into this scheme. The fleet was
refitted, provisioned, and equipped. The expedition was organized, arms
and munitions of war provided, and when all was ready they set sail.
They had no definite plan in respect to the place of their destination,
their intention being to make themselves a home on the first favorable
spot that they should find.

They moved southward, cruising at first along the coast of Scotland, and
then of England. They made several fruitless attempts to land on the
English shores, but were every where repulsed. The time when these
events took place was during the reign of Alfred the Great. Through
Alfred's wise and efficient measures the whole of his frontier had been
put into a perfect state of defense, and Rollo found that there was no
hope for him there. He accordingly moved on toward the Straits of Dover;
but, before passing them, he made a descent upon the coast of Flanders.
Here there was a country named Hainault. It was governed by a potentate
called the Count of Hainault. Rollo made war upon him, defeated him in
battle, took him prisoner, and then compelled the countess his wife to
raise and pay him an immense sum for his ransom. Thus he replenished
his treasury by an exploit which was considered in those days very
great and glorious. To perpetrate such a deed now, unless it were on a
_very_ great scale, would be to incur the universal reprobation of
mankind; but Rollo, by doing it then, not only enriched his coffers, but
acquired a very extended and honorable fame.

For some reason or other, Rollo did not attempt to take permanent
possession of Hainault, but, after receiving his ransom money, and
replenishing his ammunition and stores, he sailed away with his fleet,
and, turning westward, he passed through the Straits of Dover, and
cruised along the coast of France. He found that the country on the
French side of the channel, though equally rich and beautiful with the
opposite shore, was in a very different state of defense. He entered the
mouth of the Seine. He was embarrassed at first by the difficulties of
the navigation in entering the river; but as there was no efficient
enemy to oppose him, he soon triumphed over these difficulties, and,
once fairly in the river, he found no difficulty in ascending to
Rouen.[A]

[Footnote A: See the map at the commencement of this chapter.]

In the mean time, the King of France, whose name was Charles, and who
is generally designated in history as Ch