126 DANIEL BRUUN. 
In the meantime the coasts were blocked by ice, and the chances 
of getting away with the ships, were small; but suddenly the ice disap- 
peared, so that the strangers got away. They reached Norway safe and 
sound in the autumn. 
“Kolbein had had a polar bear with him from Greenland. He took 
the animal with him to King Harald Gille, to whom he stated that 
the Greenlanders deserved a serious chastisement. He severely slandered 
them, but when the king later on got to hear otherwise, Kolbein got 
nothing for his animal. Thereupon he ran over to SIGURD SLEMBIR’S 
people, attacked King Harald Gille in his dwelling and wounded him. 
When the naval force later on sailed past the Danish coasts in a sharp 
breeze and at a great speed, Kolbein was in tow in a boat; but the 
rope broke and Kolbein drowned. Hermund and his crew came to their 
relations and property in Iceland. This saga ends thus.” 
After that, this powerful and clever Arnald had been bishop in 
Greenland until 1150, he then returned to Norway and became Head- 
Bishop of Hamar. 
From the moment Greenland had had a bishop, the power and influ- 
ence, as far as one can see, ghded more and more into their hands, and the 
Icelandic annals — which henceforth will principally be the place where 
we must search our knowledge of what took place in Greenland, contain 
almost only the tidings of the bishop’s appointments, journeys to Nor- 
way, lceland and Denmark, as well as their death — worldly chiefs are 
hardly mentioned. 
Although the country was poor there were however collected cru- 
sade tithes. They were amongst other things, paid in walrus teeth, which 
were sent to Norway where Dertrand de Ortolis received the one half 
(1327) whilst the other half was left to King Magnus Smek as a help 
towards expenses of the war against the Russians. Also Peter’s-pence 
was delivered on the same occasion from Greenland. In all 130 stone, 
teeth were received. On account of Greenland’s poverty they were, a 
few years later, excused by the pope from an extraordinary tithe which 
had been enjoined upon them (1345). In any case christianity was in а sad 
state in the remotest countries. It is said that in 1542 many Green- 
landers inclined to the belief of the Eskimoes, if one can rely on the 
communication, hardly others than those in very remote parts can be 
meant, where many Norsemen perhaps have risked their lives in 
Eskimoe-fashion as capturers. 
We also hear that King Magnus Smek in the year 1355 commanded 
the “Knarr“ or trading ship, which sailed between Norway and Green- 
land, to be equipped, with the intention of supporting Greenland’s 
christianity, which: “we cannot let decay in our days”. 
In 1347 the king and his queen Blanca bequeathed 100 marks to 
the ornamenting of the cathedral at Gardar; but it is doubtful as to it 
ever having received the gift. 
