Hóp (Vinland)
Along with Straumsfjordr, Hóp is one of the settlements mentioned in the Eiríks saga rauða , the saga of Erik the Red, founded by the Vikings in the North American Vinland in the eleventh century (?) . The name Hóp probably means “ Haff ” or “ Lagune ”, but possibly also “Wiek” or “ Bay ”. Some suspect that Hóp was in what is now New York .
Description of the place or area
About the journey of the group around Thorfinn Karlsefni , coming from Straumsfjordr , it says in the tenth chapter of the Eiríks saga rauða :
“Karlsefni continued the journey south along the country, with Snorri and Bjarni and the rest of the group. They traveled for a long while, and when they came to a river which flowed down out of the land and fell into a lake, and from there on into the sea. There were large islands in front of the mouth of the river and they could not get into the river, except at the time of the high flood-tide "
In the next two paragraphs of the tenth chapter the country and the first contact with the Skrälingers are described:
“Karlsefni and his people sailed to the mouth of the river and called the land Hop. There they found fields of wild wheat wherever there was deep land, and vines grew in all places where the ground was rough rising ground . Every stream there was full of fish. They dug holes where land and water joined when the tide was highest. And when the tide came out, they found halibut fish in the holes. There was an abundance of game of every kind in the woods. They stayed there for half a month, enjoying themselves and not becoming aware of anything . They had brought their cattle with them. One morning when they looked around, they saw nine canoes (canoes) made from hides and from the boats were snap-like rods swung and it made a noise like threshing of straw [the Skraelings] (made noise like flails) ; and turned them [the bars] in the direction of the sun's course.
Then Karlsefni said: 'What will this mean?' Snorri replied: 'It may be that this is a sign of peace; let's take a white sign and go to them. ' And so they did it. Then they rowed forward in the canoes, showing surprise to them, and came ashore. They were little men, looking sick, their hair in a disorderly manner on their heads; they had big eyes and broad cheeks. And they remained astonished for a while. Then they set off in the south, behind the headland (off the headland) . "
Settlement and barter with the Skrälingers
In the two paragraphs of the eleventh chapter it is described how the northern people settled in Hop and how the barter with the Skrälingians took place:
“They had set up their settlement areas above the lake. And some farmsteads (dwellings) were a good way inland; but others were near the lake. Here they stayed through the winter. They had no snow at all and all of their cattle stayed outside without a shepherd.
As spring set in, early one morning they noticed that a fleet of canoes made of hides were rowing in from the south from the headland; as many as if the sea had been strewn with pieces of charcoal; and poles were swung again from each boat. Then they [the Northmen] hung up their shields and a market was held between them. And these people preferred red cloth in their dealings. In exchange they had to offer hides and mostly gray hides. They also wished to buy swords and lances, but Karlsefni and Snorri forbade it. They offered black skins for cloth and took a piece of cloth in exchange; they tied this shawl around their heads. And so it went for a while. But when the supply of cloth ran low, they [the north men] cut it into strips so that they were no more than a finger's breadth. The Skrälinger [ Esquimoux , note in the English original] gave either as much or even more than before "
interpretation
The Nordmanns therefore did not build a fortified settlement, but rather individual farms, as they were used to in Greenland. It is also noteworthy that the winter in Hop is said to be much milder than in Straumsfjordr .
Conflict and fight with the Skrälingers
The first paragraph of chapter 12 of the Erik saga describes why there should have been a conflict with the Skrälingers.
“Now it happened that a bull that belonged to the people of Karlsefni stormed out of the woods and at the same time roared loudly. The Skrälingers were frightened, ran to their canoes and rowed south along the coast. For the next three weeks nothing more was to be seen of them. After this period was over, a large number of Skrälinger boats were seen approaching from the south; they came down like a stream; this time the poles waved in the opposite direction of the sun and Skrälinger all howled loudly. Then they took red shields and armed themselves with them to face them. They met and fought and there was a great shower of bullets. The Skrälinger also had throwing loops or slings. "
swell
- Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga . Smithsonian Institution: National Museum of Natural History