entertainment before. And after Yule, Karlsefni broached the subject of a
marriage with Gudrid to Eric, for he assumed that with him rested the
right to bestow her hand in marriage. Eric answers favorably, and says,
that she would accomplish the fate in store for her, adding that he had
heard only good reports of him. And, not to prolong this, the result was,
that Thorfinn was betrothed to Thurid,[31-1] and the banquet was
augmented, and their wedding was celebrated; and this befell at
Brattahlid during the winter.

_Beginning of the Wineland Voyages._--About this time there began to be
much talk at Brattahlid, to the effect that Wineland the Good should be
explored, for, it was said, that country must be possessed of many goodly
qualities. And so it came to pass, that Karlsefni and Snorri fitted out
their ship, for the purpose of going in search of that country in the
spring. Biarni and Thorhall joined the expedition with their ship, and
the men who had borne them company. There was a man named Thorvard; he
was wedded to Freydis, a natural daughter of Eric the Red. He also
accompanied them, together with Thorvald, Eric's son, and Thorhall, who
was called the Huntsman. He had been for a long time with Eric as his
hunter and fisherman during the summer, and as his steward during the
winter. Thorhall was stout and swarthy, and of giant stature; he was a
man of few words, though given to abusive language, when he did speak,
and he ever incited Eric to evil. He was a poor Christian; he had a wide
knowledge of the unsettled regions. He was on the same ship with Thorvard
and Thorvald. They had that ship which Thorbiorn had brought out. They
had in all one hundred and sixty men, when they sailed to the Western
Settlement,[32-1] and thence to Bear Island. Thence they bore away to the
southward two "dœgr."[32-2] Then they saw land, and launched a boat, and
explored the land, and found there large flat stones [_hellur_], and
many of these were twelve ells wide; there were many Arctic foxes there.