hings clear of it. It was
a very fierce storm; the sea broke strange and dangerous. We hauled
off upon the lanyard of the whip-staff, and helped the man at the
helm. We would not get down our topmast, but let all stand, because
she scudded before the sea very well, and we knew that the topmast
being aloft, the ship was the wholesomer, and made better way through
the sea, seeing we had sea-room. When the storm was over, we set
foresail and mainsail, and brought the ship to. Then we set the
mizzen, main topsail, and the fore-topsail. Our course was
east-northeast, the wind was at southwest. We got the starboard tacks
aboard, we cast off our weather braces and lifts; we set in the lee
braces, and hauled forward by the weather bowlings, and hauled them
right, and belayed them, and hauled over the mizzen tack to windward,
and kept her full and by as near as she would lie. During this storm,
which was followed by a strong wind west-southwest, we were carried,
by my computation, about five hundred leagues to the east, so that the
oldest sailor aboard could not tell in what part of the world we were.
Our provisions held out well, our ship was stanch, and our crew all in
good health; but we lay in the utmost distress for water. We thought
it best to hold on the same course, rather than turn more northerly,
which might have brought us to the northwest parts of Great Tartary,
and into the Frozen Sea.

On the 16th day of June, 1703, a boy on the topmast discovered land.
On the 17th, we came in full view of a great island, or continent (for
we knew not whether); on the south side whereof was a small neck of
land jutting out into the sea, and a creek too shallow to hold a ship
of above one hundred tons. We cast anchor within a league of this
creek, and our captain sent a dozen of his men well armed in the long
boat, with vessels for water, if any could be found. I desired his
leave to go with them, that I might see the country, and make what
discoveries I could. When we came to land, we saw no river, or spring,
nor any sign of inhabitants. Our men therefore wandered on the shore
to find out some fresh water near the sea, and I walked alone about a
mile on the other side, where I observed the country all barren and
rocky. I now began to be weary, and seeing nothing to entertain my
curiosity, I returned gently down towards the creek; and the sea being
full in my view, I saw our men already got into the boat and rowing
for life to the