190 



THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 



[chap. 



being broken in pieces against the surface of the water, and 

 the newly hatched young immediately swimming about. 



After an unsuccessful attempt had been made to sail to the 

 north of Spitzbergen the vessels proceeded southwards along the 

 west coast/ and on the ^^^^ July came again to Bear Island. 

 Here the vessels parted company, Barents sailing eastwards 

 towards Novaya Zemlya, Rijp northwards towards the east 

 coast of Spitzbergen. On the ph July, Barents reached the 

 west coast of Novaya Zemlya in latitude 73° 20' North. On 



BARENTS AND RIJP S VESSELS. 



From De Veer. 



the -th July, no further advance could be made for ice, which 

 still lay close to the shore. During the stay here there were 

 several adventures with bears, all of which came off successfully. 

 In consequence of ice obstacles their progress was exceedingly 

 slow, so that it was not until the f^th August that they reached 

 the Orange Islands. The following day several of the crew 

 ascended a high mountain, from which they saw open water 

 on the other side of an island. As glad at the sight of the 



^ See the copy of Barents' own map with his course laid down upon it, 

 which is to be found in Pontanus, Rerum et urhis Amstelodamensium 

 H'lstoria (Amst. 1611), and is annexed to this woriv in photolithographic 

 facsimile. 



