Anakol and his men saw some men rowing from the borg[406] and landing at the river-mouth.[407] Then they saw a man riding from the borg, and another walking, whom they recognised to be Eirík. Then they divided themselves into two parties. Ten went along the river down to the sea, to prevent them from getting to the boat; other ten went to the hamlet. Eirík came a short time before them to the hamlet, and walked towards the drinking-hall. Then he heard armed men moving about, and ran into the hall, and out through another door, and down to his boat; but there he came upon men who seized him, and brought him out to the Islands to Earl Erlend. Then messengers were sent to Earl Harald to tell him that Eirík would not be liberated until Arnfinn and his companions came safe to Erlend. And the wishes of both were complied with.
THE RECONCILIATION OF THE EARLS HARALD AND ERLEND.
IN the spring Earl Harald prepared to go from Caithness north to Hjaltland. His intention was to take the life of Erlend Ungi, who had wooed his mother Margarét, although the Earl (Harald) had refused him. Then Erlend gathered men together, and carried her off from the Orkneys, and took her north to Hjaltland, took up his residence in Moseyarborg,[408] and made great preparations (for defence). When the Earl (Harald) came to Hjaltland, he besieged the borg, and cut off all communication; but it was difficult to take it by assault, and men went between them and tried to reconcile them. Erlend asked the Earl to give him the woman in marriage, and in return he offered to assist the Earl, saying it was of greater consequence for him to recover his dominions than this, and it would be advisable for him to make as many friends as he could. Many spoke in favour of Erlend’s proposal; and the result was that they made peace, and Erlend married Margarét. Then he became an ally of Earl Harald, and during the summer they both went east to Norway.
When these tidings came to Orkney, Earl Erlend and his men laid their plans. Swein counselled to go on a harrying raid to obtain booty. This they did, and went south to Breidafiord,[409] and made inroads on the east of Scotland. They went south to Beruvík (Berwick-on-Tweed). There was a man named Knút the wealthy, who was a merchant, and always resided in Beruvík. Swein and Erlend seized a large and fine vessel belonging to Knút. On board was a valuable cargo, and Knút’s wife. Then they sailed south to Bl['y]hólmar.[410] Knút was at Beruvík when he heard of the plunder. He induced the Beruvík men for a hundred marks of silver to try to recover the goods. Of those who went in pursuit most were merchants. They went in fourteen ships to search for them. When Earl Erlend and Swein were lying under Bl['y]hólmar, Swein said in the night that they should sleep without awnings, saying that he expected that the Beruvík men might come upon them during the night in great numbers. A gale was blowing, and no heed was paid to Swein’s words, and they slept under the awnings, except in Swein’s ship, where there was no awning abaft the mast. Swein was sitting on a chest in a fur coat, saying that he wished to be ready during the night.