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with the shoal places； steering ahead； and showing them the way。
Snorro rises into one of his pictorial fits； seized with enthusiasm at the
thought of such a fleet； and reports to us largely in what order
Tryggveson's winged Coursers of the Deep； in long series； for perhaps an
hour or more； came on； and what the three potentates； from their knoll of
vantage； said of each as it hove in sight； Svein thrice over guessed this and
the other noble vessel to be the Long Serpent； Eric； always correcting him；
〃No； that is not the Long Serpent yet〃 （and aside always）； 〃Nor shall you
be lord of it； king； when it does come。〃 The Long Serpent itself did make
appearance。 Eric； Svein； and the Swedish king hurried on board； and
pushed out of their hiding…place into the open sea。 Treacherous Sigwald； at
the beginning of all this； had suddenly doubled that cape of theirs； and
struck into the bay out of sight； leaving the foremost Tryggveson ships
astonished； and uncertain what to do； if it were not simply to strike sail
and wait till Olaf himself with the Long Serpent arrived。
Olaf's chief captains； seeing the enemy's huge fleet come out； and how
the matter lay； strongly advised King Olaf to elude this stroke of treachery；
and； with all sail； hold on his course； fight being now on so unequal terms。
Snorro says； the king； high on the quarter…deck where he stood； replied；
〃Strike the sails； never shall men of mine think of flight。 I never fled from
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battle。 Let God dispose of my life； but flight I will never take。〃 And so the
battle arrangements immediately began； and the battle with all fury went
loose； and lasted hour after hour； till almost sunset； if I well recollect。
〃Olaf stood on the Serpent's quarter…deck；〃 says Snorro； 〃high over the
others。 He had a gilt shield and a helmet inlaid with gold； over his armor
he had a short red coat； and was easily distinguished from other men。〃
Snorro's account of the battle is altogether animated； graphic； and so
minute that antiquaries gather from it； if so disposed （which we but little
are）； what the methods of Norse sea…fighting were； their shooting of
arrows； casting of javelins； pitching of big stones； ultimately boarding； and
mutual clashing and smashing； which it would not avail us to speak of
here。 Olaf stood conspicuous all day； throwing javelins； of deadly aim；
with both hands at once； encouraging； fighting and commanding like a
highest sea…king。
The Danish fleet； the Swedish fleet； were； both of them； quickly dealt
with； and successively withdrew out of shot…range。 And then Jarl Eric
came up； and fiercely grappled with the Long Serpent； or； rather； with her
surrounding comrades； and gradually； as they were beaten empty of men；
with the Long Serpent herself。 The fight grew ever fiercer； more furious。
Eric was supplied with new men from the Swedes and Danes； Olaf had no
such resource； except from the crews of his own beaten ships； and at
length this also failed him； all his ships； except the Long Serpent； being
beaten and emptied。 Olaf fought on unyielding。 Eric twice boarded him；
was twice repulsed。 Olaf kept his quarterdeck； unconquerable； though left
now more and more hopeless； fatally short of help。 A tall young man；
called Einar Tamberskelver； very celebrated and important afterwards in
Norway； and already the best archer known； kept busy with his bow。 Twice
he nearly shot Jarl Eric in his ship。 〃Shoot me that man；〃 said Jarl Eric to a
bowman near him； and； just as Tamberskelver was drawing his bow the
third time； an arrow hit it in the middle and broke it in two。 〃What is this
that has broken？〃 asked King Olaf。 〃Norway from thy hand； king；〃
answered Tamberskelver。 Tryggveson's men； he observed with surprise；
were striking violently on Eric's； but to no purpose： nobody fell。 〃How is
this？〃 asked Tryggveson。 〃Our swords are notched and blunted； king； they
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do not cut。〃 Olaf stept down to his arm…chest； delivered out new swords；
and it was observed as he did it； blood ran trickling from his wrist； but
none knew where the wound was。 Eric boarded a third time。 Olaf； left with
hardly more than one man； sprang overboard （one sees that red coat of his
still glancing in the evening sun）； and sank in the deep waters to his long
rest。
Rumor ran among his people that he still was not dead； grounding on
some movement by the ships of that traitorous Sigwald； they fancied Olaf
had dived beneath the keels of his enemies； and got away with Sigwald； as
Sigwald himself evidently did。 〃Much was hoped； supposed； spoken；〃 says
one old mourning Skald； 〃but the truth was； Olaf Tryggveson was never
seen in Norseland more。〃 Strangely he remains still a shining figure to us；
the wildly beautifulest man； in body and in soul； that one has ever heard of
in the North。
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CHAPTER VIII。
JARLS ERIC AND SVEIN。
Jarl Eric； splendent with this victory； not to speak of that over the
Jomsburgers with his father long ago； was now made Governor of Norway：
Governor or quasi…sovereign； with his brother； Jarl。 Svein； as partner； who；
however； took but little hand in governing；and； under the patronage of
Svein Double…Beard and the then Swedish king （Olaf his name； Sigrid the
Proud； his mother's）； administered it； they say； with skill and prudence for
above fourteen years。 Tryggveson's death is understood and laboriously
computed to have happened in the year 1000； but there is no exact
chronology in these things； but a continual uncertain guessing after such；
so that one eye in History as regards them is as if put out；neither indeed
have I yet had the luck to find any decipherable and intelligible map of
Norway： so that the other eye of History is much blinded withal； and her
path through those wild regions and epochs is an extremely dim and
chaotic one。 An evil that much demands remedying； and especially wants
some first attem