The success of Hudson’s last voyage probably stimulated the London Company to take him again into their employment, and to fit out another vessel in search of that great object of discovery, the northwest passage.  We find him setting out on a voyage, under their auspices, early in the spring of 1610.  His crew numbered several persons, who were destined to act a conspicuous part in the melancholy events of this expedition.  Among these were Robert Juet, who had already sailed with him as mate in two of his voyages; Habakuk Pricket, a man of some intelligence and education, who had been in the service of Sir Dudley Digges, one of the London Company, and from whose Journal we learn chiefly the events of the voyage; and Henry Greene, of whose character and circumstances it is necessary here to give a brief account.

It appears from the Journal, that Greene was a young man of good abilities, and education, born of highly respectable parents, but of such abandoned character, that he had forced his family to cast him off.  Hudson found him in this condition, took pity upon him, and received him into his house in London.  When it was determined that he should command this expedition, Hudson resolved to take Greene with him, in the hope, that, by exciting his ambition, and by withdrawing him from his accustomed haunts, he might reclaim him.  Greene was also a good penman, and would be useful to Hudson in that capacity.  With much difficulty Greene’s mother was persuaded to advance four pounds, to buy clothes for him; and, at last, the money was placed in the hands of an agent, for fear that it would be wasted if given directly to him.  He was not registered in the Company’s books, nor did he sail in their pay, but Hudson, to stimulate him to reform, promised to give him wages, and on his return to get him appointed one of the Prince’s guards, provided he should behave well on the voyage.

Hudson was also accompanied, as usual, by his son.  The crew consisted of twenty-three men, and the vessel was named the Discovery.  The London Company had insisted upon Hudson’s taking in the ship a person, who was to aid him by his knowledge and experience, and in whom they felt great confidence.  This arrangement seems to have been very disagreeable to Hudson, as he put the man into another vessel before he reached the mouth of the Thames, and sent him back to London, with a letter to his employers stating his reasons for so doing.  What these reasons were, we can form no conjecture, as there is no hint given in the Journal.

He sailed from London on the 17th of April, 1610.  Steering north from the mouth of the Thames, and passing in sight of the northern part of Scotland, the Orkney, Shetland, and Faroe Isles, and having, in a little more than a month, sailed along the southern coast of Iceland, where he could see the flames ascending from Mount Hecla, he anchored in a bay on the western side of that island.  Here they found a spring