CHAPTER IX 
BARENTSZ. LINSCHOTEN. DE VEER 
In the struggle for independence against Spain in 
the height of her power, the Dutch nation saw the 
necessity for making every effort to increase her commerce 
in order to obtain the sinews of war, and it thus came 
about that, while in the fight for freedom England and 
Holland were close allies and friends, it was inevitable 
that in matters of trade there should be rivalry. 
It was not long before the Dutch, seeing the great 
success of England's trade with Russia by the White 
Sea, began to follow so promising a lead. In 1565 
a ship from Enkhuizen arrived at a spot on the coast 
of Russian Lapland to which the name of Kola was 
given, and formed a settlement. In the next year two 
merchants from Antwerp, starting from Kola, reached 
the mouth of the Onega, and made a journey to Moscow. 
Next, a trustworthy person was found to make a voyage 
to Kholmogori to learn the Russian language and if 
possible to establish commercial relations. 
The name of the person selected was Oliver Brunei, 
a native of Brussels. He was the founder of the White 
Sea trade of the Dutch, and their first Arctic navigator. 
Brunei made a remarkable journey in the country of 
the Samoyeds, crossing the river Petchora and reaching 
the banks of the Obi. He was successful in acting as 
an agent for Russian merchants, and in 1578 a Dutch 
ship anchored for the first time at the mouth of the 
Dwina. It was quickly followed by another ship owned 
by Balthazar de Moucheron, and thus the Dutch trade 
with the White Sea was established. 
It was Balthazar de Moucheron, an eminent merchant 
of Middelburg, who conceived the project of imitating 
the English adventurers, and sending two vessels to 
