the dragon and the raven-第20章

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mountains　of　that　country；　moved　to　Gloucester；　and　joining
the　band　there　proposed　a　fresh　invasion　of　Wessex。　The
Danes；　in　spite　of　the　oaths　they　had　sworn　to　Alfred；　and
the　hostages　they　had　left　in　his　hands；　agreed　to　the　proposal；
and　early　in　the　spring　of　878　the　bands；　swollen　by
reinforcements　from　Mercia；　marched　into　Wiltshire　and　captured
the　royal　castle　of　Chippenham　on　the　Avon。　From　this　point
they　spread　over　the　country　and　destroyed　everything
with　fire　and　sword。　A　general　panic　seized　the　inhabitants。
The　better　class；　with　the　bishops；　priests；　and　monks；
made　for　the　sea…coasts　and　thence　crossed　to　France；　taking
with　them　all　their　portable　goods；　with　the　relics；　precious
stones；　and　ornaments　of　the　churches　and　monasteries。

Another　party　of　Danes　in　twenty…three　ships　had　landed
in　Devonshire。　Here　the　ealdorman　Adda　had　constructed　a
castle　similar　to　that　which　Edmund　had　built。　It　was　fortified
by　nature　on　three　sides　and　had　a　strong　rampart　of
earth　on　another。　The　Danes　tried　to　starve　out　the　defenders
of　the　fort；　but　the　Saxons　held　out　for　a　long　time；　although
sorely　pressed　by　want　of　water。　At　last　they　sallied
out　one　morning　at　daybreak　and　fell　upon　the　Danes　and
utterly　defeated　them；　only　a　few　stragglers　regaining　their
ships。

A　thousand　Danes　are　said　to　have　been　slain　at　Kynwith；
but　this　was　an　isolated　success；　in　all　other　parts　of　the
kingdom　panic　appeared　to　have　taken　possession　of　the　West
Saxons。　Those　who　could　not　leave　the　country　retired　to
the　woods；　and　thence；　when　the　Danes　had　passed　by；　leaving
ruin　and　desolation　behind　them；　they　sallied　out　and
again　began　to　till　the　ground　as　best　they　could。　Thus　for　a
time　the　West　Saxons；　formerly　so　valiant　and　determined；
sank　to　the　condition　of　serfs；　for　when　all　resistance　ceased
the　Danes　were　well　pleased　to　see　the　ground　tilled；　as
otherwise　they　would　speedily　have　run　short　of　stores。

At　the　commencement　of　the　invasion　Edmund　had
marched　out　with　his　band　and　had　inflicted　heavy　blows
upon　parties　of　plunderers；　but　he　soon　perceived　that　the
struggle　was　hopeless。　He　therefore　returned　to　Sherborne；
and　collecting　such　goods　as　he　required　and　a　good　store　of
provisions　he　marched　to　the　place　where　the　ship　had　been
hidden。　No　wandering　band　of　Danes　had　passed　that　way；
and　the　bushes　with　which　she　had　been　covered　were　undisturbed。
These　were　soon　removed　and　a　passage　three　feet
deep；　and　wide　enough　for　the　ship　to　pass　through；　was　dug
from　the　deep　hole　in　which　she　was　lying　to　the　river。

When　the　last　barrier　was　cut　the　water　poured　in；　and
the　Saxons　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　vessel　rise
gradually　until　the　water　in　the　dock　was　level　with　that　in　the
river。　Then　she　was　taken　out　into　the　stream；　the　stores　and
fittings　placed　aboard；　and　she　was　poled　down　to　the　mouth
of　the　river。　Egbert　had　gone　before　and　had　already　engaged
fifteen　sturdy　sailors　to　go　with　them。　The　Danes　had
not　yet　reached　the　sea…coast　from　the　interior；　and　there　was
therefore　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　the　various　equipments
necessary。　In　a　week　her　masts　were　up　and　her　sails　in　position。

The　Dragon；　as　she　was　called；　excited　great　admiration
at　the　port；　all　saying　that　she　was　the　finest　and　largest　ship
that　had　ever　been　seen　there。　While　her　fitting　out　had
been　going　on　she　was　hove　up　on　shore　and　received　several
coats　of　paint。　Edmund　was　loath　to　start　on　his　voyage　without
again　seeing　the　king；　but　no　one　knew　where　Alfred
now　was；　he；　on　finding　the　struggle　hopeless；　having　retired
to　the　fastnesses　of　Somerset　to　await　the　time　when　the　Saxons
should　be　driven　by　oppression　again　to　take　up　arms。

At　last　all　was　ready；　and　the　Dragon　put　out　to　sea。　She
was　provided　with　oars　as　well　as　sails；　but　these　were　only　to
be　used　when　in　pursuit；　or　when　flying　from　a　superior　enemy。
As　soon　as　she　had　been　long　enough　at　sea　to　enable
the　band　again　to　recover　from　the　effects　of　sickness　the
oars　were　got　out　and　the　men　practised　in　their　use。

As　in　the　models　from　which　she　had　been　built；　she
rowed　two　banks　of　oars；　the　one　worked　by　men　upon　deck；
the　others　through　small　port…holes。　The　latter　could　only
be　used　when　the　weather　was　fine；　when　the　sea　was　high
they　were　closed　up　and　fastened。　The　lower…deck　oars　were
each　rowed　by　one　man；　while　the　upper　bank；　which　were
longer　and　heavier；　had　each　two　men　to　work　it。

Before　starting　Edmund　had　increased　the　strength　of
his　band　to　ninety　men；　that　number　being　required　for　the
oars；　of　which　the　Dragon　had　fifteen　on　each　bank　on　each
side。　At　first　there　was　terrible　splashing　and　confusion；　but
in　time　the　men　learned　to　row　in　order；　and　in　three　weeks
after　putting　to　sea　the　oars　worked　well　in　time　together；
and　the　Dragon；　with　her　ninety　rowers；　moved　through　the
water　at　a　great　rate　of　speed。

During　this　time　she　had　never　been　far　from　land　keeping
but　a　short　distance　from　the　port　from　which　she　had
sailed；　as　Edmund　did　not　wish　to　fall　in　with　the　Danes　until
his　crew　were　able　to　maneuver　her　with　the　best　effect。
When；　at　last；　satisfied　that　all　knew　their　duty　he　returned
to　port；　took　in　a　fresh　supply　of　provisions；　and　then　sailed
away　again　in　search　of　the　enemy。　He　coasted　along　the
shore　of　Hampshire　and　Sussex　without　seeing　a　foe；　and
then　sailing　round　Kent　entered　the　mouth　of　the　Thames。
The　Dragon　kept　on　her　way　until　she　reached　the　point　where
the　river　begins　to　narrow；　and　there　the　sails　were　furled
and　the　anchor　thrown　overboard　to　wait　for　Danish　galleys
coming　down　the　river。

On　the　third　day　after　they　had　anchored　they　perceived
four　black　specks　in　the　distance；　and　these　the　sailors　soon
declared　to　be　Danish　craft。　They　were　rowing　rapidly；　having
ten　oars　on　either　side；　and　at　their　mast…heads　floated
the　Danish　Raven。　The　anchor　was　got　up；　and　as　the　Danes
approached；　the　Golden　Dragon；　the　standard　of　Wessex；
was　run　up　to　the　mast…head；　the　sails　were　hoisted；　the　oars
got　out；　and　the　vessel　advanced　to　meet　the　approaching
Danes。

These　for　a　moment　stopped　rowing　in　astonishment　at
seeing　so　large　a　ship　bearing　the　Saxon　flag。　Then　they　at
once　began　to　scatter　in　different　directions；　but　the　Dragon；
impelled　both　by　the　wind　and　her　sixty　oars；　rapidly　overtook
them。　When　close　alongside　the　galley　nearest　to　them
the　men　on　the　upper　deck；　at　an　order　from　Edmund；　ran
in　their　oars；　and　seizing　their　bows　poured　a　volley　of　arrows
into　the　galley；　killing　most　of　the　rowers。　Then　the
Dragon　was　steered　alongside；　and　the　Saxons；　sword　in　hand；
leaped　down　into　the　galley。　Most　of　the　Danes　were　cut
down　at　once；　the　rest　plunged　into　the　water　and　swam　for
their　lives。　Leaving　the　deserted　galley　behind；　the　Dragon
continued　the　pursuit　of　the　others；　and　overtook　and　captured
another　as　easily　as　she　had　done　the　first。

The　other　two　boats　reached　the　shore　before　they　were
overtaken；　and　those　on　board　leaping　out　fled。　The　Saxons
took　possession　of　the　deserted　galleys。　They　found　them；
as　they　expected；　stored　full　of　plunder　of　all　kindsrich
wearing　apparel；　drinking　goblets；　massive　vessels　of　gold　and
silver　which　had　been　torn　from　some　desecrated　altar；　rich
ornaments　and　jewels　and　other　articles。　These　were　at　once
removed　to　the　Dragon。　Fire　was　applied　to　the　boats；　and
they　were　soon　a　mass　of　flames。　Then　the　Dragon　directed
her　course　to　the　two　galleys　she　had　first　captured。　These
were　also　rifled　of　their　contents　and　burned。　The　Saxons
were　delighted　at　the　success　which　had　attended　their　first
adventure。

〃We　shall　have　rougher　work　next　time；〃　Egbert　said。
〃The　Danes　who　escaped　will　carry　news　to　London；　and　we
shall　be　having　a　whole　fleet　down　to　attack　us　in　a　few　days。〃

〃If　they　are　in　anything　like　reasonable　numbers　we　will
fight　them；　if　not；　we　can　run。　We　have　seen　to…day　how
much　faster　we　are　than　the　Danish　boats；　and　though　I　shall
be　in　favour　of　fighting　if　we　have　a　fair　chance　of　success；
it　would　be　folly　to　risk　the　success　of　our　enterprise　by
contending　against　overw