V.] 
DUTCH EXPEDITIONS. 
259 
miles in circumference. This island^ which was described in 
great detail, and named by the discoverer Witsen’s Island/’ 
has not since been seen again {WiUm, p. 923). 
1666. In this year some vessels were sent from the Nether¬ 
lands to the north-east. There were Jews among the owners, 
and the seafarers were furnished with letters in Hebrew, because 
it was believed that they would come in contact with some of 
DE LA MARTINIERE’S MAP. 
the lost tribes of Israel. Nothing further appears to have been 
known of the voyage, which undoubtedly was without result. 
[Witsen, p. 962.) 
1675. A Dutch whaling captain, Coenelis Piersz. Snob- 
BERGER, visited Novaya Zemlya, on whose coast he killed three 
whales and six hundred walruses. He would probably have 
got still more “ fish,” if he had not in 72|° found an ore, which 
s 2 
