136 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part i 
to follow up the work left incomplete by Hudson. Two 
vessels were selected, fitted out, and supplied with pro- 
visions for 18 months. An officer of tried valour and 
experience named Thomas Button was entrusted with 
the command, and the undertaking was under the special 
patronage of Prince Henry. Thomas Button was the 
son of Miles Button of Duffryn in Glamorganshire, whose 
family had been seated there for seven generations. 
Thomas was born at Duffryn and went to sea in 1592. 
He was in the West Indies with Captain Newport in 
1603, and commanded a king's ship in 1609. Button's 
ship for the expedition to Hudson's Bay was the Resolu- 
tion, the second ship being the Discovery under Captain 
Ingram. A relation named Gibbons, and a friend named 
Hawkridge accompanied him, while Bylot and Prickett, 
whose lies had prevented their cowardly acquiescence in 
the mutiny against Hudson from being found out, were 
both on board the Resolution. 
The expedition reached Cape Digges without encoun- 
tering any difficulties from ice in Hudson Strait, and 
remained there three weeks in order to put a pinnace 
together that had been taken out in pieces. Button 
then entered Hudson's Bay and proceeded westward, 
discovering the southern coast of Southampton Island 
and the off-lying islets, to one of which he gave the name 
of Mansell Island after his relation Admiral Sir Edward 
Mansell, to another " Cary's Swan's Nest," to a third 
" Hopes Checked," because there his expectation of 
making progress received a check. Bad weather came 
on, and late in August Button sought refuge in a small 
creek on the western side of Hudson's Bay, which was 
named Port Nelson after the master of the Resolution, 
who died and was buried there. Button was thus the 
discoverer of the western side of Hudson's Bay as Hudson 
was of the eastern side. Button determined to winter 
at Port Nelson, and at once set his people to work to 
procure as much game as possible. They got in a large 
supply of ptarmigan, but the winter was very severe and, 
although they had fresh food, the health of the men 
suffered from the intense cold. It is interesting to find 
how important the amusement of the crews and the 
occupation of their minds during the Arctic winters was 
