Decorah-posten., 1879-05-21

Charlenagne, sailing trustingly away between the
Pillars OF Hercules, and tossing towards the Isles
of the Blessed and the Fountains Of Eternal Youth.
In time the Ultima Thale OF the known world IS
passed, and fivoring gales bear the merchant sailor
to new and wonderous lands. We see him coast
ing the unknown shores, passing from cape 10 cape,
and from bay To inlct-gazing upon the mar wells OF
the New World, trafficing with the bronzed Indian,
bartering curious wares for barbaric gold, and then
shaping his course again for the markets OF the dis
tant east, TO pour strange tales into incredulous ears.
Still this may not all be fancy"
Yet, as we have said before, it was not till the
close OF the tenth, and the beginning of the eleventh
centuries, that discoveries were made by Europeans
in Americe, of which we have any satisfactory and
trustworthy evidence. And then the discoveries
were not the result OF chance, but the natural Sc
quence of events or evolutions.
In the second half of the ninth century, when the
successful conquests of
HAROLD, THE FAIR HAIR,
had made him absolute sovereign of Norway, the
old jarls, or frceholders, being too proud to bow
beneath the sway of a usurper, determined, as their
only alternative, to leave the land of their fathers
and seek new homes beyond the sea, preterring
emigration, with freedom, to the estates OF a despot.
Some became Vikings; some settled on the Farce
islands; others on the Oerkneys; some went to Ire
land, and still others went to other places. From
the year S7i, onward, Iceland come to be the chief
place of colonization. Iceland must, at that time,
have enjoyed a far milder and more hospitable
climate, than she does to-day. Her hills. we are
told, were crowned with rich forests and her valleys
robed in luxuriant green. The Mortimer, however,
were not the first to discover Iceland. Monks from
Ireland had anticipated them. But on Iceland the
Mortimer founded a free state, snd there they
developed "A civilization more enduringly Morse
than Norway herself. From Iceland, VOYAGES were
made in all directions-tor the Northfien then, as
now, were experienced sailors and enterprising
merchants. Al an early period, one Gunbjorn had
seen unknown lands far away. This is supposed 70
have been Greenland though nothing more g
known OF the man. But the discovery which led
to the colonization of Greenland, was inauguratod
by a man named
ERIC, TIIr RED,
born in Norway in the year oss. To escape the con
sequences Of manslaughter, both he and his father
fed from Norway to Iceland. Eric was of a turbu
lent and restless disposition, rowing from place 10
place. In Iceland he was again outlawcd tot man
slaughter, and condemned To banishmcnt, in 0S2)
lie ihereupon fitted out a ship and sailed westward
in search of the lands which Cunbjorn had seem
He found them, and remained there three Years, ex-
ploring the country, when he returned TO Iceland
giving the newly discovered land the name q;
by SO pleasing a name" Returning from Iceland.
ne settled in B~rattalid. ON Creeland, where he re-
manned the rest of his days.
Lric had three sous-Ieif, Thorvald and Thor
stein, and one daughter, treydis. In the year 90,
Lett went to Norway and passed the winter at the
court OF King Olaf 1ryggyesson, where he became
CONVERT 10 CHRISTIANITY.
He promised TO introduce the Christian religion into
Greenland, and a priest accompanied him thither a,
assistant His father, the pagan Eric, was licensed
at this procedure, but after some persuasion on The
part of Lett, he finally yielded and was baptised-
he and his house. About the same time Christianity
was introduced into Iceland. Among the men sail
ing to Greenland, was one Biarne, (son of Hcriul
BardsonG, a youth of much promise, who, being
caught IN a storm, lost his course and WAS driver
within sight OF a strange land. From the genera
appearance of this land, and from the description,
he had heard of Greenland, he knew that it coult
not be the latter. Without going ashore, he changed
his course and sailed on until he reached the place
Of his destination. In Greenland men thought h
had not been very curious to get knowledge, sinc
be could give no account of the countries he ha,
seen. Left, surnamed the Fortunate, the son o
Eric, the Red, bought the ship of Brarne, an,
manned II with IS men. with the intention of cx
ploring the espied lands. lie persuaded, thougl
with difficulty, his aged father to consent to com
mand the ship, but an acciden, happening TO hin,
as they rode down the shore,
LEIF Ericsson,
himself had to take charge of the command. III
first came to a land where no grass was seen, Ia
large icy mountains rose in the background. Coin,
ashore, they called the place Hcluland. the late
Labrador. Setting sail again, they left this unin
viung strand and sailed until they came to anothc
land, which was fiat, sandy near the coast, inlan
oVergroNn with woods. Then Lett said "W
shall give this land a name according to its kind.
and called it MISUNDERSTANDING. This, in a
probability, was Nova Scotia. The Saga continues
Then they FASTENED on board, and put to sea agar
with the wind from the northeast, and were out 70
two days. and made land. Thew sailed toward /
and came to an island, where they diseinbarked I
wait for good weather" Then follows a descrir
| AANb VI AANNAf IhANAAA AAfE AA NllA u. III "a
probability, was around Cape Cod, in Mass, bt
owing To- constant changes in the coast. line, in thos
regions, the exact locality can no longer be ident
ned. They sailed up a river into a lake, or rathe
bay, where they cast anchor. They resolved TO d,
things in order for the wintering there, and erecte
a large house. There was an abundance of hsl
salmon, larger than any they had ever seen before
rHE couNrRY APPEARED TO THEM COOP.
Day and night were more equal than in Grecnlar
and Iceland. The shortest day the sun rose at hal
past seven a. m, and set at halt past four p. m.
Lett divided the crew into two divisions, one
work and one 10 explore the land, thus alternating
Left says the Saga, was a stout aud stron
man, and OF manly appearance; and was, besides,
prudent and sagncious man in all respects. II hal
pened one evening that a man Of the exploring parr
was missing; and il was the south country maj
Tyrker, (by some supposed TO have been a Gcrnal
by others, as the name would imply, a Turk. lie
was very sorry for this, because Tyrker had lon
been in his fathers house; he, therefore, propose
70 90, with twelve men, ON an expedition to lin
hirs- bat they had gone hut q SHORT distancr -.
the station when Tyrkcr came to meet them. M
spoke at first long in German, rolled his ewes an
knit his brows; but they could not mike out whs
he was saving. After awhile, and some DELAY b
said in Morse, Il did not 20 much farther than he,
and vet | have found something altogether new
relate, for | found vines and grapes Is that true
said Lett. YES, true it is answered he, for | wa
born where there was no scarcity of grapes An,
tins they had two occupations to attend to: SON
gathered grapes, or cut vines, some fell wood in II
E forest 10 load the vessel. Towards spring the
/ made ready and sailed away, and Lett gave n
E country a name, from its products, and called il
I vfNtANp.
They now sailed into the open sea, and had a IA
wind until they came 10 Grcenlond."
This was in the year 1901. Lett returned no mo-
to Ninland. but passed the remaining DAYS of IA
life, much respected, in Greenland. lie 0rganil,
no plan of colonization. and well mightit be enoup
, for HIM to be the first European who, within i
sweep of incontestable history, planted his foot
American soil.
4 In the following wear fD0S pntgr Tho c,,.,..