Talented, indefatigable, fearless, his achievements, in the infancy of Arctic exploration, handicapped by the lack of all that invention and science has secured to modern explorers, place him in the first rank, with the greatest navigators the world has known. As early as 1607 he had distinguished himself by pushing as far north as latitude 81½°, in his effort to follow the instructions of the Muscovy Company to penetrate to the Pole. Attempting the Northeast Passage in 1608, he saw North Cape on the 3d of June; pushing to the eastward on parallels 74° and 75°, he skirted Nova Zembla, but found it impossible to penetrate higher than 72° 25´. The next year the Dutch sent him to try this passage again, though the previous voyage had convinced him that the Northeast Passage was impractical. He passed Warhuys, returning past North Cape, pushing his way to the American coast, where he searched for a passage, and, sailing into New York harbour, discovered the magnificent river which bears his name. This splendid achievement only stirred his ambitions further, and under the patronage of Sir John Wolstenholme, Sir Dudley Digges, and other distinguished men, a vessel of fifty-five tons was fitted out and provisioned for six months. Under the command of Hudson, the _Discovery_ set sail April 17, 1610. Touching at Orkney and Faro islands, they sighted the southeastern part of Iceland, May 11. Later they reached the Vestmanna Isles, and saw Mount Hecla in eruption. On June 4, Hudson writes, “This day, we saw Greenland perfectly over the ice; and this night the sun went down due north, and rose north-north-east, so plying the fifth day we were in 65°.” Taking their course northwest, they passed Cape Desolation. A school of whales was sighted at this juncture, and later icebergs were encountered. In June they saw Resolution Island; going to the south of this island, they were carried by the current northwest, until they struck shore ice, from which it was most difficult to extricate themselves. At this time a growing discontent among the men first appeared on board; some were for returning before the perils of the journey should become greater, others were for continuing. Hudson showed them a chart showing that they had sailed two hundred leagues farther than any Englishmen had sailed before. The situation of the ship, at times embedded in ice, at others pushing her way through leads of open water, was critical and discouraging, but Henry Hudson continued his intricate navigation, finally being rewarded by finding himself in a clear, open sea. Sighting three headlands, he called them Prince Henry Cape, King James, and Queen Anne, and, continuing, he saw a hill which he called Mount Charles, and later sighted Cape Salisbury. While exploring the south shore, he discovered an island, one point of which he named Deepe Cape, the other, Wolstenholme. He entered a bay, which, from the date, he called Michaelmas Bay.