Henry Hudson: A Brief Statement of His Aims and His Achievements — John Shaqi
Henry Hudson: A Brief Statement of His Aims and His AchievementsJanvier, Thomas A. (Thomas Allibone)
History
Henry Hudson: A Brief Statement of His Aims and His Achievements
Janvier, Thomas A. (Thomas Allibone)
Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Hudson, Henry, -1611
Prickett's first record of trouble refers to some period in July,
at which time the "Discovery" was within the mouth of Hudson's
Strait and was beset with ice. It reads: "Some of our men this day
fell sicke, I will not say it was for feare, although I saw small
signe of other griefe." His next entry seems to date a fortnight or
so later, when the ship was farther within the strait and
temporarily ice-bound: "Here our Master was in despaire, and (as he
told me after) he thought he should never have got out of this ice,
but there have perished. Therefore he brought forth his card
[chart] and showed all the company that hee was entered above an
hundred leagues farther than ever any English was: and left it to
their choice whether they should proceed any farther--yea or nay.
Whereupon some were of one minde and some of another, some wishing
themselves at home, and some not caring where so they were out of
the ice. But there were some who then spake words which were
remembered a great while after." This record shows that Hudson had
with him a chart of the strait--presumably based on Weymouth's
earlier (1602) exploration of it--with the discovery of which he
popularly is credited; and, as Weymouth sailed into the strait a
hundred leagues, his assertion that he had "entered a hundred
leagues farther than ever any English was" obviously is an error.
But the more important matter made clear by Prickett (admitting
that Prickett told the truth) is that a dangerously ugly feeling
was abroad among the crew nearly a year before that feeling
culminated in the final tragedy.
Prickett concludes this episode by showing that Hudson's eager
desire to press on prevailed: "After many words to no purpose, to
worke we must on all hands, to get ourselves out and to cleere our
ship."
And so the "Discovery" went onward--sometimes working her way
through the ice, sometimes sailing freely in clear water--until
Hudson triumphantly brought her, as Purchas puts it, into "a
spacious sea, wherein he sayled above a hundred leagues South,
confidently proud that he had won the passage"! It was his resolve
to push on until he could be sure that he truly "had won the
passage" that won him to his death.
When they had entered that spacious sea--rounding the cape which
then received its name of Cape Wolstenholme--they came to where
sorrel and scurvy-grass grew plentifully, and where there was
"great store of fowle." Prickett records that the crew urged Hudson
"to stay a daye or two in this place, telling him what refreshment
might there bee had. But by no means would he stay, who was not
pleased with the motion." This refers to August 3d, the day on
which Hudson's log ends. Prickett adds, significantly: "So we left
the fowle, and lost our way downe to the South West."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account