Taking the data arrived at in Chapter V for the length of a ‘dægr sigling’, we may plot the distance represented by this unit at about 150 miles. The wind, we are told, was south-west. Plot from Herjulfsness (Sermesok) in the south of Greenland four ‘dægr’ units in a south-westerly direction and then draw a land-form which will serve for the ‘island’ which was the third land seen, follow its coast to a point further south, to cover the coasting voyage described, then plot five more ‘dægr’ units south-west. Lastly mark land on the course at the end of the five days and also two days from the end. The result will be as shown on the shaded portions of the sketch. These indications are quite near enough to the truth to show pretty conclusively that the ‘lands’ were the Barnstable peninsula (Massachusetts), Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland respectively. It is true that if these lands are restored to their correct positions on the map, the courses are only roughly north-east, and the distance from Newfoundland to Greenland is lengthened, but during the last part of the voyage it must be remembered that the wind was much stronger, and the distance between either Cape Freels or Cape St. John in Newfoundland and Sermesok (Herjulfsness) in Greenland is under 720 miles, and could easily be covered in four days and nights under conditions as favourable as those of Thorar Nefjolfson’s voyage to Iceland discussed in Chapter V. The whole account so far is quite consistent and probable. [Illustration: VOYAGE OF BJARNI HERJULFSON] The problem may now be tackled in a different way. Bjarni, before reaching Greenland, is met by a strong northerly gale. He struggles against it for some time, and, delaying too long the moment for heaving to, is forced to run before the wind. He is driven to the Newfoundland Banks, where he runs into fog, and lowering sail, as we are told he did, he drifts for some time. The set of the current is in the direction of Cape Cod; the wind, working round with the sun as the weather improved, would tend to drive him in the same direction. There is accordingly no difficulty in supposing him to have first sighted land somewhere on the Barnstable peninsula in the neighbourhood of Cape Cod. The description given of this land, while not distinctive, is certainly not inconsistent with the conclusion arrived at.