THE
NORSE
Discoverers of
AMERICA
Oxford University Press
_London_ _Edinburgh_ _Glasgow_ _New York_
_Toronto_ _Melbourne_ _Cape Town_ _Bombay_
Humphrey Milford _Publisher to the University_
THE
NORSE
Discoverers of
AMERICA
The Wineland Sagas
translated & discussed
By G. M. Gathorne-Hardy, F.R.G.S.
[Illustration]
_OXFORD_
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
M CM XXI
TO
H. A. L. FISHER
WHO FIRST REVEALED TO ME
THE FASCINATION OF HISTORICAL PROBLEMS
AND WHO ENCOURAGED THIS WORK
IN ITS EARLY STAGES
IN GRATITUDE FOR MUCH PATIENT TUITION
AND IN MEMORY OF NEW COLLEGE DAYS
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION _Page_ 7
PART I. TRANSLATION
Chronological Summary 18
Genealogical Table 20
1. Eric the Red and the colonization of Greenland 21
* 2. The adventure of Bjarni Herjulfson 25
3. Of Thorbjörn Vifilson 28
4. Gudrid comes to Greenland 30
5. Gudrid and the Sibyl 33
6. Leif goes to Norway 37
* 7. Leif discovers Wineland 40
* 8. Thorvald’s Voyage and Death 45
9. Thorstein’s Unsuccessful Venture 49
* 10. The Expedition of Thorfin Karlsefni 52
11. Freydis 67
Appendix of Alternative Versions and Supplementary Passages 73
* Sections in Part I marked thus are those dealing with the discovery
and exploration of America.