Morning journal and courier., 1891-01-31
CCopyrighted.) LONG ISLAND SOUND.

Haven Colony Historical Society. l
 CONTINUED Departing hence, the next place we ar rived at was Capaock, (Martha's Vineyar6 an island formerly discovered by the Eng fish, where I met with Epinow, savage that had lived in England and speaks in different good English, who four years since, being carried home, was reported to have been slain with divers of his own countrymen by sailors, which was false. With him had much conference, who gave me very good satisfaction in everything al- most could demand Time not permit ting me to search here, (Martha's Vineyar0 which I should have done for sundry things of special moment, the wind fair, l stood away, shaping my course as the course led me till came to the most westerly part, where the coast began to fall away souther- ly. In my way I discovered probably Long Island) land about thirty leagues in length, heretofore taken for main, (see old chart) where feared had embayed; but by the help of an Indian I got to sea again through many crooked and straight pas sages. let pass many accidents in thls journey, occasioned by treachery, where we were compelled twice to go together by the ears; once the savages had had great advantage of us in strait not above bow shot wide East river) and where 8 multi tude of Indians let fly at us from the bank, but it pleased God to make us victors. Near unto this we found most dangerous cataract amongst small rocky islands, Gslands in Hell Gate) occasioned by two unequaled tides, the one ebbing and flowing two hours before the other Here we lost an anchor by the strength of the current, but found it deep enough. From hence we were carried in a short space by the tides swiftness into great bay (New York bay) (to us appearing), but indeed is broken land, which gave us light of the sea (Nar- rows); here, as I said, the land rendeth southerly. In this place I talked with many savageD, who told me of two sundry passages to the great sea (the kills and mar rows) on the west, offered me pilots, and one of them drew me plat with chalk up on chest whereby I found it great isl and parted by two seas. They report the one scarce possible kills) for shoals, peril ous currents; the other no question to be made of.
 Having received these directions hasten to the place of the greatest hope, where I proposed to make trial of Gods goodness toward us and use my best endeavors to bring the truth to light, but we were only l showed the entrance, when in seeking to pass we were forced back by contrary and 1 overblowing winds, hardly escaping (with) our lives. But thus overcharged with wither stood along the coast to seek har- | Dor, to attend a favorable gale to recover the strait, but being harborless coast | for aught we then could perceive | we found no succor till we arrived be, twixt Cape Charles and the main, on the east side of the bay Chesapeake, where in 8 wild (wide) road we anchored; and the next day (the eighth of September) crossed the bay to Kecoughtan, between York ano James river, where the first news struck cold to our hearts-the general sickness l was over the land.
 Here l resolved with all possible speed l to return in pursuit of this business, SC that after little refreshing we recovered up the river to James City, and iron thence to Captain Wards plantation, wher, we immediately fell to hewing of board for a close deck, having found it mos desired course to attempt as before. A we were thus laboring to affect our pur poses, it pleased Almighty God (who onl, disposeth of the times and seasons whereil all works shall be accomplished) to visi us with his heavy hand, so that at on
 time there were but two of us able to hell
 the rest; myself so sore, shaking with
 burning fever, that was besought eve
 unto deaths door, but at length by God
 assistance escaped, and have now with tn
 rest almost received my former health
 The winter having overtaken us Ca tim
 on these coasts, especially subject to gust
 and fearful storms) I have now resolved
 choose more temperate season, both fc
 the general good and our own safeties
 And have sent you broken discours
 though, indeed very unwilling to hay
 given any notice at all till it had please
 God to have blessed me with thoroughe . search, that our eyes might have wi
 messed the truth. I have drawn a plot
 the coast which dare not yet part wit for fear of danger; let this, therefore, ser, for confirmation of your hopes until I ca better perform my promise and your d. sire For what I have spoken can pr ,. duce at least mille tests, (a thousand wi ] nesses) far separate of the sea behind then and of ships (war canoes) which came man days journey from the west, and of u :" great extent of this sea to the north an
 south, not knowing any bounds theret , | westward I cease to trouble you till better opportunity offers itself, remen
 bering my best love, etc., I rest yours
 command, THOMAS DERMER.
 This captain Dermer is frequently mel
 toned. in the narratives of Gorges an Smith. His voyage (through Long Islan
 Sound) was an important link in tE
 chain of discovery as it made known a
 terwards to the friends of the Amer
 can settlements in New England man | parts of the American coast that had @
 caped notice from previous navigators.
 He seems to have been employed by u
 Plymouth company and mentioned t them in brief relation of the discover
 of New England, 1907 to 1622, and also
 his voyage to Virginia; the account stat,
 that on his return to New England,
 met Dutch traders who had business wit
 the New Netherlands, and that he betoo
 himself to his business of discovery, fint 5 ing many goodly rivers and exceedingl r pleasant and fruitful coast, and islanc from the Hudson river to Cape Coz . which was so named by Captain Joh
 Smith in 1914 and called Patuxet by tt l Indians, and in Dermer's last letter tn. ] officer recommends this harbor to u company for settlement by the "fir'
 plantation if they come to the number ( | fifty persons or upwards"
 Soon ofter the date of the last letter, De
 mer visited Marthas Vineyard, and it
 | supposed his object was to examine a mir , as the glittering sands of Gay Head ha led many to suppose that here was walt able mineral deposit.
 Homes Annals says: "It is probab
 that the second letter of Dermer was at
 dressed to Sir Ferdinando Gorges. a
 active and efficient member of the counc
 of Plymouth and special patron of tt
 enterprise in which he was engaged. Go
 ges says that Dermer sent him "a journ
 of his proceedings, with the description
 coast all along as he passed" The obje, of his voyage may be understood from tt following statement:
 It appears that an Englishman of tI name of Hunt commanded one of tt ships with which Captain Smith came { . New England in 1914. Hunt remained c the coast after Smiths departure, and SUI ceeded in kidnapping number of Indian 7 chiefly from Patuxet, afterwards Plymoutl whom he carried to Malaga, in Spain, an endeavored to sell for slaves. As sool however, as the circumstances ocean : known, sympathy was excited in beha .. of the unfortunate captives, and throup the benevolent efforts of the monks ( that city, many of them were rescued fro slavery, and found their way back to the native forests. Among them is said , have been chief named Tisquantum, : as more commonly written, Squanto, WI
 reached London, where he was receive
 into the family of Mr. John Henry Cor