66 DANIEL BRUUN. 
those they found here, they landed. These people were small, having 
a severe appearance, coarse hair, big eyes and broad cheeks. 
For a time they stood there looking at the strangers, then they 
rowed away southwards round the headland. 
Karlsefni and his people had raised their booths above the lake, 
some of the houses lay near the lake others further away. They remained 
here during the winter (1004—05). No snow came, and all their cattle 
grazed in freedom on the pasturages. 
When the spring (1005) set in, they saw early one morning a number 
of skin-boats come rowing round the headland from the south. There 
were so many that it looked as if the opening of the creek was covered 
with charcoal. A pole was swung from each boat. Karlsefni and his 
people held their shields up in the air, and when the two parties had 
approached each other, they began to trade. These people prefered 
having red cloth, giving leather wares and genuine grey furs in exchange. 
They also wished to buy swords and spears, but Karlsefni and 
Snorri would not let them have them. For a whole grey fur the Skræl- 
lings took a span of red cloth, which they wound round their heads. 
In this manner they traded for some time, until Karlsefni and his 
people began to be short of cloth, therefore they cut that which was 
left into small pieces, which were not broader than a finger, and the 
Skrællings gave as much for them as they did before — or even more. 
It happened that a bull, belonging to Karlsefni, came running out 
of the wood, bellowing. This frightened the Skrællings, who hastened 
out to their skin-boats, and rowed southwards along the coast. 
One saw nothing of them for three weeks. But then there came 
a great number of Skrælling-boats from the south, — row upon row, 
each swinging their pole and howling loudly. Karlsefni now held a red 
shield towards them. The Skrællings hastened out of their boats; they 
rushed at each other and fought. Shot rained down as the Skrællings 
had “slings”. Karlsefni’s people saw that they raised а pole to which 
a big ball resembling mostly the belly of a sheep was attached; it was of 
a bluish colour. They swung the pole and the ball flew up on land 
over Karlsefni’s men. When it fell it gave a hideous crack. It struck 
Karlsefni and his people with terror so that they only thought of flight. 
As they retreated along the river, it seemed to them the Skrællings ad- 
vanced from all quarters. They first paused on reaching some rocks, 
where they made a strong stand. 
Freydis came out, and when she saw that Karlsefni’s men were 
retreating she cried: 
“Why do you run away — you brave men — from these poor crea- 
tures, whom I thought you could slay like cattle, if I had weapons I 
believe I could fight better than any of you.” 
They paid no attention to her words. Freydis would go with them 
but as she was pregnant she could not go so fast. She followed them 
