Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-06-28

| ne Is tne ' kings var
When night fell the raven came and
rested on the ship, but with dawn he
me o Esir." And that evening the
Snoe-holm, ''Snow Island" appeared
before them like a spectre.
Its ghostly-white mountains rose to
the sky emitting showers of lava and
wreaths of smoke. The hills were
| girdled with green woods, the plains
sent forth Jets of boiling water, the
/ earth quaked and the heavens were
clouded. NO human beings peopled
the land, and Heriolf Hrsfn thought it
was a sacred spot
He rested there many days, and
some of the Yikingers believed that
there was no more western land than
Iceland. Some became disheartened,
and secretly made another ship, and so
sailed back to Norway, where, at first,
none woul credit their tale.
But Herjolf Hrsfn still listened to
the spirit of the sun, and again he
/ sailed to the West, sending forth the
raven as before, believing ever that
that the gods were with him, hoping
that "the perfect light" should shine
upon him at lest; and so, following the
sun, he left Iceland, which afterwards
became peopled by his followers.
By-and-by he came to land covered
with verdure, and he called it "Gruu-
land, 'and there remained some months
teaching the savages he found there to
worship the god of Day and Peace.
These savage tribes, told him of
lands beyond theirs, and they showed
him delicious fruits and curious things
they had brought from thence, which
confirmed Herjolf's belief in a western
world where the sunlight was never
dimmed by such clouds as swept his
Norland skies.
But again some of the Vikinger
thought they bad journeyed far enough
and they made them canoes and strag-
gled back to Iceland, where they found
~fiea- Kings of Norway, who had come in
Heriolf's track after all The follow
ing which left Grun-land with Her
JOLT Hratn was a small one. They
sailed, as the raven led, southwest,
touching at many lands, seeing many
marvellous sights, ercountering many
dangers, and gradually reaching the
tropics where the sun shines ever.
At last they came to beautiful
country abounding in rich fruits and
flowers, with birds and beasts excel
lent for mans use," and they nlmed
that land "Yucatan." which Is sup
posed to have been Mexico. They
found there a gentle, simple race to
whom the story of Bslder was no new
gospel, for they worshipped the sun,
not as fierce warriors did, nor as the
latter invaders of their country did, but
as reverent tender souls should do, Low.
ing light and hating violence.
In that sunny cline the hardy
Norsemen learned many new things,
but the restless spirit of adventure
forbade them to fix their dwelling
there
They cruised over those blue seas,
resting at times on some coral isle
amid gorgeous foliage, and under glow
ing skies; tasting fruits as delicious as
the food of the gods; hearkening to
the melody of birds bright as gems;
bathing in waves warm and invigorat.
ing as flowing mead. "Surely this is
the home of Balder, said the Vikinger.
But Heriolf Hrafn pointed to the west
ern skies.
Gee where Balder rides over west
ward, said he, "and L know he gives
to us his followers, the spirit of the
sun. Onwardl Westward We can
but obey the highborn impulse, and go
as Balder goes"
lHerjolf Hrafn returned not to Scan
dinavia. A few of the VIkingers who
were with him in Yucatan and
in the "Blessed Isle," the golden
gates of the West, returned to their
homes to tell of such marvels as no
man would credit, but their chief and
their raven, they said, were still gong
westward
And so Herjolfs voyage was
doubted or forgotten, and in the lapse
of time became regarded as entirely
mythical. We of modern days know
that the Norsemen did visit those
lands and left the rugged virtues of
the North among he gentle effeminate
tribes of the West We know that
Herjolf Hrafn followed a true and
noble instinct, and perhaps it was
given to him to know as through a
glass darkly (ere he died that his
Balder was the type of one who is
the light of earth, the true object OF
worship, the true God to obey and to
seek after.
Perhaps IN some vision, he forsav
that the same spirit which had led HIM
should carry the sons of the Sea-Kings
on a like quest; and that a race, sprung
from the old Morse rovers should be
moved to follow the sun, should people
the West, and plant IN its farthest
lands, the banner of a Prince of Peace