Chapter XX: Appendix: I (3)

“Moreouer, it should seeme that there is another sort hereof; the historie of which is true, and of mine owne knowledge: for trauelling vpon the shore of our English coast betweene Douer and Rumney, I found the trunke of an old rotten tree, which (with some helpe that I procured by fishermens wiues that were there attending their husbands returne from the sea) we drew out of the water vpon dry land: vpon this rotten tree I found growing many thousands of long crimson bladders, in shape like vnto puddings newly filled, before they be sodden, which were very cleere and shining; at the nether end whereof did grow a shell fish, fashioned somewhat like a small muskle, but much whiter, resembling a shell fish that groweth vpon the rocks about Garnsey and Garsey, called a lympit: many of these shells I brought with me to London, which after I had opened I found in them liuing things without forme or shape; in others which were neerer come to ripenes I found liuing things that were very naked, in shape like a bird: in others, the birds couered with soft downe, the shell halfe open, and the bird ready to fall out, which no doubt were the fowles called barnakles. I dare not absolutely auouch euery circumstance of the first part of this history, concerning the tree that beareth those buds aforesaid, but will leaue it to a further consideration; howbeit that which I haue seene with mine eyes, and handled with mine hands, I dare confidently auouch, and boldly put downe for veritie. Now if any will obiect, that this tree which I saw might be one of those before mentioned, which either by the waues of the sea or some violent wind had been ouerturned, as many other trees are; or that any trees falling into those seas about the Orchades, will of themselves beare the like fowles, by reason of those seas and waters, these being so probable coniectures, and likely to be true, I may not without preiudice gainesay, or indeauor to confute.”—(2nd edit.) p. 1588.

Difficult as it is to understand how a man of Gerard’s genius and information could have been thus deceived, the perfect sincerity of his belief is not to be doubted. Seeing, then, how deep rooted this popular error must have been, it was no small merit of William Barentz and his companions that they should have been mainly instrumental in disabusing the public mind on the subject. That they were so, and that at the time they enjoyed the credit of being so, is manifest from the following note on the foregoing passage, made by Thomas Johnson, the editor of the second edition of the Herball, published in 1633:—

“The barnakles, whose fabulous breed my author here sets downe, and diuers others haue also deliuered, were found by some Hollanders to haue another originall, and that by egges, as other birds haue: for they in their third voyage to find out the north-east passage to China and the Molucco’s, about the eightieth degree and eleuen minutes of northerly latitude, found two little islands, in the one of which they found aboundance of these geese sitting vpon their egges, of which they got one goose, and tooke away sixty egges, etc. Vide Pontani, Rerum et vrb. Amstelodam. Hist., lib. 2, cap. 22.”

Parkinson, too, in his Theatrum Botanicum, published in 1640 (p. 1306), gives our Dutch navigators full credit for having confuted “this admirable tale of untruth”.

[615] Liggen—lay.

[616] Chart. The original has, however, nothing about any “card”, but says noch noyt dat land op die plaets bekent is geweest—nor was that land ever known on the spot (that is to say, from personal observation).

[617] This remark, which has previously been made by the author in page 5, is not founded on fact, inasmuch as reindeer do exist in Novaya Zemlya, as is there shown in note 2. In addition to the authorities cited in that place, may be given that of Rosmuislov, who passed the winter of 1768–9 to the northward of 73° N. lat., and saw there large herds of wild reindeer.—Lütke, p. 77.

[618] Des nachts—at night.

[619] De selfde getogen van de genomen hooghde. This is erroneous. It should be “from which subtracted the height aforesaid”.

[620] By de westwal heenen—along the west wall, i.e., the western shore.

[621] Boven dat eylandt niet comen—could not weather that island.

[622] Een gheweldigen inham—an extremely large bay or inlet.

[623] Laveren. See page 25, note 2.

[624] Ende moesten n. aen—and we had to go north.

[625] That is to say, the sun’s declination 23° 20′, being taken from his elevation 38° 20′, leaves 15°, the complement of the elevation of the Pole, which latter is consequently 75°.

[626] See page 76.

[627] Namely, Spitzbergen, which they had just left.

[628] Wendent over den anderen boech—went upon the other tack.

[629] In Phillips’ translation, “sun” is omitted, and the words “and then” substituted, whereby the sense is completely altered.

[630] Wat te ruymen—to be somewhat more favourable.

[631] That is, to so high a latitude.

[632] 73 graden ende 20 minuten. This is an error of the press. It should be 73° 26′.

[633] Een tamelijcken coelte—a tolerable breeze.

[634] Dandinaes: evidently a misprint for Candinaes, or Kanin Nos; respecting which, see page 38, note 3.

[635] Dreven wy in stilte—we drifted in a calm.

[636] Seven hours.

[637] Des nachts—at night.

[638] Watch.

[639] 54 graden ende 38 minuten. This is a misprint. It should be “38 degrees and 54 minutes”, from which deducting 21° 54′, the sun’s declination, there remains 27°, the complement of the height of the Pole; so that the latitude is 73°.

[640] Willebuijs landt. On the 14th of August, 1553, the unfortunate Sir Hugh Willoughby discovered land in 72° N. lat., 160 leagues E. by N. from Seynam on the coast of Norway. In consequence of this discovery, some of the old charts showed in this direction a separate coast line, to which they gave the name of Willoughby’s Land. It is to this that De Veer alludes. It is, however, now fully established that no such land exists; and there is every reason for the opinion that the coast seen by Willoughby was that of Novaya Zemlya itself. This opinion is entertained by Lütke, as well as by most geographers at the present day. See Mr. Rundall’s Narratives of Voyages towards the North-West, Introd., p. v.

[641] Een eetmael langh—during four and twenty hours. The English translator must be excused for not understanding this expression, when even the Amsterdam Latin version of 1598 has durante prandio. Whatever may be the derivation of the expression, there can be no doubt as to its real meaning.

[642] Dreven wy in stilte midden int ys—we drifted in a calm, surrounded by the ice.

[643] Here, again, the same error is committed as on the 19th of June (see page 77, note 4). The calculation is as follows:—

37° 55′ Elevation of the sun.
21° 15′ Declination of the sun.
———————
16° 40′ Complem. of elev. of Pole.
90° 0′
———————
74° 40′ Elevation of the Pole.
———————
But which should be 73° 20′
———————

[644] In this they were mistaken, owing to their error in the calculation of their observed latitude, as is shown in the preceding note. On their former visit to Lomsbay (see page 13) they made its latitude to be 74° 20′; so that now, instead of being near that spot, they must have been about a degree to the south of it. This corresponds, too, better with their observation on the following day; for it is not to be imagined that they should have been 24 hours under full-sail, and yet have made only 20 miles of northing on a N.E. by N. course.

[645] Het voormarsseijl ende besaen—the fore-topsail and spanker.

[646] Het Admiraeliteijts Eylandt—Admiralty Island. See page 13.

[647] The “Island with the Crosses” of page 16.

[648] Desire.

[649] De schipper.

[650] Bootshaeck—boat-hook.

[651] Huijt—body (literally “hide”).

[652] Here are two errors. In the first place, the difference between the sun’s elevation and declination is not 14°, but 14° 15′. This is, manifestly, an error of the press. Then, in the same way as on the 19th of June and 17th of July (see pages 77 and 89), 90°—14° 15′ is made to be 76° 15′, whereas it should be 75° 45′, which is the true latitude.

[653] Bleeckten—bleached.

[654] This would seem to be a misprint for 27°, as all the other observations made in Novaya Zemlya tend to show that at that time the variation was from 2 to 2½ points. The subject is discussed in the Introduction.

[655] The northernmost point of Novaya Zemlya. See page 24.

[656] Daer we langhs heenen laveerden—along which we tacked.

[657] Quamen wy boven de hoeck van Nassouwen—we weathered Cape Nassau. See page 16.

[658] De hoeck van Troost—Cape Comfort. See page 22, note 4.

[659] Boven opt verdeck—above on deck.

[660] Quamen wy alle boven—we all came on deck.

[661] Nae ons toe, om voor by ’t schip op te climmen—towards us, in order to climb up the bow of the ship.

[662] Wy hadden boven opt schip ons schuyten seijl gheschoren—we had placed the sail of our boat on deck as a screen.

[663] Voor opt braedspit—forward on the capstan.

[664] Een hooghen heuvel—a high hummock of ice.

[665] Te dryven—to drift, or move.

[666] Int ys beknelt soude werden—we should be crushed by the ice.

[667] Ghevaer—danger.

[668] Dattet al craeckte watter ontrent was—so that all round about us cracked.

[669] Werp ancker—kedge.

[670] Watch.

[671] Met de steven daer aen—with our stem (bow) on it.

[672] Ghevaer—danger.

[673] Noch naerder—still nearer.

[674] De grootste schotsen dryvende ys—the largest pieces of drift ice.

[675] Den cleynen Ys-hoeck.

[676] Om—round.

[677] Huppelde—limped.

[678] Met weynich coelte—with little wind.

[679] Began’t beter te coelen—the wind freshened.

[680] De Eylandt van Oraengien. On the first voyage the Islands of Orange are spoken of. See page 25.

[681] Het schip verlegghen—to change the position of the ship.

[682] Brachten—brought.

[683] Be reijs ghewonnen waer—i.e., the object of the voyage was attained, and they had become entitled to the reward offered by the States General, as mentioned on page 70.

[684] Werp-ancker—kedge.

[685] Een tamelijcke coelte—an easy breeze.

[686] De hoeck van Begheerte. Cape Desire.

[687] Boven den hoeck waren—had weathered the Cape.

[688] De Hooft-hoeck.

[689] Het Vlissingher hooft—Flushing Head.

[690] De hoeck vant Eylandt. Subsequently called Den Eylandts hoeck, or Island Point.

[691] De hoeck van den Yshaven—Ice Haven Point.

[692] Het afwater ofte Stroom Bay.

[693] Stroom—current.

[694] Clommen—climbed.

[695] Keerden omme—turned back.

[696] De pen vant roer—the tiller.

[697] Stucken gheschoven werden—were broken in pieces.

[698] Gheschoven—stove in.

[699] Stroom—current.

[700] Weygats.

[701] That is, now that we had passed.

[702] Weygats.

[703] De schoot—the sheet.

[704] De groote bras—the main brace.

[705] The bow of the ship.

[706] Bock—yawl.

[707] Weeck het ys wat wech—the ice gave way a little.

[708] Bow.

[709] Koe-voeten—crow-bars: literally cows’-feet, from the resemblance which the bifurcated end bears to the cloven foot of that animal. In one of the printed accounts of the riots of 1780 (the reference to which cannot just now be found), it is mentioned that a pig’s-foot—the “jemmy” little tool used by housebreakers—was employed in the destruction of Newgate, and surprise was expressed at the power of so small an instrument to move the large stones of which that building was constructed. The small iron hammer common in our printing-offices is likewise called a sheep’s-foot; the reason for the name being in each case the same.

[710] Gheknelt—squeezed.

[711] Vysel—a screw or jack.

[712] Voorsteven—stem.

[713] Crevice.

[714] Het schuyven des ys—from the action (pushing) of the ice.

[715] Pen—tiller.

[716] Het gantsche voorschip—the entire fore-part of the ship.

[717] In den grondt ghecomen—gone to the bottom.

[718] Ons schuijt ende boot—our boat and yawl.

[719] Pen—tiller.

[720] Borne, carried.

[721] Het bleef noch al dicht—it (the ship) remained quite tight.

[722] Naenoens—afternoon.

[723] Te schuyven vant ys—to be moved by the ice.

[724] Vaetkens—small casks.

[725] Soo dat de scheck achter van den steven geschoven werde—so that the ice-knees (chocks) started from the stern-post.

[726] Hielde de scheck noch dat zy daeraen bleef hangen—kept the ice-knees still hanging on.

[727] Ende de bouteloef brack mede stucken met een nieu cabeltou dat wy op het ys hadden vast ghemaeckt—and the bumpkin likewise broke away, with a new cable, which we had made fast to the ice. The bouteloef or botteloef (in English, bumpkin) is a piece of iron, projecting from the stem of the ship, and used for the purpose of giving more breadth to the fore-sail. It is no longer met with in square-rigged vessels, but only in small craft. It would seem to be one of the last things to which a seaman would attach a cable; but it may have been merely temporarily, or for some reason that cannot now be discovered.

[728] Jae, datter ys berghen dreven, soo groot als de soutberghen in Spaengien—yea, there drifted icebergs by us, as big as the salt mountains in Spain. Allusion is evidently here made to the celebrated salt mines of Cardona, about sixteen leagues from Barcelona, where “the great body of the salt forms a rugged precipice, which is reckoned between 400 and 500 feet in height”. See Dr. Traill’s “Observations” on the subject, in Trans. Geol. Soc. (1st ser.), vol. iii, p. 404. Our author’s familiar comparison of the icebergs to these salt rocks, may be taken as a proof that he had been in Spain, and was personally acquainted with the locality.

[729] Ende leet veel—and suffered much.

[730] Bleeft noch dicht—still remained tight.

[731] Dan—for.

[732] Fock—foresail.

[733] Timmerghereetschap—carpenter’s tools.

[734] Oock tamelijck weder ende stilletgens—also tolerable weather and calm.

[735] Wy—we.

[736] Rheden ende Elanden—deer and elks. It is unaccountable that, with this fact within his own personal knowledge, Gerrit de Veer should have expressly asserted, on two several occasions (pages 5 and 83), that there are no graminivorous animals in Novaya Zemlya, and pointedly distinguished between this country and Spitsbergen on that account. It is most probable that these animals had crossed over from Siberia on the ice.

[737] Ons scheck aen de achter-steven brack altemet noch meer stucken—and the ice-knees on the stern-post broke more and more in pieces.

[738] Maer vonden daer gantsch weynich—but found very little there.

[739] Meant, intended.

[740] Vleysch—meat.

[741] Opt ys om te ververschen—upon the ice, to freshen.

[742] Maer het bequam hem als de hondt de worst—but it agreed with her as the pudding (sausage) did with the dog. This is a Dutch proverb, made use of when any undertaking turns out badly; because the dog is said to have stolen a sausage, and to have been soundly beaten for his pains.

[743] Loerden op hem of hy oock wederom comen soude—and watched for her coming back.

[744] Meant. “Went.”—Ph.

[745] By nae—nearly.

[746] Ende drie bleven byt hout om dat te behouwen, soo werdet so veel te lichter int slepen—and three remained behind with the wood, to hew it, so that it might be the lighter to draw.

[747] Verde—far. The distance which, on the 16th September, they had estimated at nearly one Dutch mile.

[748] Conbuys. The cooking-place on board ship.

[749] Purmerend. A town in North Holland, about eight miles north of Amsterdam.

[750] Cinghel—shingle.

[751] Een afwateringhe—a fall or current of water.

[752] Een gotelinghs schoot—a falconet shot. See page 33, note 2.

[753] Balcken—the beams or principal timbers.

[754] Ons scheck ofte achtersteven vant schip wederom ghemaeckt—repaired the ice-knees or stern-post of the ship.

[755] Must.

[756] Bear.

[757] Thuys altemet dicht te maecken—by degrees to close up (the sides of) the house.

[758] Wy ghinghen vast voort—we kept on hard at work.

[759] “Northly.”—Ph.

[760] Teghens—against.

[761] We rechten het huys op—we erected (i.e., completed the erection of) our house.

[762] Een Meyboom—a May-tree. According to Adelung, in his Hochdeutsches Wörterbuch, “Maybaum” is in many parts of Germany the vernacular name of the birch-tree, especially the common species (Betula alba), also called the May-birch, or simply “May”,—as the hawthorn is called in England,—branches of which are used for ornamenting the houses and churches in the month of May.

The same name is given to the green branch of a tree, or at times the whole tree itself—frequently the birch, but not exclusively so—which is set up on occasions of festivity. This is the meyboom of the Dutch; and it would seem on the one hand to be the original of our English May-pole, and on the other to have degenerated into the flag which our builders are in the habit of hoisting on the chimneys of houses, when raised.

[763] Alsoo wy nu...laghen—because we now lay.

[764] Heel open—quite open.

[765] Wy laghen tot den grondt toe bevroren—we lay frozen right down to the ground.

[766] “Then.”—Ph.

[767] Het vooronder—the forecastle.

[768] Deelen—planks.

[769] In den mitten wat hoogher—somewhat higher in the middle.

[770] Ende braken het achteronder mede uyt, omt huijs voort dicht te maeckten—and pulled down likewise the poop, in order (therewith) to go on closing up the house.

[771] “W. and S.W.”—Ph.

[772] “First.”—Ph.

[773] Sneeu—snow.

[774] Climbed.

[775] Boven—on deck.

[776] Boven opt schip—on the deck of the ship.

[777] “Kept.”—Ph.

[778] Zijnde een iopen vat, aen den bodem stucken ghevroren—which, being a cask of spruce beer, had burst at the bottom through the frost.

From a very early period a decoction, in beer or water, of the leaf-buds (gemmæ seu turiones) of the Norway spruce fir (Abies excelsa), as well as of the silver fir (Abies picea), has been used, formerly more than at present, in the countries bordering on the Baltic Sea, in scorbutic, rheumatic, and gouty complaints. See Magneti Bibliotheca Pharmaceutico-Medica, vol. i, p. 2; Pharmacopœia Borussica (German translation by Dulk), 3rd edit., vol. i, p. 796; Pereira, Elements of Materia Medica, 3rd edit., vol. ii, p. 1182.

These leaf-buds are commonly called in German, sprossen, and in Dutch, jopen; whence the beer brewed therefrom at Dantzig—cerevisia dantiscana, as it is styled in the Amsterdam Latin version of 1598—acquired the appellations of sprossenbier and jopenbier, of the former of which the English name, spruce-beer, is merely a corruption.

The “Dantzig spruce” of commerce, which is known at the place of its manufacture by the names of doppelbier, jopenbier, and even “sprucebier”, is the representative at the present day of the medicated sprossenbier of former times; though, curiously enough, the ingredient from which it derived its distinctive appellation (i.e., the sprossen or jopen) appears to be now left out in its preparation.

[779] Uyt liep—ran out.

[780] Den bodem—the bottom.

[781] Scarcely.

[782] In de selvighe vochticheyt was de cracht vant gantsche bier—in that liquid part lay the whole strength of the beer.

[783] Shovelled.

[784] “S.E. and by S.E.”—Ph.

[785] Braecken wy de kuiuyt wech—we pulled down the cabin.

[786] Het portael—the entrance hall, or porch.

[787] Met brandthouten smeten—threw billets of firewood at her.

[788] Quam hy effenwel seer vreeselijck tot haer aen—came towards them in a most terrific manner.

[789] Int ruijm—in the hold.

[790] Clam int fockewant—climbed up the fore-rigging.

[791] Eenige openinghe van water in de zee—some open places of water in the sea.

[792] Banden—hoops.

[793] De joopen vaten—the spruce-beer casks. See page 114, note 2.

[794] Bock—yawl.

[795] Teghens den somer—towards the summer.

[796] Te begheven—to leave us.

[797] See page 78, notes 2 and 3.

[798] Frighten.

[799] In een scheur tusschent ys in—into a crevice in the ice.

[800] Onder—below. The caboose had been removed below on account of the extreme cold on deck, as is mentioned in page 108.

[801] Their firearms had matchlocks.

[802] Overt schip heenen—out beyond the ship.

[803] Rabbits.

[804] Stelden wy onse orlogie wederom dat de clock sloech—we set up our clock, so that it (went and) struck (the hour).

[805] Melted.

[806] Tweer was ghebetert—the weather improved.

[807] Zy conden uyt haer ooghen niet sien—they could not see out of their eyes.

[808] Cinghel—shingle.

[809] Doen ghingh de son heel dicht boven der aerden, weynich boven den horisont—then the sun went quite close over the earth, but little above the horizon.

[810] Niet een hooft dorsten uyt steecken—not one of us durst put his head out of doors.

[811] Doncker—dark, overcast.

[812] “December.”—Ph.

[813] Hy quam met zijn volle rondicheyt niet boven—it did not show (rise with) its whole disk.

[814] Ende de beyren ghinghen doen mede wegh—and then the bears also went away.

[815] Den boven cant—the upper edge.

[816] De mars—the round top.

[817] The question of refraction, arising out of this and other observations, is discussed in the Introduction.

[818] De son peijlden—observed (lit. measured) the sun.

[819] “Off.”—Ph.

[820] That is to say, the sun’s longitude was 221° 48′, or 41° 48′ from the autumnal equinox.

[821] Onse surgijn—our surgeon.

[822] Te stoven—lit. to stew. This is the primary sense of the word stew, which afterwards, like its synonym bagnio, acquired a very different meaning. The bath used appears to have been a vapour bath.

[823] Mette son—with the sun.

[824] Weder quam—it returned.

[825] Under the parallel of 76°, the moon continues incessantly above the horizon about seven or eight days in each month.

[826] Vermoeden wy geen dagh, doent al dagh was—we thought that it was not day, when it already was day.

[827] Hadde op dien dagh niet uyt de koy gheweest—had not that day been out of bed.

[828] So wast wel opt hooghste van den dagh—it was truly the height of day.

[829] Loot—a loot or half-ounce; of which 32 go to the pound. The quantity mentioned above is equal to 4 pounds 11 ounces avoirdupois.

[830] Was meest al de cracht uytgevroren—had almost all its strength frozen out of it.

[831] Een ronden hoep—a round hoop.

[832] Dat men se in huys mochten toe halen ghelijck een val, als de vossen daer onder quamen—so that when the foxes came under it, as in a trap, we might drag them into the house.

[833] Met een betoghen lucht—with a cloudy sky.

[834] Locxkens. In Sewel’s Dutch and Eng. Dict. by Buys, Lokje, the modern form of this word, is thus defined:—“a little hollow log, such as seamen sometimes use to put sauce in, for want of another dish: hence it is that some will call any saucer with that name.”

[835] Melted.

[836] Een betoghen lucht—a cloudy sky.

[837] Een ghetemperden lucht—a moderate sky.

[838] Een betoghen lucht—a cloudy sky.

[839] A piece of coarse woollen cloth.

[840] Tot hemden—for shirts.

[841] Hemden—shirts.

[842] Wrung.

[843] Se ghebroken—broken them.

[844] Boiling.

[845] Bequaem—suitable, good.

[846] De schipper ende stuerman; namely, Jacob Heemskerck and William Barentsz.

[847] Noch—yet.

[848] Koyen kasen—lit. cow-cheeses, because they were made from the milk of cows, and not of sheep, as is not uncommon in the Netherlands.

[849] Ejinde van sparren—ends of spars.

[850] “North-east.”—Ph.

[851] De barbier—the barber. This is the person who on a former occasion (page 121) was called de surgijn—the surgeon. In the general decline of science during the middle ages, surgery, as a branch of medicine, became neglected, and its practice, in the rudest form, fell into the hands of the barber; from whose ordinary avocations of cutting the hair, shaving the beard, paring the nails, etc., the step was not very great to the operations of tooth-drawing, bleeding, cupping, dressing wounds, setting broken limbs, etc. And, with these functions of the surgeon, the barber not unreasonably assumed his title also.

The rivalry between these barber-surgeons and the pure surgeons, who again sprang up on the revival of learning, is matter of history.

In England, a compromise between the two rival bodies was early effected by means of the union of the barber-surgeons and surgeons of London, by the statute of 32 Hen. VIII, c. 41 (A.D. 1540), which, while nominally amalgamating them, virtually effected the separation of the two professions; inasmuch as those members of the united corporation “using barbery”—as it was somewhat barbarously expressed—were prohibited from “occupying any surgery, letting of blood, or any other thing belonging to surgery, drawing of teeth only except”; while, on the other hand, surgeons were forbidden to “use barbery”. And the natural consequence was their formal separation into two entirely distinct bodies by the Act of 18 Geo. II, c. 15 (A.D. 1745).

On the continent, the barber-surgeon retained his rank to a much later date; and in France, in particular, till the revolution of 1793. But, instead of abandoning the razor to the hair-dresser, he still claimed the right of wielding it, “as being a surgical instrument”; so that, in order to distinguish between the two, it was ordained by Louis XIV, that the barber-surgeon should have for his sign a brass basin, and should paint his shop-front red or black only, whereas the barber-hairdresser should display a pewter basin, and paint his shop-front in any other colour. Blue was the colour usually adopted by the barber-hairdressers, and to this colour their name has in consequence become attached. That the connexion between the two is still not lost sight of in France, is proved by the following extract from the Comédies et Proverbes of Alfred de Musset, p. 510:—

“Madame de Léry.—Autant j’adore le lilas, autant je déteste
Mathilde.—C’est la couleur de la constance. [le bleu.
Madame de Léry.—Bah! c’est la couleur des perruquiers.”

Un Caprice.

Those professors of shaving and hairdressing, whose poles, painted red or black alternating with white, still decorate our streets, commit therefore a great mistake in using either of these two colours. “True like the needle to the pole,” as Lieutenant Taffril wrote to Jenny Caxon (“To cast up to her that her father’s a barber and has a pole at his door, and that she’s but a manty-maker hersel! Fy for shame!”), they should confine themselves to the colour of constancy—and of the hairdressers; unless, indeed, they should happen to unite tooth-drawing to their other avocations, in which case they might perhaps, in strict right, be entitled to set up the red or black stripe of the barber-surgeons.

[852] Die gheleghentheyt diente van ons waer ghenomen te zijn—it was important for us to avail ourselves of the opportunity.

[853] Alle de deuren waren toe ghewaeyt—all the doors were blown to.

[854] Een helderen lucht—a clear sky.

[855] Quite.

[856] Wear.

[857] See page 61, note 8.

[858] Ondert verdeck—under the deck, i.e., below.

[859] Icebergs.

[860] Op malcanderen stuwen ende gheschoven werden—were drifting and heaping one upon the other.

[861] Jae selfs in de koyen—yea, even in the cots.

[862] Mochte—could.

[863] “North-east.”—Ph.

[864] Vallen—traps.

[865] Sareetsche secke—Xeres seco, or sherry-sack.

[866] Heet—hot, strong.

[867] Over—over.

[868] Independently of the quiet humour of this observation, it is worthy of remark, as showing that at that early period the cooling of wine by means of ice or snow was practised by the Dutch.

[869] Een vlieghenden storm uyten n. o.—a hurricane out of the N.E.

[870] Steen-colen—stone or mineral coal; so called to distinguish it from charcoal, the usual fuel on the continent.

[871] Maer wy wachtede ons voor de weerstuijt niet—but we did not guard ourselves against the consequences.

[872] Cots.

[873] Een sodanighen duyselinghe—a sudden dizziness.

[874] Started.

[875] Swoon.

[876] Cot.

[877] Liep daer heenen—ran thither.

[878] Haelde flucks edick ende vreef hem dat in zijn aensicht—quickly fetched some vinegar and rubbed his face with it.

[879] In eenen swijm—in a swoon.

[880] “North-east.”—Ph.

[881] Een helderen lucht—a bright sky.

[882] Shoes.

[883] Wyde clompen—loose clogs or slippers.

[884] Sheep.

[885] Were.

[886] Blaren ende buylen—“blains and boils.”

[887] De Reus—the Giant, as the constellation Orion is called, after the Arabic El-djebbâr. The star Bellatrix γ Orionis, which was here observed, is usually said to be in the left shoulder. It depends, however, upon which way “the Giant” is considered as looking. The exact declination of this star for the end of the year 1596 is + 5° 58′,4 N.; so that, after allowing 2′,6 for refraction, the complement of the height of the Pole is 14° 17′, and the height of the Pole is 75° 43′.

It is not possible for Betelgeuze, (α) in the right shoulder of Orion, to have been the star observed; for the latitude resulting from it would be upwards of 79°.

[888] “Twenty-eight.”—Ph.

[889] De onuytspreklijcke ondraechelijcke coude—the inexpressible, intolerable cold.

[890] Wore.

[891] Een joopen vat met water—a spruce-beer cask full of water.

[892] Stopten eerst alle de gaten dicht toe—first closely stopped all the holes.

[893] Ruijm—hold.

[894] Grondt—bottom.

[895] Calculated.

[896] T’uyterste perck—the utmost limit.

[897] “Eighteen.”—Ph.

[898] Hoe well datter gheen dagh was—though there was no daylight.

[899] Heard.

[900] In de pot ofte aent spit—in the pot or on the spit.

[901] Keughels—balls.

[902] Cots.

[903] Dattet int afgaen vanden bergh was: te weten, dat de son zijn wegh wederom nae ons toe nam—that we were now going down hill; that is to say, the sun was now on his way back to us.

[904] De daghen die langhen zijn de daghen die stranghen, dan hoope dede pijn versoeten—“the days that lengthen are the days that become more severe [?];” but “hope sweetened pain”. These are two Dutch proverbs, strung together somewhat after the fashion of Sancho Panza. The former is equivalent to “as the day lengthens, so the cold strengthens”, and “cresce ’l dì, cresce ’l freddo”, cited in Ray’s English Proverbs, p. 37.

[905] Bynaest...verbranden—almost burned.

[906] Boers—boors, peasants.

[907] Ter poorten van de steden incomen—come in at the gates of the towns. It would almost seem that in the text the word is sleden and not steden; so that the meaning would be, “come in at the gates from their sledges”. But, as the fact is that the boors enter the gates in their carts, and that those who come in sledges must necessarily reach the town by the water side, where there are no gates, it can scarcely be doubted that the proper reading is steden. The translator appears to have wished to provide for both cases.

[908] Onder weghen gheweest zijn—have been travelling.

[909] Croop—crept.

[910] Hoet daer ghestelt was—how matters stood there.

[911] Een betoghen lucht—a cloudy sky.

[912] Cellar.

[913] Several.

[914] De trappen te maecken—to set the traps.

[915] Stockings.

[916] Onghemack—hardship.

[917] “This.”—Ph.

[918] Begonnen—began.

[919] Het block—the block.

[920] Bergher visch: so called because it comes principally from Bergen in Norway.

[921] Wasset weder wat besadicht—the weather was somewhat milder.

[922] Als een verwulfsel van een boogh ofte kelder—like the arch of a vault or cellar.

[923] Gheslooft—toiled.

[924] Drie Coninghen Avondt—Three Kings’ Even. The fifth of January, as being the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, is properly “Twelfth Night”. But, in England, the vigils or eves of all feast days between Christmas and the Purification having been abolished at the Reformation (see Wheatley, Rational Illustration of the Book of Common Prayer, Oxford, 1846, p. 165), this season of festivity, thus deprived of its religious character, was transferred to the evening after the feast; so that Twelfth Night was thenceforward kept on the evening of the 6th of January.

[925] Begheerden aen den schipper—requested the skipper.

[926] Conincxken speelden—drew for king (lit. played at kings).

[927] Een wittbroods beschuijt—a (captain’s) biscuit made of wheaten flour.

[928] Fancying ourselves to be.

[929] Banquet.

[930] Uytgedeelt—distributed.

[931] This estimated length includes the island of Waigatsch.

[932] Namely, the Northern Ocean and the Sea of Kara.

[933] Could.

[934] Want de coude leerde ons noch wel niet langhe uyt blyven, om dattet buyten niet snick heet was—for the cold itself was quite enough to teach us not to stay long out, inasmuch as out of doors it was not smoking hot.

[935] “N.E.”—Ph.

[936] “N.W.”—Ph.

[937] Oculus Tauri. The exact declination for this year of α Tauri or Aldeberan is + 15° 40′,2; so that the complement of the height of the Pole, after allowing 1′,7 for refraction, is 14° 12′,1, and the height of the Pole is 75° 47′,9. The mean of this observation, and that of γ Orionis, on December 14th, 1596 (page 131), is 75° 45′,5, which may be regarded as being a very close approximation to the true latitude of the expedition’s wintering-place. From the author’s statement, it appears that William Barentsz was of opinion that they were to the north of the 76th parallel, instead of to the south, as this corrected calculation makes their position to be. This only shows the importance of recording and publishing all observations in their original form, regardless of their apparent results, however anomalous. When a traveller’s observations are for years kept back, in order that they may be “revised”, the world may not uncharitably surmise that eventually they will not be presented to it in their integrity.

[938] Also dat dese metinghe vande voornoemde sterre ende eenighe andere sterren, soo mede de metinghe van de sonne, alle over een quamen dat wy—so that the measurement of the above-named star and of some other stars, as well as the measurement of the sun, all agreed (in showing) that we....

It will be seen in the sequel that the observations of the sun agree rather in showing the contrary of what is above contended for.

[939] Liepen uyt ende schoten de cloot met de cloot van de vlayh-spil, die wy voor heen niet conden sien loopen—ran out and played at ball (lit. threw the ball) with the truck of the flag-staff, which before that time we had not been able to see run.

[940] Stil weder met een betoghen lucht—calm weather with a cloudy sky.

[941] Twee vossen—two foxes.

[942] Bolckvanger—a seaman’s rough coat.

[943] Verdeck—deck.

[944] Om ons leden wat te verstercken, met gaen, werpen ende loopen—to strengthen our limbs a little with walking, throwing (the ball), and running.

[945] Maer des nachts vroort wederom effen cout—but at night it froze again just as cold (as before).

[946] Begonde vast te minderen—began to diminish fast.

[947] Swymen—swooning.

[948] De open schuyten—the open boats.

[949] Wast een betoghen lucht ende stil—the sky was cloudy and calm.

[950] De cloot schieten—to throw the ball.

[951] That is to say, they all three saw it, but Gerrit de Veer saw it first.

[952] Which had not been visible since the 3rd of November, as is mentioned in page 121.

[953] Dat de sonne aldaer ende op die hooghde openbaren souden—that the sun should appear there and in that latitude.

[954] Disich—hazy.

[955] Daer van wy wel anders versekert zijn—with respect to which we well know the contrary.

[956] This makes the date to have been the twenty-fifth of January. On the 24th, the sun was only in the fourth degree of Aquarius. And all the details furnished by the author concur in proving, that, in spite of his assertion of extreme precision as to the date, the conjunction of the moon and Jupiter,—and, inferentially, the first appearance of the sun also,—took place on the 25th of January, instead of the 24th, as stated.

On January 25th, at midday, when the sun’s longitude was 305° 25′,1, or 5° 25′,1 of Aquarius, its declination was—18° 57′,4: consequently, its centre was 4° 42′,4, and its upper edge 4° 26′,4, below the horizon. The mean refraction at the horizon cannot, however, be estimated at more than 34′9, or, with an assumed temperature of -8° Fahren., 39′,3; so that the extraordinary and anomalous refraction amounts to no less than 3° 49′.

[957] Ons eerste gissinghe—our first calculation.

[958] That is to say, till February 6th. But on that day, the sun’s declination being—15° 56′,4, it was 1° 41′ below the horizon in 75° 45′ N. lat., and therefore still invisible there. In lat. 76° it would have been as much as 1° 56′.

In 75° 45′ N. lat. the sun’s upper edge would have been properly first visible on February 9th, when the sun was in 10° 29′,2 of Aquarius, or longitude 319° 29′,2; its declination then being—15° 0′,5, with an assumed refraction of half a degree.

[959] Appeared.

[960] “Leave.”—Ph.

[961] Josephus Schala. The title of the work here referred to, as given in De Lalande’s Bibliographie Astronomique, p. 120, is “Josephi Scala, Siculi, Ephemerides ex Tabulis Magini, ab anno 1589 ad annum 1600 continuatæ, una cum introductionibus Ephemeridum Josephi Moletii. Venetiis, 1589, 4to.” It is not in the library of the British Museum, nor in that of the Royal Astronomical Society. This is, however, of no moment; as Mr. Vogel, to whose kindness I am indebted for so much valuable assistance, has calculated the time of the conjunction at Venice, and makes it differ only 57 seconds from Scala’s computed time.

[962] In the astronomical reckoning of time, the date was certainly January 24th; but, then, “one in the night time” of that day—which would correctly be called January 24 days 13 hours—corresponds with 1 o’clock in the morning of January 25th, in the civil reckoning of time.

[963] January 23d 12h, mean time, Paris, corresponding with midnight between January 23rd and 24th in the civil reckoning of time,—which at Venice would be 20 minutes to 1 o’clock in the morning of January 24th,—the moon’s longitude was 19° 57′,3 and her latitude + 2° 0,7, while Jupiter’s longitude was 32° 12′,0 and his latitude—1° 4′,6; so that there was no conjunction on that day. On the other hand, January 24d 12h 59m 3s mean time, Venice, corresponding with 57 seconds to one o’clock in the morning of January 25th, the position of the two planets was as follows:—

Moon. Longitude 32° 17′,3 Latitude + 2° 58′,3
Jupiter. ,, 32° 17′,3 ,, — 1° 4′,3

that is to say, they were then in conjunction; their position in the heavens being near the star α Arietis.

[964] This can only be understood in a general sense, as meaning that it was somewhere about six o’clock in the morning. For at the time of the conjunction, the sun was more than 20° below the horizon; and as the dawn is not perceptible till the sun is about 18° from the horizon, they could not have possessed even this imperfect means of observing its general bearing, without the aid of the anomalous refraction.

[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.