Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/289

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 281 Skialgsson. The king took this news very angrily, but saga vn. could not delay his voyage on account of the enemy, and he sailed in by Vegsund and Skot. There some of his people left him ; among others, Kalf Arneson, with many other lendermen and ship commanders, who all went to meet Earl Hakon. King Olaf, however, proceeded on his way without stopping until he came to Fodrar fiord, where he brought up at Valdai, and landed from his ship. He had then five ships with him, which he drew up upon the shore, and took care of their sails and materials. Then he set up his land tent upon a point of land called Suit, where there are pretty flat fields, and set up a cross near to the point of land. A bonder, by name Bruse, who dwelt there in More, and was chief over the valley, came down to King Olaf, together with many other bon- ders, and received him well, and according to his dignity; and he was friendly, and pleased with their reception of him. Then the king asked if there was a passable road up in the country from the valley to Lesie ; and Bruse replied, that there was a slope in the valley called Sessur not passable for man or beast. King Olaf answers, " That we must try, bon- der, and it will go as God pleases. Come here in the morning with your yoke, and come yourself with it, and let us then see, when we come to the sloping precipice, what chance there may be, and if we cannot devise some means of coming over it with horses and people." Now when day broke the bonders drove down Chapter with their yokes, as the king had told them. The clearing of clothes and weapons were packed upon horses, but the roatL the king and all the people went on foot. He went thus until he came to a place called Aros-Brukke; and when he came up upon the hill he rested him- self, sat down there a while, looked down over the fiord, and said, "A difficult expedition ye have thrown