In this case, there must be an end of all faith in history.
I once held, that the countries described by the Zenos had been swallowed
up by an earthquake; but, reflecting that so great a revolution in nature
must have left some historical vestiges, or traditions, I examined the
matter over again, and found that the countries described, bore a strong
resemblance to the Orkneys, Shetland, Faro, and Western Islands, &c. The
Zenos having represented Porland as composed of a cluster of small
islands, I suspected the other names might likewise refer to collective
groups. Thus Estland appeared to resemble in name the Shetland, Zetland,
or Hitland Islands; and on comparing the names of Tolas, Broas, Iscant,
Trans, Mimant, Dambre, and Bres, with those of Yell, Zeal or Teal,
Burray or Bura, of which name there are two places, West Bura, and East
Bura, and when taken collectively the Buras, Unst, Tronda, Main-land,
Hamer, which is the name of a place in the mainland of Orkney, and Brassa,
or Bressa, the resemblance seemed so obvious, that I no longer harboured
any doubt. The land of Sorani, which lay over against Scotland, naturally
suggested the Suderoe, or southern islands of the Norwegians, now called
the Western Islands or Hebrides. Ledovo and Ilofe, are the Lewis and
Islay. Sanestol, the cluster of islands named Schants-oer. Bondendon,
Pondon, or Pondon-towny in Sky. Frisland, is Faira or Fera, also called
Faras-land. Grisland seems Grims-ay, an island to the North of Iceland:
though I would prefer Enkhuysan to the eastwards of Iceland, but as that
was probably nothing more than an island of ice, we are compelled to assume
Grims-ay, Engroneland is obviously Greenland. Estoitland must have been
Winland, the Newfoundland of the moderns; and the Latin books may have
been carried there by bishop Eric of Greenland, who went to Winland in
1121. Drogio lay much farther south, and the people of Florida, when
first discovered, had cities and temples, and possessed gold and silver.
Icaria with its king Icarus, could be no other than Ireland[2] and
perhaps the name took its origin from Kerry; and as Icarus was chosen for
the name of its first king and lawgiver, his father must of course be
Dedalus who, in all probability, was some Scottish prince, having a name
of a similar sound. Neome I take to be Strom-oe, one of the Faro isles,
Porland probably meant the Far-oer, or Faro islands; as Far-oe, or Far-
land, is easily transmuted into Porland.
It is true that we find no such name as Zicumni among the princes of the
Orkneys. The race of the ancient earls of Orkney, descendants of Jarl
Einar-Torf, becoming extinct, Magnus Smak, king of Norway, nominated, about
1343, Erngisel Sunason Bot, a Swedish nobleman, to be Jarl or Earl of
Orkney. In 1357 Malic Conda, or Mallis Sperre, claimed the earldom.
Afterwards, in 1369, Henry Sinclair put in his claim, and was nominated
earl in 1370, by King Hakon.
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