ould have been of great
advantage, as indicating a short way to India. The other proposition
was to direct their search through Davis's Straits. This meeting with
general approval, they sailed thitherward on the 14th of May, and
arrived on the last day of May with a good wind at the Faroe Islands,
where they stopped but twenty-four hours, to supply themselves with
fresh water. After leaving these islands, they sailed on, till on the
18th of July they reached the coast of Nova Francia, under 44 degrees,
where they were obliged to run in, in order to get a new foremast,
having lost theirs. They found one, and set it up. They found this a
good place for cod-fishing, as also for traffic in good skins and furs,
which were to be got there at a very low price. But the crew behaved
badly towards the people of the country, taking their property by
force, out of which there arose quarrels among themselves. The
English, fearing that between the two they would be outnumbered and
worsted, were therefore afraid to pursue the matter further. So they
left that place on the 26th of July, and kept out at sea till the 3d of
August, when they came near the coast, in 42 degrees of latitude.
Thence they sailed on, till on the 12th of August they again reached
the shore, under 37 degrees 45'. Thence they sailed along the shore
until they reached 40 degrees 45', where they found a good entrance,
between two headlands, and entered on the 12th of September into as
fine a river as can be found, wide and deep, with good anchoring ground
on both sides.

Their ship finally sailed up the river as far as 42 degrees 40'. But
their boat went higher up. In the lower part of the river they found
strong and warlike people; but in the upper part they found friendly
and polite people, who had an abundance of provisions, skins, and furs,
of martens and foxes, and many other commodities, as birds and fruit,
even white and red grapes, and they traded amicably with the people.
And of all the above-mentioned commodities they brought some home. When
they had thus been about fifty leagues up the river, they returned on
the 4th of October, and went again to sea. More could have been done if
there had been good-will among the crew and if the want of some
necessary provisions had not prevented it. While at sea, they held
counsel together, but were of different opinions. The mate, a Dutchman,
advised to winter in Newfoundland, and to search the northwestern
passag