Thorstein Ericsson Dies[1] in the Western Settlement.
In the meantime it had come to pass in Greenland, that Thorstein of Ericsfirth had married, and taken to wife Gudrid, Thorbiorn's daughter, [she] who had been the spouse of Thori Eastman (69), as has been already related. Now Thorstein Ericsson, being minded to make the voyage[2] to Wineland after the body of his brother, Thorvald, equipped the same ship, and selected a crew of twenty-five men[3] of good size and strength[4], and taking with him his wife, Gudrid, when all was in readiness, they sailed out into the open ocean, and out of sight of land. They were driven hither and thither over the sea all that summer, and lost all reckoning[5], and at the end of the first week of winter they made the land at Lysufirth in Greenland, in the Western-settlement. Thorstein set out in search of quarters for his crew, and succeeded in procuring homes for all of his shipmates; but he and his wife were unprovided for, and remained together upon the ship for two or more days[6]. At this time Christianity was still in its infancy in Greenland. It befell, early one morning, that men came to their tent, and the leader inquired who the people were within the tent. Thorstein replies: 'We are twain,' says he; 'but who is it who asks?' 'My name is Thorstein, and I am known as Thorstein the Swarthy[7], and my errand hither is to offer you two, husband and wife, a home with me.' Thorstein replied, that he would consult with his wife, and she bidding him decide, he accepted the invitation. 'I will come after you on the morrow with a sumpter-horse, for I am not lacking in means wherewith to provide for you both, although it will be lonely living with me, since there are but two of us, my wife and myself, for I, forsooth, am a very hard man to get on with[8]; moreover, my faith is not the same as yours[9], albeit methinks that is the better to which you hold.' He returned for them on the morrow, with the beast, and they took up their home with Thorstein the Swarthy, and were well treated by him. Gudrid was a woman of fine presence, and a clever woman, and very happy in adapting herself to strangers.
Early in the winter Thorstein Ericsson's party was visited by sickness, and many of his companions died. He caused coffins to be made for the bodies of the dead, and had them conveyed to the ship, and bestowed there; 'for it is my purpose to have all the bodies taken to Ericsfirth in the summer.' It was not long before
- ↑ 'andaðisk:' lit. died.
- ↑ 'fýstisk...at fara:' lit. hankered to go.
- ↑ 'hálfan þriðja tǫg,' half of the third ten; cf. note I, p. 61.
- ↑ 'valdi hann lið at afli ok vexti:' lit. selected a company for their strength and size.
- ↑ 'vissu eigi hvar þau fóru:' lit. they did not know where they went.
- ↑ 'tvau nǫkkurar nætr:' lit. some two nights.
- ↑ svartr.
- ↑ 'er einþykkr mjǫk:' am very obstinate.
- ↑ i.e. he was not a Christian.
