Heyerdahl, Ingstad and Columbus

[Bjorn-Are.Davidsen@s.prosjekt98.telenor.no]

Re: D-code

David: 

I guess this has been submitted several times already (the disadvantage 
of having someone like me receiving the Disney- Comics in digest format 
and not as individual messages), however to make sure Gladstone may 
get no excuse for delaying publication, I'll boldly venture forth and reveal 
that the D-code of "The Lost Charts of Columbus" is D94144.

Re: Heyerdahl, Ingstad - and Columbus

Don:

Its great to see you keep up your historical interests and planning more 
stories on Columbus! Looking forward to reading it, as it will provide more 
 excuses for unlurking.

Regarding Norwegians and publicity I have not seen any so far touching 
the Columbus story (there may be some though, as I'm not a frequent 
reader of weekly magazines nort the tabloids). However its true about the

> currently hot public debate between the elderly Thor Heyerdahl and
 > some other famous, elderly Norwegian historian/explorer (the guy who
 >discovered the Viking settlement in Newfoundland) about who actually
 > discovered America..

This has been in the large very non-tabloid  Norwegian newspaper 
Aftenposten, based on the Swedish chartographer Per Lilliestroms 
research of a Portugese map seemingly showing a 1477 exploration of 
Greenland and the Northeastern shores of Canada. 

Lots of interesting things to this theory of how the Portugese may have 
taken the last of the Norse poplulation as slaves and traded them to the 
Canary islands, where some  wood ornaments are supposed to be in the 
form of "Norse dragons".

Now, Heyerdahl has presented this theory in a preface to an new edition 
of one of his latest book. And the opponent is Helge Ingstad, an (believe 
it or not) even more incredible viking descendant than mr. Heyerdahl. 
While Heyerdahl is still in his youthfull 80's (born 1914) and going on 
writing books, excavating pyraminds and doing Indian tribal dances in 
Peru (having retired for a period from sea traveling on wooden rafts and 
such), Ingstad has become a mature man of 96 (born 1899) relaxing from 
a hard life by partcipating in court trials in favor of his daughter as well as 
news paper discussions. 

Both H. and I. have led lives which should provide material for lots of plots 
for you, Don and other artists. As H. may be well known (Fatu Hiva, Kon 
Tiki, Aku Aku, Ra, Tigris a.s.o.), I'll elaborate a bit on I.

Ingstad was originally a lawyer who left his lawbooks and took up life as a 
trapper in North Western Canada (around Great Bear Lake and such) in 
the 20's for several years, living among indians and raindeer (later writing 
several books and novels about this). Then he became leader of the 
Norwegian expedition who reconquered Greenland from the evil Danish 
in the early 30's before international law decided the land was to belong 
to the Danish after all (even if originally Norwegian until Denmark and 
Norway bacame an union in the 14th century). Then he was headman on 
Spitsbergen for several years (writing books on Greenland and 
Spitsbergen), before going to Arizona and Mexico to visit the Apaches. 
He led a smal expedition to discover "wild apaches" (those who had 
escaped from being taken as prisoners with Geronimo, and went on living 
in the Sierra Madre). I. found signs of some few pitifull and poor "wild" 
apaches still living there. After having written a book on this, he went on 
with archeological excavations in Greenland and Newfoundland and did 
the famous discovey of Norse settlements ( with his wife Anne Stine). After 
having written some more  books he seemed to have calmed down until 
he now joins battle with Heyerdahl (e.g. pointing out strange aspects with 
the Portugese maps and that few explorers would have dared those 
coasts in February - when the ice and cold are at its worst).

In many ways, I believe a certain Carl Barks would thoroughly enjoy 
chatting for days with mr. Ingstad - and with Heyerdahl. If you haven't read 
any of their books, I very much recommend it, as they represent values 
and a generation of "giants" there seem to be few possibilities of having 
in the internet 90's. And - of course - materials for stories!

Bjorn-Are 

bjorn-are.davidsen at s.prosjekt98.telenor.no

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