ed, and agreed with them that the winter should be
spent in that place, and that in the spring they should obey
Thorvald's request and set sail for Greenland. This they
did, taking on board their ship vines and an abundance of
dried grapes. Ere the year was old their good ship again
reached Eireksfjord, where Leif was told of the death of his
brother and of all that had happened to the voyagers.

The remaining story of the discoveries of the Northmen must
be told in a few words. The next to set sail for that
far-off land was Thorstein, the third son of Eirek the Red.
He failed to get there, however, but made land on the east
coast of Greenland, where he died, while his wife Gudrid
returned home. Much was this woman noted for her beauty, and
as much for her wisdom and prudence, so the sagas tell us.

In 1006 came to Greenland a noble Icelander, Thorfinn by
name. That winter he married Gudrid, and so allied himself
to the family of Eirek the Red. And quickly he took up the
business of discovery, which had been pursued so ardently by
Eirek and his sons. He sailed in 1007, with three ships, for
Vineland, where he remained three years, having many
adventures with the natives, now trading with them for furs,
now fighting with them for life. In Vineland was born a son
to Thorfinn and Gudrid, the first white child born in
America. From him--Snorri Thorfinnson he was named--came a
long line of illustrious descendants, many of whom made
their mark in the history of Iceland and Denmark, the line
ending in modern times in the famous Thorwaldsen, the
greatest sculptor of the nineteenth century.

The sagas thus picture for us the natives: "Swarthy they
were in complexion, short and savage in aspect, with ugly
hair, great eyes, and broad cheeks." In a battle between the
adventurers and these savages the warlike blood of Eirek
manifested itself in a woman of his race. For Freydis, his
daughter, when pursued and likely to be captured by the
natives, snatched up a sword which had been dropped by a
slain Greenlander, and faced them so valiantly that they
took to their heels in affright and fled precipitately to
their canoes.

One more story, and we are done. In the spring of 1010
Thorfinn sailed north with the two ships which he still had.
One of them reached Greenland in safety. The other,
commanded by Biarni Grimolfson, was driven from its course,
and, being worm-eaten, threatened to sink.

There was but one boat, and this ca