"But there! You don't know anything about Henry Hudson. Sit down, dear, in that little chair close to me and turn your back to the window. Then you will not see the lightning. I will tell you such a nice story you will not listen to the thunder, either." "I ought not to be afraid with you, Uncle Sam. I wish Joe were here, though. He would like to hear the story." "I will tell it to him some other time, Lucy. Or you may tell him yourself. But here he comes now, just in time." Uncle Sam leaned back in his armchair, pulled the beard on his chin, and began the story of HENRY HUDSON AND THE DUTCHMEN It is nearly three hundred years since John Smith went to Jamestown. He left a dear friend in England who was also a great sea captain. His name was Henry Hudson. At that time England was jealous of Spain because of her riches. The Spaniards had found many gold and silver mines in America. England was also jealous of Portugal, a small country joining Spain. The Portuguese had found a way of reaching India by sailing southward around Africa and then eastward. They brought home shiploads of gums, spices, precious stones and rare woods. So the Englishmen thought: "We must get rich, too. Why cannot we reach India by sailing to the northeast or the northwest?" They looked about for a brave and able captain who should find out if this could be done. They chose Henry Hudson. He sailed into the northern seas. He met with icebergs that made the air very cold when they were still a long way off. He saw many whales. Henry Hudson and his men killed some of the whales. They boiled the fat and made many barrels of oil. This was the best oil known at that time for burning in lamps. It was also useful in other ways. The brave captain sailed far into the northern seas. It was now so cold that great masses of ice almost stopped the ship. "We must turn back," Henry Hudson said to his men. "It is of no use to sail any farther northward in hopes of finding a passage to India." When he got back to England, the people were pleased to learn about the whales. They sent more ships to capture the great monsters and bring home the oil. Once more they sent Henry Hudson to look for a short way to India by a northern passage. Again he failed because of the ice in the waters, and again he came home disappointed. About this time the people of Holland heard of Henry Hudson and what he was trying to do. People who live in that country are called Dutch or Dutchmen. It was a rich country for so few people. They said: "We had better send for this English captain. We will get him to sail in our ships. We do not wish the Englishmen to find a shorter way to India than we know now. If they do, they will become richer than we are." So they sent for Hudson. They offered him such good pay that he went to Holland and made ready to take one of their ships into the north. As he was about to sail he received a letter from his old friend John Smith.