[182] The location of this place will be discussed in the Minor Narratives. [183] This was the teredo, which is often so destructive, and which caused Columbus to abandon a ship at _Puerto Bello_, because he could not keep her afloat. See Irving's _Columbus_, p. 287. [184] This was truly in accordance with the noble spirit of the great Northmen, who had no fear of death, which to heroes, is the shining gate of Valhalla. [185] This is one evidence that history was cultivated in Greenland. [186] Here the writer is correct. See note 2, p. 51. [187] See page 52. [188] The same bay referred to in the previous account, and which lay between Point Gilbert and Isle Nauset. Archer, in his account of Gosnold's voyage, says, that when they rounded Point Care, the extremity of Isle Nauset, "We bore up again with the land, and in the night, came with it anchoring in eight fathoms, the ground good." Here it will be seen that the Northmen lay safely for three days. [189] In the first account it is called a Kiafal. [190] The agreement with the first account is substantial. [191] This was probably Martha's Vineyard. [192] The first narrative says substantially the same thing, that Thorhall died in Ireland. [193] The first narrative speaks of the shoals. The islands and shoals both doubtless existed then. Since that time great changes have taken place in the physical aspects of that region. [194] This might have been the case on some remarkable season. [195] This range extends to the Blue Hills of Massachusetts, which indicates considerable activity in exploration. [196] Also called the Irish sea, and the sea before Vinland. [197] There were three ships in the expedition, and this was doubtless the company that went in one of them. [198] These could be easily carried, especially as their cattle were small. All the early Portuguese expeditions carried their live stock with them. See _Prince Henry the Navigator_. [199] The different events are here stated with some rapidity, and we seem to reach Leif's booths or huts sooner than necessary. According to the two previous accounts, they did not reach the locality of Leif's booths until the summer after they found the whale. These booths were at Mt. Hope Bay. This is either the result of confusion in the mind of the writer, or else it is founded on the fact that Leif erected habitations at _both_ places. In the two first accounts of Thorfinn Karlsefne's expedition, they are not alluded to. There may be no real contradiction after all. [200] The other accounts say that the whale made them sick; but that was not because the flesh of the whale was spoiled. Beamish, in his translation of the song of Thorhall, indeed makes that disagreeable pagan tell his comrades, that, if they wish, they "_Fetid_ whales may boil Here on Furdustrand Far from Fatherland;"