MARTIN FROBISHEU'iS VOYAGE. 



263 



vessels, — two barks of twenty-five tons each, the Gabriel and 

 the Michael, and a pinnace of ten tons. This valiant little fleet 

 weighed anchor at Deptford on the 8th of June, 1576, and, 

 passing the court assembled at Greenwich, discharged their 

 ordnance, and made as imposing an appearance as their limited 

 outfit would allow. Queen Elizabeth waved her hand at the 

 commander from a window, and, bidding him farewell, wished 

 him success and a happy return. On the 25th he passed the 

 southern point of Shetland, — known as Swinborn Head. He 

 anchored here to repair a leak and to take in fresh water. On 

 the 10th of July, he descried the coast of Greenland, "rising 

 like pinnacles of steeples, and all covered with snow." The crew 

 made efforts to go ashore, but could find no anchorage for the 

 vessels, or landing-place for the boats. On the 28th, Frobisher 

 saw dimly, through the fog, what he supposed to be the coast 

 of Labrador, enveloped in ice. On the 31st he saw land for 

 the third time, and on the 11th of August entered a strait to 

 which he gave his name. 



He ascended this strait a distance of one hundred and fifty 

 miles. It was not till the eighth day that he saw any inhabit- 

 ants. He then found that the country was sparsely settled by 

 a race resembling Tartars. He went ashore and established 

 friendly relations with a colony of nineteen persons, to each one 

 of whom he gave a "threaden point," — in other words, a needle 

 and thread. A few days afterwards, five of the crew were taken 

 by the natives and their boat destroyed. The inlet in which 

 this happened was called Five Men's Sound. The next morning 

 the vessels ran in-shore, shot off a fauconet and sounded a 

 trumpet, but heard nothing of the lost sailors. However, Fro- 

 bisher caught one of the natives in return, having decoyed him 

 by the tinkling of a bell. When he found himself in captivity, 

 we are told that " from very choler and disdain he bit his tongue 

 in twain within his mouth : notwithstanding, he died not thereof, 

 but lived until he came to England, and then he died of cold 



