mountaines, or by continuall accesse of fresh riuers from the land, and
intermingling with the Sea water, bearing yet the dominion (by the force of
extreame frost) may cause some part of salt water to freese so with it, and
so seeme a little brackish, but otherwise the maine Sea freeseth not, and
therefore there is no Mare Glaciale or frosen Sea, as the opinion hitherto
hath bene. Our Generall prooued landing here twice, but by the suddaine
fall of mistes (whereunto this coast is much subiect) he was like to loose
sight of his ships, and being greatly endangered with the driuing yce
alongst the coast, was forced aboord and faine to surcease his pretence
till a better opportunitie might serue: and hauing spent foure dayes and
nights sayling alongst this land, finding the coast subiect to such bitter
colde and continuall mistes he determined to spend no more time therein,
but to beare out his course towards the streights called Frobishers
streights after the Generals name, who being the first that euer passed
beyond 58 degrees to the Northwardes, for any thing that hath beene yet
knowen of certaintie of New found land, otherwise called the continent or
firme land of America, discouered the saide straights this last yere 1576.

[Sidenote: The Stirrage of the Michaell broken by tempest.] Betweene
Frisland and the Straights we had one great storme, wherein the Michaell
was somewhat in danger, hauing her Stirrage broken, and her toppe Mastes
blowen ouer boord, and being not past 50 leagues short of the Straights by
our account, we stroke sayle and lay a hull, fearing the continuance of the
storme, the winde being at the Northeast, and hauing lost companie of the
Barkes in that flaw of winde, we happily met againe the seuenteenth day of
Iuly, hauing the euening before seene diuers Ilands of fleeting yce, which
gaue an argument that we were not farre from land. [Sidenote: The first
entrance of the Straights.] Our Generall in the morning from the maine top
(the weather being reasonable cleare) descried land, but to better assured
he sent the two Barkes two contrarie courses, whereby they might discry