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I - A LETTER FROM JOHN BALAK TO GERARD MERCATOR

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 August 2010

Gerrit de Veer
Translated by
William Phillip
Edited by
Charles T. Beke
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Summary

A learned epistle, written, 1581, unto the famous Cosmographer, M. Gerardus Mercator, concerning the riuer Pechora, Naramsay, Cara reca, the mighty riuer of Ob, the place of Yaks Olgush in Siberia, the great riuer Ardoh, the lake of Kittay called of the borderers Paraha, [and] the countrey of Carrah Colmak; giving good light to the disoouery of the northeast passage to Cathay, China and the Malucaes.

Inclyto & celebri Gerardo Mercatori, domino & amico singulari, in manus proprias Duisburgi in Cliuia

Cvm meminissem, amice optime, quanta, cum vnà ageremus, delectatione afficerere in legendis geographicis scriptis Homeri, Strabonis, Aristotelis, Plinij, Dionis et reliquorum, laetatus sum eo quod incidissem in hunc nuncium, qui tibi has literas tradit, quern tibi commendatum esse valde cupio, quique dudum Arusburgi hîc ad Ossellam fluuium appulit. Hominis experientia, vt mihi quidem videtur, multum te adiuuerit in re vna, eaque summis à te votis expetita, et magnopere elaborata, de qua tam varie inter se dissentiunt cosmographi recentiores: patefactione nimirum ingentis illius Promontorij Tabin, celebrisque illius & opulentæ regionis sub Cathayorum rege per oceanum ad orientem brumalem. Alferius is est natione Belga, qui captiuus aliquot annos vixit in Moscouitarum ditione, apud viros illic celeberrimos Yacouium & Vnekium; à quibus Antuerpiam missus est accersitum homines rei nauticæ peritos, qui satis amplo proposito præmio ad illos viros se recipiant, qui Sueuo artifice duas ad eam patefactionem naues ædificarunt in Duina fluuio. Vt ille rem proponit, quamquam sine arte, apposite tamen, & vt satis intelligas, quod quæso diligenter perpendas, aditus ad Cathayam per orientem proculdubio breuissimus est & admodum expeditus.

Type
Chapter
Information
A True Description of Three Voyages by the North-East towards Cathay and China
Undertaken by the Dutch in the Years 1594, 1595 and 1596
 , pp. 261 - 264
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010
First published in: 1853

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