WHITE MEN LAND ON THE ISLAND. 89 



saw the shores of Newfoundland were the Northmen. 

 Five hundred years before the time of Cabot these 

 bold adventurers, led by Lief, son of Eric the Red, 

 sailed from Greenland in search of western lands. 

 Newfoundland lay directly in their course, and ac- 

 cording to their sagas or books on reaching it they 

 gave it the name of "Helluland," or the land of 

 naked rocks. The daring sailors passed on, however, 

 and made no attempt at forming a settlement. Their 

 adventurous voyage, in which they are said to have 

 reached Rhode Island, took place in 1001. 



WHITE MEN LAND ON THE ISLAND. 



On the second day of May, 1497, a small caravel 

 named the " Matthew," manned by eighteen English 

 sailors and commanded by John Cabot, left the port 

 of Bristol. Cabot was a Venetian by birth and in the 

 service of Henry VII. of England. 



On the twenty-fourth day of June following, hearty 

 English cheers greeted the first sight of the Island of 

 Newfoundland. Thus by right of discovery it be- 

 longed to England ; but it was not until 1583 that the 

 formal possession was taken by Sir Humphrey Gilbert 

 in the name of Queen Elizabeth. This gallant Eng- 

 lish knight had formed the purpose of colonizing the 

 island ; but misfortunes overtook him, and when re- 



