Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-02-13
Written for the American.
Foot Prints in the History of Maine.
ny RURAL.

ny RURAL.
Note Tho sources whence the writer of
are numerous. We have eudeavored to make
broad distinction, between tact and tradition
Many things have been set down, in the very
words of the orietnal.I
The precise point of time when the first
discovery of Maine was made. eager curl
osity and perseyering search have failed TO
reveal; and on whstever OF antiQuated
documents exist the tooth of time has
been busy and destructive. Tradition has
many a strange story OF vessels storm
driven across the Atlantic. to unknown
shores. Some Of these stories, which
seemingly soar beyond the limits of fact,
are verified in history.
II is no longer myth that more than
thousand years ago. Frisland Zone of the
Farce Islands, fishing vessel was driven
BY 4 storm to a far western country,
named Estotiland (East-out-land,l whose
king had Latin books, and who spoke no
European language. He told the s1ilors
Of large country to the South, called
Drogeo, and farther South. were civilized
nations, who built t0,rRs and temples. On
the old sea charts, Estotlland corresponds
with Nova Scotia, while Drogeo (of Ger
man origin) is sexactly in the locality Of the
State OF Maine.
when. and by whom Estotiland was
peopled. is hidden in the darkness Of an-
Client times, and who were the civilized
nations that bull. towns and temples. his
tory kuoweth not. Indications OF a prehiS-
toric people, signs Of which are plentiful
In Colorado, have lately been discovered
In Nevada. Antique pottery aud undeci-
pherable writings on the rocks. At one
place engraved upon a rock i the nude
h.urc OF man holding 10 his right hand a
shrub. the outlines OF which show consid-
cradle artistic skill. It l. believed that
race whose origin j. 70 be traced either to
the Mortimer, the Irish, or the Welch, in
hahited this country centuric. before the
discoveries made by Columbus. Virgil an
IRISH saint OF the sixth century. was ac-
cused by bishop 10 Pope Zachary OF
teaching neresy respecting the existence OF
4 continent on the Western side Of the At
lantic, and he convinced the pontf that
his countrymea had had Intercourse with
a country beyond the ocean.
Unpublished manuscript found n The
musty archives Of the colonial departments
Of Rim -
data. relative TO tae early and obscure pc
riods Of our history, and carry Us back to
historic beginning-the first Joot print
the border line. which separates ,hadowy
tradition, from real history.
The first well ascertained expedition III
the line Of discovery. IRON Europe. 10 the
storm-bstterrd coast OF Maine, was made
by the Mortimer, as early a. the year $50,
or more than 500 years before Columbus
set -ail on his eventful voyage, to dad, not
a new contiDent-but a shorter and better
route to India. These adyeutUrers. on
their arrival, found the country inhabited
by various races, who differed in many re-
spects from Europeans. The Mortimer
called them "canoe-men." Afterwards,
they were called Indians. and were sup
posed TO be inhabitants of India until Bal
boa, 10 1913, discovered the P.cidc.
Many theories have been advanced to
solve the question. From whence dld the
aboriginal Red Men" come: but il Is a.
much mystery as ever. One theory l.,
that they came from eastern Asia by way
OF Bhering's Straits Another, supposes n
natural bridge from Africa to America, Oh
which they passed, which bridge has been
sunk by an earthquake. or worn away by
the attrition Of the Gulf Stream. IL has
been asserted, that before Christ, navi.a-
tors had sailed out OF the Mediterranean
Sea, and. being waited across the Atlantic
by the trade-wlnds, had reached the West
ern Continent. Another conjecture j. that
America Is the oldest Continent, and the
Indians, the first race OF earth" Whence
dId they come. or how did they reach
America: Is wrapt in obscurity From
their oral history and tradition. from their
manners and customs, language and relig-
on, nor from any monument found IN all
the continent, is anything discoverable,
and the subject rests as one OF
Those mysteries which heaven
VIII not have earth TO know"
From the time OF the first foot print"
made by the sea-farng Mortimer, until
the middle OF the l4th century, they made
several voyages across the expanse of wa
ter lying between Cape Sable and Cape
Cod. which body of water, in 1892, Prof. J.
f. Htlgard, of the L. s. Coast Survey, APP
proprately named the Gulf of Maine.
Across this Gulf $50 miles long by l25
miles wide, for centuries before the foot
Of the white man pressed the soil of Maine,
the Norman, Brittany and Portuguese fish
ermen had an oceanic high-road.
In the year 1890. 1902 and 1905. the
Mortimer made several exploring tours,
along the coast OF Maine, and charmed
with the beauty of the natural scenery.
they called the country '.Vineland the
Good" Among the productions of the
country were rich grapes. Wood Island,
Is said 10 have been a net WORK OF grape
vines. The Mortimer did not consider
Vineland new world but a continuation of
their own Scandinavian land In New
port, X. l., is a stone tower, supposed to
have been built by them in li25, from
which date, the Mortimer appear to have
entirely abandoned the fair realms of
Vineland.
1t cannot be explained, why they aban.
doned a country, which they praised as
such "gOodly land" and continued their
settlements in the regions of Greenland
and Iceland, those frigid realms in the
neighborhood Of the North Pole
Centuries in silence pass away. Vine
land Is left to the undisturbed possession
OF its savage inhabitants, and forgotten.
The colonies in Greenla nd perish. Iceland,
isolated amid Arctic seas, is not known to