d to enter
the apartment dripping with water. Yet this vision excited less horror
than might have been expected, for the Icelanders, though nominally
Christians, retained, among other pagan superstitions, a belief that the
spectres of such drowned persons as had been favourably received by the
goddess Rana were wont to show themselves at their funeral feast. They
saw, therefore, with some composure, Thorodd and his dripping attendants
plant themselves by the fire, from which all mortal guests retreated to
make room for them. It was supposed this apparition would not be
renewed after the conclusion of the festival. But so far were their
hopes disappointed, that, so soon as the mourning guests had departed,
the fires being lighted, Thorodd and his comrades marched in on one
side, drenched as before with water; on the other entered Thorer,
heading all those who had died in the pestilence, and who appeared
covered with dust. Both parties seized the seats by the fire, while the
half-frozen and terrified domestics spent the night without either light
or warmth. The same phenomenon took place the next night, though the
fires had been lighted in a separate house, and at length Kiartan was
obliged to compound matters with the spectres by kindling a large fire
for them in the principal apartment, and one for the family and
domestics in a separate hut. This prodigy continued during the whole
feast of Jol. Other portents also happened to appal this devoted family:
the contagious disease again broke forth, and when any one fell a
sacrifice to it his spectre was sure to join the troop of persecutors,
who had now almost full possession of the mansion of Froda. Thorgrima
Galldrakinna, wife of Thorer, was one of these victims, and, in short,
of thirty servants belonging to the household, eighteen died, and five
fled for fear of the apparitions, so that only seven remained in the
service of Kiartan.

Kiartan had now recourse to the advice of his maternal uncle Snorro, in
consequence of whose counsel, which will perhaps appear surprising to
the reader, judicial measures were instituted against the spectres. A
Christian priest was, however, associated with Thordo Kausa, son of
Snorro, and with Kiartan, to superintend and sanctify the proceedings.
The inhabitants were regularly summoned to attend upon the inquest, as
in a cause between man and man, and the assembly was constituted before
the gate of the mansion, just as the spectres had ass