Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-06-21
TIE HORSEMEN.
BIZ KLFRIED DE p. GUIDE.

y
the birth of Columbus not only dis
covered America, but actually settled
in Iceland and Greenland. AS early
as A. ID. S76, voyages were made by
the Norsemen from their own rugged
coast to the shores of the continent.
Their visits, however, were so tran
sient, that form any years the benefit oi
the discovery was lost both to them
selves and to the civilized world.
! Nevertheless they left their impress
upon civilization, and it is probable
that Columbus himself must have
heard of those old northern tales, told
from father to son, of how Eric the
Red, iourneying westward many days,
had planted a colony in that land be-
! yond the sea; of how Left, his son, in
heriting his venturesome spirit, con-
tinued to voyage until he came to au
island which he named Helluland
tFlatstone Land), supposed to be New
foundland: next, to Marklald Wood
: Land), supposed to be Nova Scotia,
{ then to VInland (Vinelandl, supposed
to be the coast of New England, the
mild country where grapes were grow
ing, and where the hilisIdes were COW
cred with flowers. 1t seems certain
that some of the ancient Sagas were
translated into French, and thence
/ found their way into Italy. the land OF
culture and progress at that time. 1t
would not be safe to say that Colum-
/ bus did not pore over some of the an
clent translstions, whether he got his
original ideas from them or not. What
we can be sure of, is that "History
of the Westward Voyages of Eric
! Sanderson" was published in Italy
prior to the fifteenth century. Leav-
/ ing to Columbus the merit of an
J original conception, we may still be-
/ lieve that he was encouraged in his
task by sight of some of these works.
Probably no raco has contributed
more to the picturesqueness and
romance of history than those magnifi-
cent old warriors of the north, the
| Vikings. Their undaunted bravery,
their superb physical development,
their love of conquest, and their bril-
liant daring made them both respected
and feared even by the Romans, who per-
mitted them, for the most part, to
dwell in peace in their rugged strong
holds and settle undisturbed in the
lands of Gaul and Britain, which were
theirs by sheer force of arms.
From its earliest history, the life of
this northern race was distinguished
by a degree of civilization far in ad.
vance of the other nations of Europe,
excepting always the Byzantine en-
pire, which retained a meretricious re-
tinement until the fall of Constantine
pie before the Turks. The Norsemen
were neither savages nor bar barians in
the common acceptation of the term !;
their laws, customs, training, their
methods of warfare by land and sea,
the trappings and equipments of their
ships and armies, showed remarkable
intelligence and considerable technical
knowledge in the arts of government
and warcraft. The Eddas and the
Ssgas of their early literature, are full
of wild and thrilling tales of fierce bat
ties, stormy voyages, and glowing de-
scriptions of the splendor of their dress
and riding equipments, the richness of
their armor, and the magnihcence of
their vessels. Gold was everywhere N
abundance with these people; yet its
use, although lavish, was marked by
both taste and discretion.
But the profuse decoration OF their
war implements never detracted from
their usefulness. 1t is only in recent
years that even a fair degree of know
ledge of the lives and habits of these
Norsemen has been uniolded to Ius.
We pause in astonishment before the
evidence of their taste and skill asSre-
vealed in the fine collections in the
museums of Copenhagen, Stock holm,
Ohristiania, Bergen, Lund, aud Gotten
burg. Their weapons and coats OF
mail give ample proof that they ex-
celled in iron and steel working. Some
of the beautiful damascened swords
to use technical formulating as far
back as the early part of the Christian
era, demonstrate that the art was prac
ticed among them long before its in.
PRODUCTION into the rest of Europe. The
remnants of clothing, beautifully en-
broidered in gold and silver. show
their deftness in weaving. Large cups,
urns, and other vessels, wrought in
pure gold and silver, testify to the
sumptuous taste,-though our connois-
seurs would doubtless regard it as at
least semi-barbaric,- those early
times. The proo's of their knowledge
of the arts of writing and gliding, and
the specimens of delicate intricate re-
pnusse work in iron. bronze, gold, and
silver, are astonishing. Twenty CEN
II
the splendor of these treasures. Among
other objects which awaken keen ad-
mirstion, are glass vessels, exquisitely
painted in patterns, unrivalled even in
the museums OF Italy and Russia.
If We are to credit their poems and
romances, the Norsemen we're noted
for their muscular strength, their IN
trepidity, their great love of the sea,
and their passion for conquest. The
men were giants in stature, and sn-
perbly developed. They were com
monty fa1r-haired and blue-eyed, with
massive and handsome features. The
women were beautiful, strong, healthy
and virtuous. The young girls lived a
retired. industrious life, employing
their time in weaving, embroidery, and
the cares of the household. The mar
ried women we're held in great respect
and esteem. The wife was the COM
panion and helpmate Of her husband,
and at liberty to join IN all his pur-
suits. In many instances, she accom-
panied him on hunting expeditions and
on the field of battle.
The education of the male children
was divided into, First, the athle ic:-
wrestling, swimming, jumping, run
ming, leaping, balancing, climbing,
snow-shoeing, and hunting. Second,
the school of the warrior, that is to
say:-fencIng, spearing, lance or jave-
I'm throwing, archery, and shot sling
ing. Third, mental trsining:-poetry,
recIting of the Ssgas, riddles, chess,
and harp-playiug From his boyhood
the young Viking was schooled in
every art and exercise which might
develop his physical powers to the
utmost, and fit him for the hardsh1ps
of the campaign, both offensive and
defensive; and meantime. his aesthetic
education was not neglected. As war
rlors they were always ready. It is
the key to the character of the old
Viking, that he was prepared alike to
sing history of the great deeds of