by
Kenny
 enry Hudson was already a famous explorer of Arctic waters in 1608 when he was hired by the Dutch East India Company to find a Northwest, all-water route to Asia. The Dutch East India Company had a monopoly on trade with the Orient and wanted to shorten the lengthy and expensive voyage around the Cape of Good Hope. They provided him with an 80-ton ship, The Half Moon, and a crew of 20 Dutch and English sailors. |
