… We walked along a narrow passage. The current was indeed from the north, and the depth off the coast was 30 m.
Henry Hudson's last entry in the logbook at the entrance to Hudson Bay
It emerged from complete obscurity in 1607 and disappeared just as completely in 1611.
But during these 4 years, Hudson showed an unrivaled desire to conquer the ice seas.
No story can compare with his short biography
about any of the researchers of the Arctic throughout its history.
- F. Mowet. Ice Trial
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What is known about Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson (Hudson) (born about 1550 (according to other sources 1570) - death in 1611) English navigator. In search of the northwestern and northeastern passages between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, he made 4 voyages in the Arctic seas. He discovered the river, strait and bay in North America, which are named after him.
What little we know about Henry Hudson, other than his discoveries, makes us think of him as a man who possessed rare self-confidence, intolerance and the gift of persuasion. Henry spent many years by the sea, starting his career as a cabin boy and eventually rose to the rank of captain.
How it all began
The beginning of his dizzying career was very peculiar. An elderly captain, almost unknown to anyone in London, simply arrived at the British trading "Moscow Company" and offered to reach Japan through the North Pole. In those days, no one knew that this kind of task was impossible for a sailing vessel. The company entered into a contract with him, equipping at its own expense the rotten through and through small barque "Hopewell" 80 tons, once owned by one of Frobisher's expeditions, with a team of 12 people.
First expedition - 1607
1607, May 1 - The journey began. The navigator headed straight for the North Pole. In June, the vessel, moving along the eastern coast of Greenland, reached 73 ° N. sh. The ice conditions in this area were unfavorable, so the Hudson changed course, took to the northeast and, circling Spitsbergen from the north, perhaps for the first time in history, reached 80 ° 23 'N. sh. before reaching the pole only 600 miles. There, ice forced the Hudson to turn back. At 71 ° N. sh. he discovered an island with two peaks. The navigator, without undue modesty, called it "Hudson's Barbs", and near Spitsbergen, the Hudson revealed great opportunities for whaling, which subsequently attracted many vessels here.
The expedition returned to the English capital in mid-September. Because the main goal was not achieved and they did not reach Japan, the Hudson decided to look for a passage in another place: between Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya. And again he was able to convince merchants who were not inclined to wastefulness of the profitability of such an enterprise and the opportunity to go to the Far East around the northern protuberance of Russia. Of course, the opinion of the queen played a big role in this, she said: "Such a navigator cannot serve to the detriment of his homeland!"
Second expedition - 1608
Henry Hudson was given a ship and 14 crew. His son Sebastian was now sailing with the captain. This expedition, which began on April 22, 1608, also did not result in the opening of the passage. Having approached the south-western coast of Novaya Zemlya, the navigator was unable to round it from the north. He could not pass into the Kara Sea either. The ice did not let the fragile ship farther north. Hopewell returned to London on 26 August.
Henry Hudson Expedition Map to North America
The company refused the services of a failed captain, especially since during the expedition unrest broke out on the ship. But the stubborn captain did not give up. He decided to look for a passage in the northeast in the Barents Sea region. Once again he was able to convince the company, this time the Dutch East Indies, to equip the expedition. Dutch merchants gave the Hudson a small ship "Halfam" with a crew of 18 people, among whom were both the British and the Dutch.
Third expedition - 1609
1609, March 25 - the ship left the Zuider See and headed north. In the Barents Sea, it turned out to reach 72 ° N. sh., but again the ice stopped the advance. The crew, not wanting to endanger the polar voyage, rebelled. Hudson decided to continue searching for a passage to the south. Moving to the southwest, "Halfam" crossed the North Atlantic and along the American coast from the Gulf of Maine descended to the 36th parallel. This time it was possible to examine the course of a large river, later called the Hudson. The navigator hoped that this was the long-awaited journey to the Pacific Ocean. However, he failed again. And again, throughout the entire journey, there were disagreements with the team. The captain could not find a common language either with the Dutch or with his compatriots.
The fourth expedition - 1610
The next and last stage in the life of Henry Hudson is an expedition with the same goal, again to the north of America, but now again in the service of the British East India Company. True, here they did not trust him very much now. The sailors from the previous crews were not silent. It was known that on the ships of this captain there was a constant threat of riot. Therefore, the company, allocating a ship "Discovery" of only 55 tons and a team of 22 people, appointed its senior officer there. The captain did not argue, but at the mouth of the Thames, when the expedition was sent on April 17, 1610, he simply landed him ashore.
"Discovery" sailed to Iceland, then reached southern Greenland, passed it to the west, followed along the northern coast of Labrador and entered the strait already discovered by Cabot, which eventually received the name of the Hudson. The navigator decided that this was the desired northwest passage, swam along it and entered the bay, which became his grave.
Trouble with the crew began a long time ago, back in Iceland. In the bay, they escalated, as the captain, according to eyewitnesses, landed a sailor, whom he considered the main instigator. For the unfortunate man, this meant certain death. In addition, in the bay, at approximately 43 ° N. sh. the ship was pushed onto the shore by ice. I had to spend the winter there. The hunt did not let them starve to death, but the crew began to accuse the captain of hiding food, as well as breaking into the hold in order to steal food to feed the pets. Discontent grew.
Ship riot
When the ice allowed to move on, the navigator wanted to continue the expedition, but the team objected. A riot broke out. The instigator was Henry Green, whom the Hudson once sheltered in his home in London, and then secretly from the company he took on a ship in Gravesend. Green has muddied the water for a long time. Angry at his benefactor for refusing to give him the previously promised coat of the dead gunner, Green completely got out of obedience and pushed the team to a crime.
Henry Hudson's Last Journey
Henry Hudson, his minor son, assistant navigator and several sailors who supported the captain, as well as the sick, were put into a boat and left to fend for themselves. At the disposal of these eight people, according to one of the eyewitnesses, Abakuk Pryket, were given: one musket, some gunpowder and bullets, several spears and a cast-iron pot with some food. The navigator intended to stay close to his ship, but the crew set all sails up and fled from the Hudson.
When the boat was out of sight, the sails were removed and rushed in search of food. There was not much of it. In the cabin of the captain, who was accused of hiding food, only 200 crackers, 2 gallons of flour and a large barrel of beer were found.
No trace
The only officer left on the ship, Robert Bylot, brought Discovery to England. In order not to starve to death, the team caught birds. The "bird bone candles" were considered a great delicacy. The bones were fried in candle lard and vinegar was added. 13 people survived. They were initially imprisoned until the return of the Hudson and his companions. But the expedition sent in search was unable to find any traces.
In this case, the rioters had to serve a life sentence. But the court, entangled in the conflicting testimonies of the sailors, never passed a guilty verdict. All the rioters were released - a rare case in the history of England, which dealt very cruelly with sailors who dared to revolt while sailing.
As for the captain of Discovery, the decision of Trinity House (pilotage) officials reads: “Nobody else heard anything about the Hudson and his comrades. And yet there is some reason to believe that they landed safely in James Bay and lived for many months or even years until death came for them. Unfortunately, these lines, apparently, serve only as an attempt at self-justification for the investigation. No traces were found either then or at a later time. Apparently, the waters of the bay swallowed the fragile boat and its unfortunate crew.
Whatever the character of the captain, neither he nor those from the crew who ended up in the same boat with him, as, incidentally, the sailor left on the shore and probably killed in winter, did not deserve such a terrible end. But perhaps it was not vanity and self-confidence that drove the Hudson, but an obsession with the idea at all costs, at any cost, to find a passage and reach China and Japan by the northern route. And the crew once again did not understand the navigator and, fearing for their life, chose to sacrifice him to save themselves from the "icy horror".
V. Sklyarenko