Nova Zembla Page #3

north of Nova Zembla.

But the current there is so treacherous...

but after many vain attempts,

we return to anchor.

The first contact with the ice...

was 1 1 days later than expected.

You have that?

Add the date.

lt's provisional.

This has nothing to do with notes, rough

sketches.

Here. This is the bill of lading.

That's important.

They don't match.

- That's irrelevant.

lt's official. black-and-white

with your signature.

Jacob van Heemskerck.

This mentions more considerably

more provisions.

A few thoughts. Plancius' signature.

He had some ideas, in case.

We're way too heavy, Willem. That makes

us vulnerable deep in the ice.

Why do we have all the extra provisions?

The weather is calm and clear.

We've reached

the north of Nova Zembla.

We seek shelter from the ice

and call this bay lce Harbor.

And now for a story.

Who feels like a story?

Something real.

Something from life.

l need one person to help me.

Someone has to walk with me.

l'll go with Gerrit on a pub crawl.

Yes.

ln Amsterdam.

When we get back,

we'll have earned a drink, haven't we?

Where shall we start?

On Zeedijk?

- Take it easy.

That's more like the place to end.

Okay, we'll take it easy.

Let's start on Damrak.

We can look at the new ships.

And we greet him and him...

and we see who made it back.

Then we'll go to the pharmacist.

l'm feeling thirsty.

And we stop at the Blue Grape for one.

- Or two.

Then we carry on...

l have to get out!

l have to get out! Out!

Now shut up, dammit!

Everything had been discussed.

l thought.

Months of preparation...

the route, finance...

l thought it all figured.

The negotiations in China.

And then to the lndies.

And the voyage back.

But what happened?

You and Plancius messed up.

You conspired.

Why is there so much more provisions

on board than agreed?

Why?

Why didn't you involve me in your plan?

- l told you that already.

Just in case.

And the other questions?

You would have objected.

What next?

What d'you think will happen now?

We'll spend the winter here.

And you'll tell the men.

We'll go ashore here...

and spend the winter here.

The whole winter.

That's months and months.

And the food?

What about food?

- lt'll be rationed.

There's enough on board.

As long as everyone sticks to his ration.

We'll manage.

We're doomed.

lf anyone has a better plan, tell me.

The ice has pushed the ship

back and forth.

And under the pressure of

the breaking ice it finally broke up.

Our ship lost when faced

with the might of nature.

We lost but don't give up.

This was all l could find.

Beans!

What's the use of beans?

l searched everywhere.

- We need greens and fresh meat.

And best of all is cochlearia.

What?

Scurvy grass. lt's magic.

You get over it in no time.

But does it grow here?

They say it does.

- Let's look.

You see those stars?

And the very clear one?

That's Orion.

A hunter.

The three stars beside it...

is called the belt. The middle star...

has the most beautiful name.

What is it?

Mintaka.

Mintaka...

The middle star.

Yes, she loves that.

What's wrong?

A bear...

Where is Oene?

Where is Oene?

Get the guns. The guns!

Come on then!

Come on then!

Mintaka!

Mintaka!

A nice name. Mintaka!

Laurens is back where he belongs.

To our Father's House.

We know that's what he always wanted.

This is the house that will protect us

and offer safety.

lf God wills.

We only want one thing.

And that is to survive.

Van Heemskerck is the captain.

He remains the captain.

But now he's a captain with no ship.

lf l look around me: 1 1 men and a bird.

God...

l'm jealous of the bird.

lf we all had two wings...

we'd be in the lndies by now.

We called it the Kept House, made

from flotsam and the beams of our ship.

The Kept House

will protect and shelter us.

lf God wills.

Soon there won't be any light.

Why not?

The light disappears for the whole winter.

Not even God's light get's here.

Gerrit...

What's the bird's name?

Mintaka.

Mintaka, that was it.

Did Barentsz know all this in advance?

That we'd end up here?

What do you mean?

That's what Vos told us.

l don't know, Claes.

But if Barentsz knew...

then he must also know

how to get us out of here.

And then?

We'll sail to China and the lndies.

And we'll buy a beautiful

big golden cage for Mintaka.

Maybe she'll start singing in the warmth.

What she does now

doesn't sound too good.

That girlfriend of yours...

Catharina...

Can she sing?

l don't know.

l am Galatea...

and l stand here among the planets.

The most beautiful star in the universe.

Thank you.

Your father says that.

He does?

To you?

Yes, the most beautiful.

He never says that to me.

And the farthest.

Boy, my daughter is

as far away from you as the sun.

Salted meat and salt herring.

Half a pound of food per person per day.

The stock of beer is frozen

and almost finished.

There are 1 7 hard round cheeses,

but not enough to last till the New Year.

We eat little and it's bitterly cold.

The freezing cold is always there.

But the worst thing...

is the lack of warmth.

Do you want me to leave?

No...

Who is Galatea?

A statue...

made of ivory.

A statue that comes to life.

Oh yes...

l'll come back tomorrow.

- No.

Come into the light.

He gave her a kiss.

Then she came to life.

Jantje.

Jantje.

My pipe, please.

When it's gone...

The skipper has smoked his last pipe.

lf you don't mind...

then l'll close my eyes for a moment.

Silence is golden.

Silence.

lndeed...

There they are.

Nelly and the children.

Don't quarrel, kids.

Keep quiet.

Papa's having a bath.

We need fresh meat.

A trap, for foxes.

The weather is calm

on this Christmas Eve.

We comfort ourselves with the thought

that the sun has passed half way...

and is on its way back to us

to give us her light.

We really yearned to see the sun.

Without God's most beautiful creation,

life is filled with misery.

Not too big...

Now close the A.

You need to work on your N.

The A is really good.

You're talented. One more time.

A friend of mine from the village...

was called Bartolomeus Huidekoper.

l bet you're glad that's not

your name, Jantje.

Bar to lo me us Hui de ko per.

Van Raamsdonck!

Table.

l'll take him from the roof.

Musket...

The cold is grueling.

lt looks like a bonus of the month

of March, but that is my comfort.

l know it can't last for ever.

it will have to get warmer in the end.

Soup.

Gerrit...

l have golden ducats.

l want you to keep them for me, if l...

if anything happens to me.

No one must know.

Really. l was to trade in China with them.

lt has to go back to Neeltje and the

children.

l don't want them thrown out of the house.

We're continuing

across the ice to the lndies.

l'm not, Gerrit.

l'm not.

Gerrit.

You have to do it. You have to lead them.

Here...

For you.

Show me a beauty that exceeds hers.

What other purpose

has such beauty than to note...

that she is nothing less than

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