The Norsemen in the West

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

  THE FIRST AMERICAN FUR TRADERS--STRANGE DEVICES--ANXIOUS TIMES ANDPLEASANT DISCOVERIES.

  The business of the colony progressed admirably after this. A largehouse was erected, with a central hall and numerous sleeping-rooms orclosets off it, where all the chief people dwelt together, and a numberof the men messed daily. Grass was found in abundance, and a largequantity of this was cut and stacked for winter use, although there wasgood reason to believe that the winter would be so mild that the cattlemight be left out to forage for themselves. Salmon were also caught ingreat numbers, not only in Little River but in the main stream, and inthe lake at their very doors. What they did not consume was dried,smoked, and stored. Besides this, a large quantity of fine timber wasfelled, squared, cut into lengths, and made suitable for exportation.Eggs were found on the islands offshore, and feathers collected, so thatearly in the summer they had more than enough wherewith to load theship. Among other discoveries they found grain growing wild. TheSaga-writers have called it wheat, but it is open to question whether itwas not wild rice, of which large quantities grow in the uninhabitedparts of America at the present time. They also found a beautiful kindof wood, called massurwood, of which samples were sent to Greenland andNorway; but what this wood really was we cannot tell.

  Meanwhile an extensive traffic in valuable furs was commenced with thenatives, who were more than satisfied with the scraps of bright cloth,beads, and other trifling ornaments they received in exchange for them.Some of the natives wanted to purchase weapons with their furs, butKarlsefin would not allow this. At first the Norsemen gave their clothand other wares in exchange with liberal hand, cutting the bright clothinto stripes of three or four inches in breadth; but they soon foundthat at this rate their supplies would become exhausted too early in theyear. They therefore reduced their prices, and began to give stripes ofcloth only two inches in width, and at last reduced the measure to oneinch, for furs that had previously fetched four. But theunsophisticated natives were quite content with the change, and appearedto enjoy nothing so much as to twist these stripes of cloth into theirlong black hair.

  One day Karlsefin said to Gudrid that he had a new plan in his head.

  "What is that?" said she.

  "I think that our goods are going away too fast, so I mean to try ifthese Skraelingers will give their furs for dairy produce. We have agood deal of that, and can spare some."

  "I don't know how Astrid will like that," she said, laughing. "You knowshe has charge of the dairy, and is very proud of it."

  "That is well, Gudrid, for Astrid will be all the more pleased to haveher produce turned to such good account. Milk is pleasant to thethroat, and cream delights the tongue. Methinks these fellows will betempted by it."

  "Would they not like beer better?"

  "Beer!" cried Karlsefin, with a shout of laughter. "You should haveseen the faces they made, and the way they spat it out, the only timethey were asked to taste it. Biarne was very keen to let them try it,and I did not object, for I partly expected some such result. No, no, aman must _learn_ to like beer. Nature teaches him to like milk. Butgo, tell Astrid to fill twenty cans with milk, and twenty small cupswith good cream. Let her also set out twenty cakes, with a pat of freshbutter and a lump of cheese on each. Let her spread all on the table inthe great hall, and see that she does it speedily. I will go and fetchthe company to this feast."

  He left the room as he spoke, and in less than an hour his orders hadbeen executed. When he entered the hall a short time afterwards,followed by twenty natives, he found everything prepared according tohis directions.

  That he was correct in his expectation was clearly proved ere manyminutes had passed, for the twenty natives raised their forty eyes, andlooked on each other with rapturous delight when they tasted the goodthings. They finished them in a twinkling, and then wished for more;but it is only justice to their good-breeding and self-restraint to addthat they did not _ask_ for more! From that day nothing would pleasethem but that they should have dairy produce for their furs.

  Some time after this Karlsefin was walking, one afternoon, on the shoresof the lake with Thorward. He suddenly asked him how he should like totake a trip to Greenland.

  "I should like it well," replied Thorward.

  "Then if you will go in charge of the _Snake_ I should be pleased," saidthe other, "for we have collected more than enough of merchandise tofill her, and if you set sail at once you will have time to bring back acargo of such things as we need before autumn comes to an end."

  "I will go," said Thorward, "to-morrow, if you choose."

  "Nay, not quite so fast. The ship is only half loaded yet; but in a dayor two she will be ready. There are two things I am anxious you shouldmanage. One is to persuade Leif Ericsson to come and visit us,--if hewill not come to stay with us. The other is to tempt as many marriedmen as you can to come over and join us--especially those men who chanceto have a good many daughters, for we would be the better of a few morebusy little hands, fair faces, and silvery tones in this beautifulVinland of ours."

  "I will do what I can," replied Thorward, "and I would advise that Olafshould go with me, that his glowing descriptions may tempt his father tocome."

  "Nay; that would spoil all," objected Karlsefin, "for, having had asight of his son he would be content to let him come back alone. No,no; we will keep Olaf here as a bait to tempt him. But go now and makeyour arrangements, for you set sail as soon as the ship is ready."

  Not long after that the _Snake_ left her anchorage with a full cargo,rowed down the river, hoisted sail, and bore away for Greenland.

  While she was gone an event of deep and absorbing interest occurred inVinland.

  One fine morning in autumn the heart of the entire hamlet was moved bythe sound of a new voice! It was not a musical voice--rather squawky,indeed, than otherwise--and it was a feeble voice, that told of utterhelplessness. In short, a son had been born to Karlsefin and Gudrid,and they called him Snorro. We record it with regret--for it went along way to prove that, in regard to sweet sounds, Karlsefin and hiswife were destitute of taste. It is our business, however, to recordfacts rather than to carp at them, therefore we let Snorro pass withoutfurther comment.

  The little body that was attached to the little voice, although far frombeautiful at first, was an object of intense affection to the parents,and of regard, almost amounting to veneration, to the rugged men by whomit was surrounded. Bertha declared enthusiastically that it was"perfectly lovely," although it was obvious to all unprejudiced eyesthat it resembled nothing so much as a piece of wrinkled beef of badcolour! Astrid declared that it had "such a wise look," despite theevident fact that its expression was little short of idiotical!Karlsefin said nothing, but he smiled a good deal, and chucked it underthe place where its chin ought to have been with his great forefinger ina timid way.

  But when Snorro was deemed sufficiently far advanced in life to behanded out for public exhibition, then it was that the greatest numberof falsehoods were uttered, with the quietest deliberation, although, tosay truth, the greater number of the men said nothing, but contentedthemselves with taking the infant in their big rough hands as delicatelyas if they thought it was a bubble, and feared that it might burst andleave nothing to be handed back to Thora, who acted the part of nurse.Others merely ventured to look at it silently with their hairy lipsparted and their huge eyes gazing in blank admiration.

  Perhaps Krake made the most original remark in reference to thenewcomer. "Ah," said he quite seriously, touching its cheek as softlyas though he half feared it would bite, "only to think that myself waslike _that_ once!"

  This was received with a shout of laughter, so loud that little Snorrowas startled.

  "Ah, then," cried Krake, with a look of great alarm, "what is it goingto do?"

  This question was occasioned by the sudden change on the infant'scountenance, which became, if possible, redder than before, and puckeredup into such a co
mplicated series of wrinkles that all semblance tohumanity was well-nigh lost. Suddenly a hole opened on the surface anda feeble squall came forth!

  "Oh, you wicked men!" cried Thora, snatching the infant indignantly fromthem and hurrying back into the house.

  "'Tis a sweet child," observed Swend tenderly, as he and his comradessauntered away.

  "You must have a good opinion of yourself, Krake," said Tyrker, "tofancy that you were once like it."

  "So I have," replied Krake. "It's what my father had before me. Itlies in the family, you see, and with good reason too, for we were thebest of company, not to mention fighting. It was always said that wewere uncommonly fine infants, though a trifle big and noisy for thepeace of our neighbourhood--quite like Turks in that way, I believe!"

  "I doubt it not, Krake," said Biarne, who came up in time to hear theconcluding remark; "and since you are such a noisy fellow I am going tosend you on an expedition in search of these vines, that seem to me tohave rooted themselves out of the land and fled, from mere spite, sinceLeif named it Vinland. There is but one quarter that I can think of nowwhich has not yet been explored; you may take a party of men, and letTyrker go too; as he discovered them on his first visit, the stupidfellow ought to have re-discovered them long before now. You candiscuss by the way the little matter you have in hand,--only see thatyou don't fall out about it."

  Thus instructed, Krake organised a party, and set off to search for thecelebrated vines, which, as Biarne said, had not up to that time beenfound.

  That day they searched far and wide without success. Then they sat downto rest and eat. While thus engaged, Krake and Tyrker returned to thesubject of the reported noisiness of Turks, and the former became socaustic in his jests that the irascible little Tyrker lost temper, muchto the amusement of his comrades.

  After refreshing themselves, the explorers again set out and came to apart of the country which was broken up and beautifully diversified byrocky eminences crowned with trees, and shady hollows carpeted withwild-flowers. It was difficult here to decide as to which of theinnumerable valleys or hollows they should traverse; they therefore satdown again for a little to consult, but the consultation soon became adiscussion, and Krake, whose spirit of fun had got the better of him,gradually edged the talk round until it came again, quite in a naturalway, to the Turks. At last Tyrker became so angry that he started up,declared he would follow the party no longer, plunged into a thicket anddisappeared.

  He was followed by a shout of laughter, and then the others, rising,resumed their search, not doubting that their irate companion would erelong rejoin them.

  But Tyrker did not join them, and when evening drew on apace they becameanxious, gave up the search for vines, and went about looking for him.At last it became too dark for them to continue the search, and theywere obliged to return home without their comrade.

  On leaving them Tyrker had no definite idea what he meant to do or wherehe meant to go. He just walked straight before him in high dudgeon,taking no notice of the route by which he journeyed, or the flight oftime. At length he awoke from his absent condition of mind and lookedup. A vast amphitheatre of wooded hills surrounded him, and there, inthe heart of a secluded dell, under a clump of trees, were the longsought and much-desired vines!

  For some time Tyrker stood gazing at them in silent admiration anddelight. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Yes; there could be noquestion as to their reality. There hung the rich purple clusters suchas he had seen on his first visit to Vinland, and such as he had beenwont to see in his own land in days long gone by. He pinched himself,pulled his hair, punched his eyeballs, but no--all that failed to awakenhim; from which circumstance he naturally came to the conclusion that hewas awake already. He then uttered a wild, probably a Turkish, cheer,and rushed upon the spoil.

  Filling both hands with the fruit he crammed his mouth full. Then heraised his eyes upwards in ecstasy and did it again. He repeated it!After which he paused to sigh, and leaped up to cheer and sat down againto--guzzle! Pardon the word, good reader, it is appropriate, for thereis no disguising the fact that Tyrker was a tremendous glutton, and didnot care a fig--or a grape--for appearances.

  After eating for a long time he was satisfied and sat down to rest. Bythat time the shades of evening were falling. They proved to besoporific, for he gradually reclined backwards on the green turf andfell asleep, surrounded by and partially covered with grapes, like adrunken and disorderly Bacchus.

  Now Tyrker was a man in robust health; full of energy and high spirits.Sleep therefore was to him a process which, once begun, continued tillmorning. Even the puckered little Snorro did not rest more soundly inhis kneading-trough crib than did Tyrker on the greensward under hisvinous canopy.

  When next he opened his eyes, groaned, rolled over, sat up, and yawned,the sun was beginning to peep above the eastern sea.

  "Ho!" exclaimed Tyrker. "I have forgot myself." To refresh his memoryhe scratched his head and shook it; then he raised his eyes, saw thegrapes, leaped up and burst into a fit of joyous laughter.

  Thereafter he again sat down and breakfasted, after which he filled hiscap, his wallet, his various pockets, the breast of his coat--everyavailable compartment, in fact, outside as well as in--with grapes, andhastened homeward at his utmost speed in order to communicate the joyfulnews to his comrades.

  Now the disappearance of Tyrker had caused no small amount of anxiety tohis friends at the hamlet, especially to Karlsefin, who was very fond ofhim, and who feared that his strength might have given way, or that hehad fallen into the hands of savages or under the paws of bears. He satup the greater part of the night watching and hoping for his return, andwhen the first grey light of dawn appeared he called up a number of themen, and, dividing them into several bands, organised a systematicsearch.

  Placing himself at the head of one band he went off in the direction inwhich, from Krake's account of what had taken place, it seemed mostprobable that Tyrker might be found. They advanced so rapidly that whenthe sun rose they had got to within a mile or so of the spot where Krakeand his party had given up their search on the previous evening. Thusit came to pass that before the red sun had ascended the eastern sky bymuch more than his own height, Karlsefin and Tyrker met face to face ina narrow gorge.

  They stopped and gazed at each other for a few moments in silence,Karlsefin in astonishment as well--and no wonder, for the figure thatstood before him was a passing strange one. To behold Tyrker thusdishevelled and besmeared was surprising enough, but to see him withgrapes and vine-leaves stuffed all about him and twined all round himwas absolutely astounding. His behaviour was little less so, for,clapping his hands to his sides, he shut his eyes, opened his big mouth,and burst into an uproarious fit of laughter.

  The men who came up at that moment did so also for laughter is catching.

  "Why, Tyrker, where have you been?" demanded Karlsefin.

  "Grapes!" shouted Tyrker, and laughed again.

  "Are these grapes?" asked Karlsefin, regarding the fruit with muchinterest.

  "Ay, grapes! vines! Vinland! hurrah!"

  "But are you sure?"

  Instead of answering, Tyrker laughed again and began to talk, as healways did when greatly moved, in Turkish. Altogether he was so muchexcited that Krake said he was certainly drunk.

  "Drunk!" exclaimed Tyrker, again using the Norse language; "no, that isnot possible. A man could not get drunk on grapes if he were to eat aship-load of them. I am only joyful--happy, happy as I can be. Itseems as if my young days had returned again with these grapes. I amdrunk with old thoughts and memories. I am back again in Turkey!"

  "Ye couldn't be in a worse place if all accounts be true," said Krake,with a grin. "Come, don't keep all the grapes to yourself; let us tastethem."

  "Ay, let us taste them," said Karlsefin, advancing and plucking a bunchfrom Tyrker's shoulders.

  The others did the same, tasted them, and pronounced the fruitexcellent.

 
"Now, lads, we will make the strong drink from the grapes," said Tyrker."I don't know quite how to do it, but we will soon find out."

  "That you certainly shall not if I can prevent it," said Karlsefinfirmly.

  Tyrker looked a little surprised, and asked why not.

  "Because if the effect of eating grapes is so powerful, drinking thestrong drink of the grape must be dangerous. Why do you wish to makeit?"

  "Why? because--because--it _does_ make one so happy."

  "You told us just now," returned Karlsefin, "that you were _as happy asyou could be_, did you not? You cannot be happier than that--therefore,according to your own showing, Tyrker, there is no need of strongdrink."

  "That's for you," whispered Krake to Tyrker, with a wink, as he pokedhim in the side. "Go to sleep upon that advice, man, and it'll do yegood--if it don't do ye harm!"

  "Ease him of part of his load, boys, and we shall go back the way wecame as fast as may be."

  Each man relieved Tyrker of several bunches of grapes, so that in a fewminutes he resumed his own ordinary appearance. They then retracedtheir steps, and soon afterwards presented to the women the first grapesof Vinland. Karlsefin carried a chosen bunch to Gudrid, who, afterthanking him heartily, stuffed a grape into the hole in Snorro'spuckered visage and nearly choked him. Thus narrowly did the firstYankee (for such one of his own countrymen has claimed him to be) escapebeing killed by the first-fruits of his native land!