The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the Northmen: Illustrated by Translations from Icelandic SagasDeCosta, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin)
History
The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the Northmen: Illustrated by Translations from Icelandic Sagas
DeCosta, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin)
America -- Discovery and exploration -- Norse
After the next summer, Karlsefne went to Iceland with his son Snorre,
and he went to his own home at Reikianess. The daughter of Snorre, son
of Karlsefne, was Hallfrida, mother to Bishop Thorlak Runolfson. They
had a son named Thorbiorn, whose daughter was named Thoruna, mother of
Bishop Biarne. Thorgeir was the name of the other son of Snorre
Karlsefne's son, father to Ingveld, and mother of the first bishop of
Brand. And this is the end of the history.
THIRD NARRATIVE.
That same summer came a ship from Norway to Greenland. The man was
called Thorfinn Karlsefne, who steered the ship. He was a son of Thord
Hesthöfde, a son of Snorre Thordarson, from Höfda. Thorfinn Karlsefne
was a man of great wealth, and was in Brattahlid with Leif Ericsson.
Soon he fell in love with Gudrid, and courted her, and she referred to
Leif to answer for her. Afterwards she was betrothed to him, and their
wedding was held the same winter. At this time, as before, much was
spoken about a Vinland voyage; and both Gudrid and others persuaded
Karlsefne much to that expedition. Now this expedition was resolved
upon, and they got ready a crew of sixty men, and five women;[197] and
then they made the agreement, Karlsefne and his people, that each of
them should have equal share in what they made of gain. They had with
them all kinds of cattle,[198] having the intention to settle in the
land, if they could. Karlsefne asked Leif for his houses in Vinland, but
he said he would lend them, but not give them. Then they put to sea with
the ship, and came to Leif's houses[199] safe, and carried up their
goods, They soon had in hand a great and good prize, for a whale had
been driven on shore, both large and excellent.[200] 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 these: both grapes and wood, and other products.
After that first winter, and when summer came, [A. D. 1008.] they were
aware of Skrællings 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 Skrællings were frightened, and
made off with their bundles--and these were of furs and sables and all
sorts of skins; and they turned and wanted to go into the houses, but
Karlsefne defended the doors. Neither party understood the language of
the other. Then the Skrællings took their bundles and opened them, and
wanted to have weapons in exchange for them, but Karlsefne forbade his
men to sell weapons. Then he adopted 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
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