Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-01-26
AMERICAS DISCOVERY.
ACCOUNTS OF PRE-coLuMsiAN vov-
AGES AND SHORT STAYS.

Icelands Ancient Lore Records an Expe-
ditisa which Took Place I'm oso-Expe-
riesces which Lead TO tho Belief That
America Was tho rlace Visited.
Tho ancient lore Of tho Icclandic sagas
furnishes proof of the early colonization
Of tho American continent In the Tenth
century by the Scandinavians. Tho sagas
and songs upon which ancient Scnndi-
navian history Il founded, and those con-
tanning the history Of America by the
Mortimer, were originally intrusted to
the memory, and these verbal traditions
formed historical narratives.
In the early part OF the Twelfth GEN.
tury, when the Icelanders had become
familiar with the Latin chirography,
they were committed to writing. Manu-
scripts found in Iceland during the year
1CO make record Of an expedition to
Greenland led in 0S0 by Eric Red, of Ice
land. His son Lief, who accompanied
him, enlisted crew Of thirty -five men,
and set sail from Greenland on another
voyage Of exploration. In duo time they
came to we'll 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 tho fame acquired by this expedition
encouraged his brother Thorwald TO en-
bark in the same vessel In 1909 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 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.
No evidences of human habitation were
visible, nor did he find the lairs Of ami
mails. Afterwards sailing eastward they
came to o 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 Northmen were attacked by the
Esquimaux, to whom the eight 80 re-
Gently killed probably belonged. Thor
wald, fatally wounded In the encounter,
was buried on tho promontory 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 Thortin Karls-
fue, who enlisted rs his associates sixty
men and five women. Sailing from Ice
land in southerly direction, they ar
rived at tho place where Lief had built
his huts. After landing tho cows and q
bull to Craze, which they had brought
with them, Karlsfue ordered his, men to
fell trees and prepare timber for tho
ships cargo; and while thus engaged
they saw emerging from the woods many
skrnclings. Happening to appear 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-enforcements 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
tives had withdrawn, Karlsfue caused
q strong wooden fence to DO placed
around his booths, which proved to be q
wise precaution, as q short time utter
wards the Skraelings returned, when a
flerco fight ensued, In which many Of the
Esquimaux fell. The Mortimer soon be-
coming weary Of their abode in 30 strange
= country, and exposed to tho frequent
attacks Of the natives, in tho spring re-
turned TO Greenland.
THE THEORY OE IRISH CoLONIsTs.
The third expedition was undertaken
In 1011 by Freydissa, daughter Of Eric
Red, In company with 200 Icelandic
traders, but as no further exploration of
this country was entered upon no new
facts were obtained.
The theory Of tho population Of Amer
lea by Irish colonists has been founded
on tho mention Of saga writer who
observes that Wineland must have been
"Flvittramannaland," or tho Great Ire
land. 1t lis not improbable that a similarity
in tho sound of tho language of the people
caused the namo Of smaller body of
land in tho eastern hemisphere to be
given to part of tho country by its first
discoverers. Be this as it may Il is GER
tain that the theory has never been au-
thenticated.
Thus We became acquainted with the
lcelandic history Of certain portions Of
tho western hemisphere, as given by the
sagas of tho Icelanders.
The discovery by Christopher Column
bus OF West indies In 1492 was perhaps
the result Of trip made by him to Ice
land in 1477, at which time the discovery
OF unknown lands to tho southwest of
Greenland and Iceland was made known
to him by the sagas of the people Of Ice
land.-Gen. G. w. Darling in Home
journal