INTRODUCTION. 
XI 
land, the port whence they had set out, and 
satisfied Floco that he was still at a less distance 
from Norway than from Gardarsholme. Pursuing 
his voyage, therefore, for some time longer, he 
liberated another raven, who, unable to discover 
land, took refuge in the vessel. In a few days a 
third raven was suffered to leave the ship, and 
this, more fortunate, immediately flew towards 
the wished-for shore. Floco, after the manner of 
his predecessors, first touched at the eastern 
coast, whence, steering his course round the 
southern part of the island, he at length entered 
the great gulph between the two promontories 
that have since borne the names of Snoefel-nes 
and Reikanes ; and afterwards, proceeding north¬ 
ward, harbored for the winter at Watnsfiordur in 
the gulph of Breidafiord. So great was the quan¬ 
tity of ice which in the spring of the following 
year filled the gulph, that Floco was tempted in 
consequence of it once more to change the name 
of the island, and give it the appellation which it 
has ever since retained. He passed another win¬ 
ter in the southern part of the country, previously 
to his return to Norway; where, on account of 
the use he had made of the ravens, he afterwards 
went by the name of Rafnafloke. Induced by 
Floco’s accounts *, Ingulf, a Norwegian of high 
* Arngrim Jonse Isl. Tract. 
