After the promising expedition of 1594, a much larger fleet was sent with greater ambitions. Seven ships, including large merchantmen and war ships, were equipped to sail on to Asia and open trade relations there. It was decided that the entire fleet should sail past the south of Nova Zembla, after the promising observations there the previous year.
Progress
The expedition left in late June, which was later that intended, and faced many difficulties. On the outward journey, two of the expedition ships collided in bad weather, leading to the death of four men. Once in the Vaigach Strait, south of Nova Zembla, the passage turned out to be full of drifting ice this year, and the fleet was ultimately unable to make it out onto the Kara Sea. Unrest started brewing among the crew, forcing the commanders to hang five supposed ringleaders of an imminent mutiny. When the expedition ships were still stuck in mid-September, the call was made to return to the Netherlands. In the course of November, the various ships were back in their respective harbours in the Netherlands.
