Note 153 — THE THIRD VOYAGE NORTH-WARD TO THE KINGDOMES OF CATHAIA and China, in Anno 1596.

1 Of men noch ten derdemael van slandts wegen wederom eenige toerustinge soude doen—whether any expedition should again for the third time be fitted out at the expense of the country. ↑

2 In the original no mention is made of any proclamation. ↑

3 Een mercklijcke somme—a considerable sum. ↑

4 Als schipper ende comis van de comanschappe, Jacob Heemskerck Heijndricksz.—as captain and supercargo of the merchandize. ↑

5 Jan Cornelisz. Rijp. ↑

6 The Vlie passage is frequented by ships bound northward which do not draw much water. ↑

7 De stroom verliep—the tide ran out. ↑

8 Raeckte aen de grondt—ran a-ground. ↑

9 Aen de oost zyde vant Vlie-landt—on the east side of Vlielandt: the island at the entrance of the Vlie, between it and Texel. ↑

10 De eylanden van Hitlandt ende Feyeril. Hitlandt is the Dutch name for the Islands of Shetland, anciently called Hialtland. Feyeril is Fair Isle, between Shetland and Orkney. ↑

11 Waeyde een topseijl—it blew a top-sail breeze. ↑

12 Graedtboogh. See page 10, note 2. ↑

13 This was the sun’s zenith distance, and not its elevation. ↑

14 Een wonderlijck hemel-teijcken—a wonderful phenomenon in the heavens. ↑

15 Wijdt rondtomme de sonnen—at a distance round about the suns. ↑

16 Dweers deur de groote ronde—right through the great circle (of the former rainbow). ↑

17 De onderste cant—its lower edge. ↑

18 The error noticed in the preceding page (note 10) is here repeated. ↑

19 Hielt de loef van ons, ende quam niet af tot ons, maer wy ghinghen hem een streeck int ghemoet—kept to windward of us, and would not fall off towards us; but we altered our course one point to go to him. ↑

20 By malcanderen quamen—approached each other. ↑

21 T’zeewaert vant landt—out at sea away from the land. ↑

22 Ende behoorden n. o. aen te gaen—and ought to have sailed N.E. ↑

23 As henceforward the omissions in the translation become more numerous, it is thought better to insert the omitted passage or words in the text between brackets [ ], instead of placing them in the foot-notes. ↑

24 Jae noch—yea, even. ↑

25 Opt verdeck—on deck. ↑

26 Die onder waren—who were below. ↑

27 Dat van den grooten hoop quam dryven—which came drifting from the great mass. ↑

28 During four hours. ↑

29 One hour. ↑

30 One hour and a half. ↑

31 The accuracy of William Barentszoon’s 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 Greenwich. ↑

32 5 mylen groot—twenty English miles in circumference. ↑

33 Een steylen sneebergh—A steep mountain of snow. This was not a glacier, but merely an accumulation of snow. The land of Bear Island appears to be not sufficiently elevated for the formation of glaciers. See Von Buch’s Memoir “über Spirifer Keilhavii”, in Abhandl. d. K. Acad. d. Wissensch. zu Berlin, 1846, p. 69; and its transl., in Journ. Geol. Soc. Lond., vol. iii, part ii, p. 51. ↑

34 Steijl—steep. ↑

35 Wy ghinghen op ons naers sitten. ↑

36 Geweldich—powerful. ↑

37 Bock—yawl. ↑

38 Two hours. ↑

39 Maer ten bequam ons niet wel—but it did not agree with us. ↑

40 Het Beyren Eylandt. The Russian walrus-hunters call this island simply Medvyed, “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 merchant of London, to kill walruses for their oil, and who named the island after his patron. ↑

41 Hyselachtich—hazy. ↑

42 Floating. ↑

43 Daer wy niet boven conden comen—which we could not weather. ↑

44 See page 25, note 2. ↑

45 There is an error in the calculation here, which may be best explained by repeating the calculation itself, as it was doubtless made:—

33° 37′ Elevation of the sun.

23° 26′ Declination of the sun.

——— Elevation of the equator, which being the complement of the elevation of the Pole, had to be deducted from 90°.

10° 11′

90° 0′

———

80° 11′

———

But in making the deduction, the 11′ were carried down instead of being subtracted from 60′; and then, of course, 90° - 10° = 80°. The true difference is 79° 49′, which is, consequently, the latitude observed. ↑

46 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. ↑

47 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. ↑

48 Schuijt. This being the generic term for small craft, might well be translated “boat”. ↑

49 Claws. ↑

50 Voor aen den steven—forward in the stem (of the boat). ↑

51 Te landtwaert in—towards the land. ↑

52 Rotgansen—brent geese or “barnacle” geese, as they were called, owing to the absurd idea which formerly prevailed as to their origin. ↑

53 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 rotgansen in Dutch, on account of their flocking together. ↑

54 Dit waren 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. ↑

55 Wieringen, an island of North Holland, near the Texel. ↑

56 Aen boomen wassen—grow upon trees. ↑

57 Ende de tacken die overt water hangen ende haer vruchten int water vallen—and those branches which hang over the water, and the fruit of which falls into the water. ↑

58 Swemmen daer hennen—swim away. ↑

59 Comen te niet—come to nothing. This extraordinary fable concerning the origin of these geese, which was prevalent in the sixteenth century, and was credited by the best informed naturalists and most learned scholars, is, at the present day, retained in our memory principally by Izaak Walton’s quotation from Divine Weekes and Workes of Du Bartas:—

“So, slowe Boötes vnderneath him sees,

In th’ ycy iles, those goslings hatcht of trees;

Whose fruitfull leaues, falling into the water,

Are turn’d (they say) to liuing fowls soon after.

So, rotten sides of broken ships do change

To barnacles; O transformation strange!

’Twas first a greene tree, then a gallant hull,

Lately a mushrom, now a flying gull.”

For the reason which will appear in the sequel, it is deemed advisable to reproduce here the elaborate description of “the goose tree, barnacle tree, or the tree bearing geese”, given by the learned John Gerard, in his Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes, of which the first edition was published in 1597:—

“There are found in the north parts of Scotland and the islands 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 vpon the land perish and come to nothing. Thus much by the writings of others, and also from the mouths of people of those parts, which may very well accord with truth.

“But what our eyes haue seene, and hands haue touched, we shall 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 there likewise; whereon is found a certaine spume or froth that in time breedeth vnto 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, euen 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 lace or string; next come the legs of the bird hanging 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 name than a tree-goose: which place aforesaid, and all those parts adioyning, do so much abound therewith, 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 historie of which is true, and of mine owne knowledge: for trauelling vpon the shore of our English coast betweene Douer and Rumney, I found the trunke of an old rotten tree, which (with some helpe that I procured by fishermens wiues that were there attending their husbands returne 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 very cleere and shining; at the nether end whereof did grow a shell fish, fashioned somewhat like a small muskle, but much whiter, resembling a shell fish that groweth vpon the rocks about Garnsey and Garsey, 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 ripenes I found liuing things that were very naked, in shape like a bird: in others, the birds couered 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 leaue it to a further consideration; howbeit that which I haue seene 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 waues 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 Orchades, will of themselves beare the like fowles, by reason of those seas and waters, these being so probable coniectures, and likely to be true, I may not without preiudice gainesay, or indeauor 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 Barentz and his companions that they should have been mainly instrumental in disabusing 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 Herball, published in 1633:—

“The barnakles, whose fabulous breed my author here sets downe, and diuers others haue also deliuered, were found by some Hollanders to haue another originall, and that by egges, as other birds haue: for they in their third voyage to find 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 aboundance of these geese sitting vpon their egges, of which they got one goose, and tooke away sixty egges, etc. Vide Pontani, Rerum et vrb. Amstelodam. Hist., lib. 2, cap. 22.”

Parkinson, too, in his Theatrum Botanicum, published in 1640 (p. 1306), gives our Dutch navigators full credit for having confuted “this admirable tale of untruth”. ↑

60 Liggen—lay. ↑

61 Chart. The original has, however, nothing about any “card”, but says noch noyt dat land op die plaets bekent is geweest—nor was that land ever known on the spot (that is to say, from personal observation). ↑

62 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.—Lütke, p. 77. ↑

63 Des nachts—at night. ↑

64 De selfde getogen van de genomen hooghde. This is erroneous. It should be “from which subtracted the height aforesaid”. ↑

65 By de westwal heenen—along the west wall, i.e., the western shore. ↑

66 Boven dat eylandt niet comen—could not weather that island. ↑

67 Een gheweldigen inham—an extremely large bay or inlet. ↑

68 Laveren. See page 25, note 2. ↑

69 Ende moesten n. aen—and we had to go north. ↑

70 That is to say, the sun’s declination 23° 20′, being taken from his elevation 38° 20′, leaves 15°, the complement of the elevation of the Pole, which latter is consequently 75°. ↑

71 See page 76. ↑

72 Namely, Spitzbergen, which they had just left. ↑

73 Wendent over den anderen boech—went upon the other tack. ↑

74 In Phillips’ translation, “sun” is omitted, and the words “and then” substituted, whereby the sense is completely altered. ↑

75 Wat te ruymen—to be somewhat more favourable. ↑

76 That is, to so high a latitude. ↑

77 73 graden ende 20 minuten. This is an error of the press. It should be 73° 26′. ↑

78 Een tamelijcken coelte—a tolerable breeze. ↑

79 Dandinaes: evidently a misprint for Candinaes, or Kanin Nos; respecting which, see page 38, note 3. ↑

80 Dreven wy in stilte—we drifted in a calm. ↑

81 Seven hours. ↑

82 Des nachts—at night. ↑

83 Watch. ↑

84 54 graden ende 38 minuten. This is a misprint. It should be “38 degrees and 54 minutes”, from which deducting 21° 54′, the sun’s declination, there remains 27°, the complement of the height of the Pole; so that the latitude is 73°. ↑

85 Willebuijs landt. On the 14th of August, 1553, the unfortunate Sir Hugh Willoughby discovered land in 72° N. lat., 160 leagues E. by N. from Seynam on the coast of Norway. In consequence of this discovery, some of the old charts showed in this direction a separate coast line, to which they gave the name of Willoughby’s Land. It is to this that De Veer alludes. It is, however, now fully established that no such land exists; and there is every reason for the opinion that the coast seen by Willoughby was that of Novaya Zemlya itself. This opinion is entertained by Lütke, as well as by most geographers at the present day. See Mr. Rundall’s Narratives of Voyages towards the North-West, Introd., p. v. ↑

86 Een eetmael langh—during four and twenty hours. The English translator must be excused for not understanding this expression, when even the Amsterdam Latin version of 1598 has durante prandio. Whatever may be the derivation of the expression, there can be no doubt as to its real meaning. ↑

87 Dreven wy in stilte midden int ys—we drifted in a calm, surrounded by the ice. ↑

88 Here, again, the same error is committed as on the 19th of June (see page 77, note 4). The calculation is as follows:—

37° 55′ Elevation of the sun.

21° 15′ Declination of the sun.

———

16° 40′ Complem. of elev. of Pole.

90° 0′

———

74° 40′ Elevation of the Pole.

———

But which should be 73° 20′

———

89 In this they were mistaken, owing to their error in the calculation of their observed latitude, as is shown in the preceding note. On their former visit to Lomsbay (see page 13) they made its latitude to be 74° 20′; so that now, instead of being near that spot, they must have been about a degree to the south of it. This corresponds, too, better with their observation on the following day; for it is not to be imagined that they should have been 24 hours under full-sail, and yet have made only 20 miles of northing on a N.E. by N. course. ↑

90 Het voormarsseijl ende besaen—the fore-topsail and spanker. ↑

91 Het Admiraeliteijts Eylandt—Admiralty Island. See page 13. ↑

92 The “Island with the Crosses” of page 16. ↑

93 Desire. ↑

94 De schipper. ↑

95 Bootshaeck—boat-hook. ↑

96 Huijt—body (literally “hide”). ↑

97 Here are two errors. In the first place, the difference between the sun’s elevation and declination is not 14°, but 14° 15′. This is, manifestly, an error of the press. Then, in the same way as on the 19th of June and 17th of July (see pages 77 and 89), 90°—14° 15′ is made to be 76° 15′, whereas it should be 75° 45′, which is the true latitude. ↑

98 Bleeckten—bleached. ↑

99 This would seem to be a misprint for 27°, as all the other observations made in Novaya Zemlya tend to show that at that time the variation was from 2 to 2½ points. The subject is discussed in the Introduction. ↑

100 The northernmost point of Novaya Zemlya. See page 24. ↑

101 Daer we langhs heenen laveerden—along which we tacked. ↑

102 Quamen wy boven de hoeck van Nassouwen—we weathered Cape Nassau. See page 16. ↑

103 De hoeck van Troost—Cape Comfort. See page 22, note 4. ↑

104 Boven opt verdeck—above on deck. ↑

105 Quamen wy alle boven—we all came on deck. ↑

106 Nae ons toe, om voor by ’t schip op te climmen—towards us, in order to climb up the bow of the ship. ↑

107 Wy hadden boven opt schip ons schuyten seijl gheschoren—we had placed the sail of our boat on deck as a screen. ↑

108 Voor opt braedspit—forward on the capstan. ↑

109 Een hooghen heuvel—a high hummock of ice. ↑

110 Te dryven—to drift, or move. ↑

111 Int ys beknelt soude werden—we should be crushed by the ice. ↑

112 Ghevaer—danger. ↑

113 Dattet al craeckte watter ontrent was—so that all round about us cracked. ↑

114 Werp ancker—kedge. ↑

115 Watch. ↑

116 Met de steven daer aen—with our stem (bow) on it. ↑

117 Ghevaer—danger. ↑

118 Noch naerder—still nearer. ↑

119 De grootste schotsen dryvende ys—the largest pieces of drift ice. ↑

120 Den cleynen Ys-hoeck. ↑

121 Om—round. ↑

122 Huppelde—limped. ↑

123 Met weynich coelte—with little wind. ↑

124 Began’t beter te coelen—the wind freshened. ↑

125 De Eylandt van Oraengien. On the first voyage the Islands of Orange are spoken of. See page 25. ↑

126 Het schip verlegghen—to change the position of the ship. ↑

127 Brachten—brought. ↑

128 Be reijs ghewonnen 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 on page 70. ↑

129 Werp-ancker—kedge. ↑

130 Een tamelijcke coelte—an easy breeze. ↑

131 De hoeck van Begheerte. Cape Desire. ↑

132 Boven den hoeck waren—had weathered the Cape. ↑

133 De Hooft-hoeck. ↑

134 Het Vlissingher hooft—Flushing Head. ↑

135 De hoeck vant Eylandt. Subsequently called Den Eylandts hoeck, or Island Point. ↑

136 De hoeck van den Yshaven—Ice Haven Point. ↑

137 Het afwater ofte Stroom Bay. ↑

138 Stroom—current. ↑

139 Clommen—climbed. ↑

140 Keerden omme—turned back. ↑

141 De pen vant roer—the tiller. ↑

142 Stucken gheschoven werden—were broken in pieces. ↑

143 Gheschoven—stove in. ↑

144 Stroom—current. ↑

145 Weygats. ↑

146 That is, now that we had passed. ↑

147 Weygats. ↑

148 De schoot—the sheet. ↑

149 De groote bras—the main brace. ↑

150 The bow of the ship. ↑

151 Bock—yawl. ↑

152 Weeck het ys wat wech—the ice gave way a little. ↑

153 Bow. ↑

154 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 pig’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 instrument to move the large stones of which that building was constructed. The small iron hammer common in our printing-offices is likewise called a sheep’s-foot; the reason for the name being in each case the same. ↑

155 Gheknelt—squeezed. ↑

156 Vysel—a screw or jack. ↑

157 Voorsteven—stem. ↑

158 Crevice. ↑

159 Het schuyven des ys—from the action (pushing) of the ice. ↑

160 Pen—tiller. ↑

161 Het gantsche voorschip—the entire fore-part of the ship. ↑

162 In den grondt ghecomen—gone to the bottom. ↑

163 Ons schuijt ende boot—our boat and yawl. ↑

164 Pen—tiller. ↑

165 Borne, carried. ↑

166 Het bleef noch al dicht—it (the ship) remained quite tight. ↑

167 Naenoens—afternoon. ↑

168 Te schuyven vant ys—to be moved by the ice. ↑

169 Vaetkens—small casks. ↑

170 Soo dat de scheck achter van den steven geschoven werde—so that the ice-knees (chocks) started from the stern-post. ↑

171 Hielde de scheck noch dat zy daeraen bleef hangen—kept the ice-knees still hanging on. ↑

172 Ende de bouteloef brack mede stucken met een nieu cabeltou dat wy op het ys hadden vast ghemaeckt—and the bumpkin likewise broke away, with a new cable, which we had made fast to the ice. The bouteloef or botteloef (in English, bumpkin) is a piece of iron, projecting from the 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 seaman would attach a cable; but it may have been merely temporarily, or for some reason that cannot now be discovered. ↑

173 Jae, datter ys berghen dreven, soo groot als de soutberghen in Spaengien—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”. See Dr. Traill’s “Observations” on the subject, in Trans. Geol. Soc. (1st ser.), vol. iii, p. 404. Our author’s familiar comparison of the icebergs to these salt rocks, may be taken as a proof that he had been in Spain, and was personally acquainted with the locality. ↑

174 Ende leet veel—and suffered much. ↑

175 Bleeft noch dicht—still remained tight. ↑

176 Dan—for. ↑

177 Fock—foresail. ↑

178 Timmerghereetschap—carpenter’s tools. ↑

179 Oock tamelijck weder ende stilletgens—also tolerable weather and calm. ↑

180 Wy—we. ↑

181 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 5 and 83), that there are no graminivorous animals in Novaya Zemlya, and pointedly distinguished between this country and Spitsbergen on that account. It is most probable that these animals had crossed over from Siberia on the ice. ↑

182 Ons scheck aen de achter-steven brack altemet noch meer stucken—and the ice-knees on the stern-post broke more and more in pieces. ↑

183 Maer vonden daer gantsch weynich—but found very little there. ↑

184 Meant, intended. ↑

185 Vleysch—meat. ↑

186 Opt ys om te ververschen—upon the ice, to freshen. ↑

187 Maer het bequam hem als de hondt de worst—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. ↑

188 Loerden op hem of hy oock wederom comen soude—and watched for her coming back. ↑

189 Meant. “Went.”—Ph. ↑

190 By nae—nearly. ↑

191 Ende drie bleven byt hout om dat te behouwen, soo werdet so veel te lichter int slepen—and three remained behind with the wood, to hew it, so that it might be the lighter to draw. ↑

192 Verde—far. The distance which, on the 16th September, they had estimated at nearly one Dutch mile. ↑

193 Conbuys. The cooking-place on board ship. ↑

194 Purmerend. A town in North Holland, about eight miles north of Amsterdam. ↑

195 Cinghel—shingle. ↑

196 Een afwateringhe—a fall or current of water. ↑

197 Een gotelinghs schoot—a falconet shot. See page 33, note 2. ↑

198 Balcken—the beams or principal timbers. ↑

199 Ons scheck ofte achtersteven vant schip wederom ghemaeckt—repaired the ice-knees or stern-post of the ship. ↑

200 Must. ↑

201 Bear. ↑

202 Thuys altemet dicht te maecken—by degrees to close up (the sides of) the house. ↑

203 Wy ghinghen vast voort—we kept on hard at work. ↑

204 “Northly.”—Ph. ↑

205 Teghens—against. ↑

206 We rechten het huys op—we erected (i.e., completed the erection of) our house. ↑

207 Een Meyboom—a May-tree. According to Adelung, in his Hochdeutsches Wörterbuch, “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 festivity. This is the meyboom of the Dutch; and it would seem on the one hand to be the original of our English May-pole, and on the other to have degenerated into the flag which our builders are in the habit of hoisting on the chimneys of houses, when raised. ↑

208 Alsoo wy nu … laghen—because we now lay. ↑

209 Heel open—quite open. ↑

210 Wy laghen tot den grondt toe bevroren—we lay frozen right down to the ground. ↑

211 “Then.”—Ph. ↑

212 Het vooronder—the forecastle. ↑

213 Deelen—planks. ↑

214 In den mitten wat hoogher—somewhat higher in the middle. ↑

215 Ende braken het achteronder mede uyt, omt huijs voort dicht te maeckten—and pulled down likewise the poop, in order (therewith) to go on closing up the house. ↑

216 “W. and S.W.”—Ph. ↑

217 “First.”—Ph. ↑

218 Sneeu—snow. ↑

219 Climbed. ↑

220 Boven—on deck. ↑

221 Boven opt schip—on the deck of the ship. ↑

222 “Kept.”—Ph. ↑

223 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 (gemmæ seu turiones) of the Norway spruce fir (Abies excelsa), as well as of the silver fir (Abies picea), has been used, formerly more than at present, in the countries bordering on the Baltic Sea, in scorbutic, rheumatic, and gouty complaints. See Magneti Bibliotheca Pharmaceutico-Medica, vol. i, p. 2; Pharmacopœia 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—cerevisia dantiscana, as it is styled in the Amsterdam Latin version of 1598—acquired the appellations of sprossenbier and jopenbier, of the former of which the English name, spruce-beer, 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 “sprucebier”, is the representative at the present day of the medicated sprossenbier of former times; though, curiously enough, the ingredient from which it derived its distinctive appellation (i.e., the sprossen or jopen) appears to be now left out in its preparation. ↑

224 Uyt liep—ran out. ↑

225 Den bodem—the bottom. ↑

226 Scarcely. ↑

227 In de selvighe vochticheyt was de cracht vant gantsche bier—in that liquid part lay the whole strength of the beer. ↑

228 Shovelled. ↑

229 “S.E. and by S.E.”—Ph. ↑

230 Braecken wy de kuiuyt wech—we pulled down the cabin. ↑

231 Het portael—the entrance hall, or porch. ↑

232 Met brandthouten smeten—threw billets of firewood at her. ↑

233 Quam hy effenwel seer vreeselijck tot haer aen—came towards them in a most terrific manner. ↑

234 Int ruijm—in the hold. ↑

235 Clam int fockewant—climbed up the fore-rigging. ↑

236 Eenige openinghe van water in de zee—some open places of water in the sea. ↑

237 Banden—hoops. ↑

238 De joopen vaten—the spruce-beer casks. See page 114, note 2. ↑

239 Bock—yawl. ↑

240 Teghens den somer—towards the summer. ↑

241 Te begheven—to leave us. ↑

242 See page 78, notes 2 and 3. ↑

243 Frighten. ↑

244 In een scheur tusschent ys in—into a crevice in the ice. ↑

245 Onder—below. The caboose had been removed below on account of the extreme cold on deck, as is mentioned in page 108. ↑

246 Their firearms had matchlocks. ↑

247 Overt schip heenen—out beyond the ship. ↑

248 Rabbits. ↑

249 Stelden wy onse orlogie wederom dat de clock sloech—we set up our clock, so that it (went and) struck (the hour). ↑

250 Melted. ↑

251 Tweer was ghebetert—the weather improved. ↑

252 Zy conden uyt haer ooghen niet sien—they could not see out of their eyes. ↑

253 Cinghel—shingle. ↑

254 Doen ghingh de son heel dicht boven der aerden, weynich boven den horisont—then the sun went quite close over the earth, but little above the horizon. ↑

255 Niet een hooft dorsten uyt steecken—not one of us durst put his head out of doors. ↑

256 Doncker—dark, overcast. ↑

257 “December.”—Ph. ↑

258 Hy quam met zijn volle rondicheyt niet boven—it did not show (rise with) its whole disk. ↑

259 Ende de beyren ghinghen doen mede wegh—and then the bears also went away. ↑

260 Den boven cant—the upper edge. ↑

261 De mars—the round top. ↑

262 The question of refraction, arising out of this and other observations, is discussed in the Introduction. ↑

263 De son peijlden—observed (lit. measured) the sun. ↑

264 “Off.”—Ph. ↑

265 That is to say, the sun’s longitude was 221° 48′, or 41° 48′ from the autumnal equinox. ↑

266 Onse surgijn—our surgeon. ↑

267 Te stoven—lit. to stew. This is the primary sense of the word stew, which afterwards, like its synonym bagnio, acquired a very different meaning. The bath used appears to have been a vapour bath. ↑

268 Mette son—with the sun. ↑

269 Weder quam—it returned. ↑

270 Under the parallel of 76°, the moon continues incessantly above the horizon about seven or eight days in each month. ↑

271 Vermoeden wy geen dagh, doent al dagh was—we thought that it was not day, when it already was day. ↑

272 Hadde op dien dagh niet uyt de koy gheweest—had not that day been out of bed. ↑

273 So wast wel opt hooghste van den dagh—it was truly the height of day. ↑

274 Loot—a loot or half-ounce; of which 32 go to the pound. The quantity mentioned above is equal to 4 pounds 11 ounces avoirdupois. ↑

275 Was meest al de cracht uytgevroren—had almost all its strength frozen out of it. ↑

276 Een ronden hoep—a round hoop. ↑

277 Dat men se in huys 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. ↑

278 Met een betoghen lucht—with a cloudy sky. ↑

279 Locxkens. In Sewel’s Dutch and Eng. Dict. by Buys, Lokje, the modern form of this word, is thus defined:—“a little hollow log, such as seamen sometimes use to put sauce in, for want of another dish: hence it is that some will call any saucer with that name.” ↑

280 Melted. ↑

281 Een betoghen lucht—a cloudy sky. ↑

282 Een ghetemperden lucht—a moderate sky. ↑

283 Een betoghen lucht—a cloudy sky. ↑

284 A piece of coarse woollen cloth. ↑

285 Tot hemden—for shirts. ↑

286 Hemden—shirts. ↑

287 Wrung. ↑

288 Se ghebroken—broken them. ↑

289 Boiling. ↑

290 Bequaem—suitable, good. ↑

291 De schipper ende stuerman; namely, Jacob Heemskerck and William Barentsz. ↑

292 Noch—yet. ↑

293 Koyen kasen—lit. cow-cheeses, because they were made from the milk of cows, and not of sheep, as is not uncommon in the Netherlands. ↑

294 Ejinde van sparren—ends of spars. ↑

295 “North-east.”—Ph. ↑

296 De barbier—the barber. This is the person who on a former occasion (page 121) was called de surgijn—the surgeon. In the general decline of science during the middle ages, surgery, as a branch of medicine, 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 distinct bodies by the Act of 18 Geo. II, c. 15 (A.D. 1745).

On the continent, the barber-surgeon retained his rank to a much later date; and in France, in particular, till the revolution of 1793. 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-hairdresser 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 the following extract from the Comédies et Proverbes of Alfred de Musset, p. 510:—

“Madame de Léry.—Autant j’adore le lilas, autant je déteste le bleu.

Mathilde.—C’est la couleur de la constance.

Madame de Léry.—Bah! c’est la couleur des perruquiers.”

Un Caprice.

Those professors of shaving and hairdressing, whose poles, painted red or black alternating with white, still decorate our streets, commit therefore a great mistake in using either of these two colours. “True like the needle to the pole,” as Lieutenant Taffril wrote to Jenny Caxon (“To cast up to her that her father’s a barber and has a pole 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. ↑

297 Die gheleghentheyt diente van ons waer ghenomen te zijn—it was important for us to avail ourselves of the opportunity. ↑

298 Alle de deuren waren toe ghewaeyt—all the doors were blown to. ↑

299 Een helderen lucht—a clear sky. ↑

300 Quite. ↑

301 Wear. ↑

302 See page 61, note 8. ↑

303 Ondert verdeck—under the deck, i.e., below. ↑

304 Icebergs. ↑

305 Op malcanderen stuwen ende gheschoven werden—were drifting and heaping one upon the other. ↑

306 Jae selfs in de koyen—yea, even in the cots. ↑

307 Mochte—could. ↑

308 “North-east.”—Ph. ↑

309 Vallen—traps. ↑

310 Sareetsche secke—Xeres seco, or sherry-sack. ↑

311 Heet—hot, strong. ↑

312 Over—over. ↑

313 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. ↑

314 Een vlieghenden storm uyten n. o.—a hurricane out of the N.E. ↑

315 Steen-colen—stone or mineral coal; so called to distinguish it from charcoal, the usual fuel on the continent. ↑

316 Maer wy wachtede ons voor de weerstuijt niet—but we did not guard ourselves against the consequences. ↑

317 Cots. ↑

318 Een sodanighen duyselinghe—a sudden dizziness. ↑

319 Started. ↑

320 Swoon. ↑

321 Cot. ↑

322 Liep daer heenen—ran thither. ↑

323 Haelde flucks edick ende vreef hem dat in zijn aensicht—quickly fetched some vinegar and rubbed his face with it. ↑

324 In eenen swijm—in a swoon. ↑

325 “North-east.”—Ph. ↑

326 Een helderen lucht—a bright sky. ↑

327 Shoes. ↑

328 Wyde clompen—loose clogs or slippers. ↑

329 Sheep. ↑

330 Were. ↑

331 Blaren ende buylen—“blains and boils.” ↑

332 De Reus—the Giant, as the constellation Orion is called, after the Arabic El-djebbâr. The star Bellatrix γ Orionis, 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 + 5° 58′,⁴ N.; so that, after allowing 2′,⁶ 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 Betelgeuze, (α) in the right shoulder of Orion, to have been the star observed; for the latitude resulting from it would be upwards of 79°. ↑

333 “Twenty-eight.”—Ph. ↑

334 De onuytspreklijcke ondraechelijcke coude—the inexpressible, intolerable cold. ↑

335 Wore. ↑

336 Een joopen vat met water—a spruce-beer cask full of water. ↑

337 Stopten eerst alle de gaten dicht toe—first closely stopped all the holes. ↑

338 Ruijm—hold. ↑

339 Grondt—bottom. ↑

340 Calculated. ↑

341 T’uyterste perck—the utmost limit. ↑

342 “Eighteen.”—Ph. ↑

343 Hoe well datter gheen dagh was—though there was no daylight. ↑

344 Heard. ↑

345 In de pot ofte aent spit—in the pot or on the spit. ↑

346 Keughels—balls. ↑

347 Cots. ↑

348 Dattet int afgaen vanden bergh was: te weten, dat de son zijn wegh wederom nae ons toe nam—that we were now going down hill; that is to say, the sun was now on his way back to us. ↑

349 De daghen die langhen zijn de daghen die stranghen, dan hoope dede pijn versoeten—“the days that lengthen are the days that become more severe [?];” but “hope sweetened 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 ’l dì, cresce ’l freddo”, cited in Ray’s English Proverbs, p. 37. ↑

350 Bynaest … verbranden—almost burned. ↑

351 Boers—boors, peasants. ↑

352 Ter poorten van de steden incomen—come in at the gates of the towns. It would almost seem that in the text the word is sleden 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 gates in their carts, and that those who come in sledges must necessarily reach the town by the water side, where there are no gates, it can scarcely be doubted that the proper reading is steden. The translator appears to have wished to provide for both cases. ↑

353 Onder weghen gheweest zijn—have been travelling. ↑

354 Croop—crept. ↑

355 Hoet daer ghestelt was—how matters stood there. ↑

356 Een betoghen lucht—a cloudy sky. ↑

357 Cellar. ↑

358 Several. ↑

359 De trappen te maecken—to set the traps. ↑

360 Stockings. ↑

361 Onghemack—hardship. ↑

362 “This.”—Ph. ↑

363 Begonnen—began. ↑

364 Het block—the block. ↑

365 Bergher visch: so called because it comes principally from Bergen in Norway. ↑

366 Wasset weder wat besadicht—the weather was somewhat milder. ↑

367 Als een verwulfsel van een boogh ofte kelder—like the arch of a vault or cellar. ↑

368 Gheslooft—toiled. ↑

369 Drie Coninghen Avondt—Three Kings’ Even. The fifth of January, as being the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, is properly “Twelfth Night”. But, in England, the vigils or eves of all feast days between Christmas and the Purification having been abolished at the Reformation (see Wheatley, Rational Illustration of the Book of Common Prayer, Oxford, 1846, p. 165), this season of festivity, thus deprived of its religious character, was transferred to the evening after the feast; so that Twelfth Night was thenceforward kept on the evening of the 6th of January. ↑

370 Begheerden aen den schipper—requested the skipper. ↑

371 Conincxken speelden—drew for king (lit. played at kings). ↑

372 Een wittbroods beschuijt—a (captain’s) biscuit made of wheaten flour. ↑

373 Fancying ourselves to be. ↑

374 Banquet. ↑

375 Uytgedeelt—distributed. ↑

376 This estimated length includes the island of Waigatsch. ↑

377 Namely, the Northern Ocean and the Sea of Kara. ↑

378 Could. ↑

379 Want de coude leerde ons noch wel niet langhe uyt blyven, om dattet buyten niet snick heet 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. ↑

380 “N.E.”—Ph. ↑

381 “N.W.”—Ph. ↑

382 Oculus Tauri. The exact declination for this year of α Tauri or Aldeberan is + 15° 40′,₂; so that the complement of the height of the Pole, after allowing 1′,₇ for refraction, is 14° 12′,₁, and the height of the Pole is 75° 47′,₉. The mean of this observation, and that of γ 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 are for years kept back, in order that they may be “revised”, the world may not uncharitably surmise that eventually they will not be presented to it in their integrity. ↑

383 Also dat dese metinghe vande voornoemde sterre ende eenighe andere sterren, soo mede de metinghe van de sonne, alle over een quamen dat wy—so that the 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 be seen in the sequel that the observations of the sun agree rather in showing the contrary of what is above contended for. ↑

384 Liepen uyt ende schoten de cloot met de cloot van de vlayh-spil, die wy voor heen niet 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. ↑

385 Stil weder met een betoghen lucht—calm weather with a cloudy sky. ↑

386 Twee vossen—two foxes. ↑

387 Bolckvanger—a seaman’s rough coat. ↑

388 Verdeck—deck. ↑

389 Om ons leden wat te verstercken, met gaen, werpen ende loopen—to strengthen our limbs a little with walking, throwing (the ball), and running. ↑

390 Maer des nachts vroort wederom effen cout—but at night it froze again just as cold (as before). ↑

391 Begonde vast te minderen—began to diminish fast. ↑

392 Swymen—swooning. ↑

393 De open schuyten—the open boats. ↑

394 Wast een betoghen lucht ende stil—the sky was cloudy and calm. ↑

395 De cloot schieten—to throw the ball. ↑

396 That is to say, they all three saw it, but Gerrit de Veer saw it first. ↑

397 Which had not been visible since the 3rd of November, as is mentioned in page 121. ↑

398 Dat de sonne aldaer ende op die hooghde openbaren souden—that the sun should appear there and in that latitude. ↑

399 Disich—hazy. ↑

400 Daer van wy wel anders versekert zijn—with respect to which we well know the contrary. ↑

401 This makes the date to have been the twenty-fifth 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 25th, at midday, when the sun’s longitude was 305° 25′,₁, or 5° 25′,₁ of Aquarius, its declination was—18° 57′,₄: consequently, its centre was 4° 42′,₄, and its upper edge 4° 26′,₄, below the horizon. The mean refraction at the horizon cannot, however, be estimated at more than 34′₉, or, with an assumed temperature of -8° Fahren., 39′,₃; so that the extraordinary and anomalous refraction amounts to no less than 3° 49′. ↑

402 Ons eerste gissinghe—our first calculation. ↑

403 That is to say, till February 6th. But on that day, the sun’s declination being—15° 56′,₄, it was 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 10° 29′,₂ of Aquarius, or longitude 319° 29′,₂; its declination then being—15° 0′,₅, with an assumed refraction of half a degree. ↑

404 Appeared. ↑

405 “Leave.”—Ph. ↑

406 Josephus Schala. The title of the work here referred to, as given in De Lalande’s Bibliographie Astronomique, p. 120, is “Josephi Scala, Siculi, Ephemerides ex Tabulis Magini, ab anno 1589 ad annum 1600 continuatæ, una cum introductionibus Ephemeridum Josephi Moletii. Venetiis, 1589, 4to.” It is not in the library of the British Museum, nor in that of the Royal Astronomical Society. This is, however, of no moment; as Mr. Vogel, to whose 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. ↑

407 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—corresponds with 1 o’clock in the morning of January 25th, in the civil reckoning of time. ↑

408 January 23^d 12^h, mean time, Paris, corresponding with midnight between January 23rd and 24th in the 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° 0,₇, while Jupiter’s longitude was 32° 12′,₀ and his latitude—1° 4′,₆; so that there was no conjunction on that day. On the other hand, January 24^d 12^h 59^m 3^s 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′,₃ Latitude + 2° 58′,₃

Jupiter. Longitude,, 32° 17′,₃ Latitude,, — 1° 4′,₃

that is to say, they were then in conjunction; their position in the heavens being near the star α Arietis. ↑

409 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. ↑

410 Want wy sagen gestadich op de vorrnoemde twee planeten dat se altemet malcanderen naerderden—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 they looked from time to time, and saw the two planets constantly approach. ↑

411 The moon stood 3° 47′,₇ above Jupiter. At the time of the conjunction, the declination of the latter planet was + 11° 17′,₂; so that in 75° 45′ N. lat. 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′₁, 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 reach the horizon. The peculiar state of the atmosphere, which at noon of the same day had raised the sun’s disc nearly 4°, allowed a star to be observed which had set 1 hour and 48 minutes previously. ↑

412 The longitude of the conjunction was 32° 17′,₃, or 2° 17′,₃ of the sign of Taurus, with reference to the old division of the ecliptic; though, owing to the retrogression of the equinoctial 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. ↑

413 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 reasonable limits. The result shows that they were rather more than an hour slow, as it wanted 1 minute and 48 seconds of five o’clock. ↑

414 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^d 16^h 58^m 12^s mean time, or 4^h 58^m 12^s after midnight on January 25th. The difference between this time and that of the conjunction at Venice (0^h 59^m 3^s after midnight) is, of course, the difference of longitude between the two places; it being 3^h 59^m 9^s, or 59° 47′ E. 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 in 72° 8′ long. E. of Greenwich, or 89° 48′ E. of Ferro; its latitude being 75° 45′ N.

As the moon’s bearing and the variation of the compass are both given only to the nearest point, there is a possibility of error to the extent of half a point, whereby the longitude might vary as much as 5°, or 20 minutes in time. But there is every reason for believing the variation, as stated, to be very nearly correct; or, if in error, it is in defect, which would have the effect of decreasing the eastern longitude. ↑

415 Apart. Their actual distance from each other was only 87° in longitude. ↑

416 This is not correct. The moon passed the meridian at 5^h 38^m 54^s after midnight, and the conjunction was observed 40^m 42^s before that planet came to the meridian. It was, therefore, only 4^h 58^m 12^s A.M. of January 25th. ↑

417 Reeckenen—reckon or calculate. The word “guess” is still used in this sense by the Americans. ↑

418 Oosterlijcker—more easterly. ↑

419 Latitude. ↑

420 The correct position of Venice is 30° 0′ 58″ E. of Ferro, or 12° 21′ 21″ E. of Greenwich, and 45° 25′ 49″ N. lat. It is curious that the latitude of so well-known a place should have been stated as much as 40′ in error. ↑

421 Tot de Cape de Tabijn—to Cape Taimur. See page 37, note 1. ↑

422 Cape Taimur being in about 100° E. long., and the Hollanders’ wintering 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. ↑

423 This is substantially correct. The exact measurement is 3·64 [14·66] miles. Under the 76th parallel of latitude a degree contains 13,859·414 toises (du Peru), and at the equator, 57,108·519 toises.—Encke, “Ueber die Dimensionen des Erdkörpers,” Berliner Jahrbuch für 1852, p. 369. ↑

424 Af te meten—to be calculated. ↑

425 So verde—in so far as; i.e., assuming that. ↑

426 Daer boven zijnde—having passed beyond it. ↑

427 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 60° 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 Chronological History, Appendix ii, p. 24 et seq. See also the Quarterly Review, vol. xvi, p. 144 et seq. ↑

428 Wat nu dan belanght dat men verstaen sal van tghene verhaelt is, dat wy de sonne … verloren—Now, as regards the understanding of what has been related as to our having lost the sun, etc. ↑

429 Disputiren—discussed. ↑

430 Dattet ons in den tijdt niet ghemisten heeft—that we were not mistaken with respect to the time. ↑

431 Een banck oft donckeren wolck—a fog-bank or a dark cloud. ↑

432 Een langh suer legher ghehabt—long lain seriously ill. ↑

433 Seyden hem wat goets voor—spoke kindly to him. ↑

434 Daer nae deden wy een maniere van een lijck-predikinghe met lesen ende psalmen te singhen—after that, we made a sort of funeral discourse, read prayers and sang psalms. ↑

435 Aten de vroo cost—ate the funeral meal. ↑

436 Skipper. ↑

437 The refraction must have continued to be about as great as it was on January 25th. For, though in the interval the sun’s declination had increased 46′,₆, yet they now saw it in its “full roundness”, which is equal to about 32′, and also “a little above the horizon”, for which the remaining 15′ can hardly be too large an allowance. ↑

438 Om ons leden wat radder te maecken—to make our joints somewhat more supple. ↑

439 Verkreupelt geseten—sitten without motion. ↑

440 Daer deur datter veel gebreck van den scheurbuijck ghecreghen hadden—whereby several had fallen sick of the scurvy.

The derivation of the term “scurvy”—schärbuk, Low German; scharbock, High German; skörbjugg, Swedish; scorbutus, modern Latin,—is variously attempted to be explained. See Adelung, Hochdeutsches Wörterbuch; Mason Good, Study of Medicine, vol. ii, p. 870; Lind, Treatise on the Scurvy, 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 understood by the English translator. ↑

441 Het portael—the entrance porch. ↑

442 Phillip has here inserted the word “not”, which is not in the original, and is besides inconsistent. ↑

443 Climbed. ↑

444 Grieved. ↑

445 Enjoy. ↑

446 The sun ought properly not to have been visible till the following day. See page 145, note 3. ↑

447 That is to say, according to our common compass. ↑

448 Opgaen moest—should rise or appear. ↑

449 Begont een weynich te coelen—a little breeze sprang up. ↑

450 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. ↑

451 Al oft hy sien wilde wiet hem gedaen hadde—as if she wished to see who had done it to her. ↑

452 “Their.”—Ph. ↑

453 Melted. ↑

454 Thither. ↑

455 Vastelavont, properly Vastenavond; formerly called in this country also, Fastern’s or Fasten’s Even. The “Fastingham Tuiesday,” and “Fastyngonge Tuesday,” cited in Brand’s Observations on Popular Antiquities, vol. i, p. 58, from Langley’s Polidore Vergile, fol. 103, and Blomefield’s Norfolk, vol. ii, p. 111, respectively, seem to be merely corruptions of this expression. ↑

456 De vrolijcke tijt—the merry time of year; the spring. ↑

457 Threw, cast. ↑

458 Springes or traps. ↑

459 In the same state as before. ↑

460 Tghene dat eyselijck scheen noch eyselijcker—that which was frightful appeared more frightful. ↑

461 Behoefden—required. ↑

462 Op d’eene helft—on the one half. ↑

463 Thread. ↑

464 Waterpassen—levels, such as are used by builders. ↑

465 We have here a remarkable instance of what might be called “cooking”, were it not that everything is done in perfect good faith, and that the means 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 of his observations of December 14th and January 12th (See pages 131 and 140), that the latitude of the place of observation was to the north of 76°.

It is quite true that, as the sun’s lower edge was observed, its semi-diameter has to be added. But the effect of this is to increase, not the height of the Pole, but its complement; which, adopting the observer’s own figures, would be 14° 16′ + 16′ = 14° 32′, so that the height of the Pole would be only 75° 28′. 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 as 15′,₁, the discrepancy is thereby so much reduced. The correct calculation of the observation will therefore be as follows:—

Sun’s lower edge 3° 0′

Sun’s,, semi-diameter 16

———

3 16

Refraction 15,₁

———

True altitude of sun’s centre 3 0,₉

Sun’s declination — 11 15

————

Complement of height of Pole 14 15,₉

————

Latitude 75° 44,₁

Which differs only 1′₅ from the mean of the two observations of the 14th December and 12th January. ↑

466 Off. ↑

467 Helped. ↑

468 Uytet wout—out of the wood. The French say, “la faim chasse le loup hors du bois”; and in several other languages it is the same. In English the corresponding expression is, “hunger will break through stone walls.” See National Proverbs, etc., by Caroline Ward, p. 62. ↑

469 “Cod.”—Ph. ↑

470 Ons de cracht begheven soude—we should lose our strength. ↑

471 Met een betoghen lucht—with a cloudy sky. ↑

472 “25.”—Ph. ↑

473 Donckere lucht—a dark sky. ↑

474 Vercleumt—benumbed. ↑

475 In de koy—a-bed. ↑

476 Hot. ↑

477 Daer my ons mede lyden moesten—wherewith we were forced to be satisfied. ↑

478 Namely, the sum of the sun’s elevation and southern declination, being fourteen degrees. ↑

479 With 7′,₅ for refraction, and—7° 10′,₈ for the sun’s declination, the above observation gives 76° 8′,₇ for the height of the Pole. If no allowance was made at the time for the sun’s semi-diameter, 16′ will have to be deducted, which will make the true latitude to be 75° 52′,₇. ↑

480 Twelck haer naemaels niet ten besten verghingh—which did them no good afterwards. ↑

481 Het cocx luijck—the cook’s locker. ↑

482 Wat ghebetert was—was somewhat better. ↑

483 Beducht—afraid. ↑

484 The words “for as then the ice drave” are introduced here unnecessarily by Phillip. ↑

485 Een ruyme zee moeste zijn—there must be an open sea. ↑

486 There is little doubt of their having actually seen the country round the estuaries of the rivers Obi and Yenisei. Lütke says (p. 42) that “the distance of the two countries from one another is not known exactly, but there is reason for believing it to be less than 120 Italian miles. That the Hollanders really saw Siberia, and not (as some imagine) the Island of Maksimok, is corroborated by the tradition, which is mentioned even by Witsen (pp. 762, 897, 922), that at times Novaya Zemlya is, in like manner, seen from the Siberian coast.” ↑

487 Boats. ↑

488 Here, as before, the correct result will be (refraction 5′,₁; declination—3° 41′,₆) 76° 4′,₅; or, deducting 16′ for the sun’s semi-diameter, 75° 48′,₅. ↑

489 Skipper. ↑

490 More willing. ↑

491 Cold. ↑

492 Closed up (with ice). ↑

493 Wederom instorteden—relapsed. ↑

494 Namely, on the 3rd of the month, as is mentioned in page 161. ↑

495 Parste—pressed. ↑

496 Huge, immense. ↑

497 Op te gaen—to be used up. ↑

498 Also dat goet raedt doen duer was—so that then good advice was dear. This is a proverbial saying; the meaning of which is, that, as they did not know what to do, good advice would have been very valuable. ↑

499 If we assume the smaller amount of error to be the more probable, we must regard this observation as having been made on the 20th of March, instead of the 21st. The observer found the sun’s altitude to be 14°, believing it to be then on the equinoctial, and therefore without declination. But at mean noon in Novaya Zemlya, the sun’s declination on March 20th was—0° 8′,₈, and on March 21st + 0° 14′,₉, the sun having crossed the equinoctial between 10 and 11 o’clock of the intervening night. The corrected calculation for both days will therefore be as follows:—

March 20th. March 21st.

Altitude of the sun 14° 0′ 14° 0′

Refraction 3,₈ 3,₈

————— —————

13 56,₂ 13 56,₂

Sun’s declination — 8,₈ + 14,₉

————— —————

Complement φ 14 5 13 41,₃

————— —————

φ 75° 55′ 76° 8′,₇

————— —————

Or, deduct. the sun’s semi-diam. 75° 36′ 75° 52′,₇

500 Van vilten ofte ruyghe hoeden—of felt, or rough hats. It is probable that these were sheets of the rough material, which they had for use among the ship’s stores. ↑

501 Over de coussen aentrocken—drew on over our stockings. ↑

502 Als of de Maert haer foy hadde willen besetten—as if March (before leaving them) had meant to pay them off—lit. to give them their fee. ↑

503 “For.”—Ph. ↑

504 Dat de coude so fel alse was, niet altijt dueren soude—that the cold, severe as it was, would not last for ever. ↑

505 Haer den neck—its neck. ↑

506 Met helle bittere koude—with a clear sharp cold. The author is not open to the reproach of having, in the whole course of his narrative, made use of such an expression as that which the translator has here erroneously attributed to him. ↑

507 Aen den solder ende wanden van binnen thuijs—on the ceiling and walls inside the house. ↑

508 “18.”—Ph. ↑

509 Daer in gheweldich huijs ghehouden hadden—had made great havoc there. ↑

510 Dat wy hoe langer hoe qualijcker doen conden—which we were less and less able to do. ↑

511 Gheweldighen—huge, immense. ↑

512 Stijf—strongly. ↑

513 On April 2nd at mean noon, Novaya Zemlya, the sun’s declination was + 4° 56′,₈, which, with the observed height (corrected for refraction = 18° 37′,₂), would give 76° 19′,₅ as the latitude; or, deducting 16′ for the sun’s semi-diameter, 76° 3′,₅. It is, however, not unlikely that the observation was made on April 1st, when indeed the sun’s declination was + 4° 40′ at mean noon at Venice, though at mean noon at the place of observation (about four hours earlier) it was only 4° 33′,₆. In this case, the latitude would be 75° 56′,₄; or 75° 40′,₄, if the sun’s lower edge was observed. ↑

514 Een colf om daer mede te colven—literally, “a colf to colve with.” The well-known game of colf or golf derives its name from the hooked stick or club (German, kolbe; Dutch, colf or kolf) with which it is played. A detailed description of the game, as played in Holland, is given in Sir John Sinclair’s Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xvi, p. 28, note. See also Jameson’s Scottish Dict., art. Golf. ↑

515 Deur dattet damper weer ende teruijt vochtich was—because it was damp weather and the powder moist. ↑

516 The steps cut in the snow, as is mentioned in page 136. ↑

517 Nae de deur vant huijs toe—towards the door of the house. ↑

518 Dat boven de deur was—that was above the door. ↑

519 The house was covered with a sail, on which was placed shingle from the beach, to keep it weather tight, as is described in page 119. ↑

520 Voorgaende—late, previous. ↑

521 Vervulde de gantsche zee—filled the entire sea. ↑

522 “21st.”—Ph. ↑

523 Van den houden ghemaect hadden—had made of the hats or felt. See page 166, note 1. ↑

524 Om te sien of hy daer eenighe holen hadde—to see whether she had any holes there. ↑

525 Spiesen—pikes. ↑

526 Af te setten—to go away. ↑

527 The declination here given is that of April 19th. The corrected calculation for the 18th, with refraction 2′,₀ and declination + 10° 50′,₁, gives 75° 42,₁; or 75° 26′,₁, if the sun’s semi-diameter has to be deducted. On April 19th, the declination was + 11° 10′,₁, whereby the height of the Pole would be 76° 2′,₁; or, deducting the sun’s semi-diameter, 75° 46′₁. ↑

528 Ende stooften ons—and stewed ourselves. See page 121, note 8. ↑

529 Ghereetschap—utensils. ↑

530 Huijt—literally “hide”, but used in the sense of “body”. ↑

531 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.” ↑

532 With the sun’s declination + 14° 8′,₇, and refraction 1′₈, the corrected calculation will give 76° 2′,₅; or, deducting 16′ for the sun’s semi-diameter, 75° 46′,₅. ↑

533 See page 168, note 2. ↑

534 Opt hooghste was. 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 lowest, instead of the highest. ↑

535 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° 55′, it ought to have had its lower 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°. ↑

536 Coockten wy onse laetste vleysch—we cooked the last of our meat (beef). ↑

537 Maer hadt maer een manghel, dattet niet langher deuren wilde—only it had but one fault, which was, that it would not last any longer. Whenever 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. ↑

538 Te jancken—to hanker after. ↑

539 Ende also de beste spijs, als vleysch ende grutten ende anders, ons ontbrack—and as our best food, such as beef, barley, and such like, failed us. Gort or grutten, for porridge, form an important item in the supplies of Dutch seamen. When the Dutch whale-fishery was in a more flourishing 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 5), which is only two hours from Amsterdam, they would, during the rest of the voyage, get their porridge without treacle. ↑

540 Speck—pork. ↑

541 Een cleijn vaetgien met peeckelspeck—a small cask of salt pork. ↑

542 Doen wast mede op—then that also was gone. ↑

543 Meer als te voren—more than before. ↑

544 Nu—now. ↑

545 Segghende: dit weer sal hier nimmermeer vergaen—saying, this weather will never more pass away here. ↑

546 The skipper, namely, Jacob Heemskerck. ↑

547 Van daer te sien comen—to see about getting from thence. ↑

548 Maer elck ontsach sich den schipper dat te kennen te gheven—but each was reluctant to make the skipper acquainted with it. ↑

549 Vermidts dat hy hem hadde laten verluyden dat hy begeerde te wachten—because he had given them to understand that he desired to wait. ↑

550 Niet muytischer wyse—not in a mutinous manner. ↑

551 Want zy lieten haer gaerne ghesegghen—for they let themselves easily be talked over. ↑

552 The corrected calculation, with declination + 17° 44′,₉ and refraction 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. ↑

553 Daer deur—whereby. ↑

554 Wore. ↑

555 Van de ruyghe hoetgens—of the rough hats (felt). See page 166, note 1. ↑

556 I.e., walking. ↑

557 Colven. See page 168, note 1. ↑

558 Sprack Willem Barentzoon den schipper aen wat der ghesellen goeden raedt was—William Barentsz told the skipper what the crew thought was best (to be done). ↑

559 De 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 owner; and by waiting till the fine weather came and the sea was open, he hoped to be able to do this. ↑

560 Dat men veel tijts behoeven soude—because much time would be requisite. ↑

561 Bock—yawl; it being the smaller boat of the two. ↑

562 “Thought”—Ph. ↑

563 Reckon, count. ↑

564 Dat den tijt aenquam—till the time should arrive. ↑

565 De schuyten te water soude moghen brenghen—should be able to get the boats afloat. ↑

566 Oft eens tijdt quam dat wy wech comen mochten—if the time should ever come when we might get away. ↑

567 Den wandt vant portael—the sides of the porch or entrance. ↑

568 Hemden—shirts. ↑

569 Die dan wederom ghetoghen van de ghenomen hoochte—which then being taken from the observed height. This error in the original text is corrected in the translation. ↑

570 The declination here given (correctly 20° 46′_,5) is that of the 24th May; that of the 25th being 20° 57′,₆. The amended calculation for both days will be as follows:—

May 24th May 25th.

Observed altitude of sun 34° 46′_,0 34° 46′_,0

Refraction - 1′_,4 - 1′_,4

—————— ——————

34° 44′_,6 34° 44′_,6

Sun’s declination + 20° 46′_,5 + 20° 57′_,6

—————— ——————

Complement φ 13° 58′_,1 13° 47′_,0

—————— ——————

φ 76° 1′_,9 76° 13′_,0

—————— ——————

Or, allowing for the sun’s semi-diameter 75° 45′_,9 75° 57′_,0

Regarding the several observations of stars as well as of the sun (except those of March 20th, April 2nd and 18th, and May 24th, which are uncertain), as being all equally good, subject only to correction for refraction and amended declination, the result will be 75° 57′,₅. Or, assuming that the sun’s lower edge was observed in every case, but not allowed for (and the observations of the stars leave little room for doubting that such must have been the case), and taking the sun’s semi-diameter at 16′, and including also the observations of the two stars, we have 75° 49′,₅. In either case the latitude will be rather to the south than to the north of the 76th parallel. But, as all the latter observations of the sun were made under an erroneous impression, and evidently with a desire that they should correspond with what was believed to be the truth, the safest plan will be to content ourselves with the observations of the two stars and the first observation of the sun on February 19th, the result of which will be:—

γ Orionis 75° 43′,₀

α Tauri 75° 47′,₉

☉ 75° 44′,₁

——————

135

——————

Which gives exactly 75° 45′ as the latitude of the spot.

571 Aenstaen—urgent request. ↑

572 Fock—foresail. ↑

573 De seylen—the sails. ↑

574 Eenigh loopende wandt ende trosgens ende anders meer—some running rigging, ropes, and various other things. ↑

575 Nae de schuyt ghegaen om die ontrent het huijs te vertimmeren—went to the boat, in order to repair it near the house. ↑

576 Burghers—burgesses, citizens; that is to say, they must consider Novaya Zemlya as their place of permanent residence. ↑

577 De bock—the yawl. ↑

578 Vreeselijcken—frightful. ↑

579 More boldly. ↑

580 Nether, lower. ↑

581 Stucken van robben met huijt ende hayr—pieces of seals, with the skin and hair. ↑

582 Torn. ↑

583 Niet seer kout maer doncker—not very cold, but dark. ↑

584 Bock—yawl. ↑

585 Om de bock daer mede op te boyen—wherewith to raise the gunwale of our yawl. ↑

586 Van ons eerst de smaeck begeerden te hebben—they desired first to have a taste of us. ↑

587 Also dat hem dit bequam als de hont de worst—so that it agreed with her as the sausage did with the dog. This homely Dutch proverb has already been explained in page 106, note 5. ↑

588 Mischien—perhaps. ↑

589 Den—the. ↑

590 Genoech van die sause—enough of that sauce. ↑

591 Geep. A well known fish (Belone vulgaris, Cuvier), which is called in English by a variety of trivial names:—gar-fish, gane-fish, sea-pike, mackerel-guide, mackerel-guard, green-bone, horn-fish, horn-back, horn-beak, horn-bill, gore-bill, long-nose, sea-needle. Considerable quantities are brought to the London markets in the spring from the Kent and Sussex coasts. In Holland they are now only used as bait for other fish. See Yarrell, History of British Fishes, vol. i, p. 393. ↑

592 Nae’t open water toe—towards the open water. ↑

593 Ende arbeyden met alle macht aen den bock—and worked with all our might on the yawl. ↑

594 Niet seer koud—not very cold. ↑

595 Maecktense met een spiegel, om also bequamer te zijn inde zee te ghebruijcken—made it with a square stern, in order that it might be a better sea-boat. ↑

596 Ende maecktense also vaerdich opt bequaemste dat men mocht—and so got it ready in the fittest manner in their power. ↑

597 Swaert (now written zwaarden), lee-boards or whiskers. These are the boards still seen on the sides of Dutch flat-bottomed vessels, which serve to keep them steady, and to prevent them from drifting to leeward, when sailing with a side wind, or lying to. ↑

598 Van hoeden. See page 166, note 1. ↑

599 Ende maeckten daer presentinghen over om van een zee waters beschermt te zijn—and placed tarpaulings over them, to protect them (the goods) from the sea-water. ↑

600 Bock—yawl. ↑

601 Sleden—sledges. ↑

602 Dat men noch effenwel onse handen daer aen mochten slaen—so that we could likewise grasp them with our hands. ↑

603 Om de buydenningen [buijkdenningen] in den bock ende schuyte te maecken—to make the bottom-boards (ceiling) of the yawl and boat. ↑

604 Cleyne vaetgiens—small casks. ↑

605 Schuyten—boats. ↑

606 So mede als wy altemet int ys beset mochten werden—in order that whenever we should be enclosed by the ice. ↑

607 Met bylen, houweelen ende allerley ghereetschap—with hatchets, pick-axes, and all sorts of implements. ↑

608 Ys ende ysberghen—ice and icebergs. ↑

609 Met houwen, smyten, schoppen, graven ende wechwerpen—with chopping, throwing, pushing, digging, and clearing away. ↑

610 Barbier. See page 125, note 3. ↑

611 Smote, struck. ↑

612 Ende besloten doen onderlinghen metten gemeenen maets—and they then resolved jointly with the ship’s company. ↑

613 Brengen—to bring, to take. ↑

614 Ende heeft Willem Barentsz. te voren een cleijn cedelken gheschreven, ende in een muskets mate ghedaen—and William Barentsz had previously written a small scroll, and placed it in a bandoleer. ↑

615 “He”.—Ph. ↑

616 Abandon. ↑

617 Van welcke brief elcken schuyte een hadde—of which letters each boat had one. ↑

618 Bock—yawl. ↑

619 Boat. ↑

620 Daer wy alle naersticheyt toe deden, om die so veel te berghen alst moghelijck was—of which we took every care to preserve as much as was possible. ↑

621 Harnas tonnen—coffers, trunks. ↑

622 Soetemelcx kaes—in modern Dutch, zoetemelksche kaas—lit. sweet-milk cheese. This is the ordinary Dutch cheese, well known in England, and which on a former occasion (page 124, note 11) was described as koyenkaas. It is the produce principally of North Holland. ↑

623 Claes Andriesz.—Nicholas, the son of Andrew, or Andrewson. ↑

624 Daer als nu weynich oft geen hope toe en is—whereof there is now little or no hope. ↑

625 End. ↑

626 Beginning. ↑

627 Dat we vast overleggen—that we considered well. ↑

628 “Or.”—Ph. ↑

629 Daerome hebbe ic met Willem Barentsz. de hoogh-bootsman ende ander officie luyden met alle ander gasten—therefore I, with William Barentsz. (and), the chief-boatswain and other officers, with the rest of the crew. At first sight it might appear that William Barentsz. is described as “hoogh-bootsman”. This is evidently the idea of the translator, though he takes on himself to paraphrase the term by “our pilot”. But the statement on the 20th June (page 198), that the chief-boatswain came on board the boat in which William Barentsz. was, just before the latter’s death, clearly proves that two different persons are here intended: so that, in order to avoid ambiguity, a conjunction, or at least a comma, should be inserted between the two. From the list of the ship’s company given in page 193, it may be safely inferred that the “chief-boatswain”, or first mate, as we should now call him, was Pieter Pieterszoon Vos. It is he, most probably, who on the 28th August, 1596 (page 100) is called “the other pilot”. ↑

630 It was requisite for us. ↑

631 Daer wy inden arbeyt geen hulpe af en hebben—from whom in our work we have no help. ↑

632 Als we al schoon van dees ur af ons best deden—even if from this moment we did our best. ↑

633 Ende int generael van ons allen onderteijcknet, gedaen ende besloten—and in general by us all subscribed, done, and concluded. ↑

634 Hebben wijt eyndelijck verlaten—we have at length abandoned it. ↑

635 Meester Hans Vos. This is the barber-surgeon, of whom mention has been made in page 125, note 3. The title of “meester”, representing the Latin magister, shows that he was a member of a learned profession, who had not improbably taken his degree of “Magister Artium Liberalium”, at an university. In Hungary, at the present day,—as we learn from the evidence of C. A. Noedl, on the recent trial of C. Derra de Meroda against Dawson and others, in the notorious affair of the Baroness von Beck,—“if a man wishes to become a surgeon, he must attend six Latin schools [meaning, apparently, that he must keep six terms at the High School or University], and learn to cut hair”.—Morning Post, July 29th, 1852.

In the journal of Captain James, printed in Mr. Rundall’s Narrative of Voyages towards the North-West (page 199), is the following entry, under the date of November 30th, 1631:—“Betimes, in the morning, I caused the chirurgion to cut off my hair short, and to shave away all the hair of my face.… The like did all the rest.” This was at a period when, as appears from the muster-roll of Captain Waymouth’s expedition, given in page 238 of the same volume, the rating of the surgeon, who thus acted as barber to the ship’s company, was next after “the preacher”, and before the master and the purser. ↑

636 The names, as here given, are neither correctly written nor placed in the order in which they stand in the original text. They are there ranged in six short columns of two names each, except the last, which has only one name; but the translator has read them as if written in two lines across the page. Correctly placed and written, the names are as follows:—

Iacob Heemskerck.

Willem Barentz.

Pieter Pietersz. Vos.

Gerrit de Veer.

Meester Hans Vos.

Lenaert Hendricksz.

Laurens Willemsz.

Iacob Iansz. Schiedam.

Pieter Cornelisz.

Iacob Iansz. Sterrenburch.

Ian Reyniersz.

There were four others, who did not sign, most likely from their inability to write, or from ill-health. ↑

637 Met ons bock ende schuijt. ↑

638 De Eylandts hoeck. ↑

639 Vier—four. The translator evidently read veel. ↑

640 Cliffs. ↑

641 Hooft-hoeck. ↑

642 Vlissingher hooft—Flushing Head. ↑

643 De Capo van Begeerte—Cape Desire. ↑

644 De Eylanden van Oraengien. ↑

645 Een geweldighen stroom—a strong current. ↑

646 Minghelen. A measure of rather more than an English quart. ↑

647 Mottich, leelich weder—nasty drizzly weather. ↑

648 Wasich—damp. ↑

649 Ys-hoeck. ↑

650 De schipper; namely, Jacob Heemskerck. ↑

651 Al wel, maet, ick hope noch te loopen eer wy te Waerhuys comen—quite well, mate. I still hope to be able to run before we get to Wardhuus. It is a matter of interest that the last words of such a man as William Barentsz. should be correctly given. ↑

652 Gerrit, zijn wy ontrent den Yshoeck, soo beurt my noch eens op; ic moet dien hoeck noch eens sien—Gerrit, if we are near the Ice Point, just lift me up again. I must see that Point once more. The Ice Point is the northernmost point of Novaya Zemlya (see page 24, note 4): hence the interest felt in it by the sick man, who, in spite of his courageous talk, was doubtless aware that he should never see it again. ↑

653 Liep ten westen—went round to the west. ↑

654 An de schotsen—to the drift ice. ↑

655 Soo vreeselijck—so frightfully. ↑

656 Stand. ↑

657 Redden—save. ↑

658 Goet raet was duer—good counsel was dear. A proverbial expression, explained in page 165, note 2. ↑

659 Ooghenblick—instant. ↑

660 Werter geseyt—it was said (by some one). ↑

661 Een trots ofte tou aent vaste ys conden vast cryghen—could make fast a tackle or rope to the firm ice. ↑

662 Een ghedrenckt calf goet te waghen is. This is another Dutch proverb, which Gerrit de Veer modestly applies to himself, as signifying that his loss would not be much felt. The translator, not understanding the allusion or the force of the proverb, left it out; but on the other hand he, somewhat unnecessarily, introduced in the preceding passage the words “like to the tale of the mise”, which are not in the original. ↑

663 Te brenghen—to carry. ↑

664 Een hoogen heuvel—a high hummock. ↑

665 Des doots kaecken—the jaws of death. ↑

666 Allen de naeden hebben wy mede moeten versien ende dicht maecken, ende diversche presendinghe legghen—we had likewise to examine and close all the seams, and to lay on pieces of tarpauling in various places. ↑

667 Te landtwaert in—towards the land. ↑

668 “Up”.—Ph. ↑

669 Claes Andriesz. See page 190, note 6. ↑

670 De hoogh-bootsman—the chief boatswain. ↑

671 Bock—yawl. ↑

672 My dunckt tsal met my mede niet langhe dueren—methinks with me too it will not last long. ↑

673 Las in mijn caertgien dat ic van onse reyse gemaect hadde—looked at my little chart, which I had made of our voyage. ↑

674 Gerrit, geeft my eens te drincken—Gerrit, give me something to drink. ↑

675 The words “next under God” are not in the text. ↑

676 “100.”—Ph. ↑

677 Sluijs—lock, sluice. ↑

678 Capo de Troosts—Cape Comfort. See page 22, note 4. ↑

679 The elevation of the sun, corrected for refraction, was 36° 58′,₇ and its declination + 23° 29′,₄; so that the elevation of the Pole was 76° 30′,₇. ↑

680 De tinnen plateelen met alle het coperwerck—the tin cans with all the copper vessels. ↑

681 Voor ons drincken—for our drink. ↑

682 Streckinghe van’t huijs af—direction (of our course) from the house, etc. ↑

683 Cola. A small sea-port of Russian Lapland, in the government of Archangel, 540 miles N. of St. Petersburg. Population 1000. ↑

684 Chart. ↑

685 Het laghe landt. ↑

686 Stroom-bay. ↑

687 Yshavens hoeck. ↑

688 Eylandts hoeck. ↑

689 Vlissenger hooft—Flushing Head. ↑

690 Hooft hoeck. ↑

691 De Hoeck van Begheerten—Cape Desire. ↑

692 De Eylanden van Oraengien. ↑

693 De Yshoeck. ↑

694 Capo de Troosts—Cape Comfort. ↑

695 Capo de Nassauwen—Cape Nassau. ↑

696 “West and.”—Ph. ↑

697 Het Cruijs Eylandt. ↑

698 Willems Eylandt. ↑

699 De Swarten Hoeck—Cape Negro. See page 13. ↑

700 Het Admiraliteyts Eylandt—Admiralty Island. ↑

701 Capo Plancio—Cape Plancius. See page 219, note 4. ↑

702 Lomsbay. See page 12. ↑

703 De Staten Hoeck—States Point. ↑

704 Capo de Prior oft Langhenes. See page 11. ↑

705 Capo de Cant. See page 219. ↑

706 De Hoeck met de swarte clippen—the Point with the black cliffs. ↑

707 Het Swarte Eylandt. ↑

708 Costintsarck. See page 30, note 4. ↑

709 Constinsarck. A fatality seems to attend the spelling of this name. ↑

710 Cruishoeck. See page 31. ↑

711 S. Laurens Bay. See page 32. ↑

712 “S.S.E.”—Ph. ↑

713 S. Lauwersbay. ↑

714 Meelhaven. See p. 33. ↑

715 De twee Eylanden. On the first voyage they were named St. Clara. See page 34. ↑

716 Matfloo ende Delgoy. See page 36, and also note 6 in page 50. ↑

717 The true course is almost south-east. ↑

718 Inham—inlet. ↑

719 Colgoy—the Island of Kolguev. See page 35, note 2. ↑

720 Candenas—Kanin Nos. See page 38, note 3. ↑

721 De 7 Eylanden. “The Seven Islands (Sem Ostrovi) lie about 16 leagues S.E. by S., by compass, from Tieribieri Point, and by varying the appearance serve to distinguish this part of the coast.”—Purdy, Sailing Directions for the Northern Ocean, p. 82. ↑

722 See page 7, note 4. ↑

723 Namely, on August 30th, 1598. ↑

724 Coel. See page 200, note 5. ↑

725 “West.”—Ph. ↑

726 Phillip has inserted here “381 miles Flemish, which is 1143 miles Inglish”. The miles of the text are German or Dutch miles of 15 to the degree, as is stated in page 7, note 1. ↑

727 Beyond. ↑

728 See page 92. ↑

729 Boiled. ↑

730 Matsammore. Evidently a corruption of the Spanish mazamorra, which word, according to the Diccionario of the Royal Spanish Academy, means “biscuit powder, or biscuit broken and rendered unserviceable; also the pottage or food (made with bread or biscuit) which was given to the galley-slaves”. The adoption of Spanish words by the Dutch is accounted for in page 12, note 1. ↑

731 Foresail. ↑

732 Leyden op ons seylen toe—tried to do it with our sailes. ↑

733 Foremast. ↑

734 Arger als een gat—worse than a leak. ↑

735 Grootseyl—main-sail. ↑

736 In den grondt gheslaghen gheweest—been capsized. ↑

737 Al over boort in te loopen—to run quite over the gunwale. ↑

738 Ons ander macker—our other companion. ↑

739 Onser macker—our companion. ↑

740 Hadden zy—they had. ↑

741 Boiled. ↑

742 “17th.”—Ph. ↑

743 Jae zy waren ontelbaar—nay, they were numberless. ↑

744 Dattet op claerde—till it cleared up. ↑

745 Van de seylen een tente opgheslaghen—made a tent of our sails. ↑

746 Haghel—small shot. ↑

747 Verladen—re-load. ↑

748 Bevonden—found out; experienced. ↑

749 Swaricheyt—difficulty. ↑

750 Den bock—the yawl. ↑

751 Ibid. ↑

752 Met schuijt ende al—boat and all. ↑

753 Dat wy daer aenghemaeckt hadden—where we had added to it. ↑

754 Mast-banck—standing-thwart. ↑

755 Al de schuijt—the whole boat. ↑

756 Ondert ander ys heen—away under the other ice. ↑

757 We had entirely lost our boat. ↑

758 Boat. ↑

759 Yawl. ↑

760 Harnas ton—coffer; trunk. ↑

761 Dat deurt ys den bodem ingheschoven werdt—which was stove in by the ice. ↑

762 Boat. ↑

763 De buijckdenningh—the bottom boards. ↑

764 “Staues.”—Ph. A misprint. ↑

765 Behouwen—hewn; i.e., laboured with an axe. ↑

766 Coockten—cooked; lit. boiled. ↑

767 De helmstock—the tiller of the rudder. ↑

768 Harnas ton—coffer; trunk. ↑

769 Verstonden—understood; became aware. ↑

770 Afloopen—run out; drain out. ↑

771 Alst gheschiet is—as it (afterwards) happened; as we afterwards did. ↑

772 Van de schuijt af—from out of the boat. ↑

773 Jan Fransz.—John, the son of Francis. ↑

774 Claes Andriesz. See page 190, note 6. ↑

775 See page 198. ↑

776 Schoten—shot. ↑

777 Die wy op een schots ys nae dryvende, dan opraepten, ende op’t vaste ys brachten—which we then picked up by floating after them on a piece of drift ice, and brought upon the firm ice. ↑

778 Mottich—dirty. ↑

779 Fowls; birds. ↑

780 Maeltijt—meal; repast. ↑

781 Afgheweecken—given way. ↑

782 Voort—on; forward. ↑

783 Velden—fields. ↑

784 Uytcomst—issue. ↑

785 Floating. ↑

786 That is, in girth. ↑

787 Mottich—dirty; drizzly. ↑

788 Het Cruijs Eylandt. See page 16. ↑

789 Bergh-eenden—lit. mountain-ducks. This is the common shieldrake or burrow-duck (Tadorna vulpanser): Gould, Birds of Europe, vol. v, pl. 357. The trivial name “Bar-gander” (bergander) is manifestly a corruption of the Dutch name, and not of “Burrow-gander”, as has been supposed. ↑

790 Also dattet altemet kermis was tusschen onsen smert—so that there was sometimes a holiday in the midst of our sorrows. ↑

791 Drie minghelen—three minghelen, equal to nearly one gallon. ↑

792 Aent landt—on shore. ↑

793 Steentgiens—pebbles, or probably pieces of rock-crystal. See page 37. ↑

794 Berch-eyndt—burrow-duck. See note 4, in the preceding page. ↑

795 Mottich—drizzly. ↑

796 In zijn huijt—in the body. ↑

797 Scarcely. ↑

798 Smote; struck. ↑

799 Hoe langher hoe meer ons begaven—failed us more and more. ↑

800 Ende dat ons voort aen tselvige niet meer gemoeten soude—and that thenceforth the same would not happen to us again. ↑

801 “200.”—Ph. ↑

802 Grooter—greater. ↑

803 Recht voort laecken met een goeden voortgangh—right before the wind, at a good rate. ↑

804 Een doorgaende coelte—a steady breeze. ↑

805 In elck eetmael—in every four-and-twenty hours. See page 88, note 5. ↑

806 Phillip here adds, “to bring our voyage to an end”. ↑

807 Hebbende noch die heerlijcke voortgang—making still the same good speed. ↑

808 Den Swarten Hoeck—Cape Negro. See page 13. ↑

809 Het Admiraliteyts Eylandt—Admiralty Island. See page 13. ↑

810 Dear. ↑

811 Zee-monsters. De Veer knew better than to call the walrus a fish. ↑

812 Boats. ↑

813 Capo Plancio—Cape Plancius. This headland is not anywhere named in the account of the first voyage, though it appears in the chart of Lomsbay. ↑

814 Admiralty Island. ↑

815 Heerlijck—splendid. ↑

816 Aldus nock een goeden voortgangh hebbende—making still rapid progress. ↑

817 Capo de Cant. ↑

818 Clip—cliff. ↑

819 Die moy deurgaende wint—that fine steady breeze. ↑

820 The habits of these birds are not much altered by the presence of men, or else they would not be called foolish Guillemots. See page 12, note 3. ↑

821 Cliffs. ↑

822 Hatch. ↑

823 Van daer af staecken—put off from thence. ↑

824 Weather it. ↑

825 Laveering. ↑

826 Moy openinge—A fine opening. ↑

827 Daer in seylden—sailed in that direction. ↑

828 Openinge—opening. ↑

829 Coockten—boiled. ↑

830 Mottich—dirty. ↑

831 Te landtwaerts in—towards the land. ↑

832 Steentgiens—pebbles. ↑

833 This calculation is altogether erroneous. The sun’s declination on July 24th, 1598, was + 19° 47′,₁; so that, with the observed height (corrected for refraction), the elevation of the Pole was only 72° 28′,₃. ↑

834 Several. ↑

835 T’zeewaert in—to seawards. ↑

836 Round. ↑

837 Against. ↑

838 Struck, lowered. ↑

839 Een gheweldigen stroom—a powerful current. ↑

840 Constinsarck. ↑

841 That is to say, the Sea of Kara. If it be an ascertained fact, that there is not here any passage eastward through Novaya Zemlya, this current must come from around the back of the Meyduscharski Island. But its existence, and the inference which was not unreasonably drawn from it, sufficiently explain why this passage has been called a schar, and not a salma. See page 30, note 4. ↑

842 De Cruijs-hoeck. See page 31. ↑

843 Cliffs. ↑

844 S. Laurens Bay, ofte Schans hoeck. See page 32. ↑

845 See page 33, note 6. ↑

846 On duytsche—un-Dutch. ↑

847 So veel alsser onser mochten van de sieckte—as many of us as were able on account of our illness. ↑

848 De scheurbuijck—the scurvy. ↑

849 See page 56. ↑

850 Over ons ontset oft becommert waren—confused or concerned about us. ↑

851 Ontstelt—miserable. ↑

852 In de Weygats—in the Weygats. See page 27, note 4. ↑

853 Crabble: intended for the Russian korabl, a ship. ↑

854 Crabble pro pal. The correct question and answer in Russian would be: Propal korabl?—is the ship lost? Korabl propal—the ship is lost. ↑

855 Made signs. ↑

856 In soo soberen staet—in so poor a condition. ↑

857 Boat. ↑

858 No dobbre. The correct Russian is nyet dobre—not good. These Russian seamen appear to have made use of a sort of lingua franca, half Russian, half English, which is still common among the persons of their class, having been acquired from their converse with English traders to the White Sea. ↑

859 Van den schuerbuijck—with the scurvy. See page 152, note 3. ↑

860 Lodgien: intended for the Russian word, lodyi—boats. ↑

861 “Smored.”—Ph. A misprint. ↑

862 Muschuijt (for bischuyt)—biscuits. ↑

863 Een minghelen—about the third part of a gallon. ↑

864 Boiled some of our biscuit. ↑

865 Namely, at Bear Island, on the 1st of July, 1596. See page 85. ↑

866 Verscheurende—ravenous. ↑

867 Alsoo dat—so that. ↑

868 Cinghel—shingle; beach. ↑

869 Aldus aent eylandt ligghende—lying thus by the island. ↑

870 The Strait of Nassau. See page 27, note 4. ↑

871 Lepel-bladeren—spoon-wort or scurvy grass (Cochlearia officinalis), once in great repute as an antiscorbutic. ↑

872 Jae meest al van de scheurbuijck alsoo gheplaecht waren, dat wy naulijch voorts mochten, ende deur dese lepelbladeren vry wat bequaem, want het hielp ons so merckelijcken ende haestich, dat wy ons selfs verwonderden—yea, most of us were so afflicted with the scurvy that we could scarcely move, and by means of this spoon-wort we were much recovered; for it helped us so remarkably and so speedily, that we ourselves were astonished. ↑

873 Ran very high. ↑

874 See note 3 in the preceding page. ↑

875 The almost instantaneous effect of a change of diet, and particularly of the use of fresh vegetables, in the cure of scurvy, has been noticed on numerous occasions. ↑

876 Patientie was ons voorlandt—lit. patience was our fore-land, that is to say, what we had constantly before us. ↑

877 Want wy haddent al overgheset ende adieu gheseyt—for we had quite crossed over and bidden it adieu. ↑

878 Struck, lowered. ↑

879 Ende royden also deurt ys heen—and thus rowed forward through the ice. ↑

880 De ruyme zee—the open sea. ↑

881 Bock—Yawl. ↑

882 To weather. ↑

883 Boat. ↑

884 Yawl. ↑

885 Weathered. ↑

886 Als hyt van buyten om seylde—while he was rounding it on the outside. ↑

887 Struck, lowered. ↑

888 The point where they thus reached the Russian coast would seem to be in about 55 E. long., on the eastern side of the mouth of the Petchora. ↑

889 Een Russche jolle—a Russian yawl. ↑

890 Boven op haer jolle—on the deck of their yawl. ↑

891 Candinaes—Kanin Nos; the cape at the eastern side of the entrance to the White Sea. See page 38, note 3. ↑

892 Pitzora—the river Petchora. See page 55, note 3. ↑

893 Daert seer droogh was—where it was very shallow. ↑

894 We have here a convincing proof that they were no longer under the able guidance of William Barentsz. For this reason it has, since the time of his death, been deemed unnecessary to attempt to fix the hour of the day by the recorded bearing of the sun, as had been done previously. ↑

895 Ende bevondt datter groente was, met sommighe cleyne boomkens—and found verdure there with a few small trees. ↑

896 Wilt te schieten—game (for us) to shoot. ↑

897 Wat schummelt broodt—a little mouldy bread. ↑

898 Also dat—so that. ↑

899 Den inham—the bay or inlet; namely, the estuary of the river Petchora. ↑

900 This was the promontory on the western side of the Petchora estuary. ↑

901 Hadde deerlijck sien moghen helpen—if looking deplorable could have helped us. ↑

902 Verdriet—sorrow. ↑

903 Ende—and. ↑

904 ’t laghe landt henen—along the low land. ↑

905 Een baeck staen daer een stroom by uyt liep—a beacon standing, by which there ran a current. ↑

906 Daer deur wy vermoeden datter de cours was daer de Russen heenen quamen, tusschen Candinas ende ’tvaste landt van Ruslandt—whence we concluded that it was the course taken by the Russians between Kanin-Nos and the main-land of Russia. ↑

907 Zee-robbe—seal. ↑

908 De schuyten—the boats. ↑

909 Een goedt wiltbraedt—lit. a good venison. ↑

910 Dat wy ons noch liever lyden souden, want Godt de Heere die—that we should rather make shift without it; for the Lord God, who.… ↑

911 Maer opt onversienste helpen—but help us when least foreseen. ↑

912 Mottich—dirty. ↑

913 Forced. ↑

914 Bock—yawl. ↑

915 Schuijt—boat. ↑

916 Dicht aent strandt—close to the shore. ↑

917 Lodja or boat. ↑

918 Seylen—sail. ↑

919 Om de schuyten inde diepte te cryghen—to get the boats into deep water. ↑

920 A Spanish dollar, of eight reals. ↑

921 Boiled. ↑

922 Vier—four. ↑

923 Soo wel de minste als de meest—the lowest as well as the highest. ↑

924 There must be some mistake here. When the sun set on the 12th of August, in latitude 68° N., his azimuth was 46° 37′,₇ W., which would give a variation of 35° 22′,₇, or more than 3 points W. Perhaps N.N.W. should be read, instead of N. by W.; which would make the variation to have been about 2 points W. It is, however, to be feared that but little dependance can be placed on the observations made during the return voyage, after the death of Willem Barentsz. ↑

925 Jolle—yawl. ↑

926 Lepelbladeren—spoon-wort. See page 226, note 3. ↑

927 Opghebluckt—plucked. ↑

928 Een moy coeltgen—a nice breeze. ↑

929 Meant; intended. Misprinted “went”. ↑

930 This point, which they mistook for “Candinaes”, or Kanin Nos, was apparently Cape Barmin, on the east side of Tcheskaya Bay, over which they now proceeded to cross, under the impression that it was the White Sea. ↑

931 Wat wy malcanderen mochten mede deelen—that we could divide between us. ↑

932 Nae Ruslandt toe. This is a mistake in the original. The coast of Norway or Lapland is meant. ↑

933 Wy ons seijl streecken, ende namen een riff oft twee in—we lowered our sail and took in a reef or two. ↑

934 Onse maets die wat styver onder seijl waren—our comrades, who stood somewhat better under sail. ↑

935 Aendt Noordtsche cust over de Witte Zee—on the coast of Norway, on the other side of the White Sea. ↑

936 Koelte—breeze. ↑

937 Vry wat—a good deal. As the sun’s azimuth at his rising was 49° 56′,₅ W., the variation would be 17° 33′,₅ or about 1½ points W. This, as compared with the observation of the 12th August, as recorded, shows a considerable difference. But, as is remarked in the note on that observation, the error is more likely to be on that than on the present occasion. ↑

938 Koelte—breeze. ↑

939 Een moye coelte—a nice breeze. ↑

940 They had here reached the western side of Tcheskaya Bay. ↑

941 Boats. ↑

942 Kilduijn. See page 7, note 1. ↑

943 Zy smeten haer handen van een—they spread their hands out. ↑

944 Gantsch in een inham beset—quite inclosed in a bay or creek. They would seem to have here been at the north-western corner of Tcheskaya Bay. ↑

945 Vraeghen wy haer nae Sembla de Cool—we asked them after Sembla de Cool. By this jargon, which is here a compound of Russian and Spanish, the Dutch seamen desired to obtain information respecting “the country of Kola”, in Lapland. ↑

946 Dattet Sembla de Candinas was—that it was Sembla de Candinas; i.e., Kanineskaya Zemlya. ↑

947 Om deur dat gat te comen daer zy voor lagen—to get through the passage, before which they lay. ↑

948 Weder aen haer schip—back to their ship. ↑

949 Onderrechten—to instruct; to give information. ↑

950 Caerte—chart. ↑

951 Waren beducht—were alarmed. ↑

952 Bock—yawl. ↑

953 Nu wy 22 mylen al over de zee waren geseylt—now that we had sailed 22 miles right across the sea. ↑

954 Onse mackers—our companions. ↑

955 Gat—passage. ↑

956 Het cleyne lodtgien—the little lodja or boat. ↑

957 Onviel hem n. w.—turned to the N.W. This must have been Cape Mikalkin, the S.E. cape of Kanineskaya Zemlya. ↑

958 Stroom—tide. ↑

959 Boiled. ↑

960 Datter kersmis was—that it was Christmas. It is kermis, which means a festival or fair-day. See page 39, note 2. ↑

961 Onse ander maets—our other companions. ↑

962 Bescheyt—information. ↑

963 Soo beduyden zijt ons noch bet—they explained it better to us. ↑

964 Dattet mede sodanighen open schuijt was—that it was a similar open boat. ↑

965 Hadden—had; obtained. ↑

966 Hooghbootsman—the chief-boatswain, or first mate. ↑

967 Volck—people. ↑

968 See page 226, note 3. ↑

969 Ende als wy meenden voort te varen, so moesten wy daer blyven liggen, want den stroom verloopen was—and when we intended to proceed on our voyage, we were forced to remain lying there, because the tide had run out. ↑

970 Werp-ancker—kedge. ↑

971 Schemeringe van eenige cruycen—the faint images of some crosses. ↑

972 Desen hoeck is een kenlijcken hoeck met 5 cruycen daer op, ende datmen perfect can sien hoese aen beyden syden omvalt, aen de eene zyde int z. o. ende d’ander zyde int z. w.—this point is a conspicuous one, having on it five crosses, and the direction of it on either side is perfectly discernible; it being on the one side towards the S.E., and on the other side towards the S.W. ↑

973 Die wy niet dienden te versuymen—which it would not do for us to neglect. ↑

974 Ende maeckten een afsteecker ontrent de son n. w.—we took our departure when the sun was about N.W. ↑

975 An hour and a half. ↑

976 Dat dit een ander clippich lant was—that it was another rocky shore. ↑

977 Met weynich geberchte—with few mountains. ↑

978 Made sure. ↑

979 Waerders—cautions; directions. ↑

980 Dat daer een goede reede was—that there was a good roadstead there. ↑

981 Lodja or boat. ↑

982 So maeckten wy ons daer vast—we anchored there. ↑

983 Zy leyden ons in haer stoven—they led us into their rooms. In Dutch, as in German, a room heated by a stove or oven is called by the name of the latter, stove or stube. ↑

984 Coocten ons een sode visch, ende nooden ons seer hertelijck—cooked us a dish of fish, and made us right welcome. ↑

985 Visch tot visch—lit. fish with fish; i.e., nothing but fish. ↑

986 Overschot—remains. ↑

987 Wy … ons heel ontsetteden—we were quite astonished. ↑

988 Cocht—bought. ↑

989 Coockten—cooked. ↑

990 Lepel bladeren—spoon-wort or scurvy-grass. See page 226, note 3. ↑

991 Te becomen—to procure; to obtain. ↑

992 Onversiens—unprepared. ↑

993 Om daer eten voor te coopen—to buy victuals therewith. ↑

994 Ende gedroncken van den claren, als in den Rhijn voorby Colen loopt—and drank of the pure article, such as flows past Cologne in the Rhine. There is here a play on the word clar, which signifies “clear”, “pure”, but is applied to spirits as well as to water. In common life, een glaasje klare means “glass of neat Hollands gin”. ↑

995 Ons ander maets—our other comrades. ↑

996 Een goeden drincpennick—a handsome present: lit. a good drink-penny. ↑

997 Den cock mede betaelt—also paid the cook. ↑

998 Den bock—the yawl. ↑

999 See page 203, note 4. ↑

1000 Also wy goeden voortgang hadden—as we were making good way. ↑

1001 Met goeden voortgangh seylende, quamen wy ontrent de z. w. son verby de selvige eylanden langs de wal henen, onder eenighe visschers die na ons toe royden—making good speed, we passed the said islands about south-west sun, and sailed along the coast among some fishermen, who rowed towards us. ↑

1002 Crabble propal. See page 224. ↑

1003 Tot Cool Brabanse crable. A mixture of Dutch and Russian, meaning “at Kola there are Brabant ships”. The correct Russian is v’Kolye Brabantskyie korabli. Before the independence of the northern provinces, the entire Netherlands were under the rule of the Dukes of Brabant; and as the Dutch vessels trading to the northern coasts of Europe had first come there under the Brabant flag, the Russians not unnaturally continued to attach the name of Brabant to them in common with other Netherlandish vessels. ↑

1004 Waerhuysen. See page 39, note 1. ↑

1005 Dat de Russen oft Grootvorst ep haer grensen ons eenich verlet soude doen—that the Russians or (their) Grand Prince might do us some injury on their frontiers. ↑

1006 Boats. ↑

1007 Wat te lantwaerts ingegaen—going a little way on shore. ↑

1008 “We.”—Ph. ↑

1009 Wy meenden dat se telckemael de schuyten in den gront gesmeten souden hebben—we thought that each wave would have swamped the boats. ↑

1010 Twee clippen—two cliffs or rocks. ↑

1011 Twee realen van achten. This, though incorrect, was an usual expression in Dutch. It means, properly, two Spanish dollars of eight reals. ↑

1012 Nam een roer mede—took a musket with him. ↑

1013 Ende trocken noch teghen den nae nacht op ter loop—and set off before break of day—lit. towards the after-night. ↑

1014 Om dat wat te verluchten—to air them a little. ↑

1015 Spyse—food. ↑

1016 Quas. The well-known Russian drink. Dr. Giles Fletcher, ambassador from Queen Elizabeth to the Emperor Fedor in 1588, describes it as “a thin drinke called Quasse, which is nothing else (as we say) but water turned out of his wits, with a little bran meashed with it.”—Purchas, vol. iii, p. 459. ↑

1017 Blauwe-besyen met Braem-besyen—bilberries and blackberries. The latter are probably the Moroschka—cloudberries, or fruit of the mountain-bramble (Rubus chamœmorus),—the gathering and preparation of which by the females of Kola are described by Lütke, in page 223 of his oft-cited work. ↑

1018 Scheurbuyck—scurvy. See page 152, note 2. ↑

1019 Wy daer een lager wal hadden—we there had a lee shore. ↑

1020 Phillip substitutes for this the words “this having done”. ↑

1021 D’ander vast aenquamen—the others were fast approaching. ↑

1022 De schuyten qualijck van den wal conden houden, dat se met in stucken ghesmeten werden—could scarcely keep the boats from going on shore, and thereby being dashed to pieces. ↑

1023 Seer beducht—much alarmed. ↑

1024 Datse in sulcken weer ende reghen aende legher wal verblyven moesten—that in such wind and rain they should have had to lie under a lee shore. ↑

1025 See page 249, note 4. ↑

1026 Met lijtsaemheyt verhopende—hoping with resignation. ↑

1027 Ende de saecke dien dach opghevende—and giving the matter up for that day. ↑

1028 Meant. ↑

1029 In beducht—in fear. ↑

1030 Dat wy al lange om den hals gecomen waren—that we had lost our lives long ago. ↑

1031 Over onse comste—of our arrival. ↑

1032 Jan Cornelisz. Rijp. See page 71. ↑

1033 See page 85. ↑

1034 Zijn beloofde penningen—his promised reward: lit. pence. ↑

1035 Clothes. ↑

1036 Ghenoech in behouden haven—sufficiently in a safe port. ↑

1037 Dat wy tot malcanderen seyde, hy moet kunsgens kunnen—so that we said to one another, he must know some (conjuring) tricks. ↑

1038 Daer heb ick zijn hant noch wel—there I certainly still have his handwriting. ↑

1039 Een jol—a yawl. ↑

1040 Rostwijcker-bier. A strong beer brewed at Roswick, a town of Sweden, in West Bothnia. ↑

1041 Brandewijn—spirits distilled from malt; common Hollands gin. ↑

1042 Een stuck ghelts—some money. ↑

1043 Mettet hoochste water—at high water; at the top of the tide. ↑

1044 “The entrance to Kola, which by some is most incorrectly called a river, is one of those bays to which the English apply the designation of Inlet or Frith.”—Lütke, p. 225. ↑

1045 De soutketen—the salt-works. The buildings in which the manufacture of salt is carried on are called in Dutch keten. ↑

1046 Daer wy eens overclommen ende droncken daer eens—into which we clambered up, and there had something to drink. ↑

1047 Den elfden dag—on the eleventh day. This would seem to have been the eleventh day after their arrival, or after the 3rd of September, rather than the 11th of the month. Reckoned exclusively of that day, it would have been the 14th of September; and it is reasonable to suppose that they would not have parted with their boats till they had found a Russian lodja to receive them. ↑

1048 Den Bayaert—the boyard; a Russian title, signifying a nobleman, great man, or chief. ↑

1049 Int coopmans huys. This is a literal translation of the Russian gostinuy dvor’, which is a collection of shops, corresponding to the bazar of the Persians. It is usually, but not invariably, situated in or near the market-place. ↑

1050 Lieten die daer staen—left them there. ↑

1051 Veel—much. ↑

1052 Dat metter tijt gheschieden moeste—which required some time. ↑

1053 De Maes—the river Maas or Meuse. ↑

1054 Maeslantsluys. A town on the river Maas, opposite the Briel. ↑

1055 Reysde also deur Delft, den Haech ende Haerlem—thence travelled through Delft, the Hague, and Haerlem. ↑

1056 Bonte mutsen van witte vossen—white fox-skin caps. ↑

1057 Een van de bewinthebbers der stadt van Amstelredam gheweest was, tot uytrustinge van de twee schepen—who had been one of the managers, on behalf of the town of Amsterdam, for fitting out the two ships. ↑

1058 Int Princen Hof. This was formerly the Court of Admiralty at Amsterdam. But when the Town-House was given as a palace to Louis Napoleon, then King of Holland, the Prinzen Hof was converted into the Town-House, which it still is. ↑

1059 Aldaer op die tijdt mijn E. Heeren den Cancelier ende Ambassadeur van den Allerdoorluchtichsten Coninck van Dennemarcken, Noorweghen, Gotten ende Wenden over tafel sadt—where the noble lords, the chancellor and the ambassador from the most illustrious King of Denmark, Norway, Goths and Vandals, were then at table. In the original there is not a word about Prince Maurice and the Hague. ↑

1060 Mijn Heer de Schout ende twee Heeren van der stadt—master sheriff and two gentlemen of the town (i.e., town-councillors). ↑

1061 Den voornoemde Heere Ambassadeur—the said lord ambassador. ↑

1062 Onse reysen ende wedervaren—our voyages and adventures. ↑

1063 Phillip here inserts the word “dangerous”. ↑

1064 The names will be here repeated, for the purpose of giving them correctly, and also showing those who died during the voyage:—

Iacob Heemskerck, Supercargo and Skipper.

† Willem Barentsz., Pilot (died June 20th, 1597).

Pieter Pietersz. Vos.

Gerrit de Veer.

M. Hans Vos, Barber-surgeon.

† Name unknown, Carpenter (died September 23rd, 1596).

Iacob Iansz. Sterrenburgh.

Lenaert Heyndricksz.

Laurens Willemsz.

Ian Hillebrantsz.

Iacob Iansz. Hooghwout.

Pieter Cornelisz.

Ian van Buysen Reyniersz.

Iacob Evertsz.

† Name unknown (died January 27th, 1597).

† Claes Andriesz. (died June 20th, 1597).

† Ian Fransz. (died July 5th, 1597).