The Norsemen in the West. Robert Michael Ballantyne

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      “When western waves were all unknown,

      And western fields were all unsown,

      When Iceland was the outmost bound

      That roving viking-keels had found—

      Gunbiorn then—Ulf Kraka’s son—

      Still farther west was forced to run

      By furious gales, and there saw land

      Stretching abroad on either hand.

      Eric of Iceland, called the Red,

      Heard of the news and straightway said—

      ‘This western land I’ll go and see;

      Three summers hence look out for me.’

      He went; he landed; stayed awhile,

      And wintered first on ‘Eric’s Isle;’

      Then searched the coast both far and wide,

      Then back to Iceland o’er the tide.

      ‘A wondrous land is this,’ said he,

      And called it Greenland of the sea.

      Twenty and five great ships sailed west

      To claim this gem on Ocean’s breast.

      With man and woman, horn and hoof,

      And bigging for the homestead roof.

      Some turnèd back—in heart but mice—

      Some sank amid the Northern ice.

      Half reached the land, in much distress,

      At Ericsfiord and Heriulfness.

          Next, Biarne—Heriulf’s doughty son—

      Sought to trace out the aged one. (His father.)

      From Norway sailed, but missed his mark;

      Passed snow-topped Greenland in the dark;

      And came then to a new-found land—

      But did not touch the tempting strand;

      For winter winds oppressed him sore

      And kept him from his father’s shore.

          Then Leif, the son of Eric, rose

      And straightway off to Biarne goes,

      Buys up his ship, takes all his men,

      Fares forth to seek that land again.

      Leif found the land; discovered more,

      And spent a winter on the shore;

      Cut trees and grain to load the ship,

      And pay them for the lengthened trip.

      Named ‘Hella-land’ and ‘Markland’ too,

      And saw an island sweet with dew!

      And grapes in great abundance found,

      So named it Vinland all around.

      But after that forsook the shore,

      And north again for Greenland bore.

          And now—we cross the moonlit seas

      To search this land of grapes and trees

      Biarne, Thorward, Karlsefin—

      Go forth this better land to win,

      With men and cattle not a few,

      And household gear and weapons too;

      And, best of all, with women dear,

      To comfort, counsel, check, and cheer.

      Thus far we’ve made a prosp’rous way,

      God speed us onward every day!”

      “When Biarne, Thorward, Karlsefin,

      This famous voyage did begin,

      They stood upon the deck one night,

      And there beheld a moving sight.

      It made the very men grow pale,

      Their shudder almost rent the sail!

      For lo! they saw a mighty whale!

          It drew a shriek from Olaf brave,

      Then plunged beneath the briny wave,

      And, while the women loudly shouted,

      Up came its blundering nose and spouted.

      Then underneath our keel it went,

      And glared with savage fury pent,

      And round about the ship it swum,

      Striking each man and woman dumb.

          Stay—one there was who found a tongue

      And still retained her strength of lung.

      Freydissa, beauteous matron bold,

      Resolved to give that whale a scold!

      But little cared that monster fish

      To gratify Freydissa’s wish;

      He shook his tail, that naughty whale,

      And flourished it like any flail,

      And, ho! for Vinland he made sail!”