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PUBLIC ARCHIVES OF CANADA 
 
 No. 
 
 NOVA SCOTIA BRANCH 
 
ai'lu Oouagco to !^iucnta. 
 
 A I'AI'KI-! KK\I> liKldKK, IMK 
 
 '^IhoSc 3slaiiJ) ^^!i!sto^•ica^ -S)ocicty 
 
 I'.V 
 
 lAMHS PHIWHV BAXTHK, A. M, 
 
 l'K<»\ IDKNCK : 
 
 I'KINTKI) I'OK IHi: SOCIKTV. 
 
 1889. 
 
X ■■ J ^ 
 
 FRKSS OF C. H. BUFFFNOTON, 
 TAUNTON, MASS, 
 
 X^-y 
 
NOTE FROM THE SOCIETY. 
 
 This valuable inuuuf^mpli un Ainorican history wuk ren<l l>y 
 Ml'. BiixttM', at a meeting of the Rho<l« Island IliHtoricnl So- 
 ciuty. held in its Cabinet, March U. 1888. when its author, a 
 corresponding member of the Society, received, on motion of the 
 Hon. Royal C. Taft seconded by the Kev. S. L. Caldwell, D. I)., 
 a unanimous vote of thanks for his elaborate and scholarly 
 paper. The branch of the subject i^Iatin^ to the voyages of 
 the Northmen awakened much interest among members of the Society 
 half a century ago, and the general interest therein is illustrated by 
 works published by the Koyal !S(K'iety of Northern Antiquaries at Copen- 
 hagen, which, though on the shelves of our library, are practically 
 beyond the reach of most of our members, being in a foreign language 
 with which they are not familiar. 
 
Introduction, r 
 
 The fi)ll()\vin}^ account of luirly Voyaj^cs to America was 
 prepared in order to place before an audience in a somewhat 
 l)o|)ular form, a subject recpiirinj; for its proper exposition, 
 much lar<^er space and more critical treatment. 
 
 This statement should disarm the criticism of scholars, 
 and explain to those who have made an exhaustive study of 
 the various |)hases of the subject, and to whom nothing that 
 I am able to present can be novel, the raison tVctrc of this 
 publication, made by friends, who ha\e thought it of sufficient 
 interest to he put in type. 
 
 Novelty in the method of identifying- places described in 
 the .Sa^as is disclaimed, and the casual reader is remin.led 
 that this branch of the subject is purely conjectural; at the 
 same time, the accuracy with which the Sagas describe local- 
 ities about and in the vicinity of Rhode Island, Nantucket, 
 Cape Cod and Massachusetts Hay, is so remarkable as to be 
 entitled to nn)st careful consideration. 
 
 J.AMKS PUINNKV Ba.XTKK. 
 
 I'ortland, Auj^ust, 18S9. 
 
 i 
 
 
EARLY VOYAGES TO AMERICA. 
 
 RKAIi HKK'lRK I'MK 
 RnoDK Isi.AM) UlSTOKIC.M. SnclKTV, 
 
 JaMKS ruiNNKY BaXIKK. 
 
 TIk' history «)f this Continent prior to its discovery by 
 luiroiK-ans is veiled in mystery. There are many dim al- 
 lusions of voyages made to it by adventurers, to be found in 
 ancient writings, but nothing of a strictly definite nature 
 prior to the fifteenth century ; for hitherto, the great ocean 
 which beat upon the western shores of lunope, bore appro- 
 priately the title of the Sea of Darkness, on account of the 
 absence of knowledge respecting it by the civilized World. 
 
 Speculations too chimerical to be profitably considered, 
 have been indulged in by fanciful" writers respecting the 
 colonization of our Continent. Athanasias Kircher has given 
 the Kgyptians the credit of colonizing it,^ basing his argu- 
 ment upon the religious worship found here ; while Kdward 
 Brerewood contends upon linguistic grounds, that the Tartars 
 are entitled to that credit ;- and Marc Lescarbot, with a faith 
 
KIIOIH-: ISLAND MISTOKICAI. SOCIKTV. 
 
 almost enviable, strives to show, that the Canaanites. driven 
 
 out by Joshua, emigrated hither ; that Nt»ah was a native of 
 this country, and was borne back to his ancestral home by 
 
 the flood." 
 
 The first really serious attempt, however, to trace j;e«)- 
 graphically a voyage to this Continent, has been made by 
 I)e (iuignes,* who, basing; his arguments ufxHi the historian 
 Li Yen, contends that the Chinese reached our western 
 shores from Asia in the seventh century. This view has 
 been considered of sufficient importance to engage the atten- 
 tion of several able writers, who have op|>osed it with vary- 
 ing degrees of ability.'' That this Continent was inhabited in 
 prehistoric times by a race of men of a very different type 
 from the red men whom our forefathers found here is evi- 
 dent from the remarkable remains which are found so 
 abundantly throughout the We.st. 
 
 Of these earth works particularly, many are of such 
 remarkable extent as to strike the beholder with 
 wonder. Those at Marietta, in Ohio, cover an area 
 of three - fourths of a mile in length by half a mile 
 in breadth, and consist of tw(» immense squares, one 
 containing fifty, and the other twentv-seven acres, the 
 walls of the larger being nearly six feet in height 
 and more than twenty feet broad at the base. Near by is 
 an elliptical .structure thirty-five feet high ench>sed by a cir- 
 cular wall. Within the larger enclosure are four truncated 
 pyramids ; three being approached by graded passage ways 
 to their summits, and from the south wall runs a graded way 
 to the Muskingum valley six hundred feet in length by over 
 
KAKI.V VOVAdKS V(t XMIKK A. 
 
 one- hiimlivd ami fifty feet in breadth. So thick wore similar 
 w«»rks where the City of St. l.oiiis now stands that it was 
 called Mound City. A jjroiii) between Alton and St. Louis 
 contained as many as .si.\ty structures." • 
 
 One of the.se works in the form of a parallelogram, 
 ninety feet in heij^ht, with sides at the base re.si>ectively .seven 
 hundred and five hundred feet in lenj;th, and a terrace on the 
 Southwest one hundred and sixty by three hundred feet, was 
 reached by a j^raded way, the summit beinj; truncated and 
 afifiirdinj; a platform two hundred by four hundred and fifty 
 feet. Upon this platform was a small mound about ten feet 
 hij;h, containin<; human bone.s, va.ses, and stone implements. 
 
 It is sup|)osed that a temple once .stood on the platform, 
 and that the rites of the priests could be beheld by the mul- 
 titudes below. In many of the mounds have been found cists 
 covered with slabs of limestone, enclosing skeletons, and often 
 at the head of the skeletons beautiful sjjecimens of jiottery, 
 statuettes, urns and drinkinj; vessels. 
 
 Isle Royal and the Northern shores of Lake Superior 
 are the Northwestern limits where these works of a lost 
 people are found. A recent writer says, ^that "the Mound 
 builders were in the distinctive character of their structures, 
 as marked a people as the Pelasgi, whose prehistoric works 
 can yet be traced throuj;hout (Greece and Italy. These 
 Pelasgi were the Wall Builders, for wherever they went 
 they threw up fortifications made of polygonal blocks. So 
 we can trace the Mound builders by their structures from 
 
RHODK ISLAND M ISTOKIC.M. SOCIKTV. 
 
 the shores of the threat hikes to the milder re.y;ions of the 
 (iiilf of Mexico and Central America." 
 
 Hesides articles of potter)- often of elegant desi<;ns, 
 there are found in the mounds remains of textile fabrics. 
 The Indians found here by the earl)' voyagers did not i)ossess 
 such articles, nor were they capable of erecting such works ; 
 but if any farther proofs were wantinjjj that they were not the 
 builders of these mounds, it would be found in the character 
 of the skulls found in them, which cranioloi^ists declare are 
 entirely uidike those of the red men ; but whence these peo- 
 ple came, or to what race the\' be]on<;"ed. is at present 
 unkn(twn. 
 
 in attemj)t to unravel these m)steries is not our pres- 
 ent purpose, nor to indulge in speculations regarding them, 
 which have already been too abundant. We have called at- 
 tention briefl)' to the claims of Kircher, Hrerewood, Lescar- 
 bot, and De (iuignes. respecting the first voyagers hither 
 from the eastern hemisphere, and we now come to another 
 claim in favor of a Scandinavian occupation of our eastern 
 shores as early as the latter i)art of the tenth century. 
 
 The first allusion to this subject was made in the eccle- 
 siastical history of Adam von Hremen, written j)revious to 
 the year 107^.** I^Larly in the thirteenth century the 
 Chronicles of the Kings of Norway were written,'' when 
 it was again alluded to. it was not, however, until 1705, 
 that Thormodus Torfeus treated the subject particu- 
 larly ;'** yet it failed to attract attention until about fifty 
 years ago,. when historical .students began to .study it. 
 
 
 \ 
 
i:.\Ki,\ V()VA(;i:s ro amkkica. 
 
 About this time the Royal Society of Northern Anti- 
 quaries bej^an its investigations of old manuscripts which 
 might throw li,i;ht upon history and antiquities. Amonj^ 
 these manuscripts were certain Saj^^as containing accounts 
 of voyages made to a western land, called Vinland. 
 
 The Saga grew out of a desire to perpetuate the memory 
 of great achievements, and was at first oral. That they 
 might run smoothly and be more readily committed to mem- 
 ory, many were turned into poetic measure by Saga-rnen. 
 
 These Saga-men were the literati of their time, and 
 were trained to relate accurately and in an attractive manner, 
 the traditional history of the past. The events related in 
 the Sagas with which we have to do, took place mostly dur- 
 ing the early part of the eleventh century ; but written lan- 
 guage had not been introduced into Iceland until about the 
 middle of the twelfth century, or about a century and a half 
 after these events took place. It was so difficult, however, 
 to obtain jjrepared skin.s, and the jirocess of writing was so 
 slow and costly, that not many Sagas were written out until 
 the thirteenth century. These written Sagas were subse- 
 quently collected and placed in the libraries of Copenhagen 
 and Stockholm. 
 
 A great variety of subjects are treated in these Sagas, 
 which comprise poems, stories, memoirs and historical narra- 
 tives ; but it is as easy to distinguish history from fiction in 
 tiicse ancient works as it is in modern ones. 
 
 Of course, in the Sagas occasionally occur statements of 
 a somewhat marvelous nature, but not more so than in the 
 
10 
 
 KIIODK ISLAM) lllsroKILAL SOCIKIV, 
 
 accounts of voyajjes of a much later date, which are regarded as 
 history ; indeed, for the most part, the narratives are given in 
 such a simple and natural manner, and with such an appar- 
 ent regard for strict accuracy, as to commend themselves 
 to the reader. The most minute incidents are carefully 
 related, and events hased upon mere hearsay are given as 
 such." 
 
 At first the claims of the Swedish Antiquaries met with 
 vigorous opposition. Their opponents contended in some 
 cases, that there should have been found well defined re- 
 mains of a Scandinavian occupation if there had been one, 
 and even apjjoaled to the works of the mound builders as ex- 
 amples to show that the inhabitants of a country, if they 
 become extinct, leave behind them works to bear witness to 
 their former existence. 
 
 This argument, however, lacked force, since the Scan- 
 dinavians were not in the habit of building earth works, 
 — the most permanent under certain conditions of the works 
 of man, — and as it is not claimed that they ever made any 
 considerable settlements here, it is hardly to be supposed, 
 that such structures as they would have been likely to erect, 
 would survive the destroying energy of three centuries, amid 
 a barbarous and destructive people. 
 
 We know that the settlement at the mouth of the 
 Sagadahoc by the Popham Colonists, which consisted of a 
 fort and fifty habitations, wholly disappeared within a cen- 
 tury ; as well as Christopher Levet's strong house in Port- 
 land Harbor, and other similar .structures in New England. 
 
 '■'J 
 
EAKI.V VOVACiES TO AMERICA. 
 
 I I 
 
 T^arded as 
 ^iven in 
 in appar- 
 eni selves 
 carefully 
 
 <(iven as 
 
 met with 
 in some 
 ■fined re- 
 een one, 
 rs as ex- 
 ', if they 
 itness to 
 
 le Scan- 
 works, 
 ." works 
 ade any 
 pposed, 
 
 erect, 
 s, amid 
 
 1 of the 
 led of a 
 
 a cen- 
 h Port- 
 
 igland. 
 
 i 
 
 4 
 
 Hut the enthusiastic advocates of a Scandinavian 
 occupancy of the American Continent were looking 
 about them for such evidences as their opponents 
 required to sati''.fy their doubt, and the first object which 
 engaged their attention was the old tower at Newport, 
 
 « 
 
 "My Stone built WiiuliiiiU"— in will of (fov. Arnold, Newixut, R. I. 
 
 which so well represents the mode of building by the Norse 
 people of about the twelfth century, and concerning the origin 
 of which no satisfactory explanation existed until recently ; 
 
Tm 
 
 1 
 
 KIIODI". ISLAM) IIISTOKKAI. SOCIIllV, 
 
 ; I 
 
 I i 
 
 but we now know that it was built by (iovornor Henedict 
 Arnolcl, about the year 1676,'-' aiul was copied from a 
 similar structure still standing; in his native '.own in luigland. 
 
 -Mill at the early home of (tov. Keiiedict Arnohl, Cliesteitmi, Kii(;lan<l. 
 
 This was followed by the discovery, near VnW River^ 
 of the skeleton of a man, who had apparently been 
 buried in armor. A part of the breast-plate found with- 
 this skeleton was at once forwarded for analysis to 
 Herzelius, the noted Swedish chemist. Herzelius pro- 
 
KAKi.v V()V.\<ii:s ro amkkica. 
 
 13 
 
 Benedict 
 d from a 
 1 England. 
 
 # 
 
 f 
 
 Klan<l. 
 
 ill Riveiv 
 itly been 
 nmd with- 
 lalysis to 
 el ills pro- 
 
 nounced it to be similar 10 Northern armor of the tenth 
 century, and his analysis showed it to be composed 
 of zinc, copper, lead, tin and iron, a composition nearly 
 identical with that of the bronze of that period. 
 
 Attention was also directed to the body which the Pil- 
 grims dug up shortly after their landing, which is spoken of 
 by Bradford, and is also to be found in Mourts' Relation.'^ 
 
 "The next morning we followed certain beaten pathes 
 and tracts of the Indians into the woods, — as we came into 
 the ])laine ground we found a place like a grave, but it was 
 much bigger and longer than any we had yet seen. It was 
 also covered with boards, so as we mused what it should be, 
 and resolved to digge it up. where we found, first a Matt and 
 under that a faire Bow, and then another Matt, and under 
 that a boord about three (juarters long, finely carved and 
 paynted, with three tynes or brooches on the top like a 
 Crowne ; also, between the Matts we found Boules, Trayes, 
 Dishes and such like Trinkets ; at length we came to a faire 
 new Matt, and under that two bundles, the one bigger, the 
 other lesse. We opened the greater and found in it a great 
 quantity of fine and perfect red Powder, and in it the bones 
 and skull of a man. The skull had fine yellow haire still on 
 it, and some of the flesh was consumed ; there was bound 
 up with it a knife, a pack needle and two or three old irt)n 
 things. . 
 
 It was bound up in a saylers canvas casake, and a jwyre 
 of cloth breeches ; the red powder was a kind of I^mbaul- 
 ment, and yeelded a .strong but no offensive smell : It was 
 as fine as any flower. We opened the lesse bundle likewise, 
 
i! 
 
 14 
 
 KIIMIDK ISI.A.M* HISTOKICAI. SOCIKTV. 
 
 I >: 
 
 and found <»f the same jxjwdcr in it. and the bones and head 
 of a little childe, about the le«i<(.s and other parts of it was 
 bound strings, and bracelets '. f fine white Heads ; there was 
 also by it. a little b<»w, about three quarters lon^;, and some 
 other odd knackes ; we brou<jht sundry of the prettiest 
 thinj^s away with us, and coveretl the corjjs up a<;aine. 
 
 There was varietie of opinions anionji^st us about the 
 embalmed person ; some thoujjjht it was an Indian Lord or 
 Kin<j ; others sayd. the Indians have all blacke hayre, and 
 never any was seene with browne or yellow hayre ; some 
 thouj^ht it was a Christian of some special note, which had 
 dyed amongst them, and they thus buried him to honor him." 
 
 Those who claimed that this was the bodv of a Norse- 
 man called attentitm to the yellow hair, which so much ex- 
 cited the wonder of the Pilgrims, and which is the distin- 
 guishing mark of the Scandinavian people, and insisted that 
 the piece of wimkI "three quarters long, finely carved and 
 paynted. with three tynes or brooches on the top like a 
 crowne," was the three tined staff called the rymstock or 
 runic staff of the Norsemen. 
 
 The mcKle of burial, too, with mats and domestic uten- 
 sils, they claimed to be identical with the mode of burial 
 among these jjeople. When asked to account for the new 
 mat the\ replied. "The body was embalmed and still nothing 
 hardly but the skeleton was remaining, and therefore the 
 statement must be wnmg in this respect. 
 
 Doubtless this skeleton was in soil near some lime stone 
 spring, or of a nature to preserve it for a long time, as well 
 as the textile fabrics, it being well known that such things 
 have been presen-ed for ages in favt)rable localities." Hence, 
 
KAKI.Y VOVACIKS TO AMKKICA. 
 
 '5 
 
 and head 
 
 i of it was 
 
 there was 
 
 and some 
 
 prettiest 
 ine. 
 
 about the 
 I Lord (»r 
 hayre, and 
 ^re ; some 
 which had 
 onor him." 
 )f a Norse- 
 
 nuich ex- 
 he dist in- 
 sisted that 
 arved and 
 op like a 
 nistock or 
 
 istic uten- 
 i of burial 
 or the new 
 ill nothin;; 
 :refore the 
 
 lime stone 
 
 je, as well 
 
 uch things 
 
 •• Hence, 
 
 they saiti, "some of the things may have aj^peared newer by 
 C(»mparison, while the very circumstances of the case show 
 that thev could not have been new." 
 
 Hut the Dighton Rock of all these supposed relics of 
 Norse origin, furnished in the estimation of the advocates of 
 a Scandinavian occupation the best evidence in support of 
 their claims." 
 
r 
 
 -" 
 
 1 6 
 
 HIIODK ISLAM) mSTOHICAI, SOCIKTV 
 
 . i 
 
 
 Runic scholars pronounced it a «jenuinc relic, and I'rof. 
 Katn, in the nrst glow of zeal, gave the World a translati()n. 
 This rock is on the shore of Taunton River, and has been a 
 jjuzzle to antiquarians. 
 
 Prof. Rafn has translated it as follows : " Thorfinn, 
 with one hundred and fifty-one Norse sea-faring men, took 
 possession of this land." 
 
 Edward Kverett, in the North American Review, said 
 after studying the subject, " That the rock contains some 
 rude delineations of the figures of men and animals is appar- 
 ent ()n the first inspection. The import of the other deline- - 
 ations and characters is more open to doubt. Hy some per- 
 sons the characters are regarded as Phoenician. The late 
 Mr. Samuel Harris, a very learned Orientalist, thought he 
 found the Hebrew word mclck (King) in these characters. 
 
 Colonel Valiancy considers them to be Scythian, and 
 Messrs. Rafn and Magnussen think them undoubtedly Runic. 
 In this great diversity of judgment, a decision is extremely 
 difficult."'"'' Everett's opinion is probably that of most stu- 
 dents to-day. 
 
 A curious allusion to the Dighton Rock is to be found 
 in the Sloane Manu.scripts in the British Museum, and 
 should be noted. In a letter to Sir Hans Sloane, from Cam- 
 bridge, December i8, 1730, are drawings of the inscriptions 
 upon the rock made by the Rev. Mr. Fisher and others, and. 
 this statement: "There was a Tradition current among ye 
 Eldest Indians that there came a Wooden House (and men 
 of another country in it) who fought ye Indians with mighty 
 success, &c." "This," .says the writer, "I think evidently 
 
KAKI.V VOVACiES TO AMERICA. 
 
 '7 
 
 and Prof, 
 ninslation. 
 la.s been a 
 
 ' Thorfinn, 
 men, took 
 
 view, .said 
 ains some 
 s is appar- 
 ler deline- 
 some per- 
 The late 
 thought he 
 iracters. 
 
 thian, and 
 
 idly Runic. 
 
 extremely 
 
 '. most stu- 
 
 o be found 
 seum, and 
 from Cam- 
 nscriptions 
 :)thers, and* 
 : among ye 
 (and men 
 ith mighty 
 c evidently 
 
 VI 
 
 4 
 
 
 shows that this .nonument was esteemed by ye Oldest In- 
 dians, not only very antique, but a ^Vork of a different 
 Nature from any of theirs." In another place this writer 
 adds, "They slew yr Saunchem." 
 
 This is certainly important, for it is to be observed that 
 the opinion that the inscription upon the Dighton Rock was 
 not the work of the Indians, was put forth more than a cen- 
 tury before the Norse voyages to this region were discussed. 
 
 In studying the Dighton Rock, however, several diffi- 
 culties present themselves. The inscription upon it has 
 been copied at various times during the past two centuries, 
 and the differences between the copies are many and strik- 
 ing. Lines appear in the later copies which one seeks for 
 in vain in earlier ones, while in the.se, one finds other lines 
 which do not exist in later copies. 
 
 This cannot be accounted for wholly upon the ground 
 of carelessness in copying. There is too much method in 
 .some of the changes, suggesting that irreverent hands have 
 assisted from time to time since the discovery of the rock by 
 Europeans, in the evolution of certain figures, while nature 
 herself has expunged and added many other lines. 
 
 This may be said to be the case with certain claimed to 
 be Norse writings upon the Maine coast, which an old resi- 
 dent in the vicinity averred that he, when a boy, assisted by 
 other boys, made upon the rocks, from time to time, for 
 sport. Natural lines and seams were brought together and 
 united by artificial scratches, and such additions made as 
 comported with the fancies of the rock artists. 
 
i8 
 
 KHODK ISLAND HISTOKrCAI, SOCIKTV 
 
 As for the Uijjjhton Rock, it is in any view of the case a 
 remarkable relic, which may well engaj^e our attention, 
 though we should be careful not to claim too much for it ; 
 indeed had not the early friends of the Scandinavian theory 
 placed so much dependence upon this and other curious 
 relics, it is probable that they would have met with less 
 ojiposition. 
 
 This opposition was active for a time, our careful his- 
 torian, Bancroft, being one of the most energetic of these 
 opjjonents. Perhaps it may be well to quote his own words. 
 He says in the first chapter of his History of the United 
 States : "The national pride of an Icelandic historian has 
 indeed claimed for his ancestors the glory of having discov- 
 ered the Western hemisphere. The geographical details are 
 too vague to sustain a conjecture ; the accounts of the mild 
 winter and fertile soil are on any modern hypothesis, fictions 
 or exaggerations ; the description of the natives applies only 
 to the Esquimaux, inhabitants of hyperborean regions ; the 
 remark which should define the shortest winter's day has 
 received interpretations, adapted to every latitude from New 
 York to Cape Farewell, and Vinland has been sought in all 
 directions from Greenland and the St. Lawrence to Africa. 
 
 Imagination has conceived the idea that vast inhabited 
 regions lay unexplored in the West ; and poets have de- 
 clared, that empires beyond the ocean would, one day, be 
 revealed to the daring navigator. 
 
 But Columbus deserves the undivided glory of having 
 realized that belief."^" , 
 
 Certainly, with Bancroft, we must all render homage to 
 Columbus for his great and heroic efforts in bringing the 
 
EARI.V VOYACES TO AMKKICA. 
 
 19 
 
 f the case a 
 • attention, 
 luich for it ; 
 I'ian theory 
 ler curious 
 with less 
 
 careful his- 
 tic of these 
 own words, 
 the United 
 storian has 
 ng discov- 
 
 details are 
 •f the mild 
 sis, fictions 
 pplies only 
 gions ; the 
 's day has 
 
 from New 
 •ught in all 
 
 to Africa. 
 
 inhabited 
 s have de- 
 ine day, be 
 
 ' of having 
 
 homage to 
 inging the 
 
 Western Continent to the attention of the Nations of Eu- 
 rope ; at the same time, we should not fail to render what- 
 ever credit may be due to those who preceded him but 
 who made their discoveries at a time when the world was not 
 ready to avail itself of them. This will in no wise detract 
 from the honor due to the great Genoese navigator. 
 
 In spite, however, of all the opposition which has been 
 made, there is to-day among historical students, an almost 
 general consensus of opinion in favor of the validity of the 
 Scandinavian claims, and this opinion is the result of a care- 
 ful study of the documents themselves, which bear many in- 
 ternal evidences of their truthfulness. 
 
 Before examining them, however, let us glance briefly 
 at a few historical facts preceding them ; the discovery of 
 Iceland by Naddodd, and of Greenland by Erik the Red, 
 which show what daring navigators these Northmen were. 
 
 Naddodd, a viking or piratical trader, was the first re- 
 corded discoverer of Iceland. Returning from Norway in 
 the year 861, he was blown by a violent tempest from his 
 course. While lost in a boundless waste of waters, he saw 
 through the gloom the high hills of a strange land rising 
 from the bosom of the sea, and entering a bay, afterwards 
 known as Reider Fiord, he climbed a movmtain to survey 
 the Country, hopir.g to find it inhabited ; but :io sign of 
 human beings was discov^erable. Three years later, one 
 Gardar, a Swede, was driven to the same land, and wintered 
 there. 
 
 The fame of these discoveries spread abroad, and caused 
 an adventurous seaman named Floki to set out on its ex- 
 
JO 
 
 KIIODI-; ISLAND IIISTOKICAl. SOCIKTY. 
 
 ploration. Taking with him three crows, he touched at 
 Shetland and h'aroe, and after sailing a Jong distance from 
 the latter place, he let (me of the birds escape, which flew 
 away in the direction of the land left. Judging from this 
 that Faroe" was still the nearest land, he continued his voy- 
 age, after a while loosing another bird, which, rising high in 
 the air and circling about a while, return«;d to the ship, 
 seeing no place whither it might fly for rest. The third 
 bird, which he released several days later, however, flew 
 away from the ship, and following its flight, he soon came in 
 sight of the wished-for land. 
 
 Here he passed two winters, but becoming discouraged 
 at the loss of his cattle, for which he had not gathered 
 sufficient food during the summer, he returned to Norway. 
 
 The first permanent colony was planted in Iceland by 
 Ingolf. Ingolf and Leif were cousins, whose families had 
 long been uniced by common troubles, and were about to 
 become more closely united by the marriage of Leif with 
 Helga, the fair sister of his friend and cousin. At a feast 
 given by the cousins to the three rough sons of Atli Jarl, 
 with whom they had been in an evil hour co-partners in an 
 expedition, Holmstein, cme of Atli's .sons, who was a rude 
 and quarrelsome fellow, declared that he would wed Helga 
 and none other. This led to a battle, in which Holmstein 
 was slain. 
 
 The cousins, being shortly after attacked by another of 
 the brothers, slew him, aKso, and for these acts they were 
 banished, and set sail for the strange land which Naddodd 
 had discovered, and of which they had often heard. 
 
r. 
 
 l-.VKt.V \(»V.\(.KS in AMIKKA. 
 
 21 
 
 ' touched at 
 stance from 
 which flew 
 f from this 
 led his voy- 
 iing hi^h in 
 ) the ship. 
 The third 
 >wever, flew 
 )()n came in 
 
 discouraged 
 ot gathered 
 to Norway. 
 
 Iceland by 
 
 mi i lies had 
 
 re about to 
 
 Leif with 
 
 At a feast 
 
 Atli Jarl, 
 
 ners in an 
 
 was a rude 
 
 wed Helga 
 
 Holmstein 
 
 another of 
 they were 
 Naddodd 
 
 The cousins reached this land in 870. Ingolf, in the 
 Spring of the year 87 i, returned to N»)rway to dispose of his 
 effects there, and to get some of his friends to return with 
 him, while Leif made a voyage to Ireland ; voyages being 
 not uncommon at this peri«Kl between Norway and Ireland ; 
 whence he returned with an immense booty. 
 
 Ingolf induced many of his friends to undertake with 
 him the foundation of a colony in this new country, and in 
 874, he, with a number of his countrymen, set sail from 
 Norway without chart or compass, and boldly steered his 
 littfe ship out into the broad and unknown ocean in search 
 of a new home. Ingolf took with him the pillars of his old 
 home, and when approaching the coast, threw them over- 
 board, that he might be guided by them to a favorable place 
 for his new abode. Hut a storm came on, and, losing them, 
 he was obliged to land on the Southeastern shore, at a place 
 named for him, Ingolfshofde, where he and his party erected 
 habitation.s, and there remained for three years, at the end 
 of which time, some of Ingolf's servants having found the 
 pillars on the beach near what is known as Reikiavik, the 
 jjresent capital, he removed thither. 
 
 Thus was Iceland permanently settled in the year 874. 
 It is a .strange fact connected with this early settlement of 
 Iceland, that the Landnamabok or Land Roll of the first 
 .settlers, states that they found Christians there, men called 
 Papae who, it is said, came from the West over the Sea, 
 and with them Irish books and many other things, whence it 
 was known that they were Westmen, as the Irishmen were 
 called. 
 
; I 
 
 22 
 
 KHODK ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY 
 
 The venerable Bede, who flourished in the eighth cen- 
 tury, says, that in his time, expeditions were made to Iceland, 
 and it is p.a that these things, meaning such things as the 
 first settlers in Iceland found among the people they called 
 Papae, have been found in the Isle of Papae, on the East 
 coast of Iceland, and at Papylio. This shows what frequent 
 and extensive voyages were made by Europeans at this early 
 day. 
 
 Thus far we have followed history,"^ but from this point 
 we will follow the Icelandic Sagas.'" 
 
 A century after the settlement of Iceland, Erik, sur- 
 named the Red, who, with his Father, Thorvakt, had been 
 banished from Norway for slaying a man, and who had set- 
 tled in Iceland, having in his new home again killed a man 
 in a quarrel, was banished from Iceland, and fitting out a 
 vessel he sailed Westward in search of the Rocks of Gunni- 
 born, rocky islands, which, it was said, one Gunniborn had 
 seen to the West of Iceland. 
 
 Iiirik told his friends that if he found these islands he 
 would re-visit them. After sailing Westward many days, he 
 at last ca;ne in sight of land, which he spent some time in ex 
 ploring. This was in the year 982. Having found a suitable 
 spot for habitation, he set out on his return v^oyage, which 
 he accomplished in safety. He gave glowing accounts of 
 the new country which he had discovered, misnaming it Green- 
 land, unless he named it from his credulous friends, and finall)- 
 induced a number of the people, with whom he appears to 
 have been popular, to accompany him. 
 
 He therefore set sail with twenty-five ships from Ice- 
 land ; fourteen of which only reached Greenland, the others 
 
EARLY VOYAGES. TO AMERICA. 
 
 33 
 
 eighth cen- 
 to Iceland, 
 lings as the 
 they called 
 I the East 
 at frequent 
 It this early 
 
 n this point 
 
 Erik, sur- 
 , had been 
 ho had set- 
 cilled a man 
 tting out a 
 :s of Gunni- 
 
 niborn had 
 
 i islands he 
 
 my days, he 
 
 time in ex 
 
 id a suitable 
 
 yage, which 
 
 accounts of 
 
 n<r it Green- 
 
 , and finally 
 
 appears to 
 
 IS from Ice- 
 , the othrrs 
 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 having been lost or blown back to Iceland. Among those 
 who accompanied Erik was Heriulf, who was a worthy de- 
 scendant of Ingolf, the early settler of Iceland. This Heriulf 
 had a son, Bjarni Heriulfson, who, when his father sailed 
 with his friend Erik, was away in Norway. 
 
 This Bjarni, it seems, was an adventurous spirit, a 
 thorough seaman, and possessed with a great desire to see 
 strange lands, and at this time had obtained considerable 
 renown and wealth. His vv^inters were passed alternately 
 abroad and with his father in Iceland. Coming back in the 
 Summer to Iceland, he was surprised to find that his father 
 and his men had gone with Erik to the new country. West, 
 and he at once set out in search of him, saying that he 
 meant to pass the Winter with his father as usual, wherever 
 he was. 
 
 With Bjarni was a Christian from the Hebrides, we 
 are told, and this man is not again alluded to, except that 
 when passing a dangerous whirlpool, he is said to have sung 
 a hymn. At this time Bjarni and his crew had not been 
 converted to Christianity, and they probably regarded a 
 Chri.stian as somewhat of a curiosity. The very simplicity 
 of this allusion to the man of a strange belief, and to the 
 natural incident of his singing a hymn when in danger, may 
 certainly be properly pointed out as one of the internal evi- 
 dences of the truth of the narrative. 
 
 For three days they sailed with a fair wind, until land 
 was lost to view, when strong Northeasterly winds sprang 
 up, and dismal fogs prevailed. For many days they were 
 driven forward, till at length, the weather clearing, they saw 
 
jTTTTyi 
 
 24 
 
 RHODK ISLAND HISTOKICAI. SOCIKTV. 
 
 \i 
 
 ii' I! 
 
 i i 
 
 the sky again, and driving on anothtM- day they descried land. 
 The sailors wanted to know of Bjarni if this was Greenland, 
 but he was evidently too good a navigator to think it was, 
 and, approaching nearer, he was well satisfied that it was 
 not, since unlike Greenland, this country was not mountain- 
 ous, which was to them a striking fact, as nearly all the 
 countries they knew were. 
 
 This land was covered with forests and had rising 
 ground in many parts. Leaving it to the left, they put 
 about with the stern of the ship towards the land and sailed 
 on this course two days, when they again saw land. The 
 sailors asked Bjarni if this was Greenland, but he said that 
 it could not be, " Because in Greenland are said to be very 
 high ice hills." This land was low and thickly covered with 
 wood. The sailors wanted to land, but the prudent Bjarni 
 would not permit this, though they clamored loudly and tried 
 to make him believe that they were short of wood and water. 
 
 Doubtless he was afraid that if they once landed it 
 would take a long time to get them on board again ; besides, 
 the season was getting late, and unknown perils were before 
 him ; so, refusing the pressing entreaties of his men, he 
 pushed on to the Northeast, and after three days' sailing 
 again made land. They coasted along its shore till he per- 
 ceived that it was an island. Then he put the ship about 
 with its stern towards the land, and stood out to sea, with 
 the wind from the Southwest, which soon increased so that 
 they were obliged to shorten sail. So they sped on for four 
 days, when a mountainous land appeared in sight, and this 
 proved to be Greenland, where he found his father, and there 
 abode with him that Winter, 985-6. 
 
 
V. 
 
 KARI.V VOVAGES TO AMKKICA. 
 
 25 
 
 L'scried land. 
 Greenland, 
 [link it was, 
 that it was 
 t mountain- 
 early all the 
 
 i had rising 
 :, they put 
 1 and sailed 
 
 land. The 
 he said that 
 
 to be very 
 :overed with 
 dent Bjarni 
 lly and tried 
 d and water. 
 ;e landed it 
 in ; besides, 
 were before 
 lis men, he 
 avs' sailino- 
 
 J o 
 
 till he per- 
 
 ship about 
 
 I) sea, with 
 
 sed so that 
 
 on for four 
 
 and this 
 
 r, and there 
 
 iiji- 
 
 Of eourse the diseovery of a land Southwest of Clreeii- 
 land caused a great deal of discussion, and Bjarni was much 
 blamed, especially in Norway, where he afterwards went, for 
 not pushing his exploration further. It was left, however, to 
 Leif, the eldest .son of Krik, to attempt the voyage. 
 
 Visiting Norway in 999, Leif embraced Christianity, 
 under the persuasive influence of King Olaf Tryggvason. 
 At the Court of this monarch, the discovery of Bjarni, Leif's 
 friend, was doubtless often discussed and his course cen- 
 sured. Leif determined to attempt the voyage himself, and 
 with this purpose in mind, he returned to Greenland with his 
 men, who had all embraced Christianity. Thus in the year 
 999 was Christianity introduced into (Greenland by Leif 
 Erikson, who, from what is related of him, was a man of noble 
 character and bearing. Reaching home, his first business was 
 to purchase his friend Bjarni's vessel, which, it appears, was a 
 good one for such a hazardous undertaking, and, with a crew 
 of thirty-five men, he, without chart or compass, set sail in 
 search of the new land which Bjarni had seen to the South- 
 west. 
 
 Of course he was not impelled by unselfish motives, for 
 rumor magnified in those days the wealth of all new coun- 
 tries. It is said that MxW, his father, had determined to ac- 
 company him on his dangerous voyage, but at the last 
 moment refused, though urgently pressed by his son, giving 
 as an excuse a slight accident*^ which had just happened to 
 him, a trifling incident, but such a one as would hardly have 
 been created by a romancer, who could have easily invented 
 something of a much more startling character. One of Leif's 
 
7^ 
 
 -T—T-^^--l..~. --,.--.- 
 
 26 
 
 KHODK ISLAND MISTOKICAL SOCIKTV. 
 
 ' i 
 
 ■ Ir 
 
 i 
 
 ii I 
 
 I 
 
 i l! 
 
 1- m 
 
 crew was a man from the South country ; that is, Germany. 
 The name of this ipan was Tyrker, which signifies the Ger- 
 man, whom we shall find further along in the narrative, 
 appearing in a characteristic manner. 
 
 Following the description given of his course by Bjarni, 
 Leif finally made land, and going ashore, examined it. 
 Above were frozen heights ; no herbage appeared, and the 
 whole space between the heights and the sea was covered 
 with bare flat rocks. I^eif named this forbidding country 
 Helluland ; that is, flat-stone-land, and then put to sea, fol- 
 lowing the track which Bjarni had described. Rafn supposes 
 this to have been Newfoundland, and to one who has been 
 upon the coast, the description of Leif appears strikingly 
 accurate. Continuing his course, Leif again made land, which 
 he describes as Bjarni describes it, as being fiat and well wood- 
 ed, though he omits the small heights which Bjarni mentions. 
 Leif, however, unlike Bjarni, landed and saw more. 
 
 He says that the shores were low, and that they saw 
 about them wide stretches of white sand, which is a very 
 important addition to Bjarni's statement, and tends to iden- 
 tify the country with Nova Scotia, as the white sands and 
 long, level appearance of the hills from the sea, are particu- 
 larly noted by modern voyagers along the Nova Scotia coast. 
 The very differences in the two accounts of Bjarni and Leif 
 tend to establish the truthfulness of both, since these 
 differences naturally grow out of the different circumstances 
 under which they beheld the country. 
 
 "This land," .said Leif, "shall be named after its qualities 
 and called Markland," that is. Woodland. Again they sailed 
 
 iSI 
 
Ji: 
 
 V. 
 
 KAKI.V VOVAf.ES TO AMF.KILA. 
 
 27 
 
 ;, Germany, 
 les the Ger- 
 Ke narrative, 
 
 le by Bjarni, 
 examined it. 
 red, and the 
 was covered 
 :lini; country 
 to sea, fol- 
 afn supposes 
 /ho has been 
 •s strikingly 
 s land, which 
 id well wood- 
 ni mentions, 
 re. 
 
 at they saw 
 h is a very 
 ids to iden- 
 e sands and 
 are particu- 
 Scotia coast, 
 ni and Leif 
 since these 
 rcumstances 
 
 its qualities 
 1 they sailed 
 
 V '41 
 
 two days, when they again made land, and approaching, 
 touched at an island, which lay opposite the easterly part of 
 the main land. 
 
 They found the air remarkably pleasant, and noticed 
 that the grass was covered with dew, which, touching acci- 
 dentally and conveying to the mouth, was found to be sweet 
 to the taste. What was this island } Starting from the 
 .sandy shores of Cape Sable, with a northwesterly wind, the 
 fir.st land fall would probably be Cape Cod or the Island of 
 
 Nantucket. Changes are supposed to have taken place in 
 this region, owing to the action of the Gulf Stream, which 
 
 have reduced the prominence of the ea.stern portion of the 
 
 promontory, and worn away islands which formerly existed 
 
 in the vicinity. 
 
 The sweet dew mentioned may have been caused by 
 
 Aphides, and is sometimes so abundant, says Brande, as to 
 
 fall from the leaves in drops. Its existence, therefore, is not 
 
 a myth, as .some critics have supposed. 
 
 Returning to the ship, they .sailed into a sound which 
 lay between the island and the promontory, which ran out 
 from the land eastwardly, and steered westerly past it. 
 At ebb tide, the shallows were so great .hat, says the Saga, 
 it was far to see from the ship to the water," but they were 
 o eager to land that they did not wait for the rising tide, 
 ut ran on shore at a place where a river fioAved o; t of a 
 lake ; but upon the flootl tide they floated their ship up the 
 river and into the lake. 
 
 There could hardly be a more exact description made by 
 a person, who, after passing the promontory and the mouth 
 
I I [ iHi!i: 
 
 f. 
 
 28 
 
 RHODE ISLAND HISTOKICAI. SOCIKTV. 
 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 of Buzzard's Bay, should take the Seaconnet passa^ije and 
 Pocasset River into Mount Hope Bay. It is said that after 
 counselling together, they concluded to pass the winter 
 there, and at once began building habitations. They 
 found abundance of salmon in both river and lake, and 
 thought that the nature of the country was such that cattle 
 would not require to be housed in Winter. They also ob- 
 served that the day and night were more equal than in 
 Greenland or Iceland ; the sun on the shortest day being 
 above the horizon from half past seven in the morning until 
 half past four in the afternoon. 
 
 Both of the foregoing .statements have met with opposi- 
 tion. We have seen that Bancroft has objected, that the 
 description of the climate of Vinland does not apply to the 
 climate of Rh«xle Island. The exact words of the Saga are, 
 " They thought that the nature of the country was so good 
 that cattle would not require house feeding in Winter ; for 
 there came no frost in Winter, and little did the grass wither 
 there. " 
 
 There can be no doubt that people coming from the icy 
 shores of Greenland, would find in such a locality as Mount 
 Hope Bay a most agreeable change from the extreme rigors 
 to which they had been accu.stomed, and would be likely 
 to exaggerate the mildness of the climate. A writer, 
 a few years since, in describing this region, has .said, 
 that in "most winters a .scanty substance might be i)rocure(l 
 for cattle, but this could not be depended upon. Farmers 
 generally house their cattle in Winter. We do not consider 
 it absolutely necessary, though a prudent husbandman will 
 
V. 
 
 KAKI.V VOYAdKS TO AMKKiCA. 
 
 29 
 
 passaj^e and 
 lid that after 
 i the winter 
 ions. They 
 nd lake, and 
 h that cattle 
 rhey also ob- 
 qual than in 
 5t day bein^ 
 
 norninji^ until 
 
 with opposi- 
 
 ted, that the 
 
 apply to the 
 
 he Saga are, 
 
 was so good 
 
 Winter ; for 
 
 ■ grass wither 
 
 from the icy 
 :y as Mount 
 reme rigors 
 Id be likely 
 A writer, 
 n, has said, 
 be procured 
 n. Farmers 
 not consider 
 :)andman will 
 
 4 
 
 do it. Some individuals in that vicinity do not shelter their 
 sheej), and say they thrive well and become robust.""^' 
 
 With regard to the length of the day, which would indi- 
 cate the latitude of the i)lace, much has been written. When 
 Bancroft wrote, he was probably influenced in his opinion by 
 the fact that Torfoeus, in calculating the latitude of the place 
 ^ where Leif wintered, fixed it in Newfoundland, an error 
 : which is now known to have resulted from a misinterpre- 
 , tation. Rafn has, calculated the latitude to be 41 degrees, 
 24 minutes, 10 seconds, which is in the vicinity of Mount 
 Hope Hay. It is certainly remarkable that with their im- 
 perfect method of jcalculating time, the Norsemen should 
 have been so accurate in their statement. 
 
 Having "done with house building," says the narrative, 
 Leif divided his men into two companies, which were to take 
 turns daily in exploring and guarding the common property. 
 The exploring party was under orders to always return at 
 night, and never to separate. Leif, it is said, "was a great 
 and strong man, grave and well favored, therewith sensible 
 and moderate in all things." 
 
 Upon an evening when the explorers returned, it was 
 found that one of the party was missing. This was Tyrker, 
 the German. He had long been with Leif's father, and had 
 been loved by Leif from his childhood, hence the latter was 
 greatly disturbed at his absence, and sharjDly chided his men 
 for losing sight of him. Taking twelve men he started in 
 search of Tyrker, but had not gone far when he met the old 
 man returning. Leif joyfully received him, but perceived 
 that he was in an excited condition of mind, and enquired 
 
''Ii 
 
 !!l 
 
 30 
 
 KHODK ISLAM) HISTOKICAI. SOCIKTV. 
 
 ,4 ^,.L. 
 
 I; i 
 
 iiif; 
 
 why he was out so late, and how he became separated from 
 the party. Tyrker at first repeated some (lerman words, 
 rollinj; his eyes and twisting his mouth, and then answered 
 in Norse, " I have not been much further off, but still have 
 I something; new to tell of; I found vines and grapes." 
 " Hut IS that true, my fo.ster father.'" asked Leif. "Surely 
 is it true," replied he, "for I was bred up in the land where 
 there is no want of either wine (»r grapes." 
 
 This incident has been especially ridiculed, yet its 
 simplicit) is an argument in favor of its truth. Tyrker 
 is represented as a nervous man, with a high forehead, un- 
 steady eyes, a freckled face, and o^ small stature ; but a 
 skilled artisan. He had not seen grapes for many years, 
 and the discovery of them naturally occasioned great joy. 
 What explanation is more reajjonable, than that the excitable 
 old man should repeat in German, sayings learned in youth 
 in praise of the grape, of which many abound in the Ger- 
 man tongue .' 
 
 The next morning Leif set his men at work gathering 
 grapes, cutting vines and felling trees with which to load the 
 ship. The long boat it is .said he caused to be filled with 
 grapes. "Now," says the narrative, "was a cargo cut down 
 
 4 
 
 for the ship, and when Spring came they got ready and sail- 
 ed away ; and Leif gave the land a name after its qualities 
 and called it Vinland." 
 
 Having put to sea with a fair wind, they at length came 
 in sight of Greenland. As they approached, one of Leif's 
 men asked him why he steered so close to the wintl, and 
 was answered, that he was doing more than steering as 
 
 ■H 
 
v. 
 
 i;.\i<i.\ \()\.\(;i:s to amekica. 
 
 3' 
 
 parated from 
 rnian words, 
 on answered 
 lit still have 
 md j^rapes." 
 if. "Surely 
 land where 
 
 lied, yet its 
 h. Tyrker 
 rehead, un- 
 it ure ; but a 
 lany years, 
 d great joy. 
 le excitable 
 
 I in youth 
 
 II the Ger- 
 
 : gathering 
 to load the 
 filled with 
 ) cut down 
 iy and sail- 
 s qualities 
 
 ;ngth came 
 
 of Leifs 
 
 wind, and 
 
 Leering as 
 
 he saw something, but was not sure whether it was a ship or 
 a rock. Presently however, his quick eye saw that it was a 
 rock and men upon it. 
 
 (ioing to the assistance of the men, Tyrker asked, as 
 Leif brought his shij) to anchor near the rock, the name of 
 their leader, and was told that it was Thorer, a Norwegian by 
 birth. Thorer in turn asked the name of the Captain of 
 the shij) which had come to his rescue and was told that it 
 was Leif the son of I'Lrik the Red of Hrattahlid. Leif then 
 kindly took Thorer and his men, fifteen in all, on board with 
 as many of their goods as possible and sailed for home. 
 
 Leif showed Thorer and his companions great hos- 
 pitality and found employment for his men. For saving the 
 lives of these people, as well probably as for his successful 
 voyage, he was' ever afterwards called Leif the lucky. This 
 expedition contributed to his wealth and honor. 
 
 During the following winter, Thorer and a number of 
 his companions fell victims to a disease which prevaileil in 
 Greenland. Erik the Red, Leifs father, died also. 
 
 Leifs successful voyage was much discussed, and Thor- 
 jvald his brother thought th^ new country had not been suf- 
 [ficiently explored, whereupon Leif gave him leave to go to 
 Vinland, loaning his ship for the voyage, upon conditions 
 that she should first go and bring the timber which had been 
 [left upon the rock when Thorer was wrecked, which was 
 Edone. •' 
 
 We now come to the voyage of Thorvald which took 
 place in the Spring of 1002. Nothing is said of the 
 incidents connected with it. We are only told that it was 
 
i^win 
 
 
 ij 1:1! 
 
 li i 
 
 32 
 
 KIIODK ISLAND MISTOKICAl. SOCIKTV. 
 
 propitious, and that the new World was reached in due time. 
 Thorvald found the dwellinj^s which Leif had erected, and 
 called them Leif's booths*. 
 
 Having drawn their ship on shore for safety, the Norse- 
 men pas.sed the Winter there. In the Sprinj;, Thorvald had 
 the ship put in order, and sent a crew in the long boat to 
 explore. I'hey found the land fair and well wooded alonj; 
 the coa.st, with white sand beaches, many islands and much 
 
 shallow water. The onl)- sign of habitation they found, was 
 a wooden shed. 
 
 The Summer was spent in exploration. The ne.xt sea- 
 son, Thorvald took the ship and explored the coast "east- 
 ward — and around to the land northward." This is a very 
 significant statement, as it is the direction they would be 
 obliged to take in explorations from this point towards the 
 North. When off a ness, or promontory, a .storm drove the 
 ship ashore and the keel was broken from it. This Thor- 
 vald .set up on the promontory and called it Kialarness or 
 Keel point. 
 
 They then sailed round the eastern shores and into the 
 neighboring bays, until they reached a beautifully wooded 
 point, where Thorvald landed exclaiming " Here is beautiful 
 ^nd here would I like to rai.se my dwelling." Shortly after 
 they discovered three skin boats or canoes, and under each 
 of them three natives. Flight of these they killed, but (me 
 escaped and gave the alarm to his friends in the vicinity, 
 who attacked the Norse ship in their canoes, and after a 
 sharp battle were defeated. 
 
 ■)ly 
 
V. 
 
 KAKi.v v()VA(;ks to amkkica. 
 
 3i 
 
 in due time, 
 rcctcd, and 
 
 . the Norse- 
 horvald had 
 >nir boat to 
 :)oded alon^' 
 s and much 
 
 y found, was 
 
 le next sea- 
 coast "east- 
 is is a very 
 y would be 
 towards the 
 11 droxe the 
 This Thor- 
 ialarness or 
 
 and into the 
 "ully wooded 
 
 is beautiful 
 ihortlv after 
 
 under each 
 ed, but one 
 the vMcinity, 
 and after a 
 
 Thorvaid, however, received a mortal wound from an 
 
 irrow. Finding he was about to die, he said to his men, 
 
 I" Now counsel I ye that ye get ready instantly to depart, but 
 
 [ye shall bear me to that Cape, where I thought it best to 
 
 ^dwell; it may be that a true word fell from my mouth, that I 
 should dwell there for a time ; there shall ye bury me, and 
 set up crosses at my head and feet, and call the place Kros- 
 
 :|saness, for ever in all time to come." 
 
 "Now Thorvaid died," says the Saga, "but they did all 
 things according to his directions, and then went away, and 
 
 ■? returned to their companions, and told to each other the 
 tidings which they knew, and dwelt there for the Winter and 
 gathered grapes and vines to load the ship. But in the 
 Spring, they made ready to sail to Greenland and came in 
 their ship to Eriksfjord, and could now tell great tidings to 
 Leif. • 
 
 Thorstein, the younger son of Erik, being possessed 
 with a desire to go to Vinland to get the body of his brother 
 Thorvaid, fitted out the ship which Thorvaid had sailed in, 
 and with twenty-five men selected for their strength and 
 stature, and his wife Gudride set out for Vinland. Through 
 the entire summer they were tossed about by the sea, and 
 driven about by contrary winds. It was not till the begin- 
 ning of Winter that they made land, which they found to be 
 on the West coast of Greenland, at a place called Lysefjord. 
 
 Landing here to winter, a disease attacked his sailors, 
 
 and Thorstein commanded coffins to be made for them, for 
 
 ^aid he " I will have all the bodies taken to Erik.sfjord in the 
 
 Summer ;" but Thorstein himself fell a prey to the disease. 
 
n 
 
 i.i 
 
 'i'l 
 
 i:5 
 
 34 
 
 KIIODF. ISI.AXn IIISTOKIC.XI. SOCIKTV. 
 
 By the kindness of a man who dwelt at Lysefjord how- 
 ever, Thorstein's ship was taken back to Kriksfjord bearing; 
 ("luchide and the bodies of Thorstein and those of his crew 
 
 who died. 
 
 Hut another voyage to the new world was to be made. 
 1)1 the Autumn of the year in which Gudride returned to 
 Hrattahlid, that is, in 1006, there came Thorfinn Karlsefne 
 in his ship from Iceland. Becoming enamored of the fair 
 widow he wooed and married her during the Winter. 
 
 The discourse at Brattahlid often turned upon the dis- 
 covery of Vinland the Good, and many thought that a pro- 
 fitable voyage might be made thither; hence, in the Spring, 
 three vessels were made ready for the expedition. Thorfinn 
 took command of his own ship, and was accompanied by 
 Gudride and other friends. Snorri Thorbrandson, a man of 
 distinguished lineage, commanded one of the vessels ; an- 
 other was commanded by Bjarni Grimolfson, and Thorhall 
 (iamlason who had passed the Christmas at Brattahlid, and 
 the ship in which Thorbjorn, Gudride's father, formerly came 
 from Iceland was made ready, and put under command of 
 Thorward, a son-in-law of Erik, who took with him his wife 
 P'reydis. The minuteness of the account is striking. The 
 ship which brought Thorbjorn from Iceland, wg.s an old one. 
 as the event occurred many years before, and bears so little 
 upon the narrative as to render it improbable that a ro- 
 mancer would introduce it into his story. It seems, indeed, 
 like one of the little details of a simple and truthful history. 
 
 They first sailed to Westerbygd, and thence in a south- 
 erly direction to Helluland, where they found fo.xes abund- 
 
KARI.V V()VA<;KS to amkkica. 
 
 35 
 
 •scfjord hovv- 
 
 jorcl hearing 
 
 of his crew 
 
 () be made. 
 
 returned to 
 n Karlsefne 
 
 of the fair 
 inter, 
 
 )on the dis- 
 t that a i)r()- 
 1 the Spring, 
 n. Thorfinn 
 tmpanied by 
 pn, a man of 
 
 v'essels ; an- 
 nd Thorhall 
 ittahlid, and 
 )rmerly came 
 
 command of 
 him his wife 
 riking- The 
 i an old one. 
 ;ars so little 
 that a ro- 
 ems, indeed, 
 thful history. 
 L' in a south- 
 
 oxes abund- 
 
 ant ; and then still southerly for two days, when they reach- 
 'Sed Markland, which was well vvooiled, as before mentioned by 
 their predecessors. In this account is added t«) the descrip- 
 tion of Markland, that it was well stocked with animals. 
 Thus by putting the various accounts together of the places 
 mentioned in the Sagas, we find that they more completely 
 describe the places we have supposed them to refer to, a fact 
 - which j^reatly strengthens our belief in their historical ac- 
 curacy. • 
 
 Leaving Markland they sailed South for two days and 
 .then turned to the southeast, and *♦ found a land covered 
 with wood, and many wild beasts upon it ; an island lay there 
 out from the land to the southeast ; there killed they a bear 
 and called the place Bear Island, but the land Markland." 
 This island is an important addition to the account, and well 
 applies to Cape Sable Island. 
 
 "Thence sailed they far to the Southward along the 
 land and came to a ness ; the land lay upon the right ; they 
 landed and found there upon the ness the keel of a ship" 
 and recognized it as Kialarness. The strands they called 
 P'durdudstrands, the Wonderstrands, on account of their ex- 
 tent and appearance. 
 
 This is another important addition to the former des- 
 criptions and well identifies Cape Cod. Let us read Hitch- 
 cock's description of the Cape. "The dunes, or sand hills, 
 wliich are often nearly or quite barren of vegetation and of 
 snowy whiteness, forcibly attract attention on account of 
 their peculiarity. As we approached the extremity of the 
 Cape, the sand and barrenness increased ; and in not a few 
 
36 
 
 KIIODK ISI.ANM) 11 ISTOKICA I. SOCIKTV. 
 
 ' ■ ■ : ■ III 
 
 w w 
 
 i II 
 
 
 places, it would need only a party of Bedouin Arabs to 
 cross the traveller's path, to make him feel that he was in 
 the depths of an Arabian or Lybian desert."^ 
 
 It has been claimed by Dr. Kohl, the eminent historian, 
 that Thorfinn in sailing from Nova Scotia to Cape Cod, sail- 
 ed along the coast of Maine. He translates the account ot 
 this part of the voyage thus: " They coasted along a great- 
 way t(7 the Soutlnvcst /laving the land alivays on their star- 
 board until they came to Kialanwss.'"^^ This is an erroneous 
 rendering of the passage, which is as we have quoted it, 
 namely " Thence sailed they far to the southward along the 
 land, and came to a ness ; the land lay upon the right." 
 
 It is certainly quite evident that there is not the least 
 ground in the Sagas upon which to found Dr. Kohl's theory, 
 which seems to be the result of a careless rendering of the 
 original, by which it is made to appear that they sailed south- 
 ward along the shore with the land always upon their right 
 until they reached the Cape. To any one who will study the 
 conformation of the coast, it will be seen that this theory is 
 wholly untenable. 
 
 The narrative continues that the land became indented 
 
 with coves, one of which they entered with the ship. King 
 Olaf Tryggvason had given Thorfinn two Scots, a man and 
 a woman, who were swift of foot. These he put ashore very 
 lightly clad, with orders to run over the country to the south- 
 ward for three days, and to then return. When they return" 
 ed to the ship, they brought with them a . bunch of 
 grapes and an ear of corn to show what the land produced. 
 Proceeding on their course, the ships reached a frith 
 where lay an island, around which were powerful currents 
 
 m 
 
KAKl.V V()YA(iK.S TO AMKKICA. 
 
 37 
 
 lin Arabs to 
 at he was in 
 
 lent historian, 
 lape Cod, sail- 
 he account ot 
 along a great- 
 )n their star- 
 s an erroneous 
 ve quoted it, 
 ard along the 
 e right. " 
 not the least 
 Kohl's theory, 
 idering of the 
 y sailed south- 
 in their right 
 will study the 
 this theory is 
 
 :ame indented 
 t ship. Kin;,^ 
 :s, a man and 
 ut ashore very 
 y to the south- 
 n they return" 
 a .bunch of 
 and produced, 
 ached a frith 
 ^rful currents. 
 
 The eider ducks were so plenty upon this island, that one 
 could hardly walk upon it without breaking the eggs of those 
 birds. They called the island Straumey, or the Isle of cur- 
 rents. This whole account points to the Isle of Martha's 
 Vineyard, or Cuttyhunk as the Straumey^ of the Norsemen. 
 The currents here are still strong and rapid and are due to 
 the (iulf Stream. The Islands in this vicinity were formerly 
 so much frequented by wild fowl as to have been called 
 l^gg Islands. The very fact that Leif and Thorvald did not 
 mention these rapid currents is significant, that they passed 
 across the mouth of, while Thorfinn sailed uj:) Buzzard's 
 Bay. 
 
 This bay, Thorfinn called Straumfj<M'd or Bay of cur- 
 rents. Here they disembarked and made ]jreparations for 
 ^passing the Winter. They had brought cattle for which they 
 found pasturage and passed the Winter of 1007-8. They 
 spent considerable time in explorations, and fishing declining, 
 they were short of food for which they prayed to (iod, 
 but their prayers were not answered. 
 
 Thorhall having absented himself from them, they sought 
 and found him on a rock looking uj) to the sky and murmur- 
 ing something. This was shortly explained when they found 
 near by the body of a whale, which, Thorhall, who was 
 not a Christian, claimed was sent in answer to his verses to 
 Thor and not by Christ in answer to the Christians' prayer. 
 The flesh of the whale had made them sick, and when they 
 heard Thorhall's claim they cast the flesh of the whale back 
 into the sea. The weather now improved ; they were able to 
 get fish and er^gs from the island as well as game. Thorhall 
 
Hifir 
 
 l8 
 
 KHODK ISLAND IIISTOHICAL SOCIKTV. 
 
 now wanted to cruise northward, while Thorfinn preferred 
 to explore southward, hence they separated, hut only eij^ht 
 men accompanied Thorhall. It is said they were overtaken 
 hv a storm and blown to the Irish Coast, where thev were 
 
 J ■-' 
 
 made slaves. 
 
 . Thorfinn, however, and the others sailed southward 
 alon<,^ the coast and came to a river which " ran out from the 
 land through a lake into the sea." It was very shallow and 
 one could not enter the river without hi<;h water. They 
 sailed up as far as the mouth and called the place Hop. On 
 the low lands they found wild wheat, growing, while on the 
 high lands were vines. 
 
 The name given by the Norsemen to this Hay is notice- 
 able. It signifies a recess formed by the confluence of a 
 river and the sea, and perfectly describes Mount Hope Bay. 
 We know that Indian words were frequently anglicised ; as 
 in the instance of Pjepscot, which was transformed into 
 Bishop's Cot. Latin .scholars gave them a Latin form, as in 
 the case of Lacadia, which became Acadia, and Frenchmen 
 transformed them into French words, which they resembled 
 in .sound. This was the ca.se with the Indian word, Haup, 
 which was metamorphosed into Hoi)e. The question natu- 
 rally ari.ses, was the Indian name Haup derived from the 
 Norse residents there, and so handed down .' Whether this 
 is true or not, the coincidence is remarkable. The 
 Norsemen applied to the bay, which they described, and 
 which answers perfectly to the descripticm of Mount Hope- 
 Bay as before said, the name Hop; the Indians called it 
 Haup, and it is on majjs to-day, Hope, certainly a noticeable 
 coincidence. 
 
 %A 
 
^i 
 
 KAKI.N' V()VA(ii;s TO AMKKICA. 
 
 39 
 
 n preferred 
 only ei<i,i"it 
 
 L.' overtaken 
 thev were 
 
 1 southvvani 
 out from the 
 shallow and 
 ^ater. They 
 e Hop. On 
 rvhile on the 
 
 kiy is notice- 
 fluence of a 
 t Hope Bay. 
 iglicised ; as 
 formed into 
 n form, as in 
 
 Frenchmen 
 ey resembled 
 ,vord, Haiip, 
 uestion natu- 
 -d from the 
 Vhether this 
 <able. The 
 scribed, ami 
 ^lonnt Hope 
 ms called it 
 
 a noticeable 
 
 Another coincidence is quite noticeable. The Norse- 
 Ifemen called the Cape, which they described a ness, or naze, 
 'and Cape Cod was called by the Indians Nesset or Nauset. 
 Thorfinn's men found fish abundant in Hop Bay. By dig- 
 ging; holes near the shores they took many flat fish which 
 were left by the receding tide. 
 
 They passed half a month in this pleasant place, 
 liaving moved hither their cattle and other ])roperty. One 
 ■morning they were surprised to see a number of canoes fill- 
 ed with savages coming around the Cape from the South. 
 Thorfinn raised up a white shield in token of peace. The 
 natives who are described as being swarthy and' ill fa\'ored, 
 ith coarse hair, large eyes and broad cheeks, gazed at them 
 pr a while in surprise, and then rowed away in the direction 
 which they came. 
 
 Thorfinn and his people erected dwellings about the 
 ake and passed the Winter there ; but on the appearance 
 f Spring they were again surprised one morning to see a 
 large number of canoes coming around the Cape from the 
 South. Thorfinn, as before, raised a white shield, and the 
 Natives soon opened a barter, exchanging furs for red cloth, 
 which they greatly coveted. They also wanted swords and 
 spears, which Thorfinn refused to let them have. J-'or a bit 
 of red cloth they gave a whole skin, and when the supply of 
 the precious cloth ran low, it was cut up into still smaller 
 bits and dealt out to them. Those who obtained strips of it 
 bound it about their heads. 
 
 Thorfinn finally treated them to some milk soup, which 
 they relished .so well, that they gave back the red cloth for it, 
 
40^ 
 
 RHODK ISLAM) HISTORICAL SOCIKTV. 
 
 and the chronicler say.s quaintly, "the traffic of the Skra^'l- 
 in<j^s wound up by their bearinj^ away their purchases in 
 their stomachs ; but Karlsefne and his companions retained 
 their goods and skins." It happened that a bull belonging 
 to the Norsemen ran from the woods bellowing, which great- 
 ly terrified the Savages, who fled in dismay. They were not 
 again seen for three weeks, ant! then they reappeared in 
 great numbers. A battle took place, which resulted in the 
 retreat of the Savages. Thorfinn had lost some of his men 
 in the tight, and although the country was good, they ap- 
 prehended danger from the natives ; therefore they thought 
 best to depart. 
 
 They sailed northward along the Coast, and surprised 
 five natives clothed in skins. They had with them vessels 
 containing marrow mixed with blood. Thorfinn supposed 
 them to be exiles fnmi their people, and his men killed them. 
 They afterwards came to a promontory abounding in wild 
 animals as they judged from marks which they saw. If we 
 have followed the Norsemen thus far correctly, this promon- 
 tory should be the one upon which the city of Providence 
 now .stands. From here they went to Straumfjord, where 
 they found abundance of food. Thorfinn now went West in 
 his ship in search of Thorhall, leaving .the other ship and 
 crew at Straumfjord. Sailing northward around Kialarness, 
 they went westward after passing that promontory, the land 
 laying to the left. - ., , - 
 
 When they had sailed for some time they came to a- 
 river which "fell out of the land from east to west ; they put 
 in to the mouth of the river, and lay by its .southern bank." 
 
EAKLV VOVAGES TO AMERICA. 
 
 41 
 
 Not finding Thorhall they returned to Kialarness, from 
 whence they sailed southward. The hills, which they saw as 
 they sailed, they considered as being a part of the same range 
 which they had seen at Hoji. 
 
 This statement should be particularly noted, as it forms 
 an important link in the chain of evidence which we have 
 adduced in support of the accuracy with which the Sagas 
 describe Cape Cod and the regions laying both to the North 
 and Southwest of that remarkable headland. 
 
 The winter of 1009-10 was passed at Straumfjord. 
 During the first Autumn of their arrival a son had been 
 born to Thorfinn, whom he named after his friend Snorri, 
 and he was now in his third year. In the Spring of 10 10, 
 they set sail for Vinland, touching at Markland, where they 
 surprised several natives and succeeded in capturing two 
 boys, whom they took to Eriksfjord where they were taught 
 the Norse language and baptized. . 
 
 The other ship which accompanied Thorfinn, and which 
 was commanded by Bjarni Grimolfson, was blown eastward 
 and lost; a few only of the crew escaped in an open boat. 
 In the Spring, Thorfinn and Gudride sailed for Norway, 
 where they were received with great honor. The furs which 
 Thorfinn had obtained from the natives were considered 
 of much value. 
 
 The next season they departed from Norway for Ice- 
 land and passed the Winter at Reynisness. The next 
 Spring, Thorfinn bought the Glaumbae estate, and there pass- 
 ed the rest of his life. 
 
4» 
 
 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCFETV 
 
 We now come again to authentic history, having span- 
 ned a gap with the Sagas. The family of Thorfinn was 
 illustrious in Iceland and his descendants numerous, many of 
 them becoming well known in Scandinavian history. Gud- 
 ride and Snorri — the son born in the new world — lived on 
 his estate after the death of Thorfinn ; but when Snorri 
 married, his mother took a voyage to Rome. During her 
 absence Snorri, who was a devout Christian, built a church 
 at Glaumbae. After her return from Rome, Gudride remain- 
 ed with her son at Glaumbae for awhile, and then entered a 
 convent, where she passed the remainder of her life. 
 
 The next voyage to Vinland was made in loii, and 
 from this time voyages thither became frequent. In 1059 it 
 is said that an Irish priest named John went there to Christ- 
 ianize the natives and was murdered by them, while Erik, 
 called the first bishop of Greenland, is also said to have sail- 
 ed for Vinland in II 2 1. 
 
 The latest account is of a voyage to Markland in 1347 
 by a ship from Greenland. By this it is seen that inter- 
 course with Vinland was kept up until the middle of the 
 fourteenth century. 
 
 This brings us near the date of the voyage claimed to 
 have been made to the Western Continent by Nicolo Zeno, 
 in 1380. The Venetians made frequent voyages to the 
 North of Europe at this time, and had commercial in- 
 tercourse with the Scandinavians. - 
 
 On the famous map, made after his return by Zeno, and 
 which he hung up in his palace at Venice, a map which has 
 been the subject of much curious study to geographers for 
 
EARLY VOYAGES Tf) AMERICA. 
 
 43 
 
 centuries, is depicted not only Greenland and the Faroe 
 Isles, but the coast of America. This map, it should be re- 
 membered, was in existence in Venice long before the voy- 
 age of Columbus was unueiiaken. 
 
 1/ 
 
 / 
 
 (!< 
 
 ^) 
 
 M 
 
 aO«^°/ 
 
 ^%^ 
 
 ,Mf 
 
 ^r 
 
 ^■^>. 
 
 
 1 ^*w^ 
 
 
 
 / ''^^-T 
 
 
 l\^ / 
 
 ■^"i j<ys 
 
 V .-kTstotiuwo 
 
 
 ^9 / 
 
 ISp-^"-' 
 
 DHQG£tf%» /northern COASTOF/«E»»Cl«CLa(lD 
 
 ^POOAU^ 
 
 It will of course be asked why the Norse did not per- 
 manently colonize the new world. Large colonies could not 
 have been established by them at this period, and if small 
 ones were established it is probable that the colonists perish- 
 ed or amalgamated with the natives, for about the year 1350, 
 they must have been cut off entirely from the Greenland 
 Colonies. 
 
 About this time, the pestilence known as the black 
 death raged through Europe with fatal violence, almost de- 
 
44 
 
 RHODK ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 I)opulating vast districts, and is supposed to have ra^ed in 
 Greenland and greatly diminished its scattered population. 
 It is known to have been most fatal at Trondheim, where it 
 was introduced by an English ship, and this port held the 
 principal trade of Greenland. Intercourse was entirely cut 
 off with Greenland, and it is said that natives attacked the 
 colony in 1379 and killed eighteen of the inhabitants of 
 Westbygd and carried away two boys, and that when as- 
 sistance went from Eastbygd, not a human being was found. 
 
 Torfseus says, that no attempt was made to regain 
 Westbygd, and that the natives or Esquimaux occupied it in 
 peace. The Eastbygd continued to exist sometime longer, 
 and some intercourse with it continued through the 1 5th 
 century when it ceased, and the few inhabitants either per- 
 ished or amalgamated with the natives. 
 
 The records which have been preserved of the voy- 
 ages to Vinland, it has already been said, were discovered 
 in Iceland, and their preservation is doubtless due to the 
 fact, that this land being so remote from the church, after 
 Christianity was introduced there, such records were permit- 
 ted to exist by the native priests, who were of, and sympa- 
 thized with the people ; while in countries nearer the cen- 
 tral power of the Church every ancient record was ruth- 
 lessly destroyed. 
 
 Anderson says, "for ages Iceland was destined to be- 
 come the sanctuary and preserver of the grand old literature 
 of the North. Paganism prevailed there more than a cen- 
 tury after the island became inhabited ; the old traditio.is 
 were cherished and committed to memory, and shortly after 
 
KAKI.V VOYACKS TO AMKKICA. 
 
 45 
 
 the introduction of Christianity the Norse Literature 
 was put in writin^ij. The ancient literature and traditions of 
 Iceland, excel anything- of the kind in Kurope tlurin<;- the 
 middle a^es. The orij^inal Teutonic life lived longer and 
 more independently in Norway, and es|)ecially in Iceland, 
 than elsewhere, and had more favorable opportunities to 
 ^row and mature, and the Icelandic literature is the full 
 blown flower of Teutonic heathendom. This Teutonic 
 heathendom, with its beautiful and poetical mythology, was 
 rooted out by superstitious priests in Germany and the other 
 countries inhabited by Teutonic peoples, before it had de- 
 veloped suflficiently to produce blossoms, exceptinjjj in Kn<;- 
 land, where a kindred branch of the (lothic race rose to 
 eminence in letters, and produced the Anglo Saxon litera- 
 ture. "'* 
 
 It is to be noted, that in the account of the voyage 
 of Thorfinn it is said, that (ludride after the death of her 
 husband, made a pilgrimage to Rome. Gudride was greatly 
 interested in the new world, having attempted a voyage 
 thither with her first husband, and afterwards having ac- 
 companied her second husband, Thorfinn, thither, and she 
 doubtless related her experiences at the Court of Rome. 
 
 The Pope was greatly interested in learning of new 
 lands, which he could add to his jurisdiction, and he took 
 great pains to collect reports and charts of such lands. 
 Pontifical documents, the contents of which have come down 
 to our times, reveal to us the course which Christianity pur- 
 sued westward. Thus in 830, Pope Gregory IV. confirmed 
 Auscarius as the first Archbishop of Hamburg. In 860, 
 
46 
 
 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 Pope Nicholas invested him as his legate, with jurisdiction 
 ♦'over the Swedes, Danes and Slafs, as well as over any 
 other nations in those parts." Eighty-eight years later, Pope 
 Agapetus granted similar jurisdiction to Archbishop Adal- 
 garus over Swede;, Danes and Nonvegians. In 1022, Pope 
 Benedict VIII. granted the same over Swedes, Danes, Nor- 
 wegians and Icelanders. This is the first mention of Ice- 
 land in the pontifical documents. Thirty-one years later. 
 Pope Leo IX. confirmed these powers to Archbishop Adel- 
 bert over Swedes, Danes, Norwegians, Icelanders, Lapland- 
 ers and over Greenland!^ This is the first mention of Green- 
 land in the pontifical documents, while we learn that in 1 121 
 Erik Upsi was granted similar powers over the countries be- 
 fore mentioned, and in addition, Vinland. It is said that in 
 112 1 Erik Upsi was appointed Bishop of Iceland, Greenland 
 and Vinland. 
 
 It is also acknowledged that Columbus was in Iceland in 
 the year 1477, fifteen years before the discovery of America. 
 The most remarkable record perhaps, and one which it seems 
 Columbus must have seen, since he was a student and eager 
 to obtain knowledge of new countries, is that of Adam of 
 Bremen, who died in the year 1076. His book on the "Pro- 
 pagation of the Christian Religion in the North of Europe" 
 was published in io73 and read by educated men through- 
 out Europe. 
 
 At the end of this book is a geographical treatise en- 
 titled, " On the position of Denmark and other regions beyond 
 Denmark," and having given an account of Denmark, Sweden, 
 Norway, Iceland and Greenland, the author says, " Besides- 
 
KAKI.V VOVACKS TO AMERICA. 
 
 4; 
 
 , 
 
 these, there is still another region, which has been visited by 
 many, lying in that ocean, which is called Vinland, because 
 vines grow there spontaneously, producing very good wine ; 
 corn likewise springs up there without being sown," and 
 ''This ivc know not by fabulous conjecture, but from positive 
 statements of the Danes. '"^ 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 1. Vide Athanasii Kircheri E. Soc. Jesu, CEdipus ^gyptiaciis. 
 BomsB, MDCLII, p. 421, et seq. 
 
 2. Vide Enquiries touching the Diversity of Languages and 
 Religious through the Chief Parts of the World. By Edward Brere- 
 wood, London, MDCLXXIV, p. 117. 
 
 3. Vide Histoire de la Nouvelle France, Par Marc Lescarbot, 
 Paris, 1866, Vol.1, p. 23 et seq. 
 
 4. Vide Memoires de Litterature Tires des Registres, De L'Aca- 
 ■demie Royale des Inscriptions, a Paris, MDCCLXI, Vol. 28, pp. 503- 
 525. 
 
 5. It is perhaps worth while to state that in the audience which 
 listened to the reading of this paper by the author, at Columbia College 
 in 1888, was Prince Roland Bonaparte, who was attending a session of the 
 Anthropological Society. At the close of the reading, the Prince greatly 
 interested those present by drawing with considerable facility upon the 
 blackboard, representations of symbolical figures with which he had 
 been familiar in China and which he stated he had been surprised to 
 find depicted upon ancient monuments in Mexico. From this he inferred 
 a connection at some period in the past between the people of China 
 and the southwestei-n shores of the North American Continent. 
 
 6. See these depicted in Pre-historic Races of the United States of 
 America. By J. W. Foster, LL. D., Chicago, 1874. 
 
 7. Vide Ibid, p. 97. 
 
 8. Vide Monumenta Germaniae Historica. Edited by Heni'y Pertz 
 HannoveraB, 1846. Though written as stated previous to 1073, the work of 
 Adam Von Bremen was not printed until 1679. 
 
 9. Vide The Heimskringla, or Chronicle of the Kings of Norway, 
 by Snorro Sturleson. Translated by Samuel Laing, Esq., London, 1844. 
 This allusion to the subject i,s as follows: — "The same writer was Leif, 
 the son of Eric the Red, witli King Olaf, in good repute, and embraced 
 Christianity. But the summer that Gissur went to Iceland, King Olaf 
 
 ■f.' 
 
 I 
 
48 
 
 KM()r)K ISI AM) IIISnmiCAI. SOCIKTV 
 
 Hont Leif to (ireciilund, in otder to niak(> known CIiriHtianity tliure. He 
 sailed tlic same Humnier to Greenland. Me found, in the sea, 8ome peo- 
 ple on a wreck and helped them; the same time di»covered he Vinhmd 
 the Kood, and came in harvest to Greeidand. He l«a<I with him a priest 
 and other clerks, and went to dwell at Brattahlid with Erik, his father. 
 Men called him Leif the liUcky; but Krik, his father, naid that those two 
 things went one against the other, inasmuch as Leif had saved the crew 
 of the ship, but brought evil men to Greenland, namely the priests." 
 
 l(t. Vide Historia Vinlandia^ Anticpue. etc., Per Thormodum Tor- 
 fsBum, Ilafniie. 1705. 
 
 IL Vide Antiquitates Aniericanie Kdidit Societal Uegia Antiqua- 
 riorium iSeptentrionalum. Studio et opera Caroli Christiani liafn, Ilaf- 
 niie, 1845. 
 
 12. Tlie following is an extract from a letter to the author 
 from Am«>8 Perry, Esq., of Providence, Superintendent of the Census of 
 Rhode Island in 1885. "When this date was inserted, I had before 
 me the first two propositions clearly established, and the following 
 statement from Peter Easton's Diary of August 28, lfi7o:— "On Saturday 
 night, forty years after the great storm in 1035, came much the like 
 storm, blew down our wind mill and did much harm." I knew that the 
 mill destroyed was built of wood and belonged to the colonists, and 
 hence was called out- wind mill, while Arnold called his building mi/ 
 stone built wind mill. The former erected in 16ftJ by the colonists was 
 blown down about the last of August, 1675. Of the latter, I believe our 
 first information is derived from a Record of the Arnold family, dated 
 July 13, 1677, which may be found in the New England Genealogical 
 Register, 1, 1879, page 42J>. An inference (not however conclusive) may 
 be drawn from Easton's language and the condition of the place, that 
 our (i. e. the colonists) wind mill was the only one at Newport at that 
 date. In the absence of information on this point, we are led to infer 
 that the destruction ofttlie town mill gave rise to the Araold mill, which 
 in that case, could not have been completed before 1676, though the in- 
 ferences from admitted facts, and from the absence of positive infor- 
 mation, point to 1676 as the date of the erection of the Stone Mill." 
 
 Amos Perrv, 
 Superintendent of the Census of 1885. 
 
 13. Vide Mourt's Relation edited by Henry Martyn Dexter, Bos- 
 ton, 1865, pp. 32-34. 
 
 14. We are indebted for the cut of the Dighton Rock here shown 
 to the kindness of Capt. J. W. D. Hall, Secretary of tlie Old Colony 
 Historical Society, Taunton, Mass. It is doubtless the best deliniation 
 of this celebrated relic which has yet been produced. The reader should 
 compare it with those made by Dauforth in 1680; Cotton Mather in 1712; 
 Greenwood in 1730; Sewall in 1768: Winthrop in 1778; Baylies and Good- 
 win in 1790; Kendall in 1807; Gardner in 1812 and the Rhode Island His- 
 
EARLY VOYAGES TO AMERICA. 
 
 49 
 
 topical Society in 18.'J0, all depiotod in the AntiquitatcH Americans of 
 Rafn before mentioned. Dijjliton Kock in now in poHsettgion of the 
 above Hociety. 
 
 15. Vide Tlie Nortli American Review for laSS, pp. lfll-203. 
 
 16. Vide History of tlio Unite<l StatcB. By George Bancroft, Bos- 
 ton, 1841, Vol. I., p. 56. 
 
 17. Dicuil in De Mensura Orbis Terra), shows that the Faroe la- 
 lands were known to the Irisli as early as 725 and Iceland in 705. Vide 
 Antiquitanes Amoricante, p. 2()4. 
 
 18. Vide History of the Voyages and Discoveries made in the 
 North, by John Reinhold Forster, Dublin, 1786. Also History of the 
 Northmen and Danes and Norsemen from the Earliest Times, etc. By 
 Henry Wheaton, London, 1881. 
 
 10. For an excellent translation of the Sajjas reference may be 
 made to Voyages of the Northmen to America. Prince Society, Boston, 
 1877. Edited by the Reverend Edmund F. Slafter, A. M. 
 
 20. In going to the ship the horse which he had mounted, stum- 
 bled causing tlie old man to fall off and bruise liis foot, which discour- 
 aged him from attempting the voyage. 
 
 21. Dr. Thomas H. Webb, secretary of the Rhode Island Histori- 
 cal Society, in Antiquitates Americanae, p. 388. 
 
 22. Vide Report on the Geology of Massachusetts, p. 06, et setj. 
 
 23. Vide Documentary History of the State of Maine by J. G. 
 Kohl. Portland, 1860, Vol. 1. p. 71. 
 
 24. Vide An Historical Sketch of the Discovery of America by 
 the Norsemen, by Rasmus B. Anderson. A. M., Chicago, 1874. p. 56, et 
 seq. 
 
 25. VideMigne's Patrology of the Latin Fathers, Vols. 110, 1.^3, 130. 
 143. Archbishop Adelbert was raised to the see of Hamburg in 1045 and 
 died in 1072. Adam of Bremen says of him, that, "he was so gentle, so 
 generous, so hospitable, so desirous of divine and human glory, that 
 little Bremen, having become known by his virtue like another Rome, 
 was devoutly resorted to from all quarters of the earth, especially from 
 the North. Among the comers were Icelandere, Greenlanders and 
 Arcadians, who came to ask for preachers. " Vide Gesta Pontificum 
 Ecclesiae Hamburgensis. Book III., ch. 33; also cf. Book IV., ch. 36. 
 
 26. Vide Monumenta Germaniae Historica. edited by George 
 Henry Pertz, Hannovera}, 1846. Tome VII. The following is perhaps 
 nearer the original. Adam speaking of his friend and patron Adelbert 
 says, " He spoke also of another island found in that ocean called W'in- 
 lund, because vines grow there spontaneously, yielding excellent wine. 
 For that fruit grew there spontaneously we know not by fabulous 
 report, but for certain, from the reports of the Danes. " 
 
i