De gedenkwaardige reizen vanden beroemden Capiteyn Johan Smith na Virginien; gedaan in den jare 1606. en ...

1606

Intention of some mutineers.

The text begins by describing a man's desire to abandon the mission, yet he did not wish to forsake the service of God in such a voyage, much less show any inclination to join with some mutineers whose slanderous intention was, had they been able to overcome it, to topple the entire undertaking. So much strife and dissatisfaction arose at that time, which would have surely erupted had he not, with the water of patience and his God-fearing admonitions, but mainly with his upright, godly example, extinguished that flame of envy and discord.

Arrival at the Canary Islands.

We arrived then finally at the Canary Islands, where we took on water, trading with the savages of Dominica; and spent 3 weeks refreshing ourselves around these West Indian Islands; in Guadeloupe we found a bath of water so hot that we boiled our pork in it, just as well as over a fire.

Guadeloupe.

Monica;

And on a small island named Monica, we took in the span of 3 or 4 hours, with our own hands, about 2 hogsheads full of fowl, such as the curassow. In Nevis, Mona, and the Virgin Islands, we spent some time, where we feasted daily on a slow beast, almost like a crocodile, and on turtles, pelicans, parrots, and fish.

Nevis. Mona.

The people very desolate.

Going from there in search of Virginia, the people were very desolate, since the seamen were out of their reckoning by at least 3 days and we found no land, so that Ratcliffe, Captain of the pinnace small ship, threatened to take the helm to turn back to England rather than continue searching for Virginia. But God, the director of all good affairs, forced the same through a violent storm that lasted the entire night to drift upon His mercy, so that through His providence we arrived there beyond all expectation at the harbor of our desire—

Storm brings them to a good roadstead.