The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-12-20
AmerIcn First Discovered by Boy

America First Discovered Dy BOY
Almost four hundred and fifty years
before Christopher Columbus was born
America was discovered by O Nor
wegian boy named Biorn, son of Her
golf. He was known by no other title,
for in those days sons did not share
the fathers name.
Tn the year 1902 Hergolf, all Ice.
land colonist fitted out two small vel
sells for trading voyage to the Green.
land settlement, and placed one OF
these under the command of his son
Biorn, a youth of sixteen years, who,
having been bred TO the sea almost
since infancy, had mastered the de.
tails of his profession by the time that
he arrived at an age when other boys
usually commence their apprentice
ship.
When near the southern coast OF
Greenland Biorn's ship encountered q
heavy northeasterly gale, which last
ed several days, and drove his vessel
far to the south and west. The storm
broke in the night, and when morn
ing dawned he discovered strange
land close aboard. Sailing along the
coast for sUne distance. he found a
large bay. into which he steered and
dropped anchor. Upon landing, the
country was seen to be clothed with
vegetation and the streams swarming
with fiue salmon. Trees of large
growth grew in great numbers just
back from the shore, and the climate
was balmy and delightful. Of natives
they saw nothing, and believed the
land uninhabited.
Rejoiced over has important discov-
cry, Biorn returned to Iceland, and
communicated the news to his friend
Lie, son of Eric the Red, who had
founded the colony OIL the coast Of
that island. The two ambitious young
men Immediately entered into an
agreement to share the expense of
equipping a suitable vessel, sailing to
this newly discovered land, and
bringing back whatever cargo promis-
ed to reimburse them for fitting out
the ship. =.
Their first sight of the new land
was not calculated to impress Lief
with a promise of it's fruitfulness, for
it was rocky, barren, and gloomy:
This gave rise to openly expressed
dissatisfaction on his part, but Biorn
assured him that farther south they
would meet with green fields and
woodlands. After the fashion of the
early navigators In naming geograph-
ical discoveries according to the fea-
lures first presented, this place they
called Helleland, and to the low, sandy
shore which they observed beyond it,
and which was covered in spots with
clumps of small trees, they gave the
name of Markland. Two days later
they fell in with new line Of coast,
and sailing along this for several hours,
Biorn made out the bay In which he
had anchored on his previous voyage.
Into this harbor they brought the ship
and moored her.
This Vinland of the early voyagers
is known as Newfoundland. After
making several short cruises to the
southwark and westward, and sailing
through the Gulf ..of Saint Lawrence
until the river Of that name was reach
ed, the ship returned to her first an
chorage, where the explorers passed
the winter.
In the account of this remarkable
voyage, made five centuries before
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
bade Godspeed to the Italian navi-
gator in the Spanish harbor of Palos,
1t is recorded by Biorn and Lief that
the length of the shortest day during
the winter of the year 1002-3 was
eight hours. This proves conclusively
that this Vinland of theirs was no
farther north than Newfoundland,
otherwise the length of the day would
have been shorter.-Harper's Young
People.