XXIX.-The Discovery of America by the Northmen.

The following short sketch has been written at the request of several persons abroad. It may be of use for insertion in, or in preparing articles for, Educational Works, Encyclopedias, the Journals of Historical Societies and other similar works, through which it may be wished to give still further publicity to historical facts so important. They have indeed already been referred to in some books of this kind, but often with considerable errors.

The present paper is communicated by Charles C. Rafn, and is founded on his work "Antiquitates Americana sive Scriptores Septentrionales rerum Ante-Columbianarum in America," published by him in 1837 through the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries of Copenhagen.

The Dane Gardar, of Swedish origin, was the first Northman who discovered Iceland, in 803. Only a few out-places of this country had been visited previously, about 70 years before, by Irish hermits. Eleven years subsequently, or in 874, the Norwegian Ingolf began the colonization of the country, which was completed during a space of 60 years. The colonists, many of whom belonged to the most illustrious and most civilized families in the North, established in Iceland a flourishing Republic. Here, on this distant isle-rock, the Old-Northern language was preserved for centuries, and here in the Eddas were treasured those Folksongs and Folk-myths, and in the Sagas those historical tales and legends, which the first settlers had brought with them from their Scandinavian mother-lands. Iceland was therefore the cradle of an historical literature of immense value.

The situation of the island and the relationship of the colony to foreign countries in its earlier period, compelled its inhabitants to exercise and develope their hereditary maritime skill and thirst for new discoveries across the great Ocean. As early as the year 877 Gunnbiorn saw for the first time the mountainous coast of Greenland. But this land waa first visited by Erik the Red, in 983, who three years afterwards, in 986, by means of Icelandic emigrants, established the first colony on the southwestern shore, where afterwards, in 1124, a Bishop's See was founded, which subsisted for upwards of 300 years. The head firths or bays were nained after the chiefs of the expedition. Erik the Red settled in Erik's firth, Einar, Rafn and Ketil in the firths called after them, and Heriulf on Heriulfsnes. On a voyage from Iceland to Greenland this same year (986), Biarne, the son of the latter, was driven far out to sea towards the south-west, and for the first time beheld the coasts of the American lands, afterwards visited and named by his countrymen. In order to examine these countries more narrowly, Leif the Fortunate, son of Erik the Red, undertook a voyage of discovery there in the year 1000. He landed on the shores described by Biarne, detailed the character of these lands more exactly, and gave them names according to their appearance. Helluland (Newfoundland) was so called from its flat stones, Markland (New Scotland) from its woods, and Vineland (New England) from its vines. Here he remained for some time, and constructed large houses,

called after him Leifsbúdir (Leif's Booths). A German named Tyrker. who accompanied Leif on this voyage, was the man who found the wild vines, which he recognized from having seen them in his own land, and Leif gave the country its name from this circumstance. Two years afterwards Leif's brother, Thorwald, repaired thither, and in 1003 caused an expedition to be undertaken to the south, along the shore, but he was killed in the summer of 1004 on a voyage northwards, in a skirmish with the natives.

The most distinguished however of all the first American discoverers is Thorfin Karlsefne, an Icelander, whose genealogy is carried back in the Old-Northern annals to Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Scottish and Irish ancestors, some of them of royal blood. In 1006 this chief on a merchant-voyage, visited Greenland and there married Gudrid, the widow of Thorstein (son of Erik the Red), who had died the year before in an unsuccessful expedition to Vineland. Accompanied by his wife, who encouraged him to this voyage, and by a crew of 160 men on board three vessels, he repaired in the spring of 1007 to Vineland, where he remained for three years, and had many communications with the aborigines. Here bis wife Gudrid bore him a sou, Snorre, who became the founder of an illustrious family in Iceland, which gave that island several of its first Bishops. His daughter's son was the celebrated Bishop Thorlak Runolfson, who published the first Christian code of Iceland. In 1121 Bishop Erik sailed to Vineland from Greenland, doubtless for the purpose of strengthening his countrymen in their Christian faith.

The notices given by the old Icelandic voyage-chroniclers respecting the climate, the soil and the productions of this new country are very characteristic. Nay, we have even a statement of this kind as old as the eleventh century from a writer not a Northman, Adam of Bremen; he states on the authority of Svein Estridson the king of Denmark, a nephew of Canute the Great, that the country got its name from the vine growing wild there. It is a remarkable coincidence in this respect that its English re-discoverers, for the same reason, name the large island which is close off the coast, Martha's Vineyard. Spontaneously growing wheat (maize or Indian corn) was also found in this country.

In the meantime it is the total result of the nautical, geographical and astronomical evidences in the original documents, which places the situation of the countries discovered beyond all doubt. The number of days' sail between the several newly-found lands, the striking description of the coasts, especially the white sand-banks of New Scotland and the long beaches and downs of a peculiar appearance on Cape Cod (the Kialarnes and Furdustrandir of the Northmen) are not to be mistaken. In addition hereto we have the astronomical remark that the shortest day was nine hours long, which fixes the latitude of 41° 24' 10", or just that of the promontories which limit the entrances to Mount Hope Bay, where Leif's booths were built, and in the district around which the old Northmen had their head establishment, which they called Hóp.

XXX.-Indian Utensils and Implements; their recent discovery and locality, indications of a settlement near the Pennepack.

(BY WILLIAM J. Buck, of Willow Grove.)

In this brief contribution, it is not without some diffidence that I propose to lay before the Society my investigations on a field rather too limited for antiquarian study. Believing much may be brought to light concerning the aborigines of our soil, from those relics which are yet occasionally discovered, as they existed anterior to the time when the whites first came amongst them, ere their savage virtues became lost, owing to the vices of civilization, and they had to depend wholly upon their own mechanical skill and ingenuity, not only for subsistence but protection and defence. Wherever found, these relics possess a local importance, they indicate their settlements, they show their progress in the arts, and the disadvantages they had to contend with from possessing no knowledge of that most useful of metals. When we reflect on their situation we cannot sufficiently admire the perseverance required even for making their most common uteutils and implements from stone, which, too, furnished the only materials for construction. It is much to be regretted that on these matters so little has been left us from the early settlers.

Considerable information may yet be derived from these memorials by placing them in collections for inspection and comparison, particular regard being had to position and locality where found. As I shall offer my peculiar views on a subject so speculative as the use and historical importance of the various articles under consideration, and to which, as yet, little or no attention has been given. Time alone can confirm these theories. Hoping gentlemen, in the different parts of our State may give it their attention, confidently trusting some day the antiquarian may be enabled to read from these wrought stones, the history of long lost tribes, their different settlements, conquest, and mutations.

Indian relics are becoming more scarce, and little pains have been taken for their collection. The plow, the harrow, and other agricultural instruments, as well as felling timber by breaking, destroy many; alluvial deposits bury them in the soil and the waters cover them for other ages. In making inquiries on this subject in the country, aged persons have been met with who have not only never found, but did not know of them, and were surprised that they should possess an interest or even cause curiosity. But how much will this apply to other puisuits and circumstances, and what losses have been occasioned to mankind!

As the various utensils and implements mentioned are private property, drawings of the the most important were taken, to illustrate better the following descriptions:

Fig. 1, is a circular dish or plate of a soft brown stone, interspersed with fine particles of mica; the upper diameter is 6 inches, depth 2, average thickness of an inch. The projection on the left is by 1