Arrival of Hudson in New York Bay, 1609. Illustration of indigenous peoples observing the arrival of the ship of English explorer Henry Hudson (c.1565-1611) in the bay of what would later be New York, USA, on 12 September 1609. This voyage by Hudson, travelling in a Dutch ship called the 'Halve Maen' (Half Moon), had started on 4 April 1609, departing from Amsterdam. Hudson's instructions had been to attempt to sail east, north of Russia into the Pacific. Finding this route blocked, Hudson acted outside his orders and sailed west, following rumours of a North-West route above North America. His discoveries included Upper New York Bay and the river (the Hudson River) that now bears his name. This chromolithograph is from the Colton, Zahm and Roberts company.