1586. JOHN DAVIS. Ill 



both very thievish and very mischievous, cutting 

 their cables and stealing every thing they could lay 

 their hands on. They are said to live mostly on 

 fish, which the}^ eat raw ; drink salt water and 

 eat grass and ice as luxuries. 



On the 17th July, our navigators were all 

 alarmed at the appearance of " a most mighty 

 and strange quantity of yce in one intire masse, 

 80 bigge as that we knew not the limits thereof." 

 Its size and shape and height are stated by the 

 writer of the voyage to be so " incredible to be 

 reported in trueth," that he declines speaking 

 more of it, least he should not be believed. They 

 coasted this ice till the 30th July, which occa- 

 sioned such extreme cold that all their shrouds, 

 ropes and sails were frozen, and the air was loaded 

 with a thick fog. The men grew sick and feeble, 

 and wished to return, and advised their captain, 

 through his over boldness, not to leave their 

 widows and fatherless children to give him bitter 

 curses. He therefore thought of ordering the 

 Mermaid to remain where she was, in readiness to 

 return homewards, while with the Moonshine he 

 should proceed round the ice. He discovered land 

 in 66° 33', long. 70° from the rperidian of London, 

 " voyd of trouble without snow or ice." This 

 land turned out to be a group of islands. The 

 weather was found to be very hot ; and they 

 were much troubled with a fly " which is called 

 muskyto, for they did sting grievously." After 



