The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-06-11
AMERICA NOT DISCOVERED BY
COLUMBUS.
An Essay by Ollie A. GIobel. at the Cresco
High School Anniversary, June 5,
1891

An Essay by Ollie A. GIObel, at the Cresco
High School Anniversary, June 5,
1891.
The subject to which your attention is
invited is Of equal interest to Americans
| and Norsemen. For those who are born
and brought up on 1.-THE fertile soil of Col
umbia, under the shady branches Of the
| noble tree of American Liberty where the
banner of progress and education is un-
| furled to the breeze" take great deal of
interest in everything pertaining to the
first discovery OF their native land; while,
on the other hand, those ''who first saw the
sunlight beaming among the rugged,
snow-capped mountains of old Norway,
| and can still feel any OF the heroic blood
of their dauntless forefathers course it's
way through their veins" must, OF course,
take an equally deep interest in learning
that their own ancestors were the first
pale-faced men who stepped on American
soil.
The Norsemen had up to the middle OF
the eight century played no part in the
worlds history. Their very existence
had been unknown or but vaguely known
| to the rest OF Europe. Up to this time,
they had been divided into small king
doms warning against each other. Fin
| ally, some bold chleftain conquered a
number of these, and brought them un-
der his strong rule. So when the field
for domestic warfare became narrower,
| they went abroad, and became the
scourge of Christendom. As Tacltus said
Of the Germans, "They deemed it a dis
grace to acquire by sweat what they
might obtain by blood
The leaders of the Viking cruises, call
ed sea. kings, did great deal of harm
not only on the coasts of neighboring
lands, but crossed the North Sea and the
Baltic carrying away or slaughtering the
inhabitants, and destroying the cities.
~ was Viking old.
My deeds, though manifold,
No Skad in song has told
No Saga taught thee.
Take heed, that in thy verse
Thou dost the tale rehcarse.
Else dread dead mans curse:
Fer this sought thee.
Ear in the Northern land.
By the wild Raltic's strand.
with my childish hand,
Tanned the gerfalcon:
And with my skates fast-bound,
Skimned the half-frozen sound
That the poor whimpering hound
Trembled to walk on.
soft to his frozen lair
Tracked the grizzly bear,
While from my path the hare
Fled like q shadow:
OFT through the forest dark
Followed the were-wolfs bark,
Until the soaring lark
Sang from the meadow
"But when older grew,
Joining q corsair's crew,
Ger the dark sea few
With the marauders.
Wild was the life we led:
Many the souls that sped.
Many the hearts that blcd
By our stern orders.
"Many wassail.bout
Wore the long winter out:
Often our midnight shout
Set the cocks growing,
As we the Berserl's tale
Measured in CUPS OF ale,
Draining the Oaken pail,
Filled to o'ertlowing."
That they were fierce and brutal is
credible enough, yet we must remember
that all that is known OF these early vlk-
ings Is derived from the writings Of their
enemies who were smRrting under the in
jury done them. But there are certain
traits that even their enemies credit them
with-faithfulDess to their oaths and
promises. 1t has been rightly said, the
breath OF new life which the Vikings in
fused into history lives to-day in Norway,
in England aud in America.
In their conquering expeditions, they
subdued large portion OF England,
wrested Normandy, the fairest province
Of France, from the French king, Charles
the Bald, conquered considerable por.
ton of Belgium, and made extensive ill.,
roads into Spain. Under Robert Guis.
card they made themselves masters Of
Sicily and lower Italy in the eleventh
century, and maintained their power
there for long time. They took an act.
I've part in the Crusades, and under Har-
old ruled over Antioch and Tiberias. Go.
ing to the east, from whence they origin.