DECLINE OF GREENLAND SETTLEMENTS 



The description of Bjom Einarsson's voyage is full of 

 extravagances and anything but trustworthy; but his stay 

 in Greenland with the four ships is certainly historical; and 

 the description of the two young Eskimo has many features 

 so t5^ical of the Eskimo — such as the girl's fondness for 

 children, her making a hood of whale's guts, and their 

 superior skill in sealing — that they show without doubt that 

 at that time there was intercourse with the Eskimo in the 

 Eastern Settlement. 



From an existing royal document of 1389 it appears that, 

 when Bjom and his companions came from Iceland to 

 Bergen in 1388, they were prosecuted for illegal trading with 

 Greenland, which was a royal monopoly; but they were 

 acquitted, since they had been driven there in great distress 

 and were obliged to trade in order to obtain food [Gronl. 

 hist. Mind., iii. pp. 139 f.]. 



A document to which much weight has been attached is 

 a papal letter which has been preserved, from Nicholas V. in 

 1448 to the two bishops of Iceland. It is there said of 

 Greenland, among other things [Gronl. hist. Mind., iii. 

 p. 170]: 



"From the neighboring coasts of the heathens the barbarians came thirty 

 years ago with a fleet, attacked the people Hving there [in Greenland] with a 

 cruel assault, and so destroyed the land of their fathers and the sacred edifices 

 with fire and sword that only nine parish churches were left in the whole island 

 [Greenland], and these are said to be the most remote, which they could not 

 reach on account of the steep mountains. They carried the miserable inhabi- 

 tants of both sexes as prisoners to their own country, especially those whom 

 they regarded as strong and capable of bearing constant burdens of slavery, 

 as was fitting for their tyranny. But since, as the same complaint adds.i in 

 the course of time most of them have returned from the said imprisonment to 

 their own homes, and have here and there repaired the ruins of their dwellings, 

 they long to establish and extend divine service again, as far as possible. . . ." 

 Then follows a lengthy discourse on their religious needs, and what might be 

 done to relieve them, without costing the rich Papacy anything. 



As the barbarians here must undoubtedly mean the 



1 A complaint previously sent to the Pope, which, however, was false, as 

 will be shown later. 



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