Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-11-18

NAS SSst, NEAR NlulSuu NnS EOOu, SIN
days sail west from ireland, Doubt
less the W. has arisen through
some mistake or carelessneSs OF the
transcribor of the original manu-
script, which is now lost, and was or
ronoously written for NX, or NJ, or
perhaps WI, which would cores
pond with the distance. Such a mis-
take might easily have been caused
by blot or defect in the manuscript,
Ii must have been In this same
Great Ireland that Biorn Ashrandson,
surnamed the Champion OF nrcidayik,
spent the latter part OF his life He
had been adopted into the celebrated
band of Jormshorg warriors. under
Palnatoko His relations with Thurid
Of Froda, In Iceland. n sister OF the
powerful official Snorre, drew upon
him the enmity and persecution Of
the latter, in consequence OF which
he found himself Obliged to quit Ice
land forever, and In 800 he set sail
with n northwest wind,
And now comes the most interest
ing part Of the story. Gudleif Gud-
laugson, the ancestor OF the celehrat-
ed historian, Snorre Sturlason. had
made n trading voyage to Dublin, in
Ireland, hut when he left that place
again, with the intention OF sailing
around Ireland and returning to Ice
land. he met with long continued
northeasterly winds. which drove him
far to the southwest In the ocean,
and late In the summer he and his
company came ut last to an extensive
country. but they knew not what
country il was. On their landing, n
crowd OF the natives several hundred
in number, came against them and
laid hands on them and bound them.
They did not know any OF these ma
tives, but 1t seemed to them that
their language resembled Irish. The
natives now took counsel whether
they should kill the strangers or
make slaves of them. While they
were deliberating, a large company
approached, displaying n banner,
close to which rode man of dlstin-
advanced In years and had gray hair.
The matter under deliberation was
referred to his decision, and he was
none other than the above named
Bjorn Asbrandson. He caused Gud-
left to be brought before him, and
addressing him In lcelandic, asked
him whence he came, On Gudleif's
reply that he was an lceander, njorn
made many inquiries about his nc
quaintances In Iceland, and particu-
larly about his beloved Thurid OF
Froda and her son, Kjartan, supposed
to be his own son, and who at that
time was the proprietor of the estate
Of Froda. In the meantime, the ma
tives becoming impatient and de-
handing decision, Bjorn selected
twelve Of his company ne counselors,
and took them aside with him. and
some time afterward he went toward
Gudlelf and his companions, and told
them that the natives had left the
matter to his decision He thoreupon
gave them their liberty, and advised
far advanced, to depart Immediately.
because the natives were not to be
depended upon and We're difficult to
deal with, and, moreover, conceived
that an infringement on their laws
had been committed to their dlsad-
vantage. He gave them n gold ring
for Thurid and a sword for Kjartan,
and told them to charge his friends
and relations not to come over to
him. as he had now become old and
might daily expect that old age would
get the better OF him; that the coun-
try was large, having but few har-
bors, and that strangers must every
where expect hostile reception.
Gudleif and his company accordingly
set sail again, and found their way
back to Dublin, where they spent the
winter; but the next summer they
repaired to Iceland and delivered the
presents. and everybody was con-
WINGED that II was really Bjorn Az
GRANDSON. the Champion OF Breida-
vik, that they had met with In the far
on country. An American poet,
George Otis. published In Boston, In
1874, very pleasant poem based on
the saga narrative OF Bjorn Asbrand-
son. The name OF the poem Ia
Thurid.
The date OF Gudleif's voyage lie the
year 1929, and my readers may easily
find the account in chapter Ga OF the
Eyrbyggja Saga. The portion OF
America here referred to Is supposed
to BIO situated south OF the Chesa-
peake Bay, and includes North and
South Carolina, Georgia and East
Florida. In the saga OF Thorhn
Karlsefne. chapter 10. II is distinctly
called "Irland-it- Milka," that is,
Great Ireland. The presumption is
that the name Great Ireland arose
from the fact that the inhabitants
seemed to Gudlaugson's party to speak
Irish; that the country presumably
had been colonized by the Irish long
before Gudlaugson's visit. and that
they, coming from their own green
island to vast continent possessing
many OF the fertile qualities OF their
own native coil found guch an apDol-