The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the Northmen: Illustrated by Translations from Icelandic SagasDeCosta, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin)
History
The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the Northmen: Illustrated by Translations from Icelandic Sagas
DeCosta, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin)
America -- Discovery and exploration -- Norse
That same winter [A. D. 1006-7.] there was much discussion about the
affairs of Brattahlid; and they set up the game of chess, and sought
amusement in the reciting of history,[185] and in many other things, and
were able to pass life joyfully. And Karlsefne and Snorre resolved to
seek Vinland, but there was much discussion about it. But it turned out
that Karlsefne and Snorre prepared their ships to seek Vinland the
following summer. [A. D. 1007.] And in this enterprise Biarne and
Thorhall joined as comrades with their own ship and crew, who were their
followers. There was a man named Thorvald, a relation[186] of Eric.
Thorhall was called the Hunter; he long had hunted with Eric in summer,
and had the care of many things. Thorhall was of great stature, large
and swarthy face, of a hard nature, taciturn, saying little of affairs,
and nevertheless crafty and malicious, always inclined to evil, and
opposed in his mind to the Christian religion, from its first
introduction into Greenland. Thorhall indulged in trifling, but
nevertheless Eric was used to his familiarity. He went in the ship with
Thorvald, and was well acquainted with uninhabitable places. He used the
ship in which Thorbiorn came; and Karlsefne engaged comrades for the
expedition; and the best part of the sailors of Greenland were with him.
They carried in their ships, forty and a hundred men. Afterwards they
sailed to West bygd and Biarney-isle. They sailed from Biarney-isle with
a north wind, and were on the sea day and night, when they found land,
and sending a boat to the shore, explored the land, where they found
many flat stones of such great size, that they exceeded in length the
size of two men. There were foxes there. And they gave the land a name,
and called it Helluland. After this, they sailed a night and a day with
a north wind. They came to a land in which were great woods and many
animals. Southwest, opposite the land, lay an island. Here they found a
bear, and called the island, Bear island. This land, where there were
woods, they called Markland. After a voyage of a day and a night, they
saw land, and they sailed near the land and saw that it was a cape; they
kept close to the shore with the wind on the starboard side, and left
the land upon the right side of the ship. There were places without
harbors, long shores and sands. When they went to the shore with a boat,
they found the keel of a ship, and they called the place,
Kiarlarness;[187] and they gave the shore a name, and called it
Wonder-strand, because they were so long going by. Then another bay
extended into the land, and they steered into the bay.[188] When Leif
was with King Olaf Tryggvesson, he sent him to establish the Christian
religion in Greenland; then the king gave him two Scots-folk, a man
named Hake, and a woman named Hekia. The king told Leif to take them
with his men, if he would have his commands done quickly, as they were
swifter than beasts. These folk, Leif and Eric gave to Karlsefne, as
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