1 6 THE VINLAND VOYAGES 



on the other hand, it seems unlikely that Thorfinn and 

 his men went there. Yet there is hardly any other 

 island than Disko that can claim consideration. Of 

 course, there may be a misstatement in the Saga with 

 reference to this journey so far norths or there may 

 have been some reason for it omitted by the sagaman, 

 either through oversight or ignorance. ^^ 



It is stated that Thorfinn came upon Helluland 

 after two days' sailing from Bear Island, something 

 that could not be true even if Bear Island were directly 

 out from Lysufjord, as Gustav Storm believed. If 

 Thorfinn and his men did not sail directly south but 

 took a southwesterly course, the shortest way to the 

 next land, the distance is so great that they could not 

 have covered it in two "dsegr," even though two 

 "dsegr" signifies two days, as it probably does." It 

 has been suggested by Finnur Jonsson that there is a 

 mistake in the manuscript, the writer having written 

 "ii" for "u," that is v, or 5, which is possible.^® Yet 

 it seems to me more likely that the scribe may have 

 mixed his sentences and taken this number from the 

 voyage to Markland which follows. 



^^ It is possible that there were plentiful provisions in this Bear 

 Island and that the voyagers went thither to get supplies before start- 

 ing for the unknown lands. 



^^ Gr0nlands historiske Mindesmarker, Vol. i,pp. 162-163. 



"^^ Historisk Tidsskrift (Norwegian), Ser. 5, Vol. i, Christiania, 

 1912, p. 133. 



