A.D. 



1595. 



236 BARENTZ' SECOND VOYAGE. 



ships, six of which were laden with various kinds 

 of merchandise, and the seventh was to accom- 

 pany them as far as a cape on the coast of 

 Tartary, named Tabin, beyond which it was sup- 

 posed there would be found no difficulty in mak- 

 ing the remainder of the passage to the eastern 

 seas; and, in the event of their succeeding in 

 reaching that promontory, or such a station from 

 which they could sail southward without hin- 

 drance, she was to return to Holland with the 

 joyful tidings of their success. Peter Plan- 

 tius, a learned cosmographer, was also a great 

 furtherer of this expedition, and not only de- 

 lineated the coast along which it was to proceed, 

 but gave particular instructions to the commander 

 as to how he was to proceed. James Hemskerke 

 was appointed chief factor, and William Barentz 

 chief pilot of the expedition. 



It was late in the season before the vessels 

 quitted the Texel, and they did not, in con- 

 sequence, reach Nova Zembla until the 17th 

 of August. They found this coast greatly en- 

 cumbered with loose ice, and had some diffi- 

 culty in approaching the island of Waigatz ; 

 they succeeded, however, in reaching the strait 

 which separates that island from the main land ; 

 but, found the sea beyond so blocked with 

 ice that there was no possibility of proceeding 



