Part 23

The 17 of December the wind still held north-east, with faire weather, and so great frosts that we were of opinion that if there stood a barrel full of water [891] without the doore, it would in one night freeze from the top to the bottome.

The 18 of December the wind still held north-east, with faire wether. Then seuen of vs went out vnto the ship to see how it lay; and being vnder the decke, thinking to find a foxe there, we sought all the holes, [892] but we found none: but when we entered into the caben, [893] and had stricken fire to see in what case the ship was and whether the water rose higher in it, there wee found a fox, which we tooke and carried it home, and ate it, and then we found that in eighteene dayes absence (for it was so long since we had beene there) the water was risen about a finger high, but yet it was all ice, for it froze as fast as it came in, and the vessels which we had brought with vs full of fresh water out of Holland were frozen to the ground. [894]

The 19 of December it was faire wether, the wind being south. Then we put each other in good comfort that the sun was then almost half ouer and ready to come to vs againe, which we sore longed for, it being a weary time for vs to be without the sunne, and to want the greatest comfort that God sendeth vnto man here vpon the earth, and that which reioiceth euery liuing thing.

The 20 of Dece[mber] before noone it was faire cleare wether, and then we had taken a fox; but towards euening there rose such a [violent] storm [and tempest] in the south-west, with so great a snow, that all the house was inclosed therewith.

The 21 of December it was faire cleere wether, with a north-east wind. Then we made our doore cleane againe and made a way to go out, and clensed our traps for the foxes, which did vs great pleasure when we tooke them, for they seemed as dainty as uenison unto vs.

The 22 of December it was foule wether with great store of snow, the wind south-west, which stopt up our doore againe, and we were forced to dig it open againe, which was almost euery day to do.

The 23 of December it was foule wether, the wind south-west with great store of snow, but we were in good comfort that the sunne would come againe to vs, for (as we gest [895]) that day he was in Tropicus Capricorni, which is the furthest signe [896] that the sunne passeth on the south side of the line, and from thence it turneth north-ward againe. This Tropicus Capricorni lyeth on the south side of the equinoctial line, in twenty-three degrees and twenty-eight [897] minutes.

The 24 of December, being Christmas-euen, it was faire wether. Then we opened our doore againe and saw much open water in the sea: for we had heard the ice crack and driue, [and] although it was not day, [898] yet we could see so farre. Towards euening it blew hard out of the north-east, with great store of snow, so that all the passage that wee had made open before was [immediately] stopt vp againe.

The 25 of December, being Christmas day, it was foule wether with a north-west wind; and yet, though it was [very] foule wether, we hard [899] the foxes run ouer our house, wherewith some of our men said it was an ill signe; and while we sate disputing why it should be an ill signe, some of our men made answere that it was an ill signe because we could not take them, to put them into the pot to rost them, [900] for that had been a very good signe for vs.

The 26 of December it was foule wether, the wind north-west, and it was so [extraordinarily] cold that we could not warme vs, although we vsed all the meanes we could, with greate fires, good store of clothes, and with hot stones and billets [901] laid vpon our feete and vpon our bodies as we lay in our cabens; [902] but notwithstanding all this, in the morning our cabens were frozen [white], which made vs behold one the other with sad countenance. But yet we comforted our selues againe as well as we could, that the sunne was then as low as it could goe, and that it now began to come to vs againe, [903] and we found it to be true; for that the daies beginning to lengthen the cold began to strengthen, but hope put vs in good comfort and eased our paine. [904]

The 27 of December it was still foule wether with a north-west wind, so that as then we had not beene out in three daies together, nor durst not thrust our heads out of doores; and within the house it was so extreme cold, that as we sate [close] before a great fire, and seemed to burne [905] [our shins] on the fore side, we froze behinde at our backs, and were al white, as the country men [906] vse to be when they come in at the gates of the towne in Holland with their sleads, [907] and haue gone [908] all night.

The 28 of December it was still foule wether, with a west wind, but about euening it began to cleare vp. At which time one of our men made a hole open at one of our doores, and went [909] out to see what news abroad, [910] but found it so hard wether that he stayed not long, and told vs that it had snowed so much that the snow lay higher than our house, and that if he had stayed out longer his eares would undoubtedly haue been frozen off.

The 29 of December it was calme wether and a pleasant aire, [911] the wind being southward. That day he whose turne it was opened the doore and dig’d a hole through the snow, where wee went out of the house vpon steps as if it had bin out of a seller, [912] at least seuen or eight steps high, each step a foote from the other. And then we made cleane our springes [or traps] for the foxes, whereof for certain [913] daies we had not taken any; and as we made them cleane, one of our men found a dead fox in one of them that was frozen as hard as a stone, which he brought into the house and thawed it before the fire, and after fleaing it some of our men ate it.

The 30 of December it was foule wether againe, with a storme out of the west and great store of snow, so that all the labour and paine that we had taken the day before, to make steps to go out of our house and to clense our springes, [914] was al in vaine; for it was al couered over wt snow againe higher then it was before.

The 31 of December it was still foule wether with a storme out of the north-west, whereby we were so fast shut vp into the house as if we had beene prisoners, and it was so extreame cold that the fire almost cast no heate; for as we put our feete to the fire, we burnt our hose [915] before we could feele the heate, so that we had [constantly] work inough to do to patch our hose. And, which is more, if we had not sooner smelt then felt them, we should haue burnt them [quite away] ere we had knowne it.

[Anno 1597]

After that, with great cold, danger, and disease, [916] we had brought the [917] yeare vnto an end, we entered into ye yeare of our Lord God 1597, ye beginning whereof was in ye same maner as ye end of anno 1596 had been; for the wether continued as cold, foule, [boisterous], and snowy as it was before, so that vpon the first of January we were inclosed in the house, ye wind then being west. At the same time we agreed [918] to share our wine euery man a small measure full, and that but once in two daies. And as we were in great care and feare that it would [still] be long before we should get out from thence, and we [sometimes] hauing but smal hope therein, some of vs spared to drink wine as long as wee could, that if we should stay long there we might drinke it at our neede.

The 2 of January it blew hard, with a west wind and a great storme, with both snow and frost, so that in four or five daies we durst not put our heads out of ye doores; and as then by reason of the great cold we had almost burnt all our wood [that was in the house], notwithstanding we durst not goe out to fetch more wood, because it froze so hard and there was no being without the doore; but seeking about we found some [superfluous] pieces of wood that lay ouer the doore, which we [broke off and] cloue, and withall cloue the blocks [919] whereon we vsed to beate our stock-fish, [920] and so holp our selues so well as we could.

The 3 of January it was all one weather [constantly boisterous, with snow and a north-west wind, and so exceedingly cold that we were forced to remain close shut up in the house], and we had little wood to burne.

The 4 of January it was still foule stormie weather, with much snow and great cold, the wind south-west, and we were forced to keepe [constantly shut up] in the house. And to know where the wind blew, we thrust a halfe pike out at ye chimney wt a little cloth or fether upon it; but [we had to look at it immediately the wind caught it, for] as soone as we thrust it out it was presently frozen as hard as a peece of wood, and could not go about nor stirre with the wind [so that we said to one another how tremendously cold it must be out of doors].

The 5 of January it was somewhat still and calme weather. [921] Then we digd our doore open againe, that we might goe out and carry out all the filth that had bin made during the time of our being shut in the house, and made euery thing handsome, and fetched in wood, which we cleft; and it was all our dayes worke to further our selues as much as we could, fearing lest we should be shut up againe. And as there were three doores in our portall, and for yt our house lay couered ouer in snow, we took ye middle doore thereof away, and digged a great hole in the snow that laie without the house, like to a side of a vault, [922] wherein we might go to ease our selues and cast other filth into it. And when we had taken paines [923] al day, we remembered our selues that it was Twelf Even, [924] and then we prayed our maister [925] that [in the midst of all our troubles] we might be merry that night, and said that we were content to spend some of the wine that night which we had spared and which was our share euery second day, and whereof for certaine daies we had not drunke; and so that night we made merry and drunke to the three kings. [926] And therewith we had two pound of meale [which we had taken to make paste for the cartridges], whereof we [now] made pancakes with oyle, and [we laid to] euery man a white bisket [927] which we sopt in [the] wine. And so supposing that we were [928] in our owne country and amongst our frends, it comforted vs as well as if we had made a great banket [929] in our owne house. And we also made [930] tickets, and our gunner was king of Noua Zembla, which is at least two hundred [800] miles long [931] and lyeth betweene two seas. [932]

The 6 of January it was faire weather, the wind north-east. Then we went out and clensed our traps [and springes] to take foxes, which were our uenison; and we digd a great hole in the snow where our fire-wood lay, and left it close aboue like a vault [of a cellar], and from thence fetcht out our wood as we needed it.

The 7 of January it was foule weather againe, with a north-west wind and some snow, and very cold, which put vs in great feare to be shut up in the house againe.

The 8 of January it was faire weather againe, the wind north. Then we made our [traps and] springes ready to get more uenison, which we longed for. And then we might [sometimes begin to] see and marke day-light, which then began to increase, that the sunne as then began to come towards vs againe, which thought put vs in no litle comfort.

The 9 of January it was foule wether, with a north-west wind, but not so hard wether as it had bin before, so yt we might [933] go out of the doore to make cleane our springes; but it was no need to bid vs go home againe, for the cold taught vs by experience not to stay long out, for it was not so warm to get any good by staying in the aire. [934]

The 10 of January it was faire weather, with a north wind. Then seuen of vs went to our ship, well armed, which we found in the same state we left it in, and [in] it we saw many footsteps of beares, both great and small, whereby it seemed that there had bin more than one or two beares therein. And as we went under hatches, we strooke fire and lighted a candle, and found that the water was rysen a foote higher in the ship.

The 11 of January it was faire weather, the wind north-west [935] and the cold began to be somewhat lesse, so that as then we were bold to goe [now and then] out of the doores, and went about a quarter of a mile [one mile] to a hill, from whence we fetched certaine stones, which we layd in the fire, therewith to warme vs in our cabans.

The 12 of January it was faire cleare weather, the wind west. [936] That euening it was very cleare, and the skie full of stars. Then we tooke the height of Occulus Tauri, [937] which is a bright and well knowne star, and we found it to be eleuated aboue ye horison twenty nine degrees and fifty foure minutes, her declination being fifteene degrees fifty foure minutes on the north side of the lyne. This declination being substracted from the height aforesaid, then there rested fourteene degrees; which substracted from ninety degrees, then the height of the pole was seuenty sixe degrees. And so by measuring the height of that starre and some others, we gest that ye sun was in the like height, [938] and that we were there vnder seuenty sixe degrees, and rather higher than lower.

The 13 of January it was faire still weather, the wind westerlie; and then we perceaued that daylight began more and more to increase, and wee went out and cast bullets at the bale of ye flag staffe, which before we could not see when it turnd about. [939]

The 14 of January it was faire weather and a cleare light, [940] the wind westerlie; and that day we tooke a fox. [941]

The 15 of January it was faire cleare weather, with a west wind; and six of vs went aboord the ship, where we found the bolck-vanger, [942] which the last time that we were in the ship we stucke in a hole in the fore decke [943] to take foxes, puld out of the hole, and lay in the middle of the ship, and al torne in peeces by the bears, as we perceiued by their foote-steps.

The 16 of January it was faire weather, the wind northerly; and then we went now and then out of the house to strech out our ioynts and our limbs with going and running, [944] that we might not become lame; and about noone time we saw a certaine rednes in the skie, as a shew or messenger of the sunne that began to come towards vs.

The 17 of January it was cleare weather, with a north wind, and then still more and more we perceiued that the sun began to come neerer vnto vs; for the day was somewhat warmer, so that when wee had a good fire there fell great peeces of ice downe from the walles [and roof] of our house, and the ice melted in our cabens and the water dropt downe, which was not so before how great soeuer our fire was; but that night it was colde againe. [945]

The 18 of January it was faire cleare weather with a south-east wind. Then our wood began to consume, [946] and so we agreed to burne some of our sea-coles, and not to stop up the chimney, and then wee should not neede to feare any hurt, [947] which wee did, and found no disease thereby; but we thought it better for vs to keepe the coles and to burne our wood more sparingly, for that the coles would serue vs better when we should saile home in our open scute. [948]

The 19 of January it was faire weather, with a north wind. And then our bread began to diminish, for that some of our barels were not full waight, and so the diuision was lesse, and we were forced to mak our allowance bigger with that which we had spared before. And then some of vs went abord the ship, wherein there was halfe a barrell of bread, which we thought to spare till the last, and there [quite] secretly each of them tooke a bisket or two out of it.

The 20 of January the ayre was cleare, [949] and the wind south-west. That day we staied in the house and cloue wood to burne, and brake some of our emptie barrels, and cast the iron hoopes vpon the top of the house.

The 21 of January it was faire [clear] weather, with a west wind. At that time taking of foxes began to faile vs, which was a signe that the beares would soone come againe, as not long after we found it to be true; for as long as the beares stay[ed] away the foxes came abroad, and not much before the beares came abroad the foxes were but little seene.

The 22 of January it was faire wether with a west wind. Then we went out againe to cast the bullet, [950] and perceiued that day light began to appeare, whereby some of vs said that the sun would soon appeare vnto vs, but William Barents to the contrary said that it was yet [more than] two weeks too soone.

The 23 of January it was faire calme weather, with a south-west wind. Then foure of vs went to the ship and comforted each other, giuing God thankes that the hardest time of the winter was past, being in good hope that we should liue to talke of those things at home in our owne country; and when we were in the ship we found that the water rose higher and higher in it, and so each of us taking a bisket or two with us, we went home againe.

The 24 of January it was faire cleare weather, with a west wind. Then I and Jacob Hermskercke, and another with vs, went to the sea-side on the south side of Noua Zembla, where, contrary to our expectation, I [the] first [of all] [951] saw the edge of the sun; [952] wherewith we went speedily home againe, to tell William Barents and the rest of our companions that joyfull newes. But William Barents, being a wise and well experienced pilot, would not beleeve it, esteeming it to be about fourteene daies too soone for the sunne to shin in that part of the world; [953] but we earnestly affirmed the contrary and said we had seene the sunne [whereupon divers wagers were laid].

The 20 and 26 of January it was misty and close [954] weather, so yt we could not see anything. Then they that layd ye contrary wager wt vs, thought that they had woon; but vpon the twenty seuen day it was cleare [and bright] weather, and then [How the sun which they had lost the 4 of Nouember did appere to them again vpon the 24 of January, which was very strange, and contrary to al learned mens opinions.] we [all] saw the sunne in his full roundnesse aboue the horison, whereby it manifestly appeared that we had seene it vpon the twenty foure day of January. And as we were of diuers opinions touching the same, and that we said it was cleane contrary to the opinions of all olde and newe writers, yea and contrary to the nature and roundnesse both of heauen and earth; some of vs said, that seeing in long time there had been no day, that it might be that we had ouerslept our selues, whereof we were better assured: [955] but concerning the thing in itselfe, seeing God is wonderfull in all his workes, we wille referre that to his almightie power, and leaue it vnto others to dispute of. But for that no man shall thinke vs to be in doubt thereof, if we should let this passe without discoursing vpon it, therefore we will make some declaration thereof, whereby we may assure our selues that we kept good reckening.

You must vnderstand, that when we first saw the sunne, it was in the fift degree and 25 minutes of Aquarius, [956] and it should haue staied, according to our first gessing, [957] till it had entred into the sixteenth degree and 27 minutes of Aquarius [958] before he should haue shewed [959] there vnto vs in the high of 76 degrees.

Which we striuing and contending about it amongst our selues, we could not be satisfied, but wondred thereat, and amongst vs were of oppinion that we had mistaken our selues, which neuerthelesse we could [not] be persuaded vnto, for that euery day without faile we noted what had past, and also had vsed our clocke continually, and when that was frosen we vsed our houre-glasse of 12 houres long. Whereupon we argued with our selues in diuers wise, to know how we should finde out that difference, and learne [960] the truth of the time; which to trie we agreed to looke into the Ephemerides made by Josephus Schala, [961] printed in Venice, for the yeeres of our Lord 1589 till A. 1600, and we found therein that vpon the 24 day of January, (when the sunne first appeared vnto vs) that at Venice, the clocke being one in the night time, [962] the moone and Jupiter were in coniunction. [963] Whereupon we sought to knowe when the same coniunction should be ouer or about the house where we then were; and at last we found, yt the 24 day of January was the same day whereon the coniunction aforesaid happened in Venice, at one of the clocke in the night, and with vs in the morning when ye sun was in the east: [964] for we saw manifestly that the two planets aforesaid aproached neere vnto each other, [965] vntill such time as the moone and Jupiter stood iust ouer the other, [966] both in the signe of Taurus, [967] and that was at six of the clocke in the morning; [968] at which time the moone and Jupiter were found by our compas to be in coniunction, ouer our house, in the north and by east point, and the south part of the compass was south-south-west, and there we had it right south, [969] the moone being eight daies old; whereby it appeareth that the sunne and the moone were eight points different, [970] and this was about sixe of the clocke in the morning: [971] this place differeth from Venice fiue houres in longitude, whereby we maye gesse [972] how much we were nearer east [973] then the citie of Venice, which was fiue houres, each houre being 15 degrees, which is in all 75 degrees that we were more easterly then Venice. By all which it is manifestly to be seene that we had not failed in our account, and that also we had found our right longitude by the two planets aforesaid; for the towne of Venice lieth vnder 37 degrees and 25 minutes in longitude, and her declination [974] is 46 degrees and 5 minutes; [975] whereby it followeth that our place of Noua Zembla lieth vnder 112 degrees and 25 minutes in longitude, and the high of the Pole 76 degrees; and so you haue the right longitude and latitude. But from the vttermost [east] point of Noua Zembla to ye point of Cape de Tabin, [976] the vttermost point of Tartaria, where it windeth southward, the longitude differeth 60 degrees. [977] But you must vnderstand that the degrees are not so great as they are vnder the equinoxial line; for right vnder the line a degree is fifteene [60] miles; but when you leaue the line, either northward or southward, then the degrees in longitude do lessen, so that the neerer that a man is to the north or south Pole, so much the degrees are lesse: so that vnder the 76 degrees northward, where wee wintered, the degrees are but 3 miles and ⅔ parts [14⅔ miles], [978] whereby it is to be marked [979] that we had but 60 degrees to saile to the said Cape de Tabin, which is 220 [880] miles, so [980] the said cape lieth in 172 degrees in longitude as it is thought: and being aboue it, [981] it seemeth that we should be in the straight of Anian, [982] where we may saile bouldlie into the south, as the land reacheth. Now what further instructions are to be had to know where we lost the sun [983] vnder ye said 76 degrees upon the fourth of Nouember, and saw it again vpon the 24 of January, I leaue that to be described [984] by such as make profession thereof: it suffiseth vs to haue shewed that it failed vs not to appeare at the ordinary time. [985]

The 25 of January it was darke clowdy weather, the wind westerlie, so that the seeing of the sunne the day before was againe doubted of; and then many wagers were laid, and we still lookt out to see if the sunne appeared. The same day we sawe a beare (which as long as the sunne appeared not vnto vs we sawe not) comming out of the southwest towards our house; but when we shouted at her she came no neerer, but went away againe.