Within some of the first Chinese written a few millenia in the past, there are accounts of the first records for birds in North America. The details are intriguing to convey a history.
The "Shan Hai King," or "Classic of Mountains and Seas" was compiled in 2250 B.C. by Yu, a minister public works for Emperor Shun (Mertz 1972). Chinese scholars currently suggest the accounts were prepared by different people over a period of time from ca. 500 B.C. to 200 B.C. and into the new millenium.
There were originally 32 books - with 18 still extant - with the eye-witness account of travels to beyond the Great Eastern Sea, with information some of the world's oldest geography.
Studied from modern interpretations, the fourth book narrative starts at two prominent peaks in what would eventually be known as North America ... "Suh-Chu Mountain" and "Kan-Mei Mountain." The locality correlates to the Big Horn Range, and Sweetwater River, near Casper, Wyoming (Mertz 1972: 114).
Li after li (a measure of distance), the Chinese men sent by Yu traversed the rocky, mountain region. At Keuch-wang Mountain: "Birds are also found there which look like domestic fowls, but which have hair like a rat. These are called Tsz' rats. When they are seen, the country is subject to great drought."
The suggestion is the winged birds were bats (Mertz 1972). The modern locality corresponded to Long's Peak, Colorado.
The second section of the Shan Hai King starts in the northern plains of Lake Winnipegosis in west-central Manitoba. When 600 li (=200 miles) to the south, there was Ts'ao-chi Mountain. "There are many birds and wild animals." The locale correlates with the Moose Mountain Provincial Park, in southeast Saskatchewan, the author wrote.
Southward a relatively short distance, ancient carvings on a boulder, could, based on anthropomorphic evidence, be attributable to the Chinese travelers. A winged effigy similar to the thunderbird is depicted.
The stone with an effigy is now presented at the Writing Rock state park in northern North Dakota.
Many days further south, the narrative describes a treeless area with much sand.
"The Sand River is found here, a stream flowing southerly into the Ch'an River. In this there are many Li pelicans; these look like ducks, but have men's legs. They derive their name from their cry. When these are seen, the country will see great literary achievements."
Potential species include a crane, heron or egret, it being something with long, bare legs. The editor mentions the Whooping Crane. The locale is attributed to the area of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado.
After moving along a distance, into central Mexico, notes for "Hu Marsh" say there were "birds which look like ducks, but they have rat's tails, and can climb trees. They are called Chie-Keu. When these are seen, the country will have much sickness."
These would be unidentified birds.
Based on the distance and area features, a locality near Triangulo Peak, northeast of Mazatlan was designated.
The fourth section of the book starts at the "North Sea" near "Hao Mountain."
"There are birds here which look like domestic fowls, but have white heads, rat's legs, and tiger claws. They are called Kewi birds, and they eat men."
These rescribed words established the presence of the Bald Eagle at the Strait of Juan de Fuca, near the dominating Mount Rainier.
The species would be the first readily identifiable from a historic narrative for North America.
At a later time on the route, at "Yu-Ju Marsh," there were some waterbirds.
"In this there are many Hwah fish. These look like fish, but have bird's wings. They go out and in. They are bright. Their voices sound like those of the Yuen-Yang. When these are seen, then heaven sends down a great drought."
The locality is designated as Mahogany Peak, Nevada, and refers to the region as being extensively used by waterfowl as a feeding ground, mentioning ducks and waterfowl in particular (Mertz 1972).
Additional species might be considered, including the cormorant.
In the ninth book, the narrative for regions beyond the sea is given in a generally more vague manner. This and the ninth book are suggested as being located about the Grand Canyon - noted as the "Great Canyon" - and elsewhere, maybe within a hundred li, in southern Arizona.
In Black-hip Country, a section states: "They eat gulls. They use two birds, carrying them in their arms." A paragraph for this place, in the 14th book, mentions they "have numerous varieties of birds."
The explorers continued onward to the "Hairy People's Country." Other local tribes were visited, including the "K'eu-wang" of one in the Eastern Regions. A man "has a bird's body, a human face and he rides upon two dragons."
It certainly described a prominent shaman.
The 14th book, a classic refers an expanse called the "Great Eastern Waste" of the same geographic region.
At Ta-o Mountain (Mountain of the Great Ridge): "They eat millet and wild beasts, and have numerous varieties of birds." The same comment was given for a place called the "White People's Country" where they "have numerous varieties of birds, ..."
A legend of birds notes that at the country of the "Kw'un People" are those who "eat birds. Some say that King Hai held a bird in his two hands, and when he had eaten its head, Kaing Hai sent it to Yiu-i ... because he ate the wild beasts, he was called a Yao man."
Bird use of a particular habitat was noted for the "Great Waste." On a "mountain called Yeh-Yao-Kiun-Ti" was a plant called the "Fu-tree" that grew above the "Warm Springs Valley." The narrative said: "They all contain a bird." Other notes mention: "They have birds variegated with all colors. Ti-tsun condescended to be their friend. Ti descended two high terraces (for worship) which were ruled by the variegated birds."
Sahuaro cactus was the reknowned Fu-tree, that contained birds, referring to woodpecker which would excavate cavities, and then the subsequent Elf Owl, Mertz annotates in his book. The Warm Springs Valley was correlated to Castle Hot Springs, north of Phoenix, Arizona.
"Variegated" birds were also noted for Tai Mountain, another locale in the Great Waste.
The ancient setting would certainly have an abundant variety of colorful birds, including parrots notably, and a plethora of other songbirds. There was probably the call of the native Quail.
Story of Fu-Sang
Buddists monks from Kabul left for the far country east of China. The chronicle presents details of explorations between A.D. 458-499, when the party returned to China. The land they had seen was called Fu-Sang, stretching from southern California to Guatemala.
The Buddist "Pik'iu" from "K-pin" brought along religious books and images to present during their missionary work. The consideration of their script provides a thorough analysis of details, discussing effigies, lore, language and even comparing similarities in words and the calendar (Mertz 1972). There are archeological findings which add details to placing the route of the priests.
The few notes start with a most interesting tale.
"At a great distance to the west of the Kingdom of Women, is a fountain that has the taste of wine. In this region, there is also found a Sea of Varnish of which the waves dye black the feathers and furs that are dipped in them, and not too far, another sea the color of milk. The territory surrounded by these natural marvels is of great extent and extremely fertile. Dogs, ducks, and horses of great height live in it, and finally, birds, which produce human beings. The males born of these birds do not live. The daughters only are raised with care by their fathers, who carry them with their beaks or upon their wings."
The Kingdom of Women was mapped to the Mogollon Mesa in east-central Arizona. It was the territory of the Hopi Indians. The Sea of Varnish is said to be the La Brea Tar Pits near Los Angeles, Mertz explains. In the relative region the Salton Sea, Soda Lake or Borax Lake had saline features similar to those given for the sea the color of milk.
Portions of the quoted passage likely refer to the shamanistic spirits expressed by tribes in the region. Wildly decorated masks were common features of ceremonies among Indians of the west.
A great plumed serpent, a mystical god is prominent when presented in the final words regarding birds.
Quetzalcoatl was beneficial to the people, according to the historic lore of the Aztec on the Mexican plain. The Mayan people on Yucatan, called the figure "Kukulcan," and he was a "just statesman." Further details describe the coming of "bearded white men," which after a time, returned to Mexico and then left for another western land.
In the first annals of the Spanish padres, from a bit after A.D. 1500, local knowledge is given for a legendary, bearded man that taught Mexicans about agriculture, measuring time, astrology, locating mines, and theology, historians explain. The list included "making mosaics of feathers of birds."
Using plumage in ceremonies is a consistent theme for Amerindians. Getting the colorful feathers would be an easy task for hunters in the great forests of central tropics, vibrant with macaws, parrots, hummingbirds and other bird varieties of many sorts.
A Viking Era
Norse sailors and ship passengers were continuing westward expansions when they set sail a millennia ago across the mighty north Atlantic Sea. Home ports were in Norway and Iceland, where returned voyagers described a variety of sea lands in stories shared about the latest exploration. Some of the Viking stories became written legends.
Historians of the era refer to the Groenlendinga Saga. Eiriks Saga with fourteen sections of narrative rich with original lore and legacy. There are tantalizing few words about wild birds.
Eirik the Red
Eirik sailed west from Norway in A.D. 982, going to the west coast of what came to be known as Greenland. Their settlement was at Eiriksjford, northwest of Cape Farewell, the southern tip of the great broken land. A "multitude of fowl" were among the abundant game of the fiords.
After a stay of three years, Eirik returned to Norway, but sailed again from Iceland in A.D. 986 with a fleet of 25 ships and an estimated 300 people, livestock and equipment going to Greenland.
An 986 voyage for Bjarni Bardarson was a turned-about way to his father's farm on the southern tip of Groenlendinga. His route reached the northeast coast of America, continued back northward on the eastern shores of Canada and across the strait to his intended destination.
There were subsequent journeys from Greenland to the western regions, which included voyages south along the coast of America.
In 1003 Leif Ericcson (also spelled Eiriksson) and 35 hearty men left home to search for a land of hills and forest, or the flat land covered with forest described during Bardarson's voyage.
Leif sailed cross the strait, landing at Helluland (Flatstone Land or Flat Rock Land), southward in coastal waters, past Markland (Forestland), and on to what became known as the land of Vin. They built a camp within a sound, between the island and a cape.
The camp established in August - called "Leif's Booths" - was near a river on the peninsula adjacent to the cape (Pohl 1972: 32). The men stayed until the following spring. Then further explorations meant battles with the local tribesmen.
The Viking settlement at Winland is recognized as being at L'Anse aux Meadows, on the northern tip of Newfoundland. There were several structures - including at least eight houses with turf walls, boat-sheds and a kiln - on a terrace at the head of Epaves Bay.
The "Saga of Leif's Voyage of Discovery" relates in brief accounts prominent items as the travelers in at least two boats, sailed west and etched a new settlement into a foreign wilderness, scattered with groups of native peoples known as Eskimos.
Eiriksson returned to Greenland the next sailing season.
Karlsefni Voyages
The wealthy Icelandic merchant Thorfinn Karlsefni (also spelled Karlsefne) came to Vinland, using Leif's home for a winter, before also returning to Greenland.
New explorations ensued in 1010, after a winter of marriage and merriment at Brattahlid, inland at the fjord's also near Gardar, northwest from the southern Cape (Cape Farewell). Kerlsefni and a party of 160 people and gear sailed in search of Leif's socalled vin land. Vins likely meant meadow lands suitable as stock pasture.
The small sea=worthy vessels left a home's harbor and navigated northwest to Disco Island off the west coast of Greenland, across to Helluland, onward to Markland and southward in coastal waters. Several of the following summers were spent exploring miles after miles of coastal lands and river deltas of North America.
As the party sailed onward, past innumerable coves, one notable early-summer day they reached a prominent bay at the southern portion of their new world trip. The island they reached was called Straumsey, in the fjord call Straumsfjord. The translated account says:
"They sailed into a frith; there lay an island before it, round which there were strong currents, therefore called they it Stream island. There were so many eider ducks on the island that one could scarcely walk in consequence of the eggs. They called the place Stream-frith. They took their cargo from the ship, and prepared to remain there. They had with them all sorts of cattle. The country there was very beautiful."
The word for this bird in Icelandic is Aefur. The identity of the species as the Common Eider was closely considered (Goodwin 1941: 389-383). Another interpretation says the journey chronology would not allow for eggs, being late in the season when young would have been expected (Ingstad 2001: 86.)
The group remained until winter's end. Subsequent travels meant a continuation to Hop, the southern extent of the voyage on the Atlantic coast.
The only mention of fauna is reference to a "great number of all kinds of wild beasts in the woods." There were battles with the local inhabitants, called Skraelings (Eskimos) in the narrative.
With these troubles, the explorers left for elsewhere, northward up the sea coast.
One historian extends the mention of dung to meaning it was "very likely a sea gulls' nesting area" (Pohl 1972: 118). The saga refers to "animals wintering there" as the source of the deposit (Pohl 1972: 202).
The winter was spent at Vinland, with some exploring about Stream Fjord. Merchant Karlsefni returned to Greenland in 1014, ending his journeys back at a home port at Iceland.
Norsemen Localities
Historians interpret in their distinct ways the settings and places given in the words and phrases of the Viking sagas. Two notable still have a vague, accuracy lacking designation a millenium after the visit.
The first written mention of Vinland - the land of meadows - was about 1075 in a German document (Ingstad 2001: 103). Two maps dating to 1600 indicate the location of Vinland. One is from about 1590 by an Icelander denotes the Promontorium Winlandiae.
The Winlandiae setting used by the Vikings has been recreated and is featured at a Canadian national park.
The other of Danish origin in 1605 shows the three prominent lands of the Norsemen, including Helluland and Markland and adding "promonotory of Vinland the Good," (Ingstad 2001: 117).
Stream Island at Streamfiord, according to historic interpretations of geographic details provided in the saga, in modern geography is Gerrish Island in Portsmouth Bay of southeast New Hampshire (Goodwin 1941). This site is more probable as the modern locality, rather than the explanation of a different historian, explaining that Straumsey island - at Stream Fjord - was in the bay at the mouth of the Hudson River (Pohl 1972: 87). Governor's Island would be the modern placename.
Hop is attributed as being in the vicinity of Plymouth, Massachusetts (Goodwin 1941: 114). The other suggested locale is the distance a viking ship could reach up the James River, from the southerly extent of Chesapeake Bay (Pohl 1972).
This locale is also suggested as comparing favorably to the Strait of Belle Isle and Belle Isle.
Other potential placenames have been proffered within the expansive view of modern information sources.
Land of Penguin
After a few decades of time lapsed, an European seaman eventually noted one of the most studied of extinct bird species.
An 1170 reference to this species is based on the ballad of Madoc the sonne of Owne Guyneth, prince of North-wales. His saga refers to the land of Pengwyn in 1170.
The great penguin refers to the flightless Great Auk. During the navigator's era, this species nested at the Isle of Oyseaux, or Bird Island, also referred to again by later miscreants as Penguin Island. The species was a commodity for men of the sea.
Frieze at a German Church
Norsemen continue to sail the northern Atlantic, accounts of voyages spread among the European ports. Commerce and trade were important business, an economy that included providing edible game to people.
Transport - physically or figuratively - of a common North American species, led to its depiction in a church frieze in a cathedral in the city of Schleswig, Germany. There are eight representations of the familiar Wild Turkey. The date of the frieze is not later than A.D. 1280, according to historians.
It would be about two hundred years until the next explorer's narratives would mention wild birds, this time at the southern isles of North America.
References
Chinese
Henriette Mertz. 1972. Pale Ink. Two Ancient Records of Chinese Exploration in Ameria.
Vikings
Helge Ingstad. 2001. The Viking Discovery of America: The Excavation of a Norse Settlement in L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland.
William B. Goodwin. 1941. The Truth About Leif Ericsson and the Greenland Voyages.
Frederick J. Pohl. 1972. The Viking Settlements of North America.
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