Smyrna times., 1889-02-13
AMERICAS DISCOVERY.
ACCOUNTS OF PRE-cOLUMBIAN voY-
AGES AND SHORT cyhvs.

Iceland's Ancient Lore ReOoras an Expe-
ditiOn Which Took Place in osG-Expe-
riences Which Lead to the Belief That
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
Northmen, were originally intrusted to
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 chirography.
they were committed to writing. Manu-
scripts found in Iceland during the year
1000 make record of an expedition to
Greenland led in $50 by Eric Red, of Ice
land. Ills son Lief, who accompanied
nm, enlisted a crew Of thirty-fve men.
and set sail from Greenland on another
voyage of exploration In due time they
came to a 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 a 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 1902 for the
recently discovered territory, to which
was given the name of Wineland Wine
land). Thorwald and his crew. having
safely reached their destination, spent
the winter III 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.
No evidences of human habitation were
visible, nor did he find the lairs of anil
mails. Afterwards sailing eastward they
came to cape upon whose sandy beach
they landed. Having crossed this bro
lection, to their surprise they saw three
boats made Of skins, partially buried in
the sand, beneath which nine men Law
hidden, eight of whom were caught and
Killed, one managing to escape Later
Ihese Mortimer were attacked bv the
EsqulmauX, to whom the eight so re-
Gently killed probably belonged. Thor
Wald, fatally wounded in the encounter.
was buried on the prOmontory where he
tell. lis crew returned to Greenland
with rich cargo Of timber.
THE SECOND EXPEDITION.
The sagas make mention of another
expedition, undertaken by Thorfin Karls- |
fue, who enlisted as his associates sixty |
men and five women. Sailing from lee |
land in a southerly direction. they ar
'lved at the place where Lief had 'built |
ms huts. After landing the COWS and a
oull to Craze, which they had BROUGHT
With them, Karlsfue ordered his men ia
ell trees and prepare timber for the
ships cargo; and while thus engaged
hey saw emerging from the woods many
5kraellngs. Happening toappear where
ne bull was feeding, and being rather
u teroclOus spirit, he beloved loudly.
md made an attack upon them. which
ed them Immediately to retreat.
Alter securing re-enfOrcements they
eturned, and although they were not
.Ole to make themselves understood to
he Northmen, by means of SIGNS. how
Ver, they were enabled to barter f1rs
or such other commodities as the North
men were willing TO sell. When the na-
ives had withdrawn, Karlsfue caused
strong wooden fence to be placed
round his booths, which proved to be
'lse precautlon, as a short time after
YARDS the Skraelings returned, when a
erce hight ensued, in which many of the
.squlmauX fell. The Northmen soon he
omlng weary Of their abode i'll so STRANGE
country, and exposed to the freouent
ltacks OF the natives, in the spring re-
lrned to Greenland.
M. THE THEORY OF IRISH COLONIsTs.
Inc third expedition was undertaken
III! by Freydlssa, a daughter of Eric
ed, IN company with 200 Icelandic
aders, but as no further exploration of
MS country, was entered upon no new
lcts were obtained.
Inc theory Of the population of Amer
d Dy IRISH colonists has been founded
the mention OF saga writer who
JSefVes That Wineland must have been
tlvittramannaland," or the Great Ire
nq. It's not improbable that a similarity
the sound Of the language of the Deonie
tused the name Of a smaller BODY of
nd In the eastern hemisphere 10 ba
ven to part of the country bv its first
scoverers. Be this us it NAV II is cer-
IN that the theory has never been an
enticated.
thus we became acquainted with fbe
history of certain portions of
@ western hemisphere, as given bv the
gas of the Icelanders. !
Ihe discovery by Christopher Column
Is OF West Indies in 1892 was perhaDs
G result of trip made by him to Ice :
nd IN l477, at which time the discovery l
unknown lands to the southwest Of I
'eenland and Iceland was made known
INN by the sagas of the people of lee
nd.-Gen. G. w. Darling in Home
urnal n