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whence they came into America , and at what 
time. Perhaps it may be equally hard to dif- 
prove or to prove that they were originally- 
placed here by the fame creator who made the 
world, as foon as this part of it became ha- 
bitable, for it is reafonable to fuppole the 
almighty power provided for the peopling 
of this, as well as of the other fide of tire 
globe, by a heritable ftock of the human 
lpecies. 
However if we are to account for their 
palling from what is called the old world, 
there are many relations of voyages hither 
from the North of Europe, previous to that of 
Columbus , which though dark and uncertain, 
are neither evidently fabulous, nor even im- 
probable from either the length or difficulties 
of the way. That the Norwegians , the poi- 
feffiors of Iceland, for many ages paft had 
colonies in Greenland, is a fail too well 
attefted to admit a doubt, from Greenland 
the ffiort palfage crofs Dam’s Str eights brings 
us into the continent of America. If thcle 
colonies be put out of the queftion, it is fcarce 
poffible to think, that of the numerous fleets 
with which the Danes and Norwegians ter- 
rified continually the reft of Europe , none 
tempted by the hopes of grin, or drove by llrcf s 
of weather, fhould ever fall in with the coalls 
of Newfoundland or Gulf b of Si. Lawrence. 
If it be objected that the navigators of thole 
J tiittes 
JL a 
