In the light skirmishing parties there were two things a brave hunter could aim at. He could keep well back and close to the long-ships where the hnakra was most likely to break out, or he could get as far forward as possible in the hope of meeting the hnakra going at its full speed and yet untroubled by the hunt, and of inducing it, by a well-aimed spear, to leave the current then and there.