ift got two hands on the
tail of the mare, though further he could not win, and he was towed
in, still clinging to his hold, and over the rolling billows away they
went, the fourteen Fians on the wild mare's back, and Liagan haled
along by her tail.

"What is to be done now?" said Oisin to Finn when they had arrived at
the beach.

"Our men are to be rescued," said Finn, "for to that we are bound by
the honour of the Fianna. Whithersoever they are gone, thither must we
follow and win them back by fair means or foul; but to that end we
must first fit out a galley."

So in the end it was agreed that Finn and fourteen men of his bravest
and best champions should sail oversea in search of the Gilla Dacar
and his captives, while Oisin remained in Erinn and exercised rule
over the Fianna in the place of his father.

After a while, then, a swift galley was made ready by Finn and stored
with victual, and with arms, and also with gold and raiment to make
gifts withal if need should be. And into the ship came the fifteen
valiant men, and gripped their oars, while Finn steered; and soon the
sea whitened around their oarblades, and over the restless, rolling
masses of the many-hued and voiceful billows, the ship clove her way
to the West. And the Fians, who were wont to be wakened by the
twittering of birds over their hunting booths in the greenwood, now
delighted to hear, day after day as they roused themselves at morn,
the lapping of the wide waters of the world against their vessel's
bows, or the thunder of pounding surges when the wind blew hard.

At length after many days the sharpest-eyed of the men of Finn saw
far-off what seemed a mountain rising from the sea, and to it they
shaped their course. When they had come to that land they found
themselves under the shadow of a great grey cliff, and beneath it
slippery rocks covered with seaweed.

Then Dermot, who was the most active of the company, was bidden to
mount the cliff and to procure means of drawing up the rest of the
party, but of what land might lie on the top of that wall of rock none
of them could discover anything. Dermot, descending from the ship,
then climbed with difficulty up the face of the cliff, while the
others made fast their ship among the rocks. But Dermot having arrived
at the top saw no habitation of man, and could compass no way of
helping his companions to mount. He went therefore boldly forward into
the unknown land, hoping to obtain some help