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
From here, turning south, the Nordland sailed on the 17th of July
through Matthew’s Strait, and running south in the land-water along the
east coast, Captain Johannesen was, on the 26th July, in Burrough
Strait. At once he resolved to penetrate into the Kara Sea. He followed
the low coast of the country of the Samoyeds in an easterly and
afterwards north-easterly direction, and found himself on the 8th of
August in the immediate neighbourhood of White Island without having
been hindered by the ice.
The day following he shaped his course north-west, and attained, on the
15th of August, the estimated latitude of 75° 6′ N. and 71° E.
longitude, where he encountered his first ice. Thence, in a westerly
direction, he returned to Novaya Zemlya, which he sighted on the 20th
in 75° 10′ N. latitude and 64° E. longitude. He now sailed along the
east coast, and passed through Burrough Strait on his homeward voyage.
He had repeatedly encountered a heavy swell from the south-east, but
had scarcely met with ice. He must, undoubtedly, have been close to
Barendsz’s winter house, which is placed by Captain Carlsen in 76° 12′
N. latitude and 68° E. longitude.
Induced by these advantageous voyages, several Norwegian fishermen
entered the Kara Sea in the following year.
Again the skilful Captain Johannesen made a cruise which almost
surpassed his former one, having this time circumnavigated Novaya
Zemlya, a feat never before achieved. He visited the east coast of that
island, passing close to, but without perceiving, Barendsz’s winter
quarters.
F. Torkildsen, commander of the schooner Alpha, was less fortunate. On
the 24th of June he passed through Burrough Strait and entered the Kara
Bay, where he, on the 13th of July, in 68° 40′ N. latitude and 68° E.
longitude, lost his ship. The crew was, however, saved. Captain E. A.
Ulve sailed with his schooner Samson along the west coast of Novaya
Zemlya, and on the 1st of August attained the high latitude of 76° 47′
in 59° 17′ E. longitude, without sighting any ice.
Entering on the 8th of August through Matthew’s Strait into the Kara
Sea, and keeping between White Island and the Island of Vaigat, he, on
the 24th of August, when homeward-bound, sailed through Burrough
Strait.
F. E. Mack, with his schooner Polarstern, found, on the 5th of July,
Matthew’s Strait blocked up with ice; but thirteen days afterwards he
sailed through it, and after crossing the Kara Sea in all directions,
returned on the 21st of August through Burrough Strait.
Another navigator, Captain P. Quale, pushed more eastwardly. With his
yacht, the Johan Mary, he, in the latitude of 75° 20′ N., attained the
longitude of 74° 35′, and thus found himself eastward of the meridian
which goes across the mouth of the Obi River.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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