take the after-boat, and proceed along the western coast, and explore [the region] thereabouts during the summer.  They found it a fair, well-wooded country.  It was but a short distance from the woods to the sea, and [there were] white sands, as well as great numbers of islands and shallows.  They found neither dwelling of man nor lair of beast; but in one of the westerly islands they found a wooden building for the shelter of grain.  They found no other trace of human handiwork; and they turned back, and arrived at Liefs-booths in the autumn.

The following summer Thorvald set out toward the east with the ship, and along the northern coast.  They were met by a high wind off a certain promontory, and were driven ashore there, and damaged the keel of their ship, and were compelled to remain there for a long time and repair the injury to their vessel.  Then said Thorvald to his companions, “I propose that we raise the keel upon this cape, and call it Keelness”; and so they did.  Then they sailed away to the eastward off the land and into the mouth of the adjoining firth and to a headland, which projected into the sea there, and which was entirely covered with woods.  They found an anchorage for their ship, and put out the gangway to the land; and Thorvald and all of his companions went ashore.  “It is a fair region here,” said he; “and here I should like to make my home.”

They then returned to the ship, and discovered on the sands, in beyond the headland, three mounds:  they went up to these, and saw that they were three skin canoes with three men under each.  They thereupon divided their party, and succeeded in seizing all the men but one, who escaped with his canoe.  They killed the eight men, and then ascended the headland again, and looked about them, and discovered within the firth certain hillocks, which they concluded must be habitations.  They were then so overpowered with sleep that they could not keep awake, and all fell into a [heavy] slumber from which they were awakened by the sound of a cry uttered above them; and the words of the cry were these:  “Awake, Thorvald, thou and all thy company, if thou wouldst save thy life; and board thy ship with all thy men, and sail with all speed from the land!” A countless number of skin canoes then advanced toward them from the inner part of the firth, whereupon Thorvald ex-claimed, “We must put out the war-boards on both sides of the ship, and defend ourselves to the best of our ability, but offer little attack.”  This they did; and the Skrellings, after they had shot at them for a time, fled precipitately, each as best he could.  Thorvald then inquired of his men whether any of them had been wounded, and they informed him that no one of them had received a wound.  “I have been wounded in my arm-pit,” says he.  “An arrow flew in between the gunwale and the shield, below my arm.  Here is the shaft, and it will bring me to my end.  I counsel you now to retrace your way with the utmost speed.  But me