Appletons' Popular Science Monthly, December 1899: Vol. LVI, November, 1899 to April, 1900Various
Science
Appletons' Popular Science Monthly, December 1899: Vol. LVI, November, 1899 to April, 1900
Various
Science -- Periodicals; Technology -- Periodicals
The following extracts, from reports by Dr. Gudmundsson and Mr.
Erlingsson, refer to the ruins described in the preceding paper.
The plan for these researches was first to compare the aforesaid
ruins with the work of the native races supposed to have
inhabited or visited these shores, next with that of the Norsemen
of the eleventh century, and later, if necessary, with the
earliest English, French, Spanish, and Dutch ruins on these
shores. Dr. Gudmundsson and Mr. Erlingsson noted the points of
resemblance between these and Icelandic ruins, and in their
reports by request wrote everything they could think of in
opposition to, as well as in favor of, their being of Norse
origin.
When these gentlemen left Cambridge the characteristic features
of the early post-Columbian ruins on this coast had not been
ascertained, and these researches were not finished
satisfactorily until a year and a half after the Icelanders
returned to Europe.
_From Dr. Gudmundsson's Report._
The next place into which we dug was a depression or hollow in
the hillside in a northerly direction from the above-mentioned
place. Here we found unquestionable remains of a house which had
been dug into the hillside, with walls constructed of stones, and
layers of earth between the single rows of stones. The foundation
and the lower parts of the two side walls were solid and well
preserved, but the whole back wall, with the exception of a
single row (the foundation), had fallen down. The stones from
this and the upper parts of the side walls covered the whole
bottom, so that they at the first glance seemed to form a
pavement. When carefully examined, it was evident, however, that
most of the stones which covered the bottom belonged to the
walls, though some might have rolled down from the hill above the
house. Thus it could clearly be seen how some of the stones had
fallen down from the walls and some were just sliding down,
without having as yet reached to the bottom, as some stones
underneath had hindered them from gliding farther. The front wall
of the house was wanting, and must either have been of wood
or--which seems most likely--have been spoiled when the road
which runs close past the house was made. When the bottom was
cleared of the stones which had fallen in it proved to consist of
a level black floor.
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