NOVA ZEMBLA. 79 



" We perceiving, out of our ship and pinnasse, 

 that our men ranne to the sea-side to save them- 

 selves, with all speed entred into our boates, and 

 rowed as fast as wee could to the shoare to re- 

 lieve our men. Where, being on land, we beheld 

 the cmell spectacle of our two dead men that 

 had been so cruelly killed and torne in pieces 

 by the beare. We, seeing that, encouraged our 

 men to goe backe againe with us, and with pieces, 

 curtelaxes, and halfepikes, to set upon the beare, 

 but they would not all agree thereunto ; some 

 of them saying, our men are already dead, and 

 we shall get the beare well enough though wee 

 oppose not ourselves into so open danger ; if 

 wee might save our fellowes' lives then wee 

 would make haste ; but now we need not make 

 such speed, but take her at an advantage, with 

 most securetie for ourselves, for we have to doe 

 with a cruell, fierce, and ravenous beast. Where- 

 upon three of our men went forward, the beare 

 still devouring her prey, not once fearing the 

 number of our men, and yet they were thirtie at 

 the least ; the three that went forward in that 

 sort were Cornelius Jacobson, William Geysen, 

 and Hans Van Nuflen, William Barentz, purser : 

 and, after that the sayd master and pylat had 

 shot three times, and mist, the purser, stepping 

 somewhat further forward, and seeing the beare 



