Indeed most of
them fell from the plank into the mud, where one stuck fast and was like
to drown, had not Kari rescued him, which his brethren were in too great
haste to do.
After they had gone Kari came and said that everything went well and
that henceforward I was not a man but the Spirit of the Sea come to
earth, such a spirit as had never been dreamed of even by the wizards.
Thus then did Hubert of Hastings become a god among those simple people,
who had never before so much as heard of a white man, or seen armour or
a sword of steel.
CHAPTER II
THE ROCKY ISLE
For another week or more I remained upon the _Blanche_ waiting till
my full strength returned, also because Kari said I must do so. When
I asked him why, he replied for the reason that he wished news of my
coming to spread far and wide throughout the land from one tribe to
another, which it would do with great swiftness, flying, as he put it,
like a bird. Meanwhile, every day I sat upon the poop in the armour for
an hour or more, and both these people and others from afar came to look
at me, bringing me presents in such quantity that we knew not what to do
with them.
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