During that decplans of orderly colonization began to be set on settlements in Canada, ade the French inaugurated their permanent an established last at Smith, John Captain under English, the and secure the on founded because enduring colonv in Virginia-- enduring basis of mutual self-interest, labor, and economy. Even Spain, with all her greed for new realms to pillage, had practically abandoned the for futile hope of forcing a gateway to them at the west. It remained thenmake to the Dutch the most practical-minded people in Europe, as entry into America, in matter-of-fact times and circumstances such the almost Cathay-- far the to these, upon a mere quixotic expedition last one, happily, of its grotesque kind. Hudson's employers in this enterprise were the Dutch East India chartered in 1602 Company, a powerful corporation, which had been of Asia, to trade with the East Indies, the southern and eastern coasts , and, America in s countrie new The Africa. of and the eastern coast field the from excluded were , Atlantic the of waters entire indeed, the of years seven than less the of its operations. The company, during now its existence, had enjoved extraordinary success, and its earnings a voyrepresented seventv-fiVe per cent, of profit. In resolving upon

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age for the long desired " northwest passage," the company adopted a decidedly conservative plan. There was to be no visionary exploration for a possibly existing route through the coastline of America, but a direct entrance into Arctic waters in the region of Nova Zembla. in the hope that an open sea, or continuous passage, would there be Hudson, an Englishman, was chosen for the undertaking befound. cause he was known to be familiar with the northern seas -- no Dutch On the 4th of April, navigator of like experience being available. 1609, be sailed from Amsterdam in the " Half-Moon,'' a vessel of some eighty tons burden, with a crew of twenty Dutch and English sailors.