The sailor who re-discovered them said that the chief desire of the
people was to know whether the Moors still held Spain (Gaffarel, "Iles
Fantastiques," p. 3). In a copy of "Ptolemy" addressed to Pope Urban VI.
about 1380, before the alleged visit of the Portuguese, it was stated of
the people at Antillia that they lived in a Christian manner, and were
most prosperous, "Hie populus christianissime vivit, omnibus divitiis
seculi hujus plenus" (D'Avezac, "Nouvelles Annales des voyages," 1845, II.
p. 55).
It was afterwards held by some that the island of Antillia was identical
with St. Michael in the Azores, where a certain cluster of stone huts
still bears the name of Seven Cities, and the same name is associated with
a small lake by which they stand. (Humboldt's "Examen Critique," Paris,
1837, II. p. 203; Gaffarel, "Iles Fantastiques," p. 3.)
XVI. HARALD THE VIKING
The tales of the Norse explorations of America are now accessible in many
forms, the most convenient of these being in the edition of E. L. Slafter,
published by the Prince Society. As to the habits of the Vikings, the most
accessible authorities are "The Age of the Vikings," by Du Chaillu, and
"The Sea Kings of Norway," by Laing. The writings of the late Professor E.
N. Horsford are well known, but his opinions are not yet generally
accepted by students. His last work, "Leif's House in Vineland," with his
daughter's supplementary essay on "Graves of the Northmen," is probably
the most interesting of the series (Boston, 1893). In Longfellow's "Saga
of King Olaf" (II.), included in "Tales of a Wayside Inn," there is a
description of the athletic sports practised by the Vikings, which are
moreover described with the greatest minuteness by Du Chaillu.
XVII. NORUMBEGA
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account