When Swein came to the cave it was ebb tide. They hauled up the boat into the cave, which ran into the cliff, and the water rose before the mouth of the cave. During the day Earl Harald and his men searched for Swein throughout the island, and did not find him, neither did they see any boat leave the island. They wondered very much at this, as they thought it unlikely that Swein’s boat had gone down. They rowed round the island in search of the boat, but did not find it. Then they concluded that he must have gone to some of the other islands, and they went where they thought it most likely. It so happened that, when the Earl rowed away, the tide was back from the mouth of the cave. Swein had overheard the talk between the Earl and his men. He left his own boat in the cave, and took a small boat which the monks[430] had, and went to Sandey. There they landed, and pushed off the small boat, which drifted about till it was wrecked. They came to a homestead called Völuness,[431] where a man lived by name Bárd, who was Swein’s kinsman. They made themselves known to him secretly, and Swein said he wished to stay there. Bárd said he might do as he liked, but that he dared not keep him here unless in hiding. They went in, and sat by themselves in a part of the house separated from the other inmates by a partition-wall. There was a secret door to it, filled up with loose stones. That evening Jón Vœng, Earl Harald’s steward, arrived there with six men, and Bárd received them well. Large fires were made, at which they warmed themselves. Jón was excited, and spoke of the dealings of Swein and the Earls. He blamed Swein very much, said he was a truce-breaker, and faithful to no one. He had lately made peace with Earl Harald, and yet he went to attack him and burn him in the house, adding that there would never be peace in the land till Swein was banished from it. Bárd and Jón’s companions put in some words in Swein’s defence. Then Jón began to blame Earl Erlend, saying there was no loss in his death, as he was a violent man, and nobody could live in safety for him. When Swein heard this, he could not restrain himself, but seized his weapons, and ran to the secret door. He pushed the stones down, thus making a great noise. Swein’s design was to leap before the hall-door. Jón was sitting in his shirt and linen breeches, and when he heard Swein coming he tied on his shoes and sprang out from the fire and away from the house. The night was pitch dark, and it was hard frost. During the night he came to another farm. His feet were very much frost-bitten, and some of his toes fell off. Through the intercession of Bárd, Swein gave peace to Jón’s companions. He remained there during the night, but in the morning he and his men went away in a boat belonging to Bárd, which he gave to him. They went south to Bardsvík,[432] and stayed in a certain cave. Sometimes Swein took his meals at a house during the day, but slept