Chapter Chapter 5 · NOW THEY COME TO A NEW LAND

. NOW THEY COME TO A NEW LAND

Three days they drave before the wind, and on the fourth the clouds

lifted, the sun shone out and the offing was clear; the wind had much

abated, though it still blew a breeze, and was a head wind for sailing

toward the country of Langton. So then the master said that, since they

were bewildered, and the wind so ill to deal with, it were best to go

still before the wind that they might make some land and get knowledge of

their whereabouts from the folk thereof. Withal he said that he deemed

the land not to be very far distant.

So did they, and sailed on pleasantly enough, for the weather kept on

mending, and the wind fell till it was but a light breeze, yet still foul

for Langton.

So wore three days, and on the eve of the third, the man from the topmast

cried out that he saw land ahead; and so did they all before the sun was

quite set, though it were but a cloud no bigger than a man's hand.

When night fell they struck not sail, but went forth toward the land fair

and softly; for it was early summer, so that the nights were neither long

nor dark.

But when it was broad daylight, they opened a land, a long shore of rocks

and mountains, and nought else that they could see at first. Nevertheless

as day wore and they drew nigher, first they saw how the mountains fell

away from the sea, and were behind a long wall of sheer cliff; and coming

nigher yet, they beheld a green plain going up after a little in green

bents and slopes to the feet of the said cliff-wall.

No city nor haven did they see there, not even when they were far nigher

to the land; nevertheless, whereas they hankered for the peace of the

green earth after all the tossing and unrest of the sea, and whereas also

they doubted not to find at the least good and fresh water, and belike

other bait in the plain under the mountains, they still sailed on not

unmerrily; so that by nightfall they cast anchor in five-fathom water

hard by the shore.

Next morning they found that they were lying a little way off the mouth

of a river not right great; so they put out their boats and towed the

ship up into the said river, and when they had gone up it for a mile or

thereabouts they found the sea water failed, for little was the ebb and

flow of the tide on that coast. Then was the river deep and clear,

running between smooth grassy land like to meadows. Also on their left

board they saw presently three head of neat cattle going, as if in a

meadow of a homestead in their own land, and a few sheep; and thereafter,

about a bow-draught from the river, they saw a little house of wood and

straw-thatch under a wooded mound, and with orchard trees about it. They

wondered little thereat, for they knew no cause why that land should not

be builded, though it were in the far outlands. However, they drew their

ship up to the bank, thinking that they would at least abide awhile and

ask tidings and have some refreshing of the green plain, which was so

lovely and pleasant.

But while they were busied herein they saw a man come out of the house,

and down to the river to meet them; and they soon saw that he was tall

and old, long-hoary of hair and beard, and clad mostly in the skins of

beasts.

He drew nigh without any fear or mistrust, and coming close to them gave

them the sele of the day in a kindly and pleasant voice. The shipmaster

greeted him in his turn, and said withal: "Old man, art thou the king of

this country?"

The elder laughed; "It hath had none other a long while," said he; "and

at least there is no other son of Adam here to gainsay."

"Thou art alone here then?" said the master.

"Yea," said the old man; "save for the beasts of the field and the wood,

and the creeping things, and fowl. Wherefore it is sweet to me to hear

your voices."

Said the master: "Where be the other houses of the town?"

The old man laughed. Said he: "When I said that I was alone, I meant

that I was alone in the land and not only alone in this stead. There is

no house save this betwixt the sea and the dwellings of the Bears, over

the cliff-wall yonder, yea and a long way over it."

"Yea," quoth the shipmaster grinning, "and be the bears of thy country so

manlike, that they dwell in builded houses?"

The old man shook his head. "Sir," said he, "as to their bodily fashion,

it is altogether manlike, save that they be one and all higher and bigger

than most. For they be bears only in name; they be a nation of half wild

men; for I have been told by them that there be many more than that tribe

whose folk I have seen, and that they spread wide about behind these

mountains from east to west. Now, sir, as to their souls and

understandings I warrant them not; for miscreants they be, trowing

neither in God nor his hallows."

Said the master: "Trow they in Mahound then?"

"Nay," said the elder, "I wot not for sure that they have so much as a

false God; though I have it from them that they worship a certain woman

with mickle worship."

Then spake Walter: "Yea, good sir, and how knowest thou that? dost thou

deal with them at all?"

Said the old man: "Whiles some of that folk come hither and have of me

what I can spare; a calf or two, or a half-dozen of lambs or hoggets; or

a skin of wine or cyder of mine own making: and they give me in return

such things as I can use, as skins of hart and bear and other peltries;

for now I am old, I can but little of the hunting hereabout. Whiles,

also, they bring little lumps of pure copper, and would give me gold

also, but it is of little use in this lonely land. Sooth to say, to me

they are not masterful or rough-handed; but glad am I that they have been

here but of late, and are not like to come again this while; for terrible

they are of aspect, and whereas ye be aliens, belike they would not hold

their hands from off you; and moreover ye have weapons and other matters

which they would covet sorely."

Quoth the master: "Since thou dealest with these wild men, will ye not

deal with us in chaffer? For whereas we are come from long travel, we

hanker after fresh victual, and here aboard are many things which were

for thine avail."

Said the old man: "All that I have is yours, so that ye do but leave me

enough till my next ingathering: of wine and cyder, such as it is, I have

plenty for your service; ye may drink it till it is all gone, if ye will:

a little corn and meal I have, but not much; yet are ye welcome thereto,

since the standing corn in my garth is done blossoming, and I have other

meat. Cheeses have I and dried fish; take what ye will thereof. But as

to my neat and sheep, if ye have sore need of any, and will have them, I

may not say you nay: but I pray you if ye may do without them, not to

take my milch-beasts or their engenderers; for, as ye have heard me say,

the Bear-folk have been here but of late, and they have had of me all I

might spare: but now let me tell you, if ye long after flesh-meat, that

there is venison of hart and hind, yea, and of buck and doe, to be had on

this plain, and about the little woods at the feet of the rock-wall

yonder: neither are they exceeding wild; for since I may not take them, I

scare them not, and no other man do they see to hurt them; for the Bear-

folk come straight to my house, and fare straight home thence. But I

will lead you the nighest way to where the venison is easiest to be

gotten. As to the wares in your ship, if ye will give me aught I will

take it with a good will; and chiefly if ye have a fair knife or two and

a roll of linen cloth, that were a good refreshment to me. But in any

case what I have to give is free to you and welcome."

The shipmaster laughed: "Friend," said he, "we can thee mickle thanks for

all that thou biddest us. And wot well that we be no lifters or

sea-thieves to take thy livelihood from thee. So to-morrow, if thou

wilt, we will go with thee and upraise the hunt, and meanwhile we will

come aland, and walk on the green grass, and water our ship with thy good

fresh water."

So the old carle went back to his house to make them ready what cheer he

might, and the shipmen, who were twenty and one, all told, what with the

mariners and Arnold and Walter's servants, went ashore, all but two who

watched the ship and abode their turn. They went well-weaponed, for both

the master and Walter deemed wariness wisdom, lest all might not be so

good as it seemed. They took of their sail-cloths ashore and tilted them

in on the meadow betwixt the house and the ship, and the carle brought

them what he had for their avail, of fresh fruits, and cheeses, and milk,

and wine, and cyder, and honey, and there they feasted nowise ill, and

were right fain.