10 SPITSBERGEN 



Mars Diep on another endeavour to get through to 

 China. One of the two chief commissioners on board 

 was the famous Van Linschoten, who had been on the 

 previous voyage, and the chief pilot was Barents, who 

 was in the Winthont (Greyhound) with Jacob van 

 Heemskerck as supercargo. Arriving at Pet Strait 

 they found it so blocked with ice that no passage was 

 possible, and Barents, in search of information, went 

 ashore on the mainland south of the strait and made 

 friends in a way with the Samoyeds, whose appear- 

 ance, as described by Gerrit de Veer, was " like that of 

 wild men," dressed as they were in deerskins from head 

 to foot, those of importance wearing caps of coloured 

 cloth lined with fur ; for the most part short of stature, 

 with broad flat faces, small eyes, and bow legs ; their 

 hair worn long, plaited, and hanging down their backs. 

 They were evidently suspicious of the Dutchmen, 

 who did their best to be friendly. The chief had 

 placed sentinels all round to see what the new-comers 

 were about and note everything that was bought and 

 sold. One of the sentinels was offered a biscuit, which 

 " he with great thanks took and ate, and while he ate 

 it he still looked diligently about him on all sides, 

 watching what was done." Their reindeer sledges were 

 kept ready "that run so swiftly with one or two 

 men in them that our horses were not able to follow 

 them." They were unacquainted with firearms, and, 

 when a musket was fired to impress them, "ran and 

 leapt like madmen," but calmed down as soon as they 

 saw there was no malicious intention, to wonder much 

 more, however, when the man with the gun aimed at a 

 flat stone he placed as a mark, and. fortunately, hit and 



