Robert Bylot facts for kids

Robert Bylot (who explored from about 1610 to 1616) was an English explorer. He made four important trips to the Arctic, a very cold region at the top of the world. Even though he didn't have much formal education and came from a working-class family, he became a skilled ship's captain in the English Royal Navy.

Robert Bylot: Arctic Explorer

His Amazing Journeys

First Trip: The Hudson Bay Adventure (1610–1611)

Bylot started his Arctic adventures as the first mate on a ship called Discovery. This was during Henry Hudson's expedition in 1610 and 1611. They sailed into a large body of water now known as Hudson Bay.

In the spring of 1611, Captain Hudson wanted to keep exploring. However, the crew was tired and wanted to go home. There was a big disagreement between Hudson and his sailors. Bylot was even removed from his position for a short time.

Later, some of the crew rebelled against Hudson. They left Hudson, his son, and a few other sailors in a small open boat in James Bay. Sadly, Hudson and his group were never seen again. It was thanks to Bylot's excellent navigation skills that the Discovery was able to sail safely back from the Arctic. When Bylot returned to England, he was questioned about the rebellion but was eventually forgiven.

Second Trip: Back to Hudson Bay (1612–1613)

Bylot went back to Hudson Bay in 1612. This time, he was with another explorer, Sir Thomas Button. They spent the winter near the mouth of the Nelson River. In the spring of 1613, they continued sailing north. They managed to reach a latitude of 65 degrees North. After that, they returned to England.

The Search for the Northwest Passage

First Try: Ice Blocks the Way (1615)

In 1615, a company called the Muscovy Company hired Bylot. Their goal was to find the Northwest Passage. This was a famous sea route that explorers hoped would connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic. Bylot was the captain of the Discovery again. William Baffin was the ship's pilot, helping to guide them. They sailed west from Hudson Strait but were stopped by thick ice in a place called Frozen Strait.

Second Try: Big Discoveries (1616)

The very next year, the Muscovy Company hired Bylot and Baffin again. They wanted them to keep searching for the Northwest Passage. This trip led to some very important discoveries!

First, they sailed all the way around and mapped a large bay. Today, we call it Baffin Bay. Second, they found Smith Sound, which is a strait that explorers would later use to reach the North Pole. Third, they discovered Lancaster Sound. This was a huge find because the actual Northwest Passage would finally be found through Lancaster Sound, but it took another three hundred years!

What He Left Behind

This map from 1631-1632 shows Baffin Bay. It's based on Bylot's voyage and shows how accurate his discoveries were, including the location of Lancaster Sound.

Even though Bylot and Baffin did amazing work mapping Baffin Bay, some mapmakers in England didn't believe them. As late as 1812, some maps of the area only showed a dotted line where Baffin Bay should be. They even wrote: "Baffin's Bay according to the relation of W. Baffin in 1616, but not now believed."

However, when Sir John Ross "rediscovered" the bay in 1818, the old records from Bylot and Baffin's voyage turned out to be incredibly accurate! In England, almost all the credit for the discovery went to Baffin. Bylot was mostly forgotten. A historian named Farley Mowat thought there might be two reasons for this. One reason could be Bylot's lack of education and his lower social standing compared to Baffin. Another reason might have been his involvement in the rebellion during Hudson's expedition.

Today, an island off the northern end of Baffin Island is named after him. It's called Bylot Island and is one of the most dramatic and beautiful islands in the Canadian Arctic islands.