Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/149

 REIGN OF KING OLAF THE SAINT. 139 leader of authority, made not the least attempt at battle ; but, full of discouragement and consternation, thankfully allowed Olaf to sail away on his north- ward voyage, at discretion ; and themselves went off lamenting, with ErKng's dead body. This small victory was the last that Olaf had over his many enemies at present. He sailed along, still northward, day after day; several important people joined him ; but the news from landward grew daily more ominous : Bonders busily arming to rear of him ; and ahead, Hakon still more busily at Trondhjem, now near by, " — and he will end thy days. King, if he have strength enough ! " Olaf paused ; sent scouts to a hill-top : " Hakon's armament visible enough, and under way hitherward, about the Isle of Bjamo, yonder ! " Soon after, Olaf himself saw the Bonder armament of twenty-five ships, from the southward, sail past in the distance to join that of Hakon; and, worse still, his own ships, one and another (seven in all), were slipping off on a like errand ! He made for the Fiord of Fodrar, mouth of the rugged strath called Yaldal, — which I think still knows Olaf, and has now an ' Olaf 's Highway,' where, k