In 1607 Henry Hudson was an obscure English sea captain. By 1610 he was an internationally renowned explorer. He made two voyages in search of a Northeast Passage to the Orient and had discovered the Spitzbergen Islands and their valuable whaling grounds. In the process, Hudson had sailed farther north than any other European before him. In 1609, working for the Dutch, he had explored the Hudson River and had made a Dutch colony in America possible.

Sailing from England in 1610, on what would be his most famous voyage, Hudson began his search for the Northwest Passage through the Canadian Arctic. This was also his last exploration. Only a few of the men under his command lived to see England again. Hudson’s expedition was one of great discovery and even greater disaster. Extreme Arctic conditions and Hudson’s own questionable leadership resulted in the most infamous mutiny in Canadian history, and a mystery that remains unsolved.

Butts spins an engaging narrative that provides the reader with a great deal of information about the concerns of mariners and the wealthy yet tight-fisted businessmen that sponsored voyages of discovery.

Ed Butts is the author of several published books, most of them historical non-fiction. Many of his books are for adult readers, but he has also written for juveniles. Ed has had three books shortlisted for awards, including The Desperate Ones, nominated for an Arthur Ellis Award, and, most recently, SOS: Stories of Survival, nominated for a Red Maple Award. He is also the author of a humurous book about English grammar, Idioms for Aliens.

Ed has written hundreds of feature-length articles for various publications, including the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and Old West magazine. His articles cover such topics as history, education, entertainment, humour, current events, travel, and writing. He has also written hundreds of short articles on a wide variety of topics -- everything from gardening to airlines -- for www.ExquisiteWriting.com. Ed lives in Guelph, Ontario.