better sailor than scholar) to the King, from which it appears
that he found in the harbour of St. John's "eleven saile of Normans
and one Brittaine, and two Portugall barks, and all a fishing," as
well as two English trade-ships.[17]

The later adventure--"voyage of discovery"--of Master Hore, in 1536,
which was undertaken "by the King's favour," is inimitably told by
Hakluyt. His co-adventurers are described as "many gentlemen of the
Inns of Court and of the Chancerie"; there were also a number of
east-country merchants. After missing their proper course, and almost
starving, they were succoured by a French vessel off the coast of
Newfoundland. The gentlemen of the long robe had been out of their
element up to this encounter, but Judge Prowse notes with proper
professional pride the tribute of Hakluyt: "Such was the policie of
the English that they became masters of [the French ship], and
changing ships and vittailing them, they set sail to come into
England." The extremities to which these adventurers were reduced
before their relief is horribly illustrated by the narrative of
Hakluyt:

"Whilst they lay there they were in great want of provision and they
found small relief, more than that they had from the nest of an
osprey (or eagle) that brought hourly to her young great plenty of
divers sorts of fishes. But such was the famine amongst them that they
were forced to eat raw herbs and roots, which they sought for in the
maine. But the relief of herbs being not sufficient to satisfie their
craving appetites, when in the deserts in search of herbage, the
fellow killed his mate while hee stouped to take up a root, and
cutting out pieces of his body whom he had murthered, broyled the same
on the coals and greedily devoured them. By this means the company
decreased and the officers knew not what was become of them."[18]

For many years we must be content with the knowledge that the fishing
resources of Newfoundland were growing in reputation and popularity.
Now and then the curtain is lifted, and we catch a glimpse of life on
the island. Thus Anthony Parkhurst, a Bristol merchant, who had made
the voyage himself four times, notes in 1578, in a letter written to
Hakluyt containing a report of the true state and commodities of
Newfoundland, that "there were generally more than 100 sail of
Spaniards taking cod, and from 20 to 30 killing whales; 50 sail of
Portuguese; 150 sail of French and Bretons ... but of English only