baptized all the people among whom he came; and when he came north to Salten fiord[1], he intended to sail into it to look for Rand, but a dreadful tempest and storm was raging in the fiord. They lay there a whole week, in which the same weather was raging within the fiord; while without there was a fine brisk -wind only, fair for proceeding north along the land. Then the king continued his voyage north to Omd, in Hind island, where all the people submitted to Christianity. Then the king turned about and sailed to the south again; but when he came to the north side of Salten fiord, the same tempest was blowing, and the sea ran high out from the fiord, and the same kind of. storm prevailed for several days while the king was lying there. Then the king applied to Bishop Sigurd, and asked him if he knew any counsel about it; and the bishop said he would try if God would give him power to conquer these arts of the Devil.
Chapter LXXXVII.
Of Bishop Sigurd, and of Raud's being tortured.
Bishop Sigurd took all his mass robes and went forward to the bow of the king's ship; ordered tapers to be lighted, and incense to be brought out. Then he set the crucifix upon the stem of the vessel, read the Evangelist and many prayers, besprinkled the whole ship with holy water, and then ordered the ship-tent to be stowed away, and to row into the fiord. The king ordered all the other ships to follow him. Now when all was ready on board the Crane to row, she went into the fiord without the rowers finding any wind; and the sea was curled about their keel track like as in a calm, so
- ↑ The Salten fiord is more celebrated in the north of Norway, and more dreaded, than the famous Maelstrom. It is a large fiord within; but the throat through which the vast mass of water has to run in and out at flood and ebb is so narrow, that it makes a very heavy and dangerous race or roost for many miles out in the sea, especially in ebb, when the whole body of water is returning to the ocean. The stream can only be crossed during a few minutes at still water, when flood or ebb has not begun to run, unless at a great distance from the jaws of this singular gulph.
