Eric the Red. A Norwegian navigator who, in 982, moved to the island of Iceland. In 983 he sailed from Bredifiord to reach some western shore, said to have been visited by one of his countrymen in former times. On the voyage, he passed Cape Farewell, and on the coast met with reindeer. He named the country Greenland, and the inlet Ericfiord. Returning to Iceland in 985, he interested the people of the island in his discovery, and with 25 sailors set out for the voyage. Some of the ships were lost in a storm, and others were driven home. But he succeeded in reaching the Greenland coast with 14, and located on the fiord at some distance from the ocean, where there were grass and trees. About 12 years later his son, Lief, is said to have discovered the continent of North America, which he called Markland and Vinland.

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