Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04

nearly the entire Icelandic history. He also
calls attention to the tradition among Shawnee
Indians that white men from over the sea
inhabited Florida. There are many other
Indian legends about white people who came
from afar, from the northeast.
Huitramanna-land (Whiteman's land), Al
bania or Iceland the Great, variously known.
is spoken of in the eleventh-century sagas as
country long known by these names of the
Norsemen. The route to 1t is described: Ito
the south of habitate Greenland there are
uninhabitable and wild tracts and enormous
icebergs The country Of the Skaelings (origi-
nal inhabitants) lies beyond these, MARYLAND
beyond these and Vineland the Good beyond
this last Next to this, and somewhat beyond
It, lies Albania, and this is Huitramanna- LAND,
whittier formerly vessels came from Ireland"
It Is maintained that at some remote period
before the IcelanderS came Huitramanna- land
was peopled by the Irish, from whom it de.
rived its name. The ancient Irish, with whom
the PhenicianS traded, were seafarers With
q knowledge of astronomical science and with
facilities which would have made voyages to
America possible.
After the conversion Of Ireland by st. Patrick.
near the end of the fifth century they spread
their religion far and wide. The Christian
Irish were in Iceland before the heather Morse
reached there. The sagas' tell, further, that
reached that country.
Some scholars think that Huitramanna- land
was the land reached by the Irish st. Brandon,
who fiourished in the sixth century and who
Is credited with voyages westward in the
Atlantic. Italian geographers Of the thirteenth
century placed saint Brandons Land" on their
conjectural charts opposite Europe and Africa
from the south Of Ireland to the end of
Guinea" ToscaneIi Of Florence, who made
out on the first voyage, placed saint Brandone
Land" in this customary space, which embraced
the coast Of Georgia.
The sea-roving Morse, Of the faith Of Odin
and Thor, settled in Iceland In 875 A. d. They
were excellent nayigators well versed In the
art Of sailing before the wind. Their vessels,
provided with square sail as well as with oars,
are known to have been as large as seventy
four ellis long on the keel" They were long
and broad and high, with as many as "a
benches for rowers Such were the ships which
prowled the Georgia coast. These Icelanders.
though, were not piratical Vikings, but mer-
chants. and their trading ships were called
"kaupShipS"
TT was their voyages to America which formed
the backbone Of Icelandic literature. Tha
Sagas, now usually accepted as genuine his
torical compositions, were sung by the skaldS
(naroS) 70 the tones OF golden harpS and told
OF three Icelanders who came to Huitramanna.
land These refer to the voyages Of Ari Marsee
in 928 A. D. (prior to Lief the Luckys Vine.
land VOYAGE; Bjorn Ashbrandson of the afores
mentioned romantic tale, who is thought To
have come here in 999 A. D., and of Gudlief
Gudlangson in 1927 A. D., when he was given
the ring by Bjorn to take to Thurid
Ari was one Of the headmen Of Iceland arr
a relative of the better-known Left Ericsson
He was of the race Of Ulf the Squint-Eyed. wfs
occupied the whole southwestern end of Ice
land. A storm drove his ship to Huitamanna-
land SO the story goes, and for some reason
he was held there for long time.
Icelanders and Irishmen who later found
him there learned from him that he had been
made chief and had been baptized!
Arts voyage, it must be remembered. was
564 years before Columbus and 748 years be-
fore the first records show any attempt ia
Christian1ze the American Indians Yet he was
baptized! Again the story points toward st,
Brandon of Ireland and his missionary expe.
dition of 500 A. D.
Huitramanna-land with its European in-
habitantS probably dying of or being absorbed
by intermarriage with the Indians (hence.
perhaps, the trace Of Nordic features among
the Indians converted In the 1eOOs by Spanish
friars). drifted into obscurity. There it re-
manned until the Spanish 70 lowed in the
footsteps OF Columbus. And IL obScurity res
NAMED all the saga lore of HuiEamanpa-land
until again unearthed by the present generas
ton.