Heraugiere remained on deck, and from time to time descended
to inform those below of the progress being made. It was slow
indeed, for a strong wind laden with sleet blew directly down the
river. Huge blocks of ice floated down, and the two boatmen with
their poles had the greatest difficulty in keeping the boat's head
up the stream.
At last the wind so increased that navigation became impossible,
and the barge was made fast against the bank. From Monday night
until Thursday morning the gale continued. Progress was impossible,
and the party cramped up in the hold suffered greatly from hunger
and thirst. On Thursday evening they could sustain it no longer and
landed. They were for a time scarce able to walk, so cramped were
their limbs by their long confinement, and made their way up painfully
to a fortified building called Nordand, standing far from any other
habitations. Here they obtained food and drink, and remained until
eleven at night. One of the boatmen came to them with news that the
wind had changed, and was now blowing in from the sea. They again
took their places on board, but the water was low in the river, and
it was difficult work passing the shallows, and it was not until
Saturday afternoon that they passed the boom below the town and
entered the inner harbour.
An officer of the guard came off in a boat and boarded the barge.
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