18 AUGUST 1877, Page 24

Tie Three Voyages of William Barents to the Arctic Regions.

Second Edition, with an introduction by Lieutenant 13eynen. The first edition of this work was issued by the Hakluyt Society, and produced in 1853, under the editorship of the lute Dr. Beke. It was a reprint of Phillips's translation of the work of Gerrit do Veor, who accompanied Barents in the last two expeditions, which appeared in 1609, eleven years after the publication of the Dutch original, with foot-notes emending and ex- plaining the text, for it seems Phillips's acquaintance with Dutch was by no means perfect. Along with this quaint production is given fac- similes of the original plates, which have boon faithfully executed, and add considerable value to the work. The most noticeable foatnre of the second introduction is the reconsideration of the question whether Olivier -Brunel and the Alferius mentioned by Bulak were one and the same person. This Brunel was not only the founder of the White-Sea trade of the Dutch, but their first Arctic voyager, and Dr. Bake contended for their eeparate identity. The present editor, however, who has had the advantage of the labours of Mr. S. Muller, has produced important eir- tumstantial evidence, which almost establiehes conclusively that Dr. Bake was in error. The history of this Brunel is very interesting, and we are glad that the name and deeds of so illustrious a pioneer into these regions has been rescued from undeserved oblivion. Why " Barentsz," the orthography which Dr. Boke adopted in his foot-notes, has been changed in the second introduction to " Barondsz " does not appear.