wards, A. D. 986, a respectable colony was settled here, and from this period we may very properly date the first settlement in America. This interesting colony increased rapidly, and was situated on the eastern coast; sixteen churches, and two convents had been erected. Barrow says there were twelve parishes, one hundred and ninety villages, one bishop's see, and two convents, when, in the early part of the fifteenth century, all communication was cut off by an accumulation of ice upon the shores, which extended, perennial, to a considerable distance. In 1406, the seventeenth bishop made an attempt to reach his see; but this frozen region, to which Virgil's line,

"Cærulea glacie concretæ atque imbribus atris,"

may well be applied, repelled his attempts to land, by an effectual barrier of ice. From this period to the present time, a veil of obscurity hangs over this severed and truly interesting colony. The sympathies of the inhabitants of more happy climes have been actively excited to their relief, but all the vessels which have attempted to approach the eastern coast, were compelled to return without being able to make a landing. An Iceland bishop, it is said, about the middle of the sixteenth century, was driven so near to the coast, as to be able to perceive the inhabitants driving their cattle through the fields. There is, however, much reason to believe, that long before this period, the rigours of the climate, the want of supplies from Europe, and the natural enmity of the Esquimaux, had placed them beyond the reach of succour. Capt. Scoresby, however, an active and intelligent commander of a whaler, is disposed to think, from the view he got a few years since, while on a fishing voyage, that the descendants of the colonists still inhabit it.

That Greenland is separated from the continent, by arms of the sea, there cannot now be a doubt. But whether it be an island no larger than it is already known, or whether it stretch towards the pole, and occupy a space rendering it worthy of the title or name of continent, it must still be considered as part of America. If this be admitted, the discovery of America should bear date from A. D. 970, being the year that Gunbiorn discovered Greenland.

Kerr, in his excellent Collection of Voyages and Travels, places the discovery of America in the year 1001.

"An Icelander," he says, "in search of his father, who was in Greenland, was carried to the south by a violent wind. Land was discovered at a distance, flat, low, and woody. He did not go on shore, but returned. His account induced a Norwegian nobleman to fit out a ship to explore this new land; after sailing for some time they discovered a flat shore, without verdure: and soon after, a low land covered with wood. Two days' prosperous sailing brought them to a third shore, on the north of which lay an island. They entered, and sailed up a river, and landed. Pleased with the temperature of the climate, the apparent fertility of the soil, and the abundance of fish in the rivers, they resolved to

pass the winter in this country; and they gave it the name of Vinland, from the quantity of small grapes which they found growing. A colony was soon after formed, who traded with the natives: these are represented as of a diminutive stature, of the same race as the inhabitants of the west part of Greenland, and as using leathern canoes. It appears from the Icelandic chronicles, that a regular trade was established between this country and Norway, and that dried grapes, or raisins, were among the exports. In the year 1121, a Bishop went from Greenland for the purpose of converting the colonists of Vinland to the Christian religion. After this period there is no information regarding this country. This inattention to the new colony probably arose from the intercourse between the west of Greenland and Iceland having ceased, as we have already mentioned, and from the Northern Nations having been, about this period, wasted by a pestilence, and weakened and distracted by feuds. Of the certainty of the discovery there can be no doubt. The Icelandic chronicles are full and minute, not only respecting it, but also respecting the transactions which took place among the colonists, and between them and the natives. Ordericus Vitalis, in his Ecclesiastical History, under the year 1098, reckons Vinland, along with Greenland, Iceland, and the Orkneys, as under the dominion of the king of Norway.".

We are, therefore, irresistibly led to the conclusion, that the coast of Labrador, or the island of Newfoundland, was discovered and inhabited by Europeans, or their descendants, at the early period above mentioned. The discoverer of this part of America was a colonist, named Biorn-the first settler was Lief, son of Eric Rauda, who wintered about the lat. 50° N. with 35 men, and Biorn as pilot, in or about the year 1003. Thorwald, the brother of Lief, afterwards pursued the discoveries for two years without seeing an inhabitant. He afterwards, however, met with three leather boats, each with three Indians, whom he seized and wantonly murdered, with the exception of one, who escaped. Soon afterwards, the natives attacked Thorwald's vessel, when he was wounded by an arrow, which caused his death. The people were called Skrællingers, signifying dwarfs, and were doubtless the same now known as the Esquimaux. Hackluyt has given a somewhat circumstantial account of the discovery of this continent by Madoc, in the year 1170. Having left Iceland far to the north, it is said he arrived at "a land unknown, where he saw many strange things."

Italy contributed much, by her bold, intelligent navigators, to early discoveries: but the results to her have been of a very unprofitable nature. We cannot refrain from quoting here the exclamation of old Purchas.

"Happie Italy, that first, in this last Age of the World, hath discouered the great discouerers of the World, to whom we owe our M. Paulus, Odoricus, Vertomannus, for the East; Columbus, Vespucius, Cabot, for the West: these noble Zeni for the North; and the first encompassing the worlds wide compasse, unto Pigafetta's Discourse, companion of Magellan in his iournie. Vnhappie Italy, that still hath beaten the bush, for other to catch the Bird, and hath inherited nothing in these Easterne or Westerne Worlds, excepting thy Catholike clayme."

John Vaz Costa Cortereal, in 1463, or '64, made an attempt to reach the East Indies by sailing to the westward, and, according to Barrow, arrived at Newfoundland.

The obscurity of these voyages, places in relief, the eminently successful ones of Columbus, whose genius and untiring perseverance, led him to the discovery of countries, enjoying the happiest climates in the world.

The fever of discovery seemed now to be epidemic throughout Europe. The Portuguese, Spanish, and English, took the lead in these expeditions. The former, under Diaz and Gama, boldly carried their vessels, first to the Cape of Good Hope, and then into the seas of India, while the Spaniards, in search of the same country, turned their faces towards the setting sun. Columbus, after a perilous voyage, was the first person, in his little fleet of barks, to see the land. This was one of the Bahamas, and now known by the name of "Cat Isle." Sebastian Cabot, a Venetian merchant, residing in London, sailed in 1497 in search of a passage to India, by the north-west, and it is said reached 674° N. lat. It is certain he visited Newfoundland, to which he gave the name of Prima Vista. The island of St. John, being discovered on St. John's day, he gave to it that name. Gaspar Cortereal, in 1500, discovered the river St. Lawrence. Having visited a considerable part of Labrador, he discovered a strait, probably that of Hudson, through which he imagined a passage to India would be found. To this he gave the name of the "Straits of Anian." In the following year he was lost, it is supposed, in the ice; and his brother Michael, in 1502, sailed in quest of him, but he perished, it is supposed, in the same manner. A third brother of this adventurous family wished to make a search for his lost brothers, but to this the king of Portugal refused his consent.

The early part of the 16th century, gave birth to new enterprises. The discovery of a passage to Cathay, or the East Indies, was the main-spring of all the attempts now made. It was the promised land, whence were to be drawn inexhaustible riches and resources. Columbus felt assured that the desired passage was to be effected within a short distance to the north of the equator, while other navigators sailed both to the north and south, with a view to the same object. After the voyage of Columbus, that of Magellan is among the most important. He sailed from Spain, in 1519, with five ships, and after passing the strait to which his name has been given, he made the first circumnavigation of the globe in 1124 days. One ship only returned to Spain, and it was drawn up and preserved as a monument of the first voyage roundthe world. Drake afterwards made this voyage in 1051 days, and the first navigator south of Terra del Fuego accomplished it in 749 days. It is said, a Scotch privateer, about the middle of last century, made it in 240 days.

Much of Magellan's success has been attributed to the greatest cosmographer of the times, Martin Behem. Pigafetta, who accompanied him, relates in his journal, that Magellan was in pos

session of a chart of Behem, in which a strait was laid down communicating with the Pacific Ocean. The sole honour, however, of this discovery, has been, we think, ably and successfully claimed by the friends of Magellan. A few years after this important discovery, we are told by Purchas, that Stephen Gomes, a Spaniard or Portuguese, who had sailed with Magellan, elevated with hopes of new straits, set out in search of a "northerly passage," but being unsuccessful, he filled his ship with slaves and returned. The French, at this time, also engaged in discoveries to America. Francis I. in 1524, sent out Juan Verazzani, who followed the coast from Florida to Labrador, and gave the name of New France to the country he discovered; he did not, however, make a settlement. From this period, to 1536, several attempts were made by French and English navigators to discover the "Straits of Anian." The latter, this year turned their discoveries to some account, by engaging in the fisheries, which the former had already found profitable. They began now to take a decided lead in discoveries to the north. Sir Hugh Willoughby, in 1553, with Richard Chancellor as pilot-major of the fleet, set out to make discoveries to the north-east. Having passed North Cape, the vessels were separated. Willoughby, it is supposed, discovered Nova Zembla, and not being able to land in consequence of the shoalness of the coast, sailed for Lapland, where he attempted to winter, and unfortunately perished, with seventy persons, the crews of two of his ships. Chancellor, more fortunate, discovered the White Sea, and, wintering at Archangel, paid a visit to the Czar at Moscow, from whom he obtained certain privileges to trade.

Twenty-three years afterwards, Frobisher was sent in search of a North-West Passage. After fifteen years perseverance, he was enabled to obtain two small vessels of twenty-five and thirty tons, and a pinnace of ten tons, with which he boldly encountered a dangerous icy sea. He entered a strait in lat. 63° to which he gave his own name, and which he thought separated America from Asia. This is now generally known by the name of Hudson's Strait, and is no doubt the same discovered by Cortereal, and supposed by him to be the "Straits of Anian." It is mentioned by Monsieur de la Mothe de Vayer, ("done out of French,") that Master Frobisher, in his second or third voyage, " met with a sand, glittering as if it were intermixed with Gold Oar; they loaded three hundred tons of it in their vessels." The third voyage was made in 1578, with fifteen ships, and one hundred and twenty settlers. This last voyage was undertaken by Queen Elizabeth, with a view of gaining possession of Meta-incognita, or Greenland. This, like the other voyages, was abortive, the expedition having returned without effecting any thing of importance. Sir Humphrey Gilbert and his brother, in 1578, obtained from Elizabeth "a patent for making discoveries." The company

was incorporated under the name of "The Colleagues of the Fellowship for the Discoveries of the North-West Passage." The expedition, consisting of five vessels, set out in 1583 for Newfoundland-they were unsuccessful, and on their return were lost.

In 1585, an English Company of adventurers fitted out two ships of fifty and thirty-five tons, the command of which was given to Captain Davis. The spirit of adventure obtaining a new impulse, the attempt to penetrate Hudson's Bay was abandoned, and a more northerly course adopted. Passing the south point of Greenland, he gave it the name of "Land of Desolation." Having proceeded as far north as 66° 40', or according to Purchas, 64° 15'; he discovered an island since known as Cumberland Island, to the south cape of which he gave the name of "Cape of God's Mercy." To the strait between this and Greenland he gave his own name. From this island he sailed west sixty leagues into the strait now known as Cumberland Strait; but meeting with "adverse winds and tides," he was compelled to return. In this voyage they saw many whales, but knew not the manner of taking them. The following year he sailed with four ships, but was unable to penetrate further than on the previous voyage. Still sustained with the hope of discoveries, the succeeding year he was again sent out for the third time by the same company, with three vessels. Sailing as before, up the west coast of Greenland, he advanced as far as 72° 12', where, to use his own words, he found "the sea all open, the passage most probable, the execution easy." His efforts were, however, ineffectual, and he returned again to England. Soon after this, in 1592, a Spanish expedition was fitted out under the command of Juan de Fuca. He imagined he had discovered a communication from the west coast of America with the Atlantic. It was intended to follow up Davis's discoveries, but these intentions were frustrated; according to the excellent author of the Pilgrimage, "The Spanish Fleete and the vntimely death of Master Secretary Walsingham (the Epitome and Summarie of Humane worthinesse) hindered the prosecution of these tended discoueries."

The fabulous voyage of Maldonado in 1588, in which it has been stated he passed through the "Straits of Anian," would not be noticed here, but that it has recently, in some parts of Europe, excited some attention. There can be no doubt of its being spurious. Following in chronological order, we find three attempts made by William Barentz, towards a north-east passage. These were undertaken by the Dutch. The first voyage, 1594, he sailed to Nova Zembla as high as 77° 25'. The next year he sailed again to Nova Zembla, but the weather being "Misty, Melancholie and Snowie," they were compelled to return. In 1596, on the third voyage, Cherie Island and Spitzbergen were discovered, and they sailed as far as 80° 11'. They then steered south and

VOL. III. NO. 6.