62 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



cruised the northern seas in search of plunder, ha- 

 ving been driven by a long continued storm from 

 the eastward, upon^the coast of Iceland, in the year 

 861. This island, from the quantity of snow seen 

 on the mountains, was by its discoverer Nad- 

 DoDU, at first called Schnee or SnoidancL It 

 was visited by a Swede of the name of Gardar 

 SuafFarson, three years after its discovery, who win- 

 tered there ; and afterwards by another Swede cal- 

 led Flocke, who, for assisting him in the naviga- 

 tion to this remote country, the compass being then 

 unknown, is said to have carried out ravens along 

 with him, by the flight of which, when set at liber- 

 ty, he directed his course, and was led to the re- 

 quired country. This island, which had been deno- 

 minated Iceland by Flocke, was again visited in 

 the year 874 by Ingolf and Lief, two Norwegians, 

 to whom the country presented so many natural ad- 

 vantages, that they, Avith a few followers, were in- 

 duced to settle there about four years afterwards. 

 In the course of a few years, they were joined by a 

 number of Norwegian families, who resorted thither 

 from political oppression ; so that they soon consti- 

 tuted a considerable colony. 



The coast of Norway, to the entrance of the 

 White Sea, was examined about this period by a 

 person of the name of Ohthere, a Norwegian, 

 who himiself gave an account of his voyage to Al- 

 fred the Great, by whom it has been handed down 



