Che Icelandic Colonization of Greenland. 107 
his face; but at midnight it was as high, as it was at home in the 
settlement, when in the northwest. They then went back home to 
Gardar” 
As one does not know how high the railing in the olden boats rose 
above the thwart one cannot give the exact situation of Kroksfiordsheidi; 
but there is no doubt that it must be searched in уегу пог ету latitudes. 
As one will see the ship did not follow Greenland’s coast but steered 
out to sea (Baffin’s bay?) until it reached a big bay or fiord, perhaps Jones- 
Sound or up in Smith-Sound. 
It is furthermore related in Biörn Jonsson’s account: 
About the inhabitants of Greenland’s northern regions. 
“All the important peasants in Greenland had big ships and barges 
built to be sent to the northern hunting resorts, provided with various 
instruments and hewn timber, and at times they went themselves as 
it is related in the records, thus in Bard Helgi’s Saga and the tale of 
Thordis; there they used to prepare seal tar, as every sort of seal capture 
was better there than at home in the settlement; melted seal fat was 
poured into skin-boats, which were hung up in the wind, in isolated 
drying houses, until it congealed; afterwards it was prepared as it should 
be. These socalled Nordrsetumenn had their booths or huts in Grei- 
par and some in Kroksfiordsheidi. There is drifting timber, but no 
trees grow there; trees and all wreckage of the sea coming from Markland’s 
bays accumulate mostly at this northernpoint of Greenland.’ — — 
After having thus rendered an account of the Greenlanders doings 
in the northern parts of the country, we shall, according to a beautiful 
old poem which is a reconstruction of a lost saga, relate about: 
Bard Helgi, Greenland’s law-speaker who lived in the first half of 
the eleventh century, and who visited Greipar under special circum- 
stances. 
Eric the Red’s celebrated family passed out of history with the death 
of his son’s son, Thorkel Leifsson, which must have taken place about 
1030. The family’s chieftain seat Brattahlid evidently continued to be 
the central point of the colony in the eastern settlement, as it appears 
in the poem, which, according to the taste of that time, is rather 
sentimental, but well composed. It contains sections of no slight effect, 
and enlightens besides the life in Greenland, undoubtedly in a reliable 
manner according to Finnur Jönsson’s assertion. 
Helgi was an Icelandic peasant’s son and of a poetical disposition. 
He had besides an inclination for violent deeds, and led a roving life 
partly through an unhappy passion for an Icelandic girl Thorkatla. 
After being sentenced an outlaw he went from Norway to.Greenland on- 
board a trading-ship. The journey was one series of misfortunes. Storm 
and contrary winds checked the speed, heavy seas threatened to founder 
the ship. Distress was great, and the shiphands, who were imbued 
with heathen thoughts began to consult as to how far it agreed 
