during the following spring, after making some efforts to find habitations of the natives and to seek their aid. Chancellor was more fortunate. He succeeded in reaching the Russian settlement of Kholmogori on the Vhite Sea, proceeded to Bioscow, and returned safely to ]gugland in the autumn of 1554. Commercial relations wore thus commenced with this distant and previously unknown country, which were kept open by vessels periodically dispatchcd to the Vhite Sea by the Muscovy Company, the title by which it was henceforth known. 'or in 'ebt-tmry, 1555, it was 'anted charter of incorporation by Philip and Blary, for the discovery of unknown lands.

In June, 1555, the company sent out two ships, the Edu'ard Bonaventure and Philip and Mttry, cormhanded by Richard Chan- cellor and John Howler, with George I(illin,avorth on board as the company's agent. The former ship proceeded to the White Sea, probably hearing of the sad fate of Sir Hugh Willoughby and his people at VardB. On her retnrn, the Edward Bonat'enture, then iu command of John Bucldand, visited Arzina and took on board the body of Willoughby, and the papers and merchandise remaining in his ships. The Edw,rd Bonaenture and Philip and returned to the Thames in November. BIr. Harrisse has pointed out that Blilton ('Brief History of Binscovia') was mistaken in supposing that the vessel w/th Willoughhy's body on board was lost at sea. Tile same two ships were sent to the �qaite Sea again, in 1556, and a third vessel w-as added, the Se, rcbthrift, under Stephen Borough, with his brother William and a crew of eight men.

Stephen Borough appears to have been in chief command; and he left Gravesend on the '25th of April, 1556. l�arting company with the two other ships off the entrance to the White Sea, the Searcbtbrift continued the explorations eastward, and Borough reached the mouth of the lechora. On Aumt 1st, 1556, he landed on the south-west coast of lXTovaya Zemlya, and explored the strait between that coast and Vaigatsch island. He then proceeded to the Vhite Sea, and wintered at Kholmogori, returning home in 1557.

Meanwhile, Chancellor had again been to Bioscow, and returning with a Russian ambassador, embarked at ILholmogori on board the Edward Bonaventure in July, 1556. It was not until November

that she arrived off tVitsligo, near Aherdeen, where she xvas driven