Day was very faire and calme but foggy. This day towards night there
was litle winde by the South Southwest: then the yce began a litle to open,
and here we had 70. fathoms oze: all the night was foggy.
The 9. day the winde was at Northwest, and by West all the afternoone we
lay still because of the yce, which did still inclose vs. [Sidenote: 70.
degr. 4. min.] This day we found the pole eleuated seuenty degrees, 4.
minutes, we had 63. fathoms oze: this night was a very fayre night, but it
freezed: in the morning we had much adoe to goe through the same:
[Sidenote: Frost.] and we were in doubt that if it should haue freezed so
much the night following, we should hardly haue passed out of it. This
night there was one star that appeared to vs. [Marginal note: The appearing
of the starres, signe of Winter.]
The tenth day the winde was at East Northeast with very small gale. Wee
with saile and oares made way through the yce: about fiue in the morning we
set saile: sometime we laye Southwest, and sometime South, and sometime
West, as wee might best finde the way. About three in the afternoone the
gale began to fresh: about six in the afternoone the winde was at Northeast
with fogge. [Sidenote: Much snow.] Here we had eighty eight fathoms: we
bare saile all the same night, and it snowed very much.
The eleuenth day we were much troubled with yce, and by great force we made
our way through it, which we thought a thing impossible: but extremity doth
cause men to doe much, and in the weaknesse of man Gods strength most
appeareth. This day we had 95. fathoms. At three in the afternoone the
winde came to the Southwest, we were forced to make our shippe faste to a
piece of yce, for we were inclosed with it, and taried the Lordes leasure.
This night we had 97. fathoms.
The 12. day the wind was at the Southeast not very much but in a maner
calme: at a 11. of the clocke the winde came to the West Southwest: all the
day was very darke with snowe and fogge. At 6. in the afternoone we set
saile the winde being at the North Northeast: all this night we bare away
Southwest, and Southsouthwest, as well and as neere as the yce would giue
vs leaue: all this night we found the yce somewhat fauourable to vs, more
then it was before, wherupon we stood in good hope to get out of it.
The 13. day at 7. in the morning the winde was at the Northeast, and
Northeast and by East: all this day we were much troubled with the yce, for
with a blow against a piece of yce we brake the stocke of our ancre, and
many other great blowes we had against the yce, that it was marueilous that
the ship was able to abide them: the side of our boate was broken with our
ship which did recule back, the boate being betwixt a great piece of yce,
and the ship, and it perished the head of our rudder. [Sidenote: great
store of snowe.] This day was a very hard day with vs: at night we found
much broken yce, and all this night it blewe very much winde, so that we
lay in drift with the yce, and our drift was South, for the winde was at
North all this night, and we had great store of snowe.
The 14. day in the morning wee made our shippe fast to a piece of yce, and
let her driue with it. In the meane time wee mended our boate and our
steerage; all this day the winde continued Northerly, and here wee had
threescore and two fathoms. Thus we lay a drift all the same night.
The 15. day we set saile at 6. in the morning, the winde being at
Northeast. At 9. aforenoon we entred into a clear Sea without yce, whereof
wee were most glad, and not without great cause, and gaue God the praise.
We had 19. fathoms water, and ranne in Southwest all the morning vntill we
came to 14. fathoms, and thence we halted West, til we came to 10. fathoms,
and then we went Northwest, for so the land doeth trend. At 12. of the
clocke we had sight of the land, which we might haue had sooner, but it was
darke and foggie all the same day: for when wee had sight of the lande, wee
were not passing three leagues from it. [Sidenote: 69 degrees 49 minutes.]
This day we had the pole eleuated 69 degrees 49 minutes. All day we ran
along the coast in ten and nine fadoms, pepered sand. It is a very goodly
coast and a bolde, and faire soundings off it, without sandes or rocks.
[They are thwart against Vaigatz.] The 16 day the winde was at East: this
day we were troubled againe with ice, but we made great shift with it: for
we gotte betweene the shoare and it. This day at twelue of the clocke we
were thwart of the Southeast part of Vaigats, all along which part there
was great store of yce, so that we stood in doubt of passage, yet by much
adoe we got betwixt the shoare and it: about 6 in the afternoone was found
a great white beare vpon a piece of ice: all this day in the afternoone it
was darke with fogge. And all the night we haled North and North by West,
and sometime North and by East, for so doth the land trend;
[Sidenote: Sands.] The 17 day in the morning we haled West, for so doth the
land lie. The wind was at Southeast, and it was very darke with fogge, and
in running along the shoare we fell a ground, but God be praised without
hurt, for wee came presently off againe.
