150 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part i 
in 1605 and made a voyage on his own account to Iceland 
for a cargo of sulphur, then to Archangel and Kolguev 
Island, where he was wrecked. In 1610 he made a voyage 
to Novaya Zemlya. In 1611 he received a commission 
as Captain in the Danish Royal Navy, and was in a naval 
action with the Swedes, but peace was signed in 1613. 
Next he accompanied Jacob Ulfeldt in an embassy to 
Spain, and in 1616 we find him at St Jean de Luz engaging 
Basques for the whale fishery. 
Christian IV could not have found a better man to 
command his Arctic expedition than Jens Eriksen Munk, 
then aged 40. He was to lead two exploring ships, the 
Eenhiorningen (Unicorn) sxid Lamprenen (Lamprey), sailing 
from Copenhagen on the gth May, 1619. When Munk 
sighted Cape Farewell he humorously remarked that he 
who gave it the name never wished to see it again. The 
two exploring vessels had to make their way through 
much ice before they could enter Hudson Strait. 
Crossing Hudson's Bay Munk decided upon wintering 
on the west side, at a place now called Port Churchill, 
where they anchored in September, and moored with 
six hawsers on the 28th during a terrible snow-storm. 
Captain Munk did his best for the health of his people. 
He sent them out to gather whortleberries and crow- 
berries, and to shoot ptarmigan, and also procured white 
whale flesh. There was weekly divine service and Holy 
Communion, and exercise for the men, who were sent 
out on ski. But the dreaded scurvy appeared very early. 
The first death was on December 13th, the surgeon of 
the Lamprey. There was a solemn service on Christmas 
Day, but the chaplain, Rasmus Jensen, took to his bed 
a few days afterwards and died in February. Those 
who were strong enough were sent to gather berries for 
the sick. Day after day more and more were prostrated. 
Men were dying almost every day. At the end of March, 
Munk wrote, ' ' commenced my greatest sorrow and 
misery, attending all day to the sick. I was then like 
a wild and lonely bird/' On the 1st of April his own 
young nephew, Erik Munk, died, then his Lieutenant, 
Morits Stygge, then the mate, a young Englishman named 
John Watson. Munk had baths prepared for the sur- 
vivors, and on April 20th he shot three ptarmigan. 
