Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/207

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 199 prepared to accompany him, having his own merchant s aga v n. goods with him. There were about twenty-five men in the ship; and in spring they sailed north to Fin- mark. When Thorer Hund heard this, he sent a man to the brothers with the verbal message that he in- tended in summer to go to Biarmeland, and that he would sail with them, and that they should divide what booty they made equally between them. Carl sent him back the message that Thorer must have twenty-five men as they had, and they were willing to divide the booty that might be taken equally, but not the merchant goods which each had for himself. When Thorer's messenger came back he had put a stout long-ship he owned into the water, and rigged it, and he had put eighty men on board of his house- servants. Thorer alone had the command over this crew, and he alone had all the goods they might acquire on the cruise. When Thorer was ready for sea he set out northwards along the coast, and found Carl a little north of Sandrasr. They then proceeded with good wind. Gun stein said to his brother, as soon as they met Thorer, that in his opinion Thorer was strongly manned. " I think," said he, " we had better turn back than sail so entirely in Thorer's power, for I do not trust him." Carl replies, " I will not turn back, although if I had known when we were at home on Largo Isle that Thorer Hund would join us on this voyage with so large a crew as he has, I would have taken more hands with us." The brothers spoke about it to Thorer, and asked what was the meaning of his taking more people with him than was agreed upon between them. He replies, " We have a large ship which requires many hands, and methinks there cannot be too many brave lads for so dangerous a cruise." They went in summer as fast in general as the vessels could go. When the wind was light the ship of the brothers sailed fastest, and they separated ; o 4