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evidence of historic truth is irresistible。 Thorvald； who； when he saw
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what seems to be； they say； the bluff head of Alderton at the south…east end
of Boston Bay； said； 〃Here should I like to dwell；〃 and； shot by an
Esquimaux arrow； bade bury him on that place； with a cross at his head
and a cross at his feet； and call the place Cross Ness for evermore；
Gudrida； the magnificent widow； who wins hearts and sees strange deeds
from Iceland to Greenland； and Greenland to Vinland and back； and at last；
worn out and sad； goes off on a pilgrimage to Rome； Helgi and Finnbogi；
the Norwegians； who； like our Arctic voyagers in after times； devise all
sorts of sports and games to keep the men in humour during the long
winter at Hope； and last； but not least； the terrible Freydisa； who； when the
Norse are seized with a sudden panic at the Esquimaux and flee from them；
as they had three weeks before fled from Thorfinn's bellowing bull； turns；
when so weak that she cannot escape； single… handed on the savages； and
catching up a slain man's sword； puts them all to flight with her fierce
visage and fierce criesFreydisa the Terrible； who； in another voyage；
persuades her husband to fall on Helgi and Finnbogi； when asleep； and
murder them and all their men； and then； when he will not murder the five
women too； takes up an axe and slays them all herself； and getting back to
Greenland； when the dark and unexplained tale es out； lives
unpunished； but abhorred henceforth。 All these folks； I say； are no
phantoms； but realities； at least； if I can judge of internal evidence。
But beyond them； and hovering on the verge of Mythus and Fairyland；
there is a ballad called 〃Finn the Fair；〃 and how
An upland Earl had twa braw sons； My story to begin； The tane was
Light Haldane the strong； The tither was winsome Finn。
and so forth； which was still sung； with other 〃rimur；〃 or ballads； in
the Faroes； at the end of the last century。 Professor Rafn has inserted it；
because it talks of Vinland as a well…known place； and because the
brothers are sent by the princess to slay American kings； but that Rime has
another value。 It is of a beauty so perfect； and yet so like the old Scotch
ballads in its heroic conception of love； and in all its forms and its
qualities； that it is one proof more； to any student of early European poetry；
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that we and these old Norsemen are men of the same blood。
If anything more important than is told by Professor Rafn and Mr。
Black ｛2｝ be now known to the antiquarians of Massachusetts； let me
entreat them to pardon my ignorance。 But let me record my opinion that；
though somewhat too much may have been made in past years of certain
rock…inscriptions； and so forth； on this side of the Atlantic； there can be no
reasonable doubt that our own race landed and tried to settle on the shore
of New England six hundred years before their kinsmen； and； in many
cases； their actual descendants； the august Pilgrim Fathers of the
seventeenth century。 And so； as I said； a Scandinavian dynasty might
have been seated now upon the throne of Mexico。 And how was that
strange chance lost？ First； of course； by the length and danger of the
coasting voyage。 It was one thing to have； like Columbus and Vespucci；
Cortes and Pizarro； the Azores as a halfway port； another to have
Greenland； or even Iceland。 It was one thing to run south…west upon
Columbus's track； across the Mar de Damas； the Ladies' Sea； which hardly
knows a storm； with the blazing blue above； the blazing blue below； in an
ever…warming climate； where every breath is life and joy； another to
struggle against the fogs and icebergs； the rocks and currents of the dreary
North Atlantic。 No wonder； then； that the knowledge of Markland； and
Vinland； and Whiteman's Land died away in a few generations； and
became but fireside sagas for the winter nights。
But there were other causes； more honourable to the dogged energy of
the Norse。 They were in those very years conquering and settling nearer
home as no other peopleunless； perhaps； the old Ionian Greeks
conquered and settled。
Greenland； we have seen； they heldthe western side at leastand held
it long and well enough to afford； it is said； 2；600 pounds of walrus' teeth
as yearly tithe to the Pope； besides Peter's pence； and to build many a
convent； and church； and cathedral； with farms and homesteads round； for
one saga speaks of Greenland as producing wheat of the finest quality。
All is ruined now； perhaps by gradual change of climate。
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But they had richer fields of enterprise than Greenland； Iceland； and
the Faroes。 Their boldest outlaws at that very timewhether from
Norway； Sweden； Denmark； or Britainwere forming the imperial life…
guard of the Byzantine Emperor； as the once famous Varangers of
Constantinople； and that splendid epoch of their race was just dawning； of
which my lamented friend； the late Sir Edmund Head； says so well in his
preface to Viga Glum's Icelandic Saga； 〃The Sagas； of which this tale is
one； were posed for the men who have left their mark in every corner
of Europe； and whose language and laws are at this moment important
elements in the speech and institutions of England； America； and Australia。
There is no page of modern history in which the influence of the
Norsemen and their conquests must not be taken into accountRussia；
Constantinople； Greece； Palestine； Sicily； the coasts of Africa； Southern
Italy； France； the Spanish Peninsula； England； Scotland； Ireland； and every
rock and island round them； have been visited； and most of them at one
time or the other ruled； by the men of Scandinavia。 The motto on the
sword of Roger Guiscard was a proud one：
Appulus et Calaber； Siculus mihi servit et Afer。
Every island； says Sir Edmund Head； and trulyfor the name of
almost every island on the coast of England； Scotland； and Eastern Ireland；
ends in either EY or AY or OE； a Norse appellative； as is the word 〃island〃
itselfis a mark of its having been； at some time or other； visited by the
Vikings of Scandinavia。
Norway； meanwhile； was convulsed by war； and what perhaps was of
more immediate consequence； Svend Fork…beard； whom we Englishmen
call Sweynthe renegade from that Christian Faith which had been forced
on him by his German conqueror； the Emperor Otto II。with his illustrious
son Cnut； whom we call Canute； were just calling together all the most
daring spirits of the Baltic coasts for the subjugation of England； and