l899-'00 TRANSACTIONS 4 1 



study, yet his exploits are chiefl^^ associated with Hudson Bay* 

 and the southern lands of Hudson straits. I have prepared a full 

 account of his deeds in our waters and elsewhere but must reserve 

 it for some other occasion. 



On account of the deep damnation of Hudson's taking off 

 much interest was aroused in England and man}- attempts were 

 made to ascertain his fate. In 1612 Sir Thomas Button sailed 

 with two vessels. His first place-name was " Carey's Swan's 

 Nest." His next was " Hopes Checked " and then on to Port 

 Nelson at which place he wintered and then went North to 

 latitude 65 the highest point he reached and somew^here near 

 Cape Comfort. He, like Hudson, sailed within the boundaries of 

 Franklin but does not seem to have been otherwise associated 

 with its ' ' title deeds. ' ' 



A little less than a year after Button's return to England, 

 the Muscovy Company — Sebastian Cabot's Company — sent out 

 (161 5) Robert Bjdot and William Baffin who then and thus em- 

 barked on the first of the two voyages commonly associated with 

 their names. They sailed from the Scilly Islands, April 161 5, in 

 the " Discovery " a vessel of about 55 tons in which Bylot had 

 alreadj' made three voyages to the North West. Following a 

 course alread}^ familiar to him they passed through Hudson 

 Straits and went up what is known as Fox Channel. Here and 

 at the western end of the Hudson Straits they spent about three 

 weeks in exploring and then went back to England. 



Their next voyage was one of greater interest and importance 

 and ranks among the most famous of arctic voyages. They sail- 

 ed from Gravcsend on 26th March, 16 16, with a ship's company 

 numbering 17 persons and coasting along the western shore of 

 Greenland and through Davis Strait they visited and explored 

 both sides of the Great Sea that has ever since borne the name of 

 Baffin Bay. On this occasion they discovered and named the im- 

 portant channel known as I^ancaster Sound and also discovered 

 and named Jones Sound, besides numerous smaller bodies of 

 water and man}' islands since become familiar to Arctic voyagerst. 



*"Hudson Bay is both the tomb and the monument of the daringf navigator 

 who discovered it." Isaac Taylor; " Names and their histories." 



tC. C. Smith in Justin Winson's Narrative and Critical History Vol. Ill, 

 pages 93-94. 



