r
they should not all, as one man, leap down into the frozen gulfs and
precipices, or at once massacre one another wholly, and so finish. Of
their conduct in battle, fiercer than that of _Baresarks_, where was
there ever seen the parallel? In truth they are a dim strange object to
one, in that black time; wondrously bringing light into it withal; and
proved to be, under such unexpected circumstances, the beginning of
better days!

Of Sverrir's public speeches there still exist authentic specimens;
wonderful indeed, and much characteristic of such a Sverrir. A
comb-maker King, evidently meaning several good and solid things;
and effecting them too, athwart such an element of Norwegian
chaos-come-again. His descendants and successors were a comparatively
respectable kin. The last and greatest of them I shall mention is Hakon
VII., or Hakon the Old; whose fame is still lively among us, from the
Battle of Largs at least.

CHAPTER XV. HAKON THE OLD AT LARGS.

In the Norse annals our famous Battle of Largs makes small figure, or
almost none at all among Hakon's battles and feats. They do say indeed,
these Norse annalists, that the King of Scotland, Alexander III. (who
had such a fate among the crags about Kinghorn in time coming), was
very anxious to purchase from King Hakon his sovereignty of the Western
Isles, but that Hakon pointedly refused; and at length, being again
importuned and bothered on the business, decided on giving a refusal
that could not be mistaken. Decided, namely, to go with a big
expedition, and look thoroughly into that wing of his Dominions; where
no doubt much has fallen awry since Magnus Barefoot's grand visit
thither, and seems to be inviting the cupidity of bad neighbors! "All
this we will put right again," thinks Hakon, "and gird it up into a safe
and defensive posture." Hakon sailed accordingly, with a strong fleet;
adjusting and rectifying among his Hebrides as he went long, and landing
withal on the Scotch coast to plunder and punish as he thought fit.
The Scots say he had claimed of them Arran, Bute, and the Two Cumbraes
("given my ancestors by Donald Bain," said Hakon, to the amazement
of the Scots) "as part of the Sudoer" (Southern Isles):--so far from
selling that fine kingdom!--and that it was after taking both Arran and
Bute that he made his descent at Largs.

Of Largs there is no mention whatever in Norse books. But beyond any
doubt, such is the other evidence, Hakon did land the