Henry Hudson’s Last Voyage 1610–11

Henry Hudson was born in around 1565 in England, possibly London. He became a sea captain and explorer employed by the Muscovy Company of London, Dutch East India Company, English East India Company among others. In 1607 and 1608 Hudson had made two voyages attempting to find the rumoured northern route to Asia, on behalf of a group of English merchants. In 1609, Hudson was chosen by the Dutch East India Company to find a northeasterly passage to Asia. When he found his passage blocked with ice, he turned westward on his own initiative, sailing south around Greenland, passing south of Newfoundland, coasting by Nova Scotia, turning southwestward to Cape Cod, and then sailing to Chesapeake Bay before returning north and exploring the Hudson River. He returned to Dartmouth, England, on 7 November 1609. Hudson’s last voyage was financed by two English backers, the Virginia Company and the English East India Company. On his new ship Discovery, he headed for Iceland, arriving on 11 May 1610. From here he sailed to southern Greenland, passing south of Baffin Island and entering Hudson Bay on 3 August. He spent the next four months exploring the east coast of Hudson Bay, but as the winter freeze moved south his ship was trapped by ice in James Bay and the crew moved ashore for the winter. In the spring of 1611 Hudson intended to continue his exploration of Hudson Bay, intent on finding the passage to Asia. However, his crew mutinied in June, determined to return home. They left Hudson with seven men who remained loyal, in a small boat with muskets, cooking pots and various other supplies. Hudson and his small band would never be seen again.