DESCRIPTION OF SHIPS. 159 



going to the Yule-feast. As the clay declined Gretti saw that 

 a ship rowed towards the island. It was not large, but the 

 gunwales were covered with shields from prow to stern, and it 

 was painted above water " (Gretti's Saga, c. 19). 



" They saw no fewer than ten ships coming southwards off 

 a cape. They were rowed fast and steered towards them ; 

 they were completely covered with shields, and at the mast of 

 the foremost one there stood a man who had on a silk jacket 

 and a gilt helmet " (Njala, c. 84). 



Some of the scattered pieces of poetry give a good idea of 

 the appearance of these ships. 



The sea bowls, and the wave ^'lien heautiful women look out 



Dashes the bright foam against the From the town on the serpent's 



red wood, hull ; 



While the roller-bison (ship) gapes The young all-wielder (king) is just 



With the gold-ornamented mouth. steering 



His new skeid out of Kid west- 

 Fair woman, 1 saw a skeid r , 



Launched into Kid (the river) out WMe j^ oarg of warriors 



to sea ' Fall into the sea. 



Look where the long hull 



Of the proud dragon rides near the Th<j host of the kjng can rightly 



shore ' Tear the oars out of the water ; 



The bright manes of the serpent Woman gtands wonderjn <, at 



The marvellous oar's stroke. 

 For it has been launched off the 



7*O 1 1 PT*^ * 



The Northmen row on the nailed 

 The ornamented necks 



Carried burnt gold. 



Along the hail-stricken stream ; 



The warriors' Baldr (Harald) takes It seems to the woman she sees 



down An eagle-wing of iron. 



His long tent on laugardag, 1 (Harald Hardradi, c. 62.) 



As a rule, merchant ships were not kept in as good order 

 as the war-ships. The Northern chief Harek saved his life, 

 after the battle of the river Helga, by the following subter- 

 fuge. King Olaf went by land to Norway, while the fleet of 

 Knut the Great remained in the Sound. 



" Harek did as he had said, waited for fair wind and then 

 sailed westward past Skani, till he came off the Holar in the 

 evening, during a strong gale. He had the sail lowered, and the 

 mast and weather-vane taken down, and the vessel above water 



' * Saturday. 



