A book of American explorers

Front matter

4 o louu3 JFolks' Series,

A BOOK OF

AMERICAN EXPLORERS

Table Of Contents

PAGE.

I

I. The Legends of the Northmen (985-1008) . . .

Book I. The Legends Of The Northmen

These extracts are taken from two Icelandic works called Thattr Elreks Randa (the piece about Eirek the Red) and Gracnlcndinga Tlicitt (the piece about the Greenlanders). These passages were translated by J.Elliot Cabot, Esq., and were published in "The Massachusetts Quarterly Review" for March, 1849.

It is now the general belief of historians, that these legends are mainly correct ; and that the region described as Vinland was a part of the North- American Continent. Beyond this we do not know. The poet Whittier has written thus of these early explorers, in his poem called "The Norsemen : " —

" What sea-worn barks are those which throw The light spray from each rushing prow? Have they not in the North Sea's blast Bowed to the waves the straining mast t Their frozen sails the low, pale sun Of Thule's night has shone upon ; Flapped by the sea-wind's gusty sweep, Round icy drift and headland steep. Wild Jutland's wives and Lochlin's daughters Have watclied them fading o'er the waters, Lessening through driving mist and spray. Like white-winged sea-birds on their way.

Onward they glide ; and now I view Their iron-armed and stalwart crew : Joy glistens in each wild blue eye Turned to green earth and summer sky : Each broad, seamed breast has cast aside Its cumbering vest of shaggy hide : Bared to the sun, and soft warm air. Streams back the Norseman's yellow hair. I see the gleam of axe and spear ; The sound of sniitten shields I hear. Keeping a harsh and fitting time To Saga's chant and Runic rhyme."

THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN.

I. — How THE Northmen discovered North America.

[About the year 860, a Danish sailor named Gardar was driven upon the shores of Iceland, after which that island was settled by a colony from Norway. About a hundred years later, Greanland was settled from Iceland ; Eirek the Red being the first to make the voyage. With him went one Heriulf, whose son Biarni had been in the habit of passing every other winter with his father, and then, sailing on distant voyages. Then happened what follows.]

THAT same summer (985 or 986) came Biarni with his ship to Eyrar (Iceland), in the spring of which his father had sailed from the island. These tidings seemed to Biarni weighty, and he would not unload his ship. Then asked his sailors ^ what he meant to do. He answered, that he meant to hold to his wont,^ and winter with his father; "and I will bear for Greenland, if you will follow me thither." All said they would do as he wished. Then said Biarni, " Imprudent they will think our voyage, since none of us has been in the Greenland Sea."

1 i.e., his sailors asked. - Custom.

Yet they bore out to sea as soon as they were bound,* and sailed three days, till the land was sunk.^ Then the fair wind fell off, and there arose north winds and fogs, and they knew not whither they fared ; and so it went for many days. After that, they saw the sun, and could then get their bearings. Then they hoisted sail, and sailed that day before they saw land ; and they counselled with themselves what land that mi2:ht be.

A NORSE SHIP.

But Biarni said he thought it could not be Greenland. They asked him whether he would sail to the land, or not. "This is my counsel, to sail nigh to the land," said he. And so they did,, and soon saw that the land was without fells,^ and wooded, and small heights on the land ; and they left the land to larboard, and let the

1 Or " made ready," as we say a ship is bound for Liverpool.

2 Disappeared below the horizon.

3 Mountains. This has been supposed to be Cape Cod.

THE NORTHMEN DISCOVER NORTH AMERICA. 5

foot of the sail look towards land/ After that, they sailed two days before they saw another land. They asked if Biarni thought this was Greenland. He said he thought it no more Greenland than the first ; " for the glaciers are very huge, as they say, in Greenland." They soon neared the land, and saw that it was flat land, and overgrown with wood.'"^ Then the fair wind fell. Then the sailors said that it seemed prudent to them to land there ; but Biarni would not. They thought they needed both wood and water. " Of neither are you in want," said Biarni ; but he got some hard speeches for that from his sailors. He bade them hoist sail, and so they did ; and they turned the bows from the land, and sailed out to sea with a west-south wind three days, and saw a third land ; but that land was high, mountainous, and covered with glaciers.^ They asked then if Biarni would put ashore there ; but he said he would not, " for this land seems to me not very promising." They did not lower their sails, but held on along this land, and saw that it was an island ; but they turned the stern to the land, and sailed seawards with the same fair wind. But the wind rose ; and Biarni bade them shorten sail, and not to carry more than their ship and tackle would bear. They sailed now four days, then saw they land the fourth. Then they asked Biarni whether he thought that was Greenland, or not. Biarni answered, " That is likest to what is said to me of Greenland ; and we will put ashore." So they did, and landed under a certain ness "^ at evening of the day. And there was a boat at the ness, and

1 i.e., sailed away from the land. 2 Possibly Nova Scotia. 8 Possibly Newfoundland. ■* Cape, or ftose, of land.

there lived Heriulf, the father of Biarni, on this ness ; and from him has the ness taken its name, and is since called Heriulfsness. Now fared ^ Biarni to his father, and gave up sailing, and was with his father whilst Heriulf lived, and afterwards lived there after his father.

II. — The Voyage of Leif the Lucky.

[After Biarni had reached the Greenland settlement, and told his story, he was blameJ for not having explored these unknown lands more carefully ; and Leif the Lucky bought Biarni's vessel, and set sail with thirty-five companions, to see what he could discover.]

(A.D. 999.) First they found the land which Biarni had found last. Then sailed they to the land, and cast anchor, and put off a boat, and went ashore, and saw there no grass. Mickle "^ glaciers were over all the higher parts ; but it was like a plain of rock from the glaciers to the sea, and it seemed to them that the land was good for nothing. Then said Leif, " We have not done about this land like Biarni, not to go upon it: now I will give a name to the land, and call it Helluland (flat-stone land)." ^ Then they went to their ship. After that they sailed into the sea, and found another land, sailed up to it, and cast anchor ; then put off a boat, and went ashore. This land was flat, and covered with wood and broad white sands wherever they went, and the shore was low. Then said Leif, " From its make ^ shall a name be given to this land ; and it shall be called Markland (Woodland)." ^ Then they went quickly

1 Went. 2 Great.

3 Perhaps Labrador, where flat stones abound, or Newfoundland.

** Form. ^ Perhaps Nova Scotia.

THE VOYAGE OF LEIF THE LUCKY. 7

down to the vessel. Now they sailed thence into the sea with a north-east wind, and were out two days before they saw land ; and they sailed to land, and came to an island that lay north of the land ; and they went on to it, and looked about them in good weather, and found that dew lay upon the grass ;^ and that happened that they put their hands in the dew, and brought it to their mouths, and they thought they had never known any thing so sweet as that was. Then they went to their ship, and sailed into that sound that lay between the island and a ness ^ which went northward from the land, and then steered westward past the ness. There were great shoals at ebb-tide; and their vessel stood up ; ^ and it was far to see from the ship to the sea. But they were so curious to fare to the land, that they could not bear to bide till the sea came under their ship, and ran ashore where a river flows out from a lake. But, when the sea came under their ship, then took they the boat, and rowed to the ship, and took it up into the river, and then into the lake, and there cast anchor, and bore from the ship their skin-cots,^ and made their booths.

Afterwards they took counsel to stay there that winter, and made there great houses. There was no scarcity of salmon in the rivers and lakes, and larger salmon than they had before seen. There was the land so good, as it seemed to them, that no cattle would want fodder for the winter. There came no frost in the winter, and little did the grass fall off there. Day

1 Perhaps honey-dew, a sweet substance left on grass by an insect caUed a//iis. 2 Cape. 3 i.e., was left aground.

■* Cots used to sleep in, and made of skin.

and night were more equal there than in Greenland or Iceland. . . . But when they had ended their housebuilding, then said Leif to his companions, '' Now let our company be divided into two parts, and the land kenned ; ^ and one half of the people shall be at the house at home, but the other half shall ken the land, and fare not further than that they may come home at evening, and they shall not separate." Now so they did one time. Leif changed about, so that he went with them (one day) and (the next) was at home at the house. Leif was a mickle ^ man and stout, most noble to see, a wise man, and moderate in all things.

IIL — Leif finds Vines, and goes back to Greenland.

One evening it chanced that a man was wanting of their people ; and this was Tyrker, the Southerner.' Leif took this very ill ; for Tyrker had been long with his parents, and loved Leif much in his childhood. Leif now chid his people sharply, and made ready to fare forth to seek him, and twelve men with him. But when they had gone a little way, there came Tyrker to meet them, and was joyfully received. Leif found at once that his old friend was somewhat out of his mind : he was bustling and unsteady-eyed, freckled in face, little and wizened in growth, but a man of skill in all arts. Then said Leif to him, " Why wert thou so late, my fosterer,* and separated from the party ? " He

1 Surveyed. 2 Large. 3 German.

4 Foster-father, or perhaps foster-brother.

LEIF FINDS VINES, AND RETURNS. 9

talked at first a long while in German, and rolled many ways his eyes, and twisted his face ; but they skilled not what he said. He said then in Norse, after a time, " I went not very far ; but I have great news to tell. I have found grape-vines and grapes." — "Can that be true, my fosterer ? " quoth Leif. " Surely it is true," quoth he ; " for I was brought up where there is no want of grape-vines or grapes." Then they slept for the night; but in the morning Leif said to his sailors, " Now v/e shall have two jobs: each day we will either gather grapes, or hew grape-vines, and fell trees, so there will be a (?argo for my ship ; " and that was the counsel taken. It is said that their long boat was filled with grapes. Now was hewn a cargo for the ship; And when spring came they got ready, and sailed off ; and Leif gave a name to the land after its sort, and called it Vinland (Wine-Land). They sailed then afterwards into the sea, and had a fair wind until they saw Greenland, and the fells ^ under the glaciers. . . . After that he was called Leif the Lucky. Leif was now both well to do and honored. . . .

Now there was a great talk about Leif's Vinland voyage ; and Thorvald, his brother, thought the land had been too little explored. Then said Leif to Thorvald, " Thou shalt go with my ship, brother, if thou wilt, to Vinland." ^

1 Mountains.

2 There has been n\uch difference of opinion as to where Vinland was. Some think that it was Nantucket ; others, the island of Conanicut in Narragansett Bay ; and others, some place much farther north and east. See Costa's "Pre-Columbian Discovery of North America," Anderson's " Norsemen in America," Kohl's " History of the Discovery of the East Coast of North America,'' published by the Maine Historical Society.

THE LEGENDS OF THE NORTHMEN.

IV. — Thorvald, Leif's Brother, goes to Vinland.

Now Thorvald made ready for this voyage with thirty men, with the counsel thereon of Leif, his brother. Then they fitted out their ship, and bore out to sea (A.D. 1002): and there is nothing told of their voyage before they came to Vinland, to Leif's booths ; and they laid up their ship, and dwelt in peace there that winter, and caught fish for their meat. But in the spring, Thorvald said they would get ready their ship, and send their long-boat, and some men with it, along to the westward of the land, and explore it during the summer. The land seemed to them fair and woody, and narrow between the woods and the sea, and of white sand. There were many islands and great shoals. They found neither man's abode nor beast's ; but, on an island to the westward, they found a corn-shed of wood. More works of men they found not ; and they went back, and came to Leif's booths in the fall. But the next summer fared Thorvald eastward with the merchant-ship, and coasted to the northward. Here a heavy storm arose as they were passing one of two capes, and drove them up there, and broke the keel under the ship ; and they dwelt there long, and mended their ship. Then said Thorvald to his companions, " Now will I that we raise up here the keel on the ness,^ and call it Keelness ; " '^ and so they did.

After that, they sailed thence, and coasted to the eastward, and into the mouths of the firths ^ that were nearest to them, and to a headland that stretched out.

1 Cape. 2 Possibly Cape Cod. 3 Bays.

TliORVALD. LEIFS BROTHER, GOES TO VINLAND. II

This was all covered with wood : here they brought the ship into harbor, and shoved a bridge on to the land, and Thorvald went ashore with ail his company. He said then, " Here it is fair, and here would I like to raise my dwelling." They went then to the ship, and saw upon the sands within the headland three heights ; and they went thither, and saw there three skin-boats, and three men under each. Then they divided their people, and laid hands on them all, except one that got off with his boat. They killed these eight, and went then back to the headland, and looked about them there, and saw in the firth some heights, and thought they were dwellings. After that there came a heaviness on them so great that they could not keep awake ; and all slumbered. Then came a call above them, so that they all awoke. Thus said the call, " Awake, Thorvald, and all thy company, if thou wilt keep thy life ; and fare thou to thy ship, and all thy men, and fare from the land of the quickest." * Then came from the firth innumerable skin-boats, and made toward them.

Throvald said then, " We will set up our battle-shields, and guard ourselves the best we can, but fight little against them." So they did, and the Skraelings "^ shot at them for a while, but then fled, each as fast as he could. Then Thorvald asked his men if any of them was hurt : they said they were not hurt. " I have got a hurt under the arm," said he ; " for an arrow flew between the bulwarks and the shield under my arm ; and here is the arrow, and that will be my death. Now I counsel that ye make ready as quickly as may be to return ; but ye shall bear me to the headland which I

1 i e., as quickly as possible. 2 Probably Esquimaux, or Indians.

thought the HkeHest place to build. It may be it was a true word I spoke, that I should dwell there for a time. There ye shall bury me, and set crosses at my head and feet, and call it Krossanes ^ henceforth." Greenland was then Christianized ; but Eirek the Red had died before Christianity came thither.

Now Thorvald died ; but they did every thing according as he had said, and then went and found their companions, and told each other the news they had to tell, and lived there that winter, and gathered grapes and vines for loading the ship. Then in the spring they made ready to sail for Greenland, and came with their ship to Eireksfirth, and had great tidings to tell to Leif.

V. — Karlsefni's Adventures.

[Karlsefni, a rich Norwegian, came to Greenland, staid at Leif's house, married a wife, and was finally persuaded to bring a colony of sixty men and five women to Vinland.]

This agreement made Karlsefni and his seamen, that they should have even handed ^ all that they should get in the way of goods. They had with them all sorts of cattle, as they thought to settle there if they might. Karlsefni begged Leif for his house in Vinland ; but he said he would lend him the house, but not give it. Then they bore out to the sea with the ship, and came to Leif's booths, hale and whole, and landed there their cattle. There soon came into their hands a great and good prize ; for a whale was driven ashore, both great and good ; then they went to cut up the whale, and

1 Cross Cape, or Cape of the Cross. 2 i.e., in equal shares.

KARLSEFNI S ADVENTURES. 1 3

had no scarcity of food. The cattle went up into the country ; and it soon happened that the male cattle became wild and unruly. They had with them a bull. Karlsefni had wood felled, and brought to the ship, and had the wood piled on the cliff to dry. They had all the good things of the country, both of grapes, and of all sorts of game and other things.

After the first winter came the summer ; then they saw appear the Skraelings, and there came from out the wood a great number of men. Near by were their neat-cattle ; and the bull took to bellowing, and roared loudly, whereat the Skraelings were frightened, and ran off with their bundles.

These were furs and sableskins, and skin-wares of all kinds. And they turned "^^^""•^" ^"■^"•

toward Karlsefni's booths, and wanted to get into the house ; but Karlsefni had the doors guarded. Neither party understood the other's language. Then the Skraelings took down their bags, and opened them, and offered them for sale, and wanted, above all, to have weapons for them. But Karlsefni forbade them to sell weapons. He took this plan : he bade the women bring out their dairy-stuff ^ for them ; and, so soon as they saw this, they would have that, and nothing more. Now this was the way the Skraelings traded : they bore off their wares in their stomachs. But Karlsefni and his companions had their bags and skin-wares, and so they parted. Now hereof is this to say, that Karlsefni had posts driven strongly round

1 Milk, butter, &c.

about his booths, and made all complete. At this time Gudrid, the wife of Karlsefni, bore a man-child, and he was called Snorri. In the beginning of the next winter the Skraelings came to them again, and were many more than before ; ar.d they had the same wares as before. Then Karlsefni said to the women, " Now bring forth the same food that was most liked before, and no other." And, when they saw it, they cast their bundles in over the fence. . . . [But one of them being killed by one of Karlsefni's men, they all fled in haste, and left their garments and wares behind.] " Now I think we need a good counsel," said Karlsefni ; " for I think they will come for the third time in anger, and with many men. Now we must do this : ten men must go out on that ness,^ and show themselves there ; but another party must go into the wood, and hew a place for our neat-cattle when the foe shall come from the wood ; and we must take the bull, and let him go before us." But thus it was with the place where they thought to meet, that a lake was on one side, and the wood on the other. Now it was done as Karlsefni had said. Now came the Skraelings to the place where Karlsefni had thought should be the battle ; and now there was a battle, and many of the Skraelings fell.

There was one large and handsome man among the Skraelings ; and Karlsefni thought he might be their leader. Now one of the Skraelings had taken up an axe, and looked at it a while, and struck at one of his fellows, a*nd hit him, whereupon he fell dead ; then the large man took the axe, and looked at it a while, and threw it into the sea as far as he could. But after that 1 Cape.

KARLSEFNIS ADVENTURES. 1 5

they fled to the wood, each as fast as he could ; and thus ended the strife. • Karlsefni and his companions were there all that winter ; but in the spring Karlsefni said he would stay there no longer, and would fare to Greenland. Now they made ready for the voyage, and bare thence much goods, namely, grape-vines and grapes and skin-wares. Now they sailed into the sea, and came whole with their ships to Eireksfirth, and were there that winter.

DUTCH MAN-OF-WAK.

Book II. Columbus And His Companions

RECEPTION OF COLUMBUS BY FERDINAND AND ISABELLA.

The foUowins passages are taken from " Select Letters of Christopher Columbus," published by the Hakluyt Society, London, 1S47, pp. 1-17, ro-22, 27, 33-36, 40-42, 114-121, 129-138, 200-202, 205-210, 214-225. These letters were translated by R. H. IMajor, Esq., of the British Museum.

COLUMBUS AND HIS COMPANIONS.

I. — The First Letter from Columbus.

[This letter was written on board ship, by Cohimbus, March 14, 1493, " to the noble Lord Raphael Sanchez, Treasurer to their most invincible Majesties, Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen of Spain." It was ■written in Spanish, but the original is supposed to be lost. Latin translations of it were made and published in different cities ; and a poetical translation was made in Italian, and was sung about the streets of Italy.

KNOWING that it will afford you pleasure to learn that I have brought my undertaking to a successful termination, I have decided upon writing you this letter to acquaint you with all the events which have occurred in my voyage, and the discoveries which have resulted from it. Thirty-three days after my departure from Cadiz, I reached the Indian Sea,' where I discovered many islands, thickly peopled, of which I took possession, without resistance, in the name of our most illustrious Monarch, by public proclamation and with unfurled banners. To the first of these islands, which

1 Columbus always supposed that he had reached India, and therefore always called the natives Indians.

is called by the Indians Guanahani, I gave the name of the blessed Saviour (San Salvador), relying upon whose protection I had reached this as well as the other islands. To each of these I also gave a name, ordering that one should be called Santa Maria de la Concepcion ; another, Fernandina; the third, Isabella; the fourth, Juana ; and so with all the rest respectively. As soon as we arrived at that, which, as I have said, was named Juana,^ I proceeded along its coast a short distance westward, and found it to be so large, and apparently without termination, that I could not suppose it to be an island, but the continental province of Cathay.^ Seeing, however, no towns or populous places on the seacoast, but only a few detached houses and cottages, with whose inhabitants I was unable to communicate, because they fled as soon as they saw us, I went further on, thinking, that, in my progress, I should certainly find some city or village.

At length, after proceeding a great way, and finding that nothing new presented itself, and that the line of coast was leading us northwards, I resolved not to attempt any further progress, but rather to turn back, and retrace my course to a certain bay that I had observed, and from which I afterwards despatched two of our men to ascertain whether there were a king or any cities in that province. These men reconnoitred the country for three days, and found a most numerous population, and great numbers of houses, though small, and built without any regard to order ; with which information they returned to us. In the mean time, I had learned from some Indians whom I had seized, that that country was

1 Cuba. 2 Or Tartary.

THE FIRST LETTER FROM COLUMBUS. 21

certainly an island ; and therefore I sailed towards the east, coasting to the distance of three hundred and twenty-two miles, which brought us to the extremity of it : from this point I saw lying eastwards another island, fifty-four miles distant from Juana, to which I gave the name of Espanola/ . . .

All these islands are very beautiful, and distinguished by a diversity of scenery. They are filled with a great variety of trees of immense height, and which I believe to retain their foliage in all seasons ; for when I saw them they were as verdant and luxuriant as they usually are in Spain in the month of May, — some of them were blossoming, some bearing fruit, and all flourishing in the greatest perfection, according to their respective stages of growth, and the nature and quality of each : yet the islands are not so thickly wooded as to be impassable. The nightingale and various birds were singing in countless numbers, and that in November, the month in which I arrived there. . . .

None of them,"^ as I have already said, are possessed of any iron ; neither have they weapons, being unacquainted with, and, indeed, incompetent to use, them ; not from any deformity of body — for they are well formed, — but because they are timid, and full of fear. They carry, however, in lieu ^ of arms, canes dried in the sun, on the ends of which they fix heads of dried wood sharpened to a point : and even these they dare not use habitually ; for it has often occurred, when I have sent two or three of my men to any of the villages to speak with the natives, that they have come out in a disorderly

1 Or Hispaniola, meaning Little Spain. The island is now called Hayti. - The natives, 3 instead.

troop, and have fled in such haste, at the approach of our men, that the fathers forsook their children, and the children their fathers.

This timidity did not arise from any loss or injury that they had received from us ; for, on the contrary, I gave to all I approached whatever articles I had about me, such as cloth, and many other things, taking nothing of theirs in return : but they are naturally timid and fearful. As soon, however, as they see that they are safe, and have laid aside all fear, they are very simple and honest, and exceedingly liberal with all that they have, none of them refusing any thing he may possess when he is asked for it, but, on the contrary, inviting us to ask them. They exhibit great love towards all others in preference to themselves : they also give objects of great value for trifles, and content themselves with very little, or nothing, in return. I, however, forbade that these trifles and articles of no value — such as pieces of dishes, plates and glass, keys, and leather straps — should be given to them, although, if they could obtain them, they imagined themselves to be possessed of the most beautiful trinkets in the world. It even happened that a sailor received for a leather strap as much gold as was worth three golden nobles ; and for things of more trifling value offered by our men, especially newly coined blaiicas} or any gold coins, the Indians would give whatever the seller required ; as, for instance, an ounce and a half or two ounces of gold, or thirty or forty pounds of cotton ; with which commodity they were already acquainted.