The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-09-01
THE ICEIAN3IC MIIIENNIAL


Iceland lies very far away from us. II
is on the outer rim Of the world, so to
speak. Indeed, its original name signi.
fed the Far.away.land, or the Far.d down.
land--a title, bv the way, that was ap.
piled. many centuries later.to New.found.
land. Even down to the Middle Ages
says the New York Times. while yet the
geography Of Claudius Ptolemeus was
good enough for the budding idea Of the
time, there was no Iceland on the map
it lay beyond Ultima Thule. And the
land itself, with its heart of fire and sur.
face of ice, is only hands breadth on
the globe. The entire population is moi
more than $4,000; aud the hundred
families now on the way from the island
to this continent will leave a considerable
deficit in the next census The climate
is rigorous. the soil ungra.eful, and the
products Of the country are pitifully mca
gre.
While Norway yet worshipped Thor
Odin, aud the rest Of the pagan brood oI
deities, and Harold Hariagr (the Fair
haired,) was King of that uncomfortable
country, one Ingolf, a pretty jarl, or no
Bile, took his way to Iceland. There had
been rumors of the extent and character
of the island some of the bold Vikings
of the North having discovered it as early
as 500. Iugof had headed a rebellion
against King Harold, who attempted to
deprive the jars Of certain feudal rights
So. like sort OF Pilgrim Fathers, par.
ty crossed tho sea to enjoy peace and
freedom. Thus was formed the first set.
tlemeDt in S74 there are many good
reasons for believing this to be later
date than the true one but it is moi
worth while to be precise as to a score OF
so in matter OF one thousand years
The Northmen found, in the new posses
sion they had SO unceremoniously taken
few pious monks from Ireland. who had
gone thither to be alone in their dcvo
tions These ned, aud the island thence
forth became altogether scandinavian
OF these events and those which immcdi
ately follow. we have no account but il
the Saga of Icelandic scalds or poets
the lliads of the North
la course of time, Thorwald. descend
ant OF one Of the larls who had submitted
to King Harold sought shelter in Iceland
having fed from the avengers Of blood
Like many of the free livcrs of that peri
cd, he had murdered neighbor in .
brawl. Ills son, Eric Raudc, (the Red
headed) after bold career in Iceland
killed a powerful noble with whom re hat
quarrel. He took ship and fled to th'
sea, seeking sylum in the mysterlou
region westward, of which some dim re
port had reached iceland lie discov
cred land in $50, it is supposed, and
in fit of grim humor, called it Green
land. perhaps because he thought thu
name might attract settlers. The North
men held their new possession for man,
years, and fragments Of their rude archi
lecture remain to this day. Barnc, sol
of llcriulf, returning on Il voyage from
Iceland to Greenland, told his tale. Lett
son of Eric the Red, fired with this re
port OF adventure, sailed on A voyage o
discovery in 1000 lie found three sep
arate bodies of land. which he calle
respectively falkland, Wood. land an
Winc.iand. These are now supposed t
BE- Labrador, Newfoundland and Nev
England The subsequent events it
not necessary now to detail The North
,nen had camps and hamlcts on tn
American coast children were born an
names were given to the headlands an
bays. In the lapse OF years the settle
meuts decayed and were abandoned
Greenland itself was lost to the work
the Black Death" having dcpopulate
the country in 1850 No trace Of tn
Mortimer remains on our shores, the 81
called lunes on Dighton Dock and Nor
hegan, the Newport Tower, and tn
skeleton in armor being no longer elaine
us possible evidences ofpossession
Red discovered Greenland together wi,
Iceland and Norway. eventually becam
the possession of Denmark, whose Chri
tian King is now assisting at the miller
: nial celebration Thor and Odin hay
long since disappeared from the Nortl
mems faith,pagan altars having been SUI
planted by the cross is 1000, Bu
=, though the clue that bound our shores
l that Of the bold Vikings was lost in Il
! storms of ceutLrics. we find it agai
i Iceland is not so far away that We ca
y not retracc the steps that once led hith
prc-Coumbinn discovery OF Americ
u And So We see why our American Sea
I dnaviau- riug out their bells at lthac
ani cry with our American poet "Skoa
= Ia the Northland, .Skoal :"
. Tni,E WALlzrNd WAys.---A Putt
I BAY correspondent of the Cineinna