The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-04-27
The Icelandic Discoveries of America.

The Icelandic DISCOVERIES of America,
At Dighton, not far from Fall River
Massachusetts,, is to be seen a rock, stand
ing alone on the bank of river, about
eleven feet long, and between four and
five wide, on the face of which appears
very old and mysterious inscription.
This inscription was found two GEN.
turtles and half ago by the Pilgrims, but
as it was not in any language known to
them, they never could find out who
carved it, or what it meant. For many
generations its mystery was as great to
the descendants of old Elder Winslow
and his companions as to themselves, and
only few years have elapsed since it
became known what the strange charac-
tiers signitied.
It is now pretty certain that this in
scription on Dighton Rock was craven by
some Icelanders, who discovered our
continent nearly nine hundred years ago,
five centuries before Columbus made his
famous voyage across the Atlantic.
The inscription is as follows: ORFIN,
CXXXI, N, M, NAM; and between the
N and the M there is rude drawing of
boat. 1t has been interpreted by
scholars learned in the Icelandic language
to mean, "Thorfn, with ISL Morse sea-
men, took possession"
Perhaps it could not have been so
readily deciphered had not other evidences
of the presence of Icelandic voyagers here
been discovered in New England, and
had not the traditions of such voyagers,
preserved in what are called the Iceland
''Eddas," been studied and translated.
In those ancient and hitherto little
known books, the whole story of the dis
covery of America by Icelanders is re-
vealed.. So long ago as 9S6, an Icelander
named Bjarne, on his way in ship to
Greenland, where he WAS going to visit
his father, drifted far out of his course,
and after many weeks found himself near
ga land covered with trees"
But he did not land, and when he re-
turned to Iceland, he told what he had
seen. Among those who eagerly fastened
to him was certain adventurous sailor,
called Left Ericsson.
Left lost no time in fitting out a ship,
and in the year 1000 sailed for the mys-
terious land described by Bjarne. In due
time he reached the bleak coast of Labra-
dor, and sailing thence southwark he
came upon what we call Cape Cod. He
landed near the spot where Province
town now stands, and probably pursued
his voyage as far as Buzzard's Bay, where
he is said to have built some huts. The
land grew so many grapes that he gave
it the name of Vineland. He then re-
turned safely home.
Two years later his brother Thorwald
made the same voyage, and spent the
winter on the New England coast; and
five years after that, in 1907, another
brother, Thorfin, crossed the Atlantic
with three ships and $50 men, and spent
the bleak season near what is now Fall
River. 1t is this Thorfn who is supposed
to have had the inscription craven Oh
Dighton Rock.
The Pilgrims, while exploring the
country round about Plymouth, found {
grave, in which was the remains of mar
with yellow hair; by the side of the body
were some bowls, trays and dishes. Now
it used to be customary in Iceland to
bury such utensils with the dead.
About forty years ago skeleton wa.
found near Fall River, with a bronze
breast-plate on its breast, and bronze
belt about the waist; and these articles
being fashioned very much like those Of
the Icelanders of the tenth century, gave
further proof, if any were needed, tina,
this continent was really discovered BY
Icelanders about that period.
It is proposed to remove Dighton Rock
to Boston, and to place it where this
valuable relic of early discovery may be
carefully preserved and there is also {
project of erecting memorial in honor
of the brave Left and his equally intrepid
brothers.