250 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
them being saved. The house was built on the north-east side 
of Novaya Zemlya, on the shore of Barents’ Ice Haven. It 
was situated far to the north bf any other place where men 
had previously passed the winter. The land and its animal 
life was unknown, the hard frozen, almost rock-fast and yet 
continually moving ice-covering, with which the sea was 
bound, was something quite novel, as also were the effects which 
long continued and severe cold exerts on animate and inaminate 
BARENTS’ HOUSE, OUTSIDE. 
From De Veer. 
objects. Before the attempt was made it was not considered 
at all certain that men could actually endure the severe cold 
of the highest north and the winter night three or four months 
long. No wonder therefore that the skill and undaunted 
resolution of the Dutch Polar explorers aroused unmingled 
admiration among all civilised nations, and that the narrative 
of their wintering was received with unbounded interest and 
