The Saga of Erik the Red, circa thirteenth century English translation by J. Sephton, 1880
Now when spring began, they beheld one morning early, that a fleet of hide-canoes was rowing from the south off the headland; so many were they as if the sea were strewn with pieces of charcoal, and there was also the brandishing of staves as before from each boat. then they held shields up, and a market was formed between them and this people in their purchases preferred red cloth; in exchange they had furs to give, and skins quite grey. They wished also to buy swords and lances, but Karlsefni and Snorri forbad it. They offered for the cloth dark hides, and took in exchange a span long of cloth, and bound it round their heads; and so matters went on for a while. But when the sock of cloth began to grow small, then they split it asunder.
The preceding passage describes early contact between North American Native Americans and
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