Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-19

plowing over watery wastes, and the stanch
little vessel pushed her way into sight of
the first of the unknown lands 1t lowered
up ahead like a. storm cloud, bleak and
barrer-looking as Greenland itself. From
its inhospitable heights and glaciers gleam-
ing coldly in the sunshine, they knew it at
once for the last-seen land OF Biorn's mar
rative.
at looks to me Like good omen that we
are to begin where Born left off, Rolf
observed to one Of the men engaged in
lowering the ships boat.
The fellow was stalwart Icelander who
had every current superstition at his
| tongues end, and was even accredited with
the gift Of second sight. He punched his
J shoulders skeptically as he bent over the
ropes.
little to do with this land" he returned.
ut bears. every resemblance to the Giant
Country which Thor visited"
II believe it is Helheim ITSELF" quavered
Kark.
The Wrestler glanced at the thralrs
blanchirg cheeks and laughed a long soft
laugh. Such display was one Of the few
things that moved him to mirth Suddenly
| he caught up the bowerman as one picks
up a kitten, and leaning out over the side,
dropped him sprawling into the long boat:
Here, then, is your chance to enter the
| world Of the dead in good company" he
laughed.
He stood guard over the gunwale until
| Left and the other ten men Of the boats
crew were ready to go down; pounding the
poor wretch's fingers when he attempted
| to climb back, while row OF grinning
faces Knocked him over the side.
The unpromising aspect OF the shore DID
not lessen as the explorers approached It,
| If they had not made an easy landing, on
a gravely strip between two rocky points,
| they would have felt that their labor had
been wasted. From the sea to the ice
tipped mountains there stretched a plain
Of nothing but broad fiat stones. They
plxo6f in yyair
| tree nor a shrub. nor even so much as a
grass-blade, relieved the dead emptiness.
When they caught sight Of a fox. whisk-
| ing from one rocky den to another, 1t start
led them into crossing themselves.
1T is over such wastes as this that the
dead like to call to each other" Valbrand
muttered in his beard.
And his neighbor mumbled uneasily, Il
think it likely that this is one OF the plains
on which the Women who Ride at Night
hold their meetings If 1t were not for
the Lucky Ones luck l would prefer swal-
lowing hot irons to coming here.
Then both became silent, Tor Lel1 nad
faced about and was awaiting their full
attention before announcing the next move.
IT dislike to see brave men disgrace
their boards with bondmaids' gable" he
said sternly. Fix in your minds the shame
that was spoken of Biorn HerJulfsson be-
cause of his lack of enterprise. The same
shall not be said of Rolf Erlingsson
and Ottar the Red and three others shall
follow me- and we will walk inland until
the light has entirely faded from the high
est mountain peak yonder, and the next
point below Is yellow as a golden fir cone
The others of you shall follow Valbrand
for the same length Of time, but walk
southwark along the shore. since 1t may
be that something of interest L. hidden be-
hind these points"
A howl from Kark interrupted him.
IT will not goi BY Thor. Il will not go!
Spirits are hidden behind those points. Who
knows what would jump out at us? will