In this Strait there be many fair harbours, with store of fresh water.
But yet they lack their best commodity, for the water there is of such
depth, that no man shall find ground to anchor in except it be in some
narrow river or corner, or between some rocks; so that if any extreme
blasts or contrary winds do come, whereunto the place is much subject,
it carrieth with it no small danger. The land on both sides is very huge
and mountainous; the lower mountains whereof, although they be monstrous
and wonderful to look upon for their height, yet there are others which
in height exceed them in a strange manner, reaching themselves above
their fellows so high, that between them did appear three regions of
clouds. These mountains are covered with snow. At both the southerly and
easterly parts of the Strait there are islands, among which the sea hath
his indraught into the Straits, even as it hath in the main entrance of
the frete. This Strait is extreme cold, with frost and snow continually;
the trees seem to stoop with the burden of the weather, and yet are
green continually, and many good and sweet herbs do very plentifully
grow and increase under them. The breadth of the Strait is in some
places a league, in some other places two leagues and three leagues, and
in some other four leagues; but the narrowest place hath a league over.
The 24th of August we arrived at an island in the Straits, where we
found great store of fowl which could not fly, of the bigness of geese;
whereof we killed in less than one day 3,000, and victualled ourselves
thoroughly therewith.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25