Sailing Onwards

: WILD ENGLAND

When Felix awoke, he knew at once by the height of the sun that the

morning was far advanced. Throwing off his cloak, he stood up, but

immediately crouched down again, for a vessel was passing but a short

distance from the shore, and nearly opposite his encampment. She had two

masts, and from the flags flying, the numerous bannerets, and the

movements of so many men on board, he knew her to be a ship of war. He

was anx
ous that he should not be seen, and regretted that his canoe was

so much exposed, for the bush by which he had landed hid it only from

one side. As the shore was so bare and open, if they looked that way the

men on board would hardly fail to see it, and might even distinguish

him. But whether they were too much engaged with their own affairs, or

kept a careless look-out, no notice appeared to be taken, no boat was

lowered.



He watched the war-ship for nearly an hour before he ventured to move.

Her course was to the eastward, inside the fringe of islands. That she

was neither Irish nor Welsh he was certain from her build and from her

flags; they were too distant for the exact designs upon them to be seen,

but near enough for him to know that they were not those displayed by

the foreigners. She sailed fast, having the wind nearly aft, which

suited her two square sails.



The wind had risen high during the night, and now blew almost a gale, so

that he saw he must abandon for the present his project of sailing out

upon the open water. The waves there would be too high for his canoe,

which floated low in the water, and had but about six inches freeboard.

They would wash over and possibly swamp her. Only two courses were open

to him: either to sail inside the islands under shelter of the land, or

to remain where he was till the breeze moderated. If he sailed inside

the islands, following the northward course of the merchant vessel he

had observed the previous evening, that would carry him past Eaststock,

the eastern port of Sypolis, which city, itself inland, had two

harbours, with the western of which (Weststock) it had communication by

water.



Should he continue to sail on, he would soon reach that part of the

northern continent which was occupied by the Irish outposts. On the

other hand, to follow the war-ship, east by south, would, he knew, bring

him by the great city of Aisi, famous for its commerce, its riches, and

the warlike disposition of its king, Isembard. He was the acknowledged

head of the forces of the League; but yet, with the inconsistency of the

age, sometimes attacked other members of it. His furious energy was

always disturbing the world, and Felix had no doubt he was now at war

with some one or other, and that the war-ship he had seen was on its way

to assist him or his enemies. One of the possibilities which had

impelled him to this voyage was that of taking service with some king or

commander, and so perhaps gradually rising himself to command.



Such adventures were very common, knights often setting forth upon such

expeditions when dissatisfied with their own rulers, and they were

usually much welcomed as an addition to the strength of the camp they

sought. But there was this difference: that such knights carried with

them some substantial recommendation, either numerous retainers well

armed and accustomed to battle, considerable treasure, or at least a

reputation for prowess in the field. Felix had nothing to offer, and for

nothing nothing is given.



The world does not recognise intrinsic worth, or potential genius.

Genius must accomplish some solid result before it is applauded and

received. The unknown architect may say: "I have a design in my mind for

an impregnable castle." But the world cannot see or appreciate the mere

design. If by any personal sacrifice of time, dignity, or self-respect

the architect, after long years, can persuade someone to permit him to

build the castle, to put his design into solid stone which squadrons may

knock their heads against in vain, then he is acknowledged. There is

then a tangible result.



Felix was in the position of the architect. He believed he had ideas,

but he had nothing substantial, no result, to point to. He had therefore

but little hope of success, and his natural hauteur and pride revolted

against making application for enrolment which must be accompanied with

much personal humiliation, since at best he could but begin in the

common ranks. The very idea of asking was repugnant to him. The thought

of Aurora, however, drew him on.



The pride was false, he said to himself, and arose from too high an

estimate of his abilities; or it was the consequence of living so long

entirely secluded from the world. He acknowledged to himself that he had

not been beaten down to his level. Full of devotion to Aurora, he

resolved to humble himself, to seek the humblest service in King

Isembard's camp, to bow his spirit to the orders of men above him in

rank but below him in birth and ability, to submit to the numberless

indignities of a common soldier's life.



He proceeded to launch the canoe, and had already placed the chest on

board when it occurred to him that the difficulties he had encountered

the previous evening, when his canoe was so nearly lost, arose from his

ignorance of the channels. It would be advisable to ascend the hill, and

carefully survey the coast as far as possible before setting forth. He

did so. The war-ship was still visible from the summit, but while he

looked she was hidden by the intervening islands. The white foam and

angry appearance of the distant open water direct to the eastward,

showed how wise he had been not to attempt its exploration. Under the

land the wind was steady; yonder, where the gale struck the surface with

all its force, the waves were large and powerful.



From this spot he could see nearly the whole length of the strait, and,

gazing up it in the direction he had come, he saw some boats crossing in

the distance. As they moved so slowly, and appeared so broad, he

conjectured that they were flat-bottomed punts, and, straining his eyes,

he fancied he detected horses on board. He watched four cross, and

presently the first punt returned, as if for another freight. He now

noticed that there was a land route by which travellers or waggons came

down from the northward, and crossed the strait by a ferry. It appeared

that the ferry was not in the narrowest part of the strait, but nearer

its western mouth, where the shores were flat, and covered with reeds

and flags. He wondered that he had not seen anything of the

landing-places, or of the ferry-boats, or some sign of this traffic when

he passed, but concluded that the track was hidden among the dense

growth of reed and flag, and that the punts, not being in use that day,

had been drawn up, and perhaps covered with green boughs to shelter them

from the heat of the summer sun.



The fact of this route existing, however, gave additional importance to

the establishment of a fort on the shore of the strait, as he had so

long contemplated. By now, the first punt had obtained another load, and

was re-crossing the channel. It was evident that a caravan of travellers

or merchants had arrived, such persons usually travelling in large

bodies for safety, so that the routes were often deserted for weeks

together, and then suddenly covered with people. Routes, indeed, they

were, and not roads; mere tracks worn through the forest and over the

hills, often impassable from floods.



Still further satisfied that his original idea of a castle here was

founded on a correct estimate of the value of the spot, Felix resolved

to keep the conception to himself, and not again to hazard it to others,

who might despise him, but adopt his design. With one long last glance

at the narrow streak of water which formed the central part, as it were,

of his many plans, he descended the hill, and pushed off in the canoe.



His course this time gave him much less trouble than the day before,

when he had frequently to change his tack. The steady, strong breeze

came off the land, to which he was too close for any waves to arise, and

hour after hour passed without any necessity to shift the sail, further

than to ease or tighten the sheets as the course of the land varied. By

degrees the wind came more and more across his course, at right angles

to it, and then began to fall aft as he described an arc, and the land

projected northwards.



He saw several small villages on the shore, and passed one narrow bay,

which seemed, indeed, to penetrate into the land deeper than he could

actually see. Suddenly, after four or five hours, sailing, he saw the

tower of a church over the wooded hills. This he knew must indicate the

position of Aisi. The question now came, whether he should sail into the

harbour, when he would, of course, at once be seen, and have to undergo

the examination of the officers; or should he land, and go on foot to

the city? A minute's reflection assured him the latter was the better

plan, for his canoe was of so unusual a construction, that it would be

more than carefully examined, and not unlikely his little treasures

would be discovered and appropriated. Without hesitation, therefore, and

congratulating himself that there were no vessels in sight, he ran the

canoe on shore among the flags and reeds which bordered it.



He drew her up as far as his strength permitted, and not only took down

the sail, but unshipped the mast; then cutting a quantity of dead reeds,

he scattered them over her, so that, unless a boat passed very close to

the land, she would not be seen. While he had a meal he considered how

he had better proceed. The only arms with which he excelled were the bow

and arrow; clearly, therefore, if he wished an engagement, he should

take these with him, and exhibit his skill. But well he knew the utter

absence of law and justice except for the powerful. His bow, which he so

greatly valued, and which was so well seasoned, and could be relied

upon, might be taken from him.



His arrows, so carefully prepared from chosen wood, and pointed with

steel, might be seized. Both bow and arrows were far superior to those

used by the hunters and soldiery, and he dreaded losing them. There was

his crossbow, but it was weak, and intended for killing only small game,

as birds, and at short range. He could make no display with that. Sword

he had none for defence; there remained only his boar spear, and with

this he resolved to be content, trusting to obtain the loan of a bow

when the time came to display his skill, and that fortune would enable

him to triumph with an inferior weapon.



After resting awhile and stretching his limbs, cramped in the canoe, he

set out (carrying his boar-spear only) along the shore, for the thick

growth of the firs would not let him penetrate in the direction he had

seen the tower. He had to force his way through the reeds and flags and

brushwood, which flourished between the firs and the water's edge. It

was hard work walking, or rather pushing through these obstacles, and he

rejoiced when he emerged upon the slope of a down where there was an

open sward, and but a few scattered groups of firs. The fact of it being

open, and the shortness of the sward, showed at once that it was used

for grazing purposes for cattle and sheep. Here he could walk freely,

and soon reached the top. Thence the city was visible almost underneath

him.



It stood at the base of a low narrow promontory, which ran a long way

into the Lake. The narrow bank, near where it joined the mainland, was

penetrated by a channel or creek, about a hundred yards wide, or less,

which channel appeared to enter the land and was lost from sight of

among the trees. Beyond this channel a river ran into the lake, and in

the Y, between the creek and the river, the city had been built.



It was surrounded with a brick wall, and there were two large round

brick towers on the land side, which indicated the position of the

castle and palace. The space enclosed by the walls was not more than

half a mile square, and the houses did not occupy nearly all of it.

There were open places, gardens, and even small paddocks among them.

None of the houses were more than two storeys high, but what at once

struck a stranger was the fact that they were all roofed with red tiles,

most of the houses of that day being thatched or covered with shingles

of wood. As Felix afterwards learnt, this had been effected during the

reign of the present king, whose object was to protect his city from

being set on fire by burning arrows. The encircling wall had become a

dull red hue from the long exposure to the weather, but the roofs were a

brighter red. There was no ensign flying on either of the towers, from

which he concluded that the king at that moment was absent.



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