They could not find that any European had ever visited this place; but
some of the Skraelings told them of a place farther south, which they
called "the Land of the Whiteman," or "Great Ireland." They said that in
that place there were white men who clothed themselves in long white
garments, carried before them poles to which white cloths were hung, and
called with a loud voice. These, it was thought by the Norsemen, must be
Christian processions, in which banners were borne and hymns were chanted.
It has been thought from this that some expedition from Ireland--that of
St. Brandan, for instance--may have left a settlement there, long before,
but this has never been confirmed. The Skraelings and the Northmen were
good friends for a time; until at last one of Erik's own warriors killed a
Skraeling by accident, and then all harmony was at an end.

They saw no hope of making a lasting settlement there, and, moreover,
Freydis who was very grasping, tried to deceive the other settlers and get
more than her share of everything, so that Harald himself lost patience
with her and threatened her. It happened that one of the men of the party,
Olaf, was Harald's foster-brother. They had once had a fight, and after
the battle had agreed that they would be friends for life and always share
the same danger. For this vow they were to walk under the turf; that is, a
strip of turf was cut and held above their heads, and they stood beneath
and let their blood flow upon the ground whence the turf had been cut.
After this they were to own everything by halves and either must avenge
the other's death. This was their brotherhood; but Freydis did not like
it; so she threatened Olaf, and tried to induce men to kill him, for she
did not wish to bring upon herself the revenge that must come if she slew
him.

This was the reason why the whole enterprise failed, and why Olaf