DAVIS, John, a famous navigator in the 16th century, was born at Sandridge, near Dartmouth in Devonshire; and distinguished himself by making three voyages to the most northern parts of America, in order to discover a north-west passage to the East Indies; in which he discovered the straits which bear his name. He afterwards performed five voyages to the East Indies; in the last of which he was slain in a desperate fight with some Javanese, near the coast of Malacca, on the 27th of December 1605. He wrote an account of his second voyage for the discovery of the north-west passage; a voyage to the East Indies; and other tracts.
DAVIS'S STRAITS. See NEW BRITAIN.