Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/368

 356 CHRONICLE OF THE APPENDIX, intention to settle in the land if they could. Karlsefne asked Leif for his houses in Vinland, and he said he would lend them, but not give them. Then they put to sea with the ship, and came to Leif 's houses safe, and carried up their goods. They soon had in hand a great and good prize ; for a whale had driven on shore, both large and excellent. They went to it and cut it up, and had no want of food. Their cattle went up into the land; but soon they were unruly, and gave trouble to them. They had one bull with them. Karlsefne let wood be felled and hewed for shipping it, and had it laid on a rock to dry. They had all the good of the products of the land which were there, — both grapes, and wood, and other products. After that first winter, and when summer came, they were aware of Skraelingers being there ; and a great troop of men came out of the woods. The cattle were near to them, and the bull began to bellow and roar very loud, and with that the Skraelingers were frightened, and made off with their bundles, — and these were of furs, and sables, and all sorts of skins ; and they turned to Karlsefne's habitation, and wanted to go into the houses, but Karlsefne defended the doors. Neither party understood the language of the other. Then the Skraelingers took their bundles and opened them, and offered them, and wanted to have weapons in exchange for them ; but Karlsefne forbade his men to sell weapons. And then he took this plan with them, that he told the women to bear out milk and dairy products to them ; and when they saw these things they would buy them, and nothing else. And now the trade for the Skraelingers was such, that they carried away their winnings in their stomachs ; and Karlsefne and his comrades got both their bags and skin-goods, and so they went away. And now it is to be told that Karlsefne let a good strong fence be made round the habitation, and strengthened it for defence. At this time Gudrid, Karlsefne's wife, lay in of a male child, and the child was called Snorro. In the beginning of the next winter came the Skraelingers again to them, and in much greater numbers than before, and with the same kind of wares. Then said Karlsefne to the women, " Now ye shall carry out the same kind of food as was best liked the last time, and nothing else." And when they saw that, they threw their bundles in over the fence : and Gudrid sat in the