John Davis: Master Navigator

Second Voyage
May 7, 1586 - October 14, 1586

On his next voyage, Davis had four ships: Mooneshine, Sunneshine, North Starre and Mermayde. Sunneshine and North Starre were sent to explore the passage between Iceland and Greenland, while Davis carried on with the other two ships. He reached Greenland again. After an argument with some Greenland Inuit, he kidnapped one of them. The captive died later, probably of a European disease.

Davis returned from his second voyage certain that he knew the location of the Northwest Passage Copyright/Source

Map made by the Muscovy Company based on Davis's northern explorations Copyright/Source

Davis explored the west coast of Greenland, then Exeter and Cumberland Sounds on Baffin Island. He returned to England, sure that he knew where the Northwest Passage was. When he arrived home, he learned that North Starre had sunk in a storm.

Polar Hostage-Taking
On his second voyage, Davis's meeting with the Inuit didn't go so well. When the Inuit took the ship's anchor, Davis kidnapped an Inuk, hoping to get his anchor back in exchange. But the plan failed when the Inuk died.