that his end too was approaching, but as he
at the same time regarded with attention, a chart of that part of the
country which we had seen, which I had prepared, we did not believe he
was so ill, and paid but little attention to his words. Pretty soon,
however, he laid down the chart and asked for water; but hardly had he
drank, when suddenly he bowed his head and died, to the great grief of
all of us. We lost in him a brave comrade and intelligent man, on
whose skill rested most of our hopes of again seeing our native land.

"Sorrowing deeply, we continued on our journey, and at length, on the
4th of August, reached the Russian coast, after having suffered much
from the cold, and also from the scurvy, which on account of the want
of fresh provisions, had broken out among us. We landed to try and
find some signs of life, but could see no habitations, and the ground
produced nothing but wild shrubs. Some of the party proposed that we
should continue our journey by land; but as we could easily lose our
way, and fall into great danger, in a desert, which was very likely
filled with wild animals, the majority decided in favor of continuing
along the coast. But we could not hold out much longer, for our
provisions were reduced to a few mouldy biscuits; the most of us,
tormented as we were by hunger and sickness, would have welcomed death
as a happy release. Happily, however, we discovered a Russian barque
coming towards us under full sail; when she reached us, Heemskirk
went on board, and taking some money in one hand, pointed with the
other to a cask of fish which stood on deck. The Russians understood
him, took the money, and gave him the fish, together with some little
cakes. Half starved as we were, we rejoiced greatly at this purchase,
and hastened to refresh ourselves with the food.

"We now very often met Russian vessels, and they sold or gave us, very
readily, a part of their scanty stock of provisions. By the 20th of
August, we reached the western shore of the White Sea, and by good
luck arrived at a spot where some little houses were standing. We
entered them and were received with great kindness by their owners,
who were poor Russian fishermen. They led us into a warm room, where
we could dry our wet clothes, and gave us a meal of good fish and
soup.

"After continuing our journey for several days more, we were obliged,
by a storm, to land again, and found a hut where three men dwelt. They
cordially welcomed u