1 . Discoveries in Greenland indicate that Vikings ( 维 京 人) lived there for hundreds of years, trading with the European continent before they disappeared.     1     In 980 C.E., Erik the Red headed farther west when he was driven away from Iceland for some reason. He set sail for land that was visible west of Iceland. Three years later, he returned to Iceland and convinced hundreds of others to join him in settling in this new country. Some 25 boats set out for what Erik the Red had called Greenland.     2    

Settling in Greenland posed an enormous challenge. Shelter, food, and clothing were, of course, essential to survival. There were no trees large enough to produce wood for housing. These settlers had to build homes of driftwood, stone, and sod (草皮). The summer was too short to grow grain crops, so they farmed domesticated animals imported from Europe and mainly relied on secondary products, such as milk and cheese.     3     The settlers usually wore clothes made of the fur of wild animals.

At some point during the fourteenth century, Greenland’s climate grew colder. Glaciers (冰川) began moving slowly over the land, bringing with them a runoff of sand, mud, and stones. These things slowly robbed the settlers of valuable grassland.     4     Recent evidence shows that their diet shifted from land-based food to sea products. Like their relatives in Norway, the Vikings in Greenland tried to take advantage of the sea. Soon, the percentage of their food taken from the sea had risen to 80 percent.

    5     According to Danish archaeologist (考古学家) Jette Arneborg, they struggled to adapt to the increasingly difficult conditions. As the weather worsened, they may have abandoned their settlements and returned to Iceland.