118 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



'• The wind was large ^ for England at our returne but ver}^ ^^g.^, 

 and the sea rough, insomuch as the Frigat whereon the Grenerall went 

 was almost swalowed vp. 



" Monda}' in the afternoone we pafsed in the sight of Cape Race, 

 hauing made as much way in little more than two dayes and nights backe 

 againe, as before wee had done in eight dayes from Cape Eace, vnto the 

 place where our ship perished. Which hindrance thitherward, and speed 

 backe againe, is to be imputed vnto the swift current, as well as to the 

 winds, Avhich we had more large in our returne." 



Such are the two accounts. Hakiuyt gives another -'written by 

 Sir George Peakham, Knight, the chiefe adwenturer und furtherer of 

 Sir Humfrey Gilberts voyage to Newfound Land." But he received his 

 information from Hayes, and gives us no additional particulars. 



It will be seen that these two narratives ditter. Their statements are 

 directly contradictory as to the party upon whom rests the blame of the 

 disaster. Clarke attributes it to the obstinac}' of Gilbert himself in refus- 

 ing to take his advice as to the course to be sailed, and compelling him. 

 the master, by the Queen's authority to take what he knew to be a wrong- 

 course. Hayes on the other hand as strongly affirms that it was owing 

 to the obstinacy and wilfulness of Clarke himself or whoever had the 

 direction of the " Delight," in adopting- that course and folloAving it in 

 defiance of all remonstrance. There is here not merely a question of 

 accurac}' but of veracity. 



To determine it scarcely' belongs to our present inquiry. I think it 

 right, however, to say that I deem it unfair to the memory of the gallant 

 commander to assume the truth of Clarke's charges, especially as he was 

 clearly not disinterested, but writing to throw the blame otf himself, and 

 when his statement is contradicted by another, whose narrative beai'S all 

 the marks of truthfulness, who had as good if not better opportunities of 

 knowing the facts, and who had no object in stating anything but the 

 truth. 



Coming, however, to the point on hand, it will be seen that Clarke 

 represents them as having sailed from Cape Race direct for Sable Island, 

 and as being wrecked upon it. On the other hand Hayes states that while 

 intending to visit it, their first destination was Cape Breton, and that it 

 was land near it on which the " Delight" was wrecked. " From hence " 

 (Cape Race), he says '-we shaped our course vnto the l.sland of Sabla, if 

 ronueniently it would so fall out, also directly to Cape Britton.'' This was 

 the objective point of their voyage, and the writer tells us that the whole 

 of their voyage was spent in reaching it. " The distance between Cape 

 Race and Cape Britton," he says "is 100 leagues, in ichich aaviijation we 

 spent ei(jht dayes," on the last of which the wreck took place. From that 

 point also they started on their return to England. 



1 The word is used here as the opposite of scant, as denoting wliat sailors call a 

 free wind, one so nearly fair that it is easj' to lay the ship's course. 



