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.

46. 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 son. But are all the
Jomsborg vikings dead?"

Eirik says, "Thou art certainly Boe's son. Wilt thou now take life and
peace?"

"That depends," says he, "upon who it is that offers it."

"He offers who has the power to do it--Earl Eirik."

"That will I," says he, "from his hands." And now the rope was loosened
from him.

Then said Thorkel Leira, "Although thou should give all these men life
and peace, earl, Vagn Akason shall never come from this with life." And
he ran at him with uplifted axe; but the viking Skarde swung himself
in the rope, and let himself fall just before Thorkel's feet, so that
Thorkel ell over him, and Vagn caught the axe and gave Thorkel a
dea