14-6 THE SEA. 



have been forgotten, but it is known to have been of the tiniest description. In the second 

 week of June Hudson fell in with land a headland of East Greenland the weather at 

 the time being foggy, and the sails and shrouds frozen. He examined other parts of this 

 coast, feeling doubtful whether he might not reach open water to the northward, and sail 

 round Greenland, a voyage never made up to this day. Later he reached Spitzbergen, 

 where the ice to the north utterly baffled all his efforts to force a passage, and being short 

 of supplies, he set sail for England. Next year we find him attempting a north-east 

 passage. He landed on Nova Zembla, and as he says himself, his "purpose was by the 

 Waygats (Strait) to passe by the mouth of the river Ob (or Obi), and to double that way 

 the north cape of Tartaria, or to give reasons wherefore it will not be." Finding quantities 

 of morse or walrus, he delayed somewhat, hoping to defray part of the expenses of the 

 voyage by obtaining ivory. Meantime he despatched a party up a large river flowing 

 from the north-eastward, fancying, apparently, that it was an arm of the sea, which might 

 lead them to the solution of the problem they sought. On this voyage, " one of our 

 company," says Hudson, " looking overboard, saw a mermaid, and calling up some of the 

 companie to see her once more come up, and by that time shee was come close to the ship's 

 side, looking earnestly on the men; a little after a sea came and overturned her; from 

 the navill upwards her backe and breasts were like a woman's (as they say that saw her), 

 her body as big as one of us ; her skin very white, and long haire hanging down behind, 

 of colour blacke; in her going downe they saw her tayle, which was like the tayle of a 

 porposse, and speeckled like a macrell. Their names that saw her were Thomas Hilles and 

 Robert Rayner." All this is only another version of some walrus story. On this as on 

 the previous voyage, Hudson made some observations on the inclination or " dip " of the 

 magnetic needle, and he is probably the first Englishman who had done so. 



The following year (1609) we find Hudson on a third voyage of discovery, in the 

 service of the Dutch. His movements were very erratic, and the only record left us does 

 not explain them. He first doubled the North Cape, as though again in quest of the north- 

 east passage; then turned westward to Newfoundland; thence again south as far as 

 Charleston (South Carolina) ; then north to Cape Cod, soon after which he discovered the 

 beautiful Hudson River, at the mouth of which New York is now situated. Hudson's 

 fourth and last voyage is that most intimately associated with his name on account of the 

 cruel tragedy which terminated his life, and lost England one of her bravest and most 

 energetic explorers. 



Several gentlemen of influence, among them Sir John Wolstenholme and Sir Dudley 

 Digges, were so satisfied of the feasibility of making the north-west passage, that they 

 fitted out a vessel at their own expense, and gave the command to Henry Hudson. For 

 reasons which will appear as we proceed, the accounts of the voyage itself are meagre. 

 We know, however, that he discovered the Strait and " Mediterranean " Sea (the latter of 

 which has since been called a bay, although somewhat improperly), and both of which still 

 bear his name. The vessel appropriated for this service had the same name as one of 

 those on Captain Nares' late expedition The Discovery and was of fifty-five tons burden, 

 victualled only, as it seems, for six months. She left the Thames on April 17th, 1010, 

 and on June 9th was off the entrance of Frobisher's Strait, where Hudson was compelled 



