178 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [cHAr. 



it would appear, for the northern waters, called the Mercurius, 

 and commanded bj Willem Barents,^ and a common fishing- 

 sloop, attempted the way past the northern extremity of Novaya 

 Zemlya. The two others, viz. the Swan of Zeeland, com- 

 manded by CoRNELIS CoRNELisz. Nay, and the Mercurius 

 of Enkhuizen, commanded by Brandt Ysbrandtsz. Tetgales, 

 were to pass through the sound at Vaygats Island. 



All the four vessels left the Texel on the ^^th June, and 

 eighteen days later arrived at Kilduin in Kussian Lapland, 

 a place where at that time vessels, bound for the White 

 Sea, often called. Here the two divisions of the expedition 

 parted company. 



Barents sailed to Novaya Zemlya, which was reached on the 

 - th July in 73° 25' ; the latitude was determined by measuring 

 the altitude of the midnight sun at an island which was called 

 Willem' s Island. Barents sailed on along the coast in a 

 northerly direction, and two days afterwards reached the 

 latitude of 75° 54' north. On the "th July there was a re- 

 markable chase of a Polar bear. The bear was fallen in with 

 on land and Avas pierced by a bullet, but notwithstanding this 

 he threw himself into the water, and swam with a vigour 

 " that surpassed all that had been heard of the lion or other 

 wild animal." Some of the crew pursued him in a boat, and 

 succeeded in casting a noose round his neck in order to catch 

 him living, with a view to carry him to Holland, But when 

 the bear knew that he was caught ''he roared and threw him- 

 self about so violently that it can scarcely be described in 

 words." In order to tire him they gave him a little longer line, 

 rowing forward slowly the while, and Barents at intervals struck 

 him with a rope. Enraged at this treatment, the bear swam to 

 the boat, and caught it with one of his forepaws, on which 

 Barents said : '' he wishes to rest himself a little." But the 

 bear had another object in view, for he cast himself into the 

 boat with such violence that half his body was soon within it. 

 The sailors were so frightened that they rushed to the fore and 

 thought that their last hour was come. Fortunately the bear 

 could make no further advance, because the noose that was 



1 His proper name was Willem Barentszoon ; it was also written Barentz, 

 Barendsz, Bernards^on, &c. Barents' three voyag-es formed the subject of 

 a work by Gerrit de Veer, which was published for the hrst time in 1598 

 at Amsterdam in a Dutch, a Latin, and a French edition. The last- 

 mentioned has the following title : Vray Description de Trois Vot/ages des 

 Mer irh admirahles faicU . . . par les navires d' Hollande & ZeJande 

 au nord . . . vers les Roj/aumes de China & Catay, etc. Afterwards 

 this work was frequently reprinted in different languages, both singly and 

 in DE Bry's, Purchas', and other collections of Travels. See on this point 

 P. A. Tiele, ]\[emoire bibliographique sur les journaux des navigateurs Neer- 

 landais. Amsterdam, 1867. 



