The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-10-29
Iceland and America.

The old story of the discovery of Ameri-
ca by Norsemen, long before the days OF
columbus, is told anew with enthusiasm
ana confidence by Mr.. Anderson of the I'M
verslty OF Wisconsin. His book, america
not Discovered by Columbus" is an his
torlcal sketch OF the early voyages to and
from Iceland; 1t is interesting and viva
ciOus, with some inelegances of expression
which seem to mark Il foreigner who has
not quite mastered English Mr.. Anderson
has the most ardent praise for everything
lcelandic, even going 50 Tar as to say that
the early literature of Iceland Is equal to
that Of ancient Greece; and that while lit
erary darkness overspread the whole OF
Europe for many centuries, letters were
highly cultivated in Iceland The voyages
and discoveries of the Norsemen during
the tenth and eleventh centuries were
written In Sagas which are only recently
becoming known to scholars, through the
celebrated C0der FlatRenSiS, a skin-bo
finished in 1887. The original is in the
Copenhagen archives, and a copy in the
| library OF the University of Wisconsin.
Mr.. Anderson thinks there can be no
doubt that Bjarne with an Icelandic crew
discovered Nantucket, Nova Scotia and
Newfoundland in the year 9S6, but did not
land at either place. Their stories excited
the interest of Left Erikson, and in the
year 1000 ne bought Biarne's ship and with
q crew of 80 men set sail tor the new cOun-
| try. and landed near Fall River in this
State. He called the place Ninland, and
! passed the winter there. After this, voy-
ages to America We're frequent until l341.
when the bac' plague swept over Norway
and Iceland and lett no surplus population
for voyages to America or elsewhere. The
record Of these early discoveries was clear
and full. in 1447 Columbus visited Ice
land and must have heard from the learn
ed men there OF the great country beyond
the ocean discovered by their sailors. The
story of Ninland had been told in Rome
by 1sudrid, the wife of Thorfinn, who had
| lived for several Years in the fair region,
and only returned home after the death of
| her husband; and Columbus must have
heard about it in Rome. and must have
seen the map OF Ninland at the Vatican.
Moreover, being an educated man, and
deeply Interested in geographical studies,
he must have read the book OF Adam of
Brennan, published in 1913, in which the
author gives some account OF Flnland,
gathered not from fable, but from positive
statements OF the Danes Columbus theu
| based his conviction Of finding Iaad, not
upon inspiration but upon previous dis
coyeries, as he himself says, upon THE au-
thorlty Of learned writer's
The most eminentwriters and historians
Of this country and Europe, with almost
no exception, agree in givingto the Morse
men the honor OF the discovery of Ameri-
ca and i'll thinking it highly probable that
the knowledge obtained by Columbus dur
/ ING his visit to Iceland was one OF the most
powerful causes which led To his re-d.,-
cNery Of America Mr.. George Bancroft
/ early tooka position adverse to the claims
of the lceandcrs; as he considered tie
Sagas on which those claims were founded
mythological in torn and obscure in mean
ing Since MI Bancroft published the
| first volume OF his history, which 50 sum
marily disposes OF this sui bject, the authen-
/ ticity of the Scandinavian records has been
| fully established, and the evidence in favor
of Erikson is overwhelming There al Q
also hints OF a very early Irish discovery
and settlement of the CaroIiuas, but that
| does not come within the plan OF Mr An
derson's book, which is only to give a CON
else and interesting account OF Iceland,
| the nursing mother oil the ancient history
/
readers to a movement made bv Nurwe-
| glans here tOrthe erection OF 4 monument
/ in memory of Lett Erikson, the discoverry
of America. To be sure this reason an-
pears only in a modest toot-note, but It's
importance III the mind of the writer can
! hardly beoverlOoked Ole Bull has already
given several concerts here andin Nurway
for the cause; and the famous Norwegian
orator and poet, BjornsUome Bjornsou,
has promised to write poem and to come
himself and deliver the oration, when the
monument shall be dedicated Our read
ers Will remember that at the time Of the
removal Of Scoliay's building, Mr.. T. q.
| Appleton published in lie Atlantic Month
| ly an account Of Erjkson, ard warmly adj
vocated the plan Of erecting monGtGeHt
to him in ScolIay square, If Mr. Ander-
sons book finds favor, as it certainly
should, the monument may become a ma
tional enterprise, fostering and tostcred by
the growing friendship between Iceland
and America. Boston Daily Advertiser