theast, and North
northwest, to a very good Cape of land called Cape Orleans. (M100) Al the
said land is low and plaine, and the fairest that may possibly be seene,
full of goodly medowes and trees. True it is that we could finde no
harborough there, because it is all full of shelues and sands. We with our
boats went on shore in many places, and among the rest wee entred into a
goodly riuer, but very shallow, which we named The riuer of boats, because
that there wee saw boates full of wild men that were crossing the riuer.
We had no other notice of the said wild men: for the wind came from the
sea, and so beat vs against the shore, that wee were constrained to retire
our selues with our boates toward our ships. Till the next day morning at
Sunne rising, being the first of Iuly we sailed Northeast, in which time
there rose great mistes and stormes, and therefore wee strucke our sailes
till two of the clocke in the afternoone, that the weather became cleare,
and there we had sight of Cape Orleans, and of another about seuen leagues
from vs, lying North and by East, and that we called Wilde mens Cape. On
the Northside of this Cape about halfe a league, there is a very dangerous
shelfe, and banke of stones. Whilst wee were at this Cape, we sawe a man
running after our boates that were going along the coast, who made signes
vnto vs that we should returne toward the said Cape againe. We seeing such
signes, began to turne toward him, but he seeing vs come, began to flee:
so soone as we were come on shoare, we set a knife before him and a
woollen girdle on a little staffe, and then came to our ships again. That
day we trended the said land about 9. or 10. leagues, hoping to finde some
good harborough, but it was not possible: for as I haue said already, it
is a very low land, and enuironed round about with great shelues.
Neuerthelesse we went that (M101) day on shore in foure places to see the
goodly and sweete smelling trees that were there: we found them to be
Cedars, ewetrees, Pines, white elmes, ashes, willowes, with many other
sorts of trees to vs vnknowen, but without any fruit. The grounds where no
wood is, are very faire, and all full of peason, white and red
gooseberies, strawberies, blackeberies, and wilde corne, euen like vnto
Rie, which seemed to have bene sowen and plowed. This countrey is of
better temperature then any other that can be seene, and very hote. There
are many thrushes, stockdoues, and other birds: to be