“they sailed for two ‘dœgr’ towards the south-east and south, and then a land lay before them, and upon it were great forests and many beasts. An island lay to the south-east off the land, and there they found a polar bear,[302] and they called the island ‘Bjarney’; but the country they called ‘Markland’ [i.e., Wood-land] on account of the forest.”
The name Markland suits Newfoundland best; it had forests down to the sea-shore when it was rediscovered about 1500, and even later.
When they had once more sailed for
“two ‘dœgr’ they sighted land and sailed under the land. There was a promontory where they first came. They cruised along the shore, which they kept to starboard [i.e., to the west]. It was without harbours and there were long strands and stretches of sand. They went ashore in boats, and found there on the promontory a ship’s keel, and called it ‘Kjalarnes’ [i.e., Keel-ness]; they also gave the strands a name and called them ‘Furðustrandir’ [i.e., the marvel-strands or the wonderful, strange strands], because it took a long time to sail past them.”[303]
This may apply, as Storm points out, to the eastern side of Cape Breton Island; but in that case they must have steered west-south-west from the south-eastern promontory of Markland (Newfoundland). Kjalarnes must then be Cape Breton itself. That they should have found a ship’s keel there sounds strange; if this is not an invention we must suppose that it was driven ashore from a wreck; no doubt it happened often enough that vessels were lost on the voyage to Greenland. When Eric, according to the Landnámabók, sailed with twenty-five ships, many of them were lost. Wreckage would be carried by the currents from Greenland into the Labrador current, and by this southward past Markland. But it is more probable that the origin of the name was entirely different; that, for example, the promontory had the shape of a ship’s keel, and that the account of the keel found has been developed much later.[304] This is confirmed by the fact that the “Grönlendinga-þáttr” gives a wholly different explanation of the name from that in Eric’s Saga.
South of Furðustrandir “the land was indented by bays (‘vágskorit’), and they steered the ships into a bay.” Here they landed the two Scots (the man “Haki” and the woman “Hekja”) whom Karlsevne had received from Leif and Eric, and who ran faster than deer. They “bade them run southward and examine the condition of the country, and return before three ‘dœgr’ were past. They had such garments as they called ‘kiafal’ [or ‘biafal’]; it was made so that there was a hood above, and it [i.e., ‘the kiafal’] was open at the sides, and without sleeves, and caught up between the legs, fastened there with a button and a loop; otherwise they were bare. They cast anchor and lay there a while; and when three days were past they came running down from the land, and one of them had grapes in his hand, the other self-sown wheat. Karlsevne said that they seemed to have found a fertile country.”
They then sailed on until they came to a fjord, into which they steered the ships.
“There was an island outside, and round the island strong currents. They called it ‘Straumsey.’ There were so many birds there that one could hardly put one’s foot between the eggs. They held on up the fjord, and called it ‘Straumsfjord,’ and unloaded the ships and established themselves there. They had with them all kinds of cattle, and sought to make use of the land. There were mountains there, and fair was the prospect. They did nothing else but search out the land. There was much grass. They stayed there the winter, and it was very long; but they had not taken thought of anything, and were short of food, and their catch decreased. Then they went out to the island, expecting that there they might find some fishing or something might drift up [i.e., a whale be driven ashore ?]. There was, however, little to be caught for food, but their cattle throve there. Then they made vows to God that He might send them something to eat; but no answer came so quickly as they had hoped.” The heathen Thorhall the Hunter then disappeared for three “dœgr,” and doubtless held secret conjurations with the red-bearded One (i.e., Thor). A little later a whale was driven ashore, and they ate of it, but were all sick. When they found out how things were with Thorhall and Thor, “they cast it out over the cliff and prayed to God for mercy. They then made a catch of fish, and there was no lack of food. In the spring [1004] they entered Straumsfjord and had catches from both lands [i.e., both sides of the fjord], hunting on the mainland, eggs on the island, and fish in the sea.”
This description gives a good insight both into the Norsemen’s manner of equipping themselves for voyages to unknown countries, and into their superstition.
It looks as if a dissension now arose between the wayward Thorhall the Hunter and the rest, since he wanted to look for Wineland to the north of Furðustrandir, beyond Kjalarnes.