re despaired of; they were covered from
head to foot with a loathsome eruption. However, they at last
recovered, for which we thanked God most sincerely, for had we lost
them, the rest of us would not have had sufficient strength to launch
the boats. In spite of this warning one of the men was imprudent
enough, one day, to bring a pot of bear's liver to the fire, as he was
hungry; but Heemskerk, who was standing by, threw it out of the
window.

"The weather often grew milder, and the sea began to be free from ice,
but a single north wind brought back the most intense cold, and the
sea was again covered with ice. In the meanwhile we worked hard to get
out of our leaky vessel all that was necessary for our dangerous
voyage, but suddenly we experienced a more dreadful storm of snow,
hail, and rain, than had yet overtaken us, and which we did not expect
at this time of the year. The weather was so bad that we were obliged
to leave every thing and retreat to the hut. But we found this in a
miserable condition, for we had used the boards, of which the roof was
composed, to mend our vessels, and a piece of sail, which had taken
their place, answered its purpose so badly that the hut was full of
water. Often and often did our courage sink, and we give up in
despair, but Heemskerk always cried, 'If you do not wish to remain in
Nova Zembla, and dig your graves in the snow, you must exert all your
remaining strength to equip the boats, on which depend all our hopes
of safety.' These words acted like an electrical shock on us, and
spurred us on to do what seemed almost impossible.

"In the beginning of June, we dragged the two boats to the vessel, in
order, when all was ready, to take them from there to the edge of the
ice and launch them into the sea. Suddenly another storm arose
unexpectedly, and we were in constant dread lest the ice should break
up, and all our property be lost. In that case there would be no hope
for us; but Providence watched over us, and the storm passed by, and
did us not the slightest harm. We had now to perform our last but most
difficult task, viz: to open a passage through the ice from the ship
to the open sea, through which we might take the shallop. This, after
incredible toil, we accomplished, and loaded our two boats with the
tools and provisions we had just taken from the wreck, which consisted
of thirteen casks of biscuits, and several more of bacon, oil, and
wine. Then being all ready, we start