98 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part i 
ship to, and in a short time the men caught a hundred 
cod. " The hook was no sooner over the side than pre- 
sently a fish was taken." After examining the coast of 
Labrador, and the north coast of Newfoundland, where 
there was a serious encounter with the Micmac Indians, 
Davis shaped his course for England on the nth Sep- 
tember, finally arriving at Dartmouth in October, 1586. 
Meanwhile the Sunshine and pinnace had reached Iceland, 
whence there was an attempt to approach the east coast 
of Greenland, but the ice was too closely packed, and 
Captain Pope sailed round Cape Farewell to Gilbert 
Sound, returning to England on the 6th October. The 
account of this voyage was written by Henry Morgan. 
Davis had lost faith in Cumberland Gulf as a strait, 
but he had discovered another great opening to the south 
which he thought might be one, not knowing that 
Frobisher had already discovered and sailed up it for 
six days. He also had good grounds for the belief that 
these tentative expeditions could be made to pay their 
expenses by bringing home cargoes of fish. He there- 
fore resolved to continue the enterprise although the 
west country merchants had lost heart. For a short 
time he enjoyed the pleasures of home at Sandridge, 
discussing the prospects with his neighbour and life-long 
friend Adrian Gilbert. The two friends rode up to 
London together, were encouraged by the Lord Treasurer 
and Sir Francis Walsingham, and obtained the necessary 
funds from Master Sanderson and other patriotic mer- 
chants. The new Arctic fleet consisted of the Elizabeth of 
Dartmouth, the Sunshine, the Ellen, a clinker-built pin- 
nace, and another small pinnace taken out in pieces. The 
Moonshine was worn out. Davis had resolved to try 
and make the expedition pay its expenses by fishing. 
He was a most popular commander, and men who had 
once served with him always wanted to serve again. 
John Janes, the nephew of Master Sanderson, again 
accompanied him, and he appointed a native of his own 
parish of Stoke Gabriel, named John Churchward, as pilot 
of the Ellen. 
At midnight on the 19th May the three little vessels 
Sunshine, Elizabeth, and Ellen sailed out of Dartmouth 
harbour before a fresh gale from the north-east. The 
