HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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form the best evidence that can now be collected. On board each vessel, fourhorse soldiers, with their horses, arms, and accoutrements, together with tenfoot, were embarked; so that the army, which consisted of the flower of theDanish troops, was considered as equal to the task of coping with its antago-nists. The event proved that this opinion had not been hastily or extravagantlyformed. The Vandals were not only driven back, and compelled to submissionin their own territory, but the inhabitants of the island of Rugen, who hadrenounced the Christian religion, supported the Vandal Cause, and committedvarious acts of piracy against the Danes themselves, were compelled to sur-render on such terms as Eric thought proper to impose. The conditions were,however, ill observed, and a second rebellion of the Rugenites naturally pro-duced a second punishment similar to the first.

Soon as this dispute was settled, Eric made a still farther augmentation ofhis naval force, and invaded Norway in favour of Harold. He succeeded inplacing the latter on the throne, but completely sullied the glory of his victoryby the unheard of cruelties which he exercised towards the prince Magnus,whom he vanquished. A variety of naval expeditions were at very short inter-vals set on foot, subsequent to this time, against the Vandals and others, butnone of them are marked with sufficient variety to require, or merit any parti-cular notice. One circumstance, however, may stand as an exception to sosummary an account: the Vandals having about the year 1158 renewed theirincursions, a fleet was sent against them under the command of the bishop, of Ros-child : that of his antagonists proving however superior, and amounting to noless than two hundred and sixty vessels, which are denominated stout ships,the venerable admiral was under the necessity of waiting for a reinforcementere he ventured to attack them. After some delays and losses by tempests, anengagement took place, which proved favourable to the naval reputation of thereverend commander, and to the cause of Denmark, the Vandals being com-pletely routed. Peace was, notwithstanding this victory, an event little to beexpected from such restless spirits as the Vandal aggressors were. Even thedeath of their prince, who fell on a renewal of the contest, proved not so suffi-cient a check to their fury, as ensured quietude ; but wars were made, andpeace concluded, without affording any occurrences or information in thesmallest degree interesting, and without the other countries of Europe beingconcerned, or not unfrequently, perhaps, totally unacquainted with either ofthose occurrences having taken place.

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