Nova Zembla Page #3

The captain decides to anchor and

go ashore looking for fresh provisions...

before we head for the cold.

The coasts are deserted.

We are explorers entering a new world.

Look up there, men. Fresh meat.

They're parrot crossbills,

we used to call them twites.

Jan, you're the lightest.

Little writer...

How about you?

Claes, come on.

Birds.

Jantje!

Every sailor in Amsterdam

wanted to join this voyage.

A fortune awaits beyond the horizon.

The men call themselves the chosen.

But why were they chosen?

Why? None of the men have something to

return to.

None have a wife or children.

No one has a home. Apart from me.

We leave the island and sail north

on a westerly wind.

Late that evening,

the island is 16 miles behind us.

Now there's only open sea.

Claes...

give it back.

Give it back.

Make him taste the blood!

Come on then.

Hold him under.

Hold him under!

Head in, head in!

Come on, boys.

Claes!

Stop it!

What's going on, Claes?

- He stole by book from my chest.

Shut up, Gerrit.

l thought he was asleep.

l didn't want to wake him.

Claes...

How often have l told you not

to get worked up like this?

Possessions on board are sacred, Claes.

All sailors know that.

You know the punishment.

The captain will tell you what will happen.

Everyone knows the rules on board?

Tomorrow morning: The widow!

Traitor.

Clear up the blood.

No one can survive 2 or 3 minutes

in that ice-cold water.

lt's your decision.

Claes will drown.

- Claes is strong.

He'll drown.

He won't make it.

Then reverse the decision.

- l can't. You decided for me.

You're the captain.

- Don't keep telling me that.

One of us is captain, it's not me.

- l'm captain and they want to believe you.

We can't let it pass.

Before you know,

it'll be like three years ago.

We had to hang a couple.

We should have whipped him

He could take 10 or even 20.

You know, Jacob...

a weak captain benefits no one.

ln the name of the Republic!

Pull!

Come on, pull!

He's stuck!

He won't make it!

You won't put this in your book, will you,

little man?

Yes l will.

l know exactly how to write it down.

Claes was the strongest man on board.

And everyone was afraid of him.

Everyone!

Apart from the captain and Barentsz.

And Claes knew all too well...

that minor infringements...

could be punished severely.

He knew that all too well.

But Claes happened to be Claes...

and Claes wasn't afraid of the devil.

Gerrit de Veer - he's writing about me!

Gerrit the quill!

One big hurray for Claes!

- Hurray!

And one big hurray for the quill!

- Hurray!

We sail east and north.

We haven't seen any ice.

That's strange because we're so far north.

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