THE UNIVERSE. OCEANIC DISCOVERIES. 235 



fact, that after they had settled themselves so far south as 

 41 J N. latitude, they prosecuted their researches to the 

 latitude of 72 55' on the east coast of Baffin's Bay; where, on 

 one of the "Women's Islands, ( 367 ) north-west of the present 

 most northern Danish settlement of Upernavik, they set up 

 three stone pillars marking the limit of their discoveries. 

 The Runic inscription on the stone discovered there in the 

 autumn of 1824, contains, according to Hask and Mnn 

 Magnusen/ the date 1135. Prom this eastern coast of 

 Baffin's Bay the colonists very regularly visited Lancaster 

 Sound, and a part of Barrow's Strait, for purposes of 

 fishing, more than six centuries before the adventurous 

 voyage of Parry. The locality of the fishery is very dis- 

 tinctly described, and priests from Greenland from the 

 bishopric of Gardar conducted the first voyage of discovery 

 (1266). This north-westernmost summer station is called 

 the Rroksfjardar-Heide. Mention is made of the drift- 

 wood (doubtless from Siberia) which was collected there, 

 and of the abundance of whales, seals, walruses, and sea- 

 bears. ( 368 ) 



Our accounts of the communications of the extreme 

 north of Europe, and of Iceland and Greenland, with the 

 American Continent properly so called, only extend to the 

 middle of the 14th century. In 1347, a ship was sent from 

 Greenland to Markland (Nova Scotia), to bring building 

 timber and other necessary articles. In returning from 

 Markland the ship was driven by tempests and forced to 

 take refuge in Straumfiord, in the West of Iceland. This 

 is the latest notice having reference to America, preserved 

 to us in ancient Scandinavian writings, ( 369 ) 



I have hitherto kept strictly on historic ground. By the 

 VOL. ir. B 



