IN NORTHERN MISTS 



was connected with that of the pilot or navigator, in the 

 same way as, for instance, the name of WilUam Barentz 

 was associated with the voyages in which he took part, 

 instead of those of Hemkerck and the other leaders. There 

 seem thus to be sufficiently good historical documents in 

 support of at least one expedition having reached Greenland 

 in the latter part of the fifteenth century, possibly sent out 

 by Christiern I. in 1476, and perhaps there were more. 

 Possibly it was rumors of this new communication with 

 Greenland that awoke a desire in the monk Mathias to go 

 there as bishop. 



But then we hear no more of it. For a while longer 

 bishops continued to be appointed to Greenland, a land which 

 was no longer known to anyone, and to these bishops least of 

 all. Thus ends the history of the old Greenland settlements. 

 Notices of them become rarer and rarer, with long inter- 

 missions, until after this time they cease altogether, and we 

 know no more of the fate of the old Norsemen there. 



" The standing-stone on the mound bears no mark, 

 and Saga has forgotten what she knew." 



134 



