and they believed that his luck and foresight would be of the highest
use. He was [for a long time against it, but did not say nay], when
his friends exhorted him to go. They made ready the ship which
Thorbjorn had brought there, and there were twenty men who undertook
to start in her. They had little property, but chiefly weapons and
food. On the morning when Eirik left home he took a little box, which
had in it gold and silver; he hid the money, and then went forth on
his journey. He had proceeded, however, but a little way, when he fell
from his horse, and broke his ribs and injured his shoulder, and cried
out, “Aiai!” At this accident he sent word to his wife that she should
take away the money that he had hidden, declaring his misfortune to be
a penalty paid on account of having hid the money. Afterwards they
sailed away out of Eiriksfjordr with gladness, as their plan seemed to
promise success. They were driven about for a long time on the open
sea, and came not into the track which they desired. They came in
sight of Iceland, and also met with birds from the coast of Ireland.
Then was their ship tossed to and fro on the sea. They returned about
harvest-tide, worn out by toil and much exhausted, and reached
Eiriksfjordr at the beginning of winter. Then spake Eirik, “You were
in better spirits in the summer, when you went forth out of the firth,
than you are in now, and yet for all that there is much to be thankful
for.” Thorstein replied, “It is a chieftain's duty now to look after
some arrangement for these men who are without shelter, and to find
them food.” Eirik answered, “That is an ever-true saying, 'You know
not until you have got your answer.' I will now take thy counsel about
this.” All those who had no other abodes were to go with the father
and the son. Then came they to land, and went forth home.

5. Now, after this, I have to tell you how Thorstein, Eirik's son,
began wooing Gudrid, Thorbjorn's daughter. To his proposals a