Anno 1606. Mr. John Knight was set out by the King of Denmark, of the Passages of whole Voyage little or nothing memorable is recorded.
Hudson’s Straight and Bay.
The next and most famous Attempter in the discovery of the North-West Passage, was Henry Hudson, who is said to have discover’d farther Northward to the Pole than any before him. From the Year 1607 to 1610 he made several Voyages, being set out by Sir Thomas Smith, Sir Dudley Diggs, and Mr. John Wostenholm, with others that were his great Friends, and Advancers of such publick Designs. In his last Voyage the Isles of Gods Mercy, Prince Henry’s Foreland, King James’s Cape, Queen Annes Cape, Diggs’s Island, Cape Wostenholm, The King’s Foreland, Mount Charles, Cape Salisbury, &c. were first taken notice of and nam’d, and, which were his principal Discoveries, and therefore worthily retaining his Name, Hudson’s Straight and Bay; but in his return homeward he was set upon in his Cabbin by one Green, Wilson, and others of their Conspiracy, and together with his Son John Hudson, Tho. Widdows, Arn. Ludlow, Sidrach Faner, and two or three more, was put over into a small Shallop, in which they were forc’d to seek their Fortune, and in all likelihood perish’d, for they were never heard of after. Not long after Green going on Shore upon a strange Island, was shot from an Ambuscade of Salvages into the Heart; the like End had Wilson, and three more of the Conspirators dy’d of their mortal Wounds, the rest with much ado got home in a very sick and weak Condition, through the Hardships they had sustain’d, and want of Provisions.
There was also another Hudson, who Anno 1608. went to the heighth of eighty one Degrees, and gave Names to certain Places, which continue to this day, as Whale-Bay, Hackluit’s Headland, and Hudson’s Touches.
Button’s Bay.
By the Assistance of Prince Henry, and those other Noble Persons above mention’d, Captain Thomas Button set out in the Year 1612. and is said to have pass’d Hudson’s Straight, and leaving Hudson’s Bay to the South, to have Sail’d two hundred Leagues South-Westward over a Sea above eighty Fathoms deep, which at length he discover’d to be another great Bay, since call’d Button’s Bay; He is said also to have discover’d a great Continent, which he call’d New Wales.
Baffin’s Bay.
Several other Voyagers there were in this great Attempt of the North-West Passage, as Captain Gibbons, Robert Bylot, William Baffins, and Captain William Hawkridge, who though they all came short of the main Enterprize, yet every one found out some new Cape, Bay, or Promontory, or open’d a farther Passage than had been before, as Bylot made known Cape Comfort; Baffin, the Inlet call’d from him Baffins Bay, as also Sir James Lancaster’s Sound; Hawkridge, a farther Passage into Lumly’s Inlet.
From the Year 1616. to 1631. the Business slept, and then a Voyage was undertaken by Captain Luke Fox, who at his Return gave very good hopes and encouragement, that the Work, so long in prosecution, was not impossible to be effected; nevertheless, by reason of the late troublesom Times it was again wholly laid aside for almost forty years; but in the Year 1668. several Persons of Honor undertook to revive the Work, and so that purpose furnish’d out two Ships, which set forth in June, and return’d about the beginning of October the Year following, giving so satisfactory an Account of their Voyage, that in the Year 1670. the same Adventurers thought fit to send out two Ships more, so furnish’d, as to endure a Wintering there, which they did, with greater hopes than ever of finding out the North-West Passage, besides a handsom Cargo of rich Furrs, which made it more than a saving Voyage; so that ’tis suppos’d this will not be the last Attempt, but that another will suddenly follow. And it may well be observ’d, that nothing considerable hath been done, in this grand Enterprize, but by the English.