THE VOYAGES OF BARENTS. 129 



While there are so many well-authenticated voyages to record, we shall not be. blamed 

 if those of a doubtful nature are here omitted. The so-called voyage of Maldonado, in 

 which he claimed to have effected a north-west passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific 

 in 1588, and back again the following year, is universally discredited, and the narrative 

 bears every indication of being an utter forgery. The genuine voyage of Juan de Fuca, in 

 1592, who, while searching for the same imaginary "Straits of Anian," of which Mal- 

 donado wrote, discovered the straits which now bear his own name, belongs properly to 

 voyages in the Pacific Ocean, and will be considered in its place. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



North-eastern Voyages of the Dutch Barents reaches Nova Zembla Adventures with the Polar Bears Large Trading 

 Expedition organised Failure of the Venture Reward offered for the Discovery of a North-east Passage Third 

 Voyage Dangers of the Ice Forced to Winter on Nova Zembla Erection of a House Intense Cold Philosophical 

 Dutchmen Attacks from Bears Returning Spring The Vessel abandoned Preparations for a Start The 

 Company enfeebled and down-hearted Voyage of 1,700 miles in two small Boats- Death of Barents and Adrianson 

 Perils of Arctic Navigation Enclosed in the Ice Death of a Sailor Meeting with Russians Arrival in Lapland 

 Home once more Discovery of the Barents Relics by Carlsen -Voyages of Adams, Weymouth, Hall, and Knight. 



" THE True and Perfect Description of Three Voyages, so strange and woonderf ull that the like 

 hath neuer been heard of before/' albeit bearing a somewhat sensational title, is by a long 

 way the most complete of early Arctic narratives. The work is a translation, by one William 

 Phillip, from the Dutch of Gerrit de Veer, and describes three voyages undertaken by the 

 Hollanders towards the close of the sixteenth century, with the view of reaching China by a 

 north-east passage. The narrative of the last expedition in particular, during the progress of 

 which they met so many disasters, were obliged to spend ten months in the inhospitable region, 

 of Nova Zembla, abandon their vessel, and make their homeward voyage of seventeen hundred 

 miles in two small open boats through all the perils of the Arctic seas, will be found most 

 interesting. Our account is compiled from the edition edited by Dr. Beke, and issued by the 

 Hakluyt Society. 



In the year 1594 the United Provinces determined to send out an expedition in the hopes 

 of finding a northern route to China and India. The city of Amsterdam contributed two 

 vessels : Zeelandt and Enkhuysen one each. Willem Barents*, " a notable, skillfull, and wise 

 pilote," represented Amsterdam, while the other vessels were respectively commanded by 

 Cornelis Cornelison and Brand Ysbrants. The vessels left the Texel on June 5th, and soon 

 after separated. Following first the fortunes of Cornelison and Ysbrants, we find that they 

 reached Lapland on the 23rd, and, proceeding eastvrard, found the weather in the middle of 

 July as hot as in Holland during the dog days, and the mosquitoes extremely troublesome. 

 Reaching Waigatz Island they met enormous quantities of drift-wood, which was also piled up 

 on the shores. Passing the southern end of the island, they observed three or four hundred 

 wooden idols, men, women, and children, their faces generally turned eastward. Sailing 



* The full name of this navigator is Willem zoon Barents, or Barentz, i.e., William, the son of Barents. The 

 abbreviated form, however, has always been adopted of kte. 



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