Upon
This, Zichmni Commanded Signs Of Peace To Be Made, And The Islanders Sent
Ten Men To Us Who Could Speak Ten Different Languages; But We Could
Understand None Of These, Excepting One Man Who Happened To Be An
Icelander.
This man was brought to our prince, and gave the following
account of the country; and people.
The land was called Icarta, and all its kings were named Icarus, after
the name, of its first king, who was the son of Daedalus king of
Scotland. This Daedalus had discovered and conquered the island, and
after instituting the body of laws by which they are still governed, had
left them his son to be their king. After this, Daedalus[1] sailed in
quest of farther discoveries, but was overtaken by a violent storm and
drowned. In memory of which, they named their island Icaria, the sea
surrounding it the Icarian sea, and all their successive kings Icarus.
He stated, moreover, that they were perfectly contented with the state in
which they had been placed by Providence, and not choosing to make the
smallest change in their manners and customs, would admit no strangers into
their land; and therefore requested the prince not to attempt violating the
laws of their king, of glorious memory, as any such attempt would turn to
his manifest destruction, since they were resolved to sacrifice their lives
in defence of their laws. They were willing, however, to receive one of
our men, who should be advanced to the rank of a chief, on purpose to learn
our language; having already received ten different men with that view
from ten different nations.
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