Ketil Jamte, a son of Earl Onund of Sparabu, went eastward across the
mountain ridge, and with him a great multitude, who took all their
farm-stock and goods with them. They cleared the woods, and established
large farms, and settled the country afterwards called Jamtaland.
Thorer Helsing, Ketil's grandson, on account of a murder, ran away from
Jamtaland and fled eastward through the forest, and settled there. Many
people followed, and that country, which extends eastward down to the
seacoast, was called Helsingjaland; and its eastern parts are inhabited
by Swedes. Now when Harald Harfager took possession of the whole country
many people fled before him, both people of Throndhjem and of Naumudal
districts; and thus new settlers came to Jamtaland, and some all the way
to Helsingjaland. The Helsingjaland people travelled into Svithiod for
their merchandise, and thus became altogether subjects of that country.
The Jamtaland people, again, were in a manner between the two countries;
and nobody cared about them, until Hakon entered into friendly
intercourse with Jamtaland, and made friends of the more powerful
people. Then they resorted to him, and promised him obedience and
payment of taxes, and became his subjects; for they saw nothing but what
was good in him, and being of Norwegian race they would rather stand
under his royal authority than under the king of Sweden: and he gave
them laws, and rights to their land. All the people of Helsingjaland did
the same,--that is, all who were of Norwegian race, from the other side
of the great mountain ridge.