[761] We rechten het huys op—we erected (i.e., completed the erection
of) our house.
[762] Een Meyboom—a May-tree. According to Adelung, in his
Hochdeutsches Wörterbuch, “Maybaum” is in many parts of Germany the
vernacular name of the birch-tree, especially the common species
(Betula alba), also called the May-birch, or simply “May”,—as the
hawthorn is called in England,—branches of which are used for
ornamenting the houses and churches in the month of May.
The same name is given to the green branch of a tree, or at times the
whole tree itself—frequently the birch, but not exclusively so—which is
set up on occasions of festivity. This is the meyboom of the Dutch; and
it would seem on the one hand to be the original of our English
May-pole, and on the other to have degenerated into the flag which our
builders are in the habit of hoisting on the chimneys of houses, when
raised.
[763] Alsoo wy nu...laghen—because we now lay.
[764] Heel open—quite open.
[765] Wy laghen tot den grondt toe bevroren—we lay frozen right down to
the ground.
[766] “Then.”—Ph.
[767] Het vooronder—the forecastle.
[768] Deelen—planks.
[769] In den mitten wat hoogher—somewhat higher in the middle.
[770] Ende braken het achteronder mede uyt, omt huijs voort dicht te
maeckten—and pulled down likewise the poop, in order (therewith) to go
on closing up the house.
[771] “W. and S.W.”—Ph.
[772] “First.”—Ph.
[773] Sneeu—snow.
[774] Climbed.
[775] Boven—on deck.
[776] Boven opt schip—on the deck of the ship.
[777] “Kept.”—Ph.
[778] Zijnde een iopen vat, aen den bodem stucken ghevroren—which,
being a cask of spruce beer, had burst at the bottom through the frost.
From a very early period a decoction, in beer or water, of the
leaf-buds (gemmæ seu turiones) of the Norway spruce fir (Abies
excelsa), as well as of the silver fir (Abies picea), has been used,
formerly more than at present, in the countries bordering on the Baltic
Sea, in scorbutic, rheumatic, and gouty complaints. See Magneti
Bibliotheca Pharmaceutico-Medica, vol. i, p. 2; Pharmacopœia Borussica
(German translation by Dulk), 3rd edit., vol. i, p. 796; Pereira,
Elements of Materia Medica, 3rd edit., vol. ii, p. 1182.
These leaf-buds are commonly called in German, sprossen, and in Dutch,
jopen; whence the beer brewed therefrom at Dantzig—cerevisia
dantiscana, as it is styled in the Amsterdam Latin version of
1598—acquired the appellations of sprossenbier and jopenbier, of the
former of which the English name, spruce-beer, is merely a corruption.
The “Dantzig spruce” of commerce, which is known at the place of its
manufacture by the names of doppelbier, jopenbier, and even
“sprucebier”, is the representative at the present day of the medicated
sprossenbier of former times; though, curiously enough, the ingredient
from which it derived its distinctive appellation (i.e., the sprossen
or jopen) appears to be now left out in its preparation.
[779] Uyt liep—ran out.
[780] Den bodem—the bottom.
[781] Scarcely.
[782] In de selvighe vochticheyt was de cracht vant gantsche bier—in
that liquid part lay the whole strength of the beer.
[783] Shovelled.
[784] “S.E. and by S.E.”—Ph.
[785] Braecken wy de kuiuyt wech—we pulled down the cabin.
[786] Het portael—the entrance hall, or porch.
[787] Met brandthouten smeten—threw billets of firewood at her.
[788] Quam hy effenwel seer vreeselijck tot haer aen—came towards them
in a most terrific manner.
[789] Int ruijm—in the hold.
[790] Clam int fockewant—climbed up the fore-rigging.
[791] Eenige openinghe van water in de zee—some open places of water in
the sea.
[792] Banden—hoops.
[793] De joopen vaten—the spruce-beer casks. See page 114, note 2.
[794] Bock—yawl.
[795] Teghens den somer—towards the summer.
[796] Te begheven—to leave us.
[797] See page 78, notes 2 and 3.
[798] Frighten.
[799] In een scheur tusschent ys in—into a crevice in the ice.
[800] Onder—below. The caboose had been removed below on account of the
extreme cold on deck, as is mentioned in page 108.
[801] Their firearms had matchlocks.
[802] Overt schip heenen—out beyond the ship.
[803] Rabbits.
[804] Stelden wy onse orlogie wederom dat de clock sloech—we set up our
clock, so that it (went and) struck (the hour).
[805] Melted.
[806] Tweer was ghebetert—the weather improved.
[807] Zy conden uyt haer ooghen niet sien—they could not see out of
their eyes.
[808] Cinghel—shingle.
[809] Doen ghingh de son heel dicht boven der aerden, weynich boven den
horisont—then the sun went quite close over the earth, but little above
the horizon.
[810] Niet een hooft dorsten uyt steecken—not one of us durst put his
head out of doors.
[811] Doncker—dark, overcast.
[812] “December.”—Ph.
[813] Hy quam met zijn volle rondicheyt niet boven—it did not show
(rise with) its whole disk.
[814] Ende de beyren ghinghen doen mede wegh—and then the bears also
went away.
[815] Den boven cant—the upper edge.
[816] De mars—the round top.
[817] The question of refraction, arising out of this and other
observations, is discussed in the Introduction.
[818] De son peijlden—observed (lit. measured) the sun.
[819] “Off.”—Ph.
[820] That is to say, the sun’s longitude was 221° 48′, or 41° 48′ from
the autumnal equinox.
[821] Onse surgijn—our surgeon.
[822] Te stoven—lit. to stew. This is the primary sense of the word
stew, which afterwards, like its synonym bagnio, acquired a very
different meaning. The bath used appears to have been a vapour bath.
[823] Mette son—with the sun.
[824] Weder quam—it returned.
[825] Under the parallel of 76°, the moon continues incessantly above
the horizon about seven or eight days in each month.
[826] Vermoeden wy geen dagh, doent al dagh was—we thought that it was
not day, when it already was day.
[827] Hadde op dien dagh niet uyt de koy gheweest—had not that day been
out of bed.
[828] So wast wel opt hooghste van den dagh—it was truly the height of
day.
[829] Loot—a loot or half-ounce; of which 32 go to the pound. The
quantity mentioned above is equal to 4 pounds 11 ounces avoirdupois.
[830] Was meest al de cracht uytgevroren—had almost all its strength
frozen out of it.
[831] Een ronden hoep—a round hoop.
[832] Dat men se in huys mochten toe halen ghelijck een val, als de
vossen daer onder quamen—so that when the foxes came under it, as in a
trap, we might drag them into the house.
[833] Met een betoghen lucht—with a cloudy sky.
[834] Locxkens. In Sewel’s Dutch and Eng. Dict. by Buys, Lokje, the
modern form of this word, is thus defined:—“a little hollow log, such
as seamen sometimes use to put sauce in, for want of another dish:
hence it is that some will call any saucer with that name.”
[835] Melted.
[836] Een betoghen lucht—a cloudy sky.
[837] Een ghetemperden lucht—a moderate sky.
[838] Een betoghen lucht—a cloudy sky.
[839] A piece of coarse woollen cloth.
[840] Tot hemden—for shirts.
[841] Hemden—shirts.
[842] Wrung.
[843] Se ghebroken—broken them.
[844] Boiling.
[845] Bequaem—suitable, good.
[846] De schipper ende stuerman; namely, Jacob Heemskerck and William
Barentsz.
[847] Noch—yet.
[848] Koyen kasen—lit. cow-cheeses, because they were made from the
milk of cows, and not of sheep, as is not uncommon in the Netherlands.
[849] Ejinde van sparren—ends of spars.
[850] “North-east.”—Ph.
[851] De barbier—the barber. This is the person who on a former
occasion (page 121) was called de surgijn—the surgeon. In the general
decline of science during the middle ages, surgery, as a branch of
medicine, became neglected, and its practice, in the rudest form, fell
into the hands of the barber; from whose ordinary avocations of cutting
the hair, shaving the beard, paring the nails, etc., the step was not
very great to the operations of tooth-drawing, bleeding, cupping,
dressing wounds, setting broken limbs, etc. And, with these functions
of the surgeon, the barber not unreasonably assumed his title also.
The rivalry between these barber-surgeons and the pure surgeons, who
again sprang up on the revival of learning, is matter of history.
In England, a compromise between the two rival bodies was early
effected by means of the union of the barber-surgeons and surgeons of
London, by the statute of 32 Hen. VIII, c. 41 (A.D. 1540), which, while
nominally amalgamating them, virtually effected the separation of the
two professions; inasmuch as those members of the united corporation
“using barbery”—as it was somewhat barbarously expressed—were
prohibited from “occupying any surgery, letting of blood, or any other
thing belonging to surgery, drawing of teeth only except”; while, on
the other hand, surgeons were forbidden to “use barbery”. And the
natural consequence was their formal separation into two entirely
distinct bodies by the Act of 18 Geo. II, c. 15 (A.D. 1745).
On the continent, the barber-surgeon retained his rank to a much later
date; and in France, in particular, till the revolution of 1793. But,
instead of abandoning the razor to the hair-dresser, he still claimed
the right of wielding it, “as being a surgical instrument”; so that, in
order to distinguish between the two, it was ordained by Louis XIV,
that the barber-surgeon should have for his sign a brass basin, and
should paint his shop-front red or black only, whereas the
barber-hairdresser should display a pewter basin, and paint his
shop-front in any other colour. Blue was the colour usually adopted by
the barber-hairdressers, and to this colour their name has in
consequence become attached. That the connexion between the two is
still not lost sight of in France, is proved by the following extract
from the Comédies et Proverbes of Alfred de Musset, p. 510:—
“Madame de Léry.—Autant j’adore le lilas, autant je déteste
Mathilde.—C’est la couleur de la constance. [le bleu.
Madame de Léry.—Bah! c’est la couleur des perruquiers.”
Un Caprice.
Those professors of shaving and hairdressing, whose poles, painted red
or black alternating with white, still decorate our streets, commit
therefore a great mistake in using either of these two colours. “True
like the needle to the pole,” as Lieutenant Taffril wrote to Jenny
Caxon (“To cast up to her that her father’s a barber and has a pole at
his door, and that she’s but a manty-maker hersel! Fy for shame!”),
they should confine themselves to the colour of constancy—and of the
hairdressers; unless, indeed, they should happen to unite tooth-drawing
to their other avocations, in which case they might perhaps, in strict
right, be entitled to set up the red or black stripe of the
barber-surgeons.
[852] Die gheleghentheyt diente van ons waer ghenomen te zijn—it was
important for us to avail ourselves of the opportunity.
[853] Alle de deuren waren toe ghewaeyt—all the doors were blown to.
[854] Een helderen lucht—a clear sky.
[855] Quite.
[856] Wear.
[857] See page 61, note 8.
[858] Ondert verdeck—under the deck, i.e., below.
[859] Icebergs.
[860] Op malcanderen stuwen ende gheschoven werden—were drifting and
heaping one upon the other.
[861] Jae selfs in de koyen—yea, even in the cots.
[862] Mochte—could.
[863] “North-east.”—Ph.
[864] Vallen—traps.
[865] Sareetsche secke—Xeres seco, or sherry-sack.
[866] Heet—hot, strong.
[867] Over—over.
[868] Independently of the quiet humour of this observation, it is
worthy of remark, as showing that at that early period the cooling of
wine by means of ice or snow was practised by the Dutch.
[869] Een vlieghenden storm uyten n. o.—a hurricane out of the N.E.
[870] Steen-colen—stone or mineral coal; so called to distinguish it
from charcoal, the usual fuel on the continent.
[871] Maer wy wachtede ons voor de weerstuijt niet—but we did not guard
ourselves against the consequences.
[872] Cots.
[873] Een sodanighen duyselinghe—a sudden dizziness.
[874] Started.
[875] Swoon.
[876] Cot.
[877] Liep daer heenen—ran thither.
[878] Haelde flucks edick ende vreef hem dat in zijn aensicht—quickly
fetched some vinegar and rubbed his face with it.
[879] In eenen swijm—in a swoon.
[880] “North-east.”—Ph.
[881] Een helderen lucht—a bright sky.
[882] Shoes.
[883] Wyde clompen—loose clogs or slippers.
[884] Sheep.
[885] Were.
[886] Blaren ende buylen—“blains and boils.”
[887] De Reus—the Giant, as the constellation Orion is called, after
the Arabic El-djebbâr. The star Bellatrix γ Orionis, which was here
observed, is usually said to be in the left shoulder. It depends,
however, upon which way “the Giant” is considered as looking. The exact
declination of this star for the end of the year 1596 is + 5° 58′,4 N.;
so that, after allowing 2′,6 for refraction, the complement of the
height of the Pole is 14° 17′, and the height of the Pole is 75° 43′.
It is not possible for Betelgeuze, (α) in the right shoulder of Orion,
to have been the star observed; for the latitude resulting from it
would be upwards of 79°.
[888] “Twenty-eight.”—Ph.
[889] De onuytspreklijcke ondraechelijcke coude—the inexpressible,
intolerable cold.
[890] Wore.
[891] Een joopen vat met water—a spruce-beer cask full of water.
[892] Stopten eerst alle de gaten dicht toe—first closely stopped all
the holes.
[893] Ruijm—hold.
[894] Grondt—bottom.
[895] Calculated.
[896] T’uyterste perck—the utmost limit.
[897] “Eighteen.”—Ph.
[898] Hoe well datter gheen dagh was—though there was no daylight.
[899] Heard.
[900] In de pot ofte aent spit—in the pot or on the spit.
[901] Keughels—balls.
[902] Cots.
[903] Dattet int afgaen vanden bergh was: te weten, dat de son zijn
wegh wederom nae ons toe nam—that we were now going down hill; that is
to say, the sun was now on his way back to us.
[904] De daghen die langhen zijn de daghen die stranghen, dan hoope
dede pijn versoeten—“the days that lengthen are the days that become
more severe [?];” but “hope sweetened pain”. These are two Dutch
proverbs, strung together somewhat after the fashion of Sancho Panza.
The former is equivalent to “as the day lengthens, so the cold
strengthens”, and “cresce ’l dì, cresce ’l freddo”, cited in Ray’s
English Proverbs, p. 37.
[905] Bynaest...verbranden—almost burned.
[906] Boers—boors, peasants.
[907] Ter poorten van de steden incomen—come in at the gates of the
towns. It would almost seem that in the text the word is sleden and not
steden; so that the meaning would be, “come in at the gates from their
sledges”. But, as the fact is that the boors enter the gates in their
carts, and that those who come in sledges must necessarily reach the
town by the water side, where there are no gates, it can scarcely be
doubted that the proper reading is steden. The translator appears to
have wished to provide for both cases.
[908] Onder weghen gheweest zijn—have been travelling.
[909] Croop—crept.
[910] Hoet daer ghestelt was—how matters stood there.
[911] Een betoghen lucht—a cloudy sky.
[912] Cellar.
[913] Several.
[914] De trappen te maecken—to set the traps.
[915] Stockings.
[916] Onghemack—hardship.
[917] “This.”—Ph.
[918] Begonnen—began.
[919] Het block—the block.
[920] Bergher visch: so called because it comes principally from Bergen
in Norway.
[921] Wasset weder wat besadicht—the weather was somewhat milder.
[922] Als een verwulfsel van een boogh ofte kelder—like the arch of a
vault or cellar.
[923] Gheslooft—toiled.
[924] Drie Coninghen Avondt—Three Kings’ Even. The fifth of January, as
being the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, is properly “Twelfth
Night”. But, in England, the vigils or eves of all feast days between
Christmas and the Purification having been abolished at the Reformation
(see Wheatley, Rational Illustration of the Book of Common Prayer,
Oxford, 1846, p. 165), this season of festivity, thus deprived of its
religious character, was transferred to the evening after the feast; so
that Twelfth Night was thenceforward kept on the evening of the 6th of
January.
[925] Begheerden aen den schipper—requested the skipper.
[926] Conincxken speelden—drew for king (lit. played at kings).
[927] Een wittbroods beschuijt—a (captain’s) biscuit made of wheaten
flour.
[928] Fancying ourselves to be.
[929] Banquet.
[930] Uytgedeelt—distributed.
[931] This estimated length includes the island of Waigatsch.
[932] Namely, the Northern Ocean and the Sea of Kara.
[933] Could.
[934] Want de coude leerde ons noch wel niet langhe uyt blyven, om
dattet buyten niet snick heet was—for the cold itself was quite enough
to teach us not to stay long out, inasmuch as out of doors it was not
smoking hot.
[935] “N.E.”—Ph.
[936] “N.W.”—Ph.
[937] Oculus Tauri. The exact declination for this year of α Tauri or
Aldeberan is + 15° 40′,2; so that the complement of the height of the
Pole, after allowing 1′,7 for refraction, is 14° 12′,1, and the height
of the Pole is 75° 47′,9. The mean of this observation, and that of γ
Orionis, on December 14th, 1596 (page 131), is 75° 45′,5, which may be
regarded as being a very close approximation to the true latitude of
the expedition’s wintering-place. From the author’s statement, it
appears that William Barentsz was of opinion that they were to the
north of the 76th parallel, instead of to the south, as this corrected
calculation makes their position to be. This only shows the importance
of recording and publishing all observations in their original form,
regardless of their apparent results, however anomalous. When a
traveller’s observations are for years kept back, in order that they
may be “revised”, the world may not uncharitably surmise that
eventually they will not be presented to it in their integrity.
[938] Also dat dese metinghe vande voornoemde sterre ende eenighe
andere sterren, soo mede de metinghe van de sonne, alle over een quamen
dat wy—so that the measurement of the above-named star and of some
other stars, as well as the measurement of the sun, all agreed (in
showing) that we....
It will be seen in the sequel that the observations of the sun agree
rather in showing the contrary of what is above contended for.
[939] Liepen uyt ende schoten de cloot met de cloot van de vlayh-spil,
die wy voor heen niet conden sien loopen—ran out and played at ball
(lit. threw the ball) with the truck of the flag-staff, which before
that time we had not been able to see run.
[940] Stil weder met een betoghen lucht—calm weather with a cloudy sky.
[941] Twee vossen—two foxes.
[942] Bolckvanger—a seaman’s rough coat.
[943] Verdeck—deck.
[944] Om ons leden wat te verstercken, met gaen, werpen ende loopen—to
strengthen our limbs a little with walking, throwing (the ball), and
running.
[945] Maer des nachts vroort wederom effen cout—but at night it froze
again just as cold (as before).
[946] Begonde vast te minderen—began to diminish fast.
[947] Swymen—swooning.
[948] De open schuyten—the open boats.
[949] Wast een betoghen lucht ende stil—the sky was cloudy and calm.
[950] De cloot schieten—to throw the ball.
[951] That is to say, they all three saw it, but Gerrit de Veer saw it
first.
[952] Which had not been visible since the 3rd of November, as is
mentioned in page 121.
[953] Dat de sonne aldaer ende op die hooghde openbaren souden—that the
sun should appear there and in that latitude.
[954] Disich—hazy.
[955] Daer van wy wel anders versekert zijn—with respect to which we
well know the contrary.
[956] This makes the date to have been the twenty-fifth of January. On
the 24th, the sun was only in the fourth degree of Aquarius. And all
the details furnished by the author concur in proving, that, in spite
of his assertion of extreme precision as to the date, the conjunction
of the moon and Jupiter,—and, inferentially, the first appearance of
the sun also,—took place on the 25th of January, instead of the 24th,
as stated.
On January 25th, at midday, when the sun’s longitude was 305° 25′,1, or
5° 25′,1 of Aquarius, its declination was—18° 57′,4: consequently, its
centre was 4° 42′,4, and its upper edge 4° 26′,4, below the horizon.
The mean refraction at the horizon cannot, however, be estimated at
more than 34′9, or, with an assumed temperature of -8° Fahren., 39′,3;
so that the extraordinary and anomalous refraction amounts to no less
than 3° 49′.
[957] Ons eerste gissinghe—our first calculation.
[958] That is to say, till February 6th. But on that day, the sun’s
declination being—15° 56′,4, it was 1° 41′ below the horizon in 75° 45′
N. lat., and therefore still invisible there. In lat. 76° it would have
been as much as 1° 56′.
In 75° 45′ N. lat. the sun’s upper edge would have been properly first
visible on February 9th, when the sun was in 10° 29′,2 of Aquarius, or
longitude 319° 29′,2; its declination then being—15° 0′,5, with an
assumed refraction of half a degree.
[959] Appeared.
[960] “Leave.”—Ph.
[961] Josephus Schala. The title of the work here referred to, as given
in De Lalande’s Bibliographie Astronomique, p. 120, is “Josephi Scala,
Siculi, Ephemerides ex Tabulis Magini, ab anno 1589 ad annum 1600
continuatæ, una cum introductionibus Ephemeridum Josephi Moletii.
Venetiis, 1589, 4to.” It is not in the library of the British Museum,
nor in that of the Royal Astronomical Society. This is, however, of no
moment; as Mr. Vogel, to whose kindness I am indebted for so much
valuable assistance, has calculated the time of the conjunction at
Venice, and makes it differ only 57 seconds from Scala’s computed time.
[962] In the astronomical reckoning of time, the date was certainly
January 24th; but, then, “one in the night time” of that day—which
would correctly be called January 24 days 13 hours—corresponds with 1
o’clock in the morning of January 25th, in the civil reckoning of time.
[963] January 23d 12h, mean time, Paris, corresponding with midnight
between January 23rd and 24th in the civil reckoning of time,—which at
Venice would be 20 minutes to 1 o’clock in the morning of January
24th,—the moon’s longitude was 19° 57′,3 and her latitude + 2° 0,7,
while Jupiter’s longitude was 32° 12′,0 and his latitude—1° 4′,6; so
that there was no conjunction on that day. On the other hand, January
24d 12h 59m 3s mean time, Venice, corresponding with 57 seconds to one
o’clock in the morning of January 25th, the position of the two planets
was as follows:—
Moon. Longitude 32° 17′,3 Latitude + 2° 58′,3
Jupiter. ,, 32° 17′,3 ,, — 1° 4′,3
that is to say, they were then in conjunction; their position in the
heavens being near the star α Arietis.
[964] This can only be understood in a general sense, as meaning that
it was somewhere about six o’clock in the morning. For at the time of
the conjunction, the sun was more than 20° below the horizon; and as
the dawn is not perceptible till the sun is about 18° from the horizon,
they could not have possessed even this imperfect means of observing
its general bearing, without the aid of the anomalous refraction.
[965] Want wy sagen gestadich op de vorrnoemde twee planeten dat se
altemet malcanderen naerderden—for we looked constantly at the two
planets aforesaid, (and saw) that, from time to time, they approached
each other. This is very loosely expressed. The author meant to say
that they looked from time to time, and saw the two planets constantly
approach.
[966] The moon stood 3° 47′,7 above Jupiter. At the time of the
conjunction, the declination of the latter planet was + 11° 17′,2; so
that in 75° 45′ N. lat. it must have set 37° 20′ west of the northern
meridian. And yet it was observed in 11° 15′ west, when in fact it was
2° 44′1, below the horizon! This is very remarkable. For, as is well
known, the setting of even the brightest stars is not perceptible. They
always vanish before they reach the horizon. The peculiar state of the
atmosphere, which at noon of the same day had raised the sun’s disc
nearly 4°, allowed a star to be observed which had set 1 hour and 48
minutes previously.
[967] The longitude of the conjunction was 32° 17′,3, or 2° 17′,3 of
the sign of Taurus, with reference to the old division of the ecliptic;
though, owing to the retrogression of the equinoctial points whereby
Aries has taken the place of Taurus, the conjunction actually occurred
in the former sign, as is stated in note 2 of the preceding page.
[968] Their clock having stopped, and a twelve-hours sand-glass being
their only time-keeper, it would be too much to expect precision in
their immediate determination of the time of observation. But,
fortunately, by placing on record the moon’s azimuth at the time of the
conjunction, they furnished the means of calculating the true time
within very reasonable limits. The result shows that they were rather
more than an hour slow, as it wanted 1 minute and 48 seconds of five
o’clock.
[969] The moon’s bearing by compass being N. by E. (11° 15′ E.), and
the variation of the compass 2 points (22° 30′) W., the moon’s
azimuthal distance from the northern meridian was 11° 15′ W. From this
datum Mr. Vogel has calculated the time of the observation, and makes
it to be January 24d 16h 58m 12s mean time, or 4h 58m 12s after
midnight on January 25th. The difference between this time and that of
the conjunction at Venice (0h 59m 3s after midnight) is, of course, the
difference of longitude between the two places; it being 3h 59m 9s, or
59° 47′ E. And Venice being 12° 21′ 21″ E. from Greenwich, it results
that “the house of safety”, at the north-eastern extremity of Novaya
Zemlya, is in 72° 8′ long. E. of Greenwich, or 89° 48′ E. of Ferro; its
latitude being 75° 45′ N.
As the moon’s bearing and the variation of the compass are both given
only to the nearest point, there is a possibility of error to the
extent of half a point, whereby the longitude might vary as much as 5°,
or 20 minutes in time. But there is every reason for believing the
variation, as stated, to be very nearly correct; or, if in error, it is
in defect, which would have the effect of decreasing the eastern
longitude.
[970] Apart. Their actual distance from each other was only 87° in
longitude.
[971] This is not correct. The moon passed the meridian at 5h 38m 54s
after midnight, and the conjunction was observed 40m 42s before that
planet came to the meridian. It was, therefore, only 4h 58m 12s A.M. of
January 25th.
[972] Reeckenen—reckon or calculate. The word “guess” is still used in
this sense by the Americans.
[973] Oosterlijcker—more easterly.
[974] Latitude.
[975] The correct position of Venice is 30° 0′ 58″ E. of Ferro, or 12°
21′ 21″ E. of Greenwich, and 45° 25′ 49″ N. lat. It is curious that the
latitude of so well-known a place should have been stated as much as
40′ in error.
[976] Tot de Cape de Tabijn—to Cape Taimur. See page 37, note 1.
[977] Cape Taimur being in about 100° E. long., and the Hollanders’
wintering quarters in 72° E. long., the difference of longitude is
apparently less than 30 degrees. But this is of no importance, as their
determination of the position of that cape was merely speculative,
there being at that time no data whatever for fixing its correct
position; nor is it indeed exactly known even at the present day.
[978] This is substantially correct. The exact measurement is 3·64
[14·66] miles. Under the 76th parallel of latitude a degree contains
13,859·414 toises (du Peru), and at the equator, 57,108·519
toises.—Encke, “Ueber die Dimensionen des Erdkörpers,” Berliner
Jahrbuch für 1852, p. 369.
[979] Af te meten—to be calculated.
[980] So verde—in so far as; i.e., assuming that.
[981] Daer boven zijnde—having passed beyond it.
[982] De Strate Anian. The passage between the continents of Asia and
America, now known as Behring’s Strait, was formerly so called. It was
supposed to be in about 60° N. lat., and the northern coast of America
was imagined to stretch from thence to Hudson’s Strait in a direction
nearly east and west. Maldonado is said to have visited the Strait of
Anian in 1588. A translation of the narrative of this pretended
discovery is given in Barrow’s Chronological History, Appendix ii, p.
24 et seq. See also the Quarterly Review, vol. xvi, p. 144 et seq.
[983] Wat nu dan belanght dat men verstaen sal van tghene verhaelt is,
dat wy de sonne...verloren—Now, as regards the understanding of what
has been related as to our having lost the sun, etc.
[984] Disputiren—discussed.
[985] Dattet ons in den tijdt niet ghemisten heeft—that we were not
mistaken with respect to the time.
[986] Een banck oft donckeren wolck—a fog-bank or a dark cloud.
[987] Een langh suer legher ghehabt—long lain seriously ill.
[988] Seyden hem wat goets voor—spoke kindly to him.
[989] Daer nae deden wy een maniere van een lijck-predikinghe met lesen
ende psalmen te singhen—after that, we made a sort of funeral
discourse, read prayers and sang psalms.
[990] Aten de vroo cost—ate the funeral meal.
[991] Skipper.
[992] The refraction must have continued to be about as great as it was
on January 25th. For, though in the interval the sun’s declination had
increased 46′,6, yet they now saw it in its “full roundness”, which is
equal to about 32′, and also “a little above the horizon”, for which
the remaining 15′ can hardly be too large an allowance.
[993] Om ons leden wat radder te maecken—to make our joints somewhat
more supple.
[994] Verkreupelt geseten—sitten without motion.
[995] Daer deur datter veel gebreck van den scheurbuijck ghecreghen
hadden—whereby several had fallen sick of the scurvy.
The derivation of the term “scurvy”—schärbuk, Low German; scharbock,
High German; skörbjugg, Swedish; scorbutus, modern Latin,—is variously
attempted to be explained. See Adelung, Hochdeutsches Wörterbuch; Mason
Good, Study of Medicine, vol. ii, p. 870; Lind, Treatise on the Scurvy,
3rd Edit., p. 283. The last-named writer says:—“Most authors have
deduced the term from the Saxon word schorbok, a griping or tearing of
the belly [properly scheuren, ‘to scour’, and bauch, ‘belly’]; which is
by no means so usual a symptom of this disease; though, from a mistake
in the etymology of the name, it has been accounted so by those
authors.” It is in this sense that the expression has been understood
by the English translator.
[996] Het portael—the entrance porch.
[997] Phillip has here inserted the word “not”, which is not in the
original, and is besides inconsistent.
[998] Climbed.
[999] Grieved.
[1000] Enjoy.
[1001] The sun ought properly not to have been visible till the
following day. See page 145, note 3.
[1002] That is to say, according to our common compass.
[1003] Opgaen moest—should rise or appear.
[1004] Begont een weynich te coelen—a little breeze sprang up.
[1005] Een copere duijt—a copper doit. This was formerly the smallest
Dutch coin, of the value of about half a farthing. It no longer exists
under the present decimal system.
[1006] Al oft hy sien wilde wiet hem gedaen hadde—as if she wished to
see who had done it to her.
[1007] “Their.”—Ph.
[1008] Melted.
[1009] Thither.
[1010] Vastelavont, properly Vastenavond; formerly called in this
country also, Fastern’s or Fasten’s Even. The “Fastingham Tuiesday,”
and “Fastyngonge Tuesday,” cited in Brand’s Observations on Popular
Antiquities, vol. i, p. 58, from Langley’s Polidore Vergile, fol. 103,
and Blomefield’s Norfolk, vol. ii, p. 111, respectively, seem to be
merely corruptions of this expression.
[1011] De vrolijcke tijt—the merry time of year; the spring.
[1012] Threw, cast.
[1013] Springes or traps.
[1014] In the same state as before.
[1015] Tghene dat eyselijck scheen noch eyselijcker—that which was
frightful appeared more frightful.
[1016] Behoefden—required.
[1017] Op d’eene helft—on the one half.
[1018] Thread.
[1019] Waterpassen—levels, such as are used by builders.
[1020] We have here a remarkable instance of what might be called
“cooking”, were it not that everything is done in perfect good faith,
and that the means are afforded us of rectifying the error into which
the observer fell through the desire to establish his preconceived
idea, founded on the supposed results of his observations of December
14th and January 12th (See pages 131 and 140), that the latitude of the
place of observation was to the north of 76°.
It is quite true that, as the sun’s lower edge was observed, its
semi-diameter has to be added. But the effect of this is to increase,
not the height of the Pole, but its complement; which, adopting the
observer’s own figures, would be 14° 16′ + 16′ = 14° 32′, so that the
height of the Pole would be only 75° 28′. There is, however, another
correction to be made, namely, for refraction, of which at that early
period no account was taken; and this being as much as 15′,1, the
discrepancy is thereby so much reduced. The correct calculation of the
observation will therefore be as follows:—
Sun’s lower edge 3° 0′
,, semi-diameter 16
————————————
3 16
Refraction 15,1
————————————
True altitude of sun’s centre 3 0,9
Sun’s declination —11 15
—————————————
Complement of height of Pole 14 15,9
—————————————
Latitude 75° 44,1
Which differs only 1′5 from the mean of the two observations of the
14th December and 12th January.
[1021] Off.
[1022] Helped.
[1023] Uytet wout—out of the wood. The French say, “la faim chasse le
loup hors du bois”; and in several other languages it is the same. In
English the corresponding expression is, “hunger will break through
stone walls.” See National Proverbs, etc., by Caroline Ward, p. 62.
[1024] “Cod.”—Ph.
[1025] Ons de cracht begheven soude—we should lose our strength.
[1026] Met een betoghen lucht—with a cloudy sky.
[1027] “25.”—Ph.
[1028] Donckere lucht—a dark sky.
[1029] Vercleumt—benumbed.
[1030] In de koy—a-bed.
[1031] Hot.
[1032] Daer my ons mede lyden moesten—wherewith we were forced to be
satisfied.
[1033] Namely, the sum of the sun’s elevation and southern declination,
being fourteen degrees.
[1034] With 7′,5 for refraction, and—7° 10′,8 for the sun’s
declination, the above observation gives 76° 8′,7 for the height of the
Pole. If no allowance was made at the time for the sun’s semi-diameter,
16′ will have to be deducted, which will make the true latitude to be
75° 52′,7.
[1035] Twelck haer naemaels niet ten besten verghingh—which did them no
good afterwards.
[1036] Het cocx luijck—the cook’s locker.
[1037] Wat ghebetert was—was somewhat better.
[1038] Beducht—afraid.
[1039] The words “for as then the ice drave” are introduced here
unnecessarily by Phillip.
[1040] Een ruyme zee moeste zijn—there must be an open sea.
[1041] There is little doubt of their having actually seen the country
round the estuaries of the rivers Obi and Yenisei. Lütke says (p. 42)
that “the distance of the two countries from one another is not known
exactly, but there is reason for believing it to be less than 120
Italian miles. That the Hollanders really saw Siberia, and not (as some
imagine) the Island of Maksimok, is corroborated by the tradition,
which is mentioned even by Witsen (pp. 762, 897, 922), that at times
Novaya Zemlya is, in like manner, seen from the Siberian coast.”
[1042] Boats.
[1043] Here, as before, the correct result will be (refraction 5′,1;
declination—3° 41′,6) 76° 4′,5; or, deducting 16′ for the sun’s
semi-diameter, 75° 48′,5.
[1044] Skipper.
[1045] More willing.
[1046] Cold.
[1047] Closed up (with ice).
[1048] Wederom instorteden—relapsed.
[1049] Namely, on the 3rd of the month, as is mentioned in page 161.
[1050] Parste—pressed.
[1051] Huge, immense.
[1052] Op te gaen—to be used up.
[1053] Also dat goet raedt doen duer was—so that then good advice was
dear. This is a proverbial saying; the meaning of which is, that, as
they did not know what to do, good advice would have been very
valuable.
[1054] If we assume the smaller amount of error to be the more
probable, we must regard this observation as having been made on the
20th of March, instead of the 21st. The observer found the sun’s
altitude to be 14°, believing it to be then on the equinoctial, and
therefore without declination. But at mean noon in Novaya Zemlya, the
sun’s declination on March 20th was—0° 8′,8, and on March 21st + 0°
14′,9, the sun having crossed the equinoctial between 10 and 11 o’clock
of the intervening night. The corrected calculation for both days will
therefore be as follows:—
March 20th. March 21st.
Altitude of the sun 14° 0′ 14° 0′
Refraction 3,8 3,8
——————————— ———————————
13 56,2 13 56,2
Sun’s declination — 8,8 + 14,9
——————————— ———————————
Complement φ 14 5 13 41,3
——————————— ———————————
φ 75° 55′ 76° 8′,7
——————————— ———————————
Or, deduct. the sun’s
semi-diam. 75° 36′ 75° 52′,7
[1055] Van vilten ofte ruyghe hoeden—of felt, or rough hats. It is
probable that these were sheets of the rough material, which they had
for use among the ship’s stores.
[1056] Over de coussen aentrocken—drew on over our stockings.
[1057] Als of de Maert haer foy hadde willen besetten—as if March
(before leaving them) had meant to pay them off—lit. to give them their
fee.
[1058] “For.”—Ph.
[1059] Dat de coude so fel alse was, niet altijt dueren soude—that the
cold, severe as it was, would not last for ever.
[1060] Haer den neck—its neck.
[1061] Met helle bittere koude—with a clear sharp cold. The author is
not open to the reproach of having, in the whole course of his
narrative, made use of such an expression as that which the translator
has here erroneously attributed to him.
[1062] Aen den solder ende wanden van binnen thuijs—on the ceiling and
walls inside the house.
[1063] “18.”—Ph.
[1064] Daer in gheweldich huijs ghehouden hadden—had made great havoc
there.
[1065] Dat wy hoe langer hoe qualijcker doen conden—which we were less
and less able to do.
[1066] Gheweldighen—huge, immense.
[1067] Stijf—strongly.
[1068] On April 2nd at mean noon, Novaya Zemlya, the sun’s declination
was + 4° 56′,8, which, with the observed height (corrected for
refraction = 18° 37′,2), would give 76° 19′,5 as the latitude; or,
deducting 16′ for the sun’s semi-diameter, 76° 3′,5. It is, however,
not unlikely that the observation was made on April 1st, when indeed
the sun’s declination was + 4° 40′ at mean noon at Venice, though at
mean noon at the place of observation (about four hours earlier) it was
only 4° 33′,6. In this case, the latitude would be 75° 56′,4; or 75°
40′,4, if the sun’s lower edge was observed.
[1069] Een colf om daer mede te colven—literally, “a colf to colve
with.” The well-known game of colf or golf derives its name from the
hooked stick or club (German, kolbe; Dutch, colf or kolf) with which it
is played. A detailed description of the game, as played in Holland, is
given in Sir John Sinclair’s Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xvi,
p. 28, note. See also Jameson’s Scottish Dict., art. Golf.
[1070] Deur dattet damper weer ende teruijt vochtich was—because it was
damp weather and the powder moist.
[1071] The steps cut in the snow, as is mentioned in page 136.
[1072] Nae de deur vant huijs toe—towards the door of the house.
[1073] Dat boven de deur was—that was above the door.
[1074] The house was covered with a sail, on which was placed shingle
from the beach, to keep it weather tight, as is described in page 119.
[1075] Voorgaende—late, previous.
[1076] Vervulde de gantsche zee—filled the entire sea.
[1077] “21st.”—Ph.
[1078] Van den houden ghemaect hadden—had made of the hats or felt. See
page 166, note 1.
[1079] Om te sien of hy daer eenighe holen hadde—to see whether she had
any holes there.
[1080] Spiesen—pikes.
[1081] Af te setten—to go away.
[1082] The declination here given is that of April 19th. The corrected
calculation for the 18th, with refraction 2′,0 and declination + 10°
50′,1, gives 75° 42,1; or 75° 26′,1, if the sun’s semi-diameter has to
be deducted. On April 19th, the declination was + 11° 10′,1, whereby
the height of the Pole would be 76° 2′,1; or, deducting the sun’s
semi-diameter, 75° 46′1.
[1083] Ende stooften ons—and stewed ourselves. See page 121, note 8.
[1084] Ghereetschap—utensils.
[1085] Huijt—literally “hide”, but used in the sense of “body”.
[1086] There is an omission here in the original. The following words
require to be supplied:—“which substracted from the said elevation,
there rested 14 degrees.”
[1087] With the sun’s declination + 14° 8′,7, and refraction 1′8, the
corrected calculation will give 76° 2′,5; or, deducting 16′ for the
sun’s semi-diameter, 75° 46′,5.
[1088] See page 168, note 2.
[1089] Opt hooghste was. An oversight of the author. He meant to say
that the sun was on the meridian in the north; where, of course, it
must have been at the lowest, instead of the highest.
[1090] Had the latitude of the place of observation been really more
than 76° the sun ought to have been visible above the horizon at
midnight on the 28th April, as its declination was then already more
than 14°; and as on the 30th April its declination was 14° 55′, it
ought to have had its lower edge full 39′ above the horizon at the time
when at the place of observation it is said to have been visible “just
above the horizon”. This is without taking into account the refraction,
which under ordinary circumstances, would have made its visible
altitude about 36′ more. Hence it is quite clear that they were not so
far north as 76°.
[1091] Coockten wy onse laetste vleysch—we cooked the last of our meat
(beef).
[1092] Maer hadt maer een manghel, dattet niet langher deuren
wilde—only it had but one fault, which was, that it would not last any
longer. Whenever a joke is intended by the author,—who, although a
serious, matter-of-fact Dutchman, was evidently a bit of a wag,—it is,
by some fatality, sure to be spoilt by the translator.
[1093] Te jancken—to hanker after.
[1094] Ende also de beste spijs, als vleysch ende grutten ende anders,
ons ontbrack—and as our best food, such as beef, barley, and such like,
failed us. Gort or grutten, for porridge, form an important item in the
supplies of Dutch seamen. When the Dutch whale-fishery was in a more
flourishing state, the sailors of the vessels employed in it used to be
saluted by the boys in the streets of Amsterdam with the cry
of—Traan-bok! Stroop in je gort tot Pampus toe.—“Train-oil Billy!
Treacle in your porridge as far as Pampus;” meaning, that after they
had passed Pampus (see page 13, note 5), which is only two hours from
Amsterdam, they would, during the rest of the voyage, get their
porridge without treacle.
[1095] Speck—pork.
[1096] Een cleijn vaetgien met peeckelspeck—a small cask of salt pork.
[1097] Doen wast mede op—then that also was gone.
[1098] Meer als te voren—more than before.
[1099] Nu—now.
[1100] Segghende: dit weer sal hier nimmermeer vergaen—saying, this
weather will never more pass away here.
[1101] The skipper, namely, Jacob Heemskerck.
[1102] Van daer te sien comen—to see about getting from thence.
[1103] Maer elck ontsach sich den schipper dat te kennen te gheven—but
each was reluctant to make the skipper acquainted with it.
[1104] Vermidts dat hy hem hadde laten verluyden dat hy begeerde te
wachten—because he had given them to understand that he desired to
wait.
[1105] Niet muytischer wyse—not in a mutinous manner.
[1106] Want zy lieten haer gaerne ghesegghen—for they let themselves
easily be talked over.
[1107] The corrected calculation, with declination + 17° 44′,9 and
refraction 12′,2, will give 75° 47′,9. If the sun’s lower edge was
observed, 16′ will, in this instance, have to be added to the latitude,
which thereby becomes 76° 3′,9.
[1108] Daer deur—whereby.
[1109] Wore.
[1110] Van de ruyghe hoetgens—of the rough hats (felt). See page 166,
note 1.
[1111] I.e., walking.
[1112] Colven. See page 168, note 1.
[1113] Sprack Willem Barentzoon den schipper aen wat der ghesellen
goeden raedt was—William Barentsz told the skipper what the crew
thought was best (to be done).
[1114] De schuijt ende bock—the boat and yawl. Heemskerck’s first
thought, as supercargo, evidently was to save, if possible, the ship
and property entrusted to him by the owner; and by waiting till the
fine weather came and the sea was open, he hoped to be able to do this.
[1115] Dat men veel tijts behoeven soude—because much time would be
requisite.
[1116] Bock—yawl; it being the smaller boat of the two.
[1117] “Thought”—Ph.
[1118] Reckon, count.
[1119] Dat den tijt aenquam—till the time should arrive.
[1120] De schuyten te water soude moghen brenghen—should be able to get
the boats afloat.
[1121] Oft eens tijdt quam dat wy wech comen mochten—if the time should
ever come when we might get away.
[1122] Den wandt vant portael—the sides of the porch or entrance.
[1123] Hemden—shirts.
[1124] Die dan wederom ghetoghen van de ghenomen hoochte—which then
being taken from the observed height. This error in the original text
is corrected in the translation.
[1125] The declination here given (correctly 20° 46′,5) is that of the
24th May; that of the 25th being 20° 57′,6. The amended calculation for
both days will be as follows:—
May 24th May 25th.
Observed altitude of sun 34° 46′,0 34° 46′,0
Refraction - 1′,4 - 1′,4
————————————— ———————————
34° 44′,6 34° 44′,6
Sun’s declination + 20° 46′,5 + 20° 57′,6
————————————— ———————————
Complement φ 13° 58′,1 13° 47′,0
————————————— ———————————
φ 76° 1′,9 76° 13′,0
————————————— ———————————
Or, allowing for the
sun’s semi-diameter 75° 45′,9 75° 57′,0
Regarding the several observations of stars as well as of the sun
(except those of March 20th, April 2nd and 18th, and May 24th, which
are uncertain), as being all equally good, subject only to correction
for refraction and amended declination, the result will be 75° 57′,5.
Or, assuming that the sun’s lower edge was observed in every case, but
not allowed for (and the observations of the stars leave little room
for doubting that such must have been the case), and taking the sun’s
semi-diameter at 16′, and including also the observations of the two
stars, we have 75° 49′,5. In either case the latitude will be rather to
the south than to the north of the 76th parallel. But, as all the
latter observations of the sun were made under an erroneous impression,
and evidently with a desire that they should correspond with what was
believed to be the truth, the safest plan will be to content ourselves
with the observations of the two stars and the first observation of the
sun on February 19th, the result of which will be:—
γ Orionis 75° 43′,0
α Tauri 75° 47′,9
☉ 75° 44′,1
——————————
135
——————————
Which gives exactly 75° 45′ as the latitude of the spot.
[1126] Aenstaen—urgent request.
[1127] Fock—foresail.
[1128] De seylen—the sails.
[1129] Eenigh loopende wandt ende trosgens ende anders meer—some
running rigging, ropes, and various other things.
[1130] Nae de schuyt ghegaen om die ontrent het huijs te
vertimmeren—went to the boat, in order to repair it near the house.
[1131] Burghers—burgesses, citizens; that is to say, they must consider
Novaya Zemlya as their place of permanent residence.
[1132] De bock—the yawl.
[1133] Vreeselijcken—frightful.
[1134] More boldly.
[1135] Nether, lower.
[1136] Stucken van robben met huijt ende hayr—pieces of seals, with the
skin and hair.
[1137] Torn.
[1138] Niet seer kout maer doncker—not very cold, but dark.
[1139] Bock—yawl.
[1140] Om de bock daer mede op te boyen—wherewith to raise the gunwale
of our yawl.
[1141] Van ons eerst de smaeck begeerden te hebben—they desired first
to have a taste of us.
[1142] Also dat hem dit bequam als de hont de worst—so that it agreed
with her as the sausage did with the dog. This homely Dutch proverb has
already been explained in page 106, note 5.
[1143] Mischien—perhaps.
[1144] Den—the.
[1145] Genoech van die sause—enough of that sauce.
[1146] Geep. A well known fish (Belone vulgaris, Cuvier), which is
called in English by a variety of trivial names:—gar-fish, gane-fish,
sea-pike, mackerel-guide, mackerel-guard, green-bone, horn-fish,
horn-back, horn-beak, horn-bill, gore-bill, long-nose, sea-needle.
Considerable quantities are brought to the London markets in the spring
from the Kent and Sussex coasts. In Holland they are now only used as
bait for other fish. See Yarrell, History of British Fishes, vol. i, p.
393.
[1147] Nae’t open water toe—towards the open water.
[1148] Ende arbeyden met alle macht aen den bock—and worked with all
our might on the yawl.
[1149] Niet seer koud—not very cold.
[1150] Maecktense met een spiegel, om also bequamer te zijn inde zee te
ghebruijcken—made it with a square stern, in order that it might be a
better sea-boat.
[1151] Ende maecktense also vaerdich opt bequaemste dat men mocht—and
so got it ready in the fittest manner in their power.
[1152] Swaert (now written zwaarden), lee-boards or whiskers. These are
the boards still seen on the sides of Dutch flat-bottomed vessels,
which serve to keep them steady, and to prevent them from drifting to
leeward, when sailing with a side wind, or lying to.
[1153] Van hoeden. See page 166, note 1.
[1154] Ende maeckten daer presentinghen over om van een zee waters
beschermt te zijn—and placed tarpaulings over them, to protect them
(the goods) from the sea-water.
[1155] Bock—yawl.
[1156] Sleden—sledges.
[1157] Dat men noch effenwel onse handen daer aen mochten slaen—so that
we could likewise grasp them with our hands.
[1158] Om de buydenningen [buijkdenningen] in den bock ende schuyte te
maecken—to make the bottom-boards (ceiling) of the yawl and boat.
[1159] Cleyne vaetgiens—small casks.
[1160] Schuyten—boats.
[1161] So mede als wy altemet int ys beset mochten werden—in order that
whenever we should be enclosed by the ice.
[1162] Met bylen, houweelen ende allerley ghereetschap—with hatchets,
pick-axes, and all sorts of implements.
[1163] Ys ende ysberghen—ice and icebergs.
[1164] Met houwen, smyten, schoppen, graven ende wechwerpen—with
chopping, throwing, pushing, digging, and clearing away.
[1165] Barbier. See page 125, note 3.
[1166] Smote, struck.
[1167] Ende besloten doen onderlinghen metten gemeenen maets—and they
then resolved jointly with the ship’s company.
[1168] Brengen—to bring, to take.
[1169] Ende heeft Willem Barentsz. te voren een cleijn cedelken
gheschreven, ende in een muskets mate ghedaen—and William Barentsz had
previously written a small scroll, and placed it in a bandoleer.
[1170] “He”.—Ph.
[1171] Abandon.
[1172] Van welcke brief elcken schuyte een hadde—of which letters each
boat had one.
[1173] Bock—yawl.
[1174] Boat.
[1175] Daer wy alle naersticheyt toe deden, om die so veel te berghen
alst moghelijck was—of which we took every care to preserve as much as
was possible.
[1176] Harnas tonnen—coffers, trunks.
[1177] Soetemelcx kaes—in modern Dutch, zoetemelksche kaas—lit.
sweet-milk cheese. This is the ordinary Dutch cheese, well known in
England, and which on a former occasion (page 124, note 11) was
described as koyenkaas. It is the produce principally of North Holland.
[1178] Claes Andriesz.—Nicholas, the son of Andrew, or Andrewson.
[1179] Daer als nu weynich oft geen hope toe en is—whereof there is now
little or no hope.
[1180] End.
[1181] Beginning.
[1182] Dat we vast overleggen—that we considered well.
[1183] “Or.”—Ph.
[1184] Daerome hebbe ic met Willem Barentsz. de hoogh-bootsman ende
ander officie luyden met alle ander gasten—therefore I, with William
Barentsz. (and), the chief-boatswain and other officers, with the rest
of the crew. At first sight it might appear that William Barentsz. is
described as “hoogh-bootsman”. This is evidently the idea of the
translator, though he takes on himself to paraphrase the term by “our
pilot”. But the statement on the 20th June (page 198), that the
chief-boatswain came on board the boat in which William Barentsz. was,
just before the latter’s death, clearly proves that two different
persons are here intended: so that, in order to avoid ambiguity, a
conjunction, or at least a comma, should be inserted between the two.
From the list of the ship’s company given in page 193, it may be safely
inferred that the “chief-boatswain”, or first mate, as we should now
call him, was Pieter Pieterszoon Vos. It is he, most probably, who on
the 28th August, 1596 (page 100) is called “the other pilot”.
[1185] It was requisite for us.
[1186] Daer wy inden arbeyt geen hulpe af en hebben—from whom in our
work we have no help.
[1187] Als we al schoon van dees ur af ons best deden—even if from this
moment we did our best.
[1188] Ende int generael van ons allen onderteijcknet, gedaen ende
besloten—and in general by us all subscribed, done, and concluded.
[1189] Hebben wijt eyndelijck verlaten—we have at length abandoned it.
[1190] Meester Hans Vos. This is the barber-surgeon, of whom mention
has been made in page 125, note 3. The title of “meester”, representing
the Latin magister, shows that he was a member of a learned profession,
who had not improbably taken his degree of “Magister Artium
Liberalium”, at an university. In Hungary, at the present day,—as we
learn from the evidence of C. A. Noedl, on the recent trial of C. Derra
de Meroda against Dawson and others, in the notorious affair of the
Baroness von Beck,—“if a man wishes to become a surgeon, he must attend
six Latin schools [meaning, apparently, that he must keep six terms at
the High School or University], and learn to cut hair”.—Morning Post,
July 29th, 1852.
In the journal of Captain James, printed in Mr. Rundall’s Narrative of
Voyages towards the North-West (page 199), is the following entry,
under the date of November 30th, 1631:—“Betimes, in the morning, I
caused the chirurgion to cut off my hair short, and to shave away all
the hair of my face.... The like did all the rest.” This was at a
period when, as appears from the muster-roll of Captain Waymouth’s
expedition, given in page 238 of the same volume, the rating of the
surgeon, who thus acted as barber to the ship’s company, was next after
“the preacher”, and before the master and the purser.
[1191] The names, as here given, are neither correctly written nor
placed in the order in which they stand in the original text. They are
there ranged in six short columns of two names each, except the last,
which has only one name; but the translator has read them as if written
in two lines across the page. Correctly placed and written, the names
are as follows:—
Iacob Heemskerck.
Willem Barentz.
Pieter Pietersz. Vos.
Gerrit de Veer.
Meester Hans Vos.
Lenaert Hendricksz.
Laurens Willemsz.
Iacob Iansz. Schiedam.
Pieter Cornelisz.
Iacob Iansz. Sterrenburch.
Ian Reyniersz.
There were four others, who did not sign, most likely from their
inability to write, or from ill-health.
[1192] Met ons bock ende schuijt.
[1193] De Eylandts hoeck.
[1194] Vier—four. The translator evidently read veel.
[1195] Cliffs.
[1196] Hooft-hoeck.
[1197] Vlissingher hooft—Flushing Head.
[1198] De Capo van Begeerte—Cape Desire.
[1199] De Eylanden van Oraengien.
[1200] Een geweldighen stroom—a strong current.
[1201] Minghelen. A measure of rather more than an English quart.
[1202] Mottich, leelich weder—nasty drizzly weather.
[1203] Wasich—damp.
[1204] Ys-hoeck.
[1205] De schipper; namely, Jacob Heemskerck.
[1206] Al wel, maet, ick hope noch te loopen eer wy te Waerhuys
comen—quite well, mate. I still hope to be able to run before we get to
Wardhuus. It is a matter of interest that the last words of such a man
as William Barentsz. should be correctly given.
[1207] Gerrit, zijn wy ontrent den Yshoeck, soo beurt my noch eens op;
ic moet dien hoeck noch eens sien—Gerrit, if we are near the Ice Point,
just lift me up again. I must see that Point once more. The Ice Point
is the northernmost point of Novaya Zemlya (see page 24, note 4): hence
the interest felt in it by the sick man, who, in spite of his
courageous talk, was doubtless aware that he should never see it again.
[1208] Liep ten westen—went round to the west.
[1209] An de schotsen—to the drift ice.
[1210] Soo vreeselijck—so frightfully.
[1211] Stand.
[1212] Redden—save.
[1213] Goet raet was duer—good counsel was dear. A proverbial
expression, explained in page 165, note 2.
[1214] Ooghenblick—instant.
[1215] Werter geseyt—it was said (by some one).
[1216] Een trots ofte tou aent vaste ys conden vast cryghen—could make
fast a tackle or rope to the firm ice.
[1217] Een ghedrenckt calf goet te waghen is. This is another Dutch
proverb, which Gerrit de Veer modestly applies to himself, as
signifying that his loss would not be much felt. The translator, not
understanding the allusion or the force of the proverb, left it out;
but on the other hand he, somewhat unnecessarily, introduced in the
preceding passage the words “like to the tale of the mise”, which are
not in the original.
[1218] Te brenghen—to carry.
[1219] Een hoogen heuvel—a high hummock.
[1220] Des doots kaecken—the jaws of death.
[1221] Allen de naeden hebben wy mede moeten versien ende dicht
maecken, ende diversche presendinghe legghen—we had likewise to examine
and close all the seams, and to lay on pieces of tarpauling in various
places.
[1222] Te landtwaert in—towards the land.
[1223] “Up”.—Ph.
[1224] Claes Andriesz. See page 190, note 6.
[1225] De hoogh-bootsman—the chief boatswain.
[1226] Bock—yawl.
[1227] My dunckt tsal met my mede niet langhe dueren—methinks with me
too it will not last long.
[1228] Las in mijn caertgien dat ic van onse reyse gemaect hadde—looked
at my little chart, which I had made of our voyage.
[1229] Gerrit, geeft my eens te drincken—Gerrit, give me something to
drink.
[1230] The words “next under God” are not in the text.
[1231] “100.”—Ph.
[1232] Sluijs—lock, sluice.
[1233] Capo de Troosts—Cape Comfort. See page 22, note 4.
[1234] The elevation of the sun, corrected for refraction, was 36°
58′,7 and its declination + 23° 29′,4; so that the elevation of the
Pole was 76° 30′,7.
[1235] De tinnen plateelen met alle het coperwerck—the tin cans with
all the copper vessels.
[1236] Voor ons drincken—for our drink.
[1237] Streckinghe van’t huijs af—direction (of our course) from the
house, etc.
[1238] Cola. A small sea-port of Russian Lapland, in the government of
Archangel, 540 miles N. of St. Petersburg. Population 1000.
[1239] Chart.
[1240] Het laghe landt.
[1241] Stroom-bay.
[1242] Yshavens hoeck.
[1243] Eylandts hoeck.
[1244] Vlissenger hooft—Flushing Head.
[1245] Hooft hoeck.
[1246] De Hoeck van Begheerten—Cape Desire.
[1247] De Eylanden van Oraengien.
[1248] De Yshoeck.
[1249] Capo de Troosts—Cape Comfort.
[1250] Capo de Nassauwen—Cape Nassau.
[1251] “West and.”—Ph.
[1252] Het Cruijs Eylandt.
[1253] Willems Eylandt.
[1254] De Swarten Hoeck—Cape Negro. See page 13.
[1255] Het Admiraliteyts Eylandt—Admiralty Island.
[1256] Capo Plancio—Cape Plancius. See page 219, note 4.
[1257] Lomsbay. See page 12.
[1258] De Staten Hoeck—States Point.
[1259] Capo de Prior oft Langhenes. See page 11.
[1260] Capo de Cant. See page 219.
[1261] De Hoeck met de swarte clippen—the Point with the black cliffs.
[1262] Het Swarte Eylandt.
[1263] Costintsarck. See page 30, note 4.
[1264] Constinsarck. A fatality seems to attend the spelling of this
name.
[1265] Cruishoeck. See page 31.
[1266] S. Laurens Bay. See page 32.
[1267] “S.S.E.”—Ph.
[1268] S. Lauwersbay.
[1269] Meelhaven. See p. 33.
[1270] De twee Eylanden. On the first voyage they were named St. Clara.
See page 34.
[1271] Matfloo ende Delgoy. See page 36, and also note 6 in page 50.
[1272] The true course is almost south-east.
[1273] Inham—inlet.
[1274] Colgoy—the Island of Kolguev. See page 35, note 2.
[1275] Candenas—Kanin Nos. See page 38, note 3.
[1276] De 7 Eylanden. “The Seven Islands (Sem Ostrovi) lie about 16
leagues S.E. by S., by compass, from Tieribieri Point, and by varying
the appearance serve to distinguish this part of the coast.”—Purdy,
Sailing Directions for the Northern Ocean, p. 82.
[1277] See page 7, note 4.
[1278] Namely, on August 30th, 1598.
[1279] Coel. See page 200, note 5.
[1280] “West.”—Ph.
[1281] Phillip has inserted here “381 miles Flemish, which is 1143
miles Inglish”. The miles of the text are German or Dutch miles of 15
to the degree, as is stated in page 7, note 1.
[1282] Beyond.
[1283] See page 92.
[1284] Boiled.
[1285] Matsammore. Evidently a corruption of the Spanish mazamorra,
which word, according to the Diccionario of the Royal Spanish Academy,
means “biscuit powder, or biscuit broken and rendered unserviceable;
also the pottage or food (made with bread or biscuit) which was given
to the galley-slaves”. The adoption of Spanish words by the Dutch is
accounted for in page 12, note 1.
[1286] Foresail.
[1287] Leyden op ons seylen toe—tried to do it with our sailes.
[1288] Foremast.
[1289] Arger als een gat—worse than a leak.
[1290] Grootseyl—main-sail.
[1291] In den grondt gheslaghen gheweest—been capsized.
[1292] Al over boort in te loopen—to run quite over the gunwale.
[1293] Ons ander macker—our other companion.
[1294] Onser macker—our companion.
[1295] Hadden zy—they had.
[1296] Boiled.
[1297] “17th.”—Ph.
[1298] Jae zy waren ontelbaar—nay, they were numberless.
[1299] Dattet op claerde—till it cleared up.
[1300] Van de seylen een tente opgheslaghen—made a tent of our sails.
[1301] Haghel—small shot.
[1302] Verladen—re-load.
[1303] Bevonden—found out; experienced.
[1304] Swaricheyt—difficulty.
[1305] Den bock—the yawl.
[1306] Ibid.
[1307] Met schuijt ende al—boat and all.
[1308] Dat wy daer aenghemaeckt hadden—where we had added to it.
[1309] Mast-banck—standing-thwart.
[1310] Al de schuijt—the whole boat.
[1311] Ondert ander ys heen—away under the other ice.
[1312] We had entirely lost our boat.
[1313] Boat.
[1314] Yawl.
[1315] Harnas ton—coffer; trunk.
[1316] Dat deurt ys den bodem ingheschoven werdt—which was stove in by
the ice.
[1317] Boat.
[1318] De buijckdenningh—the bottom boards.
[1319] “Staues.”—Ph. A misprint.
[1320] Behouwen—hewn; i.e., laboured with an axe.
[1321] Coockten—cooked; lit. boiled.
[1322] De helmstock—the tiller of the rudder.
[1323] Harnas ton—coffer; trunk.
[1324] Verstonden—understood; became aware.
[1325] Afloopen—run out; drain out.
[1326] Alst gheschiet is—as it (afterwards) happened; as we afterwards
did.
[1327] Van de schuijt af—from out of the boat.
[1328] Jan Fransz.—John, the son of Francis.
[1329] Claes Andriesz. See page 190, note 6.
[1330] See page 198.
[1331] Schoten—shot.
[1332] Die wy op een schots ys nae dryvende, dan opraepten, ende op’t
vaste ys brachten—which we then picked up by floating after them on a
piece of drift ice, and brought upon the firm ice.
[1333] Mottich—dirty.
[1334] Fowls; birds.
[1335] Maeltijt—meal; repast.
[1336] Afgheweecken—given way.
[1337] Voort—on; forward.
[1338] Velden—fields.
[1339] Uytcomst—issue.
[1340] Floating.
[1341] That is, in girth.
[1342] Mottich—dirty; drizzly.
[1343] Het Cruijs Eylandt. See page 16.
[1344] Bergh-eenden—lit. mountain-ducks. This is the common shieldrake
or burrow-duck (Tadorna vulpanser): Gould, Birds of Europe, vol. v, pl.
357. The trivial name “Bar-gander” (bergander) is manifestly a
corruption of the Dutch name, and not of “Burrow-gander”, as has been
supposed.
[1345] Also dattet altemet kermis was tusschen onsen smert—so that
there was sometimes a holiday in the midst of our sorrows.
[1346] Drie minghelen—three minghelen, equal to nearly one gallon.
[1347] Aent landt—on shore.
[1348] Steentgiens—pebbles, or probably pieces of rock-crystal. See
page 37.
[1349] Berch-eyndt—burrow-duck. See note 4, in the preceding page.
[1350] Mottich—drizzly.
[1351] In zijn huijt—in the body.
[1352] Scarcely.
[1353] Smote; struck.
[1354] Hoe langher hoe meer ons begaven—failed us more and more.
[1355] Ende dat ons voort aen tselvige niet meer gemoeten soude—and
that thenceforth the same would not happen to us again.
[1356] “200.”—Ph.
[1357] Grooter—greater.
[1358] Recht voort laecken met een goeden voortgangh—right before the
wind, at a good rate.
[1359] Een doorgaende coelte—a steady breeze.
[1360] In elck eetmael—in every four-and-twenty hours. See page 88,
note 5.
[1361] Phillip here adds, “to bring our voyage to an end”.
[1362] Hebbende noch die heerlijcke voortgang—making still the same
good speed.
[1363] Den Swarten Hoeck—Cape Negro. See page 13.
[1364] Het Admiraliteyts Eylandt—Admiralty Island. See page 13.
[1365] Dear.
[1366] Zee-monsters. De Veer knew better than to call the walrus a
fish.
[1367] Boats.
[1368] Capo Plancio—Cape Plancius. This headland is not anywhere named
in the account of the first voyage, though it appears in the chart of
Lomsbay.
[1369] Admiralty Island.
[1370] Heerlijck—splendid.
[1371] Aldus nock een goeden voortgangh hebbende—making still rapid
progress.
[1372] Capo de Cant.
[1373] Clip—cliff.
[1374] Die moy deurgaende wint—that fine steady breeze.
[1375] The habits of these birds are not much altered by the presence
of men, or else they would not be called foolish Guillemots. See page
12, note 3.
[1376] Cliffs.
[1377] Hatch.
[1378] Van daer af staecken—put off from thence.
[1379] Weather it.
[1380] Laveering.
[1381] Moy openinge—A fine opening.
[1382] Daer in seylden—sailed in that direction.
[1383] Openinge—opening.
[1384] Coockten—boiled.
[1385] Mottich—dirty.
[1386] Te landtwaerts in—towards the land.
[1387] Steentgiens—pebbles.
[1388] This calculation is altogether erroneous. The sun’s declination
on July 24th, 1598, was + 19° 47′,1; so that, with the observed height
(corrected for refraction), the elevation of the Pole was only 72°
28′,3.
[1389] Several.
[1390] T’zeewaert in—to seawards.
[1391] Round.
[1392] Against.
[1393] Struck, lowered.
[1394] Een gheweldigen stroom—a powerful current.
[1395] Constinsarck.
[1396] That is to say, the Sea of Kara. If it be an ascertained fact,
that there is not here any passage eastward through Novaya Zemlya, this
current must come from around the back of the Meyduscharski Island. But
its existence, and the inference which was not unreasonably drawn from
it, sufficiently explain why this passage has been called a schar, and
not a salma. See page 30, note 4.
[1397] De Cruijs-hoeck. See page 31.
[1398] Cliffs.
[1399] S. Laurens Bay, ofte Schans hoeck. See page 32.
[1400] See page 33, note 6.
[1401] On duytsche—un-Dutch.
[1402] So veel alsser onser mochten van de sieckte—as many of us as
were able on account of our illness.
[1403] De scheurbuijck—the scurvy.
[1404] See page 56.
[1405] Over ons ontset oft becommert waren—confused or concerned about
us.
[1406] Ontstelt—miserable.
[1407] In de Weygats—in the Weygats. See page 27, note 4.
[1408] Crabble: intended for the Russian korabl, a ship.
[1409] Crabble pro pal. The correct question and answer in Russian
would be: Propal korabl?—is the ship lost? Korabl propal—the ship is
lost.
[1410] Made signs.
[1411] In soo soberen staet—in so poor a condition.
[1412] Boat.
[1413] No dobbre. The correct Russian is nyet dobre—not good. These
Russian seamen appear to have made use of a sort of lingua franca, half
Russian, half English, which is still common among the persons of their
class, having been acquired from their converse with English traders to
the White Sea.
[1414] Van den schuerbuijck—with the scurvy. See page 152, note 3.
[1415] Lodgien: intended for the Russian word, lodyi—boats.
[1416] “Smored.”—Ph. A misprint.
[1417] Muschuijt (for bischuyt)—biscuits.
[1418] Een minghelen—about the third part of a gallon.
[1419] Boiled some of our biscuit.
[1420] Namely, at Bear Island, on the 1st of July, 1596. See page 85.
[1421] Verscheurende—ravenous.
[1422] Alsoo dat—so that.
[1423] Cinghel—shingle; beach.
[1424] Aldus aent eylandt ligghende—lying thus by the island.
[1425] The Strait of Nassau. See page 27, note 4.
[1426] Lepel-bladeren—spoon-wort or scurvy grass (Cochlearia
officinalis), once in great repute as an antiscorbutic.
[1427] Jae meest al van de scheurbuijck alsoo gheplaecht waren, dat wy
naulijch voorts mochten, ende deur dese lepelbladeren vry wat bequaem,
want het hielp ons so merckelijcken ende haestich, dat wy ons selfs
verwonderden—yea, most of us were so afflicted with the scurvy that we
could scarcely move, and by means of this spoon-wort we were much
recovered; for it helped us so remarkably and so speedily, that we
ourselves were astonished.
[1428] Ran very high.
[1429] See note 3 in the preceding page.
[1430] The almost instantaneous effect of a change of diet, and
particularly of the use of fresh vegetables, in the cure of scurvy, has
been noticed on numerous occasions.
[1431] Patientie was ons voorlandt—lit. patience was our fore-land,
that is to say, what we had constantly before us.
[1432] Want wy haddent al overgheset ende adieu gheseyt—for we had
quite crossed over and bidden it adieu.
[1433] Struck, lowered.
[1434] Ende royden also deurt ys heen—and thus rowed forward through
the ice.
[1435] De ruyme zee—the open sea.
[1436] Bock—Yawl.
[1437] To weather.
[1438] Boat.
[1439] Yawl.
[1440] Weathered.
[1441] Als hyt van buyten om seylde—while he was rounding it on the
outside.
[1442] Struck, lowered.
[1443] The point where they thus reached the Russian coast would seem
to be in about 55 E. long., on the eastern side of the mouth of the
Petchora.
[1444] Een Russche jolle—a Russian yawl.
[1445] Boven op haer jolle—on the deck of their yawl.
[1446] Candinaes—Kanin Nos; the cape at the eastern side of the
entrance to the White Sea. See page 38, note 3.
[1447] Pitzora—the river Petchora. See page 55, note 3.
[1448] Daert seer droogh was—where it was very shallow.
[1449] We have here a convincing proof that they were no longer under
the able guidance of William Barentsz. For this reason it has, since
the time of his death, been deemed unnecessary to attempt to fix the
hour of the day by the recorded bearing of the sun, as had been done
previously.
[1450] Ende bevondt datter groente was, met sommighe cleyne
boomkens—and found verdure there with a few small trees.
[1451] Wilt te schieten—game (for us) to shoot.
[1452] Wat schummelt broodt—a little mouldy bread.
[1453] Also dat—so that.
[1454] Den inham—the bay or inlet; namely, the estuary of the river
Petchora.
[1455] This was the promontory on the western side of the Petchora
estuary.
[1456] Hadde deerlijck sien moghen helpen—if looking deplorable could
have helped us.
[1457] Verdriet—sorrow.
[1458] Ende—and.
[1459] ’t laghe landt henen—along the low land.
[1460] Een baeck staen daer een stroom by uyt liep—a beacon standing,
by which there ran a current.
[1461] Daer deur wy vermoeden datter de cours was daer de Russen heenen
quamen, tusschen Candinas ende ’tvaste landt van Ruslandt—whence we
concluded that it was the course taken by the Russians between
Kanin-Nos and the main-land of Russia.
[1462] Zee-robbe—seal.
[1463] De schuyten—the boats.
[1464] Een goedt wiltbraedt—lit. a good venison.
[1465] Dat wy ons noch liever lyden souden, want Godt de Heere die—that
we should rather make shift without it; for the Lord God, who....
[1466] Maer opt onversienste helpen—but help us when least foreseen.
[1467] Mottich—dirty.
[1468] Forced.
[1469] Bock—yawl.
[1470] Schuijt—boat.
[1471] Dicht aent strandt—close to the shore.
[1472] Lodja or boat.
[1473] Seylen—sail.
[1474] Om de schuyten inde diepte te cryghen—to get the boats into deep
water.
[1475] A Spanish dollar, of eight reals.
[1476] Boiled.
[1477] Vier—four.
[1478] Soo wel de minste als de meest—the lowest as well as the
highest.
[1479] There must be some mistake here. When the sun set on the 12th of
August, in latitude 68° N., his azimuth was 46° 37′,7 W., which would
give a variation of 35° 22′,7, or more than 3 points W. Perhaps N.N.W.
should be read, instead of N. by W.; which would make the variation to
have been about 2 points W. It is, however, to be feared that but
little dependance can be placed on the observations made during the
return voyage, after the death of Willem Barentsz.
[1480] Jolle—yawl.
[1481] Lepelbladeren—spoon-wort. See page 226, note 3.
[1482] Opghebluckt—plucked.
[1483] Een moy coeltgen—a nice breeze.
[1484] Meant; intended. Misprinted “went”.
[1485] This point, which they mistook for “Candinaes”, or Kanin Nos,
was apparently Cape Barmin, on the east side of Tcheskaya Bay, over
which they now proceeded to cross, under the impression that it was the
White Sea.
[1486] Wat wy malcanderen mochten mede deelen—that we could divide
between us.
[1487] Nae Ruslandt toe. This is a mistake in the original. The coast
of Norway or Lapland is meant.
[1488] Wy ons seijl streecken, ende namen een riff oft twee in—we
lowered our sail and took in a reef or two.
[1489] Onse maets die wat styver onder seijl waren—our comrades, who
stood somewhat better under sail.
[1490] Aendt Noordtsche cust over de Witte Zee—on the coast of Norway,
on the other side of the White Sea.
[1491] Koelte—breeze.
[1492] Vry wat—a good deal. As the sun’s azimuth at his rising was 49°
56′,5 W., the variation would be 17° 33′,5 or about 1½ points W. This,
as compared with the observation of the 12th August, as recorded, shows
a considerable difference. But, as is remarked in the note on that
observation, the error is more likely to be on that than on the present
occasion.
[1493] Koelte—breeze.
[1494] Een moye coelte—a nice breeze.
[1495] They had here reached the western side of Tcheskaya Bay.
[1496] Boats.
[1497] Kilduijn. See page 7, note 1.
[1498] Zy smeten haer handen van een—they spread their hands out.
[1499] Gantsch in een inham beset—quite inclosed in a bay or creek.
They would seem to have here been at the north-western corner of
Tcheskaya Bay.
[1500] Vraeghen wy haer nae Sembla de Cool—we asked them after Sembla
de Cool. By this jargon, which is here a compound of Russian and
Spanish, the Dutch seamen desired to obtain information respecting “the
country of Kola”, in Lapland.
[1501] Dattet Sembla de Candinas was—that it was Sembla de Candinas;
i.e., Kanineskaya Zemlya.
[1502] Om deur dat gat te comen daer zy voor lagen—to get through the
passage, before which they lay.
[1503] Weder aen haer schip—back to their ship.
[1504] Onderrechten—to instruct; to give information.
[1505] Caerte—chart.
[1506] Waren beducht—were alarmed.
[1507] Bock—yawl.
[1508] Nu wy 22 mylen al over de zee waren geseylt—now that we had
sailed 22 miles right across the sea.
[1509] Onse mackers—our companions.
[1510] Gat—passage.
[1511] Het cleyne lodtgien—the little lodja or boat.
[1512] Onviel hem n. w.—turned to the N.W. This must have been Cape
Mikalkin, the S.E. cape of Kanineskaya Zemlya.
[1513] Stroom—tide.
[1514] Boiled.
[1515] Datter kersmis was—that it was Christmas. It is kermis, which
means a festival or fair-day. See page 39, note 2.
[1516] Onse ander maets—our other companions.
[1517] Bescheyt—information.
[1518] Soo beduyden zijt ons noch bet—they explained it better to us.
[1519] Dattet mede sodanighen open schuijt was—that it was a similar
open boat.
[1520] Hadden—had; obtained.
[1521] Hooghbootsman—the chief-boatswain, or first mate.
[1522] Volck—people.
[1523] See page 226, note 3.
[1524] Ende als wy meenden voort te varen, so moesten wy daer blyven
liggen, want den stroom verloopen was—and when we intended to proceed
on our voyage, we were forced to remain lying there, because the tide
had run out.
[1525] Werp-ancker—kedge.
[1526] Schemeringe van eenige cruycen—the faint images of some crosses.
[1527] Desen hoeck is een kenlijcken hoeck met 5 cruycen daer op, ende
datmen perfect can sien hoese aen beyden syden omvalt, aen de eene zyde
int z. o. ende d’ander zyde int z. w.—this point is a conspicuous one,
having on it five crosses, and the direction of it on either side is
perfectly discernible; it being on the one side towards the S.E., and
on the other side towards the S.W.
[1528] Die wy niet dienden te versuymen—which it would not do for us to
neglect.
[1529] Ende maeckten een afsteecker ontrent de son n. w.—we took our
departure when the sun was about N.W.
[1530] An hour and a half.
[1531] Dat dit een ander clippich lant was—that it was another rocky
shore.
[1532] Met weynich geberchte—with few mountains.
[1533] Made sure.
[1534] Waerders—cautions; directions.
[1535] Dat daer een goede reede was—that there was a good roadstead
there.
[1536] Lodja or boat.
[1537] So maeckten wy ons daer vast—we anchored there.
[1538] Zy leyden ons in haer stoven—they led us into their rooms. In
Dutch, as in German, a room heated by a stove or oven is called by the
name of the latter, stove or stube.
[1539] Coocten ons een sode visch, ende nooden ons seer
hertelijck—cooked us a dish of fish, and made us right welcome.
[1540] Visch tot visch—lit. fish with fish; i.e., nothing but fish.
[1541] Overschot—remains.
[1542] Wy ... ons heel ontsetteden—we were quite astonished.
[1543] Cocht—bought.
[1544] Coockten—cooked.
[1545] Lepel bladeren—spoon-wort or scurvy-grass. See page 226, note 3.
[1546] Te becomen—to procure; to obtain.
[1547] Onversiens—unprepared.
[1548] Om daer eten voor te coopen—to buy victuals therewith.
[1549] Ende gedroncken van den claren, als in den Rhijn voorby Colen
loopt—and drank of the pure article, such as flows past Cologne in the
Rhine. There is here a play on the word clar, which signifies “clear”,
“pure”, but is applied to spirits as well as to water. In common life,
een glaasje klare means “glass of neat Hollands gin”.
[1550] Ons ander maets—our other comrades.
[1551] Een goeden drincpennick—a handsome present: lit. a good
drink-penny.
[1552] Den cock mede betaelt—also paid the cook.
[1553] Den bock—the yawl.
[1554] See page 203, note 4.
[1555] Also wy goeden voortgang hadden—as we were making good way.
[1556] Met goeden voortgangh seylende, quamen wy ontrent de z. w. son
verby de selvige eylanden langs de wal henen, onder eenighe visschers
die na ons toe royden—making good speed, we passed the said islands
about south-west sun, and sailed along the coast among some fishermen,
who rowed towards us.
[1557] Crabble propal. See page 224.
[1558] Tot Cool Brabanse crable. A mixture of Dutch and Russian,
meaning “at Kola there are Brabant ships”. The correct Russian is
v’Kolye Brabantskyie korabli. Before the independence of the northern
provinces, the entire Netherlands were under the rule of the Dukes of
Brabant; and as the Dutch vessels trading to the northern coasts of
Europe had first come there under the Brabant flag, the Russians not
unnaturally continued to attach the name of Brabant to them in common
with other Netherlandish vessels.
[1559] Waerhuysen. See page 39, note 1.
[1560] Dat de Russen oft Grootvorst ep haer grensen ons eenich verlet
soude doen—that the Russians or (their) Grand Prince might do us some
injury on their frontiers.
[1561] Boats.
[1562] Wat te lantwaerts ingegaen—going a little way on shore.
[1563] “We.”—Ph.
[1564] Wy meenden dat se telckemael de schuyten in den gront gesmeten
souden hebben—we thought that each wave would have swamped the boats.
[1565] Twee clippen—two cliffs or rocks.
[1566] Twee realen van achten. This, though incorrect, was an usual
expression in Dutch. It means, properly, two Spanish dollars of eight
reals.
[1567] Nam een roer mede—took a musket with him.
[1568] Ende trocken noch teghen den nae nacht op ter loop—and set off
before break of day—lit. towards the after-night.
[1569] Om dat wat te verluchten—to air them a little.
[1570] Spyse—food.
[1571] Quas. The well-known Russian drink. Dr. Giles Fletcher,
ambassador from Queen Elizabeth to the Emperor Fedor in 1588, describes
it as “a thin drinke called Quasse, which is nothing else (as we say)
but water turned out of his wits, with a little bran meashed with
it.”—Purchas, vol. iii, p. 459.
[1572] Blauwe-besyen met Braem-besyen—bilberries and blackberries. The
latter are probably the Moroschka—cloudberries, or fruit of the
mountain-bramble (Rubus chamœmorus),—the gathering and preparation of
which by the females of Kola are described by Lütke, in page 223 of his
oft-cited work.
[1573] Scheurbuyck—scurvy. See page 152, note 2.
[1574] Wy daer een lager wal hadden—we there had a lee shore.
[1575] Phillip substitutes for this the words “this having done”.
[1576] D’ander vast aenquamen—the others were fast approaching.
[1577] De schuyten qualijck van den wal conden houden, dat se met in
stucken ghesmeten werden—could scarcely keep the boats from going on
shore, and thereby being dashed to pieces.
[1578] Seer beducht—much alarmed.
[1579] Datse in sulcken weer ende reghen aende legher wal verblyven
moesten—that in such wind and rain they should have had to lie under a
lee shore.
[1580] See page 249, note 4.
[1581] Met lijtsaemheyt verhopende—hoping with resignation.
[1582] Ende de saecke dien dach opghevende—and giving the matter up for
that day.
[1583] Meant.
[1584] In beducht—in fear.
[1585] Dat wy al lange om den hals gecomen waren—that we had lost our
lives long ago.
[1586] Over onse comste—of our arrival.
[1587] Jan Cornelisz. Rijp. See page 71.
[1588] See page 85.
[1589] Zijn beloofde penningen—his promised reward: lit. pence.
[1590] Clothes.
[1591] Ghenoech in behouden haven—sufficiently in a safe port.
[1592] Dat wy tot malcanderen seyde, hy moet kunsgens kunnen—so that we
said to one another, he must know some (conjuring) tricks.
[1593] Daer heb ick zijn hant noch wel—there I certainly still have his
handwriting.
[1594] Een jol—a yawl.
[1595] Rostwijcker-bier. A strong beer brewed at Roswick, a town of
Sweden, in West Bothnia.
[1596] Brandewijn—spirits distilled from malt; common Hollands gin.
[1597] Een stuck ghelts—some money.
[1598] Mettet hoochste water—at high water; at the top of the tide.
[1599] “The entrance to Kola, which by some is most incorrectly called
a river, is one of those bays to which the English apply the
designation of Inlet or Frith.”—Lütke, p. 225.
[1600] De soutketen—the salt-works. The buildings in which the
manufacture of salt is carried on are called in Dutch keten.
[1601] Daer wy eens overclommen ende droncken daer eens—into which we
clambered up, and there had something to drink.
[1602] Den elfden dag—on the eleventh day. This would seem to have been
the eleventh day after their arrival, or after the 3rd of September,
rather than the 11th of the month. Reckoned exclusively of that day, it
would have been the 14th of September; and it is reasonable to suppose
that they would not have parted with their boats till they had found a
Russian lodja to receive them.
[1603] Den Bayaert—the boyard; a Russian title, signifying a nobleman,
great man, or chief.
[1604] Int coopmans huys. This is a literal translation of the Russian
gostinuy dvor’, which is a collection of shops, corresponding to the
bazar of the Persians. It is usually, but not invariably, situated in
or near the market-place.
[1605] Lieten die daer staen—left them there.
[1606] Veel—much.
[1607] Dat metter tijt gheschieden moeste—which required some time.
[1608] De Maes—the river Maas or Meuse.
[1609] Maeslantsluys. A town on the river Maas, opposite the Briel.
[1610] Reysde also deur Delft, den Haech ende Haerlem—thence travelled
through Delft, the Hague, and Haerlem.
[1611] Bonte mutsen van witte vossen—white fox-skin caps.
[1612] Een van de bewinthebbers der stadt van Amstelredam gheweest was,
tot uytrustinge van de twee schepen—who had been one of the managers,
on behalf of the town of Amsterdam, for fitting out the two ships.
[1613] Int Princen Hof. This was formerly the Court of Admiralty at
Amsterdam. But when the Town-House was given as a palace to Louis
Napoleon, then King of Holland, the Prinzen Hof was converted into the
Town-House, which it still is.
[1614] Aldaer op die tijdt mijn E. Heeren den Cancelier ende
Ambassadeur van den Allerdoorluchtichsten Coninck van Dennemarcken,
Noorweghen, Gotten ende Wenden over tafel sadt—where the noble lords,
the chancellor and the ambassador from the most illustrious King of
Denmark, Norway, Goths and Vandals, were then at table. In the original
there is not a word about Prince Maurice and the Hague.
[1615] Mijn Heer de Schout ende twee Heeren van der stadt—master
sheriff and two gentlemen of the town (i.e., town-councillors).
[1616] Den voornoemde Heere Ambassadeur—the said lord ambassador.
[1617] Onse reysen ende wedervaren—our voyages and adventures.
[1618] Phillip here inserts the word “dangerous”.
[1619] The names will be here repeated, for the purpose of giving them
correctly, and also showing those who died during the voyage:—
Iacob Heemskerck, Supercargo and Skipper.
† Willem Barentsz., Pilot (died June 20th, 1597).
Pieter Pietersz. Vos.
Gerrit de Veer.
M. Hans Vos, Barber-surgeon.
† Name unknown, Carpenter (died September 23rd, 1596).
Iacob Iansz. Sterrenburgh.
Lenaert Heyndricksz.
Laurens Willemsz.
Ian Hillebrantsz.
Iacob Iansz. Hooghwout.
Pieter Cornelisz.
Ian van Buysen Reyniersz.
Iacob Evertsz.
† Name unknown (died January 27th, 1597).
† Claes Andriesz. (died June 20th, 1597).
† Ian Fransz. (died July 5th, 1597).
[1620] Referred to in page cvi of the Introduction.
[1621] This heading must have been written by Henry Hudson, and not by
Hakluyt, as would at first sight appear.
[1622] De Veer (p. 55) writes this name Mermare. In Russian, more
certainly means “sea”; but this is all that we have been able to make
out of the expression.