father's Uvægi[1]. They said, that kings governed the Skrellings[2], one of whom was called Avalldamon[3], and the other Valldidida (57). They stated, that there were no houses there, and that the people lived in caves or holes. They said, that there was a land on the other side over against their country, which was inhabited by people who wore white garments, and yelled loudly, and carried poles before them, to which rags were attached[4]; and people believed that this must have been Hvítramanna-land [White-men's-land[5]], or Ireland the Great (58). Now they arrived in Greenland, and remained during the winter with Eric the Red[6].
Biarni, Grimolf's son, and his companions were driven out into the Atlantic[7], and came into a sea, which was filled with worms, and their ship began to sink beneath them[8]. They had a boat[9], which had been coated with seal-tar; this the sea-worm does not penetrate. They took their places in this boat, and then discovered that it would not hold them all[10]. Then said Biarni: 'Since the boat will not hold more than half of our men, it is my advice, that the men who are to go in the boat, be chosen by lot, for this selection must not be made according to rank.' This seemed to them all such a manly offer, that no one opposed it[11]. So they adopted this plan, the men casting lots; and it fell to Biarni to go in the boat, and half[12] of the men with him, for it would not hold more[13]. But when the men were come into the boat, an Icelander[14], who was in the ship, and who had accompanied Biarni from Iceland, said: 'Dost thou intend, Biarni, to forsake me here?' 'It must be even so,' answers Biarni. 'Not such was the promise thou
- ↑ EsR: 'they called their mother Vætilldi and Uvægi,' apparently a clerical error.
- ↑ EsR: 'the land of the Skrellings.'
- ↑ ÞsK: 'Avalldama' [?]
- ↑ EsR: 'and they yelled loudly, and carried poles, and went with rags.'
- ↑ EsR simply, 'men believe that White-men's-land.'
- ↑ In ÞsK this sentence is lacking.
- ↑ ÞsK: Írlands haf, lit. Ireland's sea. EsR: Grœnlands haf, lit. Greenland's sea, the term used of the sea between Iceland and Greenland.
- ↑ EsR: 'they did not discover this, before the ship was all worm-eaten beneath them. Thereupon they debated what they should do.'
- ↑ EsR: 'an after-boat,' a jolly-boat usually towed 'after' the ship, whence the name.
- ↑ EsR: 'people say, that the shell-worm does not bore in wood, which has been coated with sealtar. It was the advice and decision of most of the men, to transfer to the boat as many as it would contain. But when this was tried, the boat would not hold more than half the men.'
- ↑ EsR: 'Biarni said then, that men should go in the boat, and that this should be determined by casting lots, and not by rank. For all of the men who were there wished to go in the boat; it would not carry all, wherefore they adopted this plan, to choose men by lot for the boat, and from the ship.'
- ↑ EsR: 'nearly half.'
- ↑ EsR: 'Then they, who had been chosen, left the ship and entered the boat.'
- ↑ EsR: 'a young Icelander.'
