[Sidenote: Great abundance of Firre trees floting in the sea.] All along
these seas, after we were sixe dayes sailing from Orkney, we met floting in
the sea, great Firre trees, which as we iudged, were with the furie of
great floods rooted vp, and so driuen into the sea. Island hath almost no
other wood nor fuell, but such as they take vp vpon their coastes.
[Sidenote: Inquire further of this current.] It seemeth, that these trees
are driuen from some part of the New found land, with the current that
setteth from the West to the East.[50]

The 4. of Iuly we came within the making of Frisland.[51] From this shoare
10. or 12. leagues, we met great Islands of yce, of halfe a mile, some
more, some lesse in compasse, shewing aboue the sea, 30. or 40. fathoms,
and as we supposed fast on ground, where with our lead we could scarse
sound the bottome for depth.

[Sidenote: Yce, snow, and haile in Iune and Iuly.] Here, in place of
odoriferous and fragrant smels of sweete gums, and pleasant notes of
musicall birdes, which other Countreys in more temperate Zones do yeeld,
wee tasted the most boisterous Boreal blasts mixt with snow and haile, in
the moneths of Iune and Iuly, nothing inferior to our vntemperate winter: a
sudden alteration, and especially in a place or Paralelle, where the Pole
is not eleuate aboue 61. degrees: at which height other Countreys more to
the North, yea vnto 70. degrees, shew themselues more temperate then this
doth.

All along this coast yce lieth, as a continuall bulwarke, and so defendeth
the countrey, that those that would land there, incur great danger. Our
Generall 3. dayes together attempted with the ship boate to haue gone on
shoare, which for that without great danger he could not accomplish, he