Leif Erikson Discovers Vinland

Leif Erikson, son of Erik the Red, was a man of restless spirit and keen intellect. Hearing tales from the merchant Bjarni of land sighted far to the west, Leif bought Bjarni's ship and gathered a crew of thirty-five brave souls. Setting sail from Greenland, he first encountered a land of flat stones and ice, which he named Helluland. Further south, they found a forested coast of white sand, naming it Markland. Finally, the winds carried them to a lush, fertile territory where the rivers teemed with salmon and the grass stayed green through the winter. It was here that Leif’s foster-father, Tyrker, discovered wild grapes, leading Leif to name the country Vinland. They built large houses and wintered there, marveling at the abundance of the land before returning to Greenland laden with timber and vines. Leif’s voyage proved that the world was far larger than the Vikings had ever imagined, marking the first European footprint on North American soil.