The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-07-28

II
Northman-with their chief % duke
King Haakon says they were from
Norway; King Gustaf says they were
from Sweden: King Frederick says
they were from Denmark. It matters
little. The stupendous thing in the
swiftness with which those heather
barbarians became the magnificent
Christian knights and naughty aristo-
Gratis whose Norman blood" was GER
tainly worth more than simple faith"
In the mind of Sir Walter Scott and
probably Of Tennyson as well.
They wore leather and sheepskins
with the wool out. They were bare
legged. They were bearded and mus
tached. and the ornaments were tan
gled and matted with food and drink.
Their banners displayed crows. bears
and dogs as emblems. Their only ar
NOR was odd pieces captured from
their enemies. Shields they had-of
bulls hide. They had nothing. They
needed everything-and took 1t.
One detail shows the swiftness with
which they became smart. In the
famous Bayeux tapestry every Nor
man Of them is represented az smooth
shaver. while the English all wear
boards or mustaches.
Their leader. Rollo. after sacking
the castle Of the count Of Bayeux In
the year $50, had married the counts
daughter by force; yet here in oil we
find King. (Emperor) Charles the
Simple actually giving him his daugh-
ter, Gisele, In wedlock.
In three generations after Rollo-
Long-Sword. Sans Peur and Richard
the Good-we see Rollo's great-great-
grandson. Robert the Devil. putting
his brother-in-law on the throne of
Flanders. Wrestling the vexin from the
king of France. forcing the duke Of
Brittany to do homage to him. and
starting an expedition to England
that was stopped only by storm and
q treaty. In q tribe over 100 years
they. were exploiting all Normandy.
Norman Conquest Reproduced.
Rollo's original crowd of hungry pi-
rates came up the River Seine to Rou-
en-. Here, where the river 10 wide.
deep and beautiful. with islands.
bridges and quays for the crowds to
circulate at ease. will take place the
earlier water fetes representing the
conquest Of Normandy-before that Of
England.
Any summers day along the Seine.
Loire or other river or canal you can
see rival crews Of young men planted
on long rowboats, armed with heavy,
blunt lances and breastplates. Az the
rival boats approach, each chooses his
man and tries to push him into the
water. and the winning boat IL that
which forces the other to the shore.
At Caen the historic cortege will be
based on the foundation Of the two
great abbeys, which still stand per-
feet William the Conqueror founded
the Abbey of Men. and Matilda, his
wife, the Abbey Of Ladies. Always
favored by their descendants. Caen
In the year 1900 was "a city greater
than any In England. save London"
Here, In the church Of the Abbey Of
Men, black marble slab In front OF
the high altar marks the tomb Of the
Conqueror himself. Rollo and his son
lie in Rouen cathedral. SO do Rich
ard the Lion Hearted and Henry II.
of England
At Bayeux there will be process
sion Of Matilda and her ladies-pro-
tected by their men-at-arms. secreta-
ries, prelates and pages-to hand over
the famous tapestry to the cathedral.
The tapestry itself will be exposed In
full all summer. It IL strip Of linen
cloth $40 feet long and nearly two
feet broad embroidered with colored
worsteds with IS scenes leading up
to the conquest Of England. each ex-
planned by q short Latin text, equally
embroidered. Eight colors were used.
Its story IL that Harold betrayed
trust. Sent by Edward the Confessor
to announce to william that he weuld
soon be king Of England" he con-
cealed It from the people and let's
himself be crowned BY Stigand. (Hal
ley's comet appears In the next scene
a. : reproving portent.) Three Of the
most curious scenes are before Mont
st. Michel already . stronghold Of
the duke Of Brittany -amid quick
sands from which H1rold rescues two
Norman knights. Uncounted thou
sands have since perished In those
Same saAds, and Mount st. liche1 Was