﻿NO. 19 NORSE VISITS TO NORTH AMERICA — BABCOCK 97 



the Greenland coast to the region where the shores bend toward each 

 other near Davis Strait ; followed by a dash southward or southwest- 

 ward. The former aims immediately at habitable regions and pleasant 

 surroundings ; it is shorter and naturally tempted men ; but it tempted 

 the rage of the Atlantic also, which has usually been active near the 

 Newfoundland banks and above them, providing a dangerous trap for 

 mariners who had to guess at direction since they carried no compass. 

 It sent Thorstein, through great trouble and hardship, all over the 

 sea to no purpose. Very likely it sent Bishop Eric and his companions 

 to the bottom, destroying with them all hope of a Christianized and 

 organized Wineland. 



Thorfinn Karlsefni, though an enterprising man, probably owed 

 his especial reputation for success to his very great care in making 

 sure. Like all such, he had the wit to profit by the mistakes of 

 others. He was a seasoned navigator who had thus far avoided 

 mishap, through knowing how to humor the northern seas. More- 

 over, in Red Eric he had the counsel of the foremost explorer in the 

 world, who must have pondered long on the causes of his son 

 Thorstein's failure and the best way to avoid its repetition in trying 

 again. If he had not seen — as already suggested — the main Ameri- 

 can shore opposite Greenland in the course of his first very thorough 

 three years' explorations, his indomitable wilderness-rangers like 

 Thorhall the hunter, must surely have been frequently up about the 

 straits and would be charged season after season to bring him infor- 

 mation. So active a mind as Eric's anchored physically by increasing 

 years and injuries, could not fail to busy itself especially with the 

 geography of the lands beyond that water and their relation to those 

 which Leif had seen. The coming of driftwood to him from some un- 

 known quarter would be a continual reminder and incitement. Thor- 

 stein was dead, Leif was immersed in aggressive Christianity ; in his 

 brilliant daughter-in-law Gudrid, her husband and Leif's brother, 

 Thorvald, Eric the explorer would naturally see the best hope of sub- 

 stituting success for failure. 



Thorfmn's actual route is carefully given. It was from Ericsfirth 

 to Gudrid's former home near Lysufirth in the smaller settlement ; 

 about five degrees farther west and a long distance above the junction 

 of the western water with the Atlantic. Next they went to " Bear- 

 Island," according to the Saga of Thorfinn Karlsefni, or " the Bear 

 Islands," according to the Saga of Eric the Red, which is generally 

 the safer guide where details differ. No doubt Disco was called 

 "Bear-Island" (Biarney), as Graah, 1 the first official explorer of 



Exploration of the East Coast of Greenland, before cited. 



