The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1891-09-26
The Norwegian Discoveries
SoTti america and the
Italian Difficulty.

The subject which | am going to
Wilte about is one tina IL known ri TIE
general reader. Il il nara ntu thing.
! an not advancing any neW theory.
! aaA aware that | am ~1rayeiliu. over Il
beaten track. The subject has already
been discussed i'll snme Of the papers.
But On i Of tile late Italian diff
lcuItT. | am compelled to advance
en- leading remarks ID regard to tl.is
subject. According to the history Of
Iceland. a Norwegian pirate discover
N that Island in So. 1t was settled
~ people from Norway. The Nor
Wegians subsequently extended their
discoveries 70 Greenland, they gave il
TIL name which it now beans. where
they also established a settlement. Il
seelns. according to the statement Of
their historians, THAT COUNT had 4
mllder climate than 1T present. Tie
shores were mot then biockaded with ice
as they have since become. The set
Element was established on tile western
coast.
Before proceeding any farther it
would be well 10 mention that the
Norwegians at this time We're the
most skllful navigator OF the Northern
Seas. They We're accustomed to
danger and harlships almost from
childhood. They were brave and fear
less anne No dangers nor priva-
ten seemed TO daunt them. The ships
IN those days were clumsy and uawiel-
dy without decks. At this time and
TOT centuries afterwards tie mariners
compass was unknown. The sailor
had notllirg 70 guide him but the sun
dutlng the day. aud tie moon and
sans bE night. Ills rendered naviga-
ton dangerous. in cloudy and stormy
weather. they often drifted for out Of
course and frequently cast on
some unknown shore. or entirely lost.
In $50 Heiirelf started from Greenland
and sailed . long the Eastern coast Of
North America. This yoyage took
place annut five hundred wears before
Columbus sailed from Palos in Spain
q his first voyage Ut discovery.
Helireif continued lii voyage iiEI iii
arrived where tile State If Rhode
Island Is now situated here one of the
sailors, who was 4 Etermau went i
shore and procured d lot of wild egapes
brought them to tile ship and told the
that Il was of these that wine
was made ii Eis country. Tie
place was called Einland Oh Nineland.
It was autumn. and thcy noticed the
sun was above tIte AorizeL much longer
than lH Greenland. Il rose at seven
O'Clock =. VI. and set III four o'clock
=. H.; which made the days nine
hours long liz returned to Greenland
where lie related an account Of his
voyage. ThortiDn karlsefne sailed
from Greenland ia 1907 with three
with tools and cattle for the our
81 colonization in Vinland there
we're = hundred and sixty men in all.
They arrived at Einland iii the
Autumn Of the same wear. They
found botl. orn aud grapes growing
Wild. They remained aefe till the
following winter. At that time i
horde OF savdges made an attack nnon
by 4 shower Of arrows and mis-
sIes 50 thick that they were cotlpell-
ed 20 retire 70 their ships for seelf-d
fence. At this time firearms were UNI
known which rendered them unable 10
contend with Savages who rushed upon
them with superior numbers this dis