VINLAND

the name applied to a district in E. of N. America which was visited by various Norse explorers in early XI. cent.; first discovered by Bjarni Herjulfsen, who sighted it when driven out of his way by a storm in 986, but did not land. Partly explored by Leif Ericson in 1000; settlements were made in 1002 by Thorwald Ericson and in 1007 by Thorfinn Karlsefne, but owing to the enmity of the aboriginal inhabitants neither of these proved permanent. Received the name from the fact that vines grew wild there. The region is mentioned in various Icelandic works of the XII. and following centuries, and is generally believed to have been situated somewhere in Rhode Island or Ma achusetts.