238 NEW ATLANTIS 



flat to our sight, and full of boscage, which made it 

 show the more dark. And after an hour and a half's 

 sailing, we entered into a good haven, being the port 

 of a fair city : not great indeed, but well built, and that 

 gave a pleasant view from the sea. And we thinking 

 every minute long till we were on land, came close to 

 the shore and offered to land. But straightways we 

 saw divers of the people, with bastons in their hands, 

 as it were, forbidding us to land: yet without any cries 

 or fierceness, but only as warning us off, by signs that 

 they made. Whereupon being not a Uttle discomforted, 

 we were advising with ourselves what we should do. 



During which time there made forth to us a small boat, 

 with about eight persons in it, whereof one of them 

 had in his hand a tipstaff of a yellow cane, tipped at 

 both ends with blue, who came aboard our ship, with- 

 out any show of distrust at all. And when he saw 

 one of our number present himself somewhat afore the 

 rest, he drew forth a httle scroll of parchment (some- 

 what yellower than our parchment, and shining hke 

 the leaves of writing tables, but otherwise soft and 

 flexible), and delivered it to our foremost man. In 

 which scroll were written in ancient Hebrew, aild in 

 ancient Greek, and in good Latin of the School, and in 

 Spanish, these words : ' Land ye not, none of you, and 

 provide to be gone from this coast within sixteen days, 

 except you have further time given you. Meanwhile, 

 if you want fresh water, or victual, or help for your 

 'sick, or that your ship needeth repair, write down your 

 wants, and you shall have that which belongeth to 

 mercy.' This scroll was signed with a stamp of cheru- 

 bin's wings, not spread, but hanging downwards ; and 

 by them a cross. This being delivered, the officer re-- 

 turned, and left only a servant with us to receive our 

 answer. 



Consulting hereupon amongst ourselves, we were 

 much perplexed. The denial of landing, and hasty 

 warning us away, troubled us much : on the other side, 

 to find that the people had languages, and were so full 

 of humanity, did comfort us not a little. And above 



