There was a very swift cutter belonging to the Norsemen, and as
night fell I sent her on to keep watch along the shore for the
first coming of the Danes, while we shortened sail; for the mouth
of Poole Harbour was not far distant, and if we passed that we
should be seen, and perhaps it would be guessed that we were not a
friendly fleet. Towards evening, too, the wind shifted, and blew
more off the shore, and that might bring them out from their haven.
Kolgrim, who was weather wise, said that a shift of wind to the
southward was coming presently.

When morning came, the high cliffs of Swanage were on our bow, the
wind was yet steady from off shore, and beyond the headland lay
Poole Harbour, at whose head is Wareham, where the Danes were. It
is a great sea inlet with a narrow mouth, and one must have water
enough on a rising tide to enter it. Now the ebb was running, and
if the Danes came this morning, it would be soon.

They came, as it seemed, for the cutter was flying back to us under
sail and oars; and before she reached us, the first Danish ships
were clear of the Swanage headlands, making for the offing. Then I
got my ships into line abreast, and Thord worked up Odda's five
alongside us to seaward; and all the while the Danish sails hove
into sight in no sort of order, and seeming so sure that none but
friends could be afloat that they paid no heed to us.

Soon there were full a hundred vessels of all sorts off Swanage
point, and the cutter brought word that there were but twenty more.
Then I ran up my fighting flag, and everywhere along our line rose
a great cheering as we hoisted sail and sped down on the foe. It