a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1586. 

 A huge qmn- The 17 of this moneth being in the latitude of 63. 

 titieofycetn A C g res 3, mmu t Sj we fell upon a most mighty and 

 latitude" 5 strange quantitie of yce in one intire masse, so bigge 

 as that we knew not the limits thereof, and being 

 withall so very high in forme of a land, with bayes 

 and capes and like high cliffe land, as that we supposed 

 it to be land, and therefore sent our pinnesse off to 

 discover it : but at her returne we were certainely 

 informed that it was onely yce, which bred great 

 admiration to us all considering the huge quantitie 

 thereof, incredible to be reported in trueth as it was, 

 and therefore I omit to speake any further thereof. 

 This onely I thinke, that the like before was never 

 seene : and in this place we had very stickle and strong 

 currents. 



We coasted this mightie masse of yce untill the 30 

 of July, finding it a mighty barre to our purpose : the 

 ayre in this time was so contagious and the sea so 

 pestered with yce, as that all hope was banished of 

 proceeding : for the 24 of July all our shrowds, ropes 

 and sailes were so frosen, and compassed with yce, 

 The nature of onely by a grosse fogge, as seemed to me more then 

 f°gg es ' strange, sith the last yeere I found this sea free and 



navigable, without impediments. 



Our men through this extremity began to grow 

 sicke and feeble, and withall hopelesse of good suc- 

 cesse : whereupon very orderly, with good discretion 

 they intreated me to regard the state of this busines, 

 and withall advised me, that in conscience I ought to 

 regard the saftie of mine owne life with the preserva- 

 tion of theirs, and that I should not through my over- 

 boldnes leave their widowes and fatherlesse children to 

 give me bitter curses. This matter in conscience did 

 greatly move me to regard their estates : yet consider- 

 ing the excellencie of the businesse if it might be 

 attained, the great hope of certaintie by the last yeeres 

 discovery, and that there was yet a third way not put 

 in practise, I thought it would growe to my great 



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