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Arctic Exploration
F
robisher was one of several explorers who searched
for the Northwest Passage. Later he fought against
the Spanish Armada.
But the sailors were not hanged as
was usual for mutineers. They were
the only ones who knew the way to
Hudson Bay. More voyages followed
and showed that there was no way out
of Hudson Bay to the west. During
one of the trips, Lancaster Sound,
north of Baffin Island, was discovered.
Nobody realized it at the time but this
was eventually shown to be the
Northwest Passage.
The Hudson’s Bay Company
The English and Dutch realized that
no safe passage was to be found to
Cathay by the Arctic. Instead, trade
with America became more important
to Europe. Hudson’s discoveries had
shown a way into Canada for traders.
The Hudson’s Bay Company was
formed in 1670 and still trades today.
H
udson (about 1550-1611) was cast adrift by
mutineers in 1611 after wintering on his ship in the
Arctic. He and his son died near the large bay now
named after him.
The Northwest Passage
During the 1570s and 1580s the English had also been
sending ships to look for a Northwest Passage. Captain
Frobisher (about 1535-1594) left in June 1576 and found
a large strait west of Greenland. He thought this was the
passage. Later it was shown to be a large bay in Baffin Island.
Ten years later another English seaman called John
Davis set out in search of the passage. In the course of three
voyages he discovered Davis Strait, Baffin Bay and mapped
683 miles (1,100 km) of the Greenland coast.
By 1610, Hudson was working for the English again.
He sailed on April 17 to explore the strait found by Davis.
In June he found Hudson Strait and by autumn had crossed
Hudson Bay to James Bay. There he spent the winter.
In the spring his crew
mutinied
because they thought
they would die of starvation. They put Hudson, his son,
and loyal crewmen in a small boat to fend for themselves.
They were never seen again. The mutineers themselves
were attacked by Inuit and only eight returned to London.
On the voyage home they had to eat candles, grass, and bird
skins to stay alive.