aving to strike a blow, so surprised were the Danes at the
appearances of the great Saxon galley. Whenever the Danes surrendered
without resistance Edmund gave them quarter and landed them in small
boats on the shore; their ships, after being emptied of the booty they
contained, were burned. When off Yarmouth, where they had captured four
Danish vessels sailing out unsuspicious of danger, the wind veered
round to the north-east and began to blow very strongly.

The long line of sandbanks off the coast broke somewhat the violence of
the sea, and the Dragon rode all night to her anchors; but in the
morning the wind continued to rise. The sea became more and more
violent, and the anchors began to drag. Edmund and Egbert, after a
consultation, agreed that their only chance of saving the vessel was to
enter the river. The tide was running in, but the sea was so heavy on
the bar of the river that the efforts of the crew at the oars barely
sufficed to keep her on her course. At length, however, she made her
way safely between the posts which marked the entrance, and rowing up
until they passed a turn, and were sheltered from the force of the
gale, they again anchored.

The oars were all lashed out firmly to keep any boats from approaching
her sides. Bales of goods with which her hold was filled were brought
on deck, and piled high along the bulwarks so as to afford a shelter
from missiles. Even as they entered the harbour numbers of Danes had
assembled at the point; for the capture and destruction of their ships
had of course been seen, and the crews set ashore had spread the news
that the strange vessel was a Saxon. The Norfolk bank being somewhat
higher than the Suffolk, the boat was anchored rather nearer to the
latter, as it was from the town of Yarmouth that an attack was
anticipated.

As soon as the anchors were let go the Danes began to fire their
arrows; but so powerful was the gale that the greater part of them were
swept far away. As the day went on the numbers of Danes on the bank
increased largely, and vast numbers of arrows were discharged at the
Dragon. The crew kept under shelter, and although she was often struck
no damage was done.

In the afternoon a fleet of galleys was seen coming down the river. The
Danes possessed a large number of these boats at Yarmouth, and in these
they navigated the inland waters far into the interior. The wind had
shifted until it was blowing nearly due east, and Edmund and Egbe