A.D. 



1578. 



A current. 



[III. 80/ 



James Beare 

 a good Mar- 

 iner. 



Christopher 

 Hall chlefe 

 Py/ot. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



marvell, thinking it a thing impossible that they could be 

 so farre overtaken in their accounts, or that any current 

 could deceive them here which they had not by former 

 experience prooved and found out. Howbeit many 

 confessed that they found a swifter course of flood then 

 before time they had observed. And truely it was 

 wonderfull to heare and see the rushing and noise that 

 the tides do make in this place with so violent a force 

 that our ships lying a hull were turned sometimes round 

 about even in a moment after the maner of a whirlepoole, 

 and the noyse of the streame no lesse to be heard afarre 

 off, then the waterfall of London Bridge. 



But whilest the Fleete lay thus doubtfull amongst 

 great store of yce in a place they knew not without sight 

 of Sunne, whereby to take the height, and so to know 

 the true elevation of the pole, and without any cleere 

 of light to make perfite the coast, the Generall with the 

 Captaines & Masters of his ships, began doubtfully to 

 question of the matter, and sent his Pinnesse aboord to 

 heare each mans opinion, and specially of James Beare, 

 Master of the Anne Francis, who was knowen to be a 

 sufficient and skilful Mariner, and having bene there the 

 yere before, had wel observed the place, and drawen out 

 Cardes of the coast. But the rather this matter grew the 

 more doubtfull, for that Christopher Hall chiefe Pilot of 

 the voyage, delivered a plaine and publique opinion in 

 the hearing of the whole Fleete, that hee had never seene 

 the foresayd coast before, and that he could not make it 

 for any place of Frobishers Streits, as some of the Fleete 

 supposed, and yet the landes doe lie and trend so like, 

 that the best Mariners therein may bee deceived. 



The tenth of July, the weather still continuing thicke 

 and darke, some of the ships in the fogge lost sight of the 

 Admirall and the rest of the fleete, and wandering to and 

 fro, with doubtfull opinion whether it were best to seeke 

 backe againe to seaward through great store of yce, or to 

 follow on a doubtfull course in a Sea, Bay, or Streites 

 they knew not, or along a coast, whereof by reason of the 



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