THE DISCOVERER OF THE NORTH CAPE
King Alfred's Orosius. Orosius, a Spaniard of the fifth century A.D., wrote at the request of the church a history of the world down to 414 A.D. King Alfred (849-901) translated this work and added at least one important story, that of the voyages of Ohthere and Wulfstan. The part of the story used by Longfellow may be found in Cook and Tinkers's Translations from Old English Prose, in Bosworth's, and in Sweet's editions.
2. Helgoland: an island in the North Sea, belonging to Prussia.
42. Hebrides: islands west of Scotland.
90. a nameless sea. They sailed along the coast of Lapland and into the White Sea.
96-100. Alfred reports simply, "He says he was one of a party of six who killed sixty of these in two days."
116. The original says: "He made this voyage, in addition to his purpose of seeing the country, chiefly for walruses, for they have very good bone in their teeth—they brought some of these teeth to the king—and their hides are very good for ship-ropes."
SANDALPHON
Sandalphon: one of the oldest angel figures in the Jewish system. In the second century a Jewish writing described him as follows: "He is an angel who stands on the earth;.. he is taller than his fellows by the length of a journey of 500 years; he binds crowns for his Creator." These crowns are symbols of praise, and with them he brings before the Deity the prayers of men. See the Jewish Encyclopaedia for further particulars.
1. Talmud: the work which embodies the Jewish law of church and state. It consists of texts, and many commentaries and illustrations.