Novelties of the New World; Or, the Adventures and Discoveries of the First Explorers of North America (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 edition. Excerpt: ...until he reached in safety Warwick Sound. He went'on shore and searched for mines. He found that, though this was one of the bleakest and coldest countries in the world, yet in the valleys the air was sometimes astonishingly hot. It continued so, however, only a short time. When the wind blew over fields of ice, it suddenly changed this heat into the most piercing cold. During this, as in his former voyages, Frobisher found the inhabitants extremely shy. Evidences of their own skill, or of their intercourse with civilized nations, were furnished by iron bars, dart-heads of the 160 SEPARATION OF THE FLEET. same metal, needles with four square points, and copper buttons for forehead ornaments, which were found among them. They also had kettles of stone, which exhibited much ingenuity. In one place, a house was seen, built of lime and' stone, and also an oven. Dogs were used to draw their luggage over the ice. Fires were kindled by the friction caused by rubbing two sticks together, a practice which was generally adopted by Indians all over the continent. Three of the vessels, having become separated from the rest of the fleet, had been long at sea without being heard from. Whether they had perished, or had returned to England like the Michael io the former voyage, or had kept out to sea to avoid danger, was unknown. On the other hand, the vessels which were missed knew not where to find the rest of the fleet from which they were severed. They, however, after much difficulty from the ice, made a harbor. But Frobisher was not there. As their vessels were damaged by the severity of the voyage, they concluded to bestow upon them necessary repairs, and then to put together a pinnace, the framework of which they brought with them, and in that to search...