the dromon: in this way her bolts will pass over us, if we hug her very close." And the earl said: "That is spoken like a man. Now will we make ready and row against them. And if they are Christians, then will we make peace with them; but if they are heathens, then Almighty God will yield us this mercy that we shall win the victory over them." Then the men got out their arms and heightened the bulwarks, and rowed briskly up to the enemy; and it seemed to them that those on the dromon dared them to come on with shoutings and hailings.
Earl Rognvald laid his ship aft alongside the dromon, and Erling, too, laid his aft. John and Astak laid their ships forward on either board, and the others were also on either board; and the sides of the dromon stood up so high that they could not reach up, and pitch and brimstone were poured upon them, but the weight of weapons fell beyond them in the sea. And as their onslaught prospered not, the bishop, with two others, pushed off and with bowmen drove the dromon's men to cover. Then Rognvald shouted to his men to hew asunder the broadside of the dromon; and above Erling's ship hung the great anchor of the dromon, and the stock pointed downwards. Then was Audun the Red lifted up on the anchor stock, and others he helped up to him, till they stood thick on the stock, and hewed till they could enter the dromon. And the earl and his men boarded by the lower hold, and Erling and his by the upper; and there were many Saracens and blackamoors on hoard, so that it was an exceeding hard fight. Then they slew much folk and got much goods, and took a man taller and fairer than the rest, and other captives; and after the battle they feasted, and stripped the dromon and set her on fire. Then it was as if molten metal did flow from her, and they knew that she had carried hidden silver and gold.
Thence they sailed under Sarkland to a coast town, and made truce with the townsmen, and sold their prisoners; hut the tall man none would buy, wherefore the earl set him free. Then he rode up the country, bidding Rognvald godspeed; but Rognvald fared to Crete in foul weather, and after whiles a fair wind came for them to go to Acreburg, and they sailed thither, and fared to the Jordan, and came back: and after that they sailed for Micklegarth (Constantinople), and they took great pains with their sailing and came with great pomp. Menelaus was emperor of Micklegarth, and gave them much goods. They stayed there the winter; then Rognvald
