104 A HISTORY OF THE WHALE FISHERIES 



was Robert Fotherby, who kept a log of the 

 voyage. 



This year the Dutch sent out fourteen ships, of 

 which three were States men-of-war of great force ; 

 they killed whales in Horn Sound, Belsound, and 

 Fairhaven as they were far too strong to be 

 interfered with by the English. The King of 

 Denmark also sent out three men-of-war to demand 

 toll from the English which, however, was not paid. 

 These were the first Danish ships that went to 

 Greenland being piloted thither by James Vaden, 

 an Englishman. 



In a letter written by Fotherby to Edge, dated 

 from Cross Road, i5th July, 1615, there is a 

 reference to a meeting with three ships and a 

 pinasse of the King of Denmark. Fotherby, it 

 must be remembered, was on a very small craft with 

 a crew of ten men. He was " courteously enter- 

 tayned " by the Danes, who asked him by what 

 right he fished there. Fotherby told them by 

 virtue of the King of England's patent granted to 

 the Muscovy Company of Merchants. The Danes 

 then entreated and finally compelled him to accom- 

 pany them to meet Edge. Eventually matters 

 simmered down, the Danes being apparently 

 satisfied with their inquiries, " for they seeme to 

 pretend that the right of this land belongs to the 

 King of Denmark, and neither to English nor 

 Hollanders." 



This year the English again returned half laden, 

 but the Dutch made a successful voyage. 



