Snæfells-Jükull (glacier) in Iceland. (photo.) 
The farm Arnarstapi in the foreground. 
Chapter III. 
The Saga of Eric the Red. 
о begin with, several hundred people accompanied Eric the Red to 
Greenland, amongst whom were, chiefs with their households and 
thralls; but many freeborn men followed later on. The emigration to 
Greenland was so great, that it is assumed that the Zystribygd and the 
Vestribygd (eastern and western settlements) were essentially inhabited 
about the year 1000. The delight of exploit and the longing to travel 
led many people to Greenland; but there were also several, over whom 
the judgement of outlawry had been pronounced, who now sought a 
refuge here, in a more remote region, so as better to be able to avoid 
revenge for bloodshed. 
In Gisli Sursson’s Saga, in which there is a genuine saga of outlawry, 
we hear how the revenge for bloodshed overtook one after another of 
the contending races in Iceland, until at last a young man, Helgi Vesteins- 
son, who had taken part in manslaughter escaped to Greenland: It is 
written: 
"Helgi came there (in the time of Eric the Red) grew up and was 
strong. He was deemed an excellent man. There were sent assassins 
out to take his life but they did not succeed in trapping him. Helgi died 
whilst out fishing and his death was considered a great loss”. 
We shall later on hear more about several other Icelanders who like- 
wise emigrated to the new colonies. Dissatisfied chiefs also came to 
Greenland from Norway, such as Thrond from the Uplands who left the 
country on account of Harold Hardrede’s persecution — about the middle 
of the 11th century. 
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