The Inuit: Exploration I

In the Middle Ages there had been attempts to settle colonies on Greenland and Newfoundland. These had failed. By the end of the Middle Ages there was a new mood to succeed. There had been great advances in ship design and sea travel. By the end of the fifteenth century Europeans had travelled to many distant parts of the world. In 1492 Christopher Columbus had stumbled on America. Europeans were filled with excitement at the idea of discovering more and becoming rich. An idea grew up that China could be reached by travelling west through the icy waters of the Arctic - the Northwest Passage.

Attempts to find it still continued a hundred years later:

An expedition commanded by Martin Frobisher sailed in 1576. He discovered a strait which he named after himself. He claimed it was the Northwest Passage. He also brought back some curious ore. After testing the metal, it was declared to contain gold. Frobisher was sent on two more voyages in 1577 and 1578 to explore his strait and bring back more ore. Not surprisingly, no more gold was found.

(G.R. Elton: England under the Tudors, 1974)

Frobisher had several encounters and fights with the Inuit whom he called "savages". Some English were kidnapped by the Inuit. The English got their own back by capturing some Inuit and taking them to England where they all died from diseases. We know about these voyages due to an account written by George Best who accompanied Frobisher.

James Green: Native peoples of the Americas; Oxford University Press, 1993, page 54