the forces lay dispersed about in the
harbour; some in the isles outside, and some in the fjords. So says
Thiodolf:--

"The cutters' sea-bleached bows scarce find
A shelter from the furious wind
Under the inland forests' side,
Where the fjord runs its farthest tide.
In all the isles and creeks around
The bondes' ships lie on the ground,
And ships with gunwales hung with shields
Seek the lee-side of the green fields."

In the heavy storm that raged for some time the great ship had need of
good ground tackle. So says Thiodolf:--

"With lofty bow above the seas,
Which curl and fly before the breeze,
The gallant vessel rides and reels,
And every plunge her cable feels.
The storm that tries the spar and mast
Tries the main-anchor at the last:
The storm above, below the rock,
Chafe the thick cable with each shock."

When the weather became favourable King Harald sailed eastwards to the
Gaut river with his fleet and arrived there in the evening. So says
Thiodolf:--

"The gallant Harald now has come
To Gaut, full half way from his home,
And on the river frontier stands,
To fight with Svein for life and lands.
The night passed o'er, the gallant king
Next day at Thumia calls a Thing,
Where Svein is challenged to appear--
A day which ravens wish were near."

63. OF KING HARALD'S FLEET.

When the Danes heard that the Northmen's army was come to the Gaut river
they all fled who had opportunity to get away. The Northmen heard that
the Danish king had also called out his forces and lay in the south,
partly at Fyen and partly about Seeland. When King Harald found that
King Svein would not hold a meeting with him, or a fight, according
to what had been agreed upon between them, he took the same course as
before--letting the bonde troops return home, but manning 150 ships,
with which he sailed southwards along Halland, where he herried all
round, and then brought up with his fleet in Lofufjord, and laid waste
the country. A little afterwards King Svein came upon them with all the
Danish fleet, consisting of 300 ships. When the Northmen saw them King
Harald ordered a general meeting of the fleet to be called by sound of
trumpet; and many there said it was better to fly, as it was not now
advisable to fight. The king replied, "Sooner shall all lie dead one
upon another than fly." So says Stein Herd