Evening star., 1909-06-13

who is often included among the north
west explorers. did not produce important
results or add anything of value to the
worlds knowledge, for. although he pub
lished pretentious pamphlet entitled
"Discourses of a Discovery for a new
Passage to Cataia,' he merely followed in
the courses of his predecessors, and the
voyage in which he lost his life was not
extended beyond the coast of Newfound-
land.
Next in Importance to the explorations
of Martin Frobisher in the polar zone are
the three voyages of Capt John Davis
! who has been immortaliZel by having his
name stamped upon the magnificent
strait between Greenland and the conti-
nent, because it was discovered by him on
his first voyage.
Three expeditions were undertaken no,
long afterward by the Danes. in which
James Hall was the chief pilot; and one
by the English, under the command OF
John knight. in a pinnace of forty tons
| sent out by the East India and Muscovy
companies. But these men were seeking
gold and silver mines. and all seem tO
have followed in the track of FrObisher.
Hall made later voyage in 1917. and was
killed in an encounter with party OF
Esquimos on the coast OF Labrador.
Achievements Of Hudson.
| OF all the explorers of North America.
Hudson seems TO have accomplished the
most. 1t was his great good fortune to
| discover and fasten his name upon one
| of the most important rivers in the
| world. as well as the great bay and the
| strait by which it Is reached from the
ocean. Hudsons bay is becoming better
| known every year. AS one might say, 1t
| is being rapidly civilized, and before long
| will be the terminus of a line of steam
| ers from Europe connecting with the
Canadian Northern railroad, which Is
| being rapidly pushed To its shores as an
| other outlet for the grain of the Canad-
ian and American prairies. Already
there are several thriving settlements
along the shores of Hudsons bay. 1t Is
not a frozen wilderness. but land of
great delight. Although the season is
short the soil of the territory that sur
rounds ii Is remarkably fertile and Is
capable of producing enormous crops of
grain and other staples which require
only few weeks between the planting
and the harvesting. Henry Hudson
name will therefore grow more and more
| familiar TO mankind by reason of the
settlement and the traffic upon the wat
| ers which were chrstened in his honor.
| 1t is unusual that dscoverer should re-
ceive so much glory and permanent
credit
Hudson's discovery of the Hudson
| river is disputed. and il is possible that
other Europeans entered New York bay
before him. but certainly none of them
Sdiiea 80 idT up the stream dS ne, ana ne
gave the first account of its existence
and advantages to the Europeans.
| 1t should be borne in mind that the
! cabots. Frobisher, Davis. Raffin, Hudson
| and all the early explorers of North
America We're simpy seeking a new
route to India. and having felt their
way UP the coast from the isthmus to
J the frozen zone, without finding it, tney
| believed that the most probable passa ge
was farther north They did not find
1 short cut to Cathay. but they d!spelled
| many illusions and contributed much to
geographical knowledge.
| 1t must he remembered a'so that these
! explorations were made in tiny vessels OF
| less thar hundred tons burden. in which
landsmen would not trust himself a,