NORTH-EAST axo NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, The numerous and important dis coveries made by the Portuguese and Spaniards in the southern latitudes of Asia, and the reports which on their return they spread of the fabulous wealth of those regions, excited the attention of the other maritime nations of Europe, and prompted them to send out expeditions to the East Indies for the purpose of obtaining a share in the lucra tive traffic of which Spain had hitherto possessed the monopoly. But the latter power, then at the height of her prosperity, was not disposed to admit other nations as sharers of her good fortune, and dealt so summarily with all intruders, having at that time the complete command of the Atlantic and Indian oceans, that her rivals were reluctantly compelled to abandon all thoughts of trading hi those seas. Unwilling, however, to lay aside their designs of opening a trade with the far-famed India and Cathay (as China was then called), they resolved to attempt to reach those regions by some other route. Two plans appeared most feasible—the one to reach Eastern Asia by coasting along the north of Europe and Asia, the north-eitst passage; the other by sailing westward across the Atlantic. The latter was first attempted by John Cabot in 1407, but he found his progress barred by the American continent, or, at least, those parts of it known as New foundland and Labrador. Three years afterward Gaspard Cortereal and his brother made three several voyages in the same direction; and on reaching Newfoundland sailed northward, but were Stopped on the coast of Labrador, in lat. 60° n. Both brothers afterward perished with all their followers. Several voyages were soon after made to discover if a passage for ships existed to the n. of America (the north-west passage), but without success; and the hardships which navigators were subjected to in these inhos pitable climes, caused the abandonment for the time of all further investigations in that direction.
Korth-East Passage.—The search for a north-cast passage was now vigorously prose anted, and England had the honor of sending out the first expedition for this purpose in 155:3, It consisted of three ships, commanded by sir Hugh Willoughby, and was, fitted out under the direction of the celebrated Sebastian Cabot; but on rounding the Mirth cape, one of the ships was separated from the others during a violent storm, and subse quently entered the White sea, then unknown to western Europeans. The other two. under Willoughby, drifted hillier and thither, in the vast waste of water surrounding the pole, till the, navigators sighted Nova Zembla. Being unable to land, they sailed
back along the north of Russia, and took up their winter quarters on the coast of Rus sian Lapland, where they were subsequently found frozen to death. Several other expe ditious were, at different timos. sent out by the English and Dutch, but none of them ever succeeded in penetrating further than the e. coast of Nova Zembla. though they rendered good service to geography by making accurate surveys. of Northern Europe and the adjacent islands of Spitzbergen, Nova Zembla. Waygatz, etc. It was for a long time believed that the promontory which forms the eastern boundary of the golf of Obi was time tabis of Pliny, and formed the n.e. corner of Asia; and this opinion, which received the assent of the celebrated Gerard Mercator, tended greatly to encourage renewed exploraii9n.s,,,as..qatoriling lo it, the- not more than 400 ID. from The fohowing is a liseof-ehe'ell-tefekPlAilitions for the dis covery of the north-east passage: Willoughby and Chancelor ................ ........English, 1553 Burroughs " 1556 Pet " 15b0 Barentz, William (three expeditions)... . Dutch, 1594-1596 'Eidson, Henry first expedition. ... English, 1608 second expedition Dutch, 1609 Wood • " 1676 In his third expedition Barentz nearly reached Icy cape, about long. 100° e. but was, with his crew, imprisoned by the ice, and died before the return of spring. Various important discoveries were made during this expedition, which proved that in favorable seasons a passage could be found to the eastward, but after the subsequent failures of Hudson and Wood, the attempt was abandoned in despair. The Russian government now took up the search, and both by overland expeditious, and by vessels starting front various points on the 11. and c. coasts of Siberia, sought to discover a practicable pas sage. The chief of these expeditious were those of Reining. in 1741, which started from Petropaulovski, and was stopped at the East cape; of Shatarot"; and of Billings. In 1875, and again iu 1876, Prof. No•deuskiold reached the eastern shores of the gulf of Obi; and in July, 1878, a well-equipped Swedish expedition, nudes that veteran explorer attempted once more the n.e. passage. The party successfully rounded cape Chelyu-skin, and in September were able to start from the mouths of the Lena from Behring's strait.