a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1578. 



labour of the former dangers, coveted to returne home- 

 ward, saying that they would not againe tempt God so 

 much, who had given them so many warnings, and 

 delivered them from so wonderfull dangers : that they 

 rather desired to lose wages, fraight, and all, then to 

 continue and follow such desperate fortunes. Againe, 

 their Ships were so leake, and the men so wearie, that 

 to amend the one, and refresh the other, they must of 

 necessitie seeke into harborough. 



But on the other side it was argued againe to the 

 contrary, that to seeke into harborough thereabouts, was 

 but to subject themselves to double dangers : if happily 

 they escaped the dangers of Rockes in their entring, yet 

 being in, they were neverthelesse subject there to the 

 danger of the Ice, which with the swift tydes and currents 

 is caryed in and out in most harboroughs thereabouts, 

 and may thereby gaule their Cables asunder, drive them 

 upon the shoare, and bring them to much trouble. Also 

 the coast is so much subject to broken ground and rockes, 

 especially in the mouth and entrance of every Har- 

 borough, that albeit the Channell be sounded over and 

 over againe, yet are you never the neerer to discerne 

 the dangers. For the bottome of the Sea holding like 

 shape and forme as the Land, being full of hils, dales, 

 and ragged Rockes, suffreth you not by your soundings 

 to knowe and keepe a true gesse of the depth. For you 

 shall sound upon the side or hollownesse of one Hill 

 or Rocke under water, and have a hundreth, fiftie, or 

 fourtie fadome depth : and before the next cast, yer 

 you shall be able to heave your lead againe, you shall 

 be upon the toppe thereof, and come aground to your 

 utter confusion. 



Another reason against going to harborough was, that 

 the colde ayre did threaten a sudden freezing up of the 

 sounds, seeing that every night there was new congealed 

 yce, even of that water which remayned within their 

 shippes. And therefore it should seeme to be more safe 

 to lye off and on at Sea, then for lacke of winde to bring 



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