David Ingram 1568 MAINE
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David Ingram was one of the companions of Sir John Hawkins, when he was forced to take refuge from a storm in the Mexican harbour of San Juan de Ulua, in the autumn of 1568. After several days of amicable traffic for the slaves brought by Hawkins from Africa, the English ships were suddenly attacked by an overpowering Spanish force. Hawkins succeeded in gathering most of his men into two of the vessels, and in fighting his way out of the harbour. The escape from danger was only temporary, however, for the two ships were so overcrowded that it quickly became evident that they could not possibly make the voyage across the Atlantic to England. About a hundred men were therefore set on shore, on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Three of these men succeeded in making their way across the central and eastern portion of what is now the United States. A French fur-trader found them somewhere on the eastern Maine coast and carried them back to Europe.
One of these trans-continental wanderers, David Ingram, wrote an account of his adventures, in which he mingled much fiction with some probable truth. The paragraphs reprinted here contain the most plausible portion of his narrative. There are numerous contemporary manuscript copies of Ingram’s narrative, testifying to the curiosity which it excited at the time. It was first printed in 1582 by Hakluyt, who omitted it from his subsequent publications because of its dubious veracity.
THE Relacon of Davyd Ingram of Barkinge in the Com of Essex Saylor, being nowe abowt the age of fortye yeares, of sundrye thinges which he with others did see in Travelinge by lande from the moste northerlie parte of the Baye of Mezico where he with many others weare sett on shoare by Mr Hawkyns throughe a greate parte of Ameryca vntill they came within fivetye leagues or theraboutes of Cape Britton which he reported vnto Sr. ffrauncys Walsingham Kt. her Majesties principall Secretarye and to Sr. George Peckham Knight and dyuers others of good iudgment and Creditt in August and September Anno Domini 1582.
ABOUTE the beginninge of Octobar Anno Domini 1568 1568 OctoberDavyd Ingram with the reste of his Company beinge an C. [i. e. 100] persons in all weare sett on lande by Mr. John Hawkyns about sixe leagues to the weste of the Ryvar Camina or Rio de Mynas which standethe aboute 140 leagues weste and by northe from the Cape of floryda he hathe travayled in those Countryes from beyonde terra florida extendinge towardes the Cape Britton about eleaven monethes in the whole, and aboute seaven monethes therof in those Countryes which lye towardes the northe of the Ryu of Maii. In which tyme as the saide Ingram thincketh he travayled by land 2000 myles at the leaste, and never contynued in any one place above 3 or 4. daies savinge onlye at the Cyttie of Balma where he stayed VI or VII. daies.
After longe travayle the foresaid Davyd Ingram with his twoe Companions Browne and Twyde came to the head of a Ryvar called Gugida St. John Riverwhich is 60 leagues weste from Cape Britton where they vnderstode by the people of that Countrye, of the arryvall of a Christyan, whervppon they made there repayer to the Sea syde, and there founde a frenche Capitaine named Mounsieur Champaine whoe toke them into his Shippe and brought them vnto Newhaven, and from thence they weare transported into England Anno Domini 1569.
This Mounsieur Champaine with dyvers of his Company was brought into the village of Baryniathe aboute twentye myles vpp into the Countrye by the saide Ext and his twoe Companions by whose meanes he had a trade with the people, of dyvers sortes of fyne furres and of great redde leaves of Trees almoste a yarde longe and aboute a foote broade which he thincketh are good for dyenge.
Alsoe the saide Mounsieur Champaine had there for exchange of tryflinge wares a good quantytie of rude and vnwrought sylver.
He saieth furthar that dyvers of the saide frenche men which weare in the saide Shippe called the Gargaryne, are yet lyvinge in ······· vppon the Coaste of ffraunce as he thincketh, for he did speake with some of them within these three yeares.
Aboute a fortnight after there cominge from Newhaven into England this Ext and his twoe Companyons came to Mr. John Hawkyns whoe had sett them on shoare vppon the Baye of Mezico, and vnto eache of them he gave a Rewarde.
Richard Browne his Companyon was slayne aboute five yeares paste in the Elizabeth of Mr. Cockens of London, and Richard Twyde his other Companyon dyed at Ratclif in John Sherwoodes howse there aboute three yeares paste.
Grando is a word of salutacion, as amonge vs good morrowe good even god save you, and such like.
Garriccona a Kinge.
Garraccona a Lorde.
Tona Bredde.
Carningnaz, the privyties.
Kerrucca the sonne.
Alsoe the saide Davyd Ingram travelinge towardes the northe founde the mayne Sea vppon the northe syde of Ameryca, Great Lakesand travayled in the sighte therof the space of twoe whole dayes, where the people signifyed vnto him that they had seene Shippes on that Coaste and did drawe vppon the grounde the Shape and signe of Shippes and of there Sales and flagges which thinge especyallye provethe the passage of the northe weste and is agreable to the experyence of the Spanishe Captaine Vasques de Coronado, founde a Shippe of China or Caytaia vppon the northe weste of Ameryca.