[9] The monument known as the Kensington Rune Stone was found near Kensington, Minnesota, and is fully described in the reports of the Minnesota Historical Society. It was the subject of many arguments at first. Well known authorities pronounced it a forgery, while other well known authorities declared it genuine. It was pointed out that the language used was not that of the time of Leif Ericsson, but much more modern; but later it was found that the inscription was exactly such as would have been written about the middle of the fourteenth century, when Knutson's expedition was in Greenland. Aside from the obvious lack of motive for a forgery, investigation showed that neither the farmer nor any one who might have been in a position to bury the stone where it was found had any knowledge of Runic writing. Moreover, if the stone had been a forgery it would seem that the forger would have used the name of some well known leader, whereas no name is mentioned. If Knutson had been with the expedition he would certainly have seen to it that his presence was recorded. Otter Tail Lake, just north of the place where the stone was discovered, was one of the points marking the boundary between the Ojibway and Dakota country. The position of the runes on the stone is precisely what it would be if the inscription had been finished, or nearly finished, as a guide to future exploration, and the account of the massacre added as a warning. A song commonly sung at the time of the Black Death contains the lines: "The Black Plague sped over land and sea And swept so many a board. That will I now most surely believe, It was not with the Lord's will. Help us God and Mary, Save us all from evil." THE NAVIGATORS We were Prince Henry's gentlemen,-- His gentlemen were we, To dare the gods of Heathendom, Whoever they might be,-- To do our master's sovereign will Upon a trackless sea. We were Prince Henry's gentlemen, And undismayed we went To fight for Lusitania Wherever we were sent,-- The stars had laid our course for us, And we were well content. We were Prince Henry's gentlemen, And though our flagship lie Where white the great-winged albatross Came wheeling down the sky, Or black abysses yawned for us, We could not fear to die. We were Prince Henry's gentlemen,-- Around the Cape of Wrath We sailed our wooden cockleshells-- Great pride the pilot hath To voyage to-day the Indian Sea-- But we marked out his path! III SEA OF DARKNESS