. The foundation [and] growth of the British Empire . shad always in view the practical object of finding a shorterMotives for route to the East than the Cape of Good Hopethe search. afforded. Consequently, it is found that themerchants of England, and particularly those of the EastIndia and Russia Companies, were usually appealed toby the explorers for financial support ; and, as long as theleast hope of success remained, the appeal was seldom madein vain. The London and Bristol merchant princes weremen of large views, who did not shrink from expending ashare of their gains in an enterprise w
. The foundation [and] growth of the British Empire . shad always in view the practical object of finding a shorterMotives for route to the East than the Cape of Good Hopethe search. afforded. Consequently, it is found that themerchants of England, and particularly those of the EastIndia and Russia Companies, were usually appealed toby the explorers for financial support ; and, as long as theleast hope of success remained, the appeal was seldom madein vain. The London and Bristol merchant princes weremen of large views, who did not shrink from expending ashare of their gains in an enterprise which gave promise ofsuch grand results. The first of the new series of voyages was made by GeorgeAVaymouth with two small vessels, the Godspeed and theWaymouth, Discovery. The whole equipment was pro-^6o2. vided by the East India Company, who agreed to pay the captain £500 in the event of success and nothing 1602 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE 101 in the case of failure. Waymouth sailed from the Thameson May 2nd, 1602. By the end of June he v/as pushing up. Fig. 6.—Early Voyaoks to the west coast of Greenland, suffering hardships fromstorms and ice. At length the crew, instigated by Parson 102 OCEANIC TRADE AND EXPLORATION 1606 Cartwright, their chaplain, broke into mutiny and refusedto proceed further. Waymoutli crossed over to the shoreon which Frobisher had found his supposed gold mine,and then sailed southwards along the Labrador coast,failing everywhere to find the looked-for opening to thewest. He arrived in England early in August after anabsence of only four months. Compared with achieve-ments which were soon to follow, Waymouths voyagedoes not seem very heroic. The C-om{)any, however,exonerated him from blame for the falurc, and talked ofemploying him again, although it does not appear thatthey ever did so. In 1606 John Knight, also in the service of the EastIndia Company, sailed to the coast of Labrador in a littleKni ht i6o6 ^^^^^^ ^f 10 tons named the Hope
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