, 1880-01-10
ERlC'S DISCOVERIES.
4 Ham Uho infieipated Columbus Jy Cei


u
faries-
Columbus died withsut knowing Of the
widespread changes wrought by his discov-
cry OF 1892. But he was not the hrst Euro
peap who visited these shores. Five cen
turies before, Ericssen, the first European,
visited New England. There are traditions
that previously the Irish had come here, and
some maintain that the Phenicians discoy-
cred the Canaries and then came TO Florida !;
but these claims may be dismissed as futile.
The simple and interesting narratives OF the
Mortimer form consistent part OF the Ice
landic history. 1t was in the sixth century
that an aristocratic republic was formed in
that island, and when the rest of Europe
was sunk in barbarism, there literature -four
ished In SIC the first settlement was made
in Greenland, and in 9S6 Erie the Red
haired, who had before been banished from
Iceland. took colony OF settlers TO Eries-
ford. 1t was in the year of 1000 that Left
Erie. with one ship, sailed down the coast
of what is now Labrador and Nova Scotia,
rounded Cape Cod, of which he left an accu-
rate description, and wintered IN Mount
Hope bay. 1t must have been the Indian
summer when he first came there, and the
land seemed so fair that he called it Ninland.
Even the winter seemed mild and pleasant
10 these voyagers from the north, and they
did not fail to remark the long days. Lief
Erie returned in 1902 In 1907 Carl Levna
came to the new land, and his son Shorro,
born there, was the first European born on
the American continent of whom there Is
any authentic record. By these explorers
parts of Massachusetts, and Rhode Island
were visited. Here 1t Is worth remembering
that from this ShOrro were descended many
famous Mortimer, and of his line were the
famous antiquarian, Magunsoon, and the
sculptor, Thorwalsden. The maps depicting
these discoveries were current IN the middle
ages, but they were very incorrect. Green
land was supposed to be a part of Europe,
and the American coast likewise. Some
even put down Einland as joining Africa
We find no traces OF permanent settlement
by the Mortimer, and they could hardly
have all disappeared 1t is not strange that
there was no colonization at that time
There were many practical difficulties IN
the way, and the state OF Europe was not
such that surplus energy could be spared
As we see those times they are not devoid OF
promise but then there was no light. No
where were the outlines OF kingdoms or the
rights of crowns defined. The common
people were most degraded; there was no
commerce famines were frequent and
severe; and even cannIbalisin appears IN the
history of those times. In all lands were
anarchy and misery, and about the year 1000
the day Of Judgment was looked for. The
world, all in sin, was deemed ripe for des-
truction. All energy in Europe was devoted
to the adjustment OF affairs. The mercan-
tile spirit had not been developed. Roman
t.c adventures was mere brutal buccaneerlng.
The fashionable method of getting nd OF
creditors was not to pay them thirty cents
on dollar, but inveigle them into Your cas-
tie and broil them over 4 slow fire.
The great event OF these four centuries
was the Crusades, and the ends they uncon.
sciously achieved justified them. They nd
society of some bad elements in taking the
robber baron off to the wars and killing him.
They made way Tor the nineteenth century
renaissance. Meantime other plans had
been developing After eight years trial he
managed to carry out his plans. | need not
rehearse the familiar details OF Columbus
VOYAGE. His heroism was great 1t Is IT'S
position in history, shown by its results,
that gives his voyage its grandeur. No voy-
age now can ever equal it. That era Is
closed forever. But Columbus never knew
tha. he had discovered new continent. In
l49S he reached the mainland OF South Amer
icl. 1t is still an open question whether
Amerigo Vespucci had landed on 1t before.
He did, however, in 1899. and IN looI he
published an account OF his discoveries IL
was still at that time thought that only
another Indian peninsula had been found
and it was proposed to name it Amenca,
after man, as Europe and Asia had been
named after women. In this curious comph-
cation Of mistakes names were gwen to TINS
continent and its inhabitants which VIII
cling to them forever-Prof. John ftste s
Lecture