In the year 861 the Danes, who had lately burned the town of Terouanne, came back under their chief Weland from the country of the Angles with more than 200 ships. In the year 865, from Attigny Charles marched an army against the Northmen, who had entered the Seine with 500 ships. (We find at the same time Northmen on the Loire.) Footnote 150: This means actually 1,440, as every hundred was equal to 120. Footnote 151: Unfortunately some of the facts which we would like to know are missing in the Northern records in regard to the size of the fleet which came to England, with the son of Ragnar Lodbrok; but from what old English chronicles tell us, and from the depredations committed by them, we may assume that their number must have been very great. The same may also be said about the fleets of Svein and Knut. Footnote 152: Cf. also Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga, i. 89; Fornmanna Sögur. CHAPTER XI. MODE OF NAVAL WARFARE OF THE NORTHMEN. Sea fights—Standard and shield burgh—Method of fighting—Use of grappling irons—Choice of the crew—Boarding of ships—Battle at the river Helga—Custom of strengthening ships’ sides before a combat—Rowers protected by shields—Use of stones as weapons—Harbours protected by cables—The war levy. From the numerous sea-fights described in the Sagas, we see that the most important and decisive part of the struggle took place near the prow and stem of the ship. Here the strongest and most valiant men were always stationed,[153] among them the standard-bearer of the chief or king, round whom they were ranged in battle order, and formed the _skjald-borg_ (shieldburg). “During the winter King Harald had a large dragon made and fitted out very splendidly. He placed on it his hird and Berserks. The stem defenders were the most carefully selected, for they had the king’s standard. That part aft of the prow near the pumping-room (_austr-rum_) was called rausn (forecastle). It was manned with Berserks. Only those who surpassed others in strength and bravery and all kinds of skill got into the hird of King Harald. Only with such men was his ship manned, and he had then a large choice of hirdmen out of every Fylki” (Harald Fairhair’s Saga, c. 9). In a sea-fight between Hakon Herdibreid and King Ingi: “Hakon went on board the east voyage[154] Knörr, and a shieldburgh was put round him there, but his standard remained on board the longship where he had been.”[155]