232 Observations on the late Expedition of C apt. Parry , 
tor, to which character he sought with less success to add that 
of a wit and a bel esprit , was sent out under the auspices of 
Government ; and, in the same year, the merchants of Bristol fit- 
ted out a vessel under Captain James. Fox traced the two great 
channels leading northwards out of Hudson’s Bay ; of which 
the most westerly received first through him the name of Sir 
Thomas Roe’s Welcome ; and he made the important observa- 
tion, that a tide came down from the north, contrary to that 
general tide which came in by the straits, and prevailed through 
the greater part of the bay. He traced also a considerable part 
of the channel on the eastern side of the great island of South- 
ampton, which Captain Parry, of whose discoveries it was also 
the theatre, has called the Fox Channel. Fox sailed along a 
considerable part of its eastern coast ; but when he found this 
like to fail him, he began, without due reason, to think 66 he 
had made a scurvie voyage of it,” and calling the farthest point 
of land reached “ Foxe’s Farthest,” returned to England. 
Captain James was overtaken by winter in the southern part 
of the bay, where, being unprepared to encounter the rigor of 
the season, he endured a series of sufferings from cold, the dole- 
ful narrative of which tended much to chill the ardour of future 
adventurers. 
Although all attempts at a passage had failed, the informa- 
tion of adventurers shewed, that the regions bordering on Hud- 
son’s Bay contained an ample store of commodities to which 
the highest value was attached in Europe, particularly of furs. 
Some individual Englishman, with this view, settled on its coasts, 
and Groseille, an enterprising Frenchman, who had penetrated 
thither from Canada, laid before his Government the plan of a 
regular establishment. Neglected by them, he addressed him- 
self to Prince Rupert, who then took the lead in every object 
tending to national improvement, and through whose influence 
Charles II. was induced to engage in the undertaking. Unfor- 
tunately, the country was still held in thrall to the system of ex- 
clusive companies ; and that of Hudson’s Bay was formed, under 
the strictest prohibition to any one else to traffic in any country 
which was or might be discovered within the Straits. The 
Company made an ample use of their monopoly, if, according 
to Forster, for English goods, which cost them L. 4000, they 
