[271] Captain Isachsen [1907] has attached much weight to this expression (which he translates from “Grönl. hist. Mind.” by “long and dangerous sea-route”; but the original is “mikit og lángt sjóleiði”) in order to prove that the Nordrsetur must lie far north. But it is seen from the text itself that this idea of a long sea voyage is taken from the Skáld-Helga lay (where also similar expressions are used), which is of late origin, and consequently an untrustworthy base for such conclusions. Moreover, according to the lay itself, Skald-Helge belonged probably to the Eastern Settlement, and thence to Holstensborg, 67° N. lat., was a long voyage.
[272] This is obviously an error for “bygðar sporðr” (end of the inhabited country), as in the “Skáld-Helga Rimur” (see above, [p. 298]).
[273] “Greipar,” plural of “Greip,” would mean literally the grip or interval between the fingers, but it may also be used of mountain ravines. The name seems to point to a particularly rugged or fjord-indented coast, and would be appropriate to the whole country north of Straumsfjord, for instance about Holstensborg, in about 67°.
[274] “Króksfjarðar-heiðr” would literally mean the flat, waste mountain tract (“heiðr”) by the crooked fjord, Kroksfjord. The latter name would be very appropriate to Disco Bay and Vaigat. The flat plateaux of basalt, which form Disco on one side, and the Nugsuak Peninsula on the other side of Vaigat, might be called “heiðr.”
[275] Cf. “Grönl. hist. Mind.,” iii. p. 226; F. Jónsson, 1899, p. 319.
[276] Perhaps these names of fjords were so indistinct in the original MS. that Björn Jónsson could not read them, and therefore inserted these words (cf. “Grönl. hist. Mind.,” iii. p. 233).
[277] The name of this island is left blank, and was doubtless illegible in the original.
[278] So the mountain is called in an Icelandic translation, and this form may be nearest to the name in the original Norwegian text. In the various Danish MSS. the mountain is called “Hemeuell Radszfielt” (oldest MS.), “Hammelrads Fjeld,” “Himmelradsfjeld,” etc. In a MS. which is otherwise considered trustworthy, it is called “Hemelrachs Fjeld,” and this has been frequently supposed to mean the heaven-reaching mountain [cf. “Grönl. hist. Mind.,” iii. p. 259]. As will be mentioned later, the real name of the mountain was possibly “Himinroð” (flushing of the sky), or perhaps “Himinrǫð” (wall of heaven, i.e., wall reaching towards heaven).
[279] The words in parenthesis are in German, and are certainly an explanation added later. XIII. is evidently an error for XIIII.
[280] It is also possible that it means whales from which “tauer” or ropes are obtained, i.e., the walrus; the ropes of walrus-hide being so very valuable.