TRINIDAD : THEN AND NOW. 



17 



of more congenial shores, and having landed on the 

 northern part of America he and his companions 

 settled there for a time, meanwhile exploring a part 

 of the country which so pleased him that he returned 

 after a few years, describing the land as green, fertile 

 and well suited for colonization. So effective was 

 his description of this new country (in 985 ?) that he 

 persuaded a number of his countrymen to accompany 

 him, among them being his son Leif. Thirty-five 

 ships, fully equipped for such an undertaking as this 

 also set forth with him, of which twenty one were 

 never heard of again. 



This was the beginning of genuine colonization 

 in the north of that vast continent. In the year 999 

 Leif returned to Norway ; after which he again re- 

 turned to the new country taking back with him a 

 fresh number of immigrants and the first Christian 

 missionary. 



The discovery of this new land excited great in- 

 terest in the family of Eric. Thorfinn, his second son, 

 was urged by his wife, Guirida, and other members 

 of his family to undertake a voyage to the newly 

 discovered country. Accordingly in the spring of 

 1007 he, his wife, his brother-in-law, Thorvald (who 

 had married Freydisa one of Eric's daughters), and 

 his wife, and associates numbering 140 embarked in 

 three ships one of which was commanded by Thor- 

 vald. They took all kinds of live stock with the in- 

 tention, df possible, of colonising the country. Having 

 at length reached the shores of this new world in 

 safety they were joined by some of those who had 



B 



