The 3 of September it blew [just as] hard, but snowed not so much, ye wind being north north-east; at which time we began to be loose from the ice whereunto we lay fast, so that the scheck brake from the steuen,[170] but the planks wherewith the ship was lyned held the scheck fast and made it hang on;[171] but the boutloofe and a new cable, if we had falled vpon the ice, brake by the forcible pressing of the ice,[172] but held fast [[103]]againe in the ice; and yet the ship was staunch, which was wonder, in regard yt ye ice draue so hard and in great heapes as big as the salt hills that are in Spaine,[173] and within a harquebus shot of the ship, betweene the which we lay in great feare and anguishe.
The 4 of September the weather began to cleare vp and we sawe the sunne, but it was very cold, the wind being north-east, we being forced to lye still.
The 5 of September it was faire sunshine weather and very calme; and at euening, when we had supt, the ice compassed about us againe, and we were hard inclosed therewith, the ship beginning to lye upon the one side and leakt sore,[174] but by Gods grace it became staunch againe,[175] wherewith[176] we were wholly in feare to loose the ship, it was in so great danger. At which time we tooke counsell together and caried our old sock saile,[177] with pouder, lead, peeces, muskets, and other furniture on land, to make a tent [or hut] about our scute yt we had drawē vpon the land; and at that time we carried some bread and wine on land also, with some timber,[178] therewith to mend our boate, that it might serve vs in time of neede. [[104]]
The 6 of September it was indifferent faire sea-wether[179] and sun-shine, the wind being west, whereby we were somewhat comforted, hoping that the ice would driue away and that we might get from thence againe.
The 7 of September it was indifferent wether againe, but we perceiued no opening of the water, but to the contrary it[180] lay hard inclosed with ice, and no water at all about the ship, no not so much as a bucket full. The same day 5 of our men went on land, but 2 of them came back againe; the other three went forward about 2 [8] miles into the land, and there found a riuer of sweet water, where also they found great store of wood that had bin driuen thither, and there they foūd the foote-steps of harts and hinds,[181] as they thought, for they were clouen footed, some greater footed than others, which made them iudge them to be so.
The 8 of September it blew hard east north-east, which was a right contrary wind to doe vs any good touching the carrying away of the ice, so that we were stil faster in the ice, which put vs in no small discomfort.
The 9 of September it blew [strongly from the] north-east, with a little snowe, whereby our ship was wholly inclosed with ice, for ye wind draue the ice hard against it, so that we lay 3 or 4 foote deepe in the ice, and our sheck in the after-steuer brake in peeces[182] and the ship began to be somewhat loose before, but yet it was not much hurt. [[105]]
In the night time two beares came close to our ship side, but we sounded our trumpet and shot at them, but hit them not because it was darke, and they ran away.
The 10 of September the wether was somewhat better, because the wind blew not so hard, and yet all one wind.
The 11 of September it was calme wether, and 8 of vs went on land, euery man armed, to see if that were true as our other three companions had said, that there lay wood about the riuer; for that seeing we had so long wound and turned about, sometime in the ice, and then againe got out, and thereby were compelled to alter our course, and at last sawe that we could not get out of the ice but rather became faster, and could not loose our ship as at other times we had done, as also that it began to be [near autumn and] winter, we tooke counsell together what we were best to doe according to the [circumstances of the] time, [in order] that we might winter there and attend such aduenture as God would send vs: and after we had debated vpon the matter, to keepe and defend ourselues both from the cold and the wild beastes, we determined to build a [shed or] house vpon the land, to keep vs therein as well as we could, and so to commit ourselves vnto the tuition of God. And to that end we went further into the land, to find out How God in our extremest need, when we were forced to live all the winter upon the land, sent vs wood to make vs a house and to serue vs to burne in the cold winter. the conuenientest place in our opinions to raise our house vpon, and yet we had not much stuffe to make it withall, in regard that there grew no trees, nor any other thing in that country convenient to build it withall. But we leauing no occasion unsought, as our men went abroad to view the country, and to see what good fortune might happen unto vs, at last we found an unexpected comfort in our need, which was that we found certaine trees roots and all, (as our three companions had said before), which had been driuen vpon the shoare, either from Tartaria, Muscouia, or elsewhere, for there was none growing vpon that land; wherewith (as if God had purposely sent them vnto vs) we were [[106]]much comforted, being in good hope that God would shew us some further fauour; for that wood served vs not onely to build our house, but also to burne and serve vs all the winter long; otherwise without all doubt we had died there miserably with extreme cold.