The New Atlantis | Page 4

all that we could do) towards the north; by
which time our victuals failed us, though we had made good spare of
them. So that finding ourselves, in the midst of the greatest wilderness
of waters in the world, without victuals, we gave ourselves for lost men
and prepared for death. Yet we did lift up our hearts and voices to God
above, who showeth his wonders in the deep, beseeching him of his
mercy, that as in the beginning he discovered the face of the deep, and
brought forth dry land, so he would not discover land to us, that we
might not perish.
And it came to pass that the next day about evening we saw within a
kenning before us, towards the north, as it were thick clouds, which did
put us in some hope of land; knowing how that part of the South Sea
was utterly unknown; and might have islands, or continents, that
hitherto were not come to light. Wherefore we bent our course thither,
where we saw the appearance of land, all that night; and in the dawning
of the next day, we might plainly discern that it was a land; flat to our
sight, and full of boscage; which made it show the more dark. And after
an hour and a half's sailing, we entered into a good haven, being the
port of a fair city; not great indeed, but well built, and that gave a
pleasant view from the sea: and we thinking every minute long, till we
were on land, came close to the shore, and offered to land. But
straightways we saw divers of the people, with bastons in their hands
(as it were) forbidding us to land; yet without any cries of fierceness,
but only as warning us off, by signs that they made. Whereupon being
not a little discomforted, we were advising with ourselves, what we
should do.
During which time, there made forth to us a small boat, with about
eight persons in it; whereof one of them had in his hand a tipstaff of a
yellow cane, tipped at both ends with blue, who came aboard our ship,

without any show of distrust at all. And when he saw one of our
number, present himself somewhat before the rest, he drew forth a little
scroll of parchment (somewhat yellower than our parchment, and
shining like the leaves of writing tables, but otherwise soft and flexible,)
and delivered it to our foremost man. In which scroll were written in
ancient Hebrew, and in ancient Greek, and in good Latin of the school,
and in Spanish, these words: Land ye not, none of you; and provide to
be gone from this coast, within sixteen days, except you have further
time given you. Meanwhile, if you want fresh water or victuals, or help
for your sick, or that your ship needeth repairs, write down your wants,
and you shall have that, which belongeth to mercy. This scroll was
signed with a stamp of cherubim: wings, not spread, but hanging
downwards; and by them a cross. This being delivered, the officer
returned, and left only a servant with us to receive our answer.
Consulting hereupon amongst ourselves, we were much perplexed. The
denial of landing and hasty warning us away troubled us much; on the
other side, to find that the people had languages, and were so full of
humanity, did comfort us not a little. And above all, the sign of the
cross to that instrument was to us a great rejoicing, and as it were a
certain presage of good. Our answer was in the Spanish tongue; that for
our ship, it was well; for we had rather met with calms and contrary
winds than any tempests. For our sick, they were many, and in very ill
case; so that if they were not permitted to land, they ran danger of their
lives. Our other wants we set down in particular; adding, That we had
some little store of merchandise, which if it pleased them to deal for, it
might supply our wants, without being chargeable unto them. We
offered some reward in pistolets unto the servant, and a piece of
crimson velvet to be presented to the officer; but the servant took them
not, nor would scarce look upon them; and so left us, and went back in
another little boat, which was sent for him.
About three hours after we had dispatched our answer, there came
towards us a person (as it seemed) of place. He had on him a gown with
wide sleeves, of a kind of water chamolet, of an excellent azure colour,
fair more glossy than ours; his under apparel was green; and so was his
hat, being in the form of a turban,