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FAIRE
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140
.75
843

IN
THE VOYAGE OF THORGILS, AND MIS ADVENTURES
ON THE EAST COAST OF GREENLAND
ABOUT THE YEAR 1000.
auabny
BEAUVOIS.
WITH INTRODUCTION BY B. F. DE COSTA, D. D.
REPRINTED FROM
THE NATIONAL MAGAZINE,
April, 1892.

THE VOYAGE OF THORGILS, AND HIS ADVENTURES
ON THE EAST COAST OF GREENLAND
ABOUT THE YEAR 1000.
E. BEAUVOIS.
WITH INTRODUCTION BY B. F. DE COSTA, D.D.
ci
THE VOYAGE OF THORGILS, AND HIS ADVENTURES ON
THE EAST COAST OF GREENLAND
ABOUT THE YEAR 1000.'
INTRODUCTION, BY DR. B. F. DE COSTA.
Geologists inform us that the "New achievements form a part of written
World,” so-called, is actually the “Old history. The Northmen were indeed
World," and that a mountain peak in on the Atlantic coast in the year 986,
the Carolinas was the first object but their own records affirm that the
that arose out of the primeval sea. Irish had long before preceded them.
Here on the Western Continent ani- Fifteen years before the establish-
mals first made their appearance, and ment of Christianity in Iceland, Eric
at an early period went out across a the Red settled in Greenland; which
bridge of land that once existed at puts the latter event in about the
Behring Strait, spreading over the year 985. The record says that he
Eastern Continent. The present the- gave the country the name of “Green-
ory holds that man had his origin in land," because the name would make
the East, but, as "science" has a new a good impression and encourage
story to tell every year, it may yet colonization. The indications, how-
become necessary to abandon the old ever, point to the conclusion, that the
formula, “Who discovered America," continent of North America bore the
and inquire “Who discovered the name of "Greenland" long before,
Eastern Continent?"
and that he simply gave the name to
Ages before Columbus, adventurers the particular northern region in
found their way to this continent, but which he settled. Before the ad-
we inquire in vain for the record of vent of the Northmen, this conti-
their achievements. The Phænicians, nent was known as “Ireland the
the Chinese, the Irish, the North- Great," and also as “White Man's
men, the Welsh, the Italians, and the Land," on account of the dress of in-
Basques were all active in Pre-Co- habitants found here by the Irish.
lumbian times, and there is nothing The adventurers from Ireland, which
to prove that any of them failed to was known as "the Green Island," on
reach America. The Irish, however,
The Irish, however, reaching our continent and discover-
have the first claim, as their early ing its vastness, probably gave it the
"Translated from the French by Daniel Van Pelt.
4
name of "the Green Land.” “Green- land that had been discovered by
land” may therefore be regarded as other Icelanders, and eventually
the first historic name of this coun- reached Greenland. He settled in a
try. The Northmen, following the place called “Ericsfiord.” This was
Irish, gave it the name of “Vineland." on the west coast of Greenland,
It was afterwards known as “Estoti- where, eventually, a second colony
land," an unexplained name, possibly was formed farther south, and, by
a corruption of "the Scot's Land." the trend of the coast, lay, conse-
"Drogeo" was also applied to one quently cast of Eric's settlement. On
region, and, when the Cabots came, the eastern coast of Greenland there
North America received the name of never was any settlement, and this is
“Bacallaos," the land of the cod-
proven by a fact not mentioned by
fish; being followed by “Yucatania,” M. Beauvois, namely, that the Zeno
found on the Verrazano map of 1529, map, which was, of,,Pre-Columbian
the name of the isthmus of Yucatan origin, shows no settlement on the
being made to do duty for the conti- east coast. This map was first pub-
nent. "Norombega" followed, while lished after the voyage of Columbus,
“Mexicana" and "Peruviana" also and at a time when it was popularly
had a share of attention. "Green- supposed that the eastern settlement
land," however, became restricted to of the Northmen was situated abso-
the region now bearing the name; lutely on the eastern coast. The
"Norom bega" dwindled until it came map, however, boldly proclaimed
to signify a town on the Penobscot, that no settlement ever existed on
and all other names were discarded the east coast, and all inquiries and
to make way for “America."
discoveries since have gone to sup-
At the time of the shipwreck of Thor- port the antiquity and authenticity
gils, whose adventures are related in of the map, demonstrating at the
the article which follows this sketch, same time the truth of the Zeno nar-
the Northmen had definitely located rative, showing a Pre-Columbian
the present Greenland, which, how- voyage to this country.
ever, they regarded as a part of Eu- At the time of the shipwreck of
rope, and connected therewith by an Thorgils, the eastern coast of Green-
arm of land stretching northward land was in its present condition,
around Iceland to Norway. They being, for the most part, blocked
did not dream that they had discov- with ice, and practically uninhabita-
ered a “New World." They never ble, only a few Eskimo venturing
boasted of any discoveries, and freely thither by making their way east-
conceded priority to the Irish.
ward around Cape Farewell; though,
Eric the Red, on being banished singularly, far up in the north, on
from Iceland, went west in search of the east coast, in one place a differ.
6
ent state of things was found by the resemblance between the defec-
Scoresby, who was surprised by the tion of Thorgils' "bondmen" and
warmth of the air, the freedom from the failure that has often distin-
ice, the luxuriance of the grass, and guished the action of followers in
the humn of insects. Poor Thorgils, Arctic expeditions, and, notably, in
nevertheless, failed to discover any that of the Greely expedition, where,
such happy hunting-grounds, falling in the time of pressure, provisions
upon the region where the glaciers were stolen by those who had it
slide down from the mountains and not in their power to desert. The
an almost unbroken ice belt clings to “bondmen" were those known other-
the shore, an icy shirt of Næssus, wise as "thralls" and "house carls,"
instead of fire, consuming all things being prisoners taken in expeditions
with an insatiable consumption. against neighboring chiefs or powers,
M. Beauvois has pointed out about and reduced to a mild condition of
all that is of interest to the general slavery, which did not prevent them
reader in connection with Thorgils' from rising in the social scale. The
shipwreck, and has faithfully ana- Kettles of Iceland were Irishmen
lyzed ihe narrative. If it had been taken prisoners by the Iceland mer-
necessary, he could nevertheless, chants on the coast of Ireland, one of
have said much more in regard to them being known as “Thorer. Ket-
the supernatural in connection with tle-Paunch," from the resemblance
the Saga, and he rightly concludes of his stomach to a cauldron. The
that the supernatural element forms Kettles of Iceland were Irish slaves
one proof of its antiquity and au- thus named, though this patronymic,
thenticity; for if we were to reject
were to reject after the analogy of "Smith" blossom.
the story on account of the flights of ing out as “de Smythe," now appears
diseased imagination that it carries,
it carries in a Frenchy form as “ Kettelle."
it would be necessary to impugn a The first slaves known to have trod.
large portion of early New England den the soil of New England were
history. Mather's "Magnalia," for
“Magnalia," for Irish; a man and a woman in the
instance, abounds with sick men's expedition of Leif Ericson, A. D.
fancies similar to those portrayed in
“Haki” and “Hekia," de-
the Saga of Thorgils, while the scribed as "two Scots," the Irish be-
brawls and bloodshed which mark ing at that time always known as
this Saga more than find their paral- “Scots.” Ingolf, the first settler of
lel in the Saga of Einer Sokkeson, a Iceland, was murdered by his slaves;
startling picture of life and manners and Thorgils himself, as will be seen
in mediæval Greenland, about to ap- by the narrative, had narrow
pear from the press.
escape.
It may be of interest to point out M. Beauvois makes Thorgils A
1000.
a
6
contemporary of Karlsefeni, who came one of the Bishops. There is noth-
to New England in 1006-9. This ing whatever to indicate that the
was at the beginning of colonization Northmen attempted to settle on
in Greenland; where the islanders the eastern coast.
maintained settlements for at least It remains only to say that the arti.
three hundred years, building some cle of M. Beauvois was prepared sev-
fourteen churches and maintaining a eral years ago at the instance of the
line of duly consecrated Bishops. present writer, and has only now
The ruins of the Cathedral Church been translated for the press. His
at Garda are pointed out to-day. All prolific and untiring pen has adorned
this enterprise, however, was
a multitude of historical and anti-
ducted in the two settlements of the quarian themes of profound interest,
west coast, known as the east and and has given this author a dis-
west “ Bygds,” a somewhat full ac- tinguished and assured place among
count of which may be found in the scholars of his class in Europe.
narrative of Ivar Bardsen, steward to
con-
If one would make a list of voyages ficult of access that even the moderns,
mentioned in inediæval documents it so proud of their maritime superior-
would be a very long one ; neverthe- ity, and with all the resources fur-
less it would be difficult to find an nished by the progress of navigation
account more eventful than that of and the use of steam, have only very
the shipwreck of the Icelander Thor- infrequently been able to reach them.
gils Errabeinsfostre. It is one of the
It is one of the Though Lieut Graah, of the Danish
most ancient that has been preserved navy, visited many points of it dur-
for us, not in Norse literature only, ing a celebrated voyage (1829-1831), '
but in any of the modern European
languages. It is all the more inter-
W, A. Graah, “ Undersaegelses Reise til
Est Kysten af Granland," Copenhagen, 1832,
esting in that it has for its scene the
4to, transl. into English by G, G. Macdougall;
Arctic Seas, then so little explored, extract published in the “ Bulletin de la So.
and because shelter was found in a ciete de Geographie,” Paris, Cctober, 1830'
country of the new world the exist- (cf. the notice by C. Pingal of the principle
ence of which was hardly suspected
voyages of exploration to Greenland, in
"Groenlands historiske Mindesmarker,"
outside of Scandinavia. The inhos-
published by the Society Royal of Northern
pitable shores which afforded a refuge Antiquities, vol. III., Copenhagen, 1845), 800
to the unhappy cast-aways are so dif- pp. 776–790.
2
7
to
i
1
Captain P. D. Loewenoern in 1786, whether one ought to call fortunate
and his lieutenants Egede Rothe in those who have visited the western
1786-1787, endeavored in vain shores of the Strait of Denmark. Some
reach it'. The Ingolf, commanded by have done so involuntarily, as the
Capt. A. Mourier was enabled to view Dutch Hamburg fishermen ship-
the western bank of the Strait of wrecked in 1777,8 the Germans of the
Denmark only at a distance of sev- Hanse-towns in 1870;* and others who
eral miles (myriametres), being sepa- have explored the country scientific-
rated from his schooner by enormous ally, as Lieutenant Jules de Blosse-
icebergs.' This does not refer, it is ville and the crew of the French brig
to be understood, to Scoresby, Ross, la Lilloise, who perished in the at-
nor to several others, who have vis- tempt. It inay be judged from this
ited portions of the east coast of brief review how perilous is the navi-
Greenland much more northerly,
northerly, gation of the coasts in question, and it
where the ice is not so violently driven will not be surprising that the account
by the winds and currents as in the of the shipwreck of Thorgils is to this
Strait of Denmark. The reference day one of the best sources of our in-
is now solely to the coast of Frederick formation regarding eastern Green-
VI, explored by Graah, and to its land. It is to be found in the Floan-
prolongation as far as 69° N., name- anna saga, or History of the Inhabi-
ly, to the point where it ceases tants of the Floi, i. e. of the low and
to run from S. W. to N. E. turning marshy lands, or if one prefers, of the
straight to the north, and where the delta located in the Arnas Sysla
sea expands itself indefinitely.
(southern quarter of Iceland) between
Aside from Graah, it is doubtful the bay of the Elfusa on the west,
.....-*--..-* ****
"P, de Loewenoern, “Extrait de la relation
d'un voyage fait pendant l'annee 1786 pour la
de couverte de la cote orientale du Groenland"
in " Annales Maritimes et coloniales" of Ba-
jot, Paris, 1823, also published separately.
This extract translated into French by the
author himself, is taken from his report in
mss. in two volumes, preserved in the Royal
Library at Copenhagen, No, 1975–76 4to,
cf. the notice of Pingal, cited above, pp. 751-
753. Christian, Thestrup Egede, “Reisebe-
skrivelse til Ester-groenland opdagelse,”
Copenhagen, 1789, 2d ed. 1796; cf. Pingel's
notice, pp. 754-759.
? A. Mourier, “Orlogskonnerten Ingolfs
Expedition i Danmarkstradet, 1879," in
Geografisk Tidsskrift," published by the
direction of the Royal Danish Geographical
Society, and edited by Ed Ersler, vol. IV,
1880, 4to., Copenhagen, pp. 47–60; pl.3-4.
*C. Norman, “En Rejse langs groenlands
Est Kyst i Aaret, in 1877," in “Geografisk
Tidskrift,"Vol. II, Copenhagen, 1878, 4to., p.
49-63.
4“ Die zweite Deutscbe Nordpolfahrt,"
Berlin, 1871; cf.“ Einer Skizze der zweiten
Deutschen Nordpol Expedition, 1869-1870,"
following “Die esterreichisch-ungaorish
Nordpol-expedition in der jahren 1872-1874,"
by J, Payer, Vienna, 1876.
ܟܟ
8
1
the Hoita on the north, and the be mistaken in adding a fourth author
Thjorsa to the east.
to that list, and that the real one,
This saga is not among the most namely, the first narrator who related
ancient in its actual form. Finn Mag- this saga, shortly after the events, in
nusen ascribes its authorship to the the earlier half of the eleventh century.
Bishop Thorlak of Skaldholt, who In any case the manuscripts testify
died in 1193,
1193,' a descendant from that it has not sprung from a single
Thorgils in the female line, in the source. Finn Magnusen, who had
fourth generation. G. Vigfusson and fourteen at his disposal, classed them
Moebius object' that if he had been under four heads:' ist, a short frag-
the author, Thorlak would not have ment on parchment, forming part of
affixed to his name the epithet saint.' the Arnas Magnaeus collection in
It may be answered that this is one the university library at Copenhagen,
of those numerous interpolations by no. 456, b., in 4to,' which he regards
copyists, without however adopting as the most ancient edition known ;
the theory of Finn Magnusen, any the shape of the letters and the spell-
more than that of his critics. The ing cause him to believe that the
latter think that the author was an manuscript to which this fragment
Icelandic clergyman, in the south of belonged must have been copied
the island; but it is impossible to de- about 1400; 2d, another edition com-
termine anything with certainty in prising but twenty-two chapters, con-
this respect ; neither is it of any spec- tained in manuscript K, according to
ial use, as the saga has evidently his classification ; 3d, a much more
passed through many hands. Finn extensive edition, especially in regard
Magnusen admits that its second to that which descibes the shipwreck
author was Styrmi Frode, who died and the adventures in Greenland ; it
in 1245, and that it was retouched by is divided into thirty-three chapters,
one or two anonymous writers in the and contained in manuscript 515
middle of the fourteenth or even the of the Arnas Magnaeus Collection,
fifteenth century. One can hardly which was copied in the first half of
'P. E. Kristian Kalund, “Bidrag til en
historisk-topografisk Beskrivelse af Island,"
Vol. I., Copenhagen, 1877, 8vo, pp. 173-5.
See for the scene of this saga in Iceland, “cir
conscription No. 1," of the map. accompany.
ing the edition of the Sturlunga saga, by Dr.
G. Vigfusson, Oxford, 1879 2 vols. 8vo.
* Preface to the Floamanna saga, in “Groen-
lands hist. Mindesmaerker,"Vol. II. pp.24-27.
s Preface to their edition of the “Fornsae-
gur: Vatnsd a lasaga, Hallfredarsaga, Floa-
manna saga," Leipsig, 1860, 12mo. pp. 26-27.
* p. 146 de Fornsaegur.
5 Groenlands hist. Mindesmaerker, Vol. II,
Pp. 23-31.
6 Ibid p. 16–21.
· Edited with translation into Danish, at
the end of the extracts from the Floamanna
saga, Vol. II., pp. 166-175, of the Groenlands
hist. Mindesmaerker, and without transla-
tion in Fornsaegur, pp.183–185.
9
the seventeenth century; it was not collection of the Vatnshornbok by Ar-
known to Thorlacius who has trans- nas Magnaeus himself. The editors
lated this saga, nor to Arngrimus of the Fornsaegur have reproduced
Tonaeus, nor to Th. Torfaeus, who it (pp, 118-161) with the variations of
analyzed it ; 4th, the other manu- the other, because that text appeared
scripts arranged into four divisions. to them preferable to that of all the
The editors of the Fornsaegur (an- other manuscripts comparatively re-
cient sagas) suggest another classifi- cent, derived from the Vatnshornsbok;
cation;' according to them all these 2nd, the other edition, much more de-
manuscripts and fragments constitute tailed, is found in a manuscript on
only two classes; ist, the shortest parchment, of which only fragments
edition, which they look upon as the remain ; one of these was edited by
best written and the oldest; it is Finn Magnusen, and by Messrs.
found in a manuscript of the end of Vigfussen and Maebius ; the other
the fourteenth century, the Vatns- by the latter only.' for it was not
hornsbok or Vatshyrna (book of the known to the former except as a copy
Vatnshorn in the Hankadal, in the inserted in No. 515, folio of the Ar-
western part of Iceland), which was nas Magnaeus Collection, transcribed
in the possession of P. H. Resen, and between 1634 and 1670, by Thord of
which was consumed at the burning Hitardal. They also reproduced
of Copenhagen in 1728. Fortunately chapters 18-23 of this manuscript
two copies had been made of it; one (pp. 168–177, of their edition) which
by Ketil Taerundarson of Hvamm, Baerge Thorlacius utilized for his
maternal ancestor of Arnas Magnaeus translation of the Floamanna saga."
(No. 516, 4to, of Arnas Magnaeus This translation is the only com-
Collection); another by Asgeir Tons- plete one that has been published;
son (No. 517 in 4to, of the same col- that of Finn Magnusen, beginning at
lection). There is but little differ- the eighth chapter. The saga there- .
ence between them, but in case of di- fore is accessible only to Scandina-
vergence, the former is the better vians and Norse scholars; foreigners
authority, as it was placed among the have no acquaintance with it except
i Preface to the Forosaegur, pp. 16, 22, 23,
27. They assert (p. 28) that ms. A of Finn
Magousen's classification, which the latter is
said to have taken for the basis of his text,
is mainly a copy of No. 516, in 4to of th: Ar-
nas Magnaeus Collection.
a lo Groenlands hist. Mindesmaerker,
Vol. II. pp. 166–175.
3 In Fornsaegar, pp. 183-185.
4 In Fornsaegur, pp. 177–183.
* En nordisk Helt fra det 10 de Aarhundrede,
Thorgils Kaldst Orrabeins Stifsaens, Historie,
oversat fra det gamle Skandinaviske, med en
Indledning af Baerge 7 horlacius, with notes
by Skule Thorlacius, Copenhagen, 1809, 8vo,
first published in Skandanviske Literatur-Sels-
kabs-Skriften. Copenhagen, 1808, pp. 184-336.
--
10
976
998
998
through a brief analysis prepared by with their theories.* Suhm was so
Arngrimus Tonæus ;' and by another uncertain as to the year of Thorgils'
longer one, although incomplete and death, that he hesitated between 1041
occasionally incorrect, inserted in two and another date anterior to 1030.9
works of Torfæus ; ' finally by means B. Thorlacius placed the same event
of a short notice contained in the in 1038, and SK. Thorlacius, between
German translation of the Literature 1038 and 1040.° Here follow the
of the sagas, by P. E. Muller.' The principal dates of interest to us, ac-
selections which we are about to pre- cording to Finn Magnusen's' chro-
sent, are as complete as possible in nology;
respect to eastern Greenland, but ex-
I.D.
tremely brief for the remainder. It Birth of Thorgils
960
is thus not a literal translation, since His first voyage to Norway
it does not follow any one text exclu- Expedition to Hebrides, fr. 979 to 980
sively, but selects from the various Return to Iceland
985
texts, and endeavors mainly to repro- Stay of thirteen years in that
duce the ideas relative to our special country to
subject.
Shipwreck about the middle of
Before presenting the material it- October
self, it may be well to say a few words Forced sojourn on the east
regarding the somewhat obscure coast of Greenland, to
chronology of this saga. It can only Stay in the Vestribygd till 1003
be ascertained by synchronisms and Departure from Greenland and
certain dates furnished by the MSS., arrival in Iceland
1003
yet there are some discrepancies in Arrival in Norway 1004, in Ice-
these, aside from the fact that scholars land
· 1005
are always seeking to manipulate Death of Thorgils
1041
them in order to make them square
ker, II. pp. 44, 182–3). Mr, Vigfusson thinks
Crymogea sen rerum Istandicarum libri that this is an error of the copyist, and that
tres, Hamburg, 1609, 4to., pp. 149–150. No
it should read 25 years (um timatal i Islendin-
reference is intended to his Groenlandia, ga saegum i formæld, in Safu til saegu Islands
which is in MS.
og islenzkra bokmenta ad forun og myju
? Groenlandia antiqua, Copenhagen, 1706,
gefid ut af islenzka Bokmentafelagi, Vol. I.
18mo., pp. 130-151 ; Historia rerum Norvegi- Copenhagen 1811, P, 291, 421.) P. A. Munch
carum, Copenhagen, 1711, folio, Vol. II. read 20 instead of 15 (Det norske Folks His-
* Sagabibliothek, transl. by C. Lachmann, torie, part I. Vol. II. p. 136.)
Berlin, 1816, 8vo,
5 Tabeller til critiste Historie af Danmark.
* For instance: some MSS. assert that Copenhagen, 1779, folio, pp. 375–6, tabban
Thorgils went to Norway when 16 years old,
LXXX.
others when 21 years (ch. XII of the Floa.
6 loco cit. p. 334.
manna saga, cf. Groenlands hist. Mindesmær.
Groenland's hist. Miadesm, II. pp. 32–33.
IOO2
11
P. A. Munch, who has made such a career of Thorgils, will show us the
profound study of Norwegian chro- energy that he gave proof of during
nology, supposes that Thorgils was his infancy and youth, and how he
born in 948; that he went to Norway was prepared to surmount the diffi-
in 964; that he undertook his expedi- culties which he was destined to en-
tion to the Hebrides in 980; that he counter. His Great-grandfather Hall-
embarked for Greenland in 997; that stein, son and grandson of Norwegian
he dwelt in that country seven years jarls (chiefs), had emigrated to Iceland
and quitted it in 1003. The dates in order to evade the snares of Harold
having reference to Greenland suffi- Harfager, whose father Halfdan Svarte
ciently agree with those adopted by had married for his first wife, Thora,
Finn Magnusen; they differ greatly Hallstein's cousin. Thorgils was but
from those of Gudbrand Vigfusson, two years old when his father, Thord
who puts the birth of Thorgils in Dofne, abandoned his wife Thorunne,
937; estimates his stay in Norway to and departed for Norway. As the
have been ten years (963-973), his latter was not heard from,' the de-
stay in Iceland, thirteen years (973- serted wife remarried at the end of
986), his stay in Greenland, six years three years with the corsair Thorgrim
(from 986-988, to 991-993), and Errabein. For this reason Thorgils'
places his decease in 1022. But
surname was Errabeinsfostre, or (Er-
since he arrives at these results only rabeinsstjup (ward or stepson of Er-
by means of conjectures and rectifica- rabein). Having at the age of five
tions of the texts, and as he is not years cut a horse's throat so that he
very certain about the date of the might be permitted to play with the
departure for Greenland and the other children who excluded from
length of Thorgils' stay in that coun- their society those who had never
try (see above) we prefer to hold our- killed anything, he was driven from
selves to the chronology of Finn the house of his stepfather and with-
Magnusen and Munch, the more so drew to that of a friend. At the age
as the question of dates is of no very of sixteen, having twice demanded
great importance in the present in- his share in the inheritance from
stance.
Thorgrim, he departed for Norway,
Certain episodes in the previous for the purpose of making a claim to
the domains of his ancestors. He
1 Det Norske Folks Historie, part I, Vol. II.
declined to attach himself to the
p. 136, note 2, cf. p. 137, note i and pp.
868-9.
court of the King Harold Grafell,
? He is more precise in the Fornsægur
but he took service at that of Hakon
(pref. p. xxvi) wbere he reduces this stay to jarl, where he bound himself by a
five years (986-990).
close friendship to a very courteous
Un timatal, pp. 291, 368, 421-2, 495-7.
young Icelander, who was called Eric
---
3
12
the Red, and who later discovered gils. The latter married a young
Greenland. The jarl imposed upon maiden called Thorey, and when
him a dangerous task, that of under- Christianity was preached in Iceland
taking to recover the tribute of the (between 996 and 998), he became one
Hebrides, which had not been paid
of the earliest converts. As he presi-
for three years. He suffered ship- ded over the rites in his Canton, the su-
wreck on the coast of Caithness perstitious authors of the Floamanna
in the north of Scotland, was well saga ascribed to the vengeance of the
received by the jarl of that country, god Thor, the misfortunes he was call-
and married his sister Gudrun, after ed upon to endure: first, the loss of his
having killed in single combat a fatted swine; next, that of an old ox.
pirate who had tried to carry her He was obliged to spend one night
away by force. With the ships which watching his cattle, and in the morn-
were the reward of his victory, he ing his body was all blue; it is sup-
continued on his expedition, com- posed therefore that he had had a
pelled the Hebrides islanders to clear struggle with the god, but also that
themselves of their debt, and brought he must have proved an obstinate
the tribute to Hakon jarl, who re- antagonist, inasmuch as the malady
stored to him the patrimonial estates. ceased."
He, Thorleif, gave them to his son. He had been settled thirteen years
Thorstein confided their administra- in his native island when his friend,
tion to his friend Thorstein the Fair, Eric the Red, invited him to go over
and having observed the secret affec- to Greenland, promising him the
tion of the latter for Gudrun, he be- most advantageous terms. Thorgils
stowed her upon him, an act of gene accepted forthwith, and he made
rosity which was highly praised by preparations to set out for the new
contemporaries.'
colony, leaving his wife, Thorey, per-
Thorgils then made a commercial fect liberty to act as she pleased.
journey to the high plateaus of Nor- Although the latter was possessed
way and into Sweden, in the course of gloomy presentiments, she declared
of which he killed three malefac- that her duty was to accompany her
tors, after which he returned to Ice- husband. The illness of their daugh-
land. His mother was dead; his step- ter, Thorey, eight years of age, did
father had been massacred and aveng- not alter his resolution. He left the
ed by his son, who welcomed Thor. child with a friend, judging that it
was its destiny to remain in Iceland.
Floamanna saga, ia Groenlands hist. Min-
He entrusted the management of his
desm., II. pp. 36-49, 54-65, 68-71; and in
Fornsægur, pp. 119, 122,127, 137.
estates to Hæring, his half-brother,
. Floamanna saga, ib. II. pp. 70-73, 76–79;
to whom he transferred his functions
84-87; and in Fornsægur, pp. 137-141, as gode or pontiff of his district, and
1
13
he bestowed on him, beside his im- persons, all in the vigor of life, and
movables, goods to the amount of six all kinds of cattle, the intention being
thousand yards of brown vadmal, to form a permanent settlement."
worth six hundred ounces of silver, While Thorgils was waiting for a
which were to be for the use of his favorable moment for setting sail,
daughter in case she had need of it. there appeared to him in a dream a
He reserved also the estate of Trader- large man with red beard and of stern
holt for his heirs, if he should not re- expression, who said to him: “Your
turn, and he engaged a certain Tho- undertaking will turn out badly, unless
rolf to estimate its value. Having you renew your allegiance to me, in
purchased a ship which he found in which case I will be your protector."
the Leirnvag,' he embarked with his Thorgils replied that he cared noth-
wife, Thorleif and with Thorstein, his ing for his protection; that he had
son by the former marriage, and who better withdraw the soonest possible,
had come to him with handsome and that everything would occur as
presents. They had with them also the Almighty God should will. It
a well-to-do land-owner, Jostein of then seemed to him as if Thor carried
Skalfholt and his wife, Thorgerde, a him to a steep rock against which
cousin of Thorey, who had brought waves were beating. “ Behold the
her up, their son, and three other picture of the place where thou shalt
persons who had grown up with Tho- be detained, without being able to
rey; Kol, Starkad and their sister
depart, unless thou returnest to thine
Gudrune. Thorgils who intended to ancient faith," said Thor. “No, go
build a house on his arrival in Green- away from me evil spirit" replied Thor-
land, took with him Thorain his stew- gils: "I shall be aided by Him who
ard with a dozen serfs, two of whom shed His blood for men's salvation."
bore the names Snækall apd (Essur. Upon this he awoke, and related his
The ship therefore carried twenty-two
4 Thor, besides being one of the chief gods
1 The yard of vadmal, or homespun
of the Scandinavian mythology, it is to be
woollen stuff was the unit of value in ancient
noted that his name entered into the compo-
Iceland. Six yards of vadmal of Thorgils, sition of that of Thorgils, who had been in
says the saga, were worth one ounce of silver. some manner consecrated to him in his
* There are two bays of that name in the pagan baptism. Gils, which Mr. Ivar Aasen
Taxafjærd, in western Iceland, both not far erroneously compares with the French Giles
from the Floi, where was Thorgils abode.
(Norsk Navnebog; Christiana, 1878, 18mo. p
The one here referred to is probably the
15), seems rather to correspond with gael,
more southern one, which is the more acces-
gille, or gjolla (servant) which passed into
sible to Rykjavik and the Floi.
Norway in the Christian centuries under the
3 Floamanna
saga,
in Grænlands hist. form of gilli, in the same way that gisl (host-
Mindesm, II. pp. 86-91: Fornsægur, pp. 141-
age) is related to gael, gjoll, which has exactly
142.
the same meaning.
14
dream to his wife, who said: “If I had bay of Greenland, whose shores on
had this bad dream I would have re- both sides were overhung with high
mained here; it is best not to speak glaciers. The upper part of the ship
of it to your companions.”
broke lose but all the travelers were
But a good wind carried them out of saved, together with the cargo and
the bay, scarce had they lost sight of the shallop. The prow was thrown
the shores of Iceland, when there oc- upon the southern shore.
It was a
curred a calm and they drifted over the week before the beginning of winter.
sea until their supply of food and drink The shipwrecked party constructed a
was on the point of giving out. Thor cabin which a board partition divided
again appeared to Thorgils, with as into two apartments, the one occupied
little success as at other times. But
by Thorgils and his people, the other
when autumn came they asked that by the family of Jostein. The greater
sacrifices be offered to this god: No part of the cattle had been drowned,
one dared do so, however, by reason but they had a little flour to sustain
of the prohibition and the threats of them, they also caught some seals,
the master of the ship. Thor having whales and fish, Thorgils and his
again appeared to the latter, promised party proved to be the best purvey.
to conduct him to his haven within
ors; and they also enjoyed the better
the space of seven nights, and on his portion. To a remark of Jostein's
renewed refusal demanded his own. to this effect, he replied: “We do not
Thorgils, on reflection, thought that each observe the same methods; you
there must be an ox which really had stay up late, while we go to work
been consecrated to Thor. On awak. early in the morning.” Nevertheless,
ing he made up his mind to throw
he consented that an equal division
overboard the animal to which he at- be made, and neither of the parties
tributed his ill-luck, and did it too in suffered hunger, but they were not
spite of the supplications and discon- in perfect accord. Thorgils recom-
tent of Thorgerde, who offered to mended his men to keep themselves
purchase it.'
quiet and peaceable at nights, and
They continued to drift during carefully to observe their religious
three months, and often with very duties. Those of Jostein, on the other
severe weather. Thorarin, now hand, made a brawl and amused
twenty years old, was to his master
themselves at night with violent and
the most valuable man of the crew. noisy exercises. Thorey was with
It was reported that the ship had child and in a poor state of health.
stranded upon the sandy beach of a She was delivered about the opening
of winter of a boy who was chris-
Floamanna saga, in Grænl. hist. mindes. II tened and called Thorfinn. The
pp. 90-97; in Fornsægur pp. 142, 143.
food within reach was hardly the
15
kind for one in her condition. Thor- Thorgils exhorted his people to
gils, therefore, sent his men out to profit by this example; he told them
fish with the serfs of Jostein. On to remain peaceable and steady, to
Christmas eve he urged his men to be devote themselves to pious medita:
peaceable and not to be up late. On tions, and to conduct themselves
Christmas day it was fine weather, rationally, in observing the practices
and they could go out doors. There of Christianity and in prayer. Thor.
was heard a great noise in the north- gerde also fell sick and died, as in
east.'
fact all the companions of Jostein.
The next day Thorgils and his men one after the other. Thorarin, his
retire in good season; they sleep for son, was the last. All these deaths
some time, when Jostein and his peo- occurred before the middle of the
ple enter to get their supper; the lat- month Goi.' Much trouble was ex-
ter make a great uproar, in which perienced, moreover from the appear-
Thorgerde takes an ample part; she ance
of spectres, which attacked
was as strong as a man. While they Thorgils in particular, and prevented
were on their beds, there was a loud the survivors from going abroad.
knock at the door. One of them. They manifested themselves especi.
thinking some one had come to bring ally in the portion of the cabin
good news, went out, but he instantly which had been occupied by Jostein's
became raving mad, and the next day band, and they did not cease to ap-
he died. On the following night pear until Thorgils had caused the
another similarly fell into a frenzy, corpses to be burned. As the two
saying that he saw running the one parties had busied themselves with
who had died. Forthwith an epi- ship-building, there was one boat
demic developed itself among the upon the stocks and another near
band of Jostein, and six men fell vic- completion. The end of the winter
tims to it. Attacked by it himself, he was approaching, but the ice still pre-
also succumbed; all the bodies were vented departure. The summer was
buried in the sand."
spent in providing victuals. The next
winter, died Gudrune, sister of Kol,
1 The account does not indicate its cause:
it was doubtless the breaking up of the float- Danica, edit. P. E Muller et Velschow, Vol. I,
ing glaciers, which, according to
an old
Copenhagen, 1839, 410., preface p. 15. ci,
Danish Chronicler of the 12th Century, Groenl hist. Mindes II. p. 198.
cause to be heard in these regions as it 2 Floamanna saga in Groenl, hist. Mindes,
were an echo of loud voices and various un.. II pp. 96-101; in Fornsaegur p. 143.
usual sounds (Saxo) grammaticus, Historia 3 Commencing about February 21.
16
who buried her beneath ner own bed.' the latter had made the remark that
At the opening of spring, it was still the house would be left without pro-
too early to undertake the journey. tectors and that he ought not to rely
Thorey related one day to her hus- upon serfs, they all went on the dis-
band a dream which she had had, in covery. Thorgils was armed with a
which she had seen a large and beau- battle axe which he had found in an
tiful country, with shining people; underground hiding place in Iceland.
she conjectured from this that they They came back at three o'clock in
would soon be delivered out of their
the afternoon in the midst of a storm.
trouble. Thorgils answered her that Thorgils marching in front, found
the dream augured happily, but that the way with ease; on approaching
it perhaps had reference to another the hut they saw nothing of the boat
world, where she would be welcomed and the room was empty and the
by the saints, in reward for her pure chests removed, which made them
life and her sore trials. She urged suspect some mishap. They heard
him to try and get out of this desert some groans in Thorey's bed, who
if it were possible. He replied that was dead; the babe was sucking the
he could not as yet see his way to corpse, under one of whose arms they
this, but some day when it should be observed a wound made by a small
fine weather, he said that he would knife and much blood about. Thorey
climb the glaciers to see if the ice- was buried near Gudrune. Thorleif
bergs were detached. Thorey, who endeavored to console his father,
kept her bed almost constantly, ex-
whom this blow affected more severely
pressing her grief that he should than all that had gone before. All
leave her, he promised not to go
the food had been carried off, as also
away very far. The slaves should go the curtains of the bed and the doors
fishing, the steward Thorarin should of the chambers.'
aid them in launching the boat, after Thorgils watched by the babe
which he should return to the invalid. through the night, although he saw
Thorleif, Kol and Starkad offered no possibility of saving its life; this
to accompany Thorgils, and although prospect distressed him so greatly
that he determined upon an experi-
"The Eskimo of the Jameson country (70 ment; he pierced his breast, out of
degrees, 25 minutes, 71 degrees, 30 min.
which flowed blood at first, then it
utes), part of the east coast of Greenland,
bury their dead in the same manner, (W.
blue liquid, which became white like
Scoresby, Jr., “Journal of a voyage to the
milk. He made the babe draw this
Northern Whale-fishery ... and discoveries
on the eastern coast of West Greenland" * Floamanna saga, in Groenlandshist. Mindes
mar
Edinburgh, 1823. 8vo, cf. groenl. hist. Alin- Vol. II, pp. 100-107; in Fornsægur pp. 143–
des. II. p. 200.
125.
17
1
and fed it thus.' The shipwrecked
upon the ice.
In the summer they
devote themselves diligently to fish- crossed with their boat of skins to the
ing, and they tried to construct a Seleys (the Seal Islands) where they
boat to replace the one that had been caught several seals, but they had
stolen, but they had no tools, the been able to carry thither only a part
serfs having carried away the chest of their effects. They passed the win-
which contained the gimlets, as well ter here. At the commencement of
as the great caldron; there remained the summer they pushed further on,
only the small one with a piece of and at the expiration of a fortnight,
meat. They made a boat of skins, they came to an islet where they
stretched over a framework of willow- found eggs of the blackbacks (svart-
wood, and used it for fishing. One bak, larus marinus) which they fed to
morning when Thorgils went out he the baby, because victuals were so
saw in a gap in the ice a large ani- scare. He only ate the half of them,
mal, whence two queer looking and when he was asked why, he an-
women were taking fat quarters.' swered: “I want to economize as well
Thorgils running upon them with his as you." They passed the night in
Irish sword, struck one of them while their boat, but landed during the day;
she was making up her load, and cut the chase and fishing met with only
her hand; she Aed and dropped her moderate success. One day they
burden. He seized the carcass (of found a piece of an oar upon which
the beast) and there was no lack of was written in Runic characters: “I
victuals during the winter, but in the have many a time wet this oar, when
spring they were nearly gone. The I wielded it upon the oar-banks; it
sea having become passable, they pro- hurt my hands when I returned to the
ceeded elsewhere by following the house, as if I had been beating iron.
foot of the glaciers, or by travelling As they went along the glaciers
they came to some steep rocks; they
There exist a number of analogous ac-
counts (Jean de Marconville, “Recueil Me-
drew their boat on shore and put up
morable d'anciens cas merveilleux advenuz
de nos aus,” Paris, 1564, 18mo., ch. 40, fo.
? Trollkonur, composed of Kona (Woman)
116; Simon Goulart, “Histoires admirables
and troll, which corresponds to the Low-
et memorables de nostre temps," in six
German droll, the Dutch drol, whence has
books, vol. II. book 4, edition of 1627, 18
come the French drole. The Icelandic troll,
mo.. pp. 812, 813; cf. Vol. I, 2d book.) It is signifies giant, monster, demon, and its ad-
especially in America that instances of lacta- jective trollslig has the sense of enormous,
tion have been found, even in our days (De
frightful, strange or queer. These women
Pauw, "Recherches philosoph,
les
were evidently Eskimo, whom the narrator
Americains," Vol. I,. Paris, an III, 8vo, pp.
compares with monsters, by reason of their
52-55—“Les Indiens de la baie d'Hudson," strange accoutrements made of seal skins.
(after Kane) by Ed. Delessert, Paris, 1861, 18
3 Floamanna saga in Groenlands hist. mindes.
mo., p. 260.)
Vol. II. pp. 106-111; in Fornsaegur, P, 145.
sur
-mon
18
their tent. Kol on stepping out in in shallow water. Thorgils ran
the morning, fails to see the boat; towards the beast, killed it with a
but he does not wish to be the one to blow of his sword, after which he
tell Thorgils, who has already had his seized it by the ear to prevent its
share of grief, and he lay down again. sinking to the bottom. They dragged
Thorleif did the same ; at last when it ashore and skinned it; each of the
Thorgils went out, he announced the voyagers received only one piece of
loss they had suffered and said to his it, which seemed quite small; they
companions : “We are now compelled complained of it among themselves,
to put the child to death; we cannot but Thorgils reminded them how
long carry it through this desert
necessary it was to be frugal, because
across the glaciers and rocks which of the difficulty in procuring victuals.
we must encounter." He begged Next they launched again upon the
them therefore to kill it. Thorleif sea and passed by in front of many
replied that this would be a wicked bays. Sometimes they carried the
thing to do. But Thorgils insisting, boat over the ice separating navigable
they carried the child away, and waters. Arriving at the entrance of
Thorlief transferred the evil work a large gulf, they were very tired,
over to Kol, who in his turn declined and were very thirsty, but there was
to perform the deed. “Thorgils," no water near. One of the five com-
said he, “will regret this hasty action, panions then said that sailors on the
when he has regained his composure. point of dying of thirst would mix
I do not, therefore wish to inflict this their urine with the sea water; they
sorrow upon him; I have been his asked Thorgils' permission to drink
companion too long, and I owe him such mixture. He declared that
too great a debt of gratitude." Leav- there was nothing to oppose it, and
ing the child outside they re-entered that he wished neither to forbid nor
the tent. The father asked them if to command it; but when they were
the thing had been done ; on their about to drink he took a vessel and
answering in the negative he thanked uttered some words of exorcism;
them warmly. They went to get the “ Wicked beast who retardest
child, which passed the night next to voyage, it shall not be said that thou
Thorgils. Once more did dreams in- shalt make us drink our own water !"
spire the shipwrecked party with some In the same instant a diver few out
hope ; a voice in reality cried to them of the boat towards the north, utter-
from without that they might retake ing a cry. Continuing to row further
their boat, and they saw two queer on they saw a running stream, out of
looking women who had stolen it which they slacked their thirst. Three
running away. A bear, one of whose
days later they discovered a linen
forepaws was broken, was struggling tent which they recognized as Thor-
Our
19
was
ey's. Within they found Thorarin during the summer, but that it had
the steward, of whom they asked how not come to land.
He made the voy-
he came to be there. He told them
agers a great welcome, and offered
that the run-away serfs had threat- them hospitalities which they ac-
ened to kill him if he would not ac- cepted. The little Thorfinn
company them, and that Snækoll was given over to the care of the women;
the murderer of Thorey. “I know when milk was given to him he re-
not what thou deservest," answered marked that it had not the same
Thorgils, “but thy tale seemest un- color as that of his father. The em-
likely; thou shalt live no longer." igrants passed the winter in that
They put him to death and buried place. In the spring, their host of-
him on the spot, after which they fered to let them stay longer, or to
went on.'
let them use his boats if they wished
It was the beginning of autumn. to continue their journey. Thorgils
They reached a gulf on the edge thanked him and told him they would
whereof stood a shed; they landed accept the use of his boats, and that
and drew the boat ashore. At the he would make it his duty to show
door of a house stood a man who him his gratitude: "I hope," answered
greeted them and asked their name; Hrolf "that you will attain a high po-
they questioned him in their turn; sition, and that then you will be able
he said that his name was Hrolf; that to be of great service to me, in recon-
in consequence of a murder he had
ciling me to my fellow-townsmen."
fed from the settlement; that it was Thorgil promised him this and they
not far off, but that the road was dif- parted on the best of terms. The
ficult. He reported besides that a voyagers
directed their course to-
ship had been fishing in his vicinity wards the southern part of the coun-
try;' having landed in the gulf and
'Floamanna Saga in Groen. Hist. Min. II.
110-123; in Fornsægur, pp. 145-7.
of necessity look for this settlement on Davis
? Their fara sudr fyrir land (Groenl. Hist. Strait on the west coast of Greenland. But
Mindes. II. 124; Fornsægur, p. 148). This pas- why then is it called “Eastern Settlement?"
sage is very important in assisting us to de-
because between 49 to 50 degrees long. west
termine the location of the coast upon which
of Paris, the Greenland coast changes its
the emigrants were wrecked. They were
direction, and instead of continuing to run
in the eastern part of Greenland; since the from S. E. to N. W. it runs from E. to W.,--
interior of the country was absolutely im- there it is almost a desert; as the glaciers
practicable, they must descend toward ibe
come down almost to the sea, and have but
south to Cape Farewell in order to reach the
a narrow stretch of land at their base; that
Eastern Settlement, or Estribygd. This
desert separates the two Scandinavian colo-
name has long given rise to the belief that it
nies of the Middle Ages, that in the south be-
was situated on the straits of Denmark, but ing east of the other, although not so in rela-
the eastern coast of Greenland being almost
tion to Greenland as a whole; it was called
unapproachable and uninhabitable, we must
eastern, and that in the north, western.
20
a
erected their tent, they saw a mer- after him came Thorleif, then Kol,
chant vessel driven by the same wind and lastly Starkad. A nurse was ob-
as they had been, and which came to tained for Thorfinn, but he would
land in the same place. Delighted not drink milk until it was made
with this happy event, Thorgils sent dark.'
Thorleif and Kol to learn the name The emigrants have reached
of the new-comers and to ask them happy haven. We need not follow
for news.
On their arrival at the them further, since the account of
ship a man in a red coat, who was their shipwreck is the single object
seated upon the poop, arose and wel. of this memoir, and it ends here. It
comed Thorleif in a very friendly occupies but the fourth or the fifth
manner. It was the latter's step- part of the saga according to the
father, Thorstein the Fair; he asked texts, and it forms the longest and by
after Thorgils, and learning that he far the most important episode there-
was in the vicinity, he went to him. of. It is not merely the sojourn of
It was a happy meeting. The new- the emigrants upon the east coast of
comer told that he had come from Greenland, their painful journey
Iceland, and that the affairs of Thor- across the icebergs or along the foot
gils were in good shape, but that for of the glaciers, which has made of it
four years no one had heard him a document valuable by reason of its
speak of him; that his daughter antiquity; it is also a source of care-
Thorny had married Bjarne of Græf. ful instruction which would be hard
Perceiving that Thorleif did not re- to find elsewhere, regarding the prep-
turn to Norway, Thorstein had manned arations of the emigrants, their pre-
his ship and set sail for Iceland; he cautions in embarking with a large
had passed two winters there without number of travellers, with cattle,
obtaining news of the emigrants, with building materials, with provis-
and he had set out on a search for ions, with utensils, in short with
them. Rejoiced to have found them, everything which might be of use to
he placed all he had at their disposal. them in their prospective establish-
Thorgils said, he expected to take ment. These details throw a clear
nothing from his friend. Soon the light upon the beginnings of the
people of the country approached Greenland colony, and enable us to
them. A land-owner called Thoir, comprehend how it could succeed
who lived near-by, offered hospitality amid arduous surroundings, and in a
to Thorstein which he accepted. As country so little favored by nature.
regards Thorgils, at the invitation of It is likely that the other emigrants
Eric the Red, he went to Brattahlid
1 Flaamanna
ma
saga,
in Groenland's Hist.
with twelve men. He was placed Mindes. II. pp. 122–127; in Fornsægur, pp.
over against the master of the house; 147-8.
21
had no less practical good sense, which bear on it, and notably of the
foresight and energy than Thorgils. Floamanna saga.
This saga has been
With these qualities, which have not very variously estimated; Finnus
always distinguished their imitators in Johannæus places it among the num-
modern times, they were able to trans- ber of the ancient sagas relating to
plant the Scandinavian civilization Iceland which it is useful to consult,
to one of the most sterile countries and which furnishes many good
of the New World, to create there for ideas.' Bærge Thorlacius looks up-
themselves a new fatherland, to pro- on it as worthy of belief; according
cure for themselves there abundant to him it deserves attention, not only
means of subsistence; to perpetuate on account of the adventures of its
themselves there during five centu- hero, but also by reason of its vivid-
ries, and that without the aid of the ness of narration, its extrinsic worth,
Eskimo, then very scarce on the west its displays of character; above all
shore of Davis Strait, and doing for the light which it sheds upon
this without possessing the re- many points of northern antiquity."
sources and advantages of traffic with P. E. Muller confesses that some of
the natives, but living entirely by
the adventures of Thorgils appear to
fishing, by hunting, and the raising him suspicious, but "that which re-
of cattle, and by finding in the ex- lates to Eric the Red agrees well with
port of natural products the means the saga on that personage. Several
for buying and importing into Green- phases of the sojourn of Thorgils in
land all sorts of European commodi- Greenland are so naive and character.
ties and merchandise. In no other
In no other istic, that they hear the impress of
part of America so far north was truth. One should not be surprised
there founded a European colony that the shipwrecked party-cast-
which was able to subsist by itself, away upon a desert coast of Green-
independently of the natives and the land in the eleventh century, and
mother country. Even the Danish dwelling there amid miseries during
settlenients in Greenland were placed several winters-should have believed
on different foundations; they main- that they saw ghosts of the departed,
tained themselves by means of mon- or heard mysterious warnings. On
opoly, and simply exchanged Euro- the other hand, however, if the super-
pean products for the raw material natural is presented in this saga with
which the Eskimo drew from the a seriousness which shows that the
bosom of the sea.
narrator himself believed in it, and
The Icelandic colony of Greenland
i Historia ecclesiastica Islandae, IV preface,
therefore presents
a phenomenon
Copenhagen, 1778, 4to.
unique in history; this is what con-
? En nordisk Heit; in Skandin, Lit. Selskab
stitutes the value of the documents Skrifler, pp. 194,! 202, 206.
$
22
distinguishing it from similar ad- The Norwegian historian, P. A.
ventures in fairy tales,-it is fre- Munch, states that the principal
quent, and moreover affects more de- events recorded in this saga have en-
servedly the occurrences than is tirely the impress of truth, although
ordinarily the case in purely historic some of the accessory circumstances
sagas. The numerous temptations have an air of having been later ex-
presented by Thor seem to belong to aggerated and embellished,' and he
a later period; at least no ancient has not hesitated to give a place to
saga mentions anything like these." Thorgils in his conscientious history
“The voyage of Thorgils to Green- of the Norwegian people. The Dan-
land,” says Finn Magnusen, “must ish historian, N. M. Petersen, has
ever remain a memorable one. The simply re-produced the opinions of
account which has been given of it his predecessors; he admits that the
carries indubitably the impress of saga has been embellished, and that
truth, although, after an exhaustive
the important account of the sojourn
examination, criticism may be able of Thorgils on the east coast of
to discover in it here and there an Greenland has been impaired by the
error proceeding from the misunder- fabulous features. The Norwegian,
standings of the narrators or copy- R. Keyser, is more severe than these
ists. The events are presented con- critics, he grants very little historic
formably with the prejudices and the value to the Floamanna saga,
“in
superstitions of the Middle Ages. view," he says, “ of the fact that the
Although a portion of these recitals
true events which form the founda-
may possess little attraction for cul- tion of the recital are evidently mixed
tivated readers, because they are cor- up to a considerable extent with fab-
rupted by the irregular imagination ulous additions, which, most of the
and the false conception of
time, do not even possess the merit
lightened persons, they nevertheless of rendering the narrative more in-
reflect the real character, the point of teresting.
view, and the opinions of our ances-
tors. The most important a
3 Det norske Folks Historie, part ist, Vol.
among
II, p. 137, note, (Christiania, 1853, 8vo.)
them possess an incontestable credi-
* Ibid. pp. 41-43; 136, 137; 184; 360; 363;
bility, which affords us an exact pic- 465; 862–863.
ture of the situation, the extent, and Bidrag til den old nordiske Literaturs His-
the wild and uncultivated condition torie, p. 208, in Annaler for nordisk Oldk’yn-
of the eastern coast of Greenland."
dighed og Historie, 1861, Copenhagen, 1866,
8vo.
• Normændenes Videnskabelighed og Litera-
Sagabibliothek, I., pp. 313, 314, Copenha- tur i Middelalderen, p. 493, forming the ist
gen, 1817, Ismo.
vol. of his Efterladte Skrifter, Christiania,
I Groenlands hist. Mindes. II. pp. 6–7.
1866, 8vo.
unen-
5
23
It seems to us that the learned his-
ascription of a certain amount of
torian has allowed himself to be too power to a mythological being, who
powerfully influenced by the credu- to him as to mediæval christians
lity of the narrator, proving doubt- generally, was the devil in the north-
less his lack of the critical quality, ern conceptions of him. The fantas-
but affording at the same time a tic portions of the saga, therefore, do
proof of his good faith; for it is but not in the least impair the authority
the outcome of the belief of his day; of the narrator; they furnish on the
and were this absent from a work of contrary, an element of local color,
this kind and of that age, we might and, as it is always easy to eliminate
suspect that it had been touched up them, their presence in the recital
or expurgated in more modern cen- has not the disadvantage that errors
turies. If the marvellous which oc- of a more likely nature would pro-
cupies so prominent a role in this duce. Leaving the supernatural out
saga did not have a place in nature, of the account, there remains an
it did have a chief one in the dis- animated picture of interesting ad-
eased brains of the shipwrecked, ventures, but not at all extraordinary;
which their sufferings and privations an exact delineation of a country but
filled with hallucinations; they as- little known even in our day. And
cribed to the vengeance of Thor the the conformity of this description
misfortunes which overwhelmed them, with that which has been given by
or if they did not do so themselves, modern travellers is a sure warrant
the superstitious narrator may well for the authenticity of the account,
have sought in the contempt exhib- which, if it has not been composed
ited toward that false god the expla- by one of the shipwrecked party,
nation of unmerited disasters. The could not have been composed at all
pious sentiments which possessed except from their own recitals.
him were not inconsistent with an
E. BEAUVOIS.
(52
9
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