The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-07-28
The First Discovery OF America.

Cis NlNuoids lO' 0uAgs
f}iarne was much blamed for his failur,
to explore the countries which he baC
seen. But he seems to have taken mat
tiers very cooliy and it was more profita
BILE TO carry on his trading voyages with
Norway, he made no use of his Observa
tions 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, family council having
settled the details, Left, the eldest son OF
Eric, the Red, In 1000, bought Biarne's
ship, and fitted her for the cruise Thir-
ty-fve men, among whom was Biarne,
composed the crew, and Left entreated
his father to take command. The old
Viking reluctantly consented; but, on
the way to the point of departure, his
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 prosperous
ly into the west.
Reversing he 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 in
land mountains was plain of fiat
stones. SO he called it Helluland, from
helId, fat stone. In like manner, when
he came to ihe next land, which was a
country covered with wood, he gave that
the name of Markland, or Woodland.
The name of that region is now Nova
Scotia. The young Viking kept on
with q northeast wind, and, in two days
and two nights, made land third time.
This was undoubtedly on the coast OF
New England precisely where, has
never been satisfactorily settled. Lett
first landed on an island, where he
waited for good weather. Then, coast
ing along the shore-line, he went up
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 row 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 a shiPwrecked crew,
%hich he kindly carried TO shore. This,
and his marvellous adventure 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 ne 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 coasteG 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 far
as New York bay, and there found can
other lake through which river flowed
to the sea-" OF which he spoke. The par
ty landed on many islands, and were en-
chanted with the groves of great trees,
the green grass, and the abundance of
growths which were 80 new
and strange to them.