ery, and so much the
rather, because the year before I had been in the same place and found it
very convenient for such a purpose, well stored with float wood, and
possessed by a people of tractable conversation; so that the
nine-and-twentieth of this month we arrived within the isles which lay
before this land, lying north-north-west and south-south-east we know not
how far. This land is very high and mountainous, having before it on the
west side a mighty company of isles full of fair sounds and harbours.
This land was very little troubled with snow, and the sea altogether void
of ice.

The ships being within the sounds we sent our boats to search for shallow
water, where we might anchor, which in this place is very hard to find;
and as the boat went sounding and searching, the people of the country
having espied them, came in their canoes towards them with many shouts
and cries; but after they had espied in the boat some of our company that
were the year before here with us, they presently rowed to the boat and
took hold in the oar, and hung about the boat with such comfortable joy
as would require a long discourse to be uttered; they came with the boats
to our ships, making signs that they knew all those that the year before
had been with them. After I perceived their joy and small fear of us,
myself with the merchants and others of the company went ashore, bearing
with me twenty knives. I had no sooner landed, but they leapt out of
their canoes and came running to me and the rest, and embraced us with
many signs of hearty welcome. At this present there were eighteen of
them, and to each of them I gave a knife; they offered skins to me for
reward, but I made signs that it was not sold, but given them of
courtesy, and so dismissed them for that time, with signs that they
should return again after certain hours.

The next day, with all possible speed, the pinnace was landed upon an
isle there to be finished to serve our purpose for the discovery, which
isle was so convenient for that purpose, as that we were very well able
to defend ourselves against many enemies. During the time that the
pinnace was there setting up, the people came continually unto us,
sometimes a hundred canoes at a time, sometimes forty, fifty, more and
less as occasion served. They brought with them seal skins, stags'
skins, white hares, seal fish, salmon peel, small cod, dry caplin, with
other fish and birds such as the country did yield.