Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/158

 and find the land which Gunbiorn had seen, and come back and let them know what land of country it was. Eric sailed west from the Sneefieldsjokul, in Iceland, to the east coast of Greenland, and then followed the coast southwards, looking for a convenient place for dwelling in. He sailed westward round a cape which he called Hvarf, and passed the first winter on an island, which from him was called Eric's Isle. After passing three years in examining the coast he returned to Iceland, and gave such a fine account of the country that it was called Greenland; and the following year twenty-five vessels with colonists set out with him to settle in it, but only about one half reached their destination, some having turned back, and some being lost in the ice. About fourteen years after Eric was settled in Greenland, his son Leif, who afterwards discovered Vinland, went over to Norway to King Olaf Tryggvesson, who had him instructed in Christianity, or baptized, and sent a priest with him to Greenland, who baptized Eric and all the colonists. Many came over from Iceland from time to time, and the country was settled wherever it was inhabitable. In this account there is nothing incredible or inconsistent. Greenland was to Iceland what Iceland had been to Norway—a place of refuge for the surplus population, for those who had no land or means of living. Iceland was originally an aristocratic republic, —a settlement made by people of family and wealth, who alone could fit out vessels for emigrating to it; and these landnammen took possession of the land. Of the lower class many in course of time must have become retainers, tenants, or workpeople under the higher class, and have been ready to emigrate to a country