DISCOVERY



The Bards, therefore, were



retained by the chief



Fs of



ancient families as minstrels, who, by their songs, perpet-
uated to posterity the memory of their patrons.  Next
come the Senachies, another description of minstrels, who
recited, from memory, the genealogies of their chiefs and
other men of property. But these, too, were generally
destitute of learning, and, besides, no reliance could be
placed on men whose expectations and subsistence de-
pended on adulation.   If to this be added, as it often
must, that national partiality which usually perverted their
judgment, who would venture to affirm upon their testi-
mony either what is true or what is false, or seek for
certainty among such uncertain authorities. The Welsh,
then, have no other testimony except the fabulous rela-
tions of Bards and Senachies; and as such were ever
liable to delusion and error, their claim must ever be



pronounced as e



Welsh were net
in naval affairs,
was particularly
which they attei



Entirely destitute of support. Besides the
rer known as a people who were skilful
and even the age in which Madoc lived
ignorant in navigation, so that the most
npted, could not have been more than a



mere coasting voyage.
  The Norwegians claim their share of the glory, on
grounds rather better than the Welsh. By their settle-
m-ennts in Iceland and Greenland, they had arrived within
so small a distance of the new world, that there is- at
least a possibility of its having been touched at by a
people so versed in maritime affairs, and so adventurous as
the ancient Normans were. The proofs are much more
numerous than those produced by British historians, for
the discovery is mentioned in several Islandic manu-
scripts.
  The period was about the year 1002, when, according
to their own records, it was visited by one Biron; and
the discovery pursued to greater effect by Leif, the son of
Eric, the discoverer of Greenland. It does not appear that
they reached farther than Labrador; on which coast they
met with the Esquimaux, on whom they bestowed the



46



OF