addle-strokes; and by and by in the mist the water appeared
to be moving, so many and close together were the boats, and so
shadowy-grey the men in them.

"Out with your war-wall," Thorwald cried, and all the crew, now wide
awake, obeyed him. The war-wall was run up and made fast. Every man
took spear and shield and stood behind it, ready for the worst.

The natives came within easy shooting range and rained showers of
arrows at the ship. They did not venture to get at closer quarters,
but held on until they had shot all their arrows; then made off with
cries. The Icelanders looked at each other, and Thorwald, who was very
pale, said, "Is any man here wounded?" They told him No. Then
Thorwald, smiling rather queerly, said: "There slipped in an arrow
between the rails of the board and my shield and struck me under the
arm. You shall take it out, one of you, but I declare it my
death-wound. I feel the venom working in me; and now I see how wisely
I spoke when I said that my homestead should be out yonder. So it will
be, but a smaller one than I thought to have put up. Now," he said,
lying down upon a skin which they had spread for him, "pull me out this
accursed dart, and listen to what I say. You shall bury me there where
my homestead is to be, and put up a Cross over me. For though I am not
long christened I know that I belong to the true faith. Call that
place Crossness in memory of me, and when you go home tell my people
where I lie, in case any of them come out and are minded to see if I
need anything."

He bore the pulling out of the dart with great cheerfulness, and
composed himself for his end. The poison worked swiftly. He was soon
discoloured, and rambled much in his talk. Towards the end they had to
hold him, and at sunset he died.

Everything was done as he had ordered it. They dug him a grave, rather
than piled a cairn about him as the custom had always been; but sat him
up in it with his weapons, thinking that more honourable. There were
no Christians among them to say any prayer over the grave; but they
made a great Cross and carved runes upon it. Then they went back to
the ship and got the anchor up, being ill-disposed to stay there
another day. The night passed without attack, and by daylight they
rowed out of the frith, and out to sea. They beat their way back to
Eric's booths in Wineland and found them unmolested. There they
remained for the autumn and winter following; and the