parties, which soon broke out in violent actions. For Freydisa, who was a detestable woman, persuaded her husband Thorwaldr, who had arrived with her from Greenland, to assassinate the two Normans and their crew, and to take possession of the vessel. This horrid action having been executed, Freydisa returned to Greenland with her husband, carrying both vessels with rich cargoes thither. She related that the two Normans had died, and she bribed her companions very generously to make their reports agree with hers. Notwithstanding the news of her crime was successively divulged, and excited general indignation and contempt.

Thorfin Karlsefne having terminated his expedition to Wineland, settled in Iceland, where his descendants preserved the Sagas of these travels to America in the greatest purity. Some of his relations were bishops or other respectable inhabitants of Iceland, of whom Sturleson gathered the greatest part of his materials, which induces us to look upon them as faithful accounts. After that period it does not appear that Wineland had been visited as frequently as before; which is the cause, why this country, in latter Sagas of Iceland, is but seldom mentioned. Nevertheless Erybriggia-Saga relates, that Gunleif Gunlangson, towards the end of the reign of Olof the saint, had been overtaken, on the western coast of Iceland, by a violent storm, which carried him to unknown shores, where he and his companions hardly escaped the attacks of the natives. There is no doubt, but this country was the same which had been known to the Scandinavians heretofore, because our navigators met with a native of Iceland, who enjoyed great reputation among the inhabitants of that country. Besides, it is expressively mentioned in the Saga, that they had been cast away, by a violent storm, from east and north-east, to a far distant country in the south-west, which can be no other continent, than that of America. More particular accounts concerning this subject, are contained in Landnama-Saga, where they give a detailed report, how Fon

Biskop had travelled to Wineland, to preach the gospel on those distant shores, in which attempt he died the death of heroic martyrdom. It is further observed, that the same pious zeal induced the first bishop of Greenland, Erik, in the year 1121, to engage in a similar expedition. In this manner, although more seldom, some new expeditions to Wineland were still continued; but the idea of forming a settlement from Greenland, in that country, disappeared by degrees entirely.

The knowledge of this distant but excellent country was not confined to Greenland alone; but it soon spread all over the north, and it is more than probable, that it was likewise, although imperfectly, communicated to the south of Europe; because, already in early ages, the Scandinavians were acquainted with the route to the Mediterranean, through Niorva Sund, or the straits of Gibraltar. According to Benjamin Tudelensis, Alexandria was visited by the Danes and Swedes; and similar intercourse existed between the Hanseatic towns in the north, and the commercial cities on the Mediterranean. Under such circumstances, it is very probable, that some reports of the discoveries of the Scandinavians had penetrated to the Italian commercial places, as Genoa, Venice, &c. which would give an ample explanation of the maps of Andrea Bianco, and F. Picignano; and we might infer from it, that their indications were founded on dark traditions, which had reached them from the north, through the medium of commercial intercourse.

But it is not only in the Sagas that this Viking-life of the Scandinavians has been collected; we likewise possess some historical documents of the greatest purity on this subject, which deserve a closer examination. Adamus Bremensis mentions Wineland, as an island situated at a great distance in the ocean, concerning which he learned wonderful news from the Danes. Praeterea una adhuc,' he says, 'insula reperta in illo oceano (qui Norwegiam et etiam Finmarkiam

lambit) quae dicitur Vinland, eo quod ibi vites sponte nascuntur nam et fruges non seminatas abundare, not fabulosa opinione, sed certa Danorum comperimus relatione.' Although this description is short and fragmentary, yet it perfectly confirms the accounts of Sturleson and those collected in Sagas by earlier authors.

Besides Adamus Bremensis, there exists an old chorography of Greenland, called Greipla, which mentions Wineland, and affirms still more the accounts of Sturleson, with regard to the geographical situation of that country. Verelius, in his notes concerning Hervarar-Saga, has preserved a fragment of this document, which he probably borrowed from one of the Codices, contained in the former archives of antiquities. Having described the most extreme frontiers of Greenland, he continues: Suder fra er Helluland, Pad er Kallat Skraelingaland. Pa er skamt til Vinlands hin gode, er sumer menn actla adgangi of Africa. Milli Vinlands or Groenlands er Ginungagap. Pud geingur ur hafi Pui er heitir oceanus: Pad huerfur um allan heim.' It is evident, from this passage, that Helluland was called, in the Greipla, Skralingaland, and that it was situated to the southward of Greenland, which plainly designates the extensive regions, situated on the northern ocean, which are inhabited by the Esquimaux. These particulars were well known to the settlers of Greenland; and they were especially well acquainted with Skralingaland, as it is mentioned in the Greipla; for it extends, in connection with Greenland, round the bay of Baffin and that of Hudson, and stretches, with its southern frontiers, to Labrador and Newfoundland. The possessions of the Esquimaux, even at present, reach to the 50°; and since it is probable, that in earlier times, they extended some degrees more to the south, which perfectly agrees with the idea of wandering tribes. Wineland, which, according to the Skreipla, was not far from Skralingaland, must have been situated between the 40th and 50th degrees of north latitude,

and even more southerly; and this opinion likewise coincides with what we have observed in the present dissertation, with regard to the geographical situation of Wineland, and the disposition of its clime. It is further mentioned in the Greipla, that Ginungagap* extends between Greenland and Wineland, and that it communicates with the great ocean, which, as it is expressively said in the above quoted passage, surrounds the whole world. From this representation, we can again perceive, that the straits of Baffin and David are to be understood by this description. Besides, it is mentioned in the same above quoted passage, that the new discovered country is contiguous to Africa, or to Moreland, as they call it in the Sagas; and although this assertion be false, still it is important to be known, because it discovers what opinion our forefathers entertained, from the earliest times, with regard to the communication of the different parts of the globe.

It is impossible to state, at present, how much intelligence we may draw, with regard to this subject, from those few remaining historical fragments in North America, which have withstood the ruinous influence of ages. Those remnants of fortifications, tomb-hills and cones of earth, which recent travellers have discovered in that country, are indeed remarkable. Kalm supposed them to be traces of an early visitation of the Scandinavians on the coasts of America; and although the inquiries, made on these subjects, by Volney, Smith, Barton, and lately by the learned society of New York, seem to lead to a different conclusion, still it might happen that these objects had not been thoroughly examined. For, if Mallet and Pontoppidan suppose that the Esquimaux are remainders of the earlier Scandinavian settlers, and if the great linguist, Ol. Rudbeck the younger will have

*This word is known in the Edda, and is no proper name in this place, but signifies a vast hiatus.

discovered some analogy between the American-Virginian, and the ancient northern languages; these suppositions, we must allow, have no historical foundation. Latter examinations prove, on the contrary, that the language and physical constitution of the Esquimaux are analogous to those of the Tschutski and Samoyedes, from which, with regard to our species, we can fully demonstrate that an intimate communication must have subsisted between the north-east part of Asia and the north-west part of America.*

It is not ascertained by historians how long the Scandinavians continued their expeditions to North America. In Sturleson they do not go beyond the middle of the eleventh century; but in other documents, accounts are given till within the twelfth century. An ancient author, Ordevicus Vi

* The same analogy can likewise be shown in the southern parts of America, and especially in Brazil, where both the external configuration of the face, and the various languages spoken by the natives, exhibit in the fullest degree, Asiatic origin. A collection of words of some of the South American tribes, which I intend to publish at some future period, will show a great similarity between many of these words and those of the Thibetans and of various other Asiatic nations. Besides, there is a very remarkable physiological curiosity to be observed in the Mongoyos, one of the Brazilian tribes, whose skin is as white as that of an inhabitant of the northern parts of Europe or America. They are moreover the most skilful and most laborious Indians of that part of the world.

I have to regret my insufficiency to collect precise materials, concerning their mode of life, manners, &c. but I expect, that Dr. Freyreiss, a native of Germany, who has explored the Brazils these six years past, with the most indefatigable perseverance and intrepidity, will favour us with an accurate account of this interesting tribe. Many other accounts I collected, but which I cannot ascertain, concerning other tribes in the interior, living like Tartars, mostly on horseback, and being armed with lances, will, I hope, be likewise examined by Dr. Freyreiss, whose intention was to explore Brazils during five years more; to penetrate to the most distant parts in the west, and thence to descend the river Amazon; which journey, if it be crowned with the success it deserves, will embrace the immense extent of about 28o in latitude and 35° in longitude.-S.