102 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



lands between Nova Zembla and Fretum Davidis," 

 including Spitsbergen, Beer-en-Eiland and Green- 

 land. A tax of last-money, i.e., a contribution 

 towards the expenses of the common defence based 

 on the tonnage of the vessels participating in the 

 fishery, was levied, and fourteen Dutch whalers set 

 off, convoyed by four men-of-war of thirty guns each. 



The Muscovy Company also made a big effort for 

 1614, and they sent out thirteen great ships and 

 two pinasses for Greenland, under the command 

 of Benjamin Joseph and Thomas Edge, all the ships 

 being well appointed with artillery for defence, as 

 well as the other necessaries for fishing and dis- 

 covery. The log of one of these ships, the 

 Thomasine, was recorded by Robert Fotherby, and 

 from it the following extracts are made. William 

 Baffin was on board the Thomasine for this voyage. 



On the 1 4th June the Thomasine first encountered 

 the Dutchmen, eleven sail being met off the Fore- 

 land, " one of them came roome towards us, and 

 struck her top-sayles twice, whereby we supposed 

 they tooke us for some of their fleete." 



Apparently the Dutch were content to leave well 

 alone, so long as they were not molested. At 

 Maudlen Sound Fotherby went ashore and set up a 

 cross with the King's Arms nailed thereon, under 

 which he nailed a piece of sheet lead, with the arms 

 of the Muscovy Company engraved on it. Then 

 cutting up a piece of earth, he said in the hearing 

 of the men there present : " I take this piece of earth, 

 as a signe of lawfull possession (of this countrey of 



