THE SAXON SHORE.
"O jarl!" exclaimed Knud the Bear, in a morning watch, "we have wasted
days in this coasting. The weather hath been rough and the men are
weary, for we are tightly packed in this ship."
"No longer shouldst thou prevent us from seeking the shore," said
another. "I would hunt, and get me some fresh meat." There were also
voices of impatience and of discontent among the crew.
The jarl listened, and thoughtfully he responded: "I have not forgotten
that the Romans sail in fleets. We are one keel. If now we have avoided
any trireme that was company for the one which was swallowed by the
sand, we have done well. We will steer toward the shore. My father told
me of such a coast as this."
"As the sun riseth higher," said Biorn the Berserker, "I think I can
see a low headland. This is not my first cruising in these seas."
"It is well," said the jarl. "We will go within the headland. If we
find a good shore, we will land, for I am of one mind with you."
All the older vikings approved of his prudence, for they knew the
Romans better than did the younger warriors, full of eagerness. Even
now the sailing of _The Sword_ was with caution. The noon drew near and
they were close to the headland. It was neither high nor rocky, and on
it was a forest; but here was a surprise, for the trees growing down to
the beach were in full leaf.
"The winter tarried late in the Northland," said the vikings. "We have
also been many days upon our way. The summer is near."
They might also discern patches of green grass, and now Knud shouted
from the fore deck: "A deep cove, O jarl! It is very deep."
Ulric was at the helm, and he responded: "Thou hast good eyes, O Bear.
Watch thou for rocks and shoals and give me word. Let all eyes watch
also for boats or men."
The rowers rowed easily and _The Sword_ slipped on into the cove. Here
was dense forest on either side, and there were rocks, but the trees
were large and old and there seemed to be little undergrowth, nor was
there any sign of the dwellings of men.
"The Britons," said an old viking, "build not often on the shore. They
are not seamen. They have no forts but wooden palisades, and they dwell
inland, where they are more safe. They fight well, but they have little
armor, and their steel is soft. They are no match for the legions of
Rome."
It was exceedingly still as _The Sword_ went forward. Away at the
left a herd of red deer came out under a vast oak and stared at the
newcomers. At their head was a stag with branching antlers.
"Now know we," said Biorn the Berserker, "that no men are near this
place, for these creatures are exceedingly timid. But their venison is
of the best. In Britain are also wild cattle in abundance, and wild
swine. We will have great hunting before we sail to other places."
Swiftly away sped the red deer, for the prow of _The Sword_ touched
the strand and Wulf the Skater sprang ashore, followed by a score of
vikings.
"On, up the bank!" shouted the jarl. "Return and tell what thou seest.
All to the shore and stand ready if he findeth an enemy."
"A prudent jarl," murmured Biorn the Berserker. "He will not be
surprised."
Nevertheless, the younger men laughed scornfully, for they liked not
well the hard discipline of the jarl, and he brooked no manner of
disobedience, as was his right.
Back came one from Wulf the Skater. "O jarl!" he shouted. "A fine
spring of water. An open glade. Wulf asketh if he shall now cut the
saplings."
"I come soon," replied the jarl, "but cut stakes for a palisade leading
down to this beach on either hand. Though there be no Romans here,
there are Britons not far off."
Axes were plying speedily, and while the first fires were kindling many
sharp stakes were driven, to be woven between with flexible twigs and
branches. Such was ever the custom of the Saxons upon a new land, for
behind such a wattle-work defense a few warriors may withstand many,
and light palisades guard well against horsemen. Not all could work in
these matters, and twoscore were selected by lot for the first hunting,
going out in four parties, with a command not to venture too far. They
were bowmen, but they went in their armor. Before the sun set there was
a good stockade from tree to tree around the spring, with arms that
reached out on either hand almost to the shore.
"We will make it stronger," said the jarl, "but behind it we are safe;
for we might also retreat to the ship if there were need."
No red deer save one stag and a doe did the hunters bring in, and there
would have been a lack of meat but for the slaying by another party of
four black cattle, fat and good.
"O jarl," said the men. "Did we not tell thee? This is better than
being packed so tightly in _The Sword_. This is good venison."
Well contented was he also, and he saw that he must humor the men if he
were to command them well thereafter. For this reason, therefore, other
and larger hunting parties went out the next day, and they came home
heavily laden.
"O jarl," said Tostig the Red, for his party, "we have also found
paths, but no men. We saw hills beyond, but a river is between us and
them, and a great marsh. I think no Britons come hither across the
marsh."
"On the morrow I will go," said Ulric. "I will leave Biorn in command
of the camp. I have no need for hunting, but I must know the land."
Barrels of ale had been brought to the shore, and that night was a
feast, with songs and sagas. After the feast the jarl went and lay down
to sleep under an oak, but his eyes would not close for thinking of the
Northland, and of the Middle Sea, and of Asgard.
"This landing is well," he thought, "and I am glad to be in Britain.
But here I may not linger too long. O Hilda of the hundred years, not
yet hast thou visited me. I wonder if thou or the gods could find me
this night under this oak tree. Who should tell thee where to come if
thou wert seeking me? The gods see everywhere. Biorn sayeth that the
gods of Britain are gods of the woods, and we are from the sea. I care
not much for wood gods."
Then he rested, but he arose early and chose the men who were to go
with him.
"Guide me to the river and the marsh," he said to Wulf the Skater.
"I will, O jarl," said Wulf; "but Tostig saw a wild boar yesterday and
he hath gone out after him. A vast one, he sayeth, with tusks like a
walrus. He will fight well if they can bring him to a fighting."
"Let Tostig win his boar," said Ulric. "We go to the left and we hunt
not. I am full of thoughts about this place."
A score of vikings were with them, and they marched on in order, two
and two, as if they had an errand. Grand were the trees, and high, with
branches whose foliage made a gloom to walk in.
"Are we nearly at the marsh?" asked Ulric at last. "Here are rocks."
"I know not, O jarl," said Wulf. "We came not so far southerly
yesterday."
"Hael, Northmen! Hael! But sound no horn! Who are ye?"
As if he had suddenly arisen through the ledge of rocks before them,
upon it stood a tall shape in full armor, spear in hand. From under his
helmet tangled white hair fell down to his shoulders, but his right
hand, holding the spear, was lifted as by one who giveth a command.
Again he spoke: "I am Olaf, the son of Hakon, of Droningsfiord. Who are
ye?"
"Northmen of thine own land," said the jarl. "I am Ulric, the son of
Brander. Our ship, _The Sword_, lieth at the shore. How camest thou
where thou art, and who is with thee?"
"None are with me," said Olaf, sternly. "We were many, but the Romans
have smitten the Saxon shore of Britain and our villages are gone. They
have smitten many of the Britons also, and they march to smite them
again this day. Tell me, O Jarl Ulric, hast thou seen aught of certain
triremes which were to come? I would know if there are more Romans near
than I have already counted."
"One hath perished, as I will shortly tell thee," said Ulric. "I have
seen no other."
"Good!" said Olaf. "There floateth one in a harbor not far away, but
they who came in her are fewer than when they landed. Twain came, with
a cohort. One hath sailed. Their force was sent to slaughter the Druids
at their great sacrificing, but first they struck our village at our
harbor. We fought, but they were too many. I cut my way through the
ranks of their lighter spearmen, and they followed me not far because
of the nearness of the Britons."
Olaf was now descended from the rock and was become as one of them.
Great was his wonder at the story of the living sand and the trireme.
"The gods of the Britons are strong at times," he said, "but they
are not to be depended on. They have done this because of the great
sacrifice, that the Romans may not hinder it. Therefore come thou with
me a little distance and I will show thee a matter. The Romans are
tangled in a wood. Meddle not thou and thine, however, for thou hast
another work to do."
"I meddle not," said the jarl, "but I thank these Druid gods. We were
closely pushed and in peril when they ensnared the trireme with their
sand. I will offend them not, but I would see these great sacrifices
and I also would offer my token."
"That the Druids will forbid thee," said Olaf. "Follow me quickly to
the crown of this ridge, for it is on the bank of the river."
Even as he spoke there came to their ears a clangor of trumpets, as if
many sounded at once.
"Romans!" exclaimed Ulric.
"Sounding first were they," said Olaf, "but these hoarse ones, very
loud, are blown by the Druids. Hear, also, the harping. Now look thou,
for thou art a captain."
The river before them was but narrow, although it might be deep, and on
the other side was a broad open space surrounded by a forest with dense
undergrowths of bushes, as if it were marshy. In the open was arrayed a
cohort of Roman soldiers, well ordered, but beyond and in their front
might be seen and heard much larger numbers of such as they were, all
disarrayed and scattered by the copses. None assailed the cohort in the
open, but all the forest swarmed with half-armed Britons, hurling darts
and plying their light blades. Arrows, also, were flying, and there was
a great tumult of mingled sound.
"The men in white robes, keeping afar," said Olaf, "are the Druid
priests. This is as an ambush, and the Romans are falling."
"Their commander hath some wisdom, I think," said Ulric. "His trumpets
call back his men for a retreat. He will escape."
"He loseth half his force," said Olaf; "he will lose more as he
retreateth."
Fiercer and fiercer arose the sounds of the combat, the shouting, the
howling, the twanging of loud harp strings, and the braying of the
trumpets. Hard was it for the vikings that they might not have a part
in such a battle.
"The Romans are outnumbered," said Olaf, "but they fight well. Their
retreat will be to the river mouth, where was my village. There have
they a camp in our own stockade, and they have also increased it with a
rampart of earth and palisades. There we must strike them. It is but a
little distance. Come and see."
"But first," said Ulric, "I would see the end of this battle, and I
would have speech with a Druid concerning the sacrifices."
"That thou mayest not this day," said Olaf, "and the Romans are cutting
their way through the tumult of half-naked spearmen. Lo, how they
slay the Britons! But the ranks of their cohort will be thin when the
remnant reacheth the fort. So hath it often been in their warfare in
Britain, but each new commander of legionaries cometh here a proud one,
thinking only of easy victory."
"The darts fly in showers," said Ulric, but Wulf the Skater urged him.
"O jarl!" he exclaimed. "The village! The fort! The trireme! Why wait
we here? Let us go with Olaf!"
The jarl answered not, but walked rapidly, and the rocky ledge grew
higher as they went; but there came an end of it.
"We have walked far," said Ulric. "The way of the Romans was shorter.
There come they and their array is not broken. I can see their
commander ordering them."
"Thor the Thunderer!" exclaimed Olaf, "what havoc the Britons have made
among them! The gods of the Druids have protected their sacrifices."
"Every Roman left behind hath perished," said Ulric. "Only these are
alive."
"Not so," said Olaf. "Not a wounded man or one entrapped hath been
slain. He belongeth to the gods at the place of sacrifice."
"With them as with us," said the jarl. "That is the old North custom. I
have seen men slain at the stone of Odin. He who is captured must lose
his head. It is well----"
"Seest thou?" loudly demanded Olaf. "The ruins of our village are yet
smoking, although three days have passed. I saw thy ship on the sea
yesterday, but knew not of thy landing. I meant to watch for thee or
for the coming triremes after seeing the battle."
"Yonder trireme at anchor," replied the jarl, "floateth well out from
the river mouth. She is large. How shall I take her? For there are yet
Romans enough to hold her well. I must come to her by night in _The
Sword_."
Long and thoughtfully gazed Ulric, studying the position of the trireme
and the arrival of the beaten Romans at the fort.
"O jarl," said Biorn the Berserker, "knowest thou not that I am a fish?
The trireme is held but by an anchor and a cord of hemp. Go thou and
bring _The Sword_. When thou art at hand to strike thou mayest have
the trireme drifting with the outgoing tide. Strike not when the tide
runneth in?
"Thou canst swim," said Ulric, "and thy seax will sever hemp; but if
thou waitest here until I come, how wilt thou know in the dark of my
coming, or how wilt thou know where to ply the sharp edge?"
"When I hear thee whistle thrice," said Biorn, "as if thou wert calling
thy hawk, I will know of thy coming. If the whistle is from this shore,
I meet thee here. If it is from seaward, I swim to the trireme. Thou
wilt know the hemp is severed when thou hearest my own falcon call."
"I go with thee, O jarl!" shouted Olaf, eagerly, "that I may be thy
pilot."
"Well for thee, O Biorn the Berserker," said Ulric; "thou art of the
heroes!"
"Here sit I down," replied Biorn. "It is a pleasant place. I think this
taking of the trireme will depend upon thee and thy sword more than
upon a man a fish cutting hemp!"
"Haste, now," said Ulric to his men. "_The Sword_ is far from us and
this is to be a night of great deeds, and not of ale and feasting."
Olaf led, as the guide of their rapid marching, and Biorn sat down upon
a rock to gaze at the doings around the river mouth and at the fort.
"There come the Britons out of the woods," he said to himself. "If they
had been well led they would have pursued more closely--only that few
care to press too hard upon even the wreck of a Roman army. Now are all
the Romans within the stockade."
The Britons were many, but their prey had escaped them. The camp fort
was too strong for them to storm, and their showers of darts flew over
the palisades without much harm to any within. The taunting clangor of
their harps and trumpets sounded furiously for a while, and then the
multitude swiftly vanished as if it had melted away.
"If these Britons had a captain," said Biorn, "instead of a herd of
priests, and if he would arm them well, the Romans would disappear from
Britain. But I think Ulric the Jarl will find many swords on yonder
trireme. Even now they go out in small boats. Biorn the Berserker will
be with him when the Saxons are on the Roman deck!"