232 NATURAL H I ST O R Y of NOR WAT, 



he was driven back again to Greenland, to a place called Lyfefiord^ 

 it being very late in the autumn, where he, as well as moft of 

 his people, died of the plague. During the winter their bodies 

 were put into chefts and preferved, and in the fpring they were all 

 carried to Erichsfiord, and decently interred. 



Thorn-en's wife, whofe name was Gudrid, furvived him, and 

 afterwards married an Icelander, who was called Thorfin Karlfefne, 

 and was but lately come to Greenland from Norway. This Thor- 

 fin was perfuaded by his wife and others to go to Viinland. Ac- 

 cordingly he fet fail with fixty men, befides his wife and five 

 other women. He alfo took with him as many heads of cattle as 

 he Gould flow in the fhip, and had the liberty of living in Lief *s 

 houfe, for it was not given him. He arrived fafe at Viinland, 

 where there was no fcarcity of any thing neceffary to fupport life ; 

 for befides plenty of fifh, and the fruits of the earth, they found 

 a large whale driven upon the fhore, of the fort which they call 

 reid- whale ; of this kind fome have been found near two hundred 

 feet long,, and their nefh taftes very much like beef. Befides all 

 this, it was a pleafant fertile country, and afforded plenty of grafs, 

 fo that a bull they had brought with them grew fo wild and 

 untraceable with high keeping, that they could not manage him. 



In this manner they lived by themfelves till Chriftmas, when 

 the Skraslingers approached them in great numbers with their 

 commodities,, which confifted of hides, fkins, and furs; but when 

 they faw the bull* and heard him make fuch a terrible bellow- 

 ing, they were fo terrified that they fled with great precipitation 

 to their houfes, and in their hurry to get in, broke open fome of 

 the doors. The Greenlanders did not underftand their language, 

 nor they the Greenlanders ; but, by figns and motions, they under- 

 ftood that the Skraelingers were come to trade with them, and 

 chofe to have iron and arms in exchange for their furrs. Thorfin 

 forbade all his people to fell them iron,, but gave them milk and 

 other food, which the Skraslingers Teemed very fond of, andpre- 

 fented him with feveral valuable things in return for their good 

 cheer. 



When they were gone, Thorfin fet about boarding his houfe 

 all round with thick planks. All this happened during the firfl 

 vear of their lefidence in that country. 



The 



