There was no frost there in the winters, and the grass withered
but little. The days and nights there were of more nearly equal length
than in Greenland or Iceland. On the shortest day of winter the sun was
up between "eyktarstad" and "dagmalastad."[52-1] When they had completed
their house Leif said to his companions, "I propose now to divide our
company into two groups, and to set about an exploration of the country;
one half of our party shall remain at home at the house, while the other
half shall investigate the land, and they must not go beyond a point
from which they can return home the same evening, and are not to
separate [from each other.]" Thus they did for a time; Leif himself, by
turns, joined the exploring party or remained behind at the house. Leif
was a large and powerful man, and of a most imposing bearing, a man of
sagacity, and a very just man in all things.

_Leif the Lucky finds Men upon a Skerry at Sea._--It was discovered one
evening that one of their company was missing, and this proved to be
Tyrker, the German. Leif was sorely troubled by this, for Tyrker had
lived with Leif and his father for a long time, and had been very devoted
to Leif, when he was a child. Leif severely reprimanded his companions,
and prepared to go in search of him, taking twelve men with him. They had
proceeded but a short distance from the house, when they were met by
Tyrker, whom they received most cordially. Leif observed at once that his
foster-father was in lively spirits. Tyrker had a prominent forehead,
restless eyes, small features, was diminutive in stature, and rather a
sorry-looking individual withal, but was, nevertheless, a most capable
handicraftsman. Leif addressed him, and asked: "Wherefore art thou so
belated foster-father mine, and astray from the others?" In the beginning
Tyrker spoke for some time in German, rolling his eyes and grinning, and
they could not understand him; but after a time he addressed them in the
Northern tongue: "I did not go much further [_than you_], and yet I have
something of novelty to relate. I have found vines and grapes." "Is this
indeed true, foster-father?" said Leif. "Of a certainty it is true,"
quoth he, "for I was born where there is no lack of either grapes or
vines." They slept the night through, and on the morrow Leif said to his
shipmates: "We will now divide our labors, and each day will either
gather grapes or cut vines and fell trees, so as to obtain a cargo of
the