companions, killing him. Then the leader took the axe and threw it into
the water, after which the Skraelings retreated, and were not seen again.

The winter was a mild one, and while it lasted, the Norsemen worked
busily at felling wood and house-building. They had also many amusements,
in most of which Harald excelled. They used to swim in all weathers. One
of their feats was to catch seals and sit on them while swimming; another
was to pull one another down and remain as long as possible under water.
Harald could swim for a mile or more with his armor on, or with a
companion on his shoulder. In-doors they used to play the tug of war,
dragging each other by a walrus hide across the fire. Harald was good at
this, and was also the best archer, sometimes aiming at something placed
on a boy's head, the boy having a cloth tied around his head, and held by
two men, that he might not move at all on hearing the whistling of the
arrow. In this way Harald could even shoot an arrow under a nut placed on
the head, so that the nut would roll down and the head not be hurt. He
could plant a spear in the ground and then shoot an arrow upward so
skilfully that it would turn in the air and fall with the point in the end
of the spear-shaft. He could also shoot a blunt arrow through the thickest
ox-hide from a cross-bow. He could change weapons from one hand to the
other during a fencing match, or fence with either hand, or throw two
spears at the same time, or catch a spear in motion. He could run so fast
that no horse could overtake him, and play the rough games with bat and
ball, using a ball of the hardest wood. He could race on snowshoes, or
wrestle when bound by a belt to his antagonist. Then when he and his
companions wished a rest, they amused themselves with harp-playing or
riddles or chess. The Norsemen even played chess on board their vessels,
and there are still to be seen, on some of these, the little holes that
were formerly used for the sharp ends of the chessmen, so that they should
not be displaced.