something and they went back to the shore, the river was filling fast,
and their ship was afloat. They hailed her, and saw one of the hands
row off for them in the boat. Leif then said that they would tow up
the river and cast anchor in the lake, and that was done when they had
made their meal. They found good anchorage there and a snug berth out
of all troubles of wind or water. Next day they took off all their
stores, and pitched tents for themselves in a glade, for it was Leif's
meaning that they should pass a winter there. He was very much in love
with the country, and said that in all his travels he had never been in
a place so little likely to be vexed by cruel weather. "In my belief,"
he said, "we should have no need to store fodder for the stock against
the winter. It seems to me that there should be grazing here the year
through--but we will prove that, if you are willing." Everybody agreed.

In a little time they had established order in their camp, for Leif was
a strong and wise leader, a tall and fine man of wisdom and good
manners, and all obeyed him cheerfully. Duties were assigned to the
men in order; some were to fish, some to hunt--for they found deer as
well as birds in plenty--and some to explore. Leif made a rule that no
more than half his party should be away at one time, and that none
should wander so far as that he could not win back by nightfall, nor
separate himself from hail of the others who were with him. So the
time wore on and the seasons changed. A mellow autumn gave way to a
mild winter in which came no iron frost, and very little snow. If they
had had cattle with them, as Leif had foretold, they could have kept
them out all the winter. They found the light very different from
Iceland or Greenland. On the shortest day they saw the sun between the
afternoon meal and the day-meal. What puzzled Leif very much was this,
that in so fair a country there was no sign of habitancy. They saw no
men, nor any traces of men--and yet it was hardly to be believed that
such a country was empty.

It was late in the autumn when a great discovery was made.

[1] York Powell and Vigfussen translate this as Shale or Slate-land;
and Laing says that it is believed to have been Newfoundland.

[2] That is, Bush or Scrubland. Believed to be Nova Scotia, according
to Laing.

XIV

It happened one day that Leif had not gone out with the exploring
party, but was by the tents expecting