"On

was, and to all appearance perfectly hopeless, they could even jest and make themselves merry. Christmas-day," says the writer, "it was foule wether, with a north-west wind, and yet though it was foule wether we heard the foxes run over our house, wherewith some of our men said it was an ill signe; and while we sate disputing why it should be an ill signe, some of our men made answere that it was an ill signe because we could not take them to put them into the pot to rost them, for that had beene a very good signe for us." And after labouring hard all the day of the 5th of January in digging away the snow that had for several days blocked up their door, and cleaned out their hut, "we remembered ourselves," says the narrator," that it was Twelfth-even, and then we prayed our Maister that we might be merry that night, and said that we were content to spend some of the wine that night which we had spared, and which was our share every second day, and whereof for certaine daies we had not drunke; and so that night we made merry and drunke to the three kings, and therewith we had the pound of meale whereof we made pancakes with oyle, and every man a white bisket, which we sopt in wine: and so supposing that we were in our owne country and amongst our friends, it comforted us as well as if we had made a great banket in our owne house; and we also made tickets, and our gunner was king of Nova Zembla, which is at

least two hundred miles long, and lyeth betweene

two seas.'

*

The raptures felt by these unhappy men at the first blush of the sun may easily be conceived. This joyful event was first announced to them about the 16th of January, when they perceived "a certaine rednesse in the skie," though William Barentz convinced them that the sun himself would not make his appearance above the horizon for three weeks yet to come. However, on the 24th of January, "it was faire cleare weather," says Gerrit de Veer," with a west wind; then I and Jacob Hemskerk, and another with us, went to the sea-side, on the south side of Nova Zembla, where, contrary to our expectation, I first saw the edge of the sunne, wherewith we went speedily home againe to tell William Barentz and the rest of our companions that joyful newes. But William Barentz, being a wise and well experienced pilot, would not believe it, esteeming it to be about forteen daies too soone for the sunne to shine in that part of the world ; but we earnestly affirmed the contrary, and said that we had seen the sunne." On the two following days they had thick and foggy weather, but on the 27th it was clear; " and then," says the journalist, "we saw the sunne in his full roundnesse above the horizon, which made us all glad, and we

* True and perfect Description of Three Voyages, so strange and wonderfull that the like hath never been heard of before. Trans. by William phillip. London. 1609.

gave God hearty thankes for his grace shewed unto us, that that glorious light appeared to us againe." Their joy, however, was somewhat damped by the death of their sick companion on the preceding day.

The accuracy of the Dutch journalist, respecting the re-appearance of the sun, has been called in question by most philosophers and astronomers who have adverted to this account, but it has also had its defenders. It is possible, and indeed not improbable, that after the freezing of the clock, and in the darkness of a long night, they might have lost some time, however much they were interested in marking even the hours as they passed away--but so very few observations have yet been made in high latitudes, on atmospherical refraction, that a circumstance stated with so much honesty and simplicity in a daily journal, should not, perhaps, be rejected as untrue, because it is uncommon. Under ordinary circumstances of refraction the appearance of the sun would seem to have been premature by seven or eight days.

The bears did not fail to return with the light of the sun, and were now, if possible, more than ever troublesome after their long sleep; the cold became more intense as the days lengthened, the frost more severe, and the snow more frequent, so that it was the month of June before, they could set about repairing their two boats, and fitting them for a long voyage from their dreary place of residence. To repair the ship was out of the question, as she

was completely bilged and still fast in the ice. On the 13th of that month every thing was in readiness for their departure; previous to which a statement was drawn up in writing by Barentz and left in the wooden house, containing their names, detailing their late misfortunes and what had befallen them in that wretched abode; after which, committing themselves to the will and mercy of God, they left their Icy haven in the two open boats, with a view to return the way they had come, along the western shore of Nova Zembla. They had not proceeded far, however, before a misfortune befell them which overwhelmed them all with grief and despair. Poor Barentz, in whom all their confidence had rested, died on the 20th of June; being ill when they left their house, he, and another of the name of Claes Adrianson, had been obliged to be taken to the boats on a sledge. On being told that Adrianson was so sick that he could not live, William Barentz spake and said, "I thinke I shal not live long after him"--he then said to De Veer, "Gerrit, give me some drinke; and he had no sooner drunke but he was taken with so sodain a qualme that he turned his eyes in his head and died." The same day Adrianson died also.

There are numerous instances on record of extraordinary voyages being performed in rough and tempestuous seas in open boats, with the most scanty supply of provisions and water, but there is probably not one instance, that can be

compared to that in question, where fifteen persons, in two open boats, had to pass over a frozen ocean more than eleven hundred miles, "in the ice, over the ice, and through the sea," exposed to all the dangers of being at one time overwhelmed by the waves, at another of being crushed to atoms by the whirling of large masses of ice, and to the constant attack of ferocious bears, enduring for upwards of forty days severe cold, fatigue, famine and disease; and yet, excepting the two who died, and who entered the boats in a state of sickness and debility, the rest arrived in good health and spirits at Cola, where they had the satisfaction of meeting with their old friend and companion Jan Cornelis Ryp, who had deserted them to go to the northward the year before. They had learned, indeed, at Kilduyn, that three Dutch ships were at Cola ; and a Laplander, whom they sent over land, returned with a letter from Cornelis Ryp; but they could scarcely flatter themselves that it was the same who had sailed with them from Holland. now took them on board his ship, and, on the 29th of October, they all arrived safely in the Maes, to the great joy of their friends, who had given them up for lost.

He

To what extent of northern latitude Cornelis Ryp had proceeded the preceding year, or what adventures he met with, or discoveries he made, is no where stated; but as he set out with the intention of sailing along the eastern side of the land