being earnestly requested by a déere friend , to put downe in writing , some true relation of our late performed voyage to the North parts of Virginia ; at length I resolued to satisfie his request , who also emboldened me to direct the same to your honourable consideration ; to whom indéed of duetie it perteineth .

May it please your Lordship therefore to vnderstand , that vpon the sixe and twentieth of March 1602 , being Friday , we went from Falmouth , being in all , two & thirtie persons , in a small barke of Dartmouth , called The Concord , holding a course for the North part of Virginia : and although by chance the winde fauoured vs not at first as we wished , but inforced vs so farre to the Southward , They fel with S. Marie , one of the Açores . as we fell with S. Marie , one of the islands of the Açores ( which was not much out of our way ) but holding our course directly from thence , we made our iourney shorter ( than hitherto accustomed ) by the better part of a thousand leagues , yet were wée longer in our passage than we expected ; which happened , for that our barke being weake , we were loth to presse her with much saile ; also , our sailers being few , and they none of the best , we bare ( except in faire weather ) but low saile ; besides , our going vpon an vnknowen coast , made vs not ouer-bolde to stand in with the shore , but in open weather ; which caused vs to be certeine daies in sounding , before we discouered the coast , the weather being by chance , somewhat foggie . But on Friday the fourtéenth of May , They discouered land the 14. of May . early in the morning , wée made the land , being full of faire trées , the land somewhat low , certeine hummocks or hilles lying into the land , the shore full of white sand , but very stony or rocky . And standing faire alongst by the shore , about twelue of the clocke the same day , Eight Indians come aboord of them . we came to an anker , where eight Indians , in a Baskeshallop with mast and saile , an iron grapple , and a kettle of Copper , came boldly aboord vs , one of them apparelled with a wastcoat and breeches of blacke serdge , made after our sea-fashion , hose and shoes on his féet ; all the rest ( sauing one that had a paire of breeches of blue cloth ) were naked . The description of them . These people are of tall stature , broad and grim visage , of a blacke swart complexion , their eie-browes painted white ; their weapons are bowes and arrowes . It seemed by some words and signes they made , that some Basks or of S , Iohn de Luz , haue fished or traded in this place , being in the latitude of 43. degrées . But riding heere , in no very good harbour , and withall , doubting the weather , about thrée of the clocke the same day in the afternoone we weighed , & standing Southerly off into sea the rest of that day and the night following , with a fresh gale of winde , in the morning we found our selues embaied with a mightie headland ; but comming to an anker about nine of the clocke the same day , within a league of the shore , we hoised out the one halfe of our shallop , and captaine Bartholmew Gosnold , Their first landing . my selfe , and thrée others , went ashore , being a white sandie and very bolde shore ; and marching all that afternoone with our muskets on our necks , on the highest hilles which we saw ( the weather very hot ) at length we perceiued this headland to be parcell of the maine , and sundrie Islands lying almost round about it : so returning ( towards euening ) to our shallop ( for by that time , the other part was brought ashore and set together ) we espied an Indian , Another Indian . a yoong man , of proper stature , and of a pleasing countenance ; and after some familiaritie with him , we left him at the sea side , and returned to our ship ; where , in fiue or sixe houres absence , we had pestered our ship so with Cod fish , Anexcellent Codfishing . that we threw numbers of them ouer-boord againe : and surely , I am persuaded that in the moneths of March , April , and May , there is vpon this coast , better fishing , and in as great plentie , as in Newfound-land : for the sculles of Mackerell , herrings , Cod , and other fish , that we daily saw as we went and came from the shore , were woonderfull ; and besides , the places where we tooke these Cods ( and might in a few daies haue laden our ship ) were but in seuen fadome water , and within lesse than a league of the shore : where , in Newfound-land they fish in fortie or fiftie fadome water , and farre off . From this place , we sailed round about this headland , A great headland . almost all the points of the compasse , the shore very bolde : but as no coast is frée from dangers , so I am persuaded , this is as frée as any . The land somwhat lowe , full of goodly woods , but in some places plaine . At length we were come amongst many faire Islands , Many faire Islands . which we had partly discerned at our first landing ; all lying within a league or two one of another , and the outermost not aboue sixe or seuen leagues from the maine : The first Island called Marthaes vineyard . but comming to an anker vnder one of them , which was about thrée or foure leagues from the maine , captaine Gosnold , my selfe , and some others , went ashore , and going round about it , we found it to be foure English miles in compasse , without house or inhabitant , sauing a little old house made of boughes , couered with barke , an olde piece of a weare of the Indians , to catch fish , and one or two places , where they had made fires . The chiefest trées of this Island , are Béeches Beeches . and Cedars ; Cedars . the outward parts all ouergrowen with lowe bushie trées , thrée or foure foot in height , which beare some kinde of fruits , as appeared by their blossomes ; Strawberries , red and white , as sweet and much bigger than ours in England : Rasberies , Gooseberies , Hurtleberies , and such an incredible store of Uines , Uines in abundance . aswell in the wooddie part of the Island , where they run vpon euery trée , as on the outward parts , that we could not goe for treading vpon them : also , many springs Springs . of excellent swéet water , and a great standing lake A Lake . of fresh water , néere the sea side , an English mile in compasse , which is mainteined with the springs running excéeding pleasantly thorow the wooddie grounds which are very rockie . Here are also in this Island , great store of Déere , Deere . which we saw , and other beasts , Other beasts . as appeared by their tracks ; as also diuers fowles , as Cranes , Cranes . Hernshawes , Hernshawes . Bitters , Bitters . Géese , Geese . Mallards , Mallards . Teales Teales . and other fowles , in great plenty ; also , great store of Pease , which grow in certeine plots all the Island ouer . On the North side of this Island we found many huge bones and ribbes of Whales . This Island , as also all the rest of these Islands , are full of all sorts of stones fit for building ; the sea sides all couered with stones , many of them glistring and shining like minerall stones , and verie rockie : also , the rest of these Islands are replenished with these commodities , and vpon some of them , inhabitants ; as vpon as Island to the Northward , and within two leagues of this ; yet wée found no townes , nor many of their houses , although we saw manie Indians , which are tall big boned men , all naked , sauing they couer their priuy parts with a blacke tewed skin , much like a Black smiths apron , tied about their middle and betwéene their legs behinde : they gaue vs of their fish readie boiled , ( which they carried in a basket made of twigges , not vnlike our osier ) whereof we did eat , and iudged them to be fresh water fish : they gaue vs also of their Tabacco , Tabacco . which they drinke gréene , but dried into powder , very strong and pleasant , and much better than any I haue tasted in England : the necks of their pipes are made of clay hard dried , ( whereof in that Island is great store both red and white ) the other part is a piece of hollow copper , very finely closed and semented together . Wée gaue vnto them certeine trifles , as kniues , points , and such like , which they much estéemed . From hence we went to another Island , Elizabeths Island . to the Northwest of this , and within a league or two of the maine , which we found to bee greater than before we imagined , being 16. English miles at the least in compasse ; for it conteineth many pieces or necks of land , which differ nothing from seuerall Islands , sauing that certeine banks of small bredth , do like bridges , ioine them to this Island . On the outsides of this Island are many plaine places of grasse , abundance of Strawberies & other berries before mentioned . In mid May we did sowe in this Island ( for a triall ) in sundry places , Wheat , Barley , Oats , and Pease , Wheat , Barley , and Oats sowed , came vp nine inches in fourteene daies . which in fourtéene daies were sprung vp nine inches and more . The soile is fat and lustie , the vpper crust of gray colour ; but a foot or lesse in depth , of the colour of our hempe-lands in England ; and being thus apt for these and the like graines ; the sowing or setting ( after the ground is clensed ) is no greater labour , than if you should set or sow in one of our best prepared gardens in England . This Island is full of high timbred Oakes , Oakes . their leaues thrise so broad as ours ; Ceders , Cedars . straight and tall ; Béech , Beech. Elme , Elme . hollie , Hollie . Walnut trees Walnut trees . in aboundance , the fruit as bigge as ours , as appeared by those we found vnder the trees , which had lien all the yéere vngathered ; Haslenut trées , Cherry trées , Cherry trees . the leafe , barke and bignesse not differing from ours in England , but the stalke beareth the blossoms or fruit at the end thereof , like a cluster of Grapes , forty or fifty in a bunch ; Sassafras trées Sassafras trees . great plentie all the Island ouer , a trée of high price and profit ; also diuers other fruit trées , Diuers other trees . some of them with strange barkes , of an Orange colour , in feeling soft and smoothe like Ueluet : in the thickest parts of these woods , you may sée a furlong or more round about . On the Northwest side of this Island , néere to the sea side , is a standing Lake of fresh water , almost thrée English miles A lake three miles about . in compasse , in the middest whereof stands a plot of woody ground , an acre in quantitie or not aboue : this Lake is full of small Tortoises , Small Tortoises . and excéedingly frequented with all sorts of fowles before rehearsed , which breed , some low on the banks , and others on low trees about this Lake in great aboundance , whose yong ones of all sorts we tooke and eat at our pleasure : but all these fowles are much bigger than ours in England . Abundance of fowles , much bigger than ours in England . Also , in euery Island , and almost in euery part of euery Island , are great store of Ground nuts , Ground nuts . fortie together on a string , some of them as bigge as hennes egges ; they grow not two inches vnder ground : the which nuts we found to be as good as Potatoes . Also , diuers sorts of shell-fish , Shell fish . as Scalops , Muscles , Cockles , Lobsters , Crabs , Oisters , and Wilks , exéeding good and very great . But not to cloy you with particular rehearsall of such things as God & Nature hath bestowed on these places , in comparison whereof , the most fertil part of al England is ( of it selfe ) but barren ; we went in our light-horsman from this Island to the maine , right against this Island some two leagues off , where comming ashore , we stood a while like men rauished at the beautie The exceeding beautie of the maine land . and delicacie of this swéet soile ; for besides diuers cléere Lakes Great Lakes . of fresh water ( whereof we saw no end ) Modowes Large medowes . very large and full of gréene grasse ; euen the most woody places ( I speake onely of such as I saw ) doe grow so distinct and apart , one trée from another , vpon gréene grassie ground , somewhat higher than the Plaines , as if Nature would shew her selfe aboue her power , artificiall . Hard by , we espied seuen Indians , Seuen Indians . and cumming vp to them , at first they expressed some feare ; but being emboldned by our curteous vsage , and some trifles which we gaue them , they followed vs to a necke of land , which we imagined had beene seuered from the maine ; but finding it otherwise , we perceiued a broad harbour or riuers A broad riuer . mouth , which ranne vp into the maine : and because the day was farre spent , we were forced to returne to the Island from whence we came , leauing the discouery of this harbour , A good harbour . for a time of better leasure . Of the goodnesse of which harbour , as also of many others thereabouts , there is small doubt , considering that all the Islands , as also the maine ( where we were ) is all rockie grounds and broken lands . Now the next day , we determined to fortifie our selues in a little plot of ground in the midst of the Lake aboue mentioned , The English house . where we built an house , and couered it with sedge , which grew about this lake in great aboundance ; in building whereof , we spent thrée wéeks and more : but the second day after our comming from the maine , we espied 11 canowes or boats , with fiftie Indians in them , Eleuen canows with fiftie Indians in them . comming toward vs from this part of the maine , where we , two daies before landed ; and being loth they should discouer our fortification , we went out on the sea side to méete them ; and comming somewhat néere them , they all sat downe vpon the stones , calling aloud to vs ( as we rightly ghessed ) to doe the like , a little distance from them : hauing sat a while in this order , captaine Gosnold willed me to goe vnto them , to sée what countenance they would make ; but as soone as I came vp vnto them , one of them , to whom I had giuen a knife two daies before in the maine , knew me , ( whom I also very wel remembred ) and smiling vpon me , spake somewhat vnto their lord or captaine , Their captaine . which sat in the midst of them , who presently rose vp and tooke a large Beauer skin from one that stood about him , and gaue it vnto me , which I requited for that time the best I could : but I , pointing towards captaine Gosnold , made signes vnto him , that he was our captaine , and desirous to be his friend , and enter league with him , which ( as I perceiued ) he vnderstood , and made signes of ioy : whereuppon captaine Gosnold with the rest of his companie , being twenty in all , came vp vnto them ; and after many signes of gratulations ( captaine Gosnold presenting their Lord with certaine trifles which they wondred at , and highly estéemed ) we became very great friends , and sent for meat aboord our shallop , and gaue them such meats as we had then readie dressed , whereof they misliked nothing but our mustard , whereat they made many a sowre face . While we were thus mery , one of them had conueied a target of ours into one of their canowes , which we suffered , onely to trie whether they were in subiection to this Lord to whom we made signes ( by shewing him another of the same likenesse , and pointing to the canow ) what one of his companie had done : who suddenly expressed some feare , and speaking angerly to one about him ( as we perceiued by his countenance ) caused it presently to be brought backe againe . So the rest of the day we spent in trading with them for Furres , Seuerall sorts of Furres . which are Beauers , Luzernes , Marterns , Otters , Wild-cat skinnes , very large and déepe Furre , blacke Foxes , Conie skinnes , of the colour of our Hares , but somewhat lesse , Déere skinnes , very large , Seale skinnes , and other beasts skinnes , to vs vnknowen . They haue also great store of Copper , Red Copper in abundance . some very redde ; and some of a paler colour ; none of them but haue chaines , earings or collars of this mettall : they head some of their arrows herewith much like our broad arrow heads , very workmanly made . Their chaines Chaines . are many hollow pieces semented together , ech piece of the bignesse of one of our réeds , a finger in length , ten or twelue of them together on a string , which they weare about their necks : their collars Collars . they weare about their bodies like bandelieres a handfull broad , all hollow pieces , like the other , but somewhat shorter , four hundred pieces in a collar , very fine and euenly set together . Besides these , they haue large drinking cups Drinking cuppes of Copper . made like sculles , and other thinne plates of copper , made much like our boare-speare blades , all which they so little estéeme , as they offered their fairest collars or chaines , for a knife or such like trifle , but we séemed little to regard it ; yet I was desirous to vnderstand where they had such store of this mettall , and made signes to one of them ( with whom I was very familiar ) who taking a piece of Copper Mines of Copper . in his hand , made a hole with his finger in the ground , and withall pointed to the maine from whence they came . They strike fire in this manner ; euery one carrieth about him in a purse of tewd leather , a Minerall stone Minerall stones . ( which I take to be their Copper ) and with a flat Emerie stone Emerie stones . ( wherewith Glasiers cut glasse , and Cutlers glase blades ) tied fast to the end of a little sticke , gently he striketh vpon the Minerall stone , and within a stroke or two , a sparke falleth vpon a piece of Touchwood ( much like our Spunge in England ) and with the least sparke he maketh a fire presently . We had also of their Flaxe , Flaxe . wherewith they make many strings and cords , but it is not so bright of colour as ours in England : I am perswaded they haue great store growing vpon the maine , as also Mines and many other rich commodities , which we , wanting both time and meanes , could not possibly discouer . Thus they continued with vs thrée daies , euery night retiring them selues to the furthermost part of our Island two or three miles from our fort : but the fourth day they returned to the maine , pointing fiue or six times to the Sun , and once to the maine , which we vnderstood , that within fiue or six daies they would come from the maine to vs againe : but being in their canowes a little from the shore , they made huge cries & shouts of ioy vnto vs ; and we with our trumpet and cornet , and casting vp our cappes into the aire , made them the best farewell we could : Indians apt for seruice . yet six or seuen of them remained with vs behinde , bearing vs company euery day into the woods , and helpt vs to cut and carie our Sassafras , Sassafras . and some of them lay aboord our ship . These people , as they are excéeding courteous , A goodly people , & of good conditions . gentle of disposition , and well conditioned , excelling all others that we haue séene ; so for shape of bodie and louely fauour , I thinke they excell all the people of America ; of stature much higher than we ; of complexion or colour , much like a darke Oliue ; their eie-browes and haire blacke , which they weare long , tied vp behinde in knots , whereon they pricke feathers of fowles , in fashion of a crownet : some of them are blacke thin bearded ; they make beards of the haire of beasts : and one of them offered a beard of their making to one of our sailers , for his that grew on his face , which because it was of a red colour , they iudged to be none of his owne . They are quicke eied , and stedfast in their looks , fearelesse of others harmes , as intending none themselues ; some of the meaner sort giuen to filching , which the very name of Saluages ( not weighing their ignorance in good or euill ) may easily excuse : their garments are of Déere skins , and some of them weare Furres round and close about their necks . Their apparell . They pronounce our language with great facilitie ; for one of them one day sitting by mee , vpon occasion I spake smiling to him these words : How now ( sirrha ) are you so saucie with my Tabacco ? which words ( without any further repetition ) he suddenly spake so plaine and distinctly , as if he had béene a long scholar in the language . Many other such trials we had , which are héere néedlesse to repeat . Their women Their women . ( such as we saw ) which were but thrée in all , were but lowe of stature , their eie-browes , haire , apparell , and maner of wearing , like to the men , fat , and very well fauoured , and much delighted in our company ; the men are very dutifull towards them . And truely , the holsomnesse and temperature of this Climat , doth not onely argue this people to be answerable to this description , but also of a perfect constitution of body , actiue , strong , healthfull , and very wittie , as the sundry toies of theirs cunningly wrought , may easily witnes . For the agréeing of this Climat The goodnesse or the Climat . with vs ( I speake of my selfe , & so I may iustly do for the rest of our company ) that we found our health & strength all the while we remained there , so to renew and increase , as notwithstanding our diet and lodging was none of the best , yet not one of our company ( God be thanked ) felt the least grudging or inclination to any disease or sicknesse , but were much fatter and in better health than when we went out of England . But after our barke had taken in so much Sassafras , Cedar , Furres , Skinnes , and other commodities , as were thought conuenient ; some of our company that had promised captaine Gosnold to stay , hauing nothing but a sauing voyage in their minds , made our company of inhabitants ( which was small enough before ) much smaller ; so as captaine Gosnold séeing his whole strength to consist but of twelue men , and they but meanly prouided , determined to returne Their return . for England , leauing this Island ( which he called Elizabeths Island ) which as many true sorrowfull eies , as were before desirous to sée it . So the 18. of Iune , being Friday , we weighed , and with indifferent faire winde and weather came to anker the 23 of Iuly , being also Friday ( in all , bare fiue wéeks ) before Exmouth .

The Saluages neither in this attempt shall hurt vs , they being simple , The Saluages vnable to defend or offend . naked and vnarmed , destitute of edge-tooles or weapons ; whereby they are vnable either to defend themselues or to offend vs : neither is it our intent to prouoke , but to cherrish and win them vnto Christianitie by faire meanes ; yet not to trust them too far , but to prouide against all accidents .