476 THE PROGRESS OF MARITIME DISCOVERY. 



while been discovered Frobisher relinquished all further at- 

 tempts to push his fortunes in the northern regions, and sought 

 new laurels in a sunnier clime. He accompanied Drake to the 

 West Indies, commanded subsequently one of the largest vessels 

 opposed to the Spanish Armada, and ended his heroic life while 

 attacking a small French fort on behalf of Henry IV., during the 

 war with the League. He was one of those adventurous spirits 

 always thirsting for action, and too uneasy ever to enjoy repose. 



In the year 1585, John Davis, with the ships " Sunshine " and 

 " Moonshine," carrying besides their more necessary equipments 

 a band of music "to cheer and recreate the spirits of the 

 natives," made his first voyage in quest of the north-west 

 passage, and discovered the broad strait which leads into the 

 icy deserts of Baffin's Bay. But neither in this attempt nor in 

 his two following ones was he able to effect the object for which 

 he strove; and these repeated failures cooled for a long time 

 the national ardour for northern discovery. 



In the year 1594 the Dutch appear upon the scene. This 

 persevering and industrious people, which in the following 

 century was destined to play so important a part in the politics- 

 of Europe, had just then succeeded in casting off the Spanish 

 yoke, and was laudably endeavouring to gain by maritime 

 enterprise a position among the neighbouring states, which the- 

 smallness of its territory seemed to deny to its ambition. All 

 the known roads to the treasures of the south were at that time 

 too well guarded by the jealous fleets of Spain and Portugal to 

 admit of any rivalry; but, if fortune should favour them in 

 finding the yet unexplored northern passage to India, they 

 might still hope to secure a lion's share in that most lucra- 

 tive of trades. Animated by the bold spirit of adventure which 

 the dawn of independence always calls forth in a nation, a 

 company of Amsterdam merchants fitted out an expedition of 

 northern discovery, which it intrusted to the superintendence 

 and pilotage of William Barentz, one of the most experienced 

 seamen of the day. 



Barentz left the Texel on the 6th of June, 1594, reached the 

 northern extremity of Nova Zembla, and returned to Holland. 

 Meanwhile his associate, penetrating through a strait to which 

 he gave the very appropriate name of Waigats or " Wind-hole," 

 battled against the floating ice of the Sea of Kara, until, round- 



