The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-01-31


thirteenth century, by the Ieelandic historian
SsoREo SrrMEsos, in the preface to which
work. the author says I" Ia this book have
bad the old stories written down a. ] have
beard them told by intelligent people, concern
ing chiefs who have held dominion in the north
em countries, and who spoke the Danish tongue !;
and also concerning some Of their family bran
ches, according to what has been told me-
Some Of this il found in ancient family regis
tiers. in which the pedigrees Of Kings and other
personages Of high birth are reckoned up, and
part is written down after old songs, and ballads
which Our forcfathcrs had for their amusement
Now, although We cannot just say what truth
there may BE- in these, yet we have the certainty
that old and wise men hold them TO be true"
The venerable chronicler states. that in the be-
ginning Of the tenth century an Icelander or
Norwegian, called GUSsEBokx was driven by
storm TO the west Of Iceland, and there spied
continent farther west. Soon AFTER, one ERic
THE RED who had committed murder in Iceland
was banished He fitted out a vessel, and told his
friends be would go and find the land which
in SAFETY, spent three years in exploring the
country-returned 10 Iceland, and gave such
glowing account Of its pasture. wood and fish,
that 1t was called Greenland. The following
year, large colony Of Icclanders settled there.
This occurred about the year 9sl.
SruRrEsoS. from whom we obtain this &C
count, is regarded ms the most reliable authority
and was 80 recognized by the Kings historic
graphers and by the society Of northern anti
quaries. lie belonged to the ancient Norwe-
gian aristocrscy, tracing his lineage to OpIx;
and was the Jasticiary Of the Icelandic Gov
eminent Another oldauthor, CLAupus CHRIS
rorHERsoS. q Danish divine, dates the discovery
Of Greenland in the year TO- which seems TO
be corroborated by bull Of Pope GREGORY
the 9Th, issued in s35. and mentioned BY Dawn
CRAsrz, in his history n Greenland. The latter
Sas pubhshsi ABOUT century ago. IN the bull
Of the Pope the conversion of the northern ma
tons, and in express words Of the Icelanders
and Greenanders, IL committed to the first
northern apostle, ASsaARIus, who had been ap-
pointed Archbishop Of Hamburger.
The mortimer of Greenland, discovered the
coast Of America, rs far south rs Rhode
Island, as early IA the llth century The proof
is furnished by well attested remains OF their
settlements, and the chronicles before referred
TO- which are known to have been in writing O.
we now have them, more than hundred years
before the first voyage Of Columbus. We
moreover have reason to believe that some Of
their brsvest adventures, reached the Gulf of
Mexico at an earlier date, and mingled with the
ancient inhabitants Of that region, introducing
arts and customs, the vcstigcs Of which were
found on-the arrival Of the Spaniar,ls. but as
this depression is foreign to our subject. we must
return TO the Arctic
About the year 1850, nearly the whole Nor.
wegian population Of Greenland persisted their
enterprise and industry were nearly destroyed,
AMI their history almost entirely lost. II is.
however fact not generally known, that our
modern navigators are discovering Arctic re-
gions, which had been explored by the North
men more than seven hundred years ago.
These new discoveries are bringing to light
much Of the lost history of this interesting
people In 1894 was found on Kingigtorsook,
in Batlins Bay, in lat. 70 So, and long. Sc >
5 west Of Greenwich. nm inscription in Runic
characters, Of which the following is transla-
ton -
Earring Sighvatson and Borne Thordarson
and Endrid O,i,lson, Saturday before Asccn-
sion week raised these marks and cleared
ground. ll35, as good eidm mark as any we
find in Minnesota.
The old Northinrn Of Iceland and Greenland
were distinguished for enterprise and courage.
The sea was their avorite element. and no peo-
pie could better endure the Arctic cold, or
possessed greater capacity for enterprise in that
iphospitable region. They had not the science
Of our modern nayigators, but they were indie
sells were small, frequently open, or only half
decked and thus adapted 10 the use Of oars or
sails. Their crews were large, so that their
vcssels were easily handled. and from long expe-
riencc, they were perfectly at home among ice
bergs and ice fields, the terror OF modern navi.
gators in their unwieldy cran. II would. there
fore, be surprising indeed. when the subject il
fully considered, il the ancient Mortimer had
not explored the Arctic ocean long before the
discovery Of America by Columbus.
The discovery Of America by Columbus,
who died in the belief that he had discovered
part Of India-which was the object Of his
voyagc--and the discovery Of a passage to
India around the Cape Of Good Hope, by the
Portuguese navigator, Vasco de Cana, created
q universal passion for maritime adventure,
and the discovery Of countries then unknown
to the civilized world. Maritime enterprise
occupied all active minds, and was the alb
sorbpg theme Of merchants and ship owners
Above oil things they desired to find direct
route to India. the GROWING prize OF CONNER
cial ambition, which every civilized nation WAS
ambitious 10 win.
The first known suggestion Of . passage BY
the north poe from Europe to the Eas, In-
dies, was made In the year 1927. by RosxRr
Thorn. merchant Of Bristol, England. He
Al SS.~t L..