Chapter C: R. M (9)

The 30 of August it was indifferent faire weather, we still wondering who that John Cornelison might be that had written vnto vs; and while we sat musing thereon, some of vs were of opinion that it might be the same John Cornelison that had sayled out of Holland in company with vs, which we could not be perswaded to beleeue, because we were in as little hope of his life as hee of ours, supposing that he had sped worse then we, and long before that had [perished or] beene caste away. At last the master said, I will looke amongst my letters, for there I haue his name written, [1593] and that will put us out of doubt. And so, looking amongst them, we found that it was the same John Cornelison, wherewith we were as glad of his safety and welfare as he was of ours. And while we were speaking thereof, and that some of vs would not beleeue that it was the same John Cornelison, we saw a Russian joll [1594] come rowing, with John Cornelison and our companion that we had sent to Coola; who being landed, we receiued and welcomed each other wt great joy and exceeding gladnesse, as if either of vs on both sides had seene each other rise from death to life again; for we esteemed him, and he vs, to be dead long since. He brought vs a barrell of Roswicke beere, [1595] wine, aqua uite, [1596] bread, flesh, bacon, salmon, suger, and other things, which comforted and releeued vs much. And wee rejoyced together for our so vnexpected [safety and] meeting, at that time giuing God great thankes for his mercy shewed vnto vs.

The 31 of August it was indifferent faire weather, the wind easterly, but in the evening it began to blow hard from the land; and then we made preparation to saile from thence to Coola, first taking our leaues of the Russians, and heartily thanking them for their curtesie showed vnto vs, and gaue them a peece of money [1597] for their good wils, and at night about the north sunne we sailed from thence with a high water. [1598]

The 1 of September in the morning, with the east sunne, we got to ye west side of the river of Coola, [1599] and entered into it, where we [sailed and] rowed till the flood was past, and then we cast the stones that serued vs for anchors vpon the ground, at a point of land, till the flood came in againe. And when the sunne was south, wee set saile againe with the flood, and so sailed and rowed till midnight, and then we cast anchor againe till morning.

The 2 of September in the morning we rowed vp the riuer, and as we past along we saw some trees on the riuer side, which comforted vs and made vs as glad as if we had then come into a new world, for in all the time yt we had beene out we had not seene any trees; and when we were by the salt kettles, [1600] which is about three [12] miles from Coola, we stayed there awhile and made merry, and then went forward againe, and with the west north-west sun got to John Cornelisons ship, wherein we entred and drunke. [1601] There wee began to make merry againe with the sailers that were therein and that had beene in the voiage with John Cornelison the yeare before and bad each other welcome. Then we rowed forward, and late in the euening got to Coola, where some of vs went on land, and some stayed in the scutes to looke to the goods, to whom we sent milke and other things to comfort and refresh them; and we were all exceeding glad that God of his mercy had deliuered vs out of so many dangers and troubles, and had brought vs thither in safety: for as then wee esteemed our selues to be safe, although ye place in times past, lying so far from vs, was as much vnknowne vnto vs as if it had beene out of the world, and at that time, being there, we thought yt we were almost at home.

The 3 of September we vnladed all our goods, and there refreshed our selues after our toylesome and weary iourney and the great hunger that we had indured, thereby to recouer our healthes and strengthes againe.

The 11 of September, [1602] by leaue and consent of the bayart, [1603] gouernour for the Great Prince of Muscouia, we brought our scute and our boate into the merchants house, [1604] and there let them stand [1605] for a remembrance of our long, farre, and neuer before sailed way, and that we had sailed in those open scutes almost 400 Dutch [1600] miles, through and along by the sea coasts to the towne of Coola, whereat the inhabitants thereof could not sufficiently wonder.

The 15 of Sep[tember] we went into a lodgie [and sailed down the river] wt all our goods and our men to John Cornelisons ship, which lay about half a mile [2 miles] from the towne, and that day [at noon] sailed in the ship [further] downe the riuer til we were beyond the narrowest part therof, which was about half the riuer, and there staied for John Cornelison and our maister, that said they would come to vs the next day.

The 17 of September [in the evening] John Cornelison and our maister being come abord, the next day about the east sunne we set saile out of the riuer [of] Coola, and with Gods grace put to sea to saile hom-wards; and being out of the riuer we sailed along by the land north-west and by north, the wind being south.

The 19 of September, about the south sunne, we got to Ware-house, and there ankored and went on land, because John Cornelison was there to take in more goods, and staid there til the sixt of October, in the which time we had a [1606] hard wind out of the north and north-west. And while we stayed there we refreshed our selues somewhat better, to recouer [from] our sicknesse and weaknesse againe, that we might grow stronger, which asked sometime, [1607] for we were much spent and exceeding weake.

The 6 of October, about euening, the sunne being south-west, we set saile, and with Gods grace, from Ware-house for Holland; but for that it is a common and well knowne way, I will speak nothing thereof, only that vpon the 29 October we ariued in the Mase [1608] with an east north-east wind, and the next morning got to Maseland sluce, [1609] and there going on land, from thence rowed to Delfe, and then to the Hage, and from thence to Harlem; [1610] and vpon the first of Nouember about noone got to Amsterdam, in the same clothes that we ware in Noua Zembla, with our caps furd with white foxes skins, [1611] and went to the house of Peter Hasselaer, that was one of the marchants that set out the two ships, [1612] which were conducted by John Cornelison and our maister. And being there, where many men woundred to see vs, as hauing estemed vs long before that to haue bin dead and rotten, the newes thereof being spread abroad in the towne, it was also caried to the Princes Courte in the Hage, [1613] at which time the Lord Chancelor of Denmark, ambassador for the said king, was then at dinner with Prince Maurice. [1614] For the which cause we were presently fetcht thither by the scout and two of the burgers of the towne, [1615] and there in the presence of those ambassadors [1616] and the burger masters we made rehearsall of our journey both forwards and backewards. [1617] And after that, euery man that dwelt thereabouts went home, but such as dwelt not neere to that place were placed in good lodgings for certaine daies, vntill we had receiued our pay, and then euery one of vs departed and went to the place of his aboad.

The Names of those that came home againe from this [1618] Voiage were [1619]:—

Jacob Hemskeck, Maister and Factor.
Peter Peterson Vos.
Geret de Veer.
Maister Hans Vos, Surgion.
Jacob Johnson, Sterenburg.
Lenard Hendrickson.
Laurence Williamson.
John Hillbrantson.
Jacob Johnson Hooghwont.
Peter Cornelison.
John Vous Buysen.
and Jacob Euartson.

FINIS.

These make up the ship’s company, which originally consisted of seventeen persons in all. The seeming discrepancy with regard to two of the names, as they appear in the list in page 193, is easily explained away. Iacob Ianszoon Hooghwout, of Schiedam, and Ian van Buysen Reynierszoon, have here their family names given in addition to their patronymics, which latter alone they had signed in the former list.

APPENDIX.

A LETTER FROM JOHN BALAK TO GERARD MERCATOR.—HENRY HUDSON’S ACCOUNT OF HIS VISIT TO NOVAYA ZEMLYA.—WRITINGS OF WILLIAM BARENTS PRESERVED BY PURCHAS.