This Country Of Ours | Page 7

his companions to the place
where he had found the grapes. And when Leif saw them he called the
land Vineland because of them. He also decided to load his ship with
grapes and wood, and depart homeward. So each day the men gathered
grapes and felled trees, until the ship was full. Then they set sail for
home.
The winds were fair, and with but few adventures they arrived safely at
home. There they were received with great rejoicing. Henceforth Leif
was called Leif the Lucky, and he lived ever after in great honour and
plenty, and the land which he had discovered men called Vineland the
Good.
In due time, however, Eric the Red died, and after that Leif the Lucky
sailed no more upon the seas, for his father's kingdom was now his, and
he must needs stay at home to rule his land. But Leif's brother Thorvald
greatly desired to go to Vineland so that he might explore the country
still further.
Then when Leif saw his brother's desire he said to him, "If it be thy will,
brother, thou mayest go to Vineland in my ship."

At that Thorvald rejoiced greatly, and gathering thirty men he set sail,
crossed the sea without adventure, and came to the place where Leif
had built his house.
There he and his company remained during the winter. Then in the
spring they set forth to explore the coast. After some time they came
upon a fair country where there were many trees.
When Thorvald saw it he said, "It is so fair a country that I should like
to make my home here."
Until this time the Norsemen had seen no inhabitants of the land. But
now as they returned to their ship they saw three mounds upon the
shore. When the Norsemen came near they saw that these three mounds
were three canoes, and under each were three men armed with bows
and arrows, who lay in wait to slay them. When the Norsemen saw that,
they divided their company and put themselves in battle array. And
after a fierce battle they slew the savages, save one who fled to his
canoe and so escaped.
When the fight was over the Norsemen climbed upon a, high headland
and looked round to see if there were signs of any more savages. Below
them they saw several mounds which they took to be the houses of the
savages, and knew that it behooved them therefore to be on their guard.
But they were too weary to go further, and casting themselves down
upon the ground where they were they fell into a heavy sleep.
Suddenly they were awakened by a great shout, and they seemed to
hear a voice cry aloud, "Awake, Thorvald, thou and all thy company, if
ye would save your lives. Flee to thy ship with all thy men, and sail
with speed from this land."
So Thorvald and his companions fled speedily to their ship, and set it in
fighting array. Soon a crowd of dark-skinned savages, uttering fearful
yells, rushed upon them. They cast their arrows at the Norsemen, and
fought fiercely for some time. But seeing that their arrows availed little
against the strangers, and that on the other hand many of their braves
were slain, they at last fled.

Then, the enemy being fled, Thorvald, turning to his men, asked, "Are
any of you wounded?"
"Nay," they answered, "we are all whole."
"That is well, " said Thorvald. "As for me, I am wounded in the armpit
by an arrow. Here is the shaft. Of a surety it will cause my death. And
now I counsel you, turn homeward with all speed. But carry me first to
that headland which seemed to me to promise so pleasant a
dwelling-place, and lay me there. Thus it shall be seen that I spoke
truth when I wished to abide there. And ye shall place a cross at my
feet, and another at my head, and call it Cross Ness ever after."
So Thorvald died. Then his companions buried him as he had bidden
them in the land which had seemed to him so fair. And as he had
commanded they set a cross at his feet and another at his head, and
called the place Cross Ness. Thus the first white man was laid to rest in
Vineland the Good.
Then when spring came the Norsemen sailed home to Greenland. And
there they told Leif of all the things they had seen and done, and how
his brave brother had met his death.
Now when Leif's brother Thorstein heard how Thorvald had died he
longed to sail to Vineland to bring home his brother's body. So once
again Leif's ship was made ready, and with five and