ed on our voyage on the morning of
the 14th of June, 1597.

IV.

"In high spirits and full of courage, we now began a voyage, which
certainly was the most remarkable ever undertaken. Crowded together in
two wretched, open, and heavily laden boats, we had to cross a space
of not less than two hundred miles, in order to reach the nearest
shore, and this in a climate where the middle of summer is as cold as
our severest winters, and upon a sea covered with huge masses of ice,
which at one moment are stationary, and in the next hurled together by
a storm, with terrific force. Besides, we were weak from our previous
exertions, and had not really the strength to strive successfully
against the dangers which threatened us.

"As the eastern shore of Nova Zembla appeared to be bound up with
unbroken ice, Barents, with admirable prudence, had advised us to
steer towards the north, so that having passed round the northern
point of land, we might reach the western coast, and from there run
for some Russian port, where we might hope to meet some vessel bound
for the Netherlands. We had not gone far on this projected route, when
we found ourselves so hemmed in by icebergs, as to be totally unable
to make any further progress. Such an unpropitious commencement would
have disheartened many men, but fortunately, we were accustomed to
danger and disappointment in every shape; so we kept up our spirits,
and cast anchor in order to wait until the breaking up of the ice
should afford us an opportunity of proceeding on our journey again. In
the meantime we employed ourselves in seeking bird's eggs for our
sick, of whom we now had several, and in melting snow by the fire for
drinking water. On the 15th of June, the ice in which we were
embedded, broke up, and a favorable wind springing up, our men handled
their oars so well, that by the 17th we had reached the most northerly
point of the island. But, unfortunately, on the same day the icebergs
were put in such violent agitation by a storm, and struck the boats
with such force, that the boldest grew disheartened. We took a last
farewell of each other, and expected every moment would be our last.
In this fearful extremity we held a consultation as to what was best
to be done; no other means of safety could we see, than to work our
way out of the floating ice, and get upon some iceberg. But all our
endeavors to get alongside of one of these were in vain, and unable to
endure longer the lam