scroll, "that nobody will believe us when we tell how great
the land is."

At the end of the fifth and largest lake they found people with some
knowledge of the country beyond. It seemed that after crossing the Big
Woods one came to great open plains where a ferocious and cruel race of
warriors hunted animals as large as the moose, with hoofs and short
horns and curly brown fur. This sounded like a cattle country. The lake
tribes evidently stood in great fear of the plains people, but in spite
of their evident alarm the Norsemen determined to go and see for
themselves.[8] Leaving the boat with ten of their company to guard it
they struck off southwestward through a country of forests, lakes and
streams. After fourteen days they stopped to make camp and go a-fishing,
for dried fish would be the most convenient ration for a quick march,
and they did not intend to spend much more time in exploring.

It seemed to Nils and Thorolf that some mark or monument should be left
to show how far they had really come. A small natural column of dark
trap rock was chosen, and while the others fished, or made a seine after
the native fashion, Nils marked out an inscription in Runic letters,
which are suited to rough work. Not far from the place where they found
the stone, and about a day's journey from camp, was a small high island
in a little lake, the kind of place usually chosen by Vikings for a
first camp. The stone, set in the middle of this island, would be easily
seen by any one looking for it, and savages would not see it at all.
When finished it was rafted across to the island and set up, the
inscription covering about half of it on both sides. While Nils and
several others were thus busy, the remainder of the party were trying
the seine. They reached camp after dark to find their booths in ashes,
and Nils with his men murdered a little way off, as they had come up
from the Rune Stone.[9]

[Illustration: "NILS MARKED OUT AN INSCRIPTION IN RUNIC
LETTERS."--_Page_ 30]

With fury and horror the Norsemen looked upon the destruction. It was
all Thorolf and the cooler heads could do to keep the rest from
attacking the first Skroelings they saw. But the mischief had been done,
without doubt, by the unknown warriors of the plains, who had been
perhaps watching their advance. They sadly prepared to return to their
boat. But before they went, Thorolf paddled out to the island on two
logs, while the others kept guard, and added some l