its neighbouring region the sub-arctic forests to the south. In the first place, the work of the expeditions was now made easier in that they had a nearer base and, in spite of everything, this leads to a rather more comprehensive investigation than before. Furthermore, from this time various descriptions of Hudson Bay begin to make their appearance, very much inferior to the Greenland classics, it is true, but still containing a little ethnographic information, mostly, however, about the Indians and very little about the Eskimos. The last of the three points has not left any literary trace, but is not of less importance: from this time we may reckon that the Eskimos had access to more or less regular trading with the whites and, even if up to the present day this has been insignificant as compared with that with the Indians, it has not been without importance in the long run.
The British Government charged the Hudson's Bay Company with the exploration of the Northwest Passage; the company, however, was in no way eager to make discoveries which might endanger its trading monopoly. But when the first act of the Franco-English colonial wars in North America came to an end with the Peace of Utrecht 1713, and England had got all her forts and possessions round Hudson Bay back again, the company lost a weighty excuse for its lack of activity. At the same time it stood on very shaky ground after its mixing up in "The South Sea Bubble" and therefore had at last to bite the sour apple.[1] In Fort Prince of Wales by the mouth of Churchill River it now had a possession which long served as a base for its usually unwilling, and consequently only slightly effective explorations.
In 1719 James Knight was sent out from there with two ships, which were wrecked at Marble Island, and only about fifty years later was it cleared up that this voyage had ended with the death of all members of the expedition.[2] In 1719 and 1721 two other small ships sailed from Churchill; but with regard to these Christy says: "It seems probable that these vessels (of the voyages of which we have no information) were engaged rather in general discovery and in extending the trade, than in a serious search for a northwesterly passage".[3]
Knight's failure to return gave rise to anxiety, and in 1722 a sloop was sent out under the command of John Scroggs, who reached Whale Point in Roe's Welcome, but returned without result. This voyage is only known from the reference in Dobbs. Arthur Dobbs was
