136 DISCOVERIES OF CORNELISON, 1594. 



CORNELIS CORNELISON, BRANDS YSBRANTS, AND 

 WILLIAM BARENTZ 01' BARENTZON. 1594. 



No sooner had the Low Countries been deh- 

 vered from the yoke of Spain, chiefly by the 

 exertions of England, than Dutch capital began 

 to find its way into foreign channels, and a spirit 

 of enterprize to infuse itself into the commercial 

 pursuits of this industrious nation, which, in a 

 very short space of time, raised it to a degree of 

 power and prosperity unequalled at any former 

 period, and scarcely surpassed by that of its 

 deliverers. 



Desirous of participating with other maritime 

 powers of Europe in the trade of the East, it was 

 obvious that a passage, which would lead by the 

 north to India and China, w^ould be to them, of all 

 others, the most advantageous. With a view to 

 the discovery of such a passage, the United Pro- 

 vinces set forth, in the year 1594, an expedition, 

 consisting of four ships, whereof two were fur- 

 nished by the city of Amsterdam, one by Zealand, 

 and one by Enkhuysen ; the first, called the Mes- 

 sejiger, was commanded by Barentz ; the name of 

 the Zealand ship was the Swan, under the com- 

 mand of CoRNELisoN, who was also appointed 

 Admiral; and the last was the Mercury, com- 

 manded by YsBRANTS. The ships from Zealand 



