The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-02-06
AMERICAS DISCOVER
ACCOUNTS OF PRG-cOLUMBtaN VOY-
AGES AND SHORT STAYS.

ACCOUNTS OF PRg-coLUMBiAN VoY-
AGES AND SHORT STAYS.
7eelard's Ancient Lore Records an Expe-
dition Which Took Place In eS6-Expe-
riences Which Lead to the Belief Tha:
America Was the Place Visited.
The ancient lore Of the Icelandic sagas
furnishes proof Of the early colonization
Of the American continent in the Tenth
century by the Scandinavians. The sagas
and songs upon which ancient Scandi-
navian history is founded, and those con-
tanning the history of America by the
Mortimer, were originally intrusted 70
the memory, and these verbal traditions
formed historical narratives.
In the early part of the Twelfth cen
tury, when the Icelanders had become
familiar with the Latin chirogaphy.
they were committed to writing. Manu-
scripts found in Iceland during the year
1850 make record of an expedition to
Greenland led in $50 by Eric Red, OF Ice
land. His son Lief, who accompanied
him, enlisted crew Of thirty-fve men.
and set sail from Greenland on another
voyage of exploration. In due time they
came to well wooded land to the south
west Of Greenland, where day and night
seemed more equal than in Greenland
and Iceland.
GIVING THE LAND A NAME.
After short sojourn in this newly
found country, Lief. in company with
his followers, returned to Greenland.
and the fame acquired by this expedition
encouraged his brother Thorwald to en-
bark in the same vessel IN lGO2 for the
recently discovered territory, TO which
was given the name Of Wincland Vine
land(. Thorwald and his crew, having
safely reached their destination. spent
the winter in the booths which Lief had
erected. In the spring he explored the
western coast and found the land not
only attractive, but rich in vines and
forest.
evidences Of human habitation were
visible, nor oid he :inG the lairs of ami
mails. Afterwards sailing eastward they
came to cape upon whose sandy beach
they landed Having crossed this pro
lection. to their surprise they saw three
boats made Of skins, partially buried IN
the sand, beneath which nine men lay
hidden, eight Of whom were caught and
killed, one managing to escape. Later
these Nortkmen were attacked BY the
Esquimaux,sto whom the eight SO re
Gently killed probably belonged. Thor
wald, fatally wounded in the encounter,
was buried on the pronlontory where he
fell. His crew returned to Greenland
with rich cargo Of timber.
THE SECOND EXPEDITION.
The sagas make mention OF another
expedition, undertaken by Thorlin karts-
fue, who enlisted as his associates sixty
men and FIVE women Sailing from Ice
land in a southerly direction, they ar
rived at the place where Lief had built
his huts. After landing the COWS and a
bull to Craze, which they had brought
with them, Karlsfue ordered his men to
fell trees and prepare timber for the
ships cargo; and while thus engaged
they saw emerging from the woods many
Skraelings. Happening toappear where
the bull was feeding, and being rather
of ferocious spirit, he beloved loudly,
and made an attack upon them, which
led them Immediately to retreat.
After securing re-enforcen1ents they
returned, and although they were not
able to make themselves understood to
the Mortimer. by means of signs, how
ever. they were enabled to barter furs
for such other commodities as the North
men were willing to sell When the ma
tiEes had withdrawn. Karlsfue caused
a strong wooden fence to be placed
around Ills booths, which proved to be
ch
wards the Skraelings returned. when
6erce fight ensued, in which many OF the
Esquinaux fell. The Northmen soon be-
coming weary Of their abode IN so strange
country, and exposed to the frequent
attacks Of the natives, In the spring re-
turned to Greenland
THE THEORY OF IRISH coLoS1STs.
The third expedition was undertaken
in 1011 by Freydissa, q daughter of Enc
Red, in company with 200 lcelandlc
traders, but as no further exploration Of
this country was entered upon no new
facts were obtained.
The theory of the population Of Amer.
lea by Eish colonists has been founded
on the mention Of saga writer who
observes that Wineland must have been
"F1vittramannaland," or the Great Ire
land 1t is not improbable that similarity
IN the sound of the language of the people
caused the name of smaller body OF
land in the eastern hemisphere to be
given to part of the country By its first
discoyerers. Be this as it may it Is GER
tain that the theory has never been au-
thenticated.
Thus we became acquainted with the
Icelandic history of certain portions OF
the western hemisphere, as given by the
sagas Of the Icelanders.
The discovery by Christopher ColUn-
bus of West Indies in 1892 was perhaps
the result Of trip made by him to Ice
land in l477. at which time the discovery
Of unknown lands to the southwest OF
Greenland and Iceland was made known
to him by the sagas Of the people OF Ice
lan6.-Gen. C. ". Darling IL Home
journal
Concerning Hydrophobia.
Our knowledge concerning the condi-
tions under which the poison which
creates hydrophohia acts has been some