]6\0. HENRY HUDSON". 191 



Hudson now began to make preparations for 

 leaving the bay in which they had wintered; 

 previous to which he deUvered out all the bread, 

 being a pound to each man for about a fortnight, 

 " and he wept when he gave it unto them." 

 They had five cheeses, which were also (Uvided 

 among them, and which afforded three pounds and 

 a half for seven days. They then stood to the north- 

 west, and on the 18th June fell in with ice, and 

 on the 21st, being still in the ice, Wilson the boat- 

 swain and Greene came to Pricket, who was lying 

 lame in his cabin, and told him that they and the 

 rest of their associates meant to turn the master 

 and all the sick into the boat, and leave them to 

 shift for themselves ; that there was not fourteen 

 days' victuals left for the whole crew ; that they 

 had not eaten any thing the last three days, and 

 were therefore resolved " either tb mend or end ; 

 and what they had begun they would go through 

 with it or die." Pricket of course says he dis- 

 suaded them from their horrid design, but that 

 Greene bad him to hold his tongue, for he knew 

 the worst, and he would rather be hanged at home 

 than starved abroad. Presently came five or six 

 others to Pricket's cabin, where the following oath 

 was administered to each of the conspirators : 

 ** You shall swear truth to God, your prince, and 

 country ; you shall do nothing but to the glory of 

 God and the good of the action in hand, and harm 

 to no man :" and so it very soon appeared ; for, on 



