including a view of previous Discoveries. 231 
In the beginning of the seventeenth century, George Wey- 
mouth (1602), and John Knight (1606), were fitted out by 
the Muscovy and Turkey Companies ; and about the same 
time James Hall was four times sent out by the King of Den- 
mark; but all these worthies returned without accomplishing 
any thing that merits record. The glory of making the next 
step in northwest discovery was reserved for Henry Hudson. 
His first voyages were directed to Spitzbergen and Nova Zem- 
bla. In the fourth, however, made in 1610, he passedthrough 
the straits, and entered the bay, or rather great sea, which have 
both continued ever since to bear his name. The issue of the 
voyage was deeply tragical. After a winter passed in the south- 
eastern parts of the bay, his men mutinied, put him ashore, 
and left this great navigator to perish on that inhospitahle shore. 
Most of themselves, however, were overtaken in their voyage 
home, by a similar fate ; and the tidings were brought to Eng- 
land by Abaccuc Pricket, Bylot, and others, who represented 
themselves as having in vain resisted the measures of the rest, 
yet have not escaped the suspicion of being partners in the 
crime. 
Notwithstanding the sad catastrophe of this voyage, the dis- 
covery made by it was too splendid and promising not to rouse 
immediate attention. In the following year (1612), Sir Tho- 
mas Button was sent to follow it up. Sir Thomas having pas- 
sed through Hudson’s Straits, steered directly westward. Ha- 
ving passed through several hundred miles of open sea, lie ima- 
gined himself already approaching, or even in the Pacific, when 
suddenly there appeared to the west a continuous land, stretch- 
ing on every side as far as the eye could reach. In the dismay 
which this discovery occasioned, he gave to the place the appel- 
lation -of Hope checked . He then sailed northwards, but, in con- 
sequence of misty weather and imperfect observation, did not 
discover the great opening of the Welcome. 
By lot and Baffin, in 1615, entered the bay, and explored a 
great part of the eastern shore of Southampton Island, but were 
stopped by the ice. Baffin, in a more fortunate voyage, traced 
the great bay which bears his name, after which the spirit of 
northern discovery fell asleep till 1631, when it revived with ex- 
traordinary force. Luke Pox, a hardy and enterprising naviga- 
