IN NORTHERN MISTS 



and the description itself of the dangers of the voyage, of the 

 darkness that could scarcely be penetrated by the eyes, etc., is 

 just what we find in classical literature and in many points bears 

 great resemblance to the poem of Albinovanus Pedo, for example 

 (see Vol. I, p. 82). It is possible, of course, that there may 

 be thus much historical truth in the story, that some Frisian 

 nobles made a voyage to the Orkneys or perhaps to Iceland, 

 but even this is doubtful, and the rest is demonstrably invention. 

 In spite of this Magister Adam asserts that Archbishop Adalbert 

 in person had told him all this, and that it happened in the 

 day of his predecessor. Archbishop Alebrand, who had the 

 story from the travelers' own lips; for they returned to 

 Bremen and brought thank-offerings to Christ and to their 

 saint " Willehad " for their safety. One might suppose that 

 these nobles themselves had invented the story and told it 

 to the archbishop ; ^ but it does not seem likely that they were 

 acquainted with Paulus Warnefridi's description of the mael- 

 strom, and the Cyclopes with their treasures in the North seem 

 also to be learned embroidery; they might have heard oral 

 tales about them, but in any case we may doubtless suppose 

 that the story has been much " improved " by Adam. There 

 is a mediaeval folk-song about the dangers of sailors at sea 

 which may also be supposed to have contributed to the 

 description. 



Be that as it may, this story must weaken our confidence 

 in Adam's credibility, or rather in his critical sense. If his 

 narrative of a voyage which started from his own adopted town 

 of Bremen not long before his time, is so untrustworthy, what 

 are we to think of his statement about the experienced Nor- 

 wegian king Harold's expedition to explore the extent of 

 the ocean? No doubt it may appear as though he had his 

 information about this voyage from 'the Danish King, Svein, 



iKohl [1869, pp. II f.] supposes that they may have carried on piracy, and 

 invented their story to explain to the bishop how they had come by the booty 

 they brought home and how they had lost their companions, who may have 

 been killed in fighting. 

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