That great seaman and scientific observer William Baffin first appears in history as pilot on board Hall’s ship, the _Patience_, an experienced seaman in the prime of life. I have been baffled in all my attempts to discover even a single fact respecting his birth-place and early history. Every parish register in London and the suburbs was searched, and only six persons of the name of Baffin were found[64]. We find that a daughter of a William Baffin was baptised in the church of St Thomas the Apostle, in Vintry Ward within the City of London, in 1609, three years before Baffin joined Hall’s expedition. This Ward includes Queenhithe, a landing-place frequented by sailors, and a likely locality for a seaman to take up his abode while on shore. We know that Baffin had a wife, for she gave a good deal of trouble to the East India Company after his death. Susan may have been his daughter. But Baffin himself, though probably a Londoner, must have been constantly at sea, and probably raised himself, by his good conduct and talent, from a very humble position. There is no indication of the name at Hull. If Baffin was not a Hull man, he probably was not known to Captain Hall. It may, therefore, be conjectured that one of the merchant adventurers associated with Hall in the voyage, perhaps Sir Thomas Smith, knowing Baffin’s worth and ability, recommended him as chief pilot of the _Patience_. Andrew Barker was Master of the _Heartsease_, William Huntriss mate, and John Gatonby, quartermaster[65]. All were Yorkshiremen. The expedition finally left the Humber and made sail for Greenland on the 22nd April, 1612. The real interest attaching to the expedition is the record of Baffin’s observations and the fact that it was his first Arctic voyage. Cape Farewell was sighted on the 14th May. Gatonby, on board the _Heartsease_, named a green and inviting-looking promontory Cape Comfort, and on the 26th the two vessels anchored in 64° 15′ N. at the mouth of a fjord which was named the Harbour of Hope. It was the Gilbert Sound of Davis, the modern Godthaab. Hall proceeded to explore the fjord in a boat, and named two of its arms Bell and Lancaster rivers after two of the merchant adventurers. A cliff or hill received the name of Huntcliff from its resemblance to Huntcliff Foot near Redcar on the Yorkshire coast. Leaving the _Patience_ in Gilbert Sound, Hall went on northwards to explore in the _Heartsease_ with Baffin, going as far as Christian Fjord in 66° 25′ N. and Cunningham Fjord in 67° 25′. They then went south again to Rommel’s Fjord in 66° 54′ N., the modern Holsteinborg. On the 27th June the two vessels were together in Cockayne Sound[66], the modern Sukkertoppen, in 65° 25′ N.