12 
A VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN 
by other nations. 4 The Dutch vessels were afterwards 
protected by ships of war. 
It was in this voyage that the arms of the King of 
England were first set up on the island; which was 
named, in his honor, 44 King James his New Land.” 5 
The account of the expedition in the 44 Pilgrimes ” of 
Purchas is attributed to Baffin, who perhaps accom¬ 
panied the expedition in a scientific capacity, as he does 
not appear to have held a command. 
There are reasons, which will be adduced in another 
place, for believing that the journal now first printed 
was from the pen of Robert Fotherby, whose name, 
both as an author and as a skilful navigator, is connected 
with two succeeding voyages. From the manner in 
which his papers are referred to and used by Purchas, 
as well as from his ceasing to be mentioned, it is pro¬ 
bable that he died soon after, while yet a young man. 
Although the voyage itself has no direct connection 
with American history, it is intimately associated with 
facts that are proper subjects of interest and investi¬ 
gation for American archaeologists. It was part of 
the great commercial operations that embraced the 
exploration and settlement of our own shores. It was 
conducted under the same auspices and with the same 
objects that controlled the fisheries in our seas, and 
4 “ Histoire du Pays nommd Spitzberghe, comme il a este descouvert, sa situation, 
et de ses Animauls. Avec le Discours des Empechemens que les Navires esquippes 
pour la Peche des Baleines tant Basques, Hollandois, que Flamens, ont souffert de la 
part des Anglois, en l’Anee presente 1613. Escript par H. G. A. Et un Protestation 
contre les Anglois, et Annullation de tous leurs Frivolz Argumens, par lequelz ils 
pensent avoir droit de se fair seuls Maistres du djt Pays. A Amsterdam, chez Hessel 
Gerard A. a l’enseigne de la Carte Nautiq. MDCCfXIII.” 
5 Anderson’s Commerce, vol. iii. p. 343. 
