Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/34

 24} EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. better rule of faith and life among his people- Sigurd, Jarl of Lade, his wise counsellor in all these matters, is also a man worthy of notice. Hakon's arrangements against the continual invasions of Eric's sons, with Danish Blue-tooth backing them, were manifold, and for a long time successful. He appointed, after consultation and consent in the various Things, so many war-ships, fully manned and ready, to be famished instantly on the King's demand by each province or fjord ; watch- fires, on fit places, from hill to hill all along the coast, were to be carefully set up, carefully maintained in readiness, and kindled on any alarm of war. By such methods Blue-tooth and Co.'s invasions were for a long while triumphantly, and even rapidly, one and all of them, beaten back, till at length they seemed as if intending to cease altogether, and leave Hakon alone of them. But such was not their issue after all. The sons of Eric had only abated under constant discouragement, had not finally left ofi" from what seemed their one great feasibility in life. Gunhild, their mother, was still with them : a most contriving, fierce-minded, irreconcilable woman, dili-