in search of Wineland, while
Karlsefni desired to proceed to the southward, off the coast. Thorhall
prepared for his voyage out below the island, having only nine men in his
party, for all of the remainder of the company went with Karlsefni. And
one day when Thorhall was carrying water aboard his ship, and was
drinking, he recited this ditty:[35-1]

When I came, these brave men told me,
Here the best of drink I'd get,
Now with water-pail behold me,--
Wine and I are strangers yet.
Stooping at the spring, I've tested
All the wine this land affords;
Of its vaunted charms divested,
Poor indeed are its rewards.

And when they were ready, they hoisted sail; whereupon Thorhall recited
this ditty:[35-2]

Comrades, let us now be faring
Homeward to our own again!
Let us try the sea-steed's daring,
Give the chafing courser rein.
Those who will may bide in quiet,
Let them praise their chosen land,
Feasting on a whale-steak diet,
In their home by Wonder-strand.

Then they sailed away to the northward past Wonder-strands and Keelness,
intending to cruise to the westward around the cape. They encountered
westerly gales, and were driven ashore in Ireland,[35-3] where they were
grievously maltreated and thrown into slavery. There Thorhall lost his
life, according to that which traders have related.

It is now to be told of Karlsefni, that he cruised southward off the
coast, with Snorri and Biarni, and their people. They sailed for a long
time, and until they came at last to a river, which flowed down from the
land into a lake, and so into the sea. There were great bars at the mouth
of the river, so that it could only be entered at the height of the
flood-tide. Karlsefni and his men sailed into the mouth of the river, and
called it there Hop [a small land-locked bay]. They found self-sown
wheat-fields on the land there, wherever there were hollows, and wherever
there was hilly ground, there were vines.[36-1] Every brook there was
full of fish. They dug pits, on the shore where the tide rose highest,
and when the tide fell, there were halibut in the pits. There were great
numbers of wild animals of all kinds in the woods. They remained there
half a month, and enjoyed themselves, and kept no watch. They had their
live-stock with them. Now one morning early, when they looked about them,
they saw a great number of skin-canoes,[36-2] and staves were bra