How Spitsbergen Was Discovered Author(S): Martin Conway Source: the Geographical Journal, Vol

How Spitsbergen Was Discovered Author(S): Martin Conway Source: the Geographical Journal, Vol

How Spitsbergen Was Discovered Author(s): Martin Conway Source: The Geographical Journal, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Feb., 1903), pp. 142-150 Published by: geographicalj Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1775397 Accessed: 25-06-2016 03:28 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), Wiley are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Geographical Journal This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Sat, 25 Jun 2016 03:28:06 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 142 HOW SPITSBERGEN WAS DISCOVERED. Pacific side, and at last reached a settlement of the Spaniards. He reported his discoveries at Mexico, and another expedition was sent under a Franciscan, and then another under Coronado, the governor of New Galicia, and they penetrated not only into this country which has been described to you, but further on until they reached the country of the Zunis. Well, we have these three narratives: we have the narrative of Cabeza de Vaca, I think, if I remember rightly, written by himself; we have the narrative of the Franciscan Niza; and we have the narrative of Coronado, most ably written by another hand, and giving an account of the Indians. We have these three narratives, and it would be, of course, of the greatest interest to compare all they say about the Indians of this country with the discoveries respecting those isolated tribes which have been recently made after a study of several years by our friend Dr. Lumholtz. If he will allow me to say so, I should be inclined in some respects to compare him with Cabeza de Vaca; he has shown the same resolute determination in the face of con- siderable difficulties from the Indians, and in the face of considerable physical diffi- culties he has shown that determination to do what he intended to do which was shown by Cabeza de Vaca. He has also shown the same anxiety to make friends, and the same power of conciliating the people among whom he was, which enabled Cabeza de Vaca to cross the continent, and which enabled Dr. Lumholtz to make these most remarkable and valuable researches among the Indians. We have to thank him to-night for opening up to us a subject of the greatest interest, which I am sure was quite new to most of those present; we have to thank him for the admirable way in which he illustrated his paper; and we have to thank him for those beautiful songs, showing what powers these people have as musicians as well as in other arts which they practise. I am sure, therefore, you will all join with me in a very cordial vote of thanks to Dr. Lumholtz for his most valuable paper. HOW SPITSBERGEN WAS DISCOVERED. By Sir MARTIN CONWAY. ON May 18, 1596, two Dutch ships sailed from Vlieland, near Amsterdam, on a voyage destined to be famous in the annals of adventure and dis- covery.* In one ship Willem Barendszoon was chief pilot; the captain was Jacob Heemskerke Hendickszoon, proudly described on his monu- ment as " the man who ever steered his way through ice and iron." In the other, Jan Corneliszoon Rijp of Enkhuizen was captain and super- cargo, Arend Martenszoon of Amsterdam pilot. The chief honour of the voyage has always been given to Barendsz, but Heemskerke should not be forgotten, for he was a great sailor. He commanded the Dutch fleet at the victorious battle of Gibraltar in 1607, where he met his * The authorities for this voyage are an extract from Barendsz's own log, printed in Hessel Gerritz' ' Histoire du pays nomme Spitsberg,' translated in the Hakluyt Society's ' Three Voyages of W. Barents' (1876), p. xvii.; and De Veer's Journal of the voyage, translated in the same book, p. 70. See also De Jonge's ' Opkomst,' etc., vol. i. pp. 23-26; and S. Miiller's ' Geschiedenis der Noordsche Compagnie,' p. 43, note. The course of the ships is marked on Barendsz's own chart, which was engraved in 1598. This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Sat, 25 Jun 2016 03:28:06 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms HOW SPITSBERGEN WAS DISCOVERED. 143 death. His monument stands by one of the central pillars of the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam. On June 9 the two ships made Bear island, and the following day eight men landed from each ship, Barendsz and Rijp being of the number. Next day, again " going on land, wee found great store of sea-mewes egges upon the shoare, and in that island wee were in great danger of our lives: for that going up a great hill of snowe, when wee should come down againe, we thought we should all have broken our neckes, it was so steep; but wee sate upon the snowe (ons ?naers) and slidde downe, which was very dangerous for us to breake SPITSBERGEN, FROM BARENTSZ' CHART. both our armes and legges, for that at the foote of the hill there was many rockes, which wee were likely to have fallen upon, yet by Gods help wee got safely down againe. Meane time William Barendsz sate in the boate, and sawe us slide downe, and was in greater feare than wee to behold us in that danger. ... " The 12th of June in the morning, wee saw a white beare, which wee rowed after with our boate, thinking to cast a roape about her necke; but when we were neare her, shee was so great that wee durst not doe it, but rowed backe again to our shippe to fetch more men and L 2 This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Sat, 25 Jun 2016 03:28:06 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 144 HOW SPITSBERGEN WAS DISCOVERED. our armes, and so made to her againe with muskets, hargubushes, halbertes, and hatchets, John Cornellysons men comming also with their boate to helpe us. And so being well furnished of men and weapons, wee rowed with both our boates unto the beare, and fought with her while foure glasses were runne out (two hours), for our weapons could doe her little hurt; and amongst the rest of the blowes that we gave her, one of our men stroke her into the backe with an axe, which stucke fast in her backe, and yet she swomme away with it; but wee rowed after her, and at last wee cut her head in sunder with an axe, wherewith she dyed; and then we brought her into John Cornely- sons shippe, where wee fleaed her, and found her skinne to be twelve foote long: which done, wee eate some of her flesh; but wee brookt it not well. This island wee called the ' Beare Island.'" They sailed from Bear island on the 13th, in a northerly direction. At noon on the 14th they fancied they could see land to the north, but were not certain. At noon next day they were in lat. 78? 15' N.-that is to say, off the mouth of Ice fjord, but probably some way out to sea. On the 16th they met the ice-pack north of Spitsbergen, and sailed along it eastwards for 44 miles (north-east and south-east). At noon on June 17th they were in lat. 80? 10'; steering south-south-west, they came in sight of land, which was visible for about 32 to 36 miles, trending almost from west to east. "It was high land, and entirely covered with snow." Undoubtedly the north coast of Spitsbergen between Hakluyts headland and the mouth of Liefde bay was what they saw, and this was the memorable day of the island's discovery, though De Veer makes the 19th the date of this event. On the 18th they were in lat. 80? N. They sailed through ice westwards along the land till noon on the 20th. On the 19th they were in lat. 79? 49' according to De Veer. At noon on the 20th the western point of the land lay south-south-west, 20 miles distant. They sailed towards it, and " came close to a large bay (Red bay) which extended into the land towards the south." They made another attempt to get away to the north-west, but were driven back by the ice, and so, late on the 21st, both ships came to anchor at the mouth of Fair haven. " At the east point of the mouth," says Barendsz, " was a rock, which was, moreover, split, a very good landmark; " he obviously refers to Cloven cliff. "There was also a small island or rock, about 1 (? miles) from that eastern one. On the west point also was a rock, very near." It would, therefore, appear that he anchored between Cloven cliff and Vogelsang. Here or hereabouts, in lat. 79? 50', Barendsz set up a post with the arms of the Dutch upon it. The post remained standing till 1612, when the English carried it away.* Next day they " took in ballast of 7 boatsful of stones, thus much * The fact is mentioned in a resolution of the States-General, April 16, 1615.

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