20 THE NORTHMEN. 



plains : " We may view this great polar sea as enclosed 

 within a circle whose diameter is 40, or two thousand 

 four hundred geographical miles, and circumference 

 seven thousand two hundred miles. On the Asiatic 

 side of this sea are Nova Zembla and the New Siberian 

 Islands, each extending to about the 76th degree of 

 latitude. On the European and American sides are 

 Spitzbergen, extending to about 80, and a part of Old 

 Greenland, whose northern extremity is yet unknown. 

 Facing America is the large island washed by Regent's 

 Inlet, Parry's or Melville's Islands, with some others, in 

 latitude 70 to 76, and beyond these nothing is known 

 of any other land or islands ; and if we may form an 

 opinion, by inspecting the general chart of the earth, it 

 would be that no islands exist which could in any shape 

 obstruct navigation." It is to these regions, and the 

 labors of which they have been the scene, that we have 

 for a short period to direct our attention. 



The history of Arctic explorations properly begins at 

 a period earlier by several centuries than is generally 

 believed. Careful researches promoted and carried on 

 of late years by the Society of Northern Antiquaries 

 of Copenhagen, and others interested in the subject, 

 have established the fact, that Newfoundland, Green- 

 land, and several parts of the American coast, were 

 visited by the Scandinavians the Northmen and Sea 

 Kings of old in the ninth and tenth centuries. While 

 Alfred was engaged in expelling the Danes from Eng- 

 land, and bestowing the rudiments of civilization on his 

 country, and Charles the Bald was defending his king- 

 dom against a host of competitors, the daring sea-rovers 

 were forming settlements in Iceland. 



One hundred and twenty-five years later, A. D. 1000, 

 Leif Erickson, as many antiquarians believe, led the 

 way to the westward; and landed on the shores ol Mas 



