of our new country, and that as quickly as may be.
It is needful, also, to do so without scattering, lest we be set upon
unexpectedly by any lurking foe. This land is not easily surveyed like
Iceland or Greenland, being, as you see, covered with shrubs and trees,
which somewhat curtail our vision, and render caution the more
necessary."

While the Norsemen were engaged in examining the woods near the coast,
the two Scots held on their way into the interior. There was something
absolutely exhilarating, as Krake once remarked, in the mere beholding
of these brothers' movements. They had been famed for agility and
endurance even in their own country. They did not run, but trotted
lightly, and appeared to be going at a moderate pace, when in reality it
would have compelled an ordinary runner to do his best to keep up with
them. Yet they did not pant or show any other symptom of distress. On
the contrary, they conversed occasionally in quiet tones, as men do when
walking. They ran abreast as often as the nature of the ground would
allow them to do so, taking their leaps together when they came to small
obstructions, such as fallen trees or brooks of a few feet wide; but
when they came to creeks of considerable width, the one usually paused
to see the other spring over, and then followed him.

Just after having taken a leap of this kind, and while they were running
silently side by side along the margin of the river, they heard a crash
among the bushes, and next instant a fine deer sprang into an open space
in front of them. The brothers bent forward, and, flying like the wind,
or like arrows from a bow, followed for a hundred yards or so--then
stopped abruptly and burst into a hearty fit of laughter.

"Ah! Heika," exclaimed the younger, "that fellow would be more than a
match for us if we could double our speed. We have no chance with
four-legged runners."

While he was speaking they resumed the jog-trot pace, and soon
afterwards came to a rocky ridge, that seemed to traverse the country
for some distance. Here they were compelled to walk, and in some places
even to clamber, the ground being very rugged.

Here also they came to a small branch or fork of the river that appeared
to find its way to the sea through another channel. It was deep, and
although narrow in comparison with the parent stream, was much too broad
to be leaped over. The pioneers were therefore obliged to swim. Being
almost as much at ho