THE DUTCH AT WALRUS ISLAND. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



ATTEMPTS OF THE DUTCH TO DISCOVER A NORTHEAST PASSAGE — VOYAGE OF 



WILHELM BARENTZ ARRIVAL AT NOVA ZEMBLA WINTER QUARTERS BUILD'' 



ING A HOUSE FIGHTS WITH BEARS THE SUN DISAPPEARS THE CLOCK 



STOPS, AND THE BEER FREEZES THE HOUSE IS SNOWED UP THE HOT-ACHm 



FOX-TRAPS TWELFTH NIGHT RETURN OF THE SUN THE SHIPS PROVE 



UNSEAWORTHY PREPARATIONS TO DEPART IN THE BOATS — DEATH OF 



BARENTZ ARRIVAL AT AMSTERDAM RESULTS OF THE VOYAGE. 



In the year 1514, the Dutch resolved to seek a northeast 



passage by water to the Indies, across the Polar regions of 



Europe. Their first two attempts were attended with so little 



success that the States-General abandoned the undertaking, 



contenting themselves with promising a reward to the navigator 



who should find a practicable route. In 1596, the city of 



Amsterdam took up the matter where the Government had left 



it, and equipped two vessels, the chief command of which was 



given to Wilhelm Barentz. He started on the 10th of May, 



and passed the islands of Shetland and Feroe on the 22d. Not 



long after, the fleet saw with wonder one of the phenomena 



peculiar to the Arctic regions, — three mock suns, with circular 



rainbows connecting them by a luminous halo. On the 9th of 



June, they discovered two islands, to which they gave the names 

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