Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-20
CHILDREN OF VIKINGS.
Arctic Tribe Descendants Of Americas
First Settlers.

First Settlers.
Unusual interest is added to Profes
sor Stefansson's discovery Of los
white tribe on the Arctic coast o.
North America, as announced in the
Philadelphia Public Ledger, by the
theory, which appears to be we'll found.
ed that this lonely race of maroonet
Scandinavians are the direct descend.
ants Of the first white men to colon.
ize America, the first gallant little
band of hardy Vikings who braved the
storm swept northern Atlantic in theii
fragile open craft, 900 years ago, and
settled in Newfoundland and New
England.
It was in 9S3, A. D., that Erik the
Red, a rowing Viking chieftain, and
his handful Of followers braved the
Atlantic and discovered Greenland
Other Viking expeditions, in all proba-
bility, had forestalled him in that voy-
age and foundered in the attempt, but
Erik the Red was the first pioneer who
managed to survive all the vicissitudes
Of cold and storm to effect a landing
in Greenland and to reach home again
with his records.
Three years later another intrepid Vi
king set sail. Bjarne Herjulfson, son
Of Herjulf. His little fleet was driven
southwark from the course he was lay
ing for Greenland, and in time he came
to the coast Of the northern American
mainland, near the island that today
we know as Martha's Vineyard.
On Herjulfson's safe return the news
of the discovery was borne to Erik the
Red, who Immediately prepared to
sail, with Lief the Lucky, his son, fol
the wonderful new land. Erik the Red
however, was discouraged by an omen
when the oracles we're consulted pre-
paratory to beginning the voyage. Liei
the Lucky set no stock in omens, and
in spite of all the protestations Of his
family sailed away with thirty five
men. Landing on the shores described
by Heryulfson, he named them Hellu-
land (Newfoundland), where one found
an abundance Of hellas or fiat stones;
MARYLAND (Nova Scotia), or woodland
and Vineland .(New England), where
fiourished an abundance Of wild vines
The Norsemen, the Icelanders and
the Norwegians came in great num-
bers to Newfoundland, where they es-
tablished a colony, built fourteen
churches. two monasteries, nunnery
and other structures, the ruins OF
which are still standing. The Morse
men settled in two colonies, one or
the northern, the other on the south
ern coast Of Newfoundland.
For a time they lived in peace, but
in the 14th century came a warlike
tribe Of Eskimos from the frozen north
who annihiliated the north coast set
tlement. Then the black plague swept
over Europe, and for two centuries
there was no communication between
Newfoundland and the Scandinavian
folks at home.
When communication was restored
the people of the southern Newfound-
land settlement had disappeared.
Their graveyards and buildings were
found, but the dead could tell no tales
and not a living man was found who
could give word Of the whereabouts OF
the colonists themselves. It has al
ways been assumed by historians thai
they had crossed the narrow straits tc
the mainland-perhaps hotly pursued
by the ravaging hordes Of Eskimos
perhaps in the hope Of finding more
clement climate and a territory better
stocked with game. and disappeared
into the northern American interior.
It Is the descendants Of this lost
tribe of the first American colonists
that Stefansson believes he sees in tho
tribe Of 1000 white folk, with blue eyes
and sandy or red hair and boards. with
whom he has lived on the frost-bound
shores Of the Arctic ocean, far out tc
the east Of the outlet Of the Macken-
zie river
Roald Amundson, discoverer of the
South Pole, searched for this tribe
while making his trip through the
Northwest Passage. Eskimos had told
him of a race of mysterious white folk
dwelling on the shores Of the Arctic
He sent an expedition along the shores
of Prince Edward Island, but no traces
were found.