ing
had sprung overboard, they tried to seize him with their hands, and
bring him to Earl Eirik; but King Olaf threw his shield over his head,
and sank beneath the waters. Kolbjorn held his shield behind him to
protect himself from the spears cast at him from the ships which lay
round the Serpent, and he fell so upon his shield that it came under
him, so that he could not sink so quickly. He was thus taken and brought
into a boat, and they supposed he was the king. He was brought before
the earl; and when the earl saw it was Kolbjorn, and not the king, he
gave him his life. At the same moment all of King Olaf's men who were
in life sprang overboard from the Serpent; and Thorkel Nefia, the king's
brother, was the last of all the men who sprang overboard. It is thus
told concerning the king by Halfred:--

"The Serpent and the Crane
Lay wrecks upon the main.
On his sword he cast a glance,--
With it he saw no chance.
To his marshal, who of yore
Many a war-chance had come o'er,
He spoke a word--then drew in breath,
And sprang to his deep-sea death."

ENDNOTES: (1) From the occasional descriptions of vessels in this and
other battles, it may be inferred that even the Long
Serpent, described in the 95th chapter as of 150 feet of
keel was only docked fore and aft; the thirty-four benches
for rowers occupying the open area in the middle, and
probably gangways running along the side for communicating
from the quarter-deck to the forcastle.--L.

122. REPORT AMONG THE PEOPLE.

Earl Sigvalde, as before related, came from Vindland, in company with
King Olaf, with ten ships; but the eleventh ship was manned with the men
of Astrid, the king's daughter, the wife of Earl Sigvalde. Now when King
Olaf sprang overboard, the whole army raised a shout of victory; and
then Earl Sigvalde and his men put their oars in the water and rowed
towards the battle. Haldor the Unchristian tells of it thus:--

"Then first the Vindland vessels came
Into the fight with little fame;
The fight still lingered on the wave,
Tho' hope was gone with Olaf brave.
War, like a full-fed ravenous beast,
Still oped her grim jaws for the feast.
The few who stood now quickly fled,
When the shout told--'Olaf is dead!'"

But the Vindland cutter, in which Astrid's men were, rowed back to
Vindland; and the report went immediately abroad and was