this subject, all of which agree in ascribing the discoveiy to Leif Ericsson, and unite in the statement that he found Wineland accidentally, during a voj^age from Norway to Greenland, which he had undertaken at the instance of King Olaf Trj'ggx-ason, for the purpose of introducing Christianity to his fellow-countrymen in Greenland. Not only is Biarni's discovery unknown to any other Icelandic writing now existing, but the man himself, as well as his daring voyage, have failed to find a chronicler elsewhere, although his father was ' a most distinguished man,' the grandson of a ' settler,' and a kinsman of the first Icelandic colonist.
The first portion of the Flatey Book version, the ' Short Story of Eric the Red,' concludes with the words, ' Biarni now went to his father, gave up his voyaging, and remained with his father during Heriulf's lifetime, and continued to dwell there after his father.' The second portion of this version of the Wineland history, the ' Short Story of the Greenlanders,' begins with the words, ' It is now next to this, that Biarni Heriulfsson came out from Greenland on a visit to Earl Eric,' &c. As has already been stated, the two portions of the history of the Wineland discovery, as they appear in the Flatey Book, are not in any way connected with each other. The first narrative occupies its appropriate place in the account of the life of King Olaf Tryggvason, as do the other narratives, similar in character, which are introduced into this as into the other sagas in the manuscript, and there appears to be no reason why the second narrative, ' A Short Story of the Greenlanders,' should be regarded as having received treatment different, in this respect, from other interpolated narratives of the same class. If, therefore, we interpret the opening words of this story of the Greenlanders, ' It is now next to this,' to mean that the incident which follows is related next in chronological order after that part of the saga which has immediately preceded it, it becomes apparent that Biarni's visit must have taken place after the battle of Svoldr, in which King Olaf Trygg'ason fell, and Earl Eric was victorious[1]. This battle took place on the gth of September, in the j-ear looo. As it is not probable that Biarni would have undertaken his voyage to Norway before the summer following, the earliest date which could reasonably be assigned for Biarni's sojourn at the Earl's court would appear to be the winter of the years 1001-1002[2]. We are told in the same place that Biarni returned to Greenland the following summer, and that subsequent to
- ↑ Schöning, who adopted the narrative of the Flatey Book in his edition of Heimskringla, assigns the date of Biarni's visit to the Earl to the year 988 or 989. With him, in this view, the editors of Grönlands historiske Mindesmærker seem inclined to agree, but the Flatey Book itself does not appear to furnish any support for this conjecture. Cf. Grönlands historiske Rlindcsmærker, Copenh. 1838, vol. i. pp. 266-7.
- ↑ Amgrimr Jónsson, in his Gronlandia, the earliest account of the Wineland discovery printed in Iceland, gives as the date of Biarni's voyage the year 1002. Cf Gronlandia, Skálholt, 1688, ch. i..
