78 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part i 
same Jan Cornelis Rijp who had parted company with 
them in the previous year. On the 30th of August he 
came and welcomed them with great joy as if they had 
risen from death to life again. He brought a barrel of 
beer, wine, spirits, bread, meat, salmon, and sugar to 
comfort and relieve them. At Kola they left the two 
boats in which they had sailed over 600 miles u whereat 
the inhabitants could not sufficiently wonder." On the 
17th September the homeward voyage was commenced 
in the ship of Jan Cornelis Rijp. Still very weak, but 
rapidly recovering, they reached Amsterdam on the 1st of 
November, 1597, in the same clothes they wore in Novaya 
Zemlya, and were received by Prince Maurice. 
The narrative of this remarkable voyage was simply 
but well written by Gerrit de Veer, the mate, and faithful 
companion of Barentsz in his last two voyages 1 . 
Willem Barentsz deservedly holds a high place in the 
roll of Arctic worthies. He was a good sailor, and an 
accomplished pilot and navigator. As an observer he 
was careful and remarkably accurate. But he possessed 
still higher qualities. He was resolute and persevering, 
and, while taking all possible precautions, he was ready 
to run some risk in order to secure success. He knew 
well that to be over cautious was to secure nothing, and 
that some slight dash of recklessness was the very essence 
of achievement. Hence his deeds exceeded those of all 
others in that 16th century. He was trusted by his men, 
and anxiety was mingled with their sorrow at the loss of 
their " chief guide and only pilot." 
For 278 years the winter quarters of Barentsz re- 
mained unvisited. The north-east point of Novaya 
Zemlya was never again rounded until the spell was 
broken by the Norwegian, Captain Elling Carlsen, who 
reached the Ice Haven of Barentsz on September 7th, 
1871 2 . He saw the house standing at the head of the 
bay, with large puncheons standing round it, and found 
the interior exactly as represented in the old drawing 
1 The narrative of Gerrit de Veer was translated and edited for the 
Hakluyt Society by Dr Beke in 1852. A new edition was edited, at my 
request, by that gallant young Dutch Arctic officer Koolemans Beynen 
in 1876. 
2 Another Norwegian Captain named Gundersen reached the Ice 
Haven of Barentsz in August 1875. 
