nd
money. Erling Skjalgson perceived this, and sailed after him with a
great force and many ships. Swiftly their vessels flew, for they had
nothing on board but men and arms: but Erling's ship went much faster
than the others; therefore he took in a reef in the sails, and waited
for the other vessels. Then the king saw that Erling with his fleet
gained upon him fast; for the king's ships were heavily laden, and were
besides water-soaked, having been in the sea the whole summer, autumn,
and winter, up to this time. He saw also that there would be a great
want of men, if he should go against the whole of Erling's fleet when it
was assembled. He hailed from ship to ship the orders to let the sails
gently sink, and to unship the booms and outriggers, which was done.
When Erling saw this he calls out to his people, and orders them to get
on more sail. "Ye see," says he, "that their sails are diminishing, and
they are getting fast away from our sight." He took the reef out of the
sails of his ship, and outsailed all the others immediately; for Erling
was very eager in his pursuit of King Olaf.

186. OF ERLING SKJALGSON'S FALL.

King Olaf then steered in towards the Bokn fjord, by which the ships
came out of sight of each other. Thereafter the king ordered his men
to strike the sails, and row forwards through a narrow sound that was
there, and all the ships lay collected within a rocky point. Then all
the king's men put on their weapons. Erling sailed in through the sound,
and observed nothing until the whole fleet was before him, and he saw
the king's men rowing towards him with all their ships at once. Erling
and his crew let fall the sails, and seized their weapons; but the
king's fleet surrounded his ship on all sides. Then the fight began, and
it was of the sharpest; but soon the greatest loss was among Erling's
men. Erling stood on the quarter-deck of his ship. He had a helmet on
his head, a shield before him, and a sword in his hand. Sigvat the skald
had remained behind in Viken, and heard the tidings. He was a great
friend of Erling, had received presents from him, and had been at his
house. Sigvat composed a poem upon Erling's fall, in which there is the
following verse:--

"Erling has set his ship on sea--
Against the king away is he:
He who oft lets the eagle stain
Her yellow feet in blood of slain.
His little war-ship side by side
With the king's fleet, the fray will bide.