concluded to departe from thence, trending along the shore betweene the North and the East, sayling onely in the daytime, & riding at ancker by night in the space of 100. leagues sayling, wee founde a very pleasant place, situated amongst certaine litle steepe hilles: form amiddest the which hilles there ran down into the sea a great streame of water, which within the mouth was very deep, & from y͏ͤ sea to y͏ͤ mouth of same with the tyde which wee found to rise 8. foot, any great vessell laden may passe vp.
But because wee rode at Ancker in a place well fensed from the winde, wee woulde not venture our selues without knowledge of the place, and wee passed vp with our boate onely into the sayde Riuer, and sawe the Countrey very wel peopled. The people are almost like vnto the others, and clad with the fethers of foules of diuers colours, they came towardes vs very cherefully, making great showtes of admiration, shewing vs where we might come to lande most safely with our boate. We entred vp the said riuer into the lande about halfe a league, where it made a most pleasant lake about 3. leagues in compasse: on the which they rowed from the one side to the other to the number of 30. of their small boates: wherein were many people whiche passed from one shore to the other to come and see vs, and beholde vpon the sodaine (as it is wont to fall out in sayling) a contrarie flawe of winde comming from the sea, wee were enforced to returne to our Shippe, leauing this lande to our great discontentment, for the great commoditie and pleasantnesse thereofThe pleasantnes and riches of the lande. whiche wee suppose is not without some riches, all the hills shewing minerall matters in thẽ. We weied Ancker, and sayled towarde the East, for so the coast trended, and so alwayes for 50. leagues being in the sight thereof wee discouered an IlandeThe descriptiõ of Claudia Ilande. in forme of a triangle, distant from the maine lande 3. leagues, about the bignesse of the Ilande of the Rodes, it was full of hilles couered with trees, well peopled, for we sawe fires all along the coaste, wee gaue the name of it,Claudia was wife of King Francis. of your Maiesties mother, not staying there by reason of the weather being contrarie.
And
