had　told　him　that　the　best　course　was　to　sail　west　to　the
  extremity　of　England；　then　to　steer　due　south　until　they　came
  upon　the　north　coast　of　Spain。　They　would　follow　this　to　its
  western　extremity；　and　then　run　south；　following　the　land
  till　they　came　to　a　channel　some　ten　miles　wide；　which　formed
  the　entrance　to　the　Mediterranean。
  They　decided；　therefore；　to　follow　this　course　in　hopes
  of　interrupting　the　galleys　there；　they　would　thus　avoid　the
  dangerous　navigation　of　the　west　coast　of　France；　where　there
  were　known　to　be　many　islands　and　rocks；　around　which　the
  tides　ran　with　great　fury。　For　a　fortnight　the　Dragon　lay
  windbound；　then　came　two　days　of　calm；　and　then；　to　their
  delight；　the　pennon　on　the　top　of　the　mast　blew　out
  from　the　east。
  They　were　lying　in　the　mouth　of　the　Colne；　and　would
  therefore　have　no　difficulty　in　making　the　Foreland；　and　with
  her　sail　set　and　her　oars　out　the　Dragon　dashed　away　from
  her　moorings。　Swiftly　they　ran　round　the　south…easterly　point
  of　England　and　then　flew　before　the　breeze　along　the　southern
  coast。　On　the　third　day　they　were　off　Land's　End　and
  hauled　her　head　to　the　south。　The　east　wind　held；　the　Bay　of
  Biscay　was　calm；　and　after　a　rapid　voyage　they　sighted　the
  high　lands　of　Spain　ahead。　Then　they　sheered　to　the　west　till
  they　rounded　its　extremity　and　then　sailed　down　the　coast　of
  Spain。　They　put　into　a　river　for　provisions；　and　the　natives
  assembled　in　great　numbers　on　the　banks　with　the　evident
  intention　of　opposing　a　landing；　but　upon　Egbert　shouting
  that　they　were　not　Danes　but　Saxons；　and　were　ready　to　barter
  for　the　provisions　they　required；　the　natives　allowed　them
  to　approach。　There　was　no　wrangling　for　terms。　Cattle　were
  purchased；　and　the　water…tanks　filled　up；　and　a　few　hours
  after　entering　the　river　the　Dragon　was　again　under　way。
  Rounding　the　southern　point　they　followed　the　land。　After　a
  day's　sailing　they　perceived　land　on　their　right；　and　gave　a
  shout　of　joy　at　the　thought　that　they　had　arrived　at　the
  entrance　of　the　straits。　At　nightfall　they　dropped　anchor。
  〃What　are　you　looking　at；　Siegbert？〃　Edmund　asked；
  seeing　the　jarl　looking　thoughtfully　at　the　anchor…chain
  as　the　ship　swung　round。
  〃I　am　thinking；〃　the　jarl　said；　〃that　we　must　have　made
  some　error。　Do　you　not　see　that　she　rides；　just　as　we　were
  sailing；　with　her　head　to　the　north…east？　That　shows　that　the
  current　is　against　us。〃
  〃Assuredly　it　does；〃　Edmund　said；　〃but　the　current　is　a
  very　slack　one；　for　the　ropes　are　not　tight。〃
  〃But　that　agrees　not；〃　Siegbert　said；　〃with　what　I　have
  been　told。　In　the　first　place；　this　channel　points　to　the
  northeast；　whereas；　as　I　have　heard；　the　straits　into　the
  Mediterranean　run　due　east。　In　the　next　place；　those　who　have
  been　through　have　told　me　that　there　are　no　tides　as　in　the
  northern　seas；　but　that　the　current　runs　ever　like　a　river　to
  the　east。〃
  〃If　that　be　so；〃　Edmund　said；　〃we　must　have　mistaken
  our　way；　for　here　what　current　there　is　runs　to　the　west。
  To…morrow　morning；　instead　of　proceeding　farther；　we　will　cross
  to　the　opposite　side；　and　will　follow　that　down　until　we　strike
  upon　the　right　channel。〃
  In　the　morning　sail　was　again　made；　and　crossing　what
  was　really　the　Bay　of　Cadiz　they　sailed　on　till　they　arrived　at
  the　mouth　of　the　straits。　There　was　no　doubt　now　that　they
  were　right。　The　width　of　the　channel；　its　direction；　and　the
  steady　current　through　it；　all　corresponded　with　what　Siegbert
  had　heard；　and　proceeding　a　mile　along　it　they　cast　anchor。
  They　soon　opened　communications　with　the　natives；
  who；　although　speaking　a　tongue　unknown　to　them；　soon
  comprehended　by　their　gestures　and　the　holding　up　of　articles
  of　barter　that　their　intentions　were　friendly。　Trade　was
  established；　and　there　was　now　nothing　to　do　but　to　await
  the　coming　of　the　galleys。
  〃I　would；〃　Edmund　said；　as；　when　evening　was　closing；
  he　looked　across　the　straits　at　the　low　hills　on　the　opposite
  side；　〃that　this　passage　was　narrower。　Sweyn　will；　doubtless；
  have　men　on　board　his　ship　who　have　sailed　in　these　seas
  before；　and　will　not　need　to　grope　his　way　along　as　we　have
  done。　If　he　enters　the　straits　at　night　we　shall　see　nothing　of
  him；　and　the　current　runs　so　fast　that　he　would　sweep　speedily
  by。　It　is　possible；　indeed；　that　he　has　already　passed。　If　he
  continued　to　row　down　the　shores　of　France　all　the　time　we
  were　lying　wind…bound　he　would　have　had　so　long　a　start　when
  the　east　wind　began　to　blow；　that；　although　the　galleys　carry
  but　little　sail；　they　might　well　have　been　here　some　days
  before　us。　Sweyn　would　be　anxious　to　join　Hasting　as　soon　as
  he　could。　The　men　would　be　thirsting　for　booty；　and　would
  make　but　short　halt　anywhere。　I　will　stay　but　a　week。　If　in
  that　time　they　come　not　we　will　enter　this　southern　sea　and
  seek　the　fleet　of　Hasting。　When　we　find　that　we　shall　find
  Sweyn；　but　I　fear　that　the　search　will　be　a　long　one；　for　these
  people　speak　not　our　tongue；　and　we　shall　have　hard　work　in
  gaining　tidings　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　Northmen's　fleet。〃
  Day　and　night　a　vigilant　watch　was　kept　up　from　the
  mast…head　of　the　Dragon；　but　without　success。　Each　day　they
  became　more　and　more　convinced　that　Sweyn　must　be　ahead
  of　them；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　seventh　they　lifted　their
  anchor　and　proceeded　through　the　straits。　Many　had　been
  the　consultations　between　Edmund　and　his　friends；　and　it
  had　been　determined　at　last　to　sail　direct　for　Rome。　Siegbert
  knew　that　by　sailing　somewhat　to　the　north　of　east；　after
  issuing　from　the　passage；　they　would　in　time　arrive　at　Italy。
  At　Rome　there　was　a　monastery　of　Saxon　monks；　and
  through　them　they　would　be　able　to　obtain　full　information
  as　to　the　doings　and　whereabouts　of　the　squadron　of　Hasting。
  Scarcely　were　they　through　the　straits　than　the　wind；
  veering　to　the　south…east；　prevented　them　from　making　the
  course　they　had　fixed　upon；　but　they　were　able　to　coast　along
  by　the　shore　of　Spain。　They　put　into　several　small　ports　as
  they　cruised　up；　but　could　obtain　no　intelligence　of　the　Danes；
  being　unable　to　converse　except　by　signs。
  When　they　reached　Marseilles　they　were　pleased　to　meet
  with　Franks；　with　whom　they　could　converse；　and　hired　a
  pilot　acquainted　with　the　coasts　of　the　Mediterranean。　They
  learned　that　Hasting　and　his　fleet　had　harried　the　coasts　of
  Provence　and　Italy；　that　the　Genoese　galleys　had　had　several
  engagements　with　them；　but　had　been　worsted。
  The　Danish　fleet　was　now　off　the　coast　of　Sicily；　and
  the　Northmen　were　ravaging　that　rich　and　fertile　island。
  They　were　reported　to　have　even　threatened　to　ascend　the　Tiber
  and　to　burn　Rome。　Having　obtained　the　services　of　a　man
  who　spoke　both　the　Italian　and　Frankish　tongues；　Edmund
  started　again。　He　first　went　to　Genoa；　as　he　thought　that　the
  people　there　might　be　despatching　another　fleet　against　the
  Northmen　in　which　case　he　would　have　joined　himself　to
  them。　On　his　arrival　there　he　was　well　entertained　by　the
  Genoese　when　they　learned；　through　the　interpreter；　who
  they　were；　and　that　they　had　come　from　England　as　enemies
  of　the　Danes。
  Edmund　and　his　Saxons　were　much　surprised　at　the
  splendour　of　Genoa；　which　immensely　surpassed　anything
  they　had　hitherto　seen　in　the　magnificence　of　its　buildings；
  the　dress　and　appearance　of　its　inhabitants；　the　variety　of
  the　goods　displayed　by　the　traders；　and　the　wealth　and　luxury
  which　distinguished　it。　It　was　indeed　their　first　sight　of
  civilization；　and　Edmund　felt　how　vastly　behind　was　Northern
  Europe；　and　understood　for　the　first　time　Alfred's　extreme
  eagerness　to　raise　the　condition　of　his　people。　On　the　other
  hand；　the　Genoese　were　surprised　at　the　dress　and　appearance
  of　the　Saxons。
  The　crew　of　the　Dragon　were　picked　men；　and　their
  strength　and　stature；　the　width　of　their　shoulders；　and　the
  muscles　of　their　arms；　and；　above　all；　their　fair　hair　and　blue
  eyes；　greatly　astonished　the　Genoese。　Edmund　and　his　companions
  might　have　remained　in　Genoa　and　received　entertainment
  and　hospitality　from　its　people　for　a　long　time；　but
  after　a　stay　of　a　day　or　two；　and　having　obtained　the　various
  stores　necessary　for　their　voyage；　Edmund　determined　to
  proceed。　Three　of　the　young　Genoese　nobles；　fired　by　the
  story　which　they　heard　of　the　adventures　which　the　Dragon
  had　gone　through；　and　desirous　of　taking　part　in　any　action
  which　she　might　fight　against　the　Danes；　begged　leave　to
  accompany　them。
  Edmund　gladly　acceded　to　the　request；　as　their　presence
  would　be　of　great　utility　in　other　ports　at　which　the
  Dragon　might　touch。　At　Genoa　Edmund　procured　garments
  for　his　men　similar　to　those　worn　by　the　Italian　soldiers　and
  sailors；　and　here　he　sold　to　the　gold　and　silversmiths　a　large
  number　of　articles　of　value　which　they　had　captured　from
  the　Danes；　or　with　which　the　Count　Eudes　and　the　people　of
  Paris　had　presented　them。
  The　Dragon　differed　but　little　in　appearance　from　the
  galleys　of　the　Genoese；　and　Edmund　determined　when　he
  approached　the　shores　where　the　Northmen　were　plundering
  to　pass　as　a　Genoese　ship；　for　should　the　news　come　to
  Sweyn's　ears　that　a　Saxon　galley　was　in　the　Mediterranean　it
  might　put　him　on　his　guard；　as　he　would　believe　that　she　was
  special