tianity, where he was murdered by the heathens. A Bishop of Greenland, named Erik, afterwards (1121), undertook the same voyage, for the same purpose, but with what suc cess is uncertain.* The authenticity of the Icelandic ac counts of the discovery and settlement of Yinland were re cognized in Denmark shortly after this period by King Svend Estrithson, or Sweno II. in a conversation which Adam of Bremen had with this monarch.!” Mr. Washington Irving, in his Life of Columbus,! states that he has not had the means of tracing this story to its original sources. He mentions as the au thorities examined by him, Malte-Brun and Forster, the latter of whom extracts it from the Saga or Chro nicle of Snorre, who was born in 1179 and wrote in 1215 ; long after the event is said to have taken place. Mr. Irving observes that as far as he has had expe rience in tracing these stories of early discoveries of portions of the new world, he has generally found them very confident deductions drawn from very vague and questionable facts. But, he says, “ grant ing the truth of the alleged discoveries, they led to no more result than would the interchange of com munication between the natives of Greenland and the Esquimaux. The knowledge of them appears not to have extended beyond their own nation, and to have been soon neglected and forgotten by themselves.” It will be observed that in a note, (ante, p. 3,) Mr. Wheaton remarks that supposing the computation of the hours to be correct, the place referred to must •Munter, Kirchengeshichte von Diene- J New York edition of 1831, vol. 2, p. mark und Norwegen, tom. i. p. 562. 270 to 272, Appendix No. kiv. | Adam. Brem. de Situ Dan. cap. 246. 2
