CHAPTER VIII 

 THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE 



If the identification of the newly-discovered 

 lands as the outposts of farther Asia, and the 

 naming of their inhabitants &quot;Indians&quot; were 

 correct, it followed that there must be a way 

 round either by the South or by the North, to the 

 delightful and golden lands &quot;Cathay&quot; or &quot;Cat- 

 aya.&quot; It followed further, since the Continent of 

 Asia lay to the North of the Equator, that given 

 a way round, the one to the North or Northwest 

 would be, by far, the shorter and therefore the 

 more desirable and satisfactory. Hence, the 

 search for the Northwest Passage. This 

 practical reason was reinforced by the facts that 

 Spain laid claim to central and most of South 

 America, and Portugal to the passage by the 

 Cape of Good Hope ; thus barring in great measure, 

 at least, both routes to the English. 



It may be asked, what has the search for the 

 Northwest Passage to do with the missionary be 

 ginnings of the Church of England in Canada? 

 The answer is that it has a great deal to do with 

 those beginnings. For the reasons; first, that the 

 voyages in search of the Northwest Passage dis 

 covered the wild shores and islands of the Arctic 

 Seas destined to be occupied, in due time, as the 

 frontier line of the missionary efforts of the Church 

 of England in Canada; and, second, that the first 



