The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-10-27
WHO FIRsTD1scovERED AMERICA.
From the Chicago Post.

From the Chicago Post.
Who first discovered America? Col.
umbus was doubtless very much astonish-
ed at the optical feat which he performed
on the 18th of October, .e1492; and the
same surprise was probably experienced
few years later when the italian barber
who hitched his name to the continent.
But the question not yet answered is,
What happy foreigner first fixed his eyes
on this Ell Dorado Naturalists tell us
that America is, geologically, the oldest
world and they still trace a ridge of
granite, stretching from the ocean to the
great lakes, which, Gin the beginning"
was the first to spring above the molten
globe, destined to become the resting
place of fauna and fora, and, at last, the
footstool of man. Is it also ethnological-
ly the oldest? - (I3k
1t is now known that the Mortimer of
Scandinavia had previously made five or
six voyages hither, and effected settle.
ments at different parts on the coast Of
what is now the United States hundreds
of years before Columbus. Now the ex-
plot is generally attested and admitted,
it is seen it is just what might have been
expected. The Norwegians were enter
prising far beyond their contemporaries.
They possessed the best nautical skill of
the age They knew how to build SUBJ
stantlal ships, and how to navigate them.
They were hardy and bold-akin to the
stock whence the Anglo Saxon race
sprang.
Iceland was discovered as early as $50,
by Swede named Gardar, and four years
later by the pirate Nadodd, who named
it Snowland. Thenceforth settlement
was continuous. In 982, Eric the Red,
who had been outlawed for manslaughter,
built and manned stout ship, and pushed
boldly out from Iceland " in search of the
land lying in the ocean at the west" He
found great peninsula, which he explor-
ed for three years. when he returned and
announced the discovery of a beautiful
land, which he called Greenland" in
order, he said, to attract settlers by the
pleasing name"
The next year, fleet Of thirty five
ships under his command. sailed for
Greenland, half of which were lost in a
storm. Settlement was begun, and was
permanent till 1903. Commerce made
some progress. immigration from Nor
way was carried on. The Christian relig-
ion made its way to Greenland churches
were built, under the superintendent of
Bishopric was established. Early in the
fifteenth century the colony suddenly and
mysteriousiy persisted
But it had already discovered the con-
tinent The record of these discoveries
and explorations still exist in the Nor
land Sagas, written a century before the
age of Columbus. gf6
During the life of the Greenland colo
ny, eight voyages were made to the main
land. The ship of Biarne Heriulfson
was blown southwark in $50 and he saw
land " fiat and covered with trees" but
did not stop Fourteen years later, Lief,
son of Eric, sailed to find the land which
Biarne saw. He discovered the shores
that are believed to be Labrador and
Nova Scotia; and, pushing southwark,
entered what is supposed to have been
Massachusetts Bay. Here tents were set
and the party remained through the win
ter The next year his brother Thorvald
went to the some place, called Vinland,
and stayed two years, and during the
next hundred years struggling settle
ment was kept up and many voyages
were made.
Old manuscripts also show discoveries
of the main land at point believed to
be Florida, by Are Marson, in 983, and
Biorn Asbrandson III 998. In ITO,
Prince Madoc, of Wales, left his brothers
to quarrel over their heritage, and, fitting
out a small fleet, "sought adventures By
sea, sailing west and leaving the coast of
Ireland so far north that he came to %
land unknown, and here he saw many
strange things" Madoc is supposed, by
those who credit the story of the voyage,
to have reached Florida or Virginia He
was so delighted with the country that,
according to the Welsh records, he return
ed home and prepared a number of
ships 0en silils), and got with him such
men and women as were DESTROYS to live
in quietness, and, taking leave of his
friends, took his journey thitherward
again. We quote Hakluyt, who wrote
in 1880 This is the last ever heard of
Madoc's party, Palfrey says; The
story is not without important corrobor
alton, furnished by recent observations of
travellers among Indian tribes"
The principal norroboration consists Of
cumulative testimony, going to prove the
existence, as late as ITO, of tribe of
half-white Indians on the Mississippi and
Missouri, who spoke the WEIGH dialect
and retained book in manuscript.
The question returns, who first discov-
cred America
THE ARLINGTON EsTATE.-The Wash
ington Star says: 1t is supposed by
many that the Government holds posses
sion of Arlington by reason of the con-
fscation act. and according to the proYis.