HUDSON, HENRY ( ) An English navi gator. lie is first mentioned -is the commander of the ship Hopeful, sent in May, 1607, by the Muscovy Company in quest of a northeast pas sage to the Spice Islands. After a voyage of four and a half months, during which he touched the coasts of Greenland and Spitzbergen, and sailed as far north as 80° 23', he returned to England. The next. year he sailed again under the auspices of the Muscovy Company, and reached Nova Zembla, attempting in vain to force a passage through the Vaigatch or Kara Strait, in the expectation of finding himself within easy reach of the Pacific. This voyage proved as unsuccessful as the first. His next undertaking was made in behalf of the Dutch East India Company. III their employ he sailed from Amsterdam on March 25, 1609, with two ships, the Good Hope and the Half Moon. Ile made Nova Zembla, intending to try again the passage of the Vaigatch, but his crew re belled, and the Good Hoye returned to Holland. Hudson, in the Half Moon, crossed the Atlantic, and sighted land in the latitude of Nova Scotia. He then sailed south as far as latitude 35°, and again turning north, carefully examined the coast up to Sandy Hook. wide]] he reaehed on September 12th. A month was spent in ex ploring the Hudson River, which the Half Moon ascended to the present site of Albany. He
reached England on November 7th, having sat is fied himself that the story of a great strait lead ing through the continent somewhere in the latitude of 40° was false. In 1610 he set out once more, this time to search for a northwest passage under the patronage of an association of English gentlemen. Ile left England in April, and by June 10th had reached the strait which now bears his name. Passing into the hay be yond (Hudson Bay), he spent three months in exploring its coasts and islands. Early in November his vessel was frozen in. The winter seems to have been one of great suffering. Pro• visions were scarce, and dissen•ions arose among the sailors. Late in June, 1611, a part of the crew mutinied, seized and bound Hudson, his son, and seven others of the ship's company, and putting them into the small boat, set them adrift. They were never seen again. A few wretched survivors from among those on board the ship reached England. For an account of Hudson, consult the introduction to Asher. Hen ry Hudson, the Yarigator, edited for the Hakluyt Society (London, 1860). The volume includes reprints of the earliest accounts of his voyages, both English and Hutch.