Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/232

 224 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA VII. had eone to their vessels, and made ready to depart; ;and as fast as they were ready they hoisted sail anc set out, so that most of them were under sail. When Finn saw that they were most of them under sail he ordered his men to get ready too ; but as yet little more than a third part of the mulct had been paid. Then Finn said, " This goes on very slowly, Thorer, with the payment. I see it costs thee a great deal to pay money. I shall now let it stand for the present, and what remains thou shalt pay to the king himself." Finn then got up and went away. Thorer replies, " I am well enough pleased, Finn, to part now ; but the good will is not wanting to pay this debt, so that both thou and the king shall say it is not unpaid." Then Finn went on board his ship, and followed the rest of his fleet. Thorer was late before he was ready to come out of the harbour. When the sails were hoisted he steered out over Westfiord, and went to sea, keeping south along the land so far off that the hill-tops were half sunk, and soon the land alto- gether was sunk from view by the sea. Thorer held this course until he got into the English sea, and landed in England. He betook himself to King Canute forthwith, and was well received by him. It then came out that Thorer had with him a great deal of property ; and, with other things, all the money he and Carl had taken in Biarmeland. In the great liquor-casks there were sides within the outer sides, and the liquor was between them. The rest of the casks were filled with furs, and beaver and sable skins. Thorer was then with King Canute. Finn came with his forces to King Olaf, and related to him how all had gone upon his voyage, and told at the same time his suspicion that Thorer had left the country, and gone west to England to King Canute. " And there I doubt he will be of little service to us."