26 Brave Sir Humphrey Gilbert. commanding one of the three largest ships engaged with the Spanish Armada, and died from the effect of a wound received at the assault of Croyson during the war with Henry IV. of France. He was a most courageous man, and of great strength. On one of his voyages a Greenland Esquimaux, attracted to the side of the vessel, was lifted bodily on board by Frobisher "by maine force, boate and all." The next voyage of note is that of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, in 1583, who was despatched to take possession of the northern parts of America and Newfoundland. The belief in rich mineral deposits still continued, and a refiner was taken on the expedition. One of the three vessels was wrecked, only twelve men out of one hundred being saved, and among those drowned was the aforesaid metallurgist, and Buda, a learned Hungarian, who was to have recorded all that was new and interesting. Sir Humphrey escaped in his little bark of ten tons, the Squirrel, accompanied by a larger vessel, the Golden Hinde. Having passed the Azores, the former vessel was observed to be nearly overwhelmed by a great sea; as she rose from the waves those on the Hinde saw Sir Gilbert sitting abaft, and heard him calling out loudly, "Courage, my lads! we are as near to heaven by sea as by land!" The same night his little bark was Voyages of Davis. 27 engulphed, and all on board perished. The brave words of this noble gentleman might well be remembered by all who voyage on the ocean, and they have undoubtedly again and again recurred to the minds of our Arctic heroes. Two years later we find the merchants of London again subscribing for other trials at the north-west passage. In brief, Master John Davis made three different voyages with this object.. The name of Frizeland, given by Frobisher to Greenland, was retained by him, and Davis has an enviable reputation in regard to the accuracy of his descriptions and geographical positions. The entrance to Baffin's Bay, now known universally by his name, was first explored and described by him. On his first voyage four musicians were taken, and their performances gave great delight to the natives. We find this navigator in 1595 publishing a memorial to the Lords of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's Privy Council, in favour of polar exploration and renewed efforts for attempting the north-west passage. It is a curious and rare pamphlet. Among the headings to the different paragraphs is one to the effect "That under the Pole is the greatest place of dignitie!" CHAPTER IV. Willem Barents-First Voyage-Antipathy of Bears to Dutchmen― Second Voyage-Third Voyage-Spitzbergen-Winter Quarters— Vessel Abandoned-Departure in the Boats-Death of Barents -Home again-Discovery of the Barents Relics by Carlsen. P JASSING over the pretended voyage of Maldonado, in which he claimed to have made the north-west passage, and the undoubtedly genuine one of Juan de Fuca, on the North Pacific, who, while searching for the imaginary "Straits of Anian," discovered the entrance and straits which now bear his name, we come to a series of north-eastern voyages instigated by the Dutch. "The True and perfect Description of three Voyages, so strange and wonderfull that the like hath neuer been heard of before," was first translated into English from the Dutch of Gerrit de Veer, by William Phillip, and published in 1609. In brief, in the year 1594, Amsterdam contributed one vessel, which was put under the command of Willem Barents, and Zeelandt and Enkhuysen, two, respectively in charge of Corneliszoon and Ysbrantz. After parting from the Texel the vessels separated, |