:. -^^o^ o^ ^^-n^. V*' r% V<^' *?»> « '^-o^ ^ .0^ '%. V 0^ <>. . • c«5Xtv«k*^ ./.'i-^'V o°^.ia^..-^<'o ./.'i-:/^'\ 0°* '%. '• '^^ ^"^ *><^ >«> • ♦ » * ' ■J\ F»rice lO Cents. DISCOVERY OF AMERICA IRISH reuioMg to \9ke flini^ Qeniuv^, WITH ACCOUNTS BY SCANDINAVIANS AND GERMANS IRLAND IT MIKLA" "VINLAND DAT CODE." NEW YORK. DISCOVERY OF AMERICA IRISH PREVIOUS TO THE NINTH CENTURY, WITH ACCOUNTS BY SCANDINAVIANS andGERMANS ex- 3" "IRLAND IT MIKLA" A N D - -VINLAND DAT GODE." Entered according to Act of Congress in the year i88g, by 'I'iMOiiiY L. Ml'RrHY, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. <^^ y All rights reserved. . 1 M V DISCOVERY OF AMERICA IRISH LTHOUGH the title of this work indicates that Irish y^ people discovered America previous to the ninth cen- ® tury, I will not attempt to show at what particular time that event took place. In such works as have come und&r my notice, relating to the early discoveries of America, I find no positive evidence that the Irish people ever discovered America in the sense in which the term is used, as applied to newly found lands. I believe, however, that a perusal of the following pages will leave little doubt in peoples' minds that a Celtic race once inhabited almost the entire Western Hemisphere, and that a large part of the North American Continent was known to the Northmen by the name of Great Ireland. Whether these Celts originally came from Ireland, or the people of Ireland from America, no one can say with absolute certainty. * * * * * Some historians inform us that little was known of Ireland by the ancients, and that no definite accounts of that island were obtained until the time of the invasion of Britain by the Romans. It is probable that Ireland knew far more of the ancients than they knew of Ireland. According to the map of Ptolemy, the central portion of Ireland was inhabited in 4 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA his clay by the Scoti ; the north by the Robogdii ; the east by the Darnii, Voluntii, Eblani, Cauci, Menapii and Coriundi; the south by the Brigantes, Vodiiand Iberni ; the west by the Luceni, Velaborii, Cangani, Auteri, Magnatae and Haudinii. For many centuries Ireland was known by the name of lerne. The name of Ogygia, "most ancient land," was applied to it by Plutarch. Ireland, styled lernis, is mentioned in a Greek poem five centuries before Christ, and by the names of Hibernia, Juverna and Iris, in various foreign pagan writers. Herodotus, four centuries before the Christian era, places the Celts beyond the Pillars of Hercules, and upon the borders of the most westerly region in Europe, and Caesar in the first century finds them in Britain and Gaul. Polybius, in the second century before Christ, alludes to the Britannic Islands beyond the Pillars of Hercules, and to the working of the mines by the inhabitants. A Greek poet, writing under the name of Orpheus, mentions these remote (British) islands under the name of the lernian Isles. A comparatively late writer, Festus Rufus Avienus, in his poetical " Description of the World," written from the account of Hamilcar, mentrons the plains of the Britons and the distant Thule, and talks of the sacred isle peopled by the nation of the Hiberni and the adjacent island of the Albiones. The ancients tell of a large island which was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean many centuries ago. In Solon's relation to the Egyptian Priests, we find the following words : *' There existed an ancient and celebrated people in Greece, the wisdom of whose laws, and fame of whose valor are re- nowned in the sacred writings and ancient annals of Egypt. This heroic race were as highly celebrated for their exploits by sea as by land, as was evident in their arduous contests with the mighty nation who formerly inhabited the vast island Atlantis, now buried in the ocean which bears its name. This island was situated near the straits of Gades, and it exceeded in magnitude all Europe and Asia joined together. It was so called from Atlas, the son of Neptune, whose descendants ' BY THE IRISH. 5 reigned there in an hereditary line, during a period of nine thousand years, and extended their sway over all the adjoin- ing regions, for there was an easy passage from this island to the neighboring islands and continents, and their armies pass- ing over into Europe and Africa subdued all Lybia, to the borders of Egypt, and all Europe to Asia Minor; in succeeding ages, owing to prodigious earthquakes and inundations in the space of one day and night, all that part of Greece which your ancestors inhabited was desolated and submerged, and the Atlantic island itself, being suddenly absorbed into the bosom of the ocean, entirely disappeared, and for many ages after- wards that sea could not be navigated, owing to the numerous rocks and shelves with which it abounded." Mr. Davis, in his "American Antiquities," says: "The appearance of the globe in that part in which the cat- astrophe is said to have happened, has been asserted by some learned men to bear marks of such an event having taken place; and that the Canaries, Azores, and Teneriffe, are nothing else than the tops of mountains belonging to land sunk in the Atlan- tic Ocean." Buffon says "this traditionof the Island Atlantis is not devoid of probability, and that the land swallowed up by the waters was perhaps that which united Ireland to the Azores, and the Azores to the continent of America." Mr. Whitehurst observes (see Whitehurst's works) that he is almost persuaded that Ireland was originally a part of the island Atlantis. This opinion of Whitehurst's is highly strengthened by the following remarkable tradition of the old Irish given by an author of the highest reputation, whose entire work I regret I have never been able to see. The gentleman alluded to is General Vallancey, who says the old Irish relate, that "a great part of Ireland was swallowed up by the sea; and that the sunken part often rises, and is frequently seen on the horizon from the northern coast. In the north-west they call a city of this enchanted island Tir Hud, or the city of Hud, believing one stands there which once possessed all the riches of the 6 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA world This is a general tradition with them. This island is called O'Braesil, or O'Brazil, which signifies Royal Island." General Vallancey says, "It is evidently the lost city of Arabian story, visited by their prophet Houd, the city and paradise of Irem." The following extracts, also, are taken from Mr. Davis' work: " The antiquities of America stretch from the great lakes of the north and west to the southern parts of Peru; from the Alleghany Mountains on the east, to the Rocky Mountains on the west; and even from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean." "The monumental history of Central America tells us that this is not a new world. And we awake with astonishment that there was once the seat of a great empire before David reigned over the twelve tribes of Israel, or Octavius waved his sceptre over the civilized world." "But alas! the foundation of cities as magnificent as those that adorned the banks of the Nile, have vanished like the generations before the flood." " The stone hatchets used by the Mexicans, we have the authority of the Archaeologia, Vol. IX. p. 97, to assert, were the same as those frequently found in Great Britain and which go by the name of Celts. Transmigration of souls was taught by the Druids of Great Britain. And it appears the natives of Otheite, Mexico, believed in it also." When the Spaniards arrived in South America they found stones cut into the figure of the cross, which were much revered by the Mexicans. General Vallancey says, "The symbol of knowledge among the ancient Irish was the cross." There are forts in Mexico the general principle of the work of which is undoubtedly of very great antiquity. There is one of these ancient forts in Ireland (see Trans. Irish Aceol, Vol. II.) named Norseleap, which is almost precisely similar to some found on the Muskingum. Mounds similar to those in Mexico, are common in Great Britain. (See Archaeologia, Vol. XVI. p. 268. It is still the custom there with the natives in passing such BY THE IRISH. 7 a place, to cast thereon a stone to increase tlie monumental pile. The ceremonies observed with the Irish are individually the same with the Mexicans. Mr. Bryant says, "that wherever these monuments occur, we may esteem them of the hic^hest antiquity." Such works are generally referred to the Celts and Druids. Mr. Henry R. Schoolcraft, in an address before the New York Historical Society in 1846, said, "an inscription found in 1838, on opening the gigantic pile of earth or tumulus, hereto- fore referred to, on the alluvial plains of Grave Creek in Western Virginia, was in one of the types of this ancient character. This type of the alphabet may be called Aonic, a term derived from the aboriginal vocabulary. I visited the locality in 1843, carefully examined the facts, and having satisfied myself of the authenticity of the discovery, took duplicate copies of the inscription in wax and transmitted them to Europe. The inscription consists of twenty-three letters, together with a pictorial device, apparently a man's head on a pike. Professor Charles Rafn, of Copenhagen, deems the characters Celtiberic. Thirteen of the characters correspond with the Druidical, or old British, as it existed before the invasion of Julius Caesar. The latter are, however, almost identical as far as comparison goes, with the Celtiberic. Clavigaro, in his history of Mexico, relates that the Mexi- cans describe the giants, who were ruined at the time of the great earthquakes. In Moore's history of Ireland, it appears that the Attacots, or giant race, existed in Ireland, a. d. 126. According to ancient Irish writers, Ireland was visited by a wonderful phenomena of lightning about that time, which destroyed nearly every temple on the whole island, and caused the death by lightning stroke of nearly 2,000 persons. It was, they say, such a phenomena as had never been seen since the beginning of the world, and never will be again until the judgment day. In Brownell's " Discoveries, Pioneers and Settlers of North and South America," we find the following: 8 DISCOVKkV OK AMERICA "When Iceland was first settled by the Northmen, a small colony of Cliristians, who are supposed to have come from Ireland, were found there." This was in the year86i. Haverty, in his "History of Ireland, Ancient aud Modern," says: "Irishmen were the first Christians, and, perhaps the first inhabitants of Iceland, which they called Thule, or Tyle." Mr. Browned says: " There are several ancient Norse records, all treating of persons historically known to have existed in America, whither formerly vessels came from Ireland." Mr. Davis says: " From a letter preserved by the son of Columbus, it appears he visited Iceland. It was thought by the Icelanders that he there obtained a knowledge of the discovery of America, and that as he was rather artful, he concealed the knowledge from mankind. A work entitled, " Discovery of America by the Northmen," was published in London, England, in the year 1841, by North Ludlow Beamish, Fellow of the Royal Society and member of the Royal Danish Society of Northern Antiquities, author of the " History of the German Legion," etc. Mr. Beamish was associated with Charles Christian Rafn, Knight of the Royal Danish Order of Dannebrog, of the Royal Swedish Order of the North Star, Counsellor of State to His Majesty, the King of Denmark, Professor of Northern Literature, Fellow of the Royal Antiquarian Society of London, and Secretary of the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries. From Mr. Beamish's work, the following extracts are derived: "Amongst the various valuable and important publications of the Royal Danish Society of Northern Antiquaries, that which has created the greatest general interest in the literary world, is the able and elaborate work of Prof. Rafn, which came out at Copenhagen in the year 1837, under the title of Antiquitates Americanae, sii'e Scripiores Septentrionales rerum Anti-Columhiananiin in America. This interesting publication, the fruit of great literary labor and extensive research, clearly nv THE IRISH. 9 shows that the eastern coast of North America was discovered and colonized by the Northmen, more than five hundred years bafore the reputed discovery of Columbus." " These facts rest upon the authority of ancient Icelandic manuscripts preserved in the Royal and UniversityLibraries of Copenhagen, and which have now been for the first time trans- lated and made public. Fac-similes of the most important of these documents are given in Prof. Rafn's work, together with maps and delineations of ancient monuments illustrative of the subject. A Danish and Latin translation follows the Icelandic text, and the whole is accompanied by introductory obser- vations, philological and historical remarks, as well as archaeological and geographical disquisitions of high interest and value." "The incidental allusions to the voyages and settlements of the Irish, which are contained in the minor narratives, are more likely to excite than satisfy enquiry. Much still remains to be unraveled on this interesting subject, and it is to be regretted that no competent hands have yet been applied to this neglected portion of Irish history. It has been too much the practice to decry as fabulous, all statements claiming for the earlier inhabitants of Ireland, a comparatively high degree of advancement and civilization, and notwithstanding the many valuable publications connected with the history and antiquities of that country, which have from time to time come forth, and the more recent candid, learned and eloquent pro- duction of Mr. Moore, there are not wanting (even among her sons) those who with the anti-Irish feeling of the bigoted Cambrensis, would sink Ireland in the scale of national dis- tinction, and deny her claims to that early eminence in religion, learning and the arts, which unquestionable records so fully testify. And yet, a very little unpredjudiced enquiry would be sufficient to satisfy the candid mind that Erin had good claims to be called the " School of the West," and her sons. ^^Inclyta gens hominutn, Milite, Pace, Fide." This much at least, will the following pages show: That sixty-five years previous to the discovery of Iceland by the 10 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA Northmen in the ninth century, Irish emigrants had visited and inhabited that island; that about the year 725, Irish ecclesiastics had sought seclusion upon the Faroe Islands; that in the tenth century, voyages between Iceland and Ireland were of ordinary occurrence; and that in the eleventh century, a country west from Ireland, and south of that part of the American Continent which was discovered by the adventurous Northmen in the jireceding age, was known to them under the name of White Man's Land, or Great Ireland. From what cause could the name of Great Ireland have arisen, but from the fact of the country having been colonized by the Irish ? Prof. Rafn is of opinion that White Man's Land, or Great Ireland of the Northmen was the country situated to the south of Chesapeake Bay, including North and South Carolina, Georgia and East Florida. Shawanese Indians used to say that Florida was once inhabited by white men, who used iron instruments. Lionel Wafer, who resided for several months amongst the inhabitants of the Isthmus of America, says: " My knowledge of the Highland language made me the more capable of learning the Darien Indians' language, when I was among them, for there is some atifinity, for many of the words bear a marked similarity to those of the Celtic." It is remarkable also what an Indian King said to a Spaniard, viz.: "That in foregoing ages a strange people arrived there by sea." It is certain that when the Spaniards first conquered Mexico, they were surprised to hear the inhabitants discourse of a strange people, that formerly caf7ie thither in corrau^hs, who taught them the knowledge of God, and of immortality, instructed them also in virtue and morality, and prescribed holy rites and ceremonies of religion. It may be here remarked, that the word " corraugh " is an Irish name of a large boat. The British language is so prevalent here, that the very towns, bridges, beasts, birds, rivers, hills, etc., are called by British names. BY THE IRISH. 11 PART II. Minor Narratives. The following selections are made from that division of the Antiquitates Americanae, entitled " Breviores Relations," being extracts and short narratives taken from various Icelandic manuscripts now extant in the Royal and University Libraries of Copenhagen. They will be found to contain some inter- esting particulars of the traces of Irish settlers found in Ice- land previous to the occupation of that island by the Nor- wegians in the ninth century, as well as authentic accounts of voyages performed by the Northmen in the year 999 and 1029, to that part of the Western Hemisphere known to them under the name of White Man's Land, or Great Ireland. (Hvitra- manna land eder Irland it Mikla.) A. — From the "History of King Olaf Tryggvason." Ac- cording to the Second Vellum Codex, No. 61. Fol. Thus says the holy priest, Bede, in the chronicles which he wrote concerning the regions of the earth : " That the island which is called Thule in the books, lies so far in the north part of the world, that there came no day in the winter, when the night is longest, and no night in summer, when the day is longest. Therefore think learned men, that it is Iceland which is called Thule, for there are many places in that land, where the sun sets not at night, when the day is longest, and in the same manner, where the sun cannot be seen by day, when the night is longest. But the holy priest, Bede, died DCCXXXV. vears after the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, more than a hundred and twenty years before Iceland was inhabited by the Northmen. But before Iceland was colonized from Nor- way, men had been there whom the Northmen called Papas. 1 They were Christians, for after them were found Irish books bells, and croziers, and many other things, from whence it 12 DISCOVKRV OK AMKRICA could be seen tluit they were Christian men, and liad come from the west over the sea. English books also show that, in that time, there was intercourse between tlie two countries." B. — From the Schedule of Ari Frode, No. 54, Fol. At that time was Iceland covered with woods, between the mountains and the shore. Then were here Christian people, whom the Northmen called Papas, but they went afterwards away, because they would not be here amongst heathens ; and left after them Irish books, and bells, and croziers, from which could be seen that they were Irishmen. But then began people to travel much here out from Norway, until King Harold forbade it because it appeared to him that the land had begun to be thinned of inhabitants. Voyage of Gudleif Gudlangson TO Great Ireland, A. D. 1029. Gudleif hight a man, during the reign of King Olaf the Saint, undertook a trading voyage to Dublin, but was driven far to the west, in the sea, where no land was to be seen. After many days it came to pass that they saw land. It was a great land, but they knew not what land it was. When they had been a short time on shore, came people to them. They knew none of the people, but it rather appeared to tJtem that they spoke Irish. Soon came to them so great a number that it made up many hundreds. Their Chief, who understood the Northern tongue, made many inquiries about his people in Ireland, and he gave them a gold ring to take to a lady in Dublin. Then they were allowed to depart. BY THE IRISH. 13 Description of Great Ireland. {From an A tic lent Norse Record.) "To the south of habitable Greenhind there are uninhabi- table and wild tracts, and enormous icebergs. The country of the Skroelligs lies beyond these ; Markland beyond this, and Vinland the Good (New England) beyond the last. Next to this, and something beyond it, lies Albania, that is Hvi- tramannaland, whither formerly vessels came from Ireland. There several Irishmen and Icelanders saw and recognized Ari, the son of Mar and Kothlu of Reykianess, concerning whom nothing had been heard for a long time, and who had been made their chief by the inhabitants of the land." "This Ari Marson is elsewhere described as having been driven in a tempest (983) to the region called Hvitramanna- land (White Man's Land) or Irland it Mikla (Ireland the Great) which lay far to the West of Ireland, and may perhaps have been the southern or middle states of America." In an account of a voyage to "Vinland dat Gode " (New England), an incident is related of a German sailor who had strayed away from the camp of the Northmen. They be- coming alarmed at his absence, went in search of him. They found him in a pleasant little valley, apparently in high glee. In answer to their enquiries he said that he had found grapes, and had eaten his fill of the luscious fruit, which seemed to be the same as grew along the banks of his native Rhine. We have it on good authority that the antiquities of Amer- ica cover a period of six thousand years. Palenqua, an ancient city of Central America, is estimated to have been sixty miles in circumference, and to have had nearly three million inhabitants. Ruins of buildings which are classed among the most magnificent in the world, and works of art, of the rarest kind, have been found in Mexico and Central America. 14 DISCOVERY OK AMERICA One great difficulty with American antiquarians has been, that they had not an understanding of the Irish language. If they had, they would have readily recognized the many Irish names in Mexico, Central America and South America. The section of territory around Mexico was called Anahuac; if we suppose the original pronunciation to have been Anahuig, in- stead of Anahuac, we have the compound Irish word, signifying Great Fifth. Ireland was in ancient times divided into fifths, called " Cuigs," which, when compounded with, and preceded by another word, is pronounced " huig." We are informed by American writers that another great section of territory of the ancient Americans was called Nehuedafallan. I am inclined to think that they have slightly mispronounced the name, as in the case of Anahuac. If we suppose the name to have been Nehuigafallan, or Unhuigafallan we have the com- pound Irish word signifying " The Fifth of the Wall," which would indicate a territory bounded by a wall, or chain of hUls. One of their great cities was named Tulla. There is to this day a town in Ireland by the name of Tulla. Another of their cities was called Tulloom. There is in Ireland a town named Tuila- more, and, I believe, one also named Tulloom. There was the Mexican city of Tehauntepec. Irish speaking persons will recognize the word tehaun, as signifying house in their langu- age. If we say Tehaunthapig, instead of Tehauntepec, we have the compound Irish word, "housequick," which would signify, quickly erected house. In Mexico, also, was the statue of Gubernadore, which in Irish, signifies woi'k of art. The question may be asked, how shall we account for the American Indian, or Red Man ? If we accept the version that the Irish, the Atlantes and the American Celts all formed, at one time, one race, and perhaps one nation, then, perhaps, he may be accounted for on the theory that the Atlantes took prisoners, whom they carried off as slaves, and whose descen- dants gradually escaped into the wild regions, and in time spread themselves over all the hemisphere. Would it be impos- sible for such a race to spring from a mixture of the swarthy races in Southern Europe, Turkey and Egypt ? The Romans BY THE IRISH. 15 used to allude to the Carthaginians as "neither white nor black." The American Celtic race has passed away, from what causes is not known. Perhaps they were gradually exterminated by war, pestilence and famine. Central America, where the most traces of their existence remain, is a very unhealthful country. Perhaps it was not so, until the forests which stood between it and the guano beds along the north coast of South America, were cut down, when the deadly vapors arising from those guano deposits were borne directly to it, breeding yellow fever and other diseases among its in- habitants. The stream of water which flows through the body of the earth and comes to the surface at the Gulf of Mexico, thence forming the Gulf Stream, may also conduce to its unhealthfulness. Earthquakes are mentioned. It is likely that great earthquakes will occur again. The stream of water just referred to, is doing its work slowly but surely, in the in- terior of the earth. In time, large excavations are probably formed, wherein the earth suddenly settles, and continents are submerged. Perhaps, in a remote future age, when places where now dry land is, will be covered with water, Atlantis will again rise to the surface, and the ruins of Tir Hud be exposed to an astonished world. THE END. > V •1*°' ^ aO \/ .*^'t %/ '^'•: ^^'^ ',^^. ^ - rr* A "\V . " • V"^'\^^'^ V^"^°' %'^B\/ -o.