Discovery was not altogether neglected, although nothing was thought of but trade during the first 50 years. In 1720 a sloop was sent on a voyage of discovery under two officers named Knight and Barlow, but they were never heard of more. A Captain Scroggs was sent in search, but without result. Again in 1737 a sloop and shallop were despatched by the Company, also without result. In 1741 a Mr Arthur Dobbs became the chief projector of an expedition to discover a north-west passage by Hudson’s Bay. The Admiralty gave assistance, and Captain Christopher Middleton received the command of an old bomb vessel called the _Furnace_, with a pink called the _Discovery_, under Captain William Moore, as a consort. Arriving late in the season of 1741, Captain Middleton resolved to winter in the Churchill river, housing his men in an old fort. In February, 1742, scurvy broke out. The only efficacious treatment was not then understood, and Captain Middleton’s panacea was plenty of rum with sugar to make punch. There were some deaths in March but not enough to hinder the expedition, and in July 1742 the voyage was resumed, the plan being to explore the great opening called by Luke Foxe “Sir Thomas Roe his Welcome,” and to seek a passage by that route. The cape on the western side of the sound in 65° 10′ N. Middleton named Cape Dobbs. Proceeding up the Welcome he discovered an opening which at first seemed likely to lead to the desired passage, but it turned out to be the estuary of a river which was named the Wager River, after Sir Charles Wager, then First Lord of the Admiralty. A point of land was named Cape Hope, because hopes of a passage were revived on rounding it and further north another opening to the west was seen, but it could not be explored owing to the ice and the state of the weather. It received the name of Repulse Bay. Then Frozen Strait was discovered at the head of the Welcome and, on climbing a high hill, Middleton saw that the coast trended south-east to the Cape Comfort of Baffin, thus proving the insularity of Southampton Island. The expedition then shaped a course down Hudson Strait, arriving in the Thames in October 1742. Middleton had done his work well, and had made some important discoveries. But he was subjected to an unjustifiable attack[100] from Mr Dobbs, the projector, who accused the explorer of stating that the Wager River was only a river when he knew it to be a strait. Dobbs had sufficient influence to enable him to raise funds for a second expedition. Two vessels, the _Dobbs_ and the _California_, were fitted out and despatched under the command of Captain Moore, who fully confirmed Middleton’s report. Mr Ellis wrote the history of this voyage, and pointed to Chesterfield Inlet as a possible passage. Accordingly Captain Christopher was sent to settle the question in the sloop _Churchill_ in 1761, and again with Captain Norton in 1762, when the survey of Chesterfield Inlet was completed. [Illustration: Hudson Bay.]