<P> In any case, the Pricket narrative became the controlling story of the expedition's disastrous end . Only 8 of the 13 mutinous crewmen survived the return voyage to Europe . They were arrested in England, and some were put on trial, but no punishment was imposed for the mutiny . One theory holds that the survivors were considered too valuable as sources of information for it to be wise to execute them, as they had traveled to the New World and could describe sailing routes and conditions . Perhaps for this reason, they were charged with murder--of which they were acquitted--rather than mutiny, of which they likely would have been convicted and executed . </P> <P> The gulf or bay discovered by Hudson is twice the size of the Baltic Sea, and its many large estuaries afford access to otherwise landlocked parts of Western Canada and the Arctic . This allowed the Hudson's Bay Company to exploit a lucrative fur trade along its shores for more than two centuries, growing powerful enough to influence the history and present international boundaries of Western North America . Hudson Strait became the entrance to the Arctic for all ships engaged in the historic search for the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic side (though modern voyages take more northerly routes). </P> <P> Along with Hudson Bay, many other topographical features and landmarks are named for Hudson . The Hudson River in New York and New Jersey is named after him, as are Hudson County, New Jersey, the Henry Hudson Bridge, the Henry Hudson Parkway, and the town of Hudson, New York . </P> <P> Hudson and his marooned crewmates appear as mythic characters in the famous story "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving . He also appears in the time - travel novel Torn by Margaret Peterson Haddix . </P>

Who did the dutch east india company dispatch to search for a northwest passage to asia in 1609