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We conclude our sketch. The most remarkable of the remaining voyages, undertaken in the reign of James I, were two conducted by Robert Bylot, particularly the second of them, in which the northern shores of Baffin’s Bay were dis covered. Baffin had been mate of the Discovery, Bylot’s ship, in former voyages, and on this occasion served as pilot. In this voyage Hackluyt Island, Sir Thomas Smith’s Sound, Carey Islands, Alderman Jones’s Sound, and James Lancaster Sound, were successively discovered. Sir Thomas Smith and Alderman Jones were members of the company which sent the discovery out. Hawkbridge, Fox, and James, are the only names which appear as Arctic explorers in the reigns of Charles the First. Of the first little is communicated, and that little is obscure and doubtful; the second was a humorist, who did little but write a facetious journal, which commences thus :—“‘ Gentle reader, expect not heere any florishing phrases or eloquent tearmes ; for this child of mine, begot in the north-west’s cold clime (where they breed no schollers ), is not able to digest the sweet milke of Retherick,” cc. The third, James, appears to have been incompetent and unsuccessful. No effort was made during the turbulent times of the Commonwealth to promote northern discovery, but in the reign of Charles the Second an expedition went out under the immediate patronage of Prince Rupert. It was commanded by Zachariah Gillam, who entered the southern extreme of Rupert River, built Fort Charles, and named Ru pert Land. Previous to the conclusion of this voyage, the King granted to Prince Rupert, and to “divers lords, knights, and merchants,” a charter, dated the 2nd of May, 1669, by which his majesty styled them “the Governor and Company of Adventurers trading from England to Hudson’s Bay.” Hence the origin of the Hudson Bay Company. The Duke of York sent out the Speedwell, and the Prosperous, to ef fect a passage to China between Spitzbergen and Nova Zembia. The Speedwell was lost in the ice, on the north cape of Lapland. Discovery now remained stationary until the accession of the House of Hanover, and the only expe ditions, which marked the reign of George I, were two un successful adventures of the Hudson Bay Company. The first expedition of the reign of George III, an era so fertile in discovery, was despatched by the government, under the command of Middleton. This enterprising navigator ex plored and named Wager River , explored Repulse Bay, and returned southward by Cape Dobbs and Marble Island. Middleton was accused of having suppressed the discovery of the north-west passage, at the instigation of the Hudson’s Bay Company; and in consequence the Act of Parliament was passed in the following year (1743) offering the reward of 20,0002. to any British subject who should discover a north west passage through Hudson Strait to the western and northern ocean of America. A fruitless expedition, by one Moor, sent out by a private company, followed shortly after ; but the golden age of discovery was already dawning. Hearn, in a land journey, discovered the Copper-mine river, and traced it to the sea; and while Cook was exploring the southern Pacific, Captain Phipps, afterwards Lord Mulgrave, was sent upon the fruitless quest for the north-western pas sage. The attempt to penetrate westward was made from Waggate Strait, and, of course, failed. We came now to Cook’s last voyage. Accompanied by Clerk, in the Discovery, who was also destined to perish on the voyage, Cook began his enterprise from Behring’s Straits. The northernmost point Cook reached on the coast of America was lat. 70. 45. N., and the Cape he saw named Sey Cape. Thence he returned to the Sandwich Isles, to fall by the hands of savages. Clerk, who succeeded to the command of the expedition, endeavour ed to prosecute their discoveries in the following season, but was unable to penetrate as far as before. He died as the ves sels were entering the harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul, and the vessels returned home, under the command of Lieut. Gore, after an absence of four years, two months, and twenty-two days.
Newspaper Details
London Old England
London, Middlesex, GB
Sun, May 25, 1834
Page 3
Full Page
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CA 25 Jul 2026
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