LAUNCHING OF SHIPS. 



I III 



"They gathered many men, and made their ships ready; 

 they thought it important that the launching of ships should 

 be successful. Now when Agnar's ship ran down from the 

 rollers a man was struck by it and died, and they called it 

 hlunnrod (roller-reddening). This they did not think a good 

 beginning, but would not let it stop their voyage " (Ragnar 

 Lodbrok's Saga, c. 9). 



Harald Hardradi had a large ship launched into the river 

 Nid, and then had the dragon heads put on. Then sang 

 Thjodolf the scald : 



Fair maiden, a skeid I saw 

 Forward pushed into the river; 

 See where lies near the shore 

 The long side of the proud dragon. 



The hair of the shining serpent 

 Glows o'er the crew, 

 Since it was pushed from the rollers ; 

 The ornamented beaks carried g >ld. 

 (Harald Hardradi's Saga, c. 62.) 



Fig. 925. Bronze kettle, T ' n real size, found with Gokstad ship ; wooden plates and 

 wooden carved drinking-cups were also found. 



When the Norsemen came to a harbour, or to a coast with- 

 out one, they often dragged their ships on to the shore, when 

 rollers, which no doubt belonged to the equipment, had to be 

 used. 



" Hakon Jarl, after a battle with King Eagnfred, drew his 

 ships ashore so that his foes could not take them " (Olaf Trygg- 

 vason, c. 17). 



