frica and America,
neither had, or have at this day, as is reported, other kind of boats
than such as do bear neither masts nor sails, except only upon the coasts
of Barbary and the Turks' ships, but do carry themselves from place to
place near the shore by the oar only.

CHAPTER VI.
TO PROVE THAT THOSE INDIANS CAME NOT BY THE NORTH-EAST, AND THAT THERE IS
NO THROUGH NAVIGABLE PASSAGE THAT WAY.

1. It is likely that there should be no through passage by the
north-east whereby to go round about the world, because all seas, as
aforesaid, are maintained by the abundance of water, waxing more shallow
and shelving towards the end, as we find it doth, by experience, in the
Frozen Sea, towards the east, which breedeth small hope of any great
continuance of that sea to be navigable towards the east, sufficient to
sail thereby round about the world.

2. Also, it standeth scarcely with reason that the Indians dwelling
under the Torrid Zone could endure the injury of the cold air, about the
northern latitude of 80 degrees, under which elevation the passage by the
north-east cannot be, as the often experiences had of all the south part
of it showeth, seeing that some of the inhabitants of this cold climate,
whose summer is to them an extreme winter, have been stricken to death
with the cold damps of the air, about 72 degrees, by an accidental
mishap, and yet the air in such like elevation is always cold, and too
cold for such as the Indians are.

3. Furthermore, the piercing cold of the gross thick air so near the
Pole will so stiffen the sails and ship tackling, that no mariner can
either hoist or strike them--as our experience, far nearer the south than
this passage is presupposed to be, hath taught us--without the use
whereof no voyage can be performed.

4. Also, the air is so darkened with continual mists and fogs so near
the Pole, that no man can well see either to guide his ship or to direct
his course.

5. Also the compass at such elevation doth very suddenly vary, which
things must of force have been their destruction, although they had been
men of much more skill than the Indians are.

6. Moreover, all bays, gulfs, and rivers do receive their increase upon
the flood, sensibly to be discerned on the one side of the shore or the
other, as many ways as they be open to any main sea, as the
Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, Sinus Bodicus, the Thames,
and all other known havens or rivers in any p