1), as the average speed of a longship is believed to have been 7 knots.[19] The beat angle is set at the international standard. A further methodological issue with this essay is that it takes the primary sources at face value’ – trusting them to be correct whilst not detailed. This is not a rigorous critical evaluation of the texts, which is valuable, but beyond the scope of this survey essay.
The initial discovery of Iceland, appears to have been by Irish monks, known as the Papar[20]
“There was a man called Ketil the Foolish, son of Jorunn Wisdom-Slope, Ketil Flat-Nose's daughter. Ketil went from the Hebrides to Iceland. He was a Christian. He took possession of land between Geirlands and Fjardar Rivers, above Nykomi. Ketil made his home at Kirkby, where the Papar had been living before and where no heathen was allowed to stay.”[21]
The arrival of the Northmen conveniently led to the Papar leaving:[22]
“At that time Iceland was covered with woods between the mountains and the seashore. There were then Christians here, whom the Northmen call papar, but they later went away, because they did not wish to stay here with heathens; and they left behind them Irish books and bells and staffs. From this it could be seen that they were Irishmen.”[23]