swift arrows. Then Kenric knew that there was to
be no chance of a peaceful parley, and he made no more ado but drew his
galleys inshore, and bidding his men crouch down in the shelter of their
bulwarks he assailed the islanders with such volleys of well-directed
arrows that they soon began to retreat towards their stronghold, leaving
several dead and wounded lying upon the beach.

It so chanced that the island was at that time but ill protected, for
Earl Sweyn had gone on a roving cruise upon the seas, leaving a weakened
garrison to defend his people. By what means the remaining islanders had
so promptly prepared themselves for the arrival of the invaders Kenric
did not pause to conjecture, but that they had been warned of his coming
he could not doubt. Had he by chance caught sight of young Harald of
Islay standing apart on the heights the matter had needed no deep
questioning. For that young viking had lost no time in crossing over to
Colonsay, and though the lord of the island was absent he nevertheless
warned the garrison that Kenric of Bute, with a squadron of twelve
galleys, was about to make a raid upon their island, and that it behoved
them to make speedy preparations to resist him.

His landing being now possible, owing to the retreat of the defenders,
Kenric ordered two score of men from each of his ships to take their
arms and follow him ashore. With two hundred and forty men-at-arms he
then landed. His own retainers of Bute formed in a compact body upon the
strand, and led by himself and Duncan Graham they at once marched
towards the castle. But John Dornoch's men of Galloway waited not to
give order to their ranks, neither stayed they for the word of command
from Kenric, but rushed in hot pursuit of the islanders through the
little street of their village.

Now the wild Scots of Galloway, whom Alexander had sent as a
contribution to the forces, were as yet little known to Kenric, and he
was not long in discovering that he might have done far better without
them. They had joined the expedition with minds bent upon pillage and
slaughter. They were by nature a people of wild and ferocious habits, a
fierce and ungovernable set of men who fought half naked, and were wont
to commit acts of untold cruelty upon the inhabitants of the countries
they invaded. Also, as both Sir Piers de Currie and Kenric discovered to
their cost, they were never content but in leading the van in battle.

Ere Kenric and his well-or