Part 37

[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