There were other doors in the side of the hall, but they were high up, and reached by ladders; and there seemed to be only one more gate in the stockade, leading landward, and both were such as might not easily be broken down, when once they were closed and barred with the square logs that stood beside the entrances ready.

And all the windows of the hall were very high up and narrow, and the roof was timbered, not thatched.
This was the strongest house that I had ever seen, and I said to Raud as I looked at it: "This place is built to stand some fierce fighting.

What need have you of such strength ?" He laughed, and answered: "Why, much need indeed! For when the ships are gone a-viking we are weak in men, so needs must have strong walls to keep out all comers from over seas.

And we have an ill neighbour or two, who would fain share in our booty.

However, men know in Sweden, and Finmark, and Norway also, that it is ill meddling with Jarl Ingvar and his brothers." We passed through the stockade gate, and went straight to the porch; all the woodwork of which was carved and gaily painted, and so were eaves and rafter ends and tie beams.
Two sturdy axemen stood at the doorway, and they spoke freely to the brothers, asking questions of us and of our tale.
Then roared the voice of Jarl Ingvar from within, bidding the men cease prating and bring us in, and so we entered.
A great fire burnt in the centre of the hall, and the smoke rose up and found its way out under the eaves; and there were skins and heads of wild beasts on the wall, amid which arms and armour hung everywhere, bright in the firelight.