ariners the explorers were undoubtedly competent to
make such a deduction as this. If Storm and Dieserud are correct, the
explorers saw from the north coast of Nova Scotia the same mountains that
they had seen from the south coast.
[41-2] The Beothuk Indians of Newfoundland, according to Storm.
[41-3] Nothing can with certainty be extracted from these names. The
chances that they were incorrectly recorded are of course great. Storm
contends that they cannot be Eskimo. Captain Holm of the Danish navy, an
authority on the Eskimos, says, "It is not _impossible_ that the names
may have been derived from Eskimo originals." Fiske says, p. 189, note:
"There is not the slightest reason for supposing that there were any
Eskimos south of Labrador so late as nine hundred years ago." In this
connection Captain Holm says: "It appears to me not sufficiently proven
that the now extinct race on America's east coast, the Beothuk, were
Indians. I wish to direct attention to the possibility that in the
Beothuk we may perhaps have one of the transition links between the
Indians and the Eskimo." See Reeves, p. 177, (57).
[42-1] The description is clearly suggestive of processions of Christian
priests, in white vestments, with banners, and singing (Storm).
[42-2] Vellum AM. 557 has not the words "Ireland the Great." As to
"White-men's-land" (mentioned also once in the _Landnama-bok_), Storm
traces its quasi-historical origin to the Irish visitation of Iceland
prior to the Norse settlement. See _Studies on the Vineland Voyages_, p.
61. The explanation is, however, hardly convincing. See _Origines
Islandicae_, Vol. II., p. 625.
[42-3] AM. 557 says "Iceland's sea" (_i.e._, between Iceland and
Markland), and Hauk's Book, "Greenland's sea" (_i.e._, between Iceland
and Greenland).
[43-1] Thorlak was born in 1085, consecrated bishop in 1118, and died
Feb. 1, 1133. These dates are definitely known, and are important. "The
bishop's birth-year being certainly known, one can reckon back, and
according to the regular allowances, we shall have Hallfrid born about
1060, and her father about 1030, in Vinland, and Karlsefni as far back as
1000." Vigfusson in _Origines Islandicae_, Vol. II., p. 592. Vigfusson
seeks to corroborate the above by other allied lineages. If his
deductions are correct, they are revolutionary with reference to the
generally accepted chronology of the Vinland voyages. He is convinced
that Leif belongs to an older generati
|