Tímarit Þjóðræknisfélags Íslendinga - 01.01.1962, Page 87

INVENTIO FORTUNATA
69
meys I believe he means) lived was
more than 6 degrees broad (that is
to say 20 days’ journey) and one
could cover the distance on foot, and
it was 10 degrees long, that is 33
days’ journey. Also there lay there
(said he) an Indrawing Sea of 5
channels gathered together which
came through the mountain range
out of the 19 channels mentioned.
And this Indrawing Sea is 12 French
miles wide, and measures across
about 4 days’ journey.
(fol. 268 v.) And at the west of the
aforesaid country is another In-
drawing Sea into which 3 more
channels go out of the aforesaid 19.
And that channel which they (the
ships I believe are meant) had en-
tered also flowed therein. And all
these channels which turn tortuous-
ly when they come out of the moun-
tains drive ships immediately
ashore. But whatever channels flow-
ed straight into the innermost seas,
into which the 19 channels gather,
in these ships must of necessity be
carried current wise (i.e. inwards)
and become lost. Also, said this Mi-
norite, these innermost seas number
four: and the one which lies on the
west side was quite 34 French miles
broad. And on the other side of this
sea was the best and healthiest land
in all the North. Also he said that
the sea which lay on the east side
could never be frozen because so
many channels united there. And it
was narrow besides, so that the cur-
rent was very strong. But that the
one which ran on the west side used
to freeze almost every year; and re-
mained frozen sometimes for three
months. And in that land he had
seen no signs of habitation. But in
a country which lay to the North
opposite it, he had recognized planks
of ships and tree trunks. All these
four countries are high open lands
(i.e. plateaus) except some moun-
tains four fathoms (sic) high. There
are many trees of Brazil wood.
When this Priest (with the astro-
labe) . . .
(fol. 69 r.) (Lacuna) In the midst
of the four countries is a Whirl-pool
. . . into which there empty these
four Indrawing Seas which divide
the North. And the water rushes
round and descends into the earth
just as if one were pouring it
through a filter funnel. It is 4
degrees wide on every side of the
Pole, that is to say eight degrees
altogether. Except that right under
the Pole there lies a bare rock in
the midst of the Sea. Its circum-
ference is almost 33 French miles,
and it is all of magnetic stone. And
is as high as (the clouds?) so the
Priest said, who had received the
astrolabe from this Minorite in ex-
change for a Testament. And the Mi-
norite himself had heard that one
can see all round it from the Sea:
and it is black and glistening. And
nothing grows thereon, for there is
not so much as a handful of soil
on it. That was the writing and
words of the Minorite, who has
since journeyed to and fro five
times for the King of England on
business. They are to be found in
a book called Inventio Fortunae, of
which the Minorite himself was
author. The foresaid Priest said also
to the King of Norway that in the
country where he dwelt not six