i 4 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



Autha " the deep-minded," was married to Olaf the White. 

 Here we have a clear intimation that the former rivals 

 had patched up their quarrel in the usual way, matrimony 

 being a convenient means of reconciliation and the seal of 

 an alliance. When forced to exile, the aged pirate looked 

 back with a pathetic interest on his adventures in the West, 

 where he had " ravaged widely " in his younger days, and 

 in establishing an independent monarchy over the chain of 

 islands extending from the Shetlands to Man, he doubtless 

 received both the countenance and assistance of his powerful 

 son-in-law, the King of Dublin. Ketil's sovereignty, how- 

 ever, was of short duration, for he appears to have died 

 soon after its establishment. 



He was succeeded by his son Helgi, whose dominions 

 afforded a welcome refuge to his sister Aude and her son 

 Thorstein the Red, after the death of Olaf the White. 

 Helgi the Lean, who had married Ketil's daughter Thorun, 

 also found, with his wife, a safe asylum there. The 

 Eyrbyggia Saga states that Helgi's brother Bjorn, whose 

 lands had been forfeited by Harald Fairhair in retaliation 

 for the revolt of Ketil Flatnose, came " west-over-the-sea " 

 for protection, and was warmly welcomed by Helgi." The 

 latter, with some of his relatives, appears to have been 

 converted to Christianity. Seeing that they had cast off 

 the faith of their fathers, Bjorn " had no heart to dwell " 

 with them, and stayed the winter with his sister Aude and 

 Thorstein, her son, who had probably not come under the 

 same Christianising influences amongst the Dublin Ostmen 

 as had her brother Helgi in the Hebrides. From the 

 Hebrides Bjorn proceeded to Iceland, where he was fol- 

 lowed by Helgi the Lean with his wife and family. This 

 Helgi had been fostered for two winters in the Hebrides, 

 where he seems to have been half-starved (whence his 

 soubriquet), and had to be taken to Ireland to complete 

 his fosterage. He is described as a Christian settler in 

 Iceland, but his creed was a mixed one : nominally a 

 believer in the Founder of Christianity, he nevertheless 

 invoked Thor for aid in sea voyages and difficulties ; 



