The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-10
rho sacrets of Greenland.


IFS results will be eagerly watched for by
the scientific bodies throughout the world.
II promises more than any expedition OF
similar character that has heretofore been
undertaken, including those OF this IN
irepid discoverer. To begin with, II is not
an Arctic voyage in the sense an Arc'lc
VOYAGE is generally understood. IL Is
based on rational theories, and has ior i's
object, not the discovery OF an open Polar
sea that II found would do the world no
good, but the collection Of data that would
contribute 10 hundreds OF different branches
OF human knowledge. II successful, Ba-
ron NoRpExsKJoLD will probably be IN
strumental, II not in solving, in throwing
valuable light upon problems that are eX-
ercIsing some OF the greatest minds OF the
day.
Nine hundred years have lapsed since
RED ERIK, outlawed in Iceland, set out to
seek the land GrSBJ0BN had seen a hun
dred years previous far to the west.
This land was Greenland, and here ERIK
founded with his family and friends colo
mics which thrived steadily for long pc
Rod, and which in their most flourishlng
condition numbered, il Is estimated, 10000
Inhabitants. From Icelandic sources we
know that there were upwards OF three
hundred farms. about two hundred OF
which were in " Osterbygd" and one hun
dred in Vesterbygd." We also know that
these Morse colonsts made frequent voyages
TO the southwark, discovering the shores
OF present Canada and the United states.
Down to the sixteenth century Papal bulls
.sappointed bishops for the bishopric
formed by the parishes OF Greenland; but
long before this, as early as the middle OF
the fifteenth century, communication be-
tween Greenland and The Mother Country
had entirely ceased. In fact, the very eX-
istence Of such a land seems to have
been forgotten, and when DAVIS re-
discovered ii in 1886 no other than
Eskimo people were found on the
coast. These, however, still have ira
ditions rs to the first white settlers, and
from those traditions and the Sagas it is
evident that frequent collisions took place
with the natives. AS TO the ultimate fate
Of the colonists. various theories are adj
yanced. One is that they were completely
annihilated; another is that they were OBJ
sorbed by the Eskimo, and another still is
that they went further south to be alb
sorbed or eXtingulshed by other races OF
the American continent. To this latter,
however, little importance has been at
tached.
Within the last one hundred and sixty
years the west coast Of Greenland has been
well known, particularly to the Danes,
who have established numerous missions
upon it. Ii has also been the object OF
expeditions OF research
by the Polar voyagers OF other nations. To
use the words OF Baron NORDENSKJOLD,
at is therefore scientifically and ethno-
graphically one Of the best-knOwn OF the
Arctic lands.'' The east coast OF Green
land is, however, in its greatest extent,
wholly unknown, "a circumstance" con-
tinues Baron NORDENsKJOLD, (which must
be detrimental to a proper understanding
OF the history Of the first Morse colo
nization Of Greenland and OF early
voyages OF conquest and discovery
thereirom to the shores Of America.
Thus, until the east coast OF Greenland is
fully explored, one must continue to doubt
the very forced explanation Of the site Of
these colonies which is now predominant
in the world of science" In short, he
takes direct issue with the authorities that
have attempted to locate the colonies, for,
saws he, at appears to me il the Icelandic
Sacas are examined carefully and with
out any preconceiyed opinion, it will be-
come apparent that former investigators
OF this problem have been led astray, and
that the true Eriksijord, with its cathe-
dral and numerous parishes, has never
been found, but must be sought for on the
inaccessible east coast north OF Cape Fare
we'll" But this is not all. Baron Nor
pENsEJ0LD further maintains that the inte-
rior Of Greenland, which he proposes to
penetrate and explore, and which is now
absolutely terra incogRita, is a green land
indeed, as is asserted by the botanist
HOOKER from his studies Of the flora OF
the country.
These ideas are based In part rs indicated
on a study OF traditions and the Sagas, but
they have also foundation In two voyages
Baron NeRDENsKJ0LD has already made TO
the east coast Of Greenland, as well as in
the discoveries OF SCoREsBY, SABINE,
CLAvERING, GRAAH, and others, and are
Justified by comparative scientific calcula-
tions. To attempt to enumerate these or to
detail the possible accretion Of information
in all departments Of science that could
result from the expedition is entire
" beyond the province OF news
paper article. They must be inferred.
But II Baron NoRDENsKJ0LD only succeeds
In establishing the site OF the Morse colonies
the result will be Of the greatest import
ance in an historical, and IL is more than
probable in an autographed, ethnoogi-
cal. and archaeological, point Of view.
Throughout the southern States alone dis
coyeries have recently been made that are
subyersve Of some OF the best known theo.
ries regarding the ante-Columbian-ract
conditions. As We have intimated, little
importance has been attached to the propo.
sltion that the Morse colonists migrated to
the southwark; but IL should be borne in
mind that some OF the conditions that give
coloring to the theory OF such migra.
ton have not long been the pro-
perry OF the investigating world II
Is not impossible that IL the secrets oi