Their custom is, as often as they go from us, still at their return, to make a new truce, in this sort: holding his hand up to the sun, with a loud voice crieth "Ylyaoute," and striketh his breast, with like signs being promised safety, he giveth credit.These people are much given to bleed, and therefore stop their noses with deer hair or the hair of an elan.They are idolaters, and have images great store, which they wear about them, and in their boats, which we suppose they worship.They are witches, and have many kinds of enchantments, which they often used, but to small purpose, thanks be to God.
Being among them at shore, the 4th of July, one of them, making a long oration, began to kindle a fire, in this manner: he took a piece of a board, wherein was a hole half through; unto that hole he puts the end of a round stick, like unto a bed staff, wetting the end thereof in train, and in fashion of a turner, with a piece of leather, by his violent motion doth very speedily produce fire;which done, with turfs he made a fire, into which, with many words and strange gestures, he put divers things which we suppose to be a sacrifice.Myself and divers of my company standing by, they were desirous to have me go into the smoke; I willed them likewise to stand in the smoke, in which they by no means would do.I then took one of them, and thrust him into the smoke, and willed one of my company to tread out the fire, and to spurn it into the sea, which was done to show them that we did contemn their sorcery.These people are very simple in all their conversation, but marvellous thievish, especially for iron, which they have in great account.
They began through our lenity to show their vile nature; they began to cut our cables; they cut away the Moonlight's boat from her stern; they cut our cloth where it lay to air, though we did carefully look unto it, they stole our oars, a calliver, a boat's spear, a sword, with divers other things, whereat the company and masters being grieved, for our better security desired me to dissolve this new friendship, and to leave the company of these thievish miscreants; whereupon there was a calliver shot among them, and immediately upon the same a falcon, which strange noise did sore amaze them, so that with speed they departed; notwithstanding, their simplicity is such, that within ten hours after they came again to us to entreat peace; which, being promised, we again fell into a great league.They brought us seal skins and salmon peel, but, seeing iron, they could in nowise forbear stealing; which, when Iperceived it, did but minister unto me an occasion of laughter to see their simplicity, and willed that in no case they should be any more hardly used, but that our own company should be the more vigilant to keep their things, supposing it to be very hard in so short time to make them know their evils.They eat all their meat raw, they live most upon fish, they drink salt water, and eat grass and ice with delight; they are never out of the water, but live in the nature of fishes, but only when dead sleep taketh them, and then under a warm rock, laying his boat upon the land, he lieth down to sleep.Their weapons are all darts, but some of them have bow and arrows and slings.They make nets to take their fish of the fin of a whale; they do all their things very artfully, and it should seem that these simple, thievish islanders have war with those of the main, for many of them are sore wounded, which wounds they received upon the main land, as by signs they gave us to understand.We had among them copper ore, black copper, and red copper; they pronounce their language very hollow, and deep in the throat; these words following we learned from them:-Kesinyoh, eat some.Mysacoah, wash it.
Madlycoyte, music.Lethicksaneg, a seal-skin.
Aginyoh, go, fetch.Canyglow, kiss me.
Yliaoute, I mean no harm.Ugnera, my son.
Ponameg, a boat.Acu, shot.
Conah, leap.Aba, fallen down.
Maatuke, fish.Icune, come hither.
Sambah, below.Awennye, yonder.
Maconmeg, will you have Nugo, no.
this?
Cocah, go to him.Tucktodo, a fog.
Paaotyck, an oar.Lechiksah, a skin.
Asanock, a dart.Maccoah, a dart.
Sawygmeg, a knife.Sugnacoon, a coat.
Uderah, a nose.Gounah, come down.
Aoh, iron.Sasobneg, a bracelet.
Blete, an eye.Ugnake, a tongue.
Unvicke, give it.Ataneg, a meal.
Tuckloak, a stag or elan.Macuah, a beard.
Panygmah, a needle.Pignagogah, a thread.
Aob, the sea.Quoysah, give it to me.
The 7th of July, being very desirous to search the habitation of this country, I went myself with our new pinnace into the body of the land, thinking it to be a firm continent, and passing up a very large river a great flaw of wind took me, whereby we were constrained to seek succour for that night, which being had, Ilanded with the most part of my company, and went to the top of a high mountain, hoping from thence to see into the country; but the mountains were so many and so mighty as that my purpose prevailed not, whereupon I again returned to my pinnace, and willing divers of my company to gather mussels for my supper, whereof in this place there was great store, myself having espied a very strange sight, especially to me, that never before saw the like, which was a mighty whirlwind, taking up the water in very great quantity, furiously mounting it into the air, which whirlwind was not for a puff or blast, but continual for the space of three hours, with very little intermission, which since it was in the course that I should pass, we were constrained that night to take up our lodging under the rocks.
