which rode a man of distinguished appearance, who was far advanced in years, and had gray hair. The matter under deliberation was referred to his decision. He was the aforesaid Biörn Asbrandson. He caused Gudleif to be brought before him, and, addressing him in the Norse language, he asked him whence he came. As he replied that he was an Icelander, Biörn made many inquiries about his acquaintance in Iceland, particularly about his beloved Thurida of Frodo, and about her son, and who at that time was the proprietor of the estate of Frodo. In the mean time, the natives becoming impatient and demanding a decision, Biörn selected twelve of his company as counsellors; he took them aside, and some time after he went towards Gudleif and his companions, and told them that the natives had left the matter to his decision. He thereupon gave them their liberty, and advised them, although the summer was already far advanced, to depart immediately, because the natives were not to be depended on, and were difficult to deal with; and, moreover, conceived that an infringement on their laws had been committed to their disadvantage. He gave them a gold ring for Thurida, and a sword for Kiar

tan, and told them to charge his friends and relations not to come over to him, as he was now become old, and might daily expect that old age would get the better of him; that the country was large, having but few harbours, and that strangers must everywhere expect a hostile reception. They accordingly set sail again, and found their way back to Dublin. where they spent the winter; but next summer they repaired to Iceland and delivered the presents; and all were convinced that it was really Biörn Asbrandson whom they had met with in that country.

BISHOP ERIC'S VOYAGE TO VINELAND.

It may be considered as certain that the intercourse between Vineland and Greenland was maintained for a considerable period after this, although the scanty notices about Greenland contained in the ancient manuscripts do not furnish us with any satisfactory information on this head. It is, however, recorded, that the Greenland bishop ERIC, im pelled probably by a Christian zeal either of converting the colonists, or of animating them to perseverance in the faith, went over to Vineland in the year 1121. As we have no information of the result of his voyage, but

can merely gather from the above expression that he reached his destination, we must presume that he fixed his permanent residence in Vineland. His voyage, however, goes to corroborate the supposition of a lengthened intercourse having been kept up between the countries.

DISCOVERIES IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS OF

AMERICA.

The next event in chronological order, of which accounts have been preserved in ancient records, is a voyage of discovery in the Arctic regions of America, performed during the year 1266, under the auspices of some clergymen of the bishopric of Garðar, in Greenland. The account of it is taken from a letter, addressed by a clergyman of the name of Halldor to another clergyman named Arnold, formerly established in Greenland, but who had then become chaplain to the Norwe gian king, Magnus Lagabæter. At that time all men of any consequence in Greenland possessed large vessels, built for the purpose of being despatched northward in hunting and fishing expeditions. The northern regions which they visited were called Norbr-set-ur; the chief stations were Greipar and KróksVOL. L-L

fiarb-ar-heiði. The first of these stations is supposed to have been situate immediately to the southward of Disco; but that the ancient Northmen went much farther north on this coast may be inferred from a very remarkable runic stone, found in the year 1824, on the island of Kin-gik-tor-sóak, lying in the latitude of 72° 55' N. The latter-mentioned station was to the north of the former. The object of the voyage is stated to have been to explore regions lying more to the northward than those they had hitherto been accustomed to visit, consequently lying farther north than KROKSFIARD-AR-HEIDI, where they had their summer quarters (set-ur), and which they were therefore regularly accustomed to visit. The following particulars are mentioned relating to this voyage of discovery. They sailed out of Króks-fiarð-ar-heiði, and after that encountered southerly winds, accompanied by thick weather, which obliged them to let the ship go before the wind. On the weather clearing up they saw many islands, and all kinds of prey, both seals and whales, and a great many bears. They penetrated into the innermost part of the gulf, and had icebergs (glaciers) lying also to the southward as far as the eye could reach. They observed some

vestiges indicating that the Skrellings had in former times inhabited these regions, but they could not land on account of the bears. They then put about and sailed back during three days; and now again they found traces of the Skrellings having been on some islands lying to the southward of a mountain, by them called Sniofell. After this (on St. James's day) they proceeded southward a great day's rowing. It froze during the night in those regions, but the sun was above the horizon both night and day; and when on the meridian in the south, he was not higher than that when a man lay down across a six-oared boat, stretched out towards the gunwale, the shadow formed by the side of the boat nearest the sun reached his face; but at midnight the sun was as high as when it was (highest) in the northwest in the Greenland colony. Afterward they sailed back again to their home at Garðar. Króks-fiard-ar-heiði, as we have observed above, had been for some time previous regularly visited by the Greenlanders. The name shows that the frith was surrounded by barren highlands (heið-i), and the description of the voyage shows that it was a frith of considerable extent, in and through which there was room for several days' sail.