d that kings ruled over the
land of the Skroelingar, one of whom was called Avalldamon, and the
other Valldidida. They said also that there were no houses, and the
people lived in caves or holes. They said, moreover, that there was a
land on the other side over against their land, and the people there
were dressed in white garments, uttered loud cries, bare long poles,
and wore fringes. This was supposed to be Hvitramannaland (whiteman's
land). Then came they to Greenland, and remained with Eirik the Red
during the winter.

[Footnote D: in this _lacuna_ occur the words "af stopi," which Dr.
Vigfusson translates, in his notes, "over the stubbles."]

14. Bjarni, Grimolf's son, and his men were carried into the Irish
Ocean, and came into a part where the sea was infested by ship-worms.
They did not find it out before the ship was eaten through under them;
then they debated what plan they should follow. They had a ship's boat
which was smeared with tar made of seal-fat. It is said that the
ship-worm will not bore into the wood which has been smeared with the
seal-tar. The counsel and advice of most of the men was to ship into
the boat as many men as it would hold. Now, when that was tried, the
boat held not more than half the men. Then Bjarni advised that it
should be decided by the casting of lots, and not by the rank of the
men, which of them should go into the boat; and inasmuch as every man
there wished to go into the boat, though it could not hold all of
them; therefore, they accepted the plan to cast lots who should leave
the ship for the boat. And the lot so fell that Bjarni, and nearly
half the men with him, were chosen for the boat. So then those left
the ship and went into the boat who had been chosen by lot so to do.
And when the men were come into the boat, a young man, an Icelander,
who had been a fellow-traveller of Bjarni, said, "Dost thou intend,
Bjarni, to separate thyself here from me." "It must needs be so now,"
Bjarni answered. He replied, "Because, in such case, thou didst not so
promise me when I set out from Iceland with thee from the homestead of
my father." Bjarni answered, "I do not, however, see here any other
plan; but what plan dost thou suggest?" He replied, "I propose this
plan, that we two make a change in our places, and thou come here and
I will go there." Bjarni answered, "So shall it be; and this I see,
that thou labourest willingly for life, and that it seems to thee a
grievous thing t