INTRODUCTION xiii 



patched by the Dutch towards Spitzbergen. That of 

 1596 is of special interest. William Barents, the dis- 

 coverer of Spitzbergen, was the chief pilot. The ship 

 reached Ice Haven, Novaya Zemlya, on 26th August, and 

 here the party were forced to winter. A house was built 

 with wood, but the winter was passed miserably, scurvy 

 ultimately making its appearance among the crew. The 

 ship being hopelessly beset by the ice, it was decided 

 during the following summer to abandon it. 



In two boats, the party of fifteen men started on a 

 journey of 1524 miles. Barents himself and one of the 

 crew were ill, and had to be dragged on a sledge from 

 the house to the boats. Both died on the boat -journey. 

 The remainder ultimately reached Russian Lapland, where 

 their troubles ceased. 



About 274 years afterwards, the house built by Barents 

 was discovered by Captain Carlsen. Over the fireplace 

 still stood the cooking-pans, an old clock was against the 

 wall, and arms, tools, drinking-vessels, and books were 

 found as they had been left nearly three centuries before. 



In 1607, Henry Hudson endeavoured to reach the Pole 

 along the east coast of Greenland. He attained 73° at 

 a point which he named " Hold with Hope." 



He then examined the edge of the ice between Green- 

 land and Spitzbergen, and reached the latitude of 80° 23'. 

 He named the north-west point of Spitzbergen " Hakluyt 

 Headland," and on his way home he discovered the island 

 now known as " Jan Mayen." 



In 1610 he discovered Hudson's Strait, and the great 

 bay which bears his name. 



On 26th March 1616, Robert By lot as master, with 

 William Baffin as pilot and navigator, set out from 

 Gravesend in the Discovery, a craft of only 55 tons. 

 Greenland was sighted on 14th May, and on the 30th 

 May, Sanderson's Hope, the farthest point of Davis, 



