"Skrellings," or probably Eskimos, of whom one was bearded. "They told him that there was a land on the other side over against their country which was inhabited by people who wore white garments, and yelled loudly, and carried poles before them to which rags were attached; and people believe that this must have been White-man's-land, or Ireland the Great."[1] In the 'Íslendíngabók' comes a story of Ari Marsson, who, in the tenth century, "was driven out of his course at sea to 'White-man's-land,' which is called by some people Ireland the Great: it lies westward in the sea near Winland the Good: it is said to be six days' sail west of Ireland. Ari could not depart thence and was baptised there. The first account of this was given by Rafn ... who sailed to Limerick, and abode a long time at Limerick."[2] And Thorkill states that Icelanders reported Ari had been recognised there and was not permitted to leave, but was treated with great respect."[3]
In the Eyrbyggia Saga,[4] which is of far less historic value, is a tale that has usually been connected with Ireland the Great. According to this, a certain chief, Bjorn Asbrandsson, sailed from Iceland in a ship and vanished. Some years later, early in the eleventh century, Gudleif was "engaged in a trading voyage westward to Dublin, and when he sailed from the west it was his intention to proceed to Iceland." Sailing west from Ireland, north-east winds caught him and his men, and drove them far from their course to the south, and all trace of land was lost. The summer was nearly over when they came in sight of a great country, which they did not know, and entered a good harbour, and men came to them who seemed to them to speak Irish. They were seized and carried inland, when a council was held to determine their fate. But whilst the council was being held, a body of men rode up with a chief and a banner in their midst. This chief was tall and war-like, advanced in years and white of hair. The people honoured
- ↑ The Saga of Red Erik is probably as old as the thirteenth century in its present form. Op. cit. 23, 24. The discovery of Winland by the Norsemen took place about 1000 A.D.
- ↑ Limerick was at an early date the seat of a Norse kingdom.
- ↑ 'Íslendíngabók,' 10, 11. 'Landnámabók,' ii. xxii.
- ↑ The Eyrbyggia Saga dates from the middle of the thirteenth century, and contains much that is evidently fabulous. It covers the period from the colonisation of Iceland by the Norsemen to the middle of the eleventh century. It contains the history of the notable men of the Thorsness peninsula in West Ireland, and of the Eyrbygges who were the lords of Eyre.
