NOTES TO BOOK 111. 281

ships of war to sea, if it were not for the vast number of English sailors, principally deserters, whom they hired; but their fisheries will henceforth make up the necessary crews, although with some difficulty at first, to man a formidable fleet. What the late Judge Haliburton of Nova Scotia has said, in a small but valuable pamphlet, written by him, “ On the Importance of the Colonies,” and from which Mr de Roos, in his narrative, has quoted some paragraphs, to prove that the American navy is not likely ever to become formid- able, would also hold true, were it not for the advantages we have given them, by allowing them to fish on all our American coasts. There is no country that can more easily build a great fleet than the United States. The only difficulty with them would be to furnish sailors, and we have ourselves removed that difficulty.

NOTE D, page 252.

AMONG the Norwegian and Icelandic historical records, the dis- covery of a country, called by them Winland, on account of its abounding in grapes, is frequently mentioned ; and that, in 1221, Eric, Bishop of Greenland, went to Winland to reform his country- men, who had degenerated into savages ; that he never returned, and

that nothing more was heard of Winland for several centuries. It is very probable that the adventurous Norwegians discovered New-

foundland and Labrador; but that they made settlements in either, as they did in Greenland, is very doubtful. As to grapes abounding in Newfoundland, we may safely deny this. The vast quantities of Wild cranberries, lwhich are large, red, and juicy, might very naturally have been called grapes by the Norwegians, or Northmen.

Robertson is of opinion that Newfoundland was settled by the Norwegians; and Mr Pinkerton is very positive on the subject. The latter considers that the Red Indians are their descendants. He, however, in another place, concludes that the whole of the race were destroyed by the Esquimaux. I regret to find so respect- able a writer as Mr Pinkerton so frequently in error, and at times treatingin the manner of historical truths, what can only be regarded, in respect to the Indians, as mere conjectures. The Bmothics were, from the form of their implements, dress, and language, a distinct