128 THE SEA. 



among the men, and they commenced to murmur. They " advised their captain, through 

 his overboldness, not to leave their widows and fatherless children to give him bitter 

 curses/' He therefore left the Mermaid to remain where she was, in readiness to return, 

 while with the Moonshine he would proceed round the ice. Davis made several discoveries 

 of some geographical importance, and thought that off the Labrador coast, in latitude 

 54 N., he had actually discovered the opening to the north-west passage. Two of his 

 vessels, the Sunshine and North Star, had been despatched previously to seek a passage 

 northward, between Greenland and Iceland, as far as latitude 80. They proceeded some 

 little distance north, being much hampered by the ice, but in effect accomplished nothing. 

 The latter vessel was lost on the passage home. 



.MARTIN fKOBISHEU. 



The second voyage of Davis had not been particularly prosperous either as regards 

 commerce or discovery, but his persistency and perseverance induced the merchants to 

 despatch a third expedition in 1587. On this voyage he proceeded as far north as 73, 

 and discovered the strait which now bears his name. The merchant adventurers would 

 doubtless have continued these voyages, even in part for discovery, had they been reasonably 

 profitable. But although Davis tried very zealously to persuade them, they now declined most 

 absolutely. We find him eight years after appealing for the same object to Her Majesty's 

 Privy Council in a little work entitled, "The Worlde's Hydrographicall Discription," a 

 hook of which it is believed there are not over three copies in existence. Among the 

 headings to the various divisions is one to this effect : " That under the Pole is the greatest 

 place of dignitie." Davis made no more arctic voyages, but was employed by the 

 Dutch in the East Indian service. 



