ch. xj Sir Martin Frobisher 
8 9 
iceberg and sank, the crew being saved by the boats 
sent to cut the floe. Every contrivance was resorted to 
that they could devise to save the rest of the fleet. The 
loss of the Dennis was very serious, as she carried half 
the prepared timber for the house or fort for the pro- 
posed colony. The great peril lasted for 13 hours, during 
which time the men, expecting death every moment, 
worked like true English seamen. Next morning the 
wind veered round and drifted away the pack between 
the ships and the open sea. This was on the 3rd July. 
On the 9th another effort was made to reach the land. A 
very strong current was noted to the south-west "the noise 
of the stream being like the waterfall of London Bridge." 
The largest iceberg, which they called (i Salomon's Porch " 
was measured and found to be 330 feet high. 
They were at the entrance of what is now known as 
Hudson's Strait, too far to the south. Frobisher sus- 
pected this, but a wide opening leading westward was 
before him, and he cared much more for discovery than 
for the supposed gold ore. After all, discovery was in- 
cluded in his instructions. Christopher Hall was strong 
against the attractive openings being Frobisher's former 
strait, and words ran high. The Admiral lost his temper 
and was in a great rage. Hall was mutinous and would 
not keep company. The Aid entered the newly-dis- 
covered strait, followed by six or seven other vessels 
with like-minded loyal captains. Frobisher went on to 
the westward for six or seven days, meeting with natives 
on shore with whom he bartered, and noting much animal 
life. He had discovered what is now called Hudson's Strait. 
The great explorer longed to push on, but there was his 
duty to the Cathay Company, his duty to bring home 
shiploads of worthless stones. So, on the first fine day, 
Frobisher had to observe for latitude, and of course 
found himself 60 miles too far south 1 . 
1 Chancellor had used the cross-staff. Frobisher had been supplied with 
a similar instrument called a " ballestilla," which he used in preference 
to the astrolabe, both being among the instruments and charts bought at 
a cost of £47. os. 8d. of Humphrey Cole and others. The cross-staff was 
described by Gemma Frisius, and Gunter's was a yard long, with a cross- 
piece of 26I inches. The staff, which was of wood, was graduated, and the 
cross-piece was moved along it until, looking through the sight near the 
eye, the two objects were covered of which the angle was to be measured. 
In observing for the latitude the two objects were the sun and the horizon, 
the angle giving the altitude. 
