Now Leif had heard of a land to the south of Greenland from some Northmen who had been driven far south in a great storm. He determined to set out in search of it. After sailing for many days he reached the shore of this New World (A. D. 1000). There he found vines with grapes on them growing so abundantly that he called the new land Vinland, a country of grapes. Leif's discovery caused great excitement among his people. Some of them could hardly wait until the winter was over, and the snow and ice broken up, so as to let their ships go out to this new land. This time Thorvald, one of Leif's brothers, led the expedition. On reaching land, as they stepped ashore, he exclaimed: "It is a fair region and here I should like to make my home." But Thorvald was killed in a battle with the Indians and was buried where he had wanted to build his home. The Northmen continued to visit the new land, but finally the Indians became so unfriendly that the Northmen went away and never came again. SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL =The Leading Facts.= _1._ The Northmen, bold sailors, settled Iceland and Greenland. _2._ Leif Ericson reached the shores of North America and called the country Vinland. _3._ The Northmen continued to visit the new land, but finally ceased to come on account of the Indians. =Study Questions.= _1._ In what new countries did the Northmen settle? _2._ Tell the story of Leif Ericson's voyage. _3._ What did he call the new land, and why? =Suggested Readings.= THE NORTHMEN: Glascock, _Stories of Columbia_, 7-9; Higginson, _American Explorers_, 3-15; _Old South Leaflets_, NO. 31. EARLY EXPLORERS IN AMERICA CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, THE FIRST GREAT MAN IN AMERICAN HISTORY [Sidenote: =Boyhood of Columbus=] =2. Old Trade Routes to Asia.= More than four hundred fifty years ago Christopher Columbus spent his boyhood in the queer old Italian town of Genoa on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Even in that far-away time the Mediterranean was dotted with the white sails of ships busy in carrying the richest trade in the world. But no merchants were richer or had bolder sailors than those of Columbus' own town. Genoa had her own trading routes to India, China, and Japan. Her vessels sailed eastward and crossed the Black Sea to the very shores of Asia. There they found stores of rich shawls and silks and of costly spices and jewels, which had already come on the backs of horses and camels from the Far East. As fast as winds and oars could carry them, these merchant ships hastened back to Genoa, where other ships and sailors were waiting to carry their goods to all parts of Europe. [Sidenote: =Why Columbus learned to like the sea=]