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Las cartas, pianchas. tablaaux, ate. pauvant Atra filmAs A das taux da rAduction diff Arants. Lorsqua la documant ast trop grand pour Atra raproduit an un saul clichA. il ast filmA A partir da I'angia supAriaur gaucha, da gaucha A droita, at da haut 9n bas. an pranant la nombra d'imagas nAcsssaira. Las diagrammas suivants iliustrant la mAthoda. ata tlura. A 2X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 wm -^' , k THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY. President. SIR RODERICK IMPEY MURCHISON, G.C.St.S. F.R.S. Corr. Mem. Inst: Fr., Hon. Mem. Imp, Acad. 8c. St. Petersburg, &e. Ao. Vice-Presidents. The earl of ELLESMERE. Captain C. R. D. BETHUNE, R.N., C.B. CoTinciL JOHN BARROW, Esq. Rear-Adml. Sir F. BEATJFORT, K.C.B. CHARLES T. BEKE, Esq., Phil. D., F.S.A. The Loud ALFRED S. CHURCHILL. W. D. COOLEY, Esq. BOLTON CORNEY, Esq., M.R.S.L. The Right Rev. Lobd Bishop or ST. DAVID'S. The Viscount EASTNOR. Sm HENRY ELLIS, K:H., F.R.S. .lOHN KORSTER, Esq. R. W. GREY, Esq., M.P. JOHN WINTER JONES, Esq. Sib CHARLES LEMON, Baut., M.P. P. LEVESQUE, Esq. Sir GEORGE T. STAUNTON, Baet., M.P. HENRY D. WOLFF, Esq. . . Honorary Secretary. . R. H.MAJOR, Esq., F.R.G.S. ' Bankers. Messrs. BOUVERIE and Co., 11, Hayuabket. THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY, which is established for the purpose of printing rare or unpublished Voyages and Travels, aims at opening by this means an easier access to the sources of a branch of know- ledge, which yields to none in importance, and is superior to most in agreeable variety. The narratives of travellers and navigators make us acquainted with the earth, its inhabitants and productions ; they exhibit the growth of intercourse among mankind, with its effects on civilization, and, while instructing, they at the same time awaken attention, by recounting the toils and adventures of those who first explored unknown and distant regions. The advantage '~>f an Association of this kind, consists not merely in its system of literary co-operation, but also in its economy. The acquire- ments, taste, and discrimination of a number of individuals, who feel an interest in the same pursuit, are thus brought to act in voluntary com- bination, and the ordinary charges of publication are also avoided, so that the volumes produced, are distributed among the Members (who can alone obtain them) at little more than the cost of printing and paper. The Society expends nearly the whole of its funds in printing works for the Members ; and since the cost of each copy varies inversely as the whole number of copies printed, it is obvious that the Members are gainers individually by the prosperity of the Society, and the consequent vigour of its operations. The Members are requested to bear in mind that the power of the Council to make advantageous arrangements, will depend, in a great measure, on the prompt payment of the subscriptions, which are payable in advance on the 1st January, and are received by the Secretary, Richard Henhy Major, Esq., 4, Albion Place, Canonbury Sq., Islington ; and by Mr. Richards, 37, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, who is the Society's agent for the delivery of its volumes. It is cspv^eially requested, that all subscribers who shall not have received their volumes within a reasonable period after the payment of their sub- scription, will notify the same to the Secretary. 1,3,53. ■' ALREADY PUBLISHED. The Obaervationa of Sir Biohard Hawkiiu, Knt. In his Voyage into the South Sea in 1593. Reprinted from the edition of 1022, and edited hy Capt. G. B. Drinkwatek Bethune, B.N., C.B. *.• Select Letters of ColumbuB. With Original Docnmepts relating to the Discovery of the New World. Translated and Edited hy B. H. Major, Esq., of the British Museum. The DiMoverie of the Empire of Oniana, By Sir Wai.ter Bai-ecIh, K»t. Edited, with Copious Explanatory Notes, and a Biographical Memoir,^ Sir Bober? H. Schomburgk, Phil. D., eto. Sir Franda Drake his Voyage, 1595, By Thomas Maynarde, together with the Spanish Account of Drake's Attack on Puerto Bico, edited from the Original MSS., hy W. D. Cooley, Esq. Narratives of Early Voyages Undertaken for the Discovery of a Passage to Cathaia and India, by the Northwest, with Selections from the Eecords of the worshipful Fellowship of the Merchants of London, trading into the East Indies ; and from MSS. in the Library of the British Museum, now first published, by Thomas Bundaix, Esq. The Historie of Travaile into ^^rginia Britannia, ■ Expressing the Cosmographie and Comodities of the Country, together with the Manners and Customs of the people, gathered and observed as well by those who went first thither as collected by William Strachey, Gent., the first Secretary of the Colony; now first Edited from the original manuscript in the British Museum, by B. H. Major, Esq., of the British Museum. Divers Voyages tonohing the Discovery of America, And the Islands adjacent, collected and published by Bichard Haki.uyt, Pre- bondaiy of Bristol, in the year 1582. Edited, with Notes and an Introduction, by John Winter Jones, Esq., of the British Museum. A Colleotion of Documents on Japan, With a Commentary, by Thomas Bundall, Esq. The Discovery and Conquest of Florida, By Don Ferdinando de Soto. Translated out of Portuguese by Bichard Hakluyt ; and Edited, with Notes and an Introduction, by W. B. Bye, Esq., of the British Museum. Notes upon Enssia, Being a Translation from the Earliest Account of that Country, entitled Beruh Moscoviticarum CoMMENTARii, by the Baron Sigismund von Her- berstein. Ambassador from the Court of Germany to the Grand Prince Vasiley Ivanovich, in the years 1517 and 1526. Two Volumes. Translated, and edited with Notes and an Introduction, by B. H. Major, Esq., of the British Museum. T The 0«ognphy of Endaon's Bay: Being the Bemarks of Captain W. Coats, in many Voyages to that locality, between the years 1727 and 1751. With an Appendix, containing Extracts from the Log of Capt. Middleton on his Voyage for the discovery of the North-west Passage, in H.M.S. " Furnace", in 1741-2. Edited by John Barkow, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A. Three Voyagei by the North-east, Towards Cathay and China, undertaken by the Dutch in the Years 1594, 1595, and 1596, with their Discovery of Spitzbergen, their residence of ten months in Novaya Zemlya, and their safe return in two open boats. By Geekit de Veeb. EcUted by C. T. Beke, Ph.D., F.S.A. Other Works in Progress. Menboza's Historie of the Great and Mightie Kinodome of China. Translated by Parke. Edited by Sib Geobge T. Staunton, Bart., M.P. Dbake. — The World Encompassed by Sir Francis Drake, 1577-80. Written by Francis Fletcher, Preacher, etc. Collated with a MS. To be edited by W. Sandys Vaux, Esq., M.A. The Tbavels of the Russian Travelleb Nikitin, in the fifteenth centiuy. To be translated from the Russian and edited by Count Wielhobsky. A Collection of Early Documents on Spitzbergen and Gbeenlano. Edited by Adam White, Esq., of the British Museum. Sofalah. — The History of I'^astem Ethiopia, by J. dos Santos, 1607. To be Translated, with Notes, by W. Desborough Cooley, Esq. The East-India Voyage of Sir Henry Middleton in 1604-5. From the rare Edition of 1606. Edited by Bolton Cohney, Esq. A C01J.ECT10N OF Eari.y Documents, to fonn a Supplement to the Narrative of Voyages towards tlie North West, by T. Rundall, Fsq. De Mobga. — Sucesos en las Islas Filipinas. Works suggested to the Connoil for Pablication. Frescobaldi. — The Travels of Frescobaldi in Egypt and Syria, in 1384. Translated from the Italian text as edited by Manzi. Bethencourt. — A History of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands, made by Jean de Bethencom't, in 1402-25. From the French Narrative of his Chaplains, Pierre Bontier and Jean le Verrier. Ca da Mosto. — The Voyages of Ca da Mosto along the Western Coast of Africa in 1454. Translated from tlie Italian text of 1507. Virginia. — Virginia in the yeai-s 1584-1600; comprising the Narratives of Arthur Barlowe, Ralf Lane, Tliomas Harriot, etc. Cadiz. — A Brief and True Report of the Honom-able Voyage to Cadiz, 1506. From the suppressed ediiion of 1598, with additions. Colonization. — Pamphlets on Colonization. By Sir William Alexander (after- wards Earl of SterUne), and James Hagthorpe. JoAM DE Castro. — llotiero em que se contem a Viagem que fizeram os Portu- guezes no anno de 1541, partinando da Citade de Goa atre Soez. Galvano. — Tratado '!os descobrimentos antigos e modernos feitos ate a era de 1550, composto pelo fanioso Antonio Galvao. Lisboa, 1731. E^^oasfg Laws of the Hakluyt Soeietyi I. The object of this Society shall be to print, for distribution among its members, rare and valuable Voyages, Travels, Naval Expeditions, and other geographical records, from an early period to the beginning of the eighteenth century. II. The Annual Subscription shall be One Guinea, payable in advance on the 1st January. III. Each member of the Society, having paid his subscription, shall be entitled to a copy of every work produced by the Society, and to vote at the general meetings within the period subscribed for ; and if he do not signify, before the close of the year, his wish to resign, he shall be considered as a member for the succeeding year. IV. The management of the Society's affairs shall be vested in a Council consisting of twenty-one members, namely, a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, and seventeen ordinary members, to be elected annually ; but vacan- cies occurring between the general meetings shall be filled up by the Council. V. A General Meeting of the Subscribers shall be held annually, on the first Thursday in March. The Secretary's Eeport on the condition and proceedings of the Society shall be then read, and, along with th"! Auditor's Report, be submitted for approval, and finally, the Meeting shall proceed to elect the Council for the ensuing year. VI. At each Annual Election, six of the old Council shall retire ; and a list of the proposed new Council shall be printed for the subscribers previous to the general meeting. VII. The Council shall meet ordinarily on the 3rd Tuesday in every month, excepting August, September, and October, for the despatch of business, three forming a quorum, and the Chairman having a -lasting vote. VIII. Gentkiuen preparing and editing works for the Society shall receive twenty-five copies of such works respectively. IX. The number of copies printed of the Society's productions siiall not exceed the estimated number of Subscribers ; so that alter tlie second year, when the Society may be supposed to have reached its full growth, there sliall be no extra copies. X. The Society shall appoint Local Secretaries throughout the kingdom, empowered to enrol membei-s, transmit subscriptions, and othenvise forward the Society's interests ; and it shall make such arrangements with its corre- spondents in the chief provincial towns, as will insure to subscribers residing in the country the regular deUverj' of their volumes at moderate charges. r Bulei for the Delivery of the Society's Volnmes. I. The Society's productions will be delivered without any charge, within three miles, of the General Post Office. II. They will be forwarded to any place beyond that limit, the Society paying the cost of booking, but not of carriage ; nor will it be answerable in this case for any loss or damage. III. They will be delivered by the Society's agent, Mr. Thomas RicHAEDS, 37, Great Queen Street, Lii .-oln's Inn Fields, to pei-sons having written authority of subscribers to receive them. IV. They will be sent to the Society's correspondents or agents in the principal towns throughout the kingdom ; and care shall be token that the charge for ctirriage be as moderate as possible. ; I LIST OF MEMBERS <» THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY. Admiralty (The), 2 copies Ainslie, Philip Barrington, Esq., St. Colme AUport, Fraiiklin, Esq., 15(!, Leadeuhall-st. Anuy and Navy Club, V), St. James's sq. An'owsniith, John, Esq., 10, Soho-square Asher, Mr. A., Berlin Ashton, J. Y., Esq., Liverpool Atkinson, F. B., Esq., Mancheater Bailey, Dr., Birkenhead Baillie, David, Esq., 14, Belgrave-square Banks, W., Esq., Melina-plaee, Grove-rd. Barrow, J., Esq., F.ll.S., 7, New-st., Spring gardens Butho, J. A., Esq., 50, Lombard-street Beatty, James, Esq., C.E., Southampton Beaufort, Kear-Admiral Sir Francis, K.C.B., F.U.S., Admiralty Becher, Captain, R.N, Beck, Dn, N ew York State Library, Albany Bcke, Charles'!., Esq.,rhil.D., ;U,Cum- ming-street, I'cntonville Belcher, Captain Sir Edward, C.B., R.N. Bell, Reverend Thomas, Berbice Bell, Robert, Esq., Norris Castle, East Cowca, LAV. Bell, W., Esq., Chm-ch-place, Clapham Bell, Robert, Esq., 34, York-street, Port- man- square BerUn, The Royal Library of Betencoui'l, Alonzo, Esq., Philadelphia Bethune, Captain C. R. Drinkwater, C.B. R.N., Admiralty Biden, Captain Blackie, Dr. Walter G., Villafleld, Glasgow Blackwood, Captain Fr. P., R.N., United Service Club Blandford, Marquis of, 3, Wilton-terrace Blunt, J., Esq., Mortlake Blyth,Jftmes,E8q.,24, Hyde-pfU-k-gardens Bois, H., Esq., IJO, Fenciiurch-street Bombay Geographical Society Bone, Mr. F. G., E.I.N. Booth, B. W., Esq., Manchester Boston Athena'um, The Botfield, Beriah, Esq., Norton Hall, North- amptonshire Bradshaw, Lieut. Lawrence, Woolwich Brevorst, J. C, Escj., New York Bridges, George, Esq., New York Brodhead, J. R., Esq., New York Broughton, Lord, 42, i3erkeley-square Brown, George, Esq., 41, Rochester-row Brown, J., Esq., Newcastle-pl., Clerkenwell Brown, W. H., Esq., Chester BrowTi, John Carter, Esq., Providence, Rhode Island Bruce, John, Esq., F.S.A., 5, Upper Glou- cester-street, Dorset-square Brussels, Royal Library of Bullock, Capt. Frederick, R.N., Woolwich Burnett, Vt. F., Commander, R.N., Royal Naval College, Portsmouth Campbell, R. H. S., Esq., 5, Argj-le-place, Regent-street Cannon, Charles, Esq., British Museum Cariton Club, PaU Mall Chapman, Mr. John, Strand Cliapman, Captain, R.A., Athenaeum Chapman, WUliam, Esq., Richmond Chauncey, Henry C., Esq., New York Chichester, J. R., Esq., 4!), Wimpole-st. Christie, Jo- -vthan Hemy, Esq., 9, Stan- hope-street, Hyde-park-gardens Churchill, Lord Alfred S., F.R.G.S., 0, Bury-street Clarke, Thomas, Esq., Ordnance OflBce, Pall Mall Clive, Robert, Esq., 53, Grosvenor-street Colbome, Lord, 10, Hill-street, Berkeley- square CoUedge, Dr., Lauriston House, Chel- tenham Collier, John Payne, Esq., F.SA. Colonial Office Congress, Library of the. United States Cooley, W. D., Esq., 33, King-street, Bloomsbury Coniey, Bolton, Esq., M.R.S.L.,Bames-ter. 6 Gostello, Dudley, Esq., 64, Acacia-road, St. John's Wood Cotton, R. W., Esq., Barnstaple Cox, E. Wm., Esq., 3, Crown Office Row, Temple Cracroft, Capt., R.N. Cranstoun, G., Esq., Corehouse, Lanark Croker, T. Crofton, Esq., 3, Gloucester- road, Old Brompton Crowninschield, A., Esq. Cunninf;hain, Captain Cunningham, Peter, Esq., 2, Madeley Villas, Kensington Ddrymple, Arthur, E8q.,St.Gile8, Norwich Daniel, G., Esq., F.L.S., St. John's Wood De la Beche, Sir Henry, K.H., 28, Jer- myn-street Deane, Charles, Esq., Boston, U.S. De Lasaux, Miss Dennett, W. H., Esq., Boston, U.S. Dickens, Charles, Esq., Tavistock House, Tavistock Square Dilke, C. Wentworth, Esq., 76, Sloane-st. Dilke, C. W., Esq., Jun., 70,Sloane-street Drake, Samuel G., Esq., Boston, U. S. Dry, Thos., Esq., 25, Lincoln's Inn Fields East India Company, The Hon. the Court of Dii'ectors of the, 20 copies Eastnor, Viscount, 45, Grosvenor-pl. Ecky, John H., Esq., Philadelphia EUesmere, The Earl of, 18, Belgrave-sq. Ellice, Rt. Hon. Edward, M.P., 1«, Arling- ton-street Elliot, J. B., Esq., Patna Ellis, Sir Henry, K.H.,F.R.S.,&c., British Museum Elphinstone, Lord, 14, St. George's -place Elphinstone, John F., Esq., 23, York-ter., Regent's-park Elphinstone, Lieut., 3, Chesham-place, Belgrave-square Enderby, Charles, Esq., East Greenwich Ethersey, Commander, H.E.I.C.S. Evans, Captain George, R.N. Fayrer, Joseph, Esq., M.D. Fennell, James Hamilton, Esq. Foley, Lord, Grosvenorsquare Foote, John, Esq., 36, Tavistock-street, Covent-garden Force, Colonel Peter, Washington, U.S. Foreign Office Forster, J., Esq., 58, Lincoln's Inn Fields Freer, W. E., Esq. Galignani, M., Paris Gawler, Colonel, United Service Club Gibraltar Garrison Library Giraud, R. Herve, Esq., Fumival's-inn Gladdish, William, Esq., Gravesend Olendening, Robert, Esq., 0, Britain-st., Portsea Graham, Robert, Esq. Gray, John Edward, Esq.,British Museum Greenwich Hospital, the Officers' Library Greenwich Society for the DiHtuion of Useful Knowledge Grey, R. J. Moring, Esq., Trinity House Grey, R. W., Esq., 16, Carlton- terrace Guild, G. F., Esq., Boston, U.S. Guise, W. v., Esq., Elmore-ct., Gloucester Hale, J. H., Esq., Park-road, Stockwell- common Halliday, William, Esq., 14, Donegall-pl., Belfast Hamilton, Robert, Esq., Liverpool. Hanrott, P. A., Esq., Queen's-square, Bloomsbury Harvey, Henry Martin, Esq., Leytonstone, Essex Har^-ey, W. Brotherton, Esq., Salford, Manchester Hawes, Benjamin, Esq., M.P., 9, Queen's square, Westminster Hawkins, Edward, Esq., British Museum Heath, Edward, Esq., Liverpool Henderson, Dr., 6, Curzon-st., Mayfair HertfordLiterarj' and Scientificlnstitution Hobhouse, Edward, Esq., Twickenham Hodgkin, Thomas, Esq., M.D., 35, Bed- ford-square HoUond, R., Esq., M.P., 63, Portland-pi. Holman, Lieutenant, R.N. Holmes, James, Esq. 4, New Ormbnd- street. Foundling Holmes, John, Esq., British Museum Home Office Homer, Rev. J. S. H., WeUs Park, Somersetsliire Hull Subscription Library Tbbs, Mr. J. C, n.K.I.C.S. Jackson, H. Esq., St. James's-row, Sheffield Johnston, Alex, Keith, Esq., Edinburgh Jones, J. Winter, Esq., British Museum Jukes, J. B., Esq., 28, Jermvii-street Junior United Sernc< < lub, I'liU Mall Keith, T. Hilton, Esq., East India House Kenyon, J., Esq., 3D, Devonshire-place, New-road Kerslake. Mr. T., Bristol Keys, J. A., Esq., H.E.I.C.S. Laird, John, Esq., Birkenhead Lardner, Leopold J., Esq.,BritishMusnum Lane, H. Bowyer, Esq., Birchfleld, near Birmingham l\ Latham, R. G., Esq., M.D., 20, Upper Southwick-street, Hyde Park-square Law, William, Esq., lOJJ, Piccadilly Leicester Pennanent Library Le Mesurier, R. Arthur, Esq., Corpus Christi College, Oxford Lemon, Sir C, Bart., M.P., 46, Charles- street, Berkeley-square Lenox, James, Esq., New York Levesque, Peter, Esq., 29, Guildford-st. Little and Brown, Messrs., Boston, U.S. Loftus, William Kennett, Esq., Newcastle- upon-Tyne Logan, A., Esq. London Institution, Finsbury Circus London Library, 12, St. James's-square Ludlow, J. M., Esq., 00, Chancery-lane Lyceum Library, Hull Mackenzie, Gen. Sir Alex., Bart., G.C.H. 4, Circus, Bath Mackenzie, John W., Esq., Edinburgh M'Leod, Miss, 4, Foley-place Macready, W. C, Esq., Sherborne House, Dorset Madan, Capt. Frederick, H.C.S., 5, North- wick-terrace, St. John's Wood Madras Literary Society Maidstone, Viscount M^jor, R. H., Esq., British Museum Malcolm, W. Elphinstone, Esq., Bumfoot Manchester Athenaeum, The Markham, Clements, Esq., Gt. Horkesley, Colchester Marsh, Hon. George P., Constantinople Marsham,liobert,Esq., Stratton Strawless, Norwich Massie, Captain T. L., R.N., Chester Meek, Sir James, Ilfracombe, Devon Milman, The Very Rev. H. H., Dean of St. Paul's Milnes, R. Monckton, Esq., M.P., 16, Upper Brook-street Mitford, Admiral Montriou, Commander, H.E.I.C.S. Montriou, W., Esq., Bombay MuUer, F., Esq., Amsterdam Munich Royal Library Munroe, James and Co., Boston, U.S. Muquardt, — , Esq. Murchison, Sir Roderick Impey, F.R.S. &c., 10, Belgrave-square Murphy, Hon. H. C, Brooklyn, New York Murray, Lord, Great Stuart-st., Edinburgh Murray, John, Esq., Albemarle-street Murray, William, Esq., 2, John-street, Berkeley-square Murton, George, Esq., Manchester Nebyam, J. Moore, M.D., 16, Leeson- street, Dublin Nelson, Thomas Wiight, Esq., 23, Glou- cester-plai'O, New-road Newcastle-upon-Tyne Literary and Sci- entific Institute New York Mercantile Library Nimmo, Thomas, Esq., Demerara Norris, Edwin, Esq., Sec. Asiatic Society, 05, New Burlington-street North Shields Literary and Philosophical Institution Oriental Club, Hanover-square Ouvry, F., Esq., F.S.A., 40, Oxford-terrace, Hyde Park Paine, W. Dunkley, Esq., 12, Canonbury- park North Parker, J. W., Esq., West Strand Pasley, Major-General Sir C. W., K.C.B., 12, Norfolk Crescent, Hyde Pai-k Pemberton, Mrs. Pennington, John, Esq., Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Historical Society of Penton, Henry, Esq. Petit, Rev. J. Louis, the Uplands, Shiffnal Petit, Miss Pollington, Viscount, 2, Bolton-row Porter, G. W., Esq., British Museum Porter, Thomas, Esq., Manchester Porteus, John, Esq., Manchester Portsmouth, the Royal Naval College Pourtales, Count Albert, Berlin Powis, Earl of, 45, Berkeley-square Piatt, G. Clayton, Esq., Philadelphia Prescott, Rear Admiral H., C.B., Ports- mouth Dockyard Pringle, William, Esq., 3, King's-road Putnam, G. R., Esq., New York Raymond, Geo., Esq., 18, Pall Mall East Read, William, Esq., Rathmines, Dublin Reed, F. J. Esq., Friday-st., Cheapside Rendell, J. M., Esq., A, Great George-st. Rhys, T., Esq., Royal Ordnance, Woolwich Rich, Messrs., Tavistock-row, Cov.-gard. Richards, Mr., 37, Great Queen-street Richardson, Sir John, M.D., F.R.S., Has- lar, Gosport Richardson, Ralpli, Esq., Greenfield Hall, Holywell, Flintshire Riggs, G. W., Esq., Washington, U.S. Ritter, Professor Karl, Berlin Robinson, Lieut. Walter F.,R.N.,F.R.G.S., Junior United Service Club Rose, Wm., Esq., Coalport, Shropshire Royal Society, Somerset House Royal Geographical Society, Waterloo-pl. Rumbold, C. E., Esq., 1, Eccleston-square Rundall, Thomas, Esq., East In^lia House Rutherfurd, Lord, St. Colm.-st., Edinb. Rye, Arthur B., Esq., Banbury T^ 8 Eye, W. B., Esq., British Museum Sanders, Captain, H.E.I.C.S. Schomburgk, Sir Robert, St. Domingo Scott, John, Esq., M.D., Physician to the Queen, Edinburgh Sedgwick, the Rev. Adam, Woodwardian Professor, Cambridge Shillinglaw, — , Esq., Admiralty Simpson, Lieutenant Singapore Library Smith, Andrew, Esq., M.D., 7, Pelbam- orescent, Brompton Smith, Edmund, Esq., Hull Smith, George, Esq., 29, Finsbury -square Smith, G., Esq., Hague-ter., Kingstown, Dublin Smith, J., Esq., Bombay Smith, J. P. O., Esq., Everton, LiveiTiool Sotheby, S. Leigh, Esq., the Woodlands, Norwood Stanley of Alderley, Lord Stanley, Hon. Henry E. J., 40, Dover-st. Staunton, Sir G. T., Bart., F.R.S., M.P., 17, Devonshire-street, Portland-place St. Andrew's University St. David's, the Bishop of, Abergwili, Car- marthenshire Stevens, H., Esq., Boston, United States Stirling, Wm., Esq., of Keir, 128, Park-st. Swan, the Rev. R. C, Hothfield, Kent Talbot, Earl Taylor, T. Esq., F.T.C.C. Temaux Compans, Mona. H., Paris Thomas, Rev. Vaughan, High-st., Oxford Thomas, W. A., Esq., 50, Threadneedle-st. Thompson, Thos., Esq., Solicitor, Hull Titchfield, Marquis of, li), Cavendish- sq. Todd, R. B., Esq., M.D., F.R.S., 3, New- street, Spring Gardens Trade, Board of TraveUers' Club, 106, Pall Mall Trinity House, Tower Hill United Service Institution Vidal, Captain, R.N. Vienna Imperial Library Von Bach, Johann Friedrich, Esq., British Museum Von Siebold, Col. Ph. Fr., Leyden Waite, Henry, Esq., Church-street, Stokn Newington Walker, H. Esq., Cheltenham Walker, J., Esq., 47, Bemard-st. Russell-sq. Walker, Joshua, Esq., Jun., 40, Upper Harley-street Washington, Captain J., R.N., Wood-street, Woolwich Waters, J. S., Esq., Baltimore, U.S. Watts, Thomas, Esq., British Museum Weir, William, Esq., 30, Great Coram-st. Whewell, the Rev. W., D.D., Master of Trinity College, Cambridge White, the Rev. James, Bonchurch, Isle of Wight Whiteman. J. C, Esq., East India House Wickham, W., Esq., 15, Chesterfield st., May Fair Wilkinson, John, Esq., 3, Wellington-st., Strand Williams,T.,Esq.,Northumberland-house, Strand WiUson, the Rev. J., 1, Raymond's Build- ings, Gray's Inn Wilson, Edward S., Esq., Hull Winstanley, E. N., Esq., 7, Poultry Woltr, H. Drummond, Esq., 44, Half- moon-st., Piccadilly Woodd, T. Basil, Esq., 108, New Bond-st. Wood, Lieutenant John, H.E.I.C.S., 137, Leadenhall-street Wright, H., Esq., Cheltenham Young, G. F., Esq., M.P., South Ssallouse HoNORABT Local Secretaries. Edinburoh Mr. T. J. Stevenson, 87, Princes Street. Glasgow Mr. D. Bryce. OxFoni) Mr. J. H. Parker. Plymouth Llewellynn Jewitt, Esq. St. Helier's, Jersey. .Mn. Lefeuyre. RICnAllDS, rniNTER, 3~, QREAT QUKEN STBEET. WORKS ISSUED BY Cj^f mUnut ^oriftg. THREE VOYAGES BY THE NORTH-EAST. I il.IiCCL'.LIII. Ill i|iiiim«B^n^ 1"\ 'i ' J^ -i^m ixM ^^»^&^^ iieyabttek., 9"ftt Dirt (fehcudai A^'^^^'-cJk, y^ ^tlui^ X^ -^ -^ ■^ V -^ ^^i C- *->?. */-, Hw^tfch* my ten 15 , »»» ren jraeJt-' 10 T-rrri ,— — i r- io J£. ■ jpiuiili iwmr^r^mHf . TRUE DESCRIPTION OF THREE VOYAGES BY THE NORTH-EAST TOWARDS CATHAY AND CHINA, UNDEllTAKEN BY THE DUTCH IN THE YEARS 1594, 1595, AND 1590, By GERRIT DE VEER. PUBLISHED AT AMSTERDAM IN THE YEAR 1598, AND IN 1609 TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY WILLIAM PHILLIP. Ettittb bg CHARLES T. BEKE, Phil. D., F.S.A. LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY. MDC'COLIII. %0 ti T. llICIl.MlbS, 3; fiUKAT IJVEliN STKEfcl'. THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY. SIU nODEUICK IMPEY MUKCHISOX. O.C.St.S., F.U.8., Corr. Mem. Inst. Fr., Hon. Mem. Imp. Acad. -.c. St. Teteraburg, Ac, &o., Pbesident. JNE, R.N., C.B. I The earl OF ELLESMEUE Cait. C. R. DRINKWATER BETIIUNE JOHN BARROW, Es Page 29. INTRODUCTION. ^l two capes of the same name are distinctly laid down in his chart. On the 5th of August, fearing to be hemmed in by the ice, which approached his ship in immense masses, Burrough returned westwards, and then southwards ; and on the 22d of the same month, on account of the north and north-easterly winds, the great quantity of ice, and the advanced season of the year, he deter- mined on not attempting to proceed further to the east, but returned round Kanin Nos into the White Sea, and so to Kholmogorui (Colmogro), the Rus- sian port on the Dwina previously to the foundation of Archangelsk,— Archangel, or Novo-Kholmogorui, as it was at first called,— where he arrived on the 11th of September.' The passage by which Burrough thus sailed be- tween Novaya Zemlya and Vaigats into the sea of Kara, is that which by the Russians is called Kar- skoi Vorota— the Kara Gate or Strait; and as he was the first navigator who is recorded to have been there, he must be regarded as the " discoverer " of that Strait. And that he was so considered by his contemporaries is established by the fact, that, in the instructions given by the Russia Company, in 1580, to Pet and Jackman,^ that entrance into the Sea of Kara is actually denominated " Burrough's Strait." For several years after Stephen Burrough's voyage in die Searchthrift, the Russia Company appear to liuve directed their attention principally to the Hakluyt, vol. i, p. 283. See also pp. 284, 417, 464, 465 Sec page xvli of the present Introduction. r XII INTRODUCTION. 1 trade with the White Sea, and thence, overland, with the interior of the continent both in Europe and in Asia. Still, it must not be imagined that they at all abandoned the idea of a north-east passage to China. On the contrary, there is evidence in the instructions given by them on the fitting out of two expeditions, at intervals of twelve years each, that the subject was not lost sight of by them, and that they neglected no means of obtaining information, with a view to the eventual realization of the scheme which was their principal object in the original formation of the company. The former of these two expeditions was in the year 1568, when James Bassendine, James Wood- cocke, and Richard Browne were appointed to under- take a voyage of discovery along the northern coast of Russia, "from the river Pechora to the eastwards." Of this undertaking no memorial appears to be ex- tant, except the " Commission " issued to the adven- turers ; so that it is impossible to say what its success was. But the instructions contained in that Com- mission are in themselves of so interesting a charac- ter, as showing in a precise and definite form the extent of the knowledge of the Arctic Ocean to the east of the White Sea, possessed by the English at a date mounting up to nearly three centuries from the present time, tliat no apology will be necessary for here reprinting it from the pages of Ilakluyt.^ It must be premised that the date attributed by that author to this document is 1588; which is hovever ' Principal Nuviyutions, vol. i, pp. 382-3. INTRODUCTION. Xlll clearly a misprint. For, in the first place, it was in 1568 (not 1588) that Thomas Kandolph, by whom the Commission was signed only a few days after his arrival in Russia,^ was appointed ambassador to that country, he having in the following year returned to England;*' while in the year 1588 it was Dr. Giles Fletcher who was our ambassad^^r." And, secondly, this Commission, though appearing to bear the latter date, is placed by Hakluyt in chronological order among the documents of the year 1568. A Commission given hy vs, TJiomas Eandolfe, ambassadour for the Qucenes Maiestte in Russia, and Thomas Bannister, etc., vnto lames Bassendine, lames Woodcocke, and Richard Browne; the which Bassendine, Woodcocke and Browne tee appoint ioynthj together, and aiders the one of them to the other, in a voyage of discouery to be made (by the grace of God) by them, for searching of the sen and border of the coast, from the riucr Pechora to the eastwards, as hereafter followeth. Anno 1568, the frst of August. Inprimis, when your barkc with all furniture is ready, you shall at the beginning of the ^'ore (assoonc as you possibly may) make your repaire to the eastcrne part of the riuer Pechora, where is an island called Dolgoieue, and from thence you shall passe to the eastwards alongst by the sea coast of Hugorie, or the maine land of Pechora ; and sailing alongst by the same coast, you shall passe within seuen leagues of the island Vaigats, which is in the straight, almost halfe * He arrived at the monastery of St. Nicholas, at the western mouth of the Dwina, on July 23rd, 1568. — Ilakluyt, vol. i, p. 376. '' He embarked at St. Nicholas about the end of July, 1569, and arrived safely at London in the month of September followinij. — Hakluyt, vol. i, p. 378. => Hakluyt, vol. i, p. 473. XlV INTRODUCTION. II :• ^ way from the coast of Hugorie unto the coast of Noua Zcm- bla ; ivhich island Vaigats and Noua Zcmhla you shall Jinde noted in your plat, therefore you shall not need to discouer it, but proceed on alongst the coast of Hugory towards the river Obba. There is a bay bctweene the sayd Vaigats and the river Obba, that doth bite to the southwards into the land of Hu- gory, in which bay are two small riuers, the one called C!!ara Reca, the other Naramsy, as in the paper of notes which are giuen to you herewith may appeare : in the which bay you shall not need to spend any time for searching of it, but to direct your course to the river Ob (if otherwise you be not constrained to kcepc alongst the shore) ; and when you come to the river Ob, you shall not enter into it, but passe oucr into the easterne part of the mouth of the sayd riucr. And when you are at the easterne part of the mouth of Obba Rcca, you shall from thence passe to the eastwards, alongst by the border of the sayd coast, describing the same in such perfect order as you can best do it. You shall not Icaue the sayd coast or border of the land, but passe alongst by it, at least in sight of the same, untill you haue sailed by it so farrc to the eastwards, and the time of the yeere [be] so farrc spent, that you doe thinke it time for you to rcturnc with your barke to winter, which trauell may well be 300 or 400 leagues to the eastwards of the Ob, if the sea doe reach so farre, as our hope is it doth ; but and if you finde not the said coast and sea to trend so farre to the eastwards, yet you shall not leaue the coast at any time, but proceed alongst by it, as it doth lie, leauing no part of it vnsearchcd or [un-]sccne, unlesse it be some bay or river, that you doe ccrtcinly know by the report of the people that you shall finde in those borders, or els some certeine tokens whereby you of your sclucs may iudge it to be so. For our hope is that the said border of land and sea doth, in short space after you passe the Ob, incline cast. INTRODUCTION. XV and so to the southwards. And therefore we would haue no part of the land of your starreboord side, as you proceed in your discoucry, to be left vndiscoucrcd. But and if the said border of land do not incline so to the eastwards as ^vc presuppose it, but that it doe proue to mchne and trend to the northwards, and so ioync with Nona Zembla, making the sea from Vaigats to the eastwards but a bay; yet we will that you do keepe alongst by the said coast, and so bring us certaine report of that forme and mancr of the same bay. And if it doe so proue to be a bay, and that you have passed round about the same, and so by the trending of the land come backe vnto that part of Nona Zembla that is agauist Vaigats, whereas you may from that see the said island Vaigats ; if the time of the yecre will permit you, you shall from thence passe alongst by the said border and coast of Noua Zembla to the westwards, and so to search lohether that part of Noua Zembla doe ioyne ivith the land that Sir Hugh WilloiKjhhie discouered in anno '53, and is in 72 de- grees and from that part of Noua Zembla 120 leagues to the tvestwards,' as your plat doeth shew it unto you ; and if you doe finde that land to ioyne with Noua Zembla, Avhen you come to it, you shall proceed further along the same coast, if the time of the yere will permit it, and that you doe thinke there will be sufficient time for you to retm-ne back with your barke to winter, either at Pechora or in Russia, at your discretion ; for we refer the same to your good iudgcments, trusting that you will lose no time that may further your knowledge in this voyage. ' This supposed interval between Novaya Zemlya and " Wil- loughby's Land," arose from WiUoughby's erroneous estimate of the distance of the coast reached by him from Senyen, which dis- tance, "mstead of 160 leagues, would be 230 leagues; an error however, not much to be wondered at, considering the bad weather the fleet encountered between those places."— i?eec/*ey, p. 228. XVI INTRODUCTION. Note you, it was the 20 of August, '56, ycr ' the Serch- thrift began to returne backc from her discoucrie, to winter in Russia ; and then she came from the island Vaigats, being forcibly driuen from thence with an easterly windc and yce, and so she came unto the riuer Dwina, and arriued at Col- mogro the 1 1 of September, '56. If the yce had not bene so much that yere as it was in the streights on both sides of the island Vaigats, they in the said pinnesse would that yecre haue discoucred the parts that you are now sent to seeke ; which thing (if it had pleased God) might haue bene done then ; but God hath rescrucd it for some other. Which discoucrie, if it may be made by you, it shall not only proue profitable vnto you, but it will also purchase i)crpetuall fame and rcnowme both to you and our countrcy. And thus, not doubting of your willing desires and forwardnessc towards the same, Ave pray God to blesse you with a lucky beginning, fortunate successe, and happily to end the same. Amen. As has already been stated, the results of this expedition are not known. We may therefore pass to the consideration of the voyage of Arthur Pet and Charles Jackman in the year 1580. For this undertaking written instructions were in like manner given by the Kussia Company, which have also been preserved by Hakluyt.^ But as these instructions correspond in many respects with those given to Bassendine and his companions, it is here unnecessary to cite more from them than some few passages requiring particular notice. The Commission from the Russia Company to Pet and Jackman was " for a voyage by them to be made, ' Ere ; before. Vol. i, pp. 433-5. .i= INTRODUCTION. XVll it by God's grace, for search and discoueries of a pas- sage by sea b// BorougJis Streights and the island Vaigats, eastwards to the countries or dominions of the mightic prince, the emperour of Cathay, and in the same unto the cities of Cambalu and Quinsay, or to either of them." And for that purpose they were directed to "saile from this river of Thames to the coast of Finmarke, to the North Cape there, or to the Ward- house;" and from thence, continued their instruc- tions, " direct your course to haue sight of Willough- bies Land, and from it passe alongst to the Nona Zemla, keeping the same landes alwayes in your sight on your larboord sides (if conueniently you may),. to the ende you maydiscouer whether the same Willoughbies Land be continent and firme land with Nona Zemla or not; notwithstanding we would not haue you to entangle your sclues in any bay, or otherwise, so that it might hinder your speedy proceeding to the Island Vaigats. " And when you come to Vaigats^ ive luould haue you to get sight of the maine land of Samoeda^ w^hich is ouer against the south part of the same island, and from thence, with Gods permission, to passe eastivards alongst the same coasts keeping it alwayes in your sight (if conueniently you may) untill you come to the mouth of the riuer Ob ; and when you come unto it, passe ouer the said riuers mouth unto the border of 'land on the east side of the same (without any stay to bee made for searching inwardly in the same river), and being in sight of the same easterly land, doe you, in Gods name, ^rroceed alongst by it from thence eastwards, keeping the same alwayes on your starboord side in sight, d XVIU INTRODUCTION. if you may, and follow the tract of it, whether it incline southerly or northerly (as at times it may do both), untill you come to the country of Cathay, or the dominion of that mightie emperour."^ But in case they should not be able to reach Cathay, they were directed to attempt to ascend the river Ob ; and if they should not succeed in this, they were then to " returne backe through Borour/hs Strcights" and " discouer and trie whether Willoughbies Land ioyne continent with Nona Zembla or not."^ In pursuance of these instructions, Pet and Jack- man sailed from Harwich on the 31st of May 1580, in two small barks ; namely, the George, of the burthen of forty tons, under the command of the former, with a crew of nine men and a boy, and the William, of twenty tons, commanded by the latter, with a crew of five men and a boy. On June 23d they reached Wardhuus, which place they loft in company on the 1st of the following month. On the next day, how- ever, as the William seemed " to be out of trie and sailed very ill," she " was willing to goe with Kegor," where she might mend her steerage ; " whereupon Master Pet, riot willing to go into harborough, said to rdiiscer Jackman that if he thought hi'uselfe not able to keepc the sea, he should doe as he thought best, and that he in the meane time would bcare with Willoughbies Land, for that it was a parcel of our direction, and would meete him at Veroiie Ostroue, or Vaigats.''^ ' Hakluyt, vol. i, pp. 433-4. ^ Ihid., p. 435. ' Ifml., p. 416. INTRODUCTION. XIX The name of Verouc Ostroue, here given to the island of Vaigats, does not occur elsewhere. It is manifestly Russian ; though it is difficult to say what is its correct form, and consequently what its signifi- cation. As to the designation by which that island is generally known, Witsen states, though without fur- ther explanation, that it was acquired from one Iwan or Ian Waigats ;^ in commenting on which statement, Liitke says that the name should properly be written AVaigatsch, the Russian termination tsck having been changed by the Dutch into ts, in the same way as in Pi^^ora for Pei'^e/sora, etc."' The correctness of this criticism is, however, questionable. For, long before the Dutch visited or knew anything of these parts, we find Englishmen, — who certainly had no difficulty in pronouncing the sound ch (tsch)^ which is common to our language, and who in fact always wrote Vcchoi'n (Petschora), and not, like the Dutch, VUsorat — invariably writing not Vaigae/j (Vaigatsch), but Vaiga/5 or Vaygai'^. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that Vaigats is the original pronunciation of the name, and that the Russian form is merely a corruj)tion. But to return to Pet, who after parting from Jackman continued his course eastwards, apparently following in Willoughby's track, till, on the 4th of July, he saw land in latitude 71° 38' north, being the coast of Novaya Zemlya, somewhere about the South Goose Cape. Thence he coasted along the south-western ' See the note in page 28 of the present vclim-.c. ' If»id. 3 Hakluyt, vol \, p. 44G. m \i i XX INTRODUCTION. end of Novaya Zemlya, keeping the same in sight on the larhoard side, as instructed to do but not Hearing it, on account of ice and fog. On the 10th of July, he approached the north-western extremity of Yaigatz Island, and landed on a small island near the coast, where he took in wood and water. ^ Here he remained till the 14th, when he got out with difficulty on account of t^ ^ ice, and " lay along the coast north-west, thinking it to be an island; but find- ing no end in rowing so long," he " supposed it to be the maine of Nona Zembla," in which however he was in error, and thereby missed the entrance into the Sea of Kara by Burrough's Strait. He now altered his course, and on the 1 5th " lay south south-west with a flawne sheete, and so ranne all the same day ;" and, after meeting with much more ice, he on the 17th came into the " Bay of Pechora." Thence again taking an eastward course, he oti the 18th had sight of the southern extremity of Vaigatz, and on the following day entered the pas- sage running between that portion of the island and the main land of the Samoede country ; to which passage the Dutch, in the voyages which form the subject of the following pages, gave the name of "the Straits of Nassau", and which the Russians call Yugorsky Schar, that is to say, the Ugorian Strait. Nevertheless, if the first European explorer on record be entitled to the credit of his discove 7, this entrance into the Sea of Kara ought to bear the namo of Pet's Strait," in like miuiner as the passage into ' Hiikluyt, vol. i, p. M7. INTRODUCTION. XXI that sea at the other extremity of Vaigatz Island received the name of " Burrough's Strait." From the 19th till the 24th of July, Pet endea- voured to make his way eastwards in accordance with his instructions, by keeping " the main*' land of Samoeda" n'ways in sight on his starboard side, but was constantly impeded by the ice. At length he was " constrained to put into the ice, to seeke some way to get to the northwards of it, hopingr * i haue some cleare passage that way, but there was nothing but whole ice."^ Meanwhile, Jackman and his crew of five men and a boy, in their frail bark of twenty tons, had gallantly followed after the George, and on the morning of the 25th July the two vessels again joined company, the William being however in so disabled a state when she reached her companion, as to require assistance from the latter The two vessels now " set saile to the north wardes, to seeke if they could findc any way cleare to passe to the eastward ; but the further they went that way., the more and thicker was the ice, so that they coulde goe no further."- At length, seeing the impossibility of advancing either to the east or to the north, on the 28th of July " Master Pet and Master Jackman did conferre toge- ther what was best to be done, considering that the windes were good for us, and we not able to passe for ice : they did agree to seeke to the land againe, and so to Vaygatz, and then to conferre further. At 3 in the afternoonc we did warpe from one piece of ice to ' Hukluyt, vol. i, p. -148. » Ihid Ill "•|"1H SSSBSHOn XXll INTRODUCTION. another, to get from them if it were possible : here were pieces of ice so great that we could not see beyond them out of the toppe."^ It was only with the greatest difficulty and peril that they occasionally made their way throug^h the ice, in which for the most part they remained so enclosed " that they could not stirre, labouring onely to defend the yce as it came upon them ;" but at length, on the 15th of Aifgust, they " entred into a cleare sea with- out yce, whereof they were most glad, and not with- out cause, and gave God the praise."- On the day after, they say, "wo were trouble*^ a^ ''^.e with ice, but we made great shift with it ; foi ?t-: yottc hetwcene the shoare and it. This day, at twelue of the clocke, we were thwart of the south-cast part of \ aigats, all along which part there was great store of yce, so that we stood in doubt of passage ; 9/ei by much adoc tvc got betwixt the shoare and it.'"''^ They now bore away to the west, passing by the island of Kolguev (Colgoyeue), on the sands to the south of which both vessels went aground, on xVr.gust 20tli, in latitude 68° 40' N., according to their 'L.lc'da- tion. Getting off, they proceeded together ' ,hnr return voyage; but, only two days afterwardvs, s lV. vessel parted from the William, and saw her no more. Arthur Pet, in the George, reached home in safety, arriving at llatcliff on the 2Gth Deceniber follow- ing ; but " the William, with Charles Jackman, ar- ' Hakluyt, vol. i, p. 449. ' //»>/., p. J.Jl. '' Ibid., p. Ihid., p. 4.'>1. ■}\K INTRODUCTION. xxui rived at a port in Norway between Tronden and Rostock in October 1580, and there did winter. And from thence departed againe in Februarie fol- lowing, and went in company of a ship of the King of Denmarke toward Island ; and since that time he was never heard of."^ This voyage of Pet and Jackman has been noticed more in detail than miglit otherwise have been neces- sary, for the purpose of defending those able seamen from the animadversions of a recent historian, who says : " From tlie meagre narrative of this voyage it is sufficiently evident thc.t Pet and Jackman were but indifferent navigators, and that they never trusted tliemsolvcs from the shore and out of shallow water, whenever the ice would suffer them to approach it ; a situation of all others, where they might have made themselves certain of being hampered with ice."~ It will, however, in the first place, have been seen that their express instructions were that they should fol- low the line of the Siberian coast, keeping it always in siglit on their starboard side, which instructions they appear to have obeyed to the utmost of their ability. And, secondly, it was not so much the fixed ice along the coast which impeded their progress, as the immense masses of floating ice from the Polar Basin which had drifted into the Sea of Kara; for, on more than one occasion, it was precisely by getting into the shallow water " between the shore and the • narrow. Chronological History of Vovnyes into the Arctic liegions, p. 99. • Hakluyt, vol. i, p. 453, XXIV INTRODUCTION. ri ice," that they were enabled to effect a passage, which in deeper water, where the ice-masses could float, was denied to them. The fact is that it was from no want of either knowledge or skill that they were unsuccessful, but from the likf unsurmountable natural causes which, fifteen years later, compelled the Dutch fleet under Cornelius Nai to turn back from somewhere about the same spot ;^ and, as Captain Beechey justly observes, " to this day the hardy Russians have not been able to survey the eastern side of Nova Zembla ; and the ships which passed through the Waigatz Strait have never been able to proceed far, owing to the quantity of ice driven into the Sea of Kara."^ Further, when it is considered who these expe- rienced seamen were, it will at once be manifest that under no circumstances ought they to be stigmatized as " indifferent navigators." Arthur Pet was with Richard Chancellor and Stephen Burrough in the Edward Bonavcnture, on tiieir first voyage to the Bay of St. Nicholas in 1553, his name standing in the list of " mariners " sixth before that of William Bur- rough^ (Stephen's brother). Seven years afterwards, in 1560, he commanded the Jesus, of London, in the service of the Russia Company.* And now, twenty years later, in the year 1580, a convincing proof is afforded of the estimation in which he was held, by the interest taken in him and his expedition by ' See page 64 of the present voli ' Voyaye towards the North Pole ' See page 64 of the present volume. ' Voyaye towards the North Pole, p. 202. ' Ilakluyt, vol. i, p. 233. * Ihld., p. 308. INTRODUCTION. XXV ;3 4 several of the most distinguished navigators and cos- mography vs of his time. For, in addition to his Commission from his employers, in whose service he had been seven-and-twenty years, — whether con- stantly or not is immaterial, — he received " Instruc- tions and Notes''^ from " Master AVilliam Burrough," Comptroller of the Navy, who had been his messmate seven-and-twenty years before, together with " Cer- taine briefe aduices giuen by Master Dee,"*^ as also " Notes in writing, besides more priuie by mouth, that were giuen by M. Richard Hakluyt, of Eiton, in the countie of Hereford, esquire ;"" and, further, his voyage was deemed of sufficient importance to form the subject of a letter to Hakluyt himself from the learned Gerard Mercator.^ Of Charles Jackman we do not know so much. Yet he, too, had clearly had experience in Arctic ex- ploration, having been " the mate" on board the Ayde, one of the vessels of Frobisher's second expedition, when he was of sufficient importance to give his name to " Jackman's Sound," on the south side of Frobisher's Strait.'' And it is not without signifi- cance that in all the documents above cited, except Mercator's letter to Hakluyt, his name is coupled, ' Hakluyt, vol. i, p. 435. » Ihid., p. 437. ^ Ibid., p. 437. These " notes" were also published by Hakluyt in his Divers Voyages touching the Discovery of America, under the title of " Notes in writing, besides more priuie by mouth, that were giuen by a gentleman,*^ etc. See Mr. J. Winter Jones's edition of that work, p. 116. * Hakluyt, vol. i, p. 443. " Uundall, Narratires of Voyages to the North- West, pp. 15, 17. C XXVI INTRODUCTION. without any distinction, with that of so old and ex- perienced a navigator of the Russian Seas as Arthur Pet. Notwithstanding the failure of Pet and Jackman's undertaking, the Russia Company appear to have in no wise relaxed in their endeavours to effect a passage by sea along the northern coast of the Russian domi- nions. And that they were, to a considerable extent, successful in their exertions, is proved by the follow- ing two documents, which have been preserved to us by Purchas.^ Notes concerning the discotiery of the river of Ob, taken out of a Roll written in the Russian tongue, which was attempted by the meanes ofAntonic Marsh, a chiefe Factor for the Moscouie Company of England, 1584, tvith other Notes of the North' east. First, he wrote a letter from the citie of Mosco, in the year 7092, after the Russe accompt, which after our accompt was in the yeare 1584, unto foure Russes, that vsed to trade from Colmogro to Pechora and other parts eastward ; whose answer was : By writings receiued from thee, as also by reports, wee vnderstand thou wouldest have us seeke out the mouth of the nuer Ob ; which we are content to doe, and thou must giue therefore fiftie rubbles : it is requisite to goe to secke it out with two cochimaes or companies,^ and each cochima must haue ten men ; and wee must goe by the riuer Pechora * Pilgrimes, vol. iii, pp. 804-806. * This may perhaps be an erroneous translation of the Russian word kotschmare, which, according to Liitkc (p. 71), "is understood at Archangel to mean a tlirec-mastcd vessel, of the burthen of about 500 poods," or eight tons. INTRODUCTION. XXVll vpwards in the spring, by the side of the ice, as the ice swimmeth in the riuer, which will aske a fortnights time ; and then we must fall into Ouson riuer, and fall downe with the streame before we come to Ob, a day and a night in the spring. Then it will hold vs eight dayes to swimme downe the riuer Ob, before we come to the mouth : therefore send vs a man that can write ; and assure thy selfe the mouth of Ob is deepe. On the Kusse side of Ob soiourne Samoeds, called Vgorskai and Sibierskie Samoeds ; and on the other side dwel another kinde of Samoeds, called Monganet or Mongaseisky Samoeds. We must passe by fiue castles that stand on the riuer of Ob. The name of the first is Tesuoi- gorodok, which standeth vpon the mouth of the riuer Padou. The second small castle is Nosoro-gorodock, and it standeth hard vpon the side of Ob. The third is called Necheiour- goskoy. The fourth is Charedmada. The fift is Nadesneda, that is to say, the castle of Comfort or Trust,' and it standeth vpon the riuer Ob, lowermost of all the former castles to- ward the sea. Heretofore your people hatte bin at the said riuer of Obs mouth with a shij), and there was made shipwracke, and your people were slaine by the Samoeds, which thought that they came to rob atid subdue them. The trees that grow by the riuer are firrcs, and a kiudc of white, soft, and light firre, which we call yell. The bankcs on both sides arc very high, and the water not swift, but still and deepe. Fish there arc in it, as sturgeons, and cheri, and pidlc, and nelma, a dainty fish like white salmons, and moucoun, and sigi, and ster- lidi ; but salmons' there arc none. Not farrc distant from the ' We have here a proof that this document was translated out of Russian into English through cither the Dutch or the German language, in which Trost does certainly mean "comfort," but never " trust." The translator of De Veer's work commits the like mistake. Sec page 20 of the present volume. ^ These several descriptions of fish arc thus identified by Dr. mt xxvm INTRODUCTION. mainc, at the mouth of Ob, there is an island,' Avhercon resort many vUde beasts, as white bearcs, and the morses, and such like. And the Samoeds tell vs, that in the winter season they oftentimes finde there morses teeth. If you xcould haue vs tratiell to sceke out the mouth of Oh by sea, tee must goe by the isles of Vaygats and Noua Zembla, and by the land of 3Iatpheoue, that is, by Matthetves Land. And assure thy selfc, that from Vaygats to the mouth of Ob by sea, is but a small matter to sayle. Written at Pechora, the yeare 7092, the twenty one of February. Mastek Maksii also learned these distances of Places and Ports from Caninos to Ob by sea. From Caninos to the bay of MedemsTce (which is some- what to the east of the riucr Pechora) is seuen dayes sayl- ing. The bay of Mcdcmsky is oucr a day and a halfe sayling. From Medcmske Sauorost to Carareca is sixe dayes sayling. From Carska Bay to the farthest side of the riucr Ob is nine dayes sayling. The bay of Carska is from side to side a day and a nights sayling. He learned another icay by Noua Zembla and 3fatthtcschau Yar to Ob more north-eastward. From Caninos to the iland of Colgoieue is a day and a nights sayling. From Colgoieuc to Noua Zembla are two dayes sayling. There is a great osera or lake vpon Noua Zembla, where wondcrfuU store of geese and swanncs doc brccde, and in moulting time cast their feathers, which is about Saint Peters day ; and the Russcs of Colmogro repaire thither ycarcly, and our English men ven- ture thither with them seuerall shares in money : they bring Hamel, in his Tradescant der aeltere, (St. Petersburg and Leip- zig, 1847, 4to.)> P- 239. Acipcnser stiirio, Salmo nasutus (Tschir), Sabno pelct (Pclet ?), Salmo nelma (Nclma), Salmo muksim (Muk- sun), Salmo lavaretus (Sigi), Acipcnser ruthnns, Salmo solar, ^ Dyeloi ostrov, or Wliitc Island. Sec Lxithe, p. G8. U INTRODUCTION. XXIX home great quahtltie of doimc-feathcrs, dried swanncs and geese, bcarcs sklnncs, and fish, etc. From Naromske rcca or riuer to Mattuschan Yar is sixe daycs sayling. From Mattuschan Yar to the Peroiiologli Teupla, that is to say, to the warme passage ouer-land, compassing or sayling round about the sands, is thirteene dayes sayling. And there is upon the sands, at a full sea, scucn fathomes water, and two fathomes at a low water. The occasion of this highing of the water, is the falling into the sea of the three riuers, and the meeting of the two seas, to wit, the North Sea and the East Sea, which make both high water and great sands. And you must beware that you come not with your shippe near vnto the iland by the riuer Ob.* From MaUnschan Yar to this iland is Jiuc daycs sayling. Mattushan Yar is in some parts fortie vcrsts otcer, and in some j^arts not j)ast six vcrsts oucr. The aforesaid Anthonie Marsh sent one Bodan, his man, a liusse borne, with the aforesaid foure Russcs and a yong youth, a Samocd, which was likewise his seruant, vpon the discouery of the riuer of Ob by land, through the countrie of the Samocds, with good store of commodities to traffickc Avith the people. And these his seruauts made a rich voyage of it, and had bartered with the people about the riuer of Ob for the valcw of a thousand rubles in sables and other fine furres. But the eniperour hauing intelligence of this discouery, and of the way that Bodan returned home by, by one of his chicfo officers lay in waitc for him, apprehended him, and tooke from him the aforesaid thousand markes worth of sables and other merchandises, and deliuered them into the cmperours trcasurie, being sealed vp, and brought the poore fellow Bodan to the citie of Mosco, where he was committed to prison and whipped, and there detained a long Avhile after, but in the end released. Morcouer, the cmperours officers ' Namely, Bi/elui ostrov. IW XXX INTRODUCTION. 1 asked Anthonie Marsh how he durst presume to dealc in any such enterprise. To whom he answered, tl>at, by the priui- Icdgcs granted to the English nation, no part of the cmpcrours dominions were exempted from the English to trade and traf- ficke in : with which answere they were not so satisfied, but that they gaue him a great checke, and forfeited all the aforesaid thousand markcs worth of goods, charging him not to pro- cecde any further in that action : whereby it seemcth they are very iealous that any Christian should grow acquainted with their neighbours that border to the north-east of their dominions ; for that there is some great secret that way, which they would reserue to themselves onely. Thus much I vnderstood by Master Christopher Holmes. From these documents we gather two very remark- able facts. The first is, that, previously to the year 1584, an English vessel had crossed the Sea of Kara, and penetrated as far eastward as the mouth of the river Ob, where it was wrecked and its crew were murdered by the natives. The second is, that, at that time, the best way from the White Sea and the mouth of the Pechora by sea was deemed to be " by the isles of Vaygats and Nouva Zembla, and hy the Land of Matpheoiic^ that is^ oy Matthetves Land f' this being manifestly the same as that which is described as " another way by Is ma Zembla and 3Iattuschan Yar to Ob, more north-eastward" than that along the Russian coast, by Kanin Nos, the mouth of the Pe- chora, and thence through Yugorsky Shar (" Pet's Strait") and across the Gulf of Kara. And there can be no question that we have here a record of the dis- covery of the entrance into the Sea of Kara, by the strait, at present known by the name of Matochkin I INTRODUCTION. XXXI Shar, in which the Russian pilot Rosmuislov passed the winter of 1768-1769, and through which he pene- trated into that sea, thougli prevented by the ice from proceeding far from the eastern coast of Novaya Zemlya.^ The singular description thus given by Marsh of this passage through " Mattuschan Yar," between No- vaya Zemlya and "the Land of Matfeov(Matpheoue)," does not appear to have been hitherto noticed by any writer except Dr. Hamel.^ Unfortunately that author, through what would seem to be a systematic omission of all particular reference to his sources of informa- tion, has rendered his work of little value as an authority ; inasmuch as, without having the means of appeal to the originals, it is impossible to discriminate between the facts and opinions gathered by him from others, and the conclusions, or sometimes mere hypo- theses, based by himself on such information. On the present occasion, however, having the original statements of Anthony Marsh before us, we can have no hesitation in availing ourselves of Dr. Hamel's comments on the same, and in agreeing with him^ that the present name Matochkin Shar appeal's to be merely a corruption of Matyushin Shar; Matyusha itself being the diminutive of the Russian proper-name Matvei, or Matthew, which name was probably that of the first discoverer of this passage. It would also seem that the expression " Mattuschan Yar," made use of by Anthony Marsh, is intended for this Matyushin Shar, and not, as Dr. ' See Liitke, pp. 71-79. ' Tradescant dcr aeltcre, p. 230. ■■■■I I xxxu INTRODUCTION. Hamcl supposes,' for the coast {ijar ?) lying opposite to Novaya Zcmlya ; and that the breadth attributed by Marsh to " Mattuschan Yar," of " in some parts forty versts over, and in some parts not past six versts over," is meant to apply to the supposed breadth of the passage itself. There can, further, be no doubt that Dr. Hamel is right in his conclusion, — indeed, it is self-evident from Marsh's statement, — that towards the close of the sixteenth century, and previously to the time when the Dutch visited those parts, Novaya Zemlya was looked on as an island extending from Bur- rough's Strait (Karskoi Vorota) as far northwards only as " Mattuschan Yar" (Matyushin Shar) ; and that the land lying to the north of th' ^atter passage was not deemed to be a part of Novo ^mlya, but had a distinct designation, namely, Matthew's Land, which in Russian would be Matvyeeva Zemlya, — an expres- sion which corresponds prer'sely with Marsh's" Land of Matfeov (Matpheoue)." How this Matvyeeva Zemlya, together with Mat- yushin Shar, should have been lost from our maps, may be easily explained, though not altogether in the way attempted by Dr. Hamel.^ The accompanying facsimile of a map drawn by Isaac Massa, and pub- lished in 1612 by Hessel Gerard, in a small volume'' ' Page 230. ' Page 231. ^ Descriptio ac Delineatio geographica Detectionls Freti, stve Transitus ad Occasum supra Terras Americanas . . . reccns invest'igati ah Henrico Hiidsono Anglo .... und. cum dcscri'ptione Terra Samoic- darum et Tingoesiorum in Ta^laria ad Ortum Freti Waygats sitw, etc. Amsterodami, ex ofRcinaHessclijGerardi, anno 1612. SmalHto. The full title of this work is given by Camus, in his Mcmoire sur posite butcd parts versts [Ith of lamcl ^^idcnt )sc of time cmlya Bur- s only I that c was had a which scpres- Land Mat- maps, hi the iiying pub- ►lume'* 231. ti, sive iestiguti Samoic- ts sitcCf lalHto. oire suf i Caerte van tr /loor9er/te/ Bs^wss'^n , ySarva/ed^n , n/ticc ^in^oeseiv tarn Somersvd? ■sft h.'etu,i.firuna _ '^ /.;■ m. '^^^ "^ ^ -' '% n^oeseiv tatwt : aisoo datvdiiiie Kn^s^ri ^gVetei:mtye7idoor huiuMMsa v^rUicUis , INTRODUCTIOX. XXXlll how very rare, contains (as will be seen) a delineation of Novaya Zcmlya, there shown as an island of not large extent, and the surrounding regions. The strongly marked entire line along the western side of Novaya Zemlya, is that of the coast as furnished to Massa by his Russian authorities : the faint dotted line is that of the coast as corrected by himself or Gerard from Dutch sources of information. The proper names, as written in strong and faint charac- ters respectively, indicate, in like manner, the several sources from which such names were derived. In this map a broad channel is laid down between the island of Novaya Zemlya and a terra innominata to the north of it, to which channel is given the name of " Matsci of tsar," which was evidently intended for " Mat/eiof tsar," which again must be tfiken to have been written instead of " Matfeiof tsar," through a mere clerical rrror.^ The frint dotted line along la Collection (I ' ff rands et pet Its Voyages, p. 254, in which, liowcvcr, he has "tvaii • us ad Occanum,^' instead of "frnisitus ad Occa- * In the tenth part of 7\ Dry's India Oricntalis, whicli was pub- lished at Frankfort in 1G13, . \\ absiird blunder occurs with respect to this name. Massa's map of 1612 is there reproduced somewhat reduced in size, and with the Dutch names of iilares e(c. Latinized. And the of in " Matsei of tsar" btiiifr imngincd to be the Dutch disjunctive conjunction (Engl, or), tliat name is accordingly done into Latin, and appears as " Matsci vet tsar." In this map " Cos- tintsarch" is not inserted. It may not be uninteresting to add, ll Gerard's work, together with its maps, is inserted bodily in De Ihy's Collection, and on the title-page, which alone is altered, arc the words, "Auctore M. Go- tardo Arthusio, Dan*' cano, tabulas in tcs artificiose incisas addcnte Johanne-Thcodoro de Bry." The artist has, indeed, the conscience / i XXXIV INTRODUCTION. the west coast of Novaya Zemlya shows that it had been carefully and (considering the time when it was drawn) very accurately corrected ; for we there see plainly laid down the Mezhdusharsky Ostrov and the tAvo inlets — Kostin Slia?' and Podryesov Shar — be- tween which that island I'es, and from which it de- rives its appellation.^ Had the name Kostin Shar, in any of its cha- meleon forms,- been retained in its proper place, at the same time that the new name Matfeiof tsar was introduced to designate the more northerly channel, — and the map constructed by Gerrit de Veer from William Barents's observations, does not warrant the former's being carried much higher up than the 71st parallel, — there would most probably have been no occasion to notice this grave error. But the passage between Novaya Zemlya (Proper) and Matvyeeva Zemlya not having been observed by Barents and his companions, and De Veer having in his journal expressed the opinion that " Constinsarck" goes " through to the Tartarian Sca,"*^ the corrector of Massa's map was led to suppose that this passage must be the same as the " Matfeiof tsar" of the to give Isnac Massa the credit of his map; but the name of the autlior ol ihe work, "Ilcsselius Gcrardus, Assumcnsis, philogco- graphicus," signed at the foot of liis Proleyomma, is left out, and there is nothing whatever lo show that the entire work is not the original composition of G. Arthus. ' Sec the note in page 31 of the present volume. '^ Sec page 30, note 4, and page 202, notes (5 and 7. Yet one more form has to be added to the list. It is Castiny Sarvh, which is .mploycd by Captain Poechcy in page 277 of his work already cited. '^ Sec page 222 of the present work. / INTRODUCTION. XXXV Russians, and he accordingly placed over the latter the name " Costint sarch" in faint letters. That in subsequent maps the former name should have been omitted, and the latter alone retained, is only natural : it is the usual progress of error. Accordingly, in Ge- rard's map of Russia, dedicated to the emperor Michael Fedorowich in 1614,^ we find " Costint sarch" made to extend right across and through the land from west to east, its latitude being, however, brought down to nearly the same as in Gerrit de Veer's map, from which the western coast line of Novaya Zemlya is, in gene- ral, taken, while the more northerly passage is alto- gether lost sight of. Still, the existence of this latter passage continued to be known more than a century later. For, ir the year 1705, Witsen published in the second volume of his Noonl en Oost Tartanje a rough and, for the most part, very incorrect map of the Samoede coun- try, obtained by him from Theunis (Antonis) Ys, the master of a trading vessel, who had visited Novaya Zemlya ; in wliich map the southern portion of that country is represented as an island, cut off from the northern and far larger portion by a broad channel, running from north-west to south-east, and bearing the name of " Matiskin jar, of Mathys-stroom ;" with respect to which channel Witsen remarks,- that " it ' " Tabula Russia; ex autographo quod dclincandum curavlt FcoOor lili^i.s Tsaris Boris desumpta, ct ad fluvios Dwinam, Zucha- num, aliaque loca, quantum ex tabulis et notitiis ad nos dclatis fieri potuit, amplificata . . . ab Hcssclo Gerardo, m.dc. xiiii." (the last I was subsequently added.) In Blacu's Gr(tmlA(l(is,\o\.n, 1GG7. - Page 952. XXXVl INTRODUCTION. i is a passage and thoroughfare, and not an inlet or riYcr. Notwithstanding the length of time during which the name has been lost, there does not appear to be any good reason why the original and correct designa- tion of Matthew's Strait, Matvyeeva Shar (" Matfeiof tsar"), or Matyushin Shar, should not be restored to the channel between the two islands, instead of its continuing to bear the modern corrupted form of the latter name, Matochkin Shar. It likewise seems only right that the name Mat- thew's Land (the "Land of Matpheoue") or Matvyeeva Zemlya, should not be lost from our maps ; and it is therefore proposed to appropriate that designation to the small island extending from Matyushin Shar ("Matochkin Shar") northwards as far as the channel, in about 74° N. lat., running across the land from Cross Bay to Rosmuislov's " Unknown Bay." As to the name Novaya Zemlya, there can be no doubt that it ought still to continue the generic appellation of the entire series of islands, of which the country usually known by that name is now found to consist. But, at the same time, as it is highly expedient that each of those islands should possess some distinctive specific designation, there is a pro- priety in restricting the title of Novaya Zemlya (Proper), as it appears in the map of Isaac Massa and Thcunis Ys, to the southernmost island of the series, lying between the Kara Gate or Burrough's Strait to the south and Matyushin Shar or Matthew's Strait to the north. INTRODUCTION. XXXVll The establishment of the English in the White Sea, and their explorations to the eastwards, soon induced others to become their competitors ; and of these it is not unnatural that the Russians themselves should have been among the first. Accordingly we find that a short time previously to the year 1581, "two famous men," named Yacovius and Unekius — which, as Liitke observes,^ are manifestly the Latinized forms of the Russian names 'Xakov and Anikyi— employed a Swedish shipwright to build for them two ships in the river Dwina, and then sent one Alferius, by birth a Netherlander (" natione Belga"), to Antwerp to engage pilots and mariners, with a view to their employment on board those ships in discoveries towards the north-east. This Alferius — or Oliver, as Hakluyt translates the name — was the bearer of a letter from John Balak to Gerard Mer- cator, which letter, written in Latin, was pubHshed by Hakluyt in his Principal Navigations,- together with an English translation. On account of the very curious matter bearing on our subject which this letter contains, it is thought advisable to reprint it here in its English form, and also to give the original Latin in the /^ppendix,^ for the convenience of reference. To the famous and renoicmed Gerardus Mercator, his rctierend and singular friend, at Duisburgh in Cliucland, these be de- liucred. Cai-ling to remembrance (most dearc friend) what exceed- ing,^ delight you tooke, at our being together, in reading the - Vol. i, pp. 509-512. ^ See page 261. ' Tugc 93. XXXVlll INTRODUCTION. geographicall writings of Homer, Strabo, Aristotle, Plinie, Dion, and the rest, I reioyced not a little that I happened vpon such a messenger as the bearer of these presents (whom I do especially recommend vnto you), who arriued lately here at Arusburg, upon the riuer of Osella. This mans experience (as I am of opinion) will greatly auaile you to the knowledge of a ccrtaine matter, which hath bene by you so vehemently desired and so curiously laboured for, and con- cerning the which the late cosmographers do hold such vari- etie of opinions : namely, of the discouerie of the huge pro- monto.'ie of Tabin, and of the famous and rich countreys subicct unto the emperor of Cathay, and that by the north- east Ocean Sea. The man is called Alferius,^ being by birth a Netherlander, who, for certaine yecres, lined captiue in the dominions of Russia, vnder two famous men, Yacouius and Vnekius, by whom he was sent to Antwerp, to procure skilfull pilots and mariners (by propounding liberall rewards), to go vnto the two famous personages aforesayd, which two had set a Sweden shipwright on worke to build two ships for the same discouerie, vpon the riuer of Dwiua. The passage vnto Cathay by the northeast (as he declareth the matter, albeit without arte, yet very aptly, as you may well percciuc, which I request you diligently to consider), is, without doubt, very short and easie. This very man himselfc hath trauelled to the riuer of Ob, both by land, through the coun- treys of the Samoeds and of Sibier, and also by sea, along the coast of the riuer Pechora, eastward. Being encouraged by this his experience, he is fully resolued with himselfc to conduct a barke laden with merchandize (the keele whereof hec will not haue to drawc oner much water) to the Bale of Saint Nicholas, in Russia, being furnished with all things expedient for such a discouerie, and with a new supply of victuals at his arrivall there ; and also to hire into his com- ' Or Oliucr. — Note hj Hakluijt. INTRODUCTION. XXXIX panic ccrtainc Russcs best knowen vnto himsclfe, who can perfectly spcakc the Samoeds language, and are acquainted with the riuer of Ob, as hauing frequented thost places yeerc by yeere. Whereupon, about the ende of May, hee is determined to saile from the Bale of S, Nicholas eastward, by the ma'ne of loughoria, and so to the easterly parts of Pechora, to the island which is called Dolgoia. And here also hee is purposed to obscrue the latitudes, to suruey and describe the countrey, to sound the depth of the sea, and to note the distances of places, where and so oft as occasion shall be offered. And forasmuch as the Baic of Pechora is a most conuenient place both for harbour and victuall, as well in their going foorth as in their rcturne home, in regard of ice and tempest, he is determined to bestow a day ir sounding the flats, and in searching out the best cnterar ' for ships : in which place, heretofore, he found the Avatcr to be but fiue foote deepe, howbeit he doubteth not but that there are deeper chanels : and then he intcndeth to procc :d on along those coasts for the space of three or foure leagues, leauing the island called Vai- gats almost in the middle way betweene Vgoria and Nona Zembla : then also to passe by a certaine baie betweene Vai- gats and Ob, trending southerly into the land of Vgoria, whereinto fall two small riuers, called Marmesia and Carah,^ vpon the which riuers doc inhabite an other barbarous and sauage nation of the Samoeds. He found many flats in that tract of land, and many cataracts or ouerfals of water, yet such as hee was able to saile by. When hee shall come to the riuer of Ob, which riuer (as the Samoeds report) hath seuentie monthes, which, by reason of the huge breadth thereof, containing many and great islands, which are inhabited with sundry sortes of people, no man scarcely can well discouer ; because ' Or Naramsay and Cara Reca. — Note by Hahlmjt. And see page xiv, ante. xl INTRODUCTION. he will not spend too much time, he piirposcth to search three or foure, at the most, of the mouthes thereof, those chiefly which shall be thought most commodious hy the ad- uise of the inhabitants, of whom hee mcaneth to haue ccrtaine with him in his voyage, and meaneth to employ three or foure boates of that countrey in search of these mouthes, as neere as possibly he can to the shore, which, within three dayes iourney of the sea, is inhabited, that he may leaaie where the riuer is best nauigable. If it so fall out that he may sayle vp the riuer Ob against the streame, and mount vp to that place which heretofore, accompanied with certainc of his friends, he passed vnto by land through the countrey of Siberia, which is about twelue dayes iourney from the sea, where the riuer Ob falleth into the sea, which iilace is in the continent neere the riuer Ob, and is called Yaks Olgush, borowing his name from that mightie riuer which falleth into the riuer Ob ; then, doubtlesse, hee would conceivo full hope that hee had passed the greatest difficulties : for the people dwelling there about report, which were three dayes sayling onely from that place beyond the riuer Ob, whereby the bredth thereof may be gatherecf .v^hich is a rare matter there, because that many rowing with their boates of leather one dayes iourney onely from the shore, haue bene cast away in tempest, hauing no skill to guide themselves neither by sunnc nor starre), that they haue scene great vessels, laden with rich and precious merchandize, brought downc that groat riuer by black or swart people. They call that river Ardoh, which falleth into the lake of Kittay, which they call Paraha,^ whereupon bordereth that mightie and large nation which they call Carrah Colmak, which is none other than the nation of Cathay.^ There, if needc require, he may fitly winter and * These are seemingly the river Yenisei and lake Baikal. ^ On the subject of Cathay, see Hakluyt's Divers Voyagefi, etc., by J. Winter Jones, pp. 24, 117 ; and Major's Notes upon Russia, vol. ii, pp. 42, 187. Carrah Colmak would appear to be intended for Black Kalmucks. INTRODUCTION. :li refresh himselfe and his, and secke all things which he shall stand in need of; which, if it so fall out, he douhteth not but in the meane while he shall be much furthered in searching and learning out many things in that place. Howbeit, he hopeth that hec shall reach to Cathaya that very sommcr, unlesse he be hindered by great abundance of ice at the mouth of the riuer of Ob, which is sometimes more, and sometimes lesse. If it so fall out, hee then purposeth to returne to Pechora, and there to winter ; or if he cannot doe so neither, then hee meancth to returne to the riuer of Dwina, whither he will reach in good time enough, and so the next spring following to proceed on his voyage. One thing in due place I forgatc before. The people which dwell at that place called Yaks Olgush, affirmc that they haue heard their forefathers say that they have heard most swcete harmonic of bels^ in the lake of Kit- thay, and that they haue scene therein stately and large build- ings ; and when they make mention of the people named Carrah Cohnak (this countrcy is Cathay), they fetch c" -^pe sighes, and holding vp their hands, they looke vp to heaven, signifying, as it were, and declaring the notable glory and magnificence of that nation. I would this Oliuer were better scene in cosmographie ; it would greatly further his experi- ence, which doubtlesse is very great. Most deare friend, I omit many things, and I wish you should heare the man himselfe, which promised me faithfully that he would visite you in his way at Duisburg ; for he desireth to conferre with you, and doubtlesse you shall very much further the man. He scemeth sufficiently furnished with money and friends, wherein, and in other offices of curtesic, I offered him my furtherance, if it had pleased him to haue vsed me. The Lord prosper the mans desires and forwardncsse, blessc his ' Is not this a sign of the existence there of the Tibetan reli- gion: 9 J xlii INTRODUCTION. good beginnings, further his proceedings, and grant vnto him most happy issue. Fare you well, good sir and my singular friend. From Arusburg, upon the river of Ossella, the 20 of February, 1581. Yours wholy at commandement, John Balak. It is not known what success attended this Alferius or Oliver in his scheme, or what subsequently be- came of him ; unless, indeed, it be assumed that he is the Oliver Brunei (or Bunel), concerning whom several unconnected notices are met with, and with respect to whom various conflicting opinions have been entertained. The early history of the discovery of Novaya Zemlya would hardly be complete, were these notices and opinions passed over in silence. The first mention made of this individual is by Gerrit de Veer, when speaking, in page 80 of the present work, of " a great creeke, which William Barents iudged to be the place where Oliuer Brunei had been before, called Costincsarch." The next is Henry Hudson, who, on his second voyage to discover a passage to the East Indies by the north-east, in 1()08, having entered into this same creek, in the hope of its affording him a way through into the Sea of Kara, expresses himself as follows : — " This place vpon Nona Zombla is another then that which the Hollanders call Costing Sarch, discouered by Oliuer Brownell : and William Barentsons ob- seruation doth witnesse the same. It is layd in plot by the Hollanders out of his true place too farro north ; to what end I know not, unlesse to make it f INTRODUCTION. xliii hold course with the compasse, not respecting the variation."* In this, however, Hudson was mistaken. The creek into which he entered was really Kostin Sliar ; and his error in supposing it to be " another than that which the Hollanders call Costing Sarch," arose from the circumstance that in the Dutch maps that name had been removed northwards to Matfeiov-tsar (Mat- vyeeva Shar) or Matyushin Shar, and made to super- sede the original name. The whole of Hudson's account of his visit to Novaya Zemlya is of so inter- esting a character, that it is deemed deserving of a place in the Appendix to the present work,- especially as it has hitherto been either overlooked or else made use of to very little good purpose. In 1611, three years after Hudson's visit to Novaya Zemlya, Josiah Logan went on a voyage to the Pe- chora, and on the 27th of August of that year we find the following entry in his journal, which, like that of Hudson, is published by Purchas :^ — " We came to an iland called Mczyou Sliarry, being sixtie versts to the eastwards of Suatinosc, and it is about ten versts in length and two versts broad. At the east end thereof Oliuer Brunell was carried into harbour by a Ilusse, where he was land-locked, hauing the iland on the one side and the mayne on the other." It is here manifest that Logan's " Mezyou Sharry" Island is the Mezhdusharsky Ostrov, or " the island between the two straits," of the llussians.* > Purchas, vol. iii, p. 579. " Vol. iii, p. 545. - Sec page 205. ^ See page xxxiv, ante. I xliv INTRODUCTION. From these several statements of three seamen, \/ho visited Kostin Shar at different periods between the years 1594 and 1611, the only facts to be elicited are, that, at some time previous to the former date, this strait was first discovered by some well-known indi- vidual, named Oliver Brunei, who was there exposed to some danger c_ difficulty, from which he was rescued by the crew of a Russian vessel. That he was, however, subsequently lost at the mouth of the river Pechora is made known to us in the work of Hesscl Gerard already referred to.^ As this work of Gerard is but little known, the commencement of the author's Preface (Proki/omena) shall be reprinted here, both on account of its clear- ing up the history of Oliver Brunei, and also because it shows the important bearing which his adventure had on the subsequent voyagcc of the Dutcli, which form the subject of the following pages. " Lucri et c.iilitatis spes animos hominum nunquam non cxcitavit ad peregrinas rogioncs nationesque lus- trandas. Ita pretiosre il'ic, nobis a mercatoribus Russis allatae pelles, mercatores nostrates inflamma- runt acri quadam cupidine incognitas nobis ipsorum terras, si fieri posset, peragrandi. Profuit ipsis quadam tonus hac in parte iter quoddam a Russis conscriptum, Moscovia Colmogroviam, atquc indc Petzoram (ubi incolse anno Christi 1518 Christianam fidem amplexi sunt) hinc porro ad fluvium Obi, pau- loque ultcrius ducens. Quod quidem plurima falsa veris admiscet, puta de Shitibaba anu ilia (ut fertur) Page xxxii. / INTRODUCTION. xlv aurea, emsque filijs, necnon monstruosis illis trans ipsum Obi hominibus.^ Transtulit vero descrip- tionem banc Russicam, eamque suis de regionibus Muscovitarum libris inseruit Sigismundus ab Her- berstein, Imperatoris Maximiliani orator. Edidit- que postea tabulam E-ussioe Antonius quidam Wiedus, adjutus ab lohanne a Latski, Principe quondam Russo, et ob tumultus post obitum Magni Ducis lohannis Basilij in Russia excitatos, in Poloniam pro- fugo. Quse tabula I. cuidam Copero, Senatori Geda- ncnsi, dicata, Russicisque et Latinis descriptionibus aucta, in lucem prodiit apud Wildam anno Christi 1555.- Aliam quoque Russioe tabulam ediderunt post modum Angli, qui in tractu illo negotiati fuerunt. Atque hte quidam tabulee et qualescumque descrip- tiones, quoeque prjcterea de regionibus hiscp com- perta sunt, elicuerimt OUverium quendam Bunclliim, doiuo Bruxclla, uti conscenso naviglo EuchiisanOy animum ' The members of the HaV .^ c Society are referred to their hist published vohmie, namely, the second of Mr. Major's translation of Herberstcin's celebrated work {^Notes upon Russia, vol. ii, pf). 10, 41), for this description of the " golden old woman" and the other wonderful i ihabitants of the regions beyond the Ob. '■* F. Adelung, in his memoir " iiber die aeltern ausUlndischcn Karten von Russland, bis 1700," in Bacr and Hclmersen's Beitriuje ziir Kenntuiss ties Russisc/ioi liei'ches, vol. iv (1841), p. 18, when describing this map, says that it must have been very rare, since few appear to have been acquainted with it except Ortelius and Witscn ; referring lo the latter writer's preface to his Noord en Oost Tar- tari/e, where mention is rtiadc of it. But from a comparison of Gerard's description of this map w ith that of Witscn, it is manifest that the latter merely repeated the former's statement respecting it ; so that there is no reason for supposing it to have been seen oven by Witscn. 1 xlvi INTRODUCTION. I* HI induxerit eb sese conferre. Vhi vliqiiandiu vagatus^ et pellium pretiosarum, vitri Rtissici^ crystallique mon- tani^ ut vocant, adfatim nactus^ omnium opiim suartmi scaphce commissarum in undis Jluvij Pet^orce triste fecit naufmgitmi. Quce turn Anglorum, tum htijus Bunclli, qui et Costinsarcam Novce Zemla? lustraverat, navi- gationes, cum et Batavis nostris, opum Chinensium Cathaicarumque odore allectis, animum acccndissent, nobiles et prepotentes Provinciarum Fccdcratarum Ordines, duas naves, ductore lohanne Hugonis a Linschot, versus fretum quod vulgo Weygats, toti- demque ductore Guilielmo Bernardi, suasu D. Pctii Plancij, recto supra Novam Zemblam cursu senten- tionem versus ituras, dcstinarunt." Oliver Brunei, or "Bnnel,"was therefore no English- man, but a native of Brussels ; and if the particulars thus recorded of him and of the motives of his enter- prise be c orrectly stated, he would scarcely seem to be the Alfcrius of Balak's letter to IMcrcator. Still, the point cannot be looked on as absolutely decided. One further remark is necessary with respect to the spelling of his name. On the one hand, it will be seen that, according to De Veer and Logan, it is '- Brunei" or "Brunell," while Hudson makes it to be "Brownell," which latter may however be regarded as merely a broad pronunciation of the word, or perhaps an attempt to give it a vernacular and significant form ; — a pro- cess with respect to proper names not unusual among seamen of all nations. On the other hand, Gerard writes "Bunel." But this form cannot be allowed to stand in opposition to the conjoint authority of ip INTRODUCTION. xlvii I the three seamen, all writing separately and without concert; and we may quite reasonably conjecture the r to have been left out by Gerard, through some clerical or typ graphical error. Gerard's work must have come to the knowledae of Purchas soon after its publication ; for, in the year 1625, it is referred to be the latter ^ as his authority for the following statement : — " The Dutch thcmsclues- write that after the English Russian trade, one Oliuer Buncll, moued with hope of gaine, went from Enckhuysen to Pechora, where he lost all by shipwracke, hauing discouered Costinsarca in Nona Zemla. These nauigations of the English, and that of Buncll, and the hopes of China and Cathay, caused the States Gcnerall to send forth two shippes, vnder the command of Hugo Linschoten, to the Streights of ^Yey-gatcs, and two others, vnder AVil- liam Bernards, by the perswasion of P. Plancius, to goe right northwards from Nona Zemla." Nearly a century later, AVitsen, in his oft-cited work," writes as follows : — " Het zijn veele jaren geleden, en lange voor Willem Barents-zoons reis, * Pilgrinips, vol. iii, p. 473. ' Prolegomena ad Hudsoni Detect., edit. Amstelodami per Hes. Gerard, IGll. — Marginal note hy Purchas. The date here attr-'nitcd to Gerard's work must be a misprint, as Camus makes no mention of any editions except that of 1612 and one of the following year. In this second edition of 1613, the far greater part of the Prolegomena is omitted, and what little re- mains is much altered. Camus remarks (p. 255), " I'avertissement est absolument change ; il est bcaucoup plus court." The title of the work is also slightly varied, » Page I) 1(5. T xlviii INTRODUCTION. M ! ii!^ ,1 J dat eenen Olivier Bunel, met cen scheepje van Enkhuizen uitgevaren, deze rivier [Petsora] heeft bezocht, daer hy veel pelterye, Rusch glas, en berg- kristal vergaderd hadde ; doch is aldaer komen te blyven." Witsen does not cite any authority for this statement ; but it bears internal evidence of having been taken from Gerard, whose work we know he had before him. That both he and Purchas should have written the name " Bunel," and not " Brunei," is perfectly natural, and adds nothing to the weight of evidence in favour of the former spelling. The next writer to be mentioned is Johann Reinhold Forster, who, in his Voyages and Discoveries in the North,^ after referring to De Veer's statement re- specting Oliver Brunei, — whom however he styles " Bennel, " on what authority it is impossible to say, — adds in a note: — "It is manifest that the navigators mentioned here, who had been in Nova Zembla previous to Barentz's arrival there, were Englishmen ; for the name Oliver Bennel is entirely English, and the name of the inlet, which Barentz calls Constint Sarch, can hardly be supposed to have been any other than Constant Search; but in which of the known voyages of the English into these parts this place was thus named, or whether Oliver Bennel made a voyage for the sole purpose of making dis- coveries, or was cast away here in his way to other regions, cannot easily be determined, for want of proper information on the subject." The absurdity of Forster's derivation of the name ' Engl, edit., p. 415. i mummmm . INTRODUCTION. xlix Kostin Shar is manifest from the explanation of it given in page 30 (note 4) of the present work. And as to the allegation that " the name Oliver Bennel is entirely English," it could only have been made by a foreigner. On the contrary, it may be asserted that such a name as " Bennel" is altogether un-English ; and were it not for the cosmopolitan character of our English surnames, it might — had it really been that of the individual in question — in itself be fairly taken as evidence that he was not an Englishman. With much more reason might we, at the present day, claim " Brunei" as an English name. Probably Forster had in his mind the " entirely English" name of Stephen Bonnet, the well-known walrus-hunter on Bear (Che- rie) Island. But the 'confusion as to Oliver Brunei does not rest here. Sir John Barrow, in his work already cited,^ says : — " The Dutch themselves admit, that an Englishman of the name of Bruncll or Brownell, ' moved with the hope of gain, went from Enkhuysen to Pechora,' where he lost all by shipwreck, after he had been on the coast of Nova Zembla, and given the name of Costin-sarca (qu. Coasting-search %) to a bay situated in about 71^°." And in another place,^ the same writer speaks of Oliver Brunei as " an English- man, of whom a vague mention only is made by the Dutch." With the statements of the various writers who preceded Barrow before us, we can see at a glance, ' Chronological History, etc., p. 159. ' Ibid., p. 141, note. X I I 1 INTRODUCTION. though no authorities are cited by him, that he took that of Purchas as his basis, modifying it by means of those of Hudson, Logan, and Forster. It is to be regretted that he did not refer to the orig'nal Dutch authority cited by Purchas. The last modem writer who treats of Oliver Brunei is Dr. Hamel, who, assuming him to be the Alferius of Balak, makes him in his work already cited ^ the subject of an hypothetical biographical memoir, be- ginning with the words " Ich finde es wahrschcin- lich," but without seeming to be aware of what Gerard says respecting his hero, except so far only as it is repeated by Witsen. By this writer therefore no additional light is thrown on the subject now under consideration ; and, in fact, it i to the original authority, after all, that we must revert for the only information that is really available and useful. From this authority then we learn that Oliver Brunei, a native of Brussels, went in a vessel belong- ing to the town of Enkhuysen on a trading voyage into the Russian seas, where, after collecting a valuable cargo, he was lost ; and that his enterprise (though unsuccessful), together with those of the English in the same quarter, induced the Dutch to set on foot the memorable expeditions which form the subject of the following pages. If this person was really the Alferius who was recommended by Balak to Mer- cator in the year 1581, he must subsequently have been engaged in the Russian trade for several years before his unlucky end ; or else Gerard, writing in ' Tnuh'scant, etc., pp. 232-235. INTRODUCTION. li in 1612, would surely not have named him as an imme- diate cause of an undertaking which was not pro- jected till 1593. It is not, however, to be imagined that the Nether- landers — we can scarcely speak of the "Dutch" at the earliest period to which we are now adverting — had no previous connexion with the northern coasts of Russia, though it is true that that connexion was then but of recent date. For, as is stated by Edge, the English Russia Company having "made their first dis- coverie in the yeere 1553, there was neuer heard of any Netherlander that frequented those seas vntill the yeere 1578. At which time they first began to come to Cola, and within a yeere or two after, one lohn de Whale [de Walle], a Netherlander, came to the Bay of Saint Nicholas, being drawne thither by the perswa- sion of some English, for their better meane of interlo- ping ; which was the first man of that nation that euer was scene there."' It was this same John de Walle, who was afterwards present at the coronation of the Emperor Fedor Ivanovich, at Moscow, on the 10th of June 1584, when he had a dispute with JeromeHorsey, the English ambassador, as to precedency, which was decided by the emperor in favour of the latter. He is described by Horsey as " a famous merchant of Netheiland, being newly come to Mosco, who gaue himselfe out to be the king of Spaines subicct."~ It is unnecessary for the consideration of the subject before us, to enter into any details respecting the commercial and political relations with Russia of the ' Purchas, vol. iii, p. 4G4. '^ Hakluyt, vol. i, p. 468. Hi INTRODUCTION. Netherlanders generally, in the first instance, and eventually of the natives of the United Provinces — commonly, though not very correctly, called the Dutch — in particular. It is sufficient to remark, that after their first entrance into the "White Sea, they soon became powerful rivals of the English in the trade with Russia, and that it was also not long before their attention was directed to the extension of their commerce to the eastward of that country, and to the endeavour to reach China and the Indian Seas by a passage to the north-east. Among the earliest and most eminent Dutch merchants trading to the White Sea, was Balthazar IMoucheron, of the town of Middelburg, in Zeelandt. He it was who, in the year 1593, in conjunction with Jacob Yalck, treasurer of the same town, and Dr. Francis Maelson, of Enkhuysen, syndic of West Friesland, con(?eived the project of fitting out two fly-boats (vh/boots), each of between fifty and sixty lasts, or about one hundred tons, burthen, armed and provisioned for eight months, being one from each of those towns, to attempt a voyage to China and India by the way of the Northern Ocean. In this enter- prise they were assisted by the courts of admiralty of those two provinces, having first obtained the neces- sary permission from the higher authorities.^ The two vessels thus fitted out were the Swan (Sivanc)^- of Ter Vcere,in Zeelandt, under the command ' Linschotcn, Voyagie, oftc ScJiip-vaert, van by Nonlcn om, etc., fol. 3. - Bonnet and Van Wijk, in Nicutve Verhandelinyen van het Pro- INTRODUCTION. liu of Cornells Corneliszoon Nai (or Nay), a burgher of Enkhuysen, who had for some years been a pilot or master of a merchantman in the Russian trade, in Moucheron's service, and was well acquainted with the northern coasts of Europe ; having with him, as under-pilot or mate, Pieter Dirckszoon Strickbolle, also of Enkhuysen, and like Nai in the service of Moucheron. The other vessel was the Mercury (Merciirms)y of Enkhuysen, under the command of Brant Ysbrantszoon, otherwise Brant Tetgales, a skilful and experienced seaman, with Claes Cornelis- zoon as his mate or under-pilot ; both being likewise natives of Enkhuysen. As supercargo and interpreter on board the Swan went Francois de la Dale, a relative of Moucheron, who had resided several years in Russia, and as additional interpreter, "Meester" Christoifel Splindler, a Slavonian by birth, who had studied in the university of Leyden ; while on board the Mercury the supercargo was John Hugh van Lin- schotcn,^ who was likewise engaged to keep a journal of their proceedings. This movement on the part of the merchants of Middelburg and Enkhuysen had the effect of inducing those of Amsterdam to desire to participate in the enterprise, or, it should rather be said, to undertake one on their own account, having tlie s ne general object in view, but adopting a some who different mode of carrying it out. Instead of att* np o nipim^ vmciaal Utrcchtsclie Genootschap, etc., vol. v, part G (1830), p. 26, call this vessel the Swallow iZivaluw). ' Linschoten, fol. 3. I* > in L liv INTRODUCTION. way to China by passing between Novaya Zemlya and the Russian continent, the Amsterdammers, at the instance of the celebrated cosmographer and astrono- mer, Peter Plancius, decided on sending their vessel round to the north of Novaya Zemlj a, as offering a far easier and preferable route. This difference of opinion between the promoters of the two parts of the first expedition must be borne in mind, as ex- plaining several circumstances which, in tho course of our subsequent narrative, will have to be adverted to. A third vessel was accordingly fitted out by the merchants of Amsterdam, aided by the court of admu'alty there. It was of the same size and cha- racter as U other two, and like Tetgales's vessel was named the Mercury (3Iercurms) ;^ its command being entrusted to William Barents, who took with him also a fishing-boat belonging to Ter Schelling.'^ Before proceeding further, a few words must be said respecting the individual whose name has become inseparably associated with the three memorable ex- peditions, cf which the first is now under considera- tion. ' J. R. Forster (Engl, edit., p. 411) says that the Amsterdam vessel was called " the Boot, or Messenger." Tho original German work (Frankfort, 1784, 8vo.) is not in the British Museum, nor is it known whether a copy of it is to be found in this country ; so that there are no means of reference. But it may be suspected that there is some confusion here between Boot, "a boat," and Z?o/<', " a messenger." Most modern writers nave followed Forster in calling Barents' s vessel the Messenger. This name, translated into Russian by Liitke, and then rendered back into German by Erman (p. 17), has become der Gesanilte, the Envoy or Ambassador! '^ Bennct and Van Wijk, p. 26. ' Linschoten, fol. 3. m INTRODUCTION. Iv Willem Barcntszoon — that is to say, William, the son of Barent or Bernard — was a native of Ter Schel- ling, an island belonging to the province of Friesland, and lying to the north-east of Vlieland or 'tVlie. He was also a burgher of Amsterdam. Of his family and early life no particulars have been handed down to us. But that he was not of any considerable family is manifest from his having, like most of his country- men in the lower, or even the middle rank s of life, no other surname than the patronymic, Barents-zoon. He possessed, however, a good, if not a learned edu- cation, as is proved by the translation made by him from the High Dutch into his native tongue of the " Treatise of Iver Boty, a Gronlander," which, toge- ther with a note written by him on the tides in the Sea of Kara, was found by Purchas " amongst Master Hakluyt's paper," antl preserved by him, and which, following that laborious collector's example, we have " thought good to adde hither for Barents or Barent- sons sfike."' He appears also to have written the nar- rative of the first voyage, which was published by Geirit de Veer, and of which a translation is given in the present volume. Nothing to that effect is stated by De Veer ; but as the latter did not go on that voyage, he must necessarily have obtained the particulars of it from some one who did, and from Linschoten's statement' it may be inferred that this was Barents himself. ' Sec the Appendix, page 273, - Ghelijck als t'selfde, uyt de bcschrijvinghc oftc t'vcrbael des voorscydcn Willem Barentsz. ghenoechsaem (met lief overcomcnde) Ivi INTRODUCTION. I ' I i But whatever may have been Barents's general education, it is unquestionable that he was a man of considerable capacity and talent, and that as a sea- man he was possessed of far more than ordinary acquirements. By Linschoten he is described as hT,v- ing great knowledge of the science of navigation, and as being a practical seaman of much experience and ability ; his astronomical observations have stood the severest tests of modern science ; while his feats of seamanship will bear comparison with those of the ablest and most daring of our modern navigators. Of his great determination, perseverance, and in- domitable courage, some remarkable instances will be adduced ; and that his personal character and general conduct were such as to secure to him the respect, confidence, and attachment of those who sailed with him, is clearly manifest from various expressions in Gerrit de Veer's simple narrative, and from its tone throughout. The name of this able navigator has been written in various ways. The Dutch usually have Barentsz., which has been adopted in the notes on Phillip's text in the present volume, it being the usual native contraction of the full name, Barentszoon. In the Amsterdam Latin and French versions of De Veer's work the name is translated " filius Bernardi " and " fils de Bernard." Purchas and other early English writers have Barents or Barentson, and some- times even Bernardson. The first of these forms — verthoont sal worden, tot welckes ick my refereere." — Voyagte, etc., fol. 18 verso. i ! INTRODUCTION. Ivii namely, Barents — is most conformable to the genius of our language (in which we have Williams and Williamson, Hichards and Richardson, etc.), at the same time that it accords with that of the Dutch, in which language this form of name is not uncommon. Barentz and Barentzcn, as it has not unfrequently been written, are incorrect. On the 4th of June, 1594, the little fleet lying off Huysdunen, by the Texel, the commander of the Swan, Cornclis Nai, was named admiral or commo- dore, and an agreement made'' that they should keep company as far as Kildin, on the coast of Lapland. On the following morning, being Sunday, the admiral set sail, commanding the others to follow ; but as the Amsterdammers said they were not quite ready, they remained behind, though, as appears from their journal,' they too sailed in the course of the same day. On the 21st, the Mercury of Enkhuysen arrived at Kildin, on the 22nd, the Swan, and on the 23rd, Barents's two vessels. On the 29th of the same month Barents left Kildin on his separate voyage to Novaya Zemlya, arranging with the others that, in case they should not meet beyond that country but should have to return, they would wait for one another at Kildin till the end of September. On the 2nd of July the ships of Nai and Tetgales took their departure for Vaigats. For want of taking a comprehensive view of this ' Te samen Aclmiraelschop endc een vast vcrbondt ghemaeckt. — Linschoten, fol. 3. ' Dc Veer, p. 6. / Iviii INTRODUCTION. 1 III u i; U ■] i and the subsequent voyages in which Barents was engaged, most writers on the subject have fallen into considerable error. By some the two expeditions of Nai and Barents have been treated as totally distinct ; while by others Barents has been regarded as the chief commander of the whole. Thus, Blaeu, ii^. the first part of his Grand Atlas, ^ published at Amsterdam in 1667, speaks of this expedition in the following terms: — "Dans cette grande entreprise, la villo d'Amsterdam, aujourd'huy la plus puissante des sept Provinces unies, se porta des premieres, et fournit deux vaisseaux, qui furent accompagnez d'un troi- siesme de Zelande et d'un quatrieme d'Enchuse, toun quatre excellciiment equipped, et qui eurent pour prin- cipal gouverneur et pilote tres-expert Guillaume fiJs de Bernard.''' It would be a mere loss of time to refer to what other writers have said on the subject. The voyage of William Barents in the Mercury of Amsterdam, forms the subject of the " First Part" of the [)re8ent volume. Without entering here into any needh^ss repetition of the particulars of this voyage, it shall be merely remarked that on the 4th of July Barents first came in sight of Novaya Zemlya in 73° 2.V N. lat., near a low projecting point, called by liini Langenes, whence he proceeded northwards along the coast, till, on the 10th of the same month, he passed Cape Nassau.^ Thus far he had met with no obstacle to his progress. But during the night of the 13th he fell in with immense quantities of ice, and here his difficulties began. After vjdnly endeavouring ' Page 27. » De Veer, pp. 11-10. / INTRODUCTION. 1m to make his way through the ice, he, on the 19th of the month, found himself again close to the land about Cape Nassau.^ Nothing daunted, he once more strug- gled forwards, and at length, on the last day of July, reached the Islands of Orange. Here, " after he had taken all that ppine, and finding that he could hardly get through to accomplish and ende his intended voy- age, his men also beginning to bee weary and would saile nc further, they all together agreed to returnc back againe."^ On the following day, therefore, they commenced their homeward voyage, and on the 3rd of August they reached Cape Nassau. From a perusal of tlie mere dry details of their various courses in this part of their voyage, wliic'i are nearly all that is recorded in their journal, no idea could be formed of the difficulties they had to contend with, or the amount of labour actually performed. It is only when their track is laid down on the map, — as it hus been, most carefully and with all possible accuracy, by Mr. Augustus Petcrmann,— that their enormous exertions became apparent. The result is really astonishing. Their voyage from Cape Nassau to the Orange Islands and back occupied them from the 10th of July till the 3rd of August, being twenty- five days. During this period, Barents put his ship about eighty-one imes, and sailed 1,546 geographical miles, according to the distances noted in the journal; to which, however, must be added the courses sailed along the coast, and also those which in some in- stances have been omitted to be specified, so that it ' I^c Vocr, p. 20. ■' ri)i(/. p. 27. :ii " I Ml mi I li l!il' ill Ix INTRODUCTION. may be reasonably assumed that the entire distance gone over was not much (if anything) short of 1,700 miles. This is equal to the distance from the Thames to the northern extremity of Spitzbergen, or from Cape Nassau to Cape Yakan, not far from Bering's Strait. And all this was performed in a vessel of one hundred tons' burthen, accompanied by a fishing- smack ! One remarkable fact must not be omitted to be mentioned. On laying down Barents's track from the bearings and distances given in his journal, from the lOtli to the 19tli of July, being the interval between his passing Cape Nassau and being driven back again to that point, — during which period he tacked about in numerous directions and sailed more than six hundred miles, — Mr. Petermann found it to agree so accurately, that its termination fell precisely upon Cape Nassau, without any difference whatever. This extreme precision can hardly be regarded as any- thing but a singular coincidence, N(m i rtlieless, when viewed in connexion with Barents's other tracks and with his observations generally, as tested by the recent explorations of Liitko and other modern navi- gators, it must still romain a striking proof of the wonderful ability and accuracy of that extraordinary man. After passing Cape Nassau, Barents continued his course southwards without any remarkable incident, iill on tlii 15th of August he reached the islands of " IMatfioe .'uid iJolgoy," — Matvyeeva Ostrov and Dolgoi Ostrov of tlie Russians, meaning Matthew's ii INTRODUCTION. Ixi Island and Long Island, — where he fell in with Nai and Tetgales, who had just arrived there, on their return from the Sea of Kara through Yugorsky Shar (Pet's Strait), to which, with pardonable national \amty, they had given the name of the Strait of Nassau. Their report was that they had sailed fifty or sixty Dutch miles (200 or 240 geogra- phical miles) to the eastward of that strait, and in their opinion had reached about the longitude of the river Ob, and were not far from Cape Tabin (Taimur), the furthest point of Tartary, whence the coast trended to the south-cast and afterwards to the south, towards the kingdom of Cathay.^ After much rejoicing on both sides at their ho^py meeting, the whole fleet now sailed homewards in company, and on the 14th of September came to the Doggers Sand, whence Nai, in the Swan, proceeded to Middclburg, whilst tl. other vessels passed by the Texcl to their several ports. The reports made by Barents and Linschoten of the results of their respective voyages were very dif- ferent in character. The former, though anything but an illiterate man, could make no pretensions to scholarship. The latter was an accomplished scholar, as is plainly shown by his narrative of this first and of the S( "ond voyage (which will be more particularly noticed in the sequel), and by his other published works ; and though the vessels whicli he accompanied had not in reality accomplished so much as those of Barents, yet he appears to have had no difficulty in ' I)c Veer, p. 36. Ixii INTRODUCTION. Bi l! i ti' I! hi I j convincing their employers and the higher authorities that they had been not far from the realization of the object of their voyage. That, in the estimation of the Amsterdammers, Linschoten represented matters in too favourable a light, is manifest from Gerrit de Veer's innuendo al the commencement of his description of the second voyage, that he "de saeck vry wat breedt voort stelde,"^ which caused Linschoten to reply that, whether he had done so or not he left to the judgement of the discreet reader.^ Our present knowledge of those seas enables us to judge the question fairly and impartially between the two, and to decide that, when at the Islands of Orange, Barents had sailed from Kildin, their point of separa- tion, further in a direct line, and made a more easterly longitude, than Nai and Tetgales had when at their furthest point on the eastern side of the Sea of Kara ; and that, when there, he was quite as near as they were to the mouth of the Ob, and as near again to Cape Taimur; with the certainty, further, that from the former position a passage eastwards would at most times, if not always, be attended with fewer difficulties than from the latter. And it cannot be denied that Linschoten, in stating, as he does on the titlc-pngo of his work and at the commencement of \m Introduc- tion, without any qualification, that he sailed "thi jugli » Page 40. ' Al hoo wel ilat tlio Vi\u I'luncius opinie zijn, i)i haer Tractaet te veratuen glu'von, ilat ick da sake breeder aei»Khudient haddc, ala ay In oftect was, t'wekk ick den discreten loser t'oordeclen ghcvc.— foyrtf/Ze, fol. 24. INTRODUCTION. Ixiii the Strait of Nassau to heyond the river Ohy" has cer- tainly afforded a justification for De Veer's imputa- tion that he represented matters "vry wat breedt." Stimulated by Linschoten's report, the adventurers who had fitted out the former expedition, with others who now joined them, determined on dispatching in the following year a large and well-appointed fleet, not merely in the hope of accomplishing the passage to China which had been so well commenced, but also with a view to the establishment of an advantageous trade with that kingdom and the other countries that might be discovered and visited in the course of the voyage, in respect of which trade they ob- tained from the Government of the United Provinces certain exclusive privik ges and advantages. This fleet consisted of seven vessels, namely, two from Zeelandt, two from Enkhuysen, two from Am- sterdam (which city, in consequence of the want of sviccess of Barents's first voyage by Novaya Zemlya, was now willing to take part in the undertaking of the other |x>vts), and one from Rotterdam. The follow- ing aro the names of the vessels and of their com- manders. The Griffin {Grifocn) of Zeelandt, of the burthen of 100 lasts (200 tons), commanded by Cor- nelis Cornclisz. Nai, who was appointed admiral or superintendent of the fleet ; the Swan {Swanc\ also of Zeelandt, of the burthen of 50 lasts (100 tons), which had been on the former voyage, aivl was now com- manded by Lambert Gcrritsz. Oom, of Enkhuysen ; the Hope (ffoopc), of Enkhuysen, a new war-pinnace ' De Veer, p. 64. I II Ixiv INTRODUCTION, (oorlog3 - pinas) of 100 lasts, commanded by Brant Ysbrantsz. Tetgales, vice-admiral ; the Mercury (Mer- curius), of Enkhuysen, of 50 lasts, which had been on the former voyage, and was now commanded by Thomas Willemszoon ; the Greyhound ( Winthont)^ of Amsterdam, likewise a new war-pinnace, of 100 lasts, commanded by William Barents, pilot-major of the fleet, under whom was Cornelis Jacobszoon as skip ler ;^ a yacht'^ of Amsterdam, of 50 lasts (proba- bly the Mercury of the former voyage), commanded by Harman Janszoon ; and lastly, a yacht of Rotter- dam, of about 20 lasts, or 40 tons burthen, commanded by Hcndrick Hartman. T'his *;ist-named vessel was commissioned, when the fleet should have reached Cape Tabin, or so far that it might thence continue its course southwards without hindrance from the ice, to return and bring news of their success to Holland. The vessels were all well equipped, with a double complement of men, and ammunition and victuals for a year and a half. The interpret^^. yjl the fleet was Mecster Christofliel Splindler, as on the former voyage. As supercargoes on behalf of the merchants of Holland and West Friesland, were Jan Huyghen van Linscho- ten, Jacob van Pleemskerck, and Jan Cornelisz. Rijp; and for those of Zeclandt, Francois de la Dale and N. Buys, with some other relatives of Balthazar Mou- cheron. Linschoten and De la Dale were further ap- pointed chief commissioners of the fleet on behalf of ' Dc Veer, p. 42. ' The expressions vlyhoot and yacht seem to have hecn used, like "cutter" and " cHpper" in iiKidern times, to designate quick-sailing vessels. INTRODUCTION. Ixv his excellency prince Maurice and the States Gene- ral, from whom they received the following com- mission : — J?;sTRUCTiON8 to Jan Huyghen van Linschoten and Fran^oys lie la Dale, Chief Commissioners, for the regulation of their conduct in the kingdom of China, and other kingdoms and countries which shall be visited by the ships and yachts destined for the voyage round by the North, through the Vaigats or Strait of Nassau. In the first place, after Mr. Christofiel Splindler, the Sla- vonian, shall have been on shore and ascertained whether they may land there, they shall go on shore to the king, governor, or other authority of the place, to whom they shall, on behalf of these States, offer all friendship, and shall explain the circumstances of these States, namely, that they hold communication by sea with all countries and nations in the whole world, for the purpose of trafficking, trading, and dealing with them in a friendly and upright manner, for which they possess many advantages of divers sorts of mer- chandise and otherwise. Item, that the Government of this Country, being surely informed that upright trade, traffic, and dcaUngs are carried on in the said kingdoms and countries, have found it good to send thither some ships, under good order, government, and regulation, with merchandize, money, and other com- modities, in order to begin dealings, by means of certain trusty and honest persons on board the said ships, for whom they shall ask free intercourse there, to the end aforesaid. They shall do their best to come to an agreement for a fair, faithful, upright, and uninterrupted trade, traffic, and navi- gation, to the mutual advantage of the s^id kingdoms and of these States, as well as of their respective inhabitants ; and in case tho same shall be found good there, they shall de- clare that to that end it is intended to visit them with a good u Ixvi INTRODUCTION. embassy by the first opportunity, provided the same shall be agreeable to them. They shall explain there what commodities and merchan- dizes can from time to time be taken thither from these States ; and they shall also carefully examine so as to ascertain what merchandizes and wares may, in return for the same, be obtained from those kingdoms and countries and brought to these States. They shall keep a good and accurate account of every- thing that shall occur during the voyage, as well on ship- board, in the discovery of countries and ports, and on all other occasions!, as likewise of that which shall happen to them on shore ; so that, immediately on their return, they may of all things make a good and faithful report in writing to the Lords the States General. Done and concluded in the Assembly of the Lords the States General of the United Netherlands, at the Hague, the 16th of June 1695. SlOETH V*' By order of the Lords, the States aforesaid. C. Aersens, &c.' The several vessels composing the fleet having assembled at the Texel, they all sailed out of Mars Diep on the morning of Sunday, the 2d of July, 1595. It was not till the 10th of August that they passed the North Cape, and on the 17th they fell in with ice, being then about fifty miles distant from the coast of Novaya Zemlya. On the following day they reached the island of 'Matfloe,'" and on the 19th came to the mouth of the strait to the south of Vaigats ■ Linschoten, fol. 24 verso. " Sec De Veer, p. 50, and the note there. INTRODUCTION. Ixvii Island (Yugorsky Shar), where they found the ice to lie in such quantities, " that the entire channel was closed up as far as the eye could see, so that it had the appearance of a continent, which was most frightful to behold."^ Under these circumstances they scarcely knew how to act, but at length re- solved on going into the roadstead, called by them Train-oil Bay (Trae7ibaf/'^), where, as it was under the shelter of Idol Cape [Afgoden Iloeck)^ and thus out of the current which set from the strait, there was a little open water. ^ The preceding winter appears to have been more than ordinarily severe, and the ice-masses set in motion by the summer's sun were consequently far greater in quantity than usual. This, coupled with the late period of the year at which, from some unexplained cause, they had com- menced their voyage, soon convinced them that they had but liftlo prospect of being able to get forward. On the 2()th Aiigiinl, wJiile t]ms lying in Train-oil Bay, a council was hihl on lioard the admirals ship, when it was decided that a ya(^ht should be sent to examine the eoiirljljull of tho Bhnit and the probabi- lity f)f their getting i\m\\\^\\, nnd also that a party of thirty or iuj|| \mnvA jf|/>li HJiould proceed across tlin twliilMl of Vnignts foi' tliU fi)(|j||; {mjpnm. The yacht could go noi(at|j|i| fillllf f '|7lf*« ('ofr/l, H'liere the entire mm was found to be cOVbi-cd with ice without the least break or openings \\]\\ \\\ii crew thence proceeded by \^\\i\ m for »JH t'n|)e t)|9)ii|(e, I hough without better suc- " JiilJStjiolen, fol. 27 v De Veer, j). 5tJ. crso. mmmm y Ixviii INTRODUCTION. II I i cess. The party of men — whom De Veer describes^ as fifty-four in number, himself included — returned with a somewhat more favourable report; for they thought they had discovered a practicable passage, because they saw so little ice there.^ In this their experience agreed with that of Pet and Jackman, who found a passage close along the shore, between the ice and the land, at times when the deep seji was entirely filled with ice-masses.^ On the 24th of August a yacht was again sent out to inspect the strait, and got as far as Cross Point, bringing back the consolatory intelligence that the ice was beginning to move, and that all was clear, with open water, as far as Cape Dispute. On the following day therefore the fleet weighed anchor, and sailed as far as beyond the latter cape, with 'it meeting with any ice ; but soon afterwards they fell in with such quantities that they were forced to re- turn. That night they anchor'^^d between Cape Dis- pute and Cross Point, and on tlie following day be- took themselves to their former station under Idol Cape, " there to stay for a more convenient time."* Here they were so entirely surrounded by the ice, that they covld walk dry-foot from one ship to the other.*^ The admiral and other officers had now evidently given up all hopes of effecting a passage, to which re- sult the murmurings of the crews may perhaps have ' De "Veer, p. 53. » Ibid. p. 54. ' See pages xxii, xxiv, anfe. * De Veer, p. 57. ^ Linschot'jii, fol. 29 verso. I ! INTRODUCTION. Ixix contributed. Barents, however, with that determina- tion and perseverance for which he appears to have been distinguished, was not so satisfied as they were that nothing more could be done ; and as on the 30th of August the ice began again to move, he, on the fol- lowing day, had a good many words with the admiral on the subject,^ after which he in person crossed over the strait to the main land of the Samoyedes, where he made inquiries of the natives. On his return on the following day, he again " spake to the admirall to will him to set sayle, that they might goe forward ; but they had not so many wordes together as was be- tweene them the day before. "'^ The conversation which ensued is quaintly told by De Veer, and with an air of perfect truthfulness. On the following morn- ing (September 2nd), a little before sunrise, Barents began to warp his vessel out, when Nai and Tet- gales, on seeing him do so, " began also to hoyse their anchors and to set sayle. "^ The result of this movement was, that, with immense labour and diffi- culty and no little danger, they succeeded in making their way through the ice as far as States Island, which they reached in the evening of the 3rd Sep- tember ; sailinji on the following morning a little fur- ther along the channel between that island and the mainland, so as to be sheltered from the drifting of the ice.* This was virtually the termination of their voyage. On the following day (September 4t^i) a council was ' De Veer, p. 60. * Ibid. p. 60. ' Ibid. p. 61. * Ibid. p. 62 ; Linschoten, fol. 32 nS^ .wj IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) y J ^ ^ 1.0 I.I Li»2^ Hi £ us 12.0 Itt I IL25 il.4 ■ 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST t^lA^N StIIIT wnsTii.N.Y. H .;.< ;71*) t72-4S03 2iV I 4^ 1 Ixx INTRODUCTION. held on board the admiral's ship, when it was decided that, " in order not to fail in their duty,"^ — which means that it was little more than a matter of form, — they should on the following day make one more endeavour to get through the ice ; and if they did not succeed, that then they should not attempt it any further, seeing that the time was passing rapidly, nd the winter, with its dreadful cold and long nig i its, was on the point of setting in. " For," adds Lin- schoten,'' " it is now sufficiently clear and manifest that it does not please the Lord God to permit us this time to proceed further on our voyage of dis- covery, so that it is not fitting that we should wilfully tempt Him any longer and run with our heads against the wall." It cannot be denied that Nai and his companions were beset with great difficulties, and that any fur- ther attempts might have been extremely hazardous. The crews too of the vessels were now louder in their murmurs, and complained that their commanders de- sired their deaths, inasmuch as being surrounded by the ice, they ran the chance of remaining locked up during the whole winter f added to which, the loss of two men, who were killed by a bear on the 6th of September,* was not at all unlikely to augment the panic, and to cause insubordination among the sur- vivors. Finding the sea to continue quite full of ice, a * Om immers aen ons devoir niet te onthreken.'—Linschotm,{o\. 32. » Linschoten, fol. 32. » Ibid. * De Veer, p. 62 ; Linschoten, fol. 32. INTRODUCTION. Ixxi council was again held on the 8th September on board the admiral's ship, in order to determine finally whether they should proceed or return, whereon a great debate took place/ Most of them were of opinion that they should at once return. To this however the Amsterdammers were opposed, their opinion being that some of them should volunteer to remain there v^dth two of the vessels during the win- ter, and take their chance of the wintering, besides seeing whether they could not manage to get through, or else trying whether they might not be able to make their way to the west of Vaigats, and so round by the north of Novaya Zemlya. But it was replied, that the time for doing so was past, and that moreover it did not accord with their instructions. Nevertheless, if they wished it, they could do it of their own autho- rity, and then see how they might afterwards answer for their conduct.'' On the following day the indefatigable Barents " went on shoare on the south side of the States Hand, and layd a stone on the brinke of the water, to proue whether there were a tide, and went round about the iland to shoote at a hare ; and re- turning" — as he says in the only writing undoubt- edly of his original composition which has been pre- served to us — " I found the stone as I left it, and the water neither higher nor lower ; which prooueth, as afore, that there is no flood nor ebbe.'" • Waer over een groot debat ghcvallen is. — Linschotm, fol. 32 verso. ' Linschoten, fol. 32 verso. ' Sec Appendix, p. 274. Ixxii INTRODUCTION. !' i He could scarcely have returned on board before, the fleet set sail from States Island, on their retam to the strait; but the ice came in so thick and with such force, that they could not get through, and there- fore had to put buck in the evening.^ Next day, how- ever, they succeeded in again reaching Cape Dispute, where they anchored. On the 11th, it was decided that they should once more sail towards the ice, for the purpose of remo- ving all doubts as to the impossibility of proceeding ; but they had not sailed three hours before they reached the firm ice, which stretched round in all directions, completely preventing all further pas- sage.'' They therefore returned and anchored at Cross Point, where they remained till the morning of the 14th, when Barents weighed his anchor and set his top -mast, thinking once again to try what he could do to further his voyage ; but the admiral, being of another mind, lay still till the 1 5th of Sep- tember.^ On that day, as Linschoten relates in no very courteous language, " seeing how the weather had set in, the Amsterdammers thought better of the matter, and let their obstinacy somewhat abate (lieten bun obstinaetheyt wat sincken), agreeing to conform with all the rest."* The following protest, which had been drawn up by Linschoten, was ac- cordingly signed by Barents together with the other * Linschoten, fol. 33 ; De Veer, p. 56. ' Linschoten, fol. 33 verso. And see De Veer, p, 65. ' De Veer, p. 66. * Linschoten, fol. 32 verso. INTRODUCTION. Ixxiii officers,^ and the same day the whole fleet sailed out from the west end of the strait homeward bound. " PROTEST. On this day, the 15th of September, 1595, ?n the country and in the roads of the Cross Point, in the Strait of Nassau, where the ships are now lying at anchor all together, by desire and command of the admiral, Cornelis Cornelisz., the captains or pilots of all the aforesaid ships being assembled and met together in the cabin of the ship of the said admi- ral, in order that, jointly and each of them severally, they may without dissimulation and freely declare their opinion and final decision, and so consult together as to what is best and most advantageous to be done and undertaken in respect of the voyage which they have commenced round by the north towards China, Japan, etc. ; and they having maturely and most earnestly considered and examined the subject, and also desiring strictly to carry out, as far as is practicable and possible, the instructions of His Excellency and the Lords the States, for the welfare and preservation of the same ships, their crews and merchandize : It is found that they have all of them hitherto done their utmost duty and their best, with all zeal and diligence, not fearing to hazard and sometimes to put in peril the ships and their own per- sons (whenever need required it), in order to preserve their honour in everything, and so as to be able with a clear con- science to answer for the same to God and to the whole * Liitke says (p. 34) that it was signed by all except Barents. But it will be seen that his signature stands in its proper rank, the third, among the others. Liitke's mistake appears 1o have arisen from his having followed Adclung, who copied from the Recueil de Voyages au Nord, where, in the list of names, that of Barents is certainly omitted, though from what cause except inadvertency cannot be imagined. I i: iiiir Ixxiv INTRODUCTION. world. But inasmuch as it has pleased the Lord God not to permit it on the present voyage, they find themselves most unwillingly compelled, because of the time that has elapsed, to discontinue the same navigation for this time, being pre- vented by the ice caused by the severe and unusually long frost, which, from what they have heard on the information of others and from their own experience, has this year been very hard and extraordinary in these parts. All wMch having been well considered and discussed by them together, they find no better means, being forced by necessity, than, with the first fit weather and favourable wind, to take their course homewards, all together and in the order in which they came, using every diligence so as if possible to preserve themselves from the frost which is momentarily expected to set in, and with God's help to bring the ships, before all the perils of winter, into a safe harbour ; inasmuch as at the present time no other better means can be found to lead them to a better judgment. Protesting before God and the whole world, that they have acted in this matter as they wish God may act in the salvation of their souls, and as they hope and trust can not be gainsaid or controverted by any of those who have accompanied them; and they willingly submit themselves to defend this at all times, if requisite, by means of the fuller and more detailed journals and notes, which each of them, separately and without communication with the others, has kept thereof. And in order that there may be no disorder or idle talking unjustly spread abroad, to the disadvantage or derogation of those who with such good will have braved so many perils for the honour and advantage of our country, whereby they might be deprived of their merited reward, they have, for their defence and in order to provide before- hand against the same, unanimously signed this Act, which I, Ian Huyghen van Linschoten, have drawn up at their request, and together with Fran9oys de la Dale, as chief commissioners of the said fleet, have, with the like affirmation INTRODUCTION, Ixxv and in further corroboration, in like manner signed, the day and date above written. Cornelis Cornelisz. Brant Ysbrantsz. Willem Barentsz. Lambert Gerritsz. Thomas Willemsz. Harmen lanssz. Hendrick Hartman. Ian Huyghen van Linschoten. Fran9oys de la Dale. It may well be conceived that it was no easy task for a bold and resolute sailor, and at the same time a devout and conscientious man, as William Barents undoubtedly was, to " protest before God, as he wished He might act in the salvation of his soul," that it was impossible for him to do more than he had done, so long as his ship was staunch and he had a crew willing to go forward with him, or even to brave a winter residence in those inhospitable re- gions. Linschoten speaks of the dissentient Amster- dammers in the plural number ; whence it is to be inferred that Barents did not stand alone, but that Harmen lanszoon, the master of the other Amster- dam vessel, was at first of the same opinion; and, most probably, it was only when he yielded, that B .ients saw himself, however reluctantly, forced to gi\e in. A.fter the protest had been so signed, the fleet proceeded on its homeward voyage, and on the 30th of September reached Wardhuus, where it remained till the 10th of the following month. The vessels Ixxvi INTRODUCTION. ; then again set sail all together ; but the vice-admiral's ship, the Hope, on board of which was Linschoten, managed to get the start of the rest, arriving at the Texel on the 26th of October. It was not till the 18th of the following month that Barents's vessel arrived in the river Maas. The journal of the proceedings of the fleet, which was kept by Linschoten in pursuance of his instruc- tions, was communicated by him to the Government immediately on his arrival ; but it was not till six years afterwards that he published his very interest- ing and valuable narrative of this voyage, as well as of that of the preceding year so far as concerns the Enkhuysen vessels, which had sailed through Yu- gorsky Shar— " Pet's Strait" or the " Strait of Nas- sau" — into the Sea of Kara. So little appears to be known by bibliographers respecting Linschoten's narrative of these voyages, that we have scarcely ^' means of describing any other editions than tV st which happen to exist in the British Museum. The earliest of these appeared in Dutch in 1601, in folio, under the following title : — Voyagie, ofte Schip-vacrt, van Ian Hvyghcn van Linscho- ten, van by Noorden om langes Noorwcgcn, de Noort- caep, Laplant, Vinlant, Ruslandt, dc Wittc Zee, do Cis- ten van Candenocs, Swetenoes, Pitzora, &c. door de Strate ofte Engtc von Nassau tot voorby de Revier Oby. Wacr inne seer distinctelicken Vcrbacls-ghcwijse beschre- ven ende acnghewesen wordt, alle t'ghene dat hem op dc selve Rcysc van dach tot dach bcjeghcnt en voorghcconien is. Met de af bceldtsels van alle de Custen, Hocckcn, Landen, ITOTRODUCTION. Ixxvii Opdoeningcn, Streckinghen, Coursen, Mijlen, ende d'ander merckelicke dingen meer : Gelijc als hy't alles selfs sichte- licken en waeraclitelicken nae't leven uytgeworpen endc gheannoteert heeft, &c. Anno 1594 en 1595. Ghcdruct tot Franeker, by Gerard Ketel. The colophon has— Ghedruct tot Franeker, by Gerard Ketel, voor Ian Huy- ghen van Linschoten, resideerende binnen Enchuysen, anno 1601. This rare edition consists of thirty-eight numbered leaves, with a dedication to the States General, dated June 1st, 1601, on two leaves unnumbered, and con- tains numerous maps and coast views by Johannes and Baptista a Doetechum. It was reprinted at Amster- dam in 1624, likewise in folio, with the same plates. In the first edition, between the dedication and the text, are inserted several eulogistic poems, the longest of which is an ode on " Vaygats ofte de Straet van Nassau," by C. Taemssoon van Hoorn, and another is a " Lof-dicht," by Jacobus Viverius, which is directed to be sung to the tune of the forty-second Psalm. It is worthy of remark, that, even so early as 1595, allusion was made to the first north-east voyage of Linschoten in the commendatory verses (which in- cluded also the poem on Vaygats above referred to) at the commencement of the " Reys-gheschrift van de Navigation der Portugaloysers in Orienten . . . door Jan Huyghen van Linschoten. Amstelredam, mdxcv. folio;" which work, though it bears the date of 1595, the register shows to be a portion of the author's " Itinerario, Voyage ofte Schipvacrt van Jan Huygen i I •I! 1' ii h Ixxviii INTRODUCTION. van Linschoten naer Oost ofte Portugaels Indien," the title-page of which is dated a year later. This was reprinted in 1604 with the same verses. An abstract in Dutch of Linschoten's narrative was printed at Amsterdam by G. J. Saeghman, in 4to., with the following title : — Twee Journalen van twee verscheyde Voyagien, gedaen door Jan Huygen van Linschooten, van by Noorden om, langhs Noorwegen, de Noordt-Caep, Laplandt, Findlandt, Ruslandt) de Witte Zee, de Kustcn van Candenoes, Swec- tenoes, Pitzora, etc., door de Strate ofte Enghte van Nas- souw, tot voorby de Reviere Oby, na Vay-gats, gedaen in de Jaren 1594 en 1595. Waer in seer pertinent beschrevcn ende aen gewesen wordt, al het geene hem op de solve Rcy- sen van dagh tot dagh voor gevallcn is, als mode de Bes- chryvingh van alle de Kusten,Landen,Opdoeningcn, Strcck- ingcn en Coursscn, etc. T'Amsterdam, Gedruckt by Gillis Joosten Saeghman, in de Nieuwe-Straet, Ordinaris Drucker van de Journalen ter Zee, en de Reysen te Lande. This has no date, but was probably printed in or about 1663, the year in which Saeghman printed the " Verhael van de vier eerste Schip-vaerden der Hol- landtsche en Zeeuwsche Schepen naar Nova Zembla, etc.," which will be more particularly described wh{ n we come to speak of the editions of Gerrit de Veer's work. We learn from Mr. Henry Stevens that a copy of this abstract is in the possession of John Carter Brown, Esq., of Providence, Rhode Island. In 1610, appeared a French translation of Lin- schoten's voyages, with the following title : — Histoire dc la Navigation de lean Hvgvcs do Linscot, INTRODUCTION. Ixxix HoUandois, et de son voyage es Indes Orientales : conte- nantc diucrses descriptions desPays,Costes,Haures,Riuieres, Caps, et autres lieux iusques k present descouuerts par les Portugais : Obseruations des coustumes des nations de del^ quant k la Religion, Estat Politic et Domestic, de leurs Com- merces, des Arbres, Fruicts, Herbes, Espiceries et autres singularitez qui s'y trouuent : Et narrations des choses me- morables qui y sont aduenues de son temps. Avec anno- tations de Bernard Paludanus, Docteur en Medecine, .... d quoy sont adiovsUes quelques avtres descriptions tant du pays de Guinee et autres costes d'Ethiopie, que des nauiga- tiotis des HoUandois vers le Nord au Vaygat et en la mom- uellc Zemhla. Le tovt recveilli et descript par le mesme de Linscot en bas AUeman, & nouuellement traduict en Fran9ois. A Amstelredam, de I'lmprimerie de Theodore Pierre, mdcx. folio. Although the voyages to the north are thus an- nounced in the title-page, they are not inserted in the only copy wb'*ch we have been able to consult, namely, that in the British Museum; nor is any light thrown on the matter by bibliographers. In the title of the third edition, published at Am- sterdam in 1638, fol., these northern voyages are not announced, nor are they given, but the edition is described as " troixiesme edition augmentee." The second French edition has not fallen within our reach, but we believe the date to be 1619. The only French version of Linschoten's narrative of his northern voyages with which we are acquainted, is that inserted in the fourth volume of the " Recueil de Voiages au Nord," published in eight volumes, Amsterdam, 1715-27, 12mo. ; of which another edi- '. Ixxx INTRODUCTION. tion, in ten volumes, 12mo., was published at the same place, 1731-38. This Fiench version formed the basis of the Ger- man description of these voyages given by Johann Christoph Adelung, at pp. 107-213 of his Geschichte der Schifahrten, published at Halle, 1768, 4to. An abstract of Linschoten's work is given in Latin, at fol. 31 of the first volume of Blaeu's " Atlas Major sive Cosmographia Blaviana, qua Solum, Salum, Coelum accuratissime describuntur." Eleven volumes in folio, Amsterdam, 1662. In the French edition, entitled " Le Grand Atlas ou Cosmographie Blaviane," etc., 12 vols, in folio, Amsterdam, 1663, and republished in 1667, the same appears at fol. 35 of the first volume of the latter edi- tion, which is the only one in the British Museum. It is also at fol. 52 of the first volume of the Spanish edition, entitled " Atlas Mayor, Geographia Blaviana," etc. ; Amsterdam, 1659-72, 10 vols., fol. In the elaborate dissertation on the works of John Blaeu, contained in the fourth volume of Clement's " Bibliothequc Curieuse," mention is made, at page 277, of an "Atlas Flamand de I'an 1662." This is apparently a Dutch edition, to which reference is made by Liitke, under the title of "J. Blaeu's Grooten Atlas, of AVerelt Beschrijving, Erste Deel, 't Amsterdam, 1662." Beyond this reference, we know nothing of that edition. A German edition is also described by Brunet as announced in a catalogue of Blaeu's; but it is not alluded to by Clement, nor can we find any other trace INTRODUCTION. Ixxxi I of it. If ever printed or in progress of printing, it may have been consumed in the great fire, by which, on the 22d February, 1672, nearly all Blaeu's stock in trade was destroyed. In part xii, pp. 20-23, of Levinus Hulsius's Collec- tion, is an extract from Linschoten's Navigation, stating the progress of the Dutch in the attempt to find the passage, the discovery of which formed a favourite scheme of his countrymen at the end of the sixteenth and beginning of the seventeenth centuries. Summaries, more or less concise, derived appa- rently from Blaeu's abstract, the French " Recueil de Voyages au Nord," or Adelung's " Geschichte der Schiffahrten," have also been given in most of the histories of Arctic discovery. Gerrit de Veer's description of the second voyage, contained in the present volume, must be " iderstood to relate almost exclusively to the proceedings of Barents's vessel, as forming one of the fleet under Nai's command. This reconciles or explains away such differences as may appear to exist between his narrative and that of Linschoten. Seeing the signal failure of the second expedition, the States General, after mature deliberation, decided that no further attempt should be made at the public expense to discover a north-east passage. Never- theless, they were still willing to encourage any private undertaking, by the promise of a considerable reward in the event of success.^ And Plan tins and Barents persisting in their opinion that a passage ' De Veer, p. 70. m ^!^m j^wi^- / Ixxxii INTRODUCTION. might be efFe :ted by the north of Novaya Zemlya, the authorities .ad merchants of Amsterdam were induced to take on themselves the fitting out of another expedition to proceed in that direction. It consisted of only two vessels, — the names and ton- nage of which are not mentioned, — of which the one was commanded by Jacob van Heemskerck, who was also supercargo, and the other by Jan Corneliszoon Kijp, ;n the like double capacity. Barents accom- panied Heemskerck, with the rank of chief pilot (opperste stuerman). Surprise has been expressed that though Barents thus occupied a subordinate station, yet in the narrative of the voyage he is made to perform the principal part. This is however a mistake, arising from the fact that in the abridge- ments and summaries of this narrative, which alone appear to have been consulted by modern writers, most of the personal matters are omitted. For it will be seen that, in De Veer's original work, the skipper (or " maister," as he is called in Phillip's translation) is repeatedly mentioned, and Barcnts's subordinate position is clearly and unequivocally shown.^ A better founded cause of surprise might be, that Barents himself had not the command of the expe- dition. Yet for this a sufficient reason suggests itself. He was evidently resolved to perform (as it were) impossibilities, rather than fail in a project on which he had set his heart ; and the merchants, however willing to risk their property on the adven- ture, may naturally have been disinclined to entrust ' See particularly pp. 175-178 and 188-193 of the present volume. ""'I / INTRODUCTION. Ixxxiii it absolutely to one, who would not have hesitated to sacrifice it, or even his own life, in the attempt to accomplish his long-cherished undertaking. In being made subordinate to a nobleman like Jacob van Heemskerck, who, though no seaman by profession, had already sailed with him, and had thus had an opportunity of learning and appreciating his many estimable qualities, Barents, a man of humble birth, could however in no wise have felt himself humiliated or aggrieved. It was a case similar to that of Sir Hugh Willoughby and Hichard Chan- cellor, and was moreover quite in accordance with the practice of those times, which afford repeated instances of the command of a naval expedition being entrusted to a soldier, who had probably never before been on salt water. But while Heemskerck thus held the superior rank of captain, Barents's relation to him was evidently that of an equal, rather tlian that of an inferior. This is particularly evidenced in the conversation which took place between them shortly before Barents; 's death, when the latter called liis nominal commander " mate."^ And that the crew looked on Barents a? virtually the leader of the expedition is shown, not only by their appeals to him on all important occa- sions, but by the curious fact that in the signatures to the " letter" which they wrote on the eve of their departure from their winter quarters,^ the name " wiLLEM BARENTsz." is printed in capital letters, while that of Heemskerck, though placed in rank Dc Veer, p. 195. IhUl, p. 193. ^5 ••i# Ixxxiv INTRODUCTION. above Barents's name, is only in ordinary type, like those of the rest of the crew. We have now to take a rapid glance at some of the most important results of this third voyage, into the particulars of which, as they are recorded in De Veer's journal, it is unnecessary to enter. The experience of the two former voyages appears to have impressed Rijp, even more than Barents him- self, with the expediency of giving the land to the east a wide sea room ; for, notwithstanding that they at first steered their course much more to the north- ward than before, yet it was not long before disputes arose between them, Bp.rents contending that they were too far to the west, while Rijp's pilot asserted that he had no desire to sail towards Vaigats.^ Barents gave way ; and the result was, that on the 9th of June they came to a small steep island, in latitude 74° 30', to which they gave the name of Bear Island, from the circumstance of their killing there a large white bear.^ Seven years later this island was visited by Stephen Bonnet, who called it Cherie Island, after his patron. Master (subsequently, Sir) Francis Cherie, a distin- guished member of the Russia Company. This latter name has usually been inscribed in our English maps, though unjustly, inasmuch as the merit of the first discovery of the island unquestionably belongs to the Dutch. Captain Beechey says, indeed, that " a passage in Purchas seems to imply that it had been known be- fore Barents made this voyage ;"'' but the only passage ' I)c Veer, p. 73. '' Ihiil., p. 7(). ^ Woyaye (otrards (he yorth Pole, \\. .']5. ^ INTRODUCTION. Ixxxv 7(). bearing on the subject which we have been able to find, is the statement of Captain Thomas Edge, in "A briefe Discouerie of the Northern Discoueries of Seas," etc., that the Dutch came " to an iland in the latitude of 74 degrees, which wee call Cherie Iland, and they call Beare Iland,"^as if the former name had been given before the latter. It is to be hoped thct in future English maps, the original and coirect name will always be inserted. From Bear Island our adventurers continued their course northwards, and on the 19th of June, when in latitude 79° 49' N., they again saw land,^ which was supposed by them to be a part of Greenland, but which subsequent investigation has shown to be the cluster of islands known by the name of Spitzbergen. Round this land they coasted till the 29 th, when they again sailed southwards towards Bear Island.^ The first discovery of this country by our Dutch navigators is now universally admitted, though for- merly the idea was entertained that they had been anti- cipated by Sir Hugh Willoughby. But that Spitz- bergen was actually circumnavigated by them is a fact which, as far as we are aware, has never been adverted to by any writer on Arctic discovery. The details of this portion of Barents and llijp's voyage are neither full nor precise enough to enable us to follow them minutely in their course ; added to which, the maps of Spitzbergen, especially of its eastern side, are still not sufficiently trustworthy to render us much assistance in laying down their track. There can, however, be no doubt that they sailed up its eastern shores, passed ' ruichus, vol. iii, p. 404. ' De Veer, p. 77, ami the nolo there. ' De Veer, p. 85. % Ixxxvi INTRODUCTION. 1 I : along its northern extremity, and returned by the west- ern coast. That part of Spitzbergen which they first saw in 79° 49' N. lat., seems to be the south-east coast of the Noord Ooster Land of the Dutch maps, along which they sailed in a westerly direction, and entered Weygatz or Hinlopen Strait. This assumption agrees with the above latitude and with those of the subse- quent positions in 79° 30'^ and 79° 42',^ as also with the time it took — several days — to get out of that strait. The two havens described under the date of June 24th,'' may be the Hecla Bay and Lomme Bay of Parry. The considerable bay or inlet (gheweldigen inham) under 79°, to which they came on the following day, and " whereinto they sailed forty miles at the least, hold- ing their course southward,"^ can only beWeide Bay. Finding that its southern extremity " reached to the firme land," they were forced to work their way back against tlie wind, till they " gate beyonde the point that lay on the west side, where there was so great a number of birds that they flew against their sailcs."^ This point, in consequence, received the name of Bird Cape. From thence their course is plainly to be traced along the western coast of Spitzbergen, and so back to Bear Island. On the 1st of June, when near that island, disputes again arose between Ilijp and Barents as to the course which they should take. The result was that they separated, Rijp returning northwards, while Barents proceeded southwards because of the ice." Dc Veer, p. 78. Ibid., p. 84. 7/hV/., p. 83. Idid., p. 8o. Ibid., p. 84. Ibid., p. 85. I INTRODUCTION. Ixxxvii Of Rijp's subsequent proceedings nothing is known, except that he is stated to have sailed back to Bird Cape, on the west side of Spitzbergen, whence he returned with the intention of going after Barents.^ * De Bry, India Orientalis, part xi, p. 51. In Scoresby's Account of the Arctic Regions, vol. i, p. 80, the spot reached by Rijp is called "the Bay of Birds," De Bry being referred to as the authority. But that writer's words arc — " Sub gr. 80 circa Volucrium Promonto- riiim, a quo postmodum animo ad Guilhelmum redeundi discessit." Just as this sheet was going to press, we have found that the article in De Bry, from which the above extract is taken, is a translation of the following work : — " Histoire du Pays nomme Spitsberghe. Comme il a este descouvert, sa situation et de ses Animauls. Avec le Discours des empeschcmens que les Navires esquippcs pour la peche des Balcines tant Basques, Hollandois, que Flamens, ont soufferts de la part des Anglois, en I'Annee prc- sente 1G13. Escript par H. G. A. Et une Protestation contre les Anglois, & annuUation de tons Icurs frivolz argumens, par lesquelz ils pcnscnt avoir droit dc se faire seuls Maistres du dit Pays. A Amsterdam, chcz Hcssel Gerard A. a rensieg: o de la Carte Nau- tiq. MD.c.xiii." This appears to be the work to which Purchas (vol. iii, p. 464) makes the following allusion : — " I have by me a French Storie of Spitsbcrgh, published 1G13 by a Dutchman, which writcth against tliis English allegation, &.c., but hotter arguments then I am willing to answer." It gives an account of the voyage of llijp and Barents, Avhich, tiicagh agreeing generally with that of Dc Veer, differs from it in some iniporiun*^ particulars, ^^'hat is most remarkable is, that it is said to have been written by Barents himself: — " Mais pour sqavoii' deuvement cc qu'ils ont trouve en ceste descouvracc, i'ay tro. ' bon de mettrc icy un petit cxtraict du Journal, cscrit de la main propre dc Guillautnc Bernard.^' Want of time and space prevents us from giving the subject any lengthened consideration. But from what we have been able to make out, our impression decidedly is, that it was never written by Barents, but was attributed to him solely for the purpose of giving to it an authority which it might otherwise not have pos- scsssed. For, in the first place, liarcnts never returned to Hol- land subsequently to the discovery of Spitzbergen, but died off tho Ixxxviii INTRODUCTION. „ ft How far he carried his intention into effect is not said ; but nothing worthy of remark can have occurred coast of Novaya Zcmlya, on the 20th of June 1597; so that, even assuming him to have written a journal toith his oivn hand, that journal must have passed into the possession of Gerrit de Veer, the historian of the voyage, and would assuredly have formed the basis of his narrative ; and hence the discrepancies which exist between the two could never have arisen. And, in the second place, this journal states, under date of the 24th of June 1596, "la terre(au log du quel prenions nostre route) estoit la plus part rompue, bien hault, et non autre que monts et montaigncs agues, parquoy Vappellions Spitsbergen." Yet, so far was Barents from having given this name to the newly-discovered country, that we find it expressly stated by De Veer (p. 82), imder date of the 22nd of June, that they " esteemed this land to be Greene-land.^^ And xiot merely so, but after the latter's return to Holland, where he had the opportunity of consulting with Plantius and other geographers, he still retained that opinion ; for, in the Dedication to his work, which is dated "Amsterdam, April 29th, 1598," he says that "the eastern part of Greenland {as ive call it) in 80°, is now ascertained, where it was formerly thought there was only water and no land ;" clearly pro- ving that even at that time there was no idea of calling the newly- discovered country by the name of Spitzbergen, or of considering it anything but " the eastern part of Greenland." But, not long afterwards, the western coast of Spitzbergen having been visited by the vessels of other nations, and its importance as a station for the whale-fishery having been ascertained, the Dutch were naturally anxious to establish their claim to its first discovery. This was the object of Hesscl Gerard's tract : a most legitimate one in itself, though, unfortunately, carried out in a very unscrupulous manner. For, not only did he attribute the authorship of this journal to Barents, and in it make him first use the name of Spitzbergen ; but as, from the then prevailing ignorance respecting the geography of lliat country, it was not possible to trace that navigator's true course along its eastern coast, round about its northern end, and so down the western coast, he did not scruple to falsify Barents's track, and make him sail from Bear Island on the 13th of June sixteen Dutch miles n'cst-i\oxi\\-ivest and fifteen miles i\ovi\i-west, where De Veer (p. 76) has sixteen miles north and sometvhut easterly ; aad r ; J. INTRODUCTION. Ixxxix to him, or otherwise it could not have failed to be re- corded. We may therefore conclude that he soon gave up his search after Barents and returned to Holland, and that, in the following year, he went from thence on a trading voyage to the coasts of Norway or Russia, and was on the point of sailing from Kola on his way home, when Heemskerck and the survivors of his crew arrived there, as is related by De Veer.^ Meanwhile Barents, having cleared the ice, held on his course to the east till he reached the western shore of Novaya Zemlya, in about latitude 73° 20V whence he coasted along the land till he had passed considerably beyond the furthest point reached by him on his first voyage, and had rounded the north- eastern extremity of that country. Here, being at length quite shut in by the ice, and unable to make his way either forwards towards the north-east, or round by the eastern side of the land, or even back again by the way he had come, he and his adventurous then again on the 14th, twenty-two miles north by ivest, where De Veer (p. 77) has twenty miles north and north and by east, and on the 16th, thirty miles north and by east. By thus altering the direction of Barents's course, Gerard certainly brought him to the western coast of Spitzbergen ; but he thereby rendered the remain- ing portion of the voyage, which was westward along the northern side of the land, an impossible course in the sea between Spitzbergen and Greenland/ The fact of Gerard's tract having been repub- lished in De Bry's Collection, which work is well known to literary men, while De Veer's original journal has rarely, if ever, been consulted by them, is doubtless the reason why the circumnavi- gation of Spitzbergen by Barents and Rijp has hitherto remained unknown. ' Pages 248, 251. * De Veer, p. 89, and the note there. n 7» ■.'tai™3viiTri" —t^ xc INTRODUCTION. i :■( companions, on the evening of the 26th of August, " got to the west side of the Ice Haven, where they were forced, in great cold, poverty, misery, and grief, to stay all that winter."^ Before adverting to the subject of the memorable wintering of the Dutch at this spot, it is necessary to make a few remarks with respect to the identification of the several points along the coast, which were reached and noted by them during the course of their first and third voyages. This is the more needful, because widely different opinions are entertained by two of the liighe ' living authorities on the subject, Admiral Liitke and Professor von Baer. The former, as is well known, was engaged in sur- veying the Northern Ocean between the years 1821 and 1825, during which period he visited many parts of the western coast of Novaya Zemlya between its southern extremity and Cape Nassau to the north, and identified most of the points visited by the Dutch, which he laid down in the map accompanying the published account of his four voyages, to the German translation of which allusion has already been made. Professor von Baer, on the other hand, who also made a scientific visit to Novaya Zemlya in the year 1837, read in the preceding year, before the Imperial Aca- demy of Sciences of St. Petersburg, a " Report cI the latest Discoveries on the Coast of Novaya Zemlya," in illustration of a map of that country constructed by a pilot in the Russian navy, named Zivolka ; of which report a German translation is published in ' De Veer, p. 99. INTRODUCTION, XCl Berghaus's " Annulen der Erd- Volker- und Staaten- kunde."^ In this report, the learned Professor comes to widely different conclusions from those of Liitke with respect to the identification of the several stations visited by the Dutch ; the great point of difference between them being, that Baer bases his arguments almost exclusively on the distances along the western coast of Novaya Zcmlya recorded by De Veer, especially in the Table given near the end of his third voyage.^ This Table, however, we cannot but regard as little better than a mere list of the various stations reached by the Dutch on their return voyage ; the distances, and even the bearings, therein recorded, being quite untrustworthy, as may indeed be perceived on the most cursory inspection. Every allowance has, of course, to be made for any inaccuracies that may exist in that Table, in consideration of the circumstances under which the return voyage was made ; but, even were we to assume the distances sailed by them in their two small open boats to have been correctly noted down, still there is a sufficient reason for con- tending that those distances, in themselves, are no sure guide, but, on the contrary, only lead to very erroneous conclusions. For, on a comparison of them with the differences of latitude recorded by De Veer, — which, as being the results of astronomical observa- tions made by so experienced a navigator as Barents was, arc subject only to the imperfections of the in- struments employed by him, — it will oe seen that the * Third Scries, vol. v (1837-8), pp. 289-330. - Pages 200-203. i ? , J XCll INTRODUCTION. former, especially between Langenes and Cape Nassau, are throughout much too small. No reason is given by De Veer for this discrepancy; and, indeed, it would be difficult to account for it, were it not for the fact established by the observations of Admiral Liitke, that a very powerful current from south to north sets along the western coast of Novaya Zemlya as far as Cape Nassau. The velocity of this current was ascer- tained by that intelligent seaman to be as much as sixty miles per diera,^ and owing to it he frequently found himself in a latitude from forty-five to fifty- five miles further north than was shown by his dead reckoning.^ A remarkable confirmation of this fact is afforded by Henry Hudson's journal of his visit to Novaya Zemlya, printed in the Appendix to the pre- sent work,^ in which, under date of the 28th of June 1608, it is stated that, between eight o'clock on the previous evening and four o'clock in the morning, thet/ were drawn hack to the northwards^ by a stream or tide, as far as they were the last evening at four o'clock. Applying this, then, to the case of oui* Dutch navigators, we obtain a satisfactory explanation of the apparent discrepancies in their several data. Having premised thus much, and remarking fur- ther that the southern portion of the coast of Novaya Zemlya, and also the northern coast of Russia, require no discussion here, we shall proceed to the investiga- tion of the position of the principal points between Langenes and Cape Nassau, with respect to which a difference of opinion exists. The former point ' Pugc U7. rages 117, 100, 2'. «, etc ' I'ago 2C6. INTRODUCTION. XCIU (as has already been stated)* is that which was first approached by Barents on his first voyage. On the 4th of July 1794, he found himself, by observation, in latitude 73° 25', being then about five or six miles west of Langenes, — a low projecting point reaching far out into the sea.^ This agrees best with the Dry Cape (Trockenes Cap) of the Russian map, which lies in latitude 73° 45'; and Liitke accordingly identifies Langenes with it. Baer, however, contends for Brit- win Cape,^ which, after Dry Cape, is the nearest pro- jecting point of importance. But that cape lies a whole degree further to the south, and would conse- quently differ as much as 40' from Barents's observed latitude ; and such a difference is more than we are justified in admitting, inasmuch as 15' or 20' must be taken as the maximum of error. The next point to be noted is Loms Bay, which is stated by De Veer to lie under 74|°;' the observa- tion not being further particularized, as in most other cases. This would make its difference of longitude from Langenes to be 55'; whereas, in De Veer's map, the difference is only 20'. Liitke' identifies Loms Bay with Cross Bay, though without sufficiently stating his reasons for so doing. Baer'' follows Liitke's example, saying however still less on the subject. The latitude of Cross Bay is 74° 10' (Liitke says 74° 20', but this must be an error, as his map shows 10', as does that also of Ziwolka), making a difference of 25' from Dry Cape. This would agree with De Veer's ' Pago Iviii. ' I'agc 12. ' De Veer, p. 11. ' Page 21. ' Page 305. •■' Page 30G. • I mtm XCIV INTRODUCTION. ; map, and might, in this case, constitute a reason for considering the latitude of Loms Bay, as stated by him in his text in so very general a way, less trust- worthy than that in his map. De Veer also gives' a separate plan of Loms Bay, whu h neither Liitkc nor Baer alludes to, evidently from their not being ac- quainted with it. On a comparison of this special plan, as also of De Veer's general chart, with the llussian maps, it seems much more probable that Loms Bay is not Cross Bay, but the bay immediately to the south of it. For Cross Bay is, in fact, not a bay, but an extensive inlet, of which the end has not yet been explored, and which is indeed regarded by the best Russian authorities as forming a strait or passage completely across Novaya Zemlya, and communicating with Rosmuislov's Unknown Bay.^ The Dutch, how- ever, anchored in Loms Bay, went ashore, erected a beacon there, and made a plan of the surrounding country ; so that they must assuredly have ascertained whether Loms Bay was a bay or a strait. Moreover, they distinctly describe a " great wide creek or inlet"' as lying to the north-east of Loms Bay, which is also shown in their plan, and which cannot be any other than Cross Bay itself; and from this alone it would seem to follow that the bay to the south of that inlet must be Loms Bay. Had Liitke made a careful sur- vey of the bay, which he was prevented from doing, and had he also been acquainted with the Dutch plan, he would no doubt have been able to set this point at ' Page 12. ' Sec page xxxvi, ante. •" De Veer, j). 13, note 1. u.- • inthoduction. xcv rest. Meanwhile we deem ourselves justified, from what has been adduced, in regarding the Flache Bay of Liitke, or the Seichte Bay of Ziwolka (both terms meaning " Shallow Bay"), as the Loms Bay of the Dutch ; and hence Cross Bay will be their " great wide creek or inlet," while Liitkc's Cape Prokofycv and Wrangel's Island' will be respectively their " Capo dc Plantius" and their " small island seawards from the point." The Admiraliteyts Eyland of the Dutch^ is unques- tionably the Admiralty Island or Peninsula of the Russians, there not being any other point to the north- ward which answers to the description. Its latitude is not given ; but the Dutch and Russian maps agree satisfactorily. Capo Negro, or De Swarte Hoeck (Black Point), is stated to be in latitude 75° 20'," and answers to the first prominent cape in Liitke's maps, after passing Admiralty Island, which lies in 75° 28'. Willems Eyland' is the Wilhclms Insel. of Liitke, and the Biicklige Insel of Ziwolka. For this point the elements of Barents's observation for latitude are given, and they can consequently be checked. It is most satisfactory to find that it differs only 9' from the latitude given in the Russian maps, the former being 75° 56', and the latter 75° 47'. This also confirms the probable correctness of the identifications of Ad- miralty Island and Black Point. De Hoeck van Nassau, placed by Barents in 76° ' Page 236. ' De Veer, p. 13. =» Ihid., p. 14. * Ihul, p. 14. " Ihid., p. 16. mm XCVl INTRODUCTION. I i HS if 30',* can be no other than Liitke's Cape Nassau, in 76° 34'. Not only does the latitude agree within 4', but likewise its general bearing. There is also another point of correspondence. It was not till the Hollanders reached Cape Nassau that their real difficulties began, especially on the first voyage. This was the most nor- therly point ever attained by Lutke, and twice did he come within sight of this cape, but without being able to reach it. Adverse winds and currents seem always to prevail here, even in the height of summer. Baer differs, however,^ from Ldtke's opinion, and regards his Cape Nassau as the north-easternmost point of Novaya Zemlya, and identical with cither the Ice Cape or Cape Desire of the Dutch, while he places their Cape Nassau much further down towards the south-west, though without being able to fix its precise position. But, for the reasons which have already been adduced, we feel bound to dissent entirely from the learned Professor's conclusions ; and we cannot but think that, had he been acquainted with De Veer's original narrative, he too would have seen that Liitke's general identifications cannot well be disturbed. As regards the north-eastern portion of Novaya Zemlya beyond Cape Nassau, Liitke justly argues'^ that the general accuracy of Barents's coast-line, as far as he has been able to check it, — namely, as far as Cape Nassau, — warrants the assumption that those parts which lie beyond that cape are in a similar degree correct ; and, accordingly, he adopts from the ' Piige ;3()G. Page 302. INTRODUCTION. XCVll Dutch map the entire extent of country to the east- ward of Cape Nassau, as laid down in De Veer's chart. This sound conchision is, however, impugned by Baer,^ who does not hesitate to erase the whole from his predecessor's map, and to round off the north-eastern extremity of Novaya Zemlya at a short distance be- yond Cape Nassau. Nevertheless, after mature consideration of the entire subject, we are bound to declare that not only do we concur in Liitke's opinion generally, but we must add that no part of the coast of Novaya Zemlya was so thoroughly explored by Barents as just that portion which Baer has thus thought fit to dispute. Barents traced that coast no less than four times, and his observation of the longitude of his winter sta- tion, which has now for the fir .t time been accurately calculated by Mr. Edward Vogcl (assistant at Mr. Bishop's observatory),- shows a difference of only about twenty-five miles in the distance between that spot and Cape Nassau, as laid down in Gcrrit de Veer's chart : — a result which, as being derived from totally independent data, is conclusive as to the general accu- racy of that chart. Consequently, without waiting for any corrobora- tion to be obtained from future surveys, we deem it perfectly safe to reinsert in our maps the north-eastern portion of Novaya Zemlya, which has been omitted on the authority c f Zivolka and Baer. This is a mat- ter not without impuitance, inasmuch as an extent of ' Pages 302-306. ' See pages Ho-MO of the present work, and the notes tliere. ....^.^UI^UNI XCVlll INTRODUCTION. I at least ten thousand square geographical miles will thereby be restored to the Russian dominions. And we likewise consider it due to the memory of the first and only explorer of this region, that it should bear the specific designation of " Barents's Land," which name is accordingly given to it in the accompanying map. To that portion of Novaya Zemlya which lies be- tween Barents's Land and Matthews's Land, we have further thought that no more fitting appellation can be given than "Liitke's Land," in honour of that able navigator, who has done more for the geography of Novaya Zemlya than any one since the time of Barents. For a considerable portion of the preceding remarks on the geography of Novaya Zemlya we arc indebted to Mr. Augustus Petermann, who has otherwise ren- dered us much assistance during the progress of our labours, and by whose care the track of Barents on his several voyages has been laid down in the accompanying charts, from the data furnislied by Geirit dc Veer's iournals. The route from Kildin to Langenes, on the first voyage, was found by him to agree precisely with the true distance between the former place and Diy Cape ; but the route from Bear Island to the coast of Novaya Zemlya, on the third voyage, from its not being so minutely described, could only be laid down approximatively. U'hose along the more northerly portion of Novaya Zemlya arc suffi- ciently correct, and some of them are exceedingly pre- cise, as has already been shown in the preceding pages. On these voyages a number of soundings were taken in an otherwise unknown :cr.,the value of which INTRODUCTION. XCIX will be appreciated by nautical men. Those to the north of Novaya Zemlya are most important. In about latitude 77° 45', the highest point reached by Barents, they give a depth of one hundred and fifty fathoms, without bottom;^ showing the unlikelihood of the existence of any other land in that vicinity. We feel persuaded that navigators of all nations will concur with us in the propriety of distinguishing the mare innominatum between Spitzbergen and Novaya Zemlya by the appellation of " the Spitzbergen, or Barents's Sea," as it is called in Mr. Petermann's chart. Barents made so many discoveries and traced so large an extent of coast, both of Spitzbergen and of Novaya Zemlya, that the surveys of the whole of our recent explorers, put together, are insufficient to iden- tify all the points visited by him. One inference is obvious, namely, that an able, fearless, and determined seaman like Barents might yet achieve much in those seas. Admiral Liitke was twice prevented by the ice from proceeding beyond Cape Nassau ; but he fre- quently alludes to the unfitness of his vessel to ven- ture among the ice, and gives it clearly as his opinion, at the end of his work,- that better success might be expected from vessels similar to those despatched from England to the Arctic regions. The ten months' residence of Barents and his com- panions at the furthest extremity of Novaya Zemlya, has so often formed the subject of comment on the part of writers on Arctic discovery, that we deem it unnecessary to dilate on it here, especially as our ' Dc Veer, p. 20. ' Page 3G0. INTRODUCTION. n A ii I ',.i4 other introductory remarks have already extended to so great a length. There can be no doubt that their stay at this par- ticular spot was a forced one. At the same time, when we bear in mind that, on the second voyage, in the year preceding, Barents and his colleague, Harman Janszoon, proposed that two of the vessels should winter in the Sea of Kara ;^ and that, on the fitting out of this third expedition, they took up "as many vnmarryed men as they could, that they might not bee disswaded, by means of their wiues and chil- dren, to leaue off the uoyage;"^ it will not be unrea- sonable to infer that they went fully resolved and prepared, if obliged, to winter in those inhospitable regions. No words are sufficient to extol their exemplary conduct during their long and miserable stay there. Though no means are afforded of determining the precise degree of cold to which they were exposed, various incidents narrated by De Veer prove that it must have been intense ; and it was not merely a sharp clear cold, which the experience of other Arctic explorers has shown may be borne to an almost incon- ceivable degree, but it was accompanied by terrific storms of wind and snow, so that "a man could hardly draw his breath,"'' and they "could hardly thrust their heads out of the dore."* One advantage was how- ever derived from the snow, which fell in such quan- cover titles as completely to ' Sec pages Ixxi aiul ' De Veer, p. 111. lI Ixxv, Vocr, p. 175. = Ibid., p. 176. =" Ibid. H / Ti cii INTRODUCTION. ■ » firm or sincere because His name was not incessantly on their lips. Cheerfulness, and even frequent hilarity, could not fail to be the concomitants of so wholesome a tone of mind ; and these, joined to the bodily exercise which they took at every possible opportunity, and the labour which they were compelled to perform in preparing for their return voyage, must have been very instrumental in preserving them from sickness. Still, with all the means employed to keep them- selves in health, — and of these warm bathing was no inconsiderable one, — it would be wrong to imagine that they were able to preserve themselves from that dreaded scourge of Arctic navigators, the scurvy. Liitke observes^ that "it is most remarkable that in the account of their long sufferings this disease is not once mentlo7ied, and that of seventeen men onlf/ two died in Novaya Zemlya." But it is from having known only the abbreviated translations of Gerrit de Veer's journal that the Russian admiral has been led to view the position of those unfortunate men in this favourable light. For we see from De Veer's narrative,^ that as early as the 26th of January, 1597, when one of the crew died, he had even then long lain seriously ill ; and two days later it is expressly stated,^ that, from their having " long time sitten without motion, several had thereby fallen sick of the scurvy'' Indeed, when we consider what they had to undergo for six months, during which period we find it positively recorded that they suffe:.ed from the scurvy, until on the 28th of July they first met with a remedy,^ — and how long previ- ' Page 37. » Page 150. ^ p^^g^ 152. * Page 224. INTRODUCTION, cm ously the disease had shown itself among them cannot be said, — it is almost miraculous that onl?/ fve (not two) out of the seventeen should have fallen victims to it. The tradition of the memorable wintering of the Hollanders in the Ice Haven (Lcdyanoi Gavan) is still preserved among the Novaya Zemlya morse and seal hunters, who call the spot where they c y resided Sporai Navolok. It is not known however whether any remains of the Behouden-hms^G" " house of safety," have ever been found.^ The most remarkable occurrence during their stay in Novaya Zemlya, was the unexpected reappearance of the sun on the 24:th of January, 1597. This phe- nomenon not only caused the greatest surprise to the observers and their companions, but after their return to Holland gave rise to much controversy among the learned men of the day. Their opinion generally was unfavourable to the truth of the alleged fact, as being " opposed to nature and to reason." Among these was Robert Robertsz. le Canu, "homme fort entcndu en I'art de la marine, et qui faisoit profession de I'cnseigncr aux autres," who wrote a letter on the subject to William Blacu, the father of the celebrated John Blaeu, which was published by the latter in his Great Atlas. This letter shall be reproduced here, not merely on account of its giving the objec- tions which were raised at the time, but because it likewise contains some curious matters relating personally to our author and his companions, which it would be wrong to omit. 1 See Liitkc, p. 39. i Hi ' CIV INTRODUCTION. Mon boil amy Guillaumc Janssc Blacu, Puisque vous m'avez temoigne dcsirer que jc voiis cn- voyassc un cxtrait clu discours que j'ay eu avcc Jacob Ilcemskerck, Gerard dc Veer, Jean Corncillc Rijp, et plusicurs autrcs de mcs cscolicrs, lesquels ayant fait voile en I'an 1596, retournerent en 1597, sans avoir rien effectu^ touchant la commission qu'ils avoyent de reconnoistre les lloyaunies de la Chine, & du Cathay, & dans la mesme annee 1597 me vinrcnt trouvcr pour me racontcr les merveilleuses avcntures dc leur voyage, entrc lesquellcs la plus remarqua- ble cstoit, que le Solcil leur cstoit disparu Ic iv de No- vcmbre en I'an 1596, & avoyent commence de le revoir Fan 1597 le 24: de lanvicr, sous la mesme hauteur de 76 dcgrez, sous laquelle ils avoicnt basty leur maison dans la Nouvelle Zemble, matiere suffisante, ainsi qu'ils ont escrit, pour exercer long-temps les beaux esprits : & puis qu'outre vostrc propre satisfaction vous me conviez encor a vous declarer mon senti- ment sur ce sujet par I'advis quo vous me donnez dcs con- tentions & debats survenus a cette occasion entre tons les s^avans de I'Europe, je veux vous faire un court recit du Dialogue que j'ay eu la. dessus avec tous ces Messieurs que j'ay deja nommez, qui avoyent est^ spectatcurs d'une chose si extraordij aire, & qui me la racontcrent avec grand eston- ncment ; je raisonnois done avec eux comme il s'ensuit : Considcrant en moy mesme qu'ils avoient pass6 plus de dix soma i lies dans un jour perpetuel sans avoir eu ancune nuict, & que pendant un si long espace de temps le cicl n'avoit pas tousjours este si clair qu'on put, a la favour de sa lumiere, marquer & compter exactement chaque tour que le Soleil faisoit a I'cntour de la terre, je leur demandois s'ils estoient bien asseurcz, qu'il fust le iv de Novembre lors qu'ils perdirent de veue le Solcil, d'autant qu'il cstoit en ce temps-la plus de 15 dcgrez vers le Sud par dela la lignc ; ils me respondirent qu'ils avoyent tousjours eu devant eux leurs • INTRODUCTION. CV horologes, & leiirs sables, en sortc qu'ils n'avoyent pas le moindrc sujct dc doutcr dc ccttc vcrite. Jc m'enqucstay dc plus, si Icurs horologes, ou leurs monstres, n'avoicnt jamais manque, ou s'ils n'avoyent jamais trouve leurs sables vuides ; & voulus outre cela s9avoir d'eux, de combien la Lunc estoit &g^e lors que le Soleil leur avoit failly : ils dcmeurcrent court k cette interrogation ; ce qui me donna lieu de croire qu'ils n'avoyent pas bicn compte Ics jours, & que la suppu- tation qui lour marquoit pour le iv de Novembre, le jour que le Soleil commen9a a s'absenter d'eux, estoit fausse. Mais suppose, dis-je, que vous ayez si bien rencontre dans vostre calcul qu'il fust alors le iv dc Novembre, que mcsme vous ayez avec trcs-grandc justesse compasse tons Ics jours d'Este, d'ou pouvcz vous tircr ccrtaine asscurance dc ne vous cstrc pas mescontd d'un scul jour pendant I'Hyver, que la nuit duroit dcs onzc scmaincs cntiercs, puisque vous dcmcuricz la pluspart du temps commc cnsevelis dans vostre maisonnette, & que pour la crainte dcs extremes froidures, dcs tourbillons de neiges & des autres rigueres, auxquelles ce climat est expos^ durant une si rude saison, vous n'osiez tant seule- ment mcttrc le ncz dehors, & ne pouviez par consequent voir ny Soleil, ny Lune, ny Estoilles. Gerard dc Veer mc re- spondit, qu'ils avoyent pcrpctuellcmcnt vcu I'cstoillc Polaire par le trou de leur cheminec, par ou ils avoyent encor remarque trcs-distinctement tons Ics tours que la grandc Oursc fiiisoit a I'cntour de ce Pole ; joint qu'ils avoyent tousjours cu dcvant cux dcs monstres, dcs horologes, & des sables, ausquels ils prenoyent tres-soigneusement garde tous Ics jours. Jc ne voulus pas entrcr en dispute avec luy la dessus, mais jc ne pus prendre scs raisons pour argent comp- tant, & jc n'en dcmeuray nullement persuade, vcu mcsme qu'cn Este ils cstoyent asscz cmpcschcz d sc defend re de I'attaque des Ours, ainsi qu'ils disoient ; & en Hyvcr souvcnt occupcz a la chasse des renards : de sorte que, s(>lon mon advis, ils n'avoicnt pas to\isjours Ic loisir de vaqucr commc mmmm^mmmm :i , \ il CVl INTRODUCTION. il faut aux observations celestes, ny de gouvcrner lours rnonstres, horologes, & sables avec I'assiduit^ neccssairc, lesquelles, peut-estro, ils ont fort souvent trouve vuides, ou detraquecs par la gclec. Vous croycz done, !Maistre Robert, comme vous nous donnez k entendre par vos raisons, repartit lacob Hecmskcrck, que nous nous sommes grandcment abusez dans nostrc calcul ? Je n'ay pas cette croyancc la. sculcment, respondis-je, mais de plus une forme persuasion, que la faute en est si grandc, qu'il vous est impossible de s9avoir au vray si vous estiez pour lors k la fin de lanvier, ou au commence- ment de Febvi'ier : car bienque je leur fisse plusicurs interro- gations pour apprendre en quelles parties du ciel ils avoyent veu la Lune, les Planetes & les Estoilles, & par quel moyen ils avoyent pris leurs hauteurs le 24 de Janvier, auquel jour ils disoyent que le Solcil s'estoit monstre a cux, comme aussi pour seavoir si c'estoit a six heures du soir, ou -k minuit, ou le lendcmain a six heures du matin, ct dans quel rombe cette apparition s'estoit faite, ils ne sceurcut iicmtmoins respondre a aucunes de mes demandcs, d'autant qu'en ce tcmps-la ils avoyent manque do fairc telles observations : c'est pourquoy je conclus, qu'ils s'estoyent bicn mcspris dans leur compte de la valeur de dix ou onze jours, ou plus. Lc Icndemain ils accoururent tons chez moy, pour me dire qu'ils s9avoycnt bien en quel endroit estoit la Lune le 24 de Janvier, mais je leur rcspondis que la lecture do qixelqucs doctcs Ephcmerides les avoit rendu bien s^avans depuis quelqucs heures, & leur avoit enseigne ce qu'ils ignoroient hier lors que je leur en fis la demande. Gerard de Veer, qui a este escrivain de la navigation vers le Nord, me tint plusicurs discours aussi mal fondez que les precedents, lesquels je m'estois au commencement propose de redigcr par escrit ; mais par apres je ne Pay pas juge neccssairc, & m'en suis abstenu, par ce qu'il est demeure ferme dans son'opin- ion, & qu'il a du depuis fait imprimer son Journal, dans lequel il a deduit tout au long cette histoire dans la page 34, INXnODUCTlON. cvu I & 35, mais escrlttc en autrcs caractcrcs que Ic reste, afia qu'clle fust plus remarquable,^ comme on pout voir dans cc mcsmc livre imprime a Amsterdam, en I'annec 1598, ou il cscrit, que tres-voluntiers il rendra comptc de son dire : mais je n'ignore pas quel est le compte, que Gerard dc Veer a rendu & envoye k Martin Evcrard de Bruges, demeurant pour lors d Leyde, qui le luy avoit auparavant dcmande par Icttrc escritte d ce sujet ; car luy mcsme m'a monstre cctte Icttre, & demande advis de cc qu'il devoit faire pour le mieux: je luy dis, que tout le conseil que j'avois d luy donner, estoit qu'il reconnut sa faute, Sc confessast ingenue- mentj que luy, & toute sa compagnie s'estoyent pii mesprcndre de quelqucs pctites journecs pendant le grand jour d'Est^ qu'ils avoyent eu ; & que pendant la longue nuit d'Hyver, lis en avoyent pcu laisser escouler quelques petites, sans y prendre garde, pendant lesquellcs les insupportables rigueurs du froid les auroit accablez de sommeil : mais toutes mes re- monstrances ont este vaines ; car il n'avoit pas mis en lumiere son Journal pour le corrigcr par apres ; & jusques 'd la fin de sa vie il est dcmeure dans I'crrcur que scs observations estoycnt trcs-asscurecs : & ce Gerard de Veer a bien sceu dans son Journal renfcrmer 56 jours entre le 24 de lanvicr & lu 21 dv Marsi, daus Irqucl il cscrit que le Solcil estoit pour lors elcve sur leur Hori^joa dc 11 lUgicz sciilemcnt, au lieu que dans le mesme temps dcces 5(5 jours il devoit avoir nioiito t^ur le mesme Horizon a la hauteur de 19 degrcz. Je tire cette con- clusion de cc que Gerard de Veer a bien sceu faire entrer 13 ou 1-1 jours dc trop dans le mesme espace compris entre lo ^ Pages 143-150 of the present edition. This observation of Robert lu Canu is anything but ingenuous. De Veer's work, the body of which is in German characters, contains several other por- tions printed v/ith Roman letters, for the sake of distinction on account of their importance ; such as the Dedication, given here in page cxix, the story of the barnacles in page 79, the letter in page 191, etc. II! I ! ! ! CVlll INTllODUCTION. 24 de lanvicr, & Ic 21 dc Mars, Icsqucls il n'a pas craint d'inscrcr en son Journal, afin dc maintciiir & d'afFcrmir son opinion, mais il n'a parle d'aucunc dcclinaison : dc sortc que jo dcnieurc tousjours forme dans ma premiere conclusion, & syavoir, que durant la grandc nuit d'Hyver d'onze scmaines, le sommeil les avoit pu gaiguer si souvcnt, & si long-temps, qu'il cstoit Ic 6 ou 7 dc Fcbvrier, lors qu'ils ont creu, a cause dc leur assoupisscment, qu'il n'cstoit que le 24 de lanvicr, Icsqucls jours ils ont cxprcs cnfermez cntrc le 24 dc lanvicr, & 21 Mars, afin de triomphcr par leurs belles observations, & d'abuser ainsi les s^avans, & leur donner maticrc de dispute toucliant le Journal de Gerard dc Veer. Jc laisse aux autrcs la libcrte dc jugcr cc que leur plaira sur cettc affaire, mais jc crois que Gerard dc Veer resscmblc au Sacristain qui fait aller I'horologc, laquclle n'ayant pas unc fois sonne Theurc commc le Solcil marquoit, & qucl(iucs-uns luy demandant la raison de cettc crrcur, il rcspondit que Ic Solcil pouvoit mcntir, mais que son horologe ne mentoit jamais :^ ainsi il mc semblc que Gerard dc Veer a plusto.st voulu rejctter la lautc sur Ic Solcil, sur la Lunc, & sur les Estoillcs, que dc confcsscr j)cndant sa vie que son calcul cstoit faux. A'oibl en pcu dc ' This sacristan was not quite so flexible as the "Clcrke of the Uow bell," immortalized in Stow's Survri/ of London (edit. 1G33, p. 2G9). His duty it was to ring the curfew-bell nij^htly at nine o'clock ; and " this Bel being usualJy rung somewiiat late, aa sctined to the young men Prentiss, aiid otlier in Cheapc, they made and set up a rime against the ('l':rke, as foUowcth : " Clarke of the Bow-Bell, with the yellow lockes, For thy late ringing, thy bead shall have knockes. " Whcruntn the Clerke replying, wrote : " (.'hiUlren of Chcape, hold you all still, For you shall haso the How-ltcll rung at your will.' INTRODUCTION, C!X mots cc que j'ay A rcspondrc siir vostre dcmandc, car jc n'ay jamais cru, ny nc puis croirc cncor d present, que le Soleil, d, quelque haviteur qu'il fust Ic iv dc Novcmbrc, pourveu qu'il passast par dela la llgnc 15 degrez vers Ic Sud, manquast a paroistre sur I'lforizon, «& commen^ast a sc iUonstrer au uiesnie lieu le 24 de Janvier, eloigne de la lignc de plus dc 19 degrez vers le Sud, & se retrouvast justcmcnt i la hauteur do 14 degrez sur le mesmc Horizon ; de facon que cc que Gerard de \'eer cscrit dans son Journal page 30,' contraric la nature & la raison. C'est pourcjuoy jc rcpetc cncor, que pendant Ic grand jour d'Este ils out obmis k compter quelques revolutions du Soleil ; dc mesmc que durant la grandc nuict d'Hyvcr le sonuneil leur a derobc beaucoup dc temps, 6c (^u'ils n'ont pii asseurement dresser Icur Journal comme auroient fait ceux qui auroient pu soirs & matins distinguer en jour & en nuict le temps de 24 licures, «& compter ainsi nettemcnt & cxactemcnt toutes les journees ; chose impossible a faire aux Pilotcs de la Naviga- tion vers le Nord, & ausquels il faut pardonncr en ccttc occasion ; avcc cela jc finis. Le 15 Se})tembrc, 1G27.' From this letter of Robert Ic Canii it will be per- ceived, that the fact of the sun's disappearance on the 4tli of November 1.j1)() was equally denied by him with that of its reappearance on the 'i4th of January following. The former, though difi'ering in degree, was, as far as regards the fact itself, deemed not less abnormal and "opposed to nature and to reason" than the latter. It is therefore of importance to demon- strate that the particulars recorded by Gerrit dc Veer concerning the sun's latest appearance and final dis- ' I'a^c I Go of the present edition. - IJlaeu, (I'tund Atl(i>i, part i, I'ol. ;)l, /'. i cx INTRODUCTION. appearance, are in all respects absolutely and literally true. On the 2nd of November, he states that the sun " did not show its whole disk, but passed in the hori- zon along by the earth." On that day, in latitude 75° 45' (which vas their true position, and not 16" as they supposed),^ the sun's declination was —14" 53',3 ; and the complement of the elevation of the l*ole being 14" 15', the sun's centre was actually yS'jL: below the horizon. But, with an assumed tem- perature of — 8 Fahr., the refraction would have been as much as 39',5 ; and. as " the land where thoy were was as high as the round-top of their ship,"^ an assumed heigbt of thirty feet would give 5',i for the dip of the horizon. Hence, according to theory, G',4 more than the half of the sun's ('isk should have been visible ; that is to say, 22' or 2'S\ or about seven- tenths of the entire disk. Consequently De Veer's statement in this respect is literally true. On the fol- lowing day the sun's centre was actually 56',:i, and its upper edge about 40',i», below the horizon. But the refraction 39',a and the dip 5',4 would have raised it 44',r to the sight; so that 3',.s or nearly twelve-hundreths of the sun's disk ouij^ht still to have been visible. De Veer speaks therefore the pure truth when he says^ that, on the 3rd of November, " they could see nothing but the upper edge of the sun above the horizon."^ On ^ Page 120, and note 5 there. » Sec the note in page 180. ■' Page 121. * Ibid. * On this day De Veer says (p. 121) that they measured the sun's azimuth (de son peijlden). »vliich they found to be " in the eleventh degree and 18 minutes of Scorpio," that is to m\, m 221' 48'. It INTRODUCTION. CXI the day afterwards the sun's declination was — 15° 30, 5, and consequently its centre was 1° 15',s and its upper edge 59',5, below the horizon. And taking the sum of the refraction and the dip at 44',r, the sun's upper edge would have been actually 14',m below the visible liorizon. Strictly in accordance with this, we have De Veer's statement^ on the 4tli of November, "but then we saw the sunne no more, for it was no longer aboue the horizon." Had Gerrit de Veer and his companions been weak enough to give way to the dogmatical assertion of their teacher, that " pendant le grand jour d'este ils avoyent omis a compter quelques revolutions du soleil," tliey might perhaps at the time, and during the two centuries and a half which have since elapsed, have enjoyed some little more credit than has been accorded to them; but they would eventually have deprived themselves of that triumphant viutilcation of their character for perfect truthfulness and sincerity which it is our good fortune to be the means of now afford- ing to them. The reappearance of the sun on the 25111 of Janu- ary 1597, is not, at least for the present, capable of so complete and satisfactory an explanation. But would seem, howcv:r, that there are here two mistakes. The first is a clerical or typographical error. Instead of 221° 48', it should he 221° 18', which was the sun's longitude af Venice on the 3rd of November. And the second error is, that no account is taken of the dincrence of longitude between Venice and Novaya Z'mlya, which is about four hours in time. The sun's true longitude was 221° 7',.i. ' Page 121. i^ cxii INTRODUCTION. hitherto the subject has never been properly under- stood, because the facts have never been correctly stated. One of the most recent exammations of this phenomenon is that made by the Ilev. George Fisher, in his remarks "On the Atmospheric Refraction," con- tained in the " Appendix to Captain Parry's Journal of a Second Voyage," etc.,^ published in 1825. Mr. Fisher's words are : — " The testimony of De Veer, who wrote the particulars and who accompa- nied Bareirtz to Nova Zembla in his third voyage, where he wintered in latitude 76° N., in the year 1596-7, has been so often called in question, with respect to his account of the re-appearance of the sun, that it is but justice to state that he appears to be perfectly correct, and his observations consistent with those made during this voyage.' He reports that he, in company with two others, saw the edge of the sun from the sea side, on the south side of Nova Zembla, on the 24th of January (or 3d of February, new style) at which time the sun's declination when it passed the meridian in tlK:,i: longitude was about Hr 48' S., and therefore the true meridian depression of the upper limb at noon was 2° 32' nearly, which ought to have been the amount of the refraction [so] that the limb might have been visible. Now, if the observation at the least apparent altitude observed on the 23d January, 1823, at Igloolik, which was 8' 40", be re- duced to the horizon, by observing the rapid law of increase in the refraction visible in the scries of ob- servations made on that day, the horizontal refraction ' Pages ISO, 181. = Namely, that of Captain Parry. y INTRODUCTION. cxm cannot be estimated at less than 2° 30', and which, if increased by the apparent dip, (which sometimes amou:its to more than 20' in the winter time, as I have mentioned when speaking of the terrestrial re- fraction,) will be quite sufficient to render the upper limb visible ; and there is still less difficulty in belie- ving that they ' saw^ the sunne in his full roundnesse above the horizon' three days afterwards, since the daily motion in declination at that time of the year is nearly 18 minutes to the northward. " M. Le Monier, from the observations made on these two days, assures us that there must have bt'^n more than 4| degrees of refraction, and that he ' could neither explain these observations, reject them as doubtful, nor suppose any error, as was done by most other astronomcters.' How this conclusion has been deduced from the facts related in the Journal docs not appear, neither is there the least occasion to reject as doubtful the simple and honest account of the Dutch- men." Now the facts of the case are in reality as follows. ■ ' the first place, the Dutch reckoned their time !; (Tiding to the nc?o style, which had already been aiiop" xl in the Netherlands. This is not only to be deduced from the correspondence of their several astronomical observations with this reckoning alone ; but it also admits of direct proof from the express statement of William Barents, in his note on the tides at States Island, that the dates wove '•'• stilo noro '"I Sc'o tlic Ai)pcn(lix to the picsonl work, pp. 273, 271. 1' S' CXIV INTllODUCTION. ■ II In the next place, Gerrit de Veer states explicitly that he and two of his companions " saw the edge of the sun"^ on the 24th of January, and that on the 27th of that month they " all went forth and saw the sunne in his full roundnesse a litle aboue the horri- son ;"^ and again, that on the 31st they " went out and saw the sunne shine cleare;"^ and lastly, on the 8th of February, they " saw the sun rise south south- east, and went downe south south-west."^ On the in- tervening days, the weather being cloudy or otherwise unfavourable, thi '.d no opportunity of observing the sun."^ Now, according to theory,''' the sun's upper edge ought not, in75°45' north latitude, to have been visible till the 9th of February ; so that on the 25th of Janu- ary (not the 24th, as De Veer erroneously supposed),^ at mid-day, the extraordinary and anomalous refrac- tion was as much as 3° 49', and on the 27th of that month it could not have been much, if at all, less."* On the 8th of February, however, when they " s. w * Page 143. * Page 151. '' Page 152. ' Page 154. * "The 25th of January it was davkc clowdy weather" (p. 150); Ihe 26th there was "a fog-hank or a dark cloud" {ibid., note 4); the 29th, " it was foulc weather, with great store of snow" (p. 152) ; the 30th, "it was darkc weather with an cast wind," and "as soone as they saw what weather it was, they had no desire to goc abroad" (ibid.); the 1st of February, "the house was closed up againe with snow" (p. 153); the 2nd, "it was still the same foule weather" {ibid.); the 3rd, it was "very misty, whereby they could not sec the sun" {ibid) ; and from the 4th till the 7th inclusive, " it was still foule weather" {ibid.) " See page 145, note 3. ' Ibid., note 1. * Sec page 151, note 4. INTRODUCTION. cxv s. w It tlie sun rise S.S.E. and go down S.S.W.," the entire refraction would have been 2° 10' ,r, which is about one degree and a half more than according to theory it ought to have been ; and on the 19th of the latter month, when they tooiv the sun's height,' the refrac- tion had again attained its normal amount. Without attempting any explanation of the pheno- menon thus described, what we have now to do is to show that Gerrit de Veer and his companions could not possibly have been materially in error with respect to their dates. Commencing then from the 4th of November, when it has been demonstrated*^ that their time was strictly correct, we have their subsequent astronomical obser- vations on December 14tli'and January 12th,Mvhich establish that till the latter date they were still right in their time. If, therefore, they lost their reckoning at all, it must have happened between the 12th and the 25th of January — an interval oionly thirteen days; and certainly neither their oversleeping themselves (assuming them to have done so), nor any error, how- ever great, in the rate of their twelve hours' sand- glass, could in that short interval have occasioned any gross miscalculation with respect to the time of a phenomenon which extended over a period of four- teen days. Then again, on the 19th of February,'* and also on the 2nd of March,' they obtained by simi- lar astronomical observations the means of checking ' Piiffc 157. iuul note G there. ^ Piiftc I in. * I'agc 157. - Pago cxi, (tulf. ' Pase 140. " Page 1iy •> INTRODUCTION. cxxv (liere in 1599, under the title of " Trois navigations admirables faites par les HoUandois et les Zelandois au Septentrion." Italian. An Italian translation, which was made at the instance of Gioan Battista Ciotti, by whom it is dedicated to Gaspare Catanei, appeared at Venice in 1599, in Italic characters. Its title runs thus : — Trc Navigationi fatte dagli Olandesi, e Zclandesi al Set- tentrionc nella Norvegia, Moscovia, e Tartaria, verso il Catai, c Regno dc' Sini, doue scopersero il Mare di Veygatz, La Nvova Zerabla, ct vn Paese nell' Ottantesimo grado credu^^o la Grocnlandia. Con vna descrittione di tvtti gli accident! occorsi di giorno in giorno a' Nauiganti, Et in particolare di alcuni combattimcnti con Orsi Marini, e dell' eccesiuo frcddo di quei pacsi ; essendo nell' ultima Nauigatione res tata la Nauc nel ghiaccio, onde 11 Marinari passorono infinite difficolta, per lo spatio tl: ii f: 1! 1 1 It Ik . i CXXXll INTRODUCTION. tive of the second voyage (page 40 of the present work), De Veer speaks of Linschoten as having been on the first voyage the commissary or supercargo of the two ships of Zeeland and Enkhuysen — " daer Jan Huyghen van Linschoten comis op was." This is rendered by Hulsius (p. 14): "darauff der Hocher- fahrne in Schiffsache Johaii Huyghen von Linschott, Conies oder Oberster gewesen war," as if Linschoten had actually been the commanaer of those two vessels ! Another German abridgement of De Veer's narra- tive was made by the brothers De Bry, in 1599, and is given as the third article in the third part of their India Oricntalis (or that portion of their collection commonly known as the Petits Voyages)^ on the col- lective title of which it is described as follows : — Drey Schiffahrtcn der Hollander nach obcrmeldten Indicn durch das Mittnachtigschc oder Eissmccr darinncn viol vncr- horte Ebcntewcr. Sampt Viclen schonen kiinstlichon figurn vnd Landtafcln in KupfFcr gestochen vnd an Tag gcbcn durch Jo. Thcodor vnd Jo. Israel de Bry, Gcbriider. Ge- druckt zu Franckfurt am Mayn durch Matthcum Becker. M.D.xcix. folio. , It is from this German edition that the plates which accompany the present volume have been taken. They are copies from those of the original Amsterdam editions, reversed and more artistically finished. De Bry, doubtless having Hulsius's work in his mind, says of them that they aie: "AUes zierlich und nach dem aechten original fiirgetragen." This abridgement was reprinted in the German editions of De Bry in 1628 and 1629. ' INTRODUCTION. CXXXIU Latin. The same abridgement was also given in Latin by De Bry, in the edition of the India Oricntalis of 1601, on the collective title of the third part of which it is thus described : — Tres nauigationes HoUandorum in mod6 dictam Indiam per Septcntrionalcm sen glacialcm Occanum, vbi mira quai- dam ct stupcnda clonarrantur. The sub-title, at page 129, is as follows :-- Tcrtia pars, Navigationes tres discrctas, trib. continvis annis per Scptcntrionem supra Norvegiam, Mvscoviam et Tartarian!, freto Wcygatz & Nona Zenibla detectis, ab Hol- landis & Zclandis in Cathay & Chinarum regnum versus oricntem susccptas, tlcscribens. This abridgement was reprinted in 1629, also as the third article in the third part of De Bry's India Oricntalis. English. In the third volume of Purchas's colle > tion, pp. 473-518, is given a faithful abridgement of Phillip's translation. ABSTRACTS OR SUMMARIES. Latin. An abstract of De Veer's work was given in Linschoten's — Dcscriptio totius Guineas tractus, Congi, Angola?, et Monomotapa), eorumquc locorum, qua? e regione C. S. Au- gustini in Brasilia jaccnt, etc. Accedit noviter historia navigationum Batavorum in Septentrionales Oras, Polique Arctici tractus, cum Frcti Vaygats dctcctionc summa fide relata. HagfE-Comitis. Ex officina Alberti Henrici. Anno 1599. folio. The narrative of the Three Navigations to the CXXXIV INTRODUCTION. il i North, which occupies nine pages, commences at page 17, with the following head- title : — Historia trium navigationum Batavorum in Scptcntrioncm. Admirabilium ac nunquam ante auditarum trium naviga- tionum Batavorum in Scptentrionales Oras detegcndi Frcti Vaygats gratia, et in Novam Zcmblam, per hactcnus inco- gnita Maria, fidclis rclatio. This abstract appears to have been made by Lin- schoten himself, as Camus states (p. 191) that this Latin edition of his works was translated by himself from the Dutch of 1596. Although the description of Guinea, to which this abstract forms an appendix, has a separate title-page and pagination, it is shown by the register to form part of — Xavigatio ac Itincrariuni Johannis llugonis Linscotani in Oricntalem sivc Lusitanorum Indiam . . . Collccta . . . ac dc- scripta per cundem Bclgice, nunc vero Latine rcddituni Haga; Comitis ex officina Alberti Henrici. Impensis authon et Cornelii Nicolai, prostantque apud iEgidium Elsevirum. Anno 1599. Fol. From the circumstance of this abstract appearing at the end of Linschoten's work, it has been by some confounded with his narrative of his own two Arctic voyages. Dutch. In 1646, another abstract of the original narrative appeared in the first volume of the Dutch collection, entitled: — Begin endc Voortgangh van dc VereenighdcNederlandtsche Geoctroyeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie. 1646. obi. 4to. This important work, which is profusely illustrated. ^M )aoo INTRODUCTION. cxxxv has no editor's name or place of imprint. It was how- ever edited by Isaak Commclin, a learned Amster- dammer, and printed at Amsterdam, as we learn from Chalmot's B'lograplmch Woordenhoek dcr Ncderlanden, in art, Comni >lin (Isaak). Clialmot had a good au- thority for this statement, namely, Isaak Commelin's son, Kaspcr, who, at page 866 of his Beschryvinge van Amsterdam^ declares his father to have been the editor, further mentioning that this and other works were all printed at Amsterdam by Jansson. It was reprinted in 1648, under the following title : — Vcrhacl van de ccrstc Schip-vacrt dcr Hollandische cndc Zccuschc Sclicpcn docr't Way-gat by Noordcn Noorwcgcn, Moscovicn cndc Tartaricn om, na dc Coninckrijckcn Cathay cndc China, Met dric Schcpcn, uyt Tcxcl gezcylt in den Jarc 1594. Hicr achtcr is by-ghcvocght dc bcschrijvinghc van de Landcn Siberia, Samoycda, cndc Tinga?sa. Seer vreemt on vcrmaackclijck om lesen. T' Amsterdam. Voor loost Ilartgcrs, Bocck-verkoopcr in de Easthuys-stccgh in de 13occk-winckel bczijdcn hct Stadt-huys, 1648. 4to. And it rc-appoarcd in 1650 with the same title. This work, though professing on the title-page to be an account of the first voyage only, contains an account of the second and third voyages also. Another Dutch abstract was printed by G. J. Saegh- man at Amsterdam, in 1663, with the following title : — Vcrhacl van dc vier ccrstc Schip-Vacrden dcr Hollandtsche en Zeeuwsche Schcpcn naar Nova Zembla, by Noorden Noorwegen, Moscovicn cndc Tartaricn om, na de Couinck- ill 1 ille, under the title : — llecucil dcs Voyages qui ont scrvi a I'etabHsscmcnt ct a IX progres de la Compagnic des Indes orientales, formee duns les provinces Unics des Pays Bas. Amst., 1702, 1710, 1716, 1725, in 6 vols. ; and in 1754, in 6 vols, in l'2mo. This is an unacknowledged translation, with a slight alteration in the language at the commencement of the work, from the Dutch collection already described, " Begin cnde Yoortgangh," etc. English. In the year 1703, was published an Eng- lish translation of the above abstract, which was pro- bably made from the French version by Ilenneville. A very brief summary of the three voyages is also given in the first volume of Harris's Navigantium d IfinerantiumBMotheca, pp. 550-564. Lond., 1705. Fol. The winter's residence of the Dutch in Novaya Zemlya has been repeatedly treated of in various forms. The most recent work on the subject is pro- bably a poem with the title — De Overwintering der Hollanders op Nova Zembla gedicht mmm CXXXVlll INTRODUCTION, van Tollons, met HoutsncJcn van Henry Brown, naai teckc- ningcn van I. H. I. van clcn Bcrgli. Lccuwarden, G. T. W. Suringar, 1843, 4to. Of the English translation by Phillip, which forms the text of the present volume, we arc unable to speak in very favourable terms. Independently of a num- ber of errors resulting evidently from the want of a thorough acquaintance with the Dutch language, the work is disfigured by numerous typographical errors, aris^ing seemingly from the circumstance that the translator placed his manuscript in the printer's hands, and never saw the work us it passed through the press. In the notes at the foot of the text, in the present edition, these errors are corrected, and attention is drawn to those cases in which subsequent writers, who merely consulted Phillip's translation or Pur- clias's abridgement of it, have thercb; been misled.^ ' One further curious instance lias only recently come to our knowledge. Captain Bcechey, when speaking (p. 257) of the be. "s which were killed by the Dutch while in their winter quarters, say^? that on r.pening one of them "there was found in its stomach * part of a buck, with the hair and skinne and all, which not long before she had torne and devoured,' a fact (ho adils) which I mention only to rectify an error iri supposing deer did not frequent Nova Zembla." Did the fact of tlio existence of deer in Novaya Zemlya rest upon this statement alone, it would have but a weak foundation ; for, as is shown in page 182, note 3, the original Dutch is " stucken van rohhcii, met huijt ende hayr" — "pieces of seals, with the skin and hair " But, in truth, the existence of deer in that country is esta- blished by the incontrovertible evidence adduced in the notes to pages 5, 83, and 104 ; to which has to be added the fact recorded in the Appcidix, p. 269, that when Hudson and his crew were on the coast of Xovaya Zemlya in 1608, they saw there numerous signs of deer, and on one occasion " a herd of white deerc of ten in a companic ;" so that they actually gave to the place the name of Dccrc Point. INTRODUCTION. CXXXIX Besides Do Veer's naiTative, Phillip translated from the Dutch the three works mentioned below.^ As one then who performed so much for the cause which it is the object of the Hakluyt Society to promote, he has a claim to our forbearance for all the imperfec- tions of his translation, which, in spite of them, gives still no unapt representation of the simplicity and quaintness of its Dutch original. The editor has already acknowledged the aid afforded to him by Mr. Vogel and Mr. Petermann. ' 1.— "The Description of a Voyage made by certain Ships of Holland into the East Indies . . . who set forth on the 2nd Aprill 1595, and returned on the 14th of August 1597. Printed by John Woolfe, 1598, 4to." In his dedication to this work, of which the original was written by Bernard Langhenes, Phillip announces a translation of Linscho- ten's voyages ; and in the same year there appeared — 2, — "John Huighen van Linschoten, his discours of voyages into y" Easte and West Indies. Devided into fourc books. Pri ^d at London by John Woolfe ;" on the title-pages of the second, third, and fourth books of which work the initials W. P. are given as those of the translator. In the advertisement to the reader in thi^ laiier work (copies of which have sold as high as £10 15s.), it is stated that the " Booke being commended by Maistcr Richard Hackluyt, a man that labour- cth greatly to advance our English name and nation, the printer thought good to cause the same to be translated into the English tongue." 3. — "The Relation of a wondcrfull Voiago made by William Cor- uclison Schoutcn of Home. Shewing how South from the Straights of Magellan in Terra del Fuego, he found and discovered a ncwe passage through the great South Sea, and that way sayled round about the World. Describing what Islands, Countries, People, and strange Adventures he found in his saido Passage. London, im- printed by T. D. for Nathaneell Newbery, 1G19. 4to." This English edition is exceedingly rare. ! < cxl INTRODUCTION. i h It m He has now also to express his obligation to Mr. R. H. Major and Mr. W. B. Rye, of the British Museum, for much valuable assistance in the biblio- graphical portions of this Introduction. And he has further to record, that to his worthy friend and pre- ceptor in the Dutch language, Mr. John Bos, — who was employed by him to make a new translation of De Veer's text into English, in order that he might be spared the inconvenience of collating the whole work in the Reading Room of the British Museum, — he is indebted for much help in the preparation of the index at the end of this volume, and also for many curious particulars of information which none but an old Amsterdammer could well have supplied. February I5i/i, 1853. ;l 1 1 £i cxli CORRIGENDA ET ADDENDA. Page xxvii (of Introduction), note 1, last line,/o?* 20, read 22. — Ixxii, note 1,/or 56, read 64. — xoviii, line 8, /or Matthews's, read Matthew's. — 10, the notes 1 and 2 are misplaced. — 14, last two lines of the text. The original has " Den 7 Julij kree- ghense een o. n. o. wint, mistich weder." In both the Amsterdam Latin and French versions of 1598, the date is made to be the 8th of July, which is no doubt the correct one. — „ note 7, add : The ship might, however, have drifted thither from some part of the Russian coast. — 30, note 4, last line but one,/orMeyduscharski,rmc? Mezhdusharsky. — 36, note 2, first line at the end, add : Or Matthew's Island. — 38, note 3, add : The course shows, however, that this must have been the Island of Kolguev, and not Kanin Nos. — 64, note 6, line 2, /or page 62, read page 64. — 55, note 7, add : The Vogolici dwell on the banks of the river Ob. See Major's Notes upon Russia, vol. ii, p. 40. — 61, note 8, at the end in p. 62, add : See also Humboldt's Cosmos, Sabine's translation, vol. iii, p. Ixxxiv. — 67, note 1, add : This must have been the Island of Kolguev. — 71, the references to the notes in this page are incorrect throughout, though the notes themselves are correctly placed. — 72, note 1, add : The Times newspaper of Thursday, February 17th, 1 853, contains two letters, giving a description of " mock suns" observed on the 15th in Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire. This phenomenon, though common in the Polar regions, is of rare occurrence in England. — 79, note 4, aihl: It is the A)ms Hrota of Pennant, Arctic Zoology, vol. ii, p. 274. — 80, note 4, at the "nd in p. 82, add : A similar vulgar error formerly prevailed respecting the " Lamb-plant" or Scythian sheep ; on which subject see Major's Notes upon Russia, vol. ii, p. 74. — 92, note 1. Just as Mr. Vogel was leaving England to join Dr. Barth in Central Africa, he placed in the editor's hands a note on the subject of the variation of the compass, which he had promised to prepare but had not been cxlii CORRIGENDA ET ADDENDA. 13 able to complete earlier, owing to his inability to refer to Ilansteen's Magtietismus der Erde, a copy of which work was kindly presented to him by Professor Ritter just as. he was on the point of leaving Berlin. Mean- while the printing of this work had so far advanced, that it became impracticable to give insertion to Mr. Vogel's note, which must therefore be left for some future opportunity. Page 1 57, note 2, add : From the statement in the text it is evident that the astrolabium used was one in which the sun's rays were made to pass through a small aperture, so as to fall on the graduated circle behind, on which consequently a bright point would have been formed whenever the aperture was turned in the precise direction of the sun — 165, note 3, last line but one, for 76° 8',7, read 76° 18',7, — „ last line,/oj- 75° 36', read 75° 39'; and for 75° 52',7, read 76° 2',7. — 168, note 2, last line, /or Jameson, re«6? Jamieson. — 221, note 3, line 2, for 1598, read 1597 ; and for 19° 47',i, read 19° 56',7. — „ last line,/or 72° 28',n, read 72'' 37',o. — 222, note 3, line 3, /or Meyduscharski, read Mezhdusharsky. — 242, line 17,/or 120, read 160. K if -« ' I mw^»w" 1 I I! J L c -J THE si.' ^1 True and perfect De- scription of three Voy- ages, so strange and woonderfuU, that the like hath neucr been heard of before : Done and performed three yeares,one after the other, by the Ships of Holland and Zeluml, on the North sides of Norway, Musvoula, and Tartaria, towards the Kingdomes of Cathaia & China ; shewing the discouerie of the Straights of Weigates, Nona Zemhla, and the Countrie lying vnder 80. degrees ; which is thought to be Greenland : where neuer any man had bin before : with the cruell Beares, and other Monsters of the Sea, and the vnsup- portable and extrcame cold that is found to be in those places. And how that in the last Voyage, the Shippe was so inclosed by the Ice, that it was left there, whereby the men were forced to build a house in the cold and desart Countrie of Nona Zembla, wherin they continued 10. monthes togeather, and neuer saw nor heard of any man, in most great cold and extreamc miserie ; and how after that, to saue their lines, they were constrained to sayle aboue 350. Duch- miles, which is aboue 1000. miles English, in litle open Boates, along and ouer the maine Seas, in most great daunger, and with extreame labour, vn- speakable troubles, and great hunger. Imprinted at London for T. Pauier ]()(t9. il l!< t i f\ TO THE RIGHT WOR- shipfull, Sir Thomm Smith Knight, Gouer- nour of the Miiscouy Company, &c. Right Worshipfvll : King intrcated hy sotne of my Friends, and prin- cipally by M. Richard Hakhiyt {a diligent ohseruer of all Proceedings in this nature) to Translate and publish these three yeares Traucllcs and Discoucrics of the Hollanders to the North-east ; / coidd not deuise how to consecrate my Labours so properly to any, as to your selfe, considering not onely the generall good affection the tchole Kingdome takes tioticcjhat you beare to all Honorable actions of this kinde, be they for Discouetne, Traffique, or Plantation y but also in respect of that particu- lar charge, most worthily recommended to your care, ouer the Trade of the Enghsh in those North-east Partes. Many attempts and proffers ficonfessej there haue bin to find a jMssage by those poorest parts to the richest ; by those barbarous, to the most ciuile ; those rnpeo2)lcd, to the most popular ; those Desarts, to the most fertile Countries of the World : and of them all, none fl dare say J vndertaken with greater iudgement, with more obdurate Patience, euen aduer- sus Elcmcnta, aduersus ipsam in illis locis rcrum naturam, then these three by the Hollanders. If any of our Nation be employed that loay in time to come, here they hauc a great part of their Voiage layd open, and the crumple of that industrious people (jirst excited to this and other famous Voyages, by imitation of some of ours) for the ?; it s. DEDICATION. conquer ituj of all diJficuUies and damjcrs; those peojile (I say J that of all Christians, and for otnjht I know, of all Adams Posteritiv, haiie first nauigated to 81 Degrees of Northerly Latitude, and wintered in 76, where they had no Inhabitants, but Foxes, Beares, and Dcare, to keepe them company. And were it for nothing else, but to register the miraculous prouidencc of the Creator, and his admirable and vnspeakeable tcorkes in these congealed Climats, vnknowen vtterly to the Ancients, and to demostrate how much tee are obliged to his omnipotent fauour,for planting I's in so temperate, so ciuill, and so Itdigious a part of the World, as this blessed Island ,' I thinke omission in this kinde icerc little lesse than Sarri- ledge. As it is, I humbly desire you to courh-safe it your protec- tion, and to esteeme mee, Alwaycs deuotcd to your seruicc, William Piullii*. ! ■; Sj \^ \ THE FYRST PART OF THK NAUIGATION INTO THE NORTH SEAS. It is a most ccrtaine and an assured assertion, that nothing doth more benefit and further the common- wealth (specially these countries') then the art and knowledge of nauigation, in re- gard that such countries and nations as are strong and mightie at sea, haue the meanes and ready way to draw, fetch, and bring vnto them for their maintenaunce, all the principalest commodities and fruites of the earth, for that thereby they are inabled to bring all necessary things for the nourishment and sustentation of man from the vttermost partes of the world, and to carry and conuay such wares and marchan- dizes whereof they haue great store and aboundance vnto the same places, which by reason of the art of nauigation. As u.omt of and the commodities of the sea, is easily to be effected and mo"4^in-"" ■1 i,i. i ixn • 1 • • creaaeth, so brought to passe. Which nauigation as it dayly more and dairmoro more increaseth (to the great woonder and admiration of those, SSa that compare the sea-faring and nauigation vsed in our forefathers times, yea and that also that hath beene practised in our age, with that which now at this present is daily furthered and sought out) so there are continually ncAv 1 Kamely, the United Provinces of the Netherlands. R out. [it ■ ^:Et I' Dillgenoo aiMli:outiiiu- aiipe ett'ect that wliich is suugUt. \Vc! must not Ici.'.io of by enims nieiia dislike or (liHpniisc in our proceed- ings. A tljinft not rontiiini d, run not lie ell'ected. All UiinuA am ortVrlcd ill CDIIVI'lll- fill tlioe. SS THE NAVIGATION voiages made, and strange coasts discouered; the which although they be not done by the first, sccod, or third voiage, but after, by tract of time, first brought to their full effect, and desired commoditie, and the fruits thereof, by continuance of time reaped. Yet we must not be abasht, nor dismayed, at the labour, toile, trauaile, and dagers sus- tayned in such uoiages, to that end made, although as I said before the benefit thereof be not had nor scene in the first, second, third, or more uoiages; for what labour is more profit- able, and worthier praise and commendation, then that which tendeth vnto the common good and benefit of all men ? Although such as are vnskilfuU, contemners, and deriders of mens diligence and proceedings therein, at the first estecme it an vnprofitable and needlesse thing, when as the end prooueth beneficiall and commodious. If the famous naui- gators Cortesius, Nonius, and TMcgalanes,' and others, that in their times sought out and discovered the kingdomcs, countries and ilands farrc distant from vs, in the extreamcst parts of the world, for the first, second, or third voyage, that had succeeded vnfortunately with them, had left off" and giuon ouer their nauigatio, they had not afterward reaped nor cnioyed the fruites, benefits, and commodities thereof. Alexander magnus (aftcx he had woone all Grecia, and from thence entred into little and great Asia, and coniming to the farthest parts of India, i^l ere fountl some difficultir to passe;) sayd, If we had not goi, • fr^rward, and persisted in our intent, which other men < steenird and held to be impossible, we had still remayiunl ;>nd Kfayed in the entry of Cilitia," where as now we haue ouerrunne an(^ past througli all those lai'g(! and spacious countries: for nothing is found and eflected all at one time, neither is any thing that is put in practise. ' The AniHtcnlam Latin version of 1508 has " Columhus, Cortesius, ot Map;(Haiius." Hut the emendation is uunccessary, since the author evi- dently intends Vasco Nuue-^ de Balhoa, the discoverer of the Pacific. ^ " Cicilia," in the English original, can only he an error of the press. INTO THE NOUTH-SEAS. presently brought to an end. To the which end, Cicero wisely saith, God hath giuen vs some things, and not all things, that our successours also might have somewhat to doe. Therefore we must not leaue off, nor stay our pretence in the middle of our proceedinges, as long as there is any commoditie to be hoped, and in time to be obtayned: for that the greatest and richest treasures are hardliest to be found. But to make no long digression from our matter, concerning the dayly furtheraunce of the most neccssarie and profitoble art of nauigation, that h^th been brought to full effect, not without great charges, labour, and paines ; ouer- slipping and not shewing with how long and troublesome labour and toyle, continually had, the passages to the East and West Indies, America, Brasilia, and other places, through the Hlraight of Magellanes, in the South Sea, twise or thrise passing vndcr the Line,' and by those meanes other countries and ilands, were first found out and discouered. Let vs looke into the White Seas,^ thrt are now so com- monly sayled (on the north side of Muscouia), with what cumbersome labour and toyle they were first disccuered : What hath now made this voyage so common and casie ? is it not the same, and as long a voyage as it was, befoi c it was fully knowne md found out i I,' but the right cou/ses, which at the first were to bo sought, by crossing th-e, seas from one land to another, and are now to be held aloofe into the seas and directly sayled, hath, of difficult and toyle- sonic, made them casie and ready voynges. This small discourse I thought good tO set downc, for an Tlint which in tho bc- K'iiiiiing is hnnl,l)y con- tliumiioo of tijiieisiiuido (iisio anil lialit. I 1 Deur ende weer dmr He Linie — passing and repassinr^ the Line. " De witte Zee— tho White Sea. •' The adverb of affirmation, now written ffy. A str icing instance of its use occurs in Romej and Juliet : — " ITath riOmeo slaine himself ? say thou but I, Aud that bare vowcll I shall poyson more Than the death-darting eye of Cockatrice ; I am not 1, if there be such an I," T I 'I'lio Cirsl MimUii!; is liiu\l,but llic Sl!U<)ll(i llt- li'in|it, is cnsic" Ni)l ilii- luMirciic'ss (if tilt' Niirtli I'olo.biil tlio Icp ill tlio 'riiiiiiiiflii HPii, rausoth llic i;l'''iilt'Bt I M. 4 THE NAVIGATION introduction vnto the reader, in regard that I haue vnder- takcn to describe the three voyages made into the North Seas, in three yeares, one after the other, behind Norway, and along and about Muscouia, towardes the kingdome of (kthaia and China : whereof the two last I myself holpe to effect ;^ and yet brought them not to the desired end that we well hoped. First, to shew oi.r diligent and most toylesome labour and paynes taken, to find out the right course ; which we couL. not bring to passe, as we well hoped, wished, and desired, and possible might haue found it, by crossing the seas, if wo had taken the right course ; if the ice and the shortncsse of time, and bad crosses had not hindered vs : and also to stoppc their mouthes, that report and say, that our pro- ceeding therein was wholly vnprofitable and fruitclessc ; which pcraduciiture in time to come, may turne vnto our great profite and commoditie. For he which procccdeth and continueth in a thing that seemeth to be impossible, is not to be discommended : but hec, that in rcgarde that the thing seemeth to be impossible, doth not proceed therein, but by his faint heartcdness and sloath, wholly Icuuctli it off. Wee haue assuredly found, that the onely and most hinderaunce to our voyage, was the ice, that we found about Nona Zembla,^ vnder 73, 74, 75 and 76 degrees ; and not so mvich vpon the sea b( twcene both the landes :' whereby 't appeareth, that not the nearenessc of the North Pole, but the ice that commeth in and out from the Tartarian Sea,' about Nona Zembla, caused vs to feele the greatest cold, 'riiercfore in regard that the nearenrsse of the Pole was not the cause of the great cold that we felt, if we had had tlic 1 Thus it appears that Oerrit do Veer was not on the first voyage, aa has been supposed by some writers. ■■* IJy tlie Rus.sianH called JV''>ra>/fi Zi'mlj/a, i.e., "the New fjarid." ' Niiiiieiy between Novaya Zonilya and Spitzborgen, which iattir was, liy lluronts/,. and \m com j»an ions, thought to be a part of Oreuuluud. * Tiic Sea ot Kara, cast of' N6vaya Zenilya. I ■MP r mmmmm i INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. O meancs to haue held our appoyntcd and intended com"5e into the north-east, we had peraduenture found some enteraunce : which course we could not hold from Noua Zembla, because that there we entred amongst great store of ice ; and how it was about Noua Zembla, we could not tell, before we had sought it ; and when we had sought it;, ^•^ . could not then alter our course, although also it is vncertaine, what we should have done, if we had continued in our north-east course, because it is not yet found out. But it is true, that in the countrie lying vnder 80 degrees,^ (which we estceme to be Greenland) there is both leaues and grasse to be scene ; wherein, such beastes as feed of leaues and grasse, (as hartes, hindes, and such like beastes) line : whereas to the contrary in Noua Zembla, there groweth nether leaues nor grasse, and there are no beasts therein but such as eate flesh," as bearcs, and foxes, &c. ; although Noua Zembla lycth 4, 5, and 6 degrees more southerly from the Pole, then the other land aforesaid. It is also manifest, that vpon the south and north side of the line of the sunne on both sides, between both the tropicos, vnder 23 degrees iv 1 a halfc, it is as hot as it is right vnder the Line. What wonder then should it be, that about the North Pole also, and as many degrees on both siaes, it should not bee colder then right vnder the Pole ? I will not aflirmi this to bee true, because that the cokle on both sides of the North Pole hath not as yet beene discouercd and souput out, as the heat on the north and south side of the Line hath beene. Onely ' This country, which was discovered by the Hollanders on their third voyage, has since proved to be Spitzbergen. ■•' Tl c sitme is repeated by Sir ./ohn Barrow {Chronoloc/ical History of Voijiifes, etc., pp. 148, 185), who nuestions the fact asserted by Hudson, of hn having seen reindeer in the island. But Li'itke expressly declares {Vieniialiffe Jteiae, etc., Ernian's Traadation, pp. 43, TA, ;J14, 35S)), that these animals do exist in Novaya Zunilya, even Iieyond the 74th parallel of north latitude, Sec also Baer, in Bergbauss Amuden, 'ol. xvii, p. 300 ; vol. xviii, p. 25, Compni'ison of the lu'uto umler tho lino, with C\V (Mild uiulor tho North roll!. i' i 1. I 11 r I Am m f»» 1 i : III 6 THE NAVIGATION Uarcuts, thus much I will say, that although we held not our direct pretended^ course to the north-east, that therefore it ib to be iudged, that the cold would haue let our passage through that way, for it was not the sea, nor the ncerenesse vnto the Pole, but the ice about the land, that let and hindered vs (as I sayd before) for that as soon as we made from the land, and put more into the sea, although it was much intonuipd'" fiii't^cr northward, presently we felt more warmth ; and in wiiiiiun °^ y* opinion our pilote William Barents'* dyed, who notwith- standing the feareful and intoUerable cold that he indured, yet he was not discouraged, but oflFered to lay wagers with diners of vs, that by Gods helpe he would bring that pre- tended voiage to an end, if he held his course north-east from the North Cape. But I will leaue that, and shewe you of the three voyages aforesaid, begun and set forth by tlic permission and furtherance of the generall States of the vnited Prouinces, and of Prince Maurice, as admirall of the sea, and the rich toAvne of Amsterdam. Whereby the reader may iudge and conceaue what is to bee done, for the most profite and advantage, and what is to be left. First you must understand, that in anno 1594 there was 4 ships set foorth out of the vnited Proin'nces, whereof tAvo Avere of Amsterdam, one of Zclandt, one of Enckhuysen, that were appointed to saile into the North Seas, to discouer the kingdomes of Cathaia, and China, north-ward from Norway, Muscouia, and about Tartaria ; whereof William Barents, a notable skilfull and wise pilote, was commander oucr the ships of Amsterdam, and Avith them vpon Whit- sunday" departed from Amsterdam and Avent to the Texcl. Upon the fifth of June they sailed out of the Texcl, and hauing a good Avind and faire Avcather, vpon the 2ii of June, ' Intended. " As is shown in tho Introduction, the ^n'opev name of this ab\e navi- gator is Willcm Uarentszoon, that is, Williiuii, tho sun oi Utuvnt or Bernard ; which name, as usuallj* conUactcd, was written UarciU»l. » May 29th, l.V.)i, INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. they arriued at Kilduin in Muscouia,* which for that it is a place well knowen and a common voyage, I will make no further discription thereof. The 29 of Jure, at foure of the clocke in the after noonc, they set saile out of Kilduin, and so 13 [52] or 14 [56] miles' outright sailed north-east, with a north north-west wind, and close weather. The 30 of June they sayled east north-east 7 [28] miles, till the sunne was east south-east [about half-past six o'clock in the morning],' with a north wind, with 2 schower saih^s/ there they cast out their lead, at 100 fadomc deepth, but found no ground. From Avhence the same day they sailed cast north-east'' 5 [20] miles, till the sunne was full south [f past 10, a.m.], hauing the wind north, with 2 schower sailes, where onco againc they cast out the load 100 fadomc deepc, but found no ground ; and then from noone to night" the same day, they sailed cast, and cast and by north 13 [52] miles, till the ' The island of KiWin, on tbc coast of Russian Lapland, in (ii)° 18' north latitude, and 34° 20' longitude east of Greenwich. * Dutch or German miles of fifteen to the degree ; so that one such mile is equal to four English sos mile-, or geographical miles of sixty to the degree. To assist the reader, who might not always have this in mind, the English miles will thi'oughout be intcrtoti between brackets. ' A rude >\ay of determining the tino by the bearing of the sun, custom;)- among seamen of »11 natioi s in those days, for want of portable tmu-pieccs. Were tbo precise azimuth ot the sun observed, no metiod coaM be nftoi-o ex»ot ; but as no interval between the several points of the ooraimss (wbkh »re IP 1,"' apart) is taken into account, and as the suns bearing is also subject lo the variation of the compass, the result iiiu»t bo only approximative. From the compass-bearing iilono, ns recorded, it would bo difficult 'or the reader to form anything ii .0 a correct idea of the actual time— for example, when, on the 30th of June, the sun was observed to be full south, it wanted more than an hoiu-and-a-quarter of mid-day. It is, therefore, deemed advisable to insert, after each observation of time by the sun, the time by the clock to the nearo;.c quarter of an hour. ■• iSf/ioiv);s('i/leii, — the co>n-ses, or sails on the lower masts. ^ 0. (en n, — cast by north. " Tots avonds — till the evening, "iiiilM ; I i'l r 8 THE NAVIGATION sunne was north-west [J past 7, p.m.], and there casting out their lead, they had ground at 120 fadome, the ground being oasie,' and blacke durt. The 1 of July, after they had sailed one quarter'* 4 [16] miles east, and east and by north, early in the morning they <;ast out the lead, and found ground at 60 fadome, where they had an oasie small sandy ground j and within an houre after they cast out the lead againe, and had ground at 62 fadome, being white sand mixed with blacke, and some-what oasie: after that they sailed 3 [12] miles east and by north, where they had ground at 40 fadome, being gray sand mixed with white. From thence they sailed 2 [8] miles east-ward, with a 1 orth north-east winde, there they had ground at 38 fadome, being red r,and mixed with black, the sunne being south-east and by east [^ past 7, a.m.]. From thence they sailed 3 [12] miles, east and b ; south, and east south-east til noone, where they had the sunne at 70 degrees and f ,^ there they cast out the lead againe, and had ground at 39 fadome, being small gray sand, mixed with blacke stippellen* and peeces of shels. Then againe they sailed 2 [8] miles south-east, and then woond'' northwai'd with an east north-east wind, and after sailed. 6 [24] miles north-east all that day," with a south-east wind, till the sunne was north north-west [J past 9, '^.m.], the weather being cold ; and the lead being cast foorth they found ground at 60 fadome, being small gray oasie sand, mixed with a little blacke, and great whole shels:' after that ^ * Oozy, muddy. " Eeyi qunrtier — one watch ; tbi duration of which was, as usual, four hours. ■^ i.e., They found thomstlves to be in 70° 45' north latitude, by means of an observat icn of the sun . •• Small black specks. ° Wendense weder noordwnert over — they again tacked to the north. Phillip uses throughout the expression "to wind" in the sense of "to tack." " Van d'^ldngh rt/— from noon. ^ Oroott hoUi schulpen — large hollow shells. INTO THE NORTH- SEAS. 9 the same euening to the first quarter,' they sailed 5 [20] miles, east north-east, and north-east and by east, and after that east north-east, and north-east and by east 5 [20] miles, vntill the second of July in the mornina^, and there they had 65 fadome deepe, the ground oasie wi*h hlacke slime or durt. The same day from morning till noone, they sailed 3 [12] or 4 [16] miles east north-east, the wind blowing stiffe south-east, whereby at noone they were forced to take* in the fore-saile, and driue with a schower saile,^ in mistie weather, for the space of 3 [12] or 4 [16] miles, vntill euening, holding east, and east and by south : after that the winde blew south-west, and about 5 of the clocke in the after-noone, they cast out the lead, but had no ground at 120 fadome. That euening the weather cleared vp againe, and they sailed about 5 [20] miles before the wind, east north- east, for the space of 3 houres, and then againe it began to be mistie, so that they durst not saile forward, but lay hulling in the wind,* where vpon Sunday morning being the 3 of July, when the suntio was north-east [j p. 1, a.m.], they cast out the lead and found ground at 125 fadome, being black durt or slime. From thence they sailed 8 [32] miles east north-east, till the sunne was south-east [j p. 7, a.m.], and casting out the lead, found ground at 140 fadom, being blacke slimie durt, at which time they tooke the high of the sun and found it to be 73 degrees and 6 minutes, and presently againe they cast out the lead, and had 130 fadome deepth, the ground being blacke slime. After that they saylcd 6 [24] or 7 [28] miles further east north-east, till the sunne was north-west [| p. 7, P.M.], , On Sunday in the morning, being the 3 of July, it was ' The first watch, beginning at 8 o'clock p.m. " " Table."— PA. Evidently a misprint, ■^ Een scfiover zeyl — one course, namely, the main-sail. ^ Wierpent aeii de wtnt — they hauled close to the wind. 1 II ' I 111 m m THE NAVIGATION very faire and cleare weather, the wind blowing south-Avest, at which time William Barents found out the right meridien, taking the high of the sunne with his crosse-staffe' when it was south-east, and found it to be eleuated in the south-east 28 degrees and a halfe, and when it had past ouer west and by north, it was but' 28 degrees and a half abouc the horizon, so that it differed 5 points and a half, which being deuided *^ -e rested 2 points and f ; so that their compasse was altered ints and f, as it appeared the same day, when the sunne was in her higth, betweene south south-west and south-west and by south, for the sun was south-west and by south, and yet was not declined, and they had 73 degrees and 6 minutes. The 4 of July in the morning, they sailed 4 [16] miles east and by north, and casting out the lead found ground at 125 fadome, being slimic. That night the weather was mistie againe, and in the morning the Avind was east ; then they sailed 4 [16] miles south-east and by south, till the sunne was east [^ p. 4, a.m.], and then againe they cast out the lead, and found ground at 108 fadome, black durt; then they wound north-ward, and sailed 6 [24] miles, north north-east, and north-east and by north, vntill the sunne was south * Noch (now spelt nocf) — again. ^ Graedt-booffh — rendered Radius astronomiciis in the Amsterdam Latin version of 1598, and Ray nautique in the French version of the same year and place — Cross-stafiF, Jacob's-staff, or fore-stafF; a well known in- strument, no longer in use among European navigators. But the Arab seamen on the east coast of Africa still employ a primitive instrument, which is essentially the same. It consists of a small quadrangular board, through which a string, knotted at various distances, is passed; each knot being at such a distance from the board, that when the latter is held by the observer before him, with the knot between his teeth and the string extended, the board (between its upper and lower °dges) shall subtend the angle at which the poie-star is known to be elevated above the horizon at some one of the ports frequented by the observer. Inartificial as such an instrument may be, yet if, instead of a knotted string, a notched stick were used, on which the board might slide back- wards and forwards, it would be the cross-staff of our early navigators. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 11 south-west [f p. 11, A.M.], and then they saw the land of Nona Zembla, lying south-east and by east 6 [24] or 7 [28] miles from them, where they had black durty ground at 105 fadome. Then they woond southward againe, and sailed 6 [24] miles, south and by west, till the sunne was west north- west [5, P.M.], there they had 68 fadome deepe, with durtie ground as before, the wind being south-east. Then they woond east-ward and sailed 6 [24] miles cast and by south, at which time,' William Barents took the height of the sunne with his crosse-staffe,* when it was at the lowest, that is between north north-east and east and by north,^ and found it to bee eleuated aboue the horizon 6 degrees and i part, his declination being 22 degrees and 55 minutes, from whence substracting the aforesaid heigth, there rcsteth 10 degrees and 35 minutes, which being substracted from 90 degrees, there resteth 73 degrees and 25 minutes; which was when they were about 5 [20] or 6 [24] miles from the land of Nona Zembla. Then they woond east- ward and sailed 5 [20] miles, cast and by south, and east south-cast, and past by a long point of land that lay out into the soa,^ whicli lluy iifinird l^nngencs ; and hard by that point cast-ward there was ti gf/'O) ))Hy| where they went a land with their boatc, but found 110 [jcupilj. Three [12] or foure [Ki] miles from Langcnes east north- east, there lay a long jjoint, and a mile [4 iiijIcmI ( osfwd^d from the said point there was a grcrit bay, and UJIMI/ \\H' fllf^l side of the said bay, there lay a rocji /|//| vtnj hljjll f/ll<»!M; the water, and on the wos^ aUh of the bay, iUiiii 4llili\ \\ sharpe little hill, easie to be knowne: |j(/'oi(. |||/' jfpv jt f/^ ■ ■ ff ' Ben 4 Julij des nuchts on fho 4th of July, at night. ^ Graedt-boogh. See the preceding jiago, iinif 2 ^ So in the original. But the sense retiuires ^'■north-ami ntjff fijf fjqHlii" that being the next point to N.N.lil. * Een laylie uiitstekenden hocck- a low h(//|putj)||i {"^Iw!;: 'Pllf JlWjflf ^^*H}** misconception, Phillip repeatedly has " lojig' lot ''|oif,'' ' Laghe — low. - r- • Ill THE NAVIGATION m * ! li 1* m\ M a 20 fadonie dcepth, the ground small blackc stones, like pease : from Langencs to Cape Bapo' east north-cast it is 4 [16] miles. From Cai^e Bapo to the west point of Lombsbay north-east and by north are 5 [20] miles, and betweene them both there are 2 creekes. Lombsbay is a great wide bay, on the west side thereof hauing a faire hauen 6, 7, or 8, fadome deepe, ])lack sand : there they went on shore with their boate, and vpon the shore placed a beacon, made of an old mast which they found there ; calling the bay Lombsbay, because of a ccrtainc kind of beares" so called, which they found there in great aboundance. LOMS BAT ZN^oordtscheBt* The cast point of Lombsbay, is a long narrow point, and by it there lyeth an island, and from that long point to sca- ' Capo Baxo — Low Point. From the long connection of the Nether- hmds with Spain, the Dutch navigators appear to have employed the Spanish language for trivial names like " Low Point," ' Black Point," as being more distinctive than the vernacular. ^ Eenderley aert van voghelen — a certain kind of birds. This strange mistake of the translator has given occasion to frequent comment. It is the mere unaccountable, as the original work contains a pictorial representation of these birds, — noordtsche jyapegayen, or northern parrots, as they are there called, — in connection with the plan (reproduced above) of Lomsbay ; and it is also expressly stated, that the bay " has its name from the birds which dwell there in great numbers. They are large in the body and small in the wiug, so that 'X is surprising how their little wings can ' i \ INTO THE NORTH- SEAS. 13 i ward in, there is a great crecke,^ This Lombsbay lyeth vnder 74 degrees and A part. From Lombsbay to the point of the Admirals Island,^ they sailed 6 [24] or 7 [28] miles, north-east and by north. The Admirals Island is not very faire on^ the east side, but a farre off very flat, so that you must shunnc it long before you come at it ; it is also very vneuen, for at one casting off the lead they had 10 fadome deepe, and presently at another casting of the lead they had but 6 fadome, .md presently after that againe 10, 11, and 12 fadome, the streame running hard against the flats. From the east end of the Admirals Island, to Cape Negro,* that is the Blacke Pointe, they sailed about 5 [20] or 6 [24] miles, east north-east ; and a mile [4 miles] without the Black Point it is 70 fadome deepe, the ground slimie, as vpon Pamphius :' right east-ward of the Blacke Point, there carry their heavy bodies. They have their iicsts on steep rocks, in order to be secure from animals, and they sit on only one egg at a time. They were not afraid of us ; and v/hen we climbed up to any of their iicH^^, the others round about did not fly away." The bird in question is the Foolish Guillemot. (.^l^Crtiowiiu'ff, afterwards Cria Troile, Linn.) See Colonel Sabine's Memoir on t' ^?irds of (iireenkud, in Traua. Linn. Soc. vol. xii, p. 527. It is described and figured in the fifth volume "f Gould's Birds of Eziroj>e. An assemblage of these ''ds, such as is here described by the author, " is called by the Russians ii 'nzar.' Tniis this Persian word has been carried Ity Russian walrus-hum ers to the rocks of the icy .sea, and there for want of human inhabitants applied to birds.'" — Baer, in Berghaus's Aunaleti, vol. xviii, p. -Z'-i. * I^en laeghen slechten hoeck, ende daer leyt een cleljn Ei/landeken hi/, van den hoeck af zeeivaerts in, so was noch by oosten '^■'en laeghen hoeck een groote wgde voert o/te inn-ijck — A low flat point, and by it there lyeth a small island seawards irom the point, and also to the east of this low 2)oint there is a great wide creek or inlet. " /let Admiralitegts Eyland — Admiralty Island. 3 "One "—PA. ^ * Capo Negro. " Usually iv.-itum Famptis. A bar of mud and sand near Amsterdam, at the junction of the Y with the Zuyder Zee. This simile calls to mind that of Mui; '0 lark, who, on his discovery of the Niger, described it as being " as Ljoaii as the Thames at Westminster." Such homely com- parisons, though by some they may be condemned as unscientific, often IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ .^% 1.0 1.1 11.25 ^1^ m " •'" "2.0 LA. 1 1.6 Hiotographic Sciences Corporation ^ c\ \ fS WIST MAIN StlllT VyiMTU.N.Y USM m 4 \\ 14 THB NAVIGATION M\ are 2 sharpe pointed hills in the creeke, that are easie to be knowen. The 6 of July, the sunne being north [| p. 10, p.m.], they came right before the Blacke Point with faire weather : this Blacke Point lyeth vnder 75 degrees and 20 minutes. From the Blacke Point to Williams Islaiid,^ they sailed 7 [28] or 8 [32] miles, east north-east, and between them both about halfe a mile, [2 miles] there lay a small islar The 7 of July they sailed from Williams Ibiand, and then William Barents tooke the height of the sunne with his cross- staiFe,* and found it to be eleuated aboue the horizon* in the south-west and by south 53 degrees and 6 m'nutes,* his declination being 22 degrees and 49 minutes, which being added to 53 degrees and 6 minutes, make 75 degrees and 55 minutes.' This is the right height of the pole of the said island. In this island they found great store of driff-wood, and many sea-horses, being a kinde of fish® that keepeth in the sea, having very great teeth, which at this day are vsed insteed of iuorie or elophants teeth : there also is a good road for ships, at 12 and 13 fadome deepe, against all winds, except it be west south-west and west windes ; and there they found a piece of a Russian ship,' and that day they had the wind east north-east, mistie weather. speak more distinctly to the feelings of such as can appreciate them than the most elaborate descriptions. ^ Willema Eyland, ■ Met zijn groot' '^mmmmimmm'im'mi^^^^fi'^^^ t * f i How a bear came unto our boat, and what ur boat, and what took place with him. "^p*^ %• ■Ife.^. :$ INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 15 The 9 of July they entered into Beeren-fort,^ vpon the road vnder Williams Island, and there they found a white beare, which they perceiuing, presently entered into their boate, and shot her into the body with a musket ; but the beare shewed most wonderfull strength, which almost is not to be found in any beast, for no man euer heard the like to be done by any lyon or cruel beast whatsoeuer : for notwith- standing that she was shot into the bodie, yet she leapt vp, and swame in the water, the men that were in the boate rowing after her, cast a rope about her necke, arid by that meanes drew her at the sterne of the boat, for that not hauing scene the like beare before, they thought to haue carryed her aliue in the shippe, and to haue shewed her for a strange wonder in Holla;nd ; but she vsed such force, that they were glad that they were rid of her, and contented themselves with her skin only, for she made such a noyse, and stroue in such sort, that it was admirable, wherewith they let her rest and gave her more scope, with the rope that they held her by, and so drew her in that sort after them, by that meanes to wearie her : meane time, William Barents made neerer to her,* but the b»?are swome to the boate, and with her fore-feet got hold of the sterne thereof, which William Barents perceiuing, said. She will there rest her selfe ; but she had another meaning, for she vsed such force, that at last she had gotten half her body into the boat, wherewith the men were so abashed, that they run into y^ further end of the boate, and thought verily to have been spoiled by her, but by a strange means they were deliuered from her, for that the rope that was about her necke, caught hold vpon the hooke of the ruther, whereby the beare could get no further, but * Berenfort — Bear Greek. It might be better written Beren-^oert ; as the word voert — which is apparently either the Danish /ore?, or else the old form of the modern Dutch vaart — is used by the author (see page 13, note 1) as equivalent to inwijckf a creek or inlet. ' Palde hem altemet wot ten — poked him now and then (with the boat-hook). 16 THE XAVIGATION \ I % ';, 5 so was held backe, and hanging in that manner, one of the men boldly stept foorth from the end of the scute/ and thrust her into the bodie with a halfe-pike ; and therewith she fell downe into the water, and so they rowed forward with her to the ship, drawing her after them, till shee was in a manner dead, wherewith they killed her out-right, and hauing flcaed her, brought the skinne to Amsterdam. The 10 of July," they sailed out of Beren-fort fro Wil- liams Island, and the same day in the morning got to the Island of Crosses,^ and there went on land with their pinnace, and found the island to bee barren, and full of cliffes and rocks, in it there was a small hauen, whereinto they rowed with their boat. This island is about halfe a mile [2 miles] long, and reacheth east and west ; on the west end it hath a banke, about a third part of a mile [1^ mile] long, and at the east end also another banke : ypon this island there standeth 2 great crosses ; the island lyeth about 2 [8] long miles from the firme land,* and vnder the east-end thereof there is good road at 26 fadome, soft ground;* and some- what closer to the island on th' ^^d, at 9 fadome, sandy ground. From the Island of Crosses to the point of Cape Nassawe," they sailed east, and east and by north, about 8 [32] miles : it is a long' flat point which you must be carefull to shunne, for thereabouts at 7 fadome there were flats or sholes, very farre from the land: it lyeth almost under 76 degrees and a halfe. From the west-end of Williams Island to the Island with the Crosses is 3 [12] miles, the course north.® From Nassaw Point they sailed east and by south, and ^ Van de voorschiiyt — from the fore part of the boat. 8 " 20 of July."— PA. 8 Het Eylatidt mette Cruycen — the Island with the Grosses. * The main-land of N6vaya Zemlya. ' Steeck gront — stiff gi'ound. * Tot den Hoeck van NoMowen — to Cape Nassau. ' Laghe — low. ' Noordt-oost — north-oast. M ^i INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 17 cast south-east 5 [20] miles, and then they thought that they saw land in north-east and by east,^ and sailed towards it 6 [20] miles north-east to descrie it, thinking it to be another land, that lay north- ward from Noua Zerabla ; but it began to blow so hard out of the west, that they were forced to take in their marsaile,' and yet the wind rose in such manner, that they were forced to take in all their sailes, and the sea went so hollow, that they were constrained to driue 16 houres together without saile, 8 [32] or 9 [36] miles east north-east. The 11 of July their boat was by a great wave of the sea sunke to the ground, and by that meanes they lost it, and after that they drave without sailes 6 [20] miles, east and by south ; at last, the sunne being almost south-east [^ p. 7, a.m.], the wind came about to the north-west, and then the weather began somewhat to cleare vp, but yet it was very mistie. Then they hoysed vp their sailes againe and sailed 4 [16] miles till night, that the sunne was north and by east [11, p.m.], and there they had 60 fadome deepth, muddie ground, and there they saw certaine flakes of ice,* at which time vpon the 12 of July they woond west, and held north- west, and sailed about a mile [4 miles] with mistie weather, and a north-west wind, and sailed up and downe west south- west 3 [12] or 4 [16] miles to see if they could find their boat againe : after that they wound againe with the wind,* a^d sayled 4 [16] miles south-east, till the sunne was south-west [1, P.M.], and then they were close by the land of Noua Zembla, that lay east and by north, and west and by south ; 1 " The existence of the land said to have been seen by the Hollanders to the eastward of Cape Nassau is exceedingly doubtful. They themselves make but slight mention of it, and not at all on the second [third] voyage. Perhaps they saw some projecting point of the land of Novaya Zemlya ; or yet more probably they mistook a fog-bank for land." — Imtke, p. 21. * Marseylen — topsails. ^ Eenighe ya schollen — some pieces of drift ice. * Wenden zijt wetter aen de wint — they again hauled close to the wind. D 18 THE NAVIGATION from thence they wound ouer againe till noone, and sayled 3 [12] miles north and by west; and then, till the sunne was north-west [| p. 6, p.m.], they held north-west and by north 3 [12] miles ; then they wound east-ward and sailed 4 [16] or 5 [20] miles north-east and by east. The 13 of July at night, they founa great store of ice, as much as they could descrie out of the top, that lay as if it had been a plaine field of ice ;^ then they wound west-ward ouer from the ice, and sailed about 4 [16] miles west south- west, till the sunne was east and by north [5, a.m.], and that they saw the Ipnd of Noua Zembla, lying south south- east from them. Then they wound north-ward againe and sailed 2 [8] miles, till the sunne was east south-east [| p. 6, a.m.], and then againe found great store of ice, and after that sailed south-west and by south 3 [12] miles. The 14 of July they wound north-ward againe, and sayled with 2 schower sailes'' north and by east, and north ^ So veel ah men uyten mars oversien mocht, altemael een effen velt ys. This passage is deserving of special uotice, on account of the following statement in Captain (now the Rev. Dr.) Scoresby's Account of the Arctic Regions : — " The term field was given to the largest sheets of ice by a Dutch whale fisher. It was not until a period of many years after the Spitzbergen fishery was established, that any navigator attempted to penetrate the ice, or that any of the most extensive sheets of ice were seen. One of the ships resorting to Smeerenberg for the fishery, put to sea on one occasion, when no whales were seen, persevered ;vestward to a considerable length, and accidentally fell in with some immense flakes of ice, which, on his return to his companions, he described as truly wonderful, and as resembling fields in the extent of their surface. Hence the application of the term ' field ' to this kind of ice. The dis- coverer of it was distinguished by the title of * field finder.' " — Vol. i, p. 243. When these Dutch whale-fishers thus appropriated to themselves the merit of such a "discovery," they must have been strangely oblivious of the previous labours of their countrymen, the adventurous discoverers of Spitzbergen, who certainly were in the way of seeing as " extensive sheets of ice" as any of those who followed in their footsteps. " See page 7, note 4. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 19 as north-east 6 [20] or 6 [24] miles, to the height of 77 degrees and ^ part,' and entred againe amongst the ice, being so broad that they could not see ouer it, there they had no ground at 100 fadome, and then it blew hard west north- west. From thence they wound south-ward, and sailed south south-west 7 [28] or 8 [32] miles, and came againe by the land, that shewed to be 4 or 5 high hilles. Then they wound northward, and till euening sayled north 6 [24] miles, but there againe they found ice. From thence they wound south-ward, and sailed south and by west 6 [24] miles, and then againe entred into ice. The 15 of July, they wound south-ward againe, say ling south and by west 6 [24] miles, and in the morning were by the land of Nona Zembla againe, the sunne being about north-east [i^ p. 1, a.m.], . . From thence they wound north-ward againe, and sayled north and by east 7 [28] miles, and entred againe into the ice. T'^en they wound south- ward againe, the sunne being west [f p. 3, P.M.], and sailed south south-west, and south- west and by south 8 [32] or 9 [36] miles, vpon the 16 of July. From thence they wound north-ward, and sailed north and by east 4 [16] miles ; after that againe they wound west- ward, and sailed west and by south 4 [16] miles, and then they sailed north north-west 4 [16] miles, and then the wind blcAV north north-east, and it froze hard ; this was vpon the 17 of July. Then they wound east-ward, and sailed east till noone, 3 [12] miles, and after that east and by south 3 [12] miles ; from thence about euening they wound northward and sailed north and by east 5 [20] miles, till the 18 of July in the morning ; then they sailed north and by west 4 [16] miles, » 77° 20' N. lat. 1 1M> THE NAVIGATION and there entred againe amongst a great many flakes of ice,* from whence they wound southward, and close by the ire they had no groud at 150 fadom. Then they sayled about 2 houres south-east, and east south- east, with mystie weather, and came to a flake of ice," which was so broad that they could not see ouer it, it being faire still weather, and yet it froze, and so sailed along by the ice 2 houres; after that it was so mistie, that they could see nothing round about them, and sailed south-west two [8] miles. The same day "William Barents tooke the height of the sun with his astrolabium, and then they were under 77 degrees and a J of the Pole,' and sailed south-ward 6 [24] miles, and perceiued the firme land,^ lying south fron; them. Then they sailed till the 19 of July in the morning, west south-west, 6 [24] or 7 [28] miles, with a north-west wind and mistie weather ; and after that south-west and south- west and by west 7 [28] miles, the sunne being 77 degrees 6 minutes lesse.* Then they sailed 2 [8] miles south-west, and were cloi^e by the land of Nona Zcmbla, about Cape Nassaue.® From thence they wound north-ward and sailed north 8 [32] miles, with a west north-west wind and a mist, and till the 20 of July in the morning north-east and by north 3 [12] or 4 [16] miles ; and when the sunne was east [^ p. 4, a.m.] they wound west, and till euening sailed south-west 5 [20] or 6 [24] miles, with mistie weather, and then south-west and by south 7 [28] miles, till the 21 of July in the morning. * In groote menichte van ys schollen — among a great quantity of drift ice. * Een velt ys — a field of ice. » In 77° 15'N. lat. * The main land of N6vaya Zemlya. " 76° 55' N. lat. « Capo ck Nassaiiw'. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. ;^t Then they wound north -ward againe, and from morning till euening sailed north-west and by west 9 [36] miles, with mistie weather, and againe north-west and by west* 3 [12] miles ; and then wound south-ward, and till the 22 of July in the morning sailed south south-west 3 [12] miles, with mistie weather, and till euening south and by west, 9 [36] miles, all mistie weather. After that they wound north-ward againe, and sailed north-west and by north 3 [12] miles, and then 2 [8] miles north-west;* and in the morning being the 23 of July the wind blew north-west, and then they cast out the lead, and had 48 fadome muddie ground. Then they sailed 2 [8] miles north north-east and north and by east, and 2 [8] miles north-east, at 46 fadome deepe ; after that they wound west- ward, and sailed west and by north 6 [24] miles ; there it was 60 fadome deepe, muddy ground. Then they wound eastward and sailed 3 [12] miles east and by north ; then againe 9 [36] or 10 [40] miles east, and east and by south ; and after that 6 [2^] or 6 [24] miles east, and cast and by south ; and after tuat 5 [20] or 6 [24] miles more, east and by south, till euening, being the 24 of July ; then againe 4 [16] miles south-east and by east, the wind being east north-east. Then they woond north-ward, and till the 25 of July in the morning sailed north, and north and by west, 4 [16] miles ; there they had 130 fadome deepe, muddie ground ; then they sailed north-ward, where they had 100 fadome deepe, and there they saw the ice in the north-east; and then againe they sailed 2 [8] miles, north and by west. Then they woond south-ward towards the ice, and sailed south-east one mile [4 miles] ; after that they wound north- ward againe, and sailed north 6 [24] miles, and were so inclosed about with flakes of ice,^ that out of the top they 1 Jf.W. ten ^.— N.W. by north. " JV. ten IF.— N. % W. ' Fs schoUen — drift ice. s % 22 THE NAVIGATION ( 1; could not discerne any thing beyond it, and sought to get through the ice, but they could not passe beyond it, and therefore 'i the evening they wound south- ward againe, and sailed along by the ice, south and by west 5 [20] miles, and after that south south-east 3 [12] miles. The 25 of July at night, they took the heigth of the sunne, when it was at the lowest between north and north-east,' and north-east and by north, it being eleuated aboue the horizon 6 degrees and f, his declinatio being 19 degrees 50 minutes ; now take 6 degrees f from 19 degrees and ryO minutes, and there resteth 13 degrees 5 minutes, which tubstracted from 90 there resteth 77 degrees lesse 5 minutes.* ■ The 26 of July, in the morning, they sailed 6 [24] miles south south-east, till the sunne was south-west [1, p.m.], and then south-east 6 [24] miles, and were within a mile of the land of Nona Zembla, and then wound north-ward from the land, and sailed 5 [20] miles north-west^ with an cast wind ; but in the euening they wound south-ward againe, and sailed south south-east 7 [28] miles, and were close by the land. Then they wound north-ward againe, and sailed north north-east 2 [8] or 3 [12] miles ; from thence thoy wound south-ward, and sailed south south-east 2 [8] or 3 [12] miles, and came againe to Cape Trust.^ Then they wounde againe from the land, north-east, about halfc a mile [2 miles], and were oucr against the sandes of 4 fadome deepe, betweene the rocke and the land, and there the sands were 10 fadome decpc, the ground being small black stones ; then they sailed north-west a little while, till they had 43 fadome deepe, soft ground. From thence they sailed north-east 4 [16] miles, upon the I 1 ^.iV.O.— N.N.E. 3 JV. ten ir.— N. b>/ W. « 76° G6' N. lat. * Ende quamen weiler bi/t Umdt aeii ile Cape dea Trooats — and camo again closo to the land ut Cape Comfort. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 27 of July, with an east south-east wind, and wound south- ward againe, where they found 70 fadome deepe, clay ground, and sayled south and south and by east 4 [16] miles, and came to a great creek ; and a mile and a halfe [6 miles] from thence there lay a banke of sande of 18 fadome deepe, clay sandy ground, and betweene that sand or banke and the land it was 60 and 50 fadome deepe, the coast reaching east and west by the compasse. In the euening they wound [stife'] north-ward, and sailed 3 [12] miles north north-east ; that day it was mistie, and in the night cleare, and William Barents tooke the height of the sunne with his crosse-staiFe,* and found it to be eleuated aboue the horizon 5 degrees 40 minutes, his de„lination being 19 degrees 25 minutes, from whence substracting 5 degrees 40 minutes, there resteth 13 degrees 45 minutes, which substr acted from 90 rested V6 degrees 31 minutes' for the height of the Pole. Upon the 28 of July, they sailed 3 [12] miles north north- east, and after that wound south-ward, and sailed 6 [24] miles south south-east, and yet were then 3 [12] or 4 [16] miles from the land. The 28 of July, the height of the sun being taken at noone Avith the astrolobiii, it was found to be eleuated aboue the horizon 57 degrees and 6 minutes,* her declination being 19 degrees and 18 minutes, which in all is 76 degrees and 24 minutes, they being then about 4 [16] miles from the land of Noua Zembla, that lay all couercd ouer with snow, the weather being cleare, and the wind east. Then againe, the sunne being about south-west [1, p.m.], ' This word is not in the original ; and it is inconsistent, as in the next lino their course is stated to have been N.N.E. * Qraedt-boogh. See page 10, note 2. » So in the original. It should be 76° 16'. * In like manner as on the 7th July (see page 14), it if the sun's zenith distance that is here recorded instead of its altitude. u THE NAVIGATION they wound north- ward, and sailed one mile [4 miles] north north-east, and then wound againe, and sailed another mile [4 miles] south-east, then they wound north-ward againe, and sailed 4 [16] miles north-east and north-east and by north.* The same day'* the height of the sunne being taken, it was found to be 76 degrees and 24 minutes, and then they sailed north-east 3 [12] miles, and after that north-east and by east 4 [16] miles, and vpon the 29 of July came into the ice againe. The 29 of July the height of the sunne being taken with the crosse-staffe, astrolabium, and quadrant,' they found it to bee eleuated aboue the horizon 32 degrees, her declination being 19 degrees, which substracted from 32 there resteth 13 degrees of the equator, which being substracted from 90 there rested 77 degrees j and then the neerest north point of Noua Zembla, called the Ice Point,* lay right east from them. There they found certaine stones that glistered like gold, which for that cause they named gold-stones,' and there also they had a faire bay with sandy ground. Upon the same day they wound south-ward againe, and sailed south-east' 2 [8] miles betwcene the land and the ice, and after that from the Ice Point east, and to the south- * Noordt ooat ten oosten — N.E. by east. * Des self den nachts — the same night. The sun was then constantly above the horizon. * Metten graedthoogh, astrolabium ende quadrant. * De aldernoordelijckste hoeck van Nova Semhla genaemt Va hoeck — the northernmost point, &c. " Most probably marcasite or iron pyrites. Frobisher's third voyage to "Meta Incognita", with fifteen vessels, was principally for the pur- pose of bringing home an immense quantity of this mineral, which he had discovered on his former voyages, and fancied to bo rich in gold, — See Ilakluyt's Voyages, vol. i, pp. 74, 91 ; Rundall's Narratives of Voyages towards the North-ioest, p. 13, et seq, « Z. ten a— S. by E. 11 INTO THE N0R7H-SEAS. ward^ 6 [24] miles to the Islands of Orange ; and there they laboured forward* betweene the land and the ice, with faire still weather, and vpon the 31 of July got to the Islands of Orange. And there went to one of those islands, where they found about 200 walrushen or sea-horses, lying upon the shoare to baske^ themselues in the sunne. This sea-horse is a wonderfull strong monster of the sea, much bigger then an oxe, which keepes continually in the seas, hauing a skinne like a sea-calfe or scale, with very short hair, mouthed like a lyon, and many times they lie vpon the ice ; they are hardly killed vnlesse you strike them iust vpon the fore- head ; it hath foure feet, but no eares, and commonly it hath one or two yong ones at a time. And when the fisher-men chance to find them vpon a flake of ice* with their yong ones, shee casteth her yong ones before her into the water, and then takes them in her armes, and so plungeth 7 and downe with them, and when shee will reuenge herselfe vpon the boats, or make resistance against them, then she castd her yong ones from her againe, and with all her force goeth towards the boate ; whereby our men were once in no small danger, for that the sea-horse had almost strick< n her teeth into the sterne of their boate, thinking to ouerthrowe it; but by meanes of the great cry that the men made, shee was afraid, and swomme away againe, and tooke her yong ones againe in her armes. They haue two teeth sticking out of their mouthes, on each side one, each beeing about halfe an elle long, and are esteemed to bee as good as any iuorie or elophants teeth, specially in Muscouia, Tartaria, and there abouts where they are knowne, for they are as white, hard, and euen as iuory.' ^ OoH wel 80 zuydelijck — east a little south. ■ Laveerden — " la veered," t. e. advanced by repeated short tacks. ' " Baste" — Fh. A misprint. * Een achats ya — a piece of drift ice. ' A critical history of this animal is given in "Anatomische und Zoologische Untersuchungen iiber das Wallross {Trichechus Rosmarua) &c. von Dr. K. E. v. Baer" — Mimoirea de VAcad, Imp. dea Sc. de St. B 26 THE NAVIGATION f : Those sea-horses that lay basking^ themselues vpon the land; our men, supposing that they could not defend them- selues being out of the water, went on shore to assaile them, and fought with the, to get their teeth that are so rich, but they brake all their hatchets, curtle-axes,* and pikes in pieces, and could not kill one of them, but strucke some of their teeth out of their mouthes, which they tooke with them ; and when they could get nothing against them by fighting, they agreed to goe aboard the ship, to fetch some of their great ordinance, to shoot at them therewith ; but it began to blow so hard, that it rent the ice into great peices, so that they were forced not to do it ; and therewith they found a great white beare that slept, which they shot into the body, but she ranne away, and entred into the water ; the men fol- lowing her with their boat, and kil'd her out-right, and then drew her vpon the ice, and so sticking a half pike vp-right, bound her fast vnto it, thinking to fetch her when they came backe againe, to shoot at the sea-horses with their ordinance ; Petersb.y 6me S6r., Sciences Math., Phys. et Nat., torn, iv, 2de part., Sc. Nat. (1838), pp. 97-235. In Scoresby'a Account of the Arctic Regions, vol. i, p. 504, it is said : " When seen at a distance, the front part of the head of the young walrus, without tusks, is not unlike the human face. As this animal is in the habit of rearing its head above water, to look at ships and other passing objects, it is not at all improbable that it may have aiForded foundation for some of the stories of mermaids. I have myself seen a sea-horse in such a position, and under such circumstances, that it re- quired little stretch of imagination to mistake it for a human being ; so like indeed was it, that the surgeon of the ship actually reported to mo his having seen a man with his head just appearing above the surface of the water." ^ " Bathing"— P/j. A misprint. ^ Cortelassen—cvLi\[isses, Plate cm. of Dr. Meyrick's Ancient Arms and Armour (vol. ii) contains a representation of an "Andrew Ferrara," which is described as " a coutel-hache, coutelaxe or coutelas." But the true original of the name is the Italian cultellaccio or coltellaccio, mean- ing literally a large (heavy) knife. Cultellazius, the Latinized form of this word, occurs in a list of forbidden weapons, in a statute of the city of Ferrara, a.d. 1268. See Muratori, Antij. Italic, vol. ii, col. S15. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. but for that it began more and more to blow, and the ice therewith brake in peeces, they did nothing at all. \ After that W. Barents had begun this uoyage vpon the fifth of June 1594, and at that time (as I sayd before) set saile out of the Texell, the 23 of the same month arriving at Kilduin in Muscouia, and from thence tooke his course on the north side of Nona Zembla, wherein he continued till the first of August, with such aduentures as are before declared, till he came to the Island of Oringe :' after he had taken all that paine, and finding that he could hardly get through, to accomplish and ende his pretended' voyage, his men also beginning to bee weary and would saile no further, they all together agreed to retvu'ne back againe, to meet with the . other ships* that had taken their course to the Weygates, or *g"i'ue|*"''''* the Straights of Nassawe,* to know what discoueries they had made there. ^ Tottet Eylandt van Oraengien. ' Intended. ' Namely, those of Zeelandt and Eukhuysen, from which they had separated at Kildin on the 29th of June. * De Weygats qfte Strate de Naasou. This name has given occasion to much curious criticism. The Dutch, not unnaturally, have sought its explanation in their own language, in which waaien means " to blow," " to be windy," and gat is " a strait" or " passage ;" so that waaigat would be " a passage wherein the wind blows strongly." And it is indisputable that this name has, on various occasions, been so applied by the seamen of that nation. Thus, we find a Waaigat in Baffin's Bay, one in Spitz- bergen, and another by the Straits of Magellan ; and even the roads be- tween the Holder and Texel have, from an early period, borne the same name. See " Prize Essay on the Netherlandish Discoveries," by R. 0. Bennet and J. G. van Wijk, in Nieuwe Verhandelingen von het Provincial Utrechtsche Genootachap, etc., vol. vi (1827), p. 41. Others, instead of the Dutch waaien, have taken the German weihen as the root, and thus made weihgat to mean the " sacred straits." J. R. Forster, in his Voyages and Discoveries in the iVorfA (Engl, edit.), p. 273, contends, however, that the name is of Russian origin, and explains it as follows : — " Bareutz found afterwards in Nova Zembla some carved images on a head-land near the straits, in consequence of which he called it Afgoedeixrhoek, the * Cape of Idolj.' Now, in the Sclavonian tongue, wajat means ' to carve,' ' to make an image.' Wajati-Noss would, there- I 2S THE NAVIGATION i!: The first of August they turned their course to saile backe againe from the Islands of Orange, and sailed west and west by south 6 [24] miles to the Ice Point. ■ From the Ice Point to the Cape of Comfort,' they sailed west and somewhat south 30 [120] miles : betweene them both there lyeth very high land, but the Cape of Comfort is very low flat land, and on the west end thereof there stand- eth foure or fine blacke houels or little hilles like country houses.' Upon the 3 of August, from the Cape of Comfort they fore, be the ' Carved* or ' Image Cape ;' and this seems to me to be the true origin of the word Waiffata, which properly should be called Waja- telatwoi Proliw, * the Image Straits'." So convinced was Forster of the correctness of his conjecture, that in another part of his work (p. 413) he did not hesitate to assert that the Russians themselves give to the Afgoeden-hoek the name of Waijati Nos; ar-' this strange derivation of the word Waigats has found supporters not only among foreign, but even among Russian writers. See Barrow, p. 137; Berch, p. 30. But Liitke, who has fully investigated the subject, adduces as proof against these fanciful etymologies, first (p. 30), that the name recorded by the Dutch themselves is Waigatz [Weygats], and not Waigat, the Russian termination tsch being changed by them into tz, in the same way as in Pi^sora for Pe^«cAora, etc. ; secondly, that the name Waigatsch properly belongs to the island alone, and not to the straits ; thirdly, that this name was known to the Englishman Burrough in 1556, nearly forty years before the first voyage of the Hollanders ; and lastly (p. 31), that the Russians have never called the Cape of Idols Waiyati Nos, but always Bolw4nskyi Muis, from bolwdn, a rough image. Liitke adds that the true derivation of the name in question is as di£^cult to be determined as that of Kolguew, Nokuew, Kildin, Warandei, etc., which are probably the remains of the languages of tribes now extinct. But, at the same time, he directs attention to Wit- sen's assertion (which appears to have been altogether overlooked by pre- vious writers), that the island of Waigatsch received its name from one Iwan Waigatsch — " het Eiland Waigats, dat zijn naem heeft van Ivan, of Ian Waigats ;" — a derivation which is very probable, and certainly far more reasonable than any of the etymologies above recited. * Be Cape des Troosts — Cape Comfort ; the same which Phillip had previously translated " Cape Trust." See page 22, note 4. ' Swarte heuvels gheZijck boeren huysen — black hillocks, like peasants' huts. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. wound north-ward, and sailed 8 [32] miles north-west and by north, and north north-west ; and about noone they wound south-ward till euening, and sailed south and by west, and south-south-west 7 [28] miles, and then came to a long narrow point of land one Cape Nassaw.' In the euening they wound north-ward againe, and sailed north and by east 2 [8] miles ; then the winde came north, and therefore they wound west-ward againe, and sailed north north-W3st one mile [4 miles] ; then the wind turned east, and with that they sailed from the 4 of August in the morn- ing till noone west and by north 5 [20] or 6 [24] miles; after that they sailed till euening south-west 5 [20] miles, and after that south-west 2 [8] miles more, and fell vpon a low flat land, which on the east-end had a white patche or peece of ground. After that they sailed till morning, being the 5 of August, west south-west 12 [48] miles,' then south-west 14 [56] miles, and then west 3 [12] miles till the 6 of August. The 6 of August they sailed west south-west 2 [8] or 3 [12] miles ; then south-west, and south-west and by south, 4 [16] or 5 [20] miles ; then south-west and by west 3 [12] miles, and then south-west and by west 3 [12] miles ; and after that west south-west and south-west and by south 3 [12] miles, till the 7 of August. The 7 of August till noone they sailed 3 [12] miles west south-west, then 3 [12] miles west, and then they wound south-ward till euening, and sailed 3 [12] miles south-east and south-east and by east, then againe west south-west 2 [8] miles, after that they sailed south 3 [12] miles, till the 8 of August in the morning, with a west south-west winde. The 8 of August they sailed south-east and by south 10 [40] miles, and then south-east and by east vntil euening 5 * Ende qtutmen hy een laghen slechten hoeck te landt aen de Cape de Nasmtiwen — and came to a low, flat point, at Cape Nassau. »« 6 miles"— /'A. V I it; . I 30 THE NAVIGATION [20] miles, and then came to a low flat land, that lay south- west and by -south, and north-east and by north, and so sailed 5 [20] miles more, and there they had 36 fadome deepe, 2 [8] miles from the land, the ground blacke sand; There they sailed towards the land, till they were at 12 fadome, and halfe a mile [2 miles] from the land it was stony ground. From thence the land reacheth south-ward for 3 [12] miles, to the other low point that had a blacke rocke lying close by it ; and from thence the land reacheth south south-east 3 [12] miles, to another point ; and there lay a little low island from the point, and within halfe a mile [2 miles] of the land it was flat ground, at 8, 9, and 10 fadome dcepe, which they called the Black Island,' because it showed blacke aboue ; then it was very mistie, so that they lay in the wind'' and sailed 3 [li. j miles west north-west; but when it cleared vp, they wound towards the land againe, and the sunne being south [i to 11 A.M.], they came right against the Blacke Island, and had held their course east south-east. There W. Barents tooke the height of the sunne, it being vnder 71 degrees and 3; and there they found a great creeke, which William Barents iudged to be the place where Oliuer BruneP had been before, called Costincsarth.* * ffet swarte Eylandt. ' Zijt aen de wint leyden — they lay to the wind. ' Oliphier Brunei. A native of Brussels, properly named Oliver Bunel, who traded to the north coasts of Russia in a vessel from Enckhuysen, and was lost in the river Petehora. The process by which Bunel has been made to become an Englishman, under the name of "Bennel," " Brunell," or " Brownell," is explained in the Introduction. * Costincsarch, in the original Dutch text ; Costinclarch, in the Am- sterdam French version of 1698 ; Coiutint-sarch, or Constantin zaar, as it is called by Witsen in his Noord en Oost Tartarije, p. 918 ; ConstaiU Search, according to Forster's ingenious hypothesis, p. 415; Coasting Search, as suggested by Barrow, p. 159. This name, which has scarcely ever been written twice alike, and which has given occasion to so much speculation as to its origin, is properly Kostin-schar, i. e., "Kostin Straits, or Passage ;" it being the channel by which the Meyduscharski Island {i. e., " the island lying between the straits"), is separated from INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 31 From the Blacke Island, they sailed south and south and by east to another small' point 3 [12] miles, on which point there stood a crossc, and therefore they called it the Crosse Point ;' there also there was a flat bay, and low water,* 5, 6, or 7 fadome deep, soft ground.* From Crosse Point they sailed along by the land south south-east 4 [16] nules, and then came to another small* point, which behinde it had a great creeke, that reached east-ward : this point they called the Fifth Point or S. Lau- the main land of Novaya Zemlya. Liitke, from whom (p. 22) the above definition is taken, explains further (p. 245), that "among Novaya Zemlya navigators, achar is properly the name of a strait or passage, which goes directly through or across an island or country, forming a communication between two distinct seas. For one that merely sepa- rates an island from the mainland, or otherwise forms part of one sea alone, the appropriate designation is salma. Thus, Matotschkin Schar, Yugorskyi Schar, etc., are properly so called ; but Kostin Schar, as a walrus-hunter told me, ' is styled a schar only through stupidity, as its correct designation would be Kostin Salma'" Nevertheless, in justice to those who first gave the name of Kostin Schar to this strait, it must be remarked, that it was regarded by them as actually passing through the mainland of Novaya Zemlya, and as forming a communication with the Kara Sea. It is thus shown in the early maps ; and Witsen (p. 918) expressly states — " Het ys dryft door Nova Zemla been, en comt by Constint Sarch, of Gonstantin Zaar, «jV." It is the passage to the south of the island which is more especially Tiamcd Kostin ^char, or Kostin Salma. That to the north is the Podry6sof Passage (Podrjesow Schar). See Liitke, p. 315. As regards the etymology of the word Schar, Liitke says (p. 245) that he was unable to satisfy himself. " The Samoyedes themselves regard it as a foreign term ; and by some it is thought to come from the Finnish word, Schar or Skar." Can the shard of Spencer have any con- nexion with it ? " Upon that shore he spy6d Atin stand There by his maister left, when late he far'd In Phsedria's flitt barck over that perlous shard." Faerie Queene, ii, vi, 38. * Schlecten — flat. * Cniija-hoeck. ^ Slecht water — shallow water. * Steeck grondt — stiff ground. ■* Sclechten — flat. n i 1 1 i 32 THE NAVIGATION rence Point.' From the Fifth Point they sailc' to the Sconce Point'' 3 [12] miles, south south-east, and t^ re lay a long blacke rocke close by the land, whereon thrre stood a crosse ; then they entered into the ice againe, and put inward to the sea' because of the ice. Their intent was to saile along the coast of Nona Zembla to the Wey-gates, but by reason that the ice met them they wound west-ward, and from the 9 of August in the euening, till the 10 of August in the morning, sayled west and by north 11 [44] miles, and after that 4 [16] miles west north-west, and north-west and by west, the winde being north j in the morning* they wound east-warde againe, and sailed vntill euening 10 [40] miles east and east and by south ; after that east and east and by north 4 [16] miles, and there they saw land, and were right against a great creeke, where with their boat they went on land, and there found a faire hauen 5 fadome deepe, sandy ground. This creeke on the north-side hath 3 blacke points, and about the 3 points* lyeth the road, but you must keepe somewhat from the 3 point, for it is stonie, and betweene the 2 and 3 point there is another faire bay, for north-west, north, and north- east winds, blacke sandy ground. This bay they called S. Laurence Bay, and there they tooke the height of the sunne, which was 70 degrees and f . From S. Laurence Bay, south south-east 2 [8] miles to Sconce Point, there lay a long' blacke rocke, close by the land,^ whereon there stood a crosse ; there they went on land * Den vijfden hoech ofte S. Laurens hoeck. ' Schans hoeck. " Barrow (p. 141) calls this headland Sion''8 Point." — Lxltke, p. 20. This is clearly a clerical or typographical error for "Sconce Point," of a character similar to that in the first (Paris) edition of the Iliatoire GenSrale dea Voyages, cited by Barrow, p. 139, whereby " Bale de Loms" — Lomsbay — is converted into " Baie de St. Louis !" ^ Leydent zeewaerts in — tacked to seaward. * Des middaegha — at noon. ' Om den derden hoeck-r-ne&r the third point. * Laghe — low. ' Aent last vast : a typographical error in the original Dutch. It should be aant landt vast. I f A INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 33 It with their boat, and perceiucd that some men had bin there, and that they were fled to saue themselues ;' for there they found 6 sacks with rie-meale buried in the ground, and a heap of stones by the crosse, and a bullet for a great piece, and there abouts also there stood another crosse,' with 3 houses made of wood, after the north-countrey manner : and in the houses they found many barrels of pike - staues,' whereby they coniectured that there they vsed to take salmons,* and by them stood 5 or 6 coffins, by graues,* with dead mens bones, the coffins standing vpon the ground all filled vp with stones ; there also lay a broken Kussia ship,* the kecle thereof being 44 foot long, but they could see no man on the land : it is a faire hauen for all winds, which they called the Mcale-haucn,' because of the meale that they found there. • . • : From the black rocke or cliffis with the crosse, 2 [8] miles south south-east, there lay a low island a little into the sea, from whence they sailed 9 [36] or 10 [40] miles south ^ Om onsent wil gevlucht waren — were fled on our account. " Ende een gotelincks school van daer stont nock een cruijs — and a fal- conet-shot from thence stood another cross. Liitke (p. 20) criticises Barrow for saying (p. 141) that the Hollanders found here, among other things, " a large cannon shot ;" but it is clear that the latter has merely modernized Phillip's words " a bullet for a great piece." ' Veel tonnen duyghen — a quantity of pipe-staves. Here is a curious doid/le error. In the first place, as diiyghen are "staves" (for casks), ton- nen-duyghen are simply " cask-staves" or " pipe-staves," and not casks (barrels) of pipe-staves. And secondly, the word pipe has been misprinted pike; so that altogether, without referring to the original Dutch, it was quite impossible to imagine what was meant. * Daer deur wy vermoeden datter eenighen Sahn-vang moeste zijii-— whence we conjectured that there must be some salmon fishery here. ' By de graven — by the graves. * Lodding (intended for the Russian word lodya) — a boat. ' Meel-haven — apparently the Strogonov Bay of Liitke, who, in his account of his third voyage (p. 316), speaks of a tradition, according to which this was formerly the residence of some natives of Novogorod of that name. These settlers are not mentioned in the chronicles, nor is anything known respecting them, or the date or cause of their emi- 34 THE NAVIGATION ': 1 south-east ; there the height of the sunne' was 70 degrees and 50 minutes, when it was south south-west. From that island they sailed along by the land 4 [16] miles south-east and by south ; there they came to 2 islands, whereof the uttermost lay a mile [4 miles] from the land ; those islands they called S. Clara. Then they entered into the ice again, and wound inward to sea, in the wind,'' and sailed from the island^ vntill even- ing, west south-west 4 [16] miles, the wind being north- west ; that evening it was very mistie, and then they had 80 fadom deepe. ■ Then againe they sailed south-west and by west, and west south-west 3 [12] miles; there they had 70 fadome deepe, and so sayled till the thirteenth of August in the morning, south-west and by west foure [16] miles ; two houres before they had ground at fiftic sixe fadome, and in the morning at fortie five fadome, soft muddy ground. I gration. But assuming the remains found by Barentsz. and his com- panions to be those of the Strogonovs, he deems it not unreasonable to place their arrival some twenty or thirty years earlier than the visit of the Hollanders ; which date would correspond with the reign of John the Terrible (Yoan Grosnui), a period when the Novogoroders had the greatest reason to emigrate into regions far distant from their native country. Indeed, it is not improbable that some of them may, at that time, have been banished to Novaya Zemlya. Liitke adds : " It is worthy of remark that our wJrus-hunters give the name of Meal Cape to the western headland of Strogonov Bay ; which name would seem to have originated in the six sacks of rye-meal which Barentsz. saw there. The remains of the dwellings of the Strogonovs lie close to Meal Cape." — p. 317. The same writer adverts also, but with disfavour, to the further tradi- tion, that " the Strogonovs were visited by certain monsters with iron noses and teeth." But when it is considered that the walrus must have been previously unknown to these natives of Novogorod, it is not unrea- sonable to imagine that animal to have given rise to what might other- wise well be regarded as a fable. ^ Den 12 Aup. — on the 12th of August, (omitted) " Ende wendent tzeeimert in aen tie wint — and tacked to seaward, hugging the wind. •* Van den eylanden — from the islands. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. of Then they sayled till noone sixc [24] miles south-wctv, and had twcntie foure fadome dccpe, black sandie ground ; and within one houre after they had two and twentie fadome deepe, browne reddish sand; then they sailed sixe [24] miles south-west, with fifteene fadome deepe, red sand ; after that two [8] miles south-west, and there it was fifteene fauome deepe, red sand, and there they sawe land, and sayled forward south-west untill evening, till wee were within halfe a mile [2 miles] of the land, and there it was seven fadome deepe, sandy ground, the land being low flat downes reaching east and west. Then they wound from the land and sailed north, and north and by east 4 [16] miles ; from thence they wound to land againe, and sayled til the 14 of August 5 [20] or 6 [24] miles south-west, sailing close by the land, which (as they gesse') was the island of Colgoyen ;"> there they sailed by the liid east-ward 4 [16] miles ; after that 3 [12] miles east, and east and by south ; then the v cather became mistie, whereby they could not see the land, and had shallow flat water ^ at 7 or 8 fadome; then they tooke in the marsaile* and lay in the wind' till it was clcare weather againe, and then the sunne was south south-west [| p. 11 a.m.], yet they could not sec the land : there they had 100 fadome deepe, sandy ground ; then they sailed east 7 [28] miles ; after that againe 2 [8] miles east south-east, and south-east and by east ; and againe till the 15 of August in the morning, 9 [36] miles east south-east; then from morning till noone they sailed 4 miles east south- cast, and sailed over a flat or sand of 9 or 10 fadome deepe, sandy ground, but could see ^ Guessed. " The large island of K61guev, situate between Kanin Nos (Capo Kanin) and the entrance of the River Petchora. Its north-western extremity, according to Liitke's observations (p. 324), is in 69° 29' 30" N. lat., and 48° 65' E. long. ^ Vlack water — shallow water. * Maneylen — topsails. " Leyde aen de icind — lay to the wind. I :- 36 THE NAVIGATION u I , '1 no land ; and about an houre before noone it began to waxe deeper, for then wee had 12 and 13 fadome water, and then wee sayled east south-east 3 [12] miles, till the sunne was south-west [1 p.m.]. The same daye the sunne being soutii-west,' William Barents tooke the height thereof, and found it to be elevated above the horizon 35 degrees, his declination being 14 degrees and J, so y' as there Avanted 55 degrees of 90, which 55 and 14 degrees and ^ being both added together, made 69 degrees 15 minutes, which was the height of the Pole in that place, the wind being north-west; then they sailed 2 [8] miles more east-ward, and came to the islands called ]\Iatfloe and Delgoy," and there in the morning they meet with the other shippes of their company, being of Zelandt and Enck-huysen,^ that came out of Wcy-gates the same day ; there they shewed each other where they had bin, and how farre each of them had sailed, and diijcoucrcd. The ship of Enck-huysen had past the straights of Wey- gates, and said, that at the end of Wcy-gates he had found a large sea,^ and that they had sailed 50 [200] or 60 [240] miles further east-ward, and were of opinion that they had been about the riuer of Obi,^ that commeth ouL of Tartaria, and that the land of Tartaria reacheth north-east-ward againe from thence, whereby they thought that they were not far * This note of the bearing of the sun is only approximative, since the observation of the variation of the needle made on July 3rd (p. 10), shows that the sun came to the meridian between S.S.W. and S.W. by S. " Matvy6yeva Ostrov and Dolgoi Ostrov, that is, Matvy6ycv's Island and Long Island. — Lutke, p. 20. * These vessels were the Swan of Dcr Veero in Zeelandt, commanded by Cornells Corneliszoon Nai, and the Mercury of Enckhuysen, com- manded by Brandt Ysbrandtszoon, otherwise called Brandt Tetgales. * JHen ruyrae zee — an open sea. " Ontrent de lenghte van de revicr Obi — about the longitude of the river Obi. In this, however, they were in error, as they were still only on the eastern side of the Kara &ea. See Lutke, p. 32. INTO THE NORTH- SEAS. m. from Cape Tabin/ which is y® point'* of Tartaria, that reach- eth toAvards the kingdom of Chathai, north-east and then south-ward.' And so thinking that they had discouered inough for that time, and that it was too late in the yeare to saile any further, as also that their commission was to dis- couer the scituation, and to come home againe before winter, they turned againe towards the Wei-gates, and came to an island about 5 miles great, lying south-east from Wei-gates on the Tartarian side, and called it the States Island j* there they found many stones, that were of a cristale mountaine,® being a kind of diamont. When they were met together (as i sayd before) they made signes of ioy, discharging some of their ordinance, and were merry, the other shippes thinking that William Barents had sailed round about Nona Zembla, and had come backe againe through the Wci-gatcs : and after they had sheAved each other what they had done, and made signs of ioy for their meeting, they set their course to turne backe againe for Holland ; and vpon the 16 of August they went vnder the islands of Matfloe and Delgoy, and put into the road, because the wind was north-west, and lay there till the 18 of August. The 18 of August they set saile, and went forward west north-west, and almost west and by north, and so sailed 13 [48J miles ; and then west and by soutii 6 [24] miles, and came to a sand of scarce 5 fadome deepe, with a north-west Avind ; and in the evening they Avound northivard, and sailed east north-east 7 [28] or 8 [32] miles, the Avind being 1 Be Caej) Tabijn — the northernmost extremity of Siberia, now known by the name of Cape Taimur or Taimyr. It is the Tabis of Pliny. " Uijthoeck — the furthest point. * Naei z. 0. en voort iMe't zuijden — towards sow^/i-east, and then south- wards. * Staten Eylandt—ihs) Myasnoi Ostrov (Flesh Island) of the Russians. — Lutkc, p. 31. * ' Van cristal montaigne — of rock-crystal. . ill I i. i 1 38 THE NAVIGATION northerly ; and then they wound westward, and sailed till the 19 of August in the morning, west 2 [8] miles ; then 2 [8] miles south-west, and after that 2 [8] miles south-east ; there they wound west-ward againe, and sailed till evening with a calme, and after that had an east winde, and at first sailed west north-west, and north-west and by west 6 [24] or 7 [28] miles, and had ground at 12 fadome : then till the 20 of August in the morning, they sayled west north-west, and north-west and by west, 7 [28] miles with an easterly wind; and then againe sailed west north-west, and north- west and by west 7 [28] miles ; then west north-west 4 [16] miles, and draue' forward till euening with a calme : after that they sailed west north-west and north-west and by west 7 [28] miles, and in the night time came to a sand of 3 fa- dome deepe right against the land, and so sailed along bj it, first one mile north, then 3 [12] miles north north-west, and it was sandy hilly land, and many points :^ and then sailed on forward with 9 or 10 fadome deepe, along by the land till noone, being the 21 of August, north-west 5 [20] miles ; and the west point of the land, called Candinaes,' lay north-west* from them 4 [16] miles. From thence they sailed 4 [16] miles north north-west, and then north-west and by north 4 [16] miles, and 3 [12] miles more north-west, and north-west and by north, and then nu^ i-wcst 4 [16] miles, til the 22 of August in the morning : and that morning they sailed north-west 7 [28] miles, and so till euening west north-west and north-west and by west 15 [30] miles, the wind being north ; after that 8 [32] miles more, we st north-west ; and then till the 23 of August at noone, west north-west 1 1 [44] miles ; the same day at noone the sunnc was eleuatcd aboue the horizon 31 I I n ^ Dreven — drifted. " Steijlhoeckigh — precipitous. 8 Kanin Nos, or Cape Kanin, at the north-eastern extremity of the White Sea, in 08° 33' 18" N. hit., and 43° 16' 3U" E. long.— /,«;ttcr intelligence by the Samuters, that tolde vs, that there aru cer- taine men dwelling on the Wey-gates,^ and vpon Nona Zem- bla ; but wee could neither finde men, houses, nor any other things ; so that to have better information, we went with some of our rr^r further south-east into the land, towards the sea- side f an( i. went, we found a path- way made with mens feete in the u. se or marsh-ground, about halfe knee dcepe, for that going so deepe wee felt hard ground vnder our feete, which at the deepest was no higher than our shoes ; and as wee went forward to the sea coast, wee were exceeding glad, thinking that wee had scene a passage open, where woe might get through, because we saw so little ice there : and in the euening entering into our ship againc, wee shewed them that newes. Meanetime our maister" had sent out a boat to see if the Tartarian Sea' was open, but it could not get into the sea because of the ice, yet they rowed to the C ^sse-point," and there let the boate lye, and went oucr the land to the ^ Samiutov — Samoyedcs. * Van de Wei/gats — from Weygats. (Omitted) ' De gheleghentheyt der zeevaert — the particulars of the navigation. * 0})t Waygats. Here, however, De Veer speaks of the Island of Waigatsch. ' n^ . . . verder z. o. aen trocken nae den oever van der zee — we went further S.E. towards the sea-side. It is manifest, that while going towards the sea-side, they could not have gone further into the land. " Schij}per — captain or master of the vessel. Most probably William Barentsz. is meant ; though in page G3 Cornelis Jacobszoon is spoken of as the " schipper" of William Barentsz. "^ The sea of Kara. * Cruijs-hoeck ; by the Russians called Sukhoi Nos. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 56 West Point,* and there perceiued that the ice in the Tar- tarian Sea, lay full vpon the Russian coastes, and in the mouth of Wey-gates. The twentie three of August wee found a lodgie'' or boate of Pitzore/ which was sowed together with bast or ropes,* that had been north- ward to seeke for some sea-horses teeth, trayen," and geese, which they fetcht with their boat, to lade in certaine shippes that were to come out of Russia, through Wey-gates. Which shippes they sayd (when they spake with vs), were to saile into the Tartarian Sea, by the riuer of Oby,* to a place called Vgolita' in Tartaria, there to stay all winter, as they vsed to doe eucry yecre : and told vs that it would yet bee nine or tenne weekes ere it began to freeze in that place, and that when it once began to freeze, it would freeze so hard, that as then men might goe oucr the sea into Tartaria (along vpon the ice), which they called Mermare/ ^ De Twist hoeck — Cape Dispute ; so named, because, on the first voy- age of Nai and Brandt Ysbrandtsz., a dispute arose between them as to whether or not the passage extended further eastward. Through a typographical error, the Dutch text has de tWist hoeck, whence has arisen the West Point of the translator. This is the K6ninoi Nos of the Russians. ^ See page 33, note G. ^ The Pctchora, a considerable river, which rises in the Ural moun- tains, and ilows into the Arctic Ocean to the S. of Novaya Zemlya. •• Met hast tsamen ghenaeyet — sewed together with bast : — the inner bark of the linden or lime-tree (Tilia), of which is formed the Russian matting, so well known in commerce. The word bast, which in German and Dutch means "bark," is in English frequently pronounced, and even written, bass. " Trnyn — train-oil. •' Vooi'bi/ de reviere Ohy — beyond the river Oby. ' Linschoten has " to another river, which they said was called (?«7- lissy,^'' meaning the large river Yenisei, which carries a great portion of the waters of Siberia into the Arctic Ocean. * Dattet gat soude toe vriesen, ende alst began te vriesen aoudet dan stracks toe vriesen, ende datmen dan over ys mocht loopen tot in Tarta- rien over de zee, die zy noemden Mermare — ere the passage would be 56 THE NAVIGATION The 24 of August in the morning betimes, we went on board of the lodgie, to haue further information and instruc- tion of the sea on the east side of Wey-gates, and they gauc vs good instruction such as you haue heard. The 25 of August we went againe to the lodgie, and in friendly maner spake with them, we for our parts offering them friendship ; and then they gaue vs 8 fat geese,' that lay in the bottome of their boat : we desired that one or two of them Avould goe with vs on board our ship, and they will- ingly went with vs to the number of seuen ; and being in our ship they wondered much at the greatnesse and furni- ture of our ship : and after they had scene and looked into it in euery place,* we set fish,^ butter, and cheese before them to eat, but they refused it, saying that that day was a fasting day with them ; but at last when they saAV some of our pickled -herrings, they eat them, both heads, tayles, skin, and guts ;* and hauing eaten thereof, we gaue them a small ferkin of herrings, for the which they gaue vs great thankes, knowing not what friendship they should doe vs to requite our courtesie, and wee brought them with our pinnace into the Traen-Bay. About noone wee hoysed vp our anchors with a west north-west wir.d ; the course or stretching of Wey-gates is cast to the Cruis point,* and then north-east to the Twist point," and somewhat more easterly : From thence the land of Wey-gates reachcth north north-east, and north and by frozen over ; and tb'».t when it once began to freeze, it would speedily be frozen over, so that thuj '^ould walk over the ice to Tartary (Siberia) across the sea which they called Mermare. ' Die zy seer veel . . . hadden — whereof they had many. (Omitted.) * Van voren tot achteren — from stem to stern. ' VLysch — meat. * So hebbense doer alle t^samen van ghegheten, met hooft, met staert, met al, van boven afbytende — they one and all partook of them ; and, biting from the head downwards, ate head, tail, and everything. ' Cruijs hoeck — Cross Point. See page 54, note 8. - " Twisthoeck—C&'^Q Dispute. See note 1 in the preceding page. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 57 cast, and then north, and somewhat westerly ; wc saylcd north-east and east-ward' 2 [8] miles, by the Twist point, but then we were compelled to saile backe againe, because of the great store of ice, and tooke our course to our road aforesaid ; and sayling backe againe wee found a good place by the Crosse point to anchor in, that night. The 26 of August in the morning we hoysed anchor, and put out our fork-saile,"* and so sailed to our old road, there to stay for a more conuenient time. The 28, 29, and 30 of August till the 31, the winde for the most part was south-west, and William Barents our cap- taine sayled to the south side of Wey-gates, and there went on land,^ where wee found certaine wilde men (called Samuters),^ and yet not altogether wilde, for they being 20 in number staid and spake with our men, being but 9 toge- ther, about a mile [4 miles] within the land, our men not thinking to find any men there (for that we had at other times becne on land in the *AVey -gates, and saw none) ; at last, it being mistie weather, they percciued men," fiue and fine in a company, and we were hard by them before* we knew it. Then our interpreter went alone towards them to speake with them ; which they perceiuing sent one towardes vs, who comming almost to our men, tooke an arrow out of his quiuer, offering to shoote at him ; wherewith our inter- preter, being without armes, was afraide, and crycd vnto him, saying (in Russian speach), shoote not, we are friends : which the other hearing, cast his bow and arrowes to the ground, therewith giuing him to vndcrstand that he was well content to speake with our man : which done, our man ^ N. 0. wel soo oostelijk- " Defoch — the foresail. -north-east a little easterly. ^ Aent vaste landt — to the main land ; namely, the coast of Russia, * SainhUen — Samoyedes. " 1)1 twee hoopen — in two bodies. •■' Two lines of Phillip's translation, being froin *, arc printed twice by mistake. n i .1 t 1 58 THE NAVIGATION called to him once againe, and sayd, we are fricndes ; whereunto he made answere and sayd, then you are wel- come : and saluting one the other, bended both their heades downe towardes the ground, after the Russian manner. This done,' our interpreter questioned with him about the sci- tuation and stretching of the sea east -ward through the straightes of Wey-gates ; whereof he gaue vs good instruc- tion, saying, that when they should haue past a poynt of land about 5 dayes sayling from thence (shewing^ north- eastward), that after that, there is a great sea (shewing towardes the south-east vpward'') ; saying, that hee knew it very well, for that one had been there that was sent thither by their king with certaine souldiers/ whereof he had been captaine. The manor of their apparell is like as we vse to paint wild men ; but they are not* wilde, for they are of reason- able iudgement. They are apparelled in hartcs" skins from the head to the feete, vnlesse it be the principallest of them, which are apparelled, whether they bee men or women, like vnto the rest, as aforesayd, vnlesse it bee on their heads, which they couer with certaine coloured cloth lyned with furre : the rest wear cappes of hartes or buckcs skinnes, the rough side outwardes, which stand close to their heades, and are very fitte. They weare long hayre, which they plaite and fold and let it hang downc vpon their backcs. They are (for the most part all) short and low of stature, with broad flat faces, small eyes, short legges, their knees standing out- wards ; and are very quicke to goe and leape. They trust not strangers; for although that wee shewed them all the * Dese gheleghentheyt ghevonden — availing himself of this oppor- tunity. " Wysende — pointing. ^ Wyaeiidt nae't z. o. op — pointing towards the south-cast. * Met eer, partye volcks — with a number of persons. " Effenvd niet — not altogether. ^ ' Rheeden — reindeer. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 59 courtesie and friendship that wee could, yet they trusted vs not much : which wc percciucd hereby, that as vpon the first of September we went againe on land to them, and that one of our men desired to see one of their bowes, they re- fused it, making a signe that they would not doe it. Hee that they called their king, had centinels standing abroad, to sec what was done in the countrie, and what was bought and sould. At last, one of our men went neerer to one of the centinels, to speake with him, and offered him great friendship, according to their accustomed manner; withall giuing him a bisket, which he with great thankes tooke, and presently eate it, and while he eate it, hee stiU lookt diligently about him on all sides what was done. Their sleades * stood alwayes ready with one or two hartes in them, that runne so swiftly with one or two men in them, that our horses are not able to follow them. One of our men shot a musket towards the sea, wherewith they were in so great feare that they ranne and leapt like mad men ; yet at last they satisfied themselues when they perceiued that it was not maliciously done to hurt them : and we told them by oui- interpreter, that we vsed our peeces in stead of bowes, whereat they wondered, because of the great blow and noyse that it gaue and made : and to shew them what we could doe therewith, one of our men tooke a flatte stone about halfe a handfuU broad, and set it vpon a hill a good way off from him : which they perceiuing, and thinking that wee meant some-what thereby, 50 or 60 of them gathered round about vs, and yet some-what farre off; wherewith hee that had the peece, shotte it off, and with the bullet smote the stone in sunder, whereat they woondred much more then before. After that we tooke our leaues one of the other, with great friendship on both sides ; and when we were in our penace,^ we al put off oiu" hattes and bowed our heades vnto them, * Sledges. " Pinnace. 60 THE NAVIGATION '>f- 11 sounding our trumpet : they in their maner saluting vs also, and then went to their sleads againc. And after they were gone from vs and were some-what within the land, one of them came ryding to the shore, to fetch a rough-heawed image, that our men had taken off the shore and caryed into their hoate : and when he was in our boate, and perceiued the image, hee made vs a signe that wee had not done well to take away that image ; which wee beholding, gaue it to him again : which when he had re- ceiued, he placed it vpon a hill right by the sea side, and tooke it not with him, but sent a slcad to fetch it from thence. And as farre as wee could percciue, they esteemed that image to be their god ;^ for that right ouer against that place in the Wey-gates, which we called Beelthooke,' we found ccrtaine hundreds of such carued images, all rough, about the heads being somewhat round, and in the middle hauing a litle hill instead of a nose, and about the nose two cuttcs in place of eyes, and vnder the nose a cutte in place of a mouth. Before the images, wee found great store of ashes, and bones of hartes j whereby it is to be supposed that there they offered vnto them. Hauing left the Samuters, the sunne being south-ward,^ William Barents, our captainc, spake to the admirall to will him to set saylc, that they might goe forward ; but they had not so many wordes togeather, as was betweene them the day before ;* for that Avhen the admirall and vize-admirall had spoken with him,'' the admirall scemi ig to be well con- tented therewith, said vnto him : Captaint/ what think you were best for vs to doe ? he made answere, I thinke we ^ Sulcken ledden voor haer Goden — such images for their gods. ^ Image Point. See page 53. ^ Ontrent zuytler son — the sun being about south. * From this it is manifest that a previous dispute had taken place, which is not recorded. " Hemvi/tghehoorthaddiii — had heard him out. " Willevi liareiUsz. Nai did not call him captain, but addressed him by his name. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 61 should doc well to set sayle, and goc forward on our uoy- age, that wee may accomplish it. Whereunto the admirall answeared him, and sayd : Looke avcU what you doe, cap- taine:' at which time, the sunnc was north-west [i p. 7 p.m.]. The 2 of September, a litle before sunne rising, wee put foorth our anckor'* to get out, for that the winde as then blew south south-west ; it being good weather to get out, and ill weather to lie still : for we lay vnder a low bancke.^ The admirall and vize-admirall seeing vs making out, began also to hoysc their anckors, and to set sayle. When wee put out our focke-sayle,^ the sunne was east and by south [i p. 5 a.m.] ; and then we sayled to the Crosse-poynt, and there wee cast anckor to stay for the vize-admirals pin- nace ; which with much labour and paines in time got out of the ice, by often casting out of their anckor,* and in the euening shee got to vs. In Jhc morning, about 2 houres before sunne rising, we set sayle, and by sunne rising we got within a mile [4 miles] east-ward of the Twist-poynt,'' and sayled north-ward 6 miles, till the sunne was south [f p. 10 A.M.]. Then wee were forced to wind about, be- cause of the great quantitic of ice, and the mist that then fell ; at which time the winde blew so vncertaine that we could hold no course, but were forced continually to winde and turnc about,' by reason of the ice and the vnconstant- nesse of the wind, together with the mist, so that our course was vncertaine, and we supposed that we had sailed south- ward vp towardes the Samuters countrcy, and then held our course south-west, till the watchers* were north-west from ^ Willem Barentsz. siet wat ghy seght — mind what you swy. ^ 0ns werp ancker — our kedge-anchor. ^ Op een laghen ioal — on a lee shore. * Fore-sail. ' Met diversche reyse zijn iver^t-uncker uyt te brenghen — by repeatedly caiTying out their kedger (and so warping out). " Cape Dispute. ^ Mosten stedts weiiden — were forced continually to tack. " Be Wachters. The stars ft and 7 of the Little Bear were called by qpav h THE NAVIGATION vs ; then we came to the point of the States Island,' lying east-ward about a musket shot from the land, having 13 fadome deepe. The 4 of September, we hoysed anchor because of the ice, and sailed betwene the firme land and the States Island, where wee lay close by the States Island at 4 and 5 fadome deepe, and made our shippe fast with a cable cast on the shoare ; and there we were safe from the course of the ice,* and diuers time went on land to get' hares, whereof there were many in that island. The 6 of September, some of our men went on shore vpon the firme land to seeke for stones, which are a kinde of dia- mont,^ whereof there are many also in the States Island ; and while they were seeking y® stones, 2 of our me lying toge- ther in one place, a great leane white beare came sodainly stealing out, and caught one of them fast by the necke, who not knowing what it was that tooke him by the necke, cried out and said. Who is that that pulles me so by the necl the earlier navigators of modem times le Guardie, les Gardes, the Guards, de Wachters, die Wachter, on account of their constantly going round the Pole, and, as it were, guarding it. See Ideler, Untersuchungen Uber die Sternnamen, p. 291. These names do not, however, apr ar to be used by seamen at the present day. The Amsterdam Latin version of 1598 renders the expression of the Dutch text by " Ursa minor, quam nautes vigilea vocant ;" but, accord- ing to Ideler (loc. cit.), the corresponding term used by writers of the middle ages, is Circitores, signifying, according to Du Cangc, " militares, qui castra circuibant, qui faisoient la ronde, et la sentinelle avancee, ut vulgo loquimur." In II Penseroso, Milton speaks of " outwatching the Bear," evidently alluding to the never-setting of the circumpolar stars : " Arctos oceani mctuentes tequore tingi." The time on the 3rd of September, when '' the watchers were north- west," was about \ past 10 p.m. ^ Staten Eylandt. See page 37, note 4. ■ ' Den ysgangk — the drifting of the ice. ^ Schieten — to shoot. * Namely, pieces of rock-crystal. See page 37. .^nrm.,ttfr,\tiM sBSsamr ■H 1 *«, ! 1 1 it ■ ll \ J ! How a friglitful, cruel, big bear tare to piecei — ^ ^! *•;. bear taro to pieces two of our companions. n m INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 63 Wherewith the other, that lay not farre from him,' lifted vp his head to see who it was, and perceiuing it to be a mon- sterous beare, cryed and sayd. Oh mate, it is a beare ! and therewith presently rose vp and ran away. The beare at the first faling vpon the man, bit his head in sunder,* and suckt out his blood, wherewith the rest of the men that were on land, being about 20 in number, ran pre- sently thither, either to saue the man, or else to driue the beare from the dead body ; and hauing charged their peeces and bent their pikes,^ set vpon her, that still was deuouring the man, but perceiuing them to come towards her, fiercely and cruelly ran at them, and gat another of them out from the companie, which she taie in peeces, wherewith all the rest ran away. We perceiuing out of our ship and pinace that our men ran to the sea-side to save themsclues, with all speed entered into our boates, and rowed as fast as we could to the shoare to relieue our men. Where being on land, we beheld the cruell spectacle of our two dead men, that had beene so crurUy killed and torne in pieces by the beare. Wee seeing that, \couraged our men to goe batkc againe with vs, and with peeces, curtleaxes,^ and ' He-pikes, to set vpon the beare ; but they would not all ayi thoreuntn, some of them saying, Our men are already dead, and wr liall get the bcar(> well enough, though wee oppose not our scluos into so open danger ; if wee might saue our fellowes liues, then we would make haste ; but now wee neede not make such speodc, but take her at an aduantage, with most securitie for oti r sclues, for we haue to doe with a cruell, fierce and rauenous beast. Whereupon three of our men went forward, the beare still ^ Die by hem in de cuijl lack — that lay near him in the hollo\N ' De heyr beet den eenen terstond thooft in atucken — the bear instantly bit the one man's head in pieces. * Haer roers ende spietsen gevelt — lowering their muskets and pikes. * See page 2G, note 2. 64 THE NAVIGATION I I* deuouring her prey, not once fearing the number of our men, and yet they were thirtie at the least : the three that went forward in that sort, were Cornelius Jacobson,' maister of William Barents shippe, William Gysen, pilote of the pinace, and Hans ' »n Nufflen, William Barents purser '? and after that the sayd maister and pilote had shot three times and mist, the purser stepping somewhat iu; ^.her for- ward, and seeing the beare to be within the length of a shot, presently leauelled his pcece, and discharging it at the beare, shot her into the head betweene both the eyes, and yet shee held the man still fast by the necke, and lifted vp her head, with the man in her mouth, but shee beganne somewhat to stagger; whcremth the purser and a Scotishman^ drew out their courtlaxcs, and stroke at her so hard that their court- laxes burst,^ and yet she would not leauo the man. At last William Geysen went to them, and Avith all his might stroke the beare vpon the snowt with his pcece, at which time the beare fell to the ground, making a great noysc, and William Geyson leaping vpon her cut her throat. The seuenth of September wee burycd the dead bodycs of our men in the States Island, and hauing fleaed the beare, carrycd her skinne to Amsterdam. The ninth of September, wee set sailc from the States Island,* but the ice came in so thicke and with such force, that wee could not get through ; so that at eucning wee came backe againe to the States Island, the winde being ' Cornells Jacolsz. lie schipper va i Willem Borentsz. William Barentsz. was not in the capacity nKicly of ruiumandcr of his own vessel, but in that of pilot-major of the fleet. " Hans van Nuffelea, schryver van Willem Barentsz. — i.e., his clerk or writer. ^ Een Schotsman. From the intercourse which then existed, as now, between the opposite coasts of the German Ocean, there is nothing sur- prising in the fact of their having had such a person with them. The name of this individual is lot recorded. ■• In stucken sjn'onffheii — shivered in pieces. ' By de wal henen — along the coast. (Omitted.) INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 65 westerly. There the admirale find the pinace of Rotcrdam fell on ground by certaine rockes, but goto off againe with- out any hurt. The tenth of September wee sayled againe from the States Island towards the Wey-gates, and sent two boates into the sea to ccrtifie vs what store of ice was abroad ; and that cucning we came all together into Wey-gates, and anckored by the Twist Point.' The 11 of September in the morning, we sailed againe into the Tartarian Sea/ but we fell into great store of ice, so that Avce sailed back againe to the Wey-gates, and anckored by the Crosse Point, and about mid-night we saw a Russian lodgie,^ that sailed from the Bceltpoint^ towardes the Samu- ters land. The 13 of September, the suane being south [f p. 10 A.M.], there beganne a great storme to blowe out of the south south-west,* the weather being mistie, melancholly," and snowie,' and the storme increasing more and more, we draue through.* The 14 of September the weather beganne to bee some- what clearer, the windc being north-west, and the storme blowing stifFe" out of the Tartarian Sea; but at euening it was '" f aire weather, and then the windc blewc north-east. The same day our men went on the other side of Wey-gates on the firme land," to take the depth of the channel, and entered into the bough bchinde the islands,'' where there stood a ^ Cape Dispute. See page 55, note 1. " The Sea of Kara. ' Boat. * Image Point. See page CO. » ir. 2. tt^.— ir.S.W. 8 Modtlich— dirty. ^ Met sneejacht — with drifting snow. * Also dtit loy deur dreven — so that we drifted before it. " Die stroom qiutm stijf — the current ran strong. '" Elide was tot den avondt — and till the evening it was. ^' Aent vaste landt — to tho mairi land. " Voeren heel in de bocht achter het eylandt mette steert — went quite into tho bay behind the island with the tail. This is a small island lying in the channel, with a long sand or shallow running out behind it like a tail. To the bay behind this island the Dutch gave tho name of Brandts Bay. \.. i m ■ 1 '■■f; ill: I tt G6 THK NAVIGATION little howse made of wood, and a great fall of water into the land.* The same morning we hoysed vp our anckor/ think- ing once againe to try what we could doc to further our uoyage ; but our admirall being of another minde, lay still till the fifteene of September. The same day in the morning the winde draue in from the east end of the Wey-gates/ whereby wee were forced presently to hoyse anchorij, and the same day sailed out from the west ende of the Wey-gates, with all our flcetc, and made home-wardes againe, and that day past by the islands called Matfloe and Delgoy,* and that night wee sayled twelue [48] miles, north-west and by west, till Saterday in the morning, and then the windc fell north-cast, and it began to snow. The 16 of September, from morning to evening, wee sayled west north-west 18 [72] miles, at 42 fadome deepe ; in the night it snowed, and there blew very much winde out of the north-east : the first quarter^ wee had 40 fadome deepe, but in the morning we saw not any of our ships. After that wee sailed all the night againe till the 17 of September in the morning, with two schower sailes,* north- west and by west and west north-west 10 [40] miles ; the same day in the second quarter we had 50 fadome deepe, and in the morning 38 fadome deepe, sandy ground with blacke shels.' Sunday in the morning wee had the winde north and north-west, with a great gale, and then the admirals pinnace kept vs company, and sailed by vs with one saile from morning to evening, south south-west and south-west and by south, for the space of 6 [24] miles. ^ Ben groot af water — a great fall of water. 2 Ende de stengh om hoogh — and set the top-mast. (Omitted.) ^ Qiiam het ys weder om liet oosteijnt vande Weggats in dryven — the ice came again drifting in round the east end of Weygats. ♦ Sec page 3G, note 2. ' Watch. " Courses. ' Stippefen — specks. INTO THE NOllTH-SEAS. ()7 Then we saw the i)oint of Candynaes' lying south-cast from vs, and then wee had 21 fadome deepe, redde sand with blacke shels. Sunday at night wee put out our focke sayle/ and wound northward ouer, and sayled all that night till Munday in the morning, 7 [28] or 8 [32] miles north- east and north-east and by east. The 18 of September in the morning, wee lost the sight of the pinnace that followed vs, and till noonc sought after her, but weo could not finde her, and sailed* east-ward 3 [12] miles, and from noone till night wee sailed north and by east fourc [16] miles. And from Munday at night till Tues- day in the morning, north-east and by north, sc^uen [28] miles ; and from morning till noone, north-cast and by north, 4 [16] miles ; and from noonc till night, north-cast,* 6 [20] or 6 [24] miles, at 55 fadome deepe; the same eucning wee woond south-ward, and sailed so till morning. The 20 of September, wee sayled south and by west and south south-west, 7 [28] or 8 [32] miles, at 80 fadome deepe, black slimie ground ; from morning till noone wee sailed with both our marsh sailcs,° south-west and by west 5 [20] miles, and from noone to night west and by south 5 [20] miles. The 21 of September from night" till Thurseday in the morning, wee sayled one quarter' west, and so till day, still west, 7 [28] miles, at 64 fadome deepe, oasie ground. From morning till noone, south-west 5 [20] miles, at 65 fadome deepe, oasie ground : at noone wee wound north- ward againe, and for three homes sayled north-east two [8] mylcs : then we wound westward againe, and sayled till night, while halfe our second quarter was out," with two schoure saylcs," south south-west and south-west and by south sixe [24] myles. 1 Kill) in Nos. Sec page 38, note 3. " I)e foci:— the fore-sail. 3 Drecen—driited. * X fen o.— N. b>/ E. * Met heyde mars-seylen — with both ^o/;-sails. " Van den avont — from evening. ' Qjjg ^atcb or four hours. ^ Till half our second watch was out ; that is, till 2 a.m. '■• Two courses. Sec page 7, note 4. G8 THE NAVIGATION' After that, in the second quarter, wee wound northward, and sayled so till Fryday in the morning. The 22 of September wee sayled north and by east and north north-east 4 [16] miles :' and from morning till noone, north-east, 4 [16] myles. Then we wound west-ward againe, and sayled north-west and by west and north-west three [12] miles. After that, the fii'st quarter ,'* north-west and by west, fiuc [20] miles ; the second quarter, west and by north, foure [16] miles; and till Saterday in the morning, being the 23 of September, west south-west and south-west and by west, foure [16] miles. From Saterday in the morning till cuening wee sayled with two schoure sailes,* south-west and south-Avcst and by west, 7 [28] or 8 [32] miies, the winde being north north-west. In the euening we wound north- ward, and sayled till Sunday in the morning, being the 24 of September, with two schoure saylcs, very neare east, with a stiffe north north-west wind, 8 [32] miles ; and from morn- ing till noone, east and by south, three [12] miles, with a north winde. Then we wound west-ward, and till euening sayled west south-west three [12] miles ; and all that night till Monday in the morning, the 25 of September, Avest and by south, sixe [24] miles, the winde being north. In the morning the wind fell north-east, and we sailed from morn- ing till euening west and west and by north, 10 [40] miles, hauing 63 fadome deepe, sandy ground. From euening till Tuesday in the morning, being the 26 of September, we sailed west 10 [40] miles, and then in the morning wee were hard by the land, about 3 [VZ] miles east-ward from Kildwin ;' and then we wound off from the laud, and so held off for 3 houres together ; after that we wound towards the land agnino, and thought to goe into ^ This aud the preceding sentence should properly form but one, which should roiid thus : — After that, in the second watch, we tacked northward, and sailed till Friday mornint verdeck — on deck. " Die onder waren — who were below. ^ Ddt van den grooten hoop quum dri/ven — which came drifting from the great mass. m^^==* 74 THE NAVIGATION I ': i it being then about euening : at mid -night wee sailed through it, and the sunne was about a degree eleuatcd aboue the horizon in the north. The sixth of June, about foure of the clocke in the after- noone, wee entred againe into the ice, which was so strong that wee could not passe through it, and sayled south-west and by west, till eight glasses were runne out;' after that wee kept on our course north north-east, and sayled along by the ice. The seuenth of June wee tooke the height of the sunne, and found that it was eleuated aboue the horizon thirtie eight degrees and thirtie eight minutes, his declination beeing twentie two degrees thirtie eight minutes ; which beeing taken from thirtie eight degrees thirty eight minutes, wee found the Pole to bee seuentie foure degrees : there wee found so great store of ice, that it was admirable : and wee sayled along through it, as if wee had past betweene two lands, the water being as green? as grasse ; and wee sup- posed that we were not farre from Greene-land, and the longer wee sayled the more and thicker ice we found. The eight of June wee came to so great a heape of ice, that wee could not saile through it, because it was so thicke, and therefore wee wound about south-west and by west till two glasses were runne out,* and after that three glasses' more south south-west, and then south three glasses, to sayle to the island that wee saw, as also to shunne the ice. The ninth of June wee found the islande, that lay vndor 74 degrees and 30 minutes,^ and (as wee gest) it was about fiue [20] miles long.* ^ During four hours. ' One hour. * One hour and a half. • The accuracy of William Barentszoon'8 observations is worthy of remark. According to the observations of Fabure in the " Recherche," the west point of Bear Island is in 74° 30' 52" N. lat., being virtually the same as Barentsz,, with his rude instruments, had made it two centuries and a half previously. The longitude of the same point is 16° 19' 10" east of Paris, or 18° 39' 32" E. of Qrecnwich. * 5 myltn groot — twenty English sniles in circumference. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. W The tenth of June wee put out our boate, and therewith eight of our men went on land ; and as wee past by John Cornelisons shippe, eight of his men also came into our boate, whereof one was the pilote. Then William Barents [our pilot] asked him whether wee were not too much west- ward, but hee would not acknowledge it : whereupon there passed many wordes betweene them, for William Barents sayde hee would prooue it to bee so, as in trueth it was. The eleuenth of June, going on land, wee found great store of sea-mewes egges vpon the shoare, and in that island wee were in great danger of our Hues : for that going vp a great hill of snowe,^ when we should come downe againe, wee thought wee should all haue broken our neckes, it was so slipperie '^ but wee sate vpon the snowe^ and slidde downe, which was very dangerous for vs to breake both our armes and legges, for that at the foote of the hill there was many rockes, which wee were likely to haue fallen vpon, yet by Gods help wee got safely downe againe. Meane time William Barents sate in the boate, and sawe vs slide downe, and was in greater feare then wee to behold vs in that danger. In the sayd island we found the varying of our compasse, which was 13 degrees, so that it diflfered a whole point at the least ; after that wee rowed aboard John Cornelisons shippe, and there wee eate our eggs. The 12 of June in the morning, wee saw a white beare, which wee rowed after with our boate, thinking to cast a roape about her necke ; but when we were neere her, shee ^ Een stei/len sneehergh — a steep mountain of snow. This was not a glacier, but merely an accumulation of snow. The land of Bear Inland appears to be not sufficiently elevated for the formation of glaciers. See Von Buch's Memoir " iiber Spirifer Keilhavii," in Abhandl, d. K. Acad, d. Wisseiisch. zu Berlin, 1846, p. 6f> ; and iio transl., in Journ, Geol. Soc. Land,, vol. iii, part ii, p. 61. ' Steijl — steop. * Wg ghitujhen op om naers sitten. 76 THE NAVIGATION was SO great' that wee durst not doe it, but rowed backo againe to our shippe to fetch more men and our armes, and so made to her againe with muskets, hargubushes, halbertes, and hatchets, John Cornelysons men comming also with their boate* to helpe vs. And so beeing well furnished of men and weapons, wee rowed with both our boates vnto the beare, and fought with her while foure glasses were runne out,* for our weapons could doe her litle hurt ; and amongst the rest of the blowes that wee gaue her, one of our men • troke her into the backe with an axe, which stucke fast in her backe, and yet she swomme away with it ; but wee rowed after her, and at last wee cut her head in sunder with an axe, wherewith she dyed ; and then we brought her into John Cornelysons shippe, where wee fleaed her, and found her skinne to bee twclue footc long : which done, wee eate some of her flesh ; but wee brookt it not well.* This island wee called the Beare Island.' The 13 of June we left the island, and say led north and somewhat easterly, the winde being west and south-west, and made good way ; so that when the sunne was north [J p. 11 P.^^.], wee gest that wee had sayled 16 [64] miles north-ward from that island. ; • The 14 of June, when the sunnc was north, wee cast out our lead 113 fadome deepe, but found no ground, and so sayled forward till the 15 of June, when the sunne was south-east [| p. 8 a.m.], Avith mistic and drisling" weather, and sayled north and north and by cast ; about euening it * Oeweldich — powerful. ^ Bock — yawl. ' Two hours. * Maer ten bequam oiis niet tvel — but it did not agree with us. " Het B'l/ren Eylandt. The Russian walrus-hunterL call this isknd simply Medvyedy " the Bear." By the English it has been usually called Cherry Island. This name was given to it in 1604 by Stephen Bennet, who went thither in a ship belonging to Sir Francis Cherry, a rich mer- chant of London, to kill walruses for their oil, and who named the island after his patron. " HjselaclUich — hazy. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 77 cleared vp, and then wee saw a great thing driuing ' in the sea, which wee thought had been a shippe, but passing along by it wee perceiued it to be a dead whale, that stouncke monsterously ; and on it there sate a great number of sea meawes. At that time we had sayled 20 [80] miles. The 16 of June, with the like speede wee sayled north and by east, with mistie weather ; and as we sayled, wee heard the ice before wee saw it ; but after, when it cleared vp, wee saw it, and then wound off from it, when as wee guest wee had sayled 30 [120] miles. The 17 and 18 of June, wee saw great store of ice, and sayled alor g by it vntill wee came to the poynt, which wee could not reach,' for that the winde was south-east, which was right against vs, and the poynt of ice lay south- ward from vs : yet we laueared^ a great while to get beyond it, but we could not do it. The 19 of June we saw land againe. Then wee tooke the height of the sunne, and found that it was eleuated aboue the horizon 33 degrees and 37 minutes, her declination being 23 degrees and 26 minutes ; which taken from the sayd 33 degrees and 37 minutes, we found that we were vnder 80 degrees and 1 1 minutes, which was the height of the Pole there. ^ * Floating. ^ Daer ivy niet boven conden comen — which we could not weather. " See page 25, note 2. * There is an error in the calculation here, which may be best ex- plained by repeating the calculation itself, as it was doubtless made : — 33° 37' Elevation of the sun. 23° 2G' Declination of the sun. {Elevation of the equator, which being the complement of the elevation of the Pole, had to be deducted from 90°. 80° 11' But in making the deduction, the 11' were carried down instead of being substracted from 60'; and then, of course, 90°— 1U°=:80°. The true difl'orcnce is 79° 49', which is, consequently, the latitude observed. 78 THE NAVIGATION This land was very great,' and we sayled west-ward along by it till wee were vnder 79 degrees and a halfe, where we found a good road, and could not get neere to the land, because the winde blew north-east, which was right off from the land: the bay reacht right north and south into the sea. The 21 of June we cast out our anchor at 18 fadome before the land ; and then wee and John Cornelysons men rowed on the west side of the land, and there fetcht balast : and when wee got on board againe with our balast, wee saw a white beare that swamme towardes our shippe ; wherevpon we left off our worke, and entering into the boate with John Cornelisons men, rowed after her, and crossing her in the way, droue her from the land ; where-with shee swamme further into the sea, and wee followed her ; and for that our boate'' could not make way after her, we manned out our scute' also, the better to follow her : but she swamme a mile [4 mUes] into the sea ; yet wee followed her with the most part of all our men of both shippes in three boates, and stroke often times at her, cutting and heawing her, so that all our armes were most broken in peeces. During our fight with her, shee stroke her clowcs* so hard in our boate, that the signes thereof were scene in it ; but as hap was, it was in the forehead of our boate :' for if it had been in the middle thereof, shee had (peraduenture) ouer-thrownc it, they haue such force in their clawes. At last, after we had fought long with her and made her wearie with our three boates that kept about her, wee ouercame her and killed ^ The country thus visited for the first time was supposed by its discoverers to be a part of Greenland ; but it is now known to be Spitzbergen. ^ Bock. It is impossible to say what is the correct English name for this smaller boat: probably "yawl." Bock (or pont) is properly a *' punt," which is clearly not intended. ^ Schuijt. This being the generic term for small craft, might well be translated '' boat." * Claws. " Voor aen den steeen — forward in the stem (of the boat). INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 79 her : which done, we brought her into our shippe and fieaed her, her skinne being 13 foote long. After that, we rowed with our scute about a mile [4 miles] inward to the land,* where there was a good hauen and good anchor ground, on the east-side being sandie : there wee cast out our leade, and found 16 fadome deepe, and after that 10 and 12 fadom ; and rowing further, we found that on the east-side there was two islands that reached east-ward into the sea : on the west-side also there was a great creeke or riuer, which shewed also like an island. Then we rowed to the island that lay in the middle, and there we found many red geese-egges,^ which we saw sitting vpon their nests, and draue them from them, and they flying away cryed red, red, red :* and as they sate wee killed one goose dead with a stone, which we drcst and eate, and at least 60 eggcs, that we tooke with vs aboard the shippe ; and vpon the 22 of June wee went aboard our shippe againe. Those geese were of a perfit red coulor,* such as come into Holland about Weiringen,' and euery yeere are there taken ' Te landtioaert in — towards the land. " Rotgansen — brent geese or "barnacle" geese, as they were called, owing to the absurd idea which formerly prevailed as to their origin. ^ Rot, rot, rot. It is certainly singular that the translator should have attempted to render into English what is intended to represent the natural cry of these birds. But even in this strange attempt he made a mistake ; for " red" is in Dutch rood, while rot means a rout, crowd, flock, rabble ; so that, in the opinion of some, these geese are called rot- gansen in Dutch, on account of their flocking together. * Dit tvaren oprechte rotgansen — these were true brent geese. Apart from Phillip's very curious " translation," it is difficult to imagine how he could have supposed these geese to be of " a perfit red coulor." And it is scarcely less incomprehensible how Barrow, in his Chronological History, etc., p. 147, should have reproduced this and other errors of Phillip without the slightest comment. By a contemporary writer, in the passage cited in the next page, the brent goose is well described as " a fowle bigger than a mallard, and lesser than a goose, having blacke legs and bill or beake, and feathers blacke and white, spotted in such manner as is our mag-pie." It is figured and also described in the fifth volume of Gould's Birds of Europe. ' Wieringen, an island of North Holland, near the Tcxol. 80 THE NAVIGATION ■ 'i '(' ncd goeso in aboundaucc, but till this time it vas ncuer knownc where bret'il their y""«; >'«=oso they [laid and] hatcht their egges ; so that some men haue G*eou land, t^kcn vpon thcm to write that they sit vpon trees* in Scotland, that hang ouer the water, and such egges as fall from them downe into the water* become yong geese and swimme there out of the water ;' but those that fall vpon the land burst in sunndcr and arc lost :* but this is now found to be * Aen booinen wassen — ds adiacent, called Orchades, certain trees, whereon do grow certaine shells of a white colour tending to russet, wherein are contained little liuing creatures : which shells in time of maturitie do open, and out of them grow those little liuing things, which falling into the water do become fowles, which we call barnakles ; in the north of England, brant geese ; and in Lancashire, tree geese : but the other that do fall vi)on the land perish and come to nothing. Thus much by the writings of others, and also from the mouths of peoi>le of those parts, which may very well accord with truth. " But what our eyes haue scene, and hands haue touched, we shall r- INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 81 contrary, and it is not to bee wondered at that no man could tell where they breed' their egges, for that no man that ruer we knew had cucr bcene vnder 80 degrees, no/ that land vnder 80 degrees was neuer set downc in any card," much lesse the red geese that breed therein. * Liggen — lay. " Chart. The original has, however, nothing about any " card," but says noch nogt ihit land op die plaettt hekeid in get. •■'H — nor was that land over known on the spot (that is to say, from personal observation). declare. There is a small island in Lancashire called the Pile of Foulders, wherein are found the broken pieces of old and bruised ships, some whereof haue been cast thither by shipwracke, and also the trunks and bodies with the branches of old and rotten trees, cast vp tuere likewise ; whereon is found a certaine spume or froth that in time breedeth ^iito certaine shels, in shape like those of the muskle, but sharper pointed, and of a whitish colour ; wherein is contained a thing in forme like a lace of silke finely wouen as it were together, of a whitish colour, one end whereof is fastned vnto the inside of the shell, eiien as the fish of oisters and muskles are ; the other end is made fast vnto the belly of a rude masse or lumpe, which in time commeth to the shape and forme of a bird : when it is perfectly formed the shell gapeth open, and the first thing that appeareth is the foresaid Jace or string ; next come the legs of the bird iianging out, and as it groweth greater it openeth the shell by degrees, til at length it is all come forth, and hangeth onely by the bill ; in short space after it commeth to full maturitie, and falleth into the sea, where it gathereth feathers, and groweth to a fowle bigger than a mallard, and lesser than a goose, hauing blacke legs and bill or beake, and feathers blacke and white, spotted in such manner as is our mag-pie, called in some places a pie-annet, which the people of Lancashire call by no other naiue than a tree goose : which place aforesaid, and all those parts adioyniug, do so much abound there- with, that one of the best is bought for three pence. For the truth hereof, if any doubt, may it please them to repaire vnto me, and I shall satisfie them by the testimonie of good witnesses. " Moreouer, it should seeme that there is another sort hereof ; the historic of which is true, and of mine owne knowledge : for trauelling vpon the shore of our English coast betweene Doner and Rumney, 1 found the trunke of an old rotten tree, which (with some helpe that I procured by fishcrmens wines that were there attending their husbands returnc from the sea) we drew out of the water vpon dry land : vpon this rotten tree I found growing many thousands of long crimson bladders, in shape like vnto puddings newly filled, before they be sodden, which were M r ^ THIi NAVIGATION Note. It is here also to be noted, that althoupfh that in this land, which we cstcemc to be Greene-land, lying vnder 80 de- very clccre and shining ; at the nether end whereof did grow a shell fish, fashioned somewhat like a small musklc, but much whiter, resembling a shell fish that groweth vpon the rocks about Garnsey and Oarsey, called a lympit : many of these shells I brought with me to London, which after I had opened I found in them liuing things without forme or shape ; in others which were neerer come to ripencs I found liuing things that were very naked, in shape like a bird : in others, the birds couercd with soft downe, the shell halfe open, and the bird ready to fall out, which no doubt were the fowles called barnakles. I dare not absolutely auouch euery circumstance of the first part of this history, concerning the tree that beareth those buds aforesaid, but will Icaue it to a further consider- ation; howbeit that which I haue scene with mine eyes, and handled with mine hands, I dare confidently auouch, and boldly put downe for veritie. Now if any will obiect, that this tree which I saw might be one of those before mentioned, which either by the wanes of the sea or some violent wind had been ouerturned, as many other trees are ; or that any trees falling into those seas about the Orchjvdcs, will of themselves beare the like fowles, by reason of those seas and waters, these being so proba- ble coniectures, and likely to be true, I may not without preiudice gaine- say, or indeauour to confute." — (2nd edit,) p. 1588. Difficult as it is to understand how a man of Gerard's genius and information could have been thus deceived, the perfect sincerity of his belief is not to be doubted. Seeing, then, how deep rooted this popular error must have been, it was no small merit of William Barents/,, and his companions that they should have been mainly instrumental in disabus- ing the public mind on the subject. That they were so, and that at the time they enjoyed the credit of being so, is manifest from the following note on the foregoing passage, made by Thomas Johnson, the editor of the second edition of the llerball, published in 1633 : — " The barnakles, whose fabulous breed my author here sets downe, and diners others haue also deliuered, were found by some Hollanders to haue another originall, and that by cgges, as other birds haue : for they in their third voyage to finde out the north-east passage to China and the Molucco's, about the eightieth degree and eleuen minutes of northerly latitude, found two little islands, in the one of which they found abound- ance of these geese sitting vpon their egges, of which they got one goose, and tooke away sixty egges, etc. Vide Pontani, Iterurn et vrb. Amstelo- dam. Hist. lib. 2, cap. 22." Parkinson, too, in his Theatrum JBotanicum, published in 1640 (p. 1306), gives our Dutch navigators full credit for having confuted " this admi- rable tale of untruth." . . INTO TllK XOKTH-SKAS. 83 grees and more, there growcth leaues and grasse, and that there arc such beasts therein as eat grasse, as harts, buckcs, and such like bcastes as Hue thereon ; yet in Nona Zembhi, under 76 degrees, there groweth neither leaues nor grasse, nor any beasts that cate grasse or leaues Hue therein,' but such beasts as eate flesh, as beares and foxes : and yet this land lyeth full 4 degrees [further] from the North Pole as Greeneland aforesaid doth. The 23 of June we hoysted anchor againe, and sayled north-west-ward into the sea, but could get no further by reason of the ice ; and so wee came to the same place againe where wee had laine, and cast anchor at 18 fadome : and at euening- being at anchor, the sunne being north-east and somewhat more east-warde, wee tooke the height thereof, and found it to be cleuated aboue the horizon 13 degrees and 10 minutes, his declination being 23 degrees and 28 minutes; which substractcd from the height aforesaid,^ resteth 10 degrees and 18 minutes, which being substractcd from 90 degrees, then the height of the Pole there was 79 degrees and 42 minutes. After that, wee hoysted anchor againe, and sayled along by the west side of the land,* and then our men went on land, to see how much the needle of the compasse varyed. Meane time, there came a great wliite beare swimming towardes the shippe, and would haue climbed vp into it if we had not made a noyse, and with that we shot at her with ^ This remark, which has previously been made by the author in page 5, is not founded on fact, inasmuch as reindeer do exist in Novaya Zemlya, as is there shown in note 2. In addition to the authorities cited in that place, may be given that of Rosmuislov, who passed the winter of 1768-9 to the northward of 73° N. lat., and saw there large herds of wild reindeer. — L'utke, p. 77. ^ Des smichts — at night. ^ De selfde getogen win de genomen hooghde. This is erroneous. It should be "from, which subtracted the height aforesaid." •* Bij de westmd heeneii — along the west wall, i. c, the western shore. 84 THE ^AVlGATIOx^ U} ill >'i a pcece, but she left the shippe and swam to the land, where our men were : which wee pcrcciumg, sayled with our shippe towardes the land, and gaue a great shoute ; where- with our men thought that wee had fal^'^n on a rocke with our shippe, which made them much abashed ; and therewith the bearc also being afraide, swam off againe from the land and left our men, which made vs gladde : for our men had no weapons about them. Touching the varying of the compasse, for the which cause our men went on land to trj^ the certaintie thereof, it was found to differ 16 degrees. The 24 of June wc had a south-west winde, and could not get f^oue the island,' and therefore wee sayled backe againe, and found a haucn that lay fourc [16] myles from the other hauen, on tlie west side of the great haueu, and there cast anchor at twcluc fadome dccpe. There wee roAved a great way in, and went on land ; and there wee founde two sea- horses teeth that waighed sixe pound : wee also found many small teeth, and so rowed on board againe. The 25 of June wee hoystcd anchor againe, and sayled along by the land, and went south and south south-west, V. ith a north north-east windc, vnder 79 degrees. There A\'e found a great croeke or riuer," whcreinto we sailed ten [40] miles at the least, holding our course south-ward; but we perceiucd thai, cliere wee could not get through: there wee cast out our leadc .'.nd for the most part found t(>i; fadome deepe, but wee woyo constrained to lauere'out againe, for the winde was northerly, and almost full north;' and wee perceaucd that it reached to the firme land, which we supposed to be low-land, for tbfit wee could not sec it any thing farre, and therefore wee sailed so neere vnto it till that wee might see * Boven dot eylandt niet comen — could not ^vcather that island. * Een (jheweldigen inham — an extremely large bay or inlet. ' Liivereii, See page 25, tiotc 2. * Elide moeslen n. uen — and v:e had to iawe way as on the 19th of June and 17th of July (see pages 77 and Hi)), <)0°— 14° 15' is made to be 76° 15', whereas it should be 75'' 45', which is the true latitude. '' nieeckicn — bleached. i . 92 THE NAVIGATION there came a beare so neere to our shippe that wee might hit her with a stone, and wee shot her into the foote with a peece, wherewith shee ranne halting away. The one and thirteeth of July, the sunne being cast north- east [f p. 2 A.M.], seuen of our men killed a beare, and fleaed her, and cast her body into the sea. The same day at noone (by our instrument) wee found the variation of the nedle of the compasse to be 17 degrees.' The first of August wee saw a white beare, but shee ranne away from vs. The fourth of August wee got out of the ice to the other side of the island, and anchored there : where, with great labour and much paine, wee fetched a boate full of stones from the land. The fifth of August wee set saile againe towardes Ice- point" with an east wind, and sailed south south-cast, and then north north-cast, and saw no ice by the land, by the which wee lauered.* The sixth of August wee gate about the point of Nas- sawe,* and sayled forward east and east and by south, along by the land. The seuenth of August wee had a west south-west wind, and sayled along by the land, south-east and south-east and by east, and sawe but a little ice, and then past by the Trust- point,* which we had much longed for. At euening we had an east wind, with mistie weather, so that wee were forced to make our ship fast to a peece of ice, that was at least 36 fadome deepe vnder the water, and more then 16 fadome ^ This would seem to be a misprint for 27°, as all the other observa- tions made in Novaya Zemlya tend to show that at that time the varia- tion was from 2 to 2^ points. The subject is discussed in the Introduction. * The northernmost point of Novaya Zemlya. See page 24. ^ Baer we langha heenen laveerden — along which we tacked. * QuavMH wy hoven de hoeck van Nmsouwen — we weathered Cape Nassau. See page 16. * De hoeck van Troost — Cape Comfort. Sec page 22, note 4. i INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 93 aboue the water ; which in all was 62 fadome thick, for it lay fast vpon ground the which was 36 fadome deepe. The eight of August in the morning wee had an east wind with mistie weather. The 9 of August, lying still fast to the great peece of ice, it snowed hard, and it was misty weather, and when the sunne was south [f p. 10 a.m.] we went vpon the hatches' (for we alwayes held watch) ; where, as the master walked along the ship, he heard a beast snuffe with his nose, and looking ouer-bord he saw a great beare hard by ihe ship, where with he cryed out, a beare, a beare j and with that all our men came vp from vnder hatches,'* and saw a great beare hard by our boat, seeking to get into it, but wee giuing a great shoute, shee was afrayd and swamme away, but pre- sently came backe againe, and went behinde a great peece of ice, whereunto wee had made our shippc fast, and climbed vpon it, and boldly came towardes our shippe to enter into it :^ but wee had tornc our scute sayle in the shippe/ and lay with fourc peeces before at the bootesprit,'' and shotte her into the body, and with that, shee ranne away ; but it snowed so fast that wee could not see whither shoe went, but wee guest that she lay behinde a hlglf |f):^f^^p||/ whereof there was many vpon the peece of ice. The tenth of August, being Saterday, the ice began mightily to breake,' and then woo Hlfif jHiH'^JIH'd thdf the great peece of ice wlicrnvnto wee had llitul/i m\\ ^'\\\l>pc fast, lay on the ground ; for tlie tusi nf \j}u |pp flmiii 'M'.'I^S ^7 ^^> ' Boven opt I't nlrcL — al)ovc on ijoclt. " Qua7ne)i wy alle boven — we all came on tlot:|<. 3 iVine ons toe, out vnor hif 7 nchip op te climinen — toffiuila ua, Hi order to climb up the bow of tlie B|i|p. * Wj/ hadden boven opt schip ons schin/len aeijl jjhmihoien — we had placed the sail of our boa); uii (lliiji iih ii Hcrucn. " Voor opt bmedspit — folwafrt \\\\ die mtpatm. " Een hooghen heuvef — (\, pigh huniniucK of jfig, '' Te drjjvcn — to drift, of move. 94 THE NAVIGATION wherewith wee were in great feare that wee should be com- passed about with the ice,' and therefore wee vsed all the diligence and meanes that wee could to get from thence, for wee were in great doubt :' and being vnder sayle, wee saylcd vpon the ice, because it was all broken vnder us,^ and got to another peece of ice, whereunto wee made our shippe faste againe with our sheate anchor,* which wee made fast vpon it ; and there wee lay till eucning. And when wee had supped, in the first quarter' the sayd peece of ice began on a sodaine to burst and rende in peeces, so fearefully that it was admirable ; for with one great cracke it burst into foure hundred peeces at the least : wee lying fast to it,* weied our cable and got off from it. Vnder the water it was ten fadome deepe and lay vpon the ground, and two fadome aboue the water : and it made a fearefull noysc both vnder and aboue the water when it burst, and spread it selfe abroad on all sides. And being with great feare' gotten from that peece of ice, wee came to an other peece, that was sixe fadome deepe vnder the water, to the which we made a rope fast on both sides. Then wee saw an other great peece of ice not farre frrm vs, lying fast in the sea, that was as sharpe aboue as it hud been a tower; whereunto wee rowed, and casting out our lead, wee found that it lay 20 fadome deepe, fast on the ground vnder the water, and 12 fadome aboue the water. The 11 of August, being Sunday, wee rowed to another peece of ice, and cast out our lead, and found that it lay IS fadom deepe, fast to the ground vnder the water, and 10 ^ Int ys beknelt sonde werden — we should be crushed by the ice. ^ Ghevaer — danger. ' Dattet al craeckte watter ontrent was — so that all round about us cracked. * Werp ancker — kedge. ■* Watch. * Met de steven daer aen — with our stem (bow) on it. ^ (Jhevaer — danjjer. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS 95 Ithcr lb 10 fadomc aboue the water. The 12 of August we sailed neere* vnder the land, y^ better to shun y* ice, for y' the great flakes that draue in the sea* were many fadome deepe under the water, and we were better defended from them being at 4 and 5 fadome water ; and there ran a great current of water from the hill[s]. There we made our ship fast againe to a peece of ice, and called that point the small Ice Point.^ The 13 of August in the morning, there came a beare from* the east point of the land, close to our ship, and one of our men with a peece shot at her and brake one of her legs, but she crept' vp the hill with her three feet, and wee foUoAviug her killed her, and hauing flead her brought the skinne aboard the ship. From thence we set saile with a little gale of winde,* and were forced to laucre, but after that it began to blow more^ out of the south and south south- east. The 15 of August we came to the Island of Orange,® where we were inclosed with the ice hard by a great peece of ice where we were in great danger to loose our ship, but with great labour and much paine we got U, le island, the windc being south-east, whereby we were constrained to turne our ship ;' ;ind while we were busied thereabouts and made much noib a beare that lay there and slept, awaked and came towards vs to the ship, so that m '> were forced to leaue our worke about turniiij/ of the ship, and to defend our seines against the beare, and shot her into the body, wherewith she run away to the other siile of the island, and ^ JV^och naerder — still nearer. ^ De grootste schotsen dryvende ys — the largest pieces of drift ice. * Den cleynen Ys-hoeck. * Om — round. " Hiippelde — limped. * I[e.t viynich coelte — with little wind. ^ D>'gan't beter te coelen — the wind freshened. />i I'li/Jindt van Oraengien, On the first voyage the Islands of Orange a/e i^poken of. See page 2.5. " Ilet schip verlegghen — to change the position of the ship. i& IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ ^ ^ 1.0 I.I IM lu Uii !■■ 1^ L£ 12.0 Ml IRR^s IL25 nH 1.4 I 1.6 Hiotographic Sciences Coiporation 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WMSTH.N.Y. .Aitn (716)173-4503 iV \ ;\ & 1 > 96 THE NAVIGATION swam into the water, and got vp vpon a peece of ice, where shee lay still ; but we comming afte^ her to the peece of ice where shee lay, when she saw vs she leapt into the water and swam to the land, but we got betweene her and the land, and stroke her on the head with a hatchet, but as often as we stroke at her with the hatchet, she duckt vnder the water, whereby we had much to do before we could kill her: after she was dead we fleaed her on the land, and tooke th' skin on board with vs, and after that turned' our ship to a great peece of ice, and made it fast thereunto. The 16 of August ten of our men entring into one boat, rowed to the firme land of Nona Zembla, and drew the boate vp vpon the ice; which done, we went vp a high hill to see the cituation of the land, and found that it reached south- east and south south-east, and then againe south, which we disliked, for that it lay so much southward : but when we saw open water south-east and east south-east, we were much comforted againe, thinking y' wee had woon our voy- age," and knew not how wee should get soone inough on boord to certifie William Barents thereof. The 18 of August we made preparation to set saile, but it was all in vaine ; for we had almost lost our sheat anchor^ and two new ropes, and with much lost labour got to the place againe from whence we came : for the streame ran with a mighty currant, and the ice drave very strongly vpon the cables along by the shippe, so that we were in fear that we should loose all the cable that was without the ship, which was 200 fadome at the least ; but God prouided well for vs, so that in the end wee got to the place againe from whence we put out. The 19 of August it was indifferent good weather, the Brachten— brought, De reijt ffhewonnen waer — i.e., the object of the voyage was attained, and they had become entitled to the reward offered by the States General, as mentioned in page 70. * Werp-ancker — kedge. INTO THE NORTH-STIAS. 97 it ath we ich vs, knee the lined, LeraU winde blowing sonth-west, the ice still drilling, and we set saile with an indifferent gale of wind,' and past by ye Point of Desire,'^ whereby we were once againe in good hope. And when we had gotten aboue the point,' we sailed south-east into the sea-ward 4 [16] miles, but then againe we entred into more ice, whereby we were constrained to turn back againe, and sailed north-west vntil we came to y^ land againe, which reacheth fro the Point of Desire to the Head Point,* south and by west, 6 [24] miles : from the Head Point to Flushingers Head,' it reacheth south-west, which are 3 [12] miles one from the other ; from the Flush- ingers Head, it reacheth into the sea east south-east, and from Flushingars Head to the Point of the Island" it reach- eth south-west and by south and south-west 3 [12] miles ; and from the Island Point to the Point of the Ice Hauen,' the land reacheth west south-west 4 [16] miles : from the Ice Hauens Point to the fall of water or the Streame Bay" and the low land, it reacheth west and by south and east and by north, 7 [28] miles : from thence the land reacheth cast and west. . ; The 21 of August we sailed a great way into the Ice Hauen, and that night ankored therein : next day, the streame* going extreame hard eastward, we haled out againe from thence, and sailed againe to the Island Point ; but for that it was misty weather, comming to a pecce of ice, we made the ship fast thereunto, because the winde began to blow hard south-west and south south-west. There we ' Een tamelijcke coelte — an easy breeze. " De hoech van Begheerte. Cape Desire. " Boveii den hoeck wnren — had weathered the cape. "• Df Hooft-hoeck. "^ Het Vlissingher hooft — Flushing Head. " De hoeck vent Eylandt. Subsequently called Den Eylandts hoeck, or Island Point. ' De hoeck van den Yshaven — Ico Haven Point. * Het afwater ofte Stroom Bay, " Stroom — current. o mmmmimmimm^ ■MimiaiiMPMiMniHMi i^^^^po 98 THE NAVIGATION ■*• went' vp vpon the ice, and wondred much thereat, it was such manner of ice : for on the top it was ful of earth, and there we found aboue 40 egges, and it was not like other ice, for it was of a perfect azure coloure, like to the skies, whereby there grew great contentio in words amongst our men, some saying that it was ice, others that it was frozen land ; for it lay vnreasonable high aboue the water, it was at least 18 fadome vnder the water close to the ground, and 10 fadome aboue the water : there we stayed all that storme, the winde being south-west and by west. The 23 of August we sailed againe from the ice south- eastward into the sea, but entred presently into it againe, and wound about'' to the Ice Hauen. The next day it blew hard north north-west, and the ice came mightily driuing in, whereby we were in a manner compassed about therewith, and withall the winde began more and more to rise, and the ice still draue harder and harder, so that the pin of the rother' and the rother were shorne in peeces,* and our boatc was shorne in peeces^ betweene the ship and the ice, we ex- pecting nothing else but that the ship also would be prcst and crusht in peeccs with the ice. The 25 of August the weather began to be better, and we tookc great paines and bestowed much labour to get the ice, wherewith we were so inclosed, to go from vs, bat what meanes s'^euer we vsed it was all in vaine. But when the sun was south-west [|- p. 2 p.m.] the ice began to driue out againe with the streame," and we thought to saile southward about Nona Zembla, [and so westwards] to the Straitcs of Mer- gates.^ For that seeing we could there find no passage, we hauing past* Nona Zembla, [we] wer, of opinion that our ' Keerden omme — turned back. * Clommen — climbed. " Depen vant roer — the tiller. * Stucken gheschoven werden — were broken in pieces. ' Gkeschovtn — stove in, " Stroom — current. ^ Wei/ffats. " That is, now that wc had passed. J I ; I' How our ship stuck fast in the ice, whereby i^mm TH Pyp ■i ,? - the ice, whereby three of us were nearly lost. m^imrm^^y^mmmii^Kmm 1^.1. ,»ii...,,.^..j.i„i.,..-i pwqjwi Tm INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 99 labour was all in vaine and that we could not get through, and so agreed to go that way home againe ; but comming to the Streame Bay, we were forced to go back againe, because of the ice which lay so fast thereabouts ; and the same night also it froze, that we could hardly get through there with the little wind that we had, the winde then being north. The 26 of August there blew a reasonable gale of winde, at which time we determined to saile back to the Point of Desire, and so home againe, seeing y* we could not get through [by the way towards] y® Wergats,' although we vsed al the meanes and industry we could to get forward ; but whe we had past by y® Ice Hauen y^ ice began to driue w* such force, y* we were inclosed round about therewith, and yet we sought al the meanes we could to get out, but it was all in vaine. And at that time we had like to haue lost three men that were vpon the ice to make way for the ship, if the ice had held y® course it went j but as we draue back againe, and that the ice also whereon our men stood in like sort draue, they being nimble, as y® ship draue by the, one of them caught hould of the beake head, another vpon the shroudes,'^ and the third vpon the great brasc^ that hung out behind, and so by great aduenture by the hold that they tooke they got safe into the shippe againe, for which they thanked God with all their hearts : for it was much liklier that they should rather haue beene carried away with the ice, but God, by the nimblenes of their hands, dcliuered them out of that danger, which was a pittifuU thing to behold, although it fell out for the best, for if they had not beene nimble they had surely dyed for it. The same day in the euening we got to the west side of the Ice Hauen, where we were forced, in great cold, pouerty, misery, and griefe, to stay all that winter ; the winde then being east north-east. 1 Weygats. » De school— iha sheet. •' De groote bras — the inaiu brace. f 100 THE NAVIGATION The 27 of August the ice draue round about the ship, and yet it was good wether ; at which time we went on land, and being there it began to blow south-east with a reasonable gale, and then the ice came with great force before the bough,* and draue the ship vp foure foote high before, and behind it seemed as if the keele lay on the ground, so that it seemed that the ship would be ouerthrowne in the place ; whereupon they that were in the ship put out the boate,* therewith to saue their Hues, and withall put out a flagge to make a signe to vs to come on board : which we perceiuing, and beholding the ship to bo lifted vp in that sort, made all the haste we could to get on board, thinking that the sliip was burst in pceces, but comming vnto it we found it to be in better case then we thought it had beene. The 28 of August wee gat some of the ice from it,' and the ship began to sit vpright againe ; but before it was fully vpright, as William Barents and the other pilot went for- ward to the bough,* to see how the ship lay and how much it was risen, and while they were busie vpon their knees and elbowes to measure how much it was, the ship burst out of the ice with such a noyse and so great a crack, that they thought verely that they Avere all cast away, knowing not how to saue thcmselues. The 29 of August, the ship lying vpright againe, we vsed {ill the meanes we could, with yron hookes* and other instru- ^ The bow of the ship. " Weeck het ys wat wech- * Bock — yawl, -the ice gave way a little. * Bow. •"' Koe-voeten — crow-bars : literally cows-feet, from the resemblance which the bifurcated end bears to the cloven foot of that animal. In one of the printed accounts of the riots of 1780 (the reference to which cannot just now be found), it is mentioned that a piff's-foot — the "jemmy" little tool used by housebreakers — was employed in the destruction of Newgate, and surprise was expressed at the power of so small an in- strument to move the large stones of which that building was con- structed. The small iron hammer common in our printing-offices is likewise called u slweji's-foot; the reason for the name being in each case the same. :«=^ ^^^^P^pi jno 'iNiiiniiiiiiiiiwiiiii iiiBr ?^« ;-si>x S^JJ^S^teisttt^ How the ice heaved up the foij ■i/i 'I "n leaved up the fore part of our ship. ii ! INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 101 ments, to brcake the flakes of ice that lay one heap'd vpo the other, but al in vaine ; so that we determined to commit our selues to the mcrcie of God, and to attend ayde from him, for that the ice draue not away in any such sort that it could helpe vs. . The 30 of August the ice began to driue together one vpon the other with greater force then before, and bare against the ship w** a boystrous south [by] west wind and a great snowe, so that all the whole ship was borne vp and inclosed,' whereby all that was both about it and in it began to crack, so that it seemed to burst in a 100 peeces, which was most fearfuU both to see and heare, and made all y° haire of our heads to rise vpright with feare ; and after y', the ship (by the ice on both sides that joined and got vnder the same) was driuen so vpright, in such sort as if it had bin lifted vp with a wrench or vice.'' The 31 of August, by the force of the ice, the ship was driuen vp 4 or 5 foote high at the beake head,' and the hinder part thereof lay in a clift* of ice, whereby we thought that the ruther would be freed from the force of the flakes of ice,* but, notwithstanding, it brake in peeces staffe" and dl : and if that the hinder part of the ship had bin in the ice that draue as well as the fore part was, then all the ship' would haue bin driuen wholly vpon the ice, or possibly haue ran on groiid,* and for that cause wee were in great feare, and set our scutes and oift boate" out vpon the ice, if neede were, to saue our selues. But within 4 houres after, the ice draue awayc of it selfc, wherewith we were exceeding glad, as if we had saued our Hues, for that the ship was then on Gheknelt — Sf;"'eezed. " Vysel — a screw or jack. Voorsteven — stem, * Crevice. Ifet schuyven das ys — from the action (pushing) of the ice. Pen — tiller. Ilet gantsche voonchip — the entire fore-part of the ship. In ileii (jroiuU ghecoinen — gone to the bottom. Oim scliuijt ende boot — our boat and yawl, Ft: ' m I! lOS THE NAVIGATION float againe; and vpon that we made a new ruther and a staffe/ and hung the ruther out vpon the hooks, that if we chanced to be born' vpon the ice againe, as we had bin, it might so be freed from it. The 1 of September, being Sunday, while we were at praier, the ice began to gather together againe, so that the ship was lifted vp [bodily] two foote at the least, but the ice brake not.' The same euening* the ice continued in y' sort stil driuing and gathering together, so that we made pre- paration to draw our scute and the boate ouer the ice vpon the land, the wind then blowing south-east. The 2 of September it snowed hard with a north-east wind, and the ship began to rise vp higher vpo the ice,* at which time the ice burst and crakt with great force, so that we were of opinion to carry our scute on land in that fowle weather, with 13 barrels of bread and two hogshcds' of wine to sustaine our seines if need were. The 3 of September it blew [just as] hard, but snowed not so much, y° wind being north north-east ; at which time wc began to be loose from the ice whereuntowe lay fast, so that the schcck broke from the stcuen,' but the planks wherewith the ship was lyned held the scheck fast and made it hang on f but the boutloofe and a new cable, if we had failed vpon the ice, brake by the forcible pressing of the ice,* but held fast * Pen — tiller. * Borne, carried. ^ /let hleef noch al dicht — it {the fihij>) remained quite tight. * Naenoens — afternoon. " Te 8ch uymn vant i/s — to be moved by the ice. •• Vaetkens — small casks. "^ Soo (ht de scheck achter van den Steven geschoven werde — so that the ice-knees (chocks) started from the stern-post. * llielde de scheck nock dat zy daeraen hleef hangen — kept the ice- knees still hanging on. " Ernie de bouteloef brack mede stiicken met een nieu cabeltou dat wy op het ys hadtlen vast ghemaeckl — and the bumpkin likewise broke away, with a new cable, which wc had made fast to the ice. The bouteloef or livtltloej' (in English, bumjikiu) is a piece of iron, projecting from the INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 103 ice, fast againe in the ice ; and yet the ship was staunch, which was wonder, in regard y* the ice draue so hard and in great heapes as big as the salt hils that are in Spaine,' and within a harquebus shot of the ship, betweene the which we lay in great feare and anguishe. The 4 of September the weather began to cleare vp and we sawe the sunne, but it was very cold, the wind being north-east, we being forced to lye still. The 5 of September it was faire sunshine weather and very calme; and at euening, when we had supt, the ice compassed about vs againe and we were hard inclosed there- with, the ship beginning to lye vpon the one side and leakt sore,' but by Gods grace it became staunch againe,' where- with* we were wholly in feare to loose the ship, it was in so great danger. At which time we tooke counsell together and caried our old sock saile,' with pouder, lead, peeces, muskets and other furniture on land, to make a tent [or ^ hut] about our scute y* we had drawe vpon the land ; and at that time we carried some bread and wine on land also, with some timber," therewith to mend our boate, that it might serue vs in time of neede. stem of the ship, and used for the purpose of giving more breadth to the fore-sail. It is no longer met with in square-rigged vessels, but only in small craft. It would seem to be one of the last things to which a sea- man would attach a cable ; but it may have been merely temporarily, or for some reason that ca;inot now be discovered. ^ Jae, flatter ys berghen dreven, soo groot ala de southerghen in Spaen- gien — yea, there drifted icebergs by us, as big as the salt mountains in Spain. Allusion is evidently here made to the celebrated salt mines of Cardona, about sixteen leagues from Barcelona, where " the great body of the salt forms a rugged precipice, which is reckoned between 400 and 500 feet in height." Bee Dr. Traill's " Observations" on the subject, in Trans. Qeol. Soc. (1st ser.), vol. iii, p. 404. Our author's familiar com- parison of the icebergs to these salt rocks, may be taken as a proof that ho had been in Spain, and was personally acquainted with the locality. ^ Ende leet veel — and suffered much. •'' Bleeft noch dicht — still remained tight. * Dan — for. ' Fock — foresail. " Timmerghereetachap — carpenter's tools. 104 THE NAVIGATION W : i t The 6 of September it was indifferent faire sea-wether' and sun-shine, the wind being west, whereby we were some- what comforted, hoping that the ice would driue away and that we might get from thence againe. The 7 of September it was indifferent wether againe, but we perceiued no opening of the water, but to the contrary if^ lay hard inclosed with ice, and no water at all about the ship, no not so much as a bucket full. The same day 5 of our men went on land, but 2 of them came back againe ; the other three went forward about 2 [8] miles into the land, and there found a riuer of sweet water, where also they found great store of wood that had bin driucn thither, and there they fojjd the foote-stcps of harts and hinds,^ as they thought, for they were clouen footed, some greater footed then others, which made them iudge them to be so. The 8 of September it blew hard east north-east, which was a right contrary wind to doe vs any good touching the carrying away of the ice, so that wc were stil faster in the ice, which put vs in no small discomfort. The 9 of September it blew [strongly from the] north- east, with a little snowc, whereby our ship was wholly in- closed with ice, for y° wind draue the ice hard against it, so that we lay 3 or 4 foote deepe in the ice, and our shock in the after-steuer brake in peeces,* and the ship began to be somewhat loose before, but yet it was not much hurt. * Oock tamelijck v^eder ende stilletgens — also tolerable weather and calm. a iry— we. ' Rheden ende Elanden — deer and elks. It is unaccountable that, with this fact within his own personal knowledge, Gerrit de Veer should have expressly asserted, on two several occasions (pages 6 and 8.3), that tliere are no graminivorous animals in Novaya Zemlya, and pointedly distinguished between this country and Spitzbergon on that account. It is most probable that these animals had crossed over from Siberia on the ice. * 0ns acheck aen de achter-ateven brack altemet noch vieer stucken — and the ice-knees on the stern-post broke more and more in pieces. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 105 In the night time two beares came close to our ship side, but Ave sounded our trumpet and shot at them, but hit them not because it was darke, and they ran away. The 10 of September the wether was somrtrhat better, be- cause the wind blew not so hard, and yet all one wind. The 11 of September it was calme wether, and 8 of vs went on land, euery man armed, to see if that were true as our other three companions had said, that there lay wood about the riuer ; for that seeing we had so long wound and turned about, sometime in the ice and then againe got out, and thereby were compelled to alter our course, and at last sawe that we could not get out of the ice but ^ rather became faster, and could not loose our ship as at other times we had done, as also that it began to be [near autumn and] winter, we tooke counsell together what we were best to doe according to the [circumstances of the] time, [in order] that we might Avinter there and attend such ad- ucnture as God would send vs : and after Ave had debated vpon the matter, to kecpe and defend our selues both from the cold and the wild beasts, we determined to build a [shed or] house vpon the land, to keep vs therein as Avell as we could, and so to commit ourselves vnto the tuition of God. And to that end we Avent further into the land, to find out ttow God the conuenientcst place in our opinions to raise our house uemest need, when vpon, and yet Ave had not much stufFe to make it Avithall, in wew.uo regard that there grew no trees nor any other thing in that " ",. vpoirtilo country convenient to build it Avithall. But we leaning no woda^o"^* occasion vnsought, as our men Avcnt abroad to vicAV the House ami to seruo V8 couiitxy and to see what good fortune might happen unto !jj ^'j''^'; vs, at last we found an unexpected comfort in our need, ''"" Avhich Avas that we found certaine trees, roots and all, (as our three companions had said before,) Avhich had bin driuen vpon the shoare, either from Tartaria, Muscouia, or else- Avhcrc, for there was none growing vpon that land ; Avhcre- Avith (as if God had purposely sent them vnto vs) wc Avcre no colli Iter. I :' 106 THE NAVIGATION much comforted, being in good hope that God would shew vs some further fauour ; for that wood serued vs not onely to build our house, but also to burnc and serue vs all the winter long ; otherwise without all doubt we had died there miserably with extreame cold. The 12 of September it was calme wether, and then our men went vnto the other side of the land, to see if they could finde any wood neerer vnto vs, but there was none.' The 13 of September it was calme but very misty wether, so that we could doe nothing, because it was dangerous for vs to go into the land, in regard that we could not see the wild beares ; and yet they could smell vs, for they smell better then they see. The 14 of September it was cleere sunshine wether, but very cold ; and then we went into the land, an^ laid the wood in heapes one vpo the other, that it might not be couered ouer with y® snow, and from thence ment' to carry it to the place where we intended to builde our house. The 15 of September in the morning, as one of our men held watche, wee saw three beares, whereof the one lay still behind a peece of ice [and] the other two came close to the ship, which we perceiuing, made our peeces ready to shoote at them ; at which time there stod a tub full of beefe* vpon the ice, which lay in the water to be seasoned,* for that close by the ship there was no water ; one of the beares went vnto it, and put in his head [into the tub] to take out a peece of the beefe, but she fared therewith as the dog did with y® pudding ;* for as she was snatching at the beefe, she was shot into the head, wherewith she fell downe dead and neuer ^ Maer vonden daer gantsch weynich — but found very little there. " Meant, intended. ' Vleysch — meat. * Opt ys om te ververschen — upon the ice, to freshen. " Maer het bequam hem als de hondt de loorst — but it agreed with her as the pudding (sausage) did with the dog. This is a Dutch proverb, made use of when any undertaking turns out badly ; because the dog is said to have stolen a sausage, and to have been soundly beaten for his pains. I INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 107 ■? stir'd. [There we saw a curious sight]: the other beare stood still, and lokt vpon her fellow [as if wondering why she re- mained so motionless] ; and when she had stood a good while she smelt her fellow, and perceiuing that she [lay still and] was dead, she ran away, but we tooke halberts and other armes with vs and followed her.* And at last she came againe towards vs, and we prepared our selues to withstand her, wherewith she rose vp vpon her hinder feet, thinking to rampe at vs ; but while she reared herselfe vp, one of our men shot her into the belly, and with that she fell vpon her fore-feet againe, and roaring as loud as she could, ran away. Then we tooke the dead beare, and ript her belly open ; and taking out her guts we set her vpon her fore feet, that so she might freese as she stood, intend- ing to carry her w* vs into Holland if we might get our ship loose ; and when we had set y^ beare vpon her foure feet, we began to make a slcad, thereon to drawe the wood to the place where wc nient' to build our house. At that time it froze two fingers thicke in the salt water [of the sea], and it was exceeding cold, the wind blowing north-east. The 16 of September the sunne shone, but towards the euening it was misty, the wind being easterly ; at which time we went [for the first time] to fetch wood with our sleads, and then we drew foure beames aboue' a mile [4 miles] vpon the ice and the snow. That night againe it frose aboue two fingers thicke. The 17 of September thirtecne of vs went where the wood lay with our sleads, and so drew fine and fine in a slead, and the other three helped to lift the wood behind, to make vs draw the better and with more ease ;* and in that manner we ^ Loerden op hem of hy oock wederom comen sonde — and watched for her coming back. " Meant. « Went."— P/e. ^ jjy ,jrte— nearly. ■* Ende drie hleven li/t /tout om dat te behouwen, soo werdet so veel te Itchier int slepen — and throe remained behind with the wood, to hew it, so that it might be the lighter to draw. ^i^: ii ^1 ' i I m n F 108 THE NAVIGATION drew wood twice a day, and laid it on a heape by the place where we ment to build our house. The 18 of September the wind blew west, but it snowed hard, and we went on land againe to continue our labour to draw wood to our place appointed, and after dinner the sun shone and it was calme wether. The 19 of September it was calme sunshine wether, and we drew two sleads full of wood sixe thousand paces long,' and that we did twice a day. [The 20 of September we again made two journeys with the sledges, and it was misty and still weather.] The 21 of September it was misty wether, but towards euening it cleared vp, nnd the ice still draue in the sea, but not so strongly as it dia before, but yet it was very cold, [so that we were forced to bring our caboose'' below, because everything froze above.] The 22 of September it was faire still weather, but very cold, the wind being west. The 23 of September we fetcht more wood to build our house, which we did twice a day, but it grew to be misty and still weather againe, the wind blowing east and east- north-east. That day our carpentur (being of Purmecaet'^) dyed as we came aboord about euening. The 24 of September we buryed him vnder the sieges* in the clift of a hill, hard by the water,* for we could not dig vp the earth by reason of the great frost and cold ; and that day we went twice with our sleads to fetch wood. The 25 of September it was darke weather, the wind blowing west and west south-west and south-west, and the ^ Verde — far. The distance which, on the 16th September, they had estimated at nearly one Dutch mile. ^ Conhuya. The cooking-place on board ship. ' Purmerend. A town in North Holland, about eight miles north of Amsterdam. * Cinghel — shingle. ' Eeii afwateringhe — a fall or current of water. apvp ,. mm =*in s 1i« mmmmmim -.',* u How we built a house of wood, wherein to keep . wherein to keep ourselv^ through the winter. mam m I INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 109 ice begu somewhat to open and driue away ; but it con- tinued not long, for that hauing driuen about the length of the shot of a great peece,* it lay three fadomes deepe vpon the ground : and where we lay the ice draue not, for we iu_, in the middle of the ice ; but if we had layne in the [open or] maine sea, we would haue hoyscd sayle, although it was the late in the yeare. The same day we raised vp the prin- ciples' of our house, and began to worke hard thereon ; but if the ship had bin loose we would haue left our building and haue made our after stcuen of our ship,' that we might haue been ready to saUe away if it had bin possible ; for that it grieued vs much to lye there all that cold winter, which we knew would fall out to be extreame bitter ; but being bercaued of all hope, we were compelled to make necessity a vertue, and with patience to attend what issue God would send vs. The 26 of September w "ad a west wind and an open sea, but our ship lay fast, wherewith we were not a little greened ; but it was God's will, which we most* patiently bare,* and we began to make vp our house :' part of our men fetch'd wood to burne, the rest played the carpenters and were busic about the house. As then we were sixteene men in all, for our carpenter was dead, and of our sixteene men there was still one or other sicke. The 27th of September it blew hard north-east, and it frose so hard that as we put a nayle into our mouthes (as when men worke carpenters worke they vse to doe), there would ice hang thereon when we tooke it out againo, and make the blood follow. The same day there came an old ^ Ben gotelinghs schoot — a falconet shot. See page 33, note 2. " Balcken — the beams or principal timbers. ' Oius scheck qfte achterateven vant schip wederom ghemaeckt — ^repaired the ice-knees or stem-post of the ship. * Must. » Bear. * Thuya altemet dicht te maecken — by degrees to close up (the sides of) the house. 110 THE NAVIGATION beare and a yong one towards vs as we were going to our house, beeing altogether (for we durst not go alone), which we thought to shoot at, but she ran away. At which time the ice came forcibl;/ driuing in, and it was faire sunshine weather, br.t so extreame cold that we could hardly worVe, but extremity forced vs thereunto. The 28 of September it was faire weather and the sun shon, the wind being west and very calme, the sea as then being open, but our ship lay fast in the ice and stirred not. The same day there came a beare to the ship, but when she espied vs she ran away, and we made as much hast as we could* to build our house. The 29 of September in the morning, the wind was west, and after-noone it [again] blew east,'' and then we saw three beares betweene vs and the house, an old one and two yong; but we notwithstanding drew our goods from the ship to the house, and so got before y^ beares, and yet thty followed vs : neuertheless we would not shun the way for theni, but hol- lowed out as loud as we could, thinking that they would haue gone away; but they would not once go out of their foote- path, but got before vs, wherewith we and they that were at the house made a great noise, which made the beares runne away, and we were not a little glad thereof. The 30 of September the winde was east and east south- east, and all that night and the next day it snowed so fast that our men could fetch no wood, it lay so close and high one vjjon the other. Then we made a great fire without the house, therewith to thaw the ground, that so we might lay it about the house that it might be the closer ; but it was all lost labour, for the earth was so hard and frozen so deep into the ground, that wc could not thaw^ it, and it would haue cost vs too much wood, and therefore we were forced to Icauc off that labour. * Wy ghinghen vast voort — wo kept ou hard at work. , 3 " Northly."— 7'A. U INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. Ill The first of October the winde blew stifle north-east, and after noone it blew north with a great storme and drift of snow, whereby we could hardly go in' the winde, and a man could hardly draw his breath, the snow draue so hard in our faces J at which time wee could not see two [or three] ships length from vs. The 2 of October before noone the sun shone, and after noone it was cloudy againe and it snew, but the weather was still, the winde being north and then south, and we set vp our house'' and vpon it we placed a may pole* made of frozen snowe. The 3 of October before noone it was a calme son-shine weather, but so cold that it was hard to be indured; and after noone it blew hard out of the west, with so great and extreame cold, that if it had continued we should haue beene forced to leaue our worke. The fourth of October the winde was west, and after noone north with great store of snow, whereby we could not worke ; at that time we brought our [bower] ankor vpon the ice to lye the faster, when we lay* but an arrow shot from the [open] water, the ice was so much driuen away. The 5 of October it blew hard north-west, and the sea was ^ Teghens — against. " We rechten het nuys op — we erected {i. «., completed the erection of) our house. ' Een Meyboom — a May-free. According to Adclung, in his Hoch- deutsches Worterbuch, " Maybaum" is in many parts of Germany the vernacular name of the birch-tree, especially the common species {Betula alba), also called the May-birch, or simply " May," — as the hawthorn is called in England, — branches of which are used for ornamenting the houses and churches in the month of May. The same name is given to the green branch of a tree, or at times the whole tree itself — frequently the birch, but not exclusively so — which is set up on occasions of fes';ivity. This is the meyhoom of the Dutch ; and it would seem on the one ha ad to be the original of our English Maj-pole, and on the other to have degenerated into ihejlag which our builders are in the habit of hoisting on the chimneys of houses, when raised. * Ahoo wy nu . . laghen — because we now lay. frtrm'^^r'im^m 112 THE NAVIGATIOX very open' and without ice as farre as we could disccrne ; but we lay still frozen as we did before, and our ship lay two or three foote decpe in the ice, and we could not per- ceiue otherwise but that we lay fast vpon the ground,* and there' it was three fadome and a halfe decpe. The same day we brake vp the lower deck of the fore-part* of our ship, and with those deales* we couered our house, and made it slope ouer head* that the water might run oflf; at which time it was very cold. The 6 of October it blew hard west [and] south-west, but towardes euening west north-west, with a great snow, [so] that we could hardly thrust our heads out of the dore by reason of y* great cold. The 7 of October it was indifferent good wether, but yet very cold, and we calk't our house, and brake the ground about it at the foote thereof:' that day the winde went round about the compasse. The 8 of October, all the night before it blew so hard and the same day also, and snowed so fast that we should haue smothered if we had gone out into the aire ; and to spcakc truth, it had not beene possible for any man to haue gone one ships length, though his life had laine thereon ; for it was not possible for vs to goe out of the house or ship. The 9 of October '^^ e winde still continued north, and blew and snowed hard all that day, the wind as then blow- ing from the land ; so that all that day we were forced to stay in the ship, the wethc was so foule. * Heel open — quite open. " Wi/ laghen tot den grondt toe bevroren — wo lay frozen right down to the ground. » " Then." — Ph. * Het voororder—iYiQ forecastle. " Deelen — planks. ^ In den mitten wat hoogher — somewhat higher in the middle. ' Ende braken het achteronder mede uyt, omt huija voort dicht te viaeckten — ^and pulled down likewise the poop, in order (therewith) to go on closing up the house. u,^ ■M INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 113 ccrne ; lip lay ot per- d,* and e same ir ship, made it t which est, but ow, [so] dore by but yet ground nt round dard and uld hauc spcake me gone for it lip. arth, and icn blow- breed to bt down to Ic. die. ort dicht te iwith) to go The 10 of October the weather was somewhat fairer and the winde calmer, and [it] blew south-west and west south- west ;' and that time the water flowed two foote higher then ordinary, which wee gest to proceede from the strong'' north wind which as then had blowne. The same day the wether began to be somewhat better, so that we began to go out of our ship againe ; and as one of our men went out, he chaunced to meete a beare, and was almost at him before he knew it, but presently he ranne backe againe towards the ship and the beare after him : but the beare comming to the place where before that we killed another beare and set her vpright and there let her freeze, which after was couered ouer with ice^ and yet one of her pawes reached aboue it, shee stood still, whereby our man got before her and dome* vp into the ship in great feare, crying, a beare, a beare ; which we hearing came aboue hatches' to looke on her and to shoote at her, but we could not see her by meanes of the exceeding great smoakc that had so sore tormented vs while we lay vnder hatches in the foule wether, which we would not haue indured for any money ; but by reason of the cold and snoAvy wether we were constrained to do it if we would saue our Hues, for aloft in the ship" we must vndoubtedly haue dyed. The beare staied not long there, but run away, the wind then being north-east. The same day about euening it was faire wether, and we went out of our ship to the house, and carryed the greatest part of our bread thither. The 11 of October it was calme wether, the wind being south and somewhat warme, and then we carryed our wine and other victuals on land ; and as we were hoysing the wine ouer-boord, there came a beare towards our ship that had laine behinde a peqce of ice, and it seemed that we had » " W. mid S.W."— PA. '^ Sneeu — snow. * Climbed. " JJoven opt ichip — on the deck of the ship. a " First."— /'A. ' Boven — on deck. Q • fiar- ■ 114 THE NAVIGATION waked her with the noise we made ; for we had scene her lye there, but we thought her to be a peece of ice ; but as she came neere vs we shot at her, and shee ran away, so we proceeded in our worke. The 12 of October it blew north and [at times] somewhat westerly, and then halfe of our men [went and] slepl,' in the house, and that was the first time that we lay in it ; but we indured great cold because our cabins were not made, and besides that we had not clothes inough, and we could keepe no fije because our chimney was not made, whereby it smoaked exceedingly. The 13 of October the winde was north and north-west, and it began againe to blow hard, and then three of vs went a boord the ship and laded a slead with beere ; but when we had laden it, thinking to go to our house with it, sodainly there rose such a wind and so great a storme and cold, that we were forced to go into the ship againe, because we were not able to stay without ; and we could not get the beere into the ship againe, but were forced to let it stand without vpon the slcadc. Being in the ship, we indured extreame cold, because we had but a few clothes in it. The 14 of October, as we came out of the ship, we found the barrell of beere standing [in the open air] vpon the slcade, but it was fast frozen at the heads,* yet by reason of > " Kept."— /'/j. ■ Zijnde een iopen vat, aen den bodem stucken ghevroren — which, being a cask of spruce beer, had burst at the bottom through the frost. From a very early period a decoction, in beer or water, of the leaf-buds {gemm(e seu turiones) of the Norway spruce fir {Abies e.rcelsa), as well as of the silver fir {Abies picea), has been used, formerly more than at pre- sent, in the countries bordering on the Baltic Sea, in scorbutic, rheumatic, and gouty complaints. See Magneti Bibliotheca Pkarmaceutico-ifedica, vol. i, p. 2 ; Pharmacopoeia Borussica (German translation by Dulk), 3rd edit., vol. i, p. 796 ; Pereira, Elements of Materia Medica, 3rd edit., vol. ii, p. 1182. These leaf-buds are commonly called in German, sprossen, and in Dutch, jopen; whence the beer brewed therefrom at Dantzig — cereviaia i INTO THE NOllTH-SEAS. 115 the great cold the beere that purged out' frose as hard vpon the side* of the barrel as if it had bin glewed thereon, and in that sort we drew it to our house and set the barrel an end, and dranke it first vp; but we were forced to melt the beere, for there was scant' any vnfrozen beere in the barrell, but in that thicke yeast that was vnfrozen lay the strength of the beere,* so that it was too strong to drinke alone, and that which was frozen tasted like water ; and being melted we mixt one with the other, and so dranke it, but it had neither strength nor tast. The 15 of October the wind blew north and [also] east and cast south-east, [and it was still weather]. That day we made place to set vp our dore, and shouled' the snowe away. The 16 of October the wind blew south-east and south,^ with faire calme weather. The same night there had bin a beare in our ship, but in the morning she went out againe when she saw our men. At the same time we brake vp another peece of our ship,' to vse the deales about the protall,* which as then we began to make. The 17 of October the wind was south and south-east, calme weather, but very cold ; and that day we were busied about our portaile. dantiscana, as it is styled in the Amsterdam Latin version of 1598 — acquired the appellations of sprossenbier &ndjopenbier, of the former of which the English name, spnice-heer, is merely a corruption. The " Dantzig spruce" of commerce, which is known at the place of its manufacture by the names of doppelbier, jopenbier, and even " spruce- bier," is the representative at the present day of the medicated sprosseii- bier of former times ; though, curiously enough, the ingredient from which it derived its distinctive appellation {i. e., the spross^n or jopen) appears to be now left out in its preparation. ' Uj/t Hep — ran out. " J)e7i bodem — the bottom. ' Scarcely. * In de selvighe vochticheyt was de cracm vant gantsche bier — in that liquid part lay the whole strength of the beer. » Shovelled. « " S.E. and by S.E."— P/j. " Draecken wy de kiiiugt week — we pulled down the cabin. * JJet portael — the entrance hall, or porch. ;gp, i Si ■■ ' h 116 THE NAVIGATION . The 18 of October the wind blew hard east [and] south- east, and then we fetched our bread out of the scute which we had drawne vp vpon the land, and the wine also, which as then was not much frozen, and yet it had layne sixc weeks therein, and not withstanding that it had often times frozen very hard. The same day we saA an other beare, and then the sea was so couered ouer with ice that we could see no open water. The 19 of October y° wind blew north-east, and then there was but two men and a boy in the ship, at which time there came a beare that sought forcibly to get into the ship, although the two men shot at her with peeces of wood,' and yet she ventured vpon them,'' whereby they were in an extreame feare ; [and] each of them seeking to saue them selues, the two men leapt into the balust,^ and the boy domed into the foot mast top* to saue their Hues; meane time some of our men shot at her with a musket, and then shee ran away. The 20 of October it was calme sunshine weather, and then againe we saw the sea open,* at which time we went on bord to fetch the rest of our beere out of the ship, where we found some of the barrels frozen in peeces, and the iron heapes* that were vpon the josam barrels' were also frozen in peeces. The 21 of October it was calme sunshine wether, and then we had almost fetched all our victuals out of the ship [to the house]. 1 Met brandthouten smeten — threw billets of firewood at her. * Quam hy effenwel seer vrceselijck tot haer aen — came towards them in a most terrific manner. * Int ruijm — in the hold. * Clam int fockewant— climbed up the fore-rigging. " Eenige openiyighe van water in de zee — some open places of water in the sea. " Banden — hoops. ^ Dejoopen vaten — the spruce-bccr casks. Sec page 114, note 2. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 117 [and] south- e scute which le also, which id layiie sixe d often times L other beare, . ice that we ind then there ich time there nto the ship, of wood,* and y were in an to saue them and the boy Hues; mcane sket, and then weather, and ne we went on le ship, where \, and the iron also frozen in ther, and then f the ship [to at her. towards them iu laces of water in 114, uotu2. I The 22 of October the wind blew coldly and very stiff north-east, with so great a snow that we could not get out of our dores. The 23 of October it was calme weather, and the wind blew north-east. Then we went aboord our ship to see if the rest of our men would come home to the house ; but wee feared y* it would blow hard againe, and therefore durst not stirre with the sicke man, but let him ly Ftill that day, for he was very weake. The 24 of October the rest of our men, being 8 persons, came to the house, and drew the sickc man vpon a slead, and then with great labour and paine we drew our boate* home to our house , and turned the bottome thereof vp wards, that when time serued vs (if God saued our Hues in the winter time) wee might vse it. And after that, perceiuing that the ship lay fast and that there was nothing lessc to be expected then the opening of the water, we put our [kedge-] anchor into the ship againe, because it should not be couered ouer and lost in the snow, that in the spring time* we might vse it : for we alwaies trusted in God that hee would de- Huer vs from thence towards sommer time either one way or other. Things standing at this point with vs, as the sunne (when wee might see it best and highest) began to be very low,^ we vsed all the speede we could to fetch all things with slcades out of our ship into our house, not oncly meate and drinke but all other necessaries ; at which time the winde was north. The 26 of October we fetcht all things that were necessary for the furnishing of our scute and our boate:* and when we had laden the last slead, and stood [in the track-ropes] ready to draw it to the house, our maister looked about him and I * Bock — yawl. * Teghem den somer — towards the summer. * Sec page 78, notes 2 aud 3. * Te begheven — to leave us. n 118 THE NAVIGATION saw three beares behind the ship that were comming to- wards vs, whereupon he cryed out aloud to feare' them away, and we presently leaped forth [from the track-ropes] to defend our selues as well as we could. And as good fortune was, there lay two halberds vpon the slead, whereof the master tooke one and I the other, and made resistance against them as well as we could; but the rest of our men ran to saue themselues in the ship, and as they ran one of them fell into a clift of ice,'' which greened vs much, for we thought verily that the beares would haue ran vnto him to deuoure him j but God defended him, for the beares still made towards the ship after the men y' ran thither to sauc themselues. Meane time we and the man that fel into the clift of ice tooke ouj aduantage, and got into the ship on the other side ; which the beares perceiuing, they came fiercely towards vs, that had no other armes to defend vs withall but onely the two halberds, which wee doubting would not be sufficient, wee still gaue them worke to do by throwing biUets [of fire-wood] and other tilings at them, and euery time we threw they ran after them, as a dogge vseth to doe at a stone that is cast at him. Meane time we sent a man down vnder hatches' [into the caboose] to strike fire, and another to fetch pikes ; but wee could get no fire, and so we had no meancs to shoote.* At the last, as the beares came fiercely vpon vs, we stroke '^ne of them with a halberd vpon the snoute, wherewith she gaue back when shee felt her selfe hurt, and went away, which the other two y' were not so great as she percoiuing, ran away ; and we thanked God that wee were so well deliuered from them, and so drew our slead quietly to our house, and there shewed our men what had happened vnto vs. ^ Frighten. ' In een scheur tusschent ys in — into a crevice in the ice. ^ Onder — below. The caboose had been removed below on account of the extreme cold on deck, aa is mentioned in page 108, * Their firearms had matchlocks. » — m^mm iming to- ire' them :-ropes] to id fortune ereof the resistance our men an one of h, for we to him to eares still er to sauc 1 into the lip on the le fiercely ithall but id not be ing billets Y time we at a stone wn vnder T to fetch o mcancs ;ely vpon le snoute, jlfe hurt, t so great God that drew our men what , account of I 5- v. ( The exact manner of the house ! nner of the house wherein we wintered. ? P ■; Si INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 119 The 26 of October the wind was north and north north- west, with indifferent fairc wether. Then we saw [much] open water hard by the land, but we perceiued the ice to driuc in the sea still towards the ship.' The 27 of October the wind blew north-east, and it snowed so fast that we could not worke without the doore. That day our men kil'd a white fox, which they flead, and after they had rested it ate thereof, which tasted like Connies'* flesh. The same day we set vp our diaU and made the clock strike,^ and we hung vp a lamp to burne in the night time, wherein we vsed the fat of the beare, which we molt* and burnt in the lampe. The 28 of October wee had the wind north-east, and then oui- men went out to fetch wood ; but there fell so stormy wether and so great a snow, that they were forced to come home againe. About euening the wether began to breake vp,* at which time three of our men went to the place where we had set the beare vpright and there stood frozen, thinking to pull out her teeth, but it was cleane couered ouer with snow. And while they were there it began to snow so fast againe [with rough weather], that they v, ere glad to come home as fast as they could ; but the snow beat so sore vpon them that they could hardly see their way" and had almost lost their right way, whereby they had like to haue laine all that night out of the house [in the cold]. The 29 of October the wind still blew north-east, and then we fetch'd segges' from the sea side and laid them vpon the saile that was spread vpon our house, that it might be so ^ Overt scMp heenen — out beyond the ship. " Rabbits. ^ Stelden wy onse orlogie wed^rom dat de clock sloech — we set up our clock, so that it (went and) struck (the hour). * Melted. " Tweer was ghebetert — the weather improved. ® Zy conden uyt haer ooyhen niet sien — they could not see out of their eyes. ' Cinahel — shingle. T 120 THE NAVIGATION much the cLser and warmer : for the deales were not driuen close together, and the foule wether would not permit v& to do it. The 30 of October the wind yet continued north-east, and the sunne Avas full aboue the earth a little aboue the horison.' The 31 of October the wind still blew north-east w* great store of snow, whereby we durst not looke out of doores.* The first of Nouember the wind still continued north-east, and then we saw the moone rise in the east when it began to be darke, and the sunne was no higher aboue the horizon than wee could well see it, and yet that day we saw it not, because of the close' wether and the great snow that fell; and it was extreame cold, so that we could not go out of the house. The £' of November* the wind blew west and somewhat south, but in the euening it ble^^' north with c?lme wether ; and that day we saw the sunne rise south south-east, and it went downe [about] south south-west, biit it was not full aboue the earth,* but passed in the horizon along by the earth. And the same day one of cur men killed a fox with a hatchet, which was flead, rested, and eaten. Before the sunne began to decline wee saw no foxes, and then the beares vsed to go from vs." The 3 of Nouember the wind blew north-west w* calmc wether, and the sunne rose south and by east and somewhat more southerly, and went downe south and by v/est and ^ Doen ghingh de son heel dicht hoven der aerden, weynich hoven den horisont — then the sun went quite closj over the earth, but little above the horizon. * Niet een hooft dorsten uyt steecken — not one of us duret put his head out of doors. ^ Doncker — dark, overcast. * " December."— PA. ' Uy quam met zijn voile rondicheyt niet boven — it did not show (rise with) its whole disk. " Ende de beyren ffhinrihe'K doen mede wegh — antl ihcn the bears also went away. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 121 driuen t vfe to ,st, and orison. v^ great res.* ■th-east, )egan to horizon f it not, tiat fell; ut of tlie omcwhat wether ; 3t, and it i not fviU g by the ox with a cfore the w* calmc somewhat w^est and ■h boven den t little above somewhat more southerly ; id then we could see nothing but the upper part^ of the sun above the horizon, and yet the land where we were was as high as the mast* of our ship.' Then we tooke the height of the sunue,* it being in the eleuenth degree and 48 minutes of Scorpio,® his declination being 15 degrees and 24 minutes on the south side of the equinoctiall line. The 4 of Nouember it was calmy wether, but then we saw the sunne no more, for it was no longer aboue the horizon. Then our chirurgien' [prescribed and] made a bath, to bathe* vs in, of a wine pipe, wherein we entred one after the other, and it did vs much good and was a great meanes of our health. The same day wee tooke a white fox, that often times came abroad, not as they vsed at other times ; for that when the beares left vs at the setting of the sunne,® and came not againc before it rose,'" the fox[es] to the contrary came abroad when they were gone. The 5 of Nouember the wind was north and somewhat west, and then we saw [much] open water vpon the sea, but our ship lay still fast in the ice ; and when the sunne had left vs we saw y® moone continually both day and night, and [it] neuer went downe when it was in the highest degree.^' The 6 of Nouember the wind was north-west, still wether, ^ Ben hoven cant — the upper edge, " Be mora — the round-top. ^ The question of refraction, arising out of this and other observations, is discussed in the Introduction. * Be son peijlden—ohseTved (lit. measured) the sun. "Off."— P,^. * That is to say, the sun's longitude was 221° 48', or 41° 48' from the autumnal equinox. ^ Onse mrgijn—o\a surgeon. 8 Te stoven — lit. to stew. This is the primary sense of the word steio, which afterwards, like its synonym hagnio, acquired a very different meaning; The bath used appears to have been a vapour bath. * Mette ton — with the sun. ^^ Weder quam — it returned. " Under the parallel of 76°, the moon continues incessantly above the horizon about seven or eight days in each month. K ■n m Mi !ii ■ 122 THE NAVIGATION and then our men fetcht a slead full of fire-wood, but by reason that the son was not scene it was very dark wether. The 7 of Nouember it was darke wether and very still, the wind west ; at which time we could hardly discerne the day from the night, specially because at that time our clock stood stiU, and by that meanes we knew not when it was day although it was day;' and our men rose not out of their cabens all that day'' but onely to make water, and therefore they knew not [very well] whether the light they saw was the light of the day or of the moone, wherevpon they were of seueral opinions, some saying it was the light of the day, the others of the night ; but as we tooke good regard therevnto, we found it to be the light of the day, about twelue of the clock at noone.' The 8 of Nouember it was still wether, the wind blowing south and south-west. The same day our men fetcht another slead of firewood, and then also we tooke a white foX; and saw [much] open water in the sea. The same day we shared our bread amongst V3, each man hauing foure pound and ten ounces* for his allowance in eight dales; so that then we were eight dales eating a barrell of bread, whereas before we ate it vp in fiue or sixe dales. [As yet] we had no need to share our flesh and fish, for we had more store thereof; but our drinke failed vs, ard therefore Ave were forced to share that also : but our best beere was for the most part wholly without any strength,* so that it had no sauour at all, and besides all this there was a great deale of it spilt. ' Vermoedeti wy geen dagh, doent al dagh was — we thought that it was not day, when it already was day. " Iladde op dien dagh niet ugt de koy gheweest — had not that day been out of bed. ^ So toast wel opt hooghste van den dagh — it was truly the height of day. * Loot — a loot or half-ounce; of which 32 go to the pound. The quantity mentioned above is equal to 4 pounds 1 1 ounces avoirdupois. " Was meest al de cracht uytgevroren — had almost all its strength froKcn out of i*. / INTO THE NOKTH-SEAS. 123 I, but by wether. Y still, the e the day- lock stood ; was day t of their L therefore iw was the [jy were of lo dav, the thcrevnto, elue of the id blowing jht another ;e foX; and J we shared nd and ten it then we s before we no need to lereof; but 3d to share mrt wholly at all, and ought that it that day been ktight of day. pound. The .voirdupois. its strength The 9 of Nouembcr the wind blew :>orth-east and some- what more northerly, and then we had not much day -light, but it was altogether darke. The IC of Nouember it was calme wether, the wind north- west ; and then our men went into the ship to see how it lay, and wee saw that there was a great deale of water in it, so that the balast was couered ouer with water, but it was frozen and so might not be pump't out. The 11 of Nouember it was indifferent wether, the wind north-west. The same day we made a round thing ' of cable yearn and [knitted] like to a net, [and set it] to catch foxes withall, that we might get them into the house, and it was made like a trap, which fell vpon the foxes as they came vnder it;* and that day we caught one. The 12 of Nouember the wind blew east, with a little' light. That day we began to share our wine, euery man had two glasses* a day, but commonly our drinke was water which we molt' out of snow which we gathered without the house. The 13 of Nouember it was foule wether, with great snow, the wind east. The 14 of Nouember it was faire clear e wether, with a clearc sky full of starres and an east-wind. The 15 of Nouembcr it was darke wether, the wind north- cast, with a vading light.® Tlie 16 of Nouember it was [still] wether, with a temperate i i • u id an east-wind. ''■ i '.'}• rG.ideii hoep — a round hoop. ' Dat TitaH se in huifs mochten toe halen ghelijck een val, als de vossen daer onder quamen — so that when the foxes came under it, as in a trap, we might drag them into the house. ^ Met een betoghen lucht — with a c'oudy sky. * Locxktm. In Sewel's Dutch and Eng, Diet, by Buys, Lokje, the modern form of this word, is thus defined : — " a little holloio log, such as seamen sometimes use to put sauce in, for want of another dish : hence H is that some will call any saucer with that name." " Moltc' * Een betoghen lucht — a cloudy sky. ' L'n ghetempenkn lucht — a moderate sky. I %% •mm 124 THE NAVIGATION [ r ' 1i The 17 of Nouember it was darke wether and a close aire,' the wind east. The 18 of Nouember it was foule wether, the wind south- east. Then the maister cut vp a packe of course [woollen] clothes," and diuided it amongst our men that needed it, therewith to defend vs better from the cold. The 19 of November it was foule weather, with an east wind ; and then the chest with linnin was opened and de- uided amongst the men for shift," for they had need of them, for then our onely care was to find all the means we could to defend our body from the cold. The 20 of Nout r " '^ was faire stil weather, the wind easterly. Then we w. our sheets,* but it was so cold that when we had washt and wroong' them, they presently froze so stiffe [out of the warm water] , that, although we lay'd them by a great fire, the side that lay next the fire thawed, but the other side was hard frozen ; so that we should sooner haue torne them in sunder* then haue opened them, whereby we were forced to put them into the seething' water again to thaw them, it was so exceeding cold. The 21 of Nouember it was indifferent^ wether with a north- east wind. Then wee agreed that euery man should take his turne to cleaue wood, thereby to ease our cooke, that L -d more then worke inough to doe twice a day to dresse meat and to melt snowe for our drinke ; but our master and the pilot® were exempted from y' work. The 22 of Nouember the wind was south-est, [and] it was fairc wether, then we had but'" seucntecne cheeses," whereof * £en hetoglien lucht — a cloudy sky. * A piece of coarse woollen cloth, * Hemden — shirts. * Se ghehroken — broken them. * Bequaem — suitable, good. " De 8chtj)per ende stuennan; namely, Jacob Heomskerck and Wil- liam Barcntsz. *" iVbcA — yet. " Kotfcn kasen — lit. cow-cheeses, because they were made from the milk of cows, and not of sheep, as is not uncummou in the Netherlands. ' Tot hemden — for shirts. " Wrung. ' Boiling. / INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 125 I a close id south- woollen] eeded it, li an east . and de- l of them, B coidd to the wind 3 cold that mtly froze lay'd them 3d, but the loner haue hereby we r again to ith a north- tiould take :e,thatl...d Iresse meat ter and the and] it was 3," whereof -for shirts. Tck and Wil- iiulc from tho NctUcrlandH. vone we ate amonst vs and the rest were deuided to euery man one for his portion, which they might eate when he list. The 2S of Nouember it was indifferent good weather, the wind south-east, and as we perceiued that the fox[es] vsed to come oftner and more then they were woont, to take them the better we made certaine ;aps of thicke plancks, wheron we laid stones, and round about them placed peeces of shards' fast in the ground, that they might not dig vnder them ; and 80 [we occasionally] got some of the foxes. The 24 of Nouember it was foule weather, and the winde north-west,* and then we [again] prepared our selues to go into the bath, for some of vs were not very well at ease ; and so foure of vs went into it, and when we came out our surgion^ gave us a purgation, which did vs much good ; and that day we tooke four foxes. ^ Eijnde van sparren — ends of spars. " " North-east." — Ph. ^ De barbier — the barber. This is the person who on a former occa- sion (page 121) was called de surgijn — the surgeon. In the general decline of science during the middle ages, surgery, as a branch of medi- cine, became neglected, and its practice, in the rudest form, fell into the hands of the barber ; from whose ordinary avocations of cutting the hair, shaving the beard, paring the nails, etc., the step was not very great to the operations of tooth-drawing, bleeding, cupping, dressing wounds, setting broken limbs, etc. And, with these functions of the surgeon, the barber not unreasonably assumed his title also. The rivalry between these barber-surgeons and the pure surgeons, who again sprang up on the revival of learning, is matter of history. In England, a compromise between the two rival bodies was early effected, by means of the union of the barber-surgeons and surgeons of London, by the statute of 32 Hen. VIII, c. 41 (a.d. 1540), which, while nominally amalgamating them, virtually effected the separation of the two professions ; inasmuch as those members of the united corporation "using barbery" — as it was somewhat barbarously expressed — were prohibited from " occupying any surgery, letting of blood, or any other thing belonging to surgery, drawing of teeth only except ;" while, on the other hand, surgeons were forbidden to "use barbery." And the natural consequence was their formal separation into two entirely dis- tinct bodies, by the Act of 18 Geo. II, c. 15 (a.d. 1745). On the continent, tho barber-surgeon retained his rank to a much later date ; and in France, in particular, till the revolution of 1793. mrwoBimmmmm / 126 THE NAVIGATION The 25 of Nouember it was faire cleare weather, the winde west ; and that day we tooke two foxes with a springe that we had purT>cGcly set vp. The 26 of Nouember it was foule weather, and a great storme with a south-west wind and great store of snowe, whereby we were so closed vp in the house that we could not goe out, but were forced to ease our selues within the house. r, The 27 of Nouember it was faire cleare weather, the wind south-west ; and then we made more springes to get foxs ; for it stood vs vpon to doe it,' because they serued vs for meat, as if God had sent them purposely for vs, for wee had not much meate. But, instead of abandoning the razor to the hair-dresser, he still claimed the right of wielding it, " as being a surgical instrument ;" so that, in order to distinguish between the two, it was ordained by Louis XIV, that the barber-surgeon should have for his sign a brass basin, and should paint his shop-front red or black only, whereas the barber-hair- dresser should display a pewter basin, and paint his shop-front in any other colour. Blue was the colour usually adopted by the barber- hairdressers, and to this colour their name has in consequence become attached. That the connexion between the two is still not lost sight of in France, is proved by +he following extract from the Comedies et Proverbes of Alfred de Musset, p. 510 : — " Madaine de Lery. — Autant j'adore le lilas, autant je d^teste le bleu. Mathilde. — C'est la couleur de la Constance. Madame de Lery. — Bah ! c'est la couleur des perruquiers." Un Caprice. Those professors of shaving ^ ^d hairdressing, whoso j^tolesy painted red or black alternating with white, siJl decorate our streets, commit there- fore a great mistake in using cither of these two colours. " True like the needle to the pole," as Lieutenant Taffril wrote to Jenny Caxon ("To cast up *o her that her father's a barber and has a polo at his door, and that she's but a manty-maker hersel ! Fy for shame !"), they should confine themselves to the colour of constancy — and of the hairdressers ; unless, indeed, they should happen to unite tooth-drawing to their other avocations, in which case they might perhaps, in strict right, be entitled to set up the red or black stripe of the barber-surgeons. * Die gheleghentheyt diente van oiis waer ghenomen te zijn — it was im- portant for us to avail ourselves of the opportunity. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 127 tie winde Lnge that , the wind get foxs ; lied vs for )r wee had still claimed ;" so that, in y Louis XIV, ss basin, and barber-hair- ,-front in any the barber- lence become it lost sight of Comedies et [teste le bleu. crs." \Ua Caprice. W, painted red [commit there- « True like Jenny Caxon a polo at his I for shame!"), jy — and of the tooth-drawing Ihaps, in strict Ivrber-surgeons. j'n— it was im- The 2S of Nouember it was foule stormie weather, and the wind blew hard out of the north, and it snew hard, whereby we were shut vp againe in our house, the snow lay so closed before the doores.* The 29 of Nouember it was faire cleare wether and a good aire,'' y® wind northerly ; and we found meanes to open our doore by shoueling away the snowe, whereby we got one of our dores open ; and going out, we found al our traps and springes cleane' couered ouer with snow, which we made cleane, and set them vp again to take foxes ; and that day we tooke one, which as then serued vs not onely for meat, but of the skins we made caps to were* vpon our heads, therewith to keepe them warme from the extreame cold. The 30 of Nouember it was faire cleare weather, the wind west, and [when the watchers* were about south-west, which according to our calculation was about midday,] sixe of vs went to the ship, all wel prouided of arms, to see how it lay ; and when we went vnder the fore decke,* we tooke a foxe aliue in the ship. The 1 of December it was foule weather, with a south- west wind and great stoare of snow, whereby we were once againe stopt vp in the house, and by that meanes there was so great a smoke in the house that we could hardly make fire, and so were forced to lye all day in our cabens, but the cooke was forced to make fire to dresse our meat. The 2 of December it was still foule weather, whereby we were forced to keep stil in the house, and yet we could hardly sit by the fire because of the smoake, and therefore stayed still [for the most part] in our cabens ; and then we heated stones, which we put into our cabens to warm our feet, for that both the cold and the smoke were vnsupportable. ^ AUe de deuren waren toe ghexoaeyt — all the doors were blown to. ' Een helderen hicht — a clear sky. ^ Quite. * Wear. » See page 61, note 8. " Ondert verdeck — under the dock, i. e. below. 128 THE NAVlOATIOiy ' I i ; 1 ,: 1; 'If-' ill i, '1 The 3 of December we had the like weather, at which time as we lay in our cabans we might heare the ice crack in the sea, and yet it was at the least halfe a mile [two miles] from vs, which made a hugh noyse [of bursting and crack- ing], and we were of oppinion that as then the great hils of ice' which we had scene in the sea in summer time [lying so many fathoms thick] brake one from the other.* And for that during those 2 or 3 days, because of the extream smoake, we made not so much fire as we commonly vsed to doe, it froze so sore within the house that the wals and the roofe thereof were frozen two fingers thicke with ice, and also in our cabans' where we lay. All those three dales, while we could not goe out by reason of the foule weather, we set vp the [sand-]gla8 of 12 honres, and when it was run out we set it vp againe, stil watching it lest we should missc our time. For the cold was so great that our clock was frozen, and might* not goe although we hung more waight on it then before. The 4 of December it was faire cleare weather, the wind north,' and then we began euery man by tume to dig open our dores that were closed vp with snow ; for we saw that it would be often to doe, and therefore wc agreed to work by turns, no man excepted but the maister and the pilot. The 5 of December it was faire v/eather with an east wind, and then we made our springes^ cleane againe to take foxes. The 6 of December it was foule weather againe, with an easterly wind and extrcame cold, almost not to be indured ; wherupon we lookt pittifuUy one vpon the other, being in great feare, that if the extremity of y® cold grew to be more and more we should all die there with cold, for that what * Icebergs, ' Op makande'en stuwen ende ghesckoven werden — were drifting and heaping one upon the other. ^ Jae selfs in de kot/en — yea, even in the cots. * Mochte—couU. » « North-east."— P^. " Fo/fen— traps. INTO THE NORTir-SEAS. 129 t which ce crack vo miles] id crack- at Wis of [lying so And for extream ly vsed to Is and the h ice, and iree dales, ,c weather, it was run Lould misso clock was lore waight ;r, the wind to dig open ; saw that it to work by pilot. eith an east 'aiue to take line, with an be indured ; ler, being in to be more for that what ere drifting and lien— tmv»' fire soeucr wc made it would not warme vs ; yea, and our sack,^ which is so hottc,- was frozen very hard, so that when [at noon] we were euciy man to haue his part, we were forced to melt it in* the fire, which we shared oucry second day about halfe a pint for a man, wherewith wc were forced to sustain our selues, and at other times wc drank water, which agreed not well with the cold, and wc needed not to coolc it with snowe or ice,* but we were forced to melt it out of the snoAv. The 7 of December it was still foulc weather, and we had a great stormc with a north-east wind,' which brought an extrcamc cold with it ; at which time wc knew not what to do, and while we sate consulting together what were best for vs to do, one of our companions gaue vs counscll to burnc some of the sea-coles" that we had brought out of the ship, which would cast a great heat and continue long ; and so at euening wc made a great fire thereof, which cast a great heat. At which time we were very careful to kecpe it in,' for that the heat being so great a comfort vnto vs, we tooke care how to make it continue long ; whereupon wee agreed to stop vp all the doores and the chimney, thereby to keepe in the heate, and so went into our cabans** to slccpc, well comforted with the heat, and so lay a great while talking to- gether ; but at last we were taken with a great swounding and dascling in our heads," yet some more then other some, ^ Sareetsche secke — Xeres seco, or sherry-sack. ^ Heet — hot, strong. ^ Over — over. * Independently of the quiet humour of this observation, it is worthy of remark, as showing that at that early period the cooling of wine by means of ice or snow was practised by the Dutch. " Een vlieghenden storm uyten n. o. — a hurricane out of the N.E. " Steen-colen — stone or mineral coal ; so called to distinguish it from charcoal, the usual fuel on the continent. ' Maer wy wachtede ons voor de weerstuijt niet — but we did not guard ourselves against the consequences. » Cots. " JSen sodanighen duyselinghe — a sudden dizziness. / 130 THE NAVIGATION : 'i 1 fill 1 ; ': ! J Jii 1 , t ; . " 1 which WG first pcrcciucd by a sick man and therefore the lesse able to bcare it, and found our selucs to be very ill at ease, so that some of vs that were strongest start' out of their eabans, and first opened the chimney and then the doorcs, but he that opened the doore fell downe in a swound' [with much groaning] vppon the snow ; which I hearing, as lying in my caban'' next to the doore, start vp* [and there saw him lying in a swoon], and casting vinegar in his face' recoucred him againe, and so he rose vp. And when the doores were open, we all recoucred our healthes againe by reason of the cold aire ; and so the cold, which before had beene so great an enemy vnto vs, was then the onely reliefe that we had, otherwise without doubt we had [all] died in a sodainc swound.' After y*^, the master, when we were come to our selues againe, gaue euery one of vs a little wine to comfort our hearts. The 8 of December it was foule weather, the wind northerly, very sharpe and cold, but we durst lay no more coles on as wo did the day before, for that our misfortune had taught vs that to shun one danger we should not run into an other [still greater.] The 9 of December it was faire cleare weather, the skie full of starres ; then we set our doore wide open, which before was fast closed vp with snowe, and made our springes ready to take foxes. The 10 of December it was still faire star-light weather, the wind north-west.^ Then we tooke two foxes, which were good meate for vs, for as then our victuals began o be scant and the cold still increased, whereunto their skins serued vs for a good defence. ^ Started. « Swoon. » Cot. * Liep daer heenen — ran thither. " Ilaelde Jlucks edick ende vreef him dat in zijn aensicht — quickly fetched some vinegar and rubbed his face with it. " In eeiicn m'ijm — in a swoon. ' " North-ea.st." — /'/;. / INTO TIIK NORTH -SKAS. 131 ;rcforc the very ill at 3ut of their the doores, )und' [with ig, as lying n'e saw him 5* recoucretl ioores were .^ason of the ene so great lat we had, n a sodainc come to our ic to comfort r, the wind lay no more r misfortune )uld not run her, the skie open, which our springes ight weather, s. which were an o be scant ins scrued vs The 11 of December it was faire weather and a clear aire,' but very cold, which he that felt not would not beleeue, for our shoos- froze as hard as homes vpon our feet, and within they were white frozen, so that we could not weare our shoocs, but were forced to make great pattens,^ y*' vppcr part being ship* skins, which we put on ouer three or foure paire of socks, and so went in them to keepc our feet warme. The 13 of December it was faire cleare weather, with [a bright sky and] a north-west wind, but extreame cold, so that our house walles and cabans where' frozen a finger thicke, yea and the clothes vpon our backs were white ouer witli frost [and icicles] ; and although some of vs were of opinion that wc should lay more coles vpon the fire to warme vs, and that we should let the chimney stand open, yet we durst not do it, fearing the like danger we had escaped. The 13 of December it was faire cleare wether, with an east wind. Then we tooke another fox, and took great paines about preparing and dressing of our springes, with no small trouble, for that if we staled too long without the doores, there arose blisters" vpon our faces and our eares. The 14 of December it was faire wether, the wind north- east and the sky full of starres. Then we tooke the height of y® right shoulder of the Rens,' when it was south south- west and somewhat more westerly, (and then it was at the a Shoes. ^ Een helderen lucht — a bright sky. " Wyde clompen — loose clogs or slippers. ' Sheep. " Blaren ende buylen — " blains and boils." Were. mstc/t«— quickly last,"-/'/*. ' De Reus — the Giant, as the constellation Orion is called, after the Arabic El-djehhAr. The star Bellatrix, 7 Ononis, which was here observed, is usually said to be in the left shoulder. It depends, however, upon which way " the Giant" is considered as looking. The exact declination of this star for the end of the year 1596 is -f fP 58',4 N. ; so that, after allowing 2',fl for refraction, the complement of the height of the Pole is 14° 17', and the height of the Pole is 75° 43'. It is not possible for Betelgueze, (a) in the right shoulder of Orion, to k.ve been the star observed ; for the latitude resulting from it would be upwards of 79". . 132 THK NAVIGATIOX highest in our [coniiuon] compas,) and it was clcuated abouc the horison twenty degrees and eighteen' minutes, his declination being six degrees and cighteene minuts on the north side of the lync, which declination being taken out of the height aforesaid there rested fourteen degrees, which being taken out of 90 degrees, then the height of y" Pole was seuenty sixe degrees. The 15 of December it was still faire [bright] Aveather, the wind east. That day we tooke two foxes, and saw the moonc rise east south-cast, when it was tAvcnty-sixe dales old, [and it was] in the signe of Scorpio. The !♦> of December it was faire clearc weather, the Avind [north-]east. At that time avc had no more wood in the house, but had burnt it all ; but round about our house there lay some couerod oucr with snoAA-, Avhich Avith great painc and labour A\e Avcrc forced to digge out and so shoucll aAA'ay the snoAv, and so brought it into the house, Avhich Ave did by turns, tAVo and tAvo together, Avherin Ave Avere forced to vse great speede, for Ave could not long endure Avithout the house, because of the cxtrcamc cold," although avc Avarc^ the foxes skinnes about our heads and double apparcll vpon our backs. The 17 of December the Avind still held north-east, Avith faire Aveather, and so great frosts that avc were of opinion that if there stood a barrell full of Avater* Avithout the doorc, it Avould in one night freeze from the top to the bottome. The 18 of December the Avind still held north-east, Avith faire Avether. Then seuen of vs Avent out vnto the ship to see hoAV it lay ; and being vndcr the dcckc, thinking to find a fox there, Ave sought all the holes/' but Ave found none : but Avhen Ave entred into the cabcn," and had stricken fire to » « Twenty-eight."— iV(. ^ De onnytsjyreklijcke omlraechelijcke coude — the inexpressible, into- lerable cold. ^ Wore. * Eenjoopen vat met ivixtev — a spruce-beer cask full of water. •''' Stojjten eerd die de ffaten divkt toe — first closely stopped all the holes. " lluijm — hold. y INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 133 ted aboue lutes, his ats on the icn out of es, which " Pole was eathcr, the the moonc 3 old, [and 1-, the Avind ood in the house there great paine lioucU away li we did by jiced to vse it the house, :c^ the foxes m our backs, th-cast, with c of opinion Lit the doore, bottome. •th-east, with the ship to nking to find foimd none: jicken fire to xpressiblc, into- watcr. ^,hI all the hylca. sec in what case the ship was and whether the water rose higher in it, there wee found a fox, which we tooke and carried it home, and ate it, and then wc found that in cightcene dayes absence (for it was so long since we had beene there), the water was risen about a finger high, but yet it was all ice, for it froze as fiist as it came in, and the vessels which we had brought with vs full of fresh water out of Holland, were frozen to the ground.' The 19 of December it was faire wether, the wind being south. Then we put each other in good comfort, that the sun was then almost halfe ouer and ready to come to vs againe, which we sore longed for, it being a weary time for vs to be without the sunne, and to want the greatest comfort that God scndeth vnto man here vpon the earth, and that which reioiceth cuery lining thing. The 20 of Dccc[mber] before noone it was faire cleare wether, and then Ave had taken a fox ; but towards euening there rose such a [violent] storm [and tempest] in the south- west, Avith so great a snoAv, that all the house Avas inclosed thcreAvith. The 21 of December it was faire cleerc Avethcr, with a north-cast Avind. Then Ave made our doore clcane againe and made a Avay to go out, and clensed our traps for the foxes, Avhich did vs great pleasure Avhen Ave tooke them, for they seemed as dainty as uenison unto vs. The 22 of December it Avas foule Avether with great store of snoAV, the Avind south-Avcst, which stopt vp our doore againe, and Ave Avere forced to dig it open againe, Avhich Avas almost cuery day to do. The 23 of December it Avas foule wether, the Avind south- Avcst Avith great store of snow, but Ave Avere in good comfort that the sunne Avould come againe to vs, for (as Ave gest^) that day he Avas in Ti'opicus Capricorni, Avhich is the furthest O'rondt — bottom. Calculated. ^^^- — iiiLlii! 134 THE NAVIGATION t' signe' that the sunne passeth on the south side of the line, and from thence it turneth north-ward agairic. This Tropicus Capricorni lyeth on the south side of the equinoctiall lino, in twenty three degrees and twenty-eight" minules. The 24 of December, being Christmas-euen, it was faire wether. Then we opened our doore againe and saw much open water in the sea : for we had heard the ice crack and driue, [and] although it was not day,' yet we could see so farre. Towards euening it blew hard out of the north-east, with great store of snow, "n that all the passage tbat wee had made open before was [immediately] stopt vp agaiie. The f25 of December, being Christmas day, it was foule wether with a north-west wind; and yet, though it was [very] foule 'v^ether, we hard^ the foxes run ouer our house, where- with some of our men said it was an ill signe ; and while we sate disputing why it should be an ill signe, some of our men made answere that it was an ill signe because we could not take them, to put them into the pot to rest th'jm,* for that had beene a very good signe for v .. The 26 of December it was foule wether, the wind north- v/est, and it was so [extraordinarily] cold that we could not warme vs, although we vsed all the meanes we could, with great fires, good store of clothes, and with hot stones and billets" laid vpon our feete and vpon our bodies as we lay in our cabens;' but notwithstanding all this, in the morning our cabens were frozen [white], which made vs behold one the other with sad countenance. But yet we comforted our sel"P3 againe as well as we could, that the sunne was then as low as it could goc, and that it now began to come to vs againe,' ' T' iiyterste perck — the utmost limit. ^ ""Eighteen." — Ph. '^ Iloe well (latter ghee II dagh was — though there was no daylight. * Heard. " In de pot ofte aent njnt — in iho pot or on the spit. •' Keugheh — balls. '' Cots. ** Dattet int afgaen vanden hergh was: te weten, dat de son zljn wegh wederom nae ons toe nam — that wc were now going down hill ; that is to say, the sun was now on Ms way back to us. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 135 and we found it to be true ; for that the dales beginning to lengthen the cold began to strer gthen, but hope put vs in good comfort and eased our paine.' The 27 of December it was still foule wether with a north- west wind, so that as then wo had not bcene out in three daies together, nor durst not thrust our heads out of doores ; and within the house it was so extreme cold, that as we sate [close] before a great fire, and seemed to burne'' [our shins] on the fore side, we froze behinde at our backs, and were al .vhite, as the country men' vse to be when they come in at the gates of the towne in Holland with their sleads,* and haue gone' all night. The 28 of December it was still foule wether, with a west wind, but about euening it began to cleare vp. At which time one of our men made a hole open at one of our doores, and went* out to see what news abroad,' but found it so hard wether that he stayed not long, and told vs that it had snowed so much that the snow lay higher than our house, and that if he had stayed out longer his eares would un- doubtedly haue been frozen off. ^ De daghen die langhen zijn de daghen die stranghen, dnn hoope dede pijn vermeten — " the days that lengthen are the days that become more severe [1] ;" but "hope sweetenr 1 pain." These are two Dutch proverbs, strung together somewhat after the fashion of Sancho Panza. The former is equivalent to "as the day lengthens, so the cold strengthens," and " cresce '1 di, cresce '1 freddo," cited in Ray's English Proverbs, p. 37. " Bynaeat . . verbranden — almost burned. ^ Hofirv — boors, peasants. ■* T>'r j/oorten mn de steden incomen — come in at the gates of the towns. It would almost seem that in the text the word if sledeti and not steden ; so that the meaning would be, " come in at the gates from their sledges." But, as the fact is that the boors enter the ;^ates in their carts, and that those who come in sledges must necessarily roach the town by the water side, where there are no gates, it can scarcely bo doubted that the proper reading is steden. The translator appears to have wished to provide for both cases. * Onder xoeghen gheweest zijn — have been travelling. " Croop — crept. ' Iloet daer ghestdt was — how matters stood there. ■HHH! 136 THE NAVIGATIOJS S 'I ^u! i ( The 29 of December it was calme wether and a pleasant aire,' the wind being southward. That day he whose turne it was opened the doorc and dig'd a hole through the snow, where wee went out of the house vpon steps as if it had bin out of a seller ,'' at least seuen or eight steps high, each step a foote from the other. And then we made cleane our springes [or traps] for the foxes, whereof for certain^ daies we had not taken any ; and as we made them cleane, one of our men found a dead fox in one of them that was frozen as hard a? a stone, which he brought into the house and thawed it before the fire, and after fleaing it some of our men ate it. The 30 of December it was foule wether againe, with a storme out of the west and great store of snow, so that all the labour and paine that we had taken the day before, to make steps to go out of our house and to dense our springes,' was al in vaine ; for it was al couered over w' snow againe higher then it was before. The 31 of December it was still foule wether with a storme out of the north-west, whereby we were so fast shut vp into the house as if we had bcenc prisoners, and it was so cxtrcame cold that the fire almost cast no hcatc ; for as we put our fcctc to the fire, we burnt our hose" before we could fcclc the boate, so that wc had [constantly] work inough to do to patch our hose. And, which is more, if wc had not sooner smelt then felt them, wc should haue burnt them [quite away] ere we had knowne it. [Anno 1597] After that, Avith great cold, danger, and disease," wc had brought the' yeare vnto an end, we entred into y° yeare of our Lord God 1597, y'- beginning whereof was in y° same manor as y^ end of anno 1596 had been ; for the i ' !i * Ee)t betoffhen lucht — a cloudy sky. « Cellar. ' Several. * De trappen te maecken-^io set the trai)s, " Onghemack — hardship. " Stocking,s. 7 "This."— /'/^ INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 137 leasant arne it snow, lad bin L step a pringcs lad not ar men vrd a? a t before , with a that all sforc, to pringcs,' ,v againe a stormc t vp into 3Xtrcame our fecte fcele the to patch nor smelt nvay] ere case, we d into y° of was in for the '—I'll. wether continued as cold, foule, [boisterous], and snowy as it was before, so that vpon the first of January we were in- closed in the house, y« wind then being west. At the same time we agreed^ to share our wine euery man a small measure full, and that but once in two dales. And as we were in great care and feare that it would [still] be long before we should get out from thence, and we [sometimes] hauing but smal hope therein, some of vs spared to drink wine as long as wee could, that if we should stay long there we might drinke it at our neede. The % of January it blew hard, with a west wind and a great storme, with both snow and frost, so that in four or five dales we durst not put our heads out of y' doores ; and as then by reason of the great cold we had almost burnt all our wood, [that was in the house], notwithstanding we durst not goe out to fetch more wood, because it froze so hard and there was no being without the doore ; but seeking about we found some [superfluous] pecces of wood that lay ouer the doore, which we [broke off and] cloue, and withall clone the blocks '^ whereon we vscd to beate our stock-fish," and so holp our sclues so well as we could. The 3 of January it was all one Avcather, [constantly bois- terous, with snow and a north-west wind, and \(( edingly cold that we were forced to remain close shut u]i in the house,] and we had little wood to burne. The 4 of January it was still foule stormie weather, with much snow and great cold, the wind south-west, and wc were forced to keepe [constantly shut up] in the house. And to know where the wind blew, we thrust a halfe pike out at y® chimney w* a little cloth or fether upon it ; but [we had to look at it immediately the wind caught it, for] as soone as we thrust it out it was presently frozen as hard as a peece of * Begonnen — began. * Ilet block — the block. ^ liergher visch: so called because it comes principally f;oin Bergen in Norway. ' THE NAVIGATION :■ i\ if wood, and could not go about nor stirre mth the wind, [so that we said to one another how tremendously cold it must be out of doors.] The 5 of January it was somer'hat still and calme weather.* Then we digd our doore open j,aine, that we might goe out and carry out all the filth that had bin made during the tiii^e of our being shut in the house, and made euery thing hand- some, and fetched in wood, which we cleft ; and it was all ouv dayes worke to further our selues as much as we could, fearing lest we 3hoidd be shut up againe. And as there were three doores in our portall, and for y* our house lay couered ouer in snow, wc took y° middle dooie thereof away, and digged a great hole in the snow that laie without the house, like to a side of a vault,'^ wherein we might go to ease our sclucs and cast other filth into it. And when wc had taken paines^ al day, we remembered our sclucs that it Avas TAVclf Even,* and then we prayed our maister' that [in the midst of all our troubles] we might be merry that night, and said that we were content to spend some of the wine that night which we had spared and which was our share euery second day, and whereof for ccrtaine daics we had not drunke ; and so that night we made merry and drunke to the three kings.* And * Wasset weder wat hesadicht — the weather was somewhat milder, " Als een verwtdfsel van een boogh ofte kelder — like the arch of a vault or cellar. ^ Qhedooft — toiled. * Drie Coninghen Avondt — Three Kings' Even. Thfi fifth of January, as being the eve of the Feast of the; Epiphany, is properly "Twelfth Night." But, in England, the vigils or ovc^ of all feast days hctween Christmas and the Purification having been abolished at the Reforma- tion (see Whcatlcy, Rational Illustration of the Book of Common Prayer, Oxford, 1846, p. 165), this season of festivity, thus deprived of its reli- gious character, was transferred to the evening after the feast ; so that Twelfth Night was thenceforward kept on the evening of the Gth of .January. ' Begheerden aen den schipper — requested the skipper. " Conincxken speelden — drew for king (//<. played at kings^. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 139 rind, [so it must v^eatlier.* ; goc out the \iiCO ag hand' IS all 0U7.' L, fearing ere three !red ouer . digged a , like to a dues and paines* al Iven,* and 3f all our [1 that we which we I day, and id so that gs.* And milder. ch of a vault of January, rly "Twelfth lays between i,hc Reforma- nmon Prnyer, cd of its reli- foast ; 80 that of the Cth of therewith we had two pound of meale [which we had taken to make paste for the cartridges], whereof we [now] made pancakes with oyle, and [we laid to] euery man a white bisket' which we sopt in [the] wine. And so supposing that we were^ in our owne country and amongst our frends, it comforted vs as well as if we had made a great banket' in our owne house. And we also made* tickets, and our gunner was king of Noua Zembla, which is at least two hundred [800] miles long* and lyeth betweene two seas.' The 6 of January it was faire weather, the wind north- cast. Then we went out and clensed our traps [and springes] to take foxes, which were our uenison ; and we digd a great hole in the snow where our fire-wood lay, and left it close aboue like a vault [of a cellar] , and from thence fetcht out our wood as we needed it. The 7 of January it was foule weather againe, with a north-west wind and some snow, and very cold, which put vs in great fearc to be shut up in the house againe. The 8 of January it was faire weather againe, the wind north. Then we made our [traps and] springes ready to get more uenison, which we longed for. And then we might [sometimes begin to] see and marke day-light, which then began to increase, that the sunne as then began to come toAvards vs againe, which thought put vs in no litle comfort. The 9 of January it was foule wether, with a north-west wind, but not so hard wether as it had bin before, so y* we might' go out of the doore to make cleane our springes ; but it was no need to bid vs goe home againe, for the cold taught ^ Ben loitthroods beschuijt — a (captain's) biscuit made of wheaten flour. * Fancying ourselves to be. " Busouet. * Uytgedeelt — distributed. " This estimated length includes the island of Waigatsch. " Namely, the Northern Ocean and the Sea of Kara. ' Could. kr ii .. )] ■ i- t i 1 i i ' I • ■ iiii H uo THE NAVIGATION vs by experience not to stay long out, for it was not so warm to get any good by staying in the aire.^ The 10 of January it was faire weather, with a north wind. Then seuen of vs went to our ship, well armed, which we found in the same state we left it in, and [in] it we saw many footesteps of beares, both great and small, whereby it seemed that there had bin more than one or two beares therein. And as we went under hatches, we strooke fire and lighted a candle, and found that the water was rysen a foote higher in the ship. The 1 1 of January it was faire weather, the wind north- west'' and the cold began to be somewhat lesse, so that as then we were bold to goe [now and then] out of the doorcs, and went about a quarter of a mile [one mile] to a hill, from Avhence we fetched certaine stones, which we layd in the fire, therewith to Avarme vs in our cabans. The 12 of January it was faire cleare weather, the wind Avest.^ That euening it was very cleare, and the skie full of star*. Then we tooke the height of Occulus Tauri,* which ^ Want de coiide leerde ons noch wel niet langhe uyt hlyven, om dattet buyten niet snick keet was — for the cold itself was quite enough to teach us not to stay long out, inasmuch as out of doors it was not smoking hot. '' "N.E."— P/«. 3 «N. W."— P/t. * Ocultcs Tunri. The exact declination for this year of a Tauri or Aldeberan is -p 15° 40','J; so that the complement of the height of the Pole, after allowing r,r for refraction, is 14° 12',i, and the height of the Pole is 76° 47',o. The mean of this observation, and that of 7 Orionis, on December 14th, 1596 (page 131), is 75° 45',5, which may be regarded as being a very close approximation to the true latitude of the expedition's wintering-place. From the author's statement, it appears that William Barentsz. was of opinion that they were to the north of the 76th parallel, instead of to the south, as this corrected calculation makes their position to be. This only shows the importance of recording and publishing all observations in their original form, regardless of their apparent results, however anomalous. When a traveller's observations arc for years kept back, in order that they may bo " revised," the world may not uncharitably surmise that eventually they will not be presented t« it in their integrity. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 141 is a bright and well knowne star, and we found it to be eleuated aboue y*^ horison twenty nine degrees and fifty foure minutes, her declination being fifteene degrees fifty foure minutes on the north side of the lyne. This declination being substracted from the height aforesaid, then there rested fourteene degrees ; which substracted from ninety degrees, then the height of the pole was seuenty sixe degrees. And so by measuring the height of that starre and some others, we gest that y^ sun was in the like height,^ and that we were there vnder seuenty sixe degrees, and rather higher than lower. The 13 of January it was faire still weather, the wind wcsterlie ; and then we perceaued that daylight began more and more to increase, and wee went out and cast bullets at the hide of y° flag staffe, which before we could not see when it turnd about.* The 14 of January it was faire weather and a clear c light,' the wind wesierlie ; and that day we tooke a fox.* The 15 of January it was faire cleare weather, with a west wind ; and six of vs went aboord the ship, where we found the bolck-vanger,' which the last time that we were in the ship we stucke in a hole in the fore decke* to take foxes, puld out of the hole, and lay in the middle of the ship, and * Also dat dese metinghe vande voornoemde sterre ende eenighe andere sterren, aoo mede de metinghe van de sonne, alle over een quamen dat tog — so that th^ measurement of the above-named star and of some other stars, as well as the measurement of the sun, all agreed (in showing) that we ... . It will bo seen in the sequel that the observations of the sun agree rather in showing the contrary of what is above contended for. ' Ltepeii uyt ende schoten de cloot met de cloot van de vlagh-spil, die wy voor keen met conden sien loopen — ran out and played at ball {lit. threw the ball) with the truck of the flag-staff, which before that time we had not been able to see run. * Stil weder met een hetoghen luchf. — calm weather with a cloudy sky. ' Twee vossen — two foxes. " Bolckvanger — a seaman's rough coat. " Verdeck — deck. 142 THE NAVIGATION .1 ; II' al torne in peeces by the bears, as we perceiued by their foote-steps. The 16 of January it was faire weather, the wind northerly; and then we went now and then out of the house to strech out our ioynts and our limes with going and running,* that we might not become lame ; and about noone time wo saw a certaine rednes in the skie, as a shew or missenger of the sunne that began to come towards vs. The 17 of January it was cleare weather, with a north wind, and then still more and more wee perceiued that the sun began to come neerer vnto vs ; for the day was some- what warmer, so that when wee had a good fire there fell great peeces of ice downe from the walles [and roof] of our house, and the ice melted in our cabens and the water dropt downe, which was not so before how great soeuer our fire was ; but that night it was colde againe.'^ The 18 of January it was faire cleare weather -vvith a south- east wind. Then our wood began to consume,^ and so we agreed to burne some of our sea-coles, and not to stop up the chimney, and then wee should not neede to fearc any hurt,* which wee did, and found no disease thereby ; but we thought it better for vs to keepe the coles and to burne our wood more sparingly, for that the coles would serue vs better when we should saile home in our open scute.* The 19 of January it was faire weather, with a north wind. And then our bread began to diminish, for that some of our barels were not fidl waight, and so the diuision was lesse, and we were forced to mak our allowance bigger with ^ Om ona leden wat te verstercken, met gaeriy werpen ende loopen — to strengthen our limbs a little with walking, throwing (the ball), and running. ' Maer des nachta vroort wederom effen cout — but at night it froze again just as cold (as before). ^ Begonde vast te minderen — began to diminish fast. * Swginen — swooning. ' De open achuyten — the open boats. ■u7>'.; Which had not been visible since the 3rd of November, as is men- tioned in page 121. ^ Bat de sonne aldaer ende op die hooghde openharen souden — that the sun should appear there and in that latitude. ^ Disich — hazy. * Daer van wy wel anders veraekert zijn — with respect to which we well know the contrary. f INTO THE NORTH-SF.AS, 145 which we it was in the fift degree and 25 minutes of Aquarius,' and it should haue staied, according to our first gessing," till it had entred into the sixteenth degree and 27 minutes of Aquarius' before he should haue shewed^ there vnto vs in the high of 76 degrees. Which we striuing and contending about it amongst our selues, we could not be satisfied, but Avondred thereat, and amongst vs were of oppinion that we had mistaken our selues, which iieuerthelessc we could [not] be persuaded vnto, for that eucry day without faile we noted what had past, and also had vscd our clocke continually, and when that was frosen we vscd our hourc-glassc of 12 houres long. AVhere- upon we argued with our selues in diuers wise, to know how we should findc out that difference, and learne* the truth of the time ; which to trie we agreed to looke into the Ephe- mcrides made by Josephus Schala," printed in Venice, for the ^ This makes the date to have been the tvrenty-Ji/tk of January. On the 24th, the sun was only in the fourth degree of Aquarius. And all the details furnished by the author concur in proving, that, in spite of his assertion of extreme precision as to the date, the conjunction of the moon and Jupiter, — and, inferentially, the first appearance of the sun also, — took place on the 25th of January, instead of the 24th, as stated. On January S-'ith, at midday, when the sun's longitude was 305° 25',i, or 5'^ 25',i of Aquarius, its declination was — 18° 57',' : consequently, its centre was 4° 42',4, and its upper edge 4° 26',i, below the horizon. The mean refraction at the horizon cannot, however, be estimated at more than 34',o, or, with an assumed temperature of — 8° Fahren., 39',^ ; so that the extraordinary and anomalous refraction amounts to no less than 3° 49'. 2 0ns eerste gissinghe — our first calculation. ^ That is to say, till February 6th. But on that day, the sun's declination being — 15° 50',!, it Avas 1° 41' below the horizon in 75° 45' N. lat., and therefore still invisible there. In lat. 76° it would have been as much as 1° 56'. In 75° 45' N. lat. the sun's upper edge would have been properly first visible on February 9th, when the sun was in 19° 29',2 of Aquarius, or longitude 319° 29',2; its declination then being — 15° 0',5, with an assumed refract .on of half a degree. * Appeared. « "Leave." — Ph. " Josejilms Schahi. The title of the work here referred to, as given iu U hf^ 116 THK N'AVrOATlOy y ceres of our liord 1589 till a. 1600, and we found therein that vpon the Ji4 day of January, (when the sunne first appeared vnto vs) that at Venice, the clocke being one in the night time,' the nioone and Jupiter were in coniunction.* Whereupon we sought to knowe when the same coninnction should be oucr or about the house where we then were ; and at last wc found, y' the 24 day of January was the same day whereon the coniunction aforesaid happened in Venice, at one of the clocke in the night, and with vs in the morning when y" sun was in the cast :' for we saw manifestly that the two De Lalanile's liihliographie Astronomiqxie, p. 120, is "Joseph! Scala, Siculi, Ephemcriclcs ox Tabulis Magini, ab anno 1589 ad annum 1000 continuatas, una cum introductionibus Ephcmcridum Joseph! Moletii. Vcnctiis, 1589, 4to." It !s not in the library of the British Museum, nor in that of the Royal Astronomical Society. This is, however, of no moment ; as Mr. Vogcl, to whoso kindness I am indebted for so much valuable assistance, has calculated the time of the conjunction at Venice, and makes it differ only 57 seconds from Scala's computed time. ' In the astronomical reckoning of time, the date was certainly January 24th ; but, then, *' one in the night time" of that day — which would correctly be called January 24 days 13 hours — corresi)onds with 1 o'clock in the morning of January 25th, in the civil reckoning of time. ^ January 23'' 12'>, mean time, Paris, corresponding with midnight between January 23rd and 24th in th"? civil reckoning of time, — which at Venice would be 20 minutes to 1 o'clock in the morning of January 24th, — the moon's longitude was 19° 57',3 and her latitude -|- 2°0,t, while Jupiter's longitude was 32° 12',o and his latitude — 1° 4',*'; so that there was no conjunction on that day. On the other hand, January 24ii 12'i 6911 3« mean time, Venice, corresponding with 57 seconds to one o'clock in the morning of January 25th, the position of the two planets was as follows : — Moon. Longitude 32° 17',n Latitude -f 2° 58',3 Jupiter. „ 32° 17',;i „ — 1° 4',3 that is to say, they were then in conjunction ; their position in the heavens being near the star a Arietis. ^ This can only be understood in a general sense, as meaning that it was somewhere about six o'clock in the morning. For, at the time of the conjunction, the sun was more than 20° below the horizon ; and as the dawn is not perceptible till the sun is about 18° from the horizon, they could not have possessed even this imperfect means of observing its general bearing, without the aid of the anomalous refraction. IM'O TlIK XOIITII-SKAS. 147 planets aforesaid aproachcd nocre vnto each other,' vntill such time as the moonc and Jupiter stood iusi oucr the other/ both in the signe of Taurus,^ and that was at six of the clockc in the morning ;^ at which time the moone and Jupiter were found by our compas to be in coniunction, ouer our house, in the north and by east point, and the south part of the compass was south-south-west, and thore we had it right south,^ the moone being eight daies old ; whereby it ap- * Want w\j sagen gestadich oj> de voornoemde twee plaiieten dat se altemet iiialcanderen naerderckn — for we looked constantly at the two planets aforesaid, (and saw) that, from time to time, they approached each other. This is very loosely expressed. The author meant to say that Uiey looked from time to time, and saw the two planets constantly approach. * The moon stood 3° 47',r above Jupiter. At the time of the conjunction, the declination of the latter planet was -|- 11° 17,a ; so that in 75° 45' N. hit. it must have set 37° 20' west of the northern meridian. And yet it was observed in 11° 15' west, when in fact it was 2° 44',i below the horizon ! This is very remarkable. For, as is well known, the setting of even the brightest stars is not perceptible. They always vanish before they rcuch the horizon. The peculiar state of the atmosphere, which at noon of tiio same day had raised the sun's disc nearly 4°, allowed a star to be o -served which had set 1 hour and 48 minutes previously. " The longitude of the conjunction was 32° 17',a, or 2° 17',i of the sign of Taurus, with reference to the old division of the ecliptic ; though, owing to the retrogression of the onuinoctial points, whereby Aries has taken the place of Taurus, the conjunction actually occurred in the former sign, as is stated in note 2 of the preceding page. * Their clock having stopped, and a twelve-hours sand-glass being their only time-keeper, it would be too much to expect precision in their immediate determination of the time of observation. But, fortunately, by placing on record the moon's azimuth at the time of the conjunction, they furnished the means of calculating the true time within very rea- sonable limits. The result shows that they were rather more than au hour slow, as it wanted 1 minute and 48 seconds of five o'clock. * The moon's bearing by compass being N. by E. (11° 15' E.), and the variation of the compass 2 points (22° 30') W., the moon's azimuthal distance from the northern meridian was 11° 15' W. From this datum Mr. Vogel has calculated the time of the observation, and makes it to be January 24'l 16'' 58'" 12* mean time, or 4'! 58'" 12^ after mid- night on January 25th. The diftcrencc between this time and that of the conjunction at V^cnice (0'' 5!)'" 3^ after midnight) is, of courbc, the 148 THi, NAVIGATION If i ! peareth that the sunne and the moone were eight points different,' and this was abont sixe of the clocke in the morning :^ this place differeth from Venice fine houres in longitude, wherobj we maye gesse^ how much we were n^nvor east* then the citie of Venice, which was fine houres, each houre being 15 degrees, which is in all 75 degrees that we were more easterly then Venice. By all which it is ma- nifpstly to be scene that we had not failed in our account, and that also we had found our right longitude by the two planets aforesaid ; foi the towne of Venice lieth vnder 37 degrees and 25 minutes in longitude, and her declination* is 4G degrees and 5 minutes ;" whereby it followeth that our place of Noua Zembla lieth vndcr 112 degrees and 25 mi- nutes in longitude, and the high of the Pole 76 degrees ; and so you haue the right lonji,itude and latitude. But from difForence of lougitudc between the tv/o places ; it being 3'> 59ra 9s, or 69° 47 S. And Venice being 12° 21' 21" E. from Greenwich, it results that " the house of safety", at the north-eastern extremity of Novaya Zemlya, is iu 72° 8' long. E. of Greenwich, or 89° 48' E. of Ferro ; its latitude being 75° 45' N. As the mooTi's bearing and the variation of the compass are both given omy to the nearest point, there is a possiiility of error to the extent of half a point, whereby the longitude might vary as much as 5°, or 20 minuies in time. But there is every reason for believing the variation, as stated, to be very nearly coriect ; or, if in error, it is in defect, which would hrive i.he effect of decreasing the eastern longitude. Apart. Their actual distance from each other was only 87° in longitude. '^ Thia is not correct. The moon passed the meridian at 6'i 38'>i 548 after midnight, and the conjunction was observed 40'" 42^ before that planet came to the meridian. It was, therefore, only 4>> 58i" 12^ a.h, of January 25th. ^ Iteeckenen — reckon or calculate. The word "guess" is still used in this sense by the Americans. * Oosterlijcher — more easterly? ' Latitude. "' The correct position of Venice is 30° 0' 58" E. of Ferro, or 12° 21' 21" E. of Orocnwich, and 15° 25' 49" N. hit. It is curious that the latitude of m well-known a place should have been stated as much iis 40' iu error. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 149 the vttermost [east] point of Noua Zembla to y" point of Cape de Tabin," the vttermost point of Tartaria, where it windeth southward, the longitude differeth 60 degrees.'* But you must vnderstand that the degrees are not so great as they are vnder the equinoxial line ; for right vnder the line a degree is iifteene [60] miles ; but when you leaue the line, either northward or southward, then the degrees in longitude do lessen, so that the neerer that a man is to the north or south Pole, so much the degrees are lesse : so that vnder the 76 degrees northward, Avhere wee wintered, the degrees are but 3 miles and | parts [14| miles],'* whereby it is to be marked^ that we had but 60 degrees to saile to the said Cape de Tabin, which is 220 [880] miles, so* the said cape lieth in 172 degrees in longitude as it is thought : and being aboue it," it seemcth that we should be in the straight of Anian,' where we may saile bonldlie into the south, as the land P ^ Tot de Cape de Talijii — to Cape Taimur. See page 37, note 1. ^ Cape Taimur Ijeing in about 100° E. long., and the Hollanders' win- tering (quarters in 72° E. long., the difference of longitude is apparently less than 30 degrees. But this is of no importance, as their determination of the position of that cape was merely speculative, there being at that time no data whatever for fixing its correct position ; nor is it indeed exactly known even at the present day. '■^ This is substantially correct. The exact measurement is 3*64 [14'66] miles. Under the 7()th parallel of latitude a degree contains 13,859"414 toises (du Peru), and at the equator, 57,108'519 toises. — Encke, " Ueber die Dimcnsionen des Erdkorpers," Berliner Jahrluch fur 1852, p. 369. •* Af te meten — to be calculated. " So verde — in so far as ; i. e., assuming that. " Daer ho veil zijnde — having passed beyond it. '' De Strate Anian. The passage between the continents of Asia and America, now known as Behring's Strait, was formerly so called. It was supposed to be in about 00° N. lat., and the northern coast of America was imagined to stretch from thence to Hudson's Strait in a direction nearly east and west. Maldonado is said to have visited the Strait of Anian in 1588. A translation of the narrative of this pretended discovery is given in Barrow's Chronolofiical History, Ap- pendix ii, p. 24 et aetj. Sec also the Quarterly lievieiv, vol. xvi, p. 1 44 et setj. I 150 THE NAVIGATION reachetli. Now what further instructions are to be had to know where we lost the sun' vnder y" said 76 degrees vpon the fourth of Nouember, and saw it agjiin vpon the 24 of January, I leaue that to be described^ by such as make pro- fession thereof : it suffiseth vs to haue shewed that it failed vs not to appeare at the ordinary time.* The 25 of January it was darke clowdy w^eather, the wind wosterlie, so that the seeing of the sunne the day before was againe doubted of; and then many wagers were laid, and we still lookt out to see if the sunne appeared. The same day we sawe a beare (which as long as the sunne appeared not vnto vs we sawe not) comming out of the southwest towards our house ; but when we shouted at her she came no neerer, but went away againe. The £6 of Janurie it was faire cleere weather, but ' \ the horrison there hung a white or darke cloude,* whereby we could not see the sun ; whereupon the rest of our com- panions thought that we had mis^^^aken our selues vpon the 24 day, and that the sunne appeared not vnto vs, and mocked vs ; but we were resolute in our former affirmation that we had scene the sunne, but not in the full roundnesse. That cuening the sicke man that was amongst vs was very weake, and felt himselfe to be extreame sick, for he had laine long time,* and we comforted him as well as wc might, and gaue him the besi, admonition y' we could," but he died not long after midnight. The 27 of Januarie it Avas faire clccre weather, Avith a P ' Wat nu dan helanght (lat nmi verstaen sal van t(/hene verhaelt Ix, tint wy de Sonne . . . verloren — Now, as regards the uudcrstaudiug of what has been related as to our having lost the sun, etc. '^ Disputiren — discussed. 3 Dottet ons in den tijdt niet ghemisten heeft — that wo were not mis- taken with respect to the time. •• Een hanck oft doackeren wolck — a fog-bank or a dark cloud. ■' Een langh suer leMWm«H»M««Mr>«_ 162 THE NAVIGATION might see a good way from vs), and to refresh our ioynts,* for wc had long time sitten dull,' whereby many of vs were very loase.' The 29 of January it was foule weather, with great store of snow, the wind north-west, whereby the house was closed vp againe with snow. The 30 of January it was darke weather, with an east- wdnd, and we made a hole through the doore, but we shoueled not the snow very farre from the portaile,* for that as soone as we saw what weather it was, we had no desire to goe abroad. The 31 of January it was faire calme weather, with an cast- wind ; then we made the doore cleane, and shoueled away the snow, and threw it vpon the house, and went out and saw^ the sunne shine cleare, which comforted vs ; meane time we saw a beare, that came towards our house, but we went softly in and watcht for her till she came ncerer, and as soone she was hard by we shot at her, but she ran away againe. I I li ^ 07)1 ons leden wat radder te maecken — to make our joints somewhat more supple. ^ Verkreupelt geseten — sitten without motion. * Daer detir datter veel gehreck inn den scheurluijch ghecreghen hod- den — whereby several had fallen sick of the scurvy. The derivation of the term " scurvy" — schdrhul; Low Gorman ; schar- lock, High German ; skurhjiigg, Swedish ; scorbutus, modern Latin, — is variously attempted to be explained. See Adelung, Ilochdeutsches Wiir- terhich ; Mason Good, Study of Medicine, vol. ii, p. 870 ; Lind, Treatise on the Scurvg, 3rd Edit., p. 283. The last-named writer says : — " Most authors have deduced the term from the Saxon word schorbok, a griping or tearing of the belly [properly scheuren, *to scour', and bauch, 'belly'] ; which is by no means so usual a symptom of this disease ; though, from a mistake in the etymology of the name, it has been accounted so by those authors." It is in this sense that the expression has been under- stood by the English translator. * Het portael — the entrance porch. ' Phillip has here inserted the word " not", which is not in the ori- ginal, and is besides inconsistent. ( INTO THE XOUTII-SF.AS. 153 1^ i . I The 1 of February, being Candlemas eve, it was boister- ous weather Avith a great storme and good store of snow, whereby the house was closed vp againe with snow, and we were constrain -•d to stay within dorcs ; the wind then being north-west. The 2 of February it was [still the same] foule weather, and as then the sun had not rid vs of all the foule weather, whereby we were some what discomforted, for that being in good hope of better weather we had not made so great pro- uision of wood as wee did before. The 3 of February it was faire weather with an east winde, but very misty, whereby we could not see the sun, which made vs somewhat melancholy to see so great a miste, and rather more then we had had in the winter time ; and then Ave digd our doore open againe and fctcht the wood that lay without about the dore into the house, Avhich we Avere forced Avith great painc and labour to dig out of the snoAV. The 4 of February it Avas [again] foule Aveather with great store of snoAv, the Avind being south-Avest, and then avc Avcre close up againe Avith snoAv ; but then we tooke not so much paines as Ave did before to dig open the doore, but Avhen Ave had occasion to goe out avc dome' out at the chimney and cased our selues, and went in againe the same way. The 5 of February it Avas still foule Aveather, the wind being east Avith great store of snoAV, whereby we Averc shut vp againe into the house and had no other way to get out but by the chimney, and those that could not clime out Avere fiiinc to helpe themsclues Avnthin as well as they could. The 6 of February it Avas still foule stormie weather Avith store of snoAV, and avc still Avent out at the chimney, and troubled not our selues Avith the doore, for some of vs made it an casic matter to clime out at the chimney. The 7 of February it Avas still foule AA'eather Avith much snoAV and a south-west Avind, and Ave thereby forced to 1 Climl.cd. i r^s 154 TIIK NAVIGATION i I 7 i 1 y keepe the house, which griucd' vs more than when the sun shined not, for that hauing seen it and felt the heat thereof, yet we were forced not to inioy'' it. The 8 of Fehruary it began to be fairer weather, [the sky being bright and clear, and] the wind being south-west ; then we saw the sun rise south south-east and went downe south south-west f [well understood] by y^ compas that we had marl' of lead and placed to the right meridian of that place, 0- by our common compas according* it differed two points. The 9 of February it was fairc cleare weather, the wind south-west, but as then we could not see the sunne, because it was close weather in the south, where the sunne should goe downe.* The 10 of February it was faire cleare weather [and calm], so that we could not tell where the wind blew, and then we began to feele some heat of the sunne ; but in the euening it began to blow somewhat cold' out of the west. The 1 1 of February it was fairc weather, the wind south ; y* day about noone there came a beare towards our house, and we watcht her with our muskets, but she came not so neere that wee could reach her. The same night we heard some foxes stirring, which since the beares began to come abroad againe we had [not] much seen. The 12 of February it was cleare weather and very calme, the wind south-west. Then we made our traps [and springes] cleane againe ; meane-time there came a great beare towards our house, which made vs all goe in, and we leaucUcd at her with our muskets, and as she came right before our dorc we shot her into the breast clean through the heart, the bullet ' Grieved. * Enjoy. 3 The sun ought properly not to have been visible till the following day. See page 145, note 3. * That is to say, according to our common compass. " Opgaen tnoesl — should rise or appear. * BegoiU een wei/nich te coeleii — a little breeze sprang up. ■MM! he sun hereof, the sky a-west ; downc that we of that differed he wind because c should nd cahn], L then we luening it nd south ; ur house, me not so we heard HI to come rery cahne, d springes] ire towards cUcd at her lur dore we D, the bullet n i the following :|'. i ' .1 How we shot a bear, wherefrom we got a good 1 I m we got a good hundred pounds' weight of grease. f' ;:i , INTO THE NORTH-SKAS. 155 passing through her body and went out againe at her taylc, and was as flat as a counter' [that has been beaten out with a hammer]. The bcare feeling the blow, lept backwards, and ran twenty or thirty foote from the house, and there lay downc, wherewith we lept all out of the house and ran to her, and found her stil aliue ; and when she saw vs she reard vp her head, as if she would gladly haue doone vs some mischefc ;* but we trusted her not, for that w ^ had tryed her strength sufficiently before, and therefore we shot her* twice into the body againe, and therewith she dyed. Then we ript vp her belly, and taking out her guts, drew her home to the house, where we flcad her and tooke at least one hundred pound of fat out of her belly, which we molt* and burnt in our lampe. This grease did vs great good ser- viice, for by that meanes we stil kept a lampe burning all night long, which before we could not doc for want of grease ; and [further] euery man had meanes to burnc a lamp in his caban for such necessaries as he had to doe. The bcares skin was nine foote long and 7 foote broad. The 13 of February it was faire cleare weather with a hard west wind, at which time we had more light in our house by burning of lamps, whereby we had meanes to passe the time away by reading and other exercises, which before (when we could not distinguish day from night by reason of the darknesse, and had not lamps continually biu'ning) we could not doe. The 14th of February it was faire cleere weather with a hard west wind before noone, but after noone it was still weather. Then fine of vs went to the ship to see how it laie, and found the water to encrease in it, but not much. ^ Een copere duijt — a copper doit. This was formerly the smallest Dutch coin, of the value of about half a farthing. It no longer exists under the present decimal system. * Al oft hy sien wilde wiet hem gedaen hadde — as if she wished to see who had done it to her. =* " Their."— iV/. ^ Melted. I ; I 150 THE NAVIGATION The 15 of February it was foulc weather, Avith a great storme out of the south-west, with great store of snowc, whereby the house was closed vp againe. That night the foxes came to deuoure the dead body of the beare, whereby we were in great feare that all the beares thereabouts would come theather,' and therefore we agreed, as soone as we could, to get out of the house, to bury the dead beare deepe vnder the snowe. The 16 of February it was still foulc weather, with great store of snow and a south-west wind. That day was Shroue Twesday ;" then wee made our sclues some what merry in our great gricfe and trouble, and euery one of vs dranke a draught of wine in remembrance that winter began to wcarc away, and faire weather^ to aproache. The 17 of February it was still foulc weather and a darke sky, the wind south. Then we opened our dore againe and swept away the snow, and then we thrue* the dead beare into the hoale where we had digd out some wood, and stopt it vp, that the beares by smelling it should not come thither to trouble vs, and we set vp our springs* againe to take foxes ; and the same day fiue of vs went to the ship to see how it laie, which we found all after one sort f there we found foote-steps of many beares, as though they had taken it vp for their lodging when Ave had forsaken it. The 18 of February it Avas foulc Aveather Avith much snow and very cold, the wind being south-Avest ; and in the night 1 Thither, * Vastelavont, properly Vaste^mvond; formerly called in this country also, Fastern's or Fasten's Even. The " Fasting/jawi Tuiesday," and " Fastyngonye Tuesday," cited in Brand's Observations on Popular Anti- quities, vol. i, p. 68, from Langley's Polidore Vergile, fol. 103, and Blomefield's Norfolk, vol. ii, p. Ill, respectively, seem to be merely cor- ruptions of this expression. '^ De vrolijcke tijt — the merry time of year ; the spring. * Threw, cast. ^ Springes or traps. ^ In the same state as before. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 157 time, as we burnt lampes and some of our men laie [late] awake, we heard beasts runne vpon the roofe of our house, which by reason of the snowe made the noise of their fcete sound more then otherwise it would haue done, the snow was 80 hard [and cracked so much that it gave a great sound], whereby we thought they had beene beares ; but when it was day we sawe no footing but of foxes, and we thought they had beene beares, for the night, which of it selfe is solitaric and fcarefuU, made that which was doubtfuU to be more doubtfull and worse feared." The 19 of February it was faire cleere weather with a south-west wind. Then we tooke the bight of the sunne, which in long time before we covdd not doe because the horizon was not cleere, as also for that it mounted not so high nor gaue not so much shadowe as we were to haue'* in our astrolabium, and therefore we made an instru- ment that was halfe round, at the one end^ hauing 90 de- grees marked thereon, whereon we hung a thrid* with a plumet of lead, as the water compasses* haue, and therewith we tooke the bight of the sunne when it was at the highest, and found that it Avas three degrees eleuatcd aboue the horizon, his declination eleuenth degrees and sixteenc mi- nutes, which beeing added to the height aforesaid made 14 degrees and 16 minutes, which substracted from 90 degrees, there rested 75 degrees and 44 minutes for the higth of the Pole ; but the aforesaid thiee degrees of higth being taken at the lowest side of the sunne, the 16 minutes might well be added to the higth of the Pole, and so it was just 76 degrees, as we had measured it before.* ^ Tghene dat eyselijck scheen noch eyselijcker — that which was frightful appeared more frightful. " Behoefden — required. ' Op d'eene helft — on the one half, * Thread. * Waterpassen — levels, such as are used by builders. * We have here a remarkable instance of what might be called " cook- ing", were it not that everything is done in perfect good faith, and that X 158 THE NAVIGATION The 20 of February it was foule weather with great store of snow, the wind south-west, whereby we were shut vp againe in the house, as we had beene often times before. The 21 of February it was still foule weather, the wind north-west and grec t store of snow, which made vs greiue more then it did before, for we had no more wood, and so were forced to breake of some peeces of wood in the house, and to gather vp some that lay troden vnder feet, which had not bin caot out of the way, whereby for that day and the next night we holp' our selues indifferent well. The 22 of February it was clere faire weather with a the moans are afforded us of rectifying the error into which the observer fell through the desire to establish his preconceived idea, founded on the supposed results o' his observations of December 14th and January 12th (See pages 131 and 140), that the latitude of the place of observa- tion was to the north of 7(5°. It is quite true that, as the sun's lower edge was observed, its semi- diameter has to be added. Eut the effect of this is to increase, not the height of the Pole, but its complement ; which, adopting the observer's own figures, would bo 14° 1(5' -f IC -. 14° 32', so that the height of the Pole would be only 75° 23'. There is, however, another correction to be made, namely, for refraction, of which at that early period no account was taken; and this being as much aw ir>',i, the discrepancy is thereby so much reduced. The correct calculation of the observation will there- fore bo as follows : — Sun's k .) Hlge . . 3° 0' „ sell ■'- '.'"ameter . I H '\i '!i Ilc^'rr'.ctioK . 3 10 15,1 True aliitude of sun's centre Sun's declination . — 3 11 (V. 15 Complement of height of Polo 14 15,a Latiiade 75° 44,1 Which differs only I',!) from the mean of the two observe tions of the 14tli December and 12th January 1 Off. ^ llcli.ed. pp INTO THE NORTH-SEAS, 159 I south-west wind. Then we made ready a slead to fetch more wood, for need compelled vs thereunto ; for, as they say, hunger driueth the wolfe out of his den.' And eleuen of vs went together, all well appointed with our armes ; but coming to the place where wee should haue the wood, we could not come by it by reason it laie so deepe vnder the snow , whereby of necessitie we were compelled to goe fur- ther, where with great labour and trouble avc got some ; but as we returned backe againe therewith, it was so sore labour vnto vs that we were almost out of comfort, for that by rea- son of the long cold^ and trouble thul we had indured, wc were become so weake and feeble that we had litle strength, and we began to be in doubt that we should not recover our strengths againe^ and should not be able to fetch any more wood, imd so we should haue died with cold ; but the pre- sent necessitie and the hope wc had of better weather in- creased our forces, and made vs doe more then our strengthes iifForded. And when we came neere to our house, we saw much open water in the sea, which in long time Ave had not scene, which also put vs in good comfort that things Avould be better. The 23 of February it was calme and faire Aveather, with a good airc,^ the wind south-Avest, and then Ave tooke two foxes, that Avcre as good to vs as venison. The 24' of February it avus still Aveather, and a close aire," the Avind sonth-Avest. Then avc drest our si)ringes [and traps] in good sort for the foxes, but tooke none. ' Uytet wont — out of tf>e wood. The French say, " la faim chasse lo loup hors du bois ;" and in several other hinguagcs it is the same. In English the corresponding expression is, "hunger will ))reak through stone walls." See National Proverbs, etc., by Caroline Ward, p. 62. « " Cod."— /'A. " Ons de cracht heghevin .loude — wa should lose our strength, * i)fet een hetoghen lucht — with a cloudy sky, » " 25."— PL " Donckere lucid — a dark sky. r«i* ' ' ! 160 THE NAVIGATION ) 1- The 25 of February it was foule weather againe and. much snow, with a nc.th wind, Avhereby we were closed vp with snow againe, and could not get out of our house. Thr j26 of February it was darke weather, with a south- west wind, but very calme ; and then we opened our dore againe and exercised our selues with going and running, and to make our ioints supple, which were almost dinged together.^ The 27 of February it was calme weather, with a south wind, but very cold. Then our wood began to lessen, which put vs in no small discomfort to remember what trouble we had to drawe the last slead-full home, and we must doe the like againe if we would not die with cold. The 28 of February it was still weather with a south-west wind. Then ten of vs went and fetcht an other slead-full of wood, with no lessc paine and labor then we did before ; for one of our companions could not hclpe vs, because that the first ioint of one of his great toes was frozen of, and so he could doe nothing. The first of March it was faire still weather, the wind west but very cold, and wc were forced to spare our wood, be- cause it was so great labor for vs to fetch it ; so that when it was day wv exercised our selues as much as we might, with running, joing and leaping ; and to them that laic in their cabins* we gaue hote' stones to warme them, and towards night we made a good fire, which we were forced to indurc.* The 2 of Marchc it was cold clcerc weather, with a west wind. The same day we tooke the liigth of the sunne, and found that it was eleuatcd aboue the horizon sixe degrees and 48 minutes, and his declination was 7 degrees and 12 ^ V^rdeu7nt — benumlted. " 7>, r'e hoy — a-bcd. Hot. * Daer icy ons mede lyden moeMeti — wherewith we wore forced to be satisfied. h INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. Ifil minutes, which' substracted from 90 degrees, resteth 76 degrees for the higth of the Pole." The 3 of March it was faire weather [and calm], with a [south-] west wind ; at which time our sickemen were some- what better and sat vpright in tiicir cabins t ; doe some thing to passe the time awaie, but after they fom 1' ^hat they were too ready to stir re before their times. The 4 of March it was faire weather with a west wind. The same day there came a beare to our house, whom we watcht with our peeces as we did before, and shot at her and hit her, but she run away. At that time fiue of us went to our ship, where we found that the beares had made worke, and had opened our cookes eubberd,* that was couered oucr with snow, thinking to find some thing in it, and had drawne it [a good way] out of the ship, where we found it. The 5 of ISIarch it was foulc weather againe, with a south- west wind ; and as in the cuening we had digd open our dore and went out, when the weather began to break vp,* we saw much open water in the sea, more then before, which put vs in good comfort that in the end wo should get awf ' from thence. The () of March it was foule weather, with a great stornie out of the south-west and much snow TJie same day some of vs climbc'l out of the chimney, and pcrceaued that in the sea and about the land there was much open water, but the ship lay last still. ' Namely, the sum of the sun's elevation and southern declination, being fourteen degrees. " With 7',5 for refraction, and — 7° 10',n for the sun's declination, the abovo obsej'vation gives 76° 8',r for the height of the Pole, If no allow- ance was made at the time for the sun's semi-diameter, IG' will have to be deducted, which will make the true latitude to 1)0 75° r)2',~. "' Twelck haer nmmaels niet ten besten verghimjh — which did them no good afterwards. * llet cocx luijc/c — the cook's locker. '^ Wat f/Iwhetcrt iras — was somewhat better, Y 16^ THE NAVIGATION The 7 of March it was still foule weather and as great a wind, so that we were shut vp in our housc^ and they that would goe out must clime vp through the chimney, which was a common thing with vs, and still we sawe more open water in the sea and about the land, whereby we were in doubt* that the ship, in that foule weather and driuing of the ice, would be loose* while we were shut vp in our house, and we should haue no meanes to helpe it. The 8 of Marche it was still foule weather, with a south- west stormc and great store of snow, whereby we could see no ice north-east nor round about in the sea, wereby we were of opinion that north-east from vs there was a great sea." The 9 of March it was foule weather, but not so foule as the [two] day[s] before, and Icsse snow ; and then we could sec further from vs and percciue that the water was open in the north-east, but not from vs towards Tartaria, for there wc could still see ice in the Tartarian Sea, otherwise called the Ice Sea, so that we were of opinion that there it was not very wide ; for, when it was clcere weather, we thought many times that we saw the land, and showed it viito our companions, south and [south] south-cast from our house, like a hilly land, as laad commonly showeth it sclfo when w^e see it [from afar off] .* ■i I ^ Beducht — afraid. " The words "for as then the ice drave," are introduced hore unneces- sarily by Phillip. ^ Ee7i ruymi; zee moeste zijti — there must be an ojien sea. * There is little doubt of their having actually seen the country round the estuaries of the rivers Obi and Yenisei. Liitkc says (p. 42) that "the distance of the two countries from one another is nut known exactly, but there is reason for believing it to be loss than 120 Italian miles. That the Hollanders really saw Siberia, and Uitt (as some imagine) the Island of Muksimok, is eorroboviUud by the tradition, which is mentioned even by Witson (pp, 7uv, which wos vn- support;!^ \> tor vs if mere extremitie had not compelled vs thereunto, saying often times one vnto the other, that if the wood were to be bought tor luony, we would giue all our earnings or wages for it. The \2 of Martii It was foule weather, y'^ wind north-east; tl i: n the ice came mightily driuing in, which [by] the south- » Cmts. ^ Here, as before, the correct result will be (refraction 5',i ; declina- tion — 3° 41','') 76° 4',s; or, deducting 16' for the sun's semi- diameter, 75° 4«',6, ' Hkii)i)cr. * More vailing. "T 1(J4 THE NAVIGATION mi 1 >; !i.S> i i i i' :i: I'd west wincle had bin driuen out, and it was then as could' as it had bin before in the coldest time of winter. The 13 of March it was still foule weather, with a storme out of the north-east and great store of snow, and the ice mightely driuing in with a great noyse, the flakes rustling against each other fearfuU to heai'e. The 14 of March it was still foule Aveather with a great east north-east wind, whereby the sea was [again] as close* as it had bin before, and it was extreame cold, whereby our sicke men were very ill,^ who Avhcn it was faire weather were stirring t o soone.^ The 15 of March it was faire weather, the wind north. That day we opened our dore to goe out, but the cold rather increased then diminished, and was bitterer then before it had bin. The 16 of March it was faire cleare weather, but extreame cold with a north wind, which put vs to great extremity, for that we had almost taken our leaues of the cold, and then it began to come againe. The 17 of March it was faire cleare weather, with a north- wird. but stil very cold, wherby wee were wholy out of ( omfort to see and feele so great cold, and knew not what to thinkc, for it was extreame cold. The 18 of March it was foule cold weather with good store of snow, the wind north-east, which shut vs vp in our house so that we could not get out. The 19 of March it was still foule and bitter cold weather, the wind north-east, the ice in tlu sea cleauing ' faster and thicker together, with great craxking and a hugh" noyse, Avhich we might ( isily heare in our house, but Ave delighted utit much in hearing thereof. ' (;«lii flio I'nl of tlic iiitnitli, iis is iiuntinncil in page Kil. •' I'oikU — pit'.s.sc, and on March 21st -{- 0° 14',n, the sun having crossed the equinoctial between 10 and 11 o'clock of the inter- vening night. The corrected calculation for both days will therefore be as follows : — March 20th. Maroh 21st. Altitude of the sun 14° 0' 14° 0' Refraction . . 3,h 3,'^ lighted "'' Sun's declination (.'omplement

he came not. Tluni Are Avent A'p vpon the house, Avhere W( -aw Avhat force the beam had A^sed to tearc away the saile, an ich Avas made so fast vnto the chimney. The 8 of Aprill it Avas still foule AveatL'T, tVie Avind south- Avcst, Av^hereby the ice dranc aAA'ay againe and the sea Avas open, Avhich put vs in some comfort that avc should once get aAvay out of that fcarcfull place. * Deur dattet damper weer ende tcruijt vochtich was — because it ivas damp weather and the j)owder moist. " The steps cut in the snow, as is mentioned in page 136. ' iV«e de deur T:^ <^ S3 WIST MAIN STMIT t*fKSnil,N.Y. U5M ./1«)l7a-4S03 <^\ ;\ 4% 4" 170 THE NAVIGATION The 9 of Aprill it was faiie clcere weather, but towarda euening it was foule weather, the wind south-west, so that stil y® water became opener, whereat we much reioysed, and gaue God thanks that he had saued vs from the aforesaid^ cold, troublesome, hard, bitter, and vnsupportable winter, hoping that time would giue vs a happy issue. The 10 of Aprill it was foule weather, with a storme out of the north-east, with great store of sno c ; at which time the ice that draue away came in againe a I couered all the sea oucr.* The 1 1 of Api'ill it was fairc weather, with a great north- cast wind, wherewith the ice still draue one peece vpon another and lay in high hilles. ' . The IS'' of Aprill it was fairc clecre weather, but still it blew hard north-east as it had done two daycs before, so that the ice lay like hilles one vpon the other, and then was higher and harder then it had bin before. The 13 of Aprill it was faire cleere weather with a north wind. The same day we fetcht a slead Avith wood, and euery man put on his shoocs that he had made of felt or rudg,* which did vs great pleasuic. The 14 of Aprill it was faire cleare weather with a west wind ; then we saw greater hilles of ice round about the ship then euer we had scene before, which was a fearcfuU thing to behold, and much to be wondred at that the ship was not smitten in peeces. The 15 of Aprill it was faire calme weather with a north wind; then seaucn of vs went aboard the ship, to see in what case it Avas, and found it to be all in one sort ; and as we came backe againe there came a great beare towards vs, « ' Voorgaende — late, previous. " Vervulde ile gantsche zee — filled the entire sea. 3 « 21st."— P/i. * Van den houden ghemaect hadden — had made of the hats or felt. See page 1C6, note 1. INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 171 against whom we began to make defence, but she perceauing that, made away from us, and we went to the place from whence she came to ^oe her den,' where we found a great hole made in y« ice, about a mans length in depth, the entry thereof being very narrow, and within wide; there we thrust in our pickes' to feele if there was any thing within it, but perceauing it was emptie, one of our men crept into it, but not too farre, for it was fearefuU to behold. After that we went along by the sea side, and there we saw that in the end of March and the begining of Aprill the ice was in such wondefuU manor risen and piled vp one vpon the other that it was wonderfuU, in such manner as if there had bin whole townes made of ice, with towres and bulwarkes round about them. The 16 of Aprill it was foule weather, the wind north- west, whereby the ice began some-what to breake,'' The 17 of Aprill it was faire cleere weather with a south- west wind ; and then seauen of vs went to the ship, and there we saw open water in the sea, and then we went ouer the ice hilles as well as we could to the water, for in six or seauen monthes we had not gone so neare vnto it; and when we got to y'' water, there we saw a litle bird swiming therein, but as soone as it espied vs it diued vndcr the water, which we tooke for a signe that there was more open water in the sea then there had beene before, and that the time approached that the water would [be] open. The 18 of Aprill it was faire weather, the wind south-west. Then we tooke the higth of the sunne, and it was eleuatcd aboue the horizon 25 degrees and 10 minutes, his declination 11 degrees and 13 minutes, which being taken from the higth aforesaid, there rested 13 degrees and 58 minutes, which substracted from 90 degrees, the higth of the Pole ' Om te sien of hy daer eenighe holen hadde — to see whether she had Riiy holes there. i * *S>iWn— pikes. ' J/ /f .srWe-M— to go away. ' M 172 THE NAVIGATION was found to be 75 degrees, 58 minutes.' Then eleuen of vs went with a slead to fetch more wood, and brought it to the house. In the night there came an other beare vpon our house, which we hearing, went all out with our amies, but [through the noise we made] the beare ranne away. The 19 of Aprill it was faire weather with a north wind. That di*^ fine of vs went into the bath to bathe our selues,' which did vs much good and was a great refreshing vnto vs. The 20 of Aprill it was faire weather with a west wind. The same day fiue of vs went to the place where we fetcht wood, with a kettle and other furniture' vpon a slead, to wash our shirts in that place, because the wood lay ready there, and for that Ave were to vse much wood to melt the ice, to heate our water and to drie our shirtcs, estcming it a lesse labour then to bring the wood home to the house, which was great trouble vnto vs. The 21 of Aprill it [still] was faire weather with an east wind ; and the next day the like weather, but in the euening the wind blcwe northerly. The 23 of Aprill it was faire [clear] weather [with a bright sky] and a [strong] north-east wind ; and the next day the like, with an east wind. The 25 of Aprill it was faire [clear] weather, the wind easterly. The same day there came a beare to our house, and we shoot her into the skin,* but she runne awaic, which another beare that was not farre from vs pcrccauing [she came not nearer to us but] runne away also. The 26 and 27 of Aprill it was fiurc weather, but an ex- trecme great north-cast wind. ' The declination here given is that of April 19th. The corrected calculation for the 18th, with refraction 2',o and declination + 10° 5U',i> gives 76° 42',i ; or 75° 26'.i, if the sun's serai-diameter has to l)e deducted. On April 19th, the declination was -}- 1 1° U)',i, whereby the height of the i'olc would be 7(!°2',i ; or, deducting the sun's scmi-diamotor, 75°4()',i " /'uufe stooften ons — and stewed ourselves. See page 121, note 8. •' f/hercetsc/iiip — utensil i. * //idj't — literally " him," but used in the sense of " liudy." INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 173 The 28 of Aprill it was faire weather with a north wind. Then we tooke the higth of the sunne againe, and found it to be eleuated 28 degrees and 8 minutes, his declination 14 degrees and 8 minutes/ which substracted from 90 degrees, there rested 76 degrees for the highth of the Pole.* The 29 of Aprill it was faire weather with a south-west wind. Then we plaid at colfe^ [and at ball], both to the ship and from thence againe homeward, to exercise our selues. The 30 of Aprill it was faire weather [with a bright sky], the wind south-west ; then in the night wee could see the sunne in the north, when it was in the highest,* iust aboue the horizon, so that from that time we saw the sunne both night and day.* The 1 of May it was faire weather with a west v/ind; then we sod our last flesh,* which for a long time we had spared, and it was still very good, and the last morsell tasted as well ^ There is an omission here in the original. The following words require to be supplied : — " which substracted from the said elevation, there rested 14 degrees." « With the sun's declination -|- 14° 8',r and refraction l',8, the cor- rected calculation will give 76° 2',5 ; or, deducting 16' for the sun's semi- diameter 75° 46',5. * See page 168, note 2. * Opt hooghste tvas. An oversight of the author. He meant to say that the sun was on the meridian in the north ; where, of course, it must have been at the lovjest, instead of the highest. " Had the latitude of the place of observation been really more than 76°, the sun ought to have been visible above the horizon at midnight on the 28th April, as its declination was then already more than 14° ; and as on the 30th April its declination was 14° 65', it ought to have had its loiver edge full 39' above the horizon at the time when at the place of observation it is said to have been visible "just above the horizon." This is without taking into account the refraction, which, under ordinary circumstances, would have made its visible altitude about 36' more. Hence it is quite clear that they were not so far north as 76°. •* Coodteii v'u oiise laetste vleysch — wo cooked the last of our meat (beef). 174 THE NAVIGATION as the first, and we found no fault therein but onely that it would last no longer.' The 2 of May it was foule weather with a [severe] stormc out of the south-west, whereby the sea was almost clcere of ice, and then we began to speake about '^ getting from thence, for we had kept house long enough there. The 3 of May it was still foule weather with a south-west wind, whereby the ice began wholy to driue away, but it lay fast about the ship. And when our best meate, as flesh and other things, began to faile vs,^ which was our greatest sustenance, and that it behooued vs to be somewhat strong, to sustaine the labour that we were to vndergoe when we went from thence, the master shared the rest of the bacon* amongst vs, which was a small barrell Avith salt bacon in pickle,* whereof euery one of vs had two ounces a day, which continued for the space of three weekes, and then it was eaten vp.* The 4 of May it was indifferent fairc weather, y" wind south-west. That day fine of vs went to the ship, and found * 3faer hadt niaer een manffkel, dattet niet kmgher deuren wilde — only it had but one fault, which was, that it would not last any longer. When- ever a joke is intended by the author, — who, although a serious, matter- of-fact Dutchman, was evidently a bit of a wag, — it is, by some fatality, sure to be spoilt by the translator. " Tejancken — to hanker after. ^ Ende also de beste sjnjs, als vlei/sch ende grutten ende anders, ons ontbrack — and as our best food, such as beef, barley, and such like, failed us. Gort otgnitten, for porridge, form au important item in the supplies of Dutch seamen. When the Dutch whale-fishery was in a more flourish- ing state, the sailors of the vessels employed in it used to be saluted by the boys in the streets of Amsterdam with the cry of — Traan-bok ! Stroop in je gort tot Pampus toe. — " Train-oil Billy ! Treacle in your porridge as far as Pampus ;" meaning, that after they had passed Pampus (see page 13, note 6), which is only two hours from Amsterdam, they would, during the rest of the voyage, get their porridge without treacle. * Speck — pork. ' L'cn cleijn vaetgien met peeckehpeck — a small cask of salt pork. * Doen wast medc op — then that also was gone. r INTO THE NOllTir-SEAS. 175 it lying still as fast in the ice as it did before ;* for about the midle of March it was but 75 paces from the open water, and then'' it was 500 paces from the water and inclosed round about with high hilles of ice, which put vs in no small feare how we should bring our scute and our boate through or ouer that way into the water when we went to leaue that place. That night there came [again] a beare to our house, but as soone as she heard vs make a noise she ranne away againe ; one of our men that climbed vp in the chimney saw when she ranne away, so that it seemed that as then they were afraid of vs, and durst not be so bold to set vpon vs as they were at the first. The 5 of May it was fau-e weather with some snow, the wind east. That euening and at night we saw the sunne, when it was at the lowest, a good way aboue the earth. The 6 of May it was faire cleere weather with a great south-west wind, whereby we saw the sea open both in the east and in the west, which made our men exceeding glad, longing sore to be gone from thence. The 7 of May it was foule weather and snew hard, with a north wind, whereby we were closed vp againe in our house, whereupon our men were somewhat disquieted, saying that they thought they should neuer goe from thence,' and there- fore, said they, it is best for vs as soone as it is open water to be gone from hence. The 8 of May it Avas foule weather with great store of snoAV, the wind west ; then some of our men agreed amongst themselues to speake vnto the master,* and to tell him that it was more then time for vs to be gone from thence ;* but they could not agree vpon it who should moue the same vnto ^ Meer als te voren — more than before. ^ iVi< — now. " Segghende : dit weer sal hier nimmermeer vergaen — saying, this weather will never more pass away here. * The skipper, namely, Jacob Ileemskerck. " Van daer te sien comen — to see about getting from thence. 176 THE NAVIGATION him,' because he had said that he would staie'^ vntill the end of June, which was the best of the sommer, to see if the ship would then be loose. The 9 of May it was faire cleere weather with an indifferent wind out of the north-east ; at which time the desire that our men had to be gone from thence still more and more encreased, and then they agreed to speake to Willam Barents to moue the master to goe from thence, but he held them of with faire words [and quieted them] ; and yet it was not done to delay them,* but to take the best counsell with reason and good aduise, for he heard all what they could saie.* The 10 of May it was faire weather with a north-west wind ; y* night, the sun by our common compas being north north-east and at the lowest, we tooke the higth thereof, and it was eleuated 3 degrees and 45 minutes, his declination was 17 degrees and 45 minuts, from whence taking the higth aforesaid, there rested 14 degrees, which substracted from 90 degrees, there rested 76 degrees for the higth of the Pole.* The 1 1 of INIay it was faire weather, tlie wind south-west, and then« it was [quite] open water in the sea, when our men prayed William Barents oi .c ine to moue the maister to make preparation to goe irom thence, which he promised to do as soone as conuenient time serued him. The 12 of May it was foule weather, the wind north-west ; ^ Maer elck ontsach sich den schipper dat te kennen te gheven — but each was reluctant to make the skipper acquainted with it. ' Vermidts dat hy hem hadde laten verluyden dat hy hegeerde te wachten — because he had given them to understand that he desired to wait. ^ Niet niuytischer wyse — not in a mutinous manner. * Want zy Ueten haer gaerne ghesegghen — for they let themselves easily be talked over. ' The corrected calculation, with declination -f- 17° 44',9 and refrac- tion 12',2, will give 75° 47',9. If the sun's lower edge was observed, 16' will, in this instance, have to be added to the latitude, which thereby becomes 76° 3',9, * Daev dtur — whereby. /■ INTO THE NORTH-SKAS. 177 and then the water became still opener then it Avas, which put vs in good comfort. • The 13 of May it was still weather, but it snowed hard with a north [-west] wind. The 14 of May [it was fine clear weather with a north wind. Then] we fetcht our last slead with fire wood, and stil ware' our shooes made of rugde^ on our feete, where- with we did our selues much pleasure, and they furthered vs much. At the same time we spake to William Barents againe to mooue the maister about going from thence, Avhich he promised he would doe [on the following day]. The 15 of May it was faire weather with a west wind, and it was agreed that all our men should goe out to exercise their bodies with running, goeing,^ playing at colfe* and other exercises, thereby to stirre their ioynts and make them nymble. Meane time [William] Barents spake vnto the maister and showed him what the company had said,^ who made him answeare that they should stay no longer than to the end of that mounth, and that if then the ship cou.ld not be loosed, that preparation should be made to goe away with the scute and the boate." The 16 of May it was faire weather with a west- wind ; at which time the company were glad of the answere that the maister had giuen, but they thought the time too long, be- cause they were to haiic much time' to make the boatc and * Wore. ■ Va7i de niyohe. hoetgenn — of the rough hats (felt). See page 106, note 1. ' I.e., walking. * Cohen. See page IfiS, note 1. * Sprack Willem Barentzoon den schi^yper aen wat der ghesellen goeden raedt was — William Barents/, told the skipper what the crew thought was best (to be done). * Be schuijt ende bock — the boat and yawl. Heemskerck's first thought, as supercargo, evidently was to save, if possible, the ship and property entrusted to him by the owners ; and by waiting till the fine weather came and the sea was open, he hoped to be able to do this. ' Dat men veel tijts behoeven sonde — because much time would be req^uisite. AA 178 THE NAVIGATION I . the scute ready to put to sea with them, and therefore some of them were of opinion that it would be best for them to sawe the boatc ' in the middle and to make it longer ; which opinion, though" it was not amisse, neuerthelesse it would be y® worse for vs, for that although it should be so much the better for the sailing, it would be so much the vnfitter to be drawne ouer the ice, which we vere forced [afterwards] to doe. The 17 and 18 of May it was faire cleere weather with a west wind, and then wc [almost] began to reconne' the dales that were set downe and appointed* for vs to make prepara- tion to be gone. The 19 of May it Avas faire weather with an east wind ; then foure of our men went to the ship or to the sea side, to see what way wc should draue the scute into the water.* The 20 of May it was foule weather with a north-east wind, whereby the ice began to come in [strongly] againe ; and at noone we spake vnto the maister, and told him that it was time to make preparation to be gon, if we would euer get away from thence ;" whereunto he made answeare that his oAvne life was as deere vnto him as any of ours vnto vs, neuerthelesse he willed vs to make haste to prepare our clothes and other things ready and fit for our voiage, and that in the mcane time we should patch and amend them, that after it might be no hinderance vnto vs, and that we should stay till the mounth of May was past, and then make ready the scute and the boate and al other things fit and conueuient for our iourncy. * Bock — yawl ; it l)cing the smaller boat of the two. »« Thought."— /V^ * Reckon, count. * Dat lUn tijt aenquam — till the time should arrive, * De schuyten te water soude mogheii brenghen — should be able to get the boats afloat. ® Oft eens tijdt quam dat wy loech comen mochten — if the time should ever come when we might get away. f m INTO THE NORTH-SEAS. 179 The 21 of May it was faire weather with a north-east wind, so that the ice came drilling in againe, yet we made preparation touching our things that we should weare, that we might not be hindred thereby. The 22 of May it was faire weather with a north-west wind ; and for that we had almost spent all our wood, we brake the portall of our dore' downe and burnt it. The 23 of May it was faire weather with an east wind ; then some of [us] went againe to the place where the wood lay, to wash our sheets.^ The 24 of May it was faire weather with a south-east wind, whereby there was but a little open water. ' The 25 of May it was faire weather with an east wind. Then at noone time we tooke the higth of the siinne, that was eleuated aboue the horizon 34 degrees and 46 minutes, his declination 20 degrees and 46 minutes, which taken from the higth aforesaid, there rested 14 degrees, which taken from 90 degrees' resteth 76 degrees for the higth of the Pole.* ^ Ben wandt vant portael — the sides of the porch or entrance. ° Hemden — shirts. ' Die dan loederom ghetoghen van de ghenomen hoochte — which then being taken from the observed height. This error in the original text is corrected in the translation. * The declination here given (correctly 20° 46',5) is that of the 24th May ; that of the 25th being 20° 57',". The amended calculation for both days will be as follows : — Observed altitude of Refraction . May 24th sun . 34° 46',n . . - r,i May 25th. 34° 46',o - IV Sun's declination 34° 44',« . -]■ 20° 46',5 13° 58',i 34° 44',.! -}- 20° 57',t! Complement