red
himself for a journey away from Iceland. He went to Norway, but did
not stay there long, and then left straightway that land and "walked"
south to Rome to "see the holy apostle Peter." He was very long over
this journey; and then journeying from the south he came into Denmark,
and there he fell ill and lay in bed a very long time, and received
all the last rites of the church, whereupon he died, and he rests at
Roskild. Gellir had taken Skofnung with him, the sword that had been
taken out of the barrow of Holy Kraki, and never after could it be got
back. When the death of Gellir was known in Iceland, Thorkell, his
son, took over his father's inheritance at Holyfell. Thorgils, another
of Gellir's sons, was drowned in Broadfirth at an early age, with all
hands on board. Thorkell Gellirson was a most learned man, and was
said to be of all men the best stocked of lore. Here is the end of the
Saga of the men of Salmon-river-Dale.

* * * * *

_The_ 'Laxdale Saga'--_one of the great Sagas of Iceland--is herewith
introduced for the first time to English readers. The translation has
been made by_ Mrs. Muriel Press. _The original text presents many
difficulties, and the manuscript translation has had the advantage of
being revised by a competent Icelander. Many doubtful passages have
been elucidated by him. The accompanying Note gives his interpretation
of the obscure verses on page 234. In addition to these kind services,
he has specially prepared for this volume the Map of the Places
mentioned in the Saga. It is to be hoped that_ Mrs. Press's _efforts
to popularise this famous Saga may be successful, and may warrant the
publication of other Sagas, and Masterpieces of Northern literature,
in the Series, notably_ 'Njala-Saga,' 'Volsunga-Saga,' _and the_
'Eddas.'

I.G.

_October 13, 1899,_

* * * * *

NOTE

These lines may be thus interpreted:--

"Hangs a wet hood on the wall;
It knoweth of a trick;
Though it be at most times 'dry,'
I hide not now it knoweth two."

The ditty points to the fact that Snorri had given Audgisl Thorarinson
a "chased axe" (one trick), and that, at Snorri's secret behest,
Audgisl was now on the eve of taking the hood-owner's (Thorgils
Hallason's) life (two). This, the hood says, it knows, though at most
times it is '_dry_.' 'Dry' here seems clearly to stand in the sense of
'clear of,' 'free from,' _expers