Heriulf was the son of Bard, Heriulf's son, who was a relation of Ingolf
the Landnamsman.[88] Ingolf gave Heriulf land between Vog and
Reikianess. Heriulf dwelt first at Dropstock. His wife was called
Thorgird, and their son was called Biarne. He was a promising young
man. In his earliest youth he had a desire to go abroad, and he soon
gathered property and reputation; and was by turns a year abroad, and a
year with his father. Biarne was soon in possession of a merchant ship
of his own. The last winter [A. D. 985.] while he was in Norway, Heriulf
prepared to go to Greenland with Eric, and gave up his dwelling. There
was a Christian man belonging to the Hebudes along with Heriulf, who
composed the lay called the _Hafgerdingar_[89] Song, in which is this
stave:
May he whose hand protects so well
The simple monk in lonely cell,
And o'er the world upholds the sky,
His own blue hall, still stand me by.[90]
Heriulf settled at Heriulfness [A. D. 985.] and became a very
distinguished man. Eric Red took up his abode at Bratthalid, and was in
great consideration, and honored by all. These were Eric's children:
Leif, Thorvold, and Thorstein; and his daughter was called Ferydis. She
was married to a man called Thorvald; and they dwelt at Gardar, which
is now a bishop's seat. She was a haughty, proud woman; and he was but a
mean man. She was much given to gathering wealth. The people of
Greenland were heathen at this time. Biarne came over the same summer
[A. D. 985.] with his ship to the strand[91] which his father had sailed
abroad from in the spring. He was much struck with the news, and would
not unload his vessel. When his crew asked him what he intended to do,
he replied that he was resolved to follow his old custom by taking up
his winter abode with his father. "So I will steer for Greenland if ye
will go with me." They one and all agreed to go with him. Biarne said,
"Our voyage will be thought foolish, as none of us have been on the
Greenland sea before." Nevertheless they set out to sea as soon as they
were ready, and sailed for three days, until they lost sight of the land
they left. But when the wind failed, a north wind with fog set in, and
they knew not where they were sailing to; and this lasted many days. At
last they saw the sun, and could distinguish the quarters of the sky; so
they hoisted sail again, and sailed a whole day and night, when they
made land. They spoke among themselves what this land could be, and
Biarne said that, in his opinion, it could not be Greenland. On the
question, if he should sail nearer to it, he said, "It is my advice that
we sail up close to the land." They did so; and they soon saw that the
land was without mountains, was covered with woods, and that there were
small hills inland. They left the land on the larboard side, and had
their sheet on the land side. Then they sailed two days and nights
before they got sight of land again. They asked Biarne if they thought
this would be Greenland; but he gave his opinion that the land was no
more Greenland, than the land they had seen before. "For on Greenland,
it is said, there are great snow mountains." They soon came near to the
land, and saw that it was flat and covered with trees. Now, as the wind
fell, the ship's people talked of its being advisable to make for the
land; but Biarne would not agree to it. They thought that they would
need wood and water; but Biarne said: "Ye are not in want of either."
And the men blamed him for this. He ordered them to hoist the sail,
which was done. They now turned the ship's bow from the land, and kept
the sea for three days and nights, with a fine breeze from southwest.
Then they saw a third land, which was high and mountainous, and with
snowy mountains. Then they asked Biarne if he would land here; but he
refused altogether: "For in my opinion this land is not what we
want."[92] Now they let the sails stand and kept along the land and saw
it was an island. Then they turned from the land and stood out to sea
with the same breeze; but the gale increased, and Biarne ordered a reef
to be taken in, and not to sail harder than the ship and her tackle
could easily bear. After sailing three days and nights, they made, the
fourth time, land; and when they asked Biarne if he thought this was
Greenland or not, Biarne replies: "This is most like what has been told
me of Greenland; and here we shall take to the land." They did so, and
came to the land in the evening, under a ness, where they found a boat.
On this ness dwelt Biarne's father, Heriulf; and from that it is called
Heriulfness. Biarne went to his father's, gave up sea-faring, and after
his father's death, continued to dwell there when at home.