Wulf the Saxon: A Story of the Norman Conquest by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER IV.
A STORM.
After hunting for two days in the forests lying behind Newhaven,and in the valley in which Lewes lies, they again embarked. Themaster of Harold's ship had expressed some doubts as to the weather,but as he stated that it was but some eight miles round the greatcliff that they saw to the east, and that beyond this the rocksceased and there was a bay in which they could ride at anchor, orif necessary beach their vessels, it was determined to proceed, asHarold had the day before been visited by a thane whose house laybut two miles from the shore, and had accepted his invitation forthe party to take up their abode there for a few days, as he promisedthem good sport in the forest. The cliffs rose higher as theyproceeded. They kept closer inshore, and although they could seethat the clouds were flying rapidly overhead they felt no breezewhatever, being protected from the wind by the lofty cliffs. Themaster was evidently uneasy, for he urged the rowers to exertthemselves to the utmost. Wulf and Beorn stood looking with amazementat the cliffs towering up beside them.
"Is it not strange that they should rise like this--like a wallfrom the water?" Wulf said. "Had they been built up by human handsthey could scarcely have been more erect and regular. I have neverseen anything at all like it on land."
"Then it must be something formed by the sea, Wulf. Do you see thosecaverns at the foot of the cliff, and in some places you see thereis a mound of rocks as if newly formed? It may be that this whitestone is soft, and that the sea beating against the foot wears itaway in time, and then the rock overhead gives way by its weightand so leaves an upright wall. Perhaps, long back, these hills werelike other hills, sloping gradually down into the sea; but in time,perhaps many, many years before the Romans landed here, the seabegan to eat them away, and has continued to do so ever since, untilthey are as we see them."
"That may be so, Beorn. My father has told me that he could rememberwhen our estates stretched a good half-mile farther seaward, buthad since been eaten away by the waves, and he says that his fatherhad told him the same thing; therefore, as you say, in many hundredsof years even hills, if the stone were soft, might also be wornaway. There we are rounding the point, and beyond there are no morecliffs; doubtless it is in this bay that the Shipmaster Edred thinksto anchor."
At that moment their conversation was cut short by a tremendousgust of wind rushing down the sloping hill into the bay strikingthem with such terrible force that the ship heeled over until thewater rushed above the bulwark. The men were thrown against eachother, and several fell down to leeward. The confusion was heightenedby the fact that the great sail, which was but loosely furled toits yard, burst the ropes, and the wind catching it buried the craftstill further, and she would have filled and sunk had not theship-master seized the tiller, and aided by the two sailors therepushed it up, and so the boat's head payed off from the wind andran before it.
The master shouted to the men to lower the sail, which was bellyingand flapping violently, but before his orders could be obeyed therewas a crash. The mast snapped off at the slings of the yard, andthe wreck fell over the bow of the boat. All hands were employedfor some minutes in getting the sail on board and furling it to itsyard, which was laid lengthways along the thwarts. It was foundthat three men standing in the bows had been killed, and severalothers badly hurt. The vessel was by this time some distance fromshore. Nothing could be done until she was freed of the water, withwhich she was nigh half-full, and all hands were employed in bailingit out.
The squall had increased rather than lessened in fury, and by thetime the water was cleared out they were two miles from the headland.Orders were then given to man the oars again but it was found thatseveral of these had been lost, having been washed away when themen leapt up, believing that the boat would capsize, or had slippedfrom the rowlocks unnoticed while they were engaged in getting inthe sail. This was a serious misfortune, for every oar was neededto force her through the water in the teeth of the wind, which wasblowing directly off shore. The remaining oars were all double-banked,Harold himself and his thanes taking their places among the rowers.
For an hour they laboured their hardest, but at the end of thattime they were farther from shore than when they began, the forceof the wind acting on the poop and broad hull driving her seawardfaster than the rowers could force her shoreward. The sea, too,was now getting up, and the motion of the vessel rendered itincreasingly difficult to row. Edred left his place at the tillerand went forward to Harold.
"My lord," he said, "it is useless. In spite of your efforts we aredrifting farther and farther out, and from the look of the sky Ifear that we are going to have a great gale, and there is nothingto do but to set a little sail and to run before it. Maybe therewill presently be a shift of wind, which may enable us to make forshore. At present you are but exhausting yourselves in vain, andthe sea will soon get up so much that it will be impossible to usethe oars."
"So be it," Harold replied; and at the master's orders the oarswere laid in, and the men prepared to get sail upon her. A sailorclimbed up the mast and fastened the stays close to the point whichwas broken off. Then another joined him, and a block was lashed tothe mast just below the stays, and the halliards were rove throughit; then Edred brought out a small sail, and this was hoisted, andthe vessel, which had before been rolling heavily, began to glideswiftly through the water. They had had the satisfaction of seeingthat their consorts, although like themselves nearly capsized bythe squall, had suffered no damage, but after lowering their sailsand yards to the deck, had succeeded in rowing into the bay, theirlighter hull and draught enabling the oars to drive them throughthe water in the teeth of the wind.
"She is going along finely now," Wulf said.
"Yes," Beorn agreed; "but before night there is like to be a seathat will try her."
Harold held a consultation with the master, and presently all themen were called to work. The great sail was unrolled from its yardand a portion cut off, somewhat wider than the beam of the boat,and in length reaching from the bow to the mast. Nails and hammerswere brought up from the little cabin, and the canvas was stretchedfrom bulwark to bulwark and strongly nailed to the wood on eitherside, oars being first lashed across at short intervals to supportit.
"I suppose that is for us to lie under, Master Wulf?" Osgod said."It is a pity it was not erected before, for there is not a man onboard who is not drenched to the skin."
"It is not put there to keep you dry, Osgod, but to keep the wavesfrom coming into the ship. But she goes over them well. The windis getting up, Osgod, and we shall have a great sea presently."
"Then why don't we turn and sail back again? It seems to me to befolly to be running away from the land if such is going to be theweather."
"How can we sail back again? Do you not see that it is the windthat is blowing us off, and the vessel must go as the wind takesher. One can go a little this way or that, but no man ever yetsailed in the teeth of the wind."
"This is the first time I have ever been to sea," Osgod said, "andI trust it will be the last. The tossing of the ship makes mestrangely giddy, and many of the servants are downright ill withit. Why men should go on the water when they can walk upon the landis more than I can say. I think I will go and lie down under theshelter of the sail, for indeed I feel as if I were about to die."
Wulf himself was feeling strangely uncomfortable. As long as theyhad been at work he had not felt unwell, for the necessity of holdingon to the bulwarks or ropes, and the excitement of their strangeposition, had saved him from experiencing many qualms; but both heand Beorn were soon glad to follow Osgod's example, and to lie downon the boards under the rowers' benches. Fiercer and fiercer blewthe wind, more and more violent became the motion of the ship;masses of water fell on the canvas forward, as she plunged into thewaves, and would have soon beaten it in had it not been for thesupport of the oars. By evening most of the men were lying underthe shelter, while Harold's brother and friends had retired to thelittle cabin in the stern. The earl himself remained by the s
"Think you that she will weather it, Edred?"
"I have little fear about that, my lord. She is a staunch boat, andI have been aboard her in seas as heavy as this. Besides, thatthought of yours of stretching the canvas across her bow has greatlyimproved her chances. The water runs off as fast as it falls on it,and none comes on board. Had it not been for this every man wouldhave had to bail all night. No, I have no fear of her weatheringthe gale. What I am afraid of is, that if this wind continues toblow we shall assuredly be lost on the coast of Normandy."
"That would be an ill fortune, indeed, for I know that the Normanscount all that are cast on their shores as lawful prey; and evenif we reach the land in safety and escape murder at the hands ofthe lord of the soil and his people, I may fall into the hands ofDuke William, who is assuredly no friend of mine, seeing that Istand in the way of his designs upon the throne of England. Trulyit was an evil moment when the thought of taking to the sea occurredto me, and I would give a broad slice of my earldom to be back atBosham."
Hour by hour the waves increased in size and violence, and oftenpoured in over the sides. The number of men on board was too greatfor all to work effectively. They therefore were divided into twoparties, one being engaged in bailing while the other lay undercover, the change being made every hour. Wulf preferred workingto lying still, for as the craft rolled the water washed over them,while the din of the waves striking the ship's side, and the cataractsof spray falling on to the canvas above were deafening, and it wasimpossible to get a moment's sleep. All were glad when morningbroke, although the scene that met their eyes was the reverse ofcomforting. Small as was the amount of sail the vessel tore throughthe water under the pressure of the following wind. Great waveswith white crests pursued her, and as they neared her stern itseemed to Wulf that they must inevitably fall over and crush her.The spray torn from the crest by the wind filled the air. The windshrieked in the cordage, and the vessel creaked and groaned as sherolled from side to side.
"I would not have believed if I had not seen it, that the sea couldbe so violent and ill-behaved," Wulf shouted to Osgod, who was thenstanding beside him.
"If my clothes were but dry and my stomach full I would not mindso much," Osgod replied; "but to be drenched in water all night andto have nought to eat in the morning, takes the courage out of onemightily. How long, think you, will this go on?"
"That no one can say. It may last two or three days."
"And no food all that time!" Osgod exclaimed in dismay.
"We could stand that well enough, Osgod; but I do not think thereis much chance of our being called upon to do so, for I heard oneof the sailors say that unless the storm abates marvellously we arelikely to be cast upon the French coast before nightfall."
"I should be glad to be cast anywhere so it were out of this. Atleast, whether it be France or England, there must be food to behad on shore."
"You do not understand, Osgod. Unless we happen to be cast upon ashelving coast with sand or gravel the craft may be dashed to pieces,and all lose their lives; for assuredly none could swim long insuch a sea as this."
"Well, we must hope that we shall find a shore such as you speakof," Osgod said tranquilly; "but for my part, I am content to takethe risk rather than wait another three days before getting anythingto eat."
"And I would rather fast for a week than run the risk of the shipbeing broken up on the rocks," Wulf replied. "I can swim but littleeven in calm water, and I am sure that I could do nothing amongthose waves."
"I can swim, and will look after you," Osgod said confidently. "Iused to swim every day in the Thames."
Wulf shook his head. "I daresay you might look after me if I fellinto the Thames, Osgod, but it is a very different thing in a sealike this. These waves would dash a swimmer hither and thither asif he were but a chip of wood; besides, the spray would smotherhim. Even at this height above the water it is difficult to breathewhen one turns round and faces the wind. I think that our onlyhope lies in running upon a flat shore, where the waves will washthe vessel up so high that we may be able to leap out from the bowon to the land beyond the reach of their fury."
Late in the afternoon one of the sailors on the poop astern shoutedout that land was visible, and it was not long before it could beseen from the deck. All eyes were directed anxiously towards it.
"It is a rocky coast," Edred said, "but the rocks are not high, andif we can manage to direct the vessel between two of them we mayescape. At present it is needful that most of the crew should keepin the stern, but when we are about to strike they must all runsuddenly forward, so as to leap out as soon as she touches theground. There will be but little time given to them, for assuredlythe seas will batter her to pieces the moment she falls among therocks."
Harold issued the order. All were to remain at their posts untilhe gave the word, and were then to run forward. The master scannedthe shore anxiously.
"See you, my lord, that opening right ahead of us? It seems to mebarely the width of the ship, but if I can direct her truly betweenthe rocks methinks that most of the crew will gain the land. I shallmyself take the helm. That is my duty and my right, and should Inot succeed in making the shore, I shall at least die well contentedwith the thought that you who are the hope of England will be saved."
"I would fain stay with you, Edred."
"That cannot be, my lord. As it is my duty to stay by the ship tothe last, so it is your first duty to save your life for England.I need no aid, for the vessel steers well, and by the help of arope round the tiller I can manage her alone. Farewell, my lord,if we are not to meet again on earth. A very few minutes will decideour fate."
"Swimming will be of no use there, Osgod," Wulf said. "Look howthe spray dashes itself against the black rocks."
"I thought not that it would be so bad," Osgod replied. "I wonderthe master does not cast anchor."
"The ropes would not hold for a moment," Wulf said, "and when theybroke we might drift broadside on to the rocks, which would meandestruction for all. The master is steering for that narrow openingbetween these two great rocks ahead. It will be but two or threeminutes now before our fate is decided."
At this moment Harold shouted:
"Let each man make his peace with God." And baring his head he stoodsilently for a minute or two, imitated by all on board. Then Haroldagain raised his voice in a shout that was heard above the storm:
"Move forward now all of you, but not further forward than the mast;for if her head were too far down the master could not hold herstraight. Moreover, the mast will assuredly fall forward and crushthose in front of it. Therefore, let no man go forward of it untilthe ship strikes."
The sailors had already cut away the canvas stretched across thebow, and all on board clustered just aft the mast. Wulf looked back,and saw the master standing alone on the poop, with his eyes fixedin front of him and a look of grim resolve on his face. Then heturned again to look ahead. The scene was terrible. On either sideextended a long line of white foam. Great masses of water werehurled against the rocks with a thundering crash, and the sprayflew high up into the air, and then, caught by the wind, was carriedfar inland. The rocks were now but a few lengths ahead, and thepassage between them looked terribly narrow, so narrow that hedoubted if the ship could possibly pass through them. Not a wordwas spoken on board as the ship neared the opening. Now she swerveda little to one side, now a little to the other, as the waves liftedher stern and swept her along, but the hand of the master checkedher immediately, and brought her head back to the line.
She was but a length away from the passage when there was a crashthat shook her from stem to stern; then another great wave liftedher, and Wulf saw a black wall of rock gleaming with the water thatstreamed down it. The wall of rock flashed past the bulwarks soclosely that he could have touched it. A moment later the ship struckagain, this time with a force that threw many off their feet, whilethe mast f
There was a grinding and splintering of planks, as the men rushedforward, and then a wave swept over the vessel, carrying all ondeck before it into the cove beyond the rock, rolling them over andover up a sandy shore behind. Some managed to dig their hands andfeet into the sand and to scramble out; more were sucked back againby the receding waters. As Wulf found himself in the water he felthis arm clutched, and Osgod shouted in his ear: "Do not struggle,I can keep you up!"
When thrown up on the sand Wulf tried in vain to resist the backwardrush of the water; he and Osgod were borne out again. When the nextwave again swept them up Wulf saw the earl standing knee-deep inthe water, and as he was swept past, Harold seized him and Osgod,and with tremendous strength lifted them right out of the water."Keep still!" he shouted; "your weight will help me to keep myfeet." Wulf felt his supporter quiver as the water rushed out, forhe was waist-deep now; but directly afterwards he set them bothdown on their feet, saying, "Run before the next wave comes." Tenyards farther and they were beyond the reach of the sea. Haroldwas with them, and directed those who had got ashore to form lines,taking hold of each other's hands, and so to advance far into thesurf and grasp their comrades as they were swept up. Many were savedin this way, although some of the rescuers were badly hurt byfloating pieces of wreckage, for the vessel had entirely broken upimmediately after her course had been arrested.
As soon as all who could be seen were brought ashore it was foundthat ten men were missing, among whom was the master of the ship,most of them having probably been struck by floating timbers. Assoon as it was certain that no more would come ashore alive Haroldcalled the men together. Rough litters were made of oars and piecesof sail, for the conveyance of those who had broken limbs or weretoo much injured to walk, and the party prepared for a start. Bythis time several men, apparently of the fishing class, had approached,but stood a short distance away, evidently waiting for the departureof the party before beginning the work of collecting whatever thesea might cast up. Harold went over to them, and asked in the Normantongue:
"What shore is this, and how far is it to the nearest town wherewe can obtain shelter and assistance?"
"You are in Ponthieu, in the territories of Count Conrad. The townof St. Valery is but two miles along the coast. There you can obtainall you need."
Returning to his men, Harold ordered the wounded to be raised, andthe party at once set out. Harold had already taken off his goldchain and rings, and had told his companions to do the same, inorder that the cupidity of the natives might not be excited northeir rank guessed at. As soon as they started Wulf went up to him.
"My lord," he said, "I fear that you have already been recognizedby one of the fishermen. I saw him looking earnestly at you, andthen whisper to one of his companions. After doing so he hurriedaway."
"That is bad news, Wulf; but I could hardly expect that I shouldbe long unrecognized. There are many vessels come and go betweenthe northern ports and our own, and in St. Valery there must benumbers of sailors and fishermen who have seen me in London. Besides,we are sure to be questioned by the count as to our rank andcondition, and even could we conceal it for a while, the news iscertain to be brought ere long from England of our having been blownoff the coast, and when it was known it would be speedily guessedthat we were the missing party. Hark you, Wulf; I have never heardaught good of Count Conrad, and one cannot say what steps he maytake to force us to pay a heavy ransom, but it is like enough thathe will do all he can to prevent the news of my being in his handsfrom reaching the ears of the duke. It is likely that you and Beorn,being but lads, will be watched less rigorously than the rest ofus. Should this be so, try, if you find an opportunity, to send thenews to the duke that we are all held prisoners here. I shall, ofcourse, endeavour to communicate with him, but some chance may occurby which you can do so more readily than I can."
"I will try to do so, my lord; but I trust this Norman count willtreat you with all due honour and courtesy."
Wulf then fell back to Beorn's side, and half an hour later theshipwrecked party entered the gates of St. Valery. The townspeopleflocked round them, and as soon as they learned that they were aparty of shipwrecked Saxons who had been blown by the gale fromEngland, they were led to the house of the officer in command ofthe town. He asked them a few questions, saying, "I must refer thematter to the count. By the usages of our land all who are castupon it become his prisoners, to be put to ransom or otherwise ashe may decide. However, food shall be supplied you at once, butyou must be content to remain under guard until his pleasure isknown."
They were accordingly at once placed in a disused granary, underthe charge of a strong guard. Food was brought to them, and as soonas they had consumed this, most of the men threw themselves on theground, worn out by their long exertions.
"This is a sorry welcome, Wulf, after our escape from the sea,"Beorn said. "Truly the land seems as inhospitable as the ocean."
"It is not pleasant, Beorn, but at present I feel so thankful formy escape from those terrible waves that even the thought that weare all prisoners to this petty noble does not greatly concern me.Doubtless William of Normandy, who is the liege lord of the land,will speedily take us out of his hands. Were we alone it may bethat we should suffer a long stay in his dungeons, but Harold andhis brother are far too important personages to be allowed to remainin the hands of one of the duke's vassals."
"It is shameful," Beorn said indignantly. "I do not say that thosewho are cast on our shores may not be often pillaged and ill-treatedby the common folk, but surely none of gentle blood would fail toshow them kindness and hospitality."
"That is so on our coast of Sussex, but I have heard that furtherwest, and certainly among the Danes of Northumbria, vessels caston the coast are considered as gifts from the sea, and even thelives of those who gain the shore are not often respected. I regretmuch that Harold should be with us. It is true that his being herewill doubtless shorten the term of our imprisonment, but it isunfortunate that he should fall into the hands of William, who isas famous for craft and subtlety as he is for bravery and skill asa leader."
"But what can he gain from Harold?" Beorn asked. "Our earl iswell-nigh as much known throughout Europe as William of Normandy,and all Christendom would cry out with shame were he treated withought but courtesy by the duke."
"I doubt not that he will treat him with courtesy, Beorn, but hemay well wring some concessions from him before he lets him depart.He may bargain that the Normans may be again allowed to hold landin England, and to build their castles, as they did before Godwinand his sons returned from exile, and the Normans had to fly theland, save those around the person of the king. He may beg so manybishoprics for Norman priests. There is no saying what concessionshe may extort. Of all princes in Europe I had rather Harold hadfallen into the hands of any other than into those of William ofNormandy."
"Truly I have never troubled my head about such matters, Wulf, andthought that it would be time to do so when I became a thane, andhad a vote at the Witan."
"I have heard much of them from the prior of Bramber, who is a trueEnglishman, and though a priest, learned in all matters that appertainto the history of times past and of our own; he impressed upon methat just as a boy must practise arms if he is to bear them worthilyas a man, so he should study the story of our kings, and learn whatis passing, not only in our own country but in others, if he isever to raise his voice in council."
Harold and his thanes sat apart discussing the position, theirconclusion being very similar to that arrived at by Wulf. Chivalryhad but slight influence as yet in the West of Europe. Kings andprinces cared little as to the means by which they attained an end.Rivals to a throne were put out of the way without scruple; theprofession of arms was a business like any other, carried on forgain; a captured foe was valued chiefly for the amount of ransomthat could be obtained for him; petty barons and powerful noblesali
On the following morning they heard a large body of horsemen rideup. A minute later the governor accompanied by a Norman nobleentered. They were followed by a number of men-at-arms, among whomwas a fisherman.
"Now, fellow," the count said to this man, "which is the SaxonHarold?"
"I am," Harold said, advancing a step before his companions. "Iam Harold, Earl of Wessex. I have with my companions been cast onyour shores. I expect honourable treatment, and am willing to payany reasonable ransom should you demand one."
"We will talk of that afterwards," the count said roughly; "for thepresent you go with me to my castle at Beaurain. But first do youand your men hand over all valuables that you may possess; they areforfeited to me, being cast up on my land."
Without a word Harold produced his chain of office and otherornaments, and dropped them into a helmet which a soldier at theorders of the count held out for them. His companions did the same,the thanes first and then the two lads.
"That will do," the count said to the soldiers. "That is my share,you can search the rest yourselves."
"I protest against this robbery," Harold said haughtily, "and willproclaim you in all the courts of Europe as one who is false to hisstation, and who condescends to pillage those whom fortune has caston his shores."
"You can wait until you get an opportunity to do so," the countsneered; "it is not likely to come for some time. You can do as youlike to the others," he went on to the governor, "I want not to becumbered with them. You can doubtless find work for them on thefortifications, but if you can put them to no use or they aretroublesome, cut their throats and throw them into the sea."
The Saxons fingered their knives, but Harold said in their owntongue, "Resistance would be folly, the time may come when we mayturn the tables on this fellow." The soldiers now closed roundHarold and the thanes and led them out of the house. Here they wereordered to mount each behind a soldier, and as soon as they haddone so they rode out from St. Valery, and crossing the river Sommeat Abbeville, and the Authie by a ford near Crecy, reached thefortress of Beaurain on the river Canche near the town of Hesdinbefore nightfall. On the road Wulf watched anxiously for a chanceto escape, but none offered itself. Soldiers rode on both sides ofthe captives, and had he slipped from the horse he could not havehoped to make his escape across an open country. As soon as theyentered the fortress Harold and the thanes were all consigned todungeons, but the count, learning that the two lads had been Harold'spages, said they should wait on himself. "And see," he said to them,"that your service is good, if you do not wish to dangle over themoat at the end of a rope."
"It is a shame that such a man should be a nobleman," Beorn exclaimedindignantly to Wulf, as he saw that the soldiers were placing chainsupon Harold before they led him away.
"He is a hateful-looking villain," Wulf said. "It is but latelythat he revolted against William. I heard of it from the prior. Hisbrother, the last Count of Ponthieu, joined France in an invasionof Normandy. He fell in an ambush at St. Aubin, and this man becamecount. For a time he was held prisoner by the duke, but afterwardshe was freed, and received back his dominions as a vassal. His faceis at once cruel and base. I told you the instructions Harold gaveme, Beorn; the need for carrying them out has arrived, and I willtry to make my escape without loss of time from this fortress tobear the tidings to the duke."
"I will escape with you, Wulf; two can get on better than one."
"That is so, Beorn, and I would gladly have you with me, but maybeI shall be detected in attempting to escape and be slain, or I mayfall into the hands of peasants and be brought back here, and ifwe were together all hope of letting the duke know of our lord'scaptivity would be at an end. Therefore it were best that I madethe attempt first. If I fail, which is like enough, then do you inturn try to get away and bear the news to the duke."
Beorn did not like to stay behind, but he saw that Wulf's plan wasbest, and accordingly fell in with it.
"Will you go at once?" he asked.
"No; I will stay for a day or two to lull suspicion. They may watchus just at first, but if they see that we do as we are ordered withgood-will they will cease to regard us so narrowly; moreover, itwill be needful to know the place well before I devise a plan ofescape."