tance should be afforded to
Edmund to carry out his designs, and the next morning a large number of
artisans and workmen took possession of the Dragon. She was painted
from stem to stern with bright colours. Carved wood-work was added to
her forecastle and poop, and a great deal of gilding overlaid upon her.
The shape of her bow was altered, and so transformed was she that none
would have known her for the vessel which had entered the Tiber, and
she would have passed without observation as a galley of Genoa.

A number of prisoners accustomed to row in the state galleys were
placed on board to work the oars, thus leaving the whole of the crew
available for fighting purposes, and a state officer was put in command
of these galley-slaves. The ship was well stored with provisions, and
after a farewell interview with the pope, Edmund and his companions
returned on board ship, and the Dragon took her way down the river.

The fleet of the Northmen was at Palermo, and keeping under the land,
the Saxon ship sailed down the coast of Calabria, and at night crossed
near the mouth of the straits to the shore of Sicily. They entered a
quiet bay, and Edmund dressed as a Dane, with the two Northmen who had
accompanied him from Paris, landed and journeyed on foot to Palermo.

Everywhere they came upon scenes similar to those with which they were
familiar in France. Villages burned and destroyed, houses deserted,
orchards and crops wasted, and a country destitute of inhabitants, all
having fled to the mountains to escape the invader. They did not meet
with a single person upon their journey. When they approached Palermo
they waited until nightfall, and then boldly entered the town. Here the
most intense state of misery prevailed. Many of the inhabitants had
fled before the arrival of the Danes, but those who remained were kept
in a state of cruel subjection by their conquerors, who brutally
oppressed and ill-used them, making free with all their possessions and
treating them as slaves.

The Danes entered into conversation with some of their countrymen, and
professing to have that evening but newly arrived from home, learned
much of the disposition of the fleet of the Northmen. They pretended
that they were desirous of joining the galleys under the command of
Sweyn, and were told that these had arrived three weeks before, and
were now absent with some others on the southern side of the island.

Having obtained this information, Edmund