Martin Frobisher

On Monday, the sixth of August, the lieutenante, wyth all the souldyers, for the better garde of the myners, and the other things a shoare, pitched their tents in the Countesses Ilande, and fortified the place for their better defence as well as they could, and were to the number of forty persons: when being all at labour they might perceyve uppon the toppe of a hill over against them a number of the countrey people wafting with a flagge and making great outcries unto them, and were of the same companie whiche had encountred lately our men upon the same shoare, being come to complayne their late losses and to entreate (as it seemed) for restitution of the woman and chylde, whyche our men in the late conflict had taken and brought away: whereuppon the generall taking the savage captive with him, and setting the woman where they mighte best perceyve hir, in the highest place of the ilande, wente over so talk with them. Thys captive at the fyrste encountrie of hys friends, fell so out into teares, that he could not speake a worde in a greate space; but, after a while, overcomming his kyndnesse, hee talked at full wyth hys companyons, and bestowed friendly uppon them suche toyes and trifles as we had gyven him, whereby we noted that they are verie kynde one to the other, and greatly sorrowfull for the loss of their friendes.

On Monday, August 6, the lieutenant, with all the soldiers, to better guard the miners and the other things ashore, pitched their tents on the Countess's Island and fortified the place for their defense as well as they could. They were forty persons in all. While they were all at work, they saw on the top of a hill across from them a number of the country people waving a flag and calling out loudly to them. They were of the same company that had lately fought our men on the other shore. They had come to complain of their recent losses, and to plead (as it seemed) for the return of the woman and child whom our men had taken and brought away in the recent fight. So the general took the savage captive with him and set the woman where they could best see her, in the highest place on the island, and went over to talk with them. At the first meeting with his friends, this captive burst into tears, so that he could not speak a word for a long while. But after a while, overcoming his emotion, he talked at length with his companions, and gave them in friendship such toys and trifles as we had given him. By this we noted that they are very kind to one another, and greatly sorrowful for the loss of their friends.