Ossian Collection > Fingal of Ossian

i6o F I N G A L. Book III.
The dark-brown Starno (who with outward Smiles
60 Of feeming Friendfliip cloak'd his fecret Wiles)
At his Arrival took him by the Hand,
And faid, Thrice welcome to our woody Land :
And ye his brave Companions welcome too !
You all fhall meet with every Honour due :
Three
polifhed Nations, fubfilting in thofe Days, durft have done) in fmall Craft
of rude Conftrudtion, which they managed with great Dexterity. The
Keels and Kelfons of their Long-boats, for their Veflcls deferved not the
Name of Ships, were formed of flight Materials : the Hull was made of
Wicker covered with raw Hides. Each End of the Veflel terminated in a
fharp Beak, and it was rowed indifcriminately either Way. They iifed
Oars for the mod Part, though they were not unacquainted with the Sail ;
and they fl<immed along the Water with amazing Facility and Expedition.
The Size of thofe Vefiels muft have been greater than is generally fuppofed,
for the Saxon Auxiliaries of Vortigern tranfported themfelves in three of
them from Germany to Britain; and as it would have been otherwife im-
poflible for them to live at Sea, it is probable feme of thofe Boats were
accommodated with flight Decks. It is highly probable that the Northern
Inhabitants of Europe failed, in a very early Period, in Vefiels of a larger
Size and better Conftruftion than thofe we have been here defcribing.
The Siciones, or ancient Scandinavians, had their Fleets in the Days of
S'acilus', and before the Time of 'the elder Pliny, the Northern Nations
Jiot only ventured into the tempeftuous Seas of Norway, but even pafled
over into Th^le, which the Learned fuppofe to be the fame with the
modern