CHAPTER XLIII.-Beginning of the Battle with the The earls Hakon and Eirik lay in Halkelsvik, where all their forces were assembled. They had 150 ships, and they had heard that the Jomsborg vikings had come in from sea, and lay at the island Had; and they, in consequence, rowed out to seek them. When they reached a place called Hiorungavag they met each other, and both sides drew up their ships in line for an attack. Earl Sigvald's banner was displayed in the midst of his army, and right against it Earl Hakon arranged his force for attack. Earl Sigvald himself had 20 ships, but Earl Hakon had 60. In Earl Hakon's army were these chiefs,-Thorer Hiort* from Halogaland, and Styrkar from Gimsar. In the wing of the opposite array of the Jomsborg vikings was Bue the Thick, and his brother Sigurd, with 20 ships. Against him Earl Eirik laid himself with 60 ships; and with him were these chiefs,-Gudbrand Hvite from the Uplands, and Thorkel Leira from Viken. In the other wing of the Jomsborg vikings' array was Vagn Akason with 20 ships; and against him stood Svein the son of Hakon, in whose division was Skegge of Yrjar at Uphaug, and Ragnvald of Arvig at Stad, with 60 ships. It is told in the Eirik's lay thus :— "The bonde's ships along the coast Sailed on to meet the foemen's host; * In regard to Thorer Hjort, see chapter 65 and chapter 85. The stout earl's ships, with eagle flight, With the warm corpses of the slain." Eyvind Skaldaspiller says also in the " also in the "Haleygia-tal" : ""Twas at the peep of day,— Our brave earl led the way; For Yngve Frey's base foes: * Wished themselves home again." Then the fleets came together, and one of the sharpest of conflicts began. Many fell on both sides, but the most by far on Hakon's side; for the Jomsborg vikings fought desperately, sharply, and murderously, and shot right through the shields. So many spears were thrown against Earl Hakon that his armour was altogether split asunder, and he threw it off. So says Tind Halkelson † : "The ring-linked coat of strongest mail Could not withstand the iron hail, Though sewed with care and elbow bent, By Norn, on its strength intent. The fire of battle raged around,— Odin's steel shirt flew all unbound! *The Danes, being Christians, were particularly obnoxious to the heathen Norsemen and the skald.-L. + Eleven songs by Tind Halkelson are preserved in a manuscript of the Jomsvikinga Saga. Norn, one of the Fates, stands here for women, whose business it was to sew the rings of iron upon the cloth which made these ringmail coats or shirts. Some of these may be seen in the Museum of Northern Antiquities at Copenhagen. The needles, although some of them were of gold, appear to have been without eyes, and used like shoemakers' awls.-L. The earl his ring-mail from him flung, A part was kept, a proof to be CHAPTER XLIV.-Earl Sigvald's Flight. The Jomsborg vikings had larger and higher-sided ships; and both parties fought desperately. Vagn Akason laid his ship on board of Svein Earl Hakon's son's ship, and Svein allowed his ship to give way, and was on the point of flying. Then Earl Eirik came up, and laid his ship alongside of Vagn, and then Vagn gave way, and the ships came to lie in the same position as before. Thereupon Eirik goes to the other wing, which had gone back a little, and Bue had cut the ropes, intending to pursue them. Then Eirik laid himself, board to board, alongside of Bue's ship, and there was a severe combat hand to hand. or three of Eirik's ships then laid themselves upon Bue's single vessel. A thunder-storm came on at this moment, and such a heavy hail-storm that every hailstone weighed a pennyweight.* The Earl Sigvald cut his cable, turned his ship round, and took flight. Vagn Akason called to him not to fly; but as Earl Sigvald paid no attention to what he said, Vagn threw his spear at him, and hit the man at the helm. Earl Sigvald rowed away with 35 ships, leaving 25 of his fleet behind. * Eyri, a piece of money (öre), equal to an ounce weight.—L. Two CHAPTER XLV.-Bue Digre throws himself overboard. * Then Earl Hakon laid his ship on the other side of Bue's ship, and now came heavy blows on Bue's men. Vigfus, a son of Vigaglum, took up an anvil with a sharp end, which lay upon the deck, and on which a man had welded the hilt to his sword just before, and being a very strong man cast the anvil with both hands at the head of Aslak Holmskalle, and the end of it went into his brains. Before this no weapon could wound this Aslak, who was Bue's foster-brother, and forecastle commander, although he could wound right and left. Another man among the strongest and bravest was Havard Hogvande. In this attack Eirik's men boarded Bue's ship, and went aft to the quarter-deck where Bue stood. There Thorstein Midlang cut at Bue across his nose, so that the nose-piece of his helmet was cut in two, and he got a great wound; but Bue, in turn, cut at Thorstein's side, so that the sword cut the man through. Then Bue lifted up two chests full of gold, and called aloud, "Overboard all Bue's men," and threw himself overboard with his two chests. Many of his people sprang overboard with him. Some fell in the ship, for it was of no use to call for quarter. Bue's ship was cleared of people from stem to stern, and afterwards all the others, the one after the other. * This name Havard or Haavard, common among the Northmen, appears to be the English name Howard, and left by them in Northumberland and East Anglia.-L. VOL. II. I CHAPTER XLVI.-The Jomsborg Vikings bound together in one chain. Earl Eirik then laid himself alongside of Vagn's ship, and there was a brave defence; but at last this ship too was cleared, and Vagn and thirty men were taken prisoners, and bound, and brought to land. Then came up Thorkel Leira, and said, "Thou madest a solemn vow, Vagn, to kill me; but now it seems more likely that I will kill thee." Vagn and his men sat all upon a log of wood together. Thorkel had an axe in his hands, with which he cut at him who sat outmost on the log. Vagn and the other prisoners were bound so that a rope was fastened on their feet, but they had their hands free. One of them said, "I will stick this cloak-pin that I have in my hand into the earth, if it be so that I know anything, after my head is cut off." His head was cut off, but the cloak-pin fell from his hand. There sat also a very handsome man with long hair, who twisted his hair over his head, put out his neck, and said, "Don't make my hair bloody." A man took the hair in his hands and held it fast. Thorkel hewed with his axe; but the viking twitched his head so strongly that he who was holding his hair fell forwards, and the axe cut off both his hands, and stuck fast in the earth. Then Earl Eirik came up, and asked, "Who is that handsome man?" He replies, "I am called Sigurd, and am Bue's But are all the Jomsborg vikings dead?" son. |