THORSTEIN ERICSSON 9 



description of the country is the reference to the grape- 

 vines, the self-sown wheat, and the "mausur" trees, 

 apparently all common in New England vegetation. 



It is likely that in continuing the return voyage to 

 the Eastern Settlement in Greenland, Leif sailed so 

 close to the shore of Nova Scotia that he saw land all 

 the while 5 but, when he reached Newfoundland, he 

 in all probability took to the open sea, and followed 

 its east coast instead of going through Cabot Strait 

 and sailing along the west coast until he came to the 

 Strait of Belle Isle. 



As was natural, this discovery of Leif Ericsson's 

 attracted the greatest attention, first and foremost in 

 Greenland. The following summer, 1 001, an expedi- 

 tion left LeiPs home, Brattahlid, headed by his broth- 

 er Thorstein together with their aged father, Eric the 

 Red. Their objective was Vinland, and the story is 

 recorded as follows in Hauk's Book: 



"They sailed out of Ericsfjord in good spirits and 

 very hopeful of the adventure. For a long time they 

 were tossed hither and thither without reaching their 

 destination. They sighted Iceland and saw birds from 

 Ireland. Their ship was driven about over the sea. 

 Finally, they returned in the fall, worn out and ex- 

 hausted. It was well-nigh winter when they reached 

 Ericsfjord. Then Eric said: 'We were more cheerful 

 when we sailed out of the fjord in the summer than 



