In those days befell such hard times in Iceland, that nought like them
has been known there; well-nigh all gettings from the sea, and all
drifts, came to an end; and this went on for many seasons. One autumn
certain chapmen in a big ship were drifted thither, and were wrecked
there in the Creek, and Flosi took to him four or five of them; Stein
was the name of their captain; they were housed here and there about
the Creek, and were minded to build them a new ship from the wreck;
but they were unhandy herein, and the ship was over small stem and
stern, but over big amidships.
That spring befell a great storm from the north, which lasted near a
week, and after the storm men looked after their drifts. Now there was
a man called Thorstein, who dwelt at Reekness; he found a whale driven
up on the firthward side of the ness, at a place called Rib-Skerries,
and the whale was a big whale.
Thorstein sent forthwith a messenger to Wick to Flosi, and so to the
nighest farm-steads. Now Einar was the name of the farmer at Combe,
and he was a tenant of those of Coldback, and had the ward of their
drifts on that side of the firths; and now withal he was ware of the
stranding of the whale: and he took boat and rowed past the firths to
Byrgis Creek, whence he sent a man to Coldback; and when Thorgrim and
his brothers heard that, they got ready at their swiftest, and were
twelve in a ten-oared boat, and Kolbein's sons fared with them, Ivar
and Leif, and were six altogether; and all farmers who could bring it
about went to the whale.
Now it is to be told of Flosi that he sent to his kin in Ingolfs-firth
and Ufeigh's-firth, and for Olaf Eyvindson, who then dwelt at Drangar;
and Flosi came first to the whale, with the men of the Creek, then they
fell to cutting up the whale, and what was cut was forthwith sent
ashore; near twenty men were thereat at first, but soon folk came
thronging thither.
Therewith came those of Coldback in four boats, and Thorgrim laid
claim to the whale and forbade the men of Wick to shear, allot, or
carry off aught thereof: Flosi bade him show if Eric had given Onund
Treefoot the drift in clear terms, or else he said he should defend
himself with arms. Thorgrim thought he and his too few, and would not
risk an onset; but therewithal came a boat rowing up the firth, and
the rowers therein pulled smartly. Soon they came up, and there was
Swan, from Knoll in Biornfirth, and his house-carles; and straightway,
when he came, he bade Thorgrim not to let himself be robbed; and great
friends they had been heretofore, and now Swan offered his aid. The
brothers said they would take it, and therewith set on fiercely;
Thorgeir Bottleback first mounted the whale against Flosi's
house-carles; there the aforenamed Thorfin was cutting the whale, he
was in front nigh the head, and stood in a foot-hold he had cut for
himself; then Thorgeir said, "Herewith I bring thee back thy axe," and
smote him on the neck, and struck off his head.
Flosi was up on the foreshore when he saw that, and he egged on his
men to meet them hardily; now they fought long together, but those of
Coldback had the best of it: few men there had weapons except the axes
wherewith they were cutting up the whale, and some choppers. So the
men of Wick gave back to the foreshores; the Eastmen had weapons,
and many a wound they gave; Stein, the captain, smote a foot off
Ivar Kolbeinson, but Leif, Ivar's brother, beat to death a fellow of
Stein's with a whale-rib; blows were dealt there with whatever could
be caught at, and men fell on either side. But now came up Olaf and
his men from Drangar in many boats, and gave help to Flosi, and then
those of Coldback were borne back overpowered; but they had loaded
their boats already, and Swan bade get aboard and thitherward they
gave back, and the men of Wick came on after them; and when Swan was
come down to the sea, he smote at Stein, the sea-captain, and gave him
a great wound, and then leapt aboard his boat; Thorgrim wounded Flosi
with a great wound and therewith got away; Olaf cut at Ufeigh Grettir,
and wounded him to death; but Thorgeir caught Ufeigh up and leapt
aboard with him. Now those of Coldback row east by the firths, and
thus they parted; and this was sung of their meeting--
At Rib-skerries, I hear folk tell,
A hard and dreadful fray befell,
For men unarmed upon that day
With strips of whale-fat made good play.
Fierce steel-gods these in turn did meet
With blubber-slices nowise sweet;
Certes a wretched thing it is
To tell of squabbles such as this.
After these things was peace settled between them, and these suits
were laid to the Althing; there Thorod the Godi and Midfirth-Skeggi,
with many of the south-country folk, aided those of Coldback; Flosi
was outlawed, and many of those who had been with him; and his moneys
were greatly drained because he chose to pay up all weregild himself.
Thorgrim and his folk could not show that they had paid money for the
lands and drifts which Flosi claimed. Thorkel Moon was lawman then,
and he was bidden to give his decision; he said that to him it seemed
law, that something had been paid for those lands, though mayhap
not their full worth; "For so did Steinvor the Old to Ingolf, my
grandfather, that she had from him all Rosmwhale-ness and gave
therefor a spotted cloak, nor has that gift been voided, though certes
greater flaws be therein: but here I lay down my rede," said he, "that
the land be shared, and that both sides have equal part therein; and
henceforth be it made law, that each man have the drifts before
his own lands." Now this was done, and the land was so divided that
Thorgrim and his folk had to give up Reekfirth and all the lands by
the firth-side, but Combe they were to keep still. Ufeigh was atoned
with a great sum; Thorfin was unatoned, and boot was given to Thorgeir
for the attack on his life; and thereafter were they set at one
together. Flosi took ship for Norway with Stein, the ship-master, and
sold his lands in the Wick to Geirmund Hiuka-timber, who dwelt there
afterwards. Now that ship which the chapmen had made was very broad of
beam, so that men called it the Treetub, and by that name is the
creek known: but in that keel did Flosi go out, but was driven back to
Axefirth, whereof came the tale of Bodmod, and Grimulf, and Gerpir.