like all the
preceding ones, with his father," although neither he nor any of his
people had ever navigated the Greenland sea.

They set sail, but met with northerly winds and fogs, and, after many
days' sailing, knew not whither they had been carried. At length when
the weather again cleared up, they saw a land which was without
mountains, overgrown with wood, and having many gentle elevations. As
this land did not correspond to the descriptions of Greenland, they left
it on the larboard hand, and continued sailing two days, when they saw
another land, which was flat and overgrown with wood.

From thence they stood out to sea, and sailed three days with a
southwest wind, when they saw a third land, which was high and
mountainous and covered with icebergs (glaciers). They coasted along the
shore and saw that it was an island.

They did not go on shore, as Biarne did not find the country to be
inviting. Bearing away from this island, they stood out to sea with the
same wind, and, after four days' sailing with fresh gales, they reached
Heriulfsnes, in Greenland.

Some time after this, probably in the year 994, Biarne paid a visit to
Eric, Earl of Norway, and told him of his voyage and of the unknown
lands he had discovered. He was blamed by many for not having examined
these countries more accurately.

On his return to Greenland there was much talk about undertaking a
voyage of discovery. Leif, a son of Eric the Red, bought Biarne's ship,
and equipped it with a crew of thirty-five men, among whom was a German,
of the name of Tyrker, who had long resided with his father, and who had
been very fond of Leif in his childhood. In the year 1000 they commenced
the projected voyage, and came first to the land which Biarne had seen
last. They cast anchor and went on shore. No grass was seen; but
everywhere in this country were vast ice mountains (glaciers), and the
intermediate space between these and the shore was, as it were, one
uniform plain of slate (_hella_). The country appearing to them
destitute of good qualities, they called it Hellu-Land.

They put out to sea, and came to another land, where they also went on
shore. The country was very level and covered with woods; and
wheresoever they went there were cliffs of white sand (_sand-ar
hvitir_), and a low coast (_o-soe-bratt_). They called the country Mark
Land (woodland). From thence they again stood out to sea, with a
northeast wind, and continued sailing for two