Search for the North-West Passage

This picture shows Martin Frobisher's men being attacked on Baffin Island as they searched for the elusive North-West Passage which they hoped would allow English ships to get to the Orient and join in with the highly lucrative spice trade which the Portuguese and Spanish seemed to be able to access. Geography and the harsh Arctic conditions was to defeat the English but it did not stop them searching for such a route for over two centuries!