s the answer to this speech, and then the whole
concourse hurried down the hill and embarked; the vessels were quickly
arranged in order according to their size; the war-horn sounded;
thousands of oars dipped at the same moment, the blue waters of the
fiord were torn into milky foam, and slowly, steadily, and in good order
the fleet of the Sea-kings left the strand, doubled the cape to the
north of Horlingfiord, and advanced in battle array to meet the foe.

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Note 1. Signals by call of trumpet were well understood in those times.
We read, in the ancient Sagas, of the trumpet-call to arm, to advance,
to attack, to retreat, to land, and also to attend a Court Thing, a
House Thing, a General Thing. These instruments were made of metal, and
there were regular trumpeters.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

DESCRIBES A GREAT SEA FIGHT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

Harald Fairhair stood on the poop of the great Dragon, and held the
steering oar. When he saw the fleet of the Sea-kings approaching, he
called Jarl Rongvold to him and said--

"Methinks, jarl, that I now see the end of this war with the small
kings. It is easy to perceive that the utmost force they are able to
raise is here. Now, I intend to beat them to-day, and break their
strength for ever. But when the battle is over, many of them will seek
to escape. I would prevent that as much as may be."

The King paused, as if engaged in deep thought.

"How do you propose to do it, sire?"

"By means of a boom," said the King. "Go thou, summon hither the
trustiest man in the fleet for such a purpose, let him detach as many
men and ships as he deems needful, and go into yonder small fiord where
there is a pine wood on the hillside. There let him make a long and
strong boom of timber, while we are engaged in the fight. I will drive
as many of the ships as I can into Horlingfiord, and when that is done
let him come out and stretch the boom right across, so that none of them
shall escape. And, harkee, see that the man thou choosest for this duty
is an able man, and does it well, else shall his head be lopped off."

After issuing this command the King resigned the helm, and ordered his
banner to be set up, which was done immediately. At the same time his
opponents shook out their banners, and both fleets were put in order of
battle.

As both were arrayed much in the same way, it will be sufficient t