Authors, West Frislande, I thinke because it lyeth more West then any part
of Europe. It extendeth in latitude to the Northward very farre as seemed
to vs, and appeareth by a description set out by two brethren Venetians,
Nicholaus and Antonius Zeni, who being driuen off from Ireland with a
violent tempest made shipwracke here, and were the first knowen Christians
that discouered this land about two hundred yeares sithence, and they haue
in their Sea cardes set out euery part thereof and described the condition
of the inhabitants, declaring them to be as ciuill and religous people as
we. And for so much of this land as we haue sayled alongst, comparing their
Carde with the coast, we finde it very agreeable. [Sidenote: An easie kind
of Fishing.] This coast seemeth to haue good fishing, for we lying becalmed
let falle a hooke without any bayte and presently caught a great fish
called a Hollibut, who serued the whole companie for a dayes meate, and is
dangerous meate for surfetting. [Sidenote: White Corrall got by sounding.]
And sounding about fiue leagues off from the shore, our leade brought vp in
the tallow a kinde of Corrall almost white, and small stones as bright as
Christall: and it is not to be doubted but that this land may be found very
rich and beneficial if it were thoroughly discovered, although we sawe no
creature there but little birdes. [Sidenote: Monstrous Isles of yce, in
taste fresh, wherehence they are supposed to come.] It is a maruellous
thing to behold of what great bignesse and depth some Ilands of yce be
here, some seuentie, some eightie fadome vnder water, besides that which is
aboue, seeming Ilands more then halfe a mile in circuit. All these yce are
in tast fresh, and seeme to be bredde in the sounds thereabouts, or in some
lande neere the pole, and with the winde and tides are driuen alongst the
coastes. [Sidenote: The opinion of the frozen seas is destroyed by
experience.] We found none of these Ilands of yce salt in taste, whereby it
appeareth that they were not congealed of the Ocean Sea water which is
alwayes salt, but of some standing or little moouing lakes or great fresh
waters neere the shore, caused eyther by melted snowe from tops of