The Norsemen in the West

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER TEN.

  TAKING POSSESSION OF THE NEW HOME, AN EVENT WHICH IS CELEBRATED BY ANEXPLOSION AND A RECONCILIATION.

  Every one knows--at least a well-known proverb assures us--that "earlyto bed and early to rise" conduces to health, wealth, and wisdom. TheNorsemen of old would appear to have been acquainted with the proverband the cheering prospect it holds out; perhaps they originated it; atall events, that they acted on it, and probably experienced the happyresults, is evident from the fact that Karlsefin and his men not onlywent to bed in good time at night--as related in the last chapter--butwere up and doing by daybreak on the following morning.

  Having roused the women, relieved the sentinels, struck the tents, andcarried everything safely on board the _Snake_, they manned the oars, orlarge sweeps, with the stoutest of the crew, and prepared to row theirvessel up the river into the lake on the shores of which they designedto fix their future home. Previous to this, however, a party of menwere told off to remain behind and cut up the whale, slice the leanportions into thin layers, and dry them in the sun for winter use.

  "See that you make a good job of it," said Karlsefin to Swend, who wasleft behind as the leader of the whale-party--because he was fat, asKrake said, and, therefore, admirably suited for such work--"and becareful not to let sand get amongst the meat. Cut out the whalebonetoo, it will be of use to us; and don't forget that there may be enemieslurking in the woods near you. Keep your windward eye uncovered, andhave your weapons always handy."

  Swend promised to attend to these orders, and, with twenty men, armedwith axes, scythes, and large knives, besides their swords, shields,bows and arrows, stood on the ness and cheered their comrades as theyrowed away.

  The force of the current was not great, so that the _Snake_ made rapidprogress, and in a few hours reached the place where the small streamforked off from the main river. This they named Little River. Abovethat point the current was more rapid, and it became necessary to send alarge party of men on shore with a tracking-rope, by means of which andthe oars they at last overcame all obstacles, and finally swept out uponthe bosom of the beautiful sheet of water which had afforded suchdelight to the eyes of the two Scots.

  "Here, then, we have got _home_ at last," said Karlsefin, as they rowedover the still water to a spit, or natural landing-place, near Leif'sold booths.

  "It is very beautiful," said Gudrid, "but I find it difficult to call ithome. It seems so strange, though so pleasant."

  "You were always difficult to please, Gudrid," said Freydissa; "surelyyou don't think Greenland--cold, windy, bleak, nasty Greenland--a betterhome than this?"

  "Nay, sister, I made no comparison. I did but say that it seemedstrange, and I'm sure that Bertha agrees with me in that--don't you,Bertha?"

  "Indeed I do," replied the maiden; "strange the land is, but beautifulexceedingly."

  "Of course she'll agree with what _you_ say," cried Freydissa, testily."I would that she agreed as readily with me. It is a wonder that she isnot weeping, as she is always so ready to do on the smallestprovocation, or without any provocation at all."

  "I only wept on leaving my father," remonstrated Bertha with a winningsmile. "I'm sure you have not seen me shed a tear since then. Besides,I do agree with you in this case, for I think Vinland will be a pleasanthome. Don't you too?" she added, turning round to Thora, who had beenstanding at her side, but Thora had moved away, and her place had beentaken by Hake, the Scot.

  Bertha blushed on meeting the youth's gaze, and the blush deepened whenHake said in a quiet undertone, that Vinland could not but be a pleasanthome to him, and added that Greenland, Iceland, Norway,--anywhere,--would be equally pleasant, if only _she_ were there!

  Poor Bertha was so taken aback by the cool and sudden boldness of thisunexpected reply, that she looked hastily round in alarm lest it hadbeen overheard; but Hake, not intending that it should be overheard, hadaddressed it to her ear, and fortunately at the moment the grating ofthe keel upon the pebbly shore drew the attention of all to the land.

  "Now, then, jump ashore, lads," cried Biarne, "and get out the gangway.Make it broad, for our cattle must not be allowed to risk their limbs bytumbling off."

  While Biarne superintended the gangway, Thorward prepared the live stockfor their agreeable change, and Karlsefin went up to examine the stateof the huts. They were found to be in excellent condition, having beenwell built originally, and the doors and windows having been securedagainst the weather by those who had used them last.

  "No natives can have been here," observed the leader of the party tothose who accompanied him, "because every fastening is secured,apparently, as it was left."

  "Nevertheless, Sigrid and I have seen footprints in the sand," remarkedthe woman Gunhild, coming up at that moment.

  "Show them to me," said Karlsefin, with much interest.

  "Yonder they are," replied the woman, pointing towards a sandy spot onher left, "and he who made them must have been a giant, they are solarge."

  "Truly, a dangerous giant to meet with," observed Karlsefin, laughing,when he reached the place, "these are none other, Gunhild, than thefootprints of the bear that the two Scots sent away with the toothache.But come, we will open these huts and have them put in order and madecomfortable against supper-time. So, get to work all of you and see howactive you can be."

  While some of the party were busily engaged in sweeping out andarranging the huts, others shouldered their axes and went into the woodsto cut down a few dead trees for firewood, and when the gangway betweenthe ship and the shore was completed the live stock was driven on shore.

  There was something quite impressive in this part of the landing. Therewas a deliberate slowness in the movements of most of the animals thatgave to it quite the air of a solemn procession, and must have been agood illustration, on a small scale, of the issuing of the beasts fromNoah's Ark on the top of Ararat!

  The first creature which, appropriately enough, led the van, was alordly black bull. Little Olaf, whose tastes were somewhat peculiar,had made a pet of this bull during the voyage, and by feeding it,scratching it behind the ears, patting its nose, giving it water, andtalking to it, had almost, if not altogether, won its affections. Hewas therefore permitted to superintend the landing of it.

  "Come, get on, Blackie," cried Olaf, giving the bull a push on the flankas it stood on the gangway with its head high, tail slightly raised,nostrils expanded, and eyes flashing. It glanced from side to side asif to take a general survey of its new domains.

  Olaf advised it to "get on" again, but Blackie deigned to take nofurther notice than by a deep-toned internal rumbling.

  "Not unlike Mount Hecla when it is going to explode," said Biarne,laughing.

  "Come back, boy, he will do you a mischief," cried Gudrid in some alarm.

  "Why, Olaf," said Karlsefin, "your pet is going to be disobedient.Speak louder to him."

  Instead of speaking louder Olaf quietly grasped the brute's tail andgave it a twist.

  The effect was wonderful and instantaneous. The huge animal rushedwildly along the gangway, leaped across the beach, making the pebblesfly as he went, scampered over the green turf and plunged into theforest, kicking up his heels, flourishing his tail and bellowing infrantic delight!

  Most of the cows went slowly and placidly along the gangway, and landedwith easy-going satisfaction expressed in their patient faces, to thesupreme contempt of Freydissa, who said she wished that they had allbeen bulls. There was one young heifer amongst them, however, whichproved an exception to the rule. It glared savagely round, as if inimitation of the bull, refused point-blank to land, swerved from side toside of the gangway, backed right into the ship at the risk of its neckand limbs, attempted to charge the men, created dire confusion and alarmamong the poultry, and finally fell off the gangway into the water, andscrambled on shore in a way that must have thrilled Freydissa's heartwith admiration--although she did not say so, but maintained a grimsilence all the time.

 
Next came the sheep, which, owing perhaps to sea-sickness, orhome-sickness, or some other cause, looked remarkably sheepish, andwalked on shore with as much solemnity as if each had been attending thefuneral of the rest. There were about twenty of these, and after themcame a dozen or so of Icelandic ponies, which, although somewhat moreactive than the sheep, were evidently suffering in their spirits fromthe effects of the recent voyage. One of them, however, on feeling thesoft turf under his feet, attempted to neigh, without much success, andanother said something that sounded more like a horse-laugh thananything else.

  Then followed the fowls, some of which walked, some flew, and othersfluttered, according to their varying moods, with an immense deal offuss and cackling, which was appropriately capped by the senior cockmounting on one of the huts and taking possession of the land with anecstatic crow.

  The procession was brought up by the ducks, which waddled out of theship, some with an expression of grave surprise, some with "quacks" ofan inquiring nature, others with dubious steps and slow, while a few,with an eye to the "main chance" made ineffectual dabs at littleroughnesses in their pathway, in the hope that these might turn out tobe edible.

  At last all were landed and driven up into the woods, where they wereleft without any fear being entertained as to their going astray, seeingthat they were guarded by several fine dogs, which were too muchassociated with the men as companions to be included in the foregoinglist of the lower animals.

  "Shall we set the nets?" said Hake, going up to Karlsefin, who was busyarranging the principal hut, while the men were bringing their goods andchattels on shore. "You know we saw a salmon leap from a pool on LittleRiver. Doubtless they are in the lake also."

  "Try it, Hake, by all means. Go with your brother in the little boatand set them where you think best. Fresh salmon for supper would be arare treat just now. Are you sure it _was_ a salmon you saw, and not alarge trout?"

  "Sure? Ay, as sure as I am that a horse is not a cow," replied Hake,smiling.

  "Go then, and luck go with you."

  The nets were soon set in the bay, near the point of the ness on whichthe huts were built, and near to which a small mountain-stream enteredthe lake.

  Suddenly a shrill angry voice was heard issuing from one of the smallerhuts near the lake. It was Freydissa storming at poor Bertha. Therewas an occasional bass growl intermingled with it. That was Thorwardremonstrating.

  "Poor Bertha," said Karlsefin to Biarne, who was standing beside him atthe time, "she has a hard mistress."

  "Poor Thorward," said Biarne, "he has a tough wife."

  "Thorward will cure or kill her," rejoined Karlsefin, with a laugh. "Heis a long-suffering man, and very tender to women withal, but he is notmade of butter."

  Biarne shook his head. He evidently had not much opinion of Thorward'sresolution when opposed by the will and passion of such a termagant asFreydissa.

  "How much better 'twould have been," said he, "if Thorward had marriedher maid--the sweet little fair-haired blue-eyed Bertha."

  "Why, Biarne, methinks that _thou_ art somewhat like to try that plan,"said his friend, looking at him in surprise, for he had spoken with muchenthusiasm.

  "Not I, man," returned Biarne, with a smile and a shake of the head."It is long since my heart was buried in Iceland. I am doomed to be anold bachelor now."

  They both listened at this point, for the domestic brawl in the smallhut seemed to be waxing furious. Thorward's voice was not heard sooften, but when it did sound there was an unusually stern tone in it,and Freydissa's became so loud that her words were audible.

  "It has been killed, I tell you, Bertha, by sheer carelessness. If youhad fed it properly it would have been as well as the others. _Don't_say you did your best for it. You didn't. You _know_ you didn't.You're a smooth-faced vixen. You are. Don't speak. Don't speak back,I say. Hold your tongue. You killed that kitten by carelessness."

  "If you don't hold your tongue, wife," said Thorward, in a loud sternvoice, "I'll kill the cat too."

  There was a pause here, as if the threat had taken away Freydissa'sbreath.

  "Oho! that's the poor little kitten," whispered Karlsefin to Biarne,referring to one of a litter that had been born at sea, "that was nigheaten by one of the dogs. Bertha had no hand in its death. I wonder itlived so long."

  "Kill the cat?" shrieked Freydissa, stamping her foot.

  This was instantly followed by an unearthly caterwaul and the suddenappearance of a dark object in the air, which, issuing from the door ofthe hut, flew upwards like a sky-rocket, described a wide curve, andfell heavily about fifty yards out into the lake. Next moment Freydissasprang from the hut and stood with clasped hands on the shore inspeechless horror. Thorward immediately after came forth with a darkfrown on his face, and walked away into the forest. Freydissa stoodlike a statue for some minutes, and then, seeing that the cat lay quitemotionless, she turned, and, with a face that was deadly pale,re-entered the hut.

  "It was cruel," observed Karlsefin sadly.

  "But salutary, perhaps," said Biarne.

  "It may be so," rejoined the other; "but even if Thorward's end be agood one, a right end does not justify a wrong action.--Ah! here comessunshine. How goes it, Gudrid?"

  Gudrid, who came forward at the moment, and knew nothing of what hadoccurred, said that she wanted Karlsefin's help, if he could spare time,in order to arrange some of the fixtures in their new home.

  Assuring her that she herself was the most valuable "fixture" in thehouse, Karlsefin left his work and the two walked off together, whileBiarne went down to the ship.

  Meanwhile Thorward returned to his hut, where he found Freydissa alone,sitting on a box with her face buried in her hands. She did not move,so he sat down beside her with a subdued look.

  "Freydissa," he said, "I'm sorry I did that. 'Twas cruel, 'twas hard;but it is done now, and can't be undone. Forgive me, lass, if you can."

  She raised her head suddenly, and gazed at him with a flushedcountenance.

  "Thorward," she said with energy, "if you had come with any other toneor word I would have hated you with all the power of my heart--"

  "And that's a strong power, Freydissa."

  "It is. But now--"

  She threw her arms round her husband's neck and kissed him. Thorwardreturned the kiss with the vigour of a man who is wont to give back morethan he gets.

  "Thanks, my girl," said he, rising, "thanks. That puts my heart atease. As for the poor cat, she's beyond the influence of anger orrepentance now; but trust me, Freydissa, I shall fetch you thehandsomest cat that can be had for love or money in all Greenland, orIceland; ay, even if I should have to make a special voyage to get holdof it."

  Thus did Thorward and Freydissa fall out, and thus were they reconciled,on the first day in their new home in Vinland.

  Talking this matter over with Thorward next day, Karlsefin took occasionto give his friend some sage advice.

  "Depend upon it, Thorward," said he, "no good ever comes of quarrellingor violence, but, on the contrary, much evil. 'Tis well that youconfessed your fault to her, else had she ever after held you in lightesteem; because, although _she_ deserved reproof, the cat did notdeserve to be killed."

  "Beshrew me!"

  "Nay," interrupted Karlsefin, with a laugh, "_that_ is the last thingyou ought to say, seeing that you have had so much beshrewing already."

  "Well, well," said Thorward, "thou art wonderfully smart at giving goodadvice."

  "Would that I could say thou wert equally smart at taking it! However,I have hope of thee, Thorward. Come, let us go see what the nets haveproduced. I observe Hake and Heika rowing to land."

  It was found that the fishermen had loaded their boat with magnificenttrout of all sizes--some above five or six pounds' weight--besides alarge quantity of excellent fish of other kinds, but not a single salmonhad been taken. Nevertheless they had good reason to be content withtheir success, for the supply was sufficient to provide a heart
y supperfor the whole party, so that the first night in the new home,--like thefirst night in the new land,--was a merry one.