dvice good, hoisted their sail, and in the
night-time took to the open sea with all speed. They did not stop until
they came to Farey, and home to Gata. Thrand was ill-pleased with their
voyage, and they did not answer him in a very friendly way; but they
remained at home, however, with Thrand. The morning after, King Olaf
heard of Sigurd's departure, and heavy reports went round about this
case; and there were many who believed that the accusation against
Sigurd was true, although they had denied and opposed it before the
king. King Olaf spoke but little about the matter, but seemed to know of
a certainty that the suspicion he had taken up was founded in truth. The
king afterwards proceeded in his progress, taking up his abode where it
was provided for him.

146. OF THE ICELANDERS.

King Olaf called before him the men who had come from Iceland, Thorod
Snorrason, Geller Thorkelson, Stein Skaptason, and Egil Halson, and
spoke to them thus:--"Ye have spoken to me much in summer about making
yourselves ready to return to Iceland, and I have never given you a
distinct answer. Now I will tell you what my intention is. Thee, Geller,
I propose to allow to return, if thou wilt carry my message there; but
none of the other Icelanders who are now here may go to Iceland before
I have heard how the message which thou, Geller, shalt bring thither has
been received."

When the king had made this resolution known, it appeared to those who
had a great desire to return, and were thus forbidden, that they were
unreasonably and hardly dealt with, and that they were placed in the
condition of unfree men. In the meantime Geller got ready for his
journey, and sailed in summer (A.D. 1026) to Iceland, taking with him
the message he was to bring before the Thing the following summer (A.D.
1027). The king's message was, that he required the Icelanders to adopt
the laws which he had set in Norway, also to pay him thane-tax and
nose-tax (1); namely, a penny for every nose, and the penny at the rate
of ten pennies to the yard of wadmal (2). At the same time he promised
them his friendship if they accepted, and threatened them with all his
vengeance if they refused his proposals.

The people sat long in deliberation on this business; but at last they
were unanimous in refusing all the taxes and burdens which were demanded
of them. That summer Geller returned back from Iceland to Norway to King
Olaf, and found him in autumn in the east in V