THORFINN KARLSEFNI 21 



One would imagine that there would not be much 

 trouble about locating Furdustrandir (Wonder- 

 strands) when their unique character is considered. 

 Indeed Gustav Storm and others have felt that they 

 could locate them. But Steensby's arguments are espe- 

 cially logical. He pointed out, substantiating his 

 statements, that Wonderstrands were the southern 

 coast of Labrador, especially the shore from Cape 

 Whittle to the Seven Islands, which, according to 

 available maps, is a distance of some 440 kilometers. 

 There the land is low and, from afar, difficult to be 

 distinguished from the seaj but the coast is harborless, 

 as one of the texts states about Wonderstrands. Slight 

 indentations are to be found here and there, and into 

 the sea flow many rivers which have gathered large de- 

 posits of sand. A number of these rivers contain mag- 

 netic ironj and for that reason these desolate shores 

 are inhabited. The strands are straight from east to 

 west, but the Saga relates that the explorers sailed 

 south. However, that may be explained by the fact 

 that in going from Belle Isle (Bear Island?) to Cape 

 Whittle they sailed southwest about 330 kilometers. 

 Furthermore, it is well known that the ancient Ice- 

 landers were not as accurate about directions as men 

 are nowadays, particularly at sea. 



Halldor Hermannsson is of the opinion that Leif 

 Ericsson went through the Gulf of St. Lawrence on 



