44 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ing Helluland, Markland, and Vinland, which proved to agree almost 

 with the maps of the Northern Atlantic by the Icelander Sigurd Stepha- 

 nius (1570), and by Gudbrandius Torlacius (1606), except that I made 

 Genunga Gap run between Markland and Vinland, in accordance with 

 one of the authorities quoted by him. 



It is clear that what is now called Greenland was assumed to be an 

 extension of the north of Europe, and that " Greenland " embraced all 

 the country north of the Strait of Belleisle. Davis Strait was looked 

 upon as an inlet running into Greenland, but not as a strait sepai'ating 

 Greenland from the land to the westward. The land north of Hudson 

 Strait was called Furderstrands, and was so cold as not to be habitable. 

 All the country south of Hudson Strait was called Helluland, as well as 

 Skraellingsland (our Labrador), and it was divided into Great Hellu- 

 land to the north, and Little Helluland or Markland to the south. In 

 one account, however, Little Helluland is omitted and Labrador divided 

 into Helluland and Markland, the latter being to the south. The 

 Westbygda of Greenland, so often referred to, was on the east side of 

 Davis Strait, and was the site of the cathedral. Assuming such to be 

 the case, the accounts quoted by Rafn will at once become intelligible 

 and consistent, though totally at variance with his theory, which 

 identifies Great Helluland with Labrador, Little Helluland with New- 

 foundland, and Markland with Nova Scotia. 



Rafn quotes the following notice of Vinland from a fragment of 

 the "Vellum Codex," No. 192, supposed to have been written about 

 the end of the fourteenth century : " From Bjarmeland [in Europe] 

 extends uninhabited land toward the north, until Greenland begins ; 

 south of Greenland is Helluland ; next lies Markland ; thence it is not 

 far to Vinland the Good, which some think goes out of Africa ; and 

 if so, the sea must run between Vinland and Markland." 



This, I contend, points to Newfoundland, which extends toward 

 Africa, and is separated from Markland (Labrador) by the Strait of 

 Belleisle. He adds, "All these countries are in that part of the world 

 called Europe," an idea that prevailed even after the discovery of 

 America by Columbus. 



With this account agrees one of a very early date : * " Now is to 

 be told what lies opposite Greenland, out from the bay which has been 

 before named. The land is called Furderstrands. There are so strong 

 frosts there that it is not habitable, so far as one knows. South from 

 that is Helluland, which is called Skraellingsland ; from thence it is 

 not far to Vinland the Good, which some think goes out from Africa." 



Hence it is clear that the Northmen placed the land of the Eskimos 

 between a northerly uninhabitable region and the more southern Vin- 

 land. 



The same description says, "Between Vinland and Greenland is 

 Genunga Gap, which flows from the sea called Mare Oceanum, and 



* " Gripla. Antiq. Am.," p. 2S0. 



