The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1894-04-25
CHILDREN'S COLUMN,
A BOY DIsCOvERER.

scientists. People from Asia, crossing
Behring Straits, emigrants from un-
lucky Atlantis either may have found
IA pleasant home in our land in prehis.
toric times.
Be that as it may, one fact has been
clearly provod-the great continent of
America was discovered by q boy of
10, nearly 450 years before Columbus
was born.
Traditions of the Northmen tell
that, about the year 1000 Hergolf, an
Iceland trader, fitted out two vessels
for a voyage to Greenland. He gave
the command II one of these vessels
to Biorn, his son, who, although only
10 years Of age, vas boi5, -..ciB..
sailor. A violent tempest arose when
they were quite near their destination,
and the young commanders ship was
driven southwest before a furious
northeast gale.
His men, superstitous and cruel, re-
PEELED at his authority, but the boy
was cool and undaunted, end managed
his rude vessel az best he could. The
storm lasted sveral days, driving them
furiousiy on. thon cleared in the
night. Lo, the morning sun revealed
strange land to the eyes of tho Won
dering sailors. They were rs eager
to praise as they had been ready to
condemn
"The gods love our leader" they
cried, aloud. 'He shall be our king
and rule this new land that he has dis
cDvCred"
They anchored the vessel in shell
tered bay and went on shore. They
found the climate delightful. The
silvery streams were filled with fine
salmon and other fish. Gigantic trees
covered the hills of the interior, rank
vegetation skirted the shores of the
rivers.
The lumber here is worth n for
tune, cried Biorn exultantly.
Iceland has no forests, and such
vast tracts seemed more valuable than
diamond field to the hardy Morse
youth.
eyes, he continued, excitedly, 1--WE
Will return to Iceland for q colony.
Surely this country 10 f~- p1t,v> .i--,r-
the shores of Iceland or Greenland
either"
Az the founding of such colony
wns too large an undertaking for him
alone, Biorn fastened to form part
ncrship with his friend Left, son of
Eric the Red, youth but little older
than himself. They sighted the new
land, but at point where it was bar
rcn and rocky. Left was Dissatisfied,
and would have turned back, but for
the determined opposition of his San
guine friend. They called the place
Helleiand, and the low sandy shore
beyond it was named MARYLAND. Left
grumbled and wished to return to Ice
land
"No, found it once, we shall sure
ly find it again, Biorn cried, encourae-
ingly. In two days his faith WAS re.
warded. and they anchored in the bay
where he had first landed. Wild grapes
were plenty, and they called the spot
Vinland. They were So we'll satisfied
with it that they resolved 20 pass the
winter there, after coasting to the
south and west, as we'll as sailing
through the Gulf of st. Lawrence.
The shortest day of that winter was
eight hours, fact which proves that
Vinland was not north Of what is now
Newfoundland, else the days would
have been shorter.
In the spring they loaded their ves-
sci with valuable lumber and returned
to Iceland.
Biorn and Left fitted out another
larger expedition, but owing to an un-
fortunate quarrel Left sailed alone
with seventy of both sexes, to found
his colony. Norwegian history de-
clares that he sailed as far south as
Newport, II. I. Some claim that the
old stone structure in Newport Park
was erected as a fort by these colon
lists; others declare that it was a mill
for grinding their wheat and corn.
The truth of the matter is yelled by
the mystery of the past, perhaps never
to be revealed.
These mortimer claim, also, that
their people explored our coast as far
MS. Florida, yet they did not attempt to
hold the land which was surely theirs
by right of discovery.
Our accounts Of them are tradition
al, but they establish the facts that
America was discovered by boy years
before the great Columbus saw the
light, and that Snori, born of Morse
parents, was the first American wbito