Willem Barentsz

Willem Barents

Willem Barents (1550? − 20 Juin 1597, Dutch name Barentsz) wis a Dutch navigator an explorer, leader o aerlie expedeetions in far northren watters.

In 1594 he sailed frae Amsterdam wi twa gaileys for ti graip for the Northeast passage ti aestren Asie. He reached the wast coast o Novaya Zemlya, an follaed it northward, until he wis forced ti turn back whan bi its northren tip.

The follaein year he commaundit anither expedeetion o sieven gaileys, that sailed for the strait atween the Asie coast an Vaygach Island, but wis ower late ti finnd clear watter. His thrid trip failed forby an endit wi his daith. That time he haed twa ships, an on the gate oot sichtit Beir Island an Svalbard (kent as Spitsbergen forby), whaur the gaileys pairtit. Barents' veshel, aifter gaun aboot the north o Novaya Zemlya, wis catched in the ice an the crew haed ti winter on Novaya Zemlya, strippin thair gailey's deckhooses an spare timmer for ti big a ludge. Sin the gailey wisna free'd frae the ice till aerlie in 1597, Barents pairty left her in twa open boats on 13 June 1597 an maist o the crew escaped. Houaniver Barents hissel dee'd on 20 June 1597.