Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/137

 REIGN OF KING OLAF THE SAINT. 127 army, — land-army, and such a fleet as had never sailed before ; Knut's own ship in it, — a Gold Dragon with no fewer than sixty benches of oars. Olaf and Onund King of Sweden, whose sister he had married, well guessed whither this armament was bound. They were friends withal, they recognised their common peril in this imminence ; and had, in repeated con- sultations, taken measures the best that their united skiU (which I find was mainly Olaf's, but loyally accepted by the other) could suggest. It was in this year that Olaf (with his Swedish king assisting) did his grand feat upon Knut in Lynifjord of Jutland, which was already spoken of. The special circum stances of which were these : Knut's big armament arriving on the Jutish coasts too late in the season, and the coast country lying aU. plundered into temporary wreck by the two Norse kings, who shrank away on sight of Knut, there was nothing could be done upon them by Knut this year, — or, if anything, what ? Knut's ships ran into Lym- f jord, the safe-sheltered frith, or intricate long straggle of friths and straits, which almost cuts Jutland in two in that region; and lay safe, idly rocking on the