Page:History of India Vol 6.djvu/239

 FROBISHER'S SECOND VOYAGE 185 the dominions of the great Cane [Khan] of Tartaria." But his fixed resolve was to find more of the gold-bear- ing stone. On September 23 he returned to Milford Haven, bringing home a quantity of the supposed ore, went to court, and received from Queen Elizabeth " great thanks and most gracious countenance." The new northern land discovered on this voyage her Maj- esty named the Meta Incognita the Unknown Turning- post into Asia and designed to send thither chosen sol- diers and discreet persons to form a settlement. The hope of gold now wrought like a frenzy. It seemed as if England had within her grasp not only a passage to the East Indies about half as short as the Spanish route, but also stores of bullion which would reduce to contempt the silver of Spanish America. A German assay er, Schutz, engaged that two tons " shall yield in fine gold " twenty ounces, and although the mint officials gave no certain sound, it was resolved to secure at once five thousand tons of the ore. " The northwest passage is almost wholly lost sight of," says Mr. Sainsbury in summarizing the State Papers; " gold is the pith, heart, and core of most of the corre- spondence." On May 31, 1578, Frobisher sailed on his third voy- age from Harwich with eleven ships. The queen her- self graciously wished him farewell at Greenwich. He carried the hopes and fears alike of the city and the court; and the divine blessing was sought by strict articles " to banish dice and card playing " " and to serve God twice a day, with the ordinary service usual