THORFINN KARLSEFNI 49 



gether applicable to the Indians, particularly the 

 statement that they rowed in skin boats and had bulg- 

 ing eyes. Babcock has pointed out, however, that simi- 

 lar descriptions exist elsewhere and that some tribes 

 of Indians used skin boats. He quotes several authori- 

 ties to support his statement, both from earlier and 

 recent times. The reference is not to kayaks, or one- 

 man boats, but to larger ones for several men. 



One of the earliest explorers of America was Gio- 

 vanni da Verrazano. He is credited with a letter, 

 dated July 8, 1524, containing a description of a voy- 

 age along the east coast. He describes one of the 

 tribes that he saw there as having thick black hair, not 

 very long, bound together at the back. The chief 

 fault he finds with their features is that they are 

 very broad- faced 3 not all of them, however, for some 



Gudrid and said, 'What is your name?' *My name is Gudrid. What 

 is your name?' 'My name is Gudrid.'" Some writers have looked 

 upon this as a story of a kind of doubles. One writer believed that the 

 woman was possibly of Norse origin, although a native of Hop. The 

 Saga writer evidently looked upon this incident as supernatural; he 

 describes the woman as Norse and quotes her as speaking the Norse 

 language, thus leading one to infer that she was Norse, a strange thing, 

 as are so many other details in the Tale, The manuscript states that 

 this strange woman said that her name was Gudrid. That is probably 

 a mistake in recording, a repetition of the answer that Gudrid Thor- 

 finn's wife gave. Such mistakes, due to the carelessness of the re- 

 corder, are common. The woman's name was no doubt different. 

 However, as this has no basis in fact, it is immaterial. 



