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Page 17
The seventeenth, we set sail, doubling the rocks of Elizabeth's
island, and passing by Dover Cliff, came to anchor at Martha's
Vineyard, being five leagues distant from our fort, where we went
ashore, and had young cranes, herneshowes, and geese, which now were
grown to pretty bigness.
The eighteenth, we set sail and bore for England, cutting off our
shallop, that was well able to land five and twenty men or more, a
boat very necessary for the like occasions. The winds do range most
commonly upon this coast in the summer time, westerly. In our homeward
course we observed the foresaid floating weeds to continue till we
came within two hundred leagues of Europe. The three-and-twentieth of
July we came to anchor before Exmouth.[5]
[1] Gosnold sailed from Falmouth, England, in 1602, Raleigh being
interested in the expedition. He reached the New England coast in
May of the same year, and discovered Cape Cod, to which, because of
the abundance of codfish in neighboring waters he gave the name it
bears. He afterward discovered Martha's Vineyard, and on the
neighboring island of Cuttyhunk founded a settlement called
Elizabeth, the first ever made in New England by Englishmen. This
settlement lasted only a few weeks, the settlers returning to
England.
[2] The entire group of islands, of which Cuttyhunk is one, are now
known as the Elizabeth Islands. The township which these islands
comprize bears Gosnold's name. Gosnold became active afterward in
promoting the expedition which In 1607 resulted in the settlement
of Jamestown. The report of the expedition to Cape Cod, from which
this account is taken, is known as "The Relation of Captain
Gosnold's Voyage." It was "delivered by Gabriel Archer, a gentleman
in the said voyage." Archer's account is printed in "Old South
Leaflets."
[3] Vineyard Sound.
[4] Now Cuttyhunk, the westermost of the chain of islands called
the Elizabeth Islands, which separate Buzzard's Bay from Vineyard
Sound.
[5] From Exmouth the ship sailed for Portsmouth, her real
destination.
II
GOSNOLD'S OWN ACCOUNT[1]
I was in good hope that my occasions would have allowed me so much
liberty, as to have come unto you before this time; otherwise I would
have written more at large concerning the country from whence we
lately came, than I did: but not well remembering what I have already
written (though I am assured that there is nothing set down
disagreeing with the truth), I thought it fittest not to go about to
add anything in writing, but rather to leave the report of the rest
till I come myself; which now I hope shall be shortly, and so soon as
with conveniency I may. In the mean time, notwithstanding whereas you
seem not to be satisfied by that which I have already written,
concerning some especial matters; I have here briefly (and as well as
I can) added these few lines for your further satisfaction....
We cannot gather, by anything we could observe in the people, or by
any trial we had thereof ourselves, but that it is as healthful a
climate as any can be. The inhabitants there, as I wrote before, being
of tall stature, comely proportion, strong, active, and some of good
years, and as it should seem very healthful, are sufficient proof of
the healthfulness of the place. First, for ourselves (thanks be to
God) we had not a man sick two days together in all our voyage;
whereas others that went out with us, or about that time on other
voyages (especially such as went upon reprisal,) were most of them
infected with sickness, whereof they lost some of their men, and
brought home a many sick, returning notwithstanding long before us.
But Verazzano, and others (as I take it, you may read in the Book of
Discoveries), do more particularly entreat of the age of the people in
that coast.
The sassafras which we brought we had upon the islands; where though
we had little disturbance, and reasonable plenty; yet for that the
greatest part of our people were employed about the fitting of our
house, and such like affairs, and a few (and those but easy laborers)
undertook this work, the rather because we were informed before our
going forth, that a ton was sufficient to cloy England, and further,
for that we had resolved upon our return, and taken view of our
victual, we judged it then needful to use expedition; which afterward
we had more certain proof of; for when we came to an anchor before
Portsmouth, which was some four days after we made the land, we had
not one cake of bread, nor any drink, but a little vinegar left: for
these and other reasons we returned no otherwise laden than you have
heard. And thus much I hope shall suffice till I can myself come to
give you further notice, which though it be not so soon as I could
have wished, yet I hope it shall be in convenient time.
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