ATTEMPT RENEWED AT SPITZBERGEN. 179 



was ever made to settle Jan Mayen, the result 

 of which was not known in Holland until after 

 they had despatched a second party to repeat 

 the attempt which had been simultaneously made 

 upon Spitzbergen. I have stated as a fact, that 

 one attempt was made at Spitzbergen in the 

 same year as that just related at Jan Mayen, and 

 following some respectable authors, have described 

 the landing of the party upon Amsterdam island. 

 It does not, however, appear to me quite clear 

 that there is not some confusion of parties, as in 

 both Anderson's and Macpherson's Commerce it 

 is said that the year 1634 was the first in which 

 the Dutch determined upon making this ex- 

 periment. The question is not of sufficient im- 

 portance to merit any discussion. If it were 

 as is stated by Beschryving, we must follow the 

 same author, and believe also that they got 

 through that winter without the loss of any 

 lives. In 1634 all agree as to a party of seven 

 men being landed upon Amsterdam island, in 

 latitude 79° 42' N. ; and in Churchill's Collection 

 we find the narrative of their sufferings, drawn 

 up from the journal which w T as kept by one of 

 the unfortunate beings who perished on that 

 occasion. 



The early part of this journal has been omitted, 

 as containing nothing of interest, and we are 



N 2 



