38 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



entirely successful, the latter sustaining a severe defeat 

 in the Sound of Islay, whence the Norsemen, under Olave 

 and Uspak the latter of whom turned out to be the 

 long-lost brother of Dugall and Duncan sailed to Bute, 

 where they stormed a castle garrisoned by Scots. From 

 Bute, where Uspak was killed, Olave returned to Man, 

 and his men passed the winter in the island. On the 

 return voyage to Norway, they made a descent on Kintyre, 

 and on reaching Lewis, they attacked Tormod, whose 

 father Torquil fell in Skye, and chased him out of the 

 island, capturing his wife and all his possessions. We 

 are left in doubt as to the identity of Torquil and Tormod. 

 That Torquil's possessions lay in Lewis is evident ; that 

 Tormod's home was in that island is also clear ; but 

 what their offence was against the Norwegian Crown, or 

 against the authority of its vassals, is not specifically 

 stated. Munch suggests that they may have been op- 

 posed to the rule of Godred Don, Reginald's son, into 

 whose possession his uncle gave the Nordereys on his 

 resumption of the sovereignty of Man. This is not an 

 improbable view, but it does not explain the attack on 

 Torquil in Skye, unless we suppose that the latter, taking 

 advantage of the absence of Paul Balkasson, had been 

 raiding his property ; the fact that Balka the younger 

 went out of his way to fight Torquil in Skye, seems to 

 lend colour to that suggestion. 



Whatever the cause of the attack by the Norwegians 

 on Lewis, it is certain that shortly after their departure, 

 Godred proceeded to take revenge on his old enemy, 

 Paul Balkasson, who had years before mutilated him. 

 Godred's headquarters appear to have been in Lewis, and 

 the inference is that no sooner had his authority been 

 established in the Long Island by the Norwegian force, 

 than he attacked Balkasson in Skye. The simple fact 

 known to us is that he killed Balkasson. A few days 

 afterwards, Brown Godred was himself slain in Lewis. 

 On the death of his nephew, Olave resumed the direct 

 rule of the Nordereys. 



