84 DISCOVERIES OF }57T, 



had been disregarded during the voyage. Some 

 of the men had brought home flowers, some grass, 

 and one a piece of stone, " much like to a sea cole 

 in colour," merely for the sake of the place from 

 whence they came. A piece of this black stone 

 beino- o-iven to one of the adventurers' wives, by 

 chance she threw it into the fire; and whether from 

 accident or curiosity, having quenched it while hot 

 with vinegar, " it glistered with a bright mar- 

 quesset of golde." The noise of this incident was 

 soon spread abroad, and the stone was assayed by 

 the " gold finers of London," who reported that 

 it contained a considerable quantity of gold.^ A 

 new voyage was immediately set on foot for the 

 following year, in which we are told by Master 

 George Best, Frobisher's lieutenant, that " the 

 captaine was specially directed by commission for 

 the searching more of this gold ore then for the 

 searching auy further discovery of the passage."! 



MARTIN iROBisHER — SccoTid Voyagc. 1577* 



Frobisher w^as now openly countenanced by 

 Queen Elizabeth, and on taking leave had the 

 honour of kissing her Majesty's hand, who dis- 

 missed him *^ with gracious countenance and com- 

 fortable words." He was, besides, furnished with 

 " one tall ship of her Majesties, named the Ayde, 

 of nine-score tunnes or thereabouts; and two other 



* True Discourse by Master George }^Q%t,—Hakluyt, VoyageSy 

 vol. iii. p. 29. t Ibid. 



