The Lake County star., 1876-07-13
NUMBER II.
The First Discovery OF America.

L
Biarne was much blamed for hi
failure to explore the countries which ht
had seen. But he seems to have takeI
matters very coolly; and as it was more
profitable for him to carry on his trading
voyages with Norway, he made no use OF
his observations in the unknown
Western sea. The SONS of Earl Eric,
however, burned with desire to explore
the mysterious regions of which Biarne
and his crew had brought such vague
accounts.
Accordingly, a family council having
settled the details, Left, the eldest son OF
Eric the Red, in 1000, bought Barnes
ship, and fitted her for the cruise. Thirty
five men, among whom was Biarne, COM
posed the crew, and Left entreated his
father to take the command. The old
Viking reluctantly consented; but, on
horse stumbled and threw his rider. This
was bad omen to the superstitiOus
Eric, who declared that it was ordained
that he should discover no more new
countries. He therefore gave up the
command to Left, who sailed pros
perously into the West.
Reversing the order of Barnes voy-
age, Left first found the land which
Biarne had last seen. This region is
now known as Newfoundland. Left
went on shore. From the sea TO the
inland mountains was plain of fiat
stones. So he called it Helluland, from
hella, fat stone. In like manner, when
he came to the next Land, which was a
country covered with wood, he gave
that the name of Markland, or Wood.
Nova Scotia. The young Viking kept
on with northeast wind, and, in two
days and two nights, made land third
time. This was undoubtedly OH the coast
of New England; precisely where, has
never been satisfactorily settled. Left
first landed on an island, where he
waited for good weather. Then, coast
ing along the shore-line, he went up a
river that came through lake, says the
chronicle. Here they cast anchor and
made preparations to winter, for it was
now autumn.
1t is generally conceded that this was
the discovery by the Mortimer of the
coast of what is now Rhode Island, and
that Left built his booths, or houses.
somewhere on the shore of Mount Hope
Bay, or Narragansett Bay.
On his hOmeward voyage in the spring,
Left picked up shipwrecked crew,
which he kindly carried to shore. This,
and his marvellous adventures in the
New World, gave him the title of Left
the Fortunate. 1t was not long before
the news reached Europe. Vineland, as
Left called it, was known as Vinland
the Good. By this name one historian,
Adam of Bremen, heard of the land
when he visited Sweden in 1915.
Soon after this, Eric died, and Left,
now the head of the family, sailed the
seas no more. His brother, Thorvald,
took up the enterprise, and, in 1902, set
sail in Leifs ship for Vinland the Good.
He found the booths built by his brother
and took possession of them, and there
he spent the winter. In the following
spring, he cOasted far to the westward,
and we conclude. from the description
of the country which he saw, that he
passed through the whole length of
Long Island Sound. Possibly, he went
as tar as New York Bay, and there
found "another lake through which a
river flowed to the sea-" of which he
spoke. The party landed on many
islands, and were enchanted with the
groves of great trees, the green grass, and
the abundance of vegetable grOwths
which were so new and strange to them.