This valuable piece of work contains 72 distinct scenes, 623 persons, 202 horses and mules, 55 dogs, 505 divers animals, 41 ships and boats, 49 trees—in all, 1,512 distinct objects. And well worth while, indeed, is a journey to Bayeux for the special object of seeing it. The historical part does not take up more than 11 inches; in the space above and below there is a border, where lions, birds, dragons and fantastic objects are represented. The most accurate work on it that has been published is ‘La Tapisserie de Bayeux, reproduction d’après nature en 79 planches photographiques, avec un texte historique, descriptif et antique, par Jules Comte, conservateur du dépôt légal au ministère de l’instruction publique et des beaux arts. Paris. J. Rothschild, éditeur, 13, Rue des Saints-Pères. 1878.’ Footnote 258: Eyrbyggja, 51. Footnote 259: Such expressions as “She was well versed in all kinds of accomplishments that belonged to women” are often used. (Heidarviga Saga, 21; Viglund, 17.) Footnote 260: 1 ell = 2 feet. Footnote 261: Half’s Saga, i. Footnote 262: Implies that her linen lay bleaching. Footnote 263: She was with child. Footnote 264: Looms can be seen in the Museum of Christiania, and were still in use a short time since in the neighbourhood of Bergen. Footnote 265: In the famous Bravalla and Dunheath battles, and in other cases, Amazons are mentioned; they are called Shield-maidens (_Skjald-mær_, pl. _Skjald-meyjar_). Footnote 266: Angantyr and his brothers were all very fierce tempered. CHAPTER XXII. EXERCISES—IDRÓTTIR. Bodily and mental exercises—Love of athletics—Jumping—Climbing—Popularity of wrestling—Different modes of wrestling—Running—Games of ball—Skin-pulling—Swimming—Some extraordinary feats in swimming—Webbing the fingers—Warlike exercises—Dexterity in the handling of weapons—Archery—Proficiency of chiefs in athletics and gymnastics. Bodily as well as mental exercises were known under the name of _Idróttir_. In no ancient records have we so many detailed accounts of games as we have in the Sagas. The education of the Northmen was thoroughly Spartan in its character. To this day the love of athletic games is one of the characteristics of their most direct descendants, the English people; and other countries have lately awakened to the importance of physical training. Their exercises or games may be classified under three heads. 1st. _Athletic_ games or gymnastic exercises, such as wrestling, swimming, running, jumping, leaping, balancing, climbing, playing at ball, racing on snow-shoes, skin-pulling, &c., &c. 2nd. _Warlike_ exercises with weapons, which embraced fencing, spear-throwing, arrow-shooting, slinging, &c., &c. 3rd. _Mental_ exercises, consisting of poetry, Saga-telling, riddles, games of chess and draughts, and harp-playing.