Then said King Inge to Erling, "Now we will follow thy advice, brother,
with regard to the manner of attacking; but seeing how eager our
counsellors are for it, we shall make the attack this day."
Erling replied, "All the boats and light vessels we have should row
outside the island, and up the east arm of the river, and then down with
the stream upon them, and try if they cannot cut them loose from the
piles. Then we, with the large ships, shall row from below here against
them; and I cannot tell until it be tried, if those who are now so
furiously warm will be much brisker at the attack than I am."
This counsel was approved by all. There was a ness stretched out between
their fleet and Hakon's, so that they could not see each other. Now when
Hakon and his men, who had taken counsel with each other in a meeting,
saw the boat-squadron rowing down the river, some thought King Inge
intended to give them battle; but many believed they did not dare, for
it looked as if the attack was given up; and they, besides, were very
confident, both in their preparations and men. There were many great
people with Hakon: there were Sigurd of Reyr, and Simon's sons; Nikolas
Skialdvarson; Eindride, a son of Jon Mornef, who was the most gallant
and popular man in the Throndhjem country; and many other lendermen and
warriors. Now when they saw that King Inge's men with many ships were
rowing out of the river, Hakon and his men believed they were going to
fly; and therefore they cut their land-ropes with which they lay fast at
the piles, seized their oars, and rowed after them in pursuit. The
ships ran fast down with the stream; but when they came further down
the river, abreast of the ness, they saw King Inge's main strength lying
quiet at the island Hising. King Inge's people saw Hakon's ships under
way, and believed they were coming to attack them; and now there was
great bustle and clash of arms, and they encouraged each other by a
great war-shout. Hakon with his fleet turned northwards a little to the
land, where there was a turn in the bight of the river, and where there
was no current. They made ready for battle, carried land-ropes to the
shore, turned the stems of their ships outwards, and bound them all
together. They laid the large East-country traders without the
other vessels, the one above, the other below, and bound them to the
long-ships. In the middle of the fleet lay the king's ship, and next to
it Sigurd's; and on the other side of the king's ship lay Nikolas, and
next to him Endride Jonson. All the smaller ships lay farther off, and
they were all nearly loaded with weapons and stones.