Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/214

 2Q 6 CHRONICLE OF THE saoavh. was now approaching towards winter, King Canute — made ready to go over to England with Ins forces, and left his son Hardaknut to rule in Denmark, and with him Earl Ulf, a son of Thorkel Sprakalegg. Ulf was married to Astrid, King Swend's daughter, and sister of Canute the Great. Their son Swend was afterwards king of Denmark. Earl Ulf was a very distinguished man. When the kings Olaf and Onund heard that Canute the Great had gone west to England, they hastened to hold their conference, and met at Konghelle, on the Gotha river. They had a joyful meeting, and had many friendly conversa- tions, of which something might become known to the public ; but they also spake often a great deal between themselves, with none but themselves two present, of which only some things afterwards were carried' into effect, and thus became known to every one. At parting the kings presented each other with gifts, and parted the best of friends. King Onund went up into Gotland, and Olaf northwards to Yiken, and afterwards to Agder, and thence northwards along the coast, but lay a long time at Eggersund waiting a wind. Here he heard that Erling Skialgs- son, and the inhabitants of Jederen with him, had assembled a large force. One day the king's people were talking among themselves whether the wind was south or south-west, and whether with that wind they could sail past Jederen or not. The most said it was impossible to fetch round. Then answers Hal- dor Bryniolfsson, "lam of opinion that we would go round Jederen with this wind fast enough, if Erling Skialgsson had prepared a feast for us at Sole." Then King Olaf ordered the tents to be struck, and the vessels to be hauled out, which was done. They sailed the same day past Jederen with the best wind, and in the evening reached the Whiting Isles, from