USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Early History of Naushon Island > Part 3
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
bitterns, geese, mallards, teals, and other fowls in great plenty; also great store of pease, which grow in certain plots the Island over. On the north side of this Island we found many huge bones and ribs of whales. This Island, as also all the rest of these islands are replenished with these commodities, and upon some of them inhabitants; as upon an island to the northward, and within two leagues of this ; yet we found no towns, nor many of their houses, although we saw many Indians, which are tall big boned men, all naked, saving they cover their private parts with a black towed skin, much like a blacksmiths apron tied about their middle and between their legs behind: they gave us of their fish ready boiled, (which they carried in a basket made of twigs, not unlike our osier) whereof we did eat, and judged them to be fresh water fish; they gave us also of their tobacco, which they drink green, but dried into a powder, very strong and pleasant, and much better than any I have tasted in England; the necks of their pipes are made of clay hard dried, (whereof in that island is great store both red and white) the other part is a piece of hollow copper, very finely closed and cemented together. We gave unto them certain trifles, as knives, points, and such like, which they much esteemed.
From hence we went to another island, to the northwest of this, and within a league or two of the main, which we found to be greater than before we imagined, being sixteen English miles at the least in compass ; for it containeth many pieces or necks of land, which differ nothing from several islands, saving that cer- tain banks of small breadth do, like bridges, join them to this island. On the outside of this island are many plane places of grass, abundance of strawberries and other berries before men- tioned. In mid May we did sow in this island (for a trial) in sundry places, wheat, barley, oats and pease, which in fourteen days were sprung up nine inches and more. The soil is fat and lusty, the upper crust of grey color ; but a foot or less in depth,
GOSNOLD'S MEN AT CUTTYHUNK
----
[2]
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of the color of our hemplands in England; and being thus apt for these and the like grains; the sowing or setting (after the ground is closed) is no great labor, than if you should set or sow in one of our best prepared gardens in England. This island is full of high timbered oaks, their leaves thrice so broad as ours; cedars, straight and tall; beech, elm, holly, walnut trees in abundance, the fruit as big as ours, as appeared by those we found under the trees, which had lain all the year ungathered; hazel nut trees, cherry trees, the leaf, bark and bigness not differing from ours in England, but the stalk beareth the blossoms or fruit at the end thereof, like a cluster of grapes, forty or fifty in a bunch; sassa- fras trees, great plenty all the island over, a tree of high price and profit; also, divers other fruit trees, some of them with strange barks of an orange color, in feeling soft and smooth like velvet; in the thickest part of these woods you may see a furlong or more round about. On the northwest side of this island, near to the seaside, is a standing lake of fresh water almost three English miles in compass, in the midst whereof stand a plot of woody ground, an acre in quantity or not above; this lake is full of small tortoises, and exceedingly frequented with all sorts of fowls be- fore rehearsed, which breed, some low on the banks, and others on low trees about this lake in great abundance, whose young ones of all sorts we took and ate at our pleasure; but all these fowl are much bigger than ours in England. Also in every island and in almost every part of every island, are great store of ground- nuts, forty together on a string, some of these as big as hens eggs ; they grow not two inches under ground; the which nuts we found to be as good as potatoes. Also, divers sorts of shell fish, as scol- lops, muscles, cockles, lobsters, crabs, oysters, and wilks, exceed- ing good and very great.
But not to cloy you with particular rehearsal of such things as God and nature hath bestowed on these places in com- parison whereof the most fertile part of England is (of itself)
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
but barren; we went in our light-horseman from this island to the main, right against this island some two leagues off, where com- ing ashore we stood awhile like men ravished at the beauty and delicacy of this sweet soil; for besides divers clear lakes of fresh water, (whereof we saw no end) meadows very large and full of green grass; even the most woody places (I speak only of such as I saw) do grow so distinct and apart, one tree from another, upon green grassy ground, somewhat higher than the plains, as if nature would show herself above her power, artificial. Hard by we espied seven Indians, and coming up to them, at first they expressed some fear; but being emboldened by our courteous usage, and some trifles which we gave them, they followed us to a neck of land, which we imagined had been severed from the main, but finding it otherwise, we perceived a broad harbor or rivers mouth, which ran up into the main and because the day was far spent, we were forced to return to the island from whence we came, leaving the discovery of the harbor for a time of better leisure. Of the goodness of this harbor, as also of many others thereabouts, there is small doubt, considering that all the islands, as also the main (where we were) is all rocky grounds and broken lands. Now the next day, we determined to fortify ourselves in a little plot of ground in the midst of the lake above mentioned, where we built our house and covered it with sedge, which grew about this lake in great abundance; in building whereof we spent three weeks and more: but the second day after our coming from the main, we espied eleven canoes or boats, with fifty Indians in them, coming towards us from the part of the main, where we, two days before landed; and being loath they should discover our fortifi- cation we went out on the seaside to meet them; and coming some- what near them, they all sat down upon the stones, calling aloud to us (as we rightly guessed) to do the like, a little distance from them: having set awhile in this order, Captain Gosnold willed me to go unto them to see what countenance they would make; but
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as soon as I came up unto them, one of them, to whom I had given a knife two days before in the main, knew me, (whom I also very well remembered) and smiling upon me, spake somewhat unto their lord or captain, which sat in the midst of them, who presently rose up and took a large beaver skin from one that stood about him, and gave it unto me, which I requited for that time, the best I could; but I, pointing towards Captain Gosnold, made signs unto him, that he was our Captain, and desirous to be his friend, and enter league with him, which as I perceived he understood and made signs of joy: whereupon Captain Gosnold with the rest of his company, being twenty in all, came up unto them; and after many signs of gratulations (Captain Gosnold presenting their lord with certain trifles which they wondered at, and highly esteemed) we became very great friends, and sent for meat aboard our shallop, and gave them such meat as we had ready dressed, whereof they misliked nothing but our mustard, whereat they made a sour face. While we were thus merry one of them had con- veyed a target of ours into one of their canoes which we suffered, only to try wether they were in subjection to this lord to whom we made signs (by showing him another of the same likness, and pointing to the canoe) what one of his company had done; who suddenly expressed some fear, and speaking angrily to one about him (as we perceived by his countenance) caused it presently to be brought back again. So the rest of the day we spent trading with them for furs, which are beavers, luzernes, martins, otters, wild-cat skins, very large and deep fur, black foxes, coney skins, of the color of our hares, but somewhat less ; deer skins, very large, seal skins, and other beast skins, to us unknown. They have also great store of copper, some very red, and some of a paler color : none of them but have chains, earrings, or collars of this metal: they head some of their arrows herewith much like our broad arrow heads, very workmanly made. Their chains are many hol- low pieces cemented together, each piece of the bigness of one of
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
our reeds, a finger in length, ten or twelve of them together on a string, which they wear about their necks: their collars they wear about their bodies like bandeliers a handful broad, all hollow pieces like the other, but somewhat shorter, four hundred pieces in a collar, very fine and evenly set together. Besides these they have large drinking cups made like skulls, and other thin plates of copper, made much like our boar spear blades, all which they so little esteem, as they offered their fairest collars or chains for a knife or such like trifle, but we seemed little to regard it; yet I was desirous to understand where they had such store of this metal, and made signs to one of them (with whom I was very familiar) who taking a piece of copper in his hand, made a hole with his finger in the ground, and withal pointed to the main whence they came. They strike fire in this manner, everyone carrieth about him in a purse of tewed leather, a mineral stone (which I take to be their copper) and with a flat emery stone (wherewith glaziers cut glass, and cutlers glass blades) tied fast to the end of a little stick, gently he striketh upon the mineral stone and within a stroke or two, a spark falleth upon a piece of touchwood (much like our sponge in England) and with the least spark he maketh a fire presently. We had also of their flax, wherewith they make many strings and cords, but it is not so bright of color as ours in Eng- land; I am persuaded they have great store growing upon the main, as also mines and many other rich commodities, which we, wanting both time and means, could not possibly discover.
Thus they continued with us three days, every night retiring themselves to the furthermost part of our island two or three miles from our fort: but the fourth day they returned to the main, point- ing five or six times to the sun, and once to the main, which we understood, that within five or six days they would come from the main to us again; but being in their canoes a little from the shore, they made huge crys and shouts of joy unto us ; and we with our trumpet and cornet, and casting our caps up into the air, made
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EXPLORATION
them the best farewell we could yet six or seven of them remained with us behind, bearing us company everyday into the woods, and helped us to cut and carry our sassafras, and some of them lay aboard our ship.
These people as they are exceeding courteous, gentle of dis- position, well conditioned, excelling all others that we have seen; so for shape of body and lovely favor, I think they excel all the people of America ; of stature much higher than we; of complexion or color much like a dark olive; their eyebrows and hair black, which they wear long, tied up behind in knots, whereon they prick feathers of fowls, in fashion of a coronet; some of them are black thin bearded; they make beards of the hair of beasts: and one of them offered a beard of their making to one of our sailors, for his that grew on his face, which because it was of red color, they judged to be none of his own. They are quick eyed and steadfast in their looks, fearless of others' harms, as intending none them- selves; some of the meaner sort given to filching, which the very name of savages (not weighing their ignorance in good or evil) may easily excuse: their garments are of deerskins, and some of them wear furs round and close about their necks. They pro- nounce our language with great facility, for one of them one day sitting by me, upon occasion I spake smiling to him these words: How now (sirrah) are you so saucy with my tobacco? which words (without any further repetition) he suddenly spake so plane and distinctly, as if he had been a long scholar in the language. Many other such trials we had, which are here needless to repeat. Their women such as we saw which were but three in all, were but low of stature, their eyebrows, hair, apparel, and manner of wearing, like to the men, fat, and very well favored, and much delighted in our company; the men are very dutiful towards them. And truly the wholesomeness and temperature of this climate, doth not only argue this people to be answerable to this description, but also of a perfect constitution of body, active, strong, healthful,
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
and very witty, as the sundry toys of theirs, cunningly wrought, may easily witness. For the agreeing of this climate with us (I speak for myself and so I may justly do for the rest of our com- pany), that we found our health and strength all the while we remained there so to renew and increase, notwithstanding our diet and lodging was none of the best, yet not one of our company felt the least grudging or inclination to any disease or sickness, but were much fatter and in better health than when we went out of England.
But after our bark had taken in so much sassafras, cedar, furs, skins, and other commodities, as were thought convenient, some of our company that had promised Captain Gosnold to stay, having nothing but a saving voyage in their minds, made our com- pany of inhabitants, which was small enough before much smaller, so Captain Gosnold seeing his whole strength to consist of but twelve men, and they but meanly provided, determined to return for England, leaving this island (which he called Elizabeths' Is- land) as with as many true sorrowful eyes as were before desirous to see it. So the 18th. of June being Friday, we weighed, and with indifferent fair wind and weather, came to anchor the 23rd. of July, being also a Friday, (in all, bare five weeks) before Exmouth.
Your Lordships' to command, John Brereton
Appended to Brereton's description is the following note:
IF it please any man to read the summarie of Gonsalvo de Oviedo extant in part in the English decads of the voyage of Sebastian Cabote along this coast of Virginia and Norumbega: the commodities of the countreys, Ets. bega -. And the short re- lation of John de Verarsana which ranged the said coast long after him in the year 1524. Which is also to be seene in the third volume of the English voyages pagine 298. He shall find often mention
BARTHOLOMEUS GOSNOLS
R
H YS
Van Engeland na het NOORDER GEDEELTE VAN
VIRGINIEN, Anno 1602.
Door GABRIEL ARCHER, Edel- man op defelve Reys, befchreven. Nu aldereerft wyt het Engelfch vertaald. Met Konft-Printen Regifter verrijkt.
DOOR TYD F.N VLYT
J.
TE LEYDEN, By PIETER VANDER AA, Boekverkoper, 1706. Met Privilegie.
TITLE PAGE OF DUTCH TRANSLATION OF THE ACCOUNT OF GOSNOLD'S VOYAGE BY GABRIEL ARCHER
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EXPLORATION
of rich mineralls and store of excellent copper which so long ago . they saw among the Salvages, they being the first known Chris- tians that ever saw those coasts. So that it were more than wilful madness to doubt of rich mines to be in the aforesaid Countreys.
FINIS
The Relation of Captain Gosnold's Voyage to the North part of Virginia, begun the six-and-twentieth of March, Anno 42 Elizabethæ Regina, 1602, and delivered by Gabriel Archer, a gentleman in the said voyage.
The said captain did set sail from Falmouth the day and year above written accompanied with thirty-two persons, whereof eight mariners and sailors, twelve purposing upon the discovery to return with the ship for England, the rest remain there for population.
The fourteenth of April following, we had sight of Saint Mary's an island of the Azores. . . .
The fifteenth day [of May] we had again sight of the land, which made ahead, being as we thought an island, by reason of a large sound that appeared westward between it and the main, for coming to the west end thereof, we did perceive a large open- ing, we called it Shoal Hope. Near this cape we came to anchor in fifteen fathoms, where we took great store of codfish, for which we altered the name, and called it Cape Cod. Here we saw sculls of herring, mackerel, and other small fish, in great abundance.
This is a low sandy shoal, but without danger, also we came to anchor again in sixteen fathoms, fair by the land in the latitude of 42 degrees. This cape is well near a mile broad, and lieth north-east by east. The captain went here ashore and found the ground to be full of pease, strawberries, whortleberries, etc. as then unripe, the sand also by the shore somewhat deep, the firewood there by us taken in was of cypress, birch, witch-hazel and beech. A young
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
Indian came here to the captain, armed with his bow and arrows, and had certain plates of copper hanging at his ears; he showed a willingness to help us in our occasions.
The sixteenth, we trended the coast southerly, which was all champaign and full of grass, but the island somewhat woody. Twelve leagues from Cape Cod, we descried a point with some breach, a good distance off, and keeping our luff to double it, we came on the sudden into shoal water, yet well quitted ourselves thereof. This breach we called Tucker's Terror, upon his ex- pressed fear. The point we named Point Care; having passed it we bore up again with the land, and in the night came with it anchoring in eight fathoms, the ground good.
The seventeenth, appeared many breaches round about us, so as we continued that day without remove.
The eighteenth, being fair we sent forth the boat, to sound over a breach, that in our course lay of another point, by us called Gilbert's Point, who returned us four, five, six and seven fathoms over. Also, a discovery of divers islands which afterward proved to be hills and hammocks, distinct within the land. This day there came unto the ship's side divers canoes, the Indians apparelled as aforesaid, with tobacco and pipes steeled with copper, skins, artificial strings and other trifles to barter ; one had hanging about his neck a plate of rich copper, in length a foot, in breadth half a foot for a breastplate, the ears of all the rest had pendants of copper. Also one of them had his face painted over, and head stuck with feathers in the manner of a turkey-cock's train. These are more timorous than those of the Savage Rock, yet very thievish.
The nineteenth, we passed over the breach of Gilbert's Point in four or five fathoms, and anchored a league or somewhat more beyond it; between the last two points are two leagues, the in- terim, along shoal water, the latitude here is 41 degrees two third parts.
The twentieth, by the ships side, we there killed penguins, and
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EXPLORATION
saw many sculls of fish. The coast from Gilbert's Point to the supposed isles lieth east by south. Here also we discovered two inlets which might promise fresh water, inwardly whereof we perceived much smoke, as though some population had been there. The coast is very full of people, for that as we trended the same savages still run along the shore, as men much admiring at us.
The one-and-twentieth, we went coasting from Gilbert's Point to the supposed isles, in ten, nine, eight, seven, and six fathoms, close aboard the shore, and that depth lieth a league off. A little from the supposed isles, appeared unto us an opening, with which we stood, judging it to be the end of that which Captain Gosnold descried from Cape Cod, and as he thought to extend some thirty or more miles in length, and finding there but three fathoms a league off, we omitted to make further discovery of the same, calling it Shoal Hope.
From this opening the main lieth south-west, which coasting along we saw a disinhabited island, which so afterward appeared unto us: we bore with it, and named it Martha's Vineyard: from Shoal Hope it is eight leagues in circuit, the island is five miles, and hath 41 degrees and one quarter of latitude. The place most pleasant; for the two-and-twentieth, we went ashore, and found it full of wood, vines, gooseberry bushes, whortleberries, rasp- berries, eglantines, &c. Here we had cranes, stearnes, shoulers, geese, and divers other birds which there at that time upon the cliffs being sandy with some rocky stones, did breed and had young. In this place we saw deer: here we rode in eight fathoms near the shore where we took great store of cod, - as before at Cape Cod, but much better.
The three-and-twentieth we weighed, and towards night came to anchor at the northwest part of this island, where the next morning offered unto us fast running thirteen savages apparelled as aforesaid, and armed with bows and arrows without any fear. They brought tobacco, deer-skins and some sodden fish. These
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
offered themselves unto us in great familiarity, who seemed to be well conditioned. They came more rich in copper than any before. This island is sound, and hath no danger about it.
The four-and-twentieth, we set sail and doubled the Cape of another island next unto it, which we called Dover Cliff, and then came into a fair sound, where we rode all night; the next morning we sent off one boat to discover another cape, that lay between us and the main, from which were a ledge of rocks a mile into the sea, but all above water, and without danger; we went about them and came to anchor in eight fathoms, a quarter of a mile from the shore, in one of the stateliest sounds that ever I was in. This called we Gosnold's Hope; the north bank whereof is the main, which stretcheth east and west. This island Captain Gosnold called Elizabeth's isle, where we determined our abode: the distance be- tween every [one ] of these islands is, viz. from Martha's Vineyard to Dover Cliff, half a league over the sound, thence to Elizabeth's isle one league distant. From Elizabeth's island unto the main is four leagues. On the north side, near adjoining unto the island Elizabeth, is an islet in compass half a mile, full of cedars, by me called Hill's Hap, to the northward of which, in the mouth of an opening on the main, appeareth another the like, that I called Hap's Hill, for that I hope much hap may be expected from it.
The five-and-twentieth, it was that we came from Gosnold's Hope. The six-and-twentieth, we trimmed and fitted up our shallop. The seven-and-twentieth, ther came unto us an Indian and two women, the one we supposed to be his wife, the other his daughter, both clean and straight bodied, with countenance sweet and pleasant. To these the Indian gave heedful attendance for that they shewed them in much familiarity with our men, although they would not admit of any immodest touch.
The eight-and-twentieth we entered counsel about our abode and plantation, which we concluded to be in the west part of Elizabeth's island. The north-east thereof running from our ken.
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The south and north standeth in an equal parallel. This island in the westernside admitteth some in creeks, or sandy coves, so girded, as the water in some places of each side meeteth, to which the Indians from the main do oftentimes resort for fishing of crabs. There is eight fathoms very near the shore, and the lati- tude here is 41 degrees 11 minutes, the breadth from sound to sound in the western part is not passing a mile at most, altogether unpeopled and disinhabited. It is overgrown with wood and rub- bish, viz. oaks, ashes, beech, walnut, witch-hazel, sassafras, and cedars, with divers other of unknown names. The rubbish is wild pease, young sassafras, cherry-trees, vines, eglantines, gooseberry bushes, hawthorn, honeysuckles, with others of like quality. The herbs and roots are strawberries, raspberries, and ground-nuts, alexander, surrin, tansy, &c. without count. Touching the fertility of the soil by our own experience made, we found it to be excellent for sowing some English pulse; it sprouted out in one fortnight almost half a foot. In this island is a stage or pond of fresh water, in circuit two miles, on the one side not distant from the sea not thirty yards, in the center whereof is a rocky islet, containing near an acre of ground full of wood, on which we began our fort and place of abode, disposing itself so fit for the same. These Indians call gold wassador, which argueth there is thereof in the country.
The nine-and-twentieth, we labored in getting of sassafras, rubbishing our little fort or islet, new keeling our shallop, and making a punt or flat-bottom boat to pass to and fro our fort over the fresh water, the powder of sassafras in twelve hours cured one of our company that had taken a great surfeit, by eating the bellies of dogfish, a very delicious meat.
The thirtieth, Captain Gosnold, with divers of his company, went upon pleasure in the shallop towards Hill's Hap to view it and the sandy cove, and returning brought with him a canoe that four Indians had there left, being fled away for fear of our Eng- lish, which we brought into England.
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