John Knight (seafarer) facts for kids

John Knight (died 1606) was a British explorer. He explored parts of Greenland and Labrador. He is famous for two trips. First, he was part of a Danish journey to Greenland. Second, he led his own trip to find the Northwest Passage. Sadly, he was lost during this second expedition.

Exploring Greenland

In 1605, John Knight joined a Danish expedition. This trip went to Greenland. John Cunningham led the journey. James Hall was the pilot. Knight was the captain of a small ship called the Katten.

They left Copenhagen on May 2. On May 30, they saw tall land. They named it Cape Christian. But thick ice stopped them from reaching it. On June 12, they saw more high land. This was on the west coast of Greenland. They named places like Cape Anna, after Queen Anne of Denmark. They also named Cape Sophia, after her mother. They found King Christian's Fjord and Cunningham Fjord. Some small islands were named Knight's Islands. The explorers returned to Copenhagen in August.

Journey to Labrador

The next year, in 1606, Knight was in England. Two big companies hired him. These were the Russia Company and the East India Company. They wanted him to find the Northwest Passage. This was a sea route through North America.

Knight sailed on a ship called the Hopewell. It was a small ship, about 40 tons. He left Gravesend, Kent, on April 18, 1606. After leaving the Orkney Islands on May 12, they met a huge ice field. They sailed through the ice for a long time. On June 19, they reached the coast of Labrador. Knight planned to explore the coast that summer. He also wanted to stay there for the winter.

Trouble with Ice and Storms

The ice was still a big problem. After two days of pushing through it, the Hopewell dropped anchor. On June 23 and 24, a strong storm hit. This was likely near Nain. The ship's ropes broke. The Hopewell was pushed onto the shore.

They managed to get the ship floating again. But its rudder broke off. Water was also leaking into the ship. Gorrell, the mate, went ashore. He looked for a place to fix the ship. He could not find one. So, on June 26, Knight went himself. He took Gorrell and four other men.

John Knight's Disappearance

Two men stayed in the boat. Knight and his three companions walked inland. They went over a hill. Sadly, they were never seen again. People believed that local people caused their disappearance.

The remaining crew on the ship worked hard. They repaired the ship as best they could. They faced some challenges from local people. After fixing the ship, they reached Newfoundland. From there, they sailed on August 22. They arrived back in Dartmouth, Devon on September 24.

See also

In Spanish: John Knight (marino) para niños