144 DISCOVERIES OF 1595. 



On the south side of Waigatz, they had some 

 intercourse with the Sanioyeds, whose appearance 

 and manners are described at considerable length ; 

 and from them they learned that five days saihng 

 from thence to the nortli-east would bring them to 

 a point of land, beyond which there was a great 

 sea stretching to the south-east. This was con- 

 sidered as joyful information, as it fell in exactly 

 with their notions of the direction of the passage 

 to Cathaia. They parted with these people on 

 friendly terms, but the Dutch having taken into 

 their boat one of the carved images, a Samoyed 

 came after them to fetch it, and found means of 

 signifying that they had not done well in carrying 

 it off, on which it was returned, and the Samoyed 

 carried it to a hill and replaced it among several 

 hundreds of the same kind. 



Some of the crew had landed on the main shore 

 to seek for stones, which are stated to be a kind 

 of diamond ; and as two of the men were lying 

 together, " a greate leane white beare came sud- 

 denly stealing out, and caught one of them fast 

 by the necke, w^ho, not knowing what it w^as 

 that tooke him by the necke, cryed out and 

 sayd, ' Who is that that pulls me so by the necke ?' 

 wherewith the other, that lay not farre from him, 

 lifted up his head to see who it was, and perceiving 

 it to bee a monstrous beare, cryed out and sayd, 

 ' Oh mate ! it is a beare !' and therewith presently 

 rose up and ranne away." The bear is said to 



