The Three Voyages of William Barents to the Arctic Regions (1594, 1595, and 1596)Veer, Gerrit de
History
The Three Voyages of William Barents to the Arctic Regions (1594, 1595, and 1596)
Veer, Gerrit de
Barentsz, Willem, approximately 1550-1597; Northeast Passage
The 7 of December it was still foule weather, and we had a great storme
with a north-east wind, [869] which brought an extreme cold with it; at
which time we knew not what to do, and while we sate consulting
together what were best for vs to do, one of our companions gaue vs
counsell to burne some of the sea-coles [870] that we had brought out
of the ship, which would cast a great heat and continue long; and so at
euening we made a great fire thereof, which cast a great heat. At which
time we were very careful to keepe it in, [871] for that the heat being
so great a comfort vnto vs, we tooke care how to make it continue long;
whereupon we agreed to stop vp all the doores and the chimney, thereby
to keepe in the heate, and so went into our cabans [872] to sleepe,
well comforted with the heat, and so lay a great while talking
together; but at last we were taken with a great swounding and daseling
in our heads, [873] yet some more then other some, which we first
perceiued by a sick man and therefore the lesse able to beare it, and
found our selues to be very ill at ease, so that some of vs that were
strongest start [874] out of their cabans, and first opened the chimney
and then the doores, but he that opened the doore fell downe in a
swound [875] [with much groaning] vppon the snow; which I hearing, as
lying in my caban [876] next to the doore, start vp [877] [and there
saw him lying in a swoon], and casting vinegar in his face [878]
recouered him againe, and so he rose vp. And when the doores were open,
we all recouered our healthes againe by reason of the cold aire; and so
the cold, which before had beene so great an enemy vnto vs, was then
the onely reliefe that we had, otherwise without doubt we had [all]
died in a sodaine swound. [879] After yt, the master, when we were come
to our selues againe, gaue euery one of vs a little wine to comfort our
hearts.
The 8 of December it was foule weather, the wind northerly, very sharpe
and cold, but we durst lay no more coles on as we did the day before,
for that our misfortune had taught vs that to shun one danger we should
not run into an other [still greater].
The 9 of December it was faire cleare weather, the skie full of
starres; then we set our doore wide open, which before was fast closed
vp with snowe, and made our springes ready to take foxes.
The 10 of December it was still faire star-light weather, the wind
north-west. [880] Then we tooke two foxes, which were good meate for
vs, for as then our victuals began to be scant and the cold still
increased, whereunto their skins serued vs for a good defence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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