Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 2
1630-06
Tuesday June 8.
about 3: in the afternoone.
the lande appeared thus to vs
in the Center of this circle
thus it semed at first
in the evening
12 15: leg:
thus it seemed next daye
this lyes in 44.
10: leg, n: b: w:
5. or 6: lowe ilandes lye thus
this rock lyes thus
a litle aboue water. neere no lande by 3: or 4: leg,
when the great hill in the maine Lande
laye n: & b: E: from vs. the rock laye E: by n.
& the 5: or 6: small Ilandes of low land laye the
foremost n: & the rest more w: eache after other
& seemed to be middwaye, towardes the mayne
then we sawe other verye highe lande to the n: w: which se
muche neerer then the other highe lande: & other broken landes
to the w: of indifferent height.
we were at this tyme in 43: ½ June 9. & had 60: fath: water
softe oaze.
the 3: Turkes heades.
some 4: le: from the litle rock.1
These legends and the accompanying sketches, together with the entries in the Journal for June 8, have been studied by S. E. Morison in Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, XXVII. His conclusion is, briefly, that the center of the circle represents the point at which Mount Desert was sighted at 3 P.M., June 8, distant about twelve leagues; and the upper left-hand sketch represents Mount Desert as it then appeared. Thence the Arbella steered W.S.W. through the night of June 8–9. The upper right-hand range of hills represents either Mount Desert or the Camden Hills as they appeared on June 9, distant about ten leagues. The legend on the upper left-hand corner of Winthrop's sketch, together with his entry for June 9, enables us to identify the “litle rock” “a litle aboue water” as Matinicus Rock. It is this rock, together with Matinicus and Ragged Arse Islands, which are depicted on the sketch, just to the N.E. of the circle, and described in the adjoining legends. On June 10 the Arbella sailed W. by S., well off the Maine coast, descrying in the afternoon “the 3: turkes heades” (Mt. Agamenticus near York), which is depicted on the sketch to the left of the circle.