The historie of
the voyage of Iacobus Cnoyen Buschoducensis throughout al Asia, Affrica,
and the North, was lent me in time past by a friend of mine at Antwerpe.
After I had vsed it, I restored it againe: after many yeeres I required it
againe of my friend, but hee had forgotten of whom hee had borrowed it. The
writings of Gulielmus Tripolitanus, and Ioannes de Plano Carpini I neuer
saw: onely I found certaine pieces of them in other written hand bookes. I
am glad the Epitomie of Abilfada is translated, I would we might haue it
shortly.
Thus much Sir I thought good to answere your letters: if there bee anything
els that you would require of me, I will most willingly communicate it with
you, crauing this likewise of your curtesie, that whatsoeuer obseruations
of both these voyages shall come to your hands, you would impart them to
me, they shall all remaine with mee according to your discretion and
pleasure, and whatsoeuer I gather of them, I will faithfully signifie vnto
you by letter if happily they may yeeld any helpe or light vnto this most
excellent enterprise of nauigation, and most profitable to our Christian
common wealth. Fare, you well most learned friend. At Duisburg in
Cliueland, 28. of Iulie, the yeere, 1580.
At Arthur his returne I pray you learne of him the things I haue requested,
and whether any where in his voiage, he found the sea fresh, or not very
salt: for I suppose the Sea betweene Noua Zembla and Tabin to be fresh.
Yours wholly to my power to be commanded.
Gerardus Mercator.
* * * * *
The discouerie made by M. Arthur Pet and M. Charles Iackman, of the
Northeast parts, beyond the Island of Vaigatz, with two Barkes: the one
called the George, the other the William, in the yeere 1580. Written by
Hugh Smith.
[Sidenote: May.] Upon Monday the 30. of May, we departed from Harwich in
the afternoone, the winde being at South, and to the Eastward. The ebbe
being spent, we could not double the pole, and therefore were constrained
to put in againe vntill next day in the morning, being the last of May:
which day wee wayed our ankers about 3. a clocke in the morning, the wind
being West southwest. The same day we passed Orfordnesse at an East Sunne,
and Stamford at a West Sunne, and Yarmouth at a West northwest sunne, and
so to Winterton, where we did anker al night: it was then calme, and the
flood was come.
[Sidenote: Iune.] The next day being the first of Iune, we set saile at 3.
a clocke in the morning, and set our course North, the wind at the
Southwest, and at Southsouthwest.
The 10. day about one of the clocke in the afternoone, wee put into Norway
to a place where one of the headlands of the sound is called Bottel: the
other headland is called Moile. [Sidenote: Kene an Island of Norway.] There
is also an Island called Kene. Here I did find the pole to be eleuated 62.
deg. it doeth flowe there South, and it hieth 7. or 8. foote, not aboue.
The 11. day in the morning the winde came to the South and to the
Southeast: the same daye at sixe in the afternoone we set saile, and bare
along the coast: it was very foule weather with raine and fogge.
[Sidenote: The North cape doubled.] The 22. day the wind being at West, we
did hall the coast East northeast, and East. The same day at 6. in the
morning we did double the north cape. About 3. in the afternoone wee past
Skites bearenesse, and hald along the coast East, and East southeast, and
all the same night wee halled Southeast, and Southeast by East.
[Sidenote: Wardhouse.] The 23. day about 3. in the morning we came to
Wardhouse, the wind at the Northwest The cause of our comming in was to
seeke the William, whose companie we lost the 6. day of this moneth, and to
send letters into England. About one of the clock in the after noone the
William also came into Wardhouse to vs in good safetie, and all her company
in good health.
The 24. the wind came to the East Northeast. This day the William was hald
a ground, because she was somewhat leake, and to mend her steerage. This
night about 12. of the clocke she did hale a flote againe.
The 25. day the wind was at East northeast.
The 26. day the Toby of Harwich departed from Wardhouse for London, Thomas
Greene being master, to whom we deliuered our letters.
The 27. day the wind was at South southeast, and the 28. also.
The 29. day about 6. in the afternoone, the wind came to the West northwest
for the space of one houre, and presently to the East againe, and so was
variable all the same night.
The 30. about sixe in the morning, the winde came to East southeast, and
continued so all the same day.
[Sidenote: Iuly.] The first of Iuly about 5. in the afternoone, the wind
was at Northnorthwest: and about 7. of the clocke we set saile from
Wardhouse East and by South.
The second day about 5. in the morning, the wind was East, and East
Southeast, and we did lie to the shorewards. And about 10. in the morning
the wind came to South southeast, and we laid it to the Eastward: sometime
we lay East by South, some time East southeast, and sometimes East by
North.
