FROBISHER, Sir MARTIN, a distinguished naval adventurer of the Elizabethan period, the first Englishman who sought to discover a n.w. passage to China, was a native of Doncaster, but the year of his birth is unknown. For many years, he in vain labored to impress English merchants with an idea of the importance of a n.w pas sage; but at length, being patronized by some persons of rank and fortune, he suc ceeded in raising money enough to fit out two small vessels of 25 tons each, and a pin nace of 10 tons. With these lie sailed from Deptford on June 8, 1576, the queen, who was then at Greenwich, bidding them God speed on their venturous way by "shaking her hand at them out of the window." Steering their course n., they, in lat. 61° n., sighted the southern part of Greenland, which F. took to be the Friesland of Zeno, on the 11th July, to the e. point of which F. gave the name of "Queen Elizabeth's Foreland:" and on the 28th, they sighted Meta Incognita. On the 11th of Aug., F. entered the strait which bears his name, and which forms one of the entrances from Davis' strait into Hudson's bay. After about a fortnight's exploration of the coasts and islands, F.—having lost, through the treachery of the natives, a boat and five men— returned to England. IIe broughtqwith him some ore-picked up on one of the islands
i he discovered, in which some gold was N'isions of 'immense wealth to be TT 77-1: derived from further search in these northern lands floated before the eyes of the spec ulators of the time, who immediately fitted out another and better appointed expedition, giving the command to Frobisher. He sailed is May, 1577, but his discoveries, ham pered as he was by the gold-seeking operations, which turned out comparatively trifling, did not extend further than the neighborhood of the strait he had before reached. A third expedition was sent out in the year following; hut geographical science appears to have been but little benefited by it. F. afterwards served under Drake in the West Indies; and for his distinguished bravery in the fight with the Spanish armada, July 26, 1588, he received the honor of knighthood. He afterwards commanded a squadron sent out to ravage the Spanish coast. He died on Nov. 7, 1594, from the effects of a wound received while leading an attack by sea against Brest.