Episode 1: An Explorer's View
September 1, 1580
"Land ho!"
I could scarcely believe mine ears. After many days at sea, our long journey eastward was finally nearing its end! It had been weeks since we departed the shores of Shushtrepistaz, and months since our party had left Odense. Now, at last, our destination was before us!
After entering the mouth of the great river, we sailed until we came upon an island which looked promising. The captain gave the order to bring all the people and animals ashore. This task being completed, we held an assembly and agreed to call our new home Nyhavn, for it was our aim to build a harbour here. The captain then turned to me and said, "Bror Henrik, thou art to take men with thee and spy out this land into which we are come. Seek thou out the natives of the country and note their villages, and find thou streams whence we may get fresh water."
Once I had chosen men to accompany me, we set out across the island. After journeying some distance through the forest, we found a great stone, which we noted before moving on.
Further on, we arrived at the shore of the island and spied an Indian village across the water. We crossed over to it and tried to speak with the people therein. After much difficulty, we learned that they called the place Cathlamet, and that there were other villages like their own in the country.
A path led northward from the village across a creek. Following it, we rose many feet above the water which we had previously crossed. Therefore, we named this path the High Road.
The High Road ended at a river some miles north of Cathlamet. We therefore hauled our boat into the river and sailed upstream. The water was calm and slow-moving at first, for the land was exceedingly flat.
However, at length we sailed into a gorge. The hills to either side of us were lofty, and the current slowed our progress.
The gorge was short, though, and before too long, we entered a broad valley. We eventually arrived at another Indian village, and after another difficult conversation, we learned that it was called Elochoman. We therefore called the river and the valley by the same name.
We turned around and sailed back down the Elochoman River, eventually returning to the water which separated our island from the mainland. It seemed fitting to us to then name this water Elochoman Slough, and we continued northward along it until we returned to Nyhavn.
The following day, we set out again, this time to the north, for we desired to climb a great mountain which was visible in that direction. After much climbing, we reached the mountain's summit, which afforded us spectacular views of the land and the river.
Seeing an Indian village to the west, near the great river, we descended the mountain in its direction. When we came unto the village, we endeavoured to speak to the people therein, who told us that they called their village Skamokawa. Having brought with us goods this time, we traded with them, receiving cooked fishes to carry back to Nyhavn. Upon our return thither, we partook of these fishes and found them to be of excellent taste. We then thanked the Lord for His great providence and joined the others in setting up our new home.
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