May.The 19th of this present month, about midnight, we weighed our anchors, set sail and departed from Dartmouth with two barques and a clincher, the one named the Elizabeth, of Dartmouth, the other the Sunshine, of London, and the clincher called the Ellin, of London;thus, in God's name, we set forwards with wind at north-east, a good fresh gale.About three hours after our departure, the night being somewhat thick with darkness, we had lost the pinnace.The captain, imagining that the men had run away with her, willed the master of the Sunshine to stand to seawards and see if we could descry them, we bearing in with the shore for Plymouth.At length we descried her, bore with her, and demanded what the cause was; they answered that the tiller of their helm was burst, so shaping our course west-south-west, we went forward, hoping that a hard beginning would make a good ending; yet some of us were doubtful of it, failing in reckoning that she was a clincher; nevertheless, we put our trust in God.
The 21st we met with the Red Lion of London, which came from the coast of Spain, which was afraid that we had been men-of-war; but we hailed them, and after a little conference we desired the master to carry our letters for London, directed to my uncle Sanderson, who promised us safe delivery.And after we had heaved them a lead and a line, whereunto we had made fast our letters, before they could get them into the ship they fell into the sea, and so all our labour and theirs also was lost; notwithstanding, they promised to certify our departure at London, and so we departed, and the same day we had sight of Scilly.The 22nd the wind was at north-east by east, with fair weather, and so the 23rd and 24th the like.The 25th we laid our ships on the lee for the Sunshine, who was a-rummaging for a leak; they had 500 strokes at the pump in a watch, with the wind at north-west.
The 26th and 27th we had fair weather, but this 27th the pinnace's foremast was blown overboard.The 28th the Elizabeth towed the pinnace, which was so much bragged of by the owner's report before we came out of England, but at sea she was like a cart drawn with oxen.Sometimes we towed her, because she could not sail for scant wind.
The 31st day our captain asked if the pinnace were staunch.Peerson answered that she was as sound and staunch as a cup.This made us something glad when we saw she would brook the sea, and was not leaky.
June.The first six days we had fair weather; after that for five days we had fog and rain, the wind being south.
The 12th we had clear weather.The mariners in the Sunshine and the master could not agree; the mariners would go on their voyage a-fishing, because the year began to waste; the master would not depart till he had the company of the Elizabeth, whereupon the master told our captain that he was afraid his men would shape some contrary course while he was asleep, and so he should lose us.At length, after much talk and many threatenings, they were content to bring us to the land which we looked for daily.
The 13th we had fog and rain.
The 14th day we discovered land at five of the clock in the morning, being very great and high mountains, the tops of the hills being covered with snow.Here the wind was variable, sometimes north-east, east-north-east, and east by north; but we imagined ourselves to be 16 or 17 leagues off from the shore.
The 15th we had reasonably clear weather.
The 16th we came to an anchor about four or five of the clock in the afternoon.The people came presently to us, after the old manner, with crying "Il y a oute," and showed us seal-skins.
The 17th we began to set up the pinnace that Peerson framed at Dartmouth, with the boards which he brought from London.
The 18th, Peerson and the carpenters of the ships began to set on the planks.
The 19th, as we went about an island, were found black pumice stones, and salt kerned on the rocks, very white and glistering.
This day, also, the master of the Sunshine took one of the people, a very strong, lusty young fellow.
