The Icelandic Colonization of Greenland. 49 
companied by Gudrid. They were well received and they remained 
there during the winter. Straightway in the beginning an illness came 
to the farm!. First Gard, а man who understood farm labour, but who 
was not popular, was taken ill and died; then they died one after an- 
other. The illness now attacked Thorstein Eriksson and his namesake 
Thorstein’s wife Sigrid. One evening she went to the “little house” which 
stood opposite the house door; Gudrid accompanied her, and as they 
stood turned towards the entrance, Sigrid uttered a cry. 
Gudrid said: “We have been incautious, hasten, so that thou dost 
not take cold, let us go in again, as quickly as possible.’ 
Sigrid answered: “It is not so easy to go back again, as things are 
now, for a host of dead are in front of the door, also thy husband Thor- 
stein — and I see myself — what a terrible sight it is.” 
When the vision had disappeared she said: “Let us now go Gudrid! 
I see the host no longer.” 
Gard had now disappeared from her sight — the moment before 
she thought he had a scourge in his hand, with which he would beat 
the host of dead. So they went in and before the morning dawned she 
was dead; a coffin was made for the corpse. On the same day the farm- 
hands wished to go out fishing, and Thorstein accompanied them down 
to the wharf, and in the twilight he went again so as to see their draught. 
At the same time Thorstein Ericsson sent his namesake a message 
saying that he would visit him, — there was great disturbance up 
there. The dead mistress (Sigrid) was about to raise herself onto her 
feet and she wished to get into his bed under the covers. When he 
came in she was on the bedstocks; but he caught hold of her with his 
hands and held a bole axe before her breast. Thorstein Ericsson died 
before the day was at an end. Thorstein (peasant) had begged Gudrid 
to lie down and sleep whilst he watched over the bodies during the 
night. When a part of the night had passed, Thorstein Ericsson sat up 
and began to talk. He wished Gudrid to come as he would speak 
to her. 
“God has released me at this hour so that I may improve my 
situation.” 
Farmer Thorstein then went to Gudrid, woke her, bade her cross 
herself and prayed God to help her — he then told her, that which 
Thorstein Ericsson had said to him: 
“He wishes to speak to thee, thou must thyself decide what thou 
wilt do. I can neither advise nor dissuade.” 
She answered: 
“Tt is possible that this wonderful incident has an object which 
will be remembered later on. I hope God will take me under his care, 
7 The following statement will show how deeply superstition and fear of ghosts 
had taken root in people of that day. 
LVI. 4 
Leo! b А Ls 
A 
