Α

TRUE RELATION

OF THE

MOST PROSPEROUS VOYAGE MADE THIS PRESENT YEAR, 1605,

BY CAPTAIN GEORGE WAYMOUTH,

IN THE DISCOVRRY OF

THE LAND OF VIRGINIA,

WHERE HE DISCOVERED, SIXTY MILES UP, A MOST EXCELLENT RIVER;

[In the fourth volume of Purchas's Pilgrims is a Chapter containing extracts from this work. The whole is here reprinted from a transcript procured in England by Professor Sparks, and communicated by F. C. Gray.]

TO THE READER.

Being employed in this voyage by the right honorable Thomas Arundell, Baron of Warder, to take due notice, and make true report of the discovery therein performed: I became very diligent to observe (as much as I could) whatsoever was material or of consequence in the business, which I collected into this brief summary, intending upon our return to publish the same. But he soon changed the course of his intendments; and long before our arrival in England had so far engaged himself with the Archduke, that he was constrained to relinquish this action. But the commodities and profits of the country, together with the fitness of plantation, being by some honorable gentlemen of good worth and quality, and merchants of good sufficiency and judgment duly considered, have at their own charge, (intending both their private and the common benefit of their country) undertaken the transporting of a Colony for the plantation thereof; being much encouraged thereunto by the gracious favor of the King's Majesty himself, and divers Lords of his Highness' most Honorable Privy Council. After these purposed designs were concluded, I was animated to publish this brief relation, and not before; because some foreign nation (being fully assured of the fruitfulness of the country) have hoped hereby to gain some knowledge of the place, seeing they could not allure our Captain or any special man of our company, to combine with them for their direction, nor obtain their purpose, in conveying away our savages, which was busily in practice. And this is the cause that I have neither written of the latitude or variation most exactly observed by our Captain with sundry instruments, which together with his perfect geographical map of the country, he intendeth hereafter to set forth. I have likewise purposedly

omitted here to add a collection of many words in their language, to the number of four or five hundred, as also the names of divers of their Governors, as well their friends as their enemies; being reserved to be made known for the benefit of those that shall go in the next voyage. But our particular proceedings in the whole discovery, the commodious situation of the river, the fertility of the land, with the profits there to be had, and here reported, I refer to be verified by the whole company, as being eye-witnesses of my words, and most of them near inhabitants upon the Thames. So with my prayers to God for the conversion of so ingenious and well-disposed people, and for the prosperous successive events of the noble intenders the prosecution thereof, I rest Your friend,

J. R.

A TRUE RELATION OF CAPTAIN GEORGE WAYMOUTH, HIS VOYAGE MADE THIS PRESENT YEAR 1605, IN THE DISCOVERY OF THE NORTH PART OF VIRGINIA.

UPON Tuesday, the 5th day of March, about ten o'clock before noon, we set sail from Ratcliffe, and came to an anchor that tide about two o'clock before Gravesend.

From thence the 10th of March, being Sunday, at night, we anchored in the Downs, and there rode till the next day about three o'clock afternoon, when with a scant wind we set sail; and by reason the wind continued southwardly, we were beaten up and down: but on Saturday, the sixteenth day, about four o'clock afternoon, we put into Dartmouth Haven, where the continuance of the wind at south and south-west, constrained us to ride till the last of this month. There we shipped some of our men, and supplied necessaries for our ship and voyage.

Upon Easter day, being the last of March, the wind coming at north-north-east, about five o'clock afternoon we weighed anchor, and put to sea. In the name of God, being well victualled and furnished with munition and all necessaries our whole company being but twenty-nine persons; of whom I may boldly say, few voyages have been manned forth with better seamen generally in respect of our small

number.

Monday, the next day, being the first of April, by six o'clock in the morning, we were six leagues south-south-east from the Lizard.

At two in the afternoon this day, the weather being very fair, our captain for his own experience and others with him sounded, and had six-and-fifty fathoms and a half. The sounding was some small black perrie sand, some reddish sand, a match or two, with small shells called Saint James's shells.

The fourteenth of April, being Sunday, between nine and ten of the clock in the morning, our captain descried the island Cuerno: which bare south-west-and-by-west, about