The sun., 1919-03-23

In 12S4, however, the norwegian
King sold to single firm in Bergen
the exclusive right OF trading with
Greenland. and made It statutory
crime for the Greenlanders to build or
sail their own ships, or to deal with
any one not connected with this firm.
In consequence the trade with Europe
dwindled so that toward the end Of
the fourteenth century II was often
several years between sailings Of ships
to Greenland.
When the Scandinavians first set
tied southwest Greenland they found
house ruins and other Eskimo remains,
but for some reason these Eskimos
had left the country again, and the
Scandinavians came In no contact with
them during their early period.
About the middle Of the thirteenth
century, however, the Eskimo began to
crowd down upon the colony from the
north, apparently having come from
the American continent by way Of the
Arctic islands. crossing thence to
Greenland by Smith Sound. We have
several accounts Of the earlier fights
and we know definitely that shortly
after 1s41 the most northerly Scandi-
navian colony was destroyed
Severance of Dom m unicat ton.
The last reliable accounts OF the
southern portion OF the scandinavian
settlement date from the first years
Of the fifteenth century, although moro
doubtful accounts take this story
nearly down to 1900. At the time that
Columbus sailed for America a bishop
appointed by the Pope still had the
nominal Office OF Bishop Of Green
land" although he never left Europe
/ to assume his actual duties.
A combination OF circumstances
finally cut off all communication be-
| tween Bergen and Greenland. The
consequence OF the Black Death was
one; raids upon Bergen by ships of
the Hanseatic League was another
| Norway lost her lead In maritime af-
fairs, and sailors of England reds
covered the country.
| In 1855 John Davis sailed up into
the strait which bears his name, ant
the navigators that followed him
brought to the attention OF Europe the
, Eskimo, who were by that time the
sole inhabitants OF the districts In
which the Scandinavia colony had
previously fiourished.
/ 1t cannot have been much more than
a hundred years from the disappear.
ance OF the Scandinavlans from
Greenland to the coming of Davis, and
! had the people OF that time taken the
scientific interest that modern eXplor.
ers DO In the things they saw and
heard. they could have cleared UP the
mystery which still envelops the fate
OF the colony.
| Historians have always considered Il
probable that IL was no war of exter.
mination that ended the Morse occu-
patton, but that one OF two thing.
happened: either the remnants of Flu.
ropeans intermarried with the Eskimo
in Greenland, or, more probably, they
migrated westward to the portions o.
America so we'll known TO their fore
fathers. In America they then either
persisted through starvation or by war
or became amalgamated with the pop
ulatlon which they found In the coun
try ..- ..... -,
References to "BIond" Arctic Men
Shortly after the announcement o
our discovery OF European like peopl
In southwest Victoria Island. Cen. A
W. Greedy undertook a survey OF tn,
entire mass OF Arctic literature to seel
references to previous discoveries o
similar nature by early voyagers.
His thorough familiarity with IN,
printed sources, and the possession o
manuscript documents OF great value
enabled him to bring together man!
things which had previously escape,
notice, but which established tairl.
complete historical chain Of reference
to Blond Eskimos" from the time o
Davis to the present.
The first and perhaps the most In
teresting, reference Is that to Nicola
Tunes. captain Of a fishing vesse
who In 1856 sailed up into Davi
Strait to 70 degrees north lattud,
He found the district occupied by tw
different sorts of people--one kin
which he described as very tall. we
f, tuilt, Of a rather fair complexion, swift
OF foot; the other much smaller. wit
= an olive complexion, and short, thic
, legs. The latter OF these two types
easily recognized as the Eskimo. Will
! the former would At we'll a people c
, mixed Scandinavian and Eskimo dc
) scent. in whom the Scandinavian wa
l the predominating element
: Coming TO more recent times an
: TO more westerly districts. we find y
> the road which any migrating peopl
+, must have travelled between Greer
} land and Victoria Island numerou
references by explorers at vaItou