JOHN DAVIS a.d. 



1586. 



disgrace, if this action by my negligence should grow 

 into discredite : whereupon seeking helpe from God, 

 the fountaine of all mercies, it pleased his divine 

 majestie to move my heart to prosecute that which I 

 hope shal be to his glory, and to the contentation of 

 every Christian minde. Whereupon falling into con- 

 sideration that the Mermaid, albeit a very strong & 

 sufficient ship, yet by reason of her burthen was not 

 so convenient and nimble as a smaller bark, especially 

 in such desperate hazzards: further having in account 

 her great charge to the adventurers being at ioo.li. 

 the moneth, and that in doubtfull service : all the pre- 

 misses considered with divers other things, I determined 

 to furnish the Moonelight with revictualling and suffi- 

 cient men, and to proceede in this action as God should 

 direct me. Whereupon I altered our course from the 

 yce, and bare Eastsoutheast to recover the next shore 

 where this thing might be performed : so with favour- 

 able winde it pleased God that the first of August we 

 discovered the land in Latitude 66. degrees, 33. min. [III. 107.] 

 and in longitude from the Meridian of London 7c. 

 degrees voyd of trouble without snow or ice. 



The second of August wee harboured our selves in a 

 very excellent good road, where with all speed we graved 

 the Moonelight, and revictualled her : wee searched this 

 countrey with our pinnesse while the barke was trim- 

 ming, which William Eston did : he found all this land 

 to be onely Hands, with a Sea on the East, a Sea on 

 the West, and a Sea on the North. In this place wee 

 found it very hot, and wee were very much troubled Great heat. 

 with a flie which is called Muskyto, for they did sting 

 grievously. The people of this place at our first com- 

 ming in caught a Seale, and with bladders fast tied to 

 him sent him unto us with the floud, so as hee came 

 right with our shippes, which we tooke as a friendly 

 present from them. 



The flft of August I went with the two Masters and 

 others to the toppe of a hill, and by the way William 



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