ARCTIC VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY. 



339 



States, which the smaUness of its territory seemed to deny to it. All the 

 known avenues to the treasures of the south were at that time too well guard- 

 ed by the fleets of Portugal and Spain to admit of any rivalry ; but if fortune 

 favored them in finding the yet unexplored northern passage to India, they 

 might still hope to secure a lion's share in that most lucrative of trades. 



Animated by this laudable spirit of enterprise, the merchants of Amster- 

 dam, Enkhuizen, and Middelburg fitted out in 1594 an expedition in quest of 

 the north-eastern passage, which they intrusted to the command of Cornelius 

 Corneliszoon, Brant Ysbrantzoon, and William Barentz, one of the most ex- 

 perienced seamen of the day. The three vessels sailed from the Texel on June 

 6, and having reached the coast of Lapland, separated into two divisions ; 

 Barentz choosing the bolder course of coasting the west side of Nova Zem- 

 bla as far as the islands of Orange, the most northerly points of the archipel- 

 ago ; while his less adventurous comrades were contented to sail along the 

 Russian coast until they reached a strait, to which they gave the very appro- 

 priate name of Vaigats, or " Wind-hole." Forcing their way through the ice, 

 which almost constantly blocks up the entrance to the Kara Sea, they saw, on 

 rounding a promontory at the other end of the strait, a clear expanse of blue 

 open sea, stretching onward as far as the eye could reach, while the continent 

 trended away rapidly towards the south-east. They now no longer doubted 

 that they had sailed round the famous Cape Tabin — a fabulous headland, which, 

 according to Pliny (an indisputable authority in those times of geographical 

 ignorance), formed the northern extremity of Asia, from whence the voyage 

 was supposed to be easy to its eastern and southern shores. Little did Brant 

 and Cornelius dream that within the Arctic Circle the Asiatic coast still 

 stretched 120° to the east ; and fully trusting their erroneous impressions, they 

 started in full sail for Holland, eager to bring to their countrymen the news of 

 their imaginary success. Off Russian Lapland they fell in with Barentz, who, 

 having arrived at the northern extremity of Nova Zembla — a higher latitude 

 than any navigator is recorded to have reached before — had turned back be- 

 fore strong opposing winds and floating ice, and the three vessels returned to- 

 gether to Texel. 



Such were the hopes raised by the discovery of the imaginary Cape Tabin 

 that, losing sight of their habitual caution, the merchants of Middelburg, Enk- 

 huizen, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam immediately fitted out a fleet of six ships, 

 laden with all sorts of merchandise fit for the Indian market. A little yacht 

 was added, which was to accompany the fleet as far as that promontory, and 

 thence to return with the good news that the squadron had been left steering 

 with a favorable wind right off to India. But, as may well be supposed, these 

 sanguine hopes, built on the unsubstantial fabric of a vision, were doomed to a 

 woful disappointment, for the " Wind-hole Strait," doing full justice to its 

 name, did not allow the vessels to pass ; and after fruitless efforts to force 

 their way through the ice-blocks which obstructed that inhospitable channel, 

 they returned crestfallen to the port whence they had sailed a few months be- 

 fore with such brilliant expectations. 



Although great disappointment was felt at this failure, the scheme of sailing 



