d Biarni, "Our voyage must be regarded as
foolhardy, seeing that no one of us has ever been in the Greenland Sea."
Nevertheless they put out to sea when they were equipped for the voyage,
and sailed for three days, until the land was hidden by the water, and
then the fair wind died out, and north winds arose, and fogs, and they
knew not whither they were drifting, and thus it lasted for many
"doegr." Then they saw the sun again, and were able to determine the
quarters of the heavens; they hoisted sail, and sailed that "doegr"
through before they saw land. They discussed among themselves what land
it could be, and Biarni said that he did not believe that it could be
Greenland. They asked whether he wished to sail to this land or not. "It
is my counsel" [said he], "to sail close to the land." They did so, and
soon saw that the land was level, and covered with woods, and that there
were small hillocks upon it. They left the land on their larboard, and
let the sheet turn toward the land. They sailed for two "doegr" before
they saw another land. They asked whether Biarni thought this was
Greenland yet. He replied that he did not think this any more like
Greenland than the former, "because in Greenland there are said to be
many great ice-mountains." They soon approached this land, and saw that
it was a flat and wooded country. The fair wind failed them then, and
the crew took counsel together, and concluded that it would be wise to
land there, but Biarni would not consent to this. They alleged that they
were in need of both wood and water. "Ye have no lack of either of
these," says Biarni--a course, forsooth, which won him blame among his
shipmates. He bade them hoist sail, which they did, and turning the prow
from the land they sailed out upon the high seas, with southwesterly
gales, for three "doegr," when they saw the third land; this land was
high and mountainous, with ice-mountains upon it. They asked Biarni then
whether he would land there, and he replied that he was not disposed to
do so, "because this land does not appear to me to offer any
attractions." Nor did they lower their sail, but held their course off
the land, and saw that it was an island. They left this land astern, and
held out to sea with the same fair wind. The wind waxed amain, and
Biarni directed them to reef, and not to sail at a speed unbefitting
their ship and rigging. They sailed now for four "doegr," when they saw
the fourth land. Again they asked