of that
coast, he was next blown by a gale far to the south-west on to the
coast of Labrador, reaching eventually to 63 deg. north latitude, and
landing in Frobisher's Straits. He extricated his vessels with
difficulty, and returned home, carrying a quantity of mica, which was
mistaken for gold; and awakening the cupidity of the court, nobles, and
merchants, three more expeditions sailed, exhibiting laudable courage
and skill, but adding little to our geographical knowledge.

Such a succession of miscarriages damped the ardour for north-west
discovery for a while; until, in 1535, "divers worshipful merchants of
London, and the West country, moved by the desire of advancing God's
glory, and the good of their native land," equipped "John Davis" for a
voyage of discovery to the unknown regions of the north-west.

Piteous as were his hardships--doleful as were his tales of the "lothsome
view of y^e shore, and y^e irksome noyse of y^e yce," "y^e stinking fogs
and cruelle windes" of Desolation Land--the seamen of that day seemed
each to have determined to see and judge for himself, and ably were they
supported by the open-handed liberality of wealthy private individuals,
and the corporation of London merchants; whose minds, if we may judge of
them by such men as Sir John Wolstenholme, Digges, Jones, and others,
soared far above Smithfield nuisances and committees on sewers. After
Davis we see Waymouth, then Hudson, who perished amid the scenes of his
hardships and honours. Captains Button and Bylot, followed by the ablest,
the first of Arctic navigators--Baffin,--he sweeping, in one short
season, round the great bay which records his fame, showed us of the
present day the high-road to the west; and did more; for he saw more of
that coast than we modern seamen have yet been able to accomplish.
Lastly, in that olden time, we have the sagacious and quaint Nor-West
Fox, carrying our flag to the head of Hudson's Bay; whilst James's
fearful sufferings in the southern extreme of the same locality,
completed, for a while, the labours of British seamen in these regions.

[Headnote: _ENGLISH N.W. DISCOVERIES._]

A lull then took place, perhaps occasioned by the granting of a charter
to certain noblemen and merchants in 1668, under the title of "Governor
and Company of Adventurers of England," trading into Hudson's Bay, with
the understanding that the discovery of a north-west passage was to be
persevered in by them. During a centur