y won his way, until at Hafrsfirth he finally
crushed all effective opposition. But the discontented, "and they were a
great multitude," fled oversea to the outlands, Iceland, the Faroes, the
Orkneys, and Ireland. The whole coast of Europe, even to Greece and the
shores of the Black Sea, the northern shores of Africa, and the western
part of Asia, felt the effects also. Rolf Pad-th'-hoof, son of Harold's
dear friend Rognvald, made an outlaw for a cattle-raid within the bounds
of the kingdom, betook himself to France, and, with his men, founded a
new people and a dynasty.

Iceland had been known for a good many years, but its only dwellers had
been Irish Culdees, who sought that lonely land to pray in peace. Now,
however, both from Norway and the Western Isles settlers began to come
in. Aud, widow of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, came, bringing with
her many of mixed blood, for the Gaedhil (pronounced "Gael", Irish) and
the Gaill (pronounced "Gaul", strangers) not only fought furiously, but
made friends firmly, and often intermarried. Indeed, the Westmen were
among the first arrivals, and took the best parts of the island--on its
western shore, appropriately enough. After a time the Vikings who had
settled in the Isles so worried Harold and his kingdom, upon which they
swooped every other while, that he drew together a mighty force, and
fell upon them wheresoever he could find them, and followed them up with
fire and sword; and this he did twice, so that in those lands none could
abide but folk who were content to be his men, however lightly they
might hold their allegiance. Hence it was to Iceland that all turned
who held to the old ways, and for over sixty years from the first comer
there was a stream of hardy men pouring in, with their families and
their belongings, simple yeomen, great and warwise chieftains, rich
landowners, who had left their land "for the overbearing of King
Harold," as the "Landnamabok" (7) has it. "There also we shall escape
the troubling of kings and scoundrels", says the "Vatsdaelasaga". So
much of the best blood left Norway that the king tried to stay the leak
by fines and punishments, but in vain.

As his ship neared the shore, the new-coming chief would leave it to
the gods as to where he settled. The hallowed pillars of the high seat,
which were carried away from his old abode, were thrown overboard, with
certain rites, and were let drive with wind and wave until they came
ashore. The p