sire
to Gurth to ride across the intermediate country and take a view of
William's lines. Such an undertaking was less dangerous then than it
would be at the present day; for now, such a reconnoitering party would
be discovered from the enemy's encampment, at a great distance, by means
of spy-glasses, and a twenty-four-pound shot or a shell would be sent
from a battery to blow the party to pieces or drive them away. The only
danger _then_ was of being pursued by a detachment of horsemen from the
camp, or surrounded by an ambuscade. To guard against these dangers,
Harold and Gurth took the most powerful and fleetest horses in the
camp, and they called out a small but strong guard of well-selected men
to escort them. Thus provided and attended, they rode over to the
enemy's lines, and advanced so near that, from a small eminence to which
they ascended, they could survey the whole scene of William's
encampment: the palisades and embankments with which it was guarded,
which extended for miles; the long lines of tents within; the vast
multitude of soldiers; the knights and officers riding to and fro,
glittering with steel; and the grand pavilion of the duke himself, with
the consecrated banner of the cross floating above it. Harold was very
much impressed with the grandeur of the spectacle.

After gazing on this scene for some time in silence, Harold said to
Gurth that perhaps, after all, the policy of falling back would have
been the wisest for them to adopt, rather than to risk a battle with so
overwhelming a force as they saw before them. He did not know, he added,
but that it would be best for them to change their plan, and adopt that
policy now. Gurth said that it was too late. They had taken their stand,
and now for them to break up their encampment and retire would be
considered a retreat and not a maneuver, and it would discourage and
dishearten the whole realm.

After surveying thus, as long as they desired to do so, the situation
and extent of William's encampment, Harold's party returned to their own
lines, still determined to make a stand there against the invaders, but
feeling great doubt and despondency in respect to the result. Harold
sent over, too, in the course of the day, some spies. The men whom he
employed for this purpose were Normans by birth, and they could speak
the French language. There were many Normans in England, who had come
over in King Edward's time. These Norman spies could, of course,
dis