arried there and all about the
firths of Scotland: against these went Thrand and Onund, and heard
that they had sailed to that island, which is called Bute. Now Onund
and his folk came there with five ships; and when the vikings see
their ships and know how many they are, they deem they have enough
strength gathered there, and take their weapons and lay their ships in
the midst betwixt two cliffs, where was a great and deep sound; only
on one side could they be set on, and that with but five ships at
once. Now Onund was the wisest of men, and bade lay five ships up into
the sound, so that he and his might have back way when they would, for
there was plenty of sea-room astern. On one board of them too was a
certain island, and under the lee thereof he let one ship lie, and his
men brought many great stones forth on to the sheer cliffs above, yet
might not be seen withal from the ships.

Now the vikings laid their ships boldly enough for the attack, and
thought that the others quailed; and Vigbiod asked who they were that
were in such jeopardy. Thrand said that he was the brother of Eyvind
the Eastman, "and here beside me is Onund Treefoot my fellow."

Then laughed the vikings, and shouted--

"Treefoot, Treefoot, foot of tree,
Trolls take thee and thy company."

"Yea, a sight it is seldom seen of us, that such men should go into
battle as have no might over themselves."

Onund said that they could know nought thereof ere it were tried; and
withal they laid their ships alongside one of the other, and there
began a great fight, and either side did boldly. But when they came
to handy blows, Onund gave back toward the cliff, and when the vikings
saw this, they deemed he was minded to flee, and made towards his
ship, and came as nigh to the cliff as they might. But in that very
point of time those came forth on to the edge of the cliff who were
appointed so to do, and sent at the vikings so great a flight of
stones that they might not withstand it.

Then fell many of the viking-folk, and others were hurt so that they
might not bear weapon; and withal they were fain to draw back, and
might not, because their ships were even then come into the narrowest
of the sound, and they were huddled together both by the ships and the
stream; but Onund and his men set on fiercely, whereas Vigbiod was,
but Thrand set on Vestmar, and won little thereby; so, when the folk
were thinned on Vigbiod's ship, Onund's men and Onund himself