Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/71

 KINGS OP NORWAY. G3 they met in the sound and fought. Hroa fell there, SAGA VIL with nearly thirty men ; and Ey vind took all the goods Hroa had with him. Eyvind then proceeded to the Baltic, and was all summer on a viking cruise. There was a man called Gudleif Gerske*, who came Chapter originally from Agder. He was a great merchant, F aii of ' who went far and wide by sea, was very rich, and °™H«f , "I • 1 • • TT /» 3nd ° { drove a trade with various countries. He often went Thorgaut east to Garderidge (Russia), and therefore was called karde ' Gudleif Gerske (the Russian). This spring Gudleif fitted out his ship, and intended to go east in summer to Russia. King Olaf sent a message to him that he wanted to speak to him ; and when Gudleif came to the king he told him he would go in partnership with him, and told him to purchase some costly articles which were difficult to be had in this country. Gud- leif said that it should be according to the king's desire. The king ordered as much money to be deli- vered to Gudleif as he thought sufficient, and then Gudleif set out for the Baltic. They lay in a sound in Gotland ; and there it happened, as it often does, that people cannot keep their own secrets, and the people of the country came to know that in this ship was Olaf the Thick's partner. Gudleif went in sum- mer eastwards to Novogorod, where he bought fine and costly clothes, which he intended for the king as a state dress; and also precious furs, and remarkably splendid table utensils. In autumn, as Gudleif was re- turning from the east, he met a contrary wind, and lay for a long time at the island Oland. There came Thorgaut Skarde, who in autumn had heard of Gud- leif's course, in a long-ship against him, and gave him battle. They fought long, and Gudleif and his people defended themselves for a long time ; but the numbers against them were great, and Gudleif and
 * Gerske — viz. from Garderidge — the Russian.