The Portland daily press., 1883-02-17

early voyagers when he scornfully says, IN his
first chapter of 1.-THE History of the United
States:-"TLe natural pride OF the lceianolc
historian has indeed claimed for his ancestors
the glory Of having discovered the western
Hemisphere, and after abiding to the incon-
gruities in the description of the climate, SOIL,
length of days when compared with facts, ne
mentions the representations OF Leii OF the
men he found as only applying to the hsqul-
maux. 1t is well authenticated that even after
Europeans came here, there were great
changes in the tribes along these shores: Even
in the 14th century the Skraalings, the very
same name given by the Norsemen TO the ma.
tives here, appeared in Greenland and attacKeu
the settlers. An account was also given OF the
voyage of Thorvald in 1902, who was slain IN
the new land and Of Thorstein, who went IN
search of his brothers body, but was unsuc-
cessful; and also of Thorinn and the course
of their voyages was shown upon the map ana
compared. 1t was also stated that expeditions
to Vinland became very frequent.
1t was related that in 1859 an Irish priesr,
named John, went there to cbristianize the ma
tives and was murdered. One Erik, the nIst
bishop OF Greenland, sailed to Vinland ID III.
The o latest accounts Of voyage to MarR,and
in 1347 by ship from Greenland on It's return
to Straumfiord in Iceland. By this 1t is seen
that intercourse with Greenland was Kept up
till the middle of the fourteenth century. Ii
colonies were established here II IS probable
they persisted or samalgamated with the ma
been cut off entirely from the Greenland colo
MES by the pestilence, known as the BLACK
death, which ragged through Europe and blot
ted out the Greenland colonies. OF course,
with these accounts of Morse voyages 70 Amer
lea, came the enquiry, are there any visible ev-
licences of these people having lived there, and
enthusiastic antiquarians Immediately begun
to look about them for such evidences, and
one Of the first was the old tower at New
port, which so well represents the mode
n In
twelfth century, and, then the discovery OF
the skeleton in armor, near Fall River. A
piece of the breast plate of this armor was
analysed by Berzelius, the Swedish chemist.
and at the same time piece of bronze OF the
tenth century. The piece of armor was found
to be almost identical with the bronze, being
composed of copper, zinc, tin, lead and iron.
Attention was also called by these antiquari-
ans to the skeleton found by the Pilgrims
which had long yellow hair, and had been
embalmed, and bad with it piece OF wood
with three-tined crown, which resembled
the old Morse lune-staff often buried with
bodies IN early times. A full account of this
in the quaint style of Monet was read, and
finally the Dighton Rock was explained.
These were shown on canvas, and the criticism
by Edward Everett in the North American
Review of some years back read. The lectur-
er concluded by saying, that, to these relics we
must not look for support to the Sagas, which
have preserved for us the account of VOYAGES
to our coast by Norsemen, before Columbus.
We know that these people came as far west
as Greenland, and that it was an undertaking
OF less difficulty to sail, from there to our
shores, than it was to make the voyage from
Norway to Greenland which was frequently
accomplished, but in the absence of other rea-
sons, the internal evidences of truth which
the Sagas bear should be sufficient to convince
us. OF the voyages described in them, it is
probable that Columbus had heard.
1t will be recollected that in the account of
the voyage of Thorfnn it is said that Gudride,
after the death of her husband, made pill
grimage to Rome. ,Gudride was greatly inter-
ested in the New World, having attempted a
voyage thither with her first husband, and al
forwards having accompanied her second hus-
band, Thorhnn, thither, and she doubtless re-
lated her experiences at the court Of Rome.
The pope was greatly interested in learning of
new lands which he could add to his possess
sions, and he took great pains to collect re-
ports and charts OF such lands. 1t is said that
in 1l21 Erik Upsi was appointed bishop Of
Iceland, Greenland and Vinland. 1t is also
known that Columbus was in Iceland in the
year 1477, fifteen years before the discovery of
America. The most remarkable record per
haps, and one which it seems Columbus must
have seen, since he was o student and eager
to obtain knowledge of new countries is that
of Adam of Bremen who died in the year
1915.
tian Religion in the North of Europe" was
published in 1878, and read by educated men
throughout Europe. At the end of this book
is geographical treatise entitled, "On the
Position of Denmark and other regions be-
yond Denmark and having given an ac-
count of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Ice
land and Greenland, he saws, Besides these,
there is still another region which has been
visited by many, lying in that ocean, which
is called Vinland, because vines grow there
spontaneously, producing very good wine.
Corn likewise springs up there without being
sown," and, "This we know, not by fabulous
conjecture, but from positive statements of
the Danes''