186 DISCOVERIES OF iGOQ* 



to the westward, " being out of hope to find pas- 

 sage by the north-east," and on the 26th of August 

 arrived at Gravesend.* 



HEXRY HUDSON — Third Voyage. I609. 



The Merchant-adventurers who had set forth 

 the two preceding voyages appear now to liave 

 given up all hope of finding a passage either by 

 the north pole or the north-east : but Hudson was 

 probably more sanguine in his expectations ; for 

 we again find him employed by the Dutch in 

 another voyage of discovery. The account of 

 this voyage is written by Robert I vet of Lime- 

 house, is very long, and v-ery uninteresting, at 

 least in so far as it relates to northern discovery. 

 In fact, one scarcely can form any notion, from 

 the perusal of it, what could originally have been 

 its principal object. He first doubles the North 

 Cape, as if proceeding in quest of a north-east 

 passage ; but presently, without any reason being 

 assigned, we find him turning back to the west- 

 ward, passing the Feroe islands, and proceeding 

 to Newfoundland ; from thence he directs his 

 course down the coast of America, as far as 

 Charlestown, then back again to Cape Cod ; and, 

 finally, discovered Hudson's river, which he enters, 

 and on which the Dutch afterwards founded a- 

 settlement. 



* Purchas, vol. iii. p. 581. 



