The Norwegian account of Hacos expedition against Scotland, A.D. MCCLXIII | Page 8

fight, but he gave no explanation. Kolbein, therefore,
returned back to his Sovereign, who appeared but little satisfied with
his message; as is mentioned in the Ravens-ode.
12.
The Eastern Hero great in command, and ennobled by Victory,
repeatedly offered the decisive conflict of Javelins to the enemy. The
strangers, distrustful of their strength, risked not the combat against our
magnanimous Prince, wielder of the gleaming blade.

The truce was now declared to be totally ended. The King accordingly
sent sixty ships in to Loch-Long.[77] They were commanded by
Magnus King of Man, King Dugal,[78] and Allan his brother, Angus,
Margad, Vigleik Priestson and Ivar Holm. When they came into the
inlet they took their boats, and drew them[79] up to a great lake which
is called Loch-Lomond. On the far side round the lake was an Earldom
called Lennox.[80] In the lake there were a great many islands well
inhabited;[81] these islands the Norwegians wasted with fire. They also
burned all the buildings about the lake, and made great devastation, as
Sturlas relates.
13.
The persevering shielded warriors of the thrower of the whizzing
spear[82] drew their boats across the broad isthmus. Our fearless troops,
the exactors of contribution, with flaming brands wasted the populous
islands in the lake, and the mansions around its winding bays.
Allan the brother of King Dugal, marched far over into Scotland, and
killed great numbers of the inhabitants. He took many hundred head of
cattle, and made vast havoc, as is here described.
14.
Our veterans fierce of Soul, feeders of wolves, hastened their wasteful
course through the spacious districts of the mountains. Allan, the
bravest of mortals, at the fell interview of battle, often wreaked his fatal
vengeance on the expiring foe.
Afterwards the Norwegians retired to their fleet, and met with so
violent a storm that it dashed in pieces about ten of their ships in
Loch-Long. At this time Ivar Holm was seized with an acute disease,
which occasioned his death.
King Haco, as was before written, still lay in the Hebrides. Michaelmas
fell on a Saturday; and, on the Monday night after, there came a great
tempest with hailstones and rain. The watch on the fore-castle of the
King's ship called out, and said that a transport vessel was driving full

against their cable. The sailors immediately sprung upon deck; but the
rigging of the transport getting entangled in the King's ship, carried
away its beak. The transport then fell aboard in such a manner, that the
anchor grappled the cordage of the King's ship, which then began to
drag its anchors. The King, therefore, ordered the cable of the transport
to be cut, which was accordingly done. It then drove out to sea, but the
King's ship remained steadfast, and continued uncovered[83] till
daylight. On the morning, the transport floated with the tide, and,
together with a galley, was cast ashore on Scotland. The wind gradually
increasing, the crew of the King's ship got more cables, and dropt a
fifth anchor. The King himself then took to his long-boat, and rowing
out to the islands, ordered mass to be sung. The fleet in the meantime
was forced up the channel; and the tempest that day was so furious that
some vessels cut away their masts, others ran aground. The King's ship
also drove into the sound, tho' seven anchors, including that taken from
the transport, had been used. They then let go an eighth, which was the
sheet anchor; the ship still drove, but the anchors at length took fast
hold. Five vessels were cast ashore. So great was this storm that people
said it was raised by the power of Magic, and the quantity of rain was
prodigious, as is thus described.
15.
Now our deep-enquiring Sovereign encounter'd the horrid powers of
enchantment, and the abominations of an impious race. The troubled
flood tore many fair gallies from their moorings and swept them
anchorless before its waves.
16.
A magic-raised watery tempest blew upon our warriors, ambitious of
conquest, and against the floating habitations[84] of the brave. The
roaring billows and stormy blast threw shielded companies of our
adventurous nation on the Scottish strand.
When the Scotch saw that the vessels had run aground, they assembled
together, and advancing against the Norwegians, attacked them with
missile weapons. They, however, defended themselves gallantly under

cover of their ships; the Scotch made several attempts, at different
times, but killed few, tho' many were wounded. King Haco, as the wind
was now somewhat abated, sent in some boats with a reinforcement, as
is here mentioned.
17.
The victorious breaker of gleaming weapons, attentive of soul, then
sent his bands to the hard-fought field, where breast-plates rang. Our
troops, by the slaughter of the suspicious foe, established their
Monarch's fame, vilified by the dwellers