THE EXPEDITION OF THE "ALERT" TO HUDSON'S 

 STRAIT AND BAY IN 1885. 



By James MacNatjghton, A. M., M. Am. Soc. C. E., etc. 

 [Read before the Albany Institute, April 6, 1886.] 



In order that the objects, the scope, and the canses which led to the 

 expedition of the "Alert " to Hudson's Bay, may be fully understood, 

 a brief consideration of a few historical facts appears to be essential. 



Hudson's Bay was discovered by Henry Hudson in 1610. He sailed 

 through the Strait which bears his name in June, or Juty, of that year, 

 in search of a north-west passage to the Pacific Ocean. 



Arrived in the Bay, he found himself in a cul-de-sac, and could go 

 no further westward with his ship. He resolved to remain there dur- 

 ing the winter and to resume explorations the following spring. 



His provisions ran short, however, and be was compelled to return 

 to England. It is said that he incautiously declared to his men that, 

 in their destitute condition, he would be obliged to leave some of the 

 crew behind. The latter, with an independence and alacrity which 

 no doubt astonished the bluff old navigator, hustled him, his son, and 

 several of their number who remained loyal to their brave captain, 

 into an open boat and abandoned them to their fate, which to this day 

 is unknown. The remainder of the crew, totally ignorant of the 

 science of navigation, managed to sail the ship as far as Cape Wolsten- 

 holme, or somewhere in that neighborhood. Here they went ashore 

 for water and game, but were tendered a warm reception by a band of 

 Eskimos, who butchered nearly half of the crew. The survivors 

 escaped to the ship, and managed to blunder along till they readied 

 England. 



As we who live on the shores of Hudson's River are naturally inter- 

 ested in everything pertaining to tbe fate of Henry Hudson, I may 

 say that it is not of necessity to be inferred that he and his men, who 

 were abandoned in the Bay, starved to death. It is quite reasonable to 

 suppose that they reached the shore of the Bay in safety and made 



and we may be sure that the tact, ability, and courage of the leader 

 proved equal to the task of preventing a massacre of the little partv bv 

 the natives. 



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