SEETHING OF SHIPS. 147 



threw off the fastenings, hoisted the sail, and the ship went 

 quickly out to sea " (St. Olaf, c. 143). 1 



The men on board seem to have slept in leather bags, 

 liudfat, and to have taken them ashore when they camped out 

 in tents. 



"They carried their leather bags from the ship and made 

 booths. * Then they resolved to live there that winter, and 

 built there large houses, &c. " (Flateyjarbok, i.). 



When in harbour the ships were tied with fastenings com- 

 municating with the shore by means of bridges or gangways. 



" They rowed in search of the ship, and, when they found it, 

 turned towards the shore. Hallvard and his men had tented it 

 over and then laid themselves down to sleep. When Kveldulf 

 and Skallagrim came upon them the watchmen at the end of 

 the gangway jumped up and shouted to the ship, telling the 

 men to rise, saying that an enemy was at hand. Hallvard and 

 his men rushed for their weapons. Kveldulf reached the end 

 of the gangway and got on board by the stern gangway, while 

 Skallagrim went to the fore-gangway " (Egil's Saga, 27). 



The chiefs seem to have been very particular as to the 

 berths of their ships when in harbour, so that the tents 

 should be pitched ashore, places being allotted to the ships 

 according to the rank of their owners. If there were several of 

 equal rank, lots were drawn to decide who should have the 

 best place. 



" One summer, when Hakon Jarl had a levy out, Thorleif 

 the Wise steered one of his ships. Eirik, who was ten or eleven 

 winters old, was also with him on the journey. When they 

 went at night into harbour, Eirik was not pleased unless his 

 ship was next to that of the Jarl. On arriving southward 

 at Maeri, his brother-in-law Skopri came to him with a well- 

 manned long-ship. When he rowed to the fleet, he called out 

 to Thorleif to make room for him and change his position, but 

 Eirik at once told Skopti to take another position himself. 



" As soon as Hakon Jarl heard that his son Eirik thought 

 himself so great a man that he would not yield to Skopti, he 

 at once bade him take another place, or otherwise it would be 

 worse for them, as they might be thrashed. Thorleif then 



1 Cf. also St. Olaf, c. 39. 



L 2 



