The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-24
AMERICAS DISCOVERY.
ACCOUNTS OF pRE-COt un3lSN VoY-
AGES AND SHORT 3TAYS.

,cciand's Ancient Lore Records an Expe-
dition which Took Place In esG-Expe-
r,cnces which Lead to tho Belief That
America Was the Place visited
The ancient lore Of the lcelandic sagas
furnishes proof of the carly colonization
Of the American continent In the Tenth
century bv the Scandinayians. The sagas
and songs upon which ancient Scandi-
nav.an history IS founded, and those con-
tanning the history Of America by the
Mortimer, were originally intrusted 70
the memory, and these verbal traditiohS
formed historical narratives, ,
In the early part Of the Twelfth cen
turv. when the Icelanders had become
familiar with the Latin chirography'
thew were committed to writing. Manu-
scripts found in Iceland during the year
1850 mako record Of an expedition 70
Greenland led in $50 by Eric Red, OF Ice,
land. His son Lief. who accompanied
him. enlisted crew Of thirty-five men,
and set sail from Greenland on anOtiiei
,ov,Oe of exploration. In due time they
came 10 "a well wooded land TO the south
west of Greenland. whcrc day and night
seemed more equal than III ureehiahu
and Iceland.
GIVING THE LAND A NAME.
After a short sOiourn in TINS newly
found country, Lief, in company WIN
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 Vine
laudI Thorwald and his crew, having
safely reached their destination. spent
the winter in tho 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
'Orest
Noevidence5 Of humsa habitation were
visible. nor did he find the lairs OF ami
mails. Afterwards sailing eastward they
came TO a cape upon whose sandy beach
they landed. Having crossed this pro-
lection. 10 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 ana
killed, one managing 10 escape. Later
these NoTthmcn were attacked by the
Esquimaux. to whom the eight so re-
Gently killed probably belonged. Thor
valid fatally wounded in the encounter,
was buried on the promontory where he
fen His ucw returned to Greenland
with rich cargo OF timber
THE sECOED EXPEDITION.
The saeas make mention of another
expedition, undertaken by Thoriin Karls-
fue. who enlisted as his associates sixty
men and five women Sailing from Ice
land in a southcrly direction, they ar
rived at the place where Lief had built
his huts. After landing the cows and q
bull 10 Craze. which they had brought
with them. Kaflsfue 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 a ferocious spirit. he beloved loudly,
and made an attack upon them, which
led them Immediately 10 retreat.
After securing re-enforcements they
returned. and although they were not
able 10 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
tiyes had withdrawn, karisfue caused
"A strong wooden fence 10 be placed
around his booths, which proved TO DO a
wise precaution, as a short time after
wards the Skraciings returned, when a
fierce fight ensued, in which many Of the
Esquimaux fell. The Mortimer soon be-
coming weary Of their abode in 80 strange
country, and exposed 10 the frequent
attacks of the natives, in the spring re-
turned to Greenland.
THE THEORY or IRISH COLoNfs1s.
The third expedition was undertaken
in 10ll by Freydissa, daughter OF Eric
Red. in company with POO lcelandic
traders. but rs no further exploration of
this country was entered upon no new
facts were obtained.
The theory Of the population Of Amer
lea by Irish cOlOnists has been founded
on the mention OF n saga writer who
observes that Wineand must have been
"Flvittramannaland,' OF the Great Ire
land It's not improbable that q similarity
in the sound of the language Of the people
caused tho namo of q smaller BODY OF
land in the eastern hemisphere 10 be
given % a part OF the country by its first
DISCOVERIES. BE this as it may il is GER
tain that the theory has never been au-
thentcated.
Thus we became acquainted with the
lcelandic history Of certain portions Of
the western hemisphere, as given by the
sagas Of the lcelanders.
The discovery by Christopher Colum
bus Of West Indies in 1892 was perhaps
the result Of a trip made by him to Ice
land in l457, 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
land-Gen. c, w. Darling in Home
Journal.