Ancient America, in Notes on American ArchaeologyBaldwin, John D. (John Denison)
History
Ancient America, in Notes on American Archaeology
Baldwin, John D. (John Denison)
America -- Antiquities; America -- Discovery and exploration -- Pre-Columbian; Indians -- Antiquities
The “Account of Eirek the Red and Greenland” tells of an expedition
planned by Eirek’s youngest son, Thorstein, which was prevented by
Thorstein’s death. It relates the particulars of a voyage to Vinland
made by Eirek’s daughter, Freydis, with her husband and his two
brothers. Freydis is described as a cruel, hard-hearted, enterprising
woman, “mindful only of gain.” The chronicle says her husband, named
Thorvald, was “weak-minded,” and that she married him because he was
rich. During the voyage she contrived to destroy her husband’s brothers
and seize their ship, for which evil deed she was made to feel her
brother Leif’s anger on her return. The same chronicle gives an account
of a voyage northward, up Baffin’s Bay, and through what is now called
Wellington Channel. There is also a romantic story of Thorstein’s widow,
Gudrid, an exceedingly beautiful and noble-minded woman, which tells how
she was courted and married by Thorfinn Karlsefne, a man of
distinguished character and rank, who came from Iceland with ships, and
was entertained by Leif.
Thorfinn came to Greenland in the year 1006, and, having married Gudrid,
Thorstein’s widow, was induced by her to undertake a voyage to Vinland.
They left Greenland with three ships and a hundred and sixty men, taking
with them livestock and all things necessary to the establishment of a
colony. The vessels touched at Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and, having
reached Vinland, they passed up Buzzard’s Bay, disembarked their
livestock, and preparations were made for winter residence. Here they
passed the winter; and here Gudrid gave birth to a son, who lived and
grew to manhood, and among whose lineal descendants was Thorvaldsen, the
Danish sculptor.
The winter was severe; their provisions began to fail, and they were
threatened with famine. This occasioned many anxieties and some
adventures. One of the company, a fierce, resolute man, bewailed their
apostasy from the old religion, and declared that to find relief they
must return to the worship of Thor. But they found a supply of
provisions without trying this experiment. Thor’s worshiper afterward
left the company with a few companions to pursue an expedition of his
own, and was killed by the natives.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account