[Illustration:  BARENTZ’S ship in the ice.  From de Veer.  DRIE SEYLAGIEN, Amsterdam, 1605]

Out of those conditions came like results aboard Hudson’s ship:  discontent developing into insubordination; hatred of the commander; hatred of each other; petty squabblings leading on to tragedies—­as minor ills were magnified into catastrophes and little injuries into deadly wrongs.  Strictly in keeping with the mean traditions of the Arctic is the fact that the point of departure of the final mutiny was a wrangle that arose over the ownership of “a gray cloth gowne.”

Prickett records:  “About the middle of this moneth of November dyed John Williams our Gunner.  God pardon the Masters uncharitable dealing with this man.  Now for that I am come to speake of him, out of whose ashes (as it were) that unhappie deed grew which brought a scandall upon all that are returned home, and upon the action itself, the multitude (like the dog) running after the stone, but not at the caster; therefore, not to wronge the living nor slander the dead, I will (by the leave of God) deliver the truth as neere as I can.”

Prickett’s deliverance of the truth leaves much to be desired.  Without giving any information in regard to Hudson’s “uncharitable dealing” with the gunner, he takes a fresh departure in these words:  “You shall understand that our Master kept (in his house at London) a young man named Henrie Greene, borne in Kent, of worshipfull parents, but by his leud life and conversation hee had lost the good will of all his frinds, and had spent all that hee had.  This man our Master would have to sea with him because hee could write well....  This Henrie Greene was not set down in the owners booke, nor any wages for him....  At Island the Surgeon and hee fell out in Dutch, and hee beat him ashoare in English, which set all the Companie in a rage soe that wee had much adoe to get the Surgeon aboord. [This curiously parallels the fight between Surgeon Pavy and Lieutenant Kislingbury] ...  Robert Juet, (the Masters Mate) would needs burne his finger in the embers, and tolde the Carpenter a long tale (when hee was drunke) that our Master had brought in Greene to cracke his credit that should displease him:  which wordes came to the Masters eares, who when hee understood it, would have gone back to Island, when hee was fortie leagues from thence, to have sent home his Mate Robert Juet in a fisherman.  But, being otherwise perswaded, all was well....  Now when our Gunner was dead, and (as the order is in such cases) if the Company stand in neede of any thing that belonged to the man deceased, then it is brought to the mayne mast, and there sold to them that will give moste for the same.  This Gunner had a gray cloth gowne, which Greene prayed the Master to friend him so much as to let him have it, paying for it as another would give.  The Master saith hee should, and thereupon hee answered some, that sought to have it, that Greene should have it, and none else, and soe it rested.