an extensive traffic in valuable furs was commenced with the
natives, 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, but
Karlsefin would not allow this. At first the Norsemen gave their cloth
and other wares in exchange with liberal hand, cutting the bright cloth
into stripes of three or four inches in breadth; but they soon found
that at this rate their supplies would become exhausted too early in the
year. They therefore reduced their prices, and began to give stripes of
cloth only two inches in width, and at last reduced the measure to one
inch, for furs that had previously fetched four. But the
unsophisticated natives were quite content with the change, and appeared
to enjoy nothing so much as to twist these stripes of cloth into their
long 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 if
these Skraelingers will give their furs for dairy produce. We have a
good deal of that, and can spare some."

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

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

"Would they not like beer better?"

"Beer!" cried Karlsefin, with a shout of laughter. "You should have
seen the faces they made, and the way they spat it out, the only time
they 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, a
man must _learn_ to like beer. Nature teaches him to like milk. But
go, tell Astrid to fill twenty cans with milk, and twenty small cups
with good cream. Let her also set out twenty cakes, with a pat of fresh
butter and a lump of cheese on each. Let her spread all on the table in
the great hall, and see that she does it speedily. I will go and fetch
the company to this feast."

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