The Golden Book of the Dutch Navigators


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This is a story of magnificent failures. The men who equipped the expeditions of which I shall tell you the story died in the poorhouse. The men who took part in these voyages sacrificed their lives as cheerfully as they lighted a new pipe or opened a fresh bottle. Some of them were drowned, and some of them died of thirst. A few were frozen to death, and many were killed by the heat of the scorching sun.
But what of it? It was all in the day's work. These excellent fellows took whatever came, be it good or bad, or indifferent, with perfect grace, and kept on smiling. They kept their powder dry, did whatever their hands found to do, and left the rest to the care of that mysterious Providence who probably knew more about the ultimate good of things than they did. - Summary from the preface

Chapters

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Dedication, Historical introduction 7:57 Read by Larry Wilson
Chapter I. Jan Huygen van Linschoten. Part I 21:11 Read by Jane Bennett
Chapter I. Jan Huygen van Linschoten. Part II 22:15 Read by Jane Bennett
Chapter II. The Northeast Passage. Part I 25:06 Read by Availle
Chapter II. The Northeast Passage. Part II 21:09 Read by Availle
Chapter III. The Tragedy of Spitzbergen 8:58 Read by Piotr Nater
Chapter IV. The First Voyage to India - Failure 40:27 Read by Jane Bennett
Chapter V. The Second Voyage to India - Success 23:25 Read by Jane Bennett
Chapter VI. Van Noort Circumnavigates the World. Part I 21:35 Read by Piotr Nater
Chapter VI. Van Noort Circumnavigates the World. Part II 19:04 Read by Piotr Nater
Chapter VII. The Attack Upon the West Coast of America. Part I 20:44 Read by Piotr Nater
Chapter VII. The Attack Upon the West Coast of America. Part II 20:02 Read by Piotr Nater
Chapter VIII. The Bad Luck of Captain Bontekoe 26:58 Read by Availle
Chapter IX. Schouten and Le Maire Discover a New Strait 22:04 Read by Jane Bennett
Chapter X. Tasman Explores Australia 20:04 Read by Jane Bennett
Chapter XI. Roggeveen, the Last of the Great Voyagers 10:08 Read by Foon