we knew not
whereabouts we were. By the violence of this tempest, we lost many of our
vessels, but after the return of good weather, we collected the remains of
our shattered fleet, and having a fair wind, we stood on to the westwards,
and at length descried the coast of _Estoitland_, and arrived in a good and
safe harbour. Here we saw an infinite number of armed men running furiously
towards the shore, apparently for the purpose of defending the island. Upon
this, Zichmni commanded signs of peace to be made, and the islanders sent
ten men to us who could speak ten different languages; but we could
understand none of these, excepting one man who happened to be an
Icelander. This man was brought to our prince, and gave the following
account of the country; and people.

The land was called _Icarta_, and all its kings were named _Icarus_, after
the name, of its first king, who was the son of _Daedalus_ king of
Scotland. This _Daedalus_ had discovered and conquered the island, and
after instituting the body of laws by which they are still governed, had
left them his son to be their king. After this, _Daedalus_[1] sailed in
quest of farther discoveries, but was overtaken by a violent storm and
drowned. In memory of which, they named their island Icaria, the sea
surrounding it the _Icarian_ sea, and all their successive kings _Icarus_.
He stated, moreover, that they were perfectly contented with the state in
which they had been placed by Providence, and not choosing to make the
smallest change in their manners and customs, would admit no strangers into
their land; and therefore requested the prince not to attempt violating the
laws of their king, of glorious memory, as any such attempt would turn to
his manifest destruction, since they were resolved to sacrifice their lives
in defence of their laws. They were willing, however, to receive _one_ of
our men, who should be advanced to the rank of a chief, on purpose to learn
our language; having already received _ten_ different men with that view
from ten different nations.

Upon this _Zichmni_ sailed from the harbour, as if meaning to go away from
the island; but being in want of wood and water, he skirted along the coast
at some distance, and put into another harbour on the eastern side of the
island with all his fleet. Here the mariners went on shore, and procured
the necessary supplies with all possible speed, lest they might be attacked
by the natives. This precaution was b