The native American., 1838-05-05
From the Philadelphia Herald.
DISCOVERY OF AMERICA


About two years ago, we gave brief account
OF work then in course Of publication by The
Royal Sociefy Of Northern antiquities at Co.
penhdgen, which proved that the Western con-
tnent had been discovered by the Mortimer or
Scandinavians, several centuries prior to its dis
covery by Columbus. Accounts Of scandinavian
discoveries upon the Western continent written
in the lcelandic language, had long been known
TO exist in Iceland, and Columbus is believed to
have examined them before his first Western
voyage. AT least it is certain that he made
voyage to Iceland, before he sailed on that memo
rable expedition. These Icelandic manuscripts
have been collected and published by this Danish
Antiquarian Society, with translations into Danish
and Latin, an abstract of them in English,
commentary in Latin upon the geographical ques-
tions involved in the subject, and correspondence
upon the same subject, between the Danish
Society and The Historical Society Of Rhode
Island. The English abstract had been repub-
lished in New York. These Icelandc manu-
scripts were written by various Icelandc authors
Of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and
give accounts of various voyages of the Scandina-
vians to Greenland and other parts of the Western
|contnent
1t is we'll known that the Scandnavians, from
the earliest ages, the most skilfnl and adven-
turous navigators of Europe, and in their piratica
expeditions, frequently ravaged the British Isles,
and the Western and Southern coasts of Europe
They subdued one ofthe finest portions of France,
to which they gave the name of Normandy, or
land of the North men; and the Normans of France
still show their Scandinavian origin in their light
hair, blue eyes, expanded foreheads, intelligence,
probity and stability. They conquered England
under Canute Of Denmark, entered the Medi-
terranean, subdued Sicily, conquered CONSTANT
nople from the Greeks, and established an empire
on the Asiatic coast, of which Jerusalem was the
capital. They had colonized Iceland in 875, and
Greenland in 9s6.
II may well be supposed that a people so adj
venturous and skilful in navigation as the Scam
dinavians, might easily discover America, after
having approached SO near it as Iceland and much
more easily after having colonized Greenland.
glance at the map will show that Iceland is not
above 700 or 500 miles distant from Norway,
and less than 800 miles from the Eastern coast of
Greenland. Common sense declares that people
sufficiently skilful in navigation to 60 500 miles
across the ocean and found colony, for the
lcelanders are Scandinayans, could 60 900 miles
further in the same direction; and history shows
that they did reach this other distance, and colo
nze Greenland. Now Greenland is either a part
of the American continent or an island OH its coast
The Southern extremity, Cape Farewell, is in
latitude 60 n, and Southerly wind could scarce
ly have failed of carrying these adventurous
mariners from Cape Farewell across Davis Straits,
to the coast of Labrador less than hundred miles.
Having got there, they could easily find the coast
of the United States, and these Iceandic accounts
furnish strong evidence Of their having landed
upon the coast Of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
In short, we think it more extraordinary that the
Scandinayans, having reached Iceland, and espe-
cially Greenland, should not have discovered the
more Southern coasts of North America, than that
they should. 1.
This being established, we have satisfactory
explanation Of many relics Of more civilized
people than the Indians, which have been found.
at different times, upon the Eastern coast of North
America. Among other yestiges of antiquity, the
characters engraved upon the celebrated rock At
Dighton, near Barnstabe Bay, in Massachusetts.
have perplexed all American antiouaries. some
have supposed them to be Phenician. But are
they not Runc, the alphabetic character Of the
ancient Scandinavians !? If not accurately ike
the Runic letters found in printed books, or manu-
scripts written with care, we must remember that
the engraver might have been a common sailor
and his instrument knife, hatchet or mari,
spike. '''''''A
We hope that for the benefit of the great nm.
Der OF readers in the United States, this Danish
work will be translated into English.