Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-08-12

were enriched by IT, the Northern
seas were soon covered with one or
Two hundred vessels, or still more
numerous squadrons. We read in
history of fleet of seven hundred
ships, commanded by Harald, sur
named Bluetooth, King of Den-
mark, and Norwegian earl named
Hakon. This number is no greater
than what we often find in the fleets
under the following reigns, and, be-
sides. it is certain that the vessels of
which it considered were but small.
The first we hear of were only
kind of twelve cared barks; they
were afterward built capable OF con.
tanning hundred or hundred and
twenty men, and these were very
common in the eleventh and twelfth
centuries. The northern kings also
sometimes constructed vessels of en-
extraordinary size, but these were
rather for show than defense. Such
was that of Harald Harfagra, along
ship which the chronicles mention
with admiration under the name Of
the Dragon. This is the Hars Id OF
whom il is old Jhs. ne "a de vow
neItb TO comb or cut hia hair IN
Ill he bad subduod Lie whole q
Norway, and O. il took nim seyeEsf
year 70 do this, gr . 20 long aud
thick that he was called Harali him
Lufa, Harald the Hirsute. Having
finally accomplished the object of
his wishes, ard being on visit at
Jarl RagnvalG's, in More, he took a
bath, of which he no doubt stood
very much in need, and afterward
combed his hair, and gos RagnVald
to trim it for him. His appearance
was so much changed for the better
by these cleaning operations that
Ragnvald gave him the surname of
Harfagra. by which he is known in
history-IIarald hmm Harfsgra, Har-
fagra, Harald the Fair-haired, or as
ne might be termed 10 English,
Harald Fairfax. King Olaf Trygg
vason had ship of the Same des~
cription as that Of Herald, named
the long Serpent. The chronicles
say it was very long, large, and
high, and of a most durable con-
struction serpent or dragon was
carved on its pillow, and both that
and its poop were gilded. 1t carried
thirtv-four banks Of rowers, and
was, they add, the finest and largest
ship that had been ever seen in Nor
way.
As soon as q prince had attained
his eighteenth or twentieth year, he
commonly requested of his father a
small feet completely fitted out, in
order to achieve with his followers
some adventure that might be pro-
ducuvs Of glory and spoil. The faith.
er applaudod such an inclination
in his son, as indicating rising
courage and heroic mind. He gave
him ships, the command and crew
of which mutually engaged not to
return unless adorned with laurels
and loaded with plumber. The ma
ton became the first object of their
resentment from which they bad
received any injury ; and frequently
their principal aim was to make re.
prisals on some province which
served for tne retreat of other COR
sairs. If the fleets of two different
nations meet by chance ia their voy-
age, this was also an occasion Tor
fighting which they never neglected.
The vanquished party were COM
monty put to death, though some
times the conquerors were content
to make them slaves and often by
a singular strain of generosity,
which the love of glory was able to
produce in minds in other respects
80 ierooious, if the enemy that fell
in their way had fewer ships than
themselves, they set aside part Of
their own vessels, that so engaging
upon equal terms, the victory might
not be attributed to superiority of
numbora. Many Of them also re-
garded it rs dishonorabIe tosurprise
the enemy by night. Sometimes
the Chiefs thought it best to decide
the dispute by single combat In
this case they landed on the nearest
shore. If one of them happened to
be disarmed or thrown down, he
frequently refuses to receive quar-
ter. and was killed on the spot but
if he had defended himself calamity
the victor granted him his life, de-
manded his friendship, adopted him
for kind of f9ster-br othor, aud
mutually swore to preserve an
eternal friendship. In token of this
alliance the two heroes made incis-
ions in their hands or arms, and be-
smeared their weapons with the
blood or mixing it in cup, each
Of them, covering bis head with a
sod, drank Of it, swearing that the
death of the first of them who fell
in battle should not pass unavenged.
| Many of these p;ratical princes,
whom success and custom had at
tached and Infatuated to his profes
sion, never quilted it, but gloried in
passing the remainder o! their lives
on board their ships. We meet with
them sometimes, in their ancient
histories, bossting that they mover
repose under i remarkable root, nor
drank beer il peace by their fire.
side.
The vessels OF these corsairs were
always we'll provided with offensive
arms, such as stones, arrows, cab.
les, with which they overset small
vessels, and grappling-irons to board
them Every individual was skill.
full in swimming and as their en
gagements were seldom far distant
from the shore, the vanquished
party often saved themselves by
swimming to land. Each baud had
its own peculiar stations, ports,
palaces Of rendezvous, aud maya
zines, and many cities in the Nortn
owe heir present prosperity to the
advantage they had Of aff3rdlng
them retreats. Such was Luuden in
Scanis, which, according to Adam
J %