Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-08-05
For The Herald and Rhode Islander.
To Antiquarian, Brown UniVcr-
sity, Providence, IL. j.


#, / assigned to " Antiquarian" the task OF ex-
planning it's origin and object, it was with a.
view of giving him an opportunity to correct
the error in which lac was involved. was
confident from the opinion universally express
ed, that the report attributed to Professor Scro-
bein was fiction, and without the least foun-
dation in truth that Antiquarian must have
been convinced of his error, and would be
ready to acknowledge the total groundlessness
of the pretended report alluded to and attribu-
ted to Prof Scrobein,--and If made by HIM to
the Royal Society Of Artquarians at Copen-
hagen, had grossly deceived the Royal Col
lece, and their action, founded on the report,
$50 well contrved to operate upon their Ma
tional pride as an evidence that they were the
discoveries Of the New World, long prior to
the discovery by Columbus,) had deceived the
world and that himself was among those de-
ceived, and that should not again have oc-
casion to revert to the subject But the tenac-
| lity with which Antiquarian adheres to hs
former error, regardless of the indubitable evi-
dence already adduced, by which the Report
attributed to Prof Scrobein had been provee
false and groundless, and The manner in which
| he endeavors to turn that evidence into rldi-
cule which he could not goinSoy and dUotds
| by expressing his indispostlon to enter the
| arena of controversial strife with an unknown
opponent" as he avoided the same evidence
once before on the pretence that the tedious
document could not be submitted [publlsherJ
in consequence of its great length the rd'cu-
| lousy positive manner in which Antiquarian
has treated the subject in his communication
in the Newport Daily News of the 2lst and
22d instant, obliges me, in support of the op'n-
ions and statements | have already expressed
and made, to advert once more TO the subject.
Antiquarian again refers to the report OF Prof
Scrobein, as ifhe considered il correct and ten
aGie, although the fatsehood of which he must
be aware from his own knowledge Of facts, is
stamped on the face oft. To dlsabuse those
who have been deceived by the report attrlbu-
ted to Prof Scroben and published by Anti
| Guarian, | will recitc for eucidaton and com
ment, to expose its falsty, the report referred
to as published by Antiquarian himself After
stating that Prof Scrobein of the Geological
Department of the Royal Society Of Antigua
rians, was appointed by the unanimous vote o
the College on the important mission ITO pros
ecute inquiries in relation to the Northmen,
he says in the early part Of 1882 he left hS na
| tive country for the prosecution of this work
(part of which appears to be to examine thu
d" old stone toner at Nepport,' to ascertain, al
it appears, whether it was or was not the worl
of the Northmen, whom History or Tradition
said visited this Continent at a remote period
r long prior to the discovery by Columbus. all
. August, 1882, he arrived at Newport, and hav
ing secured the cooperation Of number o
D scientific gentlemen of Newport, with severa
officers of the army at that time stationed
, therc,--he proceeded to examine and exca
vate around the Old Tower" The result o
his abors are fully detailed in the report be
, fore alluded to. In connection with informa
ton adduced from other sources, he says Il
substance that " the old ruin was an appen
dage to a temple and used for religious office
as baptistry, or baptismal font, as was tn
custom with the people in the mother cou'
try, numerous evidences Of which still exist /
simialr structures in Norway. 1t appears
have been built by the Mortimer in the eleV
enth century, during sojourn of Bishop Erie
e. in Vntland, as the Island was called from tn
excellence of its wine, and abundance OF II
grapes. The excavation around the Tower
u the time alluded to, confirmed the opln'o
y previously entertained. Under the centre (
!. the ruin was clearly shown the foundation
5 the receptmum or place where the candida
Is stood while receiving the baptismal shove
70 which was let down from large reserve
id above, into which it was collected by cor
cave roof, formed of boughs of trees, ovcrla
70 with mats of vines aud loavcs. In close pro!
90 unity to this was a second foundation, that
the palestrum, or altar of the officiating prizes
~ The aqueducts leading from these were clear
ID defined, although the greater part had bee
ed removed by the former proprictors of the Sc
&c on which il stands The temple to which IL
baptistry was contiguous, It is supposed W
either abandoned after the foundation WI
erected, or being built of Perlshable materia
its superstructure must have fallen into
III cay in the interval which elapsed from I
evacuation of the Island by the Mortimer
the lith century, and its occupation by
confcdcrotes of Roger Williams. The fou
elk dation of the temple, which was of extre'
lle length, extended across what is now NJ
rn street, at point east of where chur
was erected in 1923, at which time, as appei
a by the records of the church, it was displac
and the materials used in erecting the foun'
ton of the church"
g. "That there was a large settlement IN
ri. immediate vicinity Of this important ruin, mn
satisfactory evidence exists Ancient col
have been exhumed, some of The date of lie
~ I'd, llGO, which would lead us to belle
IN that some kind Of commercial intercourse
" isted in those days The Island in this part v
much narrower than at present, the sea ebb
and flowing IN close proximity to the Tenn
m,y,ne shell. and aqueous formations M