MARTIN FROBISHER ad. 



1578. 

 helpe and reliefe as they could. They did greatly feare, 

 and ever suspect that some of the Fleete were surely 

 cast away, and driven to seeke sowre sallets amongst the 

 colde clifFes. 



And being shotte up about fortie leagues within the 4°- leagues 

 Streights, they put over towardes the Norther shore, Wlthtn the 

 which was not a little dangerous for their small boates. 

 And by meanes of a sudden flawe were dryven, and faine 

 to seeke harborough in the night amongst all the rockes 

 and broken ground of Gabriels Hands, a place so named Gabriels 

 within the streights above the Countesse of Warwicks an ' 

 sound : And by the way where they landed, they did 

 finde certaine great stones set up by the Countrey people 

 as it seemed, for markes, where they also made many 

 Crosses of stone, in token that Christians had bene there. 

 The 22. of August they had sight of the Countesses 

 sound, and made the place perfect from the toppe of a 

 hill, and keeping along the Norther shore, perceived the 

 smoke of a fire under a hils side : whereof they diversly [III. 90.] 

 deemed. When they came neere the place, they per- 

 ceived people which wafted unto them, as it seemed, with 

 a flagge or ensigne. And because the Countrey people 

 had used to doe the like, when they perceived any of our 

 boats to passe by, they suspected them to be the same. 

 And comming somewhat neerer, they might perceive 

 certaine tents, and discerne this ensigne to be of mingled 

 colours, blacke and white, after the English fashion. But 

 because they could see no Shippe, nor likelihood of 

 harborough within five or sixe leagues about, and knewe 

 that none of our men were woont to frequent those 

 partes, they could not tell what to judge thereof, but 

 imagined that some of the ships being carried so high 

 with the storme and mistes, had made shipwracke amongst 

 the yce or the broken Islands there, and were spoyled 

 by the countrey people, who might use the sundry 

 coloured flagge for a policie, to bring them likewise 

 within their danger. Whereupon the sayd Captaine with 

 his companies, resolved to recover the same ensigne, if it 



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