NO. 12 THE WINELAND VOYAGES — SWANTON 29 



dwellings of their enemies. They would have come ashore some 

 distance off and launched an attack from the land side in the early- 

 morning. As to the time of day we cannot say anything, but other- 

 wise the Flat Island Book indicates the more probable maneuver 

 unless on this point the Saga is to be interpreted as suggested above. 



In the Flat Island Book there is mention of a supernatural visitant 

 who appeared to Gudrid just at the outbreak of hostilities. Appari- 

 tions of this kind have been mentioned by both narratives in describ- 

 ing the events of the winter which Gudrid spent at Lysufirth, and it 

 may possibly be explained by reference to these. The Saga tells us, 

 it will be remembered, that Sigrid, the wife of Thorstein the Swarthy, 

 sees the spirits of those of the company who had died that winter 

 and among them her own although she was then living. It is possible, 

 therefore, that the apparition which Gurid sees in Wineland and 

 which calls itself Gudrid, although possessing some of the physical 

 characteristics of the Skrellings in whose country this happened, was 

 Gudrid's own ghost which came to indicate that her life was threat- 

 ened, and its sudden disappearance a sign that events had postponed 

 the sentence. 



The nature of the Skrelling "bomb" has defied all attempts at 

 explanation, though Schoolcraft thought he had discovered a clew 

 in a former Chippewa custom. He learned that in their canoe fights 

 these Indians sometimes used a big rock incased in skin which they 

 elevated upon a pole and cast into an enemy's canoe in order to upset 

 it. But there would be no point in hurling such an object upon the 

 land, nor is there an adequate explanation of the loud noise which it 

 made, impliedly due to bursting. 



The use of milk by the Norsemen in trade has been ridiculed, but 

 both narratives state that they had cattle with them, and milk would 

 undoubtedly appeal to the aboriginal palate. The amount thus used 

 in barter may very well have been exaggerated, the interest of the 

 story turning, as in the case of the metal ax, on Skrelling reaction 

 to a European novelty. On the face of it, trade in red cloth as de- 

 scribed by the Saga is more probable, knowing as we do the fondness 

 of our Indians for red fabrics, but one would like to inquire how 

 Karlsefni learned in advance to provide himself with the amount of 

 red cloth that is indicated. He was, indeed, a trader, but he had never 

 had dealings with either Eskimo or Indians, and there is no evidence 

 that he and his companions contemplated trade when they left Green- 

 land. They are supposed to have anticipated settling in a country 

 believed to be uninhabited. Traces of former occupants were found 



