38 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. IO7 



and place next the abortive venture of Thorstein, but am not sure 

 whether the episode involving Eric's part in the expedition belongs 

 here or with the earlier voyage of Leif . Here I am inclined, however, 

 to follow the Flat Island Book and assume it was the latter, particu- 

 larly as this authority tells us that Eric changed his intention to 

 accompany the explorers and returned home. The Saga wishes us 

 to believe that when Eric was thrown from his horse, some of his 

 ribs were broken and his shoulder dislocated but that he was not 

 deterred thereby from venturing out upon the tempestuous seas with 

 Thorstein, and that the whole company, including apparently Eric, 

 were "in high spirits." Leif might well have wished his fortunate 

 father along, but the fact that Leif himself reaped the reputation for 

 the discovery shows that Eric was not with him. We may follow the 

 Saga in assuming that Thorstein did not marry Gudrid until after 

 his return, and accept its version of their reason for going to Lysu- 

 firth to live, and the events which took place there, aside from the 

 supernatural accompaniments. We should probably follow it in the 

 main in its relation of the Karlsefni voyage, but should leave out 

 the story of the two Gaelic runners and set down the second story 

 of the five Skrellings as a later amplification of the first. I accept 

 the narrative of Karlsefni's voyage to the north in search of Thorhall 

 but would substitute the manner of Thorvald's death as related in the 

 Flat Island Book for the adventure with the Uniped. However, there 

 seems to be some confusion between the adventure with the nine 

 Skrellings found under skin canoes and the two encounters in which 

 five Skrellings figure. It is likely that real skin canoes were seen 

 here for the first time, if at all, whereas those seen in Wineland were 

 really of bark, or perhaps the Flat Island Book is correct in stating 

 that the Wineland SkreUings always came through the woods. At 

 least there seems to be evidence that their final attack was made by 

 land, a maneuver which would be more in keeping with Indian 

 strategy than a frontal assault. The aboriginal bomb may introduce 

 a supernatural element impossible of explanation. The narratives 

 agree that the main battle took place between the lake shore and a 

 forest. If these Skrellings were armed with slings or spear throwers 

 and those encountered farther north with bows and arrows, we have 

 a curious violation of our expectations. Has the Saga inverted the 

 facts and the Winelanders had bows and arrows while the northern 

 Indians or Eskimo were provided with slings and spear throwers? 

 Or did the southern Indians retain the use of slings and spear 

 throwers after the northern Indians or Eskimo had adopted bows 



