[From an Icelandic MS. (fourteenth century)] 



CHAPTER IX 



[continued] 



WINELAND THE GOOD, THE FORTUNATE ISLES, 

 AND THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 



ACONFIRIVIATION of the identity of Wineland and the 

 Insulas Fortunatae, which in classical legend lay to the 

 west of Africa, occurs in the Icelandic geography (in MSS. of the 

 fourteenth and fifteenth centuries), which may partly be the 

 work of Abbot Nikulas of Thvera (ob. 1159) (although perhaps 

 not the part here quoted), where we read: 



"South of Greenland is 'Helluland,' next to it is * Markland,* and then it 

 is not far to ' Vinland hit G6(5a,' which some think to be connected with Africa 

 (and if this be so, then the outer ocean [i.e., the ocean surrounding the disk of 

 the earth] must fall in between Vinland and Markland)." ^ 



This idea of the connection with Africa seems to have been 

 general in Iceland ; it may appear surprising, but, as will be seen, 

 it finds its natural explanation in the manner here stated. It also 

 appears in Norway. Besides a reference in the " King's Mirror," 

 the following passage in the " Historia Norvegiae," relating to 

 Greenland is of particular importance : 



" This country was discovered and settled by the Telensians [i.e., the Ice- 

 landers] and strengthened with the Catholic faith; it forms the end of Europe 

 towards the west, nearly touches the African Islands [' Africanas insulas'] 

 where the returning ocean overflows" (i.e., falls in). 



1 Cf. Gronl. hist. Mind., iii. pp. 216, 220; G. Storm, i? 

 part (in parenthesis) does not occur in the oldest MS. 



p. 12. The latter 



