Thus was instituted on the desolate shores of Fire Land the order of Knights of the Unchained Lion, with such rude solemnities as were possible in those solitudes.  The harbour where the fleet was anchored was called the Chevaliers’ Bay, but it would be in vain to look on modern maps for that heroic appellation.  Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego know the honest knights of the Unchained Lion no more; yet to an unsophisticated mind no stately brotherhood of sovereigns and patricians seems more thoroughly inspired with the spirit of Christian chivalry than were those weather-beaten adventurers.  The reefs and whirlwinds of unknown seas, polar cold, Patagonian giants, Spanish cruisers, a thousand real or fabulous dangers environed them.  Their provisions were already running near exhaustion; and they were feeding on raw seal-flesh, on snails and mussels, and on whatever the barren rocks and niggard seas would supply, to save them from absolutely perishing, but they held their resolve to maintain their honour unsullied, to be true to each other and to the republic, and to circumnavigate the globe to seek the proud enemy of their fatherland on every sea, and to do battle with him in every corner of the earth.  The world had already seen, and was still to see, how nobly Netherlanders could keep their own.  Meantime disaster on disaster descended on this unfortunate expedition.  One ship after another melted away and was seen no more.  Of all the seven, only one, that of Sebald de Weerdt, ever returned to the shores of Holland.  Another reached Japan, and although the crew fell into hostile hands, the great trade with that Oriental empire was begun.  In a third—­the Blyde Boodachaft, or Good News—­Dirk Gerrits sailed nearer the South Pole than man had ever been before, and discovered, as he believed, a portion of the southern continent, which he called, with reason good, Gerrit’s Land.  The name in course of time faded from maps and charts, the existence of the country was disputed, until more than two centuries later the accuracy of the Dutch commander was recognised.  The rediscovered land however no longer bears his name, but has been baptized South Shetland.

Thus before the sixteenth century had closed, the navigators of Holland had reached almost the extreme verge of human discovery at either pole.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Military Operations in the Netherlands—­Designs of the Spanish Commander—­Siege of Orsoy—­Advance upon Rheinberg—­Murder of the Count of Broeck and his garrison—­Capture of Rees and Emmerich—­ Outrages of the Spanish soldiers in the peaceful provinces—­ Inglorious attempt to avenge the hostilities—­State of trade in the Provinces—­Naval expedition under van der Does—­Arrival of Albert and Isabella at Brussels—­Military operations of Prince Maurice—­ Negotiation between London and Brussels—­Henry’s determination to enact the Council of Trent—­His projected