NO. 12 THE WINELAND VOYAGES — S WANTON 7 



fields and vines growing there. There were also those trees there which are 

 called "mausur," and of all these they took specimens. Some of the timbers 

 were so large that they were used in building. 



The above is in the narrative generally relied upon by students of 

 the Norse voyages, who therefore date the discovery of America in 

 the year looo. But, whether erroneously or not, the Flat Island Book 

 tells of another and earlier landfall and makes that the inspiration 

 for a later voyage to the new land by Leif. Mention has been made 

 of the prominent Greenland settler named Heriulf and of his settle- 

 ment in Amitsuarsukfiord. So much is beyond dispute. According 

 to the Flat Island Book, however, this Heriulf had a very promising 

 son Biarni who early evinced a taste for voyaging and finally obtained 

 possession of a trading vessel. "It was his custom," goes the tale, "to 

 pass his winters alternatively abroad and with his father," but during 

 the last winter that he spent away, this time at least in Norway, his 

 father accompanied Eric to Greenland. 



Biarni arrived with his ship at Eyrar [in Iceland] in the summer of the same 

 year, in the spring of which his father had sailed away. Biarni was much sur« 

 prised when he heard this news, and would not discharge his cargo. His ship- 

 mates inquired of him what he intended to do, and he replied that it was his 

 purpose to keep to his custom, and make his home for the winter with his 

 father; "and I will take the ship to Greenland, if you will bear me company." 

 They all replied that they would abide by his decision. Then said Biarni, "Our 

 voyage must be regarded as foolhardy, seeing that no one of us has ever been 

 in the Greenland sea." Nevertheless they put out to sea when they were 

 equipped for the voyage, and sailed for three days, until the land was hidden 

 by the water, and then the fair wind died out, and north winds arose, and fogs, 

 and they knew not whither they were drifting, and thus it lasted for many 

 "doegr." Then they saw the sun again, and were able to determine the quarters 

 of the heavens ; they hoisted sail, and sailed that "doegr" through before they 

 saw land. 



In brief, they sight three countries in succession before reaching 

 Greenland, and to come upon each new land takes i "dcegr" more than 

 the last, 2 to pass from the first to the second, 3 to pass from the 

 second to the third, 4 to pass from the third to Greenland, and finally 

 Biarni comes to land directly in front of his father's house in the 

 last-mentioned country. This narrative has been rejected practically in 

 toto by later writers, and they may be justified in doing so. Although 

 Heriulf is a well-known personage, no son of his named Biarni is 

 otherwise revealed to us. Possibly, as has been suggested, Biarni was 

 a companion of Leif when he voyaged from Norway to Greenland via 

 America, or it may be that the entire tale is but a garbled account of 

 that voyage and Biarni another name for Leif. There is some paral- 



