BARENTZ, 41 



morning of the 20th, it was communicated to those 

 who were in the launch that Claes Andriz was near his 

 end, he being in the other boat. Barentz then told his 

 companions he should not long survive Andriz. He 

 was at the moment examining a chart of all the coun- 

 tries and objects they had seen on their voyage, made 

 by Gerard de Veer. No one suspected that what he 

 said was so immediately to be fulfilled. Putting the 

 chart on one side, he asked D-e Yeer to give him some- 

 thing to drink. Barentz swallowed what was given 

 him, and found himself worse immediately ; his eyes 

 moved rapidly about for a moment, and he died so sud- 

 denly, they had not time to call the captain, who was in 

 the other boat. Andriz expired at nearly the same 

 moment. The death of Barentz was a severe blow to 

 his companions. Upon his experience and knowledge 

 in navigation they relied for their safety in the future 

 conduct of their navigation during a perilous voyage in 

 boats, they hardly knew whither. 



They struggled on, however, manfully overcoming 

 the perils that beset them ; and in September reached 

 the coast of Lapland, where " wee saw some trees on the 

 river side, which comforted us and made us glad, as if 

 wee had then come into a new world ; for, in all the 

 time that wee had been out, wee had not seene any 

 trees. " On the eleventh of the same month, after a 

 voyage of eleven hundred and forty-three miles, these 

 brave-hearted men set up their boats in the " Merchants 7 

 house,' 7 at Coola, as " a sign and token of their deliv- 

 erance ; ? and, embarking on board a Dutch ship, in the 

 course of a few weeks once more set foot in their native 

 country. 



The survivors appeared before the people of Amster- 

 dam in the dress they wore at Nova Zernbla. Curiosity 

 was awakened everywhere respecting them. They were 



