The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-07-24
WHO DISCOVERED AMER.
ICA3
| Translated from the Spanish By Mrs.
Hunt-Morqdn.l

Httnt-MorgdR.l
It is with considerable surprise
that during the past few days we
have heard of the existence of 8
commission of distinguished Nor
wegians, citizens of the United
States, formed with the object OF
erecting in Madison, of Wisconsin,
| q monument in honor of Left Erik
son, as the discover of the American
continent. The funds are already
collected, and the statue is to be un-
yelled July 4, 1876, when many of
the notabiIities of Sweden and Nor
way will come to the ceremony.
The State of Wisconsin has been
coIonized principally by Scandina-
Vians, and if this new project was
to have its birth anywhere it does
not surprise us that it should be
there, where are domieiIed SO many
Norwegians of great reputation in
the country for their scientific cul-
ture and talent
Time was when the voyages of the
ScandinaVians to America in the
Middle Ages were matters of dis
pute; and although, given the cir
cumstances, and granted their exac-
titude, the glory of the great &C.
noVese can in nowise be diminished
his name being proudly borne by
one of the Latin-American Repub-
lics-yet the new documents which
for some years have appeared on
this subject give to the question a
high degree of interest, and we
will, in q few words, explain what
- tlnn HaoI ct nf fhn
Preserved in the archives of CO.
peAhagen were discovered certain
manuscripts, or Iceiandic Sagas,
whose authenticity has been sus-
tanned by eminent European archa-
ologists, and from which we learn
that q Norwegian called Biarne
Herrjulfson, captain and master of
q ship which sailed as far as Green
land in the year $50, was driven by
the winds south of its course as far
as Vinland, Afterward Left Erik
son purchased the vessel OF Biarne,
and with thirty-five men went to
examine the country which his pred
ecessor had only imperfectly seen.
In the year 1000, he disembarked
in what is now called New England,
and passed an entire winter on Fall
river, Massachusetts, where he left
a celebrated inscription, which was
discovered long after. Another
EriksoR made a second landing in
LOOP, died from a wound caused by
an Indian arrow, and was inferred
at q place now called Garnet Point,
where some thirty years ago was
disinterrcd q skeleton clothed in
armor, supposed to be that of the
second Erlkson, and whose armor,
according to Berzelius who examin-
ed it, is identical with that worn by
Scandinavians in the tenth century.
The expeditions were frequently
repeated, until 1347, when the last
was made. About this time the
Black Plague invaded Scandinavia,
and its ravages. it is said, were such
that the population of the country,
calculated at two millions, was re-
duced to 100000. Such a horrible
calamity naturally put an end to the
adventurous life of part of the
nation, and they did not resume
their attempt at maritime discovery.
This is the account now believed
among the Norwegians. They give
many other details, which it would
be useless to enumerate, except one,
presented without doubt, to COM
plete the glory of their ancestors,
on whose temples they place the
laurel crown for the discovery of
America. Christopher Columbus
visited Iceland in 1477 then. ac-
cording to them, he received the
first intimation which suggested to
his mind the great idea, realized by
him fifteen years later, under the
banner of CASTLE and Leon.
We repeat it; nothing of all this
diminishes the unfading glory of
Columbus, who discovered Ameri-
ca, not by accident, but by virtue of
an mistaken purpose, and who was
the first to find the route which led
him to the Gulf of Mexico. But
the son of Erik WAS certainly a
bold and fortunate mariner, whose
name is deservedly praised by his
countrynen, and the natives of
Scandinavia cannot be taxed with
excessive jealousy for the glory of
their country in COMMUNICATING q
success, which, although lacking
important consequences, yet is an in
teresting coincidence and tie to their
nation as we'll as indirectly to one
of the most celebrated incidents of
history.-Golden Age.
NEW YORK, July 3. 1874.