therein told
unto the Earl how that the fleet of the King of the Danes lay in the
haven even right over ahead of their way.

So the Earl ordered sails to be lowered, and rowed they in under that
island. Thus saith Halldor the Unchristened:

'With ships one more than seventy
Came the lord of Eynafylki from the south;
His sword he dyed in warfare
When the Earl the ships of Skani called out to battle.
Quickly then the peace was broken 'twixt the men.'

|| Now it will be marked that, according unto the bard, were the ships of
King Olaf & Earl Sigvaldi seventy-one in number what time sailed they
from the south.

|| Now lying there were Svein, the King of the Danes, Olaf the King of
the Swedes, and Earl Eirik, with all the might of their fleet, and fair
weather was with them with bright sunshine. Went up to the islet all the
chieftains with a large company of men, and spied they thence that a
many ships were sailing together out at sea.

And they beheld a large ship and brave sailing, and said both the Kings:
'There goes a great ship, passing fair, none other can this be save only
the "Long Serpent."'

Then made Earl Eirik answer, saying: 'That is not the "Long Serpent."'

And it was as he opined, for this ship belonged to Eindrid of Gimsar.
A while later saw they yet another ship sailing, much greater than the
first, and then spake King Svein: 'Afeard is Olaf Tryggvason, for he
dareth not sail with the head upon his ship.' Then said Earl Eirik:
'That is not the King's ship; that ship and the sail thereof know I, for
the sail is a striped one; Erling Skialgson it is who hath command
thereof.

Let them sail on! Better is it for us that this ship should be lacking
from Olaf's fleet, so well appointed is it.' A while later saw they and
recognized the ships of Sigvaldi the Earl, and one of them also was
great.

Then spake King Svein and bade them go to their ships; for, said he,
there sails the 'Long Serpent'; but Earl Eirik called out, 'Many more
ships and fine ones have they besides the 'Long Serpent,' let us bide a
while.'

Then many of the men fell to talking, & they said: 'Eirik the Earl will
not fight to avenge his father. Shame, shame is it, & throughout all the
land will it be heard, if we lie here with so great a fleet & let King
Olaf sail out to sea on our very flank.' But after they had been talking
thus a while saw they that four more ships came sailing by, and one of
these was a dragon,