The 26 of July it began to be faire weather, which we had [[222]]not had for certaine[834] daies together, the wind still north; and about the south sunne we put to sea, but it was so great a creeke that we were forced to put foure [16] miles into the sea,[835] before wee could get about[836] the point thereof; and it was most in[837] the wind, so that it was midnight before wee got aboue it, sometimes sayling and sometimes rowing; and hauing past it, we stroke[838] our sailes and rowed along by the land.
The 27 of July it was faire cleare weather, so that we rowed all that day through the broken ice along by the land, the wind being north-west; and at evening, about the west sunne, we came to a place where there ran a great streame,[839] whereby we thought that we were about Constinsarke;[840] for we saw a great creeke, and we were of opinion yt it went through to the Tartarian Sea.[841] Our course was most south-west: about the north sunne we past along by the Crosse Point,[842] and sailed between the firme land and an island, and then went south south-east with a north-west wind, and made good speed, the maister with ye scute being a good way before us; but when he had gotten about ye point of the island he staied for vs, and there we lay [some time] by ye clifts,[843] hoping to take some birds, but got none; at which time we had sailed from Cape de Cant along by Constinsarke to the Crosse Point 20 [80] miles, our course south south-east, the wind north-west.
The 28 of July it was faire weather, with a north-east [[223]]wind; then we sailed along by the land, and with the south-west sunne got before S. Laurence Bay, or Sconce Point,[844] and sayled south south-east 6 [24] miles; and being there, we found two Russians lodgies[845] or ships beyond the Point, wherewith we were [on the one hand] not a little comforted to thinke that we were come to the place where we found men, but were [on the other hand] in some doubt of them because they were so many, for at that time wee sawe at least 30 men, and knew not what [sort of persons] they were [whether savages or other foreigners[846]]. There with much paine and labour we got to the land, which they perceiuing, left off their worke and came towards vs, but without any armes; and wee also went on shore, as many as were well,[847] for diuers of vs were very ill at ease and weake by reason of a great scouring in their bodies.[848] And when wee met together wee saluted each other in friendly wise, they after theirs, and we after our manner. And when we were met, both they and we lookt each other stedfastly [and pitifully] in the face, for that some of them knew vs, and we them to bee the same men which the yeare before, when we past through the Weigats, had been in our ship;[849] at which time we perceiued yt they were abasht and wondered at vs,[850] to remember that at that time we were so well furnished with a [splendid] great ship, that was exceedingly prouided of all things necessary, and then to see vs so leane and bare,[851] and with so small [open] scutes into that country. And amongst them there were two that in friendly manner clapt ye master and me upon the shoulder, as knowing vs since ye [former] voiage: for there was none of all our men that was as then in [[224]]that voiage[852] but we two onley; and [they] asked vs for our crable,[853] meaning our ship, and we shewed them by signes as well as we could (for we had no interpreter) that we had lost our ship in the ice; wherewith they sayd Crable pro pal,[854] which we vnderstood to be, Haue you lost your ship? and we made answere, Crable pro pal, which was as much as to say, that we had lost our ship. And many more words we could not vse, because we vnderstood not each other. Then they made shew[855] to be sorry for our losse and to be grieued that we the yeare before had beene there with so many ships, and then to see vs in so simple manner,[856] and made vs signes that then they had drunke wine in our ship, and asked vs what drinke we had now; wherewith one of our men went into the scute[857] and drew some water, and let them taste thereof; but they shakt their heads, and said No dobbre,[858] that is, it is not good. Then our master went neerer vnto them and shewed them his mouth, to giue them to vnderstand that we were troubled with a loosnesse in our bellies,[859] and to know if they could giue vs any councel to help it; but they thought we made shew that we had great hunger, wherewith one of them went unto their lodging[860] and fetcht a round rie loafe weighing about 8 pounds, with some smoked[861] foules, which we accepted thankfully, and gaue them in exchange [[225]]halfe a dozen of muschuyt.[862] Then our master led two of the chiefe of them with him into his scute, and gaue them some of the wine that we had, being almost a gallon,[863] for it was so neere out. And while we staied there we were very familiar with them, and went to the place where they lay, and sod some of our mischuyt[864] with water by their fire, that we might eate some warme thing downe into our bodies. And we were much comforted to see the Russians, for that in thirteene moneths time [since] that we departed from John Cornelison[865] we had not seene any man, but onely monsterous and cruell[866] wild beares; for that[867] as then we were in some comfort, to see that we had liued so long to come in company of men againe, and therewith we said vnto each other, now we hope that it will fall out better with vs, seeing we haue found men againe, thanking God with all our hearts, that he had beene so gracious and mercifull vnto vs, to giue vs life vntill that time.
The 29 of July it was reasonable faire weather, and that morning the Russians began to make preparation to be gone and to set saile; at which time they digd certaine barrels with traine oile out of the sieges,[868] which they had buried there, and put it into their ships; and we not knowing whither they would go, saw them saile towards ye Weigats: at which time also we set saile and followed after them. But they sayling before vs, and we following them along by the land, the weather being close and misty, we lost the sight of them, and knew not whether they put into any creeke or sayled forward; but we held on our course south south-east, with a north-west wind, and then south-east, betweene [the] two islands, vntill we were inclosed [[226]]with ice againe and saw no open water, whereby we supposed that they were about the Weigats, and that the north-west wind had driuen the ice into that creeke. And being so inclosed wt ice, and saw no open water before vs, but with great labour and paines we went back againe to the two islands aforesaid, and there about the north-east sunne we made our scutes fast at one of the islands, for as then it began to blowe hard[er and harder].
The 30 of July lying at anchor,[869] the wind still blew [just as stiff from the] north-west, with great store of raine and a sore storme, so that although we had couered our scutes with our sailes, yet we could not lye dry, which was an vnaccustomed thing vnto vs: for we had had no raine in long time before, and yet we were forced to stay there all that day.
The 31 of July, in the morning, about the north-east sunne, we rowed from that island to another island, whereon there stood two crosses, whereby we thought that some men had laine there about trade of merchandise, as the other Russians that we saw before had done, but we found no man there; the wind as then being north-west, whereby the ice draue still towards the Weigats.[870] There, to our great good, we went on land, for in that island we found great store of leple leaues,[871] which serued vs exceeding well; and it seemed that God had purposely sent vs thither, for as then we had many sicke men, and most of vs were so troubled with a scouring in our bodies, and were thereby become so weake, that we could hardly row, but by meanes of those leaues we were healed thereof: for that as soone as we had eaten them we were presently eased and healed, whereat we could not choose but wonder,[872] and therefore we gave God [[227]]great thanks for that and for many other his mercies shewed vnto vs, by his great and vnexpected ayd lent vs in that our dangerous voyage. And so, as I sayd before, we eate them by whole handfuls together, because in Holland wee had heard much spoken of their great force, and as then found it to be much more than we expected.
The 1 of August the wind blew hard north-west, and the ice, that for a while had driuen towards the entry of the Weigats, stayed and draue no more, but the sea went very hollow,[873] whereby we were forced to remoue our scutes on the other side of the island; to defend them from the waues of the sea. And lying there, we went on land againe to fetch more leple leaues,[874] whereby wee had bin so wel holpen, and stil more and more recouered our healths, and in so short time that we could not choose but wonder thereat; so that as then some of vs could eate bisket againe, which not long before they could not do.[875]
The 2 of August it was dark misty weather, the wind stil blowing stiffe north-west; at which time our victuals began to decrease, for as then we had nothing but a little bread and water, and some of vs a little cheese, which made vs long sore to be gone from thence, specially in regard of our hunger, whereby our weake members began to be much weaker, and yet we were forced to labour sore, which were two great contraries; for it behoued vs rather to haue our bellies full, that so we might be the stronger to endure our labour; but patience was our point of trust.[876] [[228]]
The 3 of August, about the north sun, the weather being somewhat better, we agreed amongst our selues to leaue Noua Zembla and to crosse ouer to Russia; and so committing our selues to God, we set saile with a north-west wind, and sailed south south-west till the sun was east, and then we entred into ice againe, which put vs in great feare, for we had crost ouer and left the ice vpon Noua Zembla,[877] and were in good hope yt we should not meet with any ice againe in so short space. At which time, being [thus] in the ice, with calme weather, whereby our sailes could doe vs no great good, we stroke[878] our sailes and began to row againe, and at last we rowed clean through the ice,[879] not without great and sore labour, and about the south-west sunne got cleere thereof and entred into the large sea,[880] where we saw no ice; and then, what with sailing and rowing, we had made 20 [80] miles. And so sailing forwards we thought to aproch neere vnto the Russian coast, but about the north-west sunne we entred into the ice againe, and then it was very cold, wherewith our hearts became very heauy, fearing that it would alwaies continew in that sort, and that we should neuer be freed thereof. And for that our boate[881] could not make so good way nor was not able to saile aboue[882] the point of ice, we were compelled to enter into the ice, for that being in it we perceiued open sea beyond it; but the hardest matter was to get into it, for it was very close, but at last we found a meanes to enter, and got in. And being entred, it was somewhat better, and in the end with great paine and labour we got into the open water. Our maister, that was in the scute,[883] which sailed better than our boate,[884] got aboue[885] [[229]]the point of the ice, and was in some feare that we were inclosed with ye ice; but God sent vs the meanes to get out from it as soone as he could saile about the point thereof,[886] and so we met together againe.
The 4 of August, about the south-east sunne, being gotten out of the ice, we sailed forward with a north-west wind, and held our course [mostly] southerly; and when the sunne was [about] south, at noone time, we saw the coast of Russia lying before vs, whereat we were exceeding glad; and going neerer vnto it, we stroke[887] our sailes and rowed on land, and found it to be very low land, like a bare strand that might be flowed ouer with the water.[888] There we lay till the sunne was south-west; but perceiuing that there we could not much further our selues, hauing as then sailed from the point of Noua Zembla (from whence we put off) thither ful 30 [120] miles, we sailed forward along by the coast of Russia with an indifferent gale of wind, and when the sunne was north we saw another Russian iolle or ship,[889] which we sailed vnto to speake with them; and being hard by them, they came al aboue hatches,[890] and we cried vnto them, Candinaes, Candinaes,[891] whereby we asked them if we were about Candinaes, but they cryed againe and sayd, Pitzora, Pitzora,[892] to shew vs that we were thereabouts. And for yt we sailed along by the coast, where it was very drie,[893] supposing that we held our course west [[230]]and by north, that so we might get beyond the point of Candinaes, we were wholy deceiued by our compas, that stood vpon a chest bound with yron bands, which made vs vary at least 2 points, whereby we were much more southerly then we thought our course had bin, and also farre more easterly, for we thought verily that we had not bin farre from Candinaes, and we were three daies sailing from it, as after we perceiued;[894] and for that we found our selues to be so much out of our way, we stayed there all night til day appeared.