That the Northmen left no monuments or architectural remains in New
England is true, notwithstanding Professor Rafn supposed that he found
in the celebrated Dighton rock[66] and the stone mill at Newport,
indubitable evidences of the Icelandic occupation. Any serious efforts
to identify the Dighton inscription and the Newport Mill with the age of
the Northmen can only serve to injure a good cause. If Professor Rafn
could have seen these memorials himself, he would doubtless have been
among the first to question the truth of the theory which he set forth.
In regard to the structure at Newport, Professor Rafn says that he is
inclined to believe "that it had a sacred destination, and that it
belonged to some monastery or Christian place of worship of one of the
chief parishes in Vinland. In Greenland," he says, "there are to be
found ruins of several round buildings in the vicinity of the churches.
One of this description, in diameter about twenty-six feet, is situated
at the distance of three hundred feet to the eastward of the great
church in Igalliko; another of forty-four feet in diameter, at the
distance of four hundred and forty feet to the eastward of the church in
Karkortok; ... a third, of thirty-two feet diameter amongst the ruins of
sixteen buildings at Kanitsok."[67] He supposes that all these ancient
remains of the Icelanders, which are to be seen in Greenland to-day, are
baptisteries, similar to those of Italy.
According to this view, there must have been a considerable
ecclesiastical establishment in Vinland, which is not clearly indicated
by the Sagas, from which we learn no more than the simple fact that
Bishop Eric sailed on a voyage to this place in the year 1121. But is it
probable that the Northmen would have erected a baptistery like this,
and, at the same time, left no other monument? It seems hardly
reasonable. Besides, whoever examines this ancient structure must be
impressed by its modern aspect, so especially apparent in the
preservation of the mortar, which does not bear the marks of seven
centuries. The displacement of a portion of the masonry might perhaps
reveal some peculiarity that would effectually settle the question of
its antiquity to the satisfaction of all.[68]
In treating this subject we shall run into needless errors and
difficulties, if we attempt the task of discovering monuments of the
Northmen in New England. In Greenland these evidences of their
occupation are abundant, because they were regularly established on the
ground for generations, and formed their public and private edifices of
the only material at hand, which was well nigh imperishable. But their
visits to New England were comparatively few, and were scattered over
many years. Owing to the weakness of their numbers, they found
permanent colonies impracticable. Thorfinn Karlsefne deliberately gave
up the attempt at the end of a three years experiment, saying that it
would be impossible to maintain themselves against the more numerous
bands of natives. Their habitations were temporary. The various
companies that came into Vinland, instead of building new houses, took
possession of Leif's booths, and simply added others like them when they
afforded insufficient quarters. To ask for monuments of the Northmen is
therefore unreasonable, since their wooden huts and timber crosses must
soon have disappeared. The only memorial we have a right to expect is
some trifling relic, a coin or amulet, perhaps, that chance may yet
throw in the antiquarian's way.[69] In the meanwhile among scholars the
Icelandic narratives are steadily winning their way to unquestioned
belief. This is all the more gratifying in an age like the present, in
which large portions of history are being dismissed to the realms of
hoary fable, and all the annals of the past are being studied in a
critical spirit, with true aims and a pure zeal.