E 1U5 D26 .0 ,^^ o " o , 'o ^ bV^ V V "^..x^^ .^^'^^^h \- ,-<^ ,^'^i?^'\ ^ ,A^ ^>^^/ V 'V ■V .•'■■ ..'',-. >v. . ;- ^r : ,iN^ ° " = ^ 'o ,-Jv^ "^^ .-^^^ -■%-! .^(\,^f?/v;^ -^^ c:^ .V ,> •^^ A ->' ^^^ ^ ^^^^ » N ^ ^SJ, >^- .0- -l^ A -^ ^ <^, ■<> ,-S' 4- kV <^. > ^' ^^'-^^ ^%^l^^^ ^'^^ O o « 5 I. "^ ^^ f • t o A.^ 0' ~ ^^ l^'^ ^^ ^, ^%y^%^ '^^'" -'^^ ^ y> , r-^^^. "^ O ^^•^^ ^. ,0- .^■ ' "iit* '^/'' '^^^*^^^^ "^ /" " i%° '"^.^^ '^^^ <^. >' -^^•0^ c 0' ^>X^/^ .^f^ o K^ 40, o :^^^ aiiscotevg at America !>a the JLottfitnen ^ yif^^^^^ ^^ ^ ^.^^^^^i'^^,^ ^.^r^^^^ LECTUR E ON THE -I 6 yu DISCOVERY OF AMERICA BY THE NORTHMEN FIVE HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE COLUMBUS, DELIVERED IN NEW-YORK AND IN THE OTHER CITIES OF THE STATE, ALSO IN SOME OF THE FIRST SEMINARIES. BY a!. DAVIS, FORMBRLY CHAPLAIN OF THE SENATE, &C. OF NEW-YORK. THIRD EDITION. ^oPy<^:g^;?>'5^ _ ^-p;^"-rr^- NEW. YORK : PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL COLEMAN, NO. 8 ASTOR HOUSE— BROADWAY. 1839. V ^ "^^-*-^V.X\ ^ ';n-^.>;:^>- V ^- Entered according; to the Act of Congress, A. D. 1839, by Asahel Davis,: in the Clerk's Office of the Dristxict Court of tlie United States, for tlte Southren District of New- York. 3 S ^^ RECOMMENDATIONS. Two editions of this lecture have been sold in less than two months* The third is presented with some improvements. Extract of a letter from Professor Willoughby, President of the Medi- cal College, Fairfield, N. Y. fo G. W. Card, M. D., Ohio. " Mr. Davis is lecturing on history, and gave last evening to the citi- zens here, and to the students of both institutions, a most eloquent and interesting lecture on the antiquity of our country, and the utmost cer- tainty of the discovery thereof before the days of Columbus — to my mind the evidence is conclusive." From Drs. Coventry and Goodsell, distinguished physicians of Utica. •• Mr. Davis has delivered the lecture which is noticed above to a large audience in this city. We the undersigned, who were present at its delivery, take great pleasure in expressing our own gratification and in stating our belief that all his auditors were highly pleased. The Lec- ture is instructive and interesting. From Mrs. Willard, of Troy. " Mr. Davis has delivered an interesting and instructive lecture, rela- ting to the history of our country, to the members of the Troy Female Seminary." The Commercial, of Buffalo, Jan. 23. After speaking of the lecture, " On the discovery of the Northmen," says, " we have perused it somewhat hastily and find it abounding with historical facts of a very interesting nature, compiled with much care and labor and adorned with that poetry of thought so indispensible when pubbshsd in the form of a book." 6^- ! The generous patronage received for the delivery of the following lecture leads to its publication. Though faint the ray of knowledge it may impart, yet I trust it will still be seen and its benefita rewarded while exhibited in a different medium. The sale of two editions, in less than three months, shows that this hope of success has not been disappointed. The third is presented with improvements. Together with original matter, the lecture is a compilation from some of the most popular periodicals of the day- To collect and arrange facts from various sources — "hoc opus, hie labor est." The History of the Northmen by Hon. Mr. Wheaton, and the splendid work on Ameri- can Antiquities, published last year in^Demmark, have also been consulted. Some unimportant differences will be found between the prcsept and past form of the lecture. LECTU RE. While the beauties of the visible creation fade on the eye — while all nature reposes under the mantle of night, it is pleasant to leave the haunts of business for the lecture room, and to survey the dark regions of the past under the light of history. That curiosity which is attracted by theories, not because they are new, but beause they are based in truth, is the first and last principle of a great and noble mind. It is this which induces the traveller to cross the turbulent ocean — to scale lofty mountains, and to sit down as on the brink of volcanos. It is this, which leads the naturalist to survey the works of creation, where he sees that all things rejlect the perfections of Deity ; yes even the violet, fresh from the sleep of winter, tells him that there is a God, and that he is great and good. And it is curiosity that causes the historian to inquire when and whence was this mighty conti- nent peopled ? That America was peopled by those in advance of the savage state long before any authentic accounts are given of settlements, is manifest from nameless monuments of antiquity found in various parts. The ruins of a city in Central America are among the most striking of such. This city, called Palenque, lies two hundred and forty miles from Tabasco — lat. about 15p. It will be recollected that the avaricious Spaniards discovered and conquered Mexico on the north, and Peru and Chili on the south of Cen- tral America, in the first place ; but, at length the solitude of the latter was broken, and there was discovered the El Dorado, about which the wh»le Spanish nation had so long been dreaming. It was found, not above, but beneath the surface of the earth — not on the wide andflowr" plain ; but under a forest of huge trees. And there were discovereu not such buildings as those erected by the Druids, of rough and mi.- shapea stones ; but such as those in winch lungs dwell-built of hewn ^^The appearance of these ruins shows that a nation once existed there highly skilled in the mechanic arts, and in a state of civilization far be- yond any thing that we have been led to believe of the aborigines, pre- vious to the time of Columbus. A disti«guished antiquary of New York has received from this city a beautiful specimen of the fine arts-an idol of pure gold. This city has emphatically been called the Thebes of America. In surveying its ruins, the traveller is led to believe that it was founded at as. early a period as the renowned cities of Egypt. How immense this city ! It is supposed to have been sixty miles m circumference, and that it contained a population of nearly three mil. lions. Great were its commercial privileges-even now, the broad and beautiful Otulum rolls along its desolated borders. Palenque, lying about one thousand miles from Mexico, and being elevated five thousand feet above the ocean, enjoyed a climate almost unequalled for its pleasantness. The natural beauty of the scenery was^ unrivalled-the soil rich and fertile beyond any other portion of the globe One of the principal structures revealed to the eye of the antiquarian is the teoculi or temple. Its style of architecture resembles the Gothic. It is rude, massive, and durable. Though resembling the Egyptian edi- fices, yet this and the other buildings are peculiar, and are different from all others hitherto known. The entrance to this temple is on the east side by a portico more than one hundred feet in length, and nine feet broad. The rectangular pil- lars of the portico have their architraves adorned with stucco work of shields and other devices. This temple stands on an elevation of sixty feet. Would that its exalted location and its splendor were indicative of devated and enlarged views its worshippers might have had of the Su- preme Being ; but certain objects or relievos, lead to the supposition tliat within its massive walls human beings were sacrificed to incensed divi- nities. Amid this wilderness of ruins are now to be seen fourteen large stone buildings with many of their apartments in good condition. The antiquity of this city is manifest not only from its nameless hiero- glyphics and other objects ; but from the age of some of the trees growing over buildings where once the hum of industry and the voice of merriment were heard. Two hundred natives were employed by the Spaniards in felling the trees and in consuming them by fire. The work was executed in about twenty days. The concentric circles of some of the?e trees were counted, which showed that they were more than nine hundred years of age. Lord Kingsboro' thinks that the inhabitants of this city of the desert were the descendants of the lost tribes of Israel. One of the facts on which this theory is based is, that the temple resembles that of Solomon. His opinion is evidently erroneous, from the fact that the people of Pa- lenque are different from all others in those distinguishing characteris- tics which have ever been assumed as the criteria of distinct species of men. The physical structure of this people, as well as various charac teristics, lead to the supposition that they are not derived from any known pre-existent people. Shade of Spurz- heim ! tell if thou canst what quali- ties such a formed head as this im- plies. This helmet is said to resemble those described by Homer. Oh ! that some mighty genius like that of Belzoni would arise and remove from this city of the world called new, the veil that conceals its origin. It is supposed that this city was destroyed by some internal convulsion, or like those of the south of Europe, was overwhelmed by barbarians of the north. Such it is said were of Celtic origin. It is not singular that it should have been concealed from view for ages, when we recollect that cities of the eastern continent have in like manner remained in ohlivion till of late. We allude to the ruins of Pes- tum in Campania of Italy, and to those of Petra of Idumea in Asia. A new forest hid for centuries, the former from the degenerate sons of Rome, while the splendid structures of Petra were known only to Be. douins for over a thousand years. Who does not delight to read about the roses of Pestum ? Yet they still unfold their inimitable petals amid the ruins of palaces and beside dilapidated temples. Do we admire the boundless forests, the lofty mountains, and the ma- jestic rivers of our hemisphere ? The vast wilderness of ruins, once enlivened by intelligent beings, should demand a higher claim to our admiration. The antiquities of America stretch from the great lakes of the north and west to central America, and the southern parts of Peru on the south ; from the Allegany movmtains on the east, to the Rocky mountains on the west ; and even from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean. As yet, we must ask in vain, who were the founders of these cities of the dead ? Alas ! their names have faded into oblivion. The remem- brance of their deeds remains not even in tradition or legendary song. We will not say as the Athenians said of their nation, that the first! inhabitants of America were created when the sun was first lit up in the sky ; but we must presume they early reached this continent from the old world. The learned Dr. Clarke says that the continents were once united, but that by the force of winds and waves the isthmuses were broken up and formed into islands along the coasts. Easy however is the transition from the east to the west by the way of Bhering's straits when we con- sider that they are only thirteen leagues wide. Adverse winds also might have driven the frail vessels of the ancients to the region lying on the gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. But as the tropical animals found in America could not have crossed over by Bhering's straits when frozen, it is said they must have come by land that once extended from Asia to America in the torrid zone. Hence the course taken by the Palencians in coming from the plains of Shinar. It is evident that they must have come to Central America immediately after the flood, before any orders of architecture were in- vented, otherwise they would have introduced such into their new city. And might not the Palencians also have creased over by the former route, if Dr. Clarke's theory be true, allowmg that it was once much warmer than at present in the high latitudes ? The traces of different races of men, now extinct, are to be found in America, as the d\Varfish and the giant. The graves of the former^ four and a half feet long, are seen in Georgia, and the bones of the latter farther north — some of the thigh bones are two or three inches longer than those of the present inhabitants — craniums are found large enough to cover the head of the observer. It is thought that the ancestors of the present race of Indians are of Tartar origin, who came to this continent by the way of the Fox Islands about A. D. 600. The eyes of mankind from the time of Pythagoras have been turned to the west in anticipation that here new discoveries were to be made and hither were the adventurous at length led. And who was the first among known discoverers ? "Who are not ready to answer, Columbus ? A different answer might surprise some. One is given in the name of the Northmen. It is asserted that Leif, a Northman, was the first who discovered the country south of Greenland, unless we except New- foundland. Biarne sailed from Norway, directed by the stars, for Greenland ; but ^eing driven by the winds for several days to the south, he saw an island — probably Newfoundland. The discovery of America by the Northmen excites a vast deal of curiosity. And is it not a laudable curiosity that leads one to ascertain what while men first trod regions in which the modest wild flower wasted its sweetness on the desert air ? As Geography is one of the eyes of history, it would be well at this time to direct the attention to the map of North America, and to those oi Massachusetts and Rhode Island in particular. The Royal Society of Northern Antiquarians in Copenhagen have lately published an important work. "While the contents of this massive work are invaluable, its mechanical execution reflects great honor on the society that published it. This work is called, as translated from the Latin, " American Anti- quities, or northern writings of things in America before the time of Columbus." The determination was formed about ten years since by the Royal Society of Antiquarians in Copenhagen to publish the authorities on which these accounts rest in the original documents, accompanied with full commentaries and illustrations. The text is in the Icelandic tongue. The inquiry is often made, who were the Northmen ? They were the descendants of the Scandina.vians, who it is thought sprang from the Tliracians mentioned by Homer — a nation now extinct. The North- men lived in Denmark and Norway. Their literature has been com- pared in extent to the literary remains of Greece and Latiiira. This opens a new fountain of research, where the scholar may often «* Return and linger, linger aiul return." This great work contains two Icelandic documents now for the first time published accurately in a complete form, purporting to be histories written by or for persons who discovered and visited the North American coast early in the eleventh century, confirmed and illustrated by extracts from no less than fifteen other original manuscripts, in which the facts set forth in these histories are either mentioned or alluded to. The Royal Society have already collected two thousand sagas or works of Scandinavian or Icelandic history. In this work in particular is found Adam Bremen's account of the discovery of America, communicated to him in the eleventh century by Sweyn Estrithson, king of Denmark. 1st. Are these documents genuine ? 2d. If so, why have they not been heard of before ? Tiie work itself contains evidences of the antiquity and authe.nticity of the manuscripts from which the publication has been made, sufiicient to raise them above any just suspicion. These documents, as Professor Rafn says, have been known to Ice- landic scholars, but these have been so ^cw comparatively and the means of these few so limited, that they have not been able to give them suit, able examination, much less to be at the expen^jo of publishing them. How long did the ancient classics, for instance, lay concealed in the monasteries of Europe for the want of some one to exhibit them to public view 1 These Icelandic documents may have been hid in like manner in the libraries of priests. And ^ve may say that the Society of Antiquarians in Copenhagen, in bringing these documents to light, resembles the conduct of the poet Laureate, Petrarch, in the fourteenth century, who at his own expense, had the vahiable manuscripts of anti- quity dragged from the dust of the cloisters, transcribed and exhibited to the world. Who does not admire the lovely scenery, where the beautiful and sub- lime are blended, displayed in the succession of falls at Trenton ? Yet these were concealed for ages, till a master-spirit revealed them to an admiring world ! And does not the raven wing of night hide the works of art also till disclosed in a similar way ? The learned of Iceland, though 10 like the generality of poets were poor, yet they wore not disposed, like Milton, to sell their manuscripts for a paltry sum. It is Avell known that the Norwegians have long claimed the honor of discovering and colonizing America before the time of Columbus. Iceland appears to have been a medium of communication between Norway and Greenland — a stepping-stone, as it were, from one conti- nent to another. Iceland, thought by some to be the " Ultima Thule " of Virgil, was discovered by the Norwegians in 861. The oppression of king Harold Harfaga drove them there for an asylum. But the restless spirit of the Norlhmen would not allow them to be idle. They made incursions in every direction, and discovered Green- land in 984. In 986, a colony was begun by Eric, the red. This was at length destroyed. By the exertions of the Danish Society, the ruins of this settlement have been discovered. It was located on the west, near Cape Farwell. It is seen in the remains of churches and buildings. Leif, the son of Eric, commenced a voyage of discovery in the year 1000. His crew consisted of thirty-five men.* After sailing for some time south west, they made land — they anchored and went ashore. This place was destitute of grass, and was covered with a slaty rock which they called Helluland. This is supposed to be Labrador. Fisherman of the present day will give a like description of that barren region. From thence they sailed southwardly, and after holding on for some time, they again made land and went ashore. This country was level, had a low coast, presenting here and there bluffs of white sand, and \vas thickly covered with wood. This they named Markland, or Woodland. This is thought to be Nova Scotia. Leaving Markland, they sailed south westerly with a fair wind two days before seeing land again, when they passed down a promontory,. probably the east side of Cape Cod, stretching east and north, and then turning west between an island (Martha's Vineyard) and the main land, they entered a bay, (Narragansett Bay,) through which a river flowed, (Taunton River,) when they came to anchor and went ashore. Resolving to spend the winter here, they called the place Leifsbuthir, or place of booths. Here finding grapes very plenty, they called the place Vineland, or Wineland the good. This land, to those coming from the remote north, appeared as nature in the " world's first spring." * Leif was the first to introduce missionaries into Greenland. 11 Early in the season they returned to Greenland. Lclf 's return became the principal subject of conversation. The next e.dventurer was Thor^vold, his brother. And you will observe that he and the other navigators give the same account of places they visited Were not this the case, who could believe any of their reports . Thorwald, thinking the country had not been sufficiently explored, set sail in 1002, and proceeded to Leifsbuthir, where he lived till 1004. In the sprin- of 1004, he sailed from Leifsbuthir, after passing along the shore of Ic promontory east and north, they sailed round a sharp point of land called Kjarla«es. This must have been Cape Cod. Kjar- ianes implies Kedcape. For Cape Cod, at the extremity, is m shape of the keel of ancient vessels, which curved inward. It is supposed Thorwald was killed, by the natives, near Plymouth. In 1006, Thorfms, or Thorfin, commanded one of the three ships that came from Iceland to Greenland. He was of royal Uneage. In the spring of 1007, Thorfin, with three ships and one hundred and sixty men, besides cattle and all necessary materials for establishing a colony, set sail for Vineland. ,, , , j They sailed to Helluland or Labrador; from thence to Markhnd or Nova Scotia; and from thence to Kjarlanes, or Cape Cod. Sailing south by the east side of the promontory, which terminated at Kjarlanes, they pLed along beaches or trackless dese.^s of sand. How descriptive ol this bleak and steril coast. Those who have sailed from Boston to Narragansett Bay, are ready to sav, that I am not drawing an ideal picture. Cominuing .hei. course, .hey arrived at a. island between wh.cl, and .he-tnain land a stream appeared to pass. They called tt Shaun,ey- T is is supposed to he Martha's Vineyard. Nine tnen went away one of the ships and never returned. It is said they were dr.ven on the coast of Ireland whore they were seized as slaves. In tlte spring, Thorfin and one hundred and fiftyone others we t. • •he main land. They called the place Hop, the residence afterwards of d„rp 1 p. Here Ly found largo numbers of skrellings or nat.vos T '.fin can-led on a traffic wtth them by e.changmg btt, of colored cloth for furs. In consequence of their frequent attacks, >n 1009, the, '« to Greenland. Then it will be recollected that the Northmen ,adnotthe use of fire-arms, with which to defend themselves agamst he rs a Its of the savages. These lords of the wilds had a rude kmd of engine by which they hurled large stones agamst thetr foes ; and >t,s p ssiWe thaf the white man would never have driven tho rod man from 12 the Atlantic to the Rocky mountains, but for the invention of gun- jjovvder. I cnanot forbear to speak of the valor of one of this crew of the Noi-fhmen,'a female. "When all the rest were disposed to flee before the savage foe, she exclaimed, " If I only had a weapon, I ween I could fight better than any of you." Ah, when we consider the patriotism of the females at the siege of Carthage, when they cut their locks to make ropes for engines of war, and when we recollect the courage of Isabella, of Castile, who at the conquest of Grenada, though in ill health, led on her veterans to conquest and glory, have we not reason to suppose that this Scandinavian was sincere in her declaration? Truly, raZor and hencvolence are but parallel streams in the female heart. We would not applaud courage, however, unless under the control of a higher and holier principle. Thorfin married Gudrida, the widow of Thorstein, third son of Eric. She accompanied her husband to Vineland. Snorre, their son, was the first white child born in America. From him descended the distinguish, ed associate of Professor Rafn — Finn Magnusen. The great sculptor Thorwaldscn, now in Europe, is also of this family. Bishop Thulack Rudolfson was a descendant of Thorfin's, and it is supposed that he wrote o'" compiled these documents. While some of the Northmen went as far as Florida, I have spoken only of those who visited Vineland. Thorfin, the most distinguished of these, returned to Iceland, where he ended his days, living in great splendor. The editor of the American antiquities. Professor Rafn, and his asso- ciate. Professor Finn Magnusen, think that Vineland was situated in the east part of Rhode Island, and in the south part of Massachusetts, on and about Narragansett Bay and Taunton River. The points in the Icelandic documents alluding to the locality of Vineland may be reckoned the Geography, Natural History, Astronomi. cal Phenomena and vestiges of residence of Northmen in that place. All of these, in the opinion of the editor of the American Antiquities, point to the head of Narragansett Bay as the locality of Hop, the central part of Vineland. As the Royal Society have held correspondence with several learned societies in this country for some years, they are well qualified to form a judgment on this subject. The following letter from Gen. Holstein, Professor in " Albany Fe- 13 male Academy," will show llic care taken to acquire infoimation rola- tive to American Antiquities. "In proof of the great exertions made by tlie Northern Antiquarian Society in Copenhagen, to acquire a knowledge of Scandinavian Anti- quities in America, I hereby state that several years since, a letter of inquiry, sealed with the seal of the society, was sent to a professional gentleman of Geneva, in this state — a translation of which I made from the Danish tongue." The Geography of Vineland. — Concerning the situation of Hellu- land, there can be no doubt, as it was the first land south west of Green- land. Where else could this have been unless the coast of Labrador? Markland was situated south west from Helluland, three days sail, or three hundred and sixty English miles. This is supposed to be Nova Scotia. The distance of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick agrees -with the account the Icelanders gave of Markland. Vineland was situated two days sail, or about two hundred and forty English miles to the south west of Markland, and if Markland has been properly located, must be sought in or near the south part of Massa- chusetts. In the Icelandic documents it is said that Hop, the residence of Thor- fin, was situated on an elevation of land, near a river which flowed south through a bay into the ocean. From this the land stretched east, and turning north, formed a promontory which terminated in a point or cape which they call Kjarlanes. The east side of the promontory was bounded by long narrow beaches or sand hills. To those, who like my- self, have often viewed the Atlantic from these sand hills, this account appears peculiarly striking. The Natural History of Vinkland. — Vineland was remarkable for its vines, maple trees, maize, and a great variety of wild animals. The waters abounded with fish, and were occasionally visited with whales. Birds were numerous. The eider duck was seen about the islands in large numbers. As to vines, they are said to be numerous now, and this is more par- ticularly true of the country around Narragansett Bay. It is said the grapes are so numei'ous between Taunton and Providence, as to almost choke up the place where they grow. And was not an island caJIed Martha's Vineyard, on account of the multiplicityof vines growing there ? The celebrated Bishop Berkley, wlio attempted to establish a theo- u logical seminary in Rhode Island, says in his letter to his friendg linr Europe, that vines were as plenty on the island as in Italy. In the documents it is said, that in that region are the red, suga3% and bird's-eye maple. The Northmen cut down the trees, and after they were dry they loaded their ships with the timbor. It is supposed that the bird's-eye variety was made an article of commerce. As to Indian corn or maize, it seems our pilgrim fathers found soBsie, in what is now called Truro, near the end of the Cape. It was buri- ed in the earth. Deer still roam wild in the pine woods near Plymouth. It is needless to remind the reader of the multiplicity of fish that still abound in the waters of this region. The sportsman may, at this day, tell his friends in the language of Cap. Smith, of Jamestown, who described this quarter, " of the pleasure to bo derived from angling and crossing the sweet air, from isle to isle, over the silent streams of a calm sea." As to whales, I have occasionally seen them spouting around the Bandy shores of the Cape. In regard to the eider duck, in the documents it is said still to inhabit these parts. In the Latin translation it is called, " anas mollisima," a duck with the finest of feathers. Wild fowl must have been numerous there, as an island is still called Egg Island from the quantity of eggs they deposited. Thorfin desckiues the soil axd climate : — The winters of Vineland are said to be remarkably mild, but little snow falling, and cattle subsisting out of doors through the winter. This account does not agree with the description of New England winters at this time. Still however, it has been the practice of the farmers on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, to let their sheep and cattle lie out during the winter. But the cold Avinters of New Eng. land, compared with those of Greenland, are as the mildness of spring. But there have been great changes in the face of the earth, and in the cUmate, in diflferent ages. Change is the law of nature. Has not one of the bright cluster been blotted out of the map of heaven ? Such change also takes place on the foce of the earth. The Dead Sea was, in earlier times, sixty miles long— it is now only thirty. And even old Ontario, has receeded from her former bounds, leaving to the present generation a rich tract of land, several miles wide, and a beautiful ridge road. Who does not admire the ever- lasting rocks, rising in stern grandeur, on cither side of the MohaAvk at the Little Falls ? Yet, the lovely vale above, must once have been lo the bed of a vast lake. This is manifest from the fact, that there arc pot holes found at an elevation of sixty feet above tbe river, at these Falls. These circular excavations were made, ages since, by the clrcumvo- Itiiion of stones, driven by the rapid descent of the waters. You can see a dcinsnst ration of this fact bv looking at the Hio-h Falls of the Black River, or Trcnton. I have a specimen of Gneis, broken from one of these holes, which though -ORFINX Where you see the character in the first line is the figure of a man, and where the first character stands in the second fine it is supposed T H was once made. Instead of Mr. Cath'n's having seen like inscriptions on white quartz rocks at the west, I am told on the best authority that he says he has not seen such there. The gentleman to whom I before alluded, and who takes a deep in- terest in these things, says that he has visited "Vineland," and finds the places mentioned in the documents identified. He has taken a copy of the above inscription from the rock itself. The people in the north of Europe were fond of making inscriptions on rocks on the borders of lakes and rivers ; for such are found in Norway, Sweden, and Scotland. They are called " runes." One of these inscriptions found on a rock in Sweden, has been deciphered by Professor Finn Magnusen. The inscription relates to a battle fought about A. D. 680 between the kings of Norway and Sweden. Accounts of this battle were given by authentic historians. As the monuments of antiquity in North America are different from those in Mexico, Central and South America, they must have been lefl by different races. It is said there is a similarity between the antiquities of North America and those found in the North of Europe. If the fabled Atalantis of Plato once lay west of Europe, might not the descendants of Japhet have passed to this continent by the way of Atalan- tis and Newfoundland as well as by Iceland ? Were the Northmen capable of making discoveries and of recording them ? The rude children of our forests could not perform a work so mighty. The Roman historian, Tacitus, spake of the invasion of the people of the north, before the Christian era. He says of the Cimbri, that they were not a small tribe, but mighty in fame ; that the vestiges of their ancient glory, still remained in their fortifications ; that no other nation had so often given them cause to dread their arms — not the Carthageni- ans, or Spaniards, or Gauls. 18 In latlcr limes, the Northmen made incursions upon Germany, France^ England tlie Orkney, Farroe and Shetland Isles. The French were in such fear of the Northmen, that they inserted its the Liturgy. A furore Normanorum, libera nos, O Domine ! In the ninth and tenth centuries, the Danes, or Northmen, invaded or took part of England, and seated one of their favorite prmces, Canute on the throne of Alfred. They were a daring people — the sea was their home — the mountain wave was the scene of their sport — far and wide did they wander without compass to guide. Their vessels were built of timber that is now eagerly sought by the first maritime nation of the earth. A people, some of whose leaders boasted of never having slept by a collage fire, became the dread of Christendom. They ruled the waters from the Arctic ocean, to the Azores — they passed between the pillars of Hercules — they ravaged the coasts of Spain and France — sacked the cities of Tuscany — drove the Saracens from Sicily. They desolated the classic fields of Greece — penetrated the walls of Constantinople. Yes, m rescuing the Holy Sepulchre, they led the van of the chivalry of Europe. Mark their valor and their success. For one hundred Northmen knights with one aid, or squire each, drove ten thousand Saracens from Sicily. Scott gives a beautiful description of this remarkable people, in speak- ing of the Western Isles. "Thither came in times afar, Stern Lochlin's sons of roving war ; The Northmen, trained to fire and blood, Skilled to prepare the raven's food ; Kings of the main, their leaders brave, Their barks the dragons of the wave."* Secst thou the tiny fleet of some school boy, launched on an insulated sheet of water? And such were the greatest armaments of the famous nation of antiquity, compared Avith those of the Northmen. The present illustrious queen of England, is a direct descendant of the Northmen. It will be recollected that Rollo, the Norman, invaded France, in 912, and enthroned himself in the north. In 1066, William, of Normandy, conquered England. These sovereigns were Northmen, and from their family the pride and glory of Great Britain descended. At the beginning of the eleventh century, the Danes and Norwegians were converted to Christianity, and thereby rcceived a new impulse, that * In describing king Harold's ship it i&_biiid— " And dragons* heads adorn th& prow of gold." 19 5cd them to extend the blessings of the ("Jospel. And who, but this people, could ever 'have established missions in Greenland? What shall \vc say of the ah'ditij of the Northmen, to record incidents oi their voyage ? in the year 1000, on their conversion to Christianity, they adopted the Roman alphabet. This was their Augustan age. The thirst ot the Icelanders lor learning, is seen in the conduct of Ulfigot, their supreme legislator, who, in 925, undertook a voyage to Norway, in his sixtieth ytsar, to acquire a more pefect knowledge of the legal customs and in- stitutions of the parent country. In Iceland, the leanied were called Skalds and Sagamen. The former were poets and historians. Skalds denote " Smoothera or polishers Of language." The Sagamen recited in prose, with greater detail, what the Skalds liad recited in verse. By the recitations of the Skalds, the real and traditionary history of the country was transmitted from generation to generation. Memory, is perhaps the most improvable faculty of our nature. De- prived of books, it depends upon its own resources. Its strength is seen in the following instance : An Icelandic Skald, sang sixty different lays in one evening before king Harold Sigurdson, and being asked if he knew any more, declared that these were only the half of what he could sing. Their traditionary histories were written down and preserved. As poetry is among the antiquities of all nations, the events it records liave ever been preserved by the recitations of Skalds, Minstrels, or Bards. And whom does the conqueror of Wales cut oft" from the land ? Does not Edward the First, of England, destroy the minstrels of Wales, lest they should, by their recitations, awaken that spirit of liberty in the breast of tiie vanquished, which would lead them to throw off" the yoke of the British monarch ? These Skalds were distinguished men — the companions of kings. They were sometimes kings, as in the instance of Regnar Loldbrok, The Sagamen made their recitations in public and private, at conve- nient opportunities. If Augustus delighted to have Virgil and Horace on either hand, so the Scandinavian monarchs rejoiced to have Skalds and Sagamen in their presence. At solemn feasts, the services ot' these men were required. Sffimimd,in 1056, collected the different poems relating to the mythol- 20 ogy and history of the north. The collection was called the " Poetic Edda." He was a man of learning, having been educated at the uni- versities of Germany and France. He performed for the ancient poems, the same office which is said to have been done by the ancient Greek rhapsodist, who first collected and arranged the songs of his predecessors, and reduced them to one conti- nuous poem, called Homer's Iliad. Snorre Sturslon, judge of Iceland, was the most distinguished scholar of his day. His principal work was the Prosaic Edda. It treats, in particular, of Scandinavian mythology. He lived in 1178. His bath still attracts the attention of the traveller. The aqueduct of it is five hundred feet long, and is composed of hewn stone, finely united by ce- ment. The reservoir is similarly constructed, and will contain thirty persons. The water was supplied from one of their warm springs. The general characteristics of the Icelandic tongue, are copiousness, energy, and flexibity, to an extent that rivals every modern language, and which enables it to enter into successful competition with the Greek and Latin. Were not the Iclanders then capable of recording the events incident to a voyage of discovery ? The internal evidences found in these documents, are in favor of their authenticity. Besides, there are in existence a series of works from the time when these voyages purport to have been made, down to the present time, which have been preserved, and which make mention of these disco- veries. Distinguished men, who have had superior opportunities of ascertain- ing the merits of this question, have come to the conclusion, that the descendants of the Scandinavians were the discoverers of America, prior to the time of Columbus. Among these are Forster, Wheaton, and Baron Von Humboldt. I know not that any of the Northmen returned to this part of the con- tinent to live. It is said. Bishop Eric came to Vineland, in 1121, and that the Ice- landers visited Nova Scotia in 1347, There are evidences that New England and this country were inha- bited by a race superior to those found by our forefathers in 1620. In proof of this, 1 would mention some things that came under my own observation. 1 shall be excused for introducing them, as they are connected with the place where the Northmen sojourned. 21 ' How fond b man to linger around mouldering ruins — to fix the eye «on th'e mutilated column, overgrown with ivy ; but are there not antiqui- ties as worthy as those of art ? I mean those of our own species. I shall make a remark on a human skeleton I saw, not long since, at Fall River, in the vicinity of Narragansett Bay. I stopped at Pocasset House. You observe they use Indian names in Massachusetts as well as in New York. How striking the remarks of Professor Hitchcock, in the Geology of Massachusetts, when he de- claims against the uncouth names given to some of its mountains. He would prefer the harmony of Indian names. I had an extensive view of the region around Mount Hope, lying on the west of Narragansett Bay. How accurately is the scenery portrayed in the Icelandic documents ! In the Museum, next door, was the skeleton of one as illustrious as the son of Massasoit. It will be recollected that he was a distinguished chief; a firm friend of the pilgrims at Plymouth. He had two sons, Alexander and Philip. The latter was killed in a piece of woods near Fall River. Beautiful is the situation of Mount Hope. On passing it lately, the place where Philip's house stood, was pointed out. Mount Hope has become a place of resort for those who wish to inhale a pure air, and to witness some of the most attractive scenery our country pre- sents. This skeleton was dug up, a few years since, in that place. It has a breast plate or medal hanging from its neck, thirteen inches long, and six in width at the top, and five inches at the bottom. It has also, an ornament of fillet work around its body, four and a half inches wide. These ornaments are made of brass. A knowledge of the uses of this artificial metal, implies a considerable advance in the arts. I witnessed lately an object of interest in this state. Not long since, a large oak tree cut down in Lyons, was taken to Newark, and on sawing it, there were found, near the centre, the marks of an axe. On counting the concentric circles, it was discovered, that four hundred and sixty had been formed since the cutting was made. But the most striking circumstance is, that this large cavity, now visi- ble, was made, by an edged tool. The rude stone axes of the present race of Indians could never have made clefts so smooth as those I saw in the block at the Hotel in Newark. A clergyman of Cummington, Massachusetts, told me he saw a like cut in a hemlock of that place. Since made by an edged tool, three hundred and twenty-tlro circles had been formed. A gentleman at Au- burn, said he saw a piece of iron taken from a tree, over which had grown the circles of several hundred years. Such objects ss lliese, shew that tlie Hght of knowledge was Ht up here long before the time of Columbus. And by whom this was done, and by whom it was blown out, possibly some future antiquaries can tell. An important inquiry arises. Was Columbus aware of the discove- ries by the Northmen ? From a letter preserved by his son, it appears that he visited Iceland in 1477. And it is thought by some, that he there obtained a knowledge of the discovery of Vineland. Allowing this to be the case, it is singular he should never have given any intimations of such knowledge. Instead of walking through Spain, leading his son by the hand, would he not at once have rushed into the presence of the sovereigns, and acquired patronage, wealtli and honor, by telling them that the obscure Icelanders had discovered the region he wished to unfold ? His greatest enemies never accused him of having reached the new world by information received from Iceland. After all, let not the circumstance of this prior discovery cause, in our view, the laurals given to Columbus to wither on his brow. Let us ever honor him for his perseverance and his virtues. Let not Leif, and his associate Northmen, deprive him of what the voice of nations has awarded, the merit of having given, not to Ferdinand and Isabella only, but to successive generations, a new world. Iceland, though but a speck on the bosom of the northern ocean, is not unworthy our notice. Though dark to a superficial observer ; yet, it shines with a lustre, brighter than the flame rising from its volcano. It is the light of knowledge. That obscure island is remarkable for the attention paid to learning. Even many among the common class pursue the higher branches of study. Their long nights are enlivened by the custom of every member of the family gathering around the bright lamp, while one reads for the amusement and instruction of all. The sonrces of happiness are not like those of mighty rivers, hid from the view of most people — they are accessible to all. The Icelanders living in a remote island, and cut off from privileges that milder climates present, are naturally led to look for happiness in the pursuit of knowledge. If the celebrated Pliny could say his books were sovereign consolers of sorrow, cannot the Icelander also declare, that when mountain waves lash the shores, he can find pleasure in the pursuit of those studies that mend the heart and enlighten the mind ? Ah, yes, fondness for books will create an artificial summer in the depths of the most gloomy season. The sunny Italy may boast of the beauteous tints tliat flush her skies ; but after all, her effeminate inhabitants may be destitute of that happiness 23 enjoyed by those wlio lire where winter reigns uncontrolled most of the year. The benevolence of Deity is seen in the contentedness felt by those who live in the higher latitudes, where, as a writer said of countries north of the Alps, nature seems to have acted the part of step-mother. What a contrast between the condition of the Icelanders and that of their forefathers. They were the worshipers of the god Wodin. And what were his attributes 1 He was styled the Father of Carnage ! His greatest favorites were such as destroyed most of their fellow creatures in the field of battle. But the Prince of Peace has broken the sceptre of the Father of Carnage. A word in praise of the Scandinavians. Like the Patriarch, they went in search of a region, they knew not M'here. We praise them for their courage — we applaud them for their zeal — we respect them for their motives ; for they were anxious to enlarge the boundaries of knowledge. They reached the wished-for land, Wh«re now the western sun, O'er fields, and floods, o'er every hving soul Difl^useth glad repose. Such men as a Caesar or a Tamerlane conquer but to devastate coun- tries. Discoverers add new regions of fertility and beauty to those already known. And are not the hardy adventurers, ploughing the briny wave, more attractive than the troops of Alexander, marching to conquer the world, with plumes waving in the gentle breeze, with arms glittering in the sun-beams? Who can tell the benefits the former confer on man- kind ? To count them all demands a thousand tongues, A throat of brass and adamantine lungs. 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