v&tabtxm imtij jKpedal relation to Üjtix wcdg mrtagrapljkal ftejrrmniafimt WzMM Wsm <ww%%. Wi> WM — THE DISCOVERIES THE NORSEMEN IN AMERICA ~zs&=z^^ V Title-page of the Wolfegg Ptolemy Manuscript. (V2 the actual size, i. e. ty scale.) H/Snn ÖDljc JXnraancn m America ittitlj »penal relation to tijm taxi]} cartojjrajrffiral Jtepreaentatimt 'V By JOSEPH FISCH E R S. J. Professor of Geography Jesuit College Feldkirch Austria Üüranslrttcö from tlje (German By BASIL H. SOULSBY B. A. Superintendent of the Map Room British Museum Hon. Sec. of the Halduyt Society LONDON HENRY STEVENS, SON & STILES 39 Great Russell Street over against the South-West Corner of the British Museum st. louis : b. herder 1 7 south broadway I9O3 Bibliographia, quasi stillae de arbore scientiae manantes collectae et ad conservandum asportatae. PREFACE HE " Antiquitates Americana*/ 1 that epoch- making work by Carl Chr. Kafn (1837), has now for over sixty years enjoyed a decided influence in the answer to the question — " What did the Norsemen dis- cover in America?" Raft] seemed to have a complete mastery of all the Norse literature bearing on the subject, and it is quite intelligible that many peculiar dicta should have been accepted, merely on his authority, though subsequent in- vestigations have proved them unsound. The followers of Rafn were numerous and uncritical, and went much further than their master. Some of the arguments, which he employed merely as a secondary support to his theories, were twisted by them and described as incontestable and indisputable evidence. 1 Such a breach of all laws of criticism did not fail to arouse a storm of opposition. The pseudo- authority claimed for the alleged Runic inscription on the Dighton Rock drove Bancroft into an exaggerated opposition of cynical scepticism, or, rather, total disbelief in the dis- covery of America by the Norsemen. 2 Since the time of Bancroft there has been a large party of almost too eager partisans of Rafn, as well as a strong opposition, of whom Justin Winsor has been the most distinguished leader. 3 (1) cf Sophus Rüge, "Die Weinlandsfahrten? p. 9. " (2) cf E. Loeffler, The Vincland-Excursio?is? 1884, p. 73, n. 22. G. Bancroft, "History of the United States? vol. I. c. I. (3) J- Winsor, "History of America? I. 66, sqq., 87; II. 33. There is also a characteristic cut in the illustrated description of the historical collection in the World's Fair at Chicago, according to which the claim of the Normans to have discovered America " rests entirely vi PREFACE. In Germany, France and England, the experts were as diametrically opposed as in America. It required a Heinrici to out-Herod Horsford's wildest claims, in the literary supplement to the Allgemeine Zeitung (Munich), of April 12, 1892, and yet even Bancroft finds a rival for scepticism in " Professor Geleich, when he writes : News had reached Iceland that in the south or south-west, it was not quite certain which, was situated a Vine-land (Spain !), where the sailor passed by wondrous cliffs (Fingal's Cave!), and in Ireland white-robed priests led processions with banners flying, etc., etc. This was all jumbled up in a legend dating from voyages to Helluland and Wineland." l Such were the conflicting views eight years ago, when Hofrath Dr. von Wieser induced the author to make further inquiry into the discoveries of the Norsemen in America. The author undertook the task with considerable reluc- tance, but he found such material assistance in the learned works of G. Storm and A. M. Reeves, that only one year had elapsed before Dr. von Wieser considered the result worth printing. But then so many questions arose, espec- ially as to the maps of the Norsemen's discoveries, which necessitated a thorough examination of ancient archives, that I deferred publication year after year, and, perhaps, should never have come to publication, had not Dr. von Wieser spurred me on by providing me with the newest literature on the subject, and by opening to me all the store of his library, as rich in geography as in history. The author would here express his deep sense of gratitude, not only to his highly esteemed patron and master, Dr. von Wieser, but also to Professor Dr. Gustav Storm, of Christiana, whose courtesy in answering all questions was only equalled by his kindness in presenting to the author his works, both large and small, which were those of a giant and pioneer in research. In the translation of the Scandinavian works of Storm and Jonsson Finnur, etc., I am much indebted to my colleague in the Society of Jesus, Father H. Klene. I upon tradition, poetic legends, and some slight circumstantial evidence." " W. Curtis : The Relics of Columbus, Souvenir of La Rabida, World's Columbian Exposition, an Illustrated description of the historical col- lection^ {Washington, 1893), p. 7. (1) Geleich, Materialien, p. 104. PRl I l< 1 vi. 1 i 1 1 1 1 . >i I« -I ',' i' i< i i n< • men! >n th< t< emed librarian o\ the Vatican, Father Francis Ehrle, S.J., who took <<> much interesl in mj research« and as isted me both verbally and by letter. It is to him tint I owe the four important maps of Greenland {Plates I to fV.) from the two hitherto unknown Vatican Ptolemj MSS., b) Donnus Nicolaua II Germanus. I must also thank Father Hafner, S.J ., who kindly consented to tearch for Ptolemy MSS. in Wolf< Castle, belonging to Prince Waldburg-Wolfegg, and fortunate enough to discover a valuable MS. by Donnu i Nicolaus Germanus, whose maps of Greenland [Plates V. and VI.) corresponded to those of the Ulm editions of Ptolemy of 1482 and [486. I paid a visit to Wolfegg Castle- to determine the relation between the Wolfegg MS. and the printed Ulm editions. I met with the best possible reception. I was able to identify the Wolfegg MS. as the prototype of the Ulm editions. Last, but not least, came a most im- portant discovery : the long lost large World Map and "Carta Marina" of the cartographer, Martin Waldseemüller (Ilacomilus), 1507 and 15 16, covering some 24 large folio sheets. This lucky discover)- was remarkable, if only for its bearing on the maps of the discoveries made by the Norse men {Plates VII and VIII), as well as on their relation to the later discoveries of Columbus and his successors. It has still greater consequences as regards the repre- sentation of the discoveries of Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci. The long lost first map of America of 1507 has at last been unearthed, and with the equally important "Carta Marina" of 15 16, helps to mark an epoch in carto- graphy, which will be more apparent when these two maps are reproduced in facsimile. The author and his co-workers, Father A. Manganotti, S.J., of Modena, and Father Joseph Richard, S.J., of Nancy, are greatly indebted for the elucidation of many knotty points to the librarians and archivists of the libraries of Brussels, Florence, Innsbruck, Modena, Munich, Nancy, Paris, Rome, and Wolfegg. Where I have formed my conclusions on the basis of the researches of G. Storm, A. M. Reeves, D. Bruun, Jonsson Finnur, Baron A. E. Nordenskiöld, etc., I have endeavoured — Vlll runFACE. to refer to original authorities, and to bring forward fresh arguments to support accepted conclusions. It has also been my aim to make more accessible to general circles the discoveries of Scandinavian savants, — discoveries not so widely known in Germany as they deserve e. g. the re- markable excavations in Greenland, of the highest value to ethnography (cf. Plates IX. and X., for permission to repro- duce which I am indebted to " The Danish Commission on Research in Greenland.") As for my laborious researches into the personality and the works of my countryman, Donnus Nicolaus Germanus, I hope I may inspire others to inquire further into the life of this eminent cartographer. The Author. - C0NTEN1 S. Preface v - Bibliography ... 1 Chapter I. The earliest accounts (nth and 12th centuries) of the discoveries of the Norsemen in America Chapter II. More detailed accounts (13th and 14th cen- turies) of the discovery of the Norsemen in America 1 1 Chapter III. The development of the Norse colony in Greenland .-.-.. 20 Chapter IV. The latest authenticated account of the fate of the Norse colonies in America - 41 Chapter V. Description and representation of the discoveries of the Norsemen in America. The Cosmographers, Claudius Clavus, Donnus Nicolaus Germanus, and Martin Waldseemüller - 56 Appendices ------- 108 Index ----_-_ 124 Colophon ------- '3 1 -- - —-—- — "* : = — — -"~^fx3 A 1 ^\\ fl^^^ggdl r^, II IBSJ ^*s FJfl! fpw* " ?'/- /' • WwM SpgfaSj ' T%5f is*! M rim Wä&^ - tab izn. ffi m£* "^^ LIST OF PLATES. FRONTISPIECE. Title-page of the Wolfegg Ptolemy Manuscript. PLATES AT THE END. Greenland on the Map of the World by Donnus Nicolaus Germanus (after 1466). II. Greenland on the Map of the Northern Regions by Donnus Nicolaus Germanus (after 1466). III. Greenland on the Map of the World by Donnus Nicolaus Germanus (about 1474). IV. Greenland on the Map of the Northern Regions by Donnus Nicolaus Germanus (about 1474). v. Map of the World by Donnus Nicolaus Germanus showing Greenland (before 1482). VI. Greenland on the Map of the Northern Regions by Donnus Nicolaus Germanus (before 1482). VII. Second sheet of Waldseemüller's Map of the World, 1507, (a) (b) showing Greenland on the inset map ; on the main map. VIII. Greenland on Waldseemüller's " Carta Marina" 15 16. IX. Eastern Settlement of the Norsemen in S.W. Greenland. x. Western Settlement of the Norsemen in W.