39 Gustav Норм. 
Presumably there is no reason to reject Steensby's identifying 
Straumsey with Hare Island, because there was no pasture for Karls- 
efni's cattle, and on that account several of his arguments fall to the 
ground. The wintering did not take place at Straumsey but on the 
mainland at Straumsfjord. Steensby has misunderstood the Saga. He 
writes): “They steered into a fjord, outside which lay an island; a rapid 
current ran round it, therefore they called it Straumey. There were 
such a number of eiderducks on the island that one could hardly move 
for eggs. [They called this place Straumfjord] and here they discharged 
the cargo and prepared to remain; they had all sorts of cattle with them”. 
We will at once notice that there is something curious in the wintering. 
place at Straumsey being called Straumsfjord. And if one looks in 
AM. 557, instead of the words enclosed in brackets there is written: 
“They sailed into the fjord and called it Straumsfjord” (p. 22). — Pro- 
fessor Finnur Jønsson has remarked that an Icelander never would 
call a wintering place at Straumsey for Straumsfjord, and he also says 
it is not even written in Hauksbok. There is written: “реш kolluda 
bar Straumfjordr”. The word “par” which is translated as “this place” 
does not mean the island but the fjord, which has just been mentioned. 
So it was not on the island they unshipped, and had their winter 
quarters. This was also later confirmed, as after the severe winter, it 
is written in AM. 557 (p. 23): "Then they went out to the island in 
the hope that something might be forthcoming in the way of fishing 
or flotsam”. Later on when the weather had improved, there is written 
in Hauksbok as well as in АМ. 557: “In the spring they went into 
Straumsfjord, and obtained provisions from both regions, hunting on 
the mainland, gathering eggs (on the island), and fishing in the зеа”. 
If the cattle had grazed the whole time on the island, there was not 
much use commending it for its eggs, which the cattle easily could 
have deranged. Finally there is written that: “Thorhall prepared for 
his voyage out by the islands” (p. 23), whereat one must imply that 
the others are on the mainland. 
The wintering has without doubt taken place on the mainland, 
where there was high grass, but it was a severe winter for which they 
had not prepared, and they all agreed that they had not reached Vin- 
land — look at Thorhall’s first verse (p. 23) where he blames the country 
and says “there came not a drop of wine to my lips”. 
THE IDENTIFICATION OF HOP WITH MONTMAGNY (ST. 
THOMAS). — Gathorne-Hardy writes concerning the identification of 
Hop?): “Finally, Professor Steensby’s Hop, at St. Thomas, faces north, 
which is in conflict with the saga, where we are told more than once 
NOD: Gite Do 102% 2) op. cit. р. 243. 
