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Extract from May-June 1607 from the journal of Gabriel Archer

Transcript

The wemen are very cleanly in making their bread and prepareing meat. I found they account after death to goe into an other world pointing eastward to the Element, and when they saw vs at prayer they observed vs with great silence and respect, especially those to whome I had imparted the meaning of our reverence. To conclude they are a very witty and ingenious people, apt both to vnderstand and speake our language, so that I hope in god as he hath miraculously preserved vs hither from all dangers both of sea and land & their fury so he will

make vs authors of his holy will in converting them to our true Christian faith by his owne inspireing grace and knowledge of his deity.

Translation

The women are very skilled in making their bread and preparing meat. I found that they claim that after death one goes into another world pointing eastward to the element. When they saw us at prayer they observed us with great silence and respect, especially to those who I had told the meaning of our reverence [worship]. To conclude, they are a very witty and ingenious people, capable both of understanding and speaking our language, so that I hope in god, as he has miraculously preserved us so far from all dangers both of sea and land & their fury, so he will make us authors of his holy will in converting them to our true Christian faith by his own inspiring grace and knowledge of his deity [divinity].