Where did they come from ?" "Alfred, our king, planned them," said Odda, with much pride; "and they were built by our own men, working under Frisian shipwrights, in Plymouth." "How will you like to command one of these, Thord ?" I asked then.
"I like the ship well enough.

The crew is bad.

And then, whose command is the fleet under ?" "Take the ship, Thord, and lick my crew into shape; and Ranald, your king, shall command the fleet," Odda said plainly.
"Fair and softly," said Thord bluntly.

"I can do the two things you ask me; but will your men follow Ranald ?" "Faith," said Odda, "if I say they are to do so, they must." So in the end I left Thord and my seamen with Odda; but I would not take his place, only saying that I would lead the Norsemen, and that he could follow our plans.

I would put more good men into each of his five ships, and they should do what they could.