BARENTZ. 37 



bodies to keep them warm : comforting themselves, that 

 now the sun was about returning to them, with a little 

 patience he would warm and gladden them again with his 

 beams. Even sitting before their fire, their backs would 

 become white with frost, while their stockings would be 

 burned before they could feel the heat to their feet. 



They visited their ship a second time, and found 

 traces of bears ; and, going below, discovered the ice a 

 foot higher in the hold than it had been originally. 

 They had little hope now that their vessel would ever 

 float again. 



Gerard de Yeer and Jacob Heemskirk, going with a 

 third person to the sea-side towards the south, on the 

 24th of January, the day being clear, saw the edge of 

 the sun above the horizon. They imparted the welcome 

 news to their friends, but Barentz was incredulous, as 

 the return was thought too early by fourteen days. 

 For two days afterwards they had no opportunity of- 

 verifying the fact, owing to the weather being thick 

 and cloudy. 



They lost one of their number on the 26th ; he had 

 long been ill ; they dug a grave seven feet in the snow ; 

 and then, as is mournfully recorded, " after that we 

 had read certaine chapters and sung some psalmes, 

 we all went out and buried the man." As the days 

 lengthened, the light enabled them to take exercise, 

 though the weather still remained as severe as before. 

 A slight relaxation of cold in February was followed in 

 the next month by cold of increased rigor. They were 

 totally blocked up in their hut by snow on the 24th 

 of March. 



On the 6th of April they attempted to shoot a bear 

 which approached close to their dwelling ; but their guns 

 missed fire, and the animal came down the steps they 

 had cut in the snow directly against their door. The 



