Lib,  iii.    Seneca  de 
l>rovidentii,  c.  i.  Plin.  Hid,  Nat.  Lib  ii.  c.  97. 

(/}  Plutir<;kus  de  Phciiis  S>t  Diftis  Philofoph.  Lib.  iii.  art.  1 7. 

C  (agreeably 


i8 


VOYAGES    AND 


(agreeably  to  the  method  pradlifed  at  that  time)  con* 
ilantly  along  the  coaft.  But  it  is  not  at  all  unlike^ 
ly  that  fomc  Philofopher,  who  without  having  ever 
a£lually  feen  the  Ocean,  had  contented  himfelf  with 
navigating  it  in  his  own  chamber,  ihould  have  not 
been  able  to  comprehend  this  paflage  of  Pytheas,  and 
have  mifreprefented  it  accordingly. 

Pytheas,  even  before  he  fet  out  on   his   journey, 
appears   to  have   occupied   himfelf  in   obferving  the 
Heavens.     Before  his  time,  it  was  believed,  that  the 
•Polar  Star,  or  the  outermoft  ftar  in  the  Bear's  Tail, 
was  next  to  the  Pole  :  but  he  pointed  out  three  more 
ftars,  with  which  the  North  Star  formed  a   fquare, 
and  in  this  fquare  was  the  true  place  of  the  Pole,  (m) 
He  likewife  erected  at  Marfeilles,    his  birth  place,  a 
pillar  or  gnomon,  and    from  the  proportion   which 
the  height  of  this  gnomon  bore  to  the  length  of  the 
Shadow  caft  by  it  at  the  fummer  foldice,  he   found, 
with  great  exadnefs  and  precifion,   the  north  latitude 
of  the    City  of  Marfeilles,  or  its  diftance   from  the 
Equator.     Hence  Eratofthenes,  and  Hipparchus,  in- 
ferred very  juftly,  that  this  latitude  amounted  to  34. 
deg.  17  min.  a  precifion,  which  in  the  theii  infant 
ftate  ot*  Aftronomy,  one  could  hardly  fuppofe  any  per- 
son capable  of.    in  faiSt,  WendElin  prevailed    upon 
Gassendi  to  correal  this  obfervation  ;  who   accord- 
ingly found  that  it  hardly  differed  a  minute  from  thef 
real  latitude  («). 

It  muft  be  confeffed,  that  Pytheas,  with  fach  ex- 
tenfive  as  Well  as  folid  acquifitions  in  fcience,  was' 
perfectly  well  qualified  for  the  great  enterprife  ta 
which  l^e  was  appointed.  He  failed  out  of  the 
Straits  alorvg  the  coafts  of  Portugal,  Spain,  and  Gaul, 
till  he  defcribed  that  of  Britain,  along  which  he  like- 
wife  coafted  till  he  came  to  the  very  norther nmoft 
point  of  it,  and  from  thence  failed  fix  days  longer  till 
he  difcovered  Thule  (0),  where  at  the  fummer  fol- 
ftice,  the  fun  did  not  fet  for  24  hours.  From  this 
deteription   of  Thule,  fome  have  im^agiried  it   to  be 

'    (m)  HSpparchi  Comment,  in  Arat.  Lib.  ii.  c.  ;. 

(n)  Galfencii  Proporiio  Gnomonis  ad  Solftitidlem  Umbram  Obfervatft 
..MafliliT,  Anno  163^.  Oper.  Tomo  iv.  p.  565  &  I'eq. 

{»)  Plin.  Hill.  Nat.  Lib.  it>  c.  75,  3c  iv.  c  »5. 

Icclaiid. 


a 


DISCOVERIES  lU  fri.>  NORTH.         19 


time)  corf* 
all  unlike' 
laving  ever 
mfelf  with 
1  have  not 
rtheas,  and 

s  journey, 
ferving  the 
:d,  that  the 
ear's  Tail, 
three  more 
1  a  fquare, 
5  Pole,  (m) 
th  place,  a 
;ion  which 
igth  of  the 
he  found, 
rth  latitude 
e  from  the 
irchus,  in- 
jnted  to  34, 
len  infant 
fe  any  per- 
illed upon 
»o  accord - 
'  from  the 


ex- 


fach 
ience,  was* 
erprife  to 
ut  of  the 
and  Gaul, 
:h  he  like- 
thernmoft 
longer  till 
nmer  fol- 
From  this 

it   to  be 


iin  ObfervftU 

Iceland. 


Icda'nd.     But  if  we  confider,  that  in  the  martner  of 
failing  ufed  at  that  time,  it  was  impoflible  to  get  from 
the  northernmoft  point  in  Britain,  to  Ictland^  in  the 
fpaceof  fix  days,  we  (hall  rather  be  Inclined  to  fup- 
pofe  that  it   was  the  Shetland  Iflands  that  he  reached* 
For  though,    in    fa6l,   it    is  only  within  the   Ar6lic 
Circle,  or  in  lat.  66?  deg.  that  the  day   is  24  hour* 
long  at  the  fummer  folftice,  yet  it  cannot  be  denied* 
but  that  by  means  of  the  refraiSlion  of  "*'«  atmofphere 
it  is  ftill  fo   light  at  this  period)  even  t.i  ihe  60th  de- 
gree of  latitude,  that  one  may  read,   Write,  and  tranf- 
a6t    any  bufinefs  whatever  without   any  othei'  light 
than   that  of  the  fun.     And  indeed,  this  great  man's 
knowledge  of  Aftronomy  enabled  him  to  inf^r  with- 
great  certainty  the  total  elevation  of  the  fun  above  the 
,  horizon  ;  for  at  every  place  he  came  to«  he  afked  the 
inhabitants  in  what  part  of  the  heavens  the  fun  rofe 
and  fet.    Now,  thefe  points  he  found  approached  each 
other  in  proportion  as  he  went  farther  to  the  J^Jorth- 
ward;  whence  he  might  eafily  conclude,  thatatabout 
the  66th  deg.  the  fun  never   fet  at  the   time  of  the 
fummer  folftice* 

Pliny  fays  likewife  that  Pytheas  had  feen  the  tide 
on  the  Britifli  Coaft  rife  to  the  heighth  of  80  cubits, 
or  120  feet.  But  we  know,  that  it  is  only  in  narrow 
feas,  fuch  as  the  Britifh  Channel,  that  the  tide  rifes 
to  any  great  heighth.  The  greateft  heighth  to  which 
it  rifes  at  Breft,  is  23  feet.  In  Briftol  tooj  it  mounts 
as  high  as  to  42  ;  and  in  St.  Malo,  to  48  feet.  The 
text,  therefore,  in  Pliny,  is  certainly  corrupted  *. 

A  day's  journey  on  the  other  fide  of  Thulo,  ac- 
cording to  rytheas,  the  fea  was  coagulated,  whence 
it  is  called  Ctunium  **.      1  he  fadt  is^  that  he  knew 

from 

*  Plin  Hid  Nat.  Lib.  li.  c.  ,97.  Oiitgenii  culitis  fupra  hrUonnlam 
intumefcere  d-J}us,  Pytheas  Mnjiiitnfis  auiior  eji.  Perhaps  the  fyl'atlc  vi 
has  been  r.irittoci  atier  OSo  by  the  copylfts,  io  that  the  paffige  fliould  bt 
te^d,  0^:  •vicenis  cubitis,  &c  which  mAesit  41  feet,  i.  e.  equal  to 
the  greateft  htighih  of  the  tide  at  Briftol. 

**  Plin.  HiU.  Nat  Lib  iv.  c.  16.  A  Thale  '•anius  diei  navigaiione 
ware  coHcrttum^  a  nonnulli*  C'r«»/«m  appcllatum.  And  in  c.  13.  Sej>- 
^emtrionalis  Occiinus ;  atneiUkium  cum  Hcciteus  adpellat,  a  Paropamilb 
amne,  qua  Scythiam  a  luit,  quod  nomen  ejus  gtntis  lingua  fignlficat  r#«. 
gelalKtn-  Philemon  Mciimcruftm  a  Cimbris  vocari,  hoc  eft,  moriuum 
inare,  ufque  ad  promonioiium  Rubeas :  ul'.ra  deinde  Crtnium. — i— Taci- 
tut  dc  Moiibus  Ctirm.'C.  45.     Trans  Suionis.  aliud  piarr  pigtum  ac  prnpe 

C  X  imaiotutQ 


20 


VOYAGES    AND 


til 


from  the  relations  made  him  by  the  inhabitants^  tha 
part  of  the  North  Sea  in  fevere  winters  was  covered 
with  ice ;  which  part  indeed  at  times,  in  cafe  of  a, 
hard  frofl,  was  concreted  in  fuch  a  manner,  and, 
as  it  were,  coagulated  in  the  fpace  of  one  night,  as 
to  be  entirely  converted  into  ice. 

Pytheas,  however,  not  content  with  having  made 
the(e  difcoveries,  was  deflroas  likewife  of  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  region  whence  the  Phoenicians 
ufed  to  fetch  their  amber.  He  muft  certainly  have 
had  fome  directions,  either  oral  or  written,  which 
he  followed  in  his  enquiries:  otherwife  it  muft  ap«> 
pear  abfolutely  impoflible  for  him  to  have  penetrated 
quite  to  the  farthermoft  part  of  the  Baltic,  and  there 
hit  cx'd&\y  on  the  very  fpot  of  the  Southern  Coafl: 
where  it  is  foond  in  the  greateft  abundance.  And 
yet,  we  have  great  reafon  to  fuppofe  him  to  have  been 
perfectly  well  acquainted  with  the  fpot ;  as  we  may 
very  plainly  perceive  even  from  the  fragments  of  Py- 
theas preferved  in  the  writings  of  the  later  Geogra- 
phers, that  he  knew  the  fituation  of  the  whole  place, 
and  that  he  was  likewife  acquainted  with  the  neigh- 
bouring nations,  and  the  adiilcent  rivers;  and  that 
he  was  even  no  ftranger  to  the  names  given  to  thefe 
places  by  the  inhabitants  themfelves. 

immotnm— «><][Wl  extrftmus   cidentis  jam  folis  fuigor  in  ortils  edortt, 
adeo  slarus,  ut  fidera  hebeXet> Dionyf.  Periegeles.  v.  3s,  33* 

norlw  juiv  axMtfc-i  HEnHrOTA  Ti  ICPONION  rt 

AXXof  i'av  xAi  NEKPON  t^nfxtrat,  iimk  u<^iffn 

Ht\tu 

And  Orphens  Argonautk,  v.  1079,10(0. 

EfAirtn  J'  A*ciav«,  KPONION  is  ixjKX»a-xa<r; 

naylor  YnEPBOFEHN   /UipeuK,  NEKPHN  Ti  5a\*(rrnU 
Strabo,  Lib.  ii.  obferves  from  Pytheas  of  Marfeilles,  that  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Thule   to  the  Northward,  the  lea  is  neither  land,  nor  lea,  nor 
air,  but  a  mixture  of  all. 

One  may  plainly  perceive  that  all  the  aathori  cited  above,  have  taken 
the  expreflions  by  which  they  defcribed  the  FrczcH  Northern  Oceai$,  from 
one  and  the  famefource,  viz.  from  Pytheas  of  Marfeilics,  who  had  heard 
them  himfelf  made  ufe  of  by  the  Celtic  or  Gaelic  inhabitants  of  the 
neighbouring  regions;  for  even  the  names  mentioned  here  are  Uaelic 
and  Weifh.  Mori-marufa  comes  undoubtedly  from  Mer^  in  WelA,  Sea, 
and  Marta,  dead\  which  Pliny  has  very  properly  tranflated  «*  the  Dead 
Sea."  Muri-croinn  in  the  Iri(h  language  fignifies  an  incrufled,  thick, 
coagulated  fea;  and  confequently  the  epithet  of  Mare  Croniutn  is  by  00 
tncaas  10  be  derived  from  Kfore;  ot  Saturn, 

The 


)itantSj  tha 
vas  covered 
n  cafe  of  a, 
anner,  and» 
le  night,  as 

laving  made 
if  becoming 
Phcenicians 
rtainly  have 
tten,    which 
it  muft  ap- 
e  penetrated 
ic,  and  there 
athern  Coail: 
lance.     And 
to  have  been 
;  as  we  may 
nents  of  Py* 
Iter  Geogra- 
whole  place, 
1  the  neigh- 
rs;  and  that 
ven  to  thefc 


in  ortUs  edarit, 
ih  33' 


•retv, 

that  in  the  vi- 
id,  oor  fca,  nor 

ove,  have  taken 
ern  Ocean,  from 
who  had  heard 
labitauts  of  the 
ere  are  Gaelic 
,  in  Welft,  Sea, 
ted  «'  the  Dead 
ncruded,  thick, 
Ironium  it  by  no 

The 


I 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        21 

The  information  he  gives  us  on  this  fubjc£l  is  as 
follows :  •*  on  the  (hores  of  a  certain  Bay  ( Aeftuari- 
♦*  urn  or  Firth)  called  Mentonomony  lives  a  people 
««  called  Guttoniy  and  at  the  diftance  of  a  day's  voy- 
«*  age  from  thence  is  the  ifland  Jbalus,  (called  by 
•*  Timaeus  Baltia)  upon  this  the  waves  throw  the  am- 
**  ber,  which  is  a  coagulated  matter  caft  up  by  the 
*<  fea  i  they  ufe  it  for  firing  inftead  of  wood,  and 
«*  alfo  fell  it  to  the  neighbouring  Teutoncs  (^)**. 
All  this  is  as  exa6l  as  it  is  poffible  for  it  to  be  \  for 
upwards  of  1700  years  after,  we  find  traces  of  the 
truth  of  this ;  the  provinces  of  Nadrauen  and  Scho" 
iavonia  are  to  this  very  day  called  Gudde,  and  their 
inhabitants  Guddah  in  the  Lithuanian  tongue  of  the 
3udavians,  Galindians,  and  Natangians  {q).  The 
Bay  is  the  Frijh  and  Curifl)  Haf^  or  fea.  It  is  from  8 
to  16  miles  wide,  and  this  ufed  to  be  a  (hort  day's 
trip,  confequently  the  oppofite  ifland  or  iflands,  were 
on  the  very  fame  fpot  where  they  are  now.  The 
name  of  Mentonsmon  fignifies  the  promontory  of  pine- 
trees,  (mendaniemi)  and  in  fadi  on  both  peninfulas  or 
necks  of  land  here,  we  find  large  foreils  of  thefe 
trees.  The  fpot  on  Samland,  where  the  amber  was 
caft  moft  plentifully  on  the  (hore,  bore,  fo  late  as  in 
the  time  of  the  Cru fades,  the  name  of  Witilandy  or 
IVittlandes  Ort,  i.e.  Whiteland\  now  this  in  the  Li- 
thuanian tongue  's  Baltikka,  from  Baltosy  i.  e.  white  ; 
and  therefore  I  (hould  prefer  reading  in  Pliny,  Jbal- 
tica  or  Baltia^  inftead  of  Jbalus,  Neither  was  it  cuf- 
tomary  with  the  inhabitants  to  burn  amber  inftead  of 
wood,  but  only  to  fet  It  on  fire,  probably  by  way  of 
fumigation  or  perfume  ;  and  they  fold  it  to  thofc 
Teutones  or  Germans  that  lived  neareft  to  them. 

From  Pytheas's,  or  fome  c  ther  ancient  relations  of 
the  Greeks,  it  was  moreover  known,  that  the  fub- 
ftance  known  by  the  name  of  amber,  came  from  the 
river  Raduhtiy  and  this  name  was  foon  changed  by 
the  Greeks  into  Eridanus,  (viz.  the  Po)  or  Rhodanus, 
i.  e.  the  river  Rhone;  in  like  manner  as  the  Wends^ 
or  Vandals,  who  lived  to  the  weftward  of  the  Viftu- 
la,  were,  without  the  leaft  fhadow   of  reafon,   con- 


ifi)  Plin.  Lib.  xxxvli.  c.  t, 

(q)  Pretorius  Aft.  Bomffic.  ii.  p.  900, 


founded 


ta 


VOYAGES    AND 


■'<j 


founded  with  the  Veneti,  refiding;  on  the  coaftc  '  th? 
Adriatic.  Confcquently,  with  i^fchylus,  they  look- 
ed for  amber  in  ibcria  or  Spain,  or  with  Euripides 
and  Apollonius,  on  the  (hores  of  the  Adriatic. 

This  is  the  fubfbnce  of  the  relations  of  the  DiT- 
Coverics  made  by  Pytheas  j  relations,  which  even 
after  all  the  famfications  of  names  made  by  thofe 
who  copied  after  him,  arc  found  to  be  as  accurate 
and  exadt  as  they  are  imported.  But  of  what  con- 
fequence  thcfe  Difcoveries  of  Pytheas  were  to  his 
native  country,  we  are  entirely  ignorant,  as  not  the 
leaft  intelligence  on  this  fubjedt  has  been  preferved  to 
our  days.  Since  that  time,  the  affairs  of  the  Greeks 
continually  declined  more  and  more ;  fo  that  we 
hear  nothing  farther  of  any  Voyages  or  Difcoveries 
fnedc  by  them  in  the  North,  as  their  power  and 
dominion  paiTed  into  the  hands  of  a  quite  differene 
^atioi). 


G    H    A    P. 


III. 


Pf  the  Voyages  and  Difcoveries  of  the  Romans   in   the 

North^ 

THE  Romaqs  in  the  ftrfl  years  fubfequent  to 
the  fettling  of  their  ftate,  gave  themfelves  very 
little  trouble  about  knowledge  or  learning  of  any 
kind  ;  agriculture  and  war  being  their  principal  oc- 
cupations ;'  infomugh,  that  they  fdmetimcs  fet  Gene- 
rals at  the  head  of  their  jrmie?,  who,  a  few  days 
before,  had  held  the  plough  with  their  own  hands. 
Confcquently  they  likewife  knew  very  little  of  fuch 
countries  and  people,  as  lay  beyond  their  next  ntigh- 
,  hours. 

At  a  period  when  the  Phoenicians  had  long  be- 
fore vifi  ted  the  coafts  of  Spain  and  Britain,  when  the 
Grecians  had  in  like  manner  already  navigated  the 
whole  Mediterranean,  the  Romans  had  hardly  any 
knowledge  at  all  of  commerce  and  navigation, 
'^hofe  Greeks  who  had  carried  their  arts  into  Hetrutia, 

and 


■'"? 


f 


le  coaft  (  '  th^ 

js,  they  look- 

'ith  Euripides 

driatic. 

s   of  the  DiT- 

which  even 
lade  by  thofe 
e  as  accurate 
of  what  con- 

wcre  to  his 
t,  as  not  the 
n  preferved  to 
of  the  Greeks 

fo  that  we 
>r  Difcovcries 
ir  power  and 
uite  difFerenc 


)mans   in  the 


ubfequent  to 
rmfelves  very 
ing  of  any 
principal  oc- 
es  fet  Gene- 
a  few  days 
own  hands, 
ittle  of  fuch 
•  next  ncigh- 


ad  long  be- 
,  when  the 

avigated  the 
hardly  any 
navigation. 

ito  Hetrucia, 
and 


■ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.         A3 

and  who  fometimcsftrayed  as  far  as  Rome  itfelf,  had, 
however,  difFufed  in  Rome  fo  much  information  con- 
cerning Greece,  that  they  had  in  this  city  fome  know- 
ledge   of    the    famous    oracle   of    Delphi,  and    had 
heard  of  the  laws  of  Draco  and  Solon.     Moreover, 
when  commerce  had  brought  the  Carthaginians  to  the 
'toafts  of  Italy,    the  Romans,    foon  after  they  had 
expelled  the  royal   family  of  the   Tarquins,   made  a 
treaty   with   this  people.      For   364  years  after    the 
foundation  of  their  ftale,  they  had    not  yet   heard  of 
that  great  and  numerous   people  the  Gauls,  who  at 
that  time  lived  not  fourfcorc   miles   from  the  gates 
of  their  citv;    and,   ind?ed,    at   that   very  juncture 
likewife  toolc  it,  but  were  not  able  to  keep  pcfltflion 
of  their  conqueft.     About  107  years  after  this  event, 
the  Romans  were   continually  employed  in  fighting 
thefe    Gauls    in  the  neighbourhood  of    the   city  of 
Rome.     About  64  years  after  this,  the  Romans  muft 
have  already  been  in    fome  meafure  acquainted  with 
Spain,  as  they  had  nt  this  period  made  a  league  with 
the  Sagunti  ;  and     vvo  years  after  this,  the  firrt  Ro- 
man army  that  ever   was  in   Spain,  marched  thither 
under  the  (;lommand  of  theScipios;  and  in  about  ten 
years    fubfequent  to  this,  they    had    entirely    driven 
the  Cartliaginians  out  of  the  country,  and  remained 
fole  pofleflors  of  that  very  wealthy  region.     AM  Italy 
had  by  this  time  been  over-ran  and  conquered  by  the 
Romans.     The  Gauls,  who  refided  in  the  upper  part 
of  it,  were  already  fubjc6t  to  them.     And  they  now, 
in  the  156th  year  antecedent  to  the  Chriftian  aera,  for 
the    firft  time  waged   war  on  the  other  fide  of  the 
Alps.     In  33    years  after    this,   that  part  of   Gaul, 
which   is  bounded   by  the   fea  to  the  fouthward,  by 
the  Alps   to   the  eaftward,    and   by   the  Pyrennaean 
Mountains  to  the  weft,  and  extends  northwards  from 
Geneva,  along  the   river  Rhone,  to   tha  Cevcnnian 
Mountains,  and   along  thefe,  weftward,  to  tl  e  Ga- 
ronne and    the   Pyrennees,  was  a  Roman  Province. 
But  of  the  remaining  part  of  Gaul,  the  Romans  had 
but  very  confufed  ideas.     Their  merchai^ts,    indeed, 
carried  their  wines  to  the  thirfty  Gauls  all  over  the 
country  ;  juft   as  the    Britons,  "at   this  time  do  run 
to  the  North  Americans,    and  the  Europeans   trad- 
Mig    to  the  Weftern  Coaft  of   Africa  and  to  Gui, 

nea, 


u 


VOYAGES    AN» 


nea.  do  btandy  to  the  Negroes.  This  occafioned  tk9 
internal  part  of  Gaul  to  be  better  known  to  the  Ro- 
irtans  than  it  had  been  before.  Scarcely  eight  years 
had  paffed  fince  the  fubje6tion  of  the  Provincia  Nar- 
boneiilis,  when  they  had  the  news  at  Rome  of  the  ap- 
proach of  two  northern  nationst  which  were  called 
Cimbri  and  Teutones.  The  former  of  thefe  probably  had 
that  appellation  forn  l^ampfeny  to  fight,  viz.  Ksm- 
petij  or  combatants ;  for  long  after  the  period  here 
alluded  to,  therorthern  heroes  continued  to  diflingufb 
thsmfelves  by  this  name.  The  latter  apparently  got 
their  title  from  being  the  allies,  or  Theodaiti,  i.  e.  com^ 
faniom  of  the  fCsempers  *.     According  to  the  .accounts 

given 

*  Some  may  perhaps  chufe  to  derive  thi«  namfc  rather  from  ThioJ^  s 
f'lk  or  people,  than  from  TheoJan^  a  companion  \  but  I  confefs  I  do  not 
fee  why  the  name  ot  ptople  fliouir'  be  given  to  the  Teutones  ia  preference 
t<^  the  rett  of  the  nations  of  Germany,  as  it  is  notorious,  tn?t  all  th* 
ancienc  Germans,  when  there  were  fevenl  of  them  together,  and  thcf 
were  a(kcd,  who  they  were  ?  ufed  to  call  themfelves  Thiod,  i.  e.  peo- 
ple, an  appellitiin  which  the  Romans  miOonk  for  (he  proper  name  of 
this  nation.  Befides,  they  are  not  called,  Tbiod  'Thiaady  or  Tbiud^  i.  e, 
TeutftI.e,  butch,  or  Germans;  \i\xlThe»dau.,  or  TeQtona.  Finally,  the 
word  Thiod  may  perhaps  itl'elf  be  derived  from  Thetdan,  A  folk,  or  peo- 
ple, is  a  focicty  of  men  conneOed  together  by  fome  band  or  tie,  either 
that  of  their  common  orrgin,  or  that  of  their  mutual  intereft.  Befides 
thi.<,  many  denominations  of  feveral  of  the  German  tribes,  as  handed 
<fown  to  us,  krm  to  owe  their  origin  to  fome  fuch  appellation  or  other 
milconllrued  by  the  Rom?ns.  It  i«  plain,  for  example,  that  '.be  diffe- 
rent hords  when  they  made  their  entrance  iaio  Gaul  under  the  command 
of  Ario'.idusj  mnfl  haveanfwered  to  the  enquiries  of  the  Romans,  that 
they  vje.r^  fyebrmantt/My  Guertnans^  or  Germant^  i.  e.  warriors)  an  ap- 
p^UGtion,  however,  which  was  adapted  to  them,  only  as  long  as  ihcy 
kept  together,  and  compofed  one  great  army.  The  confederacy  Ger- 
man nations  on  the  banks  of  the  Upper  Rhine,  which  icbfided  about  the 
time  of  Coodantine  and  Julian,  and  in  virtue  of  which,  every  man  fit 
to  bear  arms,  was  obliged  to  take  the  fiel^l,  occafiontd  them  to  be  called 
Allemam^  \.  e.  all  men.  The  confederated  nations  of  lower  Germany, 
who  in  ronfcquence  of  their  love  of  libert; ,  as  well  at  in  the  defence  of 
it,  weie  higb-Jpiritedy  brave^  and  haughty ,  were  called  Freaks^  or 
franki-  It  has,  however,  even  been  doubted  by  many,  whether  the 
Cimbri  were  really  Gertnans  or  not.  But  the  fa£t  is,  that  they  dwelled 
quite  in  the  northern  extremity  of  Germany,  which  was  afterwards  in- 
habited by  the  Jutlanderi.  Nay,  according  to  Strabo,  Lib.  7.  they  were 
even  to  be  found  between  the  Rhine  and  the  Elbe.  They  fohfiftcd  in 
his  lime  till  on  the  fame  fpot  where  they  had  lived  firft  ;  and  had  then 
made  a  (refent  to  Auguftus  of  a  large  cauldron.  With  large  and  (lout 
bodies,  they  had  red  hair  and  blue  eyes,  like  all  the  Germans  of  thole 
times;  and  according  to  Plutarch,  in  his  life  of  Marina,  it  was  the 
cuftom  among  the  Germans  to  call  all  Marauder^;,  or  fuch  as  made  war 
and  plu'  ring  their  buiinefii,  Kimhersy  or  Kxmpers,  i.  e.  combatant«. 
It  is  ther  tore  'ery  evident,  that  thefe  people  were  the  Goths  andSaion* 
^hp  dwelt  on  (he  peninl'ula,  fi^uated  to  the  north  of  the  Elbe,  on  occa- 
1^00  of  anextraoidioary  and  dreadful  inundalioa,  many  of  them  were  in- 
duced, 


Ml 


ccaftoned  th« 
n  to  the  Ro* 
\y  eight  yoara 
'ovincia  Nar- 
neof  theap- 
I  were  called 
!  probably  had 
;,  viz.  Ktem- 
le  period  here 
to  diftingufh 
»parently  got 
aHf  i.  e.  conp- 
>  the  .accounts 
given 

er  from  TihJ^  a 
I  confefs  I  do  not 
ones  in  preference 
rious,  tn?t  all  the 
gether,  and  thef 
Thiod,  i.  e.  peo- 
e  proper  name  of 
/,  Of  ThiuJ^  i,  e, 
iat.    Finally,  the 
A  folk,  or  peo- 
and  or  tie,  either 
intered.    Befides 
;ribe(,  at  handed 
lellation  or  othtr 
r,  that  tht  diffie- 
(ler  the  command 
he  Romans,  thac 
warriors)  tn  Mp- 
as  Jong  as  ihcy 
:onFcderacy  Ger- 
bfidet]  about  the 
h,  every  man  fit 
hem  to  be  called 
ower  Germany, 
in  the  defence  of 
led  Freakt,    or 
whether  the 
at  they  dwelled 
8  afterwards  !n- 
7.  they  wer« 
hey  fwbfifted  in 
and  had  then 
large  and  {lout 
rmans  of  thole 
tts,  it  was  the 
;h  as  made  war 
e.  combatants, 
oths  and  Saxons 
Elbe,  on  occa- 
them  were  in- 
duced, 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THB  NORTH.         15 

g!ven  of  this  people,  the^  made  their  firft  appearance 
at  Noricum,  viz.  in  the  (outhern  part  of  what  is  now 
called  Auftria,  Stiria,  Carinthia,  and  the  Ukrain. 
It  was  there  that  they  beat  Papirius  Carbo.  A  few 
years  after  this,  we  find  them  already  in  Gaul,  in  the 
courttryof  the  Allobrogi,  and  in  the  year  after,  near 
Touloufc ;  then,  after  having  conquered  Mallius  and 
CsBpio,  they  advanced  as  far  as  Spain,  where  thejr 
remained  near  two  years,  and  at  length,  in  the  courHp 
of  the  third  year,  returned  towards  the  £afl,  but  di- 
vided and  left  the  Teutones  and  Ambrones  (a  people 
from  Helvetia)  to  oppofe  Marius  ;  while  the  Cimbri,  on 
the  other  hand,  retired  through  the  upper  part  of  Germa- 
ny, as  far  as  Trent,  and  to  the  banks  of  the  Etfchr,  where 
Catulushad  taken  hispoft.  The  Teutones  and  Am- 
brones were  the  firft  that  were  routed  by  Marius  ;  and 
the  fame  fate  befel  alfo  the  Cimbri  after  the  two  armies 
had  made  a  junction  near  Vercelli,  about  loi  years 
before  Chrift.  This  a^lion,  however,  gave  the  Romans 
a  high  idea  of  the  valour  of  the  Germans }  and  they  now. 
learned  that  they  were  a  numerous  nation,  inhabiting  a 
tra<Sl  of  country  that  extended  even  to  the  Ncrth-Sea. 

In  the  year  59  before  Chrift,  Ca^far  was  made  Conful ; 
and  immediately  began  a  war  in  Gaul,  which  lafted  al- 
moft  ten  years,  during  which  time  the  Romans,  under 
the  command  ofCsfar,  not  only  became  perfe<;tly  well 
acquainted  with  Gaul,  and  the  country  of  the  Belgae, 
but  likewife  crofted  the  Rhine  twice,  and  forced  their 
way  into  Germany :  Casfar  eveii  built  a  fleet,  with  whick 
he  crofted  the  Britiih  Channel,  and  landed  twice  in  Bri- 
tain. 

duced,  having  probably  loft  all  their  catt>.i  ')y  the  flood,  to  quit  their 
country  and  turn  robbers.  They  beciiine  tiiereforc  Ksempers,  in  like 
rranner  as  the  defcendants  of  their  northern  neighbours  became  Wicki 
ingers.  The  route  their  army  tcok,  as  well  as  that  of  their  companions, 
the  Teutones,  who  were  likewife  Germans,  (Iretched  along  the  Elbe  as 
far  as  Bohemia,  where  they  were  repulled  by  the  Boii.  Upon  this  ther 
turned  about  to  the  ealt,  going  along  the  Carpathian  mountains,  till  they 
came  to  the  Black-Sea  apd  the  Danube  j  here,  turning  about  again  to  the 
weft,  they  marched  to  the  Skordiflcers  and  Tauriflcers,  two  nations  from 
Gaul,  and  direaiy  upon  this  they  met  with  the  Roman  Conful  near  Nereja 
for  (he  firft  time.  We  may  therefore  fafely  conclude,  that  as  in  fucceed- 
ing  ages,  in  confequence  of  their  being  better  informed,  the  Germans  and 
their  name  have  been  loft  and  totally  vaniflied  ;  in  like  manner  the  deno- 
tninationof  Kemners  and  Kimbers,  or  Cimbri,  has  likewife  lunk  into 
obliwon,  thefe  people  havjng  beeo  found  to  be  Saxons  and  iohabilaus  of 
Ju^i.ind. 

7hc 


s« 


VOYAGES     AMD 


1  m 


The  opportunity  which  had  before  offered  to  the 
Romans  by  the  conqueft  of  MithridateSj  as  well  as  at 
his  deathy  of  getting  acquainted  with  the  Bofphorus 
and  the  environs  of  Crimea,  prefented  itfelf  to  them 
again,  when,  about  ^7  years  before  Chrift,  Afander, 
vrho  had  made  h*mfeh  mafter  of  the  Bofphorus  at  the 
death  of  Pharnaces,  was  nominated  king  by  AuguftusI 
Cxfar.  During  the  life  of  this  fame  Auguftus  Caefar; 
the  Romans  got  alfo  better  acquainted  with  the 
weftern  (hores  of  the  Black-Sea  or  Thrace  :  and  in 
like  manner  the  whole  range  of  Caucafup  together 
with  the  numerous  petty  nations  dwelling  in  thofe 
parts,  were  laid  open  to  them  by  the  vidtorious  arms 
of  Pompey. 

So  early  as  ten  years  before  the  birth  of  Chrift, 
Drufus  advanced  with  an  army  as  far  as  the  Elbe,  and 
it  feems  probable,  that  Domitius,  the  grandfather  of 
Nero,  crolTed  it  fix  years  after.  Eight  years  after 
this,  Tiberius  was  feen  on  the  banks  of  this  river. 
Next  Varus  and  his  whole  army  were  flain  by  the 
Germans  between  the  Ems  and  the  Lippe ;  and  Ger- 
tnanicus  went  thither  alfo  in  order  to  explore  thofc 
countries  which  had  been  fo  fatal  to  Varus.  In  the 
year  17,  he  went  to  the  Wefer  by  the  North  Sea,  or 
vverman  Ocean ;  and  on  that  occafion  difcovered, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Wefer  and  that  of  the  Elbe, 
many  iflands ;  fome  of  thefe  were  rich  in  amber, 
which  the  Germans  called  glafs,  and  the  iflands 
themfelves,  the  Glafs-iflands.  Here  the  Romans 
got  better  acquainted  with  amber,  which  was  dill 
held  in  great  efteem  among  them. 

A.  D,  41,  Claudius  made  an  expedition  to  Britain, 
and  from  this  period  the  Romans  continued  to  fpread 
all  over  Biitain  ;  and  though  the  Britons  now  and 
then  ufed  all  poflible  means  to  defend  their  liber- 
ties, and  (Iruggled  hard  to  ihake  off  the  yoke,  the 
Romans  nevertbelefs  went  on,  advancing  gradually 
with  vi^orious  arms  towards  the  north,  til!  at  hil 
the  whole  of  Britain,  quite  to  the  Grampian  moun- 
tains, fubmittcd  to  their  empire.  Agricola  fent  the 
Roman  fleet  to  the  Orkneys,  and  fubdued  them  alfo. 
Thule,  however,  was  only  feen  at  a  diftance  j  and 
the  Roman  fleet  havin?  in  very  calm  weather  circum- 
jii^ylj^z^cd  ^11  pritain,  afcertaincd  this  cxtcnuve  coun- 
ty 


I 

fered^  to  she 
IS  well  as  at 
e  fiofphorus 
elf  to  them 
[1;,  Afander, 
iiorus  at  the 
by  Auguftusi 
kiftus  Caefar^ 
d  with  the 
ice :  and  in 
"uF  together 
ng  in  thofe 
korious  arms 

1  of  Chrift, 
le  Elbe,  and 
and  father  of 

years  after 
f  this  river, 
[lain  by  the 
; ;  and  Ger- 
'xplore  thofe 
us.  In  the 
>rth   Sea,  or 

dlfcovered, 
f  the  Elbe, 

in   amber, 

the  Iflands 
Romans 
was  ilill 

to  Britain, 
ed  to  fpread 
s  now  and 
their  liber- 
yoke,  the 
gradually 
ti!!   at  lall 
ian  moun- 
a  fent  the 
them  alfo. 


» 


DISCOVERIES  iM  THE  NORTH.        ijr 

try  to  be  an  ifland.  Agricola  took  this  opportunity  to 
procure,  by  means  of  the  merchants  trading  to  Hi- 
bernia  or  Ireland,  an  exad  account  of  the  fituation, 
extent,  and  population  of  this  country,  as  well  as  of 
the  manners  and  cuftoms  of  its  inhabitants.  From 
what  he  could  coiledl  from  thefe  accounts,  he  was  of 
opinion,  that  one  Roman  legion,  with  their  atten- 
dants and  fliips,  would  be  fufficient  to  fubmit  this 
ifland  to  the  dominion  of  the  Romans,  arid  to  prevent 
any  infurredion  therein.  This  is  therefore  a  frefli 
proof  of  the  truth  of  the  aflertion,  that  the  ancients 
did  not  make  their  difcoveries  merely  by  their  militanr 
expeditions,  but  that,  very  frequently,  navigation  af- 
fifted  in  enlarging  their  knowledge  of  different  coun- 
tries and  people.  In  faft,  it  was  not  their  conquefts 
which  merely  ferved  to  enlarge  the  circle  of  their  in- 
formation ;  but  their  merchants  were  alfo  very  eager  to 
pufh  ftill  further  forward  than  their  vi6torious  armies. 
For  in  general  men  are  capable  of  the  greateft  and  moft 
difficult  undertakings,  when  their  defigns  and  anions 
are  aduated  by  ambition,  avarice,  and  other  paffions  ; 
and  they  execute  them  with  judgment  and  refolution  ; 
and  the  beneficent  Creator  of  mankind  makes  ufe  even 
of  the  paffions  of  men,  to  accomplKh  his  inf<4iitel)r 
great  and  benevolent  defigns  of  introducing  into  all 
parts  of  the  world  civilization  and  refinement  of  man- 
ners, together  with  the  ktiowledge  of  the  true  and 
only  God. 

The  victories  as  well  as  the  defeats  of  the  Romans 
in  the  wedern  and  noi^h-eaftern  parts  of  Germany, 
ferved  likewife  to  this  purpofe,  that  it  gave  them  at 
lead  fome  idea  of  the  vaft  extent  of  this  brave  and  ne- 
ver perfedly  fubdued  nation,  whofe  affiitance  in  war 
they  courted  on  account  of  its  known  valour.  The 
Romans  and  Italians  had  been  enervated  by  luxury 
and  defpotifm,  fo  that  they  were  become  unfit  for 
military  fervice  ;  particularly,  as  the  manner  of  carry- 
ing on  war  at  that  time  required  ftrength  of  body, 
pevfonal  valour,  ftfift  difcipline,  great  fkill  in  tactics, 
and  great  prefence  of  mind.  The  finews  of  the  young 
Romans  had  been  debilitated,  and  the  growth  of  thetr 
jimbs  had  been  checked  by  early  enjoyment  and  ex- 
ec fs  of  voluptuoufnefs.  In  fadt,  a  delicate  fmooth- 
jfaced    youttj,   vain  of  his    perfon,    which  it  is  his 

chief 


'.,/,, 


fS 


VOYAGES    AND 


chief  ftudy  to  fet  ofF  to  advantage,  and  whoTe  whole 
care  is  to  recommenci  himfelf  to  the  great,  by  wit, 
(dri^is,  and  flattery,  has  feldom  the  courage  to  face 
death  and  dangers  without  (hrinking.  The  fpirit  of 
iiiiiipation  and  licentioufnefs,  which  at  this  time  reign- 
ed in  Rome,  rendered  the  youth  of  that  ftate  unfit 
to  live  under  the  conftraint  of  fubprdination ;  and, 
indeed,  how  is  it  to  be  fuppofed  that  they  could  pof- 
fibly  exhibit  any  marks  of  fpirit  in  away  of  life  which 
tbe^y  detefted  ;  or  that  they  (hould  have  prefencc  of 
mind,  or  be  fit  for  forming  qui  :  and  fadden  refolves 
in  circumftances  and  occurrence  to  which  they  were 
abfolutc  ftrangers  ?  Whole  armies,  therefore,  were 
xaifed  amongft  the  Batavians,  Germans,  Pannonians, 
and  other  nations  on  whom  luxury  had  not  as  yet  0ied 
its  baneful  influence.  But  the  fidelity  and  valour  of 
the  Germans  made  them  deferve  the  honour  of  beit.g 
chofen  in  pre  .  '•ence  to  others  tp  be  the  body-guards  of 
^  the  Emperors,  (n)  This  circumftance  gave  occafion 
to  the  Romans  to  become  better  acquainted  with  the 
lituation  and  nature  of  the  country,  and  the  manners 
andcuftomsof  a  people  which  had  found  means  to  ac- 
quire fuch  honorable  diftinciions  by  its  intrepidity  and 
valour. 

.  The  defire  of  getting  amber  in  great  quantities  de- 
termined Nero  to  fend  Julianqs,  a  Roman  Knight,  to 
the  amber  coaft.  He  landed  fafely  in  Prufl&a,  and 
leckons  it  almoft  600  miles  from  Carnuntum  in  Pan* 
nonia  to  (he  coail.  He  brought  home  an  immer.fe 
quantity  of  amber,  which  was  all  to  ferve  for  the 
pomp  and  decoration  of  one  day,  on  which  the  Em- 
peror gave  an  entertainment  of  gladiators.  How  much 
locver  like  a  merchant  Julianus  may  have  carried  on 
this  amber-trade,  yet  ftil!  he  could  not  have  avoided 
learning  a  great  deal  concerning  the  country  and  its 
inhabitants,  by  being  amongft  them.  But  Pliny, 
who  relates  this  event  to  us  (i>),  feems  himfelf  to  have 
Jknown  but  imperfe*51ly  where  this  coaft  was.  For  in- 
ilance,  amber  had  been  found  in  great  abundance,  in 
his  days,  along  thecoait  of  Friefland,  near  the  mouth 


\ft)  Tacit.  Annat.  I.  i.  piragr.  17.     Edit.  Elievif,'i640. 
t/'jriin.Iia.  Nat.Ub.x^x.ii.  c.  3. 


I 
I 


of 


whoTe  whole 
eat,  by  wit, 
rage  to  face 
^he  fpirit  of 
is  time  reign- 
it  ftate  unfit 
nation ;  and, 
;y  could  pof- 
of  life  which 
3  prefencc  of 
dden  refolves 
ich  they  were 
jrefore,  were 
Pannonians, 
ot  as  yet  Ihed 
n6  valour  of 
our  of  beit.g 
)dy-guards  of 
gave  occafion 
nted  with  the 
1  the  manners 
means  to  ac- 
trepidity  and 

uan<:ities  de* 
Knight,  to 
PruiEa,  and 
turn  in  Pan- 
an  immer.fe 
erve  for  the 
ch  the  Em- 
How  much 
e  carried  on 
lave  avoided 
ntry  and  its 
But  Pliny, 
pfelf  to  have 
as.  For  in- 
undance,  in 
ar  the  mouth 

;o.  •    > 


■A/ 


DISCOVERIES   IN  TH«  NORTH.       19 

of  the  Ems.  The  ifland  on  which  the  fea  ha4  caft  it, 
was  called  Burchana  \  in  our  days,  Borkum.  Now 
Pliny  feemt  to  have  miftaken  this  amber  ifland  for  the 
real  native  country  of  amber,  and  confequentiy  it 
fcem'  evident,  that  the  conceptions  the  Romans  had  of 
the  North,  were  not  altogether  clear  and  accurate  j 
for  in  general,  Pliny  fuppofed,  that  the  Baltic  was 
conne<fled  with  the  Cafpian  and  the  Great  Indian 
Seas  (f),  though  Herodotus  had  already  fhewn,  that 
the  Black  and  Cafpian  Seas,  to  the  northwards,  did 
not  join  to  any  other  fea ;  confequentiy,  all  the  (ex 
beyond  Germany  and  PruHla,  was  in  the  days  of  Pliny 
leis  known  than  it  had  been  long  before,  in  the  times 
of  the  Phoenician  navigations. 

It  is  vn:e,that  the  conqueft  of  Dacia  under  Trajan* 
had  ferVed  to  extend  the  boundaries  of  the  empire  to- 
wards that  fide  ;  but  his  immediate  fucceflbr,  Adrian* 
withdrew  all  the  Roman  armies  out  of  this  new  pro* 
vince,  and  thereby  again  precluded  the  means  of  pro* 
curing  any  more  intelligence  concerning  this  part  of 
the  North. 

The  great  Marcomannian  war,  which  Marcus  Au- 
relius  was  obliged  to  enter  upon,  furnifhed  opportuni- 
ties of  colle<3ing  many  particulars  which  might  fcrv« 
to  determine  with  greater  accuracy  than  before,  the 
e)^tent  and  fi  ation  of  thofc  countries.  But  this  pe* 
riod  was  deftitute  of  hiftorians,  at  Icaft  of  fuch  a9 
might  have  tranfmitted  to  us  exadt  accounts  of  the 
fituations  of  the  belligerent  powers.  Luxury,  depra- 
vity of  manners,  the  decline  of  the  army  and  of  the 
whole  Roman  ftate,  paved  the  way,  at  a  diftance,  to 
the  great  revolutions  vk^hich  threatened  this  diftraded 
empire.  It  was  among  the  Romans  themfelvcs  thac 
the  northern  nations  learned  the  arts  which  enabled 
them  to  conquer  them  with  greater  facility,  and  to 
fhake  the  very  foundations  of  their  government.  Itr, 
norance  and  a  vitiated  tafte,  which  always  go  hand  m 
hand  with  effeminacy  and  luxury,  continually  infi- 
nuated  themfelvcs  more  and  more  into  the  Roman  ftate, 
while  true  learning  and  genuine  ufeful  knowleoVe 
daily  decreafed. 


(0  Plin.  Hift.  Nat.  Lib.  vl.  c.  13. 


Of 


so 


VOYAGES    Aito 


Of  the  l^inlandersy  Ejihonians,  or  Aejliers^  togetfref 
with  all  the  Schalavonian  tribes,  in  thole  times  known 
only  by  the  appellation  of  Sauromatesi  or  Northerni 
Medesy  (of  which  nation  they  either  were,  or  pre- 
tended to  be,  the  defcendants)  as  alfo  of  the  Gothsi 
the  Romans  fcarcely  knew  any  thing  but  the  namesw 
Norway  (Nerigon)  Sconen  (Scandia)  Dunney  *  and 
Vaeroe^  were,  according  to  them,  illands  lying  near 
tie  Icy  Sea,  as  well  as  Thule,  whither  they  ufed  to 
fail  from  Norway^  as  well  as  from  the  northernmoft 
point  of  Scotland^  Thefe  obfcure  notions  of  the  Ro- 
mans refpedting  the  geography  of  the  northern  nations, 
are  confequendy  ftill  very  incoherent,  and  of  no  man- 
ner of  ufe. 

* 

*  Pliny  exprefTes  himfelf  thus.  Lib.  iv.  c.  \6.  Sunt  qui  &  aliit 
(infults)  prodant,  ScanJiam^  Dumnamy  Bergts :  maximanque  omnium 
iitrtgony  ex  qua  in  Thylem  navigetnr.  A  Thule  unius  diet  navigatione, 
tn&re  concretum,  a  nonnulHs  Cronium  appellatum.  It  it  evident,  that 
the  wholfj  coaft  is  meant  here  ;  and  though  the  learned  Counfelhr  Sichht- 
K«r,  wh(<fc  information  ou  ihcfe  points  in  general  is  univerfally  refpefled, 
in  his  iHlroduBion  to  the  Univerfal  Hiftoty  »f  the  North,  an  excellent 
woik,  chufes  to  uoderdand  by  BergeSy  one  of  the  two  fons  of  Hercnles 
mentioned  by  Mela,  via.  Albion  and  Bergion^  who  gave  the  names  of 
Albion  and  Bergion  (or  Ow{*«  Juvtrnoy  Hilemia)  to  the  Britifli  IHand.": ; 
yet,  I  cannot  perfuade  myfelf  to  take  it  in  this  light;  and  it  feems  more 
prot>able  to  me,  that  the  appellations  of  Dumna  and  Bergos  belonged  to 
(he  iflands  Dumneey  or  Dumntjy  near  Helgoland,  and  Foeroe^  near  MaU 
firom,  for  the  continued  feries  in  which  thele  countries  are  difpoled, 
feems  to  render  this  fuppofition  i|i  a  manner  necefTary.  For  the  fame 
reei'on,  I  fltouid  never  think  of  looking  for  Thule  in  Iceland,  but  rather 
in  Shetland. 


BOOK 


rs,  togethef 
imes  known 
r  Northern 
:re,  or  pre- 

the  Gothsi 
the  names^ 
mney  *   and 

lying  near 
hey  ufed  to 
lorthernmoft 
5  of  the  Ro- 
lern  nations, 

of  no  man- 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       51 


BO    o    K     n. 

OF  THE    DISCOVERIES    MADE    IN    THE 
NORTH  IN  THE  MIDDLE  AGES. 

C      H      A      P.        I. 

0/  the  Voyages  and  Di/coveries  of  the  Arabians  in  tbt 

North. 


ROME  had  been  fo  much  weakened  and  enervated 
by  its  riches  and  luxury  ;  by  the  neg;le<%  of  dif- 
cipline  among  the  military ;  by   the  diviflon  of  its 
power  into  an  eaftern  and  a  weftern  empire ;  by  the 
ambition  of  a  great  number  of  private  then,  who  all 
pretended  to  the  imperial  crown  ;  by  the  abfolute  cor- 
ruption of  manners  among  the  people,  and  by  the  fcho- 
laftic  diflentions  of  its  biSiops  j  that  the  neighbouring 
nations  foon   perceived  this  weaknefs,  and   began  to 
attack  the  Empire  with  united  force.     Even  before 
thedividonof  the  empire  had  taken  place,  the  Mar- 
comannt  and  their  allies  from  166  to  180,  had  driven 
the  great  Emperor  Marcus  Aurelius  to   fuch  ftraits, 
that  he  had  been  compelled  to  difpofe  of  the  fumptuous 
imperial  wardrobe  and  furniture  by  public  au£lion,  in 
order  to  provide  the  fupplies  necenary  for  carrying  on 
the  war;  a  ftep  which  (hews  very  plainly  the  defperate 
iltuation  of  the  empire.     At  fo  early  a  period  as  the 
year  240,  the  Franks  conftituted  a  confederacy  of  un- 
daunted nations  in  Lower  Germany,  which  at  length, 
in  the  fifth  century,  A.  D.  486,  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  Frankifh,  or  French  kingdom.     The  Goths  like- 
wife,  fo  early  as  in  244,  were  in   motion  in  Dacia, 
and  foon  after  we  find  Rome  plundered  by  king  Ala- 
•ric,  and  his  IVeJlern  or  Vift-Goths^  and  a  new  empire 
founded  by  his  hiccefforsin  the  fouthern  parts  of  Gaul 
and  Spain.     The  EaJ},  or  OJiro-Goths,  under  Dietrick 
of  Bern,  went  to  Italy  and   re -took  this  empire  from 
the  Heruli,  who  had  bora  the  fovereign  fway  about  20 

years 


p^ 


VOYAGES    Asro 


Ir! 


Vears  after  the  termination  of  the  weftern  empire  ;  thid 
failed  about  60  years,  viz.  till  554.  In  the  fouth- 
vreftern  part  of  Germany,  fo  early  as  in  the  year  268, 
arofe  the  confederacy  of  the  AUemanni,  which  exifted 
for  a  long  while  after.  Soon  after  this,  viz.  in  the 
year  286,  we  find  the  Anglo-Saxons  and  Franks  making 
their  predatory  incurfions  into  Britain,  till  the  Britons^ 
on  account  of  the  oppreffions  they  fufFered  from  the 
Pi£ii  and  Scots^  found  it  neceiTary  to  clall  in  the  Saxons 
to  their  affiftance,  who  in  449,  arrived  under  their 
Kings  Hengiji  and  Horfa^  but  kept  pofleiHon  of  the 
country  themfelves,  aVid  eftablilhed  feveral  fmall 
ftates,  which  in  procefs  of  time  were  united  into 
one.  The  Vandals^  Suevi  and  Alani,,  ravaged  the  Ro- 
man dominions  in  407,  as  far  as  Spain,  and  the  Ibr- 
merof  thefe  people  at  length  even  went  over  to  Africa 
in  order  to  eftabliih  a  new  dominion  there.  So  early 
as  in  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century,  the  Burgundi 
had  advanced  from  their  ancient  abodes  on  the  fliores 
of  the  Baltic,  to  the  river  Maine ;  and  for  the  affiftance 
they  had  afforded  the  Romans  againft  the  Weftro- 
Goths,  took  a  part  of  Gaul  to  themfelves.  In  the 
land  of  Rugen  on  the  Baltic,  and  in  that  part  of 
Germany  which  is  now  called  Brandenburg,  were  the 
Longobardi^  or  Lombards,  who  in  the  year  548  were 
received  by  the,  Emperor  Juftinian  in  Pannonia, 
where,  in  concert  with  the  Awari,  they  fubverted  the 
empire  of  the  Gfpides,  and  A.  D.  568,  eftabliihted  a 
new  fovereignty  in  the  upper  part  of  Italy,  which  laft- 
ed  upwards  of  200  years.  Thus  was  the  Roman  Em- 
pire difmembercd  and  parcelled  out  by  Qumerous  ar- 
mies compofed  of  the  different  nations  of  Germany, 
and  the  v/hole  weflern  part  of  it  was  now  in  the  hands 
of  princes  defcended  from  Germans.  The  £aft  was 
ravaged  by  the  SchaJavotuans,  Huns,  Awari,  Bulgari, 
and  a  variety  of  other  nations ;  and  the  great  power  of 
the  Perfians  had  even  forced  its  way  to  the  fliores  of  the 
Heilefpont,  whilff  the  Chriftians  in  the  Roman  Em- 
pire, forgetful  of  the  principles  of  their  great  founder, 
who  preached  as  well  as  pradifed  univerfal  love  and 
benevolence,  were  continually  quarrelling,  profecut- 
ing,  and  killing  each  other  on  the  fcore  of  difference 
of  opinion  in  matters  of  religion. 

To 


.■I? 


npire ;  thift 
I  the  fouth- 
e  year  z68, 
bich  exifted 
viz.  in  the 
nks  making 
Lhe  Britons* 
:d  from  the 
I  the  Saxons 
under  their 
ilfion  of  the 
\reral    fmall 
united  into 
ged  the  Ro- 
md  theibr- 
er  to  Africa 
e.     So  jearl.y 
he  BurguneU 
41  the  &ores 
the  affiftance 
he  Weftro- 
res.    In  the         < 
hat  part  of 
•g,  were  the 

w  548  w«re 

Pannonia, 
ibverted  the 

;ftabli(hed  a 

which  laft- 

Ionian  Em- 
kmerous  ar- 
Germany, 
the  hands 
£aft  was 

IV,  Bulgiiriy 

It  power  of 

lores  of  the 

Loinan  Em- 

kt  founder, 

lal  love  and 
profecut- 
diiference 

To 


ii'M. 


biSCOVERIES  IN  tttK  WORTfl.        35 

To  fuch  a  ftate  of  moral  corruption  and  political 
debility,  the  great  Roman  Empire,  in  thofe  days  th« 
feat  of  all  knowledge,  civilization,   and  refinement, 
Was  now  tiebafcd.     At  this  period  there  ftarted  up  in 
Arabia,  an  illiterate  man,  of  the   name  of  Moham* 
m«dy  endowed  with  a  good  underftanding,  and  lively 
imagination;  and  of  a  dark  and  melancholic  difpofi- 
tion,  yet  not  infenfible  to  the  phyfical   influence  of 
love.     At  his  firft  fetting  out'  in   life  he  was  poor, 
though  he  belonged   to  the  noble  family  of  the  Ko- 
reifchites ;  but  tailing  in  love  with  Chadidfcha,  the 
widow  of  an  opulent   merchant,  he  married  her,  by 
which  means  he  became  rich,  and  in  confequence  of 
this,  led   a  more  inactive  life  than  he  had  formerly 
done,  and  had  leifure  to  give  himfelf  up  entirely  to 
the  eccentric  reveries  and  projeds  with  which  in  hit 
younger  years  he  had  often   indulged   himfelf  in  th« 
iblitary  defart.<t  on  the  road  from  Mecca  to  Damafcus. 
The  want  of  the  bodily  exercife  to  which  he  had  been 
Siccuflomed,  together  with  a  rich  diet,  and  the  weak- 
nefs  refulting  from  amorous  cxcefles,  gaveti  greater 
play  to  his  imagination,  and  rendered  it  more  irregu- 
lar than  before.     l*he  unconneded   and  \txy  much 
adulterated  religious  maxims  which  he  bad  picked  up 
from  Jews  and  fuperftitiors  monks,  he  reduced  into 
an  ill-digefted  fydem,  the  only  tolerable  part  of  which 
was,  that  which  concerns  the  unity  of  God  and  his 
glorious  attributes;     With  the  language  and  exprefli- 
ons  of  poetry  he  was  not  entirely  unacquainted  j  as 
the  belt  Arabian  poets  ufed  to  meet  every  year  at  the 
annual  fair  of  Okad,  to  read  their  poems  publickly  to 
the  people,  and  to  contend  for  prizes,  feven  only  of 
whom  obtained  the  honour  of  having  their  prize  poems 
hung  up  in  the  Kaaha  at  Mecca,     With  fuch  founda- 
tions, and  with  thefe  previous  attainments,  Mohammed 
appeared  all  on  a  fudden  in  the  capacity  of  a  prophet, 
who  faw  vifions,  was  haunted  with  apparitions,  and 
preached  a  new  religion.    In  the  beginning  there  were 
but  few  that  approved  of  his  new  doctrines,  and  he 
and  his  adherents  were  ridiculed  and  perfecuted  in  his 
native  country,  Mecca.     But  in  the  year  622,  he  fled 
to  Medina^  to  the  enemies  of  the  inhabitants  of  Mec- 


ca,  and  that  whole 


city  went 


over  to 


his    party. 
Strength* 


^• 


34 


VOYAGES    AND 


Strengthened  by  fo  powerful  a  fupport,  the  enthufi- 
aftic  prophet  became  h  pcrfccutor.  His  i»ew  party 
became  the  tool  of  his  pcvenge.  He  took  Mecca,  and 
thereby  procured  himfcli  an  addition  of  territory,  and 
a  frcfh  army  of  profelytes.  The  fword  being  once 
drawn,  vidlory  and  the  new  religion  foon  fprcad  over 
all  Arabia.  The  predatory  tribes  of  Arabia  were  now 
united  by  the  ftrongefl  ties  of  religion,  and,  with  the 
enthufiaiiic  zeal  of  profelytes,  fubjugated  every  thing, 
from  the  Indus  to  the  Pyrennean  \fountains,  to  the 
religion  and  dominion  of  the  fucceflbrs  (or  Caliphs) 
of  Mohammed.  Upon  this  the  fciences  foon  began 
to  flourifh  amongft  thefe  people  formerly  fo  rude  and 
illiterate ;  and  poets,  phyficians,  philofophers,  natu- 
ral-philofophers,  hii^orians,  and  geographers,  now 
made  their  appearance.  With  but  few  of  thefe  lafl, 
however,  the  Europeans  are  acquainted,  either  on 
account  of  their  ignorance  of  the  language,  or  be- 
caufe  the  writings  of  thefe  men  are,  for  the  greater 
part,  to  be  found  only  at  Morocco,  in  Egypt,  in  Sy- 
ria, and  at  Conftantinople,  buried  as  it  were  in  Tur- 
kifh  libraries,  inaccefllble  to  Chriflians ;  and  the  re- 
mainder, in  the  almoft-as-inacce»I?hlc  libraries  of 
Rome  and  Spain;  or  elfe,  perhaps,  becaufe  the  print- 
ing of  fuch  works  actually,  produces  but  little  profit 
either  to  a  book  Teller  or  editor  j  and  the  great  are  ge- 
nerally more  inclined  to  employ  their  fortunes  on  the 
means  of  their  own  advancement,  or  to  beilow  them 
on  their  flatterers,  and  on  the  indulgence  of  their 
pallions,  than  by  their  liberalities  to  encourage  an 
edition  of  an  old  Arabian  geographer.  In  facl,  the 
only  Oriental  authors,  who  have  written  geographical 
works  that  have  been  printed,  and  are  now  extant, 
are,  Sieherif  al  Edrifi^  who  wrote  h\s  Geograpbicfil  Re^ 
creations  in  1153  i  JUulfeday  Prince  of  Hamath,  who 
publifhed  a  fyttcm.  of  geography  in  1321  ;  NaJJir  Ed- 
dirty  of  Tus,  in  Perfia,  the  friend  of  Holaku  Chan, 
whom  he  perfuaded  to  make  the  conqueft  of  Bagdad, 
and  to  abolifh  the  Caliphate,  wrote  in  1260,  .his //- 
chanian  Tables  on  the  longitude  and  latitude  of  places; 
and  Ulugbek,  the  nephew  of  the  great  Titnur^  who,  in 
X437,  wrote  his  Geographical  Tables. 

The 


the  enthafi- 
s   »ew  party 
I  Mecca,  and 
territory,  and 
being  once 
n  fprcad  over 
bia  were  now 
nd,  with  the 
1  every  thing, 
tains,  to  the 
(or  Caliphs) 
s  foon  began 
y  ib  rude  and 
tphers,  natu- 
raphers,   now 
of  thefe  laft, 
d,    either  on 
uage,  or  be- 
)r  the  greater 
;gypt,  in  Sy- 
were  in  Tur- 
and  the  re- 
libraries    of 
fe  the  print- 
t  little  profit 
reat  are  ge- 
tunes  on  the 
beflow  them 
nee  of  their 
ncourage  an 
In    fact,  the 
geographical 
now  extant, 
rapJiical  Re- 
amath^  who 
Najfir  Ed- 
laku   Chan, 
of  Bagdafi, 
260,  .his  //- 
of  places; 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THS  NORTH.         35 

The  Arabian  generals  had  long  before  this  been  or* 
dered  by  the  Caliphs  to  tranfmit,  in  the  courfe  of  their 
vidiories,  cxad  and  accurate  defcriptions  of  the  na- 
tions and  countries  conquered  by  them  ;  none,  how- 
ever, of  the  woiics  we  have  referred  to  above,  can 
certainly  be  rcckonca  in  the  number  of  fuch  as  were 
drawn  from  thefe  authentic  geographical  recoids* 
Some  of  them  content  themfelves  with  communicat- 
ing merely  what  they  have  gathered  from  common  re-' 
port,  concerning  diilant  nations  ;  for  this  reafon,  thefe 
accounts  are  no  where  Icfs  to  be  depended  on,  than 
where  they  relate  to  our  northern  part  of  the  globe. 

The  author  of  the  extracts  from  Scherif  dl  EdriJJi 
is  a  Chriftian,  and  though  it  feems  as  if  he  had  ex- 
tracted from  the  original  author  all  that  he  fays  in  the 
fedion  on  the  fixth  climate,  there  is  neverthelefs  room 
to  fuppofe,  that  this  Chriftian  abbreviator  has  advanced 
what  is  found  in  his  work  relating  to  the  Chriftian 
countries,  either  from  his  own  knowledge  of  thef<t 
countries,  or  from  the  acccints  given  of  them  by 
other  authors.  But  whether  thefe  relations  are  origi<* 
nal  or  borrowed,  tbey  are  fo  meagre  and  mutilated^ 
that  it  is  evident  they  have  contributed  but  little  to 
give  us  any  information  concerning  the  regions  of  the 
North.  The  countries  they  are  acquainted  with  are 
Britany  and  PoitoWj  then  come  Franc4^  Normandy^ 
FlanderSf  Hinu  (i.  e.  Hainault).  Lorrain^  and  Berri } 
with  fome  countries  of  the  Frank  Burgundiansy  and 
the  Allemannian  Burgundiam ;  then  Litnania^  or  AlU-^ 
mania  \  the  land  of  Bakir  (doubtlefs  for  Bafir,^  or  Ba-^ 
varia)  Carentara  (or  Cartntbia)  Louvain^  Friejeland^ 
Savoy^  and  fome  parts  of  the  ifland  of  England.  In 
Allemannia  and  Saxony^  he  names  the  towns  of  Har* 
iei,  KulozaU  Mafchliaty  and  Hallah.  Towards  the 
north,  on  all  parts,  is  the  dark  Jea.  Germania^  Ge- 
thuliay  and  Rujia ;  the  land  Bergian,  or  Btrgen,  Rujfid 
and  Komania,  Ueradia  on  the  Black  bea ;  the  coun- 
tries of  IVailakan  (or  Walachia)  Chozaria  (or  Chaza^ 
ria)  Bolyfaria^  Befcgert,  Lan  (or  Mania).  In  the  land 
of  the  Afconian  Turks  is  the  river  Jtbel  (or  iV$lga) 
which  falls  into  the  fta  Tabarejlan  (or  the  Cafpian 
Seaj.     The  land  Sa/nridi^  or  of  the  IVal^hian  Turks '^ 

D2  the 


# 


3$ 


VOYAGES    AN 


the  land  Slftany  the  land  Choffach  (i.  c.  of  the  Cc/"- 
facki)  the  land  Torkoi^  and  the  wall  of  'J^igog  and  il^- 
gog  (in  the  Caucafu^.)  which  was  built  oy  Dfulcarnaini 
(or  Alexander) ;  in  the  dominions  of  a  certain  Chakan 
Odkoij  who  was  a  Mahometan.  Beyond  this  wall  ar- 
rived the  travellers,  dispatched  by  the  Caliph,  at  the 
towns  of  LochtHarty  Jraban,  Berfagian,  Turarty  and 
Samarkand.  From  thence  their  route  pafTed  over  Ra^ 
(or  Rages y  in  Media)  to  Sorramanrai.  In  the  dark  fea 
are  defart  iflands,  and  ruined  cities,  to  which,  whilft 
they  were  inhabited,  (hips  ufed  to  go  in  order  to  buy 
amber  and  coloured  ftoncs.  Then  he  defcribes  the 
ifland  called  England  in  the  dark  fea,  the  ifland  of 
Scotia  (or  Scotland)  and  the  ifland  Irlanda  {or  Ireland). 
The  land  Boloniay  Sveda,  Finmark,  Icelandy  RuJJta, 
the  farther  Romania^  Bolghar  (or  Bulgaria)  Befegert^ 
and  Begenuk,  This,  is  pretty  nearly  the  idea  he  had  of 
Europe  and  the  northern  regions.  Many  of  thofe 
countries  the  reader  will  undoubtedly  be  able  to  re- 
coeni7e ;  others  of  them  are  totally  unknown  to  us, 
in  like  manner  as  it  is  impoffible  to  know  again  the 
greateil  part  of  the  towns  in  thefe  countries. 

The  Prince  of  Hamath  fays,  he  knows  in  the  north 
the  countries  of  the  Franks  and  of  the  Turks,  A- 
mongft  them  is  the  empire  of  Buligahy  i.  e.  Jpulia^ 
Kallafrijab  {Calabria)  Baftlijfa  (perhaps  BaftUcatay  the 
ancient  Lucania)  eUMara  (i.  e.  Morea)  part  of  which 
belonged  to  the  Grecian  Emperor,  and  part  to  a  na- 
tion of  the  Franks,  called  Kithalany  i.  e.  Catalonians. 
Clofe  by  this  is  the  land  Malfagutb  (or  Atnalji)  and 
to  the  weft  ward  the  land  Jklerens:  then  he  defcribes 
Romey  and  St.  Peter's  church :  then  follows  the  land 
Tojkarty  i.  e.  Tufcanyy  and  the  two  Borkaniy  or  Vol- 
canos,  one  of  which  is  in  Sicily.  Th?  province  01- 
Kirmy  or  Crimea,  with  the  cities  of  S<rlgaty  Sudacj 
and  Kafa.  Then  he  defcribes  the  Bofphorus  and  Con- 
j(lantinople.  To  the  countries  of  the  North  apper- 
tains alfo  Kumager*y    a  city   in   the  empire  of  the 

.  Tatar 


••  s 


^^': 


N 
at 


•  Kunager  feem«  to  be  the  ruir^s  of  3  large  town,  which  are  e»en  «t 
prefcnt  to  be  found  on  the  c^art  of  the  river  Kuma^  not  far  from  the 
fUv*  wlitr«  it  reeeivei  the  Bjvetay  and  v.hicb  u  ftili  calleU  Madfebiar. 

TUi» 


of  the  Ccf- 
gag  and  ma- 
DfuUarnaini 
;rtain  Chakin 
this  wall  «r> 
iliph,  at  the 
Turafiy  and 
fed  over  Ray 
the  dark  fea 
hich,  whilft 
order  to  buy 
lefcribes  the 
the  idand  of 
(or  Ireland). 
dandy  RuJJiay 
ia)  Befegert^ 
dea  he  had  of 
my  of  thofe 
able  to  re- 
^nown  to  us, 
>w  again  the 
ics. 

in  the  north 

Turks,     A- 

i.  e.  Jpulia^ 

ajilicatay  the 

lart  of  which 

lart  to  a  na- 

Catalonians, 

jfmalfi)  and 

Ihe  defcribes 

>ws  the  land 

\nSi  or  Vol- 

►rovince  0/- 

fgaty    Sudacj 

IS  and  Con- 

orth  appcr- 

ipire  of  the 

Tatar 


liich  are  CTCn  »t 
It  far  from  the 
llleU  Madfchiar. 

^  TkU 


I 

i 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        37 

Tatar  Borkab,  which  lies  in  the  middle  between  the 
Iron  Port  (Derbtnd)  and  J%ok^  or  Afoph.     Next  to  this 
lie  the  Lokzi^  or  Lefgi.     In  the   habitable  part  of  the 
North,  arc  alfo  the  Ruffian  countries,   which  are  fttii- 
atcd  towards  the  north  of  the  town  Balar  (or  Bulga- 
ria).    Then  follows  Barthanyah  (i.  c,  Britania)  in  the 
feaj  Bfrdil,  (Burdegalay  Bourd^nux)   Scbont  Jahth,  a 
town  in  Ga/likljah,  i.  e.  Calliday    and   their   capital 
Samurahy  perhaps  Santa  Maria ,  or  San  Maria.     Fiz/t^ 
or  P//f/>7,  i.  c.  Pifa.     On  the  oppofue  fide  is  the  illand 
SarJaniJah  (i.  c.  Sardinia)  Lombardia  (Lombardy)  Ga- 
nawah  (Genoa)  Bandakijah   (Venice).     One  of  tht 
citizens  here  is  their  Prince,  and  is  called  Duk.  They 
are  in  pofleflion  of  the  ifland  Nakrapanty  i.  e.  Neero- 
ponte.     Rumijah  el  Kobroy  i.  Cv  Home  the  Great,  ntu- 
ated  on  both  fidcS  the  river  T>/r/   (viz.  the  TiWer)  the 
feat  of  the  Caliph  of  the  Chrifti  ips,  who  is   called 
Al-Pap,     Borfchany  or  Borgany  the  capital  of  the  Bur- 
gansy  i.  c.  Burgundians,  who  have  been  conquered  by 
the  Allemanni.     Jtfchanijahy  i.  e.  Athens,  the  city  of 
the  wife  Greeks :  Konjianthinijahy  or  Buxanthijahy  1.  e. 
Conftantinople,  or  Byzantium.     Makdunijaby  the  city 
of  Alexander  the   Great.     Sakgi  {Jzaky  or  Jfapb)  a 
town   at  the  mouth  of  the  Thana  ( Tanais,  or  Don) 
wh';rc  it  empties  itfelf  into  the  fea  Nithnfch  (thePalus 
Maeotis  and  the  Black  Sea).     Ahzuy  a  town  fituatcd 
eaftwards  on  the  Bofphorus,  or  Straits  of  Conftanti- 
nople.    This  is  probably  Jbydus.     Jkga  Karmany  on 
the  fea  Nithafchy  is  Akierman.     Thernau  is  lituated    at 
three  days  journey  from  Sakgiy  or  Afaph,  and  is  there- 
fore in  all  probability  Taganrok.     Sari  Karman  (proba- 
bly a  place  called  Inkermany  in  the  peninfula  of  Cri- 
mea)  is  five  days  journey  from  Kirrrty  or  Solgaty  i.  e. 
EJki  Crinua*     Kerkri  is   a  Turkifh   word,  fignifying 
40  men,  and  by  this  name  is  called  a  certain   y^ry 
ilrong  caftle  on  the  top  of  an  inacceflibic  mountaioi 

This  is  the  town  which  Prince  Abulfeda  means,  «nd,  from  the  fitustinn 
oa  the  Kmma,  it  m«y  perhap*  formerly  have  been  called  Kamagtr,  juft 
•8  ti  part  of  the  Hungarians,  or  Mad;chariy  fiom  the  c'rcumftar  qe  of 
(k^r  dvtUini  ottr  ihii  river,  were  called  JTuMMr,  or  Komaui. 

Clofc 


5l  VOYAGES    AND 

Clofe  by  it  is  the  higheft  mountain  of  all,  GhaterTheg 
(at  prefent  called  ITchettirda).  Sudac  is  a  fortified 
harbour,  (and  ftill  bears  the  fame  name.)  Sulgatwzs 
formerly  called  il  Kerm^  but  at  prefent  the  province  is 
called  by  this  name.  (In  our  times  EJkri-Krim). 
jfCaf<f  W^i  on  a  plain  to  the  eaft  of  Sud^.c^  and  is  a  port 
and  ftaple  town ;  oppofite  to  it  is  Tharapezun  (Trebi- 
fond)  but  to  the  e;iil  and  the  north  is  the  defart  of 
JCaptfibiak*  Ol-Kars  (now  called  Kerfch)  is  a  fmall 
town  between  Koffa  and  Jzok^  at  the  mouth  of  the  fea 
of  Azok,  Azok.is  a  famous  city  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Thana,  in  the  fea  of  Azok,  which  in  ancient 
books  is  called  the  fea  of  Manitafih*^  or  Manjetz^* 
Serai  **,  a  large  town,  and  the  refidence  of  the  Tar- 
tars, which  in  my  (viz.  Albufeda's)  time,  are  the 
Ufbecs.  It  is  fituated  in  the  plain,  at  the  diftance  of 
two  daj^  journey  from  the  Cafpian  Sea,  to  the  fouth- 
caft.  The  river  yfto'.,  i.  e.  Wolga ***,  runs  froni 
the  north-weft  to  the  fouth-eaft  ;  on  rhe  northern  coaft 
of  it  is  Sarai.  (The  remains  of  this. great  town  are 
itill  to  be  found  on  this  fpot.)     Oiak  is  a  town  on  the 

*  The  fet  of  Astf  having  formerly  in  ancient  writings  been  called 
Manitaji  h,  and  the  fmall  lakes  and  the  river  Manjeiz^  even  in  ihefe 
rtays  deriving  their  names  from  it,  feems  to  be  a  frefti  proof  m  favour  of 
the  opinion  of  Mr.  Pallas>  that  the  BUck  and  Cafpian  Sgzi  were  formerly 
connected  with  each  other  by  thefe  parts,  and  both  together  made  but 
one  fea. 

•*  Sarai  was  an  ancient  refidence  of  the  people  who  formerly  Inha- 
bited this  country ;  but  by  which  of  them  it  has  been  built,  is  as  diffi- 
cult to  afcerrain  as;  the  true  fituation  of  it.  On  the  banks  of  the  /^eb- 
tubuy  or  the  ea(lwaid  arm  of  the  Vfolgn^  from  which  it  ieparated  near 
ZarisBin,  feveral  lemains  of  very  ancient  buildings  have  been  found, 
feme  to  the  nonh-eall  of  Zarifin,  k<nd  others  to  the  eaS,  near  Chara- 
chudjcbtr  and  ^areiapoJ^  as  al(o  low«r  down  near  Dfchi^it  and  Stlitran- 
nii-G»rodtk,  What  AbulfeJa  fays  oi"  its  being  at  the  diftance  of  two  days 
journey  from  the  Cafpian  fea,  (hould  rather  point  out  Seliirannoi-Goro- 
Jek,  than  Zaretopcd  for  this  place.  It  appears  to  have  beea  built  by 
BJtu  Khan^  between  me  year^  1 256  and  1 166. 

***  Athil  is  the  name  oi"  the  Wolga,  amongft  (he  Ruflian  Tartars, 
whu,  ftiiftly  fpeaking,  call  it  Idt':  or  Atel;  which  tiie  TJchuvjafihi  have 
tiansfurmed  into  Adal,  This  word  lignifies  a  river  in  general,  whence 
the  TyiAMwa/irifri  call  the  Wolga,  JJiiadaJ,  or  the  Great  River  ;  but  the 
Kama  they  call  Schorah-adal,  i.  e.  the  White  River,  becaule  the  water 
of  it  is  Whiter  thin  that  of  the  Wolga  ;  the  river  IViatka  the  Tartars 
^all  Naukred  Idtl.  The  Calmucks  trarflaie  the  ward  Atel  by  Eljchil. 
The  Morduaus,  on  the  contrary,  have  given  to  the  Wolgi  the  namt  of 
the  Rh^u,  which  pcrfe£^ly  tel'eroblcii  the  deuumiuatioa  Rl'Uy  made  uleof 
by  Ptolemy. 

weftern 


■m 


all,  GhaterTheg 
c  is  a  fortified 
c. )  Su/gat  was 
the  province  is 

£Jkri-Knm), 
:,  and  is  a  port 
apezun  (Trebi- 

thc  defart  of 
ch)   is  a  fmaJI 
outh  of  the  fea 
the  mouth   of 
ch   in  ancient 
\  or  Manjet%, 
:e  of  the  Tar- 
time,  are  the 
he  diftance  of 
I  to  the  fouth- 
^*,  runs  from 
northern  coaft 
jreat  town  are 
a  town  on  the 

"lings  been  called 
f/ss,  even  in  ihefe 
1  proof  in  ftvour  of 
leas  were  formerly 
together  made  but 

who  former!/  inha- 
built,  I's  ■(  diffi. 
I)ank8  of  the  Acb- 
it  lieparaied  near 
have  been  f&und, 
eaO,  near  Chara- 
hii^it  and  Stlitran- 
ftance  of  two  days 
£  Selitrannoi-Goro- 
ive  been  bnilt  by 


■  •  ,■»■ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTri.        39 

weftern  fliore  of  the  Athl  (or  Wolga)  half  way  be- 
tween Sarai  and  Bolat  The  empire  called  Jrdu^ 
which  belongs  to  the ''.'irtarian  king  of  Borkahy  ex- 
tends as  far  as  Okak.  [This  Okak  is  undoubtedly 
Uwjeck,  which  lies  7  werfts  to  the  fouth  of  SaratoK 
and  was  formerly  a  famous  Tartarian  town.]  Botar 
or  Boigar*,  a  town  in  the  moft  remote  part  of  the 
habitable  northern  countries,  to  the  eaftward  of  the 
Jthsl  (or  Wolga)  at  no  great  diftance  from  the  river. 
This  t«wn  has  three  baths ;  the  inhabitants  are  Ma- 
hometans, and  belonging  to  the  fe6l  of  the  Hane- 
;*'tes.  Herp  grow  no  fummer  fruits  on  account  of  the 
mtenfe  cold  ;  neither  are  there  any  grapes.  Accord- 
ing to  the  relat'Of  of  an  inhabitant  of  thefe  parts, 
there  is  hardly  any  vnd  to  the  days  in  fummer,  and  the 
nights  are  but  veryfliort;  which,  indeed,  is  very  pro- 
bable ;  the  town  being  fituated  in  upwards  of  48  de- 
grees of  northern  latitude,  and,  agreeable  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  aftronomy,  fubjedl  to  a  very  long  twilight. 
Balanrar,  or  Athol^  is  the  capital  of  the  Cbozars. 

Such  is  the  information  furniflied  by  the  Arabians 
on  the  fubje£l  of  the  geography  of  the  North,  down 
to  the  year  1321. 

So  early  as  about  the  fecond  century,  the  Huns 
had  made  approaches  towards  lake  yfral  and  the  Caf- 
pian  Sea,  and  inhabited  thefe  regions  ;  foon  after  which 
they  turned  their  thoughts  to  xlill  greater  cnterprizes, 
which  under  Attila,  in  the  years  434,  454,  were 
crowned  with  amazing  fuccefs ;  his  dominions  ex- 
tending from  China  quite  into  Gaul.  As  to  his  fons, 
fome  of  them  remained  mafters  of  the  country  from 
Dacia  as  far  as  Noricum  ;  others  retired  towards  the 
Don,  and  fome  crofling  the  Don,  withdrew  to  Mount 

♦  Bolgar  is  in  our  dayi  ftiil  called  Segari,  and  cpntains  the  rcmarkabl« 
and  beautitui  ruins  which  Mr.  Pallas  has  defcribed  and  givm  drawings  of 
in  hi«  travels,  parti,  pa.  iti,  fie  fcq.  The  Arabian  inlcripiiona  bear 
date,  A.  D.  naff— 1341,  The  Armenians  reach  from  n6i  to  1578. 
k  IK  not  in  the  lead  improbable  then,  ihat  this  town  of  Bolgar  viat  known 
to  Abulfeda,  who  wrote  as  late  as  in  the  year  1311.  The  firll  Bulga- 
rians  the  Kuropeans  v/ere  acquainted  with,  were  pn.bably  a  tribe  of 
Turks  —They  feem  to  have  been  even  nt  that  time  civih/ed  to  a  confi- 
dcrable  degree,  as  appeara  from  their  ornaments,  furniture,  drefs,  coins, 
afid  edifices.    There  were,  iudxcd,  many  Armenians  auiorgU  them. 

Caucafus  j 


4»  VOYAGES    AHB 

Caucafus ;  and  all  the  fubje^ls  of  the  powerful  emplro 
of  the  Huns  recovered  their  liberties*     The  Turks,  i| 
people  who  at  firft  had  dwelled  to  the  fouthwards^  on 
the  banks  of  the  lake  Saiffan^  of  the  river  I.rtifch^  and 
on  Mount  Jltai^  rptirea  in  the  fixth  century  to  the 
eaflward  of  lake  Aral,  and  of  the  Cafpian  Sei^    Here 
they  fpread  o^t  by  degrees  into  their  numerous  tribes^ 
as  Chazars^  Peifchenegs^  Uxes,  Polovzee,  Bulgars^  &c. 
and  took  pofTefiion  of  the  whole  fou^hern  part  of  Ruf- 
iia,  Moldavia,  BefTarabia,  and  Crimea.    Thefe  were 
the  people  wbofe  pofleffions  and  fituation  Conftantrne 
Porghyrogenetes  delcribes  in  his  Thematx.    The^ 
were  alfo  the  beft  foldiers  of  the  Arabians  and  their 
Caliphs,   after  this  latter  nation  was  enervated  by 
luxury  and  defpotifm.     In  confcquence  of  this  cir- 
cumftancc  they  foon  arrived  at  fuch  a  pitch  of  power, 
that  they  ufed  todifpofe  at  pleafure  of  the  throne  of 
Bagdad,  and  eyen  took  into  their  own  hands  the  ad<- 
miniftration  of  the  larger  provinces.     At  length,  foniQ 
of  their  princes  eftabliihed   great  empires,  \s\  whicl^ 
they  governed  for  a  while  in  an  independent  manner, 
till  the  Moguls,  under  the  command  of  Zinghis-Khan, 
and  his  defcendants,  over-ran  with  their  armies  ajmoft 
the  greateft  part  of  Afia,  and  a  confiderable  part  of 
Europe,    as  far  as  Breflaw.     Many  of  thefe  in  Afui 
adopted  the  religion  of  Mahomed,  and  the  Arabiaii 
letters,  as  alfo  the  ufe  of  the  Perfian  language ;  by 
which  means  they  both  acquired  a  great  deal  of  in- 
formation,   and  became  -very  much   refined   in  their 
manners.     In  Perfia,  under  the  aufpi^es  of  Hoiaghu-- 
^hatfy  Jt^aJ^tr-Eddin  drew  up  a  table  of  the  longitudes 
and  latitudes  of  places,  for  the  purpofe  of  corred^ing 
bis  aftronomical  obfervations.     The  fame  thing  was 
^one  immediately  upon  this  by  the  nephew  of  the  great 
Timur,  Ulug  Bek,  who  likewife   in    the   year  1437, 
compol'ed   tables  of   the  latitudes  and  longitudes  ot 
places,  for  the  purpofe  of  correcting  his  agronomical 
obfervations.     Theifl  are  in  many  points  fo  fiinilar  to 
each  other,  that  it  is  very  evident  that  the  prince  has 
made  ufe  of  the  work  of  the  Ferfian  aftronomer. 

Of  the  coMntri.es  to  the  North  of  the  Cafpian  and 
Black  Sea,  both  of  them  have  particularly  mention- 
ed the  three  £mpires  of  Choxfir,   Rus,   and  Bolgar, 


DISCOVERIES  XM  thb  NORTH.       4f 

In  the  firft  of  thefc  is  Bahngar^  the  capital  of  the 
king  of  the  Chazars,  which  Abulfcda  lilcewife  had 
before    denominated     Atbol     and     Balangar*      The 
Chozars  lived  in  Crimea,    and  in  the  defert  plains 
of  Nogaii  but  it  I*  impoifible  at  this  prefent  period 
of  time  to  point  out  their  capital.     The  town  called 
Kujavahy   muft  certainly  be  KUw   (or  Kiow),     But 
Sakfm^  the  fecond  Ruflian  town,  it  is  alfo  impoflible 
to  indicate  with  any  degree  of  certainty.     Finally, 
in  the  empire  of  Bolgar^  there  is  mentioned  a  city 
of  the  fame  name.     What  '.-.nowjedge  thefe  people 
had   of  Korafan^  Choarefntj  and  Mawaralnakan.,  does 
not  deferve  to  be  noticed  here,  many  of  thefc  places 
being  extremely  well  known  at  prefent.      But   for 
certain  reafons,  we  will  give   the   reader  an  account 
of  what  information  they  had   concerning  Turktjian^ 
or  thofe  countries  which  in  our  days  are  called  the 
IciTcr  Bukharia,    the  country  of  the  Kalkas^MongaU^ 
and    the   northern  part  of  China.     To  this   country 
belongs  Choterii    a  well  kxjcwn  town    in   the  I^eiier 
Bukhari-*,  tlie  capital  of  a.  fmall  empire,  which  at 
prefent  is  fubjc^l  to   the  Chinefe. ,   A!malig/t  a  town 
in  a  country  called  Gete,  not  far    from  Mount  Ar> 
jatu.     When,  in  the  year  1490,  Tinnur  prepared  to 
make    war  againil  this  country  of  Gete^    his   army 
marched  from  Tafikent  near  the  Sibon^  to  Lakt  IJfikoU 
not  far  from  Barkct^  or  Bankf  then  they  came  to 
GheuktopUy  from  thence  to  the  mount  called  Jrjatu^ 
and  fo  to  the  town  Aimalig.     They  then  crofTed   the 
river  Ab-EiUy   came   to  Itfcbna-Butfchna,    and  UJier 
Keptadfchij   and,  finally,  arrived  on  the  banks  of  the 
Jrtijhi   v/here  they   learned   that    Prince  Kamareddin 
was  gone  into  the  martcn-and-fable  forefts  of  Dau*- 
las.     Hence  it  follows  that  this  place  is  fituated  be- 
tween Tafchkent  and  the  Irtifch^  and,  indeed,  on  this 
fide  the  river  Ab-EiU^  which  at  this  day  empties  itfelf 
into  the  Sihon.     And  as  the  armies  of  Timur  return- 
ed  over  lake    Eutrakgheul^    fituated    near   Harafckar^ 
and  haftened  by  the  way  of  Akfu  to  Samarkand  on  ac- 
count of  the  winter  approaching ;  this  Aimalig  murt 
not  be  confounded  with   Kaballg^  Bifchhalig^  ami  ItiJI 
^efs  with  Karacctrumt  the  feat  of  the  Moguls  on  tht 

jiv*r 


♦» 


VOYAGES    ANi> 


fiver  and  lake  Onghln.  A  Florentine  named  Francifco 
Balducci  Pegoletti^  (whofe  travels  till  lately  lay  buried 
in  oblivion,  when  they  were  firft  drawn  out  of  it  by 
the  references  made  to  them  by  Profeffor  Sprengel) 
dcfcribed  at  fo  early  a  period  as  the  year  1335*  the 
route  from  Jxof  to  Pekingy  and  in  this  route,  at  a 
diftance  of  45  days  journey  (travelling  on  aflcs)  be- 
yond Otrart  he  places  the  town  of  Jrmalecco^  which 
undoubtedly  is  Almalig  in  the  land  of  Gete^  to  the 
north-ead  of  Tafcbkent^  and  on  this  fide  of  the  Irtifch. 
—  I'hc  two  geographers  next  lay  down  Kabalig,  a 
place  not  known  to  modern  times,  more  to  the  caft- 
wards  of  Almalig,  Then  Autan  Keluran  (like wife 
unknown)  ftill  more  to  the  eaft  than  Karakum  — 
Farther  they  have  Bifchbalik-t  a  place  probably  the 
fame  with  that  which  the  Chinefecall  Ilibaliky  which 
confequently  is  fituated  on  the  banks  of  the  river  ///. 
Then  comes  Karakum^  i.  e.  the  black  j'andy  a  place 
which  was  alfo  called  Karakorutn,  and  ufed  to  be  the 
refidence  of  the  Mogul  Emperors,  of  the  race  of 
Zinghis  Khan.  Finally,  they  fpeakof  Chanbalik^  or 
Ca/nbalik,  which  is  what  is  now  called  Peking.  The 
Florentine  continues  the  route  from  Mmalig  by  the 
way  of  Camexuy  which  mud  certainly  be  Cami^  or 
Hamily  with  the  addition  of  Tfcheu^  which  means  a 
town,  and  is  a  word  which  the  Chinefe  ufe  to  add  to 
the  name  of  every  place  of  the  lead  conftderation, 
and  which  the  Florentine  has  endeavoured  to  exprefs 
by  the  fyllable  xu.  This  town  was  known  to  the 
famous  traveller,  Marco  Polo  of  Venice.  From  the 
former  of  thefe  places  to  the  latter  it  is  70  days  jour- 
ney. Pegoletti  next  reckons  65  days  jo'urney  to  a 
river,  of  which  he  has  not  given  us  the  name,  but  in- 
forms us,  that  from  this  river  it  is  eafy  to  come  to 
Kajfai.  I'his  Kojfaiy  is  Kijjen^  a  place  on  the  great 
river  Kara-Muren^  or  Hoang'ho.  From  hence  it  is 
30  days  journey  to  Gamalecco,  the  capital  of  the  land 
Gattffi^  1.  e.  Kambalig^  in  the  land  of  Kat/jay,  by 
which  is  meant  the  northern  part  of  China. 

'J'hefe  countries,  though  they  have  been  frequently 
laid  walte  by  various  great  revolutions  and  the  hollile 
attacks  of  barbarous  and  uncivilized  nations,  have 
nt'veithelefs  retained,  better  than  could  have  been  ex- 


pe«^cd,  the  names  of  their  towns,  rivers, 


lakes,  &c. 
through 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.         43 

through  fo  many  centuries :  for  the  want  of  good  and 
drinkable  water  in  thofe  countries,  is  an  obftrudioii 
to  the  building  of  towns  or  cities  in  every  part  of 
them.  The  cities  therefore  are  fuffered  to  remain,  and 
their  names  are  prefervcd,  even  after  conquefts  i  and 
for  a  fimilar  reafon  the  names  of  the  rivers  and  lakes 
are  preferved  with  equal  care,  viz.  on  account  of  thcfe 
fubjeds  being  fo  rare,  and  fo  feldom  to  be  met  with. 
The  people  too  of  thofe  countries  have  almoft  always 
fpoken  the  fame,  or  at  lead  a  kindred  language,'  a  cir- 
cum{^ance  which  has  likewife  contributed  to  prefervc 
fo  well  the  names  of  the  rivers  and  lakes. 

By  what  has  been  faid  above,  it  appears,  that  thcfe 
fragments  of  the  knowledge  poiTefled  by  the  Oriental 
Nations  with  refpetH:  to  our  northern  parts  of  the 
globe,  are  very  imperfe<a.  P'or  though  it  muft  be 
owned  that  thele  people  made  exteniive  military  expe- 
ditions, and  over-ran  a  great  many  Countries,  yet  at 
the  fame  time  it  muft  be  obferved  that  they  were  not 
much  ad<^idted  to  writing  i  and  fuch  of  them-  as  were 
adlually  pofiisff'^d  of  learning,  feldom  wrote  on  Geo- 
graphical fubjcCts^  or,  if  they  did,  their  performances 
were  very  defedlive. 

Kublai'Khan  indeed  was  the  firft  Emperor  of  the 
Moguls,  who  fitted  out  a  large  fleet  on  that  part  of 
the  eaftern  ocean  called  thi;  Chinefe  Sea,  which  he  did 
for  the  purpofe  of  conquering  Nhon^  ot^  z%  Marco 
■  Polo  fays,  ZipangrL  This  enterpri{e  however  njifcar- 
ricd,  in  confcquence  of  the  intervention  of  a  violent 
and  dcflrudive  (torm,  and  of  other  misfortunes  *. 


CHAP. 

•  Kuhhi'Khan  reigned  from  the  ycir  1159  to  |i94ofibeCh!iftiinarii, 
when  he  t^DC  a  Hect  and  army  to  Ntl>}n  (or  Japanjy  for  tWc  purpole  of 
cori.)Uering  thai  couniry  The  fliips  campofiDg  ihis  (Icti,  *fie  very 
mut-h  Tnattered  by  the  llorm,  and  it  is  probable  that  i'omr  cf  ihcm  vcnf 
not  have  been  able  to  get  back  lo  Japan  and  t  hina.  About  tbi^  pt  riod 
there  fpru;:j  up  in  America,  alraoil  at  one  and  the  lame  time,  two  >>reat 
empires  (thofe  of  Mexico  and  Peru)  whi.h  had  regular  inftitutcs  cf  re- 
ligion ;  notions  of  rark  and  fubordinaii:>n,  weie  ia  Tome  meafuie  civiliz- 
ed, were  conneAed  with  each  othrr  by  variooii  kindi  of  affcciation,  prac- 
tilcd  agriculture,  and  inihe  mainmoniil  ftate  did  not  allow  ol  polygamy. 
In  M.xico,  indeed,  they  even  bad  a  kind  of  hieroglyvhic  vi,titm(j,  to- 
gether with  many  other  maiksof  cultirniouj   notwitbfUfiding  ihai  boi\» 

ihtit 


#f 


VOYAGES    ASB 


CHAP.     ir. 


Of  the  Voyagei  and  THfcoveries  made  In  tbe  North,  by  the 
baxons,  Franks,  and  Normaqs. 


TH  E  Roman  empire  having  been'  ravaged  and 
through t  low  by  many  foreign  nations,  and  par- 
ticularly by  thofe  which  were  of  German  origin,  in- 
fomuch  that  the  Romans  were  unable  to  oppofe  them 
in  all  parts  of  the  empire;  (bme  provinces  fufFered 
exceedingly  from  thefe  ravages.  Britain  had  to  the 
northward  very  troublefome  enemies  in  the  PiSls  and 
Scots^  while  the  fouthern  part  of  it  fufFered  by  the  de- 
predations: of  the  Franks  and  Saxons,  1  he  Britifli 
nation  implored  the  affiftance  of  the  Roman  Chief, 
/Etius,  which  he  however  refufed  them.  In  this  fitu- 
•ation  nothing  more  was  left  for  them,  than  forthwith 
to  call  the.  Saxons  to  their  fuccour.  Accordingly, 
A.  D.  449,  thefe  latter  went  to  Britain ;  not  however 
to  deliver  Britain  from  opprellion,  but  rather  to  con- 
quer it,  and  to  take  pofTeffion  of  it  in  form  for  them- 
felves.  The  firft  party  was  foon  followed  by  others, 
and,  in  a  0iort  time  after,  Britain  was  parcelled  out, 
under  the  Anglo-^Sgxons,  into  feven  fmall  kingdoms. 
As  to  the  unfortunate  Britains,  fome  of  them  Were 
brought  under  the  yoke,  and  road«  flaves  of,  or,  (as 
they  were  then  called)  Villains:  others  retired  into  the 
mountains  of  Galloway^  Cumberland^  IVales^  and  Corn' 
tuall,  in  the  weftern  part  of  the  ifland  ;  while  others 
crofled  the  fea,  and  took  refuge  in  the  country  called 
after  them  Britany.  But  it  leems  that  theft:  people 
had  for  a  long  time  before  been  ufed  to  infefl  thecoafts 

thefe  rmpircA  «re  furroanded  OD  all  fides  by  favage  and  rqde  nationa 
Very  inconfidcrlble  in  point  of  extent,  and  are  befides  at  a  dlllance  from 
each  other.  Now  all  thii  favourR  the  fuppofition,  that  thefe  two  colo- 
niei  came  thither  by  Tea,  m  (he  twelfih  and  thirteenth  centuries}  jier- 
hap»  iliey  «:«  Tome  of  the  people  that  were  loft  in  the  expei^ition  to  Jar 
fill,  thtu  ihipi  (living  beea  driven  by  il^e  Clorn  to  America. 

0f 


;h,  by  the 


gcd  and 
and  par- 
gin,  in- 
jfe  them 

fufFered 
I  to  tho 
*i£is  and 
'  the  de- 

Britiih 
\  Chief, 
liis  fitu- 

rthwith 
-dingly, 
lowcver 
to  con- 
r  them- 
others, 
ed  out, 
gdoms. 
n  Were 
or,  (as 
nto  the 

others 

called 

people 

z  coails 


'f 


DISCOVERIES  in  i-hi  NORTH*        45 

of  France  and  Britain  by  Tea  with  their  depredations, 
jnfomuch  that  the  Romans  give  to.a  certain  tx^Gt  of 
the  French  and  Britifh  coafts  the  appellation  of  the 
Saxon  Boundaries  \  and  placed  them  under  the  protecti- 
on of  a  Count  [Comes  littoris  Saxonici,]  Neither  did 
the  Franisy  who  had  been  conquered  by  the  Emperor 
Probus,  and  whom  he  had  tranfplanted  t6  Pontus^ 
forget  that  they  formerly  bad  lived  on  the  fea  coaft^ 
and  had  made  piracy  their  profeffion  and  livelihood  ^ 
for  as  foon  as  a  favourable  opportunity  offered,  ther 
fcized  upon  what  ihips  they  met  with,  and  ravaged  all 
the  lands  lying  along  the  coafts  of  Afia  minor  and 
Greece,  and  then,  fetting  fail  for  Sicily,  furprifed  the 
city  of  Syracufe,  famous  for  its  navigations,  where 
they  killed  a  great  number  of  people.  After  they  ha4 
plundered  the  whole  African  coaft,  from  which  how- 
ever they  were  at  length  repulfed  by  fome  troops  fent 
againft  them  from  Carthage,  they  proceeHed  to  the 
Straits  of  Gibraltar,  in  the  Great  Ocean,  and  arrived 
at  laft,  enriched  with  fpoils,  amongft  their  country- 
men, between  the  Rhine  and  the  Wefer(tf).  Such 
a  naval  expedition  as  the  above-mentioned  certainly 
refiedb  great  honour  on  this  enterpriiing  people,  par- 
ticularly when  we  confider  the  (hips  of  thofe  days  and 
the  miferable  Cvindition  of  thefe  vefiels ;  as  alfo,  how 
few  they  had  of  thofe  aids  which  are  requifite  to  navi- 
gation, being  pofTefTed  neither  of  charts  nor  com-* 
pafles,  and  (as  being  in  (o  rude  and  uncultivated  a 
ftate)  having  but  a  very  imperfe(^  knowledge  of  aftro- 
liomy.  It  ihould  feem,  nevcrthelefs,  that  thefe  Franks^ 
thus  tranfplanted  to  the  interior  part  of  the  Pontus, 
on  the  Black  Sea,  muft  have  had  fome  conception  of 
the  fituation  of  the  countries  they.vifited,  and  of  the 
ancient  place  of  their  refidcncc  ;  for  it  is  contrary  to 
every  dictate  of  common-fenfe,  to  imagine,  that  they 
Ihould  by  mere  accident  have  got  juft  into  the  tradt 
which  led  to  their  native  country.  This  and  other 
fuch  enterprifes  gave  the  Frankiih  tribes  courage,  to- 
gether with  (kill  in  naval  matters,  and  at  the  fame 
time  infpired  yet  more  of  them  with  a  difpofition  to 
piracy  and  navigation.     Accordingly  they  went  with 

(«)  ZoHm.   Lib.  i.   paragr.  €6.  edit.  QyoQ,    J^iimca  ia  ptnegyr.  C(U|> 
ftiatii  C«r«rii,  Cap.  i8^— tad  Vopifcut  is  proU. 

numurous 


46 


VOYAGES    AND 


numerous  fleets  and  armies  over  to  England,  whertf 
the  city  of  London,  which  even  at  that  early  period 
iva*.  grown  rich  by  commerce,  fell  into  their  hands. 
Jjut  Condantiuii  Csefar  beat  them  foon  after,  and  de- 
livered England  froin  thefe  cruel  marauders.     • 

Betides  the  Franics  and  Saxons,  who  feem  to  have 
acquired  confiderabic  knowledge  of  the  maritime  af- 
fairs and  countries  of  t;he  North  ;  we  alfo  find,  that 
about  the  year  753  of  the  Chriftian  aera,  the  Danes 
ventured  with  their  fhips  as  far  as  Thanet  on  the 
Kentiflj  cc  aft,  and  ravaged  the  country.  Thefe  were 
fo  ^J  '  V  three  other  Danifh  fhips,  which  came 
froi;  'iera'ande^  and  the  crews  of  which  even  land- 
ed A.  D^  78;  ; :  JVeJifexy  that  part  of  the  illand  which 
fell  to  the  (hare  of  king  Brithrkk  (or  Beorhtric),  In 
the.  year  793,  the  Convent  called  Lindisfarne,  on 
the  ifland  which  is  now  called  Holy-IJUmdy  was  plun- 
dered of  every  thing  in  it  by  the  Danes  j  who  having 
acquired  additional  courage  in  confequence  of  the 
confiderable  booty  they  had  made  there,  the  year  im- 
mediately following,  viz.  794,  plundered  likewife  the 
Convent  on  the  mouth  of  the  Tyncy  which  had  been 
built  there  by  King  Egfrid,  It  was  no  unpleafing 
circumftance  to  thefe  Heathens  to  find  that  the  good 
monks  had  preferved  in  their  convents  fuch  immenfe 
riches,  which  it  was  cuftomary  for  the  Chriftians  of 
thofe  days,  in  confequence  of  the  opinion  they  enter- 
tained of  the  merit  of  good  works,  to  heap  up  with 
bountiful  hands  in  thefe  repofitories. 

The  ftill  more  remote  country  of  Ireland  was  not  fe- 
cure  from  the  predatory  invafions  of  the  Danes.  So 
early  as  in  the  year  795,  they  appeared  on  the  coafts 
of  that  ifland,  and,  after  having  ravaged  the  Orkneys 
and  the  Wejiern  IJlands,  they  made  their  appearance 
again  fo  early  as  in  798  in  Uljiery  which  province 
f'ufFered  greatly  from  their  ravage?.  But  long  before 
this  period  the  Normans  had  made  fome  predatory  in- 
curfions  into  Ireland,  as  appears  from  the  life  of  St. 
Findanus,  who  was  of  a  noble  family  in  that  coun- 
try, and  had  been  carried  ofF  from  thence  by  theni, 
Thefe  pirates  afterwards    landed    on    the    Orkney 


■■i.- 


(h)  Scriptorct  rtrutt  Altma^aictmin  C^ldi^ni,  Tom,  i.  p.  aot. 

Iflands, 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        47 

IHands,  when  Findanus  ran  away  from  them,  and, 
after  having  undergone  various  fortunes,  having  wan- 
dered through  France  and  Lombard/,  and  remained 
four  years  in  Alemania,  he  finally,  in  the  year  700, 
embraced  a  monaftic  life. 

In  general,  we  may  obferve,  as  an  acknowledged 
faft,  that  all  the  different  nations  and  people,  which 
afterwards  were  known  to  the  world  under  the  deno- 
minations of  Swedes,  Danes,  and  Norwegians,  were 
not  diftinguiflied  by  thefe  names  in  the  earlieft  agcsj 
as  the  countries  they  inhabited  were  not  at  that  time 
divided,  fo  as  to  admit  of  it.  Every  petty  diftriift, 
fometimcs  even  a  fmall  ifland,  had  its  peculiar  fove- 
reign.  No  general  name  confequently  could  be  be- 
llowed on  the  whole  country  taken  coUt£liv*  /♦. 
The  petty  fovereigns  in  thefe  countries  feem  to  ua\ 
been  mere  feudatory  lords,  of  lords  of  manori>.  who 
undertook  expeditions  by  fea  as  well  as  by  land  with 
their  vallals.  Their  mother-country,  as  well  c;  ac- 
count of  the  fmall  quantity  of  cattle  on  it,  aoi  in  con- 
fequence  of  the  negle<Sled  ftate  of  agricult  e,  was 
very  unfruitful  **  :  they  therefore,  after  their  fubjedU 
bad  once  experienced  the  beneficial  emoluments  ac- 
cruing from  a  piratical  expedition,  found  no' great 
difficulty  in  perfuadkng  them  to  frefh  undertakings  of 
this  nature.  The  firfl  fhips,  which  the  northern 
nations  made  ufe  of,  were  boats,  either  hollowed  out 
of  large  trunks  of  tr^es,  or  elfe  made  of  wicker,  and 
cafed  over  with  leather  f.    Long  fhips,  of  a  larger 

fize, 

.  •  The  names  however  of  Suiintty  In  Tacitus  *nd  of  Ntrigotiy  ia 
Plipy,  feem  to  have  been  geaeral  oamea  of  thefe  countriefi ;  yet  it  i« 
much  to  be  doubted,  whether  they  are  to  be  taken  in  that  fenfe  \n  which 
they  have  been  ufed  flnce.  Neverthelefs  we  have  the  word  Dania  in  (b 
early  a  writer  ai  Guidg  of  Ravenna^  ytho  probably  wrote  hia  book  in  the 
7tb  century. 

,  ••  Ohther  told  king  Alfred^  that  he  wa»  in  poffcflion  of  twenty  be«ve«, 
twenty  (heep,  and  a&  many  fwine  ;  and  that  the  trifling  quantity  of  land 
that  be  had  in  tilth,  he  ploughed  with  horfea ;  and  yet  Ohther  waa  oo« 
of  the  riched  and  mod  conftderable  men  in  hia  country.  In  like  manner 
Jiiam  if  BrtmfMy  affirms,  that  Nerdmanland  is  very  barren,  without 
chufing  to  determine,  however,  whether  this  barrennet's  is  to  be  afcribed" 
to  the  coldnels  of  the  country  or  to  the  mountains -with  which  it  is  co- 
vered. Adamut  dijitu  Dania  ad  eaUem  Hi/i.  Eccla.  Cap.  138.  parag. 
146.  edit.  Ludg.  Bat.  l59(,  4to. 

+  Boau  like  thefe,  made  of  wicker  and  cafed  over  with  letiher,  are 
ailed  Ciradtt  ia  Englaod,  where  th^y  aia  aill    o  uft  oa  (h*  rivers  Dee 

aud 


^>^jaife. 


4B  VOYAGES     ANd 

fize,  were  called  Chiule,  Cyule,  Ceol  (an  appetlationi 
whence  the  German  and  f-^nglifh  term  "  Jhip^s  keeli* 
is  derived,  as  well  as  the  Englifh  word  Ktelman^  \.  e* 
people  who  work  in  the  veflcls  belonging  to  the  col- 
liers. With  thcfe  two  kinds  of  veflels,  neither  of 
which  were  of  any  tonfiderable  fize,  the  latter  of 
them  carrying  200  men  at  the  moft,  thefe  northern  na- 
tions undertook  their  piratical  expeditions.  But  the 
fmallnefs  of  the  number  of  men  on  board  each  veflel 
was  amply  compenfated  by  the  multitude  of  the  vefTels 
themfelves.  Infomuch  that  £ven  Tacitus,  in  thofe 
early  ages,  makes  mention  of  the  fleets  of  the  Suionx* 
This  people  appears  to  have  fprcad  at  firft  within  the 
boundaries  of  the  Baltic  to  Finland,  Efthonia,  and 
Courland,  whither  it  was  very  eafy  for  them  to  pafs 
over  from  Gothland.  The  Normans^  or  rather  the 
Horwtgiaru,  followed  their  own  coaft,  according  to 
Uhther*s  defcription  )  confequently  they  circumnavi- 
gated the  extreme  point  of  their  peninfula,  and  of  Eu- 
rope, viz.  the  North  Cape,  and  coming  at  laft  to  the 
Cwen  Sea,  arrived  at  the  Dwina  and  among  the  Biar- 
nians  that  lived  on  its  banks.  The  Dams  failed  along 
the  coaft  as  far  as  the  Britifh  Channel,  and  at  length 
went  to  Britain  itfelf. 

At  the  end  of  the  8th  century  the  Dana  and 
Norwegians,  who,  taken  collectively,  bore  the  name 
of  Normans,  ventured  to  go  to  England,  Scot- 
land, the  Orkney  and  Shetland  lilands,  the  Weftern 


»v 


«ik1  Severn ;  in  Ireland  they  tre  termed  Curach.  Czfar,  Co  early  a* 
in  his  time,  found  them  in  Britain,  and  made  afe  of  thetn  himl'elf. 
CUiftir  d*  belle  eivili paragr.  259.  Ed.  Elzev.  1(35.  Lntami  Ph^rful.  Lib, 
w.  131.  /*//».  Hift.Nat,  Lib.  iv.  cap.  16.  vii.  tap.  57.  Min.  Ptbfhift. 
cap.  2$.  The  Efquimaux  tnd  Greenlandert,  and  Hkewife  the  Kamc* 
ichtdalles  have  (hips  made  of  fi(h  bones,  with  a  few  wooden  cluinpK  and 
benda,  and  covered  over  with  the  ikina  of  Marine  animals.  The  peopi* 
iaft«mentioned  call  them  Baidars.  Even  the  Greeks  made.ufe  of  boat* 
of  wicker,  covered  with  leather,  which  they  took  with  them  on  board 
of  their  large  (hips,  calling  them  XMfaCiM,  and  in  Latin  Carabi.  Pron» 
this  kind  of  craft  the  Ruflianc  have  in  all  probability  taken  their  trrin  for 
a  (hip,  which  they  call  a  Korabt\  It  is  certain,  that  the  vctTcls  belong- 
ing to  the  Saxon  pirates  were  made  of  leather.  For  in  the  poem  upoA 
wtfvi/n/,  this  circumftance  i*  mentioned  exprsfsly : 

Quio  et  armoriciit  piratam  Saxona  tradlut 
Spirabat,  cai  pelle  iaiuro  fulcareBritaaliunn 
iU«>dHf>  est  itToio  glaucum  naie  fiodctc  jitim)K», 

Iflands, 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH        49 

Iflands,  and  even  to  Ireland  i  all  \^ich  places  they  made 
the  fubje<Ste  of  their  depredations,  carrying  with  them, 
wherever  they  went,  defolation  and  flaughter.  At  length 
they  fucceeded  in  making  themfelves  malters  of  Ireland, 
and  remained  fuch  from  the  year  807  to  815.  The 
Orkneys,  the  Shetland  and  Weftern  Iflands,  were  now 
in  like  manner  regularly  peopled  by  the  Normans. 
Some  of  them  even  formed  the  refolution  of  fixing  them- 
felves M  Ireland.  The  attempt,  however,  did  not  fuc- 
ceed  immediately,  and  they  were  obliged  to  put  off  the 
execution  of  their  defign  to  a  more  convenient  time. 

The  booty  and  we3th  which  they  carried  home  in- 
cited others  among  them  to  advance  with  their  fleet  along 
the  ceaft  of  Britain  to  France,  where,  as  has  been  ob- 
ferved,  they  firft  landed  in  820,  not  having  dared,  in 
the  reign  of  Charles  the  Grtat^  to  invade  that  coaft. 
The  indolence  of  Charles's  fucceflbrs,  and  the  civil 
wars  in  which  they  were  continually  engaged,  put  it  out 
of  their  power  to  make  the  necefl*ary  preparations  on  the 
northern  coaft  of  France  for  repelling  the  Normans, 
who,  rather  excited  than  difcouraged  by  the  weak  refift- 
ance  they  met  with,  repeated  their  attacks  fo  frequently, 
that  at  laft  they  prepared  to  make  a  complete  conqueft 
of  thefc  countries,  and  take  polTeffion  of  them. 

Though  Egbert  in  England,  upon  the  union  of  the 
lefler  Saxon  divifions,  or,  as  they  are  called  the  Heptar" 
chy^  became  a  powerful  Sovereign,  yet  the  Normans  did 
not  fuffer  themfelves  to  be  intimidated  by  his  power ; 
but,  in  832,  made  an  attack  on  the  Kentiih  coaft,  in 
which  they  met  with  fuccefs,  carrying  off  with  them 
abundance  of  booty  \  though,  the  following  year,  having 
landed  in  Dorietftiire,  they  were  obliged  to  make  -a  pre- 
cipitate retreat. 

About  the  year  835,  the  Normans  went  to  Ireland, 
under  their  leader  Turges,  and  maintained  poileflion  of 
their  conqueft  for  tlie  fpace  of  30  years. 

In  840  a  fleet  fitted  out  by  thefe  people,  made  for 
the  coaft  of  France,  where,  having  penetrated  into  the 
internal  part  of  the  kingdom,  they  committed  great 
ravages.  Some  of  them  indeed,  in  844,  proceeded 
as  far  as  to  the  coaft  of  Andalufiaj  and  even  P//?/,  in 
Italy,  together  with  the  once  flouriihing  city  of  Lunay 

^  WAS 


50 


VOYAGES    AND 


was  brought  into  fubjeftion  by  them,  A.  D.  857.  But 
thefe  were,  in  fat^b,  their  expeditions  to  the  South, 
which  we  (hall  content  ourfelves  with  barely  mentioning 
in  this  place. 

Their  voyages,  on  the  other  hand,  were  continually 
more  and  more  extended  lilcewife  in  the  northern  regi- 
ons. Jn  the  year  859  they  went  eaftward  to  the  coaft 
of  EJihoma^  and  brought  the  inhabitants  of  it  under 
fubje6tion,  and  in  862,  three  Normans,  who  were  bro- 
thers,  founded  a  new  fovereignty  in  Nowgorod  and  its 
vicinity. 

Juft  about  diis  time,  viz.  in  861,  one  of  thefe  pirates, 
of  the  rnime  of  N  addodd,  was  thrown  by  a  ftorm  on  an 
ifland  never  before  difcovered  ;  and  called  it,  on  account 
of  the  fnow  which  lay  on  the  high  mountains  belonging 
to  it,  Schnfi  or  Snow-land^  Naddodd  was  but  a  very 
fhort  time  in  this  newly-difcovered  ifland  ;  yet  it  ap- 
peared to  him  a  very  good  country;  in  confequence  of 
which  a  Swede,  by  name  Gardar  Suafarsson, 
who  was  fettled  in  Denmark,  undertook  an  expedition 
-to  bnowland  in  864  }  and  having  failed  quite  round  it, 
•named  it  Gardarhohn^  i.  e.  Gardar's  Ifland.  Here  like- 
wife  he  fpent  the  winter ;  and  going  to  Norway  in  the 
fubfequent  fprin?,  reported  that  dvis  newly-diicovered 
country  was  entirely  covered  with  wood,  and  in  other 
refpedls  was  a  fine  tradl  of  land.  This  account  of  the 
place  induced  another  Swede,  of  the  name  of  Flocke, 
who  by  his  voyages  had  acquired  a  great  name,  as 
well  as  the  conAdence  of  the  people  in  the  north,  alfo 
to  go  thither.  He  arrived  fafe  :  but  having  wintered 
there  likewife,  on  the  northern  fide  of  the  ifland  met 
with  a  great  quantity  of  drift  ice,,  on  which  account  he 

fave  this  ifland  the  name  of  Iceland,  a  name  it  ftill 
ears.  It  (hould  feem  too  that  he  was  not  at  all 
pleafed  widi  the  country,  iince  he  dcfcribed  it,  on 
his  return  to  Norway,  as  a  very  indifferent  foil  and  fitu- 
ation.  Some  of  his  companions,  on  the  contrary,  gave  it 
out  as  a  country  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  l^hefe 
contradictory  reports  feem  to  have  damped  in  many 
^people  the  def^re  of  viftting  this  ifland.  At  laft, 
m  ,the  year  874,  Ingolf,  and  his  friend  Lief,  re- 
folved  upon  making  another  trial.     Accordingly,   thefe 

tW9 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THi  NORTH.        51 

two  friends  repaired  thither  together ;  and  the  coun- 
try was  Co  far  from  appearing  to  them  in  a  bad 
light,  that,  on  the  contrary,  its  natural  advantages 
induced  them  to  fettle  there,  which  they  did  about 
four  year'  afterwards.  Ingolf  took  thither  people, 
cattle,  and  all  kinds  of  neceflary  tools  and  imple- 
ments 'y  "^nd  Lief,  who  in  the  mean  time  had  been  in 
England  to  the  wars,  carried  thither  his  booty.  The 
firft  difcovcrers  of  this  iHand,  from  the  circumftancc 
of  their  having  found  fome  Irifh  books.  Bells  and 
Bifhops  Crozicrs  on  it,  imagined  that  fome  people 
from  Ireland  had  refided  there  previoufly  to  this  pe- 
riod. But  it  appears  more  probable  to  me,  that  a 
party  of  Norman  pirates,  who  had  previoufly  landed 
in  Ireland,  and  carried  off  from  thence  a  confiderable 
booty,  and  among  other  things  the  above-mentioned 
articles,  Sad  been  driven  thither  by  a  ftorm,  as  had  been 
the  cafe  with  Naddodd,  and  left  thefe  articles  behind 
them. 

The  contradi^ory  reports  concerning  this  country 
by  the  people  who  firft  vifited  it,  muft  certainly  have 
been  exaggerated  on  both  Tides.  However,  it  may  be 
obferved,  that  although  thofe  who  firft  inhabited  the 
idand,  doubtlefs  conftderet)  it  as  an  advantageous  fpoti 
,yet,  the  pofture  of  affairs  in  the  North  at  that  junc- 
ture, probably  contributed  much  to  their  fettlement  in 
this  cold  region  *.  "^ 

About  this  time,  Harold  Schoenhaar,  one  of 
ithe  petty  fovereigns  in  Norway,  began  to  conquer  and 
[bring  into  fubjeaion  the  o^her  chiefs  of  that  country  ; 
and  in  875,  eftabliihed  the  Norwegian  monarchy. 
GoRM  THE  AhfciENT  likewife  attacked  all  his  neigh- 
bours round  him,  and  united  the  petty  ftates  in  Jut- 
land and  the  Danifli  Tflands  into  one:  as  Inoiald 
Illrode  had  done  long  before  in  Sweden.  H  was 
impoifible  for  fuch  great  changes  in  the  pofture  of  ajT-' 

*  The  fin.  ^ifcovcrer*  oF  Iceland  Found  forefts  oF*  confiderable  extent 
•n  the  ifland  ;  and  there  are  Aill  to  be  feen  in  different  parts  of  it,  the 
roots  and  ftump  of  Urge  fir-irees,  which  confirm  this  alTertion.  We 
know  likewife  trom  authentic  infortnation,  that  corn  hat  been  cultivated 
in  Iceland;  though  at  prefent,  excepting  a  f«w  (lunted  birch-trees,  and 
other  underwood,  there  is  not  a  treeoo  the  ifland,  and  no  corn  will  grow 
on  it  The  fafl  is,  that  the  ftraits  between  OU  (or  the  Eafltm  part  of) 
Greenland  and  Iceland,  having  been  for  nnany  years  paft  choakcd  up  with 
iiic,  b«vc  wcaficned  a  great  change  in  the  temperature  of  this  latier  iflaud. 

E  2  fairs^ 


Sa 


VOYAGES    AND 


fairs,  and  thofe  fo  contrary  to  the  old  eAablifhmenCfy 
tc    be  efFei^ed  without  making    a    vaft   number  of 
malcontents.     Thefc,  at  this  juncture,  found  a  fure 
refuge  in  Iceland  ;  and  at  length  fo  m^ny,  even  among 
the  great  people,  and  fome  indeed  of  the  blood  royal, 
repaired  to  the  new  afylum,  that  King  Harold  thought 
proper,  by  way  of  putting  a  (lop  in  fome  meafure  to 
thefe  emigrations,  to  publifli  an  edi£l,  according  to  the 
tenor  of  which,  no  man  was  allowed  to  go  to  Iceland 
without  previoufly  paying  to  the  king  half  a  mark  of 
ftandard  filver.      The  great  wealth  accumulated  by  fhe 
piratical  practices  of  the  whole  collective  body  of  bold 
Normans  in  thefe  regions  from  the  year  516,  when  they 
firft  appeared  off  the  French  or  Gallic  coaft  (and  con- 
iequently  during  a  period  of  more  than  360  years)  muft 
neceflarily  have  extended  the  power  of  fome  of  their 
petty  fovereigns,  and  at  the  fame  time  muft  have  pro- 
duced a  gradual  change  in  the  manners,  way  of  living, 
fentiments,  and  poluical  eftalliihments  of  tne  i>ortherii 
nations.     Accordingly,  it  appears  to  me,  that  thefc 
very    piratical   expeditions   laid  in  fome  meafure  the 
foundaticii  of  the  political  changes  that  happened  almoft 
at  one  and  the  fame  time  in  the  northern  kingdoms. 

In  the  courfe  of  their  expeditions,  the  people  of  thefe 
kingdoms  became  acquainted  wii*;h  the  different  ftates 
of  Chriftendom  in  the  South.  On  this  occadon  it  was, 
that  the  moft  zealous  among  the  monks,  as  well  as 
many  others,  whcfe  fole  view  was  the  acquifition  of 
riches,  and  to  lead  a  voluptuous  life,  refolved  at  length 
to  get  fent  out  to  thefe  countries  as  bifhops.  Confe- 
qucntIy,Chrift  and  his  pretended  vicegerent,  the  pope, 
were  foon  preached  among  thefe  people.  The  fcrip- 
lures  were  introduced  every  where  j  codes  of  law  were 
compiled  and  committed  to  writing ;  and  the  rude  and 
wild  way  of  life  of  thefe  people  was  confiderably  huma- 
nized. Commerce  and  various  arts,  as  well  as  im- 
provements in  agriculture,  gained  ground  j  and  thefe 
barbarous  regions  became  in  fome  meafure  enlightened, 
and  the  manners  of  their  inhabitants  refined. 

In  the  mean  time  the  Danes  had  again  invad- 
ed England,  and  that  with  fo  much  fuccefs,  that 
King  Alfred,  in  the  beginning  of  his  reign  was 
obliged  to  reliuquilh   it  entirely  to  the   ravages  of 

thefc 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NOHTH. 


ss 


thcfc  plunderers.  In  Ireland  they  ereiSlcd  a  fovcreignty 
at  Dublin^  which  fell  to  the  (hare  of  Ainlav,  or  Olap» 
as  that  at  Waterford  ^idi  to  Sitrik,  and  that  at  Limt' 
rick  to  YwAR.  In  the  year  868,  the  Ferroy  or  Bhe^ 
Iflands  were  difcovered,  and  afterwards  peopled,  no  in- 
habitants having  been  found  oh  them.  In  like  manner 
the  Orkneys  too  were  peopled  with  Normans,  as  alfo  the 
Shetlan(!i  Iflands.  The  fame  advantages  attended  the 
Hfbridesy  or  Weftern  Iflands,  as  they  are  now  called, 
though  by  the  Normans,  who  came  to  them  from  the 
Njrtti  and  the  Orkneys,  they  were  denominated  the 
Southern  Iflands  *. 

But  foon  after  this,  Alfred  emerging  from  his  retire- 
ment, on  a  fudden  made  his  appearance,  and  his  iub- 
jc£ts  by  his  appointment  likewife  coming  forward  at  a 
certain  fixed  time,  immediately  fell  on  the  Danes  quits 
imawares,  and  made  great  havock  amongfl  them.  Al- 
fred did  not  chufe  to  difpatch  the  remainder  of  his  van- 
quifhed  foes }  but  gave  them  their  lives,  and  permitted 
them  to  live  in  Northumberland,  a  province  which  had 
been  laid  wafle  and  depopulated  by  their  countrymen. 
By  this  humane  conduct  he  gained  the  heart  even  of 
many  of  the  Danes.  Among  others,  there  was  a  Nor- 
man at  his  court,  by  name  Ohther,  who  had  made 
hirafelf  famous  by  his  travels.  There  was  another  too, 
a  Jutlander,  of  the  name  of  Wulfs'^an,  who  in  like 
manner  gave  the  king  an  account  of  his  travels  into 
RufliH.  All  thefe  accounts  the  learned  Prince  collefted 
with  great  care  j  and  having  purpofed  to  give  a  tranfla- 
tion  of  the  Hormejia  of  Orosius,  in  the  Anglo-Saxon, 
his  mother-tongue,  he  interwove  in  this  tranflation  the 
relations  of  Ohther  and  Wulfftan,  with  the  refult  of  the 
information  he  had  got  clfewhere  concerning  the  flate  of 

*  It  wt»  only  by  the  Scotch  thm  (on  «ccount  of  their  weftern  fituatioa 
with  re'pcft  to  them)  ihey  were  teimed  the  Weftem  Iflam'i ;  but  tli* 
Danes,  who  went  to  thetT>  from  the  North,  gtve  them  the  name  of  So- 
deroe  ;  hence  originates  the  ti^le  of  the  biftsop,  in  whofe  diocefe  thefe 
iilands  were,  together  with  the  Ifle  ot  Man  ;  \\  he  (lill  is  cilied,  though 
the  reafori  of  it  be  not  rightly  >auwn,  Bifliop  of  Sndir  and  Man.  But  it 
is  eafy  to  perceive  that  ihia  St,dtr  can  be  no  other  than  the  Sedarof  of  the 
Panes,  [Or  rather  the  Sadiar^  by  contradion  from  the  Swedifli  Stder^ 
Aotfth  and  C/«r  ifltod-^]    Npit  vf  the  traaflaior. 

the 


54 


VOYAGES    AND 


the  three  parts  of  the  world  known  at  that  period.  It 
J8  very  evident,  from  comparing  then  together,  that 
Alfred's  account  of  Europe  is  not  that  of  OroHus,  but 
rather  that  the  Englifh  Prince  has  principally  fet  before 
us  the  ftate  of  Europe  as  it  was  in  his  own  time.  In 
fa£^  we  are  poiTefled  of  fuch  flender  information  concern? 
ing  the  Geography  of  the  middle  ages,  that  fuch  an  ex- 
hibition as  this  is  of  Europe  and  uie  northern  regions 
conformable  to  the  ideas  of  that  age,  and  that  from  fo 
refpedable  a  fource,  muft  be  extremely  valuable.  I  fhaU 
therefore  in  this  place  infert  that  part  of  it,  which  re- 
fpedls  the  North  of  Europe, 


The  Geography  of  the  Northern  patis  of  Europe,  ac" 
cording  to  King  Alfred^  almoji  literally  tranflated  from 
the  Anglo-Saxon, 


Now  will  I  alfo  ftate  thofe  (i.  e.  the  boundaries)  of 
Europe,  as  much  as  we  are  informed  concerning  them. 
From  the  river  Danals  (Tanais)  weft  ward  to  the  river 
Rhine  (which  takes  its  rife  in  the  Alps,  whence  it  runs 
northward  to  the  arm  of  the  Ocean  (i),  that  furrounds 
Britannia,  and  fouth  to  the  river  Donua  (or  Danube) 
(2),  whofe  fource  is  near  that  of  the  Rhine,  and  runs 
eauward  in  the  north  of  Greece,  till  it  empties  itfelf  into 
the  Wendel  Sea  (or  Mediterranean)  (3)  and  north  even 
unto  the  oceanic  which  men  call  Cwen  bea,  (or  the  White 


(i)  Alfred  calls  the  Great  Sei,,  or  Ocean,  Garfecg,  t  word  of  which 
I  cftonot  (iod  the  origin,  cither  in  the  German  langunge  or  any  of  ita 
ikioiircd  dialed^.     A  little  narrow  fca  he  conQantiy  calls  Sae,  er  Sta. 

(i)  In  the  orir;inal  the  Danul    *    conft'inily  calif d  the  De»i«i. 

(3)  As  diicftly  at  the  comn.orcemetit  of  the  Mediterrtoetn  Sea, 
where  it  joins  tne  Atlantic  Ocean,  is  fitiiatet!  tne  province  of  Andalufia, 
in  Spain,  which  province  derives  iiB  iiane  from  the  Wandals  or  Vandals, 
who  inhabited  it  ;  and  as  thefc  Vandals  afterwards  lived  in  ATrica,  oo 
thecoads  of  tbe  Mediterranean,  it  is  not  at  all  to  he  wondered  at,  that 
Alfred,  a  prince  delct  ndcd  from  German  aacellors,  fiiould  call  this  part 
of  the  Mediteriaoean  by  ihe  name  of  fftnJtl-Saa,  a  name  of  Gernnan 
«(igiu. 


Sea), 


DISCOVERIES  IK  TH«  NORTH.         55 

Sea)  (4).     Within   this   arc  many  nations,    and  the 
whole  of  this  traftof  country  is  called  Germany  (5). 

Hence  to  the  north  of  the  fource  of  the  Danube* 
anJ  to  the  eaft  of  the  Rhine,  .are  the  £^  Frtftuan 
(6),  and  to  the  fouth  of  them  arc  the  Swaefas,  or 
buevac,(7);  on  the  oppofite  bank  of  the  Danube,' 
and  to  the  fouth  and  eaft  are  the  Baeztfnvare  (8), 
in  that  part  which  is  called  Regnejburgb  {()).     Due 

eaft 


(4)  It  h  well  kn  )wn,  that  the  indent  inhabitints  of  tli(»  north  mide  • 
ciiflinAion  between  the  Cntnai  tnd  (he  Lapkndtrs^  hy  the  former  uq- 
derfttnding  the  Finlinders,  fo  thit  Cwenland,  according  to  them,  wt« 
Finland.  Hence  it  i^  eafy  to  perceive,  that  Adam  of  Bremen*  when  he 
i'peakt  of  the  Amaztnt  and  of  the  land  of  Ftmalu,  a*  being  Cwm- 
/««J^  totally  milUkes  the  (ignification  of  the  word  Cwenland.  Cvten^ 
in  the  nortnern  languages,  means  a  viaman  \  in  that  of  Icelaud  it  <• 
Kninna.  Uphilaa  calls  a  woman  S^uenSy  Sf^ino ;  in  the  Anglo-Saxon 
dialed^  it  U  Kwen  ;  in  the  Alemannic,  Quena.  Hence  the  Englilh  have 
got  the  word  ^een.  Now,  as  previous  to  this  period  die  Fintanders  ioo 
habited  all  this  tra£l  as  far  as  Kalfin^eland ;  Cwenlmnd  conlequcntlf 
reached  as  far  as  this  fpot ;  in  procels  of  time,  the  Swtons  and  Gtthtf 
coniinaally  advancing  fnrther  and  farther  towards  the  noith,  the  Finlan- 
ders  at  lall  had  nothing  left  but  what  is  dill  called  Finland,  and  confe- 
quentlji  C<ttfjr«/aw</  was  much  diminiihed  in  extent.  Adam  of  Bremen 
haf,  throughout  hi?  whole  treatife,  confounded  the  proper  name  ofKwtbii^ 
.t.  e.  the  Kwehn  nation,  or  Kwehn  country,  with  Kwen,  or  ^ibn.  It 
is  likewife  obfervable,  that  where  this  Kioehn  Sea  was  lituated,  it  waa 
Crar/^r^,  as  Alfred  calls  it,  or  Ocean,  and  not  a  Sea  like  the  Mediterra- 
nean on  the  Baltic.  Coi^fequenily  this  Kviehn  Sta  was  the  White  Sea, 
and  no  part  of  the  Baltic. 

(s)  By  confequence  all  that  tnfk  of  country  which  is  Included  between 
the  Rhine,  Danube,  Don,  and  Dwina,  the  White  Sea,  and  the  Ocean, 
was  at  that  ^t'loi  Germany.  The  northern  Waraegrians  were  become 
r  lets  of  the  whole  of  RufTia  ;  therefore  the  whole  country,  as  far  aa 
t'  •  Don,  or  Tanau,  was  Gcimany,  according  to  the  royal  Geogr'apher, 
«n(i  in  faA,  evei^  place  where  the  Germaniibore  the  fway. 

(6)  The  Eaft  Fianks  were  to  be  fr>und  in  that  part  of  Germany,  which 
reached  from  the  Rhine  to  the  Ssalc;  in  the  North,  to  the  Ruhre  and 
CalTcl  -,  ind  in  the  Soutli,  nlmoft  to  the  Necker ;  or,  according;  to  EgtM- 
iiitJ,  from  Sa:fony  to  the  Danube.  They  were  called  Eaft  Franks,  ia 
order  to  diftinguilh  ihem  from  the  Franks  that  inhabited  ancicitt  Gaul.' 

(7)  The  Suorfas  of  the  Roysl  Ge«ifr«plier  make  pirt  «>f  the  Aieroan- 
ric  Contrderacy,  v.hich  howtvcr,  po(ieri<'r  to  this,  gave  to  the  whole  no- 
lien  and  pn  vince  the  name  oi'S-u-ahs.  Par'  *  nodexn  Swtbia  is  com- 
jui:>d  in  this  leeion,  which,  even  in  thf  '»f  Alfred  and  Jordan, 
w.s  called  hy  the  iiame  it  now  bear';. 

(R)  Bnegihivnn.  That  by  this  wo  d  is  meant  Bavarians,  there  it  i.a>r 
the  leail  doubt ;  but  whence  are  ihcy  fo  called,  is  the  queftion  ?  It  his 
teen  obferved,  th  it  all  names  of  reople  or  uatinns,  that  end  in  ware  or 
wari«n%  as  e.  g.  ihs  Arn/:Jl"^ttriai>s,  ^•fHfrrivariam^  BarnSluariant^  Chat- 
tuatiani,  ^c  indicate  th'  remains  of  fuch  tribe  or  people.  Thus  alTo 
ilt  remaiudtr  ot  the  t' j  that  were  exterminated  by  the  Suevi,  and  who 

toitlU 


5« 


VOYAGES    AK 


eaft  from  hence  are  the  Beme  (lo),  and  to  th  r.;>fo» 
jaft  the  T/jyringas  (il)  ;  to  the  north  of  tUcfV  ace  the 
Old-Saxon  (12),  to  the  north-weft  are  the  Fry/an  (i3)» 
and  to  the  weft  of  OU  Seaxum  is  the  mouth  of  the 
yfelfa  (or  Elbe)  (14),  as  alio  Fr)faH  (or  Friefeland). 
Hence  to  the  north- weft  is  that  land  which  is  called 
Jftgle  (15),  Sillende  {ib)i  and  fone  part  of  Dena[i'j). 

To 


lettled  tt  Noricnm,  were  called  Sejnvariant.  Bv  the  incient*  tht7  were 
termed  Btieariiy  or  Bajaarii^  fo  tntt  the  Batgtbvmrei  were  the  Boij  or 
BatghttH  remaining  after  the  flaughier  made  of  them  by  the  Suevi.  Ftd. 
Thunman^i  ffttdifihe  FtUer.     P.  40,  41. 

(9)  ^fgiffi^fS  wtB,  as  we  may  gather  from  this  exprcflion  of  Alfred's, 
«  province  ai  well  a*  a  city.  Perhaps  the  diltriA  of  Rtgtnfiurg^  or  ^a- 
tijben, 

(10)  The  Btme  are  without  difpute  the  prefent  Bohemiaiir,  whom 
Alfred  farther  on  mention*  under  the  denomination  of  Btttmas.  This 
appellation  they  had  fiom  the  word  BoitrheiWy  or  Dwelling-pif  cc  <  f  the 
Bmj,   who  were  exteim  nated  by  the  Suevi. 

(1 1)  We  cannot  eafily  miftake  the  Thyringai ;  end  the  liiustion  <  f  their 
eruntry  is  ftill  the  fame  as  it  was  in  ihot'e  t^^^ :  though  the  Thuringen 
«f  that  pericd  muO  aeceflarily  have  taken  in  a  greater  circuit  than  our 
pu)dern  Thuringeo  doesj  as  the  k'ng  of  that  country  was  at.  that  tinae 
powerful  enough  to  be  able  to  wage  war  w  ith  ihe  king  of  the  Franks. 

(it)  By  the  words  AUStcxaji  %n<^  Alt'Ser.xum^  is  meant  t!v  country 
that  lies  on  the  eaOern  fide  of  ihe  Elbe.  It  dill  preferves  in,  ar.cient 
Bflme,  vis.  Old  SaJJem  (CM  SaxQoy)  or  JL-lfat  •«  in  Lutin,  which  bv  dt- 
Ul^rees  has  degenerated  to  it<!  prelent  dt.nunnination  of  Holflein.  This 
country  was  of  great  impor'^aceip  the  cjcsof  King  Alfred,  as  it  was 
ihe  hsbiiationof  his  anc(ftors> 

(13)  Without  difputc  the  Pin!  *r  .•  lived  f^  the  north-.wcft  of  Thurin- 
g'n,between  the  PJbe  and  the  P  .  \  t'.ong  rho  fea  coaft ;  confcquentiy 
t^ey  lay  to  the  wellwRrdot  Old  c     o^j^  as  Alfred  afterwards  indicates. 

(14}  This  pionunciation  of  ihe  word  Elh-   {/^>-lft]  is  ftill  retained  in 


the  Swer<i(h  language^  and  the  names  of  j 


I'ii.iin 


Ciotbaelfy  Daltl/en,   ftill 


in  ufe.     E^y  taken  in  its  genual  /cccpiaiion,  fignifies  a  river. 

(15)  The  word  Heme  refer  to  Old Sea*umy  and  with  refpcft  to  Old 
Snxony,  Angle  \f,  \  believe,  to  the  ncrth-weft,  and  not  to  the  northeiinf 
*'  the  reviewer  of  my  remark.^  upon  Alfred  a(r..tts  in  the  6th  part  of  the 
ad  volume  of  fh<.-  Gctiingtn  FiiUIi^icul  Library.  F'-r  the  Angelis  were 
viihout  diipute  the  sAjPaiiceof  theSaxonii  in  their  expedition  to  England, 
and  indted  in  all  probatiljiy  a  peculiar  bisnch  of  this  nj  ion  •■,  therefore 
pobably  they  dwelt  in  Old  Saxo:  y,  «n  the  other  f;dc  of  the  Cder;  and 
the  lame  fituaiion  had  SilltnJc,  or  the  illc  ot  Zt eland,  part  of  De.  mark, 
1  make  thiiS  remark  merely  becaufe  it  might  otherwife  hnve  been  iirn{,'in« 
1  Irom  the  later  fituatioii  of  the  Eif^ets  between  Eaft  and  Weft- 
}'■  alia,  th  It  the  Engers,  Enghs  or  Anfl^lej,  had  likewtie  refided  on  the 
•,«tftcr«  fide  0^  the  Elbe.  Alfied,  io  his  dtfciipiion  of  Old  Saxony,  wcntoi) 


DISCOVERIES  iM  THs  NORTH. 


.57 


To  the  north  h  Afdrede  (f8)  ;  and  to  the  north- 
eail  the  Wolds  (19),  which  are  called  Aeheldan 
(20)}    from    hence    caftward    is    fPinedaland  (21), 

which 


■'IC. 


10 


fthe 


ir 


time 
ks. 

>untry 

■cient 

b\  dt- 

Thi. 
It  wat 

lurln- 
ently 
tet. 

fled  ia 
Aill 

Old 

•eafl, 
if  the 
were 
land, 
jf'ore 

and 

ark, 
pin. 
'eft. 

the 

toq 


in  progreflion  ;  fo  th«  firft  to  the  northwenwird  «re  the  Angles,  and 
then  Denmark,  to  %vhich  alfo  belongs  the  lalUmentioned  ifland,  Zee- 
land.  1(  cannot,  however,  be  denied,  l>ut  that  fome  of  the  Angles  may 
have  likewife  rcMed  on  the  Danifli  iflanda,  as  Krtig  Alfred  bimfelf  tciU 
U!i  at  much  in  Ohihcr*!>  relation. 

(16)  SilUnde^  and  (17)  Dena^  are  doubllefs  Zealand  and  Denmark. 

(iP)  That  the  Apirtit  are  the  ObitriUiy  no  rtalbnahle  ptrfon  will 
deny  i  though  the  pun-loving  and  pedantic  writers  of  the  Chionictes  of 
the  middle  age*  have  gone  fo  far  as  to  make  thenn  out  to  be  the  Ahdf 
rites.  A  little  farther  on,  thefc  people  are  likewife  termed  Afirede, 
They  are  not,  however,  to  the  north  of  Old  Snxony,  but  rather  to  the 
eaftward  of  it  Perhaps  the  copyift  inferted  the  word  Ntrtb  inAead  of 
Baft.  Or  clle  we  ihruld  read  as  follows :  "  To  the  Northtaft  u  Ap- 
dredc,  and  to  ihe  North  the  Wolds.'' 

(19)  (10)  To  the  north-eaft  of  the  Obntritei  dwelled  the  Wihti^  the 
Kamt,  &c.  But  thef*  it  wa«  not  AUred's  intention  to  indicate,  but 
merely  the  Wendt,  who  lived  on  the  Havely  and  were  termed  Htvtlli^ 
or  Httvtldi^  ind  f-^metimes  HrvelJuns.  This  happy  obfervaiioo  of  the 
reviewer  before  alluded  to  is  ciowbMefs  better  than  mine  >  only  en  that 
cafe,  iodcad  of  north  ead  we  muA  read  foath>eall-i  for  thi»  ia  the  ficu- 
ation  of  Havelland  with  reipe£b  to  old  Saxony. 

(i\)  (ai)  IVtntdmland,  fays  Alfred,  lies  to  the  eaft  of  Old  Saxony, 
and  thi^  is  precifely  the  fits  t.i'>n  of  Mecklenburg,  where  the  WeniiiKn 
Sclavi  lived.  They  wire  called  tVtndt^  ar  Vandals,  from  the  fituation 
of  their  country  near  the  lea;  iot  iVtda,  or  fVanda^  fi^niiies  watei,  or 
jta  \  hence  too  they  were  i!enominat€<<  Famerani'ims,  i.  e.  people  wii» 
lived  by  the  h%  fide— ./n  mcnm.  TW.t  i*  right  alio  on  another  acconn', 
via.  becaufe  Waliflan,  in  the  leqnef,  exprelsly  fays,  that  H^emedlani 
Vfas  always  to  the  right  bapd  of  him  in  his  journey  fiom  H<<cthum  to 
Ilfin^,  and  that  the  Viltula  runs  from  fVecitc/laad  into  the  t/Uttre^  or 
the  Haf. 

Conlequently  Weonrdlflnd,  or  ff^iatdland,  mufl  have  been  the  mo- 
flern  Meckleiiburgh  aru  Pomerania.  The  reviewer  of  roy  Comment, 
in  the  Philological  Library,  blames  me  for  taking  the  Wendt  for  the  Ld. 
tovianii,' a  miflake  which  I  never  committed.  My  rnap,  iaulecd,  plainly 
(hews  that  t  did  r.ot:  I  only  laid,  that  ihiv  people  (poke  the  Letto>ian 
or  Prufii.in  langi.agc,  and  therefore  were  different  from  the  other  Sclav  i. 
They  were,  however,  conne£\ed  with  the  other  branches  nf  the  S»  iavi  j 
and  to  were  the  Lettovian?  and  Prufliins,  the  words  <?f  whole  ianpuage 
ate  even  to  th's  day,  almofl  all  Sclav. (h.  I  am  likewife  accufcd  b\  ihia 
gentleman  0:  having  afterward*  given  up  or  clfe  forgot  fht;  alovt-mei.- 
tionei!  o;  in  on  of  niine,  and  abloluiely  looked  on  this  WciKienlamion  the 
Viltula,  10  be  the  Danifli  illind  of  Funen.  TI.e  fatl  i^,  however,  ih.  t 
1  have  never  altered  my  fentimentK  on  \,h\%  fubjn^  ;  luit  on  the  contrary, 
abide  f.tmly  by  thtm,  and  moreover  do  not  take  the  ifle  01  Puren  f<  r 
this  I'arr.e  V/endenland  ;  but  do  no  more  than  merely  follow  U  ultOan 
ill  this  point,  who,  as  foon  as  he  is  come  out  of  the  harbour  ( f  Hatihuiv 
ha',  ihc  touniry  of  Weonoih!-nd  (not  Weonodiand)  to  th*.  lifrht  01'  him  . 
%ti6  '.an^cland,  Laeland,  Falflei,  and  Sihoncii,  to  th«  Irit  :  hen  ht 
p:  Uv  I  >  Burgeuduland,  Blain^ay  Aieo'  t,  Eiviiand,  and  (jfiiiimi-    st'-r 

tlliib 


>  w 


$H  VOYAGES    AN* 

which  men  call  Syfyle  (22).  To  the  South ^eaft  at 
feme  diftance  is  Maroaro[2^)i  and  thefe  Marfforo 
have  to  the  weft  the  Thyringas  and  Behemas^  z^  z\(o 
part  of  the  Batgthware -^  and  to  the  ibuth,  on  the 
other  fide  of  the  Donua^  is  the  country  called  Co" 
undra{2^). 

Southwards  towards  and  along  the  mountains 
which  are  called  the  Jlpis^t  lie  the  boundaries 
of    Baegthwarty    as    alfo   Swaeva  (25) }    and    then 

tbis  he  memions  IVttntdlmndy  which  At  ether  time*  he  ciIU  ft^inodland^ 
aad  wa»  elwajs  to  the  nght-hand  of  him.  To  me  nothinif:  tppeert  phia- 
<r  then  the  differeace  between  fVimJUann  and  fVttHtthlanA  ^  this  Utter 
lies  acar  Langcland,  the  other  to  the  wed  of  the  V^flvla,  along  the  lea 
eotift.  But  with  rcipea  to  SjJjUy  it  muft  be  owced,  that  Alfred  feems 
te  have  made  a  inin«kc.  There  is  an  taconfiderabtc  place  called  Stifli, 
«r  Stijff,  which  in  fiiuaied  on  the  BaUic,  in  Wagerland^  between  Trave* 
titande  and  Eaijn,  and  is  ftil)  calird  Sjffel.  I'hix  is  to  the  wedward 
about  the  beginnbg  of  the  tracts  innxbited  by  the  Wends.  But  there  it 
soother  diftri£t>  that-of  Siu/Httj  of  which  Dithmar,  ot  Merfebarg  mxkes 
mcntioo.  It  lies  not  far  from  ihe  Mulda^  below  Ealenburg,  in  Saxony; 
•iidat  thia  piefeat  time  there  i*  in  that  diOriA  a  paiiih  called  SeJelttSf 
JM  Se«ieii's>  or  Seuiediiti.  A*  this  p!ace  was  likcwife  inhabited  b/ 
Wcods,  Aiu-*-'.  ifoflfibJy  might  have  heard  jf  both  thefe  place*,  and  mif- 
taken  the  one  for  the  other.  For  immediately  alter  the  U^'tudt  and 
Syfyie-,  he  fpeaks  of  the  Moravians.  This,  in  fa£l,  is  too  great  a  t;a|». 
But  (his  Sylylt  conneAs  the  We.ids  on  the  Baltic,  who  have  likcwife  ^ 
A/V/  in  their  country,  with  the  Moravianf,  or  rather  with  their  acigh" 
iMiiart  the  Delamenfam,  o(  whom  mention  is  made  farther  eo. 

(13)  By  the  /Vt«r«f;r«  are  meant  the  people  of  Moravia,  fo  ealled 
from  the  river  A^ara-liai  and  (he  fitustion  triat  is  given  them  here,  ia 
likewife  right.  They  lie  to  the  fouth-caft  of  oU  Saxony,  ^t  feme  dif- 
tonce  frotn  it.  Oftr  fummt  dal.  Mr.  Barri/iRiOL's  trsnflatioa  of  this 
pafTsire  ii  very  crioneous.  When  I  wrote  my  remarks  on  JElfted't  Ort' 
Jim$y  I  hiu  not  the  Anglo  Sayr^n  original  before  me  ;  as  it  was  then  in  the 
hands  of  the  printer*,  '  .<:fore  ufed  Mr.  Harrington's  tranflation  only, 
which  I  then  fuppoted  to  be  accotrate;  and  was  oonleqaently  now  and! 
then  led  into  minak?;:  by  it, 

IV-  aflertion  that  Moravia  (which  at  that  time  was  &  very  pow^rfnl 
kt<'Vfdom,  ander  the  aufpices  of  Swato/nuk,  and  confequently  wa«  of  a 
mt:ch  greater  extent  than  it  Is  at  prefent)  was  bounded  by  Thuringia  and 
Boheti^iA  to  the  weft,  as  well  as  b;  part  of  Bavaria,  it  pcifeAly  agree> 
able  lO  '  n.ib. 

f  ^*^}  €xv;-ndra  mart  certainly  be  Ca.inihlj,  or  the  country  of  the  Ctf 
rtniaxi,  cr  ^arendirt,  and  this  Csrinthia  includes  Aultria  and  Styria. 
Ihe  r«feiv>'ij  h;c5  their  own  peculiar  princct,  of  fome  ot  which  the 
Bsmev,  are  inown  to  us;  as  for  exarrile,  Bcritth,  who  put  himfelf 
iBn(5er  the  proteflior  of  the  Franks  in  731,  and  fVtntmir,  who  aflifled  in 
takitig  the  Hring  of  the  Awari  with  Duke  Henry  of    Forii  in  796. 

(45)  The  louedaritt  (01  Gematrct)  for  the  boundaries  of  Bavaria  an4 
S««bia  i^o  the  Somh  ««re  the  Alj)s. 

to 


DISGOVERIKS  IN  THE  NORTH.        s^ 

to  the  caftward  of  the  Carmdrt  Country^  and  beyond 
thcWafte  (26), -in  PulgaraloKd  (z-j)  (or  Bulgaria)  ; 
to  the  eaft  is  Grtcahnd  (28)  (or  Greece),  to  the  eait 
of  Maroara  is  Wifleland  (29),  and  to  the  eaft  of  th;:t 
is  Datia  (30)*  tfiough  it  formerly  belonged  to  the 
(;»«<?«  (31)  (or  Goths).  To  the  North-eaft  of  Ma- 
roaro  are  the  Dtlamenfin  (3a).     £aft  of  Delamenjan 

(x6)  It  11  fomewhtt  finguUr,  th«t  the  Reviewer,  who  hit  fo  frequenelj 
Ukeo  upon  him  to  cenl'ure  mt,  (hould  here,  of  his  own  authoritr,  pur, 
by  wfty  of  note  (Orig.  vnftwards).  He  cinr.nt  furely  have  looked  nt 
this  pafTagc  very  narrowly  in  ihe  uricinal ;  for  there  it  (tands  word  f<>r 
word  thus :  And  thnnt  be  lajian  CarendranUndt  htgttndan  tham  v>*/-- 
M<f«  h  Pulgarmland.  So  ihtt  iElfrcd  eitprefaly  fays  "  eaflward ;"  antl 
the  word  wertenne  does  not  fignify  weft,  but  a  v/le  or  defett.  For  jufl: 
hereabouts  it  was  that  the  Awari  were  fo  much  thinned  by  Charlem2);nc, 
that  their  priftine  habitations  were  a  perfe«a  defert.  Na>\  this  very  cii- 
cumftance  (hews,  that  the  accounts  here  given  us  by  jl^lfred  coincides 
evaCVIy  with  what  pafTed  in  his  time;  ibr  fo  foon  after  as  in  R93,  the 
Msdfchiari  (or  Hungarians,  as  they  are  now  called)  came  and  took  pot'- 
fcfllon  of  this  tra^  of  country.  The  geograpiiy  of  this  par:  therefore  w 
very  accurate  and  exaA,  and  not  fo  full  of  chafms  and  ccotradiAions  as 
the  reviewer  above-mentioned  would  make  us  believe. 

(17)  By  Pulgaraland  is  meant  the  extenfive  kingdom  of  Bulgaria  of 
thofe  times,  wh^ch  extended  to  both  fidea  uf  the  Danube,  and  comnrirf  d 
the  modern  Bulgaria  ami  Wallachia,  with  part  of  Moldavia  tnd  mf[»- 
rabia.  The  Bulgarians  were  probably  a  tribe  of  TurkiOi  origitr,  whsch 
dwelt  on  the  other  fide  of  the  Wolga  in  Cafan,  where  they  had  t\\t\r 
metropolis  called  Btlgar^  but  i^fierwards,  together  with  the  Huos  w.An 
the  command  of  Atiila,  made  nearer  approaches  to  the  domains  of  the 
(Ireek  emperors  in  F.urope,  where  they  eic^led  a  new  (late  onihe  Kor;k 
fide  of  Mnunt  Htcmus. 

(i8)  Grecalattd  (or  Griekenland,  as  the  people  of  the  northern  couu^ 
tries  called  it)  is  the  domains  of  the  Greek  Byzantinian  Emperor*. 

(zp)  H^ijltland  is  the  trafl  of  cour.iry  that  lies  on  the  Wifie^  or  Vif- 
tula  (in  modern  Gerroao  IVtiJlel)  coofcquenily  it  is  principally  great  ani 
little  Poland. 

(30)  Datia  therefore,  in  all  probability,  i^  not  Moldavia  and  Tranfy lv.tr 
pia,  as  has  been  fuppofed ;  for  thefe  countries  arc  fomewhat  mare  to  the 
f  lUfhward.  But,  indet-d,  the  bearings  here  laid  down,  may  likcwife,  ia 
fuch  diftant  regions,  very  well  be  fuppofed  to  difftfr  a  point  or  uvo  from 
the  real  fituaiion. 

(31)  The  Gottan  are  the  Goths,  who  for  fume  time  inhabited  Daci*. 
Ai  there  were  a  famous  nation  in  hiftory.  King  Allied  was  willing,  at 
leaft,  to  point  out  one  of  their  dwelling  places. 

(3j)The  Delat/ienjan,  or  DeUmenjan^  are  a  people  frequently,  bv  tf  • 
\»riiers  of  the  mfddic  ages,  termed  Dalfminr,er-  This  to  llicvr  ihi.-.r 
erudition,  they  ^omttime^  wioie  Dalmatiant.  The  pe(.ple  ami  i*ct-  lute 
a'luded  to,  weie  fnuated  in  the  environs  of  Lopipialjchy  or  a«  the  Sclavv- 
pians  called  it,  Hlommatfch^  Glopimatfch,  Confequenlly  it  was  roui.J 
•bout  MeilTco  on  both  ijiks  of  the  Elbe,  that  the  Daieiriozeo  reiiJed. 


are 


e« 


VOYAGES    AN» 


are  the  Hmthi  (^3)*  and  North  of  the  Delamenfan 
arc  the  Surpe  (34),  to  the  Weft  a!fo  are  the  SyJiU* 
To  the  North  of  the  Horithi  Is  Maegthaland  (35)» 
and  North  of  Maegtbaland  is  Strmtndi  (36)  quite  to 
the  Rtffin  (37)  (orKiphaean)  Mountains. 

To  the  bouth-weftef  Dtna  is  that  arm  of  the  ocean 
that  furrow nds  Brytannia^  and  to  the  North  is  that 
arm  of  the  fea  Which  is  Oft  Sea,  to  the  £aft  and  to 
the  North  are  the  Narth  Dent^  either  on  the  con- 
tinent or  on  the  ifland,  to  the  £a(l  are  the  Alfrtde ; 
to  the  South  is  the  mouth  of  the  Kibe,  and  fome 
part  of  Old  Saxony  (38).  The  North  Dene  have,  to 
the  northward,,  that  lame  arm  of  the  Tea  which   is 


(33)  "^^^  Votithiy  or  H»riti\  irt  a  Scltvenian  people,  with  whom  wt 
arc  unacquaioUd ;  though  I  (houltl  be  apt  to  conje£(ure  that  the  part  of 
Ccrmany  in  which  ihey  refhied  was  fomewheie  abuut  GorlUx,  or  el  c 
■car  Quarlitif  not  far  from  great  Glogau  ^  for  to  the  North  of  the  Df 
Jaminziank  lay  the  Strhy  of  Lower  Lufaiia. 

(34)  The  Surfiet,  or  Surjts  are  eafilf  didinguillted ;  in  fa£V,  they  art 
the  S^riimn  Sclavonians,  or  the  Sorii^  Srrbi^  and  Siriii  of  the  old  writet  t 
«f  chrooiclea.  The  nnodem  Wenda  of  Lufatia  call  themt'eives  Sferbs,  or 
Sforbs.  A  a  the  Daleminziana  lived  on  both  fidtfa  of  the  Elbe,  to  tht 
Korth-ecft  of  Moravia,  and  towards  the  £a(l  were  bounded  by  the  Ho^ 
ritbi  in  Upper  Lulatia,  the  Sorbt  nnud  necetTarily  be  the  fame  with  th« 
Wends  of  Lower  Lufatia  i,  and  the  Sy/tliam  ab  ut  Seufelif^  are,  accord* 
ing  to  /Elfrcd'b  account,  only  to  the  weftward  of  the  Soiba  of  Lower 
Lufatia. 

(3^)  It  ?<  not  poflible  that  Maegthaland  (tk^fxM  be  the  terra fatminarum 
•!>f  Adam  von  Bremen,  as  the  reviewer  in  the  GottiHgen  Pbihkgical  Li» 
irary  aflfert.*  it  to  be.  For,  i.  if  the  word  Maegthaland  be  fuppofed  t* 
be  a  cranflatioo  or  terra  rceminarum,  or  Knutnlana^  it  i«  evidently  a  mil* 
take  ;  for  thia  in  the  Anglo  Saxon  dialed  would  be  ff^/mannalanJ,  i. 
But  fuppofing  it  to  mean  Maidenland,  Hill  it  is  wrong;  for  in  this  cafis 
it  would  he  written  MadtmhnJf  and  not  Maegthatani.  3.  We  are  to 
lok  for  thia  fame  Maegthaland  direAly  to  the  northwards  of  Ujiper  Lu« 
I'tia  and  Lower  Sileiia,  and  confcquentiy  in  Gieat  Poland,  and  not  near 
tI.c  Eflland  of  Adam  von  Bremen.  Perhaps,  indeed,  the  name  of  this 
t.-ouniry  is  Wrong  fpctt,  and  it  (hould  be  IVartalandy  as  it  is  fituated  on 
tl»e  bunks  of  the  Wartt.     But  this  is  mere  conjecture  I 

(36}  (37)  SermeuJe  is  the  mutilated  and  difguiled  name  of  Sarmatia^ 
a  mere  falvo  and  difguife  for  ignorance,  like  the  RiJ/iii  Mountains}  or 
&iphatan  Mouniains  of  the  ancient  geographers. 

(3K)  In  order  to  undcrAind  the  following  paiTages  clearly,  it  will  b« 
nrceffary  to  be  pr^vioufly  acquainted  with  the  [idint  of  view  from  which 
iSlfied  makes  his  fuivey.  Here  it  leems  to  be  on  the  Eider*  To  the 
S  >tt  h-eart  is  the  Brittiih  Channel.  To  the  Eaft  and  North  are  the  North- 
Danes.  To  the  Eall  are  the  Obotritet,  and  to  the  South  it  the  mouth  of 
ti.rElbcaadOUSaxoo;. 

called 


DISCOVERIES  in  the  NORTH.        6i 

lelled  Oft  Sm.  To  the  Eaft  is  the  nation  of  the  Ofti  % 
and  Jfdrede  to  the  South.  (The  Ofti  have,  to  the' 
North  of  them,  that  fame  arm  of  the  fea)  fo  arc  the 
^neJasaM  the  Burgendas  (36).  And  ((till  more)  to 
the  South  is  Haefeldan  (40).  The  Burgendan  have  this 
fame  arm  of  the  fea  to  the  Weft,  and  the  Sveon  to  the 
North }  to  the  Eaft  are  the  Strmende,  to  the  South  the 
Sur/e  (41 ).  The  Sveons  have  to  the  South  the  arm  of  the 
fea  called  OJii,  and  to  the  North,  over  the  vtraftes,  is 
Cwenlandy  to  the  North- vircft  are  the  Scridi-F'tnnas  (42), 

and  to  the  weft  the  Northmen  (43). 

OkbiTf 

(ij)  Burinda$  ii  without  doubt  the  Ifland  of  Btrnbtlm  ;  for  rrom  801^ 
geudabtlm  (or  Borgenda  Ifland)  ii  baa  been  gradually  a,ltcrcd  to  Bcrrtti' 
h}lm^  Bergen^  and  at  length  10  Btrnbtlm.    Pliny  reiers  the  Surgundiimes 

to  the  yindili  in  the  Norih  of  Germany.  Lib.  iv.  c.  14. Mamertiou* 

fays  in  Genathliaco,  c.  1 7,  (hat  both  there  nations  were  netrlj  exterm^ 
Dated  by  the  Gotha.  Aaimiaaui.Marcdllnus  lib  xxviii.  cap.^  $.  bform* 
m,  that  they  had  often  been  at  variance  with  the  AliemaDni  on  iccouoc 
of  the  fah  fprings  at  Halle  on  the  Sale.  After  the  havock  made  of  iheia 
by  the  Ootht,  they  feem  to  have  betaken  themielvei  to  this  iAand  for  re- 
fuge, which  therefore  took  iu  name  from  them.  They  were  governed  bjr 
■  king  of  their  own.  Farther  on,  Wulfitaa  very  plainly  al'cribes  IM 
fame  btuatirn  to  this  country.  ( 

(40)  Here  we  mud  again  remind  therctder,  that  it  it  occeflary  tokaow 
King  i€lfred*s  point  of  view  in  order  to  underftand  hik  defcription.  H« 
muA  now  be  fuppofed  to  ftand  in  the  ifle  of  Zealand.  In  the  north  \%  ih« 
arm  of  the  Tea*  by  him  called  the  0(1  Sea  ;  to  the  e«(l  are  the  Ofti^  wb* 
confeqncntly  lived  in  Pruilia,  m  wi  1  be  (hewn  ftill  plainer  t  little  iarther 
on.  He  does  not  mention  Sconen  ;  for  this  belonging  to  Denmark,  19 
natarally  inclnded  in  it.  There  ii  nothing,  therelore,  nearer  to  the  eaft- 
ward  than  Enhonia.  'To  (he  Souib  of  Zealand  i»  the  country  oftb* 
Obotrites.  Now  comet  a  parcnthefit,  in  which  the  king  faya,  that  tfaie 
fame  arm  of  the  fea  is  likfwife  to  the  north  of  the  OJii ;  and  then  proceed* 
to  menUon  the  Wends  and  inhabitana  of  Bernholm,  as  being  fittiated  td 
the  fooib  of  the  Danes,  at  lead  of  thofe  that  refided  in  Sconen  ;  and  * 
food  didance  farther  to  the  fouihward  is  HaemtUany  which  in  ibis  place  it 
very  properly  fpelled  with  an  H. 

(41)  Now  JElfrti  takes  a  new  point  of  view.  Bornholm  has  to  the 
wed  of  it  the  fea,  to  the  northward  the  Sueones,  to  the  ead  behind  Edho- 
nia  are  the  Samiatiant,  and  behind  the  Wends  above-mentioned  and  the 
Haveilandert  are  Sorbian  Sclavooians. 

(4»)  57/r  StriJffiimaj.  The  Geographer  of  Ravenna,  fo  early  as  in  hia 
time, makes  mention,  in  book  iv. chap.  Hand  46,  of  iht  Pairia Xtrt/tm- 
ntrum  aiid  Sirdiftunirumy  which  latter  he  rttvewife  calls  SerJtfenni.  trt- 
t»pius  in  Hifl.  Citb,  L.  ii.  p.  161,  calls  them  Scritifioi,  and  places  them  (o 
far  didant  as  TbuU,  Jordanas  de  rebus  Ceticis,  cap.  3.  fpeaks  of  the 
Cr(/>iiiiir,  of  whom  there  are  three  different  iaations ;  and  VauLs  Diact- 
imf,  m  bi*  Niji.  Lengtb.  U  i.  cap.  5,  term*  th^m  Sthttwiui  tai  Scriu- 

bijtit 


(a 


VOYAGES    AND 


i  Ohthere  (44)  told  his  lord  (King  iElfrcd)  that  he 
fivcd  to  the  North  of  all  the  Northmen.  He  quoths  that 
he  dwelt  in  that  land  to  the  norths  ard,  oppofite  to  the 
U^ejl  Sta  \  he  faid,  how-ever,  that  the  land  ot'  the  North- 
nnicn  is  due  North  from  that  fea,  and  it  is  all  a  wafte, 
except  in  a  few  phtces,  where  the  Finnas  (45)  for  the 
moft  part  dwell,  fgr  hunting  in  the  winter,  and  in  the 
fummer  for  fifhing  in  that  fea.  He  faid  that  he  was  de* 
termined  to  fird  out  once  on  a  time,  how  far  this  coun- 
tnr  extejided  du:  North,  or  whether  any  one  lived  to  the 
North  of  the  wafles.  before  mentioned.  "With  this 
intent  he  proceeds  J  due  North  from  this  country, 
leaving  all  the  way  the  wafte  land  on  the  (larboard, 
or  right  hand,  and  the  widfc  fea:  to  the  Baecbord,  or 
left.      He  was  within  three  days  as  far  North  as  the 

whale*' 


W»/  .•  Adtm  von  Brfmen  Serite/!n*i.  Conreqo'enlly  King  ff.VttA\  or- 
thography \*  arpirenily  jt'.ft.  Accordihg  to  Adam  von  Uremen  ihey 
liivcd,  In  cenfintt  Sufcium  vel  Narlmannorum  antra  Stream,  They 
iherrfbre  bordered  both  on  Sweden  and  Norminnaland.  They  were  ex- 
t^mely  fwift,  and  indeed  more  fo  than  the  wild  animalu  of  the  counirt. 
I^ml  fr-aritffrUJ  9^tm*^  that  they  took  theirnarftc  from  he  word  which, 
in  this  barbarou!"  language,  fi^oiBed  tjiffring  or  leap  ;  as  by  means  of  4 
chrve  pt^ce  of  wood,  formed  with  great  art,  ihey  leaped  forwards  with 
ihch  fwiftneft,  (hat  they  ovcrto(>k  animals  in  theii  flight.  One  cannot 
here  help^  immediately  recognizing  the  large  y«««>yKc^/,  ot  ftkrit'Jhoei,  1ft 
tfle  at  prefent  in  many  of  the  moft  aoitiierty  regions  of  Europe.  Hence 
|oo  it  wa^that  ihefe  people  were  called  Sckrtit'Finlandert  :  according  to 
tfte  univetfai  teftimony  of  authorn,  they  lived  by  bunting  and  fowito«. 

'(43)  Here  again  h  another  point  of  view  for  the  dctermiuation  o?  (he 
fihiation  of  the  Sueones,  or  Swedes.  To  the  fouth  they  have  the  Ofl'Sea^ 
of  Baltic;  towards  the  eaft  the  Sarmatians  In  Livonia,  and  the  country 
fihce  called  Efthonia  ;  to  the  north,  beyond  the  Defert,  is  CtvenlanJy  fh« 
ntodem  Finland,  and  to  the  north-well  are  tiiei'e  FinlanJers  who  \ivi  eu 
tiVely  by  hunting,  or  the  ScriJfinlonJirs ;  and  U(tly,  tu  the  north  arc  the 
JftrtbmiB. 

(44)  Ohthere  was  a  great  roan  from  Norway,  and,  a«  fome  affirm,  front 
29u»mmJalen^  or,  at  is  reported  by  others,  from  Nordland,  which  com- 
prifes  the  extremity  of  Morway  toward*  the  Nbrih  ;  he  undertook  a  voy 
a^e  oFdifc«»very  towards  bermien^  and  another  to  Sweden  ;  both  of  which 
Alfred  here  defcribes  from  Ohtherp'i  own  mouth.  This  is  (Extremely  a«- 
cnrate  and  s'tthentic,  and  entirely  in  the  Rile'  of  thofe  times^  when  fo 
many  of  the  Normans  went  abroad  in  fcarch  of  adventures,  ^uth  thee 
voyagei,  together  with  that  of  WulfTlan,  are  the  belt  accounts  we  have 
of  the  middle  ages  in  the  north  of  Europe,  and  throw  a  great  light  on 
geographical  fcience. 

(4;)  Ohthere  calls  the  inhabitants  of  this  Defert  Finnasy  and  in  fa^ 
if  appears,  that  the  modern  Laplandera  are  really  Pinlanders ;  and  thit 
the  nsrme  of  Laplanders  was  not  bellowed  on  ibcm  till  ot  late  years  \  the 
Danes  RiU  v«lUug  ibis  ^n^otry  Fiotn^rk. 


DISCOVERIES  iH  THE  NORTrt.        €) 

whale-hunters  ever  go,  and  then  proceeded  in  his 
courCe  due  North,  as  far  as  he  coul'd  fail  within  ano- 
ther three  days,  whilft  the  land  lay  from  thence  due 
£aft«  Whether  the  Tea  there  lies  within  the  land,  ha 
Jcnows  not  j  he  only  knows,  that  he  waited  there  for 
a  iM'cft  wind,  or  a  point  to  the  North,  and  failed  near 
that  land  eaftward  as  far  as  he  could  in  four  days, 
where  he  watted  for  a  due  north  wind,  becaufe  the 
land  there  lies  due  South.  Whether  the  fea  lies  within 
the  land  he  knows  not.  Upon  this  he  failed  along  this 
country  due  South  as  far  as  he  could  in  five  days. 

Upon  this  land  there  lies  a  great  river,  at  the  mouth 
of  which  they  lay  to,  becaufe  th^y  could  not  proceed 
far  further  on  account  of  the  inhabitants  being  hoftile, 
and  all  that  country  was  inhabited  on  one  fide  of  this 
river,  nor  had  Ohthrre  met  before  with  any  land  thac 
was  inhabited  fince  he  rame  from  his  own.  All  the 
land  to  his  right,  during  bis  whole  voyage,  was  a 
defert,  and  without  inhabitants  (except  fiihermen, 
fowlers,  and  hunters),  all  of  whom  were  Finnas,  an4 
he  had  a  wide  fea  to  his  left  (4b).  The  Beormas  (47), 
indeed,  had  well-peopled  their  country,  for  whith 
reafon  Ohthere  did  not  dare  enter  upon  it ;  on  the  other 
hand,  the  Terfenna  (48)  land  was  all  a  defert,  except 
when  it  was  thus  inhabited  by  fifliers  and  fowlers. 

(4$)  The  track  of  Ohthere**  vovage  n  traced  out  in  the  map,  wher* 
the  figures  Ihew  the  nunaber  of  days  he  was  ip  faili'xg  from  place  to 
place. 

(47)  The  Betrmat  are  ih^  Biarnniett  of  the  northern  writers,  and  ih* 
Country  of  t'ermia  it  ftill  mentioned  in  the  title  of  the  Emperors  ofRafl^t. 
After  this  expedition  of  Ohtbcrc,  many  more  Normans  went  to  Biarmis 
in  fearch  of  adventores. 

(48)  TtrfenniUand  is  mentioned  at  being  difFerent  from  the  country  of 
the  Strut  Fmmat.  We  have  already  (cen  ja(l  above  (41)  that  Gaido  of 
Ravenna  had  fo  early  as  in  his  time  diflinguiOied  them  into  ktrtjir,mi  and 
6criufinni\  the  latter  lived  entirely  by  hunting,  for  which  purpofe  iit 
winter  they  made  ufe  of  Scbrit  or  fnow-(hoe«  \  while  the  former  fubHlleJ 
oa  their  rein-deer.  The  word  RirtfiHnat  m  Ravenna,  (hould  therefor* 
certainly  be  written  Rtntfinnas ;  and  in  'he  text  here  Rhanejinnaty  or 
perhaps  (from  the  circumllance  of  thefe  ^-rapie  reitding  and  journey/ng  la 
fledges).  Ftr-fi»nas  (from  the  word  Faroy  m  German  Fahreu,  figiii;vii,g 
to  go  in  a  carriage  of  any  kind,  to  travel).  For  Ohthere  tells  us,  in  tad, 
that  the  Finnas  had  r«in-d«er,  aiul  made  «fe  of  decoy-devr,  in  order  ta 
catcb  the  wild  oats. 

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VOYAGES    AND 


The  Bcormas  told  him  many  particulars  about  their 
land,  as  well  as  of  the  other  countries  near  them  j  but 
Ohthere  could  not  rely  upon  their  accounts,  becaufe 
he  had  not  an  opportunity  of  feeing  with  his  own 
eyes  (49) ;  it  feemed,  however,  to  him,  that  the  Be^ 
fir  mas  and  the  F'lnnas^  fpolce  the  fame  language  (50)- 
He  went  the  rather,  and  fliaped  his  courfe  to  each  of 
thefe  countries,  on  account  of  the  horfe^whales,  be- 
caufe they  have  very  good  bone  in  their  teeth,  fomeof 
which  he  brought  to  the  king,  and  their  hides  are  good 
for  fhip-ropes  (51).  This  (ort  of  whale  (52)  is  much 
lefs  than  ths  other  kinds,  it  being  not  longer  com- 
monly than  feven  ells;  but  (Ohthere  fays)  that  in, 
bis  own  country  is  the  beft  whale- hunting,  becaufe  the 
whales  arci  eight-and-forty  ells  long,  and  the  largeli; 
fifty  }  that  he  has  killed  fixty-fix  in  two  days. 

Ohthere  was  a  very  rich  man  in  fuch  goods  as 
are  valuable  in  thofe  countries  (namely,  in  wild  deer) 
and  had,  at  the  time  he  came  to  the  king,  (Ix  hundred 
tame  deer,  none  of  which  he  had  purchafed   (53) ; 

(49)  This  nice  ftri£Voers  of  Ohthere,  not  to  mention  any  thing  to  which 
he  had  not  been  hirafelf  an  eye-witaei's,  is,  as  it  were,  a  pledge  to  as 
for  the  authenticity  of  the  refl:  of  his  relation,  and  maket  the  whole  the 
more  valuable  and  refpeClable. 

(so)  It  is  highly  probable,  that  the  Biarmlans  were  a  branch  of  the 
great  Finlandiih  (lock;  fur  they  even  had  nQQAjtmaUy  which  Ib  the 
name  of  the  Finlandifh  Deity,  and  they  were  rich  and  in  pofTtrfUon  of 
gold  and  precious  (tones  v  they  moreover  had  fixed  and  fettled  habitaticns, 
and  confequently  were  not  wandering  herdfmen  or  hunters,  like  their 
neighbours>  the  Finlanders.  The  identity  of  their  language  likewile 
(according  to  the  teflimony  of  Ohthere)  with  thefe  latter  j^ple,  is  % 
proof  of  tl^eir  Finlandiih  origin. 

($0  The  hide  of  the  fca-horfe  is  even  at  this  day  ma><o  ufe  of  in  Ruf* 
fia,  particularly  for  coach-harnenes.  They  have  one  defeifV,  and  that  is, 
that  when  they  are  wet,  they  give  adouilhingly,  more,  indeed,  than 
any  leather  I  ever  faw. 

(5a)  King  iElfred  very  properly  terms  the  fca-horfes  whales;  as  ia 
fad  they  belong  to  that  cl^is  of  animals,  which  are  aquatic,  or  vivipa- 
rous, luckle  their  young,  and  have  a  warm  blo-d. 

(i;3)  The  exprefllon  in  the  original  is  unhebchtray  !.  e.  never  offered 
for  fale,  or  unbought.  There  is  a  peculiar  (impiicity  in  thin  exprelliori, 
perfedly  according  with  the  manners  of  the  patriarchal  ages.  Abra- 
ham'R  riches  (befiiies  his  cattle)  confii^ed  likewife  in  318  fervants,  non« 
of  which  he  had  bought,  but  who  were  all  born  in  his  own  houft;  in 
like  manner,  Ohthere,  though  in  a  much  poorer  country,  was  in  pol'- 
fcHion  of  600  (lei^r,  all  of  wh.ch  be  had  brought  up  hhnfelf,  having  nei- 
ther bought  Ror  caught  an)  of  thcna. 

be  fides 


^  ill 


Discoveries  in  th*  north. 


6J 


befides  this,  he  had  fix  decoy  rein-deer  (54)*  which 
are  very  valuable  amongft  the  Finnat,  becaule  they 
catch  their  wild  ones  with  them. 

Ohthcfe  himfelf  was  one  of  the  moft  confidcrable 
men  in  thofe  parts,  and  yet  he  had  not  more  than 
twenty  horned  cattle,  twenty  flieep,  and  twenty 
fwine  }  and  what  little  he  plowed  was  with  horfes. 
The  rents  in  this  country  confift  chiefly  of  whaC 
is  paid  by  the  Finnas  (55),  in  deer-fkins,  fea- 
thers, whale-bone,  and  fhip-ropcs^  made  of  whales 
hides,  or  thole  of  fcals.  Every  one  pays  according 
to  his  fubltance ;  the  wealthieft  pay  the  ilcins  of  fif^ 
tccn  martens,  five  rein-deer,  one  bear*s-/kin,  ten 
hampers  (56)  full  of  feathers,  a  cloak  (57)  of  bear's 
or  otter's-ikin,  two  fliip-ropes  (each  fixty  ells  long) 
one  made  of  whale's  and  the  other  of  feal's-fkin. 

Ohthere  moreover  faid,  that  Northmanna-land  was 
Very  long  and  narrow,  and  that  all  of  the  country 
which  is  fit  cither  for  pafture  (58)  or  plowing  is  ort 
the  fca  coaft,  which,  however,  in  in  fome  parts  very 
rocky;  to  the  eaftward  are  wUd  moors  (59)  parallel 

(54)  t)tcoy  reindeer  mad  doubtlcfs  be  highly  vtiued  among  a  people 
that  lived  by  hunting,  and  on  the  fleOi  and  produce  of  thefe  animals.  In 
India  they  have  elephant?  of  this  kind,  which  have  been  trained  up  to 
catch  the  tvild  ones.  [See  a  circunn(l«otial  account  of  this  in  The  Lift 
9nd  Aiventuris  ef  Jehu  Cbrift$phtr  Pfelf^  toith  a  Defcripiiav  tf  Cejlon^ 
lately  publifhed.]  In  the  fanne  manner,  iikewife,  almofl  every  butcher 
in  London  has  a  weather,  Which  goes  regularly  to  meet  the  uieep  ju(l 
brought  home  from  tne  market,  and  inAdioufly  leads  them  into  a  flaugh- 
ter-houfe  under  ground;  whither  having,  by  frequently  leaping  in  aoj 
out,  enticed  the  whole  fit  ck,  he  at  laft  leaps  out  once  for  all,  and  leaves 
his  new  acquaintance  to  the  murderous  kr.ife  of  ihit  butcheti 

(55)  The  term  made  uTe  of  in  the  original  for  this  tribute  ii  Gdftl^ 
whence  the  French  word  Gabellt.  But  this  (hews,  that  fu  early  at  to- 
wards (he  end  of  the  9th  century^  the  Normans  had  compelled  the  Fio* 
landers  to  pay  them  tribute. 

{i,6)  In  the  original,  om^r^t.  Xan^^^eri  ha&  a  long  note  on  this  Word, 
which  he  explains  by  the  amptota  0.  the  Latins.  Mr.  Banihf^teM  ha« traof^r 
lated  it  bujkflt  \  but  in  my  opinion,  both  of  them  are  miitaken;  a*  X- 
rather  fuppoi'e  it  to  be  the  fame  with  the  modern  Englifh  word  Hgwiftrf 
ipold  Englilh,  lianaper,  which  is  derived  from  hand-biar. 

(§7)  Kyrtel  in  the  origina'.     In  German,  iuettei,  or  cloak. 

(51)  Orig.  Etlan.  (59)  Afcra,  moor,  a  black  turfy  foil:  It  13  well 
known  that  in  Lapland  and  Finland  there  is  at  prcftnt  a  great  number  of 
thefe  iincultiv.ited  moors ;  and  the  Ftira  La/'fiii(a  itfi;-lf  gWe*  abtfndaat 
•rcof  of  this  circumftance. 

F  to 


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66 


VOYAGES    AN» 


to  the  cultivated  land.  The  Finnas  inhabit  ihtk 
moors,  and  the  cultivated  land  is  broadeft  to  the 
eaftward  (60),  and  grows  narrower  to  the  northward.^ 
To  the  Eaft  it  is  lixty  miles  broad,  in  fome  places 
broader  ;  about  the  middle  it  is  perhaps  thirty  miles 
broad,  or  fomewhat  more :  to  the  northward  (where 
it  is  narrowed)  it  may  be  only  three  miles  (from  the 
iea)  to  the  moors,  which  are  in  fome  parts  fo  wide, 
that  a  man  could  fcarcely  pafs  over  them  in  a  fort- 
night, and  in  other  parts,  perhaps  in  fix  days. 

Oppofite  to  this  land,  to  the  South,  is  Siveoland 
(61),  oti  the  other  fide  of  the  moors;  (quite  to 
that  land  northwards,)  and  oppofite  to  that  again  to 
the  North,  is  Cwenland*  The  Cwenas  fometimes 
make  incurfions  againft  the  Northmen  over  their 
moors,  and  fometimes  the  Northmen  on  them  ;  there 
are  very  large  frefh  meres  (62)  amongft  the  moors* 
aiid  the  Cwenas  carry  their  fhips  (63)  over  land  into 
the  meres,  whence  they  make  depredations  on  the 
Northmen  ;  their  (hips  are  fmall,  and  very  light. 

Ohthere  faid  alfo,  that  the  (hire  (64)  which 
he  inhabited  is  called  Halgoland^  and  that  n  > 
one  dweit  to    the   North  of    him }     there   is   like- 


(60)  To  the  Eaftviard\  fo  in  ft  ft  It  ftaods  in  the  origfnal :  but  it  is 
very  pkin  that  it  Ihould  be  to  the  ituth\  and  particolarly  if  one  has  the 
ttiap  of  Norway  before  one,  one  fee*  at  a  glance,  from  the  form  ot  the 
country,  that  no  other  word  can  be  ufed  here  than  Stuth :  befuies  this, 
it  ia  ju(i  afterwards  oppofed  to  ntrth<ettrds\  and  confcqucntly  there  caa 
be  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  a  n\il>ake  of  the  copyift. 

(£1)  This  paiTage  is  very  obfcure.  Thus  much  however  is  evident, 
viz.  that  between  Ohthere''8  dwelling-place  in  Halgoland  and  Sweoland, 
which  lay  over  againft  it  in  the  fouth,  there  were  large,  extenfive  moors; 
and  farther,  that  oppofit*  the  moft  northerly  part  of  Sweoland,  was 
Cmnnlandy  I.  e.  Finland.  Thefe  Cwenas,  or  Finlanders  did  not  join 
immediately  to  Northmanna-land ;  but  the  tnoorv  of  the  defert  tra£k 
were  inter^fed  between  theft  rwo  cotiatries. 

{6t)  A  lake^  or  large  colleftion  of  frefh  water,  is  ftili  called  'Mere 
in  the  north  of  EngUnd  ^  and  the  fame  word  is  here  ufcd  io  the  lame 
fcnfe  by  ifElfred. 

(£3)  Thefe  portable  (hips,  which  were  fo  fraalj  «6d  light,  muA  doubt-. 
Ufi  have  been  mere  boats, 

(£4)  In  the  origioal.  Stir. 

wife 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


67 


wife  a  part  of   this  fouthern    land  which  is  called 
SciringeS'heal   (65},  which  no  one  could  reach  in  x 

month) 


ibl* 


ifc 


[dt,)  Thfc  name  of  this  place  his  given  i  great  deal  of  trouble  to  for* 
mer  commentators  oniSlfrcd,  viz.  Sir  John  Spelman,  Bulfieusi  Surtiner, 
John  Phil.  Murray,  and  Lanijcbeck,  who  have  all  chofen  Ijiots  totally 
different  to  place  Scirifigti-beal  in.  Spelman  and  others  look  for  thii  place 
near  Dintzic,  where,  in  iheir  opinion,  the  Scyres  formerly  rcfided.  But 
firll,  the  fpot  where  the  CScjres  lived,  is  by  no  means  determined  v  an^ 
next,  it  is  evjdent  that  Ohthere  went  continually  along  the  coiil  from 
Halgoland  to  SciriHjrei-heaty  and  that  this  latter  was  to  the  lei't  of  him 
during  (he  whole  pafTage  thither.  The  latie  Mr»  Murray  places  it  at  Ska- 
nor  ;  but  I  cannot  think  this  to  haVe  been  6ve  days  voyage  from  Hzthumf 
in  jHtland,  as  Ohthere  fays  it  was,  Langcbeck  is  for  carrying  it  to  Kan' 
gahelht  on  the  Giutelf,  near  Marllrand  ;  and  aflerts,  that  the  namt 
of  this  place  is  written  wrong,  and  that  for  Sciringe$-htal  wfe  (hould 
read  Cyninges-heal.  If  this  word  occurred  indeed  but  once,  I  would  aU 
low  Langcbeck  to  be  in  the  right  ;  but,  in  fa£t,  we  meet  with  it  five 
times  in  the  fpace  of  a  few  lines  ;  and  each  time  it  is  written,  without 
the  lead  variation,  Sciringet-beal ;  on  which  account  it  does  not  appear 
to  me  at  ail  probable,  that  it  ihotild  be  fpelt  in  any  other  manner.  zdly« 
The  voyage  from  Halgoland  to  KtHgabtHe  is  not  fufficiently  entenfive  to 
take  up  a  month  to  accohiplifh  it.  3dly,  Kgngahtlle  is  too  near  Jutland^ 
to  require  five  days  for  making  the  trip,  as  Ohthere  fays  it  does.  Having 
demondrated  the  inlufhriency  of  thefe  conjectures,  it  is  ndw  incumbent 
■V)n  us,  in  our  turn,  to  point  out  where  Si  inngts-heal  tS^MiWy  is  fituated. 
Paul  Warenfried,  in  his  Hiji.  Lcngebard^  lib.  i.  cap.  7  and  10,  makes 
mention  of  a  dithidt,  called  Sctrunga,  in  which  the  fVinili^  or  Lombardt^ 
refidcd  for  fome  time,  ere  they  removed  to  A/auringa,  and  from  ihenc* 
ilill  further  on  to  GetljnJ,  jintkabet^  Bethaiby  and  PurgunJaib.  Now 
:his  Scorunga  fecms  to  have  been  the  diltrift  in  which  the  port  of  5fi>/»i« 
ges-  heal  was.  This  Scorunga  was  nut  far  from  Gttland ;  confequently 
It  was  fomewhere  in  Sweden.  Add  to  this,  that  Ohthere,  having  ex- 
prefsiy  defcribed  Sueoland  as  being  to  the  fouihward  of  the  place  of  his 
habitation;  immediately  afterwaids  fays,  **  There  is  a  part  in  this  fouih* 
ern  land  v/hich  is  called  Sdnnges-beai.'^  By  this  he  I'eems  to  indicate 
very  plainly,  that  this  place  is  no  where  to  beibught  tor  but  in  Sweden. 
Bui  ail  this  will  appear  llill  more  evident,  if  we  take  the  pains  to  follovr 
tiie  irackof  his  voynge.  FirO,  he  has  Iraland,  i.  c.  Scotland  to  the  right 
ofl.tn;  as  likewii'e  the  iflands  which  lie  between  Scotland  and  Halgo- 
land, viz.  the  Shetland  and  Orkney  iflauds  i  but  the  continent  is  con- 
llantly  to  the  left  of  him,  quite  till  he  comes  10  Sciringes-htal.  But  far* 
ther,  a  large  bay  (Iretches  to  the  norihwardt  deep  in  that  country,  along 
thecoad  of  whiih  he  kept  continually  failing;  and  this  bay  commences 
(juice  to  the  fouthwaid  61  Scifingn-htal.  It  is  fo  broad  that  a  man  can- 
not fee  acrofs  it,  and  Gttland  lies  dire<ftly  oppofite  to  it.  But  the  fea» 
which  extended  from  Zealand  to  this  Ipot,  goes  many  hundred  milet 
farther  up  in  the  country  (that  is  to  fay,  td  the  eaflward).  From  Scirin- 
ges-heal,  Oh'.here  could  go  in  five diys  to  Htetlum^  which  lies  between 
the  Wends,  S.\xon!,  and  Angles.  Now,  by  means  of  this  voyage,  w« 
are  enabled  to  deleriiiine  with  ftill  greater  cxad\ne!'s  the  fituation  ot  (h» 
place  Vrc  are  in  fcarch  of.  In  oider'to  get  to  Haikum  li  om  Sciringes-ktaK 
he  left  Gitland  to  the  right,  and  foon  afterwaids  Z^o!iifiil  liktwifc,  logt- 
ther  with  (he  other  iu.,uu,   whirh  had  bcca  ihe  h^buatioos  6f  tho /^t  • 


M'' ' 


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m 

U|H: 

68 


VOYAGES    AND 


i 


month,  if  he  lay  to  at  night,  though  he  had  every  day 
a  fair  wind  j  during  this  voyage  he  muft  fail  near 
the  land,  on  his  right  hand  wrould  be  Ireland  (66), 
and  then  the  iflands  which  are  between  I ral and  and 
this  land.  For  this  country  is  to  Sciringes-heal^  all 
the  way  on  the  left.  As  you  proceed  northward,  a 
great  fea  to  the  fouthward  of  Sciringes-heal,  runs 
up  into  this  land  ;  and  is  fo  wide,  that  no  one  can 
fee  acrofs  it.  Gotland  (68)  is  oppofite  on  the  other 
fide,  and  afterwards  tht^  fea  of  Sillende  lies  many  miles 
up  in  that  country.  Ohthere  further  fays,  that  he 
failed  in  five  days  from  Sciringes-htaly  to  that  port 
which  men  call  Haethum  (70),  which  is  between  the 
Wineduniy  Seaxum^  and  Anglen^  and  makes  part  of 
Dene. 

When 

g'e!i,  before  th'-y  landed  in  England  ;  while  thore  which  belonged  to  Den- 
mark were  to  the  left  of  him  for  the  fpace  of  two  days.  Sciringes-htal 
confequertl  J  is  in  Sweden ;  at  the  entrance  of  the  Gulf  of  Biothnia, 
which  runs  up  into  the  land  northwArdr.;  juft  on  that  fpot,  where  the 
Baltic  pafling  by  Zealand,  fpreadt  out  into  a  wide  gulf  extending  feveral 
hundred  miles  into  the  land  :  if  one  goes  to  Jutland  from  Sciringf«-heal, 
one  mull  of  neceiSty  pafs  by  Gotland.  Now  jull  here  it  is  that  I  find 
the  SviaSci^fren,  or  Swedifh  Skim  (adulter  of  little  iflands  furrounded 
by  rocks).  Htaly  in  the  northern  languages,  (ignifies  a  port,  as  in  fuch 
places  a  (hip  may  be  kept  in  I'afety.  Sciringes'heal  therefore  was  **  tbe 
hai  bour  in  the  ibiirs^''*  and  was  probably  at  the  entriiiicc  of  the  Gulf  of 
Bothnia,  and  confequently  where  Stockholm  now  is ;  and  the  ira£l  of 
Innd  before  which  the  Sbtcrs  lay  towards  the  fea,  was  the  Scerunga  oF 
Paul  Warnrfried. 

(66)  Iraland,  fayiiClfred-,  yet  he  means  that  country  which  we  now 
aall  Scotland;  and  a  little  farther  on  he  mentions  our  modern  Ireland  in 
thefe  terms:  Igberma,  that  <ae  Sccllatid  hatad.     This  fhews  theictore, 
(bat  the  people  removed  from  the  one  country  to  the  other,  and  peopled 
item  alternately, 

(67)  As  I  havealreaHy  remarked  above,  that  Ohthere  here  means  the 
land  along  which  he  had  hitherto  been  failing :  this  word  is  of  great  ler- 
?icc  towards  determining  the  fituatioo  of  Sciringe-Jbeai^  and  befidesOiews 
the  fitui^tion  of  the  two  bays  which  here  begin  to  fdparate  from  each 
other. 

(68)  Getland  is  without  doubt  the  ifland  of  Gotland,  as  m^y  be  fee* 
ftill  more  plainly  in  Wulfftan's  Voyage  to  Trufa.  It  cannot  therefore 
■>«an  Jutland,  as  Langebeck  affirms  it  doet. 

(£9)  ilvlfred  calls  the  fea  which  reaches  from  Zealand  to  nctlnnd  the 
iiUtnde  Sta^  and  after  huving  made  mi-ntion  of  that  arm  of  i:  which  runs 
out  to  the  northward  deep  into  that  land,  along  the  coall  oF  which  lu: 
had  hitherto  failed,  farther  fays,  this  fe»  extends  yet  many  hundred 
miles  farther  in  the  fame  direction  in  which  he  had  failed  from  Zealand 
to  it,   via.    from  well  to  eail. 

(70)  This  port  of  Hitthum  has  given -iBtfred's  Commentators  a  great 
deal  of  trouble.  Hcwrvcr,  they  are  all  agreed  in  affirminR.  the 
place  thst  is  here  meant,  to  be  .?/./«.•->,  as  this  lattrr  is  called  Haiti ahy  by 
the  Anjlo-Saxon  tth^twcid.  A  Norwegian  poet  gives  it  ihe  .umt  ol  //.y- 

thabi't^ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORT  if.         69 


the 
ler- 

ich 

('en 
jrc 

ihe 
ins 
|1m 
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Ind 

cat 

the 

<»• 


When  Ohthere  failed  to  this  place  from  Sciringes* 
heaU  Denmark  was  on  his  left,  and  on  the  right  wa4 
a  wide  fea  for  three  days,  as  were  alfo  two  days  hc- 
ibre  he  came  to  Haetbum,  Gotland^  Sillende,  and  many 
iflands  (thefe  lands  were  inhabited  by  the  Angles  be- 
fore they  came  hither)  ;  and  for  two  days  the  iflands 
which  belong  to   Dene  were  on  the  left. 

Wulfjian  (73)  faid,  that  he  went  from  Haetbumta 
Trujo  (74)   in  ky^n  days  and  nights   ^the  ihip   being 

under 

thabat,  tsd  others  write  it  Htydahtt^  sad  by  Adam  of  Bemen,  it  i»  call* 
cd  {Jcidaba  ;  this  in  their  opiwon  i;*  Hitihum  :  yet  it  appear*  to  me  that 
(he  difference  between  ti<fthaby  %ni  H<rtkuin  is  not  Td  veiy  inconfidcra- 
ble  i  neither  indeed  it  it  p.-jffible  for  th's  placu  to  be  Slelwic,  at  the  fiio- 
aiion  of  it  docs  not  accord  wiih  ihs»t  of  ihc  fp  )t  dclVnbed  ly  Ch'.licic  and 
WuUftan.  In  fa£l,  if  Slelwic  be //*////»»,  I  muft  lopj/elV,  thai  I  cannot 
in  the  lead  comprehend  the  track  of  the  voyage  cf  u:htr  of  theft  an- 
cient navigators.  Ohthere  teils  u«,  that  in  lailin.;  from  Sdringeshial  \.o 
Hathum^  he  had  Denmariito  the  le:t,  and  the  open  Tea  for  tiie  fpace  of 
three  days  to  the  right ;  but  that  for  two  days  beiort  he  reached  Hzihum, 
he  had  Gotland  and  Zealand  lo  the  right,  and  the  iflands  which  belonged 
Co  the  Danes,  to  the  left.  But  had  he  been  goinf;  to  Slcrwic,  fat  would 
have  found  all  the  Danifh  iflands  lie  to  the  right  hand  of  him,  ai.d  not 
one,  befides  Fcmern^  to  the  lelt.  Now,  I  beg  leave  to  eiiCjuire,  how 
can  this  fituation  of  Slelwic  be  made  to  correfpond  wUh  Hxthum  }  The 
very  fame  may  be  laid  with  refpcft  to  Wulfftan's  Voyage ;  though  indeed 
this  fiioation  attributed  to  Slefwic  is  rather  more  applicable  to  Hxthum. 
But  now  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  fuppofing,  that,  as  io  the  dif)ri£t  of 
Aarhuus  there  is  an  extenfive  tra£k  of  land  czWaAjilheiAe  (for  it  is  in  fa5l  a 
heath)  ;  the  prefent  town  oi  Aarhuus  (in  Englifh  onr-htuje)  is  new,  and 
in  the  9th  crniuiy  lay  higher  up  towards  Al-heiiUy  or  Al-ktaih  \  aiid 
confequently  the  harbour  may  at  that  time  have  had  the  name  oi  Al-lte- 
thuniy  or  Hxthum.  So  that  if  Ohihere  fet  out  from  Stackholm,  Goth- 
land was  to  the  right  of  him,  and  lb  was  Zealand  ;  and  he  Tailed  between 
Zealand  and  Funen,  in  which  cafe  all  the  Danifh  iflands  were  to  the  lefc 
hand  of  him,  and  he  had  the  Sckager  Reck  and  the  Cuttegat^  a  wide  fcay 
10  the  right  FAriher,  when  Wulfllan  went  from  Aarhuus,  (or  Ha;thum,) 
tp  Trui'o,  he  kept  IftenatHand  (aai  fyinodland)  i.  e.  Funen  (or  Fionia) 
to  his  right  hand  ;  and  to  'he  Itft  were  LangelanJ,  Latlnnd^  Faljier,  and 
^^fcnegy  ti  well  i»  B)rnf-gltn,  BUimg  Moc/^rf,  Oelatid,  tnd  GulfaitJ.  IVat 
Pf^enienlaHd  remained  to  the  right  hand  of  him,  quite  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Viftula. 

(7a)  King  i¥lfredl  fays  here,  in  exprefs  terms,  that  the  £«;///,  before 
they  came  to  England,  had  refuied  on  the  Danifh  .iflands.  Confequently 
it  is  impoflible  that  Ungern  on  the  Wefer,  which  was  of  a  poflerior  date, 
fltould  have  been  the  piillioe  country  of  the  Angles. 

(73)  The  flrongell  pofTible  proof  that  Slefwic  was  not  Ha:thum,  trifes 
from  the  coofideration  that,  were  that  the  cafe,  the  Danifli  iflands  muft, 
with  rcrpe<5\  to  thofc  that  were  going  lo  Htrthmmy  have  lain  to  the  right: 
hand  ;  whereas  Ohihere  fays,  they  lay  to  the  left. 

(73)  ^r'u//?,*^  appears  to  have  been  a  Dane,  who,  perhaps  hid  becsTre 
«crjuainted  with  Ohthere  in  tbecourfeofhis  expedition,  and  had  gone  wiik 
him  to  iMiglaid. 

(;^)  TUn-  is  it  tkit  time  *  l^ike  bfXWMn  Elbitignd  PiuiiiaB  HoNat!*! 

CMlletf 


7© 


VOYAGES    AND 


under  (iiil  all  the  time)  that  IFeomtbland  (75)  was  on 
his  right,  but  Lnngaland^  La'eland^  FnlfUr^  and  Sconeg, 
on  his  left,  all  of  which  belong  to  Denemcarcan  (yb)- 
V/e  had  alfo  Burgeudahndy  on  our  left,  which  hath ; 
a  knig  of  its  own.  After  having  left  Burgendaland^ 
the  iHands  of  Becingt-eg^  Meore^  Rowland^  and  Got^ 
landy  were  on  our  left,  which  country  belongs  to 
Sueon  (77)  ;  and  Weoyiodland  (78)  was  all  the  way 
on  our  right,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Wijle  (79).  This 
river  is  a  very  large  one,  and  near  it  lies  Witland 
(80)  and  Weomdland^  the  former  of  which  belongs 
to  EJium,  and  the  Wifles  does  not  run  through 
Weonodland,  but  through  Ejlmere  (81),  which  lake 
is     fifteer^     miles     broad.       Then    runs    the     lUing 

(82)    fromi 


called  7Vu/ff,  or  Dravfen^  from  which,  probably,  the  t"wn  he  mendos- 
«d,   which  flood  on  the  baiikf  of  the  Frijch  Haf,  took  its  name. 

^75)  We  h»ve  before  in  two  different  placex  in  the  notes  remarked 
the  difference  between  fVeonoiklitnA  and  fVinodlandy  the  firlt  of  which  is, 
n  all  probability  Fuehnrn  (Funen  or  Fioniay)  which  places  is  ftill  called 

(76)  Thiit  WtnetfifanA  is  not  Wendeland,  appears  from  the  obferva- 
tion  of  Wulfftan,  that  all  thefe  countries  belong  to  Danmark,  which  could 
KOt  be  faid  cf  fVinodland. 

"*  (77)  The  cautilries  hera  mentioned,  which  all  belong  to  Sueon,  or  Swe- 
•ep,  have  need  of  a  few  remarks  by  way  of  elucidition.  By  Becingu-eg 
is  certainly  meant  BUkingtyi,  or  Bleking;  and  the  /  mud  have  been  icU 
cut  in  the  hurry  of  tranfcribing  :  this  Bleking,  conformably  to  the  cidora 
of  many  writers  in  thofe  times,  he  calls  an  ifland.  Metre  is  wthout 
difpiite,  the  Upper  and  Lowr  r  Meehrt  in  Smolandy  Ecttiiand  is  Oelandy 
and  Gotland  is  doubtlei's  the  Ifland  of  Gctland^  and  not  Jutland,  as  Lange- 
beck  affcrts  it  to  be  in  a  note  to  a  pafTage  v/here  it  occurs  above  ;  for  all 
thefe  countries  weie  provinces  of  Sweden. 

(78)  fVtonodland^  or  Winsdlandy  extends  to  the  mouth  of  the  Vlflula  \ 
and  is,  evidently,  u  peculiar  and  independent  country,  aiid  different  from 
the  H'^tenttHand  of  the  Danes. 

(79)  fViJle  is  th"  Sclavorian  orthography,  or  ruhtrffifa.  The  Ger- 
man)., on  the  other  hand,  c^l!  this  river  the  IVeichJel-y  the  Pruflians, 
IVad'el  \  by  other  nations  it  is  called  the  Vlflula. 

(Ho)  Witland  is  a  traft  in  Samland  in  Piufiia,  which  was  celcbr.ited  for 
the  amber  it  produced  ;  and  at  the  time  of  the  crufades  It  was  called  by 
th»i  fame  name,  a.sis  manifeft  from  two  diffeient  ancient  retonls.  The 
word  ilfelfis  a  tranflation  oi BfltHka,  i.e.  the  White-ldnd. 

(81)  The  Efimere  is  (as  we  may  perceive  from  the  termination  of. 
the  word)  a  lake  of  frefh  water,  into  which  the  Elbe  and  ViHula  empty, 
thf-mfelves.  It  is  at  prefent  called  the  Frifch-Haf,  or  frefh-water  fca.  Htf 
in  the  Dutch  andSwedifli  languages  fignifyyir<?.    In  f*me  place:!,  it  is  sbve 

th:c9. 


i 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.         71 

(82)  from  the  cailward,  into  Eftmcre;  on  the 
bank  of  which  ftands  Trufoj  and  the  llfing  flows 
from  Eaftland  into  the  Eftmcre  from  the  Eail » 
and  the  VVifle  from  Weonodland  from  the  South  ; 
the  llfing  having  joined  the  Wifle  takes  its  name, 
and  runs  to  the  Weft  of  Eftmere,  and  northward 
into  the  Tea ;  when  it  is  called  the  Wifle's  mouth 
(83)*  Eaftland  is  a  large  tra6^  of  country,  and  there 
are  in  it  many  towns,  and  in  every  toivn  is  a  king 
(84)  ;  there  is  alfo  a  great  quantity  of  honey  and  flfh, 
and  the  king*  aad  richeft  men  drink  mare's  milk 
(85),  whilft  the  poor  and  the  (laves  ufe  mead  (86). 

They 

three  German  miles  broad  ;  and  this  i(rertion  of  ifllfredV  who  rcckont 
by  Rnglint  miles,  ig  perfeAly  accurate  and  jul>. 

(8i)  flfi"/:  ii  indilpmabiy  the  name  of  the  river  Blhing^  which  flows 
from  Lake  DranftM  or  Trufo,  (vid.  74.)  and  by  one  of  its  aims  jo'ni<  with 
tlut  arm  of  the  Vifluia  c^led  Ntngai,  or  Nogat,  .ind  both  thus  united, 
i-mpiy  themfelves  into  the  Haf^  whjle  the  other  arm  runs  Into  the  Haf 
by  itftjf. 

(83)  Everything  (hat  J£AhtA  here  mentions  concerning  the  fituatioa 
of  that  part  of  the  world,  incomeftibly  ihews,  (hat  he  had  his  intelligence 
immediately  from  the  mouth  of  one  who  was  perfe£tly  well  acquainted 
with  the  place.  The  llfing  comes  out  at  Efthonia,  yet  not  from  the 
Kaft,  as  iEl  red  fays  it  does,  but  ixotn  \kt  SoAth.  Excqiting,  indeed, 
that  he  means  that  arm  cf  the  Elbtng  which  runs  into  the  Viftula  or  N07 
gat.  But  the  Vidula  comes  out  of  Wendenland  from  the  South  ;  and, 
the  tVro  rivers  having  ^ifembogucd  tiheml'elves  into  tt-c  Haf,  this  latter 
flretchet,  no  doubt,  from  WcU  10  North,  that  is  in  a  Norih-eaft  direc-r 
tion,  and  at  Pillau  goes  into  the  Tea.  Jt  is  poflible,  that  thit«  as  v/ell  as 
the  wedern  arm,  mayjbave  formerly  born  the  name  oifViJtemuMJy  or  th« 
mouth  of  the  Vidula. 

(84)  This  account  ef  the  ftateof  Pruflia  at  that  tim«,  ,w^ile  under  tht 
Enhonkns,  who  had  already  built  many  cities  there,  each  of  which  had 
»  chief  (or  as  he  terns  iti  a  kingj  is  perfe£lly  confonant  to  the  conditio^ 
in  which  ijt  was  {pundby  the  adventuters  in  the  crufades  many  centuries 
afterwards. 

(85)  This  piece  of  intelligence,  that  the  richeft  pe^rfons  of  the  country 
were  content  with  mare's  milk,  at  the  fame  time  ibat  the  poorer  Tort  of 
the  (hives  drank  mead,  is  extrcrnely  (ingular.  If>  however,  we  confidcr^ 
that  this  mare's  milk  was  not  barely  milk,  but  milk  which  had  undergone 
a  kind  of  fermentation,  and  vat  tranfmuted  into  a  fpecics  of  brandy, 
fuch  tf  the  inhabitants  of  the  defert  plains  of  Afia  Media  drink  in  great 
.quantities,  calling  it  Kamyfs,  while  they  ditlinguifli  their  double-diltillcd 
brandy  by  the  name  o^  Arrack  \  if,  I  fay,  we  take  this  into  confideration, 
wc  (hall  find  it  eafier  to  conceive  why  (he  principal  people  of  the  land 
only  had  the  prerogative  to  get  drunk  with  brandy,  while  their  fubjedVj 
drank  nothing  but  mead.  For  we  know  that  it  has  been,  and  is  ftill, 
J;e  cooftant  praelice  with  all  rude  oacultivtied  aation;,  to  leave  to  their 

fupcriors 


■1 


4  y 


;iiii,    '  ^hn 


1  1|l; 

<*      > 


'i 


'!:i 


7» 


VOYAGES    AN 


They  have  many  contefts  amongft  thcmfelvcs,  and  the 
people  of  EJium  brew  no  ale  (87),  as  tlwry  have  mead 
in  profufton. 

There  is  alfo  a  particular  cuftom  amongft  this  na- 
tion, that  when  any  one  dies,  the  corpCe  continues 
unburnt  with  the  relations  and  friends  (89)  for  4 
month  or  two,  and  the  bodies  of  kings  and  nobles  lie 
longer  (according  to  their  refpe<^ivc  wealth)  fome« 
times  for  half  a  year,  before  the  corpfc  is  thus  deftroy^ 
ed ;  and  it  continues  above  ground  in  the  houfe, 
during  which  time  drinking  and  fports  laft,  till  the 
day  on  which  the  body  is  confumed*  Then,  when 
it  is  carried  to  the  funeral  pile,  the  fubftance  of  the 
dcccafed  (which  remains  after  their  drinking-bouts  and| 
fports)  is  divided  into  five  or  fix  heaps  (fometimes 
into  more)  according  to  what  he  happens  to  be  worth. 

fiiperiors  the  excluftve  privilege  of  intoxictting  themfelvci  whenever  they 
rlc«re,  I(  is  cnly  the  iren  of  rank  among  (he  Turk's,  Perfian  ,  and  Ma> 
hy%  that  make  ufe  of  opium;  it  is  only  the  people  of  quality  among  th^ 
Ptabeiicars  who  intoxicate  iheml'elves  with  the  juice  of  the  root  ot  the 
A-wa^  a  fpecies  of  pepper  ;  and  it  is  only  the  piiacipal  Tfhuktfchis  that 
ran  get  drunk  with  the  infutlon  of  the  inebriating  fungui,  purrhaftd  from 
the  Rofliana.  AJan  of  Bremen  {[>nr*^r.  i3R.)fayi,  that  the  ancient  Pruf- 
fians  ate  horfe-flefh,  and  drank  riie  milk  t>t  their  mares  to  intoxication  ; 
and  Ftter  »/  Dui/hurg  (paragr.  So.)  relates  of  thefe  people,  that  at  their 
feaftti,  they  drank  water,  meaii,  and  mare's  milk. 
'  (H6)  Afeaif,  even  fo  early  as  in  tbel'e  times,  had  the  name  of  Aft/la  in 
Angio-Sayon  ;  in  the  Littuianian  tongue  it  it  called  Mid  Jus  i  in  Polifh, 
Mied\  in  RuiTian,  .\7ed ;  in  German,  Mffh.  Hence  it!ippea,rs  probably 
to  me,  that  mead  i<;  a  beverage  of  great  antiquity,  as  the  name  by  which 
it  is  known  Is  exactly  the  fame  in  languages  ot  fo  different  an  origin. 
With  thele  it  is  perhaps  worth  while  to  compai?  the  Greek  verb  fnflu** 
Iintexicale.  1  rriuft  once  moie  repeat  the  general  remark  I  made  bet'ore, 
vis.  that  WolftUn  murt  have  been  very  well  acquainted  with  the  country. 
Abounding,  as  it  did,  in  forefls  of  lime-trees  and  in  lakes,  Pruflia  had  a 
protufion  of  the  iintft  honey  and  fi(h  ;  and  the  towns,  horfes,  cloaths, 
weapons,  drinking-bouts,  and  games  of  its  inhabitantR  evince,  that  they 
were  not  ignorant  of  agriculture,  and  thati  they  w^re  in  a  tolerably 
flourifhing  ftaie,  and  had  ariived  at  no  contemptible  decree  ot  cul- 
tivation. 

(87)  King/Elfrcd  obfcrves,  that  thefe  drinking  bouts  occafioned  many 
fiays  He  alfo  gives  a  rcafon,  why  the  Efthonians  brewtd  no  ale,  \\hich 
i',  that  they  had  fuch  a  vaft  abundance  of  honey,  that  it  was  cafier  lor 
them  to  make  rnead  than  to  brew  beer. 

(88)  That  theantitni  Pnifiians  burned  their  dead  and  buried  them  to- 
gether with  their  horfe.%  weapon?,  cloaths,  and  valuable  p.  (IclTiuns,  ap- 
pears from  a  treaty  concluded  thior.gh  the  mediation  of  the  An  It','  aeon  o 
Liege,  in  »]uality  of  the  Pope's  Legatf,  between  tht  Ceini.i:  Knights 
and  the  newly-cunverted  Prufliaus,  wherein  the  Prufiiiiis  t:  p:  c:  ly  I'lO- 
mife  never  in  future  to  burn  their  dead,  nor  buiy  them  with  tl.eii  luirfes^ 
arm,  cloaths,  and  valuables.  ,         ' 

I'hcre 


DISCOVERIES   m  the  NORTH, 


73 


There  heaps  are  difpofcd  at  a  mile's  diftance  from  each 
other,  the  largoll  he;ip  at  the  gwattit  dillance  from 
the  town,  and  fo  gradually  the  fmallcr  at  ledcr  inter- 
vals, till  all  the  wealth  is  divided,  fo  that  the  lead 
heap  fhall  be  nearelt  the  town  where  the  corpfc  lies. 

Then  all  thofc  are  to  be  fummoncd  who  have  the 
flcctcft  horfes  in  that  country,  within  the  diftancc  of 
five  or  fix  miles  from  thefc  heaps,  and  they  all  ftrivc 
for  the  fubftancc  of  the  decraled  ;  he  who  hath  the 
fwiftcft  horfe  obtaUis  the  moft  diftantand  largeft  heap, 
and  fo  the  others,  in  proportion,  till  the  whole  is 
iViz.'d  upon.  He  procures,  however,  the  leaft,  who 
takes  that  which  is  neareft  the  town  ;  and  then  every 
<'ne  rides  away  with  his  (hare,  and  keeps  the  whole 
of  it  ;  on  account  of  this  cuftom,  fleet  horfes  are 
extremely  dear.  When  the  wealth  of  the  deccafcd 
hath  been  thus  exhaufted,  then  they  carry  the  corpfe 
from  the  houfe  to  burn  it,  together  with  the  dead 
man's  weapons  and  cloaths;  and  generally  they  fpcnd 
the  whole  wealih  pf  the  deceafed,  by  the  body'^ 
continuing  fo  long  in  the  houfe  before  il  is  buried  j 
and  by  what  h  laid  in  heaps  on  the  road,  and  is 
taken  away  by  the  Grangers  (89). 

It  is  alfo  a  cuftom  with  the  Efiuniy  that  the  ]bo- 
dies  of  all  the  inhabitants  (hall  be  b|jrncd  ;  and  if 
any  one  can  find  a  fingle  bone  unconfumed,  it  is 
a  caufe  of  anger.  Thefe  people  alfo  have  the  meanj 
oi  producing  very  fevere  cold,  by  which  the  dead 
Vody  continues  fo  long  above  ground  without  putre- 
fying •,  and  if  any  one  fets  a  veflcl  full  of  ale  or  water, 
they  contrive  that  the  liquors  (hall  be  frozem,  be  it 
fummcr  or  winter. 

The  part  of  King  Alfred's  Geography,  of  whlck 
we  have  here  given  a  tranflation  as  literal  as  could  be 
don?  confiftently  with  the  different  gvnius  of  both 
languages,  without  difputc  conftitptes,  with  relation 
to  the  ftate  of  the  North  of  Europe  in  the  9th   ctn- 

(89)  !t  is  eafy  to  perceive,  that  ihi«  power,  fo  much  admired  by 
^mg  y^ilfred,  ot  producing  told  either  in  fi^mmer  or  v/inter,  by  whiiii 
the  puir«'fa(f.i  n  of  dead  bodies  was  prevented,  and  beer  and  water  wfic 
frozen,  was  u.e  efTei5l  of  agood  ice-celhr,  and  this  cveiy  Prufflan  oi  a:v 
confequence  had  in,  ot  elft  hard  k)y  his  hoiite, 

tury, 


'i  lii 


'i 


i,:J 


■  'm 


:-m 


74 


VOYAGES    AN» 


tury,  a  record  of  the  utmoO  importance.  As  >EI- 
frcd  in  his  youth  had  been  in  Rome,  whither,  even 
at  that  early  period,  zeal  for  the  Chriftian  religion 
carried  people  from  every  country,  he  might  in  all 
probability  have  colledcd  in  that  city  the  materials 
tor  his  Geography,  and  his  other  hidorioil  acquifiti- 
ons,  which  in  thofe  times  of  deplorable  ignorance 
and  darl^nefs,  give  him  a  very  high  rank  among, 
writers.  This  fragment  likewife  is  a  confirmation  of 
what  we  have  before  advanced,  viz.  that  the  voyages 
and  predatory  expeditions  of  (he  northern  pirates 
have  very  much  contributed  to  the  illuflration  of 
Geography  and  of  the  Hiftory   of  Nations. 

The  art  of  navigation  too  was  in  thofe  days  heI4 
in  great  eftcem  by  the  people  of  the  North.  Amongi): 
them  it  was  even  confidered  as  peculiarly  praise- 
worthy, to  understand  the  flrudure  of  a  Lhip,  and 
the  beft  method  of  condrucfting  it  fo  as  to  be  ftrong 
and  firm,  and  at  the  fame  time  a  quick  failer  ;  and 
as  fmith  was  an  appellation  peculiarly  appropriated 
to  every  one  that  wrought  in  metals,  all  artizans  and 
bandicraftfmen  went  likewife  under  tl>^  fame  general 
denomination  ;  and  accordingly  a  m;in  of  the  name 
of  Torjieriy  was,  on  account  of  hi?  great  (kill  in  (hip- 
building,  called  the  fiip-fmith.  7  he  direction  of  a 
lhip  by  means  of  oars,  and  dexterity  and  perfe- 
verance  in  rowing,  were  in  thofe  days  considered  in 
fo  advantageous  a  light,  that  King  tfarold  Hardrade^ 
and  Earl  RogmuaUy  lord  of  the  Orkneys,  prided 
themfelves  greatly  on  their  fuperior  (kill  it>  handling 
the  qar.  Howing,  however,  was  not  the  only  me- 
thod they  had  in  thofe  ages  of  getting  a  velfcl  forwar4 
\r\  its  courfe.  They  had  likewife  fails  withal ;  and 
their  manner  of  ufing  them  makes  them  defervedly  ce- 
lebrated. Moll  of  the  people  pf  antiquity,  wl>o  were 
famous  for  navigation,  made  ufe  of  fails  ^wK.  feldom, 
and  that  only  when  the  wind  blew  dire£lly  at  their 
backs,  fo  that  they  could  fail  with  a  full  wind,  or 
right  before  the  wind.  If  the  wind  blew  hard,  an4 
fomewhat  fideways,  they  were  obliged  to  run  im- 
mediately into  a  harbour,  which  indeed  in  a  fea  like 
the  Mediterranean,    is  very    Cfifily  done.     But  the 

|iumerovt$ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THi  NORTH. 


75 


numerous  and  cxtcnfivc  voyages  of  the  Normans  on 
the  Great  Ocean,  particularly  to  England,  the  Ork- 
iiry<,  Ireland,  ^jaiil,  and  even  into  the  Meditrrrancan^ 
fufticicntly  indicate,  that  they  knew  how  to  nfe  their 
iaijs,  even  when  they  had  only  a  fide-wind.  It  dots 
not  appear,  however,  that  this  great  art  of  fctting 
the  failsof  afhip  according  to  the  wind  was  generally 
known  in  thofe  times  ;  as,  of  fiich  as  did  poflefs  it 
it  was  affirmed,  that  as  fonn  as  their  veflels  had  their 
lading,  they  had  only  to  fet  their  fails,  and  fct  off  di- 
rectly, without  troubling  chemfclves  in  the  lead 
from  what  quarter  the  wind  blew.  This  propcity 
was  attributed  to  the  fhip  called  the  Drache  Ufanatit^ 
and  to  Frcycr's  fhip  the  SkySladner^  in  the  Edda, 
and  in  Tor/iens  Vikingfons  Saga.  It  wasfuppofed,  that 
this  was  efFedted  by  lorcery  i  though,  in  radl,  it  pro- 
ceeded from  nothing  more  than  a  certain  degree  of 
fkill  and  dexterity  in  fetting  and  ihifting  the  fail?, 
founded  on  exf>erience  and  mechanical  fcience.  This 
way  of  failing  with  the  wind  half,  or  almoft  quit« 
contrary,  or,  as  it  is  called  by  the  mariners,  near  the 
wind,  is  in  reality  one  of  the  greateft  and  moft  inge- 
nious inventions  made  by  man.  As  the  mariner's 
compafs  has  32  points  from  which  the  wind  may 
blow,  which  have  been  diftinguiihed  by  pcculiai 
names  ;  and  from  which  foever  of  thefe  the  wind 
Wows  it  is  in  the  power  of  the  mariner  tn  avail 
himfclf  of  one  and  the  fame  wind,  to  carj-y  him  to 
twenty  different  points  or  quarters  of  the  globe; 
fo  that,  the  fix  points  excepted  which  are  on  caci^ 
fide  of  the  line  of  direction  in  which  the  wind  blows, 
he  is  able  (o  fail  with  this  wind  on  any  other 
courfe. 

•  The  compar?  ib  a  magnetic  piece  of  fled,  v.hlrh  Ir  moveabU  \n  t 
•i'Cular  direftion,  on  the  ix)int  of  a  very  fharp  reciDc,  wiiliin  a  conuiil 
cap  :  to  this  piece  of  ftcc;l,  in  order  to  make  it  Mill  more  ulVful,  is  af- 
fixed a  circular  palleboard,  on  which  are  delineated  the  31  tJiiTtrfoi 
winds  or  point  of  the  compaft.  Now  the  magnetic  needle,  conflantl/ 
pointing  to  the  North  Pole,  the  compafs,  fallened  to  it,  retains  it*  |>i>- 
iition,  notwiihflanding  ihe  a'terations  that  may  be  made  in  the  fnin't 
courfe;  and  as  the  l)ox,  containing  the  compafs,  is  placed  dircc'lty  be. 
foie  the  mail  at  the  helin,  who  flands  with  his  face  turncdf  tow•a^us  tt.e 

prow 


Nil 


i  9 


K     '       '...' 


76 


VOYAGES     AN0 


S'l" 


IMIi! 


This  important  fciencc,  with  refpeft  to  ordering 
the  fails,  mud  either  not  have  been  very  genera), 
at  leaft  not  known  in  Ohther's  time;  for  we  read  in 
jiis  voyage  to  Biarmieny  that  he  was  obliged  to  lay  fo 
long  at  two  different  places  exprefsly  for  the  fake 
of  waiting  for  a  better  wind  ;  and  he  names  in  ex- 
prefs  terms  the  wind,  which  would  ferve  him  for 
failing  with  full  fails.  On  the  other  hand,  the  opi* 
liion  that  was  then  harboured  concerning  magical 
ihips  fccms  to  prove  the  fkill  of  their  pilots,  or  con* 
du6lors,  in  relation  to  managing  the  fails,  fo  as  to 
hj\   iikewife  near  the  wind. 

The  conftrudl  on  too  of  the  northern  vefTels  was 
ptaHy  different  from  that  which  was  followed  by 
the  Greeks  and  Romans  in  theirs.  The  fhips  of  the 
porthern  nations  were  built  of  the  floutefl  oak  that 
could  be  procured,  and  were  made  with  high  forct^ 
rallies  a^id  poops  \  thofe  of  the  Mediterranean,  on  the 
contrary,  were  low  and  flat,  and  were  chiefly  impelled 
by  means  of  oars  j  the  whole  of  their  i^ruclure  too, 
feemed  much  /lighter  than  that  of  the  veiFels  ufcd 
by  the  northern  nations*  The  ihips  of  the  northern 
people,  appointed  for  Jong  expeditions,  were  like- 
wife  covered  at  the  top;  while  thofe  ufed  in  the 
Mediterranean  were  covered  at  top  in  a  few  particular 
cafes  only.  For  which  reafon  the  Roman  writers, 
whencfver  there  were  any  covered  ibtps  in  a  fleer, 
ntvKt  fail  to  inform  us  of  this  circumftance,  and  to 

prow  of  the  {hip,  he  has  it  i«  his  power  to  fee,  witN  the  greateft  precN 
lion,  towards  which  point  of  the  compal's  the  ecD>  .^  of  the  (hip  is  div 
jrAed.  Now  every  circle,  ••■q  in  fa£t  the  coropafs  is  dothiog  elfe,  being 
divided  bjr  mathcmaitcians  into  3^0  degrees,  11  <  foch  degrees  are  com<r 
prifca  in  one  point  of  the  coirpafs  ■,  and  as  aceordifig  to  the  prefent  me- 
thod of  failing  near  tke  toini  (i.  e.  of  failing  as  near  to  the  point,  whence 
the  wind  blows,  as  pofli^le)  we  are  fix  poipts  from  the  wind ;  it  follows, 
that  at  67-1-  degrees  from  the  wind,  we  are  able,  as  it  were,  to  fail 
t^ainft  it,  and  that  on  either  fide  of  the  point  whenCe  the  wind  blows, 
Now  twice  67-5- is  135,  therefore  we  are  able  to  fail  10115  degrees  of  the 
horizon  with  each  wind.  It  is  true  indeed,  that  as  in  failing  ittar  ih^ 
foiMd^  the  wind  come*  into  contraft  with  the  fails  and  the  vcfTel  fide- 
wsys  only,  and  in  an  oblique  direction,  the  latter  by  this  m«ans  always 
lofes  fomewhat  in  her  courfe  in  confequence  of  U»is  dire^Uon  5  but  the 
•radl  amount  of  this  can  only  be  deternpipcd  by  aftual  obfcrvation  oa 
l|«ard  the  (hip. 

difcrimlftatc 


difcl 
thafl 


imr 
acql 

cal 
of 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THi  NORTH.        77 

difcriminate  with  great  care  the  number  of  thefe  from 
that  of  the  open  veifels. 

All  the  advantages  here  enumerated  of  the  mode  of 
navigation  in  uie  among  the  northern  nations,  joined  to 
conffant  pra£kice,  <-  /e  thefe  reftlefs  people  a  great  apti- 
tude to,  as  v/ell  ab  inclination  for,  a  fea-faring  life.  The 
immenfe  riches,  which  moil  of  their  adventurers  had 
acquired  both  by  ftratagem  and  violence  in  their  pirati- 
cal expeditions  ;  the  fame  attendant  on  the  performance 
of  valorous  a£^ions  at  fea ;  their  religion  itfelf,  in  the 
very  fixture  of  which  was  interwoven  a  love  of  intre- 
pidity and  perfonal  courage ;  and,  laftly,  the  expectation 
of  a  delightful  reward  in  a  future  life  for  fuch  as  died  in 
battle,  who  with  Othine  in  Valhallay  drank  mead  and 
beer,  poured  out  to  them  by  the  beautiful  Valkyriurs^  m 
horns  and  the  fkulls  of  their  conquered  enemies^  and 
feafted  on  the  roafted  flefli  of  the  wild  boar  Scrimner  \  all 
thefe  circumftances  principally  contributed  to  fpirit  up 
the  northern  nations  to  undertake  the  moft  dangerous  na- 
val expeditions }  coniequently  they  f  !lied  out,  animated 
by  the  moft  daring  confidence,  wherever  they  had  the 
leaft  hopes  of  acquiring  glory.  The  greateft  dangers^ 
nay,  death  itfelf,  i^r  from  deterring,  on  the  contrary,  ra- 
ther feemed  to  excite  them  to  accompliih  their  defpe- 
rate  undertakings.  For  which  reafon  thefe  people  were 
fometimes  feen  to  attempt  things,  the  very  idea  of  which 
would  have  terrified  others.  As  they  were  continually 
employed  in  navigation,  it  naturally  followed,  that  many 
of  dieir  ihips  were  caft  away  on  entirely  foreign  coafts, 
coafts  which  they  had  never  feen  before,  and  of  which 
neither  they  nor  their  cotemporaries  had  ever  heard  the 
leaft  mention  made. 

Thus  the  firft  difcovery  of  Iceland  was,  as  we. have 
feen  above  at  page  50,  to  be  attributed  to  a  mere 
accident  of  this  kind.  But  the  population  of  this 
ifland  was  efFe6^ed  by  the  continual  migrations  of  the 
people  thither  from  the  neighbouring  countries.  The 
Shetland  Iflands,  which  by  the  people  of  the  North 
were  conftantly  called  the  Hiahaland  Ulands)  together 

with 


t    ,'  IS 


,,»i^ 


19 


VOYAGES    ANh 


v^ 


li: 


with  the  Orkneys^  as  likewifc  the  Soderoe  or  Wefterri 
Iflands,  and  the  Faroar  or  Ferro  Iflands,  were  fub- 
jugated  by  Harold^  King  of  Norway,  in  confequence 
of  his  finding  that  the  peculiar  turn  of  that  age  for 
piratical  expeditions  exhaufted  his  kingdom  of  his  fub- 
je£ls,  who  ufed  to  fettle  on  thefe  iflands  in  order  to 
carry  on  their  depredationst.  Upon  this  he  gave  Rogn- 
waldjarl  (or  Earl)  of  Maen  and  Raundel,  the  Ork- 
neys and  Hialtaland  to  him  and  his  heiri  for  ever,  as  an- 
Earldom  (Jarlrik)  without  tribute :  and  the  latter 
made  a  grant  of  it  as  a  mefne  fief  to  his  brother  Si- 
gurd. But  he  dying  foon,  an'd  his  fon  Guthorm  not  liv- 
ing long  after  him,  the  Earldom  devolved  to  Rognwald'i 
fon  Haliadj  who  became  fo  odious  to  his  father  on  ac- 
count of  the  drowilndsof  his  nature,  that  he  bequeathed 
the  Earldom  of  the  Orkneys  to  his  baftard  fon  ^ynar^ 
from  whofe  pofterity,  likewife,  the  latter  Earls  of  the 
Orkneys  arc  actually  defcended. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  enterprizeis  of  certain 
Normans  in  Ruflla  took  place.  OJkold  and  Dir  went 
whh  a  party  of  their  followers  along  the  Dnieper  down 
as  far  as  KioWy  where,  at  this  time,  the  Chazarsj  a 
Turkifh  race,  maintained  the  fovereign  fway  over 
the  Sclavonian  inhabitants.  Here  they  now  laid  the 
foundations  ofanewftate,  which,  however,  was  after- 
wards united  with  that  of  Novgorod. 

One  of  the  numerous  fons  of  Roghwald,  Earl  of 
the  Orkneys.  Hrolf  by  name,  having  in  defiance  of 
King  Harold's  prohibition,  harafled  the  coafts  of  Nor- 
way by  frequent  depredations  and  ravages,  had  been 
confequently  banifhed  from  Norway.  Upon  this  he 
repaired  to  the  Soderoe^  where  there  rcfided  a. great 
number  of  malcontents  and  fugitives,  and  having  in- 
gratiated himfelf  with  them,  conducted  them,  A.  D. 
876,  along  the  coafts  of  England  and  Germany,  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Seine.  Here  he  found  the  throne 
filled  by  the  Carlovinian  race,  but  the  country  at  the 
fame  time  fo  much  weakened  by  the,  imbcci|lity  and 
inadlivity  of  its  rulers  as  well  as  by  its  internal  dif- 
fenlions,  that  it  was    by  no   means  difficult  for  him 

to 


to 


DISCOVERIES  Iff  THE  NORTH.        79 

to  ravage  and  lay  wafle  a  great  part  of  it  in  the 
moft  cruel  and  barbarous  manner,  fiut  he  foon,  to. 
gether  with  his  train,  difcovered  that  it  would  anfwer 
much  better  to  them  to  feize  on  a  confiderablc  part 
of  it  for  themfelves,  and  make  it  their  conftant  reil- 
dence.  Finally,  after  a  great  many  battles,  truces,  trea^ 
ties  of  peace,  and  infringements  of  diefe  treaties, 
they  were  at  length  acknowledged  as  the  rightful  own- 
ers of  a  large  traa  of  this  country }  and  Hrolfy  or  (as 
the  French  called  him  fubfequent  to  his  being  baptized) 
Robert,  in  912  received  the  Dutchy  of  Normandy  from 
the  hands  of  King  Charles,  by  way  of  ficf,  and  ef-* 
poufed  Charles's  daughter,  GiJJa,  By  his  firil  wife  he 
had  a  fon  called  William,  who  fucceeded  him  in  the 
throne,  and  from  whom  the  Norman  kings  of  Eng- 
land defcended,  as  did  the  kings  of  Sicily  and  Na- 
ples of  the  Norman  race  from  a  near  relation  of  his, 
the  conqueror  Tancred, 

The  Normans  continued  to  eftablifh  themfelves  in 
Ireland,  and  to  gain  ground  in  the  North  of  England 
and  of  Scotland,  perpetually  harrafTing  all  thefe  coun- 
tries by  their  depredations.  But  in  the  year  982  or 
983,  on  occafion  of  the  banifhment  of  an  offender,  a 
new  country  was  difcovered.  Among  other  petty  fo- 
vereigns.  King  Harold  had  brought  one  of  the  name 
«f  Thorrer  under  fubjeftion.  His  great  uncle  Ther^ 
wald  had  lived  at  the  court  of  Earl  Hayne,  and  had 
been  obliged,  to  fly  on  account  of  a  murder  he  had  com- 
mitted} and  accoidingly  went  to  Iceland,  where  he 
fettled  a  confiderable  tradb  of  country  with  a  new  colo- 
ny. His  fon  Eric  Raude^  or  Redbeadj  having  been 
perfecuted  by  EyoIfSaur,  a  powerful  neighbour  of  his, 
on  account  of  Kaude's  having  killed  fome  of  the  lat- 
tcr's  fervants,  his  revengeful  fpirit  at  laft  prompted 
him  to  kill  Eyolf  likewife.  This, ,  and  other  mii'de- 
meanors  he  had  been  guilty  of,  obliged  him  likewife  to 
quit  his  country.  He  knew,  that  a  man  of  the  name 
Gunbiorn  had  difcovered  the  banks  called  GunbiornU 
Sihierea  on  the  weftern  fide  of  Iceland,  but  likewife 
ftill  more  to  the  wcftward  a    country  of  yet  greater 

ejctcnt. 


■i 


8o 


VOYAGES    AND 


if 


\ti-:>. 


extent.  Beiftg  condemned  to  banifliment  for  the  fpacc 
of  three  years,  he  determined  upon  making  a  voyage 
of  difcovcry  to  this  country.  Soon  after  he  had  fet  fail, 
he  faw  the  point  of  land  called  HeVjolfi  Nefs^  and  after 
failing  a  little  longer  to  the  South-weft,  entered  a 
large  inlet,  which  he  called  Ericas  Sounds  and  pafled 
tile  winter  on  a  pleafant  ifland  in  the  vicinity  of  it.  The 
following  year  he  explored  the  continent,  and  the  third 
year  returned  to  Iceland,  where,  with  the  view  that  a 
confiderable  number  of  people  might  be  induced  by  his 
reprefentation  of  matters,  to  refolve  upon  going  to  thb 
newly-difcovered  country,  to  which  he  gave  the  name 
of  Greenland,  he  beftowed  the  moft  lavifli  praifes  on 
its  rich  meadows,  its  wood,  and  its  fifheries.  Accord- 
ingly, there  fet  out  for  this  place  25  veflels,  laden  with 
people  of  both  fexes,  houfehold  furniture,  and  cattle  for 
breeding,  of  which  veflels  14  only  arrived  fafc.  Thcfe 
firft  colonifts  were  foon  followed  by  more,  as  well  from 
Norway  as  I  eland  ;  and  in  ttie^  fpace  of  a  few  years 
their  number  encreafed  fo  much,  that  they  occupied  not 
only  the  eaftern,  but  likewife  the  w^ern  part  of  Green- 
land ;  and,  indeed,  they  were  fo  nutnerous,  that  it  was 
ftippofed  there  were  almoft  enough  of  them  to  form  the 
third  part  of  a  Danifli  Bifliop's  diocefe. 

This  is  the  commoii  account  of  the  firft  fettlino  of* 
Greenland,  ^nd  it  refts  on  the  credit  of  the  NorAern 
Hiftorian  and  Icelandic  Judge,  Snorro  Sturlefon^  who 
wrote  this  account  in  the  year  1215.  But  others  aflert^ 
that  Greenland  was  known  long  before  this  time,  and;, 
for  confirmation  of  what  they  advance,  appeal  dircdly 
to  a  Bull  of  Pope  Gregory  I V .  and  to  the  Letters  Pa- 
tent of  the  Emperor  Lewis  the  Pious,  the  latter  0/ 
which  is  dated  in  the  year  834,  but  the  former  in  835. 
In  this  Patent,  as  well  as  in  the  Bull,  permiffion  is 
granted  to  the  Archbiftiop  Anfgarius,  to  convert  the 
Sueones,  Danes,  and  Sclavcmians ;  and  it  is  added,  the 
Norwahen^  the  Farriers^  the  Greenlanden^  the  Haljing" 
alandcn,  th«  Julanders^  and  the  Scridevinds.    Now  this 

neccfTarily 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.         8i 

iTCceflarily  implies,  that  all  the  countries  here  mentioned 
muil  have  been  already  known  previous  to  the  years  834 
and  835  ;  and  what  is  yet  more,  that  Iceland  was  at 
that  period  known  by  the  name  it  yet  bears,  though  it  is 
univerfally  allowed,  that  it  was  at  firft  called  Smwland 
by  Nadodd,  its  difcoverer.  (Vide  pag.  50).  Herci 
then,  there  appears  an  evident  contradidion.  We  fee 
very  plainly,  however,  that,  fuppofmg  both  the  Charter 
'and  Bull  to  be  genuine,  the  words  Gronlandon  and 
IJlandon  fhould  in  all  probability  be  read  differently,  and 
perhaps  ^enlandon  and  Hitlandon.  By  the  former  is 
meant  Finland  ;  and  Hittand^  or  Hialtaland,  is  the  name 
of  the  Shetland  Iflands.  By  adopting  this  alteration  the 
whole  difficulty  is  unravelled  j  but  it  may  likewife,  not 
without  reafon,  be  doubted,  whether  pofTibly  all  the 
names  of  nations  inferted  after  the  **  Sucones,  Danes, 
and  Sclavonians,"  have  not  been  interpolated  at  a  later 
period:  as  St*  Rembert,  the  immediate  fuccefTor  of 
Anfgarius,  and  who  wrote  his  life,  mentions  only  the 
names  of  the  Sueoncs,  Danes,  and  Sclavonians,  whom 
Aufgarius  was  allowed  to  convert ;  together  with  other 
nations  fttuated  in  the  North*.  It  is  therefore  not  im- 
probable, that  fome  conceited  copylft^  at  a  later  period, 
was  defirous  of  making  particular  mention  of  the  people^ 
who  might  appear  to  him  to  be  comprifed  under  the  de- 
fcription  of  other  nations  Jituate  in  the  Norths  and  there- 
fore very  fagacioufly  adds^  the  Norwahers^  Farriers ^ 
Greenlanders,  Haljingaianders,  Icelanders,  and  Scride- 
vinders  ;  without  once  refleding,  that  in  St.  Angarfus'd 
time  the  Greenlanders  and  Icelanders  had  not  been  dif- 
covered.  So  that,  the  authorities  of  St.  Rembert  and 
Snorro  Sturlefon,  remain  firm  and  unihaken,  maugre 
thefe  falfified  copies  of  the  Papal  Bull  and  Imperial 
Letters  Patent  i  and  we  may  relt  aiTured,  that  Iceland 


'  --rm 


*  Conftliutum  ttgatum,  in  omnibus  circbmquaqne  gentibus  SnennOm, 
fiveDanorum,  nee  non  etiam  Slavorum,  aliarumq;  in  Aquilonit  paiti- 
bus,  t;entium  conftitutarum.  t^ita  S.  Anfchani  apud  Langebeck  SeripU 
Htji.  Dan.  Tom.  i.  p.  4151,  45*.  Even  Adam  of  Bremen>  Hifl.  EccUi 
tiS.  I.  cap.  17,  mt-ntioBs  by  name  thefe  three  nations  only,  to  which  he 
adds,  ct  aliikconjiiceniibut  in  circuitu  populis." 


G 


was 


82 


VOYAGES    AN» 


was  not  difcovered  before  the  year  86 1,  nor  inhabited 
before  874  ;  and  that  Greenland  was  hardly  difco- 
vered previous  to  the  year  888,  or  889,  or  inhabited 
before  892.  The  former  of  thefe  countries  appears 
at  that  time  to  have  had  wood  upon  it.  Nay,  a  com- 
paratively modern  writer  even  fpealcs  of  an  orchard, 
which  the  Monks  of  St.  Thomas  endeavoured  to  keep 
in  good  order  and  increafe  its  fertility  by  means  of  a 
warm  fpring  which  they  carried  through  it. 

The  paflion  which  the  Normans  had  always  mani- 
fefted  for  making  difcoveries,  ftill  prevailed  among 
them  even  in  the  cold  regions  of  Iceland  and  Green- 
land. An  Icelander,  of  the  name  of  Heriolf,  was  ac- 
cuftomed,  together  with  his  fon  Biron,  to  make  a 
trip  every  year  to  different  countries,  for  the  fake  of 
trading.  About  the  year  looi  their  (hips  were  fepa- 
rated  by  a  ftorm.  Bifon  being  arrived  at  Norway, 
heard  that  his  father  Herjolf,  was  gone  to  Greenland. 
Upon  this  he  refolved  upon  following  his  father  thither  j 
but  another  ftorm  drove  him  a  great  way  to  the 
louth-weft  of  his  track.  In  eonfequence  of  this,  he 
defcried  a  flat  country,  covered  all  over  with  thick 
woods  ;  and  juft  as  he  fet  out  on  his  return,  he  dif- 
covered an  ifland  likewife.  He  made  no  ftay  at  either 
of  thefe  places,  but  haftened  as  much  as  the  wind 
would  allow  him  to  do,  which  had  nbw  fallen  great- 
ly, by  a  north-eafterly  courfe  to  Greenland.  Here 
this  event  was  no  fooner  known,  than  Leif  the  fon 
of  Eric  Redhead^  who  had  an  inordinate  defire  to  ac- 
quire glory,  like  his  father,  by  making  difcoveries  and 
founding  colonies,  fitted  out  a  veflel,  carrying  35 
men,  and  taking  Biron  with  him,  fet  out  for  this 
newly-difcovered  country.  Having  fet  fail,  the  firft 
land  he  faw  was  rocky  and  barren.  Accordingly,  he 
called  it  Helleland,  or  Rockland.  Upon  this  he  came 
to  a  low  land,  with  a  fandy  bottom,  which,  howe- 
ver, was  over-grown  with  wood  j  on  which  account 
he  named  it  Marklandy  or  Woody  land.  Two  days 
after  this  he  faw  land  again,  and  an  ifland  lying  be- 
fore th*^  northern  coafl:  of  it.  Here  was  a  river,  up 
which    tney   failed.      The  bufties  on   the  banks  of  it 

bore 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


83 


bore  fweet  berries ;  the  temperature  of  the  air  was 
mild,  the  foil  fertile,  and  the  river  well  ftored  with 
fifh,  and  particularly  with  very  fine  falmon.  At  laft 
they  came  to  a  lake,  from  which  the  river  took  its 
rife.  Here  they  determined  to  pafs  the  winter,  which 
they  accordingly  did  j  and  in  the  fhorteft  winter  day, 
faw  the  fun  eight  hours  above  the  horizon  :  this  there- 
fore fuppofes  that  the  longeft  day  (exclufive  of  the 
dawn  and  twilight)  muft  have  been  i6  hours  long. 
Hence  again  it  follows,  that  this  place  being  in  the 
49th  degree  of  north  latitude,  in  a  fouth-wefterly  di> 
reftion  from  Old  Greenland,  muft  either  be  the  river 
Gander.^  or  the  Bay  of  Exphits  in  Newfoundland^  or 
elfe  fome  place  on  the  northern  coaft  of  the  Gulf  of 
St.  Lawrencei  Here  they  erected  feveral  huts ;  and 
they  one  day  found  in  the  thickets  a  German  of  the 
name  of  Tyrker^  who  had  been  miffing,  making  him- 
felf  very  happy  at  having  found  grapes,  from'  which, 
he  told  them,  in  his  country  they  ufed  to  make  wine. 
Leif  having  tafted  them,  from  this  circumftance,  which 
appeared  to  him  very  remarkable,  called  the  country 
Wiulanddat  Code  ;  i.  t.  the  Good  Wine-country  ♦. 

In  the  following  fpring  they  returned  to  Green-' 
Jand.  This  occafioned  Thorwald,  Leif*s  brother,  ta 
take  a  trip  thither  with  the  fame  fuite  as  he  had  done^ 
in  order  to  make  farther  advances  in  this  new  difco-^ 
very.  Having  explored  thk  land  that  lay  to  the  weft*- 
wards,  the  .  next  fuihmer  he  inveftigated  that  which 
lay  to  the  eaftwards.  The  coaft  was  covered  with 
Wood,. and  befet  With  iilands  j  but  they  could  neither 
perceive  a  human  creature,  nor  indeed  atiimals  of  any 
kind  upon   it. 

The  third  fummer  after  they  examined  the  ifl^s, 
where,  on  a  point  61"  land  they  damaged  their  (hip  t6 
fuch  a  degree,  that  they  found  it  necefiary  to  build 
a    new    one,    and  the  old  veiTel   was  laid  up  on  th<^ 

*  It  11  Irue  that  gr«p«t  grow  wild  in  Canada  ;  Injt,  thongh  they  art 
good  to  eat,  yet  nobody  has  «er  been  able  to  ipake  any  tolerable  wioe 
o."  their  juice.  But  wJiether  thefe  wild  grapes  aie  to  be  found  ai  far  to 
the  eaftward  as  Newfoundlanc'.  I  cannot  fay.  The  fpecies  of  vines  which 
grow  in  North-America,  are  called  by  Linnxus,  A0//>  lahujcay  vul- 
fina  et  arbtrea. 

G  2  promontory, 


$4  VOYAGES    AND 

promontory,  which  for  that  reafon  they  called  Ktaler 
Nefs.  Then  they  once  more  examined  the  eaftern 
fhore,  and  now  they  diicovered  three  boats  covered 
with  leather,  in  each  of  which  there  were  three  men  ; 
thefe  they  feized  :  but  one  man  found  means  to  get 
ofF,  the  others  were  all  wantonly  aind  cruelly  murder- 
ed by  the  Normans.  Soon  after  this,  however,  thev 
were  attacked  by  a  great  number  of  thefe  people  with 
bows  and  arrows.  A  fence  made  of  planks  fcreened 
them  in  their  (hips  againfl  them,  and  they  defended 
themfelves  with  fo  much  fpirit,  that  their  enemies  hav- 
ing given  them  battle  for  the  fpace  of  an  hour,  were 
obliged  to  decamp  again.  I'o  thefe  original  inhabi- 
tants oi  the  country,  on  account  of  their  being  very 
ihort  in  ftature,  they  gave  the  name  of  Skroellinger, 
i.  e.  cuttings,  or  dwarfs.  Thorwald,  who  in  the  fkir- 
mi(h  had  been  dangeroufly  wounded  by  an  arrow* 
died*  and  over  his  ton^b  on  the  promontory  were 
placed  two  croiTes,  agreeable  to  hi$  requeil:,  which 
promontory  obtained  from  this  circumflance  the  name 
of  Krojfa-nefs.  His  companions  pafled  the  winter  in 
fFinland,  and  in  the  beginning  of  the  fpring  return- 
ed to  Greenland. 

^^  ,In  the  fame  year,  Thor^ein,  the  third  fon  of  Eric 
Raude,  fet  fail  for  fVinland^  with  his  wife  Gudrid^,  the 
daughter  of  "Jhoabern^  his  children  and  fervants,  a- 
mounting  in  all  to  25,foft]s;  but  they  were  by  a 
ftorm  caft  on  the  weftcrn  fliore  of  Greenland.  Being 
pbliged  to  fpend  the  winter  there,  he,  as  well  as  many 
more  of  his  retinue,  died^  probably  of  the  fcurvy.  In 
the  fpring,  Gudrid  topk  the  corpfe  of  her  deceafed  huf- 
band  home. 

TIjorftHy  an  Icelander  of  fome  confequence,  furnamed 
Kallfefner,  and  a  defcendant  of  King  Regner-Lodbroky 
married  the  widow  Gudrid^  and  thereby  thought  him- 
ifelf  intitled  to  the  poiTeiTion  of  the  newly-difcovered 
country.  Accordingly,  he  fet  out  for  Winland  with 
a  vaft  quantity  of  houfhold  furniture  and  cattle,  and 
vith  65  men,  and  5  women,  who  begun  to  eflabliih 

a  re- 


DISCOVERIES  iM  THE  NORTH.       85 

a  regular  colony  there.  They  were  immediately  vi- 
fited  by  the  Skraliingersy  who  began  to  barter  with 
them.  From  the  circumftance  we  have  mentioned 
before,  viz.  that  thcfe  people  were  of  a  low  ftature, 
and  had  boats  covered  with  leather,  it  feems  probable 
that  they  were  the  anccftors  of  the  prefent  hjkinauxj 
who  arc  the  fame  people  as  the  Greenlanders,  and  in 
the  language  of  the  jbenaki  are  called  Ejkimantfik^  on 
account  of  their  eating  raw  fifli  j  in  like  manner  as 
the  Ruflians  in  their  official  papers  of  flr.tc  called  the 
Samojedes  Sirojg{P  ^/ ,  becaufe  they  alfo  eat  raw  frozen 
ii(h  and  flefli, 

The  natives  gave  the  Normans  in  exchange,  the 
moft  coflly  furs  for  other  wares.  They  would  alfo 
willingly  have  bartered  for  their  weapons,  but  this 
Thorfm  had  exprefsly  forbidden.  One  of  them,  how- 
ever, found  an  opportunity  to  fteal  a  battle-axe,  and 
having  made  trial  of  it  immediately  on  one  of  his 
countrymen,  whom  hp  killed  with  it  on  the  fpot,  a 
third  perfon  feized  this  mifchievous  inftrument,  and 
threw  it  into  the  fea.  In  three  years  time,  the  Nor- 
mans having  got  a  large  ftock  of  very  rich  furs  anij 
other  articles  of  merchandife,  Thorjin  returned  to 
Greenland.  The  riches  he  brought  home,  created  in 
a  great  many  of  his  countrymen  a  defire  to  try  their 
fortunes  in  IVinland,  At  length  Thorjin  went  back 
to  Iceland^  where  he  built  himfelf  a  very  elegant 
houfe  on  an  eflate  of  his,  called  Glaumha^  which  he 
had  purchafed  in  the  northern  part  of  Syjfel,  After 
his  deceafe,  Gudrid  his  fpoufe  made  a  voyage  to  Rome, 
and  ended  her  days  in  Iceland,  in  a  nunnery,  which 
her  fon  Srtorro,  who  was  born  in  Winland,  had  found- 
ed for  her.  * 

*  The  defdendants  of  Snorrty  Thorfin^i  fon,  were  people  of  f'^mt 
eminence  in  Iceland,  for  Thorlak,  the  Ion  of  Runulf\  a  nephew  -jf  Sntr- 
ro,  wts  in  the  year  1119  made  Bifhop  of  Sialhc/It.  Thorlik'fi  fon, 
Brander,  was  Biftiop  of  the  fame  place  in  1163.  A  defcendam  of  Snor- 
roy  by  name  biorns,  was  alfo  a  Bifhop  in  Iceland,  and  to  the  fame  digni< 
ty  wa«  promoted  Hatuko,,  an  Icelandic  judge,  who  lived  in  '■?o8t  aqd 
wrote  a  Topography  and  Chronicle  cf  Iceland,  which  ii  ckllcd  Haukjlok^ 
i.  e.  H,iuku's  book,  after  the  name  cf  the  author. 


After 


86 


VOYAGES    AN  i> 


After  this  Finhog  and  Helgo^  two  Icelanders,  fitted 
out  each  of  '  n  a  Ihip,  carrying  30  men,  with  which 
they  made  a  gc  to  Winland.     They  took  along 

witn  them  Freiai.^  a  daughter  of  Erie  Raude\  but  by 
her  turbulent  difpofition  Ihe  occafioned  manifold  divi- 
fions  and  quarrels  in  the  colony,  in  one  of  which^  Helgo 
and  Finbog  were  killed,  together  with  thirty  men. 
Upon  this  Freidii  returned  to  Greenland,  where  fhc 
lived  univerfally  dcfpifed  and  detelled,  and  died  in  the 
greateft  mifery.  The  remaining  Normans  were  dif- 
perfed  i  and  it  is  probable,  that  their  defcendants  were 
ftill  in  being  for  a  long  time  after,  though  nothii^ 
farther  pofitive  was  heard  concerning  them  v  for  it  is 
faid,  that  A.  D.  iiai,  about  100  years  after  the  dif- 
covery  and  f^rft  cultivation  of  the  land,  Biihop  Eric 
went  from  Greenland  to  Winland,  in  order  to  con- 
vert his  countrymen  who  were  ftill  heathens.  From 
this  period  we  have  no  more  intelligence  with  refpe£l 
to  Winland,  and  it  is  highly  probable,  that  the  tribe 
ftill  exifting  in  the  interior  parts  of  Newfoundland, 
which  difFers  remarkably  from  all  the  American  Sa- 
vages as  well  in  (hape  as  in  their  manner  of  living, 
and  lives  in  a  ftate  of  conftant  enmity  with  the  EJki- 
maux  refiding  on  the  oppofite  northern  coall:,  are  de- 
fcended  from  thofe  ancient  Normans. 

Now  it  appears  from  hence,  that  the  ancient  Nor- 
man people  were,  ftridly  fpeaking,  the  firft  difcover- 
crs  of  America^  and  that,  in  faft,  nearly  500  years  be- 
fore the  difcovery  of  it  by  Chrtjiopher  Columbus  in  the 
year  1493,  and  before  the  difcovery  of  Newfoundland 
by  Sebajiian  Cabot  in  1496.  And,  as  it  has  long  been 
a  conteftcd  point,  who  were  in  reality  the  firft  dif- 
coverers  of  Jimerica^  it  is  to  be  hoped,  that  this  cir- 
cumftantial  detail  of  the  difcovery  of  the  ancient  Win- 
land will  meet  with  the  readier  excufe.  The  fa£ts 
themfcives  have  been  colle6led  from  a  great  number 
of  ancient  Icelandic  manufcripts,  and  have  been  hand- 
ed down  to  us  by  Thormond  Thorftsus  in  his  two  works 
intitled,  Vetoii  Groenlandia  Defcriptioy  Hafnitgy    1706, 


m 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.         $y 

in  Rvo,  and  Hifteria  Vinland'ite  Antiqua^  Hafntee^  1 705^ 
in  8vo.  Wc  alfo  find  cnrly  mention  made  of  the  coun- 
try called  Wtnland^  in  Adam  von  Bremen's  Church 
liijlory^  p.  151  i  in  like  manner,  very  exadt  relations 
of  thcfe  difcoveries  have  been  prefcrvcd  in  Arngrim 
yonas's  Specimen  Ijlandlte  Hijioricum^  and  in  many 
other  writmgs ;  fo  that  it  is  hardly  poflible  to  harbour 
the  Icafl  doubt  concerning  the  authenticity  of  this 
relation. 

The  only  intelligence  we  meet  with  pofterior  to 
thefe  firft  difcoveries,  is,  that  when  about  the  year 
009,  Leif^  the  fon  of  Eric  Raude,  made  a  voyage  to 
Norway,  and  was  by  Kin^  Ohf  Tryggefon  perfuadcd 
to  take  upon  him  the  Chriftian  faith,  he  took  Chrif- 
tian  Priefts  over  with  him  to  Greenland,  for  the  con- 
verfion  of  the  remainging  part  of  his  countrymen. 
He  landed  there  A.  £).  1000,  and  his  father,  iiV/V, 
tojgether  with  many  people,  v.ent  over  to  the  Chriilian 
faith. 

About  100  years  after  this,  the  Chriftian  religion  was 
difFufed  all  over  the  country  ;  upwards  of  190  farms  had 
already  been  laid  out,  with  many  fmall  tenements  on 
them  ;  on  the  eaftern  fide  more  than  12  churches  and 
two  convents  had  been  erected  j  ana  on  the  wefterrj 
coaft  were  built  four  churches.  Tiiis  great  increafe 
appeared  to  the  inhabitants  fo  confider«blc,  that  Sok, 
the  nephew  of  Leif^  having  alfembled  the  whole  peo- 
ple at  Brettahlidy  where  the  Judge,  or  Lagmann,  al- 
ways ufed  to  refide,  they  were  unanimoufly  of  opinion, 
that  they  might,  with  great  propriety,  have  a  bifhop 
of  their  own  j  and,  in  fadt,  one  Eric  was  pitched  upon 
for  this  office  ;  but  it  is  fuppofcd  that,  inftead  of 
going  to  Greenland,  he  went  (Irait  on  to  W inland, 
in  order  to  convert  the  Normans,  who  were  ftill  hea- 
thens :  however,  nothing  farther  was  ever  heard  con- 
cerning him.  A  learned  pricft,  of  the  name  of  Arnold, 
was  therefore,  at  the  requeft  of  the  Greenlanders,  no- 
minated their  Bifhop  by  Si^utdy  King  of  Norway; 
and,  having  been  confccrated  by  the  Archbifhop  of 
Lunden,  in  Schonm^  went  to  Greenland.  We  have  an 
account  of  about  1 7  of  thcfc  Bifhops  j  but  the  SkraU 

lingers^ 


88 


VOYAGES    AND 


hi 


lingers^  or  prcfent  EJkimauxy  bcg.m  to  (hew  thcm- 
fclvcs  about  the  year  1376,  and  it  is  probable,  that 
thefc  people  have  at  length  extirpated  the  whole  Nor- 
man race,  particularly,  as  in  the  beginning  of  the  1 5th 
century,  an  entire  ftop  was  put  to  the  navigation  from 
Denmark  and  Norway  to  thofe  |)arts.  Neither  was 
it  poflible.  to  go  thitner  from  Iceland;  for  it  is  re- 
markable, that  the  whole  caftcrn  coaft  of  Greenland 
is  furroundcd  by  icc-ficlds,  which  have  lain  there  from 
time  immemorial,  and  increafc  every  year,  and  occafion- 
ing  fuch  cold  weather,  even  in  Iceland,  that  it  is 
found  to  be  at  prefent  far  colder  there  than  it  was 
fome  centuries  ago,  when  it  was  ftill  poflible  to  fow 
corn,  and  when  forefts  were  to  be  met  with  in  many 
parts  of  the  country.  Even  in  Gr<:enland  there  was 
a  grove  near  the  Bifliop's  refidenc*^,  for  the  feeding 
of  cattle,  of  which  there  are  now  no  traces  left  in 
the  whole  weftern  part  of  Greenland,  which,  how- 
ever, is  poflelTcd  of  a  milder  climate  than  the  other 
parts.  1  hofe  circumftances  have  been  the  caule  that 
nobody  has  been  able  to  approach,  even  from  Ice- 
land, the  inhabitantF,  thus  cooped  up  and  imprifoned. 
To  this  muft  be  added,  that  in  the  beginning  of  the 
15th  century,  an  innumerable  multitude  ot  people 
were  carried  ofF  from  the  year  1402  to  1404,  by 
the  hinck  death,  as  it  was  called,  or  the  peftilehce  : 
fo  that,  what  with  the  diminution  of  their  numbers, 
the  want  of  afllftance  from  Norway  and  Iceland,  and 
the  increafing  cold,  the  Norman '  inhabitants  were 
weakened  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  at  laft  it  became  an 
eafy  matter  for  the  SkralHngen  to  make  war  upon 
them,  and  to  extirpate  them.  In  this  fituation  thofe 
countries  remained  till  the  beginning  of  the  i6th 
century,  when  a  new  fpirit  for  invettigating  the  earth, 
and  for  geographical  refearches,  burft  forth  in  Eu- 
rope, and  was  continually  kept  alive  by  the  accounts 
of  the  great  difcovcrics  made  by  the  rortuguefe  and 
Spaniards. 


CHAP, 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        89 


'  "I 


CHAP.       in. 


0/  the  Difcovertet  made  by  the  Italians  In  the  North,  at 
well  by  Land  as  by  Sea. 

IN  general  there  were  but  two  motives,  which  in  thcfe 
dark  middle  ages  could  induce  people  to  undertake 
voyages  to  diilant  countries.  In  tad,  it  was  a  fpi- 
rit  of  commerce  and  zeal  for  the  diffufion  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  religion  which  imparted  the  cou- 
rage and  mental  vigour  neccflary  for  great  enterpii- 
zes,  to  men  whofe  fpirits  had  been  dcbafed,  and  the 
energy  of  whofe  minds  had  been  dtllroyed  by  fuper- 
ftition,  aided  by  the  preflure  of  dcfpotifm,  and  of 
the  feudal  fyftem.  Confequently  it  was  fclf-intereft 
and  enthufiafm  alone,  that  operated  on  the  torpid 
and  uncultivated   minds  of  mankind  in  thofc  ages. 

In  the  north  of  Europe  and  Afia,  barbarifm  pre- 
dominated, and  that  not  unfrequenHy  combined  with 
the  moft  favage  abule  of  that  authority,  which  fupc- 
rior  force  and  power  hud  thrown  into  the  hands  of 
the  niofV  rude  and  uncultivated  nations.  From  the 
north-ead;  of  Afia  numbers  of  favage  hordes  iiTued 
forth,  one  after  another,  and  diftufed  incxpre/Iible 
mifery  over  the  whole  human  race  in  all  thofe  coun-* 
tries,  which  had  the  misfortune  to  lie  in  their  way. 
The  bad  form  of  government  of  the  dates  in  thofc 
times }  wlchout  fortified  towns,  without  any  good 
military  arrangements,  without  funds  in  the  treafury, 
for  fupplying  the  expences  of  their  wars  ;  together 
with  the  difmemberment  of  the  fmall  itates,  which 
were  fubjeft  to  petty  Princes,  unable  to  defend  them, 
and  the  enfeebled  condition  of  the  greater,  rendered 
their  conquefts  but  too  eafy  to  thefe  encroaching 
^eftroyers  of  the  univerfe.  From  the  fea,  which  in 
the  remoteft  eaft  ferves  for  a  boundary  to  the  coaft 

of 


m 


■  ■  i  iii 


!#S'JiS 


:®"^>f:ii 


90 


VQYAGES    AND 


;l  ;  I 


of  China,  as  far  as  the  Oder  an^  Danube,  every 
thing  was  expofed  to  the  ravages  of  thefe  people, 
who,  like  a  whirlwind,  lay  every  thing  wafte  before 
them  ;  and  from  India  and  its  mountains,  quite  to 
the  Icy-Sea,  the  Moguls  (for  fo  thefe  barbarians  were 
called)  were  the  univerfal  anr!  uncontrouled  mailers. 
The  terror  which  thofe  Moguls  had  fpread  every 
where,  determined  the  Pope  to  endeavour  to  (lop  the 
progrefs  of  their,  ^rrefiftible  power  by  ambafTadors  j 
and  at  the  fame  time  to  inflame  their  minds  againfb 
the  InHdels,  or  Mahometans,  in  Palefline  and  in 
Egypt.  The  Emperor  Frederic  II, .  invited  all  thc- 
European  Princes  to  oppofe  this  torren:,  which,  in 
a  manner,  overwhelmed  every  country  by  the  con- 
jun(Slion  f  their  collective  forces.  But  what  ferved 
to  protedl  the  European  dates  againft  the  farther  de- 
predations of  thefe  favage  conquerors,  was  on  one 
ifide  the  difunion  fubfifling  among  the  Chiefs  of  the 
Mogul  tribes,  and  on  the  other,  the  following  cir- 
cumftapce,  viz.  that  the  valour  as  well  as  the  rapa- 
cious difpoHtionof  the  great,  was  diminiihed  byrich- 
€s  and  voluptuoufnefs.  The  ambafTadors  that  were 
fent  to  the  Mogul  Princes,  were  all  of  them  mere 
Monks,  becaufe  they  alone  were  able  to  bear  the 
terrible  humiliationi,  when  fucb  kind  of  mefTengers 
were  made  to  fufFer.  The  Moguls  then  believed,  as, 
the  Chinefe  do  at  this  prefent  time,  that  all  the  am- 
bafTadors from  other  Princes,  who,  according  to  the 
caftern  cuflonra,  brought  them  prefents,  were  come 
merely  to  acknowledge  their  fupremacy,  and  to  fub- 
mit  themfelves  to  their  Emperor  and  Khan ;  and 
therefore  they  Very  frequently  obliged  thofe  ambafTa- 
dors to  make  fubmifTions  of  a  very  extraordinary  na- 
ture, and  to  go  through  a  ceremonial,  which  was, 
fometimcs  highly  degrading  to  humanity. 

Belides  tholie  ^lonks,  fomc  noble  Venetians  like- 
wife,  who  however  were  carried  thither  merely  by 
the  defire  of  gain  went  to  thb  country  of  the  Mor 
guls  as  far  as  to  the  refidence  of  the  Khans.  Fi- 
nally, we  have  alfo  fome  accounts  of  a  tew  mili- 
tary men,  who  have  penetrated  a  good  way  into  the 
north-eaftern  parts  of  Afia,  which  are  eyen  as  yet  un-, 

kaown. 


m 


DISCOVERIES  jM  THE  NORTH.        91 

.  known.  All  thefe  relations  are  of  very  great  importance 
for  the  purpofe  of  bringing  us  acquaihted  with  the  north, 
^nd  with  refpeft  to  the  hiitory  of  the  manners  and  cha- 
radlers  of  the  northern  nations.  But  our  aim  being 
merely  to  give  a  general  (ketch  of  the  whole  of  the 
hiftory  of  thefe  people  and  countries,  it  is  impofliblc 
for  us  to  be  fo  full  and  copious  as  the  variety  of  obje£ts 
prefented  miy  indeed  require,  but  which  would  by  no 
means  correfpond  with  our  prefent  plan. 

Previous  to  mentioning  the  voyages  of  the  monks  in 
the  North-eaft  parts  of  Afia,  we  will  make  a  few  fliort 
remarks  on  the  narrative  of  the  travels  of  a  SpanifK 
Jew.  He  was  called  Rabbi  Benjamin  of  Tudela^  a  fmall 
tov.'n  in  Navarre.  His  father  was  Rabbi  Jonds ;  and 
probably  lived  alfo  at  Tudela.  On  the  ftrength  of  the 
teftimony  of  Rabbi  Abraham  ZuJtut,  a  celebrated  aflrono- 
mer,  and  profeflbr  at  Salamanca,  who  lived  in  the  hf- 
teenth  century,  it  is  fuppofed,  that  this  Rabbi  Benjamin 
travelled  from  1160  to  1173,  or  thereabout,  and  wrote 
his  travels  afterwards.  Young  Barratier^  that  early 
literary  genius,  aflens,  that  Benjamin  never  made  the 
journey  in  reality,  but  patched  up  the  whole  work 
from  the  writings  of  his  cotemporaries.  It  is  true, 
many  of  the  incredible  tales  which  he  mentions,  ap- 
pear to  be  very  Itrong  proofs  of  this  affertion  : 
there  are  other  circumftances  which  militate  againft 
it.  For  example  j  where'  he  fays,  that  he  has  heard 
himfelf  from  a  certain  Rabbi  Mojes^  in  Ifpahan,  a  hif- 
tory of  the  unbelieving  Turks.  (Chap,  xviii.  &c.). 
The  anomalies  to  be  met  with  in  ,his  work,  are  to  be 
attributed  to  the  miftakes  of  the  copyift,  to  his  own 
want  of  memory,  and  to  many  other  circumftances  *. 


*  But  thefe  incredible  tales  tre  til  in  the  tafle  of  thofe  times;  and 
the  other  travellers  of  ihol'e  ages,  who  are  neverthelefs  believed  to  have 
travelled  in  reality,  are  fjuitc  as  full  of  incitdible  relations.  The  whole 
difference  If,  that  the  tales  which  ihey  relile  arc  Chiiftian  tales,  whil«» 
thele  are  )cwi(h.  The  others  frequently  take  notice  of  the  miracles  of 
praeaded  Claiiliaa  riicts,  and  be,  et  thoie  of  Jewifh  Rabbiea. 

At 


/ 


92 


VOYAGES     AND 


At  the  ienJ  of  his  travels  he  fays,  that  Prague  in  Bohe-^ 
mia  is  the  beginning  of  Hclavonia.  Then  he  fpeaks  of 
the  Ruffian  Linpire,  which  extends  from  the  gates  of 
Prague  to  the  gates  of  Phin  ]>s  a  large  town  at  the 
beginning  of  the  kingdom.  In  that  country  are  the 
animals  called  IVai-regres  w^"ia*i>>n  and  Neblinatz  ynvhli* 
On  the  meaning  of  thefe  words  the  interpreters  are  not 
agreed  ;  but  it  appears  clearly,  that  Phih  is  no  other 
than  Kiow,  the  capital  of  the  Ruffian  Empire  at  that 
time.  We  fhould  therefore  here  read  pa  and  indeed 
the  interpreters,  from  the  final  nun  being  wanting, 
might  ealily  have  fuppoftd,  that  this  name  ought  to  have 
been  written  differently.  Now  follow  the  names  of 
the  animals ;  Ruffia  has  ever  been  famous  for  its  grey 
foxes,  or  grey  fquirrels  ;  thefe  in  the  Ruffian  language 
are  called  Pyjeworka  j  in  the  Hebrew  text  therefore, 
we  (liould  read  \y^:t*iVNi  IVaiwerges^  which  is  as  nearly 
rcfembling  the  Ruffian  as  a  Spanifli  Jew  could  poffibly 
write  it:  and  by  the  animals  called  i>K3^bai  ZeblinatZy 
are  meant  Sables,  the  fkins  of  which,  Jordanis  had  be- 
fore him  called  Sapphi/ifias  pdks.  For  they  have  ever 
been  a  rare  and  choice  fur.  Excepting  this  little. 
Rabbi  Benjamin  has  nothing  at  all  relating  to  this  our 
northern  part  of  the  globe. 

II.  l^he  news  of  the  victories  of  the  Moguls,  who 
on  one  fide  of  the  Gafpian  Sea,  under  the  command  of 
Tufchi-Khan,  the  fon  of  the  great  Zinghis'Khan,  and 
under  that  of  the  fon  of  Tufchi,  Batu-Khan,  advancing 
through  Kiptfchaky  Rujfta^  Poland  and  Hungary  had  pe- 
netrated into  Sile/M }  while  the  fame  people  on  the 
other  fide  of  the  Cafpian  Sea,  had,  under  the  command 
of  Zagathai  Khan,  another  fon  of  Zinghis- Khan's  and 
of  his  nephew  Holaghu-Khan,  made  their  appearance 
en  the  rivers  Tigris  and  Euphrates.  This  news  having 
reached  the  ears  of  Pope  Innocent  IV.  he  thought  it  ad- 
vifeable  in  the  convocation  held  at  Lyons,  A.  D.  124.5, 
that  fome  of  the  clergy  fliould  go  as  ambaffiidors  to  thefe 
formidable  conquerors,  partly  in  oroer  to  pacify  them, 
jujd  to  tur;i  their  conquefts  to  fome  other  objed,  and 

partly 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH*        9^ 

partly  to  endeavour  if  poflible  to  convert  them  to 
the  Chriftian  faith,  and  to  diredt  their  arms  againft 
the  Turks  and  Saracens.  For  this  purpofe  fix  monks 
were  pitched  upon,  fome  of  whom  were  Minorites^ 
and  others  Dominicans^  John  de  Plano^  or  Palatia 
Carpini^  an  Italian  minorite,  with  friar  Benedict  like- 
wile  of  the  fame  order,  as  alfo  brother  Afcelin  or 
Anfetnty  brother  Alexander^  brother  Albert^  and  brother 
Sim»n  of  5/*  ^intin^  all  Dominicans.  Out  of  thefe, 
yohn  de  Piano  Carpini^  and  brother  Benedict  went  to 
the  North  of  the  Cafpian  Sea,  to  Batu-Khan^  and  to 
the  chief  of  all  the  Moguls,  the  Emperor  Kajui' 
Khan  ;  but  brother  Afcelin^  with  his  afTidants,  brothers 
Alexander  Albert ^  and  Simon  of  St.  ^intin^  went  to  the 
South  of  the  Cafpian  Sea,  through  Syria^  Perfia-t  and 
Khorafany  to  Baiju-Nojon^  or  as  the  monks  called 
him  Bajothnoy,  This  latter  expedition  contains  no- 
thing inftrudtive  with  refpeft  to  the  northern  regions; 
we  will  therefore  keep  to  the  expedition  of  John  de 
Piano  Carpini,  who  travelled  through  Bohemia  and 
Poland  as  far  as  Kiow,  and  from  thence  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Dnieper  to  Korrenfa,  a  general  of  the  Moguls. 
Finally,  they  croffed  this  river  in  winter  when  it  was 
frozen,  and  fet  out  to  go  eaft wards  over  the  Don  and 
PVolga,  to  Batu-Khan.  Having  waited  upon  him, 
they  were  Informed  by  him,  that  they  muft  go  to  the 
Cuyne  (as  they  called  him)  or  rather  to  the  Kajuk- 
Khan,  They  travelled  therefore  on  horfeback  in  the 
coldeft  weather,  and  many  days  without  food,  through 
the  land  of  the  Comaniansy  to  the  northward  of  which 
are,  Rujjjiay  Bolgarioy  and  the  Morduines,  as  alfo  the 
Baftarks  (or  rather  Bafchkir*s)  who  are  in  pofleffion  of 
Upper  Hungary,  and  behind  thefe  are  the  Parofttes* 
and  the  Samojades,  who  are  faid  to  have  faces  like 
thofe  of  dogs.     To  the  South  of  the  Comanians  are 

*  Meaning,  perhaps,  the  Parmtfittiy  or  Ftrmicrt,  or,  as  the  Ruffiana 
call  them,  ttrmiakt. 


the 


^ 


VOYAGES     A  NO 


the  Alan'tans^  the  Clrcaffians^  and  the  Chazars  *,  the 
Grecians,  the  city  of  (Jonftantinople,  together  with 
the  Iberians,  Chathions  **,  and  Brutakh  f  ;  then  the 
Jands  of  the  Cythians  X^  Georgians^  yfrmenians,  and 
Turks.  Continuing  now  their  Journey,  they  came 
into  the  country  of  the  Kangitta\\y  who  were  all 
fhepherds  like  the  Comanians,  and  did  not  pradtife 
agriculture. 

From  the  land  of  the  Kangltla,  they  came  to  that 
of  the  Bifermini  (i.  e.  BuTurmeriy  Mufurmen,  or  Ma- 
hometan inhabitants  of  Turkejian)  who  in  faft  fpoke 
the  fame  language  as  the  Comanians^  but  profcfled 
the  religion  of  Mahomet.  To  the  South  of  it  were, 
Jerufalem,  and  Baldachy  {Bagdad)  and  the  whole 
country  of  the  Saracens.  To  the  North  of  it  is 
Black'Kathaya  (or  Karakithai)  §,  in  which  the  Em- 
peror has  built  himfclf  a  palace.  From  thence  they  tra- 
velled for  fome  days  along  a  lake  which  was  all  the  while 
on  their  left  hand,  and  in  which  there  were  many 
iflands.  The  Emperor  being  not  yet  formally  eledted 
and  eftablifhed  on  the  throne^  they  could  not  yet  go  into 

*  The  ./^/dwf  tnd  C/Vrd^ffj  are  (liil  the  inhibitants  of  Caucafuc,  but 
whtt  ptrt  of  it  they  inhabit,  and  whether  the  Chatmri,  dill  inhabit  thoie 
regions,  I  tm  eatirely  ignorant.  In  the  time  of  the  Emperpr  Ctnjiantin 
Perphjrogenala,  A.  D.  949,  the  Chazars  lived  jn  Ciimea,  near  the 
month  of  the  Kubany  and  to  the  North  of  the  Sta  ef  A&cf. 

**  This  name  it  probably  Kakiti^  a  province  of  Gurgijlany  or  Ctttiioj 
which  is  called  I.ere  Iberia. 

"f  The  Brutaks,  or  Brutachsy  are  probably  (\II1  exiting,  for  we  find 
in  the  range  of  the  Caucafus,  inaamerable  remnants  of  irnal)  nations. 
la  the  origioal  map  of  Caucafus,  by  Major  Genrra!  Frantndorf^  we  iind, 
to  the  South  of  the  Alanians,  %  people  called  Brutani;  but  as  it  is  eafy 
in  the  RuHian  language  to  confound  the  n  with  the  ^,  it  is  very  probable, 
that  the  name  of  this  people  tliould  be  Brutackt.  In  a  note,  it  is  added,' 
that  they  are  an  independent  people,  and  have  *  language  of  their  own, 
as  alio  filver  and  copper  coin. 

%  CytHant.  \n  all  probability  this  (hould  be  the  Cycbiant^  or,  as  the 
word  is  generally  written,  Zichians. 

|]  Kanghita\  thefe  people  are  alfo  frequently  called  Kanglii^  or  Koni' 
lis.  They  extend  from  the  Jaii,  or,  as  it  i»  now  called,  Utal,  to  the 
Slrr,  or  Sirdaria ;  and  iheir  habitation!!  extended  even  to  the  river 
Tatasy  or  Talajb^  and  Iffikul.  The  country  they  lived  in  was  an  uncuU 
tivated  defert  plain, 

^  Oktaikhatiy  or  U^aJai  Kbatiy  built  in  Katakithai  the  town  Owy/,  or 
C ha  my  I, 

his 


DISCOVERIES   IN  THE  NORTH.       9^ 

his  Hordt.  They  went  therefore  to  the  land  of  the 
Naymansn  who  are  heathens,  and  inhabit  a  very  high, 
mountainous,  and  cold  country,  for  in  fa<^,  it  fnow- 
ed  there  on  the  29th  of  June.  I'hen  travelling  on 
for  three  weeks  longer,  they  arrived  at  length  at  the 
Cuynis^  or  Kajuk-Kban^s,  who  was  then  juft  going 
to  be  elected  Emperor ;  where  they  were  well  receiv- 
ed, and  treated  better  than  other  ambaflfadors.  Hav- 
ing had  an  audience  of  the  Emperor,  they  were  dif- 
mifled,  and  went  back  the  fame  road  by  which  they 
had  come. 

The  count  /  of  the  Tartars  is.  in  that  part  of  the 
eaft  which  borders  on  the  north  ;  towards  the  eaft 
they  have  Kathay  and  the  Solangians  **  ;  To  the  fouth 
the  Saracens^  to  the  fouth-weil  the  Huirs  (or  Uigurs) 
to  the  weft  the  Naymam  and  to  the  north  the  Great 
Ocean.  The  place  where  they  waited  on  the  Emperor 
was  called  Syr  a  Horda. 

They  acknowledge  but  one  God,  the  Creator  of 
all  things,  vifibleand  invifible  ;  v/ho  diftributes  to  all 
mankind  rewards  and  punifhments,  according  to  their 
deferts.  But  they  do  not  pay  any  particular  worfhip 
to  him.  On  the  other  hand,  they  have  many  idols 
made  of  felt  (called  in  the  Ruffian  tongue  JVoelocks) 
which  they  fix  up  in  their  houfes  ;  fome  are  even  made 
of  filk,  and  are  more  honoured  than  the  others.  To 
thefe  they  facrifice  fome  part  of  what  they  eat  and 
drink,  as  alfo  the  hearts  of  the  beafh  they  kill.  In 
(hort,  they  feem  to  have  profefied  the  Scbaman  religi- 
on, which  is  an  elder  branch  of  that  of  the  Bramins 
and  of  Dalai  Lama,  They  were  accuidomed  to  leave 
thofe  that  were  dangcroufly  Tick  to  themfelves,  and 
afterwards,  when  they  died,  to  return  and  bury  them, 
which  the  Calmucks  ftill  do  at  this  time.  They  were 
polygamifts,  and  had  many  virtues,  but  were  not 
without  their  failings. 

III.  The  views  of  the  Moguls  were  merely  to  put 
the  Chriftians  off  with  fair  words,  and  then,  on  the 
firft  opportunity  that  offered,  to  carry  the  war  into  their 
countries  when  they  leaft  expefted  it,    and  agreeably 

•*  The  Sslangts  are,  without  doubt,  the  very  Time  nation  wilh  the 
AlatiJjhutianSy  who  are  (lill  to  this  diy  c*lled  Suliinians. 

to 


96 


V  O  Y  A  G  fe  S    ANri 


I 


to  their  coriftant  cuftom,  to  ravage  and  dcftroy  ever^ 
thing  they  came  near.'  In  the  years  1246  and  1247* 
another  ambaflador  arrived  from  the  Pope,  who  was 
aifo  a  Monk,  and  was  named  Andrew  Luciumeh 
But,  notwithflanding  this,  the  preparations  for  war 
againft  the  Chriftians  went  on  without  interruption^ 
The  Emperor  fent  feveral  troops  againft  the  people 
that  had  rebelled  againft  him  in  Korea,  and  died  foon 
after,  having  removed  from  Karakoruniy  more  weft- 
ward  to  Kamfatkit  by  which  means  this  defign  of  his 
was  entirely  fruftrated, 

IV.  To  the  new-ele<5led  Emperor  Mangu  Khan, 
who  was  chofen  in  the  year  1251,  and  of  whom  ic 
was  reported  in  the  weft,  that  he  had  been  converted 
to  the  Chriftian  religion.  King  Lewis  IX.  of  France, 
fent,  in  the  quality  of  Ambaftador,  a  Brabantine 
Friar,  of  the  minorite  order,  by  name  lUlliam 
Ruyjbroek,  otherwiie  called  Ru/brock,  Rubruckf  and 
Rubruquis, 

Ruyjbroeck  went  from  Conftantinople  by  fea,  to  thcf 
Black  Sea,  to  Gafaria  (Crimea)  to  that  part  of  Sol- 
deya,  which  is  otherwife  called  Sogdat,  or  Scldadiai 
and  at  this  prefent  time  Sudak,  to  the  weftward  of 
which  is  the  town  called  Kerfona  (Cherfone,  or 
Cherfon)  which  according  to  Inkermahy  is  the  modern 
Schurzi,  or  Gurzi,  or  Scherfon*  But  to  the  eaft,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Tanais,  is  Maricandis,  and  the 
tovfn  Matriga,  or  Materca*-,  for  the  Don,  before  it 
falls  into  the  fea,  forms  yet  another  lake  towards  the 
north,  the  depth  of  which  is  not  aboye  fix  paces,  while 
in  length  it  is  700  Italian  miles.  To  this  Materca 
merchants  go  from  Conftantinople  to  buy  dried  fiih, 
viz.  Sturgeons^  Thofes,  or  Tunnies^  and  Barbels.     Be- 

*  Maricandis  and  Matriga,  or  Materia^  rouft  be  (ought  for  on  the 
fhores  of  (he  Straiis.  The  (irfl  name  appertains  to  a  village  or  iflami, 
\vhich  lies  oppofiie  to  (he  Straits,  and  is  ai  this  prefent  time  called  Ta- 
wtnda.  At  the  mouth  of  one  of  the  branches  of  the  river  Kuban  is  the 
town  of  Temruci,  which  was  formerly  called  by  the  Ruflians  Tmuttak- 
ban^  an.i  by  the  Greeks,  Tamatarcba;  that  is  Va-wrt/frca,  ox  Afaten/iy 
and  Matriia.  Some  Kuflian  Piinces  even  had  their  refidenccs  in  Ttnw 
trakhan'-,  Prince  Mjlijlaf,  for  inltance  the  Ion  of  fVladimir  the  Gre<ity 
aod  brother  of  Jarifiaf  l,  was  Prince  of  Tmuirakhan. 

yond 


whi 
wh< 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        ^j 

yond  the  mouth  of  this  lake  Is  9!iichia^  which  is  not 
fubjeft  1  >  the  Tartars,  and  the  Suevi  (or  Suani)  and 
the  Iberians*  The  whole  country,  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Tanais  as  far  as  the  Danube. weftward,  all  is 
fubjeft  to  the  Tartars,  and  even  beyond  the  Danube 
cowards  Conftantinople.  The  whole  of  Walachiay 
which  is  the  country  belonging  to  j([fan  *,  and  the 
whole  of  Bulgaria^  quite  to  Solinia,  (or  Solonoma**,) 
pay  them  tribute. 

Along  thefe  ftiores,  between  Karfona,  Soldeya^  and 
the  mouth  of  the  Don<i  there  are  many  high  promon- 
tories. But  from  Seldeya  to  Kerfona  are  about  40  cailles, 
each  of  which  has  its  peculiar  language  ;  amongft 
them  arc  many  Goths,  whofe  mother- tongue  is  the 
German  ***♦  Going  from  Soldaya  acrofs  the  moun- 
tains, they  came  into  a  plain,  where  they  found  a 
foreft,  and  where,  near  the  land's  end,  there  arc 
ftagnated  falt-lakes,  the  fait  of  which  cryftalizes  like 
ice,  and  was  fold,  by  Sartach  and  Batu,  at  the  rate  of 
a  waggon  load,  fuch  as  could  be  drawn  by  two 
horfes,  for  two  pieces  of  cotton  ftufF,  or  for  one  hyper^m 
bwotty  which  is  the  value  of  about  two  dollars.  Ships 
alfo  tak  i  n  ladings  of  this  fait.  Then  he  went  acrofs 
a  ioS€  which  is  drawn  at  the  end  of  Gazaria  from 
one  fca  to  the  other  (perhaps  near  Perekop).  Upon 
this  they  travelled  to  the  eaft ward  on  the,  north  lide 


t! 


*  A.  D.  i±35,  7»*«y^)i  became  King  of  Bulgjria,  and  reigned  till 
1141,  when  his  fon  Kohmatiy  i'ucceedcd  him  in  the  throse  till  it^K,^  dnd 
uab  in  his  turn  fucceeded  by  Ajjfan*%  fecond  fon,  Michaely  who  waged  war 
againd  the  Tartars,  and  again^  Jobn  yatatzes.  But  how  comes  if  thca 
to  pafs  that  Ruyjhrteek  gives  Walachia  to  Aflan,  and  not  Bulgaria,  the 
empire  he  inherited  from  his  father,  of  which  he  neverthclela  makei 
mention  immediately  after  ? 

•*  By  this  probably  is  meant  Tbejftlonieay  or  Satonicti. 

«•*  ^Bj;/Sr««i  is  the  firft  who  fpoite  of  thefe  G«//ix  in  Crimea.  AT* 
ter  hin™,  a  Venetian,  named  Jofaphat  Barharo,  has  made  mention  of 
them  A.  D.  1436,  in  his  yiaggio  alia  Tanna^  parag.  20  ;  and  afterwards 
Bujbeck  fpoke  to  fome  of  thofe  Goths,  Ambalfadors  from  the  Crimean 
Tartary,  A.  D.  156a,  and  gives  us  a  catalogue  of  words  of  their  lan- 
guage. Upon  this  teUimony  of  Ruy/broeck  depends  the  ixiftcnce  of  the 
Caflella  Judeorumy  or  rather  Gothorum,  which  are  laid  down  in  fome  an- 
cient maps  of  Crimea,  and  which  even  that  refpeiftabie  geogr.ipher,  fa- 
ther DanvilUy  has  admitted  into  his  maps,  and  transformed  them  inta 
CbateauM  dtt  Jcifu 

H  of 


98 


VOYAGES    AND 


of  the  Tea,  and  law  many  Comanian  fepulchres,  and 
JCaptfchak  Comaniansj  vfhQ  reached  from  the  Danube 
to  the  Don,  and  to  the  river  Etilia,  or  Wolga*  Be- 
tween the  two  lafl;  rivers,  it  is  lo  long  days  journey 
more.  To  the  north  of  K^ptfchak-Comania  is  Rulfia, 
full  of  forefts  :  this  country  is  daily  ravaged  by  the 
Tartars  ;  and  when  the  poor  people  have  no  more 
gold  and  filver  left  to  give,  they  drive  them  away 
together  with  their  children,  lilce  cattle,  and  make 
them  tend  their  flocks.  Beyo;nd  the  Don,  they  found 
a  people  called  Moxel*  ;  the  principal  Lords  of  which 
the  Tartars  had  taken  with  them  to  Germany,  where 
they  were  killed.  They  are  all  heathens,  and  have 
a  great  quantity  of  hogs,  wax,  rich  furs,  and  falcons. 
Then  follow  next  to  thefe,  the  Merdas,  called  in 
J^atin,  Merduas**,  who  are  of  the  Mahometan  reli- 
gion. P'arthcr  on  to  the  eaftwards  is  the  great  river 
Etili^***,  which  is  the  largeft  river  Ruyflroeck  ever 
faw.  It  coiues  from  the  northward  and  from  Great 
Bulgaria^  and  to  the  fouthward  empties  itfelf  into  a 
large  lake.,  or  fea^  which  takes  four  months  to  travel 
round  its  circumference.  To  the  fouth  are  large 
jnpuntains,  which  are  inhabitated  by  the  Cergis  f  (or 
Kermis)  and  the  Alanians  (or  AkasX)  whq  are  Chritti- 

an^ 


f  Mikfcba  is  the  name  tJie  MorJuani  call  themfelves  by;  thefe  peo- 
ple therefore  are  probably  the  Moxel  oS  Ruyjbroeck. 

■  ♦*  By  thtfe /Tfc/t/i/a;,  or  MerJas,  are  in  all  probability  meant  the 
ffcheremlfer,  who  call  themfelves  Mari-Murt^  or  the  people  of  Mari '^ 
but  F  "^ rofck{\n  the  fame  manner  as  Guaguintis  has  done)  very  errone- 
oiifly  Is  them  Mahometans,  merely  becaufe  they  do  not  work  on  Fri- 
day?, a  prai£\ice  which  they  probably  learned  from  the  neighbouring  Ma-? 
hometau  Tiitars  ;    for  tffey  themfelves  are  all  heathens. 

*•'•  The  river  Wol^a  is  called  IJel  by  the  Tartars,  the  'r.fchwwafchet 
c^ll  \\.Atel^  K^r  AtaU  from  which  the  word  Etil'ta  feems  to  be  derived. 
Taken  in  its  general  fi^nification,  the  word  means  a  river  i  and  thio  ii>  ia 
fai.'^,  as  Ruyjbroeck  calls  it,  the  greaieft  river  in  Euiope. 

f  The  Cergis^  or  Kergis,  are  the  fame  as  the  Tfcherktefchians^  or  Cir- 
taffiaiii, 

X  The  Alanians  are  called  by  Ruyftroeck  Akaf,  prol>ably  from  0:UgaJ 
(Atlgai^  AJkat  and  Akas.)  But  it  is  the  -Tjchfrk^fcbians  v/ho  call  thcm- 
tflves  AJigat,  and  not  the  A'anians.  I  find  in  the  manulcript  lemarks  of 
»he  late  profelTbr  Tbunman  oa  Bergcron''s  coW^Siwa  cf  travels,  which  are 

■  •      ;      ■  to 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THi  NORTH.        99 

ans  and  make  war  upon  the  Tartars.  Towards  the 
jgreat  Tea,  viz.  the  Cafpian,  are  fome  Mahometans 
called  Lefghif  who  are  tributary  to  the  Tartars.  Be- 
yond thele  is  the  iron  gate,  (Derbend*,)  built  by 
Alexander  the  Great,  to  hinder  the  irruption  of  the 
Barbarians  into  JPerfia. 

Having  travelled  for  feven  days  to  the  caftwards 
from  the  Don^  they  came  at  length  to  the  camp  of 
Sartach  the  Ton  of  Batu^  and  having  had  an  audi- 
ence of  him,  they  went  to  the  Wolga,  three  days 
journey,  and  in  boats  five  days  Journey,  down  to  the 
camp  of  BatU'Khan,  on  the  Eaft  fide  of  the  river. 
They  had  an  audience  of  him  alfo;  and  foon  after, 
having  followed  his  camp  for  fome  time,  they  went 
with  a  ^/«a/(Mogol)  of  diftin^tion  to  the  eaflward, 
through  the  land  of  the  Cangla,  who  are  defcendants 
of  the  ancient  Romani  (Komani),  being  previoufly 
provided  with  pelifles  and  boots  of  felt.  Having 
travelled  for  the  fpacc  of  twelve  days  from  the 
Wolga  eaftwards,  they  came  to  the  river  yagag 
(Jaik-t  or  Aral)-,  which  runs  from  the  North  out  of 
the  land  of  the  Pafcatir  **  into  the  fea  above-men- 
tioned. The  language  of  the  Pafcatirs  is  the  fame 
as  that  of  the  Hungarians.     To  the  weftward  of  them 


CO  be  round  in  the  libriry  of  the  Univerfity  %\.  Halle,  that  againft  the 
word  Alat  he  has  written  in  the  margin  Adiga ;  but  this  vas  reverted 
by  the  mark  made  by  profeffor  Guldenjiadt,  in  BuJcHng^i  IVetkiy  Intel- 
Itt^eneer  for  the  year  1773*  according  to  which  the  Tfcheriafcbians  all 
themfelvet  Adiga.  But  the  Alanians^  next  neighbours  in  the  monntains 
are  the  Diketiy  or  Adikcti,  whrnce  Adktti,  Adkefi,  and  finally,  Aias. 
And  as  the  Ruflun  princec  in  Tmutrakan  had  a  Lordfhip  in  this  neighbour* 
hood,  it  is  very  poflible  that  they  may  have  cor.veried  fome  of  the  nati- 
«n»  (iwelltng  in  the  Caucafus  to  the  Chridian  religion,  of  which  indeed 
ihr  Kullians  have  lately  difcovered  many  traces. 

*  Ot  this  pafs  and  of  the  ancient  wall,  which  rnns  from  Derbent  to 
the  wedward,  Bayer  treats  in  hia  Dlfliertatton  De  Murt  Caucajeo^  in  the 
Commentar.  Petiopolii.  torn,  i,  pag.4ie,  to  436. 

*♦  Pafcatir  is  alio  written  Bafckart^  or  Bafcart.  This  country  wss 
the  feat  of  the  ancient  Hungarianrj  or  Madfchars  {Magyar).  The  B 
is  often  u fed  for  My  and  viceverfa;  fo  that  Bafckart  and  Madjihart 
feem  to  be  abfoiuteiy  the  fame.  The  KuiHaat  call  the  people  that  inha^ 
fticthisiincient  i3fl/fif'tfr/,  Bafehiirs^ 

W  ?  is 


100 


VOYAGES    AND 


1%  Bulgaria^  but  their  country  has  neither  towns  nor 
villages  of  which  none  are  to  be  met  with  fron» 
thence- forward,  neither  to  the  Eaft,  nor  to  the 
North  ;  fo  that  the  LeJJer  Bulgaria  is  the  laft  coun- 
ity  in  which  there  are  any.  From  this  land  of 
Pafcatir^  {Bafcharty  or  Bafcart)y  came  by  the  Jium^ 
who  are  now  called  Hungarians,  and  confequently 
this  is  Great  Bulgaria.  It  is  reported  of  the  Hum^ 
that  they  penetrated  through  the  Pafs  of  Alexander 
in  the  Caucafus,  and  mounted  on  their  fwift  horfes, 
laid  wade  every  country  as  far  as  Egypt,  and  on  the 
other  fide  as  far  as  France.  They  were  ftill  more 
powerful  than  the  Modern  Tartars  (or  Mogols), 
and  were  oppofed  by  t\\&  Blacs  {IVlachs),  Bulgarians^ 
and  Vandals.  For  thefc  Bulgarians  'came  from  Qreat 
Bulgaria,  and  thofc  beyond  the  Danube  near  Con- 
ftantinople,  as  well  as  thofc  near  the  Pafcatir,  arc 
the  JlatSi  which  is  the  fame  as  Blacs ;  for  the  Tar-r 
tars  cannot  pronounce  the  B.  Now  from  thefe  are 
defcended  thofe  who  are  in  the  country  of  JJ/an, 
For  they  are  both  called  Ilac  [both  thcfe  and  the 
other)  in  the  language  of  the  Ruffians,  Poles,  an4 
Bohemians.  The  language  of  the  Sclavonians  is  the 
fame  with  that  of  the  Vandals.  All  the  Sclavoni- 
ans were  connefled  with  the  Huns,  and  now  they 
are  alfo  united  with  the  Tartars.  What  I,  viz, 
Ruyjhroeck^  have  related  of  the  land  of  Pafcatir^  I 
have  learned  from  the  monks  Predicant,  who  went 
thither  before  ever  the  Tartars  came  abroad  ;  and  from 
that  time  they  were  fubjugated  by  the  neighbouring 
Mahometan  Bulgarians,  and  many  of  them  became 
Mahometans*.  Having  travelled  on  to  the  eaftward 

from 


•  Tlii^  Important  pafTage  feettis  not  to  nave  been  perfeflly  well  con\- 
prchended  by  many  people,  nor  made  all  the  advantages  of  which  it  i^ 
capable  of  aiYoiding.  As  well  the  ancient  .'nd  piimitive  Bulgarians^  as 
al!b  the  Bofchnrtiaus,  or  Madfchars^  I'eem  to  be  either  a  nation  which 
is  delccnd<rd  from  a  Turkifh  tribe,  but  which  having  lived  tor  a  long 
time  arnongH,  or  in  ihe  vicinity  of  the  eaUein  and  northern  Ruflian 
tiibcF,  which  Ipeak  the  lunguage  oT  the  Fiulandcrs,  have  in  conlir- 
tiTience  thereof  adopted  much  of  the  language  of  tl-.ole  people, 
or  clfe  they  are  entirely  of  Finnilh  eMraftion  ;  ih;it  is  to  lay, 
they  originate  from  the  iatiic  ptopit  from  whona  the  Finlmdtr., 
■  ■  ■  •   '  E.fthuman-, 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       lor 

from  Holy-rooJ  day,  or  the  14th  of  September,  to 
Ali-faints  day,  or  the  ift  of  November,  they  found 
that  the  people  were  already  gone  with  their  flocks  to 
the  South  ;  they  therefore  diredc  1  their  courfe  to  the 
fouthward  over  fome  mountains.    In  this  journey  they 

BnhoaianSf  Laplanders,  Livonian*,  Pcrrtiiflns,  Srrjanians,  Wofvols, 
Wotiaks,  Tfcheiemiflt'S,  Morduanians,  and  the  JCondiaa  Oniaka 
defcendf  ts  there  ia  a  great  «frimty  between  the  languages  of  all 
thefe  people.  The  Balchartlans,  Madfchars,  or  Bafchkirians,  arc 
defcended  from  the  Finianders,'  but  thrfe,  and  the  Tfchuwafches  have 
adopted  the  languages  of  their  conquerors,  the  Tartars.  But  Ruyfbroeck 
if  certainly  much  millaken,  when  h^  make«  the  Hunt  alfo  proceed  from 
the  fame  i\ock.  It  mull  be  ownedi  however,  that  tribes  of  very  dif- 
ferent and  quite  foreign  nations  went  along  with  4he  Huns;  even  Goths, 
Sclavonians,  and  Alanians;  it  is  therefore  not  lo  be  wondered  at,  that 
Ibme  tribes  of  Finianders  likewii'e,  or  even  Turks,  (liould  have  ad- 
vanced  with  them  in  their  grand  predatory  and  deval^atory  expeditions  to 
the  weftern  countries,  as  far  as  France  and  Italy.  Of  ihefe  tribes  it  was 
the  Bulgarians  (fo  called,  perhaps,  after  their  capital  Buljar,  from 
whith  too  afterwards,  \\\e  great  river  /itel,  or  £///,  got  the  name  of 
fi^tlga)^  and  ihe  fValaths,  or  fVolochs^  or  fVolegarSy  or  fVelgarty  (and 
conftquently  thefe  fame  Bulgarians)  which  A.  D.  ^89,  fettled  on  the 
north  fide  of  the  Danube.  The  Fcndah  mentioned  here,  are  indubita- 
bly the  fVenJs,  or  that  tribe  of  the  Sclavooians  which  oppofed  the  Mo- 
guls and  the  Tartars  who  fought  under  the  banners  of  the  latter.  RujJ- 
orofck  fecms  to  confirm  the  conje^lurc,  that  the  Bulgarian!  and  the 
fVotogi,  or  ff^elecbi^  or  IVlacs^  or  //of  J,  are  one  and  the  fame  people. 
He  fays;  •'  from  Great  Bulgaria  come  as  well  the  Buigariam  beyond, 
'*  the  Danube,  as  alfo  thofe  near  the  PaJ'catir  arc  the  /'ar,  which,  how- 
**  ever,  is  the  fame  as  fi/df,"  (or  in  the  manner  in  which  the  fl  is  f re-' 
<|uehtly  pronounced,  fVUc).  In  fa£V,  we  (hould  read  here,  *' thefe  are 
"  the  //af."  The  original  runs  thus,  "  de  nllii  enim  Major!  Bulgaria 
*'  venerunt  Mli  Bulgari;  etqui  funt  ultra  Danubium  prope  Conllantino- 
**  polin  &  juxta  Pilcatir  funt  Ilac,  quod  idem  eft  quod  Blac."  Here  it 
i&ttM  as  if  the  article  hi  (hould  be  tupplied,  and  the  paiTage  (hould  be 
read  "  hi  funt  Ilac."  But  when  Ruyjbrtntk  fays,  '*  that  the  name  of 
*<  thefe  people  in  the  RulHan,  Polonian,  and  Bohemian  tongues  is  //or/' 
fie  is  much  midaken,  for  in  all  thefe  languages  it  mud  be,  ff^lack^  ot, 
lFlech\  and  even  Nefl»r  q%\\»,  t\\vm  ff^eltchs.  The  land  oi  AJj'an  is 
Bulgaria  on  the  Danube ;  confequently,  he  means  pnly  to  indicate,  that 
the  Bulgarians  who  firft  fettled  on  the  Danube  were  PVtkgians.  The 
Bulgarians  or  fVohgians  on  the  Danube,  liad  an  criginal  language  of 
their  own,  but  having  much  intercourfe  with  Ihe  Sclavetiians,  Alban.anst 
and  Remans,  this  produced  a  jargon  compounded  uf  Albanian,  ficla" 
vonian,  and  Latin,  or  of  the  lingua  mjlicn,  or  language  of  the  Romi(K 
peafants;  this  mixed  language  is  ftill  ([^ok^  in  IVa lack la.  Before  I  end 
this  remark,  I  (>iall  rnly  add,  that  probably  in  Ceimany  and  France,  th« 
cultom  of  cadiating  horfes  was  fiift  learned  fmm  thefe  eaftcrn  nation*; 
for  in  French,  a  callrated  horle  or  gelding  is  called  un  hengn,  probably 
frpm  the  Hungarians  ;  the  German  name  for  it  ii,  ff'alhch,  taktn,  a 
if  (houjd  fetm,  from  thofe  fi'aU/.iant ;  and  ev^n  in  th«  Po!i(h  langua^p  * 
gelding  is  called  a  fP'tsltah. 

met 


102 


V  OYAGES    AND 


i  I 


met  with  wild  alTes,  called  Kolan  ♦,  which  refemblcJ 
mules.  At  the  end  of  fcvcn  days,  they  faw  fome  very 
high  mountains  at  a  diflance.  Here  they  came  into  a 
plain  which  was  well  watered,  and  found  the  land 
cultivated.  And  foon  after  this  they  arrived  at  a  town 
called  Kenkat,  The  guides  could  not  even  tell  Ruyf- 
broeck  the  name  of  the  country.  It  was  watered  by 
a  large  river  proceeding  from  the  mountains :  this 
river,  however,  did  not  difcharge  itfelf  into  any  fea, 
but  lofl  itfelf  in  the  ground,  and  produced  large 
marihes  there.  Here  he  faw  vines  growing,  and  pro- 
cured  wine  to  drink.  1'he  next  day  they  came  to 
another  dwelling,  nearer  to  that  chain  of  mountains, 
which  beyond  the  Cafpian  Sea,  forms  the  Caucafus, 
and  runs  on  to  the  eaftward  of  it.  He  found  here, 
that  they  had  entirely  pafTed  by  the  Cafpian  Sea. 
Here  too,  Ruyjbroeck  enquired  after  a  town  called 
Ta/asy  in  which  lived  fome  Germans,  fubjedls  of 
B.^ryy  according  to  what  he  had  heard  from  Friar  An- 
drew. But  he  obtained  no  information  concerning 
them  till  he  arrived  at  the  court  of  Mfinghu-Khan  j, 
and  all  he  learned  there  was,  that  the  tov»  n  calle  1  Tal<>^ 
lay  about  fix  days  journey  farther  in  the  mountair:'. 
At  the  court  of  Manghu-Khan  he  was  told,  that  the 
Khariy  with  the  confent  of  Batu^  had  placed  thefe. 
people  at  the  diflance  of  more  than  a  month's  journe/ 
to  the  Eafl,  where  they  wrought  in  the  gold  mines, 
and  forged  arms ;  fo  that  he  could  not  get  to  fee  them. , 
It  is  true,  in  his  road,  he  had  got  fo  near,  as  to  be 
within  three  days  journey  of  them,  but  he  did  not 
know  it,  nor,  indeed,  if  he  had,  would  he  have « 
ventured  to  go  fo  far  out  of  his  road  on  this  ac- 
count f.     From  this  laft   place,    they  went  to   the 

Eaftward 


•  The  wild  afles  in  thefe  parts  are  ftill  called  Kuhn ;  this  therefore 
is  a  confirmation  of  /f«);/J/-«fil's  veracity.  Farther  particulars  concern- 
ing theVe  wild  afles  are  to  be  found  in  the  ad  vol.  of  M.  Palias's  North' 
em  Colle&iant^  [Nordifche  Beitrage]  page  la,  &c. 

•f*  It  is  evident,  that  the  author  went  through  the  whol«  defart,  frAm 
the  fVelga  lo  the  Jaik,  or  Ural,  the  Jenba^  and  the  nonh  of  Jake 
44ral,  as  far  as   the   boid«rt  of  Tiirketian.    The  town  of  Kinkat  \% 

about 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        103 

Eaftward  along  the  mountains  before-mentioned,  and 
came  to  the  fubjcdls  of  Manghu-Khan,  who  paid 
great  honours  to  the  ambafladors  of  BatUy  for  Bntus 
ipeople  aflume  more  confcquence  than  the  others,  and 
•do  not  obey  fo  willingly.  A  few  days  after,  they 
came  into  the  mountains  where  the  Kara-Kothaidns  ♦ 
had  formerly  dwelled  j  here  they  met  with  a  large 
river,  which  they  were  obliged  to  crofs  in  a  (hip. 
They  then  dcfcended  into  a  valley,  in  which  they 
found  the  ruins  of  a  caflle,  though  the  walls  of  it 
were  only  of  clay  ;  the  country  round  about  it  was 
cultivatccf.  Thence  they  came  to  a  good  town,  call- 
ed Equiust  the  inhabitants  fpoke  the  Pcrfian  tongue\ 
and  profcfled  the  Mahometan  religion.  The  next 
day,  having  croifed  the  high  hills  which  communi- 
cated with  the  great  mountains  to  the  fouthward, 
they  arrived  on  a  large  and  very  beautiful  plain,  on 
the  right  of  which  was  a  ridge  of  high  mountains^ 
and  on  the  left  a  lake  15  days  journey  in  circumfer- 
ence. This  country  is  watered  at  pleafuro  by  the 
dreams  coming  from  the  mountains,  which  at  lail 
JHow  altogether  into  this  lake.  When  they  returned 
in  the  fummer,  they  went  along  the  north  fide  of  the 
lake,  vvhere  there  were  alfo  very  high  mourttairts.  In 
the  above-mentioned  plains  there  had  formerly  been 
many  toWns^  but  they  had  almoft  all  been  demolifhed^ 
that  the  Tartars  (i.  e.  Moguls)  might  graze,  theif 
herds  there  j  for  about  this  fpot  there  are  the  fineft 
paAures  for  cattle*     They  found  a  large  town  called 

about  the  fpot  where  now  Kafchknnat  i«  iltnit(  d.  The  rivers  Tfchui 
snd  lalat,  both  of  vhich  are  in  that  neighbourhood,  lofe  themlelret 
both  in  marrtiy  lake*.  The  country  thereabouts  is  fertile  tnd  pleai'ant , 
4nd  it  is  not  unlikely  that  there  was  formerly  o"  the  river  Taldt  a  town 
of  the  fume  name.  In  fa£l,  there  is  to  the  callward,  at  this  pret'ent 
time,  the  town  called  Bslak,  or  Hitn/ai^  or  Baulak,  though  not  at  fo 
great  diClance  fronn  thence  as  Ruyfbioectt  had  been  informed  it  Was. 
Thefe  parts  alfo  protluce  good  wines. 

•  The  weftern  Khitans  conquered  the  countries  round  Turfan  and 
Kaffhkar,  frbhi  the  Ob  and  Irtijch  to  the  Amudaria  (Oxut  Gihon, 
Dlaihun)  :  znd  Si rJtri a  (Jaxarut^  Sirt,  Sihon)  and  the  country  wa;. 
called  KhitAr^  after  the  conquerors  of  it;  the  Khitdians,  and,  becaufe 
the  inhabitants  were  obliged  to  pay  tribute  to  the  Khitaiant^  Kara- 
Khitai  i  in  the  eafl,  all  fmall,  iniigniiicant  nations  that  pay  tribute,  be* 
inp  called /Cirfl,  O'- black;  while  the  free  nations,  on  the  contrary*  aie 
tfsllcd  <white ;  the  Rufllan  Czar,  for  inllauce,  is  by  the  people  uf  the 
fifl  ceiled  the  •wUti  Caar. 

Kailac 


194 


VOYAGES    ANB 


m 


Kailac  *  {Cailacy  or  Cealec)^  where  there  wi?i  a 
market,  or  fair,  to  which  a  number  of  merchants 
reforted.  Here  they  waited  a  whole  fortnight  for  a 
fecretary  of  Batu*Sy  who  was  to  affift  their  guides  in 
the  difpatch  of  Batu's  affairs  at  the  court  of  the 
Khan.  The  whole  of  this  country  was  wont 
to  be  called  Organuniy  and  they  had  a  language, 
as  well  as  written  charadlers,  peculiar  to  them- 
felves.  But  it  was  altogether  occupied  at  this 
time  by  the  Kontomanni,  The  Ne/lorians,  in  their 
divine  worfhip,  were  accuftomed  to  make  ufe  of  the 
language  and  written  characters  of  this  ptople.  Here 
he  likewife  found  theNeftorians  mixed  with  the  Hea- 

*  The  whole  of  this  country  may  be  pointed  out  with  the  greateft 
exaflnefs.  For  the  large  lea,  or  lake,  mentioned  by  the  authoi.,  is  the 
Balckafch  Nor,  or  Paikafi,  which,  in  the  new  large  map  of  Ruflla* 
publiflied  in  the  year  1776,  by  the  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Peterfburfh* 
it  and  republiftied  in  Mr.  Coxe's  ul'eful  and  entertaining  Account^  tht 
Ruffian  Difccveries^  is  called  Lac  Tetigis,  i.  e.  the  Lake  Sea  ;  for  TetigeSf 
or  Zenghia,  ligniBes  a  fea  or  lake-,  and  this  lea  it  to  large,  that  it  ia 
biirdly  poflibleto  travel  round  it  in  lefs  thati  i;  days.  It  is  about  zl  de« 
grees  long,  and  i-^  degree  broad,  and  confequently  about  480  miles  ia 
circumferance,  which  is  at  the  rate  of  31  miles  per  day  ;  and  thefe  are, 
in  fa£l,  long  days  journeys,  unlefs  one  has  relays  of  horfes.  Into  this 
lake  leveral  rivers  difcharge  themfelve':,  but  particularly  rhe  //r,  not 
far  from  which  the  Kalmuck  Longarian  Khans  ufed  to  pitch  their  winter 
camp  (Urga)  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Korgei  (or  Harkas)  in  like  man- 
ner as  their  I'ummer  camp  ufed  to  be  on  the  banks  of  the  7ekts,  which 
ran  weftwards  into  the  lU.  All  thefe  rivers  come  from  the  Mus-Taut 
or  the  Icy-mountains,  and  run  together  with  the  Hi  into  the  Palkaji, 
By  the  town  Equiut  is  meant  the  Akfu,  fituated  on  the  river  Tekes, 
The  town  of  Kailak  is  alfo  to  be  found  in  the'  above-mentioned  map, 
being  there  called  Golka,  and  placed  on  the  banks  of  the  ///.  Th« 
country  called  Organum,  i%  in  my  opinion,  the  Irgenekon  (or  Irgana- 
itn)  of  Abulgaji  BayaAur  Khan,  vol.  ii,  cap.  5,  for  it  fignifies  a  valley, 
furrounded  by  deep  mountains,  which  exactly  anfwers  to  Ruy{broeck\ 
defcription  of  the  country  of  Organum.  The  Kontemanians  are  people 
entirely  unknown;  neither  can  I  any  where  find  any  traces  of  them. 
We  mufl  therefore  endeavour  to  feek  them  out.  They  were  certainly 
ft  Mogul  tribe  ;  for  they  were  in  the  number  of  thofe  particular  fubjefis 
of  Maflghu  Khan,  who  had  difloriged  the  Kara-Kithaiann.  The  Mogu!» 
h^d  long  before  extended  to  a  great  diftaoce  northwards  along  the  bank% 
of  the  OA,  Irtifck,  and  Ifchim,  quite  to  the  ocean.  The  people  of  that 
tribe,  which  lived  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Khonda,  or  Kenta,  were 
vailed  Kontomanni,  in  like  manner  as  the  Turks  were  called  Turkomanni, 
Now  thefe  Kontomanniant  appear  in  the  courfe  of  time,  and  after  the 
dcftruCtion  of  the  empire  of  the  KarO'Klitans,  to  have  fettled  on  tli;; 
banks  of  the  river  ///')  and  of  the  lake  Kalcbifch,  or  Palkaft.  This 
river  Khofida,  or  Konda,  was  afterwards  added  to  the  title  of  the  Czar, 
in  which  we  find  inlerted  the  provin-e  of  Ohdoria,  a  name  derived  fron» 
the  river  0^,  ftodtbat  of  Kindinia,  from  thcA'«nt/a. 

thens. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       105 

thens,  of  whom  there  are  different  fpecies.  But  firft 
are  the  "fugurs^  whofe  cauntry  is  (ituated  between  the 
mountains  above-mentioned  to  the  eaftward  of  Orga- 
num.  But  in  all  the  towns  the  Nejiorians  live  promifi 
cuoufly  amongft  the  Mahometans,  and  are  fcattered 
every  w^ere  up  and  down  in  the  Mahometan  towns  as 
far  as  Perlia.  Thefe  Nejiorians  are  Heathens,  worship 
idols,  and  have  paternofters,  or  beadrolls  with  about 
100,  or  200  beads  on  each;  the  words  in  which  they 
pray,  are,  Ou  Mam  HaSfaui^  i.  e.  *'  Ood^  thou  knowejl 
it^**  as  one  of  them  explained  it  to  Ruyfbrocck  ♦• 
They  alfo  believe  that  as  often  as  they  repeat  this 
prayer,  fo  often  will  God  reward  them.  From  thefe 
people  it  is  that  the  Tartars  or  Monks  have  got  their 
alphabet  and  mode  of  writing.  They  begin  to  write  at 
the  top  of  their  paper,  on  the  left-hand  fide,  drawing 
their  line  downwards,  and  fo  go  on  repeating  their 
lines  from  the  left  to  the  right  *  *.     Zirtghis  Khan  gave 

his 


•  Thefe  Ncftorian;!,  who  haJ  feveral  ufages  anH  cnftotns  correfpond- 
tng  wiih  Chrinianity,  but  were  at  the  fame  time  idolaters  axe  undoubt- 
edly profeflbrs  of  the  Dalai-Lamai  religioa.  They  have,  like  the  Romoa 
Catholic  Chridians,  loS  beads,  and  their  prayer  is,  (lri€lly  fpeaking, 
ms  follows  :  HOnfMani-Pema-Hum.  Thi«  is,  in  fa6t,  the  profeflioa  of 
faith  of  tbe  followers  of  this  religion ;  but  neither  figniiies,  as  Ruyftro* 
eck  afferts  it  does,  GeJ^  thou  knemeji  ity  nor,  as  the  Phyfician  M^Jfer" 
fchmid  fuppofed.  Gad  have  mercy  upon  ui ;  but  the  true  and  real  import 
of  it  is,  "  that  the  Beginning  and  End  of  the  higher  magic,  of  iMaa/,'* 
who  holds  tlie  flowers  of  the  Lotus,  who  hears  thofe  who  pray  to  him  la 
thefe  words,  is  propitious  to  them,  and  renders  them  happy.  Vid.  ^f/- 
phabet  Tibet,  p.  500,  &c.  M.  Pallas  pronounces  thefe  words  thus,  Om 
ma  loie  pad  ma  (bum.  But  it  ihould  rather  feem  that  the  d  in  fad  \n 
mute,  and  alfo  that  we  Ihould  read,  not  ma  taie^  but,  ma  ni,  Thej 
have  rolls  or  cylinders,  which  they  twirl  round,  for  they  turn  on  an 
axis,  and  have  a  weight  fixed  to  them  for  the  purpofe  of  accelerating 
lh«  motion,  and  they  believe,  that  all  the  prayers  contained  on  thof« 
rolls,  arc  virtually,  and  to  all  intents  and  purpofes,  pronounced  at  eactt 
turn  of  the  roll;  and  all  the  time  they  are  twirling  them,  they 
continually  repeat.  Htm  mani  pema  hum.  It  is  pnflible,  that  the  religioa 
of  Dalai  Lama  may  partake  fomewhat  of  the  Nellorian  fyftem  of  Chrif- 
tianity ;  but  in  iiSX  it  is  a  branch  of  tbe  Brahminic  and  Sctamanic  fu- 
perfti^ions  ;  and  hat  alfo  for  its  founc.  tion  the  AJanichtraH  do£Vrine  of 
the  two  principles.  Now  Manes  having  attempted  to  incorporate  thi» 
doAriae  of  the  two  principles  with  the  ChriRian  religion,  it  is  no  won- 
der, that  in  many  points,  the  religion  of  the  Manichtean  Chriftians  ac- 
«ords  with  that  of  Lamai. 

•*  The  Neftorian  Chriftians  undoubtedly   penetrated  as   far  a»  the 
n«rtU  of  China,  and   prop^gait*!   the  CUriftian    rel-gi«a  thcie.    They 

made 


io6 


VOYAGES    ANA 


.r  ' 

rir 

1 

'H 

m 
m 

1 

'  ; 


his  daughter  to  the  king  of  the  Jugurs,  and  the  town 
of  Karakarutn  *  itfelf  is  in  a  manner  within  their  ter- 
ritory ;  and  the  whole  country  of  Prejier  John,  **  and 
of  his  brother  Vut,  lies  round  about  their  dominions. 
The  Moals  (Moguls)  live  in  the  plain  paftures  to 
the  North,  but  the  Jugurs  in  the  mountains  to  the 
.South.  Between  the  fame  mountains,  to  the  Eaft.of 
the  Jugurs  are  the  Tangutians.  Thefe  are  a  brave,  in- 
trepid nation,  and  once  took  ^inghis  Klhan,  but  re- 
leafed  him  again.  They  have  exceedingly  ftrong  oxen, 
the  tails  of  which  are  bufliy  like  thok  of  horfes,  and 
which  have  alfo  long  hair  along  their  backs  and  under 
the  bellies ;  their  legs  are  fhorter,  but  they  are  much 
fiercer  than  other  oxen ;  they  draw  the  large  houfes  of 
the  Moguls,   and  have  long,  taper,   and  Iharp  hornSj 


^lacie.ufe  of  ttie  Syrian  c(tara6ler  in  Wr'ting,  an^  it  iiirai  this  likewifti 
vhich  was  fiift  introducfd  into  thefe  conntries.  The  charafttrs  anJ 
mode  of  wriiingof  the  Calmucis,  Moguhy  and  Manjchutians^  are  taken 
from  the  Vigurian,  and  theie  again  fiom  the  Syrian.  The  Syrians  alfo 
nill  continue  to  this  day  to  write  exadly  as  the  Calmucks  do.  viz.  the/ 
hegin  at  the  top,  and  draw  a  line  down  to  the  bottom,  with  vihich  line 
the  letters  are  in  conta£^  from  the  top  down  to  the  bottom  of  it )  a.id  lu 
they  continue  to  write  one  line  afttr  the  other,  at  each  line  going  far- 
ther on  to  the  right,  and  carrying  their  writing  from  tie  lop  to  the  bot- 
tom ;  mt  in  reading,  the  Moguls  and  Calmuck^  in  like  manner  a» 
the  Syrians,  turn  the  hif  fidcways,  and  read  from  the  right  to  the 
left.  Thifc  I  have  feen  iryfelf.  during  my  flay  in  the  great  defert  plain 
beyond  the  Wo'ga,  where  I  was  intimately  ac(|uainted  with  a  great  num- 
ber of  Calmucks,  and  enquired  minutely  into  every  particular  relative 
to  their  religioa  and  learning,  their  inaoncrs,  their  governments,  and 
their  Princes. 

*  This  fame  Karakarum  is  alfo  called  Karoiarutn^  Karakurtn^  Ka- 
rakum  ;  and  by  the  Chincfe  HcUn.  It  was  the  capital  of  the  Moi^ui 
Emiieiors,  and  was  fituatcd  on  the  eaft  fide  of  the  river,  Orcbou  ;  for, 
notwlthftanding  that  Danville  places  this  town  on  the  Ongui  Muren,  yet 
Ftjcher''s  determination  upon  this  point,  in  hie  InlrtJuSlian  to  tkt  Hijlarf 
»f  Siberia^  ^  i8,  feems  to  me  to  be  more  juft. 

**  Prefer  John  (or  Priefler  Johann,  as  the  Germans  call  him)  is 
the  Unkchan^  a  word  which  has  been  ftrangely  perverted'  and  twilled, 
in  order  to  make  it  form  the  name  of  Johann  or  John.  He  was  Prince 
ot'ihc  Naymanniy  and  his  name  was  Togrul  \  having  ferved  the  Chinefe 
a'^ainll  nati  .ns  which  had  rebelled  againll  them,  he  was  dignified  wiih 
tiie  honorary  title  of  Uangy  or  f/n^,  out  of  which  wai  foon  fabricated 
the  appellation  of  Uncchariy  or  Unkchan.  But  how  it  comes  to  paf., 
thai  he  is  called  a  Chrinian,  and  even  a  ChriAian  Priell,  feems  almoft 
iBOompieheiiftblc, 

which 


IS 


Discoveries  m  thi  north.    107 

>vhich  the  owners  of  the  beafis  are  obliged  to  faw  6fF*# 
After  the  Tangutians  come  the  people  of  Tebet,  v^o 
ufed  to  eat  thieir  dead  parents  ;  but  they  have  left  off 
this  cuftom,  on  account  of  their  being  held  in  univerial 
deteftation  for  itj  neverthelefs^  they  ftill  make  large 
drinking  veffels  of  the  IkuUs  of  their  parents.  There 
is  much  gold  in  this  country.  Thcfe  people  arc  very 
ugly^;  but  the  Jugurs  are  of  a  middle  fize  like  us. 
The  language  ot  the  Jugurs  is  the  root  and  fource  of 
the  Turkiih  and  Komanian  languages.  Behind  Tehet 
are  the  people  of  Langa  and  Solanga  *♦,  whofe  ambaf-* 
iadors  Kuy{broeck  faw  at  court,  each  of  whom  had 
brought  along  with  him  more  th'n  ten  waggons  drawn 
by  fix  oxen.  Behind  thefe,  are  the  people  -called  Mucj 
Avho  dwell  in  towns,  and  whofe  cattle  are  h  tame,  that 
riiey  come  entirely  of  their  own  accord  when  called, 
and  allow  themfelves  to  be  handled  at  pleafurc,  though 
they  ri'n  about  wild.  Then  comes  Great  Kathaya^ 
the  inhabitants  of  which,  according  to  Ruyjbroeck^  are 
the  Ser^s  of  old,  for  from  this  country  come  the  beft 
filken  fluffs,  (Serica).  The  Seres  zre  {o  called,  from  a 
town  in  that  region,  and  in  this  country  is  a  town 
which    has  walls    of  filver    and   ramparts    or  towers 

*  The  Buffalo,  here  defcribed  ty  Ruyfbroeck,  is  the  Colmack  Buf- 
falo, which  ui'ed  to  be  called  Sarluci^  and,  in  the  language  of  Tiiet^ 
Jak.  Since  /ielian^s  lime,  no  one  of  the  ancients,  befiues  Ruyfl>roeck, 
has  given  a  defcription  cf  thcfe  Buifaloei  with  long-haired  coats  and 
thick  tails,  which  latter  are  ufed  in  the  Indies  as  Ry-flaps.  Aftervrard* 
thefe  animals  were  feen  by  Marco  Poloy  and  now  lately  by  BagUy  an 
EnglifluTian,  in  this  very  country  of  Tibet.  Vid.  Philojophital  ttn^ 
1777,  Part  ii.  vcl.  67,  pmg,  484.  Finally,  the  beft  account  we  iia\» 
of  tliem,  has  been  given  by  Pallas^  in  hiii  Nonhern  GvileBiens^  vol.  i. 
pag.  I.  to  z8>  plate  i. 

**  The  Country  and  people  of  Tangut  are  by  fome  authors,  particu- 
larly the  Arabians  and  Perfians,  miOaken  for  Tihet  the  feat  of  Dalai 
Lama  ;  but  Marco  Polo  fays,  th.it  Sachictt,  or  Soijcheu^  is  fituated  in 
Taguth,  or  Tengutb  ;  in  like  manner,  Kkamil,  or  Khami,  belonged  alf<» 
to  Tanguth  ;  and  fo  did  Kampitton^  or  Kf-anlJ'cheu.  it  appears  proba- 
ble, therefore,  that  the  Tanguth  of  Ruyibroeck  is  the  lame  with  this. 
The  land  oiTtbtt  is  duubtleis  the  modern  T/ir/,  or,  as  it  ftiould  in  ftiitit 

f>ropriety  be  called,  Bulau.  But  of  the  countries  of  Langa  and  ScIaagA. 
ying  beyond  Tebety  i  have  not  the  fmalleft  knowledge,  but  am  apt  t<» 
think  that  in  RuyfbroeckU  original  manufcript  the  words  were  n»)i 
♦'  beyond  Ti-Af/,"  but  "  bcycnd  Tanttut  i"  and  in  this  cafe  the  coun- 
tries here  meniioned  muO  be  tliofe  of  the  Lamulti^  and  Solemamt,  the 
parent  (locks  of  the  p«o[))e  now  known  by  the  name  of  the  Manijl/.m,  • 
0r  Mmndfihuriant. 

Qi 


toS 


VOYAGES    AN» 


of  gold  ♦.  And  many  provinces  of  Great  Katbay  arc 
not  as  yet  brought  into  fubjedlion  by  the  Mogols. 
Between  the  great  fea  and  them  lies  India.  The  Ka- 
thayans  are  of  a  low  ftature,  and  (peak  through  the 
nofe,  and,  like  all  the  eaftern  nations,  have  fmall  eyesi 
They  perform  works  of  great  art  and  ingenuity,  and 
have  ikilful  phyficians,  who  judge  of  difeafes  by  the 
pulfe.  Ruyftroeck  faw  many  of  them  at  Karakarum* 
Each  father  teaches  his  fon  his  own  trade.  The 
Neftorians  ahd  Mahometans  are  alfo  in  Kathay,  and 
are  looked  upon  as  foreigners,  come  Arorn  foreign 
parts.  The .  Neftorians  inhabit  fifteen  towns  of  the 
country  of  Kathay.  Their  Bifhop  refides  in  the  city 
of  Segin  **.     Here    Ruyjbroeck   takes    an  opportunity 

of 

•  The  fuppofition  that  the  Katlayans^  or  Inhabitants  of  north  China, 
•re  the  fame  with  the  Seres  of  the  ancients.  Teems  to  be  without  foun« 
tfetion.  The  Seres  lived  in  '^turkeftan^  Celt,  and  Uigur.  They  were 
the  people,  who  at  that  time  ruled  over  a  great  tra£l  of  Afia,  and  pro- 
bably hud  alio  extended  their  dominion  over  the  northern  part  of 
China.  The  nation  that  bore  the  fway  had  always  the  denomination  of 
Golden  given  to  it.  Hence  the  golden  horde  of  the  Moguls  on  the 
Wolga  :,  and  hence  the  powerful  Prince  to  whom  the  Moguls  were  fub- 
jcft,  even  befoic  Zinghis  Khan,  was  called  jiltyn  Khan^  cr  the  Golderi 
Khan.  Hence,  tooj  the  Chinefe  call  themlelves  Kiny  i.  e.  the  Goldca 
or  Sovereign  Nation.  In  the  language  of  Tibet,  Scr  means  gold.  Vid. 
^nt.  Geer^ti  Jl^iatet.  Tibet.  Roma,  fjfiz.  pag.  654.  And  hence  per- 
haps Set  kind  was  called  the  Golden  India.  The  Seres  were  confe- 
quently  at  that  time  the  ibvereign,  dominating,  or  golden  reople. 
Their  capital  bore  the  fame  name,  according  to  Ruyfbrocck ;  p.-bably 
this  ^flW^B  town  is  that  part  oi  Peking  which  is  called  Tjekitty  and 
contains  the  palace  of  the  Emperor;  and,  as  fabulous  a  found  as  thefe 
wall*  of  filver  and  ramparts  of  gold  may  earry  with  them,  it  ib  nevcr- 
rhelefs  evident  enough,  that  it  is  the  appellation  of  A'/'n,  or  the  Golden- 
Town,  which  hus  given  rife  to  thefe  exaggerated  repot  ts  of  the  fable. 

Non  ejl  de  nihiliy  qu:d  puhlica  fatna  fufutfatj 
£1  fertcm  vtri  fabula  Jtmper  hahtt. 

•♦  This  town  of  Segin  is  undoubtedly  Sigaw,  the  capital  of  SdenJ^^^ 
n  province  in  the  nonh-caftctn  part  of  Chin*.  Here,  in  the  year  i6i5, 
%  ftone  was  found  with  Chinele  writing  on  it,  but  with  S)rlan  Uticr.i 
round  the  «dge,  which  mentioned,  in  txprei's  terms,  that  the  Syrian 
INedorians  had  already,  in  the  year  636,  fent  Olopuen  to  China,  to  pi  each 
the  gofpel  ihere  \  that  the  Emperor,  Tai-J'um-ven,  had  approved  of  this 
fiep,  and  had  ilTued  an  edIO,  ordering  that  it  (hould  be  preached  all 
over  China  }  that  in  the  royal  town  of  liiitifati,  a  church  had  been  built ; 
that  A.  D.  651.  th«  Cbii/Uaa  religion  AiKas  known  in  all  the  provinces  of 

China  J-" 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH,     fo^ 

of  relating  miiny  things  concerning  the  Neftonaii 
piiefts,  their  bigamy,  ignorance,  avarice,  fimony, 
drunkennefs,  &c.  i'o  that  the  morals  and  condudl  of 
the  Moguls  and  Tuinians*,  though  they  are  idolaters, 
ajc  far  more  regular  and  exemplary  than  ihofe 
found  amongft  thefe  Chriftians, 

Having  quitted  the  town  of  Kailac^  they  came 
the  third  day  after  to  the  great  fea  or  lake,  which 
jippeared  to  be  as  boifterous  as  the  ocean  itfelf  j  in 
the  middle  of  it  was  a  large  ifland.  The  water 
was  rather  brackifli,  though  potable.  On  the  other 
fide,  between  high  mountains,  was  a  large  valley^ 
and  to  the  South-eaft  another  great  lake  or  •  fea, 
connected  with  the  firft  by  ^  fiver  **.  The  win^ 
all  the  time  was  very  violent,  infomuch  that  they 
were  in  danger  of  being  blown  into  the  fea.  At  the 
farther  end  of  the  yaV;  there  are  feen,  to  the  north- 
ward, mountains  ^uite  covered  with  fnow.  Hav« 
jng  gone  through  thefe  mountains,  and  through  a 
dreadful  pafs,  betw.3en  rocks,  they  at  lall  canie  (o 
the  country  of  the  Naymans,  who  had  formerly  been 
fubje£t  to  Prefter  John.     They  continued  their  fo«te  ta 


•Thina  ;  th^t  in  6$^  and  713  the  Bonz.es  had  ra!<ed  a  perfetatwn  tgttn% 
the  Chiiflians;  that  A.  I).  747  another  prieft,  named  Kicpt,  went  thi» 
ilier  Irom  Taifin  (Pcriia)  and  that  in  7^7,  the  Emperor  ^»-lum-'ven-mti^ 
had  I  uilt  more  churches,  and  his  fucctn'ors  had  continued  to  proted  the 
Chrillian  religion,  and  that  in  commemoration  of  all  thefe  event*,  thia 
(!v;[;e  had  been  eredtrd  A.  D.  782,  in  the  feCond  ye^r  if  i|ie  reign  of  the 
Kaiptror  T^jw,  in  the  time  of  the  Patriarch  cr  Catholifigs  HaHa^jefw:. 
Thii*  (Iwne  exhihits  alfo  an  abltia>i\  of  the  wh/lc  Chrillian  dcf^rine  The 
]<eri['>n  that  erected  thii>  tlone  Dyles  himfclf  a  Choir-B<ihop  of  Kumdau 
(Nankin)  the  cipit.dofthe  eai^cm  eiiijjire.  It  is  probable,  th»^  there 
rciicki!  iiktwile  a  Uilhop  at  ^n^an  fu  \  lo  that  the  account  given  h^re  by 
P-uyftroeck,  cveiy  way  eHs'ali(hes  and  conf.^mj  the  authenticity  of  thit 
icinaikable  monument,  which  has  been  called  in  quellion  by  maijy  evo! 
oi  i>ur  inouein  literati, 

.  *  The  Oriental  Chriltians  give  to  Mani,  or  Mnnet^  ihe  name  oiTht' 
naoui^  and  to  his  feci  that  oi  ytl-Thena-jUih,  "'hich  word  flgnifies  the  doc- 
tii'ic  of  the  two  Piincijilcs.  Vid.  H:rbeln.  Biblhtheque  Orientule.  The 
'Tuinians  of  Ruyfbrocck  are  therefore  no  oth^r  than  Mamchsani. 

**  The  above-mentioned  fecund  fea,  or  lake,  fituattd  to  the  fouth- 
eift  of  the  lake  PaUaJi,  or  BaUhaJih^  is  likewife  to  be  found  in-tlin 
Kieat  ginival  niaiiofthc  Kuilian  empire,  pub!i(l»cd  by  the  AcaJcmy  oK 
Sciences  in  1776;  together  with  another  lake;  of  ihtfe,  the  ftcond  am', 
(bird  lakes  are  joined  to  ea^h  other  by  rneane  of  a  river,  »nd  it  is  pm 
likle  that  the  fecond  and  H:[f  alfo,  agreeably  to  what  Kuy/bfytck  biIm« 
abjyc,  may  be  united  in  the  fame  manqer. 


'110 


"  J 


V  O  Y  A  G  E  S    Aiftt 


the  North,  and  after  travelling  fome  time,  entered  4 
large  plain,  which  at  a  diilance  looked  lilce  a  fea, 
for  there  were  neither  hills  nor  mountains  to  be  feen, 
and  the  next  day  they  came  to  the  court  of  the 
great  Khan  *.  But  the  trad^  of  country  which  they 
had  now  palled  over  in  five  days,  would,  had  they 
been  guided  by  their  landlord,  have  taken  them  up  a 
whole  fortnight,  for  he  had  propofed  to  take  them 
round  about  by  Onam  and  Cherule  **,  the  firft  diftrids 
in  the  poffeflion  of  Zinghis-Khan  \  but  their  conduc- 
tor prevented   this  fcheme  being  put  ifi  execution. 

Manghu  Khan,  followed  by  his  camp,  went  twice 
to  the  fouthward,  and  afterwards  began  to  turn  back 
again  to  the  northward,  that  is  to  fay,  to  Karako' 
rum*  From  this  f:rfl;  camp  of  the  Khan,  to  Kathay^ 
it  is  about  twenty  days  journey  to  the  fouth-weft, 
and  frorn  thence  directly  Eafl^,  is  the  real  country 
of  the  Mog;i!3,  where  (at  the  diftance  of  about  ten 
days  journey)  Zingis  Khan's  court-camp,  or  head- 
quarters, ufed  to  be,  viz.  in  O^i^nand  Cherule,  or  on 
the  banks  of  the  Onon  and  Cher  Ion.  In  thefe  countries 
there  are  no  towns.  Towards  the  North  too,  there 
are  neither  towns  nor  villages,  but  only  poor  fliepherds 
called  Kerkis  (or  Kirgifes).  There  are  alfo  the  Orangey 
or  Orengay,  who  wear  fmall  fmooth  bones  on  their 
feet,  on  which  they  run  with  fuch  fwiftnefs  over  the 
ice  and  fnow,  that  they  can  even  overtake  the  game; 
they  are  in  purfuit  of.  There  are  in  the  North  yet 
more  nations,  who  are  poor  and  of  Ao  account,  an4 
who  live  in  ancient  Hungary,  as  far  as  to  the  Paf" 
tatirs, 

**  The  refiiencc  of  the  Great  Klun  was  not  far  from  Karakarum^ 
and  M  Danville  places  it  on  the  river  On^hin.  But  we  have  already 
•bfcrvtd,  thai  A'j;<»/^jr«m  muft  be  looked  for  on  the  eall  fide  of  the 
iiver  Orevcn,  at  ihe  entraiKe  o?'  3  l.ngj  plain,  which  at  prtfent  feparates 
the  R\uT)an  icrriinrje?  from  iWe  of  tlie  Chinefe  within  the  great  wall, 
(In  the  hanks  of  the  Oichcn  are  the  ruins  of  a  place  called  ErJeni-tfckao, 
Thrs  fignifics  the  icble  i^ix^,  and  proLabiy  the  word  Balga^  or  Ba/guJ/nn^ 
is  for  brevity's  lake  oiuiiiid.  This  tcWM  ef  the  ntble  Ktn»  is  Ka- 
ratorum. 

*•*  TheHe  countries  of  Onam  and  Chfrulr,  are  the  counties  lying 
«i<>ng  ft  'e  of  the  rivers  OniH  and  Kkcrhn,  where  Zinghii  Khan  was  born, 
jutci  which  were  the  firil  ever  T.hich  ht  bort  the  fovercign  fway. 

Ruyfbrocck 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       «r 


Ruylbrocck  having  now  had  fcvcral  audiences  of 
the  Emperor,  and  having  been  there  for  many  months, 
was  at  laft  difmiired  v^ith  handfome  prefents.  He  wait 
two  months  and  fix  days  travelling  from  Karahrum 
to  the  Wolga,  where  hentetvirith  Batu\  with  him  he 
travelled  about  for  the  fpace  of  a  month.  At  lail,  in 
the  middle  of  Odlober,  they  began  to  go  to  the  fouth- 
ward  along  the  Wolga  to  Sarey  j  here  the  Wolga  di- 
vides into  three  difFerent  branches,  each  of  which  is 
twice  as  wide  as  the  river  Nile  is  near  Damiatt. 
Lower  down,  the  river  divides  into  four  other  fmailer 
branches.  On  the  banks  of  the  middle  one,  is  the 
tov/n  of  Sum/rient*y  which  has  no  walls,  and  when- 
ever the  river  overflows,  is  entirely  furroundcd  with 
water  like  an  ifland.  The  Tartars  had  befieged 
this  place,  which  is  inhabited  by  Alanians  and  Ma- 
hometans, for  eight  years,  before  they  could  take  it. 
The  Tartars  never  went  farther  to  the  fouthward 
than. this  place  in  winter.  In  thefc  parts  there  is 
pailure,  herbage,  and  cattle  in  abundance,  and  a 
great  quantity  of  reeds,  in  which  the  Tartars  hide 
thcmfelves  in  winter  till   the  ice  thaws  again. 

After  this  Ruyfbroeck  travelled  through  the  above- 
mentioned  uncultivated  defart,  in  which  fometimes 
there  was  no  water  to  be  met  with  till  he  came  to  the 
mountains  inhabited  by  the  Alanians,  who  make  head 
againft  the  Tartars.  It  is  on  this  account  that  the 
Tartars  are  obliged  to  fend  every  tenth  man  hither, 
under  the  con)mand  oi  Sartag^  in  order  to  check  the  de- 
predations of  thefe  people.  At  the  end  of  the  plain' 
which  lies  between  the  Moguls  and  thefe  Alanians, 
is  the   pafs   called  the   Iron-Gate.     This  part  of  the 


*  The  town  of  Sarey  iVfms  to  hive  been  built  not  Tar  from  the  mode 'n 
Ziritz.in,  on  the  eaftern  brar.ch  of  the  Wolga,  or  the  Achtuha^  it  no  great 
dlftance  from  Zarfwfcd,  where  many  traces  arc  ftill  to  be  met  with  of 
the  former  exirtence  of  a  lirge  town  But  the  t')\vn  oi  Sumcrkeni  h  *. 
place  entirely  unknown.  Neverthelefs  it  fecms  as  if  the  fpoi  v^hcre  ths 
town  had  been,  and  where  tht  Woiga  beg'ns  to  divide  info  feveral 
branches,  was  not  far  from  /^flrachan  (which  lormerly  tvab  called  Uaiilchi 
Anlur  Khan);  for  there  are  alfo  on  both  fiiles.  of  the  Wolga  ruins  ot  fome 
towns  exiting,  which  ruins  have  been  chiefly  ufed  for  the  purpofe  of  mak- 
ing raitp;t:e. 

country 


tis 


VOYAGjES    Ati9 


country  is  inhabited  hy  Mahometan*,  <:allcd  tej^hu 
who  alfo  defend  themfelves  againft  the  Tartars.    The 
Tartars,  who  efcorted  Ruylbroeck,  wore  breaft-pUtes 
and  curiafTcs,  which   they  had  taken  from  the  Ala-* 
nians  in  war*;   thefe  people  excelling  greatly   in  all 
kinds  of  iron-work.     Near  the  Iron-gate  is  a  fortifi- 
cation taken  from  thefe  Alanians  :  here  they  already 
found  vines,  and  got  wine  to  drink.     The  next  day 
they  reached  Derbend^  or  the  Iron  Gate.     The  town 
occupies  the  whole  plain  lying  between   the  Cafpian 
fea  and  the  high   mountains.     Its  length   from   the 
mountains  to  the  fea  is  half  an  hour's,  walk,  but  the 
breadth  only  about  a  ftone's  throw.     At  the  higheft 
part  of  ii  there  is  a  ftrong  caftle.     After  two  days  jour- 
ney,   they    met   with  another  town  called   Samaron 
(Scbabran^  Schabiran)  in  which  lived  a  great  number 
of  Jews.     Two  days  after  this  they  came  to  Samacb 
(SchatMkie),     Here  a  level  champain  opened  to  their 
view,  called  Moan  (or   Mahan^  and  at  prefent  Mok" 
ian).     Through  this  runs  the  river  Kur^  whence  the 
Kurgtans  (or  Georgians)  whofe  capital  is  Ttphlis,  take 
their  name.    -In  this  fame  campaign  runs  likewife  the 
river  Araxesy  whic|i,  coming  out  of  Armenia  Major, 
takes  its  courfe  to  the  fouth-weilward,  in  this  beauti-> 
fUl  plain,  to  the  weftward  of  which  lies  Georgia^  lived 
formerly    the    Krofmiam^  or  Korajtnians  \    (thefe  arc 
the  anceilorsof  the  prefent  Turks,  who  laid  the  foun- 
dation of  the  0/w<?ww»  empire).     At  the  entrance  of 
the   mountains  is  the  town  of  Ganghe,    which  was 
their    capital.     As    they    went    upwards    along   the 
Araxes,    they    were   afterwards  condudled  to  Naxunt 
(or  Nakcbroan).     After  this  Ruyfbroeck  went  into  the 
dominions    of  the    Turkiih   Sultans,    and  travelled 
through  Sebae  (or  Siwas)  Cefarea^  in  Capadocia,  and 
Iconium.     From  thence  he  reached  Kurck  (or  Kvrke)  a 
haven  in   the   King  of  Armenia's  dominions  ;    then 
Layece  (or  El-Agns)  ano'ther  harbour,    from  whence 
he  croffed  over  to  Nikofm^  in   the  inland   of  Cyprus; 
from  thence  he  went  to  Ant'mhia,  in  Syria,  and   a? 
laft  to  Tripoli  \  from  which  place  he  fent  an  account 
cf  his  whol?  journey   in  writin^j,  tp  Lewis,  King  of 
F:aBce. 

V,  Haitkot 


II. 

the 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       113 

V.  HaithOf  or  HaitOi  was  th;  fon  of  Livon  or  Leort 
II.  nephew  of  Haithol.  king  of  Armenia  Minor.  At 
the  deceafe  of  his  father  he  would  not  accept  of  the 
crown,  bat  left  the  empire  to  his  brother  7'hores,  or 
Theodor\  and  after  having  in  all  the  troubles  and 
wars  in  which  they  were  involved,  aflifted  his  royal 
relations  in  a<Stion  as  well  as  in  council,  he  took,  at 
Epifcopia  in  Cyprus,  the  order  of  the  Praemonftra- 
tenfian  Monks,  A.  D.  1305,  during  t.he  reign  of  his 
nephew  Leon  III.  Subfequent  to  tl  l^e  went  to  PoitoU 
in  France,  and  diftated  in  French  to  Nicholas  Salconi 
the  hiftory  of  the  events  that  had  pafled  in  the  Eaft, 
fmce  the  Moguls  firft  made  their  appearance  :  this  ac- 
count Salconi,  by  order  of  the  Pope,  tranflated  into 
Latin,  A.  D.  1307.  His  hiftory  conAlls,  i.  in  what 
wrhten  information  he  could  find  relative  to  the  hif- 
tory  of  the  Tartars  j  this  narrative  reaches  from 
ZJnghis  Khan,  down  to  Mangu  Khan.  2.  In  the  re- 
latiort  of  fuch  incidents  and  events  as  had  either  hap- 
pened to  Haitho  I.  king  of  Armenia  himfelf,  or  which 
had  come  within  the  fphere  of  his  own  knowledge. 
He  having  even  been,  in  the  year  1254,  together 
with  his  wife  and  child,  at  the  court  or  head-quar- 
ters of  Mangu-Khan,  at  which  time  he  met  with  Ruyf- 
broecjc,  who  was  then  on  his  return  home^  and  had 
fome  fconverfation  with  him*  Thefe  fads  Haitho  re- 
lated to  >his  children,  and  grand-children,  and  ordered 
them  to  be  taken  down  in  writing.  3.  The  Monk 
Haitho  knew  from  his  own  proper  experience  all  that 
had  happened  in  Afia  (ince  the  reign  of  Ahaka  Khan, 
{ox  rather  Abaga  Khan)  from  the  year  1265  to  1283, 
and  might  juftly  have  faid,  quorum  pars  magna  fui. 

Haitho's  Oriental  Hiftory  contains,  befides  the  hif-* 
torical  part,  a  geographical  one  likewife,  of  which  I 
fhall  briefly  mention  thofe  particulars  only  which  re- 
late to  the  northern  parts  of  Afia. 

The  Empire  of  Kathay  is  one  of  the  moft  exten- 
five,  opulent,  and  populous  empires  of  the  univcrfe  j  it 
is  entirely  fituated  along  the  fea  coaft.  The  inhabi- 
tants believe  themfelves  to  be  the  only  people  on  earth 
tliat  have  two  eyes  i  to  the  Latins  thev  allow  one,  and 

1  '  to 


114 


VOYAGES    AND 


to  all  other  nations  none  at  all  ;  they  have  fmall  eyes 
and  no  beards.  Their  money  confifts  of  fquare  pieces 
of  paper,  ftamped  with  the  king's  feal.  To  the  Weft 
this  Empire  is  bounded  by  the  Empire  of  TarftSy  to 
the  North  by  the  defart  of  Belgian^  and  to  the  South 
are  innumerable  iflands  in  the  fea.  They  are  flcilled 
in  works  of  ingenuity  and  art,  but  are  very  timorous. 
From  thefe  traits  one  immediately  recognizes  the  Em** 
pire  of  China. 

The  Empire  of  Tarfa  has  three  provinces,  the  fo- 
vereign  rulers  of  which  call  themfelves  kings  }  the  in- 
habitants are  called  Jogur,  (J^g^^'i  Uigur),  Ten  tribes 
of  them  are  Chriftians,  the  reft  are  Heathens.  They 
abftain  from  meat  and  wine,  and  eat  nothing  that  has 
ever  had  life  in  it.  They  raife  a  great  quantity  of 
corn,  but  no  wine.  Their  towns  are  very  pleafant, 
and  contain  a  great  number  of  temples  in  which  idols 
are  worftiipped.  They  are  not  inclined  to  war,  have 
their  own  peculiar  manner  of  writing,  which,  indeed, 
is  adopted  by  all  the  neighbouring  nations,  and  they 
learn  all  arts  and  fciences  with  great  facility. 

To  the  Eaft  this  Empire  is  bounded  by  Kathayy  to 
the  Weft  by  Turkejian^  to  the  North  by  a  certain  defart, 
and  to  the  South  by  a  very  rich  province  fituated  be- 
tween India  znd  Kathayt  called  Sym  (or  rather  Peim)^ 
and  in  which  diamonds  are  to  be  found. — By  what  is 
here  faid,  it  appears  that  Haitho  is  defcribing  in  this 
place  the  country  of  Uigur ^  in  conjundtion  with  that 
of  Gete  \  but  how  it  comes  to  be  called  Tarfts,  I  really 
do  not  know. 

The  Empire  of  Turkejian  is  bounded  on  the  Eaft 
by  the  Empire  of  Tarfa,,  and  to  the  Weft  by  Khoraf- 
min  ;  to  the  South  it  extends  as  far  as  to  the  defart 
which  lies  juft  in  the  front  of  India.  There  are  but 
few  good  towns  in  it ;  the  large  plains  afford  good 
pafturage  for  the  cattle,  confequently  the  inhabitants 
are  almoft  all  of  them  graziers  and  fhepherds,  and 
their  dwelling  is  in  tents  and  huts  which  are  capable 
of  being  tranlported  at  pleafure.  Their  capital  is  Ocerra 
(or  Otrar),    The  inhabitants  raife  but  a  fmall  quantity  of 

corn. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        115 

torUf  and  no  wine  ;  their  drink  is  beer  and  milk,  and 
their  food  rice,  millet,  and  meat.  They  are  known 
by  the  name  of  Turks,  are  of  the  Mahometan  re- 
ligion, and  fuch  of  them  as  live  in  the  towns,  make 
u^  of  the  Arabian  letters. 

The  Empire  of  Khorafmin  (or  Khuarejm)  is  popu- 
lous, fertile,  and  pleafant  j  in  it  they  raife  a  great  quan- 
tity of  corn,  but  little  wine  j  it  contains  many  good 
and  ftrong  towns  j  the  capital  of  it  is  Korafma  (or  ra- 
ther Korkang),  This  Empire  borders  on  a  defart  of 
a  hundrisd  days  journey  in  extent ;  to  the  W^ft  is  the 
Cafpian  fea ;  to  the  North  the  Empire  of  Ku/nania  ;  to 
the  South  (here  we  fhould  read  Eaft),  the  Empire  of 
Turkejian*  The  inhabitants  are  Heathens  without  either 
letters  or  laws.  The  Soldinians  (or  Sogdidns)  are  the 
moft  intrepid  of  warrriors,  have  a  peculiar  language  of 
their  own,  ufe  the  Greek  characters  in  writing,  fol- 
low the  ufages  and  rites  of  the  Greek  Church,  and  arc 
fubjcdl  to  the  Patriarch  of  Antioch; 

The  capital  of  the  empire  of  Khuarefm,  is,  ac- 
cording to  the  Prince  Ulug  Beg,  the  city  of  Korkangy 
neither  has  any  author  ever  mentioned  a  place  called 
Khorafme*  Haitho  having  faid  before,  that  Turke/ian 
was  bounded  on  the  welt  by  Khorafmia,  it  is  clear, 
that  here  we  muft  read  eaji  inftead  oi  fouth.  The 
Soldini,  mentioned  above,  who  were  Chriftians  of  the 
Greek  Church,  are  entirely  unknown. 

The  empire  of  Kumania  is  undoubtedly  of  vaft  extent, 
but,  on  account  of  the  inclemency  of  the  climate,  thinly 
inhabited.  In  winter  the  cold  is  fo  intenfe  in  fome 
parts,  that  neither  man  nor  Dealt  can  remain  there ; 
and  in  others,  the "^  extreme  heats  and  fwarms  of  flies 
in  fummer  are  equally  infupportable.  Kumania  is 
quite  level  and  flat,  and  without  any  wood,  except 
fome  orchards  near  the  1  >wns.  The  inhabitants  live 
in  tents,  and  their  fuel  is  the  dung  of  their  cattle. 
It  is  bounded  on  the  eaft:  towards  Korafm'ia  by  a  de- 
fart ;  to  the  weft  is  the  great  fea,  viz.  the  Black 
Sea,  and  the  fea  of  Tcnue  {Tanna,  or  Jzof)  ;  to  the 
north,  jt  is   bounded  by  tJK  empire  of  Knjf:a  (Kiozv)  ; 

I  2  and 


)i6 


VOYAGES    Avo 


If 


ii 


and  to  the  fouth   it  extends  to   a    large  river  callei^ 
£tilt  (i.   e.  the    jyolga)  which  partes    by  the  capita! 
Thi»  river  is  frozen    over  every  year,  and  men  and 
beafls  walk  on  it  as  on  dry  land  ;    along  the  banks 
of  this   river  there  are  fmall  trees  ;  on  the  other  fide 
of  the   river  there  are  people,  who,    though  they  are 
not  Kumanians*  yet  are  *fubje(Sl  to  the   Khan.     Some 
live  alfo  towards  the   high  mountains  Cocas  (i.e.  Cau- 
cafus).     In  the  mountains  are  white  kites.     This  range 
of  mountains  runs  between  the  two  feas  ;  to  the  weft 
is  the  great  (i.  e.  the  Black)  Sea  }  and  to  the  eaft, 
the    Cafpiah  Sea,   which    has  no  connection  with  the 
ocean^    but  is  like  a   lake,  though   it  is  called  a  fea 
on  account  of  its  fize,  it  being  the  largeft  lake  in  the 
univerfe.      It  divides    Afia  into  two  parts  ;    that  part 
towards  the  eaft  is  called  Lower  Afia^  and  the  weftera 
part,    Qreai  Afia:  this  lake  contains   a  great  quantity 
of  good  fifh.     In    the  Cafpian   mountains    there    are 
found   buffiJoes,  and  many  other  wild  beads.     In  this 
Tea-  there   are  alfo    many  iflands  on    which  the   birds 
build  their  nefts,  and  particularly  the  falcon,  commonly 
known  by  the  name  of  Pegrim   (Faucon  Peierhi,    the 
Pilgrim-Falcon)  and  Efmetliones  (or  EfmerUoneSy  Merlins) 
and    Bonfacci    (or    the  Bondree  and   Sacre^  the  Honey 
Buzzard,  and  the   Sacre)    and  many  other    birds    not 
to  be  found    in  any  other    part   of   the  world.      The 
largeft    town  of  the   empire  of   Cumania,    is  Sara  (or 
Saray).     This   town  was  large  and  of  great  renown; 
but   it   has  been  ravaged  and  almoft  entirely  deftroyed 
by  the  Tartars,  who  took  it  by  ftorm»    It  is  obvious  y 
that    Haitho  defcribes   here  that   part  of   the    empire 
of   the    Moguls,  which    was   fubje6t    to  Batu    Khan, 
The  Black-Sea  he  calls    the  Great  Sea,    becaufe  it  is 
connected    with    the    Mediterranean    and   the    ocean ; 
and  the  lea  de  Tenue,  is  the  fea  oiTanna^  or  of  Azof^  for 
fo  the  town  at  the  end  of  the  Don  was  called  at  diiterent 
times.     The  empire  of  Kaffia  cannot  well  be  fuppofed  to 
be  any  other  place  than  Kiow^  or  Kiavioi  the  capital  of 
the  Ruffian  empire  and  refidencc  of  the  Grand  Duke. 

The 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        117 

The  reading,  too,  which  we  have  propofcd  with  re- 
fpedl  to  the  names  of  the  birds,  is  probably  the  bcft. 

As  worthy  of  notice  as  arc  the  particulars  above- 
mentioned,  which  are  the  contents  of  the  firft  five 
Chapters,  the  fixtcenth  Chapter  is  no  leis  I'oy  on  ac- 
count of  fome  geographical  information  it  contains 
refpeiSling  the  ancient  feats  of  the  Tartars  (i.  e.  the 
Moguls). 

Beyond  the  large  mountain  of  Belgian,  or  Bilkhatiy 
the  Tartars  lived  at  firft,  without  religion  and  with- 
out the  ufe  of  letters.  Their  chief  occupation  con- 
fided in  tending  their  flocks  ;  and  fo  far  were  they 
from  being  of  a  warlike  difpofition,  that  they  readily 
paid  tribute  to  any  one  that  demanded  it.  All  the 
tribes  of  the  Tartar  race  were  known  by  the  name  of 
Mogies.  They  increafed  to  that  degree,  as  to  com- 
pofe  feven  capital  independent  nations.  The  firft  was 
called  Tatar,  after  a  province  of  the  fame  name,  in 
which  they  at  firft  had  lived  ;  the  fecond  was  called 
Tangot  (i.  e.  Tangut);  the  third,  Kuntit  \  the  fourth, 
Jalair  (or  Tholair)  ;  the  fifth,  Sonich ;  the  fixth, 
Monghii  and  .he  feventh,  Tabeth.  The  Chiefs  of 
thefe  nations,  prorppted  by  a  vifion,  and  by  a  com« 
mand  from  God,  had  chofen  Changie  (i.  e.  Zinghis) 
for  their  fovereign  Lord  and  Ruler.  After  this  we  are 
told,  how  he  came  through  the  mountains,  when  the 
fea  withdrew  nine  feet,  and  made  a  way  for  him  where 
there  was  none  before.  This  feems  to  be  the  fame 
hiftory  with  that  of  Irgone  Kon,  which  is  alfo  related 
by  Abulgaji,  The  mountain  Belgian,  can  hardly  be 
looked  for  anywhere  elfe  than  in  the  environs  of  lake 
Balchas  in  the  country  of  Organum,  or  Irganekon, 
According  to  the  Nighiarijian,  a  colleftion  of  Orien- 
tal Hiftory,  the  Turkotnanni  likewife  came  from  a 
place  called  Belgian,  or  Bilihan. 

VI.  Marco  Polo,  a  noble  Venetian,  whofe  father, 
Nicolo  Polo,  had  before  been  in  the  eaft  with  his  bro- 
ther Mattheo  Polo,  on  commercial  affairs,  in  1260, 
and  had  returned  with  him  in  1269,  was  by  his  fa- 
ther taken  alpng  with  them  on  this  voyage  A.  D. 
1271,  when  he  was  but  11  years  old.  Marco  learned 
iJt  the  court  of  Kublai  Khan  to  fpeak  and  write  four 

languages 


nS 


VOYAGES    AND 


languages  wh'ch  were  in  ufe  in  the  country;  and  the 
Emperor  made  ufe  of  him  in  weighty  matters,  and 
on  embaiTies  in  which  it  took  htm  up  a  journey  of  fix 
months  to  reach  the  place  of  his  deftination.  He  wa$ 
in  the  fery'ice  of  the  Emperor  17  years,  and  at  laft, 
V/ith  his  father  at.d  uncle,  returned  in  the  year  12959 
fafe  to  Yenice.  It  is  prefumed  he  wrote  his  remarks 
in  Latin,  and  in  prifrn,  as  on  his  return  he  was  taken 
prifor  T  by  the  Genuefe,  who  were  at  that  time  at 
war  v/ith  the  Venetians.  He  was  a  man  of  grea( 
fenfc,  probity,  and  piety,  whofe  domeftics  unani- 
moufly  gave  him  a  good  character,  and  confcquently 
his  narrative  is  every  way  deferving  of  our  confidence. 
His  father,  Nicolo^  who  was  the  honefteft  man  in  the 
whole  country,  conftantly  certified  the  truth  of  the 
narrative  contained  in  his  fon's  book ;  and  his  uncle 
MauheOy  who  was  a  piou?  as  well  as  very  wife  man, 
fiven  on  his  death-bed  told  his  Confeflbr,  that  thefe 
ireiations  were  true  in  every  refpeft.  A  Monk  tran- 
(lated  his  book  into  the  Italian  language,  and  from 
the  Italian  it  was  again  tranflated  by  another  JVIonk 
into  Latin.  Thefe  multiplied  tranflations  are  the 
raufe  of  the  names  of  the  countries  and  towns  appear- 
ing fo  much  disfigured  as  they  do.  |t  is  therefore  to 
be  wifted,  that  fome  man  of  great  erudition  would 
compare  thefe  various  tranflations  with  the  manu- 
fcript  to  be  found  in  the  library  of  Wolfenbuttcl, 
and  publifh  a  new  and  correct  edition  of  this  ufcful 
book,  which  is  of  the  greateft  importance  with  refpedt 
to  the  geography  of  the  middle  ages.  This  book  has 
moreover  been  tranflated  into  a  great  many  modern 
languages,  e,  g.  into  German,  French,  Dutch,  and 
Portuguefe  *.  We  fhall  extradl  from  it  fome  very 
ihort  obfervations  only  relative  to  tac  north. 

A.  D.  1260,  the  two  brothers  having  embarki:d  at 
Venice,  with  a  cargo  confiding  of  a  great  many  va- 
luable articles  of  commerce,  went  by  the  way  of  the 


•  There  was  llkewife  a  trandation  publidird  in  Tnglini,  in  1579,  un- 
der the  title  oif  The  moji  nabte  and  famous  Travels  cj  Aiunus  ia-im, 
|/>ndon,  6vo. 

Mcdi- 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       1x9 

Mediterranean,  and  To  through  the  Dardanelles  to 
Conftantinople.  After  a  ftay  of  a  few  days,  they 
failed  acrofs  the  great  fea.  Mar  Magghre  (i.  e.  the 
Black-Sea)  to  a  harbour  called  Soldadia  (or  Sudak), 
From  whence  they  went  by  land  to  the  refidence  of  a 
great  Tartarian  Lord,  named  Barcha  (properly  Bereke 
Kban,  who  reigned  from  1256  to  1266)  who  lived 
in  the  towns  of  Bolgara  and  AJfara*,  He  received 
them  very  kindly,  and  they  made  him  confiderable 
prefents  in  jewels,  for  which  he  made  them  returns 
by  other  prefents  of  double  the  value.  Having  re- 
mained there  for  the  fpace  of  a  year,  they  were  de- 
firous  of  returning  to  Venice ;  but  a  war  breaking 
out  fuddenly  between  Alau  {Holaghu^  probably  the 
Iranian,  or  Perfian  Khan,  Holaghu  Khan,  to  whom 
the  whole  of  Perfia  belonged  quite  to  Syria)  and 
Barcha  i  the  armies  approached  each  other,  and  the 
battle  turned  out  in  favour  of  Holaghu,  The  roads 
were  now  unfafe  j  fo  that  they  could  not  return  by 
the  fame  road  as  they  came,  and  they  were  advifed  to 
travel  by  a  large  circuit  round  about  the  Empire  of 
Berekekhan ;  following  this  counfel  they  came  to  a 
town  called  Ukakah  (alias  Guthakha,  Grikhata,  Khor' 
iangy  Urghen%)y  and  a  little  farther  on  they  crofled 
the  Tigris  (or  Gihon),  one  of  the  four  rivers  of  Pa- 
radife  j  after  this  they  travelled  for  the  fpace  of  fcven- 
teen  days  in  a  defart,  in  which  they  faw  neither  town, 
caftle,  nor  village,  but  only  a  few  Tartars  living  in 
huts.  Having  left  the  defart,  they  came  to  a  very 
good  town  called  Bokhara  (Bochara),  in  the  province 
of  Bokhara  in  Perfia,  the  fovereign  of  which  was 
called  Barach  j  (Berrak  Khan).  Here  they  ftayed  for 
three  whole  years,  being  unable  to  advance  any  far- 
ther on  account  of  the  great  war  that  fubfifted  be- 
tween the  Tartars.     At  this  time  there   came   from 


*  Bolgara  is  without  doubt  Bolgari^  ihe  capital  of  Bulgaria,  t  Jown, 
which  according  to  monuments  (li II  extant,  a£lu.illy  exillcd  from  1161  to 
1578,  and  was  inhabited;  io  that  it  is  very  poflible,  th»t  Bereif  Kban 
may  have  fometimes  refided  there.  But  ^JJsra  is  the  town  of  Al-Stray^ 
which  was  ne\v  buHt  by  Baatn  Khan  oq   the  /Idulia^  a  bianch  of  the 

Holaghu 


120 


VOYAGES    AND 


Holaghu  to  Bokhara f  a  man  of  great  talents  and  un<« 
derftanding,  who  was  going  as  ambaflador  to  the  great 
Kublai-Khan*     Meeting  with  thefe  brothers,  who  had 
now   become    well   acquainted   with    the   Tartarian 
tongue,  and  having   converfed  with   them  for  many 
days,  he;  perfuaded  them  to  take  a  trip  with  him  to 
the  great  king  of  Tartary,  and   promifed  them  great 
honors  and  advantages.     They,  on  their  parts,  being 
perfeftly  aware  that  it  was  impoffible  for  them  to  re- 
turn home  without  imminent  danger,  went  along  with 
the  anibafTador,  together  with  a  number  of  Chriftian 
fervants  which  they  had  brought  with  them  from  Ve- 
nice, ftiaping  their  qourfe  at  hrft  towards  the  N'^rth- 
eaft.     it  being  winter,  they  were  a  whole  year  on  the 
road,  and  they  were  often  obliged  to  wait  on  account 
of  the  fnow,  or  of  the  waters  having  overflowed   the 
roads,  till  the  fnow  was  melted,  and  the  waters  had 
retired.     At  length  they  arrived  at  the  refidence  of  the 
great  Khan   Kullai,  who  gave  orders  for  them  to  be 
brought   before  him,  received  them  very   gracioufly, 
and  treated  them  with  great  di{lin6tion  i  he  alfo  in- 
terrogated   them  much    concerning  the  Roman   Em- 
peror, the  K'ngs  and  Princes  of  Europe,  their  differ- 
ent governments,  their  military  force,  their  jurifpru- 
dence,  the  manners  and  cuftoms  of  the   different  na- 
tions,    their   religion,   and    finally,    concerning  the 
Pope  ;  to   all   which  queries   they  made  proper  and 
fuitable  replies.     After  fome  time,  Kublai- Khan  czWed 
them  before  him,  and  told  them,  tjiat  he  would  fend 
ihem  as  ambaffadors  to  the  Pope  at  Rome,  with  let- 
ters to  defire  his  holinefs  to  let  him  have  ipo  wife  and 
judicious  men,,  well  (killed  in  the  Chriftian  doftrinc. 
He  ordered    a  man    of  diftinflion,    named   Chogatal 
(Gcgaka^  Gcgataly  Cogatal)  to   accompany  them,  and 
gave   them  thefe  letters,  as    alfo   a  golden    table,  on 
which  the  imperial  feal  was  engraved,  and  in  virtu? 
of  which,  the  bearer  or  bearers  thereof  are  intitled 
(free  of  all  expence)  to  relay  horfes,  provifions,  con- 
voy, and  any  thing  elfe  they  may  defire  or  Ihnd  ir^ 
need  of.         "  ' 


Having 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       iii 

Having  travelled  on  for  the  fpace  of  twenty  days, 
the  zmbzttkdot  Chogatal  fell  fickj  they  therefore  left 
him  behind,  and  went  on  without  him.  Their  gold- 
en table  procured  them  every  where  the  beft  reception. 
The  fnow,  the  ice,  and  the  overflowing  rivers,  re- 
tarded them,  fo  as  to  occafion  them  to  be  three  whole 
years  on  this  journey :  at  length  they  arrived  in  an 
Armenian  harbour,  called  la  Giazza  ^otherwife  Glaza^ 
Galza,  and  more  properly  ftill,  al  yJjqjfa),  and  went 
immediately  to  Jcre  {or  jfncona,  properly  Mko),  where 
they  were  informed  of  the  death  of  Pope  Clement  IV, 
by  the  Pope's  'Legate,  Theobald  Vifcount  of  Flacenzia, 
Upon  this  they  took  (hipping,  audi  going  by  the  way 
of  Negroponte,  arrived  at  Venice  among  their  rela- 
tions anu  filciids,  where  they  refolved  to  ftay  till  the 
election  of  a  new  Pope.  Here  Nicole  Polo  found,  that 
his  wife,  whom  he  had  left  big  with  child,  was  dead  ; 
but  Marco,  the  fon  he  had  by  her,  was  alive,  and 
nine  years  old  *.     Having  waited  for  the  election  of  a 

{*ope 

*  The  dates  in  Andrew  Mullcr's  edition  are  ralfe  throughout;  thofe 
however  in  the  Italian  tranflaiioo,  piinicd  in  Ramujit'i  CoUeiStion,  are 
more  accurate.  They  fei  out  A.  D.  iz6o,  and  Aayed  one  year  with 
Berckt  Kbany  ii6i.  Then  they  flayed  three  years  in  Bekbara,  vii.  till 
I Z64.  One  year  they  fpent  on  the  road  to  Kublaihan,  which  brings  it 
to  1 165.  They  were  three  years  ip  returning ;  but  then  they  Ipenc 
iome  time  with  the  Khan,  (or  the  puipoi'e  of  con  verting  with  him,  and 
receiving  their  dif^afhes,  for  which  we  may  reckon  at  leaft  on?  year. 
So  that  it  amounts  to  four  years  in  all,  and  conl'equently  they  did  not  re- 
turn till  the  year*  1169,  and  Marcoy  the  A  n  ot  liiccloy  could  be  but  nine 
years  old,  though  I^amHfio  has  made  him  19,  and  4II  the  others  i§. 
But  the  chronology  of  the  other  Piinces  and  Kings  mentioned  in  this 
^ook  do  not  allow  us  to  adopt  thefe  dates  of  Ramufio  and  Andrew  Mnl- 
ler.  For  firft,  it  is  certain,  that  Kublai-Khan  was  Itill  alive,  though 
advanced  in  year  ,  when  they  took  their  departuie:  and  they  were  on 
their  way  home,  'vhea  they  firtl  received  the  news  of  his  death.  They 
wrre  intormed  of  his  deaih,  on  ihtir  way  home.  Now  Kublai  Khan 
reigned  fiom  I2>;9  to  1294,  and  died  al  the  age  of  80  years,  liui  if 
A';c»/»  and  Mattheo  had  let  out  on  their  firft  journey  in  1150,  they  would 
have  ariived  there  in  1155,  before  Kublai-Khan  had  afcendrd  the 
throne;  they  muft  therefore  have  let  out  on  their  firft  journey  in  1260, 
and  have  CDme  back  in  1169,  foon  after  the  death  of  Popt  Clement  ly. 
Faiiber,  they  mull  have  ftt  out  again  in  izyi,  for  at  that  time  Pope 
Gregory  A',  vvas  elefled,  from  whom  ihty  had  letters  to  take  to  Kublai- 
Klian.  Their  fird  journty  happened  at  the  time  thai  liaidwin  11.  who 
jeigned  from  iZ34  to  ii6i,  was  Hill  Emperor  of  Byzantium.  The  Khan 
ti   KhiptiLh^ik  wa!>  Beiekc,  who  reigned  fioin    I2j6  to    n6t,  lo  thnt 

^hiy 


ii 


12S 


VOYAGES     Av» 


pope  two  years  in  vain,  they  fet  out  with  young 
Marco  Polo.,  who  was  now  i ''  years  of  age,  for  Jcre» 
The  Legate  gave  them  letters  for  Kublai  Khan,  and 
they  fet  out  for  the  harbour  of  Giazza.  In  the  mean 
while  news  arrived  from  Italy,  that  this  fame  Legate 
had  been  eledled  Pope,  on  which  occadon  he  took  the 
name  of  Gregory  X.  He  immediately  difpatched  mef- 
fengers  with  letters  to  the  King  of  Armenia,  to  give 
him  notice  of  his  e\e6kion,  and  to  requeft,  that  in 
cafe  the  AmbafTador  to  the  Khan  had  not  yet  left  his 
territories,  they  ihould  return.  Thefe  letters  found 
the  Pff//ftill  in  Armenia ;  they  returned  '^erefore  in  a 
galley  to  Akko,  where  the  Pope  gave  them  his  letters 
to  the  Khan,  befides  a  great  many  prefents,  and  fenC 
along  with  them  two  learned  Monks  Predicant,  viz. 
Friar  Nicholas,  of  Vicenza,  and  Friar  William,  of  7r#- 
poli.  Immediately  upon  this  they  returned  by  fea  to 
ftl  Ajajfa,  and  fet  out  on  their  journey  from  that  place 
by  land  to  Armenia.  There  tl'ey  learned,  that  the 
Sultan  of  Babylon  (in  x^^gypt  or  of  Kahirah  CBibars) 
tl  Bendokdari  (or  Benhokdare)  had  made  an  incurfion 
with  a  great  army  into  Armenia,  where  he  committed 
the  moft  cruel  ravages.  This  news  alarmed  the  two 
Monks  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  t^  ^y  remained  with  the 
Grand-mafter  of  the  Knights-Templars,  and  after^ 
wards  likewife  returned  with  him ;  but  the  three 
Poli  proceeded  boldly  through  many  dangers,  and, 
by  perfeverance  and  labour,  got  over  every  difficulty  j 
To  that  at  laft,  in  the  fpace  of  three  years  and  a  half, 
they  arrived  at  the  Khan's,  who,  while  they  were 
flill  at  the  diflance  of  40  days  journey  from  him^ 
fcnt  to  meet  them,  and  took  care  that  at  every  place 


they  could  not  have  commenced  their  travels  for  the  firfl  time  before 
iii;6.  Nay  they  coud  m.t  well  have  fet  out  on  their  journey  before 
iZi^S,  for,  Holaglni,  who  was  at  war  with  Bereke  i^iian,  did  not  befin 
his  rtign  before  ix$8,  and  he  reigned  till  the  year  126$.  it  is  evident, 
therefore,  that  the  fird  time,  they  could  not  have  lUid  out  above  1 1 
yr  arc,  and  confetiuentiy  Marco,  the  fon  of  Nicolo,  could  not  at  the  tim« 
of  his  faiher'»  rtiurn  be  more  than  11  years  ©Id,  nor  left  than  9}  which^ 
letter  conjerture  is  very  prpbable. 

they 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      xij 

ihey  came  to,  they  fhould  be  provided  with  every 
thing  neceffary,  till  at  length  they  arrived  fafe  at  his 
court.  Kublai  Khan  received  them  with  great  kind-r 
nefs,  and  with  many  marks  of  diftindion,  in  the 
inidft  of  all  his  illuftrious  Barons  (Taifchisj  Nojones^ 
and  Saijans).  They  were  afked  concerning  the  health 
of  the  Fope;  when  they  gave  a  circumrtantial  ac- 
count to  the  Emperor  of  every  objedl  of  his  enquiry, 
^s  well  as  of  what  had  befallen  them  in  their  jour- 
ney. The  Khan  then  enquired,  who  Marco  was  ? 
and  being  informed,  that  he  was  the  fon  of  Nicolo, 
he  received  him  very  gracioufly,  and  had  him  imme- 
diately regiftered  among  the  moft  diftinguilhed  of  his 
officers.  In  confequence  of  this,  Marco  was  very 
much  refpe6led  l)y  every  one  at  Court,  and  not  only 
.*ii  a  flhort  time  acquired  the  manners  of  the  Tartars, 
but  learned  likewife  four  difFerent  languages,  each 
of  which  he  was  able  to  read  and  write.  On  this 
account  the  Khan,  willing  to  make  a  trial  of  his  ca- 
pacity for  bufineis,  difpatched  him  on  an  affair  of 
importance  relative  to  the  empire,  to  a  town  called 
Karazan,  the  journey  to  which  place  took  him  up  fix 
intire  months.  He  executed  the  whole  bufmefs  with 
judgment  and  discretion,  and  perfedly  to  the  fatis- 
fu6tion  of  the  Khan  ;  and  knowing,  that  the  Khan 
was  very  fond  of  hearing  of  uncommon  phenomena, 
Arap-'e  occurrences,  and  other  novelties,  and  that  he 
was  very  defirpus  of  getting  information  refpcflin^ 
the  manners  and  cudoms  of  the  people,  he  made  mi- 
nute enquiries  every  where  after  whatever  was  re- 
markable, and  taking  it  down  in  writing,  drew  up 
an  account  of  the  whole,  which  he  prefented  to  the 
Khan.  By  this  means  he  got  fo  much  into  the 
Khan's  good  graces,  that  in  the  twenty  fix  years  he 
ftaid  with  the  Khan,  the  latter  was  continually 
fending  him  through  all  his  kingdoms,  and  made 
vie  of  him  as  his  ambaffador.  Now  it  is  princi- 
pally from  this  caufe,  that  this  fame  Marco  faw  and 
heard  fo  many   new  things  relative  to   the  Eaii,  of 

ail 


S24 


VOYAGES    AND 


all  which  he  has  given  a  defcription  in  the  books  he" 
has  written  on  this  fubjedl.  After  the  two  brothers, 
Nicolo,  and  Mattheo,  as  alfo  the  young  man  Marco 
Polo,  had  lived  many  years  at  the  court  of  the 
Khan,  and  had  amailed  great  quantities  of  jewels  and 
gold  ;  confldering  that  the  Khan  grew  old,  and  that 
after  his  deceafe  it  might  have  become  difficult  for  him 
to  return  home,  Nicolo  one  day  begged  of  the  Khan 
to  permit  him  and  his  family  to  fet  out  on  their  tra- 
vels homeward.  At  this,  however,  the  Khan  was 
very  much  hurt,  and  offered  them  additional  riches 
and  honors,  but  refufed  their  requeft.  Juft  at  this 
time  died  Bolgana^  the  confort  of  king  Argon  in  the 
Eaft  Indies ;  who,  on  her  death-bed,  had  defired  Ar- 
gon,  after  her  dcceaft,  to  chufe  a  wife  from  amongft 
her  relations  in  Kathay,  where  the  great  Khan  reign- 
ed. Accordingly,  he  fent  three  ambafTadors  to  Kublai 
Khan^  to  whom  the  Khan  granted  Kogatin  (Gogatin, 
Gogonyn),  one  of  his  near  female  relations  ^  upon 
this  the  ambaifadors  fet  out  with  her,  but  returned 
after  having  been  eight  months  on  the  road,  the  paf- 
fage  all  the  way  to  the  Eaft  Indies  bejn^  obftrudlied 
by  a  war  which  had  juft  broke  out,  In  the  mean 
time  Marco  Polo  had  been  by  fea  to  India,  and  had 
juft  returned  from  his  voyage.  The  ambafTadors  be- 
ing now  apprifed  of  the  conveniency  and  fafcty  of  ^ 
pafTage  by  fea,  by  the  perfuafions  of  the  Polj,  re- 
quefted  of  the  Khan  to  fend  them  by  fea  to  India, 
and  to  grant  them  the  Poli,  as  being  good  and  ex- 
perienced feamen,  for  their  conductors,  and  to  per-» 
mit  thefe  latter  to  return  home,  However  unpleafing 
this  requeft  was  to  the  Khan,  he  djd  not,  however, 
refufe  j  when,  together  v/ith  the  queen  and  the  am- 
bafladors,  they  fet  fail  with  I4  four-maft  fhips,  four 
or  five  of  which  Cfirried  froui  250  to  260  perfons. 
After  lofing  a  great  many  men,  they  pafl'ed  by  the 
liland  of  Java,  and  at  length  arrived  m  the  coun- 
try of  Argon.  He,  they  found,  was  dead,  but  one 
Chiac/itq  (Akata),  governed  in  the  name  of  young 
Knjan,  the  fon  of  Argon,  a  minor,  to  whom   Chia- 

catQ 


DISCOVERIES  lit  the  NORTH.       125 

cato  had  alfo  deflin^d  the  princefs  Gogailn  for  a  con- 
fort  J  he,  however,  was  at  that  time  with  the  army 
making  a  campaigii  on  the  frontiers  of  Perfia.  Chia- 
cato,  by  the  recommendatien  and  at  the  defire  of 
Kublai  Khan,  furnifhed  the  Poli  with  200  horfes  and 
money  for  their  journey,  and,  after  a  tedious  journey 
by  land,  they  at  length  reached  Trebifandt  (i.  e.  Tre- 
bizond)  from  whence  they  proceeded  by  the  way  of 
ConJiantinopU  and  Negroponte  to  Venice,  where  they 
arrived  fafe,  A.  D.  1205.  On  their  way  they  learn- 
ed the  death  of  Kublai  Kharty  and  deemed  themfelves 
very  happy  in  getting  to  their  native  country,  after 
having  furmounted  (o  many  difficulties,  andf  having 
been  abfent  from  it  in  the  eaft,  for  the  fpace  of  26 
years  (viz.  from  1269  to  1295.) 

Marco  Polo  having  dei'cribed  the  fouthern  provinces 
belonging  to  Perfia,  comes  at  length  to  the  unknown 
northern  regions,  and  fetting  out  from  the  country 
of  the  AJfajfmes  in  Dilem^  and  from  a  town  belonging 
to  them  called  Mulete  (or  Alamut)  not  far  from  Kaf" 
vin,  arrives  at  the  town  of  S^purgan  (Esferain)  and 
immediately  ^fter,  at  Balach  (balkh)  a  city  of  great 
celebrity,  though  its  marble  palaces  are  now  deftroy- 
ed  by  the  Tartars.  At  two  days  iourney  from  thence 
to  the  eaft  we  find  the  caftle  of  'Thakan  (Thalkan)  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  which  a  great  quantity  of  corn 
is  grown.  But  to  the  fouth  of  it  there  are  moun- 
tains of  fait,  which  is  fetched  from  them  to  the 
diftance  of  30  days  journey.  The  inhabitants,  though 
Mahometans,  make  a  common  practice  of  drinking 
wine,  which  indeed  they  have  perfectly  mature,  of  a 
very  full  body,  and  excellent  in  its  kind.  As  to 
other  particulars,  they  are  of  an  extremely  mifchiev- 
ous  and  wicked  difpofition  ;  they  are,  however,  good 
huntfmen,  and  their  cloaths  are  made  of  the  fkins  of 
the  beafts  which  they  kill. 

At  the  diftance  of  three  days  journey  farther  on, 
is  the  lo^n  o{  Scajfem   (ScafTe,  al-Schafch);  through 

the  town  runs  a   very  large  ftream   fthe  Sirr 

Daria,    or    Dfaihum).     In    this    country    there   arc 

many 


126 


VOYAGES    AND 


e 


many  porcupines.  The  inhabitants  have  a  languagfe 
of  their  own.  At  the  diftance  of  three  days  journey 
more,  is  the  province  of  Balaxiam  (Balafcia,  Bala- 
fagan),  the  inhabitants  of  which  are  Mahometans^ 
and  fpeak  a  language  peculiar  to  themfelves  :  the  ex- 
tent of  the  country  is  about  twelve  days  journey. 
In  the  mountains  there  are  found  beautiful  uones  of 
great  value,  called  Balajfe^  particularly  in  the  moun- 
tain of  SUhtam,  where  the  king  alone  has  the  privi- 
lege of  digging.  There  are  alfo  mountains  with 
veins  of  Lapis  Lazuli ^  which  is  reckoned  the  fined 
in  the  world;  as  alfo  veins  of  filver,  copper,  and 
lead  in  great  quantity  j  but  the  weather  there  is  in- 
tenfely  cold.  Jn  this  country  they  have  very  fwift 
borfcs,  whofe  hoofs  are  fo  hard  that  they  want  no 
ihoeing.  In  the  mountains  are  caught  the  Sacre  fal- 
con (Falco  Sacer)  j  the  Lannar  (Falco  lanarius  cinereui 
Brifs,)  the  Gofs-hawk  (Falco  ajiur  Brifs.),  and  the 
Sparrow-hawk  (Falco  nifus),  which  are  all,  in  their 
kind,  very  excellent,  and,  by  the  inhabitants,  who 
are  all  very  keen  fportfmen,  are  made  ufe  of  for  the 
chace.  They  grow  much  wheat  and  Indian  corn  j 
they  have  no  olive  oil,  but  make  this  article  of  food 
of  nuts  and  the  feeds  of  the  Sefamum,  which  of  all 
oils  is  the  moft  palatable.  The  great  number  of  nar- 
row pafles  and  ftrong  holds  they  nave  in  this  country 
render  the  inhabitants  perfectly  fecure  againft  any  in- 
vafion  from  an  enemy.  The  air  on  the  mountains  is 
fo  falubrious,  that  the  fick  almoft  always  recover 
their  health  on  taking  a  journey  to  them,  as  indeed 
Marco  Polo  experienced  in  his  own  cafe.  On  thefe 
mountains  there  are  flocks  of  from  400  to  600  wild 
Iheep,  of  which  but  few  are  to  be  caught.  The  wo- 
men of  rank  make  themfelves  a  drefs  of  muflin,  con- 
taining from  60  to  80,  or  even  100  ells,  and,  (in  or- 
der that  they  may  appear  the  more  bulky  below  the 
waiftjj  crumpled  up  from  the  waill  downwards,  like 
trowlers,  and  (lie  who  appears  the  biggeft,  is  confi- 
dcred  by  the  men  as  the  greatt-ft  beauty. 

At 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       ny 

At  the  diftance  of  about  lo  days  journey  is  the 
province  of  Bafcia,  (alias  Vafch,  on  the  river  Vafch, 
which  falls  into  the  Gihon).  The  inhabitants  are 
Idolaters,  and  very  much  addicted  to  forcery  and 
witchcraft ;  live  upon  flefh  and  rice,  and  have  a  lan- 
guage of  their  own.  They  are  of  a  very  tawny  com- 
plexion, and  are  accounted  very  malicious,  faithlefs^ 
and  cruel.  They  wear  golden  ear-rings  fet  with  dia- 
monds and  pearls. 

The  province  of  Chefmur  (Khefimur,  Khafchimir) 
is  at  about  feven  days  journey  from  Bafchia,  The  in* 
habitants  have  a  language  of  their  own,  and  are  of  a 
brown  complexion ;  neverthelefs,  the  women  are 
very  handfome.  Their  principal  food  is  flefh  and 
rice.  Their  country  is  covered  with  towns  and  caf- 
tles,  and  being  furrounded  by  defarts  and  mountains^ 
they  have  nothing  to  fear  from  any  enemy.  Their 
king  is  not  tributary  to  any  one.  There  are  many 
and  large  bodies  of  hermits  among  them,  who  live 
in  a  very  frugal  and  abftemious  manner,  and  are  in 
great  efteem  among  the  people.  The  natives  never 
Vied  blood,  nor  kill  any  animal ;  therefore,  the/ 
make  ufe  of  the  Mahometans  for  flaughtering  the 
beafts  of  which  they  eat  the  flefh.  Corals  are  held  in 
great  efteem  among  them,  and  fell  at  a  very  high 
price. 

From  Balaxima  one  comes  to  a  number  of  caflles 
and  dwellings  on  the  banks  of  a  river,  and  at  length 
jnto  the  province  called  Vochan  (alias  Vocham  or  Vak- 
ham,  on  the  river  Vafch).  The  inhabitants  are  ho- 
nefl  and  valiant,  and  have  a  language  of  their  own» 
but  follow  the  law  of  Mahomet.  Their  Lord  is 
fubje£l  to  the  King  of  Balaxiam,  In  going  out  of 
this  province  to  the  eaftward,  one  travels  for  three 
days  continually  upon  the  afcent,  till  at  lafl  one 
comes  to  fo  elevated  a  fpot,  that  one  is  apt  to  take  it 
for  the  higheft  in  the  whole  world.  On  this  fame 
fpot,  between  two  mountains,  one  finds  a  large  lake, 
from  whence  a  very  beautiful  river  flo^^-s  through  a 
plain,  containing  the  bed  and  richefl  paftures  in  the 
world,  for  if  cattle  arrive  there  ever  fo  lean,  they  re- 
turn 


128 


VOYAGES    AN» 


I 


turn  home  in  lo  days  quite  fa*:  and  in  good  condition.* 
In  this  diftridt,  too,  there  are  a  great  number  of  wil(i 
beads,    and    particularly  of  ^"^y   large  wild   fheep^ 
fome  of  which  have  horns  of  the  length  of  fix  palms, 
or  about  i8  inches ;  and  others  of  two  or  three  palms 
at  leaft :  of  thefe  the  fhepherds  make  fmall  porrin- 
gers, and  large  diihes  for   their  victuals ;    and   even 
the  folds  in  which  they  keep  their  flocks  are  made  of 
thefe  horns.     The  numberlefs   wolves    that    are   in 
thefe  parts  devour  fuch   immenfe  quantities  of  thefe 
goats,  or  fhccp,  that  their  horns  and  fkeletons  are  to 
be  found  piled  up  in  heaps,  in  order  to  point  out   the 
way  in   the  fnow*.     One  travels'  for  the  fpace  of  12 
whole  days   on   this  plain,    which    is  called  Pamer, 
Confequently  one  muft  carry  all  one's  provifions  along 
with  one.     On   account  of  the   great  height  of  the 
mountains,    there  are  no  birds  to  be  feen   here,  and 
even  the  fires  do  not  burn  fo  clear,  by  reafon  of  the 
cold,    as  it  does   in  other  places,    fo    that  one  can 
hardly  drefs  any  victuals  by  it**.     Having  accom- 
plilhcd  this  12  days  journey,  one  muft  travel  40  days 
longer  to  the  eaftward,  and  that  continually  ct  moun- 
tains and   through  vallies,  croffing  many  rivers,  and 
pafling  through  defarts,  in  which  there  are  neither  dwel- 
lings nor  even  a  blade  of  grafs  ;  fothat  one  muft  carry 
all  the  provifions  one  ftands  in  need  of  along  with  one  j 


*  It  U  remarkable,  that  fo  many  centuries  ago  Marco  Polo  has  taken 
notice  of  the  extraordinary  height  of  ihefe  inland  Afiatic  campaigas, 
and  at  the  lame  time  made  accurate  and  juft  obfervations  on  thefe  wild 
(heep,  which  by  the  ancient  nations  were  called  Mufmmesy  and  by  the 
French  and  Italian!!  are  termed  Mouflons,  Mufloni^  and  of  which  the 
horns  have  bcLD  alfo  defcribcd  by  modern  writers  to  be  fo  large,  that 
>4he  Korfake^  or  fmall  foxes  ot  thed  lart,  can  hide  their.felves  in  them. 

•*  This  truth,  difcovered  by  M.  De  Luc^  one  of  the  mod  attentive 
natural  Philofophers  of  the  prefent  age,  on  the  mountains  of  Savoy  and 
Switzerland,  viz.  that  on  the  highett  muuntaiiis  fire  burns  more  flug« 
gi!hly,  and  the  e(Fe£ts  it  produces  are  more  inconfiderable  than  at  the 
level  of  the  fea,  we  find  here  very  carefully  n  iticed  by  Maico  Polo, 
above  foo  years  ago.  Vid.  J.  A,  dt  Luc^  Rtcktrshts  Jur  la  medificationt 
Je  i'a:mejfitrt.     i^*<  903,  919. 

and 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        129 

and  this  country  is  called  Beloro  (alias  Belor,  or  Be- 
]ur).  The  fummits  of  thefc  mountains  arc  inhabited 
by  an  idolatrous,  favage,  and  cruel  race  of  men, 
who  live  merely  by  hunting,  and  are  cloathed  in  the 
(kins  of  beafts. 

From  thence  one  comes  to  the  kingdom  of  Cafcar 
(alias  Chafcar,  CalTar,  Kafchgar,  and  Haficar)  which 
at  prefcnt  belongs  to  the  great  Khan,  and  is  five  days 
journey  in  length.  The  inhabitants  are  Mahometans, 
and  get  their  livelihood  by  commerce  and  manufac- 
tures, and  particularly  by  the  working  of  cotton. 
The  face  of  the  country  is  covered  with  towns  and 
cadles  i  they  have  fine  gardens  and  lands,  which 
produce  grapes  for  making  wine,  and  other  fruits  in 
abundance.  They  cultivate  cotton,  flax,  and  hemp, 
in  great  quantities  ;  and  the  land  yields  plentifully  all 
the  necefl'aries  of  life.  From  this  province  numbers  of 
traders  go  to  all  parts  of  the  globe  j  but  they  are  fo 
extremely  covetous,  that  they  do  not  even  allow  them> 
fdves  to  eat,  and  much  iefs  to  drink  any  thing  that  is 
good.  Bcildes  the  Mahometans,  there  live  alfo  fome 
Neflorians  in  thefe  parts,  who  have  a  public  church 
here,  in  which  they  worfhip  the  Deity  after  their 
own  manner. 

Samarchan  (or  Samarkand)  is  an  excellent  town  and 
a  plain,  which  produces  abundance  of  all  kind  of 
fruits  that  man  can  pofTibly  wifh  for.  The  inha- 
bitants are  part  of  them  Chriflians  and  part  of  them 
Mahometans,  and  are  fubje(5l  to  a  nephew  of  the  greac 
Khan. 

From  hence,  in  five  days  journey,  one  comes  to  the 
province  of  Cardan  (alias  Carcham,  Carcam,  Hiar- 
kand,  Jarkim,  Jerket,  Jerken,  and  Urkend..  The 
inhabitants  are  of  the  Mahometan  perfuafion,  and 
there  are  alfo  fome  Neftorian  Chriftians  here;  but 
all  are  fubjed  to  the  nephew  of  the  great  Khan.  They 
have  all  the  neceffaries  of  life  in  great  plenty,  but 
chiefly  cotton.  The  inhabitants  are  good  artizans, 
and  have,  the  greateft  part  of  them,  thick  legs,  and 
goitres  or  tumors  in  their  necks,  which  proceed 
from  the  quality  of  the  water  which  they  drink. 

K  Goinj 


130 


VOYAG  ES    AND 


Going  from  hence  to  the  caft wards  one  corrics  to 
the  province  of  Cetan  (otherwifc  Cotam,  Hotunif 
Khoten,  and  Khotan),  which  is  fubjcdl  to  the  ne- 
phew of  the  great  Khan.  This  country  is  eicht  days 
journey  in  length,  and  is  full  of  towns  andcadles. 
The  inhabitants  are  Mahometans.  The  country 
ubounds  in  all  the  neceflarics  of  life  ;  here  they  culti- 
vate cotton,  flax,  hemp,  wheat,  wines,  and  other 
produdlions  of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  The  inhabi- 
tants live  by  trade  and  manufadturcs,  and  are  unfit  for 
war. 

Purfuing  this  track,  one  comes  to  the  province  cal- 
led Peym  (Peim,  or  Peym),  which  contains  many 
towns  and  caftles.  Through  the  capital  of  the  fame 
name  there  runs  a  river,  in  which  many  precious 
ftoncs  are  to  be  fnund,  viz.  Chalcedonians  and 
Jafper.  In  this  province  are  to  be  had  all  necefla- 
rics of  life,  and  a  great  quantity  of  filk  is  produced. 
The  inhabitants  arc  Mahometans,  and  immediately 
fubjed^  to  the  great  Khan ;  they  live  by  trade  and 
manufactures.  In  this  country  they  have  a  very  par- 
ticular cuflom,  which  is,  that  if  a  man  goes  on  a 
journey,  and  (lays  away  from  his  wife  above  twenty 
days,  fhe  may,  if  flie  pleafes,  marry  another  man, 
and  when  the  man  returns,  he  may,  in  like  manner, 
marry  another  woman.  All  thefe  laft  mentioned 
countries,  viz.  Kafchgar^  'Jerkin^  Kboten^  Peytriy  and 
Stgrtanty  to  the  town  called  Lop^  are  reckoned  among 
the  frontiers  of  Great  Turkey. 

The  province  called  Ciarcian  (Ciartiam,  Sartem), 
was  formerly  very  beautiful  and  fertile,  but  it  has 
fmce  been  deftroyed  by  the  Tartars.  The  inhabi- 
tants are  Mahometans.  In  this  country  there  are  a 
great  number  of  caftles  and  towns,  the  chief  of 
which  is  likewife  called  Ciarcifin.  There  are  many 
rivers  containing  precious  ftones,  chiefly  Chalcedo- 
nians and  Jafper,  which  are  carried  for  fale  to  Ouchah 
(Kathay),  and  of  which,  by  r^wfon  of  the  great  quan- 
tity there  is  of  them,  they  make  great  profit.  From 
Peym  to  the  end  of  this  province  there  are  many  bitter 
and  fait  waters  in  the  ftrata  of  fand  which  are  to  be 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       131 

met  with  every  where  in  thefe  parts  i  but  frefli  wa- 
ter fit  for  drinking  is  very  rare.  And  if  it  happens 
that  an  army  of  Tartars,  either  friends  or  enemies, 
marches  through}  if  of  the  latter,  they  plunder  the 
inhabitants  of  their  goods;  and  if  friends,  they  kill 
their  cattle  and  cat  it  up  ;  whence  it  happens,  thac 
the  inhabitants,  on  perceiving  the  approach  of  an 
army,  retire  with  their  wives,  children  and  cattle, 
to  the  diftancc  of  feveral  days  journey  into  the  Tandy 
defart,  near  a  fpring  of  good  water,  where  in  thaC 
cafe  they  live.  For  it  is  to  be  obfcrved,  that  after  the 
wheat  harveflj  every  one  of  the  inhabitants  hides 
his  corn  in  caverns  under  the  fand,  unknown  to 
any  one  but  himfelf,  as  the  place  is  immediately 
covered  over  with  fand  by  the  wind  j  and  they  car- 
ry home  at  one  time  only  jud  as  much  as  will 
i'erve  them  for  the  I'pace  of  a  month.  Going  fromi 
Cidrcian  backward,  five  days  journey  in  the  fand, 
one  comes  to  nothing  but  bitccr  waters,  except  thac 
at  the  entrance  of  the  great  defart,  one  meets  with 
the  town  called  Lop.  From  the  town  oi'  Lop  you 
enter  immediately  into  the  great  defart.  The  inha- 
bitants of  Lop  are  Mahometans,  and  fubjctSls  of  the 
great  Khan.  In  this  town,  thofe  that  intend  to  tra- 
vel through  the  defart,  reft  for  many  days,  and  pre- 
pare all  that  is  necefTary  for  the  journey,  and  load 
many  ftrong  afles  and  camels  witn  food,  proviflons, 
and  merchandife.  But  if  their  provifions  are  fpent 
before  they  are  quite  through  the  defart,  they  kill  the 
afTes  and  camels  and  eat  them.  They  muft  lay  in  a 
ftock  of  provifions  fuiHcient  to  laft  a  whole  month, 
and  if  it  does  not,  they  eat  the  afTes  rather  than  the 
camels,  becaufe  thefe  latter  can  carry  heavier  bur- 
thens, and  are  fatisfied  with  lefs  food.  During  the 
whole  thirty  days  the  road  goes  through  fandy  plains, 
and  over  barren  mountains,  but  at  the  end  of  each 
day's  journey  they  meet  with  water,  though  not  in 
fufHcient  quantity,  but  only  for  about  50  or  lOO 
men :  in  three  or  four  of  thefe  places  the  water 
is  even  bitter,  but  in  all  the  other  noclurnal  baiting- 

K  2  places, 


i3» 


VOYAGES    AND 


places,  which  are  twenty-eight  in  number,  the  vrZ" 
tcr  is  freih.  In  the  delart  neither  birds  nor  beads 
are  to  be  found,  there  being  nothing  for  them  to  live 
upon.  It  is  alfo  very  eafy,  in  cafe  one  loiters  be- 
hind, to  lofe  one's  company,  and  confequently  pe- 
riih  miferably. 

Having  travelled  through  the  defart  in  this  man- 
ner for    the  fpace  of  thirty    days,    you  come  to   a 
town    called    Sachion  (Schatfcheu,   Tfchatfcheu,  on 
the  riv'sr  Sirgentfchi,  which  runs  into  the  Poionghir^ 
and  in  the  Kara-nory  or  Hara-nor,  or  perhaps  itfhould 
be  SchotfcheUy  or  Sotfcheu^    on  the  river  Ezina,  which 
difcharges  its  waters  into  two  lakes)  :  this  town  is  irt 
the  dominions  of  the  great  Khan,  and  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Tanguth.     In  it  there  are  fome  few  Nefto- 
rian  Chriftians,    as   alfo  Mahometans,    and   finally^ 
Idolaters,    who  have    their  own  peculiar  language. 
They  do  not  live   by  commerce,  but  by  agriculture, 
and  the  produce  of  their  own  country.    They  have 
many    convents    full  of   idols,  which  they  worlhip 
with    the   greateft  devotion ;    and   if   they   beget   a 
fon,  they  recommend  him  to  one  of  thefe  idols,  in 
horK>ur  of  whom  they  feed  a  ram  at  home,  which, 
at  the  expiration    of  the   firft  year,   they    carry  to 
the    temple,    together    with  the  child,   on   the  day 
which  is    confecrated    to  the  above  idol,  and  after 
xilling  the   ram,    boil    the   fleih   of    it,    and   fet  it 
before  the  idol,  while  they  fay  their  prayers,  in  which 
they  recommended  the  Ton   to  the  idol,  and  beg  of 
him  to   keep    their   fon  in  health ;  and  they  aflert^ 
that  during  this,  the  idol  has  extracted  all  the  vir> 
tues  and  tafte  of  the  meat;  Ltpon  this  they  take  the 
meat  home,   and  eat  it  in  company  of  their  friends 
and    relations    invited    for    that   purpofe,    but    the 
bones   they  preferve  very   carefully   in   a    hand  fome 
veffel.     The  priells  of  the  idol  have   for  their  (hare 
the  head,  the  feet,  the  entrails,  the    (kin,  an<l  part 
of  the  flefh.     Thefe  Idolaters  obfcrve  alfo  fome  very 
fingular   cuftoms    in  the  burning   of  their  dead  ;  if 
the  deccafed    was   a  man  of  rack,    they  go  to  the 

ailrologer. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       133 

aftrologer,  and  tell  him  the  year,  day,  and  hour,  on 
which  the  deceafed  perfon  was  born  j  the  Sage  then 
examines  the  figns,  the  planet,  and  the  ftar  under 
whofe  influence  th*  defuno:  was  born,  and,  according 
to  thefe,  determin(  o  the  day  and  the  hour  on  which 
he  is  to  be  burnt  ;  and  if  the  planet  docs  not  reign  at 
that  time,  they  keep  the  corple  for  a  week,  or  even 
for  fix  months  together  j  now  being  obliged  to  keep 
it  in  the  houfe,  they  get  a  coffin  made  of  boards  three 
inches  thick,  very  clofely  joined  together,  and  painted 
over.  In  this  they  lay  the  corpfe,  together  with  ma- 
ny fragrant  perfttfnes,  camphirc,  and  other  fpices  j  and, 
after  hlling  up  all  the  chinks  with  pitch  and  lime, 
cover  the  coffin  with  filk.  During  the  whole  time 
that  they  kct  the  corpfe  thus,  a  table  is  fpread  for  it 
with  bread,  meat,  and  wine,  and  left  {landing  for  a» 
long  a  time  as  it  would  taki  a  living  perfon  to  eat  and 
drink  his  fill.  Moreover  the  aftrologer  will  fometimes 
deem  it  unlucky  to  carry  the  corpfe  throujgh  the  door  ; 
when  to  pleafe  the  planet,  ?  hole  muu  be  broken 
through  the  wall,  and  the  corpfe  carried  out  that 
way.  Should  any  one  t^ke  it  in  his  head  to  object 
to  all  this,  and  refufe  to  comply,  the  ghoft  of  the 
deceafed  would  certainly  be  difpleafed  at  it,  and  do 
him  a  mifchief.  When  the  corpfe  is  carried  out  of 
the  town,  they  have  little  wooden  houfes  built  for  it 
in  the  ftreets,  in  which  they  fet  it  down  and  place 
viftuals  before  it.  The  proceilion  is  accompanied  with 
mufic,  Whilft  the  body  is  burning,  they  paint  on 
a  paper,  the  figures  of  men  and  women,  together  with 
the  reprefentations  of  coins,  horfes,  camels,  and  cloaths  j 
and  burn  thefe  together  with  the  corpfe,  in  the  belief 
that  the  deceafed  will  have  an  equal  number  of  man- 
fervants  and  maid-fervants,  money  and  cattle,  at  his 
difpofal  in  the  other  v.'orld.  I'he  mufic  muft  play 
during  the  whole  ceremony  of  the  incremation  of  the 
body. 

Kamul  (alias  Chamvil,  Hamil,  Hanii,  Khami,  Came- 
xu)  is  a  diftrid  belonging  to  the  extenlive  province  of 
Tanguthy  and  is  fubjed  to  the  Great  Khan,  It  is 
fituated  between  the  above-mentioned  great  defart  and 
a^ioiher    fmaller    one,      'I'he'   opitnl   bears    the    fame 

name 


»34 


VOYAGES    AND 


name  as  the  diftridt  itfelf :  it  produces  fruit  and  grain 
of  all  forts,  which  ferve  for  the  maintenance  of  its  in- 
habitants, as  well  as  of  the  foreigners  that  travel 
through  it.  The  inhabitants  fpeak  a  language  peculiar 
to  themfelves,  and  worfliip  idols.  Thefe  people  feem 
to  be  born  for  nothing  elfe  but  enjoyment  j  and,  in- 
deed, their  chief  occupation  is  mulic,  finging,  and 
dancing,  and  other  amufements.  If  a  traveller  arrives 
in  their  country,  and  is  defirous  of  taking  up  his  lodg- 
ing with  any  of  them,  they  immediately  lay  the 
llri6teft  injunctions  on  their  wives,  daughters,  fifters, 
and  other  female  relations,  to  be  in  every  refpe6l  at 
the  ftranger's  fervice  j  at  the  fame  time  the  hufband 
leaves  the  houfe,  and  procures  in  the  town  whatever 
h  requlfite  for  the  acGommodation  and  kind  reception 
of  his  gueft  i  neitlicr  does  he  return  to  his  houfe  till 
the  latter  has  left  it.  The  women  in  the  mean  while 
obey  the  ftranger  as  if  he  was  their  hufband ;  and  it 
muft  be  confefled,  that  in  general  they  poflcfs  no  fmall 
{hare  of  vivacity  and  beauty.  The  prevailing  opinion 
in  this  country  is,  that  by  fhewing  fo  much  hofpita- 
Jity  to  the  travellers,  they  render  a  very  acceptable 
fervice  to  the  Gods,  and  they  ;:ttribute  it  entirely  to 
this  cuftom,  that  the  Gods  bellow  on  them  a  profu- 
fion  of  every  worldly  good,  and  a  protedion  againft 
all  dangers,  together  with  the  increal'e  of  their  fami- 
lies. When  Mangu  Khan  fat  on  the  throne,  having 
heard  of  this  indecent  cuftom,  he  commanded  that 
they  fhould  preferve  and  promote  the  chaftity  of  their 
wives  and  daughters,  and  keep  houles  for  the  recep- 
tion of  ftrangers  and  travellers  at  the  public  expence. 
This  mandate  they  punctually  obeyed  for  the  fpace 
of  three  years.  But  within  this  time  the  produce  of 
their  fields  and  gardens  happening  not  to  fucceed,  and 
having  met  likevvife  with  other  diltifters  in  their  do- 
meftic  conccrs,  they  fcnt  ambafl'adors,  moft  humbly  to 
petition  the  Emperor  for  the  repeal  of  his  mandate. 
Mangu  Khan,  having  heard  their  remonftanccs,  an- 
fweitu  as  follows  :  "  I  conceive  it  to  be  my  duty  to 
put  a  ftop  to  this  fcandalous  cuflora  ;  but  I'lnce  you 
^lory  in  your  fhame,  you  may  even  bear  it,  and  con- 
tinue 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        135 

tinue  henceforth  to  make  your  wives  perform  their 
iifual  charitable  offices  to  ft  rangers  and  travellers." 
The  meffengers  who  carried  back  the  repeal  of  the  ' 
Imperial  prohibition,  were  received  with  great  re- 
joicings by  the  whole  nation,  and  the  ancient  cuftom 
is  ftilT  kept  up  there  to  this  day :  (that  is,  when  Mar- 
co Polo  was  in  that  part  of  the  world  j  for  how  mat- 
ters ftand  there  now,  it  is  impoffible  to  fay). 

Beyond  the  province  of  Cha?nul  is  the  country  called 
Chinchintalas  (alias  Chinchincalas,  Sanghin-Talgin,  San- 
kin-talai,  Chitalas^Dalai)  which  to  the  north  is  bound- 
ed by  the  defart ;  it  is  16  days  journey  in  length,  and 
belongs  to  the  territories  of  the  Great  Khan,  and  ha$ 
towns  and  boroughs  in  it.  The  inhabitants  are  fome 
of  them  Neftorian  Chriftians,  though  the  number  of 
thefe  is  fmall  ;  fome  again  are  Mahometans,  and  the 
reft  Idolaters,  In  riiis  country  is  a  mountain  which 
yields  fteel-ore  and  Andanicum  (other wife  audanicum) 
as  alfo  Salamander  (i.  e.  aft)eftos)  of  which  they  make 
a  kind  of  cloth  which  is  indeftruftible  by  fire. 

Leaving  the  province  of  Chinc/jintaias  dire£t\y  behind 
you  the  road  goes  caftward  (or  rather  fouthward) 
through  an  almoft  uncultivated  country,  for  13  days 
journey,  to  the  province  of  Suchur*  (alias  *^  iccuir, 
Souck,  or  Suck,  on    the  river  Suck,  which   '^tT^pties 


♦  The  countrj  defcribed  but  very  Utely  by  M.  Pallat^  where  the  ge- 
nuine rhubarb  grows,  and  from  whence  it  is  carried  by  the  merchants  o( 
BQcharia  to  the  Ruiiians  at  Kjacita^  is  to  the  fouthwell  of  the  lake  Koke- 
far,  not  far  from  the  town  of  Selling  on  the  river  Stlingol^  which  dif- 
charges  itfelf  into  the  Chattungot,  nr,'as  'he  Chinefe  call  it,  Hoanght 
(alias  Choango)  which  is  alfo  called  Karamuren.  This  whole  traft  it 
compofed  of  high  nnountains,  bare  of  '.vood,  where  the  rhubarb  grows 
put  of  chinks  of  the  rocks.  The  roots  that  are  fit  for  ufe  fhoot  out  (talks 
of  an  amazing  thicknels,  and  being  dug  up  in  April  and  May,  are  clean- 
ed and  hung  up  pn  the  tiees.  The  leaf  we  are  tcld  is  round,  and  but 
(lightly  indented  ;  confequently  the  Rheum  compailum^  or  undulatum^ 
mu(l  be  the  genuine  rhubarb  plant.  This  indication  of  the  real  native 
country  o*' rhubarb  induced  me  to  lock  in  thefe  parts  lik(  wife  for  the  town 
piUcd  Suckutr^  or  Suckuty  which  I  e  fily  difcoveied,  together  with  the 
provioce  of  the  faips  came^  in  the  province  and  town  oi  Suck. 

itlblf 


I! 


i 


'36 


VOYAGES    AND 


itfclf  into  the  river  Pegu^  to  the  northward  of  Tibet^ 
and  to  the  fouth-eaftward  of  Kokonor)  ;  this  pro- 
vince has  feveral  towns  and  boroughs,  the  capital  of 
which  bears  the  name  of  the  country.  The  inhabi- 
tants, a  few  Chriftians  excepted,  are  idolaters,  and  fub- 
Je6ls  of  the  Great  Khan.  They  are  of  a  very  tawny 
complexion,  and  live  without  commerce  on  the  pro- 
duce of  the  earth.  The  Reubarbar  (Reobarbar,  or 
Rhubarb)  which  grows  on  the  mountains  here  in  great 
abundance,  is  carried  by  the  merchants  all  over  the 
world.  On  thefe  mountains,  too,  grows  a  poifonous 
plant,  upon  eating  which,  the  cattle  caft  their  hoofs. 
The  cattle  belonging  to  the  natives  knov/  this  plant, 
and  carefully  avoid  it  j  it  is  ^erefore  neceflary,  on  a 
Journey  to  thcfe  mountains,  always  to  make  ufe  of 
the  cattle  of  the  country, 

The  city  or  town  called  Kampiou  (Kampitiou, 
Kampiciou,  Kantfcheu,  in  the  province  of  Schenfi, 
on  the  Etzin6  Moren)  is  the  capital  cf  all  Tatim 
guth  i  it  is  elegant  and  very  large.  Part  of  the  in- 
habitants are  Neftorian  Chriftians,  and  have  three  fiije 
large  churches  j  part  of  them  are  Mahometans,  and  the 
reft  idolaters,  1  he  numerous  convents  they  have  for 
their  ecclefiailics  are  filled  with  idols  made  of  wood, 
earth,  or  ftone,  and  covered  over  with  gold,  fome  of 
which  are  about  10  feet  long,  and  lie  on  the  ground, 
being  furrounded  by  the  fmaller  idols,  which  Tetrp  to 
pay  homage  to  them,  in  the  manner  of  difcipies.  The 
pnefts  of  the  idols  lead  far  mere  regular  lives,  and 
are  lefs  addi6led  to  voluptuoufnefs  than  the  other  ido- 
laters. They  abftain  from  certain  meats,  gnd  from 
fuch  z^s  of  concupifcence  and  difhonourable  deeds, 
as  are  there  commonly  confidered  as  not  to  be  very 
finful.  Fof  if  a  woman  makes  the  firft  advtuices  to 
?,  man,  it  is  according  to  their  confcience  no  fm  to 
enjoy  her.  But  if  the  men  make  the  firft  advances, 
in  that  cafe  they  lock  on  it  as  a  fin.  The  laymen 
have  many   wives,   fomqtimes    thirty    and  more,    and 

fomc* 


i 


DISCOVERIES  IM  THE  NORTH.       137 

fotnetlmes  lefs,  according  to  their  circumftarices,  for 
they  get  no  portion  with  their  wives  ;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  give  the  wife  a  fortuhe,  confiiling  of  cattle, 
fiaves,  and  money.  But  the  firft  wife  always  has  the 
precedence  ;  moreover,  if  they  find  that  one  of  their 
wives  does  not  live  in  harmony  with  the  other,  or  if 
(he  difpleafes  them,  they  may  difmifs  her.  They 
marry  their  relations  and  kindred,  and  even  their 
mothers  in  law.  They  have  a  kind  of  cycle  or  peri- 
odicd  revolution  of  lunar  months,  and  in  each  of  thefe 
they  abftain  for  three,  four,  or  five  days,  from  blood 
and  from  the  fiefh  of  beads  and  fowls,  and  worfhip 
their  Gods  according  to  the  courfe  of  thefe  lunar 
cycles.  In  the  mean  time  they  commit  many  other 
deadly  fins,  and  live  like  beafts  j  as  Marco  Pola  fuf- 
ficiently  experienced,  vvi.^n  he  with  his  father  and 
uncle,  on  account  of  their  bufmcfs,  refided  for  about 
a  year  in  this  place. 

Travelling  12  days  journey  from  Kampion  (Kampi- 
tion,  Kantfcheu)  you  come  10  a  town  called  Ezina 
(Eziva,  Etzine  is  the  name  of  a  river  in  the  nortli- 
eafter'i  part  of  Schenfi,  which  difcharges  itfelf  into 
the  lake  Snhuc-Nor,  and  Sopu-Nor),  which  borders 
on  the  great  Sandy  Defart,  and  is  in  the  province  of 
Tanguth.  The  inhabitants  are  idolaters,  and  live  vn 
their  cattle  and  by  agriculture,  but  have  no  traffic. 
In  this  country  we  find  many  Lannar  falcons  (Falc9 
Lnnarius)  and  very  good  Sacre  falcons  (Falco  facer), 
'J  here  are  alio  forell  of  pine-trees,  inhabited  by  wild 
afies,  and  many  other  wild  bealis.  The  inhabitants 
keep  a  great  number  of  camels  and  other  cattle.  Such 
travellers  as  intend  going  through  the  great  defart^ 
which  is  40  days  journey  in  length,  buy  their  provi- 
fions  here,  as  they  afterwards  meet  with  neither  men 
nor  inhabitants,  excepting  2  few  ftragglirg  people  here 
and  there  on  the  mountains  and  in  the  valleys.  At 
the  end  of  thefe  40  days  journey  to  the  northwards,  is 
the  town  called  Carachoran  (alias  Taracoram,  Cara- 
coram,  Korakarum,  Karakoran,  Karakum,  Karakaiiii, 
and  Holin).  All  the  diftrids  juft  defcribed,  viz.  Sncbiou 

(Schalfcheu) 


138 


VOYAGES    ANU 


(Schatfcheu)  Chdmul  (Khamil)  Chinch'italas  (Sankinda* 
|ai)  Succuir  (Suck)  Campion  (Kantfcheu)  and  Ezina 
(Etzin6)  are  in  the  great  province  of  Tangut. 

Carachoran  (Carchoran,  Kara^Koran)  is  a  town  of 
three  Italian  miles  in  circumference.  It  is  the  place 
from  which  in  times  of  yore  ihe  Tartars  originally 
came ;  for  want  of  flones,  it  is  furrounded  by  an 
earthen  bulwark  or  rampart  only.  On  the  outfide  of 
this  there  is  a  great  caltle,  with  a  very  elegant  palace> 
in  which  the  Governor  ufually  refides. 

In  going  to  the  northward  from  Carachoran  (Kara- 
koran)  and  from  mount  yiltay,  where  the  Emperors 
are  buried,  one  comes  to  a  large  plain  called  Bergu 
(Bargu-fm  is  the  nzrrt  of  a. river  on  the  eaft  fide  of 
lake  Baikal).  The  inhabitants  are  called  Metrites  (alias 
Medites,  Meclites,  Markaets)  they  are  quite  favage, 
and  live  on  the  fleih  of  wild  beafts,  (the  largeft  of 
which  are  like  flags,  which  moreover  they  ride,  of 
rather  harnefs  to  their  carriages)  as  alfo  on  the  birds 
and   fifli  which  they  catch. 

In  travelling  from  the  province  of  Campion  to  the 
eaft  (fouth-weft)  for  five  (fifty)  days,  one  comes  to  the 
empire  called  Ergimul  (Erigimul,  Eriginijl)  which  is 
fubjeft  to  the  Great  Khan,  and  belongs  to  the  province  of 
Tanguth.  In  it  there  are  fome  Neftorian  Chriftians,  and 
Mahometans,  as  alfo  Pagans.  The  capital  of  the  coun< 
try  bears  the  fame  name,  Erginul  (Erdfchi-nur),  witl^ 
the  country  itfelf.  In  going  from  thence  to  the  fouth- 
Weftward  to  Kathav  (North-China)  you  come  to  the 
town  of  Singui  (Sigan  in  Schenfi)  fituated  in  a  diftridt 
of  the  fame  name,  which  is  alfo  in  the  province  of 
Tanguthy  and  is  fubjeft  to  the  Great  Khan.  The 
inhabitants  are  fome  of  them  Neftorians,  fome  of  the 
religion  of  Mahomet,  and  others  Idolaters.  In  this 
country  there  are  great  numbers  of  wild  oxen,  black 
anti  white,  which  are  nearly  as  large  as  elephants,  and 
have    a   way   fine  appearance.      The  hairs   all   over 


PISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       J39 

their  bodies  are  fliort,  excepting  on  the  flioultlers, 
where  they  are  nine  inches  long,  and  as  fine  and  white 
as  poffible,  fo  as  even  to  furpafs  fillc  j  and  Marco 
Polo  brought  fome  of  thefe  hairs  to  Venice,  where 
every  one  admired  them  as  great  curiofities.  Many 
of  thefe  wild  oxen  have  been  tamed,  and  made  to 
cover  common  cows.  The  race  engendered  by  thefe 
is  fit  for  the  hardett  labour,  and  capable  of  bearing 
the  grcateft  fatigue.  Their  owners  make  them  carry 
the  moft  heavy  burthens,  and  plough  twice  as  much 
ground  with  them  as  v/ith  oxen.  In  this  fame  coun- 
try, too,  one  meets  with  the  finelt  mufk.  It  is  pro- 
duced by  a  little  animal  of  the  (hape  of  a  gazel  or 
antilope,  and  of  the  fize  of  a  goat.  The  form  of  it  is 
as  follows  :  The  hair  is  coarfer  than  that  of  a  ftag ; 
the  feet  and  tail  are  like  thofe  of  a  gazel,  but  it 
has  no  horns,  as  the  gazel  has.  It  has  four  teeth, 
two  in  the  upper  jaw,  and  two  in  the  lower,  which 
are  above  three  inches  long  j  tv/o  of  them  point  up-: 
wards,  and  two  downwards.  Thefe  teeth  are  as  white 
as  ivory  j  and  the  animal  has  a  beautiful  ihape  •. 
About  the  time  of  the  full  moon  it  has  an  abfcefs  in 
the  region  of  the  navel,  which  yields  the  finelt  rnufiC 
The  flefb  of  this  creature  is  good  to  eat.  Marco  Polo 
brought  the  head  and  feet  of  one  of  them  to  Venice. 
The  inhabitants  of  tiiis  country  live  by  commerce  and 
handicraft  profeffions,  and  the  country  itfelf  produces 
a  great  quantity  of  corn.  It  is  a  journey  of  twenty- 
iive  days  to  travel  tlirough  this  province.  There  are 
pheafants    in   this    country,   twiqe  as   large  asi  ours. 


I 


•  It  is  but  a  very  little  while  fince  there  was  4  live  niulk-jr''at  at  Fer- 
fatlUs  ;  to  whicli  the  defcription  here  given  anlwers  perfedVy  wcl),  except 
in  this  one  particular,  that  it  hath  only  two  fuch  leeth  of  three  iuchcs  long 
in  tl.cuppei  j  'W,  "lit  in  the  under  jaw  there  are  eight  cutting  teeth,  bc:- 
fidesfiv  grir.ders  in  each  jaw  bone.  There  muft  tlicrerote  be  t.  mnVikc 
either  in  Marco  Polo's  dclciiption,  or  in  the  tranflation  of  it,  or  ellc  h\n 
mu/k  yoat  mult  have  been  different  from  that  which  was  kept  alive  at 
Verlaillts,  as  ail'o  ;r6ni  ihat,  ot  which  I  have  itcn  the  fkin  (lufled,  in  Si.* 
Afliton  Lever's  Mufeum.  Th^tthic  animal  (lum  d  fetrett  its  mulk  attlie 
time  of  the  !ull  moon  only,  aiui  that  it  is  an  abrcefs,  is  one  of  the  prt-jii- 
dices  appertaining  to  the  childhood  of  Natural  Hiftury. 

and 


140 


VOYAGES    AND 


and  but  very  little  iefs  than  peacocks.  Their  tails  are  from 
24  to  30  inches  long  *.  There  are  alfo  other  pheafants, 
in  d'/.e  and  appearance  like  ours ;  as  alio  many  other  forts 
of  birds,  with  the  moft  beautiful  plumage.  The  in* 
habitants  arc  idolaters,  rather  fat,  have  fmall  nofes, 
black  hair,  and  no  beard,  except  here  and  there  a 
fmgle  b;\ir  on  the  chin.  The  women  of  rank  have 
beautiful  hair,  are  ve^y  fair,  perfectly  well  formed  in 
all  their  limbs,  but  extremely  lafcivious.  The  men 
marrying,  according  to  cuftom,  as  many  wives  as 
they  are  able  "^o  maintain,  they  do  not  feek  rich  but 
bandfc  v/omen,  and  confequently  make  great  pre- 
sents tG  /^  L.ciicr  and  relations,  in  order  to  obtain 
their   wiv  :. 

If  now  you  tra>fd  for  eight  days  from^r^/w«/  (Erdf- 
chi-nur)  to  the  eaft  (to  the  weftward)  you  come  to 
the  diftridt  of  Erigaia  (alias  Eggaya,  Organum,  and 
Irganekon),  in  which  there  are  many  towns  and  cities. 
It  is  in  the  great  province  of  Tanguth  ;  its  capital  is 
Calacia  (alias  Cailac,  Gailac,  Golka).  The  inhabitants 
are  idolaters,  and  the  Neftorian  Chriftians  have  three 
elegant  churches  here.  They  are  all  fubjed  to  the 
Great  Khan.  In  the  town  of  Calacia  they  make  of 
white  wool  and  the  Anefl  hair  of  camels  (perhaps 
Chamoii)  a  great  quantity  of  Zambelottes  (Schamlotte, 
Kamlotte)  i.  e.  Camlets,  which  are  the  moft  beauti- 
ful in  the  world,  and  which  are  exported  by  the  mer- 
chants to  all  parts  of  the  globe,  and  particularly  to  Kathay 
(or  North  China).  Tenduc  (Tenduch,  Teuduch)  is  a 
province  to  the  eailward  which  formerly  belonged  to 
Prefter  John,  but  at  prefent  is  fubjedl   to  the  Great 


*  Thcfe  Urge  pheafants  belong  '.indoubtcdijr  to  the  extraordinarily 
beautiful  genus  which  Lsnmeui  (alls  Vtafianus  Arguiy  of  which  in  Eu- 
rope there  are  to  be  found  fome  featheri  only  of  the  wings  and  laiia,  in 
the  collfflions  of  the  curious  ;  but  as  for  the  entire  animal,  |>erha|'a  no 
European,  befides  our  traveller,  has  ever  feen  it.  This  is  the  more  re- 
maikable,  at  it  is  now  alreidy  ^00  years  that  this  beaut'ful  bird  has  beiq 
known,  and  yet  we  have  never  had  a  compleat  defcripticu  of  it. 


Khan. 


DISCOVERIES  in  the  NORTH.       141 

Khan.  It  contains  various  towns  and  cities,  and  the 
capital  of  it  is  Tenduc.  This  province  has  a  king  of 
the  family  of  Prefter  John,  whofc  name  is  Gtorgef 
and  to  whom  the  Great  Khan  has  ceded  it,  on  condi- 
tion, however,  of  the  King's  acicnowledging  his  fu- 
periorityi  and  thcfe  Kings  generally,  marry  the 
daughters  of  the  Great  Khan.  King  George  is  a 
Prieft  and  a  Chriftian ;  the  greater  part  of  his  fubje6ls 
alfo  are  Chriftians.  In  this  province  they  find  ftonef, 
from  which  they  prepare  very  fine  Ultramarine  Blue, 
and  that  in  great  quantity.  They  alfo  manufacture 
here  Zambellottes  or  Camlets,  of  camels  hair.  The 
inhabitants  live  by  agriculture,  commerce,  and  han- 
dicraft profeffions.  There  are,  however,  ^efides  the 
Chriftians,  many  Idolaters  and  Mahor>  Jta  r  here. 
There  is  alfo  a  fort  of  people  called  jfryn,  :>ecaufe 
they  have  been  begotten  by  two  difFercn;  races,  viz. 
by  the  Idolaters  at  Tenduc  and  the  Mahometans* 
Thefe  are  without  difpute  the  handfomeft  Men  of  any 
in  thefe  parts,  as  well  as  the  moft  ingenious  and  the 
moft  fubtle  in  commerce. 

This  province  was  the  principal  refidcnce  of  Prefter 
John,  in  the  North,  whilft  he  reigned  over  the  Tar- 
tars, and  King  George  is  the  fourth  from  him  ;  and 
there  are  two  kingdoms  here,  over  which  this  fame 
Prefter  John  formerly  reigned,  and  which  in  our  part 
of  the  world  (viz.  Europe)  are  known  by  the 
names  of  Gog  and  Magog  \  but  by  the  inhabitants  of 
thefe  countries  are  called  Vng  and  Mongul*,     The 

inhabitants 

*  The  celebrtted  Prefter  John  it,  at  wat  fald  before,  in  the  note  to 
page  610,  the  Uni'Cban^  or  UnkcbaH,,  an  appellation  derived  from  the 
Chinefe  Uang^  or  IVang^  bat  by  others  tranihrated  to  Aunsk^  or  Ave-  ■ 
umk  Khan.  He  reigned  over  the  Karaites,  a  tribe  refidiog  near  the 
river  Kallajfui  (Karafibi)  which  difcharges  itfelf  into  the  Abakan,  and 
afterwards  into  the  Jenifea  \  and  here  at  this  very  day  live  the  Kirgijes^ 
who  have  a  tribe  among  then>,  which  they  call  Karaites,  Vid.  Fifthtr*$ 
Sibirifcbe  Gejchicbtey  or  Hijiory  of  Siberia,  pag.  698,  709,  and  710. 
Bat,  after  the  manner  of  the  Chriftians  of  thofe  times,  who  conftantlf 
foaght  to  introduce  their  Bible  by  hook  or  by  crook  on  every  occafion^ 
the  Oriental  Chriftians  no  fooner  had  heard  the  leaft  mention  made  of 
UngkbuHy  than   the  name  immediate!jf  brought  to  thtir  remembrance 

that 


142 


VOYAGES     AND 


inhabitants  of  Ung  are  Gog,  and  thofc  of  Mongul  are 
Tiirtars.  Travelling  for  lieven  days  eaftward  through 
this  province  to  Kathay,  one  meets  with  many  towns 
and  cities,  the  inhabitants  of  which  worfhip  idols  ; 
others  are  Mahometans,  and  others  again  are  Nefto- 
rian  Chriftians.  They  live  by  commerce  nnd  manu- 
factures ;  for  they  make  ftufFs  wrought  v.itli  gold 
and  flowers,  and  other  fillccn  ftufFs  o^  all  kinds  and 
colours,  like  thofe  made  amongft  us  }  alfo  woollen 
ftufrs  of  various  forts*  Thefe  people  are  fubjeCl  to 
the  Great  Khan.  There  is  alfo  a  town  here  called 
Sindicin  (alias  Sindacui)  where  all  the  arts  and  occu- 
pations are  carried  on,  which  furnifh  the  various 
kinds  of  weapons,  arms,  and  warlike  inftruments, 
requifite  for  the  ufe  of  an  army  :  in  the  mountainous 
part  of  this  province,  is  a  place  called  Idifa  (Ydifu) 
■where  there  is  an  excellent  filver  mine,  from  which 
this  metal  is  extracted  in  great  quantities. 

Going  three  days  journey  farther  on,  one  arrives 
at  the  town  of  Cianganor  *  (Cianganior,  Cyangamor, 
or  Tfahan-nor)  which  fignifies  the  White  Lake :  in 
this  place  the  Great  Khan  has  a  palace,  which  he  is 
very  fond  of  inhabiting,  there  being  many  lakes  and 
rivers  thereabouts,  in  which  there  is  a  great  number 
of  fwans,  as  alfo  many  plains,  with  cranes,  phea- 
iants,   partridges,  and    birds    of    various    kinds,    in 

that  of  John;  and  as  perl  aps  this  UngkhoM  had  fuffercd  himfelf  to  be 
converted  to  the  Chrillian  religon  by  the  Netlorians,  and  had  even 
bet-n  perTuadcd  to  take  Priell'ii  orders,  they,  without  any  more  ado, 
transformed  the  Piiell  Ungkhan^  into  thePrieft  ^ohanit^  or  Preller  Johnj 
snd  tarlher,  as  in  the  Prophet  Ezekiel,  rnention  is  made  of  (?»^  and  Mc 
fo^,  by  the  fame  fpjiitual  alchemy  they  turned  Un^  into  Go^^  aud  the 
AJog^uls  inio  Magtg. 

*  TI\is  Cionranor  is  even  according  to  Marco  Polo's  explication,  the 
fVhite  Sea,  i.  e.  that  lake  on  the  banks  of  which  the  fovereipn  ufiially 
refides,  and  th's  is  pr<p'''ly  called  in  the  Mogul  language,  Tfahan-nor. 
It  is  v;ry  poflible  indeed  tf^u  it  was  fnmewhat  more  than  three  day:,  jour- 
ney from  the  countiy  of  the  Karaids  and  the  town  of  '■J'enAuc,  to  the 
Tjakawnot  ;  but  no  other  Tfahan-nor  can  be  meant,  but  the  lake  of 
this  name,  fuuaied  in  4;  dcg.  30  min.  N.  lau  amiii^ueg.  lun^.  It 
ap[ieais  that  Marco  Pdio  does  not  point  out  the  fituatiuos  of  his  places  in 
their  proper  order,  but  i;oes  from  one  to  anothen  juil  as  hin  fancy  lead* 
hini,   though  pcihapi.  they  do  not  lie  immediately  contiguous. 

large 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      14I 

large  flocks.  The  Great  Khan  is  fond  of  hawking 
there  with  falcons  and  gerfalcons,  and  catches  birds 
innumerable.  There  are  five  different  kinds  of  Cranes 
here.  The  firft  is  quite  black,  like  a  raven,  with 
large  wings  :  the  fecond  has  ftill  larger  wings,  which 
ate  white  and  beautiful,  and  the  wings  are  ornament- 
ed with  round  eyes,  like  thofe  of  the  peacock,  glitter*^ 
ing  with  gold  ;  the  head  is  black  and  red,  and  finely 
(haped  ;  the  neck  is  black  and  white.  The  third  fort 
refembles  the  Italian  cranes.  The  fourth  is  a  very 
fmall  kind  of  crane,  beautifully  marked  with  a  mix- 
ture of  red  and  blue  feathers.  The  fifth  fort  is  grey* 
with  a  red  and  black  head,  and  is  very  large  withal. 
Very  near  the  town  is  a  valley,  containing  an  afto- 
nifhing  number  of  partridges  and  quails,  for  the 
maintenance  of  which  the  Khan  orders  in  fummer* 
millets  to  be  fown,  and  other  feeds,  as  thefe  birds 
are  fond  of  eating  the  harveft  of  which  feeds  is  never 
got  in,  that  they  may  find  plenty  of  food  ;  a  greac 
number  of  people  alfo  is  appointed  to  take  care  that 
nobody  catches  them,  not  even  in  the  fpring,  when 
they  low  the  millet.  Thefe  birds  are  therefore  fo 
tame  and  accuftomed  to  their  food,  that  the  keeper 
needs  only  whiflle  and  throw  their  meat  on  the 
ground,  when  they  immediately  come  to  him.  The 
Great  Khsn  has  alfo  ordered  many  fmall  houfes  to 
be  made  for  them  to  ftay  in  during  the  night.  Now 
whenever  he  comes  to  this  province,  he  finds  thefe 
birds  in  the  greateil  abundance ;  and  in  the  winter, 
when  they  are  quite  fat,  he  orders  great  quantities 
of  them  to  be  brought  over  to  him  on  camels  and 
other  beafts  of  burthen,  as  he  is  not  ufed  to  ftay  there 
himfelf,  on  account  of  the  intenfe  cold. 

In  turning  from  the  province  to  the  fouth-weft, 
three  days  journey,  is  a  town  called  Xandu  (Ciandu, 
Cyandi,  Tfchangtu),  which  was  built  by  Kublai 
Khan,  and  in  which  he  has  had  a  palace  erected,  of 
art  and  beauty,  and  ornamented  with 
other  choice  kinds  of  ftone.  On  one 
pahce   is  a  park   including  a    plain  of 

more 


marvellous 
marble  and 
fide  of  the 


M4 


VOYAGES    ANtt 


more  than  i6  Italian  miles.  In  this  inclofurc  arc  fino 
rich  meadows,  ihrubbericS)  and  rivers,  and  animals 
of  all  kinds  are  kept  in  it,  fuch  as  (lugs,  hartSy 
deer,  and  other  animals,  which  the  Khan  has  or- 
dered to  be  brought  thither  to  feed  his  falcons  and 
gerfalkons  with,  which  he  keeps  there  whilfl  they 
are  moulting.  When  he  rides  out,  he  orders  a 
leopard  or  more  to  be  carried  behind  a  man  on  horfe- 
back,  and  when  he  n;ives  his  command,  the  leopard 
is  let  loofe,  and  immediately  catches  a  hart,  flag, 
or  deer,  which  is  given  to  the  falcons  for  their  food. 
In  the  midft  of  thefc  meadows  is  a  grove,  in  which 
there  is  a  very  elegant  houfe,  japanned  all  over, 
and  ornamented  with  a  great  number  of  gilt  co- 
lumns and  dragons,  throughout  which  upwards  of 
20w  filken  cords  are  expanded,  to  prevent  its  being 
thrown  down  by  the  wind,  it  being  made  of  cane, 
and  confequentjy  very  light.  This  houfe  may  be 
taken  quite  to  pieces,  and  put  together  again  at  plea- 
fure.  Every  thing  in  it  is  arranged  for  the  pleafure 
of  the  Khan,  as  he  fpends  here  three  months  every 
year,  viz.  j«»^,  Jufyt  and  Auguji.  But  on  the 
aSth  of  Augufl;  he  adjourns  to  go  to  another  place 
in  order  to  perform  certain  facrinces.  In  fa6l,  ths 
Khan  has  a  ftud  of  horfcs  and  mares  as  white  as 
fnow,  perhaps  10,000  in  number,  of  the  milk  of 
which  none  dare  venture  to  drink,  but  thofe  who 
belong  to  the  family  of  Xtnghii-Kban^  except  the 
family  of  Beriat,  which  once  having  behaved  with 
great  prowefs  in  a  battle,  were  honoured  with  the 
privilege  of  drinking  alfo  of  this  milk.  Part  of  this 
mare's  milk  the  Great  Khan  is  accuilomed  to  fprinkic 
with  his  own  hands  in  the  air  and  on  the  earth,  as 
an  offering  to  the  Gods  and  the  Spirits,  in  urder 
that  his  fubje£ls,  wives,  chiidren,  cattle,  and  birdi^, 
the  corn,  and  fruits  of  the  earth  may  flourifli  and 
profper.  Three  months  of  the  year,  viz.  December-t 
y^nuary^  and  February,  Kublai  Khan  rcfides  aC 
Cambaluj  properly  called  Khan  Balgajfun,  or,  for 
ihortncfs,    Khan-BalgOy   which  the  Arabian  authors 

have 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THB  NORTH.       R45 

have  converted  into  Khanbalick^  or  KhanbaUgh\  and 
the  Italians  to  Cbanbalig^  or  Chanbalu,  Cambalu^  and 
likewife  Gamalecco,  It  fignities  Kingjiowriy  and  is  a 
translation  of  the  Chinefe  word  King-Tfcbing^  which 
is  at  prefent  the  northern  part  of  the  city  of  Pt- 
King,  u  e.  of  the  northern  refidence,  and  contains 
the  Imperial  palace.  This  town  is  at  the  begin- 
ning of  Katbay,  to  the  fouth-eaflward,  and  the.  name 
of  It  AgniHes  the  Town  of  the  Sovfrtign  Lord  (or 
Khan).  The  ftreets  in  it  are  ftraight,  is  full  of 
ilately  edifices,  and  the  Imperial  palace  is  large  and 
magnificent.  There  is  alfo  within  the  town  an  ex- 
tennve  park,  with  plenty  of  game,  and  feveral  groves 
and  (hrubberies,  together  with  lakes,  and  other  pie- 
ces of  water. 

1  hefe  arc,  in  brief,  the  contents  of  the  defcrip- 
tion  of  the  northern  parts  of  Afia,  by  Marco  Polo. 

Befides  the  remarkable  circumftances  mentioned 
here,  we  farther  find  the  following  piece  of  intelli- 
gence, viz.  that  in  Kathay,  or  North  China,  they 
make  a  wine  of  rice  and  fpices,  which  is  very  pa- 
latable, and  intoxicates  fooner  than  real  wine.  But 
fac  more  ancient  is  the  account  given  by  a  Maho- 
metan traveller,  A.  D.  851,  tranflated  from  the  Ara- 
bian, and  publiflied  by  Eufebiut  Renaudot,  He  fays, 
*'  They  (viz.  the  Chinefe)  have  a  kind  of  wine  made 
'<  of  rice ;  they  have  no  other  kind  of  wine  in  the 
**  country,  nor  indi^d  is  there  any  other  brought 
**  to  them }  they  do  not  drink  wine,  and  do  not 
**  even  know  what  it  is."  Thus  we  find  the  moft 
ancient  account  of  brandy  in  China,  where  they  in 
all  probability  have  learned  this  method  of  malcing 
an  intoxicating  liquor,  by  means  of  fermentation 
and  by  the  afliilance  of  fire,  from  the  northern  (hep- 
herds,  who  To  frequently  have  conquered  that  coun- 
try^ for  if  we  take  a  review  of  all  thofe  nations  of 
ihepherds  in  the  north  of  Afia,  which  have  horfes, 
we  (hall  find  already  prevalent  amongft  them,  the 
ufe  of  the  fermented  £nd  intoxicating  rhilk  of  mares, 
which  they  call  Kumyfs  (Kofmos)}    and  this  liquor 

I«  beinjr 


146 


VOYAGES    AUD 


being  drawn  ofFby  the  afliftance  of  fire,  is  called  Af" 
raif  which  name  is  alfo  at  prefent  all  over  Chi- 
na and  India,  and  even  in  Europe,  given  to  the  rice 
brandy. 

Another  remark  of  Marco  Polo's  defervcs  to  be 
mentioned  relative  to  pit-coals,  which  he  calls  black 
combuflible  flones,  which  are  dug  out  of  the  moun- 
tains, and  which,  if  laid  on  the  fire,  will  burn  like 
wood,  and  continue  burning  for  a  long  time  j  fo 
that  when  they  are  kindled  in  the  evening,  they 
continue  to  burn  for  the  whole  night.  Thefe  ftonj 
are  very  much  ufed,  as  in  fome  places  wood  is  very 
fcarce. 

Laltly,  3farco  Palo  confirms  what  Ruyfbroeck  and 
Haitho,  and  other,  authors  af^ier  him,  have  faid  con- 
cerning the  ufe  of  paper  money  in  China.  He 
fays  it  is  made  of  the  bar''  of  the  mulberry  tree, 
the  leaves  of  which  ferve  for  food  for  the  fiikworms^ 
the  fined  innermoft  bark  is  feparated  from  the  ex<* 
terior  coarfe  bark ;  it  is  then  rubbed  and  ftampt, 
and  the  whole  made  up  with  a  kind  of  nze  fo  as  to 
look  like  cotton  paper.  Thefe  coins  are  all  black, 
of  an  oblong-fquare  form,  the  greater  as  well  as  the 
fmaller,  and  are  made  with  great  prccifenefs  and 
formality.  Every  of&cer  engaged  in  the  pi;ocefs  puts 
his  mark  upon  each  piece  ;  and  laft  of  all,  the  In- 
tendant  api>ointed  by  the  Emperor  for  this  purpofe, 
makes  a  ftamp  upon  it  with  red  cinnabar,  from 
which  ilamp  it  receives  its  currency  and  value. 
The  counterfeiting  of  this  coin  is  puniihed  with 
death,  nor  dar^s  any  body  refufe  to  receive  it  on 
pain  of  death ;  and  all  payments  are  made  in  this 
money.  It  is  pretty  evident,  that  as  well  the  bark 
of  the  morus  papyrifera,  or  paper-mulberry  tree,  as 
of  that  with  which  the  filkworms  are  raifed  in 
China,  and  perhaps  alfo  that  of  the  white  and  black, 
and  of  the  Tartarian  mulberry-tree,  is  fit  for  the 
manitrfa£luring  of  paper  ;  and  as  ftill  all  tlie  paper 
in  China  and  Nipon  (Japan)  is  made  of  the  bark  of 
the  mulberry-tree,  it  v.'ould  be  certainly  worth  while, 
in  the  prefent  prevailing  fcarcity  of  rags,  to  culti- 
vate that  very  hard  fort,  the  Tartarian  mulberry- 
tree,  as  not  only   the  leaves  of  it  will  produce  good 

food 


Nahon 

probad 

lymita| 

Itage, 

quentll 

The 

Thefe  I 

BtUanX 

Tom, 

nabiceJ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       147 

fbod  for  niic-worras,  but  alfo  its  bark  may  be  ufcd 
with  great  advantage  for  the  purpofe  of  making 
paper. 

Vll.  Oderic  of  Portenau  *,  a  mmorite  Friar,  in  the 
year  131 8,  travelled  to  the  eafiern  countries,  and 
went,  in  company  with  other  Monks,  as  far  as  Chi* 
na ;  after  his  return,  he  didtated  the  whole  Recount 
of  his  journey,  but  without  any  order  or  arrange- 
ment, and  juft  as  it  occurred  to  his  memory,  to 
Friar  William  de  Solona  (or  Solangna)  at  Padua, 
A.  D.  1330. 

From  this  relation  we  learn,  that  Oderic  failed 
from  Conftantinople  acrofs  the  great  (i.  e.  the  Black) 
Sea  to  Trebizond,  where  he  (aw  a  man  travelling 
along  with  a  flock  of  more  than  4000  partridges, 
which  had  been  made  (o  tame,  that  whenever  he  fat 
down  to  reft  himfelf,  they  all  gathered  round  about 
him,  like  tame  fowls,  and  in  this  manner  he  tranf- 
ported  them  to  Trebizond,  where  the  Emperor  took 
as  many  of  them  as  he  wanted,  the  remainder  being 
taken  back  by  the  man  to  place  whence  he  had 
brought  them.  After  this,  Oderic  went  to  Armeniar 
Major,  and  A%aron  ('Erz-el-Rum)  from  thence  to 
Tauris  (Tebrig)  Soldania  (or  Sollania)  CaJJan  (alias 
Kaffibin,  or  Kafvin)  and  Geji  (or  Yezd)  which  is  fi- 
tuated  where  the  Sandy  Sea  [Alare  Arenofum)  begins, 
and  at  length  to  Konnum  (alias  Kom,  Komru, 
Ohomrun,  or  Gombron)  ;md  finally  to  Ormes  (or 
Ormus).  From  this  laft  place  he  went  to  India, 
then  to  Manxi  (South  China)  and  after  pailing  through 


WM^. 


*  This  OJerlr  is  likewifr  ftyled  Je  Fon  JuHi  de  Poftu  V'dhonis  (reaJ 
Kahonis):  he  is  alfo  called  Olderuus  nnd  Oderifius.  "Wm^  Portenau  \% 
probably  the  Mutatit  ad  Ncnum  mentioned  in  the  Iiinerarium  Hierofo- 
lymitacum,  being  derived  from  Arr,  in  the  Kymerian  tongue,  a  lUtion, 
tiage,  or  baiting-place,  and  Nav^  or  NatUy  nine  ;  Portus  Naenis  confe- 
quenily  it  Portenau.  In  Friuli  this  place  is  at  prefent  called  P:rdanone. 
The  account  of  his  travels  he  has  intiiied  De  jVliialHihus  MunJi. 
Thefe  travels,  together  with  the  Hilloiy  o!  his  Life,  are  lo  he  found  in 
B$llandi  A&ii  S.  S.  m.  Jan.  d.  I  u,  as  ally  in  IVaJdimgii  Annates  Minor, 
Tom.  iii.  He  diei'  at  Vdme^  A.  D.  1:131.  BafdU  Ajqumi^  an  Italian  Bar- 
nabite,  publifhed  at  UMut  in  1737,  La  Vila  t  Viaigi  del  beatt  Oderic » 
da  Udine^  in  Svo. 

L  3t  many 


•»  * 


148 


VOYAGES    AND 


many  difficulties,  at  length  arrived  at  the  capital  of 
tile  empire,  Kambaleth  (otherwife  called  Kambalklc, 
or  Khan-Balga)  which  is  fituated  beyond  the  river 
Khara-moran  (Kara-morin,  or  Hoang-Ho).  Having 
feen  many  ftrange  and  marvellous  things  in  Kathau 
he  proceeded  50  days  journey  to  the  wcftward,  to 
the  country  of  Prcfter  tohn,  and  to  the  c&pi:  il  cal- 
led Tozan  otherwife  Kofan,  Tfahan,  or  Tiahan- 
Nor).  Upon  this,  after  a  long  journey,  he  came 
to  the  province  of  Kajfan  (Kafan,  or  Turkeftan) 
which  is  upwards  of  50  days  journey  in  breadth, 
and  60  in  length,  and  is  full  of  populous  towns,  and 
likewife  produces  abundance  of  excellent  provifions, 
particularly  chefnuts.  At  length  he  came  quite  to 
Tibek  (Tibet,  or  Tebet)  in  the  capital  of  which  re- 
fides  an  jibaffi,  the  Pope  and  Chief  of  the  Idolaters. 
The  women  in  this  country  wear  their  hair  plaited 
in  more  than  100  braids.  If  anyone  dies,  and  the 
Ton  of  the  deceafed  wifhes  to  do  his  father  honour^ 
he  calls  together  a  number  of  eccleHaftics,  who,  fol- 
lowed by  all  the  friends  and  relations  of  the  defun(5^, 
carry  the  body  in  great  pomp  into  the  fields ;  there 
th«^  cut  off  the  head,  and  give  it  to  the  fon  ;  the 
flelh  they  cut  off  ^piecemeal  from  the  bones,  praying 
all  the  while  devoutly.  As  foon  as  ever  they  depart, 
come  the  vultures,  which  are  qui*^-  ufed  to  this  bu- 
fmefs,  and  carry  off  all  the  flefh.  In  confequence 
of  this,  the  deceafed  is  acounted  a  good  man,  and  ft 
faint,  the  angles  being  fuppofed  to  carry  his  corpfe 
to  Paradife.  The  fon  in  the  mean  time  takes  the 
head  home,  and  eats  the  fleih  of  ii.  Of  the  fkuU  a 
cup  is  made,  out  of  which  he  and  all  the  relations 
of  the  defunct  drink  with  feftal  folemnity. 

As  we  have  only  a  few  imperfed  fragments  left 
of  the  journey  of  Friar  Oderic,  it  is  hardly  worth 
while  to  make  any  farther  extracts  from  the  re- 
mainder. 

VIII.  John  de  MandevUle  was  defcended  from  an 
ancient  and  very  noble  family  in  England,  He 
was  born  at   St.   Al ban's.     His   inquifitive  turn  of 

mind, 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       149 


an 

He 

of 


mind,  and  his  undaunted  refolation  prompted  him  to 
Lnquire  into  all  the  fciences,  and  that  with  equal  fuc- 
ceis.  He  had  ftudied  phyfic  as  well  as  n>«.thematics, 
with  diligence  and  attention  ;  and  likewil'e,  following 
the  fafhion  of  thofe  times,  had  made  great  progrefs 
in  divinity,  und  written  l^ks  in  all  thefe  fciences. 
He  was  equally  expert  in  the  exercifes  proper  for  a 
gentleman  ;  and  thus,  in  fearch  of  new  adventures, 
he  fet  out  .\.  D.  1332  (1322)  on  a  journey  to  the 
Holy  Land,  by  the  way  of  France  j  and,  after  an 
abfence  of  33  years,  returned  to  his  native  country, 
having  travelled  nearly  over  all  Afia,  and  having 
ferved  in  the  army  of  the  Sultan  of  Egypt,  Mandy- 
bron  (Malek  el  Nafer  Mohammed,  who  reigned  from 
1310  to  1341)  and  in  that  of  the  Great  Khan  in 
China  (Schun  Hoamti,  or  Tokatmur).  He  died  at 
laft  on  the  17th  of  November,  1371,  at  Liege, 
where  healfo  lies  interred.  He  drew  up  an  account 
of  his  Travels  in  Latin,  French,  and  Englifh.  The 
beft  of  thefe  works  feems  to  be  that  publimed  in  Lon- 
don in  iarge  8vo,  1727,  in  the  old  Englifh  dialed):, 
for  all  the  others  are  merely  extracts  However,  it 
is  with  this  journey,  as  it  ufed  to  be  with  the  writ- 
ers of  Chronicles  in  the  middle  ages.  One  always 
•copied  from  the  other.  The  Travels  of  Friar  Oderic 
contain  many  things  which  are  likewife  to  be  found 
in  the  Travels  of  Sir  John  Mandevillc.  The  copy- 
iils  feem  to  have  had  the  intention  of  compieating 
their  copy  from  another  author  who  had  written  on 
a  (imilar  fubjedl,  and  this  is  probably  the  reafon  of 
the  exa<^  ':orrefpo.idence  obferved  between  them. 
Beildes  the  Latin,  French,  and  Englilh  editions, 
already  mentioned,  there  are  alfo  tran/lations  of 
thef;  travels  into  the  Italian,  Spaniih,  and  German 
languages. 

The  accounts  of  the  fouthrrn  parts  of  Afia  do  not 
concern  us;  we  Ihall  therefore  content  oiirfelves  with 
obfcrving,,  that  in  Mandeville's  e,  the  war  was  al- 
ready begun  with  the  revolted  l:'nnce  of  Manzi^  or 
South  China,  who  entirely  drove  the  defcendants  of 
'/Anghis  Khan  out  of  Kathay,  or  North-China.  Cam- 
balu  however  wa?  ilil]  the  refidence  of  the  Great 
Khan,  where  he  refidcd  for  the  fpace  of  three  years. 

The 


f50 


VOYAGES    AKB 


The  province  of  Kathai  (by  which  probably  h 
meant  Kara-Kathay)  has  the  kingdom  of  Thdrftr  to 
the  eaft,  and  to  the  weft  the  empire  of  Turquefan 
(Turkeftan).  It  contains  many  beautiful  towns, 
the  principal  of  which  is  OSiofar  (or  Otrar).  The 
empire  of  Turquefcen'xs  bounded  on  the  weft  (fouth- 
weft)  by  Perfia,  and  on  the  north  ion  the  weft)  by  Co- 
rafine  (Khuarefm).  This  empire  is  very  large,  and  to 
the  eaft  ward  (to  the  northward)  is  contiguous  to  the 
defart.  It  abounds  in  all  kind  of  provifions}  the  ca- 
pital is  alfo  called  Cora/me  (alias  Khuarefm,  or,  ac- 
cording to  Abulfeda,  ko^kang),  It  is  bounded  on 
the  weft  (north-weft)  by  the  empire  of  Kommania, 
which  is  very  extenfivc,  but  not  fo  well  inhabited; 
for  in  fomc  places  there  is  an  infupportable  iieat,  and 
in  others  as  intolerable  a  degree  of  cold  j  the  fwarms 
of  flies,  too,  vyhich  infeft  this  country,  render  it  un- 
inhabitable. 

IX.  Francifco  Balducci  Pofglettt^  an  Italian,  wrote 
in  the  ye?ir  1335,  a  fyftem  of  commercial  geo;^!.:phy, 
of  great  importance,  confidering  the  period  in  which 
it  was  Written  :  the  title  is  ;  Di  divifament't  di  paejiy 
(  di  Mefure,  di  mercatanziet  cd  altre  cofe  hifognevoli  di 
fapere  a  mer^aiantii  di  diverji  parti .  del  morido*.  No 
hiftorian  has  hitherto  profited  by  this  treatii'o.  Pro- 
feflbr  Sprengel  has  been  the  firft  to  make  ufe  of  it  in 
his  Extent  aiid  Imrafe  of  Geographical  Knowledge, 
We  (hall  therefore  :r""rt  here  a  tranflation  of  that 
part  of  it  which  rel;  .<>  ko  qur  prefeiit  Mndertaking, 
entire,  and  without  any  abridgment  j  he  calls  it, 
Avifamento  del  viaggio  del  Gatiap  per  lo  Cammino  della 
Tana  ad  andam  etornare  con  mercatanzia^  i.  e.  an  indi- 
cation of  the  route  that  may  be  taken  with  merchan- 
dife  from  Tana  (or  Azof),  to  Gattay,  (Kathay,  of 
North  China)  and  from  thence  |?ack  again. 


*  This  Commercial  Geography  has  been  reprinteil  entire  in  a  book 
v/hcre  one  would  hnrilly  think  of  looking  foi  it,  viz.  in  the  31!  vol.  ot 
the  work  intitled  Della  Dedma  t  J'.lla  mitre  gravezze.  Lijbona  e  Lucca, 


cc 

cc 

C( 

«( 

cc 
<( 


«*  In 


In 


DISCOVERIES  m  the  NORTH.        151 

**  In  the  firft  place  from  Tana  (ov  Azof  )  tc  Gi«- 
tarchan  (i^  (or  AltiAhan)  it  is  twenty-five  nays 
journey  with  waggons  drawn  by  oxen  ;  but  with 
waggons  drawn  by  horfes  it  is  only  ten  or  twelve 
days  journey.  On  the  road  one  meets  with  a 
great  number  of  armed  MoccoU  (Mogols.)  From 
Gintarchan  to  Sara  (2),  by  the  river,  it  is  but  one 
day's  fail  j  but  from  Sara  to  Saracanca  (3),  it  is 
eight  days  journey  by  water  j  one  may,  however, 
travel  either  by  land  or  water,  whichever  is  moft 
agreeable;  yet,  with  merchandife,  it  is  cheapefl 
to  go  by  water.  From  Saracanco  to  Organci  (4) 
it  is  twenty  days  journey  travelling  with  camels. 
Whoever  travels  with  merchandife  will  do  well  to 
go  to  Organci-,  it  being  a  convenient  country  for 
the  expeditious  fale  of  goods.  And  from  Organci 
to  Oltrarra  (5)  it  is  thirty-five  or  forty  days  jour- 
ney with  camels.  But  in  going  from  Saracanco 
flraight  on   to  Oltrarra,    it  takes    up   fifty  days 


(1)  Gintarchany  or  Zintarchan^  is  by  Jofaf>hat  Barbart  tllb  ra|le4 
Citarchan  ;  and  fViijen  fays,  in  his  Noord  en  Otji  TartaryCy  pa.  709, 
jtflracatt  vtas  van  euds  genaenit  Citracan,  i.e.  Adrakan  was  anci« 
ently  call«d  Cttracan,  By  the  Caimucks  it  is  called  Hadfcht  A.dar  Kbam 
Balgajfun^  or  the  city  of  Ha'ifchi  Aidi^r  Khan;  whence  all  thole  uamek 
are  derived,  of  Ziiarkhan^  Sfttraihatiy  and  jljlrakhan. 

{i)  Sara  is  undoubtedly  the  town  of  •'^aray^  fo  often  fpoken  of  abovcj 
and  fituaied  <m  the  eaftcrn  arm  (  the  Wolga,  or  Atbtuba  The  4ftra' 
r/'j«r  mentioned  by  Balducci  PegiUtii,  wi<  ivot  on  the  fane  (pot  where 
that  town  (lands  now,  but  the  amieni  AUrachan  was  demolilhed  together 
with  <S(^) ray,  by  the  Emperor  Timur,  in  the  winter  of  1395.  The  t^ld 
town  of  Saraj  was  pretty  near  the  ancient  Aftrukhan, 

(3)  Saracanco  is  very  probably  the  town  formerly  exining  on  the  river 
Jaik,  or  U<aly  the  remains  of  whichare  iiill  called  Siratfhik 

(4)  It  is  eafy  to  recognize  Organci  in  the  town  of  Unen^  in  Kheu> 
carel'm.  This  place  i«  called  likewife  by  Abulfeda,  DJchordfchanta, 
and  by  the  Perfuns,  Ktriang.  But  there  were  two  towns  of  this  name, 
viz.  the  Great  and  the  Leffer  (frgena.  The  one  v/as  very  near  the  place 
where  the  Giknn  difcharj^es  itlelf  into  lake  Aral,  this  was  culled  Old 
Urghenz'-  another  of  this  name,  called  Nenu  UrgheH%^  U  to  be  found 
near  Cbiiva,  on  the  Gikun. 

(5)  Oltrarre  is  properly  called  Otrary  and  alfo  Farah^  which  latter 
name  is  to  be  found  in  fo  early  a  writer  as  Abulfeda.  It  is  fituated  oa 
the  ri^er  Sihon^  or  Sirr.  The  Chincfe,  who  cantiot  pronounce  the  letter 
r,  mH  it  Uitala, 

**  journey  j 


1  ■■ 


K 
v^'. 


"^: 


m 


Mr 


i 


I  ?^ 


1S« 


VOYAGES    AND 


**  journejr ;  and  if  one  has  no  merchandife,  it  is  z 
**  better  way  than  that  by  Organci.  From  Oltram 
**  to  ArmaUcco  (6),  it  is  forty -five  days  journey  tra- 
<'  veiling  with  afies,  and  in  the  road  one  meets  every 
«  day  with  Moccols  (Mogols).  From  ArmaUeco  to 
'*  Canuxu  (7)  it  is  feventy  days  journey  on  aflfes,  and 
**  from  Canuxu  to  a  river  called  Kara  Morin  (8)  it 
**  is  fifty  days  journey  on  horfes.  From  this  river 
**  the  traveller  may  go  to  Cajfai  (9),  to  difpofe  of 
**  his  loading  of  filver  there,  this  being  a  very  good 
**  country  for  the  expeditious  fale  of  merchandize^ 
*'  and  from  Cajfai  he  goes,  through  the  whole  land 
*'  of  Gattay  with  the  money  he  has  received  at 
••  CafTai  for  his  fdver ;  this  money  is  paper  money* 
**  called  Babtfihiy  four  of  which  Babifchies  make  a 
•*  filver  Sotnno,  From  Cajfai  to  Gamaiecco  (10), 
*'  which  is  the  capital  of  the  land  of  Cattail  it  is  30 
♦*  days  journey." 

If  the  reader  has  any  idea  of  the  difficulty  attend- 
ant on  making  out  fo  many  names  of  places  difguifed 
by  ?  vicious  orthography,  a  difficulty  which  is  ftill 
more  ir.':reaftd  by  the  neceffity  there  is  for  determin- 
ing with  accuracy  the  fituaticn  of  thefe  places,  and 
thuir  probable  diftarice  fiom  each  other,  he  will  per- 
haps be  ready  to  allow,  that  the  tafk  is  certainly  not 
very  trifling,  nor  to  be  accompliihed  without  much 
labour. 

(«)  ^Irmaleut  it  the  name  of  a  town  called  Almalig^  which,  accord- 
iXMf  to  ^Ja^r  Eftufi^  and  Ulugbbeghy  ii  in  Turke/ian.  From  Scberfeddin 
yi..y  (he  author  of  thfiiifeof  TV'Mvr,  itappesrt,  that  this^/ma/^;  isfitu- 
l^ted  between  the  town  of  Tafchkent  and  the  river  Irtiich,  in  the  country 
of  GeU^  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Ab'Eile^  which  at  this  very  day  dif- 
cbargeii  itfelf  into  the  5/fl«,  or  Sirr-Darim. 

(7)  Came-xu  i*  probably  nothing  more  than  the  name  of  Khame,  or 
JfChfimi,  with  the  addition  of  xu^  inftead  of  TfcttUy  which  in  the  Chi- 
nefi  I  in^uage  rignit>8  a  town. 

(3)  '.'he  river  nbt.  'e-memir..ied  is  don''tJcfs  the  ICara  Morin^  i.  e. 
}'l,ire  Jlj.Tan,  but  which  the  Chinefe  call  Hiang-ht, 

(9)  Kir^Vii  feems  to  be  the  place  called  Kijen^  on  the  northernnnoft 
wiiioing  o'  the  Htcng  "'u 

(10)  Gamaiecco  is  without  doubt  Camialigf  or  Peking)  in  like  mano 
ne;  Zi  Caltajf  b  y  ut  for  Kataj, 

Balducc'i 


•fHV 


DISCOVERIES  IK  THE  NORTH.      153 

Balducci  Pegtltiti  certifies  alfo  the  exigence  of  tlie 
paper  money  in  China,  previoufly  mentioned  by 
Huyfiroick^  JHaitho,  Marco  Polo^  and  Oderic  of  Por- 
tifiaUf  which  fome  of  the  above  au'hors  'iefcribc  as 
being  made  of  cotton  paper ;  others,  on  the  contra- 
jfv,  remark  very  juftly,  that  it  is  made  of  the  baric  of 
the  mulberry-trre.  Oderic  of  Portcnau  calls  it  Balht 
Balducci  Fcgokti  Bali/ch* ;  Mandevllle  fays  it  is  made 
of  leather.  A  Jefiiit  named  Gabriel  de  Magaillans^ 
pretends,  that:  Marco  PoU  was  miftalcen  with  regard 
to  the  paper-money :  but  it  is  pretty  clear,  by  the 
teftimonies  of  about  fix  travellers,  eyc-witnefles  to 
the  fa£l,  that  fuch  paper-money  adlually  did  exifl  in 
the  times  of  the  Emperors  of  the  Mogul  race,  or  of 
the  regal  tribe  of  Yuy  and  then  only,  having  been 
aboliihed  afterwards. 

X.  John  Schildtbergeri  from  Munich  in  Bavaria, 
went  from  Hungary,  A.  D.  1394,  with  the  army  of 
king  Sigifmund,  againft  the  1  urks,  but  in  1395  was 
taken  prifoner  by  them,  and  by  Bajazet  I,  or,  as  he 
conftantly  writes  it,  IVeyafit,  who  reigned  from  1389 
1402,  was  fent  into  Alia.  On  Bajazet's  being 
jfeated  and  made  captive  by  Timur,  i>child:berger 
wa«  taken  prifoner  likewife,  and  accompanied  the 
Emperor  Timur  in  his  expeditions  ;  and  even  in  the 
Jail,  during  which  he  died,  in  the  year  1405,  at 
Otrar,  or  Farah,  though  Schildtberger  fays,  that  he 
died  in  his  capital  of  Samarkant.  He-  was  afterwards 
with  Scharoch  (SchahRokh),  and  remained  with  the 
auxiliaries  which  Schahrokh  left  with  his  brother 
Miranfchah  to  fight  again  ft  Kara-yofeph,  a  Turkoman- 
nian  Emir,  of  the  black-weather  tribe.  Miranfchah 
having  been  beheaded  by  order  of  Kara-Jofeph, 
Schildtberger  followed  Jbubachir  (Abubekr),  Mi- 
ranfchah's  fon.  With  Abubekr  there  lived  a  Ton  of 
a  king  of  Great  Tartary,  of  the  name  of  Zegra. 
This  Zegra  received  a  mellage  from  Edigi  '^-  (Aideku, 
Ideku,    or    Yedighey-Khan),    purporting    that     he 

would 


*  About  thU  time  many  abufes  had  got  footing  amongfl  the  gohL-n  tribe 
on  the  Wolga.    Mamay  and  7tdighei^  had  not,  il  is  true,  the  title  nf  flic 

Great 


J54 


VOYAGES    AKD 


I 


vrould  give  up  to  him  the  fovereignty  over  Kaptfcbak, 
Zegra  (etting  out  on  this  occafion  for  Great  Tartary, 
Schildtberger  and  four  others  went  along  with  him. 
Their  route  carried  them  through  Stranat  which  pro- 
duces |ood  filk ;  then  through  Gurfty  (Gurghia,  or 
Georgia),  where  there  arc  Chriftians }  after  this  into 
the  country  of  Lahinfchamt  where  ftlk  isalfo  cultivat- 
ed }  and  then  through  another  called  Schurban  (Schir- 
wan),  where  the  fulc  is  produced,  from  which  ftlk 
ftuffs  are  made  at  Damafcut  and  Kaffer,  Next  they 
paffed  through  a  town  called  Bur  fa  (the  mountain  of 
<tl  Burs)  which  is  fituated  In  Turkey  *,  and  from 
whence  the  fine  filk.is  fent  to  Venice  and  Lucca,  of 
which  velvet  is  made  :  this  is  an  unhealthy  country : 
then  through  another  called  Temur  capit  (Demirkapi,- 
or  Derbend),  that  is,  in  the  I'artarian  tongue,  the 
Jron-Gatgy  which  feparates  PerUa  from  Tartary. 
Then  he  went  through  a  town  of  great  ilrengtn, 
called  OrigenSi  fituated  in  the  middle  of  the  water  of 
Edil.  After  this  he  paflcd  through  a  mountainous 
country,  called  Setzahty  in  which  there  are  many 
Chriilians,  who  have  a  Bifhop,  and  fome  Carthufian' 
Monks,  who,  hovrevcr,  do  not  perform  the  church 
iervice  in  the  Latin,  but  in  the  Tartarian  language, 
to  the  end  that  the  common  people  may  underftand 
what  is  fung  and  read.  They  were  now  come  into 
Great  7  artary  to  Edigi,  who  had  fent  word  to  Zegra 
to  come  over^  and  that  he  would  give  him  the  crown. 
This  Edigi  bad  juft  at  that  jun6lure  aiTembled  all 
his  troops,  and  was  going  to  march  them  into  the: 
land  of  Ihifftbur  (BiiTibur,  or  liTibur).  They  were 
obliged  to  march  for  the  fpace  of  two  months  before 
they  could  reach  it.     In  this  country  there  is  a  range 

Oieat  Khan  of  the  goKicn  tribe  in  Kaptlchak,  but  tbey  had  in  i%€t  the 
power  in  their  hand»,  and  fet  Khans  from  imong  the  royal  family  on  the 
(hrone,  an<t  depored  them  again  at  their  pltal'ure.  They  were  defcend' 
»nts  of  Tufthin  Khaa ;  it  is  therefore  uo  wonder,  that  after  Timur's 
death,  Tedighei  Khan  ihould  endeavour  to  raife  ?egra  to  the  throne, 
who  was  of  royal  defcent. 

*  It  is  evident,  that  Schildlbcrger  miftikcs  here  the  mountain -^/fiar* 
for  the  (own  of  Burjoy  which  was  fituaitd  in  thole  pans,  and  which  at 
t|ul  lime  belonged  \o  tb^  Turkifli  Sultaoi  of  ibe  race  of  Ofmao. 


DISCOVERIES  IK  THE  NORTH.      155 

of  mountains,  of  32  days  journey  in  length,  and  at 
the  end  of  it  is  a  defart,  which  is  the  end  of  the  earth. 
The  defart  is  uninhabitable  on  account  of  the  reptiles 
and  wild  bead's  with  which  it  is  infclled.  In  the 
mountains  there  are  favages  roaming  about,  who  are 
hairy  all  over,  excepting  on  the  face  and  hands. 
They  live  on  green  leaves  and  roots,  and  on  what- 
foever  slfe  they  can  get  at.  In  thefe  mountains  alfo 
there  are  wild  alTes  as  big  as  horfes,  together  with 
other  wild  beads.  I'he  dogs  in  this  country  are 
made  to'draw  carts  and  fledges,  and  fcrve  their  maf- 
ters  likewife  for  food.  1  hey  are  as  b'g  as  aifes. 
The  inhabitants  of  J^bur  believe  in  Chrul,  They 
bury  their  young  people  who  die  in  celibacy,  with 
munc  and  rejoicing,  and  eat  and  drink  on  their  graves. 
In  this  country  they  cultivate  nothing  but  beans,  and 
never  eat  any  bread,  Schildtbc.ger  likewife  obferves, 
that  he  faw  all  this  bimfelf,  when  he  was  with  Zegra, 
the  king's  fon. 

Having  conquered  Bijpbur^  they  went  to  W(ihr 
(Bulgar,  or  Wolgar)  and  conquered  that  alfo  ;  and 
then  returned  into  their  own  country.  It  is  a -cuf- 
toni  obtaining  in  that  country,  that  the  King  of 
'Great  Tartary  has  an  Ohmnnn  over  him,  who  has  the 
power  to  clc6r  a  King  and  to  difmifs  him  ;  and  alfo 
has  power  over  the  Lords  of  the  land  :  this  dignity 
was  at  that  time  in  the  hands  of  Edigi ;  and  the 
king,  together  with  the  Qbmann,  all  the  nobility, 
and  the  whole  people,  with  their  wives  and  children, 
wano'er  up  md  down,  winter  and  fummer,  with 
their  cattle  and  their  whole  property,  in  huts, 
which  amounts  to  ^bout  the  number  of  one  hundred 
thoufand. 

Now  there  was  at  that  time  a  king  in  Great  Tar- 
tary,  named  Schu^ichbocbetiy  or  Kcm  (Schadibeck- 
Khan)  the  fon  of  Timur  Utluck^  the  grandfon  cf 
Timur-melik-a^len,  and  great  grandfon  of  Urus-Kh/in  -, 
hs  reigned  from  1401  to  1406.  The  inftant  he  heard 
that  Edigi  was  t.pproaching,  he  took  flight,  but  was 
purfued  and  killed  in  the  fkirmifh.  Edigi  g&vc  h  m  a 
jucceiTor,  named  PoI(it  (Pulad-Khan,  fon  of  Schadi- 

beck). 


»S6 


VOYAGES     AND 


.1',  ■ 


beck).  He  reigned  for  the  fpace  of  a  year  and  a  half 
(from  1406  to  1408).  After  him  Segel  Alladie  [Zidy 
Khan,  the  fon  of  Tokatmyfch,  )r  Toktemyfch-Khan) 
got  poflelfion  of  the  throne :  but  he  was  foon  driven 
away  by  Timlr,  the  brother  of  Polat  (Timur-Khan^ 
fon  of  Timur-Utluck)  who  reigned  14  months.  His 
brother  Thtbak,  taking  the  field  againft  him,  with  a 
view  to  difpute  the  fovereignty  with  him,  killed  him, 
notwithftanding  which  he  never  attained  to  the 
throne,  but  his  brother,  Kerunhardm,  afcended  it, 
who  however  reigned  but  five  months.  Theitak  now 
endeavoured  to  diipoflefs  his  brother  of  the  fovereign- 
ty ;  but  he  did  not  enjoy  it  long ;  for  at  this  junc- 
ture came  Edigt,  and  let  up  Zegra  in  his  place.  But 
Zegra  was  Khan  only  for  nine  months,  for  Machmet 
(Moharrmed-Khan,  fon  of  the  above-mentioned  Tf- 
mur  KhcHy  and  grand  fon  of  Timur  Utluck)  fought  a 
pitched  battle  with  Edigl  and  Zegra,  in  which  the 
iirft  was  taken  prifoner,  and  the  fecond  fled  into  a 
country  called  Kejiihlpfchah  (Defcht-Kiptfchak.) 
But  Macbmet  was  in  his  turn  driven  away  by  Wa- 
r6ch\  from  whom,  however,  foon  after,  Machmet  re- 
took his  dominions,  which  were  a  fecond  time  taken 
from  him  by  Doblaberd,  who  kept  poflefHon  of  theni 
but  three  days,  when  he  was  in  his  turn  dethroned 
by  JVarocb,  He  was,  however,  afterwards  killed  by 
Machmet y  who  aflumed  the  fovereign  power :  now 
Zegra  endeavoured  to  feat  himfelf  once  more  on  the 
throne,  but  he  was  killed;  and  Schildtberger,  with 
the  four  other  Chriflians,  attached  themfelves  to 
Manujlzufcb,  who  had  been  Zegra's  council  ^r,  and 
who  went  on  his  journey  to  Ka^'a  in  Crimea,  where 
there  are  Chriftians,  and  where  there  are  fix  different 
religions  prevalent  among  the  people.  After  a  ftay  of 
five  months  in  Kaffa,  Manu/izufcb  crofTed  an  arm  0/ the 
Black  Sea  (the  flraits  of  Zabake)  into  a  country  call- 
ed Zeckchas  (Zilchia)  where  he  remained  fix  months. 
But  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  fent  to  the  fovereign  of 
the  country,  requefting  him  not  to  allow  Manujhufcb 
to  flay  in  his  dominions.     He  therefore  went  into  the 

land 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      157 

land  of  ^tf^riV/ (Mangrill,  or  Mingrclia).  Schildt- 
berger  and  his  Chriftian  companions  now  refolved 
to  return  home,  as  they  were  at  the  diftance  onl/ 
of  three  days  journey  from  the  Black  Sea;  they 
tooic  leave  therefore  of  Manu/izufchy  and  going  to 
the  capital  of  the  country  01  Bathan  (Bedian,  Be- 
dias)  defired  they  might  be  conveyed  acrofs  the  fea, 
which  was,  however,  refufed  them :  upon  this  they 
rode  four  days  along  the  coaft,  till  at  length  the/ 
efpied  a  Kokan  (or  (hip)  which  was  at  the  diftance  of 
about  eight  Italian  miles  from  the  ihore.  They  then 
made  a  fignal  to  the  fhip  by  means  of  fire,  which 
thereupon  fent  people  to  them  in  a  zulUn  (boat)  to 
whom  they  made  themfelves  known  ;  and  having, 
by  rehearfing  the  Lord's  Prayer,  Ave-Maria^  and  the 
C5reed)  proved  themfelves  to  be  Chriftians,  and  the 
men  having^arried  an  account  thereof  to  the  Captain 
of  the  (hip,  thev  came  back  with  zullen  (boats)  to 
fetch  them.  After  going  through  many  dangers,  they 
landed  at  laft  at  Conftantinople,  where  they  were  well 
received  by  the  Grecian  Emperor  (Johannes  PalseO'- 
logus),  who  fent  them  in  a  galley  to  the  caille  of 
Gilt  (Kilia),  on  the  lower  end  of  the  Tbonauw  (or 
Danube).  Schildtberger  having  parted  with  his 
friends,  went  with  fome  merchants  to  a  town  called 
JVbitetown  (Akkierman,  Afprokaftro,  Tfchetat-alba, 
Belgorod)  which  is  fituated  in  Walachia.  From 
thence  he  went  to  the  capital  of  the  Lcfler  Walachia 
(Moldavia),  called  Sedhof  (Sutfchawa,  formerly  the 
capital  of  all  Moldavia).  Then  they  came  to  a  town 
called  in  the  German  tongue  Lubich  (Lwow,  or 
Lemberg)  which  is  the  capital  of  all  White  Ruflia), 
where  Schildtberger  lay  fick  for  near  three  months  ; 
and,  finally,  he  went  by  the  way  of  Cracow^  the 
capital  of  Bolen  (Poland),  and  Prefsla  (Breflau),  the 
capital  of  Silefta^  thr'  i^gh  Mifnioy.  Eger^  Ratijbon,, 
and  Freyjingeriy  back  to  Munich,  having  been  from 
home  upwards  of  thirty-two  years. 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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IS8 


VOYAGES    ANO 


This  narrative  of  SchiKItberger's  furniflies  tisf 
with  many  particulars  which  afcertain  the  fituation 
of  Tartary  at  that  time.  The  fucceffion  of  the 
Khans  of  Khaptfchak  is  very  deferving  of  our  atten- 
tion ;  as  is  alfo  the  following  circumilance,  y\x* 
that  we  no  longer  find  any  mention  made  of  Saray 
and  AJirakhan ;  for  if  I  am  not  miftaken,  his  Origens 
is  Agrachan,  As  to  his  faying  that  it  ftands  in  the 
middle  of  the  EdtU  or  Wolga^  this  is  probably  a 
miftake,  for  Edil  fignifies  any  river  whatever;  in 
fa6l,  AJirakhan^  as  well  as  Sarayy  has  already  been 
demolilhed  by  the  Emperor  Timur,  about  the  year 
1595.  He  fpeaks  of  the  wild  afles  in  the  moun- 
tainous defarts,  and  the  dogs  which  were  harneffed 
to  fledges.  The  town  IfTtbur,  or  Bijftbur,  is  the  an- 
cient Ruffian  town  of  Ijoorjk.  In  ihort,  he  muft  be 
allowed  to  be  a  fenfible  writer,  and  «#man  of  ve- 
racity, 

XI.  The  ambafTadors  of  the  Emperor  Timur*s  fon, 
Schah  Rokhy  in  the  year  1420,  went  from  Herat,  the 
refidence  of  Schah  Rokhy  to  Kathai,  to  the  court  of 
the  Emperor  Tonglo,  and  had  audience  of  him* 
This  journey  has  been  defcribed  by  the  famous 
Perfian  hiftorian.  Emir  Khond  (or  Emik-'Khovandy  or 
Mirchond),  in  his  book  "  of  the  wonders  of  the 
**  world.'*  The  worthy  Burgomafter  of  Amfterdam, 
Nicholas  Witjen  *,  has  inferted  this  journey,  tranflated 
from  the  Perfian  language  into  the  Dutch,  in  the  fe- 

*  This  remarkable  work  o^  Nichclat  Witfen  is  very  rare,  either  of  the 
two  editions  of  it  being  extremely  feidom  to  be  met  with;  iox  JVitJ'en 
fuppreflTed  this  work  from  motives  with  which  we  are  not  acquainted. 
This  is  the  realbn  why  it  is  fo  teidom  to  be  found  even  in  large  collec- 
tions of  books.  The  library  of  our  Uniwerfity  is  in  polTeflion  of  a  copy  of 
it)  which  formerly  belonged  to  the  Emprefs  of  Rufiia*s  library,  and  was 
purchafedfbr  the  faid  libiary,  at  the  fale  of  the  late  M.  Thunman's  el- 
ie£ts,  for  eighty  rixd.. liars.  I  have  now  the  pleafure  to  inform  the 
pubiick,  that  Schaahcamp  the  bookfeUer  at  Arafterdam,  has  at  length 
procured  from  the  heirs  of  fVitfen  the  remaining  copies  of  this  book, 
together  witn  the  plates ;  and  according  to  the  advices  I  have  received 
from  Amfterdam,  he  imcnds  to  accornmodate  the  pubiick  with  it  in  the 
month  of  May  ;  but  at  the  fame  time  I  am  informed  "  that  it  will  not 
*'  appear  in  fo  com(>Icat  a  ftaie  as  that  of  the  genuine  imprcffion,"  though 
it  will  be  fet  off  with  a  new  preface,  and  "  with  as  many  plates  as  iho 
**  editors  have  b«ca  able  to  find.'* 

cond 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       i^f 

cond  edition  of  his  excellent  woric,  intitled  Nord  en 
Ooji  Tartarye.,  from  page  435  to  452.  We  will  herd 
give  an  extract  of  the  moit  interefting  part  of  it. 
And  though  this  journey  was  not  undertaken  by 
Italians,  yet  as,  like  all  the  other  travels  inferted 
above,  it  throws  fome  light  on  the  interior  parts  of 
the  North  of  Afia,  with  which  we  have  hardly  the 
leaft  acquaintance,  we  think  ourfelves  juftined  in 
prefenting  it  to  our  readers,  as  an  important  addition 
to  the  common  ftock  of  knowledge  with  refpe<S  to  dif- 
ferent countries  and  nations. 

"  The  ambafladors  of  MirzaBchah  Rokb,  of  whom 
Shadi  Kho'dfcha  was  the  principal,  fet  out  from  Herai^ 
A.  D.  1419,  about  the  month  of  November,  and 
went  to  Balkh,  In  January  1420,  they  proceeded  to 
Samarkand^  from  which  place  they  did  not  depart  till 
February,  when  they  went  to  Jaafchkent,  and  Afperah^ 
and  immediately  after  came  into  the  territory  of  the 
Moguls :  on  the  firft  of  April  they  arrived  in  P/V/- 
gutu  (Palchas?)  a,  place  belonging  to  Muhammed  BecL 
They  then  went  over  the  water  of  Z^w^tr  (Abi-lenger, 
Abi-longur) ;  and  vifited  the  Sultan  Schadi  Gurgahn^ 
the  fon  of  Muhammed  Beck,  who  received  them  kind- 
ly ;  and  in' eight  days  after  this  they  came  to  that  dif- 
trift  which  was  the  refidence  of  the  yel,  the  tribe  of 
Schier  Begrahm.  This  was  a  defart,  where  the  cold 
is  fo  intenfe,  that  even  at  the  fummer  folftice  the 
water  is  fometimes  covered  with  ice  two  inches 
thick.  Some  time  after  having  learned  that  the 
ambaiTadors  of  Oweys  Khan  had  been  attacked  and 
plundered,  their  fears  occafioned  them  to  travel  over 
the  mountains  with  the  greateft  expedition,  not> 
withftanding  that  it  rained  and  fnowcd  continually, 
infomuch  that,  by  the  12th  of  May,  they  reached 
the  town  of  Turfan  (Turkhan,  Tarfaan,  or  Tark- 
haan).  The  greateft  part  of  the  inhabitants  here 
were  Idolaters,  and  worfhiped  a  large  idol  called 
Schamku,  which  they  kept  in  a  temple.  Two  days 
after  this  the  ambaiTadors  made  their  departure,  and 
in  three  days  more  came  to  Kharadziah  ( Harafchar, 
or   Jfaraliif    or    rather    Haracoja)^    Here   they    had 

fcarcdv 


.'5    ' 


'4  si 


m 


i 


i6a 


V  O  Y  AG  E  S    AND 


fcarcely  been  five  days,  before  there  arrived  foma 
Kathayan  fecretaries,  who  took  down  in  writing  the 
names  of  the  ambafTadors,  and  the  number  of  their 
retinue.  Nine  days  after  this  they  came  to  a  town 
called  Naax  (or  Naar),  where  there  are  feveral 
Zeijids,  or  defcendants  of  Mahomed,  who  are  fettled 
thereabouts  at  a  certain  place  called  Termed,  In  two 
days  more  they  came  to  the  town  of  Kabul  (Kamjl, 
or  Khamil),  where  the  Mahometans  have  a  fine 
mofque,  built  by  their  fuperintendant  Emir  Fakhra 
Eddien.  From  thence  they  travelled  for  the  fpacp 
of  twenty' five  days  through  a  defart,  during  all 
which  time  they  came  every  fcCond  day  only  to  a 
watering  place.  They  alfo  faw  lions  ther6,  contra- 
ry to  the  opinion  of  fome  who  pretend  there  are 
no  lions  in  Kathay ;  they  obferved  likewife,  a  very 
particular  kind  of  wild  bulls,  called  Gau  Khottahs^ 
which  were  endued  with  fuch  ftreiigth,  as  to  be  able 
to ,  lift  a  man  from  oflF  his  horfe,  and  had  very  hairy 
tails,  which,  are  in  great  eftimation  over  all  Afia  i 
they  being  by  fome  carried  about  on  long  poles  by 
way  of  ornament,  and  by  others  hung  round  their 
horfes  necks  ;  while  on  other  occafions  they  are  made 
ufe  of  for  fly-flaps.  Next  they  came  to  a  fmall 
Kathayan  town  called  Katafekt-Jcheu  (Sektfcheu, 
Schatfcheu) ;  and  the  latter  part  o[  the  journey  hav- 
ing been  through  the  defart,  where  they  were  for  the 
fpace  of  ten  days  without  water,  they  were  met  by 
the  order  of  the  Emperor,  in  a  pleafant  green  field, 
by  fome  Kathayans.  Thefe  latter  erefted  tents  for 
them,  and  entertained  them  with  roafted  geefe,  fowls, 
and  other  forts  c^f  flefh-meats,  as  alfo  with  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  fruits,  dried  and  frefh,  which  were 
ferved  up  to  them  in  china  difhes;  ^fter  their  re- 
paft  they  were  regaled  likewife  with  all  forts  of 
inebriating  liquors.  The  huts  in  which  thefe  en- 
tertainments were  given,  were  ornamented  ■  with 
green  boughs  of  all  kinds ;  the  entertainments, 
however,  were  not  fo  elegant  and  expenfive  as 
thofe   with    which   they  were  ufually   welcomed  in 

large 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH*       i6i 

large  towns.  At  this  place  very  exaft  lifts  were 
made  of  all  the  fervants  belonging  to  the  embafly, 
the  ambaflaciors  being  at  the  fame  time  very  earneftly 
requefted  to  ftate  the  exa£t  number  and  no  more, 
and  the  merchants  having  been  ftated  in  the  num- 
ber of  fervants,  were  on  that  account  obliged  to 
perform  the  fervices  falling  to  their  lot.  The  lift 
of  the  fervants  belonging  to  the  Emir  Khod/chaf 
and  to  the  amhalTador  Kukfchah,  amounted  to  two 
hundred  people  j  and  that  of  Ardewahn  to  fifty. 
The  ambaffadors  of  Mlrza  Ulug  Beky  the  fon  of 
Schah  Rokhy  had  fet  out  before;  but  thofe  of  Mtrza 
Ibrahim  Sultan  *,  were  not  as  yet  arrived.  It  is  re- 
markable, that  amongft  the  many  viands,  fruits,  and 
liquors,  that  were  fet  before  them,  there  was  alfo  a 
pot  of  Chinefe  tea,  a  potation  which  the  jefuic 
Trigault  imagined  had  come  into  ufe  of  late  years 
only  in  China  **. 

Irom  this  place  their  route  lay  again  through  a 
dcfart,  in  which,  after  fome  days,  they  met  with  a 
Karaivul***,  or  out-poft,  which  was  not  only  very 


*  Mirza  Ibrahim  Sultan  was  alfo  a  fon  of  Schah  Rokh,  and  his  domi- 
nions extended  over  the  province  ol  Farsy  the  capital  of  which  was 
Schiras. 

**  Tea  is  called  by  the  Chinefe  Tfria,  and  its  ufe  is  very  ancient. 
We  have  two  Arabian  authors,  the  one  of  which  *viote  A.  D.  851,  and 
the  other  867.  The  molt  ancient  of  thefe  mentions,  that  even  at  that 
early  period,  the  Chinele  made  frequent  ufe  of  a  1  infufion  of  the  leaves 
of  a  (hrub,  ^alled  by  them  Sah^  or  7fc/:a  ;  and  the  ui'e  of  this  herb  muft 
by  this  time  have  become  abfolutely  neceffary  to  the  Chinefe,  for  th« 
Emperor  had  a  i;reat  income  from  a  tax  he  had  laid  upon  tea  *,  a  fai![Y, 
which  involves  the  fuppofition,  that  by  long  ufe,  this  |/lant  was  become 
fo  unavoidably  nt'effary,  that  they  might  confidtntly  venture  to  lay  a 
lax  on  it.  Eufebius  Kenaudot  has  publifhed  a  French  tranflation  of  thefe 
two  Arabian  writers  of  travels,  the  title  of  which  is,  j4ncievnet  RJatimt 
Jet  Indet  et  Je  la  dine,  traduilet  de  /'  yJrabe  far  /'  jibbs  Rinaudot  a 
tar  is.      1718.     8vo. 

***  This  Perfian  word  is  alfo  introduced  into  the  Tartarian  language, 
and  from  thenc«  the  Ruflians  have  tranfplantcd  it  into  theirs;  for  a  guard, 
or  watch,  is  called  in  the  RuiTun  language,  a  karaul. 


M 


ftrongly 


,  4 


f«. 


.14.!  I'ivJ 


•  ♦ 


i.   1 


ifl 


l62 


VOYAGES    AND 


ftrongly  fortified,  but  alfo  very  full  of  pcopltr. 
Now  this  was  a  pafs  in  the  mountains  through 
which  all  travelleis  muft  unavoidably  go.  Here 
their  retinue  was  examined  again.  From  this  pafs 
they  came  to  the  town  of  Natfchiu  (Nang-tfieu, 
Naatfieu),  which  is  very  large,  and  encompafled  by 
a  flrong  wall,  and  has  many  markets  for  all  kinds 
of  merchandife  and  meat.  The  markets  are  very 
clean  fwept,  and  are  laid  with  a  ftrong  cement  of 
ilucco.  The  four  principal  ftreets  crofs  each  other 
at  right  angles.  From  Nang-tfieu  they  came  to 
another  town  called  Kamtfchu.  After  fome  time 
they  came  to  the  Abi  Daraan  (or  the  water  of  Daraariy 
which  immediately  after  is  called  Khararaan,  and 
probably  ought  to  be  Kcira-Moran),  which  they 
crofled  on  a  pont  volant,  or  flying  boat-bridge,  and 
came  to  a  very  fine  town  with  magnificent  tem- 
ples }  here  they  alfo  found  three  houfes,  with  fome 
elegantly  dreffed  and  very  beautiful  public  women 
in  them,  moft  of  whom  were  natives.  The  Per- 
fians  called  this  town  in  their  language  [Rhofnabadd) 
the  habitation  of  beauty.  After  this  they  pafled 
through  fome  more  towns,  and  came  to  a  river 
which  was  twice  as  large  as  the  Oxus  (or  Gihon), 
and  then  they  met  with  feveral  more  rivers,  which 
they  crofled  by  means  of  bridges  and  ferry-boats, 
till  they  arrived  at  Chiendienpuhr,  a  very  large  and 
populous  town ;  there  they  faw  a  cafl:  image  of 
yellow  metal  gilded,  a  hundred  feet  high,  which 
had  a  great  number  of  hands,  each  of  which  held  an 
eye ;  this  image  was  placed  on  a  pedeftal  of  po- 
Jiftied  ftone,  and  furrounded  by  fix  tiers  of  baluf- 
trades.  At  length,  in  December  1420,  they  reach- 
ed the  city  Chaan-Balug  (Khanbaligh).  The  work- 
men here  v/erc  ftill  occupied  in  building  the  walls 
of  the  town,  which  is  fquare  ;  and  of  which  the 
external  wall  meafures  four  miles  on  each  fide. 
The  ambafl'adors  being  arrived  at  the  imperial  pa- 
lace, which  was  very  magnificent,  were,  after  fome 
tiine,  prefented  to  the  Emperor,  and  having  taken 
rcfrelhments,   were  difmifl'ed.     Some  days   after,  the 

Emperor 


ver. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       163 

Emperor  gave  them  an  elegant  entertainment,  and 
they  were  daily  well  received  at  court,  where  they 
remained  five  months.  The  Emperor  then  made 
prefents  to  the  ambafTadors,  and  gave  them  alfo  fome 
other  prefents  for  their  mafters,  which  latter  pre- 
fents chiefly  confifted  of  falcons.  It  is  farther  to  be 
©bferved,  that  each  of  the  principal  ambaflTadors  was 
prefentcd  with  feveral  Balifch  of  filver  ;  hence  it  ap- 
pears that  a  Balifch  is  either  a  coin  or  a  weight ; 
and  as  we  have  feen  before,  that  the  paper  money 
of  the  Zinghijkanides  was  alfo  called  Balifch,  it  feems 
evident  that  thefe  Balifch  were  pieces  of  filver  of  a 
certain  value;  we  know,  however,  that  the  amount 
could  not  be  very  confiderable,  as  filver  has  al- 
ways been  fcarce  in  China,  and  the  principal  am- 
baflador  had  only  ten  Balifch  given  him,  while  the 
others  received  no  more  than  feven  or  eighth  Fi- 
nally, I  find  alfo  amongft  the  prefents  many  things 
of  which  we  have  not  the  leaft  knowledge  ;  and  laft 
of  all,  2000  or  5000  Dzjau,  or  Tzjau,  which  Witffh 
interprets  to  be  an  unknown  fpecies  of  coin.  It  is 
poffible,  however,  that  Witfen  may  have  been  mif- 
taken  in  this,  juft  as  he  was  in  the  Balifches  of  fil- 
ver, which  he  makes  out  to  be  head-pillows  ;  and 
indeed  to  me  it  appears  probable,  that  it  was  Tfcha^ 
or  tea,  of  which  we  Ihould  perhaps  underltand 
here,  2000,  or  5000  Kafch,  or  Kanderins,  i.  e.  cer- 
tain very  fmall  Chinefe  weights.  But  what  is  no 
lefs  remarkable,  is  that  tin  appears  alfo  here  amongft 
the  prefents,  in  feventy>  and  twenty-four  fmall 
pieces. 

Juft  before  the  departure  of  the  ambafTadors,  one 
«f  the  Emperor's  favourite  conforts  happening  to 
die,  great  preparations  were  made  for  her  funeral, 
when  the  palace,  which  was  quite  new-built,  and  ja- 
panned and  gilded  all  over,  was  ftruck  by  lightning, 
and,  together  with  many  out-buildings,  burnt  dow.n 
to  the  ground.  Thefe  events  aff"e<^ted  the  Emperor  fo 
n)uch,  that  he  fell  fick,  and  died  of  mere  grief  and 
i'oi  row  ;  and  for  the  remainder  of  the  time  that  the 
Ambafladors  ftaid  there,  his  fon  conducted  the  af- 
fairs of  the  empire. 

M  2  About 


i64 


VOYAGES    AND 


About  the  middle  of  May,  1421,  the  ambafladora 
fet  out  again  from  Cbanbaligh.,  accompanied  by  fome 
of  the  chief  officers  of  the  Empire,  and  were  again 
regaled  in  all  the  towns  in  the  fame  manner  as  they 
had  been  in  their  way  thither.     In  about  a  fortnight 
they   arrived  at    Sckaatty  or  Segaan   (Sigan-fu)  ;  they 
were  likewife  permitted  to  purfue  their  journey  un- 
interrupted, and  without  having  their  baggage  fearch- 
ed,  as  was  otherwife  ufually  done.     Thirty-five  days 
after  this,  they  came  to  the  river  Kharamuran  ;  and  in 
nineteen  days   more  they   reached   Khamtfm  (Khant- 
fcheu)  ;  here  every  thing  was  reftored  to  them,  that 
liad  been  taken  from  them  by  the  Kathayans,  when 
they    were    on   their  road   to    the   capital,    as    well 
as  what  they  had  left  there  to  be  taken   care  of  till 
their    return.     In    this  town    they  ftaid  feventy-five 
days,  and  foon  after  came  to  Nangtfchiu.     They  did 
not  fet  out  again  on  their  journey  before  the  month 
of  January,   1412,    when   they  came  to  Karaul,  the 
out    poft    before- mentioned,    near    the    pafs  in   the 
mountains.     From    the    middle  of  January,    to  the 
tenth   of  March,    in   order   to  avoid  the  bad  roads, 
they  travelled  with  great  difficulty  and  labour  through 
the    defart,    and   reached,    in  fifty-five  days,  Chotan 
(Khotcn,    Hotum)    about    the    beginning   of   May. 
In    the    beginning  of  Auguft  they   came    to    Kha» 
figf    (Kafchar,    or  Hafiker).     In    fifteen  days    from 
this,  they  arrived   at  Andegan  (Andifchdan,  or  Dedf- 
chan)  i    and    In    about   twenty    days  more,  reached 
Herat,  the    refidence   of  ^chahrokh,  in   the  firft  part 
of  September,  1422. 

This  expedition  is  alfo  remarkable,  inafmuch  as 
the  ambafl'adors  returned  by  a  road  very  different 
from  that  by  which  they  came;  for  the  tracks  of 
thefe  routes  are  in  fome  places  nearly  five  degrees 
of  latitude  diftant  from  each  other.  We  find  tea  al- 
A'ady  in  ufe  here.  We  fee  that  at  this  period  the  paper 
balil'ches  are  no  longer  ufed,  filver  balifches,  which 
however  feem  to  be  very  fcarce,  being  made  ufe  of  in 
their  (lead.     Tin  muft   have  been   a  commodity  of 

peculiar 


rum 
died 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        165 

^/Ccullar  value  even  amongft  the  Chinefc.  We  cannot 
here  avoid  remarking  with  pleafure,  the  honorable  re- 
ception given  by  the  Chinefe  to  the  AmbaUkdors  j  the 
particular  attention  with  which  they  regiftered  tJie  num- 
ber of  their  retinue ;  and  the  exadt  probity  with  which 
they  prefer ved,  and  reftored  the  things  cntrufted  to 
their  care.  Finally,  I  muft  obfervc  farther,  that  gilt 
and  japanned  dwelling-houfes,  like  the  before-menti- 
oned, muft  necefllirily  be  very  much  expofed  to  thun- 
der, as  the  gold  afis  as  a  condu6lor,  and  draws  the  fire 
of  the  lightning  flraight  into  the  inner  rooms,  which 
are  compofed  of  wood,  and  varniflied  with  fo  combuf- 
tible  a  fubftance  as  lac,  and  where,  confequently,  it  mult 
hardly  be  poflible  to  extinguifh  it." 

Xn.  yofophat  Barbara^  a  Venetian,  was,  by  the 
republic  of  Venice,  in  the  year  1436,  fent  ambalfador 
to  Tana^  a  town  now  called  j^zof,  which  at  that  time 
belonged  to  the  Gemefe\  and  alfo  afterwards,  viz.  in 
1 47 1,  to  Perfia,  to  VJfum  Hajfan  (alias  Aflambei),  at 
that  time  a  Turkomannian  prince,  of  the  tribe  of  the 
white  weather.  He  was  fixteen  years  among  the  Tar- 
tars, and  on  his  return  to  his  native  country,  gave  an 
account  of  both  thefe  his  expeditions.  This  relation 
has  been  printed  in  a  fmall  and  fcarce  colleftion, 
publifhed  by  Antonio  Minutio,  at  Jldus's  prefs,  at  Ve- 
nice, in  1543,  and  was  afterwards  inferted,  by  Gic-r 
nianne  Baptijld  Ramufto^  in  his  large  colle(ftion  of  tra- 
vels, coniifting  of  three  volumes  in  folio.  It  is  to  be 
alfo  found  tranflated  into  Latin  in  the  Scriptores  re- 
rum  perficarum^  publifhed  at  Frankfort  in  1607.  He 
died  at  a  very  advanced  age  in  his  native  country, 
in  1494. 

The  journey  to  Perfia  to  VJfun  Hajfan  containing 
but  few  accounts  of  thofe  parts  which  are  the  pecu- 
liar objedls  of  our  refearches,  I  fliall  communicate 
only  fome  fliort  extradts  from  the  firft  journey  to 
Tantti  or  Azof. 


\i  I  1 


Jofaphat 


l6a 


VOYAGES    AN 


m'M 


yofaphat  Barbara  began  his  journey  to  Tana  in  1 436* 
and  explored  that  country  with  great  a/fiduity,  and 
fpirit  of  enquiry  that  does  him  honour,  partly  by  land, 
and  partly  by  water,  for  the  fpace  of  fixteen  years. 
The  plain  of  Tartary  is  bounded  on  the  Eaft  by  the 
great  river  Ledil^  (vVolga)  on  the  Weft  by  Poland, 
on  the  North  by  Ruflia,  and  on  the  South  by  the 
Great  (or  Black)  Sea,  Alania,  Kumania,  and  Gazaria^ 
which  altogether  border  on  the  fea  of  Tabacke  (Zaba- 
chi  from  'lYchaback-Denghifli,  i.  c.  the  Brachfen  Sea), 
Alan'ia  has  its  name  from  the  people  called  Alaniy 
who  in  their  own  language  call  themfelves  As>.  They 
were  Chriftians,  and  their  country  had  been  ravaged 
and  laid  wafte  by  the  Tartars  (i.  e.  the  Mogols). 
This  province  contains  mountains,  rivers,  and  plains, 
in  which  latter  are  found  many  hills  made  by  the  hands 
of  men,  and  ferving  for  fepulchral  monuments ;  on 
the  top  of  each  of  them  is  a  large  ftone  with  a  hole 
in  it,  in  which  they  fix  a  crofs,  which  is  likcwife  made 
of  a  piece  of  llone.  Thefe  fepulchral  monuments  are 
innumerable  ;  and  it  is  faid,  that  fometimes  there  are 
great  treafures  buried  in  them.  But  it  is  no  years 
iince  the  religion  of  Mahomet  was  introduced  amongft 
the  Tartars  (or  rather  Mogols) ;  before  that  period, 
indeed,  there  were  forae  Mahometans  here,  but,  at  the 
iame  time,  every  one  was  permitted  to  follow  what- 
ever religion  he  pleafed.  In  confequence  of  this  fome 
worshipped  wooden  images,  and  idols  of  fir,  which 
they  carried  about  with  them  on  their  carts  ;  but  the 
compulfion  to  the  Mahometan  religion  take  its  date 
from  the  time  of  Hcdighi  (alias  Edigi,  and  Jedighei), 
v/ho  was  a  general  of  the  1'artarian  Emperor  Sida- 
hametb  Khan.  '^I'his  Hcdighi  was  the  father  of  Nau- 
rus,  of  whom  Jofapbat  relates,  that  in  his  days  Ulu- 
Adahwneth  (i.e.  the  great  Mahomet)  was  Khan.  But 
this  Nauriis  happening  to  have  fome  milunderftanding 
with  the  Emperor,  went  with  the  Tartars  that  adhered 
to  him,  to  the  river  Ledil  (i.  e.  the  Wolga),  where 
triere    was    one    cf    tliC     Emperor's     relations    called 

Kbezk 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       167 

J^hezi  MahametJ  i.  e.  little  Mahomet.  Thefc  two 
refolved  to  wage  war  againft  Ulu  Mahameth:  Accord- 
ingly they  marched  by  Giterchan  (or  Aftrakhaii)  and 
through  the  plains  ofTumen  (i.  e.  the  great  Defart  ex- 
tending between  the  Wolga  and  the  Don,  quite  to 
the  Caucafus),  clofe  to  Circirffia,  and  turned  off  to 
the  river  Tana  (or  Don)-  and  to  the  fea  Tabache 
(Tfchabaki),  which  was  frozen  over,  as  was  the  river 
Tana>  They  marched  in  different  parties,  and  at  a 
confiderable  diftance  from  each  other,  in  order  to  Hnd 
food  for  their  cattle  ;  fo  that  fome  of  them  eroded 
the  Don  at  a  place  called  Palajira^  while  others 
croflcd  this  river  where  it  was  covered  with  ice,  near 
Bofagaz^  which  two  places  arc  at  the  diftance  of 
J  20  miles  from  each  other.  They  came  upon  JJlu- 
Mahumeth  fo  uncxpc6lcdly,  that  he  fled  with  his  wife 
and  children,  and  left  every  thing  in  confufion  behind 
him  }  when  Khezi-Mahomed  became  Emperor  in  his 
flcad,  and  in  the  month  of  June  croflcd  the  Don 
again. 

Going  from  Tana  weft-wards,  along  the  coaft  of 
the  fea  of  Tabache  to  the  left,  and  then  for  fome  dif- 
tance along  the-  Great  (or  Black)  Sea,*  quite  to  the 
province  of  Mengleria  (or  Mingrelia)  ;  one  arrives 
after  three  days  journey  along  the  fea,  at"  the  province 
of  Chremuch  (otherwife  Kremuk,  and  Kromuk),  the 
fovereign  of  which  is  called  Biperdiy  i.  e.  Deodati, 
Etven  by  God  y  and  his  fon  is  called  Chertibei  (or 
Khertibey),  i.  c.  the  true  and  real  Lord.  He  is  in 
pofleffion  of  a  ♦beautiful  country,  adorned  with  fertile 
fields,  a  great  number  of  fine  woods,  and  confiderable 
rivers.  He  can  raife  about  a  thoufand  horfe.  The 
great  people  of  this  country  live  on  plundering  the 
caravans.  Their  horfes  are  good,  the  people  thcm- 
felves  valiant,  and  very  artful ;  they  have  nothing 
ftrange  in  their  appearance.  This  country  abounds 
in  corn,  as  alfo  in  meat  and  honey ;  but  produces 
no  wine.  Beyond  this  province  are  others,  which 
have  a  different  language,  and  are  not  far  from  each 
other,  viz.  2.  Elipehs  (Chippichc,  Kippike)   'X,  Tatar- 

kofia 


*»! 


)■  ■. 


M 


i68 


VOYAGES    AND 


kofia  (otherwife  Tatakofia,  TitarcofTa,  Tatartofia,  Ta- 
tartupia),  4.  ^ohai^  5,  Chenerthei  othcrwife  Chcucrthci, 
Khewcrthci,  Kha^batei,  Khabarthei,  Khabarda),  6,  As^ 
i.  c.  the  Alani.  Thefe  provinces  extend  for  the  fpace 
of  twelve  days  journey  quite  to  MengUria  (Mingre- 
Ua).  This  Mingrelia  borders  on  the  Kaitacchi  (or 
Chaitaki)  who  live  about  the  Cafpian  mountains, 
partly  alfo  near  Giorpanioy  and  on  the  fhorcs  of  the 
i3Iack  Sea,  and  on  the  range  of  mountains  which  ex- 
tends into  Circaflia.  On  one  fide  it  is  encompaflcd 
alfo  by  the  river  Phafu!^  which  empties  itfelf  into  the 
Black  Sea.  The  fovereign  of  this  province  is  called 
Bendian  (Dadiau),  and  is  in  pofTeflion  of  two  fortifi- 
cations near  the  fea,  the  one  of  which  is  called  Fathi 
(Badias),  and  the  other  Savn/hpoU^  (otherwife  Sabafto- 
poli,  alfo  Ifguriah,  or  Dioflcurias)  j  and  befides  thefc^ 
he  has  fcvsral  other  caftles  and  fortified  rocks.  The 
whole  country  is  ftony  and  barren,  and  produces  no 
other  kind  of  corn  than  millet.  They  get  their  fait 
from  Kaffe,  They  manufa<Sture  fome  dark  fiuffs,  and 
are  a  beuttly  people.  In  this  country,  white  is  called 
Tetarti,  and  properly  fignifies  filver  coin  j  in  like  man-r 
ner  the  Greeks  call  lilyer  coin  Jfpro,  the  Turks  Akeia^ 
and  the  inhabitants  of  Zagathai,  Tengb^  all  of  which 
fignifies  white  i  hence,  as  well  at  Venice  as  in  Spain, 
certain  coins  are  ftill  called  Bianchl,  This  lafl:  obfer- 
vatlon  exhibits  a  furprizing  conformity  of  fo  many 
different  nations  to  call  one  and  the  fame  thing  by  a 
name  of  the  fame,  or  fimilar  import). 

"  Now  going  from  Tanna  acrofs  the  river,  along  the 
fea  of  Tahache^  to  the  right  hand  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Don  quite  unto  Kaffa^  one  comes  to  an  iilhmus 
■which  connects  the  ifland  with  the  main  land,  and  is 
called  Xiichala  j  fimilar  to  that  which  connedls  the  Mo- 
rea  with  the  continent,  and  is  called  EnimlUia.  Here 
arc  large  fait  lakes,  in  which  the  fait  cryftallizcs. 

*.^  Going  into   the  peninfula,  on  the  fea  of  Tahachcy 
the  firft   province   one    comes    to    is  Kuman'ia  named 
thus  after  the  people   called    Kumanians.      Then   fol- 
lows. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NOHTH.      169 

lows  the  chief  province,  which  is  called  Gazzuria 
(Chazaiia)  where  alfo  Kaffa  is.  The  ell  (pico),  by 
which  in  thofe  parts,  and  even  in  Tana.,  every  thing 
is  meafured,  is  called,  from  this  country,  the  Gazzarimi 
fcll  (pico  de  Gazzar'ta). 

"  The  low  country  of  the  Ifland  of  KafFa  is  go- 
verned by  Tartars,  wKo  have  a  fovereign  called  Vlubiy 
the  fon  of  Azicharei.  They  are  able,  in  cafe  of  need, 
to  bring  into  the  field  three  or  four  thoufand  horfc. 
They  poflefs  two  walled,  but  not  ftrong,  places ;  the 
one,  Sorgathi  *,  (Solgathi),  is  by  them  alfo  called 
Jncremia  (Chirmia),  which  fignifics  a  fortification  ; 
the  other,  Cherchiarde**^  (Kerkiarde)  means,  in  their 
language,  forty  places.  On  thq  Ifland,  even  on  the 
piouth  of  the  fea  oiTabaccha^  is  a  town  called  Cberz  ***, 
(Kerfch,  or  Kars),  which  by  the  Italians  was  called 
^ofpljorus  Cimmenus.  Then  comes  Kaffa  f,  SaU 
flaia  tf,  (alias  Soldadia,  Soldaja,  more  properly  Sug^ 
daja,  and  at  prefent  Sudak,  or  Sudag),  Grafui  |tt» 
(or  Grufui)  Cymbalo  X^  (Cjmbalo,  Symbolpn  Hormos^ 


*  Sorj^atH  Is  the  pliee  which  Abulfcda,  previous  to  this  author,  hid 
failed  Solgety  or  Kir m\  it  is  at  prefect  called  EJkikjrymy  i.  e.  the  Old 
Citadel. 

**  Keriiertfa  is  the  Kerkr't  of  Abulfeda,  iituated  on  an  inacccfliblc 
mountain,  and  figniHcs,  in  the  Turkifh  language  forty  men  Som« 
call  the  place  Kjrk,  and  the  Poles  give  it  the  name  *f  Kirkje!.  Thi« 
was  a  cadle  belonging  to  the  Jews,  or  Goths,  who  dwelled  in  thefe 
mountain*,  and  of  whom  but  a  (hort  time  fince  there  we-e  Come  tracec 
remaining ;  they  had  a  language  pf  their  own,  \vhich  contained  Vitny 
vords  common  to  it  and  the  German. 

*•*  Kerz.  is  cyen  now  called  Kerfchy  and  was  the  ancient  Pautiia' 
fttum  of  the  Bofphorian  kings,  and  lb  early  as  in  Philip  of  Macedonia 
time  bore  the  name  of  Bofphorus.     It  is  the  Ql-Kart  of  Abulfeda. 

'I'  Kaffa^  or  Kapha,  is  nearly  on  the  fame  fpot.  where,  in  the  times 
of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  ftood  the  town  of  TheeJofia. 

•f"("  SalJaiffwas  fo  early  as  jn  Abulfeda's  time  called  Hutfak^  as,  in- 
deed, it  is  at  prefent ;  it  was  formerly  very  famous,  and  a,  town  of  great 
trade. 

•ff-f-  Crafui  is  a  place  at  prefent  em  ircly  unknown  ;  it,  however, 
probably  Hood  where  now,  under  the  denomination  of  Krufimuftn^  thtip 
feem  to  rrmain  fome  traces  of  the  name. 

;|;  Cimbalo  is  certainly  ivfx^oXwv  >.i^iav,  and  is  the  haibour  of  Bulukm 
iawa  qf  the  mP^ernb. 


1 


'It 


in 


170 


VOYAGES    AM 


or  Limen),  Sarfina*,  (orCherfon)  and  Kalamiia**i 
All  thefe  places  are  at  this  prefent  time  fubjeft  to  the 
Turks. — Farther  on  from  Kaffa,  in  the  Ifland  ^^cre 
it  is  encompafled  by  the  Black  Sea,  lies  Gothia,  and 
Hill  farther  Alania^  which  is  fituated  without  the  Ifland, 
towards  Moncaftro  ***.  The  Goths  fpeak.  Ger- 
man :  I  know  it  from  this  circumftance,  that  when 
the  fervant  whom  I  had  with  me,  and  who  was  a 
GeiTnan.  fpoke  with  them,  they  imderftcxi  him  to- 
lerably well,  juft  as  a  native  .  of  Ftirli  in  th6  Pope's 
dominions  might  underftand  a  Florentine  f ,      From 

this 


*  SarfoH  (otherwlfe  5jr/awa,  Scherfon^  and  Sthurfchi)  was  formerly 
cnlled  CherjoH  Trachea^  and  the  foundations  of  it  were  laid  almoll  6oe 
jears  before  the  birth  of  Chrift,  by  the  inhabitants  of  Heraciea  in  PontuS' 
It  was  alfo  called  Ctcrfonejus^  i.  e,  the  Peninfula,  for  thereby  was  meant 
the  whole  of  the  P'-iinfula  between  this  harbour  of  Chcrfon,  and  that  of 
Symboton,  which  was  entir'iiy  inhabited  by  Greeits.  The  Ruffians  took 
Ihe  town  in  the  reign  of  W.adimir  tie  Great,  and  in  their  ancient  an- 
m!s  cal!  it  KorfuH. 

*♦  Kalamita  appears  to  me  to  be  an  adulteration  of  the  word  Kli- 
inatft.  For  all  thofe  towns  which  'jnfaphat  Barbare  names,  from  Kaffa 
to  Cherfcit,  belonged  formerly  to  the  fortified  cadles  and  towns  called 

•*•  Moncaftro  is  a  place  at  the  mouth  of  the  Dniefter,  which  the 
Tnrks  at  this  prefent  time  call  Ak-kiennan  ;  the  Wallachians,  I'fchetat 
Mha\  the  Ruffians,  Belgortdt,  the  Greeks,  Aff>ri>  Kafir o  \  and  the 
Genoefc,  350  years  ago,  called  it  Moncaftro,  Now  all  thefe  different 
•ppellations  htve  their  origin  in  the  name  given  lo  this  place  by  the  Ro- 
mans, who  called  it  y^/ia  yji/'tf. 

•f*  This  circumftance  is  worthy  of  obfervation.  Kuyjhroecl  had  before 
lemarLed  it,  (our  Author  remarks  it  too)  and  fo  does  Bufieck.  Father 
AlobnJorf  met  with  many  of  the  (laves  in  the  galleys  at  Conftantinople, 
who  were  defccnded  from  the  Goihs,  and  fpoke  a  lanj"^ge  very  like 
theCernian.  Now,  at  this  time,  v.hen  Ruffia  is  in  pc.offion  of  tl\e 
Crimei,  it  is  to  be  witTitd,  that  the  few  remaining  traces  of  the  Gothic 
language  may  be  inquired  after,  and  particularly,  that  ftrift  fearch  may 
b<;  made  amorsg  the  relic's  of  this  Gothic  people,  which  muftftill  dwell 
loirrwhere  in  the  Crimea.  This  language  would  ferve  to  explain  and 
jiiullrnie  the  few  remains  Wv  poffefs  oi"  Bilhop  C/^/<7r's  tranflation  of 
the  wiolpel  into  Gothic  ;  while  the  names  and  curtoms  of  this  peopl?, 
ifigether  with  miny  of  their  f hrafes,  and  peculiar  turns  of  exprcffion, 
would  throw  great  1  ght  on  the  manners  and  ciiftoms  of  the  auciept 
'Jerrsans.  Nay,  it  is  poffibU^,  that  fome  famiiies  of  the  flift  raiik 
nmon^;  them  m  ly  have  preferved  to  this  day  feveral  bookR,  the  findinsj  of 
f'liich  would   pruvc  a  very  important  diftovery  indeed,     Ou»  ingenious 

travelleir 


DISCOVERIES  m  the  NORTH.      171 

\hi$  vicinity  between  the  Goths  and  Alanians,  originates, 
as  I  imagine,  the  name  of  Gotitalani,  The  Alanians 
were  the  firft  inhabitants  j  the  Goths  came  at  a  later 
period,  and  conquered  tlipfe  countries,  and,  as  the  two 
nations  mingled  with  eac  other,  this  mixed  name  like- 
wife  came  into  ufe.  All  thefe  profefs  the  Greek  reli- 
gion, as  do  likewife  the  Tfcher kaftans. 

And  as  I  have  before  made  mention  of  Tumen  and 
Githercan  (which  latter  is  otherwife  called  Citracan  and 
Aftrakhan)  I  will  relate  fome  remarkable  circumftances 
concerning  them.  Going  from  TtimeK  eaftwards,  and 
to  the  fouth-weft,  feven  days  joi--ney,  one  arrives 
at  the  river  of  l,edil  (otherwife  the  Erdir,  Erdil,  Atel, 
Athol,  and  Wolga)  on  the  banks  of  which  is  fituated 
Githercan^  a  little,  infignificant  town  (terrazuola,  ter- 
rlciola)  laid  wafte,  as  it  were,  and  in  ruins.  Formerly 
it  was  very  confiderable  and  celebrated ;  a^  before 
the  devaftation  of  it  by  Tamerlane,  the  fpices  and  filks, 
which  go  to  Syria,  were  carried  by  Githercan,  and  fo 
to  Tana,  from  whence  they  were  fetched,  by  fix  or 
feven  large  gailies  to  Venice  j  for  at  that  time  no  other 
nation  befides  Venice  traded  to  Syria.  The  Edil  is 
a  large  and  very  broad  river,  which  difcharges  itfelf 
into  the  fea  of  Baku^  25  Italian  miles  below  Gither- 
Both  in  this   fea  and  in  the  river,  innumerable 


£an. 


fifh  are  taken.  In  this  fea  (which  is  likewife  tolera- 
bly fait)  there  is  a  great  number  of  fifti,  like  Tunnies 
(Morone)  and  fturgcons  (Schenali).  One  may  fail 
up  this  river  to  within  three  days  journey  from  Mufco 
(Mofcow,  or  Mofkwa)  mRuJJia.  The  inhabitants  of 
Mufco  go  with  their  Ihips  every  year  to  Githercan 
to  fetch  fait :  and  down  to   this  place  the  pafiage  is 


traveller  here  compares  the  difference  between  the  language  of  a  Goth 
nt  Crimea,  and  that  of  a  German,  to  the  difference  between  the  dialcft 
of  the  inhabiunts  of  Furli  in  the  Pipe's  dominions,  who  train  out  their 
v<ords  in  the  pronunciation  to  a  great  length,  and  tliat  of  the  Floren- 
tine?, who  ipealc  fiom  the  throat;  both  which  people,  though  thty  ai« 
near  neighbours,  yet  fpeak  very  different  dialet^s,  but  at  the  fame  time 
liii  e  able  to  comprel.cad  each  oih^r. 

eafy, 


17* 


VOYAGES    AND 


cafy»  as  the  r'lvrr  Mofco  runs  into  the  ^cca,  and  thif 
again  into  the  ErdiL  In  this  river  there  are  a  great 
many  iflands  and  forefts  j  fome  of  the  iflands  are  30 
miles  in  circumference,  and  the  woods  contain  trees 
of  fuch  a  fize,  that  one  of  them  when  hollowed  out, 
will  make  a  boat,  which  will  take  eight  or  ten  horfes, 
and  twice  as  many  men  to  draw  it.  Croffing  the 
river,  and  going  1 5  days  journey  to  the  north-weft  of 
Mofco.,  along  the  fame  river,  one  meets  with  innu- 
merable hordes  of  Tartars.  But,  if  one  travels  to 
the  north-ward,  and  reaches  the  confines  of  Ruflia, 
one  arrives  at  a  fmall  town  called  Rifan  (or  Rezan) 
which  belongs  to  a  relation  of  the  Crrand  Duke  of 
Ruflia,  John.  The  inhabitants  of  it  are  all  Chrifti- 
ans,  and  follow  the  ufages  of  the  Greek  Church.  The 
country  abounds  in  corn,  fiefh,  honey  and  other  good 
tilings.  They  Ukewife  import  Bojfa  *  here,  which  is 
a  kind  of  beer.  In  this  country  there  are  woods  and 
villages  in  great  number.  Somewhat  farther  ftill,  is  a 
town  called  Colona  (or  Colonna),  The  fortifications  of 
both  places  are  made  of  wood,  of  which  materials  like- 
wife  all  the  houfes  are  built,  a?  nothing  is  feen  in  thefo 
parts  built  of  ftonc  or  bricks,  Three  days  journey 
farther  on  is  the  province  of  Mofco,  where  John, 
Duke  of  Ruffia,  refides.  Through  this  province  runs 
the  river  Mofco  (Mofkwa,  or  Mofcow)  which  in  feve- 
rai  places  has  bridges  over  it,  and  from  which  in  all 
probability  the  country  takes  its  name.  The  cattle  is 
fituated  on  a  hill,  and  is  encompafl'cd  round  about 
with  woods.  1  he  fertility  of  the  country  with  re- 
fpe6t  to  corn  and  flefli,  may  be  underftood,  from 
this  circumftance,  that  fieih  is  not  fold  by  weight, 
but  they  give  it  out  in  large  p^eces,  as  much  as 
would  weigh  four  pounds.  Seventy  hens  may  be 
bought  for  a  ducat,  (from  four  to  five  (hillings  each. 


*  At  this  prefent  time  they  have  In  Rnflia  iin  inebriating;  liquor,  prcr 
pared  from  millet,  which  is  tailed  C  ^,  and  is  very  heady-  ^  his  pro- 
bably is  ^what  is  meant  here  by  our  au  ikt, 

though 


DISCOVERIES  m  the  NORTH.       173 

though  the  value  varies   in  Italy  according   to  the 
different   provinces)  and  a  goofe  is  worth  three  mar- 
ketti  or   little  marks    (i.  e.   fomewhat    lefs  than  a 
penny).     It  is  very  cold  in  this  country,  fo  that  even 
the  river  freezes  over.     In  winter  they  carry  to  mar- 
ket oxen  and  other  beafts,   ready  flaughtered,    and 
with  their  entrails   taken  out,   and  fet  them  on  their 
feet,  which  are   frozen  as  hard  as  a  (lone,  in  fuch 
numbers,  that   if  any  one  chofe  to  buy   up  200  of 
them  it  might    eafily  be  done ;  as  to  cutting  them 
up,  it    is   impofTible,  for   being  as   hard  as  marble, 
they  are  delivered  out  whole.     As  to  fruit,  one  meets 
with  none,    except  a   few    apples,  nuts,   and    fmall 
walnuts.     When  they  have  a  mind  to  travel  from  one 
place  to  another,  efpecially  when  the  diftance  is  ve- 
ry great,   they  travel  in  winter,  as  at  that  time  every 
thing  is  frozen  :  they  then  travel   very  comfortably, 
excepting  the  inconveniences  arifing  from  the  cold. 
At  this   feafon  of  the  year  they  take  with  them  on 
their  Sani   (or  fledges,  which  are  to  them   what  our 
waggons  are  to  us)  evenr  thing  they  have   a  mind, 
with  the  grcateft  eafe.     In  fummer,  when  it  is  very 
dirty,  and  there  are  large  clods  on  the  road,  a  cir- 
cumftance  which  proceeds   from  the    country  being 
extremely  woody,    and  for  that   reafon,  in    a  great 
meafure,  uninhabitable,    they  do  not  venture  to  take 
long  journies.     They  have  no  grapes  but  make  a  kind 
of  wine    from  honey,  or  a  fpecies  of  beer  from  mil- 
let, in    which  beer   they  put  hop-blofforas    (fiori  di 
brufcandoli)  of  which    the  odour  is  fo  powerful  as 
to  occafion  fneezing,   and  which  intoxicate  like  wine. 
And  here   I   cannot  pal's  over    unnoticed    what    the 
Grand   Duke  did,  on  finding  that   his  fubjeds   were 
fuch  drunkards,  and,  in  confequence  of  their  drunk- 
ennefs,  neglected  bufinels  of    every  kind  ;  as  indeed 
he  took  in  hand  many  other  things  for  their  fervice. 
He  gave  orders,    in  fact,    that  no  more  beer  ihoul4 
be   brewed,     nor    mead   made,    nor    hops    ufed,    by 
which  means    he  obliged  them   to  lead  fober  and  re- 
gular lives.     This  happened  about   25  years  ago. 

Before 


174. 


VOYAGES     AND 


Before  this  period  the  Ruffians  paid  tribute  to  thdf 
Emperorof  Tartar/ ;  but  now  they  have  conquered 
a  country,  called  Kafan^  which  fignifies  Kettle,  and 
is  fituated  at  the  diftance  of  five  miles  from  Mofcow* 
This  country  lies  to  the  left  of  the  river  Ledil  (or 
Wolga)  as  one  goes  to  the  feaof  Bochri  (or  Bakhu). 
This  country  has  a  conflderable  trade,  and  a  great 
quantity  of  furs  is  got  from  thence,  which  are  car- 
ried by  way  of  Mofcow  to  Poland,  Pruffia,  and 
Flanders.  Thefe  furs  come  from  the  north-eafl,  at 
a  great  di fiance,  out  of  the  empire  of  Zagathai*^ 
and  from  Moxia**,  which  northern  diflridls  are  inha- 
bited by  Tartars,  part  of  whom  are  idolaters,  as  are 
the  Moxians  to  this  day. 

Now  as  I  have  fome  accounts  concerning  the 
Moxians,  I  fhall  relate  what  I  know  of  their  religi- 
on and  fituation.  At  a  certain  time  they  are  wont 
to  take  .  horfe,  which  they  lead  into  the  midfl  of 
their  a.  ;mbly,  and  bind  its  four  feet  to  an  equal 
number  of  flakes,  likewife  his  head  to  aflakedrivea 
into  the  earth.  Upon  this,  one  of  them  takes  his 
bow  and  arrow,  and  places  himfelf  at  a  conflderable 
diflance,  and  fhoots  at  the  heart  of  the  animal,  till 
he  has  killed  him.  After  that  he  fleas  him,  and 
fluffs  the  fkin,  but  the  flefh  they  eat,  after  having 
performed  certain  ceremonies  with  it.  The  fkin  they 
fluff  with  flraw,  and  fow  it  together,  fo  as  to  make 
it  appear  entire ;  and  flick  flrait  pieces  of  wood 
through  the  fkin  that  covered  the  legs,  fo  that  the 
creature  may  feem  to  fland  on  its  legs  jufl  as  it  did 


.not 


*  Zagathia  was  the  name  of  one  of  the  fons  of  Zinghis  Khan  ;  and  as 
that  part  of  the  empire  fell  to  his  (hare,  which  comprehended  Turkeflan^ 
Maiuaralnahara,  and  Kuarej'm^  in  the  fequei  thefe  provinces  were  cal- 
led the  empire  of  Zagathai. 

**  Moxia  is  the  country  of  the  MsreluanianSf  part  of  whom  give  thcm- 
fclves  the  name  of  Meifcia, 


when 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


T  •■  " 


when  alive.  Laftly,  they  cut  the  branches  of  a  large 
tree,  and  making  a  ftage  on  the  top  of  it,  fet  the 
horfe  upon  itj  when  they  wor(hip  it,  and  offer  up 
to  it  fables,  ermins,  grey  fquirrels  (vari)  and  foxes, 
which  they  hang  on  the  tree(juft  as  we  offer  up 
wax-lights  to  the  faints)  in  fuch  a  guife,  that  the 
tree  is  hung  all  round  with  thefe  furs.  The  food  of 
this  people  confifts  in  a  great  meafure  of  flefh,  and 
that  chiefly  venifon  ;  and  likewife  of  fifh,  which  they 
catch  in  the  rivers  ;  and  fo  much  for  the  Moxians. 
Of  the  Tartars,  I  have  nothing  farther  to  obferve, 
than  that  many  of  them  are  idolaters,  who  carry  the 
idols  which  they  worfhip  about  in  their  carts  :  fome- 
times  one  meets  with  thofc  who  are  accuftonied  to 
worship  each  day  the  animal  that  meets  them  Hrft, 
when  they  go  out  of  their  houfes. 

The  Grand  Duke  has  likewife  taken  Nowgorod^ 
which  fignifies  hiewcajile.  It  is  an  extenfive  diftridt, 
which  is  eight  days  journey  to  the  north-weft  of 
Mofcow.  It  was  formerly  governed  by  the  people. 
The  inhabitants  were  people  without  any  fenfe^and 
reafbn,  and  had  a  great  many  heretics  among  them  : 
but  at  prefent  the  Catholic  faith  makes  its  way  by 
degrees,  though  even  now  fome  believe,  and  others 
,not :  in  the  mean  time,  however,  they  lead  more 
rational  lives,  andiufticeis  properly  adminiftered. 

In  going  from  Mofcow  to  Poland,  it  is  22  days 
journey  ere  one  reaches  the  latter.  The  firft  place 
one  meets  with  in  Poland  is  a  fortified  place  called 
Trocki*  \  but  one  cannot  get  thither  othervvife  thaa 
by  travelling  through  woods  and  over  hills,  as  it  lies 
in  a  defcrt.  There  are,  it  is  true,  fire-places  from 
place  to  place,  where  the  inns  are  befpoke  before- 
hand, in  which  travellers  may,  if  they  pleafe,  reft 
themfelves  awhile,  and  make  a  fire.  Sometimes, 
though  extremely  feldom  indeed,  one  meets  with  a 
fmall  hamlet  a  little  way   out  of  the  road.     Going 

*  7',of^/ is  likewife  railed  Trejck,   »nd  is  a  w«ll-known  town  in  Li- 
tkuiini*,  in  the  neighbouvbooi  of  fy'ilna, 

from 


■..1 


•H 


176 


VOYAGES    AND 


from  Trocki^  farther  on,  one  meets  with  more  hilla 
and  woods ;  there  are,  however,  fome  habitations, 
and  nine  days  journey  from  Trocki  is  a  fortified  place 
called  Loniri  (or  Lonin*).  After  this  one  comes 
into  **  Lithuania,  where  one  meets  with  a  diftridi 
called  Varfonich  *** ,  which  belongs  to  certain  Lords, 
who  are  fubje^t  to  Kazi?nir,  King  of  Poland.  The 
country  is  fertile,  and  contains  a  great  many  walled 
towns  and  villages,  but  none  of  any  great  impor- 
tance. From  Trocki  it  is  feven  days  journey  to  Po- 
land, and  the  country  is  good  and  beautiful.  Here 
one  meets  with  Merfaga  f,  a  tolerable  good  town^ 
and  here  ends  Poland,  concerning  the  towns  and 
provinces  of  which  country  I  (hall  fay  nothing  far- 
ther, for  want  of  proper  intelligence,  excepting 
that  the  King,  together  with  his  fons  and  his 
whole  houfehold,  are  very  good  Chriftians,  and  that 
the  eldeft  of  the  Princes  is  the  prefent  iCing  of 
Bohemia. 

Travelling  four  days  more,  we  got  out  of  Poland, 
and  reached  Frankfort^  a  city  which  belongs  to  the 
Margrave  of  Brandenburg.  We  were  now  in  Ger- 
iDany  j  but  I  fhall  fay  nothin'g  of  this  country,  as 
it  is  a  place  where  we  are,  as  it  were,  at  home,  and 
with  which  befidcs  moil  people  are  well  acquainted. 

Novr 


*  0(  Loniri,  or  Lenin,  I  have  not  the  lead  knowle(igc ;  I  am  tliercfor* 
apt  to  imagine  that  we  (hould  j-ead  Slonjni,  which  was  formerly  a  place 
ot  great  note,  ami  ufed  to  be  a  duchy  allotted  to  the  appenaged  Princea 
cf  the  Grand  Ducal  Houfe  of  Lithuania. 

•*  Here  we  mud  read  out  of,  not  />i  Lithuania  }  for  Warjaio  is  not 
la  this  province,    but  in  Majurea,  or  Mafoyia. 

***  By  Farjonich  in  ail  probability  is  meant  the  city  o^  fVarfaiv. 

■\-  Of  pAcrfar.a  it  is  not  eafy  10  dttermine  the  fitaation  ;  though  I  am 
apt  to  conclu(?e,  from  its  fituation  on  the  borders  of  Poland  towards  the 
Brandenburgh  territories  and  the  neighbourhood  of  Frankfort  on  the 
Oder,  that  by  it  Mfjeriz,  or  MieJz.jnuyez,  muft  be  meant.  In  the 
mean  time,  with  rtffeiiT:  to  ihefe  thre-:  lalf-mentioned  names  of  places  in 
Poland,  the  fituation  of  which  I  have  endeavoured  to  invtlligate  in  the 
notet,  I  have  been  icveral  times  Itruck  vath  the  rdleclion,  that  in  the 
explication  of  the  .-imes  of  ihefe  places,  which,  as  Jofaphat  Barbaro 
fays,  are  fituattd  in  Cwaatrits  with  which  we  are  v^oil  acquainted,  theie 
appears  Itl's  ci.rtainfy  and  lersdifnee  of  probabiliif,  than  in  the  txpli- 
cation  ot  tii'j  namts  of  thole  pl.iccs  that  lie  in  much  more  tinknown 
legions  1  and  indeed  I  myl'elf  have  icceivcd  leis  luticfaftion  from  them. 

May 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NOkTH.        177 

Kow  we  muft  fay  fomewhat  concerning  Giorgiania, 
which  lies  directly  oppofire  to  the  laft-mciitioned 
places,  and  bordeh  upon  Mongrelia [yixugx^W^) .  Tha 
ICing  of  the  province  is  called  Pancratius.  He  is  the 
Sovereigh  of  a  delightful  country^  which  produces 
bread,  wine,  fleifa,  corn,  and  other  fruits  of  the  earth 
in  great  abundance.  They  make  a  great  quantity  of 
wine  on  the  trees,  as  in  Trehifonde,  The  people 
are  very  handfome  and  well  made  \  but  they  have 
tnoft  horrid  manners  and  the  worft  cuftoms  of  any 
people  I  ever  (tiet  with.  Their  heads  are  fhaved^ 
excepting  fome  few  hairs,  all  round,  which  they 
fulfer  to  remain,  in  the  fame  manner  as  it  is  pra6ti- 
fed  by  our  Abbots,  who  have  a  good  income.  They 
wear  whifkers  about  fix  inches  long.  On  their  headft 
they  wear  a  cap  of  various  different  colours,  with 
^  feariier  at  topi  They  cover  their  bodies  with  a 
tolerably  long,  though  ftrait  jacket,  which  is  cloven 
behind  quite  up  to  the  loins,  for  otherwife  they  could 
not  moUnt  their  horfesV  in  which  refped  I  do  not 
{>lame  them,' as  I  fee.  that  the  French  wear  the  fame. 
On  their  feet  and  ancles  they  wear  boots,  the  foles 
of  which  artf  made  iii  fuch  a  manner  that  when 
the  wearers  (land  Upi^ight  on  their  feet,  the  toes  and 
heels  touch  the  ground.  Bu:  in  the  middle  they 
are  fa  high  from  the  ground,  that  one  may  truft 
one's  fift  under  the  fole,  without  hurting  one's  felf, 
and  thenccj  when  they  walk,  they  do  it  with  difH- 
culty.  I  fhoiild  blame  them  for  this,  did  I  not 
know  that  they  wear  the  fame  in  Perfid.  At  their 
meals  thefe  people  have  the  following  cuftom,  agree- 
able to  what  I  faw  in  the  houfe  of  one  of  their 
■great  men.  They  have  a  quadrangular  table,  half 
an  ell  over,  with  a  rim  to  it.  In  the  middle  oi  it 
they  fet  a  heap  of  boiled  millet  without  fait,  and 
without  any  fat  or  other  addition  to  it  ^    this  they 


May  not  the  greater  progreff  made  in  point  of  cultivation  in  fuch  coun* 
(riet  asare  more  knuwn  and  occupied  by  civiiited  and  Chiidian  nations 
be  the  caufe,  that  we  arc  not  abk  tX  prefent  lu  ie(;ugnize  thelc  pitcet 
inent'oncti  400  y<ar«  ago. 

N  ufe 


t,  » 


I. 


Jf'tl 


178 


VOYAGED    ANB 


ufe  irfftead  of  fauce.  On  another  fimilar  table  tltey 
place,  over  coals,  fome  wild  boar's  fleih,  which  i» 
fo  little  roatled,  that  the  blood  runs  out,  when  they 
cut  into  it ;  and  of  this  they  are  very  fond.  I,  fof 
my  part  could  not  touch  it,  and  fo  took  up  with 
a  little  millet.  There  was  wine  in  abundance,  and 
it  went  round  the  table  with  great  hofpitality.  O- 
ther  proviftons  we  had  not. 

In  this  country  there  is  a  great  number  of  large 
woods  and  mountains.  There  is  in  it  a  diftrid  cal- 
led Zifiiit  (Tiflis)  befide  which  runs  a  river  named 
Tigris*  (or  Tygris) :  this  is  a  very  good  country^ 
but  thinly  inhabited.  It  has  likewife  ftill  a  fortifi- 
cation t>  Gori  (Gonieh)  which  lies  towards  the 
Black  Sea. 

This  is  what  I  have  to  relate  concerning  my 
Journey  to  Tarmaf  the  countries  in  that  part  of  the 
world,  and  the  events  that  are  worth  mentioning. 

§  XIII.  The  family  of  the  Zinof,  in  Venice,  i» 
very^  ancient,  and  is  not  only  6{  the  higheft  Tank  of 
nobility,  but  is  likewife  celebrated  for  the  perfor- 
mance of  great  anions,  ais  alio  by  reafon  that  the 
higheft  offices  and  dignities  in  the  ftate  had  been  fil- 
kd  from  time  immemorial,  by  men  of  merit  belong- 
ing to  this  family.  About  the  year  1200,  Marin 
Ztno  ai&fted  in  making  the  conqueft  of  Conftantino- 
ple,  and  he  was  Podlfta^  or  Governor  of  that  place 
sbout  the  year  1105.  He  had  a  fon  named  Pietr9 
Zenoy  who  was  the  father  of  Rinieri  Zem,  who,  in 
1282,  was  Duke  or  Doge  of  Venice,  and  governed 
it  for  the  fpace  of  17  years,-  and  carried  on  a  war 
aeainft  the  Genoefe  with  great  fuccefs.  He  adopted 
bis  brother  Marco'^s  fon  Andna^  who  was  afterwards 


•  U  is  not  the  Ttgrit  ^vhich  rum  by'  the  Cde  T//7/J,  or  T*;7j^,  fcot 
rather  the  Kur^  or  the  Kjrus  of  the  ancients,  and  the  Mrknari  of  the 
Georgians. 

•f  Nor  far  from  Tifiuy  and  to  the  weftwan^  af  It  there  is  a  place  cal- 
led Gori\  but  (his  i*  (liH  ft  a  confiderable  di'.nnce  from  the  Black  Setf. 
Gtnith  lies  on  the  (horet  of  this  fea.  There  is  likewife  the  provinc* 
of  Quria^  fituate^  betweea  the  PhmJKb  aad  the  Batlun  (or  Bathys). 

Captain- 


fca, 

aga 

jfath 

i-aJ. 

(he 

the 

threi 

Anto 

Capi 

from 

o^aj 

fecon 

great 

with 

in  ore 

ners 

i:ende^ 

acquix 

view  j 

9  /hip 

ilraits 

(entipr 

Oprm 

length 

part  o< 
neverth 
againft 
weath^i 
But,  f< 
rorldnd 
that  tin 
^ame  w 
ivhich  i 
«eed. 
Latin, 
i^  nava 
Admiral 
ever,  at 


|^ot 

the 


DISCOVERIES  ifi  the  NORTH.        179 

Vapuin-General  of  the  Venetian,  fleet,    fitted  ou( 
againft  the.  Qenoefe.     His    Ton,  Rinieri  il.    was   the 
father  of  Pittro,  who,  in   1362,  ,wa.s  Captain-Gene^ 
l-al  of  the  ftate  in  the  league  pf  tHeChciftians, againft 
%he  TMrks,    arid   had  the.firhame  of  bracoruj   froni 
the  dragon  which  he   l)ore    in.  his  .ihifld.     Hi^  ha4 
three  fons,  viz*.  Carl^^  Leone  ^Uoto  il ,  Gayffiiere^  an4 
Antonio*  .Of.  x\\%(e,  Curio  Leone^  was  Pcociirator  and 
Captain-Qeneral  of  the  Repu()li(;,  and  refcued   her 
from  irptninfnt  danger  in  war,  in  which  .the  power 
of  almbft  jill.  E.urppe  was  joined  againft  her.      The 
iecond  fon,   Nicolo^  w<«s,a  Knight,  ,and  having  (hewn 
great   valour  in  t,he ,  i«(l-ment;ioned   wi^r  of  Chipggia 
with  the  Genoefe,  he   had  a  ftrong  defire  to  travel, 
in  orde.r  th^t,  by  getting  a^quaintji^d  with  the  man- 
ners and    ian.guag«s    of  foreign    nations   he  might 
irendeir  hiinf<;lf  ft^U  naqr^  ufeful  tc,  his  country,  and 
acquijre^.  to  himfelf  ci;edit  f|nd  l^onou^.     tVith  this 
view  (being   a  man  of  great  property),  he  iitted  out 
s^  fliip  at  his  owq  expence,  a^d  failed  througji  the 
ftraits  of  Gibraltair  to  the  tiorthjnrards,  with  aa  in^ 
tentipn  to  viiit    England   aqd  Flanders )., but,  by  4 
ilorm    that .  lafted /fev.e'.al  days,   ,the   Veilel  w^  at 
]^ngth  caft  away  on  the  coaft  of  Friejlani  (Friilan-: 
da)  i    the.  crew,    howtver,  were  faved^    with  great 
part  of  the  qargo.     This  happened  in  the  year  1380  ^ 
neverthelefs  they.  were. fpon  Attacked   by  the  natives* 
againft    whonr)  they,  virere   hardly  able,   weary    and 
weather-beaten  as  they,  were,  to  defend  themielves* 
But,  fprtunately   for  them.,  the  reigning   Prince  of 
Borland  (Porlanda)  by  name    Zichmni,   who   was  at 
that  time,  in  Friefland,  hearing  of  their  misfortune^ 
tame  with  all  fpecd  to  give  them  his  afliftance,   of 
ivhich  iuieed    thjey  ftood   at  that  juncture   in  great 
^eed.      ^ter  difcourrme  (pme    time   with  them  in 
Latin,  finding  that  Nicoio  Zeno  was  very  expert  both 
JjP  naval  and  martial  affairs^  he  gave  him  the  poftof 
Admiral  of  his  whole  fleet,  which  the  latter,  how- 
ever, at   firft   refufed.     >{icolo  not   long  afterwards 

N   2  virrotd 


r        I 


I 


I*! 
Bi;  ■  r 


H 


I: 


I 


,  iiji 


lin- 


i8o 


VOYAGES    AND 


i 


1 1 ''' 
if 

''I 


wrote  to  his  brother  Antonio,  inviting  him  to  come 
to  Friefland,  who  accord ingljr  Toon  arrived  there j  and 
Hved  four  years  wit.  'ni,  and  afterwards  ten  more 
with  Prince  Zichmnt  ne.  The  whole  of  this  re- 
lation was  written  by  Francifco  MarcoHni^  having  b^n 
extra<Sted  by  him  from  the  letters  fent  by  yfntonio  ZeM 
to  his  eldeil  brother  Carlo :  in  it  he  laments,  that 
thele  writings  having  fallen  into  his  hands  in  his 
carlieft  youth,  he  had  (child  like)  torn  them,  and 
afterwards,  finding  them  to  be  of  great  confequence, 
he  had  colledled  together  what  remained  of  them» 
and  put  them  into  order,  in  order  that  a  difeoVery 
of  fo  much  importance  might  not  be  entirely  forgot* 
teit. 

This  is  thcaccount  given  of  the  zffA'irhj  Ramu/kt 
Vol.  II.  p.  232,  fol.  2.  From  the  manufcript  re- 
lation of  Marcolini,  others  have,  it  feems,  extraS- 
ed  the  accounts  which  they  have  given  of  thid  difco- 
very,  and  though  thefe  relations  have  very  much  the 
air  of  the  marvellous,  yet  it  is  evident,  that  upon 
the  whole  there  is  every  reafon  to  fuppofb  them  au- 
thentic :  and  as  tt  may  be  farther  objedled,  that  the 
countries  mentioned  in  them  no  longer  exift,  we 
intend,  towards  the  conclufion  of  this  relation,  to 
expatiate  on  this  topic,  and  not  only  to  give  a  fuffi* 
cient  reafon  for  what  we  Ihall  advance,  but  like* 
wife  anfwcr  every  objection  that  may  be  made. 

Nicolo  Zeno  having  been  Shipwrecked  in  1380  on 
the  ifland  of  Friejland^  in  confequence  of  their  hav- 
ing been  overtaken  by  a  tempeli-,  and  likewife  hav- 
ing been  faved  by  Prince  Zichmnt  from  the  rude  at- 
tacks of  the  inhabitants,  put  himfelf,  with  all  his 
men,  under  the  pi'oteftion  of  this  Prince,  who  was 
Lord  of  certain  fniall  iilands  which  lay  to  fjpiG  fouth 
of  Friefland,  which  were  called  Porland^  an^  were  the 
moil  fertile  and  populous  of  all.  the  iflands  there- 
abouts. He  was  befides  this,  Duke  of  Sarany,  a  place 
which  lies  over  againft  Scotland.  Of  thefe  north- 
ern parts,  I   (i.  e.  Antonio  Zeno)  have  drawn  up  a 

chart. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       181 

ch»rt»  which  hangs  up  in  my  houfe,  and  although  it 
be  inuch  decayed  by  time,  may  fcrve  to  give  Tome  in- 
fight  (o  the  curious  in  thefe  matters. 

ZUhmni^  the  Lord  of  all  thefe  countries,  was  a 
man  of  great  courage,  and  famous  for  his  (kill  in 
navigation.  The  year  before  Nicolo's  arrival  there 
fviz.  A.  D.  1370*)  he  had  defeated  the  King  of 
Norway  (Hakon;  in  a  pitched  battle,  and  wasi  now 
come  with  his  forces  to  conquer  Friefland,  which  is 
much  lareer  than  Iceland.  On  account  of  the  know- 
ledge Nicolo  Zeno  had  of  maritime  affairs,  the 
Prince  took  him  and  all  his  crew  on  board  the  fleet, 
and  eave  it  in  charge  to  his  Admiral  to  treat  him  with 
thehigheft  rcfped,  and  to  a(k  his  advice  in  every  af- 
fair of  importance. 

Zichmtu's  fleet  confifted  of  thirteen  velTels,  of 
which  two  pnly  were  rowed  with  oars  -,  the  reft  were 


■V  I 


ri:  a 


i  ■  '■  r 


•  Though  this  FrieflanJ^  together  with  Ptrlani  and  Ssrauy^  appear 
to  be  countries  which  hsve  been  fwallowed  up  by  the  fei  in  cont'equenct 
«f  earthqatkcs  and  other  great  revolutions  in  the  tbove-nneationcd  elc- 
nent,  y«t  I  cannot  heip  conamunicating  in  this  place  a  conie^iur,  which 
has  (truck  me  whilt\  I  was  enoployed  on  this  fubjea.  Precii'ely  in  this 
fame  year  1379,  Hahn^  King  of  Norway,  inverted  with  the  Orkneys, 
•  perion  of  the  name  of  Htnry  Sintlair,  who  was  one  of  the  defcendants 
in  the  female  line  from  the  aacieot  Earls  of  Orkney.  This  name  of 
Sinclair  appears  to  me  to  be  cxprefTed  by  the  word  Zichmni.  The  ap- 
pellation of  Faira^  Ntrth  Fara^  Seutb  Fara^  or  Fara't  Land^  have  pro- 
bably given  rife  to  thjit  qf  Friejlatd.  Porland'  mud  be  the  Fara  Iflands 
(the  Far-very  or  Farland)  find  Seranj  is  the  Soderee,  or  Streona^  \,  e. 
the  weftern  iflands.  Add  to  this,  that  the  names  of  the  Shetland  Iflanda 
correfpoad  with  many  of  thofe  conquered  by  Zichmni  in  Fdland  :  Bras 
is  indobiiably  Btajfa  Stnnd^  Talai  >:ppeais  to  be  TV//,  or  Zeal^  Brtai  is 
firajjoy  IJcant  it  Unfly  Trans  is  prwiably  Trondra,  and  ftill  more  fimiii« 
tndes  of  this  kind  affording  yet  greater  foundation  For  thefe  conjectures. 
Nay,  the  amftzing  qusntity  or  fifh  (h^'was  caught  yearly  off  the  Orkneys, 
or,  according  to  ZenuV  account,  off  Friefland,  and  with  which  Flanders, 
Britania,  England,  Scotland,  Norway,  and  Denmark  were  fupplicd,  and 
the  inhabitants  of  Friefland  greatly  tnrichcd,  relates  doubtlefa  to  the 
herrings  that  are  caught  here  every  year  in  great  abundance.  Iceland 
was  too  powerful  for  Sinclair  (or  Zichmni)  to  conquer.  Nicib  Zent 
vifited  likewife  Eajl  Greenland..  But  Ellotiland  and  Drogio,  which  were 
difcovered  afterwards,  appear  to  be  fome  country  that  lies  to  the  foulh« 
ward  of  Old  Greenland.  Perhaps  Nev^iundiand^  or  Winland^  where 
Ibroe  Normans  had  fettled  previous  to  this,  who  likewife,  in  all  probabi* 
l«ty,  had  brought  with  them  from  Europe  the  Uatin  books  which  were  at 
this  tim«  in  the  K.iqg*s  library  there. 

fmall 


1"  A 


\     " 


1^ 


VOYAGES    ANp 


IM 


•  i 

j   ■ 

Im 

PTM 

i 

m 

\     ) 

m 

^ 

1  Biil 

■Hl3 

fmall  barks,  and  only  one  of  them  was  a  fh}(\. 
With  all  thcfe  they  failed  to  the  uredwards,  and^ 
without  much  difficulty,  made  themfelves  maflers  o( 
Xedovo  and  llofi*^  and  divers  other  fmaller  ifland^ : 
and  turning  into  a  bay  called  Sudero^  in  the  haven  of- 
the  town  named  Santjiolt  they  topic  feyeral  fmnll  barks 
laden  with  fi(h**;  and  here  they  found  Zichmniy 
Who  came  by  land  with  his  army,  conquering  all  the 
country  as  ne  went,  X**^y  ^ayed  nere  but  a  fhort 
^ime,  and  {baped  their  courfe  to  the  weftwards  till 
they  came  to  the  other  cape  of  il^e  gulph  or  bay,  and 
here  turning  again,  they  found  certain  iflands  and 
broken  lands,  all  which  they  brought  under  fubjec- 
^ion  to  Zichmnt,  Thefe  feas  were  in  a  manner  no- 
thing but  (hoal$  and  rocks,  infomuch,  that  if  Nicoh 
)Leno,  and  the  Venetian  marinei's,  had  not  been  their 
pilots,  the  whole  fliet,  in  the  opinion  of  all  that 
were  in  it,  had  been  caft  away,  fo  (mail  was  the  fkill 
of  Zichmni's  men,  in  refpedl  of  ours,  who  had  been 
trained  up  in  the  art  and  pra£lice  of  navigation  from 
^heir  childhood.  Now  the  fleet  having  done  as  we 
have  juft  beforfe  nrie^tion^d,  the  Admiral,  by  the  ad- 
vice of  Nicolo  Tfenoy  determined  tp  go  afiiore,  at  a 
town  called  Bondendany  with  a  view  to  get  intelligence 
^hat  fuccefs  Zichmm  hzd  ill  his  wars;  where  they 

t  It  ic  hirdly  poflible  to  mention  all  the  little  !fl,4nds,  tnd  the  places 
fituVted  on  the  Itrgcft  of  the  Orcadian  if^andt;  whith  by  ihe  ancients 
wai  called /'<m«M,  and;  on  account  of  it«  iue,  bore  likewi(e'the  name 
of  Maittlan^f  ^lfo  of  flrap-ty^  i.e.  Gr»fs-ru  the  Great  Ifl'and.  The 
(own  bad  the  name  of'  hirkiututgy  oi-  the  Iplarbour'ncar  the  Church, 
and  is  at  this  time  dallcd  by  the  ^oti  Kirkv/all, 

••  This  a  Very  earfy  mention  mide'of  failed  fiflj,  but  yet  within  the 
l.ifi-tint)e  of  ^iil^l^I  Beuckels  fon,'  the  fuppofed  inventor  of  thb  art  of, 
pickling  herrings,  \vho  di«(i  in  1397.  Bm  ProYeflbr  Sprengel  has  Hiewn; 
ikixX  lierrings  were  caught  at  Gerktmve^  i.  e.  Yarmouth)  ib  early  a$  ig 
the  year  tiSj;  nay,  in  Lf/anJ't  CttltS.  Vol.  III.  p.  173,  we  meet  with 
a  proqf  that  pkkied  herrings  were  fold  in  1173;  and  thtfre  are  extant 
German  records  which  fpeak  of  them  fo  cfarly  asin  123J.  Vid.  Ctrkcn 
Ctitx  DipUmal.  Br^ttJtnburi,    T,^.  p.  45.  T.  II.  p.  4.31. 

heard. 


^'  4 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THi  NORTH.       igj 

heard,  to  their  great  fatisfa^kion,  that  he  had  won  a 
p'eat  battle  and  put  to  flight  the  army  of  his  enemy  4 
in  confequence  of  which  the  inhabitants  fent  Ambaf^ 
fadors  from  all  parts  of  the  ifland  to  yield  the  country 
up  into  his  hands,  taking  down  their  flags  and  en- 
signs in  every  town  and  caftle  i  they  therefore  thought 
good  to  ftay  in  that  place  for  his  coming,  it  being  re- 
ported for  certain  that  he  would  be  there  very  fhortly. 
At  his  coming  there  were  great  congratulations  ana 
rejoicings,  as  well  for  the  viAory  by  land,  as  for  that 
by  fea  }  for  which  the  Venetians  were  honoured  and 
extolled  in  all  parts,  infomuch  that  there  was  no  con* 
verfation  but  of  them,  and  of  the  great  prowefs  of 
Nicolo  Zent :  the  Prince,  on  his  part,  caufed  Nicolo 
to  be  brought  before  him,  and,  after  having  beflowed 
ihe  higheft  commendations  upcn  him,  and  in  parti- 
cular praifed  his  great  valour  and  naval  knowledge, 
by  which  two  things  he  acknowledged  that  he  had 
feceived  an  inef^imable  benefitf  fuch  as  the  faving  of 
his  fleet  and  the  taking  of  many  towns  without  any 
p;reat  difficulty,  he  knighted  him,  and  rewarded  hit 
men  with  many  rich  ana  liberal  prefents.  Then,  de- 
parting thenoe,  they  went  in  triumph  towards  Frief-' 
Und^  the  chief  city  of  that  ifland,  fituated  on  the 
fouth-eaf^  fide  of  it,  within  a  gulph,  of  which  there 
are  many  in  the  ifland.  In  this  gulph,  or  bay,  there 
are  fu(:h  great  quantities  of  fifh  taken,  that  •  many 
(hips  are  laden  with  them  to  ferve  Flanders^  Briiwia^ 
England^  Scotland^  Ntrway,  and  ^tnmark^  which 
brines  great  riches  into  the  country. 

1  nis  was  the  -contents  of  a  letter  (ent  by  N'tcoU 
diem  to  his  brother  Antonio^  in  which  he  invited  him 
to  come  to  him  to  Friefland;  accordingly  the  latter 
fet  fail,  and  after  having  pafl  mai\y  d^nger&,  arrived 
at  kis  brother's.  Antonio  flaid  in  Friedand  fourteen 
years  in  all,  ten  years  aloQe*  and  four  years  with 
bis  brother  Nicola^  who  ingratiated  himfelf  fo  mucb 
^n  the  Prince's  favour,  that  this  latter  made  him  Ad- 
^itsA  of  the  fleet  fent  Qiu  09.  ^he  ex^editipa  to  £/f' 

Umd^ 


FJ 


i,  I 


,i 


.  f 


(    1 


l%i. 


VOYAGES    AHB 


land^  which  ]ies  between  Friejiand  and  Norwaj^^ 
(lere  they  committed  great  ravages ;  but  hearing  th^t 
the  King  of  Norway  wai  coming  towards  them  wit)^ 
a  confiderable  fleetv  they  departed  in  hafle^  the  win4 
blowing  with  fuch  violence  that  they  were  driven  up** 
on  certain  ihoals,  wher^  a  great  part  of  their  ihips 
was  caft  away  j  the  reft  w«re  fayed  upon  GriJIandt  4 
large  ifland,  but  uninhabited.  The  King  of  Nor* 
way's  fleet  was  overtaken  by  the  fame  florm,  and  pe* 
riflied.  Of  this  Zichmhi  was  apprized  by  one  of 
the  enemy's  Ihips  which,  as  well  as  they,  was  call 
away  upon  the  coaft  of  Grijiand  •  ;  when,  after  hav- 
ing repaired  his  own  fleet,  perceiving  that  ht  had 
been  driven  fo  far  northwards,  he  refol\^ed  to  make  ar^ 
attack  upon  Ic  'and,  which  belonged  to  the  King  of 
Norway  \  but  finding  it  too  well  fortified  and  de- 
fended, and  refle<5ling  that  his  fleet  was  both  fmall 
and  ill  equipped,  he  was  glad  to  retire.  He  there- 
fore fell  upon  the  other  iflands,  of  which  there  arc 
feven  in  number,  viz.  Tains  (Zeal)  Broas  (Brafla 
Sound)  Ifcant  (Unft  or  Vuft)  Trans  (Trondra)  Mi- 
mant,  Dambert,  and  Br4s  (Brafla)  all  of  which  he 
plundered,  and  built  a  fort  in  Bret,  where  he  lef^ 
Nicolo  Zeno  with  feveral  fmall  barks,  men  and  ;ara- 
munition,  while  he  himtJf  went  hack  to  Frieiland. 
In  the  fpring  Nicolo  Zeno  refolved  to  go  out  on  diff 
coverics ,  and  having  fitted  out  three  miall  fhips,  he 
fet  fail  in  July,  and  fhaping  his  courfe  to  the  north- 
wards, arrived  in  Engroveland  (Engroneland,  Groen- 
land,  or  Greenland)  where  he  found  a  monailery  of 
Predicant  Friars,  and  a  church,  dedicated  to  St. 
ThomaS;  hard  by  a  mountain  that  threw  out  fire  like 
i^tna  or  Vefuvius. 

They  have  here  a  fpring  of  boiling  hot  neater  with 
which  they  heat  the  church,  the  monaftery,  and 
the  Friars  chambers.  It  comes  likewife  fo  very  hot 
into  the  kitchen,  that  they  qfe  no  fire  fordreiTing  their 

*  Grijiand  feems  to  be  the  name  of  the  iflan^,  which  lies  in  the 
nrighbouiliood  of  Icelaod  to  the  laflward,  and  is  by  the  moderns  called 
Enkhu^Aen. 

yiduals  i 


DISCOVERIES  IK  THE  NORTH.       X^ 

vi£luals ;  and  putting  their  bread  into  brafs  pots  with- 
out any  water,  it  is  baked  as  though  it  was  in  a  hot 
oven.  They  have  alfo  fmall  gardens  covered  over  in 
winter,  which  gardens  being  watered  with  this  wa- 
ter*,^re  defended  from  the  fnow  and  cold,  that  in 
thefe  regions,  fituated  fo  near  the  Pole,  is  extremely 
great,  in  this  manner  they  produce  flowers,  fruits, 
and  different  kinds  of  herbs,  juft  as  they  grow  in 
temperate  climates  ;  ^o  that  the  rude  favages  of  thofe 
parts,  feeing  thefe  fupcrnatural  effe&s,  take  thefe 
Friars  for  Gods,  and  bring  them  divers  prefents, 
fuch  as  hens  (P»Uit  thefe,  however,  can  have  been 
nothing  elfe  than  Ptarmagam)  flefli  (viz.  of  rein-deer) 
and  various  other  things  ;  bcfides  this  they  reverence 
the  Monks  as  their  Lords.  When  the  froft  and  fnow 
is  coniiderable,  they  heat  their  houfes  in  the  mani^er 
above  mentioned  ;  and  by  letting  in  the  water,  or 
opening  their  windows,  are  able  in  an  inftant  to  tem- 
per the  heat  at  their  pleafure.  In  the  buildings  of 
their  manadery  they  ufe  no  other  matter  than  what  is 
prcfented  to  them  by  this  fire  j  for  they  uke  the  burn- 
if\g  iiones  that  are  caft  out,  in  the  form  of  fparks 
or  cindars,  at  the  fiery  mouth  of  the  mountain,  and 
when  they  are  at  the  hotteft  throw  water  on  them* 
by  which  ipeans  they  are  entirely  difiblved,  and  are 
converted  into  a  very  good  lime,  which  is  fo  binding, 
that  when  it  is  ufed  in  building,  it  lafts  for  ever, 
and  the  very  fparkles,  when  cold,  ferve  inftead  of 
flones  to  niaice  their  \yalls  and  vaults,  for  v;hen  they 
are  once  cold,  they  canpot  be  broken,  except  indeed 
they  be  cut  with  fpme  iron  tool ;  and  the  vaults  that 
are  made  of  them  are  fo  light,  that  they  need  no 
prop  to  hold  them  up,  I^ut  continue  always  whole 
and  entire.  On  account  of  thefe  great  convcnien- 
cies,  the  Friars  have  made  (p  many  walls  and  build- 
ings of  different  kinds,  that  it  is  really  wonderful  to 
fee  them.  The  coverings  or  roofs  of  tiicir  houfes 
are  for  the  mod  part  made  in  the  following  manner  : 
Firft,  they  carry  the  wall  up  to  its  full  height,  and 
then   they  make  it   inclining  or  binding  in  by  little 

and 


%.MA  r '" 


1 1 ' 


I 


mU 


VOYAGES     AUn 


I 


and  little,  till  it  forms  a  regular  vault.  But  indeed 
they  are  not  much  troubled  with  rain  in  that  coua* 
try  ;  for  the  climate  being,  as  I  have  faid  before,  ex- 
tremely cold,  the  firft  fnow  that  falls  does  not  thaw 
lor  the  fpace  of  nine  months,  at  wrhich  time  their 
winter  ends. 

They  liye  pn  wild  fowl  and  fifh ;  for  in  confeqiience 
of  the  warm  water  running  into  the  fea,  in  a  large  and 
wide  haven,  which,  by  reafon  of  the  heat  of  the  water, 
never  freezes,  there  is  fo  great  a  concourfe  in  this 
place  of  fea  fowl  and  lifli,  that  they  take  as  many  of 
them  as  they  can  poflibly  have  occadon  for,  with 
which  they  maintain  a  great  number  of  people  round 
about,  whom  they  keep  continually  employed,  both 
in  building  and  in  taking  of  fowls  and  Afli,  as  well 
as  in  a  thoufand  other  necefiary  occupations  a^d  a^air$ 
lelative  to  the  monaftery. 

Their  houfes  are  built  a\>out  t)ie  hill  on  every  fide, 
of  a  round  form,  and  zS  f<Bet  in  width }  as  tliey  got 
upwards  they  are  made  narrower  and  narrower^  a  lit- 
tle hole  at  the  top  being  left  for  the  air  and  the  lieht 
to  enter  at ;  and  the  floor  of  the  houfe  is  fo  hot,  that 
thofe  v(ho  are  in  the  houfe  feel  no  cold  at  all;.  Hi*, 
ther  in  the  fummer  time  come  many  barks  frpm  the 
neighbouring  iflands,  and  from  the  cape  above  Iji^i-x 
way,  and  from  Tronden  (or  Drontheim)  and  bring  die 
Fathers  ^11  kinds  of  commodities  and  merchandize, 
according  to  what  they  wiih  for,  taking  in  exchange 
fi|b  (^hich  they  dry  either  in  the  fun  or  el(e  by  means 
of  the  cold)  and  the  (kins  of  divers  beads;  for  whicht 
they  have  wood  for  fuel,  and  wooden  utenfik  very  in- 
genioufly  carved;  together  with  corn,  and  cloth  ta 
make  their  clothes  V'ith.  For  all  the  nations  around 
them  utt  very  defirous  of  bartering  with  them  for  thefe 
two  compiodiries,  fo  that  the  Monks  have  a^  they. 
eaj(i  defire  without  either  pains  or  coft.  To  this  mo<- 
jfiaftery  refort  Monks  from  Norway  and  Swedetty  and 
from  other  countries,  but  principally  from  Jctland, 
Httt  is  continually  a  great  number  of  barks  which 

can;?o5. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       ify 

ijcannof:  get  away  by  reafon  of  the  fea  being  frozca 
over,  but  wait  for  the  fpring  of  the  year,  to  diflblye 
f  he  ice.  The  fi fliers  boats  have  the  form  of  a  weaver's 
Ibuttle.  They  are  made  uf  fiih  bones,  cafed  over 
with  the  fkins  of  fiihcs ;  thefe  they  few  together  in 
many  doubles,  and  by  this  means  make  them  fo  tight 
and  fubftantial,  that  it  is  furprizing  to  fee  how  they 
will  ill  ftorms  bind  themfelves  faft  within  them,  and 
Jet  the  winds  and  waves  carry  them  they  care  not 
whither,  without  any  fear  either  of  their  boats  fplit- 
ting  or  of  themfelves  being  drowned  :  and  if  they 
happen  to  be  driven  upon  a  rock,  fljll  they  remain 
found  without  the  leaft  hurt  or  damage.  They  like- 
wife  have  a  kind  of  fleeve  at  the  bottom,  which  is 
always  tied'  fall  in  the  middle }  and  when  there  comes 
iiny  water  into  the  boat,  they  let  it  run  into  one  half 
of  the  fleeve,  then  fattening  the  end  of  the  fleeve  with 
iw6  pieces  of  wood,  and  looflng  the  band  beneath, 
ihey  convey  the  water  out  of  the  boat ;  and  this  ope- 
ration they  repeat  as  often  as  is  neccfikry,  without  the 
leaft  danger  or  hindrance.  ^ 

Farther,  the  water  of  the  monaftery,  being  of  a 
fulphufeous  nature,  is  conveyed  into  the  cells  of  the 
principal  I^riars,  by  means  of  copper,  tin,  or  ftone 
{)i|)es,  fo  hot,  that  it  heats  the  place  like  a  ftove. 
Without  carrying  alonjg;  with  it  any  difagreeablc  or 
unwholeforne  ftench. 

Befides  this,  they  convey  frefh  water,  lit  for  drink- 
ing, in  a  walled'  canal  under  ground,  in  order  that  it 
may  not  freeze,  into  the  middle  of  the  court,  where 
It  falls  into  a  larjge  copper  vefl^el,  which  ftands  in  a 
refervoir  of  boiling  hot  water;  and  by  this  means 
they  heat  the  water  for  their  own  drinking  and  for 
watering  their  gardens.'  So  that  from  this  moun- 
tain they  have  every  jsoflible  convenience ;  and  thus 
thefe  good  Friars  make  it  their  chief  ftudy  and  bufi- 
iiefs  to  keep  their  'gardens  in  order,  and  to  ereft 
C^ommodious  and  elegant  buildings  ^  neither  do  they 

'  want 


i8l 


-VOYAGES    ANi» 


>rajst  for  good  workmen,  and  ingenious  artizins  s 
lor  they  give  great  wages,  and  to  thofe  that  carry 
them  fruits  and  feeds  they  are  bountiful  beyond 
ineafure ;  fo  that  there  is  a  great  refort  of  work* 
men  and  artifts  of  every  denomination,  as  there  are 
great  profits  to  be  made,  and  provifion  is  very 
cheap.  Mod  of  th^fe  Monks  fpeak  Latin,  and 
particularly  the  fuperiors  and  principals  of  the  mo* 
naftery. 

And  this  is  as  much  as  is  known  of  £ns;reveland 
(En^roneland,  Groenland,  or  Greenland)  from  the 
Klation  of  Nicolo  Zeno,  who  gives  likewife  a  parti- 
£utar  defcription  of  a  river  that  he  difcovered,  as  is 
to  be  feen  in  the  chart  that  I  (viz.  Antonio  Zeno) 
have  drawn.-  Nicolo,  not  being  able  to  bear  the  fe« 
vere  cold  of  thefe  northern  climates,  fell  fick,  and  « 
)ittle  while  after  returned  to  Friefland,  where  he  died. 
He  left  behind  him  two  fons,  one  of  whom  was  nam* 
ed  7«^»,  and  the  other  Thomasy  which  latter  likewife 
l>aa  two  fons,  Nicola,  the  father  of  the  celebrated 
Cardinal  Zeno,  and  Peter,  from  whom  are  defcended 
ihe  reft  of  the  Zenos,  who  are  now  living. 

After  the  death  of  Nicolo,  his  fortune,  as  well  as 
his  dignity  and  honours,  devolved  upon  Antonio -,  and 
though  he  made  great  fupplications  and  entreaties  for 
the  purpofe,  ye^  he  was  not  permitted  to  return  to  his 
native  country :  for  Zichmnii  being  a  man  of  a  high 
fpirit  and  great  valour,  had  refolved  to  make  himfelf 
mafter  of  the  Tea.  For  this  end  he  made  ufe  of  the 
talents  and  advice  of  Antonio,  and  ordered  him  to 
go  with  a  few  b^rks  to  the  weftward  ;  as  in  the  fum- 
mer  feveral  iflands  had  been  difcoyered  in  thofe  feas 
by  fome  of  his  fiihermen.  Of  this  difcovery  jfntonia 
gives  a  defcription  in  a  Letter  to  his  brother  Cat  \ 
which  we  here  give  juft  as  it  was  written,  having 
made  no  other  alteration  in  it  than  tha(  of  a  few  an- 
tiquated (Italian)  words.     (Letter  III.) 

'*  Six  and  twenty  years  ago  four  fiftiing-boats, 
which  had  been  overtaken  by  a  violent  ftorm,  were 
toffed  to  and  fro  in  a  terrible  manner  on  the  fea,  for 
the  fpace  of  a  great  many  days  \  whcp,  at  length,  the 

tem^ieft 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       i8f 

tempeft  ceafing,  and  the  weather  growing  fair,  thejr 
difcovered  an  ifland  called  E/t»tUami,  which  lay  above 
a  thoufand  miles  to  the  westward  of  Friefland.  One 
of  the  boats,  with  fix  men  in  it,  was  caft  away  of» 
this  ifland,  and  the  men  were  immediately  taken  hf- 
the  inhabitants,  and  condu<5ted  to  a  fine  and  popu- 
lous city,  where  the  King  of  the  place  was,  who  lent 
for  various  interpreters,  but  none  could  be  found, 
who  underAood  the  fifhermens  language,  excepting 
one,  that  fpoke  Latin.  This  man,  who  bad  in  lik«r 
manner  been  cafl  by  accident  on  the  fame  ifland,' 
aiked  them,  on  the  part  of  the  King,  of  whtt  coun- 
try they  were}  and,  having  been  made  acquainted 
with  their  cafe,  informed  the  King  of  it,  who,  upon 
this,  ordered  that  they  ihould  flay  in  the  country  : 
thefe  orders  they  obeyed,  as  indeed  they  could  not  d<| 
otherwife,  and  flayed  in  that  country  five  years,  and 
learned  the  language  of  it ;  one  of  tnem  indeed  was 
in  various  different  parts  of  the  ifland,  and  affirms, 
thtit  it  is  a  very  rich  country,  abounding  With  everi' 
commodity  and  convenience  of  life ;  that  it  is  Httw 
lefs  than  Iceland,  but  much  more  fertile,  havihg  in 
the  middle  of  it  a  very  high  mountain,  from  whicli 
fprung  four  rivers,  that  pafs  through  the  whole 
country. 

**  The  inhabitants  are  a  very  ingenious  and  fenii* 
ble  people,  and  have  arts  of  every  kind,  and  handi* 
crafts,  as  we  have ;  and  it  is  highly  probable  that  for- 
merly they  have  had  feme  traffic  with  our  Europeansj 
for  he  fays,  that  he  faw  fome  Latin  books  in  the 
King's  library,  which  at  prefent  they  do  not  under- 
hand; fot  they  have  a  language  of  their  own,  and 
letters  and  characters  peculiar  to  themfelves*.     They 

trade 


l-'-"'^ 
"'  m 


i 


.  ft.  1 


M   i- 


t*i 


t       'l 


mMm 


*  In  H«klay(*«  ColjcdioiT  of  Voyages,  Vol.  III.  p.  1*4,  it  it  iddcd, 
**  Tbey  have  mioek  of  all  mann«r  of  meial's,  but  efpccially  they  abouoJ 
with  gold.'*  This  paflage,  however,  is  slot  to  be  found  in  the  Italia* 
•'i^inal  of  Ramufiu. 

[Piom  many  circumftances  it  appears  that  Haktuyt*fi  Co!le£lIon  waa 
inade  principally  with  a  view  to  excite  bi$  countrymen  to  prufecutc  new 
^licoverici  io  Aioeiica,  aaJ  10  prcmoie  the  trade  to  that  quarter  of  the 

globe. 


,p 


1  « 


nqp 


V  OV  A  6  E  S    AKb 


trade  with  Engroneland^  and  get  from  thence  fufs^ 
brimflone,  and  pitch.  To  the  foUth  of  them  there 
lies  a  very  large  and  populous  country,  which  abounds 
greatly  in  gold.  They  fow  corn,  and  make  beer 
(cervofa)  a  liquor  whicn  is  drank  by  the  people  of 
the  North,  as  wine  is  by  us.  They  have  large  and 
cxtenfive  woods  j  they  make  their  buildings  with 
walls,  and  have  a  great  number  of  towns  ana  caftles. 
They  build  (hips  and  navigate  the  Tea  9  but  they  have, 
not  the  load  done,  and  know  nothing  of  the  ufe  of 
the  compafs:  on  which  account  the^  fifhermen  were 
held  in  high  eftimation,  infomuch  that  the  King  fenC 
them  with  twelve  ftiips  to  the  fouthward^  to  a  coun- 
try called  Drogio,  In  their  voyage  thither  they  had 
fuch  contrary  wdathef,  that  they  thought  they  mufl; 
have  periihed  in  the  fea ;  but,  efcaping  that  dreadful 
kind  of  death,  they  met  with  another  dill,  more  ter^ 
rible}  for  they  were  taken  prifoners  in  the  country,' 
and  were  moft  of  them  devoured  by  the  favages,  who. 
feed  on  mens  fleih,  eifeeming  it  the  moft  delicious  of 
all  food.  But  this  fifherman,  with  his  comrades,, 
(hewing  them  the  way  to  take  fifli  with  nets,  faved 
their  lives  }  and  would  go  everyday  t6  the  fea  and  the 
freih  rivers,  and  catch  great  quantities  of  fifli^  and 
give  it  to  the  principal  people  of  the  country ;  by 
which  means  he  got  into  fo  great  favour,  that  he  was 
beloved  and  highly  refpe<Sted  by  every  body. 

*'  The  fame  of  this  man  being  fpread  abroad  in  the 
country,  there  was  a.  Lord  in  thofe  parts,  who  was 
very  deilrous  of  haf'ing  him  with  bim^  in  order  to 
fee  ho\^  he  prac^ifed  his  wonderful  art  of  catching 
fiih ;  infomuch  that  he  made  w^r  with  the  other  Lord 
with  whom  the  fiiberman  Was  before;  and  in  the  end 
prevailing,  as   he  was  more  powerful  and   a  better 


flobc.  Con/idering  it  in  this  light,  and  that  hardly  tny  thin^  wta 
thought  worthy  of  notice  in  that  age  but  mines  of  filver  and  mountarai 
•f  gold,  we  need  not  wonder  at  the  inter))olation.  But  the  patTage  it-' 
Mi  is  to  be  found  io  Oitclius.    &tc  (hv  lame  ColU^ion,  page  117.} 


warnort 


Warno 
reft  of 
yiears 
bad  I 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       191 

Warrior,  the  fiflierman  was  fent  to  htm,  with  thef 
reft  of  his  ccTtpany ;  and  for  the  fpace  of  thirteen 
yiears  that  he  reftded  in  thefe  parts,  he  fays,  that  he 
had  been  fent  in  this  fiaihion  to  more  than  twenty- 
five  different  Lords,  ;as  they  were  continually  at  war 
with  each  other  for  the  poileilion  of  him ;  fo  that,  ii^ 
wandering  about  the  country  in  this  manner,  with" 
out  any  fixed  abode,  be  was  perfe<5i]y  well  acquainted 
with  all  that  .region.  He  fays,  it  is  a  very  extenfive 
country,  and,  as  it  were,  a  new  world ;  but  the  in- 
habitants are  a  rude,  unpoiiihed  people,  without  the 
•lyoyment  of  any  convenience  of  life  ;  for  they  all  go 
naked,  fo  that  they  ate  miferably  pinched  with  the 
cold  I  neither  have  they  the  fenfe  to  cover  their  bodies 
with  the  fkins  of  the  beafts  which  they  take  in  hunt- 
ing.  They  are  not  in  pofleffion  of  any  kind  of  me- 
tal, and  live  by  the  chace.  7'hey  carry  fpear»  of 
wood,  made  iharp  at  the  point,  and  ufe  bows,  the 
firings  of  which  are  made  of  the  fkins  of  beafts. 
They  are  a  very  uncivilized  people,  and,  in  the  wars 
they  make  one  with  the  other,  commit  dreadful  ra- 
vages, fo  as  even  to  devour  each  other.  They  have 
Governors,  and  law$  very  difFcrent  from  each  other : 
but  farther  to  the  fouth«weft  the  manners  are  more 
civilized,  in  proportion  to  the  increafing  mildnefs  of 
the  climate,  infomuch  that  one  there  meets  with  ci- 
ties and  temples,  dedicated  to  idols,  to  whom  they 
offer  up  men  in  facrifice,  and  afterwards  eat  them. 
The  people)  too,  in  thofe  parts,  are  not  without 
fome  degree  of  knowledge,  and  make  ufe  of  gold 
an4  filver. 

*<  Now  this  HHierman,  after  having  refided  a  great 
many  years  among  them,  purpofed,  if  it  were  poiH- 
ble,  to  return  to  his  own  country  ^  but  his  compa- 
nions, defpairing  ever  to  fee  it  again,  wiihed  hiui 
health  and  happinefs,  and  ftaid  behind  :  fo,  bidding 
them  farewel,  he  fled  through  the  woods,  by  the 
way  that  led  to  Drogis,  and  was  received  with,  great 

kindnefs, 


'li% 


ll'fi 


t^ 


VOYAGES    Attn 


kfndnefs  by  the  Lord  that  lired  near  to  the  place  (ronf 
whence  he  came,  who  knew  him,  and  was  a  greac 
^exny  to  the  other  Lord ;  and  thus^  going  from 
one  Lord  to  another,  with  all  of  whonri  he  waft  al- 
ready acquainted,  having  palTed  through  their  handf 
before,  after  a  long  time,  and  virllh  much  difficulty^ 
he  arrived  at  Drogioy  whei*e  he  (laid  three  years } 
when,  fortunately  hearing  of  fome  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, that  feveral  fmall  veflTek  were  arrived  on  the 
coaft  (a*  piece  of  intelligence  which  infpired  him  withr 
great  hopes  of  accomplifhing  his  purpofe)  he  went 
to  the  fea-fide,  and  afkihg  them  what  country  the/ 
wereof,  learned,  to  his  unfpeakable  fatisfalElion,  thaC 
they  were  from  Efidtihnd.  Upon  this  lie  requeued 
that  they  Would  take  him 'on  board, -which  they  did 
very  willirtgty ;  and  as  be  could  fpeak  the  langusige 
of  the  country,  which  none  of  their  company  could 
do,  they  made  uf6  of  him  as  thfeir  iaterpreti^r  $  and 
after wiir<ds  he  n>iade' repeated  voyifges  thither  in  com- 
pany with  theirf,  infomuch  tBat  he  became  very  rich  ; 
and  fo,'  equipping  a  bark  of  his  own^  he  returned  tor 
FrieJIandy  where  he  made  a  report  to  his  Lord  of  ihtf 
difco^ry  t>f  this  wealthy  country;  and  his  iirange 
and  marvellous  account  was  credited,  as  every  thing 
he  faid  Was  confirmed  by  the  teftimbny  of  the  fail'' 
ors. 

•*  Accordingly  this  Lord  (i.  e.  Zichmni)  is  deteN 
mined  to  fend  me  out  with  a  ilecft  to  thefe  parts,  and 
there  are  io  many  that  defire  to  rfiake  the  voyage  with 
us,  on  account  of  the  novelty  and  uncOmmonnefs  of 
the  thing  *Hat  I  believe  wc  (hall  be  very  well  m^n-^ 
ned  and  u  .ed  out,  without  any  expence  to  the  pub" 
lie  in  general.** — ^And  this  is  the  tenor  of  the  Letter 
before  mentioned,  which  I  have  here  fet  down,'  in 
order  to  give  an  account  of  another  voyage  made  by 
Antonio  Zeno,  who  fet  fail  with  a  great  number  of 
fhips  and  men,  though  at  that  time  he  was  not  Com'' 
mandcr  in  Chief,  as  he  at  Hrft  thought  to  have  been, 
for  Zichmni  went  in  perfon  ;  and  upon  this  fubjedt  I 
have  a  letter  to  the  following  purport : 

*«  Our 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        193 

"  Our  great  preparation  for  the  voyage  to  EJiotiland 
was  begun  in  an  unlucky  hour  ;  for,  three  days  before 
our  departure,  the  fifhcrman  died,  wlio  was  to  have 
been  our  guide :  notwithftanding  which,  this  Lord 
would  not  give  up  the  enterprize  j  but,  inftead  of  the 
fifherman,  took  with  him  for  his  guides  fcveral  failors 
who  had  returned  with  him  from  the  ifland.  And  fo, 
ihaping  our  courfe  to  the  weftwards,  we  difcovered 
feveral  iflands,  fubjc6l  to  Friefland  ;  and,  after  pafling 
by  a  flioal  or  two,  we  arrived  at  Ledovo^  where 
we  ftaid  a  week  to  refrefli  ourfclves,  and  to  provide 
the  fleet  with  neceftaries.  Departing  from  hence,  we 
arrived  on  the  firft  of  July  off"  the  ifland  of  Ihp ; 
when,  the  wind  being  in  our  favour,  we  did  not  ftop 
there,  but  went  farther  on.  Shortly  after,  being  on 
the  main  fea,  we  were  overtaken  by  fo  dreadful  a  tem- 
peft,  that  for  the  fpace  of  eight  days  we  were  tofTed 
to  and  fro  by  the  winds  and  the  waves,  without  know- 
ing whereabouts  we  v/ere.  By  the  violence  of  this 
ftorm  we  loft  a  great  part  of  our  (hips  ;  afterwards 
the  weather  proving  fair,  we  collected  together  the 
wrecks  and  fhivers  of  our  {battered  veflels  ;  and,  hav- 
ing got  a  good  wind,  failed  till  we  defcried  land  to 
the  weftward,  to  which  directing  our  courfe,  we  ar- 
rived in  a  good  and  fafe  harbour.  Here  we  faw  an 
infinite  number  of  armed  men  come  running  furioufly 
to  the  fea-fide,  as  it  were,  for  the  defence  of  the 
ifland.  Upon  this,  Zichmni  commanding  his  men  to 
make  figns  of  peace  to  them,  they  fent  ten  men  to 
us,  who  could  (peak  ten  different  languages,  none  of 
which,  however,  we  underftood,  excepting  one  that 
was  an  Icelander.  This  man  being  brought  before 
our  Prince,  and  afked,  what  was  the  name  of  the 
ifland,  by  what  people  it  was  inhabited,  and  who  go- 
verned it,  anfwered,  that  the  land  was  called  Icaria^ 
and  that  all  the  Kings  of  it  were  named  Icari^  after 
the  name  of  its  firft  King,  who^  according  to  them, 
was  the  fon  of  Dtvdalusy  King  of  Scotland,  who  con- 

O  qu&red 


3il 


y 


■■  ti 


i 


'94 


VOYAGES    ANO 


fluered  this  Ifland,  and  left  them  his  Ton  to  be  therr 
King,  together  with  thofe  laws  by  which  they  ftillr 
were  governed.  After  this,  he  .  faUed  farther  on  , 
but,  being  overtaken  by  a  violent  ftorm  was  drown- 
ed ;  in  memory  of  which  fatal  accident  they  called 
that  fca  th«  Icurian  Sen^  and  the  Kings  of  the  ifland 
Icari  t  and  forafmuch  as  tliey  were  contented  with  the 
ftate  which  God  had  given  them,  and  did  not  chulis 
to  make  the  Icaft  alteration  in  their  manners  and 
cuftoms,  they  would  not  receive  any  ft  ranger  ;  and 
therefore  reqiiefted  of  our  Prince,  that  he  would  not 
feck  to  violate  thofe  laws  which  they  had  received 
from  this  their  King  of  glorious  memory,  and  had 
hitherto  duly  obferved ;  which,  however,  (hould  he 
attempt,  it  would  turn  out  to  his  manifeft  deftru£li- 
on,  as  they  were  abfolutely  refolved  rather  to  lofe 
their  lives  than  give  up  their  laws.  Neverthelcfs, 
that  we  might  not  imagine  they  (hunned  all  manner 
of  intercourfe  with  other  people,  they  told  us,  by  way 
of  conclufion,  that  they  were  very  willing  to  receive 
one  of  our  men,  and  advance  him  to  be  one  of  the 
chief  amongft  them,  and  that  merely  with  a  view  to 
learn  my  language,  and  to  gain  information  concern- 
ing our  manners  and  cuftoms,  in  the  fame  manner 
as  they  had  already  received  amongft  them  thofe 
other  ten  men  who  had  come  into  their  country  from 
ten  other  different  nations.  To  all  this  Zuhmni  re- 
turned not  the  leaft  reply  j  but,  ordering  his  men  to 
look  out  for  fome  good  harbour,  made  as  though  he 
was  going  to  depart  j  when,  failing  round  the  illand^ 
he  efpied  at  length  a  harbour  on  the  eaftern  fide  of 
the  ifland,  where  he  put  in  with  all  his  fleet.  The 
mariners  now  went  on  (hore  to  take  in  wood  and 
water,  which  tliey  did  with  all  poflible  fpeed,  for  fear 
of  being  attacked  by  the  natives.  Neither  indeed  was 
this  precaution  taken  in  vain,  for  fuch  of  them  as 
refidcd  near  that  fpot,  made  lignals  to  the  others  by 
means  of  fire  and  fmoke,  and  immediately  took  to 
their  arms,  and  the  others  going  to  them,  they  all 
came  running  down  together  to  the  fea-fide  upon  our 
men,  with  bows  and  arrows,   and  other  weapons,  Co 

that 


as 
by 
to 

all 
K>ur 
Co 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       iqi 

that  many  of  them  were  killed,  and  others  dangeroufly 
wounded.  And  though  we  made  fignnls  of  peace  to 
them,  it  was  to  no  purpofe,  for  they  were  only  the 
more  enraged,  and  fought  as  though  their  all  was  at 
ftake.  We  were  therefore  obligea  to  depart,  and  to 
^ail  on  in  a  large  circuit  round  the  idand^  being  all  the 
while  accompanied  on  the  tops  of  the  hills  amd  on 
the  fea  coaft  by  an  infinite  number  of  armed  men ; 
and  juft  where  the  point  of  the  ifland  bends  to  the 
northward,  we  met  with  many  large  fhoals,  on  which 
we  were  in  continual  danger,  for  the  fpace  of  ten 
days,  of  lofing  our  whole  fleet  j  but  that  very  fortu- 
nately for  us,  the  weather  was  fair  during  the  whole 
time.  We  failed  on,  however,  till  we  came  to  the 
caftern  cape ;  and  faw  the  inhabitants  ftill  keeping 
up  with  us  on  the  tops  of  the  hills  and  on  the  fea 
fliorc,  and  by  loud  cries  and  {hooting  at  us  from  afar, 
giving  us  the  moft  manifeft  token  of  their  unconquer- 
able natred  and  averfion  to  us.  We  therefore  re- 
folved  to  ftay  in  fome  fafe  harbour,  and  endeavour,  if 
pofTible,  to  Ipeak  again  with  the  Icelander  j  but  all  in 
vain  ;  for  thefe  people,  fcarcely  a  degree  above  the 
brute  creation,  ftood  continually  under  arms  with  the 
intent  to  attack  us,  if  we  once  attempted  to  land* 
Upon  this  Zichmni,  feeing  that  he  could  do  nothing 
with  them,  and  that  if  he  perfcvered  and  obftinately 
adhered  to  his  firft  intentions,  the  fleet  would  have 
been  in  want  of  provifion,  weighed  anchor,  and  failed 
with  a  fair  wind,  for  the  fpace  of  fix  days,  to  th« 
weftward ;  but  the  wind  fliifting  to  the  fouth-weft, 
and  the  fea  growing  rough,  we  failed  four  days  with 
the  wind  in  the  poop,  and  at  length  difcovercd  land,, 
to  which,  however,  we  were  afraid  of  approaching  too 
jiear,  as  well  on  account  of  the  fea  being  extremely 
rough,  as  of  our  being  unacquainted  with  the  coaft. 
But,  by  the  providence  of  God,  the  wind  ceafed  and 
the  fea  became  calm.  Upon  which  fome  of  our  com- 
pany rowed  to  land  with  oars,  and  returned  with  the 
agreeable  tidings  that  they  had  found  a  very  good- 
country  and  an  excellent  harbour.  On  the  receipt  oi  this 
piece  of   intelligence   wc    towed    cur  fhips  and  fmall 

O  2  b-rks 


I 


mi  M  '■•% 


u.m 


% 


ill 


196 


VOYAGES    AND 


barks  into  the  harbour,  which  when  v/c  entered,  we 
defcried  at  a  fmall  dillance  a  huge  mountain  that  emit- 
ted rmolce,  which  gave  us  great  hopes  that  we  (hould 
find  fome  inhabitants  in  the  illand :  and  though  the 
place  where  the  fmokc  appeared  to  ifl'ue  was  at  a  great 
diflance  from  us,  Zichmni  would  not  reft  till  he  had 
fent  100  foldicrs  to  explore  the  country,  and  bring  back 
word  what  people  they  were  that  inhabited  it.  In  the 
mean  while  they  took  in  wood  and  water  for  the  ufe  of 
tlic  fleet,  and  caugiit  vaft  quantities  of  filh  and  Tea  fowl ; 
and  at  the  fame  time  found  fo  great  a  number  of  birds 
eggs,  that  our  men,  who  bcff)re  were  half  familhcd, 
had  more  ihan  they  could  eat.  While  we  rode  in  this 
harbour  the  month  of  Jime  *  commenced,  at  which 
time  the  air  in  the  ifland  was  as  mild  and  temperate  as 
one  could  wifti ;  but  feeing  nobody,  we  began  to  fuf- 
pucct  that  this  delightful  place  was  defolate  and  unin- 
habited. To  the  haven  we  gave  the  name  of  TV/«, 
?id  the  point  that  ftretched  out  into  the  fea,  we  called 
Cape  Trin.  The  hundred  foldiers  that  had  been  fent 
out,  in  the  fpace  of  eight  days  returned,  and  informr! 
us,  that  they  had  been  all  through  th(  idand  quite  to 
the  mountain,  and  that  the  fmoke  we  faw  proccx:.!;d 
from  a  fire  at  the  bottom  of  it,  and  that  at  the  lame 
place  there  was  a  fpring,  from  which  iflUcd  a  liquid 
of  the  nat..re  of  pitch,  which  ran  into  the  fea.  Li'ce- 
wife  that  the  interior  part  of  the  country  was  inhabited 
by  wild  people,  who  hid  themfelves  in  caves  j  were 
(hort  of  ftature,  and  very  timid  ;  for  as  foon  as  they 
faw  our  people  they  fled  to  their  holes  :  moreover,  that 
in  that  part  of  the  ifland  there  was  a  large  river  and 
fafe   harbour.     5Cichmni,  after  receiving  this   piece  of 


long 


•  So  long  before  as  when  (lie  fleet  was  arrived  ofF  the  Ifleof  Ilofe, 
'it  was  ihe  ilt  of  July  ;  and  now  we  ate  loK),  "  commenced  the  month  of 
Junt;'^  which  iTiews  very  evidently,  th.it  there  rputl  be  an  error  in  one 
of  thcfe  pafTages;  and  as  Zcno  foon  after  this  tells  in,  that  the  people 
under  hii  command  complained  that  "  the  winter  was  coming  on/* 
there  can  be  no  duubt  but  that  in  this  place,  inftead  of  yew,  we  (houlJ 
read  Augujl. 

intelligence, 


DISCOVERIES  IN'  THR  NORTH.        197 

intelligence,  confidering  that  the  ifiand  was  bleft  with 
a  pure  and  healthy  air,  a  good  foil,  fine  rivers,  and 
many  other  advantages,  rctolvcd  to  people  it,  and 
build  a  town  on  it.  But  his  people,  quite  wivricd 
out  with  fo  long  and  tedious  a  voyav,c,  began  to  niui  - 
mur,  faying,  that  they  chofc  to  return  to  their  own 
country  ;  for  the  winter  approached  very  fall,  and  were 
that  once  come,  they  fhould  not  be  al  le*  to  get  away 
again  before  the  enluing  funimer.  On  which  account, 
retaining  only  the  barks  with  oars,  and  fuch  of  the  men 
as  were  willing  to  Iby  with  him,  fcnt  all  the  rclt,  with 
the  Ihips,  back  again,  and  chofe  that  I,  though  fore 
againft  my  will,  fhould  command  them. 

**  Taking  therefore  my  departure  (as  indeed  I  wa«j 
obliged  to  do)  I  failed  for  the  ipacc  of  20  days  to 
the  eaftward,  without  having  fight  of  any  land ;  then, 
fhifting  my  courfe  towards  the  fbuth-ealt,  in  five  days  I 
difcovcrcd  land,  and  perceived  that  1  was  near  the 
ifiand  of  Neone  *,  and  knowing  the  country,  found 
that  I  had  already  palled  by  Iceland 'y  fo  that  taking  in 
refrefhmcnts  of  the  inhabitants,  who  were  fubjecl:  to 
Zichmni,  we  failed  in  three  days,  with  a  fair  wind,  to 
Fr'ujland\  where  the  people,  who  by  reafbn  of  our 
long  abfence,  thought  they  had  lolt  their  Prince,  re- 
ceived us  with  demonftrations  of  the  greateft  joy." 

Beiides  what  is  contained  in  this  Letter,  I  knowr 
nothing  more,  than  what  I  gather  by  conje(Sture  from 
part  of  another  Letter,  which  I  will  here  fet  down, 
viz.  "  That  Zichmni  built  a  fmall  town  f  in  the- 
harbour  of  the  ifiand  he  had  difcovered,  and  that  he 
took  great  pains  to  explore  the  country,  and  difco- 
vered the  whole  of  it,  together  with  the  rivers  on  both 
iidcs  of  Engroneland   (Greenland)    forafmuch  as  I   fee 


*  Neome  feenjs  to  be  the  idanil  of  Sircmtg,  one  of  the  Faro  IHands, 
as  it  is,  in  fa£V,  to  the  I'outhward  of  lceland>  and  only  three  days  lail 
from  the  Oikneys,  or  Farat  IJlanJs,  i.  e-  Friefland. 

•^  Hakluyt  tranflatts  it  thus,  *'  built  a  town,"  The  original  fays, 
fece  una  terra. 


w 


i^^f^- 


»' 


it 


a 


r98 


VOYAGES    ANB 


it  particularly  defcriy>,.J  in  the  map,  but  the  narrattv^ 
of  it  is  loft.  The  paflage  aiJuded  to  of  the  Letter  runs 
thus : 

*'  As  to  the  particulars  you  are  defirous  to  know  of 
me  concerning  the  cuftoms  of  the  people,  the  animals, 
and  the  adjacent  countries,  of  all  thefe  I  have  written 
a  feparate  book,  which,  God  willing,  I  intend  to  bring 
with  me:  in  this  book  I  have  given  a  defcription  of 
the  country,  the  wonderful  fiflies,  the  laws  and  cuf- 
toms of  Frtejland^  Iceland^  Ejiland,  the  kingdom  of 
Norway^  E/iotiland,  Drogio,  and,  finally,  the  life  of 
the  Chevalier  Nicolo  Zeno,  our  brother ;  with  the 
difcoveries  made  by  him,  and  the  ftate  of  Greenland 
(Grolanda),  I  have  alfo  written  the  life  and  afts  of 
Zichmni,  a  prince  as  worthy  of  immortal  fame  as  any 
that  ever  lived,  on  account  of  his  great  valour  and 
humanity ;  therein,  too,  I  have  defcribed  the  difcovery 
of  Engroveland  (Engroneland,  or  Greenland)  on  both 
its  fides,  and  the  town  that  he  built.  I  fliall  therefore 
fay  no  more  on  the  fubjedt  in  this  Letter,  as  I  hope  foon 
to  be  with  you  and  fatisfy  you  concerning  many  other 
things,  in  perfon." 

All  thefe  Letters  were  written  by  Mefler  Antonio  to 
his  brother  Carlo. 

This  is  the  whole  of  the  account  of  the  voyages 
made  in  the  North  by  the  two  Zenos.  Many  have 
been  inclined  to  rejed:  the  whole  of  this  narrative,  as 
being  falfe  and  fabul©us,  becaufe  the  names  of  the 
countries,  Friefland,  Eftland,  Porland,  Sorani,  Elloti- 
land,  Drogio,  and  Engroveland,  are  no  longer  any 
where  to  be  met  with.  But  after  I  had  narrowly  in- 
fpe£led  it,  and  tranflated  it  myfelf  from  the  Italian  of 
Francefco  Marcolini,  preferved  in  Ramufio's  collection, 
it  was  in  the  higheft  degree  evident  to  me,  that  the 
whole  of  this  relation  is  true,  as,  in  fa£l,  it  contains 
within  itfelf  the  ftrongeft  proofs  of  its  pwn  authen- 
ticity^ 

Th? 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       199 

The  author  of  this  relation,  MarcoUni^  has  extradted 
Jt  from  the  original  letters  of  the  two  Zemsy  one  of 
the  moft  confiderable  families  in  Venice  .;  1  family 
on  which  no  one  would  have  the  boldnefs  to  palm 
ftories  of  this  kind,  fuppofing  them  to  be  abfolutely 
falfe.  It  muft  doubtlefs  be  well  known,  and  be  de- 
monflrable  from  accounts  to  be  found  in  original  re- 
cords and  archives  at  Venice,  that  there  were  fuch 
people  actually  in  being  as  thefe  brothers.  Carlo,  Ni- 
colo,  and  Antonio  Zeno ;  that  tlie  Chevalier  undertook 
a  voyage  to  the  North,  and  his  brother  Antonio  fol- 
lowed him  thither  j  that  this  fame  Antonio  laid  down 
all  thefe  voyages  and  countries  on  a  map,  which  he 
brought  with  him  to  Venice,  and  which  hung  up  in 
his  houfe  in  Marcolini's  time  (where  it  was  in  the 
power  of  every  one  to  fee  and  examine  it)  as  a  fure 
pledge  and  an  inconteftible  proof  of  the  truth  of  this 
narrative.  This  being  then  the  cafe,  how  is  it  poflible 
for  any  one  to  harbour  the  leaft  doubt  concerning  the 
truth  of  thefe  relations,  much  more  abfolutely  to  rejedt 
them  as  fabulous  ?  Should,  however,  any  one  perfift 
in  fuch  incredulity,  nothing  farther  can  be  oppofed  to 
him  ;  as  in  this  cafe  there  muft  be  an  end  to  all  faith 
in  hiftory ;  and  it  would  be  but  labour  in  vain  to  en- 
deavour to  convince  one  who  purpofely  ftiuts  his  eyes 
againft  the  truth. 

But  it  is  alledged  likcwife,  that  the  whole  narrative 
has  the  appearance  of  a  mere  fable.  In  what  part 
of  the  North  is  Friejlandy  and  the  other  countries 
mentioned  in  the  narrative  ?  Who  has  ever  heard  of 
a  Zichmniy  that  in  1379,  or  1380,  vanquiftied  the 
King  of  Norway,  who  at  that  time  was  called  Ha- 
kon  f  It  muft  be  confelled  that  there  is  feme  degree 
of  plaufibility  in  all  this.  Yet  we  think  we  can  do 
a  great  deal  towards  clearing  the  whole  of  this  hiftory 
from  the  difficulties  which  attend  it. 


J" 


And 


200 


VOYAGES    AND 


Ar\A  firji<i  we  fhall  endeavour  to  get  over  the  geo- 
graphical objcdtions.  Long  before  I  had  taken  in 
hand  this  vv^ork  on  the  Difcoveries  made  in  the  North, 
the  countries  defcribed  by  the  Zenos  appeared  to  me 
to  have  actually  cxifted  at  that  time,  but  that  they  had 
been  fwallowed  up  fince  by  the  fea  in  a  great  earth- 
quake. This  opinion  I  Itill  held  in  the  winter  of 
1782,  "when  I  laid  down  my  map  of  the  countries  near 
the  North  Pole.  It  is  founded  on  the  probability  that 
all  the  high  iflands  which  have  been  hitherto  difcovered 
in  the  middle  of  the  fea,  either  have  volcanoes  in  thpm 
flill  burning,  or  elfe  exhibit  the  mod  evident  traces 
of  extin6l  volcanoes,  fuch  as  craters,  lava,  puzzolana, 
black  flags,  and  pumice-ftone.  This  can  be  proved 
beyond  a  Ihadow  of  doubt  to  be  the  cafe  with  refped: 
to  Madeira,  the  Azores,  the  Cape  Verd  Iflands,  St. 
Helena,  Afcenllon  Ifland,  Otaheite,  and  the  whole 
clufter  of  the  Society  Iflands,  Eafter  Ifland,  the  Mar- 
quefas,  many  of  the  new  Hebrides  and  Friendly 
Iflands,  and  even  with  refpccl  to  Iceland  and  the  Fara 
Iflands.  It  was  therefore  probable,  that  thefe  iflands, 
mentioned  in  the  narrative  of  the  Zenos,  were  like- 
wife  volcanic,  and  had  been  by  a  violent  earthquake  a 
fecond  time  buried  in  the  bottom  of  the  fea.  But  af- 
terwards refledting,  that  fo  great  a  revolution  muft. 
however  have  left  behind  it  fome  hifl:orical  veftiges,  or. 
traditions.  I  began  to  examine  over  again  the  names 
of  the  countries  defcribed  j  and  now  I  found  that  they 
atflually  bore  the  ftrongefl:  refemblance  to  the  Orkneys^ 
the  Shetland,  F^ro,  JVeJicrn  Iflands,  &c.  and  as  I  have 
already  made  fome  mention  of  this  above,  I  fhall  only 
flightly  touch  upon  the  fubje£t  at  prefent.  The  Zenos 
having  reprefented  Borland  as  entirely  compofed  of  fmall 
iflands,  has  fuggefted  to  me  the  idea  that  all  thefe  ge- 
neral names  of  countries  appertained  to  whole  cluft:ers 
of  iflands  taken  colledlively.  Accordingly  Ejlland  ap- 
peared to  me  very  much  to  refemble  the  Zetlandy 
or  Shetland  iflands  ;  and  on  comparing  the  names 
of  Talns^  Broas,  Ifcant,  Trans,  Mimant,  Damhere,  and 
Bres,  with  thofe  of  3v//,  or  Zeal  (probably  Teal)  Bur- 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      aot 


Tfjy,  (or  Sura^  of  ^-vhich  name  there  are  two  places^ 
IVeJiburna  and  Eaft-Bura-,  when  taken  c®lledively 
called  the  Buras)  tfnJJ^  Trornla,  Mainland,  Hmrier  (a 
place  in  Mainland  to  the  northward).  Brajfa,  or 
Brejja,  the  refemblance  appeared  to  me  (b  obvious, 
that  I  could  no  longer  harbour  the  leail  doubt 
about  the  matter.  After  this  L  began  to  coniider 
where  the  other  iflands  and  clufters  of  iflands  were  to 
be  fought  for.  The  land  of  Sorani,  of  which  Zichmni 
was  Duke,  lay  over'agalnji  Scotland  (according  to 
the  Englifh  tranflation  in  Uakluyt)  but  the  Italian 
original  of  Marcol'tm^  fays  {pojia  della  banda  verfa 
Scotia)  it  lay  on  one  fide  of  Scotland.  Here  the  So- 
deroe,  or  fouthern  iflands  of  the  Nornrans  and  Danes, 
naturally  fuggefted  themfelves  to  me,  ifles,  which  are, 
in  fa6V,  the  fame  with  thofe  called  at  prefent  the 
Wejiern  IJles^  and  lie  directly  clofe  to  Scodand,  but 
which  in  refpeft  to  the  Shetland  and  the  Faro  Iflands, 
lie  to  the  fouthward.  Now,  from  the  word  Soderoer 
(Soder  fignifying  fouthern,  and  Oer  iflands)  is  formed 
by  contraction  Sofoer,  and  (varying,  the  termination  of 
the  plural)  Soroen,  which  again  might,  by  a  corrupt 
pronunciation,  be  eafdy  tranfmuted  to  Sorani.  Zeiu) 
relates  that  he  had  found  tlie  bay  of  Sudero  near  the 
ifles  of  Ledovo  and  Ilofe.  Now  thefe  are  the  Soderoe^ 
and  the  ifles  of  Lewis  *  and  of  Hay.  Sanejiol  ap- 
pears to  me  fituated  near  the  Ifle  of  Lewisj  and  to  be 
that  clufter  of  iflands  which  are  called  Schantfcer., 
whence  the  word  Sanejiol  is  evidently  derived.  The 
town  of  Bondendon  is  nothing  more  than  a  place  in 
the  Ifle  of  Skye,  called  Pondon,  or  Pondontown,  a  name 
Vviiich,  by  a    very  flight  change  in  the  pronunciation. 


*  The  Ifle  of  Z.fw/j  was  by  the  Normans  called  Ledkut^  from  which 
appellation  probably  originated  the  name  oi'  Le J ovo.  Vid.  Fennatit's  Vaur 
tr  y.cotitintl,  and  a  yoyage  to  the  Hebrides,  1781  Part  I.  page  326,  the 
ad  or  4th  edition.  The  Sodcroe  were  all  the  Wv^ftcrn  Iflands  that  lay  to 
ilie  loiith  ot  Point  y^rJn.imurchnn,  in  Scotland,  in  <;7  deg.  N.  lat,  aiul 
fhoje  that  lay  ip  the  north  were  called  the  No/tbem  Illand^. 


IS 


:i 


X02 


VOYAGES    AND 


is  eafily  transformed  to  Bondendon.  From  this  con- 
qucit  of  the  Wejlern  IJlands^  Zlchmni's  fleet  returned 
in  triumph  to  Friejlandy  the  capital  of  the  ifland  of 
that  name,  in  a  bay  of  which,  quite  to  the  fouth- 
weftwaid,  it  was  fituate.  Here  then  we  have  again 
an  illand,  or  perhaps  even  an  afiemblage  of  iflands, 
under  this  denomination.  They  are  famous  for  the 
vaft  quantities  of  fifh,  which  are  ihipped  from  them 
to  Flanders,  the  coaft  of  Bretagne,  England,  Scotland, 
Norway,  and  Denmark.  The  place  here  fpoken  of 
is  then  no  other  than  the  ifland  of  Faira^  or  Fera^ 
which  is  alfo  called  Feras  lanl^  and  belongs  to  the 
Orkneys^  being  fo  encompafled  with  various  iflands, 
that  it  appears  to  lie  quite  in  a  gulph  or  bay ;  and 
here,  too,  a  great  number  of  herrings  are  caught 
yearly.  So  that  this  fpot  appears  to  be  Fairejlandy 
by  abbreviation,  Fricjland. 

.  The  defcent  upon  Ejihnd  was  interrupted  by  th6 
news  of  the  arrival  of  the  King  of  Norway.  Both  fleets 
fuftered  by  the  ftorm,  but  that  of  the  Normans  more  than 
Zichmni's ;  and  fome  (hips  from  both  fleets,  that  had  been 
faved  from  the  general  wreck,  arrived  at  Grijland,  an 
uninhabited  ifland.  This  GriJIand\\t%hr  to  the  north- 
ward, and  near  Iceland.  It  fhould  feem  confequent- 
ly  that  it  was'  the  ifle  of  Grimf-ey-t  which  lies  to  the 
north  of  Iceland.  Indeed  1  fhould  rather  take  it  for 
the  ifland  of  Enkhuyzen,  which  is  fuppofed  to  lie  to 
the,  eaftward  of  Iceland,  and  which,  from  the  name  it 
bears,  we  may  conclude  to  have  been  feen  b)  fome 
Dutch  mariners  ;  but  as  many  navigators,  and  but 
very  lately  M.  Kerguekn  have  very  diligently  looked 
put  for  it  without  being  able  to  find  it,  in  all  proba- 
bility it  is  merely  an  ifland,  formerly  thrown  up  a- 
bove  the  furface  of  the  fea  by  the  repeated  concuf- 
itons  of  the  volcano  in  Iceland,  but  afterwards  by  the 
fame  fea  fwjillowed  up  again  entire.  However,  it  is 
likewife  poflible,  that  this  ifland  Enihuyzen  was  no- 
thing more  than  a  large  floating  mountain  of  ice, 
and  thus  could  not  have  been  feen  again.  Upon  the 
whole,  therefore,  it  iecms  more  natural  to  fuppofe  that 

Grijlund 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE   KORTH,     toj 

Crijland  is  the  Grimf  ey  of  the  moderns.  For  this 
latter  word,  according  to  the  old  orthography,  might 
yery  well  be  written  Grijlav.d,  Now  thole  words, 
which  in  Zeno's  narrative  have  the  word  land  added 
to  them,  are  by  the  Danes  and  Icelanders  terminated 
in  oe^  or  ey  j  and  confequently  Grijland  is  neither  more 
nor  lefs  than  Grimf-ey,  Zichmni  was  defirous  like- 
wife  of  making  an  attempt  on  Iceland ;  but  found 
that  country  too  well  defended,  and  his  fleet,  which 
was  Ihattered  by  the  ftorm,  too  weak  to  give  him 
any  hopes  of  fuccefs  in  that  quarter.  He  now  turn- 
ed his  arms  againft  the  other  iflands  of  Ejliand^  i.  e. 
Shetland,  and  made  a  conqueft  of  th-in.  Formerly 
thefe  iflands  went  by  the  name  of  Yaltaland,  or  Hit' 
land,  which,  in  procefs  of  time,  w.'cs  changed  into 
Zet  land  and  Shetland-^  and  hence  the  EJlland  of  Zeno 
is  eafily  deduced,  particularly,  if  we  at  the  fame  time 
have  recourfe  for  the  i.ames  of  thefe  iflands  taken  fe- 
parately,  which  names  we  have  already  compared  with 
each  other,  and  explained. 

Nicolo  Zeno  undertook,  from  Brejfa,  in  the  Shetland 
iflands,  a  voyage  to  Greenland  j  for  his  Engrovcland, 
as  well  as  the  Engror  'nndoi  the  Englifti  tranfiation, 
is  no  other  than  Greeniand,  of  which  he  gives  a  very 
€xad  defcription,  as  well  as  of  the  monaftery  of  St. 
Thomas.  He  fpeaks  of  the  uncultivated  favages,  who, 
according  to  this  account,  fo  early  as  in  the  year 
1380  odd,  were  on  the  eaftern  coaft  of  the  ifland 
near  the  monaftery  of  St.  Thomas.  The  trade  of  the 
Friars  was  carried  on  by  means  of  fliips,  which  went 
thither  from  the  Orkneys,  the  Shetland  and  Faro 
Jflands  ,  as  like  wife  from  Drontheim  in  Norway,  from 
Sweden,  and  other  northern  regions.  Zeno  even  de- 
fcribes  the  fmall  leathern  boats  in  which  the  Green- 
landers  tie  themfelves  fafl:  j  fo  that  it  is  evident,  that  he 
made  ftrift  enquiry  into,  and  fav  with  his  own  eyes, 
<?vcry  thing  which  he  relates. 

After  the  demife  of  Nicolo  Zeno,  Antonio  goes 
to  Ejlotiland,  and,  on  this  occafion,  informs  us  by 
what  accident  it  was  difcovered.     He  fays,  that  it  was 

more 


.  <i 


«l 


;^f  j 


H 


4n        > 


I, 


I  ''51 


'\\m 


ft04 


VOYAGES    Ai^d 


more  than  looo  miles  to  the   weftward  of  Friefland  ; 
that  the  inhabitants  were  civilized,  had   arts  and  han- 
dicraft trades,  carried   on  a  trade  in  furs  with  Green- 
Jand,  and    brought    back  from    thence   brimftone  and 
pitch  J    that  they    were    in  poflelfion  of  Latin    books 
which  they  no  longer  underftood,   but  had  a  peculiar 
language,   as   well  as    letters    and  a  written  charadter 
of  their  own.      To  the  fouthwards  there  were  coun- 
tries abounding  with  gold :  here  they  had  walled  cities, 
and  built  ihips  i   they  likewife  pra<^ifed  agriculture  and 
brewed    beer.      All  thefe    particular   delignations    are 
ftrong  indications  of  a  people  that  had  its  origin  from 
the  northern  nations  of  Europe.      Nay,'^  it  is  evident, 
that  this  Ejioilland  cannot  pofiibly  be  any  other  coun- 
try than  that   of  IFinland^   which    was    difcovered  in. 
the  year   looi,    and   which    we    have  fhewri  at  page 
83,   with  r    tolerable    degree  of  certainty,  to  be  the 
Nnvfoundland  of  the  moderns.     It  is  beyond  all  dpubf. 
that  feveral    Normans  fettled  in    this   country  ;    thefe 
carried  thither  with  them  the  arts  and  handicraft  trader 
then   known,  and  traded  to  Greenland,   from  whence 
they  originally  came.      It  is  very  poffible  indeed  that 
their  language  might  have  been  altered  by  their  mix- 
ture   with    the    natives  J    and    a    fiflierman- from  the 
Orkneys    might  be  very  well  fuppofed  to  have  been 
ignorant  of  the  Runic.     That  Latin  books  were  found 
in  the  collecSlion  belonging   to  the    King,  or   Chief, 
is  not  furprizing,  as  it  is  well  known,  and  indeed  has 
been  obferved  at  page  87   of  this  Hiftory,  that  Eric^ 
Biihop  of  Greenland,  went  in  the  year  1 121  to  Win-^ 
iand,  in   ofder    to    convert   his  countrymen  in    thofe 
parts,   who  were  fVill   heathens.     But  it  is  not  to  be 
fuppofed  that  this  Bifhop  would  have  been  at  the  pains 
to  make  a  voyage   to  IVinland  above  a  hundred  years 
after  the   firft  difcovery  of  it,   if  he  had  not   known 
with  certainty,    that  there  were  at  that  time  many  of 
the  defcendants  of  his  countrymen  in  that  region.    Now, 
as  this  prelate  was  never  known  to  have  returned  to 
Greenland,  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  died  in  Win- 
Jand  i  and  confequently  the  Ladn  books  found  in  this 

lattejT 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        205 


latter  country  might  have  been  carried  thither  by 
him.  The  Normans  had  alfo  introduced  into  it  the 
art  of  brewing  beer,  and  agriculture.  The  people  of 
this  country  underftood  navigation  too,  and  vv^ent  back- 
wards and  forwards  to  Greenland ;  but  at  the  time 
when  the  Normans  firft  fettled  in  Winland,  the  ufe  of 
the  compafs  was  not  known.  For  the  commonly  re- 
ceived opinion  is,  that  Flavio  Gioia^  of  Amalfl,  in  the 
kingdom  of  Naples,  made  the  difcovery  of  it  in  1302; 
though  others  maintain,  that  Marco  Polo,  who  was 
in  China  and  the  Eaft  from  127 1  to  1295,  brought 
home  with  him  the  ufe  of  the  compafs  from  China, 
where  it  is  faid  to  have  been  known  long  before. 
On  the  other  hand,  Fauchet^  from  a  palfage  in  Guyot 
de  Provence,  a  Provencal  poet,  who  flourilhed  about 
the  year  1 206,  and  mentions  the  compafs  by  the  name 
of  la  marinette^  concludes,  that  this  inftrument  was 
then  in  ufe  among  mariners.  In  fhort,  it  is  evident, 
that  the  Orkney  fifliermen  at  this  time  made  ufe  of  the 
compafs  in  their  navigations,  an  inftrument  at  that  period 
not  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  EJlotiland. 

The  land  of  Drogto  lay  mcyc  to  the  fouthward  than 
EJlotiland^  as  did  all  the  other  countries  through  which 
the  fiflierman  wandered  during  the  fpace  of  13  years, 
and  among  which  he  at  laft  found  nations,  who  lived 
in  a  very  temperate  climate  ;  and  had  cities  and  temples, 
wherein  they  offered  up  human  beings  by  way  of  facri- 
fice,  and  devoured  their  flefli.  Thei'e  people,  too,  were 
riot  totally  without  information,  and  were  poflefled  of 
gold  and  filver.  Nearly  thus  were  the  firft  inhabitants 
of  Florida  defcribed,  who  were  in  pofTeflion  of  cities 
and  temples  as  well  as  of  gold  and  filver,  at  the  time 
when  their  country  was  firft  re-difcovcred  by  the  Eu- 
ropeans. 

Antonio  Zeno  now  proceeds  to  relate  the  hiftory  of  the 
laft  voyage  of  difcovery  which  he  made  with  Zichmni, 
in  cr-^er  to  explore  the  country  that  had  been  feen, 
and  thus  circumftantially  defcribed  by  the  fifherman. 
t: — From   Fnejlandy  i.  e.   Faira,  in  the  Orkneys,  the 

fleet 


»  i.i 


^^^! 


■m 


ao6 


VOYAGES    AND 


fleet  goes  to  Ledovoy  or  Lewis^  one,  of  the  wcftcnf 
idands,  and  then  to  Jlofe,  viz.  Hay,  or,  as  it  was  probably 
called,  lU-oe.  When  they  had  failed  a  little  way  to  the 
weftwards,  they  were  toffed  to  and  fro  by  a  tempeft, 
for  the  Ipace  of  eight  days,  and  as  foon  as  the  wind  be- 
came fair^  defcried  land.  Here  the  inhabitants  would 
not  fuffer  them  to  make  a  landing,  but  fpoke  to  them 
by  an  interpreter,  who  was  a  native  of  Iceland.  The 
country  was  called  Icaria :  after  this  follows  a  ftrange 
ilor)k  of  one  Dadalus,  Kin2  of  Scotland,  and  his  fon 
Icarus,  who  became  their  King  and  Legiflator.  This 
country,  which  had  been  newly  peopled,  was  no 
other  than  Ireland,  where  they  had  the  recoil e£lion 
of  the  piracies  of  the  Normans  deeply  imprefled  on 
their  memories,  and  therefore  would  not  permit  thefc 
warriors,  who  were  quite  unknown  to  them,  to  land. 
It  was  perhaps  from  the  county  of  Kerry  that  this 
name  of  Icaria  took  its  origin  j  and  the  name  of  Icarus's 
father  muft  of  courfe  be  Dadalusy  who,  in  all  proba- 
bility, was  fome  Scottifli  Prince,  with  a  name  founding 
fomewhat  like  this  word.  From  this  place  they  failed 
fix  da3rs  to  the  we  ft  ward,  with  a  fair  wind ;  but  in 
four  days  a  ftorm  from  me  fouth-weft  drove  them  to 
the  northwards,  when  they  defcried  land,  with  a  burn- 
ing mountain,  whence  ilfued  fmoke  and  fire,  and  a 
river  which  flowed  with  afphaltus.  A  half- wild,  dimi- 
nutive race  of  men,  lived  here  in  caverns.  In  the; 
fequel,  Zeno  himfelf  tells  us,  that  Zichmni  had  ex- 
plored the  whole  country,  and  together  with  it  had  dif- 
covered  the  rivers  on  both  fidei  of  Engroncland^  i.  e. 
Greenland,  and  built  a  town  there.  So  that  it  is 
beyond  all  doubt,  that  the  country  difcovered  by 
Zichmni  was  Greenland.  At  the  fame  time  it  is 
remarkable,  that  he  met  with  no  Europeans,  nor  any 
of  their  defcendants,  nor  even  with  the  Monks  found 
a  few  years  before  by  Nicholo  Zeno  in  the  cloifter 
of  St.  Thomas.  The  inhabitants  are,  according  to 
the  defcription  here  given,  real  Greenlanders,  ihort 
of  ftature  and  half  wild,  but  live  in  caverns,  which, 
in  fa£l,  arc  at  this  jundture  .the  winter  habitations  of 

the 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      107 

Ae  natives  of  Greenland.  This  fecms  to  intinutte, 
that  the  natives  of  this  country,  or  the  anceftors  of 
the  prcfcnt  race  of  Greenlandcrs,  between  1380  aiul 
1384,  or  thereabouts,  had  extirpated  *:he  new  comers 
from  Europe,  together  with  the  Monies.  Farther,  it 
is  evident,  frr»m  this  narrative,  that  the  eaftern  as 
the  weftern  coaft  of  Greenland,  not  only  was  known 
to  the  Europeans,  but  they  were  both  laid  down  in 
a  map  by  Antonio   Zeno. 

This  fame  perfon,  in  returning  to  FrUJIantfy  faW 
the  ifland  of  Neome,  which  I  t,  '  '  to  be  Strom^ey 
one  of  the  Faro  iflcs ;  a  circumftance  which  feems  to 
point  out  with  ftill  greater  certainty  the  courfe  of 
his  navigation.  I  take  the  liberty  or  obferving  here, 
en  paflknt,  that  Portland  likewife  belonged  to  tiie 
domains  of  Zichmni,  and  that  by  this  name  in  all 
probability  are  meant  the  Faroery  or  Faro  Jjlandsc 
the  great  number  of  (heep  which  were  fed  there 
having  furnifhed  thefe  iflands  both  with  weapons  and 
a  name  ;  for  Far^  in  Dani(h,  figniBcs  a  ram,  Now« 
Far-Qiy  or  Far-land'^  is  eafily  tranfmuted  into  Por- 
land. 

In  confequence  of  the  preceding  elucidations,  I  flat^ 
ter  myfelf  that  the  unprejudiced  part  of  my  readers 
will  not  be  difpofed,  from  any  confiderations  refpc^V- 
ing  the  geography  of  it,  to  harbour  the  leaft  doubt 
concerning  the  truth  of  this  relation,  having  endea- 
voured to  make  it  appear,  with  as  much  probability 
as  the  fubje6t  is  capable  of,  that  the  countries  vifited 
and  defcribed  by  the  two  Zenos,  are  of  the  number 
of  thofe  which  are  already  known,  that  Greenland 
was  vifited  by  them,  and  that  thefe  illuftrious  adven- 
turers were  even  not  unacquainted  with  America. 

We  will  now  turn  to  the  hiftorical  proofs.  It  i« 
true,  among  the  Princes  or  Sovereigns  of  the  Ork- 
neys, between  the  years  1370  and  1394,  we  find  no 
fuch  name  as  Zichmni^  and  confequently  no  Orca- 
dian King  or  Prince,  who  about  this  time  vanquilh-- 
ed  the  King  of  Norway  in  a  pitched  battle.  The 
Hiftory  of  the  Orkneys  at  this  period  will  probably 
I'erve  to  throw  fome  light  upon  this  fubjet'i. 

The 


ii 
m 


9o8 


VOYAGES    AND 


The  ancient  Earls  of  Orkney,  the  dcfcendants  of 
the  Jarl  E'lnar-Torfy  were  extindl  ;  in  confequcnce 
pf  which  the  King  of  Norway,  Magnus  Smaky  about 
the  year  1343,  nominated  Erngifel  Sunafon  Bot^  a 
Swedi(h  nobleman,  Jarl^  or  Earl  of  Orkney^  and  the 
treafure  of  the  earldom  was  feized  upon  for  the  Crown. 
In  the  year  1357,  Malic  Conda,  or  Mollis  Sperre,  by 
his  guardian,  Duncan  Anderfon^  made  known  to  the 
ftates  of  the  Orkneys  his  pretenfions  to  the  earldom, 
as  being  rightful  heir  to  it  in  the  female  line  j  which 
pretfenfions  the  ftates  laid  before  the  King.  After- 
wards (in  1369)  Henry  Sinclair  (de  Santa  Clara)  like- 
wife  put  in  his  claim  as  rightful  heir  in  the  female 
line,  and  in  1370,  was  nominated  to  this  earldom  by 
King  Hakon.  Now,  as  befides  this,  Alexander  of 
Ardy  or  Le-ard,  claimed  the  Orkneys  as  a  defcen- 
dant  in  the  female  line,  and  there  were  many  that, 
under  this  pretence,  harrafl'ed  the  iflands  by  repeated 
adls  of  piracy,  Hakon  rcqucftcd  of  David,  King  of 
Scotland,  to  put  a  flop  to  this  growing  evil  j  in  con- 
fequcnce of  which  requcft,  King  David  forbad,  on 
pain  of  death,  any  of  his  fubjecls  to  go  to  the  Ork- 
neys, except  with  a  view  to  trade.  In  1375,  Ha- 
kon appointed  Alexander  Le-ard,  for  a  year,  to  the 
earldom.  Thefe  frequent  changes  feem  to  fliew,  that 
the  Kings  of  Norway,  on  account  of  the  troubles  at 
that  time  exifting  in  Sweden  and  Norway,  were  not 
very  well  able  to  defend  the  Orkneys,  which,  there- 
fore, continued  to  be  expofed  to  the  depredations  of 
the  pretenders  to  the  earldom.  Want  of  money,  too, 
oblio-ed  the  Norwc";ian  monarchs  to  favour  all  thefe 
claimants,  and  grant  them  letters  of  inveltment,  ac- 
cordingly as  the  latter  furni(hed  them  with  money. 
In  confequence  of  this  the  degraded  and  malcontent 
Earls  had  continual  bickerings  with  the  newly-inveft- 
ed  Lords,  and  even  fometimes  regularly  waged  war 
with  them.  Now  Henry  Sinclair  appears  to  have  fairly 
vanquiflied  Le-ard^  and  taken  poiieflion  of  the  Ork- 
neys, and  upon  this  to  have  made  fuit  to  the  King 
to  be  invefted  with  the  earldom,  which  fuit  the 
King,  after   Sinclair's  victory   over   Le-ard^    granted. 

At 


DISCOVERIES  IS'  THE  NORTH.       209 


Al  the  fame  time,  however,  Henry  Sinclair  was  oblig- 
ed to  pay  him  lOOO  golden  nobles,  and  promife  to 
accommodate  matters  with  Maltis  Sprrrty  and  the 
other  claimant,  Alexander  Le-Ard^  fo  that  they  fhould 
make  no  farther  pretenftons  to  the  Orkneys,  but  en- 
tirely give  up  their  right  and  title  to  thtfe  iflands ; 
and  liiice  the  year  1379  there  are  veftiges  to  be 
met  with  in  hiltory,  that  Henry  Sinclair  was  ftill 
£arl  of  the  Orkneys  In  the  year  1406,  and  like- 
wife  in  the  poilejnon  af  Hialtalandy  (or  the  Shetland 
Iflands).  With  thefe  few  hiilorical  anecdotes  we  are 
now  able  to  elucidate  m<:ny  particulars  which  before 
feemcd  involved  in  obfcurity.  The  name  of  Sinclair^ 
or  Siclaif,  is  eafily  taken  for  Zichmni  by  an  Italian 
who  only  hears  the  word  pronounced  ;  and  as  this 
Sinclair  vanquished  Alexander  Le-Ard^  who  reprefent-^ 
ed  the  King  of  Norway  in  the  Orkneys,  and  as  he 
made  himfclf  mafter  of  thofe  iflands,  of  which  h^ 
then,  and  not  till  then,  applied  for  the  invcftiture, 
and  obtained  it  in  1739;  '^  might  with  no  grea^ 
impropriety  be  affirmed,  that  ho  had  beat  the  King 
of  Norway,  viz.  in  the  perfon  of  his  vaflal.  The 
thoufand  golden  nobles,  too,  doubtlefs  contributed 
fomewhat  towards  King  Hakon*^  making  no  great 
difficulty  of  the  matter.     So  that  after  thefe  clucida- 

reafon  left  to  doubt   of  the 

of    the  Zenos,    which    yet, 

to    the    geography   of    the 


tions  there  can  be  no 
truth  of  this  narrative 
confidercd   with    refpeft 


North  at  that  period,  is  of  great  importance. 

XIV,  Pietro  ^irini^  a  Venetian  nobleman,  was 
a  merchant  and  maiter  of  a  fliip  in  the  ifland  of  Can-* 
dia^  which  at  that  time  was  in  the  pofleflion  of  the 
Venetians.  With  a  view  to  acquire  fame  as  well  as 
profit,  in  the  year  1431,  he  undertook  a  voyage  from 
Candia  to  Flanders,  and  ti  wards  the  end  of  autumn 
fufFered  (hipwreck  on  the  coaft  of  Norway,  not  far 
from  Roji  Ifland.     Here   he   wintered,  and  the   fol- 


'!■ 


11*  *•': 


it 


P 


lowing 


210 


VOYAGES    AND 


lowing  fummer  travelled  through  Dronthelm  to  //W- 
Jienoy  in  Sweden,  and  arrived  again  in  1432  at  Ve- 
nice. He  has  himfulf  given  an  account  of  the  voy- 
age, and  two  of  his  fellow-travellers,  Chrijlopho  Fi" 
cravante^  and  Nicolo  di  Michiel^  did  the  fame.  Both 
thefe  works  are  to  be  found  in  RaTnufto\  ColleSiion^ 
publifhcd  at  Venice,  in  two  volumes,  A.  D.  1583, 
page  200 — 211.  They  have  likewife  been  published 
in  the  German  language,  by  way  of  extradt,  from 
Ramufio,  by  Hieronymus  Megiferus,  in  a  work  called 
Septentrio  Novantiqiius,  Printed  in  8vo  at  Leipfic, 
1613. 

Sluirini  informs  us,  that  on  the  25th  of  April, 
I431,  he  fet  fail  from  Candia,  on  a  wcflward  courfe, 
but,  meeting  with  contrary  winds,  he  was  obliged 
to  keep  near  theeoaft  of  Africa.  On  the  2d  of  June 
he  pafled  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  and  through  the 
ignorance  of  his  pilot  ran  upon  the  (hoals  of  St.  Pc- 
tro,  in  confequence  of  which  the  rudder  was  thrown 
off  the  hinges,  and  the  fea  entered  the  (hip  at  three 
places.  In  fa£l,  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that 
they  could  favc  the  vell'el  from  going  to  the  bottom, 
land  run  into  Cadizy  where  they  unloaded  her,  and  in 
25  days,  havmg  put  her  into  perfedt  repair,  took  her 
Jading  in  a?ain.  In  the  mean  time,  having  heard  that 
the  Kepublic  of  Venice  was  at  war  with  that  of  Qc- 
noa,  he  augmented  the  number  of  his  crew,  fo  that  in 
the  whole  it  amounted  to  68  men.  On  the  14th  of  July 
he  fet  fail  again,  and  bore  up  for  the  Cape  of  St.  Vin- 
cent ;  but,  by  reafon  of  a  contrary  wind,  which  blew 
from  off  the  land  in  a  north-eaft  dircdlion,  and  on  that 
road  is  called  Jgioney  they  v/ere  obliged  to  traverf© 
for  the  fpace  of  45  days  at  a  great  dillance  from  the 
land,  and  indeed  near  the  Canary  Iflands,  in  tracks 
which  were  very  dangerous,  and  with  which  they 
were  entirely  unacquainted.  But  at  length,  jud  as 
their  ftoek  of  provifions  began  to  fail,  they  had  a 
fair  wind  from  the  fouth-weft,  and  Jire6ted  their 
courfe  to  the  north-eaft  :  fome  of  the  iron -work, 
however,  gave  way,  on  which  the  rudder  was  hung. 
In  the  mean  time  they  mended  them  as  well  as  they 
could,  and  on  the  25th  of  Augufl,  arived  fafe  at 
Lijhon, 

Here 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       ait 


Here  having  carefully  repaired  the  iron-work  of 
t  )cir  rudder,  and  taken  in  a  frefti  (Vock  of  provifi- 
CMis,  they  let  fail  again  on  the  14th  of  Sept.  They 
were  now  a  fecond  time  tolled  to  and  fro  by  contra- 
ry winds,  till  the  26th  of  0(5toberi  when  they  reach- 
ed the  port  bf  Muresy  whence  Qj^iirini,  with  13  of 
the  crew,  went  to  San  Jago  di  Comp$Jiella^  in  order 
to  perform  their  devotions.  They  returned  with  all 
polllble  fpeed,  and  fetting  fail  with  a  fair  fouth-weft 
wind,  kept,  in  hopes  that  the  wind  would  conti- 
Due,  at  the  dillance  of  200  miles  from  the  land,  and 
Cape  Finijierty  till  the  5th  of  November,  when  the 
\yind  ftiifting  to  the  eart  and  fouth-eaft,  preventc4 
them  from  entering  the  Britifti  Channel,  and  carried 
them  beyond  the  Sorlingiany  (or  Scilly)  Iflands.  The 
wind  now  encreafed  in  violence,  and  on  the  loth 
of  November^  carried  the  rudder  a  fecond  time  from 
off  its  hinges.  They  flung  it  indeed  by  ropes  to  the 
quarters  of  the  (hip,  but  it  fooh  gotloofe  again,  and 
was  dragged  after  the  (hip  for  the  fpace  of  three 
days,  when  the  ufed  their  uthiofl  efforts,  and  made 
it  fall  again.  But  their  veifel  now  drove  continu- 
ally farther  from  the  lartd  ;  and  as  the  crew  con- 
fumed  the  visuals  and  drink  without  limits  or  mO" 
deration,  at  length  tVvo  or  three  of  them  were  fet  to 
guard  the  provihons,  who  twite  a  day  di((ributed  to 
each  man  his  (hare^  Quirini  himfelf  not>  excepted. 
In  this  condition,  by  the  advice  of  the  carpenter^ 
they  conflrudted,  out  of  the  mainmaft  and  the  fpare 
yards,  two  rudders  with  triangular  boarded  ends,  in 
order  to  prevent  the  veflel  from  going  unfteady. 
Thefe  new  rudders  were  properly  faftened^  and 
proved  very  ferviceable^  a  circumflance  which  infpired 
them  all  with  fre(h  hopes  }  but,  by  the  violence  of 
the  winds^  likewife  this  their  laft  refuge  was  torn 
away  from  the  (hip.  On  the  26th  of  Novemberj  the 
f^orm  encreafed  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  they  had  no 
doui)t  but  that  that  day  would  be  their  la(l.  The 
llorm  indeed,  by  degrees,  became  fomewhat  lefs  vr- 
uJeni ;  but  they  were  driven  out   to  fea,  W.  N.  W< 

P  2  and 


I  r' I'm,  I     I 


■fi 


' ! '     ■  ;| 


212 


VOYAGES    AND 


and  the  fails,  which  had  been  perpetually  fatigued 
by  the  rain  and  wind,  were  now  torn  to  ihivers; 
and  though  they  clapt  on  new  ones,  yet  thefc 
did  not  laft  long.  Now  the  fliip  drove  without  either 
fails  or  rudder,  and  was  Ailed  with  water  by  the 
waves  which  continually  beat  over  it,  infomuch  that 
the  crev;  ,  debilitated  jy  labour  and  anxiety,  were 
fcarcely  2:ble  to  keep  thi  water  under.  Having  heav- 
ed the  lead,  and  found  ground  at  80  fathoms,  they; 
fpliced  &1I  the  four  cables  together,  and  rode  at 
anchor  for  the  fpace  of  40  hours.  One  of  the  crew» 
terrified  at  the  dreadful  working  of  the  Ihip  hi  con-' 
fequence  of  the  tempefl;  and  the  fwell  of  the  fca, 
cut  the  cable  at  the  forecaftle  of  the  ihip,  which 
now  tiiove  about  as  before.  On  the  4th  of  Decem- 
ber, fuur  large  waves  breaking  over  the  ill-fated 
vuiiel,  filled  it  fo  full  that  it  was  almuft  ready  to 
fmk.  The  crew,  however,  fun;moning  up  all  their 
refoiution  and  fpirits,  baled  the  water  out,  though 
it  reached  up  to  their  waiHs,  and  in  the  end  quite 
emptied  the  veflel  of  it.  On  the  7th  the  tempeft 
ericreafed  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  the  fea  flowed  into 
the  veflel  on  the  windward  fide,  and  their  deftruc- 
tion  feemed  to  them  invitable.  But  now  they  were 
of  opinion,  that  if  the  mainmaft  were  cut  away,  it 
would  lighten  the  (hip.  They  therefere  fet  about 
this  bufinefs  immediately,  and  a  large  wave  fortu- 
nately carried  away  the  maft,  together  with  the  yard, 
which  made  the  (hip  work  lefs.  The  wind,  too, 
and  the  v^aves,  became  fomewhat  more  calm,  and 
they  again  bailed  out  the  water.  But  now  the  maft 
was  gone,  the  vefl'el  would  no  longer  keep  upright, 
aiid  lying  quite  on  one  fide,  the  water  ran  into  it  in 
torrents,  when,  bein^  exhauded  with  labour  and  want 
of  food,  and  finding  that  they  had  not  ihength  left 
iufficient  for  clearing  the  vefi*el  of  the  water,  they  re- 
folved  at  length  to  fave  themfelvcs  in  the  boats,  of  which 

the 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH,        213 


the  larger  held  47,  and  the  fmaller  21  men.  ^irini^ 
who  had  the  choice  which  boat  he  would  go  in,  at 
lad  went  with  his  fervants  into  the  great  boat,  into 
which  he  faw  the  officers  enter.  They  took  with 
them  a  ftocic  of  provifions,  and  as  Toon  as  the  winds 
fend  the  waves  were  become  fomewhat  more  calm, 
which  was  on  the  17th  of  December,  they  quitted 
the  (hip,  which,  among  other  coilly  articles  of  com- 
merce, was  laden  with  8co  cailcs  of  Malmfey  wine, 
9nd  a  great,  quantity  of  fweet-fcented  Cyprus  wood, 
ginger,  and  pepper.  On  the  following  night  the 
imall-boat,  with  the  21  men  in  her,  was  feparated 
^rpm  them  by  the  violence  of  the  ftorm,  and  they 
never  heard  of  her  more.  Indeed  they  were  them- 
felves  obliged,  in  order  to  lighten  their  boat  a  little, 
to  throw  over-board  their  flock  of  wine  and  provifi- 
ons,  together  with  all  their  clothes,  excepting  what 
they  carried  on  their  backs.  The  weather  proving 
fair  for  a  time,  they  fleered  to  the  eadward,  with  a 
view  to  get,  as  they  fuppofed,  to  Iceland  ;  but  the 
wind  chopping  about,  drove  them  to  and  fro  again. 
Their  liquor  beginning  to  fail,  and  befides  many  of 
them  being  exhaufled  in  confequence  of  the  precede 
ing  fcarcity  of  provifions,  as  well  as  of  the  inceflant 
labour,  long  watchings,  and  other  hardfhips  they 
had  undergone,  a  great  number  of  them  died :  the 
fcarcity  of  drink  in  particular  was  fo  great,  that  each 
man  had  no  more  than  the  fourth  part  of  a  cup  (and 
that  not  a  large  one)  every  24  hours.  Witn  falted 
meat,  cheefe,  and  bifcuit,  they  were  better  provided  : 
but  this  fait  and  dry  food  excited  in  them  a  thirfl 
which  they  were  not  able  r:>  quench.  In  confequence 
of  this,  fome  of  them  died  fuddenly,  and  without 
having  previoufly  exhibited  the  leafl  fymptoms  of 
any  complaint  ^  and  in  particular  it  was  obferved, 
that  thofe  were  firfl  carried  off  who  had  before  this 
period  lived  in  the  mofl  riotous  manner,  who  had 
drank  great  quantities  of  wine,  or  entirely  given 
themfelves  up  to  drunkennefs,  and  had  hovered  con- 
tinually 


IF 


I 


214 


VOYAGES     AND 


i^ 


tinually  over  the  fire,  without  ftirring  at  all  but  t<^ 
fhift  from  one  fide  of  the  fire  to  the  other.  Thcfe. 
though  they  had  externally  the  appearance  of  being 
ilrong  ^and  healthy,  were  yet  leaft  of  all  capable  of 
Rearing  the  hardfliips  they  were  obliged  to  undergo* 
in  confequence  of  which  they  died  two,  three,  and 
four  in  a  day.  This  mortality  prevailed  among  the 
crew  from  the  19th  of  December  to  the  igth,  the 
corpfes  being  thrown  into  the  fea.  On  the  loth  the 
]aft  remainder  of  the  wine  was  ferved  out,  and  every 
one  prepared  for  death.  Some  of  them  drank  fca- 
water,  which  hallened  their  deaths,  while  others  '.lad 
recourfe  to  their  own  urine,  and  this  latter  beverage, 
joined  with  the  precaution  of  eating  as  little  fait  pro- 
vifion  as  poilible,  contributed  moil  of  all  to  the  pre- 
fervation  of  their  lives.  For  the  fpace  of  five  days 
they  continued  in  this  dreadful  fituation,  failing  all 
the  time  to  the  north-eaftward.  On  the  4th  of  Ja- 
nuary, one  of  them,  who  fat  at  the  fore  part  of  the 
boat,  defcried,  fomcwhat  to  the  leeward,  as  it  were, 
the  (hadow  of  land,  and  immediately  informed  the 
crew  of  it  in  an  auxious  tone  of  voice.  Their  eyes 
vf€te  now  all  turned  to  the  objeft,  and  continued 
itedfaftly  fixed  upon  it,  and  by  break  of  day  they  faw, 
with  extreme  joy,  that  it  was  really  land. 

The  fight  of  this  infpired  them  with  frefh  vigour, 
fo  that  they  now  took  to  their  oars,  in  order  to  ar- 
rive the  fooner  at  the  ihore ;  but  this,  on  account 
of  its  great  diftance,  as  well  as  of  the  (hortnefs  of 
the  day,  which  was  only  two  hours  long,  they  could 
not  compafs.  Befides,  they  could  not  long  make 
ufe  of  their  oars,  as  they  were  fo  weak,  and  as  the 
night  foon  overtook  them,  which,  long,  as  it  was, 
feemed  ftill  longer  to  them  from  the  impatience  na- 
tural to  men  in  their  condition.  The  next  morning, 
by  day-break,  they  loft  fight  of  the  land  however, 
to  the  leeward,  they  difcovered  another  mountain- 
ous country  very  near  them.  That  they  might  not, 
on  the  following  night,  lofe  fight  of  this,  they  took 
the  bearings  of  it  with  the  compafs,  and  then  imme- 
diately 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        215 

Hiatcly  fet  fail  for  it  with  a  fair  wind,  and  arrived  at 
It  about   four  o'clock  in  the  evening.     When  they 
?pproached  near  to  it  they  obferved  that  it  was  fur- 
rounded   by  a  great  number  of  (hallow  places,    for 
they  beard  very  diftindly  the  fea  breaking  upon  them. 
They  gave  themfelves  up,  however,  to  the  guidance 
of  the  Almighty;  and  once  their  boat  being  brought 
upon  a  fhoal,  a  vad  wave  came  and   carried   it  off 
again,  at  the  fame  time   fetting  them  entirely  out  of 
danger,  and  upon  a  rock  which  now  was  their  great 
fecurity  and  prefervation.     This  was  the  only  place 
where  they  could   land,  as  the  rock  was  encompafled 
on  every  other  Me  by  other  projecting  rocks.     They 
therefore  ran  their  boat  on  to  the  land,  when  thole 
that  were  in  the  fore  part  of  the  boat,  leaped  diredly 
on  (hore,  and  finding  it  entirely  covered  with  fnow, 
they  fwallowed  the  fnow  in  immenfe  quantities,  fill, 
ing  with   it  their  parched  and  burning  Homachs  and 
bowels.     They  likewife   filled  a  .kettle   and    water- 
pitcher  for  us,  that  from  weaknefs  (laid  in  the  boat. 
I  muft  confefs,    fays   Quirini,  that  I   fwallowed  as 
much  fnow  as  Lfbould  find  it  very  difficult  to  carry- 
on  my  back.     It  feemed  to  me  as  though  all  my  weir 
fare  and    happinefs  depended  on  my  fwallowing  it. 
However,  this  extravagant  quantity  of  fnow  agreed 
fo  ill  with  five  of  our  men,  that  they  died  that  fame 
night,  though,  indeed,  we  conHdered   the  fea-water 
they  had  fwallowed  as  the  caufe  of  their  death. 

Having  no  ropes  to  fallen  the  boat  with,  and  thus 
prevent  it  from  being  dafhcd  in  pieces,  they  remained 
in  it  the  whole  night.  The  next  day,  at  dawn,  thefe 
16  poor  wretches,  the  only  remains  of  46,  went 
a-fhure  and  laid  themfelves  down  in  the  fnow. 
Hunger,  however,,  foon  obliged  them  to  examine 
whether  (here  was  not  fome  provifion  ftill  remain- 
ing of  their  ftcrk;  but  they  found  nothing  more 
than  a  few  crumbs  of  bifcuit  in  a  bag,  mixed  with 
the  dung  of  mice,  a  very  fmail  ham,  and  an  incon- 
fiderable  quantity  of  cheefe.  Thefe  they  warmed  by 
means  of  a  fmall  fire,  which  they  had  made  of  the 
feats  .of  the  boat,  and  this,  in  fome  mcafure,  ap- 
pealed 


m 


m 


2l6 


VOYAGES    AN© 


peafed  their  hunger.  The  Hay  after,  having  convinc- 
ed themfelves,  beyond  a  c.»ubt,  that  the  rock  they 
Avcre  on  was  uninhabited  and  quite  deferted,  they 
were  going  to  quit  it,  and  accordingly,  after  filling 
five  fmall  cafks  with  ,fnow<r water,  got  into  the  boat, 
when  the  indant  they  entered  it,  the  water  ran  into 
it  in  torrents  through  all  the  feams,  as  during  the 
whole  of  the  preceding  long  night  the  boat  had  been 
dafliing  againfi:  the  rock,  infomuch  that  it  went  ta 
the  bottom  immediately,  and  they  were  all  obliged, 
quile  wet  through,  to  go  a-fhore  agi'n.  They  now 
made  of  the  oars  and  fails  of  the  boat  two  fmall 
tents,  by  way  of  (heltering  themfelves  from  the  wea- 
ther, and  with  the  knees  and  planks  of  it,  which 
they  hewed  in  pieces,  they  kindled  a  fire  to  warm 
themfelves  by.  The  only  food  that  was  now  left 
for  them  conuftcd  in  a  few  mufcles  and  other  fea- (hells 
which  they  picket  >p  on  the  (horc.  Thirteen  of  the 
company  were  in  v.-e  tent,  and  three  in  the  other. 
The  fmoke  of  the  wet  wood  occafioned  their  faces 
and  eyes  to  fwell  up  to  fo  great  a  degree,  that  they 
were  afraid  of  lofing  their  eye-fight ;  and  what  ftill 
added  to  their  fufFerings,  was  that  they  were  almoft 
devoured  by  lice  and  maggots,  which  they  threw  by 
handfuls  into  the  fire.  Quirini's  fecretary  had  the 
ilefti  on  his  neck  eaten  bare  to  the  finews  by  thefe 
vermin,  which,  indeed,  occafioned  his  death.  There 
died  alio  three  Spaniards  befides,  who  were  of  a 
Tcry  robuft  frame  of  body,  but  probably  loil  their 
lives  in  confequenee  of  the  fea-water  they  had  drunk  *. 
The  13  Itill  remaining  alive  were  fo  weak  that  they 

were 

*  U.  is  hip*ily  probable  that  ihi«  ohfervation  is  founded  on  fafl:,  at  well 
9s  that  meiiU»iic(l  a  Utile  before,  vh.  thai  |.he  hardeft  drinkeis,  who  at 
the  lame  lime  were  thf  moft  ioadiv*  ptopie,  were  the  firft  viftim.-  of 
deaih  :  for  ev»-n  now  we  find  that  in  long  voyage*,  (uch  as  are  idle  and 
in.tdive,  and  drink  a  greai  quantity  of  tlrong  liquors  of  any  kind,  ar^ 
tlways  the  tirll  to  be  attacked  with  ih*  I'curvy  and  are  carried  nff  )ud- 
»ff  nly  by  it.  In  the  mean  time  I  cann  t  refrain  from  relating  an  incident 
which  a4\ually  happened,  !<nd  which  was  conimunicaitd  to  me  in  Enp- 
land  by  peiluu&  01'  uiiqueitionable  vcracily.     A  vdTel  uii  its  voyage  front 

Jamaica 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       i»y 

"wcre  not  able,  for  the  fpacc  of  three  days,  td  drag 
•away  the  corpfes  from  the  fire-fidc,  v/hcrc  they  lay. 

fvleven  days  after  this,  Quirini's  fervant  going 
along  the  Aiore  to  pick  up  mufcles,  the  only  food 
they  had,  found  on  the  farthcft  point  of  the  rock, 
a  i'mv.W  houfis,  bufilt  of  wood,  in  'which»  as  well  as 
,'ouiid  about  it,  they  faw  fomc  cour-dung.  From 
this  circumdance  they  had  rea'bn  to  conclude  that 
there  were  both  men  and  cattle  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  this  fpot ;  an  idea  that  fervcd  to  revive  their 
(drooping  fpirits,  and  infpired  them  with  frefh  hopes. 
This  houfe  offered  them  good  (helter  and  houfe-room, 
and  all,  but  three  or  lour  of  them,  who,  wcre  too 
weak,  went  to  occupy  it,  taking  with  them  feveral 
bundles  of  wood  from  the  ruins  of  their  boat.  Witii 
grtat  diiBcuhy  they  crawled  thither  through  the  dce.^ 
fnow,  the  diilance  being  about  a  mile  and  a  half. 
Two  days  after  this,  going  along  the  (h<»re  to  feck 
their  u(ual  fuud  of  mufcles  and  other  fea  (liells,  one 
o\  the  company  found  a  very  large  fiih,  caft  up  by 
the  fea,  which  appeared  to  weigh  about  200IK 
weight,  and  to  be  <juite  fweet  and  frefh.     This  f.fli 


Jamaica  to  England  had  fofTcied  fo  much  fron-i  the  ftoiinxliy  whic^  it 
was  overtaktn,  ih..t  at  len(;:h  it  was  on  ilie  poii  t  o!  finkinj;.  The  crtw 
hid  recourle  in  all  halte  lo  ihe  boat.  TIks  great  hurry  lh«y  were  ui« 
havirgocr  'iontd  them  to  take  with  them  but  a  fmall  quantity  cf  provi>- 
li'jns  and  ).(|uoi',  tliey  loon  b«gan  to  be  affli^ed  with  hunger  as  well  Ai 
■  third  in  a  high  degree,  when  'he  Captain  adviled  them  by  no  meant  ta 
diink  the  fea-water,  as  the  cfle£ts  of  it  would  be  extremely  noxiouis; 
but  rather  to  toliow  his  example,  and,  thinly  cladi  dip  in  the  (ea.  He 
himtelf  pradifed  this  conlUnily,  and  mt  only  he,  but  all  thofe  who  fol- 
lowed  his  example,  found  thai,  when  tht y  came  out  cf  the  water*  both 
thtir  hunger  and  thirll  were  perfeflly  appeai'ed  for  a  lon^  time.  Maiiy 
ot^  the  crew  laughed  at  him  and  at  thole  that  followed  his  initruiHionR, 
but  at  length  grew  weak,  exhaufted,  and  died  oi  hunger  and  thii  A  ;  njy, 
fame  I'f  them,  urged  by  dcipair,  threw  themlelves  ttitn  ihe  lea :  but 
the  Captain,  and  fuch  as  feveral  times  a  day  dipped  inio  tl^efcs,  prtferv- 
ed  iheir  lives  for  the  fpaceof  19  da)s,  and  at  ihe  end  oh  that  period  were 
taken  up  by  a  velTel  which  was  falling  that  way.  It  (hould  fecm  that  rhey 
absorbed,  by  the  pores  of  iheir  bodie.*!*  as  much  pure  water  as  wr.s  fuffi- 
citni  for  iheir  nourifhment,  all  the  lalt  being  at  the  lame  time  Iffi  be- 
hind. In  faft,  I  was  told  that  the  lalt  was  depofited  on  the  exerior  !ur- 
taie  o'"  their  bodies  in  t'".e  lorin  of  a  tUiu  |>cilicle,  whi^h  i.hey  '.'.ere 
obliged  repeatedly  to  rub  yjff. 


m 


iH! 


'e 


I     .HI 

1   -'m 


liS 


^•-  VOYAGES    AND 


was  cut  into  fmall  flices,  ?»nd  carried  to  their  dwell- 
ing, where  they  diredtly  fet  about  boiling  and  broiU 
ing  it.  But  the  Onell  of  it  was  (o  extremely  tempt- 
ing, that  they  had  not  patience  to  wjait  till  it  wa^ 
thoroughly  drefled,  and  eat  it  half  raw.  They  conti- 
n<ied  gorging  themfeives  with  this  fiOi,  almoft  without 
intermiflion,  for  the  fpaceof  four  days  ;  but  at  lengtl) 
the  evident  decreafe  of  this  their  (lock  taught  them  tp 
be  more  ceconomical  with  it  in  future,  fo  that  i( 
lafted  them  ten  days  longer.  Thofe  three  that  ilai^ 
behind  in  ope  of  the  firft  huts  had  fent  one  of  their 
number  to  look  for  the  red,  and  as  foon  as  he  was 
refrelhed  with  fame  of  the  6ih,  hjs  carried  a  part  of 
it  to  his  companions,  and  now  they  all  afTembled  to- 
gether again  in  the  wooden  hoyel  they  had  difcovered. 
During  the  whole  time  that  they  lived  on  the  fifh  the 
weather  was  exceedingly  tempedMOUS,  fo  that  they 
certainly  ;Ypuld  not  haye  been  able  to  look  put  fpr 
uiufcles, 

Having  made  an  end  of  their  fifti,  they  were  oblig- 
ed to  return  to  their  firfl  refource  of  picking  up 
mufcles  wherever  they  could  find  them  i  ar\d  there 
being  about  eight  miles  from  them  a  rock,  inhabite^^ 
by  fifhcrmen,  it  fo  happened,  that  a  man,  with  two 
of  his  fons,  came  to  this  rocky  iflot,  which  (as  Ft- 
«varante  informs  us)  was  called  Santi  (Sand  ey,  or 
Sand  oe)  to  feek  after  fome  cattle  which  had  ftrayed 
away  from  them.  The  fons  went  ftrait  to  the  hove}, 
where  thefe  unfortunate  wretches  were,  for  they  had 
\<:ti\  fmoke  afcend  from  it,  a  circumftance  which 
i^reatly  adonifhed  them,  and  became  the  fubjedt  of 
their  difcourfe.  Their  voices  were  heard,  in  fa<£t, 
by  the  people  in  the  houfe ;  but  they  fuppofed  the 
nolle  to  be  nothing  more  than  the  fcreaming  of  the 
fea-fowl,  which  had  devoured  the  corpfes  of  their 
deceafed  companions.  Notwithftanding  which  Chrif- 
topht-r  Fiorovante  went  out,  when  fpying  two 
youths,  he  ran  in  again  in  ha(^e,  and  called  to  the 
reft  aloud,  that  twamen  were  come  to  feek  thfm  out. 
Upon  this   the  whole  company  ran  out  immediately 

to 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       219 

to  meet  the  lath,  who,  on  their  parts,  were  terrified 
at  the  fight  of  fuch  a  number  of  poor  famifhtd 
wretchep.  Indeed,  thele  latter  had  debated  with 
rach  other,  whether  they  fliould  not  detain  one  or 
two  of  thefe  vifitors  with  a  view  to  make  thcmfelves 
more  certain  of  procuring  aflilbnce }  but  ^Irini 
diffuadcd  them  from  putting  in  execution  fo  very 
iinadvifeable  a  plan.  They  all  accompanied  the 
youths  to  their  boat,  and  intreated  the  father  and  fons 
fo  take  two  of  their  peo,  le  with  them  to  their  ha- 
bitations, in  order  the  frjtoner  to  procure  them  aillft- 
ance  from  thence.  For  this  pur.pofe  they  chofe  one 
Gerard  of  Lyons,  who  had  been  puri'er  of  the  (hip, 
and  one  Co/a^  of  Otranto,  a  mariner,  as  thefe  two 
men  could  fpeak  a  little  French  and  German. 

The  boat,  with  the  fiftiermen  and  tlie  two 
Grangers,  went  to  the  ifland  of  Kujlene  (Roft,  or 
Roftoe)  on  a  Friday.  On  their  landing,  the  inha- 
bitants were  greatly  aftonilhcd  at  their  arrival,  but 
were  not  able  to  underftand  them,  though  thefe  lat- 
ter addrefl'od  ihcm  in  different  languages,  'till  at  lali 
one  of.  the  (Irangers  began  to  fpeak  vjerman  a  little 
with  one  of  the  conip.my,  a  German  Prieft  of  the 
order  of  the  Monks  Predicant,  and  informed  hira 
who  they  were,  and  whence  they  came.  On  the  2d 
of  February  the  fellival  of  the  Puriiication  of  the 
Virgin  Mary  fell  on  a  Sunday,  when  the  Prieft  ad- 
moniihed  all  the  people  in  Rujlasf  to  <^ft  the  unhap- 
py Grangers  to  the  utmoft  of  their  power,  at  the 
fame  time  reprefenting  the  di£iculties  they  had  un- 
dergone, and  pointing  to  the  two  familhed  wretches 
prefent.  Many  of  the  congregation  were  foftencd 
even  to  tears,  and  reiolved  to  bring  away  the  reft 
of  thefe  miferable  people  as  foon  as  pnfliblc,  which 
they  did  the  next  day.  In  the  mean  while,  to  thwfe 
that  remained  behind  in  ^anti^  the  time  of  their  com- 
panions  abfence  appeared  an  age;  and  what  with 
hunger   and  cold  together,   they  were  almolt  dead. 

Tlicir 


i!:;" 


210 


VOYAGES    AND 


Their  joy  at  the  firft  fight  of  the  fix  boats  that  went 
for  them  is  not  to  be  defcribed.  The  Dominican 
Prieft  enquired  which  of  them  was  the  (hip's  Cap- 
tain ;  and  when  Quirini  made  himfelf  known  as 
fuch,  the  former  prefented  him  with  fome  rye  bread 
to  eat,  which  he  looked  upon  as  manna,  and  fomc 
beer  to  drink.  After  this  the  Prieft  took  him  by  the 
hand,  and  defired  him  to  choofe  out  two  of  his  com- 
pany to  go  along  with  him.  Quirini  accordingj[y 
pitched  Upon  Francis  ^iriniy  of  Candia,  and  Chrijlo- 
pber  Fioravante,  a  Venetian  ;  when  they  all  four  went 
together  in  the  boat  of  the  prfncipal  man  in  Ruf- 
tene.  The  reft  were  diftributed  in  the  other  five 
boats.  Nay  more,  thefe  good  Samaritans  went  like- 
wife  to  the  firft  dwelling-place  of  thefe  unfortunate 
people  under  the  tent,  and  taking  away  with  them 
the  only  furvivor  of  the  three  men  who  had  ftaid  be- 
hind, from  weaknefs,  buried  the  others.  The  poor 
invalid,  however,  die<l  the  next  day.  The  boats 
arrived  at  Rujieney  and  Qiiirini  was  quartered  with 
the  principal  perfon  in  the  ifland.  The  fon  led  him 
by  the  hand,  on  account  of  his  great  debility,  to 
his  father's  dwelling;  when  the  miftrefs  of  the  houfe, 
with  her  maid,  advanced  to  meet  him,  and  Qijirini 
going  to  fall  at  her  feet,  ihe  would  not  permit  him, 
but  got  immediately  a  bafon  of  milk  for  him  out  of 
the  houfe,  by  way  of  comforting  him  and  reftoring 
his  ftrength.  During  three  months  and  a  half  that 
Quirini  fpent  in  this  houfe,  he  experienced  the 
greateft"  friendfliip  and  humanity  from  the  owners; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  he  endeavoured  by  com- 
plaisance to  acquire  the  good-wijl  of  his  holts,  and 
to  requite  their  benevolence.  The  other  part- 
ners, too,  of  his  misfortunes,  were  diftributed  in- 
to the  difterent  houfes  of  the  place,  and  taken  good 
care  of. 


The 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       221 


The  rocky  ifle  of  Rod  lies  70  Italian  miles  to  tho 
weft  ward  of  the  fouthernmoft  promontory  of  Nor* 
way,  which  in  their  language  they  call  the  fVorld'% 
Backjtdt  (Culo  Mundi).  It  is  three  miles  in  circum- 
ference. This  rocic  is  inhabited  by  120  fouls,  of 
whom'  72,  like  good  Catholic  Chriftians,  received 
the  Communion  on  £after-day  with  great  devotion* 
They  get  their  livelihood  and  maintain  their  families 
by  fiffamg,  as  there  grows  no  corn  of  any  kind  id 
this  very  remote  part  of  the  world.  For  In  all  this 
time,  during  the  three  months  of  June,  July,  and 
Auguft,  they  have  but  one  continued  day  *  ;  as  the 
fun  never  fets  with  refpe<5t  to  them.  In  the  oppoftte 
months  of  the  winter  they  have  alio  but  one  conti- 
nued night,  and  they  are  never  without  the  light  of 
the  moon.  They  catch,  during  the  whole  year,  an 
incredible  quantity  of  fi(h ;  thefe,  however,  are  of 
two  different  forts  only  ;  one,  which  they  catch  in  an 
incredible  number  in  the  greater  bays,  is  calledy/0cf- 
fijh  (Gadus  morrhua)  and  the  other  is  a  kind  of  Hat 
fiih,  of  an  aftonifhing  fize,  for  one  of  them  was 
found  to  weigh  near  200  pounds.  The  ftockfiih  is 
dried,  without  fait,  in  the  air  and  fun,  and  as  there 
is  not  much  fat  and  moifture  in  them,  they  grow  as 
dry  as  wood.  When  they  are  prepared  for  eating 
they  are  beaten  with  the  back  part  of  the  hatchet,  by 
which  manoeuvre  they  are  divided  into  filaments  like 
nerves :  after  this  they  are  drefled  with  butter  and 
fpices  to  give  them  a  rcli(h.  With  this  comf'^ity 
the  people  here  carry  on  a  coniiderable  trade  beyond 
fea  with  Germany.  The  halibuts  are  cut  into  pieces 
on  account  of  their  fize,  and  then  faked,  in  which 
ftate  they  eat  very  well.  With  thefe  fifh  they  after- 
wards, in  the  month  of  May,'  load  a  (hip  of  about 
50  tuns  burthen,  and  fend  them  to  Bergeriy  a   place 


I 


I. 


*  Fioravante  fayi,  that  from  the  loth  of  November  to  the  aoth  af 
February  the  night  was  zi  hours  long,  and  that  on  the  contrary,  from 
the  10th  of  May  to  the  loth  of  Auguft  they  cooftantly  iaw  either  the 
jTua  id'elf  or  elt'e  the  light  proceeding  from  it. 


in 


222 


VOYAGES     ANb 


in  Norway,  about  looo  '  ilf^' diftant  from  iherh ; 
whither  likewil'e  at  this  time  '>i  the  year  a  great  num-< 
ber  of  (hips,  from  300  to  -^^c  tons  burthens,  carry 
ail  the  produce  of  Germany,  Kngland,  Scotland,  and 
Pruffia;  together  with  every  thing  ncceflary  in  regard 
to  food,  drink,  and  cloathing;  and  thefe  Afh  they 
barter  for  thofe  commodities  and  neceflaries,  b^cauit; 
their  country  being  entirely  barren  and  unfruitful, 
they  confequently  hive  no  ufe  for  money,  imme- 
diately as  the  exchange  is  made,  they  return  home, 
landing  in  one  place  only,  whence  they  carry  wood 
for  the  whole  year  for  burning,  and  for  other  exigen- 
cies.' .  ;i.-.- 
The  inhabitants  of  thefe  rocks  are  a  well-locking 
people,  and  of  pure  morals.  They  are  not  ,in  the 
leafi  afraid  of  being  robbed.  Accordingly  they  ne- 
ver lock  up  any  thing,  but  leave  their  doors  and  every 
thing  open.  Their  women  alfo  are  not  watched  ia 
the  fmalleft  degree;  for  their  guefts  lay  in  thi:  fame 
room  with  the  hufbands  and  their  wives  and  daugh- 
ters, who,  when  they  went  to  bed,  ftripped  quite 
naked  in  their  prefence.  The  beds  of  tin,  foreigners^ 
who  were  faved  from  the  wreck,  flood  clofe  to  thofe 
in  which  flept  the  grown-up  fons  and  daughters  of 
their  landlords.  Every  other  day  the  father  and  fons 
went  a  fifhing  by  break  of  day,  and  were  abfent  for 
eight  hours  together,  without  being  under  any  con-"^ 
cern  with  refpedt  to  the  honour  and  chaftity  of  their 
wives'ind  daughters.  In  the  beginning  of  the  nwnth 
of  May  their  women  ufually  begin  to  frequent  the 
baths.  Cuflom  and  purity  of  morals  have  made  it 
a  law  amongft  therh,  that  they  fhould  firft  ftrip 
themfelves  quite  naked  at  home,  and  then  go  to 
the  bath,  at  the  diftance  of  bow-ftjot  from  the 
houfe.  in  their  right-hand  they  carry  a  bundle  of 
herbs  to  wipe  the  fweat  from  off  their  backs  ;  at  the 
fame  time  laying  their  left-hand  fomewhat  extended 
on  their  middle,  as  if  they  thereby  wifhed  to  cover 
the  parts  of  fhame,  though,  in  fa6t,  they  did  not 
feem  to  take  much  pains  about  it.     in  the  bath  they 

were 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


223 


were  feen  promifcuoufly  wifh  the  men  *.  They  had 
nol  the  leaft  rtotion  of  fornication  or  adultery,  an4 
did  not  marry  from  fcnfual  motives,  but  merely  in 
order  to  conform  to  the  divine  commandSi  They 
alfo  abf^ained  from  fwearing  and  curfmt^*  At  ths 
death  of  their  relations  they  (hewed  the  greateft  re-' 
fignation  to  the  will  of  God,  and  even  returned 
thanks  to  the  Almighty  in  th^ir  churches  for  having 
fpared  their  friends  fo  long  a  time,  and  for  having' 
fuffered  them  to  live  fo  long  with  them,  and  in  thaC 
he  now  called  them  to  himfelf  to  be  partakers  of  his 
heavenly  bounty.  They  alfo  (hewed  fo  little  of  ex- 
travagant   lamentations   and  grief,    that  it   appeared 


*  I'he  calVom  of  men  and  women  frequrnting  the  baths  at  one  and 
the  fame  time  is  vtry  ancient,  for  it  exilled  among  the  Romans,  and  u£ 
them  the  Grecians  Learned  it,  according  to  the  teilimony  of  Plutarch^ 
in  the  Life  of  Cato  ine  elder,  p.  348,  edit.  Aubriamt  Francoj.  \6th  f$l. 
But  in  the  courl'e  oi  time  this  raftom  gave  rife  to  fuch  fhameful  lewd 
practices,  that  the  Empcri>rs  4drianut  ttid  Marcut  AnUninni  found  it 
necefTaiy  to  prohibit  it  by  law.  Sfiartian  in  yila  Adriani  tt  Jul.  Capi- 
tilin.  lit  Marco.  HeUogabalut^  on  the  contrary,  bathed  himleif  along 
with  the-women,  and  as  it  was  coontenanced  by  the  Emp«ror*s  example, 
^ia  practice  mull  again  have  become  univeifal.  jEl,  Lamprid.  im  Helti' 
gabala  and  AUxandro  Severe:  for  his  fuccciTor,  v^^rx/io^fr,  prohibited  it 
dfie(h.  The'e  laws,  h«wever,  leem  to  hsiv«  fallen  into  oblivi  n,  fince 
even  the  Chriflians  retained  ihii  immoral  praAice,  alFording  occafion  (a 
many  fynedk  to  compofe  decrees  for  the  prohibition  cf  it.  The  Count il 
of  Laudicca,  in  the  30th  citnon,  forbids  the  bathing  of  men  with  wo- 
men. But  this  decree,  though  often  rigoroufly  iniifted  on,  was  conti- 
nually ttantgretTed  agarni),  and  even  Pricfts  and  Friars  bathed  in  cnm- 
mon  with  the  wonijEu,  *iili  the  Council,  held  at  Trulln,  agnio  prohibited 
it  by  the  77tb  cano/i.  And  the  Empecor  Judinian,  in  his  1 17th  Ncvell^ 
among  the  lawfiil  caufes  of  divorce  mentions  like  wife  that  of  a  inariied 
woman's  having  bathed  at  the  fame  time  with  men,  without  the  pcr- 
mifllou  of  her  huftand.  Rufila  very  probably  recti ved  the  cultom  of 
bathing,  together  with  the  Chriftian  religion,  from  Condantinople,  and 
irom  thence  the  immoral  practice  abovc-rncntioned,  whicf>,  however, 
principally  fubfiUs  in  the  country,  feems  to  have  been  introduced  amun)^ 
tliem.  People  of  dillinflion,  indeed,  have  always  their  own  bathj^ 
which  no  one  ule»  but  themfelves.  The  rubber  here  mentioned,  toa- 
fifliag  of  herbs  or  tods  is  alio  uled  in  RulTia.  The  RnfTians,  indeed, 
always  I un  immediately  out  of  their  hot  baths  into  fonte  neighbuuiio^ 
pond,  and  iai.he  winter  time  roll  theaJielves  in  the  linow.  '         I^; 


Tuft 


I 


;l 


w\ 


114 


VOYAGES    AND 


ju(l  as  If  the  deceafed  had  laid  himfelf  down  anJ 
fallen  into  a  fweet  flccp.  If  the  perfun  who  died  was 
married,  thu  widow,  on  the  day  of  burial,  prepared 
a  fumptuous  banquet  for  the  neighbours  j  wh^n  Ihc 
herfelf  as  well  as  her  gucfls,  appeared  in  their  bed 
cloihes  i.  and  on  this  occafion  ihe  intreatcd  the  gueds 
to  eat  and,  diinlc  heartily  in  memory  pf  the  deceafed^ 
and  to  his  eternal  repofe  and  happinefs.  They  went 
conftantly  to  church,  praying  there  very  devoutly  on 
iheif  knees,  and  kept  the  faft-days  very  (Iri^lly. 

Theii  houfes  were  made  of  wood,  and  were  of  a 
round  form,  with  a  hole  in  the  middle  of  the  roof 
for  the  admiillon  of  the  light,  which  hole  in  winter 
they  covered  with  a  tranfparent  Hfti-ncin,  on  account 
of  the  feverity  of  the  cold.  Their  clothes  were 
made  of  coarle  cloth,  manufatflured  ^t  London  and 
clfewhere.  As  to  fui  s,  they  wore  them  but  fcldom  ; 
but,  in  order  to  ufe  themfelves  the  better  to  the  cold, 
they  v/ould  lay  their  new-born  infants,  the  fourth 
day  after  their  birth,  naked,  under  the  (ky-light, 
ivnich  they  then  opened  in  order  to  let  the  fnow  fall 
upon  then;  i  for  it  fnowcd  almoil  continually  durin;; 
the  whole  winter  that  Quirini's  people  were  tiiere, 
from  the  5th  of  February  to  the  14th  of  May.  la 
confequence  of  this  treatment  the  boys  are  fo  inured 
to  the  cold,  and  become  fo  hardy,  that  they  do  not 
mind  it  in  the  leaft. 

The  Ifle  of  Roil  is  furrounded   by  a  great  number 
of  fea-fowi,  which  the  inhabitants  in  their  language 
call   Muxi*.     They  are   fond  of  living  near  man- 
kind. 


♦  The  Norwegians  call  tWt  TpecSes  of  Tca-mew  or  gull,  Maaft.  It  is 
tfaereibre,  io  all  probability,  the  Latut  Caniidut^  a  new  fpccirs,  and 
1|uite  white,  of  the  gull  kind,  which,  in  the  Voyage  of  Capt.  Phippt 
(now  Lord  Mulgiave} /owari/f  tht  North  Pote^  Ltndin,  1774,  p.  187, 
188,  iR  called  Ldrut  ehurntus-,  and  in  J»/ni  Miller* t  Plateit  Piatt  Xlh 
l,mrmt  Alknt\  but  in  Otho  FobriciasH  Fauna  Groenlandica,  p.  103,  and 
In  MHUtr*!  Prodrom.  Ztol.  Dan.  p.  VIM ;  it  is  deoominated  the  La^ 
rut  CandiJuif  and  Teems  to  be  the  tame  bird  with  that  whicU  in  Frederic 
Garten' t  y»jagt  ta  Spitjhergtm^  p.  56,  Tab.  I.  a.  is  called  the  Paths 
k4rr\  tad  w  Letwl't  Dtfcriftien  cf  Laplandy  (he   n'atd  Maaj'f,     The 

C'jean- 


t)ISCOVEkIES  iM  THB  NORTH.        125 

kind,  and  are  as  tame  as  the  common  pigeons. 
They  make  an  inceflant  noife,  excepting  in  the  fum* 
mer,  when  it  is  one  continued  day,  and  then  they 
are  filent  for  about  four  hours,  and  this  filence  fervcs 
to  point  out  to  the  inhabitants  the  proper  time  for 
them  to  retire  to  reft.  In  the  early  part  of  the 
fpring  arrived  alfo  an  amazing  number  of  wild- 
geefe,  that  made  their  nefls  upon  the  i/land,  and 
that  fometimes  againfl  the  walls  of  the  houles.  They 
likewife  were  very  tame,  infomuch  that  when  the 
miilrefs  of  the  houfe  went  to  take  fome  eggs  out 
of  their  nefls;,  the  female  would  walk  flowly  fron> 
the  neft,  and  ftay  away  till  the  houfewife  had  taken 
as  many  eggs  as  (he  wanted  for  baking.  As  foon  as 
the  good  woman  was  gone^  the  goofe  would  immedi^ 
ately  fet  herfelf  on  the  neft  again. 

In  the  month  of  May  the  inhabitants  began  to 
prepare  for  their  voyage  to  Bergen^  and  were  willing 
alfo  to  take  the  Grangers  along  with  them.  Some 
days  before  their  departure  the  intelligence  of  their 
being  at  Rojioe  reached  the  wife  of  the  Governor  over 
all  theic  iflands ;  and  her  hufband  being  at  that  time 
abfent,  (he  lent  her  Chaplain  to  Quirini  with  a  pre- 
fcnt  of  ho  fiockiiih,  three  large  flat  loaves  of  rye 
bread,  and  a  cake:  and  at  the  fame  time  let  him 
know  that  £he  had  been  informed  their  hods  had  not 
uled  them  well,  and  defired  them  to  mention  in  what 
point  they  had  been  wronged,  and  that  they  (hould 
receive  inftant  fatisfacSlion  \  it  was  alfo  recommended 
to  the  inhai>itants  to  treat  them  well)  and  to  take 
them  over  to  Bergen  along  wirh  them.  They  thank* 
ed  the  Lady,  and  giving  their  teftimony  to  the  in* 
nocence  of  their  hods,  fpoke  of  the  reception  they 
had  met  with  in  the  higheft  terms;  and  as  Quirini 
bad  dill  remaining  a   firing  of  amber   beads,  which 


Crecnlandcr*!*  however,  gi  e  It  ihe  name  of  Va^avnrfui.  It  is  a  vrry 
bold  bird,  aiul  it  found  only  a  great  v.ay  to  the  nurihwaid,  in  I^inmark, 
Norway,  Ifland,  Crrenlaii'l,  and  Spitibergen.  This  maafc^  or  I'ta-gull, 
'•piobibly  ihe  white  lea  I'ovvl  .l/sAri/ deltribcJ  abjvc  by  Quirini^ 


ai6 


VOYAGES    AND 


he  had  brought  from  St.  Jago  in  Galllcia,  he  tooJc 
the  liberty  of  fending  them  to  the  Lady,  and  defired 
her  to  pray  to  God  with  them  for  their  fafe  return  to 
their  own  country. 

When  the  time  of  their  departure  was  come,  the 
people,  by  the  advice  of  the  Dominican  Friar,  forced 
them  to  pay  two  crowns  for  each  month,  that  is, 
feven  crowns  a-piece;  and  as  they  had'  not  ca(h 
enough  about  them,  they  gave,  bclides  money,  fix 
filver  cups,  fix  forks,  and  fix  fpoons,  together  with 
fome  other  articles  of  fmall  value,  fuch  as  girdles 
and  rings.  The  greater  part  of  thefe  things  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  rafcally  Prieft,  who,  that  nothing 
might  be  left  to  them  of  this  unfortunate  voyage,  did 
not  fcruple  to  take  them,  under  pretence  that  it  was 
due  to  him  for  having  afted  as  their  interpreter.  On 
the  day  of  their  departure  all  the  inhabitants  of  Roft 
made  them  prefents  of  fr^,  and,  at  taking  leave,  the 
women  and  children  (bed  tears,  as  did  alfo  the  Grang- 
ers themfelves.  The  Prieft,  however,  accompanied 
them,  in  order  to  pay  a  vifit  to  his  Archbifliop,  and 
give  him  part  of  his  booty. 

At  their  departure  from  Roft,  the  feafon  was  fo  far 
advanced,  that,  at  the  end  of  the  month  of  May, 
during  their  run,  they  faw  the  image  of  the  fun  48 
hours  above  the  horizon  ;  but,  as  they  continued 
failing  farther  on  towards  the  fouth,  they  loft  the 
fun  for  a  fhort  time,  though  but  for  one  hour,  it 
being  all  the  while  broad  day-light.  They  failed 
conftantly  between  the  rocks,  and  they  perceived 
here  and  there,  near  the  projecting  points  of  the 
land,  marks  of  deep  and  na\  igable  water.  Many  of 
thefe  rocks  were  inhabited  j  and  they  were  kindly  re- 
ceived by  the  inhabitants,  who  gave  them  meat  and 
drink  without  accepting  any  recompence.  The  fca- 
fowl,  that  when  awake  were  always  fo  loud  and 
noify,  they  found  had  bunt  their  nefts  upon  all  thefe 
rocks,  and  the  ftillnei's  and  filence  of  thefe  birds  was 
a  fignal  for  them  alfo  to  retire  to  flcep. 

In 


t)ISCOVEJlIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       227 

In  the  courfe  of  their  voyage  they  met  the  Biihop 
bf  Trondon  (prQiitheimj  who,  with  two  gallics,  was. 
making  the  tour  of  his  diocefe,  which  extended  all 
over  thefe  countries  md  iflands,  attended  by  above 
200  people.  To  XY  is  Prelate -they  were  now  prefent- 
e^,  who,  whep  he  w^s  infortped  of  their  misfortunes, 
their  r^nk,  ai)d  family,  expreiTed  great  compafTion  for 
thein.  He  g^ve  them  ;i  letter  of  recommendation  for 
Trondqn,  his  archiepifcopal  fee,  where  St.  Olave,  one 
of  the  icings  of  Norway,  was  buried,  which  procured 
theip  a  kind  reception  ;  and  a  horfe  was  given  to 
Q^irinif  But  a^  the  lv>ng  Qf  Norway  happened  at 
that  time  to  be  at  yvar  with  the  Germans,  their  hoft, 
iffho  W4S  likewife  nia^er  of  the  veHel,  refufed  to  fail 
^ny  farther^  l"  landed  at  a  little  inhabited  ill?  near 
Drontheiniy  and,  after  recommending  them  to  the  in- 
habitants, returned  direidlly.  The  nejjt  day,  being 
Afcenfipn-I)^y»  they  were  conduced  to  Orontheim, 
into  the  chiirch  of  St.  Qlave^  which  w*is  very  hand- 
fomely  ornamented,  and  where  they  found  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  with  all  the  inhabitants.  There  they 
heard  mafs,  {ifter  which  they  were  conduced  before, 
the  Lord  Lieutenant,  who  immediately  aflied  Q^irini 
if  he  fpoke  Latin  ?  and  being  informed  by  him  thal( 
he  did,  invited  him,  together  wijth  all  his  attendants, 
to  his  table,  whither  they  were  ,condu(^ed  by  a  Canon. 
They  were  afterwards  take.i,  by  this  fame  Canon,  to 
good  comfortable  lodgings,  and  amply  provided  with 
all  kinds  of  neceflaries. 

Quirini  wiflied  for  nothing  nnore  than  to  return  to 
his  own  country  ;  and  he  therefore  defired  advice  and 
aififtance  to  enable  him  to  return  home  by  the  way  of 
Qermany  or  England.  That  they  might  avoid  tra- 
velling too  much  by  fea,  which  was  not  fafe  on  ac- 
count of  the  war,  they  were  advifed  to  apply  to  their 
countryman,  Giovanne  Franco^  whom  the  King  of 
Denmark  had  knighted,  and  who  refided  at  his  caftle 
of  Stichimborg  (Stegeborg,  in  Eaft  Gothland)    in  thq 

0^2  kingdom 


''  Mh 


228 


VOYAGES    AND 


kingdom  of  Sweden,    50  days  journey  from  Drort- 
theim.     Eight    days   after    their   arrival,    the    Lord 
Lieutenant  gave  them  two  horfes  and  a  guide,  to  take 
them  to  Stichimborg :  but  as  Quirini   had  p^efented 
the  Lord  Lieutenant  with  his  (bare  of  the  ftockAih, 
a  filver  feal,  and  a  filver  girdle,  he  received  frcm  the 
latter  a  hat,  a   pair  of   boots,    fpurs,    and   leathern 
cloak-bags,  and  a  fmall  axe,  with  the  image  of  St. 
Clave,  and  the  Lord  Lieutenant's  coat  of  arms  on  it, 
together  with  a  packet  of  herrings,  fome  bread,  and 
four  guilders  Rhenifh.     They    had    befides  this,    a 
third   horfe  from  the  Archbiftiop  of  Drontheim ;  and 
now,  being  twelve  in  number,  they  all  fet  out  toge- 
ther on  their  journey,  with    their  guide  and  three 
horfes,     7'hey  travelled  on  for  the  fpace  of  53  days, 
chiefly  to  the   fouthward   (fouth-eaft)  and  frequently 
met   with  fuch  miferable  inns  on  the  road,  that  they 
could  not  even    procure   bread   at   them.     In    fome 
places  they  ground  the  bark  of  trees,  and,  with  milk 
and  butter,  made  cakes  of  it,  which  they  eat  inftead 
of  bread.     Befides  this,  they   had   milk,  butter,  and 
cheefe,  given  them,  and  whey  for  drink.     They  ftill 
proceeded  on  their  journey,  and  fometimes  met  with 
better  inns,  where  they  could  have  meat  and  beer. 
One  thing,  however,  they  every  where  found  in  great 
aibundance ;  and  this  was  a  kind  and  friendly  recep- 
tion, fo  that  they  were  extremely  welcome  wherever 
they  went. 

There  are  but  few  dwellings  in  Norway,  and  they 
often  arrived  in  the  night,  at  the  hour  of  repofe, 
though  it  was  not  dark,  but  broad  day-light.  Their 
guide,  who  knew  the  cuitom  of  the  country,  opened 
the  door  of  the  houfe,  in  which  they  found  a  table, 
furrounded  by  benches,  covered  with  leathern  cufhi- 
ons,  fiufFed  with  feathers,  which  ierved  inilead  of 
matrafles.  As  nothing  was  kept  locked  up,  they 
took  fome  of  the  victuals  they  found  ready  there,  and 
then  went  to  rei\.  Sometimes  the  niauers  of  the 
houfe  happened  to  come  ia,  and  fee  them  afleep,  and 
were  muc)i  amazed,  'till  the  guide,  who  heard  them, 

acquainted 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       229 

acquainted  them  with  all  the  particulars,  upon  which 
their  aftonifhment  was  mingled  with  compaflion,  and 
they  gave  the  travellers  every  neceffary  without  taking 
any  rccompence,  by  which  means  thefe  12  people 
and  three  horfes  did  not  fpend,  on  a  journey  of  53 
days,  more  than  the  four  guilders  they  had  received 
at  Drontheim. 

,  On  the  road  they  met  with  horrid  barren  moun- 
tains and  vallies,  and  with  a  great  number  of  ani- 
mals, like  roes  (reindeers^  Cervus  tarandus)  bcfides 
fowls,  as  hafel-hens,  and  heath-cocks,  which  were  as 
white  as  fnow  (probably  ptarmigans,  tetrao  lagopus) 
and  pheafants  of  the  fize  of  a  goofe  (probably  the 
tetrao  urogallus).  In  St.  Olavc's  church  they  faw 
the  (kin  of  a  white  bear,  which  was  14  feet  and  a 
half  long.  Other  birds,  fuch  as  gerfalcons  (Falco 
Gyrfakus)  gofs-hawks  (falco  ajlur  Brife.)  and  various 
other  forts  pf  hawks  are  whiter  here  than  common, 
f)n  account  of  the  great  cold  of  the  country. 

Four  days  before  they  reached  St'tchimhrg  (Stege- 
borg)  they  came  to  a  place  cAXtd.  Vejihena  (Wedftena) 
where  St.  Bridget  was  born,  and  had  founded  a  r.o- 
naftery  of  Nuns,  together  with  Chaplains  of  the  Lt..^ 
order.  At  this  place  the  northern  Kings  and  Princes 
have  built  a  moft  magnificent  church,  covered  with 
copper,  in  which  thry  counted  62  altars.  The  Nuns 
and  Chaplains  received  the  ft  rangers  very  kindly, 
who,  after  two  days  ftay  there,  at  length  let  out  in 
order  to  wait  on  the  Chevalier  John  Franco^  who  did 
all  he  could  to  comfort  them  in  their  diftrefs,  and  re- 
lieved them  in  a  manner  that  did  honour  to  his  ge- 
nerofity.  A  fortnight  after,  there  was  given  at  St, 
Brigitta's  church  in  Wanfiena^  a  plenary  indulgence, 
of  which  the  people  of  Denmark,  Norway,  and  Swe- 
den, as  well  as  thofe  of  Germany,  Holland,  and 
Scotland,  came  to  partake.  Some  of  them  came 
from  the  diftance  of  600  miles. 

They  went  to  the  indulgence  at  Wnclftena  with 
the  Chevalier  fohyi  Franco^  in  order  to  ice  wheiher 
they  could  not  procure  fomc  intelligence  there  of  any 
(liips    bound  for    Germany  or   Engh'nd,    there   b<  ing 

al'A^avs 


'\M 


tio 


VOYAGES    AND 


dways  at  that  time  a  great  concourfe  of  people^ 
The  Chevalier  was  Ave  days  on  the  road,  and  had 
more  than  loo  horfes  in  his  train.  Hert  they  took 
leave  of  their  beneficent  countryman^  who  had  fiir-ii 
ni(hed  them  plentifully  with  clothes  and  tnoney  tor 
their  journey,  and  had  ordered  his  f6n  Mdthew,  a  vcrjr 
aniable  young  man,  to  accompany  them  to  the  dif- 
tartce  of  eight  days  journey  to  Lod^fe  (otl  th^  Gbtha 
Elf)  where  they  were  lodged  at  his  own  houTe,  the! 
ihip  not  fetting  fail  diredly.  He  had  lent  them  his 
own  horfes  all  the  way  from  Stichi;nborg ;  and,  as 
Quirini  was  ill  of  a  fever,  he  mounted  him  on  a 
horfe,  which  had  an  eafier  pace  than  ever  he  had  ttiet 
with  in  one  of  thefe  animals  beforr.  From  Lodefd 
three  of  his  crew  went  home  in  a  veflel  bound  for 
RoJIocif  and  eight  of  them  accompanied  him  to  Eng- 
land, where  they  came  to  their  friends  in  London^  by 
way  of  Ely  and  Cambridge  ;  andj  after  a  two  months  re-* 
fidence  there,  continued  their  route  through  Germany 
and  Bafu^  and  at  length,  in  the  fpace  of  24  days,  arrived 
fafe  and  in  good  health  at  Venice, 

We  fee  in  this  moft  unfortunate  voyage  of  Quirini) 
in  the  firft  place,  a  concourfe  of  misfortunes,  which 
one  would  hardly  fuppofe  human  nature  able  to  fup- 
port:  but  great  fpirit,  vigorous  efforts,  perf'^verance, 
and  the  employ  of  the  moft  rational  means  that  can 
be  devifed,  often  make  things  pofTible,  which,  in  other 
circumflances,  would  be  abfolutely  impoffible  j  and 
thus  ferve  to  (hew,  in  an  eminent  manner,  of  what 
ji,reat  advantage  the  ul*e  of  reafon  and  refolution  is  in 
difficulties  and  dangers. 

One  obfervatlon  of  Quirini,  having  been  fo  often 
conhrmed  fince,  dcferves  attention.  '1  hofe  who,  when 
the  fhip  was  in  great  difhels,  had  given  all  up  for 
loft,  and,  witliout  moderation,  had  drunk  the  fine 
Malvafia  wine,  which  they  had  on  board,  when  the 
want  of  provifions  began  to  be  felt,  and  the  fcurvy 
commenced  ;ts  ravages,  foon  died,  and  that  fuddenly  j 

v.'hile 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THB  NORTH. 


231 


while  thofe  lyho  had  lived  temperately  held  out  longer, 
and,  in4eed,  for  the  moft  part,  faved  their  Jives.  In 
like  inanner  thofe  who  had  approached  too  near  the 
lire,  in  order  to  warm  themfelves,  paid  for  this  rafli 
action  with  their  lives  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
fudji  as  had  recourfe  to  the  unnatural  expedient  of 
drjnking  their  own  urine,  an  expedient  which  is  like- 
wife  to  moft  people  highly  difgufting,  even  when 
urged  to  it  by  the  moft  intolerable  thirft,  efcaped  the 
jaws  of  death.  We  may  obferve  farther,  that  the  drink- 
ing of  fea-water  proved  very  beneficial  to  thefe  ad- 
venturers, and  that  the  great  quantity  of  fnow  they 
had  fwallowed  on  their  landing  did  not  hurt  them  in 
the  leaft.  The  different  Vinds  of  ftiell-fifh  and  the 
flefh  of  a  dolphin,,  upon  which  they  fed,  undoubtedly 
ferved  to  keep  them  all  alive. 

I'he  Pefcription  of  the  ftate  of  Norway,  and  of 
its  commerce,  together  with  the  picture  of  the  man- 
ners and  cuftoms  of  its  inhabitants,  are  extremely  fine 
fragments  of  the  hiftory  of  mankind.  The  three  north- 
ern kingdoms  were  at  that  time  governed  by  King 
Erich,  of  Pomerania,  and,  confidcring  the  times, 
the  ftate  of  them  was  not  abfolutely  bad.  We 
fee  that  the  cattle  made  the  principal  food  of  the  in- 
habitants, that  corn  was  very  fcarce,  and  that,  juft  as 
it  does  now  in  the  mountains  and  in  barren  years, 
the  bark  of  trees,  mixed  with  a  certain  quantity  of 
flower,  milk,  and  butter,  ferved  them  for  food.  Mo- 
ney, on  the  other  hand,  was  fcarce  ;  and  a  little  filvcr 
plate,  and  a  few  trinkets,  were  very  acceptable  pre- 
sents. To  Quirini,  as  a  Venetian,  the  length  of  the 
days  in  fummer  *,    and  that  of  the  nights  in  winter, 

the 


•  Though  the  day-light  Infled  very  long,  or  rather,  ihoagh  it  was  but 
one  continued  day,  when  Quiriiii  went  trom  the  i^e  of  Rofloe  to  Dron- 
•heim,  his  guides  uled  neverthelel\  to  go  to  lleep,  when  the  reft  and  the 
Itillnefs  of  the  hird:-  gave  them  the  figiial  for  ib  doing.  This  circum- 
(lance,  therefore,  explains  in  a  new  ytt  decifive  manner  the  pafTage  ia, 
Ohiber'a  dc.cription  of  hi*;  voyiye  to  Sciringet-hfal  (Vid.  fupra  p.  67) 
vhfiic  he   fays,  **  No  one  lould  tail  u  it.  iua  n<onih,  if  he  lay-to  at  nighi, 

though 


232 


VOYAGES    AND 


the  great  quantity  of  water-fowl,  that  were  fo  Kttle 
fhy,  and  the  Angular  chaflity  and  the  purity  of  mo-^ 
rals  of  the  northern  nations,  muft  neceflarHy  have  ap- 
peared extremely  ftriking.  And,  laftly,  we  fee  the 
^oclcfifli  and  herring  trade,  even  at  that  time,  in  a 
ilourifhing  (late.  In  (hort,  it  i9)  in  my  opinion,  one 
of  thofe  voyages,  which,  from  the  general  utility  of 
their  contents,  are  s^s  inftru6live  as  they  are  import 
lant, 


arts. 


General  View  of  the  State  »/ Affairs  at  thit 

Period.  ^ 

FROM  the  4th  and  5th  centuries,  the  barba- 
rous nations  of  the  North  had  in  Spain,  Gaul,  and 
England,  nay,  in  Italy  itfelf,  raifed  the  provinces  they 
had  taken  from  the  Romans,  a  fecond  time  to  the  dig- 
nity of  kingdoms.  But  the  form  of  their  Govern-, 
ments,  the  preceding  wars  they  had  fuftained,  and  the 
devaftations  attendant  on  thefe  wars,  together  with  the 
dreadful  cruelty  with  which  the  new  pofleflbrs  ravaged 
thefe  countries  on  taking  poflefllon  of  them,  in  the 
wantonnefs  of  their  power  llaughtering  the  poor  inha- 
bitants by  millions  ;  all  thefe  circumilances  were  at 
the  fame  time  produdive  of  great  debility  in  thefe 
Ticwly-founded  kmgdoms.  The  country,  ftripped  of  its 
labourers,  lay  uncultivated,  was  over-grown  with  bufties, 
and  in  procefs  of  time  was  covered  with  thick,  gloomy 
foreib,  the  habitations  of  voracious  wild  bcaits,  atid 
alylums  foy  robbers.     The  brooks  and  rivers,  formerly 

though  hf  had  i  fair  wind  every  day ;"  fo  that  it  was  the  <:uftorTi  to  lay- 
r.o  at  night  with  their  vcfltl.s,  even  in  the  cafe  of  continual  day-light ;  and 
this  ci|(i<>m  fubfidtd  fo  eaily  as  in  the  time  of  Ohther,  and  was  ohfcrved 
alio  in  Quirini'*  time,  533  years  aficrwaids.  It  is  tvidem,  thcrefope, 
that  this  feemingly-lufpicious  txjireflion  was  not  uied  \vithout  defign  or 
ineaaing,  but  bad  iu  origin  aad  foundation  in  the  m^inncrs  of  the  couur 
try. 

•  kep^ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       233 

kept  within  due  bounds  by  banks  and  dylces,  now 
broke  through  thcfe  limits  that  had  been  fet  them  ly 
the  iiiduftry  of  man,  and  overflowing  the  meads  whicn 
bad  before  been  refcued  from  their  ravages,  remained 
on  them  fo  long,  'till  thefe  latter  were  converted  into 
putrid  marfties,  replete  with  noxious  vapours.  In 
iine,  the  earth,  embcllilhcd  in  confequcncc  of  a  high 
degree  of  population,  of  cultivation,  and  of  a  luxu- 
ry, carried  perhaps  too  great  a  height,  funk  again 
into  a  wild  and  dreary  dewrt,  alnioft  unprofitable  and 
iifclefs  to  man.  Cities,  once  the  feats  of  induftry, 
arts,  and  commerce,  were  pillaged  and  deflroyed  by 
fire,  and  the  few  remaining  inhabitants,  bewailing  iiL 
the  fad  ruins  the  lofs  of  their  former  profperity,  wirh 
dejected  minds  and  deprefled  fpirits,  became  the  vaflals 
oi  their  inlblent  vi«Sl:ors.  As  for  law  and  }uflice  they 
were  at  this  time  utterly  baniftied  out  of  Europe. 
Every  man  of  courage,  ftrengtn  of  body,  dexterity  in 
wielding  weapons,  and  in  the  management  of  thehorfe  ; 
who  had  influence  enough  to  aflcmble  a  train  of  dif- 
orderly  banditti,  became  their  leader,  and  gloried  in 
impoimg,  far  and  near,  the  iron  yoke  of  flavery  and 
oppreflion.  Thefe  petty  tyrants  (of  which  there  were 
many)  fat  in  their  caftles,  and  paid  cafual  homage  to 
a  fovereign  almoft  without  power  or  authority,  while 
each  of  this  lawlefs  train  committed  fuch  outrages  as 
he  was  able  upon  the  reft  of  the  people,  whom  toil 
and  tyramiy  had  now  nearly  exhaufted.  Popcrv,  and 
its  fuperftitious  rites,  effedually  baniflicd  religion  and 
its  facred  influences.  For  the  worfhip  of  God  in  fpirit 
and  in  truth,  was  fubftituted  tliat  of  faints  ;  for  virtue, 
probity,  and  purity  of  life,  were  introduced  penanco, 
corporal  chartifements,  works  of  fupcrcrogatioi.  and  the 
power  of  indulgencies.  All  freedom  of  thought  wns 
totally  fupprefled  by  the  influence  of  legions  of  Monks, 
^nd  the  frowns  of  a  haughty  and  jealous  Hierarchy. 
Numberlcfs  pretended  miracles,  and  cndlcfs  fcholaftic 
fontroverfies,  completed  this  mifcrable  fyftcm  of  bar- 

barilin 


a3* 


VOYAGES     AND 


barifm  and  idolatry.  In  fliort,  the  corruption  of  man- 
ners pervaded  all  ranks  and  clafles  of  men,  proceeding 
(rom  the  Prince  on  his  throne  to  the  Monk  in  his  cell, 
and  [to  the  Pried  attendant  on  the  altar ;  and  thence 
ariftng  again  to  the  Abbots  and  Bifliops,  up  to  the 
very  head  of  the  Church,  who  founded  and  fuftained 
his  papal  authority,  by  perfecution,  treachery,  and  mur- 
der. There  was  no  longer  the  leaft  fparlc  of  know- 
ledge or  information  to  be  found  in  all  Chriftendoni. 
The  great  vafTals  could  feldom  read,  and  hardly  ever 
write.  1  afle,  the  arts,  decency,  and  decorum,  were 
not  .r:  ?xpe«Sled  in  the  defoiation,  the  gloomy  ob- 
fcuri  an.  he  depth  of  barbarity  in  which  the  whole 
of  £ui  :>pe  w;  '  -nvolved.  The  poor  oppreflpd  flave  in 
the  country  bewailing  his  wretched  ftate,  led  merely  aix 
animal  or  rather  a  vegetable  life.  In  the  few  towns 
that  remained,  die  iiyiabitants,  in  like  manner,  lived 
deprived  of  liberty,  ahd  expofed  to  all  the  oppreflion? 
of  the  great  feudatory  tenants  of  the  crown  and  their 
vafTals,  which  the  caprice,  infolence,  and  pride  of  a 
barbarian  could  at  any  time  fuggeft.  All  the  dreadful 
efFedls  of  the  wildeft  and  moft  unbridled  paflion,  nur- 
tured and-  fupported  by  lafcivioufnefs,  drunkennefs, 
avarice,  revenge,  and  iuperilition,  are  to  be  found 
pourtrayed  in  the  few  rude  annals  and  memoirs  pro- 
duced in  thefe  unfortunate  ages.  The  Philofopher— 
the  Philanthropift — is  ftruck  with  horror,  in  contemp- 
lating the  depth  of  niifery  and  humiliation  to  which, 
from  the  want  of  information,  and  in  confequcnce  o^ 
moral  as  well  as  political  corruption,  mankind  is  capa- 
ble of  linking.  But,  in  contemplating  this  pi£lure,  he 
will  naturally  be  led,  on  the  other  hand,  to  confide^ 
the  means  which  an  all- wife  Providence  has,  with  more 
than  paternal  kindnefs,  made  ufe  of  to  bring  men  back 
to  that  happinefs  in  fecial  life,  for  which  they  were 
originally  deftined.  In  fa6t,  it  is  thpfe  inordinate  de- 
iires,  thefe  infutiable  paflions,  this  wild  enthufiafm,  and 
this  faiutical  I'uperflition,  by  which  tb.e  Authoi;  of  our  ex- 

iftcnqe 


DISCOVERIES  In  the  NORTH.      135 

iftcnce  condu^Sh  us  again  into  the  paths  of  virtue  afid 
knowledge,  and  to  a  ftate  of  exalted  felicity. 


-D«us  ille  fuit- 


<^i  princeps  vitx  rationem  inveoit  «am  que 
Nunc  appellatur  fapienfia  ;  qu  ppe  per  artettt 
Fludibus  e  laniis  Titam,  lantirqlie  tentbrifc 
In  tam  iranquillo,  &c  tam  clara  lues  locavit. 

Lucret.  Lib.  V.  v.  7—12. 


In  the  caft,    at   Conftantinople,   the    altercations  of 
the  clergy,  and  the  ambition  of  thofe  who  grafped  af- 
ter the  Imperial  dignity,  had  introduced  the  fame  grofs 
ignorance  and   immorality  into   every  rank    nd  condi. 
tion  of  life ;  and  in  the  other  parts  of  Alii  >  t"      Ara- 
bian   Caliphs,    or   fucceflbrs  of   Mahome*,    iij^  rronfe- 
qucnce  of  their  voluptuoufnefs,  their  inadlivity,  and   of 
their  impolitic   reception  of  a  number  of   Generals  of 
the    Turkifti  race    into  their    kingdoms,    Ciul  at  their 
courts,  had  dwindled  away  into  infignit'nant  Mahome- 
tan Priefis.     Syria   and    Paleftine   had  iong  been  fub- 
je6l  to  Arabian  Princes,  who,  in  the  ftate  of  refine- 
ment to  which  they  had  arrived  at    that  period,  be- 
haved  to  the  Chriltians  of  thofc  provinces  with  great 
moderation  j    and    from  motives  of  policy  and  love  of 
lucre,    the  pilgrims   from  the  weft,  whom  fuperftition 
and  idle  conceits  had  brought  in  crouds  into  thofe  parts, 
to  vifit  the  holv  fepulchre,  were  received  very  favour- 
ably.    But  the  Seldl(:hukidian   Turks,  as  well  from  fu- 
perftition as  from  a  miftruft  of  thefe  pilgrimages,  which, 
indeed,    v/crc    too  frequently  repeated,    and    with   roc* 
numerous   trains,   began  to  opprefs  the  Chriftians  and 
ufe  the  pilgrims  very    ill.      Thefe  grievances,    which 
were   continually  encreafing,  appeared  to  Hildebrand, 
Biftiop  of  Rome,  important  enough  to  induce  him  to 
fummons  all  Chriftendom    to    make    war  againft  the 
opprellbrs  of  Chriftianity.      But  the  difputes  in  which 
Gregory  VII.  by  his  pride  and  ambition,  had  involved 
hiraiclf  in  Europe,  prevented  him  from  heading  him- 

felf 


236 


VOYAGES    AND 


fclf  the  army  thus  raifcd.  Soon  after,  it  happened 
that  an  enthufiaftic  Prieil,  who  is  known  to  pouerity 
by  the  name  of  Peter  the  Hermit,  was  eye-witnefs  to 
the  injuries  and  opprefTions  under  which  the  Chriilians 
in  the  eafl,  as  well  as  the  pilgrims,  groaned.  His 
cwn  heated  i^iaginatlpn,  the  perfuafions  of  the  Patri- 
arch of  Jerufalem,  and  the  approbation  of  Pope  Urban, 
incited  him  to  travel  through  all  the  countries  of  Eu- 
rope, with  tears  in  his  eyes,  ftirring  up  the  fuper- 
ilitious  people  to  wreak  their  vengeance  on  the  ene- 
mies, as  they  were  termed,  of  Chriftianity.  Every 
individual  now,  even  to  the  very  children,  was  filled 
with  holy  rage,  and  people  ran  in  flocks  to  take  part 
in  this  meritorious  expedition.  Thoufands  of  them  pe- 
rifhed  miferably  ;  and,  having  undergone  many  hard- 
fhip9,  the  Chriftians  at  lad  got  poflefTion  of  a  wild, 
Avalle  country,  without  either  cultivation  or  inhabitants, 
in  which,  however,  lay  Jerufalem,  Bethlehem,  Naza-t 
reth,  and  other  places  of  facre'd  fame ;  and  Conflan- 
tinople  itfelf,  together  with  Cyprus  and  Greece,  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  European  Chriflians,  Thefe 
great  peregrinations,  however,  of  Chriftians,  frantic 
with  fuperflitious  zeal,  who  frequently  marked  the 
whole  courfe  of  their  expedition  by  tlie  mofl  atroci-: 
ous  crimes,  and  the  mofl  infamous  actions,  and  were, 
for  the  greater  part,  the  very  fcum  of  the  earth  ;  thele 
peregrinations  were  the  caufe  of  a  revolution  through- 
out all  Europe,  which,  in  fa£^,  was  attended  with  too 
great  confequences  to  pafs  unnoticed  by  an  inquifi- 
tive  mind. 

'  The  landed  nobility,  and  the  Princes  their  Sovei 
reigns,  wanted  money  to  equip  them  as  well  as  to 
maintain  them  on  thefe  long  expeditions  j  in  confe- 
quence  of  which  they  fold  the  privileges  which  they 
had  hitherto  made  fo  bad  ufe  of,  over  their  poor  fub- 
je<5ls.  To  thoufands  of  people  they  gave  liberty  in 
exchange  for  money  ;  and  beftowed  on  innumera- 
ble cities  great  privileges  ;  and  among  others  the 
power  of  chufing  their  own  magiflrates  from  among 
thcmfelves,  that  of  governing  ^hemfelves  by  their 
ow(i  laws,  aiid   according  to  tlicir  own  free  eleflion, 

tl^at 


DISCOVERIES   IN  THE  NOftTH.      237 

that  of  levying  their  taxes  among  themfelves,  at  their 
own  difcretion,  and  the  privilege  of  defending   them- 
felves.    Every  burgher   now  might  bequeath  the  for- 
tune he  had  acquired  to  whomfoever  he  would,  after 
bis  death  ;  he  tnight  marry  without  firft  aflcing  leave 
for  that  purpofe  of  his  liege  Lord  }  he  might  appoint 
whomfoever  he  pleafed  to  be  guardians  to  his  chil- 
dren {  and,  after  having  commenced  a  legal  procefs, 
might    accommodate    matters     with     his    adverfary, 
without  paying  the  fees  in  his  Liege's  court   for  an 
adjudication  which  had  not  been  made ;    and  mer- 
chants and  artizans  were  relieved  from  the  intolerable 
opprefHon  of  gifts  and   other  extortions,  with  which 
they  had  before  been  harrafled.     Previous  to  this  pe- 
riod the  great  feoffees  only  appeared  in  the  aifemblies 
of  the  nation,  as  reprefenting  the  (late,  but  now  this 
privilege  was  beftowed  on  many  towns  and   cities,  in 
order  tomakeacounterpoife  to  the  too-preponderating 
powers  of  the  great   feudatory  tenants  and   nobles  i 
and,    indeed,  it  was  foon  obferved  that  thefe  inno^ 
vations   were  attended  with  the  moil  defirable  con- 
fequences  with  rcfpeCt  to  the  general   good  of  man- 
kind. 

The  citizen,  who  was  now  aflured  that  the  fruits 
of  his  induilry  would  be  reaped  by  himfelf  and  his 
children,  was  thereby  excited  to  work  with  re- 
doubled ardour,  as  well  as  to  the  invention  of  new 
arts  and  trades.  The  merchant  was  kcu  to  bra^'e 
dangers  with  frefh  courage,  and,  infpired  by  the 
hope  of  gain,  to  trud  his  life  and  property  to  the 
mercy  of  the  winds  and  waves  :  and  every  one,  of 
what  profeilion  foever  he  was,  turned  all  his  thoughts 
to  the  procuring  of  an  honefl  livelihood  by  induf- 
try,  talents,  and  perfeverance.  Finally,  for  the 
greater  fecurity  of  the  fubjed^,  the  perpetual  frays 
and  fkirmifhes  of  the  great  vaflals  with  each  other 
were  put  an  end  to,  and  the  civil  peace  was  every 
where  eilablifhed.  It  was  therefore  found  neceffary 
to  apply  to  judges  for  the  diftribution  of  juftice. 
For  this  purpofe  new  laws  were  introduced  for 
cafes  that  had   never    before   been    determined  ;    and 

recoufle 


;^i 


!ll^-> 


'ir'M 


2fi 


VOYAGES    Awo 


recourfe  was  had  to  the  long-forgottcn  Homan  coA6 
of  laws,  in  order  to  learn  from  it  the  principles  of 
equity  and  juilice,  which  had  been  fo  long  ne- 
^Icd^cd  :  from  the  ecclcfiadical  law  were  borrowed 
in  part  the  regulations  and  forms  of  law  fuits, 
bcfidcs  4  great  inany  rules  and  cuftoms,  as  the  clergy 
were  in  ^hp  excluftve  pofleifion  of  the  little  know- 
ledge and  learning  that  yfM  left  in  tl)e  world  at 
that  period*  The  mameful  pra6lice  of  judiciary  duels, 
V^hich  were  commonly  thojugh  blafphemoufly  railed 
tb*  yu(i£fffent  of  Qtd,  was  aboliflied,  and  the  practice 
was  introduced  of  making  appels  to  the  higher  Courts^ 
Europe  now  began,  by  little  and  little,  (o  enjoy 
the  blefled  fruits  of  thefe  yoking  (hoots  of  liberty 
whjch  h^d  been  fo  lately  planted.  From  the  eaft, 
she  prifline  nurfery  pf  the  ^rts  and  fciences,  a  fe- 
^ond  time  were  brought,  by  ipeans  pf  the  very  cru- 
fades  themfclves,  new  lights  for  the  information  of 
the  hum^n  underftanding,  new  arts  and  manufac- 
tures for  the  employment  of  the  towns  and  cities, 
and  new  plants  ana  animals  for  the  improvement 
of  rural  oeconomy.  In  Italy,  the  Qenoefe,  toge- 
ther with  the  Venetians  and  the  people  of  Pifa, 
))y  Iqnding  their  ihips  to  the  crtifaders,  as  well  as 
\>y  their  Iharc  of  the  bopty,  had  greatly  enriched 
themfclves,  and  confcquently  had  not  only  a  fair  oc- 
caflon  cpnfiderably  to  augment  the  number  of  their 
yelTels,  but  likewife  to  learn  the  places  whence  they 
could  import  filk,  cotton,  fpices,  and  all  the  pre- 
cious comipodities  of  India,  eafier  than  by  the  way 
of  Conflantinople ;  and  in  a  fhort  time  they,  with 
the  reft  of  the  free  ftates  of  Italy,  were  in  the  fole 
pofleflion  of  the  whole  trade  not  only  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, but  alfo  of  the  Black  Sea.  Even  ths  Qcr- 
man  towns  that  lay  fcattered  up  s^nd  down  all  along 
the  coafts  of  the  Baltic  and  the  German  Ocean, 
l>egan  to  unite  in  a  confederacy,  for  the  purpofe  of 
promoting  and  extending  their  trade,  a  confederacy, 
which  they  didinguifhed  by  the  title  of  the  Hanfe^  a 
word  of  like  import  in  the  old  German  language.  The 
Greeks  too,  and  the  Arabians,  afforded  the  Europeans 

manv 


t'. 


DISCOVERIES  IN   THE  NORTH.       439 

hiany  opportunities  of  acquiring  new  fcience  anJ  frefli 
information }  and  though  this  ingrafted  wifdom  wa<( 
principally  ennploycd  by  the  ChrilHans  on  religion 
f.nd  fpccufative  philofophy,  yet  from  this  period  learn- 
ing began  to  be  a  regular  occupation  among  the 
people  of  the  Weft.  Public  fchools  were  founded, 
and  the  learned  had  riink  and  precedence  beftoxred  on 
them,  befides  enjoying  other  advantages  j  fo  that  bf 
degrees  the  dawn  of  fcience  diffufed  iifclf  every 
where,  by  which  means  the  rude  and  unpoliihed 
weftern  world  was  prepared  for  a  long  time  before- 
hand for  the  Reformation,  for  the  ftate  in  which 
learning  fubfifts  at  prefcnt,  for  the  ftill  cncreafmj^ 
fpirit  of  Toleration,  and  for  the  tree  fpirit  of  en- 
quiry by  which  thefe  our  times   are  diftinguiflied. 

In  Paleftine  and  Spain  the  rude  warriors  among 
fhfr  Chriftians  had  frequently  occafion  to  experience 
the  magnanimity,  courage,  ind  gallantry  of  the 
Saracen  Knights.  All  thefe  qualities  imparted  fomc- 
thitig  fo  peculiarly  great  and  fplendid  to  the  cha- 
racters of  the  Knights  above-mentioned,  that  the 
Chriftians  confidered  it  as  an  honour  not  only  f 
imitate  them  in  every  article,  but  even  to  furpafs 
them,  and  particularly  in  their  attachment  to  religion, 
in  their  defence  of  opprefled  innocence,  in  their  re- 
fpedt  for  truth,  and  in  the  gentlencfs  of  their  man- 
ners. The  foundations  of  real  honour,  the  greater 
humanity  with  which  war  is  now  carried  on,  and  the 
politeilefs  and  reciprocal  generofity  fubfifting  even 
between  foes,  of  which  we  have  frequently  in  thefe 
times  the  happy  experience  amidft  the  horrors  ne- 
ceft*arily  atk:endant  on  war,  are  the  pure  and  genuine 
fruits  of  the  knight-errantry  of  that  period. 

All  this,  taken  colled^ively,  without  doubt  con- 
tributed to  liberate  the  human  mind  from  thofe  fetters 
•of  fuperftition,  ignorance,  and  Oothful  indolence,  by 
vvhich  it  had  hitherto  been  fhackled.  Individuals 
nil  ":ht  now  venture  to  acquire  knowledge  and  infor- 
mation, without  dreading  either  fire  or  fword,  as  ihe 
pujiilhnu'nt  of  their  audacity.  A  thirft  after  know- 
led  j^c 


i?l 


:|!lr#. 


240 


VOYAGES    AN» 


ledge  was  dlfTufed  over  all  Europe,  and  the  publitf 
difcovered  a  particular  avidity  for  accounts  and  re-> 
lations  concerning  foreign  and  remote  countries^ 
and  long,  extenfive  voyages  and  travels  into  diilant 
parts.  The  sftablifliment  of  the  more  quiet  |)of- 
feffion  of  private  property,  encouraged  the  merchant 
to  ftill  greater  undertakings,  exciting  him,  from  a  de* 
fire  of  gain,  to  navigate  unknown  feas,  and  to  brave 
every  danger.  On  the  other  hand,  the  enthufiaftic 
defire  of  difFuflng  the  doArines  of  Chriftianity,  and 
of  fubjef^ing  whole  nations  and  countries  to  Chfiiw 
and  the  Roman  Pontificate,  ftill  continued  to  be  a 
great  motive  for  undertaking  new  travels  into  dif- 
tant  regions.  The  fpirit  of  Kight- errantry,  too,  and 
the  de/ire  of  atcbieving  heroic  actions  in  the  wars, 
fuch  as  might  aflure  everlafting  glory  and  renown 
to  the  performers  o^  them,  contributed  their  ibare 
towards  inducing  many  perfons  to  range  up  and 
down  the  moft  remote  countries.*  The  encreafing 
trade  of  the  Italians,  together  with  the  great  pi'o- 
^refs  they  made  in  the  arts,  as  well  as  the  great  pro- 
hts  made  by  the  northern  merchants  who  were 
united  in  the  Hanfoy  or  Hanfeatic  league,  excited 
from  time  to  time  feveral  entcrprifing  minds  to  un- 
dertake voyages,  which,  confidering  the  ignorance 
which  ftill  prevailed  in  refpedt  to  foreign  nations 
and  countries,  were  then  much  more  dangerous  than 
they  are  at  prefent.  The  important  difcovery  of 
the  magnetic  needle  for  the  purpofes  of  navigation 
gave  new  advantages  to  this  art,  and  made  a  great 
addition  to  the  knowledge  poftefled  by  thofe  times  in 
relation  to  different  people  and  countries:  and  where- 
as  before  this,  people  had  fcarcely  ventured  to  go 
out  of  fight  of  the  ihore,  they  now  boldly  failed 
acrofs  the  greateft  feas.  Now,  if  we  even  put  the 
date  uf  this  invention  fo  early  as  the  year  1200,  yet 
then  we  find  the  compafs  fo  commonly  known 
about  this  period,  that  the  fifhermen  in  the  Ork- 
neys made  ufe  of  the  compafs  (o  early  as  i^Q  years 
afterwards,  viz.    about  the  year   l3l>o. 

The 


Discoveries  it*  the  north.     141 

The  immenfe  riches  which  the  Venetians  had  ac- 
quired by  th6  monopoly  of  the  Eafterti  and  Indian 
trade,  the  (kill  and  experience  they  had  attained  in 
navigation,  as  well  as  the  information  they  had  ob- 
tained relative  to  the  diflant  nations  and  climates, 
prepared  the  world  for  thofe  great  and  important 
difcoveries,  and  the  revolutions  confequent  thereon, 
which  have  given  to  Europe  and  the  weilern  world 
a  quite  different  form  to  what  they  had  before. 

By  the  taking  of  Conflantinople,  in  which  the 
Turks  at  length  fucceeded  under  Mahomet  the  IId» 
the  Greeks  were  difperfed  into  different  parts  of 
the  world.  Some  of  thefe  fled  to  Italy^  whither 
they  carried  their  learning,  arts,  and  handicraft  pro- 
feilions.  This  incident  ferved  in  fome  meature  to  add 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  people  among  whom  the/ 
fojourncd,  to  refine  their  tafte,  and  to  give  greater 
perfe(5tion  to  theiif  manufai^ures,  and  conifcquently 
likewife  to  their  navigation.  I'o  the  people  of  tl^e 
Weft,  who,  by  means  of  their  conquefts  as  well  as 
their  commerce,  were  continually  extending  them- 
fclves  over  the  globe,  the  vaft  and  encreafing  power 
of  the  Turks  ferved,  by  way  of  barrier,  which  lay 
in  their  way  invincible  obftacles  to  their  penetrating 
any  farther  to  theeaftward.  Confequently  they  were 
now  obliged  to  turn  the  courfe  of  their  navigation, 
trade,  and  difcoveries  in  the  wefl  towards  the  northern 
and  fouthern  regions,  where  they   did  not  meet  with 


any   fuch   obdacles ;    an  undertaking  which   at 
W.1S  likewife  crowned  with  the  greateft  fucceft* 


laft 


M 


K 


STRICTVBtS 


'M 


242 


V  OYAGES    AM» 


Strictures  and  Remarks   on  BOOK  IL 


I.  Of  Andanicum,  or  Steel. 

PAGE  135:  According  to  the  account  given 
here  by  Marco  Polo,  of  the  province  of  ChinchtntalaSy 
there  is  in  this  diftridt  a  mountain  which  produces 
fteel  ore  and  Andanicum.  At  the  time  that  I  tranf- 
cribed  this  paflage,  I  was  not  able  to  give  any  inteU 
ligence  concerning  the  meaning  of  the  word.  But 
RamuHo,  to  the  ad  Part  of  his  Collection  of  Voyages, 
has  prefixed  a  Dichiarazicne  d*  aUnni  luo^hi  ne  libri 
de  Marco  Pole ^  in  which  (page  14)  he  affirms  that 
the  word  Andanicum  *  fignifies  the  bed  fteel  ;  and 
farther,  that  when  any  of  the  Orientals  had  a  fpear 
or  fabre  of  Andanicum^  he  valued  it  fts  highly  as  though 
ij^had  been  the  moft  precious  jewel. 

•  The  origin  of  the  vjord  Andanicum  hat  canfcd  me  a  gfctt  deal  oF 
trouMe  -,  tor  at  Ramufio  fays,  ihac  he  had  Icarnrd  the  meaning  of  thit 
wbrd  oi Mf£er  Miihelt  mambre^  the  Turkifh  Interpreter  to  the  Repub- 
lic of  Venice,  and  as  likewife  Chinchiotalas  is  not  at  a  great  (lifidnce  irom 
the  aacient  TurkeDan,  1  thought  my  elf  juflified  in  looking  into  the 
Turkifh  language  fur  its  origin;  but  finding  in  this  tongue  only  the  word 
^j^  dfcheok,  which  roi^ana  war,  I  con^cdiired  thai  a  nation  a» 
warlike  as  the  Turks  have  been  for  many  _,«;ars  |'afl,  mi^ht  have  called 
the  beft  kind  of  Heel,  which  they  ultd  for  thoir  fpeais  and  l?bres, 
Dfchenkfeku  i  «•  'A''  varritVy  afireeably  ro  the  figurative  mode  of  ex- 
preflion  not  unufaal  v/ith  the  £aftern  Nations ;  conceivincr  at  the  fame 
time,  that  an  l.alian  might  have  pronounced  "his  word  Damko,  fit  At- 
DanUt,  or,  by  elifion  of  ihe  /,  ytJ-Daniii,  which  comes  pretty  near  ru 
Andanicum,  or  AnJanict.  Still,  however,  1  had  my  doubts  with  rtlpta 
to  this  e./mology.  Therefore  I  had  recuurlc  to  the  Perfian  l«nguage, 
and  found  iheie,  together  with  two  more  words  which  figniiy  Jleei,  the 
word  jjjTl^,  dfchenk^  or  dj'thanck^  which  apparently  makes  the  neareft 

approache*  of  any  to  the  word  ad-danck  and  al-danck^  and  thus  may  have 
gi\en  rife  to  that  ol  andanikt. 

Our  ini-eniou^  ProfelTor,  Di.  Knapp^  fuppefes,  that  this  Andanicum 
might  have  been  alio  called  Andatuum,  anti  this  been  deriveJ  fiom  ihc 
Aratiic  jjl)^ J  lo  unjbenth  the  fmsord^  or  from  ^jjj^  of  which  many 
f^bllantives  are    i'ormcd,  which  (i^n\i'j  Jbarpneji^  point,  P«l'Jbf  &c.  ob- 

ferving,  at  the  fame  tim ;,  thai  ihe  wor^*  |,J(Jlj^  or  £'i''w|  «f ««'*'»/«'> 
mutrnnatus,  fiiltlut,  bear  a  great  refembUnce  to  each  other.  I  am  net 
capable  of  deciding  thin  point,  and  therefore  iesve  it  to  be  determined  hy 
others,  who,  having  caore  ikiil  ia  thit  deparlrocnt  of  fcieuce,  are  better 
ifliitlcd  to  jud){e  of  the  matter. 

II.  Of 


Discoveries  in  the  nortiI.      243 


II.  Of  Rhubarb,  and  the  Place  colled  Suckuk. 


AT  page  135,  Marco  Polo  informs  us,  that,  upba 
the  mountain.^,  in  the  country  of  5«cZ»ar,  grows  the 
beft  Rhubarb^  in  great  quantities,  from  whence  th« 
merchants  carry  it  ail  over  the  world.  Accordingly 
Ramufio  enquired  ot  one  Hadfchi  Mehemet^  a  Perfiaii 
itierchant  from  Tabas  in  Ghilan^  concerning  the  Rawerdy 
or  Rewend  Tfchin^  ii  e.  Rhubarb^  and  where  it  grows, 
^s  well  as  concerning  the  whole  commerce  of  this 
commodity  ;  this  merchant  having  fome  months  bft- 
fore  brought  a  great  quantity  of  Rhubarb  to  Ve- 
nice. 

Hadfchi  Mehcmet  (called  here  Chaggi  Memet)  had 
been  himfelf  to  Succuir  and  Campioriy  in  the  country 
of  the  Great  Khan;  and,  indeed,  excepting  Ambai- 
fadors  to  the  Khan,  no  merchants  are  fuffered  to 
penetrate  farther  into  Kathai  than  to  Succuir  and 
Campion.  Both  thefe  towns  are  built  of  brick  and 
frceitone.  The  Great  Khan  fends  his  Viceroy  thither 
to  govern  them.  They  are  merely  inhabited  by 
Idolaters,  and  there  are  no  Mahometans  to  be  met 
with  till  one  comes  to  Camul.  The  name  of  the 
Great  Khan  at  the  time  when  Hadfchi  Mehemei  was 
in  Kathai,  was  Daimir  Can*k 


Wt 


*  Daim'tr-khan  would  feem  to  be  the  fame  as  Timur-iChan^  the  im- 
mediate ',' tcelTor  to  Kuhlai-Khaii  i  but  ttie  former  bore  the  fovereign 
Iway  in  China  and  Kathay  from  the  year  1194  to  1307^  and,  is  Ramufii* 
Nvrote  about  the  yiar  i$;3,  this  Khan  could  not  ue  meant  here-,  tnJ 
iiv.ieed  had  a  Mogul  Emperor  at  that  tirrie  filled  the  Throne,  the  Ferfiaa 
&.11I  Bukhailan  merchnntK  would  n<  t  Itave  been  hndcred  from  penetiating 
Ittithir  into  Kaihay  ;  for  ihls  reftritSlion  tcmmcnced  only  wiih  the  reign 
rf  the  new  lace  of  tne  family  of  Miw,  which  had  expelled  the  Mogut 
t.ut  of  Ch  na  P/o'iably  at  that  time  T^Jthi  tjsng^  or  Kiat  Si  ig  was  Em- 
peror, who  reigned  fuil  41^  years,  Jroir  »'•«•  year  1511  10  i5'>6,  and  un- 
ticr  whole  aufpiLfS  the  Jeiuit'.  tttablifi  emfclves  in  China.     But  why 

HuJjchi  iVUhtLitt  call*  him  D  imi;   Kuun^  1  conlefs  1  tanui^t  :a  the  ieiJt 
V'ln^icluuii. 


i 


R  2 


The 


I 


244 


VOYAGES    ANO 


The  town  of  Succuir^  in  the  province  of  '^ap^uf.fv 
is  large  and  populous,  and  is  fituated  «>n  z  plaiii) 
through  which  run  a  great  number  of  fmall  rivulets. 
It  has  abundance  of  provifions  of  eveiy  kind,  and  a 
great  quantity  of  filk  is  raifed  there  on  the  leaves  of 
the  black  mulberry- tree.  It  produces  np  wine,  but 
the  inhabitants  brew  a  kind  of  drink  from  honey,  in 
imitation  of  beer.  On  account  of  the  cold  of  the 
climate  no  fruits  grow  there  except  pear?^  app!es, 
apricot*!,  peaches,  melons,  and  water-melons. 

The  Rhubarb  plant   grows  all  over  this  province, 
but  no  where  better  than  on  fome  neighbouring  rocky 
mountains   (q^fe   Montagne,)  on   which   there  are  a 
great  many  fprings,  and  forefts  confiiting  of  different 
kinds  of  high  trees.     The  foil,  however^  is  of  a  red 
(roflb)  colour,  and  almoft  always  boggy,  on  account 
of  the  great  quantity  of  rain   that  falls,  and  of  a  vad 
number  of  brooks  by  which  the  country  is  interfoft- 
cd.     The   leaves   of  this   plant    arc  commonly   two 
fpans  in  length,  are  narrower  at  bottom,  an  i  wider 
at  top.     The  margin  of  the  leaf  is  furrounded    by  a 
woolly  matter.     The  ftalks  on  which  the  leaves  grow 
are  green,  and  about  a  fpan  and  four  inches  lung  ; 
the  leaves  themfelves  at  firfl  are   green,  bt.t  in   time 
become  yellow,  and  fpread  vaftly  on  the  iurface  of 
the  earth.     In    the    middle    grows    a  flem,    which 
bears  flowers  round  nbout,  of  the  ibape  of  a  clove 
gilliflower,  (viole  p:f  -"'^ole)  and  are  of  a  milk  white 
and  light-blue  col   Ji       The  fcent  of  them  is  flrong 
and  naufeous,  fo  th.u  thefe  flowers  are  both  unplea* 
fant  to  the  fniell  and  to  the  fight.     The  root  is  one, 
two,  and  fometimes  three  fpans  long  •,  the  colour  of 
the  bark  is  a  chefnut-brown.     It  is  as  thick  as  the 
lower  part  of  a  man's  leg  j  fome,  indeed,  are  as  thick 
as  a   man's    loins.     Out    of    the   great    root     pro- 
ceeds a  confiderable  number  of  very  fmall  radicles, 
which    fpread     greatly    in    the    earth.      I'hefe    are 

taken 


^'  '\VA>  .,it 


-^     1'^^ 


DISCOVERIES  iM  THE  NORTH.       245 

taken  away,  when  the  great  root  is  to  be  cut  in 
pieces,  which  is  yellow  internally,  with  many  l>cau< 
tiful  red  veins  full  of  a  clammy  yellow  juice  that 
ftains  the  fing»'rs  and  hands  of  a  yellow  colour. 
Were  the  root  hung  up  immediately,  all  the  juice 
would  run  out  of  it,  and  the  root  itfelf  would  be- 
come light  and  unfervic^able.  The  pieces,  there- 
fore, are  Hrfl  laid  upon  long  tables,  and  turned  three 
or  four  times  a  day,  in  order  that  the  juice  may  in- 
corporate with,  and,  as  it  were,  coagulate  in,  the 
fubHance  of  the  root.  Four,  five,  or  fix  days  after 
this,  holes  are  made  through  them,  and  they  are 
hung  up  on  firings,  expofed  to  the  air  and  the  wind, 
care  being  taken  at  the  fame  time,  that  the  fun- 
beams  (hould  not  come  to  them ;  and  in  this  manner 
the  roots  become  dry,  and  arrive  at  their  full  per- 
fection in  the  fpace  of  two  months.  The  roots  are 
dug  up  in  winter,  before  they  put  forth  their  leavef, 
becaufe  at  this  time  the  juice  and  the  whole  virtue  of 
the  plant  is  confined  to  the  root.  The  fpring,  how- 
ever, does  not  commence  in  the  provinces  of  Campion 
and  Suauir  before  the  end  of  May.  Thofc  roots 
which  are  taken  up  in  fummer,  when  they  have  pvt 
forth  their  leaves,  continue  to  be  light,  fpungy,  full 
of  holes,  and  without  fubftancej  neither  have  they 
the  yellow  colour  of  thofc  that  have  been  dug  in  the 
winter,  but,  notwithftanding  that  they  are  red,  they' 
are  not  equally  good  with  thofe  which  were  takers 
out  of  the  ground  before  the  fpring.  Thofe  who 
dig  the  roots  on  the  mountains,  carry  them,  either 
on  carts  or  upon  horfes  barks,  down  into  the  plain, 
and  to  Succuir ;  v/hen  they  fell  them  at  the  rate  of 
16  fmall  weights  of  filver  (Saggio,  each  being  of  the 
value  of  20  Venetian  foldi)  for  a  cart-load. 

To  make  up  one  fmall  horfe-load  of  perfidly  dry 
Rhubarb,  it  will  take  fevcn  loads  of  green  roots, 
newly  dug  out  of  the  ground.  The  Rhubarb,  when 
green,    is  fo  very    bitter,    that  one   cannot  venture 

cvca 


^/r 


:«j|U^ 

mr- 

\' 

i 

\ 

<    i 

^^Wl 

'i^t'i 

i   ' 

ff-    ^" 

m 

Wmw  ; 

i 

'M 

1'. 

'■ill 


'**■••?. 


mm 


146 


VOYAGES    AND 


even  to  taftc  it.  If  the  roots  are  not  cleaned  an4 
cut  immediately  within  the  fpace  of  five  or  fix  Jays 
after  they  have  been  taken  out  of  the  ground,  they 
grow  foft  and  rotten.  In  Kathay  the  root  is  in  nq 
cftimation,  and  in  fome  places  they  ufe  it  for  fuel,  or 
clfe  in  the  difeufcs  of  hoifcsj  and  indeed  no  more 
of  them  are  dug  up  than  what  arc  befpoke.  But 
there  is  another  f:nall  root  far  more  efteemed,  which 
growi^  on  the  Rhubarb  mountains  o(  Succuir :  this 
root  is  called  Mambroni  Tfchin,  and  is  very  dear 
withal.  They  ufe  to  grind  this  root  on  a  ftone  with 
rofc- water,  and  anoint  the  eyes  with  it,  bv  which 
means  they  find  attonifhing  relief.  All  over  Kathay« 
they  make  ufe  alfo  of  the  leaves  of  another  plant, 
called  Tfchiai  Tfcbin  (Chincfe  tea)  which  grows  chiefly 
in  the  province  called  Katfchianfu.  The  dried  leaves 
of  this  plant  are  boiled  in  water,  and  of  this  dccodliori 
they  take  fafting  a  cup  or  two  as  hot  as  poffible ; 
when  it  is  looked  upon  to  be  very  fcrviccable  in  head- 
ati^f^  fevers,  complaints  of  the  ftomach,  rheuma- 
tifm,  and  feveral  pther  difeufcs  i  but  particularly  in 
the  gout. 

With  regard  to  th?  road  which  leads  from  Succuir 
and  Kampicn  to  Conftantinoplc,  Hadfchi  Mehemet  rc- 
lates.>  that  going  thither  with  the  caravan,  he  had 
taken  a  road  quite  difFerent  from  that  by  which  he 
returned  ;  for  juft  as  he  was  ready  to  fet  out  with  the 
CMivan,  on  his  way  homewards,  the  Tartars  with 
t^„  green  caps  (who  thence  are  called  Jefchil-Bafch)'"^ 
had  refolved  to  fend  an  ambafl'-idor  with  a  nunx-rous 
retinue  to  Conftantinopie  to  the  Grand  Turk,  through 
the  defart  part  6f  Tartary  to  the  northward  of  the 
Cafpian  fea,  for  the  purpofe  of  concluding  a  treaty 
pf  alliance  with  the  Turks  againft  the  Sophi,  their 
mutual    enem?.     Foiefeeing   now   many    advantages 


^T  .'  Ufljfcks  »•<  caHed  Jtfclilhafch  (i.  e.  GieenheaHs)  on  account 
of  the  gieen  vsps  which  they  wear  in  their  turbans,  in  like  manner  a» 
t\,^  Pe  finns  on  ti  count  of  the  led  bonnets  in  their  turbans,  are  calle<l 
Kifilbaj^b  (or  Kcdhcad?).  . 

therein. 


*:■  f^y 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       147 

therein,  even  fetting  afidc  that  of  the  road,  he  had 
nndertaken  the  journey  with  them  as  far  as  KafFa 
(in  Crimea) ;  but  if  he  had  co.ne  back  with  the 
caravans,  he  mud  have  pafltrd  through  the  follow- 
ing places.  At  the  fame  time  he  remarked,  that 
the  length  of  the  road  was  meafurcd  by  days  jour- 
nies,  confiding  of  eight  farfengi  (parafangs)  each, 
and  each  of  thefe  again  were  C(<mputed  to  be  equal 
to  three  Venetiiin  miles,  (of  whuh  latter  58  or  59 
jnake  a  degree.) 

Kampion  (Kampltion,  Kampicion,  or  Kantfchcu, 
in  the  province  of  Srhenfi,  on  the  river  Etzine- 
Moren)  is  a  large  city,  furrounded  with  a  thick 
double  wall,  filled  up  with  earth,  and  fituated  in  a 
fertile,  well-cultivated  plain.  The  houfes  arc  of 
brick,  two  or  three  dories  high,  and  elegantly  paint- 
ed. The  temples  are  magnificent,  being  built  with 
free- done,  and  ornamented  with  idols  of  a  gigantic 
fize,  gilded  all  over,  and  fome  fmailer  ones,  having 
fix  or  feven  heads  and  ten  hands,  each  hand  holding 
a^fcrpent,  a  bird,  a  dower,  or  other  fimilar  devices. 
The  inhabitants  are  numerous,  are  extremely  fkilful 
jn  done-mafonry,  and  have  very  large  blocks  of 
ftones  brought  them  from  the  quarries,  on  waggons 
with  4.0  wheels,  drawn  by  five  or  fix  hundred  horfes 
or  mules  each.  Their  long  garments  are  made  of 
black  cotton,  and  in  winter  arc  lined  with  wolf's  or 
(beep's  furs.  But  the  people  of  rank  make  ufe  of 
fable  and  marten  furs  for  this  purpofe.  Their  hats, 
which  are  black,  are  pointed  at  the  top  like  fu- 
gar-loaves.  White  is  with  them  the  colour  for 
mourning.  They  are  not  tall.  They  make  ufe  of 
prefixes  for  printing  their  books.  From  this  city  of 
Kampion  to  Gauta  (Ganta,  Kenta)  it  is  fix  days 
journey,  and    but   five  from   Gauta  to  Sur'uir''^  (ac- 

♦This  Sncetiir^  which  has  alfo  bem  mentiorcd  before  at  page  170, 
in  Marco  Polo's  accouni  of  his  travel-,  at  that  tirnc  I  look  for  the  city  of 
Smck^  or  Sutk,  on  the  river  Sudy  vhich  dilchargc?  itielt  info  the  ri-  er 
Pegu,  to  the  northward  ot  Tihet,  and  10  the  foutliward  of  K^tencr  1  but 
by  this  relaii'.n  o^  Hmlfchi  Mehtmet,  I  am  n<iw  convinced,  ihat  we  trmd 
Jock  for  this  town  farther  to  the  north. vjid,  on  the  liver  Eit^ine  tK'r,-r^ 
perhaps  on  the  lake  Scbuk,  Suhuk^  or  Sabtk,  imo  which  the  above  riv(  r 
run*.  In  ti-'ele  parts  there  are  hiph  mountains,  and  I'everal  pieces  of  wa- 
ter, and  the  wiiole  fuuation  is  very  convenient  for  rhubail)  moumaia^, 
flic^  as  thofedcfcrihed  hj  Hadfcbi  Mchemri. 

cording 


Vi'A 


:!:  'I 


M 


VOYAGES    AN 


cording  to  Marco  Polo,  Suclcur).     From  Succuir  you 

fo  in  15  days  to  Kamui  {zUsiS  Khamul,  Kamil,  Hami), 
[umi,  Khami,  Camexu),  Here  the  habitations  of 
the  Mahometans  begin,  and  thofe  of  the  Idolaters 
terminate.  From  Katnul  to  Turfan  (Tnrfan)  it  is  13 
days  journey.  From  Turfon  they  went  through  three 
towns,  the  Hrft  of  which,  named  Cbialis  (Goez  calls 
it  Chaiis,  it  is  alfo  called  Cialis)  is  10  days  journey 
from  thence  }  the  fecond  is  called  Chuchi  (according 
Goez,  Kufcha)  at  the  didance  of  10  days  more  \ 
and,  laflly,  Acfu  (Akfu,  the  white  river)  20  days 
journey  farther  on.  Irom  Acfu  io  Qafcar  (Chafcar^ 
CafTar,  Kafchar,  Haficar)  it  is  20  days  journey 
through  a  horrid  defart,  but  till  then  they  had  pa(« 
fed  through  inhabited  regions.  From  Cafcar  it  is  25 
days  journey  to  Samarkand \  from  Samarkand  to 
Bothara  (Bokkara)  in  Corajfam  (Khorafan)  five;  and 
from  Bochara  to  Eri  (Heri,  Herat)  20  days  journey. 
From  Eri  to  Veremi  {Varami  to  the  fouth-eait  of 
Kalbin,  in  Iiakadfchemi)  one  may  travel  in  15  days  1, 
from  thence  to  C/7^^/n  (Kafbin)  it  is  fix  }  from  Qajthm 
to  Soitania  (Sultania)  four;  and,  finally,  «from  SoU 
tanin  to  Taurii  (Tevris,  Tebriz)  which  is  a  largo 
town,  it  is  fix  days  journey. 

From  this  circumitaniial  relation  of  Hadfchi  M*' 
bemet  we  learn,  that  the  genuine  Rhubarb  plant  is 
not  the  Jfihium  palmatumt  as  it  is  even  now  fr^* 
quently  fuppofed  to  be  ;  and  we  are  induced,  on  the 
contrary,  to  credit  the  information  given  us  by  M. 
Pallas,  relative  to  this  (ubiedL  We  alfo  find,  that 
to  cultivate  Rhubarb  in  IDurope  to  advantage,  we 
mult  look  for  a  foil  in  a  mountainous  country,  wa- 
tered by  a  number  of  rivulets ;  it  (hould  have  a  ftra- 
turn  of  flone  under  it,  and  perhaps  contain  Iron. 
A  foil  if  this  kind  may,  in  all  probability,  be  cafily 
found  in  tjie  lofty  mountains  of  Mansfield,  Halber- 
ftadt,  and  of  Silefia  ;  as  likewife  in  Upper  Silefia. 
Laftly,  we  alfo  learn  from  the  preceding  account,  of 
how  great  a  confcquence  it  is  to  the  gooilnefs  of 
Khubarb,  that   the  roots  be  dug  up  exactly  at   the 

propec 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      449 

proper  time,  and  that  the  proper  methods  of  clean- 
jing  and  drying  it  be  purfued.  Perhaps  the  infor- 
mation here  given  may  Trvc  to  promote  the  culture 
of  Rhubarb  in  Europe,  and  likewif^  Germany,  and 
particularly  in  the  Pruffian  territories.  Finally,  thefe 
relatione;  fcrve  to  eftablifh,  with  greater  preciiioa 
than  before  the  fituation,  of  the  places  lying  between 
the  Cafpian  Sea  and  the  Chinefe  wall* 


III.  Of  the  Gothic  Language. 

IN  page  97  and  170  the  reader  will  find,  irr  the 
narratives  of  Ruyjbroek  and  yofaphat  Barbaro^  an  ac- 
count of  fome  Goths  in  the  Crimea,  who  fpoke  a 
language  rcfcmbling  the  German.  This  has  been 
confirmed  by  Bujbeck  and  Father  Mo}mdorf\  and  the 
former  even  gives  us  a  very  confiderable  lift  of  Go- 
thic words.  In  the  year  1779,  the  learned  Profefibr 
SemmieTy  in  a  frftal  Programma,  explained  and  iU 
luftratcd  a  feftival  celebrity  of  the  Court  of  By- 
zantium, called  TO  roTGIKON.  In  the  twelve  days 
between  Chriftmas  and  the  feftival  of  the  Epiphany, 
a  number  of  people,  drefled  in  a  ftrange,  uncouth 
imanner,  reprefenting  Goths,  advanced  in  two  dif- 
ferent parties,  and  walked  in  proceflion  in  tha  Empe- 
ror's prefencc,  and  finally  fang  a  fong  in  the  language 
of  their  own  country  {tium  fitXot)  accompanied  by  the 
Pandure.  Upon  this,  Conftantine  Porphyrogcneta, 
in  his  Book  de  Ceremoniii  aula  Byxantinte^  p.  223, 
cites  fome  foreign  (bunding  words,  which,  in  all  pro- 
bability, conftituted  part  of  the  tiMtoi  fux^.  At  page 
224  i<nd  25,  there  is  added  a  Ai|<*8»  rm  u  rat  Fcr^tKut 
ntvfuvc*i'{or  a  Di«itionary  of  the  words  fung  in  the  Go- 
thic) j  together  with  another  explanation  of  thcfc- 
words.  Thefe  are  doubtlefs  by  a  more  modern  hand, 
and  give  the  explication  of  Gothic  words  from  t' a 
Latin,  the  Greek,  and  even  the  Hebrew ;  therefore 
we  cannot  rely  greatly  on  thefe  explications.  Dr. 
^cmmler,  in  the  Programma  mentioned  above,  gives 

it 


Mk 


mM^ 


250 


VOYAGES    AS9 


it  as  his  opinion,  that  all  thefc  words,  without  any 
diftindion,  are  Latin.  As  much  as  I  rcfpc<£l  the 
uncommonly  extenfive  and  withal  folid  erudition  of 
this  great  literary  Genius,  yet  I  cannot  be  perfuad- 
ed,  by  the  arguments  he  adduces,  to  look  on  the 
whole  of  this  compofttion  as  Latin,  efpecially  as 
Conftantinc  exprcfsly  intitles  it  •ntu$¥  ftif^tf^  a  domcf- 
tic  (i.  e.  a  Gothic)  long.  Kodinus  fays,  that  in  htS 
time,  at  the  Court  of  Hyz&ntium,  the  Waringers  at 
Chriftmas  h  J  paid  their  duty  to  the  Emperor,  and 
wiflicd  him  health  and  happinefs  in  their  own,  i.  e« 
in  the  Engliih,  tongue  (iy*A««-j).  Anbther  party,  viz, 
confifting  of  Wardariotians,  likewife  paid  their  com- 
plicients  in  their,  viz.  in  the  Perftan  language  (Ti^rir*). 
Confequcntly  it  appears  th.it  we  may  conclude  from 
hence,  that  it  was  confidercd  as  an  addition  to  the 
magnificence  of  the  Court  feftivals  for  people  of  fo- 
reign nations  to  wiflj  the  Emperor  joy  in  their  own 
languages.  Hence  I  fufpe6t,  that  the  words,  cited 
by  Coiiftantlne,  arc  Gothic  ;  and  as  thefe  words  are 
fung  by  two  choruflTes,  it  came  into  my  head  that 
poffibly  the  Gothic  words  might  occur  in  this  re« 
lique  of  antiquity,  tranflated  into  another  language. 
Moreover,  it  appeared  to  me,  that  agreeably  to  what 
ProfefTor  Semmler  has  already  (hewn  us^  there  is  ac« 
.  tually  a  great  number  of  Latin  words  in  it;  and  the 
rather,  as  I  found  that,  previoufly  to  this  conjedur^ 
of  mine,  the  fecond  interpreter  of  the  words  ha4 
placed  them  on  oppoCte  fides,  as  though  they  had 
been  actually  fung  by  two  choruffes.  1  therefore 
thought  it  might  be  worth  while  to  examine  intp 
this  fragment  of  the  Gothic  tongue,  and,  as  far  as 
it  was  poffible  to  be  done,  to  explain  it,  As  W9 
have  fo  few  reliqucs  of  this  language,  they  are  all 
extremely  valuable.  It  appears,  moreover,  that  at 
the  Imperial  Court  of  Conftantinople  the  Gothic 
Life-Guards  made  a  pradtice  of  going  through  this 
ceremony,  as  long  as  they  actually  belonged  to  the 
Emperor's  Guards  ;  but  afterwards  the  Goths,  on  the 
one  hand,  becoming  fcarce  and  difficult  to  be  procured, 
and  on  the  other,  having  lolt  likewife  their  reputation 
for  valour,  the  Imperial  Body  Guard  was  chofen  from 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       i^i 

the  Franks  and  Waringians,  Saracens,  Pcrfians,  Far- 
ffanians,  Chazarians,  and  other  nations,  as  the  late 
Profeflbr  Reiflce  has  already  (hewn  in  his  Note<i  upofi 
Conftantine  Porphyrogeneta.  That  in  copyinj;  lucli  a 
mimber  of  words  from  one  or  more  foreijin  Ian- 
guaccs,  fome  mirtakcs  muft  necefliirily  have  been 
committed,  few  of  my  readers,  who  have  at  all  at- 
tended to  this  fubjedt,  will  be  ^Ipofed  to  doubt.  We 
Vvill  therefore  firrf  place  all  the  words  one  after  ano- 
ther, and  then  fet  about  arranging  and  explaining  them 
in  the  manner  in  which  it  appears  probable  that  they 
ivcrc  fung  by  the  two  choruuc^. 

yttuHatt'    Pavxf'     flyiK/iiiUf'     tcytit'    yeevottTtt'    tXxytZtvitit' 

JVKIfTy?"     XyitC'    €«»«•      0^«'     TKTB*     €«»/£?•     /?6*U  C.f^O^i'    ilftT- 

uvic>lt('   tiiff-tc><Zxliii'     tuftc'   hv('  ^£«;'    ri^xKtiici'    t»*x    yv- 

In  the  fame  order  in  which  the  words  {land  here, 
they  are  placed  in  the  explications  above-mentioned^ 
fomc  'fmall  aberrations  excepted. 

ykv^eiii  is  in  my  opinion  Gothic,  and  tranflated  int« 
Latin  in  the  next  word  ficyxf.  Godsy  or  Goda^ 
in  the  Gothic  language,  is  the  German  worj 
Quty  «ind  the  Englifh  Good.  In  certain  dia- 
lects of  this  tongue  the  o  is  pronounced  as 
au  in  German  *  [or  ot4  in  Englifh)  and  there- 
fore founds  like  Gauds.  This  could  not  be 
written  otherwife  by  a  Greek,  than  Gauzaf 
with  a  z;  and  confequently  it  is  properly 
tranflated  by  Lonai  or  bona. 

^i»»«,  is  alfo  written  ?<«  The  weck^  in  the  Anglo- 
Saxon,  is  called  vooccy  or  tt/V,  which  comes 
from  the  Gothic   word  wik,  a  feries  or   or- 

*  The  word  IVautd  itfelf  is  in  FnylKK  wrj,  fn  German  mert  \, 
farther,  the  Cmhic  wore!  Dtiur  is  in  Englifh  dm,  and  in  Oerrrun  Tkor  ;, 
and  Dattilsy  ijjjnifying  dead  in  the  (Joihic,  in  Dutch  is  JcoJ,  tna  in  Cct- 
fOia  t$dt. 

der. 


m 


":.-n 

■'(  Mm 

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i 

kim 

ihi 


m 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


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■^  1^    12.2 

^  m  ™^ 

12.0 


18 


1.25      1.4 

1.6 

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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


s. 


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V 


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VOYAGES    Afcb 


der  of  things  which  return  in  conftant  rota- 
tion :  /8<«>j  therefore  is  wike,  or  week.  The 
Latin  correfponding  with  this,  has  only  Xi*?. 
or  probably  ht? ;  and,  in  my  opinion,  Z 
(hould  be  prefixed  to  this  latter  word  j  fo 
that  wi^e  is  tranflated  by  feptem  dies. 

«y<«Y«u^tii?£;    fhould   be  lead  thus,   etiyw/»uttv   rty  or  T«y, 

and  fignifies  /fecial  good  days,  sAwtji  €a»*  Jiw. 

pMfTVi.  In  the  Gothic  language,  as  well  as  in  the 
Englifh  and  modern  German,  the  fyllable  un^ 
prehxed  to  a  word,  imparts  to  it  a  fignifica- 
tion  contrary  to  that  which  it  otherwife  bears  r 
e.  g.  unable,  unfeeling  in  our  own  language, 
and  in  the  Gothic  we  have  unagein,  without 
fear  ;  unbairands,  unfruitful  i  unbarnahs,  child- 
lefs  J  uttbruija,  ufelefs  ;  ungalauhjands,  unbe- 
lieving, &c.  and,  in  the  prefent  cafe,  unkau- 
ytdas,  evxtf^TK^,  without  trouble  or  Jhrroiv,   hap" 

pily,  in  good  time.     €ov«  et^x,  bona  hora. 

N.  B.  The  ctyicc  put  here  after  »yxe§lt<5  is  not 
to  be  found  in  the  firft  interpreter,  and  is 
probably  redundant. 

»*T»  C«vT85  fhould  perhaps  be  rOAA  BANSTANS,  Goda 
banjiansy  or  ban/lins^  good  crops,  or  barns  j 
bona  horrea,  jiovec  v^^tx  inftead  of  Qtm  ec/M^t. 

ivifKvxnti.  The  Latin  words  immediately  following 
this,  viz.  t^t  (r«PL/3«Ttt5,  which  Profeflbr  Semm- 
ler  very  properly  reads,  vide  Salvatos,  muft 
be  ufed  here  for  the  pi!»'pofe  of  afcertaining 
the  Gothic  ;  and  though  it  requires  a 
confiderable  change  in  the  letters,  we  can- 
not read  otherwife  in  the  Gothic  than  «-«<x, 
fee,  vide  j  as  the  Greeks  could  not  exprefs  the 
Gothic  q.  or  qu,  otherwife  than  by  their  x, 
and  after  «-«<i6,  Aau^r?,  or  Xxva-ntfy  which  to- 
gether make  fxtx.  >^xv(nrtt,  behold  the  faved, 
fitti  <rx}£xm. 


vttya 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      255 

tmx  ^i«wf .  I  explain  this  firft  by  the  fubfequent  Latin, 
which  here,  indeed,  is  Jiirf  triC*,  but  fhould 
doubtlefs  have  been  written  ^us  vn^Ztit  Deus 
ferva,  God  fnve^  or  preferve.  Now  this  in 
the  Gothic  might  be,  ?»i»  A»vrn,  Fana  laufei  \ 
as  the  copyill  probably  not  well  knowing 
what  to  make  of  the  ancient  digamma,  took 
it  for  an  N  ;  and  the  A  in  Axvm  is  eafily 
miftaken  for  a  A.  But  Fana  laufei  fignifies 
Lord  or  God  preferve. 

Ktjtit  vHvx.  In  the  exprefTion  ^ivfieit^vyyv  immediately 
following,  Profeflbr  Semmler  thinks  he  de- 
fcries  the  word  Domino,  or  rather  as  it  appears 
to  me,  Dominutn ;  and  the  phrafe  **/3i«  m*»  n 
probably  the  Gothic  quivaiz  Fana  ;  which 
means  the  Lord  alive.  S<>^«»«»  viavr  Dominutn 
vivum  (fc.  Deus  ferva). 

^iM  yvt$Xvi.  The  Latin  following  this  fhould  be  ywCt 
<A«5S?,  jube  hilares  ;  consequently  the  Gothic 
might  poflibly  be  written  /8*a««  yyg,A«f?,  wilja 
jubilons,  bidding  them  be  merry  j  or,  as  the 
Italians  would  fay,  giubtlare. 

This  fpeclmen,  I  hope,  will  ferve  to  convince  many 
cf  my  readers  that  the  ftrange,  uncouth  words  above 
cited,  are  to  be  confidered  as  a  collection  of  fuch  Go- 
thic and  Latin  acclamations  as  were  at  that  time  in  ufc 
at  the  Byzantinian  Court. 

If  we  had  time  fufficient,  and  were  any  confiderable 
advantage  to  be  expefted  from  it,  I  am  apt  to  believe  it 
would  be  poflible  likewife  to  reftore  and  explain  the 
few  remaining  words.  In  the  mean  time  this  fragment 
of  the  Gothic  language  Ihews  clearly  enough,  that  even 
in  the  tenth  century,  the  Gothic  words  of  this  feftival 
were  not  entirely  configned  to  oblivion,  though  at  the 
fame  time  the  Goths  in  the  Crimea  were  no  longer 
much  known.  Thefe  people,  however,  have  conti- 
nued 


t. 


r.  ?  ti  I 


<'f    '  ; 


*   K 


244 


Voyages  ani> 


nued  to  exift  even  to  thefe  our  days  ;  a  circumflancft 
which  naturally  excites  in  us  an  ardent  wifli  that,  under 
the  protection  and  aufpices  of  Catherine  II.  the 
learned  may  be  enabled  to  fearch  in  the  Crimea  for 
the  remnants  of  this  celebrated  nation  and  language* 


I  I' 


BOOK 


SISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      255 


BOOK        III. 


«F    THE    DISCOVERIES    MADE    IN   THE 
NORTH   IN   MODERN    TIMES. 


^'r-l 


GENERAL    OBSERVATIONS. 

TH  E  ftate  of  improvement  in  which  Europe  was 
with  refpeit  to  knowledge  and  general  informa- 
tion, the  extenfion  of  commerce,  the  liberty  beftowed 
on  bondfmen  and  flaves,  the  progrefs  of  induftry  in 
the  towns  and  cities,  the  almoft-independency  of  their 
internal  government  j  the  riches,  power,  and  confe- 
quence  which  thefe  towns  in  Germany,  Italy,  and  the 
Netherlands,  had  acquired  chiefly  by  commerce  and 
navigation  ;  the  improvements  made  in  the  adminiftra- 
tion  of  juftice,  and  the  confequent  decreafe  of  the 
right  claimed  and  exercifed  by  every  individual  of 
avenging  his  own  wrongs  ;  the  gradually  encreafing 
power  of  the  Kings  and  Princes,  and  their  endeavours 
to  annihilate  the  influence  of  the  higher  order  ofvaflale;, 
and  of  the  Nobility,  in  matters  of  Government ;  the 
eftabli{hment  of  (landing  armies  in  France  and  Italy, 
and  the  neceflity  arifing  from  thence  to  augment  the 
revenues  of  the  ftate  by  all  polfible  means  ;  all  thefe 
circ-^mftances  had  produced  a  great  alteration  in  all 
the  forms  of  Government  in  Europe.  The  thougl\ts 
of  all  the  European  Princes  were  entirely  bent  on  thtir 
own  aggrandizement,  and  that  either  by  new  con- 
quefts  or  by  the  augmentation  of  their  power  in  their 
own  ftatcs.  Portugal  had  fo  early  as  in  1250  driven 
the  Arabian  Princes  out  of  their  native  countries ;  and, 
in  order  to   prevent  the  MAuritanl;4n  Arabs  from  en- 

tfnnii 


"'(  s  : 


25^ 


VOYAGES     Ariij 


tering  Into  any  confederacy  with  thofe  that  ^ill  rdJ 
mained  in  Spain,  and  thus  caufing  frefh  difturbancesj 
the  Portuguefe  went  over  to  the  coaft  of  Mauritania^, 
where  now  Fez  and  Morocco  are,  and  there  endeavour- 
ed to  do  as  much  injury  as  poflible  to  the  enemies 
(as  they  were  called)  of  the  Chriftian  religion;  and 
having  conquered  Ceuta  in  the  year  141 5,  fortified 
feveral  harbours  fituated  in  the  vicinity  of  it  on  the 
fhores  of  the  great  Weftern  Ocean.  A.  D.  1418, 
Jobn  Gonjalez  Zarco,  and  TriJIan  Vaz^  after  having 
weathered  a  violent  Itorm,  difcovered  an  ifland  which, 
on  account  of  the  afylum  it  fo  happily  afforded  them, 
they  called  Porto  Santo.  It  was  impoffible  to  be  in 
Porto  Santo  without  feeing  Madeira,  in  cafe  the  wea- 
ther was  fair  i  and,  failing  to  the  ifland  which  had  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  cloud,  they  called  it,  after  the  faint  of  the 
day  on  which  it  was  difcovered,  St.  Lawrence,  and 
Ihortly  after,  on  account  of  the  great  number  of  foreft» 
that  were  upon  it,  Madeira.  1  o  thefe  forefts  they  fet 
fire  in  1420,  and  cultivated  fugar  with  great  fuccefs 
on  the  fpot.  1  he  Infant  of  Portugal,  Don  Henry 
thirfting  after  ftill  greater  difcoveries,  and  at  the  fame 
time  very  well  verfed  in  geographical  knowledge,  as 
far  as  it  extended  in  thofe  times,  fent  out  Gonfah 
Velho  Cabral  for  the  purpofe  of  making  new  difcoveries 
to  the  weftward.  "J  he  firft  difcovery  he  made  in  this 
voyage,  which  he  undertook  in  1431,  was  that  of  a 
few  barren  rocks,  which  from  the  continual  motion  of 
the  fea  by  which  they  were  furrounded,  he  took  oc- 
cafion  to  call  las  Formigas  (the  Ants)  and  foon  after 
he  defcried  the  ifland  of  St.  Maria,  which  in  the  year 
1432,  having  had  a  grant  of  it  from  the  Infant  Don 
Henry,  he  peopled  and  ftocked  with  cattle. 

At  this  period  it  was  that  Antonio  Gonfalez  was  fent 
out  with  two  caravels,  a  kind  of  fmall  fhip,  to  the~ 
coaid  of  Africa,  on  new  difcoveries.  Hitherto  it  had 
been  the  practice  to  feize  upon  the  tawny  Moori(h 
Mahometans     that    were    caught    wandering    up   and 

down 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTI 


257 


dering  up  and  down  in  that  quarter  of  the  globe, 
and  to  fell  them  for  flaves,  as  being  enemies  of  the 
Chridlan  faith  ;  but  in  the  year  1442  fome  of  thefe 
prifoners  were  redeemed  by  their  relations,  who  gave 
in  exchange  for  them,  not  only  other  negroes  who 
were  of  a  quite  black  complexion,  and  had  woolly 
hair,  but  alfo  a  certain  quantity  of  gold  duft.  From 
this  time  forward,  the  defire  of  difcovering  the  gold 
country,  and  that  from  whence  the  negroes  caroc, 
encreafed  daily.  In  1443,  Nunno  Trijian  difcoveied 
Cape  Arguin^  or  Akaget^  and  the  Jlland  of  Cranes 
{llha  de  Garzas).  The  next  year  was  feen  the  ifland 
of  St.  Miguitl  (or  St.  Michael)  one  of  the  Azores. 
Lanzorote  took  a  great  great  number  of  prifoners  on 
the  coaft  of  Africa,  and  Cadamo/io  made  the  difco- 
very  of  the  river  Gamhra.  A.  \j.  1445,  another  of 
the  Azores,  or  (Hawk-Iflands)  was  difcovered,  which, 
from  the  circumftance  of  its  being  the  third  ifland 
difcovered,  was  called  Terceira,  In  the  fame  year 
Denys  Fernandes  difcovered  a  promontory  covered 
with  frelh  verdure,  thence  called  by  him  Capo  Verde, 
and  alfo  the  Capo  Verde  IJlands,  which  lay  over- 
againll  it.  Between  that  period  and  the  year  1449, 
the  reft  of  the  Azores,  St.  George,  Graciofa,  Fayat, 
and  Pico,  had  alfo  been  difcovered  j  for  thefe  four 
iflands  being  partly  feen  from  Terceira  in  fair  weather, 
it  was  impofHble  for  them  to  have  .remained  much 
longer  undifcovered.  After  the  death  of  the  Infant 
Don  Henry,  the  ifland  of  Fayal,  which  was  named 
fo,  not  after  the  beech-trees  which  grew  on  it,  but 
after  a  new  fpecies  of  myrica  (myrica  Faya)  was 
made  a  prefent  of  by  Ifabella,  Duchefs  of  Burgundy, 
to  Jobji  Von  Hurter,  by  the  Portuguefe  called  Jos: 
de  Utra,  and  Hura,  a  native  of  Nuremberg ;  King 
Alphonfo  V.  having  before  made  a  prefent  of  this 
ifland  to  the  above-mentioned  Duchefs,  who  was 
his  After.  Hurter,  who  had  become  connefted,  by 
marriage,  with  the  illuftrious  Portuguefe  family  de 
AlacedOf   Wfcnr,    in    1466,   with  a  colony  of  more 

S  than 


r 


.  f  niHt  -•' 


?■  ^m 


a; 


Wl^'t' 


258 


VOYAGES    AND 


than  2000  Flemings  of  botli  fexes,  to  his  property, 
the  ifle  of  Fayal.  The  J^uchcTs,  though  at  a  time 
when  the  nation  was  afflitStcd  both  with  a  burdcn- 
fome  war,  and  a  great  deaith,  had  provided  the  Fle- 
mifh  emigrants  with  all  neccflaries  for  two  years, 
and  the  colony  very  foon  encreafed  there.  In  the 
year  1472  fome  attempts  were  made  liitewife  to  peo- 
ple the  Capo'  Verde  iflunds  ;  and  the  year  before  the 
iflands  of  San  Tomajfo,  llha  do  Principe^  and  Anho-boriy 
had  been  difcovercd,  together  with  the  coaft  of  Gut- 
neoy  and  particularly  the  Gold  Coajl,  Guinea,  on 
Martin  Beha'trri%  globes,  was  alfo  denominated  Genea  ; 
and,  according  to  Leo  Africanui  *,  it  was  called  by 
the  Arabians  Gheneoa^  and  bv  the  negroes,  Genni. 
1  he  fituation  of  this  golden  country  was  kept  fecret 
by  the  Portuguefe  with  as  much  care  as  that  of  the 
tin-country  had  formerly  been  by  the  Carthaginians  ; 
notwithftandii.g  which,  the  French,  contrary  to  all 
probability,  pretend  to  have  been  io  early  as  in  1346, 
or  at  Icuft  in  1364,  from  Dieppe^  along  the  weftera 
coafl  of  Africa,  quite  to  Delia  Adina^  on  the  coaft 
of  Guinea,  The  great  profits  accruing  to  Portugal 
from  the  bees-wax,  ivory,  oftrich  feathers,  negro 
Haves,  and  particularly  from  the  gold  of  this  coun- 
try, determined  King  John  II.  to  fend,  in  148 1, 
twelve  (hips  to  this  coaft,  under  the  coiimnnd  of 
Don  Diego  d^ Azetnbuya,  and  to  build  a  fort  there  for 
the  protection  of  commerce,  which  fort  was  called 
St.  George  del  la  Mina.  A.  D.  1483,  Diego  Caniy  or 
jfaiob  de  Cano,  and  Martin  Behaim,  from  Nurem- 
burg,  fet  fail  with  two  caraurls  for  the  purpofe  of 
making  new  difcoveries.  (This  Martin  Bebaim  mar-' 
ried  afterwards  at  Fayal,  about  the  year  i486,  'Johan- 
na dc  Macedo,  daughter  of  the  Chevalier  ycvji  von 
Hurter,  and  in  1479  had  a  fon  by  her  named  Martin). 
Firft,  they  found  the  country  of  Benin.,  where  there 
grows  a  kind  of  fpice,  which  was  pretended  to  be 
pepper,  and  which  was   tranfportcd  in  great  quanti- 


*  Let  Afrii.  p.  3^5.  Ed.  Elzevir,  i5o. 


ties 


i-' 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        259 

tits  to  Europe.  This  fpice^  however,  it  muft  be 
obferved,  was  no  other  than  the  grains  of  Paradife 
(amomum  grana  Paradift).  They  are  alfo  called 
Graines  de  maniguettej  or  malaguette.  After  this,  in 
1484,  they  lighted  on  the  coaft  of  Congo.  The 
Portugucfe  continued  exploring  the  whole  of  this 
coaft  with  great  diligence  and  attention.  Bartholo' 
meo  Diaz,  with  three  (hips,  failed  farther  to  the 
fouthward  than  any  of  his  predeccfTors,  and  at  length 
got  fo  far  that,  in  i486,  he  defcribed  the  fouthern- 
moft  promontory  of  Africa,  which,  on  account  of 
the  violent  ftorms  that  prevailed  therfe,  he  called  Cabd 
de  tados  los  Tormientos',  but  which  the  King  cf  Portu- 
gal, who  was  now  in  hopes  of  foon  making  a  much 
greater  difcovery,  viz.  of  finding  a  new  route 
to  India,  called  Cabo  di  bona  Efperanzd,  The  re- 
nown and  advantages  which  the  Portuguefe  had  ac- 
quired by  the  above-mentioned  voyages  induced  ma- 
ny perfoiis,  well  verfed  in  mathematics  and  naviga- 
tion, to  endeavour  to  participate  in  thefe  difcoveries. 
German?,  in  particular,  Netherlanders,  and  Italiansj 
were  intent  on  acquiring  by  this  means  fkill,  fame, 
and  opulence.  A  Jacob  van  Brugge,  and  a  IVilJjelni 
von  Dagora^  which  latter  afTumed  the  name  of  Sihei^ 
ra,  both  Netherlanders^  peopled  fome  of  the  Azores 
iflands.  Job/}  von  Hurter,  and  Martin  Behdim,  both 
natives  of  Nuremberg,  were  Lords  of  Fayal  and  Pico, 
Antonio  de  Nolle,  an  Italian,  difcovered  St.  JagOi 
one  of  the  Capo  Verde  iflands^  of  which  he  alfo 
afterwards  was  Governor ;  and,  in  like  hianner, 
Jean  Baptijle,  a  Frenchman,  became  proprietor  of 
Mayo,  another  of  thefe  iflands.  Bethencourt,  a  French 
gentleman,  was  the  firft  who  took  pofleffion  of  the 
Canary  Ifles  j  and  foreigners  of  all  nations,  confpi- 
cuous  for  their  rank  in  lifei  knowledge,  arid  entcr- 
prizing  fpirit,  mixed  with  the  Portuguefe  adventurers 
in  every  undertaking.  Now,  although  the  Portuguefe 
did  not  permic  other  nations  to  take  pofleffion  of 
the  lands  they  had  difcovered  by  their  unwearied  zeal^ 
At  a  vaft  expence,  and  by  undergoing  fo  many  dan^ 
gers,  yet  they  were  in  no  ways  averfe  to  allow  fuch 
foreigners  as  chofe  to  enter  into  their  fcrvice,  and  to 

S  2  incorporate 


1^ 


mc 


,  V 


y 


■ 

■■B|.|J 

^M 

^^^B'l 

■ 

^Hl|l 

1 

^■hI 

1 

^^^K'    H>4 

I 

B^l^iji 

»     1! 


2^0 


VOYAGES    AND 


incorporate  with  them  by  manying  into  Portugucfc 
fatnilics,  to  fljarc  with  them  the  profits  of  their  ex- 
tenJive  difcoverics. 

All  the  (hips  which  the  immortal    Don  Henry  fent 
on  thefe   voyages    were   in  part  provided  with    good 
pilots,   who  underAood  Geography,    Aftronomy,  and 
Navigation,    to    the   full  extent    of    that   degree  of 
perfection   to  which  thefe  fciences  had  been  brought 
at   that  time.     He  had    alfo  taken  care   to  have  all 
the  young  nobility  in    his  fervice  inftru6ted  at  Ter- 
naubel-i  near  Sagre^  in  Algarva  ,  in   geography,  navi- 
gation, and   in    the  art   of  laying   down  charts   and 
maps,  by  a  very  fkilful  mathematician  of  Maljorca^ 
for  whom  he   had  fent  for  this  purpofe.     In  confe- 
qucnce  of  this,  all  the  difcoveries  were  laid  down  on 
maps ;  and   accordingly  we  find,  that  when  Pedro  di 
Coviliam^  and  Jlonfo  de  Payva^  fct   out  for   the  pur- 
pofe of  making  new  difcoveries,  A.   D.   1487,  they 
took  with  them  a  map  of  the  globe  which  had    been 
drawn    by  Galfadilla^  Bifhop   of  Vifeii^   an  extraordi- 
narily fkilful    mathematician.      John    II.    King    of 
Portugal,  ordered  his  two    body-Phyficians,    Roderic 
and  Jofeph^  together  with  Martin   Behaim^  who  were 
all    three  excellent  mathematicians  for  thofe   times, 
to  invent  fomething  by  which  the  courfe  of  a  ihip, 
and  the  particular  place  ihe  is  in  at  fea,    might  be 
determined  with   greater  certainty   than  before.     In 
compliance  with  this  charge  they  made  improvements 
in  the  aflrolabe,  which  till  that  time  had  been  ufed 
only  with  a  view  to  aftronomy,  fo  that  it  could  be 
likewife  ufed  for  the  purpofe  of  navigation.    It  is  alfo  a 
well-known  fadt,  that  when   Martin    Behaim    went 
to  Nuremberg  in  1492,  in  order  to  vifit  his  relations, 
he  made  a  globe,  upon  which  l.e  laid  down  all  the 
regions   and    countries  known  at  that  period  :  from 
this  globe  we  learn,  amongft  other  things,  that    he 
was  of  opinion    that,  in  failing  farther  to    the  weft- 
ward,    one    might    at   length     come   to    Kathayy    or 
North  China,    and  to  Ciparigu,    or    Japan  ;    hence, 
too,  we    find    drawn  upon    this   globe  the    Greater 

and 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       261 

and  Lejjer  Java,  and  the  iflands  of  Ku^.'lyn  aivl  Jn^ 
gama,  defcribcd  by  Marco  Polo.  Now,  agiceaMy  to 
this  opinion,  which  was  farther  confirm'  d  by  the 
circumftance  of  exotic  fruits  having  been  oftrn  calt 
on  (hore  at  the  Azores  by  the  currents  and  wcftc  "i 
winds,  even  a  boat  with  the  corples  of  people  of  a 
ftrange  and  unknown  country  having  been  once 
brought  thither  by  them,  it  feemed  more  than  barely 
probable  that  there  mu(l  be  an  inhabited  country  tu 
the  weftward,  which,  however,  was  all  along  fup- 
pofed  to  be  India.  A  Genoefe,  Chnjiopho  Colom  by 
name,  who  to  a  confiderable  (hare  of  mathematical 
and  cofmographical  knowledge,  joined  great  ikiil  in 
navigation,  had  been  a  long  time  in  Portugal,  and 
had  married  Philippina  Afnia  Perejlrella^  the  daughter 
of  Bartholomeo  Perejirelloy  who  had  been  one  of  the 
firft  that  contributed  to  fettle  Porto  Santa  and  Madei- 
ra, It  was  impoflible  for  him  to  have  been  igno- 
rant of  the  important  difcovcrics  which  the  Portu- 
guefe  had  made  vi^ith  fuch  envied  fuccefs.  He  rnuft 
alfo  necflarily  have  been  acquainted  with  the  pre- 
vailing notion  of  thofe  times,  viz.  that  in  failing  to 
the  weftward  a  (hip  muft  inevitably  at  length  arrive 
at  the  Indies.  He  therefore  requefted  King  John  II. 
of  Portugal,  to  let  him  have  fome  (hips  to  carry 
him  to  the  ifland  of  Cipangu  (or  Japan)  of  which 
there  was  fome  account  in  the  writings  of  Marco 
Polo.  The  King  referred  him  to  Diego  Ortiz,  Bi- 
(hop  of  Ceuta,  and  to  his  two  Phyhcians  Rodcric 
and  yofephy  all  of  whom  looked  upon  the  opinion 
commonly  entertained  concerning  the  fituation  of 
Marco  Polo's  Ifland  of  Cipangu,  to  be  vifionary,  and 
confequently,  feeing  but  little  plaulibility  in  Co- 
Jom's  pUn,  abfolutely  rejected  his  petition.  Colom, 
who  was  a  man  of  a  determined  difpofition,  and  not 
eafy  to  be  (haken  111  his  refolves  by  fuch  refufals  as 
thefe,  quitting  Portugal,  where  they  did  not  chufe 
to  accept  his  propofals,  went  himfelf,  in  1484,  to 
Spain,  and  fent  his  brother  Bartholomeo  to  England, 
in  order  to  make  the  fanie  propofals  to  King  Heii- 
X^  Vn.    Puring  the  f^ace  of  feven  years  Cbrijiopber 

Colom 


K      ) 


M«il 


^63 


VOYAGES    AND 


Colom  follicitcd  the  Court  of  Spain  for  afliftance  in 
the  execution  of  his  great  plan,  and  met  with  no- 
thing but  tedious  delays.  His  brother  had  in  the 
mean  time  been  plundered  by  pirates,  and  was  de- 
tained in  prifon.  In  1488  he  made  King  Henry  a 
prefent  of  a  map  of  the  world,  drawn  up  by  him- 
fclf.  Henry  VII.  a  Prince  of  unbounded  avarice, 
and  by  no  means  fit  for  great  enterprizes,  fufFercd 
Barthohmto  to  depart  the  kingdom  without  doing 
any  thing  for  him,  when  this  latter  immediately 
went  to  Charles  VlII.  at  Paris,  who  gave  him  the 
firft  intelligence  of  his  brother  Chrijhpber's  important 
difcovery. 

In  the  mran  time,  Chrtjiopher  Cohni,  wearied  out 
with  fruitlefs  attendance  and  deluded  expectations, 
was  juft  on  the  point  of  leaving  Spain.  He  (bid, 
however  to  make  one  more  trial,  and  not  receiving 
expeditioufly  enough  the  wifhed-for  anfwer,  fct  fail 
in  order  to  go  to  his  brother  in  England.  In  con- 
fequcnce  of  the  conquell  lately  made  of  Grenada, 
and  of  the  earneft  follicitations  of  two  of  her  cour- 
tiers, men  of  enlarged  views  and  unprejudied  minds. 
Queen  Ifabella  was  at  length  determined  to  grant  a 
iupply  of  thefcanty  fum  of  ao,ooo" guilders  for  the 
fervice  of  this  expedition.  A  boat  was  now  fent 
after  Colom  ;  accordingly  h^  went  afliore  again,  and 
^n  agreement  was  concluded  with  him  in  dye  form. 
Colom  fet  fail  from  Palos,  in  Spain,  on  the  3d  of 
Auguft,  A.  D.  1492,  and  the  next  fpring,  on  the 
15th  of  March,  returned  to  Palos^  with  important 
news  of  forhe  iflands  having  been  difcovered  by  him. 
Gold,  cotion,  and  pimento  pepper,  together  with  a 
great  number  of  parrots  of  variegated  plumage,  and 
Tome  rare  and  uncommon  animals  ;  as  alfo  feveial  in- 
habitants of  the  ifland  Haiti  (or  St.  Domingo) 
which  he  brought  with  him,  exhibited  inconteHible 
proofs  of  his  difcovery.  The  attention  of  all  Europe 
was  no\v  turned  to  this  great  event.  There  were  many 
who  were  likewlfedeftrous  ofiharing  in  the  honours  of 
having  difcovered  new  countries  ;  among  thefe  was 
Amerigo  Vcfpucciy  whp  had  feen  the  mainland  of  the 
rew-lound  countries,  if  not  btfore,  at  leuft  foon  after 

Cbrijiopher 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       263 

Chn/iopber  Colonic  anJ,  by  fomc  fmgular  effi^ft  of 
cliaiice,  the  whole  of  this  extcnfivt.'  quarter  of  the 
globe  has  been  called,  after  him,  America,  Finally, 
about  the  fame  time,  viz.  in  the  year  1496,  Vofco 
Gama^  failinc;  round  the  Cape  de  todos  los  'Tormientos 
(or  rather  de  bona  E [per <inza)  arrived  fafe  in  the  Ealt- 
Indies.  Now  there  arole  an  emulation  between  the 
Caftilians  and  the  Fortugutfc,  of  extending  their 
difcoveries  continually  farther  and  farther,  and  of 
rendering  them  Hill  more  profitable  and  important. 
At  D.  1500,  Pedro  Alvarez  Cabral  failed  for  the 
Indies,  and  defcribcd  by  chance  a  large  coalt  which 
he  called  the  Land  of  the  H'jly  Crojsy  and  which  ac 
prcfent,  after  the  name  of  a  certain  wood  whicli 
dyes  red  (a  name  prcvioufly  to  this  period  knovva 
to  the  Arabians)  *  is  called  Rrafd. 

For  a  long  time  after  this  it  was  not  known  that 
the  extcnfivc  continent  newly  difcovercd  was  any 
other  than  the  Indies.  It  was  in  procefs  of  time, 
however,  found  out  that  a  coaft,  extending  as  this 
did,  many  hundreds  of  miles  to  the  northward  and 
to  the  fouthward,  could  not  poilibly  be  that  of  the 
Indies;  and  Vafco  Nunnez  de  Balbao  having  at  leii'^th, 
viz.  A.  D.  1 5 13,  defcried  the  ocean  again  beyo/id 
the  ifthmus  of  Manama,  there  was  no  farther  doubt 
about  the  matter.  Portugal  in  the  mean  time  de- 
rived immenfe  trcafurcs  from  the  Indies,  and  Spain 
fcemed  to  have  enriched  herfelf  no  lefs.  All  Europe 
muft  necellarily  have  contemplated  thia  acctflion  of 
wealth  and  power  with  afloniflimcnt  and  diflatisfac- 
tlon.  Spain,  the  Netherlands,  a  great  part  of  Italy, 
and  in  Germany  the  Auftrian  hereditary  dominions, 
were  now  all  united  in  the  perfon  of  the  Emperor  Charles 
V.  and  the  treafures  of  the  Weft-Indies  encourao-ed 
and  enabled  him  to  ufurp  in  Germany  ftill  more  pow- 
er than  he  had  had  before  over  the  Princes  of  that  em- 
pire. Francis  I.  of  France,  who  ventured  to  mcafure 
forces  with  him,  was  defeated  and  taken  prifoner  near 
Pavia.  The  armies  he  made  ufe  oi  for  the  execution 
of  his  ambitious   dcftgns,    were  chiefly  compofed  of 

*  Abulfcda  Tab.  XVI.  exhibcns  Infulas  maris  Oiientalis.     Lameri^^ 
pij(trix  ligui  lirafiili  &;  canuae  Indicie. 

Spaniards, 


i 


iNI 


A'l 


264. 


VOYAGES    AND 


Spaniards,  a  nation  which  by  (o  many  bold  ejcploits, 
and  by  being  in  conftant  a£lion,  was  endued  with 
an  uncommon  degree  of  valour,  and  inured  to  hard- 
fhips  and  fatigue.  Thefe  military  operations  which 
took  place  in  Italy,  in  the  Netherlands,  and  in  aU 
moft  every  part  of  Germany,  ferved  but  the  fooner 
to  diifufe  the  treaCures  of  both  the  Indies  over  all 
thofe  countries  ;  and  both  war  and  wealth  not  only 
introduced  a  great  mixture  of  the  manners,  together 
with  the  refinements  in  luxury  of  foreign  nations, 
but  likewife  gave  rife  to  fimilar  attempts  in  all  the 
Princes  of  Europe  to  oppofe  the  encreafing  power 
and  opprcflions  of  the  Pope  and  of  the  Emperof,  by 
the  improvement  of  their  finances,  by  {landing  ar- 
mies, and  by  the  undaunted  fpirit  which  thefe  cir- 
rumltanccs  were  calculated  to  infpire.  The  diffe- 
rent nations  of  Europe  began  now  to  vifit  each 
other  more  than  ever  ;  and  their  refpeilive  Sovereigns 
courted  the  friendlhip  even  of  Princes  at  a  diftarK:e, 
with  a  view  to  acquire  additional  flrength  by  means 
of  treaties,  and  to  be  the  better  enabled  to  execute 
the  plans  they  had  formed  either  of  aggrandizement 
or  defence.  Men  of  talents  and  genius  now  began 
to  feel  their  own  powers  ;  the  facred  fire  of  freedom 
was  now  lighted  up  in  every  generous  breaft,  and 
(lifplayed  itfelf  as  well  in  thought  as  in  adlion  ;  in 
fliort,  Europe  was  quite  transformed.  The  two  In- 
dies, the  fources  of  fuch  material  alterations  in  the 
conftitution  of  Europe,  became  the  obje6ls  of  the 
wiflies  cf  all  the  European  Pri.  ss,  as  well  as  of 
every  private  man  who,  to  a  competent  degree  of  (kill 
in  navigation,  cofmography,  and  aftronomy,  joining 
an  undaunted  ziid  refolute  fpirit,  fancied  himfelf 
equal  to  the  execution  of  great  enterprizes.  It  could 
not  therefore  well  be  otherwife,  but  that  in  every 
commercial  and  maritime  nation  people  fhould  bs 
found  who  offered  thcmfclves  to  go  to  the  Indies  by 
fome   new  route. 

Since  the  difcovery  of  the  navigation  to  the 
two  Indies,  almolt  all  maritime  nations  have 
made   attempts   either  to   go   to   the  Indies  by  new 

trak?, 


.*•/; 


.  -1 

.a    > 


DISCOVERIES  IK  THE  NORTH.       465 

tracks,  or  clfc  merely  with  a  general  view  to  difcover 
new  countries.  The  limits  we  have  prefcribed  to 
ourfelvcs  in  this  work,  confine  us  folely  to  the  dif- 
coveries  made  in  th  North  ;  notwithftanding  which, 
we  found  it  necei.ary  to  connedl;  the  thread  of  our 
narration  by  the  above  introduction  ;  and  fhall  only 
obferve,  in  addition  to  what  we  have  juH:  flated,  that 
the  attempts  made  to  arrive  at  the  Indies  by  a  new 
and  fhorter  route,  have  given  rife  to  many  voyages 
in  the  North.  But  many  of  thefe  voyages  of  difco- 
vcty  have  alfo  originated  in  other  caufes,  which  we 
fhall  take  occafion  gradually  ij  unfold  one  after  the 
other. 

It  wUl  be  neceflary,  however,  for  the  fake  of  or- 
der, in  treating  of  thefe  difcoveries,  to  arrange  them 
under  the  heads  of  the  different  nations  which  have 
participated  in  them;  we  Ihall  therefore  here  give  a 
brief  account  of  the  Difcoveries  made  by  the  Eng- 
liih,  Dutch,  French,  Danes,  RuCans,  Spaniards, 
and  Portuguefe  ;  and  conclude  the  whole  with  fomc 
general  phyfical,  zoological,  botanical,  mineralogi- 
cal,  and  anthropological  Obfervations,  and  with  a 
few  words  concerning  the  probability  there  is  of  get- 
ting through  the  Northern  Seas  into  the  great  Pa- 
cific Ocean.  * 


;;:i;J 


'"W 


I  <  I* 


Major  rerum  mihi  naftitur  ordo.- 


-VlRCII.. 


CHAP. 


I. 


Of  the  Difcoveries  made  hy  the  Enp;Iifh  in  the  North. 

ENGLAND,    in  the  reign   of   Henry  VII.  after 
the  lofs  of  all  the  countries  which  the  Kings  of 
England  had  poffeffed  in  France,  and  the  long  civil 
war    that   lubfifted   between   the  Houfes  of  Tork  and 
Lancajiert  was  ftill  in  a  very  weak  (late.     The  timo- 
rous. 


L  IB 


f  I 


(>  \( 


266 


VOYAGES     AND 


ill 


rous,  miftruftful,  and  (Economical  difpofition  of 
Henry,  contributed  in  a  fpecial  manner  to  the  pre-* 
fervation  of  tranquillity  at  home  and  peace  abroad. 
In  confequcnce  of  this,  commerce  and  manufadures 
incrcafcd  greatly,  and  London  contained  merchants 
from  all  parts  of  Europe.  The  Lombards  and  the 
Venetians  in  particular  were  remarkably  numerous, 
fo  that  even  a  ftreet  in  London  was  named  after  the 
former  of  thcfe  people.  The  Eafterlings  from  the 
Hanfe-towns  likewife  did  a  great  deal  of  bufincfs 
there.  Thedifcovcry  of  the  Weft-Indies  by  Chrijio^ 
pher  Colom  in  1492,  made  a  great  rumour,  and  firft 
created  a  wifh  for  a  voyage,  by  which  fimilar  difco- 
veries  might  be  made, 

I.  At  that  time  there  lived  in  London  a  Venetian, 
by  name  yoJ^n  Cabota^  or  Cabot,  who  had  three  fons 
with  him,  Lewis,  Sebajiian,  and  Snnches.  Sebajiian 
was  but  young,  but  had  neverthelefs  made  great  pro- 
grefs  in  the  Belies  Lettres,  and  efpecially  in  the  doc- 
trine of  the  fpherc,  that  is  to  ii.'^,  in  every  fcienco 
fubfervient  to  the  rrathematical  knowledge  of  the 
earth  and  to  navigation,  ^ebajlian,  hearing  of  the 
fuccefs  of  Colom,  was  infpired  with  a  defire  of  like- 
wife  acquiring  renown  by  fimilar  enterprizes  ;  and 
King  Henry  VIL  in  1495,  or  1496,  impowered  tho. 
father  and  his  three  fons  to  fail,  under  the  royal  flag, 
with  five  fhips  to  the  Eaftern,  Wefterri,  and  North- 
ern Seas,  and  there  find  out  fuch  countries  and  iflands 
belonging  to  the  Heathen,  as  had  not  before  been 
difcovered  by  any  Chrifti^n  power.  In  the  13th  year 
of  this  King's  reign,  "John  Cabot  obtained  permiffion 
to  fail  with  fix  fliips,  of  2C0  tons  burthen  and  under, 
on  new  difcovcrics.  He  did  not  fail,  however,  till 
the  beginning  of  May,  1497,  and  then,  by  his  own  . 
account,  had  but  two  Ihips  fitted  out  and  flocked 
with  provifions  at  the  King's  cxpcnce;  but  the  mer- 
chants of  Briftol  ftnt  with  him  three  or  four  fmall 
veflels  laden  with  coarfe  cloth,  caps,  and  other  trifling 
wares.  He  failed  for  fome  time  without  feeing  any 
land  at  all.  His  crew  was  k-ginning  to  murmur, 
when  at  length,  for  fear  of  a  mutiny,  he  lleered  more 
to  the  fouth-wcft,  and,  after  fome  time  longer  failing. 


DISCOVERIES  m  the  NORTH.      267 

jOn  the  24th  of  June,  dcfcried  fome  land,  to  which, 
alluding  to  this  circumftance,  he  gave  the  name  of 
Prima  Vijid',  and  which  the  tnglifh,  making  ufe  of  a 
word  of  fimilar  import,  called  Newfoundland.  Other 
authors  remark,  that  he  met  with  many  large  moun- 
tains of  ice,  that  he  found  the  days  lengthened,  and 
the  countries  he  vifited  free  from  froft.  Some  fay  he 
went  to  67  deg.  30  min.  N.  lat. ;  others  reckon  his 
moft  northerly  track  to  have  been  to  58  deg.  N.  lat. 
He  himfclf  informs  us,  that  he  reached  only  to  56 
deg.  N.  lat.  and  that  the  coaft  in  that  part  tended  to 
the  eaft.  This  fecms  hardly  probable,  for  the  coaft 
of  Labrador  trends  neither  at  56  deg.  noc  at  58  to 
the  eaft,  and  at  67^  deg.  is  the  coaft  of  Greenland. 
I  fhould  therefore  fuppofe  that  Sehajiian  Cabot  had  the 
firft  fight  of  Newfoundland^  off  Cape  Bona  V'ljla.  Pe- 
ier  Adartyr's  account  fays,  that  Cabot  called  the  ncw- 
difcovered  land  alfo  Baccalaos,  from  the  circumftance 
of  his  having  found  there  an  immciife  quantity  of 
large  fifties,  which  the  inhabitants  called  Baccalaos. 
This  word  Baccalaos  is  by  the  inhabitants  pronounced 
with  the  Spanifti  double  //,  Baccaljaos,  whence  the 
Germans  and  Dutch  have  taken  their  term  of  Kab' 
liljau,  bearing  the  fame  fignification.  This  inclines 
me  to  fuppofe,  that  Prima  Vijla^  the  firft  land  difco- 
vered  by  Cabot,  was  thf  headland  in  Newfoundland, 
which  is  ftill  called  Cape  Bonavi/la^  and  this  conjec- 
ture is  ftill  farther  confirmed  by  the  fituation  of  the. 
ifland  of  Baccalao^  which  lies  not  far  from  thence. 
The  inhabitants  that  Cabot  met  wiih  here  vveredrcflcd 
in  the  fkins  of  animals  j  he  likewife  faw  fcveral  flags 
and  white  bears,  which  ufcd  to  catch  the  Baccalaos 
fifti  in  the  fea.  He  alfo  found  at  this  place  black 
hawks,  with  partridges  and  eagl  s  of  the  fame  co- 
lour ;  and  remarks,  that  the  inhabitants  there  had  a 
great  quantity  of  copper. 

Having  refreflied  himfclf  and  his  crew  here,  he 
failed  to  the  fouth-weftward,  till  he  was  nearly  in 
the  fame  latitude  as  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  and  in 
the  fame  longitude  as  the  Ifland  of  Cuba.  Accord- 
ing to  this  remark  of  Peter  Martyr^  Stbajlian  Cabot 
(nuft  have  been  about  as  far  as  Chefapeak  Bay  in  Fir- 

^iiiia. 


I  (  k  ' 


ft68 


VOYAGES    AND 


ginia.  He  was  now  obliged,  through  want  of  pro* 
vifions,  to  fet  out  on  his  return,  when  he  took  along 
with  him  three  inhabitants  of  Baccalao,  or  New- 
foundland. But  great  preparations  being  made  at 
that  time  for  a  war  with  Scotland,  it  did  not  appear 
at  all  probable  to  him  that  any  ufe  would  be  made  of 
his  difcovery  j  he  therefore  went  into  the  fervice  of 
Spain,  where  he  was  made  Piiote  Mayovy  and  ex- 
plored the  coaft  of  Brafil,  and  the  river  Plata;  after 
which  he  undertook  fome  other  voyages  in  the  fer- 
vice of  Spain.  In  a  writ  of  King  Edward  VI.  iflueti 
out  in  I549»  one  Scbajiian  Cabot  was  alfo  promoteci 
to  be  Grand  Pilot  of  England,  With  a  falary  of 
l661.  13s.  4d,  per  ann.  fterling  :  but  if  it  be  the 
fame  perfon,  he  muft  at  that  time  have  been  very 
old. 

II-.  We  do  not  find,  that  fince  this,  during  the 
reign  of  Henry  VII.  and  in  that  of  Henry  VIII, 
any  great  c.;terprifes  and  voyages  to  the  North  were 
undertaken.  The  avaricious  difpofition  of  the  former 
prevented  him  from  any  new  undertakings  after  the 
firft  expedition  of  Sebaftian  Cabot,  who,  in  fadt, 
although  he  had  difcovered  a  great  extent  of  land, 
reaching  from  the  56th  to  the  36th  degree  of  north* 
crn  latitude,  had  brought  home  no  treafures  in  gold 
and  filver,  which  alone  were  coveted  in  thofe  days  ; 
neither  was  the  turbulent,  voluptuous,  proud,  and 
cruel  difpofition  of  Henry  VIII.  any  great  encourage* 
ment  to  men  of  abilities  and  enterprize  to  undertake 
voyages  of  difcovery,  and  thereby  expofe  themfelves 
to  the  King's  fickle  and  tyrannical  temper  in  cafe  of 
inifcarriage,  as  fuch  expeditions  depend  merely  on 
wind  and  weather,  and  may  eafily  turn  out  unfortu- 
nately. After  his  deceafe,  came,  in  1548,  a  Sebaf- 
tian Cabot,  who  was  not  only  appointed  Grand  Pilot 
of  England,  but  was  allowed  befides,  a  falary  for 
life  of  1 661.  13s.  4d.  in  conjideraticn  of  the  good  and 
acceptable  fervice  done  and  to  be  done  by  him.  This 
exprefiion  feems  to  indicate,  that  this  Sebajiian  Ca- 
hi  was  the   fame  pcrfoi^  as,  fo  long  ago  as  in  1497, 

h<id« 


had, 


young 

have 

born 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      a6^ 

had,   with  his  father,    yohn  Cahot^    made  the  difco- 
very  of  North-America,  Newfoundland,   and  Terra 
di    Laborador.     By  his   own   account   he  was  very 
young  at  that  time  :  let  us  therefore  fuppofe  him  to 
have  been  22  years  old  in  1497  ;  confequently  he  was 
born   A.  D.   1475,  and  of   courfe   in   1548    was  73 
years  of  age.     Now,    if  Sebajiian   Cabot ^  or  Gavota, 
had  been  a  young  man,  and  different  from   the   firft 
^\{covt,xtx  {z%  Per e  Bergeron  fuppofes   in  \iy%Traite  des 
Navigations^  chap,  x.)    he   would  have  gone  himfelf 
upon  the  voyage  we  are  about  to  mention  :  but  even 
his   rank  as  Governor   of  the  Society  of  Merchants 
aflbciated   for  the   purpofe  of  making  difcoveries  of 
unknown  lands,  dominions,  illands,  and  other  places, 
ihews  that  he  muft  have  been  at  this  time  a  man  of 
great  experience,  and   in  a  very  refpedtable  fituation. 
It  is  therefore  probable,  that  either  from  difcontent, 
or  fome  other  caufe,  this  Sebajiiait  Cabot  had  quitted 
the   Court  of   the   Emperor   Charles   V.    in   Spain, 
and   returned    to   England.     In   the    reprefentations 
he  made  on  this  fubje^t,  he  endeavoured  to   prove, 
that  it  was  poffible  to  find  a  way  by  the  nt)rth-caft  to 
Kathay  and  India,  in  cafe   any  one   undertook  the 
voyage. 

A  Company  of  Merchants  formed  an  afTociatlon, 
at  the  head  of  which  he  was  placed.  This  Society, 
in  the  year  1553*  •  fent  out  three  ihips  under  the 
command  of  Sir  Hugh  fVilloughby,  Knt.  for  the  pur- 
pofe of  making  difcoveries.  In  the  month  of  June 
they  got  as  far  as  Halgolandy  the  birth-place  of  Oh- 
ther:  going  farther  on,  they  arrived  at  Roji,  where 
^irini  had  wintered,  and  proceeding  farther  ftill, 
at  Lafot  and  Seynam  (Senju).  Diredly  after  this,  the 
Edward  Bonaventura^  commanded  by  Capt.  Richard 
Chancellor,  was  feparated  from  the  Admiral's  fhip  by  a 
ftorm.  The  Admiral  foon  after  defcried  land,  but 
could  not  land  on  it,  on  account  of  the  ice  ar  ' 
the  fliallownefs  of  the  water.     He  fuppoftd  it  to  be 

160 


■■■'!!'•' 

I 

■ 

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Iff 

\\nii 

'W- 

^  •■'■!« 

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Ifi 

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M    S3 


Mi 


17© 


Voyages  and 


160  leagues  diftant  from  Seynam,  in  the  dire£liort 
of  eaft  by  north,  and  in  72  degrees  north  lat.  Con- 
fequently  it  muft  have  lain  to  the  eaft  of  Kola,  Per- 
haps this  Und  was  the  coaft  of  NovaZembla,  or  the 
iiland  of  Kolgow.  Sailing  now  again  to  the  weft,  he 
came  i*  length  to  a  river  and  harbour,  where  he  de- 
termined to  winter.  But,  not  having  a  fuificient 
quantity  of  wood  for  fuel,  and  being  perhaps  attack-' 
ed  by  the  fcurvy,  they  all  periftied ;  though  it  ap- 
peared, by  the  papers  they  left  behind  them,  that  they 
were  ftill  alive  in  the  month  of  January  1554.  The 
account  fays,  that  the  river  or  harbour,  in  which 
Sir  Hugh  Willoughby  anchored,  was  called  Arzina* 
A  river  of  this  name  is  found  in  Rufllan  Lapland, 
between  Kola  and  the  cape  which  the  Ruffians  call 
For,  that  Willoughby  faw  Spitzber- 
at  all  probable ;  though  Wood  aflert* 
the  moft  fouthern  part  of  Spitzbergen 
in  77   deg.  N.  lat.  and    confequently 


Swjatoi-Nofs 
gen,  is  not 
that  he  did ; 
being  at  leaft 


four  or  five  degrees  more  to  the  North  than  IVillough' 
iy*s  Land. 

As  foon  as  Willoughby  had  got  fight  of  this  land, 
the  Bona  Confidential  Capt.  Durforth^  was  feparated  in 
another  ftorm,  and  returned  to  England.  The  Ed- 
ward Bonaventurei  under  the  command  of  Richard 
Chancellor,  arrived  at  the  harbour  of  St.  Nicholas,  af. 
the  mouth  of  the  Dwina^  and  Chancellor  went  to 
Mofcow  to  the  Czar  Ivan  Wajfielewitfch.  The  Grand 
Dukes  had  till  then  been  obliged  to  fufFer  very  much 
under  the  yoke  of  the  Tartars.  But  now  they  had 
entirely  fliaken  it  o?i,  and  Ruffia  was  no  longer  di- 
vided and  parcelled  out,  as  it  had  been  before, 
amongft  a  number  of  petty  Princes,  but  had  now 
one  fole  Sovereign,  the  Grand  Duke,  who  confe- 
quently was  a  Prince  of  confiderable  power.  This 
country  bordering  upon  no  other  Chriftlan  countries 
but  Poland,  Livonia,  and  Sweden,  and,  on  the  con- 
trary, having  for  neighbours  to  the  fouth,  the  Turks, 
7'artars  Perfians,  and  other  favage  nations,  the  mer- 
chants  Oi     the    Hanfe-towns    took    great   advantages 

over 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       iyt 

•ver  thert)h  in  tnattqrs  of  commerce.  It  could  not 
therefore. but  have  been  very  agreeable  to  Ivan  lVaJftele», 
fjuitfcli  to  fee  theEnglifh  arrive  in  his  dominions.  Ac- 
cordingly he  made  them  the  moft  ample  offers,  grant- 
ed them  great  privileges,  and  treated  them  with  much 
kindnefs  and  friendfhip.  Richard  Chancellor  fold  his 
cargo,  and,  taking  in  other  commodities  in  lieu  of 
thoTe  he  had  difpofed  of,  returned  in  the  year  15549 
with  a  letter  from  the  Czar  Ivan  IVaJJielewitfch,  to 
England,  where  at  that  time  King  Edward  VI.  be- 
ing dead,  Qi":en  Mary^  his  fifter,  fat  on  the  throne. 

III.  The  profits  refulting  from  this  firft  naviga- 
tion to  RufTia,  made  the  trading  company  {lill  more 
eager  to  turn  this  fortunate  event  and  the  friendly 
difpofition  of  the  Grand  Duke  Ivan  Wajftelewitjchy 
to  the  beft  advantage;  Queen  Mary  and  her  confort, 
Philip,  King  of  Spain,  were  therefore  pleafed  to 
grant  to  the  Company  of  Merchants  Adventurers  for 
Difcoveries  in  the  North,  North-eaft,  and  North- 
weft,  a  charter  with  many  privileges,  under  their 
Governor  Sebaftian  Cabot.  Their  Majefties  wrote 
likewife  a  letter  to  the  Grand  Duke  Ivan  WajfteU' 
w'ttfcby  and  empowered  Richard  Chancellor,  George  Kil' 
lingworth,  and  Richard  Gray^  to  treat  with  the  Grand 
Duke  about  the  commercial  privileges  and  immuni- 
ties which  he  might  be  pleafed  to  grant  to  this  new- 
ly-chartered trading  Company.  The  fhips  which  fet 
fail  with  thefe  Plenipotentiaries,  and  with  a  (xtih 
cargo  of  merchandize,  were  the  Edivard  Bonaventure 
before-mentioned,  and  the  Philip  and  Mary.  They 
were  very  kindly  received  by  Ivan  Wajfielevjitfch^  and 
having  .obtained  from  him  a  grant,  with  very  exttn- 
five  privileges,  difpofed  very  profitably  of  their  cargo 
at  Kolmogori,  Wologda,  Mofcow,  and  Great  Nowgorcd. 
Thus  the  Englifh  Company  was  at  once  richly  re- 
warded for  their  enterprize  of  finding  out  a  fhort 
way  to  the  Indies.  I'hey  continued,  however,  to 
give  commiffion  to  their  mariners,  to  make  diligent 
refearches  after  the  way  to  India  and  to  Kathay. 

'.        .  In 


1 1  !».■;  I 


r 


,272 


VOYAGES    AND 


In  the  ^car  i'>56,  the  fame  two  fhips,  under  the 
command  of  Richard  Chancellor^  returned  from  the 
Dwina  and  the  Bay  of  St.  Nicholas,  to  England. 
In  the  mean  time  intelligence  had  been  received  con- 
cerning the  two  fhips  loit  on  the  firft  voyage,  and 
the  Botia  Efperanza^  as  well  as  the  Bona  ConfidenUa^ 
fet  out  alio  on  their  return  home  with  rich  cargoes. 
The  Grand  Duke,  Ivan  Waflielewitfch,  had  dif- 
patched  by  thefe  (hips  an  Ambaflador,  with  his  reti- 
nue, to  England.  But  of  all  thefe  fhips  only  ore 
got  back  to  England  j  all  the  others  were  loft.  Ri- 
chard Chancellor  peri(hed,  and  the  Ambaflador  Ofep 
(Jofeph)  Nepea,  with  the  greatcll  difficulty  faved  his 
life  on  the  coaft  of  Scotland,  where,  however,  he 
fuftained  a  very  confiderable  lofs  in  clothes,  articles 
of  merchandize,  and  prefents.  As  foon  as  this  be- 
came known  in  England,  the  AmbafTador  was  fent 
for  to  London,  where  he  was  received  with  great 
magnificence ;  the  Company  made  him  feveral  rich 
preients,  and  fent  him  back  to  Ruffia  in  1557,  in 
their  own  fljips.  On  his  audience,  he  was  very  po- 
litely received  by  the  King  and  Queen,  and  their 
Majcfties  gave  him  fome  prefents  to  take  over  with 
him  to  the  Grand  Duke.  1  hus  fhips  continued  to 
go  every  year  toRuffia,  where  they  carried  on  a  very 
extenfive  and  proHtable  trade,  which  Dantzick  and 
the  other  Hanfe-towns  endeavoured  to  obftru6l  as 
much  as  poffible. 

IV.  A.  D.  1556,  the  Company  fent  out  a  pinnace 
under  command  of  Stephen  Burroughs  or  Burrow^ 
who  had  been,  with  Richard  Chancellor^  in  the  capa- 
city of  Matter,  in  his  firft  voyage  in  the  year  1553. 
This  veffel,  merely  dcftined  for  difcoveries,  was  nam- 
ed the  Searchthrift.  At  their  departure  the  Go- 
vernor of  the  Company,  Scba/lian  Cahta,  paid  them 
a  vifit,  and  is  called,  in  the  relation  publiftied  of 
the  voyages,  the  good  old  Gentleman,  This  feems  to 
be  a  very  evident  proof  that  this  Sebajlian  Cabot 
is  the  fame  with  him  whi  had  difcovered  New- 
foundland, and  who,  if  at  that  time  he  was  22 
years  old,  at  this  latter  period  muft  have  been  81. 
Burroitgh  went  to  the  coaft  of  Norway,  faw  Lafot  and 
the  North  Cape,  which  latter  he  had  named  thus  on  his 

firft 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


^n 


firft  voyage  in  the  year  1553*  ^"^  ^'  length  came  to 
Cola,  From  thei^.ce  he  went,  in  company  with  fome 
fmall  Ruflian  veflels,  or  lodjes,  as  far  as  Kanyn-Nofs^ 
or  Kanda'Nofu  Immediately  after  one  is  paft  the  cape 
of  this  ifland,  one  finds  the  caft,  north-eaft,  and  north 
winds  prevail  more  and  more.  After  this  he  arrived 
at  30  leagues  E.  N.  E.  from  thence,  at  the  harbour 
of  Morfchiowez  (Morzowets)  in  68  deg.  20  min.  N. 
lat.  From  thence  he  failed  25  miles  to  the  eaftward, 
and  at  the  diftancc  of  eight  leagues  in  the  N.  by  W. 
found  the  ifland  of  Colgoive  (Kolgow  ojhow).  After 
this  he  came  ?^  Swetimtz  (Swjaetoi  Nofs) ;  from 
whence  he  foon  arrived  in  the  dangerous  mouth  of 
the  Petfchora.  The  whole  land  here  confifted  of  low 
fandy  hills.  At  length  he  reached  Nova  Zembla  (New- 
land)  and  the  iflands  of  Waigats  *.  But  Burrough, 
finding  it  impoflible  to  advance  any  farther  on  ac- 
count of  the  north-eafterly  winds,  and  the  great 
quantity  of  ice,  and  moreover  the  nights  beginning 
already  on  the  22d  of  Auguft  to  be  very  dark, 
determined  to  return,  and  to  fpend  the  winter  in 
Colmogori 'i  though  the  Ruffians  laid  much  to  him  in 
favour  of  the  mouth  of  the  river  Ob^  and  concerning 
the  great  quantities  of  morfes,  (or  fea-horfes),  to  be 
met  with  there.     Jn   Nova   Zembla   they   faw  not  a 


kll' 


*  JVaygatty  according  to  the  opinion  of  fome  learned  men,  takes  its 
name  from  the  Dutch  wjaiVn,  i.  e.  to  hloio,  to  be  windy ^  andjja/,  i.  e. 
a  hole  or  ilrait,  and  is  c:\\\*:d'wa4iagaty  becaafe  in  thefe  Units  the  wind 
blows  with  great  violence.  But  as  thefe  ftraits  were  already  called 
fVaigats  by  Burroughs  before  the  Dutch  had  feen  them  -,  and  moreover, 
as  the  Englilh  had  already  heard  the  nameS  of  Nova  Zembla  and  ff^aigats^ 
from  one  Lojbak^  a  native  of  Ruflia,  this  name  mull  be  rather  of  Ruflian 
than  of  Dutch  origin.  Barent%  found  afterwards  on  N-.nja  Zembla  fome 
carved  images  on  a  hrad-Und  near  the  ftiaits,  in  confequente  of  which 
he  called  it  Afgoeienhuek^  the  Cape  of  Idols.  Now,  in  the  Sclavonian 
tongue,  /#^<j;<j/ means  to  carve,  to  make  an  image.  l^fijati-Noffwould 
therefore  be  the  Carved  or  Image  Cafe ;  and  this  Teems  to  me  ><^  be  the 
true  origin  of  the  word  JVaigatSy  which  proptriy  ftiould  be  csUcd  Wa» 
jaidjlwoi  Proliviy  the  Image  Straits. 

*  T  human 


A    t 


jti  'sill 


274 


VOYAGES    AND 


human  being,  but  caught  a  creat  number  of  birds^ 
and  faw  foi  white  foxes  and  white  bears.  On  the 
main  land  we.  he  Samojedesy  a  heathen  nation,  who, 
living  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  river  Petfchora, 
were  even  at  that  early  period  fubjcdl  to  Ruffia,  and 
were  tolerably  peaceable  and  friendly  j  but  thofe  of  this 
nation,  who  lived  on  the  river  Ob^  were  of  a  hoftile, 
cruel,  and  ferocious  difpofition.  Having  wintered  in 
Ruflla,  he  returned  to  England  in  the  year  1557, 
and  was  afterwards  made  Comptroller  of  the  King's 
navy. 

V.  The  attempt  to  difcover  a  north-caft  paflage  to 
India  having  mifcarricd,  people  began  again  to  enter- 
tain the  hopes  of  fucceeding  by  a  north-weft  pallage. 
Accordingly,  Queen  Elizabeth  fent  Martin  Forbijher 
out  with  three  fmall  (hips  in  1567.  On  the  nth  of 
July  he  faw  land  in  61  deg.  N.  lat.  which  land  he 
fuppofcd  to  be  the  Friejland  of  Zeno  \  and  here  he  found 
a  great  quantity  of  ice.  On  the  28th  of  the  fame 
month  he  faw  land  again,  which  he  took  for  the  coaft 
of  Labrador.  On  the  ift  of  Auguft  land  again  ap- 
peared, and  a  large  ifland  of  ice,  which  the  next  day 
fell  to  pieces  with  a  dreadful  noife.  On  the  nth  he 
was  in  a  ftrait,  though  perhaps  it  was  merely  a  found. 
After  he  had  made  them  fome  prefents,  the  inhabitants 
came  on  board  the  (hip,  and  the  next  day  one  of  them 
went  on  board  in  the  ftiip's  boat,  and  was  taken  a-fhore 
again  j  but  the  five  failors  who  were  with  him,  went 
to  the  natives  contrary  to  orders,  and  neither  they,  nor 
the  boat,  were  ever  feen  again.  Upon  this,  they  feized 
on  a  native  and  took  him  along  with  them  j  but  he 
died  foon  after  his  arrival  in  England.  Amongft 
other  things  which  they  carried  home  with  them  was 
a  black,  fhining,  and  very  heavy  ftonc,  which  was  gold 
marcafite,  (Pyrites  aureus)  as  it  contained  a  confidera- 
ble  quantity  of  gold. 

VI.  The  gold  found   in  this   ftone  encouraged  the 
members  of  the  Society  to  fend  the  next  year  (1577) 
three  other  fhips.    Martin  Frobijher  was  again  Com- 
mander 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       275 

mander  in  Chief.     When  he   had  got  to  the   diftance 
of  fix  days  fail  from  the  Orkneys,  he  met  with  a  great 
quantity  of  drift-wood,   which  was  continually  driven 
forwards  with  a  current  fctting  from  the  b.  W.  to  the 
N.  E.     After  26  days    failing  in  a   welt  and   north- 
weft  dire6lion,    he   went    from   the    Orkneys    to  the 
country   which    was    by    them   taken    for     Friefland. 
Soon  after,    he   came   to  FrobiJher\  Streight^    where, 
even  fo  late  as  the  4th  of  July,   all  was  Itill  covered 
with  fnow  and  ice.      Neverthelefs   he   could  not   per- 
fuade  himfclf  that  the  cold  was  fo  intenfe  as  to  freeze 
the  fea-water,  and  fo  much  the  lefs,  as  the  diffcrejice 
between  the  tides  of  ebb  and  flood  was  above  ten  fa- 
thoms ;    indeed,   Frohijher  found  ice  at  the  diftancc  of 
upwards  of  1000  miles  from    any  land  wliatever,   and 
tliis  ice  confiflcd  of  frefh,  and  not  of  fait  water.     At 
the  fame  time  it  is  inconceivable  how  this  ice   ihould 
break  off  from  the  entire  mafs,  the  air  being  fo  (harp 
here,  and  the   rays  of  the  fun  falling  fo  obliquely,  as 
never  to  be  elevated,  even  when  it  is  at  the  higheft, 
more  than  23  degrees  30  min.  above  the  horizon.     It 
muft  therefore  have  been  either  very  rapid  llreams  and 
torrents  of  frefh   water,  or   elfe   a   high    flood,  which 
can  have  had  force  fufficient  to  detach  thcfe  enormous 
maflles  of   ice,  and  carry  them  into   the  fea.      Fro- 
bi(her,  not  daring   to   approach  nearer   with  his  ihips 
on  account  of  the  ice,  went  on  fnore  with  boats,  and 
having  examined  every  thing,   and    alfo  feized   on  a 
native  of  the  country,  he  returned  again  on  board,  and 
brought  word,    that    in  the    bowels   of  the  bare  and 
barren  mountains,  probably  great  riches  were  hidden. 
He  landed  on   feveral  other  fpots,  and  at  ^\zxy  place 
attempted  to  lay  hold  on  fome  of  the  natives  j  but  they 
fometimes    defending    themfelves    bravely    with    their 
bows  and   arrows,    fome    of  which   were   armed  with 
iron  points,   but  moft   of  them  with  fliarp  ftones  or 
bones,    the    Englifti    fired,    too,    on    theii-'-part,    and 
wounded  fome  of  them,   who  then,   in  order  to  avoid 

T  2  bt-ing 


I* 


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Igm^i.     '  :\  3^ 

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Hj   /;  i^^ 

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176 


VOYAGES    ANU 


b^eing  taken,  leaped  into  the  fea  and  drowned  them- 
felves,  an  adion  which  appeared  very  extraordinary  to 
the  Englifh,  who  intended  to  cure  their  wounds,  and 
carry  them  over  to  England.  The  Grecnlanders  ufcd 
every  art  poflible  to  be  pradlifed  in  order  to  entice 
the  Englim  to  land,  inlbmuch  that  one  of  them 
feigned  himfelf  lame,  and  got  another  to  carry  him ; 
however,  they  could  not  lay  hold  on  the  Englilh : 
thefe  latter,  on  the  contrary,  frightened  the  Green- 
landers  away  by  firing  off  their  olunderbullcs,  when 
the  pretended  cripple  ran  away  with  the  reft  very 
fwiftly,  and  without  limping  in  the  leaft.  The  Eng- 
li(h  examined  their  huts  (made  of  the  fKins  of  rein- 
deer and  the  hides  of  other  animals)  and  found  fome 
of  the  clothes  of  the  five  Englifhmen  who  had  been 
mi/Tmg  the  year  before.  They  found  alio  fome  other 
miferable  habitations  of  the  natives,  made  of  ftones 
heaped  up  together.  After  this  follows  a  defcription 
of  their  boats  for  one  man,  as  alfo  of  thofe  for  the 
women,  their  darts,  clothes,  and  furniture.  Of  two 
women  whom  they  found  there,  they  took  one  along 
with  them,  together  with  her  wounded  child  ;  the 
other  was  .left  on  the  fpot,  on  account  of  her  ex- 
treme uglinefs.  The  failors,  moreover,  fufpeded  this 
woman  to  have  a  cloven  foot  j  but  her  bulkins  being 
taken  off  her  legs,  her  feet  were  found  to  be  ex- 
a6Uy  like  thofe  of  other  human  beings.  They  then 
took  fome  more  of  the  glittering  ftones  along  with 
them,  and  fet  fail  again  for  England.  During  the 
voyage  the  Greenland  captives,  both  man  and  wo- 
man, behaved  with  great  decorum,  and  exhibited  a 
degree  of  chaftity  and  modefty  which  was  not  ex- 
pected from  vhcm.  The  Admiral's  ftiip  was  fepa- 
rated  from  the  two  fmaller  ones  in  a  ftorm,  both 
of  which,  however,  got  fafe,  the  one  into  Briftol, 
and  the  other  into  Scotland,  as  did  the  Admiral's  ftiip 
in  Milford  Haven. 

The 


DISCOVERIES  XN  the  NORTH.       277 

The  remark  of  the  author  of  Frobifticr's  voyage* 
on  the  current  which  carried  the  great  quantity  oif 
drift-wood  they  met  with,  in  a  direction  from  fouth- 
weft  to  north-cull,  has  llncc  been  frequently  confirmed. 
,For  it  is  by  this  current  that  I'o  many  Wclt-lndian 
woods  and  fruits  arc  cait  on  Ihore  in  Irchuul,  Scot- 
Jand,  the  Faro  Iflands,  the  Wcllcrn  Ilhind?;,  the  Ork- 
neys, the  Shetland  Ifi.mds,  Icchuid,  and  Norway  *  : 
and  it  is  probable  that  the  black  and  red  beans  or 
peafc,  which  were  afterwards,  in  the  third  voy?.jd;e,  found 
in  the  huts  of  the  Grecnlanders,  and  which  it  is  to 
be  prefumcd,  came  from  the  ahrus  precaiorius,  but 
were  fiippofcJ  to  be  fruits  from  Guinea,  had  been 
brought  by  the  fame  current.  In  the  fame  manner  the 
Icelanders  are  furnilhed  with  wood  for  firinti,  and  re- 
ccive  other  great  advantages,  by  means  of  this  current; 
and  other  Icafaring  people  have,  in  Nova  Zcmbla  and 
Spitzbergen,  as  alfo  in  Greenland,  and  even  on  the 
northern  ;rnd  eaftcrn  coalls  of  Siberia,  every  where 
found  great  quantities  of  this  drift-wood,  which  was 
of  great  ufe  to  them  in  building  their  dwellings,  as 
^ifo  for  Hrc-wo(Kl. 

That  this  part  of  Greenland  difcovcrcd  by  Frobi- 
iher,  which  is  iituated  more  to  the  fouthward  than  aijy 
part  of  Iceland,  or  than  Drontheim,  in  Norway,  is 
neverthelefs  far  colder  and  more  furroundcd  with  ice 
than  thefe  latter  places,  feems  chiefly  to  proceed  from 
tlie  following  circumftanre,  viz.  that  the  couniry  of 
Greenland  Itretches  very  far  to  the  northwards,  and 
is  full  of  inlets,  running  deep  into  the  country,  and 
founds,  where,  in  hard  winters,  mafles  of  ice  of  an 
afloniftiing  (ize  are  generated  by  the  mountains  of 
fnow  which  are  blown  down  from  oft'  the  high  rocks, 
and  in  the  fpring,  in  confequence  of  the  thaws,  of 
heavy  rains,  and  of  the  fea-water  dafhing  upon  them, 
are  converted  into  ice.  Thefe  mountains  of  ice  are 
torn  off"  by  the  tides  and  torrents  of  rain-water,  and 
at  length  carried  out  to  fea.     But  frequently  they  arc 


*  Works  of  the  Society  at  Droatheim,  Vol,  III.  page  13,  a8. 


»ifl|:(P 


(• 


■if" 


'■;  t 


27^ 


VOYAGES    AMD 


fo  numerous,  that  in  the  ftraits  between  Iceland 
and  Greenland  they  are  preffed  together  by  ftorms, 
and  without  previoufly  melting,  freeze  into  one  mafs 
fo  as  to  form  large  fields  of  ice  ;  particularly  if  they 
happen  to  be  formed  on  fand-banks  or  (hallows,  and 
cannot  go  any  farther;  for  they  extend  to  fuch  an 
aftoniihing  depth  in  the  water,  that  hardly  one  fif- 
teenth part  of  them  is  above  the  furface  of  it,  and 
fometimes  many  thoufand  feet  of  fuch  a  mafs  are  un- 
der water.  Now,  as  by  thefe  enormous  mountains 
and  fields  of  ice,  large  tracls  of  the  ocean  are  en- 
tirely covered  with  ice,  and  cbnfequently  no  vapours 
from  the  fea,  which  are  ufually  mild  and  damp,  can 
reach  the  land  in  Greenland,  or  at  leaft  but  in  very 
fmall  Miantities,  the  cold  muft  be  thereby  prodigioufly 
augmented,  when  in  addition  to  this,  the  north  winds, 
already  of  themfelves  fufficiently  cold,  blow  over  thefe 
immenfe  fields  of  ice,  and  in  their  courfe  are  con- 
tinually cooled  more  and  more,  till  at  laft  they  arc 
rendered  fo  cold  as  to  be  abfolutely  infupportable. 

Here  again  we  meet  with  an  inftance  of  that  cruelty 
which  has  ever  marked  the  difcoveries  of  the  Europe- 
ans. It  was  concluded  to  make  captures  of  thefe 
poor  people  at  all  events,  and  pretended  that  it  was 
defigned  for  the'r  good.  It  is  not  furprifing  that  the 
innocent  inhabitants  could  not  form  any  favourable 
conception  of  the  benevolent  views  of  their  conquer- 
ors, who  brought  devaftation  into  their  country,  and 
deftru<Stion  upon  their  families,  or  that  they  fliould  re- 
fift  their  unprovoked  attacks  ;  but  the  Europeans  gene- 
rouily  imagined  that  to  cure  them  of  the  wounds  they 
had  inflicted,  after  having  deprived  them  of  their  li- 
berty, and  perhaps  their  limbs,  was  an  ample  reward. 
Defpair,  however,  at  laft  infpired  thefe  injured  people 
with  refolution,  and  taught  them  to  prefer  death  to  the 
more  lafting  afHi(Slion  of  captivity,  and  to  the  lingering 
pains  of  their  wounds.  By  this  event  again  feme  fa- 
milies were  deprived  of  thofe  who  protected  and  main- 
tained them,  and  were  expofed  to  the  danger  of  ftarv. 
iiig  in  this  rough  and  miferable  country.     Now,  fup- 

ponng 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       279 

pofing  the  Europeans  had  the  laudable  intention  of 
doing  them  fervice,  and  of  inftruding  them  in  the 
Chriftian  religion,  yet  furely  thefe  violent  proceedings 
were  not  the  morf  likely  methods  of  effecting  their 
purpofe,  nor  could  the  religion  of  Chrift  have  any 
great  attra£lions  for  a  people  groaning  under  the  op- 
preflion  of  its  teachers  j  and  who  could  not  but  per- 
ceive their  violation  of  its  moft  fundamental  precept, 
that  of  philanthropy.  But  befides  what  the  profeflbrs 
of  Chriftianity  were  far  more  intent  upon  was,  to  pro- 
cure intelligence  whereabouts  in  that  country  gold 
was  to  be  found,  which  at  that  time  was  coveted  by 
all  the  Europeans,  a  circumftance,  which  proves  to  a 
demonftration  that  their  zeal  for  the  converfion  of  fouls 
was  all  pretence,  and  that  avarice  and  a  thirft  after 
wealth  were  the  real  motives  of  all  the  voyages  which 
were  then  undertaken,  whilft  the  cruelty  and  rapa- 
cioufnefs  by  which  they  were  diftinguiflied,  have  ftamp- 
cd  them  with  indelible  difgrace,  and  only  ferved  to 
depopulate  ftill  more  regions  already  too  thinly  peopled. 
The  modefty  and  decorum,  too,  of  the  two  Green- 
landers,  were  the  fubje6ls  of  much  ailonilhmcnt,  as 
if  chaftity  and  virtue  were  the  fole  property  and  ex- 
clufive  privilege  of  the  Europeans  and  nominal  Chrif- 
tians  i  whereas  they  are  too  often  found  in  greater 
purity  amongft  unenlightened  nations ;  and  rinally, 
what  are  we  to  think  of  Chriftians  that  could  mil- 
take  an  ill-favoured  old  woman  for  the  devil  incar- 
nate, and  were  not  to  be  convinced  to  the  contrary 
till  they  found  that  fhe  had  not  a  cloven  foot?  Men 
who  are  ftill  under  the  influence  of  fuperftition,  like 
this,  are  but  ill  qualified  to  become  leaders  of  the 
blind  ;  men  who  can  treat  with  fo  much  inhumanity 
a  people,  whom,  in  fpite  of  prejudice,  they  arc  com- 
pelled to  acknowledge  are  poflelied  of  great  and  folid 
virtues  j  furely  fuch  men  are  totally  unfit  to  propa- 
gate a  gofpel  which  only  breathes  the  gentle  fpirit  of 
Charity  and  Peace, 

AU 


M 


lit,    I  jjj 


li' 


.  I 


)<  '  ;. 


i&o 


VOYAGES    AMD 


All  the  dcfcriptions  given  of  the  drefs,  the  implfe- 
mcnts,  the  manners,  and  the  language  of  thefe  Green- 
landers,  evince  that  the  modern  Greenlanders  have 
hardly  at  all  deviated  from  their  anceftors  in  any  one 
of  thefe  particulars. 

That  at  fo  early  a  period  arrows  with  iron  points, 
and  iron  knives,  were  found  amongft  thefe  Green- 
landers,  fliews,  in  my  opinion,  that  they  are  very  care- 
ful to  hoard  up  the  iron  which  have  been  brought  to 
that  part  of  the  world  by  fhipwreck  and  other  acciden- 
tal occurrences.  It  feems  alfo  probable  to  me,  that 
they  may  have  preferved  from  generation  to  generation 
part  of  the  iron  which  their  anceftors  had  acquired  at 
the  deftruftion  of  the  Norwegian  colony.  It  is  true, 
that  upwards  of  900  years  had  elapfed  nnce  this  me- 
morable event :  yet  tiiis  piece  of  occonomy  is  by  no 
means  unlikely  ;  for  in  1773,  I  bought  in  the  ifland 
6f  New  Amjlerdam^  a  fmall  nail  that  had  been  left  there 
in  1643,  and  confequently  130  years  before,  by  Abel 
^ an  fen  Tofmann. 

VII.  Queen  Elizabeth  was  extremely  well  fatisfied 
with  the  difcoveries  of  Martin  Frobijher  j  and  the  re- 
port he  made,  as  well  as  the  probability  of  reaching 
Kathai  (China)  having  been  examined  into,  the  pro- 
fits alfo  likely  to  accrue  from  the  gold  ore  which  he 
had  brought  home,  having  been  duly  weighed  and 
confidered,  it  was  refolved,  that  in  the  new-difcovercd 
country,  on  which  her  Majefty  beftowed  the  name  of 
Meta  Incognita  (the  unknown  Goal)  a  fort  ihould  be 
built,  and  that  f6r  the  defence  of  it,  100  men,  together 
with  three  ftiips  under  the  command  of  the  Captains 
Fentony  Bcji^  and  Filpot^  fhould  be  left  there.  The 
100  men  were  to  confift  of  40  feamtn,  30  pio- 
neers, and  30  foldiers  j  amongft  which  were  alfo  ba- 
kers, goldrefiners,  carpenters,  and  other  fuch  necefl'ary 
perfons.  Fifteen  fmall  veflels  were  fitted  out  for  this 
enterp'ize,  and  the  command  of  them  was  given  to 
Admiral  Martin  Frobilher. 

They  fet  fail  from  Harwich  on  the  31ft  of  May, 
A.  D.  1578.  When  they  were  paft  Ireland,  they 
again  met  with  a  ftrong  current  fetting  from  S.  W. 

to 


ing 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       2*81 


to  N.  E.     On  the  20th  of  June,  they  difcovered  Weft 
Friefland,  which  they  now  called  IVeJi  England.     Hav- 
ing landed  there,  and  taken  poffeflion  of  it,  they  fpied 
feme  huts  or  tents,  from  the  form,  conftrudtion,  and 
furniture   of  which  they  concluded  them    to  be   per- 
fectly fimilar  to  thofe  they  had  found  in  Meta  incognita. 
The  inhabitants  took  to   their  heels ;    the  huts  were 
fearched,  and  amongft  other  things  a  fmall  box  with 
little  iron  nails  was  found,  as  alfo  fome  pickled  her- 
rings, and  fome  well-cut  deal  boards ;  whence   it  was 
concluded  thai:  thefe  people  muft  either  carry  on  fome 
trade  with  other  civili'zed  nations,  or  elfe  be  very  good 
artifts  themfelves.     Near  thefe  huts  they  alfo  faw  fome 
dogs,  two  of  which  they  took  along  with  them,  and  in 
lieu  of  them  left  feveral  prefents,    confiding   of  fmall 
bells,  looking-glaffes,  and  other  toys.     They  faw  whales 
in  fuch  fhoals  as  it  is  ufual  to  fee  porpoifes.     The  fhip 
Salamander ^    being   under    full  fail  with   a  fair  wind, 
ftruck  fo  hard  againft  a  whale,  that  the   fhock  made  the 
fhip  ftand    ftill.     The   whale   made  a  terrible  hideous 
noife,  rofe  with  his  body  and  tail  above  the  water,  and 
immediately  after  plunged  again  into  his  element.    Two 
days  after  this  they  found  a  large  dead  whale  floating  on 
the  fe^,  which  they  fuppofed  to  be  that  which  had  been 
flruck  by  the  Salamander.     They  could  not  get  into 
Frobifher's  Straits  on  account  of  the  ice,  which  the 
Admiral  took  to  be  a  collection  of  ice  formed  from  frefh 
water,  it  being  in  his  opinion  impofllble  for  the  fea  to 
freeze,  particularly  as  here  the  tides  ebb  and  flow  above 
ten  fathoms;  moreover  he  found  ice  at  the  diftance  of 
J  CO  miles  from  the  land,  which  ice  being  melted,  yield- 
ed frefh  water  without  any  fait  in  it.     Probably  the  ica 
had  been  carried  thither   that  year  by  the  eaiterly  and 
wellerly   winds,    which  were  frequent    there,  and  the 
large  flakes  of  ice  were  continually  changing  their  pofi- 
tioii,  fo   that  the  (hips  often  came  into  great  danger. 
The  burk  Dennis,  indeed  was  funk  by  a  Ihock  fhe  re- 
ceived from  one  of  thefe  large  flakes  of  ice  j  but,  hav- 


uig 
the 


fired 
(hip 


off  a 
itfclt, 


gun 


in  time,  all  the 


however,    was  loll, 


crew 

with 


was 
part 


faved  , 
of  the 
timber 


%%t 


VOYAGES    AMD 


ii  I 


timber  intended  for  the  habitation  of  thofe  who  were  t<r 
winter  there.  A  ftorm  from  the  fouth-caft  put  tlic 
fleet  into  the  moft  imminent  danger ;  for  they  were  fo 
frequently  befet  and  blocked  up  by  the  large  flakes  of 
ice,  that  they  found  it  a  very  difficult  matter  to  guard 
againft  the  repeated  fhocks  and  prefTure  of  it  j  till  at 
length  a  weft  north-weft  wind  difperfed  all  this  ice,  and 
freed  them  from  the  moft  imminent  danger.  As  they 
approached  again  towards  the  land,  the  appearance  of 
it  was  fo  much  changed  by  the  fnow  and  thick  fogs,  that 
they  could  not  in  the  lealt  diftinguifli  whereabouts  they 
were,  A  very  ftrong  current  in  a  dire6lion  from  north- 
eaft  to  fouth-wett,  carried  the  fhips  entirely  out  of  their 
courfe.  f  robiftier  was  of  opinion  that  the  caufe  of  this 
current  was  that  the  fea  flowing  conftantly  from  the  Bay 
of  Mexico  towards  Iceland  and  Norway,  and  finding  a 
refiftance  on  thofe  coafts,  as  alfo  from  a  current  com- 
ing round  the  North  Cape  from  the  Siberian  Sea  to  meet 
it,  is  repelled  with  redoubled  force  to  the  northern  coaft 
of  Greenland,  and  fo  takes  its  courfe  along  the  coaft 
from  north-eaft  to  fouth-weft. 

The  Admiral  now  fent  the  fliip  Gabriel  into  an  inlet, 
and  found  that  (he  could  go  through  it  into  Frobijher's 
StraitSy  and  round  the  ^een*s  Foreland,  which  was  an 
ifland,  again  into  thofe  Straits,  v^hich  he  had  before 
miftaken  for  Frobijher's  Straits.  He  now  explored  the 
numerous  ittands  in  its  vicinity,  and  withftood  the  mur- 
murings  of  his  crew  with  magnanimity  and  fortitude ; 
and,  after  ftruggling  a  fecond  time  againft  the  dangers 
of  the  ice  in  a  frelh  ftorm,  arrived  fafe  in  the  Coun- 
tefs  of  Warwick's  Sound.  Going  on  ftiore,  he  fearched 
for  minerals,  and  found  that  in  the  vallies  of  thofe  parts 
the  air  is  fometimes  aftoniftiingly  hot,  yet,  the  ieaft 
wind  blowing  from  over  the  ice  will  fuddenly  change 
all  this  heat  into  the  moft  piercing  cold.  Three  fhips 
had  been  miffing,  which  for  a  long  while  had  kept  out 
at  fea  in  great  danger,  but  at  laft  came  into  a  harbour, 
where  the  crew  repaired  the  ihips,  and,  by  fitting  the 
pieces  together  which  they  had  with  them  ready  for  the 
purpofe,  built  a  pinnace,  in  which  they  went  in  queft 

9f 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       183 

of  the  Admiral,  whom  they  accordingly  found.  Now 
likewife  afTays  were  made  of  the  ore  found  by  C?ptaln 
Beft,  as  alfo  of  that  difcovered  by  the  Admiral,  and  all 
the  (hips  were  loaded  with  connderable  quantities  of 
both.  At  this  time  it  was  refolved  not  to  leave  any 
body  here  for  this  year,  confidering  that  the  feafon  was 
already  fo  far  advanced,  and  great  part  of  the  timber  for 
the  dwelling  as  well  as  the  proviiions  for  the  100  men, 
had  been  lofi:.  It  had  been  determined  that  they  (hould 
fet  out  on  their  voyage  homewards  on  the  laft  day  of 
Auguft ;  but  a  violent  ilorm  obliged  them  to  fet  fail 
immediatelj  In  the  courfe  of  the  whole  voyage  they 
loft  but  40  men  in  all  the  fleet.  The  inhabitants  were 
extremely  (hy.  It  was  fuppofed  that  thefe  people  traded 
with  other  nations,  as  iron  in  bars  was  found  amongft 
them,  alfo  iron  heads  for  darts,  needles  with  four-fquare 
points,  and  copper  buttons  for  ornaments  on  the  fore- 
head, things  they  were  by  no  means  capable  of  making 
themfelves.  They  ufed  to  kindle  their  iires  by  rubbing 
two  fticks  together.  They  drew  their  furniture  over 
the  ice  with  dogs;  their  kettles  were  made,  with  great 
art  and  ingenuity  of  ftone  (viz.  lapis  ollaris).  In 
Bear-Sound  they  had  built  a  houfe  of  lime  and  ftonc, 
as  alfo  an  oven  ;  and  had  left  in  the  houfe  toys  of  dif- 
ferent kinds,  and  dolls  for  the  natives.  When  the 
Bufle  Bridgnvfiter  returned,  fhe  found  a  land  to  the 
fouth-eaft  of  Friejland^  in  57  dcg.  30  min.  N.  lat. 
along  the  coafts  of  which,  that  were  covered  vi'ith 
woods,  and  in  feme  places  with  grafs,  thej'  failed  for 
th;ee  days. 

From  the  whole  tenor  of  this  voyage  of  Frobiflier 
we  learn  his  opinion  concerning  the  origin  of  the  ice, 
which  is  found  in  fuch  abundance  in  the  northern 
icas.  Firft,  we  fee,  that  though  Sir  'John  PringUy  in 
his  (lifcourfe  addreflcd  to  Captain  Cook^  beftowed  fuch 
high  encomiums  on  him  for  having  made  ufc  of  the 
ice  iwimming  in  the  fea,  for  the  purpofe  of  providinjj 

the 


!'•'<  '1 


'  5M 


!  , 


j.^^     ^ 


i 


I; 


\)% 


284 


VOYAGES    ANV 


the  (hips  urwkr  his  command  with  frefti  water ;  yet 
nothing  is  more  certain  now,  than  that  he  was  not  the 
firft  who  knew  that  the  ice  found  in  the  fea  being 
melted  would  produce  frefli  drinkable  water;  for  Fro- 
bifher  had  aflerted  this  fo  early  as  the  year  1578,  and 
confequently  194  years  before  Cook  made  the  experi- 
ment. In  fadt,  he  had  Hackluyt  on  board  his  (hip, 
in  whofe  colledlion  of  voyages  there  is  this  very  voy- 
age of  Frobi flier's,  and  he  ufed  to  read  this  book  by 
Way  of  amufement.  Nay,  in  Haekluyt^s  work,  imme- 
diately after  this  voyage  of  Frobifher,  follows  that  of 
yohn  Davisy  performed  in  the  year  1585,  in  which  it 
IS  exprefsly  mentioned  diat  he  had  loaded  a  whole  boat 
with  ice,  which  yielded  good  frefli  water.  So  true  is 
it  on  one  hand,  that  by  the  ignorance  of  men  many 
things  have  been  cried  up  as  new  and  important  dil- 
coveries,  which  neverthelefs  had  been  known  and 
brought  into  ufe  long  before ;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
that  provided  we  can  but  find  fome  man  of  confe- 
quence  to  found  our  praifes,  we  may  be  certain  of 
being  extolled,  even  for  fuch  things  as  deferve  no 
praife  at  all.  Cook  is  a  great  man,  who  has  merit 
fufficient  of  his  own  without  the  addition  of  this  cir- 
cumftance  j  it  would  therefore  be  unjufl:  to  magnify  him 
at  the  expence  of  other  men  of  merit,  who  lived  at  an 
earlier  period. 

It  is  true  that  the  mountains  of  ice  confifl:  of  frefli 
water  frozen;  but  from  this  it  does  not  follow,  that 
all  the  ice  in  the  fea  has  been  generated  from  rain  and 
fnow.  Mr.  Nairne  fliewed,  in  1776,  that  when  Fah- 
renheit's thermometer  is  at  27!  degrees,  the  frefli  par- 
ticles of  the  fea  water  will  freeze,  and  leave  nothing  but 
ftrong  brine  behind.  Barentz  faw  the  feri  at  Nova 
Zembla  fuddenly  frozen  over,  to  the  thickncfs  of  fe- 
veral  inches  ;  it  is  therefore  nothing  new  for  fea- water 
to  freeze,  and  for  this  ice,  neverthelefs  when  melted, 
to  produce  frefli  potable  water.     Without  doubt,   it  is 

poflible 


DISCOVERIES  m  the  NORTH.      285 

poflilie  that  fome  ice  mountalAS  may  be  produced  ii\ 
the  fpring  from  the  fnow  and  torrents  of  fre(h  rain- 
water :  but  it  does  not  follow  from  hence,  that  all  the 
ice  found  in  thefe  feas  have  the  fame  origin.  More  on 
this  fubjeft  may  be  read  in  my  Obfervatiom  made  during 
a  Voyage  round  the  World, 

It  is  remarkable,  that  the  fliock  of  a  fhip  under  full 
fail  fhould  be  fo  powerful  as  to  kill  fo  large  an  animal  as 
a  whale  at  one  ftroke,  I  remember  in  our  voyage  round 
the  world,  that  one  day  feveral  whales  appearing  about 
our  veflel,  while  fome  of  thefe  unwieldy  animals  amufed 
themfelves  with  diving  under  the  water  on  one  fide  of 
her  and  coming  up  again  on  the  other,  the  ihip  in  her 
courfe  grazed  againft  the  back  of  one  of  them,  which, 
in  purfuing  thefe  gambols,  had  probably  not  gone  deep 
enough ;  for  when  it  came  up  on  the  other  fide,  the 
whole  fea  was  immediately  dyed  red  with  its  blood; 
though  at  the  fame  time  we  had  but  a  very  moderate 
breeze  ;  and  the  dirediion  taken  by  the  whale  went  right 
acrofs  the  motion  of  the  Ihip.  Now  had  we  been 
failing  before  the  wind  with  a  ftiff  gale,  and  at  the  fame 
time  the  whale  had  met  us  in  a  diredt  line,  its  death 
would  have  been  unavoidable. 

I  have  alfo  mentioned  in  my  Obfervationsy  that  the  fea 
between  the  Tropics  by  reafon  of  its  being  conftantly 
propelled  by  the  eafterly  winds,  in  the  Atlantic  towards 
the  continent  of  America,  and  in  the  Pacific  Ocean 
towards  China,  New  Holland,  and  tl'.e  Molucca  Iflands, 
flows  north  and  fouth  along  the  coaft  of  the  American 
continent,  and  comes  in  the  temperate  Zone  from 
fouth-weft  to  north-eaft,  in  the  northern  hemifphere ; 
and  from  north-weft  to  fouth-eaft,  in  the  fouthern 
hemifphere.  Coufequently  we  find,  that  in  the  north- 
ern hemifphere  a  current  fets  in  from  tlie  Bay  of 
Mexico  north-eaftwards  towards  Ireland  and  Norway; 
and  from  the  coaft  of  Brafil,  in  the  fouthern  hemif- 
phere, another  current  drives  the  waters  of  the  ocean 
paft  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  into  the  Indian  Spa. 
But,  .011  the  other  hand,  this  current  runs  northwards 

againft 


:<:  .-,  i' 


I'':  ii  '■ ! 


■',   I  :* 


tSfll 

S^^^B-,. 

.  .J  M 

'!;M 

sSj^H 

:   iis'^fll 

^M 

■ 

tS^ 


VOYAGES     AN9 


i! 


againft  Norway,  and  is  repelled  again  from  eaft  to 
weft  on  the  weftern  coaft  of  Greenland  in  the  north- 
ern Frigid  Zone.  In  the  fouthern  hemifphere  the 
current  going  from  the  Cape,  breaks  againft  New 
Holland,  and  then  in  the  Frigid  Zone  goes  again  to 
the  weftward,  which  is  the  reafon,  that  beyond  Terra 
del  Fuego,  near  Cape  Horn,  and  in  the  Streights  of 
Le  Maire^  we  obferved  a  ftrong  current  coming  from 
the  eaft,  which  we  alfo  took  notice  of  even  near 
Staaten  Land  and  Newyears  IJlands.  In  the  South  Sea, 
too,  there  are  fimilar  currents,  viz.  between  the  Tro- 
pics from  eaft  to  weft,  in  the  temperate  Zones  from 
weft  to  eaft,  and  in  the  frigid  Zones  again,  from 
eaft  to  weft.  Thefe  currents  in  the  fea  partly  occa- 
fion  alfo  fimilar  currents  in  the  air;  which  is  the 
reafon  that  in  the  temperate  Zones  the  weftern  winds 
predominate  in  like  manner  as  in  the  frigid  Zones. 
The  eaft  winds  occur  more  frequently  than  any  other 
winds  ;  fo  that  Frobiftier's  remark  is  perfed^ly  confift- 
ent  with  truth.  For  the  frequent  mention  of  an  ore 
being  found  in  Greenland,  there  muft  certainly  have 
been  fome  foundation.  But  what  degree  of  fkill  the 
afl*ayers  pofTeiTed  which  our  navigators  took  out  with 
them,  it  is  not  poffible  to  determine,  much  lefs  whe- 
ther real  gold  ore  was  ever  found  in  this  country.  Ir 
is  poffible,  however,  that  there  are  iron  as  well  as 
copper  ores  in  Greenland,  which  perhaps  contain 
confiderablc  quantities  of  ftlver  and  gold.  CrantZy  in 
'  Hijiory  of  Greenlandy  Book  I.  chap.  4.  §.  26, 
Items  in  fome  refpc6t  to  confirm  this  fuppofition. 
Indeed  the  northern  regions  cannot  be  faid  to  be  en- 
tirely deftitute  of  gold  and  filver,  as  the  mines  in 
Aedelfiors  and  Kxngjberg  are  known  to  every  one, 
and  as  the  Ruffians  have  found  in  Bear  Ifland 
pieces  of  native  filver,  of  a  confiderable  fize,  and 
branched  out  into  the  moft  beautiful  ramificati- 
ons. 

That  the  Greenlanders  ft  ill  make  kettles  for  their 
own  ufe  of  the  lapis  ollaris,  is  alfo  afcertained  by 
the  above-mentioned  CrantZt  in  the  place  before  re- 
fsrred  to,  §  25. 

^    ^  It 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      aS? 

It  is  very  improbable  that  the  Greenlanders  fhould 
have  carried  on  a  trade  with  any  civilized  nation, 
and  received  from  them  iron  bars,  and  copper  but- 
tons, for  the  ornaments  of  their  foreheads.  The 
iron  and  copper  found  amongft  them  had  doubtlefs 
been  hoarded  up  by  them  ever  fince  the  deftrudtion  of 
the  Norwegian  colony,  or  elfe  they  had  been  fur- 
nifhed  with  thcfe  metals  by  the  (hips  wrecked  near 
this  coaft,  or,  at  the  utmoft,  they  may  have  got 
fome  native  copper  from  the  American  favages  dwel- 
ling in  Hudfon's  Bay,  either  by  barter,  ftratagem,  or 
force  J  for  even  at  prefent  pieces  of  unwrought  cop- 
per are  found  amongft  thefe  favages,  which  they  hav« 
beaten  with  great  difEculty  into  the  form  of  bracelets. 
In  other  refpedts,  the  manners  of  thefe  Greenlanders 
are  perfe£lly  conformable  to  thofe  of  the  prefent  na- 
tives. 

If  the  BufTe  Bridgwater  rezWy,  and  bona  fide^  found 
a  land  overgrown  with  woods  and  grafs  in  57  deg. 
30  min.  N.  lat.  it  muft  have  funk  afterwards  into 
the  fea,  as  it  has  never  been  feen  again  in  the  voy» 
ages  repeatedly  made  fince  to  Hudfon*s  Bay,  Green- 
land, and  Labrador}  or  elfe  thefe  navigators  mufl 
have  been  pretty  much  miilaken  in  their  reckonings 
and  muft  have  taken  Iceland  for  quite  a  new  coun- 
try, and  formed  the  woods  in  their  own  imagina- 
tion. 

VIII,  Frobiflier  having  effected  nothing  in  three 
voyages  made  to  the  north- weft,  for  the  purpofe  o^ 
difcoverin^  a  pafTage  to  Kachay  and  India,  the  Com- 
pany of  Kuflia  Merchants  were  defirous  of  trying 
once  more,  whether  it  was  poilible  to  find  out  a  way 
to  thefe  empires  by  the  north-eaft  j  as  the  wealth 
which  the  Portuguefe  daily  acquired  by  their  voyages 
to  India  was  very  confiderable,  in  confequcnce  of 
which  a  new  paifage  to  Kathay  (or  China)  and  India, 
became  the  obje(5t  of  the  wifhes  of  all  the  maritime 
nations  of  Europe.  They  therefore  difpatched  two 
fhips  in  the  year  1580,  by  way  of  making  a  trial, 
under  the  command  of  Arthur  Pet  and  Charles  "Jack" 
man.  Accordingly  they  failed  from  Harwich  on  the 
;^oth  of  May,  and  after  fome  time  reached  the  North 

Cape 


%r\ 


*-i    ■  ,  .;■>! 


,;     t' 


;    Hi 


2»8 


VOYAGES    AND 


Cape  and  IVardhoufe-t  but  the  caft,  north-eaft,  and 
fouth-eaft  winds  prevailed  for  a  long  time,  and  hindered 
them  from  purfumg  their  voyage:  at  length,  having 
worked  through  great  quantities  of  ice,  and  been  often 
deceived  by  falfe  appearances  of  land,  on  the  i8th  of 
July  they  arrived  off  ff^aigatz.  They  then  failed  through 
the  Straits,  and  foon  met  with  a  large  quantity  of  folid 
ice ;  fo  that,  after  feveral  fruitlefs  attempts  to  get 
through  it,  thev  were  obliged  to  return.  It  is  remark- 
able, that  in  the  fca  extending  between  Nova  Zembla 
and  the  continent,  wherever  they  founded,  they  foon 
came  to  ground  j  that  is  to  fay,  they  had  from  4  to 
33»  68,  70,  and  95  fathoms.  Not  far  from  Kotcoyeve^ 
or  Kolgewy  they  ran  upon  a  fand-bank.  They  law  the 
land  Hugri  (or  Jugria  on  the  banks  of  the  retfchora) 
and  the  Bay  of  Morzowetz.  At  length  they  made  the 
North  Cape,  and  on  the  26th  of  November  arrived 
fafely  at  Ratcllff.  The  other  (hip,  the  William.,  com- 
manded by  CharUi  Jackman,,  having  been  feparated  from 
them  in  a  very  thick  fog,  was  obliged  to  winter  in  a 
harbour  in  Norway ;  from  whence  fhe  fet  fail  in  the 
month  of  February,  in  company  with  a  Danifli  fhip 
bound  for  Iceland  j  fmce  which  time  there  was  never 
any  farther  intelligence  to  be  obtained  concerning  her. 

This  attempt  at  a  north-eaft  paflage,  which,  like  the 
former  ones,  proved  abortive,  chiefly  ferves  to  corrobo- 
rate two  phyfical  remarks  mentioned  above.  The  firft 
is,  that  in  thefe  high  northern  latitudes  we  meet  with 
frequent  eafterly,  north-eafterly,  and  fouth-eafterly 
winds.  The  fecond  regards  the  great  Ihallownefs  of 
the  water  of  the  northern  or  Icy-Sea,  which  has  been 
noticed  not  only  then,  but  alfo  llnce,  by  more  modern 
navigators.  We  find  alfo  in  this  voyage  the  ufual 
complaints  with  refpe£l:  to  the  enormous  quantities  of 
ice  and  the  terribly  dangerous  fogs  with  which  they  were 
annoyed,  and  which  every  where  occur,  as  well  in  the 
northern  as  in  the  fouthern  hemifphere,  in  the  cold  re- 
gions near  the  Poles,  and  both  of  which  greatly  con- 
tribute to  hinder  any  progrefs  from  being  made  in  thefe 
dreadful  feas. 


IX.  Though 


DISCOVERIES  IK  THE  NORTH.       aS^ 

IX.  Though  none  of  the  former  voyages  to  the 
North  had  turned  out  to  any  advajitas^c,  yet  there 
were  always  others  who  endeavoured  to  n\i.k.c  new 
difcoverics,  partly  in  hopes  of  ;  diually  finding  coun- 
tries abounding  in  gold,  filver,  and  fji.ccs,  and  partly 
from  a  notion  that  in  the  puifuit  of  tat'ir  dilcoveric^, 
they  might  hit  upon  a -new  way  to  India.  Q^iecn 
Elizabeth,  therefore,  in  1578,  made  a  grant  to  air 
Humphry  Gilbert,  of  all  the  lands  which  he  fliould 
difcovcr  and  take  poflefTion  of;  in  confcqucnce  of 
which,  he  made  preparations  for  his  voyage.  How- 
ever, I  cannot  deny  but  that  there  are  ftlH  fomc 
obfcurc  accounts  extant  of  voyages  of  difcovery  un- 
dertaken long  before  this.  We  find  that  fo  eaily  as 
1502,  Hugh  Elliot  and  Thomas  AJhhurjl,  merchants  of 
Briftol,  obtained  letters  patent  from  Henry  W.{,  for 
the  eftablifliment  of  colonies  in  the  countries  newly 
tjifcovered  by  Cabot.  But  whether  they  ever  made 
V)fe  of  this  permiiiion,  and  fet  on  foot  any  voyages 
thither,  we  find  no  traces  to  inform  us,  either  in  the 
writers  who  were  their  cotcmporaries,  or  in  thofe 
that  immediately  fucceeded  them.  But  likewife,  in 
the  reign  of  King  Henry  ViH.  A.  D.  1527,  two 
fhips,  the  one  of  which  was  called  Dominus  vcbifatm, 
were  by  the  advice  of  Robert  Tborne^  of  Briftol,  fent 
to  make  di/coveries  to  the  norih-weftward.  The  on« 
of  thefe  veflels  was  loft  in  a  dangerous  gujph,  be- 
tween the  fiorthcf  n  parts  of  Newfonndland,  and  the 
country  afterwards  c.tlled,  by  Qiieen  Elizibcih,  Meta 
Incognita,  The  fecond  fliip,  after  the  lols  of  the  firil, 
£hapcd  its  courfe  ti^wards  Cape  Breton^  and  the  coall 
of  Arambec,  In  their  way  thither  theTe  navigators 
often  went  on  (hore,  and  explored  thefc  unknown  re- 
gions, and  arrived  again  fafe  in  England  in  the  be- 
ginning of  Otiobcr.  But  the  precedin.;^  very  imper- 
f^'£t  account  is  all  that  m  known  oi  thia  expedition. 
However,  from  hence  it  appears,  that  Cape  Britoriy 
which  is  here  at  fo  early  a  period  called  by  tnis  name, 
mull  have  been  named  thus  by  Sthnjliun  Cabct,  when, 
\i\  company  with  his  father,  hi;  dilcoverctl  Neivfound- 
l^nd^  or  BaccallaoSj  and  afterwards  failed  along  the 
cpalt  of  An;crica  ;is  far  as   Chfapsak  Bay,     With  re- 

U  gard 


<if 


'1  '<■' 


5  ' 


r;l 


■; '!:;1 


ii  ^■■f 


2C)0 


VOYAGES    AND 


gnrd  to  the  coaft  of  jframhic^  I  am   free  to  confefa 
that  as  yet  the  fituation   of  this  coall  is  entirely  un-« 
known  to  me  ;   though  I  rather  fuppofe  it  to  be  the 
coaft  o^  what  is  now  called  Nova  Scotia,   or  perhaps 
of  even  a  more  fouthcrly  region. 

Afrer  this  voyage  we  hnd  it  alfo  mentioned,  that  a 
perfon  of  the  name  of  Hon,  fet  fail  in  1536,  from 
London,  with  two  ftjip&,  the  Trinity  and  the  Alinion^ 
about  the  latter  end  of  April.  They  arrived  zi  Cap* 
Briton^  and  from  thence  went  to  the  north-eaftward, 
till  they  came  to  Penguin  Ifiandj  an  inland  iltuated  on 
the  fouthcrn  coaft  of  Newfoundland,  and  which  wa> 
named  thus  after  a  kind  of  fea-fowl,  which  the  Spa- 
niards and  Portuguefc  called  Penguins,  on  account  of 
their  being  fo  very  fat,  and  which  ufed  to  build  their 
nefts  and  to  live  in  aftoniftiing  quantities  on  this  little 
rock.  After  this  they  went  to  Newfoundland*  Here 
they  faw  fome  of  the  inhabitants,  who  came  to  look 
at  their  (hip;  but,  being  purfued,  fled  to  an  ifland^ 
where  a  piece  of  roafted  bear's  flefli  was  found  on  a 
tvooden  fpit.  They  alfo  afterwards  frequently  ufed 
to  (hoot  white  and  black  bears  ''hemfelvcs,  and  found 
the  fle(h  of  them  very  palatable.  But  ;it  length 
their  ftock  of  provifion  dccrcafcd,  fo  that  they  were 
neceiTitatcd  to  eat  fome  Afb  which  an  ofprcy  had 
csj-ried  to  her  neft  for  the  purpofc  of  feeding  her 
young  }  and  beiides  that,  were  obliged  to  feed  uport 
perbs  and  roots  of  all  kinds ;  nay  more,  when  the 
fcarcity  of  food  increafed,  it  was  pbferved,  that 
fome  of  the  failors  were  mi(fing  one  after  another, 
who  were  at  length  difcovered  to  have  been  killed 
and  eaten  in  the  woods  by  their  own  comrades.  The 
Captain  reproached  his  people  very  feyercly  for  this 
piece  of  cruelty ;  at  length,  however,  they  were 
again  reduced  to  fuch  extremities  as  to  be  ready  to. 
^aft  lots  whofe  turn  it  (liould  be  to  be  devoured  next  \ 
when  the  following  day  a  French  ihip  arrived  there, 
of  which  they  made  thcmfelves  mafters,  and  left  theirs 
to  the  French,  after  having  diftributed  to  them  a  fuf- 
ficient  quantity  of  provifions.  They  arrived  fafe  in^ 
England,  where,  foon  after,  a  complaint  was  prefer- 
red agaiaft  them  by  the  Fiench,  for  the  forcible  fcizure 

made 


DISCOVERIHj  in  the  north.       291 

made  of  their  vefTcI  ;  but  the  King  being;  informed  of 
the  dire  neccflity  which  had  compelled  them  to  com- 
mit this  adl  of  violence,  indcmniAed  the  French  out 
of  his  own  purfc,  and  did  not  punifli  this  a6l  of  piracy 
as  it  would  otherwifc  have  richly  defcrved  to  have  been 
punifhed. 

It  is  pretty  evident  that  thefe  adventurers  knew 
very  little  of  the  immenl'c  ftore  of  fi{h  to  be  found 
on  all  the  banks  round  aboul  the  ifland  of  Newfound- 
land, or  elfe  they  would  have  made  a  better  ufe  of 
it  for  their  maintenance.  For  there  arc  many  ac- 
counts extnnt  which  mention  that,  fmce  the  year 
J  504,  the  French  from.  Normandy  and  Bretagne,  and 
the  Spaniards  from  Bifcay,  as  alfo  the  Portuguefe, 
ufed  to  carry  on  the  cod  fifhery  on  thefe  banks,  with 
a  great  number  of  (hips.  This  fifhery  muft  there- 
fore have  been  carried  on  at  ]ea(l  32  years  without  the 
Engliflimen  having  the  leaft  knowledge  of  it  j  nei- 
ther, indeed,  did  they  feem  to  have  any  conception 
in  what  manner  people  in  diftrefs  muft  endeavour 
to  live,  even  without  bread  or  other  provifions  in 
common  ufeamongfl  the  Europeans.  It  is  in  fa6l  in- 
conceivable how  any  men,  at  a  time  when  want  and 
famine  flared  them  as  it  were  in  the  face,  could  be  fo 
ina(Stive  and  infcnfible  as  thofc  people  have  been  de- 
scribed to  us.  Humanity  ftartles  at  the  high  degree 
of  calloufncfs  and  the  forgetfulnefs  of  every  duty  ex- 
hibited by  thefe  people,  when  we  reiid  that  one  of 
them  came  behind  another  who  was  digging  up  fome 
roots  out  of  the  earth,  and  killed  him,  with  a  view 
to  prepare  himfelf  a  meal  from  his  fellow-creature's 
fle£hi  and  that  a  third,  fmelling  the  delicious  bdour 
of  broiled  meat,  went  up  to  the  murderer,  and,  by 
threats  and  menaces,  extorter*  from  him  a  fhare  in 
this  {hocking  meal  *, 


li' 


MM^^: 


I 


Si 


•  This  faft  is  here  mifrepreffnttd.  The  man  who  quarrelled  with 
the  murderer  did  not  know  on  what  kind  of  flefli  the  Utter  was  feaDing  ^ 
and  when  he  was  informed  of  it,  \\ent,  it  feemi,  and  divulged  the  mat- 
ter to  (he  red  of  his  cQOipanioni.     Vide  Hakiuyt's  Vojagee,  Vol.  III. 

P-  '30.  _^  _ 


291 


•     VOYAGES    AND 


1 


It  appears  alfo,  by  an  a£l  of  Parliament,  paflfcd  Iri 
the  reign  cf  King  Edward  VI.  A.  D.  T584,  that 
for  the  better  promotion  of  the  fifhery  in  Iceland 
and  Newfoundland^  the  exad^ion  of  money,  fifh,  or 
ocher  rewards,  under  any  pretext  whatfoever,  from 
the  Englifh  fifhermen  and  mariners  going  on  this 
fervice,  was  prohibited.  This  ferves  at  leaft  to 
prove,  that  the  Englifh,  even  at  that  time,  were 
accultomed  to  fifh  on  the  banks  of  Newfoundland  ; 
as  alfo,  that  many  other  nations  at  the  fame  time  ufed 
to  carry  on  a  lucrative  filhery,  which  it  was  intended 
to  wreft  out  of  their  hands  by  thefe  means. 

The  Captain  of  a  vefiel  from  Briftol,  by  name 
jintony  Parkhurjl^  in  1578,  gave  the  learned  jR;V/j«r<^ 
Hakluyt  a  very  authentic  and  good  account  of  the 
great  cod-fiftiery  which  was  then  annually  carried  on 
in  the  vicinity  o^  Newfoundland  j  by  which  it  ap- 
pears, that  at  that-  time  about  50  Englilh  (hips  were 
employed  on  this  fifhery.  For  the  lame  purpofe  there 
ufed  alfo  to  come  about  ico  Spr<nifh  fbips,  and  about 
20  or  30  from  Bifcay,  which  latter  went  thither 
with  a  view  to  the,  whale-fifhery  only.  All  the 
Spanifh  (hips  taken  together,  made  about  5  or  600 
tuns  burthen.  Moreover,  there  came  about  50  Por- 
tuguefe  fhips  to  fifh  for  cod,  and  their  fnips  might 
carry  about  3000  tuns.  Finally,  there  came  alfo 
from  France,  and  that  chiefly  from  Britanny,  150 
{hips,  carrying  all  together  about  7000  tuns.  Park- 
hurft  gave  likewife  a  very  pidlurefque  defcription  of 
the  immenfe  quantity  of  fifh  which  arrived  yearly  ofF 
Newfoundland y  as  alfo  of  the  remaining  produdts  of 
the  country,  fuch  as  game,  birds,  and  fowls,  furs, 
fait,  copper,  and  iron,  and  other  profitable  articles 
of  commerce. 

In  the  fame  year  1578,  Sir  Humphry  Gilbert  oh- 
taincd  from  Qiieen  Elizabeth  a  munificent  grant  for 
the  peopling  and  occupation  of  all  fuch  heathen 
countries  as  were  not  at  that  time  peopled  and  oc- 
cupied by  any  other  Chriftian  power.  In  confei]U("nce 
of  thi?,  many  of  his  friends  and  acquaintance  joined 
him  j  fo  that  it  was  hoped  this  preparation  would  in- 

creuf^ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       293 

treafe  to  fuch  a  fleet  as  would  be  able  even  to  encoun- 
ter a  royal    fquadron  ;    but  juft  as  they   were  ready 
for  falling,  many  of  them  declined  their  former  en- 
gagements ;   notwithftanding   which  Sir   Humphrey, 
with  a  few  friends  and   ihips,  ventured  on  this  ex- 
pedition.    They  had  hardly  fet  fail,  when  a  violent 
florm   damaged    the  fleet  very  much,  and  occafioned 
the  lofs  of  one  of  their  largefl:  fbips.     Now,  though 
the  adventurous  Knight  fufFered  a  great  lofs  thereby^ 
having  engaged  in  this  affair  a  confiderable  part  of  his 
fortune,  by  which  means  his  eflate  was  deeply  involv- 
ed ;  he  neverthelefs  endeavoured  by  every  means  in 
his    power  to  put   his    plan  in  execution,  and  gave 
avvay  tracks  of  land  on  the  mouth  of  the  river  Canada^ 
to  other  people,  on  condition  of  their  peopling  and 
flocking  them.     But  finding  that  they  did  not  intend 
to  fulfil  thefe  conditions,  he  refolved  at  lafl  to  un- 
dertake this  voyage  once  more  himfelf,  as  there  were 
but  two  years  remaining  before  the  entire  expiration 
of  the  royal  grant.     He  made  therefore  every  poffible 
effort,  and  was  moreover  affifled  by  fome  friends  with 
money  as  well  as  advice,  and  at  length  fet  fail  with 
five  fhips  and  about  160  men  from  Caufon  (Caufand) 
Bay,  near   Plymouth,    on  the   ilth   of   June,    T583. 
They    met    with    ftorms    and   abundance    of    fogs, 
chiefly   on    the    great   fifhing-bank    that  lies   before 
Newfoundland.     On  the  nth  of  July  they  faw  land  ; 
but  finding  nothing  before  them  but  bare  rocks,  they 
ftiaped  their  courfe  more  to  the  fouthward,  and  ar- 
rived at  length  at  Penguin  T/Tf/W*,  where  they  took 
in  a  gocd  flock  of  fowls.     After  this,  they  repaired 
to  the  Ifland  of  Baccalaos,  and  to  the  Bay  of  Concepti' 
c«,  where  they  met  again  with  the  Swallow,  one  of 
the  {hips  they  had  lofl  in  the  fog.     Then  they  ran  into 
the  bay  of  St.  John,  where  they  found  a  great  number 
of  (hips,  Englifh  as  w^ell  as   foreigners,  which  were 


'      !t 


!  f 


*  This  Pcngutn  Ifland  muft  not  be  confounded  with  that  Penguin 
Ifland  wliivli  w«s  I'ccn  by  Hoie  ;  for  that  is  on  the  fouthern  coaftof  New-^ 
foutiJland,  while  thit  is  on  the  eaftern,  and  is  now  called  Fcgo. 

there 


.:ii 


294 


VOYAGES    AND 


there  on  account  of  the  cod-fifhery.  Sir  Humphr^ 
Gilbert  now  took  pofTcilion  of  the  ifland,  and  of  all 
other  lands  that  lay  200  leagues  from  it  in  all  dire«5li- 
ons  ;  and  received  rich  prefents  from  all  the  Captains 
of  the  fhips  that  lay  ofF  that  ifland,  particularly  from 
the  Portuguefe,  who  were  very  numerous  there.  B'f 
one  of  thefe  he  was  informed  that,  about  30  years 
before,  Icveral  hogs,  as  well  as  horned  cattle,  had 
been  landed  on  the  ifland  of  Sallon  (Sable  Ifland). 
After  having  taken  poflelfion,  the  Admiral  made  en- 
quiry concerning  the  nature  of  the  country,  and  he 
and  his  people  began  to  explore  it  themfelves.  This 
country  was  found  to  be  in  fummcr  very  hot,  but  ex- 
tremely cold  in  winter;  yet  not  fo  cold  as  tobein- 
fupportable.  The  fea  I'urrounding  Newfoundland 
abounded  fo  much  in  f.(h,  that  there  were  but  few  in- 
ftances  of  any  thing  equal  to  it  clfewhere.  In  the 
bays  and  rivers  there  were  falmons  and  trouts,  and  in 
every  part  of  the  fea  bonitos,  turbots  and  large  lob- 
ftersj  alfo  a  kind  of  large  herrings,  equal  to  thofe  of 
Norway.  There  was  a  great  number  of  whales  ; 
Wood  grew  with  thegreateft  luxuriance  over  the  whole 
Country,  which  therefore  was  capable  of  furniftiing 
mafts,  planks,  timber  for  (hipping,  tar,  fifli,  and 
potaih,  in  gccat  abundance.  There  was  alfo  game  of 
all  kinds,  fo  that  they  could  eafily  get  hides  and  all 
forts  of  furs.  Moreover  the  foil  was  very  fertile,  fo 
that  by  cultivation  they  might  obtain  great  quantities 
6f  hemp,  flax,  and  corn,  and  manufacture  the  former 
pf  thefe  into  ropes,  cables,  linen,  and  other  com- 
hiodities.  Add  to  this,  that  all  kinds  of  fowl  were 
found  here  in  great  plenty.  They  likewife  difcovered 
trdn  ore,  lead,  and  copper.  Vzy,  Mafter  Daniel,  a 
hative  of  Saxony,  an  honeil  and  religious  man,  and 
a  very  expert  miner  and  aflayer,  brought  Sir  Humphry 
Gilbert  a  kind  of  ore,  faying,  that  if  he  was  in 
fearch  of  filver,  this  certainly  was  what  he  wanted, 
and  that  he  would  (lake  his  life  that  there  was  feme 
Tilver  in  this  ore.  As  there  was  a  great  number  of 
tbreign  (hips  then  in  the  harbour,  Sir  Humphry  did 

not 


England 
ther; 


I 


tJISCOVgRIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        295 

hot  chufe  to  have  this  affair  much  talked  of,  and  or- 
dered the  ore  to  be  carried  immediately  on  board. 
While  he  was  on  fhore,  many  of  the  people  going  to 
a  neighbouring  bay,  feized  upon  a  (hip,  and  having 
put  thecrevir  afljore,  failed  away  with  it ;  fome  of  his 
people  ran  away  and  hid  themfelves  in  the  woods  ; 
others  fell  lick  of  the  dyfentery  or  Hux,  and  many 
died  of  that  diftemper;  the  fleet,  therefore,  was  di* 
vided  :  one  (hip  remained  with  the  fick^  and  fome 
were  fent  home.  But  he,  for  his  part,  Was  defiroiis 
of  purfuing  his  difcoveries,  and  of  taking  pofTciHon 
of  fome  other  countries  Which  lay  to  the  fouthwardy 
and  therefore  fet  fail  in  or'itr  to  find  the  land  of  Cape 
Briton^  as  alfo  the  ifland  of  Sablori,  where  there  was 
faid  to  be  a  great  quantity  of  cattle.  Sailing  to  and 
fro  in  thefe  parts,  with  contrary  windsj  the  great 
Admiral  (hip  ftrucic  on  a  fand-barik,  in  a  thick  fog, 
and  was  wrecked  ;  fome  few  peoplli,  however,  faved 
themfelves  in  a  fmall  boat,  but  all  'the  reft  were  loft; 
This  misfortune,  together  with  the  circUmftance  of 
the  fcafon  of  the  year  being  advanced,  determinedf 
the  Commander  in  Chief  for  the  prefent  to  return  to 
England.  Accordingly  they  (haped  their  courfe  thi- 
ther; Near  England  they  were  overtaken  by  another 
(lorm  J  when  a  fmall  veflcl,  on  board  of  which  th^ 
Admiral  then  happened  to  be,  went  to  the  bottom 
with  him; 

With  refpect  to  this  unfortunate  voyage^  I  (hall 
only  make  my  reitiarks  on  fome  particulars,  ^'"-ft, 
it  appears^  that  very  foon  after  the  difcovery  Oi  Nc, 
foundland,  the  fifhery  on  the  banks  or  (hallows  to  the 
caft  and  foUth  of  this  country  was  carried  on  by  the 
Portuguefe,  Bifcajrahs,  French,  and  other  nations, 
who  ufurped  this  fifliery  on  the  coaft  of  a  country 
which  the  Crown  of  England  had  difcovered  at  its 
©wn  expencc.  As  long  as  Spain,  Portugal,  and 
France,  wereftrong  and  powerful  at  fea,  the  Engli(h 
did  not  venture  to  difpute  with  them  the  title  to  this 
fiihery  ;  but  as  foon  as  Spain  was  engaged  in  a  war 
with  England  J  the  latter,  in  1585,  fent  a  fquadron 
into  thcfe  feas,  under  the  command   of  Sir  Francis 

Drake, 


mm 


ar<56 


VOYAGES    AND 


Drake,  who  T  izcd  a!I  thi*  Portiiguefe  Ihips,  am!  car-' 
ritd  them,  as  good  and  lawful  prizes,  to  England  j 
and  in  proccls  of  time,  as  the  power  of  Kngland  in- 
crcafcd  at  fi-a,  file  endeavoured  to  cxGliidc  entirely 
front  this  fi-flKTy,  of  fo  great  importance  to  the  Ro- 
niarn  Catholic  powers,  both  Portugal  :u)d  Spain,  who 
were  declinino;  very  falh  In  the  ^car  1756,  England 
took  all  the  French  fifhing  veflels  that  vifited  thofe 
feas,  whereby  France  loft  upwards  of  25,000-  fcamen, 
and  during  the  whole  remainder  of  the  war,  was  in- 
capable of  manning  hrr  fleet  properly.  By  the  peac« 
of  Paris  nothing  was  left  the  French  but  the  iflanil 
©f  St.  Pitrre^  and  the  two  A'Uqucbns.,  together  with 
a  paltry  titl*  to  the  flflicry,  cramped  b-y  a  thoufand 
reitri^ions.  They  have,  however,  itipulattd  rather 
more  freedom  for  thcmfclves,  and  made  better  condi- 
tions, in  the  laic  peace  of  1783.  The  Americans 
who,  from  the  beginning,  have  always  taken  a  fliavc 
in  this  fiflicry,  have  alfo-boen  confirmed  by  the  fame 
peace  in  this  prerogative,  now  that  they  have  acquir- 
ed independence.  In  the  i'ccond  place,  it  is  very  clear, 
in  the  inltance  mentioned  here,  of  the  Portitguefc 
having  ftocked  the  ifland  of  Sablcn  with  tatne  do- 
melUc  animals  ;  tlwt  this  nation,  as  well  as  the  Spa- 
niard*;, djrcilly  after  the  firit  difcovery  of  America, 
and  of  the  new  route  to  India,  ufed  to  ftock  all  the 
Ulands  and  continents  with  tame,  doi  cftic  animals, 
which  they  turned  loofe  there,  and  which  in  fome 
places  have  increafed  greatly  ;  c.  g.  the  immenfe 
number  of  wild  horfes  and  oxen  found  in  Chili  and 
Patagcnia,  proceed  from  thofe  which  the  Spaniards 
had  at  firlt  turned  loofe  in  thofe  countries.  At  Jfcen- 
fisn  IJlatid  there  are  ftill  in  being  fome  wild  goats 
which  the  Po»  tuguefe  had  left  there  ;  and  in  like  man- 
ner there  are  yet  lome  wild  goats  remaining  at  St.  He- 
lena, in  the  illand  oi  yuan  Fernandex^  too,  there  was 
in  fhe  former  part  of  this  century  a  great  nuniber  of 
wild  goats  i  but  they  are  very  much  diminifhed,  and 
perhaps  are  even  entirely  extirpated,  fince  the  Spaiiiards 
have  turned  fome  dogs  loofe  there,  which  have  nearly 
devoured  all  thefe  aiumals.     There  were  likewife  grcrjt 

numbers 


DISCOVERIES   IN  THE  NORTH.      2f)7 

numbers  of  wild  oxen,  hogs,  ariJ  fowls  on  the  iflc  of 
Tinian  ;  but  the  dogs  left  on  the  ifliind  have  in  like 
manner  thinned  their  numbers  greatly,  and  have  ren- 
dered them  very  (hy.  On  the  Munillas^  or  Luzon,  and 
on  fome  ottier  of  die  IMiilippinc  illauds  there  are  dill 
confideruble  herds  of  wild  iiorfcs  and  oxen,  proceed- 
ing; from  thofe  which  the  Spaniards  had  left  there.  In 
hcty  the  firlt  difcovercrs  of  the  new  world  were  men 
of  humanity,  and  were  defirous  of  providing  for  fuch 
unfortunate  people  as  might  happen  to  be  caft  away 
on  thofe  coafts.  On  the  other  'land,  the  falfe  policy 
of  modern  times  is  tyrannical  and  callous,  exporting 
dogs  to  thofe  places,  which  tlie  i'ni\  difcovercrs  of 
them  had  flocked  with  ufcful  and  domeftic  animals. 
Are  thefc,  then,  the  happy  confequences  of  the  fo- 
much-boalled,  <  nlij^;htened  ftate  of  the  prefcnt  age, 
and  of  the  r  .innement  of  manners  peculiar  to  thcfc 
our  times  ?  Father  of  mercies  !  when  will  philanthropy, 
now'  almoft  banifhed  from  the  univerfc,  again  take  up 
its  abode  in  the  breaits  of  men,  of  Chriftians,  and  of 
the  rulers  of  the  nrth  ! 

This  talcing  ^  licflion  of  Newfoundland,  cfre<Sled 
A.  D.  1585,  on  the  part  of  the  Crown  of  England, 
is  the  foun'^iation  of  the  rights  this  nation  has  to  the 
fiftiery  carried  on  by  her  fubje^ls  in  tluifc  feas,  which 
would  be  Hill  more  profitable  for  the  Englifh  if  New- 
foundland was  better  peopled.  But  the  revolt  of  the 
thirteen  North- American  Colonies,  the  great  de- 
creafe  of  population  in  Great-Britain,  in  confequence 
c!^  the  frequent  wars  fhe  has  been  engaged  in,  and 
many  other  confiderations,  make  the  Knglifli  ex- 
tremely averfe  in  every  refpedt  to  promote  the  popu- 
lation and  cultivation  of  thele  very  fine  iflands.  There 
are  in  Newfoundland^  as  well  j's  at  Cape  Breton.,  fuch  rich 
roal  mines,  that  if  the  Crown  would  but  grant  leave 
to  work  them,  their  produce  would  be  fufficient  to 
fupply  all  Europe  and  America  abufidantly  with  this 
commodity;  and  fornc  are  c\cii  fo  commodioufly  fitu- 
ated,    that  the  coals   might  be   thrown   directly   from 


n 


f  \- 


tlie    coiil-w&rks   thtnifeUcs    into    ilie    iliips 


j'-^) 


iis   thpy 
lift 


tt)s 


VOYAGES    ANr> 


lie  clofc  to  the  fhorc.  This  piece  of  intelligence  t 
had  from  my  late  friend,  the  great  circumnavigator, 
Capt.  Cooky  who  for  feve«*al  years  fuccefllvely,  had 
explored  the  fhores  of  this  ifland,  taken  their  bear- 
ings and  refpeiStive  diftances,  and  laid  them  down  on 
charts. 

X.  Some  tnerchants,  and  gentlemen  of  landed  pro-* 
perty,  as  alfo  fome  noblemen  belonging  to  the  Courts 
m  1585  formed  an  afTociation  for  the  purpofe  of  fend- 
ing out  two  (hips  on  difcoveries,  under  the  command 
6f  yohn  Davis,  a  very  experienced  navigator.  They 
fet  fail  from  Dartmouth  on  the  7th  of  June,  and,  on 
the  13th  of  the  fume  month,  left  Falmouth.  Firft 
they  failed  to  the  wcftward,  and  then  to  the  north- 
weft.  They  met  with  a  great  number  of  whales 
and  dolphins,  one  of  which  latter  they  killed  with  a 
^ear,  took  it  on  board,  and  eat  it,  when  the  flefh 
fcemed'  to  them  as  well  tafted  as  muttoni  On  the 
igth  of  July  they  heard  a  great  noife  in  the  fea  dur- 
ing a  thick  fog.  The  current  fet  to  the  northward  ; 
with  a  line  of  300  fathoms  they  found  no  ground  j 
and  they  difcovercd  that  the  noife  they  had  heard  pro- 
ceeded  from  the  waves  daihing  againft  the  ice.  They 
loaded  their  boat  quite  full  with  this  ice,  which,  wheA 
melted,  produced  good  palatable  water.  The  next 
day,  viz.  the  20th  of  July,  they  (aw  land,  which 
eonfifted  entirely  of  fummits  of  mountains  in  the  form 
of  fugar-loaves,  quite  covered  with  fnovv,  fome  of  them 
indeed  reaching  above  the  clouds.  They  named  tliis 
horrid  land  the  Land  of  Dcfolation. 

The  v.'holc  of  this  land  was  io  farroimded  with  ice, 
that  they  could  not  come  near  it.  They  imagined 
they  favv  foreils  upon  it,  and  in  the  fea  ibund  fome 
drift-wood,  out  of  which  they  took  up  one  entire  tree, 
with  the  roots  upon  it,  which  was  60  feet  long,  ^nd 
14  fpans  in  circumference.  On  the  25th  they  ihaped 
their  courfe  to  the  north-weft  in  hopes  to  find  the 
wiftied-for  pafiage.  After  four  days  iailing^  they  agaia 
liwlandon  the  29th  of  July,  in  64  deg.  15  min.  N. 

kt* 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THB  NORTH.      299 

lat.  in  which  land  they  found  many  convenient  har- 
bours and  deep  founds,  one  of  which  they  named 
Gilbert* s  Sound.  I'hey  went  on  fhore,  and  faw  fome 
of  the  inhabitants,  cloathed  in  feal  (kins,  with  whom 
they  foon  became  friends,  and  obtained  almoft  any 
thing  for  which  they  fhewed  but  the  fmalleft  inclina- 
tion i  for  the  natives  gave  away  their  clothes,  boats, 
and  arms,  and  in  lieu  of  them,  accepted  any  thing  that 
was  offered  them.  The  Engliftiexprefling  their  wiihes 
for  more  furs,  the  inhabitants  promifed  to  return  thtf 
next  day.  They  did  not,  however,  venture  to  comfi 
near  the  Englifh,  till  both  parties  had  repeatedly 
pointed  tjo  the  fun,  and  then  ftruck  their  breafts. 
Here  they  found  again  Afufcovy  glafs  (Mica  metnhrc- 
nacea  Linnai)  as  alloths  fame  kind  of  ore  as  had  been 
found  by  Sir  Martin  Frobifher.  Next  morning  the 
wind  being  favourable,  Davis  would  not  wait  for  th<t 
return  of  the  inhabitants,  but  purfued  his  courfe  to 
the  north-weftward.  On  the  6th  of  Auguft  hd 
again  faw  land,  in  66  deg.  40  min.  N.  lat.  The 
road  was  named  Totnefs  Road;  the  found  which  en- 
compafTed  a  high  mountain  glittering  like  gold,  Exeter 
Sound  ;  the  mountain  itfelf,  Alount  Raleigh  j  the  north- 
ern promontory.  Dyer's  Cape,  and  the  fouthern,  Cape 
fpaljingbamy  after  the  then  Secretary  of  State,  Sir 
Francis  IValJingham.  Here  they  met  with  four  white 
bears,  three  of  which  they  killed,  and  the  next  day 
they  difpatched  another  enormoully  large  one,  the 
paws  of  which  meafured  14  inches  in  breadth.  Oil 
the  8th  of  Augvift,  Davis  failed  fouth  fouth-wcft 
along  the  coaft.  On  the  nth,  he  faw  the  moft 
fouthern  point  of  this  land,  which  he  called  the  Cape 
of  God's  Mercy,  and  having  failed  round  it,  he  found 
a  large  ftrait,  which  in  foine  places  was  20  leagues 
broad.  The  weather  was  mild,  and  the  fea  bore  the 
colour  and  appearance  of  the  ocean.  Davis  was  now 
in  great  hopes  of  finding  at  hift  the  pafTage.  He 
failed  up  the  (traits  60  leagues,  and  in  the  middle 
6f  them  found  many  iilands,  and  an  open  pafliiec  ca 
both  fides.  In  making  this  refcarch,  he  divided  hii 
(hip?,  fo  that  one  of  them  was  to   e.'^plorc   the  north 

paflagr, 


ill  ifapiif 


.!l' 


''   fA 


\'Mn 


MM 


300 


VOYAGES     AND 


paflage,  and  the  other  the  fouth.  But  the  foulh-caft: 
winds,  bad  weather,  and  thick  fogs  letting  in,  th  / 
were  thereby  prevented  from  advancing  any  farther. 
They  went  on  (bore,  and  found  traces  of  p<;ople  dwell- 
ing there,  and  likewife  faw  dogs  with  pricked  ears  and 
thick  bulhy  tails,  one  of  which  animals  had  a  collar 
about  its  neck.  Two  fledges,  the  one  of  which  was 
made  of  fir,  fpruce,  and  oaken  boards  ;  the  other  of 
whalebone,  were  alfo  found  there,  together  with  fome 
carved  images,  and  the  model  of  a  boat.  In  this  fea 
they  met  with  a  great  many  iflands,  with  large  founds 
palfing  between  them :  they  rowed  farther  on  between 
the  iflands,  and  faw  feveral  whales,  which  they  had  not 
feen  at  the  mouth  of  the  Straits  to  the  eaftward. 
They  proceeded  by  the  affiftance  of  the  tide  which 
went  along  with  them  from  the  eaft  to  the  weft,  and 
the  rife  and  fall  of  which  was  fix  or  (even  fathoms 
(i.  e.  from  36  to  42  feet).  Here,  at  300  fathoms, 
they  could  find  no  ground.  But  the  molt  remarkable 
circumftance  was,  that  going  along  with  the  tide  to  tlie 
fouth-weft,  they  were  met  all  at  once  by  a  ftrong 
counter  tide,  without  being  able  to  imagine  the  caufe. 
The  depth  of  the  fea  at  the  mouth  of  tiie  Straits  was 
about  90  fathoms ;  but  the  farther  they  advanced  in  it, 
the  more  the  depth  increafed,  and  here  there  was  no 
ground  at  330  fathoms.  But  the  wind  being  againft 
them,  they  refolved  to  turn  back.  On  the  10th  of  Sep- 
tember they  faw  the  Land  of  Defolatio»y  where  they 
refolved  to  go  afliore  ;  but,  a  violent  ftorm  arifing,  they 
could  not  put  their  defign  in  execution,  Upon  this, 
they  haftened  homewards,  and  on  the  30th  of  Septem- 
ber arrived  again  fafely  at  Darttnouth. 

Thus  it  appears  that  Davis  was  the  firft  who  in  later 
times  faw  the  weftern  coaft  of  Greenland,  on  which 
Cape  Dffdatlon  lies.  He  afterwards  difcovered  land 
farther  to  the  weftward,  on  the  ifland  which  he  after- 
wards himfelf  called  Cumberland' s  Ijland.  On  this  ifland 
alfo  is  Mount  Rale'jgh^  Totnefs-Road^  Exeter  Sounds 
Dyer's  Capey  and  Cape  fFal/ingham.  The  fea  between 
Cumberland's  Ifland  and  the  weftern  coaft  of  Green- 
land was  afterwards  named  Davis's  Straits  5  and  as  in 
the  fequel  all  the  land  quite  to  Buttcn^  Iflands^  on  the 
coaft  tJf  Labrador,  was  difcovered  bv   Davis,  Davis's 

b traits 


DISCOVERIES   IN  THE  NORTH.       301 

Straits  were  alfo  extended  as  flir  as  this  fpot.  He  like- 
wife  faw  the  Cape  of  Goa's  Mercy^  and  the  ftraits  which 
he  ahb  afterwards  called  Cumberland  Straits.  1'hcfe 
then  are  Davis'a  difcoveries  on  his  firrt  voyage,  which 
Ihcw  him  to  have  been  an  honeft,  and,  at  the  fair.c 
time,  c?nerprifing  man.  He  ordered  his  people  by  no 
means  to  injure  the  natives  on  Cumberland  Ifland,  and 
by  his  friendly  condu6l  and  prefents,  he  gained  the  good- 
will of  thefe  harmlefs  creatures,  who  have  the  fame 
origin  with  the  Greenlanders  and  the  Labrador  EJklmaux. 
So  true  it  is,  that  gentle  ai.  Immane  treatment  will 
in  the  end  gain  the  affections  of  every  one,  and  ferves 
to  cement  mankind  together  by  the  fecial  ties  of  phi- 
lanthropy and  frienddiip  ;  an  aliertion  vhich  rr reives  ad- 
ditional confirmation  from  the  kind  aad  even  affcilicji- 
ate  behaviour  of  the  Moravian  brethren  in  our  times 
towards  the  Greenlanders  and  the  Efkimaux  in  Okak 
-.'.nd  Na'n:^  on  the  coafl:  of  La^brador  •,  in  confequfncc 
of  which  they  live  with  thofe  people  on  the  mo{}  friendly 
terms,  while  the  other  Europeans,  who  reude  in  Hud- 
Ion's  Hay,  and  the  fifhermen  about  Newfoundland,  are 
accuP.omed  by  circumvention  and  fraud,  as  well  as  by 
acls  of  repeated  violence,  to  raifc  quarrels  and  debates 
on  every  the  leall:  occafion  with  this  mifcrable  handful 
of  human  beings,  by  which  means  they  fow  in  the  rude 
;md  uncultivated  minds  of  thefe  innocent  people  the 
I'.'eds  of  hatred,  malice,  and  miihuft,  which  they  per- 
petually nourifli  by  their  continual  opprefnons. 

Ilie  tide  which  met  Davis  in  the  fouth-weflern  arm 
of  Cumberland  Straits^  between  tl>e  clufler  of  iflands 
there,  and  which  was  contrary  to  that  by  which  he 
went,  mull  undoubtedly  have  appeared  very  ftrange  to 
him,  and  perhaps  he  might  talce  it  as  a  proof  that  this 
tide  came  from  fome  other  ocean,  perhaps  from  the 
■yveilern  one :  but  if  we  only  caft  an  eve  on  the  map 
of  the  North  Pole,  v/e  fhall  cauly  conceive,  that  the 
fame  tide  which  had  forced  itfelf  through  Dai-is's 
Straits  into  Cumberland  Straits,  may  alio  have  cow.r 
through  thofe  of  Hudfofi,  round  the  liland  r>f  Gc'.d 
Fcrtuyie^  as  far  as  to  the  end  of   Cumberland  Straif-, 

**  .  near 


I  * . 


V        1        f-1 


p 


;^i:. 


302 


VOYAGES    ANt 


near  the  group  of  ifiands  where  the  two  tides  muft  ot 
courfe  have  inct,  and  tlie  one  have  retarded  the  other. 
We  fee,  then,  how  cautious  we  ought  to  be  in  form- 
ing and  adopting  conclulions  of  this  kind,  and  more  ef- 
pecially  ^hen,  upon  the  strength  of  them,  we  are  about 
to  enter  upon  an  expcnfive  undertaking.  It  is  the  fame 
thing  with  regard  to  the  increafmg  depth  of  the  fi:a, 
the  tranfparcncy  of  th^  fea- water,  and  to  the  abundance 
of  whales  which  were  fecund  at  the  end  of  Cumberland 
Straits  j  they  ceafe  to  be  proofs  of  the  cxiftence  of  a 
paflage  here,  as  foon  as  we  are  acquainted  with  the 
real  lituation  of  the  neighbouring  countries,  which  was 
not  difcovcred  till  fome  time  afterwards.  Davis  faw 
here  Mufcovy  glafs,  and  fuch  ores  as  Frobifher  had 
brought  home  from  the  coaft.  I  am  myfelf  in  pof- 
fcflion  of  fome  Mica  and  Mufcovy  glafs  from  Green- 
land ;  and  thcncc  it  becomes  probable  that  the  foil  of 
almoft  all  the  mountains  in  eaft  and  weft  Greenland, 
and  on  the  illands  beyond  Davis's  Straits,  are  of  the 
fame  nature  and  contam  the  fame  kind  of  ftones. 

XL  On  the  7th  of  May,  1586,  Captain  Jdm 
Davis  fet  out  from  Dartmouth,  with  four  fhips,  on 
his  fecond  voyage.  Two  of  thefe  (hips  went  into 
the  Straits  between  Greenland  and  Iceland,  to  feek 
for  a  pafiage  there.  Nearly  where  Statenhoek  is 
now,  Davis  faw  land,  but  the  ice  hindered  him  from 
proceeding  farther.  He  was  therefore  obliged  to  fail 
to  57  dcg.  N.  lat.  in  order  to  avoid  the  ice.  Hav- 
ing weathered  many  florms,  he  came  in  64  deg.  N. 
lat.  to  a  land  lying  to  the  eaftward  of  him,  entered 
into  a  harbour,  then  known  by  the  name  of  Gilbert's 
Sound ;  but  which  is  at  prefcnt  called,  in  the  Danifti 
language,  God  Haah  (or  Good  Hope).  Here  they 
found  many  inhabitants,  with  whom  they  entered  in- 
to a  friendly  intercourfe,  and  who,  in  return  for  fome 
trifling  prelents,  rendered  their  vifitors  many  friendly 
fervices,  but  neverthelefs  could  not  reftft  the  tempta- 
^on  of  ftcding    from    ^he    Europeans,    even    before 

their 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       303 

their  fuces,  all  the  Iron  and  iron  utcnfils  tlicy  could 
^ct  at.  And  though  Davis  always  endeavoured  us 
Ofiuch  as  poHiblc  to  put  the  bcli  conibu£^icn  on 
«vcry  thing,  yet  they  carried  the  boldnefs  of  their 
thefts  rather  too  far.  The  tnglilh  attempted  to 
frighten  them  with  their  fire-arms,  which  had  fome 
«fte6V,  but  they  foon  returned  and  made  their  peac* 
again  j  which  they,  however,  broke  afrcfh  by  throw- 
ing larg«  ftoncs,  of  half  a  pound  weight,  into  the 
Ihips,  by  one  of  which  the  boatfwain  of  one  of  the  (hip« 
was  felled  to  the  ground.  At  length  Davis  yieldt;*! 
fo  the  preffing  entreaties  of  his  crew,  and  they  feized 
the  ringleader  of  thefe  ailailants,  and  foon  after,  get- 
ting a  fair  wind,  the  (hips  fct  fail  on  the  nth  cf 
July.  The  great  quantity  of  ice  they  nov/  met  with, 
and  the    intenfe    cold     which    froze  all    the   rir^rinq; 

COO 

i>(  the  {hips,  difheartencd  the  crew  and  made  tnctn 
iickly  ;  infomuch,  that  though  Davis  was  already  far 
advanced  to  the  northward,  yet  the  danger  of  the 
voyage,  and  the  murmurings  of  his  crew,  determined 
him  to  fleer  to  the  eafk  foulh-eaft,  when,  on  the  jik 
of  Auguft,  he  difcovered  land  in  66  dog.  33  min.  N. 
Jat.  and  70  deg.  W.  long,  from  London.  Here  he  took 
fomc  provifions  out  of  the  larger  Ihip,  and  endea- 
voured to  encreafe  the  burthen  cf  his,  by  taking  \n 
additional  ballaft.  He  purchafed  from  the  inhabitants 
fome  fcal-lkins,  quitted  the  large  fliip  and  failed  with 
the  fmaller  one  to  the  wefl",  and  again  in  66  deg.  19 
min.  N.  lat.  found  land,  which  was  at  the  diitance 
of  70  leagues  from  that  which  they  had  left  laft. 
On  the  15th  he  departed  from  this  land  to  the 
fouthward,  and  on  the  ,  i8th  faw  land  in  the 
N.  W.  On  the  fame  day  faw  land  again  in  the 
S.  W.  by  S.  On  the  i7th  of  Auguft  he  was  in  64 
deg.  20  min.  N.  lat.  Here  he  met  with  a  (Ironi^ 
current,  fetting  U  the  wcftward.  He  explored  the 
land,  and  found  that  it  confifted  almcft  entirely  cf 
iflands.  Till  the  28th  of  Auguft  he  fliaped  his  ccurfc 
jconftantly  to  the  fouthward,  iVom  the  67th  to  the  57th 
deg.  N.  lat.  coafting  all  the  while.  Here  they  (aw 
aflonifhing    quantities   of  mews    and    other    fea-fowL 

i  hey 


r    '; 


i    ) 


\  m 


304 


VOYAGES    AND 


They  alfo  caught  with  a  very  indifferent  apparatus, 
upwards  of  100  large  cods.  At  length  on  tht  28th 
of  Auguft  they  arrived  in  56  dcij.  N.  lat.  in  a  har-^ 
bour  two  leagues  in  breadth,  and  failed  up  above  10 
leagues  into  it.  The  (hores  on  both  fides  of  it  were 
covered  with  fine  forefts.  Here  they  lay  at  anchor 
till  the  I  ft  of  Sept.  and  in  the  mean  time  had  two 
heavy  ftorms.  The  forefts  were  compofed  of  fir,  pine, 
alder,  vew,  ofier,  and  birch.  Here,  too,  they  faw  a 
black  bear  j  and  of  the  fowl  kind  they  faw  phcalants 
(Tetrao  PhtifiantUui^  or  long-tailed  grous)  IJarbary  hens 
(meaning  the  Tetrao  Canadenfn,  or  fpottcd  grous)  Par- 
tridges (viz.  the  Tetrao  togatin,  or  ftiouldcrknot  grous) 
Wild-gcefe,  ducks,  blackbirds,  jays,  (meaning  the  Cor- 
vus  Canadenfis^  or  cinereous  grDus)  Thruilics  (viz.  the 
Turdus  mtgratoriuSf  or  rcd-breafted  thruih)  and  many 
other  fmall  birds.  Of  the  pheafants  and  partridges 
they  killed  a  conftderable  number,  ai)d  likewife  caught 
a  great  quantity  of  cod.  Having  fet  fail  on  the  ift 
of  September,  they  ranged  along  the  coaft  till  the  3d, 
when  a  calm  afforded  tliem  leifure  again  for  hilling. 
On  this  coaft,  which  was  in  54  deg.  30  iiiin.  N. 
lat.  they  caught  a  great  many  excellent  cod  ;  and 
fome  very  experienced  filhers  on  board  the  fliip  afRired 
the  Captain,  that  they  had  never  fecn  larger  fhoals 
of  thefe  fifti.  They  went  on  till  the  4th,  when  thev 
came  to  an  anchor,  being  quite  furrounded  with  woody 
iflands.  At  about  eight  leagues  from  this  fpot,  they 
had  fecn  a  ftrong  current  palling  between  two  lands, 
and  taking  its  diretSlion  to  the  weftward,  which  gave 
them  hopes  of  finding  a  paflage  there,  and  particularly, 
as  towards  the  fouth  there  lay  a  great  number  of 
iflands.  At  this  place  they  had  left  a  quantity  of  fifh 
on  an  illand,  and  lent  five  young  failors  to  bring  it 
aihorc  ;  but  the  inhabitants,  who  lay  fecrctly  lurking 
in  tlic  v/oodr.,  ft;ot  at  them  on  a  fudden  v/ith  their 
arrows,  fo  that  tv/o  of  them  died,  two  were  dange- 
roufly  wounded,  and  but  one  efcaped,  which  he  did 
by  fvv'imming,  though  his  arm  too  was  pierced  with  an 
arrow.  The  people  on  board,  it  is  true,  llipt  their  ca- 
bles, and  bqre  up  tq  the  IhoiCi  but  the  mifchief  was  aU 

ready 


biSCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       305 

teady  done ;    however,  they   fent  two  difchargcs  of  a 
double    mufket    atnon^fl   thcfe   cruel    and   treacherous 
ravages,  and  thereby  forced  them  to  fly.     Immediately 
after  this,  too,  they  met  with  a  violent  ftorm,  which 
had  nearly  driven  them  on  fhore,  though  they  had  p. 
ly  taken  in   their  yards  and  booms.     At  length, 
wind  abating,  they  found  their  anchor  again^  and, 
ing  new  moored  their  fliip,  weathered  out  another  rtor.'i, 
and  at  length  fet  fail  on  the  nth  of  September,  and, 
in  the   beginning  of  Odlober,    landed   fafely  in   Eng- 
land. 

The  two  fhips  which  were  to  feck  for  a  palfage  be- 
tween £afl  Greenland  and  Iceland,  left  the  Captain  on 
the  yth  of  June  in  aboiit  60  degrees  N.  lat.  and  had 
orders  to  feek  for  a  paflage  as  far  as  80  deg.  N.  lAt. 
if  not  prevented  by  the  land.  So  early  as  on  the  9th 
they  faw  large  .fields  of  ice,  till  the  nth,  when  they 
defcried  land,  which  on  the  12th  they  found  to  be  Ice~ 
land,  in  66  deg.  The  inhabitants  here  had  ftockfifli, 
ling,  and  fkatcs  (Rata  Bath)  in  abundance,  alfo  horfes, 
toxen^  aui'  Ihecp,  and  hay  to  feed  their  cattle  with. 
Their  houfes  were  built  of  ftonej  and  covered  with 
wood,  over  which  was  laid  another  covering  of  turf. 
Their  tools  and  utenfils  wei-e  like  thofe  in  England, 
of  wood,  brafs,  copper,  &c.  On  the  16th  of  June  they 
left  Iceland,  and  failed  flrait  on  to  thb  north-weft.  On 
the  3d  of  July  they  were  between  two  firm  fields  of 
ice,  and  neverthclefs  failed  on  between  them,  till  late 
in  the  night ;  when  they  tacked  abbut  and  made  for 
Greenland,  On  the  7th  they  Taw  Greenland.  The 
land  was  high  and  of  a  blue  colour ;  but  they  were 
prevented  from  landing  by  the  firm  and  folid  ice 
which  lay  before  it :  they  therefore  continued  ranging 
along  the  coaft.  On  the  17th  they  faw  the  Land  of 
Defolation,  fo  called  by  Davis  the  year  before.  But 
the  ice  hindered  them  from  landing  there.  On  the 
3d  of  Auguft  they  anchored  in  Gilberts  Sound,  their 
place  of  rendezvous  j  but  Davis  had  fet  fail  from  thence 

X  on 


ft'^il^h^ 


•'  l;.)"';: 


Wd 


m 


3o6 


VOYAGES    AND 


on  the  nth  of  July.  They  traded  peaceably  with 
the  Greenlanders  till  the  30th  of  Auguft,  when  a 
quirrel  happened  about  a  boat  that  had  been  bought 
of  the  latter,  and  which  they  would  not  deliver  up. 
Several  men  were  killed  on  both  fides,  and  others 
wounded.  On  the  31ft  of  Auguft  the\'  fet  fail,  and 
came  into  the  I'names,  as  high  as  Ratcliffy  on  the  6th 
of  Oftober. 

This  voyage  of  Capt.   John  Davis  is  in  every  refpedl 
of  the  highelt   importance.     The  great  fault  of  it  is, 
that  in  confequence  of  his  not  having  named  the  coun- 
tries he  faw,    it  is  very  unintelligible.     Thus  much, 
however,  we  are  able  to  collect  from  it ;  that  he  a  fe- 
cond  time  put  into  Gilbert's,  Sounds  which  had  been  dif- 
covered  the  year  before,  and  was   fituated  on  the  weft 
fide  of  Greenland.     After  this,  Davis  went  again,  in 
foggy  weather,  into  Cumher/and  Straits^  as   far  as   the 
group   of  iflands  there,  and  it  was   entirely  owing  to 
the  nmrmurings  of  his  crew  that  he  at  length  ran  into  a 
harbour  ca  the  fouth  fide  of  Cumberland  btraits,  or  in 
the  ifland  of  6V//  Fortune^  in  66  deg.  30  min.  N.  lat. 
and  70  deg.  \V.  long,   from  London.     He  again  met 
with    land,    fituated '  on   the  north  fide  of  Cumberland 
Straits,  or  in  Cumberland  IJland.     Thferi  he  tacked  about 
to  the  fouth,  and  faw  land  continually  to  the  weftward. 
On  the  19th  ot  Auguft  he  was  in  64  deg.  20  min.  N. 
Idt.  fomewhere  about  the  Bay  of  Good  Fortune.     In  57 
deg.  he  faw  land  again,  and  confequently  he  was  al- 
ready   on    the    coaft  of    Labrador,     On  the    28th  of 
Auguft    he    put  into  a  deep  inlet  in    lat.    56.     The 
former  of  thefe  is  nearly  v/here  the  iflands  are  fituated 
which  lie  directly  before  the  colony  of  the  Moravian 
brethren,  called  Nain.     The  latter  is  probably  the  in- 
let that  lies  to  the  weft  of  Nantucktuht.     In  like  man- 
ner the   place  fituated  in  54.  deg.  30  min.  N.  L.  near 
the  large  inlet,  where  they  found  the  great  fea  running 
to    the    weft,     is    the    inlet    of  Eyivncktohc.       From 
whence    they    fo<^n-   haftened    eaftward    for    England. 
•  I'he  voyage  of  tiie  other  ft^ips  is  full  as  indeterminate. 

H-jwever 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       307 

HolVevcr  the  firft  part  of  Iceland  they  met  with  (hould 
feem  to  have  been  fomewhere  about  BardeJirandfyJTely 
in  the  Wefifildinga  Fiordung^  perhaps  in  Patrickpord 
Harbour*  To  the  north-weft  of  this  place  is  that  part 
of  Eaft  Greenland,  through  which  probably  the  ftrait 
goes,  which  conies  from  Chrijiiari's  Haab^  and  which 
is  at  prefent  entirely  blocked  up  with  ice,  whence  it  is 
that  there  is  annually  fo  inuch  ice  likewife  at  this  fpot> 
as  to  prevent  the  (hips  from  advancing  any  farther* 
This  was  alfo  now  the  cafe  with  the  bold  and  enter- 
prizing  EngUIh,  and  they  were  obliged  to  range  along 
the  coaft  to  the  fouth-weft,  till  they  came  at  length 
round  by  Cape  Farewell  to  the  Land  of  Defolation  and 
Gilbert's' Sound.  Coiifequently  they  hardly  went  as  far 
as  67  deg.  though  they  were  to  have  gone  to  80. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  different  countries  where 
Davis  touched  were  treated  by  him  with  great  ten- 
dernefs ;  and  yet  thofe  of  Greenland  at  length  gave 
flagrant  proofs  of  their  perfidy,  and  were  guilty  of 
continual  infractions  of  the  peace ;  but  it  fhould  fecrti 
as  if  Davis's  people  had  not  always  told  him  by  what 
means  the  Greenlanders  had  been  provoked  to  thefe 
violations  of  the  peace  j  their  attacking  the  Englifh 
with  flings  and  flones  feems  to  indicate  a  great  ani- 
moiity  on  the  part  of  thefe  people,  and  confequently 
their  having  received  fome  previous  offence.  But  on 
the  coaft  of  Labrador  the  inhabitants  appear  to  have 
had  lefs  humanity,  and  to  have  been  more  unpolifhed 
in  their  manners  than  thofe  of  Greenland ;  though  in- 
deed it  is  not  improbable  but  that  thefe  people  may 
have  been,  previous  to  this  period,  ill-treated,  and  ex- 
cited to  vengeance  by  the  Europeans  that  ufed  to  fifh 
on  the  coaft  of  Newfoundland,  and  towards  the  north. 
Iron,  being  fo  folid  and  indeftru(5tible  a  metal,  had  at 
all  times  fuch  a  ftrong  attraction  for  thefe  poor  wretches, 
that  they  could  not  pofTibly  refift  the  great  temptation 
it  lay  them  under  of  ftealing.  The  Europeans,  too, 
were  always  fo  remifs  in  their  care  of  this  article, 
as  to  make  it  very  eafy  for  them  to  commit  this 
theft,  and  thus  provoke  the  vengeance  of  thefe  latter. 

X  2  The 


u 
111 


.  11 


^i^ 


f;    \ 


'■"  1 

1 

i 

3o8 


VOYAGES    ANl> 


The  defcription  of  Labrador^  here  prefented  to  u«,  feems 
alfo  to  ^gree  pertedtly  with  that  given  of  this  coalt  by 
Lieutenant  Curtis^  in  the  Philofbphical  Tran»a6tions  : 
forefts,  birds,  and  game  in  abundance,  together  with 
an  aftonifhing  quantity  of  fifh. 

XII .  Finally,  we  come  to  the  third  and  moft  impor- 
tant of  Davis's  voyages  of  difcovery,  which  was  made 
in  the  year  1587.     There  were  three  fhips  fitted  out, 
one  of  which    only   was   deflined   to    the    purpofe    of 
making  difcoveries,  the  two  others  being  intended  for 
fifhing.     Leaving    Dartmouth   on   the    i  th  of  May, 
they  failed   ftrait  on   to  the  coaft  of  Weji  Greenland, 
and  landed  on  the   i6th  of  June  on  one  of  the  iflands 
in  64  deg.   N.  lat.     Here  Davis  parted  with  the  two 
other  (hips,  ordering  them  to  follow  the  fifliery  to  55 
or  54  deg.    N.  lat.  and  to  wait  for  him  till  the  end  of 
Auguft.     He  fhaped  his  own  courfe  N,  W.  and  fome- 
times  N.  as  alfo  N.  W.  by  N.  and  even  N.  by  E. 
Being  come  to  67  deg.  40.  min.  N.  lat.  i.  e.  oppofite  to 
Di/ka  Road,  he  faw  a  great  number  of  whales,  and  of 
thofe  fowls  which  the  failors  call  Cortinous.     Here  fome 
inhabitants    came   in  their    fmall    boats,    and  bartered 
their    darts   armed  with    pointed  bones,    for    a   knife. 
The  next  day  upwards  of  30   boats  came   10  leagues 
diftance   from  the  land,    ana  brought   young  falmons, 
fea-birds,    and  caplin  (Gadus  minutus  Linnaei)  which 
they    exchanged  for    needles,    bracelets,   nails,  knives, 
fmall  bells,  looking-glafl'es,  and  other  trifles  j  but  they 
brought    only    20    feal-fkins.     On   the  30th  of  June 
they  weie  in  72  deg.  12  min.  N.  lat.  and  as  the  fun 
during  the  whole  time,  and  even  at  midnight,  remain- 
ed above  the  horizon,  the  variation  of-  the  needle  was 
found  to  be  28  degrees  weft,  the  image  of  the  fun  be- 
ing 5  degrees  above  the  horizon.     The   whole  of  this 
coalf    was  called  London   Coajl.     The  fea  had  for  the 
whole  time  been  open  to  the  weft  and  north,  and  the 
land    on  the  ftarboard  fide  had  all   along  been  to  the 
eaft.     But,  the  wind   ftiiftinj^  to  the  north,  they   could 
not    fail    any    farther   to    that  point  of  the  compal'si 
however,  Davis  called  tliis  point  of  land  Hope  Sander/on, 

after 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


309 


after  Mr.  William  Sandcrfon^  who  contributed  the  largeft 
fhare  in  fitting  out  the  Ihip  for  the  difcovery,  and  then 
fhaped  his  courfe  to  the  weft.     After  failing  40  leagues, 
he  found  a  very  large   field  of  ice.     Here    he   would 
willingly  have  failed  again  to  the  northward  along  the 
ice  J    but   the   north  wind  would    not   permit  it.     He 
tried  once   more  to  force  his  way  through  it,  having 
perceived  a  fmall  opening,  but  was  foon  obliged  to  re- 
turn after  having    fpent   two   days  between   the    ice. 
The  weather  being  fair  and  calm,  they  coafted  along 
the   ice  to  the  fouthward.     Finding  that  the  fun  had 
great  power,  Davis  thought  it  would  be  better  to  wait  a 
few  days,  and  then,  when  the  ice  fhould  be  wafted  away 
by  the  wind,  the  fea,  and  the  fun,  to  make  another  ef- 
fort to  the  weftward;   he  therefore  ftood  over  to  the 
eaftern  coaft.     But  his  people    were  too  timorous  to 
anchor  here,  and  he  ftood  out  to  fea  again  to  the  weft- 
ward.     The  poor  inhabitants,  notwithftanding  that  the 
waves  ran  high,  followed  them  out  to  fea,  and  bartered 
for  fome.  trifles.     D^wj  having  tarried  feme  time  longer 
in  this  fea,  near  the  ice,  furrounded  with  fogs,  at  length 
difcovered  Mount  Raleigh^  in  Cumberland  ijland.     On 
the  20th  of  July  he  arrived  at  the  entrance  of  Cum- 
herland  Straits.     By  the  23d  he  had  failed  60  leagues 
up  thefc  ftraits,  and  anchored  among  a  great  number  of 
Iflands,   fit^ated   in  a  clufter  at   the  end  oi   the  bay, 
and  which    he  called    after   the    Earl  of   Cumberland, 
Whilft  they  were  at  anchor  here,  a  whale  palled  them, 
and  went  weftward  in  among  the  ifles.     The  variation, 
of  the  needle  here  was  30  degrees  weft.     When  they 
returned  to  fea  by  the   fame  way  by  which  they  were 
come,  they  were  overtaken  by  a  calm,  and  it  was  ex- 
ceflivc  hot.     Bruton,  the  mafter  of  the  thip,  going  on 
fhore  with  fome  of  the  failors  for  the  purpofe  of  hu.nt- 
ing,  faw    fr^veral  graves,   and  alfo  found  train-oil  ipil- 
Jed  on  the  ground.     1  he  dogs  of  the  mitives  which  they 
faw  were    fo    fat  that  they  v/erc  fcarccly  able  to  run. 
Davis  having  left  CiimberUind  Straits^  and  being  ag;iin  in 
the  open   fea,  difcovered,  between  b2   and  63  J<.^   N, 
lat.  an  opening  which,  after  my  Lord  LumU)^  hi.  cal- 
led Lumley\  Inlet,     Here  he  found  ftrong  and  boiiierou$ 

currciits, 


■i 


il 


f^s, 


I 


310 


VOYAGES    AND 


currents,    like  catar.  As,  which  alfo  hurried  away  the 
ihip  very  fwiftly  along  with  them.     On  the  31ft  of  Ju- 
ly he  faw  a  headland,  which  he  named  IVarwick^s  Fore- 
land,    The  direiftion  of  the  Current  was  to  the  weft- 
ward,  and  the  water  formed  a  whirlpool,  with  a  loud 
roaring   noife.     On    the  ift  of  Auguft  he  faw  in  6r 
deg.    10  min.  N.  lat.  a  promontory   on    the  fouth- 
weft  fide  of  the  inlet,  which  he  called  Chidley's  Cape» 
Having  had  nothing  but  fogs  and  calms  for  feveral  days,, 
they  came  at  length  to  an  id  .  id,  which  Davis,  after 
Lord  Darcy-t  named  Darcfs  Ij.  y/>d.     On  the  top  of  it 
they  found  fome  animals  of  the  flag  kind  j  but  having 
landed  to  flioot  them,  and  having  chafed  them  two  or 
three  times  round  the  ifland,  the  deer  fwam  over  to 
another  ifland  at  three  leagues  diftance.     One  of  them 
was  very  fat,  as  large  as  a  cow,  and  had  very  broad  f^et, 
as  large  as      ")fe  of  an  ox.     While   they  were  looking 
about  for  thv^   (hips,  which  Davis   had  ordered  to  fim 
here,  and  to  wait  for  him  till  the  end  of  Auguft,  their 
vefiei  ftruck  upon  a  rock  and  fprang  a  leak ;  which, 
however,  they  were  afterwards  fo  fortunate  as  to  ftop, 
even  during  a  ftorm.     On   the    15th    of  Auguft    he 
came  to  52  deg.   1 2  min.  N.  lat,  where  he  faw  a  great 
number  of  whales :    but  not  being    able  to  find   any 
trace  of  the  two  (hips,  they  having  fintft»ed  their  fifhery 
in    16   days,  and  failed  home,  he  refolved  to  (hape  his 
courfe  for  England.     On  the  i6th  of  Auguft  therefore 
he  quitted   this  coaft,  and  on  the  15th  of  September 
arrived  at  Dartmouth. 

Davis  feems  to  have  poflefted  a  confiderable  fhare  of 
humanity,  induftry,  and  refolution.  He  went  farther 
to  the  north  than  any  of  his  predeceflbrs  ;  and  if  the 
ice  had  not  prevented  him,  he  wOuld  certainly  then 
have  made  the  difcovery  which  was  afterwards  happily 
cfFe6ted  in  1616,  by  Baffin. 

The  northern  regions,  notwithftanding  all  the  fogs 
that  are  to  be  met  with  there,  feem  in  general  to  enjoy 
a  dearer  fky  than  the  fouthern  countries  fituated  under 

tliO 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       311 

the  fame  parallel  of  latitude.  Neither  at  66  deg.  30 
min.  S.  lat.  (where,  however,  we  were  three  times) 
nor  even  when  we  had  got  as  far  as  to  7 1  deg.  1 2  min. 
S.  latitude,  did  we  ever  fee  the  fun  above  die  horizon  -, 
and  when  it  did  fhine  out  in  the  day  time,  ilill  fo 
many  fogs  were  colledled  towards  evening,  that  we 
could  never  fee  the  image  of  it,  though  it  continued 
to  be  broad  day-light,  and  that  even  at  midnight. 

During  all  the  three  warm  feafons  which  we  fpent 
in  the  fouthern  hemifphere,  at  a  great  diftance  from 
the  Equator,  though  not  fo  far  fouthward  as  Davis 
was  to  the  north,  we  met,  it  is  true,  with  mild  days, 
yet  never  faw  ^e  thermometer  rife  more  than  a  few 
degrees  above  the  freezing  point ;  it  appears,  therefore, 
very  remarkable,  that  Davis  (hould  mention  more  than 
once  the  weather;^  being  extremely  hot  in  72  and  66 
^eg.  N.  lat.  The  caufe  of  this  great  heat  can  there- 
fore only  be  attributed  to  the  great  (j^uantity  of  land 
by  which  they  were  furroundea.  The  want  of  knd 
in  the  fouthern  hemifphere  is,  on  the  contrary,  the 
caufe  of  the  more  intenfe  cold  there,  as  I  have  proved 
in  a  more  ample  manner  in  my  Obfervations  *. 

The  animals  of  the  Aag  kind,  found  on  the  coaft 
of  Labrador^  may  have  been  either  the  American  flag 
or  the  reindeer,  or  elfe  the  elk,  or  what  is  called  the 
moofe  deer.  I  am  rather  inclined  to  think  that  it 
y.  o  this  latter  which  Davis  faw  here. 

XIII.  The  Englifh  at  length  found  it  advifeable  to 
fend  a  fquadron,  conlifting  of  four  brge  fhips,  to  the 
Eaft-Indies.  The  execution  of  this  great  entcrprizc 
was  entrufted  to  Capt.  George  Raymond^  and  after  his 
death  to  Capt.  James  Lancajier^  The  fquadron  fet  fail 
in  the  year  1591,  and  Lancafter  returned  in  1593^^ 
Having  encountered  a  heavy  ftorm  near  the  Cape, 
and  being  in  danger  of  finking  with  his  (hip,  his  own 
crew  endeavoured  to  perfuade  him  to  go  on  board  one 


•  Qhfcniatitnt  madt  during  a  Fcjfaie  rtuni  the  Wtrld^ 


of 


k  ■^ 


!-i:.(K*i 


m  i  ■  W 


m\m 


.i"» 


ilH 


■"i;.  1 


t^4     t 


3" 


V  OYAGES    AND 


of  the  other  vefTcls ;  but  he  with  great  magnanimity  re-  ' 
fufed  it,  and  refolved  at  all  events  to  keep  his  poft. 
However  he  took  this  opportunity  of  writing  by  the 
other  fhips  to  England.  In  his  letter  he  alfured  the 
Company,  that  he  would  ftill  try  every  means  to  favcf 
his  (nip  and  cargo ;  and  in  the  mean  time  could  in- 
form them,  that  the  pafiage  to  the  Indies  vvas  in  the 
north-weft  of  America, v  in  t2  dcg.  30  min.  N.  lat. 
This  declaration  from  a  man  of  fuch  extenfive  know- 
ledge in  navigation,  and  who  had  fo  fair  an  opportu- 
nity of  collecting  many  different  relations  and  accounts 
from  the  Portuguefe  in  the  Indies,  could  not  fail  of' 
having  great  w-eight  in  England.  To  the  information 
colledted,  tiiere  may  alfo  be  added  that  given  by  fome 
Portuguefe,  taken  prifoners  by  the  Englilh,  viz.  that  a 
fhip  of  their  nation  had  fome  time  before  failed  upwards 
along  the  coaft  of  China  to  the  northward,  and  had 
found  an  open  fea  to  55  deg.  N.  lat.  The  two  Com- 
panies of  Ruflia  and  Tnrky  Merchants  refolved,  there- 
fore, to  have  this  paflage  fought  for  at  their  joint  ex- 
pence  ;  and  accordingly  they  fitted  out  two  mips,  the 
command  of  which  was  entruHed  to  Captain  George 
Weymouth  or  JVaymouth. 

Weymouth  fet  fail  from  England  in  the  Difcovery^ 
on  the  2d  of  May.  He  went  round  Scotland  to  the 
northward,  by  the  Orkneys.  On  tlie  i8th  of  June  he 
faw  ice,  and  the  fouthenimoft  part  of  Greenland.  Soon 
after,  viz.  on  the  28th,  he  went  to  the  weftward,  and 
in  62  deg.  N.  lat.  difcovered  Warwick's  Forelandy 
which  he  found  to  be  nothing  more  than  an  ifland. 
Fle  next  came  to  Lumlefs  Inlet,  where  there  was 
a  ftrong  current  to  the  weft  ward,  in  61  deg.  N. 
lat.  at  the  diftance  of  12  leagues  from  the  coaft  of 
the  American'  continent.  On  the  ift  of  June  the 
••  ir  was  cold,  with  fogs  and  fnow.  On  the  2d  he 
dcfcricd  a  large  mafs  of  ice ;  he  hoifted  out  his  boat, 
and  took  on  board  two  loads  of  ice,  which  made 
very  good  frefli  water.  He  met  with  many  cur- 
.  rents 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      313 

C^jrrents  along   the  coaft  of  America,  which  appeared 
to  him  not  like  ^  continent,  but  as  if  it  conliUed  of 
nothing  but  iflands.     On  the  ^d-jind    8th  he  faw  the 
land  of  America,    which  was   nigh,  and  covered  with 
fnow,  in  60  deg.  53  min.   N.  lat.     On  the  17th   the 
weather  was  very  glooitiy,  foggy,  and  cold,  fo  that  all  his 
rigging  and  fails  were  covered  with  ice.    The  next  day  it 
was  dill  very  cold,  iiiforr.uch  that  his  rigging  ftrll  conti- 
nued to  be  frozen,  and  he  could  m)t  get  forward  in  the 
leaft  with  his  fhip.     His  crew  had  confpircd  to  mutiny 
againft  him,  and  intended  to  return  llrait  to  England. 
But,  being  informed  of  tiiis  plot  in  time,   he  prevented 
its  being  put  into  execution.     Oi^  the  22d,  being  al- 
ready in  68   deg.  55  min.   N.  lat.  (or  rather  63  deg, 
53  min.)  he  feiit  for  the  moft  refradlory  among  them, 
and    punifhed  them    fevercly ;    he  alfo    had  the   boatff 
hoillwi  out  in  order  to  take  up  fome  ice,  to  make  into" 
frefli  v/ater.     This  large  iflaiKlofice  burft  afundertwo 
pr  three  times,  with  a  noife  like  that  of  thunder,  by 
which    means  nearly  one    of  the    boats,  that  had  al- 
ready got  in  half  its  lading,  was  very  much  damaged. 
On  the   25th    he   favv^    the  entrance   of  an    inlet,    in 
61    deg.   40  min,     N.    lat.      O^  the  30th  the   weft 
and  north-weft    winds  blew  very  hard,  and   the    fea- 
fon  being  aU'eady    far  advanced,    many    of   the    crew 
were    fick   in  both  fhips.      He    determined    tliereforc 
to  return,  though  he  had  already  failed  near  100  leagues- 
up  the   inlet,  which  was  40  leagues  broad.     The  va- 
riation of  the  needle  was  35  degrees  to  the  weft.     By 
the  5th  of  July  he  had  got  quite' clear  of  the  bay. '- He 
then  failed  along  the  ccaft  of  America,   involved  in' al- 
moft  continual   fogs,  and  between  numerous  iflands  of 
ice.     In  55  deg.  30  min.  N.  lat.  he  faw  an  illand.     He 
continued  ranging  along  this  coaft  till  the  14th,   in   foul 
weather,  and  between  mnny  illands.     In  56  deg.  he  en- 
tered an  inlpt,  and,  by  nir.ny  probable  reafons,  was  in- 


duced to  hope  for  a 
in  55  deg.  50  .min. 
the  needle  to  he 

v/cftvvards. 

ever  comes 


p.ifihge. 
N.  hit. 


deg. 


17  d 


in  55 
he  found  the 
eg.  15  min.  and  18  de 


20  min.  and 


the 
ice 


variation  of 

5.  12  min.  to 

The  couft  was  clear  of  ice.     If  any 

here,   it    comes  from  the  north.     lie 

obferved 


■Si. 


•IVJ 


...-^-t^ 


3«4 


VOYAGES    AND 


obferved  that  a  whirlwind  carried  the  fta-watcr  to  an 
extraordinary  height  in  the  air.  He  had  failed  30 
leagues  up  an  inlet,  in  56  deg.  N.  lat.  a  circum-^ 
itance  which  undoubtedly  muft  have  proved  his  dc- 
ilru6tion,  if  the  wind  but  for  one  day  only  had  blown 
from  the  north,  fouth,  or  eaft.  On  the  4th  of  Auguft 
he  defcried  the  Scilly  Iflands,  and  the  next  day  arrived 
at  Dartmouth. 

The  account  given  by  Lancajier^  as  he  returned 
to  England,  and  thus  was  able  to  prove  the  truth 
and  auSicnticity  of  it  by  entering  into  minute  de- 
tails, and  anfwering  particular  objections,  muft  have 
had  great  weight  with  the  Ruflia  and  Turkey  Com- 
panies j  for  it  induced  them  to  give  orders  for  a 
new  expedition  for  the  purpofe  of  making  the  difco- 
vcry.  'X'he  £aft-Indies,  the  very  profitable  trade  to 
thofe  parts,  and  the  immenfe  wealth  arifing  from  this 
trade,  were  the  objeds  of  the  defires  of  all  the  ma- 
ritime powers  of  i^uropc.  The  Portuguefe  and  the 
Spaniards,  at  that  time  united  under  the  fame  mafter, 
were  in  pofleffion  of  all  the  detenfible  places  where 
:iny  refrefhments  were  to  be  had  on  the  voyage. 
"W  ithout  places  of  tliis  kind  for  the  fupplying  of  velltls 
with  provifions  and  water  on  fo  long  and  tedious  a 
paflage,  it  was  then,  and  indeed  is  partly  ftill,  impofll- 
bk  to  undertake  a  voyage  to  the  Eaft-Indies  which 
took  up  at  leaft  fix  months  in  going,  and  as  long  a 
time  in  returning.  All  nations  were  therefore  bufy 
in  feeking  a  new  route  to  India,  in  the  courfe  of 
which  they  might  cftablifh  for  their  own  ufe  fimilar 
floro-houfes  and  places  of  refrcfhment.  This  deter- 
mined the  Fngiilh,  and  afterwards  alfo  the  Dutch^  to 
feck  for  fuch  a  route,  as  well  in  the  north-eaft  as 
likewife  in  the  north-weft.  Now  as  it  appears  by^ 
Lancafttr'%  account,  that  the  Portuguefe  had  advanced 
with  their  (hips  as  far  as  to  55  deg.  N.  lat.  to  the 
northwards  of  China,  and  had  tound  a  iizt  and  opei» 
fea  without  any  land  at  all  j  as  alfo  that,  according  to 
Ibme  probable  arguments,  the  pafiage  to  the  Indies 
muft  be  fought  for  fomewhere  in  62  deg.  30  min.. 
>J.  lat.  to  the  north-weft  of  America,  it  would  fetni 
that  the  Portuguefe    fhips  went  cither   into  the  vici- 

nlt;^ 


unanimous 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       315 

nity  of  the  ifland  of  Sagalin  Angahata^  of  the  river 
^mur^  and  fo  on  as  far  as  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
river  Uda^  where  at  prefent  is  the  RuHian  lettlement 
Vdjkoiy  (fuppofing  they  failed  along  the  coall  of  the 
continent  to  the  northward  of  China)  :  or  elfe,  in 
cafe  they  failed  by  the  iflands  cf  Lekiu^  "Japan^  or 
l^'tfon  (which  had  been  difcovered  by  the  Portuguefe 
in  1542)  Matfmai^  and  the  Kurilesj  they  murt  nc- 
celfarily  have  reached  Kamtfchaka^  in  55  diig.  N.  lat. 
and  Lantajler  muft  have  founded  his  account  of  the, 
cxiftence  of  a  paffage  in  62  deg.  30  min.  N.  lat. 
merely  on  a  conjeaure  taken  from  the  voyages  of 
Davis, 

The  tide  which  flows  into  the  capacious  opening 
called  Hudfon's  Bay,  caufes  in  it,  according  to  the 
unanimous  teftimony  of  the  different  navigators  who 
have  been  there,  at  66  deg.  in  Cumberland-Straits^ 
from  60  to  62  deg.  in  Hud/on' sStraiis,  and  at  59 
deg.  where  probably  another  Itrait  divides  the  land  of 
Labrador,  a  ftrong  current ;  and  perhaps  there  are 
more  entrances  into  the  fame  ftrait,  at  56  deg.  15 
min,  N.  lat.  at  55  deg.  f  min.  and  at  54  deg.  40 
min.  which  have  not  as  yet  been  explored  enough, 
and  yet  have  a  ftrong  current.  It  is  probable  that 
the  tide,  which  preffes  by  fo  many  different  ways  into 
Hudfon's  and  Buffings  Bay,  may  run  out  again  through 
Bavis's  Straits  *.  ,  , 

This  voyage  affords  again  two  inftances  of  ice  hav- 
ing been  taken  up  out  of  the  fea  in  boats,  and  con- 
verted into  frelh  water  fit  for  drinking.  Ihis  there- 
fore is  already  the  third  confirmation  we  have  of  this 
matter,  which  confequently  can  no  longer  be  (aid  to  be 
unknown  j  much  lefs  is  it  in  our  days  to  be  extolled 
as  a  great  and  new  invention,  fince  by  fo  doing,  a 
man  would  only  difcover  bis  ignorance  in  nautical 
hiftory, 

*  This  is  partly  afccrta'ncd  by  what  fVrymauth  himfelf  \mA  alKaily 
remarked.  Speaking  ot"  the  Coall  of  Labrador,  he  fays,  il  is  fiee  from 
;ie,  bm  if  any  ice  comes,  it  comes  from  the  North.  Confecjueiiily  it 
muH  he  brought  through  Oavii,'s  Stitit. 

When 


i-  •♦. 


m 


<k' 


(        t  i  . 


-ill 


3i6 


VOYAGES    ANH 


I 


i 


When  the  mild  weather  begins  to  operate  upon 
iflands  of  ice,  upoi»  rh-  enormous  mafTes  of  ice  called 
mountains,  they  will  Tometimes  fall  to  pieces.  The 
breaking  up  of  fuch  a.  nuge  mafs  of  ice  is  always  ac-. 
companied  with  a  very  loud  noife,  fimilar  to  that  of 
thunder.  Two  or  three  times  in  our  voyage  round 
the  world  we  were  very  near  one  of  thefe  burfting 
mountains  of  ice,  and  confequently  heard  the  noile 
made  by  it.  But  as  the  center  of  gravity  in  thefe 
pieces  of  ice  is  quite  different  from  that  of  the  intire 
mafs,  it  frequently  happens,  that  they  roll  over  in 
the  water  feveral  times  before  they  come  into  the  fitu- 
ation  requifite  to  preferve  their  balance.  One  of 
thefe  pieces  rolling  over  this  manner,  came  fo  near 
our  /hip,  that  had  it  been  lo  or  12  feet  nearer,  it 
would  have  hit  her  ;  in  which  cafe  (he  would  un> 
4oubtedly  have  been  daihed  to  pieces,  or  at  lead 
very  materially  damaged.  I  muft  confefs  that  this 
tremendous  fcene  is  ftill  prefent  to  my  imagination  in 
all  its  horror,  and  will,  I  believe,  never  be  erafed 
from  my  memory.  For  furely  a  more  dreadful  fitu- 
ation  cannot  be  conceived  than  to  range  about,  im- 
prifoned,  as  it  were,  in  a  folitary  Ihip,  between 
dreary  mafTes  of  ice,  on  an  immenfe  ocean,  many 
hundred  miles  diilant  from  any  land,  and  remote  from 
all  human  afliftance  ;  and  in  this  ftate,  confliantly  fur- 
rounded  by  gloomy  fogs,  to  be  under  continual  ap- 
prehenfions  pither  of  running  foul  of  one  of  thefe  gla- 
fical  mountains,  whilft  under  a  prefs  of  fail,  in  confe> 
quence  of  which  the  Ihip  muft  be  inevitably  dafhed  to 
pieces ;  or  elfe,  in  cale  this  enormous  niafs  fhould 
burft,  to  behold  its  fragments  (Which  however  are 
larger  than  Peter's  mountain  in  the  Saal  diftridl) 
rolling  about  m  the  fea  with  unwieldly  turbulence, 
approach  the  vefTel  with  a  tremendous  nrife,  and  per- 
haps fuddenly  plunge  both  it  and  the  unfortunate  crew 
to  the  bottom  of  the  vaft  abyfs. 

With  a  fair  wind,  clear  weather,  and  an  open  fea, 
it  is  tolerable  failing  in  thefe  icy  feas  ;  but  when  once 
fogs,  and  cold  freezing  vapours  attach  themfelves  every 
where  to  the  fails  and  rigging,  fometimes  forming 
lumps    of  ice  8  or  12  ounces   in   weight,    which  are 

detached 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       317 

detached  by  the  leaft  pufF  of  wind,  and  fall  on  the 
heads  of  the  Tailors  ;  when  the  fails  and  tackling  be- 
come fo  ft  iff  and  brittle  by  the  froft,  as  to  break  on 
the  application  of  the  fmalleft  force  ;  then  the  navi- 
gation in  thefe  parts  becomes  extremely  difagreeable 
and  dangerous.  Thefe  were  the  circumftances  which 
extorted  complaints  even  from  the  intrepid  JVeymoutb^ 
and  obftruded  his  prorrrefs  in  unknown  feas  covered 
with  ice. 

In  thofe  cold  climates,  too,  Weytnoutb  faw  a  water- 
fpout,  a  phenomenon  which  Davis  alfo  had  remarked 
before.  This  obfervation  feems  to  be  a  confirmation 
of  the  remark  which  I  formerly  made  in  the  obfer- 
vations  on  my  voyage  round  the  world,  viz.  that 
\vater-fpouts  are  chiefly  feen  in  narrow  feas,  where 
there  is  land  at  no  great  diftance  from  each  iide  of  it. 

XIV.    The   King   of  Denmark  had  been  induced^ 
by  the  fame  of  the  difcoveries  made  in  the  north   by 
other   powers,  to  f^ive  orders  likewife  for  a  voyage  to 
be   undertaken.      The    Engliih  being    already  at    that 
time  looked    upon    as  the    moft   experienced  and   by 
far   the  moft  ikilful   mariners  in  Europe,  he  had  ap- 
pointed  in  the  year   1605   the  Englifh  Captains  John 
Knight  and  James  Hali,    to    command   the  ihips  fent 
out  upon    this  expedition.     But  in  1606,  Knight  was 
appointed    in   his  own    native   country  to   condu£b  a 
fimilar  voyage  of  difcovery,   by  the  Ruflia  and   Eaft- 
India   Companies.      He   fet  fail  from  Grave/end,   and 
reached  the  Orkneys  on    the  26th  of  the  fame  month, 
where  he  was  obliged,  by  contrary  winds,  to  lie  for  a 
fortnight.     On  the  12th  of  May  he  put  to  fea  again. 
Onthei6th  he  was  in  58  deg.  igmin.  N.  lat.     The 
variation  of  the  compafs  was  8  deg.     On  the  21ft  he 
"found  himfelf  in     57  deg.    50  min.    N.    lat.      The 
weather  was  foggy,  and  there  was  a    ftrong  current 
that    fet  to    the    northward.     On    the  22d  he  faw    a 
great  quantity  of  gulls,  and  rock-weed.      On  the  23d 
he  obferved  an  owl.     On  the  28th  he  was  in   57  deg. 
57  min.  lat.   and  the  variation  of  the  needle  was  14 
deg.  30   min.  to  the  weft.     There  were   black   ftreaks 
in  the  fea- water,  and  alfo  currentSj  fonic  of  which  fet 

to 


,!iii 


m  -  m 


3»« 


VOYAGES     AND 


to  the  north,  others  to  the  weft.  On  the  29th  he  fournl 
the  iatitude  to  be  58  degrees,  and  the  current  now  fet 
to  the  fouthward  He  faw  a  confiderable  number  of 
white  fowls,  that  made  a  chirping  noiiie  lilce  fparrows. 
He  alfo  obferved  many  dead  cows  (or  rather  crows) 
floating  on  the  water.  On  the  I3ch  of  June  he  faw 
]and,  which  appeared  to  him  like  iflands,  in  57  deg.  25 
min.  but  there  was  a  great  quantity  of  ice  driving  to  the 
fouthward.  In  fai5l,  he  proceeded  as  far  into  the  ice  as  it 
was  pofTible  to  do  ;  but,  in  a  ftorm  which  arofe  foon 
after,  the  (hip  fuftcred  fo  much  from  the  ice  with  which 
fhc  was  encompafled,  that  (he  had  nearly  been  cru/hed 
to  pieces.  On  the  1 9th  he  faw  land  agam  at  15  leagues 
diftance,  in  56  deg.  48  min.  N.  lat.  where  the  needle 
varied  25  degrees  to  the  weft.  The  tide  came  from  the 
northward.  On  the  24th  a  very  high  north  wind  fnapped 
the  rope  in  t\v'o  by  which  the  (hip  had  been  made  faft  to 
the  land  ;  and  by  the  great  quantity  of  large  mafl'es  of 
ice  that  was  colle(5led  here,  the  rudder  was  torn  away. 
Capt.  Knight  therefore  found  himfelf  obliged  to  enter  an 
inlet,  and  run  his  (liip  a-ground,  in  hopes  of  faving  at 
leaft  their  clothes,  provifions,  and  furniture  ;  but  before 
{he  could  be  brought  afhore  (he  was  half  full  of  water. 
He  then  had  the  water  pumped  out,  that  they  might  be 
able  at  leaft  to  ftop  the  leak.  They  begun  alfo  to  fet 
up  the  (loop,  and  to  take  their  boat  over  the  ice  into  the 
water,  in  order  to  feek  for  a  more  convenient  fpot  for 
repairing  the  (hip.  They  could  not,  however,  meet 
with  any  fuch  fpot,  as  every  thing  was  ftill  covered  with 
ice  ;  neverthelefs  they  found  that  there  was  wood  grow- 
ing on  the  land. — Thus  far  had  Knight  proceeded  in  the 
relation. — On  the  26th  he  himfelf,  with  his  pilot's  mate, 
and  three  failors,  all  well  armed,  went  in  the  boat  over 
to  alargeifland,  tofeekfoi.-  a  convenient  harbour,  to  re- 
pair the  (liip  in.  He  left  two  men  in  the  boat,  and  went 
himfelf  with  three  others,  one  of  whom  was  his  brother, 
to  the  upper  part  of  the  illand.      The  two  men  that 

had 


'fe- 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      319 

had  been   left  in   the  boat,   waited,    but  all  in    vain, 
from  ten   in   the    morning  till  eleven  at   night.     One 
of  them  fpunded  the  trumpet  two  or  three  times,  and 
the  other    as  often  fired   off  his  piece  ;    but,    hearing 
nothing  of    the  Captain   and  his  companions,  they  re- 
turned to  the  fhip.     The  whole  crew  was  feized  with 
the  utmod  confternation,  and  they  pafl'ed  the  night  in 
anxiety  and  grief.     The  next  day   7   men,  well  arm- 
ed, went  with  an  intent   to  fearch  for  their  Captain  and 
his  companions,  but  they  could  not  get  to  the  iOand 
with    their  boat  on  account    of  the  ice.     They  then 
cleared  the    (hip,   as  they  alfo    did  on  the  28th,   and 
at  the  fame  time  kept  the  pump  going  brifkly,  with  a 
view  to  find  out  the  leak  and  ftop  it.      1  he   natives, 
however,  came  over  the  rocks  to  their  boat  and  Hoop, 
when  the  centinel  gave  the  alarm,  and,  though  very  nu- 
merous,   the  lavages  were  fortunately   repulfed.      The 
crew  now  carried  the  flores  again  on  board,  made  hafte 
to  Rni(h  the  iloop,  and  at  length,  with  their  leaky  fhip 
and  the  floop,  which   was  neither  caulktd   nor  payed, 
went   away  from  that  fpot,  rowing  the   fhip  along  b*?- 
tween  the  ice,  though  Ihe  had  no  rudder.     After. /ards, 
out  of  two  pickaxes  they  made  two  pintles  to  hang  their 
rudder  on.     They  kept  the  pump  continually  going,  and 
taking  their  main  bonnet,  and,  bafting  it   with  cakum, 
applied    it  on  the  outlide    of  the  ibip  under  the  keel, 
where  the  great  leak  was,  which  efleftually  prevented 
the  water  from  rufhing  in  as  faft  as  it  did  at  firfl ;  ne- 
verthelefs  they  were  obliged  ft  ill  to  keep  the  pump  going, 
and  in  this  manner  proceeded  to  Newfoundland,  where 
they  at  length  ran  into  a  bay  near  Fogo  on  the  23d  of 
July,  repaired  their  fhip,  and  refted  themfelves .     From 
thence  they  fet  fail  on  the   22d  of  Auguft,  and  landed 
on  the  24th  of  September  at  Dartmouth. 

This  voyage  took  fuch  an  unfortunate  turn,  that 
though  much  was  expected  from  Knight' %  profeliional  abi- 
lities, as  well  as  from  his  accuracy  in  making  obferva- 
tions  i  yet  all  was  fruftrated  by  tlie  unhappy  death  of 

tbi$ 


,  .■'•11 


ti 


3io 


VOYAGES    Auri 


I 


this  defcrving  man.  It  was  probable  the  former  tirxieU 
ties  of  the  Europeans  to  the  EJkimaux,  together  with 
the  great  greedinefs  of  the  latter  after  iron,  that  occafion- 
ed  the  death  of  the  good  Captain  Knight,  and  animated 
the  favages  to  attack  the  reft  likewife.  There  is  nothing 
elfe  in  this  voyage  worth  remarking,  but  that  the  fame 
current  which  had  been  feen  before  by  fo  many,  but 
which  fet  to  the  northward,  was  alfo  obferved  by  Knight. 
The  owl  which  he  faw  probably  came  from  the  Faro 
ifles,  as  his  courfe  went  pretty  near  them^  though,  on 
account  of  the  fo?s,  he  was  not  able  to  difcern  them. 

XV.  James  Hall  had  already  been  out  three  years 
fucceflively,  viz.    from  1605   to  1607,  in  the   Daniih 
fervice,  on  voyages  of  difcovery  in  the  northern  parts^ 
and  in  this  laft   voyage,   in   confequencfe  of  the  crew 
mutinying  againft  him,  was  obliged  to. go  to  Iceland, 
without  having  fee*  any.  thing  more  than  the  coaft  of 
Greenland.     This  may  perhaps  have  deterred  him  fromi 
going  any  more  to    the  north   m  the  Danifh  fervice. 
We  hnd  but  very  little  related  of  this  voyage,  except  that 
he  fet  fail  from  King/ion  upon  Hally  with  two  fhips,  the 
one  of  which  was  calleii  the  Patience,   and  the  other  thei 
Hiari's  Eafe.     The  firft  thing  mentioned  is  the  obfer- 
vation  he  made,  on  the  19th  of  July,  on  the  longitude 
of  a  place  which  he  calls  Cocking  SoUnd^  but  which  is 
iil  65  deg.  23  min.  N.  lat;  and  is  otherwife  called  Raali 
Reviery  and,  according  to  his  rfeckoning,  is  60  deg.  30^ 
min.  weft  long,  from  London.     The  next  remark  made 
is,  that  Hall  was  killed  by  a  Grcenlander  with  a  fpear 
an  the  22d  of  July.     Before  this  event  happened,  they 
never  had  any  difputo;  with  the    natives,  neither  had 
they  any  afterwards  ;    only  thefe  latter  had  been  ob- 
ferved now  and  tlien  to  point  at  Hall,  and  mention  him 
by    the  name  of  Captain,  from    which    circumftance 
they  tonje6lured,  that  the  murderer  muft  have  been  a 
brother  or  fome  relucion  of  the  five  Greenlanders,  who 
in  the  year  1606  had  been  carried  ofF  by  the  Dunes. 
Before  Hall's  death  tliey  made   a  diligent  fearch  after 

minerals, 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       321 

minerals,  arvi  on  this  occafion  had  difcovered  feveral 
rivers  and  k/j  hours,  and  had  like  wife  I'een  the  traces 
of  a  large  ft?  ^;  or  elk,  as  large  as  thofe  of  an  ox.  Af- 
ter his  deceale  they  refumed  their  fearch  in  the  bowels 
of  the  earth,  and  found  many  places  where  tlie  Danes 
had  already,  dug  before  them  :  they  found  alfo  ftones 
with  bright  (hining  colours  ;  but  thefe,  when  they  were 
brought  to  the  teft,  yielded  nothing  but  mere  flags  ; 
for  they  contained  no  metal,  but  refembled  Glacies 
Maris,  or  Mofcovy  talk. 

As  they  could  neither  find  any  minerals,  nor  induce 
the  inhabitants  to  carry  on  any  further  trade,  they  left 
RummelFord  (Rommels- Fiord)  in  67  deg.  N.  lat, 
where  lu*.  needle  varied  ^4  deg.  16  min.  and  arrived 
the  fame  day  at  Kinp's  Foord  (Kongs-Fiord.)  They 
now  (haped  their  courfe  to  the  fouth,  as  another  of  the 
iailors  had  been  killec  by  a  Greenlander,  in  confequence 
of  an  attempt  the  failor  had  made  to  pull  him  by  force 
out  of  his  boat.  On  the  18th  of  Auguft  they  were  in 
58  deg.  50.  min.  N.  lat.  till  the  6th  of  September  they 
had  continual  ftorms.  They  were  in  61  deg.  18  min. 
N.  lafc.  the  variation  of  the  compafs  was  6  degrees 
eaftward,  and  they  had  ground  at  68  fathoms.  On 
the  8th  of  September  they  reached  the  Orkneys,  where 
they  anchored,  and  procured  from  the  inhabitaiits  fowls, 
geefe,  and  fheep,  in  exchange  for  old  clothes  and 
Sioes :  and  on  tlie  iith  they  made  Kingjhn  upon 
Hull. 

William  Baffin,  who  was  but  very  young  at  the  time, 
and  who  has  written  the  account  of  this  voyage,  adds 
to  it,  that  probably  thofe  glittering  Itoaes,  oi  cUfFerent 
colours,  did  not  contain  any  metal.  From  this  it 
Ihould  feem,  that  thefe  ftones  were  Labrador — or  glim- 
mering fpar.  Perhaps  they  are  found  here  alio  j  and 
nobody  can  give  a  better  account  of  the  matter  than  the 
Moravian  brethren,  who  are  refident  in  thofe  partn. 
That  there  are  mountains  of  white  alabafler  here  wc 
^re  allured  by  Baffin.     At  a  place  about  40  miles  up 

faid  to  be  fome  trees  j  for  near 

little  grove  of  trees  not  more 

Y  than 


the  country  there  are 
Maals  Rivier  they  faw 


I  '^'  '0m 


~'^:  ..;'^Pi 


322 


VOYAGFS    AN» 


than  fix  or  feven  feet  high,  confifting  of  willows,  jum- 
per and  other  trees  of  this  kind.  They  found  alfo  a 
great  quantity  of  angelica ;  this  perhaps  was  the  Hera^ 
cleum  Sphondylium,  or  cow's  parfnep  j  and  it  wjls  fup- 
pofed  that  the  people  ufed  to  eat  the  roo>3  of  it,  as  they 
were  found  in  their  boats. 

A  great  number  of  foxes  was  feen  here,  fomc  of  which 
were  quite  white.  ITiere  were  alfo  large  anrtnab  of 
the  ftag  kind  here,  (viz.  reindeer)  which  had  very 
large  hoofs.  The  Grecnlanders  fifh  during  the  whole 
fummer,  and  dry  their  fifh  and  feal's  flelh  on  the  rocks 
for  their  winter  provifion.  They  have  little  boats,  two 
feet  broad,  and  fometimcs  20  feet  long,  clofely  covered 
ever  virith  feal-flcins,  with  a  round  hole  in  them,  where 
the  owner  of  the  boat  gets  in,  and  envelops  himfelf 
with  fkins,  fo  that  no  water  can  get  into  the  boat. 
Their  oars  have  two  blades,  one  on  each  end  of  them. 
They  take  hold  of  the  oar  in  the  middle,  and  work  al- 
ternately with  it  on  each  fide.  They  row  fo  fwiftly 
that  no  (hip  can  keep  pace  with  them.  In  thefe  boats 
they  catch  fcals,  fea-horfes,  falmons,  and  other  fifh, 
which  they  pierce  with  a  dart  or  harpoon.  The  point 
is  made  of  bone,  the  line  of  whalebone.  In  fummer 
they  live  in  tents,  in  winter  in  houfes,  which  are  half 
under  ground.  They  do  not  live  conflantly  on  the 
fame  fpot,  but  wander  from  place  to  place,  jufl  as  it 
happens  to  be  convenient  for  their  fifhing.  They  ufu- 
ally  worfhip  the  fun.  When  any  flranger  comes  to- 
wards them,  they  point  up  to  the  fun,  and  call  aloud, 
Jlyout ;  and,  if  you  extend  your  hand  in  the  fame  man- 
ner to  the  fun,  and  pronounce  the  fame  word,  they 
approach  towards  you,  but  otherwife  they  will  not 
venture  to  come  near.  They  bury  their  dead  in  a 
pit  encompaffed  with  floncs,  to  prevent  the  foxes  from 
eating  them,  aiid  in  another  pit  next  to  this  they  inter 
die  bow,  dart,  arrows,  and  other  utenfils  of  the  dc- 
ceafed.  They  eat  raw  flefh  and  drink  fea-water,  yet 
they  are  not  cannibals.  They  are  very  defirous,  how- 
ever, to  obtain  iron  by  any  means  whatever. 

From 


*  Dtvid  CranU*a  Hlftory  of  Greealaac',  P«rt  (.  Stole  IV.  Cbap. 
.S-  i  35* 


mn 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       313^ 

From  this  account  vrt  have  another  inftance  to  what 
lengths  this  people  will  carry  their  vengeance,  as  we 
find  that  they  made  a  point  of  revenging  the  capture 
of  their  five  countarymen  on  the  Captain.  Notwith- 
ll4nding  which  another  of  the  Tailors  Was  tempted  to 
try  to  carry  ofF  another  Greenlander,  who,  however, 
had  courage  and  adroitneflt  enough  to  punifh  with  im- 
mediate 7  death  the  man  that  attempted  to  deprive  him 
qf  his  liberty. 

.  All  the  preceding  obfervations  of  Baffin  are  excellent. 
There  is  one,  ho»/ever,  upon  which,  with  Crantz  ♦, 
we  find  ourfelves  obliged  to  malce  fome  ftridures ; 
this  is,  that  they'worlhip  the  fun.  The  mariner  fees 
the  Grecjilander,  newly  rifen  from  his  bed,  go  im- 
mediately oiit  of  his  hut,  and  look  ftedfaftly  at  the 
heavens  and  the  rifing  fun,  in  order  to  know  from 
them  what  weather  he  is  to  exped  in  the  courfe  of  the 
day.  Now  this  a6t  is  confidered  by  the  failors  as  an 
adoration  of  the  fun,  a  thing  of  which  tlie  Greenlander 
never  had  the  leaft  thought. 

XVI.  The  idea  of  finding  a  paffage  to  the  Indies^ 
fomewhere  in  thd  north,  was,  notwithf^mding  the 
fruitlefs  attempts  that  had  repeatedly  beei.  r^ade,  not 
yet  given  upj  on  the  contrary  it  Was  fuppofed  to  be 
an  eafy  matter  to  difcover  it  under  the  direction  of  a 
man  of  (kill  and  refolution.  T*he  former  enterprizes 
had  been  backed  partly  by  Government,  partly  by  the 
fird  people  in  the  country,  and  partly  likcwife  by 
merchants.  But  then,  after  a  fimilar  attempt,  their 
zeal  had  foon  abated  again.  It  is  true,  the  voyage 
of  Capt.  jfMmet  Lanca/ter,  in  the  years  1591,  1592, 
and  1593)  ^^  India,  by  the  Cipe  of  Good  Hope,  had 
indicated  the  poiftbllity  of  the  paftage  ;  but  then  it  had 
likewife  (hewn  the  difficulties  attending  it.  He  failed, 
too,  a  ^cond  time,  in  1601,  to  the  £af^-Indies,  as 
Commander  of  a  fleet  belonging  to  the   nevvly-eAa- 


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bliihed  Eaft-India  Company,  and  returned  in  1603  to 
England  with  great  riches.     Sir  Henry  Middleton,  as 
alfo   Sir  Edward  Michelbeurn,    returned    fafe  in  1606 
from    the    Indies  to   England,    each  of  them   with  a. 
very  richly-laden  fleet,     t  rom  hence  one  would  be  apt 
to  imagine  that  thefe  fuccefsful  expeditions  to  the  Indies 
had  entirely  ilifled  the  paflton  for  making  new  attempts 
tp  find  out  a  paflage  by  the  north.     There  was  never- 
thclefs  a  fociety  of  relolute  and  wealthy .  men  found, 
who  not  only  believed  in  the  probability  of  the  paflage, 
but  alfo  were  aware  of  the  advantages  that   would  rc- 
fult   from  it,  and  who,   therefore,  with   a  refolution, 
perfeverance,   and  noble  liberality,  almoft  unexampled, 
furnifhed  the  money  neceflary    for  three    expeditions. 
To  the  command  of  thefe  expeditions  they  appointed 
Henry  HudfoHy  a  great  and  experienced  feaman,  whofe 
knowledge,  capacity,  and  intrepidity,  are  fcarcely  to  be 
equalled,   and  who    certainly,    in  unwearied    aflidujty, 
and  unremitting  labour,   was  furpafled  by  no  one  in 
thofe  times.     Hudfon^s  Journals,  and  the  names  of  the 
Gentlemen   who  employed   him   in  thefe  expeditions, 
have   not   been    tranfmitted  down   to   us ;    and  upon 
the  whole,  what  is  come  to  our  knowledge  concerning 
his  navigation,   are   only  fragments.     It  was  reiolved 
to  fearch    for   this   paflage   by  three  diff^erent  routes, 
either  ftrait  on  by  the  north,  or  by  the  north-eaft,  or 
by  the  north-weft :   and  all  thefe  three  voyages  were 
actually  performed  by  Hudfon. 

Hudjon  begun  his  firft  voyage  in  1 607,  and  fet  (ail 
from  Gravefend  on  the  ift  of  May.  On  the  13th  of 
June,  in  73  deg.  N.  lat.  he  law  land,  which  he 
called  Hold  with  Hope.  This  land  is  fltuated  between 
6  and  7  degrees  to  the  north  of  Iceland,  on  the  eaft 
fide  of  Greenland.  He  had  found  the  weather  far 
colder  in  63  deg.  tlian  he  did  here ;  for  here  it  was 
quite  mild  and  agreeable.  On  the  27th  they  were  in 
lat.  78  deg.  and  ftill  had  mild  or  rather  quite  warm 
weather.  On  the  2d  of  July  it  was  very  cold,  thougti 
they  had  not  altered  their  latitude*  On  the  8th  of 
July  they  were  ftill  in  the  fame  latitude  of  78  deg. 

when 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       325 

when  they  had  calm  weather,  and  an  open  fea,  in  which 
there  was  a  great  quantity  of  drift-wood  floating. 
Whenever  the  fea  appeared  green,  it  was.  always  a  free 
and  open  fea ;  but  when  it  looked  blue,  it  was  gene- 
rally covered  with  ice.  On  the  14th  of  July  Hudfon 
fent  the  mate  of  his  fhip  and  the  boatfwain  on  fhorc 
in  80  deg.  23  min,  N.  lat.  They  found  the  veftiges 
of  reindeer,  and  faw  fome  water-fowls,  and  alfo  found 
two  ftreams  of  very  frefh  water,  of  which,  the  weather 
being  hot,  they  drank  with  great  fatisfaclion.  The  fun 
remained  even  at  midnight  10  deg,  40  min.  above  the 
horizon.  Hudfon  failed  as  fer  as  82  deg.  N.  lat.  and 
would  have  proceeded  ft  ill  farther  if  he  had  not  been 
prevented  by  the  great  quaii|ity  of  mountains  and  fields 
of  ice  by  which  he  was  encompafl'cd.  This,  however, 
did  not  ceter  him  from  making  yet  another  trial,  whe^ 
ther  he  could  not  find  about  tl»e  part  where  he  had 
feen  Hold  with  Hope^  a  wuy  quite  round  Greenland^ 
which  he  confidered  an  ifland  ;  and  then  return  home 
by  Davis's  Straits,  But  this  pallagc  was  likewife  ob-r 
ftru6led  by  the  ice,  and  he  was  obliged  to  fail  back 
to  England,  where  he  arrived  on  the  1 5th  of  Septem- 
ber ao.  Gravefend. 

By  this  voyage  more  of  the  eaftcrn  coaft  of  Green- 
Jand  was  discovered  to  the  northward  than  had  beeif 
done  in  any  former  voyage.  The  great  degree  of 
warmth  felt  in  the  high  northern  latitudes  appears  to 
me  to  be  owing  merely  to  the  lands  fituated  fo  high 
up  towards  the  north  j  for  in  the  fouthern  hemifphere, 
in  which  in  30,  40,  and  54  deg,  S.  lat.  there  is  no- 
thing to  be  feen  but  fea,  the  fea  abforbs  all  the  rays 
of  the  fun,  which  confequently  are  not  able  to  pro<Iuce 
any  heat  in  the  air  ;  for  it  is  only  thofe  rays  of  the 
fun  which  are  refledted  from  the  earth,  and  its  une- 
qual furfaces,  that  crofs  each  other  in  every  dirc6tion, 
and  thus  produce  heat  in  the  air.  It  appeared  there- 
fore very  ftrange  to  Hudfon,  that,  in  fo  high  a  lati- 
tude, he  (hould  meet  with  warmer  weather  than  that 
which  he  had  experienced  in  63  deg.  at  fea.  But  ho 
could  not  but  know  at  the  fame  time,   that  it  is  not 

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VOYAGES    ANB 


from  the  vicinity  or  prefence  of  land  alone,  that  w^ 
are  able  to  form  a  conclufion  refpe£Hng  the  warmth  of 
the    weather ;    for  winds  blowing  over   the  ice,  and 
through  very  cold  regions,  contratSl  in  their  courfc  a 
degree  of  cold,  of  which,  without  having  experienced 
it,  it  is  hardly  poflible  to  form  any  idea.     Even  be- 
yond 73  dee.  N.  lat.  between  Greenland  and  SpitZ" 
terpen^   he  ftill  met  with  drift-wood,   which  probably 
had  been  carried  thither  from  out  of  the  mouths  of  fome 
Siberian  or  American  rivers  i  a  circumfVance,  however, 
of  which  we  have  not  obferved  the  leaft  veftiges  all 
over  the  fea  fituated  near  the  South  Pole,  becaufe  there 
IS  no  land  in  thofe  parts,  and  nothing  is  to  be  feen  but 
fea.     The  honour  of  the  <^fcovery  of  Stitzbergen  con- 
fequently  belongs  to  Hudfon,     The  firft  who  afterwards 
failed  thither  on  the  whale  fifhery,  were  Englifhmen. 
It  was  a  long  time  ere  the  Dutch  refolved  upon  going 
thither ;  however,  they  found  fo  much  profit  arife  from 
.  this  expedition,  that  in  the  beginning  of  this  century 
the  Dutch  and  the  Hamburgh  people  were  almoib  the 
only  whale-fifhers   in  the    Spitzbergen  fcas.      For  at 
Jengrii  the  Englifh  fent  no  more  than  one  fhip  thither 
every  year,  till  the   attention  of  Government  was  di- 
re^ed  to  it,   when  Failiament  found   it  neceffary   to 
grant  confiderable  premiums  to  the  Spitzbergen   (or, 
as  they  are  improperly  called,   the  Greenland)  naviga- 
tors and  whale-fifhers,  by  way  of  encouraging  the  Eng- 
lifh to  purfue  this  bufinefs,   which  premiums  are  Itill 
continued  in  part  every  year.    In  the  firft  years  the 
Englifh  were  fo  inexperienced  in  the  whale-fifhery,  that 
though  they  fitted  the   fhips  out  in  England,  yet  they 
were  obliged  to    let  half  of  the    refpeStive  crews  be 
Dutchmen.     Spitzbergen,   cold   as  it    is,    neverthelefs 
affords  food  for  fome  reindeer,  wliich,  as  this  country 
is  furrounded  on  all  fides  by  tlie  fea,  muft  come  to  it 
over  the  frozen  fea  from  Greenlend,  where  thefe  ani- 
mals are  alfo  met  with  in  very  high  latitudes.     In  thefe 
high  northern  latitudes  the  image  of  the  fun  continues, 
as  is  well  known,   from   the   Ardic  Polar  Circle  on- 
wards,   during  the  whole  of  the  a4  hours  above   th« 
lioriionj  and  the  nearer  we  come   to   the  Pole,    the 

higher 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        ^ij 

higher  the  irrutge  of  the  ^iun  appears  above  the 
horizon  at  midjiight,  and  the  lower  it  finks  at  noon, 
till  at  lail,  jufl  under  the  Pole,  it  continues  the  whole 
24  hours  at  an  almoft  equal  height  above  the  horizon. 
Hudfon,  with  great  intrepidity,  endeavoured  to  ap- 
proach the  Pole,  and  indeed  went  as  far  as  82  deg. 
N.  l^t.  and  is  without  doubt  the  firft  who  has  advanced 
beyond  80  deg.  to  the  northward.  It  is  true  the  ice 
prevented  him  from  failing  .^y  farther,  notwithftand- 
ing  he  fh^ped  his  courfe  once  more  towards  Greenland, 
where  he  was  in  hopes  to  find  a  paffage,  and  return  by 
Davis's  Straits ;  but  the  ice  again  obftru<Sled  his  way. 
All  this,  however,  evinces  the  intrepid  fpirit,  unihaken 
fortitude,  and  courage  of  the  man  who  was  felc6led  for 
this  ereat  enterprise. 

XVII.  Hudfon  having  in  vain  fought  for  this  paf- 
(age  diredly  by  the  north,  the  members  of  the  Society 
at  whofe  expence  and  under  whofe  direction  the  firft 
voyagp  had  been  undertaken,  refolved  to  make  another 
attempt  the  very  next  year,  and  Hudfon  was  to  have 
the  command  of  this  expedition  likewife.  He  ht  fail 
on  the  24th  of  April,  1608,  and  endeavoured  to  find 
the  pallage  in  the  north-eaft,  between  Spitzbsrgen  and 
Nova  ZembUtt  difcovcred  by  him  the  preceding  year  j 
but  here  ,alfohe  found  infurmountable  obflaclcs  in  the 
ice  he  met  with.  At  the  fame  time  it  is  to  be  regret- 
ted that  no  narrative  has  been  prefervcd  to  inform  us 
how  high  a  latitude  Hudfon  failed  by  this  route. 
The  reflet  not  anfwering  his  expe£lation,  he  failed 
along  .the  land  of  Nova  Ztmbla,  where  he  found  the 
climate  mild  and  agreeable,  and  the  coafl  free  from 
ice.  He  therefore  thought  it  would  be  poiTible  to  find, 
on  the  furthermoft  fide  of  Nova  Zembky  a  paffage, 
which  till  then  navigators  had  in  vain  attempted  to 
difcover  in  the  interior  fea  beyond  IVaygatz  Straits  ; 
but  here  alfo  he  found  fo  much  ice  in  his  progrefs, 
that  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  his  defign.  Accord- 
ingly  he  made   all   poriibe    haftc    to    fcarcli    for  this 

paflagc 


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328 


VOYAGES    AMD 


paflage  by  Lumley\  Inltt ;  but  the  feafon  being  af* 
ready  far  advanced,  the  days  beginning  to  fhorten, 
and  the  weather  growing  cold  and  ftormy,  he  wat 
obliged  to  poftpone  this  new  attempt  to  another  year. 
He  haftened  therefore  to  England,  where  he  arrived 
fafe  on  the  22d  of  Auguft.  This  voyage,  of  which 
but  kwy  and  thofe  very  few  imperfe6t  accounts,  are 
come  to  our  knowledge,  juftly  excites  in  us  a  wifli 
that  it  were  pofTible  to  nnd  in  any  part  of  England 
.the  journal  of  this  great  navigator}  for  we  cannot 
doul  t  that  the  obfervations  made  in  the  courfe  of 
icMf.  attempt,  though  it  did  not  fucceed,  muft  yet  be 
-jxt  t  iiely  important  and  inftrudive  to  pofterity  with 
Viifped'  ■    ohyfical  geography. 

XVI 11.  iiefore  wc  begin  the  relatiou  of  Hudfon't 
laft  remarkable  voyage  of  difcovery,  we  find  it  ne- 
cefTary  to  make  a  few  remarks  on  feveral  other  un- 
dertakings of  this  nature.  Already  the  Dutch  had 
difcovered,  under  the  command  of  William  Bareniz 
and  He^;mjkerky  a  fmall  ifland  in  74  deg.  30  min.  N. 
lat.  to  which,  on  account  of  a  very  large  bear  they 
had  killed  there,  they  gave  the  name  of  Bear  Jjland, 
They  then  failed  to  the  N.  N .  W.  and  in  about  80 
deg.  II  min.  N.  lat.  again  difcovered  land,  which 
proved  an  extenlive  country.  They  failed  along  the 
weft  fide  of  it  as  far  as  79  deg.  30  min.  and  there 
found  a  bay.  This  extenUve  country  was  afterwards 
difcovered  by  Hudfon  in  1607,  and  was  called  by 
the  Dutch  Hpitzbergen^  but  by  the  Englifh  Green- 
land, becaufe  they  looked  upon  it  to  be  really  a  con- 
tinuation of  Greenland.  In  1 603  Sir  Francis  Cherry^ 
an  Engliihman,  fent  a  (hip  out,  at  his  own  expence, 
which  in  74  deg.  55  min.  N.  lat  difcovered  an 
ifland,  on  which  a  tooth  of  the  fea-horfe  (Triche- 
chus  Ro'.marus)  was  found,  as  alfo  lead  ore.  This 
ifland  the  failors  called  Cherry  Jjland^  in  honour 
of   Sir    Francis     Cherry^     and    alfo    took    pofTeiTion 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       329 

^f  it  in  his  name.  Now  this  was  the  fame  with 
Bean  IJkmd  difcovered  in  1596  by  William  Barentz* 
In  1604  another  (hip  fet  out  for  Cherry  IJland,  the 
proprietor  of  which  was  a  Mr.  tVeldetii  and  Stephen 
Bennet  the  commander*  They  fet  fail  on  the  15th  of 
April,  arrived  on  the  ift  of  Mav  at  Kola^  in  Lapland^ 
and  remained  there  till  the  ift  of  July,  when  they 
continued  their  voyage,  and  on  the  8th  made  Cherry 
IJland.  The  current  was  fo  ftrong,  that  they  could 
not  land  ;  they  therefore  failed  round  the  whole  Ifland,' 
and  anchored  at  the  diftance  of  two  miles  from  the 
land.  They  then  landed  and  (hot  fo  many  birds, 
that  they  loaded  their  boat  with  them.  On  the  oth 
of  July  they  faw  a  great  number  of  foxes,  or  rather 
what  the  Ruffians  call  Pefxii  v  .  the  ari^ic  fox 
(Canis  Lagopus),  They  found  this  pa:  of  the  ifland 
to  be  in  74  deg.  45  min.  N.  lat.  Th<;y  then  weigh- 
ed anchor,  and  went  on  the  loth  to  another  bay, 
where  they  found  above  1000  fea-horfes,  lying  m 
heaps  one  upon  the  other  afleep^  of  which,  however, 
they  killed  but  15.  On  the  (  ler  hand  they  found 
as  many  teeth  lying  about  as  filled  a  whole  hogfbead. 
Thefe  were  in  all  probability  the  remains  of  fuch  of 
thefe  animals  as  had  died  there  of  old  age,  or  elfe 
had  been  devoured  by  the  bears.  Before  the  13th 
f hey  had  killed  more  than.  100  fea-horfes,  of  which 
they  ufed  only  the  teeth.— In  1605  the  fame  people 
went  again  with  the  fame  (hip  to  this  ifland,  where 
they  landed  on  the  2d  of  July.  They  killed  a  great 
number  of  fea-horfes,  which  they  now  however  ufed 
alfo  for  the  purpofe  of  making  train-oil.  Five  fea- 
horfes  produce  one  tun  of  train-oil,  and  they  filled 
II  tuns.  They  difcovered  alfo  a  vein  of  lead,  under 
a  mountain,  which  thry  called  Mount  Mi/ery,  and 
they  took  above  30  tuns  of  the  ore  with  them  to 
England. — In  i6ob  the  fame  people  undertook  with 
the  fame  fhip  another  voyage  to  Cherry  IJland^  where 
they  landed  on  the  3d  of  July,  in  74  deg.  55  min. 
N.  lat.  They  ftaid  there  till  the  ice  was  diflblved, 
as  before  that  time  the  fea-horfes  do  not  go  on  fliore. 

In 


?'1S 


ft-l 


!i  '     :  P' 


^30 


y  O  Y  A  G  E5    A19P 


|n  about  (ix  hours  they  killed  7  or  800  of  th^m,  and 
Kyi^p  white  l^rs.  From  the  fca-horfes,  they  got  22 
|uns  of  pil  and  Riled  three  hogdieads  with  their  teeth. 
•—^n  j(6o8»  t))ey  made  another  trip,  when  the  wea- 
ther yras  fo  hot  on  the  21ft  of  June,  that  the  pitch 
g^It^d,  aQ4  K9Ji  down  the  fides  of  the  ihip>  In  the 
.  a^e  of  7  hpurs  they  killed  more  than  900  fea-horfes, 
^hich  yielded  them  31  tuns  of  train-oil.  1  hey  took 
two  yo^ng  fea-ihorfes  alive  along  with  them,  the  fe- 
Xtale  di<d  pn  the  voyage,  but  the  male  lived  ten 
IVfceks  after  their  arrival  in  England,  where  he  had 
^en  .taught  fcveral  tricks. — In  1609  a  fhip,  called 
the  jfmify,  fitted  out  by  Sir  Thonias  Smith,  and  the 
]^uflta  Company,  and  commanded  by  Jonas  PeoU^ 
went  on  a  voyage  to  Cherry  JJhndy  as  alfo  to  make  dif- 
Coveries  towacd?  the  North  Pole.  Poole  fet  fail  from 
hlackwall,  near  London,  on  the  ift  of  March,  and, 
after  enduring  very  fcverc  cold  and  ftormy  weather, 
difcovered  the  foutbcrn  part  of  Spitzbergen  on  the  i6th 
of  May.  ,He  failed  along  the  coail,  took  the  found - 
V\g%  as  he  went  on,  gave  a  name  to  every  point  of 
Und,  and  to  every  bay  he  met  with,  and  made  fomo 
Very  exa<^  and  excellent  obfervations  for  the  benehc 
pf  navigation.  Qn  the  26th  of  Mav  he  was  oJH 
fair  Foreland,  a  point  of  land  which  ftands  on  the 
well  fide  of  Spitzbergcn,  on  the  ifland  called  Foreland^ 
or  Voorland*  ^"j  the  Dutch  this  point  is  called  Vogel- 
hoek.  ^e  fent  his  mate  On  fhore,  from  whom  he 
learned  that  all  the  ponds  and  lakes  were  unfrozen, 
which  induced  him  to  expedl  a  mild  fummer ;  and 
as  the  fun  had  io  much  power  here,  he  judged  that 
a  paiTage  was  as  likely  to  be  found  in  this  place  as 
any  where  elfe,  it  being  far  lefe  cold  here  than  he 
had  found  it  to  be  in  73  deg.  N.  lat.  In  the  mean 
time,  having  made  two  ufelefs  attempts  to  get  be- 
yond 79  deg.  50  min.  N.  lat.  the  ice  obliged  him  to 
turn  back  again  and  look  out  for  fifli,  in  order  to  pay 
the  expence  of  the  voyage.  On  the  laft  day  of  Au- 
guft  he  arrived  fafe  at  London.  In  this  voyage  Poole 
and  his  people  were  in  great  danger  from  the  fca 
horfcsi    and  one  of  his   people  was  furrounded  in 

the 


DISCOVERIES  iM  THE  NORTH.      331 

the  water  by  thefe  creatures,  which  wounded  hira 
very  dangeroufly  in  the  t^igh,  fo  that  it  was  with  the 
grcatelt  diflltculty  that  he  was  faved  from  dedruclion. 
This  animal,  which  bears  a  great  affinity  to  the  fcal 
kind,  is  very  much  fought  after  for  its  teeth,  which 
are  ufed  for  the  fame  purpofes  as  ivory,  for  its  fat« 
which  yields  train-oil,  and  for  its  very  thick  (kin 
"which  is.  covered  with  a  yellowifh  hair.  Thefe  crea- 
tures live  in  large  families  together,  on  cruftaceou* 
animals,  fifli,  erafs,  and  rock-weed.  Formerly,  when 
they  were  not  To  much  fought  after  and  killed,  it  was 
an  eafy  matter  to  come  near  them,  while  they  were 
ilceping  on  fliore  by  the  hundreds  together  j  but  at 
prefent  they  arc  become  very  ihy  in  confcquence  of 
the  eagerncfs  and  fury  witih  which  they  are  .killed^ 
perfecuted,  and  deftroyed,  with  fpears  by  the  human 
race.  They  are  rarely  feen  on  the  land,  and  in  cafe 
they  are  there,  they  do  not  go  far  from  the  ihorc, 
and  always  take  care  to  place  ptje  of  their  number  on 
the  watch  by  way  of  centinel,  or  elfe  they  will  lay 
themfelvcs  down  to  fleep  on  a  fmall  flat  piece  of  ice. 
If  the  fpot  where  they  lie  op  £hore  isvery  ftecp,  they 
ai:e  ufed,  ,w|ien  attacked],  to  put  their  hind  legs  be- 
tween their  two  long  .projet^ling  tuiks,  and,  with 
freat  force  and  veloqity,  ,rqll  over  into  the  fca.  They 
ring  forth  one,  or,  at  the,njpft,  two  live  young  ones 
at  a  time.  When  they  a^e  clofely  befet,  and  in  dan- 
ger, or  find  th^t  tjiey  are  WQunded,  they  grow  very- 
furious,  and  endeavour  to  dp  mifchief  both  to  the 
boats  and  men  with  their  long  tuiks.  They  have  a]fg» 
more  courage  i^i  the  water  than  they  have  on  ihore. 
In  i6|0  the  Ruflia Company  again  fent  two  fliipsour, 
which  killed  fome  white  hears  qu  Cherry  J/Jand^  and 
likew'fe  took  two  young  opes  with  them  to  £ngland  : 
they  alfo  killed  many  (cals,  and  fhot  a  great  number 
of  birds.  On  the  J5th  of  June  they  hoifted  a  flag, 
and  took  polleflion  of  the  iflaiid  in  the  name  of  the 
Company.  On  .Gull  ifland  they  difcovcrcd  thrtr 
veins  of  lead  ore,  and  in  the  northern  part  of  it,  a 
■coal-pit.     Throe  other  Qilps  came  alfo  to  the  ifland 


:f| 


Hi 


5  ft 


:,        :.:i;i 


■f\ 


w 

'■^    -■•■J 


33^ 


VOYAGES    AKD 


in  order  to  fi(h,  and  killed  more  than  800  fea-hcrfes/ 
At  length  Poole  was  fent  out  again  in  161 1.  He  (laid 
in  Crofsroady  off  Spitzber^en,  till  the  16th  of  June, 
on  account  of  the  ice  and  the  badnefs  of  the  weather. 
After  this  he  failed  14  leagues  to  W.  by  N.  and  fell 
in  with  a  field  of  ice.  From  thence  as  far  as  to  80 
degrees  the  ice  lay  clofe  to  the  land ;  but  the  ftrong 
currents  deterred  him  from  venturing  in  between  the 
ice;  he  therefore  flood  to  the  fouthward,  hoping  by 
this  means  to  get  to  the  weftward  of  it,  but  found  it 
lie  the  next  hand,  S.  W.  and  S.  W.  and  by  S.  and 
ranged  along  it  lao  leagues.  Near  the  ice  he  could 
get  no  ground  with  160,  180,  and  200  fitthoms.  He 
therefore  returned  to  Spitzbergen  to  follow  the  whale 
fiibery,  but  had  the  misfortune  to  lofe  the  (hip. 

All  thefe  voyages  to  Cherry  I/land^  had  been  under- 
taken chiefly  with  a  view  to  the  killing  of  fea-horfes. 
This  place  has  been  often  miftaken  for  Jan  Mayen*s 
illand ;  but  it  materially  differs  from  that,  as  well  in 
latitude  and  longitude,  as  alfo  in  ihape }  for  Cherry 
Ifiand  is  nearly  fquare,  and  Jan  Mayen^s  ifland  is  long 
and  narrow.  In  Cherry  IJland  the  Englifh  have  found 
many  veins  of  lead,  and  in  more  modern  times  the 
Ruffians  have  alfo  difcovered  virgin  filver,  of  which  I 
have  myfelf  feen  fome  very  fine  fpecimens  of  a  den- 
dritic form  *,  as  alfo  others  in  the  form  of  0(Slae- 
drous  cryftalsr  Befides  this,  coal-pits  are  faid  to  be 
found  here.  This  ifland  confequently  feems  to  a- 
bound  in  all  forts  of  ufeful  minerals*  But  nobody 
has  yet  obliged  the  public  with  the  mineralology  of  it. 
The  fea-horfes  and  whales  which  formerly  were  found 
here  in  fuch  great  abundance,  have  been  much  dimi- 
nifhed  in  their  numbers  by  the  chace  of  them,  they 
having  at  length  retired  to  fome  other  parts  lefs  fre- 
quented by  men.  ^ 

XIX.  Henry  Hudfon  had  made  a  voyage  to  America 
in  1609,  where  he  had  difcovered  HudforCs  River, 
and,  after  having  traded  fomewhat  farther  ftill,  was 


*  See  alfo  on  this  fubjtA  Ccorgi'g  Editioa  of  Bruaaich's  Mineralogjr, 
pag.  a«i. 

returned 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       33J 

returned  home.     He   had  undertaken  this  voyage  in 
behalf  of  the  Dutch.     He  ofTeied   to  undertake  ano- 
ther voyage,  which  they  however  refufed,  and  in  con- 
fequence   of  this,  finding   himfelf   releafed    from  his 
engagements,  he  entered  again  into  the  fervice  of  the 
Engliih  Company,  which  had  already  employed  him 
in  two  former  voyages  ;  and  Hudfon  fet  fail  from  Black' 
wall,  near  London,  on  the  17th  of  April,  1610.    The 
Company  which  had  joined  in  fitting  out  the  (hips  for 
this  expedition   had  made  it  a  claufe,    that  Hudfoa 
ihould  take  with  him,  by  way  of  ailidant,  one  CoU- 
burne  (Fox  calls   him  Coolbrand)  a  very  experienced 
and  able  feaman  :  Fox  fays,  that  he  was  preferable  to 
Hudfon  in  every  refpedl.     fiut  this   great  confidence 
of  the  owners   in  Coleburne*s   flcill  excited  Hudfon't 
envy  :  accordingly  he  fent  him  from  Let  on  the  river 
Thames  to  London  with  a  letter  to  the  Proprietors, 
in  which  he  alledged  his  reafons  for  having  taken  this 
ftep.     All  thofe  who  have  given  an  account  of  the 
voyage,  afTert  that  this   rafli  ftep  of  Hudfon  was  in 
part  the  fource  of  his  own  misfortunes,  and  had  fet 
his   crew   an  exarr.ple   of   difobedience  to  the   com- 
mands of  their  fuperiors,  and  of  the  negle£t  of  that 
confideration  and  refpe<St  which  is  due  from  every  one 
to  his  Commander.     On  the   15th  of  May  he  had 
got  as  far  as  the  Orkneys  and  the  northern   end  of 
Scotland,  which  he  found   to  be  in  59  deg.  23  min. 
N.  lat.     Oi\  the  8th  he  faw  the  Faro  Iflands,  in  62 
deg.  24  min.     On  the  nth  he  came  to  the  eaft  fide 
of  Iceland,  and  failed  along  its  fouthern  coafl,  till  he 
reached  the  wedern  coaft  of  it.     It  mufl  have  been 
fomewhere  thereabouts   that  he  put  into  a  harbour, 
>vhcre  he  met  with  a  friendly  reception  from   the  in- 
habitants, but  alfo  at  the  fame  time  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  find  great  difTcntions  amongft  his  crew,  which 
he  could   not   appeafe  without  great  diiHculty.     On 
the  ifl  of  June  Hudfon  failed  farther  to  the  weft,  in 
66  deg.  34.  min.  N.  lat.     On  the  4th  he  faw  Green- 
land very  clearly  over  the  ice  that  lay  before  it.     He 
now  kept  along  the  coafly  which  was^  every  where  fur- 
rounder 


i 


^..11 


'     A 


J)^lEl,*J 


I! 


334 


VOYAGES     AND 


rounded  v/ith  ice.     On  the  9th  he  was  off  Frobiflier*«f 
Straits*     On  the  15th   he  deCcribed  the  Land  of  De^ 
fulat'ion  in  5(5  deg.  27  min.  N.  lat.     He  failed    to   the 
jjorth-weft,  to  60  deg.  42  min.     The  current  fct  to 
the  N.  W.     On  the  23d  he  came  in  fight  of  a  great 
quantity  of  ice,  in  62  deg.   19  min.     On  the  25th 
he  faw  land  to  the  northward,  and  kept  ftill  failin?  to 
the  weftward  in  62  deg.  19  min.     But  now  he  plyed 
to  the  fouthward,  in   hopes  of  finding  the  coaft  on 
that  fide.     In  62  deg.  16  min.    he  had   fti>l  a  great 
quantity  of  ice  before  him.     On  the  8th  of  July   h^ 
left  the  (hore  again,  and  faw  extending  from  theN. 
W,  by  W.  quite  to  the  S.  W.  by  W.  a  champaign 
laiju  covered   with   fnow,   and   named   \t  Dejire-pra- 
voked.     He    continued  ftill   plying  to  the  weftward, 
and,  on  the  irith,  being  apprehenfive  of  a  ftorm,  an- 
chored behiiid  three  very  rocky   ifldnds,    in   a  very 
uneven  ground,  and  found  it  but  an   indiiferent  har- 
bour at  high  water  ;  he  had  palled  over  rocks,  one  of 
which  was  the  next  morning  two  fathoms  above  wa- 
ter ;  for   the  tide  rofe  here   above  four  fatliom;^.     It 
came  from  the   north.     The  latitude  was  62  drg.  9 
min.  and   this  harbour^   in   which   were  the  illiinds 
called  by  him  the  IJlamls  of'  God's  Metcy^  fcems  to  lay 
clofe  by  the  large  illand  of  Good  Fortune^  to  the  north 
of  MudJon\  Straits^    in    308,    or  309   deg.  E.  long, 
from  Firro,     On  the  igth  he  found   that   he  was  in 
61  deg.  24  min.  and  faw  in  the  land  to  the  fouth- 
ward  a  bay,  to  which  in  a  former  voyage  he  had  given 
the  name  of  Hoid  with  Hope,     Till  the  21ft  he  plycd 
to  the  northward,    and   found   the  fea  more  grown 
than  he  had  feen  it  fince  his  departure  from  England. 
On  the  23d  the  height  cf  the  Pole  was  61   deg,  33 
min.     On  the  25th   he  faw  land  to   the  fouth  (viz. 
the  Coaft  of  Labrador)  which  he  named  Magna  Bri- 
tannia,    On  the  26th  he  found  the  latitude  to  be  6a 
deg.  44  min.     On  the  2d  of  Auguft    he  difcovercd  a 
high  promontory  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Sa- 
iifhurys  Foreland.     He  then   failed   14  leagues  farther 
VV.  S.  VV.  and  at  about  midway  found  the   fea  full 
of  wbirlpools  and  cuirents.  Having  failed  feven  leagues 

more. 


'«! 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THi  NORTH.      335 

more,  he  found  himfelf  at  the  entrance  of  a  ftrait^ 
not  above  two  leagues  broad,  and  which  was  at  the 
diftance  of  250  leagues  from  the  northernmoft  fide 
of  Davis's  Straits.  On  the  3d  he  paiFed  through 
thefe  ftraits,  and  named  the  cape  on  the  right  hand* 
or  (larboard  fide.  Cape  Diggs^  and  that  on  the  left,  or 
larboard  fide.  Cape  lydjlenbolm.  Some  of  hi3  people 
having  been  fent  on  fhore,  obferved  the  tide  to  rife  to 
5  fathoms,  and  that  it  came  from  the  north.  Hav- 
ing failed  through  the  ilraits,  he  obferved,  that  the 
land  trended  to  the  fouthward,  and  that  there  was  a 
wide  fea  to  the  weftward. 

This  is  all  that  is  to  be  found  of  Hudfon's  narra- 
tive ;  the  reft  muft  be  fought  in  the  Harrative  of  a 
fcaman,  named  Habakuk  Prickeit  who  was  in  the  fer- 
vice  of  Sir  Dudley  Diggu  Amongft  other  things  he 
mentions,  that  when  Hud  Ton  was  ncir  the  Land  of 
DefolatioKy  they  met  with  a  great  number  of  whales, 
fome  of  which  fwam  along-iide  the  fliip>  while  others 
paiTed  under  her  without  touching  her.  After  this, 
while  Hudfon  was  ftiil  in  Davis's  Straits,  between  a 
great  quantity  of  ice,  he  faw  a  large  mountain  of  ice 
overturn,  which  ferved  them  as  a  warning  not  to  go 
near  thcfc  high  maflcs  of  ice.  It  feems  Pricket  was 
ignorant  of  the  real  caufe  of  this  overturning  of  the 
ice-mountain,  which,  in  fadt,  lies  in  their  burfting 
afunder.  Near  Dejtrc'provoked  they  faw  mountains  of 
ice  a-ground  in  fix  or  (even  fcore  fathom  water.  On 
the  ifland  of  God*s  Mercy  Pricket  fprung  a  covey  of 
partridges,  but  killed  only  the  old  one.  The  whole 
country  was  barren  and  gloomy,  having  nothing  on 
it  but  plaflies  of  watc;r  and  riven  rocks,  as  if  it  were 
fubjeft  to  earthquakes.  They  alfo  found  fome  drift- 
wood lying  afhore  here.  Then  they  came  again  a- 
mongft  a  great  quantity  of  ice,  and  feeing  at  length 
on  the  fouth  fide  of  the  ftraits,  land,  with  high  pro- 
montories, he  called  the  firft  Prince  Henry's  Cape, 
that  with  two  hills,  which  was  farther  to  the  weft, 
liut  on  the  fouth  fide,  was  named  King  James^i  Cape ; 

but 


336 


VOYAGES    AWD 


) 


but  towards  the  north  were  Tome  iflands  whic'  he 
called  ^een  Amis  Foreland.  All  thefe  lay  to  the 
northward  in  a  bay,  in  which  there  appeared  to  be  a 
great  deal  of  broicen  land,  lying  quite  clofe  to  ths 
main  land.  At  length,  after  a  ftorm,  they  faw  anc  - 
ther  mountainous  part  fo  the  northward,  which  they 
named  Mount  Charles,  oi  Cape  Charles.  To  the  weft- 
ward  was  more  broken  land,  forming  a  bay,  in  which 
poifibly  a  good  road  might  be  found  for  (hips,  and 
the  promontory  here  was  named  Cape  Salt/bury.  Be- 
tween the  main  land  to  the  fouthward  and  an  ifland 
was  a  ftrait  with  a  ilrong  current ;  the  two  promon" 
tories  enclofmg  it  were  called  Capf  Diggs  and  Cape 
Waljienholm.  On  Diggs's  ifland  they  found  a  herd  of 
animals  of  the  ftag  kind  (viz*  reindeer)  but  could  not 
get  within  a  muiket-fliot  of  them.  From  this  part 
forward  we  have  only  Prkket\  relation  to  guide  us. 
They  failed  fouthward,  and  had  the  land  to  the  eaft- 
ward  of  them.  After  a  run  of  about  20  or  30  leagues, 
the  fea  grev/  fliallow,  and  they  got  among  rocks  and 
broken  land,  and  the  fea  grew  ftill  (hallower  and 
(hallower,  fo  that  they  were  obliged  to  anchor  in 
15  fathoms.  Not  long  after,  they  weighed,  ?»nd 
ftood  to  the  fouth-eaft  along  the  land,  till  they  had 
land  on  both  fides.  They  then  ftood  again  into  h 
large  fea,  but  at  length  round  it  to  be  only  a  bay, 
and  here  they  took  in  water  and  ballaft.  In  53  ^t^, 
N.  las.  v^as  an  ifland.  Various  remarks  having  been 
made  by  the  crew  on  occafion  of  Hudfon's  entering 
the  bay  and  goin^  out  of  it  again,  he  difplaced 
the  mate  of  the  (hip,  Robert  Ivet,  as  well  as  the 
boatfwain,  and  'Appointed  Robert  Bylot  to  be  mate, 
and  fVilliam  JVilfon  to  be  boatfwain.  At  length,  on 
Michaelmas- J_)a 7,  they  ftood  in  among  a  clufter 
of  iflands,  and  called  the  place  Michaelmas  Bay. 
They  anchored  in  very  (hallow  water;  but  in  weigh- 
ing again,  they  loft  the  anchor,  but  fortunately  faved 
the    cable.     In   the  dark   they   ran    a-ground   upon 

a  rock. 


Discoveries  iw  tHE  KoktH.     337 

a. rock.  The  tide  carried  them  however  ofF  from  it 
again  without  their  having  received  any  damage  ;  and 
after  failing  to  and  fro  for  a  long  time,  Hudfon  re- 
folved  to  anchor  in  the  bay  where  he  then  was,  and 
fpenJ  the  winter  there,  it  being  already  the  latter  end 
of  OiStober^  Having  found  at  a  fit  place,  they  fe- 
curcd  the  (hip  by  running  her  aground,  and  here  flic 
was  frozen  in,  ten  days  afterwards.  Hudfon  no>^ 
thought  of  huibanding  their  provifions,  for  he  had 
only  taken  with  him  victuals  for  fix  months,  though 
he  might  have  taken  more.  He  fought  however  only 
to  ftretch  out  their  provifions  till  the  fpring,  when 
he  might  go  to  Ctipc  Diggt^  where  the  fea-foWl  bred* 
In  the  mean  time  he  propofcd  regards  to  thofe  thai: 
killed  either  beafl^  fifli,  or  fowl.  In  the  middle  of 
November  died  the  gunner^  in  confequence,  as  it  is 
here  infinuated,  of  the  hard  and  unkind  treatment  ht 
had  met  with  from  Hudfon.  Hudfon  had  in  London 
taken  into  his  houfe  a  young  man,  named  ttenry 
GreiHi  of  a  refpedable  family,  but  who  had  lofl  the 
afFedtion  of  all  his  friends  and  relations  by  his  ill 
behaviour  and  extravagance^  and  had  fpent  all  that 
he  had.  By  the  affiflance  of  a  friend,  Hudfon  had 
procured  him  four  guineas  from  his  mother,  to  buy 
clothes  Withk  This  voung  man  he  had  taken  along 
with  him,  without  the  knowledge  of  his  owners  . 
and  he  had  already  been  guilty  of  feveral  mifdemean- 
ors  I  for  at  Harwich  he  had  attempted  to  defert  with 
a  failor,  and  in  Iceland  he  had  fevercly  beat  the  ihip's 
fo'^eon.  Hudfon  had,  however^  always  taker,  his 
part.  Now  the  feafon  being  far  advanced,  and  the 
ground  Covered  with  ice  and  fnow,  Hudfon  requefl- 
ed  the  carpenter  to  build  the  houfe  for  them  to  win^' 
ter  in  j  but  the  carpenter  refufed  to  do  it,  on  the 
pretence  that  he  was  not  a  houfe-carpenter,  but  -m 
ihip'-carpenter,  and  that  Hudfon  had  not  given  or- 
ders for  the  building  <  <e  houfe  till  the  fnow  and 
Uofl   had    fet  in.       In  the   courfc  of   this  quarrel, 

Z  KuJfon 


;i;tt 


■■•  ^l^lwjtl 


,.»m 


:  Ih'l 


338  V  o  Y  A  G  ?^  S     A  r  P 

Heclfon  was  fo  much  provoked  as  lo  bat  :hc  carpen- 
ter j  and  this  latter  now  being  abo..:  lo  o.gin  upon 
the  work,  and  wanting  a  corvipanioi;,  and  at  the  fame 
time  pofitive  orders  haying  been  given  that  nobody 
fhoiild  go  any  where  by-  hjmfelf,  on  account  of  its 
.being  unfafe,  Green  accompaniied  him.  This  circum- 
ilance  made  a  wide  breach  between  Hud  Ton  and  the 
.yoiing  man,  who  from  that  time  forward  took  eve- 
,ry  opportunity  of  leffening  the  former  in  the  cfteem 
of  every  one  in  the  (hip,  and  alicnatiug  their  hearts 
fro^  him,  as  well  as  of  laying  the  foundation  to  the 
.'ungrateful  and  cruel  behaviour  he  afterwards  expe- 
rienced from  them.  During  the  whole  winter  they 
had  fuch  abundance  of  ptarmigans,  that  of  thefe  and 
other  forts  of  ^rous,  they  killed  above  a  hundred  do- 
zen. Ip  the  fpring,  when  thefe  birds  left  them, 
thej^  were  replaced  by  fw^ns,  wild-geqfe,  ducks,  and 
teal,  which,  however,  were  more  difficult  to  come 
at,  becaufe  they  di^  not.  (lay  there  to  breed,  as  it 
was  expe(^ed  they  would  do  ;  but  ^3  fad  as  they  came 
from  the  fouth,  proceeded  to  the  larth,  fo  that  in 
a  fliort  time  there  were  none  at  all  tp  be  feen.  And 
now  the  great  fcarcity  began  i  they  cat  mofs,  and  the 
frogs  which  were  beginning  to  couple.  Thomas  fVo^d" 
htijet  a  young  man  who  had  gone  out  Avith  them  as 
\  volunteer,  and  who  had  ftudied  the  mathematics, 
brought  them  branches  and  buds  of  a  tree,  which 
were  full  o\  a  fubftance  like  turpentine;  thefe  the 
furgc'on  b  /  ,.!,  and  m^de  a  diet  drink  for  them, 
and  the  bi.*!:'.!,  buds  were  applied  hot,  by  way  of 
poultice,  to  fuch  as  had  pains  in  their  limbs,  who 
alfo  found  an  immediate  relief  from  the  application. 
I  imagine  that  thefe  buds  were  from  the  Tacamahaca 
Tree  (popttlus  halfamifera)  the  buds  of  which  are 
very  ad  hell  ve,^  in  confcquence  of  their  containing  a 
glutinous  refin;  like  turpentine,  of  which  they  have 
alfo  the  fmcll.  The  dccodtion  was  certainly  a  very 
powerful  antilcorbutic  remedy,  and  the  warm  appli- 
cation of  the  boiled  buds  Icrved  to  relieve  the  pains 
and  fwclliogs  of  their  limbs,  which  were  rendered 
fore  and  painful  by  I'curvy  and  rheumatifm  But, 
if)  i\xi\y   the  young   ihoots,   or    (as    they  are  called 

in 


DISCOVERIES  itJ  rm  NORTH.       333^ 

in  America)  the  hu^  of  the  fpruce  fir  (P'tnus  Mart" 
ana  ^  Pinus  Canadenfis)  are  alfo  a  remedy  againft  the 
fcurvy.  A  native  paid  them  a  vifit,  to  whom  they 
gave  a  knife  and  fome  other  trifles,  in  return  for 
which  he  brought  them  fome  beaver-furs  anid  deer- 
fkins  i  he  alfo  promifed  to  come  to  them  again,  but 
never  appeared  afterwards.  They  caught  iome  fi(h» 
and  got  the  (hip  ready  for  their  departure^  after 
Hudfon  had,  wi(h  tears  in  his  eyes,  diftributcd  all 
the  remaining  proviflons  in  equal  (hares.  Immedi- 
diately  after  the  departure  of  the  ihip,  Grein^  toge- 
ther with  fome  others,  and  in  particular  IVdfon^ 
Michatl  Pierce^  and  the  difcarded  mate,  Ivet^  mutined. 
They  put  Henry  Hudfon^  together  with  his  fon, 
fohn  Hudfon^  who  was  but  a  boy,  JVoodhoufe^  the 
matliematician,  Philip  Staffe^  the  (hip's  carpenter, 
and  Hve  more  failors,  in  all  nine  perfons,  into  th« 
(loop,  to  whom  they  only  gave  one  gun,  fome  fpears, 
with  a  very  fmall  (lock  of  proviflons,  and  then  aban* 
doned  them  to  their  fate,  with  a  want  of  feeling 
hardly  to  be  equalled.  Thofe  who  remained  in  th« 
(hip  failed  along  the  eaftern  coaft.  They  landed 
often,  and  not  being  able  to  catch  any  fi(b,  they 
gathered  a  herb  they  called  Cocklt-grafs  (which  it  may 
be  prefumed  was  a  kind  of  tang^  or  rock-weed,  per- 
haps the  Fuati  Saccharinus)  and  without  which  they 
muft  unavoidably  have  perifhed.  At  length  they 
reached  the  ftrait  and  the  capes,  where  they  fiw  fra 
birds  brooding  on  their  nefls,  and  killed  a  gre^^t 
number  of  them;  but  here  they  ran  a-grojnd  upo^ 
a  rock,  on  which  they  were  obliged  to  remain  eight 
or  nine  hours ;  for  they  ran  upon  it  during  the  ebb, 
which  came  from  the  eafl,  as  the  tide  of  flood  did 
from  the  wefL  As  foon  as  they  were  afloat  again, 
they  purfued  their  courfe,  and  endeavoured  to  get 
fome  fowl  near  Cape  Diggs,  Here  they  faw  feven 
boats  filled  with  the  natives,  with  whom  they  made 
friends.  But  (hortly  after,  they  were  attacked  by 
thefe  favages,  who  killed  Green,  and  wounded  the 
others  fo  defperately,  that  three  more  of  them,  chiefly 
the  ringleaders  in  the  mutiny,  and  thofe  the  ftouteft 
niep  in  the  (hip,  died  in   a  day  or  two    .fterr    Now 

Z  2  B)l9t 


i^ 


I   ' 


■■s 


im.^ 


''4 


340 


VOYAGES    AKO 


Bylot  became  their  leader.  They  killed  300  more  Tea- 
birds,  and  being  driven  back  by  the  wind,  they  killed 
100  more.  At  length  they  proceeded  farther,  but 
were  driven  to  fuch  ftraits  for  want  of  food,  that 
they  were  obliged^  after  iingeing  off  the  feathers,  to 
eat  the  Ikins  which  they  had  torn  ofF  from  the  fea-> 
£owls,  as  alfo  their  entrails.  At  firft  they  attempted 
ro  go  to  Newfoundland,  but  were  prevented  by  a 
S.  W.  wind,  and  Hiaped  their  courfe  for  Ireland. 
Their  diftrefs  encreaftng,  they  took  the  bones  of  the 
birds  which  they  had  eaten,  fried  them  in  tallow, 
poured  fome  vinegar  on  them,  and  eat  them  as  a  great 
dainty.  Juft  at  the  time  when  they  had  loft  all  hopes 
of  reaching  Ireland,  Robert  Jvet  died.  They  had  put 
their  laft  fowl  in  the  fteeprng-tub,  and  were  at  the 
end  of  their  proviAons,  when  they  defcried  Ireland. 
Here  they  with  great  difficulty  obtained  fome  provi- 
Aons, and  arrived  at  laft,  by  the  way  of  Plymouth  and 
Gravefend^  in  London. 

This  voyage  notwithftandlng  all  the  important  dif- 
coverieK  made  in  the  courfe  of  it,  coft  poor  Hudfon 
and  the  few  people  whd  were  with  him,  their  lives. 
Never  perhaps  was  the  heart  of  man  pofTefled  by  in- 
gratitude of  a  blacker  die,  than  that  of  the  infamous 
villain  Green.  Hudfon  had  faved  this  wretch  from 
perdition,  had  cherifhed  him  with  the  utmoft  kind- 
nt'is  in  his  own  honfe,  and  had  but  with  too  t.^uch 
wc-aknefs  taken  his  part,  even  then  when  he  had 
been  guilty  of  the  greateft  mifdemeanors  ;  notwith- 
ftanding  which,  this  outcaft  of  fociety  had  the  wick- 
cdnefs  to  ftlr  up  the  reft  of  the  crew  againft  their 
commander,  and  to  cxpofe  his  benefa<Slor  and  fecond 
father,  without  clothes  and  arms,  and  without  provi- 
Acns,  in  a  fmall  boat,  to  the  open  fea,  in  an  inhof- 
pitiib'e  climTte,  where  none  but  favage  beafts,  and 
ftill  more  favage  men,  dwelt;  and  where,  during  the 
greateft  part  of  the  year,  all  is  covered  with  fnow 
and  ice.  It  is  fcarcely  to  be  believed,  yet  it  is  cer- 
t.unly  true,  that  the  foundation  of  all  this  lay  in  the 
bad  conftitution  of  the  laws  with  refpeft  to  naviga- 
tion and  fcamen.  It  is  fcarcely  40  years  Ance  an  aft 
vvas  pafll'd,  by  which  the  feamen  belonging  to  the  roy- 
al navy  who  fliould  refufe  to-obey  their  officers  orders, 
after  fuffcring    fliipwrcck,    were  made    liable    to  be 

j/unifhcd ; 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


141 


punlfhed }  and,  eveh  now,  it  is  only  the  officers  of 
the  royal  navy  who  have  th;  privilege  of  puniihing' 
fuch  as   have  committed  any  mifdemeanor,   or  have 
been  guilty  of  any  infraction  of  the   articles  of  war.  • 
On  board  the  merchantmen,  and  even  on  board  the 
(hips  belonging  to  the  £aft-lndia  Company,  neither 
the  Captains  nor  any  of  the  mates  have  power  to  pU' 
nifli  any  individual ;  if  they  do,   the  feaman  at  their 
return   may  lodge  a  complaint  againft  them,  and  de- 
mand fatisfadion  }  which  fatisfadtion  indeed  is  feldom 
refufed,  as  it  is  well  known  that  the  power  ufurped 
by  thefe  gentlemen  but  too  often  exceeds  the  "proper 
limits.     Self-intereft,  and  the  fear  of  having  the  whole 
or  part  of  their  pay  ilruck  oif,  in  cafe  of  their  refu- 
fal  to  do  their  refpe<Slive  duties,  are  the  only  ties   by 
which  the  crew. are  bound  to  obey  the  Captain's  or- 
ders ;  and  hence  it  is  that  we  fo  frequently  hear  of  a 
fhip*s  crew   rifing  againfl  their  captain,  and   either 
killing  him  or  putting  him  on  (bore  fome where,  and 
running  away  with  the  vefTcI.     New  voyages  of  dif- 
covery  would  have  been  often  undertaken  at  the  ex- 
pence    of   private  individuals,    but  the  fear  q(  the 
crew's   mutinying,   and  by  this   means  interrupting 
the  progrefs  of  the  difcovery,  has  in  thefe  days  prov- 
ed an  obftacle   to  every  undertaking  of   this   kind  ; 
for  this  reafon,  at  prefent  none  but  men  of  war  can 
be  employed    in  thefe  expeditions.      Mr.    Alexander 
DalrympUy  a  very  able  navigator,   and  whofe  zeal  for 
making  difcoveries  is  equal  to  his  refolution  and  cou- 
rage, would     have   long    ago  collected  amongft   his 
friends  as  much  as  would  be  requifite  for  undertaking 
a  voyage  of  difcovery ;    and    to  this   end   petitioned 
Government  to  extend  the  laws  refpedting  the  regu- 
lation of  the  royal  navy,  only  to  the  fhip  in  which  he 
was  going  j   but  met   with    a  refufa-  *.     The  ciucl 
behaviour  of  Green  and  his  accomplices  towards  Hud- 
fon  did  not,  however,  remain  long  unpunifhcd.    The 
faithlefs  EJk'nnaux  killed  him  and  his  chief  aiTidants  in 
iniquity  ;  and  the  others  fuffercd  fuch  great  hardlhips, 
and  were  driven   to  fuch  dreadful  llraits,  that  hu ina- 
nity (hudders  at  the  idea. 

•  The  author  ha*  been  grofsly  deceived  with  refpefV  to  t!iis  anecdote, 
which  has  not  even  the  Ihadow  of  truth  to  lupport  iti  and  u  only  inlcil' 


-mm 


ed  here  to  be  contradided.     [E  T. 


iiudfun 


J4a 


VOYAGES    AN» 


Hudfon  found  the  eaftern  coaft  of  Greenland  co« 
v?red  all  over  with  ice,  in   the  fame  manner  as  it  is 
dill  found  to  be  at  prefent.     The  dreadful  overfetting 
of  the  mountains  of   ice  has  alfo  been  obferved  by 
Hudfon's  continuator,  Pricket,     By  the  great  quan-^' 
tity  of   ice  accumulated   in   Davh*s  Straits,  Hudfon 
vras  obliged  to  go  to  the  weft  ward,  and  confequently 
without  intending  it,  to  make  the  difcovery  of  the 
firait  and  bay  caHed  after  his  name.     What  bv  men 
is  often  termed  chance,  is,  without  doubt,  unoer  the 
diredion  of  infinite  power  and  wifdom,  which  is  but 
too  often  miftaken  by  ihort-fightcd  mortals.     At  Cape 
Diggs  they  found    reindeer,  fsrrely  and  fcurvy^frrafs 
(CochUaria  officinalis)  both  of  which  herbs  are  excdlent 
remedies  againft  the  fea  fcurvy,  whence  the  latter  has 
taken  the  name  it   bears   in  £ndifh.     It  ftruck  me 
very  much  in  my  voyage  round  the  world,  to  find 
that  the  ihores  of  all  the  countries  which  we  vifited 
were  abundantly  furnifhed   with  herbs,    which,  are 
antidotes  to  the  fcurvy.     In  the  Tropical  iflands  vre 
found    wood-forrel    (Oxalis)    pepperwort    (Letidium' 
cleraceum  6f  pifcidium)  and  r.  new  fpecies  of  ladies - 
fmock  {Cardamine  farmtntofa) ;  and  at  New  Zealand 
and  Tierra  del  Fuego,  a  fpecies  of  well-crcfl*e  (Jrabit 
betergpbylla)  and  celery  (Jpium  decumhens).      It  woul^ 
feem  as  if  Providence  had  intentionally  diftributed  on 
tbefe  fpots,  for  the  benefit  of  the   inhabitants  of  the 
fea-coaft,    and   oi   the  people   returning    from  long 
-voyages,  fuch  plans  as  might  be   ferviceable  in  miti- 
gating the  dreadful  fymptoms  and  efFeds  of  the  fcur- 
vy.    Neither  has  the  afHi£ted  mariner  far  to  go  after 
them,  as,  almoft  the  fird  ftep  he  takes  on  ihore,  he 
finds  under  his  feec-thofe  wholefome  plants,  fo  well 
adapted  to  his  wants.     But  it  is  poflible  to  miflake 
this  invariable  order  of    nature  in  the  produdlicn  of 
them  for  mere  chance  ?   and  can  the  determination 
of  the  fpots  where  thefe  plants   chiefly  grow,    have 
been  left  to  a  mere  accident  ?  And  if,  in  anfwcr  to 
this,    it  be    faid,    that  this    foil   and    fituation    are 
bell  adapted   to  tho    growth  and    encreafe  of  thefe 

plants. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       343 

pl^nnts,  and  that  other  animals  eat  them  as  well  as 
mjcn  ;  I  muft  then  take  the  liberty  to  afk  again ; 
but  who  is  it  that  has  connciSled  this  circumftance  of 
their  being  fo  Angularly  antifcorbutic,  with  the  par- 
ticular fpot  where  they  grow,  and  with  that  other 
circumOance  of  their  thriving  the  bed  near  the  Tea 
(hore  i  If  it  be  mere  accident,  what  is  the  reafon  then 
that  it  takes  place  not  in  one  country  only,  but 
every  where  alike?  And  does  it  follow  that  mankind 
is  excluded  from  making  ufe  of  thefe  plants,  be- 
caufe  animals  are  fond  of  them  ?  or,  indeed,  is  it 
not  rather  a  proof  of  fuperior  wifdom,  when  diffe- 
rent effects  are  accompliflied  by  the  intervention  of 
one  and  the  fame  caufe  ?  Certainly,  to  mifconceive 
the  intentions  of  this  fupreme  wifddm,  this  more 
than  fatherly  kindnefs,  in  this  admirable  regulation 
of  the  works  of  nature,  is  nothing  lefs  than  to  de- 
grade the  intellective  faculty  of  man,  his  nobleft 
prerogative,  and  reduce  him  to  a  level  with  the 
ftupid  and  fenfclefs  brutes  1  Should,  however,  after 
all  that  has  been  faid,  fome  fceptical  mifcreants  flill 
infiit  upon  this  topic,  we  can  only  fay,  that  we  do 
not  in  the  lead  envy  them  their  boafled  enlarged 
ideas  and  philofophy. 

It  is  really  inconceivable  what  an  ailoniihing  quan- 
tity of  different  kinds  of  grous  there  is  every  ychr 
caught  and  eaten  in  the  fadlories  of  the  Htidfon's 
Bay  Company.  Of  ptarmigans  alone  they  kill  more 
than  10,000.  '  While  HudCon's  Bay  was  in  the  hands 
of  the  French,  from  the  year  1697  '°  I7H»  ^  French 
Governor  at  Fort  Bourbon^  together  with  his  garri- 
fon,  confiding  of  80  men,  cat  in  one  winter  90,300 
fpotted  grous  and  ptarmigans,  and  25,000  hares. 
To  the  above  account  muft  be  added  in  the  fpring, 
the  immenfe  number  of  fvvans,  geefe  and  ducks, 
which  are  eaten  there  ;  befides  which,  they  c-'tch  a 
great  many  reindeer.  It  is  therefore  aftonilhing,  that 
Hudfon,  who  ufed  to  act  with  fo  much  prudence 
and  forccaft  in  every  thing,  ihould  not  have  taken 
care  to  have  preferved    out    of    the  hundred  dozen 

©r 


"t  '^^ 

1 

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■ 

v'  inl 

■ 

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f\ 

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V'U 


344 


VOYAGES    AND 


I 


I 


of  ptarmigans  which  they  caught  In  the  winter,  at 
Icalt  foiQe  few  dozen  for  a  Itore  of  provifion  in  the 
fpring,  and  on  the  voyage.  But  probably  the  mutiny 
of  his  crew  was  the  caufe  of  this  nej^ledt. 

The  villains,  who  behaved  with  (o  much  cruelty 
to  Hud  Ton,  bound  themfelves  to  this  atrocious  wick- ' 
ednefs  and  inhuman  deed,  as  though  it  had  been  a 
laudable,  beneficent  afl,  by  an  oath,  which ,  ac- 
cording to  the  EngliOi  cu(loni,  they  took  on  ihe  jDi- 
ble,  in  fa^,  they  fwore  that  every  thing  they  were 
going  to  undertake,  Jbould  be  to  the  glory  of  God-,  and 
harm  to  no  man^  which,  however,  was  a  moft  horrid 
abufe  of  a  facj^ed  z&.  of  religion,  and  the  moft 
ihameful  piece  of  hypocrify  that  it  is  poilible  to  con- 
ceive. 

XX.  The  account  of  Habakuk  Pricket^  that  when 
Hudfon's  (hip  had   ilruck  upon  a  rock  near  Diggs\ 
IJIand,  (he  had  been  heaved  off  again  by  a   high  tide 
coming  from  the  wejiwardj  excited  new  hopes  in  the 
Society  which  had  planned  the  former  voyages,  that 
ilill>  in  fome  part  of  the  weftern  coaft  of  Hudfon's 
Bay,  there  muft  be  a  ftrait,  through  which  this  tide 
could  come  from  the  wed  }  for  if  this  part  of  the 
fea  difcovered  by  Hudfon   w^s  a  mere  bay,  the  tide 
muft   needs  come  into  it  from  the  caft  or  the   enr 
trance:  now,  fuppofing  the  tide  to  come  from  the  eaft,^ 
it  muft  needs  diminifh  ^n   height  in  proportion  as  it 
advanced  father  into  the  bay  ;  bu,t  here  it  was  exz&- 
ly  the  contrary,  for  it  happened   to  be  lower  at  the 
entrance  than  farther  into  it^    and  therefore  it  was 
H'gWy    probable,    that    this    weft'^rly    ^nd     higher 
tide  a^ually   proceeded    from  a   (ea    which  had  noi. 
connexion    with   the    mouth   of    Hudfon's    ftraits, 
Befides,  h,umaQity  feemed  to  demand,  that  in   cafe 
the    unfortunate    Captain    Hudfon    and    his    com- 
panions   lhouI<;l    happen     to    be    ftill  ;  alive,      they 
ihould   be    refcued    from   the  dreadful   ftate   of    mi- 
fcry  into    which    they   had     been    plunged     by    the 
moft  hardened  of  villains.     Accordingly  they  fitted^ 
om    ;WQ    Ibips    for    this    expedition,    the    one    of 

v<hivlv 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      345 

ivhich  was  named  the  Refolution^    and  the  other   the 
Difcovtry'*.     Czpt.  Thomas  Button^  a  very  experienced 
navigator,    whom    the    King    afterwards    created    a 
Knight  on  account  of  fome  fervices  he  had  done  to 
the  crown,  and  who  was  then  in  the  fervicc  of  Prince 
Htnry^  was  ele£led  commander  of  the  whole  expedi- 
tion, and  the  command  of   the  Difcovery  was   given 
to  Capt.    Ingram,     fiefides  this   gentleman,   Button 
took  with  him  feveral   other  very  (kilful  men.     His 
firft  mate  in  the  Refolution  was  Nclfon,  a  man  of 
great  experience    and    knowledge :    and  it  was  after 
this  perfon  that  he  named  the  river  where  he  winter- 
ed, Nelfon*i  River.     Moreover,    he  had  two  gentle- 
men with  him,  of  whofe  knowledge  and  experience, 
we  muft,  even  from  Button's  own  tcflimony,  form  4 
very  high  idea.     I'he  one  was  his  relation  and  fa^ 
vourite,  by  name  Gibbons  \  and  the  other  was  Capt. 
Hawkridge.     The  name  of  his  mate  was  Joftah  HtA- 
tart,  a  man  poflefled  of  very  jufi  "onceptions  of  fuch 
an  undertalcing,  and  of  the  probibility  of  a  paflage. 
Finally,  he  was  alfo  accompanied  by  Habakuk  Pricket^ 
who  had  made  the  laft  voyage  with  the  unfortunate 
Hudfon.     They  were  vidlualled  for  13  months,  and 
fet  fail  in  the  beginning  of  May  1612*     They  fhaped 
their  courfe  to  the  wcftward,  and  arrived  o9i  Hudfon^ 
StraitSt  which  they  entered  to  the  fouth  of  the  Kefo- 
lution  IJlandSi  and  for  fome  time  were  blocked  up  in 
the  ice.     At  length  they  came  to  Diggs's  IJIandy  where 
they  (laid  eight  days,    and    in    that   time  fet    up  a 
pinnace  they  had  brought  with  them  in  pieces  from 
England.     After  this,  they  went  farther  to  the  wcft- 
ward, where  they  faw  land,  to  which  they  gave  the 
name  of  6V?ry*s  Swans  Neji.     From  thence  they  pro- 
ceeded   to  the  fouthward  of  the  weft,  and  came  in 
60  deg.   40  min.    N*  lat.    again  to   a  land,  which 


'I 


•  It  is  very  remarkable,  ihat  in  ihe  Uft  voj-agc  o*"  dlfcivCTj.  under- 
taken by  ihe  glorious  and  unfortunaie  Capt.  Ce:k  to  tr.e  South  Sea  and 
the  noilhcrn  parts  between  Ada  aril  Amtrica,  th(..c  t.cic  likcwile  the 
names  ot'  the  fhips  cmpKyH  tjB  that  exptditioa. 


Oh 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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34^ 


VOYAGES     Axn 


V 


on  this  account  was  called  Hopes  checked  by  Euttorii 
Here  they  were  overtaken  by  a  terrible  ftorm,  fo 
that  they  were  obliged,  on  the  13th  of  Auguft>  to 
put  into  a  harbour,  to  repair  the^  damages  done  to 
the  (hips.  But  immediately  after,  the  dreadful  win-, 
ter  fet  in,  and  Button  was  obliged  to  winter  there 
in  57  deg.  10  min.  N.  lat.  in  a  fmall  creek  on 
the  north  fide  of  a  river,  which  he  named  Port  Nei- 
foTty  after  his  deceafed  Aril  mate.  He  fecured  both 
the  (hips,  as  well  as  he  cpuld,  againfl  ftorms,,  ice 
and  the  tides,  with  piles  Qf  deal  driven  into  the 
ground,  and  a  mound  of  earth.  They  wintered  in 
the  ihips,  keeping  three  fires  conftantly  ;  notv/itb- 
iianding  which  many  of  his  people  died,  though  be 
took  the  greateft  car-s.'  of  them  ;  and  they  con  fumed 
x8oo  dozen  =:  21,600  ptarmigans  and  wood-grous. 
Button  himfelf  was  indifpofed  during  the  firfV  three 
or  four  months  of  the  winter.  The  river  Nelfon 
was  not  frozen  over  till  the  j6th  of  February^  al- 
though a,t  times  it  had  been  very  cold  ;  yet  the  mild 
winds  immediately  following  upon  the  cold  weather, 
had  brought  un  a  thaw.  Button  had  obferved,  that 
in  former  voyages,  inactivity  and  the  want  of  em- 
ployment had  but  too  often  been  the  occafion  of  dif- 
content,  murmurings,  and  fecret  confederacies  in  the 
crew  againil  their  fuperiors  in  command  ;  he  refolved, 
therefore,  to  prevent  this  by  allotting  to  every  one  his 
tafk,  and  even  to  the  beft  of  them  he  gave  employ- 
ments fuitable  to  their  ftations  and  capacities;  for  of 
feme  he  enquired,  what  was  to  done  in  cafe  \.\\t  wa- 
ter fhould  happen  to  be  fpent  in  their  prefent  place 
of  abode  ?  and  in  what  manner  they  had  bed  proceed 
in  the  difcovery,  which  was  the  end  of  their  prefent 
voyage  ?  Others  he  enjoined  to  give  him  in  writing 
an  cxacl  calculation  of  their  voyage  till  then,  with 
the  mutual  diftances  of  each  place,  the  (hip's  courfe, 
the  latitude  and  longitude,  the  variation  of  the  com- 
pafs,  the  different  foundings,  together  with  other  ob- 
fcrvations  on  the  wind  and  we;^ther,  the  tides,  &c. 
fo  that  nobody  could  find  leifure  from  idlenefs  and 
want  of  employment  for  fuch  dangerous  affociatinns. 

The 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NOUTH.      347 

The  ice  began  to  clear  out  of  Nelfpn^s  River  fo  early 
as  on  the  21ft  of  April,  but  it  was  not  till  two  months 
after,  that  they  fet  out  again  with  a  view  of  exploring 
the  whole  wcftern  coaft  of  the  bay,  which  he  called, 
after  his  own  name.  Button's  Bay.  The  neighbour- 
ing land  was  hamed  New  IP^ales,  In  the  60th  degree 
they  found  a  ftrong  current,  fctting  fometimes  to  the 
eaft,  and  at  other  times  to  the  weft.  This  circum- 
flance  induced  Hubbart  to  name  this  part  in  his  map, 
Jiubbarfs  Hope,  The  higheft  latitude  to  which  But' 
ion*s  refcarches  extended,  was  about  65  deg.  The 
obfervations  which  he  had  an  opportunity  to  make 
there  on  the  tide-flux  were  fuch  as  not  to  leave  him 
the  lead  doubt  of  the  poiHbility  of  a  northern  paf- 
iage.  Some  iflands,  lying  to  the  fotith-eaft  from 
Carey* s  Sivan*s  Nejl^  he  named  ManfeTs  (Mansfield's) 
Iflands.  On  the  weft  fide  of  the  land  called  Carey^ 
Swan's  Nejl,  he  came  to  a  kind  of  a  bay,  which  he 
called  Nonplus  ultra.  The  fouthernmoft  poi/it  of  the 
land  was  Cape  Southampton ;  and  on  the  caft  fide  of 
the  land  was  a  promontory  to  which  he  gave  f  he  name 
of  Cape  Pembroke.  He  reckoned  10  lea<^ues  from  this 
cape  to iWiz«/^/'s  (Mansfield's)  Iflands.  Between  Cape 
Chidley  and  the  coaft  of  Labrador  they  found  another 
flrait,  through  which  they  failed,  and  from  thence, 
in  16  days,  arrived  in  England,  in  the  autumn  of 
1613. 

It  is  a  great  pity  that  Button  never  publifhed  his 
Journal ;  for,  from  all  the  difperfed  and  unconnefled 
accounts  now  remaining,  we  leurn  no  more  than 
that  this  Journal  really  contained  fome  very  impor- 
tant obfervations  on  the  tides,  and  other  objedts  of 
natural  philofophy.  The  great  quantity  of  ptar- 
migans and  grous  there  is  in  thofe  regions  is  very 
evident,  from  the  circumftance  of  Button  and  his 
people  having  eaten  1800  dozen  of  them. 

XXI.  The  fame  Society  which  had  promoted  But- 
ton's and  fo  many  former  voyages,  in  the  year  1614, 
fent  on  the  fame  errand  Capt.  Gibbons^  the  kinfman 
and  friend  of  Button;  in  the  Difcovery^  the  very  fame 
ihip  in  which  Button  had  made  his  voyage  of  dif- 

covery. 


'I*. 


■r  :r 


UJ 


i 

It;  I 

Si 

I 

i 


348 


VOYAGES    AND 


covcry.  But  he  was  fcarccly  arrived  at  the  mouth- 
of  HudforC%  Strmts,  when  a  large  quantity  of  ice 
quite  encompaiTed  him,  and  carried  him  by  means  of 
the  current  and  the  winds,  into  a  bay  on  the  coaft  of 
Labrador^  in  58!  deg.  N.  lat.  which  his  people  on 
this  account  named  Gibhns's  Hole.  Here  he  was 
obliged  to  lie  for  the  fpace  of  10  weeks,  in  the  greateft^ 
danger  all  the  time  of  loHng  his  (hip  and  his  life. 
Bein^  at  length  freed  from  this  danger,  he  immedi- 
ately fet  fail  for  England,  partly  bccaufe  the  Ihip  had 
been  very  much  damaged  by  the  ice  j  and  partly  alfo, 
becaufe  the  feafon  was  too  far  advanced  for  going  upon 
any  fVefli  enterprizes  in  thofe  cold  regions,  Fox  calls 
the  land  where  the  bay  lay,  Stinenia,  an  appellation 
for  which  I  can  give  no  reafon  *♦  It  was,  without 
doubt,  the  coaft  of  Labrador;  and  Gibbons^s  Hole  is 
nearly  on  the  fame  fpot  with  the  colony  of  the  Mo- 
ravian brethren,  to  which  they  have  given  the  name 
of  Naift. 

XXII.  The  fame  year,  16 14,  fotherby  and  Baffin 
were  fent  out  with  a  fingle  (hip  on  a  voyage  of  dif- 
covery  in  the  north,  and  that  probably  by  the  Ruilia 
Company.  With  great  difficulty,  and  after  feveral 
fruitlefs  eifays  made  with  the  fliip,  they  fucceeded, 
however,  at  length,  in  getting  with  their  boats  to  the 
firm  ice,  which  enclofed  iJ^^/5^tffA.  This  forms  the 
north-eaft  point  of  Spit/bergen,  and  is  fituated  on  what 
is  called  the  Deer  Field  (or  Rennen  Felde).  The  Mof- 
pn  Jjland  lies  to  the  north-eaft  of  Ked  "^taQh.  To 
this  Red  Beach  they  went  on  foot  over  the  ice,  in 
hopes  of  being  lucky  enough  to  find  fome  whale- 
bones there;  they  were,  however3^  foJC  o^nce  deceived 
in  their  expeftation.  Fotherby  adds,  <*  Thus,  as  we 
could  not  nnd  that  which  we  defire:'  to  fee,  fo  did 
we  behold  that  which  we  wiflied  had,  not  been  there 
to  be  feen,  viz.  a  great  abundance  of  ice,  which  lay 
clofe  to  the  ihore,  and  ftretched  out  in  the  fea  as  far 

*  In  the  Table  of  Errata  annexed  to  Fox'«  bonk,  the  word  Stinenia  is 
changed  for  America  :  but  (his  ahd  leveral  other  errors  (whidi  are  here 
cune£led)  fucceeding  writers,  and  with  ihem  Dr.  Forfter,  have  been 
ied  into  by  Fox's  having  at^furdly  placed  that  table  in  the  middle  cf  hi^i 
Book, 

JIS 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       34^ 

as  we  could  difcern."  On  the  ift  of  Auguft  they 
failed  from  Fair  Haven  (a  place  fnuated  between 
Hakluyt^s  Headlandy  which  is  1  ike  wife  called  ^/»/?*r* 
darner  Ijland^  and  the  ifland  of  Vogelfang^  ly»"g  off  the 
north  weft  point  of  Spitxbergen)^  with  a  view  to  try 
whether  the  ice  would  admit  them  to  pafs  towards 
the  north  or  north-eaft.  They  failed  from  Capt 
Barreuy  or  Vogelfangy  N.  eaft  by  eaft,  eight  leagues, 
when  they  met  with  ice,  lying  eaft  by  fouth,  and 
weft  by  north.  On  the  15th  of  Auguft  they  found 
ice  in  the  fea,  which  was  frozen  as  thick  as  a  half 
crown  piece.   .   ' 

This  very  (hort  account  of  another  attempt  to 
feek  for  a  pafTage  in  the  north,  by  Spitzbergen,  is 
a  frefli  proof  of  the  great  exertions  made  to  difco- 
ver  this  pafTage  to  India.  Thofe  alfo  who  have  hi- 
therto believed,  with  M.  de  Buffon  and  Mr.  Dairies 
BarringtoTiy  that  fea- water  could  not  freeze,  will  here 
find  a  frefh  proof  to  the  contrary  :  for  if  even  in 
the  fummer  feafon,  fix  weeks  after  the  fummer  fol- 
ftice,  it  freezes  in  one  night  as  thick  as  a  half  crown 
piece,  how  hard  muft  not  the  fea  be  frozen  during; 
the  fevere  cold  of  the  long  winters  in  thefe  parts? 

XXIII.  In  1615  Fotherby  was  again  fent  out  to 
the  north,  in  the  pinnace  Riihard^  by  the  Ruftia 
Company.  He  could  not  get  farther  this  than  in  the 
preceding  year,  on  account  of  the  ice.  On  this  oc- 
cafion  he  refers  to  a  chart,  in  which  he  had  laid  down 
what  was  already  known  and  difcovered  in  the  fpace 
comprifed  bet'veen  80  and  71  deg.N.  iat.  and  within  26 
deg.  W.  long  '"rom  Hakluyfs  Headland  {reckoning  weft- 
Ward).  For  hi^  part,  he  fays,  he  could  have  wilhed  to 
have  beeri' able  to  advance  farther  tharl  he  did,  but 
the  ice  always  prevented  him  from  fo  doing;  however 
there  was  iiill  a  large  fpace  of  fea  between  Green^ 
land  and  King  yames's  Newland  (which  is  alfo  called 
Spitzbergen)  where  perhaps  a  pafTage  might  be  pol- 
fible,  though  this  fea  be  much  ob(Tru<9;ed  with  ice. 
Since  this  attempt  the  Englifh  RuiTia  Company  feems 

not 


.'.y 


i|ip 

5,1 


VOYAGES    AMD 


not  to  have  concerned  itfelf  any  farther  with  making 
cifcovcries  in  the  north. 

XXIV.  The  fame  merchants  who  had  fupported^ 
the  former  enterprizes  with  fo  much  ardour,  and  at 
fo  great  an  expence,  were  ftill  buoyed  up  with  the 
hope  that  at  length  they  fliould  fucceed  in  difco- 
veririg  this  paflage.  Accordingly,  in  1615,  they  fent 
out  the  Difcovery,  which  had  already  been  on  the  voy- 
ages of  discovery  made  under  therefpc^ive  commands 
of  Httdfon^  Button^  and  Gibbons^  now,  for  the  4th 
time,  and  for  the  fame  purpofe,  under  the  command 
of  Robert  Bylot  or,  (as  Purchas  calls  him)  Byleth, 
Bylot^  too,  had  been  each  time  in  the  (hip  now  en- 
trufted  to  his  care,  with  Hudfon^  Button,  and  Gibbons, 
He  had  with  him  in  the  capacity  of  mate,  IfilUam 
Baffin^  who  had  made  the  voyage  with  Hall  in  1608, 
and  had  been  oiit  afterwards  with  Hudfon,  Button,  and 
Fotherby,  and  confequently  had  acquired  great  expe- 
rience, aJ5  well  as  veryjuft  conceptions  of  the  nature 
of  thofe  regions,  and  of  the  voyages  that  might  be 
undertaken  to  thofe  parts.  Bylot  fet  fail  on  the  i8th 
of  April  J  on  the  6th  of  May  he  faw  Greenland  on 
the  eaft  fide  of  Cape  FarewelL  Shortly  after  he  fell 
in  with  a  great  quantity  of  ice,  Baffin  faw  a  mafs  of 
ice,  which  meafured  140  fathoms,  i.  e.  840  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  fea^  and  fome  aflert,  that  there  is 
never  more  than  i-yth  part  of  the  ice  above  the  wa- 
ter. But  by  referring  to  my  Obfervations,  page  60, 
it  will  appear,  that  as,  according  to  Matron  fur  la 
Glace,  p.  264,  ice  is  only  i-i4th  part  of  its  height 
above  the  furface  in  frefh  water,  or,  according  to  Dr, 
Irving^  in  Capt.  Phipp's  voyage  towards  the  North  Pole, 
Appendix^*  141,  no  more  than   i-i5th  of  its  height 


It, 


tl 


*  ThU  calcoUtion  might  well  have  been  fpared.  It  is  founded  on 
Fox's  afrertion.  (Vid.  Ax'/  Ncrtk-Koefl  FoXy  p.  137.)  that  Baffin  ftw 
ice  1^0  fathom  above  water.  But  this  is  evidently  a  blunder  of  Fox, 
proceeding  from  his  having  miflakcn  Baffin's  account  publiflied  by  Pur- 
chas. Baffin  himfelf  fays,  it  was  240  feet  \  and  thence  infers,  that  it  wat 
i4o/rt/^«w/,  or  1680  fttt  frm  tht  bttttm,  Vid,.  Purcha»'$  Pilgrims, 
Part  HI  p.  837. 


in 


DISCOVERIES  iM  THE  NORTH,       351 


in  fnow-water  ;  therefore  jce  in  fea- water  mav  pro- 
bably he  only  i-ioth  of  its  height  above  the  furfacc, 
and  that  confequently  840  feet  inftpad  of  7  ought  to 
be  multiplied  by  10  to  meafure  the  whole  height; 
lb  that  this  mafs  of  ice  was  8400  feet  high,  which  is 
indeed  a  mod  tremendous  height)  !  In  6i  deg.  i6min. 
N.  lat.  he  came  to  the  firm  ice,  and  put  in  amongil; 
it,  in  hopes  that  every  tide  it  would  open  more  and 
more.  Having  paiTed  fome  days  apiong  the  ice,  on 
the  27th  of  May  he  defcried  the  Refolution  Ifiands. 
On  the  I  ft  of  June  Ire  difcovered  a  good  harbour  on 
the  weflr  iide  of  tWc  Refolution  IJlands.  At  the  change 
of  the  moon  the  water  rofe  and  fell  nearly  5  fa- 
thoms. The  variation  of  the  compafs  was  24  deg. 
6  min.  The  northern  channel,  or  LumU/i  Inletj 
was  8  miles  in  the  narrowett  places.  On  the  8th  of 
July  he  came  to  the  Salvage  IJles  (Savage  Iflands) 
which  form  a  confidcrable  group  :  here  he  found  a 
great  number  of  natives,  with  whom  he  traded. 
Their  dogs  were  moft  of  them  muzzled,  and  wore 
collars  and  harnefles  for  the  purpofe  of  drawing  their 
mafters  furniture  when  they  remove  from  one  place 
to  another.  They  arc  of  a  black-brown  colour,  and 
have  very  much  the  appearance  of  wolves.  Their 
fledges  are  (hod  or  lined  with  large  filh-bones.  This 
lAand  lies  in  62  deg.  32  min.  N.  lat.  about  60  leagues 
from  the  mouth  of  the  ftrait.  The  variation  of  the 
compafs  is  27  deg.  30  min.  a  fouth-eafterly  moon 
makes  a  full  tide,  which  rifcs  almoft  as  high  as  at 
the  Refolution  Iflands,  and  comes  from  the  eaft.  On 
the  29th  of  June,  the  weather  being  cleared  up,  he 
at  length  faw  Sat/bury  Ijhnd,  On  the  ift  of  July  he 
difcovered  a  group  of  iflands,  which  he  named  Mill- 
Ijles^  becaufc  of  the  grinding  of  the  ice  among  thefe 
iflands.  The  latitude  of  them  is  64  deg.  As  he  was 
ftandinp-  along  thefe  iflands  the  lea  came  with  the  tide 
from  the  fouth-eaft,  and  drove  his  Ihip  with  great 
force  into  the  eddy  of  the  iflands.  On  the  nth  he 
difcovered  land  to  the  weftward,  which  being  a  head- 
land he  named  Capt  Comfort.  The  latitude  of  it  is 
65  degrees   N.     The  farther    he    proceeded   in   the 

inlet* 


A  t'i''i 


In ,  n , 


>    I' 


'   \Y 


t". 


I 


352 


VOYAGES    AMD 


inlet,  the  fliallowcr  it  grew.  This  cape  was  on  the 
land  of  Carty's  Stvan's  Neji.  Bylot  went  only  to  65 
deg.  25  min.  N.  lat.  and  to  about  86  deg*  10  min* 
ivefl  long,  from  London.  Having  tacked  about  to 
return,  becaufe  the  land  trended  to  the  north  eaft, 
he  found. on  the  i6th,  near  a  point  of  land,  a  great 
number  of  fea-horfes  lying  on  the  ice,  and  from  this 
circumftance  named  it  Boint  Sea-horfe,  Here  he  ob* 
ierved  that  the  flood  came  from  the  fouth-eaft,  and 
the  ebb  from  the  north-weft.  On  the  26th  he  paiTed 
between  the  iflands  Sail/bury  and  Nottingham,  He 
came  to  an  anchor  at  Diggs's  IJJandy  where  his  peo- 
pie  killed  a  great  quantity  of  fea-fowl  Oii  the  rocks 
for  their  food,  and  at  laft  arrived  again  at  Plymouth, 

XXV,  The  public-fpirited  gentlemen  who  had 
had  the  former  voyages  on  difcoveries  made  at  their 
own  expence,  were  willing  to  fet  on  foot  one  more« 
The  gentlemen  alluded  to  were  Sir  Thomas  Smithy  Sir 
Dudley  Diggty  Mr.  John  tVolJhnholme^  and  Mr.  Alder- 
man yonesy  together  with  fome  others.  They  again 
chofe  Robert  Bylot  for  the  Captain,  and  JVtlliam  Baffin 
to  be  pilot.  I'he  fhip  Difcovery  went  out  now  for 
the  fifth  time  on  a  voyage  of  difcovery.  They  fet 
fail  from  Grave/end  on  the  26th  of  March,  i6i6« 
The  firft  land  they  faw,  being  the  14th  of  May,  was 
within  Davis*s  Straits  in  65  deg.  20  min.  N.  lat.  Se- 
veral Greenlanders  came  to.  their  ihip,  and  received 
feme  fmall  pieces  of  iron  from  them.  3ut  feeing  that 
he  was  failing  away,  they  appeared  much  difTatisfied* 
Bylot  did  not  come  to  an  anchor  till  he  was  in  70 
deg.  20  min.  near  Davis's  London  coajl^  where  the  in- 
habitants fled  before  them  in  their  boats.  In  this 
found,  which  was  a  very  good  one,  the  tide  did  not 
rife  above  8  or  9  feet.  Two  days  after,  he  failed 
farther  to  the  northward.  On.  the  30th  he  reached 
Hope  Sanderfon  (the  farthefl  land  that  Davis  had  been 
at)  in  ^2  deg.  20  min.  Continuing  his  courfe,  he 
came  in  72  deg.  45  min.  to  fome  iflands,  where 
he  found  nothing  but  women,  whom  he  treated  with 
kindnefs,  making  them  prefents  of  iron.  To  thefe 
iflands  he  gave  the  name  of  Women  s  JJlts,     Here  the 

tide 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       353 

tide  did  not  rife  above  6  or  7  feet.  The  women  had 
black  ftrcaks  on  their  faces,  which  were  raifed  above 
the  furface  of  the  fkin.  Bylot  now  failed  farther  on 
to  the  northward,  but  met  with  a  great  deal  of  ice. 
He  therefore  looked  about  for  a  harbour,  till  the  ice 
Ihould  be  wafted  and  gone,  and  ilood  into  one  in 
Jat.  73  deg.  45  min.  Here  tlie  inhabitants  came  im- 
mediately to  them,  and  brought  them  feal-fkins  and 
unicorns  *  horns,  in  exchange  for  iron.  Hence  he 
named  the  found  Horn  Sound.  He  flayed  here  a  few 
days  longer,  and  then  fet  fail  again.  The  wind  was 
ftill  contrary,  but  the  ice  was  almoft  all  diflblved, 
infomuch  that  he  bad  it  in  his  power  to  go  again  to 
JVomen^s  IJlandst  ffom  which  he  failed  20  leagues  to 
the  weft  ward,  without  finding  any  more  ice.  On 
Midfummer-Day  all  the  ftiip's  tackling  was  covered 
with  froft,  neverihelefs  the  cold  was  by  no  means 
intolerable.  The  fea  was  free  and  open,  but  the 
wind  was  contrary.  He  therefore  flood  off  from 
the  ihore,  and  flood  in  for  it  again.  He  then  let 
fall  an  anchor  to  meafure  the  tide,  which  afforded 
him  however  but  little  hope.  The  weather  now  grew 
very  foggy,  he  therefore  failed  along  the  coaft,  rhe 
next  day  he  came  to  a  fair  cape  or  headland,  which 
he  named  after  Sir  Dudley  Diggs,  It  was  in  76  deg. 
35  min.  N.  lat.  and  clofe  adjoining  to  it  lay  a  fmall 
ifland.  A*  t^^  diftance  of  12  leagues  from  the  cape 
he  faw  a  confiderable  inlet,  in  the  middle  of  which 
was  a  fmall  ifland,  which  caufed  a  double  current. 
Here  he  anchored,  but  the  fliip  drove  with  the  cur- 
rent though  ftie  had  two  anchors  out.  He  was  there- 
fore obliged  to    weigh  and  ftand  out  to    fea.      This 


•  Thefe  horns  *re  very  improperly  called  by  the  name  they  bear ;  for 
it  is  well  known  that  the  iiarh<waly  or  lea  unicorn,  a  kind  of  whale  foiinii 
in  Greenland,  has  twofiich  horns,  which  are  long  and  wreaihcd,  but  that 
feldom  both  horns  are  found  together  in  the  fifli  ;  piob^bly  they  may  lole 
»ne  of  them  in  their  wars  with  each  other,  or  in  the  combats  they  have 
with  other  fiflj.  There  has  been  an  inftance  of  a  fea-umcorn  having  run 
hit  hora  into  th«  bottom  of  a  (hip,  where  he  had  brok«  it  off  and  lett  it. 


''■    >ti;' 


Aa 


inlet 


S54 


VOYAGES    AHB 


inlet  he  nzmed  fVol/Ienhelme*s  Sound \  it  fpreads  out  m 
feveral  fmall  inlets,  and  is  very  convenient  for  the 
whale-fifhery.  Another  ftorm  now  arofe,  which  obliged 
him  to  lie  a  Hull ;  and  when  the  weather  cleared  up 
again,  he  found  himfelf  in  a  large  bay.  He  then  fet 
fail  again,  and  flood  over  to  the  fouth-weft  fide,  where 
he  anchored  in  an  inlet,  but  loft  both  anchor  and 
cable,  the  wind  blowing  with  great  violence  from  the 
tops  of  the  mountains.  He  was  therefore  obliged  to 
ftand  off  and  on,  the  bottom  of  the  bay  being  ftill  en- 
tirely covered  with  ice.  This  bay  contained  a  great 
many  whales,  on  which  account  he  alfo  named  it 
JVhale  Sound.  The  latitude  of  it  is  77  deg.  30  min. 
The  weather  being  very  fair,  he  kept  along  by  the 
land,  till  he  came  to  a  large  bank  of  ice,  behind'which 
lay  the  land.  On  feeing  this  he  flood  back  about 
eight  leagues  to  an  ifland  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of 
Hakluyt's  IJland.  This  ifland  lies  between  two  inlets, 
riz.  JVhale  Sound  and  Sir  Thomas  Smith's  Sound;  which 
latter  runs  to  the  north  of  78  deg.  and  is  alfo  extremely 
remarkable  in  one  refpe£l,  viz.  becaufe  in  it  there  is  the 
greateft  variation  of  the  compafs  of  any  part  of  the 
known  world.  For,  by  divers  very  exact  obfervations, 
he  found  it  to  be  above  five  points  *,  or  56  degrees 
varied  to  the  weftward.  This  inlet  feems  to  be  very 
conveniently  fituated  for  the  whale-fifhery,  it  being 
the  largefl  in  the  whole  bay.  That  which  induced 
him  to  fail  over  to  the  ifland  was  that  he  intended  to 
fearch  for  whale-bone  there.  But  the  weather  was 
fo  bad,  that  he  could  not  land  with  the  boat.  The 
next  day  the  wind  came  more  outward.  The  fea 
was  grown  fo  high,  that  he  weighed  anchor,  and  it 
was  tvfo  days  before  he  could  find  a  good  anchoring 
place.  This  day  the  weather  cleared  up,  and  he  dif- 
covered  a  group  of  iflands  at  the  diftance  of  about 
10  or  12  leagues  from  the  land.     He  could  have  wifhed 

*  The  mariner's  compafs  is  divided  into  31  different  points,  or  winds. 
Now  the  whole  com  pals  comprizing  360  degrees,  each  of  thefe  31  point! 
or  winds  mult  amouot  to  iii.  degree*  ;  confequently  (ive  points  are  cqu«l 

to  j6^  degrtf?. 

indeed 


indeed 
permit 
thefe  i 
Gary's 
a  flifF 
accomp 
entranc 
Jones's 
out  fine 
the  fhij 
again, 
lated,  tl 
lying  01 
eafy  ga] 
coafl,    ^ 
and  beg 
1 2th   da 
named  it 
ing  a  pa 
this  inlet 
.  the  fljon 
came  to 
land  as 
furround 
to  the  ( 
,  .the  ice, 
it  till  he 
in  again 
quite  coi 
to  run  ab 
faft  lockc 
He   kept 
he    founc 
could  not 
41  min. 
great  qua 
leagues. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       355 

indeed  to  ftand  over  to  them,  but  the  wind  would  not 
permit  it,  nor  would  he  fpend  any  more  time  after 
thefe  iflands,  which  he  diftinguiflied  by  the  name  of 
Cary*s  IJlands.  He  then  Hood  to  the  weftward  with 
a  ftifF  gale  of  wind,  which  was  fucceeded  by  a  calm, 
accompanied  by  a  fog,  when  he  found  himfelf  at  the 
entrance  of  a  large  inlet,  which  he  called  Alderman 
yones's  Sound.  In  the  afternoon  the  weather  turned 
out  fine  and  clear  ;  and  he  fent  a  boat  on  (horc,  whilft 
the  fhip  kept  on  her  courfe  j  but  the  wind  getting  up 
again,  the  boat  returned  on  board,  and  the  men  re- 
lated, that  they  had  fcen  a  great  number  of  fea-horfes 
lying  on  the  ice  along  the  coaft.  Then  having  an 
eafy  gale  of  wind  at  h.  N.  E.  they  failed  along  by  the 
coaft,  which  began  to  trend  more  to  tlie  fouthward, 
and  began  to  have  the  appearance  of  a  bay.  On  the 
1 2th  day  he  opened  another  great  found,  or  inlet,  and 
named  it  James  Lancajier^s  Sound.  Their  hopes  of  find- 
ing a  paflage  began  now  to  decreafe  every  day.  From 
this  inlet  to  the  fouthward  a  ledge  of  ice  ran  all  along 

.  the  fliore  j  he  therefore  kept  clofe  by  the  ice  till  he 
came  to  71  deg.  16  min.  where  he  could  fee  the 
land  as  far  as  70  deg.  30  min.  Being  now  almoft 
furrounded  by  the  ice,  he  was  obliged  to  ftand  more 
to  the  eaftward  j    for  he  expelled  to  be  foon  clear  of 

,  .the  ice,  and  defigned  to  have  kept  on  the  off'-fide  of 
it  till  he  came  to  70  deg.  when  he  intended  to  ftand 
in  again  to  the  fouthward ;  but  matters  turned  out 
quite  contrary  to  his  expectation,  for  he  was  obliged 
to  run  above  60  leagues  through  d)e  ice,  and  was  often 
faft  locked  in  it,  thoijgh  he  kept  his  courfe  due  eaft. 
He  kept  conftantly  fo  near  the  ice,  that  many  times 
he  found  it  diiiicult  to  get  clear  of  it  j  and  yet  he 
could  not  get  near  the  land  till  he  came  to  68  deg. 
41  min.  i  when  he  faw  the  fhore,  but  by  reafon  of  the 
great  quantity  of  ice  could  not  come  to  it  by  7  or  8 
leagues.     This  was  on  the  24th   of  July,     flere    he 

A  a  2  continued 


*n:]i 


356 


VOYAGES    AND 


continued  for  three  days  more,  endeavouring  ib  come 
to  an  anchor,  in  order  to  try  tlic  tide  ;  but  the  ice 
carried  him  at  length  into  the  latitude  of  65  deg.  40 
min.  upon  which  he  left  the  weftern  coaft  entirely, 
being  now  diredtly  oppofite  Cumberland  StraitSy  where 
he  had  no  hopes  of  a  pafTage.  He  therefore  found 
himfclf  under  the  neceflity  of  putting  an  end  to  his 
voyage  of  difcovery,  as  the  proper  feafon  for  it  was 
already  clap!cd,  and  his  crew  but  weakly  j  fome  of  ththi, 
indeed,  being  abfolutcly  fick,  and  his  cook  even  dead. 
He  now  flood  over  to  the  coaft  of  Greenland^  aiid  camt 
to  an  anchor  in  the  harbour  of  Cocking  Sound,  in  lat, 
65  deg.  45  min.  Going  on  fhore  on  an  ifland  there, 
they  immediately  found  fome  Greenland  fcurvy-grafs 
(Cochlearia  officinalis  varietas  Groenlandica)  forrel  (Ru- 
nt ex  acetofa)  and  orpine  (Sedum  acre)  in  great  quanti- 
ty. They  boiled  the  fcurvy-grafs  in  beer,  and  in  a 
week  all  the  fick  were  perfedtly  recovered,  and  con- 
tinued well  till  their  arrival  in  England.  Soon  after 
their  landing  the  inhabitants  came  and  brought  them 
fome  younj^  falmons  and  other  fifh,  which  they  barter- 
ed for  glais  beads,  counters,  and  pieces  of  iron ;  and 
which  contributed  very  much  to  the  recovery  of  the 
crew.  It  was  quite  altonifliing  to  fee  the  great  fhoals 
of  falmon  that  were  fwimming  to  and  fro  in  this  har- 
bour. The  tide  rifes  in  it  about  18  feet.  The  crew 
being  perfedly  refreflied,  he  fet  fail  again,  and,  in  19 
days,  faw  land  on  tfie  coaft  of  Ireland.  On  the  30th 
of  Auguft  he   anchored  in  Dover  Road. 

This  voyage  likewife,  though  in  the  higheft  degree 
worthy  of  attention,  is  but  very  imperfeftly  known  to 
us  from  Baffin^s  relation  j  and  all  the  charts  of  the 
newly-difcovered  Baffin's  bay  have  been  merely  laid 
down  from  the  obfervations  made  in  his  journal ;  for 
Purchas,  who  has  publiflied  fo  many  wretched,  paltry 
maps,  was  afraid  of  the  expence  attending  the  publi- 
cation of  Baffin's  important   chart,  and  it  is  therefore 

probable 


DISCOVERIES  m  the  NORTH.        357 

probable  that    it  is  entirely  lod.     The  ftiDalc  Grcen- 
hindcrs  on  IVojnen^s  IJlands  had  black.    Ihcaks  on  their 
tiices,    raifcd   above    the  lurt'ace  of    the    fkin,  and  the 
fame  kind  of  decoration  has  been  oblcrved  to   be  ufed 
among  the  Tungufts  in    Siberia,  as  alio  on    fome    y^- 
kutcs  *.     I'he  gradually  dccrcalc  of  the  tide  to  the  north- 
ward feems    to  me  to  be  a  pretty  llrong    proof  of  its 
coming  from  Davis's  Straits,  and  that  confequently  this 
liaiHn's  \\.\y  has    no  connection  either    to  the   north- 
ward or   the  weftward  v/ith  the  great  ocean  ;  in   which 
cafe    no  p.iliage  can  be   expelled  to  be    found   in   the 
whole  bay.       It    is,    however,  aftonifhing,  that  Ba^n 
Ihould  haVc  been   the  only  perfon  hitiierto  that  has  ex- 
plored this  bay,  and   that   after  him  no    one  has  ever 
ventured  upon  this  fca.     The  whales,  which  are  found 
iicre    in  great  abundance,  may   perhaps  have  purpofely 
fcleiSled  t'lis  bay,  which   no   mortal   belldcs  Baffin   has 
ever  ni'vigated,  for   their  refidencc,  on  account  of  the 
fccurity   ic  affords  them.     The  whale  is  a  fubtlc  ani- 
m.il,  and  very  capable  of  diftinguilliing  the  places  v/here 
frequcr.t  chafe  is    made   after    him. — It  is    altonifhing 
that  all    thofc  who    were  afflidled  with    the  fcurvy  on 
board  of  Bylot's  fhip,  (liould  have  been  rertored  with- 
in eight    or  nine  days  by  the  ufe    of  frelh  herbs  and 
Tifh.     This   proves    that   nothing  contributes  more   to 
caufe  this  kind  of  putrid  fever  than  the  want  of  fweet 
air  and  of  frefli  provifion.     It  is  pofllble,  without  doubt, 
to  retard,  in  fome  meafure,  the  progrefs  of  this  difcafe, 
by  the  infufion  of  malt  or  fwcet-wort  ;  but  as  to  curing 
it  radically,    that    can  only    be    effeclcd  on   fliore,    by 
means  of  frefh  provifions,  and  a  diet  conilfting  chiefly 
of  vegetables. 

XXVI.  This  lad  unfuccefsful  voyage  of  Bylct  and 
Bajin  feems  to  have  put  almoft  an  entire  liop  to  tiie 
inclination  of  the  enterprizing  focietv  above-mentioned 
to  promote  any  farther  voyages  to  the  north  j  neither 
indeed  do  we  find  any  one  recorded  for  a  long  fpac? 


I       > 


<h-  m 


H'  fj'U' 


*  Vide  jfohM  Gea.  Cmeli>t''s  Trivzh  to  Sibeiia,  Part   I.  ea^c  79.  Pan 
II.  page  ao8,    Georgi'i  Travels,  Vol.  I,  page  254. 

ol 


358 


VOYAGES    Avtfl 


of  time.  Something,  however,  is  mentioned  of  a  voy- 
age made  by  Capt.  JVilliam  Hawkbridge,  or  Hawk" 
ridge.  This  is  the  fame  perfon  who,  in  1612  and 
1613,  had  accompanied  Sir  Thomas  Button  in  his 
voyage  of  difcovery.  But  the  account  is  very  imper- 
fea: :  for  firft,  it  is  entirely  unknown  in  what  year 
this  voyage  took  place :  2dly,  neither  is  «t  known  at 
whofe  expence  or  at  whofe  inftigation  it  was  under- 
taken :  nor,  laflly,  is  it  poflible  to  difcover  the  name 
of  the  fhip  in  which  Hawkbridge  failed,  nor  from 
what  port  he  went,  nor  where  he  landed  on  his  re- 
turn to  England ;  it  feems  probable,  however,  that  this 
expedition  took  place  after  that  of  Bylot  in  1616  ;  be- 
caufe  Fox  defcribes  it  quite  at  the  end,  after  Bylofs  ; 
and  that  it  was  before  that  of  Fox  and  Jamesy  which 
took  place  in  1631  ;  becaufe  the  fame  writer  places 
it  exprefsly  before  his  own. 

Hawkbridge  failed  to  the  weftward,  and,  on  the  29th 
of  June,  found  himfelf  in  the  great  entrance  to  Lum- 
lefs  Inlet  \  and  in  fa6t:  was  the  firft  that  ever  was  in 
this  inlet,  for  all  his  predeceflbrs  had  only  imagined 
that  they  were  in  it,  but  had  at  length  found  it  prove 
otherwife.  He  did  not  leave  this  inlet  till  the  8th 
of  July ;  on  the  9th,  he  found  the  pirmace  again, 
which  had  failed  out  with  him.  He  was  retarded  for 
a  long  time  by  ftrong  currents  and  contrary  winds. 
Near  Cape  Charles  he  found  a  fmall  ifland,  and  the 
ground  thereabouts  feemed  to  promife  a  great  quanti- 
ty of  fifii ;  neverthelefs  he  caught  none,  "^he  latitude 
of  the  ifland  was  62  deg.  19  min.  The  variation  of 
the  compafs  3  deg.  9  min.  The  tide  rofe  21  feet, 
and  fet  to  the  fouth-eaft.  On  the  27th  he  failed  farther 
after  making    many   efforts   to    this  purpofe,  he 


on 


faw  liind  on  the  7th  of  Auguft,  which  appeared  to  him 
to  be  Salijbury  IJland.  Towards  the  bottom  of  the 
bay  the  latitude  was  64  ^f^^.  30  min.  j  the  variation 
23  deg.  10  min.  At  length,  on  the  10th  of  Augufl, 
ke  came  to  Scahorfe  Point.  On  the  nth  he  went 
deeper  into  tiie  bay,  till  he  at  lafl  found  the  lat.  to 
be  65  deg.  N.  He  therefore  tacked  about,  and  ftood 
for  Diggs's   Ijlar.d^   in    order    to    try  the    tide  there. 

After 


concern 


■4 


DISCOVERIES  iM  THE  NORTH.       359 

After  this,  he  ftaid  a  few  days  off  the  King^s  Foreland 
and  Mansfield  Ijland.  A  little  farther  on,  feeing  firm 
ice,  he  returned.  On  the  yth  of  September  he  was 
again  near  the  Refolution  Ifio  'U,  On  the  loth  the 
pninace  loft  i.er  boat,  and  pr<  ably  he  haftened  home, 
for  here  the   account  breaks  off. 

This  attempt  of  Hawkhridgis  has  difcovered  no- 
thing new,  but  that  between  Carey's  Swans  Ne/i  and 
the  eaflern  iflands  he  went  as  far  s  65  dcg.  where 
Bylot,  however,  had  already,  in  1615,  been  before 
him. 

XXVII.  After  a  long  paufe,  the  fpirit  v  f  enterprize 
and  invefti^ation  again  burft  forth.  Lucas  Fox,  a 
man  who  from  his  earlieft  years  had  ufed  the  fea, 
and  who  was  to  have  gone  out  with  John  Knight,  in 
the  capacity  of  mate,  in  1606,  and  fmce  that  time  had 
collected  all  the  information  he  pofTibly  could  arrive  at 
concerning  the  progrefs  that  had  been  made  in  the 
voyages  of  difcovery  undertaken  to  the  North,  form- 
ed an  intimacy  with  feveral  fkilful  mathematicians  of 
his  time,  amongft  whom  he  particularly  cites  Thomas 
Sterne,  who  had  carefully  coUefted  all  the  journals 
and  charis  of  the  former  voyages,  with  a  view  to  his 
profeffion,  viz.  the  making  of  globes.  After  this  he 
renewed  his  former  acquaintance  with  the  famous  ma- 
thematician Henry  Brigges,  who  made  him  acquainted 
with  Sir  yohn  Brooke,  when  feveral  rcfpedlable  peo- 
ple formed  an  aflbciation  for  fetting  on  foot  another 
voyage  of  difcovery,  which  was,  hov/ever,  put  a  ftop 
to  by  Henry  Brigges's  death.  In  the  mean  time  Capt, 
Thomas  yames  had  perfuaded  many  merchants  in  Bril- 
tol  to  fet  on  foot  a  voyage  of  difcovery  in  the  north, 
and  thefe  folicited  Mr^.  Brigges  and  Sir  John  Brooke, 
to  allow  both  fhips  to  go  out  together  on  this  expe- 
dition, a  requeft  which  was  willingly  granted.  Sir 
Thomas  Roe,  who  was  returned  from  his  embafly  to 
the  Court  of  Sweden,  and  old  Sir  John  Woljlenholmc^ 
were  appointed  by  the  King,  to  procure  every  thing 
that  might  ferve  to  promote  this  voyage.  The  bre- 
thren of  the  Trinity  Houje  were  alio  to  give  their 
affiftance,  and  young  Mr.  Wdftenholme,  afterwards  Sir 

John 


360 


VOYAGES    AND 


yohn  Woljienholme^  was  to  be  Treafurer  to  the  whole 
enterprize.  The  King  {Charles  I.)  gave  alfo  one  fhip 
to  it,  and  ordered  it  to  be  fitted  out  with  all  necefla- 
ries  in  the  moll  complete  manner,  and  to  be  vidualled 
for  18  months.  When  Capt.  Fox  was  prefented  to 
the  King,  his  Majefty  gave  him  a  map,  contrining 
all  the  dil'coveries  made  by  his  predeceiTors,  with  in- 
ftruclions  and  a  letter  to  the  Eniperor  of  Japan,  in 
cafe  he  fhould  get  into  the  South  Sea,  and  reach  Ja- 
pan by  the   pafTage  he  went  out  to  difcover. 

Capt.  Lucas  Fox  fet  fail  from  Deptford  on  the  5th  of 
May,  1 631,  in  his  Majefty's  fliip  CZ^tfr/^j,  of  80 
tuns  burden.  Oh  the  15th  he  broke  his  main-yard 
in  two.  He  went  to  the  Orkneys  j  but  not  being  able 
to  procure  a  new  main-yard  there,  failed  on.  After 
pafling  Cape  Farewell  in  a  fog,  he  fhaped  his  courfc 
towards  Hudfon's  Straits.  When  he  came  near  the 
ice,  he  found  that  to  the  leeward  of  every  lar^^e  ifland 
of  ice,  there  floated  a  great  many  fmall  pieces,  form- 
ed by  the  continual  beating  of  the  fea  upon  thefe 
illands,  and  undermining  them  fo  that  they  fell  to  pie- 
ces by  their  own  weight.  At.  length,  on  the  20th  of 
June,  Fox  faw  land  on  the  north  fide  of  Lumley's 
Jnlct.  He  was  then  in  62  deg.  25  min.  N.  lat.  Find- 
ing ice  in  this  inlet,  he  was  defirous  of  getting  into 
Hudfon's  Straits  ;  but  here  like  wife  there  was  floating 
a  great  deal  of  ice.  He  ftood  over  from  Cape  War- 
wick on  Refolution  IJland,  to  Cape  Chidley,  or  Button's 
Ifiandi^  of  which  he  diftinftly  faw  four.  On  the  23d 
the  morning  was  foggy,  but  later  in  the  day  the  fun  fhone 
fo  hot,  that  the  ice  as  well  as  the  pitch  on  the  fides 
of  the  fliip  began  to  melt.  In  the  ftrait  was  ftill  a 
great  quantity  of  ice,'  of  which  he  obferves  two  forts  : 
firft,  mountainous  ice,  of  a  very  confiderable  fize  and 
height,  fome  of  which  reached  from  20  to  40  yards 
above  the  furface  of  the  water  \  and  next,  jiaked  Ice^ 
fome  of  which  was  above  a  rood,  and  fome  two  acres 
fquare,  but  mod  of  it  about  one  or  two  feet  above  the 
v.atcr,  and  eight  or  ten  under  ;  he  water.  On  the  30th  they 
pafl'ed  by  a  piece  fomcthing  higher  than  the  reft  5  on  this 

lay 


I;  n 


DISCOVERIES  IV  the  NORTH.       361 

lay  a  large  ftone,  weighing  at  leaft  5  or  6  tuns;  beAdes 
which  there  were  other  ftones  on  it,  and  Tome  mud. 
Thefe  mountains  of  ice  are  formed  on  fliore  by  the 
fnow,  which  the  wind  blows  on  to  the  fteep  brow  of 
fomc  high  mountain,  to  which  it  adheres,  and  is 
compacted  into  a  firm  and  folid  piece  of  ice,  which 
in  the  fpring  becomes  loofe  at  the  approach  of  a  thaw, 
and  rolls  into  the  fea,  carrying  with  it  the  earth, 
flones,  mud,  and  trees,  which  it  before  enveloped. 
One  night  a  mountain  of  ice  came  driving  ilrait  on 
towards  the  Hiip  j  as  it  was  deeper  under  water  than 
the  jiaked  ice^  the  current  confequently  made  it  drive 
fafter  over  than  the  latter,  fome  of  which  was  be- 
tween the  {hip  and  the  mountain,  elfe  this  huge  mafs 
being  already  perforated  by  the  action  of  the  water 
upon  it,  in  confequence  of  its  percuilion  againft  the 
{hip  might  have  burft ;  when  the  broken  pieces  fall- 
ing into  the  vefTel,  might  eafily  have  funk  it,  as  this 
mountain  was  9  or  jo  fathoms  (i.  e.  from  54  to  60 
feet)  above  water,  and  who  can  fay  how  many  under 
it  ?  (perhaps  9  or  10  times  as  much,  and  confequently 
the  whole  height  of  the  mountain  of  ice  was  about 
540,  or  even  600  feet).  On  the  firft  of  July  Fox  was 
oppofite  to  a  fecond  ifland,  feparated  from  the  Refolu- 
iion  IJlands,  which  in  fome  maps  is  called  Terra  I^ivea, 
The  weather  was  hot  and  clofe,  but  calm,  fo  that 
they  could  not  ftir  for  want  of  wind.  On  the  4th 
he  fent  a  boat  to  the  north  land,  where  they  found 
feveral  huts  deferted  by  the  natives,  as  alfo  a  piece  of 
drift-wood,  and  the  footing  and  dung  of  an  animal 
of  the  flag  kind.  On  the  14th  he  faw  a  fea-unicorn, 
about  9  feet  long.  The  back,  of  it  was  black,  with 
a  fmall  lin  upon  it  j  the  tail  lay  flat,  tranfverfe  with 
refpedt  to  the  ridge,  and  between  the  two  peaked  ends 
was,  as  it  were,  indented.  The  fides  were  dappled, 
black  and  white;  the  belly  was  all  over  of  a  milk 
white ;  the  body,  from  the  gills  to  the  tail,  was 
fhaped  like  a  mackerel's;  but  the  head  refemblcd  that 
of  a  lobfter,  and  on  the  fore  part  of  it  grew  a  wreath- 
ed horn,  fix  feet  long  and  of  a  black  colour  all  over, 
excepting  jufl  at  the  tip.     The  fame  evening  he  faw  20 

more 


562 


VOYAGES     ANU 


If 

I 


more  fea-unicorns.  On  the  15th,  feeing  the  iflands 
of  Saltjbury  and  Nottingham  at  7  leagues  diftancc,  he 
went  fomewhat  to  the  fouthward,  out  of  the  way  of 
the  ice,  and  had  ground  in  160  fathoms.  The  ftones 
brought  up  by  the  lead  were  of  the  fame  kind  with 
thofe  that  ufuaily  lay  upon  the  ice,  and  are  carried  by 
it  from  the  main  land  ;  thefe  ftones  confequently  be- 
ing by  degrees  detached  from  the  ice,  fall  to  the  bot- 
tom ;  fo  that  in  the  fpace  of  fo  many  years  it  is  not 
to  be  fuppofed  that  any  fpot  on  the  bottom  of  the  fca 
hereabouts  can  be  free  of  them.  Here  he  obferved 
that  the  needle  had  loft  its  powers,  and  gives  his  con- 
jectures on  this  phenomenon,  and  on  the  caufe  of  it, 
which  he  was  inclined  partly  to  deduce  from  want  of 
motion  in  the  fliip,  in  confequence  of  its  being  be- 
calmed, or  from  the  action  of  the  neighbouring 
mountains,  which  perhaps  might  contain  fuch  mi- 
nerals as  had  an  inf  uence  on  its  magnetic  powers  j  or 
elfe  from  the  cold  benumbing  it,  and  operating  upon 
it  in  the  fame  manner  as  it  does  upon  us,  or  rather 
from  the  fliarpnefs  of  the  air  interpofed  between  the 
needle  and  its  attra6live  point,  weakening  the  force  of 
its  direction  *.  He  was  now  near  Nottingham  IJlandy 
whither  he  intended  to  fend  his  boat.  He  had  ground, 
with  mufcle-fliells  and  ftones,  at  35  fathoms.  The 
ebb  came  from  the  N.  W.  Their  latitude  was  63 
deg.  12  min.  On  the  15th  Fox  made  a  very  import- 
ant obfervation  :  the  ifiands  Refolution^  Salijbury^  and 
Nottingham^  were  all  three  of  them  high  on  the  call 


*  The  celebrated  Mr.  Henry  Ellisy  who  in  174(7  and  1747  made  a  voy* 
*ge  in  the  Dobbs  galley  to  HuJfon\  Bay,  obferved  between  the  iflanda 
and  the  higher  latitudes,  that  the  magnetic  needle  had  loft  its  power. 
As  the  probable  caufes  of  this  phenomenon,  he  afligned,  ift,  the  mine- 
ral!", by  which  poPibly  the  needle  was  ftrongly  attrafted  (as  for  inftance, 
it  is  in  the  ifle  of  Elba)  id,  the  proximity  oF  the  magnetic  Pole,  and 
finally,  the  cold  vf  the  climate,  which  latter  he  confideied  a*  the  tru* 
caule;  finding  that  the  compaffes,  as  foon  as  they  were  removed  into  a 
•warmer  place,  immediately  recovered  their  ufual  power  and  diretlion. 
We  fee,  however,  that  Fox  had  obferved  this  fadt  before  hiro,  and  af- 
igned  nearly  the  fame  caufes  for  it.  After  this  can  we  refrain  from  ex« 
claiming  with  tti*  wiff  maa,    Then  is  ntthing  new  under  the  fun  f 

fide. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      365 

^de,  and  low  on  the  weft  *.  Here  hq  alfo  faw  a  great 
many  Tea-  horfcs.  He  faw  the  fame  day,  at  a  diftance. 
Cape  Pembroke  on  the  main  land  of  Gary's  Swans  Nejiy 
where  likewife  were  many  fea^horfes.  On  the  i8th 
he  was  pretty  near  this  1  aft'- mentioned  land,  and  on 
the  19th,  on  a  flake  of  ice,  faw  a  white  bear,  which 
after  fome  time  they  killed.  It  yielded  48  gallons  of 
oil  i  they  ate  the  flefh  of  it  boiled,  and  found  it  to 
be  good  ;  but  when  roafted,  it  tafted  fiftiy  and  rank. 
The  fame  night  they  faw  a  dark  ftreak  in  the  horizon, 
and  in  the  iky  to  the  northward  the  meteors,  known 
by  the  name  of  Henbanes,  or  petty  Dancers,  which 
were  confidered  by  Fox  as  the  fore- runners  of  a 
ftorm  to  follow  within  24  hours ;  an  event  which  did 
not,  however,  happen.  On  the  21ft  they  were  not 
advanced  much  farther.  They  came  to  Carey's  Swans 
i^eji^  where  they  chaced  many  fwans,  but  caught 
none,  on  account  of  the  marflies,  brooks,  and  pools 
of  ftanding  water,  fo  frequent  on  this  fliore.  On  the 
24th  they  faw  feveral  feals  in  62  deg.  20  min.  N.  lat. 
but  as  for  fowl  there  were  but  few  of  any  kind.  On 
the  27th  it  was  warm,  even  at  night.  There  he  faw 
abundance  of  rock-weed  and  tangle  (or  Tang).  Near 
the  main  land  on  the  weft-fide  of  Hudfon's  Bay,  he 
difcovered  an  ifland  in  64  deg.  10  min.  N.  lat.  which 
he  named  Sir  Thomas  Roe*s  Welcome.  They  found 
feme  burial  places  of  the  natives,  but  not  one  human 
creature  alive.  The  fpears  left  behind  in  thefe  fe- 
pulchres  were  headed,  fome  with  iron  and  fome 
with  copper.  On  the  28th  he  obferved  a  great  num- 
ber of  filh  leaping  in  the  water,  together  with  many 
feals,  and  alfo  a  whale.  He  came  at  length  to  a 
white  ifland,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Brook  Cob- 


I  r  <M 


•  Thif  phyfico-geographical  obfervation  is  of  the  higheft  importance, 
and  feems  to  me  to  prove  that  at  that  time,  when  ihe  It*  built  impeiu- 
oufly  into  Hudfon's  Bay,  and  tore  away  thefe  iflands  from  the  main  land, 
it  muft  have  come  rulhing  from  the  call  and  fouth-eaft,  and  have  walli- 
ed  away  the  earth  towards  the  wcft  ;  a  circumilance  which  hasoccafion- 
cd  their  prcftnt  low  pofition. 

h(/mf 


~kU\ 


s^ 


VOYAGES    AND 


bam^  after  Sir  John  Brook,     (It  is  alfo  now  called 
MarhU  IJland),     They  found  fwans  and  ducks,  and 
a  young  bird  with  a  long  neck  and  head,  of  which 
Fox  did  not  know  whether  it  was  not  an  oftrich  (pro- 
bably it  was  a  fpecies  of  crane).     Their  dog  purfued 
for  a  long   time  a  rein-deer,  but  the  quarter-m  fter, 
having  neither  gun  nor.  fpear  with  him,  was  obliged 
to  let  the  creature  efcape,  though  the  dog  had  brought 
\t  to  a  iland,  boJth  the  deer  and  the  dog  having  hurt 
their  feet  very  much  on  the-  rocks,  fo  that  they  bled 
copioufly.     They  faw  alfo  near  the  iHand  about  40 
whales,  which  were  proba|)ly  afleep  there.     Fox  then 
failed  along  the  weftern  coafl:  oiF  the  main  land,  which 
he  kept  conftantly  in  fight,  and  before  which  there 
lay  a  great  many  fmall  rocks.     On  the  20th  the  maf- 
ter  went   on  ihore  on   a  fmall    ifland,  on  which  he 
found  a  confiderablc  quantity  of  fea-fowl  (viz.  black 
guillemots,  the  Colymbus  Grylle  Linnai).     He  brought 
alfo  from  thence  a  live  dun  fox   (the  Canis  Lagopusy 
or  at^lic  fox)  and  had   feen   two   fea-horfes,  one  of 
which   he  ftruck   with  a   lance,    which  neverthelefs 
efcaped,  for  want  of  the  afliftanceof  fome  perfon  be- 
fides  himfelf.     They  alfo  brought  a  great  quantity  of 
fcurvy  grafs  on  board,  from   which    Fox  ordered  the 
juice  to  be  prefled  out,  and  mixed  with  a  hogfliead  of 
ftrong  beer,  and  commanded  that  every  one  that  chofe 
itfhould  have  a  pint  of  it  for  his  morning's  draught} 
but  not  a  man  on  board  would  tafte  it,  till  fuch  time 
as  it  was  entirely  fpoiled,  and  they  were  all  terribly 
aifli£ied  with    the  fcurvy*.     The   ifland  was  called 

Dun 


*  This  is  the  confltnt  complaint  of  all  the  Commanders  of  fhips  st 
fea.  The  private  men  will  never  fubmit  to  any  innovation  being  made 
in  their  manner  of  living;  and  were  they  to  be  ever  fo  fick,  will  not 
make  ufe  of  prefervative  remedies.  The  infufion  of  malt,  four  crout, 
together  with  (he  bilcuits  made  at  the  Cape  writh  rye  flour,  and  prepared 
with  four  leven,  were  held  by  our  crew  in  abhorrence  \  and  it  was  only 
with  great  difficulty,  and  after  having  feen  the  officers  make  ufe  of  all 
thefe  means,  and  obferved  the  benefits  refuiting  with  regard  to  their 
health  and  prefervation  cainft  the  fcurvy,  that  they  confented  to  take 
thtm  too.  It  was  juft  the  fame  when  at  Nev)  Zealand  Capt.  C:jk  or- 
iltrcd  a  kind  of  celeiy  and  creil'ct   to  be  boiled  with  the  peaie-foup  i 

tor 


DISCOVERIES  in  tHE  NORTH.      365 

Dun  Fox  IJland,  On  the  31ft  they  came  to  a  quantity 
of  iflands,  which  Fox  named  JBriggs's  Mathematics. 
The  land  along  which  they  failed  on  the  3d  of  Auguft 
was  low,  with  here  and  there  a  little  fand-hill,  like 
the  coafts  of  Holland  and  Flanders.  The  farther 
Fox  removed  from  the  fVeUomc^  the  fmaller  was  the 
height  to  which  the  tide  rofe.  On  the  gth  he  de- 
termined at  length  to  go  into  the  Rivey  Neljon,  at  the 
mouth  of  which  he  faw  feveral  white  whales.  Here 
he  fet  up  his  pinnance,  and  here  found  the  remaihs 
of  Button*s  winter  dwelling,  and  faw  numberlefs 
white  whales  of  the  Aze  of  porpoifes.  On  the  15th  of 
Auguft  the  weather  was  very  hot.  On  the  17th,  high- 
er up  the  river,  they  found  blackberries,  ftrawberries, 
goofeberries,  and  fome  vetches.  They  alfo  faw  the 
footing  of  an  animal  of  the  flag  kind,  and  hard  by  this 
fpot  the  wooden  frame  of  a  tent  ftanding,  which  had 
lately  been  made,  together  with  the  nre- place,  the 
hair  of  deer,  the  bones  of  fowl,  and  other  tokens, 
that  not  long  before  men  had  been  there.  On  the 
1 8th  they  ^aw  from  on  board  the  ihip  a  reindeer  trot- 
ting along  the  ftrand,  but  could  not  overtake  him. 
Having  found  Button's  crofs  overturned,  they  eredt- 
ed  it  again,  nailing  an  infcription  on  it,  engraved  on 
a  leaden  plate,  and  named  the  land  New  Wales*  As 
they  were  not  able  to  fail  on  the  19th,  on  account  of 
the  wind  being  contrary,  he  once  more  fent  the  car- 
penter on  fhore  to  fell  the  beft  of  five  trees  feledled 
by  the  mafter,  to  fupply  the  place  of  a  main-yard. 
None  of  them  was  of  any  tolerable  flze,  the  wood 
here  being  univerfally  fmall ;  for  the  thicknefs  of  the 
mofs  in  which  they  ftand  hinders  them  from  taking 
root  deep  in  the  ground.  Hence  it  is,  that  for  a  (hort 
While  they  grow  out  of  the  mofs  pretty  ftout,  though 


for  many  refufed  to  eat  it  till  they  faw  the  Captain^  the  officers,  and  aif 
the  reft  of  us  to  eat  it,  ^vhen  at  iait  they  too  condefcended  to  do  the  fame. 
The  fame  difficulties  occurred,  when  we  iirft  began  to  eat  the  dun-diverb 
•ad  pinguias  in  Tierra  del  Fugo^  as  alio  feals  flelh  ;  but  indeed,  at 
Icafth,  from  our  example,  the  ct  ew  learosd  to  «at  aimoft  ooy  thing. 

thev 


l-.iW 


J66 


VOYAGES    ANB 


thcjr  neve:  grow  taM,   and  are  eafily  beat  down  by 
dorms,  and  then  peri(h.     Of  all  the  five  trees  point- 
ed out,  not  one  was  ferviceabie,  they  being  all  rotten 
within.     The  highcft  tide  that  fpring  had  rifen  to  14. 
feet.     But  then  the  eafl:  fouth-eaft,  and  eaft  north- 
eaft  winds  had  forced  the  tide  in,  or  elfe  it  would  not 
have  rifen  higher  than  12  feet.     From  this  place  Fox 
went  along  the  coaft  to  the  eaftward.     On  the  29th 
of  Auguft   he  for  the  firft  time  had   fight  of  Capt. 
James  and  his  (hip,  and  converfed  with  him.     On 
the  2d  of  September  he  came  to  Cape  Henrietta  Ma- 
ria, where  the  Ihores  of  the  bay  took  a  foutherly  di- 
rcdlion  ;  and  thus  far  Hudfon  had  explored  the  bay« 
Now  likewife  all  the  coaft  was  explored  between  Port 
Nelfon  and   Cape    Henrietta   Maria.      Confequently 
there  was  no  farther  hope  left  for  a  paflage  in  this 
part  of  the  world,  from  64  deg.  30  min.  to  55  deg. 
10  min.  N.  lat.     Fox  therefore  was  now  defirous  of 
making  fome  frefli  attempts  beyond  Nottingham  IJland^ 
where  before  he  had   found  every  part  choaked  up. 
with  ice.     To  Cape  Henrietta  Maria  Fox  gave  the 
name  of  Tfoljienholme  Ultimum  Vale,     Already,  on  the 
6th,  the  mauer  and  the  boatfwain  were  Tick.     On  the 
7th  Fox  came  to  Carey's  Swans  Nejiy  on  which  they 
would  have  been  ftranded  if  he  had  not  happened  ac- 
cidentally to  go  upon  deck.     On  the  8th  he  found 
himfelf  in  62  deg.   21  min.  and  to  the  north  of  him 
was  Cape  Pembroke,     At  leno;th  he  camt  to  Seaharft 
Point,  and  on  the  15th  faw  Mill  IJIe.     The  fails  were 
frozen  as  ftifF  as  vclJum.     On  the  i8th    he  faw  a 
headland,  which  he  named  King  Charles*^  Promontory, 
and  the   point  that  lay  to  the  north   of  it  he  called 
Cape  Maria,  after  the  Queen.     The  former  of  thefc 
is  in  lat.  64  deg.  4.6  min.  the  latter  8  leagues  more  to 
the  northward.     To  the  north-weft  of  King  Charleses 
Promontory  are  three  iflands,  which  together  form  an 
equilateral  triangle,  and  which  he  called  the  Trinity 
Iflands  after  the  brethren  of  the  Trinity-Houfe.     An- 
other   ifland,    fome  what  farther   fror-,    the  land,    he 
named  Cook's  Ijle,  after  his  friend  Wulter  Cook,     The 
Queen's  Cape  was  in  N.  lat.  65  deg,  13  min.     On 


DISCOVERIES  w  the  NORTH.       367 

the  10th  he  faw  another  promontory,  fituated  fome 
leagues  within  the  Ar£lic  Circle ;  this  he  named 
Lord  WeftorC^  Portland^  it  having  in  fadt  fome  rc- 
femblance  with  the  Point  of  Portland  in  the  firitilh 
Channel.  To  the  northward  of  this  promontory  the 
land  ftretches  to  the  fouth-eaft,  and  this  he  called 
Fox's  Farthe/i,  But  the  ifland,  along  the  eaftern  ccaft 
of  which  Fox  made  thefe  difcoveries,  is  in  fome  maps 
called  James  Ijland^  though  the  extenfive  country  in 
the  fouthern  part  of  Baffin*^  Bay^  oppofite  to  Difco 
IJlandj  is  alfo  called  James*%  Ijland,  which  has  intro- 
duced a  great  deal  of  diforder  and  confuAon  into  geo- 
graphy*. Now  Fox  let  out  upon  his  return,  and 
gave  names  to  every  point  of  land  on  this  coaft,  and 
to  every  inlet,  and  adjacent  ifland  ;  and  after  paffing 
on  the  5th  of  Odtober,  when  already  many  of  his 
crew  were  fick,  near  Cape  Chidleyj  where  the  head  of 
his  (hip  by  frequent  dipping  into  the  fea,  was,  as  it 
were,  candied  over  with  ice,  the  current  drove  him 
with  great  impetuoflty  to  the  fouthward.  At  length, 
having  croflfed  the  Atlantic,  he  got  through  the  Chan- 
nel into  the  Downs,  on  the  31ft  of  Odober,  without 
the  lofs  of  a  fingle  man  or  of  any  the  lead  part  of 
the  (hip's  tackling. 

The  whole  narrative  of  this  voyage,  together  with 
the  occafional  remarks  made  by  Fox,  ihews  that  he 
was  a  fkilful  and  experienced  navigator,  and  that  he 
even  did  not  overlook  fuch  particulars,  as  would  ra- 
ther feem  to  belong  to  natural  philofophy ;  as,  for  in- 
ftance,  his  obfervations  on  the  ice,  the  tides,  the 
compafs,  and  the  northern  lights,  which  latter  he 
calls  Henbanes  and  the  Petty  Dancers,  We  may  add, 
that  Fox  was  of  opinion,  that  if  a  paflTage  were  yet 
to  be  found,  it  muft  neceflarily  be  in  Sir  Thomas  Roe\ 
ff^elcomey  the  tide  being  higher  there  than  in  any  other 
part  of  Hudfon's  Bay,  and  there  being  moreover  a 
great  number  of  whales  about  this  fpot. 

XXVIII.  We  have  before  obferved,  that  Cap?. 
Thomas  James  had  been  fent  on  this  voyage  by  foniC 

*  It  would  therefore  be  better  to  ctll  this  land  Fox's  IJlandy  the  ex- 
trtnoe  oorthero  point  of  it  having  been  difcovered  by  him. 

merchants 


h 


"'■■'       i 


368 


VOYAGES     AM» 


merchants  at  Briftol,    in 
tuns  burthen,  named  the 
London,  and  was    prcf 
King  Charles  I.  and  like 


a  ftrong-built  (hip  of  79 
Maria.  James  went  up  to 
d,  by  Sir  Thomas  Rae^  to 
V,  had  letters  given  him 
foi  the  Emperor  of  Japan.  Directly  upon  this,  he 
fet  fail  from  Briftol,  viz.  on  the  3d  of  May,  1631. 
On  the  4th  of  June  he  came  within  fight  of  Green- 
land, but  was  encompafled  by  mountains  of  ice.  On 
the  9th  they  had  already  Cape  Farewell  in  the  eaft. 
On  the  lotn  they  were  off  Cape  Defolation,  from 
whence  to  the  iflands  of  Refolution  it  is  about  140 
leagues.  The  faw  a  great  many  high  mountains  of 
ice :  between  the  ice  were  many  grampufles  (Delphi' 
nus  Orca).  The  fea  looked  black,  the  fog  was  con- 
tinual, thick,  and  fHnking.  On  the  J7th  he  faw 
the  ifland  of  Refelution.  At  this  juncture  the  motion 
of  the  needle  was  impeded,  a  circumftance  which 
jfames  attributed  to  the  thick,  heavy,  and  piercing 
fogs.  A  ftrong  current  fet  into  Hudfon's  Straits. 
The  fails  and  rigging  of  the  (hip  were  frozen.  The 
ftraits  were  full  of  ice,  ami  as  they  were  endeavour- 
ing to  proceed  forwards,  they  were  faft  inclofed  in  it, 
fo  that  they  were  driven  with  it  to  and  fro.  'James 
was  entirely  unacquainted  with  the  voyages  that 
others  had  made  before  him  to  the  northward,  and 
had  purpofely  avoided  engaging  any  of  the  people  who 
had,  previoufly  to  this,  made  a  voyage  to  the  north- 
weftward,  or  to  Spitzbergen ;  confequently  he  was 
entirely  ignorant  of  what  he  muft  do  in  this  cafe,  or 
of  the  beft  means  of  faving  himfelf  in  fuch  a  fitua- 
tion.  The  want  of  experience  with  refpedl  to  this' 
point  expofed  him  to  inexpreflible  fufFerings  between' 
the  ice,  and  to  the  moft  imminent  danger  of  perifh- 
ing  in  it,  together  with  his  (hip  and  crew.  Having  at 
length  worked  through  Hudfon's  Straits  with  incredi- 
ble difficulty,  be  ftood  ftraiton  to  the  wefternfhore  of 
Hudfon's  Bay,  where  the  veflel  flruck  more  than  once 
on  the  rocks.  He  feldom  got  fight  of  the  land  on  ac- 
count of  the  ice.  At  length  he  met  and  converfcd 
with  Capt.  Lucas  Fox,  between  Port  Nelfon  and  Cape 
Henrietta  Maria,  as  he  called  it,  but  which  is  in  fadt 
no  other  than    lVolJlenholmt%  Ultimum  Vale*     Then, 

after 


biSCOVERIES  IN  THB  KORTH.       369 

after  he    had    taken  leave  of  Foxi^  he  came  htrnfclf  to 
this  promontory,  which  he  firll  named  Henrietta  Maricy 
after  her  Majelty  the  Queen  of  England.     'I  he  feafon 
for  making  difcoveries  was   now    pretty  nearly  over ; 
he  fought    therefore,    quite  at  the  end  of  the  bay,  for 
a  place  to  winter  in.     Aft.r  encountering  m:my  ftorms, 
and  thoufands  of  perils,  amongft  the  ice  and  the  many 
rocks  which   are    found   in    that  part  of  the  fea,  and 
his  fhip  having  two  or  three  times  Itruck  on  the  (hoals, 
he    ran   her  himfelf  a-ground   on  the  ifland,  which  he 
afterwards    qallcd  CharUton  Ifland.     With  great  diffi- 
culty and  danger  they    carried  their  provifions,  cables, 
fails  and   rigging,  clothes  and  utcnfds,  and  a  thoiifand 
other  neccflaries    on   Ihorc.       T  hty  made    themfelves 
fomc    miferable   huts,    of  pieces  of  wood^    which  they 
placed  in  an  inclining  pofturc  rou/id    a   tree,  and  co- 
vered them  with  boughs  of  trees  and   with   their  faih", 
which  were  foon  covered  over  with    a  good  thick  bed 
of  fnow.     Befulcs  this   hut,  riiey  built  another,  and  a 
ftore-ihoufe.     'I'he  hands,  feet,  ears,  or  nofes  of  every 
one   of  them   were  froft-bitten.      Their  clothes    that 
had  lain   under  water    in  the  Ihip,  they  were   obliged 
to  dig  out  of  the  ice,  and,  after  thawing  them  by  the 
fire,  to  dry  them  again.     As  they  entirely  gave  their 
(hip  up    for  lollj  they  fet  about  building   a    Anall  pin- 
nace,   with  which  they  hoped,  after  having  once    got 
over  the  winter,    to  fave  themfelves    from  this   dreary 
place  of  exile.      'I'he  cold  was  moft  terrible  here,  in 
N.  lat.  52  deg.  3min.     Wine,  fack,  oil^  beer,  vinegar, 
and  even  brandy  froze  to  folid  ice  ;  fo  that  they  were 
obliged  to  cut  the  firft  of  thefe  liquors  with  hatchets  and 
axes.     A  well    which  they    had   dug,  froze  alfo  :  but 
a  fpring,    at    200  or  300   flops   from    their  dwelling, 
did  not  freeze  below  the  furface^  though    at  the  fui  fiice 
it  was   covered  with  ice  and  fnow.     The  fun  and  the 
moon  appeared  on  the  horizon  twice  as  long  as  they  did 
broad,  on  account  of  the  great  quantity  of  vapours  with 
Nviiich  the  atmofphere    vras    fdled.       The    ifland    wa» 
tjuite  covered  with  forefts,  but  contained  but  few  rein- 


Ht'cr,  and    fome 


art^lic 


foxes. 
Bb 


On    the  3jft    of  Ja- 
nuAry 


'■!«■ 


370 


VOYAGES    AMD 


nuary  tlic  atmofphcre  was  fo  clear,  that  Capt.  Jamee 
could  very  plainly  perceive  more  ftars  by  two  thirds 
than  he  had  ever  feen  before  in  his  life.  The  fca  is 
frozen  over  every  night,  two  or  three  inches  thick. 
The  half-flood  breaks  this  ice,  and  drives  the  flakes 
over  each  other,  which  freeze  immediately  togetlicr; 
by  this  means  the  ice  in  a  few  hours  time  becomes 
five  or  fix  feet  thick,  and  the  number  of  flakes  and 
fields  of  ice  is  increafed  to  that  degree,  that  the  fca 
is  entirely  filled  with  them,  and  the  water  cools  more 
and  more  every  day,  fo  that  at  length  it  becomes  in- 
tolerably cold  J  for  when  Capt.  James's  people  waded 
in  the  fea-watcr  in  the  month  of  December,  though 
it  froze  upon  their  legs,  yet  they  did  not  feel  it  near 
fo  fenfibly  as  in  the  month  of  June,  when  to  their  feel- 
ings it  was  fo  (harp  and  piercing,  that  thev  could  not  bear 
t«   wade    in  it*.      In    the   month  of  I'cbruarv,    that 

,    horrible 


*  It  is  very  prcbsiblr  that  the  generation  of  ice  here  indiCTtec!  my  he 
one  of  ihv  various  meant;  vhich  Nature  a^lualy  maki-ii  ulc  of  in  the 
oecononiy  ofuur  fyRcm.  Shoit  fighied  and  weak  is  that  n.ortal  W'hi>,  i.u 
obkrvin^  any  particular  method  tinplo)ed  by  Naiun*  in  her  (/peiaiions, 
immtdiafciy  c  includes,  that  is  the  only  way  in  which  (he  o[Kr*iei>. 
Nature  policfles  a  vaft  variety  of  means  for  the  atcomjliflimenl  <jt  h- r 
purpofct:,  of  which  that  feeble  creacure  Man,  csn  foim  n)  adiqu  le  ujci ! 
Bnt  the  nioie  wc  cuntempUce  this  v;:fl  proFufion  of  means,  all  ttndiiig  lo 
the  fitrneend.  thcfe  wonderful  and  varied  liokR  in  the  complicatrd  chain 
of  Nature's  fylU-m,  the  belter  we  (hall  become  ac.iuainied  with  then;> 
and  the  nearer  will  the  refledling  niiud  approach  to  the  i^t eat  I'ourcc  of 
Being, 

Qui  mare  ic  terras  vaiiifque  mundura 

tempcrat  hoiis. Hon. 

"  Snow  and  hail,  fire  and   vapour,  wind  and   (lorm,    fulfiiiini^  hii 
wurd  !" David. 

Some,  but  by  far  not  ail  of  ihsi'e  means  I  liave  memiincd  in  my  Oh;er- 
•vatiois  The  diily  auRm«.'utati -n  oi  ihe  co'diiels  of  thi;  iea  in  winter,  is 
a^  certain  as  the  greater  inctf-ale  of' the  ict;  there  at  that  !'<  afoii  ;  ytt  ihc 
circumftance  here  lelated  of  the  ftiip's  criw  havii  g  bttu  moie  Icnfibli; 
of  cold  in  the'raonth  of  June  than  in  Dicenibt;r,  miy  iiut  be  ultupcih.r 

vtith.  uc 


DISCOVERIES  IN  TUB  NORTH.       371 

horrible  difeafe,  the  fcurvy,  made  its  appearance.  They 
bled  at  the  mouth,  their  gums  were  fvvohi,  and  foinc- 
timcs  black  and  putrid,  and  all  their  teeth  were  loofe. 
Their  mouths  were  fo  fore,  that  they  could  no  longer 
eat  their  ufual  food.  Some  complained  of  (hooting 
pains  in  the  head,  others  in  the  bread,  others  felt  j. 
weaknefs  in  their  reins,  others  had  pains  in  their  thighs 
and  knees,  and  others  again  had  fwollen  legs.  Two 
thirds  of  the  crew  were  under  the  hands  of  the  fur- 
gcon,  and  neverthelefs  were  obliged  to  work  hard, 
though  they  had  no  (hoes  to  their  feet,  but  indead  of 
fhoes  faitened  clouts  about  them.  In  the  open  air 
the  cold  was  quite  infupportable,  no  clothes  bcin<^ 
proof  againft  it^  nor  any  motion  fufficient  to  keep  up 
their  natural  warmth.  It  froze  the  hair  on  their  eye- 
lids, fo  that  they  could  not  fee,  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  they  could  fetch  their  breath.  In  the  woods 
the  cold  was  fomewhat  lefs  fevere,  yet  here  they  were 
StfHided  with  chilblains  on  their  faces,  hands,  and  feet. 
The  leaft  degree  of  cold  was  within  doors.  On  the 
outfide,  the  houfe  was  covered  with  fnow  two  thirds  of 
its  height,  and  withinfide,  every  thing  was  frozen  and 
hung  full  of  icicles.  Their  bedding  was  quite  ftifr', 
and  covered  with  hoar  fro(^-,  though  their  beds  were  al- 
mo(t  clofe  to  the  fire  in  their  finall  dwelling.  The 
water  in  which  the  cook  foaked  the  fait  meat  froze 
within  doors,  though  it  ftood  but  three  feet  from  the 
fire.  But,  during  the  night,  when  the  fire  was  not  fo 
well  kept  up,  whilft  the  cook  flept  only  for  four  hours, 
all  was   frozen  in  the  tub   into  one  lump.     When  af- 


I' 


without  roQndation.  Heat  and  cold,  at  long  as  we  do  not  judge  of  them 
by  a  certain  unalierable  ttandard,  are,  witlirerpedt  lo  ihe  huo.uu  body, 
mere  relatire  idea*.  Now  the  external  air  in  the  month  of  June  being 
much  warmer  than  it  it  in  December,  the  coidnel's  of  the  fea- water  muit 
■aiurally  have  afFid\ed  the  bodies  of  the  failors  more  fenfibiy  in  June  thaa 
in  December  ;  to  this  we  may  add,  that  in  the  Ipring  Capt.  jame»'>  peopi* 
were  almofl:  eniiitly  debilitated  by  cold,  fatigues,  and  icorbu.  c-  c>.m- 
jilaints,  which  was  notyet  the  cafe  ia  Deceir.bei,  jult  in  the  beginning 
of  the  winter. 


Bb2 


terwards 


aV':r 


372 


VOYAGES    ANi!» 


tcrwards  tlie  cook  foaked  the  meat  In  a  copper  kettle^ 
clofe  to  the  fire,  to  prevent  it  from  freezing,  the  fide 
near  the  fire  was  found  to  be  quite  warm,  while  the 
oppofite  fide  was  frozen  an  inch  thick.  All  their  axes 
and  hatchets  had  been  fpoiled  and  rendered  unfit  for 
ufe,  by  cutting  the  frozen  wood,  fo  that  Capt.  James 
fcund  it  neceJfary  to  lock  up  the  carpenter's  axe,  in 
order  to  prevent  it  from  being  fpoiled  alfo.  The  green 
wood  that  they  burned  in  their  dwelling  almoft  fufFo- 
cated  them  with  fmoak  ;  that  which  was  dry,  on  the 
contrary,  was  full  of  turpentine,  and  produced  fo  much 
foot,  tliat  they  themfelvcs,  all  their  beds,  clothes,  and 
utenfils,  v/ere  covered  with  it  ;  and,  in  Ihort,  they 
looked  like  -I'imney-fweepers.  The  timber,  knees, 
beams,  and  bent  pieces,  wanted  for  the  con{lru»5tion 
of  their  pinnace,  caufed  the  greateft  difficulty,  as  the 
trees,  before  they  could  fell  them,  were  obliged  to 
be  thawed  by  the  fire.  After  this,  the  pieces  were 
firil  hewn  out  in  the  rough,  then  dried  again,  and 
at  leji2:th  worked  into  the  laft  form  that  was  to  be 
given  them,  and  fitted  into-  each  other  j  for  which 
purpofe  they  were  obliged  conftantly  to  keep  up  a 
lar^c  fi.ic  near  the  flocks,  as  otherwife  it  would  have 
been  impofiible  for  thc^.i  to  have  wprked  there.  Many 
of  thtin  were  dlfubled  by  the  fcurvy,  or  had  frozen 
limbs,  boil^,  and  fores  j  others,  were  every  morning  fo 
contracted  in  their  joints  by  the  rheumatifm,  tliat  it  was 
ncceilary  x.o  reftore  the  fijpplenefs  and  pliancy  of  their 
Hmbs  by  fomenting  them  every  morning  with  warm 
water  and  a  decodion  of  the  fir-tree,  before  they  were 
able  to  go  a  ftcp  forward,  or  to  make  ufe  of  their 
h;=nds.  In  the  month  of  March  the  cold  was  as  fcvere 
as  in  the  rnidd  of  winter  ;  in  April  the  fnow  fell  in 
preater  quantities  than  it  had  done  duiing  the  whole 
winter,  but  the  flakes  were  large  and  rather  moiil, 
while  in  the  winter,  the  fiiow  was  dry,  like  dull ; 
even  on  the  5th  of  April,  the  fpring  which  we  men- 
tioned, tliat  they  hp.d  ibund,  was  frozen.  An  ifland 
v.'hich  vs'as   iiiiiute  at   the  dillaiicc  of  four  lergiies  from 

thuni. 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


373 


them,  they  could  never  fee  from  a  fmall  hill  in  fine 
weather,  and  when  the  air  was  clear  j  but,  on  the 
contrary,  when  the  air  was  thick  and  full  of  vapours, 
the  ifland  was  vifible,  even  from  plain,  level  ground. 

They  now  began  once  more  to  clear  away  the  ice 
in  the  fhip's  hold,  and   to  feeic  for  the  rudder,  which 
the  ice  had  beat  off  the  year  before  ;  they  wifhed  lilce^ 
wife  to  fee    whether   poiiibly    the    iliip  was  not  tight 
enough  to  carry   them  fafe  home.      With  this   view 
they  all  worked  very  hard,  and  were  fortunate  enough 
to  clear  the   ice  away  by  degrees,  to  get  the  anchors 
on  board,    to    find  the  rudder  again,    and  to  bring  it 
on  deck,  and   likewife    to   find  the    Ihip    tighter  than 
they   had  expected.      Having    cleared    away    fome  of 
the  ice,  they  found  water  in  her  hold.     At  low  water 
they  flopped  up   the    holes   which    they  had  bored  in 
her  then^lelves   the  preceding  autumn    with   a  view  to 
fill  the  hold,  and  thus  to  render  her  heavier  than  be- 
fore, and  keep  her  Iteady,  fo  that  the  fea    miglit   not 
lift  her  up  from  the  bottom,  and  in  letting  her  down 
again,    dafli    her  to    pieces.      They  found  both    the 
pumps,  thav^cd  the  water  which  was  frozen  in  them, 
and  fet  about    pumping    the    water  out  of  the    hold. 
On  the  laft  day  of    April  it  began  to  rain,  which  to 
them  was  a  fign-of  the  fpring's  approach.     On  the  2d 
of  May  it    fnowed    again,    and  was   excefTively  cold. 
This  made   the   ficic  very  low-fpirited,  and    their  dif- 
orders  ihcreafcd  to  fuch    a  degree,    that  they  fainted 
away  whenever  they  were  lifted  out    of  bed.     Geefe 
and  cranes  came    now     flying  in  great  numbers,  but 
they  were  extremely  fhy.     Even  01;  the   8th,  the  froft 
was  fo  intcnfe,  that  the  ice  would  beaf  a  man,     On 
the  24th  the  ice  broke    in  the  bay,  with  a   very  great 
noife :  in  the  day  time  the  fun  (hone  very  hot,  but  at 
night  it  froze.      On    the  laft    day  of  May  they   /aw 
here  and  there  fome    vetches  fpring  up,    which  were 
carefully   gathered,    and  drefled  for  the  fick,     During 
the   whole  month  of  May   the  north  winds  ciiiefly  pre- 
vailed.    On  the  four  firft  days  of  June  they  had  much 
fnow,  fleet,  and  hail  ;  and  it  was  fo  cold  that  the  pools 
were  covered  with     ice,  and  even  the  water  in    tiieir 
pitchers  was  rro?,en  within  doo^s,  and  their  newly-waPned 


M  ■ 


5'  ta 


374 


V  O  YAGES    AND 


linen  continued  frozen  the  whole  day.     They  now  hove 
up  the  anchor,  and  found    the  cable  in  good   condi- 
tion.    On  the   9th,  all  the  ficlc  were  fo  far  recovered 
by  the  eating  of  the  green  leaves  of  the  vetches,  that 
they  could   make  fhift  to  creep  about  in  the  houfe,  and 
were  even  able  to  bear  the  air  ;   and  thofe   who  had 
been  leaft  enfeebled  were  grown  tolerably  ftrong.     Tl^e 
green  vetch-leaves  were  dreff^d  twice  a  day,  and  eaten 
with  oil  and  vinegar.     They  likewife  bruifed  the  leaves 
and  mixed  the  juice  with  their  drink.     They  alfo  ate 
them  raw  with   bread.      On  the  nth  they    hung  on 
their  rudder,    which,  for  many  days   before,   they  had 
not   been    able    to   accomplilh,   on  account    of  their 
weaknefs.     They  alfo   lightened   the  (hip,  by  heaving 
out  her  ballaft.      On  the    15th    all  the    fick  v/cre  (o 
far  recovered,    that  they  could   walk  about  ;  their  pa- 
lates and   gums   were  quite  found  and  well,  and  their 
teeth  were    no  longer  loofe,    fo  that  they  could  now 
eat  their  green  vetches   with  beef.     The  fea  was  ftill 
frozen  and  full  of  ice.     On  the  i6th  the  weather  was 
vej-y  hot,  and  they  had  thunder  and  lightning  :  it  was- 
fo  ftot  indeed,  that  they  were  obliged  to  bathe  in  order 
to  cool  themfelves.      But   now  an  incredible  quantity 
of  mufquitoes   (Clucx  pipiens)   made  their  appearance^ 
which    tormented  them    extremely  j  at    the  fame  time 
there   was  feen    a    great   number  of   ants  and  frogs  : 
but  the  bears,  foxes,  and  fowl,  had  totally  withdrawn 
themfelves.     On  the  20th  they   got  the  fhip  into  deep 
water,  though  there  was  ftill    abMrnd;jnce  of  ice  lying 
about.      1  hey    alfo  began  to    rjg  thp  (hip  again,  and 
to  carry  their  provifjons  on  boarq,  tbgether  with  their 
fail*,  clothes,    and  other     neceflafies.     On  the    2d  of 
July  they  fet  fail   again.      At  Cape  Henrietta  Maria 
they    met  vvith   feme  flags,    but  their  dogs  could  not 
overtake     them  ;    James,   therefore,    put    thele    latter 
animals   on  Ihore,  they  being  a  dog  and  a  bitch,  and 
left  them  there.      They  got,    however,   half  a  dozen 
of  young  geefe.      After   working  with  infinite  labour 
and  difficulty  through  great  quantities   of  ice,    till  the 
22d  of  Auguft,  he  came  to  Careys  Swans  Nejl,  and  at 
}en;;th   to  Nottingham  IJIancl.      Upon  this,  confidering 

thiit 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        375 

that  the  feafon  for  making  difcoveries  was  now  elapfed, 
that  he  had  but  a  fmall  flock  of  provifions  left,  and 
that  his  {hip  was  very  crazy  and  leaky,  he  refolved 
to  make  for  England  with  all  pofllble  fpeed.  He  was 
of  opinion,  that  there  was  no  paflage  to  be  found, 
and  that  for  the  following  reafons:  ift,  Becaufe  the 
tide  in  every  part  of  this  fea  comes  from  the  eaft 
through  Hudfon's  Straits,  and  the  farther  it  goes,  the 
later  it  arrives  at  every  place  within  the  ftrait  and  bay. 
2dly — Becaufe  thefe  feas  contain  no  fmall  fifn,  fuch  as 
cod,  ftockfifli,  &c.  and  few  large  ones,  which  likewife 
are  feldom  feen.  Neither  are  there  any  whalebones, 
nor  any  fca-horfes  or  other  large  fifh  found  on  the 
fhore  i  nor  is  there  any  drift-wood  here.  3dly — Be- 
caufe the  ice  in  65  deg.  30  min.  N.  lat.  lies  in  large 
fields  or  flakes  on  the  tea,  becaufe  it  is  generated  in 
the  flat  bays,  but  if  there  was  a  great  ocean  farther  on, 
nothing  but  large  mountains  of  ice  would  be  found, 
fuch  as  are  at  the  entrance  of  Hudfon's  Straits,  and 
farther  on  to  the  eaftward.  4thly  and  laftly,  Becaufe 
the  ice  drives  eaftward  through  die  flraits  into  the 
great  ocean,  by  reafon  that  it  comes  from  the  north, 
and  has  no  other  way  to  go  out  by. — Having  clear- 
ed the  ftrajts,  they  crofied  the  Atlantic,  and  cam^ 
to   anchor    in  Brijiol  Road   on  the  22d  of  0£lobe/, 

It  cannot  be  denied,  that  Jameses  voyage  contains 
fome  remarkable  phyfical  obfervations  with  regard  to 
the  intenfenefs  of  the  cold,  and  the  great  quantity  of 
ice  in  thefe  climates  ;  but  relative  to  the  difcovery  of 
new  regions,  countries,  and  feas,  we  do  not  find 
the  fmalleft  hjnt.  His  arguments  to  prove  the  non- 
exiftence  of  a  paflage  in  thefe  feas,  are  by  no  means 
fatisfadlory.  Por,  ift,  his  firft  pofition  is  true  only 
in  part  :  in  the  fouthern  recefs  of  the  bay  the  tide  dc- 
creafes  in  height  greedy,  and  alfo  arrives  there  far  later 
than  at  the  mouth  of  the  (traits  ;  but  it  does  not  fol- 
low from  thence  that  this  is  every  where  the  cafe,  par- 
ticularly it  is  not  fo  in  Sir  Thomas  Roif  JVelcome^  where 
the  tide  is  even  higher  than  it  is  at  the  mouth  of  Hudfon's 
Jitraits  j  and  yet  even  there  it  does  not  come  from  the 

wtlh 


;il 


376 


VOYAGES    ANjii 


weft.  2d,  Fox  found  many  whales  near  Brook  Cobka^n 
Ifland  (Marble  Ifle)  and  2i\(o  mdny  fea  unicorns  i  con- 
fequentiy  this  argument  holds  good  only  with  refpei^i 
to  the  other  parts  of  the  bay.  The  3d  and  4th  argu- 
ments are,  in  fadl,  one  and  the  fame  ;  and  as  there  is 
always  rtuch  water  coming  from  the  northward,  v^hich 
breaks  the  ice  there  in  pieces,  and  drives  it  out  of  Hud- 
fon's  Straits  to  the  ealtward,  this  would  rather  induce 
one  to  draw  an  inference  in  favour  of  an  influx  from  fbine 
other  fea. 

XXIX.    After    the   enterprizes  of  Fcx  and  James^ 

there  feemed  to  be  no  farther  difpofition  in  the  public  to 

give  its  fupport  to  fimilar  undertakings.     But  in  the  mean 

-time   a  burgher  of  Canada,  named  De  Grofelie^  or  De 

Grojfeliers^  an  enterprizing  man,  and  who  had  travelled 

very  much  in  thofe  parts,  had  happened  to  come  with  the 

Canadian  favages  into   the  land  of  Outaucas  (Utawas, 

fituate  on  the  river  of  the  fame  name)  and  at   lenjith 

penetrated  fo  far  into  the  country,  that  he  got  inteliigence 

concerning   Hudfon's  Bay,  and  its  fituation.     When  he 

was  returned  to  ^ebec,    he  joined  with    fome  of  his 

countrymen  in  fitting  out  a  bark  for  the  purpofe  of  ac- 

complijhing  this  difcovery  by  fea.     Soon  alter  he  fet  fail, 

And  landed  within  the  mouth  of  a  river,  which  tlie  favages 

call  PinaJJiwet  fchieivar.^  i.  e.  the  tearing  Jiream^  which 

is  fituated  bi!t  one  league  from  the  river  Pa-juiriuiwagau^ 

or  Port  Nelfon  River.      He  fixed  his  refidence  on  the 

fouth  fide,  on  an  ifland  three  leagues  up  the  river      The 

Canadians,  as  being  good  fportfinen,  arrived  at  length, 

in  tlie  midft  of  winter,  2.1  Port  Nelfon  River  (which  the 

VxtnchcdWcd  Riviere  de  Bourbon)  and  there  difcovereda 

fcttlement  of    Europeans.      He  therefore  went   thither 

with    his   people,  in  order   to  attack  them,  but    found 

only  a  miferable  hut,  covered  with  turf,  and  cor/aining 

fix  half-ftarved  people.      A  fhip  from  Bo/ion,  in  New- 

Engknd,  had    put  them  on  fhore,  on  purpofe  to  look 

out  for  a   place  where  they,  together  with  the  whole 

crew,    might    pafs  the   winter.      The  ice  had  in    the 

mean  time  driven  the   fhip,  with  the  reft  of  the  crew, 

out   to    fea    again,  nor  divl  they    ever  hear    any  thiiig 

fai-tlia 


DISCOVERIES  iw  the  NORTH.      371 

f^irthcr  of  either.     But  that  very  fame  winter    Crt^ 
feillier  received  intelligence  that  at  7  leagues  from  the 
place  of  his  refidence,  there  fubfifted  another  fettle- 
nxent  of  Englilhmen  on   the  banks  of  Port  Nel/on** 
River.     He  intended  to  attack  thefe  alfo  •,  but  learn- 
ing that  they  lived  in  a  fortified  place,  he  chofe  a  day 
for  this  undertaking  on  which  the  £ngli(h  are  ac- 
cuftomed  to  make  merry.     Accordingly  he  went  on 
Twelfth-Day  to   put  his  defign  in  execution  ;  and 
found  them  all  fo  drunk,  that  though  there  were  So 
men  of  them,  tl  ..y  could  not   defend   themfelves  ia 
the  leaft;  fo  that  he  made  them  all  prifoners,  though 
he  had  no  more   than  14  Frenchmen   with  him.     In. 
confequence  of  thin,  he  remained  mafter  of  the  coun- 
try.    GrafeilUer  afterwards  explored  the  whole  diftrift, 
and    returned  with  his  brother-in  law,    Ratiffon^   to 
Quebec,  loaded  with  abundance  of  rich  furs  and  Eng- 
liJh  merchandize.     He    left,  however,    his   nephew, 
Cbouartf  and  five  men  in    poffcffion  of  the  conquered 
port.     Inftead  of  being  well  received  in    Canada  for 
his  good  conduct,  he  had  a  difpute  with  his  employ- 
ers on  account  of  Tome  plunder,  for  which  Grofeillier 
and  his  people  had  not  accounted.     He  therefore  fent 
his  brotjSer-in-law,  RatrJ/on^  to   France,  to  complaia 
of  the   injuftice  he  had  fuftered,  who,  however,  wat 
|iot  liftened   to.     He  then  went  himfclf  to   France, 
and  reprefented    to  the  Minifters   the   importance  of 
his  difcovery  in  the  moft  favourable  light  he   could^ 
but  neither  he   nor  his  reprcfentations  met  with   the 
leall  attention.     The   Englifti  Ambafl'ador  at  Paris, 
Mr.  Montaguey  who  was  afterwards  created  Duke  of 
Adontague  (and  to  whom  the  prelent  Britifh  Mufeura 
formerly  belonged,  the  Englifh  nation  having  bought 
it  of  his   heirs)   having    heard  of  Grofdllier's  offers, 
and  of  the  unjuft  treatment  he  had  met  with  from  the 
Miniflers,  fpoke  with    him,    and  gave  him   and  his 
brother-in-law  letters  to  the  Count  Palatine  Rupert^ 
in  London.     This  Prince  was  a  great  patron  and  en- 
courager  of  all  laudable   and  ufeful  enicrprizes,  and 
law  perfcdly  well,  that  great  advantages  would   re- 
fult  to   England  from   fuch  a   feuljcmeiu.     Accord- 


IE 


i'i 


;iM 


I? 


m 


37l  VOYAGES    akd 

ingly  a  King's  (hip  was  fitted  out  in  1668,  under  the 
command  of  Capt.  Zacharias  Gillam,  and  the  two 
Frenchmen  went  with  him.  Capt.  Gillam  went  as 
far  as  to  75  deg.  N.  lat.  in  Baffin's  Bay,  and  then 
flood  into  Hudfon's  Bay,  in  the  moft  foutherly  end 
of  which,  on  the  29th  of  Sept.  he  entered  Rupert's 
River;  where  he  pafled  the  winter.  This  Rupert*s 
River  comes  out  of  the  great  lake  MiJlaJJie^  and  dif- 
charges  itfelf  into  the  fouth-eaftern  corner  of  Hud- 
fon's Bay.  On  the  9th  of  December  they  were  fro- 
zen in,  in  the  river,  and  went  on  foot  over  the  ice 
to  a  fmall  ifland  overgrown  with  poplars  and  Ame- 
rican firs.  In  April  the  cold  was  almofl  entirely 
gone,  and  the  natives  draggling  in  thofe  regions, 
who  are  pofleflcd  of  greater  fimplicity  as  well  as 
goodnefs  of  heart  than  the  Canadian  favages,  came 
to  vifit  them.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Noclways,  or 
EJkimatix  (who  probably  bad  their  name  from  the 
rtver  Nodway,  or  indeed  may  have  given  their  name 
to  the  river)  are  far  more  uncivilized  and  cruel.  It 
was  here  that  the  Englifli  built  the  firft  ftonc  fort, 
which  they  called  Fort  Charles,  and  to  the  country 
round  it  they  gave  the  name  of  Rupert's  Land.  At 
length,  after  having  completely  performed  his  com- 
miiHon,  Capt.  Gillam  returned  and  left  (he  fortification 
garrifoned  with  a  fufficiert  number  of  men. 

But  K.  Charles  11.  even  before  Capt.  Gil'am  had  fct 
out  on  his  voyage  homewards,  had  granted  to  Prince 
Rupert,  and  to  divers  Lords,  Knights,  and  mer- 
chants, afTociated  with  him,  a  charter,  dated  the  2d 
of  May,  1669;  by  which  his  Majcfly  rtiled  them 
the  Governor  and  Company  of  Adventurers  trading  from 
England  to  Hudfon's  Bay;  and  in  confidcration  of  their 
having,  at  their  own  coils  and  charges,  "  under- 
taken an  expedition  to  Hudfon's  Bay,  in  the  north- 
wefl  parts  of  America,  for  the  difcovery  of  a  new 
pafTage  into  the  South-fea,  and  for  the  finding  of 
fome  trade  for  furs,  minerals  and  other  confiderable 
commodities,  and  of  their  having  already   made,  by 

fuch 


fuch 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       379 

fuch  their  undertakings,  fuch  difcoveries  as  did  en- 
.courage  them  to  proceed  farther  in  purfuance  of  the 
(aid  defign ;  by  means  whereof  there  might  probably 
arife  great  advantages  to  the  King  and  his  kingdom," 
abfolutely  ceded  and  gave  up  to  the  faid  undertakers 
the  whole  trade  and  commerce  of  all  thofe  creeks, 
feas,  ftraits,  bays,  rivers,  lakes,  and  founds,  in  what 
latitude  foever  they  might  be,  which  are  fituated 
within  the  entrance  of  Hudfon's  Straits ;  together 
with  all  the  countries,  lands,  and  territories  upon 
the  coafts  and  confines  of  the  faid  feas,  ftraits,  bays, 
Jakes,  rivers,  creeks,  and  founds  ;  fo  that  they  alone, 
and  to  the  exclufion  of  all  others,  fhould  have  the 
right  of  trading  thither;  and  whoever  (hould  infringe 
this  right,  and  be  found  felling  or  buying  within  the 
f^id  boundaries,  fhould  be  arrefled,  and  all  his  or 
their  merchandizes  (hould  become  forfeit  and  confif- 
rated,  fo  that  one  half  thereof  (hould  belong  to  the 
King,  and  the  other  half  to  the  Hudfon's  Bay  Com- 
pany. 

Such  was  the  beginning  of  a  commercial  compa- 
ny, which  has  fubfifled  without  interruption  ever 
ilnce  the  year  1669,  and  (lill  fubfifls  the  fame,  ex- 
cepting that  from  the  year  1697  to  17 14,  the  French 
have  been  in  pofTeflion  of  Fort  Bourbon^  or  Tork  Fort^ 
on  the  river  Nelfon,  They  have  at  prefent  only  four 
fettlements  in  the  whole  extent,  vaft  as  it  is,  of  this 
bay.  The  ftrft.  Fort  Prince  ef  ffales,  on  the  river 
Churchilly  is  alfo  called  Fort  Churchill^  on  account  of 
its  being  ere£ted  on  the  river  of  this  name,  and  is 
the  moft  northern  of  thefe  factories.  It  is  in  58  dec;. 
55  min.  N.  lat.  and  95  deg.  18  min.  weft  o{  Greenwich, 
'l\\t  fecond  is  Tork  Forty  on  the  River  Ntlfony  where 
the  French  formerly  had  their  Fort  Bourbon.  The 
third  is  farther  from  thence  to  the  fouth-eaft,  and 
hears  the  name  of  New  Severn.  The  laft  and  moft 
Ibuthern  one  is  fituated  entirely  within  Jafnes's  Bay^ 
and  is  called  Albany  Fcrtj  on  the  river  Albany. 
I'ormerly  there  were  alfo  fomc  fadlories  at  Moofe  Fort^ 


38« 


VOYAGES    AND 


at  Fort  Rupert^  and  on  the  eaft  lide  of  James's  Bay  in 
Slude  River ;  but  it  feems  that  at  prefent  they  arc  no 
Ipnger  either  occupied  or  vifitcd  by  the  Hudfon*s  Bay 
Company.  The  entire  fum  which  conftitutes  the 
original  funds  of  this  Company,  amounts  to  10,500!. 
fterling ;  every  holder  of  lool.  ftock  has  the  right  of 
voting,  and  every  one  who  is  poflefled  of  more  than 
lOol.  of  the  faid  original  ftock,  has  as  many  votes  as 
he  has  (hares  or  hundreds  of  pounds.  But  if  a  (hare 
be  divided  among  feveral  pcrfons,  they  are  intitled 
all  together  to  no  more  than  one  vote.  By  degrees 
this  iociety  has  railed  the  price  of  their  wares,  and 
lowered  that  of  the  commodities  of  the  natives  of 
America  and  of  the  E/kimaux  to  fuch  a  degree,  that 
the  commodities  exported  from  England  to  Hud- 
fon's  Bay,  will  only  freight  four  fmall  (hips,  which 
fcarcely  require  130  failors  to  man  them,  and  amount 
to  about  4C00I.  reckoning  tht  m  at  prime  coft.  Thcfc 
exports  confift  of  mufkets,  piftols,  powder,  (hot, 
brafs  and  iron  kettles,  axes,  hatchets,  knives,  cloth, 
blankets,  baize,  flannels,  ftcels  and  flints,  gun-worms, 
hats,  looking-glafl'es,  fi(h-hooks,  rings,  bells,  needles, 
thimbles,  glafs  beads,  vermilion,  thread,  brandy,  kc. 
&c.  With  thefe  commodities  they  buy  (kins,  furs, 
caftor,  beaver  furs,  whalebone,  train-oil,  and  eider 
down,  to  the  amount  of  more  than  i2C,oool.  fter- 
ling.  Now  this  would  be  at  the  rate  of  25,500!. 
for  every  loocl.  difburfed  by  them,  or  5250I.  per 
cent.  But  from  this  wc  muft  deduct  the  duties,  the 
cxpence  of  ^  '  iig  out  the  (hips,  the  pay  of  the  of- 
ficers and  faii.^is,  the  maintenance  of  the  fortifications 
and  fadpries,  and  of  the  people  belonging  to  them  ; 
and  yet,  even  then,  there  remains  to  them  a  very  great 
profit.  The  general  opinion  is  that  the  proprietors  of 
this  ftock,  who  are  at  prefent  not  90  in  number,  gain 
about  20CO  per  cent.  As  for  certainty  with  refpe«^ 
to  this  matter,  there  is  none  j  for  the  Company  tranf- 
acts  all  its  afFairs  with  the  greateft  fecrecy.  Thus 
inuch,  however,  is  certain,  that  no  trade  in  the 
world  is    fo    proritubl<J    as    this   of  Hudfoj;i's   Bay. 

Bur. 


a  gre 
of  a 
this 
its  r 
free 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       381 

,But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  equally   certain,  that 
as  the  Englifh  nation  in   no  branch  of  commerce  is 
a  greater  lofer  than  in  this,  nothing  but  the  fandity 
of  a   charter    granted  by    Government,    can  protect" 
this  commercial    Company,    fo    very  detrimental  to 
its  mother  country.     If  the  trade  was  made  entirely 
free  and  open,  more  than  50  or   60  Ihips  would  go 
every  year    to   Hudfon's  Bay,    and,    inftead   of  i;jo 
failors,    2500    would    be    annually   maintained    and 
brought  up  for   the  fcrvice   of  the  ftate.     Thefe  60 
(hips  would  alfo  yearly  export  to  the  value  of  ioo,oool. 
or    I20,oool.    of   wart;s    and  Englifli   manufadtures^ 
which  would  greatly  cncreafc  the  manufa<5turing  bu- 
finefs,  and  would  provide   for  a  conAderable  number 
of    poor,    and  give    them   employment  and    mainte- 
nance.    Add  to  this,  that  thefe  North- American  pro- 
vinces might  alfo  be  better   peopled  and  planted  with 
Engliih  colonies.     For,    were  they  but  removed   to 
the  didance  of  fome  miles  inland,  and  from  the  fea^ 
which  is  covered   with  vaft  quantities  of  ice,  and  by 
this  means  rendered    intenfely  cold,  they  would  find 
weather  far   milder,  and   a  more  temperate  climate ; 
where  they  might  cultivate  themfelves,  in  great  abun- 
dance, all  thofe  neceflarics  of  life  which  it  is  at  pre- 
fcnt    inripoflible   to   raife    on   the  Ihores  of  Hudlon's 
Bay.     This  would  enable  them    to  eftablifti   by  de- 
grees,   ftill    farther   and   farther    inland,  fettFements 
and  habitations,  of  Europeans.     Now  the  farther  they* 
went  to  meet  the  Indians,  and  to  carry  their  merchan- 
dize   to  them,  the  more  confiderable    would   be  the 
ftock  of  beaver  and  deer-lkins,    and   other  furs  and 
peltry,  that  they  might  get   from  the(e  people,  and 
afterwards    carry    in    large    European   boats   to   the 
fa6lories  by  the  fea-fide.     A  good  huntfman  among 
the   Indians  can  kill  600  beavers  ;  but  he  can  carry 
no  more  than   :lco   beaver-fkins  to   the    factories  on 
the  fea  in  his  fmall  boat,  made  of  the  bark  of  birch  : 
the  remaining  500  he   makes  ufe  of  for   his  bed   and 
bcd-cloaths,  or  hangs  them  up  on  trees  as  tokens  of 
remembrance.,  when   any  of  his    children  happen    to 

die  . 


■  -}:  ■!* 


ay 


4 


38i 


VOYAGES    AMD 


die;  or  elfe  he  Hnzes  the  hair  ofF,  and,  broiling  thtf 
fkin,  eats  it  as  a  dainty  at  their  fcafts  }  or  perhaps 
throws  them  away,  and  leaves  them  to  moulder  and 
rot.  It  is  dill  wori'e  with  refpedl  to  the  deer-fkins, 
of  which  the  Indians,  comparatively  fpealcing,  carry 
but  very  few  to  the  factories  by  the  fea-fide ;  for  in 
the  year  1740,  at  their  firft  public  lale,  the  Company 
fold  about  26,970  beaver  fkins  of  different  kinds,  and 
only  250  deer-flcins,  and  30  elk-fkins,  when  they 
kept  back  three-fifths  of  their  merchandize  for  the 
next  au6lion.  Now  the  Indians  have  a  notion,  that 
the  more  deer  they  kill,  the  more  the  number  of  th<"in 
will  increafe  ;  for  which  reafon,  when  they  come  into 
a  country  where  the  animals  are  very  numerous,  they 
wantonly  kill  as  many  as  ever  they  can,  though  in 
fadl  they  make  no  ufe  either  of  the  fkins  or  of  the 
flefh,  on  account  of  the  great  plenty  there  is  of  them  } 
the  confequence  of  which  is  that  they  are  all  left  to 
rot  on  the  fpot.  But  if  they  had  a  place,  not  too  far 
diftant  to  refort  to,  inhabited  by  Europeans,  to  whom 
they  could  fell  their  /kins  and  harts-horns,  they  would 
undoubtedly  rather  prefcrve  them  than  deflioy  them 
thus  wantonly  and  without  occaflon.  Confequently, 
by  making  more  new  fettlements  of  Europeans  in 
the  country,  the  quantity  of  merchandize  would  be 
augmented  five  or  fix,  or  perhaps  ten- fold,  fiefides 
t.ic  mutual  concurrence  of  a  variety  of  chapmen 
would  allure  the  Indians  to  make  greater  efforts  Co 
procure  a  larger  quantity  of  goods,  and  confequently 
encreafe  and  extend  the  trade  very  much.  To  this 
we  may  add,  that  in  the  northern  parts  of  Hudfon's 
Bay  there  are  a  great  many  whales,  fea-horfes,  and 
leals,  the  killing  of  which  would  be  very  profitable, 
and  might  ferve  to  freight  part  of  the  fhips  in  tha 
bay.  Higher  up  in  the  country  likewife  there  is  ex- 
cellent timber  fit  for  mafts  and  yards  for  the  royal 
navy,  as  a!fo  very  fine  oaks,  which  would  make 
keels,  knees,  bent  timbers,  and  planks,  as  alfo  pipe 
ftave^  in  abundance,  an  article  which  at  prefent  be- 
gins 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THfi  NORTH.       383 

gins  to  be  fcarce  almod  every  where,  and  is  fold 
at  fuch  extravagant  rates,  that  it  is  almoH;  impoiB- 
ble  to  go  to  the  price  of  it.  Now,  if  there  were 
plantations  of  any  tolerable  exten^  in  thofe  parts, 
the  felling  and  forting  of  fuch  (hip  and  other  timber 
would  caufe  the  money  to  remain  in  the  kingdom, 
which  is  now  carried  out  of  it;  and  the  royal  dock« 
yards  would  be  fupplied  with  ftores  of  good  (hip- 
timber  and  mads  at  a  much  cheaper  rate  than  they 
are  at  prefent.  But  however  detrimental  the  trade  of 
the  Hudfon's  Bay  Company  is  to  the  Britifh  ftate, 
it  is  neverthclefs  ilill  carried  on ;  and  though  the 
Company  is  now  and  then  threatened  with  an  enqui- 
ry, by  a  Member  of  Parliament  or  two,  yet  th«  Pro- 
prietors always  take  care  to  adduce  fuch  folid  and 
weighty  arguments  againft  it,  that  matters  are  fufFered 
to  remain  in  the  old  pofition,  and  they  are  left  unr 
difturbed  in  the  pofTeiTion  of  their  lucrative  com- 
merce. 

XXX.  The  mifcarriage  of  the  attempts  made  in 
Hudfon's  Bay,  and  the  eftablifhment  of  the  Hudfon's 
Bay  Company,  were  now  powerful  obftacles  to  the 
undertaking  of  new  difcoveries  in  thofe  parts.  'John 
JVood^  however,  an  experienced  feaman,  who  had  paid 
particular  attention  to  the  voyages  that  had  been 
made  to  the  North,  propofed  once  more  to  feek 
for  a  (horter  way  to  Ja^)an,  China,  and  the  Eaft- 
Indies,  between  Nova  Zembla  and  Spitzbergen.  The 
King  gave  the  (hip  Speedwell  for  this  expedition, 
and  the  DukeofYork^  Lord  Berkley^  Sir  Jofeph  WU- 
Itamfon^  Sir  john  Banks ^  Mr.  Samuel  Peeps,  Capt. 
Herbert,  Mr.  Dupey,  and  Mr.  Hoopgood,  bought  a 
pmk  called  the  Profperous,  and  gave  the  command 
of  it  to  Capt.  WUliam  Flawes,  that  both  might  fee 
out  together  on  this  voyage  of  difcovery.  On  the 
28th  of  May,  A.  D.  1676,  they  fet  fail  from  the 
Buoy  at  the  Nore,  On  the  17th  and  iSthof  June 
they  found  themfelves  in  70  deg.  30  min.  N.  lat.  had 
7  dcg.  variation,  and  faw  a  great  number  of  whales. 

On 


m 


3«4 


VOYAGES    ANtt 


On  th*  19th,  in  the  morning,  after  foggy  weather 
and  rain,  they  faw  abundance  of  fca-birds  and  finHOi 
(Balana  Phyfalus),  Soon  after  they  defcricd  land, 
viz.  the  iflands  at  about  20  leagues  to  the  weft  of 
the  Korth  Cape.  From  hence  they  ftccrcd  nearly 
north-callward,  and  fo  early  as  on  the  22d  of  June, 
in  75  dcg.  59  min.  faw  ice,  which  extended  from 
W.  N.  W.  to  E.  S.  K.  The  pieces  that  were 
broken  off  from  the  ice  formed  various  whimfical 
figures  The  large  ice-field,  though  low,  was  yet 
very  uneven  and  rough  ;  the  flakes  lyinii  fome  by  the 
fide  of,  and  others  upon  each  other.  In  fome  places 
they  obferved  high  hills  of  a  quite  a  blue  ice,  whilft  all 
the  reft  of  the  ice  was  as  white  as  fnow.  Here  and 
there  alfo  they  found  drift-wood  between  the  ice. 
^omc  ice  which  they  took  up  and  melted  yielded 
frefli  water.  Near  the  ice  they  had  ground  with  151? 
fathoms,  and  the  lead  brought  up  v/ith  it  a  green  and 
foft  ore.  The  current  fet  along-fide  of  the  ice  S.  S. 
Eaft.  -Jn  the  26th  of  June  they  faw  two  fea-horfes 
lying  on  the  ice;  but  thefe  animals,  though  they  were 
wounded,  made  their  efcape  from  them  int'^  the  fe?. 
At  midnight  they  had  ground,  with  70  fathoms  and 
green  ore;  the  next  evening  they  faw  land  from  the 
eaft  to  the  fouth-eaft.  It  was  at  the  diftance  of  15 
leagues,  and  qu'te  covered  with  fnow.  On  the  7.'ji\\ 
they  found  that  the  ice  lay  clofe  to  the  land  of 
Nova  Zembla^  fo  that  they  could  not  pafs  between 
the  land  and  the  ice.  On  the  29th  the  (hip  ftruck 
wn  fome  rocks  that  lay  hidden  under  the  water. 
They  faved  only  a  few  provifions  j  nd  tools,  and  with 
great  difficulty  got  the  crew  on  Ihore,  after  lofing  a 
great  quantity  of  provifions,  together  with  the  Cap- 
tain's papers  and  othor  things,  by  the  overfetting  of 
one  of  the  boats.  IJcing  aftiorc,  they  were  at  a  great 
lofs  how  to  get  away  from  thence.  On  the  8th  of 
July  they  efpied  nt  length  Capt.  FJawes's  fhip,  and 
made  a  great  fire,  in  order  to  Ic  t  him  know  where  they 
were,  upon  which  he  Avnt  his  boat  to  their  relief,  and 
took  them  all  on  board  his  fh'p.  Almoft  the  whole  of 

Novd 


great 


deg. 


DISCOVERIES  IM  THE  NORTH.       385 

Kova  Zembla  was  covered  with  fiiow,  and  where  there 
Was  no  {how  the  land  was  marftiy,  as  it  were,  and  over- 
crown  with  a  kind  of  mol's,  bearing  a  blue  and  yel- 
low flower.  Having  dug  two  feet  deep,  they  found 
every  thbg  frozen  like  ice.  'J  he  lower  hills  arc 
free  from  mow,  but  the  higher  mountains  are  in  all 
probability  covered  with  an  eternal  fnow.  They 
found  in  the  country  reindeers  in  abundance,  alio 
fome  artSlic  foxes,  and  a  fmall  animal,  like  a  rabbity 
but  not  quite  fo  large  as  a  rat,  and  fome  birds  like 
larks.  Every  quarter  of  a  mile  almoft,  there  is  a 
flream,  which  however  proceeds  only  from  the  melted 
fnow.  The  mountains  they  found  confifted  of  flate, 
but  nearer  to  the  fea  they  met  with  good  black  mar- 
ble with  white  veins.  The  variation  of  the  needle, 
IFood  found  to  be  13  deg.  to  the  weft  ward.  Tha  * 
tide  rifes  eight  feet,  and  flows  diredly  againft  the 
ihore,  but  not  along  it,  which  he  confidcrs  as  a  proof 
that  there  can  be  no  pafl'age  to  the  northward  ;  but 
as  the  .tide  in  thefe  feas  muft  neceflarily  come  from 
the  weft  and  fouth-weft,  it  ftands  to  reafon,  that  at 
fuch  a  diftance  from  the  influence  of  the  moon,  it 
muft  be  very  weak,  and  confequently  cannot  rife  to  a 
great  height  j  and  then  as  the  tide  comes  from  the 
fouth-weft,  it  cannot  flow  otherwife  than  in  a  dire£k 
line  againft  the  ihore  of  a  headland  that  ftands  out  to 
the  north-weftward.  The  fca-watcr  he  found  very 
fait  and  very  heavy,  nay,  falter  in  his  opinion,  than 
any  he  bad  ever  tailed  in  his  life  :  though  at  the  »ame 
time  it  was  fo  clear  and  limpid,  that  tt  the  depth  of 
80  fathoms  he  could  plainly  fee  the  bottom  of  the  fea, 
and  even  diftinguiih  the  different  mufcles  there.  The 
point  ofF  which  fVood  loft  his  ihip  he  named  Point 
Speedwell^  after  his  fliip,  and  fuppofed  it  10  be  in  74 
deg.  30  min.  N.  lat.  and  63  deg.  E.  long,  from  Lon- 
don. But  as,  according  to  his  chart,  this  point  muft 
be  the  fame  with  that  which  in  the  Dutch  and  the 
new  Ruilian  charts  is  called  Trooji  Hoek^  or  Point  Com- 
fort^  it  would  rather  feem,  that  the  latitude  of  the 
"place  ihould  be  77  deg.  40  min.  and  the  longitude  85 
deg.  eaftward  from  i"  erro  ;  whilft,  according  to  his 
coinput.'Uion,  it  was  only  So  deg.  34  min.  from  Ferro. 

C  c  Thou-^h 


*^^: 


r  i. 


%.\ 


■  ■■  i\ 
4'  *i 


386 


VOYAGES    AND 


Though  Jf'ood\  journal  contains  hardly  any  thing  but 
the  ihip's  reckoning,  yet  he  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  fufficiently  exadt  in  his  computations  and  obfcr- 
vations. — Having  now  faved  all  the  remainder  of  the 
crew,  they  failed  ftraight  back  to  England.  In  their 
way  homewards  they  faw  the  Faro  Iflands,  and  next 
came  within  fight  of  the  Orkneys  and  Caithnefs<f  \n 
Scotland,  and  at  length  arrived,  on  the  23d  of  Auguft, 
at  the  Buoy  at  the  Nor-e,  from  whence  ^cy  had  fet 
out. 

'  XXXI.  The  royal  charter  having  been  granted  to 
the  Hudfon's  Bay  Company,  partly  on  the  account 
that  they  had  undertaken,  at  their  own  expence,  a 
vopge  of  difcovery  for  the  purpofe  of  finding  a  paf- 
fage  into  the  South-Sea,  and  had  made  fo  great  a 
progrefs,  as  to  be  in  hopes  of  difcovering  it,  it  fliould 
ieem  that  thefe  motives  aUedged  by  the  King  for 
granting  the  Company  fuch  extenfive  privileges  and 
advantages.,  would  have  excited  them  to  purfue  this 
difcovery  iVxW  farther  with  uncommon  ardor  j  but  in 
fail  thefc  very  advantages  which  had  been  granted  to 
them,  produced  the  dired  contrary  efFeft.  The  great 
profits  they  actually  derived  from  this  trade  made 
them  fear,  Icail  Government,  in  cafe  of  the  paflage 
being  found  out,  might  recall  their  charter,  and  grant 
it  to  the  Eaft-India  Company,  or  perhaps  even  open 
a  free  trade  to  thofe  parts.  On  this  account  they  en- 
deavoured to  conceal  as  much  "as  poffible  the  true  fitu- 
ation  and  nature  of  the  coafts  of  this  country,  of  the 
feas,  of  the  neighbouring  nations,  and,  above  all,  of  the 
profitable  trade  carried  on  to  thefe  parts.  As  the  property 
of  all  the  lands  bordering  on  Hudfon's  Bay  is  vefted  in 
this  Company,  and  as  the  favages  adlually  repair  thi- 
ther, for  the  fake  of  trade,  from  very  remote  parts  to 
the  fouth-weft  and  weft  of  the  Bay,  it  may  truly  be 
laid,  thai:  about  80  people  in  England  are  the  propric- 
•  tors  of  a  country  far  more  extenfive  than  England^ 
Scotland,  and  Ireland,  taken  together.  The  members 
of  this  Company  are  accufed  of  having  even  endea- 
voured to  bribe  thofe  who  had  any  knowledge  of  thefc 

feas 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       387 

feas  and  coafts,  and  who  were  apprized  of  the  proba- 
bility of  a  paflage  into  the  South-Sea.  However, 
that  they  might  not  be  faid  to  do  nothing,  they  fent 
the  Captains  Knight  and  Barlow  out,  with  a  fhip  and 
a  floop,  for  the  purpofe  of  making  difcoveries.  Ac- 
cording to  Ellis's  account,  this  happened  in  17 19. 
On  the  contrary,  Drage^  the  clerk  of  the  California^ 
aflerts  that  it  was  in  1720;  but  nothing  more  is 
known  concerning  them,  than  that  they  went  out,  as 
nothing  farther  has  ever  been  heard  with  refpect  tQ 
either  of  the  two  ihips. 

XXXII.    As  neither  of  thefe    (hips  ever  returned, 
they  were  fuppofed  to  have  been  damaged,  or  perhaps 
even  deftroyed  among   the  ice,    and    their    rcfpedlive 
crews,  it  was  conjectured,  had  been  faved,  and  might 
poffibly  be  ftill  fubfifting   in   fome    part  of  the  land 
within  the  63d  deg.  N.  lat.     This  report  being  ap- 
parently founded  on  the  vague  relations  of  the  £fki« 
maux,  there  was   no  dependence  to  be  placed  on  it. 
However,  as  foon  as  the  Hudfon's  Bay  Company  re- 
ceived this  information,  they  immediately  gave   orders 
for  another  floop  to  be  fent  out  to  make  fearch  after 
the  people  that  had  gone  with  the  two  fhips  of  Knight 
and  Barlow,  and  at  the  fame  time  to  make  what  dif- 
coveries   and    obfervations    they  could.      Accordingly 
the  floop  fet  fail  from  Churchill  river  on  the  20th   of 
June,  1722,    under  the  command    of   Capt.   Scroggs. 
\n    lat.   62  deg.    he    purchafed    from  the   inhabitants 
fome    raw    whalebone,    and    fome     fea-horfes     teeth. 
In  62  deg.  48    min.    he  fent    his    boat  out  after  a 
piece   of  drift-wood,  and  found  it  to  be    a  foremaft, 
which  had  been  broken  off  5  fett  above  deck.     Scroggs 
proceeded  till  he  came   into  the  Welcome,  where  he 
named  one  point   Whalebone   Pointy  and    the  fouthern- 
moft  ifland  was  called  Cape  Fullerton.     Here  he  faw  a 
great   many  black  whales,  and  alfo  fome  white  ones. 
Having  fent  his  boat  on  ihore,   the  people  that  went 
in    her    faw    many   reindeer,    geefe,  ducks,    and   other 
wild-fowl.     He  computed  that  the  tide  rofe  5  fathoms, 
for    he  had    meafured  it  with  the  lead  and  line  from 
on  board    his  Ihip   while  it    lay  at  anchor,    when  he 
found    12  fathoms  ground  at  high   water  ;  but  at  low 

C  c  2  water 


iA 


\v^ 


I'  a 


}  i't 


'Wi 


'H 


t 


388 


VOYAGES    AtiD 


water  only  7,   which  would  make   a   difFerenqe   of  5 
fathoms.     This  obfervation,    however,   was  defe£live ; 
for  as  a  fljip  that  lies  at  anchor  always  changes  her 
place  with  the  tide>  Scruggs  muft  neceflarily  have  pre- 
fuppofed,    that  the  bottom  of  the  fea,  where  the  fliip 
lay  at  anchor,  was  every  where  at  an  equal  diflancd 
b(;low  the  furfece  ;  a  very  falfe  fuppofition,  the  expe- 
riment on  which  it  was  founded  being  made,  not  by 
a  fettled  ftandard  a(hore,  but  by  a  line  from  the  ihip. 
Two  riorthern  Indians,  whom  Seroggs  had   with  hini» 
aiid  who  had  parted  the  winter  at  Churchill,  told  him 
of  a  rich   mine    of  native  copper,    which  was  to  ba 
found  on  the  coaft,  quite  laid  open,    fo  that,  in  fact, 
they  needed  only  to  go  thither  with  a  boat,  and  might 
immediately  take  in  a  lading  of  it;  they  had  even,  as 
a  proof  of  their  aiTertion,  brought  fome  pieces  of  cop- 
per   with    them  ;to    Chur.chiiU      They    had   alfo    at 
Churchill  drawn  on  parchment  with  charcoal,  the  fitu- 
at  ion  of  the  coaft  from  thence  to  the  fpot  j  and  as  far 
as  the  (hip  was  then  come,  the  fketch  perfectly  cor- 
refponded  with  the  real  fituation  of  the  country.     One 
of    thefe   Indians  had  teftified  a    defire   of    being  dif- 
niified,  as  he  was  only  about  tliree  or  four  days  jour- 
ney from  the  ufuai  place  of  his  abode,  a  requeft  which 
Scroggs^    however,    refufed  him.     Scroggs  mentions   in 
his  journal,    that  he   had   l>een  in   the    IVelcouie^    but 
could  go  Jio  farther,  on  account  of  a   ridge  of  rocks 
that  lay  in   his  way.     But    it  appears  evidently,'  that 
he  never  had    been    in  the    IVelcome^   but  only  in   a 
bay,    which   is,    in    fa6t,    known    by   tliree    different 
names,  being   called  Pijiol's  Bay,  Rankin's  Inlet,  and 
alfo  James  Douglas's  Bay.      That   well-known  iflancf 
called  Marble  Ijlandy    and  which  likewife   was   before 
known   by   the  name    of   Brook   Cohham,    .ies   at    the 
mouth  of  this   bay,    and    confequently    it    cannot   be 
miftaken.      The  ridge    of  rocks   was  the  occafion  of 
Scroggs  not   proceeding   any    farther.      The    Indians, 
who  very    much  wiilicd    %o    return    home,    had  pur- 
pofely  made    up    a    ftory  concerning   fome    hindrance 
or  obftaclc,    only  to  induce   him  to  tack   about,  and 


DISCOVERIES  iM  THE  NORTH.        389 

let  them  go.  Many  of  his  crew,  too,  were  defirous 
of  returning  that  fame  feafon  to  London.  They 
,  were  therefore  anxious  left  the  fhips  belonging  to 
the  Hudfon's  Bay  Company  (hould  not  only  be  al- 
ready arrived  at  Churchill,  but  even  might  be  gone 
home.  Now  the  boat  which  Scroggs  had  fent  out, 
being  advanced  fomething  farther  into  the  bay,  the 
people  who  wifticd  to  fet  fail  for  England,  returned 
immediately,  faying,  that  they  had  been  as  far  as  the 
ridge  of  rocks  mentioned  by  the  favages,  and  could 
not  go  a  ftep  farther.  Now  this  was  fufficient  to 
perfuade  Scroggs  to  return  home,  an'*,  to  give  out, 
that  he  had  himfelf  been  to  the  ridge  of  rocks,  though 
the  fa«St  was  quite  otherwife. 

This  voyage  which,  like  all  the  reft,  mifcarried, 
had  many  original  defers.  Scroggs  was  by  no  means 
fit  for  condudtipg  an  expedition  of  this  kind,  being 
dcftitute  as  well  of  the  previous  knowledge,  as  alfo 
of  that  active  and  enterprizing  fpirit,  neceflary  on  thefe 
occafions.  Neither  were  the  people  employed  in  the 
voyage  inclined  to  purfue  thefe  refearches  with  con- 
ftancy  and  ardor,  their  voyage  home  to  England  being 
their  chief  obje<3:,  an  object  which  made  them  lofe 
fight  of  every  other  j  and  finally,  they  did  not  go  the 
right  way  to  profit  by  the  information  given  them 
by  the  favages,  or  to  make  it  worth  while  for  thefe 
people  to  go  farther  with  them.  And  here  I  cannot 
help  making  fome  obfervations  on  the  multiplicity  of 
appellations  given  to  one  and  the  fame  place,  and  on 
the  confufion  it  caufes  in  geography.  But  this  con- 
fufion  becomes  ftill  greater,  when  the  fame  name  is 
given  to  two  different  places  or  countries.  In  JVager 
Straits^  which  we  Ihall  have  occafion  to  mention 
hereafter,  is  a  haven  named  Douglas''^  Harbour  ;  and 
the  place  fometimes  called  Rankins's  Inlet^  is  by  others 
called  Pijiol  Bay,  and  alfo  Mr.  James  Douglases 
Bay,  Now  it  muft  certainly  be  allowed  that  the 
man   who   firll   introduces  fuch   appellations,    as   tend 

to 


¥■ 

y    I 


■  1 


3^o 


V  OYAGES    AND 


to  create  confuTion,  is  not  very  foUicitous  about  the 
perfpicuity  and  exa<Sbiefs  of  geographical  defcription } 
and  we  are  forry  to  find  that,  in  confequence  of  af- 
fuming,  befides  the  Cook's  Strait  between  the  two 
iflands  of  which  New  Zealand  is  compofed,  another 
Cook's  Strait  in  the  North,  between  Afia  and  America, 
the  greateft  geographer  of  the  age  fhould  come  under 
this  defcription. 

XXXIII.  The  accounts  given  by  Button  and  Fox^ 
together  with  the  report  of  the  laft  navigator,  Capt. 
Scroggs,  excited  in  the  year  1733,  the  attention  of  Mr. 
Arthur  Dobbs  to  all  thefe  circumftances,  and  particu- 
larly to  the  high  tide  in  the  Welcome.  He  alfo  re- 
ceived fome  information  refpedling  thefe  points  from 
Capt.  Chri/iopher  Middletotiy  who  had  navigated  thofc 
feas  many  years  in  the  fervice  of  the  Hudfon's  Bay 
Company.  Accordingly  he  applied  to  the  Company* 
and  by  dint  of  importunity  obtained,  in  the  year  I737» 
a  floop,  together  with  a  fhallop,  which,  however,  went 
only  to  62  deg.  30  min.  N.  lat.  where  they  found  a 
great  number  of  iflands,  and  fomc  white  whales ;  and 
in  a  cove  where  they  anchored,  the  tide  flowed  10  or 
12  feet,  and  came  from  the  north.  The  above  im- 
perfeft  account  is  all  that  is  known  at  prcfent  of  this 
voyage  of  difcovery. 

aXXIV.  Mr.  Dobbs  finding  that  this  voyage,  made 
by  order  of  the  Hudfon's  Bay  Company,  hav"  been 
performed  in  a  very  flow,  tedious  manner,  with  very 
little  ardor,,  and  indeed  with  a  wilful  negligence,  ap- 
plied to  Government,  which  ordered  a  bombketch  or 
Jloop^  called  the  Furnace^  to  be  fitted  out,  the  conduct 
of  which  was  entruiled  to  Capt.  Cbrijiopher  Middle^ 
ton.,  who  till  then  had  been  in  the  fervice  of  the  Hud- 
fon's Bay  Company.  To  this  was  added  the  Pink  Dif- 
covery., commanded  by  Capt.  William  Moor,  Both  fhips 
went  cut  in  1741,  and  came  to  Churchill  River., 
where  they  fpent  the  winter;  and  having  got  every 
thing  ready,  let  fail  again  on  the  ifl  of  July,  1742. 
Middleton,  according  to  the  inftrudtions  given  him, 
was  to  fleer  to  the  N.  W.  after  having  gone  through 
Hudfon's  Straits,    and  paflcd   by  Careys  Sii-ans  Neji., 

and 


during 


being 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


391 


and  to  purfue  the  fame  courfe  till  he  (hould  fall  in  , 
with  the  north- weft  land,  at  Sir  Thomas  Roe's  JVel- 
^antty  in  65  degrees  N.  lat.  On  the  4th  he  faw  Brook 
Cobhatriy  or  Marble  IJland^  covered  with  fnow,  in  63 
deg.  N.  lat.  and  in  93  dtg.  40  min.  W.  long,  from 
London.  The  variation  of  the  compafs  he  found  to 
be  21  deg.  10  min.  weft  ward.  On  the  13th  he  faw 
a  very  high  cape  or  headland  on  the  north-weft  fide 
of  the  Welcome^  in  65  deg.  12  min.  N.  lat. 
and  86  deg.  6  min.  W.  long,  which  he  named  Cape 
Dolfbsy  and  behind  it  he  difcovered  an  opening  bear- 
ing N.  W.  which  he  entered.  This  ^z  named 
IVager  River^  after  Sir  Charles  IVa^er.  The  northern 
promontory  upon  this  river  was  afterwards  named 
Cape  Smith.  The  entrance  into  Wager  River  is  in 
65  deg.  24.  min.  N.  Jat.  and  88  deg.  37  min.  W. 
long,  from  London.  Withii!  this  valt  body  of  water 
they  found  great  quantities  of  ice,  and  behind  fome 
iflands  on  the  north  fide  of  it  was  an  inlet  which  they 
called  Savage  Soundy  in  confequence  of  having  feen 
Ibme  EJkimaux  Indians  there  :  on  the  fame  north  fide 
alfo  there  was  another  inl^'  where  the  EJkimauxy 
which  were  come  along  wii..  them  from  Churchill, 
fhot  fome  reindeer,  and  thence  it  was  nr.med  Deer 
Sound,  (Thefe  Efkirr.aux  having  never  been  here 
before,  had  not  the  leaft  knowledge  of  the  country.) 
Having  fpent  fome  weeks  in  this  ftrait,  they  went  at 
length  farther  to  the  north-ealtward  along  the  coaft, 
on  which  they  at  laft  difcovered  a  very  fair  headland, 
and  behind  this  headland  the  coaft  trended  to  the  weft- 
ward  ;  this  tiiey  took  for  the  moft  northern  point  of 
America,  and  named  it  Cape  Hope,  Having  worked 
during  the  whole  night  through  a  great  quantity  of 
ice,  in  the  morning  after  the  fun  had  difperfed  the 
fog,  they  faw  land  all  around  them,  and  alio  a  large 
bay,  which  they  entered,  and  went  to  the  very  end 
of  it.  The  tide  came  from  the  eaft,  and  flowed 
flowly,  as  it  does  in  a  place  where  it  has  no  paflage. 
The  variation  of  the  compafs  was  50  deg.  Nothing 
being  to  be  expeded  here,  he  called  it  Reptilfe  Bayy 
and  afcended  a  very  high  mountain,   from  whence  he 

faw 


>*ir 


ii 


39* 


VOYAGES    AND 


faw  the  whole  ftrait,  which  was  about  i8^  or  20 
leagues  in  lengthy  lying  in  the  diredion  of  S.  E.  by  S. 
At  a  diftance  he  faw  high  land,  which  he  took  to 
be  Cape  Comfort^  on  the  land  now  made  out  to  be  an 
ifland,  on  which  Carey*s  Swans  Nejl  is,  and  oppofite 
to  which,  in  an  oblique  diredlion,  is  Lord  WefiorC^ 
Portland,  difcovered  by  Fox.  Middleton  having  vi>- 
fited  all  thefe  parts,  bore  away  to  the  fouthward  again, 
in  order  to  explore,  agreeably  to  his  inftrutHons,  the 
weftern  coaft  of  the  Welcome  from  Cape  Dobbs  to  the 
ifland  of  Brook  Cobham,  but  found  no  opening  there. 
Near  this  ifland  he  fent  the  tv/o  EJkimanx  he  had 
with  him  aftiore,  after  making  them  handfome  pre- 
fents,  and  immediately  afterwards  fet  fail  for  England. 
The  ftrait  from  Repulf'  Bay  eaftward,  towards  Capr* 
Comfort,  lies  nearly  in  67  deg.  N.  lat.  and  had  no 
anchoring  grct^nd  clofe  to  the  Ihore,  but  was  very 
deep,  and  confequcntly  very  dangerous  for  the  fhip?, 
which  were  without  a  harbour  or  any  place  of  fecu- 
rity,  in  cafe  of  a  ftorm.  Concerning  this  voyage,, 
there  arofc  a  very  warm  difpute  between  Mr.  Dobbs 
and  Capt.  Middleton,  The  firft  was  of  opinion,  that 
the  latter  had  wilfully  concealed  or  at  leaft  mifre-. 
prefentcd  fome  difcoveries,  in  order  to  curry  favour 
with  the  Hudfon's  Bay  Company,  who  had  always 
been  difpleafed  whenever  any  voyages  of  difcovery, 
or  expeditions  for  finding  out  a  paflage  into  the  South 
Sea,  had  been  undertaken  in  Hudfon's  Bay,  which  had 
been  ceded  to  them  by  Government. 

XXXV.  This  difpute  was  carried  on  with  much 
acrimony  on  both  fides.  The  arguments  adduced  by 
Mr.  Dobbs,  which  were  founded  on  fails,  mentioned 
by  Middleton  himfelf,  were  examined,  and  it  was  the 
general  opinion,  that  Mr.  Dobbs  was  in  the  right. 
The  Aim  of  io,oool.  fterling  was  raifed  in  fliares  of 
jool.  each,  for  the  purpofe  of  undertitking  a  nevi? 
voyage  of  difcovery,  and  at  length  two  Ihips  were 
fent  out,  viz.  the  Dobhs  galley,  commanded  by  Mr, 
IVilliam  Moor,  and  the  Califorvic,  under  the  command 
of  Mr.  Fra.  Stiiitb,  which  fet  fail  toc;ether  from  Grave- 
fend  o\i  the  2Cth  uf  May,  1746.     Bein^^  ai;rived  at  no 

^redt 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       ^9^ 

J^reat  diftance  from  Cape  Farewell^  they  pafTed  for 
btne  time  through  a  great  quantity  of  drift-wood^ 
which  Mr.  Henry  Ellis  defcribes  as  being  pretty  large 
timber.  He  is  of  opinion,  that  as  Egede  had  feen  in 
Greenland,  in  67  deg.  N.  lat.  birch-trees,  dms,  and 
other  kinds  of  wood,  about  18  feet  high,  and  as 
thick  as  a  man's  leg,  this  drift-wood  mufl  proba- 
bly have  come  from  thence ;  and  that  as  the  weflern 
coails,  as  well  of  Nonvay  as  of  Greenland,  are 
colder  than  the  eaftern,  fo  the  timber  growing  on 
the  eaftern  might  furpafs  in  fize  that  growing  on 
the  weftern  coafts.  But  the  quantity  of  wood  grow- 
ing in  Greenland,  and  even  in  the  ftill  warmer  coun- 
try of  Iceland,  is  fo  fmall,  that  if  for  ten  years  to- 
gether only  as  much  of  it  fhould  be  converted  into 
drift-wood,  as  is  a(^ually  feen  floating  about,  not  a 
Aick  of  it  would  have  been  left  in  the  end.  Beildes, 
the  wood  never  grows  fo  near  the  fea  as  that  it  could 
be  eafily  wafhed  into  it.  Finally,  an  enormous  quan- 
tity of  drift-wood  is  found  in  the  fea  between  Kamt' 
fchatka  and  America^  and  along  the  northern  coaft  of 
Siberia.  Near  Bear's  Ifland,  off*  Spitzbergen,  as  alfo 
off  Iceland,  we  find  drift-wood  in  abundance,  a$ 
well  as  on  all  the  iflands  extending  from  Kamtfchat- 
ka  to  America,  Is  this,  too,  to  be  deduced  from 
the  few  trees  which  grow  in  Greenland,  far  from 
the  fea,  in  a  valley,  (beltered  from  the  cold  winds  i 
This,  it  muft  be  owned,  is  far  from  probable ;  but 
the  great  rivers  in  Siberia,  which  pafs  through  re- 
gions quite  overgrown  with  wood,  to  the  diftance 
of  many  miles,  and  into  'vhich  other  large  ftreams 
difcharged  themfelves,  which  ftreams  alfo  come  out 
of  woody  countries ;  the  Petfchora^  for  inftance,  th« 
Qbj  the  yenifea^  the  Lena^  the  Chatanga,  the  Jnaba^ 
ra,  the  Jena,  the  Kolyma,  the  Indigirka^  the  Anadyr^ 
and  the  Aniur^  are  all  large  and  confiderable  rivers, 
which,  at  the  thawing  of  the  ice  in  the  fpring, 
carry  from  their  overflowed  or  undermined  banks  an 
inconceivable  quantity  of  trees  aiong^  with  them  into 


i 
i 


\ '  *1l 


*    .Hi 


394 


VOYAGESand 


the  Tea.  What  vaft  quantities  of  wood  the  rivers  of 
the  American  continent,  in  King  George  ^  Soundj 
Sandwich  Sounds  and  Turnagain  River ^  in  the  CheU' 
wereny  which  empties  itfelf  into  Norton's  Sound,  and 
in  Gygy,  carry  along  with  them  into  the  fea,  we  ftiall 
not  find  it  difficult  to  conceive,  if  we  do  but  con- 
fider  the  fize  of  the  rivers,  the  elofenefs  of  the  trees 
in  the  forefts,  and  the  great  floods  which  conftantly 
take  place  in  the  fpring.  The  river  St.  Lawrence^ 
and  many  other  North  American  rivers,  carry  vaft 
quantities  of  wood  along  with  them  into  the  fea,  as 
well  as  thofe  in  Newfoundland  and  Labrador,  as  I 
have  been  aflured  by  people  who  had  been  upon  the 
fpot,  and  even  fpent  the  winter  there,  and  confe- 
quently  had  feen  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice,  and  the 
thawing  of  the  rivers.  To  this  muft  be  added,  that  the 
rivers  in  Hudfon's  Bay,  but  chiefly  the  Churchill,  Hayes, 
Port  Nelfott,  Albany,  and  Mocfe  Rivers,  together  with 
many  others  in  like  manner  carry  wood  into  the  fea 
from  the  innermoft  parts  of  the  country,  where  alfo 
grows  timber  of  a  confiderable  fize.  From  all  thefe 
confiderations  taken  together,  wc  are  likely  to  form 
31  better  conjedture  from  whence  all  the  drift-wood 
found  in  the  northern  fcas,  proceeds,  than  by  having 
recourfc  to  the  trifling  and  fcanty  woods  of  Grcen- 
J^Hid. 

On  occafion  of  the  firft  large  ice  which  they  found 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Hudfon's  Straits,,  Mr.  Ellis 
fuppofes  the  hil  to  be,  as  Middleton  fays,  viz.  that 
it  proceeds  from  a  quantity  of  ice  and  fnow  accu- 
mulated for  many  years  back,  which  is  detached  every 
fix  or  feven  years  only,  and  carried  into  the  fea  by 
a  great  inundation;  at  the  fame  time,  however,  he 
endeavours  to  combine  this  with  the  opinion  of 
Egede,  whoexprefsly  afTerts,  that  it  is  nothing  but 
large  pieces  broken  oft  from  the  ice  formed  on  (hore. 
There  may,  however,  be  ftill  other  caufes  befides 
the  foregoing  ;  e.  g.  in  the  beginning  of  winter  the 
ice    on    the     whole    lea   in    Baffns    Bay,    Davis's 

Strait s^ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      39^ 

^'traitSi  and  Hudfon*s  Bay^  fets  in  l^illcalm  weather  fome 
inches  thick :  now,  when  by  ftorms  and  high  tides, 
this  ice  is  broken  into  flakes,  thefe  flakes  are  driven 
over  each  other,  and  freeze  together,  Jo  as  to  forna 
thicker  maflTes  than  before,  and  at  length  accumu- 
late, fo  as  to  make  entire  mountains  of  ice.  I  have 
myfelf,  in  the  Polar  Seas,  feen  mountains  of  ice, 
compofcd  of  regular  layers  lying  over  each  other, 
and  each  of  them  nearly  of  an  equal  thicknefs.  fiut 
fome  of  thefe  mafics  would  have  '^  ip  layer  of  ic« 
quite  tranfparent,  and  over  it  anotuci  quite  opakc, 
Avhich  occafioned  me  to  conclude,  that  ihe  ice  be- 
fore its  being  broken  into  flakes  by  the  wind  or  tide, 
muft  have  been  quite  covered  over  with  fnow,  and 
that  the  fea  wafhing  over  the  fnow,  had  ;:onverted 
it  into  a  thick  opakc  ice,  till  the  winds  drove  the 
flakes  over  each  other,  and  thus  formed  a  mafs, 
compofed  of  alternate  layers  of  tranfparent  and  opake 
ice.  It  is,  however,  alfo  poflible  for  a  mafs  of 
fnow  to  be  blown,  by  ftorms,  over  a  high  promon- 
tory, on  to  the  frozen  fea  lying  beneath  it,  and  there 
compofe  a  very  high  mountain  of  fnow,  which  in 
the  fpring,  being  moiftened  by  the  rains,  by  rivu- 
lets formed  of  melted  fnow,  and  by  the  fea  itfelf, 
freezes  in  this  flatc  to  a  folid  and  compact  body. 
Now  this  huge  mafs  is  a  mountain  of  ice,  which 
the  ftorms  and  high  tides  detach  from  the  fhore, 
and  drive  to  and  fro  in  the  fea  j  and  who  can  take 
upon  him  to  enumerate  all  the  different  modes  in 
which  ice  is  generated  ?  But  to  return,  the  adven- 
turers made  faft  to  a  large  piece  of  ice,  and  filled 
their  empVy  cafks  with  frefh  water  from  the  ponds 
they  found  on  the  ice.  On  the  i8th  of  July  they 
had  a  violent  ftorm,  with  thunder  and  lightning, 
which  all  thofe,  who  were  ufcd  to  navigate  to  thole 
parts,  looked  upon  to  be  fomething  exceedingly  rare 
and  extraordinary.  Ellis  is  of  opinion,  that  the 
northern  lights  kindle  and  difperfe  the  vapours,  re- 
quifite  to  the  formation  of  thunder  and  lightning. 
J3ut  though  this  may  be  one  reafon  for  the  defi- 
ciency here  fpoken  of,  it  ftiould  alfo  be  confidered, 
that  where  the  earth   is  covered,  with  fnow  for   io 

lon'T 


.   '\: 


396 


VOYAGES    AND 


Jong  a  time,  as  it  is  in, this  cafe,  no  fuch  elcilric 
vapours  can  afcend  from  it.  But  if  thcfe  cleftric  va- 
pours come,  in  great  abundance,  as  they  do  for  in- 
ifance  from  the  volcanoes  in  Iceland  and  Eaft 
Greenland,  they  will  then  likewife  caufe  thunder- 
ftorms. 

The  breaking  afunder  of  their  flake  of  i«e  obl'ged 
them  to  make  faft  to  another,  till  they  got  more 
room,  and  by  good  fortune  were  able  to  proceed  in 
their  voyages. 

On  the  nth  of  Auguft  they  difcovered  land  to  the 
vreft  of  the  IVelcomty  ^d  came  to  Marble  IJland, 
Here  they  made  obfervations  on  the  time,  direction, 
vejocity,  and  height  of  the  tide ;  and  found  that 
the  tide  came  fr6m  the  north-eaft,  and  confequently 
followed  the  courfe  of  the  coaft  ;  and  farther,  that 
at  the  full  and  new  moon  they  had  high-water  at 
four  o'clock ;  and  that  the  tide  rofe  to  the  height 
of  10  itQt.  They  then  went  immediately  to  their 
winter  quarters  at  Port  Ndfon^  where  they  met  with 
but  little  aflifta nee  from  the  fervants  of  the  Hudfon's 
Bay  Company.  On  the  ift  of  July,  i747»  they 
again  fct  out  in  order  to  make  frclh  difcoveries,  for 
v/hich  purpofe  they  had  made  their  long-boat  parti- 
cularly convenient,  by  railing,  lengthening,  and  ad- 
ding a  deck  to  it ;  this  being  done,  they  named  it  the 
Refolution.  Not  far  from  Knight^s  IJland  the  needles 
of  their  compafles  loH:  their  magnetic  quality  ;  after 
many  trials  they  found  it  necefl'ary  to  keep  the  com- 
pafles warm,  when  their  magnetic  power  began  again 
to  fliew  itfelf.  They  faw  feveral  EJkltnaux,  one  of 
whom,  an  old  rnan  (hewed  their  little  (hip,  which 
had  ftruck  once  already,  the  beft  way ;  which  is 
certainly  a  proof  of  the  good  difpofition  of  thefe 
people,  when  they  are  treated  humanely  and  with 
kindnefs.  Their  boats,  which  they  fent  out,  dif- 
covered a  very  large  and  broad  inlet,  but  which  has 
never tbeen  explored  quite  to  the  end;  by  fome  it 
was  named  Cowmen's  InUt^  after  the  fecond  pilot, 
mate  of  the  CaliforiiiH;  but  others  named  it  Chef- 
terfield's  Inlet,  in  PFager  Water  they  failed  in  boats 
quite  to  the  end  of  it^  wh<ye  it  terminates  in  rivers 

and 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       397 

and  in  a  frcfh-water  lajce»  fo  that  there  is  certainly 
no  paflage  to  be  cxpcftcd  in  that  water.  The  Eflci- 
maux  fold  them  frcfli  buiFaloes  fleih  (probably  fleih 
of  the  m\^Jk  ox  of  thefe  parts,  a  kind  of  baftard  ox, 
not  mentioned  by  Linnaeus)  and  alfo  furniihed  them 
with  dried  deers  flclh  and  dried  falmons.  In  this 
water  they  faw  feals  and  black  whales  in  abundance. 
Having  made  fome  more  fruitlefs  attempts,  they 
failed  again  for  England,  and  befides  Chejierfield'% 
Inlety  and  another  inlet  that  is  fituated  beyond 
Knighfs  IJland,  there  is  no  farther  hopes  for  a  paf-« 
fage  in  thefe  places,   fo  carefully  explored  by  them. 

aXXVI.  After  this   laft  voyage   of  difcovery,  all 
farther  attempts  to  find  a   paflage  in  the  north  were 
fufpended  for  a  long  time.     The  arguments  adduced 
by   that    great    navigator   and  commander.  Admiral 
Anfon,  had  rendered  the  Englifli  nation   attentive   to 
the  fettling  of  Falkland' %  IJIands  in  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
Accordingly  the    late   Admiral,    at   that  time  Com- 
modore Byron,  was  fent  in   1764,  to  Falkland's  IJlandsy 
and  returned  in  1766.     Dircdly  upon  this,  the  Cap- 
tains Walli$  and  Carteret  fet  out  on    another  voyage 
round  the  world  in  1766,  and  returned  in  1768.     In 
this  fame  year   1768,  Lieutenant  Cook  was    fent  cut 
with  a  fingle  (hip,   accompanied  by  Mr.  (now  Sir 
Jofeph)  Banks  and  Dr.  Solander,    to   obferve    at    O- 
Taheite   the  Tranfit  of  Venus  through   the  fun  i  and 
haviug    fulfilled    his   commiffion,    went  out  on  dif- 
coveries  ;  and  brfides  difcovering  many  iflands  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  0-Taheite,   found   alfo,  that  New 
Zealand   confifted  of    two  iflands,    which    are    fepa- 
rated   from  each   other  by  the  genuine  Cook's  Straits. 
After    this  he  difcovered  on  New  Holland   a  coaft  of 
more  than  600  leagues  in  extent,  and,  after  failing 
through  the  Endeavour  Straits  to  the  Molucca  Iflands, 
and   Batavia,  at  length,  in  .771,    arrived    fafe  again 
in  England. — Now  the  grand  queftion  ftill  remain- 
ed   to    be   decided,     whether    there    are    any    large 
trads  of  land  fituated  in   the   fouthern  hcmifphert;? 

Cook 


:  '-i 


'-'^" 


:H't1 


-  m 


f/'':! 
p ' 


•;:H;fc? 


398 


VOYAGES    AMO 


Cook  was  fent  out  alfo  on  this  important  and  ex« 
tremely  difficult  undertaking,  in  which  my  fon  and 
I  accompanied  him.  He  fet  out  in  1772,  and  was 
the  Hrfl  who  failed  eajiward  round  the  globe,  all 
the  other  twenty  circumnavigators  having  made  the 
voyage  wtjlivard.  From  this  expedition  he  returned 
in  1775,  crowned  with  honour  and  immortal  fame. 
But  whilH  we  were  navigating  round  the  South  Pole, 
Teas  choalced  up  with  ice,  his  Britannic  Majefty 
was  gracioufly  pleafed  to  gratify  the  wifhcs  of  the 
Royal  Society,  by  fending  two  (hips  out  in  177^*  for, 
the  purpofe  of  exploring  the  Frozen  Sea  near  Spltz- 
bergen.  The  one  was  called  the  Race-horfe,  com- 
manded by  Capt.  Conjiantine  John  Pbipps^  now  Lord 
Mulgrave\  the  fecond  was  the  Carcafs^  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Skeffington  Lutwidge.  They 
fet  fail  on  the  4th  of  June  from  the  Nore.  On 
the  igth  they  were  in  66.deg.  54  min.  N.  lat.  and 
in  o  deg.  58  min.  wcfl:  longitude  from  Greenwich, 
"^rhe  variation  of  the  needle  was  19  deg.  11  min. 
W.  The  next  day  there  being  a  calm  almoft  the 
whole  day  throughout,  they  founded  .with  a  very 
heavy  lead  the  depth  of  780  fathoms,  without  get- 
ting ground.  At  this  depth  Farenheit's  thermome- 
ter was  at  26  deg.  and  in  open  air  at  48I-  deg.  On 
the  28th,  about  midnight,  they  faw  land  to  the  eaft. 
On  the  29th  they  were  in  N.  lat.  77  deg.  59  min. 
pretty  near  Black  Pointy  on  Prince  Charles*^  IJland^ 
which  the  Dutch  call  Zuydhoek  van  bet  Voorland,  One 
of  the  mountains  on  Spitfber^en,  in  7,8  deg.  22  min. 
they  found  to  be  1503  yards,  or  4509  feet  high. 
On  a  low  Ifland  oppolite  the  IVaygatSy  or  H'tnlopen 
StraitSy  they  iaw  two  reindeer,  ttie  one  of  which 
they  killed,  and  found  it  very  fat.  They  alfo  faw 
there  a  light  grey-coloured  fox,  and  an  animal  fome- 
Vvhat  larger  than  a  weafel,  with  fhort  ears,  long 
tail,  and  i:s  fkin  fpotted  white  and  black.  The 
ifl::nd  abounded  with  fmall  fnipes  ;  the  ducks  were 
now  hatching    their  eggs,     and   a    great    number  of 

the    {hore.       The 
middle 


wild-;^eefe    were    feeding 


along 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       399 

middle  of  the  ifland  was  covered  with  mofs,  fcur- 
vy-grafs,  and  forrcl,  and  a  few  ranunculufcs  then 
in  flower.  Soon  after  they  were  befet  by  the  ice  ;  at 
length,  however,  they  difengaged  thcmfclves  from 
it,  after  having  been  to  the  fouth-wcft  of  the  fcven 
iflandsr  They  tried  alfo  how  far  they  could  go  to 
the  weftward  j  but  the  ice  lay  there  very  clofc,  and 
as  immoveable  as  a  wall.  During  a  hard  gale,  thejr 
tried  the  temperature  of  the  fea  in  that  ftate  of  agi- 
tation, and  found  it  conlidcrably  warmer  than  thae 
'of  the  air;  an  obfcrvation  which  had  been  made  al- 
ready by  Plutarch.  Finding  now,  that  on  account 
of  the  ice  it  would  be  impofHblc  to  proceed  any  far- 
ther, they  refolved  to  fail  homeward. 

XXXVlI.  Capt,  Cook  being  returned,  in  I775t 
from  hi:i  fouthcrn  voyage,  without  h<<ving  made  tho 
idifcovery  of  any  large  continent,  it  ftill  feemed  nc- 
xeil'ary  to  learn  the  fituation  of  the  lands  in  the  Tea 
between  Aiia  and  America,  and  for  this  expedition 
Cook  again  was  chofen.  The  Refolutiorty  on  board 
of  which  he  had  before  made  the  voyage  round  the 
Southern  Pole,  was  given  him  again,  together  with 
the  Difcoveryy  the  command  of  which  was  given  to 
Capt.  Charles  CUrkt,  who  had  already,  once  with 
Byron  and  twice  with  Cook,  made  the  voyage  round 
the  world.  Both  Ihips  left  the  Thames  in  the  year 
1776}  but  Cook  fet  out  on  his  voyage  to  the  Cape 
on  the  1 2th  of  July.  Clerke^  a  man  of  a  noble  difin- 
terefted  fpirit,  had  been  fecurity  for  the  debts  of  his 
brother  Sir  John  Clerke,  at  the  time  that  he  went  on 
board  a  King's  (hip  to  the  Indies.  He  having  died 
in  India,  his  creditors  would  have  come  upon  Capt. 
Charles  Clerke  for  payment.  Some  people  of  rank 
who  wifhed  him  well,  advifed  him  to  go  into  the 
King's-Bench,  as  the  fum  that  Sir  John  owed  was 
pretty  confiderable,  and  much  more  than  his  brother 
Charles  was  able  to  pay.  An  adt  of  grace  which 
came  out  foon  after,  let  many  thoufands  of  prifo- 
ners  at  l.berty,  and,  amongft  others.  Captain  Gierke 
regained  his  freedoni  towards  the  end  of  July,  and 
let  fail   in  the  D'j'cou.ry  from   Plymouth  on    the   ift 

of 


•'1 


(       1 


:h 


ii  II 


'  m 


h 


11 


I 


400 


VOYAGES    AND 


of  Auguft.  They  arrived  in  Table  Bay  on  the  totft 
of  November,  where  the  Refolution  had  been  alrea- 
dy three  weeks  before  them.  Cook  now  explored  the 
iflands  difcovered  by  Marion  and  Kerguelen,  went  to 
Van  Diemen's  Land,  Crom  thenge  to  New  Zealand^ 
and  lofing  the  advantage  of  the  wind,  was  obliged, 
ftead  of  going  ftrait  on  ^o   O'^iahiilUy  to  fail  fir<l 


m 


to  the  Fr,,ndly  Ijlands^  a  id  in  going  along,  difcover- 
ed a  few  more  iflands  nut  feen  before.  From  thenqe 
he  went  to  0-Taheite,  and  the  neighbouring  Soci- 
ety Iflands,  and  having  left  Qmai  there,  vvent  into 
the  South  Sea  J  in  order  to  explore  the  northern  he- 
mifpherc.  Here  hedcfcried,  not  far  from  the  Equa- 
tor, an  uninhabited  low  ifland,  abounding  with 
turtles,  which  he  thence  n^med  Turtle  If  and.  After 
this  he  went  tc  the  Trppic  of  Cancer,  in  the  vici- 
nity of  which  he  difcovered  a  group  of  iflands, 
where  the  inhabitants  received  him  with  great  kind- 
nefs,  and  where  he  procured  very  gopd  refrefliments 
fcM  his  c.x%w»  On  the  7th  of  March,  1778,  in  43 
deg.  10  min.  N,  Isc.  and  235  deg.  50  min.  E.  long, 
from  Qrfenwichy  they  difcovered  Cape  Blanco^  on  the 
comi  of  North-America;  On  the  30th,  with  a  view" 
to  I'jpair  their  ihips,  they  went  into  a  harbour 
which  they  pamed  King  Qeorge^s  Sound,  but  which  is 
now  gent^rfilly  called  Nonika  Sound,  and  which  is  i^ 
49  deg.  38  mia.  N.  lat.  and  233  deg.  12  min.  E. 
long.  froii>  Greenwich,  Capt.  C<fak,  having  taken  in 
water  and  refrcihmentf>,  and  got  new  maiis  for  his 
fliip,  fct  fail  again.  On  the  12th  of  May  both 
fliips  ran  into  an  inlet,  which  they  named  Sandzvich 
Sound,  now  called  Prime  JVilliam'^  Sound ;  it  was  fitu- 
ated  in  about  60  deg.  N.  Jat.  and  CAtcnded  far  into 
the  land.  Farther  to  the  weftward  he  found  another 
found,  and  a  confidcrable  river  that  emptied  itfelf 
into  it,  which  he  named  Turna^rain  River,  As  the 
coaft  began  to  tiend  to  the  louth-wefV,  ?.nd  they 
met  with  many  rocky  iflands  along  the  coart,  they  were 
ol^ligcd  to  take  every  precaution  poilible  to  avoid  be- 
ing (hipwrecked.  Once,  in  a  very  thick  fog,  the 
Refolution  'as  alarmed  v^'irh  .  a  gieat  noile;  they 
threw  out  tSe   had,  and   ininicdiately  uficv  anchored, 

as 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       401 

as  did  the  Difcovery  lilcewife  j  an(|  a  few  hours  after., 
^he  fog  clearing  up,  they  founa  themielve^  in  a  deep 
harbour, quite  Airrounded  with  rocics,  between  whicH 
they  had  pafled  in  the  darlc :  this  they  named  Provi^ 
dence  Bayi  and  found  that  it  was  in  the  ifland  of  Oona- 
lajhka^  an  ifland  difcovered  by  the^Ruflians,  and  Atu- 
ated  in  54  deg;  18  mjn.  N.  lat.  After  a  fhort  ftay^ 
Cook  purfued  his  courfe  along  the  .oaft  of  America, 
and  gave  names  to  many  points  of  land  and  bays, 
though  for  a  great  part  of  this  track  he  w^as  not  able 
to  get  npar  the  coaft,  on  account  of  the  fhallownefs 
of  the  fca.  The  halibuts  {Pieurone^ies  Hippogloffus) 
and  cod  (Gqdus  morrhua)  which  they  caught  in  iiich 
quantities,  that  ihey  not  only  vtrere  enabled  to  pro- 
vide an  agree^bl^  fre(h  food  for  the  whole  crew,  but 
could  alfo  fait  down'feveral  thoufand  pounds,  ferved 
conflderably  to  encreafe  their  ftoclc  of  provifions, 
which  began  to  dimini(h  very  faftj  and  viAbly  to  de- 
fray. At  length  Capt.  Cook  arrived  on  the  coafl  of 
Afia^  in  66  deg;  28  min.  N.  lat;  and  188  deg.  3 
min.  E.  long,  frorti  Greenwich,  and  then  flood  along 
this  coaft  into  the  flraits  not  far  from  thence,  which 
feparate  Ada  from  America.  Thefe  ftraits  on  the 
Afiatic  fide  are  inhabited  by  the  Tfchucktfchi,  who  very 
frequently  go  .over  to  the  American  coaft,  though 
they  are  likewise  often  at  war  with  the  inhabitants  of 
thofe  parts.  As  probably  the  North -Americaris, 
wheii  they  peopled  this  part  of  the  world,  crofled  the 
ilraits  before  the  Tfchuktfchi  did,  thefe  ftraits  diight 
to  be  called  after  them  \,  but  as  we  are  ignorant  of  the 
name  of  the  trilie  which  crolP*d  them  firft,  and  as 
hefides  the  Tfchuktfchi  ai-e  a  lavage  and  barbarous 
jiation,  thefe  ftraits  ihould  perhaps  be  named  after 
Semen  DeJ'chnew,  a  CofTack  Chief  (or  Kafatfchia  Go* 
Iowa)  who  in  1648  firft  went  out  of  the  Kolyma  with 
two  Siberian  Kotfchi  (a  kind  of  Ihip)  to  the  Anadyr 
and  the  Olutora,  and  confequently  was  the  firft  who 
fitiled  through  thefe  ftraits  :  or  perhaps  after  the 
C/coclxfift  Gwofdef,  who,  in  1730,  failed  between  65 
and  66  deg.  from  the  coaft  of  the  ITchuckfchi  to X 
foreign  coaft  oppofitc  to  it.  Neverthelefs  it  woula 
be   ftill  rr.orc  proper   to  make  this  ftrait   a  kind  of 

D  d  monumeiit 


i^-i 


,.< 


m 


402 


VOYAGES    AND 


monument  to  the  very  dcferving  and  truly  great  na- 
vigator Veit  Beringy  by  naming  it,  after  him  Bering*^ 
Straits,  And  here  agftin,  in  fpite  of  the  enmity  with 
v^hich  1  am  falfely  charged  againft  my  friend,  the 
immortal  Cooky  I  cannot  refrain  from  putting  in  my 
caveat  againft  the  naming  of  this  ftrait  after  him. 
His  name  will  never  be  forgotten  even  though  there 
were  not  already  a  ftrait  called  after  him  in  thie  fouth. 
He  knew  perfectly  well  what  was  moft  fuitable  for 
htmfelf.  The  ftraits  he  difcovered  in  New  Zealand 
he  named  after  himfelf,  Cook's  Straiti,  as  being  the 
fruits  ,of  his  own  refearches  and  perfeverance.  He 
was  never  ufed  to  reap  where  he  had  not  fown,  and 
confequently,  had  he  lived,  would  have  earneftly  de- 
clined this  honour  fo  very  officioufly  beftowed  on  him, 
which  moreover  belonged  to  a  deferving  predeceflTor 
of  his;  and  indeed  it  is  poffible  that  he  himfelf  had 
determined  to  give  the  name  of  Bering  to  thefeftraits. 
This  digreffion  I  owe  to  myfelf.  Had  certain  perfons 
been  fatisfied  with  iimply  aflerting,  that  they  confi- 
dcred  the  name  of  Cook's  Straits  as  preferrable  to  that 
of  Bering's  Straits,  by  me  propofed,  I  (hould,  on  my 
part,  have  contented  myfelf  with  adducing  the  rea- 
fons  for  my  conduct  in  this  place,  and  left  it  to  the 
public  to  judge  which  of  us  was  in  the  right.  But 
as  my  enemies  ftill  continue  warmly  to  inlift  that  it 
was  my  differences  with  Capt.  Ccok  which  determined 
my  choice  in  the  adoption  of  this  name,  I  could  not 
prevail  on  myfelf  to  pafs  this  matter  over  in  filence  ; 
and  ftill  lefs,  as  i  have  already  explained  myfelf  con- 
cerning it  many  years  ago,  and  nevertliclefs.  an  op- 
portunity feems  to  have  been  anxioufly  fought  for 
again  to  obtrude  this  falfehood  on  the  public. — But, 
to  return  to  our  fubjedt.  In  the  middle  of  the  ftraits 
afe  three  fniall  iflands.  Cook  ranged  along  the  coaft 
of  America  as  far  as  70  deg.  45  mln.  N.  lat.  and 
i*98  deg.  E.  long,  from  Greenwich,  when  he  found 
himfelf  entirely  furroundcd  by  the  ice,  and  prcvent- 
ct  from  either  proceeding  farther  on  to  the  north- 
■^ard,    or   even   follov;ing  the  courfe  of  the  coaft; 

for 


foM 
poin 
JceC 

of  tt 

iowii 

ftrait 

yond 

the  I 

fouth 

of  thi 

inPr 

noodha 

charg( 

Secret 

James 

theC( 

abundi 

Jatter 

254]  bs 

back  3] 

coverec 

explore 

found 

every 

tremel) 

paid  di 

after  he 

the  beg 

Refoiuti 

of  Owh 

from  th 

had  bee 

was  fto 

engaged 

confequ 

Terreeok 

*  Capt, 
It  will   be 
<-'a|)t.  Cook 
«8tiye  writt 


DISCOVERIES  ta  THE  NOHTH.       403 

fot  the  ice  clofed  almoft  evef y  where  on  a  low  defart 
point  of  land,  which  from  this  circumftance  he  called 
Ice  Cape.  After  failing  for  a  few  days  along  the  edge 
of  the  ice,  he  came  again  to  the  Aiiatic  Coaft,  fol- 
lowing the  courfe  of  which,  he  foon  got  into  the 
ilraits  again*  The  whole  fea  in  thefe  flraits,  and  be- 
yond them,  was  far  from  being  deep ;  neither  was 
the  land  in  that  part  very  high^  but  more  to  the 
fouthward  both  the  height  of  the  land  and  the  depth 
of  the  fea  increafed.  Cook  again  came  to  Oondlajhka^ 
in  Providence  Bay^  which  the  inhabitants  call  Samga- 
noodha ;  here  he  fpoke  with  fome  RuiHans^  whom  he 
charged  with  letters  for  England^  to  Mr.  Stephens^ 
Secretary  to  the  Board  of  Admiralty,  and  to  Sir 
'James  Harris^  at  that  time  the  Englifh  Ambaflador  at 
the  Court  of  Ruflia.  At  this  place  alfo  they  caught 
abundance  of  falmon  trout  and  halibuts^  of  which 
latter  kind  of  fiHi  they  caught  one  that  weighed 
254]bs.  Afterwards  he  made  the  beft  of  his  way 
back  again  to  the  Sandwich  IJIandt,  which  he  had  di(- 
covered  juft  before  his  arrival  on  this  coafl.  Having 
explored  thefe  iflands  for  the  fpace  of  fix  weeks,  he 
found  them  to  be  15  in  number*.  Here  they  got 
every  kind  of  refremmcnt  neceffary,  and  were  ex- 
tremely well  received  by  the  inhabitants,  who  almofl: 
paid  divine  honours  to  Capt.  Cook.  The  Captain, 
after  he  had  taken  in  refreshments,  fet  fail  again  in 
the  beginning  of  February  j  but  the  foremaft  of  the 
Refolution  having  given  way,  he  returned  to  the  ifland 
of  Owhyhee.  But  the  reception  they  now  met  with, 
from  the  inhabitants  was  quite  different  from  what  it 
had  been  before.  At  length  the  Difcovery's  cutter 
was  ftolen,  which  in  fuch  a  voyage  as  that  they  were 
engaged  in,  they  coild  not  well  do  without.  In 
confequence  of  this,  Capt.  Cook  went  to  King 
T^erreeohoGy   in  order  to  perfuade  him  to  go  on   board 

♦  Capt.  Cook  himfelf,  however,  leaves  this  number  undetermined. 
It  will  be  fiifficiently  obvious  to  pvery  reader  that  the  above  account  of* 
Capt.  Cook's  third  voyage  wa«  written  before  the  publication  ot  the  nar- 
tativc  written  by  hini(t:lt°  aad  Capt.  King. 

W  d  a   .  his 


Wi  1 


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404 


VOYAGES    ANI> 


his  fiiip,  intending  to  keep  hi.n  there  till   the  cuttef 
fliould  be  reftored.     But  the  King  being  rather  averfir 
to  go,  and  moreover  one  of  their  Chiefs  having  been 
fhot  by  fome  of  the  people  that  had  been  fent  out  in 
the  other  boats,  they  began  to  pelt  Capt.  Cook  with 
ftones,  who  endeavuureo  to  revenge  the  infult,  but 
killed  the  wrong  man<     He  now  faw  his  danger,  and 
began   to  haflen   towards  the  boats ;  but  one  of  tha 
Chiefs  ftabbed  him  from  behind  between  the  (boulders 
with  a  large  iron  dagger,  of  which  Cott    himfelf  had 
made  him  a  prefent.     Cook  had,  howevet,  Hill  ftrength 
enough  left   to  pufh  forward,   but  was  beat  to  the 
ground  with  ftones  and  tomahawks,  and  at  laft  kill- 
ed.    Thus  fell  this  truly  glorious  and  juftiy->admired 
navigator. — If  weconfider  his  extreme  abilities,  both 
natural  and  acquire'^^  the  firmnefs  and  conftancy  of 
his   mind,  his   trul;  paternal  care  for  the  crew  en- 
trufted   to  him,  the  amiable  manner  with  which  he 
knew  how  to  gain   the  friendfliip  of  all  the   favage 
and  uncultivated  nations,  and  even  his  conduct  to-* 
Wards    his   friends  and    acquaintance^    we  muft  ac<« 
knowledge  him  to  have  been  one  of  the  greateft  men 
of  his  age,  and  that  Reafon  juftifies  the  tear  which 
Friendmip  pays  to  his  memory.     He  was  not   free 
from  faults,  but  thefe  were  more  than  counterbalance 
ed   by  his  fuperior  qualities  ;  and  it  is  very  unfortu- 
nate that  on  this   laft  voyage  he  ftiould  have  had  no 
friend  with  him,  who  by  his  wifdom  and  prudence 
might  have  with-held  and  prevented  him  from  giving 
vent  to   his  paflions,  which  in  fadl  became  fo  detri- 
mental to    himfelf,    as  to   occafion  his  deftru6tion* 
The  young  men  that  were  with  him  muft  have  been 
In  fome  meafure  undifciplined  and   diforderly,  other- 
wife  he  would  not  have  loft  his  life.     For  the  young 
c  fficers   in  the  boats  having  fired  perhaps  unnecefla- 
rily  and  prematurely,  and  thereby  killed  one  of  the 
Er'ies  (or  Chiefs)   of  thefe  people,  the  death  of  this 
man  flirred  up  in  them  the  fpirit  of  revenge  which 
they  vented  on  Cookm  preference  to  another,  imagin- 
ing   tl'«?y  had  performed  a   very  great  aftion  when 
they  killed  him.— Capt.  Gierke  now  became  the  firft  in 
command,  and  Lieut.  Gore  fecond.     Their  firft  care 

was 


DISCOVERIES  IK  THE  NORTH.      405 

JWas  for  the  fecurity  of  fuch  of  their  people  as  were 
at  the  obfervatory,  as  well  as  of  thofc  who  were  bufi- 
ed  in  repairing  the  maft,  and  others  that  were  filling 
the  water-caflcs.  Being  prevented  from  filling  their 
calks  by  the  throwing  of  ftones  and  other  a6ls  of 
vic'ence,  they  took  vengeance  on  the  natives  for  thefe 
outrages,  and  at  the  fame  time  for  the  death  of  their 
great  Commander;  and,  having  provided  themfelves 
with  every  necefTary,  as  alfo  taken  in  more  frefh  pro- 
vifions  at  the  other  iflands,  they  failed  at  firf^  for 
fome  time  wefhvard,  and  then  flrait  to  Kamtfchatka^ 
where,  on  the  30th  of  April,  they  entered  the  harbour 
of  Awctjka^  or  St.  Peter  and  Paul^  the  Refolution  be- 
ing arrived  there  fome  days  before.  Here  they  got 
refrefhmcnts  and  ftores  of  every  kind,  and  got  under 
fail  agam  on  the  12th  of  June,  but  could  not  get 
out  of  the  bay  on  account  of  the  wind  being  con- 
trary. On  the  1 5th  they  were  furprized  by  the  erup- 
tion of  a  volcano  at  the  diftance  of  about  8  leagues 
W.  S.  W.  from  them,  but  which  neverthelefs  filled 
the  whole  atmofphere  with  afhes,  that  lay  about  an 
inch  thick  on  their  decks,  and,  after  a  dreadful  uoife, 
there  fell  a  fhower  of  pumice'-floncs,  of  the  fjze  of 
hazel  nuts.  In  the  evening  they  had  thunder  and 
lightning,  and  the  next  day  they  proceeded  on  their 
voyage,  ^n  their  courfe  they  were  never  far  from 
the  Ihore;  and  they  frequently  faw  drift-wood  and 
whales.  They  failed  again  through  Bering's  Straits, 
and  fell  in  with  the  ice  on  the  American  fide  of  them, 
beyond  the  70th  degree.  It  was  folid  and  extended  in 
large  fields  in  a  Ihallow  fea,  which  was  from  25  to 
27  fathoms  deep.  Tqey  again  faw  a  great  number 
of  fea-horfes,  fome  of  which  they  killed,  and  to  the 
eaftward  faw  feveral  white  bears  running  on  the  ice. 
They  faw  alfo  fome  albatrofl'es,  and  the  ivory  giiil 
(Larus  eburnem)  which  Capt.  Phipps  had  alfo  obferv- 
ed  near  Spitfbergen,  as  alfo  the  grey  phalarope  [Tritr- 
ga  lobata).  They  now  went  to  the  coaft  of  Afia,  and 
followed  the  courfe  of  it  up  to  the  ftraits,  where  they 
faw  the  iflands  that  lie  in  them ;  and  the  weather 
jgrowing  clear,  they  defcricid  alfo  the  fhores  of  both 

ContinentSy 


& 

M 


4o6 


VOYAGES    AND 


Continents,  which  are  only  at  about  28  leagues  afunder* 
Their  (hips  being  very  leaky,  and  many  of  the  crevt 
on  board  both  of  them  fickly,  they  refolved  once 
more  to  run  into  the  harbour  of  St.  Peter  and  Paul, 
in  Komtfchatka.  Juft  in  ftght  of  this  harbour  died 
Captain. C/^r^^,  in  the  38th  year  of  his  age.  He  was 
9  man  of  great  abilities^  Having  been,  bred  up  in  the 
naval  academy  at  Portfrnouthj  he  was  a  miofliipman 
in  the  war  which  began  ip  1756  ;  and  being  in  an  en- 
gagement Rationed  in  the  mizen-top,  the  maft  was  fhot 
^way,  and  he  fell  overboard  j  the  failors  were  drown- 
ed, and  he  was  the  only  one  who  efcaped,  having  * 
faved  himfelf  by  the  rigging  and  the  fides  of  the 
fhip.  His  firft  voyage  round  the  world,  he  made 
with  Commodore  Byroti^  from  the  year  1764  to  1766  i 
the  fecond  he  made  with  Lieut-  Cook,  as  mailer's 
mate,  from  1768  to  1771.  In  his  third  voyage  he 
\vent  out  as  ftcond  Lieutenant  with  Cooi,  from  the 
year  1772  to  1775;  and  this  laft  voyage  he  made  in 
the  capacity  or  Captain.  In  his  fecond  voyage  he 
calculated  the  tables  for  the  Ephemerides  for  two 
years  ;  he  was  alfo  a  v^ry  experienced  and  intrepid  fea 
officer,  of  a  fprightly  difpofition,  almoft  bordering  on 
levity,  but  blended  with  much  benevolence  and  magr. 
nanimity.  His  Juvenile  extravagapcies  had  enervated 
him  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  at  length,  in  thofe  cold 
|-egions,  he  funk:  under  manifold  -  attacks  of  mifery. 
Mr.  Gore  now  took  the  command  of  the  Refolution, 
and  ftationed  Mr.  KtKg  as  Captain  on  bo&rd  the  Dif- 
fovery.  They  topk  care  of  the  fiqk  on  ftiore,  repaired 
the  Ihips,  and,  having  well  refrelhed  themfelves,  fet 
fail  again  on  the  gth  of  0«?i;ober,  1779,  and  following 
the  cburfe  of  thp  coaft,  paifed  by  the  Kurile  Iflands, 
defcried  Japan  j  after  which  they  failed  through  a  con- 
fiderable  quantity  of  pumice-ftone,  and  indeed  between 
25  dcg.  56  min.  and  23  deg.  56  min,  faw  a  volcano, 
which  to  all  appearance  had  thrown-  out  thefe  pumice 
ilones.  On  the  ift  of  Dec.  they  arrived  at  Macao, 
where  they  procured  fome  prefent  refrelhments,  anq 
alfo  took  fome  on  board  for  their  future  occafions,  and 
^cn  ftt  i  il  iigain  on  the  13th  of  January,  1780,  On 
.  '  '  tl^e 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       407 

the  1 2th  of  April  they  reached  Simon^s  Bay  at  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope.  On  the  9th  of  May,  proceed- 
ing on  their  voyage,  they  arrived  on  the  22d  of  Ay- 
guft  at  the  Orkneys,  and  at  length,  on  the  4th  of  Odo- 
ber,  at  the  Nore,  after  an  ablence  of  four  years,  two 
months,,  and  twenty-two  days. 

XXXVni.  At  the  fame  time  that  this  voyage  was 
undertaken  for  the  difcovery  of  a  paflage  to  the  north- 
ward between  Afia  and  America,  the  Board  of  Admi- 
ralty fent  Lieut.  Richard  Pickerfgtll  in  the  brig  Lion, 
to  Davis's  Straits,  in  order  to  try  alfo  on  that  fide 
how  far  it  might  be  poflible  to  difcover  a  paflage  there. 
But  on  this  occaficn  the  Admiralty  committed  more 
than  one  fault  in  the  choice  of  their  meafures.  Lieut. 
Picker/gill  had  made  the  voyage  round  the  world  in 
the  capacity  of  midfhipman  under  Capt.  IVallis,  from 
1766  to  1768  ;  afterwards  he  had  been  twice  round 
the  world  with  Cook,  from  1769  to  177 1,  and  1772 
to  1775;  The  firft  time  as  mafter's  mate,  and- the 
fecond  time  as  Lieutenant  He  was  well  fkilled  in  his 
profefTion,'  and,  like  Cook,  Gierke,  and  many  other  of^ 
iicers  of  the  Britilh  navy,  was  capable  of  making 
aftronomical  obfervations,  and  could,  befidcs,  lay 
down  charts  with  great  accuracy  and  exaftnefs  \  but 
on  two  or  three  different  occafions,  when  Cook,  hurried 
away  by  his  paflion,  had  treated  the  Lieutenants  and 
Midfhipmen  rather  too  harflily,  and  in  a  manner 
hardly  fit  for  a  gentleman  to  bear  with,  he  had  hap- 
pened to  exprefs  his  opinion  on  the  impropriety  of 
fuch  treatment*  This,  together  with  Picker j'giWs  be-^ 
ing  too  fond  of  ftrong  liquors,  feems  to  be  the  rcafon 
of  his  never  having  been  promoted,  like  his  two  firfl 
Lieutenants,  to  the  poll  of  Captain  of  the  third  rank, 
or  Majler  and  Commander,  This  foured  PickerJgiW^ 
temper,  and  rendered  him  lefs  zealous  and  attentive  to 
the  fervice,  and  induced  him  to  feek  oftener  than  ever 
to  drown  his  cares  in  the  bottle.  The  fliip  entrufted  to 
his  command  had  already  been  ufed  by  the  Admiralty  for 
feveral  years  for  furveying  the  coafts  of  Newfoundland 
and  Labrador,  The  name  of  the  pcrfon  to  whom  this 
•"  bufinefs 


,1 


4o8 


VOYAGES    AND 


bufinefs  was  committed  was  Michael  Lam  \  this  office 
having  been  given  him,  when  C«oi,  who  till  then  had 
been  employed  to  explore  and  make  drawings  of  the 
coafts  of  Newfoundland,  was  fent  to  the  South  Sea. 
This  Lane  had  confequently  for  many  years  the  chief 
command  of  the  Lion^  and  was  now  as  mailer  in  the 
feme  ihip,  fubordinate  to  Lieut.  Pickerfgill.  This 
muft  naturally  hurt  l,ane\  two  fuch  diflatisned  and  fret- 
ful fhipmates  mufl  neceiTarily  be  torments  and  burthens 
to  themfelves ;  and  the  fuperior  officer  being  withal  of 
an  open  difpofition,  was  v^ry  much  expofed  to  his  fulU 
as-much  difi'atisHed  but  more  clofe  and  circumfpeA 
fubaltern.  Lane.  DifTenfions  happened  frequently; 
Pickerfgill  made  the  other  fenfible  that  he  was  his 
Commander.  Lane  fubmitted  in  filence,  but  cplle£led 
together  a  number  of  trifling  circumftances,  which  af- 
terwards when  he  made  his  complaints,  fubje£led  Pick- 
erfgill to  a  trial.  The  next  year  the  command  was 
taken  from  the  latter  and  given  to  Lane.  At  length 
Pickerfgill  was  entirely  negle<Sted  by  the  Admiralty :  in 
confequence  of  which  he  accepted  the  command  of  a 
privateer,  and  once,  going  on  board  his  (hip  late  in  the 
evening,  his  foot  flipt,  and  falling  into  the  Thames,  he 
was  drowned.  On  the  loth  of  June,  1776,  Pickerfgill 
pafled  by  the  Scilly  IJlands,  On  the  29th  of  June,  with 
320  and  290  fathoms  line,  he  found  a  fandy  bottom  in 
56  deg.  28  min.  N.  lat.  and  17  deg.  44  min.  W.  of 
Greenwich,  which  induced  him  to  c;all  that  fpot  the 
Lion*s  Bank,  and  particqlarly  fo,  as  he  found  there, 
what  is  ufually  feen  on  all  \)aiiks  at  Tea,  a  vaft  quan- 
tity of  fea-fowl,  fuch  as  gulls,  dun  divers,  &c.  &c. 
Soon  after  this,  he  could  no  longer  get  any  foundings, 
nor  were  there  any  more  fowls  to  be  feen.  On  the  7  th 
6f  July  he  was  otf  Cape  Farewell,  and  on  the  1 2th,  ofF 
Cape  Defolaiion.  he  now  ranged  ajpng  the  coaft  of 
Greenland.  On  the  17th  he  entered  an  iiilet,  which  he 
named  Mufkito  Cove,  fituated  in  64  deg.  57  min.  N. 
lat.  and  52  deg.  565  min.  W.  long,  from  Greenwich. 
In  59  deg.  90  min.  W.  long,  and  65  deg.  38  min.  N. 
Lit.  he  found  himfelf  near  a  very  large  field  of  ice,  and 

behind 


DISCOVERIES  iM  THE  NORTH.      409 

jbehind  it  faw  fomething  that  had  the  appearance  of 
land.  On  the  4th  of  Auguil,  at  midnight,  he  was  in 
68  deg.  14  min.  N.  lat.  and  58  deg.  50  min.  W. 
long,  and  faw  every  where  great  quantities  of  ice, 
which  made  him  by  degrees  tack  about  and  (land  to 
the  fouthward.  On  the  i8th  he  faw  land  appearing 
liice  iflands,  in  65  deg.  3  min.  N.  lat.  and  54  deg. 
2  min.  W.  long,  and  they  caught  a  confiderablc 
quantity  of  halibuts.  After  this  he  went  to  the  coafl 
of  Labrador,  from  whence  he  fet  fail  on  the  26th  of 
September,  and  at  lad  arrived  fafe  in  England. 

XXXI X.  Pickerfgill  having,  in  confequence  of  his 
difpute  with  Lane^  loft  the  command  of  the  Lion^ 
Lord  Sandwich  was  pleafed  to  give  it  to  the  latter  *, 
who  in  1777,  was  fent  out  on  the  fame  difcovery, 
and  came  back  without  having  difcovered,  as  far  as  I 
know,  a  paflage  or  any  thing  like  itf.  The  hiftory 
of  thefe  voyages  being  on  the  eve  of  being  publifliea 
under  the  infpetSlion  of  the  Board  of  Admiralty,  we 
ihall  probably  obtain  more  particular  information  con- 
cerning the  expeditions  of  Pickerfgill  ^nd  Lane,  The 
obje^  of  Government  in  thefe  two  expeditions  was, 
that  if  by  good  fortune  a  paflage  fhould  be  difcovered 
on  one  fide,  (he  two  expeditions  might  poilibly  meet, 
^nd  co-operate  with  each  other. 

Although  the  Englifli  have  for  thefe  laft  200  years 
expended  confiderable  fums  upon  thefe  difco/cries, 
they  have  nevcrthelefs  not  been  fortunate  in  their  un- 
.^ertakings.  To  the  Britifh  nation  this  paiTage,  in 
cafe  it  be  pofliblc  to  bring  it  about,  would  be  of  infi- 
jiite  advantage,  and  would  be  alone  fufficient,  provid- 
ed they  could  keep  it  entirely  to  themfelves,  to  extend 
their  trade  far  beyond  that  of  all  Europe  bcfides. 


,,3'i!l 


•  We  know  from  better  authorityi  that  it  was  given  to  Capt.  Tounf. 
Vide  Introduftion  to  Cook's  laft  Voyage. 

"f"  This  again  is  a  miftake  ;  for  we  a:e  affurcd  that  "  PickerJgiU  wt« 
not  ta  attempt  tken  ihe  difcoveiy  of  the  paflage,  being  diredlcd  oaly  t» 
f xplore  tl>«  coads  of  Bifiia'ti  Bay.     IbiJ. 


CHAP. 


410 


VOYAGES     AND 


CHAP.       II. 

Of  the  Difcoveries  made  in  the  North  by  the  Dutch, 


PHILIP  II.  of  Spain,  having  cruelly  oppreffed 
his  fubjecls  in  the  Netherlands,  with  rcfpedt  to 
their  religious  and  civil  liberties,  thefe  poor  oppreffed 
pcoph",  who  had  no  other  choice  left  but  death  or 
flavcry,  were  infpircd  with  the  refoVution  of  defend- 
ing their  rights  and  liberties,  which  in  this  cafe  were 
the  rights  of  mankind  in  general,  to  the  utmoft  of 
their  power.  At  the  fame  time  they  faw  very  plainly 
that  the  fureft  means  of  refifting  the  power  of  Spain, 
which  was  at  that  time  fo  formidable  and  extenfive, 
and  likewifc  of  procuring  themfelves  the  means  and 
force  requifite  for  fo  very  cxpcnfive  an  oppofition, 
would  be  to  difcover  a  way  to  the  Indies,  where  they 
might  not  only  have  it  in  their  power  to  attack  their 
enemies,  but  likewifc  to  enrich  themfelves.  The 
\»fual  way  to  the  indies  round  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  was  on  the  one  hand  very  long,  and  on  the 
other,  the  Spanilh  and  Portuguefe,  both  of  whom 
were  at  that  time  fubjeil  to  the  fame  mafter,  had  got 
poffcflion  of  all  the  places  in  which  it  was  poflible  to 
lind  refrefhments  and  water,  or  where,  in  cafe  of 
need,  there  was  a  good  harbour.  Confequently  there 
were  no  other  means  left  to  go  to  the  Indies,  accord- 
ing to  the  way  of  thinking  of  thofe  times,  than  to 
dilcovtr  a  new  route  that  would  lead  thither.  Now 
the  Englifh  having  already  made  many  attempts  fince 
the  year  1553  to  find  a  pauage  by  the  north  toKathay 
and  India,  it  was  natural  for  the  Dutch,  too,  confi- 
dering  the  zeal,  adtivity,  and  courage  they  were  at 
that  time  poifefTed  of,  10  think  at  an  early  period  of 
Cocking  for  this  pafTi^ge.  So  that  int?reft  and  the  pow- 
erful 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      411 

trful  motive  of  revenge  were  the  principal  induce- 
ments with  thofe  merchants  of  the  United  Provinces, 
who  Arft  fet  on  foot  thefe  voyages  of  difcovery  ;  and 
though  none  of  the  voyages  were  fuccefsful,  as  the 
Dutch' foon  after  went  to  the  Indies  by  the  way  of 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  acquired  advantages 
there  far  beyond  their  expectations,  yet  it  cannot  be 
denied,  that  the  Dutch  have  in  former  times  contri- 
buted, next  to  the  Englifh,  more  than  any  other  na- 
tion, to  the  knowledge  of  the  different  countries  and 
nations  of  the  north. 

^  I.  Balthazar  Moucheron^  a  merchant  of  Middlcburg, 
in  Zealand,  propofed,  that  a  new  paflage  fhould  be 
attempted  to  Kathay  and  Japan  by  the  north.  So  early 
as  in  1593  ^^^^  merchants  formed  an  aflbciation  for 
the  purpcfe  of  fitting  out  a  fhip  from  Zealand,  I'e 
this  afTociation  acceded  fome  more  merchants  from 
^nkhuyzen  and  Amjlerdam^  who  all  together,  with  the 
concurrence  of  their  High  Mightinefles  the  State* 
general,  and  of  Maurice,  Prince  of  Orange  and 
NafTau,  as  High  Admiral,  fitted  out  three  fhips.  The 
yt^tX  fent  from  Zealand  was  called  the  Swan^  that 
from  Enkhuyzcn  the  Mercury,  and  that  from  Amfter- 
dam  the  Boetf  or  Mejfenger.  The  command  of  the 
firfl  was  given  to  Cornells  Cornelijfon  Nay,  who  likcwife 
was  appointed  Admiral  on  this  expedition  ;  Brand 
Xfbrands,  or  Titgales,  was  Captain  of  the  Enkhuyzen 
veflel  ;  and  JVilhelm  Barentz,  of  Schelling,  was  Captain 
of  the  Ihip  from  Amfterdam.  This  laft  is  defcribed 
as  being  a  very  fenfible  and  acSlive  man,  who  had  a 
perfect  knowledge  of  navigation,  Gerard  (Gerrit) 
de  Veere  wrote  the  hiflory  of  Bareniz's  voyage,  and 
jfohn  Hugh  van  Linfchoten  gave  the  relation  of  the  ad- 
ventures of  the  Zealand  and  Enkhuyzen  fhips.  Ba~ 
rentz  had,  befides  his  own  vefTel,  a  fifhing  yacht  with 
him  from  SchelUng,  which  was  to  accompany  him,  in 
cafe  he  fliould  part  from  the  other  fhips.  On  the 
5th  of  June,  1594,  thefe  fhips,  the  Amflerdammer 
excepted,  fet  fail  together.  On  the  23d  of  June  they 
arrived  at  Kilduyn,  in  Einmark,  or  the  Ruflian  Lap- 
iapd,     jBy  the  2gth  ^(irp^tz  had  got  m?dw  fail,  and  it 

wai» 


\i< 


»'i 


I 


41* 


VOYAGES     AM» 


was  acreed  that  they  (houU  meet  again  at  KlUuyn,  lit 
cafe  tney  did  not  fee  each  other  near  fVaigatz.  At 
Kilduyn  there  is  a  good  cod-fifhpry.  The  other  (hip* 
fct  fail  on  the  2d  of  July.  On  the  4th  they  were  26 
leagues  from  KolgoWt  where  there  w*8  a  great  quan- 
tity of  ice  and  of  feals,  J\\\  over  th'*  part  of  the  fea 
they  had  50,  60,  and  65  fathoms  depth  of  water. 
On  the  14th  of  July  they  chaped  a  young  whale  un^ 
%\\  they  |iad  driven  it  on  (nore.  The  length  q(  it  was 
34  feci,  the  t^il  8  feet  broad,  and  it  had  268  rays  ia 
the  bread  fins.  The  weather  was  as  warm  ^s  it  ufur 
^Uy  is  in  Holland  in  the  dog-days  \  and  they  were 
much  tormented  by  the  gnats,  j^rom  Swatoinofs  to 
the  Petfchora  the  water  of  the  fe^  is  thick  and  muddy, 
and  but  Uttle  fait,  on  account  of  the  great  quantity 
of  melted  fnow  which  it  contains.  They  »pct  witki 
drift-wood  jp  abundance.  On  the  coaft  of  the  iiland 
of  Waijats  there  are  great  heaps  of  wood>  ^nd  large 
trees,  and  fome  even  with  their  roots  on,  lying  one 
upon  the  other,  is  if  they  had  been  piled  up  on  pur- 
pofe.  Seeing  no  trees  grow  here,  they  conclMdecl 
that  this  large  colledion  of  them  piuft  have  conriC 
from  the  continent.  They  obferved  that  the  face  of 
the  country  was  covered  with  a  fine  verdure,  and 
cmbelliHied  with  alj  forts  of  herbs,  flowers,  anct 
abundance  of  leeks.  The  weather  wzs  hot,  and  the 
gnats  very  troublefome.  They  had  puffed  betweeri 
flic  ifland  of  IVaijats  and  the  fo^thc^n  iilapd,  an4 
now  fought  for  a  pafTage  ^Ifo  to  the  fouthward  of  the 
ifland.  They  found  a  land,  which  they  took  for  an 
ifland,  and  0|i  it  upwards  of  ^  or  400  Idols :  fome 
Were  male,  others  female,  others  reprefented  chiU 
dren,  on  others  again  appeared  from  fqur  to  eight 
faces,  both  male  and  fcrpale.  Thefe  Idols  all  flood 
with  their  faces  towards  the  eafl,  and  at  (heir  feet  lay 
a  great  quantity  of  the  horns  of  reindeer,  Some  of 
thefe  Idols  were  old  and  quite  rptten  ;  others  had  been 
newly  carved,  whence  it  appears  probable  to  me  that 
the  Samojedes,  who  ufed  to  rove  about  thef?  parts, 
had  carved  the  images  above-mentioned,  in  remem- 
brance of  their  parents,  wiyes,  and  children,  but  not 
wi^h  any  intent  to  worfh'p  them  as  Idols.  The  na- 
tions 


DISCOVERIES  iH  tHE  NORTH.       413 

lions  in  the  South  Sea  we  found  had  on  the  fepulchral 
monuments  of  their  princes  the  fame  kind  of  carved 
images  of  both  fexes,    in   memory  of   the   deceafed, 
which  they  called  Tilhi\  or  Stu/s  i  and  alfo  ufcd  to  fet 
vicStuals    before    them.     The    Dutch   thought   thefe 
images  were  Idols,  and  thence  named  the  promontory 
on  which  they  found  them,  jlfgoden-hoek,  or  the  Cape 
•f  Idols*     fiut  the  RufHans  do  not  feem  to  have  con- 
sidered them  in  fo  ferious  a  light;  for  the  appellation 
of  JVaijati-nefs^  the   Promontory  of  Images^  or  Carved 
Promontory^    plainly  thews,    that    they   did  not  take 
them  for  Idols  :  and  upon  the  whole,  a  period  of  more 
than  228  years  having  elapfed   fince  the  Ruflians  firft 
faw  thefe  images,  (viz.  in  1556)  and  named  the  pro- 
montory after  them,  may  eafily  have  caufed  fome  al- 
teration in  the  manners  of  thefe  people.     At  prefent 
they  have  one  fupreme-  God,  who  is  good,  and   one 
fubaltern  bad  one.     ThcKoedefnichy  or  Tadtbes^  a  kind 
of  Priefts  or  favourites  of  the  evil  fpirit,  advife  them, 
to  carry  about  %hem  a  certain  kind  of  fmall  idols,  of 
which,  however,  they   otherwife   take  but  little  i)o- 
tice.     Perhups  the  RufTians,  who  firft  difcovered   the 
Samojedes,  may  have  (hewn  their  diflike  of  thefe  fup- 
pofed  Idols,  and  may  even  have  exprefled  this  diflike 
very  emphatically  ;  for  religious  zeal  is  fometimes  apt 
to  break  out  into  threats,   and  even  violence :    and 
hence  the  Koefdeniks  may  have  advifed  them  no  longer 
to  have  fuch  large  images,  to  avoid  giving  offence  to 
the  Ruflians  \  but  rather  fmall  ones,  which  they  might 
carry  about  them,  and  which  confequently  not  being 
To  eafily  (etn  by  the  Ruffians,  they   would  not  be  fo 
liable  to  incur  their  difpleafure.     Thus   far  is  cer- 
tain, that  when    Rurrough  explored   Nova  Zembla   in 
1556,  'le  then  heard  the  name  of  lyaijaty  or  IVaigatZy 
from  L,o}bak.y  who  v/as   a  native  of  Ruflia ;    confe- 
quently the  Dutch  were  not  the  firft  who  difcovered 
it  *»     1  he  ice  here  gave  the  Dutch  not  a  little  trou- 
ble. 


H'at. 


\-    I 


•  The  real  tFaa'-gnt  Strait,  which  Is  alfo  ctlled  HinUpen^  U  near 
fipiubergen,  and  is  ruuatcd  Lei  ween  the  real  Spitzbeigen  and  ihe  ea(^em 
p»rt  gf  ic  (which  is  ill'o  6«Ji<tU  AWo  FricJIaad,  an  J  SudffltrlanJ)  and  tiie 


:ili 


4H 


VOYAGES    AMD 


ble.  The  Dutch  landed  on  the  fouthern  fliore  of  the 
ftrait,  but  had  nearly  be?rt  cut  off  by  fome  favages. 
Afterwards  they  converfed  again  with  fome  other 
Samojedes,  who,  however,  undcrftood  the  Ruflian 
tongue.  The  fea  beyond  the  llrait  was  in  quality, 
colour,  and  tafte,  like  the  ocean «  They  fniled  along 
the  coaft  of  Nova  Zemhla,  and  faw  neither  inlet  nor* 
harbour.  The  great  quantity  of  ice  here  obliged 
them  to  turn  back  j  but  when  it  was  fomewhat  dif- 
perfed,  they  failed  on  again^  and  by  the  time  that 
they  had  got  to  the  diftance  of  40  leagues  from  ff^ai- 
gatz,  they  met  with  a  deep  blue  fea  and  but  little  ice: 
they  alfo  faw  the  coaft,  beyond  a  certain  point  trend- 
ing more  towards  the  fouth-eaft,  and  confequently 
towards  China.  Having  difcovered  this,  they  failed 
back  in  order  to  be  the  firft  to  carry  this  good  news  to 
Holland.  They  failed  again  through  Waigatz^  which 
they  named  Naffau  Strait,  and  to  an  ifland  tliat  lay 
juft  before  Watgatz  they  gave  the  name  of  Staatert 
IJland,  Dolgoi'Ojirof  they  called  Mauritius  \  to  a 
final  1  ifland  near  it  they  gave  the  name  of  Orangi 
IJland,  and  to  the  continent  that  of  Ntw  TValcheren, 
'i'hey  then  crofled  over  the  gulph  which  leads  to  the 
White  Sea,  pafled  by  Kilduyn,  and  ran  into  ff^ardhuysy 
from  whence  they  finally  made  the  beft  of  their  way 
to  Holland,  and  the  Admiral  turning  off  towards  Zea- 
land, they  ran  into  the  Tetcei^  and  arrived  on  the  26th 
of  September  at  Enkkuyzen* 

Barentz,  who  had  taken  quite  a  different  courfe, 
arrived  off  the  coaft  of  Ntnia  Zemhla  on  the  4th  of 
July,  near  a  point  of  land  to  which  they  gave  the 
name  of  Langenefs,  and  which  i?  fomewhat  to  the 
weltward  of  that  body  of  water,  which  divides  the 
whole  ifland  of  Nova  Zembla.  They  ranged  along  the 
coaft,  and  gave  to  a  bay  there  the  name  of  Loms  Bay^ 
from-  the  great  quantity  of  birdf;  ihey  faw  there  of  this 

ifiind  called  the  NcrJq/lerland.  This  njme  hns,  in  {i&,  been  gi\'en  t» 
the  flrait  by  Spitzbergen,  on  account  of  the  violence  wiih  which  the 
louth  wind  blows  there  ;  for  viaaien,  means  to  blow  violently,  and  gtitt 
me  118  a  (Irait,  gap,  or  hole  ;  conrequent4v  it  might  be  tranllaied,  tvinJ* 
fielt.    But  the  Rufiiao  JVaijat  ha<>  anotWr  origin.    Vide  Nute  to  pag« 

name^ 


name 
blefi 
nefts 
fecur 


DISCOVERIKS  IN  THE  NORTH.       415 

»amc.  The  bodies  ol  thefe  birds  are  of  a  confidera- 
ble  fize,  and  their  wirgs  very  fmall  :  they  build  their 
nefts  on  very  high  aii.'',  fteep  mountains,  in  order  to 
fecure  themfelves  agz.nft  the  wild  beafts  ;  and  lay  but 
one  egg,  which  you  may  take  from  them,  without 
the  parent's  offering  to  fly  away.  Then  they  came 
to  an  ifland,  which  they  named  the  Admiralty  IJland. 
In  75  deg.  20  min.  N.  lat.  there  was  a  promontory 
which  they  called  Zwartenhoek  (Black  Point)  and  in 
75  *^^S*  55  "^'"*  ^^^  IFilliam's  Ifland.  Here  they 
found  drift-wood  and  fea-horfes  in  abundance.  The 
harbour  beyond  William's  Ifland,  where  they  killed  a 
white  bear,  was  named  Berenfort.  On  a  certain  jfland 
they  found  tvo  large  croffes,  a  circumftance  which 
occafioned  them  to  name  it  Crcfs  ijland,  A  point  of 
land  in  76  deg.  30  min.  they  nam.ed  Cape  Najfau, 
From  thence  they  went  or.  to  Troojlhoek  (Comfort 
Point)  and  Ypjoek  (Icy  Point)  and  to  the  Orangi 
I/lands.  Here  turning  back  again,  they  failed  paft  all 
the  jefore- named  places,  till  they  came  to  an  ifland 
lying  beyond  Langenefs  to  the  fouth-wefl,  to  which, 
on  account  of  its  colour,  they  gave  the  name  of  the 
Black  IJland,  From  hence  Barentz  proceeded  to  an 
inletj  which  he  fuppofed  to  be  the  fame  place  at  which 
Oliver  Bennel  had  been  before,  and  to  which  he  had 
given  the  name  of  Conjiant  Search*,  On  a  promon- 
tory fomewhat  farther  on,  they  faw  z,  crofs,  and  thence 
named  it  Crary^ij^if  (Crofs  Point).  Then  became  to 
an  inlet  named  St.  Laurenzhotky  and  3  miles  farther  to 
another  naned  Schanjhoek  (Sconce,  or  Fort  Point). 
Proceeding  flill  farther,    they  difcover«d  a  fine  fafe 


*  It  is  evident  that  the  navigators  meniioned  hert,  who  had  been  la 
Koia  Zembla  previous  to  ScfVB/z'ii  arrival  theie.  w«re  Eng lidimen  ; 
for  the  name  Oliver  Bennel  is  cnlirt  ly  Englilli,  and  the  name  of  the  in- 
let, which  liareniz  call?  Ccnflint  •^^trh,  can  hardiy  be  fuppofed  to  have 
bten  any  oih(.r  han  Conjiant  Search;  but  in  which  of  the  known  voyages 
of  the  Knj^iilh  into  theie  parts,  this  pLce  was  thus  named,  or  whether 
Oliver  Bennel  ma  :e  a  vi.ynge  for  the  folc  purpofe  of  making  difcoveries, 
or  was  cafl  away  here  in  his  way  to  ether  regions,  cannot  eafily  be  deter- 
luinrd  fu(  want  of  jirt.pcr  iufurniiition  oo  this  fubje6t. 

harbour, 


t 


4t^ 


VOYAGES    AUa 


harbour,  where  thejr  found  fome  meal  or  flour  oii 
ihore,  and  thence  named  it  Meelhaven  (Flour-haven); 
At  length  they  faw  two  fmall  iflands,  to  which  theyi. 
gave  the  name  of.  the  IJlandi  ^St.  Clarei  Being  come 
to  the  iflands  of  Matfeoi  land  Uolgoy^  they  faw  the  Z^a- 
lanil  and  Enkhuyfen  (hips  which  were  juft  returned 
from  Waigai%  j  and  the  people  on  board  of  which  ima- 
gined, that  Bttrentz  had  failed  round  Nava  Zemblai 
After  rejoicing  with  each  other  at  their  happy  meet- 
ing, they  failed  home  together. 

II.     A.  D.  1595,  feven  (hips  were  fitted  out,  viz; 
two  at  Amfterdam,  two  at  Zealand,  two  at  Enkhuy- 
zen,    and  one   at  Rotterdam.     On   the  2d  of  July 
they  failed  out  of  the  Downs.     On  the  17th  of  Au- 
guft  they  found  ice  in  lafge  flakes.     On  t^e  18th  they 
faw  Mauritius  IJland  (or  Dolgoy  Oflrof).     On   the 
19th  they  were  oppofite  fFaigntz  Straits^  but  found 
them  blocked  up  by  the  ice*     They  waited   in   fome 
inlets  in  and  before  the  ftraits  ;  but  the  ice  continued 
for  a  long  time,  and  on  the  2d  and  3d  of  September^ 
being  arrived  off  Stasiten  Idand,  they  were  obliged, 
on  account  of  the  ice  and  fogSj  to  run  in  at  the  back 
of  the  ifland.     In  a  general  council  it  was  refolved, 
that  they  fhould  make  another  attempt  to  get  forward. 
Every  night  the  ice  froze  at  leaft  an  inch  thick.  They 
faw  two  hares  on  the  ifland,  which   they  killed  j  but 
a  white  bear^  which   they  alfo  faw,    efcape(f<     The; 
tide  came  from  the  eaft,  for  which  reafon  they  ima- 
gined there  was  a   large  fea  that  way.     On  Staaten 
Ifland  they  found  fmall  tranfparent   cryflals ;  but,  in 
feeking  for  them,  two  of  their  people  were  devoured  by 
a  white  bear.    By  reafon  of  the  ice  they  were  obliged  to 
go  within  the  ftraits  as  far  as  Twijihoek.     On  the  nth 
they  refolved  to  make  one  more  trial,  but  in  a  few  hours 
found  it  nccefl^ary  to  tack  about  again,  on  account  of 
the  ice  which  obftru£ted  their  courfe.     On  the  15th 
it  was  determined  in  a  ^^eneral  council  to  return,  it  be- 
ing impoflible  to  get  through  the  ftraits  on  account  of 
the  ice.     Having    fuft'ered    much   from   ftorms   and 

bad 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       417 

W^  weatW,  theyycre  ty  the  jotK  of  October  to 
th'e  rouiU^wfR' of  frflarSu^s.  It  was  but  feldom  that 
they  faW' thfe  mbbn.  The  light  of  the  ftars  nearly 
cqmpQnfated  for  the  want  of  the  fun  ;  and  befides  that, 
the'  Aurora  Horeans  contributed  much  to  light  them.  . 
A't  length,  oh  the  26th,  they  arrived  again  in  their 
native  country. 

III.  Notwithftanding  that  the  States  General  had  . 
refufed  to  advance  the  money  reqvifite  for  defraying' 
theexpences  of  another  voyage,  this  did  not  deter  the 
City  of  AmfierdamUmtv  fitting  out  two  fhips  in  1596. 
The  chief  cominand  of  them  was  given  to  ^acoh  von 
Heemjkerkj  and  the  plj^ce  of  firft  pilot  to  JVtlliam  ba^ 
reniz,  Ip.  the  fpcond  (Hip  yan  Carnelis  Ryp  was  maf- 
ter'^  and,  at  the  farne  time,  fupercargo  of  the  mer- 
cKatidize  on  l)oard  of  herj.  On  the  18th  of  May  tliey 
failed  9\it  of  the  ^//V,  and  on  the  22d  faw  the  Shet- 
land'lilands  and  FayerhiiL  On  the  2d  of  June  they 
faw  two  parahelia,  or  mock  funs,  in  71  deg.  N.  lar. 
A  difpute  now' arofe  between  Bareniz  and  Ryp-,  con- 
cemfng  ihe  courfe  the  ihips  were  to  take.  I'he  firft 
was  of  opinion  that  they  ought  to  fail  more  to  the 
eaftward^  but  JRy/i  maintained  that  they  vvere  in  the 
ri|^ht  courfe;  for  all  along  be;  was  againft  failiiig  to  . 
fva'^atz  Straits,  ^On  the  5th,  they  fpr  the  firft,  time, 
faw  ice,  and  pafled"  fafely  through  it.  On  the  9th 
they  favv  an  ifland  in  74  dejg.  30  min.  which  they  con- 
jectured might  be  about  15  miles  in  length.  Here 
they  met  with  a  great  number  of  gulls,  and  brought 
away  their  eggs.  They  afcended  ^  fteep  mountain 
of  /now,  and.  were  obliged  to  Aide  down  it  again. 
They  likewife  faw  a  large  white  bear,  which  it  took 
them  two  hours  to  kill.  The  fkin  of  tnis  animal  was 
12  feet  long;  fome  of  the  crew  ate  part  of  the  flefti, 
but  it  did  not  agree  with  them.  This  ifland  they 
called  5Mr  Ifland.  Oh  the  17th  and  i8th  they  faw 
a  great  quantity  of  ice,  and  failed  along  it  till  they 
camtj  to  a  point  of  land  that  lay  to  thefouthwprd  of 
it.  On  the  19th  they  faw  land  again,  and  found  that 
they  were  in   80  deg.  1 1  min.     It  was  an  cxtenfive 

£  e  country, 


^i   .;:   f 


4i8 


VOYAGES    ANO 


country,  and  they  failed  along  the  weflern  coaft  of* 
it  to  79  deg.  30  min.  where  they  found  a  gocd  road, 
but  were  prevented  by  the  ice  from  going  nearer  to 
the   land  j    they  anchored,    however,    in  a  bay  that 
ftretched  right  north  and   fouth  into   the'  fea.     Here 
again  they  killed  a  large  bear  which  was  I3  feet  long. 
On  one  ifland    they  found   a  great  many   barnacles 
(Anas  Bernicla)  one  of  which  they  killed  with  a  ftone, 
and  got  upwards  of  60  eggs.     On  this  ifland  they  ob- 
ferved  in  the  80th  deg.  of  N.  lat.  grafs  and  clover 
growing,   and  reindeer  feeding  on  it,  while,  on  the 
contrary,  all  the  animals  in  Nova  Zemhla,  which  is 
lituated  far  more  to  the  fouthward,  were  of  the  car- 
nivorous kind,  bccaufe  no  grafs  grows  there.     The 
Variation  here  was    16  degrees.     They   failed  along 
the  land  to  79  degrees,  and  difcovered  u   large  inlet, 
30  miles  long  at  leaft,  but  were  obliged  to  tack  about. 
On  the  28th  they  came  to  the  point  which  is  on  the 
weft  fide,   where  they  found   fo   great  a  number  of 
birds,  that  thefc  latter  even  flew  againft  their  fails. 
On  the  I  ft  of  July  they  again  faw  Bear  IJland.    Jan 
Cornells  Ryp  came  on  board  their  fhip,  and  told  them 
that  he  intended  to  fail  along  the  eaft  fide  of  the  land 
to  the  80th  deg.     BarentZy  on   the    contrary,    went 
to  the  fouthward  on  account  of  the  ice.     On  the  17th 
of  July  they  difcovered  Nova  Zembla,  not  far  from 
the  fhores  of   Loms  Bay.    On   the  20th  they   .vent 
aftiore  on  Cro/s  IJland,  where  they  found  two  croflTes 
erected.     They  went  up  to  the  croflies  in  order  to  ex- 
amine them }  but  being  without  arms,  this  curiofity 
had  nearly  cotl  them  their  lives,  for  two  bear?  had 
taken  a  fancy  to  them,  and  it  was  with  the  greateft: 
difliculty  that  they  efcaped  thefe  voracious  animals. 
On  the   17th  of  Auguft  they    were  near  Troojihock, 
about  which  there  was  a  great  quantity   of  ice.     On 
the  19th   they  failed  round  Cape  Deftre,  where  they 
plainly    faw    the  land  trending    to  the    fouthward. 
This  fliip  was  in  great  danger  from  the  ice,  being, 
in  fa£t,    quite  encompafled    by    it;    and  they  were 
obliged  to  carrv  provifions  on  (hore,  and  prepare  for 
the  winter.     They  (hot  at  a  bear,  but  the  cold  was 
fo  intenfe,  that  the  fliot  did  not  take  place.    They 

found 


biSCOVERIES  IN  TH6  NORTH.       419 

found  a  river,  and  a  great  quantity  of  drift-wood. 
On  the  15th  of  Septeipber   the  fea  froze   two  inches- 
thiclc.     On  the  i6th  the  fame,  and  they  fetched  wood 
upon  fledges  for  the  purpofe  of  building  up  their  ha- 
bitation.    On   the  2d  of  Odober  the  materials   for 
the  hut  were  ready,  but  they  could  not  get  into  the 
ground,  which  was   frozen  (o  hard,  that  they  could 
not  even    thaw   it  by  means  of  fire.     They  there- 
fore heaped  fnow  round  about  their  houfe,  in  order 
to  make  it  tolerably  warm,  as  alfo  to  fee u re  it  againft 
the  wind.     Their    beer,    too,  was  frozen,  even  the 
ftrong  Dantzick  foppen  beer.  .  They  fufFered  greatly 
from  the  cold,  and  were  continually  at  war  with  the 
bears.     They  roafted  a  Vi^hite  fox,  which  tailed  like  a 
rabbit.     On  the  3d  of  No'>    nber  they  loft  fight  of 
the  fun  i  the  bears  kept  away  likewife,  but  the  foxes 
began  to  make  their  appearance.    Neither  did  the  bears 
return  till  the  fun  appeared  again.     7'he  foxes  they 
caught  in  traps.     On  the  7th  of  December  they  had 
nearly   all  been  choaked  by  the  fmoke  of  pit-coal. 
The  cold  now  increafed  to  a  dreadful  degree.     On 
the  24th  of  January   they  faw  for  the  firft    time  the 
face  of  the  fun  iigain,  which,  for  more  than  a  fort- 
night before  this,  had  been  uftiered  in  by  a   kind  of 
twilight.     They  were  aftoniihed  at  this  phenomenon  : 
as,  according   to  their  calculations,    it   (hould  have 
happened  about  16  days  later.     But,  in  fa<Sl,  it  ought 
to  have  been  juft  fo  as  it  was.     In  thofe  regions  the 
refra<^ion  of  the  rays  of  the  fun  is  fo  confiderable  on 
account  of  the  air  containing  fuch  a  great   quantity 
of  vapours,  that  this   phenomenon   is   very  poffible. 
Not  being  provided  with  a  fufficient  ftock  of  wood, 
they  were  obliged  to  get  in  more  with  incredible  pains 
£^nd  labour,    the    drift-wood  being  all  covered  with 
fnow.     About  this  time  they  faw  the  fea  open,  and 
began  to   entertain  fome  hopes  of  their  deliverance. 
But  on  the  14th  of  February  theeaft  north-eaft  winds 
2»rought  on  another  froft,  which  deprefled    the  fpirits 
of  thefe  poor  people,  and  drove  them  almoft  to  de- 
fpair.     On   the    8th   and  9th  of  March,    the   wind 

£  e  2  blowing 


420 


VOYAGES    AND 


Mowing  from  the  Touth-^weft,  drofc  the  ice  away;' 
but  on  the  loth  a  very  ilrong  north-eaft  wind  brougliti 
baclc  again  enormous    fields,  and-  mountttinft'  of  ice« 
In  the  months  of  April  and  May  th«-fea  was  at  length' 
entirely  clear  of  the  ice,  andith^y^^  began  to  think^oM' 
their  voyage   home»    In   the  month   of  June'  they 
fkted  out    the  boats   for    thieir    return,    and-  were 
frequently  vifited  by  the 'bears,  many  of  whkh^thiy 
killed.     Some  of  crew  having  eat  pan  o(  the  liver  of ' 
a  bear,    it   made  them- very  ill,    and   aftet  thiey  re*- • 
covered  from   their  diforder,  the  fkin  aJl  over^  theflt", 
bodies  fell  off  in  fcales.     Having  brought  a<^y  alt  * 
the   ftores    and    provi^bns    they>  coti4d-  convey    0*1' 
board  their  two  little  veflels,  they  fet  fail  on  the  14th' 
of  June,  having  Barentz  and  one  of  the  crevt^  fick  oti' 
board.     They  were  again  encdmpafied  by  the  ice,  and 
Barentz^  together  with  one  Nicholas  Ar^reifs^  died  on - 
the  20th.     They  came  often  into  great  danger  bet^eeli' 
the  ice.    They  alfo  loft   a  confiderable   ijuatttity  of 
provifions   and  merchandize  j    neverthelef^  thiey  gdt 
their  veflels  over  the  ice  into  the  water,  though  not 
without  great  difficulty,  and  begun  to  fail  on  a  fea 
tolerably  clear  of  it.     They  landed  now  and  then  to 
look  for  birds  and  eggs,  as  alfo  for  fuel  todrefs  them 
by.     Not  far  from  [Faigatz  they  found  two  fmall  vef- 
fels  with  Ruffians,  fome  of  whom  remembered  feveral 
of  the  crew,  having  met  with  them  on  their  former 
voyages.     With  greiat  difficulty  they  arrived-  at  length 
SLtKandnoes  (Kanyn  nofs)  and  alfo  got  fome  provifi- 
ons from  fome  Ruffian  veflels,    but  were'  feparated 
from  the  fmall  boat  by  a  flidrm*     In  the  mean  time 
they  failed  with  their  fmall  open  boat  in  I30  hours 
acrofs  the  mouth  of  the  White  Sea,  which  is  120 
miles  broad:  here  they  lighted  on   a   Ruffian  bark 
and  fome  Hfhermen,  from  whom  they  got  provifions, 
and  immediately  after,  met  with  their  comrades  again 
in  the  other  boat.     They  arrived  at  Kilduyn^  where 
they   learned   that    three  Dutch  (hips  were  then  at 
Kohi  two  of  which  were  juft  ready  to  fail.     They 

fent 


DISCOVERIES  IN  TH€  NORTH.       421 

•font  two  Tailors  there  with  a  Laplander,  and  in  three 
•days  received  a  letter  from  Capt.  fan  Cornells  Ryp, 
.informing  them,  that  they  had  long  ago  been  givtii 
'Up  as  loft.  Cornelis  Ryp  went  to  them  with  refrefli- 
>ments,  and  took  them  to  Kola  to  his  (hip,  whio  rhey 
went  with  him,  to  the  number  of  12,  back  to  Hol- 
land, and  reached  Ailifterdam  on  the  ift  of  Novem- 
'ber,  1597. 

From  the  relation  of  this  voyage  it  is  evident  that 
'^cemjkerky  CarerHZi  a"<J  ^yP^  ^^^  ^o  early  as  in  the 
year  1595  ^^'fcovered  Bear  Ifland,  which  was  'fmce 
ieen  by  the  £ngli(h  in  1603,  ^^®  S^^^  '^  '^^  name 
of  Cherry  Ijland^  snd  afterwards  frequently  vifited  it. 
•In  like  manner  'Hvdfony  in  1607,  faw  Spitsbergen^ 
which  had  1)een  difcovcred  n  years  before  by  the 
9i)utoh,  and  which  he  erroneoufly  took  for  part  of 
•Greenland.  Hence  ismanifeft  the  difficulty  of  getting 
on  in  the  {hallow  fca  that  lies  to  the  northward  of 
Siberia,  on  account  of  the  ice;  as  well  as  the  effects 
of  an  intenfe  degree  of  cold  (which  are  very  evident- 
ly fuch,  that  even  the  water  of  the  fea  will  freeze 
over  in  one  night)  as  alfo  the  extreme  coldnefs  and 
long  duration  of  the  eafterly  winds  within  the  Polar 
Circle.  The  wonderful  effeft  of  the  refraiSlion  of 
the  fun's  rays,  by  means  of  which  the  image  of  the 
fun  appears  above  the  horizon,  even  whole  weeks 
fooner  than  it  otherwife  would  according  to  the  ordi- 
nary courfe  of  nature,  may  be  confidered  as  another 
of  the  many  inilances  of  the  tender  care  of  the  Al- 
mighty over  all  his  creatures,  in  thus  reftoring  the 
light  of  the  day  as  early  as  po/Iible  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  thefe  regions ;  a  kindnefs  of  which  we  in 
this  part  of  the  world  cannot  be  fo  fenfihlc,  hav- 
ing never  experienced  the  privation  of  the  day-light, 
and  of  the  all-enlivening  light  of  the  fun. 

IV.  In  the  year  1609  Henry  Hudfon  fet  fail  with  a 
yacht,  fitted  out  at  the  expence  of  the  Dutch  Eaft- 
India  Company.  He  left  the  Texel  on  the  6th  of 
April.  By  the  5th  of  May  he  was  off  the  North  Qipc^ 
■  and 


m  ■ 


■  W 


422 


VOYAGES    AND 


and  foon  reached  Neva  Ztmbh,  where  he  found  th0 
whole  country  blocked  up  with  iirm  and  folid  ice. 
He  therefore  left  this  coaft  on  the  14th  of  May, 
and  difcovercd  on  the  coaft  of  America  a  river,  which 
\s  fti)l  named  after  him,  HudforCs  River,  on  the  mouth 
of  which  is  New  Tori  ;  and  fomewhat  higher  up  ufed 
t«  be  New  Belgiuniy  which  the  Dutch  had  formerly 
actually  colonized.  But  with  regard  to  difcoveries  in 
the  north,  Hudfon's  voyage  was  entirely  fruitlefs. 

V.  The  iflard  of  Jan  Mayen  was  difcovered  in 
161 1  hy  4  rTian  of  this  name.  It  is  fituated  about 
71  ilea  1.}  ?at.  and  8  deg.  15  min.  E.  long,  from 
Ferro*  ^t  j*  'ong  and  narrow,  and  ftretches  from 
north-eait  to  fi  I  i^-weft.  As  (he  whales  uf-^d  fomc- 
times  to  come  from  Old  Greenland  near  the  couft  of 
this  ifland,  there  were  formerly  a  whale-fifliery  and 
a  manufadory  for  train-oil  upon  it ;  lilcewife  a  great 
number  of  white  bears,  fea-hprfes,  and  other  marine 
animals,  together  with  fome  foxes.  But  the  iiiand 
being  rather  fmali,  and  the  bait  on  it,  or  the  whale 
carrion,  but  fcarce,  the  fi(h  foon  found  out  their 
enemies,  and  withdrew  to  the  ice,  where  they  en- 
joy more  fecurity.  Accordingly  this  fifhery  was 
chiefly  ufed  from  161 1  to  1633,  but  fince  that  time 
the  ifland  has  been  gradually  negledted.  At  prefent 
it  is  feen  or  viftted  only  by  mere  chance.  It  was 
once  in  honour  to  Prince  Maurice  of  NaiTau,  named 
Mauritius  Ifland,  in  Greenland  \  bu^  then  we  muft  be 
careful  to  tliftinguilh  it  from  another  Mauritius  Iftond 
on  the  north- weft  point  of  Spitzbergen,  whiph  al fo 
bears  the  name  of  Amflerdammer  Ifland,  and  is  by 
the  Englifh  called  Hackluyi's  Headland.  On  this 
Mauritius  Ifland,  in  Greenland,  or  Jan  Mayen  Ifland, 
feven  failors  were  left  to  winter,  from  1633  to  1634, 
all  of  whom,  however,  died,  chiefly  of  the  fcurvy. 
Their  journal  was  brought  down  to  the  30th  of  April, 
foon  after  which  period  probably  they  died  ;  for  the 
people  who  arrived  there  from  Holland,  on  the  7th 
of  June,  1634,  found  them  already  dead, 

VI.  \ti 


DKCOVERIES  in  the  NORTH.       423 

VI.  In  the  Philofophlcal  Tranfadions,  No.  118, 
we  find  an  account  of  fome  merchants  in  Holland 
having  font  out  fliips,  which  had  failed  on  to  79  and 
Ho  deg.  N.  lat.  100  leagues  to  the  eailward  of  and 
beyond  Nova  Zemhiat  and  had  met  with  an  open  fca, 
clear  of  any  ice.  Now  at  the  80th  deg.  one  degree 
of  longitude  is  only  10  geographical  miles.  But  one 
hundred  leagues  are  300  common  Englifli  fea  miles  ; 
confequently  the  Dutch  were  not  at  the  fartheft, 
quite  30  degrees  to  the  eaftward  of  the  mofl  cafterly 
point  of  Nova  Zembia,  perhaps  about  Chatangay  in  125 
deg.  E.  long,  from  FerrOf  which  is  in  fadt  no  great 
matter,  and  did  not  render  it  neceflary  for  this  dif- 
covery  to  be  concealed  with  fuch  care  as  wc  are  in- 
formed it  was. 

VIL  Some  individuals,  who  were  defirous  o*^  •  n-- 
tinuing  the  navigations  to  the  north,  pref  ntec  \n 
1614  a  petition  to  their  High  Mightincfles  the  States 
General,  praying  to  beeftahlifhed  in  a  free  navigation 
to  the  northward  of  Davis's  Straits,  Greenland, 
Spitzbcrgen,  and  Nova  Zembla ;  whir^  privilege 
was  accordingly  conferred  upon  them  by  a  chartej* 
bearing  date  the  27th  of  January,  1614 ;  and  from 
that  time  there  has  fubfifted  the  Northern,  or,  as  it 
is  otherwife  called,  Spitzbergcn  or  Greenland  Com- 
pany, which  ufed  yearly  to  fend  fhips  out  to  the  Po- 
•Jar  regions,  employed  in  the  whale-fifliery  and  killing 
feals.  It  cannot,  however,  be  alTerted,  that  any  im- 
portant difcoveries  have  been  made  in  the  north  by 
this  Greenland  Company;  for  thefe  aflbciated  mer- 
chants were  fatisficd  with  the  moderate  profits  arifing 
to  them  from  the  whale-fifliery  and  the  killing  of 
feals. 

VIII.  In  1633  the  Dutch  Northern  Company  fcnt 
their  (hips  out  as  ufual  to  Spitzbergcn,  but  gave  or- 
ders withal,  that  fome  volunteer  failors  fliould  be  left 
by  their  own  confent  at  Spitzbergcn,  to  winter  there; 
for  which  purpofe  likewife  feveral  offered  themfelves, 
who  parted  the  winter  there,  but  fufFered  greatly  by 
the  cold.     They  had  many  fkirmi/hes  with  the  bears, 

Ihot 


1  i  '■  '  ifa 


i   '"!! 


'Sr  ■ 


424 


VOYAGES    AND 


(hot  fomc  reindeer,  caught  and  ate  reversal, roxc;s,  kil- 
led a  (ca-horfe  or  two,  prepared  fome  whalebone,  that 
had  been  caft  on  fhore  by  the  tide,  but  did  ,nPt  .kill 
one  whale,  and  returned  (afe  to  Holland  in  ,i6,.1^4* 
They  had  wintered  in  the  north  b^y  on  MftHr}t\ui 
IJland  (or  Hackluyt's  Headland)  qear  3pU?^b^''gc.n* 
That  fame  year  again  feven  more  failor";  w?i"e  l9ft,9n 
the  ifland,  by  their  own  confent,  but  died  of  ttie/ci^r- 
vy  in  1635.  Their  journal  was  brougti|t  do)vn  to  t|ie 
26th  6f  February  only,  and  ifi  1635  they  were  ^\\ 
found  dead.  Since  that  time  no  more  men  have  been 
left  to  winter  there. 

IX.  A.  D.  1640,  or  1645,  ^yp  ^>  f*"®"™  Vlitlan{iy 
an  old  Greenland  trader,  came,  on  the  eaft  fi{|e  pf 
Spitzbergert,  to  a  group  of  very  fmall  iflands,  whi^h 
had  never  yet  been  feen  nor  frequented  by  any  of 
the  former  navigators  to  Greenland,  and  having  al- 
ways been  very  fond  of  (hooting  fea-horfcs,  the  im- 
menfe  number  of  thefe  animals  that  lay  here  on  the 
fhore,  furnifhed  him  with  an  opportunity  of  dif- 
playing  his  own  fkill  in  the  difpoiition  an^J  arrange- 
ment of  the  bufinefs,  as  well  as  the  dexterity  of  his 
people.  In  a  fhort  fpace  of  time,  many  hundreds  of 
them  were  killed,  and  great  profit  was  made  of  the  f|it 
and  the  teeth. 

X.  In  the  year  1643,  the  Dutch  £a(l- India  Coiji- 
pany  gave  orders  for  two  (hips  to  be  fen t  from  India 
to  the  north,  in  order  to  explore  the  rouje  frorn  Ja- 
pan northward,  and  even  to  go  as  far  as  to  North- 
America,  and  to  fcek  for  the  paflage  there.  In  con- 
fequence  of  thefe  orders,  two  (hips  fet  fail  together  p/i 
the  3d  of  February,  1634,  from  the  harbour  of  the 
jfland  oiTernate\  thefe  were  the  Cojlricom^  commanded 
by  Capt.  Martin  Herizoom  van  Vriez  \  and  the  Brejkes^ 
under  the  command  of  Capt.  Hendrick  Corfielis  Schaep. 
On  the  14th  of  May  the  two  (hips  were  feparated  by  a 
ilorm  at  the  cliftance  of  56  leagues  from  Jeddo,  the 
capital  of  Japan ;  and  both  of  them  faw  the  land  of 
yefo.  The  Brejkes  failed  through  the  ftrait  between 
Jefo  and  Japan^  in  41  deg.  50  min.  N.  lat.  and  i|i 
long.  164  deg.  lb  min.  eaft  of  i  e.ieriffc.  They  faw 
land  again  in  43  deg.  4  min.  N.  lat.  In  44  deg.  4 
min.  fame  velfels  came  off  to  their  (hip  from  the  (liore. 

la 


DI5COVEiRIES  ,JN  THE  NORTH.      425 

In  43  dcg.  45  mill,  they  defciicd  land  again,  as  alA» 
ill  the  latituidc  of  44  deg.  12  min.  and  longitude  167 
dcg.  21  niin.  In  lat.  45  deg.  12  min.  and  long.  169 
dcg.  36  min.  the  land  appeared  at  a  diftance  like  a 
great  jmnib?r  ^f  iflaflds  ;  b^t  on  Qoming  nearer  to  it. 
It  ieenied  to  be  .one  continued  tra<^  of  country.  In 
hu.  46  dcg.  15  min.  and  long.  ,172  deg.  16  min.  as 
ai(p  in  iong.  ,17.2  deg.  53,niin.  tbey  bad  fight  of  fomc 
high  mount^ains.  They  alfo  faw  ftillmore  land  in  lat. 
47  dcg.  8  min,  gnd.lpng.  173  ^eg.  53  min.  We  fes 
trorn  this  relation,  j»s  well.as  frpm  that  of  the  Cajlri^ 
coin<t  that  ^he  jiland  I'^^o  con^ins,  iri  fac^,  a.  quantity 
of  illands,  at  p^efent  )cnown  to  the  RuflHans  under 
the  name  of  theKuril>s.  The  Dutch  imagined  they 
had  difcoyercd  in  "Jefo^  a  large  e^tenfive  countrvt 
and,  in  the  l^teil  accoynts  we  have  from  the  Ruffi- 
ans*, tl)is  defcription  likcwifc  is  given  of  the  land 
pf  Matmm^  in  which  the  Dutch  mention  that  there 
is  a  pl^cfd  n^med  Jcqueis^  which  the  Ruffians  call 
4tkls.  'l-he  (iirj^it  between  Matmai  and  Japan  is  about 
60  werfls  (or  34  geographical  miles)  broad  ;  and  has 
a  ve;ry  ftrong  current,  as  have  almoft  all  the  Ihair-t 
between  the  Kurile  Ifl^nds.  Matmai  is  a  town  in 
the  pofieflion  of  the  fapaneje  \  the  Chinefe  trade  alio 
to  the  land  of  Afatmai',  but  the  hairy  Kuriles  are  a 
free  people.  It  is  alfo  ftill  uncertain  whether  Matmai 
is^n  ifland  or  not.  But  there  is  a  probability  that  it 
is,  ^s  the  inhabitants  have  not  yet  been  made  tribu- 
tary by  tne  Chincife;  which  is  alfo  confirmed  by  Va- 
th^r  1 1: eroMymus  de /ingelis^  who  mentions  the  ftrait  of 
TeJ/oi,  which  feparates  Matmai  from  the  continent, 
and  has  alfo  a  ftrong,  rapid  current.  This  country 
ieems  to  have  got  the  name  of  Je/o,,  or  Efo,  from  the 
people  who  inhabit  it.  The  Japanefe  call  the  Kurilcs 
Jefo,  and  it  is  thence  that  the  land  of  Matmai  has  ob- 
tained this  appellation  from  the  Portugucfe  and  Dutch. 
The  land  w'th  the  St.  Anthony's  Peak^  defcribed  in  the 
journal  of  Cajiricom,  feenis  to  be  the  ifland  Iterpu^  or 
£torpu,  which,  according  to  the  lateil  accounts  (Viu. 

•  Piillas'e  New  Northern  CoUedlont,  Vol.  IV,  page  « 36,    {Qermaii.) 

Pallas's 


,  i.f 


I     '  i  '!■ 


4-26 


VOYAGES     AND 


Palla's  Northern  CollecSlions,  Vol.  IV.  page  133) 
confifts  entirely  of  a  high  ridge  of  mountains  with 
many  heads.  In  this  cafe  Urup  muA  be  the  Staaten 
Ifland  of  the  Dutch  ;  in  like  manner,  Tfchirpo-oi  will 
anfwer  to  Company  Land,  and  the  ftrait  between  Urup 
and  Tfckirpo'oi  will  be  the  Straits  of  Van  Fruz.  On 
the  iCurile  Iflands  there  are  many  volcanos,  fome  of 
which  are  ftill  burning,  others  are  already  extin6l, 
while  others,  quite  new  ones,  are  frequently  burft- 
ing  forth  into  flames,  like  that  which  made  an  erup- 
tion on  ths  8th  of  January,  1780,  on  the  ifland  of 
Racbkoke,  or  Rakchotki,  the  efFeds  of  which  caufed 
lilcewife  a  dreadful  earthquake,  and  which  occaAon- 
ed  great  ravages  and  devaluations  in  the  iflands  of  Kc' 
toi^  Schimufchir,  Tfchirpo-oiy  and  Urup.  Now,  though 
v/e  (hould  allow  the  authenticity  of  the  accounts  of 
»he  Dutch,  who  in  the  Cnjiricom  and  Brejkesy  imagin- 
ed that  they  faw  here  one  continued  and  extenfive 
trad  of  land,  it  cannot  neverthelefs  be  denied,  that 
thcfe  numerous  volcanos  give  one  room  to  fuppofc, 
that  many  an  entire  and  undivided  tradt  of  country 
mnv  have  been  torn  afunder  by  earthquakes,  and  par- 
celled out  into  fmall  iflands.  So  that  what  we  read 
in  the  relations  of  the  CaJirUom  and  the  Brejkes  does 
not  appear  to  me  fo  very  incredible. 

XI.  At  the  time  when  the  Northern  Company  in 
Holland  was  ftill  in  the  fulinefs  of  her  fplendor,  (viz. 
from  1614  to  1641)  a  (hip  was  difpatched  to  Green- 
land for  the  purpofe  of  fetching  train-oil,  which  ufed 
to  be  manufactured  in  Sewerenberge ;  but  there  being 
not  a  fufiicient  quantity  ready  to  complete  the  full 
lading,  the  Captain  finding  the  fea  quite  open,  failed 
ftrait  on  to  the  northward,  and  at  the  diftance  of 
two  degrees  from  it,  went  twice  round  it.  This  he 
ufed  to  relate  publicly,  and  to  refer  to  his  crpw  as 
witnefles  of  the  faft.  Vid.  Zorgdrager's  Greenland 
JVhale- Fijhery  (German)  Vol.  II.  chap.  10,  page 
162. —  ff^ood  zUOf  as  he  himfelf  informs  us,  was  told 
by  Mr.  Jofeph  Moxon,  in  1676,  that  being  in  Hol- 
land about  20  years  before,  (confequently  in  1656) 
he  had    heard    a    very  refpcilable   creditable   Dutch 

Captain 


DTSCX)VERIES  in  the  NORTH.      427 

Captain  of  a  (hip  fay,  that  he  had  navitjated  under 
the  very  Pole,  where  he  found  the  weather  as  warm 
as  it  ufed  to  be  at  Amfterdam  in  fummer.  In  fine, 
Capt.  Goulden  likcwife,  who  had  made  upwards  of  20 
voyages  to  Greenland,  told  King  Charles  the  Second 
that,  being  about  20  years  before  in  Greenland,  he 
found  himfelf  with  two  Dutch  Greenland  naviga* 
tors  near  Egei  IJland*^  to  the  eaftward  of  that  coun- 
try, when  no  whales  appearing  near  the  ihore,  the 
two  Dutch  Captains  refolved  to  fail  farther  on  to- 
wards the  north  ;  which  in  faft  they  did,  and  a  fort- 
night afterwards  returned,  and  related  that  they  had 
been  as  far  as  the  89th  degree,  and  had  met  with  nu 
ice,  but  with  a  free  and  open  fea,  with  large  and 
hollow  waves,  as  in  the  bay  of  Bifcay.  The  varia- 
tion of  the  compafs  there  was  5  degrees.  One  of 
thefe  Captains  afterwards  happened  to  go  to  England, 
when  Captain  Gould  took  him  to  fomc  of  the  Mem- 
bers of  the  Northern  Company,  whom  he  fully  con- 
vinced of  the  truth  of  his  relation.  Vide  /fn  Ac- 
count of  feveral  late  Voyages  and  Difcoverics.  Lond. 
1711,  p.  145;  as  alfo  the  Hon.  Air.  Boyle's  Hijhry  of 
Cold. 

XII.  It  is  the  lamentable  fate  of  the  learned  not  to 
be  able,  with  all  their  pains,  to  obtain  the  informa- 
tion thfjy  would  wifh  with  refpeft  to  all  the  objects 
of  their  refearches.  In  the  beft  charts  we  find  fomc 
accounts,  or  rather  hfnts,  relative  to  countries  pre- 
tended to  be  difcovered  by  the  Dutch ;  but  it  is  a 
very  difficult  matter  to  determine  where  more  parti- 
cular and  circumftantial  accounts  concerning  thetn 
arc  to  be  met  with.  I  fhall  now  mention  four  or 
five  countries  difcovered  by  the  Dutch  in  the  North, 


•  Edge's  IJland  is  probably  one  of  the  iflands  bclongirg  to  that  group 
dil'cov  'edhy  Ryte  yje.  dpt.  Themat  Eilge,  who  made  lO  voyagtv  l(» 
iCreenlu  d,  diicovcred  this  ifland  A.  D.  i6i6;  and  in  i<5|t,  an  iflaml 
Jying  oW S/HtJbergiHy  was,  afipr  Mr.  fPychf,  calld  fi'ycbe'f  IJland. 


rJI. 


concerning 


42S 


VOYAGES     A.ND 


concerning  which  J  can  ■communicate  little  more 
than  their  names.  I  puders  a  coUedion  of  about  700 
volumes  of  voyaj;;es,  written  in  various  languages, 
neverthelefs  I  muft  confcfs,  that  in  all  thefe  I  have 
not  been  i.^ble  to  Hnd  out  any  thing  that  has  the  leaft 
j-elation  to  thefe  difcoveifies :  perhaps  this  my  ac- 
knowledgment may  'nduce  fome  learned. man  or  other 
40  .favour  me  with  fome  information  concerning 
them,  to  whom  I  fhall,  in  that  cafe,  be  infinitely 
obliged,  for  having  thereby  furnifhed  me  not  only 
with  the  means  of  adding  to  the  flock  of  my  owu 
knowledge,  but  alfo  of  rendering  my  Hiftory  ofithc 
Difcovcries  in  the  North,  much  more  complete  than 
it  is  at  prefent;  fori  readily  confefs,  that  even  in  my 
own  opinior.,  my  work  has  not  attained  to  that  ft»te 
of  perfection  to  which  I  had  purpofed  to  bring  it,  but 
/rom  the  acco-^tplifhrnant  of  which  I  have  been  hin- 
dered by  a  thoufand  ^(/Hculti'b,  impoflible  for  me  to 
overcome  in  my  prefent  fituation.  In  75  deg.  N. 
lat.  and  about  5  dcg.  E.  long,  from  Ferro,  we  fip.u 
on  the  caftward  coaft  of  Greenlandy  Gale  Hamkens 
hond^  which  is  faid  to  have  been  feen  in  1654. 
Gale  Hamkens  was  a  Dutch  Greenland  trader,  who  as 
ciuly  as  the  year  1639  had  the  command  of  the  firft- 
rate  fliip>  the  Oranjehoom^  and  who,  when  Capt.  Dirk 
yllberts  Raven  had  lolt  his  fliip  the  Spitjbergen^  in  the 
ice  near  Spitjlergen,  took  up  the  faid  Captain  and  the 
few  people  remaining  of  his  crew  j  and  this  is  all  I 
know  about  him.  So  that  whether  he  difcovered  this 
point  of  land  himfclf,  or  any  other  navigator  has 
given  it  this  name  in  honour  of  him,  I  confcfs  I  am 
not  able  to  determine.  In  78  dcg.  N.  lat.  and  10 
deg.  K.  long,  from  Ferro,  a  land  is  laid  down  on 
the  eallward  coalt  of  Greenland,  which  is  called  the 
Land  of  Edfiffi.  It  was  difcovered  in  1655,  but  by 
whom,  as  alio  whether  it  was  named  thus,  after  a 
man,  a  ihip,  or  after  the  town  of  Edam^  in  North 
Holland,  1  cannot  pretend  to  fay.     Farther  we   find, 

in 


DISCOVERIKS  IN  THE=  NORTH.      /f^t^^ 

in  73  deg.  30  min.  N.  lat.  not  far  from  the  firft 
meridian  dratrn  throirgh  Ferro,  an  ifland  over  which 
is  written  the  name  of  Bontehty  with  the  date  of  the 
year  1665  i  the  firft  difcoverer  of  which  I  am  I  ike  wife 
miacquainted  with;  neither  can  I  determine  the 
cfueftiori,  whether  it  was  named  Bontehet  after  its- 
difcoverer^  or  after  a  fhip)  or  any-  man  of  that  coun" 
try.  Again,  there  is  in  79  deg.  N.  lat.  and  10  deg. 
K.  long<  from  Ferro,  a  land  marked  with  the  date 
of  1670;  but  this  is  all  that  I  know 'concerning  it. 
Finally,  precifely  in  80  i^g*  N.  lat.  and  100  geo- 
graphical mil»  to  the  eaft  of  N^nheajlland  in  Spitz- 
bergen,  there  is  to  be  feen  the  mark  of  a  high  land. 
This  land  was  difcovered  in  1707  by  an  experienced 
and  fkilful  Greenland  trader,  by  name  Corneiis  Gillis. 
He  had  failed,  without  feeing  any' ice  at  a.!l,  to  the 
northward  of  the  Se-Ven  IJlandsy  a  great  way  beyond" 
the  8lft  deg.  then  he  failed  eastward,  and  at  lai^ 
fouth-eaftward,  fo  that  he  always  kept  to  the  eaft  of 
Northeaft-land,  and  at  length  at  25  leagues  front 
thence  in  80  deg.  defcried  a  very  high  land,  which 
probably  nobody  had  ever  feen  before  him.  Van 
Keulen  has  laid  down  this  land  in  his  map  of  Spitz- 
bergen,  merely  on  the  ftrength  of  the  account  given 
of  it  by  Capt.  Gillis.  Vide  Barrington^s  Mifullanies, 
Lond.  1 7  81.  4to.  pages  80  and  85. 

Thefe  are  all  the  accounts  of  the  difcoveries  made 
in  the  north  by  the  Dutch,  that  have  ever  come  to 
my  knowledge.  That  aftive  public  fpirit,  by  means 
of  which  the  Republic  of  the  United  Netherlands 
rofe  to  its  prefent  pitch  of  grandeur,  and  by  which 
all  their  enterprizes  in  the  i6th  and  17th  centuries 
were  fo  ftrongly  charaderized,  is  by  degrees  evapo- 
rated and  fpent.  They  have  begun  to  purfue  a  fyf- 
tem  diametrically  oppofite  to  that  which  led  them  to 
fame,  dignity,  and  honour.  That  contemptible  fpi- 
rit of  party  in  matters  of  religion  and  politicks  which 
occupies  itfelf  only  with  trifling  objects,  thereby  ne- 

gleding 


I  ,s 


Wm 


430 


VOYAGES    Attn 


g)e<5ting  thofe  that  are  truly  grand  and  important} 
that  falfe  fyftem,  in  purfuance  of  which,  facrificing 
every  thing  to  commerce,  the  Republic  has  endea-i, 
voured  to  remain  neuter,  and,  in  defiance  of  the  moft 
Tulemn  treaties  and  conventions,  has  frequently  re* 
fuled  that  aillftance  to  her  allies  for  which  (he  had 
previoufly-ftipulated,  carrying  on  her  trade  in  peace, 
without  putting  'ler  land  and  Tea  forces  on  a  refpe^la- 
ble  footing,  and  thereby  expofing  herfelf  to  the  juft 
clamours  of  her  neighbours,  fo  that  at  length  (he  has 
been  under  the  necefHty  of  depending  entirely  on  the 
protection  and  favour  of  a  power,  which,  if  not  en- 
dowed with  the  greateft  magnanimity,  might  have 
made  itfclf  mafter  of  the  beft  and  moft  important  pof- 
feilions:  this  mode,  I  fay,  of  a(5ting  and  thinking, 
has  entirely  fupprefTed  in  individuals  all  inclination 
for  great  enterprizes  or  for  any  undertakings  for  the 
good  of  their  country.  Thus  circumdanced,  no  far- 
ther difcoveries  are  to  be  expe«ited  from  that  quarter* 
Perhaps,  indeed,  there,  are  but  few  remaining  to  be 
made  in  the  northern  hemifphcre. 


CHAP.       III. 


x 


Of  the  Difcoveries  made  in  the  North  by  the  French. 


TH  E  difcovcry  of  America  by  the  Spaniards, 
and  that  of  the  route  to  the  Eaft-Indies  by 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  b-  the  Portuguefe,  do  not 
appear  to  Have  had  fo  much  effe<St  on  the  French  as 
to  excite  them  to  fimilar  enterprizes.  A  ihadow  of 
falfe  grandeur  had  fafcinated  her  Kings  and  Nobles. 
The  alluring  baits  which  engroficd  her  whole  atten- 
tion 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       431 

tion   were  the  crown  of  Naples   and   the  duchy  of 
Milan.     For  the  fake  of  conquering  thefe  countries, 
both    of   which   neverthelefs  at   length   cfcaoed    her 
grafp,  France  laviihed   her  treafures  and  the  blood  of 
her  heroes.     Hence  her  navy  was   negle£led,  and  the 
romantic  fpirit  of  Chivalry  which  the  Tons  of  France 
acquired  in  thefe  wars,  inlpired  them  at  the  fame  time 
with  a  contempt  for  every  thing  relative  to  trade  and 
commerce  i  till  Henry  the  Great,  with  his  favourite 
Sully ^  and  Lewis  XIV.  with  his  great  Minifter,  Col- 
bert, did  all  in  their  power  to  procure  to  merchants  , 
and  manufacturers,  as  ufeful  members  of  fociety,  that 
refpe6l  to  which  thefe  profefTions,  inafmuch   as  they 
enrich  the  ftate,  are   in    fat^  entitled.     In   the   mean 
time  it  was  thefe  prejudices  chiefly  which  prevented 
France  from  paying  that  attention  to  voyages  of  dif- 
covery  which  they  deferved.     The  whole  of  North- 
America  and  Brafil  would  at  this  time  be  the  property 
of  France,  had  the  Kings  of  this  country  and   their 
Minifters  better  fupported  the  firft  voyagers,  had  they 
given  greater  encouragement  to   the    population    of 
thefe  new  lands,  and  had  they  in  general  paid  more 
attention  to  navigation  than  they  in  a£lual  did.     It  is 
not  therefore  furprizing  to  Rnd,  that  France  has  con- 
tributed  but  very  little  towards  the  difcoveries  made 
in  the  North. 

I.  Already,  fince  the  difcovery  of  Newfoundland 
by  Sebajiian  Cabot,  in  1496,  the  Europeans  had  begun 
to  make  advantage  of  the  land  of  Bacallaos,  and  of 
the  great  quantity  of  fifli  in  the  vicinity  of  it.  In 
the  year  1502,  fome  Briftol  merchants  had  already  ob- 
tained grams  for  edablifhing  colonies  there.  As  ear- 
ly as  the  year  1504  the  Bifcayners,  the  Normans 
from  Normandy,  and  the  Bretons  from  Britanny  in 
France,  vifited  the  fouthern  coaft  of  it,  for  the  fake 
of  fifhing.  It  is  even  fuppofed,  that  the  ifland  of 
Cape  Breton^  which  lies  near  the  continent,  hrtd  its 
name  from  thefe  very  Bretons.     '  1  1506  Jean  Denis 

failed  with  his   i^WotCamart.,  a  \ve  of  Rouen ^  from 

Honjleur  to  Newfoundland      He  is  faid   to  have  been 
the  firft  who  laid    down  and  publiflied    a  chart  of 

the 


W^: 


43^ 


V  O  Y  A  r  E  s    A'tiv' 


^hr  cba/l  of  this  country.     In  1568^  a'naVlgAior,  hr 
uiLmt  Thomas  Auhert  ( accord fng;  to  Ramufio^    /oi.  Jlh 
page  4-23,  but  Prcvot,  in  h'xs  Utjioire  da  l^o^hgei^  c.'ills'' 
him  Hub^t)  went  witi;  a  fh?p  called  the  Petifee,  from 
Dieppe  to  Newfoundland,  and  brought  the   firft   fa- 
vage  naiiivfe'ffom  thrertce  to  Faris."  '  The'flilp  belonged; 
to   thie   Captain's   Fath(?i-,'  Jean' Jnj^o,    V'ifiOunt   of 
Dtepj)e.     But   all  ihefe  arfc   ratHer  lobfe'  hi'rtts  thau"^ 
regulat-'adcount^  of  the  empire^  and'  plistes' ^xploted' 
by  the  French  ;  neither  ha^'any  th1ng^rilbf6' than  vAixt"^ 
we  have  m«^ntioned,  been  handed  dowh  t6  oUr  timfeS, 
and  that  only  by  the  means  oT  Rafhujib:' 

II.  The'firfl:  who  adaally  miade  a  Voj':J^6,  oifwhich 
thehiftbry  is  prcferved  tou^,wasyj^Z/«^<?r<7zz««/,  bybirth 
a  Florentine,  who,  in  th^  fcrVlce  of  Francis  the  Firft, 
fet  out  with  four  fliipfe  oh  a'crulze'  agaihfl:  the  Spani-  " 
ards ;  but  was  cOmjifelled,  by  a  ftbrm,  to  run  vrhh 
two  of  his  fhips,  the  Nortnandy  and  the  Da'uphinc^ 
into  a  harbour  in  Britady.  He  continued  to  cruize 
againft  the  Spaniards  with  fuccefs,  and  at  lengta  te- 
folved  to  undertake  a  voyage  with  the  Dauphin  mt rely 
for  the  purpofe  Of  difcovering  new  countries. 

On  th^  17th  of  January,  1524,  Vefazzani  failed 
from  the  uninhabited  rocks  near  Madeira*^  5PC> 
leagues  to  the  weftward,  in  25  days.  After  weather- 
ing a  dangerous  ftorm,  he  continued  his  voyage 
twenty-five  days  longer,  in'  which  fpacfe  of  time  he 
made  400  leagues  more,  uni  then  fa^  before  hini  a 
low  land,  on  which  he;'  ■  ered  many  fires.  But  his' 
fears  pi-eventing  him  froii  1.  iding,  he  failed  50  leagues 
to  the  fouthward  along  the  coau,  without  finding  a 
harbour.  He  therefore  returned  again  to  the  north- 
ward, but,  meeting  with  as  little  fuccefs  as  before,  he 
anchored  in  the  open  fea,  and  fent  his  boat  on  (hore, 
upon  which  great  numbers  of  the  inhabitants  appear- 
ed on  the  coaft,  running  backwards  and  forwards, 
and  exhibiting  at  once  marks  of  aftoniflimeht,  joy,  and 
fear.     The   Tigns  which  the    French    made  induced 

*  Thefo  uninhabited  rocki  are  called   by  the  Portngucfe  llhas  Deftr' 
tas ;  the  Engljfli  call  them  the  Dejtrtcn.    They  are  liiuaied  10  the  call 

fome 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NCRTIT.         433 

ri)me  to  ftay,  and  having  by  degrees  recovered  from 
their  fright,  they  at  length  brought  foine  provifions. 
They  were  naked,  but  wore  aprons  of  fine  furs,  and 
bunches  of  feathers  on  tlieir  heads.  They  were  well 
ihapcd,  had  fine  black  eyes,  long  and  flrait  black  hair, 
and  were  very  fwift  of  foot.  The  country  here  and  there 
was  watered  with  fmall  rivers.  Our  navigators  faw 
fine  plains  and  conftderable  forefls,  as  alfo  thickets  and 
groves  of  cyprefs,  laurels,  and  palm-trees,  and  of  fome 
trees  entirely  unknown  in  Europe.  It  is  difficult  to  de- 
termine where  Verazzani  landed  firft  ;  but  it  would 
appear,  that  he  firft  arrived  on  the  coaft  of  America,  in 
that  part  of  Georgia,  where  at  prefent  the  town  of 
Savannah  is,  and  that  afterwards  he  failed  fouth wards 
as  far  as  to  the  30th  degree  of  latitude.  What  induces 
me  to  think  fo,  is  that  Vcrazxam  mentions  his  having 
feen  palm-trees  on  the  fpot  where  he  landed :  now. 
thefe,  as  far  as  I  know,  grow  only  in  Florida  ;  nor 
would  it  have  been  poflible  to  fail  from  any  other  place 
on  the  American  coaft,  50  leagues  to  the  fouthward  i  as 
the  coaft  from  40  deg.  to  33  deg.  ftretches  from  north- 
eaft  to  fouth- weft.  Upon  this  he  fhaped  his  courfe 
a^ain  to  the  northward.  Having  proceeded  in  this  di- 
rection for  fome  time,  he  found  himfelf  in  lat.  34  deg. 
;md  faw  the  coaft  trending  eaftward.  It  is  true,  that 
the  coaft  is  flat,  and  has  no  larbour,  but  then  there  are 
no  recks.  The  climate  and  air  are  wholefome.  Being 
come  to  the  fpot,  where  the  coaft  trends  to  the  eaft, 
ilicy  faw  many  fires,  and,  placing  fome  degrees  of 
confidence  in  the  favages,  lent  tlieir  boat  on  ihore  ; 
lut  the  fea  was  fo  rough  that  they  could  not  land.  A 
young  failor,  trufting  to  his  fkil!  as  a  fwimmer,  and 
tl\e  invitations  of  the  favajies,  ventured  to  Iwim  aftiore 
with  fome  trifling  prefent  .  He  approached  fo  ner.r 
the  fhore,  that  tac  water  reached  no  hin-her  than  his 
waift  J  but  his  fears  predominated  fo„  that  he  flung  the 
picfents  on  Ihore,  and  threv/  himfelf  again  into  the  fca 
with  an  'ntenticn  of  fwimming  to  his  boat.  But  now 
■ji  w  ave  tali  hiiu  back  on  ihore  with  (uch  a  force,  that  \\<i 

F  i  Uv 


'1' •'«»l¥<« 
111 


'pii 


434 


VOYAGES    ANO 


fyHO 


lay  quite  ftupitied  and  fenfelefs   on  the   ftrand.     Tffcr 
favages  ran  immediately  to   his  affiftance,  and    carried 
him  a  little  way  ofF  from  the  fea.     At  tlie  firft  outfet  he 
could  not  collect  himielf,  and  great  was  his  terror  oi\ 
recovering,  to  find  himfelf  entirely  in  their  power !   He 
let   up  aloud  cry,  and  they  re-echoed  it  with  violence 
in  order  to  encourage  him  ;  then,  placing  him  at  the 
foot  of  a  hill,   they  turned  him  towards  tlie   fun,   kin- 
dled a  fire,  and  ftripped  him  naked.     He  now  no  longer 
ifoubted  but  that  they  were  going  to  oiFer  him   upon  it 
as  a  facrifice  to  the  Aui.     They  were  of  the  fame  opi- 
nion on  board  the  fliip,  and  in  the  boat,  though  unable 
to    aftord  him   any  aififtance.      But  he  found    himfelf 
niiftaken   in  his  apprehenlions,  for  they  only  dried  his 
clothes,  and  did  not  even  take  him  nearer  to  the  fire 
than  was  neceflary  to  warm  him.     Still,  however,  he 
trembled  ;    but  the  favages    careffed  him  in   the  moft 
friendly  manner,  admiring  the    whitenefs  of  his  com- 
plexion,  and  the  hair  on  thofe  parts  of  the  body,  where, 
as  it  is    known,  the    American  fevages  have     none. 
'r\.'Vr  reftorcd  his  clothes,   and  fet  victuals  before  him. 
Hav'in  J  fhewn  an  eager  defire  to  return  to  his  friends, 
they  conducted  him  to  the  flurc,   and  after  having  em- 
t>iuccd  him   with  great  tciidernefs,  withdrew  a  little  to 
Ihew  him,  that  he   was  entirely    at   liberty,    following 
him  witli  their  eyes  until  they   had  feen  him  again  in 
his   boat,  and   oi\  board  the  Ihip.     Now  aU  this  muft 
have   pafled  fomewhcre  about     New  "Jcrfey  or  ^taaten 
ijlund^  or  perhaps   on   Long-Ifland. —  They  now   failed 
driller  on,  and  tiw  the  coaTt  trend   again  to  the  north- 
vv  ird.     After   a  run  of  50  leagues,   Vera-z.'z.ant  anchor- 
ed  off  a   delightful  country,   fuU  of   the  fined  forefts, 
ilere    20  of    liis    men  landed,    and  went   about  two 
leagues  up  into  the  country.     The  inhabitants  fled  be- 
iiire  them,  but  they  caught  an   old  woman  who  had  hid 
lv'r*"<;lf  iu   the  high  grals,  wit'i  a   young  woman  about 
18  years  of  age.     The   old   woman  carried  a  child  on 
!;ur   liacJ:;  an''  had    belides,  two  little  boys  with  her. 
'I'lie   young  woman,  too,  carried  thice  children  of  her 

ovvu 


Discoveries  in  tHE  north*     43^ 

l>wn  fex.  Seeing  themfelves  difcovered,  they  began  to 
Oirielc,  and  the  old  one  gave  them  to  underftand,  by 
figns,  that  the  men  were  fled  to  the  »;oods.  'I'hey 
on-cred  her  fomething  to  eat,  which  ihe  accepted,  but 
the  maiden  refufed  it.  T}iis  g;irl,  who  was  tall  and 
well  fhaped,  they  were  deftrous  of  taking  along  with 
them,  but  as  ihe  made  a  violent  outcry,  they  contented 
themfelves  with  taking  a  boy  away  with  them.  Thefe 
people  were  half  clothed  with  a  tiflue,  compofed  of  grafs 
and  reeds.  They  had  nets.  Thfeir  arrows  had  bone 
points.  Their  boats  were  hollowed  out  of  one  piece 
of  timber.  The  trees  were  not  fo  fragrant  as  thofe 
that  grew  on  the  places  where  they  landed  before  i 
many  of  them,  however,  had  vines  climbing  up  to 
their  very  tops.  No  houfes  were  to  be  feen»  After  hav- 
ing lain  at  anchor  here  three  days,  they  failed  farther 
•on  along  the  coaft  j  where  they  difcovered  a  very  fine 
country,  and  at  the  fame  time  found  the  mouth  of  a 
large   river. 

The  favages  pointed  out  to  them  the  deep  places  in 
this  river ;  but  a  ftorm  coming  on  on  z  fudden,  obliged 
them  to  fail  away  to  the  caflward.,  where  they  found 
a  well-cultivated  ifland  (the  ille  of  Nantucket^  or  elfe 
that  of  Martha'^  Vineyard)  and  a  little  further  on  a 
good  harbour,  in  which  they  faw  more  than  20  canoes 
belonging  to  the  favages.  Here  they  found  a  very  fine 
race  of  people,  who  at  the  fame  time  were  very 
pleafmg  ;  however,  the  men  were  extremely  jealous. 
Ihe  women  wore  ornaments  of  wrought  copper. 
Their  houfes  were  round,  made  of  wood,  and  covered 
over  with  draw.  The  mouth  of  the  river  was  in  41 
deg.  Here  they  laid  in  a  large  (lock  of  provifions, 
and  on  the  5th  of  May,  failed  farther  on  to  the  north- 
ward. After  a  run  of  150  leagues  (equal  to  71  deg.) 
they  difcovered  a  high  land,  quite  over-grown  with 
forefts.  The  inhabitants  of  this  country  were  eiy 
favage ;  they  were  covered  with  the  fkins  of  animals, 
and  lived  on  roots,  which  grew  in  the  earth  fponta-' 
neouflv.  Twenty-five  of  the  crew  who  landed  here, 
>\'ere  received  bv  the  inhabitaiitt.  with  u  vclley   of  ar- 

Ft2  row.-.. 


43^ 


VOYAGES    AMD 


rows.  Here  they  found  alfo  ornaments  made  of  cop-* 
per.  Then  failing  farther  on,  they  came,  after  a  run 
of  150  leagues  more,  to  56  deg.  IN.  )at.  ne.ir  a  country 
where  the  Bretons  had  already  been  betore.  I'his 
country,  along  the  coaft  of  which  they  had  already  failed 
upwards  of  700  leagues.  Was  called  New  France  *. 
Vira%zapil\s  provifions  beginning  to  diminirti  very  faft, 
he  failed  ftrait  on  to  France,  whence  he  dated  his 
to   King  Francis  1.  on  the  8lh  of  July,  1524. 

It  is  faid,  that  Verozzani  undertook  another  voy- 
age to  the  new-dilicovered  country*  of  New  France ; 
b'Jt  it.  is  abfolutely  impolfible  to  fay  in  what  year  this 
laft  voyage  was  made.  Ramufio,  however,  very  pofi- 
tively  aflures  us,  that  when  Verazzani  landed,  he  and 
the  people  who  went  afliore  with  him,  were  cut  to 
pieces  and  devoured  by  the  favages,  in  the  very 
light  of  the  reft  of  the  crew,  who  had  remained 
on  board  the  fliip,  and  who  were  unable  to  come  ta 
their  refcue.  Before  I  conclude  this  article,  I  muft 
beg  leave  to  add  two  very  Ihort  obfervations  :  the  firft 
refpects  the  fimilarity  of  the  fates  attending  Verazzani 
and  the  immor':ai  Cooky  both  of  whom  were  killed, 
cvit  into  pieces,  and  devoured  by  a  rude,  uncultivated 
people ;  both  alfo  were  poflefled  of  an  extenfive  know- 
ledge of  navigation,  intrepid  courage,  and  the  great- 
eii:  perfeverance.  'I'he  fecond  bus  already  been  made 
before  me  by  others,  but  is  neverthelcfs  as  true  as  it 
is  remarkable.  It  is  as  follows  :  The  three  great  em- 
pires of  thofe  times,  Spain,  England,  and  France, 
made  each  of  them  ufe  of  an  Italian  to  conduct  the 
voyages  of  difcovery  fet  on  foot  by  tliem.     Spain  em- 


were  ac( 


*  In  an  oIJ  map  I  have  feen  ihc  land  it  Nurumheii^a  laid  down  juTl 
^heiL  A^T.i  Hio.ia  is  at  prelent.  At  page  ijo  I  freely  confedcd  that  I 
t.oulil  not  I't^htly  comprcheiui  the  name  ot  y»>i«^?f,  which  was  given 
tlicre  to  the  toalj  of  the  land,  afiei  wards  named  Nova  Stttia  ;  it  is,  how- 
ever, without  doubt,  no  other  tl-jan  this  lame  land  Je  Nurumhena^  or 
N:rimbi;;ia.  NevcrthL-lefs  the  origin  of  this  appellation  remains  Hill  un- 
known to  n^e ;  iiulels  it  be,  indeed,  that  lome  of  the  toys,  which  wcr« 
pittenitJ  10  the  favages,  cnniilling  of  lookiDg-^jIafle.s,  btlls,  &t.  &c. 
wpti'  of  Nurtvth':rfr  nianutatLlure,  and  that  thu?,  by  the  nanne  given  l* 
thccLUiitiy,  ihey  mcam  to  prei'crvc  ih«  tncniurj  of  this  fact. 

picycd 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       437 

liloyed  Chiljlophcr  Cclom,  a  Genocfe  ;  England,  Sebttf- 
iian  Cabot y  a  Venetian  ;  and  France,  yerozz-vii^  a 
Florentine.  A  circumllance  which  Tufficiently  piovcF, 
that  in  thofe  times  no  nation  was  equal  to  the  ltr.li.".r.s 
in  point  oi  maritime  knowledge  and  extcnlive  experi- 
ence in  navigation.  But  notwitiiilanding  all  their 
knowledge  and  experience,  the  Italians  have  not  been 
able  to  acquire  one  inch  of  ground  for  themfelves  in 
America  :  all  the  difcoveries  made  by  thefc  Italians 
devolved  to  the  {hare  of  thofe  nations  which  hail  fcnt 
them  out  on  thcfc  errands.  The  penurious  mercantile 
fpirit  of  the  Republics  of  Venice,  Genoa,  Florence, 
Pifa,  and  other  free  ftates,  part  of  whom  had  already 
paikd  under  the  yoke  of  a  mafter,  their  mutual  bicker- 
ings and  petty  wars,  and  their  ihort-fighted  felfifhnefs, 
made  them  overlook  the  benefits  relulting  from  fuch 
great  enterprises,  and  attach  themfelves  to  mere  trifling 
details,  which  rendered  them  unfit  for  carrying  on  ex- 
peditions of  fuch  importance  to  the  ftate,  though  pri- 
vate perfons  had  courage  and  magnanimity  enough  not 
only  to  plan  theie  itnportant  voyages,  but  alfo  to  put 
their  plans  into  execution. 

III.  The  difcoveries  made  by  Ferazzani  having  been 
of  little  or  no  advantage  to  the  realm,  all  thoughts  of 
a  voyage  of  difcovery  were  for  fome  time  laid  allde  : 
but  in  the  year  1534,  the  Admiral  Pbiiip  Chabot  re- 
prefented  to  the  King,  how  advantageous  it  would  be 
to  eftablifh  a  colony  in  a  country  from  whence  Spain 
derived  fo  much  wca!ih.  Accordingly  y^wry  CV/rZ/Vr,  of 
St.  Maloy  was  prefented  to  the  King,  and  his  propofals 
were  accepted.  On  the  20th  of  April  he  fct  fail  from 
St.  Malo^  with  two  fiiips  ;:nd  122  men,  and  on  the 
loth  of  May  he  faw  hoim  V'tjla^  in  NewfoundUmd  j 
but  the  land  was  as  yet  covered  v/ith  fnow,  and  tcnvnrds 
the  fliore  there  were  great  quantities  of  ice.  Six  de- 
grees farther  to  the  louthward,  or  S.  S.  E.  he  faw  a 
harbour,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  St.  Catharinis 
Harbour.  He  then  returned  to  the  northward,  and  near 
the  IJle  of  Birds,  at  the  diftance  of  14  leagues  from 
Newfoundland^  he  fav/  a  great  white  bear.     After  this 

he 


I'l  ' 


4<S 


II  ;■§;  tl|.v! 


438 


VOYAGES    AND 


he  failed  almoft  quite  round  Nr  vfoundland^  where  ha 
found  fine  harbours,  but  a  bad  toil.  I'he  inhabitants 
were  of  a  good  fize,  tolerably  well  fhapcd,  and  wore 
their  hair  tied  in  a  bunch  on  the  crown  of  their  head, 
which  they  liicewife  adorned  with  feathers.  Then  he 
went  to  the  continent,  where  he  ftood  in  to  a  deep 
bay.  In  this  bay  he  fuffered  great  heat,  and  thet\cc 
named  it  Baye  des  Chaleurs.  In  fome  old  maps,  it  is 
liicewife  called  Spanift)  Bay.  In  fa6l,  Velafo  is  faid  to 
have  been  here  before  Carticr^  when,  find.iig  no  me- 
tals of  any  kind,  he  cried  out,  jica  nadn,  Here  is 
NOTHING  *  i  from  which  expreflion  was  formed  Ca- 
nada, the  name  by  which  this  country  was  afterwards 
Icnowi  .  In  the  Bay  des  Chaleurs  there  was  a  great 
number  of  feals.  Cartier  now  vifited  the  coufts  of  the 
bay  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  having  fct  fail  again  on  the 
15th  of  Auguft,  he  arrived  on  the  5th  of  September 
«ic  St.  Maloes. 

IV.  Cart'ur  gave  an  account  of  his  voyage,  and  this 
induced  the  Vice- Admiral,  Charles  le  Mouy  Siiur  de 
Melleraye,  to  procure  him  more  rcfpeft  and  authority 
from  the  King,  as  alfo  three  fhips  well  rigged  and 
manned.  On  the  6th  of  May,  1535,  Cartier  with  his 
whole  crew,  repairing  to,  the  cathedral  Church  at  St. 
Maloy  prayed  for  the  bleiling  of  God  on  their  under-* 
talcing,  and  with  it  received  Tikcwife  that  of  the  Bilhop. 
On  the  19th  he  put  to  fea,  having  on  board  a  num- 
ber of  young  men  of  di.Tindtion,  who  were  defirous  of 
making  their  fortunes  under  him.  The  (hips  were 
were  loon  after    difperfcd  by  a  Horm,     On  the   2Cth 

*  This  dcrivatirn  of  the  name  of  Ct/nada  fmrn  ihc  Spanifli  /•untiinliT, 
hiving  been  fo  ollcn  r'curred  to,  I  cannot  help  Hating  I'omc  oljcif^ioitR 
•jgainU  it.  The  Spaniih  won)  tor  tti e  is  iw>t  e/f^,  but  a^ui  ;  ar.d  ili« 
f  Jimation  ot  Canada  from  Aijuiiiodn^  apptarj  foiced  and  unnatuial.  It 
Cinnoi,  however,  be  denied,  that  thi>  appellation  has  by  many  bien  de- 
rived from  thence  ;  for  in  ancient  maps  we  often  find  Ca:  da  NaJa^  or 
Frimentcrium  Nihtli^  But,  from  a  Can<jJ/<j»  vocabulary,  annexed  to  tie 
original  cdiiion  of  the  ("eccnd  voyage  cf  JtKjues  Cartier^  Paris,  1545,  h 
appears,  that  an  aflfemblage  ot  hoiiie«,  or  habitations,  i.  e.  a  /ttfir,  was 
by  the  natives  called  Canada.     Cartier  fays,  //c  apf>ti.tnt  une  Villi'  - 

Cnnada\  and  nothing  feems  more  natural  than  th*t  v.hrn  the  French 
afked  hew  they  calUdfuch  a  place,  viz.  a  certain  aiTerrb  age  of  habiisr 
jaiions  or  huts,  or  the  town,  the  fav-ages  fliould  aniwer  ihem,  Ccr.odt:^ 
2  town.  Now  this  \va<  ii;iagiaei;  10  be  the  particular  and  [urpcr  name 
ef  tV<c  country  iiltl.  i  anUantiicc  the  Vihoic  counuy  cbtilhtd  the  n&mc 
^r  Canada^ 

of 


guiph 
alfo 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       439 

of  June  they  met  together  again  at  their  general  place 
t>f  rendevoouT.^  in  the  bay  of  Newfoundland,  On  ihc 
I  ft  of  Auguft  he  was  obliged,  by  a  ftorin,  to  t;ik.c 
refuge  in  the  harbour  of  St.  Nicholas^  on  the  northei  n 
coair  of  the  mouth  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  which  is 
in  49  deg.  25  min.  N.  lat.  On  the  10th,  Cartier  bore 
up  again  into  the  great  bay,  which  he  named  the  bay 
of  St.  Lawrena  j  and  though  the  river  which  runs  in- 
to it  was  at  firft  called  the  river  of  Canada^  yet  it 
has  in  the  courfe  of  time  changed  this  appellation  for 
that  of  the  River  of  St,  Lawrence^  after  the  bay  or 
gulph  of  that  name.  The  name  of  St.  Lawrence  was 
alfo  in  the  beginning  only  given  to  an  inlit,  fituatcd 
between  the  illand  of  Anticojll  and  the  northern  cojift 
of  the  main  land,  but  in  the  courfe  of  time  has  been 
extended  to  the  whole  of  this  large  bay.  On  the  15th 
he  came  to  the  Ifland  which  he  named  Ajjcmptfion  (or 
AflUmption  Ifland)  but  which  by  the  favages  was  calJc«l 
Natifcctccy  whence  the  Englilh  have  made  the  name 
Anticojli^  a  name  by  which  it  is  known  ac  ihis  very 
<lay.  After  this  they  failed  up  the  river,  an(.,  on  the 
ift  of  September,  ran  into  the  river  Seguenay.  Then 
he  failed  farther,  and  named  an  ifland  which  he 
faw  covered  with  hazel-trees,  Ifle  aux  Coudres  (Hazel 
or  Filberd  Ifland).  Here,  feeing  land  on  both  fides 
of  the  river,  he  looked  about  for  a  harbour  to  pafs 
the  winter  in.  Higher  up  he  found  a  ftill  finer  and 
larger  ifland,  covered  with  an  infinite  number  of 
vines  *,  growing  fpontaneoufly  in  the  groves  and  fore  (Is, 

•Oneofihe  chie'and  ftiongeft  objed\'ons  tha!  has  been  mailc  •painfl  the 
f>p  nion  that  NituffiinJlattd  w»»  the  yVinianil  of  ihe  ancient  Normans  (virte 
j'agc  83)  if.  that  no  \  iiicK  crew  there  Ipor  tanioiilly  :  but  Cat  tier'i  liccl.ut 
JjJatitl,  or  ihc  IJIe  ef  Orltanty  having  been  found  c:  veied  uilh  vincf,  and 
the  latitude  of  this  ifland  beinp  ix.Cliy  the  laiiic  with  that  of  Ntwiound- 
land.  And  indeed  of  the  moll  fouihern  parts  of  ih  it  country,  and  moiecvcr, 
the  clinnaie  of  Newfoiindl;ind  b.  ing,  on  account  of  its  vicinity  to  the  -  ctan, 
rather  milder  than  that  of  the  itlc  of  Orleans^  1  can  no  longer  doubt  but 
that  fewral  lorts  of  .vitd  vines  crew  ,^  lo  on  Newfoundiamt,  and  cl  itfly 
the  fpecie^  before  ineniioned  :  A'///j  vuipina^  labrufca  et  nrboiea.  But  at 
rvf  hve  not  as  yet  any  Flora  of  Newfoundland,  we  cannot  affirm  this 
with  abfoiute  certainty  -,  however  it  is  highly  probable  that  this  is  the 
rale. 

and 


m 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


// 


1.0 


I.I 


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18 


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1.6 

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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


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^\ 


%' 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)  872-4503 


^^\.  ^^^ 
.^M^ 
^ 


44® 


VOYAGES    ANii 


and  hence  named  it  Bachus  IJland :  this  name,   how- 
ever,  is  now   forgotten,  it  being   now  called  the  IJIe 
of   Orleans.      Cartier  went   ftill  higher    up    the  great 
river,  and  faw  a  river  coming   from  the   north,  which 
he  named   St.  Croix ^  having  difcovered  it  on  the  day 
of  the   Elevation  of  the  Holy  Crofs  j  but  at  prefcnt  this 
river  is    known  by  the  appellation   of  Jaques  Cartier's 
River.     Here  he  convcrfed    with   Doiinaccna^   a  Chief 
of  the    favages,  who  was  defirous   of  keeping   all  the 
advantages  arifmg  from  Cartier  and  his  crew   to  him- 
lelf,  and  accordingly  advifed  him  not  to  go  to  Hocheh- 
gQ'i  a  large  fcttlcment  of  the  favage?.     But  Cartier  left 
two  {hips  in  the  rivir  of  5f,  Croix ^  and  went  with  the 
third,  la  grande  Hermine,  higher  up.     In  lake  St.  Pierre^ 
he,    not  having    depth  of   water   fufficient,  could    not 
proceed   any  farther  with  his  fhip.     He  therefore  armed 
his  two  boats,   and  went  with  them  up  to   Hockdaga*. 
This  place  contained  about  50  dwellings,  each  of  v.  hicii 
was   50  paces  long,  and  14  or  75  broad.     All  tliele  ha- 
bitations were  enccmpafled  with  pallifadoes.     'i.  here  v.'l.s 
but   one    gate  or  entrance  to  it  ;  all  arcuiid  the  fortifi- 
. cations   there  was  an  elevated  ftage,  which  was  to  be 
afcended  by  a  ladder.     On  this  itage  lay  a  great  quan- 
tity of  ftones,  both  large  and  fmal),  ibr  tl.e  defence  cf 
the  fortification.     The   Europeans  were   well  received 
here  :   but  it  was  not  long  before  inactivity,  the  confined 
and  putrid  air  in  the  clofe  and  dirty  habitations  of  tlie 
favages,  the  faked  and  poor  provifion  they  were  obliged 
to  put  up  with,   together  with    the  want  of  change  of 
cloathing,  occafioned  the  fcurvy  amongft  Cartier^s  people  ^ 
and  25   of  them  died   of  this  dil'calc,    till     at    length 
they  learned  from  the  favages   the  beft  remedy  for  it, 
and   began  to  u(e  it.     This   remedy  ccnfills  in  a  dc- 
co«Stion  of  the  leaves  and  inncrmoft  bark  of  the  white 
North-American    pine-tree    (Finns    Canudcnfn    Linn, 


*  At  prefent  this  pl«ce  i«  no  longer  called  Hichcliga^  bjt  Mjntrea'. 
The  lirli  name  is  entirely  forgotten.  This  A/v-n/rw/ in  the  fcconii  place 
in  CanaJ.i,  being  next  to^Jebec.  The  illand  on  which  it  is  fitiiatcd  is 
highly  cultivated   and    pretty  populous,  in    (.ciTipirilb'o   with  the  rtll  0." 


Ej;iin(Ue 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       441 

Eplnette  Blanche).     By  means  of  this,  Cartier  and  his 
crew  were  perfe(5tiy  recovered  within  eight  days  j  niy^ 
even  thofe,  too,  were  cured,  who  laboured  under  ve- 
nereal complaints.     In  the  next  fpring  Cartier  returned 
with  what  remained  of  his  crew  to  France  ;  and  h  iv- 
ing,  partly  by  ftratagem  and  partly  by  force,  carried  olY 
Donnacona  fr..Ti  the  river  of  St.  Croix,  prefented    him 
to  the  King,  and  expatiated  largely  on  the  advantages 
which   were  likely  to  refult  from   a  fettlement   in  that 
country,  and  chiefly  by  means  of  the  fur-trade  ;  fhevv- 
ing,  at   the  fame   time,  that   from  the   mildnefs  of  the 
climate  and  the  fertility  of  the  foil,  every  produ«Stion  of 
the  earth  might  be  expelled.     But  the  filly  prejudice  at 
that  time  prevailing  amongft  all  the  nations  of  Europe, 
that  only  fuch  countries   as   produced  gold  and  iilver 
■were  in  any  wife  valuable  and  worth  taking  pofleflion 
of,  had  alfo  at  this  juncture  fo  great  an  influence  on  the 
French,  that  they  flighted  the  falutary  advice  of  Cartier^ 
and  would  hear  no  more  of  the  eltablifhment  of  a  colon/ 
in  Canada. 

V.  Neverthelefs  there  were  fome  people  found,  and 
thofe  even  at  Court,  who  formed  more  jull  conceptions 
of  the  matter.  A  certain  Nobleman  of  Picardy,  by 
name  Francois  de  la  Roque,  Lord  of  Robervai,  who  was 
of  great  weight  in  his  own  province,  and  whom,  on 
this  account,  Francis  I,  frequently  ufcd  to  call  the 
Little  King  of  Fimeu,  v/as  more  zealous  than  the  reft 
for  purfuing  thefe  difcoveries.  The  King,  therefore, 
on  the  15th  of  January,  1540,  created  him  Lord  in 
Norimbega,  an^his  Lieutenant- General  and  Viceroy  in 
Canada,  Hochelaga,  Saguenay,  Newfoundland,  BdU  Jfe^ 
Carpon,  Labrador,  the  Grsnt  Bay,  and  Bacallaos,  By 
thefe  great  titles  Roberval  was  induced  to  appear  in 
the  countries  here  mentioned,  with  a  grandeur  and 
magnificence  fuitable  to  his  dignity.  Accordingly  he 
fent  for  canons  from  Normandy,  and  even  from  Cham- 
paigne,  and  fitted  out  two  fl.iips  at  his  own  cxpence. 
Carlier  was  to  go  before  as  Captain,    a^  Itc  himfelf 

could 


.  -ifci 


■■  li  111,' 


442 


VOYAGES    AND 


could  not  be  reaf?y  with  his  two  (hips  fo  foon.  Cnr- 
iifKy  therefore,  let  tail  with  five  (hips  on  the  23d  of 
M;w,  1640.  After  meeting  with  many  Itorms,  he 
landed  at  length  in  Ni;ivfoundlnncl^  in  the  harbour  of 
Carport  ^probubly  J^uirpon,  or  Kir  pan,  ori  the  northern 
point  of  the  illand).  Roberval  not  arriving,  Cmtier 
■went  ftrait  on  to  Canada^  where  he  ipoice  with  Jgona^ 
the  fucceflbr  of  Donnacona^  who  had  died  in  France. 
JHaving  Inade  prel'ents  to  each  other.  Cm-tier  went  to 
the  diltancc  of  four  lca2;ucs  from  St.  Croix  into  a  fmart 
river,  which  feemed  more  convenient  to  him  than  the 
river  of  St.  Croix  itfelf.  Here  they  fuw  a  great  quan- 
tity of  black  grapes  ;  and  fowcd  dilterent  forts  of  garden 
feed?,  fuch  as  cabbage,  navew,  and  lettuce,  which  im- 
mediately fprung  up.  They  likewife  erected  here  a 
fmall  citadel,  to  which  they  gave  the  name  of  Cbarle- 
hnurg*.  The  country  was  pleafant,  and  was  furnilhcd 
with  a  fpring  :  it  contained  iron,  and  was  full  of  chryf- 
tal-ftones,  and  even  of  gold-duft.  Cnrtier  armed  two 
boats  with  a  dell'jn  to  go  over  the  water-falls  to  Sa- 
guenfr)\  but  found  it  impoflible,  and,  having  difcovered 
the  jx'rlidioufncfs  of  the  natives,  became  doubly  v/atch- 
ful.  Having  waited  in  vain  till  1542,  for  the  arrival 
of  the  ViceroyM.de  Roben>nl-i  and  confumed  all  his 
provifions,  belidcs  thut  he  had  great  rcafon  to  fear  an 
attack  from  the  favagcs,  he  fet  out  on  his  return  to 
France  ;  but  quite  une>:pc(Sledly  found  Roberval  at  New- 
foundland, who  h;id  left  France  only  in  the  month  of 
April  1542,  and  had  arrived  in  the  ro9.d  of  St.  jfohny 
in  Newfoundland,  juft  before  him,  with  three  (hips  fuU 
of  men,  women,  and  children.  Rcherval^  indeed, 
wanted  to  oblige  Cartier  to  return  with  him  to  America  ; 
but  this  latter  gave  him  the  flip  with  his  fquadron  in  tlic 
night,  and  failed  to  Britany. 


*  Hence  it  would  feem  that  this  fit  ft  fettlemenr  of  the  French  mud 
hivf  been  at  no  great  (lill.nce  from  ^«r/'Ci-an<l  the  Utile  river  of  Charl(x ; 
»nd,  in  r»£t,  there  ifc  Itill  i.  place  called  Charlijbmrgy  about  this  fpot. 


VI.  Roberval 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       445 

VI.  Roberval  went  with  his  three  fhips  to  the  coaft 
of  Saguenay,  built  a  fort  on  a  mountain  near  the  river 
of  St,  Lawrence,  and  fent  his  firft  pilot,  Jean  Alphcnfe 
de  Xaintoigne ,  a  native  either  of  Portugal  or  Gallicia, 
to  the  northward,  to  difcover  a  paflage  to  the  Eaft* 
Indies.  But  he  did  not  go  beyond  52  deg.  N.  lat. 
Hoherval  muft  have  returjied  to  France,  for  we  find 
mention  is  made  of  many  more  voyages  ha\ing  been 
undertaken  by  him.  The  war  between  Francis  I.  and 
Charles  V.  prevented  Roberval  from  attempting  any 
other  voyage  till  the  year  1549-  But  in  that  year  he 
fet  fail  again,  together  with  his  brother,  one  of  the 
braveft  men  of  thofe  times,  and  they  were  both  reported 
to  have  perifhcd,  thou^jh  no  farther  information  con- 
cerning the  particular  circumftances  attending  their  de- 
itru6lion  has  been  handed  down  to  ns. 

VII.  For  fome  time  after  this,  people  did  not  care 
to  undertake  any  more  voyages  to  America,  as  they 
could  procure  no  gold  from  the  newly-difcovcred  north- 
ern part  of  it,  not  confidering,  that  the  real  value  of 
the  fur  trade  and  of  the  hfhery  furpafled  by  far  that  of 
all  the  gold  in  Peru,  and  fecured  to  the  ftate  more 
permanent  advantages.  In  1598,  the  Marquis  de  la 
Roche  went  in  the  quality  of  Lord  Lieutenant  to  thefc 
countries^  and  40  of  tne  people  fent  out  with  him, 
having  been  taken  out  of  the  prifons,  he  landed  them 
on  the  miferr.ble  jfland  called  IJle  de  S(ibh\  and  flood 
awp.y  for  Acadia^  which  fince  has  obtained  the  name  of 
?^in)a  ^cotin^  from  whence,  after  having  made,  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  it,  fuch  refearches  as  he  thought  neccf- 
fary,  he  returned  to  France,  without  having  had  it  in 
his  power  'o  take  back  with  him  the  poor  wretches 
from  the  IJle  de  Sable.  In  France  many  misfortunes 
befel  him,  which  prevented  him  from  returning  to 
America  ;  and  this  affected  him  fo  much  that  he  died 
of  vexation,  Henry  IV.  hearing  of  the  unfortunate 
wretches  left  on  IJle  de  Sable,  fent  Chetodcl  to  bring 
th^m  away.     After  feven  years  ftay  oil  this  miferable 

iAand, 


I.' 

■  )   ; 


ili 


fti  1 


:i  !ii 


44+ 


VOYAGES    A  N'  D 


ing 


ifland,  only  12  o(  them  were  alive,  whom  the  K 
delired  to  i'ec,  juft  as  they  wore  when  they  left  the  place, 
in  their  feal-f]<ia  clothes,  and  with  their  long  beards  ; 
and  afterwards  made  each  of  them  a  prefcnt  of  50  dol- 
lars, and  remitted  them  the  punifhment  of  the  crimes 
for  which  they  had  formerly  been  put  into  prifon. 

immediately  after  this  man,  Pontgrave  de  Chmtvin 
went  with  a  grant  from  the  King  for  an  exclufive  trade 
to  Tadoujfak,  on  the  mouth  of  the  Saguenny,  where  he 
bartered  for  furs,  and  returning  the  next  year,  continu- 
ed to  trade,  and  had  alfo  determined  to  go  there  a  third 
time,  but  was  prevented  by  death.  After  this  we  find 
fome  accounts  of  the  voyages  of  Samuel  de  Champlain, 
a  man  of  a  noble  family,  to  Canada  ;  but  the  difco- 
veries  made  by  him  are  very  inlignificant,  and  a  great 
many  of  them  do  not  come  within  the  limits  of  our 
plan.  What  the  favage  Otfchagah  (perhaps  one  of 
the  Otfchagvds  nation)  has  laid  of  the  pafTage  from 
Lake  Superiour  into  Lnke  BourhoHy  and  to  the  two 
OuifiipiqufSy  which  are  joined  to  Hudfon's  Bay  by 
means  of  the  river  Nelfon^  is  equally  uncertain.  None 
of  thcfe  rtlationr.,  any  more  than  thofe  of  certain  French 
officers,  arc  fufficicntly  authentic  to  ferve  as  a  founda- 
tion on  v»'hich  a  map  might  be  laid  down,  or  for  a  cir- 
cumitantial  defcripticn  ot  thcle  countries,  and  one  that 
may  be  depended  on. 

VIII.  Philip  Buache^  in  his  Conftdcratkns  Geogrrf- 
phlques  et  Phyftques^  Parts^  ^to.  1753,  mentions  the 
voyage  of  a  Captain  F/(7«^rt<^,  who,  in  the  year  1709, 
failed  from  China  to  Spanifh  North- America.  This 
is  the  only  (hip  that  ever  crofled  the  South  Sea  in  fo 
high  a  latitude.  In  165  deg.  \L.  long,  from  Ferro,  he 
found  a  ftrong  current  fetting  from  the  north,  and  in 
the  month  of  May  met  with  heavy  rains  and  violent 
flaws  of  wind.  Being  come  to  188  deg.  E.  long, 
and  45  deg.  N.  lat.  he  found  a  fea  as  calm  as  a  pond, 
which  made  him  fuppofe  that  to  the  windward  of  him 
there  muft  be  a  land  which  obftrucicd  the  current. 
Before  he  cair.c   to  b(.  44  dec.    and  long.'  197  deg. 

ealt 


'J 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NOHTH.      445 

«aft  of  Ferro,  he  met  v/ith  dreadful  weather,  violent 
flaws  from  N.  N.  E.  and  from  the  euft,  and  ftrong 
currents  fetting  to  the  north  and  north-weftward.  Herti 
likewife  he  faw  a  great  number  of  whales.  In  40  dcg. 
N .  lat.  the  fea  was  green.  Farther  on,  currents  were 
to  the  fouth-eaft.  At  length,  on  the  24th  of  July, 
he  reached  the  coaft  of  California,  having  had,  through 
the  whole  courfe  of  the  voyage,  variable  weather  and 
winds,  violent  ihowers  of  rain,  heavy  feas,  and  fome- 
times  dead  calms. 

I'his  is  idl  ihat  I  have  been  able  to  colle6l  con- 
cerning the  voyages  of  the  French,  and  the  difcovcries 
made  by  them  in  the  north.  Upon  the  whole,  it  is 
to  be  obferved,  that  this  nation  has  but  lately  begun 
to  beftow  that  attention  on  voyages  to  diftant  regions 
which  they  deferve.  What  has  been  formerly  under- 
taken in  this  refpedl  has  been  chiefly  done  by  private 
perfons  at  their  own  expence.  Government  has  fel- 
dom  given  its  fupport  to  enterprizes  of  this  nature, 
or  if  it  has,  it  has  not  done  it  with  that  zeal  and  ar- 
dour thefe  objects  deferve.  It  cannot  be  denied,  how- 
ever, that  Government  has  alfo  fet  on  foot  fome  verv 
conliderable  voyages  of  difcovery,  and  thofe  at  a  con- 
fiderable  expence  j  voyages,  too,  in  which  obfervati- 
ons  have  been  made  of  great  importance  and  general 
utility. 


CHAP.       IV. 


Of  the  Difcoverles  made  by  the  Spaniards  in  the  North. 

IT  was  to  a  concurrence  of  many  fortunate  circum- 
ftances  that  Spain  was   indebted  for  the  difcovery  of 
'ihe   Weit-lndiai)    illands  beinj    made  for  her  in  ths 

Year 


"  );' 


:  'ij 


li 


ii 


"^-.m 


•\\ 


"  I-  ':i 


■  'A 


446 


VOYAGES    Atiti 


year  I492,  by  the  immortil  Genoefe^  Chri/iopher  Coldnt* 
The  important  advantages  which  they  reaped  from  this 
^lifcovcry,  emboldened  all  the  high-fpirited  and  refolutc 
men  of  the  nation  to  proceed  in  this  career  with  almoil: 
inconceivable  adlivity.  The  riches  thus  acquired  ferv- 
ed  for  fitting  out  a  great  number  of  (hips,  and  for  the 
execution  of  frefli  enterprises.  The  great  difcoveries 
made  by  the  Portugueze  in  Africa,  the  circumnaviga- 
tion of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  in  1496,  and  the 
finding  out  of  a  paiTage  by  fea  to  the  Eaft- Indies, 
rendered  the  Spaniards  ftill  more  and  more  intent  up- 
on new  difcoveries.  Each  of  thefe  nations  endeavour- 
ed to  extend  its  difcoveries,  and  to  profit  by  them  as 
much  as  pofliblc.  Ships  were  fcnt  out  every  where 
on  voyages  of  this  nature.  Vincent  le  Tilnnc  aiferts, 
that  at  ihc  time  when  Thomns  Aubert  (or  Hubert)  went 
to  Canada^  viz.  in  1508,  the  Spaniard,  Vclaj'co^  went 
thither  alfo,  and  that  he  failed  up  tlic  river,  which 
was  afterwards  called  St.  Lmvrence^  for  about  aoo 
leagues.,  and  then  coafting  along  Labrador y  came  agniti 
to  the  river  Nevada^  which  Cortereal  had  already  dii  - 
covered  before  him.  But  fo  little  credit  is  to  be  given 
to  the  relations  of  Vincent  le  Blanc  in  general,  tliat  we 
likewife  cannot  place  nmch  depcndance  on  thi$  itorv 
of  his  with  rclpe£l  of  the  voyage  of  dilcovery  made 
by  the  Spaniard  Velafco  and  confequently  cannot  de- 
termine whether  and  how  far  it  is  founded  in  truth. 

J.  Alexander  VI.  Bifhop  of  Rome,  agreeably  to 
tl)e  prejudices  of  thofe  times,  in  1493*  divided  the 
difcovciry  of  new  lands  between  the  t)pamfh  and  tlie 
l*ortuguczc,  by  the  famous  Linen de  Di7narciUio-i^  vvhitii 
ill  fait  began  at  36  deg.  to  the  weftward  of  Lifbon, 
or  at  27  deg.  29  min.  v/ettward  from  the  hri'c  meri.liai:, 
viz.  that  which  palTes  through  Ferro,  01  3^2  deg.  31 
min.  eaftward  from  Ferro ;  but  which,  fur  the  great- 
er convenience  of  both  powers,  was  altered  in  1494, 
by  the  treaty  of  Tordefdlas^  in  fuch  a  manner  that 
Portugal  might  be  enabled  to  conquer  the  kingdom 
of  Fez,  and  Spain,  on  the  otiier  hand,  might  have  it 

in  her  power  to  do  the  faniv  by  Jlgierii  i?"^0'>  '^««''-^< 

and 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NOHTH.      447 

and  Telefm  ;  and  confequently  the  Llnea  dc  Dcmarcatim 
was  now  to  be  drawn  at   370  leagues  to  the  wcftward 
of  the    Cape    Verd   Iflands.      The    Spaniards    having; 
moreover  found  their  way  welhvard    to  the    Molucca 
Iflands,    by  means  of  A'ltigelhaens   flrft  voyage  round 
the  world,  and  both  parties   extending  their    180  de- 
grees from  the  line  of  demarcation  very  unjuttly  with 
a   view    to    enlarge    their   dominions,    attempts   were 
made   in   1524.  to  fettle  thefe  difputcs  by  Commiflarics 
at  Badajox  and    Elvas  ;    but  nothing   was  determined 
upon   till  the  Emperor   Charles   V.    in  1529,  happen- 
ing to  be  in  v.'ant  of  money,  by  the  treaty  of  6V/r^- 
gojfa  gave  up  his  pretenfions  to  the  Molucca   Ulands, 
in  lieu  of  which  he  accepted  of  350,000  ducats  from 
King  yohn  III.  of  Portugal.     In   the  mean  time  the 
Spaniards  continued  to  have  a  very  difficult,    and,    on 
account  of  the  ftorms  ufually  experienced  there,  like- 
wife  a  dangerous   route,  to  go  through  the    Straits  of 
Magellan  into  the  South  Sea   and  to  Peru  and  Chiliy 
as  alfo  to  the  Philippine  Iflands  ;    they  therefore  natu- 
rally wifhed  to  lind  a  nearer  way.     The  attempts  made 
by  the   Engliih   and  French  to  find  a  paiTage  by  the 
north  to  China  and  Kathay,  and  into  the  isouth-Sea, 
made  them  fomcwhat  uneafy,  left  it  fhould  be  difcover- 
ed  and  occupied   by  a  foreign   natioii,    and  thus  they 
tiiemfelves  rcmaii;  excluded  from  it ;  they,  too,  there- 
fore, v/ere  delirous  of  trying  to  find  a  pallage  from  the 
South-Sea   into  the  Atlantic.     But  before  this  enter- 
prize  could  be  brought  to  bear,  the   Emperor  Charles 
V.  in  the  year  1524,  fent  EjTevan  Gomez  from  Co- 
runna,  to  find   out  a  pafiage  to  the    Molucca   Iflands 
by  the  North  of  America.     But  finding  it  impofllblc 
to  do  this,  he  brought  fome  Indians   from  thefe  iflands 
along  with  him,  and,  in  1525,  arrived  at  Tc'/f/^^.     Vide 
'Miguel  Fenega'sKiiiory  oi'  California,  p.  124.     Cortezy 
the  Conqueror  of  Ms.-nco^   had  received  intelligence  of 
the  attempt  of    the  Portugue'zc   Cafpar  Coriereal^    to 
find  a  pafiage,  and  of  his  having  ahxady  difcovercd  a 
firait,   and    named  it   Aulan.     in   co:ifcquencc  of  this 

iiitelli^ence 


i 


■mm 


\\\ 


"iii 


44» 


VOYAGES    ANi» 


intell'gcnce  he  fent  out  ^  (hips,  well  manned,  under 
the  coinm::nJ  of  Francijco  Ulloa^  for  the  purpofe  of 
rmclin^;  out  this  pafTage.  This  event  feems  to  have 
fv.ippencu  in  1537,  though  very  little  has  been  handed 
down  to  us  concerning  the  refult  of  this  expedition, 
j'.s  Cortez.  being  willing  to  appropriate  to  himlelf  the 
'A'h'Antx'rt  which  might  arifc  from  this  difcovcry,  if 
made,  took  the  command  of  the  expedition  upon  him- 
(clf,  but  returned  without  having  done  any  thing. 

After  him,  the  Viceroy  Mcndoza^  fent  people  out  iit 
1540,  as  well  by  land,  under  the  command  of  Fran- 
cifco  Vdfquez  Coronado^  as  a!fo  by  fea,  under  that  of 
Francijco  Alar^on^  for  the  purpofe  of  finding  out  the 
ft  raits  known  by  the  name  of  Anion  ^  and  of  explor- 
ing the  coaft  to  53  deg.  N.  lat.  Alarcon  went  no 
farther  than  to  36  deg.  when  his  fhips  being  in  bad 
condition,  and  his  crew  fickly,  the  coaft  moreover 
beginning  to  trend  to  the  northvyard  (probably  to  the 
north- wefJ:)  in  which  cafe  he  muft  have  removed  itill 
farther  from  the  land  troops,  who  were  even  then  at 
the  diilance  of  10  days  march  from  him,  he  rr-turn- 
cd.  Vide  Antonio  Hcrrcra\  Defcription  dc  la:  InditHy 
Amber e$ ^  fol.  1728;  which  has  alfo  been  publifhed  in 
Latin  at  Amfterdam,  in  folio,  1622  ;  a5  alfo  in  h  : 
de  Laet^  novus  Or  bis  feu  Americce  utriiifque  Defer  ip- 
tio  J  Antwerp  et  Lugd.    Bat.  ap.  Elzevir,  fol.  1 633. 

il.  The  news  of  Alarcon' s  ill  fuccefs  having  reach- 
ed Spain,  orders  were  given  for  another  expedition, 
Juan  Rodriguez  de  Cabrilb^  a,  Portugueze  in  the  fervic  e 
of  Spain,  was  appointed  to  command  it,  in  the  year 
1542,  but  he  went  no  farther  than  to  44.  deg.  N.  l:ir. 
where  he  found  it  very  cold.  Tlic  ficknefs  of  the  crew, 
the  want  cf  proviiion?,  and  the  circmnftance  of  the 
lliip's  being  too  weak  toftand  the  turbulence  of  the  fca  in 
tiiofe  parts,  obliged  Cabrillo  to  rctutn,  without  proceed- 
ing as  far  as  he  had  been  inftrucired  to  do.  however, 
they  faw  land  in  42  deg.  N .  lat.  on  the  coaft  of  Nortli- 
America,  which  land  they  named  Capo  Mendocinoy  by 
way  of  compliment  to  the  Viceroy  ;  and  rliey  found  th.it 
from  thence  to  the  harbour  da  la  h'adii'Jddd,  the  who'? 

wus 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


449 


was  one  contir  ed  land,  without  the  intervention  of  a 
ftrait,  or  any  other  reparation. 

III.  Befides  what  was  done  by  thefe  fhips,  it  has 
been  advanced,  that  in  the  year  1568,  a  Spanlfh  no- 
bleman of  the  name  of  Saluatierra^  on  his  return 
home  from  the  Weft-Indies,  accidentally  landed  in 
Ireland,  and  related  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  thut 
Andreai  Urdanietta  had,  about  the  year  1556,  or  1557, 
adtuallv  found  a  pafl'age,  and  had  ihewn  him,  eignt 
years  before  his  arrival  in  Ireland,  a  map  of  Mexico, 
on  which  he  had  laid  down  this  paflage.  Urdanietta  com- 
ing from  the  South-Sea  to  Germany,  and  afterwards 
fpealcing  with  the  King  of  Portugal,  had  related  to  his 
Majefty  the  difcovery  he  had  made,  who  earnertly  en- 
treated him  to  obferve  a  profound  filence  with  re- 
fpeft  to  this  affair  j  as,  if  the  Englilh  fhould  get  to 
the  knowledge  of  it,  they  would  become  extremely 
troublefome  to  the  King  of  Spain,  as  well  as  to  him- 
felf,  viz.  the  King  of  Portugal.  This  Urdanietta  was, 
in  fad,  no  more  than  a  Monk,  but  had  an  extraordi- 
narily extenfive  knowledge  of  mathematics  and  navi- 
gation ;  in  confequence  of  which  he  was  employed  on 
many  voyages  and  expeditions,  particularly  oix  that 
undertaken  to  the  Philippines  in  1564,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Andreas  Miguel  Lopez  Legafpi, 

IV".  A.  D,  1582,  Francifco  Gualle  had  orders  from 
the  King  of  Spain  to  examine  if  it  was  true  that 
there  exifted  a  paflage  to  the  eaft  and  north-eaft  of 
Japan,  by  means  of  which  the  South- Sea  was  con- 
nedcd  with  that  fituated  to  the  north  of  Afia.  His 
own  report  on  this  fubjedl  is  as  follows  : — "  Shaping 
'*  my  courfe  (viz.  eaftward  from  Japan,  from  32  deg. 
"  N .  lat.)  to  the  E.  N.  E.  about  300  leagues  from 
Japan,  I  found  a  very  hollow  fea,  with  currents  fct- 
ting  from  the  north  and  north-weft,  till  I  had  failed 
above  700  leagues,  and  was  at  the  diftance  of  200 
leagues  only  from  the  coaft  of  New  Spain  (or  Cali- 
"  fornia)  j    and  it  was   not  till  then  that  1  loft  the 

G  5  "  currents 


4( 
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r.t 


450 


VOYAGES    AND 


"  currents  and  the  hollow  Tea.  Whence  1  am  firmly 
**  of  opinion,  ami  ftedfaftly  believe,  that  a  channel  or 
"  llrait  is  to  be  found  between  the  continent  of  New 
"  Spain  and  Tartary  or  Afia.  During  this  wholt; 
*'  run  of  700  leagues  we  faw  a  great  number  of  whales, 
**  and  of  tljofc  filh  which  the  Spaniards  Cidl  Jtwn 
"  (  ruiuiies,  Scomber  Thynnus)  a  great  number  ot 
*'  which  are  caught  near  Gibraltar  in  Spain  ;  as  alfo 
**  Jlbucoras  (Scomber  Hippos)  and  Bonitos  (Scomber 
"  Pchimys)  j  all  which  are  fifli  that  ufually  haunt 
**  channels,  ftraits,  and  currents  of  the  fea  *  ;  ..nd 
**  all  thcfe  circumftances,  taken  together  induce  me 
*'  to  believe,  that  there  muft  be  a  channel  or  Itrait 
"  here  f." 

Juan  de  Fuca  was,  ftriiStly  fpeaking,  a  Greek,  from 
the  iflund  of  CephaLtiia,t  his  real  name  was  Jpojbhs 
VaUrianos.  He  had  been  upwards  of  40  years  in 
the  fcrvice  of  Spain  as  mariner  and  pilot,  and  had 
alfo  loll  a  confidcrable  fortune  on  board  the  Aca- 
pulco  fhip,  which  was  talcen  from  the  Spaniards  by 
Cavendijhy  which,  however,  he  certainly  over-rated 
in  valuing  it  at  60,000  ducats  (perhaps  he  meant  dol- 
lars). At  Venice  he  became  acquainted  with  John 
Doiulafs^  an  Englifli  pilot,  and  an  excellent  mariner, 
to  whom  he  related  his  adventures,  and  at  the  fame 
time  informed  him  that  he  had  difcovered  a  paffage. 
He  likewife  offered  to  go  to  England,  and,  in  the 
fervice  of  Queen  Elizabeth^  to  fliew  this  pallage,  on 
condition  of  being  indemnified  for  the  lofs  he  had  fuf- 
tained  in  the  Acapulco  fhip.  For  he,  Juan  de  Fuca^ 
had  been    fent    out    by   the  Viceroy  of   Mexico,   as 


*  For  my  part,  I  cannot  fay  that  all  thefe  kind  of  fifh  are  fo  particu- 
larly fond  of  channels  and  ftra  ts ;  fir,  in  the  courfe  of  my  voy.tge  loimd 
the  world,  I  have  more  tharj  once  feen  ihefe  fpecies  of  mackerel,  ami 
ptrtic'jlarly  the  Bonit:s^  in  great  quantities  (nay,  we  even  taught  fome  of 
them)  i;j  the  m'ddie  of  the  Atlantic,  at  a  great  diilance  from  „'Vis  laud. 
Whale,,  we  faw  in  the  high  louthern  latitudes,  and  that  chiefly  near  the 
ice,  far  from  any  land.  Hcwever,  the  greatelt  quaiiity  of  ihem  Uiat  ( 
faw  was  in  a  llrait  which  has  a  very  ftrong  current,  viz.  the  StmiU  cf  le 
M^ire. 

f  Vide  Jt  Cju'.$  DiidJ,  \o.  lib.  5,  (n/i,  3.  and  R:u:i(r  dc  Linjcho.'tn., 
i*p.  54. 

pilot 


DISCOVERIES  i^.  THE  NORTH.       451 

pilot  to  3  (hips  under  the  command  of  a  Spaniard, 
to  difcovcr  the  ftraits  of  Jniiin  ;  but  the  foldicrs  that 
were  on  board,  to  the  number  of  100,  having  muti- 
nied, and  befides  that,  the  Captain  having  conducted 
himfelf  improperly,  the  whole  voyage  had  been  fruf- 
trated.  But  in  1592,  the  Viceroy  had  fcnt  him  out, 
with  a  fmall  caravell  and  pinnace,  to  dilcover  thcfe 
ftraits.  Now,  having  feen,  between  47  and  48  deg» 
N.  lat.  that  the  land  trended  to  the  north  and  north- 
eaft,  with  a  large  inlet,  he  had  failed  into  this  inlet 
and  continued  failing  in  it  for  the  fpace  of  20  days. 
The  land  ftretched  fometimes  north-weftward,  and 
fometimes  north-eaftward,  and  even  at  other  times, 
fouth-eaftward,  and  the  fea  grew  much  wider  than  it 
was  at  the  entrance,  and  contained  many  iflands.  He 
landed  feveral  times,  faw  feveral  people  clothed  in  tlie 
fkins  of  animals,  and  found  the  country  very  fertile, 
and  abounding  in  gold,  filver,  and  pearls.  Being  now 
already  come  into  the  North-Sea,  and  having  alfo 
found  the  fea  wide  enough  every  where,  and  near  30 
or  40  leagues  wide  in  the  mouth  of  the  ftrait  whcie 
he  entered,  he  at  length  refolved  to  return,  having, 
on  the  one  hand,  adVually  accompliflied  the  difcovery^ 
but,  on  the  other,  being  too  weak  to  be  able  to  de- 
fend himfelf  againft  tbe  lavages,  in  cafe  there  had  been 
a  neceffity  for  fo  doing.  Accordingly  he  arrived  at 
Acapulco  in  1592,  and  was  in  hopes  of  receiving  a 
confiderable  reward  from  the  Viceroy,  for  wiiich  pur» 
pofe  he  waited  two  years  in  vain.  He  therefore  went 
to  Spain,  where  the  King  received  him  as  kindly  as 
the  Viceroy  had  done  \  but  obtaining  no  reward  after  a 
long  attendance,  he  fet  out  by  ftealth  for  Italy,  in- 
tending to  go  from  thence  to  Cephalonia^  and  pafs.  the 
remainder  of  his  days  in  peace  amongft  his  relations  in 
his  native  country.  This  relation  of  Fuca's  in  many 
inftances  feems  to  be  rather  fabulous,  which  renders 
the  remaining  part  of  it  very  fufpicious  *. 

•  Vide   Lucas  Fox's  North-weft  Fok»  London,  410,    1635,    p.    163, 
166  \    and  Purchat  Pilgrims  Book  IV.  Part  3. 


Gg  2 


VI.  The 


W 


452 


VOYAGES    AND 


VI.  The  great  atchicvcmcnts  of  Sir  Francis  Drakty 
who,  in  the  year  1578,  tooic  poirefTion,  in  a  harbour 
beyoiul  Ciuiforiiiii,  of  a  land  in  38  deg.  30  min.  N. 
lit.  -A.\\\  nanKxl  it  New  /^Unon^  as  alfo  the  expeditions 
of"  Sir  Tho/nas  Cavcnnifi)^  became  in  the  highell  degree 
obnoxious  and  trouMcibme  to  the  Spaniards  in  the  be- 
uinnir.g  of  their  trade  to  the  Manillas  j  add  to  this, 
ti'.at  x.\\^  report  ftill  rublifled  refpe6ting  the  ftraits  of 
Ar.lan^  a:;d  encfcal'ed  the  uneafuiefs  of  th"  Spaniards, 
as  the  whole  coaff,  from  Culhnacayi  (Culiacan)  to  Aca- 
fv.lco^  was  without  fortifications  or  defence.  On  this 
accoui;t  the  Court  comrniiTioncd  Sebajiian  Vizcaino^  a 
vr^n  of  great  courage  and  underftanding,  to  explore 
the  northern  coaft.  Accordingly  he  failed  Irom  Aca- 
ftilci^  in  tlie  year  1596,  with  three  (hips,  to  the  ifland 
if  Mt,>\catlah^  in  new  Galllcia,  and  to  Fort  San  Se^ 
hiijium^  wiicrc  they  tooic  in  water,  and  invefti gated  the 
coalt  for  riicre  than  ico  leagues  to  the  northward.  \\\ 
cnc  pl.ccc  they  loit  17  men,  and  were  obliged  for  want 
of  provilicns,  to  return  to  New  Spain. 

VII.  After  this  fruitlefs  voyage,  King  Philip  III. 
ordered  his  Viceroy,  Don  Gafpar  de  Zunigciy  Count  of 
Monterey^  thr.t  as  the  fliips  going  from  the  Philippines 
to  New  Spain,  ufually  came  lirtt  in  fight  of  Capo 
Mcnckcino^  fearch  fliouid  be  made  in  thofe  parts  for  a 
good  harbour,  where  the  fiiips  might,  in  cafe  of  ne- 
ceflity,  find  Ibelter,  and  take  in  water  and  other  rc- 
teflirnents  ;  the  high  north  winds  raging  fo  furioufly 
on  that  coaft,  that  fuch  a  place  of  refuge  was  very 
necelTary  ;  particularly  for  ihips  that  failed  quite  acrofs 
the  South-Sea.  All  pollible  preparations  v-^re  imme- 
diately made  for  this  voyage.  Sebajiian  ^  tzcaivo  fet 
fail  frcm  AcapuUo  on  the  5th  of  May,  1602,  with  two 
iliips,  o^ie  frigate,  and  a  fmall  long-boat.  Keeping 
along  the  coaft,  they  dcfcribed  all  the  harbours,  iflands, 
and  recks  on  it,  and  at  the  fame  time  fuftered  greatly 
from  the  terrible  north- weit  winils  that  prevailed 
there.  At  length,  in  about  36  deg.  44  mIn.  N.  lat. 
they  found  a  very  convenient  and  fccure  harbour,  af- 
fording 


DISCOVERIES  IN  TF1E  NORTH.        453 

fording  excellent  wood  for  (lie  tn;ius  and  yams  of  a 
/hip,  as  alio  vcr)'  fine  oaks  for  the  planks  and  tiiidxr. 
Thcv  Jikewifc  tound  pine?.,  willows,  and  poplar^ ;  to- 
gether with  beautiful  lake?,  fine  paftuiage,  a::d  excel- 
lent land  for  ploughing.  Ke' •  were  bears  and  wild 
oxen  of  two  different  lizcs  i  ,c  one  as  large  as  a  buf- 
falo, and  the  other  of  the  lize  of  a  wolf,  yet  made 
like  a  flag,  with  a  long  neck  and  large  horns  like 
a  flag's  horns,  and  a  tail  of  3  feet  long,  and  14- 
foot  broad.  Their  hoofs  were  cloven,  like  thofe  of 
our  oxen. 

Adjd  to  this,  there  were  flags,  rabbits,  luire;;,  wild 
cats,  gceft,  ducks,  pigeons,  partridges,  blackbirds, 
kites,  and  cranes  in  abundance  ;  of  various  forts  of 
mufcles  there  was  great  plenty,  as  alfo  of  lobilers  ; 
and  befides  that,  there  were  feals  and  whales.  The 
harbour  was  furrounded  by  Indian  habitations  (^Ranche- 
rias)  the  inhabitants  of  which  were  a  well-made, 
good-natured  people.  This  harbour  they  named  Mcn^ 
tereyy  in  honour  of  the  Viceroy.  They  aU'>  faw 
Cape  Mendocino  in  4.1  deg.  30  min.  N.  lat.  and  as 
they  had  a  great  many  fick  people  on  board,  they  rc^- 
turned  to  the  coall  of  New  Spain.  The  fmall  boat 
faw  a  piomontory  in  lat,  43  deg.  which  they  named 
Capo  Blanco.  Enfign  Alartin  Aguilar^  v/ho  commanded 
the  boat,  and  the  pilot  Florcz-,  were  now  of  opinion, 
that  having  made  Cape  Mendocino,  as  they  had  been 
ordered  to  do,  it  would  be  necefiary  to  turn  back  and 
Jook  for  the  coafl  cf  New  Spain  j  but  their  report, 
which  is  to  be  found  in  Torquemadas  Mcnarquja  Indi- 
ana^  contains  not  a  fnigle  v/ord  concerning  rn  inlet, 
creek,  or  harbour  ;  much  lefs  is  there  a  dcicripticn 
given  of  any  flrait.  Confequcntly  the  whole  hiliory  cf 
Martin  Jgitilar's  firait:^  v.'hich  is  mentioned  in  fo 
many  charts,  is  founded  on  a  mere  fabic.  In  hnc, 
having  fufFered  greatly  from  the  fcun')',  and  led  many 
of  the  crew,  they  returned  to  Jcapulco  ni  the  beginning 
of  the  year  1603. 

VIIl.  Now  we  are  coming  to  a  very  famous  expe- 
dition which,  if  it  was  to  be  dependecl  upon  in  cvcrv 
refpecl,  would  lejive  us  not  the  Icait  doubt  about  the 

real 


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iiiii 


i,,.!/    !| 


454 


VOYAGES    AND 


real  exiftence  of  a  paflagc.  In  the  months  of  April 
and  June,  A.  D.  1708,  in  an  Englifh  monthly  publi- 
cation, intitled.  Memoirs  of  the  Curious^  there  was  in- 
ferted  an  account  of  a  voyage  of  difcovery  made  by 
g  Spanifli  Admiral,  Bartbolomeo  de  Fontt,  which  he 
himfcif  defcribep  in  a  letter.  By  what  means  this  letter 
came  into  the  hands  of  the  editor,  is  not  meritioned. 
Some  have  pretended  that  it  was  genuine,  while 
Others  have  infifted  on  the  contrary.  Amongft  the 
former  is  undoubtedly  to  be  reckoned  the  author  of  a 
work,  intitled,  The  great  probability  of  a  North-wefl 
Pqlfage^  deduced  from  Ohfervations  on  the  Letter  of 
Admiral  de  Fonte.  London^  /[to.  1761.  The  author 
was  Theodore  Swaine  Darge,  the  lame  perfon,  who, 
when  clerk  of  the  (hip  California,  had  publifhed  an 
account  of  the  voyage  to  Hudfon's  Bay  in  the  year 
1748.  We  fhall  not  refer  to  any  of  his  opponents, 
but  only  obferve,  that  it  is  difficult  to  conceive, 
fmce  the  Spaniards  have  io  carefully  explored  the 
coaft  of  North-America  in  1775  j  fince  the  immortal 
Cook  has  navigated  this  fame  coaft  ;  fmce  the  Ruffian 
adventurers  have  begun,  mare  than  ever  to  frequent 
land  accurately  inveftigate  ^his  coaft ;  fmce  the  Hud- 
fon's Bay  Company  has,  very  lately  only,  caufed  a 
journey  to  be  madie  by  land  to  the  Frozen  Sea  ;  it 
is  difficult,  I  fay,  after  all  this,  to  conceive  where  we 
are  to  infert  the  Archipelagus  of  San  Lazaro^  the  Rio 
de  los  Reyes,  the  Lago  Rello,  the  river  Parmentire,  the 
Lago  de  Fuente,  the  Efirecho  de  Ronguiello,  the  river 
Harsj  the  river  Bernardoy  the  Lago  Velafco^  and  the 
peninfula  of  Coniba{fet ;  all  which,  however,  are  found 
in  the  narrative  or  rather  reverie  of  de  Fonte.  None 
pf  the  Spanilh  authors,  who  in  other  refpe£ts  fet  fp 
high  a  value  on  the  difcoveries  of  their  countrymen, 
know  any  thing  a^  all  of  this  voyage,  which  appears 
to  be  the  production  of  fome  idle  vifionary.  Indeed 
this  ziuthor  has  in  general  a  very  improbable  way  of 
writing  ;  for  he  fpeaks  of  the  fait  water  of  the  lakes, 
and  of  a  flux  and  reflux  in  thefe  lakes,  and  neverthe- 
^(s  finds  it  i^eceftaryj  in  v^'der  to  proceed  farther,  to 

hav« 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        455 

"have  recourfe  to  boats,  as  he  is  obliged  to  go  over 
lome  water-falls  or  cataracis ;  but,  in  the  name  of 
common  fenfc  and  reafon,  how  is  it  pollible  for  the 
tide  to  get  over  a  cataracl  ?  and  how  does  he  con- 
trive to  find  fait  water  even  beyond  a  cataratLt  ?  But  a 
man  muft  have  a  great  deal  of  idle  time  on  his  hands, 
or  elfe  be  very  Itrongly  infedled  with  the  Cacoethes 
i>cribendi^  to  undertake  a  ferious  refutation  of  fach  ab- 
furd  and  incongruous  dreams.  Indeed  they  would  make 
fuch  a  figure  in  this  work  as  an  extradl  of  20  pages 
from  the  well-known  Daniel  de  Foe's  New  Voyage 
round  the  World,  by  a  courfe  never  failed  before^  would, 
when  blended  with  the  genuine  materials  for  hiftory 
gathered  from  ftate-papers,  or  with  a  colle^lion  of 
authentic  records. 

IX.  The  laft  of  the  Spanifh  voyages,  which  w^s 
made  in  1775,  by  order  of  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico, 
Don  Antonio  Maria  dc  Bukarelli  y  Orfua,  for  the  pur- 
pofe  of  making  difcoveries  to  tne  nortliward  on  the 
weftern  coaft  of  America  in  the  South-Sea,  has  to  all 
appearance  been  preceded  by  feme  earlier  voyages,  of 
which  the  public  has  never  had  the  fmallelt  intelli- 
gence, it  being  well  known  that  Spain  keeps  all  her 
American  aft'airs  and  tranfa6tions  as  clofc  and  as  fecret 
as  poflible.  For  it  appears,  that  the  Spaniards  have 
not  only  miffionaries,  but  alfo  a  harbour  and  a  Com- 
mandant at  Monterey,  There  are  like  wife  regular 
packet-boats  to  this  place  ;  and  they  fay  themfeives, 
that  as  far  as  this  port,  there  is  no  occafion  for  any 
inftrudions  with  reipedt  to  ihe  navigation  the  route 
that  leads  thither  having  been  failed  in  fo  often  fmce 
the  eftabliftiment  of  the  colony,  and  the  mod  advan- 
tageous mariner  of  making  this  voyage  being  fo  well 
known  already.  The  longitude  of  it  is  17  deg. 
weftward  from  the  harbour  of  8an  Bias,  and  the  lat. 
36  deg.  44  min.*  N.  The  two  fhips  were  com- 
manded by  Bruno  Hcceia,  and  the  command  of  the 
galley  was  given  to  Lieut.  Don  Juan  de  Ayala,  and 
Lieut.  Don  J^on  Francifco  de  la  Bodega. 

In  company  with  them   failed  the  Monterey  packet- 
boat,  cajled  the  San  Qarks^  compianded  by  Don  Mi^ 


11* 


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456 


VOYAGES    AND 


guel  Maurrique,  The  author  of  this  relation  was 
Don  Jntonio  Maurelle^  fecond  pilot  on  board  of  the 
galley  Sonora.  But  already  before  this  voyage  of  dif- 
covery,  viz.  in  1774,  fome  (hips  had  been  fent  out 
to  55  deg.  N.  lat.  The  frequent  voyages  of  the 
Englifti  to  the  South-Sea,  under  Byrotjy  tVallis^  and 
twice  under  Cook.,  had  roufed  the  attention  of  the 
Spaniards  ;  as  well  as  the  many  difcoveries  of  the  Ruf- 
fians in  the  eaftern  ocean,  which  were  chiefly  made 
between  the  years  1767  and  1773.  In  confequence  of 
this,  they  twice,  if  not  three  times,  fent  out  (hips  from 
Callao  to  0-Taheite,  and  in  1774  to  the  northward 
along  the  weftern  coaft  of  North-America,  as  far  as  to 
55  deg  N.  lat.  and  now  again  in  1775,  in  which  year 
the  fhips  fet  fail  in  company  with  the  packet-boat  on  the 
1 6th  of  March.  The  Commander  of  the  Don  Carlos 
having  betrayed  evident  marks  of  infanity,  was  fet  on 
fhore,  and  the  command  of  the  packet-boat  was  en- 
trufled  to  Don  Juan  d*  Jyala^  and  Don  'Juan  Francifcs 
de  la  Bodega  y  ^.  dra  remained  fole  Commander  on 
board  the  Sonora.  On  their  very  firft  outfet  they  met 
with  flrong  currents.  On  their  paflage  they  faw  nifin 
ef  war  birds  (Pclecanus  Aquilus)  Gannets  (Pelccanus 
Baflhnus)  and  Tropic-Birds  (Phaeton  ^thereus)  as 
alfo  Boobies  (Bolfos,  Sterna  Stolida).  They  had  con- 
trary winds  and  currents  to  ftrive  againft.  They  did 
not,  however,  run  into  Monterey,  but  refolved  rather 
to  fail  to  43  deg.  N.  lat.  and  there  to  repair  their 
fhip?,  and  to  take  in  frefti  water.  In  their  way  thi- 
ther they,  faw  a  very  extraordinary  fpecics  of  rock- 
weed.  The  flalk  by  which  the  plant  was  fattened  to 
the  rock,  was  a  long  tube,  with  the  upper  part  (haped 
like  an  orange,  from  the  top  of  which  fhot  forth 
great  broad  leaves,  whence  they  called  it  ddeza  de 
Naranja,  or  the  orange  head.  Immediately  after,  they 
faw  a  fpecics  of  rock-tWeed  with  long- leaves  like  rib- 
bands, which  is  ufually  called  ZacuU  del  Mare,  They 
faw  alfo  feals,  duck?,  and  fifh.  ']  he  lat.  was  38 
'deg.     14    miu.      On  the  8th  of  Juiu;  ahey  faw  the 

couil 


coal] 

to 

in 

afteJ 

pretj 

aboij 

arrt 

iror 

eithi 

the 

and! 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH. 


457 


toaft  pretty  diftinftly,  and  the  current  very  ilrong 
to  the  fouth.  On  the  9th  they  ran  into  a  harbour 
in  41  deg.  7  min.  which  they  named  de  la  Trinidad^ 
after  the  feaft  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  The  inhabitants 
pretty  much  refembled  thofe  whom  Cook  difcovered 
about  nine  degrees  farther  to  the  northward.  Their 
arrows  were  armed  with  points  of  flint,  copper,  or 
iron,  which  latter  was  perhaps  obtained  by  barter 
either  from  the  Lngliih  in  Hudfon's  Bay,  or  from 
the  RufSans.  The  country  thereabouts  is  fertile, 
and  capable  of  great  improvement.  Continaing:  their 
courfe,  they  came  into  the  vicinity  of  the  ifland  de 
Dolores^  very  near  the  land,  and  anchored  there,  pur- 
pofing  to  take  in  water  ;  but  by  this  ftep  they  loft 
their  boat  and  the  beft  of  their  people,  who  were 
killed  by  the  favages.  Some  of  thefe  who,  with 
perfidious  dilTimulation,  were  coming  to  invite  them 
on  ihore,  they  likewife  (hot  in  return  ;  after  which 
they  went  farther  on  towards  the  north.  On  the 
1 7th  of  Auguft  they  faw  land  again  in  N.  lat.  57  deg. 
2  min.  Here  they  faw  a  mountain,  to  which  thty 
gave  the  name  of  St.  Hyacintho^  and  the  promontory 
they  called  Cabo  del  Enganno,  Ihe  top  of  the  moun- 
tain was  covered  with  ihow,  and  the  remairving  part 
with  wood,  as  was  the  country  near  the  harbour  dt 
U  Trinidad.  At  length  they  entered  the  port  of  Gua^ 
daluppe^  in  57  deg.  n  min.  and  34  deg.  12  min.  to 
the  weft  of  San  Bias.  However,  they  foon  got  under 
Tail  again,  and,  on  the  i8th,  came  to  an  anchor  in 
the  harbour  of  Remedios^  in  57  deg.  18  min,  N.  lat. 
and  34  deg.  12  min.  to  the  weft  of  San  Bias.  Here 
they  erefted  a  crofs,  and  took  pofieflionof  this  coun- 
try— a  country  which  the  Rullians  had  difcovered 
and  frequented  long  before.  They  got  but  one  maft, 
lome  wood,  and  a  little  water,  and  then  proceeded 
to  the  fouthward.  In  55  deg.  17  min.  they  faw  the 
harbour  of  Buiarelliy  and  took  in  wood  and  water. 
By  this  time  they  had  many  of  their  people  ill  of  the 
fcurvy  ;  on  which  account  they  were  obliged  to 
hafteu  to  Mont^re^.  In  38  deg.  i3  min,  they  en- 
tered 


':  ::'!.»l 


i   r  ..'  |. 


m. 


m 


mi 


!i 


ill 


ii 


! !  3 


"    J 


II   i 


;'i!i 


>\  Il.llil!,! 


m 


j 

I 


i  I 


45^ 


VOYAGES    AND 


tercd  a  harbour,  which  they  called  de  la  Bod^griy  after 
the  Lieutenant  of  that  name  ;  here  they  Joft  their 
boat  by  a  high  tide,  and  afterwards  went  to  Monte- 
rt  y.  At  this  time  they  were  almoft  all  of  them  af- 
iliiSted  with  the  fcurvy.  Being  recovered,  and  having 
refrclhed  themfelves,  they  fet  fail  again,  and  on  the 
1 6th  of  November  came  again  to  the  harbour  of  San 
Bias. 

The  Spaniards  have  in  former  times  undertaken 
tery  confiderable  voyages  of  difcoveryj  but,  in  the 
)aft  century,  fuperftition,  indolence,  and  the  de- 
cline of  their  manufactures  and  trade,  together  with 
a  falfe  fyftem  of  politics  and  other  caufes,  threw^ 
them  into  a  kind  of  lethargy,  out  of  which,  how- 
fcver,  they  begin  to  awake,  under  the  prefent  Govern- 
ment. 


CHAP.      V. 


Of  the  Difcoveries  and  Voyages  made  by  the  Portugufe 

in  the  North. 


UNDER  the  fpirited  and  patriotic  dirc£lion  of 
the  Infant  Dm  Henry^  of  glorious  memory,  the 
Portuguefe  were  become  the  difcoverers  of  a  great 
many  different  countries.  The  fcience  of  Geogra- 
phy, and  the  art  of  Navigation,  were  more  indebted 
in  the  15th  century  to  this  nation  than  to  any  other. 
The  renowned  name  of  Vafco  Camay  fired  the  men 
and  youth  of  Portugal  to  emulation  and  glorious 
exploits  i  and  heroes,  without  number,  were  feen 
treading  in  the  fteps  of  their  predeceflbrs.  Im- 
menfe  riches  refulting  from  the  commerce  with  the 
Indies,  were  coi.'inually  navigated  up  the  Tagus. 
The  advantages  refulting  from  this  wealthy  com- 
merce 


\\M  '^ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      459 

merce  brought  with  them  In  their  train  luxury,  pride, 
and  all  the  vices  incident  to  profperity,  which  lerve 
to  relax  the  finews  of  induftrv,  virtue  and  true  re- 
ligion,  and  thereby  gradually  to  undermine  the  well- 
being  of  the  ftate.  The  lofs  of  Its  ancient  Royal 
Family,  together  with  the  circumftance  of  the  crown 
having  patted  into  the  hands  of  Philip  II.  of 
Spain  ;  the  conquefts  made  by  the  Dutch  in  India 
and  Brafil,  and  the  daily-increafmg  opprefllon  on 
freedom  of  thought,  by  the  growing  power  of  the 
Monks  and  of  the  Inquifition,  chiefly  contributed  to 
degrade  this  nation,  once  fo  active  and  renowned  for 
noble  enterprizes,  to  a  ftate  of  ignoble  indolence  and 
ibrdid  infenfibility.  For  fome  time  indeed,  they  rc- 
fumed  their  wonted  fpirit,  in  confequence  of  the 
revolution  and  of  the  acceflion  of  the  family  of 
Braganza,  to  the  throne.  But  the  new  fource  of 
riches  opened  in  the  gold  and  diamond  mines  of 
Brafil,  ferved  only  ftill  more  to  degrade  this  nation, 
which  was  already  quite  in  its  wane.  Her  commerce 
with  the  Englifti  drained  her  of  her  riches,  and  in 
Jieu  theicof  furniftied  her  with  the  fruits  of  their 
jnduftry  ;  agriculture,  the  liberal  arts,  trade,  tadics, 
and  navigation,  were  neglected  to  fuch  a  degree, 
that  of  each  of  them  nothing  remained,  but  a  mere 
Ihadow.  Thefe  evils,  it  is  true,  Pombal  endeavoured 
to  remedy}  but  he  was  too  odious,  his  nieafures  too 
cruel  and  unjuft,  and  the  nation  fallen  too  low  for 
it  to  be  poflible  for  him  to  revive  her  fpirit.  This 
land,  however  favoured  by  nature,  is  ftill  too  deep- 
ly enveloped  in  the  darknefs  of  fuperftition.  Its 
lazy,  greedy,  and  too-numerous  Monks  are  too  much 
difpofed  to  fuck  the  fat  and  very  marrow  out  of  it. 
The  Government  is  too  little  acquainted  with  the 
true  principles  of  political  oeconomy,  and  is  not  fol- 
licitous  enough  to  render  its  indolent  citizens  adtivc 
and  induftrious.  Arts  and  fciences,  trade  and  agri- 
culture, the  true  pillars  of  every  ftate,  are  funk  too 
low,  a  circumftance  which  increafes  daily  the  weak- 
ijefs  and  feeblcnefs  of  the  ftate.     She  is  coufequently 


l!ii 


■    ■    " 


tto 


VOYAGES    AND 


in  grc.1t  d.Tn^cr  of  being  fwallovycd  up  the  firft  oppor- 
tunity that  may  oftl-  by  her  neighbour,  Spain^  who 
ciu.ily  incTeafes  in  power  and  greatncl's. 

But  at  the  period  when  Portugal  was  (till  in  her 
glory,  while  her  fons  were  ftill  animated  with  the 
Jpirit  of  enterprize  and  aclion,  and  when  the  Go- 
vernment attended  to  every  objet^^t  of  importance  that 
prefcnted  itfelf;  at  this  time  Portugal  looked  upon 
all  the  difcoveries  made  by  Spain  in  the  new  world, 
as  upon  fo  many  encroachments  made  on  her  own 
lights  and  property,  maugre  the  donation  made  by 
an  ufurping  Pope,  and  of  the  compromife  for  half 
the  world,  which  fhe  had  relucStantiy  agreed  to.  It 
"was  a  fimilar  kind  of  jealoufy  that  infpired  Cafpar  de 
Cortereal,  a  man  of  birth  and  family,  with  the  reib- 
Jution  of  difcovering  new  countries,  and  a  new  route 
to  India.  He  fet  fail  from  Lifbon  in  1500,  or  as, 
others  affirm,  in  1501.  In  the  courfc  of  his  naviga- 
tion he  arrived  at  Newfoundland  in  a  bay,  which  he 
thence  named  Conception  Bay,  an  appellation  it  ftill 
retains.  He  explored  the  whole  caftern  coaft  of  the 
ifland,  and  went  at  length  to  the  mouth  of  the 
great  river  of  Canada,  After  this,  he  difcovered  a 
land,  which  he  at  firfl:  named  Terra  Verde,  but  which, 
in  remembrance  of  the  difcoverer,  was  afterwards 
called  Terra  di  Cartereal.  That  part  of  it  which, 
being  on  this  fide  of  the  50th  deg.  oi  N.  lat.  he 
thought  was  ftill  fit  for  tillage  and  cultivation,  he 
i\2Lmt6  Terra  de  Labrada;  a  tra^l  which  Sebajlian 
Munjier,  in  his  Cofmography,  has  called  Terra  Agri- 
cola.  It  is  highly  probable  that  Cortereal,  being 
come  to  Button's  IJlands  and  Cape  Chidley,  did,  bona 
Jidey  fuppofe  this  to  be  the  ftrait  that  leads  into  the 
Indian  Sea.  It  is  likewifc  faid,  that  this  ftrait  ob- 
tained at  that  time  from  Cortereal^  the  name  of  Jnian, 
after  two  brothers  of  that  name.  After  making  this 
important  difcovery,  Cortereal  haftened  to  communi-^ 
cate  the  interefting  news  of  it  to  his  native  country 
and  he  had  fcarccly  delivered  his  intelligence  before 
he  haftened  back  again  to  vifjt  the  ;oaft  of  Labra- 
dor, and  to  go  to  India  through  the  ftraits  of  Ariiauy 
which  he  imagined  be  had  juft  difcovered.     But  no-* 

thing 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       461 

thing  farthei  was  ever  heard  of  him  ;  (o  that  he  muft 
either  have  been  murdered  by  the  EJkimaux  favagcs, 
or  have  periihed  in  the  ice.  Upon  this,  his  brother, 
Aliclael  de  Corttreal^  undertook  the  fame  voyage  with 
two  (hips,  and  probably  met  with  the  fame  fate  as 
his  brother.  No  intelligence  having  been  heard  of 
cither  of  the  two  brothers,  their  eldeft  brother, 
Joiio  Vafquirz  de  CorUreal.,  who  was  Chamberlain  to 
the  King,  refolved  to  undertake  the  fame  voyage,  ia 
hopes  of  Rnding  his  brothers  j  but  the  King  would 
not  by  any  means  allow  him  to  expofc  himlelf  to  io 
imminent  a  danger. 

II.  Amongft  the  nations  who  carried  on  a  confi- 
derablc  filhery  off  t..j  banks  of  Newfoundland,  wc 
find  at  a  very  early  period  the  Bifcayners,  Spani- 
ards, and  Portugutfe  ;  for  fo  early  as  the  year  1578, 
Capt.  Anthony  Parkhurji  counted  50  Portuguefe  (hip» 
off  the  coaft  of  Newfoundland,  which  all  together 
carried  at  leaft  3000  tuns  burthen.  Here  we  muft 
obferve  that  fo  confiderable  a  fifhery  never  fprings 
up  all  at  once,  but  is  eftablifhed  by  degrees  only; 
confequently  it  muft  have  been  carried  on  a  good 
while  before  it  could  have  rifen  to  the  height  at 
which  it  then  was.  Now  the  French  having  fifhed 
on  this  coaft  io  far  back  as  in  the  year  1504,  it  is 
very  probable  that  the  Portuguefe  either  at  the  fame 
period,  or  at  leaft  not  long  afte  muft  have  fiflied 
there  aire.  1  his  evidently  ftiev  the  great  extent 
of  the  navigation,  as  well  as  the  a<!:^ive  and  induf- 
trious  difpofition  of  the  Portuguefe  at  that  time, 
fince  they  carried  on  the  fifhcry  on  the  banks  and 
coaft  of  Newfoundland  with  fuch  fpirit  as  to  em- 
ploy upwards  of  50  fail  on  this  bufmefs,  at  a  time 
when  as  yet  there  were  but  very  fewEnglifh  ftiips 
that  followed  the  fifiiery. 

III.  In  Lucas  Fox^  Book,  called  77>^  Nortb-weji 
Foxt  London,  4to.  1635,  page  162*,  we  find  an 
affidavit  made  by  one  Thomas  Cowles,  an  EngH^ 
failor,  of  BadmbiJIer  in  Sjmerfetjhire.  This  affid-'ivit 
was  made  ia  the  year  1579,  i»  an  age  when  an  oath 

_  *  Tills  relation  ib  taken  by  fix,  from  Pufchat''i   PUgrimt.    Part  I!l. 

was 


462 


VOYAGES    ANO 


vas  flill   univerfally  confidered  as  a  moft  ferious  and 
religious   adt.     The  contents  of  it  are,  that  Cowles 
being    fix    years    before  (confequently   in    1573)  ^^ 
Lifbon,  in  Portugal,       I   heard    one  Martin  Chacke^ 
or  Chaquey  a  Portugue:       ariner,  read  a  boolc,  which 
he,  Martin  Chacke^  had  v.  ritten  and  publifhed  in  the 
Portuguefe  language  6  years   before  (viz.  in   1567). 
In  this  book  he  affi  med,  that  12   years    before  (viz, 
in    1555)  he  had  fet  fail  from  India  for  Portugal,  in 
a  fmall  vefl'el  of  about  80  tuns,  accompanied  by  four 
vtry  large  ihips  of  great  burthen  j  but  was   feparat- 
cd  from  the  other  four   in  a  florm    with  a  wefterly 
wind.     He  had  .paHed  by  many  iflands,  and  at  lengtb 
failed  through  a   gulph  near  Newfoundland,  accord- 
ing to  his   reckoning    in  59  deg.  N.  lat.   and  after 
having   (hot  the  faid   gulph,  he  had    Teen  no   more 
land     till    he    fell    in    with   the  north-weft  part   of 
Ireland,  from   whence  he   had  fliaped  his  courfe  for 
Lifbon,  where    he    arrived   a    month   or    five  weeks 
fooner  than  the   other  four  (hips.      Were  this  rela- 
tion of  fuch  a  nature  as  to  be  in  any  wife  depends 
ed  upon,  it  would  be    a  ftrange   proof  of  a  pafTage 
having    been    adtually   difcovered.      But   the   fingle 
unfupported    teftimony  of    a  failor,  who   had    heard 
the  defcription  of  a  voyage  like  this  read  in  a  book, 
which  perhaps  was  only  a  romance,  carries  not  the 
leart  weight  with  it ;  and    confequently  it   would   be 
as  abfurd  to  place  any  dependence  on  it,  as  it  would 
be,  after  having  read  M.  Bufching^s  Kxtraft  from  De 
foe's  Romance,  intitled,    **  A  New  Voyage   round 
the  World,  by  a  courfe  never  failed  before,"  to  con- 
clude, that  fuch  a  voyage  had  been  a^ually  under- 
taken   in  the  years   1713  and    17 15,  and  that  a  rich 
gold  country,    together   with  a  pearl  iftand,   fuch  ^s 
are    there   defcribed,    had   been  really    and   bona  fide 
difcovered.     Befides,  we  are  fure  at  prefent,  in  con- 
fequence  of  Hudfon's  Bay  having  been  fo  often   ex- 
plored, that   we  need   not   feek  any  more  for  a  paf- 
fage  in  thofe  parts.     The  voyages  of  the  Spaniards, 
Knglifli,    and   Ruffians,   along   the  weftern  coaft   of 
America,  have  aJfo   at  prefent  rendered  it  pretty  pro- 
bable 


DISCOVERIES  iw  the  NORTH.       4^3 

table  that  no  palTage  is  to  be  expe»5lcd  there  ;  anJ  that 
the  imaginary  ftrait^jf  ^njoyy  or  Jm'an,  can  only  cxift 
in  the  weak  brains  of  idle  vifionarics,  fuppofing  by 
this  name  to  be  meant  a  {hait,  leading  from  the 
South-Sea  into  Hudfon's  Bay.  For  in  other  refpedls 
the  ilrait  between  Afia  and  America,  which  I  have 
named  Beering's,  and  others,  6Ws,  and  others  again» 
Defchneff'^  Strait  Si  might  lilce  wile  juft  as  well  be  cal- 
led the  Strnits  of  Anian. 

IV.  The  Jeluit  ile  jfngelis^  a  native  of  Portugal, 
went  in  the  years  1620  and  162 1,  to  the  coaft  of 
Matfmai,  as  did  aifo  Father  Jacob  Caravalha.  Both 
of  them  relate,  that  on  the  ifland  of  Efa^  or  Tedfo^ 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  town  of  Matjmaiy  there  arc 
very  rich  filver  mines,  in  which  there  are  about 
50,000  Japanefe  at  work,  feme  of  them  voluntarily 
and  by  their  own  choice,  but  the  others  are  crimi- 
nals condemned  by  the  laws  to  labour,  among 
whom  there  were  at  that  time  many  Chriftians  ;  and 
in  a  river  that  runs  clofe  by  the  town  of  Matfmai^  or 
Matfumai^  there  is  colle«5ted  a  great  quantity  of  gold- 
duft.  The  inhabitants  of  the  eaftern  parts  brirg  to 
market  the  ikins  of  a  filli  (the  fea-otter)  which  they 
buy  from  fome  of  the  neighbouring  iflands,  which 
are  three  in  number.  The  animal  to  which  thefc 
(kins  appertain  is  called  a  raccoriy  and  a  (kin  coHs 
about  20  crowns.  Every  inhabitant  of  Matfmai  is 
his  own  mafter  i  they  are  a  flrong,  wcJl  made,  good- 
natured  people ;  they  wear  their  beards  long,  and 
large  ear-rings,  either  of  filver  or  filk.  Their  wea- 
pons corvfift  of  bows  and  arrows  (which  latter  are 
poifoned)  of  fpears,  and  of  fnort  fWords  or  dag2;crf. 
They  wear  CuiraiTes,  compofed  of  fmall  woode;i 
boards.  In  Matfumai  they  i^et  wine  in  exchanj^e  for 
furs,  birds  feathers,  and  different  kind.;  of  ii/hes  ; 
they  aifo  barter  for  rice,  together  with  filk,  cotton, 
and  linen  clothes.  They  worfhip  the  fun,  the  moon, 
and  the  Gods  of  the  mountains  and  fcas  ;  a)rJ  have 
at  the  beft  but  a  very  imperfedt  idea  of  a  future  ftate  ; 
they,  however,  are  a  very  humane,  fou^^b^c-,  and  oood 
fort  of  people.  Thefe  few  particuluii,  are  all  that 
is  known  of  the  nature  of  the  land  of  Efo  and  Alat- 
fumai. 

V.  W 


'  .^' 


it't 


'  '  'I 


464 


VOYAGES    ANrt 


V.  In  a  map  of  India,  publifhed  for  the  firft  time 
at  Lifbon,  in  1649,  by  Ptttr  Texeira,  Cofmographer 
to  the  King  of  Portugal ;  and  which,  as  well  as 
many  other  of  his  works,  proves  him  to  be  a  very 
Ikilful  and  accurate  geographer;  we  find  firft,  a  group 
of  iflands  laid  down  at  10  or  12  degrees  to  the 
north-eaft  of  Japan,  in  44  and  45  deg.  N.  lac.  and 
then  a  coall:  {Wretches  from  weft  to  eaft,  with  the 
following  words  annexed  :  "  Land  of  Joao  da  Gamoj 
the  Indian,  fcen  by  him  in  failing  from  China  to 
New  Spain  *.  In  what  year  this  voyage  happened 
is  not  known.  Neither  is  it  poflible  to  determine 
with  any  certainty,  who  this  Joao  da  Gama  was.  He 
feems,  however  to  have  been  a  feafaring  man,  born 
in  India,  but  of  Portuguefe  extraction.  This  land, 
laid  down  by  Texeira,  is  probably  no  other  than  the 
ifle  of  Urupy  or  the  ifland  Samujjir,  or  Scbimujfyr^  the 
latter  of  which  is  about  130  werlts,  i.  e.  76  geo- 
graphical miles  in  length.  It  is  true,  Ttxeira  has 
laid  down  the  coaft,  ftretching  out  in  one  continued 
line  quite  to  the  ftraits  of  Anian  (Eftreito  de  Anian) 
which  lie  between  Afia  and  America  \  but  one  may 
plainly  perceive  from  this  very  draught,  that  he 
had  no  exadl  information  with  refpeCt  to  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  Afiatic  coaft;  for,  according  to 
him,  the  ftraits  of  Anian  are  in  50  deg.  N.  lat. 
which  is  certainly  very  far  from  being  the  cafe. 

VI.  Laftly,  I  find  in  Mr.  Buache\  Confiderations 
Geographiques  et  Phyjiques,  Paris,  ^to.  1753,  page  138, 
an  account  which  iays,  that  in  1701,  a  failor  from 
Havre  de  Grace  had  feen,  28  years  before,  at  Oporto^ 
in  Portugal,  afhip  called /o  Padre  ettrnoj  command- 
ed by  Capt.  David  Melguer,  who  died  juft  at  that 
time,  and  at  whofe  funeral  he  was  prefent.  This  Mel- 
guer  is    fald  to  have    left    Japan   with  his  (hip  Ln 


*  Terra  q.  uic  Do  Jca)  ia  Game  Inity  da  China  fira  Ntva  Efpaha, 

Pudrt 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       465 

Padre  eterno,  on  the  i6th  of  March,  1660,  and  to 
have  failed  along  the  coafl  of  Taitary,  till  he  came 
to  the  84th  (leg.  of  N.  lat.  and  then  to  have  Oiaped 
his  courfe  between  Spitzbergen  and  Old  Greenland, 
and  fo  failing  to  the  weft  of  Scotland  and  Ireland, 
t6  have  at  length  entered  the  harbour  of  Oporto. 
This  is  the  moft  material  part  of  this  relation,  which, 
kowever,  deferves  no  credit;  for,  ever  fince  the  years 
1637  and  1638,  the  Portuguefe  and  Spaniards  have 
been  abfolutely  baniihed  from  Japan,  and  that  for 
ever.  How  then  was  it  poflible  for  a  Portuguefe  (hip, 
22  years  after  that  period,  to  fail  from  Japan,  a  place 
where  this  nation  was  no  longer  admitted  nor  fuffered  ? 
This  confideration  alone  is  fufficient  to  prove,  that 
the  whole  account  is  a  mere  rumour,  and  a  flory 
trumped  up  by  fome  failors,  devoid  even  of  the  Icati; 
fliadow  of  probability  arifing  from  internal  evidence. 
At  prefent  we  have  no  farther  accounts  concerning 
the  navigations  of  the  Portuguefe  to  the  North. 
They  content  themfclves  with  navigating  to  their 
pofleilions  in  the  Brafils,  to  the  coall  of  Africa,  the 
Azores,  the  Cape  Verd  Iflands,  and  Madeira.  It  is 
but  fddom  that  any  of  their  (hips  go  to  Goa,  Ma« 
cao,  and  Timor.  The  prefent  wretched  ftate  of 
the  whole  of  their  trade  and  navigation,  together 
with  the  profound  ignorance  in  which  they  are  plung- 
ed, make  it  very  difficult  for  them  to  purfue  thefe 
navigations  ;  confequently  no  more  voyages  to  the 
north  are  to  be  expedtcd  from  this  nation,  ftnce  ic 
cannot  reap  any  benefit  from  them. 


■•  ' 


»w. 


Hh 


CHAP. 


1 11 


I  t 


466 


VOYAGES    AND 


CHAP.      VI. 


Of  iht   Difcoverlei  and   Voyages  of  the  Danes  in  ihi 

North. 

THE  defceftdants  oC  the  ancient  Normans,  who 
had  been  ufed  tc  crofs  the  moil  diilant  Teas, 
with  an  intrepidity  which  has  never  yet  been  furpaf- 
fed,  not  even  in  the  prefent  improved  ftate  of  navi- 
gation J  thefe  people,  whofe  far-extending  fhores  are 
for  the  greateit  part  furrounded  by  the  fea,  and  part 
of  them  indeed  gain  their  whole  fubfiftence  out  of 
the  fea  by  filuing,  mufl  undoubtedly  underiland  more 
of  navigation,  and  be  more  habituated  to  the  coldnefs 
of  the  climate  than  any  other  nation.  Neither  can 
it  be  denied  that,  to  this  very  day,  the  Norwegians 
and  Danes  are  excellent  failors.  Towards  the  end  of 
the  14th  and  the  beginning  of  the  15th  century,  the 
chief  of  their  navigation  confifted  in  their  voyages  to 
Iceland  and  Greenland.  But  even  thofe  to  Green- 
land were  at  length  entirely  negledled. 

I.  In  the  year  1564,  in  the  convent  of  Helgafjcet^ 
in  Iceland,  the  Governor  of  the  ifland  having  con- 
fifcated  all  the  revenues  of  the  convent  for  the  ufe  of 
the  King,  there  was  found  a  blind  Monk,  who  lived 
there  in  indigence  and  mifery.  This  man  the  Go- 
vernor fenC  for,  and  learned  from  him,  that  in  his 
younger  years  he  had  been  thrown  into  a  convent  by 
his  parents,  and  that  in  the  30th  year  of  his  age, 
the  Bilhop  of  Greenland  had  taken  him  along  with 
him  to  Drontheim  in  Norway,  to  the  Archbifliop : 
but,  on  their  return,  the  Bifhop  had  left  him  in  this 
convent  of  Helgafjal^  in  Iceland  :  all  this  pafTed  in 
1546.  He  next  gives  a  defcription  of  Greenland, 
and  of  the  convent  of  St.  Thomas,  in  which  he  had 
formerly  lived,  which  in  every  point  is  like  that  given 
by  the  Zenos^  except  that  he  had  added  fome  more 

fables 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.        467 

fables  to  it.  And,  as  from  what  he  told  them,  it  was 
concluded  that  it  was  an  eafy  matter  to  fail  to  China 
through  the  frozen  fea,  the  Governor  gave  orders  for 
one  of  the  King's  fhips  that  had  wintered  in  Ice- 
land, to  be  provided  with  every  neceiTary,  and  fent 
to  Greenland.  Accordingly  they  fet  fail  on  the  31ft 
of  March,  1564,  and  made  Greenland  on  the  20th 
of  April,  but  were  prevented  from  landing  by  the  ice, 
neither  could  they  come  to  an  anchor  on  account  of 
the  great  depth  of  the  fea.  They  went  afliore  there- 
fore in  the  boat,  clambering  over  the  ice  as  well  as 
they  could.  Near  the  fhore  they  found  a  dead  Grcen- 
lander  in  his  little  boat.  Soon  after  their  landing 
they  were  attacked  by  a  white  bear,  which,  however, 
they  got  the  better  of,  and  killed.  A  ilorm  arifing  in 
the  mean  time,  they  went  on  board  the  fhip  again, 
and  failed  caftward  from  Iceland  to  the  northward, 
with  the  purpofe  of  going  through  the  White  Sea  into 
the  fea  of  Tartary,  and  fo  on  to  Kathay ;  but  they 
Were  prevented  by  the  ice  from  proceeding  farther, 
.md  therefore  returned  to  Iceland  on  the  i6th  of  June* 
This  relation  is  to  be  found  in  Dithmur  BlefkerC'i 
JJlandia^  Jive  populorum^  et  mirahiliuni  qua  in  ea  Infula 
reperiurHur,  accuratior  Defcriptio,  Lugd.  Bat.  8vo. 
1607. 

II.  Chtijiian  IV".  King  of  Denmark,  too,  was  de- 
firous  of  reviving  the  knowledge  of  Old  Greenland, 
which  had  made  part  of  the  dominions  of  his  ancef- 
tors,  and  with  this  view  gave  orders  for  a  voyage  of 
difcovery  to  be  made  to  that  country.  For  tiiis  pur- 
pofe he  fent  for  feme  (kilful  pilots  from  England  and 
Scotland,  viz.  John  Cunningham,  yames  Hall,  and 
yohn  Knight,  He  likewile  fitted  out  three  fhips,  and 
appointed  as  Admiral,  to  command  the  expedition, 
Gvtjke  Lindenau,  a  Danifh  nobleman,  who,  for  his 
information,  took  with  him  the  ancient  Icelandic  ac- 
counts of  Greenland,  together  with  the  journal  of 
David  von  Nelle'&  Voyage  to  Greenland,  made  by  or- 
der of  King  Frederick  II.  On  the  2d  of  May,  1605, 
they  ftretched  out  of  the  found  to  fea.  As  they  came 
near    the   ice,   Hail  fliaped    his  courfe  fouth-weft ; 

H  h  2  Gof/kt 


M'' 


I  'fir 


r'.it 


468 


VOYAGES    AND 


Gotjke  LlndenaUy  on  the  other  hand,  directed  hit 
iiorth-eaft,  and  arrived  on  theeaftern  coaft  of  Green- 
land. The  natives  came  on  board  his  (hip.  They 
drank  train-oil,  and  were  very  eager  after  iron  and 
iteel.  Littdenau^  after  ftaying  here  three  days,  de- 
tained two  of  them  forcibly  on  board  his  fhip,  who, 
however,  made  a  iVout  refiftance,  while,  to  procure 
them  their  liberty,  the  other  fava^es  (hot  ofF  their  ar- 
rows, and  threw  ftones  at  the  Europeans  legs,  but 
were  foon  difperfed  by  the  firing  ofFof  a  gun.  Gotjkt 
Lindenau  then  haftened  to  Copenhagen,  where  he  ar- 
rived fafe  by  himfelf. 

James  Hallvftnt  to  the  weftern  coaft  of  Greenland, 
where  he  found   a  great  many   harbours,    very  line 
)and,  and  good  pafturage.     The  inhabitants  here  were 
more  fhy.     They  found   many  places  flaming  with 
burning  brimftone ;    they  likewife  found  a  filver  ore 
in  the  form  of  a  black   powder  (Jihtr  malm)  every 
hundred  weight  of  whjch  yielded  at  Copenhagen  26 
ounces  of  filver.     Cape  Farewell,  in  59  deg.  50  mini 
}^.  lat.  he  named  Cbrj/iianus,  after  the  King  his  maf<* 
ter.     Five  leagues  farther  on,  the  needle  varied   12 
deg.  15  min.  to  the  weft.     A  ftrong  current  drove  him 
northward  againft  the  ice  on  the  American  coaft;  but 
on  the  coaft  of  Greenland  the  current  fets  to  the 
fouth.    In  exchange  for  iron,  nails,  knives.  Sec.  he 
got  feal-Hcins,  fea  unicorns  horns  (narhwal)  fea-horfe 
teeth,  and  whale-bone.     Having  ftaid.  fome  time  in  a 
harbour  in  66  deg.  33  min.  and  traded  with  the  inha- 
bitants, they   attacked   him  once  on  a  fudden  with 
l^ones  and   arrows }  but,  by  firing  a  falcon  amongft 
them,  they  were  quickly  difperfed.     He  was  again  at- 
tacked twice  in  the  fame  manner.     He  then  went  into 
a  harbour  near  Mount  Cunningham^  which  he  named 
Der>mark*s  Haven.     On  this  fpot  there  were  about  3D0 
of  the  natives.     The  deep  creeks  in  this  part  of  the 
fea  abound  with  falmons,  herrings,  whales,  and  feals. 
They  faw  there  ravens,  crows,  pheafants,  partridges 
(u  e.  ptarmigans)  gulls,    and  other  kinds  of  fowl* 
There  were  black  foxes  in  this  country,  and  they  favr 

the 


ftngot 


DISCOVERIES  i*T  THE  NORTH.       469 

the  dung  of  ftags,  as  alfo  the  horns  of  thefe  ani- 
mals. He  then  failed  farther  on  to  69  deg.  The 
Ravages  having  behaved  in  a  very  hoflile  manner,  he 
feized  three  of  them,  and  found  himfelf  under  the 
neceflity  of  killing  others.  His  captives  he  treated 
with  great  kindnefs,  and  took  them  to  the  King« 
In  purfuance  of  exprefs  orders  from  the  Stadtholder 
of  Denmark,  he  put  on  fhore  two  malefaftors,  con- 
demned to  die,  having  previoufly  furnifhed  them  with 
provifions  and  other  neceflaries.  On  the  15th  of  Ju- 
ly he  was  in  57  deg.  and  the  next  day,  amongft  fome 
loofe  ice,  he  met  with  a  large  (hoal  of  whales;  the 
current  fet  to  the  N.  W.  On  the  iftof  Auguft,  he 
fell  in  with  an  incredible  quantity  of  herrings,  which 
led  him  to  fuppofe,  that  he  was  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Qrkneys,  On  the  loih  he  came  to  an  anchor  in  //<?/- 
jingor  Road, 

III.  The  good  fuccefs  of  this  voyage  encouraged 
the  King  to  enter  upon  a  fecond  enterprize  of  this 
Icind,  v/hich  was  undert.iken  in  1606,  in  which  year^ 
on  the  27th  cf  May,  five  (hips  {tt.  fail  from  Copen- 
hagen, under  the  command  of  Gotjke  Llndenau  and 
James  Hall.  On  the  4th  of  Auguft  they  reached 
Greenland  with  four  (hips,  the  fifth  having  been  fe- 
parated  from  them  in  a  ftorm.  They  failed  along  the 
coaft,  entered  the  feveral  harbours,  and  faw  fome  rein- 
deer; but  the  favages  treated  them  in  a  very  hoftile 
manner,  though  at  firft  they  had  began  to  trade  with 
them  for  iron.  At  their  departure  the  Danes  took 
five  favages  prifoners,  one  of  whom  leaped  overboard, 
and  was  drowned.  On  their  way  home  they  found 
the  (hip  again  that  had  been  feparated  from  them,  and 
at  length  on  the  5th  of  Odobcr,  arrived  in  Copen- 
hagen. 

IV.  Though  nothing  new  had  been  difcovered  by 
this  voyage,  and  no  advantage  had  accrued  from  if, 
yet  the  King  refolved  once  more  to  fend  out  two 
ihips,  which  he  did  in  1607,  under  the  command  of 
a  Holfteiner,  by  name  Karjhn  Richardt.  One  of  thcfe 
veflels  was  commanded  by  James  Hall.  They  left  the 
Sound  on  the  13th  of  May,  and  got  fight  of  Greenland 
on  the  8tb  of  June.     Endeavouring  to  force    their 

way 


i  Lr 


470 


VOYAGES    AND 


way  to  the  land  through  the  great  quantity  of  ice,  by 
which  it  was  furrounded,  the  (hips  were  Teparated. 
Richardtf  after  making  fcveral  fruitlefs  attempts,  waa 
obliged  to  return  home,  without  having  done  any 
thing  J  and  while  JF/tf// was  in  like  manner  ufing  hit 
beft  endeavours  to  get  through  the  ice,  the  Danifh 
crew,  under  his  command,  mutinying,  forced  him  to 
tack  about,  and  make  the  beft  of  his  way  to  Iceland. 
Confequently  this  expedition  proved  abortive. 

V.  It  being  known  that  in  the  year  1610,  Henry 
Hudfon  had  difcovered  a  new  ftrait,  and  beyond  it  a 
great  fea,  Chrijiian  IV.  King  of  Denmark,  imagin- 
ed, that  in  this  fea  there  might  poflibly  be  a  paifage 
to  the  Eaft-Indies,  which  would  be  produdlive  of 
great  advantages  j  he  therefore  ordered  two  fhips  to 
be  fitted  out  in  161Q,  and  gave  the  command  of  them 
to  Jem  Munck.  Munck  failed  from  the  ^our.d  on  tho 
1 6th  of  May,  in  the  fame  year,  and  on  the  20th  of 
June,  faw  Cape  Farewell.  He  palled  through  Hud- 
son's Straits,  which  he  named  after  his  King,  Frctum 
Chrijliani,  or  Chriftian's  Straits.  On  an  ifland  in  the 
firft  ftrait  they  found  deer  (viz.  reindeer)  one  of  which 
they  Ihot,  and  thence  named  the  place  Rehe-or  Deer 
ljland\  \t  is  in  61  deg.  20  min.  N.  lat.  The  fea  near 
America  (viz,  the  coaft  of  Labrador)  he  called  Mart 
Novum  (or  the  New  Sea)  and  to  that  next  to  Greenland 
(if  indeed  it  be  Greenland)  he  gave  the  name  of  Mare 
Chrijlianum  (or  Chriftian's  Sea).  In  63  deg.  20  min. 
he  met  with  fo  much  ice,  that  it  was  abfolutely  im- 
poffible  for  him  to  proceed  any  farther;  this  made 
him  ftand  over  to  the  fcuthward,  when  he  put  into 
Churcblirs  River.  Here  on  fhore  he  faw  a  ftone 
with  an  image  upon  it,  which  had  claws  and  horns. 
They  alfo  found  fome  dogs  that  wore  muzzles,  and  the 
fire-places  and  remains  of  the  huts  of  faviiges.  They 
ate  white  hoar's  flefti,  hares,  and  partridges,  and 
caught  foui  bhick  foxes,  and  Tome  fubles.  Their 
beer,  wine,  and  brandy,  were  frozen,  and  burit  the 
cafks.  The  ice  was  from  300  to  360  feet  thick. 
The  greateft  part  of  them  fell  fick  of  the  fcurvy, 
which  was  followed  by  a  flux.     On  the  4th  of  June 

Mumk 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       471 

^funck  fell  ill  himfelf,  and  lay  four  days  without  either 
eating  or  drinking,  for  their  provifions  were  nearly 
^xhau^cd.  Notwithftanding  this,  he  recovered,  and, 
crawling  out  of  his  hut,  out  of  64  perfons,  of  which 
his  crew  at  firft  confifted,  found  but  two  alive.  Thefc 
two  were  overjoyed  to  fee  their  Captain,  and  they  all 
three  endeavoured  to  comfort  each  other,  feeking  for 
food  amongft  the  fnow.  They  dug  up  fome  roots, 
which  they  ate,  and  which  proved  a  powerful  refto- 
rative  to  them.  On  the  18th,  the  waters  being  open, 
they  began  to  fifti  for  falmons  and  trouts,  and  foon 
after  entirely  recovered  their  healths.  At  length  they 
left  the  larger  fhil>  in  the  river,  which  he  named 
Munck's  Harbour^  and  fet  fail  with  the  fmaller  veflel. 
They  now  loft  their  boat,  and  the  ice  broke  their 
rudder,  which  they  repaired  with  great  difficulty} 
hov/evcr,  when  the  ice  broke  up,  they  found  their  boat 
again,  which  they  had  loft  jo  days  before.  After 
weathering  a  very  dangerous  ftorm,  which  had  broke 
their  maft,  and  had  nearly  carried  away  their  fail, 
they  at  length  landed  fafe  in  a  harbour  in  Norway, 
and,  a  few  days  after,  arrived  at  Copenhagen,  where 
the  King,  who  had  long  given  them  up  for  loft,  re- 
ceived them  with  great  aftonifhment.  This  Munck 
"was  afterwards  employed  by  the  King  in  the  years 
1624,  1625,  and  1627,  on  the  northern  fea,  and  on 
the  Elbe,  and  died  on  the  3d  of  June,  1628,  in  the 
courfe  of  a  naval  expedition.  The  King  had  in  the 
year  162P  eftablifhed  a  new  Greenland  Company^  which 
was  to  have  fent  out  two  fhips  every  year  on  the 
whale-fifhery  \  but  this  Company  was  diilblved  again 
in  1624,  on  account  of  their  being  fo  poor,  that 
they  could  not  follow  the  whale-fifliery  any  longer  \ 
and  the  King  gave  leave  to  any  Danilh  burgher, 
whatever,  to  go  to  Greenland. 

VI.  In  1636  the  King  again  eftabliflied  a  new 
Greenland  Company^  which  accordingly  fent  out  the 
firft  ftiips  on  the  6th  of  April ;  but,  agreeably  to  the 
ftupid  prejudices  of  thofe  times,  did  not  pay  the  leaft 
ftUention  to  the  killing  of  fcals,  or  the  cod-falmon- 


'U  i 


i!i  ■  'k 


472 


VOYAGES    AND 


and  whale-fifheries,  nor  to  any  other  ufeful  produc* 
tion  of  the  country  ;  but  confined  their  fearch  to  gold 
and  filver  only.  A  great  quantity  of  glittering  fand 
was  brought  over  from  Greenland,  which,  however, 
proved  to  be  mere  rubbifli.  By  this  incident  the  pro- 
prietors were  quite  diiheartened,  and  the  Company 
diflblved  itfelf. 

VII.  In  the  month  of  November,  1773,  a  letter 
from  M.  de  la  La7ide,  was  inferted  in  the  journal 
des  Savans,  fetting  forth,  that  on  the  ift  of  June, 
1769,  a  Danifh  King's  fhip,  called  the  Northern 
Crotuftf  and  commanded  by  the  Baron  von  Uhlefeldy 
had  fet  fail  from  Bornholm  in  Norway ^  (where,  by  the 
bye,  there  is  no  fuch  place  as  Bornholm)  furnifhed 
with  provifions  for  18  months,  and  providtd  with 
aftronomers,  draughtfmen,  and  every  neccflary.  This 
fhip,  it  feems,  had  found  in  Hudfon's  Bay,  a  pafilige 
into  the  American  fea,  above  California.  In  the 
ftraits  they  found  a  great  number  of  buffaloes  and 
wild  beafts,  and,  after  having  fufFered  great  hardlhips, 
they  arrived  on  the  nth  of  February,  1773J  through 
the  flraits  of  Le  Matrey  near  the  Ifle  of  Rofs  in  Ire- 
land, and  went  into  Bremen,  becaufe  of  the  Sound 
being  frozen,  and  at  length,  after  an  abfence  of  3 
years,  7  months,  and  11  days,  arrived  at  Copen- 
hagen. 

It  is  eafy  to  perceive,  that  the  whole  of  the  pre- 
ceding rel.ition  is  the  invention  of  fome  genius  of 
moreleifure  than  veracity,  who,  knowing  the  world 
to  be  extremciy  folicitous  cojicerning  the  refult  of 
Capt.  Cook's  expedition,  has  endeavoured  by  this 
fiditious  voyage,  to  divert  their  attention  and  expec- 
tations from  it.  Indeed  the  particular  aim  of  the 
author  feems  to  have  betn,  by  pre-occupying  the 
attention  of  the  public,  to  make  it  indifferent  with 
regard  to  Cook's  difcoveries,  and  take  from  the  great 
merit  of  this  immortal  man :  but  the  name  of  Cook 
will    never   fall  into  oblivion,     though    ten    fuch 

fidlitious 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      475 

fi(5litious  voyages  as  thefe  were  brought  in  oppofition 
to  him.  Perhaps,  too,  a  fpirit  of  animofity  and  re- 
fentment,  excited  by  the  dccifive  fteps  which  Eng- 
land took,  in  1771,  againft  Spain,  on  account  of  the 
Falkland's  Iflands,  and  againil  Denmark  on  account 
of  the  Queen  Caroline  Ivlatilda,  contributed  not  a 
little  to  the  invention  of  this  curious  romance.  In 
thefc  days  it  would  not  be  of  the  leaft  advantage  to 
Denmark,  either  to  make  new  difcoveries  to  the 
north,  or  to  find  a  pafiage  to  the  Indies  j  confequent- 
iy  there  is  no  likelihood  that  they  (bould  be  at  any 
cxpcncc  to  carry  into  execution  a  plan  from  whick 
ihc  could  reap  lo  little  benefit. 


itim 


CHAP.      vir. 


Of  tJje  Bifcoveries  and  Voyages  of  thg  Rufllans  in  the 

North. 

A  GREAT  parf  of  the  country,  at  prefent  ca'led 
RuHla,  was  inhabited  towards  the  north ^eall 
and  north,  trom  the  moft  remote  ages,  by  a  people  of 
Finnijh  origin,  perhaps  defcended  from  the  ancient 
Scythi:;ns.  Towards  the  north-weft  were  tribes, 
confilting  of  a  mixture  of  Sauramates  and  Grecian  co- 
lon ifts,  and  from  them  are  defcended  the  modern 
Lithuanians y  Lettovians.,  Livoniam^  and  Courlanders  \ 
as  were  alfo  the  ancient  Prujfians.  The  whole  foutlv- 
ern  part  of  Ruflia,  even  to  the  Crimea,  was  for  fonie 
time  inhabited  by  Goths  ;  and  between  the  Wolga, 
the  Don,  and  Mount  CaMcafus,  dwelled  a  nation  de- 
fcended from  the  Medes,  called  Saurcmates,  i.  e,  the 

Nirthmji 


V:  li 


474 


VOYAGES     AND 


Northern  Medes.  In  procefN  of  time,  when  nations 
of  barbarians  iflued  one  after  the  other,  in  fwarms, 
from  the  eaft,  and  fome  of  the  different  tribes  of 
Goths  had,  fince  the  middle  of  the  third  century, 
penetrated  into  the  weftern  regions  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire ;  part  of  the  Sauromates  found  themfelves  under 
the  neccffity  of  retiring  farther  to  the  northward  and 
weftward.  Even  at  that  early  period  they  had  the 
fame  political  conflitution  which  we  ftill  fee  take  place 
amongft  them.  Each  individual  of  the  nation  was 
cither  mafter  or  flave.  Hence  thofe  who  were  of 
tHftindion  among  them,  called  themfelves  tribes, 
Shnv^  and  Slawne,  or  Noblemen  ;  whence  again  all 
fuch  as  were  either  renowned  for,  or  even  capable 
only  of  performing  great  atchievements,  were  in  pro- 
ccfs  of  time  in  like  manner  called  Slawne.  Under 
this  denomination  it  was  that  they  became  known  to 
the  Europeans,  who  were  nor  till  very  lately  acquaint- 
ed with  the  particular  tribes  of  thofe  nations.  Thcfe 
tribes  had  their  appellation  frequently  from  fome  ri- 
■vcr,  town,  or  region.  So  the  Polabes  were  named 
after  the  Laba^  or  Elbe.  The  Pomeranians  dwelled 
po  moruy  or  near  the  fea.  The  Havellanians,  near  the 
river  Havel  \  the  Maroaro^  or  Moravians,  or  Mara-' 
.hani,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Morawa.  The  War- 
jiabi  had  once  their  refidence  near  the  Warmw-i  and 
the  Polotzani  on  the  banks  of  the  Polota.  In  the 
mountains  [Chrebet)  lived  the  Chrobates  ;  the  Tollcnjians 
were  named  after  the  river  Tollenfea  in  Pomerania  cite- 
rior,  which  empties  itfelf  into  the  Peene,  near  Dem- 
tnin.  Yroxtx  Sidin,  or  Sedin,  the  Stettin  of  the  mo- 
derns, oni  I  be  was  named  Sidinians  ;  another  from 
Urizen  (1  leunbrizen)  Brizanians ;  from  KuJJin^  a 
lown  fubfifting  in  thofe  early  times,  the  Kijfmians- 
took  their  name,  the  traces  of  whom  arc  ftill  to  be 
found  in  a  village  near  Roftock,  called  KeJJen,  or 
Kijfen\  and  laftly,  the  Lutitzians  were  named  after 
LoitZi  on  the  river  Peine.  But  there  are  alfo  fome 
names  of  thefe  tribes  which  are  original  j  as  for  ex- 
ample, the  Sorbii  pr  Serbs^^  the  Tfchcdis,  of  Bohemians, 

the 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      475 

the  Lachs,  Lechsy  or  Polatzcs,  i.  e.  the  Poles  ;  and 
from  the  more  modern  Waregian  Roji,  the  RuJ/ians, 
about  the  year  862,  had  their  name.  The  Itorm 
which,  in  the  train  of  Jttllay  from  the  year  435  to 
456,  fprcad  terror  and  dcvadatlon  over  the  earth,  was 
but  fliort  and  tranfient.  In  the  mean  time  came  the 
Turkifti  tribes,  which  till  then  had  dwelled  in  Great 
Turky  (i.  e.  Little  Bukharia)  and  Turkifian  (where  is 
iiill  fubfifling  on  the  banks  of  the  Taras  the  town  of 
Turki/ian)  and  eftabiifhed  new  empires.  The  empire 
of  the  IVlag't.,  or  TFolochi^  or  Wologars,  or  Wolgars^  or 
Bulgarians^  is  in  like  manner  called  Great  Bulgarta; 
it  is  iituated  beyond  the  IVolga,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Kama,  Bielaia,  and  Samara  j  the  empire  of  Borkah 
or  Ardu  of  the  Afconian  Turks  extended  on  this  fide 
of  the  IVolga  from  Ihuieck^  near  Saratof,  quite  to 
Mount  Caucafus,  One  part  of  thefe  were  called  Ku- 
mani^  or  Komant.,  from  the  river  Kuma^  and  their 
town  was  named  jr«wrt^i?r*.  Farther  on  refided  the 
Modfchiarsy  MaJchurtSy  Pafcat'irs^  or  Bafchkirs,  a  tribe 
of  I'innifh  orign,  near  the  mountains  of  Ufal  and 
the  Bielaia.  Soon  after  this  came  moreTurkifli  tribes;, 
viz.  the  Chazarsy  the  Petjhencgs^  the  Uzians^  and  the 
Polcwzians,  and  even  the  Bulgarians  advanced  into  the 
fouthern  part  of  Ruflia,  and  into  Moldavia,  BelTara- 
bia,  and  Crimea.  ■  In  the  mean  time  Ruflia  was  go- 
verned by  its  Great  Dukes,  who,  together  with  their 
Koblefle,  were  of  the  Waregian  race.  The  divifion 
of  the  empire  into  a  number  of  fmall  principalities, 
the  pretcnfions  made  by  the  lefler  Princes  to  the  fo- 
veicignty,  together  with  the  exceflive  power  and 
wealth  of  the  clergy,  all  contributed  to  weaken  it; 
for  the  petty  Princes  were  feldom  entirely  fatisfied 
with  thth  Great-Dukes,  whence  arofc  trifling  con- 
teftations  and  dcttrudtive  civil  wars.     But  in  the  13th 

*  The  ruins  which  at  prcfent  go  uu'Jer  the  name  of  the  ruins  of  M^rt- 
Jchiar,  aj'pei^r  to  be  rather  the  remains  of  this  town  ot  Kuma^r'r  on  th« 
bank-;  of  ihe  Kuma  an\.]  Dymara,  The  word  Kumakir  fignifics,  in  the 
Tuii;ifl\  l.in.;uu>;t,  the  pla^i:  of  Kuma.  In  faft,  there  is  round  this  vcrjr 
Ipot  an  cxunfivo  pl.tin,  and  by  this  word  Kumager,  we  rr.uft  underOanJ 
^he  taivn  cf  the  plain  oj  Kuma.      ^jf    9^3^    t^^  Sltrhr  Kumakir. 

Century, 


'I' 


476 


VOYAGES     AN 


century,  on  the  banks  of  the  rivers  Onon  and  Kerlon^ 
there  iiarted  up  a  new  empire,  which  cave  celebrity 
to  the  before- unknown  nation  of  Mongols  (or  Moguls) 
under  Temudfchiny  who  in  1201,  foon  after  his  victo- 
ries over  the  Taiffit^  and  over  the  Naimans  and  Mekritts^ 
or  Merkltts,  and  feveral  inroads  made  into  the  Land 
of  Tangutj  had  the  name  of  Zingh'is  Khan  given  him 
by  all  the  hordes  fubjedl  to  his  command.  The  vic- 
tories of  this  great  monarch  were  very  rapid  and  ex- 
tenfive.  He  gave  his  fons  the  command  of  fome 
Mogul  tribes,  together  with  fome  of  the  conquered 
nations }  and  they  went  forth  to  fubdue  the  nations 
of  Afia  to  the  power  of  Zinghis  Khan,  Tufchi  Khan^ 
one  of  his  fons,  was,  in  the  year  121 1,  to  attack  the 
inhabitants  of  Gete  *  and  Kaptfchak,  that  is,  of  the 
fouthern  part  of  Ruffia,  from  the  Dniepr  to  the  Em- 
ha^  or  Yemba,  and  all  the  nations  that  lived  to  the 
weflward.  The  KomaniarSy  the  Wlachsy  the  Bulga- 
rians^ and  Hungarians.,  or  Madfchiars,  were  conquer- 
ed by  Tufchi.  His  fon,  Batu  Khan,  attacked  the 
Ruflians  and  Polowzians,  and  defeated  them  in  a 
great  battle  near  the  river  Kal^a,  which  runs  into  the 
lea  of  Azof  near  the  Don.  The  Mogul  Chiefs,  in- 
folent,  and  elate  with  victory,  often  opprefled  the 
Ruflians  in  various  ways.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
Ruflian  Princes,  induced  by  falfe  ambition  and  petty 
cpntefts  amongft  themfelves,  ufed  to  repair  to  the 
Golden  Horde  of  the  Khan,  near  the  Wolga,  there 
to  purchafe  with  ihameful  humiliations  and  lavifh 
preients,  the  title  of  Great  Duke.  The  Moguls, 
in  the  mean  time,  in  confequcnce  of  their  internal 
and  civil  diflentions  and  wars,  decreafed  in  power, 
and  the  Ruflian  Princes  at  length  became  alhamed 
to  worfhip  fuch  a  mere  (hiidow  of  power  and  gran- 


•  <?#/*,  according  to  Dei  Guignesy  is  «  country  (ituated  to  the  weft  and 
f')»ith-weU  of  the  river  Irlifti ;  but  Danville  place*  it  to  the  north  of  the 
«Quuu>  ot  Turfan,  or  10  the  fOtttii  of  the  Upper  Irtiih. 

deur^ 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      477 

deur,  and  to  hold  of  thefe  infolent  invaders  claim 
to  the  Great  Dukedom,  when  it  would  be  fo  much 
more  honourable  to  derive  it  from  their  own    valour* 
Iwan  JVaJjIUewitfch  was  the  firft  Great-Duice,  whos  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  15th  centurv,  broke  through 
this  humiliating  ceremony,  refufinj:;  to  pay  the  cuf- 
tomary  tribute,  and  defeating  the  Moguls  at  difFerenC 
times.     Iwan  IVaJJilewitfch^    the  firft  Czar^  and  Self" 
upholder  of  all  the  Ruflias,  came  to  the  throne  in  the 
year   I533<     He  made    the  conqucft  of   Cafan    and 
Aftrachan,  and  extended  the  power  and  dominion  of 
Ruffia  to  a  great  didance.     He  found   that  the  Cof- 
facs  of  the  Don  did  great  hurt  to  his  fubje£ls  by  their 
depredations,  and  difturbed  the  public  peace.     Jn  the 
year  1577*  therefore,  he  fent  a  confiderable  force  to 
punifh  thefe  depredators.     Before   this  body  of  men 
arrived,  fome  of  them  had  the  prudence  to  fly  from 
the   approaching  florm.     Termak  Temofeeff^  a  valiant 
CofTac,  very  expert  in  the  art  of  war,  and   held  in 
great  eftimation  among  his  brethren,  as  being  a  man 
of  abilities  and  refolution,  making^  his  efcape,  went 
up  the  river  Kama  and  the  Tfchulfowaya,  with  6  or 
7000  men.     Here'  he  met  with  a  nephew  of  the  fa- 
mous Anika  Stroganoff^  from  whom  the  prefent  Counts 
and  Barons  Stroganoff  are  defcended.     His  name  was 
Maximius  Stroganoff^  and  he  poiTefTed  part  d  the  land* 
bequeathed  to  his  anceftors  by  the  crown.     He  re- 
ceived this  troop  of  banditti  kindly,  in  order  to  avoid 
being  ufed  ill  by  them.     Here  Termak    had    intelli- 
gence that  fome  barbarous  nations,  viz.  the  Bafch" 
iirSy  WoteSy  Ojiiaks,  and  Tfcheremljfesy  bore  very  hard 
upon  the  Ruflian  fubjeds   near  the  Kama,  and  that 
they  were  fecretly  fupported  and  their  hands  ftrength- 
cned  by  Kutfchumt  Khan  of  Siberia.     Determined  to 
take  vengeance  for  thefe  depredations,  he  went  up  the 
rivers  in  the  years  1578,  1579,  and  1580,  and  at  laft 
reached  Tara,  where  he  conquered  feveral  petty  Chiefs 
of  the  Tartars,  and  pafled  the  winter  at  Chimgi.     His 
army,  however,  was  now  diminiftied  to    1636  men. 
He  defeated  the  Tartars  once  more  in  the  year  1587  ; 

but 


m 


1  ".   ■ 


47^ 


VOYAGES    AN 


but  the  whole  of  his  forces  then  confiftcd  only  of 
loCo  men.  He  was  forced  to  fight  many  more  bat- 
tles, however,  before  he  could  reach  the  Irtifh  anJ 
purfue  his  victories;  at  length,  having  totally  routed 
Kdtlclium  Khan,  and  put  him  to  flight,  he  made  his 
public  entry  into  Sil/ir.  The  Ojiiaks  and  ff^egulsf 
Kutfchum's  ancient  fubjc(Sls,  now  I'ubmitted  to  Yer- 
malc,  and  even  great  numbers  of  Tartars  acknow- 
ledged his  fovcreignty.  Yermalc  had  made  a  confi- 
derable  booty,  and  had,  befides,  received  very  valu- 
able prefcnts  from  his  new  fubjcdls.  He  now  regu- 
lated the  tribute  they  fhould  pay,  and  fent  a  Coflacky 
of  the  name  oi  Ataman ^  to  the  Czar  at  Mofcow,  with 
the  news  of  his  victory.  At  the  fame  time  he  craved 
the  Czar's  pardon,  fent  him  the  choiceft  furs  by  way 
of  tribute,  and  requeued  that  fome  fuccours  mighc 
be  given  him.  The  Czar,  in  return,  lent  him  pre- 
sents, granted  him  a  pardon,  and  confirmed  him  in 
his  new  dignity.  He  like  wife  obtained  the  fuccours 
defired  ;  but,  in  confequence  of  his  extreme  avidity 
to  extend  his  vidories,  the  too  eafy  credit  he  gave 
to  every  falfe  report,  and  of  his  neglect  to  lay  in  a 
ilock  of  provifions,  the  greater  part  of  his  army  v  as 
ilarved  to  death,  and  he  himfelf  perilhed,  upon  an 
expedition  on  tht;  Irtifh.  Sibir,  and  all  the  new 
conquefts  were  loft  for  a  time  j  but  greater  forces 
were  foon  fent,  towns  built,  peopled,  and  fortified, 
and  in  a  few  years  the  victories  and  acquifitions  of 
the  Rufllan!^  went  in  rapid  progreflion  from  one  river 
to  another,  from  one  wandering  tribe  to  another,  till 
in  the  year  1639,  Dmitrei  Kopilr-fi^at  length  reached 
the  eaftern  coaft  of  Afia,  not  far  from  the  fpot  where 
Ochotflc  now  ftands.  If  we  c?.ft  but  a  glance  on  the 
map,  we  ihall  fee  that  in  the  fpace  of  59  years,  by 
means  of  a  kind  of  undifciplined  chafl'eurs  and  light 
troops,  there  was  annexed  to  the  Ruflian  empire  a 
tiadt  of  country  which  extends  nearly  80  deg.  in 
length,  and  in  the  north  even  reaches  to  the  185th  de;:^. 
of  fong.  eaft  of  Ferro,  and  confequently  far  beyond  a 
4th  part  of  the  globe  j  and  in  breadth  extends  above 
25  ^eg.  viz.  from  the  75th  to  the  50th  deg.  of  north- 
ern laiitude.     We  need  only  read  the  hillory  of  thcfe 

conquclls 


DISCOVERIES  IN  i.iE  NORTH. 


479 


eonquefts  In  order  to  get  an  idea  of  the  ftcdfaft,  un- 
daunted, and  rcfolute  difpofition  of  the  Rufllan  na- 
tion. Their  bodies  inured  to  bear  the  greatcft  hard- 
Ihips,  their  ftrength  and  the  foundnefs  of  their  confti- 
tutions  are  equal  to  the  fpirit  with  which  they  accom- 
plifbed  fuch  vafl  conqucils.  But  in  the  mid  (I  of  this 
great  fuccefs  and  acceflion  of  wealth  and  power,  this 
mighty  empire  which  had  not  kept  pace  with  the  wefU 
cm  Europeans  in  the  rapid  progre'*s  made  by  thele 
latter  towards  civilization,  found  it  difHcult  to  rcfift 
the  power  of  the  petty  kingdom  of  Sweden.  Very 
fortunately  however  for  this  empire.  Providence  be- 
llowed upon  it  a  man,  who,  though  his  cducatioa 
had  been  entirely  negledted,  though  he  was  furrounit- 
ed  by  fuch  as  ufed  their  beft  endeavours  to  give  a 
falfe  bias  to  all  his  talents  and  mental  qualities }  who, 
though  he  had  prejudices  to  conquer,  which  might 
be  thought  infurmountable,  yet  ponfcfTed  fpirit  and 
courage  fufficient  to  give  himfelf  an  education,  and 
form  himfelf,  even  at  the  age  of  maturity  -,  and  was 
bcfidcs  endowed  with  penetration  enough  to  know 
thofe  who  were  about  him,  and  their  jull  value,  and 
not  to  be  midaken  in  the  choice  of  his  new  fervants; 
a  man,  finally,  who,  well  acquainted  with  the  pro- 
per mode  of  informing  the  minds  of  his  people,  caufed 
them  to  make  almofl  inflantaneoufly,  haflyilrides  to- 
vrards  cultivation  and  refinement,  and  gave  them 
weight  in  the  political  fyftem  of  Europe.  In  ihorc, 
a  Prince,  who,  by  his  creative  genius,  prepared  hii 
people  for  the  greatnefs  and  fplendor  in  which  they 
now  appear,  under  the  government  of  his  great  Niece, 
to  the  admiration  and  ailonifhment  of  all  Europe. 

The  difcoveries  of  this  nation  in  the  North  have 
met  with  very  able  hiftorians.  The  conqueft  of  Si- 
beria has  the  pre-eminence  over  all  the  eonquefts  of 
other  Princes  of  the  earth.  Uy  thefe  countries  have 
been  laid  wafte  and  depopulated,  and  frequently  a  ve- 
ry inconfiderable  tradt  of  land  is  purchafed  with  the 
blood  of  many  thoufands  of  men.  The  conqueft  of 
Siberia,  on  the  other  hand,  cofl  hardly  any  blood  at 
all}  and  fmce  it  has  been  conquered,  this  country  h 

populated 


li.'f 


4So 


VOYAGES    AND 


populated  and  cultivated,  and  is  continually  advanc- 
ing in  wealth,  population,  and  happinefs. 

This  Hirt-ory  has  been  writien  at  large  by  M.  John  ^ 
Eberhard  Fifcher,  of  the  Academy  of  Peterlburgh, 
with  great  fidelity  and  exadtnefs.  The  firft  difcove- 
ries  ot  the  Ruffians  along  the  coafts  of  the  northern 
ocean,  the  certainty  that  Afia  does  not  join  to  Ame- 
rica, the  diftance  between  the  Ruffian  dominions  and 
Japan,  and  the  diflance  of  the  fame  from  America  j 
all  this  has  been  fet  in  the  cleareft  light  by  the  late 
learned  Counfellor  of  ftate*,  Geo,  Fred.  Muller^  in 
the  third  volume  of  hh  ColleJfion  of  Rujfian  Hijiory, 
Finally,  that  great  naturalift,  Profeflbr  Pallm^  has, 
with  a  laudable  diligence  and  accuracy,  continued  in 
his  New  Northern  ColleSiionSy  the  hiftory  of  the  lateft 
difcoveries  made  fince  M.  Muller's  hiftory  was  pub- 
liihed,  and  particularly  fmce  the  commencement  of 
the  reign  of  the  great  Catherine  II.  It  would  there- 
fore be  highly  improper  to  give  here  a  hiftory  of  the 
voyages  of  difcovery  made  by  the  Ruffians  in  t?he 
North.  This  needs  not,  like  the  hiftory  of  the  dif- 
coveries made  by  other  nations,  to  be  colleiled,  with 
great  pains  and  labour,  out  of  many  dift'ercnt  and  ex- 
tremely fcarce  works,  but  is  in  the  hands  of  every 
body,  in  works  which  are  entirely  new,  very  well 
known,  and  written  with  a  truly  philofophical  fpirit* 
1  ihall  now  only  fubjoin  a  few  general  obfcirvations. 
.  The  capacious  mind  of  the  immortal  Peter,  firft 
chalked  out  the  whole  plan  of  thefe  different  voyages 
of  difcovery,  and  his  Emprefs,  and  all  the  fubfequent 
Monarch?,  particularly  Anne  and  Elizabeth,  contri- 
buted every  thing  in  their  power  towards  carrying  it  in* 
to  execution.  They  went  from  Archangel  to  the  Ob, 
from  the  Ob  to  thejenifci.  From  thejenifei  they  reach- 
ed the  Lena,  by  travelling  partly  by  water  and  partly  by 
land.     From  the  Lena  they  went   to  the  euftward  as 


•  The  Er.pl'fh  reader  will  fnd  the  want  nf  theu'  auilKirt  in  a?r»a|; 
mtalure  conipenfaictl  by  Mr-  Cox^i  elegant  /icituni  cj  i/w  RnJJmn  Dij<e» 
vcnes  bitvtcin  ^Jia  and  Ameriia,  4(0,   lyf^o. 

far 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       481 

far  as  |h?  Judigirka*  From  Ochotjk  they  went  along 
by  the  Kuyile  Iflands  to  'Japan,  Beering  had  already 
previouHy  to  this,  navigated  the  northern  coaft  of 
Kamtfchatka  to  the  76th  deg.  of  northern  latitude, 
and  now  they  again  undertook  an  extenfive  voyage, 
in  order  to  difcover  the  American  continent  from 
Kamtfchatka,  an  enterprize  in  which  Commodore 
Beering,  as  well  as  Captain  Tibhirikow,  fucceeded. 
Pefides  the  particular  objeds  of  tlieir  refearches,  both 
faw  fome  iflands,  and  Beering  was  ilranded  upon  oile 
.^f  them,  not  far  from  Kamtfchatka.  He  died  there  ; 
and  his  crew  made  9  fmall  veflel  out  of  the  wrecks 
of  the  fliip,  and  flood  intQ  the  harboqr  ©f  Peter  and 
Paul,  in  Kamtfchatka.  After  diis,  fome  merchants 
^nd  freebooters  went,  with  p^rmiffion  of  the  Crown, 
to  make  difcoveries,  hunt,  trade,  and  collect  the  tri- 
bute ;  ^nd  though  die  veflels,  in  which  thefe  firft  ad- 
venturers went,  confifted  of  nothing  but  a  few  wretched 
boards  faftened  together  with  leathern  thongs,  difco- 
vered  nptwjthftanding  in  the  year  1745  and  1750,  a 
group  of  iflands,  which  were  called  the  Aleutian  Illands. 
Farther  on,  another  group  was  found,  which  were 
called  the  AndreanofF  Iflands ;  and  laft  of  all  they 
defcried  the  Black-F»x  Iflands,  which  were  near  the 
American  continent.  This  whole  group  compofes  a 
very  remarkable  archipelago,  which  certainly  with  great 
jufl:ice  was  called,  in  honour  of  the  great  Catheriva  II. 
the  Catherina  Archipelago.  It  extends  from  Kauitfchat- 
ka  to  the  point  of  land  called  Alajka^  in  North- Ame- 
xica.  From  this  very  fame  land  of  Kamtfchatka  a 
chain  of  iflands  extends  to  Japan.  Kamtfchatka, 
North-America,  Japan,  the  Kuriles,  and  ajfo  the 
Catherina  Iflands,  have  all  different  volcancs,  of  which 
fome  are  extinft,  and  fome  flill  continue  burnint^. 
Thefe  volcanos  daily  occafion  new  and  coniiderable 
revolutions  in  thefe  regions.  They  form  a  chain  of 
mountains,  by  which  the  two  continents  have  been 
formerly  connedted,  in  like  manner  rs  they  have  alio, 

1  i  in 


■    ';  t   . 

J;: 


1  = 


'.\t 


':•;(* 


■    1* 

•  '11 


\\\ 


482 


VOYAGES    AMD 


in  all  probability,  been  joined  to  each  other  in  Beer* 
ing's  Straits.  A  flood  that  has  come  from  the  fouth^ 
weft,  and  taken  its  courfe  to  the  north-eaftward,  has 
alfo  formed  here  the  point  of  Kamtfchatka,  called  Lo- 
patka,  together  with  the  bay  of  Ochotik,  and  the 
Penfchinian  Bay,  and  fwept  away  with  it  ih  its  courfe 
a  great  quantity  of  earth,  which  has  remained  there, 
lying  on  the  bottom,  and  has  caufed  the  (helves  upon 
which  now  the  ice  is  fo  often  lodged  at  prefent,  and 
by  which  it  is  prevented  from  diflolving.  It  is  not 
my  province  to  determine  when  this  great  flood  hap- 
pened, nor  by  what  means  it  was  produced.  We 
have  occular  evidence  that  a  great  and  violent  revolution 
of  this  kind  has  a6tually  happened.  The  iflands  with 
the  volcanos  on  them,  are  acceflTory  proofs  of  the  truth 
of  my  fyftem,  viz.  that  iflands  are  formed  from  the 
continent  being  broken  into  a  great  many  pieces. 

Thefe  Gather ina  Ijlands^  and  the  adjacent  continent 
of  North- America,  would  afford  to  a  diligent  naturalift 
a  thoufand  fubjecSls  for  interefting  obfervations,  fliould  it 
at  any  time  pleafe  the  Great  Catherina,  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  fcience  in  general,  and  of  geography 
and  the  knowledge  of  nations  in  particular,  to  give 
orders  for  the  undertaking  of  a  voyage,  which  would 
great' y  contribute  to  extend  human  knowledge,  prove 
extremely  beneficial  to  the  great  empire  Ihe  rules,  and 
by  which  fhe  would  acquire  eternal  honour  and  fame 
from  a  grateful  pofterity. 

Nos  lequimur  probabilia,  nee  ultra  id  quod  verifimilc 
occurrit  progredi  pofTumus,  ct  refellere  line  pertinacia 
et  refelli  fine  iracundia,  parai  fumus. 

M.  TuLHus  Cic.  Tufculanor.  Quaeft  L.  II.  p. 
340.  editi  Elzevir. 


GENERAL 


•  I 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.      483 


GENERAL    RE  xM  ARKS 


O  N    T  H  E 


DISCOVERIES   made  in  the  NORTHj 


TOGETHER    WITH 

Phyfical,  Anthropological,  Zoological,  Botanical,  and 
Mineralogical  Refledtions  on  tiie  Objects  occurring 
in  thofe  Regions. 


TH  E  globe  of  this  earth,  as  far  as  we  hitherto 
know  it,  contains  a  much  greater  quantity  of 
land  elevated  above  the  furface  of  the  fea,  in  the  north- 
ern part,  than  do  the  oppofite  polar  regions  in  the 
fouth,  which,  to  thofe  who  have  explored  them,  have 
conftantly  exhibited  nothing  but  a  wide  extenlive  fea. 
On  this  principle  it  is  that  I  have  endeavoured  to 
demonftrate  in  a  former  work,  that  in  all  probability 
the  northern  regions,  taken  colle61:ively,  are  warmer, 
particularly  in  fummer,  than  the  fouthern.  See  my 
Obfervations  made  during  a  Voyage  round  the  fVorldy 
page  99.  In  faft,  the  great  depth  of  the  lea  abforbs 
the  folar  rays,  which  like  wife  are  not  capable  of  im- 
parting warmth  to  the  prodigioufly  extenlive,  and 
withal  denfer  fea,  fo  eafily  as  they  do  to  the  much -more 
rarified  fluid  of  the  atmofphere.  The  land,  on  the 
contrary,  reflefts  the  rayb  of  the  fun  in  every  diredlion  ; 
in  confequence  of  which  they  crofs  each  other,  and 
obfervations  have  (hewn,  that  it  is  by  its  colle6ted 
beams  only  that  the  fun  is  capable  of  generating  a 
confiderable  degree  of  warmth.  This  is  confirmed  by 
the  experience  of  all  navigators  in  the  northern  regi- 
ons, who,    when  between  the  70th  and  80th  degrees 

I  i  a  9f 


■a  ■!! 


aH 


VOYAGES    AND 


of  latitude,  frequently  fpealc  of  a  heat  powerful  enough 
to  melt  the  pitch  with  which  the  fhip  is  paid.  On 
the  other  hand,  in  the  fouth,  the  temperature  of  the  air 
is  much  colder  i  and  in  thoi'e  parts  they  never  enjoy 
the  comforts  of  a  warm  day. 

In  the  cold  countries  there  are  a  great  many  dif- 
ferent fpecies  of  tale  and  mica,  as  likewife  a  great 
quantity  of  the  fteatites  and  lapis  ollaris,  particularly 
in  Greenland  and  Hudfoft's  Bay,  as  likewlfe  &t  Sjiitz- 
bcrgen.  Volcanic  produ(ftions  are  found  in  great 
abundance  in  Greenland,  Iceland,  the  weftern  coaft 
of  North-America,  the  Catherine  and  Kurile  Iflands, 
and  in  Kamtfchatica.  Of  metals  ther^  ha^  been  found 
native  copper  in  Hudfon's  Bay,  and  in  the  Copper 
ifland  near  Kamtfchatka.  Bear,  or  .Cherry  Ifland  con- 
tains a  confiderable  quantity  of  lead,  and  likewife  fome 
native  filver.  In  Greenland  a  filver,  and  even  gold 
earth  are  faid  to  have  been  difcoverfed. 

The  coaft  of  Greenland  confifts  entirely  of  high 
(harp- pointed  rocks  on  both  fides.  In  Hiidfon's  Bay, 
ho\VeVer,  thefe  mountains  begin  to  be  lefs  fteep,  and 
in  fome  parts  of  it,  there  are  even  flat  level  ihores. 
I'celand  is  throughout,  as  well  as  Spitzbergen,  a  high 
rocky  country.  Nova-Zembla  has  the  fame  appear- 
ance. The  whole  northern  coaft  of  l^iberia  is  flat  and 
low.  The  eaftern  coaft  of  Afia,  as  far  as  to  the 
extreme  point  of  Kamtfchatka,  is  for  the  moft  part 
high  and  rocky.  The  American  coaft,  on  the  r>n- 
trary,  is  low  and  flat,  but  to  the  fouth  of  Alajka  it 
begms  to  be  higher. 

Hudfon's  Bay,  Baffin's  Bay,  and  all  the  little  feas 
from  Labrador  to  Cape  Farewell  are  evidently  made 
by  the  fea  having  broken  in  upon  the  land.  This 
likewife  appears  from  the  lofty  top  of  Cape  Farewell 
and  the  high  rocks  on  the  eaftern  fide  of  Refolution 
and  SaliftDury  Iflands,  and  of  all  the  iflands  in  Hud- 
fon's Bay,  which  terminate  in  flats  to  the  weftward, 
as  though  the  earth  had  been  wafhed  away  from  them. 

by 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       485 

by  a  flood  rulhing  on  them  from  the  eaft.  Greenland 
has  an  inlet  to  the  eaftwiird  of  it,  and  to  the  weft- 
ward  an  ifland,  vi*.  Iceland.  Spit?:bergen  has  a  pro- 
montory in  the  fouth-weft,  and  to  the  fouth-eaft  an 
ifland.  All  the  (hores  of  the  Icy  Sea  along  Siberia 
are  flat,  and  the  u^as  that  lie  to  the  northwards  of  this 
country  are  very  (hallow.  What  we  had  to  obferve 
with  refpetSt  to  the  phyfical  influence  of  the  fituation 
of  the  fea  between  Alia  and  America,  near  Kanitf-» 
chatka,  has  been  already  touched  upon  at  page  482. 

The  feas  in  thefe  regions  are  very  cold,  and  partly 
covered  with  ice.  The  obfervation,  that  tlie  ocean 
freezes  here  even  fo  early  as  in  Auguft  or  Septem- 
ber, and  that  in  winter  it  is  covered  ove«-  in  the  fpace 
of  one  night  with  ice  feveral  inches  thick,  is  now  fully 
confirmed.  The  ice  therefore  is  not  the  production 
of  the  rivers  running  into  the  ocean,  but  of  the  ocean 
itfelf.  The  large  mafles  are  impelled  by  the  wind  one 
over  the  other,  and  thus  form  thick  and  lofty  clumps 
of  ice.  But  various  ore  the  ways  in  which  ice  is 
formed.  We  can  never  fay,  this  is  the  method  which 
nature  purfues  in  producing  a  certain  efFe<5l  j  for  fhe 
has  a  variety  of  means  to  accomplifh  her  intentions, 
which  man  is  not  able  t^o  difcover  other  wife  than  by 
flow  degrees.  In  the  b^ /inning  of  winter  the  ocean 
is  not  fo  cold  as  at  the  commencement  of  fummer, 
fubfequent  to  the  tedious  long  v/inter  in  thofe  parts. 
The  winds  :n  the  Icy  Sea  are  very  boifl:erous,  and, 
when  they  blow  over  the  large  fields  of  ice  there,  into-^ 
lerably  cold.  Eafterly  winds  alfo  are  more  common 
in  the  Arctic  Circle  than  any  other.  The  fame  too 
has  been  remarked  before  in  the  Antartic  polar  regi- 
ons. FCjjs  are  in  thefe  climates  very  common,  and 
confequendy  render  the  navigation  there  very  dange- 
rous. Thefe  fogs  by  their  prellure  keep  down  all  the 
vapours  which  would  otherwifc  rife  up  into  the  at- 
jnofpher&i   for  which  rc^fon  they  have   frequently  an 

oftenfive 


m 


•w  1 


ii'  P' 


486 


VOYAGES    AND 


ofFenfive  fnTiell.— Thunder  and  lightning  are  very  lare 
in  thefe  parts ;  partly  by  reafon  that  the  northern 
lights,  which  often  are  very  frequent,  confume  and 
vtrafte  the  ele6lricai  exhalations,  and  partly  becaufe  in  a 
region  covered  with  eternal  fnow,  from  whence  but  a 
trifling  quantity  of  fnow  melts  away  in  the  fpace  of 
federal  days,  the  ele£tric  matter  cannot  poilibly  rife 
from  the  earth  in  any  confidcrable  quantity,  and  collect 
in  order  to  form  the  matter  of  thunder  and  lightning. 
The  trifling  portion  which  appears  in  tempers,  is 
thrown  into  the  air  from  the  volcanos  in  thefe  regi- 
ons.— The  abundance  of  mifts  and  vapours,  which  arc 
in  part  frozen,  and  fill  the  whole  atmofphere,  ferves 
likewife  to  make  one  phenomenon  more  frequent  and 
common  here  than  it  is  elfewhere.  Paraheliums  and 
mock  moons  are  feen  very  frequently  in  the  north, 
infomucli  that  they  hav°  been  remarked  by  many  travel- 
lers, Thefe  very  vapours,  which  in  the  atmofphere  fo 
greatly  aboun  I,  ferve  alfo  the  beneficial  purpofe  of  ex- 
hibitmg  the  joyous  light  of  the  fun  in  thefe  dreary  and 
melaiic.oly  regions  almoft  a  fortnight  fooner  above  the 
horizon  than  could  pcflibly  be  done,  were  the  atmof- 
phere in  a  different  ibte  :  confequently  they  contri- 
bute to  ihorten  the  difmal  nights  in  thefe  countries,  and 
to  enliven  nature,  rendered  abfolutely  torpid  by  the 
deadening  blalts  of  winter. 

It  muit  be  true,  the  animated  organized  creation  is 
fcattered  with  a  fparing  hand  in  thefe  dreary  climates. 
The  furface  of  the  earth  is  covered  with  but  few 
plants,  and  even  thofe  which  nature  has  in  her  bounty 
beitowed  upon  it,  cling  clofe  to  it,  fearing,  as  it 
were,  to  raife  their  heads  from  the  bofom  of  their 
mother  into  the  air,  totally  deprived,  as  it  is,  of 
warmth,  and  (lirinking  from  the  deadly  blafls  of  the 
north  and  eaft  winds,  Nay,  the  earth  itfelf  is  unpre- 
pared and  unfit  to  receive    and    harbour    the    plants 

committed 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       487 

aommitted  to  her  care.  Bare  and  naked  rocks,  with 
a  calm  intrepidity,  prefent  their  callous  fronts  to  the 
attacks  of  the  all-ravaging  froft  i  during  the  greateft 
part  of  the  year,  indeed,  they  are  covered  by  a  thick 
bed  of  fnow.  Confequently  they  are  preferved  for  a 
long  time  without  mouldering,  and  undeftroyed.  Rain, 
wind,  and  heat,  alternating  with  froft  j  but  above  all, 
the  efFedls  of  heat  and  the  fixed  air  floating  in  the 
atmofphere,  contribute  to  diflblve  and  deftroy  by  de- 
grees the  hardeft  and  moft  folid  rocks  in  temperate  and 
warm  climates.  The  fixed  air,  accompanied  by  heat, 
penetrates  deep  into  the  fubftance  of  the  ftones,  and 
diflblves  fmall  particles  of  them,  which  the  rains  and 
wind  walh  away  and  carry  to  a  diftance,  and  by  this 
means  make  the  furface  of  the  earth  continually  more 
and  more  capable  of  receiving  and  harbouring  plants, 
and  all  kinds  of  vegetables.  In  this  earth,  from  a  fmall 
feed  brought  to  it  by  the  wind,  at  firft  there  is  gene- 
rated a  diminutive  mofs,  which  fpreading  by  degrees, 
with  its  tender  and  minute  texture,  which,  however, 
refifts  the  moft  intenfe  cold,  extends  over  the  whole  a 
verdant  velvet  carpet.  In  faft,  thefe  mofles  are  the 
midwives  and  nurfes  of  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  ve- 
getable kingdom.  The  bottom  parts  of  the  mofles 
which  perim  and  moulder  away  yearly,  mingling  with 
the  diflblved  but  as  yet  crude  parts  of  the  earth,  com- 
municate to  it  organized  particles,  which  contribute 
to  the  growth  and  nourifltiment  of  other  plants  :  they 
jikewife  yield  falts  and  unguinous  phlogiftic  particles  for 
the  nouriftimcnt  of  future  vegetable  colonies.  The 
feeds  of  other  plants,  which  the  fea  and  winds,  or  elfe 
the  birds  in  their  plumage,  bring  from  diftant  fliores, 
and'  fcatter  among  the  mofles,  are  kindly,  and  with  a 
truly  maternal  care  fcrceneJ  by  them  from  the  cold, 
imbued  with  the  moifture  which  they  have  ftored  up 
for  this  very  purpofe,  and  nourifhed  with  their  oily 
exhalations ;  fo  that  they  grow,  increafe,  and  at  length 
Vcjir  feeds,  and  afterwards  dying,  add  to  the  ungui- 
nous 


4S8 


VOYAGES    AN» 


nous  nutritive  particles  of  die  earth,  and  at  the  fame 
time  diffufe  over  this  new  earth  and  moifts,  more 
feeds,  the  earneft  of  a  rtuitierous  pofterity.  Here  let 
us  ftdp  for  a  moment  to  confider  thefe  produfttons 
of  the  vegetable  world  in  a  nearer  point  of  view. 
They  are,  as  we  have  already  obferved,  planted  with 
a  fparing  hand  in  thefe  northern  regions,  not  becaufe 
nature  adls  the  part  of  a  ftep  mother  by  them,  but 
becaufe  the  feverity  of  the  cold  in  thefe  climates  dif- 
turbs  and  puts  a  flop  to  her  operations,  and  confe- 
quently  makes  her  employ  ages  to  produce  eiFe£):s, 
for  which  (he  has  fcarcely  a  few  years  allowed  her 
under  the  benign  influence  of  the  fun  in  milder  regi- 
ons. Yet  even  here  is  Nature  the  fame  indulgent 
parent.  On  the  few  dwarfifti  plants  that  are  to  be  found 
in  thefe  regions  the  animals  thrive  aftonilhingly  i  even 
the  liverworts  (lichen  rangiferinus  &  ijlandicus)  polTefs 
uncommonly  nutritive  qualities,  and  make  the  animals 
which  feed  on  them,  fat  in  a  fliort  time.  On  the 
very  fliores  fcurvy-grafs,  and  other  plants  of  this  clafs, 
prefent  themfelves  to  feafiaring  perfons  infe<Sted  with  pu- 
trid fevers,  and  with  their  invigorating  juices,  put  a 
flop,  in  the  fpace  of  a  few  days,  to  the  ravages  oi 
tlie  fcurvy. 

And  however  unpromifing  thefe  regions  may  ap- 
pear, yet  neither  the  fea  nor  land  are  deflitute  of  ob- 
je«Sls,  which,  befidcs  an  organic  ftru(5lure,  have  the 
power  of  voluntary  motion  and  of  confcioufnefs.  From 
the  corals  to  the  mammalia,  every  clafs  of  animals  has 
its  reprefentative  in  this  othcrwife  inhofpitable  climate. 
Nova  Zembla,  Spitzbergen,  and  Greenland,  have  even 
their  reindeer,  their  white  bears,  and  grey  foxes  ;  and 
the  countrv  lying  to  the  northward  of  Hudfon's  Bay 
is  inhabited  by  the  bifam  ox.  Hares,  mice,  and  glut' 
tonst  a^fo  are  indigenous  in  fome  of  thefe  regions. 
The  fea  fwarms  with  various  forts  of  whales  and  dol- 
phins }  while  its  fhores  and  the  dreary  fields  of  ice  that 
float  upon  it,  ferve  as  a  habitation  to  the  numerous  fpe- 
cies  of  feals,  to  which  the  depth  of  the  ocean  in  the 
immenfe  number'  of  its  inhabitants  prefents  an  abun- 
daiice  gf  food.     Of  all  thefe    northern   regions  the 

northern 


DISCOVERIES  IN  THE  NORTH.       489 

tiorthcrn  coaft  of  Siberia  alone   is  conftantly  inhabited 
by  mankind,  if  we  except  America  as  far  as  Hudfon's 
Bay  and  Greenland.     The  bodices  of  this  race  of  men  arc 
contra6led,  as  it  were,  by  the  cold.  They  are  of  a  brown* 
ifli   red  complexion,  their  hair  is  lank,  IHlF,  and  black. 
Their  food  is  fifh,  feals,  and  whales,  am^  train-oil  is  their 
greateft  delicacy.      Their  ideas  are,  according    to  our 
way  of  thinkinja,  very  confined  ;  yet  they  manifeft  in  the 
formation    of    many  of  their  implements,  and  articles 
of  houfe-furniture,  a  fkill,  a  dexteroufnefs,  and  capacity, 
which  at  firft  fight,  one  would  not  be  apt  to  imagine 
they  poffefied.      fhe  complaints  we  frequently  hear  of 
their  perfidioufnefs  and  cruelty,  are       'irely  groundlefs. 
The  Europeans,    indeed,    have  often,  by  adts  of  vio- 
lence,  by  murder,  and  the  perpetration   of  the  grcatell 
cruelties,  drawn  upon  themfelves  the  vengeance  ofthelc 
kind-hearted,  hofpitable  people,  and,   at  length,  taught 
them  miftrurt.     They  fulfil  the  duties  of  parents  with 
tcnderncfs,  refolution,  and  care,  and  in  circumfiances  in 
which   thoufands     of    Europeans   would  negle«Sl    their, 
charge.      Amidft    dangers,    amidft  the    moll  piercing 
frofts,  fnow,    and  winds,  they  venture  out  to  fea   in 
fmall  leathern  boats  to  provide  food  for  their  children. 
In    ftiort,    the   more  we  attend  to  thefe  objeds,  the 
more  evidently  we  fhall  perceive  in  all  parts  the  traces 
of  the  providence,  goodnefs,  and  wifdom  of  a  fupreme 
being,  who  difpenfes  his  benefits  over  the  whole  uni- 
verfe,  and   manifefts  the   utmoft    fagacity    and  intelli- 
gence   in    the    accomplifhment    of    his  purpofes  j   all 
which  in  perfons  of  fufceptible  and  feeling  hearts  ex- 
cites   the  warmeft   fentiments  of  gratitude  and  adora- 
tion, and   affecting  them  widi   the  tendered  emotions, 
diaws  from   their  eyes  tears  of  heart-felt  joy  and  ad- 
miration.    O  that  men   would  therefore  praije  the  Lord 
for  his  goodnefsy  and  dectan  the  wonders  that  he  doeth 
for  the  children  of  men  ! 


\* 


!      I'' 


y 


): 


tiikli(4l 


I      N      X 


I  I 


I  ! 


INDEX. 


A 


A. 


ARHUUS,  its  former  and  prefent  fituation 
Abalus  Ifland,  defcribed  by  Pytheas 


i'agc 

-       69 
21 

Abulfeda,  the  fummary  of   his  information  relative  to  the 

North  '  34,  36 

Abubeker  ■  ■  153 

Acre  ■  — — —  121 

Acridophagi,   fignification  of  the  name  and  their  place  of 

2 
98 

99 

415 
II 

29 

7» 

413 

7 


abode 

Adigas,  the  fame  as  Circaflia      ^  ■■ 

Adiketi,  neighbours  of  the  Alanians  — 

Adkofi,  vid.  Adiketi 
Admirahy  Ifland  — — 

^fti  or  Efthonians  vifited  by  the  Carthaginians 
Long  unknown  to  the  Romans 


Their  manners  and  government  defcribed  by  Alfred 

Afgoden  Hoek  — — 

Africa,  original  fign'fication  of  the  Word  —— 

Fird  difcovery  of  its  coafl  and  circumnavigation  of  it  at 

different  times  ■  6,  7 

Agricola  faik  quite  round  Britain  and  fubjeQs  the  Orkneys  to 
-  -       •  26 

121 

121 

32 

94 
171 


the  Roman  Empire 
Ajaffa  al,  harbour  of  •■ 

Akko,  vid.  Acre  — ___ , 

Alanians  ravage  the  Roman  dominions 

Their  former  place  of  refidence 

Their  Religion 


Alar^on,  Francifcode,  his  attempt  to  Bnd  the  Straits  of  Anian 

44« 
Alarlc  plunders  the  Romans  ■■  32 

Ale,  why  the  Efthonians  brewed  none  — .  72 

Alfred,  his  generous  behaviour  to  the  conquered  Danes       53 

His  tranflation  of  Orofius  «-—  5  4 

Tranflation 


ifiii 


li 


I       N       D 


X. 


P.1 


H'< 


2« 

Tranflation  of  bis  geographical  dcfcription  of  the  North 
of  Europe  ■  ——  5^ 

Whence  he  had  his  geographical  knowKdve  74, 

Aleutian  idamis,  the  difcovercrof  (hem,  and  iheir  (ituation  481 
Alexander  VI   bifhop  of  Rome,  portions  out  the  newly  dif- 


covered  countries 

Allemanni,  the  origin  of  the  name  -■ 

Confederacy  of  this  people  — 

All-Heathor  All-Heide  

Aliiialig,    city  of  ■  — — 

Amber  impoitcd  by  the  Phceniciani  and  Greeks 
Defer  ibed  by  Pliny         ■  ■                   — ■ 
Known  to  the  Romans  

Amfterdain  Ifland  ■ 

Ancona,   viJ.  Akko 

Aiidanicum,  the  fame  as  Steel  ■  ' 


Origin  ot   this  name 
Andreanoff  IQ^nds  —  ■  •  ■  '■■  —— . 

Angclis,    his  account  of  the  land  of  Efo 
Anj^Io  Saxons,  their  piratical  expeditions  to  Britain 

The  place  of  their  refidence         ■ 
Anian,  Straits  of  —— — 

Anjoy,  vid.  Anian  Straits 


446 
H 
32 
69 

15a 

6 

21 

26 
422 

»35 

242 
481 

463 

44- 

447,  460,  463 


349' 


Anticofti,  Ifland  of,  its  different  denominations        ■— 


Aral,  River  of 

Arambec,  an  unknown  coaft  •    .  '. 

Ar*Ju,  b'mpire  of  the  Afconian  Turks  

Argonauts,  fail  to  the  country  of  the  Hyperboreans 

Argon,  bis  embaiTy  to  Kublai  Khan  

A  mixed  race  at  Tenduc  *— . 


29c, 


439 

99 

436 

475 

12 

124 
Ml 


Ariniafpians,  why  they  were  fuppofed   to  have  but  one  eye 

Introdu^ion 

Airak,   the  Beverage  of  the  ancient  Northern  nations  and  of 

the  Chinefe  '■  '  —  146 

As,  the  faiDe  people  as  the  Alanians         —  —         166 

Afimrft,  Thofnas,  undertakes  to  plaut  colonies  in  the  North  289 

Afof  -w  —         151,165,  16^ 

AiTam,  John,  King  of  Bulgaria  —        •—  97,  99 

Aifara,  the  fame  as  Saray  — — 

AfTumption  Ifland  •■■  —  ■  ■■  439 

Ailracan  — — - —  m  1 5 1 

Its  trade  in  former  times  -'  1 7 1 

35,38,  nS 

39 

26 
Baals 


Athel,  or  Athol,  i.  e.  the  Wolga  — 

Attila,  the  extent  of  his  Dominions  ■■ 

Aubert,  Thomas,  his  Voyage  to  Newfoundland 
Auguflus  Cstar,  Difcovcries  in  the  North  in  his  reign 


n 


D 


3a 


Baals  River  ■■  '■'     '  ■  ■  — — 

Baccalaos,  the  aincient  name  of  Newfoundland, 
Whence  derived          -  ■ 

Vifited  by  Gilbert - 

BalHn,  Wllliain,  his  voyage  to  the  North            #- 
Hia  voyage  with  Bylot  » 

Bagdad  inhabited  by  the  Bil'ermians 


Pagt 

3ZQ. 

289 

350 

94 


Balalagan  or  Balaxiani  the  country  of,  its  inhabitants  and  ita 


produflions 
Ba(cha(Vi  Nor,  a  lake,  its  vail  fize 
Baldnch,  vid.  Bagdad 
Balifli,  a  Chi nefe  weight  or  coin 
Baikh,  city  of  » 

Balulclawa,  its  ancient  names 
Balcia,  known  to  the  Carthaginians 

Whence  this  name  is  derived 
Barbaro,  Jofaphat,  his  journey  to  Tana 
Barentz,  William,  his  voyages 

With  Heemfkerk  

Barrach,  vid.  Bereke  Khnn 

Barrarier,  his  opinion  of  R.  Benjamin  de  Indela^s  travels 

Bafchart  


379' 


ii6 
104 

i6| 
««$ 

u 
ti 

166 

4«7 

luO 
Bafchkirians,  their  lan^age  and  place  of  refidence     loo,  475 

Their  origin  — •  lof 

Theirniod^ of  writing  —  105 

Bafcia,  a  country  on  the  River  Vafch,  its  inhabitants  izj 

Baftarkians  — —  — —  —  ^j 

Baths,  laws  and  literary  anecdotes  concerning  them  az  j 

lOZ,  475 

328 
417 

438 

70 
481 

4c  z 

260 

117 

170 


Batu,  Khan  of  the  IVloguls 
Baulak  or  Koiak,  the  gold  mines  of 
Bay  of  Exploits,  firft  difcovered  by  Leif 

Bear  Ifland  — 

Difcovered  by  the  Dutch 
Bay  deg  Chaleurs  ■ 

Becinga-ge  or  Blekingen  — — 

Beering,  his  voyage  with  Tfchirikoff 
Beeting's  Straits 


Behaim,  Martin,  his  artificial  globe  ■ 

Belgian  Mountain,  the  primitive  refidence  of  the  Moguls 
Belgorod  .  ■  ■  ■  ■    .     ■ 

Belor  Mountain  — 

Benedidt,  a  Mindorite,  accompanies  the  Pope's  ambafTadors  to 
the  Moguls  .  —  93 

Benjamin 


1* 
j 


N 


E        XI 


Benjamin  of  Tud»»la,  his  obfervatlons  relative  to  the  North  9 


Bennet,  Stephen,  his  voyage  to  Cherry  Ifland 

Beormas  ■■ 

Berenfort  Harbour  '     " 

Bereke  Khan  —  — 

Bergos,  its  prefent  name  and  (ituation 

Bergu,  a  plain,  its  inhabitants  defcribed 

Biarmians  —  •  — 

Biikhan,  vid.  Belgian 

Bi'vfn,  carried  by  a  ftorm  to  !^ewfound1and 

Biierniini  —  — 

Biflibur,  itsfituation  —  — 

Irs  inhabitants  and  produce 

Btachs  or  Balchians  —         — 

Black  Point  -^_. 

Blekingen  ■ 

Bokkaia,  tKe  province  and  city  of  — 

Bolgar,  the  town  of  —  _«.  — . 

Delcribed  Ukewife  —  — . 

Bontekoe,  the  ifland  of  —  — 

Borkah.vid.  Ardu 

Borkum  Ifland,  Amber  forknerly  found  there        — 

Bornhol'.n  — —  — 

Bofphrrus  —  —        — 

Bowdens  Inlet  — —  -»- 

Braetain,  the  land  of  Tin  —  — 

Bretagne  colonized  by  fugitive  Critons  — — 

Briggs's  Mathematic's  iflands  —  — 

Britain  known   to   the  Greeks,  as  being  the  tin  country 
Introcuclion  and  —  — 

Vifited  by  the  Fhcenicians  —  — 

Why  it  afterwards  funk  into  oblivion  — 

Becomes  fubje^l  to  the  Romans 


328 

63 

415 

>53 

30 
138 

63 


Is  vifited  by  the  Franks  and  Anglo-Saxons 

Brizinians  -^ — 

Brook  Cobham  Iflands                —  — — 

Brutacks                     —  «-.  — . 

Bukareli  y  Orfua,  his  voyage  of  difcovery  — 

Buigar,  Bulgaria —  —  59, 


28 

6[ 

169 

396 
6 

44 
36s 

>S 

6 

s  I 

26 


Conquered  by  Yedighey  Khan 
Bulgarians,  their  origin  ■  — 

Burchana,  vid.  Borkum 
Burgendas,  thefameasBomholm 
Burgundians,  fe»*led  in  Gaul  — — — 

Burrough,  Step-:  .n,   his  voyage  and  difcoverie; 
Burs  al,  the  muunta'n  of,  a  filk  manufactory  there 
Sufa,  an  imoxicating  liquor  Urank  in  RulUa         '— 


32»44 

474 

363.388 

94 

455 
100 

155 

109 


3* 

—      372 

»S4 

Bufurmen, 


I       N 


X 


Page 
Bufurmen,  vid  Bifermini 

Butan  ■  — —  — —  107 

Button,  Thomas,  his  voyage  of  difco?ery  — —        345 

Remarks  upon  it  —  „^  ^47 

Button's  Bay  —      — .  —  300 

Button's  Iflands,  by  whom  difcovered  —  347 

Bylot,  Robert,  his  firft  voyage  of  difcovery  — •        350 

His  fecond  voyage  ■  35* 

Remarks  upon  it  —  —  357 

C. 
Cabota  or  Cabot,  John,  vrhh  his  fons,  difcovers  Newfound- 
land —  —  267 
Strtftures  with  refpeft  to  him              • '—  268 
His  endeavours  to  promote  voyages  of  difcovery     269 
Cabral,  Pedro  AIvaTez,  difcovers  the  land  of  the  Holy  Crofs  or 
Brazil                 — ^                —          .      "-  2163 
Cabrillo,  Juan  Rodriguez  de,  his  voyage  toNorth  America  448 
Cadiz,  founded  by  the  Phoenicians,  and  when           *»        6 


ThePhoenician  ftore-houfes  there 
Caefar,  how  far  he  advanced  in  the  North 
Cailac,  its  inhabitants  and  manufaflurea 
Calacia,  vid.  Cailac 
Caliphs,  the  promoters  of  literature 
Calmucs,  their  mode  of  writing  -^ 

Their  Buffaloes  — 

Cambalu,  the  winter  abode  of  Kublai  Khan,  its  fituation  and 

conveniences  ■■  —  145, 16& 

Camexu,  the  fame  as  Khame  —  —  152 

Canada,  origin  of  this  appellation  —  438 

Canglo,  are  defcended-from  the  Canianians  —  99 

Canary  Iflands,  known   to  the  Greeks  by  the  name  of  the 


8 
104,  140 

34 
106 
107 


Fortunate  Iflands  — 

Cape  Breton,  by  whom  thus  named 
Abounds  in  coals  - 

Cape  Barren  

Blanco  «— 

Charles  — 

Chidley's  — 

Chriftianus  — 

Comfort  — 

Defolation  — 

Del  Enganno  — 

Diggs  — - 

Dobbs  — — 

Dycis  «■■ «" 

Farewell 


i3S< 


3071 


«3 

289 
297 

349 
4S3 
336 
310 
468 

35 « 

300 

^H 
358 

39« 

299 

468 


FuUertoii 


I 


iiiii 


'( 


# 


I       N       I? 


X. 


run«?rtoii 

Of  .Gfld's  Mercy 
Henrietta  Maria 


Page 

3«7 
301 

366 
369 
39« 
403 
33$ 
4«4 
366 

45a 
4i'» 
347 
335 
35^ 
347 
39« 
»99 
336 

4«5 
463 

»37 

34'; 

129 

Carpini,  Joha.jde  Piano,  a  minotiie,  go?s  on  an  einbafly  to 
the  M«giil  Khans  1"-"  93 

Account  of  his  journey  -  >  ■■  94 

Carey's  Iflands  -  ■■    ■    -  «  355 

Carthage,  origin  of  this  name  "■■,.,,  8 

Flouriihing  ftate   gf  it,  founded  on  the  ruin  of  the 

rh^nicians  -r— p  —  9 

Carthaginians  •  lake  long  voyages  and  p^sflefs  an  extenfive 
commerce  —  -^  10 

Cartier,  Jaques,  de  St.  Malo,  his  voyage  —  437 

His  lecond  voyage 
His  voyage  with  Robervai 


By  whom  thua  named  - 

Hope  •  - 

KoQg  JHme^'s  - — — — . 

Langenefa  ■  — 

Maria  ^" ..  ■'■  .  ■' 

Mendocino  — —  .i__ 

.:  ,       Ni-fl^v  ;  ,    - '■ 

5^       Pembtrake  ■  ■■ 

} ,  ^       Prince  Henry's  m>" 

,     ■;      rJialidwiry  ,        ,      -.— -  — 

^        Sov\hampftM»  I'  '•■■    '^' 

.;  Smith  —  "n..  — 

;     '      :-WairingHfif»     -  -^  -^ 

...Wolften^olin  r 

Zwartenhoek  • '  '■.  ■'..- 

Ciariivallo,.  James,  hi^  Hefcription  of  j^fo 
Cafacoran  ".  ,    ■ ..  .uy, 

Cary*s  Swans-neft  > -  ■^- 

Carchan,  promce  of,  its  fnhabitants  defcribed 
Carentarians  —  '  -— 


438 

44  ( 

129 

38,  116 

6 

33 


Cafcar,  tlie  country  of,  its  inhabitants  defcribed 
Cafpian  Sea  —  — 

Caffirerides,  the  tin  iflands  -"'■■■■ 

Chadilcha  —  — 

Ciianml)  the  country  and  ciiy  of,   its  inhabitants  an(^cul^om^ 

133,  160,  :4s 

Chnmyl,  the  town  of,  where  fituated,  and  by  whom  baiit      94 

Chancellor,  Richard,  goes  to  KuITia         .       —  271 

His  fecond  voyage  thither    i  *         •—  27* 

Cbaques,  Martin,  his  fi^iiious  voyage  —  46a 

Chatlebourg 


n 


X. 


Charlebourg  •— 

Jharlton  Ifland  ^^ 

Chathians  in  Georgia  — — 

Chazaria,  the  province  of  — 

Chazarians  • 

The  ancient  inhabitants  of  Crimea 
Chenerthei,  the  province  of  — 

Cherry  Ifland,  the  fame  as  Bear  Ifland 

Defcriptionofit 


Cherule,  a  country  on  the  banks  of  the  Kherlon 
Chefmur,  its  inhabitants  •" 

Chefterfield's  Inlet,  vid.  Bo wden's  Inlet 


Page 

44* 

94 
169 

16^ 

94 

168 

329 

1 10 
1Z7 


Chiacato,  an  Indian  king,  equips  the  Poli  for  their  journey 

Chinchintalas,  its  iltuation,  produce,  and  inhabitants  135 

C'hirmia  - —  169 

Chitalas  Dalai,  vid.  Chinchintalas  ■  ■■    '  izj 

Chogatal.fent  to  Rome  with  M.  Polo  —  120 

Chremuch,  the  country  of,  the  inhabitants,  animals,  and  feitility 

of  it         ■  — — —  __  i^y 

Chriftians  Haab  ■  307 

Chriftians  Straits,  the  fame  as  Hudfon's  Straits 
Ciirobatians 

Cianganor,  the  town  and  lake  of,  their  fituation  and  Inhabi- 
tants    ■  142 

Ciarciam,  the  country  of,  its  inhabitants  and  produce        130 
Cicones,  a  northern  people  _— — __  |j 

Ciinbalo,  2v^/3«A«y  A»/wdv,  the  modern  Baluklawa  1 69 

Cimbri,  their  military  expeditions,  conquells,  and  fcttlements  2$ 

»4 

93 
171 

599 
409 


Whether  they  were  Germans 
Cimmerians,  inhabitants  of  the  Crim 
Circafllans  ■■■ 

Profefs  the  chriftian  religion  . 
Clerke,  Charles,  accompanies  Capt.  Cook 


Continues  the  expedition  after  Cook's  death 
Cocas,  fame  as  Mount  Caucafus,  its  fituation  and  produce  1 16 
Cocking  Sound  "   '•  — —  32$ 

Cogatal,  vid.  Chogatal 

.^oleburn,  accompanies  Hudfon  in  his^  third  voyage  333 

Coiom,  Chfiftopher,  endeavours  to  fet  on  foot  a  voyage  of 


tdifirovery 
Difcovers  the  Ifland  of  Haiti 
Colomna,  town  of,  adefcripiionof  it 
CotiipanieLand  — — 

Comaniaos  — 

Compafc,  ds^riptlon  and  ufe  of 


261 
262 
172 
426 

99 


f'      N       D       E       X. 

Its  inventor  —  — 

The  period  of  Its  more  v  riy  and  general  ufe 
Conception  Bay 


Page 

2cr5 
240 


By  whom  thus  named 

Conftant  Search                     — —  —                41$ 
Contomanians,  relearches  into  their  origin 

Cook,  James,  his  voyage  of  difcovery  to  the  North  397 

His  death                        — —  — ,               404 

Cook's  Ifland                    — —  —               366 
Cook's  Straits,  vid.  Beering's  Straits 

Coronado,  Francifco  Vafquez  de,    goes  to  the    Straits  of 


Anian 
Cortereal,  Cafpar  de,  his  voyage  of  difcover) 

His  brothers  attempt  the  fame 
Cotan,  the  province  of,  its  cultivation 
Cronium,  the  Icy  Sea,  origin  of  this  name 
Cruffldes,  the  occadon  and  confequence  of 
Cruys  Hoek  — 

Cumanians,  defcribed  b;' Haitho  — 

Cumberland's  Iflands  ■  ■    ■    •' 

Cumberland's  Straits  " 

Cwenland,  fame  as  Finland 


Its  inhabitants  defciied  by  Ohther  — 


Cwennas 

Cwen  Sea  ■  

Currents  in  the  North,  remarks  upon  them 
Cychians  and  Cythians  »  •    ■  -  ■ 

Are  a  free  people  ■ 

D. 
DaimirKhan  "  — 

Dalamenfans,  their  refidence  — 

Dalemln/ians,  vid.  Dalamenfans 
Danes,  how  far  they  carried  their  piracies 
Reiluce  Alfred  to  great  ftraits, 
Ere^  various  fovereignties  in  Ireland 
Darcy's  Ifland  ■ 

Datia  — -^  

Davis,  John,  his  firfl;  voyage  of  difcovery 
Second  voyage  — — 

Remarks  upon  it  "     "     ■ 

Third  voyage  — — 

Remarks  upon  it  '  ■■"  «  •■ 

Davis's  Straits  -•    ■   ■  ■  •- 

Deer  Field  — —  — . 

Deer  Sou'  i  "■■■"■ 

Denis,  Jean,  C^lls  to  Newfoundland 


448 
460 
461 

13d 

19 

236 

4'5 
115,  168 

55,60 
66 


66 

S5 

285 

94 
97 

Hi 
59 

48 

5* 

52 

3«o 

59 
293 

30a 

306 

308 

'    310 

300 

348 
391 

Derbent 


N 


firft  that    failed 


X. 

.    Paga 
99 

^     "2,154 

through    Beering'« 

—  401 


Derbent  ^  *— — 

Its  fituation 
DeninefF,  Semen,   the 

Straits 
Deiire  Provoked,  a  land  fo  called  by  Hudfon  -~       334 

Defolation               — —                        '  z^H 

Dido  plants  a  colony  in  Africa                    ■  8 

Di  trichofBern,  his  atchievements                — --  31 

Dir,  the  companion  of  Olkold                — —  78 

Difco  Road                   — -                 —  308 

Dobbs,  Arthur,  propofes  a  voyage  of  difcovery  392 
Domitian   reduces   almoft  the  vrhole  of   Britain  under  hia 

dominion                    ■                          —  26 

Douglas  Harbour                   — —                —  391 

Drache  Ufanaut,  the  fliip  fo  called                        ■  •  75 

Drogio,  the  country  of            ■'                      —  190 

Itsfituacion                *  *                      -  205 

Drautcn  Lake                -  ■                           *■  69 

30 

365 


Dumney  or  Dumnoe,  the  ifle  of 
Dun  Fox  Ifland  __ 


E. 

Eaftland,  ■  ■ 

Edam,  land  of  •  —  ■  ■     '  ' 

Edges  Ifland  ■  •■■■' 

Edigi,  the  fame  as  Yedighey  Khan         ■ 

Edom,  the  Progenitor  of  the  Phoenicians  — — 

Cdrefli,  ScherifF  al,  the  geographer  —    ■ 

Extract  from  his  treatife,  and  (Iriftures  upon  it 
Eggaya,  the  fame  as  Irganekon  ■   ' 

Elbing,  ri\  r  of  ■■  •■    -  ■■ 

Elipehe,  thcfameasKippike 
Elifa,  vid.  Dido 

Elliot,^  Hugh,  his  Aippofed  voy&ge  to  the  North 
.£naky  the  children  of,  inhabitants  of  caves  — 

Their  manners 


Spread  along  the  coafts  of  the  Mediterranean, 
they  are  called  Canaanites  ■-    ■ 

At  firft  trade,  and   by  the  Greeks  are  called 
nicians  ■     ■  "■ 


Engern,  not  the  country  of  the  Engels 
Engels,  relidedin  the  Iflands  of  Denmark 
Engroveland,  the  fame  as  Greenland 
Eowland  -  — 

Equius,  town  of,  the  fame  as  Akfu 
Erd(himur,  the  country  and  town  of 
Ergimuly  the  iame  as  Erdihimur 

Kk2 


203, 


428 
427 

'53 

4 

34 

35 

140 

7* 


aS9 

a 

where 

Phos- 

4 

69 

69 

206 

70 

104 

13S 


Erigaia, 


,.  m 


iii 


•I       N 


X. 


Erigai'a,  the  fame  or  Organum  "     . 

Eric,  firftbifliopof  Greenland,  goes  to  ^^  inland 

The  books  found  there  came  from  him        — — 
Eric  Raude  a  fugitive,  difcovers  Greenland  — 

Gives  a  defcription  of  it  — — 

Eric's  Sound  ■   ■  ■ 

Erythras,  vid.  Edom 

Efkimaux,  their  anceftors  ■'  *— 

Efo,  the  ifland  of  ■  — — 

Efthonians,  vJd.Ofti 
Eftniere,  viz.  the  Frifch  Haf  — -< — 

Euthymenes  purfues  Hanno's  difcoveriea 

Eynar-Torf,  the  common  anceftor  of  the  earls  of  Orkhey  298 


Page 
140 

204 

709 
80 

% 
463 

70 
16 


Eywucktoke  Inlet 

Ezina,  the  town  of,  abounds  with  ail  kinds  of  animals 

F. 
Faira,  the  Ifland  of  ■  — — . 

Fairas  Land  ■  »     ■ 

Fair  Haven  — ■         — .  »■  ' 

Fair  Foreland  — —  ■■■ 

Faral,  the  town  of,  the  fame  as  Otrar 

Far-oer  or  Sheep  Iflands,  when  difcovered  —  ■  ■ 

Conquered  by. Harold  •   ■■  ■— 

Pera,  vid.  Faira 

Finbog  fails  from  Iceland  to  Winland  — — 

Findanus,  ihort  account  of  his  life 


306 
»37 

202 

349 
330 

53 
78 

86 
46 


The  Finlanders  are  defcended  from  the  $c*'*^hians 

Not  known  to  the  Romans  till  later  tunes        — •         29 
Lived  on  moors  and  fwainps  '  66 

The  ancient  name  of  the  people  now  called  Laplanders 

62 

jFinmark,  the  fame  as  Lapland  -■'    ■  '' "     .        62 

Flawes,  William,   his  voyage  of  difcovery    ^      ■■.'■■■  '       3'8j 
Flocke  fails  to  Iceland  ■     ■'■.-.■  — —  50 

Flux  and  rtflux  of  the  ocean,  firft  obferved  by  Pytheas  and 
afcr'il)ed  to  the  moon  *  '.  —         17 

Its  height  on  the  coa(t  of  Britain  accurately  afcertained 

>9 
293 

454 

37S 
343 
349 
559 

Franks, 


by  the  fame 

Fogolflrind,  foi merly  called  Pengum  Ifland         — 
Fonte,  { BarCholonieo  de)  bis  pretended  difcovery 

Fort  Charles  

Fotherby,  his  firft  voyage  to  the  North  — ^— 

His  fccop.d  voyage.  ■   ■ 

Fox,  Lucas,  his  voyage  of  difcovery  — — * 

Fo:j;'s.fartheft  voyage  of  difcovery  ■ 


INDEX. 

Franks,  origin  of  their  name  . 

Spieadaafaras  Britaia  .  • 

t      Praaice.  piracy  with,  (iiccefs  in  t];ie  Mediterranean 
Are  expelled  out  of  Britain  — — 

Eaft,  their  boundaries  ■  '  ^ 

Freidis  accompanies  Fiiibogin  his  expedition 

Friefland 


Frobifl^er,  Martin,  his  attempt  to  fail  to  the  North 
Makes  a  fecond. attempt  with  fuccefa 
Hist.bird  voyage  thither  with  a  fquiu^ron 

Frobiflier's  Straits  

Frondad,  his  voyage  from  China  to  North  America 


G. 


Fuca,  juan  de,  his  voyage 

GaJe  Hamken's  Land  .    

Galea,  vid.  Ajafla 

Gaqja,  (}oao  de)  his  pretended  difcoveiies 

Gama.  Vafco  • — ^ 

Gamalecco,  the  fame  as  Cambalig 
Gaidar's  Ifland,  by  whomdifcovered 
Whence  it  derived  ifs  name 


Page 
24 

3* 

45 
46 

55 

86 

180,    202 
274 

-  275 

280 

274 

444 
450 

428 


—  464 

-  263 

152 

50 

-  50 
Geography  and  the  knowledge  of  diftant  nations,  the  fources 

nf Introduction 

—  141 

94 

4IZ 


of 
George,  King,  of  Tcnduc  

Gebrgia  ^  -; 

Its  fituation  and  ancient  inhabitants 
Gepides,  their  empire  fubverted  by  the  Awari  and  Longo- 

bardi  — ; —  3* 

Germans,  fignification  of  this  name  ^  -^  24 

The  place  of  their  refidence  according  to  Alfred    5  5 

Germanicus  vifits  the  country  which  had  been  the  grave  of 

Varus  and  his  army  26 

Gete,  land  of  -; —  ■  47^ 

Ghazarians,  vid.  Cbazarians 

Ghitercan  or  Aftrachan,  its  trade  in  former  time*  171 

Gibbons,  his  voyage  '  —  347 

Gibbons's  Hole  -r —  348 

Gihon,  the  river  of        .      "  »'9 

Gilbert,  Humphrey,  hia  voyage  to  the  North  292 

Dies  on  the  paflage  homewards  —  295 

Gilbert's  Sound,  »  harbour    ^  '  299 

Inhabitants  on  its  coaft  —  303 

Gillam,  Zachary,  his  voyage  to  the  North  378 

Gillis,  Cornelia,  his  voyage  and  difcoveties  —        4*9 

Giorgiania,  its  inhabitants  and  fertility  —  177 

Glafs, 


m\ 


I       N       I 

Glafs,  another  term  for  amber 

Glafs  lilands  

Glaza,  vid.  Galza 


E       X. 


P«ge 

a6 
121 


God  Haab,  the  fame  as  Giloert's  Sound 

Gogatta,  vid.  Chogatal 

Galea,  vid.  Cailac 

Gomez,  Efteyan,  feeks  In  vain  for  a  palTage  in  North  America 

447 
Good  Fortune,  Ifland  of  —  ■  306 

Gore,  Captain,  continues  the  voyage  after  Gierke's  deceafe 

406 

Gori,  where  fituated  — —  —  178 

Germ,  the  ancient,  unites  Jutland  and  the  Panifh  Iflands  51 

Cloths,  their  military  expeditions  — —  3a 

Found  by  Ruyfbroek  in  the  Crim  *«  97 

Of  their  language  — —  .170 

More  on  the  fame  fubjedk  ■  249,  474 

Gotland  —  —  68, 70 

Gottan  —  — .  —  e^ 

Grafui,  where  it  probably  hf  •  169 

Grecaland  •—  —  '  •—  59 

Green,  his  cruel  behaviour  to  Hudfon  —  339 

Greenland  Company  in   Denmark,    their  attempts  towards 

making  difcoveries  in  the  North 
Greenland,  when  and  by  whom  firftdifcovered         —      80 
Chriftianity  planted  there  and  the  Normans  expelled 

87 
The  cold  IS  continually  increaling  there  and  its  fer- 
tility decreafiug  ■ —  88 

Nicoio  Zeno's  difcoveries  there  r—         185 

Buildings  and  manner  of  living  of  the  inhabitants 

186 
Their  commerce  and  boats  — —  1 87 

Cruel  behaviour  of  fome  EngliiK  Navigators  to  them 

278 

Of  the  iron  and  copper  in  their  poiTeffion  287 

Their  manners  and  religion  — —  32a 

Griefland,  whether  it  be  the  fame  with  Enkhuyzen  ?  184 

Or   Grimfey?  .^     ..     '  — .  ao2 

Orikhata,  vid.  Guthaka 

Grofeilliers  undertakes  a  voyage  of  difcovery  in  the  North. 

--— -^ 376 

Gualle,  Francis,  his  voyage  of  difcovery  —  449 

Guddai  or  Gudde,  a  people  in  Pruflia  •'  ' ".   ..  zi 

Gpdrid,  wife  of  Thor^in  1...  1  .   ,  ^ 

Afterward^ 


N. 


X. 


Afterwards  of  Thorfin 


Page 

84 

Gues  to  Rome  and  thence  into  a  convent  in  Iceland 

^5 

Gunhiorn  - 


Guthaka,  the  town  of 
Guttoni 


Gwofdcff,  his  voyage 


H. 


79 

11,  21 

401 


Hndfchi-Mehemet,  his  account  ofSuccuirand  Kampion  24J 
Haetellfinians  — -  — 

Hsciiiabr,  different  from  Haeihum  — 

Hxthunt,  the  harbour  of,  its  true  fituation  afcertained 
Haitho,  his  life  and  parentage  — 

Extvadl  from  his  account  of  the  North 
Hakluyts's  Idand  —  ■— 

Headland,  vid.  Amilerdam  Ifland 
Halgoland,  the  birth  place  of  Ohther  -  ■    - 

Vilited  by  Wilioughhy 


Hall,  James,  his  unfuccefsful  voyage  of  difcovery 
His  two  former  voyiiges  in  the  Danilh  fervice 
Hallad,  earl  of  Orkney  —  — 

Hanno  falls  round  Africa  ■     ' ' 

Harbour,  de  la  Trinidad  ■ 

de  la  Bodega  -—  -»^ 

Bukarelli  —  *~ 

Guadaluppe  ^- 

Remedios  •^-  — 

Harokel,  a  Phoenician  merchant  — 

Harold,  founderof  the  Kingdom  of  Norway        —^ 
Sets  a  fine  upon  emigrants  — 

Makes  feveral  conqueftj  ■     ■  ■■    ■  ■ 

Haficar,  vid  Cafcar 
Hatto,  viJ.  Haitho 


Hawkbtidge,  William,  hia  uncertain  voyage 
Hazel  Ifland  —  — 

Hebrides  or  Weftern  lOandg  ■ 

Heemfkerk  accompanies  Barenfz  — - 

His  neit  voyage  of  difcovery 
Helgo  accompajiiei  Finbog  to  Windland 
Helleland  —  -»- 

Hengifl:  together  with  Horfa  fettles  in  Britain 
Herat,  refidence  of  the  Schah  Rokh 
Hercules,  vid.  Harokel 
Herjolf,  his  voyage  —  •<— 

Herjolf  s  Nefs  — 

Herrings,  when fuft  picklejd  "j^v 


474 
68 
68 

114 
354 

66 

269 

320 

467 

78 

10 

457 

458 

457 

457 

457 
6 

5» 

5* 
78 


35« 

439 

49 
328 

4'7 
86 
81 

32 
159 

Sa 

80 

i8ar 
HiaUaland 


I      N      D      E 


X. 


Page 
7«»  8i 


Hialtflland                     —  «m 
Hiarkand,  vid  Carchan 

Himiico,  his  voyage  to  Britain  •—                 io 

Hinlopen  Straits                —  —        398,  273,  413 

Holaghu  Khan  with  his  Moguls,  &-  -^...ces  as  far  as  Europe 

-  92,  119 


Hold  with  Hope  — — 

Hollin,  the  fame  as  Karakarutn 

Holfteiiif  whence  this  word  is  derived  — 

Homer  was  acquainted  with  amber  and  tin  -^ 

Hope  Sanderfon  ■'■ 

Hopes  checked  — —  ■ 

Hore  fails  with  two  (hips  to  the  North  ^^ 

Horites,  vid.  Enak 

Horithi,  fuppofed  refldence  of  this  Sclavonian  tribe 

Horn  Sound  —  — 

Hotutii,  vid.  Cotan 

Hrolf,  the  adventures  and  conquefts  of  -• 

Hubbart's  Hope     ^  —  -^ 

Hudfon,  Henry,  his  firft  voyage  of  difcovery 

Remarks  on  it                —                — • 
His  fecond  voyage                    — — 
His  third  voyage                        — — 
His  laft  voyage                    -■'     '    ■■ 
Remarks  upon  it                    ■ 
Hudfon's  Bay  Company                —  — 

Hudfon's  Straits                —                — 
Huirs  


3H»  334 

56 
15 

308 

346 
290 

60 

3  S3 


78 
347 
324 
325 
3*7 
421 

33^ 
340 
378 

3'S 

9% 
101 


30»j 


Huns>  whence  they  came  and  how  far  they  fpread      39 
Hyiophagi,  origin  of  the  name,  the  place  of  thei.  refidence 

and  their  manners    *  3 

Hyperboreans,  inhabitants  of  the  North  —  t 

The  place  of  their  refidence  not  afCertained  la 
Send  prefents  to  Delos  — ^  14 

I. 
Jackman,  Charles,   accompanies  Pet  in  his  journey  to  the 
North  -—  -^  287 

agag  river,  vid.  Aral 
^  aik,  the  fame  as  Jagag 

Jalair,  one  of  the  original  tribes  of  the  Moguls  1 1 7 

James's  Ifland,  vid.  Fox's  farlheft 

James  Lancafter's  Sound  ■  •  355 

James  Douglas's  Bay  '■■■   '     ■  388,  389 

James,  Thomas,  his  voyage  —  36S,  375 

Jan  Mayen's  Ifland  — »  »—  422 

Different  from  Cherry  Ifland  *-  333 

Jaques 


N 


X. 


Jaques  Cartier's  River,  formerly  the  River  of  Safnte  Crouc 

440 
Iberia,  vid.  Geprgia 
tcaria,  Ifland  of,  vtfited  by  Zichmni 

Its  probable  fituation 
Ice,  mountains  of,  their  origin 
Iceland  known  to  Pytheas 

To  the  Greeks  early 

Vifited  by  the  Swcdei 

Derivation  of  the  namt* 


—  193 

—  106 

278»  395»  3'6,  35o 


Nature  of  this  country  formerly  and  at  prefent 
When  certainly  difcovered  and  inhabited 
The  ihcreafing  cold  preventi  its  fertility 
Jcthyophagi  ■ 

Idel,  the  fame  as  the  Wolga  ■  ' 

Idifa,  the  fitver  ftilnes  there  — . 

Jerket,  vid.  Hiarkand 


>4» 


jerufalem  in  the  hands  of  the  Bifermians  •'^  94 

Jefo,  the  land  of,  nOw  the  Kurile  Iflands,  vid.  alfo  ETo    24 

Jews  circumnavigate  Africa  ■■ 

Ilacs,  vid.  Biachs 

liay  or  Ilioe  '  ■  ■  »  aoi, 

Ilfing,  the  fame  as  Elbi.ig 

Ilofe,  the  Ifland  of  « 

Ingolf  fettles  in  Iceland 


206 


Innocent  IV.  fends  anibafTadors  to  the  MoguU 

Innuit,  the  natives  of  Greenland 

John,  Prefter,  the  fame  as  Ungkhan  — 

Jones's  Sound  — — — 

Iraland  in  King  Alfred's  geography,  fignifies  Scotland 

Ireland  ravaged  by  the  Danes  — — 

Attacked  by  the  Normans  -■ 

Irganakon,  the  land  of,  defcribed  ^-  104 

Ifland  of  God's  Mercy,  a  harbour  — 

Itelmen,  a  name  aflumed  by  the  Kamtfchadales    Introduftion 
Jugur,  all  ftrangers  fo  called  by  the  Moguls  ibid. 

Namfe  of  an  extenfive  country  —         105,   114 

Julian  a  Roman  knight,  brings  a  great  quantity  of  amber  to 

Rome  ■  z9 

K*. 
Kablunat,  a  name  for  ftrangers  with  the  Greenlanders 

Introdu£tio{r 


9* 

Introd'u6tioii 

106 

3S 
61 

4<J 

S« 

140 

334 


*  N.  B.  Many  names  of  perfons  and  places   which  are  not 
to  be  found   under  K,^  are  to  be   met  with  under  C,  and 

<vice  'uerfa. 


Koffa* 


!i 


I 


N 


X. 


KAffa,  fonncily  Thcodofit 

Kartia,  the  tame  as  Kiow  — — 

Kaihc,  vid.  Galka  - 

Kajuk  Khan,  fovereign  of  all  the  Moguls 

Kaketi,  vid.  Chathians 

Kalamiia  oi  Kliiiiata 


Page 

ibg 

115,  78 

104 

93.  95 

Jiainpion,  the  capital  of  Tangut,  manners  and  rclI|^ion  of  the 

inhabitants                      115 

More  on  the  fame  fubjctSt  m-m                243 

KamMl>  vid.  Chamul 

Kanghtrte,  the  place  of  their  refidence  —            94 

K4iiklii>,  the  fame  as  Canglx 

Kanket,  the  town  of,  on  the  fame  fpot  where  Kafchkanat 


ilands  at  prefent 
Kantfchcu,  vid.  Kaniplon 
Kaptfchak,  a  province  of  Tartar/ 

Series  of  the  Khans  of  — 

Karakarum,  the  capital  of  the  Mogul  Klian^ 
Defcrlption  of  "      — 

Karaktthai  —    .i      » 

Kars  or  Kerfch  •->  .» 

Kafan,  conquered  by  the  RtiiCans  — 

Kafchkar,  vid.  Cafcar 
KaiTai  the  fame  as  Kiflen 


»55. 
J  06, 

94, 


»03 

»54 

478 
no 
138 
103 
169 
»7i 

152 

114 

9« 
169 


Kathay,  or  Noith  China,  its  inhabitan'  -~ 

Hnitho's  account  of  it  -  . 

Kergis  or  Circafliuns  ■ 

KerlcierJe  ..  . 

Kerz,  vid,  Kars 
Khaberda,  vid.  Chcnerthei 
Kban-Balga,  vid.  Cambalu 
Khan-Baligh  city,  defcripiion  of  ■  . 

Khara-Moran,  river  of  — — 

Khafcliimir,  vid.  Chefmur 

Khood  or  Khowand  Emir,  his  account  of  the  journey  of 


i6z 


Schak  Rokh's  ambafladors  to  Kathay 
Khuarefm,  the  country  and  people  of,  defcribed 

Kiaeier  Nefs,  the  naine  of  a  ihip  . 

J^ing  Charles  promontory  »-■    ■  •- 

King  George's  Sound  .-^  _ 

King  James's  New  Land  ■-■    -  - 

King's  Foord  ..  -^ 

Kippike,  province  of  ■     . 

Kif^nians,  — .  _ 

Klimata  ->»  — 

KwafmiaDs,  the  anceftors  of  the  Oftnam'an  Turks 


158 
150 

84 

366 
400 

349 
321 

167 

474 
170 

Korkang, 


N 


E 


Kotkang,  townof  — —  >«5i 

Korrenia,  a  Mogul  general  — 

Korfun,  the  town  of,  fame  as  Sarfon 
Kreinuk,  vid.  Chremuck  _— . 

Kublai  Khan,  firft  fends  a  fleet  into  the  eaaern  ocean 
HisexpediJon  to  Japan 
Treats  the  PoU  with  great  kindnefa 
His  palace  and  menagerie 

Kumager,  town  of,  where  • 

Kunat,  a  tribe  of  Moguls  — — 

Kyrk,  vid.  Kerkri 

Labrador,  the  inhabitants  of  -* 

Animals  found  there  — — 

Name  of  this  coaft,  by  whom  given 

Lachians,  a  tribe  of  Sclavonians  — 

Lagroan  or  judge 


P«g« 
119,  151 

91 


Lancaftcr,  James,  his  voyage  ■ 

Remarks  upon  it  —  ~~  •  •*    > 

Lane,  Michael,  accompanies  Pickerfgill  in  the  capacity  of 


i6r 

43 

ISO 

14s 

36.  47  S 


30T 
460 

3»« 

3>4^ 


mafter 
Obtains  the  command  after  the  former's  death 

Langa,  the  people  of  ■    ■ 

Langa  nefs  i«— — — 

Lechians,  vid.  Lachians 

Ledil,  the  fame  as  the  Wolga  -^ 

Ledovo,  the  ifland  of  —— • 

Leif  accompanies  Ingulf  in  his  voyage  — • 

Makes  difcoveries  in  company  with  Byron 
Arrives  at  Newfoundland  ' 

Takes  Miflionaries  to  Greenland  — • 

Lefghi  on  the  fliores  of  the  Cafpian  Sea 

Line3  de  Marcation 


Lindenau,  Gotflce,  his  voyage  to  Greenland 

His  fecond  voyage  " 

Lions  Bank  ■  ■ 

London  Coaft  •    ■ 

Longobardi  or  Lombards,  their  different  fettlements 
Lonym,  probably  the  fame  as  Sionyni  ' 

Lop,  the  town  of,  defcription  of  it  •-     - 

Lopatka,  th)j  origin  of  —  — 

Lord  Wefton's  Portland  — —  ^   , 

Luciumel,  ambaflkdor  from  the  Pope  to  the  Khan  of  the 

Moguls  '  96 

•l4»mley>  Inlet  —  —  309'55» 

Luiwid^c 


408 
409 
107 

4«4 

166,  171 
»93»  201 

SO 

8e 

8j 
87 

446 
467 
46S 
4og 
308 

3* 

176 

«3« 

482 

3^7 


99» 


;!i  ' 


ii 

i 


1/.  N..    D 


X.; 


Page 
398 


6<» 

334 

'49 
150 


LntvC'iclge  accompftntes  Phipp5  In  hia  voyage 
Lutitzians 

M. 
Madfchiar,  vid.  Bafchklrlans 
K^aegthaland,  thefituauonof  — — 

Magna  Bridtannia  — 

Adandeville,  John  de,  his  life  and  adv«nture» 

Extrad  of  his  account  of  the  North 
Mangd  Khan,  fuppofcd  to  have  embraced  the  Cbriftian- re- 
religion  — : 95 

Endeavours  to  mend  the  morals  of  his  ftttyefls 

*34 

Manfers  or  Mansfield's  Ifland  ■■■    —  347 

Marahanians,  vid.  Moravia 

Marble  Ifle  — ^  —  388, 364 

Marcolini,  Franciico,  his  account  of  the  Zeni's  difcoveriea 

180 

Marcomannlan  War,  its  confequences  — 

Mare  Chriftianum  ^  — — . 

Mare  Novum  —  — 


29 

470 
470 

98 
138 

82 


Mari,  the  people  of,  whether  Mahometans 

Markxts,  their  manners  defcri bed 

Marktand  — 

Maroaro,  vid.  Moravians- 

Mailiiia,  thetov/nof,  forms  the  defign  of  making  difcoveries 

16 

Matmai  -i—-  ■  ■     ■  426 

Matricandis,  at  prefent  called  Tamenda  -^  96 

Matriga,  now  called  Temruk  "   — —  96 

Matfumal,  town  of,  its  inhabitants  —  463 

Mauritius  Ifland,  vid.  Jan  Mayen's  Ifland  —  416 

Vid  alio  Amilerdam  Ifland,  Hakluyts  Headland 
Mead,  a  very  ancient  beverage  — — —  72 

Mclguer,  David,  his  voyage  to  the  North  a  !li€lion  464 

Mcntocomon,  the  fame  as  the  Frifch  and  I^unTch-Kaf       21 
Merdas,  vid.  Mari 

Merfaga,  probably  the  fame  as  Meferitz 
Metrites,  vid.  Markets 

Mexico,  when  it  arrived  at  any  degree  of  civilization 
Midacritui,  firft  brought  lead  and  tin  fror,^  Caflitcrides 
Middleton,  Chriftopht-r,  hi3  voyage                 — 
Mill  Iflands  


—  176 


Mingrelia,  defcription  of  the  country  and  inhabitants  of 
Mirza  Ibrahim,  the  Sultan,  the  extent  pf  his  dominions 
MofFen  Ifland  — —  ■ 

Moguls  overrun  Afia  and  Europe  ■  '   ■    ' 


43 
6 

39<^ 

35  > 
168 

161 

348 

40 

The 


j:    N 


D 


E       X. 


r     '  Page 
The  circumftanccs  which  facilitated  their  conquefts  ikj 
'       Others  which  proved  an  obftacle  to  them  90 
Their  religic.i  and  iHanners                -     ■■  95 
Their  mod<r  of  writing                —  ■                       106 
They  dfvic'f;  into  feven  tribes            — —              iijy 
Mohamed  or  Ma)  omet,   his  charader  and  military  expedi- 
tions                                ' — 

His  do£lrine  and  adventures  — 

Mokfcha,  a  nation  — —  98, 

Moncaftro,  its  various  names  — — 

Monghi,  a  tribe  of  Moguls  — 

Monterey  Harbour  ■■■     ■■ 

Montreal,  formerly  Hochelaga 


3J 
34 

«74 
170 
117 

457 
440 

190 

39» 
65 

V74 

*74 

S 

S^9 


Moor,  William,  goes  to  fea  with  Middleton 

Afterwards  with  Francis  Smith  — 

Moors  or  Moorlands,  common  in  Lapland  — 

Moravians  —  -—  5^' 

Mordanians  "".""", 

Mofes  accompaiiies  Sefoftris  in  his  expeditions 
Mofcow,  the  country  and  'iver  of  — - 

Mount  Charles  —  — 

Mount  Mifery  —  ^~ 

Moxel,  vid.  Mokfcha 
Moxia,  the  inhabitants  of  — 

Moxians,  the  fame  as  the  Morduanians 
Muc,  the  people  fo  called  — 

Munk,  Jens,  his  voyage  of  difcovery 
Munk's  Harbour  — •  « 

Mufquito  Cove  1      """ 

Muffelmen,  vid.  Bifermians 

N. 
Naddod,  difcovers  Snowland,  i.  e. 
Nain,  on  the^oaft  of  Labradore  — • 

Nangtfieu,  the  town  of,  defcribed  •^ 

Na^nnucktuckt  — •  — * 

Naflau  Straits  —  —  273 1 

Naffir,  Eddin,  his  aftroncmical  tables  — 

Navigation,  the  previous  knowledge  neceflary  for  it 

—  —  Introdudion 

Its  great  ufe  and  advartage  —  ibid. 

Held  in  high  eilimaiion   Dy  the  northern  nau'ons 

The  circumftanccs    thai   raifcd    it  again   in  the 

middle  aj-ea  — 89 

''Nay,  Cornelius  Corneliiron,  his  voyage  —  411 

Naymans  •— ~—  — — .  95 

Nclfoi), 


Iceland  — 


174 

107 

470 
47 « 
408 


50 
348 

i6» 

306 
414 

34 


M 


ri: 


I       N 


X; 


i97i 


Nelfon,  goes  to  Tea  with  Button  — — 

River  —  — 

Neomci  the  Ifland  of  ■ 

Nerigon  ■  - 

Neilorians,  among  the  Moguls  ■ 

Their  reh'gion  and  mode  of  writing 
Monuments  of  them  in  the  town  of  Sigan 
Their  Manners  —  109,129, 


Pagp 

345 
ibtd. 

207 

105 

ibid. 

ID? 

Newfoundland,  by  whom  firft  difcovered        —  83,  204 
Difcovered  afterwards  by  the  Cabots  267 
Its  Bfhery  and  produce  of  the  country  291,  294 
The  fame  as  Winland            — •  439 
New  France                    —                        — •  436 
New  Walchern                —                    ■—  414 
New  Wales,  fo  called  by  Fox                 '  365 
N«?w  Wales,  thus  named  by  Button            —  347 
Norih,   the,  mud  have  been  inhabited  later  than  other  re- 
gions            ^          —    ^               —  K 
Why  the  ancients  have  given  fuch  imperfect  accounts 


of  it 
Of  Europe  and  Ada,  troubles  there 
Obfervations  upon 


Normandy,  when  and  by  whom  Brft  named 
Noinians,  their  navigations 


43 

89 

483 

—  79 

=        ■  .  ...       49 

Were  in  iome  meafure  civilized  by  Chriftianity     52 

At  an  early  period  knew  how  to  fail  near  the  wind 

75 
Caufe  of  their  adventurous  fpirit  at  fea  77 

NortLmannaland  defcribed  by  Ohther  — •              65 

Norwuy,   vid.  Nerigon 

Nova  i'cotia                   •—  — • 

Nova  Zembia                    —  — 


Novogrcd,  its  origin 
Enlargement 
Inhabitants 

Nurunibega 


O. 


Chotiites,  the  place  of  their  refidence  afcertained 
Oflopar  —  — 

Odcric  of  Portenau,  his  birth-place  and  travels 
Oeland,  vid.  Eowland  — — 

Ohtber,  his  country  — »  — 

Wealth  •—  — 

Travels  --  "«• 

OkatViJKhan  ^  — 

OlafTryggefon,  King  of  Norway  --^ 


290 

327 
5» 
78 

»75 
436 

57 
150 

»47 

70 

53, 6* 

47»64 
62,76 

94 

^    ^^ 

Oltrare, 


•K     N       E»       E       X. 

Oltrare,  town  of,  its  fituatioA  — 

Omyl,  vid.  Chamyl 

Onon,  country  and  river  of  —  — . 

Oonalaftika  Ifland  —  — 

Oranie  Iflands  —  — ■ 

Organum,  vid.  Irganakon 

Orkneys,  when  difcovered,  and  colonized  by  Normans 
Sinclair  inveii:ed  with  the  fovereignty  of  them 
The  firft  poffeflbrs  of  them  upon  record 

Orleans  Ifland,  alias  Bacchus  Ifland  — 

Oflcold  penetrates  as  far  as  Kiow  — 

Otrar,  vid.  Oltrare 

P. 

Palkafi 


Pag« 
15a 


110 
403 


53 

181 

208 


104 
146 

«53 


Paper  money  in  China,  Marco  Polo's  account  of  it 

Other  accounts  of  it                 — •  ^, 
Parkhurft,  Anthony,  his  account  of  the  cod  fifhery  off  New- 
foundland               ■    ■  •  ■■■                "'■  29* 
Parmofites                ■■■                                '  9J 

Parolites,  the  fame  as  Pannofites            9  j 

Pawiriniwagau,  vid.  Port  Nelfon                 —  376 

Pegoletti,    Francifco  Balducci,    his   journey    from  Afia  to 


Pekin 

His  writings 


His  account  of  the  North  of  Afia 
Penguin  Ifland 


4» 

150 

2^0 


Another  Ifland  of  this  name,  vid.  Fogo 

Permiaks,  vid.  Paimofites 

Perniians,  vid.  Biarniians 

Peru,  origin  of  this  empire  "     '  45 

Peter  I.  Czar  of  Ruflia,  his  and  his  fucceflbrs  endeavours  rela- 
tive to  making  difcoveries  — 

Pet,  Arthur,  makes  a  voyage  to  the  North 

Petfchenegs 


267 

475 
130 

398 

'.  4 

5 

6 


Peym,  description  of  fhis  country  ■■■ 

Phipps,  Conftantine  John,  fails  to  Spitzbergen        — 

Phoenicians,  their  origin  and  manners  — 

Their  trade  and  navigations  — 

Difcoveries  — —  — — 

They  circumnavigate  Africa  and  found  colonies 

7.  8 

Their  waii  and  the  decay  rf  their  commerce      9 

PIckerfgill,  Richard,  fails  to  Davis's  Straits         —  407 

PiCls  32 

Pinafliwet  Sshiewan,  river  of  ■     '  376 

Piftol  Bay  — iSS,  389 

Pit 


: 


! 


i'l 


N 


x: 


Pit  Coal,  Marco  Polo's  account  of  it  •— 

Point  Speedwell  ■  — — 

Point  Whalebone  — —  — — 

Polabians  '  •»  ^  i 

Poloy  Nicholo,  Mattheo,  and  Marco,  their  voyage 
The  time  of  it  afcertained  ■     ■ 

Marco,  his  account  of  the  North  ~* 

Poktzes  ■  '  — 

Polowzians  ■  '  ■ 


Pomona,  ifland  of  ■    '  ■  '     ■    « 

Pomeranians  — •  ■ 

Pontgrave,  his  commercial  voyage  to  Taouflac 

Pool,  Jonas,  his  voyage  —  - 

Portland  ■  — —  i8i, 

Port  Nelfon  ■  '• 

Portuguefe,  their  early  difcoveries  in  the  South 
Their  farther  attempts  and  difcoveries 

Pruflla  ■  r 

Pricket,  Habakuk,  accompanies  Hudfon  and  Button 
Prince  Charles's  Ifland  '  — 

Providence  Hay  ■       ■  » 

Pulgailand,  vid.  Bulgaria 
Pycheas,  his  voyages  in  the  North  — — 

His  knovvledge  in  aftronomy  — 

How  far  he  went  to  the  Northward         <— 

Queens  Foreland  — —  ■■  ■■— 

Queen  Ann's  Foreland  ■ 

Quirini,  Pietro,  his  voyage 


P.gc 

.,6 

3«S 

387 

474 
117 

121 
125 

474 

474 
182 

474 
444 

Si** 
200,  207 

46 

ass 

»S 

34S 
398 
401 


335 


His  fliipwreck  and  fubfequent  adventures 
His  journey  to  Bergen  and  Drontheiui 
His  arrival  in  his  native  country  — 

R. 

Raleigh,  mount  ■' '    -  -  -,— — . 

Kankins  Inlet  — ■■ ■  ■■'    '  ■ 

Red  Beech  

Rein-deer  (decoy)  ■  ■ 

Rehe  Idand  ■■ 

Rennen-fel,  vid.  DeerBeld 
Repulfe  Bay 


«7 
18 

20 

282 

336 

209 

212 
225 

230 


Rezan,  the  inhabitants  and  fertility  of  the  country 
RhoduD,  river  of  — —  — — . 

Rhubarb,  its  native  foil  ■   ■ 

The  properties  and  preparation  of  it 
Richards,  his  voyagti  — —  -~— 


00    *^ 
388,  389 

348 

65 

47® 

391 

172 

II,   21 

£43 

244 

469 

Robert, 


fc* 


I 


N 


X. 


Page 
Rohcrt,  vid.  Hrolf 
Roberval,  Francois  de  la  Rocque  de,  his  voyage  to  North 


America 

Roche,  Marquis  de  la,  goes  to  North  America 
Roe,  Sir  Thomas's,  Welcome 


Romans,  long  ignorant  of  the  northern  regions 
A  iong  time  before  they  pafTed  the  Alps 
Intimidated  by  theCimbri  and  Teutones 
Penetrate  farther  to  the  northward 
Circumnavigate  Britain  — - 

Go  to  Pruflia  in  fearch  of  amber  - 


441 
443 
363 
23 
»i 
24 
26 
36 
28 


Their  power  weakened   by  the  depravity  of  their 
morals  29 

Become  a  prey  to  the  nations  of  Germany  3  a 

Roft»  ifland  of,  its  conuuerce  in  fifh  —  221 

Inhabitants  — — —  -■     -  222, 269 

Rogneval,  carl  of  Moere  «  78 

Rofllans,  (ince  called  Rufllans  •■  475 

Rummels-foord  ■■  321 

Rupert's  Land  ■  _— _— —  ^84 

Rupert's  River  3B4 

Ruftene,  vid.  Rod  liland 

Ruyflbroecic,  ambaflador  from  Prance  to  the  Khan  of  the 


Moguls,  his  travels 
Ryp,  Jan  Cornelis,  accompanies  Hec.iifkerlc 

S. 

Sable  Ifland  ~  -^ 

Stocked  with  tame  cattla  -- 

Sachion,  the  town  of,  its  inhabitants 
Sailing  with  and  near  the  wind  •— 

Sainte  Croix  -^  —  - 

Saldaia  —  __  — 


m 


his 


96 

4'7 

294 

«3* 

7^ 

44'> 
16') 


Salconi,  Nicholas,  Haitho  communicates  to  him  his  account 


of  the  Eaft 
Salilbury's  Foreland  — 

Salvage  Ifles  —  — 

Samarkand,  its  inhabitants  «nd  fertility 
SamuifTyr  Ifland  -—  — 

St.  Clare,  iflands  of  1— 

St,  Lorentz  Hoek  — 

St.  Laurence's  Bay  — 

St.  Catherine's  Haibovr  — 

St.  Nicholas's  Harbour  — 

LI 


»'3 

334 

1*9 

464 
416 

416 
439 

4.n 

4?9 
Sandey 


i 


i 


i 


fc* 


N       D       £ 


X. 


Page 
403 


III, 


38. 
116, 


Sandey  Ifland  —  — i 

Sandwich  Iflands  — 

Sanghin-Talghin,  vid.  Chlnchintalas 

Saray,  the  rown  of,  when  and  where  built 
By  whom  deftroyed  — 

Saracancoi  the  town  of,  its  fituation 

Saracens  —  —  »^ 

Sarmatia,  often  iignifies  merely  an  unknown  country 

Sarfon,  the  town  of  — •  — - 

Sartem,  vid.  Ciarciam 

l^afTen,  vid.  Saxons 

Sauromates  — .  —  -— 

Their  different  tribes  — 

Savage  Sound  —  -i^  >— 

Saxons,  origin  of  this  name  — - 

Pafs  over  to  Briti.in  —  -i- 

Scaflen,  the  town  of         —  — . 

Shadi-Khodfcha,  ambaffador  from  Schah  Rokh 
Meets  with  a  gracious  reception 

Schaep,  Hendtick  Corneis,  his  voyage  ^— 

Schak  Rokh  fends  anibafTadors  to  Kathay  ^— 

Scharfchew,  vid.  Sachion 

Shetland  Iflands,  dilcovered  by  Pytheas  — • 

Peopled  by  the  Normans  — 

Perhaps  the  lame  as  Eftland  — 

Ships,  their  trifling  origin  ]ntrodu£lion,  &  p.  - 

Firil  rudiments  of,  compared  with  the  modern 

Introduflion 
Of  different  nations  defcribed  —  48 

Burden  of  a  modern  ihip  computed  Introduction 

The  old  northern  compared  with  thofe  of  the  Greeks 


119 

151 

96 
60 

179 


29 

473 

3.9* 
IntroduClioii; 

44 

us 

"59 

163 
244 
159 

19 

49 

20Q 

48 


and  Romans 
Schimuffyr,  vid.  Saiuvi'Tyr 
Schildtbtrger,  John,  his  travels  and  adventures 
Schir'*;in  —  —  — 

Schnciui;d,  vid   Gardars  Iflauds  and  Iceland 
Schurfchi,   vid.  Sarfon 

Scill/  illr.nus,  the  l:ime  as  Tin  Iflands  — 

SciriugesHea!  Harbour,  its  real  fituation  — 

Scorur.ga,  a  country  of,  v.here  it  was  probably  fituaied 
Scots  —  —  — 

Scrit-Finnas,  who  ?hcy  were,  and  where  fituated 
Scrog^s,  bh  voyar^o  —  ^ — 

fltn.aiL 


76 

'53 

»54 


.ail^s  u^on  u 


6 

67 

67 

3» 

61,  63 

387 
389 


N       0 


X. 


19 


»54 

474 

87 
68 

142 


8S 

85 


Page 
Sea-horfei,  Ohthefs  account  of  them  — •  64 

Sea-horfe  Poml  —  —  —  358 

Segin,  town  of  -^'  —       ,  ic8 

Its  produce,  inhabirintd,  and  trade  138,  139 

Serbians,  where  tBey  redded  —  60,  474 

Seres,  the  place  of  their  refidchce  •—  ic8 

feermende,  Vid.  Sarniate 
Setzulei  —     ^-^  '^  —  — 

Sidinians  —  "^''— .  .i. 

Sigan,  vhJ.  Segin 

Sigurd,  King  of  Norway  —  — 

Sillende,  fea  of  — •  —  — 

Sindicin,  the  town  of,  manjr  armourers  there 
Singui,  vid.  Segin 
Serbians,  vid.  Serbians 

Siiiojedzi  —  —  — 

Skrallingers,  their  commerce  with  the  Normans 

Chriftianity  preached  to  them,   vid.  alfo  Nor- 
■*  "mans  —  ■       —  86 

Skydd^ndner,  the  (hip  —  —  7$ 

Slaves  or  Sclaves,  origin  of  their  name  and  tribe         60,  474 
Slonym,  a  place  formerly  celebrated  — ^  176 

Smith,  Francis,  his  voyage  —  392 

Smith,  Sir  Thomas's,  Sound  —  354 

bnorro,  Stufliefon,  his  account  of  the  peopling  Iceland,  the 
true  one  —  — »  S^ 

Snorro,  Torfinfon,  his  writings  and  pofterity  85 

Snowland,  vid.  i^chheeland 

.Sobai.  the  country  of  —  — -  168 

Sole  fends  for  a  hithop  to  Greenland  —  S7 

Solanglans,  the  fame  as  the  Mandfchurlans      —      95,  107 
Soldinians,  chriftians  living  in  Khuarefm  —  115 

Solget,  the  fame  as  the  town  of  Eflcikyrym  — •  1 69 

Solinia  — ^  —  """  97 

Solonians,  vid.  Solangians 

Sohich,  one  of  the  principal  tribes  of  the  Moguls  1 1  f 

bo/any  —  —  ,       —  i&o 

Irs  true  iituatioQ  —  —  20 1 

Sorbl,  vid.  Seibians 
Sorgarhl,  vid  Sol  get 

Sorlingian  Iflands       *  —  —  (^ 

South  Sea  Ifland,  by  whom  firft  peopled 
Spanijli  Bay  —  —  •—  438 

I-  1  2  Spit'i(- 


:i 


'■'l 


In 


N 


X. 


Page 
Spltibergen  dlfcovered,  and  thus  named  hf  the  Dutch 

„    ^  ^  3a8»  4«3»  4a« 

By  Baffin  —  —  348 

By  Hudfon  called  Greenland        — -        326,  3z8 

Staaten  IHand  —  — ~  426 

Stinenia  — •  — *  ..^  3^0 

Scrnna,  ihe  town  of,  its  filk  ntanufa£tory  —  154 

Suafarflnn,   circumnavigates  Snowiand   and    calls  it  by  his 


«43. 


50 
247 


cwn  name  —  — 

Suchur,  the  country  that  produces  Rhubarb 
Suck,  vid.  Suchur 
Suckuck,  vid.  Suchur 
Sudack,  vid.  C;«!dai& 

Suevi  —  — .  — * 

Suionx  —  —  — «. 

Sunierke>      ve(j^„s  of  this  town  — ■ 

Surpe,  vid.  Sorbi 

Swabia,  its  former  boundaries  — 

Syra'-Horda  — .  -^  - 

Syflyle  -,  ^  — 

T. 
Tabache  — .  —  — 

Tabeth,  vid.  Tebet 

Tadouflac  '  ■■  ■   ■ 

Talas,  the  town  and  river  of  ' 

Tana,  vid.  Afof 
Tancred,  the  common  anceftor  of  the  Normans  and  con- 


58, 


3* 

47 

111 

55 

95 
60 

168 

444 
102 


queror  of  lower  Italy 
Tangut,  inhabitants  and  animals  of 

Its  principal  provinces 
Tarfaan,  the  town  of 
Tarkhan,  vid^  Tarfaan 


79 
106 

>38 

»59 

M4 


Tarfse,  its  boundaries  and  inhabitants  •— 

Tarfhiih,  known  to  the  Egyptians  and  Phoenicians 

IntroduftiQUi  and  p.  5. 


Tartars                ■  117 

Their  internal  commotions                ■  155 
Tarteflus,  vid.  Tarfliilli 

Tatarkofia,  the  country  of               ■    '■■  "  •  -  168 

Tea,  how  early  ufed  by  the  Chinefe        — —  161,  164 

How  ufed,  and  for  what                ■  146 

Tebet,  the  people  of,  their  manners                106,  148,  i»7 

? endue,  the  country,  town,  and  inhabitants  of  140 

erfenna-Land                 -— .                 — —  63 

Terra 


I       N 


X. 


Terra  Agrlcola 
Terra  de  Cortereal 
Terra  Verde 


Page 

460 
460 
460 


Telgales,  vid.  Yftrand 

Tcytones,  (ignification  of  this  people's  name 

Introduction,  and  p.  24 

Their  wars  and  military  expeditions  25 

The  moft  trufty  body-guards  of  the  Roman  £m<- 
perors  •  28 

In  poflefllon  of  the  empire  of  the  weft  3a 

T«[utfche»  fid.  Teutones 

Texeira,  Peter*  his  map  of  the  Indies  — —  464 

Thalair,  vid.  Jalaif 
Thalkan»  the  country  and  people  of  defcribed  125 

Thebe  ■■■  Introduction 

Theodan,  vid.  Teutones 
Thiud  or  Thiaud  —  Introd' 

ThorBn  fails  to  Winland  and  trades  with  the 
Thorrer,  vanqnifhed  by  Harold  — 

Thorftein  with  his  company  dies  in  Greenland 
Thorwald,  Thorrer's  great  uncle  flies  to  Iceland 
Thorwald  LiePs  brother  continues  Liefs  difr  jveries 

His  death  and  burial  -    — 

Thule  .    — 

Tigris,  vid.  Gihon 

Tiphlis,  the  capital  of  Georgia  — — 

Toerul,  prince  of  the  Naymans  ■    ■  -  ■* 

ToUenlians 

Totnefs  Road  — —  ■■    — 

Tozan,  the  town  of  ■■ 

Trinity  Ifles  ■  ■  ■■■  ■■■■    ■ 

Trocki,  the  country  of  — — — — 

Troglodytes  — ^  — — 

Trooft  Hocck  ■ 

Trufo,  vid.  Draufen 

Tfahan  Nor,  vid.  Cyanganor 

Tfchechlens  — — .  ._- — 

Tfchiendienpuhr,  the  great  city  of  — 

Tfchirpo  Oi,  vid.  Campanie  Land 

Tfchutktfchi,  a  people  

''I'uinians  — —  ■   ■ 

Tumen  — — ~,  ■ 

Turges,  his  victories  .  i» 

Turkeftan,  the  boundaries  of  —  114, 


Jon,  and  p.  24 
kr;>  'ingers     84 

79 

74,  84 

79 

^} 
84 

18,  30 

112,  178 

106 

299 

14S 
366 

a 
385*  4«5 


474 

401 

109 

171 

49 

148,  47; 

Tuik,^ 


N 


E       X". 


Turks  -^ 

Torn-aeain  Rrvei 
Turtle  Uland 
Tufchi-Khan 

.  His  conquefts 


U. 


Vgadai  Khan  huifds  the  town  of  Chftmyl  — *• 

Ulhlefeld,  his  fifliiious  voyage  of  difd>?erjr         •»-'• 

Uigurs,  vid  Jugurs    ' —  **"     , 

VkakhH.  the  town  of  —      ;  ^1     ' 

Ulloi,  prancilco,  his  voyage  of  difcoTciy      *   •    «'— 
Ulfter  ravaged  by  the  Danes  '■*■ 

Uulue  Bek,  his  geographical  tables  "— 

Uiig  Rhan,  Togrtil's  tttfe  — ^ 

His  empire  and  TucceflTors 


34 


Page 

4^ 
400 

400 
476 

94 

472 

9? 
119 

448 
46 

>  4P 
106 
141 

»5> 

449 


Uotala,  the  town  of,  the  fame  as  Otrar  —  ' 

Urdanietta,  Andrea,  his  difcovery  In  ^orth  America 
Urglienz,  vid.  Khorknn 
Urup,  vid.  Staaten  Jfland 

Utica,  town  of  '         -"  ''  7 

Uiians  .  — ^-— '  474- 

V. 
Vakhan,  the  land  of,'  its  mountains,  inhabitants,  and  animals 

»27 


Vandals,  their  military  expeditions 

Velafco,  his  voyage  fo  North  America  uncertain 

Verazzani,  John,  his  voyage  '    •  '    *'''  - 

Vefpucci,  Amerigo  ■■  

Vizcaino,  SebaftTan,  his  voyage  — — 

Vochan,  vid.  Vakan 

Voeroe  Ifland  — —  ■■ 

Vogel  Hoek,  vid.  Fair  Foreland 

Vogel-Sang  ' 

Vrrez,  Maitin  Herizoom  van,  his  voyage 

The  Straits  called  after  his  name 
Vut,  Frefter  John's  brother  ^  ..  '     ' 

y. 

Waaygat,  vid.  Hinlopen  -^ » 

Wager  Water  '  ■  — — 

Wajat,  vid.  Naflau  Straits 

Walar,  vid.  Bulgaria 

Warnabians  — —  *    ■  ■ 

Warfaw,  the  country  in  its  environs  defcribed 

Warwick's  Foreland  ■  '    " ' ' 

Waaygats  Ifland  — .  — — 


43* 
262 

45* 
30 

349 
4*4 
426 

106 

413 

■39» 


474 
.76 

:o,  3»2 

273 
Wcndel 


I  N    D,       £       X. 

Page 

VVendel  Sea                —  -                r-  54 

VV^nds,  vid.  Slaves                                     1  ■  io»> 

Weonothland             — —                —  57,  70 

Weymouth      ...            — —    .                     .  3'* 

Well  England              • - — ^  281 

Wdl  FrieOand,  vid.  W«ft  England 

Whales,  Ohther's  account  of  them                 — —  64 

Wljale  Sound    .              — —  % 

\ViJliams'3  Iflmd                 — —                  1 4>S 

Willoughby,  Jys  voyage                     ■■  261 

Winded^knd                 —                57>  70 

Winlaiid             .     :  8j 

Is  vifited  hy  Icelanders               ,  ■     '    ■  • :  84 
Sources,  whence  the  hiftory  of  it  is  cxtrafled        86 

Grapes  produced  there                 '  439 

Winodland' differs  from  Weonothland,          S7>  ?«» 

Wifleland                       _                 —  59 

Wiflemund                 ■■'                           — —  •ji 

Witland,  vid.  Bait  la                  — —                 —  7|> 
Wlachs,  vid.  Blachs 

Wolga,  varioully  named  — —  35»  jS,  98,  loi 

Defciipiiun  of  it                    '  171 
Wologians,  vid.  Blachs 

Wolftenholmc's  Sound                       ■■  -     ■    ^  .35* 
Uliimum  vale,  vid.  Cape  Henrietta  Maria 

55»  58 


Women's  land 

Women's  ifles  — 

Wood,  John,  his  voyage 

Wulfstan  ■ ■ 

Wyche's  Ifland  r^ 


Xandu,  city  of,  the  imperial  palace  and  menagerie  there 

X  • 

Ydifii.  vid.  Idifa 

Yev.pak  Tiniofeeff,  his  atchievements  -^ 

Ylbrand,  Br.nd,  accompanies  Barentz  — • 

Yfc  Kyke,  his  voyage  

Ys  Hock  

z. 

2agathai  Khr.n  

His  do'uinions 
Zakut,    Ahra'...m,    his 
Tudcla's  tr  ivels 


383 
427 

»43 


477 
411 

424 

4'5 

9« 


teftiraony   concernin'^  Benjamin    of 
91 


Zcgra,  a  Tartarian  prince 


Zeno 


I       N 


X. 


ZeoofSf     ^ 


Page 
178 


»79 

180 


Nicolo   >  theur  anciftry 
C  Antonio  } 

Nicolo,  hit  voyage  to  the  North  ^^--- 

Hii  fubfeauenc  voyages  and  adfen'tiifes 
Antonio,  Letter  from — hii  adventures  and  difcoveries 

188 

1^ 
181 

168 

398 
416 


Credibility  of  their  hiftory  — — 

Zichmni,  Prince  of  Porland  ■ 

His  naval  force  and  conqnefta  »« 

Zuchala,  Iftbmus  of  ■ 

Zuyd  Hoek  van  het  Voorland  — — 

Zwart  or  Black  Ifland  ■ 


DireSfion  U  tht  BookhintUr, 


The  map  of  the  North  Pole  is  to  be  placed  fronting 
the  Title  Page, 


MkMkMliteiil