Muscovy Company
Heleysundet was discovered (and named) by the 60-ton ship "John Ellis" in 1617, which had been sent out by the Muscovy Company to explore to the south-eastwards of Spitsbergen. The sound was named after the Englishman William Heley (born 1594/95), a supercargo and vice-admiral of the English whaling fleet from 1617 to 1623.