14 THE VINLAND VOYAGES 



and came upon a wooded land, with many wild beasts. 

 An island lay to the southeast j there they slew a bear 

 and named the island Bear Island, but the land they 

 called Markland (i.e. Forestland). Then they sailed 

 south along the shore for a long time and finally came 

 to a cape. The land lay to the starboard 3 there were 

 long strands and sandy banks. They rowed to the 

 land and found there the keel of a ship and thence 

 called the cape Keelness. The strands they also called 

 Furdustrandir (Wonderstrands), because it took so 

 long to sail past them. Then the land became indented 

 with bays."^* They sailed their ship into a bay 5 there 

 was an island at the mouth of the bay, and there were 

 strong currents around it. They called the island 

 Straumey (Stream Island) . There were so many eider 

 ducks on the island that it was scarcely possible to walk 

 because of the eggs. They named the fjord Straum- 

 fjord (Streamfjord). Then they carried their car- 

 goes ashore and settled there. They had brought all 

 kinds of livestock with them. The country was beau- 

 tiful, and they occupied themselves only with explor- 

 ing it. They spent the winter there but had not 

 provided for it during the summer. In time fishing 

 failed, and it became difficult to obtain f ood.^^ Then 



^* Here a portion is omitted referring- to Haki and Haskja, scarcely 

 original in this connection. It will be referred to later (p. 26). 

 ^^ The story of Thorhall the Hunter and the whale is omitted here. 



