im again, but we were obliged to fight for
more than four hours, as our shots did him very little harm. After
having received a blow in the back with a hatchet, which was wielded
by such a strong arm that it remained sticking in him, he attempted to
swim off, but a cut on the head finished him. We took the carcase on
board Ryp's vessel, and stripped off the hide, which measured twelve
feet in length. The flesh we cooked, and some of us liked it as well
as beef. In consequence of this adventure we named the island 'Bear's
Island.'

"After remaining here for a few days, we continued our journey towards
the north, and after sailing for ten days, through a sea blocked up
with masses of ice, we arrived at a coast which ran off in an easterly
direction, where we determined to cast anchor. We imagined it to be a
part of Greenland, and as it was formed of sharp pointed hills, we
gave it the name of 'Spitzbergen,' (pointed mountains.) We were not a
little surprised to find an active vegetation existing in this high
latitude, and went on shore to gather sorrel and scurvy grass, which
are excellent preventatives against the scurvy, a disease which, as
you know, breaks out with great violence on board of vessels going so
far north, and is occasioned by a want of fresh meat. We saw also a
great many bears, foxes, and reindeers, and also immense flocks of
wild geese, which we drove from their nests in order to procure their
eggs, which we found excellent.

"As the wind remained unfavorable, and the masses of ice continued
to press closer together, we were obliged to give up our plan of
reaching the most northern point of Spitzbergen, and then sailing
towards the east, and return to Bear's Island. The two captains now
differed in their opinion as to the best course to be pursued; Ryp
persisted that if we were to keep on towards the north, we would
without doubt, reach an open sea, while Barents thought we were
already too far north; so it was finally determined that each
should go his own way. Accordingly, on the 1st of July, the two
vessels parted company, Ryp sailing for Spitzbergen, whilst we
steered towards the south coast. From this moment commenced all the
suffering and danger, which we experienced on our adventurous
voyage."

II.

"After having with great difficulty and danger, worked our way between
huge blocks of ice, for two weeks, we at last, on the 16th of July, at
noon, came in sight of Nova Zembla, a spot very fr