EXTRACT FROM THE PREFACE. 



Among the various, valuable, and important publications of the Royal 

 Danish Society of Northern Antiquaries, that which has created the greatest 

 general interest in the literary world, is the able and elaborate work of 

 Professor Rani, which came out in Copenhagen in the year 1837, under the 

 title of " Antiquitates Americans sive Scriptores Septentrionales rerum Ante- 

 Columbianarum in America." 



This interesting publication, the fruit of great literary labour, and 

 extensive research, clearly shews that the eastern coast of North America 

 was discovered and colonized by the Northmen more than Jive hundred years 

 before the reputed discovery of Columbus. 



These facts rest upon the authority of antient Icelandic MSS. preserved 

 in the Royal and University Library of Copenhagen, and now, for the first 

 time, translated and made public. Fac-similes of the most important of these 

 documents are given in Professor Rafn's work, together with maps and 

 delineations of antient monuments illustrative of the subject; a Danish and 

 Latin translation follows the Icelandic text, and the whole is accompanied by 

 introductory observations, philological and historical remarks, as well as 

 archaeological and geographical disquisitions of high interest and value. 



The design of the writer of the following pages is to put before the 

 public, in a cheap and compendious form, those parts of Professor Rafn's 

 work, which he considered were likely to prove most interesting to British 

 readers, the greater part of whom, from the expense and language of the 

 original publication, must necessarily be debarred from its perusal. The 

 translations of the Sagas or Narratives are made substantially from the 

 Danish version, of the correctness of which, coming from the pen of the 

 learned Editor, there could be no doubt; but, in many cases, where the 

 style of this version appeared to the translator to depart from the quaint 

 and simple phraseology of the original, the Icelandic text has been specially 

 referred to, and an effort has been made throughout, to give to the English 

 translation, the homely and unpretending character of the Icelandic Saga. 

 In all cases where it was thought possible that doubts might arise, or where 

 it was considered important to impress some particular fact or statement 

 upon the mind of the reader, the original Icelandic word or expression is 

 given-, and free use has been made of the copious and lucid notes and 

 commentaries of the learned Editor, to explain or illustrate the various 

 etymological, historical, and geographical points which call for observation : 

 As an appropriate introduction to the whole, is prefixed a sketch of the rise, 

 eminence, and decline of Icelandic historical literature, from the Danish of 

 Dr. P. E. Midler, Bishop of Zeeland. 



This publication forms an indispensable introduction to the celebrated 

 work of Dr. Robertson, who appears to have been totally unacquainted 

 with the early discoveries of the Northmen. 



