National Republican., 1883-05-12
NoRpENsKoLD's NEW PROJECT
A Geographical Survey OF Greenland nnS
a Quest for Historical Remains.

A Geographical Survey OF Greenland aud
Quest for Historical Remains.
The hapless fate Of explorers who have
striven to unravel the myste ries Of he Polar
seas hhs not deferred others from essay ing
their task. Baron Nordenskold, encourag cd
by his past success In navigating arctic
waters, proposes TO start for the north again.
This time his mission Is not as before, to
seek an open waterway or look for unknown
lands. He is bound to Greenland, the east
coast Of which he is to survey from point
opposite the southern part of Iceland or Cape
Bismarck, the most remote point on the
eastern side of the country.
The chief object of the expedition is TO
search for traces of the colonies which the
people of Iceland established in Greenland in
the tenth century, and which flourished ex-
ceedingly for a time, so that there were many
villages, capital city, and bishop.
But the decline of piracy and of the influ-
ence OF which the Scandinavian kingdoms
had welded In the affairs of the north of
Europe, which decreased as piracy became
discreditable, resulted in the gradual neglect,
not only of Greenland, which had been
colonized from Iceland, but of Iceland itself.
After contending with the difficulties of the
situation with the little help Iceland could
afford, Greenland was abandoned, the popula-
tion returning to Iceland, 1t is believed that
many articles most valuable to archaeology
and TO history may have been left behind,
such as manuscripts Of ancient sagas, weapons
incribed with runic incriptions, swords with
rings of victory in the pommels-the sig-runr
so famous in the history of the north, and
many other objects which may be hoped for.
IL is possible that some additional light may
be thrown upon the discovery of Vineland by
Bjorn and Left the Bold since the expeditions
for the discovery Of continental America
started from Greenland as well as from lee
land, and perhaps there may have been expe-
ditions Of which no record was preserved in
Iceland.
The hardest explorers have heretofore
shrunk from this endeavor, as it will be SUR
rounded by hardships and dangers that in
timidate the boldest. The possibilities have
been carefully considered by the baron and
his staff, and they are making preparations
to guard against all coniectural emergencies
to preserve life and mako the journey sue
cessful. The party will be. provisionod for
two years, as 1t is thought it will require
nearly thatllength of time to accomplish the
purposes Of the expedition. A government
steamer has been applied for, and hopes arc
entertained that the request will be granted
If not, steam vessel will be purchased.
The enterprise is due to the liberality Of
Mr. Oscar Dickson, q lumber merchant and
sawmill owner of GOthenburg. Mr.. Dick
son Is of English extraction, but he was
born in the city where he now resides
His fortune, independent OF large and
very profitable business, Is estimated at
$13,000000. He gives employment to many
thousands. In early life he had no oppor-
tunities to acquire an education, but his
library is repete with books that de-
light students in all the sciences, and he
reads them attentively while sitting at
window which overooks his deer park,
tract OF land nearly 4 miles square. He is
the wealthiest man in Gothenburg, and his
mansion in town and his country seat are
wonders to the peasants. His deeds OF
charity and philanthropy endear him to the
people.