In the spring they set off with their hosts of the winter, the Crees, to find the Great Sea, and it is possible that they were successful, but after great hardships. However, we know that they returned in 1663 with costly furs, and instead of the welcome which might reasonably be looked for, they were heavily fined by the French governor for trading without a license, and most of their furs were confiscated. They tried to get redress in France, but utterly failed, and so with no support in either Old France or New France they sought out new friends and joined the English in an expedition against Port Royal. This was unsuccessful, and being taken prisoners by the Dutch they were landed in Spain, whence they made their way to England. This was in 1666, when the great plague was raging in London, and Charles II. and his court were at Oxford. They met at the court a man who was greatly impressed with their stories, and whose name was to be intimately associated with the great Northland. This was Prince Rupert, the dashing cavalry leader of the Stuarts, who became their patron, outfitted them for exploration, and they set off for Hudsons Bay. Chouart was successful, but Radisson, shipwrecked, returned to England where, in 1670, on the return of Chouart, a “company of adventurers trading with Hudsons Bay” was formed through the influence of Prince Rupert, who became the first governor of the Hudsons Bay Company, to whom was given an empire. In the following spring ships were sent out, posts established, and so successful was their venture that the French not only sent expeditions and exploring parties northward, but the great gathering of the Indian tribes at the Sault Ste. Marie, which Perrot organized, was to strengthen the French against the English traders who were trying to divert trade from the posts of the French. But negotiations in England fell through and Radisson made more satisfactory terms with his old allies, the French, and sailed under that flag to Hudsons Bay, outwitted both the officials of the Hudsons Bay Company and the free traders from New England and France became supreme in the Bay. But again the government of New France threw away the prize, for when Radisson and Chouart arrived at Montreal they were prosecuted for trading without a license. They were summoned to France to explain the circumstances to the Home Government, but when they arrived they found that Colbert, the minister who summoned them, was dead. Chouart, thoroughly discouraged, retired to end his days in quietness, for the outlook was anything but encouraging.