138 



WAR-SHIPS. 



" Iii the spring Eirik obtained men, and Thorleif (Eirik's 

 foster-father) gave him a skuta, with fifteen rowers' seats and 

 complete equipment, tents, and provisions " (Olaf Tryggvason, 

 c. 20). 



This vessel was manned in time of peace by about thirty 

 men. 



" Egil had his ship afloat and the cargo on board before he 

 departed for the Thing. When they left Arinbjorn they went 

 to Steinsund to their ship, which was floating in the harbour 

 with the tents up. The skuta was floating with its rud- 

 der on between the shore and the ship, with the oars in their 

 rowlocks. In the morning, near dawn, the watchmen saw 

 that some ships were rowing towards them. Egil saw that 

 these were enemies, and bade his men leap into the skuta. 

 They all quickly seized their weapons, and Egil took the 

 chests of silver which King Adalstein gave him. They rowed 

 between the land and the snekkja nearest to it, which was 

 that of King Eirik, but in the hurry, and as it was rather 

 dark, the ships passed each other. When the lyptings l were 

 near, Egil flung a spear, which hit Ketil Hod in the waist, 

 who was sitting at the helm, and killed him instantly. King 

 Eirik called to his men to row after him, but as they passed 

 the trading ship the King's men leapt upon it. Those of 

 Eo-il's men who had not 2,'one into the skuta, and were caught, 



o <_> o 



were all killed; but some jumped ashore. Ten of his men 

 were killed there. Some of the ships rowed after Egil, while 

 others plundered the trading ship; all the goods on board 

 were taken, and the ship burnt. Those who pursued Egil and 

 his men rowed violently, two taking one oar and rowing in 

 turns. They had many men on board, but Egil had few : 

 they were eighteen in the skuta. The space between them 

 grew less, but inside the island there was a somewhat shallow 

 fording-sound between it and another island, and the tide was 

 ebbing. Egil sailed with the skuta into the shallow sound ; 

 but the snekkjas could not float there, and there they parted " 

 (Egil's Saga, c. 58). 



The Buza and the Dreki must have been somewhat similar 

 in size, for a luza-ship, built on the model of the long snake 

 is mentioned in the Sagas. 



" When Thorir's messengers returned, he had made ready a 



CD fj 



1 See p. 142. 



2 Cf. also St. Olaf, c. 132, 149 ; Mag- 



nus Blind's Saga, c. 5, Iii ; Magnus 

 Erlingson, c. 30. 



